Source: European Commission
European Commission Press release Lviv, 09 May 2025 On Europe Day, the Commission, represented by Commissioner Michael McGrath, High Representative Kaja Kallas, the Council of Europe, the Prime Minister of Ukraine, Denys Shmyhal, and representatives of 38 other states gathered in Lviv today to formally endorse the establishment of a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine.
Source: United Nations (Video News)
The SDG 16 Conference 2025 on “Advancing Peace, Justice and Institutions for Sustainable Development” will be held on Monday, 12 May 2025 at United Nations Headquarters in New York.
High-Level Opening
Panel 1: Stocktaking progress on SDG 16: Assessing achievements and challenges
Presentation of the updated Rome Civil Society Declaration on SDG 16+
The Permanent Mission of Italy to the United Nations, the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) and the International Development Law Organization (IDLO) are co-organizing the SDG 16 Conference 2025. In the context of the 80th anniversary of the United Nations and building on the outcomes of the previous five editions, the Conference will provide a platform for showcasing tangible examples of how investing in SDG 16 delivers measurable, practical dividends for governments and people, enabling them to achieve their development priorities. It will mobilize actions and partnerships while reflecting on how SDG 16 can accelerate progress on the 2030 Agenda and contribute to the implementation of the Pact for the Future. The Conference will also aim to bring insights into key intergovernmental events to be held in 2025.
Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency
Headline: Members of Congress Break into Delaney Hall Detention Center
lass=”text-align-center”>Delaney Hall Currently Holds Murderers, Rapists, Suspected Terrorists, and Gang Members
NEWARK, NJ –Today, as a bus of detainees was entering the security gate of Delaney Hall Detention Center, a group of protestors, including two members of the U
S
House of Representatives, stormed the gate and broke into the detention facility
Representatives Robert Menendez, Jr
and Bonnie Watson Coleman and multiple protestors are holed up in a guard shack, the first security check point
“Members of Congress storming into a detention facility goes beyond a bizarre political stunt and puts the safety of our law enforcement agents and detainees at risk
Members of Congress are not above the law and cannot illegally break into detention facilities
Had these members requested a tour, we would have facilitated a tour of the facility
This is an evolving situation,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin
The allegations made by Newark politicians that Delaney does not have the proper permitting are false
We have valid permits, and inspections for plumbing and electricity, and fire codes have been cleared
Delaney Hall Detainees Include:
On April 29, 2025, ERO Newark with the assistance of FBI Newark, arrested CHINCHILLA CABALLERO (A209 391 276) in Bloomfield, NJ pursuant to a Warrant for Arrest of Alien, Form I-200, served him with a NTA, From I-862 pursuant to section 212(a)(7)(A)(i)(I) of the INA and detained him in ICE custody pending removal proceedings
CHINCHILLA CABALLERO is a positive match to numerous TECS lookouts and is a known active member of MS13
On April 3, 2025, INTERPOL published a Red Notice (A-4687/4-2025) for RAMOS MARIN indicating that he is wanted in Brazil for the offense of Homicide, in violation of Art
121, paragraph 2, III and IV of the Brazilian Penal Code
On April 09, 2025, United States Border Patrol – Intel Collection Team sent a referral to ERO Newark identifying RAMOS MARIN as the subject of an active INTERPOL Red Notice and a fugitive from justice in Brazil
On April 29, 2025, ERO Newark with the assistance of HSI SAC Newark and CBP Newark arrested RAMOS MARIN (A234 578 034) in Newark, NJ pursuant to a Warrant for Arrest of Alien, Form I-200, served him with a Notice to Appear, Form I-862, and detained him in ICE custody without bond
On May 1, 2025, ICE ERO officers together with HSI and ATF special agents arrested SARAVIA SANTAMARIA, A205 874 217, without incident outside his residence located at 1128 72nd Street, North Bergen, NJ
SARAVIA-SANTAMARIA is
SARAVIA-SANTAMARIA was served with Form I-200 Warrant of Arrest and I-286 Notice of Custody Redetermination
The ICE/ERO Newark Fugitive Operations Unit, NJ encountered SARAVIA SANTAMARIA, Dennis Josue, a citizen and national of El Salvador, pursuant to Raven operation and known and verified MS-13 gang affiliation
On May 5, 2025, ICE Newark arrested Adonis ESTEVEZ Bello, A060 956 960, a 23-year-old citizen of Dominican Republic
ESTEVEZ has multiple felony convictions for possession of a controlled dangerous substance, drug trafficking, resisting arrest, and possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes
ESTEVEZ has active gang affiliation with street gang “Dominicans don’t play”
ERO Newark issued ESTEVEZ a Notice to Appear, and he will remain in ICE custody pending a removal hearing
5
On May 5, 2025, ICE Newark arrested Maximo NUNEZ, A038 929 243, a 58-year-old citizen of Dominican Republic
NUNEZ has felony arrests for possession of a controlled dangerous substance, obstruct administration of law, aggravated unlicensed driving, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, interfere with custody of children ERO Newark issued NUNEZ a Notice to Appear, and he will remain in ICE custody pending a removal hearing
ERO Newark – Top 5 Egregious Arrests:
RED NOTICE Arrest: On February 11, 2025, ERO Newark along with FBI SAC Newark and HSI SAC Newark arrested Hugo DE LA TORRE-TOMAILLA, (A235 245 217), a citizen and national of Peru after he exited his residence in Guttenberg, NJ
DE LA TORRE-TOMAILLA is the subject of an INTERPOL Red Notice and is wanted for prosecution in Peru for the crime of Violation of Sexual Freedom – Sexual Rape of a Minor, for which the penalty is a maximum of thirty years in prison
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations Newark with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, SAC Newark, and Homeland Security Investigations, SAC Newark arrested DE LA TORRE-TOMAILLA, a 62-year-old citizen of Peru, on February 11, 2025
DE LA TORRE-TOMAILLA is the subject of an INTERPOL Red Notice related to his pending criminal charges in Mexico for the Rape of a Minor
On May 1, 2025, ERO Newark with the assistance of DEA SAC Newark arrested Jaime Benjamin SORTO AMAYA, (A208 157 964), a citizen and national of El Salvador outside of his residence in Linden, NJ
SORTO AMAYA is a confirmed member of the transnational gang MS13
Additionally, three “B10” TECS records identify SORTO AMAYA as a “suspected terrorist”
SORTO AMAYA was served a Notice of Intent/Decision to Reinstate Prior Order and was detained at the Elizabeth Contract Detention Facility pending transfer to another facility
Subject is currently detained at Delaney Hall
On February 5, 2025, ERO Newark arrested SANCHEZ-LUNA, Jorge Luis, (A207 414 620), a citizen and national of Mexico and a Lawful Permanent Resident of the United States, in Neptune, New Jersey
SANCHEZ-LUNA has a conviction for Endangering-Sexual Conduct with Child by Caretaker
ERO Newark issued SANCHEZ-LUNA a Notice to Appear, and he will remain in ICE custody pending a removal hearing
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations – Newark arrested Jorge Luis SANCHEZ-LUNA, a 45-year-old citizen of Mexico, on February 4, 2025
On April 29, 2019, the New Jersey State Police arrested SANCHEZ-LUNA for the offenses of Aggravated Assault-Victim under 13, Aggravated Sexual Assault-Victim under 13 and Defendant over 16 and Victim Related, and Endangering-Sexual Conduct with Child by Caretaker
On July 12, 2024, the Monmouth County Superior Court found SANCHEZ-LUNA guilty of Endangering-Sexual Conduct with Child by Caretaker and sentenced him to Parole Supervision for Life and requirement to register as a sex offender under Megan’s Law
SANCHEZ-LUNA committed the act of aggravated sexual assault by performing vaginal, anal, and oral penetration against the victim, his daughter, under the age of 13, from 2013 to 2019
RED NOTICE Arrest: On January 27, 2025, ERO Newark along with FBI SAC Newark arrested JULCA-TANGOA, A241 948 372) a citizen and national of Peru and a Lawful Permanent Resident of Argentina, after he exited his residence in Paterson, NJ
JULCA-TANGOA is the subject of an INTERPOL Red Notice and is wanted for prosecution in Argentina for Aggravated Simple Sexual Abuse, Abuse Aggravated by a Guardian and a Minor Under the Age of Eighteen Years of Age Taking Advantage of the Pre-existing Cohabitation (Two Facts) and Aggravated Repeated Simple Sexual Abuse by Ascending Relationship in Real Contest, for which the penalty is a maximum of ten years in prison
RED NOTICE Arrest: On February 4, 2025, ERO Newark along with FBI SAC Newark and HSI SAC Newark arrested LOPEZ-REYES (A240 164 508) in Montclair, NJ, pursuant to a Warrant for Arrest of Alien, Form I-200, served him with a Notice to Appear, Form I-862, and detained him in ICE custody pending removal proceedings
On November 13, 2024, INTERPOL published a Red Notice, A13234/11-2024 for LOPEZ-REYES indicating that he is wanted in Mexico as a fugitive sought for Criminal Prosecution for the offense of Rape of a Child, in violation of Article 247 of the penal code of the state of Oaxaca, for which the maximum sentence is 27 years in prison
###
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker
Newark, N.J. –– Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) issued the following statement:
“As mayor of Newark, Ras Baraka has a responsibility to ensure that facilities operating in the city are adhering to laws that protect the safety and wellbeing of occupants and residents. This incident is disturbing, unnecessary and indicative of tactics that are undermining the safety and security of our communities, not adding to it. Law enforcement officers should have deescalated this situation. Mayor Baraka should be immediately released.
“Moreover, the Trump administration’s decision to reopen Delaney Hall, a private, for-profit prison in our community, should have never gone forward. New Jersey deserves better and the Trump administration continues to take actions to undermine the wellbeing of our residents.”
US Senate News:
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.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Sen. Ted Budd (R-N.C.) introduced the Promoting Employment and Lifelong Learning (PELL) Act to expand Pell Grant eligibility to short-term, technical training programs. This legislation would make available financial assistance for low-income students looking to pursue in-demand and high-paying careers in skilled trades.
“Too many students are pushed into debt seeking a four-year degree that doesn’t suit job market demands. That needs to change. Our legislation will expand access to high-quality, short-term job training programs to close the skills gap, reduce college debt and ensure more students can enter the workforce in high-demand industries,” Grassley said.
“We cannot build tomorrow’s workforce based on the blueprint for yesterday’s economy. By modernizing Pell Grant eligibility, we can open the door for millions of Americans to gain in-demand skills, while creating more family-sustaining careers. In as little as eight weeks, students can earn industry-recognized credentials and practical knowledge – the real currency of today’s labor market. It’s time to build a workforce strategy as modern and dynamic as the economy we’re preparing it for,” Budd said.
Grassley and Budd are joined by Sens. Dave McCormick (R-Pa.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) and Jim Justice (R-W.Va.).
The PELL Act served as the original framework for the House of Representatives’ Student Success and Taxpayer Savings Plan, which was recently included in the House Committee on Education and the Workforce’s reconciliation bill.
Read the full bill text HERE.
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US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Ahead of Mother’s Day this Sunday, U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho) are co-sponsoring the More Opportunities for Moms to Succeed (MOMS) Act, led by U.S. Senators Katie Britt (R-Alaska), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota) and Eric Schmitt (R-Missouri). This legislation would provide critical support to women during typically challenging phases of motherhood–prenatal, postpartum, and early childhood development–and bolster access to resources and assistance to help mothers and their children thrive.
“As we approach Mother’s Day, we honor the women and mothers raising the next generation of children in America,” Crapo said. “Their love and sacrifices for their families form some of the strongest bonds on Earth. This act will empower moms throughout the United States with greater access to resources to assist them during pregnancy, childbirth and raising their families.”
“The Republican Party is the party of life, the party of parents and the party of families. At the heart of the MOMS Act is building a comprehensive culture of life to give moms, children and families the support system they need to thrive and live their American Dream,” Britt said. “As a mom myself, I don’t have to wonder what other moms are facing–I’m living it. I know firsthand that there is no greater blessing in life than our children, and I also understand the types of challenges that women face during their pregnancy journeys and while raising their kids. I’m proud to support women throughout these seasons of motherhood, and the MOMS Act is part of my continued commitment to fight on their behalf.”
The bill comes at an important moment. In 2023, the number of U.S. births was the lowest since 1979, according to provisional CDC data, and the total fertility rate in America hit an all-time low. Last year, fertility and birth rates remained near record-lows, reflecting a continued, concerning trend in America.
U.S. Senators Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), Steve Daines (R-Montana), Jerry Moran (R-Kansas), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), John Cornyn (R-Texas), James Lankford (R-Oklahoma), Roger Wicker (R-Missouri), Dave McCormick (R-Pennsylvania), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska), Jim Justice (R-West Virginia), Tim Sheehy (R-Montana), Mike Rounds (R-South Dakota) and Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska) are also cosponsoring the MOMS Act
The MOMS Act would establish a website of resources, Pregnancy.gov, for expecting and postpartum moms, as well as those with young children. This aims to increase access to adoption agencies, pregnancy resource centers, and other relevant public and private resources available to pregnant women near their zip code and surrounding areas. These relevant resources include health and well-being services, financial assistance, and material and legal support. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services would also be required to include and maintain a national list of federal funding opportunities available to non-profit and healthcare entities for pregnancy support.
The legislation would also improve access to pre- and post-natal resources. The bill would establish a grant program for non-profit entities to support, encourage and assist women in carrying their pregnancies to term and to care for their babies after birth. It would also institute a grant program to purchase necessary medical equipment and technology in rural areas and other medically underserved areas to support pre-natal and post-natal telehealth appointments.
The MOMS Act also includes Senator Cramer’s Unborn Child Support Act to allow states to apply child support obligations to the time period during pregnancy.
This legislation is endorsed by Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, Americans United for Life, March for Life Action, the National Right to Life Committee, Students for Life Action, Concerned Women of America, the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and the Human Coalition.
The full text of the bill can be viewed here. A section-by-section of the bill can be found here.
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 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:
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.
Stop 3: Rongelap — setting for Project 4.1
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.
This is not the end. It is just the beginning
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: United States Attorneys General 13
On May 7, 2025, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon welcomed the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations in America to the Justice Department to address the alarming rise in Anti-Semitism since October 7th, as well as the Civil Rights Division’s ongoing efforts to protect all people of faith nationwide.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn)
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith released the following statement on the Duluth International Airport receiving $5,980,000 in funding from the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Terminal Programs for the replacement of its air traffic control tower.
“I’ve been fighting for funding to replace this tower that is one of the oldest in the country and in urgent need of repair,” said Klobuchar. “With this major federal grant, the Duluth International Airport is a step closer to completing this project and boosting safety and efficiency.”
“The Duluth International Airport provides critical service to northern Minnesota, from commercial service to cargo, military and medical flights, yet it’s operating with a 70-year-old tower – the third oldest in the nation – that is not up to FAA standards,” said Senator Smith. “This investment will make air travel in the Duluth area safer and more efficient. This kind of investment is exactly why I voted for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law which made this important project possible.”
In 2024, Senator Klobuchar and Smith secured $10 million in federal funding for the Air Traffic Control Tower Relocation project.
In 2023, Klobuchar and the Minnesota delegation sent a letter to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requesting that they expedite reviews and approvals required for Duluth International Airport (DLH) to apply for grant funding to build a new air traffic control tower.
US Senate News:
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: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
There are many vulnerable people in our community. Perhaps you know someone who is:
Whether it’s a family member, neighbour or colleague you’re concerned about, reaching out is a great first step.
Where relevant, you could help them make a call or fill out a form. You could even go along to an appointment or event with them.
The list of services below is not exhaustive but may benefit someone you know. Most are free or low cost.
Eligible ACT residents who cannot take their bins out to the kerb, due to chronic illness, frail age or disability, can apply to have this done for them.
A Companion Card allows people with significant and permanent disabilities to bring a companion for free to certain events and venues.
Canberrans having difficulty paying for groceries can visit Communities at Work pantries for discounted food and other essentials.
Communities at Work also provides free clothing, shoes and accessories for job interviews, court, funerals and other important events.
Canberrans can access free period products throughout the ACT.
Find more information on cost-of-living assistance.
Community bus services are for ACT residents who find it hard to use other forms of transport. They run from Monday to Friday and have flexible routes.
The ACT Taxi Subsidy Scheme provides financial help to ACT residents with a disability or significant mobility restriction that prevents them from using public and community transport.
Transport Canberra’s Flexible Bus Service helps Canberrans, such as the aged or people with mobility difficulties, get from their home to local community locations. Booking is required. Carers with a valid carers card are also welcome to travel.
Special needs transport is available for eligible students. Please check the application open dates and guidelines in advance.
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander bus service provides opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders to connect with their communities and culture in the ACT and surrounding regions.
More information regarding bus operating and booking hours, eligibility and guidelines for all services is available on Transport Canberra’s website.
The Fitness to Drive Medical Clinic assesses fitness to drive a motor vehicle.
Mobile dental clinics Mobile Dental Clinics are an additional service for aged, school children and vulnerable Canberrans to access dental care in the community.
Canberrans can access short term loan equipment via the ACT Equipment Loan Service. This is available on referral and includes:
This free, short-term service is for anyone being discharged from hospital and for ACT residents needing rehab or to trial equipment.
Eligible Canberrans with a lifelong or long-term disability may be able to access the ACT Equipment Scheme. The scheme can provide long term loan equipment that will help people live at home safely.
Know someone who already has a mobility aid or appliance? Why not remind them they can have it serviced or repaired through the Clinical Technology Workshop?
Anyone needing a walking aid can reach out to the Walking Aid Clinic.
The Canberra Sexual Health Centre offers all Canberrans aged 14 and over professional care without judgment.
Help is available to Canberrans who have experienced a change in their ability to carry out everyday activities due to a medical or health condition or disability. Brindabella Day and Ambulatory Rehabilitation Service provides a range of rehabilitation therapies.
Community Care Nursing can assist people with a range of conditions and healthcare needs. It can also be accessed in the home, if medically necessary. Nursing services include wound care, medication management and more.
Nutrition is a key part of health and wellbeing. The Community Care Nutrition Service offers specialised nutrition services to adults. As well as general healthy eating and nutrition support, the service can advise on chronic health conditions.
The Liaison and Navigation Service helps adults with complex needs navigate health and other services.
Adults with a chronic health condition affecting their quality of life may benefit from the Take Control – Live Well program. The three-week program helps people gain the skills and confidence to:
Other services available include:
You can find a range of other services on the Canberra Health Services website.
Social isolation and loneliness can be harmful to mental and physical health. Visiting people or inviting them places can be extremely helpful. There is also a variety of ways people can meet others or find a new interest.
Volunteering can be a great way to find connection and purpose. Canberrans looking for volunteering opportunities, workshops and advice can contact VolunteeringACT.
There are lots of events happening every day on the Meetup website. From bushwalking to trivia, book clubs to dancing, there’s something to suit every interest.
Older Canberrans could consider getting involved in an Intergenerational Playgroup through ACT Playgroups. These can help isolated residents and parents to connect.
Social enterprise Café Stepping Stone runs various events at its Dickson and Strathnairn locations.
There are also plenty of weird and wacky sports to consider. This is a great way of trying something new and meeting new people at the same time.
ACT Women’s Return to Work workshops support women and gender diverse people returning to the workforce with grants and advice on next steps.
There is a free office skills course and ACT Government work placement for culturally and linguistically diverse Canberrans seeking meaningful employment.
The ACT Government can help veterans transition from employment in the Australian Defence Force to the ACT Government.
The RSL Veterans’ Employment Program is a free program helping veterans, family members and partners to find rewarding work.
Canberrans with a business can get free business support from the Access Canberra Business Assist Team. They can help you understand permits, licenses and approvals.
The Women’s Legal Centre ACT offers free legal advice to women in low-paid and/or precarious employment who are experiencing problems at work.
There is help for those who have experienced domestic and family violence.
Through a range of support services, Canberrans can apply for financial support following domestic and family violence.
Canberrans can get help to plan for safety, support children, find accommodation, sort out finances, take legal action and stay safe online.
Tenants experiencing domestic and family violence can also break a rental lease immediately, if needed.
There is support available to understand legal options in these circumstances.
Find more on domestic, family and sexual violence services.
Communities at Work Crisis Support can give immediate help with food, medical scripts and other essential supports. They can also provide:
If you know someone who is homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, there is help available. Find out about more services that can help with finding a safe place to stay, getting a free meal, having a shower or doing laundry.
There are a number of ways you can get help for your mental health in the ACT.
If you or a loved one are in an unsafe or life-threatening situation, call triple 000 immediately.
Get ACT news and events delivered straight to your inbox, sign up to our email newsletter:
Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
HOUSTON – A total of 300 cases have been filed charging 302 people from May 2-8 in continuing efforts to secure the southern border, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
As part of the cases, 93 face allegations of illegally reentering the country. The majority have prior felony convictions for narcotics, prior immigration crimes and more. A total of 193 people face charges of illegally entering the country, while 11 cases allege various instances of human smuggling with the remainder involving other immigration-related crimes.
Those charged by criminal complaint include two convicted felons authorities had allegedly discovered illegally in the country near Roma. Milton Elias Lara-Lara and Alejandro Tamayo-Velazquez have convictions related to fentanyl and marijuana, respectively, and had previously been removed from the United States, according to their charges.
Two more charged this week for unlawfully returning to the United States are Marco Antonio Rangel-Hernandez and Jose Guadalupe Valero-Lavanzate. The charges against them allege both are Mexican nationals who had previously served sentences for illegal reentry.
As part of the ongoing efforts, others have also admitted they failed to register and be fingerprinted. One of those was Elver Emmanual Ollervidez-Tapia. He admitted he had previously waded across the Rio Grande River and illegally entered the country. Upon arrival, he failed to register and be fingerprinted as required by law. He was charged with that crime and for illegally entering the country and has pleaded guilty.
In addition to the new cases, a five-time DUI illegal alien offender was ordered to federal prison for 70 months. In imposing the term of imprisonment, the court considered the dangerousness of Isidor Lagunas-Estrada’s crimes, his lack of respect for the law and need for deterrence. Lagunas-Estrada was removed from the United States in 2020 following his fourth DUI conviction. The investigation revealed he illegally reentered again and was found in the United States in October 2022 when he was arrested and later convicted for his fifth DUI.
Also announced was an illegal alien who had allegedly attempted to export stolen vehicles for the cartel. Authorities found Angel David Salas-Herrera in a stolen jeep Gladiator, according to the charges. A search allegedly resulted in the discovery of multiple key fobs and a device utilized to program them. The charges allege the Gladiator was intended to be exported to Mexico for the Gulf Cartel. Law enforcement was also able to recover two additional stolen vehicles that were allegedly intended for the same purpose. If convicted, Salas-Herrera faces up to 10 years in federal prison.
In Brownsville, an armed repeat illegal alien admitted to human smuggling and firearms charges. The investigation revealed Alejandro Ramirez-Carranza was a river guide and had conspired with Issac Azuara-Vasquez to transport and smuggle illegal aliens in the bed of a truck after they illegally arrived from Mexico via boat on the Rio Grande River. Ramirez-Carranza, Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico, admitted to transporting and bringing an alien into the United States as well as illegal reentry and being an alien in possession of a firearm. Mexican citizen Azuara-Vasquez entered his plea April 10 to the same smuggling-related charges as well as selling a firearm to Ramirez-Carranza, an illegal alien.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) – Homeland Security Investigations, ICE – Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the Southern District of Texas (SDTX). Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.
The SDTX remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.
An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
SAN ANTONIO – A Round Rock man pleaded guilty in a federal court in San Antonio today to one count of conspiracy to traffic firearms and one count of dealing in firearms without a license.
According to court documents, Job Eliezer De La Torre, 50, was engaged in the business of dealing in firearms without a license from Jan. 1, 2020 to Nov. 1, 2023. During that time, he purchased approximately 356 firearms for resale, approximately 24 of which were recovered by law enforcement. Approximately 12 of those 24 were recovered in Mexico. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives executed a search warrant on De La Torre’s Round Rock residence on Nov. 2, 2023, seizing his cell phone, 44 firearms, more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition, ledgers of sales for firearms, $26,000 in cash, as well as precious metals. De La Torre stated he advertised guns for sale online and made between $20 and $200 in profit per firearm sold.
Messages on his phone reflected his business dealings. From May to September 2023 alone, De La Torre sold approximately 50 firearms for $196,850 to one co-conspirator. The deal included AR-15 5.56 caliber firearms, six AR-10 .308 caliber firearms, an AK pistol, an FN SCAR 17S rifle, and FightLite MCR builds.
De La Torre faces up to 15 years in federal prison for the conspiracy offense and up to five years for dealing in firearms without a license. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
The ATF and Homeland Security Investigations are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney William Calve is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
###
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
CALGARY, Alberta, May 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — (TSX – NVA) NuVista Energy Ltd. (“NuVista“) announces that the following matters were approved at the annual meeting of the shareholders of NuVista held on May 9, 2025. Each of the matters is described in greater detail in the Notice of Annual Meeting of Shareholders and Information Circular dated March 24, 2025 (the “Circular“).
1. Fixing the Number of Directors
By resolution passed via ballot, the number of directors to be elected at the meeting was fixed at eight (8) members. The results of the ballot were as follows:
| Votes For | Percent | Votes Against |
Percent |
|||||||||
| 123,600,347 | 79.58% | 31,709,078 | 20.42% | |||||||||
2. Election of Directors
By resolution passed via ballot, the following eight nominees were appointed as directors of NuVista to serve until the next annual meeting of shareholders of NuVista, or until their successors are elected or appointed. The results of the ballot were as follows:
| Name of Nominee | Votes For | Percent | Votes Withheld |
Percent |
||||
| Pentti O. Karkkainen | 122,025,115 | 79.19% | 32,072,619 | 20.81% | ||||
| Ronald J. Eckhardt | 121,781,922 | 79.03% | 32,315,812 | 20.97% | ||||
| K. L. (Kate) Holzhauser | 118,719,905 | 77.04% | 35,377,829 | 22.96% | ||||
| Michael J. Lawford | 122,261,695 | 79.34% | 31,836,039 | 20.66% | ||||
| Mary Ellen Lutey | 122,511,574 | 79.50% | 31,586,160 | 20.50% | ||||
| Deborah S. Stein | 121,029,015 | 78.72% | 32,719,167 | 21.28% | ||||
| Jonathan A. Wright | 117,217,852 | 76.07% | 36,879,882 | 23.93% | ||||
| Grant A. Zawalsky | 112,407,921 | 72.95% | 41,689,813 | 27.05% | ||||
3. Appointment of Auditors
By resolution passed via ballot, KPMG LLP, Chartered Professional Accountants, were appointed as auditors of NuVista to hold office until close of the next annual meeting or until their successors are duly appointed, and the directors were authorized to fix their remuneration. The results of the ballot were as follows:
| Votes For | Percent | Votes Withheld |
Percent |
||||||||
| 149,871,999 | 96.50% | 5,437,426 | 3.50% | ||||||||
4. Non-Binding Advisory Resolution on Executive Compensation
By advisory resolution passed via ballot, NuVista’s approach to executive compensation was approved. The results of the ballot were as follows:
| Votes For | Percent | Votes Against |
Percent |
||||||||
| 122,075,765 | 79.22% | 32,021,969 | 20.78% | ||||||||
INVESTOR INFORMATION
NuVista is an independent Canadian oil and natural gas exploration, development and production corporation with its Common Shares trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol “NVA”.
NuVista is an oil and natural gas company actively engaged in the exploration for, and the development and production of, oil and natural gas reserves in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin. Our primary focus is on the scalable and repeatable condensate-rich Montney formation in the Pipestone and Wapiti areas of the Alberta Deep Basin.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
| Mike J. Lawford | Ivan J. Condic | ||
| President and CEO | VP, Finance and CFO | ||
| (403) 538-1936 | (403) 538-1954 |
Source: New Zealand Police
A person has died after a single-vehicle crash at Te Arai overnight.
Police were called to the scene on Mangawhai Road, between Braddick Road and Fairy Hill Road, about 11.15pm, where officers found a vehicle crashed into a tree.
Sadly, the sole occupant died at the scene and Police are providing support to their next of kin.
The Serious Crash Unit has carried out a scene examination and enquiries into the crash are ongoing.
Mangawhai Road reopened about 5am.
ENDS
Issued by the Police Media Centre
Source: US Justice – Antitrust Division
Headline: Tennessee Man Pleads Guilty to Aiding Police Officer in Destroying Evidence of Fatal Shooting
Joshua M. Rogers of Memphis, Tennessee, pleaded guilty yesterday to a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1512(c) for his role in destroying evidence related to a police officer’s fatal shooting of a man identified by the initials R.H. With the plea, Rogers admitted that he acted to impair the integrity or availability of R.H.’s body for use in an official proceeding and, in so doing, shield his co-defendant from criminal liability.
Source: US Justice – Antitrust Division
Headline: Former Colombian Port Official Sentenced to Over Twelve Years in Prison for Money Laundering
A Colombian national was sentenced yesterday to 12 years and seven months in prison for conspiring to launder proceeds of bribes. The defendant was also ordered to forfeit a 2017 Lamborghini Huracan Spyder and a 2017 Porsche Cayenne that were involved in the money laundering scheme.
Source: US Justice – Antitrust Division
Headline: Federal Grand Jury Indicts Essex County, New Jersey Man and Woman for Conspiracy to Commit Forced Labor; Man Also Charged with Sex Trafficking and Forced Labor
A federal grand jury in the District of New Jersey, returned an indictment on April 25 that was unsealed Wednesday, charging Treva Edwards, 60, with sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion and forced labor. The indictment also charged Treva Edwards and Christine Edwards, 63, with conspiracy to commit forced labor.
Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND
HONOLULU, Hawaii — U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Joel Carey, chief of staff for U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, welcomed retired Adm. Harry Harris, former U.S. ambassador to South Korea and the 24th USINDOPACOM commander, and the National Defense University Capstone 25-3 Fellows at the USINDPACOM headquarters on Camp H.M. Smith in Honolulu, May 9, 2025.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) released the following statement on the results of Operation Restore Justice, a coordinated mission by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and law enforcement agencies to identify, track, and arrest child sex predators, which led to the rescue of 115 children and arrest of 205 child sex offenders, including one individual in the Eastern District of Texas and five in the Western District. These cases were brought through Project Safe Childhood, which Sen. Cornyn successfully led the law to reauthorize last year.
“There is no crime more heinous than child sexual exploitation, and I am grateful that my law to reauthorize the Project Safe Childhood program has most recently led to more than 200 dangerous individuals who have committed this unthinkable act being taken off our streets and 115 children being rescued through Operation Restore Justice,” said Sen. Cornyn. “Thank you to Attorney General Bondi, the entire Department of Justice, and other law enforcement agencies involved for prioritizing the safety of our nation’s most vulnerable, and I look forward to seeing even more arrests of child sex offenders in the future under my law.”
Background:
These legal cases were brought against hundreds of offenders as part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative to combat child sexual exploitation. This nationwide program was started in May 2006 by the DOJ. Sen. Cornyn authored and successfully passed the Project Safe Childhood Act, which was signed into law in December of 2024 and reauthorized and strengthened this critical initiative.
In Texas, Operation Restore Justice has led to the arrest of six individuals in the Eastern and Western Districts of Texas charged with crimes ranging from distribution and possession of child pornography to child sexual exploitation.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Tim Scott
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) joined Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Republican colleagues in introducing the No Official Palestine Entry (NOPE) Act to cut off U.S. assistance to entities that give additional rights and privileges to the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian Liberation Organization.
“Time and again, the United Nations has chosen to lend legitimacy to terrorist enablers while demonizing one of our closest friend in Israel,” said Senator Scott. “Not a single cent of the American taxpayer dollar should be used to legitimize antisemitism or embolden our enemies. America will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with Israel and root out antisemitism wherever it exists.”
“Once created to be a bastion of peace and security in the world, the United Nations is now a seat of antisemitism and in desperate need of reform. Israel is one of America’s greatest allies and we cannot tolerate or fund any anti-Israel bias or favoritism for the Palestinian Liberation Organization at the UN,” said Senator Risch. “These bills will ensure that America has Israel’s back when it matters most.”
BACKGROUND
Current U.S. law prohibits U.S. funding to organizations, such as the UN, which give the PLO full membership or standing as a member state. The NOPE Act updates the existing funding prohibition to organizations that offer the PLO “any status, rights, or privileges beyond observer status.”
The full text of the NOPE Act can be found here.
Senators Scott and Risch were joined by Senators Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Dave McCormick (R-Pa.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), and Deb Fischer (R-Neb.).
Additional House cosponsors include Reps. Jim Baird (R-Ind.), Michael McCaul (R-Texas), Randy Weber (R-Texas), Claudia Tenney (R-N.Y.), Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.), Maria Salazar (R-Fla), Barry Moore (R-Ala.), Rudy Yakym (R-Ind.), and Marlin Stutzman (R-Ind.).
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman David G. Valadao (California)
WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman David Valadao (CA-22) joined Reps. Scott Peters (CA-50), Josh Harder (CA-09), and Darrell Issa (CA-48) to reintroduce the Providing Child Care for Police Officers Act. This bipartisan bill aims to address the nationwide police staffing shortages by making it easier for parents to enter the field. Police shortages have been especially harmful to rural communities, like the Central Valley, who have struggled to recruit and retain enough qualified officers.
“Our Central Valley police departments continue to face staffing shortages, and we need real solutions to support the people who put their lives on the line to keep us safe,” said Congressman Valadao. “By making childcare more accessible for officers working long, irregular hours, this bipartisan bill reduces a major barrier for working parents in law enforcement and helps improve public safety in our communities.”
“Access to quality, reliable childcare is essential to recruitment and retention of the best, most representative police force we can have,” said Rep. Peters. “Our officers go out every day and ensure our children are safe — the least we can do is make sure there is someone to watch their kids when they are on duty. San Diego is leading the way to expand childcare opportunities for police officers, and I am working to support those efforts at the federal level.”
“This is a no brainer – keeping our families safe starts by recruiting and retaining top-tier police officers,” said Rep. Harder. “Making sure our officers have access to quality, affordable child care means we increase the pool of talented, diverse recruits and keeps officers on the streets helping our communities.”
“We have a responsibility to provide our police officers with the tools, training, and equipment they need to safeguard our streets and protect our communities,” said Rep. Issa. “This bill represents a creative and innovative approach to not only advance law and order everywhere it is needed, but allowing these brave men and women on the front lines to be both parents and police.”
Supporting organizations include: 30×30 Initiative, International Union of Police Associations (IUPA), National Association of Police Organizations, Fraternal Order of Police, and Peace Officers Research Association of California (PORAC).
The Providing Child Care for Police Officers Act would:
Read the full bill here.
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Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
NT Police Regional Crime Command has charged a 34-year-old male after he assaulted a man and was found in possession of an illegally manufactured firearm.
On 6 May, police received reports of a male physically assaulting another male and threatening him with a knife in relation to an ongoing altercation between the pair.
The following day, police conducted a random traffic apprehension on a vehicle belonging to the alleged offender and he returned a positive roadside drug test. He was also in possession of a less than Traffickable quantity of a schedule 2 dangerous drug.
Police conducted searches on several dwellings at the alleged offender’s property and subsequently seized ammunition and a disassembled firearm. The male he has since been charged with:
He was remanded to appear in Tennant Creek Local Court on Monday 12 May 2025.
Source: United States Attorneys General 12
Joshua M. Rogers of Memphis, Tennessee, pleaded guilty yesterday to a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1512(c) for his role in destroying evidence related to a police officer’s fatal shooting of a man identified by the initials R.H. With the plea, Rogers admitted that he acted to impair the integrity or availability of R.H.’s body for use in an official proceeding and, in so doing, shield his co-defendant from criminal liability.
Rogers and his co-defendant, a former Memphis Police Department officer, faced charges following the death of R.H. The indictment alleged that, on Jan. 5, 2021, the officer kidnapped R.H. and shot him in the head. The indictment further alleged that Rogers and the officer sought to cover up the fatal shooting by disposing of R.H.’s body. Specifically, Rogers and the officer transported R.H.’s body in Rogers’ vehicle, and affixed chains, padlocks, and cinder blocks to R.H.’s body. Rogers and the officer then drove to the Wolf River in Memphis, where the two dumped R.H.’s body.
“The defendant in this case obstructed law enforcement from investigating and seeking justice on behalf of the victim, his family and friends,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “I am proud of the great work by the Department of Justice in their prosecution of this case.”
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 6. Rogers faces a maximum penalty of 70 months in prison based on the terms of the plea agreement. A federal judge will determine any sentence based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The remaining defendant faces civil rights, kidnapping, weapons, and obstruction charges in connection with the fatal shooting of R.H. Trial is set for Nov. 3.
The FBI Memphis Field Office and the Memphis Police Department investigated the case.
Trial Attorney MarLa Duncan of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Pritchard for the Western District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case.
Source: United States Attorneys General 12
A Colombian national was sentenced yesterday to 12 years and seven months in prison for conspiring to launder proceeds of bribes. The defendant was also ordered to forfeit a 2017 Lamborghini Huracan Spyder and a 2017 Porsche Cayenne that were involved in the money laundering scheme.
According to court documents, Omar Ambuila, 64, of Cali, Colombia, pleaded guilty on Jan. 28 to a single count of conspiracy to launder money. As part of his plea, Ambuila admitted that while he was a port official in Colombia, he accepted at least $1,000,000 in illegal bribes that he and co-conspirators laundered to the United States from Colombia. As part of the scheme, Ambuila and his co-conspirators laundered the funds for Ambuila’s benefit and used the funds to purchase luxury vehicles and pay rent on waterfront property, among other things.
“Criminals who exploit our financial system to launder their illegal gains threaten the security of the United States,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “When you try to abuse the financial system hard working Americans rely upon, we will find you and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.”
“HSI special agents, in close coordination with all their law enforcement partners, will always work diligently to pursue those individuals and those networks of bad actors who exploit the legitimate financial system to support criminal activity,” said Special Agent in Charge John Condon of Homeland Security Investigation Tampa. “This is just another great example of this work.”
“Let this sentencing serve as a powerful reminder: the United States will not be a sanctuary for those seeking to launder the proceeds of crime,” said Special Agent in Charge Ron Loecker of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Tampa Field Office. “We are relentless in our pursuit of criminals who attempt to exploit our financial systems, and we will use every tool at our disposal to ensure that they face justice. This case underscores our commitment to dismantling transnational criminal operations and holding those responsible accountable, no matter where they try to hide.”
“This investigation exemplifies the FBI’s commitment to our federal law enforcement partnerships and the unified effort in identifying, investigating, and prosecuting money laundering schemes,” said Special Agent in Charge Matthew Fodor of the FBI Tampa Division.
The case was investigated by HSI, IRS-CI, and the FBI.
Trial Attorneys Ariana Lazzaroni and Adrienne Rosen and Deputy Chief Joseph Palazzo of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section prosecuted the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Judicial Attaché’s Office in Bogotá, the HSI Attaché’s Office in Bogotá, and the U.S. Marshals Service provided substantial assistance in securing the defendant’s extradition from Colombia.
Source: United States Attorneys General 12
A federal grand jury in the District of New Jersey, returned an indictment on April 25 that was unsealed Wednesday, charging Treva Edwards, 60, with sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion and forced labor. The indictment also charged Treva Edwards and Christine Edwards, 63, with conspiracy to commit forced labor.
According to the indictment, Treva and Christine Edwards were the founders and pastors of a church they named “Jesus is Lord by the Holy Ghost,” which they operated out of a multi-unit apartment building in Orange, New Jersey, and where they conspired with each other and others to obtain the compelled labor of church members.
“The Department of Justice will not tolerate the exploitation of vulnerable individuals under the guise of faith or community,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This Civil Rights Division is committed to holding accountable those who abuse positions of trust to manipulate and control others for personal gain. These charges reflect our unwavering focus on protecting victims and prosecuting those who commit forced labor and sex trafficking.”
“These charges are an example of my office’s tireless commitment to combatting human trafficking in our community,” said U.S. Attorney Alina Habba for the District of New Jersey. “If you engage in human trafficking, we will find you, and we will prosecute you. We are committed to working alongside our partners to ensure that those who target the most vulnerable are brought to justice.”
“Treva and Christine Edwards turned a source of hope into a tool of fear by allegedly exploiting religious faith to manipulate victims and expose them to sexual violence and forced labor conditions,” said Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Newark Division. “Seeking justice for human trafficking victims in cases like this is of utmost importance to HSI Newark. Anyone who may believe they are a victim of trafficking can be assured our investigations are victim-centered and that we will continue to relentlessly pursue justice for anyone’s freedom that has been held ransom.”
“An important part of the mission of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General is to investigate allegations of labor trafficking involving the use of coercion or force,” said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone of the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate these types of allegations.”
As charged in the indictment, between 2011 and 2020, the defendants identified and recruited victims who were facing struggles in their personal lives, including financial and familial struggles, to join the church and live and worship at the church building. Treva Edwards told the victims that he was a prophet who could communicate directly with God and that disobeying him would result in spiritual retribution from God, as well as physical, emotional, and financial harm.
The defendants secured labor contracts to provide manual labor in and around Orange, New Jersey, and the defendants dispatched the victims to perform the contracted labor. The defendants did not pay wages to the victims for their work and kept the money earned from their labor.
The defendants convinced the victims that they would lose favor with God if they did not perform labor. Treva Edwards spread fear among the victims through verbal and emotional abuse and threats of reputational harm, homelessness, hunger, spiritual retribution, punishments, and more hard labor to gain their obedience and compel them to perform unpaid labor. The defendants instituted and enforced strict rules about when and whether the victims could eat or sleep, when and for how long they were to pray and work, and whether they could speak to non-members or leave the church building. The defendants isolated the victims, monitored their communications and whereabouts, and by convincing them that non-members were evil or possessed by the devil. The defendants deprived the victims of sleep and typically fed them only once a day after they completed their work.
Also according to the allegations in the indictment, Treva Edwards controlled and subjected one victim to repeated physical and sexual assaults, impregnated her, and instructed her to get an abortion.
The defendants made their initial court appearances today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge André M. Espinosa. The charge of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion against Treva Edwards carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. The forced labor charge against Treva Edwards carries a maximum penalty of twenty years or life imprisonment if the violation included aggravated sexual abuse. The conspiracy to commit forced labor charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney Alina Habba of the District of New Jersey credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel and special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone, with the investigation leading to this indictment.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Trevor Chenoweth and Susan Millenky for the District of New Jersey and Trial Attorney Francisco Zornosa of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are prosecuting the case.
HSI Newark is asking anyone with information about Treva Edwards, Christine Edwards, or their organization known as Jesus is Lord by the Holy Ghost (JLHG), to contact its tip line at (866) 347-2423 or email HSINewarkHumanTrafficking@hsi.dhs.gov. The tip line is monitored 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Additionally, there is an online tip form.
If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, please call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1 (888) 373-7888.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Source: The White House
SUBJECT: Protecting the Great Lakes from Invasive Carp
My Administration is committed to protecting the Great Lakes — the world’s largest surface freshwater system, and a highly valued shipping avenue, resource for fishing and recreation, and source of high-quality drinking water — from the economic and ecological threat of invasive carp. This threat affects every State that borders the Great Lakes: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Curbing this threat requires immediate and effective deployment of resources, infrastructure, and expertise. The Federal Government is prepared to do its part, but the States where preventative measures can be taken must cooperate.
For several decades, invasive species of Asian carp have steadily migrated and expanded from the Southeast northward through streams, rivers, and lakes in the Mississippi River and Midwest region. Asian carp, which can exceed 100 pounds in weight, spread rapidly by outcompeting native fish populations for food and space. They also reduce water quality. These invasive carp are nearing the entry point to the Great Lakes, which, if breached, would irreparably damage native fish species like walleye, yellow perch, and lake whitefish. This poses a significant risk to Great Lakes fishing, boating, recreation, and tourism, which support tens of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars of commerce annually.
The Brandon Road Interbasin Project near Joliet, Illinois, was authorized for construction in the Water Resources Development Act of 2020 (Public Law 116-260) and would provide multiple layers of innovative technological deterrents designed to prevent invasive carp from reaching the Great Lakes. It is a joint project involving the United States Army Corps of Engineers (Army Corps) and the States of Illinois and Michigan.
The Federal Government has provided $274 million for this project, has undertaken design work, has started site preparation, and is ready to begin construction of deterrent measures. In February 2025, however, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker decided to delay the State’s acquisition of property, which is necessary for construction to begin. Once Illinois acquires the land, it must also issue the Army Corps a State-level permit to begin construction.
My Administration fully supports preventing the spread of invasive carp. The State of Illinois, where the Brandon Road Interbasin Project is located, must cease further delay in cooperating with this effort, for the sake of its own citizens and economy and for the sake of all of the Great Lakes States.
I am directing my Administration to achieve maximum speed and efficiency at the Federal level. Specifically, the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of the Army, and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall determine and 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. This includes supporting the Brandon Road Interbasin Project, through deadline-oriented investments of taxpayer dollars, to ensure the State of Illinois does not stand in the way of its construction.
Specifically, for this project to remain on schedule so that it can effectively fulfill its purpose and constitute a worthy investment of taxpayer resources, the State of Illinois should acquire the necessary land to begin construction of the Brandon Road Interbasin Project by July 1, 2025, and the State of Illinois and any applicable localities should grant all permits or approvals required to facilitate Army Corps construction within 30 days of such permits or approvals becoming ripe for consideration by the State or locality and should streamline all permitting and environmental reviews to the maximum degree. Federal agency heads shall similarly streamline any permitting and environmental reviews and issue any requisite Federal permits or approvals as quickly as possible.
Additionally, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall prioritize support for infrastructure projects to remove invasive carp from the Upper Illinois Waterway near Lake Michigan and for maintenance on existing infrastructure to block invasive carp from reaching and entering the Great Lakes Basin.
The Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, through their joint operation of the Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force, shall prioritize support for research and management concerning the prevention, removal, and management of aquatic invasive species in the Great Lakes, including invasive carp. The Administrator of NOAA shall also prioritize this objective through the Great Lakes Aquatic Nuisance Species Information System and NOAA’s research and information-sharing work related to the growth and spread of aquatic invasive species.
DONALD J. TRUMP
Source: The White House
SUBJECT: Rescission of Useless Water Pressure Standards
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby direct:
Water conservation requirements for faucets, showers, bathtubs, and toilets — promulgated by the Department of Energy pursuant to the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (Public Law 102-486) — make bathroom appliances more expensive and less functional. “Efficiency” standards render other American appliances like clothes washers and dishwashers less useful, more breakable, and more expensive to repair. The Federal Government should not impose or enforce regulations that make taxpayers’ lives worse.
To address these unnecessary radical green agenda policies, I direct the Secretary of Energy to consider using all lawful authority to rescind — or, as appropriate, amend to revert to the standards required by statute — the regulations found in 10 C.F.R. 430.32(f), relating to water and energy use in dishwashers; 10 C.F.R. 430.32(o), relating to water use in faucets; 10 C.F.R. 430.32(p), relating to water use in showerheads; 10 C.F.R. 430.32(q), relating to water use in water closets; 10 C.F.R. 430.32(r), relating to water use in urinals; the definitions of “automatic clothes washer,” “clothes washer,” “dishwasher,” “faucet,” “other clothes washer,” “semi-automatic clothes washer,” “urinal,” and “water closet” contained in 10 C.F.R. 430.2; the residential washing machine efficiency standards contained in 10 C.F.R. 430.32(g); and the commercial washing machine efficiency standards contained in 10 C.F.R. 431.156.
Furthermore, I direct the Secretary of Energy to publish in the Federal Register a notice clarifying the Waiver of Federal Preemption of State regulations covered by the application of “Energy Efficiency Program for Consumer Products: Waiver of Federal Preemption of State Regulations Concerning the Water Use or Water Efficiency of Showerheads, Faucets, Water Closets and Urinals,” 75 Fed. Reg. 80289 (December 22, 2010).
I further direct the Secretary of Energy not to enforce any of the regulatory provisions listed in this memorandum, pending rescission or reversion of such provisions; the provisions of 42 U.S.C. 6295(j) and (k); or energy and water efficiency standards for washing machines, including the provisions in 42 U.S.C. 6295(g) and 42 U.S.C. 6313(e).
Finally, I direct the Secretary of Energy and the Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of the Office of Legislative Affairs to jointly prepare and submit recommendations to the President, within 60 days of the date of this memorandum, through the Chair of the National Energy Dominance Council, for the Congress to rescind, insofar as each relates to the subject matter of this memorandum, 42 U.S.C. 6295(g), (j), (k), and (o) and 42 U.S.C. 6313(e), or to repeal the Energy Policy Act of 1992 in its entirety.
This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
DONALD J. TRUMP
Source: The White House
Section 1. Purpose and Policy. Our Nation’s security, prosperity, and freedom would not be possible without our veterans. Many service members paid the ultimate sacrifice. Many others bear visible and invisible wounds from their service. Too many veterans are homeless in America. Each veteran deserves our gratitude.
Yet the Federal Government has not always treated veterans like the heroes they are. During the previous administration, unaccountable bureaucrats treated them shamefully, failing veterans when they needed help most and betraying the taxpayers who rightfully expect better.
The story of the West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center is indicative of this failure. More than one hundred years ago, Senator John Percival Jones and Arcadia Bandini de Stearns Baker generously donated hundreds of acres of land that they owned in West Los Angeles on the condition that it be used to house disabled veterans. The campus once featured a chapel, billiard hall, 1,000-seat theater, and housed about 6,000 veterans, but the Federal Government has since allowed this crown jewel of veteran care to deteriorate over the last few decades.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (Department) leased parts of the property to a private school, private companies, and the baseball team of the University of California, Los Angeles, sometimes at significantly below-market prices. As of 2024, there were approximately 3,000 homeless veterans in Los Angeles, more than in any other city in the country and accounting for about 10 percent of all of America’s homeless veterans. Many of these heroes live in squalor in Los Angeles’s infamous “skid row.”
During my first term, I signed legislation to increase accountability and expand benefits and choices for veterans in accessing care, and my second term will build on those efforts. Accountability will return to the Department. Veterans around the Nation will have more choices in care, benefits, and services. The VA campus in West Los Angeles will become the National Center for Warrior Independence with facilities and resources to help our veterans earn back their self-sufficiency.
Sec. 2. Establishing the National Center for Warrior Independence. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs (Secretary) shall take all appropriate action to:
(a) designate a National Center for Warrior Independence on the West Los Angeles VA Campus in which homeless veterans in the Los Angeles metropolitan area and around the Nation can seek and receive the care, benefits, and services to which they are entitled;
(b) work with other municipalities and VA facilities to ensure that homeless veterans outside the Los Angeles metropolitan area who want to avail themselves of the National Center for Warrior Independence are provided the means to do so;
(c) in coordination with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, and the heads of any other relevant executive departments or agencies, ensure that funds that may have been spent on housing or other services for illegal aliens are redirected to construct, establish, and maintain this National Center for Warrior Independence;
(d) work to restore self-sufficiency and the warrior ethos among homeless veterans through any guidance, requirements, or services needed to ensure that homeless veterans can access housing, receive substance abuse or addiction treatment, and return to productive work and community engagement; and
(e) within 120 days of the date of this order, present an action plan to the President, through the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, to meet these directives and restore the capacity to house up to 6,000 homeless veterans at the National Center for Warrior Independence by January 1, 2028.
Sec. 3. Voucher Program. The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall, in consultation with the Secretary, use vouchers to support homeless veterans in the Los Angeles metropolitan area and around the Nation with respect to this effort.
Sec. 4. Restoring Accountability at the Department of Veterans Affairs. The Secretary shall take the following steps to restore accountability and excellent service at the Department:
(a) take appropriate action against individuals who have committed misconduct, making full use of and in accordance with the Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017 (Public Law 115-41); and
(b) investigate and take steps to rectify the previous administration’s decision to rehire and reinstate back pay for employees previously fired for misconduct and direct such savings back toward care, benefits, and services for veterans, in accordance with all applicable laws.
Sec. 5. Providing Choices and Excellence to Veterans. The Secretary shall take steps to increase the excellence of and options for care, benefits, and services for veterans including:
(a) within 60 days of the date of this order, submitting a report to the President, through the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, with a plan to reduce wait times for Veterans Health Administration appointments that explores options like expanding office hours, offering weekend appointments, and increasing the use of virtual healthcare options;
(b) within 30 days of the date of this order, directing a feasibility study at the Manchester VA Medical Center and within 180 days of this order, submitting to the President, through the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, an action plan to expand services to support a full-service medical center in New Hampshire so that it is no longer the only State in the contiguous United States without such a center; and
(c) in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, and the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, developing a strategy to improve the delivery and quality of the Department’s healthcare services in a more efficient and effective manner to support veterans; the strategy shall initially prioritize implementation of actions to reduce access times and improve service delivery, to include options for offering treatment to veterans at select military treatment facilities and military beneficiaries at VA facilities with appropriate reimbursement.
Sec. 6. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department, agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
(d) The Department of Veterans Affairs shall provide funding for this order’s publication in the Federal Register.
DONALD J. TRUMP
THE WHITE HOUSE,
May 9, 2025.