Today, the Saskatchewan Firearms Office (SFO) and Métis Nation – Saskatchewan (MN-S) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to provide ongoing firearms safety education to Métis citizens.
The MOU outlines opportunities for partnership, such as increasing firearms licenses among MN-S citizens and promoting firearms safety and education.
“Our government is committed to promoting public safety within all communities and protecting the rights of all lawful firearms owners,” Corrections, Policing and Public Safety Minister Tim McLeod said. “Through this partnership we want to encourage responsible firearm ownership and support Métis traditions in a way that keep people informed and protected.”
The four specific areas the Memorandum outlines for the SFO and MN-S to collaborate on are:
Promotion of education and licensing of as many community members as possible;
Minimizing unnecessary criminalization of individuals for regulatory offences;
Appropriate compensation for seized firearms; and
Protection of gun owners’ current and future privileges.
“Firearms safety education is of the utmost importance to our MN-S government to ensure our Métis harvesting traditions are responsibly passed down to the next generation,” Métis Nation -Saskatchewan President Glen McCallum said. “We are pleased the Saskatchewan Firearms Office wants to continue to strengthen our working relationship with a recommitment to work together on educational programs based on current and incoming firearms regulations.”
The SFO and MN-S will coordinate to provide education to Métis citizens on existing and incoming firearms laws. The SFO will also provide training and educational materials for MN-S community centres and encourage and facilitate members in becoming fully licensed and legally compliant firearms owners.
“The Saskatchewan Firearms Office is proud to partner with MN-S again to ensure Métis citizens have the knowledge to legally use and store firearms safely,” Saskatchewan Firearms Office Commissioner Robert Freberg said. “Greater compliance increases public safety and through this partnership we will contribute to a safer Saskatchewan for our communities.”
This MOU is the second firearms education agreement between the SFO and MN-S, marking another step forward in an ongoing partnership and demonstrating a shared commitment to balancing public safety with respect for Métis traditions.
The fall of the Assad regime has created a historic opportunity to rid Syria of chemical weapons and ensure long-term compliance with the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), the UN’s top disarmament official told the Security Council on Friday.
Briefing ambassadors, Izumi Nakamitsu, UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, welcomed steps taken by the country’s new authorities to engage with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and work toward full compliance with international law.
“Syria has started to take its steps towards this objective,” she said, emphasising the importance of seizing this moment to close all outstanding issues related to the country’s chemical weapons dossier.
Ms. Nakamitsu was briefing the Council pursuant to resolution 2118.
High Representative Nakamitsu briefing the Security Council.
The resolution required Syria to fully declare and destroy its chemical arsenal under OPCW supervision and warned of consequences, including under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, which provide for enforcement measures to address threats to international peace and security.
Since Syria joined the CWC in 2013, the chemical weapons watchdog has repeatedly raised concerns about the accuracy and completeness of its declarations, Ms. Nakamitsu said.
Despite 20 amendments to its initial submission, the OPCW Declaration Assessment Team found that the former regime had failed to provide sufficient and accurate information.
As a result, 19 unresolved issues remain, including concerns over undeclared chemical warfare agents and munitions. In addition, OPCW investigations documented multiple instances of chemical weapons use in Syria, several of which were carried out by Syrian Armed Forces.
“It is ‘undeniable’ that the previous authorities in Syria did not declare the full extent of its chemical weapons programme and that they continued to use, and possibly produce, chemical weapons after joining theConvention,” Ms. Nakamitsu told the Council, citing reports from the OPCW Technical Secretariat.
UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe
High Representative Nakamitsu briefs the Security Council.
New chapter of cooperation
“The situation left by the previous Syrian authorities is extremely worrying,” she continued, noting the willingness signalled by Syria’s new authorities to turn the page.
During a visit to Damascus on 8 February, the OPCW Director-General met top Syrian officials, who assured him of their commitment to dismantling the chemical weapons programme, she added.
The caretaker Foreign Minister formally appointed a focal point for chemical weapons issues within the government and held meetings with OPCW on implementing its “9-point Action Plan for Syria.”
An OPCW technical team is expected to be deployed to Damascus, to work on setting up a permanent presence in the country and planning joint site inspections.
Fighting in coastal areas
In spite of the promising developments, Ms. Nakamitsu cautioned that the road ahead will be challenging, as Syria continues to face significant humanitarian, security and recovery challenges.
Developments on the ground exemplify these concerns, with heavy fighting reported in coastal areas between Syrian Caretaker Authority forces and soldiers loyal to the former regime. According to media reports, at least 70 people have been killed.
Among them was a UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) staff member who was caught in a crossfire on his way back from work.
“We are still determining the precise facts, there is clearly an immediate need for restraint from all parties, and full respect for the protection of civilians in accordance with international law,” he said in a statement.
UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe
A wide view of the Security Council meeting on chemical weapons in Syria.
International support needed
Back in the Security Council, Ms. Nakamitsu reminded ambassadors that Syria will need “strong support” from international partners.
“In order to accomplish all the tasks needed to rid Syria of all chemical weapons, the OPCW Technical Secretariat and the new authorities in Syria will require strong support and additional resources from the international community,” she said.
She urged Council members to unite in supporting this unprecedented effort, emphasising that the elimination of chemical weapons in Syria is not just a national priority but a matter of regional and global security.
“The United Nations stands ready to provide support however we can and will continue to do our part to uphold the norm against the use of chemical weapons – anywhere, at any time,” she concluded.
Lisa Beare, Minister of Education and Child Care, and Rohini Arora, parliamentary secretary for child care, have released the following statement about the extension of the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement with British Columbia:
“We welcome the Government of Canada’s continued investment in early learning and child care here in B.C., as we are stronger when we work together.
“The federal government is committing more than $5.3 billion over five years. This investment will assist our government in supporting families throughout our province as we work to make child care a core service people can rely on. Access to affordable and quality child care is life-changing for parents and it’s good for our communities and our economy as a whole.
“From speaking with constituents, families and advocates, we know the relief that comes with securing quality child care you can afford. The additional federal funding over the next five years will assist our government in continuing to make child care more affordable for families. By increasing access to child care, this funding will support early childhood educators and others in the child care workforce to deliver the quality child care families need.
“In 2021, B.C. was the first jurisdiction in Canada to sign a Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement with the Government of Canada. We look forward to continuing to work with the federal government to deliver on our shared priorities and work together to build a future where all families have access to affordable, quality, inclusive and culturally relevant child care, no matter where they live.
“As we face a time of economic uncertainty, investing in child care is helping us build a stronger, more secure future, and we will continue supporting families and making life better for British Columbians.”
Source: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe – OSCE
Headline: Joint statement by OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Valtonen and Secretary General Sinirlioğlu on recent political developments in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Joint statement by OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Valtonen and Secretary General Sinirlioğlu on recent political developments in Bosnia and Herzegovina | OSCE
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Home Newsroom News and press releases Joint statement by OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Valtonen and Secretary General Sinirlioğlu on recent political developments in Bosnia and Herzegovina
The dire situation of women and girls in Afghanistan was discussed at a conference held at the initiative of Iceland at the headquarters of UNESCO in Paris today on the occasion of International Women’s Day. A video address from the Minister for Foreign Affairs, H.E. Ms. Thorgerdur Katrin Gunnarsdottir, was delivered at the beginning of the conference where the Minister emphasized that the international community must not forget the human rights of Afghan women and girls.
“The international community must remain firm in supporting Afghan women and girls. Their full enjoyment of all their human rights, including the right to education, should be our ultimate goal. Advocacy must be relentless and strategic, ensuring that the rights of Afghan women and girls remain a global priority. ” said the Minister in her address.
Prior to that, Mr. Xing Qu, Deputy Director-General of UNESCO, addressed the conference and gave an overview of the situation in Afghanistan and UNESCO’s action in the fields of education and culture. A diverse group of Afghan women activists and NGO representatives participated in two panel discussions and shared the immense challenges they face following the Taliban’s takeover in 2021.
Afghanistan is the only country in the world where girls are banned from attending school after the age of 12. Women are only allowed to receive healthcare services from other women, and last year, they were banned from pursuing healthcare education. This situation is putting the lives and health of half the population at risk, with Afghanistan having the highest female mortality rate in the world, and half of the population facing severe poverty. [Additional content will be added tomorrow, including Richard Bennett]. Finally, video testimonies from women living in Afghanistan were shown, in which they described their circumstances, followed by lively discussions in the hall.
UNESCO is responsible for SDG 4 on Education and plays an important role in Afghanistan. The Organization has trained teachers, who provide education in Afghan provinces and for Afghan refugees in neighbouring countries, in collaboration with NGOs. It has also organized online distance learning, aired educational programs on the radio, and made partnership agreements universities so that women can complete higher education outside the country. Iceland serves as a member of the UNESCO Executive Board for the period 2021-2025 and has led negotiations on resolutions on the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan, in collaboration with the Group of Friends of Afghanistan in UNESCO.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal narcotics laws, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Kevin Johnson, 39, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan to Count One of the Superseding Indictment.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from in and around March 2021 to July 2021, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Johnson conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing cocaine base in the form commonly known as crack. Johnson was intercepted on a federal wiretap obtaining quantities of the crack that he distributed to others.
Judge Horan scheduled sentencing for June 26, 2025. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than five years and up to 40 years in prison, a fine of up to $5 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Johnson. Additional agencies participating in this investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Pennsylvania State Police, Cambria County District Attorney’s Office, Indiana County District Attorney’s Office, Cambria County Sheriff’s Office, Cambria Township Police Department, Indiana Borough Police Department, Johnstown Police Department, Upper Yoder Township Police Department, Richland Police Department, Ferndale Police Department, and other local law enforcement agencies.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. 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.
A new monthly artisan day and night market to open in Levenshulme from April 2025.
Manchester City Council and Independent Street, known for its successful events around the Northwest, have collaborated to bring a new market offering on the former, much loved Levy Market site.
The new market which will be known as Levy Artisan Market will bring freshly baked produce, independent food stalls, and unique artisan products to the already vibrant area of Levenshulme.
Levy Artisan Market will launch on Sunday 13th April and will take place the second Sunday of every month. There will also be an exciting night market on the last Friday of every month from 25th April 25.
Councillor Garry Bridges, Deputy Leader of Manchester City Council, said: “Levy Market has been a long standing and much-loved institution for the local community and it’s traders, imbued a rich heritage and an asset which has set foundations for other markets to thrive.
“We are really proud to welcome Independent Street’s Artisan Levy Market onto the site, the end product of a collaborative approach to bring a new market offering to the people of Levenshulme.
“The new market will provide a unique space for small businesses, artisans, and food vendors, allowing them to thrive whilst also contributing to the local economy and offering residents and visitors access to high-quality products, delicious street food, and a welcoming social environment.
“We hope it will become more than just a market – but rather a hub for creativity, enterprise, and community spirit.”
The monthly Sunday Artisan Markets at Levy will offer family-focused events, from live entertainment and children’s workshops to food tastings and cultural celebrations, ensuring there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
The monthly Friday Night Markets will offer a newly designed food court area with a large selection of some of the best street food in town, plus live music, good vibes and a large seating area for people to kick back, relax and welcome in the weekend.
Lisa Cowley, Director of Independent Street, says: ‘’We are thrilled to have been selected to launch this iconic market back onto the Manchester Market scene.
“We’re incredibly excited to welcome back Levy’s loyal customers and introduce The New Levy Artisan Market to a new generation of visitors. With a focus on community, sustainability, and high-quality, local produce, we hope to make Levy Artisan Market the heart of Manchester for years to come.”
The Levy Artisan Market is set to showcase Manchester’s rich tapestry of Artisans and creators and also serve as a catalyst for driving footfall into Levenshulme’s established shops, cafes, restaurants and independents. It will once again continue to emphasise supporting small businesses and providing a space for entrepreneurs to thrive.
Local councillors have collaborated with council officers to revive a market in Levenshulme, which has been deeply missed by both residents and visitors. Beyond its economic impact, the market fosters a strong sense of belonging, encouraging people to shop locally, connect with their neighbours, and celebrate the diversity of Levenshulme.
To celebrate the launch, Levy Artisan Market will be hosting a grand opening event on Sunday April 13th, featuring live music performances, incredible artisans, a street food area plus a free crafting table and activities for its smallest visitors. The event will run from 11am and everyone is invited to join in.
If you are interested in showcasing at the new Levy Artisan Market contact lisa@independentstreet.co.uk.
Organisers are also on the hunt for local community groups and musicians to join in. Applications to trade can be made through the website independentstreet.co.uk
Diana Gibson, Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation, has issued the following statement on the release of Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey for February 2025:
“In the face of this week’s unfair tariffs and even more uncertainty from the United States, B.C. is standing strong for people. While our economy is built to withstand U.S. President Donald J. Trump’s tariffs better than most other provinces, the impact is still significant.
“We are growing the economy by helping people train for better jobs, getting major projects built and diversifying where we sell our goods, including breaking down interprovincial trade barriers.
“Today’s Labour Force Survey data shows the significant impacts of Trump’s tariff threats on our economy. Despite that, so far this year, B.C. has gained 25,400 full-time jobs, the highest increase across the country and the second-highest increase in women’s full-time employment among provinces (+18,400).
“B.C. continues to lead the country with an average hourly wage of $37.89 and our unemployment rate is 6.0%, which is below the national average and the third-lowest unemployment rate among provinces.
“B.C. has shown resiliency since the beginning of this year with the highest increase in self-employment among provinces (+15,100). Since July 2017, B.C. has gained 175,500 private-sector jobs.
“Yesterday, Premier David Eby announced B.C. will be introducing legislation in the coming days to respond to the unprecedented tariff threat. It will allow the Province to apply counter-measures, such as implementing fees on commercial trucks that pass through B.C. on their way to Alaska. If passed, it will also provide legislative authority to remove internal trade barriers and help us develop the long-term solutions that we need to ensure our economy grows so we come out the other side stronger, more united and more prosperous than ever.
“We have been working with the other jurisdictions to increase labour mobility by improving transparency and to reduce the administrative burden for labour-mobility applicants to support the timely and seamless mobility of workers to fill jobs wherever they are available. We are also working with the federal government and other provinces to launch pan-Canadian direct-to-consumer alcohol sales for Canadian products.
“This builds on the actions last week to remove two trade exceptions to promote more interprovincial trade, including restrictions on the fisheries sector and on procurement, and with the wine deal we recently signed with Alberta.
“We’re accelerating 18 major resource projects that are ready to move forward and can create new jobs to support the B.C. economy in the face of tariffs. The projects are worth $20 billion and are expected to create approximately 8,000 jobs during construction across B.C.
“B.C. is protecting services and defending people’s jobs and the economy. Growing a stronger and more diverse economy will help protect people in B.C. from instability outside our borders, with investments that will bring good-paying jobs to the province in robust and sustainable industries.
Learn More:
To learn more about B.C’s response to tariffs, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/employment-business/tariffs
Premier announces new measures to defend B.C. from Trump tariffs, updated March 6, 2025: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2025PREM0011-000174
To learn more about Clean and Competitive: A Blueprint for B.C.’s Industrial Future, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/Clean_and_Competitive.pdf
To find out more about the Stronger BC Economic Plan, visit: https://strongerbc.gov.bc.ca/plan/
International Women’s Day is the perfect time to celebrate how far we’ve come in transforming the lives of women and girls around the world.
Historically, women have faced subjugation and limited freedom, with societal expectations confining us to marriage and child-rearing. In the UK, the suffragette movement in the early 20th century was a pivotal moment in the fight for women’s rights. The efforts of activists like Emmeline Pankhurst and the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU), along with parallel movements worldwide, laid the ground for future advancements.
Fast forward to the 21st century and increased access to education and healthcare has shattered the notion of women as passive, opening up a world of new opportunities. Here are eight examples of social changes that have made the world a more equitable place for women in their 20s and 30s than things were for our mothers.
No one’s 20s and 30s look the same. You might be saving for a mortgage or just struggling to pay rent. You could be swiping dating apps, or trying to understand childcare. No matter your current challenges, our Quarter Life series has articles to share in the group chat, or just to remind you that you’re not alone.
In the 1960s, career options for women were generally limited to roles like domestic servants, teachers, nurses or dressmakers.
Thanks to decades of relentless advocacy and progress, today, women are breaking barriers across all industries. Although challenges still exist, we can now find roles in traditionally male-dominated fields such as technology, engineering and finance.
Policies supporting work-life balance and combating discrimination are more prevalent. And the rise of remote work and flexible schedules allow many women to more effectively balance their careers with their personal lives.
2. We are experiencing an education revolution
Women’s education was limited in the 1960s by societal norms that prioritised marriage over academic achievement. Young women often left school early, and few could pursue higher education.
Today, the education landscape has transformed dramatically, offering more opportunities for women to pursue higher education and specialised training. Scholarships and grants, as well as online education platforms have made education more accessible and affordable.
In the UK, diverse family structures, including single parenthood, cohabitation and LGBTQ+ partnerships are now recognised by the law. This means we have the freedom to make choices in our relationships based on our own needs and desires.
4. We have gained control over our reproductive choices
Reproductive rights were severely limited in the 1960s. Most women had little access to birth control and limited knowledge about family planning.
Today we have greater control over our reproductive choices, supported by legal rights and medical advances. Increased access to contraception and comprehensive reproductive health services are empowering us to make informed decisions.
The social and cultural landscape has undergone a seismic shift, empowering women like never before.
Movements such as #MeToo (a social campaign against sexual abuse and harassment, empowering survivors to share their experiences), and Time’s Up (a movement founded in 2018 by celebrities that aimed to support victims of workplace sexual harassment and advocate for gender equality), have shattered the silence on gender inequality and harassment.
Oprah Winfrey’s Golden Globes speech marked an important moment in the Time’s Up movement.
6. We have gained legal rights and political influence
More women are now lawyers, judges and lawmakers, leading to more equitable laws and policies addressing workplace discrimination, domestic violence and reproductive rights. As of 2024, women make up over 50% of law firm associates and more than 40% of the nation’s lawyers. In the 1980s women comprised only about 8% of the legal profession.
Our political influence has also grown. Today, women occupy more significant positions in government globally than ever before , from local councils to prime ministers and presidents. Our voices are now crucial in shaping policies and representing diverse perspectives.
7. We are making strides internationally
Worldwide, between 2012 and 2020, the proportion of girls completing lower secondary school rose from 69% to 77%, while the proportion completing upper secondary school rose from 49% to 59%.
The adolescent birth rate has fallen globally from 51 to 42 births per 1,000 girls aged 15-19 since 2012. Meanwhile, the proportion of young women married as children has declined globally from 23% to 19% over the past decade.
And the proportion of girls aged 15-19 who have undergone female genital mutilation in countries where it is highly concentrated has decreased from 41% to 34% over the past decade.
The fight continues
Despite significant progress, many outdated and oppressive laws against women persist globally. In conflict zones, women often bear the brunt of brutality, and the continuing refugee crisis puts thousands of women and girls at risk of sex trafficking and exploitation.
Education also remains a critical issue. Nearly 30% of girls worldwide still do not complete lower secondary school, and around 48% do not complete upper secondary school. And in the least developed countries, adolescent birth rates remain alarmingly high at 94 births per 1,000 girls aged 15-19. The barriers to accessing effective contraceptives include cost, stigma, lack of accurate information and limited decision-making autonomy.
We’ve made incredible strides in advancing women’s rights, but these setbacks remind us that the fight isn’t over. We must continue to advocate and take action to ensure equality and protection for all women, not just on International Women’s Day, but all year round.
Hind Elhinnawy does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI Crime News (b)
Sunday, March 9, marks the 18th anniversary of the abduction of retired FBI Special Agent Robert A. “Bob” Levinson from Kish Island, Iran, in 2007. Bob served his country as a Drug Enforcement Administration agent for six years and then as an FBI special agent for 22 years. He retired in 1988.
March 9 also marks National Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day, a time for our country to pause and remember all American citizens unjustly held abroad—including Bob.
“Our job is to protect the American people and to hold accountable those who harm our citizens, so this case hits especially close to home for all of us at the FBI, where Bob served for so long,” FBI Director Kash Patel said. “It’s been 18 years since Bob’s abduction, and Iran has continued to target U.S. citizens, including the president, other government officials, and dissidents who criticize the regime in Tehran. Our nation will not tolerate threats to any Americans, at home or abroad, and we demand that Iran make good on its past promises to provide answers about what happened to Bob.”
Bob should be celebrating his 77th birthday with his wife, children, and grandchildren next week. Instead, Bob’s family, friends, and colleagues mark yet another year without him. As the FBI remembers Bob, we renew our commitment to resolving his case and holding the Iranian regime responsible for its role in Bob’s disappearance. The investigation continues to develop new leads and intelligence, and the FBI will pursue all options to hold every Iranian official who was involved to account.
As part of our ongoing efforts, the FBI recently released seeking information posters featuring two senior Iranian intelligence officials who were allegedly involved in Bob’s abduction: Mohammad Baseri and Ahmad Khazai. They worked for Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) at the time of Bob’s abduction, detention, and probable death.
Additionally, the U.S. State Department’s Rewards for Justice program is offering a reward of up to $20 million for information that leads to Bob’s location, recovery, and return as well as information that leads to the identification, location, arrest, or conviction of any person responsible for his abduction, including Baseri and Khazai, who are wanted for their alleged involvement in Bob’s disappearance.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Tom Wingfield, Deputy Director of the Centre for Tuberculosis Research, Reader in Tuberculosis and Social Medicine, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK; and Honorary Research Associate at Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, and, University of Liverpool
TB outbreaks in wealthy countries act as a canary in a coalmine, reflecting cracks in national public health systems. More broadly, TB outbreaks in any setting have deeper implications for the struggle to end TB globally.
In the UK, TB rates consistently declined between 2011 and 2020. But, like the US, this decline reversed since COVID emerged in early 2020.
In 2023, there was a 13% increase in the number of people who became unwell with TB in England, compared with 2022.
At 9.5 people with TB per 100,000 people per year, England is in jeopardy of losing its “low TB incidence” status (less than ten people with TB per 100,000 people per year).
Rates of TB in England have a stark social gradient, with the poorest 10% of people having five times higher rates of TB than the richest 10%.
But the increase in TB in the UK cannot be put down to greater risk of disease alone. The response of the health and social care system to prevent and cure TB is crucial.
The BCG vaccine, currently the only TB vaccine, is not nearly as effective as we would like at preventing disease. There is hope on the horizon with several vaccines under development, but their effect may be impeded by vaccine hesitancy driven by misinformation.
For countries with lower incidence of TB across Europe and North America, many TB policies are targeted at identifying and treating TB in groups who are most at risk of being exposed to the disease, including people moving from regions of the world where TB is more common.
Patterns of migration to the UK changed significantly following Brexit. A need to expand the workforce, particularly in health and social care, has led to active recruitment and movement of people from higher TB burden countries. This is relevant because, in England, four in five people with TB were born outside the UK, and rates among this group increased by 15% between 2022 and 2023.
Screening migrant populations as part of their visa application process pre-entry is effective at identifying people with infectious TB. But prevention is better than cure, and there remains a gap in screening for TB infection or TB disease without symptoms.
Providing well-tolerated, preventive TB treatment can reduce the risk of developing active TB disease by 85% in the future. Yet the screening programme in the UK is under-resourced, with just 11.5% of eligible migrants screened for TB infection in 2023.
We should not overlook the fact that rates of TB also increased, although to a lesser extent (3.9%), among people born in the UK – the first time this has happened for many years.
Among both UK-born and non-UK-born populations, often overlapping social risk factors such as homelessness, asylum seeker status, drug or alcohol misuse, incarceration and mental health disorders continue to drive TB. These factors, which jumped by 27% between 2022 and 2023, not only increase the likelihood of TB disease but are associated with much lower rates of cure.
Early diagnosis and treatment of TB are crucial to prevent long-term health issues or even death. The sooner someone starts effective treatment, the sooner they stop being infectious, helping to reduce the spread of TB. Improving access to diagnosis and care will lower TB transmission.
Unacceptable delays in treatment
Nearly a third of people with TB in the UK experience a delay of four months between the onset of their symptoms (commonly cough, fever, night sweats and weight loss) and taking their first anti-TB medicine. This unacceptable delay is similar to (or even longer than) the treatment delays we have documented in low- and middle-income countries with much higher TB burdens, including Peru, Nepal and Mozambique.
In the UK, most people are entitled to free NHS care, and TB care and prevention is free to all. However, the NHS is overwhelmed and policies relating to healthcare recovery costs of visitors and migrants can prevent people with TB, wherever they are from, from getting timely care. This situation poses a public health threat to us all.
Effective TB prevention and care is possible. While current tools are imperfect, albeit with recent progress in diagnostics and treatment, researchers around the world are further advancing science and innovation in the fight against TB. This includes the promise of nutritional supplementation, financial and social support, and a new TB vaccine. Providing timely support to everyone with TB remains fundamental to our response to this illness of poverty.
To end TB, whether in the US, UK, or globally, we would do well to remember and apply the old medical adage: treat the person, not the disease.
Tom Wingfield is supported by grants from: the Wellcome Trust, UK (209075/Z/17/Z); the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), the Medical Research Council (MRC) and Wellcome, UK (Joint Global Health Trials, MR/V004832/1); the Medical Research Council (Public Health Intervention Development Award “PHIND”, APP2293); the Medical Research Foundation (Dorothy Temple Cross International Collaboration Research Grant, MRF-131–0006-RG-KHOS-C0942); and UNITAID (2022-50-START-4-ALL). Tom is an honorary research associate at the Department of Global Public Health, Karolinksa Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, and is also an ad hoc consultant for the World Health Organization and the Stop TB Partnership.
Jessica Potter has previously received research funding from Medical Research Council UK. She chairs a grassroots network called UK Academics and Professionals to end TB and is an advisory member of the Innovations Constituency of the Stop TB Partnership.
Kerry Millington receives funding from UK aid from the UK government for the research programme that she works on. Views expressed are those of her own and do not necessarily reflect the UK government’s official policies.
Riotous Irish film Kneecap has attracted much critical and public acclaim since it debuted at Sundance in January 2024 as the festival’s first Irish-language film, winning the prestigious NEXT audience award.
Its Irish premiere at the Galway Film Fleadh the following July saw it scoop best Irish film, the audience award and the Irish language feature film award. It was selected also as an entry for best international feature film and best original song at this year’s Oscars (but was unsuccessful in securing a nomination). Now Kneecap’s latest film honour comes from Britain, where its writer and director Rich Peppiatt won outstanding debut at the Baftas last month.
The film, which mixes fantasy with reality, tells the hilarious tale of struggling real-life Irish-language rap group Kneecap (who play themselves in the film) as they become the unlikely face of the civil rights campaign to recognise the Irish language – also known as Gaelic. The bio on the group’s website states theirs “is a voice which comes screaming from the too-often deprived areas of the North of Ireland, speaking in a language which is too-often ignored”.
The social and political impact of the arts and culture has long been established. Funding is often available for films that support the cultural agenda of nation states, and this plays a significant role in terms of soft power, a concept developed by political scientist Joseph Nye.
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Academic Alan Bradshaw’s review captures the complexity of the themes of the film and its attempt to distance younger people – “the ceasefire generation” – from those of us who lived through the period of civil unrest commonly referred to as the Troubles.
The Kneecap rappers are focused on advocating for the rights (cearta) of the people of Northern Ireland. Their open criticism of British rule, expressed through their music and film led to objections to them receiving public subsidies from the British taxpayer.
However, consideration of the funding for the production reflects the central themes of the film. Northern Ireland Screen, the BFI, Screen Ireland, Coimisiún na Meán (Ireland’s independent media regulator) and TG4 (an Irish public service broadcaster providing film and television in Gaelic) collectively funded the film, demonstrating the strong creative collaborations that have developed over the past few years across Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and the UK.
While it is not uncommon to see UK-Irish co-productions – ironically, perhaps, the UK and Ireland are largely treated as one territory for film distribution – usually such collaboration is related to the shared use of English. In this case, Irish language is at the centre of the storytelling, highlighting the contentious history behind this shared use of English.
The Irish language is not just the language in which the story is told, it is at the very heart of the film. In 2020, the Gaelic film Arracht (English title Monster), a story of the Irish famine, was screened in British cinemas and was Ireland’s entry for the 2020 Academy Awards, but it was not nominated for any awards in the UK.
While Arracht dealt with the famine, illustrating the destructive impact of colonial rule on the Irish people, culture and language, in 2022 An Cailín Ciúin (A Quiet Girl)
demonstrated the beauty of the Gaelic language and provided many audiences outside of Ireland with their first opportunity to see a film in Irish.
Kneecap shifts the focus forward to contemporary Northern Ireland and the fight to resuscitate and reinstate the Irish language in the six counties still under British rule. This was eventually recognised in 2022 when the UK parliament passed the Identity and Language (Northern Ireland) Act.
The film’s Bafta win and Oscar entry follow on from The Quiet Girl, which made it onto the Academy Awards’ shortlist for best international feature film and garnered Bafta nominations for best film not in the English language, and best screenplay (adapted), in 2023.
Although in terms of pace and energy, Kneecap and The Quiet Girl could not be more different, both films are in the Irish language. The Quiet Girl earned over US$6.5 million (£5 million) globally at the box office – the first film in the Irish language to break the US$1m mark – while Kneecap has earned US$4.5 million so far.
Kneecap’s Oscar ambitions may have been thwarted, but its success at the Baftas demonstrates the significance of film in terms of reflecting contemporary politics, shining a light on UK-Irish relations and the relevance of Northern Ireland both politically and culturally.
The 1998 Good Friday agreement, brought an end to the Troubles, and addressed the decades of imbalance in the rights of Northern Irish Catholic citizens in relation to governance, civil and political rights as well as cultural rights.
The right to use the Irish language was finally acknowledged as a cultural right and was reinstated as an official language of Northern Ireland in 2022 following the repeal of a penal law from 1737 which established English as the only language permissible in courts.
This fundamental right to your native language is the key theme in Kneecap, focusing on opposing the legacy of British colonial oppression of language and culture. Its success in receiving public funding, delighting UK critics and audiences alike, as well as winning a prestigious British film award is well worth reflecting upon.
Does this demonstrate that Britain is beginning to recognise the damage of colonialism on the psyche, culture and economics of those who are oppressed and disposed? Is this acceptance of the living legacy of colonialism?
Giving the Bafta for outstanding debut for Kneecap to Peppiatt – an Englishman living in Belfast – can perhaps be seen as the start of such recognition. But it may be too early for a film opposing colonial British rule to be awarded the award for outstanding British film.
Finola Kerrigan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
When director Robert Eggers asked him what kind of movies he was interested in, Robert Pattinson said: “I only wanna do strange things.” It seems he’s taken the same approach to stardom as fellow teen star, Daniel Radcliffe – make your name in a big-budget franchise, then spend the rest of your career starring in the interesting, the unexpected and downright weird.
Since his turn as the sparkle-skinned teen vampire heartthrob Edward Cullen in the Twilight movies, Pattinson has played a tortured lighthouse keeper, a celibate space prisoner and a city slicker who barely leaves his limousine. Even his iteration of Batman was kooky – a tragic, lonely hero in smudged black eye make-up.
The trailer for Mickey 17.
So, it’s no wonder that he jumped at the chance to star in Mickey 17. The latest film by renowned Korean writer-director Bong Joon-ho, it follows a mission to establish a human settlement on an inhospitable alien planet in the year 2054. In this imagined future, it has become possible to replicate human beings with total accuracy using an advanced form of 3D printing.
Although outlawed on ethical grounds back on Earth, human printing is legal in the remote regions of space. There, disposable workers known as “expendables” can be reprinted on demand each time they perish. Our reviewer, an expert in science fiction, said: “Like Bong’s earlier films, Mickey 17 combines artful world-building, an impeccable cast, social satire, anarchic humour – and a taste for the grotesque.”
Pattinson’s Batman has yet to face the Joker, the character’s arch nemesis, and a recurring role that is even more prized among actors than Bruce Wayne. But Vera Drew, who co-writes, directs and stars as several iterations of the character in her new film The People’s Joker, hasn’t let a casting director get in the way of her ambitions.
The trailer for The People’s Joker.
In this surreal, hilarious – and very much unofficial – film, Drew plays a mix of both Harley Quinn and the Joker. It’s a queer twist on the DC universe, and a metaphor for the difficulties she encountered as a transgender teen.
For our reviewers, experts in comic books and their adaptations, it was a breath of fresh air. Proof that, in the era of Marvel’s box office dominance, there is still room for unique remixes of familiar superhero stories.
The People’s Joker is touring cinemas across the UK
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The most streamed TV series on Netflix this week is the new drama Toxic Town – and deservedly so. It tells the true story of a group of women from Corby in Northamptonshire, UK, who gave birth to children with limb differences in the 1980s and 90s. The children were born with shortened arms or legs or missing fingers.
The drama follows their battle to uncover the cause and their subsequent fight for justice. It makes for compelling viewing, with standout performances from former Doctor Who star Jodie Whittaker and White Lotus’s Aimee Lou Wood.
The trailer for Toxic Town.
We asked a pair of climate researchers to review the show. They found it to be a “stark warning about the dangers of weak environmental protections”. Far from being a thing of the past, they argue that we could return to the toxic times seen in Corby if we fail to prioritise stringent environmental safeguards.
For more culture with a message this week, we highly recommend No Other Land. Winner of the Oscar for best documentary feature film, it chronicles the efforts of Palestinian townspeople to combat an Israeli plan to demolish their villages in the West Bank and use the area as a military training ground.
The trailer for No Other Land.
The film was directed by four Palestinian and Israeli activists and journalists including Basel Adra, who is a resident of the area facing demolition. The film’s subject matter has made it difficult to attract distributors in many countries, including the US. British viewers, though, can stream the film for free on Channel 4.
Show Don’t Tell is the new short story collection from Curtis Sittenfeld. She’s the American writer behind Rodham, the 2020 novel that reimagined the life of Hilary Clinton. Offering slices of life in the American Midwest, it’s a profound exploration of individual and social conflict at a time when the US is on the verge of momentous political change.
Many of Sittenfeld’s characters are experiencing a low-level sense of dread. Some are obsessed with death. But the stories remind us that, considering the chaotic past decade, where catastrophe and complex political issues have dominated American lives, fear and anxiety are an entirely reasonable emotional response.
Our reviewer, an expert in American literature and history, read all 12 stories in one sitting. She found them to be moving, witty and achingly real.
Source: United States Senator for Colorado John Hickenlooper
Reports show food shortages due to DOD reallocation of funding designated for service member meals
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper, along with six of his Senate colleagues, and 14 U.S. Representatives called on Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to address the Department of Defense’s (DOD) apparent underinvestment in quality food options for service members.
Their letter follows recent reports highlighting issues with food quality and access at several military installations, including Colorado’s Fort Carson. Reports claim over half of the money withheld from soldiers’ paychecks for food, known as Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS), is repurposed, leaving base leadership with limited funds for nutritious food services.
“Our service members are the best among us and expect fair compensation from their government,” wrote the lawmakers. “If a service member is losing money from their paycheck because they are being given a meal, it is reasonable for them to expect that funding will be used only to cover the costs of providing it and to ensure it is of the highest possible quality.”
Poor-quality meals and limited availability of food mean service members must perform grueling physical and mental training exercises without the proper fuel, undermining readiness. The federal government has an obligation to support those who put their lives on the line for our nation’s freedoms.
Full text of the letter is available HERE and below:
Dear Secretary Hegseth,
We write to express our concern about the Department of Defense’s (DOD) apparent underinvestment in food options for members of the military.
Recent public reporting in military.com highlighted that DOD spends far less on food for servicemembers who are afforded subsistence-in-kind than would be given directly to those servicemembers in Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS) if they were not eligible for government-provided meals. Previous reporting also highlighted DOD’s challenges in providing healthy food for servicemembers. This reporting underscores the ongoing challenges the military services have in ensuring our servicemembers have access to high-quality
and nutritious meals.
Current law states that most servicemembers who receive basic pay are entitled to receive BAS to help them afford the cost of food. It also gives the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Service Secretaries, the ability to prescribe policies regarding the use of dining facilities. Current DOD policy requires most servicemembers who receive government-provided meals to pay for their meals, including through BAS deductions managed by Defense Financial Accounting Service. The current policy delegates the use of those collected funds to the military services.
The report noted that many installations’ current spending on DFAC operations represented only a small percentage of the BAS collected from servicemembers serving on those installations. The findings, which include 2024 financial records from eleven of the largest Army installations, show that more than $151 million of the $225 million in BAS collected from servicemembers on these installations was not spent on food costs. That figure does not include the additional garrisons under the Army’s control, nor does it include spending at installations managed by the other military services suggesting the issue may be much more widespread.
Congress provides servicemembers with BAS to help them afford meals. If BAS is taken from servicemembers for meals the government gives them, then that funding should be used to cover the costs and investments needed to serve those meals. Additionally, for Congress to effectively conduct its oversight responsibilities, it must be fully apprised of how the funding provided is appropriated and must ensure open transparency on behalf of the services.
The article also found that a lack of nutrient-dense food, shortages, and inconsistent adherence to the Army’s nutrition policy negatively affects junior
enlisted servicemembers specifically because they often live in unaccompanied housing on installations. These junior enlisted servicemembers are also disproportionately affected by the loss of their BAS as it represents a significant portion of their overall compensation.
Through your experience as a junior officer, you can empathize with the importance of a reliable, nutritious dining facility, and its importance
to morale. You are now ultimately responsible for the welfare of these servicemembers, and we request your prompt response to the following questions by April 31, 2025:
What elements of DOD funding are used to provide meals to servicemembers?
How do the military services program through the Future Years Defense Program (FYDP) fund food service operations?
How do the military services make decisions regarding investments in their on-post food service operations?
How do you consider including nutritious options on their menus?
Are there barriers to the military services providing healthy and nutritious meals to servicemembers living in unaccompanied housing on military installations?
If so, what are they?
Does the Department or the military services require additional resources or authorities to provide healthy and affordable food options to these servicemembers? If so, what are they?
How do you plan to improve the quality and nutrition of food at dining facilities and other food service providers across the Joint Force to meet the needs of the modern warfighter?
Our servicemembers are the best among us and expect fair compensation from their government. If a servicemember is losing money from their paycheck
because they are being given a meal, it is reasonable for them to expect that funding will be used only to cover the costs of providing it and to ensure it is of the highest possible quality. We trust you will move expeditiously to answer our inquiries. Thank you for your earnest attention to this matter.
During its meeting on 7 March 2025, the Federal Council decided to impose an additional freeze on the assets of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his entourage. The Assad government fell last December after 24 years of rule. With this measure, the Federal Council wants to ensure that, regardless of developments in the area of sanctions, no funds of the former Assad government can flow out of Switzerland.
Sport and recreation facilities are the heart of communities across our province, serving as places to gather, forge friendships and be active together. Alberta’s government recognizes the invaluable role recreation centres play in community well-being, and that Albertans need effective, up-to-date sport and recreation infrastructure to remain healthy, vibrant and actively engaged in the sports they love.
That’s why, in 2024, Alberta’s government launched the Active Communities Initiative, to build and revitalize sport and recreation infrastructure in communities in every corner of the province. In its first year, the Active Communities Initiative invested $10 million in 19 projects across the province.
“I’m proud to be part of a government that understands the importance of sport and recreation, and that is taking steps to support access to sport and recreation across Alberta. I look forward to watching these projects come to fruition, building healthier families and more resilient communities in every corner of our province.”
“Making sport and recreation more affordable and accessible opens the doors for more Albertans to live healthier, more active lives. I’m pleased the Active Communities Initiative supports that, while putting money back in the pockets of families where it’s needed most.”
Grants provided in the first year of the Active Communities Initiative will support the creation of a recreation centre in La Crete and the expansion of the Indus Recreation Centre, as well as the creation and revitalization of indoor and outdoor pickleball and tennis courts, community pools, ski clubs, curling rinks and more in communities across the province.
“Active Communities Initiative funding is essential for our project in La Crete to get off the ground. This long-awaited recreation centre will support the physical and mental health of our growing population year-round for all ages, provide new skills and jobs and help retain the professionals our community needs to continue thriving.”
“The Active Communities Initiative provides a bridge that connects our proud past with our exciting future! Our facility has been operating with the same capacity for 30 years and with our surrounding communities seeing tremendous growth. We believe the expanded year-round ice arena will offer more opportunities through accessible, inclusive infrastructure that fosters community engagement, volunteerism, active lifestyles and social connectivity.”
The Active Communities Initiative is a fund-matching program and has two streams for prospective projects:
Stream 1 funds projects from a minimum of $100,000 to a maximum of $500,000.
Stream 2 funds projects from a minimum of $500,001 to a maximum of $1,500,000.
Larger-scale sport and recreation infrastructure projects will continue to be funded through the Capital Plan.
The Active Communities Initiative is Alberta’s first grant program solely dedicated to funding sport and recreation infrastructure. The initiative is open to eligible community groups, non-profit organizations, and societies, including First Nations and Metis Settlements that wish to build or enhance active spaces that support sport and recreational opportunities for their communities. The next round of Active Communities Initiative funding will open in Spring 2025.
Quick facts
Larger-scale projects supported through the first intake ($500,001 to $1,500,000):
Westside Regional Recreation Society – Calgary
IQ Tennis and Pickleball Centre – Edmonton
Elk Point and District Agricultural Society – Elk Point
Bow Valley Agricultural Society – Indus
Mackenzie Aquatics Society – Peace River
Rocky Mountain Bike Park Society – Rocky Mountain House
Edmonton Northwest Zone Basketball Association – St. Albert
Vauxhall Academy of Baseball Society – Vauxhall
Small- and mid-sized projects supported through the first intake (up to $500,000):
Athabasca Regional Multiplex Society – Athabasca
Greater Forest Lawn 55+ Society – Calgary
Winsport – Calgary
Rocky Rod and Gun Club – Clearwater County
Grande Prairie Pickleball Club – Grande Prairie
Hardisty Lakeview Golf Association – Hardisty
Medicine Lodge Ski Club – Lacombe County
Legal Curling Club – Legal
West Sturgeon Agricultural Society – Sturgeon County
Sundre Aquatic Centre – Sundre
Rotary Club of Whitecourt – Whitecourt
Related information
Active Communities Initiative
Related news
Building opportunities for a healthier tomorrow (Dec 12, 2024)
Building active spaces and brighter futures (May 3, 2024)
From Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada: https://www.canada.ca/en/housing-infrastructure-communities/news/2025/03/the-governments-of-canada-and-british-columbia-sign-an-agreement-to-address-homelessness.html
French version: https://www.canada.ca/fr/logement-infrastructures-collectivites/nouvelles/2025/03/les-gouvernements-du-canada-et-de-la-colombie-britannique-signent-une-entente-pour-lutter-contre-litinerance.html
Today, the federal government and the Government of British Columbia announced that an agreement to support people experiencing homelessness, including sheltering in encampments, has been signed as part of the Unsheltered Homelessness and Encampments Initiative (UHEI).
Funding will support the implementation of Community Encampment Response Plans (CERP) and immediately provide additional support to people living without homes. Each plan is tailored to the specific needs of a community and expands the work of the Province to implement key initiatives under Belonging in BC.
Through this agreement, over two years, the governments of Canada and British Columbia will each contribute up to $39.9 million, which will be made available in Vancouver, Abbotsford, and Kamloops. This is in addition to what the federal government is investing through the regionally delivered streams of Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy, which includes over $638 million from 2019 to 2028 in British Columbia to address local homelessness needs.
Through this funding, the Province will continue to provide ongoing response and outreach to people experiencing homelessness and encampments through its Homeless Encampment Action Response Team (HEART) and Homeless Encampment Action Response Temporary Housing (HEARTH) programs. Since launching the homelessness response initiatives in 2023, the Province has partnered with 10 municipalities to open 15 HEARTH sites across B.C. for a total of 611 temporary supportive homes or shelter beds. The Province invested up to $1.5 billion through Budget 2023 in new initiatives to help prevent and reduce homelessness. These investments build on the $633 million the Province invested into actions to prevent and reduce homelessness.
This funding will help individuals and families transition into safer, more appropriate, and stable housing and shelter. Additionally, client support services will help improve integration and connectedness to essential services such as food programs, emergency shelters, transportation, healthcare, and disability support. It will also assist with economic, social, and cultural integration to help individuals access and retain stable housing. Other services and initiatives include coordinating resources and enhancing data collection and quality to improve service delivery.
Housing provides stability and security and serves as the foundation for overall well-being. Everyone deserves a safe and affordable place to live.
Quotes:
“A safe place to call home is the foundation for a brighter future. Yet, homelessness continues to affect thousands of people across British Columbia, blocking their path to stability and opportunity. This funding will be a vital resource for communities in need, offering more than just shelter — it provides hope and the chance to rebuild. Beyond providing housing, it will provide essential support, life skills training, and access to healthcare, helping individuals and families regain their independence and build a more secure and promising future.”
— The Honourable Dr. Hedy Fry, Member of Parliament for Vancouver Centre
“We’re connecting people with the housing and supports they need to get on a better path and live full, healthy lives. The high cost of living and shortage of affordable housing have caused homelessness rates in BC and across the country to rise. We’re pleased to have the Government of Canada contribute to our Province’s work with local governments and community partners to address homelessness and build safer and stronger communities where all of us can thrive.”
— The Honourable Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs
Quick Facts:
The Unsheltered Homelessness and Encampments Initiative (UHEI) will help reduce the number of people experiencing unsheltered homelessness, particularly those living in encampments. It is based on the deployment of a Community Encampment Response Plan (CERP) in each targeted community, adopting an approach that promotes housing stability with support services to ensure the dignity of individuals.
As part of Canada-British Columbia Agreement for this initiative, the federal and provincial governments are each providing up to $39.9 million, over two years, to support CERP activities in Vancouver, Abbotsford, and Kamloops.
The Province, through BC Housing has provided funding for 6,742 shelter spaces in 59 communities throughout B.C. this fall and winter – a 20% increase in spaces available compared to last year this time.
The Government of British Columbia put forward approximately $228 million over three years to help create regional multidisciplinary teams and temporary spaces through the Homeless Encampment Action Response Team and Homeless Encampment Action Response Temporary Housing (HEART and HEARTH) to support rapid response for communities with substantive encampments in their area.
The Provincial funding includes approximately $44 million of capital funding approved through Budget 2023 to help expand access to temporary supportive housing and shelter (HEARTH) and provide more on-site support for people sheltering in encampments, such as fire prevention, safety and outreach, while housing gets built.
These investments build on the $633 million that B.C. invested into actions to prevent and reduce homelessness through Budget 2022, including the almost $4 million over three years to support people in encampments to stay safe, connect to supports and transition to housing.
Since 2017, the Province of British Columbia has nearly 92,000 homes that have been delivered or underway.
Federal funding provided for this agreement is part of a $250 million commitment, outlined in Budget 2024, to address the urgent issue of encampments and unsheltered homelessness across Canada.
The $250 million investment from the federal government is a tool to coordinate matching funds from provincial and territorial governments to address encampments throughout the country.
The UHEI builds on existing programs like Reaching Home, through which the federal government is investing $5 billion over nine years to address homelessness across Canada.
Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy supports the goals of Canada’s Housing Plan and the National Housing Strategy – to support the needs of the most vulnerable Canadians and to improve access to safe, stable and affordable housing.
Since 2015, the federal government has helped almost two million Canadians find a place to call home.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
News story
Joint Statement: Business Secretary and Fujitsu Services Ltd
Joint Statement by UK Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds and Paul Patterson, Director, Fujitsu Services Ltd, on Horizon redress
Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds today (Friday 7 March) met chiefs for Fujitsu in Tokyo to begin talks over the cost of redress for victims of the Horizon Scandal.
As part of a two-day visit to Japan, the Business Secretary met the company’s Chief Executive Takahito Tokita and Paul Patterson, Director of Fujitsu Services Ltd, and welcomed their commitments on compensation.
The meeting comes as new statistics published today show £768 million has been paid to over 5,100 claimants across all redress schemes, representing a more than tripling of the total amount of redress paid to victims by government since the end of June 2024.
Speaking after the meeting, Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said:
Today’s meeting with Fujitsu in Tokyo was productive and encouraging. I welcome their agreement to begin talks on compensation ahead of the Williams inquiry’s conclusion, and that they join the UK Government in our commitment to tackling this grave injustice.
We must never forget the lives ruined by the Horizon scandal and no amount of redress can take away that pain. But justice can and must be done. This government is determined to hold those responsible to account, and will continue to make rapid progress on compensation and redress.
Since we took office, we have more than tripled the total amount of redress paid to victims, and today we took another significant step towards justice.
Joint Statement by UK Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds and Paul Patterson (Director, Fujitsu Services Ltd):
The Rt. Hon. Jonathan Reynolds MP (UK Secretary of State, Business and Trade), Takahito Tokita (CEO, Fujitsu Limited) and Paul Patterson (Director, Fujitsu Services Limited) held a positive and constructive meeting in Japan today.
The UK Government welcomes Fujitsu’s repeated commitment to its moral obligation to contribute to the Government’s compensation for the victims of the Post Office scandal. Ahead of the completion of Sir Wyn Williams’ Horizon IT Inquiry, the Secretary of State and Mr Patterson agreed to progress discussions regarding Fujitsu’s contribution, acknowledging many parties are involved.
Officials from the Department for Business and Trade will continue to engage with Fujitsu representatives in full. The UK Government will not make a running commentary on these discussions but welcomes them and is grateful for Fujitsu’s engagement with Sir Wyn Williams’ Inquiry and its continued focus on delivering its public services commitments in the UK.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Richard Hargy, Visiting Research Fellow in International Studies, Queen’s University Belfast
The US vice-presidency is famously rather dull and mostly frustrating, according to some of the people who have taken on the role.
“I do not propose to be buried until I am dead,” Daniel Webster is believed to have said, after turning down the vice presidency in 1839. “I would a great deal rather be anything, say professor of history, than vice president,” said Theodore Roosevelt, just before taking the job.
J.D. Vance, the current vice-president, appears to have little intention of sitting back in the shadows while waiting for his chance at the top job. Instead, the former marine turned politician is rapidly turning into Donald Trump’s high-profile attack dog.
His aggressive questioning of Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky in a televised press conference at the White House on February 28, switched the tone of the whole event from uncomfortable to disastrous.
“Offer some words of appreciation for the United States of America … and the president of the United States of America, who is trying to save your country,” Vance said to Zelensky, before pushing the Ukrainian president to respond.
The press conference, which had been set up to sign a US-Ukraine mineral deal, descended into chaos, and ended with Donald Trump deciding that he was not prepared to go ahead, and Zelensky was not ready.
The New York Times White House correspondent Michael Shear described the astonishing spectacle of a vice-president inserting himself into a tense diplomatic melee as both a sign of Vance’s “media savvy”, as well as his desire to not be “relegated to the B-team” and a determination not to be in the shadow of Elon Musk.
It also demonstrated Vance’s awareness of something Trump expects from all subordinates: being publicly defended by them.
Steadfast loyalty to Trump is a non-negotiable prerequisite. As Dartmouth College professor, Russell Muirhead, and Harvard professor emerita, Nancy L. Roenblum, have said: “Trump’s problem is not that he requires loyalty to his agenda … It is that he demands personal loyalty.”
Vance understands this, which has been evidenced in acts such as publicly backing Trump’s argument that his executive power should not be challenged by the courts. On X, the vice-president argued that, “Judges aren’t allowed to control the executive’s legitimate power.”
J.D. Vance on his role in the Zelensky press conference.
Tough on allies
On the foreign policy front, the vice-president has also come out fighting, and showing his willingness to be Trump’s rottweiler in all arenas. Last month in Munich Vance used a speech to reprimand the continent’s leaders for stepping away from fundamental values by suppressing free speech.
Vance went on to criticise the US’s European allies some days later when he called out a UK-France plan for European troops to guarantee peace in Ukraine, stating the proposal was unworkable and could not be guaranteed by “some random country that hasn’t fought a war in 30 or 40 years”.
A key advantage that Vance enjoys over his Republican predecessor, Mike Pence, is that he does not have to navigate between the Republican establishment and Maga factions of the party. Both these worlds have coalesced around Trump. Vance is also considered, like Trump, to be a spokesperson for Maga values.
Where did Vance come from?
Only a few years ago, however, Vance was far from a Trump loyalist. In 2016 he referred to Trump as “cultural heroin” and worried he could be “America’s Hitler”.
Vance, 40, is the third youngest vice-president in US history. In his 2016 best-selling biography, Hillbilly Elegy, Vance told of his difficult upbringing in Ohio and Kentucky as well as offering his own personal insight into the struggles facing impoverished white working-class people. Vance’s memoir made him a coveted analyst during the first Trump administration to explain the president’s appeal to these communities.
Vance appears in lockstep with Trump on almost all foreign policy issues, particularly Ukraine, and his pro-Russia position. Even before his election to the Senate in 2022, Vance had made known his opposition to US aid to the country in support of its military campaign against Russia. In a podcast interview he said, “I’ve got to be honest with you. I don’t really care what happens to Ukraine one way or the other.”
One area of difference could be with his position on the western military alliance. In his address to the Munich Security Conference Vance said: “I don’t think that we should pull out of NATO, and no, I don’t think that we should abandon Europe. But yes, I think that we should pivot.”
It is unclear if the same can be said of Donald Trump. Germany’s new chancellor-in-waiting, Friedrich Merz, issued a blunt warning: “We must prepare for the possibility that Donald Trump will no longer uphold NATO’s mutual defence commitment unconditionally”.
John Bolton, a former National Security Advisor to Trump, believes the current commander-in-chief is shifting the goalposts on what he demands from fellow Nato members relating to defence spending and by setting targets that few European states can meet.
In the early weeks of this second Trump administration, Vance has sought to remain a loyal subordinate and someone who will “reinforce (Trump’s) hard-right agenda”, according to Elaine Kamarck, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, a research non-profit.
Just over four weeks into his new role, however, Vance has yet to secure the total endorsement from his boss to be his heir apparent. During an interview on Fox News on February 10, when asked if he viewed Vance as his inevitable successor in 2028, Trump responded: “No, but he’s very capable.”
The clearly ambitious Vance knows the next four years could make or break his ability to get the top job, and right now he is betting that his attack-dog status could help win him that role.
Richard Hargy does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Despite exuding confidence, narcissistic people relentlessly crave admiration. In other words, they are unable to convince themselves of their own brilliance.
Growing research shows the gap between perception and reality for narcissistic people goes far deeper than their inflated views about their appearance, accomplishments and abilities.
Narcissism is a personality trait that exists along a spectrum, where the lower end reflects a healthy balance of self-esteem and confidence. At the extreme end of the spectrum, however, narcissism is considered a personality disorder which affects 1-2% of the population. Most of us manifest narcissistic traits to varying degrees, but the more elevated the features are, the wider the gap between perception and reality.
Narcissistic people with elevated features frequently belittle anyone who fails to provide them with the special treatment they feel entitled to. Ironically, they continuously undermine the false self they are trying to build and maintain.
They can also be quick to respond with anger and aggression to criticism, in an attempt to protect their grandiose yet fragile sense of self. A 2021 UK study found they experience more paranoia, even when there is no evidence of people meaning to harm them, compared with people with lower levels of narcissism.
Similarly, recent research by US psychologists found that narcissistic people experienced heightened fear of being left out, and accused others of deliberately ostracising them when there was no evidence to support their belief.
The study found that participants high in narcissistic traits were more likely to interpret ambiguous social cues as rejection (for instance, a delayed text message). This suggests their perceptions of social behaviour may be distorted.
Narcissism and ostracism fuel one another
Narcissism can be expressed in “vulnerable” features (socially-inhibited and neurotic) as well as “grandiose” features (dominant and extroverted). People with more grandiose features are overtly assertive and self-promoting. People with more vulnerable features tend to be outwardly distressed, hypersensitive and inhibited.
Although these are separate forms of narcissism, they share a core of entitlement and an antagonistic character style. And just like we all exhibit varying degrees of narcissistic traits, we also fluctuate between these two expressions of narcissism.
The US researchers chose to focus on grandiose narcissism only. The study differentiated between two facets of grandiose narcissism: narcissistic admiration (the ability to charm and manipulate people) and narcissistic rivalry, which includes devaluing and acting aggressively towards others.
The research team analysed data for more than 77,000 participants from a series of seven studies by other scientists spanning 2009-2022. The first two studies investigated the relationship between narcissism and ostracism using surveys and experience sampling (a method used to investigate participants’ cognition and behaviour outside the lab – for example, using participants’ smartphones to track their behaviour).
The first study found people who reported higher narcissism levels said they experienced significantly more ostracism, compared with other participants. This was backed up by the second study, in which participants completed the narcissism assessments then reported feelings of ostracism within a 14-day period, using a mobile app.
The remaining experiments examined how people with higher levels of narcissism perceive ambiguous social interactions, and how others respond to narcissistic traits. After a group task, people with higher traits in narcissistic rivalry were more likely ostracised, even when other participants weren’t told the target had elevated levels of narcissism.
This supports the findings of a 2017 meta-study showing that people high in narcissistic rivalry may provoke direct conflict through their behaviour, and perceive others more negatively.
The US researchers concluded that, while narcissistic features can fuel social exclusion, ostracism itself can, over time, contribute to pronounced narcissistic traits. It appears that ostracism can make people already high in narcissism even higher in these traits.
Other research has similarly shown disparity between the narcissistic self and reality, and the role paranoia plays in this relationship. For instance, a 2015 study found that elevated levels of narcissism are associated with belief in conspiracy theories. This association was driven by paranoid thought.
These findings are concerning given the harmful consequences of conspiracy theories for society. They can fuel violence, climate denial and vaccine hesitancy.
Narcissistic personality features also tend to be higher among political leaders than the general population. Conspiracy theories may be appealing to politicians – particularly during times that challenge their entitled need for superiority and power.
The ideal self and the actual self
The US study’s findings carry practical implications for interventions aimed at people with high levels of narcissism. The researchers said interventions should not only try to improve relationships by identifying personality risk factors (in this instance, the rivalry component of narcissism), but also consider the perceptions of the person involved.
Narcissistic personality disorder comes with a higher risk of suicide and mental health difficulties, and treatment rarely makes much difference. This is partly because of patients’ resistance to abandoning the “ideal self”, leading to frustration, anger and conflict with their therapist.
But some interventions could target the cognitive distortions of narcissistic people that hamper their ability to function in society. For example, psychological therapies could aim to help them process the defensive mechanisms (overvaluing themselves) that mask underlying feelings of vulnerability.
Helping narcissistic people develop greater insights into their habitual reactions – such as responding aggressively to self-esteem threats and feelings of social exclusion – could help them foster skills that reshape their cognitive distortions. This could ameliorate distress, anger and hostility for narcissistic people – and the people around them.
Ava Green does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
A displaced Yemeni woman makes food for her children in the camp where they live in the city of Taiz.akramalrasny/Shutterstock
International Women’s Day, marked each year on March 8, is all about celebrating women and furthering efforts towards gender equality. Companies are keen to join these conversations and shout about their achievements on a day when minds are focused on female empowerment. But this has led to accusations of hypocrisy.
In 2021, one user on X created the Gender Pay Gap bot. Until 2023,this automated account reposted companies’ supportive messages about International Women’s Day, quoting information about their gender pay gap. The bot’s posts received tens of thousands of views and shares, showing an appetite for calling out misleading corporate claims about women’s empowerment.
Activists and researchers label these misleading actions “gender washing”. It describes communications and practices that present corporations as taking action on gender inequalities even as they engage in things that may be harmful to women and girls.
Gender washing takes many forms. It might be, for example, sponsoring girls’ education programmes without addressing known practices of child labour and sexual harassment in supply chains. Or it could be applying for corporate social responsibility awards while facing lawsuits for discrimination against female employees.
Our research examines global arms manufacturers, including Lockheed Martin, Raytheon and Northrop Grumman. It is estimated that the global arms trade as a whole was worth US$138 billion (£109 billion) in 2022 (the last year for which data are compiled).
It is hard to say how many people are killed by these weapons, but at a minimum it numbers in the tens of thousands each year. Beyond this, the after-effects of weapons use include displacement, starvation and health emergencies, as has been seen in Yemen.
Arms manufacturers continue to produce and sell weapons that cause untold suffering (including to women) across the world. But interestingly, arms manufacturers also issue communications celebrating International Women’s Day.
Careers in science and tech
Where previous research highlights how gender washing shows corporations or their products in a positive light, our research revealed bigger effects. We found that, through joint communications with governments and militaries, arms manufacturers were engaged in the process of gender washing war itself.
By posting for International Women’s Day, these companies portray the technologies and corporate operations of warfare as empowering to women and girls. They show women succeeding in science and technology careers, and girls receiving inspirational talks and science education, while saying nothing about what that science is being used for.
For example, Lockheed Martin Middle East and Africa shared a video on X showing a group of female engineers at the company’s innovation centre in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The post states that the company is “committed to inspiring the next generation of scientists and engineers through real-world #STEM education”.
The video shows a group of women wearing traditional Emirati dress in futuristic labs. They are interacting with touchscreen images of helicopters flying over deserts, examining a drone and sitting next to magnifying glasses. The soundtrack is like something out of a Hollywood action movie.
But the women do not speak for themselves. We are supposed to assume that, thanks to Lockheed Martin, they are being educated in cutting-edge technology and empowered to pursue careers in science. They get hands-on experience using the very military technologies being deployed in many parts of their region.
Lockheed Martin’s sale of weapons to warring parties in the Middle East, including arms sold to Saudi Arabia with devastating consequences for Yemeni women, is presented as a learning opportunity, “inspiring” women of the Middle East into science careers.
For its part, Lockheed Martin said in its 2023 gender pay gap report that it had closed the salary gap by 12.1% since 2017. It also said its investment in STEM activities helped it to focus on a future pipeline of female talent.
We also found that some corporations attempt to join progressive conversations without actually saying anything at all. We label this “constructive silences”. This is where companies say nothing of substance on gender issues, and do not reveal any efforts to tackle gender inequalities within their own practices. But nonetheless they tap into conversations about International Women’s Day that might enhance their reputations.
A post on X from Lockheed Martin India uses International Women’s Day hashtags. But there is no clear link to the accompanying text, which does not mention women specifically. Nor is there any connection to initiatives to address gender inequalities. Instead it talks about how “an inclusive environment” helps employees to “develop innovative solutions”.
This matters because – through social media – arms manufacturers present technologies of war as a force for public good. It is easier to deflect criticism of the harms created by your products when you can point to your efforts supporting women’s empowerment.
These posts for International Women’s Day, and other gender-washing practices, make it easier for governments to continue subsidising the arms industry, buying and using weaponry, and issuing licenses for the sale of weapons in conflicts across the globe. All the while, they give the impression that the corporations producing those weapons are educating and empowering women and girls.
This International Women’s Day, take a look for yourself. Think about which companies are professing care for women and what harms might they be obscuring.
In a statement to The Conversation, a spokesman for Lockheed Martin said: Lockheed Martin’s core business safeguards human rights by advancing cutting-edge technologies that help US and allied defence forces promote deterrence and protect their people. We adhere to strict and ethical business practices guided by US government laws, regulations and policies related to international military sales and the use of products sold to international customers. Our company culture is collaborative and respectful, which allows all of our team members to impactfully contribute to our mission-critical work.
Raytheon and Northrop Grumman were also approached for comment about the claims made in this article, but did not respond by the time we published.
Rosie Walters receives funding from the Economic and Social Research Council, the Arts and Humanities Research Council and the Learned Society of Wales.
Natalie Jester does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: United States Small Business Administration
SACRAMENTO, Calif., The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding eligible small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Montana of the April 7, 2025, deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by the drought beginning June 1, 2024.
The disaster declaration covers the counties of Beaverhead, Broadwater, Deer Lodge, Flathead, Gallatin, Glacier, Granite, Jefferson, Lake, Lewis and Clark, Lincoln, Madison, Missoula, Pondera, Powell, Ravalli, Sanders, Silver Bow and Teton in Montana, as well as Clark, Fremont, Idaho and Lemhi counties in Idaho.
Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and PNPs with financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises.
EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the drought and are available even if the business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills not paid due to the disaster.
“Through a declaration by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, SBA provides critical financial assistance to help communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “We’re pleased to offer loans to small businesses and private nonprofits impacted by these disasters.”
The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.25% for PNPs, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due, until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.
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.
Submit completed loan applications to the SBA no later than April 7.
###
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, 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.
Source: United States Small Business Administration
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding eligible small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Iowa of the April 7, 2025, deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by the excessive rain, flash flooding, hail, high winds and lightning occurring June 1, 2024.
The disaster declaration covers the counties of Buena Vista, Cherokee, Clay, Dickinson, Emmet, Lyon, O’Brien, Osceola, Palo Alto, Plymouth, Pocahontas and Sioux in Iowa, as well as Jackson, Nobles and Rock counties in Minnesota, and Lincoln, Minnehaha and Union counties in South Dakota.
Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and PNPs with financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises.
EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills not paid due to the disaster.
“Through a declaration by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, SBA provides critical financial assistance to help communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “We’re pleased to offer loans to small businesses and private nonprofits impacted by these disasters.”
The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.25% for PNPs, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due, until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.
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.
Submit completed loan applications to the SBA no later than April 7.
###
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, 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.
Source: United States Small Business Administration
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding eligible small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Oklahoma of the April 7, 2025, deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by the drought beginning June 11, 2024.
This disaster declaration covers the counties of Beckham, Blaine, Caddo, Canadian, Comanche, Custer, Grady, Greer, Jackson, Kiowa, Tillman and Washita.
Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and PNPs with financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises.
EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the drought and are available even if the business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills not paid due to the disaster.
“Through a declaration by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, SBA provides critical financial assistance to help communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “We’re pleased to offer loans to small businesses and private nonprofits impacted by these disasters.”
The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.25% for PNPs, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due, until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.
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.
Submit completed loan applications to the SBA no later than April 7.
###
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, 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.
Source: United States Small Business Administration
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding eligible small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Montana of the April 7, 2025, deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by the excessive rain, flash flooding, hail, high winds and lightning occurring on July 13, 2024.
The disaster declaration covers the counties of Carter, Custer, Fallon and Powder River in Montana, Butte and Harding counties in South Dakota, and Crook County in Wyoming.
Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and PNPs with financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises.
EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills not paid due to the disaster.
“Through a declaration by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, SBA provides critical financial assistance to help communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “We’re pleased to offer loans to small businesses and private nonprofits impacted by these disasters.”
The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.25% for PNPs, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due, until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.
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.
Submit completed loan applications to the SBA no later than April 7.
###
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, 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.
Statement from the Missouri Secretary of State’s Office Regarding School Vendor Agreements
The Missouri Secretary of State’s Office has been informed of concerns regarding agreements between public schools and file sharing vendors. Our office is actively investigating these agreements to ensure they comply with all legal requirements and include the proper restrictions to protect minors and to restrict inappropriate and illegal materials.
It is our priority to ensure that any agreements utilizing taxpayer funds through the Missouri Secretary of State’s Office entered into by public schools are transparent, enforceable, and in the best interest of students, educators, and the taxpayers of Missouri.
We are committed to ensuring that these agreements meet all necessary standards and regulations to maintain the integrity of Missouri’s public education system. As we move forward with this investigation, we will work closely with relevant authorities to ensure that any discrepancies are addressed and proper action is taken.
The public can be assured that we are dedicated to upholding the highest standards of accountability and transparency in both our public schools and public libraries, and we will continue to monitor this situation closely.
About Secretary of State Denny Hoskins Denny Hoskins, CPA, was elected Missouri’s 41st Secretary of State in November 2024. With a strong background in business and public service, he is committed to improving government efficiency, transparency, and supporting Missouri families.
For more information, please contact: Rachael Dunn, Director of Communications, via email at [email protected].
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By May Darwich, Associate Professor of International Relations of the Middle East, University of Birmingham
US president Donald Trump famously called Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi his “favourite dictator” in 2019, but their relationship has been complex. Trump’s return to the White House for a second term has sent ripples of concern through Cairo. In January 2025, Trump proposed a resolution to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in Gaza: forcibly relocating Palestinians to Egypt and Jordan. Trump simultaneously threatened to withdraw US aid if these countries didn’t comply with the proposal. Sisi’s Egypt will need to navigate Trump’s ambition without sacrificing the regime’s own survival. May Darwich, who has studied Arab states’ foreign policies and alliances in the Middle East, explains what’s at stake.
US aid has been a cornerstone of Egyptian-US relations for decades.
Since 1979, Egypt has been a central pillar of US policies in the Middle East. Military aid is deemed essential to ensure that the regime in Egypt aligns with US interests. At the same time, this aid is widely seen as contributing to the survival of Egypt’s authoritarian regime.
But history shows that Egypt can soften the potential impact of the US freezing assistance during periods of strained relations.
After a period of review, the Barack Obama administration released aid to Egypt to preserve US interests. As US secretary of state John Kerry once explained:
We are getting a return on that investment that is not inconsequential. The army also is helping us enforce security in the Sinai (in Egypt). The army is also helping us enforce the Gaza peace.
Should this relationship come under strain again, Egypt could learn to become even more independent. China’s influence in Egypt is growing, and the Gulf states that enjoy a close relationship with Sisi may also decide to commit funding.
How has Egypt balanced its interests with Arab states, Israel and the US?
The signing of the Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty in 1979 marked a shift in Egyptian foreign policy. The treaty aligned Egypt with the west in recognising Israel. This decision, however, led to Egypt’s isolation in the Arab world and its expulsion from the Arab League (it was readmitted in 1989).
Egypt condemned Israeli aggression against Palestinians and against Lebanon in 1982 and 2006, and froze efforts to normalise relations with Israel. This reinforced its pivotal position in Arab circles without jeopardising its peace with Israel.
Meanwhile, Egypt helped US military assets to move across the region and oil to flow through the Suez Canal. It maintained peace and stability with Israel by pressuring Palestinian resistance movements into de-escalation. This balancing act allowed Egypt to become a mediator between Palestine and Israel.
Egypt under Sisi has made efforts to maintain the balancing act. However, the ongoing Gaza war has intensified Egypt’s challenges. These include refugee flights and instability at its border. The war has also threatened Egypt’s longstanding role in the Middle East region.
How has the Gaza war threatened Egypt’s balancing act?
The onset of the Gaza war in October 2023 put Egypt on edge. Cairo is apprehensive about Israel’s potential strategy of forcibly locating Palestinians to the Sinai Peninsula, which is on its territory. Egyptian officials have deemed that scenario as a red line. Cairo doesn’t want to be seen as undermining the Palestinian cause.
Also, Egyptians harbour concerns that the presence of a substantial Palestinian population in Sinai – which links Africa to Asia, and borders Israel and Gaza – could transform the region into a launchpad for attacks on Israel. This would compel Egypt to either suppress such activities or face retaliation from Israel.
This concern stems from a 1955 incident. The Israeli army raided an Egyptian military camp in the Gaza strip, which was then under Egyptian control. Seventeen soldiers were killed following a Palestinian militant’s killing of an Israeli. A plan to move Palestinians to Sinai sparked protests in the Gaza strip, bringing the Egyptian military in direct confrontation with Palestinians.
This historical event has continued to shape Egyptian foreign policy, which rejects any relocation of Palestinians in Sinai.
The current war has highlighted structural weaknesses in the already precarious Egyptian economy. The Houthi attacks in the Red Sea that began in 2024 caused a sharp drop in revenues from the Suez Canal, a critical source of foreign revenue for Egypt.
Sisi played on European fears that what happened in Gaza could harm Egypt’s economic situation and lead to mass migration to Europe. But cash infusions won’t solve the deep-seated economic challenges facing the country.
Cairo’s role as a mediator between the west, Israel and the Arab world is facing renewed challenges. Other mediators, like Qatar, have emerged.
What could affect Egypt’s response to Trump’s proposal to relocate Palestinians?
Trump’s proposal places the Egyptian regime in a precarious position. If Egypt agrees to the plan to relocate Palestinians from Gaza, it would signify a dramatic departure from its foundational foreign policies. It could also reignite discontent among its population.
Rejecting the proposal would strain Egypt-US relations, potentially undermining the support for Sisi’s regime, which might then have to seek aid from other countries.
The Gaza conflict underscores Egypt’s historical and political entanglement with the Palestinian issue.
– Egypt on edge: finding a delicate balance between Gaza and Trump – https://theconversation.com/egypt-on-edge-finding-a-delicate-balance-between-gaza-and-trump-251375
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By May Darwich, Associate Professor of International Relations of the Middle East, University of Birmingham
US president Donald Trump famously called Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi his “favourite dictator” in 2019, but their relationship has been complex. Trump’s return to the White House for a second term has sent ripples of concern through Cairo. In January 2025, Trump proposed a resolution to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in Gaza: forcibly relocating Palestinians to Egypt and Jordan. Trump simultaneously threatened to withdraw US aid if these countries didn’t comply with the proposal. Sisi’s Egypt will need to navigate Trump’s ambition without sacrificing the regime’s own survival. May Darwich, who has studied Arab states’ foreign policies and alliances in the Middle East, explains what’s at stake.
US aid has been a cornerstone of Egyptian-US relations for decades.
Since 1979, Egypt has been a central pillar of US policies in the Middle East. Military aid is deemed essential to ensure that the regime in Egypt aligns with US interests. At the same time, this aid is widely seen as contributing to the survival of Egypt’s authoritarian regime.
But history shows that Egypt can soften the potential impact of the US freezing assistance during periods of strained relations.
After a period of review, the Barack Obama administration released aid to Egypt to preserve US interests. As US secretary of state John Kerry once explained:
We are getting a return on that investment that is not inconsequential. The army also is helping us enforce security in the Sinai (in Egypt). The army is also helping us enforce the Gaza peace.
Should this relationship come under strain again, Egypt could learn to become even more independent. China’s influence in Egypt is growing, and the Gulf states that enjoy a close relationship with Sisi may also decide to commit funding.
How has Egypt balanced its interests with Arab states, Israel and the US?
The signing of the Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty in 1979 marked a shift in Egyptian foreign policy. The treaty aligned Egypt with the west in recognising Israel. This decision, however, led to Egypt’s isolation in the Arab world and its expulsion from the Arab League (it was readmitted in 1989).
Egypt condemned Israeli aggression against Palestinians and against Lebanon in 1982 and 2006, and froze efforts to normalise relations with Israel. This reinforced its pivotal position in Arab circles without jeopardising its peace with Israel.
Meanwhile, Egypt helped US military assets to move across the region and oil to flow through the Suez Canal. It maintained peace and stability with Israel by pressuring Palestinian resistance movements into de-escalation. This balancing act allowed Egypt to become a mediator between Palestine and Israel.
Egypt under Sisi has made efforts to maintain the balancing act. However, the ongoing Gaza war has intensified Egypt’s challenges. These include refugee flights and instability at its border. The war has also threatened Egypt’s longstanding role in the Middle East region.
How has the Gaza war threatened Egypt’s balancing act?
The onset of the Gaza war in October 2023 put Egypt on edge. Cairo is apprehensive about Israel’s potential strategy of forcibly locating Palestinians to the Sinai Peninsula, which is on its territory. Egyptian officials have deemed that scenario as a red line. Cairo doesn’t want to be seen as undermining the Palestinian cause.
Also, Egyptians harbour concerns that the presence of a substantial Palestinian population in Sinai – which links Africa to Asia, and borders Israel and Gaza – could transform the region into a launchpad for attacks on Israel. This would compel Egypt to either suppress such activities or face retaliation from Israel.
This concern stems from a 1955 incident. The Israeli army raided an Egyptian military camp in the Gaza strip, which was then under Egyptian control. Seventeen soldiers were killed following a Palestinian militant’s killing of an Israeli. A plan to move Palestinians to Sinai sparked protests in the Gaza strip, bringing the Egyptian military in direct confrontation with Palestinians.
This historical event has continued to shape Egyptian foreign policy, which rejects any relocation of Palestinians in Sinai.
The current war has highlighted structural weaknesses in the already precarious Egyptian economy. The Houthi attacks in the Red Sea that began in 2024 caused a sharp drop in revenues from the Suez Canal, a critical source of foreign revenue for Egypt.
Sisi played on European fears that what happened in Gaza could harm Egypt’s economic situation and lead to mass migration to Europe. But cash infusions won’t solve the deep-seated economic challenges facing the country.
Cairo’s role as a mediator between the west, Israel and the Arab world is facing renewed challenges. Other mediators, like Qatar, have emerged.
What could affect Egypt’s response to Trump’s proposal to relocate Palestinians?
Trump’s proposal places the Egyptian regime in a precarious position. If Egypt agrees to the plan to relocate Palestinians from Gaza, it would signify a dramatic departure from its foundational foreign policies. It could also reignite discontent among its population.
Rejecting the proposal would strain Egypt-US relations, potentially undermining the support for Sisi’s regime, which might then have to seek aid from other countries.
The Gaza conflict underscores Egypt’s historical and political entanglement with the Palestinian issue.
May Darwich does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
News story
A step forward for girls in custody: Reflecting on the review
Susannah Hancock, YJB Board member, reflects on her review of girls in custody, which makes several recommendations about how we can better meet their needs.
YJB Board member, Susannah Hancock
My independent review into placements for girls in custody was published this week. I was delighted to be asked to undertake the review by Sir Nic Dakin, Minister for Youth Justice, as I have seen first-hand through my work with the YJB that girls are some of the most complex and vulnerable children in the youth justice system. The report considers short-to-medium term placement options for girls in the children’s secure estate and makes a number of recommendations about how we can better meet their needs.
I have been especially pleased to see that the government has acted on the first recommendation from my review with immediate effect; to stop placing girls in young offender institutions (YOIs). This is an essential and positive step forward for the treatment and care of girls in custody. It will address a fundamental issue that has long been overlooked; the need for a system that is responsive to the distinct needs of girls.
What we know about girls in custody
Following the closure of Rainsbrook Secure Training Centre (STC) in 2021, the Youth Custody Service (YCS) began placing some girls temporarily into Wetherby YOI. However, some 3 and a half years later, YOIs have remained a custody option for girls.
Currently there are around 10 girls in the custodial system, making up less than 2% of the population, and it’s due to this that placements are often geared around the needs of boys, with girls needs often overlooked. This is a systemic issue, and one I was determined to understand better.
An incredibly important factor for girls entering the youth justice system are their experiences of trauma, physical abuse, sexual abuse and victimisation, and most girls in custody have experienced more than one of these adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). The YJB’s most recent data also shows that between 75% and 90% have experienced abuse from a family member. This means that too often, when girls arrive in a custodial setting, it serves to retraumatise them.
Overall, the figures suggest that a significant number of the girls in custody, particularly those on remand, would not be there if appropriate community provisions were in place.
A range of voices, with girls at the heart
During the time I spent on the review – alongside my day job – I made it a priority to fully engage with a wide range of voices from across the sector. From frontline staff to think tanks and academics, the breadth of the conversations I had was invaluable. I also had the opportunity to speak directly with girls themselves in the establishments I visited, as well as with two young women who had earlier experience of the children’s secure estate. These conversations, alongside reading wider consultations with girls about their experience in custody, really shaped the direction of the review. I am so grateful to them for their openness and honesty in sharing their voices; it is these voices that are paramount in ensuring that the services we provide are not only effective but tailored to girls’ needs.
“The voices of girls were really important in shaping the review, to understand what they thought about different establishments.”
Trauma-informed practice
As I spoke to professionals across the sector, it became clear that the needs of girls in custody are distinct from those of boys. They require a trauma-informed approach focused not only on containment but about providing appropriate, therapeutic care. While evidence shows that boys are more likely to externalise trauma through violence, girls’ trauma often manifests through self-harm and substance misuse. Girls also often suffer post-traumatic stress disorder which can result in behavioural difficulties. Indeed, my findings were stark: over 50% of self-harm incidents in custodial settings involved girls and their exposure to ACEs is four times higher than their peers in the community.
I recognise that there are many vulnerable boys in the secure estate who also present with experiences of trauma and abuse. I am hopeful that much of the learning from the girls’ review can also be applied to them as we move forward with this work.
Gender-responsive settings
Gender-responsive approaches recognise girls’ experience of gender-based violence, the impact of their trauma and that responses must centre on the abuse, victimisation and systemic inequalities faced by girls. In short, staff working with girls in secure settings must recognise that girls are different and the kind of support they need is different. What came out loud and clear from girls and staff themselves is that high- quality, trauma-informed and gender-responsive training is key to support and deliver the best possible outcomes.
“Girls are different and their needs are different. Girls need gender-responsive services to support those needs.”
What girls want
There was a strong level of consensus from the professionals I spoke to, and girls themselves, on a what a model establishment should look like.
Girls valued small, homely environments, clear boundaries and a caring and skilled workforce who listen to their views: “If we raise something, it needs to be taken seriously.”
Secure settings should be gender-sensitive, offer physical, emotional and mental health services, including psychiatric support and ability to respond to self-harm incidents. As set out in my recommendations, the evidence suggests that secure children’s homes and the secure school are best suited to deliver this, and I look forward to seeing this shift happen over time.
A ‘girls consortia’ – the ideal model
In the review I recommend developing a ‘girls consortia’ – a collective group of secure children’s homes and the new secure school, which work collaboratively across the secure estate, and with cross-governmental support, to provide placements for all girls in custody. By working together, this model would determine suitable placements for girls based on their own individual experiences, tailored to their specific needs. Further to this, the model could support knowledge sharing and access to shared training to better meet the needs of vulnerable girls.
Alongside the consortia model, we equally need to strengthen and develop provision in the community so many of these girls can be kept out of custody altogether. My review makes some clear recommendations for cross-departmental working, alongside local authorities and local partners, including youth justice services, to come together to develop and invest in community alternatives.
Conclusions
I’m excited to see where the government goes with the recommendations, and I’m hopeful that we will see progress in several areas. The Youth Justice Board has a crucial role to play in supporting girls, and this review presents a real opportunity to collaborate with the sector on the development of a national strategy for girls across the youth justice system.
This review has been an important step forward – building on the great work undertaken by many practitioners, academics and research bodies before me. While I am pleased with the immediate action on the YOI recommendation, there is still much to be done. I hope this review, through the clear evidence base, offers a vision of how we could do things differently; to maximise the positive changes we can make for these girls and deliver the best outcomes for them. Everyone has a role to play in this. It is only by working together that we will make the step change needed.
Additional funding from Sport England has been accepted by Preston City Council Cabinet Members (Wednesday 5 March) to support a capital investment to improve energy efficiency at Fulwood Leisure Centre.
The grant sum of £226,552 will be transferred to Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL), the charitable social enterprise that operates Better leisure centres in Preston including Fulwood and Westview, on behalf of Preston City Council.
Rising energy prices over recent years have significantly increased the costs of keeping the two swimming pools open. Since transferring over the running of the city’s leisure city centre assets to GLL in 2017, GLL has been able to deliver substantial savings to protect the long-term viability of these important community assets.
Following a successful bid from the Phase 1 Swimming Pool Support Fund (SPSF) in September 2023, the Council has now received funding from the Phase 2 SPSF.
Due to the national demand on this funding, the government and Sport England is only awarding the funding to one facility per local authority and to fund two interventions at that site.
A single application was submitted on behalf of all the eligible pools in the area.
The funding will be used to install solar panels to the roof of Fulwood Leisure Centre which will significantly reduce energy bills by lowering the centre’s reliance on the national grid, while contributing to carbon savings.
The old boiler will be replaced with a new state-of-the-art heating system which will further improve the energy efficiency of the building.
Councillor Zafar Coupland, Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing said:
Swimming pools are such an important part of our communities and are accessed by many as an enjoyable, low impact activity for maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle. The additional grant funding is a critical and very welcome boost in helping our leisure centres to stay operational and to carry out ongoing essential repairs.
One of the aims of the Phase 2 funding agreement is to encourage the leisure sector to transition to a position of environmental and financial sustainability through local strategic plans for leisure and active wellbeing.
Established in 1993, GLL is the largest UK-based charitable social enterprise delivering leisure, health and community services. Operating under the Better brand, it manages 250 public sport and leisure centres, 113 libraries and 10 children’s centres in partnership with 50 local councils, public agencies and sporting organisations.
Michael Manley, Preston Partnership Manager at GLL said:
The move reinforces our commitment to supporting renewable energy, while allowing us to make vital savings on energy costs. These savings will be reinvested so that we can continue our ongoing programme of improvements to enhance the customer experience, offer the best possible leisure facilities and better serve the community of Preston.
Preston City Council actively applies and prioritises the principles of Community Wealth Building wherever applicable and appropriate. Community Wealth Building is an approach which aims to ensure the economic system builds wealth and prosperity for everyone.
Sport England
Sport England is a public body and invests up to £300 million National Lottery and government money each year in projects and programmes that help people get active and play sport.
It wants everyone in England, regardless of age, background, or level of ability, to feel able to engage in sport and physical activity. That’s why a lot of its work is specifically focused on helping people who do no, or very little, physical activity and groups who are typically less active – like women, disabled people and people on lower incomes.