SAINT GEORGE, Utah – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging an Idaho man after he allegedly assaulted federal officers with his vehicle at the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area in Southern Utah.
Gregory Aaron Farley, 51, of Hazelton, Idaho, was charged by complaint on May 3, 2025.
According to court documents, on May 3, 2025, two U.S. Park Rangers working at the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area responded to a dispatch call that reported an erratic driver in a white pick-up truck near Lake Powell. At 7:47 p.m., the rangers conducted a traffic stop on Highway 89 on a pick-up truck matching the vehicle description. Farley was the driver and while one of the rangers was speaking to him, Farley fled the scene at a high rate of speed, nearly hitting one of the rangers. The rangers returned to their patrol vehicle and pursued Farley. During the pursuit, Farley turned around and collided into the driver’s side of the rangers’ vehicle. As a result, the rangers were pushed into the shoulder of the road, the airbags deployed, and the driver’s side door was rendered inoperable. After Farley hit the rangers’ truck, he reversed his truck and was still facing the rangers’ truck. In response, both rangers fired their weapons at Farley. Additional officers arrived on the scene, Farley exited his truck, and received medical aid. He was then taken into custody.
Farley is charged with assault on an employee of the United States with a Dangerous Weapon. His initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for May 19, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. before a U.S. Magistrate judge in Room 2B of the courthouse located at 206 West Tabernacle Street, St. George, Utah 84470.
Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office.
Assistant United States Attorneys Stephen P. Dent and Joseph M. Hood of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Iain Boyd, Director of the Center for National Security Initiatives and Professor of Aerospace Engineering Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder
Posters that President Donald Trump used to announce Golden Dome depict missile defense as a shield.AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein
President Donald Trump announced a plan to build a missile defense system, called the Golden Dome, on May 20, 2025. The system is intended to protect the United States from ballistic, cruise and hypersonic missiles, and missiles launched from space.
Trump is calling for the current budget to allocate US$25 billion to launch the initiative, which the government projected will cost $175 billion. He said Golden Dome will be fully operational before the end of his term in three years and will provide close to 100% protection.
The Conversation U.S. asked Iain Boyd, an aerospace engineer and director of the Center for National Security Initiatives at the University of Colorado Boulder, about the Golden Dome plan and the feasibility of Trump’s claims. Boyd receives funding for research unrelated to Golden Dome from defense contractor Lockheed Martin.
Why does the United States need a missile shield?
Several countries, including China, Russia, North Korea and Iran, have been developing missiles over the past few years that challenge the United States’ current missile defense systems.
These weapons include updated ballistic missiles and cruise missiles, and new hypersonic missiles. They have been specifically developed to counter America’s highly advanced missile defense systems such as the Patriot and the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System.
For example, the new hypersonic missiles are very high speed, operate in a region of the atmosphere where nothing else flies and are maneuverable. All of these aspects combined create a new challenge that requires a new, updated defensive approach.
So it’s reasonable to think that, to ensure the protection of its homeland and to aid its allies, the U.S. may need a new missile defense capability.
Ukrainian forces are using the U.S.-made Patriot missile defense system against Russian ballistic missiles.
What are the components of a national missile defense system?
Such a defense system requires a global array of geographically distributed sensors that cover all phases of all missile trajectories.
First, it is essential for the system to detect the missile threats as early as possible after launch, so some of the sensors must be located close to regions where adversaries may fire them, such as by China, Russia, North Korea and Iran. Then, it has to track the missiles along their trajectories as they travel hundreds or thousands of miles.
These requirements are met by deploying a variety of sensors on a number of different platforms on the ground, at sea, in the air and in space. Interceptors are placed in locations that protect vital U.S. assets and usually aim to engage threats during the middle portion of the trajectory between launch and the terminal dive.
The U.S. already has a broad array of sensors and interceptors in place around the world and in space primarily to protect the U.S. and its allies from ballistic missiles. The sensors would need to be expanded, including with more space-based sensors, to detect new missiles such as hypersonic missiles. The interceptors would need to be enhanced to enable them to address hypersonic weapons and other missiles and warheads that can maneuver.
Does this technology exist?
Intercepting hypersonic missiles specifically involves several steps.
First, as explained above, a hostile missile must be detected and identified as a threat. Second, the threat must be tracked along all of its trajectory due to the ability of hypersonic missiles to maneuver. Third, an interceptor missile must be able to follow the threat and get close enough to it to disable or destroy it.
The main new challenge here is the ability to track the hypersonic missile continuously. This requires new types of sensors to detect hypersonic vehicles and new sensor platforms that are able to provide a complete picture of the hypersonic trajectory. As described, Golden Dome would use the sensors in a layered approach in which they are installed on a variety of platforms in multiple domains, including ground, sea, air and space.
These various platforms would need to have different types of sensors that are specifically designed to track hypersonic threats in different phases of their flight paths. These defensive systems will also be designed to address weapons fired from space. Much of the infrastructure will be multipurpose and able to defend against a variety of missile types.
In terms of time frame for deployment, it is important to note that Golden Dome will build from the long legacy of existing U.S. missile defense systems. Another important aspect of Golden Dome is that some of the new capabilities have been under active development for years. In some ways, Golden Dome represents the commitment to actually deploy systems for which considerable progress has already been made.
Is near 100% protection a realistic claim?
Israel’s Iron Dome air defense system has been described as the most effective system of its kind anywhere in the world.
But even Iron Dome is not 100% effective, and it has also been overwhelmed on occasion by Hamas and others who fire very large numbers of inexpensive missiles and rockets at it. So it is unlikely that any missile defense system will ever provide 100% protection.
The more important goal here is to achieve deterrence, similar to the stalemate in the Cold War with the Soviet Union that was based on nuclear weapons. All of the new weapons that Golden Dome will defend against are very expensive. The U.S. is trying to change the calculus in an opponent’s thinking to the point where they will consider it not worth shooting their precious high-value missiles at the U.S. when they know there is a high probability of them not reaching their targets.
CBS News covered President Donald Trump’s announcement.
Is three years a feasible time frame?
That seems to me like a very aggressive timeline, but with multiple countries now operating hypersonic missiles, there is a real sense of urgency.
Existing missile defense systems on the ground, at sea and in the air can be expanded to include new, more capable sensors. Satellite systems are beginning to be put in place for the space layer. Sensors have been developed to track the new missile threats.
Putting all of this highly complex system together, however, is likely to take more than three years. At the same time, if the U.S. fully commits to Golden Dome, a significant amount of progress can be made in this time.
What does the president’s funding request tell you?
President Trump is requesting a total budget for all defense spending of about $1 trillion in 2026. So, $25 billion to launch Golden Dome would represent only 2.5% of the total requested defense budget.
Of course, that is still a lot of money, and a lot of other programs will need to be terminated to make it possible. But it is certainly financially achievable.
How will Golden Dome differ from Iron Dome?
Similar to Iron Dome, Golden Dome will consist of sensors and interceptor missiles but will be deployed over a much wider geographical region and for defense against a broader variety of threats in comparison with Iron Dome.
A second-generation Golden Dome system in the future would likely use directed energy weapons such as high-energy lasers and high-power microwaves to destroy missiles. This approach would significantly increase the number of shots that defenders can take against ballistic, cruise and hypersonic missiles.
Iain Boyd receives funding from the U.S. Department of Defense and Lockheed-Martin Corporation, a defense contractor that sells missile defense systems and could potentially benefit from the implementation of Golden Dome.
overnor Kathy Hochul today announced that reported gun violence across New York State has continued to decline, reaching the lowest level since the state began tracking this data in 2006. New statistics released by the State Division of Criminal Justice Services show a 15 percent decline in shooting victims and a 9 percent drop in shooting incidents with injury from January 1, 2025, through April 30, 2025, compared to the same period last year, in communities participating in the State’s Gun Involved Violence Elimination initiative.
“Keeping New Yorkers safe is my top priority. Since taking office, my administration has been laser focused on eliminating gun violence and reducing the number of gun-related injuries and fatalities across the State,” Governor Hochul said. “Our efforts are working, and I am committed to continuing our record level support for gun violence prevention initiatives in our most impacted communities to ensure all New Yorkers are safe.”
Newly released data comes from the 28 police departments outside of New York City participating in the state’s Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) initiative. These police departments report roughly 90 percent of violent crimes involving firearms and 85 percent of violent crime reported outside New York City. Since 2021 when Governor Hochul took office, shootings in New York are down by more than 50 percent and murders are down 30 percent.
Between January and April 2025, these departments reported 156 shooting victims, down from 183 during the same period in 2024; and 139 shooting incidents with injury, down from 153 in 2024 — data that are the result of a coordinated, data-driven effort to reduce gun violence in the State’s most impacted communities.
New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services Commissioner Rossana Rosado said, “New York’s strategy is working because it’s grounded in data, backed by funding, and built on strong partnerships. We are proud to support our law enforcement and community partners with the tools they need to make every neighborhood safer.”
Monroe County Executive Adam Bello said “Monroe County and New York State are committed to working together to keep our community and neighborhoods safe through sustained investments in gun violence prevention programs. Governor Hochul’s continued support for the GIVE initiative demonstrates a clear understanding that addressing gun violence requires data-driven and community-focused strategies. GIVE empowers local law enforcement and community partners with the tools and resources they need to prevent gun violence before it occurs. By prioritizing prevention and intervention, Governor Hochul and New York State are helping to build safe and more resilient communities across the state,”
Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz said “The ongoing efforts to reduce gun violence across the state are making a difference. Collaboration and support amongst many different law enforcement agencies and key community partners will help our continued efforts to promote public safety and to make neighborhoods safer. I thank Governor Hochul and my colleagues at other levels in government for continuing to work on reducing gun violence rates as we reinforce trusted safety measures and prevention methods to make every community safer, especially those disproportionately impacted by crime violent crimes that involve guns. Together we will achieve peace and stability throughout the state.”
According to the US Center for Disease Control (CDC) the murder rate in New York declined by 8 percent from 2023 to 2024. Mortality data shows that New York has the second lowest homicide rate of the top 15 most populous states and the lowest homicide rate of the top 10 states. CDC data also shows that New York has the third lowest firearm-related mortality rate, including firearm-related homicides, accidental discharges, and suicides, in the nation behind only Massachusetts and New Jersey.
Preliminary full year crime data from DCJS shows a 4 percent decline in overall index crime statewide in 2024 compared to 2023. The 57 counties outside New York City reported an 8 percent drop in crimes with 5 percent fewer violent crimes and 9 percent fewer property crimes.
In the 57 counties outside of New York City, the following categories of crime declined significantly from 2023 to 2024, with robbery and burglary at the lowest levels on record:
Motor vehicle theft (-27 percent)
Robbery (-11 percent)
Burglary (-8 percent)
Larceny (-6 percent)
To build on this progress, Governor Hochul’s recently enacted FY26 Enacted Budget strengthens New York’s public safety efforts, including:
$347 million in gun violence prevention programs that have helped drive gun violence down by more than 50 percent when compared to pandemic-era peaks;
Reforms to the discovery process aimed at reducing recidivism and ensuring timely justice;
Increased support for survivors of domestic and sexual violence;
Enhanced protections for transit workers and passengers; and
$77 million to partner with NYPD to increase police presence on platforms and trains by temporarily surging patrol levels for six months, among other key safety initiatives.
The Budget also includes continued funding for DCJS initiatives that support local law enforcement, community-based violence prevention, and victim services. DCJS also recently notified law enforcement and victim service professionals of their first round of funding through its Statewide Targeted Reductions in Intimate Violence (STRIVE) initiative, which directs resources to police, prosecutors and victim assistance providers so they can better address intimate partner violence in high-need communities.
Detailed data on shooting incidents, victims and homicides by department is available on the DCJS statistics page.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Jonathan Jackson – Illinois (1st District)
It is with profound sadness and a heavy heart that I join our nation in mourning the loss of Congressman Charles B. Rangel—a titan of public service, a warrior for justice, and a beacon of hope for generations of Americans. His passing leaves an irreplaceable void in the fabric of our nation, but his extraordinary legacy will forever illuminate the path toward equity and dignity for all.
Congressman Rangel was not only a colleague and mentor but a cherished friend and a guiding force in my life. His bond with my father, the Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, was forged in the fires of the Civil Rights Movement, where they stood shoulder to shoulder in the fight for voting rights, economic justice, and the soul of our democracy. “Charlie” as we all affectionately called him, was a brother in struggle and a steadfast ally who reminded us that “service is the rent we pay for the privilege of living on this Earth.” His counsel to me, as a young man navigating the weight of my family’s legacy, was unwavering: “Keep your eyes on the horizon, but never forget the people who lifted you there.”
A son of Harlem and a decorated Korean War veteran, Congressman Rangel carried the scars of battle—both on the battlefield, where he earned a Purple Heart, and in the halls of Congress, where he waged a 46-year campaign against inequality. As a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus, he transformed its vision into a powerhouse for progress, championing landmark legislation from the Martin Luther King Jr. National Holiday to the fight for Reparations. His leadership as Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee redefined economic fairness, ensuring that prosperity reached those too long left behind.
Charlie’s life was a living testament to Black history. From his humble beginnings in a Harlem housing project to his rise as one of Congress’ most influential voices, he embodied the resilience and brilliance of our community. He stood as a bridge between the giants of the Civil Rights era and the leaders of today, reminding us that the fight for justice is both timeless and urgent. His unapologetic advocacy for the marginalized—whether through challenging apartheid in South Africa or battling discriminatory drug policies at home—cemented his place among the pantheon of American freedom fighters.
To the Rangel family, I extend my deepest condolences and the gratitude of a nation forever shaped by his courage. Charlie Rangel’s light will never dim. As we mourn, let us also celebrate a life that taught us to lead with conviction, serve with compassion, and never surrender in the pursuit of what is right.
Rest in power, Chairman. Your rent was paid in full.
BRIDGETOWN – The United Nations World Food Programme today joined the Government of Barbados and the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) to inaugurate the Caribbean’s newest disaster preparedness and response hub.
The Caribbean Regional Logistics Hub, inaugurated just ahead of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, will store and dispatch critical relief items to affected communities in case of a disaster. The hub’s strategic location at the Grantley Adams International Airport and proximity to the main highway and port facilities will allow for both air and sea operations during an emergency response.
The Hon. Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, Executive Director, CDEMA, Elizabeth Riley, and WFP Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean Lola Castro officially opened the new facility.
“This hub is about saving lives. This is about getting food and critical supplies, including pharmaceuticals to persons within 48-72 hours of a major disaster. It isn’t only limited to emergency responses for disaster, it is also going to be for humanitariancrises,” said Mottley.
The hub comprises a large fully enclosed warehouse and outdoor container park with space for up to forty, twenty-foot shipping containers. Additionally, the compound provides adequate space for consolidating equipment before shipping. The hub comprises of 2,500 square metres of covered storage space, 1,300 racked pallets and approximately 1,600sqm of open storage space.
“Having seen how devastating hurricanes and other hazards can be in the Caribbean, we are proud to have this Caribbean Regional Logistics Hub in place,” said Castro. “WFP works with partners in the region and globally to enhance national response mechanisms to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of disaster response in order to save lives.”
Through collaboration with CDEMA, the Government of Barbados and other key stakeholders, plans are in place to expand the facility. The next phase, the establishment of a Centre of Excellence, will see the development of greater emergency response knowledge, skills and expertise in the region, through specialized training programmes.
“Recent geopolitical shifts have disrupted traditional support streams for humanitarian action highlighting the high-risk exposure of our system. The CDEMA system must now re-double efforts towards greater self-reliance, further deepen national capacity, enhance regional cooperation, and embrace new and non-traditional partnerships”, said Riley. “The hub supports this. It offers the infrastructure to pre-position high-demand emergency supplies.”
While still under construction, the hub proved to be essential to the response to Hurricane Beryl in 2024.
The construction of the hub was made possible through vital partnerships with the Government of Canada, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, the European Union, the United States and the World Food Program USA.
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The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.
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Shelburne District RCMP has charged a man with multiple offences following an investigation into a sexual assault.
On May 9, Shelburne District RCMP received a report of a sexual assault involving a firearm. Through the investigation officers determined that a woman had been unknowingly given a noxious substance, held against her will and sexually assaulted at a residence in Shelburne County. Officers executed a search warrant at the home on May 22, seized evidence related to the offences and safely arrested a man who is known to the victim.
Robert Sean Williams, 51, of Ingomar, has been charged with:
Sexual Assault with a Weapon
Uttering Threats (two counts)
Administering Noxious Thing
Kidnapping
Voyeurism
Overcoming Resistance to Commission of Offence (two counts)
10 firearms offences, including, but not limited to, Possession of a Weapon for Dangerous Purpose and Careless Use of a Firearm
Williams has also been charged with Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking (cocaine) and Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking (psilocybin). He was remanded into custody pending future court appearances.
The investigation is ongoing and is being led by Shelburne District RCMP.
If you are experiencing, or have experienced, gender-based violence, including sexual assault, you are not alone. The elimination of gender-based violence continues to be a priority for the Nova Scotia RCMP, and the RCMP employs a trauma-informed approach. Survivors of gender-based violence can contact us and discuss an incident before deciding to further participate in the investigation and court process. Survivor supports are available, including through the RCMP Victim Services program.
ATLANTA – Terry Lewis Burston, a multi-convicted felon who was released from prison last year, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Regina D. Cannon on May 22, 2025, following his arrest on charges of postal robbery, aggravated assault on a federal employee, Hobbs Act Robbery, and using a firearm during a crime of violence. Burston was arrested on May 17, 2025, pursuant to a criminal complaint obtained by the United States Postal Inspection Service.
“Burston is a violent repeat offender who allegedly terrorized the citizens of DeKalb County by assaulting federal employees and robbing local business operators at gunpoint,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “We are grateful to our federal and local law enforcement partners whose coordinated investigation resulted in Burston’s arrest and prevented him from committing additional violent crimes.”
“This is another example of Postal Inspectors and local agencies collaborating to remove an armed and dangerous individual from our community,” said Rodney M. Hopkins, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division. “We are grateful to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for prosecuting the violent and callous actions committed by this defendant against postal service employees and other businesses.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: On December 14, 2024, Burston allegedly robbed an auto parts store in Decatur, Georgia. During the robbery, Burston allegedly brandished a black handgun, tapped it on the store counter, and demanded money from an employee. Burston fled after confiscating the cash.
Six days later, on December 20, 2024, Burston allegedly waited outside a Scottdale, Georgia, post office. He forced his way inside after the last customer departed, pointed a gun at a postal employee, demanded money, obtained cash from the register, and fled.
Later, on January 17, 2025, Burston allegedly attempted to rob a gas station in Decatur when he pointed a black handgun at an employee and demanded money.
Four months later, on May 17, 2025, Burston allegedly attempted to rob a Lithonia, Georgia, Post Office but fled after postal employees began alerting their co-workers. Postal inspectors who responded to the attempted robbery found Burston changing his clothes behind a nearby restaurant. They recovered a firearm lying at Burston’s feet and arrested him after a brief chase.
At the time of these alleged offenses, Burston was subject to federal supervision following his 2013 conviction for armed bank robbery. In a separate case, Burston was sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment for robbing an Atlanta bank and post office in 1995.
Members of the public are reminded that the complaint only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service with valuable assistance from the DeKalb County Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Noah R. Schechtman is prosecuting this case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6280. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Mexican National Purchased More Than 150 Firearms to Be Smuggled from the United States to Mexico
ATLANTA – Edson Aregullin has been sentenced to nearly six years in federal prison for unlawfully purchasing firearms for transport from Georgia to Mexico.
“Illegal firearms trafficking wreaks havoc in communities within and outside our district,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “We are proud to stand alongside our federal law enforcement partners in helping to stem the unlawful flow of firearms to criminals.”
“Every illegal firearm that crosses our border becomes a weapon of destruction in the wrong hands,” said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka. “ATF is committed to shutting down these criminal pipelines with precision and force. Our communities – here and abroad – deserve nothing less.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Edson Aregullin conspired with several individuals in Mexico to purchase more than 150 firearms from various firearms dealers in the Northern District of Georgia. Those firearms included 9mm pistols and AR-style rifles. Aregullin’s contacts in Mexico sent him detailed instructions concerning the makes and models of the firearms to buy. Aregullin bought the firearms with funds received from the actual buyer in Mexico and then facilitated transportation of the weapons to Mexico.
The guns Areguillin purchased illegally were used to commit violent crimes. For example, on April 21, 2022, Aregullin bought a .223 caliber rifle that law enforcement officers in Guanajuato, Mexico recovered just a few months later after a deadly encounter between municipal police and armed combatants. During the ensuing melee, eight people were killed, and four were injured.
On May 22, 2025, United States District Judge Steven D. Grimberg sentenced Edson Aregullin, 47, a Mexican national previously residing in Atlanta, Georgia, to 71 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. On November 19, 2024, Aregullin pled guilty to Conspiracy to Traffic in Firearms, three counts of Trafficking in Firearms, and three counts of False Statements to a Federal Firearms Licensee.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Gabay-Smith prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6280. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Jerusalem – The Israeli forces continue to systematically use last-minute displacement orders as a violent tool, turning the Gaza Strip, Palestine, into hell on earth for Palestinians. Incessant bombing, a near-total blockade of aid, and displacement orders are moving and trapping hundreds of thousands of people into ever-shrinking spaces. The constant state of alert and unpredictability of displacement orders have devastating consequences on people’s mental health, reports Médecins sans Frontières (MSF). The forced displacement of people through displacement orders must end.
“Israeli forces are destroying all means of life for Palestinians in Gaza through psychological and physical warfare. Forced displacements are part of the Israeli forces and authorities’ campaign of ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people. They have nowhere else to go,” denounces Claire Manera, MSF emergency coordinator.
Two MSF colleagues describe the impact of evacuation orders on their lives in Gaza, Palestine, April 2025.Nour Alsaqqa/MSF
Since the start of the war, Palestinians have been forced to evacuate repeatedly, many fleeing for their lives multiple times, as experienced by a number of MSF staff. With 31 displacement orders issued since Israel broke the ceasefire on 18 March, the relentless forced displacements have trapped Palestinians in an endless cycle of suffering. On 19 May, a single large-scale displacement order in Khan Younis covered 22 per cent of the Strip, affecting more than 70 MSF staff members, while another one on 26 May covered 40 per cent of central and south Gaza.
“Our colleagues are desperate,” says Omar Alsaqqa, MSF logistic manager. “There are no tents left and no space for people to set up, I don’t know what to answer when colleagues ask me where they can go with their children in the middle of the night. We are running out of options to stay alive.”
These displacement orders and established no-go military zones now cover around 80 per cent of Gaza, and not a single area of Gaza has been spared from attacks. On 26 May, MSF teams treated 17 patients following an attack very close to its Khan Younis healthcare centre in central Gaza, right in the area where people are supposed to move to. People evacuate areas only to be bombed again in their new “safe refuge”. About 600,000 people have been displaced again since 18 March.
“I woke up my children and told them we were just going out for a little bit. They started crying. They grabbed their bags. I was terrified but tried to act calm, even though my heart was pounding with fear,” explains Asmaa Abu Asaker, MSF liaison officer, after a displacement order was issued in her neighbourhood.
These orders are unpredictable and come with ridiculously short deadlines, putting people in an impossible situation. People receive leaflets, social media posts or a phone call about an imminent attack, leaving them limited time to collect their belongings and seek shelter. The very act of forcing people to repeatedly flee, often in the middle of the night, without having anywhere to go and at risk of their lives, is not only having a physical impact, but causes an immense psychological toll.
“This time I don’t want to pack. No bags, no papers, nothing. I don’t know why, maybe my mindset is wrong, but I just cannot mentally process the idea of leaving home again,” says Sabreen Al-Massani, an MSF psychotherapist who has been displaced multiple times. “A whole new struggle started, no flour and food supplies. I used to have my own life, [going from] house to work, work to house, normal life. Suddenly, I had to live with unknown people in a harsh environment, without access to basic necessities, chasing after water, phone charging. Then came another evacuation: our whole area was hit.”
While displacement orders are forcing Palestinians to be cramped in ever-shrinking areas, Israeli forces also regularly attack without issuing displacement orders. On 9 April, more than 20 people were killed in a strike that targeted a residential block of seven buildings in Gaza City. Among those killed were the families of two MSF staff members who were at work when the strike occurred and later learned their loved ones had been buried under the rubble.
“We are in a constant state of alert; we can receive a notification to flee at any time. We cannot sleep at night thinking we might be the next,” says Al-Massani, describing how the displacement orders are severely affecting Palestinian’s mental health and state of anxiety.
MSF calls on the Israeli forces to immediately halt the forced displacement of people and ongoing campaign of ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in Gaza. We also call on Israel’s allies to halt their support and complicity.
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Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, May 27 (Xinhua) — China’s National Flood and Drought Control Headquarters on Tuesday announced an emergency response mechanism for possible level IV floods in several regions including Jiangxi, Guizhou and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in response to heavy rains that hit southern regions.
China’s Ministry of Emergency Management said in a statement that forecasters were expecting heavy rain and thunderstorms in Guizhou Province, areas south of the Yangtze River and much of southern China over the next three days.
The current round of precipitation promises to be the heaviest since the start of the year, leaving a number of regions facing a high risk of natural disasters due to heavy rainfall, the statement said.
The statement said China’s National Flood and Drought Control Headquarters has sent two working teams to regions to lead flood control and disaster relief efforts.
Flood and emergency management authorities are instructed to step up efforts to monitor rainfall and flooding, provide timely information, check for risks and potential safety hazards, and stock up on necessary materials in key locations in advance.
Let us recall that China has a four-tier flood emergency response system, with the first tier being the most serious. -0-
MONTGOMERY, AL – On May 22, 2025, 29-year-old Corey Jarrod Wortham of Montgomery, Alabama, received a sentenced of 84 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson. Following his prison term, Wortham will serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court records, on November 24, 2024, law enforcement in Montgomery responded to a report of a sexual assault, in which the caller identified Corey Wortham as a potential suspect. Upon arrival, officers spotted Wortham in a vehicle, but he fled the scene and successfully evaded capture. Before losing sight of Wortham, officers observed what appeared to be an AR-style pistol in his possession. The firearm was later recovered.
Then, on December 18, 2024, agents with the Montgomery Area Crime Suppression (MACS) detail spotted a vehicle matching the description of the one used in the earlier incident. When agents attempted a traffic stop, the driver of the car initially refused to pull over. Law enforcement ultimately had to block his vehicle to prevent another escape. Inside the vehicle, agents found Wortham and a handgun.
Due to prior felony convictions, Wortham is prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition. He pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm on January 23, 2025.
The investigation was conducted by members of the MACS detail, which includes the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, and the Montgomery Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Joel Feil prosecuted the case.
LAS VEGAS, NV, May 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Rumble (NASDAQ:RUM), the video-sharing platform and cloud services provider, today announced that its founder and CEO Chris Pavlovski will interview Donald Trump Jr., host of Triggered, a Rumble exclusive podcast and board member of Trump Media & Technology Group (NASDAQ: DJT), live on stage at the Bitcoin 2025 conference in Las Vegas. The conversation is titled “Uncancelable: Bitcoin, Rumble & Free Speech,” and will be live-streamed on Tuesday, May 27, 2025 at 4:30 p.m. PT from the Nakamoto Stage at The Venetian Las Vegas.
Rumble also announced a partnership role with Bitcoin 2025, serving as a 3 Block sponsor of the conference. Rumble will have a significant live-streaming presence at the event with many creators producing their content on-site.
“Bitcoin represents decentralization and freedom, just like Rumble, which is why this is such an obvious and great pairing,” Pavlovski said. “At Rumble, we’ve adopted a Bitcoin treasury strategy because it’s growth-oriented and forward-looking—one of many reasons it’s important that Rumble be involved with Bitcoin 2025.”
You can watch the fireside chat and the Bitcoin 2025 Conference here.
ABOUT RUMBLE
Rumble is a high-growth video platform and cloud services provider that is creating an independent infrastructure. Rumble’s mission is to restore the internet to its roots by making it free and open once again. For more information, visit: corp.rumble.com.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Kyra Clark-Wolf, Research Scientist in Ecological Transformation, University of Colorado Boulder
Thinking through scenarios allows land managers to prepare for many potential outcomes.Benjamin Slyngstad via USGS
In Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks in California, trees that have persisted through rain and shine for thousands of years are now facing multiple threats triggered by a changing climate.
Scientists and park managers once thought giant sequoia forests nearly impervious to stressors like wildfire, drought and pests. Yet, even very large trees are proving vulnerable, particularly when those stressors are amplified by rising temperatures and increasing weather extremes.
Nate Stephenson, from the U.S. Geological Survey, talks about the fire damage at Redwood Mountain Grove in the Kings Canyon National Park, Calif., in 2021. AP Photo/Gary Kazanjian
To protect these places, which are valued for their natural beauty and the benefits they provide for recreation, clean water and wildlife, forest and land managers increasingly must anticipate risks they have never seen before. And they must prepare for what those risks will mean for stewardship as ecosystems rapidly transform.
Traditional management approaches focus on maintaining or restoring how ecosystems looked and functioned historically.
However, that doesn’t always work when ecosystems are subjected to new and rapidly shifting conditions.
Ecosystems have many moving parts – plants, animals, fungi and microbes; and the soil, air and water in which they live – that interact with one another in complex ways.
When the climate changes, it’s like shifting the ground on which everything rests. The results can undermine the integrity of the system, leading to ecological changes that are hard to predict.
To plan for an uncertain future, natural resource managers need to consider many different ways changes in climate and ecosystems could affect their landscapes. Essentially, what scenarios are possible?
Preparing for multiple possibilities
At Sequoia and Kings Canyon, park managers were aware that climate change posed some big risks to the iconic trees under their care. More than a decade ago, they undertook a major effort to explore different scenarios that could play out in the future.
It’s a good thing they did, because some of the more extreme possibilities they imagined happened sooner than expected.
While these extreme events came as a surprise to many people, thinking through the possibilities ahead of time meant the park managers had already begun to take steps that proved beneficial. One example was prioritizing prescribed burns to remove undergrowth that could fuel hotter, more destructive fires.
The key to effective planning is a thoughtful consideration of a suite of strategies that are likely to succeed in the face of many different changes in climates and ecosystems. That involves thinking through wide-ranging potential outcomes to see how different strategies might fare under each scenario – including preparing for catastrophic possibilities, even those considered unlikely.
For example, prescribed burning may reduce risks from both catastrophic wildfire and drought by reducing the density of plant growth, whereas suppressing all fires could increase those risks in the long run.
Strategies undertaken today have consequences for decades to come. Managers need to have confidence that they are making good investments when they put limited resources toward actions like forest thinning, invasive species control, buying seeds or replanting trees. Scenarios can help inform those investment choices.
Constructing credible scenarios of ecological change to inform this type of planning requires considering the most important unknowns. Scenarios look not only at how the climate could change, but also how complex ecosystems could react and what surprises might lay beyond the horizon.
Scientists at the North Central Climate Adaptation Science Center are collaborating with managers in the Nebraska Sandhills to develop scenarios of future ecological change under different climate conditions, disturbance events like fires and extreme droughts, and land uses like grazing. Photos: T. Walz, M. Lavin, C. Helzer, O. Richmond, NPS (top to bottom)., CC BY
Key ingredients for crafting ecological scenarios
To provide some guidance to people tasked with managing these landscapes, we brought together a group of experts in ecology, climate science, and natural resource management from across universities and government agencies.
1. Embracing ecological uncertainty: Instead of banking on one “most likely” outcome for ecosystems in a changing climate, managers can better prepare by mapping out multiple possibilities. In Nebraska’s Sandhills, we are exploring how this mostly intact native prairie could transform, with outcomes as divergent as woodlands and open dunes.
2. Thinking in trajectories: It’s helpful to consider not just the outcomes, but also the potential pathways for getting there. Will ecological changes unfold gradually or all at once? By envisioning different pathways through which ecosystems might respond to climate change and other stressors, natural resource managers can identify critical moments where specific actions, such as removing tree seedlings encroaching into grasslands, can steer ecosystems toward a more desirable future.
3. Preparing for surprises: Planning for rare disasters or sudden species collapses helps managers respond nimbly when the unexpected strikes, such as a severe drought leading to widespread erosion. Being prepared for abrupt changes and having contingency plans can mean the difference between quickly helping an ecosystem recover and losing it entirely.
Over the past decade, access to climate model projections through easy-to-use websites has revolutionized resource managers’ ability to explore different scenarios of how the local climate might change.
What managers are missing today is similar access to ecological model projections and tools that can help them anticipate possible changes in ecosystems. To bridge this gap, we believe the scientific community should prioritize developing ecological projections and decision-support tools that can empower managers to plan for ecological uncertainty with greater confidence and foresight.
Ecological scenarios don’t eliminate uncertainty, but they can help to navigate it more effectively by identifying strategic actions to manage forests and other ecosystems.
Kyra Clark-Wolf receives funding from USGS, NSF, and National Park Service. She is affiliated with the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder and the North Central Climate Adaptation Science Center.
Brian W. Miller receives funding from the U.S. Geological Survey North Central Climate Adaptation Science Center. Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
Imtiaz Rangwala receives funding from USGS, USDA, NOAA, US Forest Service and National Park Service. He is affiliated with the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder, North Central Climate Adaptation Science Center, Western Water Assessment and Boundless In Motion.
Why did your hometown newspaper vanish while the next town over kept theirs?
This isn’t bad luck − it’s a systemic pattern. Since 2005, the United States has lost over one-third of its local newspapers, creating “news deserts” where corruption is more likely to spread and communities may become politically polarized.
My research, published in Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, analyzes the factors behind the decline of local newspapers between 2004 and 2018. It identifies five key drivers − ranging from racial disparity to market forces − that determine which towns lose their papers and which ones beat the odds.
1. Newspapers follow the money, not community needs
You might expect news media to gravitate toward areas where their work is needed most − communities experiencing population growth or facing systemic challenges. But in reality, newspapers, like any business, tend to thrive where the financial resources are greatest.
My analyses suggest that local newspapers survive where affluent subscribers and deep-pocketed advertisers cluster. That means wealthy white suburbs keep their watchdogs, while low-income and diverse communities lose theirs.
When police brutality spikes, when welfare offices deny claims, when local officials divert funds − these are the moments when communities need their journalists the most.
Bertram de Souza works on a story for The Vindicator newspaper in Youngstown, Ohio, on Aug. 7, 2019. The 150-year-old paper shut down later that month because of financial struggles. Tony Dejak, AP Photos
Poor and racially diverse communities often face the harshest policing and interact more with street-level bureaucrats than wealthier citizens. That makes them more vulnerable to government corruption and misconduct. Yet, these same communities are the first to lose their newspapers, because there are no luxury real estate agencies buying ads, and few residents can afford the monthly subscriptions.
Without journalistic scrutiny, scholars find that mismanagement flourishes, corruption costsballoon, and the communities most vulnerable to abuse receive the least accountability. This is how news deserts exacerbate inequality.
2. Newspapers don’t adequately serve diverse communities
Picture this: A newsroom sends its reporters, most of whom are white, to a Black neighborhood − but only after reports of gunshots or building fires. Residents, still in shock, don’t want to talk. So journalists call the same three community leaders they always quote, run the tragic story and disappear until the next crisis. This approach, often referred to as “parachute journalism,” results in shallow coverage that paints the community in a negative light while overlooking its complexities.
Year after year, the pattern repeats. The only time residents see their neighborhood in the paper is when something terrible happens. No feature story of the family-owned restaurant celebrating its 20-year anniversary, no reporter at the town hall when the new police chief gets grilled about stop-and-frisk − just the constant drumbeat of crime and crisis.
Is it any wonder racially diverse communities stop trusting and paying for that paper? Not when many working-class families of color can barely afford to add a newspaper subscription to their bills.
Diverse neighborhoods get hit twice. First, their local papers inadequately represent them. Then, when people understandably turn away, subscriptions drop, advertisers pull back and the outlets shut down, leaving whole communities without a voice.
Only in recent years have more media outlets begun to make a concerted effort to engage with and reflect the communities they serve. However, such efforts are often led by newer media organizations with fresh ideologies, while many long-standing media outlets remain stuck in traditional reporting practices, as illustrated in Jacob Nelson’s “Imagined Audiences.” Although my analyses of local newspaper decline from 2004 to 2018 paints a frustrating picture, the emerging trend of community-oriented journalism holds promise for positive changes in diverse communities.
3. Population growth doesn’t always save newspapers
It’s easy to assume that more people = more readers = healthier news organizations. But my research tells a different story: Counties with larger population growth actually saw greater declines in local newspapers.
The catch lies in who is moving in: Population growth saves papers only when it comes with wealth. Affluent newcomers bring subscriptions and advertisers’ attention. But growth driven by high birth rates, typically seen in less developed areas with more racial and ethnic minorities, doesn’t translate to revenue. In short, growth alone isn’t enough − it’s the type of growth, and the economic power behind it, that matters.
This highlights the fragility of market-dependent journalism. The news gap experienced by fast-growing communities may persist where local journalism depends primarily on traditional advertising and subscription revenues rather than diversified revenue sources such as grants and philanthropic donations. The latter, which often focus on community needs rather than profit potential, are more likely to help sustain journalism in areas with significant population growth.
Local news sources help residents hold their elected officials accountable. Jim Mone/AP Photos
4. Neighbors’ newspapers can save yours
You’d think that competition between newspapers would be a cutthroat affair. But in an era of decline, my analyses reveal a counterintuitive truth: Your town’s paper actually has better odds when nearby communities keep theirs.
Rather than competing, neighboring papers often become allies, sharing breaking news, splitting investigative costs and attracting advertisers who want regional reach. While this collaboration can sometimes cause papers to lose their local identity, having some local journalism is still better than none. It ensures some level of accountability, even if the news isn’t as focused on each town’s unique needs.
Resilient local journalism clusters together. When one paper invests in original reporting, its neighbors often benefit too. When regional businesses support multiple outlets, the entire news ecosystem becomes more sustainable.
5. Left or right? Local papers die either way
In this highly polarized era, it turns out that there’s no significant link between a county’s partisan makeup and its ability to keep newspapers.
In contrast, communities with lower income and a diverse population lose outlets no matter whether they are red, blue or purple.
Partisan battles might dominate national headlines, but local journalism’s survival hinges on practical factors such as money and market size. Saving local news isn’t a left vs. right debate − it’s a community issue that requires nonpartisan solutions.
Abby Youran Qin does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Mountain chickadees are unusual in having more complex calls than songs.Vladimir Pravosudov
I approach a flock of mountain chickadees feasting on pine nuts. A cacophony of sounds, coming from the many different bird species that rely on the Sierra Nevada’s diverse pine cone crop, fill the crisp mountain air.
The strong “chick-a-dee” call sticks out among the bird vocalizations. The chickadees are communicating to each other about food sources – and my approach.
Mountain chickadees are a member of the family Paridae, which is known for its complex vocal communication systems and cognitive abilities. Along with my advisers, behavioral ecologists Vladimir Pravosudov and Carrie Branch, I’m studying mountain chickadees at our study site in Sagehen Experimental Forest, outside of Truckee, California, for my doctoral research. I am focusing on how these birds convey a variety of information with their calls.
The chilly autumn air on top of the mountain reminds me that it will soon be winter. It is time for the mountain chickadees to leave the socially monogamous partnerships they had while raising their chicks to form larger flocks. Forming social groups is not always simple; young chickadees are joining new flocks, and social dynamics need to be established before the winter storms arrive.
I can hear them working this out vocally. There’s an unusual variety of complex calls, with melodic “gargle calls” at the forefront, coming from individuals announcing their dominance over other flock members.
Sofia Haley describes how she records chickadee vocalizations in the forest.
Songs vs. calls
For social animals, communication is a crucial part of everyday life. Communication can come in the form of visual, chemical, tactile, electrical or vocal signals.
Birds are highly vocal, often relying on vocal communication to effectively interact with their environments and flock members. Temperate songbirds, including cardinals, bluebirds, wrens and blackbirds, have two main categories of vocalizations: songs and calls.
Songs are vocalizations that are used primarily in the spring, during breeding season. Males in temperate regions sing to attract females and defend territories.
Calls are basically any vocalization that is not a song. This category includes a limitless variety of vocalizations that communicate all sorts of essential information.
Most songbird species have complex songs and fairly simple calls. This is why vocalizations sound most melodic during the spring, when birds are attracting mates and breeding.
Members of the Pravosudov lab catch and release resident chickadees to attach identifying bands that allow the researchers to track individual birds. Sofia Haley
However, chickadees are unusual in that they sing very simple songs relative to the complexity of their calls. Research suggests this is largely due to their social structure and complex environments. Living in flocks for the majority of the year means they need an elaborate communication system year-round. This is in contrast to many other songbird species that are more solitary during the nonbreeding season.
Scientists know quite a lot about birdsong: It is highly organized and composed of multiple units that are strung together into “phrases,” like how musical notes are strung together in a song.
Some songbirds must learn their songs from their parents and other adult males during a sensitive period in the first several months of their lives. It’s similar to how human children must learn how to speak from adults during a similar early sensitive period.
In contrast, we know relatively little about the structure and organization of complex calls. Scientists have often regarded calls as unexciting and simple compared with birdsong. However, calls are arguably the most important type of vocalization, at least for highly social bird species.
Translating mountain chickadee calls
A focal microphone allows researchers to record the call of one bird at a time. Sofia Haley
I spend my days out at our field site in the beautiful Sierra Nevada, following and recording chickadees as they communicate with each other. I have taken numerous focal recordings, where I stand in the forest with a directional microphone, identifying vocalizations and behaviors in real time.
I also have hundreds of hours of recordings taken by automated recording devices called AudioMoths. These allow me to record vocalizations in the absence of people.
The extensive vocal repertoire of mountain chickadees has yet to be fully documented. There are five basic categories of call types:
Contact calls: communicate identity, sort of like a name, and location.
“Chick-a-dee” calls: coordinate flock movement and communicate a variety of complex information about the environment, from food availability to predator presence and type.
Alarm calls: alert others of the presence of a predator.
Begging calls: used by chicks or females to elicit feeding behavior from males.
Gargle calls: advertise dominance over other individuals in a flock, primarily used by males.
“Chick-a-dee” calls contain several elements resembling the basic elements of human grammar. Essentially, the various sounds a chickadee utters mean different things, similar to words in human languages. And the way that a chickadee combines these sounds changes the meaning. Word order matters, just like grammar matters in human language. If a chickadee were to phrase its calls in the wrong note order, the call would no longer convey the same meaning, even if composed of the same elements.
The “chick-a-dee” call of the mountain chickadee contains six elements, known as notes or syllables, that can be combined in hundreds of unique combinations to say many different things. These elements are labeled A, A/B, B, C, D and Dh.
Although scientists don’t fully know the meaning of each note in different contexts, it is generally believed that A notes typically contain identifying information about how important the topic seems to the caller, while A/B and B notes tend to further inform the listener of the topic of conversation. C notes contain information about the subject of the call, often a food source, and D notes convey information about the excitement and urgency of the message, including level of threat of a spotted predator or size of a food source. The D notes basically function like exclamation points at the end of a sentence, while the other notes convey more specific information.
Mountain chickadees can use their “chick-a-dee” calls to convey hundreds of different phrases that are relevant to navigating their habitats and social environments. As a hypothetical example, a mountain chickadee call might have the following syntax: A-A-A/B-B-D-D, which could roughly translate to something like, “Listen to me carefully (A-A): there is a predator (A/B) close by (B) and a medium threat level (DD).”
If the note order switched to D-A-B-D-A/B-A, the sentence would look more like: “Noteworthy listen close by noteworthy predator listen to me.” Although all the same elements are there, this sentence is now much more difficult to comprehend. Notes that are out of order can confuse chickadees, preventing them from grasping the correct meaning of the call.
This “translation” is an example based on what we have learned from playback experiments, but the exact meaning will depend on the specific population and surrounding environment.
Analyzing the ‘chick-a-dee’ calls
Back in the lab, I parse through the endless hours of recordings using a deep-learning algorithm that I have modified to identify the specific calls of our chickadee population.
A spectrogram visualizes a chickadee call, with frequency on the vertical axis and time on the horizontal axis. Sofia Haley
I then use Raven Pro software, developed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, to visually inspect and analyze these calls on a spectrogram: a visual representation of sound, with frequency on the vertical axis, and time on the horizontal axis. This visualization allows me to study the structure of calls in great detail.
Studying spectrograms can get me only so far. The next step is to experimentally test different “chick-a-dee” calls out in the wild. Using audio editing software, I manipulate the syntax of calls to either follow grammatical rules or violate them. Then, I broadcast these manipulated recordings out in the forest and observe how our chickadees react to grammatically incorrect calls, which would sound like gibberish to them.
Audio editing software allows researchers to mix up the order of a chickadee’s call in order to see how birds react to the garbled message. Sofia Haley
My hope is that this combination of experimental testing of calls and careful visual analysis will provide a step toward understanding the subtle complexities of chickadee communication. I’m trying to home in on the meaning of different syllables and syntax, the grammatical rules.
Back in the forest with my directional microphone, watching the chickadees flit about, I hear different versions of the “chick-a-dee” calls. Some feature more D notes, which would indicate a higher level of excitement. Others feature more A, B or C notes, communicating more specific, identifying information. I am also surrounded by melodic gargle calls, harsh scolding calls and barely audible soft calls.
Next time you find yourself out in the forest, stop and listen to the chickadees as they talk to each other. Maybe you’ll be able to hear the variation in their calls and know that they are talking about different things − and that grammar matters.
Sofia Marie Haley does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
The popular pool and water splash play facilities reopened to visitors over the weekend after water safety checks were carried out.
The attractions traditionally reopen during the late May Bank Holiday weekend and are available for splashing throughout the summer months before closing again in September.
The council looks after Tettenhall Pool, and over the years it has attracted many visitors from across the city and proven to be extremely popular during the school holidays.
Anyone looking forward to visiting the pool is being encouraged to enjoy the water safely and to be considerate to local residents and other users.
The water splash play at East Park was opened in 2023 following work carried out by City of Wolverhampton Council in partnership with contractors Wicksteed.
It is just one of the attractions at the play area, which also includes treetop towers, roundabouts, seesaws, wetpour tunnels, firefighters pole, rockers, springers and bucket and rope swings.
Councillor Bhupinder Gakhal, cabinet member for resident services at City of Wolverhampton Council, said: “We’ve been busy making sure these fantastic attractions are safe for residents to enjoy from the traditional Spring Bank Holiday reopening.
“The weather has been unusually good recently and although the forecast looks a little more unsettled over the coming days, we’re hoping for some more warm days to come so children and families can make the most of splashing.
“It’s wonderful that we have 2 great water play facilities in the city and I’d like to remind people of the importance of wearing suitable clothes and shoes while enjoying the city’s water attractions – and do bring hats and sunscreen on sunny days.
“Please also be considerate to local residents when you visit the pool or the water splash play and take your litter away with you. Remember, if you’re bringing your dog, please make sure they are kept under control, on a lead and out of the water.”
HOUSTON — A 29-count indictment was unsealed May 22 following the arrest of nine individuals for their alleged roles in a drug trafficking scheme that delivered illicit narcotics using a taco truck and the U.S. mail.
The investigation that led to the indictments was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations Houston and the Houston Police Department, with assistance from the FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Texas Board of Criminal Justice – Office of the Inspector General.
Houston residents James Michael Brewer aka ‘Creeper’, 33, Jonathan Alvarado aka ‘Joker’, 28, Alexis Delgado aka ‘Chino’, 28, Hector Luis Lopez aka ‘Capulito’, 23, Kylie Rae Alvarado, 24, Ruby Mata, 31, Victor Norris Ellison, 35, Mexi Dyan Garcia aka ‘Mexi’, 31, and Jesus Gomez-Rodriguez aka ‘Jr.’, 33, made their initial appearances in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas May 22 when the indictment was unsealed.
Also charged are Enzo Xavier Dominguez aka ‘Smiley’, 32, William Alexander Lazo aka ‘Miclo’, 21, and Alfredo Gomez aka ‘Fredo’, 26. They are currently in custody and expected to make their initial appearances in the near future.
Three other individuals who were allegedly involved in the scheme are considered fugitives and warrants remain outstanding for their arrests — Mexican national Jose Francisco Garcia-Martinez aka ‘Paco’, 29, Guatemalan national Marcos Rene Simaj-Guch aka Taco Man, 41, and Jose Eduardo Morales aka ‘Primo’, 22.
“For years, the transnational criminal organization allegedly operated by these gang members has brazenly flooded our local communities with deadly narcotics,” said ICE HSI Houston Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz. “Working in conjunction with the Houston Police Department and our Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces partners, we were able to expose and dismantle their drug trafficking scheme, eliminating a significant contributor to violent crime in the area and saving an untold number of Houstonians from becoming addicted.”
“As alleged, this drug trafficking organization imported methamphetamine directly from Mexico and used the U.S. mail, a taco truck, and homes in different Houston neighborhoods to distribute and sell methamphetamine and other dangerous drugs,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Several of the defendants are also alleged to have used firearms in furtherance of their narcotics trafficking and illegally possessed firearms despite having previously been convicted of felonies. The Criminal Division, along with our federal, state, and local partners, will continue to work tirelessly to combat the scourge of drug trafficking in communities.”
The indictment, returned under seal May 14, alleges all were members of a drug trafficking organization that distributed methamphetamine, powder cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, oxycodone, Xanax, psylocibin mushrooms, and marijuana. They are alleged to have used several drug houses and a food truck to store illegal drugs and conduct drug transactions. In one notable instance in June 2023, authorities seized 29 kilograms of methamphetamine that one defendant was attempting to transport into the United States, according to the charges.
With the exception of Simaj-Guch who faces up to 40 years, the rest could receive up to life, upon conviction. Brewer, Alvarado, Lopez, Gomez and Ellison are further charged with firearms offenses which carry up to another 15 years.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Francisco Rodriguez is prosecuting the case along with Trial Attorneys Ralph Paradiso and Amanda Kotula of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section.
For more news and information on ICE’s efforts to combat illicit drug trafficking, transnational gangs and illegal firearms in Southeast Texas follow us on X @HSIHouston.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
ALBUQUERQUE – A previously convicted felon, already under investigation for multiple crimes, has been federally charged after being found with a stolen firearm in Shiprock.
According to court documents, on the morning of May 15, 2025, the Navajo Nation Police Department received reports of a male firing a gun near a Marathon gas station on U.S. Highway 64 in Shiprock. Responding officers located and detained Jay Kelly, 39, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation. Officers discovered a stolen revolver and approximately 100 rounds of ammunition inside Kelly’s backpack.
Witnesses confirmed Kelly fired the handgun multiple times in the air, but did not report anyone being threatened or injured. A background check revealed Kelly to be a convicted felon, making it illegal under federal law for him to possess firearms or ammunition. Kelly was implicated in two other criminal investigations earlier this year, including arson and illegal firearm possession.
Kelly is charged with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. He will remain in custody pending a detention hearing, which will occur next week. If convicted of this charge, Kelly faces up to 10 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Philip Russell, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary C. Jones is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Andrew Forde, Assistant Professor – European Human Rights Law, Dublin City University
A still from footage of the incident when ‘warning shots’ were fired above visiting diplomats in Jenin on May 21.X (Twitter)
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) appears to have “crossed the Rubicon” in the West Bank town of Jenin, when it opened fire in the vicinity of a group of visiting diplomats on May 21 – in flagrant violation of international law. The group of diplomats representing 31 countries – including Ireland, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Egypt, Russia and China – were on an official mission organised by the Palestinian Authority to observe the humanitarian situation there.
They were giving media interviews when IDF troops fired what they later referred to as “warning shots” over their heads, forcing them to run for cover. The shots came despite the visit having been flagged and coordinated in advance with both the Palestinian Authority and the IDF, which has effective control over the area.
Jenin has long been a flash point in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. With much of the population descendants of Palestinian refugees from the 1948 war, Israeli occupation and active Palestinian resistance are observable in the town.
The international community’s reaction to the warning shots incident – in particular, by those states whose diplomatic officials were directly involved – was one of swift and widespread outrage. The high representative of the European Union for foreign affairs and security policy, Kaja Kallas, called for a full investigation into the incident, and for those responsible to be held accountable. “Any threats on diplomats’ lives are not acceptable,” she said.
The Palestinian foreign ministry accused Israel of having “deliberately targeted with live fire an accredited diplomatic delegation”.
Israel acknowledged the incident and triggered an initial investigation, but downplayed its significance. A spokesman for the IDF said it “regrets the inconvenience caused” by the incident. But its statement went on to effectively justify the action, arguing that the diplomats had “deviated from the approved route” by entering a restricted area – leading to IDF soldiers firing warning shots into the air.
Such a response doesn’t remotely correspond to the seriousness of the situation, and Israel is perfectly aware of this.
International law and diplomats
Diplomats carry out functions on behalf of the country they represent. They are the eyes, ears and voice of their country, called upon to pursue legitimate diplomatic activities. The protections afforded to individual diplomats must therefore be seen in the context of broader and longer-term diplomatic relations between states.
To carry out diplomatic functions effectively, those individuals must be allowed to perform their functions without hindrance, coercion or harassment from any country that hosts their delegations. These customary rules are thousands of years old, and have been codified in international law through the Vienna convention on diplomatic relations – to which Israel is a signatory.
That convention provides for diplomatic inviolability, immunity from criminal, civil and administrative jurisdiction, and freedom from detention or arrest. It also affords diplomatic staff the right to freedom of movement and free communications.
Most importantly for this case, article 29 of the convention states that the host state “shall take all appropriate steps to prevent any attack on [their] person, freedom or dignity”.
Firing warning shots in the vicinity of diplomats, even if done in error or without ill-intent, represents a serious threat to the person and their dignity. As such, it constitutes a flagrant abdication of Israel’s duty to protect them.
Moreover, the firing of warning shots in Jenin immediately interrupted the diplomatic work there, and as such can be seen as an attempt to intimidate or limit the efficient and effective performance of diplomatic functions on behalf of their governments.
Need for accountability
Any use of force against diplomats, even indirect, is incompatible with the principles of diplomatic immunity enshrined in international law. The onus is on the host state to ensure the safety and inviolability of diplomatic personnel.
And this duty of care is not diminished in situations of conflict. On the contrary, states have a special duty in times of conflict to protect diplomats and preserve diplomatic channels of communication.
Israel’s actions in firing above these diplomats may or may not have been deliberate. But they had an intimidatory effect, which undermines the foundational principles of international relations. In a climate where Israel’s courts have effectively endorsed a media blackout in conflict-affected regions, the role of diplomats is indispensable.
The entire system of diplomatic relations relies on the presumption that diplomats can carry out their functions freely and effectively. Diplomatic protections work effectively when they are reciprocal. Without trust, the system quickly unravels.
It would be wrong to suggest this act may have tipped the balance of international opinion against Israel, when you consider the 19 months of violence in Gaza. The killing by the IDF of vast numbers of civilians (including thousands of women and children), the seeming use of starvation as a weapon of war, and the destruction of vast swaths of Gaza have rightly attracted growing international condemnation.
On May 19, Britain, France and Canada – staunch allies of Israel – said they will “not stand by”, and would take “concrete actions” if the military offensive is not halted and humanitarian aid is not delivered to the people of Gaza.
But threatening diplomats – even if not actively shooting at them – is an egregious breach of trust under the laws of diplomatic relations, which requires a meaningful apology and effective investigation. Those responsible for giving the orders to fire the “warning shots” need to be held accountable for that decision.
Andrew Forde is affiliated with Dublin City University (Assistant Professor, European Human Rights Law).
He is also, separately, affiliated with the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Commissioner).
Data source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Hourly Electric Grid Monitor
At EIA, we publish U.S. electricity net generation from two different perspectives:
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In-brief analysis
May 22, 2025
Data source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Note: Real prices are adjusted to May 2025 dollars.
The retail price for regular-grade gasoline in the United States on May 19, the Monday before Memorial Day weekend, averaged $3.17 per gallon (gal), 11% (or 41 cents/gal) lower than the price a year ago. After adjusting for inflation (real terms), average U.S. retail gasoline prices going into Memorial Day weekend are 14% lower than last year, largely because crude oil prices have fallen.
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In-brief analysis
May 21, 2025
Data source: United Nations Statistics Division, UN Comtrade Note: Excludes trade within regions.
China has a major role at each stage of the global battery supply chain and dominates interregional trade of minerals. China imported almost 12 million short tons of raw and processed battery minerals, accounting for 44% of interregional trade, and exported almost 11 million short tons of battery materials, packs, and components, or 58% of interregional trade in 2023, according to regional UN Comtrade data.
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In-depth analysis
May 20, 2025
Colorado State University’s hurricane forecast estimates the 2025 hurricane season will exceed the 1991–2020 average, with an estimate of 17 named storms, compared with a historical average of 14 storms. Meteorologists expect 13–18 named storms, including 3–6 storms with direct impacts on the United States, during this year’s Atlantic hurricane season, according to reports from AccuWeather in April.
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In-brief analysis
May 19, 2025
We expect U.S. hydropower generation will increase by 7.5% in 2025 but will remain 2.4% below the 10-year average in our May Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO). Hydropower generation in 2024 fell to 241 billion kilowatthours (BkWh), the lowest since at least 2010; in 2025, we expect generation will be 259.1 BkWh. This amount of generation would represent 6% of the electricity generation in the country.
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In-brief analysis
May 15, 2025
Data source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO), May 2025, and Oxford Economics Note: Excludes 2020 and 2021 as outlier years because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
We forecast consumption growth of crude oil and other liquid fuels will slow over the next two years, driven by a slowdown in economic growth, particularly in Asia, in our May Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO).
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In-depth analysis
May 14, 2025
Retail electricity prices have increased faster than the rate of inflation since 2022, and we expect them to continue increasing through 2026, based on forecasts in our Short-Term Energy Outlook. Parts of the country with relatively high electricity prices may experience greater price increases than those with relatively low electricity prices.
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In-brief analysis
May 13, 2025
In our latest Short-Term Energy Outlook, we forecast U.S. annual electricity consumption will increase in 2025 and 2026, surpassing the all-time high reached in 2024. This growth contrasts with the trend of relatively flat electricity demand between the mid-2000s and early 2020s. Much of the recent and forecasted growth in electricity consumption is coming from the commercial sector, which includes data centers, and the industrial sector, which includes manufacturing establishments.
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In-brief analysis
May 12, 2025
The average electric monthly bill for U.S. residential customers was $144 in 2024, but average costs for customers in some states were much higher or lower. Customers in states such as Hawaii and Connecticut, where retail electricity prices are relatively high, paid more than $200 per month for electricity, or more than twice as much as customers in states such as New Mexico and Utah.
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In-brief analysis
May 7, 2025
Data source: FracFocus Note: To calculate the number of wells completed per location, we grouped wells within a 50-foot radius into single locations. We then identified wells completed by their completion start and end dates, counting concurrent completions when their completion periods overlapped.
We estimate that the average number of wells completed simultaneously at the same location in the Lower 48 states has more than doubled, increasing from 1.5 wells in December 2014 to more than 3.0 wells in June 2024. By completing multiple wells at once rather than sequentially, operators can accelerate their production timeline and reduce their cost per well. The increasing number of simultaneous completions reflects significant technological advances in hydraulic fracturing operations, particularly in equipment capabilities and operational strategies.
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In-brief analysis
May 6, 2025
Data source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Petroleum Supply Monthly; company announcements and trade press Note:Other Biofuels includes sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), renewable heating oil, renewable naphtha, renewable propane, renewable gasoline, and other emerging biofuels that are in various stages of development and commercialization. SAF production capacity is an estimate based on company announcements and trade press and only includes hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids (HEFA) SAF. We do not publish SAF production capacity data.
Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production is growing in the United States as new capacity comes online. U.S. production of Other Biofuels, the category we use to capture SAF in our Petroleum Supply Monthly, approximately doubled from December 2024 to February 2025.
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In-brief analysis
May 5, 2025
Data source: AAA
Retail prices for regular grade gasoline in California are consistently higher than in any other state in the continental United States, often exceeding the national average by more than a dollar per gallon. Several factors contribute to this high price, including state taxes and fees, environmental requirements, special fuel requirements, and isolated petroleum markets.
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In-brief analysis
May 1, 2025
Data source: CME Group, Bloomberg L.P. Note: Refinery margin is calculated as the 3-2-1 crack spread on the U.S. Atlantic Coast, which represents two barrels of gasoline and one barrel of distillate fuel oil minus three barrels of Brent crude oil. 1Q25=first quarter of 2025
During the first quarter of 2025 (1Q25), crude oil prices generally decreased while U.S. refinery margins initially increased before decreasing in the final month of the quarter. In this quarterly update, we review petroleum markets price developments in 1Q25, covering crude oil prices, refinery margins, biofuel compliance credit prices, and natural gas plant liquids prices.
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In-brief analysis
Apr 30, 2025
Data source: Evaluate Energy Note: Production expenses include costs of goods sold, operating expenses, and production taxes from company income statements. Interest expenses are in 2024 dollars and deflated using the Consumer Price Index.
Higher oil prices, increased drilling efficiency, and structurally lower debt needs have contributed to lower interest expenses for some publicly traded U.S. oil companies over the past decade, despite the level of interest rates across the economy being relatively high.
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In-brief analysis
Apr 29, 2025
U.S. imports of petroleum products decreased by 210,000 barrels per day (b/d) in 2024 to average 1.8 million b/d. Imports of all major transportation fuels, such as motor gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel, as well as other products, such as unfinished oils, decreased.
Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –
According to weather forecasters, heat is expected in some places in the capital during the daytime hours of May 28 and 29. The air may warm up to 30 degrees and above.
City dwellers should be wary of overheating. They should wear light-colored clothing and headgear, and drink more water. In addition, fire safety requirements should be observed and open fire should be avoided.
In an emergency, you must call emergency services on a single number: 112.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect
When assistant professor of communication Amanda Cooper was in graduate school, her grandparents began to decline. She watched her large family, comprising of her father, his nine siblings, and 50 of her first cousins rally around her grandparents. Because their home was in the Idaho woods, near Yellowstone National Park, their distance from the hospital meant they needed round-the-clock care.
“It’s like a crazy storm hits your family,” she says. “Everyone is moving, and there’s all these pieces, and relationships are changing.”
Cooper witnessed her family members disagreeing on how to handle tough conversations. After her grandmother’s death, her grandfather would repeatedly ask where his wife was.
“My dad said he wouldn’t lie to him,” she says. “He’d say, ‘She’s dead. Stop asking.’”
But other family members didn’t want to take this approach, causing tension within the family.
That experience sparked a question that became the foundation of Cooper’s research. How can caregiversmaintain a relationship with family members with dementia, while preserving their own sanity?
More than six million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia, and many more live with other types of cognitive decline. The emotional labor of caregiving and the communication breakdowns that happen between patients and their loved ones has only recently become a topic of research.
Cooper’s new study reveals that people who invest in their relationships by regularly expressing love, talking about important topics, and spending time together, build what she callsrelational reserves. These reserves help caregivers cope more effectively if a loved one begins to change due to dementia.
“The theory says, if I’ve built a strong relationship, I’ll have more resources to draw from when things get difficult,” Cooper says.
This hypothesis, however, contrasts with another theory: that the more invested you are in a relationship, the more devastating it is to lose. Cooper set out to look at this apparent contrast through a social science lens.
In her study, caregivers reported on their past relationships with loved ones; how much they felt like teammates, how often they engaged in affectionate or supportive behavior, and how they approached problems together. Then Cooper looked at how those same caregivers communicated now with their loved ones who had dementia.
I just want to help people find a way to keep the love, even when the memory fades.
She found that developing strong, loving relationships in the past led to more positive communication in the present, even in the face of memory loss or personality changes.
“One of the hardest things with the relational side of dementia is that, when it starts, you don’t know what’s going on,” says Cooper “You just think your family member is behaving weirdly, or you’re confused.Usually people get frustrated: they think, ‘I just had this conversation with you. Why are you asking me thisagain?’”
But caregivers who had what Cooper calls a “communal orientation,” or a belief that the caregiver and the person with dementia are in it together, were better able to adapt.
“If I view this person as my teammate, it shifts how I interact with them, even when they can’t give back in the same way anymore,” she says.
The study also found that caregivers who could mentally separate their loved one from the disease, or who saw the dementia as the cause of difficult behaviors rather than blaming the person, were better able to maintain a sense of compassion.
“I think sometimes we imagine that, once someone is diagnosed with dementia, their life is basically over,” Cooper says. “But that’s not true. People live with this for five, eight, even ten years. I’ve talked to so many caregivers who have a pretty rich and full life with their loved one, even through the difficulty.”
Cooper’s goal is to help families make the most of those years.
“I’m a big believer that we should live as much as we can until we die,” she says.“Often, scientific research just goes into a journal to other academics and dies there,” she said. “Research is almost useless if it doesn’t actually get to the right people who can use it.”
Her message to families navigating the rocky terrain of dementia is one of hope: itispossible to maintain connection, to adapt, to find meaning in caregiving.
“It’s hard. It’s messy. But it can also be beautiful,” says Cooper. “I just want to help people find a way to keep the love, even when the memory fades.”
REDWOOD CITY, Calif., May 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AI-fueled attacks and hyperconnected IT environments have made threat exposure one of the most urgent cybersecurity challenges facing enterprises today. In response, Check Point® Software Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ: CHKP), a pioneer and global leader of cyber security solutions, today announced a definitive agreement to acquire Veriti Cybersecurity, the first fully automated, multi-vendor pre-emptive threat exposure and mitigation platform.
“The acquisition of Veriti marks a significant step toward realizing our hybrid mesh security vision,” said Nadav Zafrir, CEO at Check Point Software Technologies. “It strengthens the Infinity Platform’s open-garden approach, enabling seamless, multi-vendor remediation across the entire security stack. With Veriti, we’re advancing preemptive, prevention-first security – an imperative in today’s AI-driven threat landscape.”
AI has brought cyber security to a tipping point, enabling the launch of attacks at scale. At the same time, enterprises are hyperconnected, with assets spread across clouds, datacenters, and endpoints, vastly expanding their attack surface. Traditional reactive security is too slow. Veriti continuously identifies, prioritizes, and remediates risk across your multi-vendor environment through automated patching and collaborative threat intelligence, all without disrupting business.
Founded in 2021, Veriti pioneered the Preemptive Exposure Management (PEM) category—actively discovering and mitigating risks across siloed tools. Veriti continuously monitors logs, threat indicators, and vulnerabilities identified across the environment and propagates protections in real time. With integrations into over 70 vendors, it empowers security teams to detect, understand, and prevent attacks without delay.
Core capabilities Veriti brings to the Check Point Infinity Platform:
Automated, cross-vendor virtual patching: Veriti instantly applies risk-free, non-disruptive protections across dozens of third-party tools, based on vulnerabilities identified by platforms like CrowdStrike, Tenable, and Rapid7, dramatically reducing patching time from weeks to minutes.
Real-time threat intelligence enforcement: Veriti verifies threat indicators from any connected tool and automatically orchestrates protection across firewalls, endpoints, WAFs, and cloud platform, enabling fast, coordinated, multi-vendor threat response.
Seamless integration with 70+ security vendors: Built with a fully API-based architecture, Veriti integrates into existing environments without agents or disruption, supporting the broadest security ecosystem in the market.
Stronger synergy with Wiz: Veriti ingests Wiz’s cloud exposure insights, such as vulnerable, unpatched cloud servers or applications, and enables automatic, safe virtual patching of those assets through Check Point gateways (and other vendors’ as well), enhancing Check Point’s ability to execute on its strategic partnership with Wiz.
Safe, context-aware remediation: Veriti analyzes each customer’s environment, including exposures, configurations, and existing protections, to apply the right controls safely, and without operational impact.
“Security teams today suffer from a lack of action: exposures aren’t just detected, they’re compounding, hiding in the gaps between tools, teams, and timelines,” said Adi Ikan, CEO and co-founder of Veriti. “We founded Veriti to help organizations not just see risk, but remediate it safely, at scale, and most importantly – without disruption. By joining Check Point, we’re accelerating that mission. Together, we’ll help organizations reduce their exposure faster through the security tools they already trust.”
Following the closure of the transaction, Veriti’s capabilities will be integrated into the Check Point Infinity Platform as part of the Threat Exposure and Risk Management offering. Combined with the recently added External Risk Management (ERM) solution, Veriti enhances Check Point’s ability to deliver complete risk lifecycle coverage—proactively managing both internal and external exposures across the entire attack surface.
The closing of the transaction is subject to the customary closing conditions and is expected to occur by the end of Q2 2025.
Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. (www.checkpoint.com) is a leading protector of digital trust, utilizing AI-powered cyber security solutions to safeguard over 100,000 organizations globally. Through its Infinity Platform and an open garden ecosystem, Check Point’s prevention-first approach delivers industry-leading security efficacy while reducing risk. Employing a hybrid mesh network architecture with SASE at its core, the Infinity Platform unifies the management of on-premises, cloud, and workspace environments to offer flexibility, simplicity and scale for enterprises and service providers.
Legal Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements generally relate to future events or our future financial or operating performance. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements related to our expectations regarding future growth, the expansion of Check Point’s industry leadership, the enhancement of shareholder value and the delivery of an industry-leading cyber security platform to customers worldwide. Our expectations and beliefs regarding these matters may not materialize, and actual results or events in the future are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those projected. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are also subject to other risks and uncertainties, including those more fully described in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 2, 2024. The forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available to Check Point as of the date hereof, and Check Point disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking state
About Veriti Veriti is an AI-driven exposure assessment and remediation platform that continuously identifies vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, and exploitability across the entire security stack, on-prem and in the cloud. By leveraging compensating controls and layered defense strategies, Veriti ensures that potential and active threats are proactively managed and safely remediated without disrupting business continuity. Founded in 2021 by Adi Ikan and Oren Koren, Veriti is trusted by enterprises worldwide to instantly reduce risk and streamline exposure assessment and remediation for today’s hyper-connected organizations.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Moscow will send a draft peace memorandum to Kiev soon, which will outline the key principles of a potential settlement, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Tuesday.
“Russia continues to work on a draft memorandum regarding a future peace treaty, which will outline a number of positions, including the principles of a settlement, the timing of a possible peace agreement, a potential ceasefire,” Zakharova said at her weekly press briefing.
She said that once the memorandum is completed it will be sent to Kiev, adding that Russia expects Ukraine to be preparing its own draft to send in response.
In a telephone call last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump agreed that Russia would prepare a draft memorandum outlining the terms for a potential peace deal with Ukraine.
As the weather starts to get better, a stunning new addition to the University of Aberdeen’s Cruickshank Botanic Garden is set to offer visitors an additional peaceful place to gather their thoughts.
Now in place on the ‘Beech Lawn’, on the south-west corner towards the Rose Garden, is a striking new bench, which has been carved from fallen timber by world-renowned sculptor, Nigel Ross.
Adorned with the words ‘memories’, ‘play’, ‘forever’, ‘outdoors’ and ‘learn’; as a living memorial, the bench has been thoughtfully designed to honour a special person, to whom it is dedicated.
Curator of the Cruickshank Botanic Garden, Mark Paterson, said: “I was approached by a family who wanted to further enhance CBG and at the same time provide a memorial to someone they loved and who loved the garden. Their idea was to commission Nigel Ross to design and make a bench in such a way that it would be appealing to children as well as being a commemorative, visual delight in CBG.
“Of course I was absolutely thrilled at the offer and have continued to be overwhelmed by the beauty of the bench, and what it symbolises. The words carved into the oak have been carefully chosen. I hope for all who sit on the bench, the location and words, combined, will conjure up different emotions and memories, leaving them feeling better for having been there.”
The bench, quite simply, looks phenomenal and it will do so all year round and indeed, in perpetuity.” Mark Paterson
Having been commissioned, Nigel set about creating and sculpting the bench from an oak tree that was blown down along the shore of Loch of Clunie in a winter 2023 storm. Appropriately, due to its shape, Mark and others have started referring to the bench as the ‘Viking Ship’.
Nigel commented: “Part of the remit for the bench was for it be attractive to children and it was carved with this in mind. I thought perhaps a viking boat would be perfect. I also wanted to capture the spirt of the oak tree and show off the grain the knots and exploit the tactile character of the oak.
“I had set aside the unusual curved limb from the Clunie Oak and was just waiting for the right opportunity to arise – the living memorial bench at the Cruickshank Botanic Gardens was absolutely the perfect commission for it. Oak is a durable timber and and the bench should stand the test of time and will even get polished with use.”
Mark added: “The bench, quite simply, looks phenomenal and it will do so all year round and indeed, in perpetuity. Whether set against the long shadows of wintertime or highlighted by dappled sunlight shining through the seasonal foliage of the surrounding trees. In addition to being a lovely piece of artistic work, the bench is practical and has become my favourite new meeting place – instead of an online Teams chat, I’ll see you at the Viking Ship!”
For more information about Nigel Ross and his work, visit http://www.nigelross-sculpture.com/
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
JINAN, May 27 (Xinhua) — An explosion rocked a chemical company’s workshop in Gaomi City, east China’s Shandong Province, at noon on Tuesday. Clean-up efforts are underway, local authorities said.
Upon receiving the report of the explosion, China’s Ministry of Emergency Management immediately dispatched a task force and specialized search and rescue forces, including firefighters, medical experts and industrial safety experts, to assist local departments in rescue work.
232 local firefighters have already been dispatched to the scene. -0-
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Moscow, May 27 /Xinhua/ — Russia continues to prepare a memorandum on Ukraine, which will outline the principles and possible timeframes for a settlement, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a briefing on Tuesday.
“Russia continues to develop a draft memorandum regarding a future peace treaty, defining a number of positions, such as principles of settlement, timeframes for the possible conclusion of a peace agreement, and a potential ceasefire for a certain period of time if appropriate agreements are reached,” said M. Zakharova.
“As soon as the memorandum is prepared, and I want to note that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov literally comments on the progress of its development every day, it will be transferred to Kyiv,” she added.
“We expect that the Ukrainian side is doing the same work and will send us its findings simultaneously with the receipt of the Russian document,” the official representative of the Foreign Ministry emphasized. –0–
At the WAVES Summit earlier this month, the icons of an industry that once framed itself as the voice of India stood still for a moment, not on a set, not in a scene, but in real time. Khans and Kapoors, studio heads and screenwriters, streaming moguls and old-guard directors — all of them under one roof, hosted not by a production house, but by a government they had, not long ago, considered creatively toxic. The man whose rise to power had been declared the death of free speech in India was now sharing the stage with them, gently inviting creators to tell the story of Bharat to the world — and in doing so, nudging them to first listen to Bharat themselves.
But WAVES is not the story. It is only the stage.
The real story lies in what led up to this moment: a quiet, sometimes uncomfortable, but wholly inevitable civilisational shift. A rewriting of the grammar of Indian storytelling. For decades, a small coterie dictated what stories would be told about India — often from the vantage point of metro privilege, Western awards circuits, or elite anxieties. The India that reached our screens was often broken, mocked, exoticised, or aestheticised. The India of slums, scams, and spiritual contradictions. Tradition was treated as burden, faith as fanaticism, and the village as either comic relief or backwardness. For years, audiences were fed a single narrative: that they had no choice but to accept what was being offered — that they were too unsophisticated to expect more.
But Bharat — patient, poetic Bharat — was listening. Watching. And then it chose.
It began, as all awakenings do, not with fireworks, but with quiet exits. Audiences stopped showing up. The Friday buzz started fading. And then, the economy of choice — powered by the democratisation of platform thanks to social media — transformed the whole content consumption experience. Viewers discovered that they were no longer bound to whatever landed in the multiplex. They had access to stories that hadn’t passed through the old gatekeepers. Stories that didn’t need to beg for distribution or approval. Stories that simply spoke — in dialects they understood, with values they recognised, and emotions they had lived.
Narrative Reimagining: From India to Bharat, there has been a change in the stories we tell, the heroes we celebrate, and the India we portray.
The Stories We Tell. The Heroes We Celebrate. The India We Portray. In the last decade, something subtle yet seismic has shifted in Indian cinema. We are no longer merely telling stories about India. We are beginning to speak as Bharat.
For too long, the global gaze shaped our storytelling — a cinematic self-consciousness that chased validation from Western film festivals or mimicked Western narrative forms. The India that appeared on screens abroad was either exotic and spiritual or broken and begging for sympathy — poverty porn, partition pain, or palace love stories.
But today, there’s a slow, confident move from India-as-imagined-by-others to Bharat-as-felt-by-itself. We are witnessing a shift from victimhood to valour — where the once-forgotten warriors of our soil, from Rani Durgavati to Veer Savarkar, are being reclaimed as cinematic protagonists.
There is a visible shift –
From metro gaze to mandir towns, where stories now unfold in Ayodhya, Kashi, Bastar, and Bhuj, without apology.
From mimicry to myth-making, where homegrown philosophies, epics, and aesthetics are stepping forward as source material, not backdrop.
Cinema is slowly catching up — from mytho-scientific films to historical epics, from women-led entrepreneurship stories to narratives anchored in Kashi, Kedarnath, and Kanyakumari. This is not nostalgia. It is civilisational reclaim. And through cinema — our most powerful export — we are reimagining ourselves and inviting the world to see a new Bharat: rooted, radiant, and ready.
We stopped exporting sympathy. We started inviting the world to witness a civilisation coming into consciousness — not as a wounded past, but as a living, luminous future. Shrinking the colonial-leftist gaze that showcased India as land of suffering, spiritual detachment, and economic decay, we have slowly and steadily decided to chose civilisational pride over postcolonial pity, and replace cinematic self-pity with cinematic self-respect.
We have now begun to see ourselves not as a country waiting to be explained, but as a civilisation finally choosing how to be shown.
And that is how and why the old guard began to flounder. The industry that had once dictated taste — with its boy-meets-girl montages and designer depression — has found itself gasping. Friday releases have dried up. Cinemas play reruns. Star-studded films have crashed at the box office. Bollywood, as we knew it, is experiencing an identity crisis. And which is why the presence of erstwhile ‘Lords’ of the industry at the recently concluded WAVES summit in Mumbai is a story in itself.
In 2015, Aamir Khan remarked that his wife no longer felt safe in India — a moment that revealed not just his personal fears, but a deeper cultural disconnect. It wasn’t just about intolerance. It was about entitlement. The idea that cultural authority could be claimed, not earned.
Fast forward to WAVES 2025, and Aamir is back on stage — praising government support, urging for theatres in every corner of India. Not because he changed. But because Bharat did. And he knows it.
The stars are no longer in the sky. They are on the ground. Because their castles have crashed. They now stand at the shore, waiting — not just for a comeback, but for newer waves. Pun very much intended.
WAVES 2025, in that sense, wasn’t just a summit. It was a reckoning. The very actors, studios, and production houses that once scoffed at tradition were now attending a government-backed cultural platform with folded hands. And the irony was not lost on anyone. But this wasn’t revenge. It was realignment.
Prime Minister Modi’s address didn’t speak of censorship or surveillance. He spoke of story. He invoked the Natyashastra. He reminded us that even our gods sing and dance. He urged creators to dream big, to tell the one billion untold stories of Bharat to the world.
No diktats. Just direction. A gentle, civilisational nudge. Because Bharat, long silenced, is now narrating. It is no longer the subject of someone else’s script. It is the sutradhar — the narrator, the conscience, the cultural compass. It is not waiting to be validated. It is speaking in its own rhythm, its own language, its own light.
The world doesn’t need a rebranded India. It needs to meet Bharat — as it has always been, and as it is now willing to show itself. The script is being rewritten, many many frames at a time.
(Harsha Bhat is a versatile writer, journalist, and content strategist with over a decade of experience in storytelling, editing, and campaign curation. Currently working as a freelance writer and content strategist, Harsha has a proven track record of delivering impactful content for diverse platforms, including political campaigns, cultural heritage initiatives, and reputed publications like Swarajya Magazine and South First. Her editorial expertise spans conceptualizing special editions, managing newsroom operations, and mentoring aspiring writers. Notable accomplishments include spearheading acclaimed editorial campaigns like the Kashi and Ayodhya urban rejuvenation stories and publishing the transformative biography From Manjunath to Manjamma (HarperCollins, 2023).
She holds M.A. in Linguistics from University of Mumbai and a graduate in Journalism (BMM) from St. Xavier’s College, Harsha blends creativity with analytical depth to craft compelling narratives. Beyond writing, Harsha is a sought-after speaker and panelist at literary events and a passionate advocate for linguistic and cultural diversity. As a skilled journalist and cultural chronicler, Harsha’s work delves into heritage, politics, and community-driven stories. Harsha Bhat continues to inspire through stories that bridge tradition and modernity, championing meaningful narratives that leave a lasting impact.)
Source: International Organization for Migration (IOM)
Geneva/ Gaza, 27 May 2025 – The Global Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM) Cluster is deeply alarmed by the escalating humanitarian crisis resulting from the renewed Israeli military offensive across the Gaza Strip, which has forcibly displaced almost 180,000 people between 15-25 May.
The latest wave of displacement comes as direct attacks on sites have become common, including deadly airstrike on tents in the al-Mawasi area and a school-turned-shelter in Gaza city. Intensifying military operations across North Gaza, eastern Khan Younis, and eastern Deir al Balah over the past ten days have also caused numerous casualties.
The Global CCCM Cluster unequivocally condemns attacks on displacement sites in the strongest terms. These sites serve to protect displaced civilians, in line with the enduring obligation under international humanitarian law to ensure the safety and dignity of civilian populations in all circumstances.
As one Palestinian aid worker in al-Mawasi describes, civilians are facing deep exhaustion and trauma of repeated displacement. “I’m so tired. We’ve been forced to move before, and [our family] got split up—it didn’t help. My sibling died in a ‘safe’ zone after they bombed it. They call places safe, then attack them. I’d rather stay home with my family and face whatever comes, at least we all die together, rather than be separated.”
Since the collapse of the ceasefire on 18 March, nearly 616,000 people have been displaced—multiple times, some as many as ten. During the ceasefire, over half a million people went back to their homes, mostly in the North, to try to rebuild their lives. That fragile progress has now been reversed, as intensified military operations are once again displacing families away from the areas they had only recently returned to.
Humanitarian partners now estimate that 80 per cent of the Gaza Strip, originally only 365 square kilometers, is under displacement orders or marked as “no-go” zones. Nowhere in Gaza can be considered safe, however, as airstrikes and fighting affect the entire Strip. Civilians are being pushed into increasingly overcrowded and hazardous displacement sites. Since 18 March, over 260 sites hosting over 125,000 individuals have been impacted by displacement orders, forcing many to relocate once again, while others remain in place, still exposed to hostilities and lacking options for safer refuge.
With the ongoing aid blockade, there has been no guarantee of shelter, assistance, or protection for civilians. Constant movement restrictions and indiscriminate strikes on civilian infrastructure, including shelters, schools, hospitals, and tents, over the last 19 months have continuously exposed civilians to immense danger and raise grave concern.
Furthermore, the Cluster also raises significant concern over newly proposed alternative supply modalities. These arrangements risk circumventing established humanitarian coordination mechanisms, undermining humanitarian principles and putting civilians at further risk by promoting displacement without essential protection or adequate access to lifesaving services.
Humanitarian operations worldwide are guided strictly by the principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence–these apply equally in Gaza. Aid must be delivered solely based on needs, not military or political considerations. Humanitarian actors must maintain the ability to meet people where they are, whether in communities or displacement sites, to assess risks, vulnerabilities, and deliver assistance to those most in need. The UN-coordinated plan to resume principled aid delivery is the only humanitarian solution to reach displaced communities in Gaza with the support they need to survive.
Despite severe restrictions, humanitarian partners have continued to deliver lifesaving assistance and essential services across Gaza. The primary obstacle remains not a lack of will or capacity, but the access constraints imposed by Israel.
The Global CCCM Cluster calls for an immediate end to attacks on displacement sites, unimpeded and sustained humanitarian access, and the protection of civilians irrespective of their location. We stand in solidarity with displaced communities in Gaza and reaffirm our commitment to a coordinated, community-led, and protection-centered humanitarian response.
Note to Editors
Since its activation in February 2024, the Site Management Cluster for the Occupied Palestinian Territory has monitored population movements in Gaza during major waves of displacement, tracking return patterns during the ceasefire and issuing flash updates following its collapse, as displacement orders and militarized “no-go” zones rapidly expanded. This ongoing monitoring directly informs a coordinated, data-driven humanitarian response, ensuring that aid efforts remain grounded in humanitarian principles and tailored to the evolving needs of displaced communities.
For more information and reports on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, please visit the Global CCCM Cluster website.
Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
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May 27, 2025 0730 UTC Day 3 Severe Thunderstorm Outlook
Updated: Tue May 27 07:21:34 UTC 2025 (Print Version | | )
Probabilistic to Categorical Outlook Conversion Table
Forecast Discussion
SPC AC 270721
Day 3 Convective Outlook NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK 0221 AM CDT Tue May 27 2025
Valid 291200Z – 301200Z
…THERE IS A MARGINAL RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS PARTS OF THE SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS…SOUTHERN ROCKIES AND SOUTHEAST…
…SUMMARY… A marginal severe threat is expected on Thursday over parts of the southern High Plains, southern Rockies, and Southeast.
…Southern High Plains/Southern Rockies… Northwesterly mid-level flow will be in place across much of the High Plains on Thursday, as a trough moves southeastward through the central Plains. At the surface, an axis of low-level moisture will likely be located from eastern New Mexico northward into southern Colorado. As surface heating takes place, isolated to scattered thunderstorms are expected to develop in the higher terrain, with the storms moving eastward into the lower elevations in the afternoon. Although instability is forecast to remain weak, lapse rates will be steep, and deep-layer shear could be strong enough for a marginal severe threat. Hail and isolated severe wind gusts will be possible.
…Southeast… A broad low-amplitude cyclonic flow pattern is forecast across the Southeast on Thursday. At the surface, a moist airmass will be located along the Gulf Coast from Texas to Florida. Model forecasts suggest that scattered thunderstorms will develop in the Gulf Coast states early in the day as surface temperatures warm. The greatest convective coverage should be located along or near zones of focused low-level convergence. In spite of a lack of large-scale ascent, a few marginally severe storms could develop as low-level lapse rates become steep during the day. Severe gusts would be the primary threat.
..Broyles.. 05/27/2025
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