Farewell to British High Commissioner Charles Moore: Tour of duty in Namibia ends
The British High Commissioner, Mr Charles Moore, bid a final farewell to Namibia in April after four years and three months in the country.
On 9 April 2025, outgoing British High Commissioner to Namibia, Mr. Charles Moore, paid a farewell courtesy call on President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah at State House in Windhoek.
His diplomatic term has ended after an eventful four years and three months. President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah expressed appreciation for Mr. Moore’s service, acknowledging that the recorded increase in trade between the two countries will go a long way in reducing the unemployment rate in Namibia.
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah also noted that she is looking forward to welcoming Mr. Moore’s successor, Mr. Neil Bradley, when his tenure begins. She remains hopeful for a continued positive trajectory in the bilateral relationship between Namibia and the United Kingdom.
On his end, H.E. Charles Moore stated that working in Namibia has been a privilege and a career highlight. He affirmed that even though his tour of duty has come to an end, he will continue to take a close interest in Namibia’s development and is excitedly looking forward to returning as a tourist in the future.
Full implementation of the 2016 Peace Agreement is essential for lasting peace in Colombia: UK statement at the UN Security Council
Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Colombia.
The UK is clear that full implementation of the 2016 Peace Agreement is essential for lasting peace in Colombia. Last year, following President Petro’s intervention in the Council in July, we welcomed the government’s announcement of a Rapid Response Plan, which committed to accelerate implementation and deliver real change in the territories most affected by the conflict.
Communities in these areas expect the government to deliver on their urgent needs. We welcome Foreign Minister Sarabia’s commitment to accelerate the delivery of the agreement. This will require a whole of government effort with close coordination with regional and local authorities and of course, Colombia’s security forces, so that the impact is felt by those communities.
We remain concerned by the security situation in those territories, particularly for women, children and indigenous groups. The violence in Catatumbo is a clear example. We call on the government to strengthen protection measures and safeguard communities. We welcome the launch of the Pact for Catatumbo, and we urge the government to prioritise the security of all vulnerable Colombians through mechanisms already established.
This includes convening the Commission for the Follow-up, Promotion, and Verification of the Implementation of the Final Agreement (CSIVI) and delivery of the Women, Peace and Security National Action Plan published last year. With 23 peace signatories killed this year alone, and hundreds displaced, the safety, security and reintegration of all signatories to the agreement remains paramount.
President, justice for victims remains at the heart of the 2016 Agreement, with its carefully designed system of complementary institutions focused on truth, justice and reconciliation. We call on the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (SJP) to accelerate its work to ensure the confidence of victims and signatories.
To assuage growing doubts about the SJP and its efficacy, now is the time to move forward to the issuing of sanctions and to hold to account those responsible for the most serious human rights violations. The government has an essential role to play in coordinating with the SJP on the implementation of reparative measures.
Beyond the 2016 Agreement, we recognise the Colombian Government’s efforts to extend the dialogue to other armed groups. Unfortunately, as the Secretary-General’s report notes, these dialogues have not delivered the desired results.
The UK, and this Council, have consistently called upon those groups to demonstrate a genuine commitment to peace, above all by respecting the rights of the communities whose interests they claim to pursue.
Those communities continue, however, to be affected by serious violence, gross human rights abuses, and coercive and predatory behaviour at the hands of armed groups. If there is to be any hope of sustainable progress through dialogue, the groups involved need to show that they are serious about a political process.
President, to conclude, the United Kingdom remains steadfast in our support for sustainable peace in Colombia.
Drivers are advised of overnight weekend traffic diversions on Highway 1 between 216th Street and 232nd Street, beginning Thursday, April 24, 2025.
These diversions are in addition to ongoing overnight single-lane reductions already in place.
These traffic-pattern changes are necessary to allow crews to safely complete drainage-pipe replacements between the Glover Road underpass and CPKC overpass on Highway 1, and are dependent on good weather.
This work is a key component of the Fraser Valley highway-widening project.
Westbound Highway 1 lane diversions:
Thursdays, April 24 and May 1 – Westbound lanes will be closed and diverted to one eastbound lane overnight from 8:30 p.m. until 5:30 a.m.
Fridays, April 25 and May 2, and Saturdays, April 26 and May 3 – Westbound lanes will be closed and diverted to one eastbound lane overnight from 8:30 p.m. until 10:30 a.m.
Eastbound Highway 1 lane diversions:
Thursday, May 8 – Eastbound lanes will be closed and diverted to one westbound lane overnight from 8:30 p.m. until 5:30 a.m.
Friday, May 9 and Saturday, May 10 – Eastbound lanes will be closed and diverted to one westbound lane overnight from 8:30 p.m. until 10:30 a.m.
The speed limit will be reduced to 80 km/h.
Drivers are advised to use caution, obey signs and traffic-control personnel, and watch for roadside workers. Allow additional travel time and consider alternative routes.
Learn More:
For traffic and construction updates, check: https://www.drivebc.ca
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — An investigation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement led to the sentencing of Jose Alejandro Belmonte Cardozo, 31, to 18 years in prison for sexually exploiting minors through a popular social media platform.
“Those who exploit and harm children will be held fully accountable,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Washington D.C. acting Special Agent in Charge Christopher Heck. “Individuals who produce child sexual abuse material prey on the most vulnerable members of our communities and there is no place for them in a safe society. Today, one less predator is on the streets, which means there’s one less victim tomorrow. HSI D.C. will continue to work tirelessly in its efforts to prosecute child predators and ensure they are sent to federal prison.”
According to court documents, between at least May 1, 2021, and May 8, 2024, Belmonte Cardoza used Snapchat to find minor girls and entice them to send him child sexual abuse material. Belmonte Cardoza created different Snapchat accounts depending on the scheme he used to obtain child sexual abuse material from the minors.
According to investigation documents, Belmonte Cardozo used a particular Snapchat account to catfish two 15-year-old girls, convincing them that he was a teenage boy. He sent the minors pictures that he claimed depicted him, but which actually depicted a boy who appeared to be approximately 16 years old. Belmonte Cardoza persuaded the minors to send him child sexual abuse material, which he secretly recorded on a second cell phone to avoid the in-app notification and then saved the recordings to a password-protected hidden folder on his cell phone.
Belmonte Cardoza used a second account to convince other minors to send him child sexual abuse material in exchange for admission to a phony group chat he purported to administer. After Belmonte Cardozo obtained the material from the minors, he enticed them to send him additional images and videos.
Belmonte Cardozo amassed more than 1,000 images and videos of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct on five different electronic devices. He transported two cellphones containing approximately 600 sexually explicit images and videos of minors May 8, 2024, into the United States at Dulles International Airport.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Halper and Zoe Bedell prosecuted the case.
Members of the public with information about criminal activity in your community are encouraged to contact the ICE Tip Line at 866-347-2423.
Learn more about HSI’s mission to increase public safety in your community on X at @HSI_DC.
How does the Prosecutor General’s Office plan to strengthen control over migrants?
The Russian Prosecutor’s Office supports the proposal to strengthen supervision of migrants’ financial transactions. The agency noted that foreigners often participate in fraudulent schemes and become mules (sometimes unknowingly). Registration bank cards in the name of migrants in the country is put on stream – non-residents are brought to the offices credit institutions “by buses”.
The Prosecutor General’s Office believes it would be appropriate to organize information exchange between financial institutions and migration control agencies – supervision will help to understand where foreigners transfer money, as well as identify suspicious transactions. The measure is intended to reduce the number of violations in the economic security segment.
What other measures of control over migrants may appear in Russia?
Migration legislation in Russia is gradually becoming more stringent, but so far the laws being adopted have not produced the desired results. Dmitry Medvedev announced the need for new restrictions, calling for:
prohibit foreigners with a criminal record from obtaining a residence permit or Russian citizenship; establish an exchange of data between agencies on the criminal records of migrants arriving in the country; eliminate abuses in conducting examinations for foreign citizens; strengthen control over institutions that conduct examinations, including by recording the procedures on video.
“Migrants in Russia who have certificates of passing exams often do not even understand Russian – when receiving documents, mass violations are recorded,” the politician noted.
Tightening of legislation may lead to an outflow of up to 1 million migrants from the Russian Federation. However, analysts are confident that “specialists” from the CIS countries may be replaced by citizens of the DPRK – it will be easier for Koreans to integrate into Russian society without causing discontent among the native inhabitants of Russia.
15:00 04/22/2025
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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lori Trahan (D-MA-03)
Today, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03) delivered a keynote speech at the Concord 250 celebrations marking the semiquincentennial of the start of the Revolutionary War in Concord, Massachusetts. “What began here in Concord became ‘the shot heard round the world.’ It was more than the start of a war – it was the beginning of an idea. That liberty is worth defending. That government derives its just powers from the consent of the governed. That even the smallest towns in the smallest colonies could stir the conscience of a world,” said Congresswoman Trahan. CLICK HERE to view the full speech. A transcript is embedded below.
The Concord 250 ceremony was hosted at the Old North Bridge in Minute Man National Historical Park, home to the first serious battle of the Revolutionary War. The shots fired in the Battle of Concord were later described by American author Ralph Waldo Emerson as the “shot heard round the world.” “In every generation, there have been bridges like this one in Concord and like the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, where brave Americans marched for civil rights and faced down brutality in the name of justice. Moments that demand to know who we are and what we stand for,” Congresswoman Trahan continued. “So let us meet our moment today. Let us be citizens worthy of this history, and ancestors worthy of remembrance. And let us ensure that two hundred and fifty years from now, when future generations gather at this bridge, they won’t just hear the echo of that first shot – they’ll hear the echo of our voices, rising to say: we carried the promise of a stronger America forward.” ———————————— Congresswoman Lori Trahan Remarks as Delivered Concord 250 Ceremony April 19, 2025
Good morning. Two hundred and fifty years ago, right here at the Old North Bridge, ordinary people faced an extraordinary choice: monarchy or democracy. They could remain subjects of a distant crown, or risk everything for the idea of self-government. They chose freedom. Farmers and blacksmiths, shopkeepers and ministers, teachers and mothers, everyday citizens who had no guarantee of success stood their ground. And when the smoke cleared on that April morning, the first shots of a revolution had been fired. What began here in Concord became “the shot heard round the world.” It was more than the start of a war – it was the beginning of an idea. That liberty is worth defending. That government derives its just powers from the consent of the governed. That even the smallest towns in the smallest colonies could stir the conscience of a world. But it was never inevitable. The men and women who gathered here were not professional soldiers or political elites. They were neighbors and parents. Workers and worshippers. People with families to protect, farms to tend, and lives to live. And yet, when the moment came, they answered history’s call. Today, as we mark the 250th anniversary of that defining moment, we gather not just to honor their courage, but to reckon with the responsibility they left us. Because we are the stewards now. Every generation inherits the promise made here in Concord. And every generation must choose what echoes we will send forward. Will we echo courage or complacency? Unity or division? Will we, like those early patriots, rise together to meet the challenges of our time? Even our founders knew that the greatest threat to this fragile experiment wouldn’t come from abroad – it would come from within. In fact, when George Washington agreed to attend the Constitutional Convention in 1787, he explained why in a letter to a friend. He warned of “some aspiring demagogue who will not consult the interest of his country so much as his own ambitious views.” Washington wasn’t worried about the jeweled crowns of foreign kings – he was worried about the domestic ones, those who drape themselves in flags while declaring themselves above the Constitution. That remains our charge today. To ensure that in America, no one, no matter how loud, how wealthy, or how powerful, stands above the law. Because in a democracy, the law, not a single man, is sovereign. Our union is still imperfect. Our freedoms still tested. But the story of America has always been one of progress – not because the path was easy, but because courage found its way into common hands. In every generation, there have been bridges like this one in Concord, like the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma where brave Americans marched for civil rights and faced down brutality in the name of justice. Moments that demand to know who we are and what we stand for. So let us meet our moment today. Let us be citizens worthy of this history, and ancestors worthy of remembrance. And let us ensure that two hundred and fifty years from now, when future generations gather at this bridge, they won’t just hear the echo of that first shot – they’ll hear the echo of our voices rising to say: we carried the promise of a stronger America forward. Thank you. ###
overnor Kathy Hochul today announced that work is now underway on the expanded Advanced Technology Center at Monroe Community College’s main campus in the Town of Brighton, Monroe County. The $69.6 million project will move critical technology programs from an outdated facility on West Henrietta Road to state-of-the-art facility at the Brighton campus, connecting them with the college’s science, technology, engineering and mathematics programs. The expansion will also provide a new home and accelerate the growth of the center’s Optical Systems Technology program. With a 2,400 percent increase in student enrollment since 2019, this first-of-its-kind in the nation, two-year training program provides a direct path to employment for hundreds of students and will support the state’s efforts to grow the semiconductor industry across Upstate New York.
“My administration is committed to connecting New Yorkers with top-quality job opportunities”, Governor Hochul said. “MCC’s state-of-the-art Advanced Technology Center will deliver accelerated training programs, providing New Yorkers in the Finger Lakes with the skills they need to compete in today’s dynamic and ever-changing job market.”
Governor Hochul originally announced the State’s investment of $13.75 million for campus upgrades in February of 2024, including $10 million for the center’s STEM addition. The ATC offers many career paths including automotive technician, precision tooling, heating, ventilating, air conditioning service technician and mechanic. With a new solar lab, the center will also be able to offer training in burgeoning fields — like solar photovoltaic panel installer, solar energy installation manager, and service technician. The expansion is expected to be open to students in the fall of 2026.
Monroe County Executive Adam Bello said, “Monroe Community College is a cornerstone of workforce development in our region. We must ensure that we continue its history of innovation and job readiness by offering top quality education in high demand fields like automotive technician, HVAC technician and our first-in-the-nation optics program. Thank you to Dr. Deanna Burt-Nanna for her vision in taking MCC to the next level. Thank you to our federal representatives, Governor Hochul and our state delegation l for their continued support to keep Monroe Community College as a staple of workforce development in the nation.”
Monroe Community College President Dr. DeAnna R. Burt-Nanna said, “We are excited to yet again be meeting the need for highly skilled, in-demand workers, this time through our new Advanced Technology Center. We are catalyzing bright futures for the community and its people through this center, which includes state-of-the-art equipment to enable students across a broad spectrum of fields to realize their dream of a secure career with a family-sustaining wage. We thank Governor Hochul, County Executive Bello, and Congressman Morelle for their partnership and continued investment in technological innovation, education, and training.”
SUNY Chancellor John B. King, Jr. said, “Congratulations to Monroe Community College under the leadership of President Deanna Burt-Nanna. Today’s groundbreaking is a testament to MCC’s work advancing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education and workforce development, and empowering students with opportunities to achieve their academic and professional goals. SUNY and our campuses are at the forefront of offering programs that support regional economic development and students’ upward mobility as a direct result of Governor Kathy Hochul’s leadership and the strength of our partners, particularly ESD.”
The Advanced Technology Center (ATC) project further bolsters the states’ overall workforce development efforts in the advanced manufacturing and semiconductor industries. In the summer of 2024, Governor Hochul announced that the U.S. Department of Commerce had awarded a phase two Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs (Tech Hub) grant of $40 million to the New York Semiconductor Manufacturing and Research Technology Innovation Corridor (NY SMART-I Corridor) consortium. The consortium comprises the Finger Lakes, Western NY and Central NY regions and is convened by OneROC, the Buffalo-Niagara Partnership, and CenterState CEO respectively. It includes more than 80 members that include economic development organizations, government, workforce development, labor, industry, academia, and nonprofits. Over the next five years, The Tech Hub will work to build a world-class semiconductor ecosystem across a range of focus areas including equitable workforce development and talent placement, research and commercialization pathways. Managed by a multi-sector implementation governance committee, the consortium will serve as a key coordinating body for semiconductor industry growth alongside the Governor’s Office of Semiconductor Expansion, Management, and Integration housed within ESD.
Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, “Through our support for this important project, we are ensuring that the region’s workforce is equipped with the skills necessary to compete in today’s dynamic, ever-changing job market. The new Advanced Technology Center at MCC’s Brighton campus will grow a robust talent pipeline to align with employer needs, support local business development and move the innovation economy forward.”
In February of 2025, Governor Hochul announced that the Finger Lakes, Mohawk Valley and Capitol Regions had been selected to advance to the planning stage of the $200 million One Network for Regional Advanced Manufacturing Partnerships (ON-RAMP) program. The regions join Central New York, in which Syracuse was established as the program’s flagship location and will create a network of high-impact workforce development centers to connect New Yorkers with careers in dynamic, high-growth advanced manufacturing industries. These workforce centers will equip New Yorkers with the skills they need and create an “on-ramp” to training, internships, apprenticeships and permanent employment and capitalize on the State’s success in attracting and expanding advanced manufacturing companies such as Micron and GlobalFoundries. Monroe Community College will lead the Finger Lakes ON-RAMP center in partnership with RochesterWorks.
Additional regional workforce development efforts also include a $5.5 million investment through the transformational Regional Revitalization Partnership (RRP) to assist with establishing the RochesterWorks Downtown Career Center at the MCC downtown campus in the City of Rochester. The comprehensive one-stop career center will invite the co-location of fellow agencies, improving workforce development and supportive wrap-around services to members of the community seeking employment or training for career pathways improve access by directly linking service providers with jobs seekers, enhancing the ability to navigate a career pathway more easily. The project aims to remove barriers to participation in the workforce that most acutely impact populations that are historically underrepresented in the labor force. MCC’s downtown campus is also home to the New York State supported Finger Lakes Workforce Development (FWD) Center, which is focused on short-term and accelerated, technology-oriented training programs that place individuals in high-demand jobs within advanced manufacturing, information technology, skilled trades, apprenticeship-related instruction and professional services.
State Senator Jeremy Cooney said, “With the Advanced Technology Center, Monroe Community College is cementing their role as a driver of workforce development and technological innovation in our region. This state-of-the-art facility will house the first of its kind Optics Systems Technology program, opening the door to in-demand jobs for students in our region. I’m grateful for the leadership of Governor Hochul, County Executive Bello, Dr. DeAnna Burt-Nanna, and my federal and state partners in making this project a reality and continuing our shared commitment towards economic development across Monroe County.”
Assemblymember Harry Bronson said, “The new Advanced Technology Center at MCC demonstrates our region’s commitment to cutting-edge workforce development and education programs. Under Dr. Burt-Nanna’s innovative leadership, MCC will develop the world-class facilities required to prepare students to meet the demands of our emerging economy. Thank you Dr. Burt-Nanna, County Executive Bello, Congressman Morelle, Governor Hochul and my partners in the State legislature. Through this investment, we are connecting students to programming and training opportunities with a direct pipeline to in-demand jobs in essential industries.”
Brighton Town Supervisor William W. Moehle said, “Monroe Community College is a tremendous asset to the Town of Brighton and Monroe County, and the new Advanced Technology Center will bring new cutting-edge technology and training capabilities to the MCC campus in Brighton. This facility will help train the next generation of technology experts right here in Brighton to help this region compete for job growth in the new economy.”
RochesterWorks Executive Director David Seeley said, “The MCC Advanced Technology Center expansion is a great addition to the workforce development initiatives in place in our region to support the growing advanced manufacturing, skilled trades, and semiconductor industries. RochesterWorks is proud to be partnering with MCC and the State on these initiatives, providing our full range of programs and services to job seekers and employers in the Rochester area looking to be a part of these exciting, high demand, and well-paying career pathways. Our thanks go out to Governor Hochul, County Executive Bello, Congressman Morelle, and MCC for being great partners and bringing these opportunities to our area.”
OneROC President Joseph Stefko said, “This new investment strengthens our region’s world class research and training assets in the semiconductor and microelectronics sector – assets which were critical to our successfully securing funding last year for the NY SMART I-Corridor Regional Tech Hub. Bolstering training for in-demand, high-technology jobs better positions our region to fully capitalize on the growth we expect to see in the coming years. I’m grateful to Governor Hochul and our state delegation for their continued support, to President Burt-Nanna for her leadership, and to our federal partners for their commitment to investing in a high-skilled and agile workforce that can meet our current and future talent pipeline needs.”
Accelerating Economic Development in the Finger Lakes Today’s announcement complements “Finger Lakes Forward,” the region’s comprehensive strategy to generate robust economic growth and community development. The regionally designed plan focuses on investing in key industries including photonics, agriculture and food production, and advanced manufacturing.
About Empire State Development Empire State Development is New York’s chief economic development agency, and promotes business growth, job creation, and greater economic opportunity throughout the State. With offices in each of the state’s 10 regions, ESD oversees the Regional Economic Development Councils, supports broadband equity through the ConnectALL office, and is growing the workforce of tomorrow through the Office of Strategic Workforce Development. The agency engages with emerging and next generation industries like clean energy and semiconductor manufacturing looking to grow in New York State, operates a network of assistance centers to help small businesses grow and succeed, and promotes the state’s world class tourism destinations through I LOVE NY. For more information, please visit esd.ny.gov, and connect with ESD on LinkedIn, Facebook and X.
National Work Zone Awareness Week is April 21-25, 2025
Construction season has started, and the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) and its safety partners are reminding motorists to slow down and drive safely in work zones. This week (April 21-25) is National Work Zone Awareness Week � a time when drivers are asked to slow down when they approach a work zone � or a public safety vehicle.
RIDOT Director Peter Alviti, Jr. today joined officials from the Rhode Island State Police, Federal Highway Administration, Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority, Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association, AAA Northeast, the Laborers’ International Union of North America and the Rhode Island Building and Construction Trades Council for a press conference at the Department’s headquarters in Providence.
“This week, our construction and safety partners raise awareness about the dangers our workers face as they go about their jobs to make our roads better and safer,” Director Alviti said. “In Rhode Island alone there are hundreds of work zones set up throughout the year. These men and women are working mere feet from live, often high-speed traffic and we need to keep them safe.”
This year’s Work Zone Awareness Week press conference featured the story of Lincoln Police Lieutenant Brad Stewart who was nearly struck by an errant driver in 2018 while assisting a work crew on Route 146 near Twin River Road. The driver thankfully did not hit his cruiser, but crashed into a sign board on a trailer, snapping it in half and nearly killing two workers on the road.
It was a harrowing reminder of a serious injury crash in 2013 when a car slammed into the back of his cruiser at a high rate of speed on the side of Route 146, when he stopped to assist a motorist with a flat tire. The driver was heavily intoxicated � four times the legal limit. Stewart’s cruiser was totaled, and he was hospitalized with significant injuries. It took seven months of recovery before he was able to get back to work. Although that near miss happened five years after he was seriously injured, being in the center of another potentially bad crash really jolted him.
“For a moment I was convinced that I got hit again,” he said. “It was that close. It all hit home again. You go out to work and you don’t know what could unfold when someone’s not paying attention and crashes into your work zone.”
Across the country, fatal crashes in work zones have steadily increased. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, about 900 people a year die in work zone crashes. That’s up significantly from an average of 500 per year 10 years ago. At the current rate, that’s equivalent to 18 coach buses filled to capacity.
“We have a shared responsibility to keep our roadways safe and this includes taking care when driving through a work zone,” said Lieutenant Colonel Robert Creamer, Deputy Superintendent and Chief of Field Operations for the Rhode Island State Police. “Our move-over law requires drivers to move over and slow down when they see emergency lights, so please follow the law and help us keep our roads safe for work crews and first responders.”
Fortunately, RIDOT has not had any work zone fatalities among its staff or contractors in many years, however each year there are hundreds of crashes in work zones, resulting in many injuries and financial losses for those affected. Last year there were nearly 500 work zone-related crashes in Rhode Island, up from 346 crashes reported in 2021.
“Distracted driving is an entirely preventable cause of work zone crashes, and we need to do more to protect the road workers and the police officers who are at these job sites every day,” said Chief Thomas F. Oates III, President of the Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association and Woonsocket Chief of Police. “Our ask is simple: please slow down and pay attention and help us make work zones safer for everyone.”
Safety is RIDOT’s highest priority, and all work zones are established with careful attention to safety and in coordination with national standards and best practices. RIDOT routinely inspects all work zones on state roads, including those set up by contractors, bridge inspectors and utility companies. This interaction includes making sure work zones are set up correctly.
RIDOT plans the timing and duration of work zones to reduce as much as possible the impact to traffic flow and travel time. The potential impact to traffic is carefully studied during the design process on each project with continual monitoring during projects for any changes that can be made to reduce congestion.
In addition to today’s event, RIDOT coordinated with the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority and Rhode Island Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance to illuminate key structures in orange in recognition of Work Zone Awareness Week. This includes the State House, the Sakonnet River Bridge and the Pawtucket River Bridge. Additionally, Big Blue Bug Solutions is currently displaying a Work Zone Awareness Week banner at its “Nibbles Woodaway” statue on the roof of its Providence office, highly visible to motorists on I-95. RIDOT will utilize a variety of advertising mediums to help spread the important message of safe driving in work zones.
RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment is investigating a fatal collision that occurred in Lawrencetown.
On April 21, at approximately 12:10 p.m., RCMP officers, fire, and EHS responded to a report of a two-vehicle collision at the intersection of Lawrencetown Rd. and Gammon Lake Dr.
The investigation indicates an Econoline van was travelling south on Gammon Lake Dr. and a Yamaha motorcycle was travelling west on Lawrencetown Rd. when they collided.
The driver and sole rider of the motorcycle, a 65-year-old man from Three Fathom Harbour, was pronounced deceased at the scene. The driver and sole occupant of the van, a 59-year-old man from Westphal, was not injured.
A collision reconstructionist attended the scene; the investigation remains ongoing.
Lawrencetown Rd. was closed for several hours.
Our thoughts are with the victim’s loved ones at this difficult time.
Richard G. Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on April 21, 2025, United States District Judge Brett Ludwig accepted the guilty plea of James Morgan (formerly Karactus Blome) to one count of possession of chemical weapon precursors—chemicals that combine to create chlorine and chlorine gas—not intended for peaceful purposes, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 229(a).
According to court documents, on December 21, 2023, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) executed a search warrant at Morgan’s storage unit and found the precursor chemicals. Morgan had studied chemistry at the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater and had described himself as a weapon designer who did not need a conventional weapon. In a video, Morgan displayed the chemicals and said they were for making a lot of chlorine very quickly. In messages in 2022, he said that what he had was “scary,” and that the chemicals react to produce a lot of chlorine gas, which can be “effective if your enemy is not ready for it.” He sent links for purchasing the chemicals and discussed the amounts needed to make a lot of chlorine gas really fast. In messages in 2023, Morgan discussed a plan to defeat the government, if it came for his guns, by producing a large amount of chlorine that he claimed could be used against approximately twenty government agents. The FBI Laboratory determined that the chemicals Morgan possessed could produce a large amount of chlorine that could result in rapid, serious health effects, including death.
Sentencing is scheduled for August 1, 2025, before Judge Ludwig. Morgan faces up to life in prison, a $250,000 fine, and five years of supervised release after any period of imprisonment.
The FBI, the Janesville Police Department, and the Whitewater Police Department investigated the case, which also resulted in Morgan’s conviction for possession of destructive devices in the Western District of Wisconsin.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John Scully is prosecuting the case in the Eastern District of Wisconsin, Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Duchemin prosecuted the case in the Western District of Wisconsin, and Trial Attorney Justin Sher of the National Security Division, Counterterrorism Section, assisted on both prosecutions.
Canada’s major political parties have been pledging support for the manufacturingsector ahead of next week’s election, but Canada’s working class is much broader than just manufacturing.
Canadians are on edge because as many as 600,000 jobs are at stake due to tariffs levied by United States President Donald Trump.
But the focus on manufacturing obscures what truly ails the working class in an advanced economy like Canada’s. Manufacturing’s share of employment hovers at around 8.9 per cent, while nearly 80 per cent of Canadians work in the service sector.
A recent report from the non-partisan Cardus think tank notes that Canada’s working class today is “likely to be a female, recently immigrated worker in the services-producing sector. The new working class, in other words, is now more personified by a Walmart cashier or an Amazon delivery driver than a General Motors factory worker or a Domtar mill hand.”
It’s easy to understand. Manufacturing has been essential to industrialization, from the British Empire to China’s unprecedented growth in recent years.
The late British-Hungarian economist Nicholas Kaldor argued that manufacturing is the engine of growth due to increasing returns to scale, strong links to other sectors and its role in technological development.
Labour-intensive sectors like clothing cannot compete with Bangladeshi wages, but discussions about manufacturing jobs in Canada and other advanced economies too often focus on wage competition instead of job losses through automation and increasing productivity.
There were losers when the globalization era began, but countries like Canada and the U.S. are wealthier today than they were in 1994, when the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was signed. As American economist Jeffrey Sachs has pointed out, governments have failed to redistribute the wealth created by gains from trade to those at the bottom of the income scale.
With Canada on track to experience a surge of its elderly population, long-term care also needs to be a focus. Personal support workers must earn a living wage and must have better working conditions. Canada’s aging population is also why decreased immigration is a bad idea.
These policies are generally not implemented in liberal market economies like Canada and the U.S.
But in countries like Sweden with active labour market policies in place, 80 per cent of the population has a favourable opinion of robots and AI compared to two-thirds of Americans who are concerned about technological job loss. The state’s ability — or lack of it — to provide social protections and job re-training has real impacts on how people perceive technological change.
Canada also needs to recognize foreign credentials. Its reluctance to do so has had a negative impact on the economic prospects of immigrants. Canada should also consider making higher education free.
Apart from the public sector, Canadian unions have not fared well organizing in service industries. Unions need to make a serious effort to organize in retail, food service, the gig economy and logistics, despite the challenges. Canadian unions may find that they have little choice but to do so, as their presence in the private sector continues to decline.
The most significant barrier of these four policy proposals is that most require an increased redistribution of wealth. Canada over the past several decades has retreated from wealth redistribution and as a result, economic inequality has surged.
These policies are not easy to achieve, but there are few other options for Canada if it wants to be carbon-free, open to the world and more equal. Canada’s economic nostalgia for manufacturing is ultimately strange given it’s also a common talking point of Trump, a politician who’s wildly unpopular in Canada.
Gerard Di Trolio 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.
Premier David Eby has issued the following statement marking Earth Day:
“On Earth Day, people in British Columbia join other Canadians and people around the world in celebrating our planet as we rededicate our efforts to protect it.
“British Columbia is lucky to have so many marvelous natural wonders, from snowcapped mountains to verdant valleys to spectacular coastlines. Our government is working in partnership with more than 60 First Nations on stewardship projects embracing local and Indigenous knowledge to protect nature. Our unique biospheres are our inheritance. We have an obligation to preserve them as our legacy for future generations.
“For 55 years, Earth Day has been raising awareness and encouraging action on critically important environmental issues. This year’s Earth Day theme is Our Planet, Our Power. It is a call for the world to harness renewable energy to build a healthy, equitable and prosperous future. A transition to renewable energy is driving innovation in industry, transportation and agriculture, and spurring technological advancements, while creating millions of new jobs around the world, including here in British Columbia.
“The urgency has never been clearer. Our climate is changing. British Columbians have endured record-breaking wildfire seasons, as well as floods, droughts and heat waves. That is why we are building our province’s capacity to produce clean fuels, such as biofuels, hydrogen and hydroelectricity, as well as wind and solar power.
“Our province is already a clean-energy superpower. To build a clean economy and support growing communities, we need to expand our clean-energy capacity. BC Hydro’s $36-billion, 10-year capital plan is critical to our efforts to build a clean economy, powered by electricity, that works for everyone.
“First Nations have long been leaders in the clean-energy sector, and we will advance reconciliation by working in collaboration and partnership with First Nations to advance projects on their territories – including eight new wind-energy projects that have majority First Nations equity ownership.
“Our plan, called Powering Our Future: B.C.’s Clean Energy Strategy, also shows how investment in energy efficiency saves people and businesses on their energy bills, reduces energy waste and cuts down on harmful pollution, while creating jobs and economic opportunities.
“By working together, we will ensure our province remains a place where our children and our children’s children can continue to enjoy clean air, water and land.”
Tamara Davidson, Minister of Environment and Parks, said:
“People throughout British Columbia are blessed to be able to celebrate Earth Day where the beauty of nature is ever-present. We all cherish the natural wonders this province provides for us and we take this time to renew our efforts to protect it.
“Since 1970, Earth Day has stood as a time for all of us to reflect on how we can continue to care for our planet so it will continue to take care of us. With the ongoing effects of climate change being felt annually in the form of worsening drought, wildfires, heat waves and other weather events, now is the time to ramp up our efforts to work with our environment, not against it, for the betterment of all.
“The theme of this 55th Earth Day is Our Power, Our Planet, an idea we are passionate about. That’s why the Province is exempting wind-farm projects from environmental assessments and working on expediting reviews of projects such as solar farms. Producing clean energy to meet the electricity needs of people and the economy is pivotal to our future. We want to make it easier for investors to create this energy and, at the same time, fuel our economy.
“The people of British Columbia continue to show how much they cherish the beauty of this land by visiting provincial parks and recreation sites in high numbers year after year. As a vital part of our physical and mental well-being, our world-renowned parks and protected areas are more important than ever. They play a critical role in preserving unique species and ecosystems, along with cultural and historical values, and contribute to local economies through tourism.
“Since 2017, we’ve added more than 2,000 new campsites to BC Parks and recreation sites, with more to come. Accessibility upgrades continue to be made in parks throughout the province to ensure these natural treasures can be enjoyed by everyone.
“Earth Day allows us to reflect on where we are and where we need to go to build a cleaner, sustainable future. I am committed to do my part in stewarding our environment for future generations to benefit from, care and enjoy.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)
Brooklyn, NY – Today, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on ABC’s This Week where he emphasized that Democrats will continue to aggressively push back against the Republican assault on Social Security and Medicaid.
(VIDEO) LEADER JEFFRIES: We’re in a crisis across the board, right? I mean, that is obvious for everyone to see. This is not normal. The president is assaulting the economy, assaulting Social Security, assaulting health care, assaulting the American way of life and assaulting our democracy. None of this is normal. It is all a crisis.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KARL: That was House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who joins me now. Leader Jeffries, thank you for being here. Let me get right at what you were saying, because I also heard you say that Republicans are breaking the economy and will own all of the damage that is being done to the American people. So, what—what are Democrats going to do about it?
JEFFRIES: Well, we’re going to continue to make clear that the cost of living in the United States of America is too high. Donald Trump and Republicans promised to lower the cost of living, in fact, on day one. Costs aren’t going down, they are going up and they are crashing the economy in real time and in fact, driving us toward a recession. Democrats have a different vision. We want to build an affordable economy for hardworking American taxpayers, and we’re ready to work with anyone in good faith to get that done. But that’s not occurring in the Congress right now, which is why things are heading in a bad direction.
KARL: But let me ask you about a Gallup poll that came out recently, asking people how much confidence they have in various people to—to deal with the economy. And Donald Trump only—you know, 44 percent have a great deal or fair amount of confidence, but that was—GOP leaders were next, the Fed chairman, the speaker of the House. And when you get down to the bottom Democratic leaders, Chuck Schumer, down at the bottom. You had only 30 percent. So, what do Democrats have to do to convince the American people that they have a better plan on the economy than the Republicans?
JEFFRIES: Well, this week, we’ll be having a Cost of Living Week of Action, and we have to continue to talk to the American people about our plans. We recognize that housing costs are too high, grocery costs are too high, utility costs are too high, child care costs are too high insurance costs are too high. America is too expensive. Now, Donald Trump is the president. And in terms of his approval as it relates to the economy, it was his biggest strength on January 20th. Now, it’s his greatest weakness. There are a variety of different polls that are out there, including most recently a Morning Consult poll, that showed that congressional Democrats were actually trusted more than congressional Republicans on the economy for the first time in four years. We’re going to continue to press our case on the economy, continue to press our case on protecting and strengthening Social Security, which is what we are committed to do. Republicans are trying to detonate Social Security as we know it. And certainly, we’re going to protect the health care of the American people.
KARL: You’ve seen those huge crowds that Bernie Sanders and AOC have gotten at their “Fighting Oligarchy Tour.” Is that where the energy of the Democratic Party is right now? Is it with the progressive left? Is that the direction the party’s going to turn?
JEFFRIES: I think the energy of the Democratic Party right now is across the board. And everyone has made that observation, that this is not a right/left moment, it’s a moment of right versus wrong. And we’ve got to be able to stand up to this assault that is underway led by Donald Trump and his compliant Republicans in the House and the Senate. An assault on the economy, on Social Security, on Medicaid, an insult on the democratic way of life as we know it.
KARL: I saw Senator Sanders had said in an interview this week that he was skeptical of Kamala Harris, and he mentioned Joe Biden as well — and having a future in the national Democratic Party. He said, quote: I think the future of the Democratic Party is not going to rest with the kind of leadership that we’ve had. Is—is he right? Do you think Democrats are looking for new leaders?
JEFFRIES: I think what we’ve got in front of us in terms of politically is that we have to win the races that are up next. That’s a governor’s race in New Jersey and a governor’s race in Virginia. Those two in November are going to be critically important, and we certainly have to win back control of the House of Representatives next year. Now, we’re pushing back in the Congress. We’re pushing back in the courts, and we’re pushing back in the communities, including wherever there are special elections on the campaign trail. And, in fact, Democrats are winning special elections month after month after month, including most recently a decisive one in Wisconsin earlier this month for the state Supreme Court.
KARL: David Hogg, who I know you know, a vice chair of the Democratic National Committee, he’s going to be joining us on the roundtable, and he is pursuing this effort to unseat some Democrats in safe seats through primary challenges. He’s talked about a culture of seniority politics that is not working for the party. He said, quote: We need a better Democratic Party and need to get rid of the Democrats in safe seats who do not understand what is at stake now, who are asleep at the wheel not meeting the moment and are a liability now into the future of our party. What’s your response to this idea of targeting your Dem—some of your Democratic incumbents?
JEFFRIES: Well, I look forward to standing behind every single Democratic incumbent, from the most progressive, to the most centrist, and all points in between. They’re working hard in their communities, rising to the occasion this past week. We had, of course, Medicaid Matters Day of Action, a Save Social Security Day of Action, and we have to continue to do all of the things—rallies, town hall meetings in Democratic districts, town hall meetings in Republican districts, days of action, telephone town hall meetings, site visits, press conferences. We are in a more is more environment, and more is going to continue to be required of all of us. Now, the House is the institution that is known to be—was built to be the closest to the American people. That’s why we have elections every two years. Primaries are a fact of life. But here’s the thing: I’m going to really focus on trying to defeat Republican incumbents so we can take back control of the House of Representatives and begin the process of ending this national nightmare that’s being visited upon us by far-right extremism.
KARL: All right. Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, thank you for joining us before running into Easter services. We appreciate you. Have happy—have a happy Easter.
To celebrate Earth Day 2025, on Tuesday, April 22, MC2 will retire Midwest-generated Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) equal to 100% of the energy its customers consume this day.
This amount is equivalent to eliminating more than 2,000 metric tons of CO2 from the atmosphere.
MC2 continuously supports the development of renewable generation resources in the Midwest.
CHICAGO, April 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — MC Squared Energy Services, LLC (MC2), a Chicago based retail electric supplier, will celebrate Earth Day 2025 with their annual green initiative. On Tuesday, April 22, MC2 will retire wind and solar based Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) equal to 100% of this day’s energy consumption of its entire client base. This includes all residential, commercial, educational, and governmental customers served by MC2. These RECs are in addition to existing state-mandated Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) compliance requirements.
On Earth Day 2025, MC2 is projected to retire wind and solar generated renewable energy certificates equivalent to eliminating more than 2,000 metric tons of CO2 from the atmosphere. “We are excited to continue our tradition of celebrating Earth Day again this year by supporting clean, renewable energy resources,” states MC2 founder and president, Chuck Sutton.
MC Squared Energy Services offers electricity supply products and services that are backed by RECs as a way for customers to support the reduction of harmful emissions and help the environment. A REC represents 1,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity that has been generated from a renewable energy source.
About MC Squared Energy Services, LLC
Established in 2008 by veteran energy industry experts, MC Squared Energy Services, LLC (MC2) is a certified retail electric-service provider headquartered in Chicago. MC2 helps municipalities, businesses, and individuals with competitive electric supply products to fit their specific needs. The company’s customer-focused team has the resources and knowledge to meet its customers electrical supply requirements. MC2 prides itself on being easy to work with and responsive to its customers.
MC Squared Energy Services, LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of IGS Energy, headquartered in Dublin, Ohio. IGS Energy is redefining what it means to be an energy retailer. The company is leading a transition to a more sustainable energy future for a healthier planet by empowering home and business customers to source the energy that’s right for them, manage their costs and carbon footprint, and protect the systems that keep their homes running efficiently.
For Further Product Information, Contact: Samantha Komzak MC Squared Energy Services, LLC 312-854-1981 skomzak@mc2energyservices.com
Illinois Required Disclosure (ComEd Service Area) MC Squared Energy Services, LLC (MC2) is not the same entity as your electric delivery company. You are not required to enroll with MC2. As of April 2025, the electric supply price to compare to is currently 6.552 cents per kWh1. The electric utility electric supply price will expire on May 31, 2025. The utility electric supply price to compare does not include the purchased electricity adjustment factor. For more information, go to the Illinois Commerce Commission’s free website at www.pluginillinois.org.
1The electric supply price to compare is for residential customers. Electric supply prices to compare for other rate classes (in cents per kWh) that are currently applicable include: Watt-Hour Non-Electric Space Heating – 6.574 cents/kWh; Demand Non-Electric Space Heating – 6.624 cents/kWh; Nonresidential Electric Space Heating – 6.450 cents/kWh; Dusk to Dawn Lighting – 3.723 cents/kWh; General Lighting – 6.107 cents/kWh.
Illinois Required Disclosure (Ameren Service Area) MC Squared Energy Services, LLC (MC2) is not the same entity as your electric delivery company. You are not required to enroll with MC2. As of April 2025, the electric utility electric supply price to compare to is currently 8.277 cents/kWh (Up to 800 kWh) and 7.693 cents/kWh (Above 800 kWh)1. The utility electric supply price will expire on May 31, 2025. The utility electric supply price to compare does not include the purchased electricity adjustment factor. For more information, go to the Illinois Commerce Commission’s free website at www.pluginillinois.org.
1 The electric supply price to compare listed above is for residential customers. Other rate class rates as of the month above (in cents per kWh): Small General Service (Secondary) 9.040; Small General Service (Primary) 8.891; Small General Service (High Voltage) 8.803.
Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:
ACCRA, Ghana, April 22, 2025/APO Group/ —
Hon. Ahmed Ibrahim, Minister of Local Government, Decentralization and Rural Development of Ghana, has joined the upcoming Mining in Motion 2025 Summit, taking place from 2-4 June in Accra, as a speaker. Minister Ibrahim’s participation underscores the vital role of gold mining in fostering job creation, empowering local communities and advancing economic development through strengthened local content policies and projects.
Ghana’s artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector directly employs over one million people and indirectly supports an additional 4.5 million individuals across the mining value chain and related industries. In 2024, the sector generated $5 billion in gold export revenue, contributing to household incomes and community development nationwide.
Ghana’s Ministry of Local Government, Decentralization and Rural Development plays a pivotal role in this progress, through strategic programs that integrate rural development with sustainable mining practices. Through the Landscape Restoration and Small-Scale Mining Project – implemented in partnership with the World Bank – Ghana is formalizing its ASM operations, driving community engagement and promoting environmental stewardship.
In 2025, Minister Ibrahim is prioritizing the District Roads Improvement Program, an ambitious infrastructure plan aimed at modernizing rural road networks. Given that the majority of gold mining activities are located in remote districts, improved transport access will support mining growth by facilitating the efficient movement of goods, services and personnel.
At the Mining in Motion 2025 Summit, Minister Ibrahim will engage in high-level panel discussions and exclusive networking sessions, where he will outline the Ministry’s strategy for enhancing the mining sector’s contribution to community and national development. The summit offers an ideal platform for both public and private sector stakeholders to engage with the Ministry, explore investment opportunities and forge new partnerships, all while aligning on initiatives that deliver value to Ghanaian communities.
Mining in Motion 2025 is spearheaded by the Ashanti Green Initiative, under the leadership of Oheneba Kwaku Duah, Prince of Ghana’s Ashanti Kingdom, and is hosted in partnership with the World Bank and the World Gold Council.
Stay informed about the latest advancements, network with industry leaders, and engage in critical discussions on key issues impacting small-scale miners and medium to large scale mining in Ghana. Secure your spot at the Mining in Motion 2025 summit by visiting https://apo-opa.co/4cLZqQs.For sponsorship opportunities or delegate participation, contact sales@ashantigreeninitiative.org.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor boosts development of mechanical equipment industry
Updated: April 22, 2025 21:52Xinhua
A staff member conducts performance test on an excavator at an equipment manufacturing company in southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality, April 21, 2025. Launched in 2017, the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor is a trade and logistics passage jointly built by provincial-level regions in western China and ASEAN members. In recent years, along with the development of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, equipment manufacturing companies in China’s western regions have sped up digital and intelligent transformation, as a way to boost high-quality development of companies themselves as well as assist the building of the corridor with better mechanical equipment. According to statistics, as of early March, the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor’s cargo services connect 158 locations across 73 domestic cities and reach 556 ports in 127 countries and regions. [Photo/Xinhua]Customs officers inspect loaders for export to Vietnam at the port of the Friendship Pass in Pingxiang, south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, March 17, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]An aerial drone photo taken on March 21, 2025 shows loaders for export to Vietnam in Guangxi Pingxiang Integrated Free Trade Zone in Pingxiang, south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. [Photo/Xinhua]Staff members work on an assembly line of excavators for export to Laos and Myanmar at an equipment manufacturing company in southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality, April 21, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]An aerial drone photo taken on March 21, 2025 shows trucks loaded with equipment for export to Vietnam in Guangxi Pingxiang Integrated Free Trade Zone in Pingxiang, south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. [Photo/Xinhua]A staff member works on a production line of loaders at an equipment manufacturing company in Liuzhou, south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, March 11, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]A staff member conducts test at an equipment manufacturing company in Liuzhou, south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, March 12, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]A staff member verifies the information of machine parts for export to Qatar at a logistics center in Liuzhou, south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, March 12, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
The restoration recognises the history and architecture of the heritage-listed buildings.
In Brief:
The Sydney and Melbourne Buildings in Canberra City are being restored.
The restoration project is a joint effort between building owners and the ACT Government.
Consultation on the legislative process for the buildings’ Revitalisation Plan will open soon.
The work to restore the exterior of the iconic Sydney and Melbourne Buildings is picking up pace.
Here’s what you need to know about this project:
What does the work involve?
Repainting has started on the Melbourne Building on the corner of Alinga Street and Northbourne Avenue. This section includes the business frontages of:
Amici Wine Bar and Deli
Bistro Nguyen’s
Smith’s Alternative.
Who owns the Sydney and Melbourne buildings?
The Sydney and Melbourne Buildings are privately owned. They include four individual buildings with about 100 separate land titles. These have multiple owners, and no common management body.
The restoration recognises the history and architecture of the heritage-listed buildings. It is a shared project between the ACT Government and building owners. The work will restore and preserve these Canberra landmarks.
An owner’s outlook
Ravi Sharma is a Sydney Building property owner. “The façade repainting will lift these beautiful buildings and help create a standout feature for visitors to the city,” he said.
“As a building owner, I certainly appreciate the ACT Government’s support to preserve the character of these iconic buildings. The fresh façade will enhance the appeal of the businesses operating within them and be a drawcard for patrons.”
Who is paying for the work?
The ACT Government established a grants program to support building owners to repaint their building façades. Building owners have been offered a grant from the City Renewal Authority. This is to facilitate façade repainting work that is consistent with the cream and white colour scheme specified in the buildings’ Conservation Management Plan.
Over the last five years, the ACT Government has engaged with Canberrans about the potential for legislation to maintain the buildings. This has included:
building owners
businesses
the broader community.
The legislation would allow the Government to carry out and charge for the painting works if the building’s owners do not complete it themselves.
A final round of consultation on the legislative process for the buildings’ Revitalisation Plan will open soon. This will gather any outstanding comments on the plan before legislation to maintain the buildings is tabled with the ACT Legislative Assembly.
The plan has been developed over several years. City Renewal will seek feedback from the buildings’ property owners and interested heritage stakeholders before it is finalised.
When will the restoration be finished?
It is estimated that the façade repainting of both buildings will take 18 months to complete. Repainting of the building façades follows pavement, lighting and infrastructure upgrades to the buildings’ Odgers and Verity Lanes completed in 2023.
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Headline: Mpox Found in Wastewater in North Carolina, NCDHHS Urges Public and Providers to Be on Alert
Mpox Found in Wastewater in North Carolina, NCDHHS Urges Public and Providers to Be on Alert stonizzo
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is asking people and providers to be on alert for mpox cases following the detection of mpox particles in multiple sewage samples found through routine wastewater testing. This year there have been two cases of mpox in North Carolina and the new wastewater detections were determined to be another type, clade I, not previously found in North Carolina. These detections indicate potential undiagnosed or unreported cases. At this time, the risk to the public remains low.
The mpox virus, formerly known as monkeypox, is primarily spread by prolonged close contact, typically skin-to-skin, often during sexual activity. There are two genetic types of the virus, known as clade I and clade II. The viral particles found in wastewater were determined to be clade I. To date, only four clade I cases have been reported in the U.S. Clade I mpox is responsible for a large outbreak in Central and Eastern Africa, which appears to be spreading mostly through heterosexual contact with some spread to household members, including children.
North Carolina’s detections were found in wastewater samples collected on March 25, March 28, and April 8 from a treatment plant in Greenville, NC. No clade I cases have been reported to date; however, these detections mean there was possibly at least one person with an undiagnosed or unreported clade I mpox infection present or traveling through the Greenville area around the time of these detections.
“The detection of clade I mpox virus in wastewater surveillance tells us the virus is potentially here in our state, even though no cases have been reported and confirmed,” said NC Health and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai. “We encourage health care providers to be on the lookout for mpox cases and we encourage people who are at higher risk to protect themselves by getting vaccinated.”
NCDHHS requests that all North Carolina health care providers consider mpox in patients with compatible symptoms and ask about any recent international travel. Providers who are treating patients with mpox infections should contact their local health department or the NCDHHS Division of Public Health’s 24/7 epidemiologist on-call number: 919-733-3419.
These recent results were found by the North Carolina Wastewater Monitoring Network, which launched in 2021 to better understand the spread of certain viruses in communities across North Carolina. This network is a collaboration between NCDHHS, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, wastewater utilities and local health departments. Samples are collected routinely from 35 wastewater treatment plants across the state and tested for specific viruses, including SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19), influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). People with these viruses shed viral particles in their stool even if they don’t have symptoms. These virus particles are no longer infectious but can still be detected through lab testing.
While wastewater surveillance has become a valuable tool for tracking and responding to viruses, the program is now at risk due to proposed federal funding cuts. Wastewater surveillance funding allows North Carolina to have a crucial early warning system for levels of infections that can help public health officials and health care providers make decisions, such as providing guidance on how to prevent infections.
NC Wastewater Monitoring Network results are routinely shared on the NCDHHS wastewater monitoring dashboard. Testing for mpox is done on samples from 18 of the participating sites and results are shared on the CDC Mpox wastewater dashboard.
If you think you have mpox or have had close contact with someone who has mpox, visit your health care provider or contact your local health department. Symptoms include a rash on any part of the body, like the genitals, hands, feet, chest, face or mouth. The rash can initially look like pimples or blisters and may be painful or itchy. The rash will go through several stages, including scabs, before healing. Some people experience flu-like symptoms before the rash, while others get a rash first followed by other symptoms. In some cases, a rash is the only symptom experienced.
Vaccines are available to protect against mpox infection from both clade types and can reduce the severity of illness if infection does occur. Information about vaccine recommendations and where to find vaccine is available on the NCDHHS mpox page.
El Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Carolina del Norte está pidiendo a las personas y a los proveedores que estén alertas ante casos de viruela símica (mpox) después de la detección de partículas de mpox en múltiples muestras de aguas residuales encontradas a través de pruebas rutinarias de aguas residuales. Este año hubo dos casos de mpox en Carolina del Norte y se determinó que las nuevas detecciones de aguas residuales eran de otro tipo, clado I, que no se había encontrado anteriormente en Carolina del Norte. Estas detecciones indican posibles casos no diagnosticados o no notificados. En este momento, el riesgo para el público sigue siendo bajo.
Elvirus de la viruela símica (mpox), anteriormente conocido como viruela del mono, se transmite principalmente por contacto cercano prolongado, generalmente piel con piel, a menudo durante la actividad sexual. Existen dos tipos genéticos del virus, conocidos como clado I y clado II. Se determinó que las partículas virales encontradas en las aguas residuales eran del clado I. Hasta la fecha, solo se han reportado cuatro casos de clado I en los EE. UU. La viruela del clado I es responsable de un gran brote en África Central y Oriental, que parece estar propagándose principalmente a través del contacto heterosexual con algunos miembros del hogar, incluso los niños.
Las detecciones de Carolina del Norte se encontraron en muestras de aguas residuales recolectadas el 25 de marzo, el 28 de marzo y el 8 de abril de una planta de tratamiento en Greenville, Carolina del Norte. No se han informado casos de clado I hasta la fecha; sin embargo, estas detecciones significan que posiblemente había al menos una persona con una infección por viruela del clado I no diagnosticada o no informada presente o que viajaba por el área de Greenville en el momento de estas detecciones.
“La detección del virus de la viruela símica del clado I en la vigilancia de aguas residuales nos indica que el virus está potencialmente aquí en nuestro estado, a pesar de que no se han reportado y confirmado casos”, dijo el Secretario de Salud y Servicios Humanos de NC, Dev Sangvai. “Animamos a los proveedores de atención médica a estar atentos a los casos de mpox y alentamos a las personas que corren un mayor riesgo a protegerse vacunándose”.
El NCDHHS solicita que todos los proveedores de atención médica de Carolina del Norte consideren la viruela símica (mpox) en pacientes consíntomas compatiblesy pregunten sobre cualquier viaje internacional reciente. Los proveedores que atienden a pacientes con infecciones por mpox deben comunicarse con su departamento de salud local o llamar al número de guardia las 24 horas del día, los 7 días de la semana del epidemiólogo de la División de Salud Pública de NCDHHS al: 919-733-3419.
Estos resultados recientes se encontraron por la Red de Monitoreo de Aguas Residuales de Carolina del Norte, que se lanzó en 2021 para comprender mejor la propagación de ciertos virus en las comunidades de Carolina del Norte. Esta red es una colaboración entre NCDHHS, la Universidad de Carolina del Norte en Chapel Hill, los servicios públicos de aguas residuales y los departamentos de salud locales. Las muestras se recolectan rutinariamente de 35 plantas de tratamiento de aguas residuales en todo el estado y se analizan para detectar virus específicos, incluido el SARS-CoV-2 (el virus que causa COVID-19), la influenza y el virus sincitial respiratorio (RSV). Las personas con estos virus eliminan partículas virales en las heces, incluso si no tienen síntomas. Estas partículas de virus dejan de ser infecciosas, pero aún pueden detectarse mediante pruebas de laboratorio.
Si bien la vigilancia de las aguas residuales se ha convertido en una herramienta valiosa para rastrear y responder a los virus, el programa ahora está en riesgo debido a los recortes de fondos federales propuestos. El financiamiento de la vigilancia de aguas residuales permite que Carolina del Norte tenga un sistema de alerta temprana crucial para los niveles de infecciones que puede ayudar a los funcionarios de salud pública y proveedores de atención médica a tomar decisiones, como proporcionar orientación sobre cómo prevenir infecciones.
Los resultados de la Red de Monitoreo de Aguas Residuales de NC se comparten de forma rutinaria en eltablero de monitoreo de aguas residuales de NCDHHS. Las pruebas de la viruela símica (mpox) se realizan en muestras de 18 de los sitios participantes y los resultados se comparten en eltablero de aguas residuales de CDC mpox.
Si cree que tiene viruela símica (mpox) o ha tenido contacto cercano con alguien que tiene mpox, visite a su proveedor de atención médica o comuníquese con su departamento de salud local.Los síntomasincluyen una erupción en cualquier parte del cuerpo, como los genitales, las manos, los pies, el pecho, la cara o la boca. La erupción de piel puede parecer inicialmente como granos o ampollas y pueden ser dolorosas o provocar comezón. La erupción pasará por varias etapas, incluyendo costras, antes de sanar. Algunas personas experimentan síntomas similares a la influenza (gripe) antes de la erupción, mientras que otras tienen una erupción primero seguida de otros síntomas. En algunos casos, el único síntoma que se experimenta es una erupción cutánea.
Las vacunas están disponibles para proteger contra la infección por mpox de ambos tipos de clados y pueden reducir la gravedad de la enfermedad si se produce la infección. La información sobre las recomendaciones de vacunas y dónde encontrarlas está disponible en lapágina web de NCDHHS mpox.
A South Philadelphia man was sentenced yesterday in the District of New Jersey to six years in prison for conspiracy to distribute oxycodone, a highly addictive controlled substance.
According to court documents, between January 2022 and February 2024, Michael Procopio, 50, coordinated the unlawful sale of prescription oxycodone pills as a leader of South Philadelphia’s notorious “10th and O Crew.” Procopio obtained the pills from doctors’ offices in the area. He then unlawfully distributed them through a network of intermediaries. In February 2024, during a search of Procopio’s residence pursuant to a search warrant, law enforcement found oxycodone, Adderall (amphetamine and dextroamphetamine), and other drugs stored in a safe concealed in a hollowed-out dictionary. During the execution of the search warrant, Procopio stated, “take me to jail” and “I f***ed up.”
Pursuant to the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, one gram of actual oxycodone is equivalent to 6,700 grams of converted drug weight. Procopio admitted to distributing approximately 14,925 milligrams of oxycodone, which equates to between 80 and 100 kilograms of opioids by converted drug weight.
“The defendant led a criminal ‘crew’ that diverted addictive prescription drugs to sell on the streets of Philadelphia,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The unlawful distribution of opioids ravages communities, whether it’s fentanyl from overseas or prescription oxycodone obtained from a doctor. The Department of Justice is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to eradicate the illegal sale of these dangerous drugs.”
In June 2024, Procopio pleaded guilty to conspiracy to unlawfully distribute controlled substances. Court documents show that Procopio was previously convicted of sexual assault in Pennsylvania.
Special Agent in Charge Wayne Jacobs of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Philadelphia Field Office and Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) New Jersey Field Division joined the announcement.
The FBI, DEA, and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Paul J. Koob and Nicholas K. Peone of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Lunenburg District RCMP is investigating a fatal crash that occurred in Lilydale.
On April 20, at approximately 11:15 a.m., Lunenburg District RCMP, fire, and EHS responded to a report of a single motor vehicle crash on Hwy. 324.
Responders located a Jeep Compass on its roof alongside the highway. The initial investigation indicates the SUV was travelling southbound when it left the roadway and struck a tree before overturning onto its roof.
The driver and sole occupant of the vehicle, a 31-year-old woman from Lunenburg, was pronounced deceased at the scene.
An RCMP collision reconstructionist attended the location of the crash; the investigation is ongoing.
A section of Hwy. 324 was closed for several hours.
Our thoughts are with the victim’s loved ones at this difficult time.
MOBILE, AL –OnApril 21, 2025, United States District Court Judge, Jeffrey U. Beaverstock sentenced Phyliss Joy Ferris of Wake Forrest, North Carolina, to 24 months imprisonment for Conspiracy to Possession with the Intent to Distribute Cocaine.
Documents filed with the Court established that on October 24, 2022, the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) Special Operations Unit stopped Ferris on Interstate 65 for a traffic violation. During the traffic stop a deputy smelled the odor of marijuana and officers began a probable cause search of the vehicle based on the odor of marijuana. Ferris was the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle. Officers located the top to a marijuana dispensary jar that still contained small remnants of green leafy substance consistent with marijuana. Inside Ferris’ purse, officers located a bottle of “Blunt Bomb”, a cover agent commonly used to mask the odor of marijuana. The defendant later told officers that she purchased the “Blunt Bomb” while on the trip to help cover the odor of marijuana in the vehicle.
As officers continued to search, they opened the spare tire well inside the rear cargo area of the vehicle. Inside, they found a Ziploc bag wrapped in duct tape. White powder consistent with cocaine could be seen through cracks in the tape on the “brick” or kilo of suspected cocaine. Officers removed the cocaine from the vehicle and the DEA Laboratory later confirmed the powder was in fact cocaine weighing 1007 grams. In a later interview with a DEA Task Force Officer, Ferris admitted to being paid to make previous trips for the organization that hired her to transport the cocaine from Texas to North Carolina.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Unit. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney George F. May.
RALEIGH, N.C. – An Arizona man was sentenced today to 9 years in prison for trafficking fentanyl pills in the Eastern District of North Carolina. Dakota Henderson, 26, pled guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Forty Grams or More of a Mixture and Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Fentanyl and Distribution of Forty grams or more of a Mixture and Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Fentanyl on October 10, 2024.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, law enforcement determined that Henderson was part of a group that obtained fentanyl pills from California and Arizona and then transported them to the Raleigh area for distribution.
In March 2024, law enforcement searched a hotel room rented in Henderson’s name and found approximately 5,912 fentanyl pills, a drum magazine loaded with 32 rounds of ammunition, and over $1,000 in U.S. currency. Several weeks later, Henderson was observed by law enforcement, armed with a firearm, collecting money from a drug debt and delivering an additional 2,000 suspected fentanyl pills to a confidential informant.
This investigation was an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Raleigh Police Department, the Cary Police Department, and the United States Postal Inspection Service investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey L. Peaden prosecuted the case.
Samsung Galaxy is further expanding the Certified Re-Newed lineup, announcing that the Galaxy S24 series – including Galaxy S24 Ultra, Galaxy S24+, and Galaxy S24 – are all available starting today.
Samsung’s Certified Re-Newed smartphones offer a like-new phone experience. Devices are assembled by Samsung engineers and made with 100% Samsung genuine parts, along with a brand new battery, and backed by Samsung’s one-year manufacturer warranty.1
With the Galaxy S24 series, users can experience new levels of innovation with advanced features and AI enhancements for communication, productivity, and creativity. The Galaxy S24 series features top-tier cameras, power-packed processors, and high-resolution displays across the series. Plus, it includes recycled materials, including certain recycled plastics, glass, and aluminum applied to internal and external components. With three models to choose from — Galaxy S24 Ultra, Galaxy S24+, and Galaxy S24 — users can select the device that fits their needs, while being sure that each is packed with the powerful experiences they expect from Samsung.
In addition, Certified Re-Newed make life more fun and efficient with Galaxy AI.2 These phones offer smart AI features that help you unleash your creativity and streamline your daily tasks, like Photo Assist, which makes recommendations and executes next-level edits, and Note Assist, which can summarize written content into easy bullet points for a clear overview of what you’re reading.
And with Samsung Wallet, your Galaxy S24 series Certified Re-Newed smartphone makes life even more streamlined. Samsung Wallet is designed to simplify your life by keeping your most important information available all in one place. Samsung Wallet lets you conveniently carry all your digital essentials — like your student ID, drivers’ license, and company ID,3 as well as your credit cards4, an upcoming boarding pass, and more — right on your mobile device.5
Plus, you’ll be able to enjoy your phone with confidence thanks to the same one-year limited warranty offered on new smartphones. While these phones are tough enough for whatever the day throws your way, you can rest assured knowing that Samsung Care+ is also available for Certified Re-Newed smartphones, including the newly introduced Galaxy S24 series for an additional cost, covering you for accidents, breaks, or other damage. You can also choose to add Samsung Care+ with Theft and Loss4, giving you the ultimate protection.
Galaxy S24 series Certified Re-Newed devices will be available exclusively on Samsung.com/us/CRN:
Galaxy S24 Ultra Certified Re-Newed comes in Titanium Black, starting at $1,019.99 for the 256GB storage variant, and $1,139.99 for the 512GB option.
Galaxy S24+ Certified Re-Newed is available in Onyx Black starting at $799.99 for 256GB and $919.99 for the 512GB option.
Galaxy S24 Certified Re-Newed also comes available in Onyx Black, starting at $619.99 for 128GB, and $669.99 for the 256GB option.
Galaxy S24 Ultra Certified Re-Newed Galaxy S24+ Certified Re-Newed Galaxy S24 Certified Re-Newed
Trade-in your old phone today and get a great deal on a Samsung Certified Re-Newed phone that’s been rebuilt to work like new. You can get a minimum of $250 guaranteed value toward the purchase of any Galaxy S24, Galaxy S23, or Galaxy S22 series Certified Re-Newed smartphone when you trade-in your qualifying smartphone, for a limited time.6
For more information about Samsung Certified Re-Newed and the Galaxy S24 series, visit Samsung.com.
Samsung’s Road Trip Rescue Wall provided a welcome creative recharge for families travelling through Rugby this Good Friday
Whilst 71% of Brits enjoy family road trips, they don’t come without their frustrations.
Samsung research, conducted to launch the new Galaxy Tab S10 FE and Tab S10 FE+, finds that despite UK families typically traveling over 150 miles on road trips, boredom strikes within a mere 43 minutes, making a boredom-free experience less likely.
With the average family only making two stops per road trip, limited to essential needs like going to the toilet (81%), having a snack break (57%) or stretching their legs (47%), there are few chances to alleviate the boredom.
Bringing a much-needed creative break to Brits travelling this Easter Weekend, Jordan Banjo unveiled Samsung’s Road Trip Rescue Wall at Moto Rugby, helping families recharge their imagination with the help of the Galaxy Tab S10 FE and Tab S10 FE+.
Father of three and Diversity member, Jordan Banjo, says: “Let’s be real, with three kids in the back, a ‘quick’ family road trip can feel like an actual expedition. We’re obsessed with the memories we’re going to make at the destination but forget that the getting there bit can sometimes be challenging.
“Moments like the Samsung Road Trip Rescue Wall inject some fun into the journey itself, making the journey just as much a part of the adventure as the destination. The Galaxy Tab S10 FE is a secret weapon for families. Anything that helps keep the peace and sparks imagination is a win in my book.”
Families dropping by Samsung’s Road Trip Rescue Wall enjoyed a moment of inspiration as they put Galaxy Tab 10 FE’s creative capabilities to the test, contributing their family’s artwork for the chance to win their very own tablet.
This comes as new stats reveal that 45% of Brits think using a tablet during a family road trip is a great way to share experiences and engage together.
And when it comes to how they use tech on the go, a third of parents are looking for gadgets that engage the whole family in a shared activity. Regionally, this number is highest for Londoners (40%) and across generations, is most true for Gen Z (41%), almost double their Gen X counterparts.
Annika Bizon, Mobile Experience VP of Product and Marketing Samsung UK&I, says: “Working out how to keep your children entertained in the car can be as stressful as planning a family trip itself.
“Parents often need technology like tablets to be an additional travel companion for long journeys, helping the entire family to beat both boredom and frustration – whether it’s getting creative with the S Pen, or exploring the Galaxy Tab S10 FE’s preloaded apps to encourage imagination and learning whilst on the move.
“It’s not about filling the time; it’s about enriching the journey for everyone in the car. The Galaxy Tab S10 FE is designed to do just that, turning challenging journeys into shared enjoyment.”
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE and Tab S10 FE+, with its creative and entertainment capabilities, alongside 5G connectivity, ensures an engaging journey for all. And with a powerful processor and longer-lasting battery life, you can do more for longer.
Pricing and current offers:
Galaxy Tab S10 FE (starting from £499 RRP) and Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ (starting from £649 RRP) are available now in 5G and Wi-Fi variants and offered in three colours: Grey, Silver and Blue.
Customers who purchase a Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE or a Tab S10 FE+ from Samsung.com and participating retailers can also claim a free Slim Keyboard Cover worth up to £169.
For more information about the Galaxy Tab S10 FE series, please visit: https://www.samsung.com/uk/tablets/galaxy-tab-s10-fe/buy/
Although the brain is our most complex organ, the ways to treat it have historically been rather simple. Typically, surgeons lesioned (damaged) a structure or a pathway in the hope that this would “correct the imbalance” that led to the disease. Candidate structures for lesioning were usually found by trial and error, serendipity or experiments in animals.
While performing one such surgery in 1987, French neurosurgeon Alim-Louis Benabid noticed that the electrical stimulation he performed to locate the right spot to lesion had effects similar to the lesion itself. This discovery led to a new treatment: deep brain stimulation. It involved a pacemaker delivering electrical pulses via electrodes implanted in specific spots in the brain.
This treatment has been used to treat advanced Parkinson’s since the early 2000s. However, until today, the stimulator settings had to remain constant once they were set by a specialised doctor or nurse and could only be changed when the patient was next seen in the clinic.
Accordingly, most researchers and doctors thought of stimulation as merely an adjustable and reversible way of lesioning. But these days the field is undergoing a revolution that challenges this view.
Dr Alim Louis Benabid’s discovery led to deep brain stimulation. Wikimedia Commons, CC BY
Adaptive deep brain stimulation was approved earlier this year by the US and European health authorities. It involves a computer interpreting brain activity and deciding whether to adjust the stimulation amplitude up or down to achieve the best relief of a patient’s symptoms.
Parkinson’s is a complex disorder with fluctuating symptoms that are greatly affected by the drugs a patient takes several times a day. While for some patients constant stimulation does a good job controlling their symptoms, for others it is too strong some of the time and overly weak at other times.
Ideally, the treatment should only kick in when it is most helpful.
The discovery that made adaptive stimulation possible was made by scientists at University College London over two decades ago, around the time when the first patients with Parkinson’s started getting electrodes implanted in the UK National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery.
When recording deep brain activity from these electrodes shortly after the surgery, the scientists noticed that a particular kind of brain wave appeared when a patient stopped their medication and their symptoms worsened.
The waves went away when the patients took their medication and started feeling better. It took a decade of further research before the same team of scientists first attempted to use the brain waves to control stimulation.
The idea is akin to a thermostat controlling an air conditioner. When the waves (temperature) reach a certain threshold, an electronic control circuit turns the stimulator (airconditioner) on. This reduces the waves and when they go away the stimulation can be turned off for a while until the waves re-emerge.
The original setup was bulky and could only be used in the hospital, and it took another decade to make it fit inside a device smaller than a matchbox that could be implanted in a patient’s chest.
New challenges
While the option to make brain stimulation adaptive gives new tools to doctors and nurses to fit stimulation to a patient in the best possible way, it comes with new challenges.
Even with the original fixed settings, there are many parameters doctors have to set to ensure effective treatment with minimal side-effects. Making stimulation adaptive adds another layer of complexity and puts extra demand on a clinical team’s time and attention.
In the case of Parkinson’s, stimulation effects are almost immediate so it is relatively easy to see how well particular constant settings work. But an adaptive setting must be tested over at least a few days to see how well it copes with the patient’s daily routine and medication cycles.
Adaptive stimulators also come with sensing abilities. They can record the harmful brain wave levels over days and weeks so that the clinical team can review them and see how well they are controlled.
These possibilities are new in the treatment of Parkinson’s, although similar implanted devices have been in use for years by cardiologists and epileptologists (neurologists who specialise in epilepsy).
Studying brain waves recorded by the smart stimulators in Parkinson’s patients opens new doors for understanding other diseases. Many patients suffer from problems such as depression and cognitive decline. Researchers could search for features in their brain signals that track the severity of these symptoms using AI tools to find relations too subtle or too complex for a human observer.
A parallel branch of deep brain stimulation research is focused on precisely mapping out the brain circuits responsible for different neurological and psychiatric symptoms. Several recent studies reported successes in treating depression, OCD and severe headaches.
Stimulating in the right place at the right time considering what the patient is doing is where the field is heading. With the basic technology now in place, progress could be rapid.
Vladimir Litvak previously collaborated with Medtronic plc on a research project.
In a year filled with centenaries of famous novels, including Virginia Woolf’s Mrs Dalloway, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby and Franz Kafka’s The Trial, another novel also quietly turns 100. William was published in 1925 by the once-celebrated, now largely forgotten, E.H. Young.
William was Young’s most successful novel. It sold more than 68,000 copies and was reprinted 20 times before 1948. It was William which established Young’s reputation as a great writer.
It follows the life of William and Kate Nesbitt and their grown-up children, tracing their trials and tribulations as modern life butts up against traditional values. One of the daughters, Lydia, leaves her husband to live with a novelist. William, a shipowner and the family’s steady centre, supports her. Kate, steeped in traditional respectability, cannot.
Two issues lie at the heart of the novel: the role of women and domestic life. Through Kate and William’s relationship, Young breaks new ground as a writer. She explores a later stage of life, when children have grown up. The husband and wife spend time alone and find themselves at odds.
This kind of astute characterisation exemplifies Young’s writing. As with many of Young’s novels, romantic love plays a very small part. The narrative emphasis falls, instead, on other types of relationships.
Women are seen to bear the main burdens of marriage and family life. Again and again, her characters rail against the smallness of middle-class female life and its social conventions.
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Place and psyche
The novel’s central tension plays out not only in the family, but also in the city they inhabit. William spans the docks and suburbs of fictional Radstowe, a thinly disguised Bristol.
As in Mrs Dalloway, place and psyche are deeply connected. Young uses the physical and social geography of Bristol to examine how women move through a world of unspoken rules.
Young lived in Bristol for 15 years. Most of her novels are set there – or rather in “Upper Radstowe”, her fictional version of real life suburban Clifton. She turned the city’s bridges, rivers and steep class divides into metaphors for the pressures placed on women navigating early 20th-century life.
In William, her characters feel real because they are flawed. The conflict between Lydia’s modern values and Kate’s traditional ones doesn’t resolve cleanly. Young isn’t interested in moralising. Instead, she observes. Her sharp wit, psychological acuity and feel for the rhythms of domestic life make William both an engrossing family novel and a quietly radical one.
Modern day Clifton in Bristol. It became Upper Radstowe in E.H. Young’s novels. Sion Hannuna/Shutterstock
Who was the woman behind Radstowe?
Emily Hilda Young was born in 1880 and died in 1949. She wrote 11 novels and was widely read in her day. Four of her novels were made into BBC radio dramas. Her 1930 novel Miss Mole was televised by the BBC in 1980.
Like many of her characters, Young led an unconventional life. During the first world war she worked as a stable hand and in a munitions factory. Her husband, a solicitor named Arthur Daniell, went off to fight. After Daniell was killed at Ypres in 1917, Young moved to London and got a job in a school where her married lover, Ralph Henderson, was the headmaster.
She was also a keen mountaineer in an era when there were few women climbers. She even pioneered and led others along a route, now known as Hope, in the Carneddau mountains in Eryri (Snowdonia) in 1915.
This quiet radicalism filters into her fiction. Her characters are often sharp-tongued, independent and disillusioned by the roles they’ve been expected to play.
It’s hard to place Young in a neat category, however. Her novels can hardly be described as romances. Love is often portrayed as destructive or imprisoning. Young was a feminist and campaigned for votes for women, but she saw human failings in both men and women. She admired strength of character in spite of gender.
If anything, she’s a 20th-century Jane Austen. Her narratives are witty portrayals of social and family life with psychological depth. In Young, though, there’s a mixture of openness and coldness, and a sarcastic sense of humour which emerges spontaneously. At times, it catches you off guard.
Like the best realist writers, Young’s world and its characters are richly drawn. And yet unlike Thomas Hardy or Leo Tolstoy, for instance, Young isn’t interested in tragedy or melodrama. Small troubles are overcome and people make up, even if it doesn’t result in a traditional happy ending.
Young’s legacy has faded, perhaps because her novels sit between genres: not quite realist, not quite modernist, not quite romantic. But as literary anniversaries prompt readers to revisit old favourites, there’s room to bring back overlooked voices.
For readers interested in the inner lives of women, in family dynamics, in novels where place and psychology are intertwined, E.H. Young is worth discovering. This year, rather than returning to the worlds of Clarissa Dalloway and Jay Gatsby, you could instead take a detour to Upper Radstowe, where quiet, deeply human dramas still unfold.
Rebecca Hutcheon 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.
The world is facing a “silver tsunami” – an unprecedented ageing of the global workforce. By 2030, more than half of the labour force in many EU countries will be aged 50 or above. Similar trends are emerging across Australia, the US and other developed and developing economies.
Far from being a burden or representing a crisis, the ageing workforce is a valuable resource – offering a so-called “silver dividend”. Older workers often offer experience, stability and institutional memory. Yet, in the rush to embrace artificial intelligence (AI), older workers can be left behind.
One common misconception is that older people are reluctant to adopt technology or cannot catch up. But this is far from the truth. It oversimplifies the complexity of their abilities, participation and interests in the digital environments.
There are much deeper issues and structural barriers at play. These include access and opportunity – including a lack of targeted training. Right now, AI training tends to be targeted at early or mid-career workers.
There are also confidence gaps among older people stemming from workplace cultures that can feel exclusionary. Data shows that older professionals are more hesitant to use AI – possibly due to fast-paced work environments that reward speed over judgment or experience.
There can also be issues with the design of tech systems. They are built primarily by and for younger users. Voice assistants often fail to recognise older voices, and fintech apps assume users are comfortable linking multiple accounts or navigating complex menus. This can alienate workers with legitimate security concerns or cognitive challenges.
And all these issues are exacerbated by socio-demographic factors. Older people living alone or in rural areas, with lower education levels or who are employed in manual labour, are significantly less likely to use AI.
Workers employed in manual professions can face bigger barriers when it comes to gaining AI skills. Andrey_Popov/Shutterstock
Ageism has long shaped hiring, promotion and career development. Although age has become a protected characteristic in UK law, ageist norms and practices persist in many not-so-subtle forms.
Ageism can affect both young and old, but when it comes to technology, the impact is overwhelmingly skewed against older people.
So-called algorithmic ageism in AI systems – exclusion based on automation rather than human decision-making – often exacerbates ageist biases.
Hiring algorithms often end up favouring younger employees. And digital interfaces that assume tech fluency are another example of exclusionary designs. Graduation dates, employment gaps, and even the language used in CVs can become proxies for age and filter out experienced candidates without any human review.
Tech industry workers are overwhelmingly young. Homogenous thinking breeds blind spots, so products work brilliantly for younger people. But they can end up alienating other age groups.
This creates an artificial “grey digital divide”, shaped less by ability and more by gaps in support, training and inclusion. If older workers are not integrated into the AI revolution, there is a risk of creating a divided workforce. One part will be confident with tech, data-driven and AI-enabled, while the other will remain isolated, underutilised and potentially displaced.
An ‘age-neutral’ approach
It’s vital to move beyond the idea of being “age-inclusive”, which frames older people as “others” who need special adjustments. Instead, the goal should be age-neutral designs.
AI designers should recognise that while age is relevant in specific contexts – such as restricted content like pornography – it should not be used as a proxy in training data, where it can lead to bias in the algorithm. In this way, design would be age-neutral rather than ageless.
Designers should also ensure that platforms are accessible for users of all ages.
The stakes are high. It is also not just about economics, but fairness, sustainability and wellbeing.
At the policy level in the UK, there is still a huge void. Last year, House of Commons research highlighted that workforce strategies rarely distinguish the specific digital and technological training needs of older workers. This underscores how ageing people are treated as an afterthought.
A few forward-thinking companies have backed mid- and late-career training programmes. In Singapore, the government’s Skillsfuture programme has adopted a more agile, age-flexible approach. However, these are still isolated examples.
Retraining cannot be generic. Beyond basic digital literacy courses, older people need targeted, job-specific advanced training. The psychological framing of retraining is also critical. Older people need to retrain or reskill not for just career or personal growth but also to be able to participate more fully in the workforce.
It’s also key for reducing pressure on social welfare systems and mitigating skill shortages. What’s more, involving older workers in this way supports the transfer of knowledge between generations, which should benefit everyone in the economy.
Yet, currently, the onus is on the older workers and not organisations and governments.
AI, particularly the generative models that can create text, images and other media, is known for producing outputs that appear plausible but are sometimes incorrect or misleading. The people best placed to identify these errors are those with deep domain knowledge – something that is built over decades of experience.
This is not a counterargument to digital transformation or adoption of AI. Rather, it highlights that integrating older people into digital designs, training and access should be a strategic imperative. AI cannot replace human judgment yet – it should be designed to augment it.
If companies, policies and societies exclude older workers from AI transformation processes, they are essentially removing the critical layer of human oversight that keeps AI outputs reliable, ethical and safe to use. An age-neutral approach will be key to addressing this.
Piecemeal efforts and slow responses could cause the irreversible loss of a generation of experience, talent and expertise. What workers and businesses need now are systems, policies and tools that are, from the outset, usable and accessible for people of all ages.
Sajia Ferdous 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.
Overlooking Peel Bay on the Isle of Man. Clint Hudson
The production and use of toxic synthetic chemicals called polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were banned internationally more than 40 years ago. There is a great deal of evidence that they are carcinogens and hormone disrupters in mammals and can cause birth defects.
PCBs can build up in the tissues in increasing amounts over time (bioaccumulate) in long-lived animals and people exposed to them. They also biomagnify in the environment meaning they build up in food chains – smaller animals take them into their tissues, those are then eaten by larger animals (such as fish), which themselves are eaten by humans and marine mammals such as dolphins and seals living in Britain’s waters.
Despite these risks, the Isle of Man government – by its own admission – has been dumping toxic silt containing PCBs into the waters of Peel Bay and unlined landfills over the past decade. This is despite the fact these waters have been declared a Unesco biosphere.
Here, Patrick Byrne, Professor of Water Science at Liverpool John Moores University, questions freshwater scientist Calum MacNeil about why he thinks it is so important that the world, and particularly Unesco, takes notice about what’s being dumped into the sea around the Isle of Man.
When did you live on the Isle of Man and what was your exact role?
I lived on the Isle of Man for nearly 15 years (2004 – 2019) and left at the end of 2019.
From 2004 – 2007, I was the Isle of Man government’s freshwater biologist. From 2007 – 2017, I was the freshwater biologist and enforcement officer, responsible for regulation and enforcement of environmental matters related to controlled waters (all inland waters and coastal waters).
Where is the Isle of Man and what is the Unesco status it has earned?
The Isle of Man is a small island in the middle of the Irish Sea, located almost an equal distance from England, Northern Ireland and Scotland. It is British but not part of the UK: it is a self-governing dependency of the British Crown with its own government and laws. It is not part of the EU but is signed up to various international agreements on the environment.
Unesco is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation. It began the biosphere programme in 1991, concentrating on the care of land, sea and species, as well as culture, heritage, community and economy.
According to the island government’s own fact sheet, biospheres have three functions: promoting sustainable development, conservation and learning. The sea makes up 87% of the Isle of Man Unesco biosphere.
Despite earning this status, evidence in the public domain shows that pollutants have been dumped into the sea. What’s been going on?
The Isle of Man government has been accused of deliberately dumping 4,000 tonnes of toxic silt from harbour dredging, which included synthetic industrial chemicals known as PCBs and heavy metals, in the Irish sea in 2014.
Despite extensive evidence in the public domain, this dumping was not mentioned once in the biosphere nomination documents, dated 2015. The nation’s biosphere website says the nomination process was “several years” in the making and the Unesco biosphere designation occurred in 2016 – only a relatively short time after the deliberate dumping in the Irish Sea.
The government has also allegedly discharged toxic PCB-contaminated effluent – known as called leachate – from an old landfill, called the Raggatt, directly into Peel Bay, an area which has one of the most popular public beaches on the island. Peel is one of three beaches (technically designated as non-bathing areas) on the island that recently failed to meet minimum standards for bathing waters.
I wasn’t aware of the details of the sea dumping of toxic silt until June 2022 when the employment tribunal findings related to the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture’s (Defa) ex-marine monitoring officer Kevin Kenningtonbecame public. This tribunal heard evidence that this was going on before, during and after the Unesco biosphere designation.
The Isle of Man is a signatory to the Oslo-Paris convention for the protection of the marine environment for the north-east Atlantic (Ospar). The convention specifies a maximum level of marine contaminants.
A decade on from its initial application, the Isle of Man is currently bidding to renew its Unesco Biosphere status in 2026.
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There does appear to be a lack of monitoring, at least in the public domain. Given the serious nature of the contaminants, I would expect the environmental regulator to monitor any PCBs detected in the environment and fully inform the public of any exposure risk.
The disposal of thousands of tonnes of contaminated silt into biodiverse waters could have had a serious negative impact on that bid. So, how did you discover that all was not as it seemed with the marine biosphere status?
Shortly after resigning from my post in 2017, I read an article in the local media about how the attorney general of the Isle of Man (the government’s senior legal advisor) believed it might be in the public interest to hold a full investigation into the discharging of potentially toxic material retrieved from an old landfill site that was being transported by tankers and taken to the sea. There were a number of statements made in that article that I found very concerning, such as the two below:
The then Environment Minister Richard Ronan told the House of Keys [the parliament of the Isle of Man] in July last year that levels of a range of metals, ammonia, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and 225 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) identified in the leachate exceed environmental quality standards, making it unsuitable for direct discharge into the River Neb.
The government said the leachate is subject to a large degree of dilution [as] it enters the sea. Samples are analysed regularly and the leachate “does not pose a risk to people swimming in Peel bay”.
To be clear, I knew at the time of reading this article in 2017 that there was no UK or EU environmental quality standard to legally allow a deliberate discharge of PCBs into either freshwaters (rivers and lakes) or to the sea. I knew this because PCBs are massively hydrophobic (water-hating) – meaning you shouldn’t have them suspended in effluent anyway because all they want to do is settle out at the bottom of whatever they are suspended in as soon as possible.
So, if you can detect them suspended in actual effluent you should be very worried about how much is built up or buried in the sediment accompanying that effluent. I knew the deliberate discharge of this was internationally banned and that it shouldn’t be going on into rivers or the sea.
I was even more alarmed when the article quoted a government spokesperson saying the leachate “does not pose a risk to people swimming in Peel Bay”. The government needs to prove that statement legally and scientifically because in the US and Europe there is a “risk averse” approach to PCB release.
This story and the government’s response was very concerning to me as an internationally banned carcinogen was being discharged deliberately to Peel bay, a popular public beach area, while the public were being told it was fine, legal and safe. I didn’t see how this could possibly be legal as regards international agreements.
A few months later, I was concerned about further silt dredging at Peel bay and was curious how Defa as a regulator would deal with avoiding the risk of resuspending previously buried PCBs.
Ospar gives guidance on this, as this is important as PCBs remain toxic for decades and dredging could obviously further increase the risk to the public and environment – resuspending any PCBs that had been previously buried under layers of sediment for decades would result in releasing another source of PCBs into the bay.
Was anyone concerned about possible pollution at the time of the Unesco application?
The Isle of Man government says it spent a great deal of time on the nomination process and the publicly available nomination documents are long and detailed and Defa was heavily involved in the application process and the details provided so they would have to answer that.
I don’t know if any other scientists were raising a red flag at the time, but I do refer you to Kevin Kennington’s tribunal findings which involved dumping toxic silt at sea and Defa officers were aware of this dumping in 2014. None of this was mentioned in the nomination document as far as I have been able to ascertain.
The tribunal found the toxic silt exceeded Ospar guidelines.
When The Conversation put that to Isle of Man government, it did not accept it was in contravention of the rules. But a spokesperson for the UK regulator, Defra told us: “Defra’s internal analysis concluded that the incident constituted actions that were not in accordance with the Ospar convention (Articles 4, and Annex II Art 4) and the 1996 London protocol on the prevention of marine pollution by dumping of wastes and other matter.”
What laws are involved here?
The 252-page-long nomination forms refer to the Water Pollution Act 1993. This is an act that makes “new provision for the protection of inland and coastal waters from pollution, to control deposits in the sea and for connected purposes”.
Some EU legislation is also applied to the Isle of Man, such as Ospar (the convention for protection of the marine environment of the north-east Atlantic) and the Basel convention which governs how nations, including the Isle of Man, should treat and dispose of hazardous waste, including PCBs, in an environmentally sound way.
What are the most worrying impacts of the pollution here?
In my view, the deliberate tanker discharge of PCBs to Peel bay is extremely worrying from both an environmental and public health risk perspective, as is the dredging up of PCB contaminated silt in Peel harbour.
I’m alarmed by the fact that the Isle of Man government decided that it was not in the public interest to pursue the case for the discharge into the sea, given that international agreements were broken.
What needs to change in terms of governance and law enforcement?
I feel there needs to be international scientific and legal scrutiny of all of this. I believe both Unesco and the UK government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) have a responsibility here as well given the international agreements involved and the biosphere designation. Given the biosphere status surely the Isle of Man government should be acting not just to the letter of the law but the spirit of the law.
What should a biosphere reserve really look like and what needs to change?
Ideally, the government in the world’s only all-nation Unesco biosphere would fully abide by its own principlesand pledges and adhere to international agreements.
For instance, the Isle of Man government set its own environmental quality standards (EQS) for PCBs – now, those won’t be breached by the levels of existing discharges. EQS values for soil, sediment, freshwater and marine environments are derived from years of research showing the maximum concentrations (or quality standards) that cannot be exceeded in order to protect human and environmental health.
As far as I’m aware, there is still no EQS for PCBs in effluent agreed to by the EU. There are PCB guidelines for sediment and biota (animals and plants) at the end of pipelines but these are more concerned with monitoring legacy historic sources of PCBs. I don’t know legally how the Isle of Man was able to do this despite international laws.
The Isle of Man government should be taking a far more precautionary approach to PCBs and potential public exposure, environmental damage and public health risk. They should be doing this anyway, but in the world’s only entire nation Unesco biosphere, I think the moral and legal onus is on them to prove what they are doing is safe. If they are saying it is safe, they obviously need to prove it. I think the onus is also on Unesco to check what is going on in their only all-nation biosphere, especially in the “care” areas of that biosphere.
Calum MacNeil raises some important questions about the very nature of Unesco biosphere status and about the safety of the waters in and around the Isle of Man. The public has a right to clear answers and information. Here are some of the key issues from my perspective as a water scientist.
Long-term health effects
The point about PCB sorption to sediments is a good one. An important study from 2019 estimated that 75% of all PCBs manufactured since 1930 now reside in marine sediment. Marine sediment is literally the waste bin for PCBs. Dilution in rivers is commonly used as a convenient way of masking the mass transport of chemicals through rivers and ultimately to the oceans. So, yes, dilution decreases concentrations locally, but it does not reduce the volume of chemicals transported to or disposed of at sea.
The PCB discharge to Peel bay has been going on since the 1990s which is worrying given possible long-term public health risks and environmental impacts.
Some of the metabolites may leave your body in a few days, but others may remain in your body fat for months. Unchanged PCBs may also remain in your body and be stored for years mainly in the fat and liver, but smaller amounts can be found in other organs as well. Once in our bodies, they can have toxic long-term health effects. Some are associated with fertility issues and they are classed as probable human carcinogens.
Persistence in the environment
Since the 1970’s, the gradual phasing out and banning of PCBs has led to dramatic reductions in their release into the environment. However, despite this, PCBs remain one of the biggest chemical threats to humans and wildlife worldwide. Why is this? Well, we know PCBs are very persistent in the environment, which means they last for decades to hundreds of years. Because of this persistence, they accumulate in living things and we know that at certain concentrations they can be very harmful to us.
It is also because of the widely held belief that “dilution is the solution to pollution”. Sure, dilution of effluent in a river reduces concentrations locally and might allow a government or an industry to meet an environmental quality guideline.
But where have the pollutants gone? They have not disappeared – remember PCBs may persist for hundreds of years. They have gone out to sea where they accumulate in sediments and living things. And we see the evidence and impacts of this all around us. For example, PCBs and other harmful chemicals are routinely detected in apex predators like orcas and whales and polar bears and we know this is negatively impacting their physiology and reproductive health.
PCBs have been detected in the Arctic and Antarctica and even in the Mariana trench in the deep ocean. This is the cumulative result of decades of PCB discharge into the seas from all around the world. We cannot do anything about PCBs that are already in the sea, but with everything we now know about how harmful and long-lasting these chemicals are, we really cannot knowingly continue discharging them into the sea.
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Patrick Byrne receives funding from the UK Natural Environment Research Council.
Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
April 21, 2025
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today issued the following statement honoring the passing of Pope Francis:
“Pope Francis was a pillar of the Catholic Church, a beacon of hope, compassion and light in times of fear, hatred and darkness. Throughout his life, he taught us that in order to be great, we have to be good. He urged each of us to care for the poor, feed the hungry, be humble stewards of the Earth and treat others how we would want to be treated ourselves—even if they pray or live differently than us. His teachings remain as important as ever.
“May he rest in peace and may his spirit continue to uplift and guide all those who followed his sacred word.”
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Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
April 22, 2025
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of both the U.S. Senate Armed Services (SASC) and Veterans’ Affairs (SVAC) Committees—led 13 of her fellow Senate Democratic colleagues in condemning President Trump’s un-American, unconstitutional transgender military service ban for being a blatant violation of our brave servicemembers’ civil rights and weakening our national security. The lawmakers demanded answers from Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on whether the Administration is complying with the nationwide injunctions that halted the unconstitutional ban, and that the Administration disclose whether any trans servicemembers have been wrongfully dismissed as a result of Trump’s executive order despite the courts’ injunctions.
“This policy insults the service of brave Americans who believe that all people, regardless of differences, are equal and have a right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” wrote the lawmakers wrote in a letter to Secretary Hegseth. “As the Joint Force faces a recruiting crisis amid a staggering attrition rate for new troops (nearly a quarter of Army recruits have failed to complete their initial contracts since 2022), our Nation cannot afford to expel several thousand troops serving honorably on a baseless, hateful whim.”
The lawmakers derided Trump’s trans military service ban for not only being discriminatory and based on false pretenses, but also for hurting our military readiness and exacerbating the ongoing military recruiting crisis in service of continuing hateful attacks against transgender Americans.
“The United States military became the greatest fighting force in the world by pioneering the integration of diverse groups,” the lawmakers continued. “We have triumphed over our enemies because military effectiveness and lethality are strengthened by a broad range of skills, experiences and backgrounds. Naysayers who have derided the U.S. military as lacking the discipline, intelligence and ability to achieve unit cohesion among Americans of different classes, races, ethnicities, religions and yes, genders, have been proven wrong again and again.”
In addition to Duckworth, the letter is co-signed by U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), John Fetterman (D-PA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Ron Wyden (D-WA).
The full text of the letter is available on Senator Duckworth’s website and below:
Dear Secretary Hegseth:
We write to express our expectation that the Department of Defense (Department) adhere to recent U.S. District Court injunctions halting terminations of transgender servicemembers and provide all servicemembers with equal protection under the law by protecting the constitutional and legal rights of our Nation’s transgender troops. Our extreme concern over the demonstrably false and propaganda-laden claims in President Donald Trump’s January 27, 2025 Executive Order “Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness” (EO) is rooted in our commitment to military recruiting and readiness.
Fewer than one percent of the American people—approximately 0.4 percent—choose to serve in the U.S. Armed Forces. Given the unwillingness or inability of 99.6 percent of the U.S. population to serve in our military, the last thing our Nation should be doing is rejecting patriotic Americans who are ready and willing to serve our country in uniform and bravely accept the risk of making the ultimate sacrifice.
The United States military became the greatest fighting force in the world by pioneering the integration of diverse groups. In fields where performance is the top priority, effective leaders recruit from the widest pool of applicants, understanding that arbitrarily restricting eligibility on a discriminatory basis betrays the very concept of meritocracy. We have triumphed over our enemies because military effectiveness and lethality are strengthened by a broad range of skills, experiences and backgrounds. Naysayers who have derided the U.S. military as lacking the discipline, intelligence and ability to achieve unit cohesion among Americans of different classes, races, ethnicities, religions and yes, genders, have been proven wrong again and again.
This should not be a controversial issue: most Americans support transgender individuals serving in the military, and a 2020 study found that transgender servicemembers reported above-average physical health and few risk behaviors. As the Joint Force faces a recruiting crisis amid a staggering attrition rate for new troops (nearly a quarter of Army recruits have failed to complete their initial contracts since 2022), our Nation cannot afford to expel several thousand troops serving honorably on a baseless, hateful whim.
The Trump administration’s repeated attacks on the transgender community reveal an ideological obsession rooted in a poor understanding of science. Transgender identities are valid, and respecting someone’s gender identity while minding your own business harms no one. All servicemembers—cisgender and transgender—benefit from investing in unit cohesion, contrary to the false claims in the EO. This policy insults the service of brave Americans who believe that all people, regardless of differences, are equal and have a right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Contrary to the low opinion you and the President seem to have of our servicemembers’ professionalism and commitment to mission accomplishment, we believe that our troops can serve together cohesively in pursuit of military effectiveness and excellence, regardless of their differences in identity. Fox News television personalities—not military units—are the ones bothered by transgender people faithfully serving their country.
This EO establishes a dangerous precedent, allowing the President to arbitrarily decide that an entire group of people is harmful to an undefined ideal of “unit cohesion” and purge them from the Joint Force—without producing any meaningful evidence. You have already personally questioned women’s fitness to serve and erased public records of accomplishments by American military heroes from minority backgrounds. Who will be targeted next?
Nearly 20 percent of the transgender community are current servicemembers or Veterans, a significantly higher rate than the approximately seven percent of all U.S. adults fitting these categories. In return for this patriotism, the administration denies transgender servicemembers not only the ability to serve, but also the resulting benefits they have earned. The EO and ensuing Department policy proposals specifically target transgender individuals who have accessed gender-affirming care, even though such care continues to be accepted as evidence-based, medically necessary and highly effective by all major medical and behavioral health professional organizations, including the American Medical Association and the American Psychological Association.
On March 18, 2025, U.S. District Court Judge Ana Reyes issued a nationwide preliminary injunction in Talbott v. Trump (1:25-cv-00240, (D.D.C.)), blocking implementation of the EO. Judge Reyes stated that the ban undermines national security, is likely unconstitutional and is “soaked with animus and dripping with pretext.” 10 days later, U.S. District Court Judge Benjamin Hale Settle, a former JAG officer appointed by President George W. Bush, issued a second nationwide injunction against the transgender military ban in Shilling v. Trump (2:25-cv-00241 (W.D. Wash.)). These injunctions were timely, as the Department was scheduled to begin implementing the ban on March 28, 2025, despite several military experts and former leaders characterizing this rapid timeframe as “rushed,” “alarming” and “brutal.” We could not agree more.
As the Secretary of Defense, you are ultimately responsible for ensuring the United States maintains a strong and capable fighting force that will keep Americans safe. This harmful EO negatively impacts national security and undermines your oath of office. Given the recent legal developments concerning the order, we request that you respond to the following questions in writing by April 25, 2025:
Do you commit to following the nationwide injunctions from Talbott v. Trump and Shilling v Trump regarding implementation of President Trump’s transgender servicemember ban? Please explain the steps taken to comply with these injunctions.
How many taxpayer dollars will be spent to implement this policy?
As of the date of this letter, how much has been spent on the government’s defense in the aforementioned lawsuits and any other legal challenges related to this EO?
Approximately how many taxpayer dollars have been spent on training, continuing education, fitness testing, boarding and other related expenses on the transgender troops you are seeking to expel from the Joint Force?
What is the estimated cost for administrative time spent scouring records to identify transgender servicemembers, pursuing the administrative separation process, providing transition services and implementing associated lifetime benefit payouts to forcibly remove honorably serving, fit transgender troops from service?
Were any servicemembers prematurely dismissed due to the EO and planned policy implementations? What assistance was provided to help these individuals transition back to civilian life?
Please provide a detailed reintegration plan for any servicemembers prematurely separated or who began the separation process, outlining how the Department is working to undo the harm already done.
Do you commit to consulting with professional organizations, such as the American Medical Association and the American Psychological Association, to ensure that our Nation’s transgender servicemembers receive the medically necessary, evidence-based healthcare they earned in service to our country?
How will you ensure that transgender servicemembers can continue to serve without facing stigma or backlash resulting from the Trump administration’s targeted attacks against them?
The ban on transgender service members will have long-term consequences on military morale and recruitment. Addressing these issues promptly is crucial to prevent negative impacts on the Armed Forces. As the Secretary, you have the opportunity to help reverse the Trump administration’s anti-science, ideologically driven agenda. Swift corrective action will help preserve the military’s integrity and ensure it continues to attract and retain the best talent. Denying any servicemember who has met the qualifications to serve our Nation the right to serve based on ideological grounds is inherently un-American and jeopardizes our national security. This administration’s animus towards transgender heroes prioritizes a manufactured culture war over military excellence and readiness and is a purge of brave servicemembers who protect our freedoms.
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