Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on April 14, 2025. Anthony Phelps, 34, of Queens, New York, was sentenced by United States District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. to a term of 57 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release. Phelps previously pleaded guilty to possessing with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base as well as being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court records, Phelps distributed cocaine base to a confidential informant on three separate occasions, in March and September 2024. On April 17, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at a residence in Essex, Vermont where Phelps was staying. During the search, law enforcement recovered approximately 705.12 grams of cocaine, 90.82 grams of cocaine base, and a 9mm pistol from one room, as well as approximately 92.24 grams of suspected cocaine, 86.78 grams of sodium-bicarbonate, and a rifle from another room. Phelps stipulated that he intended to distribute the cocaine and cocaine base to others. As a prior felon, Phelps was prohibited from possessing the 9mm pistol.
Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the collaborative investigatory efforts of Homeland Security Investigations and the Vermont State Police.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary B. Stendig. Phelps was represented by Kevin Henry, Esq.
Nearly every country in the world has a central bank – a public institution that manages a country’s currency and its monetary policy. And these banks have an extraordinary amount of power. By controlling the flow of money and credit in a country, they can affect economic growth, inflation, employment and financial stability.
These are powers that many politicians – including, currently, U.S. President Donald Trump – would seemingly like to control or at least manipulate. That’s because monetary policy can provide governments with economic boosts at key times, such as around elections or during periods of falling popularity.
The problem is that short-lived, politically motivated moves may be detrimental to the long-term economic well-being of a nation. They may, in other words, saddle the economy with problems further down the line.
In fact, monetary policymaking that is data-driven and technocratic, rather than politically motivated, has since the early 1990s been seen as the gold standardof governance of national finances. By and large, this arrangement, in which central bankers keep politicians at arm’s length, has achieved its main purpose: Inflation has beenrelatively low and stable in countries with independent central banks, such as Switzerland or Sweden – certainly until the pandemic and war in Europe began pushing up prices globally.
In comparison, countries such as Lebanon and Egypt, where independence was never extended, or Argentina and Turkey, where it has been curtailed, have experienced more bouts of high inflation.
As political economists, we are not surprised to see politicians try to exert influence on central banks. Monetary policy, even with independence, has always been political. For one thing, central banks remain part of the government bureaucracy, and independence granted to them can always be reversed – either by changing laws or backtracking on established practices.
If monetary policy is such a coveted policy tool, how have central banks held off politicians and stayed independent? And is this independence being eroded?
Broadly, central banks are protected by laws that offer long tenures to their leadership, allow them to focus policy primarily on inflation, and severely limit lending to the rest of the government.
Of course, such legislation cannot anticipate all future contingencies, which may open the door for political interference or for practices that break the law. And sometimes central bankers are unceremoniously fired.
However, laws do keep politicians in line. For example, even in authoritarian countries, laws protecting central banks from political interference have helped reduce inflation and restricted central bank lending to the government.
Around the world, appointments to central bank leadership are political – elected politicians select candidates based on career credentials, political affiliation and, importantly, their dislike or tolerance of inflation.
But lawmakers in different countries exercise different degrees of political control.
A 2025 study shows that the large majority of central bank leaders – about 70% – are appointed by the head of government alone or with the intervention of other members of the executive branch. This ensures that the preferences of the central bank are closer to the government’s, which can boost the central bank’s legitimacy in democratic countries, but at the risk of permeability to political influence.
Alternatively, appointments can involve the legislative power or even the central bank’s own board. In the U.S., while the president nominates members of the Federal Reserve Board, the Senate can and has rejected unconventional or incompetent candidates.
Moreover, even if appointments are political, many central bankers stay in office long after the people who appointed them have been voted out. By the end of 2023, the most common length of the governors’ appointment is five years, and in 41 countries the legal mandate was six years or longer. Powell is set to stay on as Fed chair until his term expires in 2026. The Fed chair position has traditionally been protected by law, as Powell himself acknowledged in November 2024: “We’re not removable except for cause. We serve very long terms, seemingly endless terms. So we’re protected into law. Congress could change that law, but I don’t think there’s any danger of that.” But Trump’s firing of leaders of other independent federal agencies has set up a legal challenge that could affect the Fed, too.
In the 2000s, several countries shortened the tenure of their central banks’ governors to four or five years. Sometimes, this was part of broader restrictions in central bank independence, as was the case in Iceland in 2001, Ghana in 2002 and Romania in 2004.
The low inflation objective
As of 2023, all but six central banks globally had low inflation as their main goal. Yet many central banks are required by law to try to achieve additional and sometimes conflicting goals, such as financial stability, full employment or support for the government’s policies.
This is the case for 38 central banks that either have the explicit dual mandate of price stability and employment or more complex goals. In Argentina, for example, the central bank’s mandate is to provide “employment and economic development with social equity.”
Conflicting objectives can open central banks to politicization. In the U.S. the Federal Reserve has a dual mandate of stable prices and maximum sustainable employment. These goals are often complementary, and economists have argued that low inflation is a prerequisite for sustainable high levels of employment.
Since 2000, at least 23 countries have expanded the focus of their central banks beyond just inflation.
Limits on government lending
The first central banks were created to help secure finance for governments fightingwars. But today, limiting lending to governments is at the core of protecting price stability from unsustainable fiscal spending.
History is dotted with the consequences of not doing so. In the 1960s and 1970s, for example, central banks in Latin America printed money to support their governments’ spending goals. But it resulted in massive inflation while not securing growth or political stability.
Yet over the past two decades, almost 40 countries have made their central banks less able to limit central government funding. In the more extreme examples – such as in Belarus, Ecuador or even New Zealand – they have turned the central bank into a potential financier for the government.
And since mid-2021, major central banks have struggled to keep inflation low, raising questions from populist and antidemocratic politicians about the merits of an arm’s-length relationship.
But chipping away at central bank independence, as Trump appears to be doing with his open criticism of the Fed chair and implicit threats of dismissal, is a historically sure way to high inflation.
This is an updated version of an article that was originally published by The Conversation on June 14, 2024.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: Rosneft – Rosneft – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
On April 18, in honor of the International Day of Monuments and Historic Sites, Bashneft Oil Company (part of Rosneft) presented the tourist automobile project “Routes of Victory,” dedicated to the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War.
The presentation of the project took place at the Bashneft petrol station in Ufa. Representatives of the company and the expert tourism community told motorists about unique and memorable places located near the company’s petrol stations in Bashkortostan and dedicated to the history of the Great Patriotic War.
“Victory Routes” cover 15 significant sites in different cities and districts of the republic, each of which keeps a unique story about the feat of our people during the Great Patriotic War. Thus, in the center of Ufa, on Sovetskaya Square, there is a majestic monument to Major General Minigali Shaimuratov, the legendary commander of the 112th Bashkir Cavalry Division. In the village of Verkhneyarkeevo, there is a unique museum of Musa Gareyev, twice Hero of the Soviet Union, an outstanding pilot. In Ishimbay, above the Belaya River, there is a monument to oil workers who died in battles for the Motherland. In the city of Oktyabrsky, there is a memorial ensemble “Thoughts of a Soldier”, opened in 1995. A memorial complex dedicated to four Heroes of the Soviet Union – Makhmut Aktuganov, Ishmay Ishkinin, Stepan Kazakov and Yegor Orsayev, as well as the national hero Gazi Zagitov, who on April 30, 1945, as part of an assault group under enemy fire, was one of the first to raise the Red Banner on the Berlin Reichstag, was opened in the village of Mishkino. Granite steles symbolizing banners have been installed along the central alley of the Ufa Victory Park, on which the names of 278 Heroes of the Soviet Union and 39 Full Cavaliers of the Order of Glory from Bashkiria are carved in gold letters.
Roll-ups installed at Bashneft petrol stations will tell you about memorable places that you can visit in the Republic of Bashkortostan. They are located next to monuments, museums and other objects related to the history of the Great Patriotic War. To build a route to a memorable place in the navigator, you just need to point the camera of your mobile phone at the QR code. Drivers can fill up with high-quality fuel at Bashneft petrol stations and go to a historical site located next to the petrol station.
Rosneft actively supports initiatives to develop domestic tourism and aims to create comfortable conditions for motorists. The development of roadside service and the improvement of the level of customer services provided at Rosneft and Bashneft filling stations is one of the Company’s priority areas of activity.
Reference:
ANK Bashneft is one of the oldest enterprises in the oil and gas industry of the country, operating in the extraction and processing of oil and gas. OOO Bashneft-Roznitsa is the operator of PAO ANK Bashneft for managing 540 filling stations in 14 regions of Russia. The company’s filling stations offer high-quality fuel produced by the Bashneft Oil Refinery – Euro-5 and Euro-6 gasolines, its own ATUM gasoline brands, and diesel fuel.
Department of Information and Advertising of PJSC NK Rosneft April 18, 2025
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.
Windswept dust blanketed southern Iraq and other parts of the Middle East in mid-April 2025. The airborne particles turned skies orange, reduced visibility, and worsened air quality near the ground where people live and breathe. Dust activity appears to have increased dramatically on April 14 between 9:30 a.m. and 1:50 p.m. local time (06:30 and 10:50 Universal Time), when the MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) on NASA’s Terra and Aqua satellites acquired these images. Dust clouds are especially pronounced over arid regions of southern Iraq and northern Saudi Arabia in the later image (right) and in dust forecasts for the region that day. Breathing issues sent nearly 4,000 people to emergency rooms across multiple Iraqi provinces, according to news reports. Al Başrah (Basra) and An Najaf saw approximately 1,000 and 500 of those cases, respectively. Videos published by the BBC captured orange skies, low visibility, and strong winds whipping through those cities. The storm caused authorities to shut down several airports, they reported. Powerful westerly winds also carried dust into Kuwait that day. Weather stations measured wind gusts exceeding 80 kilometers (50 miles) per hour, news outlets reported, and Kuwaiti officials announced that schools would hold classes remotely on April 15 to reduce exposure to unhealthy air. Dust storms in Iraq are most common during late spring and summer, provoked by seasonal winds that blow from the north-northwest across abundant sources of dust. However, these storms can arise at other times of year, including in winter and spring. In April and May 2022, for example, a series of severe dust storms caused similar disruptions to the region. Declines in water resources may be amplifying the frequency and intensity of spring and summer dust events in Iraq. Dry conditions make it more likely that winds can loft and transport loose material. NASA Earth Observatory images by Wanmei Liang, using MODIS data from NASA EOSDIS LANCE and GIBS/Worldview. Story by Lindsey Doermann.
What you need to know: DOGE’s actions to dismantle AmeriCorps threaten vulnerable Californians, disaster response and recovery, and economic opportunities. California is suing — and ramping up efforts to recruit for the state’s service corps program.
SACRAMENTO – Today, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that as the Trump Administration dismantles the AmeriCorps service program, California will both challenge the illegal action in court and accelerate recruitment for the California Service Corps program — already the largest service corps in the nation, surpassing the size of the Peace Corps.
We’ve gone from the New Deal, the New Frontier, and the Great Society to a federal government that gives the middle finger to volunteers serving their fellow Americans. We will sue to stop this.
Governor Gavin Newsom
When the devastating fires struck Los Angeles earlier this year, AmeriCorps members were on the ground, distributing supplies and supporting families. As recently as this week, AmeriCorps members were on the ground assisting in recovery. The agency’s shutdown hamstrings these efforts.
“DOGE’s actions aren’t about making government work better — it’s about making communities weaker,” said GO-Serve Director Josh Fryday. “These actions will dismantle vital lifelines in communities across California. AmeriCorps members are out in the field teaching children to read, supporting seniors and helping families recover after disasters. AmeriCorps is not bureaucracy; it’s boots on the ground.”
JFK’s America:
“For I stand tonight facing west on what was once the last frontier. The pioneers… were not ‘every man for himself’ — but ‘all for the common cause.’ They were determined to make that new world strong and free, to overcome its hazards and its hardships…
“We stand today on the edge of a New Frontier, a frontier of unknown opportunities and perils, a frontier of unfulfilled hopes and threats.”
“The New Frontier of which I speak is not a set of promises — it is a set of challenges. It sums up not what I intend to offer the American people, but what I intend to ask of them. It appeals to their pride, not to their pocketbook, it holds out the promise of more sacrifice instead of more security…”
“I am asking each of you to be pioneers on that New Frontier. My call is to the young in heart, regardless of age — to all who respond to the Scriptural call: ‘Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed.’ For courage, not complacency, is our need today.”
Today:
Go f*** yourself. You’re on your own.
California Service Corps is the largest service force in the nation, consisting of four paid service programs:
Combined, it is a force larger than the Peace Corps and is mobilized at a time when California is addressing post-pandemic academic recovery, rebuilding from the LA fires and planning for the future of the state’s workforce. The federal government provides more than half of the funding for California Climate Action Corps and about 5% of College Corps, while the state fully funds the Youth Service Corps.
In the 2023-24 service year, 6,264 AmeriCorps members in California:
Provided 4,397,674 hours of service
Tutored/mentored 73,833 students
Supported 17,000 foster youth with education and employment
Planted 39,288 trees
Members helped 26,000 households impacted by the LA fires and packed 21,000 food boxes.
Press Releases, Recent News
Recent news
Apr 17, 2025
News What you need to know: Governor Newsom has made the recovery of Los Angeles his highest priority – directing a whole-of-government response to support communities and survivors. LOS ANGELES – On the 100 day milestone since the Eaton and Palisades fires ignited,…
Apr 17, 2025
News Sacramento, California – Governor Gavin Newsom today issued a proclamation declaring April 2025, as Arab American Heritage Month. The text of the proclamation and a copy can be found below: PROCLAMATIONThe Arab American community, comprising over 20 nationalities…
Apr 17, 2025
News What you need to know: Following Governor Newsom’s state of emergency proclamation to protect communities from catastrophic wildfire, a new online fast-track process now makes it faster to get state-level approvals – in as little as 30 days – for critical forest…
What you need to know: Governor Newsom has made the recovery of Los Angeles his highest priority – directing a whole-of-government response to support communities and survivors.
LOS ANGELES – On the 100 day milestone since the Eaton and Palisades fires ignited, California mourns the loss of those who died, the communities that were forever changed and celebrates the heroic efforts of first responders and those working tirelessly everyday to rebuild these communities stronger and more resilient.
“My job is to make sure Californians who felt helpless after the fires are able to have hope again. Our work is far from over — but 100 days since the fires first broke out in early January, California remains united and together will rebuild, recover and rise.”
Governor Gavin Newsom
Since the first day these firestorms ignited, Governor Newsom has been on the ground leading an all-in state response.
The Governor deployed resources before the fires broke out – growing to over 16,000 boots on the ground at the peak of the state’s response. And in the hours that followed, Governor Newsom launched historic recovery and rebuilding efforts to help Los Angeles get back on its feet, faster.
Even before the fires were out, Governor Newsom worked closely with outgoing President Joesph Biden to secure a presidential major disaster declaration and then coordinated with the Trump Administration to ensure full-throated federal support for Los Angeles.
That work has paid dividends as California is on-track to deliver the fastest major disaster cleanup in American history. The current pace of debris and hazardous waste removal is months ahead of the cleanup timeline for the Camp, Woolsey, Hill fires in 2019 and Tubbs Fire in 2017/18, which at the time were themselves the fastest of their kind.
That work has paid dividends as California is on-track to deliver the fastest major disaster cleanup in American history. The current pace of debris and hazardous waste removal is months ahead of the cleanup timeline for the Camp, Woolsey, Hill fires in 2019 and Tubbs Fire in 2017/18, which at the time were themselves the fastest of their kind.
State and federal officials have worked hand in glove to clear hazardous waste from 9,000 homes in less than 30 day. Currently there are 500 crews of expert heavy equipment operators from the Army Corps of Engineers working around the clock to rapidly clear ash, soot, and fire debris from structures damaged by the Eaton and Palisades fires.
More than 2,300 parcels have already been completed and signed off by the county and hundreds more have been cleared of debris and are now just awaiting erosion controls, tree removal, and final inspection.
By the Numbers
16,000 first responders and recovery personnel deployed
$2.5 billion in Small Business Administration Assistance
$100,000 million in individual assistance disbursed
$100,000 million community partnerships through LA Rises
40,000 totals visitors to disaster recovery centers
9,000 properties cleared of hazardous waste in 30 days
2,300 homes cleared of debris
12,500 right of entry forms submitted
8 of 8 schools resumed in person instruction
8 of 9 water systems reactivated
California’s historic recovery and rebuilding efforts
Cutting red tape to help rebuild Los Angeles faster and stronger. Governor Newsom issued an executive order to streamline the rebuilding of homes and businesses destroyed — suspending permitting and review requirements under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the California Coastal Act. The Governor also issued an executive order further cutting red tape by reiterating that permitting requirements under the California Coastal Act are suspended for rebuilding efforts and directing the Coastal Commission not to issue guidance or take any action that interferes with or conflicts with the Governor’s executive orders. The Governor also issued an executive order removing bureaucratic barriers, extending deadlines, and providing critical regulatory relief to help fire survivors rebuild, access essential services, and recover more quickly.
Fast-tracking temporary housing and protecting tenants. To help provide necessary shelter for those immediately impacted by the firestorms, the Governor issued an executive order to make it easier to streamline construction of accessory dwelling units, allow for more temporary trailers and other housing, and suspend fees for mobile home parks. Governor Newsom also issued an executive order that prohibits landlords in Los Angeles County from evicting tenants for sharing their rental with survivors displaced by the Los Angeles-area firestorms.
Mobilizing debris removal and cleanup. With an eye toward recovery, the Governor directed fast action on debris removal work and mitigating the potential for mudslides and flooding in areas burned. He also signed an executive order to allow expert federal hazmat crews to start cleaning up properties as a key step in getting people back to their properties safely. The Governor also issued an executive order to help mitigate risk of mudslides and flooding and protect communities by hastening efforts to remove debris, bolster flood defenses, and stabilize hillsides in affected areas.
Directing immediate state relief. The Governor signed legislation providing over $2.5 billion to immediately support ongoing emergency response efforts and to jumpstart recovery efforts for Los Angeles. California quickly launched CA.gov/LAfires as a single hub of information and resources to support those impacted and bolsters in-person Disaster Recovery Centers. The Governor also launched LA Rises, a unified recovery initiative that brings together private sector leaders to support rebuilding efforts. Governor Newsom announced that individuals and families directly impacted by the recent fires living in certain zip codes may be eligible to receive Disaster CalFresh food benefits.
Getting kids back in the classroom. Governor Newsom signed an executive order to quickly assist displaced students in the Los Angeles area and bolster schools affected by the firestorms.
Protecting victims from real estate speculators. The Governor issued an executive order to protect firestorm victims from predatory land speculators making aggressive and unsolicited cash offers to purchase their property.
Helping businesses and workers get back on their feet. The Governor issued an executive order to support small businesses and workers, by providing relief to help businesses recover quickly by deferring annual licensing fees and waiving other requirements that may impose barriers to recovery.
Press Releases, Recent News
Recent news
Apr 17, 2025
News Sacramento, California – Governor Gavin Newsom today issued a proclamation declaring April 2025, as Arab American Heritage Month. The text of the proclamation and a copy can be found below: PROCLAMATIONThe Arab American community, comprising over 20 nationalities…
Apr 17, 2025
News What you need to know: Following Governor Newsom’s state of emergency proclamation to protect communities from catastrophic wildfire, a new online fast-track process now makes it faster to get state-level approvals – in as little as 30 days – for critical forest…
Apr 17, 2025
News What you need to know: California’s Organized Retail Crime Task Force recovers nearly 41,000 stolen items valued at $4.4 million, leading to 383 arrests. SACRAMENTO – Citing ongoing progress to takedown organized retail crime statewide, Governor Gavin Newsom…
Sacramento, California – Governor Gavin Newsom today issued a proclamation declaring April 2025, as Arab American Heritage Month.
The text of the proclamation and a copy can be found below:
PROCLAMATION
The Arab American community, comprising over 20 nationalities and numerous religious groups, is inextricably woven into the fabric of this state – and this month, California joins the nation in celebrating Arab American Heritage Month by highlighting the profound and wide-ranging contributions of the vibrant communities in all facets of our society.
Nagi Daifullah, a Yemeni migrant and farmworker who served as a strike captain during the United Farm Workers’ 1973 grape strike, was known for his ability to transcend ethnic and linguistic barriers among workers. Last year, in Tulare County, work began on Nagi Daifullah Unity Park, commemorating his prominence in the history of the labor movement.
Daifullah’s legacy is reflective of the impact Arab American communities have had on California – changing the course of history by unifying different communities in pursuit of a better world. California is fortunate to have the largest Arab American population in the country, with thriving communities in Los Angeles, San Diego, the Bay Area, and other parts of the state that trace their heritage across the Middle East and North Africa. In 2022, Anaheim officially recognized the district of Little Arabia, making it the first officially recognized Arab American enclave in the country.
As we celebrate these many achievements and contributions, we must also recognize the pervasive discrimination and xenophobia the Arab American community faces and has faced – with many suffering in silence, fearing to speak out. This is unacceptable. Our state is leading the charge to protect those under attack for who they are, how they look, or what they believe.
This urgent work is ongoing with partners throughout the state, including efforts to bolster security at places of worship and cultural centers, make available community-based services to support victims of hate, provide anonymous reporting options for victims and witnesses of hate acts, and other resources to further safety and inclusion for all Californians.
Whether they’ve called America home for many generations or arrived more recently, Arab Americans have enriched communities across the country and made an indelible impact. During Arab American Heritage Month, we honor the past, present, and future of this community in our California story and rededicate ourselves to ensuring the safety and belonging of Arab Americans across our state.
NOW THEREFORE I, GAVIN NEWSOM, Governor of the State of California, do hereby proclaim April 2025, as “Arab American Heritage Month.”
IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of California to be affixed this 3rd day of April 2025.
GAVIN NEWSOM Governor of California
ATTEST: SHIRLEY N. WEBER, Ph.D. Secretary of State
Press Releases, Proclamations
Recent news
Apr 17, 2025
News What you need to know: Following Governor Newsom’s state of emergency proclamation to protect communities from catastrophic wildfire, a new online fast-track process now makes it faster to get state-level approvals – in as little as 30 days – for critical forest…
Apr 17, 2025
News What you need to know: California’s Organized Retail Crime Task Force recovers nearly 41,000 stolen items valued at $4.4 million, leading to 383 arrests. SACRAMENTO – Citing ongoing progress to takedown organized retail crime statewide, Governor Gavin Newsom…
Apr 16, 2025
News What you need to know: California today filed a lawsuit challenging President Trump’s authority to unilaterally enact tariffs, which have created economic chaos, driven up prices, and harmed the state, families, and businesses. SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom…
Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Jason Mattis, 51, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Gerald J. Pappert yesterday to 120 months in prison and three years of supervised release for using a destructive device to start a fire at a Northeast Philadelphia home.
Mattis was charged by indictment in December 2022 and convicted in September 2024, following a jury trial, of possessing an unregistered destructive device.
As proven at trial, on July 1, 2022, Mattis lit an incendiary device similar to a Molotov cocktail and threw it onto the porch of a residence in the Tacony section of Northeast Philadelphia. The weapon thrown by Mattis ignited and started a fire on the porch of the residence, as well as the sidewalk and the street in front. The incident occurred in the evening while the residents of the home were inside.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives examined the evidence left at the scene and determined that the weapon used by the defendant was an incendiary bomb as that term is defined under federal law.
Mattis committed this arson while on state parole for an attempted murder conviction.
“It’s tough to understate the seriousness of a crime like this, which put the victims, their home, and their neighborhood at risk,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “As his lengthy criminal history shows, Jason Mattis lacks respect for both the law and other people. This sentence keeps him behind bars for years and the public is safer for it.”
“It is remarkable that this family was able to escape with their lives when Mattis set their home ablaze with a Molotov cocktail-type incendiary device,” said Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Philadelphia Field Division. “Arson is a serious, dangerous and often deadly crime. Using the combined capabilities of the ATF-led Philadelphia Arson and Explosives Task Force with the Philadelphia Fire and Police Departments, we will continue to seek justice and keep our communities safe from dangerous arsonists.”
“This type of skilled investigative work and interagency cooperation makes our city safer. I am grateful for the diligence and dedication shown by our Fire Marshal’s Office, the Philadelphia Police Department and the ATF,” said Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Jeffrey W. Thompson.
“Violent acts like these endanger not just the intended target, but entire communities,” said Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin J. Bethel. “The thorough investigation by our officers, alongside our federal partners and the Philadelphia Fire Department, demonstrates our absolute commitment to holding individuals like Mr. Mattis accountable for violent crimes. We will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that those who threaten our neighborhoods are brought to justice.”
The case was investigated by the ATF’s Arson and Explosives Task Force, the Philadelphia Fire Department, and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Eckert.
From 8 to 11 April 2025, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) Office for Northeast Asia and Global Education and Training Institute (ONEA & GETI), in partnership with the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the West African Development Bank (BOAD), hosted a technical Training of Trainers workshop on “Tools for Implementing Disaster Risk Reduction, Climate Information and Early Warning Systems Projects” with national stakeholders from Togo. The workshop, held in Incheon, Republic of Korea, was organized in support of the implementation of the recently approved GCF co-funded project, ‘Strengthening the resilience of vulnerable communities within high climatic and disaster risk areas in Togo,’ to help build capacity and technical knowledge of key governmental stakeholders to support the project’s activities.
Throughout the training, representatives from Togo’s key institutions involved in disaster risk reduction, climate information and early warning, including the National Agency for Civil Protection (ANPC), the Togolese Meteorological Agency (ANAMET), the Ministry of Environment and Forest Resources (MERF), and other project partners including the West African Development Bank (BOAD) and the African Risk Capacity (ARC), joined sessions delivered by UNDRR, GCF, as well as international partners from CREWS, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), UN Climate Technology Centre and Network (UNCTCN), and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Core themes included disaster risk reduction (DRR), climate change adaptation (CCA), multi-hazard early warning systems (MHEWS) and anticipatory action, gender mainstreaming and diversity, equity and inclusion in DRR, project monitoring and evaluation, forecast-based finance, and climate investment planning. Participants explored global frameworks, such as the Sendai Framework, the Paris Agreement, and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and discussed the design, coordination, and financing structure for the new GCF co-financed initiative in Togo.
In addition to in-depth sessions on GCF’s project implementation, reporting, and results frameworks, the workshop introduced practical tools such as the Sendai Framework Monitor Custom Indicators and the Disaster Resilience Scorecard for Cities, and its thematic annexes to support national and local level DRR planning. Technical partners presented available tools and collaborative approaches under the Early Warnings for All Initiative and shared examples from country-level implementation. Practical experience from the Republic of Korea was also shared through a presentation from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety (MOIS) on its integrated disaster management system and emergency communication tools, showcasing how the four pillars of early warning, including risk knowledge, monitoring and forecasting, dissemination and communication, and response capability, are implemented through advanced technologies and inter-agency coordination.
The final day of the workshop included a field visit to the Incheon Metropolitan City Safety Situation Division, a core facility within Korea’s urban resilience infrastructure. Participants toured the division’s integrated monitoring and control systems, including real-time CCTV surveillance, flood sensors, wildfire alert systems, and automated detection systems for identifying unusual events and alerting operators. City officials shared how Incheon leverages digital tools and interdepartmental coordination to ensure fast, reliable disaster alert delivery across sectors. The visit served as a practical demonstration of how smart governance and technology can strengthen resilience at the local level. Participants reflected on the field visit to the Incheon Metropolitan City Safety Situation Division, sharing valuable insights and inspirations drawn from the experience:
“The visit has given us a lot of inspiration for setting up our operations room (soon to be equipped) in coordination with the UNDRR. The Project will help to strengthen current data collection, processing and dissemination for early warning. We hope that one day we will also have an observation network similar to the one in Incheon.” – Yoma Baka (Director General of ANPC)
“We have great enthusiasm for the tools that we observed during the visit to Incheon City Hall. This visit brought a very operational character to the workshop.” – Komi Sossou (Environmentalist Expert in Climate Change and Sustainable Development of MERF & MERF Focal Point at the National Disaster Risk Management Platform)
The workshop concluded with reflections and action planning for the national implementation of the SAP048 project. Participants expressed their commitment to applying the lessons learned and strengthening coordination among national and international partners. The training served as an important milestone in Togo’s progress toward scaling up climate resilience and ensuring that early warnings reach all vulnerable communities. The trained trainers are expected to support a training for national stakeholders in Togo in the coming months, as part of a number of project inception activities planned by BOAD in coordination with national and international partners.
“We now have more inspiration to better innovate in disaster management.” – Sanetienone Damorou (National Focal Point of Project SAP048 ‘Strengthening the resilience of vulnerable communities in high climate and disaster risk areas in Togo’ of ANPC)
“Throughout the four days we had an opportunity to share experience and learn about disaster risk management. We learned a lot and we see that there is much be done in our country, and that the new project can greatly contribute to improving and implementing certain activities. We also heard from partners interested to support this project. It is important that we really work together.” – Méwekiwé Egbare (Engineer in Agrometeorology of ANAMET & Head of the Weather Center of GMN)
“This training is important in terms of sharing experience and learning tools and getting a better idea of what technical partners can do. It’s a training course for trainers, so it’s essential that we can replicate it at home.” – Aissatou Diagne (Climate Projects Supervision Specialist (DSPC) of BOAD)
D6 Wed, Apr 23, 2025 – Thu, Apr 24, 2025 (All days are valid from 12 UTC – 12 UTC the following day)
Note: A severe weather area depicted in the Day 4-8 period indicates 15%, 30% or higher probability for severe thunderstorms within 25 miles of any point.
PREDICTABILITY TOO LOW is used to indicate severe storms may be possible based on some model scenarios. However, the location or occurrence of severe storms are in doubt due to: 1) large differences in the deterministic model solutions, 2) large spread in the ensemble guidance, and/or 3) minimal run-to-run continuity.
POTENTIAL TOO LOW means the threat for a regional area of organized severe storms appears unlikely (i.e., less than 15%) for the forecast day.
Forecast Discussion
ZCZC SPCSWOD48 ALL ACUS48 KWNS 180734 SPC AC 180734
Day 4-8 Convective Outlook NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK 0234 AM CDT Fri Apr 18 2025
Valid 211200Z – 261200Z
…DISCUSSION… An upper shortwave trough will weaken as it spreads east/northeast from the Mid/Upper MS Valley to the Lower Great Lakes on Day 4/Mon. The associated surface low will likewise shift northeast from eastern IA/IL into Ontario, while a trailing cold front moves across much of the Midwest. Modest boundary-layer moisture will aid in weak destabilization and some low-end severe thunderstorm risk could develop across parts of the Ohio Valley/Lower Great Lakes vicinity. The southern extent of this front will stall across the Mid-South and Sabine Valley. Richer low-level moisture ahead of the surface boundary across parts of the South could support some thunderstorm risk as well, but nebulous forcing and weak vertical shear will limit severe potential.
On Days 5-8/Tue-Fri, a low-amplitude, weak flow pattern is forecast. Southerly low-level flow across the Gulf and southern Plains will allow for northward moisture transport across OK/TX and vicinity. Diurnal thunderstorm activity could be possible each day given modest west/southwest flow atop a moist warm sector. However, a rather nondescript surface pattern amid weak large-scale forcing will likely preclude widespread severe potential, though localized areas of severe storms could still occur given favorable moisture/instability, particularly along any dryline features.
Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
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Apr 18, 2025 0730 UTC Day 3 Severe Thunderstorm Outlook
Updated: Fri Apr 18 07:03:04 UTC 2025 (Print Version | | )
Probabilistic to Categorical Outlook Conversion Table
Forecast Discussion
SPC AC 180703
Day 3 Convective Outlook NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK 0203 AM CDT Fri Apr 18 2025
Valid 201200Z – 211200Z
…THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FROM NORTHEAST TEXAS INTO SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS…
…SUMMARY… Severe thunderstorms are possible on Sunday from east Texas into the Middle Mississippi Valley.
…East Texas to the Middle Mississippi Valley…
An upper trough over the central/southern Plains Sunday morning will lift northeast across the Mid-MO/Upper MS Valley through early Monday. At the surface, low pressure will migrate northeast from OK to WI as a cold front sweeps east across portions of the Ozarks/Mid-MS Valley and the ArkLaTex vicinity. Ahead of the surface low and cold front, a warm front will lift northward across the Mid-MS and Lower OH Valley through Sunday evening. Moderate deep-layer southwesterly flow atop a modestly moist warm sector ahead of the surface cold front should support some risk for severe thunderstorms from the ArkLaTex into the Mid-MS Valley. All severe hazards appear possible with potential for a mixed mode of supercells and linear segments.
However, quite a bit of uncertainty remains regarding exact forecast details as several periods of heavy rain and thunderstorms are expected across the region leading into Sunday. This could impact which areas see greater destabilization coincident with increasing southwesterly flow and stronger ascent. Furthermore, the ECMWF suite of forecast guidance is a slower and further south outlier compared to GFS/NAM guidance. As a result, the outlook area for Day 3/Sunday may continue to shift in the coming days as details become better resolved.
..Leitman.. 04/18/2025
CLICK TO GET WUUS03 PTSDY3 PRODUCT
NOTE: THE NEXT DAY 3 OUTLOOK IS SCHEDULED BY 1930Z
Top/Latest Day 1 Outlook/Today’s Outlooks/Forecast Products/Home
Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Note: The expiration time in the watch graphic is amended if the watch is replaced, cancelled or extended.Note: Click for Watch Status Reports. SEL2
URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED Severe Thunderstorm Watch Number 142 NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK 555 AM CDT Fri Apr 18 2025
The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a
* Severe Thunderstorm Watch for portions of Southern Wisconsin Lake Michigan
* Effective this Friday morning from 555 AM until 1100 AM CDT.
* Primary threats include… Scattered large hail and isolated very large hail events to 2 inches in diameter possible Scattered damaging wind gusts to 70 mph possible
SUMMARY…Multiple supercells and bowing structures will spread quickly eastward this morning across southern Wisconsin. Scattered large hail around 1-2 inches in diameter and 60-70 mph wind gusts may occur with this activity.
The severe thunderstorm watch area is approximately along and 30 statute miles north and south of a line from 40 miles west of Madison WI to 30 miles east northeast of Racine WI. For a complete depiction of the watch see the associated watch outline update (WOUS64 KWNS WOU2).
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
REMEMBER…A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means conditions are favorable for severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area. Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for threatening weather conditions and listen for later statements and possible warnings. Severe thunderstorms can and occasionally do produce tornadoes.
&&
AVIATION…A few severe thunderstorms with hail surface and aloft to 2 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind gusts to 60 knots. A few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 500. Mean storm motion vector 27050.
…Gleason
Note: The Aviation Watch (SAW) product is an approximation to the watch area. The actual watch is depicted by the shaded areas. SAW2 WW 142 SEVERE TSTM WI LM 181055Z – 181600Z AXIS..30 STATUTE MILES NORTH AND SOUTH OF LINE.. 40W MSN/MADISON WI/ – 30ENE RAC/RACINE WI/ ..AVIATION COORDS.. 25NM N/S /30SSW DLL – 46ESE BAE/ HAIL SURFACE AND ALOFT..2 INCHES. WIND GUSTS..60 KNOTS. MAX TOPS TO 500. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 27050.
LAT…LON 43569012 43368726 42498726 42699012
THIS IS AN APPROXIMATION TO THE WATCH AREA. FOR A COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE WOUS64 KWNS FOR WOU2.
Watch 142 Status Report Message has not been issued yet.
Note: Click for Complete Product Text.Tornadoes
Probability of 2 or more tornadoes
Low ( 2 inches
Mod (30%)
Combined Severe Hail/Wind
Probability of 6 or more combined severe hail/wind events
High (70%)
For each watch, probabilities for particular events inside the watch (listed above in each table) are determined by the issuing forecaster. The “Low” category contains probability values ranging from less than 2% to 20% (EF2-EF5 tornadoes), less than 5% to 20% (all other probabilities), “Moderate” from 30% to 60%, and “High” from 70% to greater than 95%. High values are bolded and lighter in color to provide awareness of an increased threat for a particular event.
There are calls for greater transparency about what the HMNZS Manawanui was doing before it sank in Samoa last October — including whether the New Zealand warship was performing specific security for King Charles and Queen Camilla.
The Manawanui grounded on the reef off the south coast of Upolu in bad weather on 5 October 2024 before catching fire and sinking. Its 75 crew and passengers were safely rescued.
The Court of Inquiry’s final report released on 4 April 2025 found human error and a long list of “deficiencies” grounded the $100 million vessel on the Tafitoala Reef, south of Upolu, where it caught fire and sank.
Equipment including weapons and ammunition continue to be removed from the vessel as its future hangs in the balance.
The Court of Inquiry’s report explains the Royal New Zealand Navy was asked by “CHOGM Command” to conduct “a hydrographic survey of the area in the vicinity of Sinalei whilst en route to Samoa”.
When it grounded on the Tafitoala Reef, the ship was following orders received from Headquarters Joint Forces New Zealand. The report incorrectly calls it the “Sinalei Reef”.
Sinalei is the name of the resort which hosted King Charles and Queen Camilla for CHOGM — the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting — which began in Samoa 19 days after the Manawanui sank from 25-26 October 2024. The Royals arrived two days before CHOGM began.
Support of CHOGM Speaking at the release of the court’s final report, Chief of Navy Rear Admiral Garin Golding described the Manawanui’s activity on the south coast of Upolu.
“So the operation was done in support of CHOGM — a very high-profile security activity on behalf of a nation, so it wasn’t just a peacetime operation,” he said.
“It was done in what we call rapid environmental assessment so we were going in and undertaking something that we had to do a quick turnaround of that information so it wasn’t a deliberate high grade survey. It was a rapid environmental assessment so it does come with additional complexity and it did have an operational outcome. It’s just, um you know, we we are operating in complex environments.
“It doesn’t say that we did everything right and that’s what the report indicates and we just need to get after fixing those mistakes and improving.”
Sinalei Resort . . . where the royal couple were hosted. Image: Dominic Godfrey/RNZ Pacific
The report explained the Manawanui was tasked with “conducting the Sinalei survey task” “to survey a defined area of uncharted waters.” But Pacific security fellow at Victoria University’s Centre for Strategic Studies at Victoria University Iati Iati questions what is meant by “in support of the upcoming CHOGM”.
“All we’ve been told in the report is that it was to support CHOGM. What that means is unclear. I think that needs to be explained. I think it also needs to be explained to the Samoan people, who initiated this.
“Whether it was just a New Zealand initiative. Whether it was done for CHOGM by the CHOGM committee or whether it was something that involved the Samoa government,” Iati said.
What-for questions “So a lot of the, you know, who was behind this and the what-for questions haven’t been answered.”
Iati said CHOGM’s organising committee included representatives from Samoa as well as New Zealand.
“But who exactly initiated that additional task which I think is on paragraph 37 of the report after the ship had sailed, the extra task was then confirmed. Who initiated that I’m not sure and I think that needs to be explained. Why it was confirmed after the sailing that also needs to be explained.
“In terms of security, I guess the closest we can come to is the fact that you know King Charles was staying on that side and Sinalei Reef. It may have something to do with that but this is just really unclear at the moment and I think all those questions need to be addressed.”
The wreck of the Manawanui lies 2.1 nautical miles — 3.89km — from the white sandy beach of the presidential suite at Sinalei Resort where King Charles and Queen Camilla stayed during CHOGM.
Just over the fence from the Royals’ island residence, Royal New Zealand Navy divers were coming and going from the sunken vessel in the early days of their recovery operation, and now salvors and the navy continue to work from there.
AUT Law School professor Paul Myburgh said the nature of the work the Manawanui was carrying out when it ran aground on the reef has implications for determining compensation for people impacted by its sinking.
Sovereign immunity “Historically, if it was a naval vessel that was the end of the story. You could never be sued in normal courts about anything that happened on board a naval vessel. But nowadays, of course, governmental vessels are often involved in commercial activity as well,” he said.
“So we now have what we call the restrictive theory of sovereign immunity which states that if you are involved in commercial or ordinary activity that is non-governmental you are subject to the jurisdiction of the courts, so this is why I’ve been wanting to get to the bottom of exactly what they were doing.
“Who instructed whom and that sort of thing. And it seems to me that in line with the findings of the report all of this seems to have been done on a very adhoc basis.”
RNZ first asked the New Zealand Defence Force detailed questions on Friday, April 11, but it declined to respond.
This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Judy Chu (CA2-27)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Reps. Judy Chu (CA-28) and Brad Sherman (CA-32) introduced theMortgage Relief for Disaster Survivors Act, which would provide homeowners in presidentially declared disaster areas who have a federally backed mortgage with 180 days of mortgage forbearance, with the option of extending for an additional 180 days and without any interest, penalties, or fees accruing.
While present law allows for a significant amount of variance across federal mortgage providers to provide relief, this legislation would standardize a baseline of mortgage relief for survivors of any federally declared disaster all across the country. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the bipartisanCARES Act, which was signed into law by President Trump in 2020 and which received near unanimous support in both the House and Senate, provided 180 days of mortgage forbearance, with the option of extending for an additional 180 days, for all homeowners with federally backed mortgages. TheMortgage Relief for Disaster Survivors Actis modeled after the mortgage forbearance provisions of that bipartisan law.
“Disaster survivors – like thousands of my constituents still reeling from the devastating Eaton Fire – should not have to worrying about missing a mortgage payment in the immediate aftermath of natural disasters,” said Rep. Chu. “Our legislation was drafted after countless conversations with constituents who reached out in the days after the fire worried about making their next mortgage payment. Congress has already worked with President Trump during the coronavirus crisis to provide bipartisan and near unanimous support for such relief for pandemic victims, and the Los Angeles wildfires have made clear to us that all natural disaster victims should receive that relief as well.”
“I’m proud to join Congresswoman Chu in working to ensure wildfire victims have the financial relief and stability they need to rebuild,” said Congressman Brad Sherman. “The devastating January wildfires in Los Angeles caused widespread economic harm, and just as we acted with urgency and compassion during the COVID-19 pandemic, we must now adapt the forbearance rules to meet the scale of this disaster.”
Reps. Chu and Sherman are joined as cosponsors by: Reps. Linda Sánchez (CA-38), Laura Friedman (CA-30), Cleo Fields (LA-06), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Lou Correa (CA-46), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Jill Tokuda (HI-02), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Joe Neguse (CO-02), and Sylvia Garcia (TX-29).
Hamas said on Thursday evening that it is ready to immediately begin negotiations on a deal to swap all Israeli hostages with an agreed-upon number of Palestinian prisoners, in a bid to completely stop the Gaza war.
Hamas expressed “readiness to immediately begin negotiations on a comprehensive package, whereby all prisoners held by the resistance and an agreed-upon number of Palestinian prisoners in the occupation’s prisons are released,” Khalil Al-Hayya, head of Hamas in Gaza, said in a video speech.
This is “in exchange for a complete cessation of the war against our people, a full (Israeli) withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, the start of reconstruction, and the end of the (Israeli) siege,” Al-Hayya said.
Al-Hayya accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli government of “using partial agreements as a cover” for Netanyahu’s “political agenda, which is based on continuing the war,” adding that Hamas “will not be part of implementing this policy.”
On Monday, Israel’s state-owned Kan TV reported that Egyptian and Qatari negotiators had presented to Hamas a new deal proposal that includes the release of about 10 hostages and a temporary truce. Hamas said in a statement that it was reviewing the proposal, and would submit its response after completing internal consultations.
On Tuesday, Hamas said it had lost contact with the group that captured Israeli-U.S. hostage Edan Alexander after an Israeli bombardment targeted their location.
On Wednesday, Netanyahu’s office said the prime minister instructed Israeli negotiators to “continue the steps” for the release of hostages still held in Gaza.
Since Israel ended a two-month ceasefire with Hamas and resumed deadly air and ground assaults on Gaza on March 18, 1,691 people have been killed and 4,464 others injured, Gaza health authorities said Thursday.
Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
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Apr 18, 2025 0100 UTC Day 1 Convective Outlook
Updated: Fri Apr 18 00:34:30 UTC 2025 (Print Version | | )
Probabilistic to Categorical Outlook Conversion Table
Forecast Discussion
SPC AC 180034
Day 1 Convective Outlook NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK 0734 PM CDT Thu Apr 17 2025
Valid 180100Z – 181200Z
…THERE IS AN ENHANCED RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FROM EXTREME EASTERN NEBRASKA INTO WESTERN AND CENTRAL IOWA…
…SUMMARY… Isolated to scattered severe thunderstorms will continue early tonight from eastern Nebraska into western and central Iowa. Very large hail to 3 inches in diameter or greater, isolated severe gusts of 60-70 mph, and a couple of tornadoes will all be possible.
…01z Update…
Water-vapor imagery suggests a weak short-wave trough is located over western NE, extending into northwest KS. Later tonight an 80kt 500mb speed max will translate across KS toward southeast NE, and this will encourage a marked increase in the LLJ across KS into northwest MO by 06z. Latest radar data depicts isolated-scattered severe supercells near the MO River from eastern NE into western IA. This activity will spread east, aided in part by the aforementioned LLJ. With time, storm inflow will gradually lift as the boundary layer decouples, and storms will become more elevated. For the next few hours very large hail remains possible, along with a risk for tornadoes, and wind. As the storms become elevated hail will become the most likely concern.
..Darrow.. 04/18/2025
CLICK TO GET WUUS01 PTSDY1 PRODUCT
.html”>Latest Day 2 Outlook/Today’s Outlooks/Forecast Products/Home
Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell
04.17.25
Cantwell Statement on Seafood-Related Executive Order
EDMONDS, WA – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, released this statement regarding President Trump’s executive order related to seafood and fisheries.
“You can’t manage and grow American fisheries when you fire the very scientists and fishery managers who are charged with supporting the more than one million jobs that rely on sustainable fisheries. This executive order comes on the heels of the leaked Trump Administration draft budget which would slash the National Marine Fisheries Service budget by 27 percent and eliminate the Habitat Conservation Program and the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund, which fishermen rely on to restore salmon and other fish populations. The administration’s actions are hurting fishing families, not helping them.”
Source: United States Small Business Administration
ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is encouraging disaster loan recipients in Florida to apply for additional funds to protect their homes and businesses from future storms.
Loan recipients have up to two years from their loan approval date to request an increase of up to 20% of their verified physical damages to cover the cost of improvements. Eligible mitigation projects may include regrading landscaping for better drainage, installing a French drain or sump pump, and strengthening structures to protect against high wind damage.
“One distinct advantage of SBA’s disaster loan program is the opportunity to fund upgrades reducing the risk of future storm damage,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “I encourage businesses and homeowners to work with contractors and mitigation professionals to improve their storm readiness while taking advantage of SBA’s physical damage loans.”
To learn more about mitigation options visit sba.gov/mitigation.
To apply online visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.
###
About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.
ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on April 18, 2025.
Labor’s poll surge continues in YouGov, but they’re barely ahead in Freshwater Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne Labor increased their lead again in a YouGov poll, but Freshwater put them ahead by just 50.3–49.7. This article also covers the final WA upper house results
Why Kinshasa keeps flooding – and why it’s not just about the rain Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gode Bola, Lecturer in Hydrology, University of Kinshasa The April 2025 flooding disaster in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, wasn’t just about intense rainfall. It was a symptom of recent land use change which has occurred rapidly in the city, turning it into
Keith Rankin Essay – Barbecued Hamburgers and Churchill’s Bestie Essay by Keith Rankin. Operation Gomorrah may have been the most cynical event of World War Two (WW2). Not only did the name fully convey the intent of the war crimes about to be committed, it, also represented the single biggest 24-hour murder toll for the European war that I have come across. On the
Public toilets could be the jewels in our cities’ crowns – if only governments would listen Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christian Tietz, Senior Lecturer in Industrial Design, UNSW Sydney A New South Wales Senate inquiry into public toilets is underway, looking into the provision, design and maintenance of public toilets across the state. Whenever I mention this inquiry, however, everyone nervously laughs and the conversation moves on.
Bad news – why Australia is losing a generation of journalists Shrinking budgets and job insecurity means there are fewer opportunities for young journalists, and that’s bad news, especially in regional Australia, reports 360info ANALYSIS: By Jee Young Lee of the University of Canberra Australia risks losing a generation of young journalists, particularly in the regions where they face the closure of news outlets, job insecurity,
Why do scientists want to spend billions on a 70-year project in an enormous tunnel under the Swiss Alps? Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tessa Charles, Accelerator Physicist, Monash University An artist’s impression of the tunnel of the proposed Future Circular Collider. CERN The Large Hadron Collider has been responsible for astounding advances in physics: the discovery of the elusive, long-sought Higgs boson as well as other new exotic particles, possible
Could you accidentally sign a contract by texting an emoji? Here’s what the law says Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jennifer McKay, Professor in Business Law, University of South Australia Parkova/Shutterstock Could someone take you to court over an agreement you made – or at least appeared to make – by sending a “👍”? Emojis can have more legal weight than many people realise. A search of
Why healthy eating may be the best way to reduce food waste Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Trang Nguyen, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Centre for Global Food and Resources, University of Adelaide Stokkete, Shutterstock Australians waste around 7.68 million tonnes of food a year. This costs the economy an estimated A$36.6 billion and households up to $2,500 annually. Much of this food is wasted at
Why can’t I keep still after intense exercise? Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ken Nosaka, Professor of Exercise and Sports Science, Edith Cowan University Drazen Zigic/Shutterstock Do you ever feel like you can’t stop moving after you’ve pushed yourself exercising? Maybe you find yourself walking around in circles when you come off the pitch, or squatting and standing and squatting
‘We get bucketloads of homework’: young people speak about what it’s like to start high school Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katherine Stevens, PhD Candidate, Education, Murdoch University Rawpixel.com Starting high school is one of the most significant transitions young people make in their education. Many different changes happen at once – from making new friends to getting used to a new school environment and different behaviour and
How to tackle the ‘gender play gap’: 4 ways to encourage young women back into sport Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Kay, PhD Candidate at the College of Education, Psychology and Social Work, Flinders University matimix/Shutterstock Women’s sport has recently enjoyed unprecedented success in Australia. We have seen the Matildas sell out 16 successive home games, a world-record attendance for a women’s Test cricket match at the
Want straighter teeth or a gap between? Don’t believe TikTok – filing them isn’t the answer Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Arosha Weerakoon, Senior Lecturer and General Dentist, School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland After decades of Hollywood showcasing white-picket-fence celebrity smiles, the world has fallen for White Lotus actor Aimee Lou Wood’s teeth. Wood was bullied for her looks in her youth and expressed gratitude for
1 in 6 New Zealanders is disabled. Why does so much health research still exclude them? Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachelle Martin, Senior Lecturer in Rehabilitation & Disability, University of Otago Getty Images Disabled people encounter all kinds of barriers to accessing healthcare – and not simply because some face significant mobility challenges. Others will see their symptoms not investigated properly because it’s assumed a problem is
Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)
Ranking Members Padilla, Morelle Continue Pressing for Answers on Trump’s Pause on Critical Election Security Work
Lawmakers demand copy of CISA’s review of its election security work after insufficient responses, blown deadlines to multiple letters regarding CISA firings and termination of election security efforts
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, and U.S. Representative Joe Morelle (N.Y.-25), Ranking Member of the Committee on House Administration, sent another letter demanding answers from senior officials at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) on the status of their election-related work, including a copy of CISA’s review of its election security work.
The Ranking Members sent two previous letters to CISA leadership regarding CISA’s pause on all election security-focused activities, the termination of funding for the Election Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EI-ISAC), and the firings of CISA employees who previously worked on election security, including misinformation and disinformation issues. The lawmakers note in their letter that the agency’s response “offered little insight into the status of election security work at CISA” and that CISA still has not fulfilled their request for a copy of the agency’s review more than a month after the deadline.
“These staff and funding cuts raise grave concerns about the security and integrity of upcoming elections, where states and localities with limited budgets must protect their systems against foreign nation-states,” wrote the lawmakers. “Yet, during this time, we have received no additional updates or information from CISA about the status of this review.”
CISA reportedly completed its review of all election security-related funding, products, services, and positions early last month and shared it with officials at the Department of Homeland Security. After the Department of Government Efficiency was deployed to CISA, the agency is also preparing to fire a third of its workforce — 1,300 employees — threatening vital election security efforts. Padilla and Morelle also expressed that the permanent termination without notice of federal funds for EI-ISAC will lead to assistance for state and local election officials “being systematically dismantled.”
The lawmakers concluded by reminding CISA’s leadership of its responsibility to the congressional committees of jurisdiction. In addition to a copy of CISA’s review, Padilla and Morelle also asked for a substantive response to their two prior letters and a briefing on the findings of CISA’s assessment.
“The Department and CISA have a responsibility to be transparent and responsive to the House and Senate Committees with jurisdiction over federal elections regarding proposed changes that threaten election integrity,” concluded the lawmakers. “To that end, we expect a comprehensive response, including the final or latest copy of CISA’s review, no later than Friday, May 2.”
Ranking Members Padilla and Morelle have strongly opposed efforts by the Trump Administration to undermine federal agencies’ election security work. In addition to their previous letters to CISA leadership, Padilla and Morelle expressed serious concerns about the dangerous implications for elections following President Trump’s executive order purporting to bring independent regulatory agencies under total control of the White House. Padilla previously denounced the illegal firing of Federal Election Commission Chair Ellen Weintraub and led 10 Democratic Senators to demand President Trump rescind his attempt to fire Weintraub.
Full text of the letter is available here and below:
Dear Ms. Bean and Ms. Harrington:
We are writing for a third time seeking urgent updates on the status of election-related work at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), including for a copy of CISA’s review of its election security work.
The agency’s March 7 response to our February 13 and March 4 letters offered little insight into the status of election security work at CISA, except for confirmation that CISA has paused all election security-focused activities pending this review and had already terminated federal funding in support of the Election Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EI-ISAC). Following that March 7 response, House and Senate committee staff also made a specific document request in writing for CISA’s review of its election security activities.
Recent reporting indicates that this review conducted by CISA of all election security related funding, products, services, and positions was completed in early March and has been shared with officials at the Department of Homeland Security. Other reports indicate that CISA is preparing to cut nearly one-third of its workforce, or 1,300 people, following the deployment of DOGE staff to the agency— a potentially devastating blow to election security. Funding cuts to ISACs mean that help for state and local election administrators is “being systematically dismantled.”
These staff and funding cuts raise grave concerns about the security and integrity of upcoming elections, where states and localities with limited budgets must protect their systems against foreign nation-states. Yet, during this time, we have received no additional updates or information from CISA about the status of this review.
Now, more than one month after the deadline set out in our March 4 letter, we again request a copy of CISA’s review, a substantive response to both letters, and a briefing on the findings of the agency’s assessment, including a discussion of any proposed changes occurring at the agency and an explanation of the rationale behind such changes.
The Department and CISA have a responsibility to be transparent and responsive to the House and Senate Committees with jurisdiction over federal elections regarding proposed changes that threaten election integrity. To that end, we expect a comprehensive response, including the final or latest copy of CISA’s review, no later than Friday, May 2.
Source: United States Senator for Alaska Dan Sullivan
04.17.25
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) today praised an executive order issued by President Donald Trump to strengthen U.S. and Alaska fisheries. As the chair of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Coast Guard, Maritime, and Fisheries, Sen. Sullivan has been working with the Trump administration and introducing legislation to address challenges facing Alaska’s fishermen, including global trading practices that disadvantage Alaska fisheries, and regulations that burden Alaska fishermen.
“Last month in my speech to the Alaska Legislature, I issued a clarion call about the need to go on offense for our fishermen,” said Sen. Sullivan. “These great Alaskans have endured a perfect storm of challenges, which include unfair seafood trade practices by dictatorships like Russia and China, and onerous regulatory burdens from our own federal government. I have been working relentlessly with the Trump administration, including with the Commerce and Agriculture Departments, and the U.S. Trade Representative, to get relief for our fisherman. They listened. Today, President Trump gave our fishermen a major shot in the arm, ordering his administration to remove unnecessary federal red tape and develop an America First Seafood Strategy with measures to enhance the competitiveness of our seafood in global markets and hold bad actors in seafood trade accountable. I appreciate the Trump administration’s continued strong focus on advancing the interests and priorities of Alaska across a range of economic sectors, including our fishermen and coastal communities. I thank President Trump, Secretary Lutnick, and Ambassador Greer for taking decisive action on behalf of our hard-working fishermen, and fighting to ensure more Americans and our trading partners around the world are eating ‘freedom fish’ from Alaska—not ‘communist fish’ from the likes of Russia and China.”
Below is a timeline of Sen. Sullivan’s recent efforts to advocate on behalf of the competitiveness of Alaska’s seafood industry:
On March 11, 2022, as a result of Sen. Sullivan’s advocacy, the Biden administration announced it would prohibit the importation of Russian seafood into the United States, in addition to banning goods from several other signature sectors of Russia’s economy.
On December 22, 2023, Sen. Sullivan welcomed a new Executive Order and resulting U.S. Department of the Treasury determination to revise existing guidance that allowed all Russian-origin seafood to bypass an earlier Executive Order banning its import into the United States.
On January 29, 2025, Sen. Sullivan received Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’scommitment to champion the interests of Alaska’s fishermen and seafood industry.
On February 24, 2025, Sen. Sullivan reintroduced his Fighting Foreign Illegal Seafood Harvest (FISH) Act to combat foreign illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing by blacklisting offending vessels from U.S. ports and waters, bolstering the U.S. Coast Guard’s enforcement capabilities, and advancing international and bilateral negotiations to achieve enforceable agreements and treaties.
On March 13, 2025, Sen. Sullivan wrote a letter to Ambassador Jamieson Greer, the United States Trade Representative, urging him to initiate an investigation under Section 301 of theTrade Act of 1974 into Russian and Chinese seafood trade practices.
LOS ANGELES, April 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — RBB Bancorp (NASDAQ: RBB) and its subsidiaries, Royal Business Bank (“the Bank”) and RBB Asset Management Company (“RAM”), collectively referred to herein as “the Company”, announced that its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.16 per common share. The dividend is payable on May 12, 2025 to common shareholders of record as of April 30, 2025.
Corporate Overview
RBB Bancorp is a bank holding company headquartered in Los Angeles, California. As of December 31, 2024, the Company had total assets of $4.0 billion. Its wholly-owned subsidiary, Royal Business Bank, is a full service commercial bank, which provides consumer and business banking services predominantly to the Asian-centric communities in Los Angeles County, Orange County, and Ventura County in California, in Las Vegas, Nevada, in Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan in New York, in Edison, New Jersey, in the Chicago neighborhoods of Chinatown and Bridgeport, Illinois, and on Oahu, Hawaii. Bank services include remote deposit, E-banking, mobile banking, commercial and investor real estate loans, business loans and lines of credit, commercial and industrial loans, SBA 7A and 504 loans, 1-4 single family residential loans, trade finance, a full range of depository account products and wealth management services. The Bank has nine branches in Los Angeles County, two branches in Ventura County, one branch in Orange County, California, one branch in Las Vegas, Nevada, three branches and one loan operation center in Brooklyn, three branches in Queens, one branch in Manhattan in New York, one branch in Edison, New Jersey, two branches in Chicago, Illinois, and one branch in Honolulu, Hawaii. The Company’s administrative and lending center is located at 1055 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, California 90017, and its finance and operations center is located at 7025 Orangethorpe Ave., Buena Park, California 90621. The Company’s website address is www.royalbusinessbankusa.com.
Certain matters set forth herein (including the exhibits hereto) constitute forward-looking statements relating to the Company’s current business plans and expectations and our future financial position and operating results. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance and/or achievements to differ materially from those projected. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures; the potential for additional material weaknesses in the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting or other potential control deficiencies of which the Company is not currently aware or which have not been detected; business and economic conditions generally and in the financial services industry, nationally and within our current and future geographic markets, including the tight labor market, ineffective management of the U.S. federal budget or debt or turbulence or uncertainly in domestic of foreign financial markets; the strength of the United States economy in general and the strength of the local economies in which we conduct operations; adverse developments in the banking industry highlighted by high-profile bank failures and the potential impact of such developments on customer confidence, liquidity and regulatory responses to these developments; our ability to attract and retain deposits and access other sources of liquidity; possible additional provisions for credit losses and charge-offs; credit risks of lending activities and deterioration in asset or credit quality; extensive laws and regulations and supervision that we are subject to, including potential supervisory action by bank supervisory authorities; increased costs of compliance and other risks associated with changes in regulation, including any amendments to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act; compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act and other money laundering statutes and regulations; potential goodwill impairment; liquidity risk; fluctuations in interest rates; risks associated with acquisitions and the expansion of our business into new markets; inflation and deflation; real estate market conditions and the value of real estate collateral; the effects of having concentrations in our loan portfolio, including commercial real estate and the risks of geographic and industry concentrations; environmental liabilities; our ability to compete with larger competitors; our ability to retain key personnel; successful management of reputational risk; severe weather, natural disasters, earthquakes, fires, such as the recent California wildfires; or other adverse external events could harm our business; geopolitical conditions, including acts or threats of terrorism, actions taken by the United States or other governments in response to acts or threats of terrorism and/or military conflicts, including the conflicts between Russia and Ukraine, in the Middle East and increasing tensions between China and Taiwan, which could impact business and economic conditions in the United States and abroad; public health crises and pandemics, and their effects on the economic and business environments in which we operate, including our credit quality and business operations, as well as the impact on general economic and financial market conditions; general economic or business conditions in Asia, and other regions where the Bank has operations; failures, interruptions, or security breaches of our information systems; climate change, including any enhanced regulatory, compliance, credit and reputational risks and costs; cybersecurity threats and the cost of defending against them; our ability to adapt our systems to the expanding use of technology in banking; risk management processes and strategies; adverse results in legal proceedings; the impact of regulatory enforcement actions, if any; certain provisions in our charter and bylaws that may affect acquisition of the Company; changes in tax laws and regulations; the impact of governmental efforts to restructure the U.S. financial regulatory system; the impact of future or recent changes in Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) insurance assessment rate of the rules and regulations related to the calculation of the FDIC insurance assessment amount; the effect of changes in accounting policies and practices or accounting standards, as may be adopted from time-to-time by bank regulatory agencies, the SEC, the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, the Financial Accounting Standards Board or other accounting standards setters, including Accounting Standards Update 2016-13 (Topic 326, “Measurement of Current Losses on Financial Instruments, commonly referenced as the Current Expected Credit Losses Model, which changed how we estimate credit losses and may further increase the required level of our allowance for credit losses in future periods; market disruption and volatility; fluctuations in the Company’s stock price; restrictions on dividends and other distributions by laws and regulations and by our regulators and our capital structure; issuances of preferred stock; our ability to raise additional capital, if needed, and the potential resulting dilution of interests of holders of our common stock; the soundness of other financial institutions; our ongoing relations with our various federal and state regulators, including the SEC, FDIC, FRB and California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (“DFPI”); our success at managing the risks involved in the foregoing items and all other factors set forth in the Company’s public reports, including its Annual Report as filed under Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, and particularly the discussion of risk factors within that document. The Company does not undertake, and specifically disclaims any obligation, to update any forward-looking statements to reflect occurrences or unanticipated events or circumstances after the date of such statements except as required by law. Any statements about future operating results, such as those concerning accretion and dilution to the Company’s earnings or shareholders, are for illustrative purposes only, are not forecasts, and actual results may differ.
Noriyuki Hatsugai
Green Transformation Division,Technology Sector,Panasonic Holdings Corporation
Takashi Kanno
Green Transformation Division,Technology Sector,Panasonic Holdings Corporation
Satoshi Sasaki
Department of Medical Technology,School of Health Sciences,Tokyo University of Technology
Bringing Together People, Organizations, and Expertise to Unlock New Possibilities
Mizoguchi: The idea of combining light and biological organisms came from an independent research project I pursued, which was encouraged by the Transformation Design Center where I work. While my background is in biology, most of my work at the company has involved physics and chemistry, so when it came to my own research, I wanted to bring the focus back to biology.
Hatsugai: Before joining the company, I was also involved in the field of biology, researching ways to use biologically generated light, like luminescent proteins, as tools. That experience naturally led me to explore luminescent bacteria as a potential theme for commercialization.
Mizoguchi: When I told my supervisor I wanted to explore the fusion of light and biology, he introduced me to Mr. Hatsugai. We quickly realized we were working on similar themes and hit it off right away, so we decided to team up on the project.
Hatsugai: At the time, though, my bacterial strain did not emit much light…hardly enough to call it “light” at all. That led me to dig deeper, and through my research, I came across the work of Professor Sasaki.
Sasaki: I was thrilled when I got a message saying, “I’m interested in luminescent bacteria!” I’ve studied bacteria for many years, but since their light output isn’t strong enough for practical lighting, I always felt it would be hard to bring them into real-world use. The chance to collaborate with Panasonic gave me hope, and I quickly shared one of my brightest strains with them.
Mizoguchi: When we first met, Professor Sasaki had a tiny vial of glowing bacteria tucked into his shirt pocket—it made me smile. His deep passion for his research was evident, and I thought to myself, “If it’s with him, we can definitely make living light a reality.”
Hatsugai: Professor Sasaki provided more than just the bacterial strain; he also gave us invaluable guidance on adjusting key conditions for culturing, like nutrients and oxygen levels. Thanks to his advice, we were able to get the bacteria to emit light in a large tank. Together with Mr. Kanno, who handles the equipment, we’ve taken on the challenge of keeping the glow going as long as possible. Throughout the six-month Expo, we’re confident that visitors will be able to witness the glowing bacteria at any time.
Kanno: I joined the team in April 2024. With a background in electrical engineering, this was my first time developing equipment for use in biology. It’s been full of surprises and challenges, but there were moments when my ideas—coming from outside the field of biology—helped broaden the project’s scope. That sense of contribution has made this challenge deeply rewarding.
Mizoguchi: I believe the real strength of this project came from combining different perspectives, namely biology, which is Mr. Hatsugai’s and my specialty, Panasonic’s core strength in engineering, Professor Sasaki’s expertise from outside the organization, and Mr. Kanno’s fresh ideas from a different field. Through this blend of diverse skills and backgrounds, we were able to spark new ideas and tackle even the toughest challenges.
Working with Living Organisms is Challenging—But That’s What Makes It So Fascinating
Sasaki: It has been two years since I was first approached about the project, and today was the first time I saw the actual setup. I was truly impressed to see the bacteria glowing steadily in such a large volume of liquid.
Hatsugai: Since we’re working with living organisms, fine-tuning the conditions was incredibly challenging. Too much or too little food or oxygen would throw everything off. Even when we got the balance just right, changes in the surrounding environment could still cause the bacteria to stop glowing. There was even one time when they wouldn’t glow at all…until Ms. Mizoguchi walked into the lab, and suddenly, they lit up!
Mizoguchi: It really felt like we were having a dialogue with the bacteria as we worked through the research. Unlike machines, they couldn’t be controlled precisely. While that was frustrating at times, I think it’s also what made us feel such a strong connection and dedication to the project.
Kanno: If we focused only on making the culturing process work, the equipment ended up looking unappealing. Since this was meant to be an exhibit for a broad audience, we made sure to prioritize the visual design as well, developing the equipment with both function and form in mind.
Sasaki: Keeping luminescent bacteria glowing in a large tank over a long period is highly challenging. Over the years, I’ve had people from various industries approach me with ideas such as using them in stage productions or trying to raise them, but none of those concepts ever came to life. Panasonic, however, brought something different: not only the technical expertise to make it happen, but the drive and momentum to move the project forward with real force.
Experimenting with Biolight
Creating a Gentle, Formative Experience to Light Up Children’s Hearts
Kanno: I’m excited that we get to showcase a project we all worked on together at the Expo, a venue that’s so open to the public. I originally became an engineer at Panasonic because I wanted to contribute to society through technology, and this project feels like a direct opportunity to fulfill that dream.
Hatsugai: Our company has a long history of lighting up daily life in Japan, something many people still remember from the old television commercial songs. As one of the country’s leading lighting manufacturers, we believe our mission is to develop lighting solutions that coexist with the natural environment with a view to the future. While there’s still a long way to go in terms of advancing the technology for commercialization, we see the Expo as a decisive first step toward introducing a new concept of light to society.
Mizoguchi: As Mr. Hatsugai mentioned, we’re exploring a new kind of light that coexists with nature and offers more than just illumination. We want to create an experience that warms children’s hearts. We hope to give them a gentle, formative memory they’ll carry with them and recall unexpectedly, even years later.
Sasaki: The light from luminescent bacteria sways gently and quietly touches the heart. That’s what makes it so special. After the Great East Japan Earthquake, our university was affected by scheduled blackouts, and I once took the bacterial strains home to keep them safe. I brought the container into my bedroom and saw my young daughter peacefully asleep, her face softly lit by the gentle glow. In that moment, I felt a deep sense of calm. I truly believe that the flickering, tender light of living organisms can move people in ways words never could.
Mizoguchi: The theme of the Earth area is a “720° cycle” between people and nature. Rather than focusing solely on technology for either people or nature, I believe that the true 720° cycle emerges from the mutual exchange of abundance, where people and nature connect, support, and circulate with each other. I hope that children visiting the pavilion will grasp the importance of this connection not through words, but through the experience itself.
Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
TYLER, Texas – An Alto man has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.
Robert Jessie Martin, 47, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 220 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker on April 17, 2025. Judge Barker also entered an order forfeiting to the government Martin’s 75 acre property located in Cherokee County.
According to information presented in court, Martin conspired with others to distribute five kilograms or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of actual methamphetamine. As part of the conspiracy, Martin set up rotary tablet pill presses on his property near Alto to manufacture and press out hundreds of thousands of counterfeit pills laced with methamphetamine that were then distributed throughout the United States for profit. Martin recruited and supplied wholesale and mid-level distributors of the pills he manufactured.
On July 11, 2023, law enforcement executed a federal search and arrest warrant on Martin’s property located near Alto and seized five firearms, five rotary pill presses, 111.22 grams of actual methamphetamine, approximately 7,669 grams of methamphetamine in powder form, and 29,283 methamphetamine-laced pills.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); HSI Currency Narcotics Enforcement Team-Houston; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office; the Jacksonville Police Department; and the Texas Department of Public Safety. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Allen Hurst.
Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
WASHINGTON – Kenneth Amedola Olugbenga, 29, a leader of and money launderer for the violent Kennedy Street Crew (KDY), was sentenced today to 160 months in federal prison for his role in a massive drug trafficking organization that operated open-air markets in Northwest Washington D.C.
The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Washington Division, Special Agent in Charge Kareem Carter, of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Washington D.C. Field Office , and ATF Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives – Washington Field Division.
Olugbenga, of Washington D.C., pleaded guilty Sept. 20, 2024, to a two-count Superseding Information, charging him with conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, cocaine base, and marijuana and for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. In addition to the 160-month prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Beryl A. Howell ordered Olugbenga to serve four years of supervised release. Judge Howell also ordered Olugbenga to forfeit $374,598.00 as part of his sentence.
KDY members operated open-air drug markets on an 11-block stretch of Kennedy Street in Northwest Washington, D.C., as well as surrounding streets. Like many drug trafficking organizations (DTOs), KDY armed itself with fire power to facilitate the drug trade defend its territory from rival crews and commit other violent crimes. Olugbenga was arrested in June 2023 as part of a coordinated arrest operation in this case and has remained in federal custody since his arrest.
According to court documents, and by his own admission, Olugbenga served as an organizer and leader of the Kennedy Street Crew. Olugbenga was one of the originators of KDY’s drug trafficking operation via commercial flights from California. He served as the lead money launderer for the crew, establishing phony companies that included an auto detailing business to project an illusion of legitimacy for the crew’s drug trafficking. From 2019 until the date of his arrest, Olugbenga also used a local casino to launder $1.8 million in illegal proceeds from drug trafficking. In addition, Olugbenga used one of the phony businesses to apply for and receive a forgivable Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) from the Small Business Administration during the COVID-19 pandemic. He used the SBA funds to buy more bulk narcotics.
Olugbenga took nearly six dozen roundtrip flights to the West Coast over the course of the four-year conspiracy and spent more than $21,000 on one-way airline tickets in one year alone.
Olugbenga was a bulk supplier of cocaine, both powdered and crack, along with marijuana. He regularly referred customers to other KDY drug trafficking operations when they sought pills or other narcotics that he himself was unable to readily access. He tracked drug expenses and debts within the crew, pooling resources and noting law enforcement seizures over the course of the four-year conspiracy.
He also engaged in drug activity on KDY turf. Within the open-air drug market in Kennedy Street territory, MPD officers conducted 15 controlled purchases from Olugbenga totaling 52.3 grams of cocaine base.
On February 20, 2023, in the 500 block of Emerson Street NW, the MPD’s Fourth District Crime Suppression Team observed a Ford Econoline van driving recklessly as it swerved into oncoming traffic to pass a bicyclist. This van was the same vehicle that Olugbenga had been seen using around the open-air drug market on Kennedy Street since the beginning of the investigation. MPD officers attempted to stop the van, chasing it as it fled. The vehicle eventually stopped near the intersection of 7th and Longfellow Streets NW. Olugbenga abandoned the van and fled on foot. The van was subsequently searched, and law enforcement recovered distribution quantities of crack cocaine and marijuana, a loaded Glock handgun, a drug ledger, and a brochure for one of Olugbenga’s shell companies.
On June 27, 2023, law enforcement arrested Olugbenga and served search warrants at two residences associated with him. At his residence in KDY territory, officers recovered five kilos of marijuana, nearly a kilo of cocaine, and various scales.
Of the 17 KDY members charged in connection with the investigation, 16 have now been sentenced. Co-defendant Jovan Williams, aka Chewy, will be sentenced tomorrow, April 18.
This investigation was conducted under the auspices of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department, the DEA’s Washington Division, the IRS Criminal Investigation Washington, D.C. Field Office, and ATF’s Washington Field Division.
The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew W. Kinskey and Sitara Witanachchi, of the of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
KDY DEFENDANTS
NAME
AGE
CHARGES/SENTENCES
Kenneth Ademola Olugbenga
29
Sentenced March 17, 2025, to 360 Months in Prison after Pleading Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with the Intent to Distribute 500 Grams or more of Cocaine Base, and a Detectable Amount of Marijuana; and Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense.
Khali Ahmed Brown, aka “Migo Lee”
24
Sentenced January 16, 2025, to 168 Months after Pleading Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute 100 Kilograms or More of Marijuana and 400 Grams or More of Fentanyl and Oxycodone; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense; and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon.
Keion Michael Brown
21
Sentenced January 16, 2025, to 147 Months for Conspiracy to Distribute 100 Kilograms or More of Marijuana and Oxycodone and Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.
Miasiah Jamal Brown, aka “Michael Jamal Crawford”
23
Sentenced August 16, 2024, to Five Years for Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.
Tristan Miles Ware, aka “Greedy”
24
Sentenced December 13, 2024, to 120 Months for Conspiracy to Distribute 100 Kilos of Marijuana; and Possessing a Firearm During a Drug Trafficking Crime.
Jovan Williams, aka “Chewy” and “Choo”
20
Sentencing Scheduled for April 18, 2025. Pleaded Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute 100 Kilograms or More of Marijuana and Armed Carjacking.
Herman Eric-Bibmin Signou, aka “Herman Signour”
25
Sentenced March 22, 2024, to 40 Months for Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute 100 Kilograms of More of Marijuana
Cameron Xavier Reid
28
Sentenced May 31, 2024, to 60 Months for Conspiracy to Distribute 100 Kilograms of More of Marijuana.
Warren Lawrence Fields, III, aka B-Dub
26
Sentenced May 16, 2024, to 60 Months for Possessing a Firearm During a Drug Trafficking Offense and for Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering.
Juwan Demetrius Clark, aka “Squirrel”
28
Sentenced January 10, 2025, to 37 Months for Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering.
Aaron DeAndre Mercer, aka “Curby,”
34
Sentenced September 13, 2024, to 120 Months for Conspiracy to Distribute 400 Grams or More of Fentanyl, Marijuana, and Cocaine Base.
David Penn, aka “Turtle”
32
Sentenced November 15, 2024, to 220 Months for Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana, 40 Grams or More of Fentanyl, and a Mixture of Cocaine Base; and Two Counts of Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense.
Ronald Lynn Dorsey, aka “Ron G” and “HBGeezy”
31
Sentenced September 13, 2024, to 30 Months for Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering.
Antonio Reginald Bailey, aka “Boy Boy,” and “Fellow King”
24
Sentenced February 8, 2024, to 24 Months for Receiving a Firearm While Under Indictment.
Anthony Trayon Bailey, aka “Fat Ant,” and “Bizzle”
29
Sentenced April 26, 2024, to 15 Months for Conspiracy to Distribute 100 Kilograms or More of Marijuana, 400 Grams or More of Fentanyl, and a Mixture and Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Cocaine Base.
Angel Enrique Suncar, aka “Coqui”
31
Sentenced December 12, 2024, to 60 Months for Possessing a Firearm During a Drug Trafficking Crime.
Adebayo Adediji Green
31
Sentenced August 16, 2024, to 60 Months for Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.
Defendant Cameron Reid is from Falmouth, VA; all remaining defendants are from Washington, D.C.
Kenneth Olugbenga photographed at the local casino where he laundered illicit drug proceeds.
Olugbenga frequented the open-air drug market in the Kennedy Street Corridor, often with his panel van or one of several sedans he operated.
At Olugbenga’s residence in KDY territory, officers recovered nearly five kilograms of marijuana, and nearly a kilogram of cocaine.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand has moved most of Te Tai Tokerau Northland District back to an open fire season from 12am this morning, Friday 18 April, until further notice.
An open fire season means people planning to light fires outdoors no longer need to apply to Fire and Emergency for authorised permits.
However, the Muriwhenua area remains in a restricted fire season where permits are still required, and outdoor fires are still prohibited on off-shore islands.
Northland District Manager Wipari Henwood says lower temperatures and some solid rainfall means the fire risk present over summer has lessened in the district.
“After dealing with some significant and prolonged wildfires over the summer, recent fires have been small and quickly contained,” he says.
“We do ask people to continue to take care when lighting any fires, and if you’re not sure what the conditions are for your location, go tocheckitsalright.nz.
“It’s important we all do our part to keep Te Tai Tokerau safe from wildfire all year round.”
Fire and Emergency New Zealand is moving the Waikato Northern and Thames-Coromandel Districts back to an open fire season from 8am, Friday 18 April, until further notice.
An open fire season means people planning to light fires outdoors no longer need to apply to Fire and Emergency for authorised permits.
Waikato District Manager Daryl Trim says the summer temperatures have given way to cooler autumn conditions, so the fire risk has lowered.
“As always, we ask people to take care when considering lighting any fires, and to check the conditions for your location onwww.checkitsalright.nz,” he says.
“This weekend however, with the expected wind from ex Tropical Cyclone Tam, we urge the public to delay the lighting of any fires.
“Once the windy conditions ease, we urge everyone to always take care with any fire, and check for reignition, which can still happen weeks after a fire has been thought to be extinguished.”
Department of Conservation lands are still in a restricted season, so permits are needed from Fire and Emergency before lighting any fires in those areas.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
An aerial drone photo taken on April 28, 2024 shows a view of the Kanbula National Geopark in Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China’s Qinghai Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
PARIS, April 17 — Two Chinese geoparks have officially been added to the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization announced on Thursday.
The decision was made during the 221st session of the Executive Board of UNESCO, which approved a list of 16 new entries into the Global Geoparks Network. Among them are two geoparks from China: Kanbula National Geopark, situated on the northeastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and Yunyang Geopark in southwest China.
Now designated as the Kanbula UNESCO Global Geopark, the site is renowned for its striking geological formations shaped by complex natural processes. Highlights include the Maixiu volcanoes and the Yellow River, according to a UNESCO press release.
“While the geopark works to preserve this rich geological heritage, it also plays a vital role in protecting local communities from river-related risks, coordinating warning systems and forecasts, and raising awareness on how to respond to flooding and landslides,” UNESCO noted.
An aerial drone photo taken on Oct. 2, 2023 shows a view of the Kanbula National Geopark in Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China’s Qinghai Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
Yunyang Geopark earned its place in the network for its extraordinary landscapes formed nearly 250 million years ago. The site features the famous “Great Wall of Dinosaur Fossil” – an 18-km stretch of rock layers containing fossils dating back around 170 million years. It also includes dramatic karst formations, such as one of the world’s deepest sinkholes, which plunge 335 meters and serve as a key site for scientific research.
UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay highlighted the broader significance of UNESCO Global Geoparks. “UNESCO Geoparks have become models for the conservation of geological heritage,” she said. “But their role goes much further – they support educational projects, promote sustainable tourism, and keep the knowledge and traditions of these territories alive through the active participation of local and indigenous communities.”
Established in 2015, the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network brings together sites recognized for their significant geological heritage that reflect the Earth’s history, evolution, and climate. With the addition of 16 new geoparks, the network now encompasses 229 sites worldwide.
An aerial drone photo taken on April 10, 2025 shows the scenery in the Yunyang Geopark in southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality. [Photo/Xinhua]
Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell
04.17.25
Cantwell Celebrates Wenatchee Confluence Parkway Groundbreaking, Made Possible by Her Freight-Focused Grant Program
Project is part of the Apple Capital Loop, which received $92M from Cantwell-led program & will help Central WA’s tree fruit growers get their products to market faster; Cantwell: “I can tell you one thing: Wenatchee is on the move”
WENATCHEE – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, joined local leaders in a groundbreaking celebration for the Confluence Parkway Phase I project, the next step of the Wenatchee Valley’s 15-year effort to expand its transportation network.
“When you’re making infrastructure investment, you should try to prioritize projects that move freight – and that is because they grow jobs, they grow the economy, they help us get products to market,” Sen. Cantwell said. “I just want to give my congratulations today to everybody that’s been working hard on this. I know that the Confluence project obviously is going to solve some of those transportation challenges by reducing that congestion – 4,000 trucks travel through the area each day, as well as 24 trains […] all of this is going to make Wenatchee a little bit better, from this transportation infrastructure investment.”
“What a great day for the Confluence Project. What a great day for Wenatchee,” she continued. “I can tell you one thing: Wenatchee is on the move.”
Phase I of the Confluence Parkway Project will include:
Elimination of two highway rail grade crossings by constructing an underpass at McKittrick Street and an overpass North Miller Street
1.25 miles of new street for motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists
Extension of McKittrick Street from North Wenatchee Ave to the waterfront
New signalized intersection at Maple Street
New roundabout intersection
Direct access to parks and trails
The Confluence Parkway project is part of the Wenatchee’s transformative Apple Capital Loop, a network of projects that make up the transportation backbone for Chelan and Douglas Counties and includes several key components that provide connectivity for freight, vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians. Planning for the Apple Capital Loop began 15 years ago when the City of Wenatchee and regional partners started working on a transportation solution to meet the demands of the local Wenatchee Valley, which is the economic, government, medical, and services center of the region. Overall, Apple Capital Loop project will increase the traffic capacity of the Loop by about 60,000 vehicles per day, saving freight and motorists 32 million hours over the next 20 years – that’s 4,000 fewer hours spent in traffic, every day, for the next two decades. The project will also significantly improve wildfire safety for the region by adding two new evacuation routes out of Wenatchee.
In 2021, the project received a $92 million federal grant from the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) program, $80 million of which is being used by this Phase I of the Confluence Parkway project. The reminder will be used to support future phases. The INFRA grant program was imagined, developed, and pushed through Congress by Sen. Cantwell as part of the FAST Act of 2015 and received a 78% funding increase in the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, bringing the program’s total funding $8 billion. The INFRA Program provides financial support to nationally and regionally significant freight and highway projects. In 2022, Sen. Cantwell joined then-Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in Wenatchee to celebrate the $92 million INFRA grant award.
The Wenatchee Valley is a key transportation hub for Washington state’s $2.6 billion tree fruit industry. According to the City, $1 billion worth of tree fruit travels through Wenatchee’s transportation network annually in order to reach terminals around the Puget Sound for distribution. This activity has resulted in increased congestion and delayed freight access to nearby cold storage facilities and fruit packing warehouses on North Wenatchee Avenue.
Video of the press conference is available HERE; audio is HERE; and a transcript of Sen. Cantwell’s speech is HERE.
PORTLAND, Ore.— Juan Jose Varela-Espinoza, 31, a Honduran national residing in Portland, was sentenced Wednesday to 120 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release for possessing nearly 16 pounds of powdered fentanyl, 57,700 fentanyl pills, and a stolen firearm.
According to court documents, in July 2023, the Multnomah County Dangerous Drug Team (DDT) learned that Varela-Espinoza was distributing thousands of fentanyl pills in Portland.
On July 25, 2023, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) requested assistance from Multnomah County DDT with locating and arresting Varela-Espinoza on an outstanding felony warrant for distributing dangerous drugs in Colorado. The same day, law enforcement executed a federal search warrant on Varela-Espinoza’s residence and vehicles. Investigators arrested Varela-Espinoza and seized nearly 16 pounds of powdered fentanyl, 57,700 fentanyl pills, $5,042 in cash, a stolen firearm, ammunition, and two pill press machines.
On August 8, 2023, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a three-count indictment charging Varela-Espinoza with conspiracy to possess and possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
On December 10, 2024, Varela-Espinoza pleaded guilty to possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute.
This case was investigated by the Multnomah County DDT and was prosecuted by Kemp L. Strickland, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
The Multnomah County DDT is supported by the Oregon-Idaho High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) and is composed of members from the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office, Multnomah County Parole and Probation, Gresham Police Department, the FBI and USMS.
The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives.