Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
DAMASCUS, July 16 (Xinhua) — A new ceasefire agreement was reached between Syria’s interim government and the Druze community in the southern province of As-Suwayda on Wednesday, aiming to end days of deadly clashes and return the province to full government control, Syrian authorities said.
According to a statement by the Syrian government published by the state news agency SANA, the agreement envisages a complete ceasefire and the deployment of internal checkpoints throughout the city of As-Suwayda. The province of the same name, which has seen intense fighting since July 13, will be fully reintegrated into the Syrian state.
The spiritual leader of Syria’s Druze community, Sheikh Youssef Jarbu, confirmed the agreement in a statement, outlining its key terms. These include an immediate halt to all military operations, the withdrawal of army units to barracks, and the establishment of a joint monitoring committee of government officials and Druze clerics to oversee the ceasefire.
The truce followed four days of violent clashes that left at least 248 people dead, including civilians, soldiers and Bedouin tribal fighters, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. –0–
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Due to safety concerns, including lack of supervision, Education and Childcare has put Pacesetters Early Learning and Childare Centre on a probationary licence, which will expire on Oct. 15. Child Care Licensing is closely monitoring the program.
The licence holder is required to notify all parents of their probationary status and provide evidence of notification to the Ministry of Education and Childcare. Families looking for alternative child-care options can contact Child Care Connect toll free at 1-844-644-5165 for information on other licenced programs, or use the Child Care Look-up tool.
Anyone with concerns about a child-care program can call Child Care Connect toll free at 1-844-644-5165.
Probationary licences
The vast majority of child-care providers and educators in Alberta are committed to the safety and well-being of the children in their care.
If a licenced child-care program is unable to meet the standards set out by Alberta’s government, it can be subject to enforcement action, including suspension of its licence and a probationary licence. Further enforcement action, including cancellation of a licence, can occur if the level of risk continues or escalates.
If the licenced child-care program is unable to return to compliance during the probationary period, the suspended licence expires and is not reinstated. Cancellation is the last resort with compliance being the goal.
Quick facts
Alberta’s government monitors child-care programs to ensure safety and compliance with the Early Learning and Child Care Act and Regulation. This includes making decisions regarding a child-care program or agency’s licence, including probationary orders, suspensions or cancellations.
A child-care provider who disagrees with a licensing decision has 30 days to file an appeal.
Alternative child-care options can be found online through the Child Care Lookup Tool.
In early June, the Labor opposition moved a motion of no confidence in the Liberal Premier, Jeremy Rockliff. The motion passed with the support of three crossbench MPs, the Greens, and a casting vote from the speaker.
Rockliff refused to step aside and Opposition Leader Dean Winter ruled out doing a deal with the Greens to govern in minority, which left the Governor with no choice but to call an election just 16 months after the last.
Some Tasmanians would be forgiven for feeling a bit of election fatigue. On top of the March 2024 state election, there was the federal election on May 3, voting for three legislative council seats on May 24 and now this poll.
Trudging along the campaign trail
The vibe of the campaign has veered wildly between pedestrian and acrimonious.
Candidates have struggled to connect with a disgruntled public, and a combination of the stadium saga and political mudslinging have distracted from Tasmania’s serious challenges.
Despite the election being brought about by Labor’s no confidence motion, the party seemed curiously unprepared. Its candidate announcements were slow and disjointed, and red corflutes have been greatly outnumbered by blue.
Labor’s campaign has picked up some momentum in recent weeks by following the federal party’s playbook of making big health policy announcements.
In contrast to Labor, the Liberals hit the ground running with a slew of candidate announcements. They have presented themselves as the only party with a realistic chance of winning a majority, and sought to frame Labor’s Dean Winter as a power-hungry wrecker. They have also campaigned hard on health, attempting to neutralise Labor’s traditional strength in this area.
A bevy of former federal candidates are running, which could lead to changes in personnel, if not a big shift in the distribution of seats in parliament. Ones to watch include:
Liberal’s Bridget Archer (who lost her seat of Bass in May) and Gavin Pearce (retired Braddon MP)
Labor’s Brian Mitchell, the Lyons MP who stood aside for Rebecca White
Peter George, the anti-salmon farming independent in Franklin
and Vanessa Bleyer, a two-time Greens Senate candidate running in Braddon.
The Nationals are also in the mix following the latest in a series of Tasmanian “reboots” over the past few decades. Their candidate list includes former Jacqui Lambie Network and Liberal MPs, which could create a tense and chaotic party room if they win seats.
Disappointingly, both Labor and Liberal leaders have repeatedly demanded the other side stop playing “political games”, while merrily engaging in skulduggery of their own.
Labor was indignant when the Liberals challenged the eligibility of one of their star candidates, unionist Jessica Munday.
A few days later, Rockliff was righteously outraged when Labor grandee and former premier Paul Lennon registered the business “Tasinsure” – the name of the Liberals’ proposed state-owned insurance company.
Subpar signage
It’s fair to say no one has covered themselves in glory here.
The Liberals went with “Let’s finish the job for Tasmania”. I’m sure this isn’t meant to be read as a threat, but I can’t help but hear it in Alan Rickman’s voice.
Even if we leave aside the (unintended?) menacing implications, the slogan encourages voters to wonder why the job hasn’t been finished in the previous 11 years of Liberal government.
Labor is using “A Fresh Start for Tasmania”: a cliche, but serviceably simple.
The problem is, they stretched the slogan to the point of collapse by applying it to all of their policy headings. This meant that we ended up enduring “a fresh start for cost of living relief”, “a fresh start for our society”, and so on.
A special mention to Labor’s social media ads, which had all the gravitas of a toddler demanding their turn on the playground swings.
The Greens didn’t limit themselves to one slogan. Instead, they used various taglines on the theme of “the mess made by the major parties”, or simply stated their main policy pillars: stopping the stadium, investing in health and housing, protecting the environment, and stopping privatisation.
There were also some questionable offerings from the menagerie of independents. Surely the voters are entitled to expect more from their MPs than the “familiar face in Clark” offered by former Liberal MP Elise Archer? And as an experienced journalist, I’m sure Peter George could have done better than the derivative “Time for Change”.
What can we expect?
What will Tasmanians end up with after a campaign that has been less sound and fury and more white noise and niggle?
It looks like more of the same.
Polling shows that the two major parties are on the nose, particularly with younger voters. Labor and Liberal are fairly aligned on some of the headline issues that divide the electorate, including the stadium and salmon farming.
All this points to no party winning a majority of the 35 seats. If this happens, the convention is that the Governor gives the party with the most seats the first crack at cobbling together enough support from the crossbench to form a minority government.
Minority governments can come in lots of different shapes and sizes, from loose “confidence and supply” agreements to more formal power-sharing coalitions.
If the party with the most seats fails to form government, the Governor would typically let the second-largest party try.
Both the Liberals and Labor will face big challenges if they are given the opportunity to form minority government.
The Liberal Party has its nose ahead in most polls. However, several of the crossbench MPs the previous Liberal government relied on for support voted in favour of the no confidence motion in Rockliff.
Most of these MPs are likely to be re-elected, and will be wary of doing deals that essentially put in place the same government that they recently helped to bring down.
Labor have backed themselves into a corner by repeatedly ruling out working with the Greens. This would leave them needing to negotiate with a diverse array of crossbench MPs. Depending on the final distribution of seats, this might not secure them enough votes on the floor of parliament.
If – as seems likely – Tasmania ends up with another hung parliament, it will fall to our MPs to move beyond point scoring and gamesmanship. We urgently need budget repair, alongside ambitious reforms in health, housing, education, sustainability and productivity.
Here’s hoping that the next government is willing to collaborate and compromise – for the good of the state and to restore trust in our political system.
Robert Hortle 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.
In early June, the Labor opposition moved a motion of no confidence in the Liberal Premier, Jeremy Rockliff. The motion passed with the support of three crossbench MPs, the Greens, and a casting vote from the speaker.
Rockliff refused to step aside and Opposition Leader Dean Winter ruled out doing a deal with the Greens to govern in minority, which left the Governor with no choice but to call an election just 16 months after the last.
Some Tasmanians would be forgiven for feeling a bit of election fatigue. On top of the March 2024 state election, there was the federal election on May 3, voting for three legislative council seats on May 24 and now this poll.
Trudging along the campaign trail
The vibe of the campaign has veered wildly between pedestrian and acrimonious.
Candidates have struggled to connect with a disgruntled public, and a combination of the stadium saga and political mudslinging have distracted from Tasmania’s serious challenges.
Despite the election being brought about by Labor’s no confidence motion, the party seemed curiously unprepared. Its candidate announcements were slow and disjointed, and red corflutes have been greatly outnumbered by blue.
Labor’s campaign has picked up some momentum in recent weeks by following the federal party’s playbook of making big health policy announcements.
In contrast to Labor, the Liberals hit the ground running with a slew of candidate announcements. They have presented themselves as the only party with a realistic chance of winning a majority, and sought to frame Labor’s Dean Winter as a power-hungry wrecker. They have also campaigned hard on health, attempting to neutralise Labor’s traditional strength in this area.
A bevy of former federal candidates are running, which could lead to changes in personnel, if not a big shift in the distribution of seats in parliament. Ones to watch include:
Liberal’s Bridget Archer (who lost her seat of Bass in May) and Gavin Pearce (retired Braddon MP)
Labor’s Brian Mitchell, the Lyons MP who stood aside for Rebecca White
Peter George, the anti-salmon farming independent in Franklin
and Vanessa Bleyer, a two-time Greens Senate candidate running in Braddon.
The Nationals are also in the mix following the latest in a series of Tasmanian “reboots” over the past few decades. Their candidate list includes former Jacqui Lambie Network and Liberal MPs, which could create a tense and chaotic party room if they win seats.
Disappointingly, both Labor and Liberal leaders have repeatedly demanded the other side stop playing “political games”, while merrily engaging in skulduggery of their own.
Labor was indignant when the Liberals challenged the eligibility of one of their star candidates, unionist Jessica Munday.
A few days later, Rockliff was righteously outraged when Labor grandee and former premier Paul Lennon registered the business “Tasinsure” – the name of the Liberals’ proposed state-owned insurance company.
Subpar signage
It’s fair to say no one has covered themselves in glory here.
The Liberals went with “Let’s finish the job for Tasmania”. I’m sure this isn’t meant to be read as a threat, but I can’t help but hear it in Alan Rickman’s voice.
Even if we leave aside the (unintended?) menacing implications, the slogan encourages voters to wonder why the job hasn’t been finished in the previous 11 years of Liberal government.
Labor is using “A Fresh Start for Tasmania”: a cliche, but serviceably simple.
The problem is, they stretched the slogan to the point of collapse by applying it to all of their policy headings. This meant that we ended up enduring “a fresh start for cost of living relief”, “a fresh start for our society”, and so on.
A special mention to Labor’s social media ads, which had all the gravitas of a toddler demanding their turn on the playground swings.
The Greens didn’t limit themselves to one slogan. Instead, they used various taglines on the theme of “the mess made by the major parties”, or simply stated their main policy pillars: stopping the stadium, investing in health and housing, protecting the environment, and stopping privatisation.
There were also some questionable offerings from the menagerie of independents. Surely the voters are entitled to expect more from their MPs than the “familiar face in Clark” offered by former Liberal MP Elise Archer? And as an experienced journalist, I’m sure Peter George could have done better than the derivative “Time for Change”.
What can we expect?
What will Tasmanians end up with after a campaign that has been less sound and fury and more white noise and niggle?
It looks like more of the same.
Polling shows that the two major parties are on the nose, particularly with younger voters. Labor and Liberal are fairly aligned on some of the headline issues that divide the electorate, including the stadium and salmon farming.
All this points to no party winning a majority of the 35 seats. If this happens, the convention is that the Governor gives the party with the most seats the first crack at cobbling together enough support from the crossbench to form a minority government.
Minority governments can come in lots of different shapes and sizes, from loose “confidence and supply” agreements to more formal power-sharing coalitions.
If the party with the most seats fails to form government, the Governor would typically let the second-largest party try.
Both the Liberals and Labor will face big challenges if they are given the opportunity to form minority government.
The Liberal Party has its nose ahead in most polls. However, several of the crossbench MPs the previous Liberal government relied on for support voted in favour of the no confidence motion in Rockliff.
Most of these MPs are likely to be re-elected, and will be wary of doing deals that essentially put in place the same government that they recently helped to bring down.
Labor have backed themselves into a corner by repeatedly ruling out working with the Greens. This would leave them needing to negotiate with a diverse array of crossbench MPs. Depending on the final distribution of seats, this might not secure them enough votes on the floor of parliament.
If – as seems likely – Tasmania ends up with another hung parliament, it will fall to our MPs to move beyond point scoring and gamesmanship. We urgently need budget repair, alongside ambitious reforms in health, housing, education, sustainability and productivity.
Here’s hoping that the next government is willing to collaborate and compromise – for the good of the state and to restore trust in our political system.
Robert Hortle 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.
Ottawa, Ontario, July 16, 2025—The Canadian International Trade Tribunal today continued its order made on October 16, 2019, in expiry review RR‑2018‑006, concerning the dumping of structural tubing from South Korea and Türkiye.
The Tribunal found that the expiry of the order was likely to result in injury. As such, the Tribunal continued its order. The Canada Border Services Agency will therefore continue to impose anti‑dumping duties on these goods.
The Tribunal is an independent quasi‑judicial body that reports to Parliament through the Minister of Finance. It hears cases on dumped and subsidized imports, safeguard complaints, complaints about federal government procurement and appeals of customs and excise tax rulings. When requested by the federal government, the Tribunal also provides advice on other economic, trade and tariff matters.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11)
Washington, D.C. — Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11), former Navy helicopter pilot and member of the House Armed Services Committee, secured over $20 million in additional funds for Picatinny Arsenal programs and the New Jersey innovation economy in a mark-up of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
The NDAA is critical legislation that Congress authors each year to establish defense priorities, make organizational shifts to military posture, and provide direction on how military funding can be spent.
“One of my chief responsibilities is to craft national defense legislation that strengthens our fighting forces across the globe, bolsters the New Jersey economy by investing in Picatinny Arsenal, and expands protections for our service members and their families. With Pete Hegseth, the most incompetent Secretary of Defense in history, leading our armed forces, it’s more important than ever that we pass commonsense legislation that invests in our fighting forces and the men and women who have stepped up to serve our country.
“I ensured that Picatinny Arsenal continues to have the resources it needs to keep our soldiers safe across the world, bolster our New Jersey economy, and support the Ukrainian fight against Russian oppression. I continued my fight to ensure that our servicewomen and military families have access to abortion care, no matter where they are stationed; I stood up to protect women in combat roles across our armed forces; and I advocated to expand year-long contraception prescriptions for all active duty service members and families. I fought to strengthen guardrails to provide additional congressional oversight if the President or the Secretary of Defense tries to unilaterally relocate troops and protect the National Guard from being politicized. And I successfully included an amendment in the bill to reverse the Trump Administration’s attempt to legalize racial segregation in our armed forces.
“Our service members and their families make incredible sacrifices to protect the rights, freedoms, and democracy we hold dear. There is far too much at stake right now to allow political fights and partisan gamesmanship to endanger our national security and weaken our fighting forces,” said Mikie Sherrill.
Rep. Sherrill championed a pilot program for remote blood pressure monitoring for pregnant and postpartum women, successfully included an amendment that would expand access to apprenticeship training for service members transitioning to civilian life, and improve training and resources for firefighters serving on military installations.
She spoke up against Republican attempts to strip women from combat roles, highlighted Pete Hegseth’s dangerous use of Signal, and defended U.S. funding for our ally, Ukraine.
The NDAA also includes provisions that will strengthen Picatinny Arsenal, one of the largest employers in NJ-11, and support the critical work conducted there. Rep. Sherrill championed additional funding for Picatinny programs, including:
Scalable Counter Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (CsUAS) Munition delivered Air Defense payloads
Tier 1 Blast Over Pressure Reduction Technologies
Low Cost Armaments-based Counter Drone / Counter Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (CsUAS) Protection
Critical Energetic Materials and Manufacturing Industrial Base Supply Chain Technology
Rep. Sherrill offered and successfully secured inclusion of 12 amendments to the NDAA, including:
Requiring TRICARE to cover up to twelve-month supplies of contraception for service members and their families;
This amendment expands on Rep. Sherrill’s effort to require private insurance to allow patients to receive a full year’s supply of birth control instead of the typical three month supply.
Requiring DoD contractors to certify that they do not have segregated facilities
This amendment comes in response to the Trump Administration reversing a policy that required Department of Defense contractors to have nonsegregated facilities.
Establishing a pilot program to utilize remote monitoring of blood pressure for at-risk pregnant and postpartum military women;
Expanding bereavement leave to include service members and the spouse of the service member who experience the loss of a pregnancy or stillbirth;
Increasing the participation of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) positions in the Armed Forces;
Increasing access to registered apprenticeships in the Skillbridge program for service members transitioning to civilian careers;
Requiring the Department of Defense to conduct a study on the training and equipment of Firefighter Rapid Intervention Teams on military facilities.
Prohibiting the Trump administration from eliminating US military bases in Europe to protect our NATO allies.
Rep. Sherrill is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and served in the Navy for almost 10 years as a helicopter pilot and Russian policy officer. As a Russian policy officer, she worked on the implementation of our nuclear treaty obligations and oversaw the relationship between the U.S. Navy and Russian Federation Navy. She serves on the House Armed Services Committee and sits on the Tactical Air and Land Forces (TAL) and Cyber, Innovative Technologies, and Information Systems (CITI) Subcommittees.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11)
Washington, D.C. — Tonight, Rep. Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) introduced an amendment to the FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would repeal the longstanding federal ban on abortion care in the military health system. The amendment strikes Section 1093 of Title X, which prohibits the Department of Defense from providing abortion services in most cases.
Following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, approximately 40% of women in uniform are now stationed in states that ban or severely restrict abortion access. Even the narrow “exceptions” permitted under current law have proven unworkable in practice, putting the lives and health of servicewomen at risk.
Thousands of active-duty servicewomen seek abortion care each year, according to a 2023 RAND report. Yet under current law, military doctors and facilities are prohibited from providing that care, even when it’s medically necessary for their health — forcing women to turn to informal support systems or delay treatment.
The amendment seeks to restore full reproductive health care access for all military personnel and their families, regardless of where they are stationed.
Click here to watch Sherrill’s full remarks.
Full remarks, as delivered:
“Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
Today, across the country, women’s reproductive freedoms are under attack. After the Supreme Court’s MAGA majority overturned Roe, nineteen states now outright ban or severely restrict abortion access.
My daughters now have less freedoms than I did while growing up. It is unthinkable to me that so many of our servicewomen are already serving with less rights than I had while in the Navy and being stationed in states like Texas or Florida without basic access to reproductive care.
The fact that our military treatment facilities are only allowed to provide abortions in extremely limited circumstances is unacceptable and puts the health and wellbeing of our service members and their families at risk.
The decision to get an abortion is deeply personal and should be made by a woman and her doctor, not by politicians.
Our service members expect that they will receive the best possible health care. But our military healthcare providers can’t even give them an abortion when their health is at risk.
And we know that “exceptions” to abortion bans don’t work. We see horrific stories on the news about women who were denied care that they were SUPPOSED TO receive under an exception, often ending with the mother nearly losing her life.
We have more than 100,000 active-duty service members stationed in Texas. We’ve heard stories of a young woman, who died after experiencing a tragic miscarriage at 17-weeks. After being faced with this devastating loss, her doctors delayed medically necessary and lifesaving care because of the state’s abortion ban. She died as a result of an infection she developed because that care was delayed, leaving behind a young daughter.
In Georgia, another young woman experienced a rare complication with medication abortion where her body did not expel all of the fetal tissue. When she sought out medical care, she waited 20 hours before doctors were able to operate because of the state’s abortion ban. While she waited, her infection spread and her organs began to fail. Amber’s care came too late and she died as a result of the infection leaving behind a six year old son.
We ask our servicewomen to put their lives on the line for this country. They shouldn’t have to risk their lives giving birth.
But the fact remains that a woman should never need a so-called exception to get an abortion and it shouldn’t need to be an emergency before she can get care. It should be available, a decision a woman gets to make over her own body and her own life.
My amendment would repeal the draconian ban on abortions within the military health system, allowing our servicewomen and military families to have the freedom of access and the freedom to choose.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11)
WASHINGTON, DC— Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) is pushing back against the Trump administration’s latest plan to gut the Department of Defense’s civilian workforce, warning that proposed civil service cuts would undermine national security and devastate North Jersey’s economy surrounding Picatinny Arsenal.
At today’s House Armed Services Committee markup of the FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Sherrill spoke in defense of the engineers, scientists, and support staff at Picatinny — calling them critical to U.S. military readiness and innovation. Sherrill underscored the national security risks of outsourcing their work to private contractors and weakening the institutional knowledge that makes facilities like Picatinny a cornerstone of American defense.
Click hereto watch Rep. Sherrill’s full remarks.
Full remarks, as delivered:
“Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I speak today in strong support for my colleagues’ amendment that enshrines certain protections for our DoD civilians into law which I think is completely necessary given the work of this committee to try to manage and mitigate the complete incompetence coming from the Secretary of Defense and this administration when it comes to DoD related matters.
The Trump administration’s slash to the civil service is not just an attack on government workers – it’s a direct threat to our national security and to the economic stability of communities like mine in New Jersey.
At Picatinny Arsenal we have engineers, scientists, and support staff who are building the future of our national defense; developing the weapon systems our service members rely on to stay safe and to succeed.
Picatinny is a vital hub for U.S. military innovation, especially in advanced munitions and armaments that keep our troops safe and mission ready. Cutting civil service roles here directly weakens our military’s ability to develop, test, and deliver cutting edge weaponry.
Many of our civil servants have had years of specialized training in metallurgy, physics, and chemistry, some of it at the post-grad level at the Picatinny Armaments School that I’m working to get accredited and which has graduated 41 Masters Degree recipients and two PHDs. So in delivering these cuts we will harm and weaken our military’s ability to develop, test, and deliver cutting edge weaponry not just today but for years to come.
Slashing civil service positions risk shifting critical expertise to private contractors, driving up costs and reducing institutional knowledge within the government. Maintaining a robust civil service at Picatinny ensures that the U.S. retains strategic control over weapons development and innovation.
Cutting civil service jobs at Picatinny Arsenal is not just an attack on New Jersey workers, it’s an attack on our national security. And as someone who has served our country, I know we need to strengthen not weaken our defense capabilities. I will fight to protect every job and every innovation effort at Picatinny, because America’s security depends on it.
Wilfred Buck by Toronto-based Anishinaabe filmmaker Lisa Jackson
This hybrid, time-travelling road triptakes us into the stellar life of charismatic Cree Elder, star expert and ceremonial leader Wilfred Buck, adapted from Buck’s rollicking memoirI Have Lived Four Lives.
Co-produced by Door Number 3 Productionsand theNFB, Wilfred Buck was a Top 5 Audience Favourite at Hot Docs and was nominated for three Canadian Screen Awards.
Two lifetimes from now the world hangs in the balance. Dove, a young warrior, must use Inkwo (medicine) to fight against the forces of greedand consumption. A stop-motion adaptation of the short story “Wheetago War” by award-winning Tlicho Dene storyteller Richard Van Camp.
Co-produced by Spotted Fawn Productions and the NFB, Inkwo has garnered over 10 awards to date and was an Official Selection at the Toronto International Film Festival and Sundance.
APTN Award
Four creators of NFB works are eligible for this year’s APTN Award, recognizing Indigenous filmmakers who have distinguished themselves over the past year: Lisa Jackson (Wilfred Buck), Alanis Obomsawin (My Friend the Green Horse), Christopher Auchter (The Stand) and Kim O’Bomsawin (Ninan Auassat: We, the Children).
Roza Otunbayeva, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, made the appeal during a visit to the Islam Qala border crossing with Iran on Tuesday where she witnessed the daily influx of tens of thousands of returnees.
She also met returnee families, aid partners and regional de facto officials.
Alarm bells should be ringing
“What should be a positive homecoming moment for families who fled conflict decades ago is instead marked by exhaustion, trauma, and profound uncertainty,” said Ms. Otunbayeva, who also heads the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).
“The sheer volume of returns – many abrupt, many involuntary – should be setting off alarm bells across the global community,” she added.
“It is a test of our collective humanity. Afghanistan, already grappling with drought, and a chronic humanitarian crisis, cannot absorb this shock alone.”
Local communities overstretched
Since January, more than 1.3 million have been largely compelled to head back to Afghanistan – a country where 70 per cent of the population lives in poverty.
Women and children face the gravest risks, UNAMA said, as they are returning not only to dire economic hardships but to a context where their access to basic services and social protections remains severely constrained.
The UN has repeatedly highlighted the assault on women’s rights under Taliban rule, including bans affecting higher education, employment and freedom of movement.
Reintegration support critical
The returns are happening at a time when humanitarian operations remain woefully underfunded, forcing agonising choices between food, shelter, and safe passage.
Ms. Otunbayeva also underscored the critical need for immediate reintegration assistance as initial evidence shows that stabilising return communities requires urgent livelihood programmes and community infrastructure investments.
She warned that without swift interventions, remittance losses, labour market pressures, and cyclical migration will lead to devastating consequences.
These could include the further destabilization of both returnee and host populations, renewed displacement, mass onward movement, and risks to regional stability.
‘We cannot afford indifference’
She urged donors, development partners, and regional governments not to turn away and abandon Afghan returnees.
“What we are witnessing are the direct consequences of unmet global responsibilities,” she said. “We must act now – with resources, with coordination, and with resolve.”
Meanwhile, the UN in Afghanistan is calling for an integrated approach that resources humanitarian needs while scaling up assistance in areas of return.
At the same time, regional dialogue – including with Iran, Pakistan, and Central Asian states – must be prioritized to halt disorderly returns and uphold the principle of voluntary, dignified and safe repatriation.
“Afghanistan’s stability hinges on shared responsibility: We cannot afford indifference,” said Ms. Otunbayeva. “The cost of inaction will be measured in lives lost and conflicts reignited.”
Seven Days is an independent weekly newspaper covering Vermont news, politics, food, arts and culture. New issues are published each Wednesday and distributed free at 1,000 locations in Northern and Central Vermont.
The Seven Days website includes breaking news reports, videos, up-to-date event listings, job postings and personals, as well as content from current and past print issues and special publications.
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In just two months, B.C. has received almost 780 job applications from qualified health professionals across the United States, reflecting strong momentum from the Province’s co-ordinated U.S. recruitment campaign.
Building on this success, new strategies are underway to further attract internationally trained doctors.
“When we began recruiting in the U.S. in March, we were confident it would yield strong results, and this success confirms that British Columbia’s universal health-care system and vibrant communities continue to stand out,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Health. “With the support of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of B.C., we’re now making it easier than ever for internationally trained doctors to bring their skills to our province.”
Since the campaign began, more than 2,250 doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses and allied health professionals have signed up for webinars and expressed interest in working in B.C. This includes 827 physicians, 851 nurses, 254 nurse practitioners and 256 allied health professionals.
To further improve recruitment, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of B.C. (CPSBC) implemented bylaw changes on July 7, 2025, that benefit doctors trained outside of Canada. Since then, CPSBC has received 29 registration applications from U.S. doctors.
“CPSBC is always looking to evolve its bylaws, processes and procedures as health-care needs evolve,” said Dr. Patrick Rowe, CPSBC registrar and CEO. “These bylaw amendments are part of our work with government to find opportunities that will help British Columbians receive more accessible and timely care.”
The bylaw changes implemented by CPSBC are:
U.S.-trained doctors can now become fully licensed in B.C., without the need for further assessment, examination or training if they hold certification from the American Board of Medical Specialties, American Board of Family Medicine or the American Osteopathic Board of Family Physicians. It means that U.S.-trained and certified doctors can often be registered in a matter of weeks.
Doctors trained outside of Canada and the U.S. who are applying for registration and licensure in B.C. are no longer required to hold the Licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada. This change saves applicants approximately $1,500, which is the cost of the Medical Council of Canada Qualify Examination Part 1, and shortens the licensing process by several weeks.
Additionally, CPSBC is doing public consultations on a proposed bylaw change to further streamline the registration and licensure process for certain specialties from jurisdictions where training is recognized and approved by the Canadian national certification bodies, the College of Family Physicians of Canada and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
Internationally trained physicians wishing to practise in B.C. would have a direct pathway to full licensure if they completed a minimum of two years of accredited postgraduate training in family medicine in the U.S., Australia, United Kingdom or Ireland, or if they have completed postgraduate training and received a completion of training certificate and certification in certain specialties from Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, United Kingdom or Ireland.
Quotes:
Dr. Avi Kopstick, Canadian doctor in Texas who will move to Kelowna soon –
“I am joining the team at Kelowna General Hospital in mid-August. I have taken the decision to relocate, together with my husband and my two Maine coons, Rummy and Bella, because I’m drawn by B.C.’s values-driven health-care system and the opportunity to help expand local access to higher levels of care.”
Dr. Kyle McIver, Canadian doctor previously based in Massachusetts who is now practising in Terrace –
“Originally from Ontario, I fell in love with B.C. on a ski trip to Whistler at 10 years old. I did medical school in Ireland, my residency in Kelowna and Fort St. John, and then my return of service in Terrace. I went to Massachusetts to be closer to my wife who was doing her residency as an obstetrician gynecologist. With hopes and dreams we moved back to B.C. to raise our family in the place we wanted to be. We are involved with our community, we love our jobs and happy to help our colleagues from the U.S. make the jump.”
Dr. Adam Hoverman, a U.S. East Coast doctor now practising in Nanaimo –
“I chose to move from the U.S. to practise family medicine in B.C. as I can see the future of health care being born here, with improvement science and co-production of health and social care at the core of a system with the spirit, energy, optimism and cultural humility needed to improve. It is deeply inspiring and joyful to work in a system that values asking and meaningfully answering the question, ‘What matters to you?’ ”
Dismus Irungu, Los Angeles nurse now practising in Vancouver –
“I was drawn to B.C. mainly by the technologically advanced Blusson Spinal Cord Centre at Vancouver General Hospital, where I now work in Vancouver Coastal Health Authority. It’s one of the best in North America. The team is cohesive and supportive, and I go home from work each day feeling very fulfilled. When I calculated my costs, I am now able to save more and keep more money in my bank account than before my move. The transition was seamless and with this beautiful B.C. scenery, it has been a really great lifestyle choice.”
Quick Facts:
The changes to the bylaws follow similar changes recently adopted in Alberta, Ontario, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.
Between May and June 2025, B.C. has received nearly 780 job applications spanning all health regions: 181 for Interior Health, 154 for Fraser Health, 121 for Vancouver Coastal Health, 112 for Island Health, 70 for Providence Health Care, 66 for Provincial Health Services Authority and 63 for Northern Health (some applicants may have applied to more than one health authority).
The Province is taking a Team B.C. approach to recruiting health-care workers from the U.S., and is working in collaboration with health authorities, regulatory colleges and other partners.
The Province launched a targeted U.S. marketing campaign on June 2, 2025, in Washington, Oregon and select cities in California.
Learn More:
To learn about B.C.’s measures to attract doctors, nurses and other health professionals from the U.S., visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2025HLTH0013-000194
To learn more about health career opportunities in B.C., visit: https://bchealthcareers.ca/
To learn more about B.C.’s actions to strengthen health care, visit: https://strongerbc.gov.bc.ca/health-care/
Justice, truth, and memory lie at the heart of what it means for a society to rebuild after suffering from genocide and mass atrocity. Justice that holds perpetrators accountable and attempts to repair the harm that was done to victims and their communities. Truth that establishes the facts of what occurred. Memory that is a faithful reflection of that truth. These are the tools we use to stabilize, heal, and rehabilitate a post-atrocity society. All require the courage to deal with, rather than ignore, a past legacy of massive human rights abuses.
Achieving justice, truth, and memory does not happen quickly or come easily. To deal with the past is to open a wound that may be more comfortably, at least in the short term, left ignored. Long term, however, to let the wound fester is to invite the recurrence of another, perhaps even more grievous, conflict-laden future.
This is precisely why UConn’s internationally recognized International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) Digital Archives are such a rich and important resource. Established by the United Nations in 1993, the ICTY was the first international war crimes court of its kind since Nuremberg, and it focused extensively on investigating the atrocities committed during the Yugoslav Wars of 1992-95. The ICTY Digital Archives – the result of an ongoing collaboration between Dodd Human Rights Impact Programs, the UConn Libraries, the Connecticut Digital Archive, and individual scholars, witnesses, and others involved in the tribunal – seek to make the work of the tribunal accessible to researchers, educators, students, and others.
Under the leadership of Predrag Dojčinović, who formerly worked for the Office of the Prosecutor at the ICTY, and Aida Gradaščević, a graduate of UConn’s master’s program in human rights, a team of UConn student researchers have helped curate ten unique and diverse collections related to documents, translations, photographs, expert reports, records, and other materials from the ICTY.
For Dojčinović, the ICTY Digital Archive “stands as a powerful and enduring monument to justice, truth, and remembrance, a meticulously curated legacy uniting victims’ voices, expert insights, and judicial records into an unassailable historical testament. By opening this profound repository to the world, we affirm that justice transcends the courtroom: it lives in public memory, breathes through open dialogue, and endures in our shared commitment to truth, accountability, and reconciliation.”
Srebrenica Memorial Cemetery, July 11, 2007, James Waller
The newest addition to UConn’s ICTY Digital Archives, the Srebrenica Genocide Archives Collection, is particularly timely as July 2025 marks 30 years since the genocide in Srebrenica occurred. Standing as the gravest crime committed on European soil since the Second World War, over 8,000 Bosniak (Bosnian Muslims) men and boys, despite the presence of United Nations peacekeepers, were systematically murdered by Bosnian Serb forces in July 1995. The bodies of the victims – three generations of males, including some as young as 10 years of age – were then dumped into mass graves or thrown into the Drina River. To conceal the extent of the massacre, Bosnian Serbs later scattered the remains of many of the victims in secondary or tertiary mass graves. To date, the remains of nearly 1,000 of the Srebrenica victims have yet to be found.
Alongside official court materials, the Srebrenica Genocide Archives Collection includes a wider range of sources: scholarly articles, books, films, podcasts, images, and other media that continue to tell the story of Srebrenica and trace its enduring impact three decades later. The collection is designed to evolve over time, growing through continued research and contributions to ensure that the memory of Srebrenica remains active, accessible, and instructive for generations to come. This collection is particularly crucial as denial of the Srebrenica genocide, along with glorification of convicted war criminals, remains painfully prevalent in Serb political and social discourse throughout the region.
In reflecting on the events he survived in the former Yugoslavia, the late poet Goran Simic captured the importance of projects like the ICTY Digital Archives: “Dealing with the past will not be easy, but it is essential. Dealing with our own past by bringing closure and offering justice for all, perpetrators and victims, is the only right way. This path will not remove crimes from history. It will not repair souls that have been torn apart. But it will offer them the option to move on, and future generations will be able to live without the baggage of what went before.”
James Waller, Professor of Literatures, Cultures, and Languages & Dodd Chair in Human Rights Practice at the Gladstein Family Human Rights Institute, UConn
Justice, truth, and memory lie at the heart of what it means for a society to rebuild after suffering from genocide and mass atrocity. Justice that holds perpetrators accountable and attempts to repair the harm that was done to victims and their communities. Truth that establishes the facts of what occurred. Memory that is a faithful reflection of that truth. These are the tools we use to stabilize, heal, and rehabilitate a post-atrocity society. All require the courage to deal with, rather than ignore, a past legacy of massive human rights abuses.
Achieving justice, truth, and memory does not happen quickly or come easily. To deal with the past is to open a wound that may be more comfortably, at least in the short term, left ignored. Long term, however, to let the wound fester is to invite the recurrence of another, perhaps even more grievous, conflict-laden future.
This is precisely why UConn’s internationally recognized International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) Digital Archives are such a rich and important resource. Established by the United Nations in 1993, the ICTY was the first international war crimes court of its kind since Nuremberg, and it focused extensively on investigating the atrocities committed during the Yugoslav Wars of 1992-95. The ICTY Digital Archives – the result of an ongoing collaboration between Dodd Human Rights Impact Programs, the UConn Libraries, the Connecticut Digital Archive, and individual scholars, witnesses, and others involved in the tribunal – seek to make the work of the tribunal accessible to researchers, educators, students, and others.
Under the leadership of Predrag Dojčinović, who formerly worked for the Office of the Prosecutor at the ICTY, and Aida Gradaščević, a graduate of UConn’s master’s program in human rights, a team of UConn student researchers have helped curate ten unique and diverse collections related to documents, translations, photographs, expert reports, records, and other materials from the ICTY.
For Dojčinović, the ICTY Digital Archive “stands as a powerful and enduring monument to justice, truth, and remembrance, a meticulously curated legacy uniting victims’ voices, expert insights, and judicial records into an unassailable historical testament. By opening this profound repository to the world, we affirm that justice transcends the courtroom: it lives in public memory, breathes through open dialogue, and endures in our shared commitment to truth, accountability, and reconciliation.”
Srebrenica Memorial Cemetery, July 11, 2007, James Waller
The newest addition to UConn’s ICTY Digital Archives, the Srebrenica Genocide Archives Collection, is particularly timely as July 2025 marks 30 years since the genocide in Srebrenica occurred. Standing as the gravest crime committed on European soil since the Second World War, over 8,000 Bosniak (Bosnian Muslims) men and boys, despite the presence of United Nations peacekeepers, were systematically murdered by Bosnian Serb forces in July 1995. The bodies of the victims – three generations of males, including some as young as 10 years of age – were then dumped into mass graves or thrown into the Drina River. To conceal the extent of the massacre, Bosnian Serbs later scattered the remains of many of the victims in secondary or tertiary mass graves. To date, the remains of nearly 1,000 of the Srebrenica victims have yet to be found.
Alongside official court materials, the Srebrenica Genocide Archives Collection includes a wider range of sources: scholarly articles, books, films, podcasts, images, and other media that continue to tell the story of Srebrenica and trace its enduring impact three decades later. The collection is designed to evolve over time, growing through continued research and contributions to ensure that the memory of Srebrenica remains active, accessible, and instructive for generations to come. This collection is particularly crucial as denial of the Srebrenica genocide, along with glorification of convicted war criminals, remains painfully prevalent in Serb political and social discourse throughout the region.
In reflecting on the events he survived in the former Yugoslavia, the late poet Goran Simic captured the importance of projects like the ICTY Digital Archives: “Dealing with the past will not be easy, but it is essential. Dealing with our own past by bringing closure and offering justice for all, perpetrators and victims, is the only right way. This path will not remove crimes from history. It will not repair souls that have been torn apart. But it will offer them the option to move on, and future generations will be able to live without the baggage of what went before.”
James Waller, Professor of Literatures, Cultures, and Languages & Dodd Chair in Human Rights Practice at the Gladstein Family Human Rights Institute, UConn
NoName057(16) has professed support for the Russian Federation since the start of the war of aggression against Ukraine. Since the start of the war, it has executed multiple DDoS attacks against critical infrastructure during high-level (political) events. The group has also exhibited anti-NATO and anti-U.S. sentiment. During a DDoS attack, a website or online service is flooded with traffic, overloading its capacity and thus making it unavailable. The hacktivist group has executed 14 attacks in Germany, some of them lasting multiple days and affecting around 230 organisations including arms factories, power suppliers and government organisations. Attacks were also executed across Europe during the European elections. In Sweden, authorities and bank websites were targeted, while in Switzerland multiple attacks were carried out during a video message given by the Ukrainian President to the Joint Parliament in June 2023, and during the Peace Summit for Ukraine in June 2024. Most recently, the Netherlands was targeted during the NATO Summit at the end of June.
To execute their attacks, the group recruited supporters through a messaging service. It is estimated that the hackers were able to mobilise around 4000 users who supported their operations by downloading malware that made it possible for them to participate in the DDoS attacks. The group also built its own botnet using hundreds of servers around the world that increased the attack load, causing more damage.
Coordination of the many international partners was crucial for the success of the operation. Through Eurojust, authorities were able to coordinate their findings and plan an action day to target the hacktivist group. The Agency ensured that multiple European Investigation Orders and Mutual Legal Assistance processes were executed. During the action day on 15 July, Eurojust coordinated any last-minute judicial requests that were needed during the operation.
Europol facilitated the information exchange, supported the coordination of the operational activities and provided extended operational analytical support, as well as crypto tracing and forensic support during the lent of the investigation, and coordinated the prevention and awareness raising campaign, released to unidentified yet offenders via messaging apps and social media channels. During the action day, Europol set-up a Command Post at Europol’s headquarters and made available a Virtual Command post for online connection with the in-person Command.
The investigation culminated in an action day on 15 July where actions targeting the group took place in eight countries. Authorities were able to disrupt of over 100 servers worldwide. Searches took place in Germany, Latvia, Spain, Italy, Czechia, Poland and France to gather evidence for the investigation. Additionally, authorities informed the group and 1100 supporters and 17 administrators about the measures taken and the criminal liability they bear for their actions. Seven international arrest warrants have been issued. Germany issued six warrants which are directed inter alia against suspects living in the Russian Federation. Two suspects are accused of being the main instigators responsible for the activities of NoName057(16). Photos and descriptions of some of the suspects can be found on the websites of Europol and Interpol.
The following authorities were involved in the actions:
Czechia: District Prosecutor’s Office of Prague 5; Police, National Counterterrorism, Extremism and Cybercrime Agency (NCTEKK)
Estonia: Estonian Police and Border Guard Board
Germany: Prosecutor General’s Office Frankfurt am Main – Cyber Crime Centre; Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA)
Finland: Prosecution District of Southern Finland; National Bureau of Investigation – Cybercrime Investigation Unit
France: Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office – National Jurisdiction against Organised Crime (JUNALCO) ; National Cyber Unit of the Gendarmerie nationale
Latvia: State Police of Latvia – International Cooperation Department & Cybercrime Enforcement Department
Lithuania: Prosecutor General’s Office of Lithuania; Lithuanian Criminal Police Bureau
Netherlands: Public Prosecutor’s Office of the Netherlands and Police of the Netherlands
Spain: Investigative Central Court nr. 1 Audiencia Nacional; Audiencia Nacional Prosecutor´s Offices; National Police; Guardia Civil
Sweden: Polisen
Switzerland: Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland; Federal Office of Police fedpol
United States: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Source: United States Senator for Minnesota Amy Klobuchar
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) joined AARP Minnesota State Director Cathy McLeer on a telephone town hall with thousands of AARP members in Minnesota to discuss barriers to accessing Social Security, Medicaid, food assistance and affordable prescription drugs.
“I just believe that when you are retired, you should be able to live with dignity. When you have a health care issue after working your whole life, you should be able to get proper health care. And of course, you should be able to get your Social Security and be able to have phones be answered when you call,” said Klobuchar.
“AARP is in your corner, fighting for issues that matter to you, including protecting that hard earned Social Security and achieving some common sense solutions that will help Minnesota unpaid family caregivers both save time and money and, of course, protect seniors’ access to health care and long term care,” said Cathy McLeer, State Director of AARP Minnesota.
Klobuchar noted that the passage of her Empowering Medicare Seniors to Negotiate Drug Prices Act demonstrated how progress on these bipartisan policies is still possible, and outlined how to strengthen social security.
“That should give you some hope that good things do happen. They happen when people stand up, regardless of political ideology. And that’s what we need to do right now on Social Security. I have supported more funding for the Social Security Administration to reduce wait times. And to ensure Social Security solvency indefinitely… I have called for allowing for the Social Security tax to be assessed on people making over $400,000 a year,” said Klobuchar. “We can do all this. It just means that the most wealthy among us – they have to pay a little more in taxes that they can afford.”
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3
Speech
With each day that passes, the suffering increases. We urge the parties to secure an immediate ceasefire: UK statement at the UN Security Council
Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward, UK Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Gaza.
The United Kingdom, together with Denmark, France, Greece and Slovenia, called for this meeting out of deep concern for the Israeli government’s inhumane approach to the crisis in Gaza.
This week marks 650 days since the horrific Hamas attacks of October 7th.
With each day that passes, the hostages suffer yet more agony, in appalling conditions and deprived from contact with their loved ones.
And with each day that passes, the people of Gaza suffer death, desperation and displacement.
This conflict has gone on for far too long.
There is a deal to be done.
We urge the parties to engage in the spirit of compromise to secure an immediate ceasefire, the release of the hostages and a pathway towards lasting peace.
I will make three points.
First, it is imperative that Israel lift its restrictions on aid entering Gaza.
Without fuel, water systems and hospitals in Gaza are on the verge of collapse.
Without medical supplies, treatable illnesses are costing lives.
And without food, Palestinians are dying from malnutrition or forced desperately to scramble for supplies.
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has acknowledged that the UN has the unique capacity to meet the immense humanitarian need.
So we call on Israel to allow the UN to save lives immediately and without obstruction.
The United Kingdom welcomes the agreement between the EU and Israel, but we need to see words turned into action.
Second, we strongly oppose the expansion of Israel’s military operations.
We urge Israel immediately to implement and enforce robust measures to protect civilians.
In the past four months, more than 1,000 children have been killed.
Palestinians have also been fired upon by the IDF while desperately seeking food, with 800 people killed at aid sites.
This is abhorrent.
Third, the United Kingdom is appalled by the Israeli Defence Minister’s comments on forced displacement of Palestinians to Rafah.
This would contravene the fundamental principles upon which the UN was founded.
Palestinian territory must not be reduced, and civilians must be able to return home.
President, the path forward lies in diplomacy and compromise to deliver lasting peace for Israelis and Palestinians alike.
We commend the leadership of France and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in co-chairing the upcoming conference on a Two-State Solution, which offers us a crucial opportunity to advance this goal.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ron Estes (R-Kansas)
U.S. Congressman Ron Estes (R-Kansas) published an op-ed in the Daily Wire on why the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act is the most pro-family, pro-life piece of legislation in American history.
“The Big Beautiful Bill Act is unquestionably one of the most pivotal pieces of tax legislation to ever be passed into law,” wrote Rep. Estes. “It will get the United States back on track, lower taxes for everyday Americans and lay the groundwork for economic prosperity in the country. But embedded in the wonky tax policy is a reflection of a larger American desire to return to the foundational values that made our country great. It’s a statement that the commitment to life and family is still a pillar of this nation.”
Read the op-ed here or below.
How the Big Beautiful Bill Will Help Make Big Beautiful Families
Most of the conversation about the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act has rightly focused on the bill’s pro-growth economic reforms. But something that deserves more attention is the fact that the bill is the most pro-life and pro-family piece of legislation signed into law in decades.
For years, the federal government has been funneling Medicaid funds to Planned Parenthood, skirting the Hyde Amendment and Congress’ intent. That is both wrong and a betrayal of taxpayers. Medicaid, a program meant to help protect and preserve life, should not be used to end it.
The Big Beautiful Bill directly addresses this issue by prohibiting Medicaid funding from being directed to Planned Parenthood through Fiscal Year 2026, and allowing Congress essential time to permanently enshrine this in law. This comes on the heels of a Supreme Court ruling that states can block Medicaid payments to Planned Parenthood.
The urgency of protecting life is underscored by recent data. In Kansas, birth rates have dropped to just 11.7 per 1,000 people, the lowest in more than a century. This mirrors a nationwide trend: in 2022, our birth rates hit a historic low of 1.67 births per woman, indicating that American families are simply not having enough children.
For the United States to maintain economic and societal stability, experts assert that our country should have a birth rate of 2.1 births per woman. The long-term consequences of missing this marker are serious, from a shrinking workforce to a weakened social safety net.
Republicans in Congress addressed this issue in the Big Beautiful Bill Act by making meaningful adjustments to support American families. The legislation enhances and adjusts for inflation the Child Tax Credit (CTC), raising it to $2,200 per child and indexing it to inflation. The law also boosts the adoption tax credit by ensuring it will be partially refundable for up to $5,000 and similarly indexed for inflation. These provisions are significant victories for life, for children yet to be born and for families across America.
The law also supports families through newly-established Trump Accounts, which set up American children for success, providing a financial “welcome” of $1,000 to every newborn American citizen. Similar to a Health Savings Account or 529 education savings plan, Trump Accounts empower parents to make tax-free contributions over time that can eventually be used by the child for education, housing, health care or any other qualifying expense to jumpstart their entrance into adulthood. It also allows churches, charities and employers to contribute up to $5,000 a year to the accounts.
As the former Kansas State Treasurer, I have a deep appreciation for programs that empower families to take control of their finances and build financial stability for their families’ well-being. The Trump Accounts encourage early and consistent saving, establishing the foundation for hardworking families and everyday Americans to develop generational wealth.
In addition, the Big Beautiful Bill Act increases the Employer-Provided Childcare Credit so that working families can afford quality early education while continuing to participate in the workforce. It also makes permanent Paid Family and Medical Leave so that families have a lifeline if the breadwinner becomes ill or in the case of a family emergency.
The Big Beautiful Bill Act is unquestionably one of the most pivotal pieces of tax legislation to ever be passed into law. It will get the United States back on track, lower taxes for everyday Americans and lay the groundwork for economic prosperity in the country.
NASA’s latest open Software Catalog, released Wednesday, offers more than 1,200 downloadable codes developed by agency engineers that could enable faster solutions to energize the space economy and stimulate American ingenuity. The catalog is part of NASA’s effort to place advanced technologies, including agency software, into the hands of businesses, researchers, and entrepreneurs to foster economic growth and innovation. Agency developers will provide more information about the Software Catalog, the only repository of its kind in the federal government, during NASA’s summer software webinar series beginning Tuesday, July 22. “NASA has droves of talented experts creating software to automate elements of agency missions,” said Dan Lockney, program executive, Technology Transfer at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “The resulting efficiency benefits humankind, and its public value increases exponentially when the agency provides access to those software programs for companies, enabling them to save time and money, improve commercial offerings, and build their businesses.” The four webinars accompanying this year’s NASA Software Catalog feature developers of popular programs for mission planning, systems design, propulsion analysis, and more, each consisting of a presentation followed by a live question-and-answer session. Programs offered in NASA’s 2025-2026 Software Catalog are grouped into 15 categories that may be useful for organizations working with spacecraft and aircraft. For example, the Vehicle Management category includes a tool for designing satellite constellations and a software library for minimizing public safety risks around expendable launch vehicles. The Aeronautics section includes several programs that are widely used by industry for creating, modifying, and analyzing aircraft designs. Although the categories have specific themes, the codes are meant to be useful to various innovators. Companies can use aircraft programs NASA wrote to design cars, trucks, and countless other products. The catalog’s Business Systems and Project Management section includes software for estimating project costs, building and assessing complex schedules, and uncovering root causes of mishaps. Other popular programs support 3D rendering for simulation and virtual reality, bring hyper-accuracy to GPS tracking, and analyze electrical power system architectures. NASA released its first Software Catalog more than a decade ago in 2013, and since then, the agency’s annual rate of software downloads has skyrocketed, reaching up to 5,722 downloads in a single year. The Software Catalog is a product of NASA’s Technology Transfer program, managed by the agency’s Space Technology Mission Directorate. NASA routinely makes improvements to the Software Catalog website, ensuring the process is fast and easy. Access restrictions apply to some software that may be limited to use by U.S. citizens or for U.S. government purposes only. View and learn more about NASA’s Software Catalog by visiting: https://software.nasa.gov -end- Jasmine HopkinsHeadquarters, Washington321-432-4624jasmine.s.hopkins@nasa.gov
What you need to know: On July 17, the LGBTQ support option on the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline will end thanks to the Trump administration – but California is stepping up and doubling down on life-saving support for young gay people in crisis.
LOS ANGELES – Just weeks after the Trump administration announced that they would eliminate specialized suicide prevention support for LGBTQ youth callers through the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, California is taking action to improve behavioral health services and provide even more affirming and inclusive care. Through a new partnership with The Trevor Project, Governor Gavin Newsom and the California Health and Human Services Agency (CalHHS) will provide the state’s 988 crisis counselors enhanced competency training from experts, ensuring better attunement to the needs of LGBTQ youth, on top of the specific training they already receive.
This partnership builds on existing collaborations, like those under California’s Master Plan for Kids’ Mental Health, and reflects a shared commitment to evidence-based, LGBTQ+ affirming crisis care. Callers to 988 will continue to be met with the highest level of understanding, respect, and affirmation when they reach out for help.
“While the Trump administration continues its attacks on LGBTQ kids, California has a message to the gay community: we see you and we’re here for you. We’re proud to work with the Trevor Project to ensure that every person in our state can get the support they need to live a happy, healthy life.”
Governor Gavin Newsom
“To every young person who identifies as LGBTQ+: You matter. You are not alone. California will continue to show up for you with care, with compassion, and with action,” said Kim Johnson, Secretary of CalHHS. “Through this partnership, California will continue to lead, providing enhanced support for these young people.”
“There could not be a more stark reminder of the moral bankruptcy of this Administration than cutting off suicide prevention resources for LGQBT youth. These are young people reaching out in their time of deepest crisis—andI’m proud of California’s work to partner with the Trevor Project to creatively address this need. No matter what this Administration throws at us, I know this state will always meet cruelty with kindness and stand up for what’s right,” said First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom.
California’s crisis call centers
Across California, twelve 988 call centers remain staffed around the clock by trained crisis counselors, ready to support anyone in behavioral health crises, including LGBTQ youth.
If you, a friend, or a loved one are in crisis or thinking about suicide, you can call, chat, or text 988 and be immediately connected to skilled counselors at all times. Specialized services for LGBTQ youth are also available via The Trevor Project hotline at 1‑866‑488‑7386, which continues as a state-endorsed access point.
State supports
California’s Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI), a key component of Governor’ Newsom’s Master Plan for Kids’ Mental Health, offers behavioral health services and supports for children, youth, and families. In addition to focused messaging for LGBTQ youth within three ongoing statewide youth mental health campaigns, CYBHI has funded more than a dozen community organizations to provide targeted services for LGBTQ youth by establishing or expanding LGBTQ community spaces, increasing workforce supports, reducing behavioral health stigma, and raising awareness about suicide prevention.
Additional free continuum-of-care services are available to help address concerns before they become crises, including peer support through CalHOPE and virtual behavioral health services platforms BrightLife Kids and Soluna. These resources are available for all California youth, young adults, and families, regardless of insurance or immigration status.
Why this matters
LGBTQ youth are four times more likely to attempt suicide than their peers, and without affirming services, their risk increases dramatically. Since its launch in 2022, the 988 LGBTQ+ “Press 3” line connected more than 1.5 million in crisis.
How to get help
Call, text or chat 988 at any time to be connected with trained crisis counselors.
Text PRIDE, or dial 1‑866‑488‑7386, to reach Trevor Project specialists.
Visit CalHOPE for non-crisis peer and family support.
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Reacting to the latest legislative amendments in Russia, which include a new draft law that enables the designation of any community or organization as “extremist” without a court order, and another bill that envisages administrative penalties for simply searching for or accessing “extremist materials” online, Marie Struthers, Amnesty International’s Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, said:
“Once again, the Russian authorities are disguising their relentless persecution of dissent as countering ‘extremism’ through vague and overly broad legislation, that allows for abusive interpretation and arbitrariness.
“If this ‘extremism’ bill becomes a law, any group of people – even a private online chat or circle of friends – can be designated and criminalized as ‘extremist’ if just one member has been convicted under ‘extremism’ charges, as many government critics have been. This will give law enforcement agencies a seemingly unlimited opportunity to cast the net and prosecute ever more people for even remote associations with so-called ‘extremists.’
The Russian authorities are disguising their relentless persecution of dissent as countering ‘extremism’ through vague and overly broad legislation, that allows for abusive interpretation and arbitrariness
Marie Struthers, Amnesty International’s Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia
“Another proposed amendment is equally dangerous. If adopted, it would make searching for or accessing ‘extremist’ content online punishable by law. Given that in today’s Russia ‘extremist’ materials could be anything from a book ‘promoting same-sex relationships’ to social media posts by opposition groups, this amendment effectively cuts off Russian society from any information or views deemed ‘dangerous’ by the authorities.
“These changes are a textbook violation of Russia’s international obligations and its own constitution, which guarantees everyone the right to privacy, rights to freedom of association and expression, including access to information. These bills must not become laws.”
Background
On 15 July, the State Duma adopted a new package of amendments further tightening Russia’s “anti-extremism” legislation. Among the new rules, any group – including informal groups – can now be designated an “extremist organization” if a single member has been convicted of establishment of or participation in an “extremist association” (Article 282.1 of the Criminal Code). This removes the previous requirement for a separate court ruling, effectively allowing authorities to arbitrarily outlaw entire groups based on a prior conviction of a single member.
Separately, lawmakers proposed a new article to the Code of Administrative Offenses, which would fine individuals up to 5,000 rubles (around US$ 65) for “searching for or accessing knowingly extremist materials,” including via a VPN. The draft article does not explain how such an activity would be detected, raising serious concerns in relation to the lack of clarity and precision of the criminalized conduct and about potential unlawful surveillance and device access.
Priority question for written answer P-002844/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Costas Mavrides (S&D)
Journalist and editor Şener Levent, a Cypriot citizen and recipient of the European Citizen’s Prize (2018) who lives in the occupied part of the Republic of Cyprus, received a ‘court notice’ to surrender for imprisonment in Türkiye. The Turkish court sentenced him in absentia to two and a half years in prison due to his articles’ criticism of the Erdoğan regime. The sentence has become final due to procedural limitations on appeal.
The charges – including public insult to Turkish institutions – reflect a clear attempt to silence any criticism of Ankara. The use of so-called ‘judicial assistance’ between Türkiye and its subordinate regime in the occupied part of EU territory, constitutes an alarming influx of political persecution into the EU.
1.What immediate steps will the Commission take, both to prevent the enforcement of a politically-motivated foreign prison sentence against a European citizen within EU territory, and to safeguard his fundamental rights, including freedom of expression?
2.Given Türkiye’s continuous disregard for human rights and EU principles, both domestically and through its proxy regime in the occupied area of Cyprus, does the Commission intend to take immediate and effective measures, including imposing sanctions, to prevent further abuse?
Question for written answer E-002786/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Pina Picierno (S&D)
Last weekend, Croatian singer Marko Perković – whose stage name is ‘Thompson’ – held a concert in Zagreb before an audience of some 500 000 people. The artist is known for his ultra-nationalist rhetoric and his frequent references to the Ustasha regime, a Croatian fascist movement active during the Second World War and responsible for grave crimes against humanity.
During the event, numerous highly concerning incidents were documented. These included the repeated use of the salute ‘Za dom spremni’ (‘For the homeland – ready!’) the official motto of the Ustasha regime, which is now banned under Croatian law because of its link to the extermination of hundreds of thousands of Serbs, Jews, Roma and political opponents in the Jasenovac concentration camp[1].
Such demonstrations cannot be deemed to constitute artistic or cultural expression, but rather pose a genuine threat to the democratic cohesion and founding principles of the Union.
Can the Commission therefore say:
1.Whether it intends to propose, as part of the EU strategy to combat extremism and racism, more binding measures to limit the spread of symbols and slogans associated with totalitarian regimes?
2.Whether it plans it plan to step up monitoring and coordinated-response measures, including through its relevant agencies, to combat the spread of neo-fascist ideologies in Member States?
1. Due to deficiencies identified in the compliance of the paying agency OPEKEPE with the accreditation criteria[1], the competent authority put the paying agency’s accreditation under probation for a period of 12 months starting from 10 September 2024 and prepared an action plan aiming to remedy those deficiencies. The Commission is closely monitoring the implementation of this action plan through the analysis of the periodical reports sent by the Greek authorities, and visits to said authorities, when necessary. According to the timeline, all remedial actions should be completed by the 12 September 2025. The Commission cannot comment further on ongoing audits.
2. The Commission is working closely with the Greek authorities to ensure full and timely implementation of the action plan, also considering the possible impact of the announced modification of OPEKEPE’s competences. The action plan covered the organisational structure of the OPEKEPE and the Commission expected remedial actions in this regard. To date, the Commission has not received official notifications of the decisions regarding the paying agency or the role of the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (IAPR) in this context, as the legal framework for the modification is still in preparation.
[1] Listed in Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2022/127.
The dire humanitarian situation in Gaza is a priority for the EU. The EU has consistently called on the Israeli government to lift the blockade on the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza[1].
The EU reiterates that humanitarian aid must never be politicised or militarised and stressed the role of the United Nations (UN) in distributing humanitarian assistance[2].
The EU continues to voice its urgent call for the immediate, unimpeded and sustained resumption of delivery of aid at scale, fully in line with humanitarian principles and according to the needs of the civilian population in Gaza, as expressed in a joint statement by the High Representative/Vice-President (HR/VP) with the Commissioner for the Mediterranean and the Commissioner for Equality on 7 May 2025[3] and in a joint donor statement on humanitarian aid to Gaza on 19 May 2025[4].
A diplomatic solution is the only way forward. The EU continues to support the efforts by the mediators to reach a permanent ceasefire and hostage-release deal. The HR/VP is engaging in diplomatic efforts with all relevant actors, including the UN and regional partners, to help end the conflict in Gaza.
Since the onset of the conflict in Gaza, the EU has deployed all available humanitarian instruments to ease the suffering of the civilian population in Gaza and the West Bank.
The EU announced initial humanitarian funding of EUR 120 million for Gaza in 2025, and then allocated an additional EUR 50 million to address the urgent needs.
This brings total EU humanitarian assistance since October 2023 to over EUR 500 million (EUR 103 million in 2023 and EUR 237 million in 2024).
Following the fall of the Assad regime, the EU adopted a gradual and reversible approach in order to support Syria’s transition and economic recovery.
On 24 February 2025, the EU suspended some of its economic sanctions and amended the humanitarian exceptions[1]. The EU has been assessing whether further suspensions could be made, based on close monitoring of the situation on the ground[2].
On 27 May 2025, the EU lifted all economic sanctions on Syria in order to support the country’s socioeconomic recovery, with the exception of those based on security grounds. The EU maintained sanctions on Assad and his accomplices, in line with its call for accountability and its support to a peaceful transition[3].
While the humanitarian exceptions already ensured the continued provision of humanitarian assistance, the step of lifting of economic sanctions was broadly welcomed by the humanitarian community in Syria as a way to further enhance the delivery of critical assistance. The lifting of economic sanctions is vital for the swift socioeconomic recovery of Syria that the EU is strongly supporting, including through its recent EUR 175 million package[4].
On 28 May[5] and 23 June 2025[6], the EU introduced additional listings under the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime, targeting several individuals and entities for serious human rights abuses in Syria, including in relation to the deadly violence and horrific crimes against civilians in the coastal areas in March 2025.
The EU remains attentive to the actions of the new authorities in ensuring the protection of all Syrians without any kind of discrimination and continues to call for accountability, inclusivity and tolerance. It stands with the Syrian people and remains in close contact with partners in the region and key international partners.
Priority question for written answer P-002839/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Giorgos Georgiou (The Left)
Sener Levent, who was awarded the European Citizen’s Prize in 2018, is once again being persecuted by Türkiye. To be specific, the Turkish Cypriot journalist and publisher of the ‘Avrupa’ newspaper is at risk of being extradited to Türkiye by the pseudo-state and subsequently imprisoned in connection with an article and a cartoon that were considered to be ‘publicly insulting the nation, the State, the National Assembly, the government, the judiciary, the army and the security forces of Türkiye’! This development is another arbitrary and illegal extension of Türkiye’s growing interference and pressure in relation to the internal issues of the Turkish Cypriot community.
In view of the long-standing attempts by the Turkish State to silence and intimidate Sener Levent and other journalists, activists and politicians, as well as the right of all citizens to freedom of opinion and expression, what immediate measures does the Commission intend to take to protect Sener Levent, a European citizen who has been awarded the European Citizen’s Prize?
Source: United States Senator Ted Budd (R-North Carolina)
FRONT Act would require U.S. nonprofits to register under FARA if they accept funds from hostile nations
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) led his colleagues in introducing the Foreign Registration Obligations for Nonprofit Transparency (FRONT) Act today, which would require nonprofits in the United States that receive funding from foreign principals in countries of concern, such as China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Venezuela, and Cuba, to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). The bill would also require nonprofits to disclose the activities they use foreign funds to engage in to mitigate future unrest.
“There are serious indicators recent left-wing riots, protests, and rallies resulting in violence and political unrest are funded by foreign agitators. It’s time for American nonprofit organizations to be transparent about where they are getting their funding from. No foreign country with hostile intentions should be meddling in our democratic process. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the FRONT Act to increase transparency and help put a stop to this,” said Senator Budd.
“Let me just say this and be clear: foreign influence in our country’s nonprofits ends now. The FRONT Act ensures that any money coming from our adversaries, like China, will be fully disclosed. This bill is common-sense, provides much needed transparency, and I’m proud to join Senator Budd in this effort,”saidSenator Justice.
“I am concerned that U.S. non-profits are receiving foreign funding from our adversaries and countries of concern. Senator Budd’s FRONT Act hardens the United States’ ability to monitor potentially malign influence of non-profits from foreign adversaries. In order to stop adversaries such as Communist China, Russia, and Iran, we must have the tools to better understand their efforts to infiltrate our American system and influence our institutions,”saidSenator Ricketts.
Senators Jim Justice (R-W.Va.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), and Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) joined Senator Budd in introducing the bill.
Read the full bill text HERE.
Background
Recent civil unrest has raised alarms about possible foreign influence impacting U.S. nonprofits that organize and provide material support for protests.
For example, when it comes to riots against ICE enforcement operations, FBI Director Kash Patel has publicly stated, “The FBI is investigating any and all monetary connections responsible for these riots.” Reports have also indicated that “[the] socialist group [which] promoted the chaotic anti-deportation protests in Los Angeles…is tied to a network of groups bankrolled by a pro-China millionaire.”
But this is just the surface of a deeply troubling trend of foreign interference in our political processes. As former Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines claimed, “We have observed actors tied to Iran’s government posing as activists online, seeking to encourage protests, and even providing financial support to protesters,” following the October 7 attacks.
What we’re witnessing is not isolated. Safeguarding our political system from continued foreign interference must be a top national security priority to protect the integrity of our democracy.