The NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi is concerned for low-income workers given new data released by Stats NZ that shows inflation was 2.5% for the year to March 2025, rising from 2.2% in December last year.
“The prices of things that people can’t avoid are rising – meaning inflation is rising faster for those on low incomes,” said NZCTU Economist Craig Renney.
“Inflation was driven by increases in rents (up 3.7%), rates (up 12%), household energy (up 7.2%) and insurances (up 8%). Grocery prices were also higher, rising 4.3%.
“Earlier this year, the minimum wage rose by 1.5% – a full 1% less than actual inflation. This is the second year the Government has increased the minimum wage by less than inflation, which means that a full-time minimum wage worker is now cumulatively $2,438 worse off in real terms. Minimum wage workers are missing out on $28.36 a week because of the Government’s decisions.
“The Government is considering removing the Living Wage guarantee for government contractors who are caterers, cleaners, and security guards. This data shows why that protection is so important – working people can’t rely on this Government to protect them through the Minimum Wage.
“With 46% of workers receiving a pay rise less than inflation last year, it also shows that many working people are still doing it tough. Unemployment is still rising, with tens of thousands of more people on Jobseekers Support. It is clearly not workers who are benefitting from the very little economic growth is being delivered.
“This data is another piece of evidence about who is winning and losing in the economy. The poorest working people are facing higher costs they can’t avoid – but with less money to pay.
“Workers need a change in direction and a government that will actively address low pay, unemployment, and poverty – it’s time for a different approach,” said Renney.
ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on April 17, 2025.
Most bees nest in the ground. Offering rocks and gravel is a simple way to help them thrive Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Freya Marie Jackson, PhD Candidate, School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University _Lasioglossum dotatum_ kerrysturat/iNaturalist, CC BY-NC-ND Of the more than 20,000 bee species in the world, 70% nest in the ground. And like many of their counterparts that nest above ground, these bees are facing
Thailand’s fragile democracy takes another hit with arrest of US academic Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adam Simpson, Senior Lecturer, International Studies, University of South Australia Despite the challenges faced by local democratic activists, Thailand has often been an oasis of relative liberalism compared with neighbouring countries such as Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia. Westerners, in particular, have been largely welcomed and provided with
In the trade war, China has moved to curb supply of critical minerals. Can Australia seize the moment? Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marina Yue Zhang, Associate Professor, Technology and Innovation, University of Technology Sydney China has placed curbs on exports of rare germanium and gallium which are critical in manufacturing. Shutterstock In the escalating trade war between the United States and China, one notable exception stood out: 31 critical
‘The pay is not worth the stress’: research finds 10% of lawyers plan to quit within a year Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vivien Holmes, Emerita Professor, Australian National University Momentum studio/Shutterstock No one goes into the legal profession thinking it is going to be easy. Long working hours are fairly standard, work is often completed to tight external deadlines, and 24/7 availability to clients is widely understood to be
Contemporary television is rarely as good as The Narrow Road to the Deep North Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Gaunson, Associate Professor in Cinema Studies, RMIT University Prime The Narrow Road to the Deep North stands as some of the most visceral and moving television produced in Australia in recent memory. Marking a new accessibility and confidence to director Justin Kurzel, it reunites him with
NZ’s over-reliance on roads for freight means natural disasters hit even harder. But there is a fix Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cécile L’Hermitte, Senior Lecturer in Logistics and Supply Chain Management, University of Waikato In the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle, the driving time between Napier and Wairoa stretched from 90 minutes to over six hours, causing major supply chain delays. Retail prices rose and shoppers faced empty shelves.
‘They are like my children’: research reveals 4 types of indoor plant owners. Which one are you? Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brianna Le Busque, Lecturer in Environmental Science, University of South Australia maramorosz/Shutterstock Walk into any home or workplace today, and you’re likely to find an array of indoor plants. The global market for indoor plants is growing fast – projected to reach more than US$28 billion (A$44
Cracks in social cohesion – the major parties must commit to reinvigorating multiculturalism Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Jakubowicz, Emeritus Professor of Sociology, University of Technology Sydney In the run up to the May 3 election, questions are being raised about the value of multiculturalism as a public policy in Australia. They’ve been prompted by community tensions arising from the Israeli/Palestinian conflict and the
State of the states: six experts on how the campaign is playing out around Australia Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Clune, Honorary Associate, Government and International Relations, University of Sydney The federal election campaign has passed the halfway mark, with politicians zig-zagging across the country to spruik their policies and achievements. Where politicians choose to visit (and not visit) give us some insight into their electoral
People are ‘microdosing’ weight-loss drugs. A GP explains what to watch out for Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Natasha Yates, General Practitioner, PhD Candidate, Bond University MillaF/Shutterstock Injectable medications originally developed for the treatment of diabetes are also effective for weight loss, and have surged in popularity for this purpose around the world. In Australia, Ozempic is approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes,
With the end of Flybuys NZ, what happens to the personal data of nearly 3 million Kiwis? Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lisa M. Katerina Asher, Doctoral Candidate, Business School, University of Sydney JuSun/Getty Images After almost three decades in New Zealand, loyalty programme Flybuys announced it would be closing in 2024. The company behind the scheme, Loyalty New Zealand, has since entered liquidation, leaving the future of one
New Aussie film The Correspondent is an extraordinary retelling of Peter Greste’s story Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrea Jean Baker, Senior Lecturer in Journalism, Monash University Maslow Entertainment The Correspondent is a film every journalist should see. There are no spoiler alerts. It is based on the globally-publicised jailing in Cairo in 2013 of Australian journalist Peter Greste (played by Richard Roxburgh) and his
Fiji defence minister draws flak for six-week trip to meet peacekeepers RNZ Pacific Fiji’s Minister for Defence and Veteran Affairs is facing a backlash after announcing that he was undertaking a multi-country, six-week “official travel overseas” to visit Fijian peacekeepers in the Middle East. Pio Tikoduadua’s supporters say he should “disregard critics” for his commitment to Fijian peacekeepers, which “highlights a profound dedication to duty and
Election Diary: there were a couple of ‘moments’ in second Albanese-Dutton encounter Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Two “moments” stuck out in Wednesday’s leaders’ debate, the second head-to-head of the campaign. Peter Dutton cut his losses over his faux pas this week when he wrongly named Indonesian president Prabowo Subianto as having said there had been a
Second leaders’ debate is a tame affair befitting a ‘deeply uninspiring’ campaign Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andy Marks, Vice-President, Public Affairs and Partnerships, Western Sydney University Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton have had their second showdown of the 2025 federal election campaign. The debate, hosted by the ABC, was moderated by David Speers in the national broadcaster’s studios in
Poll shows Australians hate Trump policies and have lost trust in US, but still strongly believe in alliance Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Australians strongly disagree with key policies of US President Donald Trump, and have overwhelmingly lost trust in the United States to act responsibly in the world, according to the Lowy Institute’s 2025 poll. Despite this, 80% of people say the
We compared the Labor and Coalition’s income tax proposals to see who benefits most Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra Shutterstock We now have the competing bids for our votes by the alternative governments on income tax policy. From Labor, future cuts to the lowest marginal tax rate and new standard deductions for
Half of Australian landlords sell their investments after 2 years, adding to renters’ insecurity Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ranjodh B. Singh, Senior Economics and Finance Lecturer, Curtin University Marc Bruxelle/Shutterstock Australia’s renters have to battle rising rents and a lack of available properties. They also face ongoing instability. Our new research suggests half of all landlords sell their investment properties after only two years, adding
Labor and the Greens likely to gain Senate seats at the election Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne As well as the election for the full House of Representatives, there will be an election on May 3 for 40 of the 76 senators. The 72
Foreign monks and officials visit an exhibition on the reincarnation system of Living Buddhas in Beijing on Monday, gaining insights into the centuries-old spiritual succession system in Tibetan Buddhism. [Photo/China Daily] Foreign Buddhist practitioners and religious affairs officials said visits to key Tibetan sites and research institutions in China this week have deepened their understanding of the reincarnation system of Living Buddhas and the development of Tibetan Buddhism in the country. More than 20 monks and officials from 12 countries visited the Lama Temple and the China Tibetology Research Center in Beijing, as well as the Sera Monastery, Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple and Tibet University in Lhasa, capital of the Xizang autonomous region, from Monday to Wednesday. At the Lama Temple, monks expressed strong interest in the Discourse of Lama, an inscription carved in Manchu, Han, Mongolian and Tibetan. Written by Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), the piece outlines the policy of selecting reincarnated Living Buddhas through a lot-drawing process using a golden urn. Emperor Qianlong granted two golden urns in 1792, placing one at the Lama Temple in Beijing and the other at the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa. The current procedure for identifying reincarnated Living Buddhas in China has been standardized and legalized based on historical practice, according to Hu Xuefeng, abbot of the Lama Temple. “According to the procedure, the reincarnation of a Living Buddha must be carried out in China and approved by the central government,” Hu said during a briefing on the temple’s history and development. Lharkyal Lama, vice-chairman of Nepal’s Lumbini Development Trust, said Living Buddhas play a vital role in promoting Tibetan Buddhism and that their reincarnation has a long and rich history. After viewing an exhibition on the reincarnation of Living Buddhas — including the Dalai Lama and Panchen Lama — at the Museum of Tibetan Culture at the China Tibetology Research Center, Penh Vibol, a member of the Secretariat of the Supreme Sangha Council of Cambodia, said the visit helped him better understand the background of the reincarnation tradition in China. “I think it’s a very good lesson and experience for us to come here and learn about the reincarnation story,” Vibol said. Monks said they were also pleased to see that Buddhist heritage sites and relics are well protected and that Buddhism remains vibrant in China. “The Lama Temple is a symbol of cultural connection between many different places,” said Lharkyal Lama. “You can see scriptures in different languages, including Tibetan and Chinese, and the architecture and relics have been beautifully preserved.” Phra Sophonvachirabhorn, assistant abbot of Wat Arun Ratchawararam in Thailand, said he was surprised to see so many young people worshiping at the Lama Temple. Hu, the abbot, said the temple receives an average of 20,000 visitors and worshipers daily — a sign that religious freedom is fully protected in the country. Nguyen Van Tan, a member of the General Buddhist Association of Vietnam, said he was impressed by the grandeur of the Sera Monastery in Lhasa. “I’m glad to have the opportunity to visit it for the first time. There are so many worshipers here, which shows that Buddhism has been well promoted,” he said. Mendbayar Demberel, an abbot from Mongolia, said he had in-depth exchanges with local Buddhist practitioners during visits to the Sera Monastery, Potala Palace and Jokhang Temple, which he described as both pleasant and fruitful. Jampa Choipel, a monk from the Sera Monastery, said the number of visitors from both China and abroad has grown in recent years. “Such exchanges have boosted understanding of Buddhism among practitioners from different parts of the world,” he said. “Together, we can contribute more to the harmonious development of local communities.”
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Xi calls for joint efforts to steadily build China-Cambodia community with shared future in new era
PHNOM PENH, April 17 — Chinese President Xi Jinping said China and Cambodia must work together to promote the steady and sustained progress in building the China-Cambodia community with a shared future in the new era.
Xi made the remarks in a signed article titled “Together We Strive, Together We Thrive: Toward a Stable and Sustainable China-Cambodia Community with a Shared Future in the New Era” published Thursday in Cambodian media outlets Khmer Times, Jian Hua Daily and Fresh News ahead of his arrival in Cambodia for a state visit.
Xi said that China and Cambodia should bring the mutual political trust to a higher level, and expand the mutually beneficial cooperation of higher quality.
Xi urged the two countries to forge greater synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and the Pentagonal Strategy, and advance the development of the Industrial and Technological Corridor and the Fish and Rice Corridor.
He called on both sides to work together to ensure greater security, have more frequent people-to-people exchanges, and strengthen strategic coordination of higher standards.
No one goes into the legal profession thinking it is going to be easy. Long working hours are fairly standard, work is often completed to tight external deadlines, and 24/7 availability to clients is widely understood to be a norm, particularly in commercial and international practice.
But too often, the demands of law can create an unhealthy workplace environment. In 2021, the stress of high workloads, low job control, and risks of secondary trauma led SafeWork NSW to categorise legal work as “high risk” for fatigue hazards – putting it alongside night shift work, emergency services, and fly-in, fly-out roles.
To investigate this problem, we surveyed about 1,900 lawyers across Victoria, New South Wales and Western Australia in March and April last year.
We asked them about their workplace culture and its impact on wellbeing, about their levels of psychological distress, and whether they had experienced disrespectful behaviours at work.
We also asked whether they intended to leave either their employer or the legal profession in the near future.
Their answers allowed us to identify the type of workplace culture that is harmful to lawyers’ wellbeing. Here’s why fixing this problem matters to us all.
Unhealthy environments
Among the professionals we surveyed, about half found themselves in a workplace culture with negative effects on wellbeing.
A third of this group said their workplaces were characterised by poor working relationships, self-interest and pressure to cut corners or bend rules.
Alarming numbers of lawyers currently want to leave their current employer or quit the profession entirely. Pormezz/Shutterstock
These poorer workplace cultures involved higher levels of psychological distress and more disrespectful behaviours from superiors and coworkers.
They were also characterised by a lack of effective wellbeing supports such as mental health leave arrangements or workload allocation practices.
Long working hours were common. More than half of participants (53%) said they worked more than 40 hours per week and 11% said they put in more than 60 hours.
About a third of the lawyers we surveyed wanted to quit their firm, while 10% planned to leave the profession, within a year.
Society can’t afford to ignore this problem. Lawyer wellbeing can directly affect the quality of legal services and may even lead to disciplinary action against individual lawyers. All of this can undermine public trust and confidence in the justice system.
Workload ‘cannot be sustained’
We invited participants to explain why they intended to leave the profession. Their answers are telling.
One mid-career lawyer at a large firm said:
I am in my 11th year of practice working as a Senior Associate at a top-tier firm. To put it bluntly, the work rate at which I am currently operating, which is required to meet the billable targets and budgets set for us, cannot be sustained for my whole working life – it’s too much.
A small-firm junior lawyer talked of the workload issues described by many:
The pay is not worth the stress. I can’t sleep because I’m constantly worried about deadlines or making mistakes, and I got paid more when I was a bartender. I love the work, but it’s a very tough slog and damaging my own wellbeing – for what?
Our data showed junior lawyers take a lot of the pressure, reflected in higher-than-average levels of psychological distress. Equally concerning was the extent to which senior lawyers with practice management responsibilities also reported above average distress.
Our research also showed the challenges extended beyond private practice and into government, legal aid and corporate “in-house” settings.
As one mid-career legal aid lawyer put it:
Lack of debriefing and supports, lack of formal mentoring and supervision, mental health toll, high workload and poor workplace culture, lack of training and supports to deal with clients in crisis, [mean it’s] not [a] family-friendly profession.
The positives
There was also good news. Three themes stood out in the responses from the 48% who told us they worked in positive workplace cultures. This suggests where support should be targeted.
For nearly two thirds of our sample, having good colleagues was the most important wellbeing support. As one mid-career lawyer put it:
Informal support such as debriefing with colleagues has been most beneficial for me.
Good flexible working and (mental health) leave arrangements came across as the most important practical support employers could provide.
Good workload allocation practices – and a willingness from managers to “reach out to discuss work-life balance” – make a real difference to peoples’ experience.
Support from colleagues was the most important wellbeing support. UM-UMM/Shutterstock
It matters to the rest of us
The legal profession and its regulators have been engaging with the wellbeing problem for a while now. Our findings suggest there is still more to be done.
For the profession as a whole we felt that there was still a need to develop greater understanding of the specific wellbeing needs of both junior lawyers and those managing them, as these are the two groups experiencing the most distress.
Legal regulatory bodies should work to better understand how economic drivers of legal practice, such as high workloads and billing expectations, can have negative consequences for wellbeing, and whether any regulatory levers could lessen these impacts.
The authors would like to acknowledge the significant contribution of Stephen Tang, clinical psychologist, in undertaking data analysis and coauthoring the original report.
This research was supported by the Victorian Legal Services Board + Commissioner (VLSB+C), the Law Society of New South Wales, and the Legal Practice Board of Western Australia. Matched funding for the data analysis was provided by the VLSB+C and industry research seed funding from the Faculty of Business and Economics at the University of Melbourne.
China has placed curbs on exports of rare germanium and gallium which are critical in manufacturing.Shutterstock
In the escalating trade war between the United States and China, one notable exception stood out: 31 critical minerals, including rare earth elements, were strategically exempted from tariffs.
This was not a gesture of goodwill. It was a tacit acknowledgment of the United States’ deep dependence on China for materials essential to its technological competitiveness, clean energy transition and national defence.
Beijing’s response was swift and calculated. China’s Ministry of Commerce announced expanded export controls and a shift in pricing principles. The move reflects China’s long-standing effort to shift rare earth pricing from market supply and demand to pricing based on their strategic value.
The impact was immediate. Rare earth exports from China effectively ground to a halt, as exporters awaited approvals under a new, opaque licensing regime.
The announcement prompted President Trump to issue a new executive order directing a review of national security risks stemming from the US reliance on imported, processed critical minerals.
As global supply chains reel from these disruptions, Australia finds itself in a unique strategic position. As a trusted US ally, it possesses the resources, partnerships and political capital to step into the breach. But can Australia seize this opportunity – or will it come with strings attached?
China’s new playbook
China’s latest restrictions target seven rare earths – such as dysprosium and terbium – crucial for electric vehicles, wind turbines, fighter jets and missile systems.
While stopping short of a full export ban, the policy functions as a chokepoint. It leverages China’s near-total global control of rare earth refining (around 90%) and its monopoly on heavy rare earth processing (98%).
Domestically, China’s rare earth sector is dominated by two state-owned giants which together control nearly 100% of national mining quotas.
These measures have exposed the vulnerability of Western supply chains. The US has only one operational rare earth mine – Mountain Pass in California – and minimal domestic refining capacity. A new processing facility in Texas owned by Australia’s Lynas is under development, but it will take years to establish a self-sufficient supply chain.
Rare earths have become a source of contention in the tariff war. Shutterstock
Europe faces similar challenges. While rare earths are vital to the EU’s green transition, domestic production remains limited. Efforts to diversify through partners like Australia and Canada show promise but are hindered by high production costs and continued reliance on Chinese technology.
China is also working to redefine how rare earths are priced. One proposal would tie the value of key elements like dysprosium to the price of gold, elevating them from industrial inputs to geopolitical assets. Another would settle rare earth transactions in yuan rather than US dollars, advancing Beijing’s broader ambition to internationalise its currency.
For China, this strategy goes beyond economics. It is a deliberate national resource policy comparable to OPEC’s management of oil, designed to link pricing to the strategic significance of critical minerals.
Australia’s window?
Investors
are closely watching Australian producers. Strategic deposits such as Mt Weld in Western Australia have drawn renewed interest from Japan, Europe and the US.
Industry observers argue Australia is better positioned than the US to develop secure supply chains, due to its rich geological endowment and transparent regulatory environment.
To seize this opportunity, the government has begun to act.
Under its Future Made in Australia initiative, the federal government is considering measures such as strategic stockpiling, production tax credits and expanded support for domestic processing. Iluka Resources has secured A$1.65 billion to build a rare earth refinery, due to be operational by 2026.
Emerging projects like Browns Range and Lynas’s Malaysian refinery already serve as alternative nodes in the global rare earth supply chain network.
However, structural barriers remain. The Western allies, including Australia, still lack key processing technologies and have potentially high environmental compliance costs. Lynas’s Texas plant was intended to expand allied capacity but has faced delays due to environmental approvals.
Walking a diplomatic tightrope
Geopolitical tensions add another layer of complexity. Australia’s dual role – as a major upstream supplier to China and a strategic ally of the US – places it on a diplomatic tightrope.
Aligning too closely with the US could invite Chinese retaliation. Appearing overly aligned with China may provoke scrutiny from Washington.
Ownership concerns are also rising. The government has blocked or forced divestment of Chinese stakes in rare earth and lithium companies including Northern Minerals.
Market volatility compounds these challenges. Prices are currently buoyed by geopolitical risk, but have been volatile. Moreover, China’s ability to undercut global prices could erode the competitiveness of Australian exports.
A strategic opportunity – but with strings attached
Australia stands at the centre of a rare strategic inflection point. It is both a beneficiary of China’s retreat and a potential casualty of intensifying great power competition.
In a world where resources confer influence, the question for Australia is not simply whether it has the mineral deposits but whether it has the strategy to match.
If the government can capitalise on this moment – diversifying partnerships, investing in capabilities, and navigating allies and rivals with strategic care – it could emerge as a leader in a more diverse critical minerals landscape.
In the era of mineral geopolitics, possessing the resources is no longer enough. The real test is whether Australia has the foresight and the will to lead.
Marina Yue Zhang does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Despite the challenges faced by local democratic activists, Thailand has often been an oasis of relative liberalism compared with neighbouring countries such as Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia.
Westerners, in particular, have been largely welcomed and provided with a measure of protection from harassment by the authorities. Thailand’s economy is extremely dependent on foreign tourism. Many Westerners also work in a variety of industries, including as academics at public and private universities.
That arrangement now seems under pressure. Earlier this month, Paul Chambers, an American political science lecturer at Naresuan University, was arrested on charges of violating the Computer Crimes Act and the lèse-majesté law under Section 112 of Thailand’s Criminal Code for allegedly insulting the monarchy.
Chambers’ visa has been revoked and he now faces a potential punishment of 15 years in jail.
The lèse-majesté law has become a common tool for silencing Thai activists. At least 272 people have been charged under the law since pro-democracy protests broke out in 2020, according to rights groups.
Its use against foreigners has, until now, been limited. No foreign academic has ever been charged with it. Because of the law, however, most academics in Thailand usually tread carefully in their critiques of the monarchy.
The decision to charge a foreign academic, therefore, suggests a hardening of views on dissent by conservative forces in the country. It represents a further deterioration in Thailand’s democratic credentials and provides little optimism for reform under the present government.
Thailand’s democratic deficit
Several other recent actions have also sparked concerns about democratic backsliding.
Following a visit by Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra to China in February, the government violated domestic and international law by forcibly returning 40 Uyghurs to China.
The Uyghurs had fled China a decade earlier to escape repression in the western Xinjiang region and had been held in detention in Thailand ever since. They now potentially face worse treatment by the Chinese authorities.
Then, in early April, Thailand welcomed the head of the Myanmar junta to a regional summit in Bangkok after a devastating earthquake struck his war-ravaged country.
Min Aung Hlaing has been shunned internationally since the junta launched a coup against the democratically elected government in Myanmar in 2021, sparking a devastating civil war. He has only visited Russia and China since then.
In addition, the military continues to dominate politics in Thailand. After a progressive party, Move Forward, won the 2023 parliamentary elections by committing to amend the lèse-majesté law, the military, the unelected Senate and other conservative forces in the country ignored the will of the people and denied its charismatic leader the prime ministership.
The party was then forcibly dissolved by the Constitutional Court and its leader banned from politics for ten years.
In February, Thailand’s National Anti-Corruption Commission criminally indicted 44 politicians from Move Forward for sponsoring a bill in parliament to reform the lèse-majesté law. They face lifetime bans from politics if they are found guilty of breaching “ethical standards”.
Even the powerful former prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, who is also the uncle of the current prime minister, is not immune from the lèse-majesté law.
He was indicted last year for allegedly insulting the monarchy almost two decades ago. His case is due to be heard in July.
This continued undermining of democratic norms is chipping away at Thailand’s international reputation. The country is now classified as a “flawed democracy” in the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Democracy Index, with its ranking falling two years in a row.
The lèse-majesté law has always represented something of a challenge to academic freedom in Thailand, as well as freedom of speech more generally. Campaigners against the law have paid a heavy price.
The US State Department has provided a statement of support for Chambers, urging the Thai government to “ensure that laws are not used to stifle permitted expression”. However, given the Trump administration’s attacks on US universities at the moment, this demand rings somewhat hollow.
Academic freedom is a hallmark of democracies compared with authoritarian regimes. With the US no longer so concerned with protecting academic freedom at home, there is little stopping flawed democracies around the world from stepping up pressure on academics to toe the line.
The undermining of democracy in the US is already having palpable impacts on democratic regression around the world.
With little international pressure to adhere to democratic norms, the current Thai government has taken a significant and deleterious step in arresting a foreign academic.
In the future, universities in Thailand, as in the US, will find it harder to attract international talent. Universities – and the broader society – in both countries will be worse off for it.
Adam Simpson does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer
Thousands Of Vets & VA Workers Were Already Fired, Including In The Rochester-Finger Lakes; Canandaigua VA Workers Say Cuts Creating Chaos, With Local Vet Suicide Crisis Line Workers Even Being Mistakenly Fired & Rehired, Elsewhere NY Addiction Services Staff & Other VA Programs Staff Have Been Slashed
Now With ‘DOGE’ Plan To Slash 80,000+ VA Jobs– NEARLY ONE-FIFTH OF ALL VA WORKERS – Schumer Says Places Like Canandaigua VA, Which He Saved From Being Closed, Could Face Devastating Damage
Schumer: We Can’t Let ‘DOGE’ Attack Health Care For Over 33,000 Vets In Finger Lakes
With ‘DOGE’ and the Trump administration’s plans to fire over 80,000 workers at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) looming, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer today stood outside the Canandaigua VA to sound the alarm on the devastating impacts for the over 33,000 veterans in the Rochester-Finger Lakes region. The senator said across Upstate NY, VA workers, many of whom are veterans, have already been fired, creating chaos in the workforce and new massive cuts would spell disaster for both the Canandaigua VA and the care for vets across NY. Schumer called on the Trump administration to restore fired veterans and VA workers and stop any plans to further decimate the VA workforce.
“This is not how you treat our veterans – it’s not just unacceptable, it’s un-American. Firing over 80,000 VA workers, many of whom are veterans themselves, will undoubtedly hurt the healthcare and benefits for the 33,000 veterans here in the Rochester-Finger Lakes. We have already seen the chaos firsthand, VA workers fired without warning across Upstate NY, chaos across the VA workforce. Here in Canandaigua they even fired workers on the veterans suicide crisis hotline before reversing themselves after public outcry. It is gut wrenching to think this is how we are treating the services of those who defended our freedoms,” said Senator Schumer. “Make no mistake, these cuts are a direct assault on our veterans here in Upstate NY. These cuts don’t just mean fewer VA workers, they mean longer wait times for our veterans to get the help they need. It means they won’t get the most advanced treatment, and ultimately it means many will likely be denied healthcare they deserve. Our nation told our veterans that if they put their lives and health on the line to protect our freedoms, we would take care of them, and the Trump administration is breaking that promise by cutting the VA to the bone. We need to make sure these cuts never happen. Not in Canandaigua or at any VA across America, and that they rehire all the veterans and VA workers who only were trying to serve those who served our country.”
“Canandaigua VA workers, including our Veteran Crisis Line professionals are literally on the front lines every day saving veterans lives minute by minute, all while now dealing with the additional stress of their own jobs needlessly being as risk of termination. They are fielding an increasing number of calls from stressed veterans worried that the VA cuts will affect their care or worse,” said Ronnie Orlowski, Canandaigua VA employee and President of AFGE Local 3306 that represents Canandaigua VA workers including Veteran Crisis Line workers. “A significant number of our VA workers are veterans themselves, and they bring a personal commitment and empathy to their jobs which is why it was unconscionable that dozens of Canandaigua VA workers on the Veteran Crisis Line and Homeless Veterans Hotline -several veterans themselves – were terminated earlier this year. This includes workers who alert first responders to dispatch ambulances and police in real time to the location of a veteran in crisis calling on the line who needs immediate emergency intervention. We fought back and while they were eventually reinstated, many do not feel their jobs are safe with the looming threat of 83,000 additional layoffs. These proposed layoffs strike at the very heart of services that are essential to our veteran’s wellbeing, including those who have shared how the VA has been crucial in their post-service lives, from critical medical procedures and PTSD therapy to ongoing support. I thank Senator Schumer for his steadfast opposition to the proposed staffing cuts to the Department of Veterans Affairs, and urge others to stand firm with him in ensuring our nation’s continued commitment to its veterans.”
Schumer said ‘DOGE’ has already fired thousands of veterans across the country, many of whom have service-connected disabilities. 2,400 VA employees, many of whom are veterans themselves, have already been terminated. The VA, however, has refused to even explain where all these cuts have been in New York, leading to chaos, and with 80,000 more looming, the senator said it could turn into a real crisis.
Schumer said these broader ‘DOGE’ firings are especially cruel as veterans make up 30% of the federal workforce, with approximately 640,000 veterans working in federal agencies. The federal government has long made it a priority to hire veterans and military spouses, encouraging them to do so as a continuation of public service, making these cuts by the Trump Administration uniquely hurtful. Schumer has repeatedly highlighted this, including bringing a Western NY disabled Army veteran who served in Afghanistan who was fired from the Buffalo VA, as his personal guest to attend President Trump’s Joint Session of Congress
Dozens of workers in the VA Finger Lakes Healthcare System have already been caught in the crossfire of Trump’s firing chaos:
Last February according to the AFGE, 9 Veterans Crisis Line (VCL) workers at the Canandaigua VA were fired, only to be reinstated days later after public outcry across the country. These included workers whose job is to call local first responders to dispatch intervention rescues when a veteran on the line is in crisis.
10 workers in the Finger Lakes VA system were fired.
Additionally, VA union officials report that VA Homeless Hotline workers hired through Canandaigua VA as remote workers are under a pending return-to-work order which has already led the call center to lose 30 percent of its workforce which will reduce the line’s effectiveness.
An office manager at the Veteran’s Mental Health Center in Rochester was fired, and though the manager was rehired, a supervisor has been fired since then.
Spectrum News reported layoffs at the Bath VA’s Detox and Substance Use Rehab Center, risking its shutdown due to staffing shortages. Every Veteran Court in Monroe County sends their defendants to Bath for rehab, and the Bath facility is one of the only facilities that can provide in-patient detox care in the greater Rochester-Finger Lakes region.
‘DOGE’ has also directed the VA to cancel over 800 contracts that support chemotherapy treatment, screenings for veterans suffering from toxic exposure, detecting and preventing waste, fraud, and abuse, digitizing veterans’ disability claim records, and more. Schumer said these cuts have already hurt health care services that the VA can offer veterans and are just a small example of what’s to come. While Secretary Collins claimed the contract cancellations will have no negative impact on veterans’ health care, VA employees claim the contracts being cancelled are “central to patient safety.”
Schumer added, “I am all for cutting out inefficiency, but you use a scalpel, not a chainsaw. Jobs and care for our veterans in Upstate NY is not government waste – full stop. This will hurt our veterans and their families.”
These cuts also come at potentially the worst time, as more veterans had just started receiving healthcare than ever before thanks to Schumer leading the PACT Act to passage through Congress, which after years of denying vets treatment extended health coverage for exposure to burn pit smoke and other environmental hazards that caused cancers and other illnesses during their service In 2023 alone, the VA hired more than 60,000 new employees to serve thousands of new patients seeking care after the passage of the PACT Act. Trump’s plan to gut the VA workforce will reverse progress made in recent years to provide quality and continuous care to veterans suffering from diseases brought on by exposure to toxic burn pits. Schumer said if proposed firings go through, health care services for 33,000 veterans in the Finger Lakes and millions more across the country will be at risk.
These drastic workforce cuts to the VA will cripple the agency’s ability to serve the 400,000 veterans enrolled in benefits between March 2023 and March 2024. VA employees and advocates indicate when these cuts take place, wait times, as well as delays or denial in care, will worsen as the longstanding staffing shortage problem at the VA will be significantly exacerbated. Cuts to the VA research workforce will prevent VA from delivering enhanced, tailored care to the veterans they are still able to serve, undoubtedly resulting in worse health outcomes for veterans suffering from service-connected illnesses.
Ontario County U.S. Marine Corps and Vietnam Era Veteran Wayne Thompson said, “As a veteran, I know firsthand how important the role VA services and programs play in supporting those of us who have served. The proposed staffing cuts would be detrimental, not only to veterans in need of assistance but also to the remaining employees who provide these vital services. Reductions like these are likely to overburden the already dedicated staff and risk leaving many veterans without the support they desperately need. The current White House’s chaotic administration of multiple aspects of citizens lives is raising havoc with Veterans and the general public’s mental and physical wellbeing. It needs to stop before it’s too late! I join Senator Schumer to oppose these proposed cuts and to protect our access to essential VA services.”
Nick Stefanovic, Director of the Monroe County Veterans Service Agency said, “The Department of Veterans Affairs is crucial in providing life-saving rehabilitation and mental health services to our veterans, and any cuts to this vital resource could have devastating consequences. With positions at critical medical facilities already being lost, I am very concerned about the direct impact on the care our veterans receive. I am thankful for Senator Schumer’s strong stance against these reductions. His commitment is vital in our fight to ensure that our veterans continue to have access to the care they need.”
Senator Schumer has a long history both fighting to keep the Canandaigua VA Medical Campus open, and delivering robust federal funding to modernize the campus to boost the quality of care for Finger Lakes veterans. In 2003, the VA released its Capital Asset Realignment for Enhancement Services (CARES) Draft National Plan which recommended closing the Canandaigua Veteran’s Medical Campus, which would have forced local veterans to travel much farther to VA hospitals in other cities to receive the care they needed, and removing one of the region’s major employers. Schumer launched an all-out campaign to keep the Canandaigua Medical Campus open, even convincing the former VA secretary to visit in person. Since then, Schumer has secured hundreds of millions of federal dollars to modernize and expand the facility to provide Rochester-area veterans with the new state-of-art medical facilities and housing they have long deserved.
Workers perform production tasks at Harbin Turbine Company Limited of Harbin Electric Corporation in Harbin, capital of northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, April 10, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua] Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing has called for the deepened reform of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and the accelerated establishment of regional emergency rescue centers. Zhang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during an inspection tour in northeast China’s Heilongjiang province which began on Monday and ended on Wednesday. He stressed the resolute need to make SOEs stronger and better, as well as the importance of reinforcing the principal role of enterprises in scientific and technological innovation, making breakthroughs in key technologies and forging new advantages. Work must be done to efficiently allocate resources to principal businesses and important industries and sectors, strengthen core competitiveness, and make steady progress on the path of high-quality development, Zhang said. It is necessary to advance the establishment of regional emergency rescue centers to cope with flood and forest fire, he said, stressing the importance of coordinating with local governments, of quick reactions, and of cross-regional support. When inspecting local dairy firms, Zhang called for strengthened source management and full-chain oversight to improve food safety.
. Pillen Joins Governors in Asking EPA for Fuel Waiver to Benefit Summer Drivers
LINCOLN, NE – Today, Governor Jim Pillen signed onto a letter from a bipartisan group of governors to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). They are asking Administrator Lee Zeldin to issue an emergency waiver to ensure regulatory consistency for fuel suppliers heading into the summer months.
Nebraska is one of several Midwest states approved to sell E15 year-round starting April 28. However, establishing a nationwide waiver will help provide a stable supply of fuel and stem shortages and price hikes during the busy summer driving season.
The letter explains:
“While our primary goal remains uninterrupted access to E15 for our consumers, we do support the calls for nationwide E15 relief. Given the national energy emergency we are currently experiencing, our consumers need reliable and affordable fuel options, like E15, during the busy summer driving season. The extreme and unusual fuel supply circumstances caused by the ongoing war in Ukraine and other geopolitical factors that have left U.S. stocks of crude oil and petroleum products near 20-year lows.”
The governors stressed having a waiver that covers both E10 and E15 blends will ensure equal regulations, boost supply and thereby reduce prices for drivers.
In the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle, the driving time between Napier and Wairoa stretched from 90 minutes to over six hours, causing major supply chain delays. Retail prices rose and shoppers faced empty shelves.
Natural hazards such as earthquakes and flooding can wreak havoc on Aotearoa New Zealand’s freight system. These crises can cause extensive road damage, isolating communities and creating disruptions in supply chain operations.
Cyclone Gabrielle was by no means a one-off. The 2021 flooding in Canterbury, for example, forced trucks to travel nearly 900 extra kilometres between Christchurch and Timaru, extending the travel time from two to 13 hours.
Severe weather events, the pandemic and the ongoing dispute about replacing the Cook Strait ferries have made the fragility of the freight system more apparent than ever.
To be fair, natural hazards are beyond our control. But resilience can be increased. Our new research identified the main vulnerabilities in the country’s freight system and analysed the factors leading to post-disaster disruptions and shortages on shelves.
The key to reducing freight disruptions, we found, is embracing and investing in the different ways goods can be moved around the country. In particular, using the thousands of kilometres of coastline offers another way to get items from one region to another.
Rather than relying almost exclusively on the road network to move products, the government should invest in shipping infrastructure. Rachel Moon/Shutterstock
But as they are currently organised, other potentially useful forms of transport such as rail and coastal shipping are not great alternatives. Non-road options run on timetables, for example, resulting in longer transit times.
And unlike road transport, which can move products directly between two points, rail and coastal shipping require multiple points of contact from where the goods are produced through to where they are sold.
As a result, when a disaster hits, alternative road routes are typically used to maintain freight deliveries. The limited alternatives in the road network and the lack of roads that can withstand heavy freight can cause problems for trucking companies. Both travel distances and transit times can increase.
When this happens, more trucks and drivers are needed, but these are already in short supply. The transport industry has been struggling to fill positions, with an estimated shortfall of thousands of drivers across the country.
This is compounded by the shortage of trucks, particularly specialised vehicles such as refrigerated units, which are essential for transporting perishable goods.
NZ’s long coastlines offer options
Government policy has a key role to play in addressing these problems and the lack of resilience in the national infrastructure system. In a country with long coastlines, reducing reliance on road transport and developing coastal shipping should be considered.
By shifting a portion of freight to coastal shipping, the demand for trucks and drivers can be reduced. This would also ensure reliable freight movements between the North and the South Islands when the ferry services are disrupted.
Finally, investing in coastal shipping would create a more flexible and resilient transport system where goods can shift rapidly from road to sea after a disaster.
Achieving this would require infrastructure improvements at our domestic seaports and additional vessels to increase the frequency of service. There would also need to be operational integration between road, rail and sea, with synchronised timetables for shorter transit times.
There will inevitably be another natural disaster that disrupts the freight system, causing delays, empty shelves and increased prices. Diversifying the transport options would increase resilience and keep those goods moving.
Cécile L’Hermitte receives funding from Te Hiranga Rū QuakeCoRE, a Centre for Research Excellence funded by the New Zealand Tertiary Education Commission.
We continue to advise exercise a high degree of caution in Bolivia due to the threat of violent crime and the risk of civil unrest. Political and civil tensions are ongoing, and events can be unpredictable. Large-scale political demonstrations, protests and events can occur with little warning, which may also result in travel disruptions. Protest activity will likely increase in the lead-up to the 17 August election. Avoid demonstrations and protests. Monitor the media and follow the advice of local authorities (see ‘Safety’).
While not compulsory, you may be asked to show proof of your yellow fever vaccination at some ports of entry in Bolivia. Some airlines may want to see it when you leave (see ‘Travel’).
Source: Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association
Headline: Media release: QLD voters oppose Greens’ gas ban, back long-term role for gas: poll – Australian Energy Producers
A majority of voters in the key federal electorates of Brisbane, Griffith and Ryan believe that natural gas has a long-term role in the state’s energy mix and oppose the Greens’ policy to ban all new gas developments, new polling shows.
A recent poll of over 2500 voters across the three electorates found that more than 80 per cent of voters see a role for gas in Queensland’s energy mix, with around 58 per cent citing a long-term role. More than 60 per cent of voters also believe the natural gas industry is important to the state’s economy.
The JWS Research poll commissioned by Australian Energy Producers surveyed more than 800 voters in each of the electorates of Brisbane, Griffith and Ryan, held by Greens MPs Stephen Bates, Max Chandler-Mather and Elizabeth Watson-Brown respectively.
The poll found that 58 of voters across the three seats oppose the Greens’ policy to ban all new gas projects in Australia, and only one in five support it. It also found 57 per cent support Queensland’s gas industry, and fewer than one in five don’t support the industry.
Australian Energy Producers Chief Executive Samantha McCulloch said the results showed Queenslanders understood the critical role of gas for the state’s economic prosperity and energy security.
“Queensland runs on natural gas, which provides 20 per cent of the state’s primary energy needs, contributes $25 billion a year to the state economy and supports more than 57,000 jobs across the state,” Ms McCulloch said.
“Voters in these electorates understand the value of Queensland’s gas and LNG sector because they directly benefit from the sector’s investment. A recent study found Queensland’s gas industry spent $27.8 billion with 1,100 local businesses in the seats of Ryan, Griffith and Brisbane over the past 10 years, supporting 22,000 local jobs.”
The poll also found that cost-of-living and energy affordability is the biggest issue for voters this election.
“With cost-of-living pressures front of mind for Queenslanders this election, these results send a strong message to all candidates contesting this election about the importance of a strong Queensland gas sector to the state’s economic growth and energy security,” Ms McCulloch said.
“Recent analysis by EnergyQuest found The Greens’ reckless energy policy to ban new gas projects would mean higher energy bills, increased risk of blackouts, and higher emissions as more coal and diesel would be needed to keep the lights on.”
Key results of JWS Research polling in Brisbane, Griffith and Ryan
JWS conducted the poll on 8-9 April on behalf of Australian Energy Producers, with over 800 respondents in each electorate.
Brisbane
80% believe natural gas has a role in Queensland’s energy mix, with 54% citing long-term role. Only 6% saw no role.
53% support the natural gas industry in Queensland, only 21% oppose.
57% consider the natural gas industry important to the state’s economy. Only 12% consider it unimportant
53% oppose the Greens’ policy to ban all new gas projects in Australia, with 23% neutral or undecided. Only 24% support the policy.
31% ranked cost of living including energy affordability as the most important issue in deciding who to vote for in the upcoming election, followed by climate change and the environment (14%), the economy and jobs (12%) and housing supply and affordability (12%).
Griffith
78% believe natural gas has a role in Queensland’s energy mix, with 54% citing long-term role. Only 11% saw no role.
53% support the natural gas industry in Queensland, only 24% oppose.
56% consider the natural gas industry important to the state’s economy. Only 16% consider it unimportant
54% oppose the Greens’ policy to ban all new gas projects in Australia, with 23% neutral or undecided. Only 24% support the policy.
38% ranked cost of living including energy affordability as the most important issue in deciding who to vote for in the upcoming election, followed by hospitals, healthcare and ageing (16%), housing supply and affordability (11%) and the economy and jobs (11%).
Ryan
85% believe natural gas has a role in Queensland’s energy mix, with 66% citing long-term role. Only 6% saw no role.
66% support the natural gas industry in Queensland, only 14% oppose.
66% consider the natural gas industry important to the state’s economy. Only 7% consider it unimportant
66% oppose the Greens’ policy to ban all new gas projects in Australia, with 21% neutral or undecided. Only 13% support the policy.
35% ranked cost of living including energy affordability as the most important issue in deciding who to vote for in the upcoming election, followed by crime (18%), housing supply and affordability (16%), climate change and the environment (11%).
Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
***PHOTOS, B-ROLL HERE***
Lakewood, WA — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, toured Clover Park Technical College (CPTC) in Lakewood, met with students, educators and workforce readiness partners, and heard about how the college utilizes essential federal funding streams to support their students—support that could now be at risk with the Trump administration’s all-out assault on American education and their plans to dismantle the Department of Education, which provides critical resources for students and colleges in Washington state and across the country. Last year, the Department of Education distributed over $40 million in annual funding for career and technical education and workforce development in Washington state, and over $100 million in federal financial aid and support to help students across Washington attend and complete college.
During the visit, Senator Murray spoke with educators and their partner workforce readiness organizations about the programs that teach students transferrable professional skills that are vital for today’s workforce. Senator Murray met with educators and students in the college’s manufacturing, welding, and health sciences programs to learn about the hands-on approach their classes have been taking to prepare them for jobs. Clover Park receives over $3.2 million in annual federal financial aid and $1.1 million in federal loans to support students, through Pell Grants and programs including the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Emergency Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (EFSEOG) and Child Care Access Means Parents in School Program (CCAMPIS), which Senator Murray has long championed.
“It’s important to hear about and see firsthand the many unique workforce training programs Clover Park Technical College offers—and how students from different backgrounds are succeeding and integrating into the local workforce. It is schools and programs like these that help make Washington state’s economy stronger and prepare our students for the future,” said Senator Murray. “Right now, President Trump is taking a wrecking ball to education in America and trying to dismantle the Department of Education—which provides critical support to students and colleges, everything from Pell Grants to workforce development programs. The billionaires running our government may not understand why federal funding for our students and colleges matters—but the students and educators I met with today do. I will not sit back quietly while Trump tries to destroy public education in America.”
“We are thankful to Senator Patty Murray for visiting Clover Park’s Lakewood campus. We always welcome the opportunity to demonstrate our programs and to provide real-life examples of how education in a technical field can change students’ lives. Federal support for higher education not only allows our students to access the means to fund their education, it also builds capacity for small colleges like ours to equip our faculty to become exceptional teachers,” said Joyce Loveday, President of Clover Park Technical College. Joyce has been President since June 2016 and has been working with the CPTC community since 2002.
A senior member and former chair of the HELP Committee, Senator Murray has championed students and families at every stage of her career—fighting to help ensure every child in America can get a high-quality public education. Among other things, Senator Murray negotiated the bipartisan Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), landmark legislation that she got signed into law, replacing the broken No Child Left Behind Act. As a longtime appropriator, she has successfully fought to boost funding to support students and invest in our nation’s K-12 schools, and she has secured significant increases to the Pell Grant so that it goes further for students pursuing a higher education. Senator Murray also successfully negotiated the FAFSA Simplification Act, bipartisan legislation to reform the financial aid application process, simplify the FAFSA form for students and parents, and significantly expand eligibility for federal aid.
Earlier this month, Senator Murray led a letter to Secretary Linda McMahon demanding a reversal of a new policy the Department of Education announced recently that suddenly upended departmental policy and imposed new red tape on states, which will prevent them from accessing pandemic relief funds they are counting on to support students’ learning. Senator Murray also led a letter demanding detailed answers from the Department of Education about the mass firings and other detrimental actions which risk major reductions in support for and oversight of federal investments in our nation’s K-12 schools and institutions of higher education and threaten vital support for students with disabilities, access to Pell Grants and other financial aid, oversight of student loan servicers, scrutiny of for-profit colleges, and more. The letter follows an earlier March 6 letter Senator Murray sent alongside colleagues demanding answers about the chaotic, harmful actions taken by ED since January—which the Department has yet to respond to.
During Secretary Linda McMahon’s confirmation hearing, Senator Murray pressed McMahon on whether she will ensure approved funding gets out to serve students as the law requires and whether she would protect students’ data from DOGE. She also asked McMahon to name a single requirement of ESSA—and McMahon couldn’t name any. Ahead of McMahon’s confirmation, Senator Murray spoke out on the Senate floor against her nomination and sounded the alarm over President Trump and Elon Musk’s plans to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education.
A fact sheet outlining how the Department of Education supports students in Washington state is HERE.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Gregory W Meeks (5th District of New York)
Washington, DC – Representative Gregory W. Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, today led 18Committee Democrats in sending a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressing alarm over the United States’ failure to respond effectively to the devastating earthquake in Burma on March 28.
The letter highlights how the administration’s unlawful shuttering of USAID and gutting of U.S. foreign assistance undermines the United States’ capacity to respond to crises, jeopardizes lives, and betrays American leadership and national security interests around the world. The lawmakers demand answers from Secretary Rubio about the administration’s response to the earthquake in Burma, including its firing of a three-person assessment team on the ground just days after their arrival.
Text of the letter can be found below. A PDF copy of the letter can be foundhere.
Dear Secretary Rubio:
We write to express our alarm at the United States’ failure to respond effectively to the devastating earthquake in Burma on March 28. We are further concerned that the Administration’s unlawful shuttering of USAID and gutting of U.S. foreign assistance programs has compromised America’s ability to respond to this crisis.
The United States has long been a leader in humanitarian assistance and disaster response globally, including in Asia after the 2005 Indian Ocean tsunami. These efforts have enhanced America’s reputation, bolstered our diplomatic influence, and strengthened our military-to-military cooperation and bilateral relationships with nations in the region. The Trump Administration’s disastrous response to the earthquake in Burma severely undercuts that leadership, and, unless corrected, will damage our influence and interests in the region.
The 7.7 magnitude earthquake near Mandalay damaged buildings as far away as Bangkok, Thailand. The Burmese government estimates more than 3,300 people have died and more than 4,800 were wounded, while the U.S. Geological Survey estimates the death toll could be higher than 10,000 people given the impact on heavily populated areas. Countless buildings, bridges and homes were destroyed in Burma, with hospitals overwhelmed. To make matters worse, the horrific Burmese military continued to bomb its citizens in the aftermath of the earthquake.
President Trump initially confirmed to reporters after the quake that the U.S. would be rushing assistance to the region. Instead, public reporting suggests that the United States has been missing in action. In stark contrast to USAID’s typical work to mobilize dozens of expert American first responders for early life-or-death recovery efforts, the Administration waited several days to send a small response team of three personnel to the region to assess the damage—and then dismissed them from their roles two days later. The United States initially agreed to send $2 million dollars in relief funding—later increasing it to $9 million after public criticism, but still a pittance compared to past U.S. humanitarian and disaster response efforts and the assistance pledged by other nations.
The United States’ scant and chaotic response to this crisis created a vacuum that other nations are exploiting to boost their own influence. The People’s Republic of China (PRC), in particular, has filled the gap by pledging $14 million for relief efforts and sending 600 rescue workers to the impacted region. So, instead of seeing American relief workers wearing the USAID logo, crisis-affected populations in Southeast Asia are seeing images and videos of PRC rescue workers pulling people out of rubble, helping the sick, providing life-saving food and medicine, and building credibility with local governments.
USAID’s Regional Development Mission for Asia was based in Bangkok and could have mobilized to lead the relief efforts if the Trump Administration had not unilaterally gutted it in the weeks prior. Tragically, many USAID staff who had been stationed in the region and could have rushed to the scene instead received termination notices on the day of the earthquake. The way they and the three members of the short-lived response team were treated is unprofessional and insulting and underscores the negligent way this Administration has handled this crisis and stewarded U.S. government personnel and resources.
Moreover, at a time when people in the affected region would ordinarily turn to Voice of America (VOA) Burmese and Radio Free Asia to get critical updates, the Administration’s dismantling of the U.S. Agency for Global Media have forced both to go silent. VOA Burmese was critical in getting information out during the 2009 Cyclone Nargis crisis, while RFA played a vital role in closely covering Cyclone Mocha and its devastating aftermath in 2023. Now, VOA staff are on administrative leave and RFA has furloughed of most of its journalists and staff.
If the Administration does not act quickly to turn things around on its response to the current disaster in Southeast Asia, U.S. credibility risks being severely damaged within ASEAN and the broader region. Your statement last week that “we are not the government of the world” and have “other needs” and “other priorities” burns friendships we have built and commitments we have made in the region—including with treaty allies and through bilateral security cooperation agreements that anchor humanitarian and disaster response as shared national security priorities. This will only encourage our partners and allies to look to and work with China instead.
Notwithstanding the gravity of this emergency, the State Department has provided little information to House Foreign Affairs Committee staff despite several requests. So, we reiterate here our request for the Administration to brief the Committee this month on its response to the Southeast Asia quake, and we request a written response from you by April 22 with answers to the following questions:
The U.S. response thus far has betrayed our moral leadership and U.S. national security interests. We seek answers to the questions above so that we can partner with you to remedy the damage and restore the U.S. foreign assistance tools we need to be a global leader.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Gregory W Meeks (5th District of New York)
Washington, DC – Representatives Gregory W. Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Sara Jacobs, Ranking Member of the Africa Subcommittee, alongside Representatives Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, Jonathan Jackson, Pramila Jayapal, and Johnny Olszewski, Democratic Members of the Africa Subcommittee, today issued a joint statement marking the two-year anniversary of the outbreak of war in Sudan:
“It is time to permanently end the brutal violence perpetrated by the warring parties in Sudan and return to a path toward peace and a civilian-led democracy. On this somber day marking two years since the outbreak of the Sudan war, we call on the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), and allied militias to come to the negotiating table and put a stop to this brutal conflict. They all must ensure unfettered humanitarian access and abide by their repeated commitments to protect civilians, end reprisal killings, and ensure accountability for perpetrators of war crimes and other atrocities.
“External actors like the UAE must immediately stop fueling the conflict by arming the warring parties and instead work with international partners to apply pressure on the parties to reach an agreement. And all conflict stakeholders must recognize that, in order for any peace agreement to be successful, it must include Sudanese civil society members as full participants and contributors. Additionally, a sustainable peace agreement must provide for an end to military rule, the establishment of a civilian government, and a clear roadmap to democratic elections.
“We call on President Trump and his administration to stop exacerbating the situation in Sudan through unlawful aid cuts and to immediately restore all U.S. foreign assistance for Sudan and its humanitarian crisis. Mutual aid societies like the Emergency Response Rooms are critical lifelines for conflict-affected civilians, and they deserve more international support. This moment demands renewed and consistent attention from the United States government and our partners in order to bring an end to the killing and help the Sudanese people emerge from this national nightmare.”
Additional background: Since the war started, over 150,000 people in Sudan have been killed, more than 12 million displaced from their homes, and 25 million – half of Sudan’s population – currently face acute food insecurity in the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. The U.S. State Department found the warring parties – the RSF and SAF – have committed war crimes and other atrocities, including mass sexual violence. The State Department also determined the RSF has committed genocide. Over the weekend, the RSF escalated its attacks in El Fasher, targeting civilians, relief workers, and lifesaving services in Zamzam, Abu Shouk, and Naivasha IDP camps.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Gregory W Meeks (5th District of New York)
Washington, DC– Representative Gregory W. Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and former Majority Leader Steny Hoyer today introduced a comprehensive bill to support Ukraine and thwart Russia’s ability to wage its illegal war there. Like the Senate bill introduced earlier this month by Senator Lindsey Graham, this legislative package imposes numerous sanctions and other economic measures against Russia should it fail to cease its war of aggression against Ukraine. But this legislation also includes further vital provisions to sustain security assistance to Ukraine for its defense, generate resources for post-war reconstruction, and override presidential actions to terminate existing sanctions without cause. The bill also imposes new sanctions and export control authorities to place additional pressure on Russia, including to curb tankers carrying Russian oil above the international price cap and to ensure dual-use controls on semiconductors and other technologies that could be used to support Russia’s weapons capabilities.
A section by section of the legislation can be foundhere. A PDF of the bill can be foundhere.
Additional cosponsors of the bill include Representatives William Keating, Ranking Member of the Europe Subcommittee; Gerry Connolly, Ranking Member of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, and Lloyd Doggett.
“The US-led international response to Russia’s illegal, full-scale invasion of Ukraine has isolated Moscow as a global pariah, devastated the Kremlin’s capacity to fund this war, and provided essential support to the Ukrainians fighting for freedom. Now is not the time to ease up on this successful approach nor put pressure solely on the victim, Ukraine. The U.S. must remain committed to shoring up Ukraine’s ability to negotiate a just, acceptable end to this war and to holding Russia – and those supporting its illegal invasion – accountable for as long as Putin’s war of choice continues. This weekend’s missile attack in Sumy that claimed dozens of civilian lives, including children, further demonstrates the barbarity Russia has used to sow terror throughout this war, and the need to impose serious consequences for its atrocities. Make no mistake – Vladimir Putin started this war. He is a bully with no respect for peace, Ukrainian sovereignty, or international norms, and he will only end this illegal war when the world compels him to,“said Ranking Member Meeks.
“Our allies in Ukraine are on the front lines of freedom – fighting not only for their nations’ sovereignty but also against authoritarianism worldwide. I am glad to join my colleagues in introducing urgently needed legislation that will support our allies in Ukraine and invest in their recovery through tougher sanctions on Russian oil exports, security and military assistance, and dual use export provisions. Importantly, this legislation also includes provisions that will allow the Congress, a coequal branch of government, to advance resolutions of disapproval if the President waves his authority – and assert with our own voice that Ukraine has bipartisan support in the United States,”said Rep. Steny Hoyer.“I thank Ranking Member Greg Meeks for his work to put together comprehensive legislation that reflects our values, strengthens our democracy, and ensures the United States remains on the right side of history. We must not give aid and comfort to our enemy, Russia, and we must remain steadfast in the battle for democracy.”
“I am co-sponsoring this legislation because it reaffirms the American people’s unwavering commitment to a sovereign, democratic Ukraine,”said Ranking Member Keating.“As Ukraine continues to defend itself against Russia’s brutal full-scale invasion, it is critical that the United States stands firmly by its side—not just militarily, but economically and diplomatically. This legislation includes key provisions from my own bills that aim to support Ukraine across multiple fronts. It provides war risk insurance to ensure the continued flow of international commerce with Ukraine, blocks illegal U.S. technology exports to Iran where they are used to manufacture drones deployed by Russia, and promotes the diversification of Ukraine’s energy supply. Ukraine’s victory requires more than military support – it demands a comprehensive strategy to help rebuild its economy, secure its infrastructure, and restore its independence.”
“Our friends in Ukraine are fighting for the democratic ideals we share against a war criminal, Vladimir Putin, and the rising threat of authoritarianism globally,”said Ranking Member Connolly.“The American commitment to Ukraine, its sovereignty, and its recovery must be lasting and ironclad. We must stand firmly behind the Ukrainian people by countering Russian disinformation, advocating for multilateral support for Ukraine’s reconstruction, providing additional U.S. security assistance, and implementing crippling sanctions on Russia and its enablers to force Putin to the negotiating table. That’s why this bill includes provisions from my bipartisan legislation to expand sanctions on North Korea for its material support for Russia’s illegal invasion. The war in Ukraine is a battle between dictatorship and democracy. Between freedom and oppression. The United States must remain on the right side of history. Slava Ukraini.”
“Pleased to join Rep. Meek’s comprehensive bill, including provisions I authored to stop laundered Russian oil imports and to use frozen Russian assets for compensation to Ukrainians. We support Ukraine and reaffirm our recognition of Putin as a war criminal with sole responsibility for the war. We reject appeasement by Trump and his Republican enablers of Putin, who should bear the ever-mounting costs of his ongoing destruction. The world is watching whether America will remain a beacon of hope, standing with our democratic allies, or drift itself into Russian-style authoritarianism,”said Rep. Doggett.
The NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi is concerned for low-income workers given new data released by Stats NZ that shows inflation was 2.5% for the year to March 2025, rising from 2.2% in December last year.
“The prices of things that people can’t avoid are rising – meaning inflation is rising faster for those on low incomes,” said NZCTU Economist Craig Renney.
“Inflation was driven by increases in rents (up 3.7%), rates (up 12%), household energy (up 7.2%) and insurances (up 8%). Grocery prices were also higher, rising 4.3%.
“Earlier this year, the minimum wage rose by 1.5% – a full 1% less than actual inflation. This is the second year the Government has increased the minimum wage by less than inflation, which means that a full-time minimum wage worker is now cumulatively $2,438 worse off in real terms. Minimum wage workers are missing out on $28.36 a week because of the Government’s decisions.
“The Government is considering removing the Living Wage guarantee for government contractors who are caterers, cleaners, and security guards. This data shows why that protection is so important – working people can’t rely on this Government to protect them through the Minimum Wage.
“With 46% of workers receiving a pay rise less than inflation last year, it also shows that many working people are still doing it tough. Unemployment is still rising, with tens of thousands of more people on Jobseekers Support. It is clearly not workers who are benefitting from the very little economic growth is being delivered.
“This data is another piece of evidence about who is winning and losing in the economy. The poorest working people are facing higher costs they can’t avoid – but with less money to pay.
“Workers need a change in direction and a government that will actively address low pay, unemployment, and poverty – it’s time for a different approach,” said Renney.
This year’s theme of Matariki mā Puanga highlights communities who observe Puanga astronomical traditions and is all about celebrating and learning about the Māori new year together.
“Matariki and Puanga are stars that sit in the night sky together to signal the start of the Māori new year for different iwi,” says the government’s Chief Advisor Mātauranga Matariki, Professor Rangi Mātāmua.
Mātāmua says this year’s theme was chosen to help guide Puanga and Matariki celebrations around New Zealand and the world. The theme will feature at this year’s nationally broadcast hautapu ceremony hosted by Ngāti Rangi at the base of Ruapehu.
“While the stars that mark the beginning of the Māori new year may vary in some regions, the themes that underpin the ceremony and celebration are the same,” says Mātāmua.
“Both Puanga and Matariki are celebrations of an ancient lunar-solar time keeping system that can be found in civilisations around the world throughout history.
“It’s awesome to see understanding of Matariki grow in New Zealand, but even more so across the world as other cultures reconnect with their indigenous astronomical traditions.
“Three quarters (75%) of Kiwis see Matariki as a chance to celebrate the culture, people, and stories of Aotearoa, up from 70% in 2023. This trend suggests there’s a deepening appreciation for Matariki across the motu.
“Matariki brings together indigenous and western science, with institutions like NASA and the Royal Observatory in Greenwich keen to engage and grow their understanding of mātauranga Matariki and Puanga.
“Countries across the world are looking to see how Aotearoa New Zealand is bringing people together and embracing traditional Māori scientific knowledge of the stars,” says Mātāmua.
Che Wilson, spokesperson for Ngāti Rangi and leading mātauranga Puanga expert, acknowledges the significance of Puanga being in the spotlight for national celebrations.
“It is a great privilege to be the host of this year’s nationally broadcast hautapu which will feature Puanga as the star of this year’s celebrations,” says Wilson.
” Matariki mā Puanga acknowledges and embraces the different traditions, stars and tikanga around celebrating the Māori New Year and the different regional variations that exist.
“For Ngāti Rangi and other neighbouring iwi, we look to Puanga as the marker of the Māori new year.
“Puanga is the star Rigel and is the brightest star in the Orion constellation. Matariki is seen below Puanga and to the left of Tautoru (the three stars of Orion’s Belt) in the late autumn and early winter night sky.
“Matariki and Puanga are for everyone, and I encourage people to find out more about our stars above us,” says Wilson.
Ko Puanga te whetū o Matariki 2025
E whakaatu ana te kaupapa o tēnei tau, Matariki mā Puanga i ngā hapori e hāpai ana i ngā tikanga tātai arorangi mō Puanga, ā, ko te tino kaupapa ko te whakanui me te ako i ngā āhuatanga mō te tau hou Māori.
“Noho tahi ai ngā whetū a Matariki me Puanga i te rangi pō e tohu ana i te tīmatanga o te tau hou mō ētahi iwi,” te kī a te Kaitohutohu Mātāmua Mātauranga Matariki, a Ahorangi Rangi Mātāmua.
I kī a Mātāmua i tohua te kaupapa o tēnei tau hei āwhina ki te ārahi i ngā whakanuitanga o Puanga me Matariki puta noa i Aotearoa me te ao. Ka whakaaturia te kaupapa i te hautapu a Ngāti Rangi ka pāhōtia ki te motu i te take o Ruapehu.
“Ahakoa he rerekē pea ngā whetū o tēnā rohe, o tēnā rohe e tohu ana ngā whetū i te tīmatanga o te tau hou Māori, he ōrite tonu ngā kaupapa e paihere ana i ngā tikanga me te whakanui i te kaupapa,” te kī a Mātāmua.
“E whakanui ana a Puanga me Matariki i te tikanga o nehe mō te wā e kitea ana i roto i ngā iwi puta noa i te ao mai rā anō.
“Ka rawe te kite i te tipu o te mōhio mō Matariki i Aotearoa, otirā i te ao, i te tūhono anō o ngā iwi taketake ki ā rātau ake tikanga tātai arorangi.
“Mō te hautoru (75%) o ngāi Aotearoa he wā a Matariki e whakanui ai i ngā tikanga, te iwi, me ngā kōrero o Aotearoa, kua piki mai i te 70% i te tau 2023. E tohu ana tēnei i te kaingākau ki a Matariki i te motu whānui.
“E whakakotahi ana a Matariki i ngā mātauranga iwi taketake me te tauiwi, me te hiahia o ngā umanga pērā i a NASA me te Royal Observatory i Greenwich ki te torotoro mai me te whakatipu i tō rātau mārama ki te mātauranga mō Matariki me Puanga.
“Kei te mātakitaki ngā whenua o te ao i te āhua o te whakakotahi a Aotearoa i tōna iwi me te whai i ngā mātauranga a te Māori mō ngā whetū,” te kī a Mātāmua.
I kōrero a Che Wilson, te waha kōrero mō Ngāti Rangi me te pūkenga mātauranga mō Puanga, mō te hira o te puta whānui o ngā kōrero mō Puanga i ngā whakanuitanga ā-motu.
“He hōnore nui te whakahaere i te hautapu ka pāhōtia whānuitia ki te motu e kitea ai ko Puanga te whetū o tēnei tau,” te kī a Wilson.
“E kōrero ana Matariki mā Puanga mō ngā tikanga rerekē me ngā whetū rerekē mō te whakanui i te tau hou Māori me ōna āhuatanga ake o tēnā rohe, o tēnā rohe.
“Mō Ngāti Rangi me ngā iwi paetata mai, ko Puanga tō mātau tohu mō te tau hou Māori.
“Ko Puanga te whetū mārama rawa o Tautoru. Ka kitea a Matariki i raro o Puanga, ā, ki te taha mauī o Tautoru i te whakapaunga o te ngahuru me te kuhunga atu ki te takurua.
“Mō te katoa a Matariki me Puanga, ā, e whakahau ana ahau i te tangata ki te whai i ngā kōrero mō ō tātau whetū katoa i te rangi,” te kī a Wilson.
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Delaware woman admitted to conspiring to obtain more than $1 million of federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Adrienne Ponzo, 50, of Bear, Delaware, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Karen M. Williams to one count of wire fraud conspiracy.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal law enacted in March 2020 and was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of hundreds of billions of dollars in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, through a program referred to as the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The CARES Act also authorized the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to provide Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) of up to $2 million to eligible small businesses that were experiencing substantial financial disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
To obtain a PPP or EIDL loan, a qualifying small business was required to submit an application and provide information on its operations, including the number of employees and revenues or expenses. In addition, businesses generally had to provide supporting documentation such as tax returns and bank statements.
Adrienne Ponzo conspired with others to defraud the SBA and the PPP program. Ponzo’s co-conspirators recruited individuals who owned companies with little or no operations and introduced them to Ponzo. Ponzo prepared fraudulent PPP and EIDL applications for these businesses and caused them to be electronically submitted to the SBA and PPP lenders. Ponzo prepared fraudulent bank statements and tax returns for companies that did not have them. Ponzo received a portion of the loan proceeds for her role in the scheme. 14 loans totaling nearly $1,500,000 were part of the scheme.
The count of wire fraud conspiracy is punishable by a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.
Sentencing is scheduled for August 26, 2025.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Patricia Tarasca, Special Agent-in-Charge, New York Regional Office; special agents of the FBI’s South Jersey Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Wayne Jacobs in Philadelphia; special agents of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Boston New York Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Amy Connelly; and special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone, with the investigation leading to this guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel A. Friedman and Attorney-in-Charge Jason M. Richardson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Camden.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is considered innocent unless proven guilty.
TRENTON, N.J. – An Ocean County, New Jersey, man was arrested and charged with traveling to a foreign place to engage in sexual conduct with a minor, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Jacob Bauer, 28, of Toms River, is charged by complaint with one count of traveling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct and one count of engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place. He made his initial appearance on April 2, 2025, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Rukhsanah L. Singh in Trenton federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From December 1, 2023 through December 10, 2023, Bauer, then 27 years old, traveled from the United States to Norway to engage in sexual activity with a 14-year-old female. Once in Norway, Bauer, staying at a hotel, engaged in sexual activity with the victim on at least one occasion. After returning to the United States, Bauer communicated over social media platforms with the victim and others about his sexual activities with the victim. During those conversations, Bauer acknowledged the victim’s age and status as a minor. After members of an online community that Bauer was active in learned of his sexual activities with a minor, Bauer was “doxxed” (his public information published online) by members of that community.
“Public safety is my number one priority for New Jersey’s residents, and my office is laser focused on protecting children and ending their exploitation at the hands of abusers. The conduct here is as reprehensible as it is egregious: a then-27-year-old male took pains to plan international travel from New Jersey to Norway for the purpose of having sex with a 14-year-old girl. These charges underscore how we are standing up for the most vulnerable and will not tolerate the sexual abuse of children. I commend our partners at the Federal Bureau of Investigation, law enforcement members at the state and local levels, and our international partners who assisted with this investigation.”
U.S. Attorney Alina Habba
“We have federal laws protecting children because they cannot defend themselves,” said Newark FBI Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly. Most of these investigations go unnoticed because we do all we can to protect the innocent victims. However, the work FBI Newark agents and task force officers are doing should be heralded by all of us. Day in and day out – they are saving children who shouldn’t have to experience unspeakable horrors and abuse perpetrated by child sexual predators.”
Each of the charges, traveling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct and engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place, carries a potential maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited the special agents and task force officers of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charges. She also thanked the New Brunswick Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Vincent Sabo, the Manchester Township Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Antonio Ellis, the FBI Legal Attaché Office, U.S. Embassy, Copenhagen, Denmark, the FBI Legal Attaché Office, U.S. Embassy, Warsaw, Poland, the Jackson County, Georgia Sheriff’s Office, INTERPOL, the Norwegian Politiet, Troms District, the Norwegian Politiet, NC3 KRIPOS, and the Poland Policja CBZC, Central Cybercrime Bureau for their assistance in the investigation.
The government is represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Garelick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
###
Defense counsel: Andrea Aldana, Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender
According to court documents, the defendant has allegedly been victimizing teenage minors, paying them to travel and engage in sex acts with him
BOSTON – A 44-year-old Maryland man has been charged with allegedly coercing and enticing and 18-year-old to travel from Massachusetts to Maryland to engage in commercial sex. According to the detention brief filed today, the government allegedly also found evidence that the defendant has been victimizing minor males and young adults ranging in ages from 14–20 by paying the minors for Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) and coercing and enticing some of them to travel to his penthouse condominium at the Four Seasons in Baltimore, and elsewhere, to engage in sex acts with him, which he videorecorded.
David Kaufman, 44, was indicted by a federal grand jury on two counts of knowingly persuading, inducing, enticing and coercing an individual to travel in interstate commerce to engage in prostitution, and aiding and abetting. Kaufman appeared in federal court in the District of Maryland today and was ordered detained pending a hearing scheduled for 3 p.m. tomorrow afternoon. He will appear in the District of Massachusetts at a later date.
According to public filings, Kaufman coerced a victim to travel from Massachusetts on two occasions to visit his penthouse condominium at the Four Seasons in Baltimore, paying for the plane tickets. While there, Kaufman allegedly provided the victim with alcohol and drugs, including cocaine, until the victim was intoxicated. It is alleged that Kaufman would then persuade the victim to engage in sex acts, which Kaufman videotaped so that he could watch them later in order to get pleasure for himself. In exchange for the sex acts, it is alleged that Kaufman paid the victim with cash, electronic money transfers and gifts. For example, after he engaged in sex acts in February 2024, Kaufman bought the victim a Louis Vuitton bag.
Government filings contain evidence that Kaufman has also been victimizing minors ranging in age from 14–17 by paying them for CSAM and enticing them to travel to Baltimore and elsewhere to engage in sex acts with him, which Kaufman videorecords. Kaufman typically provides his victims with gifts and money in exchange for CSAM and sex acts.
If you have information or questions about this investigation, or someone you know may be impacted or experiencing commercial sex trafficking or child exploitation, please contact USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov.
The charges of coercing a person to travel for purposes of prostitution provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and James Crowley, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Maryland; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and the Baltimore Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Torey B. Cummings and Craig E. Estes of the Human Trafficking & Civil Rights Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Source: General Practice Owners Association (GenPro)
The General Practice Owners Association (GenPro) has criticised a Ministry of Health public consultation process on workforce regulation as poorly designed and biased towards outcomes likely to compromise patient safety and lead to patients not being able to see a GP when they need to.
The Ministry describes its consultation paper Putting Patients First: Modernising health workforce regulation as “an opportunity to put patients at the centre, modernise and streamline the system, and improve efficiency”.
But GenPro Chair Dr Angus Chambers says the paper’s proposals do anything but put patients first.
“They seek to legitimise government plans to address the workforce crisis by focusing on lowering standards of care and clinical safety guidelines, rather than tackling the core issue of a lack of funding,” Dr Chambers said.
A narrow 21-day window for submissions (from March 28 to April 30) also contributes to what Dr Chambers describes as a “cursory attempt to fix a workforce crisis with band aid solutions”.
“The Ministry is seeking public feedback through an online survey, but the leading nature of its questions suggests it’s already made up its mind on outcomes,” says Dr Chambers.
“Namely, cheap fixes focused on slashing regulation and standards, with unintended consequences of a healthcare regime that is less safe and more costly, with fewer professional organisations overseeing standards of care, and with lesser-qualified health professionals plugging workforce gaps.”
An example of a leading question from the survey cited by Dr Chambers is: ‘How important is it to you that health professions are regulated by separate regulators, given the potential for inefficiency, higher costs, and duplication of tasks?’
“The survey is the medical equivalent of a political ‘push poll’ in which an organisation attempts to manipulate or alter voters’ views under the guise of conducting an opinion poll. There is no room for these types of negative tactics in primary healthcare,” Dr Chambers says.
“There are solid reasons why separate regulatory authorities regulate health professionals as different as dentists, chiropractors, psychologists, nurses, optometrists, and GPs, but on this topic – as elsewhere – the consultation paper is clearly angled towards eliciting a quick-fix response from the public.”
The Ministry of Health has failed the New Zealand population with respect to workforce planning. It is unclear why we should trust it now when it’s performed so poorly to allow this situation to arise.
“Cursory remedies such as these only exacerbate our healthcare crisis and lead to long-term harm. From a primary healthcare perspective, we know that government needs to completely overhaul an arcane funding and pricing model which is driving GPs to the wall.”
Despite more complex patient health needs and higher operating costs, general practices have received no increase in funding in real terms for several years and are restricted in adjusting their prices.
“General practices are struggling to stay financially viable and recruit health professionals, so are having to close their books to new patients, reduce their services, or close completely. The results are very apparent: delays in accessing general practices and crowded emergency departments,” says Dr Chambers.
GenPro members are owners and providers of general practices and urgent care centres throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. For more information visit www.genpro.org.nz
Associate Health Minister David Seymour and Health Minister Simeon Brown are pleased that hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders are set to benefit from access to more than 60 medicines, following the Government’s funding boost to Pharmac. The funding boost of $604 million over four years has allowed Pharmac to fund or widen access to 59 medicines so far, with five more being considered for funding as of today. By comparison, in the financial year immediately prior to receiving the funding boost from this government, Pharmac was able to fund or widen access to 28 treatments. “Pharmac’s consultation for asthma inhalers, released today, represents the final consultation related to last year’s funding increase,” Mr Seymour says. “If the proposal to widen access is approved, it will mean over 200,000 New Zealanders in total will have benefitted from the additional medicines funded using the Government’s budget boost. “When this Government assumed office, New Zealanders were facing an uncertain future for medicine access. Pharmac had a $1.8 billion funding hole and no new money to increase access for medicines. “It was a priority for this government to fix that. We’ve allocated Pharmac its largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, so that it can get on and do its job – negotiating the best deals for medicine for New Zealanders. “For example, Pharmac opened consultation on a proposal to widen access to pembrolizumab (Keytruda) for five types of cancer within days of the funding boost being announced. Just over three months later, people with these conditions could start their new treatments. “In my letter of expectations to Pharmac last July I asked it to ensure that its decision making and evaluation model includes the wider fiscal impact of funding or not funding a medicine. While Budget 2025 is still under consideration, I have confidence in Pharmac’s ability to increase medicines access for Kiwis with the budget provided to them.” Mr Brown says delivering better and faster access to cancer care in New Zealand has been a focus of this Government, which is why it is one of our five key health targets, and is able to deliver because of the Government’s $604 million investment in new cancer medicines. “As Minister of Health, I am focused on ensuring better access to more cancer medicines, better cancer management driven by our faster cancer treatment target, and earlier detection of cancers through screening programmes,” Mr Brown says. “Some of these medicines, such as Keytruda, have been described as ‘game-changers.’ Other medicines, such as the heart medicine empagliflozin, will help keep people with chronic heart failure out of hospital, relieving pressure on the health system. “It is encouraging to see continued improvement in our efforts to provide faster cancer treatment, with more patients receiving their first treatment within 31 days in the first financial quarter than in the previous quarter and more cancer treatments available.” While the consultation released today is the last related to the Government’s funding boost, Pharmac will continue to assess applications to fund new medicines and make more medicines available to New Zealanders as budget allows. Note to editors: Medicines have been funded for conditions including breast cancer, lung cancer, kidney cancer, schizophrenia, heart failure, psoriasis, diabetes, eczema, and osteoporosis. A full list can be found on Pharmac’s website.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Chinese vice premier stresses need to deepen SOE reform, build regional emergency rescue centers
HARBIN, April 16 — Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing has called for the deepened reform of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and the accelerated establishment of regional emergency rescue centers.
Zhang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during an inspection tour in northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province which began on Monday and ended on Wednesday.
He stressed the resolute need to make SOEs stronger and better, as well as the importance of reinforcing the principal role of enterprises in scientific and technological innovation, making breakthroughs in key technologies and forging new advantages.
Work must be done to efficiently allocate resources to principal businesses and important industries and sectors, strengthen core competitiveness, and make steady progress on the path of high-quality development, Zhang said.
It is necessary to advance the establishment of regional emergency rescue centers to cope with flood and forest fire, he said, stressing the importance of coordinating with local governments, of quick reactions, and of cross-regional support.
When inspecting local dairy firms, Zhang called for strengthened source management and full-chain oversight to improve food safety.
Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia
As Washington Considers Tax Cuts for Millionaires and Billionaires, Senator Reverend Warnock Calls for Tax Breaks for Working and Middle-Class Families in Capitol Hill Rally
Senator Reverend Warnock joined a crowd of hundreds at the “Say NO to Tax Breaks for Billionaires & Corporations” rally
Senator Reverend Warnock: “Everybody likes tax cuts. The debate is about who ought to get one and who really needs one, and what’s the best way to move our economy forward. [Washington Republicans] want to give a tax cut to millionaires and billionaires”
Watch Senator Reverend Warnock’s rally remarks HERE
Washington, D.C. – Last week, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) spoke in front of a crowd of hundreds about the need for Congress to provide a tax break to working and middle-class families during the “Say NO to Tax Breaks for Billionaires & Corporations” rally on Capitol Hill.
“Everybody likes tax cuts. The debate is about who ought to get one and who really needs one, and what’s the best way to move our economy forward. [Washington Republicans] want to give a tax cut to millionaires and billionaires […] You’re not trying to cut taxes, you’re not trying to cut waste and fraud and abuse, because if you were trying to cut waste and fraud and abuse, I know an unelected billionaire who’s received $40 billion in federal aid and support and loans, I know where you can find some waste and fraud and abuse,” said Senator Warnock.
As a new voice on the Senate Finance committee, Senator Warnock is committed to championing tax policies that support working families and put more money back into the pockets of middle-class families. In 2021, Senator Warnock fought to secure the Expanded Child Tax Credit as part of the American Rescue Plan. Senator Warnock recently introduced the American Family Act, which would nearly double the Child Tax Credit (CTC) from its current amount and help working moms and dads in a moment where the cost of groceries, housing, and child care is on the rise.
A transcript of Senator Warnock’s remarks during therallycan be found below:
“I just want to say thank you for coming to Washington, D.C. Give yourselves a round of applause just for being here. Mama said, ‘Half a life is showing up’. And I cannot stress to you enough how important it is and how impactful it is for you to show up.”
“Politicians – whether they are Republicans, Democrats or Independents – when you show up, they pay attention. When you call our offices, we pay attention. When you write letters, we pay attention. And when you have the unmitigated audacity to come here and remind the folks over there that that’s not their house, it’s the People’s House, it makes a huge difference. You keep showing up, and I promise you that I and my colleagues are going to keep showing up for you.”
“Give my brother Ben Ray Luján a big round of applause. He and I are both alumni of Head Start., and I probably don’t have to tell you that in the United States Senate, which historically has been a place for the sons of American aristocracy, and I do mean sons, because that weren’t many women, you’re not going to run into many United States Senators who are alums of Head Start. But that’s a program that gives poor children a chance. It inspires them, exposes them to literature and reading and a love of learning, because all children are naturally curious, and if you bump into a child who doesn’t have that, believe me, something or somebody stole it from them. The trauma of being poor [can]rob them of the natural intellectual curiosity about the world that all children have.”
“I’ve got a word for you. God raises up genius and brilliance and talent all over the world, on all sides of town, on both sides of the railroad track. God is an equal opportunity employer, and it makes sense to invest in children because we don’t know what they’re going to contribute.”
“So the folk who want to run roughshod over Head Start don’t get it, and the reason why so many of them don’t get it is not simply because they were born rich. I’m not going to hate on anybody because they were born rich because I didn’t decide to be born poor. But you ought to at least spend enough time with ordinary people so you don’t end up saying dumb things. Like [as Commerce Secretary Lutnick remarked] if my mother-in-law misses one social security check, big deal. Of course, it’s no big deal to her. Her son-in-law is a billionaire. That’s not my story. That’s not the story of the people who are in this crowd.”
“In the words of that great prophet, that poet, Kendrick Lamar, they not like us.”
“We need people in government who, regardless of their background and where they were born, are sensitive to the concerns of ordinary people, hard-working Americans, for people that so many in our government, over the last 40 years, most of my life, have been busy maligning, criminalizing poor people for being poor. That’s why we’re in this mess. That’s why they’re obsessed with giving a tax cut to those who don’t need it, while taking resources away from those who need it so desperately just to survive.”
“And so here’s the thing, here’s the thing that all of us apparently have in common: we all like tax cuts. Everybody likes tax cuts. The debate is about who ought to get one and who really needs one, and what’s the best way to move our economy forward. They want to give a tax cut to millionaires and billionaires, and they’ve been engaged over the last few weeks in creating a lot of theater, tragic theater that has implications for people’s ability to actually live: firing federal workers and making them the enemy, firing folks at the CDC, closing down Social Security offices across Georgia and across our country, and announcing that they were going to do it on the DOGE website. And when I called them out for it, they were at least a little bit embarrassing, because they took it off their website and acted like they didn’t say it. But my staff took screenshots of that website. Yes, you said it. We know what you said, and we know what you are trying to do. You’re not trying to cut taxes, you’re not trying to cut waste and fraud and abuse, because if you were trying to cut waste and fraud and abuse, I know an unelected billionaire who’s received $40 billion in federal aid and support and loans, I know where you can find some waste and fraud and abuse, and his name is Elon Musk!”
“So all of this is a distraction, because Donald Trump is just trying to pay off his friends, trying to pay off millionaires and billionaires. I’m not mad at you because you have money. I just believe that strong hearted bear the infirmities of the weak. I just believe that we are all in this together. The pandemic taught us that, right that we were in a deadly pandemic. We didn’t have the vaccine at the time, it’s an airborne disease. That means that if my neighbor got sick. Even though she was sick, I was potentially in peril because it’s an airborne disease. The pandemic taught us that we didn’t already know that that doesn’t make my neighbor my enemy because she’s sick, that just means that it is in my enlightened self-interest to make sure that she has what she needs, that she has a mask, that she has a vaccine.”
“In other words, my neighbor’s health care coverage is good for my health. It is good for all of us, for everybody to have healthcare. It is good for all of us, no matter how much money you have for children in Georgia to have Medicaid. So that’s what this fight is all about.”
“So keep showing up. Keep fighting the good fight. Keep raising your voice, because this is not about the people who have power. We’ve proven in America over and over again that it’s really about the power in the people, and when the people raise their voices, when the people show up, the people can make a difference!”
“Do you believe that?”
“Are you ready to make some noise?”
“Are you ready to show up?”
“Are you ready to fight for our children?”
“Are you ready to defend Social Security?”
“Are you ready to defend Medicaid?”
“Let do this work y’all!”
“The budget is not just a fiscal document, it’s a moral document. Budget is not just dollars and cents, it’s good morals and common sense. Show me your budget and I’ll show you who you think matters and who you think is dispensable. Show me your budget and I’ll show you what you think about children, what you think about workers, and what you think made America great, and if this budget that they are trying to pass were an EKG, it would suggest that the Congress has a heart problem and is in need of moral surgery. So let’s get the room ready. I know you may not be surgeons, but just help us get the room ready, because the Congress needs an operation, and it’s the people who bring about the change.”
“So you keep showing up over and over again. Don’t give it to those who are trying to weaponize despair. Don’t believe them when they want to convince you that he’s already a king. We have no king! This is the United States of America, and we’re not about to roll over to somebody who wants to be an oligarch.”
“I’m going to stand up for my children. Are you going to stand up for yours? I’m going to stand up for my mother who needs her Social Security. I’m going to stand up for everybody’s children, so that my children are alright. So let’s stand together. Let’s work together. Let’s vote together. Let’s fight together. Let’s pray together. Let’s stay together. Don’t give in to the demagogues. Don’t give in to the division. We rise together.”
“God bless all of you, keep the faith and keep looking up.”
A high-level delegation from across Parliament has reinforced New Zealand’s enduring bonds to the Pacific over the past week, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters says. “Our New Zealand Parliamentarians drawn from five political parties, across government and opposition, have spent time in Tonga, Hawaii, Fiji and Vanuatu connecting with our Pacific family,” Mr Peters says. “We live in challenging and uncertain times, and it is more important than ever that the Pacific works together towards a more secure, more prosperous and more resilient region. “This visit has helped us to gain a fresh understanding of priorities from right across the region, in Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia – and what more New Zealand can do to help.” Pacific Peoples, Science & Innovation, and Universities Minister Dr Shane Reti says higher education helps drive prosperity and, in tumultuous times, engenders understanding and tolerance. “We are working to ensure New Zealand’s science, innovation and university sectors contribute to Pacific development for mutual benefit,” says Dr Reti. Climate Change and Energy Minister, Simon Watts says New Zealand’s Pacific neighbours are among the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. “We are committed to collaborating with Pacific nations to increase energy security to help deal with the effects of climate change,” says Mr Watts. Courts Minister Nicole McKee says the delegation benefited from engaging with a broad range of Pacific counterparts. “Forging new relationships and re-connecting with established partners has been productive for both the New Zealand delegation and our Pacific brethren,” says Mrs McKee. The other members of the delegation have been:
Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Carmel Sepuloni; Chair of Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee, Tim van de Molen; Co-Chairs of the New Zealand-Pacific Interparliamentary Friendship Group, Teanau Tuiono and Jenny Salesa; and Chair of the Transport and Infrastructure Committee, Andy Foster.
The delegation returns to New Zealand later today (17 April).
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Three members of the La Mara Salvatrucha gang (known as MS-13) were sentenced in federal court today for engaging in violent criminal conduct, including murder, in support of the criminal organization, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Cardell T. Morant, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in North Carolina and South Carolina, Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
Christian Alejandro Garcia Santa Cruz, a/k/a “Crimen,” 32, of El Salvador, and Aderly Jose Veliz-Ronquillo, a/k/a “Chanchin,” 30, of Guatemala, were each sentenced to 35 years in prison for using a firearm during a crime of violence resulting in death for the 2022 murder of W.G.M. in front of a Charlotte nightclub. Luis Fernando Guardardo Moreno, a/k/a “Fantasma” and “Scrappy,” 24, of El Salvador, was sentenced to 20 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for racketeering (RICO) conspiracy.
Two additional MS-13 members who held leadership roles within the gang, Fredy Mauricio Buruca, a/k/a “Piranha,” “Machete,” and “Insoportable,” 27, and Santos Guillermo Ramirez Mancia, a/k/a “Azazel,” “Timido,” and “Johnny,” 33, both of El Salvador, have pleaded guilty to RICO conspiracy and are awaiting sentencing. Buruca has also pleaded guilty to kidnapping a minor. A sixth MS-13 member charged in this case, Juan Francisco Sanchez Estrada, a/k/a “Nene” and “Turbo,” 31, of El Salvador, has pleaded guilty to RICO conspiracy and will be sentenced at a later date in the Middle District of North Carolina, following a consolidation of federal cases against him in each district.
“MS-13 is one of the most violent and dangerous criminal gangs operating in the United States. MS-13 members use murder, robbery, kidnapping, drug trafficking, and extortion to support this criminal enterprise and tighten its grip on our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “But we are fighting back. This case has dismantled the local MS-13 clique, and we’re not done. Our goal is not just to prosecute violent gangs, but to eliminate them completely.”
“Today’s prison sentences should make it clear to MS-13 members and their associates, violence and senseless murder will not be tolerated in North Carolina. The FBI and our partners will use every tool available to disrupt and dismantle violent criminal terrorist organizations and bring offenders to justice,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge DeWitt.
According to filed court documents and court proceedings, the defendants were leaders and members of the MS-13 sub-unit, or clique, known as the Hollywood Locos Salvatrucha Clique (the HLS clique), which operated in and around the Western District of North Carolina and other areas in North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Washington, D.C., and elsewhere. From at least December 2018 and continuing through November 2022, as members of the HLS clique, the defendants engaged in a pattern of racketeering activity that consisted of multiple acts and threats involving murder, kidnapping, extortion, robbery, and drug trafficking.
The investigation into the gang’s criminal activity revealed that these criminal acts were sanctioned by MS-13 leadership and were committed to promote a climate a fear and intimidation within the gang; to maintain the gang’s control and to expand its territory; to enforce discipline within the gang and punish any acts of disrespect; to intimidate witnesses and discourage cooperation with law enforcement; and to retaliate against rivals, or “chavalas.”
Participation in criminal activity was also intended to increase respect and ranking of members within the gang and to open the door to promotion to a leadership position. Accordingly, Santa Cruz and Veliz-Ronquillo committed murder in aid of racketeering for the purpose of maintaining and increasing their position in the MS-13 enterprise.
According to court documents, on November 6, 2022, Santa Cruz, Mancia, and Veliz-Ronquillo were at a nightclub in Charlotte. Over the course of the evening, Santa Cruz, Mancia, and Veliz-Ronquillo got into an argument with several men at the parking lot of the nightclub. During the argument, Mancia identified himself as MS-13 to the other men. At some point, W.G.M. and Mancia shoved each other. Ronquillo then shot W.G.M. once and Santa-Cruz shot the victim three times, causing the victim to sustain fatal gunshot wounds. At today’s sentencing hearing, the government contended that through their involvement in W.G.M.’s murder, Santa Cruz and Veliz-Ronquillo demonstrated their full commitment to further the goals of MS-13 and to advance their reputation within the gang.
The defendants will remain in federal custody until they are transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement U.S. Attorney Ferguson commended the FBI, HSI, and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department for their investigation of the case, and thanked the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office, the Kannapolis Police Department, the Monroe Police Department, the Prince William County (Virginia) Sheriff’s Office, and the Annapolis (Maryland) Police Department for their invaluable assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erik Lindahl and David Kelly of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte are prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11)
Unleashing American Energy: Rep. Pfluger Hosts EPA Regional Administrator and Rep. Fedorchak in Midland
Midland, April 16, 2025
MIDLAND, TX—Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) hosted U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Regional Administrator Scott Mason, and Congresswoman Julie Fedorchak (ND-At-large), a fellow member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, in the Permian Basin for an oil and gas site visit and roundtable with producers, local leaders, stakeholders, and EPA officials.
Following the site visit and producer roundtable, Rep. Pfluger also hosted a press conference to update the media on the efforts of the Trump Administration, Congress, and the EPA to cut the burdensome red tape the Biden Administration had previously imposed on the Permian Basin.
Photos from the day are available for broadcast and distributionHERE.
“Everything we do depends on energy dominance and the ability to produce affordable, reliable energy, and with President Trump back in office, the future of American energy has never been brighter,”said Rep. Pfluger.“It was an honor to bring everyone together today in Midland—the city that anchors the most important region, equipped and ready to solve many of the critical issues facing our nation. American energy dominance must be at the center of our national security strategy. This is why Congress will continue to work alongside the Trump administration and the EPA to ensure an energy future that embraces all forms of domestic production and recognizes the strategic importance of the Permian Basin.”
“During my visit to the Permian Basin today, I heard over and over from energy companies of all sizes that they want common-sense regulations for emissions and wastewater,”said EPA Regional Administrator Scott Mason.“I look forward to working toward that goal, and appreciate Representative Pfluger’s leadership on these issues.”
“The Permian Basin is key to America’s energy security, and visiting the region with Rep. Pfluger offered a valuable up-close perspective on the shared challenges our energy producers face. Much like in North Dakota, innovation and growth are being held back by one-size-fits-all federal regulations that lack common sense,”said Rep. Fedorchak. “It was encouraging to hear from EPA Region 6 Administrator Scott Mason, who assured us that the Trump administration’s EPA is committed to providing the certainty and clarity needed to unleash American energy. I appreciated the West Texas hospitality and look forward to showing him North Dakota’s energy leadership soon.”
Check out these stories highlighting the day:
Congressman August Pfluger brought together Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officials and members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee to discuss the challenges and opportunities oil and gas producers are facing today.
Federal energy and environmental policy leaders visited the Permian Basin to see oil and gas operations up close and hear directly from the people shaping the region’s energy future.
Read the full story and watch coverage of the press conferencehere.
Several government officials met with local groups and organizations at the Petroleum Club of Midland on Tuesday to discuss federal oil and gas regulations.
Headed by U.S. Rep. August Pfluger, the group also consisted of Mayor Lori Blong, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Regional Administrator Scott Mason, U.S. Rep. Julie Fedorchak of North Dakota and key members of several Permian Basin trade organizations.
Read the full storyhere.
Congressman August Pfluger returned to the energy capital of West Texas on Tuesday to lead a roundtable discussion on oil and gas policy.
Pfluger was joined by EPA Regional Administrator Scott Mason and North Dakota Congresswoman Julie Fedorchak for a site visit and stakeholder meeting in Midland.
Read the full story and watch coverage of the press conferencehere.
Joined by a congresswoman from North Dakota and the regional director of the U.S. Environmental Agency, Congressman August Pfluger said Tuesday that the Permian Basin has reached “a new era” of working with the federal regulatory agencies that beleaguered them during the Biden administration.
Read the full storyhere.
Representative August Pfluger visited the Permian Basin this afternoon alongside U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Regional Administrator Scott Mason, Congresswoman Julie Fedorchak (ND-At-large), as well as local oil and gas companies, and Midland Mayor Lori Blong.
During the visit, all parties toured a Diamondback Energy oil rig, where they were shown the latest technology being used in its production. Following the tour, the leaders spoke about options to keep regulations at a minimum while also looking to keep oil operations as safe and clean as possible.
Read the full story and watch coverage of the press conferencehere.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3
Press release
British soldiers take down drone swarm in groundbreaking use of radio wave weapon
British soldiers have successfully tracked, targeted and defeated swarms of drones in the latest trial of a new directed energy weapon developed in the UK.
Radiofrequency Directed Energy Weapon demonstrator
UK-made, invisible radio wave weapon knocks out drone swarms for the first time.
Weapon has potential to help protect against drone threats as nature of warfare changes.
The project supports more than 135 highly skilled jobs across the UK.
The trial was completed at a weapons range in West Wales and was the largest counter-drone swarm exercise the British Army have conducted to date.
The weapon system demonstrator is a type of Radiofrequency Directed Energy Weapon (RF DEW) and has proven capable of neutralising multiple targets simultaneously with near-instant effect.
The UK Government has invested more than £40 million in RF DEW research and development to date, supporting 135 highly skilled jobs in Northern Ireland and the South-East of England.
It uses high frequency radio waves to disrupt or damage critical electronic components inside drones, causing them to crash or malfunction.
At an estimated cost of 10p per shot fired, if developed into operational service it could provide a cost-effective complement to traditional missile-based air defence systems.
RF DEW systems can defeat airborne targets at ranges of up to 1km and are effective against threats which cannot be jammed using electronic warfare.
The successful trial comes as drone swarms are increasingly seen in use in frontline combat in Ukraine. UK Defence Intelligence estimates that last year Ukraine had to defend against attacks from more than 18,000 drones.
With national security a foundation for the Plan for Change, the government is significantly increasing the proportion of MOD’s equipment procurement spend on novel technologies, spending at least 10% from 2025-26. It follows the announcement of the biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the end of the Cold War, as the UK will spend 2.5% of GDP on defence by April 2027.
Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry, Rt Hon Maria Eagle MP, said:
This significant experiment exemplifies the strength of British innovation – driven by our home-grown industry, technology firms and scientific talent.
We continue to strengthen our defence sector, adding more cutting-edge capabilities to keep the UK secure at home and strong abroad, while making defence an engine for growth across our towns and cities.
The project has been delivered by Team Hersa – a collaboration between Defence Equipment & Support and the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory. The RF DEW demonstrator has been developed by an industry consortium led by Thales UK.
Successful experiments included the Army taking down two swarms of drones in a single engagement, and the project saw more than 100 drones being tracked, engaged and defeated using the weapon across all trials.
Sgt Mayers, a Senior Remotely-Piloted Air Systems Operator from 106 Regiment Royal Artillery, had the honour of being the first British soldier to bring down drones using a radiofrequency weapon.
Sgt Mayers said:
RF DEW is an exciting concept. We found the demonstrator quick to learn and easy to use. With improvements on range and power, which could come with further development, this would be a great asset to Layered Air Defence.
Protecting national security is the foundation of the Government’s Plan for Change and the development of RF DEW systems could help to protect the UK from unidentified drones at security sensitive areas such as defence bases, and could play a role in preventing disruption at airports.
The RF DEW development supports the Defence Industrial Strategy – to support the UK defence industry in mobilising to help face down global threats and ensuring the sector is an engine for growth in every region and nation of the UK. The MOD is working with a range of industry partners to deliver powerful future RF DEW capabilities for UK forces.
Thales, which led the development of the RF DEW demonstrator, employ around 100 highly skilled engineering and manufacturing staff in Northern Ireland on the project, and there are a further 30-35 highly skilled supply chain jobs in Chelmsford, Essex, that directly contribute to the development of the weapon demonstrator.
Nigel MacVean, MD of Thales Integrated Airspace-protection Systems, said:
Thales continues to be at the forefront of this pioneering technology, and we are proud to continue the research and development in this sector alongside our partners in Government.