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 Texas of the March 17, 2025, deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by the drought that began July 9, 2024.
The disaster declaration covers the counties of Coke, Concho, Crockett, Irion, Kimble, Menard, Reagan, Runnels, Schleicher, Sterling, Sutton and Tom Green.
Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and PNPs that suffered 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 that could have been paid had the disaster not occurred.
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 amount 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 March 17.
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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 March 17, 2025 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by the drought that began May 15, 2024.
The disaster declaration covers the counties of Flathead, Granite, Lake, Mineral, Missoula, Powell, Ravalli and Sanders in Montana, and Clearwater and Idaho 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 that suffered 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 that could have been paid had the disaster not occurred.
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 amount 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 March 17.
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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 private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Hawaii of the March 17, 2025, deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by severe storms, flooding and landslides that occurred April 11-14, 2024.
The disaster declaration covers Kauai County.
Under the declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to PNPs that provide non-critical services of a governmental nature and suffered financial losses directly related to the disaster. Examples of eligible non-critical PNPs include, but are not limited to, food kitchens, homeless shelters, museums, libraries, community centers, schools and colleges.
EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that could have been paid had the disaster not occurred.
The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 3.25%, 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 amount 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 March 17.
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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 small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Louisiana of the March 17, 2025 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by the severe weather and tornado that occurred May 13, 2024.
The disaster declaration covers the parishes of Assumption, Iberia, Iberville, Lafayette, Pointe Coupee, St. Landry, St. Martin and St. Mary.
Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries and PNPs that suffered 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 suffered any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that could have been paid had the disaster not occurred.
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 amount 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 March 17.
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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 small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Oklahoma of the March 14, 2025 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding that occurred May 19-28, 2024.
The disaster declaration covers the counties of Adair, Beckham, Blaine, Caddo, Canadian, Cherokee, Comanche, Craig, Custer, Delaware, Dewey, Grady, Greer, Harmon, Haskell, Jackson, Kingfisher, Kiowa, Major, Mayes, McIntosh, Muskogee, Nowata, Okmulgee, Ottawa, Roger Mills, Rogers, Sequoyah, Tillman, Tulsa, Wagoner, Washington and Washita in Oklahoma, as well as Benton County in Arkansas, McDonald County in Missouri and Hardeman and Wilbarger counties in Texas.
Under this declaration, the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to eligible small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and PNPs that suffered financial losses directly related to this disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for 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 that could have been paid had the disaster not occurred.
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 amount terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.
For more information and 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 March 14.
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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: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)
HOUSTON –A 25-year-old Houston resident has been ordered to federal prison for interference with commerce by robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas Ganjei.
The jury deliberated for less than three hours before finding Caleb Pickens guilty Nov. 8, 2024, following a four-day trial.
U.S. District Judge David Hittner has now ordered Pickens to serve 722 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the sentencing hearing, the court heard evidence of Pickens’ conduct while in jail and immediately after trial. Following the verdict, Pickens exhibited obstructive behavior by grabbing a full water bottle and slinging it at the prosecution table. He then threw the water bottle at the lead case agent. Pickens also fought with officers in the courtroom.
In handing down the sentence, the court noted Pickens’ abhorrent behavior, his lack of remorse, the court’s need to protect the public from him and his propensity for violence, as well as his violence towards officers while performing their duties. Judge Hittner said he believes Pickens to be a true danger to the public and recommended he be placed in a maximum security prison.
“Today’s sentence appropriately accounts for defendant’s violent nature and the seriousness of his offense,” said Ganjei. “Day after day, case by case, the southern District of Texas and its law enforcements partners are striving to make Houston a safer place to live and work.”
In early January 2024, law enforcement began investigating a series of armed robberies at McDonalds and other fast-food restaurants and convenience stores which occurred during the month of January. This eventually led them to Pickens.
At trial, the jury heard Pickens had worn either a red Nike sweatshirt or a black hooded jacket while committing a series of armed robberies at McDonald’s locations. He also brandished a pistol. Occasionally, he had held the gun to victims’ heads, backs or stomachs and demanded money from the safe. In one incident at a local McDonald’s, he fired his pistol into a microwave oven.
During the robberies, Pickens would order the manager to hand over the money from the safe before exiting through the restaurant’s back door. He then fled the locations in a stolen black Chevrolet Tahoe that had a broken left rear window, used scissors to start the ignition and drove away.
Law enforcement located the vehicle and began conducting surveillance. On Jan. 23, 2024, the Chevy Tahoe arrived at a McDonald’s in Houston where Pickens again committed another armed robbery. Authorities arrested him on scene. At that time, he was wearing the same Nike sweatshirt and hooded jacket from previous robberies and was in possession of a pistol.
At trial, the defense attempted to convince the jury the government had not proved a robbery of McDonald’s affected interstate commerce. They did not believe those claims and found Pickens guilty as charged.
He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Houston Police Department’s Violent Crime Task Force and FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jill Stotts and Brian Hrach are prosecuting the case.
WASHINGTON – Anthony Garner, 37, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 45 months in prison for sexual assault of a woman aboard a Metro train, traveling from Maryland to D.C., in April 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr.
Garner pleaded guilty on July 10, 2024, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to a charge of third-degree sexual abuse. In addition to the sentence, the Honorable Errol Arthur also ordered that Garner will be required to register for 10 years as a sex offender and complete three years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, at approximately, 9:30 a.m., on April 16, 2023, law enforcement officers responded to the Gallery Place Metro station for a report of a sexual assault on a female passenger. Officers spoke with the victim, who stated she had boarded the green line train at Suitland station and sat down. At that time, the defendant also boarded the train and sat directly across from her. Garner then sat next to the victim, when she noticed that his penis was exposed. When the victim motioned to other passengers that the defendant was masturbating, he got up and moved away claiming he was just fixing his pants. As the train continued and approached L’Enfant Plaza Metro station, Garner again sat next to the victim and masturbated, at which time the victim tried to get the attention of another passenger on the train. When the victim and a female passenger attempted to walk past the defendant, he blocked their path and stated “You can get off, but she isn’t going anywhere. You’re not going anywhere until I bust a nut”. The defendant let the unknown female passenger go but held on to the victim, grabbed her butt, and refused to let her leave the train. The victim continued to try to get off the train, but the defendant forced her to stay on board while he continued to assault her.
At one point, when other passengers observed what was happening Garner lied and stated that the victim was his lady. As the train pulled into the Fort Totten metro station, again Garner refused to let the victim leave and, with his penis exposed, ultimately ejaculated on her. When the train pulled into the next station, both the victim and Garner exited the train. The victim immediately reported the assault to the station manager, who called the Metro Transit Police Department (MTPD). The defendant boarded a train on the other platform going in the opposite direction. MTPD officers were able to locate Garner on a train at Gallery Place Metro, where he was identified by the victim and placed under arrest, and he has been in custody ever since.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Martin commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Transit Police Department and the Metropolitan Police Department. He acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim Advocate Tracey Hawkins and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard Kelley and Sarah Folse, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)
CHICAGO — Two related Chinese companies conspired with former employees of an Illinois facility operated by Philips Medical Systems to unlawfully possess Philips’ trade secrets, according to an indictment returned in federal court in Chicago.
Philips owned and operated a facility in Aurora, Ill., that engaged in the research, development, and manufacture of X-ray tubes used in computed tomography (CT) medical imaging machines. The company spent years developing its proprietary X-ray technology and selling devices incorporating this proprietary technology to medical facilities. According to the indictment, China-based KUNSHAN GUOLI ELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY CO. LTD. and a Kunshan GuoLi vice president, XIAOQIN DU, 63, of Suzhou, China, helped form a rival X-ray tube development company and headquartered it in Aurora. In 2017, Kunshan GuoLi and Du recruited and hired for the new company three engineers from Philips’ Aurora facility, CHIH-YEE JEN, 69, of Mequon, Wisc., FINCE TENDIAN, 56, of Aurora, Ill., and VLADIMIR NEVTONENKO, 76, of Arlington Heights, Ill.
The indictment alleges that before the end of his employment at Philips, Jen copied, without authorization, Philips’ X-ray trade secret information from internal Philips databases. Jen stole the proprietary information on behalf of Kunshan GuoLi and Du, the indictment states. Jen used the stolen information in connection with his work developing X-ray tubes at the rival X-ray tube development company for Kunshan GuoLi and a related Chinese company, KUNSHAN YIYUAN MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY CO. LTD., the indictment states. Jen then shared the information with Tendian, who used it in her work for the new company, the indictment states. Nevtonenko also allegedly possessed and used the stolen information in his work there.
The indictment charges the two Chinese companies and the four individuals with conspiracy to unlawfully possess trade secrets. Jen is also charged with an individual count of possession or attempted possession of a stolen trade secret. Jen, Tendian, and Nevtonenko pleaded not guilty during their arraignments in federal court in Chicago. Arraignments for the companies have not yet been scheduled, and an arrest warrant has been issued for Du. A joint status report on the case will be submitted to U.S. District Judge Edmond E. Chang by March 31, 2025.
The indictment was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kavitha Babu, Vikas Didwania, and Ramon Villalpando.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement in response to reports that the Trump administration began firing Washington state workers at the Hanford site and the Bonneville Power Administration. The Trump administration has ordered mass firings of federal workers who are on their “probationary” period—meaning workers who were hired or promoted within the past 1-2 years.
“Yesterday, the Trump administration began indiscriminately laying off Hanford workers in Washington state, as well as hundreds of workers at the Bonneville Power Administration who deliver clean and reliable energy to families across the Pacific Northwest.
“At Hanford, in addition to the deferred resignations, over a dozen people were laid off—including safety engineers, environmental scientists, people who monitor and respond to urgent safety issues, folks who make sure Hanford workers’ rights are protected, and others who are absolutely critical to the Hanford cleanup mission and the safety of the workers there. These reckless firings will slow down critical cleanup work and make workers less safe—trying to run Hanford with a skeleton crew is a recipe for disaster that could have irreversible impacts. An adequate federal workforce is essential for oversight of the work executed by nearly 12,000 contractor workers at the Hanford site. These layoffs will hurt companies, workers, and their families across Eastern Washington.
“Adding insult to injury, the Trump administration has also needlessly laid off a handful of employees at PNNL—workers who power cutting-edge research and groundbreaking innovations on everything from energy storage to nuclear security.
“At the Bonneville Power Administration, I’ve heard the Trump administration is laying off more than 600 people across the Northwest—this includes everyone from electricians and engineers, to biologists, to lineworkers, to cybersecurity experts, and so many others. These are literally the people who help keep the lights on—and now they’re being fired on a whim because Trump and Elon Musk don’t have a clue about what they do and why it’s important, and don’t care to learn. They don’t seem to even understand that these are positions funded by ratepayers—by all of us in the Northwest—not from federal funding.
“The callousness of this administration is breathtaking—these mass layoffs pose a serious threat to our energy security and the health and safety of people across our state, not to mention the livelihoods of so many hardworking families who have done nothing wrong and whose work is sorely needed. These firings will raise energy costs for Washington ratepayers and jeopardize the reliability of the grid in the Northwest—a genuinely life-or-death concern for millions. I will keep doing everything I can to raise the voices of the people harmed by this administration’s indefensible policies and fight back.”
Senator Murray has worked tirelessly to support Hanford workers and ensure the federal government lives up to its cleanup obligations at Hanford throughout her time in Congress—beating back efforts by multiple administrations to underfund Hanford cleanup. Murray secured a record $3.035 billion for the Hanford cleanup—$191.4 million above the fiscal year 2023 funding level in the fiscal year 2024 government funding package she negotiated and passed through Congress as Appropriations Chair, which was signed into law on March 9th. In December 2023, Murray’s Beryllium Testing Fairness Act, to help Hanford workers suffering from toxic beryllium exposure, was signed into law by President Biden.
Senator Murray has been a longtime supporter of the BPA, and the low-cost energy it provides to millions across the Pacific Northwest, and she has been vocal in her opposition to attempts to privatize the organization. During the first Trump administration, Senator Murray also successfully worked against Trump’s repeated attempts to privatize BPA and sell the BPA power grid.
Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Rand Paul
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
February 14, 2025
Contact: Press_Paul@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343
BOWLING GREEN, KY – Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul issued the following statement after announcing his nominations to the U.S. service academies, consisting of 47 nominations to individuals from across the Commonwealth of Kentucky:
“A very rewarding aspect of being a United States Senator is the opportunity to nominate young men and women from across the state to attend our nation’s prestigious service academies. I commend each of these students for their dedication and desire to serve in the United States military, and I wish them the best through the remainder of the selection process. I have no doubt the students chosen will proudly represent the Commonwealth of Kentucky in the service academies,” said Dr. Paul.
You can learn more about the service academy process HERE and HERE. Dr. Paul’s 2025 Virtual Spring Service Academy Information Fair will be held on Thursday, April 3, 2025 at 10:00 am CT.
Dr. Paul nominated the following individuals to the U.S. Air Force Academy, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, the U.S. Military Academy, and the U.S. Naval Academy:
United States Air Force Academy • Daphne Altsdadt – Louisville, KY • Emily Bach – Elizabethtown, KY • Nathan Bahng – Louisville, KY • Andrew Bell – Prospect, KY • Evan Bishop – Lexington, KY • Blake Campbell – Lexington, KY • Noah DeMasters – Louisville, KY • Alexander Dilger – Union, KY • Ryder Harbaugh – Morgantown, KY • Lucy Hermann – Florence, KY • Jimmy Martin – Louisville, KY • John Minor – London, KY • Hayes Preston – Lancaster, KY • Jacob Shelton– Pendleton, KY • Ethan ZumBrunnen – Shelbyville, KY
United States Merchant Marine Academy • Evan Bishop – Lexington, KY • Kennedy Crovo – Lexington, KY • John Floyd – Bardstown, KY • Meyer Gable – Bowling Green, KY • Austin Harmon – Lexington, KY • Ruby Karls – Lexington, KY • Parker Moran – Park City, KY • Thatcher Rathfon – Lexington, KY • Jacob Strom – Alvaton, KY • Ethan ZumBrunnen – Shelbyville, KY
United States Military Academy • Daphne Altsdadt – Louisville, KY • Nathan Bahng – Louisville, KY • Andrew Bessler – Ft Mitchell, KY • Corrine Blackburn – Alexandria, KY • Jack Condra – Louisville, KY • Ryder Harbaugh – Morgantown, KY • Parker Moran – Park City, KY • Sebastian Niles – Verona, KY • Joseph Rawlings – Louisville, KY • Chloe Tigue – La Grange, KY • Trenton Upchurch – Nancy KY • Nattalie Wall – Middlesboro, KY • Luke Wood – Nicholasville, KY • Tyler Work – Prospect, KY • Essay Yermane – Louisville, KY
United States Naval Academy • Henry Anderson – Corbin, KY • Elias Bayless – Shelbyville, KY • Dillon Beckman – Westport, KY • Barrett Buckley – Louisville, KY • D’Ivion Collins – Georgetown, KY • Hailey Cook – Maceo, KY • Meyer Gable – Bolwing Green, KY • Braden Liford – Shepherdsville, KY • Hudson Morgan – Beechmont, KY • Tiare Satele – Crestwood, KY • Baylee Sprouse – La Grange, KY • Ryder Thomason – Prospect, KY • Chase Thomason – Prospect, KY • Trenton Upchurch – Nancy, KY • Maxwell Windhorst – Crestwood, KY
Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
Q: What are pharmacy benefit managers?
A: Iowans may not know exactly what pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) are, but they do know they’re fed up with sticker shock at the pharmacy counter. Six decades ago, PBMs started out processing drug claims. Then, they evolved into an intermediary between pharmaceutical companies, pharmacies and third-party payers, including health insurance companies, self-insured employers, unions and government programs. Eventually, a complex system emerged, expanding PBMs’ influence and profits instead of driving down costs and improving patient services. For example, PBMs’ business models incentivize purchasing brand name drugs over lower-priced generic drugs. Today, just three PBMs control nearly 80 percent of the prescription drug market. These conglomerates operate out of the view of regulators and consumers, setting prescription drug costs, deciding which drugs are covered by insurance plans, determining how they’re dispensed and pocketing unknown sums that might otherwise be passed along as savings to consumers. What’s more, they undercut local independent pharmacies. Things need to change.
For the better part of a decade, I’ve been laser-focused on shining a spotlight on PBMs. In 2019, as chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, I called the top executives from major PBMs to testify about drug pricing in America. I teamed up with Senator Ron Wyden to conduct a two-year bipartisan investigation into insulin price gouging. And I requested the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to look into potential anticompetitive practices occurring in the industry. Three bills I co-sponsored have been signed into law, including the CREATES Act, Right Rebate Act and Patient Right to Know Drug Prices Act. In 2023, the Judiciary Committee passed five of my bipartisan bills to boost competition in the pharmaceutical industry and improve patient access to more affordable prescription medicines.
At my annual 99 county meetings, I hear regularly from Iowans who struggle to afford their medications and want to know why getting a prescription filled is so unnecessarily complicated, from mail-order options to confusing coupons and rebates. They also want to know why Americans pay more for the identical prescription medications than patients in other countries. According to theCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), recent data show nearly 50 percent of Americans used at least one prescription drug in the previous month, nearly 25 percent used three or more prescription drugs and 13.5 percent used five or more. Tens of millions of Americans rely on pharmaceutical therapies to manage chronic conditions, particularly those diagnosed with diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, arthritis and cancer. This is a matter of life and death for loved ones in families across the country. In 2023, the U.S. health care system spent $449.7 billion on retail prescription drugs, more than any other country. American taxpayers and patients aren’t getting the most bang for the buck.
Q: What are you doing in this Congress to hold PBMs accountable?
A: Returning as Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee in January, lowering drug prices is among my top legislative and oversight priorities. That includes building on my efforts to shine a bright light on PBMs. To that end, I’m pushing the FTC to finish its work. While I’ve welcomed a couple of its interim reports, it’s time to get the job done. Senator Maria Cantwell, Ranking Member of the Senate Commerce Committee, and I have teamed up to reintroduce a pair of bipartisan bills to combat the high cost of prescription drugs and pull back the curtain on PBMs. Transparency brings accountability. The Prescription Pricing for the People Actwould require the FTC to finish its study in a timely manner and provide policy recommendations to Congress to improve competition and protect consumers. The Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) Transparency Act would ban deceptive and unfair pricing schemes and require PBMs to report to the FTC how much they make through spread pricing and pharmacy fees. Spread pricing is the difference between what PBMs charge a health plan and what they pay to a pharmacy for a certain drug. This practice is costing patients and taxpayers while curtailing access to affordable prescription drugs. I’m committed to bringing sunshine and fairness to the prescription drug marketplace. Learn more about my work to lower prescription drug prices here.
NEW YORK, 14 February (United Nations, Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, Office of Legal Affairs) — The Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf will hold its sixty-third session from 17 February to 21 March 2025 at United Nations Headquarters in New York. During the session, plenary meetings will be held from 24 to 28 February and from 10 to 14 March. The remainder of the session will be devoted to the technical examination of submissions by subcommissions on the Division premises, including geographic information systems laboratories and other facilities.
The upcoming session of the Commission will be the first for Ahmed Er Raji (nominated by Morocco) following his election as a member of the Commission at the resumed thirty‑fourth Meeting of States Parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, on 27 November 2024. Also, given the recent resignation of Harald Brekke (nominated by Norway) due to health reasons, the Commission will elect a Vice-Chairperson to fill the resulting vacancy.
During the session, nine subcommissions will continue to consider submissions made by Mauritius in respect of the region of Rodrigues Island (partial submission); Palau in respect of the North Area (partial amended submission); Portugal; Spain in respect of the area of Galicia (partial submission); Namibia; Mozambique; and Madagascar; as well as revised submissions made by Brazil in respect of the Brazilian Oriental and Meridional Margin (partial revised submission); and Cook Islands concerning the Manihiki Plateau (revised submission).
Coastal States that had not yet presented their submissions to the Commission were invited to present them at the plenary part of the session. To date, the following submitting States accepted the invitation: Brazil in respect of the Brazilian Oriental and Meridional Margin (partial revised submission); and Viet Nam in respect of the Central Area (VNM-C).
The plenary of the Commission will commence its consideration of the recommendations prepared by the subcommissions established to consider the submissions made by Brazil in respect of the Brazilian Equatorial Margin (partial revised submission); Cuba in respect the eastern polygon in the Gulf of Mexico; and Iceland in respect of the western, southern and south-eastern parts of the Reykjanes Ridge (partial revised submission), which were transmitted to the Commission during the sixty‑second session.
This session will be the first under the revised pattern of annual meetings in New York, whereby the Commission meets for three sessions of five weeks each, including four weeks of plenary meetings, complemented by increased intersessional work.
Background
Established pursuant to article 2 of annex II to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the Commission makes recommendations to coastal States on matters related to the establishment of the outer limits of their continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured, based on information submitted by those coastal States. The recommendations are based on the scientific data and other material provided by coastal States in relation to the implementation of article 76 of the Convention and do not prejudice matters relating to the delimitation of boundaries between States with opposite or adjacent coasts or prejudice the position of States that are parties to a land or maritime dispute, or application of other parts of the Convention or any other treaties. The limits of the continental shelf established by a coastal State on the basis of the recommendations are final and binding. In the case of disagreement by a coastal State with the recommendations of the Commission, the coastal State shall, within a reasonable time, make a revised or new submission to the Commission.
Under rule 23 of its rules of procedure (Public and private meetings), the meetings of the Commission, its subcommissions and subsidiary bodies are held in private, unless the Commission decides otherwise.
As required under the rules of procedure of the Commission, the executive summaries of all the submissions, including all charts and coordinates, have been made public by the Secretary‑General through continental shelf notifications circulated to Member States of the United Nations, as well as States parties to the Convention. The executive summaries are available on the Division’s website at: www.un.org/depts/los/clcs_new/clcs_home.htm. The summaries of recommendations adopted by the Commission are also available on the above-referenced website.
The Commission is a body of 21 experts in the field of geology, geophysics or hydrography serving in their personal capacities. Members of the Commission are elected for a term of five years by the Meeting of States Parties to the Convention having due regard to the need to ensure equitable geographical representation. Not fewer than three members shall be elected from each geographical region.
A by-election to fill the vacancy resulting from the resignation of Mr. Brekke will be held at the thirty-fifth Meeting of States Parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, scheduled to be convened from 23 to 27 June 2025. An election for another seat allocated to members from the Group of Eastern European States which has remained vacant would also be held on that occasion.
The Convention provides that the State party which submitted the nomination of a member of the Commission shall defray the expenses of that member while in performance of Commission duties. A voluntary trust fund for the purpose of defraying the cost of participation of the members of the Commission from developing countries has been established. It has facilitated the participation of several members of the Commission from developing countries in the sessions of the Commission.
The convening by the Secretary-General of the sessions of the Commission, with full conference services, including documentation, for the plenary parts of these sessions, is subject to approval by the General Assembly of the United Nations. The Assembly does so in its annual resolutions on oceans and the law of the sea, which also address other matters relevant to the work of the Commission and the conditions of service of its members.
Source: United States Small Business Administration
ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding eligible private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Florida of the March 17 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by the severe storms, straight-line winds and tornadoes that occurred May 10, 2024.
The disaster declaration covers the counties of Baker, Columbia, Gadsen, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lafayette, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Santa Rosa, Suwanee, Taylor and Wakulla.
Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to PNPs that suffered 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 PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills that could have been paid had the disaster not occurred.
The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 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 amount terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.
For more information and 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.
The deadline to return economic injury applications is March 17, 2025.
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About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.
Source: United States Small Business Administration
ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Florida of the March 17, 2025, deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by the severe storms, straight-line winds and tornadoes that occurred on May 10, 2024.
The disaster declaration covers the counties of Gadsden, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, and Wakulla in Florida, as well as the counties of Grady and Thomas in Georgia.
Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and PNPs that suffered 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 that could have been paid had the disaster not occurred.
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 amount 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.
The deadline to return economic injury applications is March 17, 2025.
# # #
About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.
Source: United States Small Business Administration
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding eligible private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Oklahoma of the March 14, 2025 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by severe storms, straight-line‑winds, tornadoes and flooding that occurred May 19-28, 2024.
The disaster declaration covers the counties of Blaine, Caddo, Custer, Delaware, Jackson, Mayes, Roger Mills, Rogers and Woods.
Under the declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to PNPs that provide non-critical services of a governmental nature and suffered financial losses directly related to the disaster. Examples of eligible non-critical PNPs include, but are not limited to, food kitchens, homeless shelters, museums, libraries, community centers, schools and colleges.
EIDLs are available for working capital needs cause by the disaster and are available even if the PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that could have been paid had the disaster not occurred.
Interest rates can be as low as 3.25% 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 amount terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.
For more information and 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 no later than March 14.
###
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.
OTTAWA, Ontario, Feb. 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The following matter was voted upon at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders of Calian® Group Ltd. (TSX:CGY), held on February 13, 2025 in Ottawa, Ontario. This and other matters voted upon are described in greater detail in the Notice of Annual Meeting of Shareholders and Management Proxy Circular dated December 30, 2024.
Detailed results of the vote for the election of directors are set out below.
Name of Nominee
Votes For
% Votes For
Votes Against
% Votes Against
George Weber
6,474,389
82.99%
1,327,223
17.01%
Josh Blair
7,786,162
99.80%
15,450
0.20%
Kevin Ford
7,788,179
99.83%
13,433
0.17%
Lisa Greatrix
7,781,072
99.74%
20,540
0.26%
Lori O’Neill
7,630,438
97.81%
171,174
2.19%
Young Park
7,634,699
97.86%
166,913
2.14%
Jo-Anne Poirier
7,635,858
97.88%
165,754
2.12%
Royden Ronald Richardson
7,633,263
97.84%
168,349
2.16%
Valerie Sorbie
7,638,974
97.92%
162,638
2.08%
For more details, including the outcome of other matters that came before the Meeting, please see the report of voting results filed at www.sedarplus.ca.
We keep the world moving forward. Calian® helps people communicate, innovate, learn and lead safe and healthy lives. Every day, our employees live our values of customer commitment, integrity, innovation, respect and teamwork to engineer reliable solutions that solve complex challenges. That’s Confidence. Engineered. A stable and growing 40-year company, we are headquartered in Ottawa with offices and projects spanning North American, European and international markets. Visit calian.com to learn about innovative healthcare, communications, learning and cybersecurity solutions.
Product or service names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
Certain information included in this press release is forward-looking and is subject to important risks and uncertainties. The results or events predicted in these statements may differ materially from actual results or events. Such statements are generally accompanied by words such as “intend”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “expect” or similar statements. Factors which could cause results or events to differ from current expectations include, among other things: the impact of price competition; scarce number of qualified professionals; the impact of rapid technological and market change; loss of business or credit risk with major customers; technical risks on fixed price projects; general industry and market conditions and growth rates; international growth and global economic conditions, and including currency exchange rate fluctuations; and the impact of consolidations in the business services industry. For additional information with respect to certain of these and other factors, please see the Company’s most recent annual report and other reports filed by Calian with the Ontario Securities Commission. Calian disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. No assurance can be given that actual results, performance or achievement expressed in, or implied by, forward-looking statements within this disclosure will occur, or if they do, that any benefits may be derived from them.
Calian · Head Office · 770 Palladium Drive · Ottawa · Ontario · Canada · K2V 1C8 Tel: 613.599.8600 · Fax: 613-592-3664 · General info email: info@calian.com
The World Economic Forum is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. The Forum engages the foremost political, business, cultural and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas. We believe that progress happens by bringing together people from all walks of life who have the drive and the influence to make positive change.
Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters
WASHINGTON, DC — U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-MI), Ranking Member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, is pressing the Trump Administration to take immediate action to mitigate the worsening outbreak of a bird flu virus, known as H5N1. The Trump Administration’s incredibly harmful “pause” on time-sensitive and critical public health communications from key federal agencies risks missing key indicators of health threats and exacerbates the likelihood of another deadly pandemic.
Peters’ warning comes as the Trump Administration has taken little action to coordinate a response to the growing H5N1 outbreak. Already this year, more than 20 million egg-laying chickens have died due to the bird flu, raising the price of eggs dramatically. The United States has already reported its first human death from the virus, and the same strain has recently infected dairy cows in Nevada, where at least one dairy farm worker has tested positive.
“As the H5N1 virus continues to infect wild birds, poultry flocks, and dairy cattle across the country, it has been detected in all fifty states and Puerto Rico, with 68 reported human cases in 11 states throughout the U.S,” wrote Peters. “In Michigan, H5N1 has been identified in 25 counties and two farm workers tested positive for the virus last year.”
Peters continued: “We are at a critical juncture and must work to mitigate H5N1 transmission among affected animals to ensure the virus does not eventually adapt to spread easily between humans, resulting in human-to-human transmission like the virus that caused the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic taught us the importance of early and prompt action, clear roles and responsibilities, regular and unified communication, and most importantly, the severe consequences of a delayed response.”
“I request that the White House, including the Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy (OPPR), and relevant executive branch agencies, take immediate and necessary measures to ensure transparent, unified, and regular communications with the public about the H5N1 outbreak,” Peters underscored. “Public health communications must not be interrupted.”
In his role leading the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Peters led an investigation and released a report identifying significant failures of the federal government’s initial response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Peters’ report made recommendations to bolster our preparedness for future pandemics and response to future public health crises. Many of those recommendations have not yet been addressed by Congress or the Administration.
The full text of the letter can be found here.
Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters
Peters’ Bipartisan Bill Would Help U.S. Companies Identify and Avoid Doing Business with Foreign Entities Linked to Human Rights Abuses
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) reintroduced bipartisan legislation to help American businesses identify and avoid doing business with foreign entities linked to human rights abuses, particularly the use of forced labor in China. The Combating CCP Labor Abuses Act – which Peters reintroduced with U.S. Senators Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) and John Curtis (R-UT) – would direct the Commerce Department to offer training and guidance to U.S. exporters that are, or are considering, exporting goods to businesses in the People’s Republic of China where forced labor and significant human rights abuses have occurred. The bill – which unanimously passed the Senate last Congress – would also require the Commerce Department to provide additional insight that might help U.S. exporters avoid doing business with foreign entities that are subject to the influence or control of nations such as the People’s Republic of China that may be implicated in forced labor or human rights violations.
“We must do everything we can to condemn and deter human rights abuses being committed by our adversaries, including China,” said Senator Peters, a member of the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee. “This bipartisan bill will provide our businesses with important insight that can help avoid business dealings with foreign entities that might be involved in these atrocities.”
The bipartisan legislation has earned the support of the Uyghur Human Rights Project and the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO).
“Business complicity in the genocide of the Uyghurs has to be stopped,” said Omer Kanat, Uyghur Human Rights Project Executive Director. “The US government should act on its 2021 genocide finding, by ensuring small businesses have options. This bill is important for them to stop any kind of business with the companies involved in the ongoing slow-genocide policies in China – including hi-tech surveillance, textiles, EV batteries, and much more.”
The government of the People’s Republic of China has perpetrated egregious human rights abuses—including in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region—against Uyghurs and other ethnic and religious minority groups. The Chinese government’s actions have encompassed mass detention in internment camps, the use of forced labor, and other atrocities. This has led the U.S. State Department to determine that the People’s Republic of China, “under the direction and control” of the Chinese Communist Party, “has committed genocide against predominantly Muslim Uyghurs and other ethnic and religious minority groups in Xinjiang.”
The U.S. Department of Commerce provides valuable assistance to help U.S. businesses and exporters increase sales and tap into new markets, such as through export counseling provided by the U.S. Commercial Service. Peters’ bipartisan bill would build on existing human rights training for Department staff by ensuring its workforce is specifically informed about emerging trends and issues with respect to human rights abuses occurring around the world, such as the situation in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
February 14, 2025
“[DoD’s] new immigration operations — which the Trump administration is planning at an unprecedented scale — threaten to burden the Department’s resources and undermine our national security.”
Text of Letter (PDF)
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) wrote to Secretary of Defense (DoD) Pete Hegseth regarding the military’s recent deployment of active-duty forces to the southern border and Guantanamo, and the Department of Defense’s (DOD) new involvement in immigration detention and deportation.
On his first day in office, President Trump signed an Executive Order directing the United States Northern Command (NORTHCOM) to “seal the borders” and “to provide steady-state southern border security.” On January 29, President Trump directed DoD to “expand the Migrant Operations Center at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay to full capacity” of 30,000. As a result, NORTHCOM has deployed about 2,000 active-duty troops to the southern border, bringing the total under DoD’s command to over 4,000. These deployments have drawn from numerous Army and Marine Corps units, and DoD has required the 10th Mountain Division from Fort Drum, New York to oversee the units. In the near term, the Trump administration is reportedly considering deploying up to 10,000 troops to the southern border — double the scale of DoD’s border deployment in 2019 and 2020. That number could grow; during President Trump’s first term, then-Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said Stephen Miller (now White House Deputy Chief of Staff) said that “[w]e need a quarter-million troops” at the southern border.
Following Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) reversal of its policy prohibiting the use of military aircraft to deport migrants, DoD has operated over 10 deportation flights around the world. At Guantanamo, SOUTHCOM’s has deployed over 500 Marines and DoD has not ruled out detaining women and children there. A former Pentagon official estimates that these operations would “quickly skyrocket into tens of millions, if not hundreds of millions, of dollars.”
At a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee on February 13, 2025, Admiral Alvin Holsey, SOUTHCOM Commander, confirmed that the Pentagon does not have a cost estimate for these immigration operations, though the department is supposed to consider costs before deploying troops. At the same hearing, General Gregory Guillot, NORTHCOM Commander, told senators that only one training day has been set aside per week for deployed troops operating outside their specialties to maintain their skills, so troops are only doing 20% of relevant military training while deployed for immigration enforcement.
“[DoD’s] new immigration-related operations place significant — and unnecessary — burdens on DoD resources, personnel, and readiness,” wrote the senators.
The aircraft now used for deportations, for example, cost far more than the commercial and chartered flights that ICE normally uses for deportations. The new aircraft, the military C-17 plane, costs taxpayers over $28,000 per flight hour for a single deportation, compared to $8,577 per flight hour on civilian aircraft alternatives that ICE often uses. Similarly, ICE’s contract for Guantanamo’s migrant operations center requires it to pay a staggering $272,000 per detention bed, compared to around $57,00 per bed at ICE facilities within the United States.
DoD may not have a realistic estimate of how much these new operations will cost. During President Trump’s first term, when DoD deployed troops to the border between FY2018 and FY2020, the Department estimated that its border operations would total $1 billion in unreimbursed costs. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) later found that “DOD did not present reliable cost estimates.” Since then, DoD has not implemented any of GAO’s recommendations for improving how it estimates the cost of assisting DHS’s immigration operations.
DoD’s growing participation in DHS immigration operations will pose serious costs for units’ readiness. The Defense Secretary discontinued part of DoD’s border operations between 2018 and 2020 after finding that “continued support for the mission would negatively affect military readiness and morale.” The commandant of the Marine Corps warned at the time that the operation posed an “unacceptable risk to Marine Corps combat readiness and solvency,” as a result of separated units and canceled training exercises.
“Likewise, we are concerned about how these operations may impact servicemembers’ morale. In recent years, DoD personnel who deployed to the border have reported dangerously low morale, driven by an unclear mission, isolation, boredom, poor accommodations, and more,” wrote the lawmakers. “Poor morale even contributed to a series of suicides by members of the Texas National Guard who deployed to the southern border.”
“(T)he Trump administration is militarizing the country’s immigration enforcement system in an apparent attempt to signal toughness. But this political stunt will come at a high cost; it risks diverting DoD’s resources away from its vital mission in ways that compromise our national security,” the senators concluded.
The senators requested that DoD provide more clarity about troop deployment to the border and anticipated costs by February 27, 2025.
Senator Warren has sought to protect military resources and prevent unnecessary costs that compromise national security:
In December 2024, Senators Elizabeth Warren, Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) wrote to the leaders of each of the top 10 U.S. automakers with concerns about the companies’ fierce opposition to car owners’ right to repair the vehicles they own in the way they choose.
In December 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Wash.) introduced the Servicemember Right-to-Repair Act to increase military readiness and cut costs by allowing servicemembers to repair their own equipment.
In December 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren wrote to the Department of Defense with continued concerns about DoD’s failure to prevent price gouging and overpayments in the military’s TRICARE health program. DoD’s response to Senator Warren’s July 2023 letter revealed a list of nearly 250 bad actors who have overcharged our military by nearly $46 million, which the Senator released today.
In June 2024, Senators Elizabeth Warren, Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), U.S. Representative Buddy Carter (R-Ga.), and 20 other lawmakers sent a letter to Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Dr. Lester Martinez-Lopez and Director of the Defense Health Agency (DHA) Lieutenant General Telita Crosland, raising concerns over Express Scripts’ exclusive contract to administer TRICARE’s pharmacy program, the healthcare system for the military, retirees, and their families.
In July 2023, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren chaired a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel. She called out the Department of Defense (DoD) for wasting billions in taxpayers dollars due to price gouging by defense contractors for services and in health care, and identified opportunities for cost savings when DoD buys personnel-related goods and services.
In July 2023, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and Director of the Defense Health Agency (DHA), Lieutenant General Telita Crosland, regarding a series of DoD Inspector General (IG) reports finding that the Department of Defense (DoD) is failing to prevent price gouging and overpayments to contractors in the TRICARE health program.
In June 2023, Senators Warren and Mike Braun (R-Ind.), alongside Rep. Garamendi, reintroduced the bipartisan Stop Price Gouging the Military Act, which would close loopholes in current acquisition laws, tie financial incentives for contractors to performance, and provide the Department of Defense (DoD) the information necessary to prevent future rip-offs.
In May 2023, Senator Warren and Representative John Garamendi sent letters to DoD, Boeing, and TransDigm on companies’ refusal to provide cost or pricing data.
In May 2023, Senators Warren, Sanders, Braun, and Grassley sent a letter to DoD urging an investigation into contractor price gouging.
In October 2022, Senator Warren obtained a commitment from DoD not to increase contract prices due to inflation.
In October 2022 Senator Warren sent a letter to DoD urging them to insist on receiving certified cost or pricing data to justify any contract adjustments.
In June 2022, Senator Warren and Representative Garamendi introduced the bicameral Stop Price Gouging the Military Act, which would enhance DoD’s ability to access certified cost and pricing data. Part of Senator Warren’s legislation was incorporated into the FY 2023 National Defense Authorization Act reported to the Senate.
In September 2020, Senator Warren and Representative Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) formally requested that the Department of Defense (DoD) Inspector General (IG) investigate reports that the Pentagon redirected hundreds of millions of dollars of funds meant for COVID-19 response via the Defense Production Act (DPA) to defense contractors for “jet engine parts, body armor and dress uniforms.”
In May 2020, Senator Warren wrote to the Department requesting clarification on how the Department would prevent profiteering following a recent change to increase payments to contractors in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In March 2020, Senator Warren joined her colleagues in urging the FTC to use its full authority to prevent abusive price gouging on consumer health products during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In April 2019, Senator Elizabeth Warren, along with Senator Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and four other members of the Armed Services Committee, wrote to then-Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan to seek clarification about statements made by Department of Defense officials about the deployment of military personnel to the southwest border and assurances that this deployment would not negatively affect military readiness.
In November 2018, Senator Warren, along with Representative Jackie Speier (D-Calif.), then-Chairwoman of the Military Personnel Subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee, and former Representative Beto O’Rourke (D-Texas), sent a bicameral letter to then-Secretary of Defense James Mattis requesting information about President Trump’s decision to deploy more than 5,000 active duty military personnel to the southwest border.
In May 2017, Senator Warren sent a letter to the Department of Defense Inspector General asking for an investigation into defense contractor TransDigm’s refusal to provide cost information to the Department of Defense.
Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)
WASHINGTON – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined U.S. Senator John Thune (R-SD) in reintroducing legislation that would permanently repeal the federal estate tax, commonly known as the death tax. The Death Tax Repeal Act would end this purely punitive tax that can hit family-run farms, ranches, and businesses as the result of the owner’s death. Sen. Tuberville has helped introduce this legislation in both the 117th and 118th congresses.
“The Death Tax destroys American jobs by stifling profitable businesses that employ hardworking Americans,” said Senator Tuberville. “Our government should be focused on creating an economic environment that preserves small businesses and family farms, instead of taxing them out of operation. I will keep pushing for policies that incentivize our next generation of farmers and business owners, so that we can continue to rely on their contributions for a strong economy.”
“Family farms and ranches play a vital role in our economy and are the lifeblood of rural communities in South Dakota,” said Senator Thune. “Losing even one of them to the death tax is one too many. It’s time to put an end to this punishing, burdensome tax once and for all so that family farms, ranches and small businesses can grow and thrive without costly estate planning or massive tax burdens that can threaten their viability.”
Senators Tuberville and Thune are joined by U.S. Sens. Jim Banks (R-IN), John Barrasso (R-WY), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), John Boozman (R-AR), Katie Britt (R-AL), Ted Budd (R-NC), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), John Cornyn (R-TX), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Ted Cruz (R-TX), John Curtis (R-UT), Steve Daines (R-MT), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Josh Hawley (R-MO), John Hoeven (R-ND), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Jim Justice (R-WV), John Kennedy (R-LA), James Lankford (R-OK), Mike Lee (R-UT), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Dave McCormick (R-PA), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Bernie Moreno (R-OH), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Jim Risch (R-ID), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Rick Scott (R-FL), Tim Scott (R-SC), Tim Sheehy (R-MT), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and Todd Young (R-IN) in cosponsoring the legislation.
Companion legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-IA-04).
Read full text of the legislation here.
BACKGROUND:
The Senate attempted to repeal the estate tax while Congress considered the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) in 2017. Although the final version of the TCJA did not repeal the death tax, the law effectively doubled the individual estate and gift tax exclusion to $10 million (approximately $13.9 million in 2025 dollars) through 2025, which prevents more families and generationally owned businesses from being affected by this tax. The increased exclusion expires at the end of 2025, which increases uncertainty and planning costs for family-owned businesses, farms, and ranches.
MORE:
ICYMI: Tuberville in Yellowhammer News: “Protect family farmers by repealing the death tax” Tuberville Pushes to Permanently Repeal the Death Tax Tuberville Joins Effort to Permanently Repeal the Death Tax
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Technology Secretary Peter Kyle spoke about the the UK’s approach to the responsible development of artificial intelligence at the Munich Security Conference.
Innovation is defined by its ability to surprise.
Only a few years ago, GPT-2 meant nothing to the public.
For many of us, AI felt like a distant possibility at best.
Something that would never – could never – live up to the hype.
And yet, overnight, ChatGPT became a household name.
It unleashed an unprecedented wave of technological change.
And the pace of progress shows no signs of slowing down.
With DeepSeek, we’ve just seen once again just how sudden, how unpredictable, innovation can be.
The AI revolution is happening.
Ignoring it is simply not an option.
In the UK, we reject the doomsayers and the pessimists.
Because we are optimistic about the extraordinary potential of this technology.
And hopeful for the radical, far-reaching change it will bring.
Working in collaboration with our international partners, we’re going to create one of the biggest clusters of AI innovation in the world and deliver a new era of prosperity and wealth creation for our country.
This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity.
If we can seize it, we will close the door on a decade of slow growth and stagnant productivity.
Of taxes that are just too high.
We will deliver new jobs that put more money in working people’s pockets.
And we will drive forward a digital revolution inside government to make our state smaller, smarter, and more efficient.
But none of that is possible unless we can mitigate its risks that AI presents.
After all, businesses will only use these technologies if they can trust them.
Security and innovation go hand in hand.
AI is a powerful tool and powerful tools can be misused.
State-sponsored hackers are using AI to write malicious code and identify system vulnerabilities, increasing the sophistication and efficiency of their attacks.
Criminals are using AI deepfakes to assist in fraud, breaching security by impersonating officials.
Last year, attackers used live deepfake technology during a video call to mimic bank officials.
They stole $25 million.
And now we are seeing instances of people using AI to assist them in planning violent and harmful acts.
These aren’t distant possibilities.
They are real, tangible harms, happening right now.
The implications for our people could be pervasive and profound.
In the UK, we have built the largest team in a government dedicated to understanding AI capabilities and risks in the world.
That work is rooted in the strength of our partnerships with the companies who are right at the frontier of AI.
Working with those companies, the government can conduct scientifically informed tests to understand new AI capabilities and the risks they pose.
Make no mistake, I’m talking about risks to our people, their way of life, and the sovereignty and stability which underpins it.
That is why today, I am renaming our AI Safety Institute as the AI Security Institute.
This change brings us into line with what most people would expect an Institute like this to be doing.
They are not looking into freedom of speech.
They are not deciding what counts as bias or discrimination.
They are not politicians – nor should they be.
They are scientists – scientists who are squarely focused on rigorous research into the most serious emerging risks.
They are researching AI’s potential to assist with the development of chemical and biological weapons.
They are building on the expertise of our National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) to understand how this technology could be used to help malicious actors commit cyber-attacks.
They want to understand how AI could undermine human control.
Our research shows that those risks are clear:
There has been a clear upward trend in AI system capabilities most relevant to national security in the past 18 months.
For the first time last year, AI models demonstrated PhD-level performance on chemistry and biology question sets.
The safeguards designed to prevent these models doing harm are not currently sufficient.
Every model tested by the Institute is vulnerable to safeguard evasion attacks.
And it is almost certain that these capabilities will continue to improve, while novel risks will emerge from systems acting as autonomous agents to complete tasks with only limited human instruction.
The more we understand these risks, the better we can work with companies to address them.
And the faster we can keep our nation safe, the faster our people can embrace the potential of AI to create wealth and improve their lives.
There are certain security risks which require immediate action.
That is why the Security Institute will collaborate with the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, the Ministry of Defence’s science and technology organisation, to assess the dual-use scientific capabilities of frontier AI.
Today, we are also launching a criminal misuse team in the Security Institute, who will partner directly with the Home Office to conduct research on a range of crime and security issues which threaten to harm our citizens.
Earlier this month, the UK set out plans to make it illegal to own AI tools optimised to make images of child sexual abuse.
Reports of AI-generated child sexual abuse material found online by the Internet Watch Foundation have quadrupled in a single year.
The Security Institute will work with the Home Office to explore what more we can do to prevent abusers using AI to commit their sickening crimes.
A security risk is a security risk, no matter where it comes from.
US companies have shown the lead in taking security risks seriously.
But we need to scrutinise all models regardless of their jurisdiction of origin.
So I’ve instructed the Security Institute to take a leading role in testing AI models wherever they come from, open or closed.
While we can’t discuss these results publicly, we will share them with our allies.
We are alive to the security risks of today.
But we need to focus on tomorrow, too, and the day after that.
We are now seeing the glimmers of AI agents that can act autonomously, of their own accord.
The 2025 International AI Safety Report, led by Yoshua Bengio, warns us that – without the checks and balances of people directing them – we must consider the possibility that risks won’t just come from malicious actors misusing AI models, but from the models themselves.
We don’t yet know the full extent of these risks.
However, as we deploy AI across our economy, our society, and the critical infrastructure that keeps our nation secure, we cannot afford to ignore them.
Because losing oversight and control of advanced AI systems, particularly Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), would be catastrophic.
It must be avoided at all costs.
I want to be clear exactly what this testing is, and what it’s not.
It’s not a barrier to market access. Not a blocker to innovation.
It is urgent scientific work to understand serious risks to our country.
Governments are not passive bystanders in the AI revolution.
We have agency in how AI shapes our society.
And we have a responsibility to use that agency to defend our democratic way of life.
Only countries with a deep and knowing understanding of this technology will be able to build the capacity they need to deliver for their citizens in the twenty-first century.
But success is not a given.
It depends on the democratic world rallying together to maintain our leadership in AI.
Together, we can protect our fundamental values – freedom, openness, and opportunity.
If we do that, we won’t just keep our people safe.
We will ensure that they are first to benefit from the new era of wealth and prosperity which AI will bring.
A selection of works on paper by 12 contemporary women artists has gone on display at Aberdeen Art Gallery.
Works on paper can include drawings and watercolours, printed material and art photography. There are over 13,000 works on paper in the Aberdeen Archives, Gallery & Museums collection. The new display in Gallery 16 will be refreshed over the coming years to highlight the full range and richness of the collection. One of the priorities for the redevelopment of the Art Gallery, completed in 2019, was for more of the collection to go on display, including works on paper.
Around half of the contemporary artworks in the collection are by women artists. The work of the 12 artists featured in the new exhibition spans 50 years and explores a variety of techniques including printmaking, photography and painting. The artists are Annie Cattrell, Mirian Dokotliver, Amy Gear, Louise Hopkins, Hannah Imlach, Bet Low, Bel McCoig, Nanny Mulder, Elizabeth Ogilvie, Frances Walker, Caroline Walker and Francesca Woodman.
Among the highlights of the display are four photographs by the American photographer Francesca Woodman (1958-1981) who produced a highly-influential body of work during her brief 10-year career, often photographing herself in empty interiors. Her blurry images give a sense of human fragility.
A set of prints, which is a recent addition to the collection, is on display for the first time. ‘Nocturnes’ by Scottish artist Caroline Walker (born Dunfermline, 1982) depicts women in a variety of domestic settings at nighttime.
Frances Walker (born Kirkcaldy, 1930) has been a major contributor to artistic practice and development in Aberdeen, having taught at Gray’s School of Art in Aberdeen for many years. In 1974 she was a founding member of the city’s Peacock Printmakers. Walker depicts wild and desolate landscapes and terrains in her paintings and prints.
Gallery 16 at Aberdeen Art Gallery, where this new display is on show, is one of 19 spaces in the building that showcase the outstanding collection that is cared for by the Archives, Gallery & Museums team on behalf of the people of Aberdeen. Each Gallery has a different atmosphere and a different story to tell, from Art Deco ceramics, to portraiture, jewellery, processes in art and craft, the influence of 19th century French art on Scottish artists, the artist-adventurer James McBey and the experience of Aberdonians during times of war and conflict. Visitors can discover more about the collection by listening to staff talking about some of the highlights of the displays by downloading the free digital guide to the Art Gallery on the Bloomberg Connects app.
Councillor Martin Greig, Aberdeen City Council’s culture spokesman, said: “This is a wonderful exhibition of works on paper by women artists. It’s great to see the skills and talent on display. These changing exhibitions give everyone the chance to enjoy different aspects of the Art Gallery collection. These are treasures which belong to all of us in the city and it is good to have the opportunity to view these carefully-chosen artworks. The free digital guide to the Gallery on the Bloomberg Connects app is a really useful way to find out more about the drawings, paintings and other items in the city’s excellent art museum. The app is a good way to familiarise yourself with and learn more about Aberdeen’s outstanding collection.”
Works on Paper – Women Artists is now open at Aberdeen Art Gallery, Schoolhill, Aberdeen AB10 1FQ. Open Monday – Saturday 10am-5pm, Sunday 11am-4pm. Admission is free and donations are welcome.
The special exhibition Artist Textiles: From Picasso to Warhol continues at the Art Gallery until 13 April. This joyful exhibition explores textiles and fashion as popular artforms in 20th century Britain, Europe and the United States through rare examples of textiles by leading artists including Alexander Calder, Salvador Dalí, Sonia Delaunay, Raoul Dufy, Barbara Hepworth, Fernand Léger, Henri Matisse, Joan Miró, Henry Moore, Pablo Picasso, Ben Nicholson and Andy Warhol. For ticket and visiting information go to www.aagm.co.uk
Jefferson City — Today, Governor Mike Kehoe ordered U.S. and Missouri flags be flown at half-staff at all government buildings in Macon County on Sunday, February 16, 2025, from sunrise to sunset in honor of U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Shelbe Faye Butner, who was tragically killed in the line of duty on January 30, 2025, while conducting a training exercise at Fort Stewart United States Army post in Georgia.
“Staff Sergeant Shelbe Faye Butner was dedicated to serving our country with honor, courage, and unwavering commitment,” said Governor Mike Kehoe. “Staff Sergeant Butner considered the welfare of others a personal responsibility and was guided by her love of country to serve our nation. Her sacrifice reminds us of the bravery and dedication of the men and women who put themselves in harm’s way to protect our freedoms. Claudia and I join Shelbe’s family and friends in honoring her service and mourning her loss.”
A 2015 graduate of Macon High School, Staff Sergeant Butner enlisted in the U.S. Army on June 1, 2015. She earned the Military Occupational Specialty Code 88M as an Army Motor Transport Operator and completed several advanced training courses, including the Army Basic Leader Course, Air Assault School, and Drill Sergeant School. She was assigned to the 6th Squadron – 8th Cavalry Regiment, where she was promoted to Staff Sergeant on August 1, 2022.
Staff Sergeant Butner was a proud and accomplished soldier, serving in the United States Army for nine years, including a tour in Kuwait. Throughout her career, Staff Sergeant Butner earned many commendations, including the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War Expeditionary Medal, and numerous others.
The flags will be flown at half-staff on the day of Butner’s interment services. To view the governor’s proclamation, click here.
Since its debut over a year ago, the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) has seen tremendous success, breaking attendance records and selling out arenas across North America. The next stop of the PWHL’s neutral-ground Takeover Tour will be in Edmonton, where two Canadian teams will battle at Rogers Place, the heart of Edmonton’s world-renowned Ice District.
The hype around the PWHL proves the growing demand for women’s hockey and increasing support for professional women’s sport. Alberta’s government staunchly supports women’s sports, working to remove barriers women face and increase participation in sport and recreation. Each year, Alberta’s government commits $18 million to increase access to sport and recreation through the Every Kid Can Play program and Active Communities Initiative, as well as more than $50,000 to support women in sport leadership – helping Albertan women thrive, both on and off the ice.
“Alberta’s government is thrilled to welcome the PWHL to our capital city. Hockey runs deep in Alberta, and we couldn’t be more proud to have the world’s best women’s hockey players compete here. Sunday’s game is about more than hockey – it’s about showing girls across the province that there is not only space for them in sport, but that their dreams are within reach, and the entire province is rooting for them.”
Sunday’s much-anticipated game is the direct result of conversations had during Minister Schow’s mission to New York this past fall, and will draw a sold-out crowd, injecting millions into the local economy as visitors book accommodations, eat at restaurants and shop at local businesses. As the PWHL continues to build its audience and consider expansion, Sunday’s game will highlight Alberta as a premier destination, with world-class sport infrastructure and the world’s best hockey fans.
“The support from Edmonton and the Alberta hockey community leading up to our PWHL Takeover Tour game has been incredible. We’re thankful for the partnership with local leaders, who have been instrumental in bringing our world-class players to Edmonton, and we look forward to an unforgettable weekend, capped by our Feb. 16 game.”
Sunday’s game will give four Albertan players the opportunity to play in front of a hometown crowd. This includes Ottawa Charge forward Danielle Serdachny, the second overall pick in the 2024 draft, along with her teammates: defender Stephanie Markowski from Edmonton and goaltender Emerance Maschmeyer from Bruderheim. Also featured in the game are Ottawa head coach Carla McLeod, from Spruce Grove, and Calgary’s Jessica Kondas, a defender for the Toronto Sceptres.
“Explore Edmonton is proud to celebrate women’s hockey with the first ever PWHL game in Edmonton, where hockey culture thrives and is supported by the best fans. There is strength in partnership, and we are glad to work alongside the event partners and funders to bring the community together to continue our hockey legacy and support women-in-sport.”
Related information
PWHL Takeover Tour
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The International Monetary Fund’s First Deputy Managing Director Gita Gopinath sat down with Meet The Leader at the World Economic Forum‘s Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland to share what’s next for global growth.
She identified the statistics that she found most compelling and the risks and opportunities leaders must prioritize in 2025. She also described the pivot countries will need to make in fiscal policy to tackle historic levels of global public debt (levels that could hit the $100 trillion mark) and how “optimism bias” could stand in the way.
This special episode of interview of Meet The Leader was recorded at the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland.
About the research cited:IMF World Economic Outlook: https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WEO/Issues/2025/01/17/world-economic-outlook-update-january-2025
Find a transcript here: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/gita-gopinath-imf-economic-outlook
The World Economic Forum is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. The Forum engages the foremost political, business, cultural and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas. We believe that progress happens by bringing together people from all walks of life who have the drive and the influence to make positive change.
Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)
Dismantling Medicaid is a Direct Attack on New Mexicans;
New Mexico has the Most Medicaid Recipients Per Capita Than Any Other State
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M) joined U.S. Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) in writing a letter to President Trump demanding the Trump administration, Elon Musk, and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to not dismantle Medicare and Medicaid to pay for the Republican Tax Scam that gives a handout to the country’s most wealthy. This follows reporting that Elon Musk and DOGE officials gained access to key payment and contracting systems at the Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services (CMS). CMS administers Medicare and Medicaid.
In 2024, 68 million seniors and people with disabilities seniors relied on Medicare coverage for essential health care, including hospital visits, screenings for cancer, diabetes, and depression, and prescription drugs. Nearly 80 million Americans relied on Medicaid, making it the largest public health insurance program in the United States. In New Mexico, one in three New Mexicans rely on Medicare and over 780,000 individuals rely on Medicaid to access health care.
In the letter the lawmakers wrote, “We write to say no to Elon Musk and DOGE, and demand hands off Medicare or Medicaid. We strongly oppose any efforts by Musk – or anyone else in your administration – cutting or damaging these vital programs. Medicare and Medicaid must not be raided to pay for tax cuts for billionaires. Every cut risks Americans paying more, waiting longer, and wading through more insurance red tape for care. Every cut risks hospitals and community health centers struggling harder to keep their doors open and forcing health providers and workers out of their jobs.
The lawmakers continued, “We continue to fight for a health care system that works better for all Americans, so they experience lower costs, shorter wait times, and receive better care. But your Administration, Elon Musk, and DOGE have already made that harder. Your Administration is already responsible for the shut-down of Medicaid portals across all 50 states, disruptions to vital health care communication, closures of community health centers, and significant delays in funding for life-saving health research. Cuts to Medicare and Medicaid will only serve to deepen the harm.”
The lawmakers urged, “It is dangerously unacceptable that an unelected Musk and his unqualified acolytes have access to sensitive CMS systems and are ready to bypass Congress to make life and death decisions affecting millions of Americans. No one asked for this lawless approach to our critical government health care systems. We urge you to stop this threat to Americans’ health care, now.”
Senator Luján has long supported protecting Medicare and Medicaid from attacks during his career in Congress. In the nomination hearing for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to become Secretary of Health and Human Services, Senator Luján questioned Mr. Kennedy on his understanding of the importance of Medicaid and pressed Mr. Kennedy for his commitment to protect Medicaid from cuts. Additionally, Senator Luján pressed Mr. Kennedy regarding his views on Medicare drug price negotiation and confirm he will not pause negotiations, as CEOs representing the largest pharmaceutical companies have requested.
In addition to Senators Luján, Markey, and Warren, the letter is signed by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).
The full text of the letter is available here.
US Vice President JD Vance has been accused of spreading shocking and shameless misinformation about safe access zones in Scotland by Scottish Green MSP Gillian Mackay.
In a speech this morning, VP Vance claimed that people in Scotland were told that private prayer in their own homes would be against the law within a safe access zone and that people were encouraged to report anyone they thought guilty of “thought crime.” This has never been true.
Ms Mackay introduced the bill that secured 200 metre wide safe access zones, or buffer zones, around abortion service providers to stop the intimidating anti-choice protests that were taking place across Scotland. Private prayer at home has never been impacted by this Act.
Ms Mackay said:
“This is shocking and shameless misinformation from VP Vance, who is either very badly informed about what my Act has done or he is knowingly misrepresenting it.
“He is one of the most powerful people in the world but he is peddling total nonsense and dangerous scare mongering.
“Nobody should be intimidated or harassed when accessing healthcare, and I am proud that my Act has put a stop to the graphic banners and the protests that far too many people were being forced to pass in order to access healthcare.
“I was proud that our Parliament voted to back safe access zones so overwhelmingly, and that they stood against the cynical lies and misrepresentation of the kind that Mr Vance is promoting.”
Ms Mackay added:
“The government that Mr Vance represents is a clear threat to reproductive rights. He has a shocking record on abortion and many other issues. He has supported calls to reduce access to healthcare and has even argued for a national ban on abortion rights across the US.
“Abortion rights are human rights and they are healthcare. Today and every day I will stand with the millions of people across the US who oppose the misogynistic and anti-choice agenda of Donald Trump and JD Vance.”
Opportunity Home Treatment and Recovery Centre – Exterior (Credit: Opportunity Home Treatment and Recovery Centre)
Since 2019, Alberta’s government has worked to establish a system of care that supports treatment and recovery for those suffering from the disease of addiction. The Alberta Recovery Model is removing barriers to ensure every person has an opportunity to pursue recovery. This has included the addition of more than 10,000 new publicly funded treatment spaces, expanding the Virtual Opioid Dependency Program, and building 11 world-class recovery communities across the province, three of which are open and supporting clients. In the Alberta Recovery Model, no person is expected to pay for life-saving addiction treatment services.
Alberta’s government has further expanded addiction treatment capacity by partnering with Opportunity Home Treatment and Recovery Centre in Drayton Valley with a funding agreement of $331,000. Opportunity Home is a 10-bed addiction treatment facility that can support men over the age of 18 with residential addiction treatment services. It has the capacity to support up to 40 clients each year in their pursuit of recovery.
“Our government is proud to invest in treatment and recovery as it is the most compassionate, dignified approach in supporting Albertans suffering from addiction. We are pleased to support ongoing expansion of recovery programs that give Albertans an opportunity to live meaningful, hopeful lives.”
“As the MLA for Drayton Valley, I am grateful for this support from Alberta’s government. Families in Alberta want to see their loved ones recover from addiction, and Opportunity Home makes that possible. I was pleased to advocate for this funding on behalf of this constituency and I am glad to see the government is supporting our community.”
Opportunity Home first opened its doors in 2023. Treatment programs typically last about 90 days, offering a recovery program built on faith and community. The program supports clients with the necessary skills for success and reintegration into society as a person living in recovery.
“I want to thank Alberta’s government for its leadership and commitment to recovery in Alberta and in Drayton Valley. My council and I recognize the vital role that centers like Opportunity Home play in helping individuals overcome addiction and rebuild their lives. Opportunity Home’s passion and commitment has been instrumental in bringing this project to life, and we look forward to seeing the positive impact this funding will have in our community.”
“This support from Alberta’s government alongside the local community members ensures our clients can participate in our programs, free of charge. We are passionate about bringing people out of addiction, into recovery, and helping them rebuild their lives. The support from Alberta’s current government, alongside our local community, has allowed us to remove barriers people face when taking the step forward to access treatment and recovery services. We work together to support people in building long-term success in their recovery from addiction and living healthy lives.”
Opportunity Home is actively expanding its operations and services including cultural programming, as well as increasing services, staffing, training, and clinical hours of operation.
Alberta’s government is committed to making addiction treatment accessible for Albertans in need. The Alberta Recovery Model is based on the fact that recovery is possible and there is hope for those facing mental health and addiction challenges. Alberta’s government believes everyone deserves an opportunity to rebuild their life and reunite with their family, community and culture.
Quick facts
Albertans struggling with opioid addiction can contact the Virtual Opioid Dependency Program (VODP) by calling 1-844-383-7688, seven days a week, from from 6 a.m. to midnight. VODP provides same-day access to addiction medicine specialists. There is no waitlist.
Albertans can call 211 Alberta for information on services and supports in their community.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
The British Embassy in Yerevan invites female citizens in Armenia aged 18 to 22 to enter a competition to be an Ambassador for a Day.
Call for applications for the Ambassador for a Day in Armenia 2025 announced by the British Embassy in Yerevan
What is Ambassador for A Day
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to represent your country on the international stage? The Diplomacy plays a key role in shaping global decisions and women’s voices are truly crucial in this field. This competition gives you a rare chance to step into the shoes of an Ambassador for a day, learn about diplomacy in action and the work of the British Embassy team.
Why you should enter this competition
Women and girls represent half of the world’s population and, therefore, half of its potential. Yet they are not fully represented in diplomacy, politics and leadership roles.
This is why we are encouraging women to make their voices heard on topics that affect us all. We encourage young students to become leaders and advocates for change by offering them an opportunity to experience diplomacy in action and to Take a glimpse behind the scenes of the British Embassy in Yerevan.
Who can apply?
You can enter this competition if you:
are a female citizen of Armenia
are aged between 18 to 22 years old
have a good command of English
agree to be
available to spend a full day with the British Embassy staff on 20 March 2025
agree to be photographed and filmed throughout the day, with content shared across publicly (in accordance with GDPR guidelines)
How to apply?
To enter, submit a short video (up to 2 minutes) in English answering the following question: “What would you do if you were the British Ambassador in Armenia?”
Important tips:
we will be celebrating Women’s month together and this competition highlights the importance of women’s leadership. Please bear in mind that the topic for International Women’s Day 2024 is “Accelerate Action (IWD 2025) and “For ALL women and girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment (UN Women 2025)
creativity will be an important judging criteria. Don’t be afraid to be bold and share your unique perspective.
the selection process will be fair and inclusive with a diverse judging panel to ensure equal evaluation
Please read the information in detail on our Terms and Conditions.
How to submit your entry?
Read the terms and conditions for entering the Ambassador for a Day 2025 competition:
Once you have prepared your video, email it along with the Ambassador for A Day participation form to Enquiries.Yerevan@fcdo.gov.uk before the end of 3 March 2025.
Key dates to remember
Mark your calendar!
applications open: 14 February 2025
deadline for applications: 3 March 2025
shortlisted winner contacted: 14 March 2025
ambassador for a Day: 19 March 2025
…and for the winner
The winner will spend an entire day shadowing the British Ambassador. This will include attending meetings, learning about international cooperation and engaging with UK-funded projects.
Follow the journey!
Even if you are not selected as the winner, we encourage you to follow the journey on our social media channels. We will be sharing inspirational stories and insights from past winners. This is a chance to engage with a community of young women interested in leadership and diplomacy.