Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
HONG KONG, May 11 (Xinhua) — An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.0 jolted Indonesia’s North Sumatra province at 08:57 GMT on Sunday, the German Research Center for Geosciences (GFZ) said.
The epicenter of the tremors, according to preliminary data, was located at a point with coordinates of 3.73 degrees north latitude and 97.03 degrees east longitude. The hypocenter was located at a depth of 89.4 km. –0–
This year, Mother’s Day comes a day before the 2025 national midterm elections. Before Filipinos vote for future legislators and local officials, Virginia Benosa-Llorin reflects on the intersection of motherhood, climate anxiety, and the hope of having a say in what the future holds.
My son married a wonderful woman last year and they are now expecting their first child. Like many other young parents, they gathered family and friends to celebrate with them as they reveal the gender of their upcoming baby.
The excitement grew as the couple asked us to answer trivia questions and for each correct answer, my son or daughter-in-law’s picture appeared on something like a crossword puzzle displayed on the screen.
After all the questions were answered, the photos of my son formed a straight horizontal line, which means we are going to have a baby boy!
The crowd cheered, and congratulations echoed throughout the room. I had hoped for a girl, only for a selfish reason that I could doll her up. But of course, any gender will be most welcome. I am already super excited to have a baby in the family. This early, I have already mapped out the pampering he will get from me.
It was a joyous moment, a celebration.
But then, it dawned on me: My first grandchild will be born this year during a time when the heat index is already considered dangerous.
Graph from 2019 Lancet Report showing extent to which current and future generations will experience a hotter and different world.
In my day, class suspensions were only due to flooding, but now it is different. Hot temperature prompts class suspensions as a precautionary health measure.
As I looked at my son and daughter-in-law’s proud and happy, hopeful smiles, I couldn’t help but think about their future and how they will raise Amari. His name is going to be Amari, which means Promised by God.
I felt a lump in my chest—the kind that mothers feel when they are worried.
And I have my reasons. According to a 2019 Lancet Report, a child born today will encounter a world that is more than four degrees warmer than the pre-industrial average, with climate change impacting human health from infancy and adolescence to adulthood and old age.
A warmer planet will have serious consequences for people, especially those living in poor conditions—health-wise, economically, and educationally. It is frightening to think about these consequences.
I recently attended a forum on climate change and health, organized by the Institute of Child Health and Development, University of the Philippines Manila. The presentation by Dr. Ronald Law caught my attention the most. Dr. Law clearly and interestingly discussed the intergenerational inequity of climate change, noting that children are considered a particularly disadvantaged population due to their physiological and developmental vulnerabilities, as well as their higher likelihood of experiencing severe effects of climate change in the future.
Dr. Ronald Law, Head of the Climate Change Unit of the Department of Health with Greenpeace Campaigners Virginia Benosa-Llorin and Khevin Yu
Dr. Law, head of the newly established Climate Change Unit at the Department of Health, encourages advocacy and awareness-raising on the intersectionality of climate change and health. He emphasized that the medical and public health communities need to recognize, acknowledge, and speak out about the health burdens of climate change and their disproportionate effects on children.
Sadly, despite the recognized impacts of climate change, many people—including those running for political office—fail to grasp the importance of addressing environmental issues. I’ve attended several electoral forums organized by civil society groups. Candidates for the midterm elections were invited to share their environmental platforms.
Not surprisingly, only a handful, if none, of the candidates that top the surveys attended. Is this a reflection of their commitment to environmental protection? What gives? You decide.
This brings me back to my grandson and to my final point.
Is there still hope? Of course! If we act together, our collective actions can rebuild our society. We can engage in impactful acts that drive meaningful change in the system.
And this change can start on May 12. When you cast your votes, please think about Amari, his generation, and the next ones.
Virginia Benosa-Llorin is a senior climate campaigner at Greenpeace Southeast Asia – Philippines.
You might want to check out Greenpeace Philippines’ petition called Courage for Climate, a drive in support of real policy and legal solutions in the pursuit of climate justice.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
The ongoing 2025 World Brand Moganshan Conference in Deqing County, east China’s Zhejiang Province, is emphasizing innovation as a major driving force in expanding the global reach of Chinese brands.
Themed “Brands Bring Better Future for the World,” the event offers Chinese brands a global stage to share their brand stories and fosters shared opportunities, common development and mutually beneficial cooperation.
Conference attendees have emphasized the importance of brand building in nurturing new quality productive forces. They further noted that recent initiatives have shown positive outcomes — with innovation being a key driver.
Take Wensli Group, a well-known Chinese silk producer established in 1975, as an example. Admired for its industry-leading silk double-sided printing process, Wensli has not only maintained long-term partnerships with many luxury brands but also created new growth opportunities.
Notably, Wensli’s mini-program enables customers to instantly create a unique, self-designed scarf pattern. Leveraging AI-generated content, the scarf can be produced in just two hours, with minimal release of carbon emissions or wastewater.
“With the help of technology, we can customize 100,000 unique silk scarves for each of the 8 billion people in the world,” said Tu Hongyan, chairperson of Wensli. She added that innovation has transformed Wensli from importing technologies and services to exporting its own independent, new technologies.
Wensli’s journey mirrors the development trajectory of many Chinese brands.
“Chinese brands have transitioned from followers to creators and leaders in new models and standards. Consequently, the image of Chinese brands has acquired new significance on the global stage,” said Shan Fan, president of the Brand University of Applied Sciences in Hamburg, Germany.
The Chinese fashion industry has also seen Bosideng Group, a leading down jacket manufacturer, take its brand global.
Its first overseas store opened in London ahead of the 2012 Olympics. Since then, its products have graced the runways of New York, Milan and London, shining a spotlight on Chinese down jackets in the global arena.
“The robust growth of the Chinese economy, its rising cultural confidence, swift progress in technological innovation, and growing international influence have all paved the way for Chinese brands to thrive,” said Gao Dekang, chairman and chief executive officer of Bosideng Group.
Despite mounting obstacles in international trade, Chinese brands have remained resolute in their pursuit of global presence.
“To venture overseas, we have to tackle numerous challenges, such as obtaining the necessary certifications, arranging logistics and building our brand reputation. The overseas markets are highly diverse, and we stick to one unbreakable rule — we must adapt to local conditions and respect the differences,” said Wang Pu, co-founder of Chinese beverage company Chi Forest.
In 2020, Chi Forest officially entered mainstream distribution channels in Singapore. Now, the company’s products have entered more than 40 countries and regions, including the United States and Australia, Wang added.
Held for three consecutive years, the World Brand Moganshan Conference has developed into a vital platform for Chinese brands to enhance their visibility and explore new cooperation opportunities.
Over 50 parallel activities also form part of the 2025 conference, including a main forum, a launch event for brand value evaluation, and several themed high-end dialogues.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)
Lawmakers Joined Öztürk, Her Legal Team, and ACLU of Massachusetts at Logan Airport in Her First Public Appearance Since March Abduction
Pressley, Markey, McGovern Met with Öztürk at Louisiana ICE Facility in April
BOSTON – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) and Senator Edward J. Markey (D-MA) welcomed Tufts PhD student Rümeysa Öztürk at Logan Airport in Boston at her request following her arrival home from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention in Louisiana. Ms. Öztürk, a Somerville resident and constituent of the Congresswoman’s, was released on bail yesterday by a federal judge from Vermont after being unlawfully detained for over six weeks.
Congresswoman Pressley and Senator Markey joined Ms. Öztürk, her legal team, and the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts at a press conference. Last month, Rep. Pressley, Sen. Markey, and Rep. James P. McGovern traveled to ICE facilities in Basile and Jena, where Rümeysa Öztürk and Mahmoud Khalil were being unlawfully detained and subjected to inhumane conditions in retaliation for their protected speech.
“Today we’re welcoming with open arms a beloved member of our Massachusetts 7th community, a brilliant scholar, a courageous advocate, and a survivor of a shameful injustice – Rümeysa Öztürk. And we’re sending a message to this hostile White House that their efforts to silence Rümeysa, crush dissent, and undermine our constitutional rights are being rejected,” said Congresswoman Pressley. “While we take stock of this important progress, we know this fight isn’t over. We will not rest until Rümeysa is fully exonerated, her visa is restored, and she is free to continue her studies and her service to our community.”
“Today is a day of joy: We welcome Rümeysa Öztürk back to Massachusetts and back to her community in Somerville,” said Senator Markey. “Rümeysa should have never been abducted off the streets of Somerville. She should have never been taken out of Massachusetts and sent to a detention site in Louisiana more than 1,500 miles away from her community. And she should have never had to suffer intolerable living conditions and multiple and worsening asthma attacks while unlawfully detained for more than six weeks. Rümeysa’s case affects every one of us. We cannot allow this administration to trample individuals’ constitutional rights to free speech and due process. Her homecoming is only the beginning of the fight for justice – not only for Rümeysa, but for every family, for every neighbor, and for everyone who wishes to ensure they can live free.”
A full transcript of Congresswoman Pressley’s remarks at the press conference today is available below, and full video is available here.
Transcript: Rep. Pressley Welcomes Rümeysa Öztürk Home Following Her Release from ICE Detention
Boston Logan Airport
May 10, 2025
Thank you, Ed. Thank you for your friendship. Thank you for your ongoing partnership on so many issues of consequence. In particular, we’ve been shoulder to shoulder in the work of oversight of our carceral settings, our prisons, our jails, our detention facilities.
But before I get started, I do just, again, want to reiterate that if you care about mass incarceration, you should care about mass deportation. If you care about mass deportation, you should care about mass incarceration.
This is not only the grave injustice that Rümeysa, Mahmoud, Mohsen and many more have experienced is not only inhumane and cruel, but incredibly profitable. These are facilities owned by corporations, and the same way that those private prisons benefit from mass incarceration, these private detention centers, facilities benefit from mass deportation and incarceration. So I did just want to name that.
You know, y’all, I don’t know if I can stick to my remarks here, because I’m just overwhelmed. One, Rümeysa is home, and two, the Celtics won. But you know, seriously, just bringing a little levity, because we’re long overdue for some joy.
The second I saw Rümeysa, I just exclaimed loudly “My sister.” I felt an immediate kinship with her.
And as we approach Mother’s Day, it is important that – and I think the public outcry and the rallying has been a testament to the fact that we see Rümeysa as our sister, we see Rümeysa as our daughter.
And that is, in fact, how a community should rally and see one another when a harm is done to anyone, because we are one human family and our destinies are truly tied.
I was also excited to be able to gift Rümeysa with a polished stone with the word “Hope” engraved that I had been carrying for weeks.
I had two stones with me when we went to rural Louisiana. And again, I thank Senator Markey for steadfast leadership and partnership, my brother colleague, Jim McGovern, for journeying together to rural Louisiana, and I had a polished stone with the word “Courage” engraved for Mahmoud, and a polished stone with the word “Hope” engraved for Rümeysa.
But ultimately, having visited Jena and the Basile facilities, I decided not to gift it to them, because I was pretty sure it would be confiscated. So I was so excited to be able to place that in the palm of her hand today, because I just wanted her to not lose hope and to know that we had come to see about her, and we were going to continue to do that until she was free.
So today we come together to welcome home a beloved member of the Massachusetts 7th community, a brilliant scholar, a courageous advocate, and a survivor of a shameful injustice: Rümeysa Öztürk.
Today marks a significant step forward and a victory, a victory for Rümeysa, a victory for due process, and a victory for our democracy.
But it is also a somber day, and I know it is bittersweet for Rümeysa, because Rümeysa should never have been abducted and ripped away from her community in Somerville in the first place.
She should never have had her visa revoked. She should never have been transported almost 2,000 miles away to an ICE facility in rural Louisiana and subjected to squalid, inhumane conditions.
She should never have suffered multiple asthma attacks and feared for her life so far away from home.
Last year, Rümeysa authored an op-ed that centered the dignity and humanity of every person and was critical of her university’s response to the crisis in Gaza. She exercised her fundamental First Amendment right. In citing nothing more than an op-ed, she was met with the full force of Donald Trump’s authoritarian project, silenced, detained and punished.
Rümeysa, we work each morning — since then, we’ve worked with you on our mind.
Massachusetts did not forget about you for a minute. Your classmates and your neighbors peacefully gathered in the street, lawyers, elected officials and people of good conscience from every walk of life spoke your name daily.
Carol, Mahsa, Jesse ensured that this was the case.
I also have the incredible good fortune to spend time with people who’ve been privileged enough to know Rümeysa, some for five years, some for seven years, some for 10 years. And I was remarking that I’m jealous they’ve known her that long, because true enough, she is courageous and a bright light, and all of it is contagious.
But we refused to be silent, sounding the alarm on this injustice and elevating your story time and again, Rümeysa.
And yesterday, the federal court ordered Rümeysa released on bail.
When we traveled to Louisiana last month to meet with Rümeysa, what we saw was unconscionable. Rümeysa was being denied proper medical care, left to suffer through intense and worsening asthma attacks without prescribed medications, forced to endure inadequate meals and religious accommodations, denied even basic necessities and subjected to inhumane living conditions.
Rümeysa, I shared upon our arrival, when Senator Markey and Congressman McGovern and I landed here at Logan, upon leaving here, I went right to Somerville for what had been a long scheduled town hall, and I shared with our Somerville community and the public what you told me of the constant fear, the trauma of being torn away from the community you love, the community that you have given so much to.
But Rümeysa’s spirit was unwavering, and her light shone through for all of us to see.
When you sat down with us Rümeysa, you spoke first of the women detained alongside you. You carried with you in your heart and in neatly copious written notes, like the qualified researcher that you are, their stories, their fears, their urgent medical conditions, their worry that they had been abandoned.
I was haunted by those words where Rümeysa said, “the women here have cried aloud. Has God forgotten about us? Has the world forgotten about us?”
Rümeysa’s experience was not just an act of cruelty. Was a deliberate, coordinated attempt to intimidate, to instill fear, and to send a chilling message to anyone who dares to speak out against injustice.
I’ve said it before, Donald Trump is a dictator. A dictator seeks to silence dissenting voices. He wants a citizenry that is ignorant and uninformed, a citizenry that is indifferent to the suffering of a neighbor, a citizenry that is inactive.
Today, we’re sending a message of our own to this White House: your efforts to silence Rümeysa, to crush dissent, to undermine our fundamental rights are being rejected.
Rümeysa, my sister, our sister, we welcome you home with open arms.
We never forgot about you. You are loved, you are seen, and we will not rest until you are fully exonerated, your visa is restored, and you are free to continue your studies and your service to our community.
But let us also be clear, this fight is not over. Rümeysa is released on bail, but her deportation proceedings continue.
So while we take stock of this important victory, made possible because of the dedicated people behind me and thousands more, because of public outcry, we are clear-eyed about the work that remains.
To everyone who has stood with Rümeysa, who was spoken out, who has joined in this fight — in Congress, in the courts and in community — thank you.
We would not be here today if it weren’t for you. Our work is not done, but we are stronger together.
Throughout my time in public life, I’ve had the privilege and emotional honor throughout these years to say these two words to many people upon their return from prisons, jails and detention facilities: welcome home.
This week, Congresswoman Pressley, along with Senator Markey, Ranking Member Bennie Thompson, Congressman Jim McGovern, and Congressman Troy Carter sent a letter to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) seeking more information on the detention conditions of immigrants held at the Central Louisiana ICE Processing Center (CLIPC) and the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center (SLIPC) after an oversight trip to the facilities last month.
On May 7, 2025, Pressley, Markey, and McGovern applauded the Second Circuit for ordering Rümeysa’s transfer from ICE custody in Louisiana to Vermont and rejecting the Trump administration’s attempt to delay complying with a lower court order to do so.
In a powerful New York Times op-ed, Pressley, Markey, and McGovern discussed their meeting with Ms. Öztürk in detention and warned the American people of the dangers posed by the Trump administration’s unlawful attacks on our constitutional rights to freedom of speech and due process. Full text of the op-ed is available here.
Rep. Pressley, along with Sens. Warren and Markey, have pushed for answers and action since Öztürk’s March arrest. In March, they led over 30 lawmakers in writing to Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Acting Director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Todd Lyons, demanding information about Öztürk’s arrest and detention as well as similar incidents across the country.
In April, the lawmakers sounded the alarm on Öztürk’s medical neglect in DHS custody and renewed urgent calls for her release. Last week, Pressley, Warren and Markey demanded Secretary of State Rubio released any documents related to her arrest after a recent report indicated that an internal State Department memo concluded that the key premise underlying Tufts graduate student Rümeysa Öztürk’s arrest and detention was false. Last month, Congresswoman Pressley issued a statement condemning reports that ICE arrested and detained Rümeysa Öztürk, an international student with legal status in a graduate program at Tufts University. Earlier in the week, Rep. Pressley issued a statement following reports of ICE activity in Boston and other municipalities in Massachusetts.
Frontiers in Communication is a multidisciplinary journal that focuses on advancing communication developments across society and culture, in areas including politics, health, media and industry, science and environment.
Led by Field Chief Editor Prof Justin Lewis (Cardiff University, UK), this Scopus and DOAJ indexed journal welcomes research contributions in all areas of communication that advance our understanding of communication technologies and bridge the gap between theory and practice. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
advertising and marketing communication
culture and communication
disaster communications
health communication
language communication
media, culture and creative industries media governance and the public sphere
multimodality of communication
organizational communication
science and environmental communication
visual communication.
Frontiers in Communication is a cross-disciplinary journal that seeks to develop understanding of the rapidly-changing global communication revolution and its relevance across social, economic and cultural spheres. Submissions that focus on new areas, such as multimodality of communication, advertising, and the creative industries are of particular interest.
Climate Impacts Tracker Asia commits to publishing in-depth analysis and reports that connect climate science to climate change, with the goals of:
Identifying the causes of climate change;
Reporting on climate change’s impact on a local and global scale, with a focus on communities and livelihoods;
Showcasing climate change mitigation, adaptation and solutions.
Climate Impacts Tracker aims to engage audiences by seeking out and crafting compelling stories and ensuring that they reach people and empower them to make a positive difference. Its approach to its work will include:
Collaborate and support partner organisations;
Communicate narratives that support the science behind climate change and its impact;
Inspire our audiences to raise key questions and take action surrounding climate impacts.
“Our committeehas been engaged in a variety ofeffortstocollaborate with community partners tohelp address unmet health needs in communities in northeast Connecticut,”according toDevra Dang, clinical professor of pharmacy practice and a co-chair of CIPEH.Its Northeast CT Initiativewasdevelopedinresponse to arural health summithosted by State Comptroller Sean Scanlon.
CIPEH faculty at the Northeast CT Family Health and Wellness Day
The event hostedinteractivebooths and activities aimed atpromoting health and wellnessforindividualsof all ages.Attendees received free health screeningssuch asblood pressure and hearing loss tests,learned aboutlung health andasthma inhaler techniques, prescription medication affordability tips,healthynutrition,andbalance assessment and fall prevention. According to Stephanie Gernant, assistant professor of pharmacy practice and a CIPEH co-chair, “The focus was not just on learning about health conditions that attendees may already have developed, but also on prevention and wellness across the lifespan.”
Nicole Gallagher, a clinical professor of speech-language and CIPEH secretary was especially fond of the hands-on experiences the event provided children and their families:“The foundation of good healthhabitsshould start earlyin life.We all loved seeing the kidswho attended the health fairbe so engaged with ourfun,interactivetopics.”In addition, children and teens had opportunities to discuss health career options with UConn health professionstudents andgot tovisualizethemselves as future healthcare professionals at the photo booth.
“[It]was excellent. Seeing all the different programs, and hearing from current students, really shows what a wonderful University we have, so close to home. Everyone weencounteredwas excited to share about their program, and very engaging with my kids!” -Cassie Kileyfrom Brooklyn, CT who attended with her family
Community partner organizations were a keycomponentof this collaborative event.The Northeast District Department of Healthco-hosted thefamily health and wellness dayand worked with Dang and twoMaster of Public Health studentsovera number ofweekstodevelop activities forthis multi-faceted event.In total, nine community organizationsbrought a variety of health-related topics and resources, includingGenerations Family Health Center, Day Kimball Hospital, Hartford Healthcare Community Health, andAHEC/Health Education Center.Participants from UConn’s Master Gardener Program provided science-based tips on gardening topics and distributed free seeds.
The eventalsoprovided an excellent avenue for UConn health profession students toengage in interprofessional education and collaboration, learning with, from, and about each profession as theyteamed upto presenthealth topics.“Brainstorming health fair plans and developing Psychological Sciences’materials promoting stress management across the lifespan tapped into creative and collaborative skills. We enjoyed the planning process, learning from other UConn faculty and students, and look forward to strengthening future efforts to serve those in Northeast Connecticut,”statedChristine Yantz, assistant clinicalprofessorand assistant director of the Psychological Services Clinic.
CIPEH consists of 11 UConn heath profession programs acrossthreecampuses (Storrs, Farmington, Hartford): athletic training/kinesiology, audiology,clinical psychology,dietetics, dental medicine, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, physical therapy, speech-language pathology, and social work, andreportstothehealth profession deans andtheVice Provost for Health Sciences and Interdisciplinary Initiatives, Amy Gorin.Establishedin 2013with the support of the deans of health profession programs, CIPEH’sprimarygoal is to advance interprofessional collaboration in education, community outreach and patient care, and research.
Brother and sister at the health careers photo booth
According to Dang, the Northeast Connecticut Family Health and Wellness Day was just one of several community-based events that CIPEH faculty and students have activelyparticipatedinattowns in Windham and Tolland Countyduring this academic year. Other recent community outreach events includeda health fair for older adults hosted by the town of Thompson,the Coventry Winter Farmers’ Market, and vaccine clinics at senior centers in collaboration with the Eastern Hyland Health District.A number ofupcominghealth-related outreach activities are being planned, including eventsduringthesummer.
Christine Haines, clinical professor ofaudiologynotedthat,“Interprofessional education within health profession training is crucial so that our students know how to best work together tooptimizepatient care when they become clinicians.”
“I look forward to collaborating with students and faculty from across UConn health disciplines in supporting the wellbeing of Connecticut’s residents in future community engagement efforts.”– Christine Haines
UConn programs and community organizations interested in collaborating with CIPEH on futurehealth-relatedcommunity outreach events can reach out to Devra Dang atdevra.dang@uconn.edu.
Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell
05.10.25
Cantwell Celebrates New Redmond-Bellevue Light Rail Extension
Sound Transit hosts grand openings at new Marymoor Village and Downtown Redmond stations to celebrate 2 Line extension; 3.4-mile line extension connects Redmond to Bellevue; future completion of the full 2 Line will connect entire Eastside to Seattle
REDMOND, WA –Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, joined leaders of Sound Transit, Microsoft, and the City of Redmond to celebrate the grand opening of the Downtown Redmond Light Rail Extension.
The 3.4-mile extension will connect Redmond to Bellevue, adding two new Light Rail stations at Marymoor Village and Downtown Redmond.
“Redmond has always been a technology leader,” Sen. Cantwell said. “Redmond builds half of the world’s satellites. Right here in Redmond, Washington — we are celebrating these innovations, because when it comes to building great businesses, you also have to build great transportation systems. And those transportation systems get people to where they work, where they want to play, restaurants, sporting events and concerts.”
“If we want to innovate, you have to make infrastructure investment,” she continued. “So everybody, get ready to use your ORCA card.”
A full transcript of Sen. Cantwell’s remarks today is HERE.
The Marymoor Village Station includes a 1,400-stall parking garage and will provide convenient access to concerts and recreational activities at Marymoor Park. The Downtown Redmond Station is close to shopping and dining at Redmond Town Center, as well as new transit-oriented housing in the city’s downtown core. Residents of Downtown Redmond will have just a six-minute commute to Redmond Technology Station at Microsoft headquarters on the 2 Line, and a 19-minute commute to downtown Bellevue. Trains will run every 10 minutes from 5:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. seven days a week between the South Bellevue and Downtown Redmond stations.
Including the East Link Extension, Sound Transit expects to see 43,000 to 52,000 daily riders by 2026. Last summer, opening day ridership on the 2 Line between South Bellevue and Redmond Technology Station saw 35,000 riders; at its peak during the summer of 2024, there were approximately 150,000 total monthly boardings.
When the full 2 Line opens, it will add the Mercer Island and Judkins Park stations and connect to the 1 Line at the International District/Chinatown Station in downtown Seattle.
Additionally, Sound Transit has partnered with Bellwether Housing to provide 328 units of affordable housing, active businesses on the ground floors, and space for a community hub at the Overlake Village Station. The project will break ground later this year and will begin accepting residents in 2027. At Marymoor Village Station, a 3.5-acre site adjacent to the station will be the home to future development, which is anticipated to include a large amount of affordable housing units.
The Downtown Redmond Light Rail Extension was funded in part by a $521 million transit loan through the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA). The subsidized interest rate for TIFIA funding was less than half of what Sound Transit would have gotten otherwise, reducing lending costs on the projects by $200 million to $300 million. In addition, Sound Transit worked with the U.S. Department of Transportation to refinance five TIFIA loans, including this project, resulting in savings of more than $500 million for the agency.
Sen. Cantwell is a longtime champion of ongoing investments in Washington state’s light rail system. In April 2024, she joined local, state, and federal leaders to celebrate the grand opening of the new Sound Transit East Link Starter Line, which connected South Bellevue to Microsoft headquarters in Redmond. In August 2024, she joined the community to celebrate the Lynnwood Link Extension connecting Lynnwood, Montlake Terrace, and Shoreline to the Light Rail system.
Upon finalization of the Fiscal Year 2023 Omnibus Appropriations bill, Sen. Cantwell celebrated the inclusion of $329.14 million for the Federal Way Link Light Rail Extension – which fully funds the project three years ahead of schedule — and $254 million for the Lynnwood Light Rail Extension. As then-chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Sen. Cantwell helped deliver large funding increases for transportation in the Biden-Harris Infrastructure Law.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, May 10 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping recently published an article entitled “Lessons from the Past for the Future” in the Rossiyskaya Gazeta newspaper, stressing the need to learn from history, draw wisdom and strength from the profound experience of World War II and the great victory in the World Anti-Fascist War, resolutely oppose all forms of hegemonism and power politics, and jointly create a better future for humanity.
Representatives of many countries told Xinhua that in this article, the Chinese leader, based on the common interests of all mankind, looks at both the past and the present and puts forward a series of important proposals. Today, when unilateralism, hegemonism, tyranny and bullying have become serious threats, all countries in the world should stand on the right side of history, the side of justice, resolutely safeguard the post-war world order, firmly uphold international justice and work together for a bright future for mankind.
“TO PROTECT HISTORICAL TRUTH, WE MUST WORK HARD”
On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the Victory of the Chinese People in the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the Victory of the Soviet Union in the Great Patriotic War, Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasized that holding a correct view of the history of World War II is of great practical importance. In his opinion piece, the Chinese leader quoted a line from the well-known Soviet song “Katyusha”: “Apple and pear trees were in bloom.” This not only reminded us of the shared historical memory of the two peoples who fought shoulder to shoulder in World War II, but also that Russian-Chinese friendship has only grown stronger,” said Alexei Rodionov, a sinologist and professor at St. Petersburg State University.
“The air raid sirens for the victims of the Nanjing Massacre still sound, and the railway tracks in front of the Auschwitz concentration camp still gleam coldly,” said Virun Phichaiwonphakdee, director of the Thailand-China Belt and Road Studies Center. “Historical memory and truth that are not erased by time provide us with inspiration and lessons, always reminding us of reality and pointing the way to the future,” he quoted Xi Jinping as saying. “Victory in World War II was achieved at the cost of blood and sacrifice. Protecting history is not only respecting history, but also protecting justice in the modern world,” the expert noted.
“Any attempt to distort the historical truth about World War II and deny the victory in World War II will not succeed. The people of the world will not tolerate attempts to turn back history,” said Japanese biological weapons expert, Professor Emeritus of Shiga Medical University Kazuo Nishiyama. He fully agrees that humanity should draw wisdom and strength from the profound lessons of World War II and the great victory in the anti-fascist war. “In order to protect the historical truth, it is still necessary to work tirelessly to prevent the repetition of tragedies in the future,” the scientist believes.
“World War II is a tragedy for all of humanity. We must tell history in a comprehensive and truthful manner, deeply understand the atrocities of war, and strengthen education for peace,” said Pawel Machcewicz, founding director of the Museum of World War II in Gdansk, Poland.
“For Serbia, Xi Jinping’s article carries an important message: defending the truth requires great efforts. The state visit of President Xi Jinping to Russia is such an effort,” said Aleksandar Mitic, a research fellow at the Serbian Institute of International Politics and Economics. “Unfortunately, we still see how certain Western forces are trying to downplay the enormous sacrifices and contributions of China, Russia, Serbia and other countries to the historic victory over fascism and militarism, but these attempts are doomed to failure,” he said.
According to French entrepreneur and commentator Arnaud Bertrand, Xi Jinping’s article contains many profound thoughts, especially when he compares the past and the present, points out that humanity is once again at a crossroads of “solidarity or division, dialogue or confrontation, win-win or zero-sum game,” and declares the need to resolutely defend the post-war international order and the authority of the UN. “President Xi Jinping’s opinion piece is a window into China’s contemporary strategic thinking. As a defender of the post-war world order, China is committed to countering hegemonic forces and is an important power that upholds the multilateral system and international law,” A. Bertrand noted.
“CHINA, AS THE MAIN THEATER OF MILITARY OPERATIONS IN THE EAST, MADE AN OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO THE VICTORY IN WORLD WAR II”
In his opinion article, Xi Jinping emphasized that, as the main theaters of military operations in Asia and Europe, China and the Soviet Union bore the brunt of the attacks of militaristic Japan and Nazi Germany, and made a decisive contribution to the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War. The international community generally believes that the victory on the main eastern front completely destroyed the ambitions of militarism and fascism and was of great global significance.
“The victory was achieved thanks to the joint efforts of the anti-Hitler coalition, and the USSR and China were its most important part,” emphasized the scientific secretary of the Victory Museum in Moscow Boris Cheltsov. According to him, the peoples of the USSR and China fought shoulder to shoulder against fascism and militarism, supporting each other. As the main theater of military operations in the East, China made an invaluable contribution to the final defeat of Japanese militarism and the victory over fascism due to the enormous sacrifice of the entire people.
Guzel Maitdinova, Director of the Center for Geopolitical Studies at the Russian-Tajik /Slavonic/ University, noted that China has always been the main force in the fight against Japanese militarism, and most of the Japanese army was held back on the Chinese front. The Chinese people, having made enormous sacrifices, held the main eastern front and made an outstanding contribution to the victory in World War II, she added.
“Without China, World War II might not have ended in 1945,” said Faruk Borić, chairman of the Bosnian-Chinese Friendship Association. According to him, the front in China effectively held back the Japanese invaders and provided valuable time for victory in Europe, playing an important role in the global fight against fascism. He also noted that as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China has always actively supported the multilateral order, firmly upholding the international system with the UN as the core and the world order based on international law. “China’s respect for history makes it an indispensable force in maintaining world peace,” the expert said.
President Xi Jinping has emphasized that Taiwan’s return to China is an important part of the outcome of World War II and the post-war world order. Gu Xuewu, Director of the Center for Global Studies at the University of Bonn in Germany, noted that Taiwan’s return was one of the outcomes of the victory in World War II and was widely recognized by the international community. Undermining these outcomes would seriously disrupt the existing world order.
Muhab Nassar, an associate professor of international law at Cairo University, said China’s sovereignty over Taiwan is a legally justified and recognized fact. Xi Jinping’s opinion piece once again expressed a firm position: the Taiwan issue concerns China’s fundamental interests, which China will not compromise under any circumstances.
“TO ACHIEVE UNIVERSAL DEVELOPMENT AND PROSPERITY, THE WORLD NEEDS JUSTICE, NOT HEGEMONY”
In his opinion article, President Xi Jinping stated that today’s world still faces a growing deficit in peace, development, security and governance. The vision of a community with a shared future for humanity, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative are designed to address this deficit, actively participate and join forces with other countries in advancing the reform of the global governance system through the prism of justice and fairness.
Akkan Suver, chairman of Turkey’s Marmara Group Foundation for Strategic and Social Research, said the three global initiatives proposed by Xi Jinping “represent a fair concept of global governance that truly protects multilateralism.” “Amid the rise of unilateralism, China firmly opposes any form of hegemony and power politics, and is committed to upholding the international order and norms that serve the interests of developing countries. In the face of multiple conflicts, the world needs dialogue and cooperation rather than division, and global development needs reason and conscience rather than dictate,” he said.
General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Kurdistan operating in Iraq Kawa Mahmud fully agrees with Xi Jinping’s statement that “the world needs justice, not hegemony.” He noted that today’s world still suffers from manifestations of hegemonism and power politics, which only increases uncertainty in the international situation. “To achieve universal development and prosperity, the world needs justice, not hegemony. Only a fair and rational system of global governance can meet the interests of all countries. The formation of a multipolar world based on mutual respect and mutual benefit has become the consensus of most states,” the politician emphasized.
“The Middle East has long been an arena of instability, from the war in Iraq to the Syrian crisis, the conflict in Yemen and the Palestinian-Israeli issue. The peace deficit is only getting worse,” said Abdullah al-Dosari, editor-in-chief of the Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Arab, after reading Xi Jinping’s article. “The concept of a community with a common destiny for humanity that he proposed, the emphasis on dialogue rather than confrontation, on partnership rather than the creation of blocs, on mutually beneficial cooperation rather than a zero-sum game – all of this is important for ensuring peace and stability in the region,” the editor-in-chief is confident.
Qaiser Nawab, Chairman of Pakistan’s Belt and Road Organization for Sustainable Development, said President Xi Jinping had deeply revealed China’s understanding of the world order, emphasizing dialogue, common development and respect for diversity, and calling for a more inclusive and fair international governance system. He said China’s three global initiatives are helping to shape a fairer and more inclusive world.
“In his article, President Xi Jinping noted that light will dispel darkness, and justice will ultimately triumph over evil. This is not only a profound summary of the historical lessons of World War II, but also a reflection of the realities of the modern world: peace and justice do not come naturally, they must be firmly defended,” said Chuan Keng Koon, director of the Sun Yat-sen Centre of the Penang Science Society (Malaysia). “Today, when we recall that history, we do not do so for the sake of inciting hatred, but to gain wisdom and strength. By learning from the past, we resolutely oppose hegemonism and power politics, and always uphold the path of peace, development and mutually beneficial cooperation,” the expert emphasized. –0–
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
The 1995 Japanese sci-fi anime “Ghost in the Shell,” considered a landmark in the genre, will make its Chinese debut in a restored 4K version nearly 30 years after its initial release.
A Chinese poster for “Ghost in the Shell.” [Photo courtesy of China Film Group]
Director Mamoru Oshii expressed excitement about the film’s China release through a video statement.
“I’m very happy to hear that ‘Ghost in the Shell’ is coming to China,” he said. “It has been decades since I directed the film, yet it still draws audiences to theaters. This is the greatest honor for a director.”
Oshii said he still vividly remembers working on the project, which required tremendous dedication to complete.
“One of cinema’s true joys, I believe, is creating shared experiences that bring people together in theaters rather than watching alone at home,” he said. “Whether you’re a first-time viewer or someone who has seen it through other platforms before, I hope everyone will take this opportunity to fully savor its 4K version with fresh eyes.”
“Ghost in the Shell” is an adult animated film that blends tech-noir, cyberpunk and action-thriller elements. The movie, adapted from Masamune Shirow’s 1989-90 manga, is set in 2029 in the fictional New Port City, a metropolis inspired by Hong Kong, complete with prominent Chinese-language billboards.
The story follows Major Motoko Kusanagi, a cyborg security agent pursuing a hacker called “the Puppet Master,” while exploring themes of identity and consciousness in an advanced technological society.
The 1995 film’s cyber-aesthetic design remains visually striking today, while its exploration of identity and human-technology relationships has gained new relevance amid the rise of AI.
A still from “Ghost in the Shell” shows Chinese billboards and signs throughout the streets of the fictional New Port City. [Photo courtesy of China Film Group]
The film initially underperformed at the box office but gained critical acclaim for its narrative, visuals and soundtrack, eventually achieving cult status through home video releases. It is now widely regarded as one of the greatest anime and science fiction films ever made, influencing filmmakers such as James Cameron (“Avatar”) and the Wachowskis (“The Matrix”).
A remastered version with new digital effects, 3D animation and updated audio was released in 2008 as “Ghost in the Shell 2.0.” Oshii directed a standalone follow-up, “Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence,” in 2004, while Hollywood released a live-action adaptation directed by Rupert Sanders and starring Scarlett Johansson in 2017.
The film will make its Chinese debut on May 10 through the National Alliance of Arthouse Cinemas (NAAC), an organization founded in 2016 that operates under the China Film Archive with support from a theater consortium dedicated to arthouse films.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, May 10 (Xinhua) — China’s online literature market was worth 43.06 billion yuan (about 5.97 billion U.S. dollars) by the end of 2024, up 6.8 percent year on year, according to a study released Friday by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
According to the study, by the end of last year the readership of literature reached 575 million people, with an increase of 10.58 percent.
In 2024, a series of works featuring realistic themes and the best achievements of Chinese traditional culture appeared on the country’s online literature market, which became vivid bearers of the society’s core values and the results of encouraging cultural innovation, the study said.
Another feature of the market is the expansion of the commercialization of intellectual property. According to the study, the market size of online literary adaptations will exceed 298 billion yuan in 2024, helping to create synergies with mini-series, games and other forms of content on various user terminals. -0-
ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on May 10, 2025.
Tracing radiation through the Marshall Islands: Reflections from a veteran Greenpeace nuclear campaigner SPECIAL REPORT: By Shaun Burnie of Greenpeace We’ve visited Ground Zero. Not once, but three times. But for generations, before these locations were designated as such, they were the ancestral home to the people of the Marshall Islands. As part of a team of Greenpeace scientists and specialists from the Radiation Protection Advisers team, we
USP World Press Freedom Day warnings over AI, legal reform and media safety World Press Freedom Day is not just a celebration of the vital role journalism plays — it is also a moment to reflect on the pressures facing the profession and Pacific governments’ responsibility to protect it. This was one of the key messages delivered by two guest speakers at The University of the South Pacific
Labor likely to gain 5 senators, cementing the left’s Senate dominance 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 I previously wrote about the Senate the morning after the election. About half the Senate is elected at each House of Representatives election. Those up for election
The Kiwi heart surgeon, his wife and the film maker in Palestine Auckland film maker Paula Whetu Jones has spent nearly two decades working pro bono on a feature film about the Auckland cardiac surgeon Alan Kerr, which is finally now in cinemas. She is best known for co-writing and directing Whina, the feature film about Dame Whina Cooper. She filmed Dr Kerr and his wife Hazel
Glyn Davis to quit as the prime minister’s top public servant Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Glyn Davis, Anthony Albanese’s hand-picked Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, will leave the post on June 16. Albanese paid tribute to Davis for rebuilding the public service. “One of the key priorities of our government’s
Keith Rankin Analysis – Make Deficits Great Again: Maintaining a Pragmatic Balance Analysis by Keith Rankin. Donald Trump is a mercantilist, as noted in Trump’s tariffs: Short-term damage or long-term ruin? ‘The Bottom Line’, Al Jazeera, 11 April 2025 (or here on YouTube). But the United States, in today’s world, is not a mercantilist country. Or at least not a successful mercantilist country, though it is inhabited
It’s almost winter. Why is Australia still so hot? Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew King, Associate Professor in Climate Science, ARC Centre of Excellence for 21st Century Weather, The University of Melbourne This year, for many Australians, it feels like summer never left. The sunny days and warm nights have continued well into autumn. Even now, in May, it’s still
Labor has promised to tackle homelessness. Here’s what homeless people say they need Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robyn Martin, Associate Dean, Social Work and Human Services, RMIT University Pressmaster/Shutterstock The 2025 election is over and now it’s time for Labor to deliver on campaign promises to address homelessness. Action on homelessness is long overdue. Affordable housing options remain scarce and public and community housing
View from The Hill: two ministers and the Nationals discover the limits of loyalty in politics Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Labor’s extraordinary election result has triggered a power play that has exposed the uglier entrails of Labor factionalism. Even before the new caucus met in Canberra on Friday, the Labor right had dumped two of its cabinet ministers: Attorney-General Mark
What’s the difference between probiotics and prebiotics? A dietitian explains Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Evangeline Mantzioris, Program Director of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Accredited Practising Dietitian, University of South Australia Simply Amazing/Shutterstock If you walk through your local pharmacy or supermarket you’re bound to come across probiotics and prebiotics. They’re added to certain foods. They come as supplements you can drink
What will the Antichrist look like? According to Western thought, an authoritarian king – or the pope Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Philip C. Almond, Emeritus Professor in the History of Religious Thought, The University of Queensland Composite image by The Conversation. Images courtesy of TruthSocial/@realDonaldTrump and Wikimedia Commons The US presidency and the papacy came together on May 3 when Donald Trump posted an AI-generated photograph of himself
Written by Lucy Lim, Planetary Scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center Earth planning date: Wednesday, May 7, 2025 The drive from the Monday plan brought Curiosity up next to a geomorphic contact visible in the orbital data (from Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter’s HiRISE imager). To the east of the contact are the layered sulfates that Curiosity has been driving through ever since climbing out of the Gediz Vallis channel, with a relatively rough surface texture; to the west this rougher texture gives way to a smoother-appearing surface cross-cut at a large scale with the rectilinear “boxwork” features. We are looking forward to seeing what this change looks like from a rover’s-eye view in the drives to come! For today’s science plan, the contact is not quite in reach of most of the rover’s instruments, so in the workspace we are focusing on collecting our last observations of the previous unit of layered sulfates. As we saw in the Sol 4532 workspace, many nearby blocks are honeycombed with polygonal fractures. However, this time the geochemical measurements from the APXS and ChemCam LIBS were co-targeted on a smooth brushable target, “Chumash,” which will also be documented in high-resolution imaging by MAHLI. The DRT brush will ensure that measurements of lighter elements such as sodium and magnesium by APXS are representative of the underlying bedrock, rather than the dusty layer on top. The brush will also give MAHLI a better view of the block and a chance to characterize the grain size of these sedimentary rocks. The long-distance ChemCam remote-imaging mosaic in this plan is targeting a scour feature on the Texoli butte behind us, likely representing ancient wind events that took place near the time these layers were being deposited. The sulfate/boxwork unit contact ahead of us will be imaged in a stereo mosaic by Mastcam. Smaller mosaics will cover some of the polygonal “honeycomb” features in nearby bedrock blocks and troughs in the regolith. After making all these observations, the rover will drive across the contact. The second, post-drive sol will include several untargeted and automatically targeted observations. The AEGIS algorithm will provide a LIBS geochemical observation by ChemCam and the modern Martian environment will be monitored with camera measurements of cloud altitudes and atmospheric opacity, as well as the usual passive sensing from REMS and DAN.
New details about the crust on Venus include some surprises about the geology of Earth’s hotter twin.
New details about the crust on Venus include some surprises about the geology of Earth’s hotter twin, according to new NASA-funded research that describes movements of the planet’s crust. Scientists expected the outermost layer of Venus’ crust would grow thicker and thicker over time given its apparent lack of forces that would drive the crust back into the planet’s interior. But the paper, published in Nature Communications, proposes a crust metamorphism process based on rock density and melting cycles. Earth’s rocky crust is made up of massive plates that slowly move, forming folds and faults in a process known as plate tectonics. For example, when two plates collide, the lighter plate slides on top of the denser one, forcing it downward into the layer beneath it, the mantle. This process, known as subduction, helps control the thickness of Earth’s crust. The rocks making up the bottom plate experience changes caused by increasing temperature and pressure as it sinks deeper into the interior of the planet. Those changes are known as metamorphism, which is one cause of volcanic activity. In contrast, Venus has a crust that is all one piece, with no evidence for subduction caused by plate tectonics like on Earth, explained Justin Filiberto, deputy chief of NASA’s Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Division at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston and a co-author on the paper. The paper used modeling to determine that its crust is about 25 miles (40 kilometers) thick on average and at most 40 miles (65 kilometers) thick. “That is surprisingly thin, given conditions on the planet,” said Filiberto. “It turns out that, according to our models, as the crust grows thicker, the bottom of it becomes so dense that it either breaks off and becomes part of the mantle or gets hot enough to melt.” So, while Venus has no moving plates, its crust does experience metamorphism. This finding is an important step toward understanding geological processes and evolution of the planet. “This breaking off or melting can put water and elements back into the planet’s interior and help drive volcanic activity,” added Filiberto. “This gives us a new model for how material returns to the interior of the planet and another way to make lava and spur volcanic eruptions. It resets the playing field for how the geology, crust, and atmosphere on Venus work together.” The next step, he added, is to gather direct data about Venus’ crust to test and refine these models. Several upcoming missions, including NASA’s DAVINCI (Deep Atmosphere Venus Investigation of Noble gases, Chemistry, and Imaging) and VERITAS (Venus Emissivity, Radio Science, InSAR, Topography, and Spectroscopy) and, in partnership with ESA (European Space Agency), Envision, aim to study the planet’s surface and atmosphere in greater detail. These efforts could help confirm whether processes like metamorphism and recycling are actively shaping the Venusian crust today—and reveal how such activity may be tied to volcanic and atmospheric evolution. “We don’t actually know how much volcanic activity is on Venus,” Filiberto said. “We assume there is a lot, and research says there should be, but we’d need more data to know for sure.” Melissa GaskillNASA Johnson Space Center Media Contacts: Karen Fox / Molly WasserHeadquarters, Washington202-358-1600karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / molly.l.wasser@nasa.gov Victoria SegoviaNASA’s Johnson Space Center281-483-5111victoria.segovia@nasa.gov
Source: United States Senator for Alaska Lisa Murkowski
05.09.25
Washington, DC – During a U.S. Senate Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee hearing this week, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) secured commitments from the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) to work with her on critical public safety issues for Alaska. As Alaska struggles with Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls cases and fentanyl-related deaths, Director Kash Patel pledged to make Alaska a priority as the Bureau addresses these life-and-death matters.
Click here to watch the Senator’s full line of questioning.
The full transcript of Murkowski’s comments is below.
Murkowski: Director, good morning. This a week that a lot of Alaskans are paying attention to. Monday was the day that we recognize Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Awareness day. I’ve just been going through the morning clips, not while you have been testifying of course, but this morning. And there’s accounts in Anchorage, Juneau, and Fairbanks, and marches in Nome, all recounting very painful stories that families have endured, of their family members who have gone missing, where law enforcement just was not present for a host of different reasons. You and I talked about this prior to your confirmation and it is something that I have been working on for a period of years now. We have made some good progress under the first Trump Administration. There was a focus called ‘Operation Lady Justice’ and now I am pleased to see that we have this expanded to what you’re calling ‘Operation Not Forgotten,’ to look into unresolved violent crimes in Indian Country including cases involving missing/murdered indigenous persons.
I am looking critically at the budget here and wondering if you can share with me how the budget requests, or what we have of it at this point in time, will support this expansion of ‘Operation Not Forgotten’. I need to be able to give folks back home the comfort that they need to know that these cases that have gone cold, for not just months and years, but decades, will not be dropped. That that push for closure will continue. What can you share with me this morning?
Patel: Senator, I greatly appreciate you highlighting and being a champion of crimes on Indian Country. And just this week I was the first FBI Director in U.S. History to sit down at the Department of the Interior with the Tribal leaders at the STAT level. I also met privately with the parents of Emily Pike, who was tragically butchered on a reservation in Arizona and her parents asked me to find the remaining pieces of her body that have not been returned. She is a 14-year-old girl, she is still missing her arms, they only have her torso. What I told them, and what I hope you take back to Alaska and what the rest of the tribal community hears, is that every crime in this country will be treated equally. Those that happen on Indian Country and those that are happening to Native Americans are just as horrific as those happening in the rest of America. We’ve already prioritized resources in our state level task forces to address these matters. And I asked the staff to allow FBI agents onto reservations on a more regular basis and engage with them directly. I also invited the community leaders to nominate a law enforcement officer from one of the tribal jurisdictions to sit with me at the Hoover Building in the FBI so that we have a direct engagement with the community. So, we are, just one highlight, I think in Wind River, we executed an operation that took down, I can’t remember how many dozens of pounds of fentanyl that was heading to an Indian reservation. So, you have my commitment that we will not forget it.
Murkowski: Well thank you for that broader commitment. As you know of, course, we don’t have reservations in Alaska, we don’t have the same type of tribal law enforcement presence. So, some unique aspects of it. My understanding is the Alaska field office in Anchorage, along with the two satellite offices that we have, one in Fairbanks and one in Juneau, they have one FBI Victim Service Coordinator to communicate with these families. This has been part of the problem. It’s radio silence out of the agency. They don’t know whether a case is being pursued, they hear nothing. So, I would ask that you look, as you’re looking at your budget, to make sure that the FBI does include support for Victim Service Coordinators on this. It’s a gap that is missing right now.
Very quickly, we also talked about the fentanyl crisis in Alaska. We are the one state that tragically is going the wrong way when it comes to fentanyl deaths. We had a 40% increase in fentanyl deaths in 2023. You had indicated that you would be doing aggressive work here. We need to be doing more and I’ve shared that it ought to be easier intercept drugs that are coming into Alaska because they come in by air plane, they come through the mail, and they occasionally come in by boat. Maybe a little bit driving across through the border. But we’ve got the ability to do the interception and right now our numbers are not going down. I just ask for your continued commitment with this. We are seeing FBI partnering with ICE for arrests and detentions of immigrants in Alaska. Folks are asking me, “are we using FBI resources?” Redirecting them from the fentanyl crisis to perhaps perusing that have been targeted immigrants even though they aren’t violent criminals. So, I’d love to have further conversations with you on some of these Alaska specifics, but we have got to start turning that corner on fentanyl.
Patel: Yes, ma’am, and I think you know this: we are sending a plus up to Alaska in part of this movement out to the field and we will look to address those specific issues, and I will work with you and your office to make sure that Alaska is not forgotten and that we emphasize it.
Murkowski: Very good, appreciate it. Thank you very much.
We’ve visited Ground Zero. Not once, but three times. But for generations, before these locations were designated as such, they were the ancestral home to the people of the Marshall Islands.
As part of a team of Greenpeace scientists and specialists from the Radiation Protection Advisers team, we have embarked on a six-week tour on board the Rainbow Warrior, sailing through one of the most disturbing chapters in human history: between 1946 and 1958, the United States detonated 67 nuclear bombs across the Marshall Islands — equivalent to 7200 Hiroshima explosions.
During this period, testing nuclear weapons at the expense of wonderful ocean nations like the Marshall Islands was considered an acceptable practice, or as the US put it, “for the good of mankind”.
Instead, the radioactive fallout left a deep and complex legacy — one that is both scientific and profoundly human, with communities displaced for generations.
Between March and April, we travelled on the Greenpeace flagship vessel, the Rainbow Warrior, throughout the Marshall Islands, including to three northern atolls that bear the most severe scars of Cold War nuclear weapons testing:
Enewetak atoll, where, on Runit Island, stands a massive leaking concrete dome beneath which lies plutonium-contaminated waste, a result of a partial “clean-up” of some of the islands after the nuclear tests;
Bikini atoll, a place so beautiful, yet rendered uninhabitable by some of the most powerful nuclear detonations ever conducted; and
Rongelap atoll, where residents were exposed to radiation fallout and later convinced to return to contaminated land, part of what is now known as Project 4.1, a US medical experiment to test humans’ exposure to radiation.
This isn’t fiction, nor the distant past. It’s a chapter of history still alive through the environment, the health of communities, and the data we’re collecting today.
Each location we visit, each sample we take, adds to a clearer picture of some of the long-term impacts of nuclear testing—and highlights the importance of continuing to document, investigate, and attempt to understand and share these findings.
These are our field notes from a journey through places that hold important lessons for science, justice, and global accountability.
Our mission: why are we here? With the permission and support of the Marshallese government, a group of Greenpeace science and radiation experts, together with independent scientists, are in the island nation to assess, investigate, and document the long-term environmental and radiological consequences of nuclear weapons testing in the Marshall Islands.
Our mission is grounded in science. We’re conducting field sampling and radiological surveys to gather data on what radioactivity remains in the environment — isotopes such as caesium-137, strontium-90 and plutonium-239/240. These substances are released during nuclear explosions and can linger in the environment for decades, posing serious health risks, such as increased risk of cancers in organs and bones.
But this work is not only about radiation measurements, it is also about bearing witness.
We are here in solidarity with Marshallese communities who continue to live with the consequences of decisions made decades ago, without their consent and far from the public eye.
Stop 1: Enewetak Atoll — the dome that shouldn’t exist
At the far western edge of the Marshall Islands is Enewetak. The name might not ring a bell for many, but this atoll was the site of 43 US nuclear detonations. Today, it houses what may be one of the most radioactive places in the world — the Runit Dome.
Once a tropical paradise thick with coconut palms, Runit Island is capped by a massive concrete structure the size of a football field. Under this dome — cracked, weather-worn, and only 46 centimetres thick in some places — lies 85,000 cubic metres of radioactive waste. These substances are not only confined to the crater — they are also found across the island’s soil, rendering Runit Island uninhabitable for all time.
The contrast between what it once was and what it has become is staggering. We took samples near the dome’s base, where rising sea levels now routinely flood the area.
We collected coconut from the island, which will be processed and prepared in the Rainbow Warrior’s onboard laboratory. Crops such as coconut are a known vector for radioactive isotope transfer, and tracking levels in food sources is essential for understanding long-term environmental and health risks.
The local consequences of this simple fact are deeply unjust. While some atolls in the Marshall Islands can harvest and sell coconut products, the people of Enewetak are prohibited from doing so because of radioactive contamination.
They have lost not only their land and safety but also their ability to sustain themselves economically. The radioactive legacy has robbed them of income and opportunity.
One of the most alarming details about this dome is that there is no lining beneath the structure — it is in direct contact with the environment, while containing some of the most hazardous long-lived substances ever to exist on planet Earth. It was never built to withstand flooding, sea level rise, and climate change.
The scientific questions are urgent: how much of this material is already leaking into the lagoon? What are the exposure risks to marine ecosystems and local communities?
We are here to help answer questions with new, independent data, but still, being in the craters and walking on this ground where nuclear Armageddon was unleashed is an emotional and surreal journey.
Stop 2: Bikini — a nuclear catastrophe, labelled ‘for the good of mankind’
Unlike Chernobyl or Fukushima, where communities were devastated by catastrophic accidents, Bikini tells a different story. This was not an accident.
The nuclear destruction of Bikini was deliberate, calculated, and executed with full knowledge that entire ways of life were going to be destroyed.
Bikini Atoll is incredibly beautiful and would look idyllic on any postcard. But we know what lies beneath: the site of 23 nuclear detonations, including Castle Bravo, the largest ever nuclear weapons test conducted by the United States.
Castle Bravo alone released more than 1000 times the explosive yield of the Hiroshima bomb. The radioactive fallout massively contaminated nearby islands and their populations, together with thousands of US military personnel.
Bikini’s former residents were forcibly relocated in 1946 before nuclear testing began, with promises of a safe return. But the atoll is still uninhabited, and most of the new generations of Bikinians have never seen their home island.
As we stood deep in the forest next to a massive concrete blast bunker, reality hit hard — behind its narrow lead-glass viewing window, US military personnel once watched the evaporation of Bikini lagoon.
On our visit, we noticed there’s a spectral quality to Bikini. The homes of the Bikini islanders are long gone. In its place now stand a scattering of buildings left by the US Department of Energy: rusting canteens, rotting offices, sleeping quarters with peeling walls, and traces of the scientific experiments conducted here after the bombs fell.
On dusty desks, we found radiation reports, notes detailing crop trials, and a notebook meticulously tracking the application of potassium to test plots of corn, alfalfa, lime, and native foods like coconut, pandanus, and banana. The potassium was intended to block the uptake of caesium-137, a radioactive isotope, by plant roots.
The logic was simple: if these crops could be decontaminated, perhaps one day Bikini could be repopulated.
We collected samples of coconuts and soil — key indicators of internal exposure risk if humans were to return. Bikini raises a stark question: What does “safe” mean, and who gets to decide?
The US declared parts of Bikini habitable in 1970, only to evacuate people again eight years later after resettled families suffered from radiation exposure. The science is not abstract here. It is personal. It is human. It has real consequences.
The Rainbow Warrior arrived at the eastern side of Rongelap atoll, anchoring one mile from the centre of Rongelap Island, the church spire and roofs of “new” buildings reflecting the bright sun.
n 1954, fallout from the Castle Bravo nuclear detonation on Bikini blanketed this atoll in radioactive ash — fine, white powder that children played in, thinking it was snow. The US government waited three days to evacuate residents, despite knowing the risks. The US government declared it safe to return to Rongelap in 1957 — but it was a severely contaminated environment. The very significant radiation exposure to the Rongelap population caused severe health impacts: thyroid cancers, birth defects such as “jellyfish babies”, miscarriages, and much more.
In 1985, after a request to the US government to evacuate was dismissed, the Rongelap community asked Greenpeace to help relocate them from their ancestral lands. Using the first Rainbow Warrior, and over a period of 10 days and four trips, 350 residents collectively dismantled their homes, bringing everything with them — including livestock, and 100 metric tons of building material — where they resettled on the islands of Mejatto and Ebeye on Kwajalein atoll.
It is a part of history that lives on in the minds of the Marshallese people we meet in this ship voyage — in the gratitude they still express, the pride in keeping the fight for justice, and in the pain of still not having a permanent, safe home.
Now, once again, we are standing on their island of Rongelap, walking past abandoned buildings and rusting equipment, some of it dating from the 1980s and 1990s — a period when the US Department of Energy launched a push to encourage resettlement declaring that the island was safe — a declaration that this time, the population welcomed with mistrust, not having access to independent scientific data and remembering the deceitful relocation of some decades before.
Here, once again, we sample soil and fruits that could become food if people came back. It is essential to understand ongoing risks — especially for communities considering whether and how to return.
Our scientific mission is to take measurements, collect samples, and document contamination. But that’s not all we’re bringing back.
We carry with us the voices of the Marshallese who survived these tests and are still living with their consequences. We carry images of graves swallowed by tides near Runit Dome, stories of entire cultures displaced from their homelands, and measurements of radiation showing contamination still persists after many decades.
There are 9700 nuclear warheads still held by military powers around the world – mostly in the United States and Russian arsenals. The Marshall Islands was one of the first nations to suffer the consequences of nuclear weapons — and the legacy persists today.
We didn’t come to speak for the Marshallese. We came to listen, to bear witness, and to support their demand for justice. We plan to return next year, to follow up on our research and to make results available to the people of the Marshall Islands.
And we will keep telling these stories — until justice is more than just a word.
Kommol Tata (“thank you” in the beautiful Marshallese language) for following our journey.
Shaun Burnie is a senior nuclear specialist at Greenpeace Ukraine and was part of the Rainbow Warrior team in the Marshall Islands. This article was first published by Greenpeace Aotearoa and is republished with permission.
Source: The White House
This week, President Donald J. Trump advanced his America First agenda with remarkable successes that bolster the economy, enhance national security, and promote global stability. From a landmark trade agreement to bold steps to secure our borders and skies, President Trump is delivering results that matter to every American.
Here is a non-comprehensive list of wins in week 16:
President Trump announced a “breakthrough” trade deal with the United Kingdom that expands market access, curbs non-tariff barriers, and levels the playing field for American exporters.
National Cattlemen’s Beef Association: “President Trump has delivered a tremendous win for American family farmers and ranchers … Thank you, President Trump, for fighting for American cattle producers.”
National Corn Growers Association: “This is great news. We applaud President Trump and his administration for brokering this deal.”
International Dairy Foods Association: “On behalf of America’s dairy processors and producers, IDFA applauds President Trump’s announcement today that the United States and the United Kingdom have reached the terms for a significant trade deal between our two markets that promises to expand access for U.S. agricultural goods, reduce tariffs, and remove barriers to trade.”
President Donald J. Trump’s relentless pursuit of manufacturing dominance spurred onshoring and additional U.S. investment.
The Wall Street Journal: Trump’s Tariffs Are Lifting Some U.S. Manufacturers
The Washington Post: This U.S. manufacturer doesn’t mind Trump’s tariffs at all
Bristol Myers Squibb announced a $40 billion investment over the next five years in its research, development, technology, and U.S.-based manufacturing operations.
Gilead Sciences announced an $11 billion boost to its planned U.S.-based manufacturing investment.
Invenergy announced a $1.7 billion investment in U.S. electric transmission.
Merck Animal Health announced an $895 million investment to expand their manufacturing operation in Kansas.
Wistron Corp., a Taiwanese electronics manufacturer and AI server maker, announced $455 million in additional U.S. investment.
Lego announced a $366 million investment to build a new distribution center in Prince George County, Virginia.
Hotpack, a Dubai-based maker of food packaging materials and related products, announced a $100 million investment to establish its first U.S. manufacturing facility in Edison, New Jersey.
The Trump Administration unveiled a plan to completely overhaul the nation’s air traffic control system, building on the unprecedented actions already taken to secure America’s skies and improve air travel.
American Airlines CEO Robert Isom: “This plan from President Trump and Secretary Duffy is absolutely the best opportunity that we’ve had in decades to do something about our outdated air traffic control infrastructure and build a best-in-class system that our country deserves.”
Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian: “I want to especially thank Secretary Duffy and the Administration for gathering us all here today and taking such a strong approach to overhauling our air traffic control system in the U.S.”
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby: “This really is an historic day — a day I have been looking forward to my entire career when I felt like we have turned the corner and are on the path to give the United States the best-in-class air traffic control system that the citizens of the United States deserve.”
Southwest Airlines CEO Bob Jordan: “I cannot say enough thanks to Secretary Duffy, to the administration, to President Trump for the stellar leadership to bring everyone together on this problem.”
President Trump continued to secure our borders, rid our communities of illegal immigrant criminals, and keep Americans safe.
President Trump announced plans to house America’s most ruthless, violent criminals at Alcatraz prison.
President Trump established “Project Homecoming” to encourage illegal immigrants to voluntarily depart the U.S.
The Department of Justice announced the takedown of a massive drug and weapons trafficking organization in New Mexico, operated by the Sinaloa cartel — resulting in the largest fentanyl seizure in our nation’s history and the arrests of six high-level cartel members illegally in the U.S.
The Department of Justice announced that 115 children were rescued and 205 child sex predators were arrested in just five days as part of Operation Restore Justice.
The Department of Homeland Security announced it will offer financial assistance and stipends for illegal immigrants voluntarily returning to their home country via the CBP Home App — saving taxpayers as much as $1 million per illegal alien family in long-term costs of welfare and public support.
Breitbart: Southern Border Migrant Apprehensions Continue Record-Shattering Decline
Fox News: Daycare in wealthy enclave shutters after housing fugitive child predator arrested by ICE
The percentage of Americans “who worry a great deal” about crime has fallen by ten points over last year.
President Trump continued to pursue peace through strength around the world.
President Trump announced a ceasefire with Houthi terrorists in Yemen, restoring freedom of navigation in the Red Sea for U.S.-flagged ships.
The Department of the Treasury targeted a third teapot refinery for facilitating the delivery of Iranian oil as part of President Trump’s broad and aggressive maximum pressure campaign.
The Department of State designated Haitian gangs as foreign terrorist organizations.
The Department of State announced all hostages held by the Maduro regime at the Argentinian Embassy in Caracas, Venezuela, were rescued and brought safely to the U.S.
A new survey showed 70% of farmers expect the President Trump’s tariffs to strengthen the agricultural economy in the long-term.
President Trump announced his first wave of judicial nominations.
President Trump ended federal funding for dangerous gain-of-function research in foreign countries.
President Trump ended the racist and discriminatory Biden-era “Digital Equity Act,” which provided billions in handouts based on race.
President Trump announced new tariffs on movies produced in foreign countries in an effort to boost the American film industry.
President Trump signed an Executive Order to restore a robust domestic manufacturing base for prescription drugs and promote domestic production of critical medicines.
President Trump eliminated useless water pressure standards that make household appliances less effective and more expensive.
President Trump signed an Executive Order to provide better care to veterans, improve accountability for such care, and establish a National Center for Warrior Independence for homeless veterans.
President Trump signed an Executive Order to ease the regulatory burden on Americans and ensure no one is transformed into a criminal for violating a regulation they have no reason to know exists.
President Trump directed his administration to expeditiously implement the most effective mechanisms, barriers, and other measures to prevent the migration and expansion of invasive carp in the Great Lakes Basin and the surrounding region.
President Trump directed the Office of the Federal Register to speed up publishing time and decrease costs, enabling agencies to more quickly and effectively restore freedom through President Trump’s deregulatory agenda.
President Trump officially declared May 8 as “Victory Day for World War II” in commemoration of the unmatched might, strength, and power of the American Armed Forces.
The Department of Education continued their rigorous oversight of secondary and higher education institutions to ensure compliance with federal law.
The Department of Education opened an investigation into the Saratoga Springs City School District in New York for Title IX violations relating to male participation in female sports and occupation of female facilities.
The Department of Education informed Harvard University that the federal government will no longer award new grants to the university amid their failure to uphold federal law.
The Department of Education opened a formal foreign funding investigation into the University of Pennsylvania after a review of the university’s foreign reports revealed inaccurate and incomplete disclosures.
The Department of Education initiated a Title IX investigation into Western Carolina University amid allegations the school failed to ensure sex-separated intimate spaces.
The Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism announced a review of recent incidents of anti-Semitic violence at the University of Washington and its affiliates.
The Department of Education resumed collections for student borrowers in default following a five-year pause and reminded institutions of their obligations to support student loan borrowers.
The Department of Education directed states to maximize parental options for choosing the safest school setting for their children.
The Department of Justice opened an investigation into a recent policy by Hennepin County, Minnesota, to consider race in plea deals.
The Department of the Treasury announced a fast-track process to facilitate greater investment in U.S. businesses from ally and partner sources.
The Department of Energy announced new policies to limit indirect costs of certain grant funding, which is projected to save taxpayers more than $935 million per year.
The Department of Energy halted the Biden-era ban on fossil fuels in federal buildings, ensuring they’re utilizing the most efficient power available to lower taxpayer costs and curb regulatory overreach.
The Department of State closed its “Office of Palestinian Affairs,” a Biden-era creation that encouraged Israel not to respond to the October 7 terrorist attacks.
The Department of Health and Human Services warned medical schools that DEI admissions or employment practices violate federal law and must be eliminated, or the institution risks its federal funding.
The National Institutes of Health announced all beagle experiments on its campus have been terminated.
The Department of Agriculture announced the removal of hazardous fuels — such as dead or downed trees — that pose wildfire threats to communities, critical infrastructure, and recreation areas.
The Department of Agriculture announced enhanced enforcement for making sure states are appropriately and lawfully preserving SNAP benefits for only eligible Americans.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development, in collaboration with First Lady Melania Trump, announced an investment in a new program to prevent homelessness in Americans aging out of the foster care system.
The Department of Labor recovered more than $1.4 million in back wages for more than 2,600 employees after finding a California company had failed to pay its employees proper rates.
The Department of Labor announced additional funding to support disaster-relief jobs and continue employment training for Tennesseans and Floridians affected by last year’s tropical storms.
The Department of Transportation terminated $54 million in woke, radical grant funding.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence released an additional 60,000 documents related to the assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy.
The Supreme Court ruled the Trump administration can enforce its ban on individuals with gender dysphoria serving in the military, boosting efforts to restore a military focused on readiness rather than woke gender ideology.
President Trump announced Washington, D.C., will host the NFL Draft in 2027.
The House of Representatives passed a bill to codify President Trump’s “Gulf of America” Executive Order.
Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell
05.09.25
Cantwell, Colleagues Blast GOP for Proposing to Gut Funding for Meals on Wheels, Head Start, and Safety Net Programs to Fund Tax Cuts for Billionaires
Nearly 50,000 seniors in WA rely on Meals on Wheels and 33,000 low-income families could lose TANF assistance under GOP budget
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and senior member of the Senate Committee on Finance, joined the entire Senate Democratic caucus in sending an open letter to the American public warning that Congressional Republicans are trying to cut funding for safety net programs like Meals on Wheels, Head Start, and others to fund tax cuts for billionaires.
Republican Senators are currently writing legislation that will give a tax break to the wealthiest by ripping away programs American seniors, children, and working families rely on. Republicans have targeted two essential funding sources for social services programs—Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) —putting nearly 25 million children, seniors, and families at risk across the country.
“We write to make our position on this legislation perfectly clear: Congress should not give tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans by ripping away programs that almost 25 million Americans – close to 50% of whom are children – rely on for basic needs,” the Senators wrote to the American public.
“Earlier this month, Congressional Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate passed a budget that sets the stage for existential cuts to the safety net. Republican leaders claim they have no plans to eliminate essential services, but tens of billions in catastrophic cuts to these programs appeared on Republicans’ publishedwish list, alongside cuts to Medicaid and SNAP,” the Senators continued. “State and local leaders confirm that eliminating SSBG and TANF would reduce programs that serve our most vulnerable as states and localities are already operating under tight budget constraints.”
Any cuts to these programs would have devastating effects on Washingtonians;
The Senators’ letter concludes: “Right now, Republicans are writing the most consequential legislation contemplated in decades entirely behind closed doors. That’s because Trump and Congressional Republicans must hide the ugly truth – their legislation feeds corporate and wealthy individuals’ greed by abandoning vulnerable children, starving seniors, and cutting off families in need. You, your family, and your neighbors deserve far better. Democrats are fighting to protect your communities from Republican cuts. Join us and keep up the fight.”
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Xi says China to firmly support Venezuela in safeguarding sovereignty, social stability
Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on the sidelines of the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union’s Great Patriotic War in Moscow, Russia, May 9, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
MOSCOW, May 9 — Chinese President Xi Jinping said here on Friday that China and Venezuela are good partners of mutual trust and common development, and China will, as always, firmly support Venezuela in safeguarding sovereignty, national dignity and social stability.
Xi made the remarks while meeting with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on the sidelines of the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union’s Great Patriotic War.
Noting that China and Venezuela have forged an ironclad friendship amid the changing international situation, Xi said that since the two countries elevated the bilateral relations to an all-weather strategic partnership in 2023, exchanges across various sectors and at all levels have been vigorous, bilateral trade has grown continuously, new progress has been made in investment cooperation and people-to-people exchanges, and friendship between the two sides has become increasingly popular among the two peoples.
Xi said China has always viewed and developed relations with Venezuela from a strategic and long-term perspective, and is willing to enhance the exchange of governance experiences with Venezuela, continue to deepen practical cooperation in various areas and take bilateral ties to new heights, so as to better benefit the two peoples.
China is ready to work with Venezuela and other Latin American countries to firmly uphold the UN-centered international system and the international order underpinned by international law, and promote the steady and sustained progress in building a community with a shared future between China and Latin America and the Caribbean, Xi said.
For his part, Maduro said China is a great friend of Venezuela, expressing his gratitude for China’s longstanding and selfless support in helping his country safeguard national sovereignty and advance economic and social development.
Venezuela is looking forward to strengthening its all-weather strategic partnership with China, and deepening cooperation in trade, energy, agriculture, science and technology, education and other fields for more tangible results, so as to better benefit the two peoples, he said.
Noting that Xi’s vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind has opened up bright prospects for world peace and development, Maduro said Venezuela is willing to strengthen coordination and cooperation with China to uphold multilateralism, defend international fairness and justice, and safeguard the common interests of the international community.
Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on the sidelines of the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union’s Great Patriotic War in Moscow, Russia, May 9, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is the speech by the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, at the Inauguration Ceremony of Von Neumann Institute, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) today (May 9):
Consul General (Consul General of Hungary in Hong Kong, Dr Pál Kertész), Harry (the Council Chairman of the HKUST, Professor Harry Shum), Nancy (the President of the HKUST, Professor Nancy Ip), Professor Jia (the Director of Von Neumann Institute, HKUST, Professor Jiaya Jia), Clara (the Chief Executive Officer of Hong Kong Investment Corporation, Ms Clara Chan), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Mark Yenson, King’s University College, Associate Professor of Religious Studies, Vice-President and Academic Dean (Interim), Western University
The 133 cardinal electors sequestered in the Sistine Chapel elected a new pope May 8. The choice was a surprise — Chicago-born Cardinal Robert Prevost, who has carried out most of his ministry in Peru, before being elevated to Vatican roles by Pope Francis.
When applied to individual Catholics, the terms “liberal” and “conservative” can mean very different things. One could be conservative in regard to liturgy and church practice while being strongly committed to anti-racism and environmentalism.
Or one might be considered a social conservative on issues such as marriage, sexuality and gender while holding clearly left-wing, social democratic views on the role of government.
Even if Catholics are comfortable self-identifying as liberal or conservative Catholics, we should not treat these terms as if their meaning were obvious — especially since even as purely political terms the meaning of “liberal” or “conservative” is contested.
Papacy as institution
Things become all the more complicated when we are talking about the pope, the supreme head of the Catholic Church. The papacy as an institution is conservative by definition.
The pope is considered the successor of the Apostle Peter, and his job description is precisely to maintain the unity and catholicity (“wholeness”) of the Church’s life, not only in space but through time — that is, to ensure continuity.
But because of this role to maintain the fullness of a tradition and the unity of the Church, the pope cannot be conservative (or liberal) in a political sense.
Instead of trying to impose political categories, it makes more sense to try to uncover the internal dynamics and motivations of a pope’s teaching and ministry. For example, Pope Francis’s 2015 encyclical letter,Laudato si’, was a landmark in Catholic teaching on ecology. Far from being a political manifesto, the letter presents a vision of the human being within creation, informed by the Bible, theological reflection and modern Catholic social teaching. Francis frequently references the social thought of his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, who himself affirmed that the Church “must defend not only earth, water and air as gifts of creation that belong to everyone.”
As the British theologian Anna Rowlands astutely notes, Catholic social teaching “functions as a social philosophy that never fully baptizes a liberal philosophy or sentiment. It remains locked in a complex dialogue … with liberal democracy.”
Another example that subverts the liberal/conservative dichotomy was the well-known response of Pope Francis to a journalist’s question about homosexuality in the priesthood: “Who am I to judge?” Francis did not overturn “conservative” teachings in sexual ethics.
But he did speak as a member of the Jesuit religious order and as a pastor, who knows that the general law must be applied in specific cases that introduce complexities and require nuanced concrete responses.
There was also a tacit appeal to the teaching of the Second Vatican Council (1962–65), that an individual is bound to follow their conscience.
For his part, Benedict XVI (as then-Cardinal Ratzinger), in a 1991 address to American bishops in Dallas, alluded to “the classical principle of moral tradition that conscience is the highest norm which [the human person] is to follow even in opposition to authority.” According to this principle, while church teaching authority would inform conscience, “conscience … would retain the final word.”
There is no doubt that LGBTQ+ Catholics were able to hear something different in Francis’s language than they had heard in Benedict’s. However, both Benedict and Francis could appeal to shared principles, which were theological rather than political, and not reducible to liberal versus conservative categories.
In the American context at the moment, “conservative Catholic” in its most radical form blends theological traditionalism — devotion to the traditional Latin mass, emphasis on doctrinal orthodoxy and opposition to Francis’s reformist papacy — with support for the Republican party and MAGA movement.
As professor of moral philosophy Massimo Borghesi has argued, this radical conservative opposition to Francis has its genesis in the pro-capitalist Catholic neo-conservatism of the 1980s and 90s, and is a predominantly American phenomenon.
In addition, as writer and editor James T. Keane noted in a 2021 article in the Jesuit magazine America, the political polarizations that have seeped into the American Catholic Church should not set the map for the rest of the world, least of all the papacy. It is important to remember this fact as the first North American pope begins his pontificate.
Choice of name Leo
Cardinal Robert Prevost, who has become Pope Leo XIV, has given indications of being critical of the Trump administration on issues of peace and migration, very much in line with Francis.
His choice of the name Leo harkens back to Pope Leo XIII, the pope credited with initiating modern Catholic social teaching, and signals an emphasis on the Church’s advocacy for peace and justice. The new pope’s first Urbi et Orbi (“To the City and to the World”) address from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica signalled continuity with Francis — peace, dialogue, encounter, bridge-building.
And Pope Leo’s career as a missionary, bishop and Vatican cardinal outside of the U.S. means that his context is not confined to the polarizations of the U.S. Catholic Church and its bishops.
Will the new Pope, Leo XIV, be liberal or conservative? Pope Francis did not fit neatly into these categories: I hope Pope Leo won’t either.
Mark Yenson 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: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Moscow, May 9 (Xinhua) — China and Venezuela are reliable partners who trust each other and develop together. China will always firmly support Venezuela in safeguarding its sovereignty, national dignity and social stability, Chinese President Xi Jinping said in Moscow on Friday.
Xi Jinping made the statement during a meeting with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on the sidelines of celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory in the Great Patriotic War.
Pointing out that amid the changing international situation, China and Venezuela have established an unbreakable friendship, Xi Jinping said that since the two countries upgraded their bilateral relations to an all-weather strategic partnership in 2023, they have enjoyed lively exchanges in all fields and at all levels, bilateral trade has steadily expanded, new progress has been made in investment cooperation and cultural and people-to-people exchanges, and the China-Venezuela friendship has been deeply rooted in the hearts of the two peoples.
Xi Jinping noted that China always views and develops relations with Venezuela from a strategic height and a long-term perspective, and is committed to expanding exchanges of experience in governance, steadily deepening practical cooperation in various fields, and continuously elevating bilateral ties to new heights so as to bring greater benefits to the peoples of both countries.
China hopes to work with Venezuela and other Latin American countries to firmly uphold the international system with the UN at its core and the international order based on international law, and promote sustainable and long-term progress in building a community with a shared future for China and Latin American and Caribbean countries, the Chinese president added.
N. Maduro, for his part, noted that China is a great friend of Venezuela and expressed gratitude for the constant and selfless support that the PRC provides to his country in defending national sovereignty and socio-economic development.
Venezuela hopes to strengthen its all-weather strategic partnership with China and deepen cooperation in areas such as trade, energy, agriculture, science, technology and education to achieve new tangible results and bring greater benefits to the peoples of the two countries, the president said.
Noting that Xi Jinping’s concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind opens up bright prospects for peace and development throughout the world, N. Maduro stressed that Venezuela is ready to strengthen coordination and cooperation with China to consistently pursue multilateralism, uphold international fairness and justice, and protect the common interests of the international community. –0–
Headline: The AI-powered future of health: Insights from Microsoft leaders
Over the last few years, healthcare and life sciences organizations have made great strides in harnessing AI to accelerate scientific breakthroughs, enhance clinician productivity and wellbeing, and improve patient experiences and outcomes.
It’s remarkable to think how far we’ve come since Microsoft was founded 50 years ago. But what’s truly astonishing is the pace of progress we’re now seeing, as rapid advancements in AI create opportunities to solve industry problems that once seemed intractable.
Microsoft has been at the frontier of AI research and development for decades, and we’re committed to sharing our learnings and insights with stakeholders throughout healthcare and life sciences. That’s why we’ve created the 2025 AI in Healthcare Decision Brief. This in-depth industry analysis is split into two parts: Part 1: Insights on navigating the AI platform shift, and Part 2: Perspectives on the role of AI in shaping the future of healthcare.
Each part features expert perspectives from Microsoft leaders, inspirational examples of AI successes in healthcare and life sciences, and practical advice for accelerating AI adoption in your organization.
Read the 2025 AI in Healthcare Decision Brief, Part 1
Here’s an overview of what you’ll find in the report.
The current state of AI in healthcare and life sciences
Over half (57%) of life sciences organizations and 45% of healthcare organizations see generative AI as the most important technology to adopt, and 79% are currently using some form of AI.1 While early use cases for generative AI typically focus on boosting productivity, as trust and adoption continue to grow, new use cases will emerge that have a transformational impact on the entire sector—and on patients’ health.
Realizing this AI-powered future of health will require organizations to:
Create trustworthy AI. Trustworthy AI is essential for systems that have a direct impact on drug development and patient care—the stakes are too high to compromise on security, privacy, and safety. That’s why the work of collaborative industry bodies like the Coalition for Health AI (CHAI) and the Trustworthy and Responsible AI Network (TRAIN) is so vital to build confidence that AI solutions are safe for use in medical research and clinical practice.
Overcome adoption challenges. While all organizations must overcome concerns around skills, security, compliance, and change management, healthcare-specific AI solutions must also prove their worth in existing workflows.
Understand how to succeed. Successful adoption depends on having a clear understanding of organizational readiness and the drivers of AI value. The report offers a wealth of best-practice guidance and expert advice on key considerations and practical actions for achieving your desired outcomes with AI.
Learn from the industry’s AI pioneers. The report also features success stories from Microsoft customers in healthcare and life sciences, showing how they’re overcoming common hurdles and accomplishing ambitious goals.
Today’s AI innovations—and tomorrow’s possibilities
AI innovators are already delivering meaningful impact in healthcare and life sciences—from creating synthetic data to accelerate drug development to supporting physicians with real-time clinical insights at the point of care. New technology advances will allow innovators to create solutions that will have an even greater, industry-wide impact, dramatically improving health equity and care outcomes for patients worldwide.
Organizations leading the innovation charge. Part two of our report explores examples of how startups, established technology companies, and research organizations are innovating and collaborating to advance AI capabilities in healthcare and life sciences.
Technology advancements supporting the next wave of innovation. Significant advances in underlying infrastructure, data platforms, and foundational models are creating the conditions for a “Cambrian explosion” of AI innovations that will propel scientific progress and support a new age of precision medicine and predictive health.
Advice from Microsoft leaders for accelerating AI success
As we celebrate the accomplishments of Microsoft employees, alumni, partners, and customers over the last half-century, we’re also looking ahead to what the next 50 years could bring, as we continue our mission to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.
Wherever your organization is on its AI journey, we’re here to make the path smoother and help you achieve the right outcomes.
Get The 2025 AI in Healthcare Decision Brief, Part 1: Insights on navigating the AI platform shift now for Microsoft AI leadership perspectives on:
Generative AI’s impact in healthcare—Joe Petro, Corporate Vice President, Healthcare and Life Sciences Solutions and Platforms
Staying ahead of emerging challenges and threats with AI and security for AI—Ann Johnson, Microsoft Corporate Vice President and Deputy CISO
Navigating the future of healthcare together—Kees Hertogh, Vice President, Healthcare and Life Sciences Marketing
The role of partners and startups to advance innovation—Sally Frank, Worldwide Lead, Healthcare and Life Sciences, Microsoft for Startups
Building trust to operationalize responsible AI in healthcare—Dr. David Rhew, Chief Medical Officer and Vice President for Healthcare
Read The 2025 AI in Healthcare Decision Brief, Part 2: Perspectives on the role of AI in shaping the future of healthcare for more leadership perspectives on:
Empowering people to deliver and receive better health—responsibly and purposefully—Dr. Peter Lee, President, Microsoft Research
The real-world impact of AI in healthcare—Matthew Lungren, MD MPH, Chief Scientific Officer, Healthcare and Life Sciences
Microsoft’s commitment to supporting customers to succeed with AI—Patty Carrolo, Corporate Vice President, US Healthcare and Life Sciences
Building the AI-powered future of health—Kathleen Mitford, Corporate Vice President, Global Industry Marketing
Explore the 2025 AI in Healthcare Decision Brief
For insights on how to navigate the AI platform shift, read Part 1.
For perspectives on the role AI plays in shaping the future of healthcare, read Part 2.
1McKinsey, Market perspective: AI and GenAI in Life Sciences
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
A conference poster presented at the European Congress on Obesity (ECO) looks at weight loss drugs (GLP-1s) and reduced alcohol intake.
Prof Kevin McConway, Emeritus Professor of Applied Statistics, Open University, said:
“Usually, when I’m asked to comment on a press release about a poster or talk being presented at a research conference, there’s not a lot that I can say about the quality of the work. All I would typically have is a short press release, and a poster or a summary of talk that hasn’t been given yet. The work wouldn’t have been through full peer review. So there’s very little to go on, and usually a lot of unanswered questions.
“But this one is different. This is not new work. The press release includes a link to the research report that was submitted to a journal in November last year, went through peer review, and appeared in the journal at the start of 2025. The press release, and the conference poster that is also linked from the release, appear just to give some of the same details that are already in the published research report1.
“The research report, the poster and the press release all mention that the study has some important limitations. The study is observational and there was not a control group that received none of the drugs in question (liraglutide or semaglutide). Thus we can’t be certain how much of the observed reduction in alcohol consumption is actually due to the drugs that the participants were taking. Even though the average consumption reductions are pretty large, the participants were all being treated and all knew they were being treated with one or other of the drugs, and may have chosen to change their alcohol intake for reasons not caused by the drugs, in addition to any changes actually caused by taking the drugs.
“The report does not present any data on what happened to alcohol consumption in the longer term, or after the participants stopped taking the drugs (if they did stop). The alcohol consumption figures were reported by the participants themselves, so may not be accurate, and the level of inaccuracy in the before and after consumption figures may be different. And a lot of the participants who started the study did not in the end provide data. More than a quarter of the 262 patients who were originally in the study didn’t continue to the end of the study, and some who did continue were either non-drinkers or did not provide data on the actual amounts the consumed. So the overall average change in consumption is based on data from 86 people only. And the most dramatic reductions in consumption, in people who originally said they drank more than 10 units per week, are based on data from only 30 people.
“These limitations are why the researchers (rightly) ask for larger, controlled and randomised trials, for research to investigate how these drugs operate in the body to reduce alcohol consumption (if indeed they do), and to look at which patients are appropriate for treatment.
“However, this study is very far from the only work that has been done on drugs from this class (GLP-1 RAs) and reduction in alcohol consumption. A quick Google search turns up many more. The research report mentions a study in laboratory animals (reference 4) and there are other animal studies. There have been observational studies, some of them involving large numbers of participants2. There have been (small) randomised controlled trials3. And there have recently been (at least) two review papers4. This newly press-released conference poster certainly isn’t the latest state of the art, I’d say.”
1 The report (a ‘research letter’) is at https://doi.org/10.1111/dom.16152 . There is a minor typo in the press release; it says that, overall, the average alcohol consumption fell from 11.3 to 4.3 units/week, whereas the research paper and the poster say it fell from 11.8 to 4.3 units/week.
Mr Colin Angus, Professor of Alcohol Policy, Sheffield Addictions Research Group, University of Sheffield, said:
“This study follows a few hundred patients attending an obesity clinic who were prescribed GLP-1 weight loss drugs and finds that they were drinking significantly less after around 4 months. However, as this study has no control group, we have no way of knowing whether this reduction was related to their use of GLP-1, or a broader consequence of their efforts to tackle obesity. Whilst it is plausible that GLP-1 drugs might have some impact on alcohol consumption, it is also likely that people trying to lose weight would reduce their alcohol consumption anyway, either as part of a more general move towards healthier behaviours, or because alcohol is relatively calorific. So we have no way of knowing from this study what proportion, if any, of the observed reduction is down to the GLP-1 drugs. Only with a higher quality study incorporating a control group could we have any confidence that GLP-1 drugs are leading people to reduce their alcohol intake.”
Dr Stephen Burgess, Statistician at the MRC Biostatistics Unit, University of Cambridge, said:
“This is an observational study investigating the impact of weight loss drugs on alcohol intake. It isn’t a randomized trial, so it isn’t blinded, and there is no control group. In general, this sort of research is vulnerable to problems of confounding – differences between alcohol intake pre- and post-treatment may occur for reasons other than a causal effect of weight loss drugs on alcohol consumption levels. For example, it may be that people cut down on their drinking spontaneously due to taking medication. However, the findings are striking and consistent across study participants. No study participant reported their alcohol consumption was higher after treatment. The average reduction in alcohol consumption pre- versus post-treatment was around 7 units per week, which is a large difference. It is possible that some participants are falsely reporting lower consumption, and it’s possible that some participants who are drinking more post-treatment are refusing to volunteer information – we only have quantifiable alcohol consumption levels available for around 35% of eligible patients. But the magnitude of difference in reported alcohol consumption pre- versus post-treatment is so large that it is implausible that other factors explain the totality of the difference. These results provide suggestive evidence that weight loss drugs could be used to treat alcohol addiction. We await evidence from randomized controlled trials with blinding to strengthen the evidence supporting this finding.”
Poster title: ‘Glucagon-like Peptide-1 Analogs Reduce Alcohol Intake’ by FI Almohaileb et al.
This was presented at the European Congress on Obesity. The embargo lifted at 3:01 UK time on Friday 9 May 2025
Declared interests
Prof Kevin McConway: “Previously a Trustee of the SMC and a member of its Advisory Committee.”
Mr Colin Angus: “No conflicts to declare.”
Dr Stephen Burgess: “I have previously consulted for Eli Lilly (one of the manufacturers of GLP-1 drugs), but not specifically about GLP-1 drugs.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)
Congresswoman Convenes Roundtable and Presser at Boston Museum of African American History
Pressley RecentlyDemanded Investigationinto Trump’s Attack on Smithsonian and Museums, Brazen Attempt to Whitewash History
Roundtable Video | Press Conference Video | Photos
BOSTON – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) convened a roundtable and press conference at the Museum of African American History in Boston to uplift the vital role of museums in preserving our shared history amid Donald Trump’s attack on cultural institutions and his attempts to erase the documented histories of marginalized communities.
Last week, Congresswoman Pressley and Rep. Tonko (NY-20), Co-Chair of the Congressional Museum Caucus, led 69 of their colleagues in demanding an investigation into the impact of Trump’s harmful Executive Order attacking Smithsonian museums – namely, the American Art Museum, the American Women’s History Museum, and the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
“I want every single person to walk into our museums—from the Smithsonians in Washington to the African American History Museum in Boston, to other museums in Massachusetts and beyond—and see our collective, accurate history on full display,” said Congresswoman Pressley. “With occupant Trump and Republicans carrying out a coordinated assault on Black history and the histories of marginalized communities, it’s imperative that we support our local museums in preserving the integrity of American history and culture. I’m so grateful to the African American History Museum and our local leaders for their partnership in pushing back against these harmful attacks and telling this hostile White House: hands off our museums.”
Joining Congresswoman Pressley at the convening were Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, Dr. Noelle Trent of the Museum of African American History, Lydia Lowe of the Chinatown Community Land Trust and the Immigrant History Trail, Barry Gaither of the National Center of Afro-American Artists, Bethann Steiner and Marc Carroll of the Mass Cultural Council, and local leaders and community members.
“Boston’s cultural institutions and museums are anchors in our communities and critical in fostering belonging for all. I’m grateful to Congresswoman Pressley for her bold leadership in bringing leaders across our cultural sector together and challenging these attacks against our institutions,” saidMayor Michelle Wu. “Our cultural institutions here in Boston and across the country remind us where we have been, where we are now and where we are going. We will continue to partner with Congresswoman Pressley and our Museum leaders to protect and preserve our shared history. Boston has always been a city that stands up for our communities and we will continue our work to make our city a home for everyone.”
“The Museum of African American History Boston | Nantucket stands as a powerful reminder of the indispensable contributions Black Americans have made to our nation’s history,” said Dr. Noelle Trent, President and CEO of the Museum. “I’m grateful for elected officials like Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, Mayor Michelle Wu, Governor Maura Healey, the Boston City Council, as well as community leaders, who are committed to standing with us in this ongoing effort. We will not be erased—we will continue to safeguard our truth and honor our legacy, because our stories are foundational to the American story.”
“As the Commonwealth’s state arts agency, Mass Cultural Council thanks Congresswoman Pressley for convening this morning’s conversation. We believe in the power of culture and that the arts, humanities, and sciences are a public good. Public investment at the federal level is threatened in our sector and today the Congresswoman shined a light on the dangers of this decision. This is a $29 billion economic sector in Massachusetts. Arts and culture means creativity, good health, and a strong and vibrant economy,” said Marc Carroll, Chair, Mass Cultural Council.
“As an Asian American member of Boston’s Commemoration Commission, which is focusing on sharing the untold stories of our nation’s 250th anniversary, I am grateful to Congresswoman Pressley and Mayor Wu for standing up for truth telling and a national story that includes us all,” said Lydia Lowe of the Chinatown Community Land Trust and the Immigrant History Trail. “We need to learn from our history in order to make a better future.”
To view photos from today’s convening, click here. For video of the roundtable, click here. For video of the press conference, click here.
Last month, Rep. Pressley spoke out on the House Floor condemning the Executive Order and affirming that Black history is American history. Rep. Pressley has also joined Rep. Dina Titus (NV-01) and 126 of their colleagues urging President Trump to reconsider his executive order dismantling the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Congresswoman Pressley also joined Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and their Massachusetts delegation colleagues demanding answers about the Trump Administration’s staffing cuts at the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and attempts to cancel NEH grants in Massachusetts and across the country.
Rep. Pressley has been an outspoken champion for intellectual freedom and diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, and she has been on the front lines of the fight against Trump and Republicans’ efforts to ban books and erase Black history.
In April, Rep. Pressley delivered a floor speech slamming Trump’s attack on Smithsonian museums and affirming that Black history is American history.
Rep. Pressley is also the author of the Books Save Lives Act legislation to confront the rise of book bans in America and ensure inclusive learning environments.
Earlier this year, amid the unprecedented onslaught against diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives from the Trump Administration, Congresswoman Pressley re-introduced H.R. 40, legislation to establish a federal commission to examine the lasting legacy of slavery and develop reparations proposals for African American descendants of enslaved people.
Last year, Rep. Pressley and House Oversight Ranking Member Jamies Raskin introduced the Federal Government Equity Improvement Act and the Equity in Agency Planning Act to codify racial equity across federal agencies and improve government services for underserved communities.
Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV), a member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Technology, helped advance a bipartisan bill in committee to make critical updates to our 9-1-1 emergency reporting system, improve its resiliency during natural disasters, and recognize the unique demands and responsibilities of dispatchers and other protective service workers.
“When Nevada faces natural disasters, it’s critical that Nevadans can dial 9-1-1 and get the help they need,” said Senator Rosen. “I’m proud to help advance bipartisan legislation to take much-needed steps to prevent 9-1-1 outages and disruptions, while also recognizing dispatchers for their life-saving work in times of crisis. I’ll continue working across party lines to support our first responders.”
Senator Rosen has fought to support Nevada’s first responders with the resources they need to do their jobs safely. Last Congress, Senator Rosen introduced bipartisan legislation to improve federal mental health support programs for firefighters, law enforcement officers, and other emergency response personnel. Senator Rosen also helped pass bipartisan legislation providing fire departments with additional funding to hire more firefighters and purchase lifesaving equipment. The Recruit and Retain Act, which Rosen helped introduce, was signed into law last year and provides law enforcement with increased resources to hire and retain more police officers in an effort to tackle the law enforcement shortage in Nevada and nationwide. She also helped deliver a historic pay raise and benefits funding for federal wildland firefighters through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Source: United States Senator for Minnesota Amy Klobuchar
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar(D-MN), member of the Senate Commerce Committee’s subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Technology, and Data Privacy, and Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, along with Senators Ed Markey (D-MA) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) are calling on President Trump to reverse the firing of the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s three Democratic Commissioners, Commissioner Hoehn-Saric, Commissioner Trumka, and Commissioner Boyle.
“We write to express serious concern regarding your intention to fire the three Democratic Commissioners from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC),” wrote the Senators. “This move compromises the ability of the federal government to apply data-driven product safety rules to protect Americans nationwide, away from political influence.”
“We urge you to immediately reverse this order and allow the three Democratic CPSC Commissioners to continue their work to protect consumers, especially children and families, from hazardous products,” the Senators continued.
The full text of the letter is available here and below.
Dear President Trump:
We write to express serious concern regarding your intention to fire the three Democratic Commissioners from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). This move compromises the ability of the federal government to apply data-driven product safety rules to protect Americans nationwide, away from political influence. We urge you to immediately reverse this order and allow the three Democratic CPSC Commissioners to continue their work to protect consumers, especially children and families, from hazardous products.
Congress established the CPSC in the Consumer Product Safety Act as an independent regulatory commission composed of five bipartisan Commissioners, appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. Since 1972, the CPSC has regulated the manufacture and sale of products ranging from children’s toys to fireworks, working to protect the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death. In fiscal year 2024 alone, the CPSC negotiated and implemented the recall of 153 million consumer product units and conducted more than 4,100 indepth investigations to remove defective and potentially harmful products from shelves. For over 50 years, the CPSC’s bipartisan commissioners have carried out this critical work to ensure that Americans can feel confident about the safety and reliability of the products they use every day.
As at other independent agencies, CPSC Commissioners are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate to staggered, seven-year terms. The Consumer Product Safety Act establishes that the President may remove Commissioners only “for neglect of duty or malfeasance in office but for no other cause.” Further, the Act is explicit about the legal requirement for bipartisanship on the CPSC, mandating that “not more than three of the Commissioners shall be affiliated with the same political party.” These provisions exist to limit the Commissioners’ exposure to political influence, allowing them to focus entirely on their job of protecting American consumers.
Despite these clear, congressionally-mandated protections, late on Thursday May 8, you announced your intention to fire the CPSC’s three Democratic Commissioners, Commissioner Hoehn-Saric, Commissioner Trumka, and Commissioner Boyle, without cause. This action degrades the ability of CPSC to establish robust product safety protections and casts doubt on its capacity to pursue recalls and investigations without being influenced by the politics of the day.
More than ninety years ago, the Supreme Court ruled that Congress has the authority to create bipartisan, multi-member commissions to serve the public without undue political influence. More recently, in 2020, the Court refused to rule that the President has the power to remove members of bipartisan commissions at-will. As you know, the President can lawfully exercise influence over the Commission by nominating new members and appointing the Chair. This illegal order to terminate three CPSC Commissioners without cause stands in opposition to clear legislative guidelines and nearly a century of Supreme Court precedent. It must be reversed.
Commissioners Hoehn-Saric, Trumka, and Boyle must be allowed to continue their work at the CPSC and carry out its vital mission to protect American consumers.
Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy
SHREVEPORT – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) today visited the facility on Line Avenue in Shreveport that was once owned by Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories. He spoke with officials from the North Louisiana Economic Partnership (NLEP) and Louisiana Economic Development (LED) on what they’re doing to find new ownership for the facility, so medicine can again be produced there.
“President Trump is doing his best to make the United States a place where businesses invest in,” said Dr. Cassidy. “We need increased domestic manufacturing of drugs. I’m committed to the economic development of Northwest Louisiana, and bringing in full production facilities for drugs and other goods.”
Cassidy’s visit comes on the heels of a major announcement by the White House of an $11 billion boost by Gilead Sciences to its domestic operations. During President Trump’s second term, eight other pharmaceutical companies have made multi-billion dollar investments in domestic manufacturing, according to a White House press release issued yesterday.
According to NLEP, the Dr. Reddy’s site can produce up to 4 billion tablets per year. Cassidy was met by Mr. Justyn Dixon, President and CEO of NLEP.
“Senator Cassidy has long been a champion for North Louisiana, and we deeply appreciate all he has done – and continues to do – for our region,” said Mr. Dixon. “With the growing number of pharmaceutical companies announcing plans to reshore or expand manufacturing operations, we believe the Dr. Reddy’s site provides these companies the ideal speed to market opportunity. We appreciate the Senator taking the time to visit and engage directly to gain a deeper understanding of this valuable outlet.”
Additionally, Cassidy joined the President last week for an “Invest in America” event, where Trump thanked Cassidy for his support. Under President Trump’s leadership, key investments have been made in Louisiana, including a $5.8 billion investment by Hyundai Steel which will create 1,500 jobs, and an $18 billion investment by Venture Global and $17.5 billion investment by Woodside Energy for liquefied natural gas.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, May 9 (Xinhua) — The first batch of science and technology innovation bonds was issued in China on Friday, marking the opening of a “science and technology platform” in the Chinese bond market.
The Beijing Financial Capital Exchange held a roadshow, attended by the first eight companies that issued scientific and technological innovation bonds on the interbank bond market.
The “science and technology platform” is designed to help financial institutions, science and technology enterprises and direct equity investment institutions issue science and technology innovation bonds, Pan Gongsheng, director of the People’s Bank of China (PBOC, the central bank), said in March.
According to a notice published by the Central Bank on May 7, such bonds include corporate bonds, enterprise bonds and debt financial instruments issued by non-financial enterprises.
Issuers are encouraged to apply flexible bond servicing terms and issue bonds with longer maturities, which will better suit the characteristics and needs of the scientific and technological innovation sector when using equity funds.
As Duan Dawei, Senior Vice President of iFLYTEK, noted, technology enterprises must remain committed to innovation, which requires long cycles, cost-effective solutions and a variety of financial instruments.
According to him, a series of innovative solutions presented on the “scientific and technical platform” of the bond market flexibly combine with the financing needs of scientific and technical companies and expand the range of financial support instruments.
According to preliminary estimates by the PBOC, nearly 100 market institutions are preparing to issue sci-tech innovation bonds worth over 300 billion yuan (about 41.7 billion U.S. dollars). More participants are expected to join the initiative in the future. –0–
A rough-toothed dolphin has been euthanised after beaching itself near the rockpool at the Strand in Townsville.
A member of the public advised the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) that the dolphin stranded around 2:45pm on Wednesday 7 May 2025.
The dolphin was in poor condition and following a health assessment by a veterinarian, a decision was made to euthanise the animal.
Project Manager Tina Alderson said marine animal strandings occurred along Queensland’s vast coastline, and DETSI had added a new function to the QWildlife app that allowed people to report strandings.
“Marine animals strand for several reasons including age, illness, disease, injuries from predators or boat strikes and entanglement in fishing equipment,” Ms Alderson said.
“Strandings such as these are sad and can impact on local communities. I encourage everyone who lives or visits Queensland’s coastal communities to download the QWildlife app.
“A necropsy will be conducted on the dolphin to help determine the reasons it stranded and the results could take several weeks.”
Fast facts – rough-toothed dolphins:
Usually found in deep warm and tropical waters around the world
They have a narrow beak and rough teeth with narrow, irregular ridges
Adults can grow to 2.8m in length and weigh up to 155kg, with males being larger than females
Older individuals have distinctive pinkish, white or yellow markings on their underside
Their diet consists mainly of fish
Their dorsal fin can be almost 30cm long
The QWildlife app can be downloaded by visiting the app store or Google Play.