Austin, TX, May 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — SCA Community, a trailblazer in digital community solutions, is proud to announce the launch of its revolutionary new platform, designed to offer members an enhanced and seamless digital experience. This new interactive platform incorporates state-of-the-art technology and features, providing a dynamic environment where users can collaborate, network, and access resources with ease.
With an intuitive interface and advanced capabilities, the platform is tailored to meet the needs of today’s modern professionals. SCA Community’s platform aims to simplify how members connect and interact, offering tools and features that empower users to make the most of their professional relationships and maximize their potential.
“We’ve worked hard to create a platform that addresses the needs of our diverse community, combining cutting-edge technology with simplicity to create an intuitive and engaging experience,” said William Foster of SCA Community. “This new platform will allow our members to connect, collaborate, and grow in ways that weren’t possible before. We’re excited about the potential this platform has to foster even more impactful interactions and support member success.”
Key Features of the New Interactive Platform:
Seamless User Experience: The platform boasts a streamlined, intuitive interface that makes navigation simple and enjoyable for all users, regardless of their technical background.
Enhanced Collaboration Tools: Integrated communication tools, such as live chat, file sharing, and collaborative workspaces, help users easily collaborate with colleagues, partners, and fellow members.
Personalized Dashboards: Members can now customize their dashboards to suit their preferences, allowing for quick access to the resources, tools, and contacts they use most.
Real-Time Updates and Notifications: The platform provides real-time notifications and updates, ensuring users are always informed of the latest news, events, and opportunities within the community.
Advanced Search Functionality: Users can quickly find relevant content, members, and resources with the platform’s powerful search engine, making it easier to connect with the right people and find useful information.
Comprehensive Resource Library: The platform hosts a robust library of resources, including articles, tutorials, industry insights, and case studies, to help members stay informed and grow their expertise.
Mobile Accessibility: The new platform is mobile-friendly, allowing users to access the full suite of features from any device, whether at home, in the office, or on the go.
The launch of this platform marks a major leap forward in SCA Community’s mission to offer its members the best possible digital tools for success. The community-oriented platform is designed to create a more interactive and inclusive environment, where professionals from all industries can easily access the support, resources, and connections they need to thrive.
As SCA Community continues to grow, the platform will evolve with additional features and enhancements designed to meet the needs of an expanding global membership.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this press release is not a solicitation for investment, nor is it intended as investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. It is strongly recommended you practice due diligence, including consultation with a professional financial advisor, before investing in or trading cryptocurrency and securities.
Jersey City, NJ, May 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BitMart, a leading global digital asset trading platform, proudly introduces three pioneering programs—Slippage Protection, Elite Trader, and Global Community Partner. These initiatives are designed to offer a safer and more rewarding trading experience for millions of users worldwide. With the support of BitMart’s advanced third-generation trading engine, the platform reaffirms its strong commitment to technological innovation, user trust, and a service-first approach, aiming to position BitMart as the most advantageous and user-value-driven trading platform in the industry.
A Milestone Year: Seven Years of Excellence
Celebrating seven years of growth, BitMart reflects on its journey to becoming a top-ranked exchange on CoinGecko, supporting users across 1,700+ trading pairs. BitMart is accelerating its global presence and redefining trading with cutting-edge technology and user-focused initiatives.
“Our seventh anniversary represents both our proud legacy and our commitment to future growth,” stated Nenter Chow. “With our Trading Protection Plan, BitMart is dedicated to empowering users with exceptional security, unparalleled opportunities, and a more inclusive crypto trading ecosystem.”
Slippage Protection Program: Confidence in Every Trade
Understanding the risks traders face due to market volatility, BitMart introduces its pioneering Slippage Protection Program, designed specifically for users trading USDT-margined perpetual contracts. The program offers up to 1,000 USDT compensation for losses caused by technical disruptions or liquidity issues. Traders can now confidently execute strategies without concern for unexpected slippage, setting a new industry standard in reliability and user assurance.
Elite Trader Program: Maximizing Earnings for High-Performing Traders
The Elite Trader Program is designed for top-tier traders, offering a unique opportunity to earn up to 50% in performance-based incentives, along with comprehensive operational support and exclusive marketing resources. This program enables traders to amplify their earnings, expand their reach, and play a key role in fostering a dynamic and thriving trading community.
Global Community Partner Program: Strengthening Global Connections
BitMart’s Global Community Partner Program aims to deepen relationships within the crypto community by rewarding partners and content creators with up to 60% spot trading commission and up to 70% futures trading commission, official platform recognition, and customized marketing tools. This initiative fosters global collaboration, boosting community engagement and creating opportunities for sustainable growth.
Commitment to Technology and Trust
Powered by its advanced third-generation trading engine and strategic partnerships with industry-leading liquidity providers, BitMart’s Trading Protection Plan ensures smooth, secure, and efficient trading experiences. BitMart remains dedicated to technological innovation and building trusted global partnerships, reinforcing its position as the premier trading platform.
About BitMart
BitMart is a premier global digital asset trading platform with more than 10 million users worldwide. Consistently ranked among the top crypto exchanges on CoinGecko, BitMart offers over 1,700 trading pairs with competitive fees. Committed to continuous innovation and financial inclusivity, BitMart empowers users globally to trade seamlessly. Learn more about BitMart at Website, follow their X (Twitter), or join their Telegram for updates, news, and promotions. Download BitMart App to trade anytime, anywhere.
Disclaimer:The information provided is for informational purposes only and should not be considered a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any financial assets. All information is provided in good faith. However, we make no representation or warranty of any kind, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability, availability or completeness of such information.
All crypto investments, including earnings, are highly speculative in nature and involve substantial risk of loss. Past, hypothetical, or simulated performance is not necessarily indicative of future results. The value of digital currencies can go up or down and there can be a substantial risk in buying, selling, holding, or trading digital currencies. You should carefully consider whether trading or holding digital currencies is suitable for you based on your personal investment objectives, financial circumstances, and risk tolerance. BitMart does not provide any investment, legal or tax advice.
Black women’s influence on metal and connected sub-genres is still often overlooked. As part of my research into Black women in pop culture, I’ve looked at the relationship between race, gender, onscreen portrayals of immortality and nu-metal.
Nu-metal, popularised in the early 2000s, is known for combining the mood of metal with riffs and hues of rap and hip-hop. The genre drew on the creativity of Black artists, singers and musicians across different genres and generations.
My research on this has involved reflecting on the nu-metal-themed film Queen of the Damned (2002), based on Anne Rice’s enduring Vampire Chronicles books. It starred the singer Aaliyah as the powerful vampire Akasha. It was to be her final acting role before her death aged just 22. Shortly before, she had also signed to appear in the sequel to The Matrix, another nu-metal franchise.
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Aaliyah doesn’t sing in Queen of the Damned, but her hip-hop stardom is still central to the film, as is suggested by the emphasis on her image in its marketing. Aaliyah being foregrounded in a nu-metal film, paired with the limited dialogue and plot development of her character, reflects how Black women in alt and rock music and accompanying media are sometimes treated as simply there to be seen, not heard.
With a 17% “tomatometer” score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 2.8 star ranking on Letterboxed, Queen of the Damned is generally seen as a flop. But despite this, the film remains influential, particularly due to Aaliyah’s poised presence as a hip-hop star in a fictional and vampiric nu-metal world.
This demonstrates that part of Aaliyah’s ongoing impact is the way she established the character of Akasha as canonically connected to hip-hop.
More than ‘seen, not heard’
Understandably eclipsed by her wider work, Queen of the Damned is not focused on in many ways Aaliyah is memorialised. But, for me, her involvement in the film symbolises how Black women’s creativity and coolness is leveraged by music genres and their media marketing.
When remembering Aaliyah’s cultural influence, her multifaceted role in the new millennium and nu-metal landscape must be meaningfully acknowledged. More than that, how all Black women in music are publicly memorialised must involve more care and recognition of their important work across, between and beyond genres.
When news spread of the death of Roberta Flack in February, her fans took to social media to mourn her loss. Legend, musician, singer, teacher – those were just some of the many words used in online posts rightly celebrating her life.
But as layla-roxanne hill and I discuss in our new book, Look, Don’t Touch: Reflections on the Freedom to Feel, memorialising people as “icons” sometimes reduces or reframes who they were to little more than symbols and soundbites. There should be space to name Black women’s impact on music and society, but in ways that affirm the multitudes of their lives.
This is touched on in the documentary TLC Forever (2023), as is society’s disregard for the grief experienced by Black women such as TLC members Rozonda Thomas and Tionne Watkins. Following the death of their friend and band member Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes in a bus crash aged 30, they faced pressures to push forward with releasing music while grieving.
Another documentary, 20 Feet from Stardom (2013), also illuminated the inequalities faced by Black women singers. Their signature sounds propel the success of many genres, but they seldom benefit from this in substantial and sustained ways.
The trailer for TLC Forever.
The way the tragic death of Aaliyah was treated is a case in point. The R&B and hip-hop singer died in a plane crash in August 2001. Media headlines mounted, including coverage that referred to “her movie debut last year”, but which did not discuss that role or her broader acting work.
It may be impossible for any memorial message to fully express and appreciate someone’s essence. However, the ways that Black women are remembered (and forgotten) in society are shaped by the specifics of misogynoir – the interconnected effects of racism, sexism and misogyny.
Black women are so much more than the binary narratives projected onto them – strong versus soft, young versus old, singer versus actor, survivor versus victim and living versus dead. As the title of one of Aaliyah’s own songs conveys, she was More Than a Woman.
Francesca Sobande received Impact Acceleration funding from UKRI in 2024, towards a project on “The Cultural Memory and Archived Experiences of Black People in ‘Alternative’ Music Subcultures”, in collaboration with the Museum of Youth Culture.
The term that perhaps best describes the international impact of the first 100 days of Donald Trump’s second term is “disruption”. His tariff policy, his abolition of USAID, his questioning of the transatlantic alliance, and his attempted rapprochement with Russia have neither destroyed the liberal international order nor established anything new in its place.
But the prospects of liberal internationalism under Trump are vanishingly small. And Trumpism, in the guise of an America-first foreign policy, is likely to outlast Trump’s second term.
That the US is no longer the standard bearer of the liberal international order has been clear for some time. Trump and his Russian and Chinese counterparts, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping, appear to see themselves as dominant players in a new multi-polar world order. But it is not clear that a grand bargain between them is possible – or that it would endure.
Europe is particularly vulnerable to these changes in the international order. Having been able to rely for the past eight decades on an iron-clad American security guarantee, European countries chronically under-invested in their defence capabilities, especially since the end of the cold war.
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Defence spending as a proportion of GDP may have increased over the past decade but remains lacklustre. And investment into an independent European defence industrial base faces many hurdles.
These deficiencies predated Trump’s return to the White House. Addressing them will only be possible in a time frame beyond his second term. With no dependable partners left among the world’s great powers, Europe’s predicament – unenviable as it may be for the moment – nonetheless offers an opportunity for the continent to begin to stand on its own feet.
Early signs of a more independent Europe are promising. In March, the European commission released a white paper on defence which anticipates defence investment of €800 billion (£680 billion) over the next four years.
The bulk of this will rely on the activation of the so-called “national escape clause”. This allows EU member states to escape penalties if they exceed the normal deficit ceiling of 3% GDP.
Once activated for the purpose of defence spending, they can now take on additional debt of up to 1.5% of their GDP. By the end of April, 12 EU member states had already requested that the national escape clause be activated, with several more expected to follow.
Defence is clearly the most urgent problem for Europe. But it isn’t the only aspect to consider when it comes to achieving greater strategic autonomy, something that the European Union has grappled with for more than a decade. In other areas, such as trade and energy, the starting point is a very different one.
Regarding energy independence, the EU has achieved a remarkable and quick pivot away from Russia. It has just released a final plan to stop all remaining gas imports from Russia by the end of 2027.
China and the EU clearly share an interest in preserving a global trade regime from which both have benefited. But their economic interests cannot be separated easily from their geopolitical interests. So far, China has sent very mixed signals to Europe.
Beijing has, for example, proposed to lift sanctions against some members of the European parliament who have been critical of China in a show of goodwill. But China’s support for Russia continues as well, most recently with Xi’s commitment to visit Moscow for the victory day parade on May 9.
Standing with Moscow may benefit Beijing in its rivalry with the US by solidifying the no-limits partnership that Xi and Putin announced on the eve of Russia’s full-sale invasion in February 2022. But it does little to win the EU over as a partner in defence of the open international order that Trump is trying his best to shutter.
On the contrary, in reaffirming China’s commitment to its partnership with Russia, Xi may well have lost whatever chances there were for a European realignment with China.
The complexities of the EU-China and EU-US relationships – a curious mix of rapidly shifting interests – reflects the EU’s position as the natural centre of gravity of what is left of the west. This is evident in the rapid evolution of the “coalition of the willing” in support of Ukraine, which brings together 30 countries from across the EU and Nato under French and British leadership.
Beyond Europe, Trump’s tariff policy has given plans for a strategic partnership between the EU and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) a new lease of life. The CPTPP is a group of 11 Indo-Pacific countries and the UK, which joined last December. It is one of the world’s largest free trade areas, accounting for approximately 15% of global GDP.
Even without US and Chinese membership, a partnership between the EU and the CPTPP would wield significant power in the global economic system and could play a future role in shielding its members from an intensifying US-China trade war.
Limited alternatives
None of the steps taken by the EU and its partners on the continent and elsewhere require the breakdown in the transatlantic relationship that the Trump administration appears keen to engineer. But speeches by both the US vice president, J.D. Vance, and the secretary of state, Marco Rubio, were clear that America’s relationship with Europe is changing.
Washington, under its current leadership, increasingly leans towards the political forces in Europe that are opposed to the values on which the continent has been orientated since 1945. This leaves Europe few options but to seek more independence from the US.
A more independent Europe is unlikely to become a global superpower on par with the US or China. But it will be better able to hold its own in a geopolitical environment that is less based on rules and more on power.
The EU currently enjoys historically high approval ratings among its citizens – who also support more unity and a more active role for the EU in protecting them from global security risks.
It’s increasingly clear that EU leaders and their partners have a unique opportunity – and an obligation – to carve out a more secure and independent space in a hostile global environment.
Stefan Wolff is a past recipient of grant funding from the Natural Environment Research Council of the UK, the United States Institute of Peace, the Economic and Social Research Council of the UK, the British Academy, the NATO Science for Peace Programme, the EU Framework Programmes 6 and 7 and Horizon 2020, as well as the EU’s Jean Monnet Programme. He is a Trustee and Honorary Treasurer of the Political Studies Association of the UK and a Senior Research Fellow at the Foreign Policy Centre in London.
When someone tells you to “clean your plate”, bones usually aren’t included. But for some people, bones – or rather, what’s inside them – are the best part of a meal. Bone broth, once a humble kitchen staple, has surged in popularity in recent years, championed as a superfood by celebrities and wellness influencers.
This nutrient-dense liquid, also known as stock, is made by simmering animal bones and connective tissues, such as cartilage and tendons, for 12 to 48 hours. This slow cooking process extracts nutrients such as collagen, amino acids and minerals into the liquid. The result is a rich, savoury broth that can be sipped on its own or used as a base for soups, sauces and stews.
While store-bought bone broth is convenient, homemade versions offer better control over ingredients and often greater nutritional value. Typical ingredients include bones (from chicken, beef or fish), water, vinegar (to help extract minerals) and various herbs and vegetables for flavour.
Skin benefits
Bone broth is praised for its collagen content – the protein that forms connective tissue in skin, cartilage, tendons and bones. It’s thought to promote joint flexibility and reduce signs of skin ageing.
Some studies show that hydrolysed collagen (a broken-down form that’s easier to absorb) may improve skin elasticity and hydration, and reduce wrinkles. Other research suggests it may ease joint pain and stiffness, especially in people with osteoarthritis.
However, most of these studies focus on collagen supplements and, while it’s often marketed as a collagen-rich superfood, research shows that bone broths don’t contain enough collagen to match the effects seen in clinical studies on supplements. Instead, a balanced diet rich in protein, vitamin C and healthy fats is more reliably linked to collagen production.
Big claims, little evidence
Bone broth is a source of amino acids such as glutamine, glycine and arginine that are thought to support gut lining integrity and immune function. Glutamine, in particular, may help repair the intestinal wall and prevent “leaky gut” – a condition where toxins and bacteria pass through a weakened gut barrier, potentially causing inflammation.
Bone broth is low in calories but high in protein, making it filling and potentially helpful for weight management. It’s also hydrating, providing electrolytes including sodium, potassium and magnesium that are particularly useful during illness or recovery.
Some evidence supports the idea that nutrients in bone broth, especially amino acids, can reduce inflammation and support immune function. But overall, there is limited human research on the direct benefits of drinking bone broth. There are, however, potential risks to consider before you add it to your diet.
Heavy metal
Because animal bones can accumulate heavy metals such as lead, simmering them for long periods may cause these metals to leach into the broth. While studies on this are mixed, the risk may depend on the source and quality of the bones used.
Consuming bone broth with high levels of heavy metals can pose health risks, including minor ailments like headaches, vomiting and tiredness. But more dangerously, heavy metals can also cause organ damage in the long term.
Research on toxic metals in bone broth shows mixed results. Since recipes differ, it’s hard to know the exact nutrition content of each broth. Many shop-bought bone broths contain high levels of sodium, which can raise blood pressure and strain the heart and kidneys. Check labels or make your own to control the salt content.
Bone broth contains glutamate, a naturally occurring amino acid that may cause anxiety, restlessness or headaches in some people, though evidence for this is largely anecdotal.
Improper storage or preparation of bone broth can lead to bacterial contamination, which can cause gut infections and symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhoea. Always refrigerate or freeze broth promptly, then reheat it thoroughly before consumption.
Bone broth can be a nourishing, tasty addition to your diet, especially when made at home with high-quality ingredients. It’s hydrating, packed with protein and rich in flavour. But it’s not a miracle cure, and the health benefits may be more modest than advertised.
If you’re looking to boost collagen, your best bet is a healthy, balanced diet. Focus on eating plenty of protein, whole grains, fruits and vegetables – all of which provide the nutrients your body needs to naturally produce collagen.
In addition to what’s on your plate, healthy lifestyle habits also play a key role. Prioritise quality sleep (seven to nine hours a night), manage stress, avoid smoking and protect your skin with sunscreen.
While bone broth may offer some benefits, the scientific evidence supporting its role in collagen production is still limited. Consider it a nourishing supplement to a healthy lifestyle, not a cure-all.
Dipa Kamdar does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
In today’s fast-paced world, finding time for exercise can be challenging. This probably explains why short workouts continue to be so popular. But can workouts of only 10 or 15 minutes really help you get fit? The answer, according to research, is a resounding yes. Short workouts can be very effective – offering numerous health benefits with just a small time commitment.
Research has consistently demonstrated that short bursts of exercise can yield substantial health benefits. A study published in the European Heart Journal found that engaging in vigorous activity for just 15 minutes per week, broken into several short bouts – as little as two minutes of exercise per day – can significantly lower the risk of heart disease, cancer, and early death.
Participants who accumulated these brief sessions throughout the week experienced an 18% lower risk of dying during the study period, a 40% lower risk of developing heart disease and a 16% drop in cancer risk. Vigorous-intensity activities (meaning they make you breathe harder and increase your heart rate) can include brisk walking, jogging, cycling, rowing, swimming and dancing.
Research has also consistently found that spreading one-minute bursts of vigorous-intensity activities throughout the course of the day is as effective as one continuous, 30-minute workout of moderate intensity or one 20-minute intense workout.
This means that performing multiple “exercise snacks” can provide similar benefits to a longer workout – including improvements in blood pressure, cardiorespiratory health, blood fat, insulin and blood sugar levels. These findings suggest that short workouts can be a practical and efficient way to maintain overall health.
Some examples of easy exercise snacks you can incorporate into your day include using the stairs instead of the lift, walking one or two bus stops away from where you usually get on and taking short, brisk walking breaks every hour or two while at the work.
Making it count
While short workouts have many advantages, there are some caveats to consider.
It’s essential that these brief sessions are of at least moderate-to-vigorous intensity to maximise their benefits. This means that even after a short burst of activity, your heart will be beating more quickly, you’ll be breathing heavier and you’ll feel hot and sweaty.
For exercise novices, lower intensity workouts can still be beneficial in the short term. But as you become more fit, simply performing light activities without challenging yourself further may not provide the same health improvements as more intense or longer exercise sessions.
Moreover, while short workouts can be effective, they should be complemented by other forms of physical activity to meet the recommended activity guidelines. Adults should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise per week. They should also perform muscle-strengthening activities at least two days per week. Short workouts can contribute to these totals, but it’s crucial to ensure a balanced exercise routine.
Another consideration is the potential plateau effect that can happen with any physical activity programme. Research indicates that improvements in aerobic capacity may level off after a few weeks of exercise. Our body becomes used to our exercise routines. As such, we need to change things up in order to promote further progress. This means varying your exercise routine and incorporating longer or more intense sessions periodically.
Where long workouts win
While short workouts offer many benefits, there are certain types of fitness that require longer sessions.
Endurance training, for example, often necessitates extended periods of exercise to improve high-intensity aerobic performance and cardiovascular health benefits. This is why activities such as long-distance running, cycling and swimming are typically performed over a longer duration. However, short, high-intensity exercise training can still be used alongside your usual, longer workouts to boost endurance benefits in a time-efficient way.
Strength training also benefits from longer workouts. While short, intense sessions can improve muscle strength and power, longer workouts allow for more comprehensive training targeting different muscle groups and incorporating various exercises. This can lead to greater overall muscle development and strength gains.
Additionally, flexibility and balance exercises, such as yoga and Pilates, can be added throughout the week to boost the results of your workouts. These activities focus on controlled movements and stretching, and can further improve these fitness components even in short sessions.
Even still, short workouts can be a valuable addition to your fitness regimen – offering significant health benefits and flexibility for busy schedules. But it’s important to ensure these short workouts are at least moderately intense, and combined with other types of exercise throughout your week to achieve optimal results.
Andrew Scott does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Hazel Hall, Emeritus Professor in the School of Computing, Engineering, and Built Environment, Edinburgh Napier University
From street parties to flypasts, the myriad events of VE Day – which this year commemorates the 80th anniversary of victory in Europe – take place against the backdrop of grand wartime narratives. These include accounts of military strategy, major battles and political decisions made by global leaders. Central to the day are the few remaining second world war veterans and the memory of those who lost their lives in the conflict between 1939 and 1945.
While military and political history may dominate the retelling of VE Day, the research of my colleagues at Napier and myself has focused on a wartime commentary written by a young woman called Lorna Lloyd from Malvern, Worcestershire, between 1939 and 1941.
Thursday December 12 1940
It was a very bad night last night with guns firing endlessly and heavy bombs dropping in the (not so) distance. Cheltenham seems to have got it, and Birmingham. We hardly slept at all, for though the All Clear went at 1.40am, a new alert sounded at 4.00am, and the All Clear did not go until 20 to eight.
Through our study we found that bringing the voices of ordinary people from the second world war directly into the present can forge strong emotional connections to the past, giving people a real appreciation of what it was like to live through the war in Britain. This material also prompts consideration of parallels between past and current hostilities.
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Fearing a German invasion in May 1940, 26-year-old Lloyd wrote in her diary: “I shall bury this diary so deep that one day, in a saner world, someone may find it and know that the last legions of civilisation meant not dominion but good.”
Whether or not today’s world is saner, our research with 12 interviewees familiar with two digitised versions of Lloyd’s wartime diary revealed that excerpts had a stronger emotional impact when packaged as audio in a podcast series than they did presented online as text and images.
Using news reports from the time including broadcast excerpts from the BBC, Lloyd’s words composed at her middle-class home in the Midlands highlight that war is a very human experience that affects everyone.
Her commentary offers insight into the devastating reach of the conflict on those far from the frontlines, with reflections that demonstrate the psychological toll of war and its impact on everyday life.
December 31 1940
London vanishes gradually. Now a slice is shorn away as on Sunday night, now inchmeal buildings are levelled and gaps torn in its ancient fabric. With each, something dies that was hallowed by generations of hope and endeavour, quiet monuments of ordinary strivings vanish into piles of rubble.
They also shed light on the roots of post-war social transformation, from the formation of the National Health Service to the cautious outlook of the so-called “silent generation” who grew up amid rationing and uncertainty. In a time when peace can no longer be taken for granted, these personal perspectives reinforce the importance of diplomacy, and the need to avoid conflict in the future.
June 3 1940
There are times when I feel endlessly old, and worn out, and others when I feel hopelessly young, and completely unable to combat life, or to hope for any future. I know somehow, despite the frantic entry of May 15th, that we shall win in the end, but my spirit quails at the task of building up again what has been broken down. It took 22 years to arrive even in this country at anything like normality after the last war. When things have settled down again shall I be old?
Although we anticipated that our participants would find the experience particularly affecting since they knew Lloyd was played in the podcast episodes by her 25-year-old great-great niece, an unexpected finding was that the emotional reaction was greater when the audience members recognised parallels between Lloyd’s reports of the early months of the war and the current war in Ukraine.
They were struck by the echoes of Lloyd’s commentary on 1940s wartime Europe in present-day Ukraine. One interviewee said: “It’s so much harder [to listen]… because we are in a similar situation … If you changed the words slightly, it could [be] contemporary … If we made Germany Russia, and made Finland Ukraine … We are dealing with [accommodating displaced people] today.”
This finding shows that examining history in this accessible way can lead to identifying parallels with the present. An advantage that we have today – and which was denied to Lorna Lloyd and her contemporaries – is that we have an example from history to warn us about the dangers of the current political climate in Europe.
The political and economic pressures at the time in Weimar Germany paved the way for the rise of the Nazi party. And now, with the rise of the right wing in Europe and across the world once more, it is more important than ever to learn from the past.
As so few living memories of the second world war remain today, VE Day gives us a chance to consider how we keep such “hidden” histories alive. Our research shows that digital storytelling such as podcasts give fresh resonance to archive material in an uncertain world. And it makes clear the enduring value of encouraging interaction with historical records to make sense of today’s wider social and political turbulence.
The research cited here was funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council through the Creative Informatics programme. Hazel Hall acknowledges the contributions of her colleagues Bruce Ryan, Marianne Wilson, and Iain McGregor to this article.
Despite the significant progress achieved under the RePowerEu and via sanctions since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, in 2024 the EU saw a rebound in Russian gas imports.
The European Commission is working with all Member States to gradually cut energy ties with Russia. This includes Russian gas, oil, and nuclear energy but also putting forward new actions to address Russia’s shadow fleet transporting oil.
BRUSSELS, 7 May 2025 –Almost a third of today’s five-year-olds – about 38 million children – will be spared a lifetime’s “unprecedented” exposure to extreme heat if the world meets the 1.5°C warming target by 2100, Save the Children said.
Ahead of the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement,research released by Save the Children and Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) found that undercurrent climate commitments– which will likely see a global temperature rise of 2.7°C above pre-industrial levels – about 100 million of the estimated 120 million children born in 2020, or 83%, will face “unprecedented” lifetime exposure to extreme heat.
However, if the world limits warming to the 1.5°C Paris Agreement target, this would reduce the number of five-year-olds impacted to 62 million – a difference of 38 million – highlighting the urgency to protect children through rapidly phasing out the use and subsidy of fossil fuels. Dangerous heat is deadly for children, taking an immense toll on their physical and mental health, disrupting access to food and clean water andforcing schools to close.
Researchers defined an “unprecedented” life as an exposure to climate extremes that someone would have less than a 1 in 10,000 chance of experiencing during their life in a world without human-induced climate change. The research, published in the reportBorn into the Climate Crisis 2. An Unprecedented Life: Protecting Children’s Rights in a Changing Climatealso found that meeting the 1.5°C target would protect millions of children born in 2020 from the severest impacts of other climate related disasters such as crop failures, floods, tropical cyclones, droughts and wildfires.
The report found that, for children born in 2020, if global temperature rise is limited to 1.5°C rather than reaching 2.7°C above pre-industrial levels:
About 38 million would be spared from facing unprecedented lifetime exposure to heatwaves;
About 8 million would avoid unprecedented lifetime exposure to crop failures;
About 5 million would be spared from unprecedented lifetime exposure to river floods;
About 5 million would avoid unprecedented lifetime exposure to tropical cyclones;
About 2 million would avoid unprecedented lifetime exposure to droughts;
About 1.5 million children would be spared unprecedented lifetime exposure to wildfires.
Climate extremes – which are becoming more frequent and severe due to climate change – areincreasingly harming children,forcing them from their homes, putting food out of reach, damaging schools and increasing risks like child marriage as they are forced out of education and into poverty and food shortages.
Denise-, 16, and her family were forced from their home in Brazil when the country’s worst floods in 80 years devastated their community last year. Their home, including Denise’s bedroom, was severely damaged, and she was out of school for nearly two months.
She said: “It really affected me mentally, and academically too. Catching up on all my grades to pass secondary school was really tough, especially at a state school. It massively impacted my schoolwork. My grades dropped significantly after the floods.”
Children impacted by inequality and discrimination and those in lower-and middle-income countries, are oftenworst affected. Meanwhile they have fewer resources to cope with climate shocks and are already at far greater risk from vector and waterborne diseases, hunger, and malnutrition, and their homes are often more vulnerable to increased risks from floods, cyclones and other extreme weather events.
Haruka, 16,whose poem is featured in the report, is from Vanuatu, which recently experienced three of the most severe types of cyclone in just a year.
She said:“Cyclones are scary. For me, they continue to destroy my home, every year – we don’t even bother trying to fix the ceiling anymore. “The past few years, I’ve seen ceaseless destruction and constant rebuilding. This seemingly never-ending cycle has become our reality, and most people aren’t even aware that it’s not just nature doing its thing, but it’s us bearing the brunt of a crisis that we did not cause.”
As well as comparing conditions under 1.5°C and 2.7°C scenarios, the report also examines a scenario in which global temperatures rise to 3.5°C by 2100, which will lead to about 92% of children born in 2020 – about 111 million children [5] – living with unprecedented heatwave exposure over their lifetime. While we need a rapid phase-out of the use and subsidy of fossil fuels to stick to the 1.5°C target, we must not lose sight of solutions, Save the Children said.
The report highlights initiatives like increased climate finance, child-centred and locally led adaptation and increasing the participation of children in shaping climate action.
Inger Ashing, CEO of Save the Children International, said: “Across the world, children are forced to bear the brunt of a crisis they are not responsible for. Dangerous heat that puts their health and learning at risk; cyclones that batter their homes and schools; creeping droughts that shrivel up crops and shrink what’s on their plates. “Amid this daily drumbeat of disasters, children plead with us not to switch off. This new research shows there is still hope, but only if we act urgently and ambitiously to rapidly limit warming temperatures to 1.5°C , and truly put children front and centre of our response to climate change at every level.”
As the world’s leading independent child rights organisation, Save the Children works in about 110 countries, tackling climate across everything we do.
Save the Children supports children and their communities globally in preventing, preparing for, adapting to, and recovering from climate disasters and gradual climate change. We have set up floating schools, rebuilt destroyed homes and provided cash grants to families hit by disasters. We also work to influence governments and other key stakeholders on climate policies, including at the UNFCCC COP summits, giving children a platform for their voices to be heard.
LOS ANGELES – Felony charges were filed April 24, against three people involved in a suspected identity theft mill, where stolen identities were used in an organized retail crime scheme. This investigation began with a referral from a Signet Jeweler’s Corporate Fraud Investigator and led by the California Department of Justice with collaboration from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Santa Maria Police Department, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, California Highway Patrol and Westminster Police department.
“These arrests are the result of excellent collaboration between HSI, private industry, state and local law enforcement partners,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Orange County Assistant Special Agent in Charge Christopher Bracken. “HSI will work tirelessly with our partners in California to ensure that those who commit fraud will be held accountable.”
The scheme involved suspects applying for store credit cards using stolen identities, then using those credit lines to purchase merchandise with no intention to pay them back. The scheme was carried out in Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside, Alameda, San Mateo, and Santa Clara Counties.
As a result of the investigation, a 34-count felony complaint was filed against three defendants by DOJ. The charges include organized retail theft, grand theft, and identity theft of 13 victims.
“I am committed to using the full force of the California Department of Justice to fight organized retail crime both in the field and in the courtroom,” said Attorney General for California Rob Bonta. “This was not a one-off shoplifting offense, it was a malicious, coordinated scheme. These crimes hurt our businesses and pose a serious threat to our communities. I am thankful to Signet Jewelers as well as our local and state law enforcement partners for their collaboration in the battle against organized retail crime. We will not give up until we put a stop to this criminal activity all together.”
From March 2023 to July 2023, the defendants fraudulently obtained over $100,000 worth of merchandise from high end retail stores and Harbor Freight retailers.
“The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is deeply committed to tackling organized retail crime through strategic multiagency collaboration, intelligence sharing, and targeted enforcement,” said Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Detective Division Chief Joe Mendoza. “By working closely with our local, state, and federal partners, we continue to strengthen our efforts, disrupt criminal networks, protect both businesses and our communities, while holding individuals accountable.”
An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
A copy of the criminal complaint in this case is available here. Photos related to this investigation can be found here, here and here.
Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)
Released During National Small Business Week, New Report Finds That Small Businesses Are Facing Price Hikes And Layoffs As A Result of Trump’s Tariffs
WASHINGTON, DC – During National Small Business Week, Senator Rosen released the following statement following the release of a new report highlighting the ways in which President Trump’s across-the-board tariffs and tariff uncertainty are harming small businesses across the country. In April, Senator Rosen highlighted the story of a Reno-based small business being hurt by Trump’s tariffs and demanded that the Trump Administration reverse course on its reckless trade policy.
“Small businesses are the backbone of Nevada’s economy, and Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs are forcing entrepreneurs in our state and across the nation to make difficult decisions,” said Senator Rosen. “This report makes it clear that President Trump’s trade policies are hurting our small businesses by raising costs and pushing them to lay workers off. I’m going to continue pushing to repeal these misguided tariffs.”
Read the full report from the Joint Economic Committee here.
Key points from the report:
New Committee analysis of data released on May 2 shows that employment at small businesses with fewer than 10 employees declined by 3 percent – 366,400 jobs – since President Trump took office.
Price hikes: Recent survey data found that 30 percent of small business owners indicated in March that they plan to increase prices – the highest amount reported over the last year.
The net percentage of small business owners expecting better business conditions declined for the third consecutive month in March – from 37 percent to 21 percent. This represents the largest monthly decline since December 2020.
Small businesses in the manufacturing, construction, trucking, and restaurant industries are being hit especially hard by tariffs and tariff uncertainty.
Five of the 12 Federal Reserve Districts recently reported weakening manufacturing activity – in large part due to trade pressures.
As the world marks the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe, the wartime diaries of a University of Aberdeen student have revealed insights into how everyday life continued – as well as the rather unusual duties undertaken by undergraduates during the Blitz.
Mary Newlands, who graduated in 1942 with a degree in English, history, geology and geography, faithfully completed the green covered student’s diary issued to each University entrant for the 1939-40 academic year – a habit she continued throughout her studies.
She kept these her whole life and they were passed on to her granddaughter Ruth Mellis, who works as a Project Manager at the University, when she died in 2017.
Mary, who was born on a farm in Speymouth, gained a place at University after demonstrating her academic abilities at Milne’s Institute in Fochabers where she was a clever and studious pupil, and was dux of the school several times gaining prizes in English, history, mathematics, Latin, French and German.
She applied her meticulous nature to her student diary making small, neat notes alongside the timetabling information, useful telephone numbers and details for the student’s representative council.
Mary recorded her social engagements, essay deadlines and debating society commitments together with glimpses of how life continued as normal in the early months of the war, including that on February 23, 1940, there was to be a campfire.
The only indications of the significant societal changes contained in her small notes are at the end where she writes that ‘countries have to make tremendous sacrifices’ and lists addresses for a NAAFI and RAF bases.
But by the 1940-41 session, as well as the colour of the diary switching to blue, the impact of war becomes more visible in her jottings.
Mary’s academic year gets underway in 1940 with Dance at Udny Green, a Halloween party and Harvest Thanksgiving and in December ‘a big family party at Aunt Mary’s’.
But by January 1941 she notes on a visit home ‘military clearing the roads’ and then the following day (Sunday Jan 26) ‘military back again, almost landed in a troop train’.
Her notes on visits to the flicks and social events become interspersed with increased mentions of the war.
On Thursday January 30 her classes are disrupted by an air raid warning in the morning and by February she has noted friends and classmates dispatched to various places.
By the middle of February the frequency of reports on air raids and spending nights in the shelter increase together with references to putting on gas masks and she notes trying to finish essays following air raids. On Monday March 7, 1941, her Geography exam is interrupted by sirens and the need to evacuate.
Against this backdrop, Mary takes on a role in addition to her studies volunteering as a fire warden for the city and on Sunday May 4 she describes for the first time her rather unique vantage point – on the roof of Marischal College.
Throughout this period she describes juggling work and University with fire watching and by Wednesday 18 June says she is ‘falling asleep periodically’.
The records for air strikes on Aberdeen show why the fire watching duties taken on by many University students were so vital.
Aberdeen suffered the greatest number of air raids in Scotland during the Second World War, with some of the most significant hits close to the University.
Loch Street, close to Marischal College where Mary stood guard on the roof, was struck in February 1941, destroying McBride’s Bar and 89 Loch Street.
Then on July 3 high Explosive Bombs were dropped on Marischal Street, Regent Quay, Pontoon Dock No.2 off Albert Quay, Clyde Street & the Lime Company Buildings on Blaikie’s Quay.
Activity was also clustered close to King’s College with several attacks on the area around Clifton and Hilton Road.
In 1942 this moves closer again with an air attack that began on Saturday April 25 damaging buildings at the junction of Summerfield Terrace & King Street.
Mary graduated in the midst of bombing campaigns focused on the city and when Aberdeenfaced its darkest day on April 21, 1943, had begun her teaching training.
In the space of just 44 minutes, 127 bombs fell, damaging or destroying more than 12,000 homes and killing 98 civilians and 27 soldiers.
The ‘Aberdeen Blitz’ had a significant impact on the streets surrounding King’s College including Regent Walk and King Street where nine high-explosive bombs fell. At 519 King Street the corner of the block was demolished by bombing. On Bedford Road a row of houses was destroyed killing an entire family.
But as Mary’s diaries show, life and studies had to continue. In 1943 she successfully completed her teacher training and she returned to Moray to begin her teaching career at Clackmarras public school, teaching across the region at both primary and secondary level over the next four decades.
She never forgot her time on the roof of Marischal College as granddaughter Ruth explains.
“Gran was very proud of being a graduate of Aberdeen University and shared the story of her fire marshal duties with many. She made lifelong friends during her studies and spoke of her adventures on the roof of Marischal College and the many ladders involved! She was very matter of fact about this time and that everyone had to do their bit during the war.
“I had no idea she’d kept such detailed diaries of her time at University and they’re fascinating to read and get a glimpse of what it would have been like. She was such a strong lady who was full of fun and she just got on with things which is very much shown in her diaries, she would love that her memories are being shared.”
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Tuck Seng Wong, Professor of Biomanufacturing, School of Chemical, Materials and Biological Engineering, University of Sheffield
Village health Volunteers in Thailand survey mosquito breeding sites as part of dengue prevention campaignDeere Kumphaitoon/Shutterstock
Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a persistent public health threat, and tackling them is not just a moral obligation, but a smart investment.
NTDs are a group of infectious diseases that mainly affect poor people in tropical and subtropical regions. These diseases are called “neglected” because they have received less attention and fewer resources than other major health issues, despite affecting over a billion people worldwide.
NTDs disproportionately affect the poorest communities in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where they lock people in cycles of poverty by hindering physical and cognitive development, reducing school attendance and limiting economic productivity.
Wealthier nations experience far lower rates of these diseases. Yet it’s in LMICs that cost-effective interventions like improved water, sanitation, hygiene and vector control – methods used to limit or eliminate insects that spread diseases to humans – can deliver the greatest return. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), every dollar invested in controlling and eliminating NTDs can yield up to US$25 (£19) in economic and health benefits, through lower healthcare costs, increased productivity and improved education outcomes.
While vaccines are one of the most powerful tools for disease prevention, there are still no vaccines for most NTD. Progress has been slow, largely due to fragmented funding and limited investment in research. This gap continues to leave millions vulnerable.
To address this, we helped establish the UK–South East Asia Vaccine Manufacturing Research Hub (UK-SEA Vax Hub) in 2023 to reduce the burden of infectious diseases in LMICs, with a special focus on south-east Asia. Its mission is to strengthen regional capacity in vaccine research, development and manufacturing. Dengue and rabies – both persistent NTDs – are among its priorities.
The urgency of this work is underscored by the growing threat of dengue. Between 2015 and 2019, dengue cases rose by 46% in south-east Asia. Countries like Indonesia, Myanmar and Thailand are among the most affected globally. This region accounts for more than half of the world’s dengue cases.
What’s urgently needed are more effective, affordable and widely accessible vaccines. But vaccines alone won’t solve the problem. Combatting dengue and other NTDs requires an integrated strategy, particularly in poor countries with limited health infrastructure.
That includes actions like removing standing water where mosquitoes breed, using insecticides, or installing window screens and bed nets. These steps are essential to reducing infection rates and protecting communities. These interventions, driven by local action, are just as essential as biomedical advances. Together, they build a more sustainable and resilient defence against mosquito-borne diseases.
For decades, public health initiatives in low-income countries were largely funded by wealthy countries – through development aid, international donors and philanthropic foundations. But with shifting global priorities and tightening budgets, it’s increasingly clear that this model is no longer sustainable.
Long-term health security must be led from within. That means a shift in mindset. Low-income countries must see themselves not just as aid recipients, but as innovators, implementers and investors in their own health futures.
This transition is already underway. The UK-SEA Vax Hub has evolved beyond its original research remit. By embedding its work within the broader regional health agenda, the hub is promoting government ownership and regional collaboration: critical steps in building stronger, more self-reliant health systems.
While progress is promising, major challenges remain. One of the most pressing is the need to develop a new generation of public health leaders across south-east Asia – people who can lead research and development, champion vaccine production and help shape policy based on local needs. These leaders will be essential for ensuring that south-east Asia becomes not just a regional health player, but a global one.
Another key challenge is regulatory. In a diverse region like south-east Asia, varying national policies can slow innovation and emergency responses. Streamlining and harmonising these systems is essential for responding quickly and effectively during future outbreaks or pandemics.
South-east Asia has the potential to become a global hub for vaccine manufacturing. The region benefits from growing scientific and industrial capacity, relative political stability and a shared interest in tackling shared health threats. It also has a strong case to lead the fight against NTDs, which continue to disproportionately affect its populations.
South-east Asia stands at a critical juncture. With strategic investment, regional leadership and cross-border collaboration, the region can protect its people, drive innovation and shape the future of global health.
The fight against NTDs is more than a public health challenge – it’s a chance for south-east Asia to lead by example and redefine its role on the world stage.
Tuck Seng Wong receives funding from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) for the UK-SEA Vax Hub.
Kang Lan Tee receives funding from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) for the UK-SEA Vax Hub.
Consider someone addicted to alcohol, drugs, or a behaviour like gambling. Why do they continue, even when they say they want to stop? It’s a question that highlights a fundamental disconnect: the gap between intention and action.
This apparent contradiction aligns with clinical definitions of addiction and with brain disease models, which suggest that repeated substance use changes brain function, making drug use compulsive and automatic, bypassing conscious decision-making. These brain adaptations help explain why addiction is so hard to overcome.
But there’s another important piece to the puzzle. People often use substances for reasons that make sense to them – to feel good, to relieve stress, or to connect socially. These motivations don’t disappear just because a substance becomes harmful.
Yet, over the past few decades, this insight has been sidelined in addiction science. Some critics have jumped on this gap to argue, reductively, that addiction is simply about people choosing pleasure: nothing more than “people take drugs because they enjoy it.”
Both the brain disease model and the “just say no” view contain partial truths. But both, on their own, are fundamentally flawed.
The brain disease model gained popularity in part because it seemed to offer two things: a foundation for developing new medical treatments and a way to reduce stigma. But it’s largely failed on both fronts. Despite billions invested in neuroscience, few new medications have emerged.
Meanwhile, the most effective treatments remain psychosocial: talking therapies and harm-reduction strategies that have been around for decades. Worse, describing addiction as a chronic brain disease may increase stigma and pessimism, making recovery seem unlikely or out of reach.
Additionally, research shows that addiction is not entirely beyond voluntary control. People with addiction can and do reduce or stop their drug use in response to its consequences. This can be related to meaningful life changes — such as getting married, having children, or starting a new job — which may increase the costs or reduce the perceived benefits of continued use.
These findings challenge the view that addiction is purely compulsive, highlighting that people retain a degree of agency, even under difficult circumstances.
At the same time, these observations don’t justify the cynical view that addiction is just hedonism or bad choices. A more accurate, and more helpful, framework considers how people make decisions and how their environment shapes the value of different choice options.
Neuroeconomics
This is where insights from neuroeconomics – the study of how the brain makes value-based decisions – become useful. For example, one study found that when people are hungry, they pay more attention to how food tastes and less to how healthy it is, making unhealthy choices more likely.
Similarly, alcohol users who were craving alcohol and in a negative mood were shown to value alcohol more than food, shifting their choices accordingly. Other research has found that the set of available alternatives strongly influences how appealing (or not) a choice options becomes. As applied to addiction, when healthier or more rewarding options are limited, the relative value of drugs increases.
This suggests that addiction is less about losing the ability to choose and more about how context shapes choice. When someone is in treatment, they may genuinely want to stop using because the environment emphasises recovery, support and future goals. But once they return to a setting where drugs are easy to access and attractive alternatives are few, the relative value of drug use increases – and relapse becomes more likely.
This perspective also helps reconcile the role of brain changes in addiction. Neuroadaptations still matter: they can heighten cravings or make rewards harder to experience – but they don’t eliminate the ability to choose. Instead, these brain changes interact with a person’s environment to make certain choices more likely than others.
Crucially, this view also highlights why poverty is such a powerful driver of addiction. In deprived settings, alcohol, drugs and gambling outlets are often more accessible, while opportunities for meaningful alternatives – employment, education, stable housing – are scarce. These are deep-rooted structural issues, and they’re not easily fixed. But they matter.
On a more hopeful note, this model points to new pathways out of addiction. Rather than blaming individuals or pathologising them as brain-damaged, we can focus on reshaping environments to make non-drug alternatives more visible, available and valuable. This approach carries less stigma and more optimism: it views people not as broken, but as people who can make decisions and respond rationally to difficult situations.
Yes, the psychology of decision-making makes addiction tough to overcome. But by understanding how people weigh their options, and by improving the appeal and accessibility of alternatives to substance use, we can support real, lasting change.
Matt Field receives research funding from the Medical Research Council, National Institute for Health Research, Alcohol Change UK, and the Academic Forum for the Study of Gambling. He is a trustee of the Society for the Study of Addiction.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Benjamin Roberts, Associate Professor in Later European Prehistory, Durham University
Bronze age tin ingot from Salcombe, England.Benjamin Roberts / Alan Williams
Tin was the critical mineral of the ancient world. It was essential to alloy with copper to make bronze, which for many centuries was the preferred metal for tools and weapons. Yet sources of tin are very scarce – and were especially so for the rapidly growing bronze age towns, cities and states around the eastern Mediterranean.
Though major tin deposits are found in western and central Europe and in central Asia, by far the richest and most accessible tin ores are in Cornwall and Devon in southwest Britain. Yet it has been difficult to prove that these British deposits were used as a source for people in the eastern Mediterranean. So for more than two centuries, archaeologists have debated about where bronze age societies obtained their tin.
In a new study published in the journal Antiquity, our team analysed the chemistry and different forms of particular elements in tin ores and artefacts from across Britain and Europe. These included tin ingots found at prehistoric shipwreck sites at Salcombe and Erme, southwest Britain, as well as in the Mediterranean.
This revealed that tin ingots from three ancient shipwrecks discovered off the coast of Israel and one shipwreck found off the Mediterranean coast of France originated in southwest Britain. The shipwrecks found near Israel date to around 1300BC, while the wreck from France has been dated to around 600BC.
Small farming communities across Cornwall and Devon would have dug, washed, crushed and smelted the abundant tin ore from the alluvial deposits in the region. The heavy sand to gravel-sized tin ore is in a layer buried under soft layers of barren silt, sand and gravel.
The tin ore is eroded from hard rock mineral veins and deposited by streams and rivers. There was simply no need for any complex and difficult mining of hard rock here. The tin would then have been taken to coastal locations where it could be traded.
It’s probable that the tin was then moved by traders through France to the Mediterranean coast, where it was loaded onto ships. It would make its way through flourishing trade networks between the islands of Sardinia and Cyprus before reaching markets in the east Mediterranean. The tin’s value would have increased immensely as it progressed along this 2,485 mile (4,000km) journey.
Tin is the first commodity to have been exported across the entire European continent. It was produced and traded at a potentially vast scale, but is rarely found in archaeological sites due to corrosion. But what we do known is that by 1,300BC, virtually all of Europe and the Mediterranean had widespread and consistent access to bronze.
We know of more than 100 bronze age copper mines from Ireland to Israel and from Spain to the southern Urals in Russia. Yet these would have been just a small proportion of the copper mines active at the time.
Given that bronze was typically made from 90% copper and 10% tin, if the copper produced by each of these known mines had to be matched by 10% tin, then tens or even hundreds of tonnes of tin were being traded each year – perhaps across distances of thousands of miles.
St Michael’s Mount may be the site of the ancient island Ictis. Alan Williams
The volume, consistency and frequency of the estimated scale in the tin trade is far larger than has been previously imagined and requires an entirely new perspective on what bronze age miners and merchants were able to achieve. It is no coincidence that it is around 1,300BC that technologies from the east, such as sophisticated systems for weighing items, as well as bronze swords, reached small farming communities living on the Atlantic coasts.
A millennium later, around 320BC, Pytheas the Greek, from Massalia (modern Marseilles), journeyed by land and sea to Britain, which was at the edge of the known world at the time. Pytheas wrote the earliest account describing the island and its inhabitants in a book which is now lost, but which has partially survived in snippets quoted by later classical authors.
Pytheas described how tin in southwest Britain was extracted and traded off a tidal island he called Ictis, before being taken across the sea and down the rivers of France to the mouth of the Rhone in only 30 days. In our research, we provide the first direct evidence for the tin trade Pytheas described. We show that tin from the Rochelongue shipwreck, off the south coast of France and dating to around 600BC, came from southwest Britain.
While we can establish the movement of tin across the seas, we know very little about the markets on land in which it was traded. We are now working with a team of archaeologists from Cornwall to excavate on the tidal island of St Michael’s Mount, which has long thought to have been the island of Ictis described by Pytheas.
A pan-continental tin trade continued in all periods after the bronze age and, in the absence of written records, our approach, using different methods of analysis, allows us to determine whether the tin came from Britain.
Historical records show that during the medieval period, tin from Cornwall and Devon enjoyed a virtual European monopoly, with production continuing until the last tin mine closed in 1998.
Today, tin is once again a critical and strategic mineral, this time for use in the electronics industry. As such it forms a vital part of the tools and weapons of the 21st century. Cornwall’s tin production is also set to soon restart, reviving a 4,000 year old industry.
Benjamin Roberts was PI on Project Ancient Tin which was funded by the Leverhulme Trust (Grant RPG-2019-333).
Alan Williams was the post doc on Project Ancient Tin which was funded by the Leverhulme Trust (Grant RPG-2019-333).
An experimental new treatment is showing early promise in the fight against liver fibrosis – a serious and often silent condition that affects around 2 million people in the UK.
Liver fibrosis happens when the liver becomes damaged – often due to long-term issues like alcohol use, obesity or chronic infections – and starts to develop scar tissue. Over time, that scarring can get worse and lead to serious complications such as liver failure or cancer.
The problem is that most people don’t know they have it until the damage is advanced. And there are no approved drugs to stop or reverse the scarring process.
In a recent study, my colleagues and I found that blocking an enzyme called HDAC6 with new drugs could help reduce liver scarring in people with liver fibrosis.
This discovery could form the basis of future treatments and offer hope for those living with chronic liver conditions.
Fibrosis occurs when the liver responds to injury by producing too much of the material that normally helps repair tissue, known as the “extracellular matrix”. Over time, this repair process can become unbalanced, leading to a buildup of scar tissue.
A key part of this process involves hepatic stellate cells. When the liver is injured, these normally inactive cells become activated and turn into scar-producing cells that drive fibrosis.
HDAC6 helps control how cells respond to stress and inflammation and how they move and organise themselves. Our recent research suggests it also plays an important role in turning on the liver cells that cause scarring after injury. That’s why we’re exploring HDAC6 as a potential target for new treatments that could help prevent or even reverse liver fibrosis.
In our lab, we developed two new drugs specifically designed to block HDAC6 activity.
Liver fibrosis explained.
Liver slices
To see if these compounds could be useful as treatments, we tested them on precision-cut slices of human liver tissue at Newcastle University. This model keeps the liver’s natural 3D structure and mix of cells, making it a valuable way to study how diseases develop and how drugs might work.
Our results were striking. Treating the liver slices with HDAC6 inhibitors greatly reduced signs of fibrosis, showing that these compounds can stop – and possibly even reverse – the scarring process at the cellular level.
The inhibitors showed very little toxicity, suggesting they could be safe for further development.
This research is a step forward in finding a treatment for liver fibrosis. Unlike previous treatments that targeted broad mechanisms or caused side-effects, our HDAC6 inhibitors provide a more targeted approach. By focusing on a key cause of fibrosis, we may be able to stop the disease before it reaches irreversible stages.
The implications are enormous. Liver disease is responsible for around 4% of premature deaths globally, and the burden is rising in line with alcohol misuse, obesity, and the use of multiple medications (known as “polypharmacy”). A targeted therapy that interrupts fibrosis at its root could change the lives of tens of thousands of patients annually – not only in the UK but around the world.
While these early findings are encouraging, more work is needed before HDAC6 inhibitors can be tested in humans.
Our next steps include refining the experimental drugs, testing their effects in lab animals, and looking at how they might work alongside existing treatments.
As researchers and healthcare professionals seek new ways to tackle chronic diseases, targeted approaches like this one could redefine how we treat conditions once considered untreatable. For patients with liver fibrosis, this new knowledge could mean a longer, healthier life for millions of people with liver fibrosis.
Maria Teresa Borrello does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Natasha Lindstaedt, Professor in the Department of Government, University of Essex
India has launched military strikes against a number of sites in Pakistan and Pakistan’s side of the disputed region of Kashmir, reportedly killing 26 people and injuring dozens more. India claimed the attacks were on terrorist infrastructure, but Pakistan denied this, and said these were civilians.
India says another ten people on the Indian side of the Kashmir region have been killed by shelling from Pakistan in the same period.
The exchange comes two weeks after a terrorist attack in Kashmir killed 26 people. The group Resistance Front (TRF), which India argues is a proxy for the Pakistani-based terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba, claimed responsibility for the attack.
India claimed that Pakistan had indirectly supported the terrorist attack, but Pakistan vehemently denies this.
The escalating conflict between two of the world’s major military powers has the potential to destablise Asia and beyond. Already, many countries around the world, including the UK, France and Russia, have made public their concerns about what happens next.
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How do India and Pakistan’s militaries compare?
India is ranked as one of the world’s top five military nations by Military Watch magazine and Pakistan is ranked ninth. Both countries have nuclear weapons.
Overall, India is considered to have the military edge with a bigger and more modern military force, while Pakistan has a smaller and more agile force that has been primarily focused on defensive and covert activities.
While neither country has used nuclear weapons in a conflict, there are always concerns that this norm may be broken. Both countries are nuclear powers with India holding 180 nuclear warheads, and Pakistan possessing about 170.
Though India has a “no first use” policy, which it claims means the country would never use nuclear weapons first, there have been signs it is reconsidering this policy since 2019.
Pakistan has never declared a no first use policy and argues that tactical nuclear weapons are important to countering India’s larger conventional forces.
Details of Indian air strikes.
The concern is that even if a small nuclear exchange were to take place between the two countries, it could kill up to 20 million people in a matter of days.
Why are the countries fighting over Kashmir?
Kashmir has been a source of tension and conflict even before India and Pakistan gained independence from the British empire in 1947. Originally the Muslim-majority Kashmir was free to accede to either India or Pakistan.
While the local ruler (maharaja), Hari Singh, originally wanted Kashmir to be independent, he eventually sided with India, leading to a conflict in 1947. This resulted in a UN-mediated ceasefire in 1949 and agreement that Kashmir would be controlled partly by Pakistan and partly by India, splitl along what’s known as the Line of Surveillance (or Line of Control).
As Kashmir is rich in minerals such as borax, sapphire, graphite, marble, gypsum and lithium, the region is strategically important. It is also culturally and historically important to both Pakistan and India.
Due to the region’s significance and disagreement over sovereignty, multiple conflicts have taken place over Kashmir, with wars erupting in 1965 and 1999. Tensions were renewed in 2016, after 19 Indian soldiers were killed in Uri, on the Indian side of Kashmir. India responded by launching “surgical strikes” across the Line of Control, targeting alleged militant bases.
Then in 2019, a bombing in Pulwama (again part of the Indian-administered Kashmir) that killed more than 40 Indian paramilitary personnel led to Indian airstrikes in Balakot which borders Kashmir. This was the first action inside Pakistan since the Indian-Pakistani conflict in 1971 and again led to retaliatory raids from Pakistan and a brief aerial conflict.
These past conflicts never intensified further in part because India applied a massive diplomatic pressure campaign on the US, the UK and Pakistan, warning against escalation, while Pakistan showed a willingness to back down. Both sides as nuclear powers (India gained nuclear weapons in 1974 and Pakistan in 1998) had an understanding that escalating to full-scale war would be incredibly risky.
What will happen next?
The question is whether or not cooler heads will prevail this time. The strikes by India, part of Operation Sinhoor, were met with mass approval across many political lines in India, with both the ruling Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) and the opposition Congress party voicing their support for the operation.
This helps Modi gain more backing, at a time when his popularity has been falling. Modi and the BJP suffered a shocking result in the 2024 election, losing 63 seats out of 543 seats and falling short of a majority in the Lok Sabha (lower house of parliament).
Under Modi, India has been rapidly becoming more autocratic, another source of concern as such countries are more likely to take risks when it comes to conflict. As power becomes increasingly personalised and dissent is repressed, would-be autocrats may be more likely to take on bold moves to garner more public and elite support.
Pakistan may also have reason to respond with more force to India’s recent attack than in the past. Pakistan’s powerful military has often stoked fears of a conflict with India to justify its enormous military budget. Regardless of the outcome, it needs a success to sell to its domestic audience.
Pakistan has been de facto led by its military for decades, which also makes it more likely to engage in conflict. In spite of intervals of civilian rule, the military has always held a lot of power, and in contrast to India (where there is a wider role for a civilian minister of defence), the Pakistani military has more influence over nuclear and security policy.
Both military regimes and multi-party autocracies may see conflict as a way of gaining legitimacy, particularly if both regimes think their political support is unravelling.
This most recent escalation is also significant because it is the first time in the Kashmir conflict that India has struck at Punjab, considered the heart of Pakistan. Pakistan will face internal pressure to respond, settle the score and restore deterrence.
Both sides have been resolute in not losing an inch of territory. The question is how quickly diplomatic pressure can work. Neither India nor Pakistan are engaged in security dialogue, and there is no bilateral crisis management mechanisms in place.
Further complicating matters is that the US’s role as a crisis manager in south Asia has diminished. Under Donald Trump, Washington cannot be counted on. This all makes deescalating this conflict much more difficult.
Natasha Lindstaedt does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Annie Bunting, Professor of Law & Society, York University, York Research Chair in International Gender Justice & Peacebuilding, York University, Canada
In early 2025, the March 23 Movement (M23) armed group seized control of Goma and then Bukavu, two major cities in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
M23’s advance and control in eastern DRC, in defiance of ceasefire agreements, has terrorized communities and led to mass displacement. More than two million people have since been internally displaced in eastern DRC; close to one million people were displaced in 2024 alone.
Civilians are caught in a devastating humanitarian crisis involving sexual and gender-based violence. This kind of violence not only contributes to forced displacement, but displaced women are also more at risk of gender-based violence during times of ongoing fighting.
Furthermore, signs point to gendered violence worsening: in just the last two weeks of February 2025, UNHCR reported 895 reports of humanitarian workers being raped. Previous research has shown that sexual and gender-based violence continues through periods of political transition, and
worsens when state militaries are weaker than rebel forces.
The risks and drivers of displacement
To understand these risks, in December 2024 researchers with the Congolese organization Solidarité Féminine Pour La Paix et le Développement Intégral (SOFEPADI) interviewed 89 displaced women and 30 members of civil society organizations working in internally displaced person camps around Goma.
We worked with a team of researchers from SOFEPADI, co-ordinated by SOFEPADI program officer Martin Baguma and national co-ordinator Sandrine Lusamba, and with research assistance from Cora Fletcher, a master’s student at Dalhousie University, to put together our recently published report that outlines some of the key findings from the interviews.
The overwhelming majority of respondents had experienced or witnessed sexual and gender-based violence. While interviewers were careful to avoid direct questions so as not to induce trauma, dozens of women nonetheless disclosed personal experiences.
These interviews show just how vulnerable the population is, and how an already dire situation for women and girls has been made exponentially worse over the past six months.
Displaced women were extremely likely to have experienced conflict-related sexual and gender-based violence: 97 per cent of those interviewed were victims of or had witnessed violence during the conflict, with one stating that sexual violence had contributed to their displacement:
“I was living in Kitshanga and then the war started, but I didn’t leave right away. One day I went to the field and I was raped. That’s the day I left Kitshanga and I came here [to the camp].”
Over 70 per cent of interviewees identified M23 as the direct cause of their displacement. A further five per cent indicated that their displacement had been caused by Rwanda’s armed forces, either alone or in conjunction with M23.
One woman from Kitshanga, a town roughly 150 kilometres away from Goma, stated that she had been displaced following “massacres, rapes, and the war…caused by the M23.”
Perpetrators everywhere, protection nowhere
M23 troops were not the only group identified as being responsible for perpetrating sexual and gender-based violence during displacement and in the camps. The crisis has led to widespread gender violence perpetrated by armed groups and forces, including the Congolese military and military-allied militias, civilians and groups of bandits.
The breadth of perpetrators, challenges in identifying perpetrators, and the shifting status of civilians/ militia members all impact opportunities to hold individuals accountable and to meaningfully prevent sexual and gender-based violence through targeted initiatives.
Despite the significant number of international forces operating in eastern DRC, both civil society representatives and displaced women expressed little confidence in these forces’ ability to prevent sexual and gender-based violence.
Goma remains the operational centre of the United Nations MONUSCO peacekeeping mission. Yet, of the 89 displaced women interviewed, only one identified MONUSCO troops as providing security in the areas surrounding the camps. In the eyes of most of the respondents, international forces are simply absent.
Scattered survivors and thwarted justice
Since the M23 takeover, international attention has been drawn to the crisis, and there is renewed focus by the International Criminal Court on combatting impunity and securing accountability for atrocity crimes.
Organizations on the ground, however, remain under-resourced and over-stretched. Access to healthcare (including mental health support), banking, economic support, children’s education, and justice are all severely constrained – a point consistently emphasized by affected women interviewed.
Repeated displacement of vulnerable people, including survivors of sexual and gender-based violence, is likely to further frustrate attempts at holding responsible actors to account, has made it near-impossible to track where women are going, to provide necessary and ongoing support.
With the recent order from M23 for civilians to leave IDP camps, already uprooted women are displaced once again, with little access to humanitarian aid. Civilians have been dispersed, with many unable to return to their villages due to fighting.
Others have returned to find their homes have been burned or looted and there is tension between neighbours over access to land and resources. Human rights defenders are also at grave risk of violence, with mass prison breaks and legal institutions not functioning.
The need for action
The DRC government and M23 have reportedly resumed peace talks to end the fighting. The security situation in eastern DRC is shifting rapidly, and the context that these interviews took place in only three short months ago has changed. The airport in Goma remains closed, thwarting the flow of humanitarian aid. What remains consistent are high levels of forced displacement, sexual and gender-based violence and an internationalized conflict that has worsened women’s security.
With women and girls uniquely and disproportionately impacted, responses to this dire security situation must include and urgent and durable ceasefire and increased humanitarian support.
Women must be at peace talks. Immediate steps must be taken to alleviate humanitarian suffering, to protect women and girls from further violence and abuse, and to move toward a peaceful resolution that results in Congolese civilians able to return to their homes and begin the process of recovering from this devastating conflict.
Annie Bunting receives funding from the Cross-Border Conflict Evidence, Policy and Trends (XCEPT) research programme, funded by the UK Department for International Development.
Heather Tasker receives funding from the UK International Development through the Cross-Border Conflict Evidence, Policy and Trends (XCEPT) research programme.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Ami Bera (D-CA)
Today, Representative Ami Bera, M.D. (CA-06) released the following statement after signing onto Representative Brendan Boyle’s (PA-02) discharge petition to protect SNAP and Medicaid from Republican efforts to cut these vital programs:
“As a doctor, I know that access to health care and nutrition isn’t a luxury—it’s a basic need,” said Representative Bera. “SNAP and Medicaid are vital programs that millions of Americans rely on to stay healthy and feed their families. I’m proud to stand up and protect these vital programs from harmful cuts.”
The discharge petition, led by House Budget Committee Ranking Member Brendan Boyle, would trigger a House floor vote on the Hands of Medicaid and SNAP Act if it garners 218 signatures. The legislation amends the Congressional Budget Act to block any reduction in Medicaid or SNAP benefits during budget reconciliation.
Headline: NC Breaks Tourism Spending Record, Continues to Be #5 Most Visited State
NC Breaks Tourism Spending Record, Continues to Be #5 Most Visited State lsaito
Raleigh, NC
Governor Josh Stein announced today that the overall North Carolina tourism economy held strong against the headwinds of Hurricane Helene. Travelers spent more than $36.7 billion on trips to and within the state in 2024. The previous record of $35.6 billion was set in 2023.
“Today’s news underscores what we all know: North Carolina is a fantastic place to visit,” said Governor Josh Stein. “As our mountain economies worked to recover from Helene, our Piedmont and coastal destinations remained popular and contributed to the growth of North Carolina’s tourism economy. We must continue to support tourism and small businesses in western North Carolina to help them come back stronger.”
Governor Stein’s announcement coincides with National Travel and Tourism Week (May 4-10), when travel and tourism professionals across the country unite to underscore the value of travel to the economy, businesses, communities, and personal well-being. The state’s Welcome Centers will host activities throughout the week.
The state’s tourism-supported workforce increased 1.4 percent to 230,338 jobs in 2024. Tourism payroll increased 2.6 percent to $9.5 billion. As a result of visitor spending, state and local governments saw rebounds in tax revenues to nearly $2.7 billion.
The figures are preliminary findings from research commissioned by Visit North Carolina, part of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, and conducted by Tourism Economics. In measuring the economic value of the travel sector, the research incorporates a broad range of data sources to ensure that the entire visitor economy is quantified in detail. The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OmniTrak visitor profiles, the U.S. Census, STR, AirDNA and KeyData lodging reports, and the NC Department of Revenue are among the sources included in this comprehensive model. More information about the study can be found online at partners.visitnc.com/economic-impact-studies, which also links to archived reports dating back to 2005.
The statistics published today report data from a statewide perspective. Later this year, a supplemental report will provide regional and local visitor data, offering a better perspective on Helene’s impact on western North Carolina’s tourism economy.
With nearly 40 million visitors from across the United States, North Carolina ranks No. 5 behind California, Florida, Texas, and New York in domestic visitation. The past four years have seen tight competition with Pennsylvania and Tennessee for fifth place. In addition to 2024’s record spending by domestic travelers, North Carolina also saw gains in the international market. With more than 900,000 international travelers, spending rose 16.5 percent to nearly $1.2 billion.
“North Carolinians in all 100 counties benefit from the money that visitors spend,” said Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley. “From our smallest towns to our largest cities, tourism means jobs for more than 50,000 small businesses and our first-in-talent workforce. These workers address travelers’ needs for transportation as well as lodging, dining, shopping, and recreation.”
As a result of travelers’ contributions to state and local tax revenue, North Carolina households average $593 in yearly savings.
Learn more about NC tourism:
Total spending by domestic and international visitors in North Carolina reached $36.7 billion in 2024. That sum represents a 3.1 percent increase over 2023 expenditures.
Domestic travelers spent a record $35.6 billion in 2024. Spending was up 2.7 percent from $34.6 billion in 2023.
International travelers spent $1.2 billion in 2024, up 16.5 percent from the previous year.
Visitors to North Carolina generated nearly $4.6 billion in federal, state, and local taxes in 2024. The total represents a 2.9 percent increase from 2023.
State tax receipts from visitor spending rose 1.1 percent to nearly $1.4 billion in 2024.
Local tax receipts grew 4.3 percent to nearly $1.3 billion.
Direct tourism employment in North Carolina increased 1.4 percent to 230,338.
Direct tourism payroll increased 2.6 percent to $9.5 billion.
Visitors spend more than $100 million per day in North Carolina. That spending adds $7.3 million per day to state and local tax revenues (about $3.7 million in state taxes and $3.6 million in local taxes).
Each North Carolina household saved $593 on average in state and local taxes as a direct result of visitor spending in the state. Savings per capita averaged $241.
About Visit North Carolina:
Visit NC, the state’s official destination marketing organization, is part of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, a private nonprofit corporation that serves as North Carolina’s economic development organization. The EDPNC focuses on business and job recruitment, existing industry support, international trade, tourism, and film marketing.
The mission of Visit NC is to unify and lead the state in positioning North Carolina as a preferred destination for leisure travel, group tours, meetings and conventions, sports events, and film production. Each year, North Carolina welcomes about 40 million visitors who spend nearly $37 billion during their stay. The tourism industry employs more than 230,000 people and generates nearly $2.7 billion in state and local tax revenues. For travel ideas and inspiration, go to VisitNC.com.
Tampa, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge Daniel L. Hovland, sitting by designation from the U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota, has sentenced Jamal Dixon (23, Ruskin) to nine years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Dixon pleaded guilty on December 10, 2024. The court also ordered Dixon to forfeit the firearm.
According to court documents, on April 4, 2024, deputies from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office conducted surveillance at a location in Tampa to locate and arrest Dixon on an outstanding warrant. Dixon exited a residence, placed a backpack in a vehicle, then ran from deputies when they approached the vehicle. While fleeing, Dixon dropped a Glock pistol with an extended magazine. After finding Dixon hiding underneath another vehicle parked in a nearby driveway, deputies retrieved and searched the backpack and found over 450 grams of marijuana, digital scales, and a large quantity of plastic baggies. The pistol had been reported stolen and the magazine recovered from the firearm had the capacity to store up to 22 rounds of ammunition.
Dixon, having previously been convicted of felony offenses for discharging a firearm in public and for possession of controlled substances with intent to sell or deliver, is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Sinacore.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI Crime News (b)
Newark, NJ – FBI Newark and our state and local law enforcement partners arrested five people as part of a national surge of resources to arrest accused child sex abuse offenders and combat child exploitation. In a coordinated effort by all 55 FBI field offices called Operation Restore Justice, 205 people were arrested nationwide. Six children were rescued.
This initiative was a joint effort with federal, state, and local partners to coincide with the end of Child Abuse Prevention Month and highlight the FBI’s ongoing efforts to confront these crimes. Investigating child sex abuse is an ongoing, high-priority mission of the FBI. Agents and task force officers made the following five arrests in New Jersey from April 28 and May 2, 2025:
David Tuytjens, age 69, was arrested for possession of child pornography.
Natasha Rivas, age 23, was arrested for the distribution of child pornography.
Dwayne Smalls Jr., age 24, was arrested for the distribution of child pornography.
Elliott Souder, age 52, was charged with receipt and possession of child pornography.
Keshawn Harley, age 38, was charged with possession and production of child pornography and sex trafficking of a minor.
“This week was a snapshot of the never-ending work our agents and TFOs do day in and day out to apprehend and hold accountable the vilest of criminals,” says Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly. “Though this marks the conclusion of Child Abuse Awareness Month, our mission is omnipresent: to protect vulnerable children from these predators by bringing them to justice. Let this be a continued reminder to guardians of children everywhere to stay present and vigilant in your young one’s lives. FBI Newark would like to thank the tireless work of our partner agencies; together, we will continue to weed these monsters out of society.”
The FBI’s Violent Crimes Against Children (VCAC) program coordinates and bolsters efforts to counter all threats of abuse and exploitation of children that fall under FBI jurisdiction—including the production, sharing, and possession of child sexual abuse material; domestic or international travel to engage sexually with children; and the extortion of children to provide sexually explicit material of themselves. The VCAC program also strives to identify, locate, and recover child victims and to strengthen partnerships that are critical to prevent abuse and capture offenders.
The FBI investigates cases through Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Forces (CEHTTFs) located in each field office, allowing the FBI to combine resources with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. The FBI also partners with the nonprofit National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24-hour hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org.
If you are a victim or know a victim of a crime involving children, call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI, the FBI Newark Field Office at 973-792-3000, or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.
FBI Newark would like to thank its partners for their assistance in these cases, including New Jersey State Parole Board, Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office, the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office, the IRS, the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI Crime News (b)
In an unprecedented nationwide operation to protect children and mark April’s National Child Abuse Prevention Month, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announces Operation Restore Justice, a five-day, sweeping FBI initiative to identify, track, and arrest child sex predators across the country with all 55 FBI field offices participating, including FBI Boston.
Last week alone, the FBI arrested 205 subjects and rescued 115 children across the country during the surge of resources deployed for Operation Restore Justice. This was a joint effort with local, state, and federal partners to highlight our ongoing efforts to confront these crimes. The subjects arrested in this operation included those in positions of public trust – law enforcement, members of the military, and teachers. Others are your neighbors, proving criminal activity can be found in the most familiar places.
“There are few situations more urgent than when a child is physically at risk, and as ‘Operation Restore Justice’ has shown, child predators come in many different forms,” said James Crowley, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Division. “As horrific as these alleged crimes are, they are not rare. Make no mistake, FBI Boston’s Child Exploitation – Human Trafficking Task Force is committed to finding these child sex abusers, locking them up, and ensuring those they have victimized are safe and well-supported.”
“Protecting children from exploitation is among the most sacred responsibilities we have as law enforcement. Each case serves as a difficult reminder that child predators are embedded in our communities – often in roles that increase their direct exposure to or contact with children or allow them to hide behind a keyboard online. But make no mistake, we will uncover them, arrest them, and hold them accountable, no matter how long it takes or how far we have to go,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley for the District of Massachusetts. “As Child Abuse Prevention Month came to a close, Operation Restore Justice delivered a powerful and urgent message: protecting children is not just a worthy cause we recognize, it is a mission we carry out every day. We will not relent in our pursuit of those who exploit children, and we are grateful to our law enforcement partners for their tireless work to bring these predators to justice. This work will not stop.”
“Children are among the most vulnerable members of our society and can suffer the effects of sex abuse for a lifetime,” said Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Maine Craig M. Wolff. “My deepest thanks to FBI Boston and its state and local partners for their efforts in identifying and arresting those who allegedly preyed on these vulnerable victims.”
As part of this operation, FBI Boston arrested and charged seven people, including:
Jacob Henriques, of Boston, a former Assistant Director of Admissions at Emmanuel College, is charged with attempted sex trafficking of a minor. Henriques is accused of soliciting an underage college applicant to engage in commercial sex with him.
Registered sex offender David Fernandes III, of New York, is charged with allegedly sending obscenity to an 11-year-old in Massachusetts and being a registered sex offender when he did it.
Registered sex offender Joseph A. Maile, of Presque Isle, Maine, is charged by criminal complaint for allegedly attempting to sex traffic a child, and enticement of a minor. Maile allegedly used social media accounts to offer various minors’ money to engage in sex acts with him.
Level 1 sex offender Justin Ouimette, of Holyoke, Mass., who was previously convicted by the state for possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), has been charged federally with possessing CSAM. According to the court documents, in July 2024, during a search of Ouimette’s residence and person, over 200 files that appeared to depict CSAM, including children as young as three years old, were allegedly located on Ouimette’s electronic devices. A search of Ouimette’s Dropbox resulted in the discovery of an additional 200 files allegedly depicting CSAM.
Cess Frazier, of Boston, is charged with allegedly receiving child sexual abuse material. During a search of Frazier’s cell phone, approximately 100 media files that depicted CSAM were allegedly found saved in Telegram Messenger. The minor victims in the files are alleged to be between approximately three and 10 years old.
Warren Messeck, of Agawam, Mass., is charged with allegedly possessing child sexual abuse material. During a search of his residence, the FBI recovered over 40 electronic devices including a laptop, hard drives and other electronic storage devices. A forensic examination allegedly revealed over 10,000 files depicting CSAM on six devices.
Brandon Bendall, of Wareham, Mass., is charged with allegedly possessing and receiving child sexual abuse material. During a search of Bendall’s residence and cell phone, approximately 9,400 images and videos of CSAM, including images of children as young as infants being sexually assaulted, were allegedly located.
Throughout the entire month of April, including the weeks leading up to this surge, the FBI, along with our state and local law enforcement partners, arrested an additional 190 perpetrators on charges related to crimes against children. They are accused of various crimes including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material, online enticement and transportation of minors, and child sex trafficking. With nearly 400 arrests in one month, these actions are the direct results of the FBI’s continued efforts to track down and stop sexual predators before they can harm more victims.
Here in the Boston Division, special agents and officers on FBI Boston’s Child Exploitation – Human Trafficking Task Force arrested 26 people last month, including:
Level 3 Sex Offender Carl Norton, of Chicopee, Mass., who was previously convicted of attempted rape of a minor and unlawful contact with a minor, was charged federally for allegedly transferring obscene material to a minor female victim who he believed to be 12 years old.
Level 2 Sex Offender Dache Barros, of Raynham, Mass., was charged by the Raynham Police Department with allegedly possessing child sexual abuse material following an investigation by FBI Boston’s Child Exploitation – Human Trafficking Task Force and the Boston Police Department.
Daniel Debreczeni, of Duxbury, Mass., was charged federally with allegedly distributing child sexual abuse material. Debreczeni is accused of distributing three videos containing child pornography by posting the videos on a file sharing site. The children in the three videos appeared to be between approximately two, three and eight years old.
David Kaufman, of Maryland, was charged federally for allegedly coercing and enticing an 18-year-old from Massachusetts to travel to his penthouse at the Four Seasons and engage in in sex acts with him, which he video-recorded. According to court documents, Kaufman has allegedly been victimizing teenage minors, paying them to travel and engage in sex acts with him.
Sven Knudsen Ljaam, a physician employed at the Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center in Bedford, Mass., was charged federally for allegedly receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Shakera “Stacks” Pina, of Boston, was charged by the Boston Police Department for allegedly engaging in Human Trafficking, deriving support from prostitution, resisting arrest, and possession of a Class D Substance (Marijuana) with Intent to Distribute, following a joint operation between Boston Police Department’s Human Trafficking Unit and FBI Boston’s Child Exploitation – Human Trafficking Task Force.
Miguel Gietany, of Douglas, Mass., was arrested in Rhode Island on state charges following a joint operation with the Rhode Island State Police and the FBI. Gietany is charged with two counts of indecent solicitation of a child. He allegedly traveled to Rhode Island to have sex with whom he believed was a 14-year-old boy.
FBI Boston’s Child Exploitation – Human Trafficking Task Forces investigate these cases and coordinate and bolster efforts to counter all threats of abuse and exploitation that fall under FBI jurisdiction in our region– including the production, sharing, and possession of child sexual abuse material; domestic or international travel to engage sexually with children; sex trafficking, and the extortion of children to provide sexually explicit material of themselves. They also work to identify, locate, and recover child victims; and strengthen partnerships that are critical to prevent abuse and capture offenders.
The FBI also partners with the nonprofit National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation reported via its 24-hour hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org. In further partnership and collaboration with NCMEC, the FBI launched the Endangered Child Alert Program (ECAP) in 2004 to identify individuals involved in the sexual abuse of children and the production of child sexual abuse material. To date, ECAP has identified 36 individuals.
This operation was the result of a dedicated and targeted effort, reflecting countless hours of work by hundreds of special agents, intel analysts, and other FBI personnel. It further highlights the FBI’s commitment to protecting children and raising awareness about the dangers they face. While the Bureau works relentlessly to investigate these crimes every day, this effort also serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of prevention and community education.
For more information about the crimes investigated by the FBI as well as the variety of resources the FBI provides to protect and keep children safe, please visit:
As always, FBI Boston urges the public to remain vigilant and report any suspected crime against a child to 911 and local law enforcement immediately, as well as the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.
MHRA approves teprotumumab as the first UK treatment for adults with moderate to severe Thyroid Eye Disease (TED)
As with all products, the MHRA will keep its safety under close review.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has today, 7 May 2025, approved teprotumumab (Tepezza). This is the first medicine to be licensed in the UK for adult patients with moderate to severe Thyroid Eye Disease (TED).
TED is an autoimmune condition where the immune system attacks the muscles and fat around the eyes. In TED, the immune system activates a protein called IGF-1R, causing inflammation and swelling in these tissues. Tepezza is designed to bind to IGF-1R to block its activation and signalling.
This medicine is administered via an intravenous drip directly into a vein by a healthcare professional.
Julian Beach, MHRA Interim Executive Director of Healthcare Quality and Access, said:
“Patient safety is our top priority. I am pleased to confirm the approval of teprotumumab, for the treatment of severe Thyroid Eye Disease.
“We’re assured that the appropriate regulatory standards of safety, quality and effectiveness for the approval of this new treatment have been met.
“As with all products, we will keep its safety under close review.”
Teprotumumab has been studied in 287 patients with thyroid eye disease in four clinical trials. All patients in these trials were 18 years or older. In all studies, patients received teprotumumab infusions every 3 weeks for a total of 8 infusions.
In the four studies patients were randomised to receive either teprotumumab or placebo. The patients who received teprotumumab demonstrated a greater reduction in eye protrusion and double vision compared to people .
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects in some people. Serious side effects can include high blood sugar (hyperglycaemia), infusion related reactions, deafness, or worsening of inflammatory bowel disease.
Other side effects that may affect up to 1 in 10 people include headache, diarrhoea, nausea, hair loss, muscle spasms and fatigue.
Tepezza must not be used in patients if they are pregnant as it may cause damage to the unborn baby.
Anyone who suspects they are having a side effect from this medicine should talk to their doctor, pharmacist or nurse and report it directly to the MHRA Yellow Card scheme, either through the website (https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/) or by searching the Google Play or Apple App stores for MHRA Yellow Card.
Notes to editors
The new marketing authorisation was granted on 7 May 2025 to AMGEN LIMITED
This product was submitted and approved via a national procedure.
More information can be found in the Summary of Product Characteristics and Patient Information leaflets which will be published on the MHRA Products website within 7 days of approval.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for regulating all medicines and medical devices in the UK by ensuring they work and are acceptably safe. All our work is underpinned by robust and fact-based judgements to ensure that the benefits justify any risks.
The MHRA is an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care.
For media enquiries, please contact the newscentre@mhra.gov.uk, or call on 020 3080 7651.
Today, the Department of Justice announced the results of Operation Restore Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort to identify, track and arrest child sex predators. The operation resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sexual abuse offenders in the nationwide crackdown. The coordinated effort was executed over the course of five days by all 55 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Department’s Criminal Division, and United States Attorney’s Offices around the country.
“The Department of Justice will never stop fighting to protect victims — especially child victims — and we will not rest until we hunt down, arrest, and prosecute every child predator who preys on the most vulnerable among us,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “I am grateful to the FBI and their state and local partners for their incredible work in Operation Restore Justice and have directed my prosecutors not to negotiate.”
“Every child deserves to grow up free from fear and exploitation, and the FBI will continue to be relentless in our pursuit of those who exploit the most vulnerable among us,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Operation Restore Justice proves that no predator is out of reach and no child will be forgotten. By leveraging the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state and local partners, we’re sending a clear message: there is no place to hide for those who prey on children.”
Those arrested are alleged to have committed various crimes including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material, online enticement and transportation of minors, and child sex trafficking. In Minneapolis, for example, a state trooper and Army Reservist was arrested for allegedly producing child sexual abuse material while wearing his uniforms. In Norfolk, VA, an illegal alien from Mexico is accused of transporting a minor across state lines for sex. In Washington, D.C., a former Metropolitan Police Department Police Officer was arrested for allegedly trafficking minor victims.
In many cases, parental vigilance and community outreach efforts played a critical role in bringing these offenders to justice. For example, a California man was arrested about eight hours after a young victim bravely came forward and disclosed their abuse to FBI agents after an online safety presentation at a school near Albany, NY.
This effort follows the Department’s observance of National Child Abuse Prevention Month in April, this effort and underscores the Department’s unwavering commitment to protecting children and raising awareness about the dangers they face. While the Department, including the FBI, investigates and prosecutes these crimes every day, April serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of preventing these crimes, seeking justice for victims, and raising awareness through community education.
The Justice Department is committed to combating child sexual exploitation. These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org.
The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI’s tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Today, the Department of Justice announced the results of Operation Restore Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort to identify, charge, and arrest alleged child sexual abuse offenders. The operation resulted in the arrests of 205 defendants in the nationwide crackdown. The coordinated effort was executed over the course of five days by all 55 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section in the Department’s Criminal Division, and United States Attorney’s Offices around the country.
“The Department of Justice will never stop fighting to protect victims — especially child victims — and we will not rest until we hunt down, arrest, and prosecute every child predator who preys on the most vulnerable among us,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “I am grateful to the FBI and their state and local partners for their incredible work in Operation Restore Justice and have directed my prosecutors not to negotiate.”
“Every child deserves to grow up free from fear and exploitation, and the FBI will continue to be relentless in our pursuit of those who exploit the most vulnerable among us,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Operation Restore Justice proves that no predator is out of reach and no child will be forgotten. By leveraging the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state and local partners, we’re sending a clear message: there is no place to hide for those who prey on children.”
“Child exploitation offenses inflict lasting harm on the most vulnerable members of our society, and the proliferation of child sexual abuse material across the Internet repeats and amplifies that harm. Prosecuting child exploitation offenses has been and will always be a top priority for this Office, and we’re grateful for our law enforcement partners’ commitment to pursuing justice in these cases.” said Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky Paul McCaffrey.
“I’d like to commend FBI Louisville’s Child Exploitation Human Trafficking Task Force on their dogged pursuit of perpetrators of child sexual abuse. While the FBI’s work to identify, investigate, and apprehend these predators never stops, our increased efforts over the last month during Operation Restore Justice resulted in removing some of our community’s most heinous criminals,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson of the FBI Louisville Field Office. “FBI Louisville, in lockstep with our law enforcement partners, will continue to use every available resource to protect America’s most vulnerable populations, especially our children.”
In the Eastern District of Kentucky, nine defendants were charged with various child exploitation offenses. One of the indictments remains under seal. They include the following:
Jason Back, 42, of Salyersville, Ky., was charged with online enticement of a minor.
Jesus Chavez, 32, of Somerset, Ky., was charged with five counts of producing child pornography.
Jordan A. Cobb, 33, of Salyersville, Ky., was charged with online enticement of a minor and cyberstalking of a minor.
Austin Hawk, 25, of Pittsburg, Ky., was charged with transporting a minor across state lines with the intent to engage in sexual activity.
Nathan Smith, 30, of Manchester, Ky., was charged with two counts of distribution of child pornography, one count of receiving child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography.
Michael Moon, 47, of Annville, Ky., was charged with one count of receiving child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.
Timothy Ray Dale, 63, of Paris, Ky., was charged with one count of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.
Finley Wooton, 32, of Hyden, Ky., was charged with the attempted production of child pornography.
While the charges allege that these crimes were committed, the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Others arrested around the country are alleged to have committed various crimes including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material, online enticement and transportation of minors, and child sex trafficking. Also, in many cases, parental vigilance and community outreach efforts played a critical role in bringing these offenders to justice.
This effort follows the Department’s observance of National Child Abuse Prevention Month in April and underscores the Department’s unwavering commitment to protecting children and raising awareness about the dangers they face. While the Department, including the FBI, investigates and prosecutes these crimes every day, April serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of preventing these crimes, seeking justice for victims, and raising awareness through community education.
The Justice Department is committed to combating child sexual exploitation. These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org.
The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI’s tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office.
Source: United States Department of Justice (Human Trafficking)
Seven cases move forward in Western Washington during National Child Abuse Prevention month
Seattle – Today, the Department of Justice announced the results of Operation Restore Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort to identify, track and arrest child sex predators. The operation resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrest of 205 child sexual abuse offenders in the nationwide crackdown. The coordinated effort was executed by all 55 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section in the Department’s Criminal Division, and United States Attorney’s Offices around the country.
“The Department of Justice will never stop fighting to protect victims — especially child victims — and we will not rest until we hunt down, arrest, and prosecute every child predator who preys on the most vulnerable among us,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “I am grateful to the FBI and their state and local partners for their incredible work in Operation Restore Justice and have directed my prosecutors not to negotiate.”
“Every child deserves to grow up free from fear and exploitation, and the FBI will continue to be relentless in our pursuit of those who exploit the most vulnerable among us,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Operation Restore Justice proves that no predator is out of reach and no child will be forgotten. By leveraging the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state, and local partners, we’re sending a clear message: there is no place to hide for those who prey on children.”
In the Western District of Washington, seven federal cases moved forward with criminal charges, pleas, and/or sentencings of those who target minors for sexual abuse.
“There is no greater responsibility than protecting our children from those seeking to sexually abuse them, either online or in person,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. “The cases we prosecuted over the last month charging child sexual exploitation in person and over the internet, and child sex trafficking are examples of the difficult work we do every day with our law enforcement partners to try to keep children safe.”
“FBI Seattle’s Violent Crimes Against Children squad and our partners are hard at work, not only during Child Abuse Prevention Month in April, but also throughout the year,” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. “We are arresting predators, recovering children, and assisting victims through the support of our victim specialists. Just this fiscal year in the Seattle division, we have arrested 122 subjects and identified or located 59 children.”
These are the FBI-led child sex abuse cases prosecuted in the Western District of Washington in April 2025:
Convicted sex offender Mitchell Francis Dufault, 36, was sentenced April 7, 2025, to ten years in prison and lifetime supervised release. Dufault distributed images of child sexual abuse via an internet platform and communicated with young people about sexually explicit conduct. Dufault has a prior conviction for child molestation.
Shante Broady, 37, was arrested April 11, 2025, and charged with sex trafficking through force fraud and coercion and transporting a victim for the purpose of prostitution through coercion and enticement. Broady’s alleged sex trafficking involves both adult and juvenile victims.
Adam Ronald Ingram, 41, was indicted April 16, 2025, for production of child pornography, enticement of a minor and possession of child pornography. Ingram, a King County resident, communicated with minors in other states and foreign countries to obtain sexually explicit images. Ingram is scheduled for trial in June 2025 and remains detained at FDC SeaTac.
Michael L. Gershowitz, 45, a historically registered sex offender, pleaded guilty on April 23, 2025, to possession of images of child sexual abuse. Gershowitz came to the attention of law enforcement when internet service providers reported his username to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) for uploading images of child sexual abuse. Gershowitz is scheduled for sentencing on August 4, 2025.
40-year-old Randy Lee Young was arrested April 24, 2025, following and investigation that revealed he had sexually molested a 13-year-old. Young was identified by law enforcement after he communicated with an undercover officer about having sex with minors. Law enforcement arrested Young when he arrived at a location where he thought the minors would be present. A review of his phone revealed his efforts to entice a 13-year-old for sexual activity. Young filmed the sexual molestation and is now charged with production of child pornography and attempted enticement of a minor. He remains detained at FDC SeaTac.
A 54-year-old Kent, Washington resident was indicted April 23, 2025, for possession of images of child sexual abuse. Shaughn P. Lambert was on supervision by Washington State Corrections when his corrections officer found images of child sexual abuse on his phone. A search of Lambert’s residence revealed a number of electronic devices that contained images of child sexual abuse. Lambert is scheduled for trial on July 7, 2025, and remains detained at FDC SeaTac.
47-year-old Steve Ray Marical of Everett, Washington pleaded guilty April 24, 2025, to possession of images of child sexual abuse. Marical, a registered sex offender, was arrested and indicted in September 2024, following a cyber tip to NCMEC. Marical is scheduled for sentencing on August 6, 2025.
Others arrested around the country are alleged to have committed various crimes including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material, online enticement and transportation of minors, and child sex trafficking. In Minneapolis, for example, a state trooper and Army Reservist was arrested for allegedly producing child sexual abuse material while wearing his uniforms. In Norfolk, VA, an illegal alien from Mexico is accused of transporting a minor across state lines for sex. In Washington, D.C., a former Metropolitan Police Department Police Officer was arrested for allegedly trafficking minor victims.
In many cases, parental vigilance and community outreach efforts played a critical role in bringing these offenders to justice. For example, a California man was arrested about eight hours after a young victim bravely came forward and disclosed their abuse to FBI agents after an online safety presentation at a school near Albany, N.Y.
This effort follows the Department’s observance of National Child Abuse Prevention Month in April and underscores the Department’s unwavering commitment to protecting children and raising awareness about the dangers they face. While the Department, including the FBI, investigates and prosecutes these crimes every day, April serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of preventing these crimes, seeking justice for victims, and raising awareness through community education.
The Justice Department is committed to combating child sexual exploitation. These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org.
The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI’s tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office.
The charges contained in the indictments or criminal complaints are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Cecelia Gregson, Kate Crisham, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Laura Harmon. Ms. Harmon is a Senior Deputy Prosecutor with the King County Prosecutors Office, specially designated to prosecute child exploitation cases in federal court.
Växjö, Sverige, 7:e maj2025 * * * JLT Mobile Computers, informerar att årsstämma i JLT Mobile Computers AB (publ) hölls onsdagen den 7e maj 2025 i Växjö där följande huvudsakliga beslut fattades.
Årsstämman beslutade att fastställa framlagd resultat- och balansräkning för moderbolaget och koncernen. Årsstämman beslutade, i enlighet med styrelsens förslag, att ingen utdelning lämnas till aktieägarna för räkenskapsåret 2024.
Styrelseledamöterna och verkställande direktören beviljades ansvarsfrihet för 2024 års förvaltning.
I enlighet med valberedningens förslag beslutades att styrelsen ska bestå av sex ledamöter utan suppleanter. Till styrelseledamöter för tiden intill slutet av nästa årsstämma omvaldes Ola Blomberg, Jan Sjöwall, Jessica Svenmar, Per Ädelroth och Karl Hill samt nyvaldes Tommy Svensson. Stämman beslutade att omvälja Ola Blomberg till styrelseordförande. Beslutades att ha en revisor utan suppleanter. Luminor Revision AB omvaldes som revisor.
Årsstämman beslutade, i enlighet med valberedningens förslag, att styrelsearvodet ska utgå med totalt 700 000 kronor, varav styrelsens ordförande ska erhålla 200 000 kronor och övriga ledamöter ska erhålla 100 000 kronor vardera. Årsstämman beslutade även att arvode till bolagets revisor ska utgå enligt godkänd räkning.
Årsstämman beslutade vidare att bolaget ska ha en valberedning bestående av tre ledamöter, varvid en ledamot ska utses av var och en av de tre största aktieägarna i bolaget. Ordförande i valberedningen ska, om inte ledamöterna enas om annat, vara den ledamot som utses av den största aktieägaren.
Årsstämman beslutade slutligen, i enlighet med styrelsens förslag, om bemyndigande för styrelsen att under tiden intill nästa årsstämma, vid ett eller flera tillfällen, fatta beslut om nyemission av högst 2 871 200 aktier, vilket motsvarar 10 procent av antalet aktier i bolaget per dagen för årsstämman. Styrelsen ska därvid ha rätt att besluta om avvikelse från aktieägarnas företrädesrätt samt bestämmelse om apport, kvittning eller annat villkor.
Further financial information can be found on JLT’sinvestor pages
This information is information that JLT Mobile Computers AB (pub) is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation and the Securities Markets Act. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out above, at 6:00 pm CET Wednesday May 7, 2025.
About JLT Mobile Computers
JLT Mobile Computers is a leading developer and supplier of rugged mobile computing devices and solutions for demanding environments. 30 years of development and manufacturing experience have enabled JLT to set the standard in rugged computing, combining outstanding product quality with expert service, support and solutions to ensure trouble-free business operations for customers in warehousing, transportation, manufacturing, mining, ports and agriculture. JLT operates globally from offices in Sweden, France, and the US, complemented by an extensive network of sales partners in local markets. The company was founded in 1994, and the share has been listed on the Nasdaq First North Growth Market stock exchange since 2002 under the symbol JLT. Eminova Fondkommission AB acts as Certified Adviser. Learn more at jltmobile.com.
Arvada, CO, May 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Flipido Trading Center has launched a dedicated educational platform, Flipido Learn, to help users better understand digital assets, trading strategies, and market dynamics. This new initiative reflects the company’s ongoing commitment to responsible trading and financial literacy in the fast-growing crypto sector.
Flipido Learn offers a structured curriculum of multimedia resources, including video tutorials, interactive quizzes, market explainers, and live webinars hosted by industry experts. Topics range from blockchain fundamentals and asset security to advanced technical analysis and decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols.
“Education is the cornerstone of a healthy trading environment,” said Valerie, Head of Community Engagement at Flipido Trading Center. “Flipido Learn is designed to give users the tools they need to make informed decisions and navigate crypto markets with confidence.”
To meet the needs of a global user base, the platform is multilingual and segmented into beginner, intermediate, and advanced learning tracks. Users can progress at their own pace and earn digital certificates upon completion of each module.
In addition to self-paced courses, Flipido Learn includes weekly live sessions with analysts, portfolio managers, and fintech researchers. These sessions offer real-time insights into market trends, regulatory developments, and emerging technologies shaping the crypto landscape.
The launch of Flipido Learn complements the platform’s existing security and trading infrastructure, which includes an AI-powered risk control engine, institutional-grade custody, and millisecond-level order matching. By integrating education with technology, Flipido aims to bridge the knowledge gap and promote long-term user engagement.
Flipido also plans to collaborate with universities, nonprofit organizations, and regional fintech associations to extend access to blockchain education in underserved communities. The company has announced an upcoming scholarship program for students pursuing careers in digital finance and data science.
With scams and misinformation still prevalent in the crypto space, Flipido Learn provides a reliable and neutral knowledge base for both novice and experienced investors. As digital asset adoption expands, the initiative is expected to enhance user trust and market participation.
Flipido Trading Center continues to position itself as more than just a trading platform—it is a gateway to the broader digital economy, built on transparency, innovation, and user empowerment.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this press release is not a solicitation for investment, nor is it intended as investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. It is strongly recommended you practice due diligence, including consultation with a professional financial advisor, before investing in or trading cryptocurrency and securities.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Jonathan Jackson – Illinois (1st District)
As tensions rise between India and Pakistan, I feel compelled to speak; Not only as a Member of Congress, but as a man who has walked the streets of both nations, embraced their people, and listened to their hopes and fears firsthand.
I had the honor of visiting both India and Pakistan on congressional and humanitarian missions. In Delhi, I met with educators, students, and faith leaders who are working tirelessly to bridge divides and build a future of innovation and inclusion. In Islamabad, I sat with mothers who shared stories of generational pain, but also expressed dreams of peace for their children. What struck me most on both sides of the border was the shared humanity; the deep desire for dignity, stability, and progress.
These are not abstract foreign policy issues to me. The Indian and Pakistani communities in Chicago are part of my extended family. I have broken bread in their homes, celebrated their holidays, attended weddings and funerals. These are people who carry dual loves — for their countries of origin and for the American dream they are building here. They are watching these developments with heavy hearts, and so am I.
My father, Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr., always said that peace is not just the absence of war but the presence of justice. He traveled the world to help mediate conflict, whether in the Middle East, Central America, or apartheid South Africa. His mission lives on in my work today: to seek understanding over escalation and diplomacy over destruction.
It is imperative that both India and Pakistan step back from the brink. Nuclear-armed neighbors cannot afford the cost of war. Not in lives, not in global stability, and not in the futures of their youth. I urge both governments to recommit to dialogue, mutual respect, and a long-term vision for peace in South Asia.
I will continue to advocate for peace, justice, and the human dignity of all people. Let us rise above the cycles of history and choose a path forward — together.
Congressman Jonathan L. Jackson U.S. Representative, Illinois’s 1st Congressional District
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