Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
Clinical Trials regulations signed into law
12-month roll-out begins today for the biggest regulatory shake up of clinical trials in 20 years
New regulations for running clinical trials in the UK have now been signed into law. A 12-month roll-out begins today (11 April) to deliver the most significant update to UK clinical trials regulation in two decades – with the aim of strengthening patient safety, accelerating approvals, enabling innovation and helping more people benefit from taking part in vital research.
First laid in Parliament in December 2024, the updated regulations are designed to put participants firmly at the centre of how trials are run, while supporting a faster, more streamlined approvals, making it easier to test new treatments in the UK.
The MHRA is committed to implementing a flexible and risk-proportionate regulation of clinical trials, which accelerates patient access to potentially life-saving medicines without compromising safety.
This follows new analysis of clinical trial applications submitted to the MHRA over recent years, highlighting where there are opportunities for accelerating medical breakthroughs.
The new regulations will take full effect from 10 April 2026, following the 12-month implementation period starting this week. They were developed by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), in partnership with the Health Research Authority (HRA), and shaped by feedback from patients, researchers, doctors, and industry.
The reforms will:
Put patients and their safety are at the focus of all clinical trials and bring the benefits of clinical trials to everyone.
Cut duplication and unnecessary delays, while maintaining robust oversight of the safety of trials.
Create a proportionate and flexible regulatory environment, reducing bureaucracy for lower-risk trials.
Cement the UK as a destination for international trials.
Provide a framework that is streamlined, agile and responsive to innovation.
By reducing red tape and simplifying approvals, the new framework supports the Prime Minister’s target to reduce the time from application to first participant from 250 to 150 days. It will speed up research and reduce the time it takes for promising treatments to reach patients, without compromising on safety.
These reforms will help ensure the UK remains an attractive place to conduct global research, while continuing to protect trial participants through robust oversight.
The Combined Review – a system that lets researchers apply for ethics and regulatory approval in one go – and notification scheme for some clinical trial initial applications and amendments will now be written into law as part of the changes.
Work to bring in the new rules will continue over the coming months, backed by updated guidance and ongoing engagement with trial sponsors and researchers.
Lawrence Tallon, MHRA Chief Executive, said:
“These new regulations are a key step towards a stronger, more responsive and risk-proportionate clinical trials system that works better for patients. They will help ensure people in the UK can benefit sooner from safe, carefully assessed research into new potentially life-saving medicines, while maintaining the highest standards of participant safety.
“By streamlining how trials are approved and run, we are making the UK a more attractive place to deliver high-quality, innovative research. I’d like to thank colleagues across the MHRA, HRA, government, industry and the clinical research community who helped shape these changes. We’ll continue to work closely with our partners through the implementation period.”
Janet Messer, Director of Approvals Service at the Health Research Authority, said:
“This is an important milestone in improving how clinical trials are set up and run in the UK. By embedding Combined Review in law, and strengthening the focus on transparency and proportionality, these changes reflect our commitment to making it easier to do high-quality research that people can trust.
“We’ve worked closely with patients, researchers and partners across the system to ensure the new regulations protect participants, while reducing unnecessary burden.
“In the coming months we’ll be publishing guidance to accompany the new regulations to support researchers through the transition period and beyond, so more people can benefit from taking part in safe, well-run research.”
The MHRA is responsible for regulating all medicines and medical devices in the UK by ensuring they work and are acceptably safe. All our work is underpinned by robust and fact-based judgements to ensure that the benefits justify any risks.
The MHRA is an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care.
For media enquiries, please contact the newscentre@mhra.gov.uk, or call on 020 3080 7651.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
A study published in Patterns looks at potential patient harms linked to the use of AI medical outcome prediction models.
Professor Peter Bannister, Fellow and Healthcare expert at the Institution of Engineering and Technology said:
“AI is trained on real-world data which include biases as well as the desired potential to enable better decisions. In the case of healthcare, there is a risk that if AI is widely used for clinical decision making, it may further marginalise groups who already have poor access to treatments. An example would be for patients where AI predicts they have a low survival rate, which means they are then not offered potentially lifesaving treatments.
“This paper proves that in many clinical decision-making processes, relying only on AI’s ability to accurately predict symptoms can sometimes lead to worse outcomes for those patients. While the authors make it clear there are further, more complex scenarios that need to be studied, this work reinforces the need for AI technologies that are used in real-world settings to be assessed in a “whole system” approach, where the overall health outcome of the patient is used to decide whether the AI is contributing to improved care.”
Professor Ibrahim Habli, Research Director, Centre for Assuring Autonomy, University of York, said:
“The study warns us about the risks of relying too much on one technology and judging it only by its accuracy, without considering who it’s for and in what situations. For AI to be used safely in healthcare, it needs to fit into the real-world practices of doctors and the specific needs of patients. The study is encouraging in that it focuses on AI safety, especially as it follows a recently published White Paper ‘Avoiding the AI off switch’ highlighting the need for AI to be a benefit, not a liability to both clinicians and patients. Treating patients is a process that changes over time, depending on their needs and available treatments. Focusing only on accuracy and outcomes can be misleading and even dangerous. AI might also show bias, such as against people with disabilities or rare diseases, making it safer for some people but not for everyone.”
Prof Ian Simpson, Professor of Biomedical Informatics, University of Edinburgh, said:
When asked how widely are these outcome prediction AI models used in the NHS/NHS Scotland right now?
“It’s reasonable to say that AI OPMs are not that widely used at the moment in the NHS/NHS Scotland. Decision support tends to be used more in association with medical hardware systems that were very early adopters of ML techniques, i.e. things like MRI machines. Here they tend to be used in parallel with existing clinical management policies and often either for assisting diagnostics and/or speeding up processes like image segmentation.
“Whilst diagnostics can fall foul of the issues raised in the paper, it’s not quite the same as the scenarios they explore in that it’s deterministic and following clinical decisions would likely be made using existing processes. Issues here tend to be more performance oriented i.e. false positives (over diagnosis) and false negatives (incorrect or missing diagnosis). These are the metrics that are currently scrutinised in approval processes. So, in short, the issues raised in this paper are in my opinion not quite so acute for diagnostics as currently deployed.”
Professor Ewen Harrison, Professor of Surgery and Data Science and Co-Director of Centre for Medical Informatics at the University of Edinburgh, said:
“Artificial intelligence and computer algorithms are increasingly used in medicine to help make difficult decisions. While these tools promise more accurate and personalised care, this study highlights one of a number of concerning downsides: predictions themselves can unintentionally harm patients by influencing treatment decisions.
“Say a hospital introduces a new AI tool to estimate who is likely to have a poor recovery after knee replacement surgery. The tool uses characteristics such as age, body weight, existing health problems, and physical fitness.
“Initially, doctors intend to use this tool to decide which patients would benefit from intensive rehabilitation therapy. However, due to limited availability and cost, it is decided instead to reserve intensive rehab primarily for patients predicted to have the best outcomes. Patients labelled by the algorithm as having a “poor predicted recovery” receive less attention, fewer physiotherapy sessions, and less encouragement overall.
“As a result, these patients indeed experience slower recovery, higher pain, and reduced mobility, seemingly confirming the accuracy of the prediction tool. In reality, however, it was the reduced support and resources – triggered by the algorithm’s predictions – that contributed to their poor outcomes. The model has thus created a harmful self-fulfilling prophecy, with accuracy metrics wrongly interpreted as evidence of its success.
“These are real issues affecting AI development in the UK. The researchers emphasise that hospitals and policymakers need to carefully monitor how predictive algorithms are actually used in practice. Doing so can help ensure that AI-driven decisions genuinely benefit patients, rather than inadvertently harming those who most need help.”
Prof Ian Simpson, Professor of Biomedical Informatics, University of Edinburgh, said:
“This is an important and timely study adding to emerging evidence that the long established dependence on predictive performance when evaluating AI models is not sufficient to support their deployment in healthcare settings. This study undertakes a formal theoretical approach to explore the relationship between model performance (how well a model predicts) and model calibration (how reliable the probabilities of those predictions are) in both pre- and post- model deployment scenarios. The study finds that, even in simple settings, models that have good performance and calibration properties could lead to worse patient outcomes if deployed.
“Intuitively, it would seem that implementing models with the best performance would be desirable, if not essential, however these models are typically trained on historical data. This bakes in relationships so that any future change in treatment from the historical process which changes a patient outcome favourably would paradoxically result in a drop in model performance during deployment. This could result in positive changes in treatment decisions leading to the withdrawal of the model due to a drop in performance below an acceptable level despite it leading to an improvement in patient outcomes. One of the interesting findings in this study is that drops in model performance on deployment could actually be evidence of a model performing well and that where models do not change performance upon deployment it may mean that the model is in fact not effective at all; it simply reinforces existing practice.
“The authors find that over a wide range of settings there is risk of “self-fulfilling prophecy” where the historical training used to develop models hard-wires decisions or worse actively disadvantages groups of patients for whom treatment changes from the established process would be beneficial. They posit a scenario where patients with a fast-growing tumour receive a decision not to undergo palliative radiotherapy based on the poor survival time predicted by the model. Patients with slower growing tumours are recommended for treatment as the model predicts a longer survival time, justifying the side-effects of the treatment. However in this scenario radiotherapy is ineffective for slow growing tumours, but highly effective for aggressive ones; the model supports exactly the wrong outcome.
“This work, building on findings by others in recent years, provides further evidence for a need to shift focus from predictive performance to an explicit consideration of the effects on patient outcomes of changes in treatment choice. The gold-standard for such are long-established in healthcare; randomised control trials designed to directly measure the effectiveness of new interventions in deployment. Regulation for AI tools is evolving rapidly around the world, but these are primarily focussed on performance both pre- and post- deployment which, as this study shows, fails to capture their effectiveness in practice and risks reinforcing bias from historical data.
“Whilst at first glance this work might seem alarming it is in fact a very encouraging development highlighting essential considerations for how to evaluate and use AI models in healthcare. These deepen our understanding of how to improve their safety and clinical effectiveness and, crucially, emphasises the importance of randomised control trials and deep integration of clinical knowledge into model development.”
Dr Catherine Menon, Principal Lecturer at the University of Hertfordshire’s Department of Computer Science, said:
“This study presents results that show the risks of doctors using AI prediction models to make treatment decisions. This happens when AI models have been trained on historical data, where the data does not necessarily account for such factors as historical under-treatment of some medical conditions or demographics. These models will accurately predict poor outcomes for patients in these demographics. This creates a “self-fulfilling prophecy” if doctors decide not to treat these patients due to the associated treatment risks and the fact that the AI predicts a poor outcome for them. Even worse, this perpetuates the same historic error: under-treating these patients means that they will continue to have poorer outcomes. Useof these AI models therefore risks worsening outcomes for patients who have typically been historically discriminated against in medical settings due to factors such as race, gender or educational background.
“This demonstrates the inherent importance of evaluating AI decisions in context, and applying human reasoning and assessment to AI judgements. AIs might be accurate, but they can only understand a limited subset of the entire landscape around treatment decisions. This has important real-world implications because it shows that human oversight and sound ethical assessment of AI models is necessary if treatment decisions are going to be made based on the predictions of these AI models. Use of AI without human oversight in this context risks embedding further discrimination and disenfranchisement into medical systems.
“This also has important real-world implications beyond the medical domain. Uses of AI such as the “homicide prediction project” highlighted in https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/apr/08/uk-creating-prediction-tool-to-identify-people-most-likely-to-kill may also lead to the same result. Certain demographics which have historically been over-policed and are over-represented within the justice system may suffer from the same AI-predicted poorer outcomes as those discussed within this medical study. This demonstrates the wider power of such predictive AI models, and the necessity to fully understand their training and scope before using them.”
Dr James N. Weinstein, Innovation and Health Equity, Microsoft Research, Health Futures, said:
“While prediction models are often praised for their accuracy, this research highlights a critical flaw: even well-performing models can lead to harmful self-fulfilling prophecies when used for treatment decisions. It’s essential to evaluate these models based on their real-world impact on patient outcomes rather than just predictive accuracy. Emphasizing “informed choice,” where medical decisions are guided by a patient’s values and preferences, is crucial to ensure that treatment and outcome decisions evolve with the patient’s condition over time.”
References:
Patient-Reported Data Can Help People Make Better Health Care Choices, William B. Weeks, MD and Dr. James N. Weinstein. September 21, 2015: Harvard Business Review
Effects of Viewing an Evidence-Based Video Decision Aid on Patients’ Treatment Preferences for Spine Surgery, Jon D. Lurie, MD, MS, Kevin F. Spratt, PhD, Emily A. Blood, MS, Tor D. Tosteson, ScD, Anna N. A. Tosteson, ScD, and James N. Weinstein, DO, MS, Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, NH, USA Spine (Phila Pa 1976). August 15, 2011; 36(18): 1501–1504. doi: 10.1097/BRS.0b013e3182055c1e.
GenAI and Patient Choice: A New Era of Informed Healthcare, Dr. Peter Bonis and Dr. Jim Weinstein. February 28, 2025: Patient Safety & Quality Healthcare
‘When accurate prediction models yield harmful self-fulfilling prophecies’ by Wouter A.C. van Amsterdam et al. was published in Patterns at 16:00 UK time Friday 11 April 2025.
DOI: 10.1016/j.patter.2025.101229
Declared interests
Prof Ewen Harrison: EMH receives grant funding from the NIHR, Wellcome Leap, UKRI and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Prof Ian Simpson: I have consulted for, and received funding from, pharmaceutical companies including UCB and AstraZeneca. I also lead the UKRI AI Centre for Doctoral Training in Biomedical Innovation that has many industry partners.
Dr Jim Weinstein: employee of Microsoft Research which is a research subsidiary of Microsoft.
For all other experts, no reply to our request for DOIs was received.
overnor Kathy Hochul today celebrated April 11 as the inaugural New York Craft Beer Day in New York State. New York is the second largest craft beer market in the U.S. and has more than 500 independent craft breweries that support 22,000 jobs and generate a $4.8 billion economic impact across the state.
“Today, we raise a glass to more than 500 craft breweries across New York — small businesses that pour $4.8 billion into our economy and flavor into our communities,” Governor Hochul said. “On this Craft Brewers Day, let’s toast their creativity, their grit and their impact. And remember — if you’re going to celebrate, celebrate responsibly. Cheers!”
The Governor made this announcement at the recent New York State Craft Brewers Association Conference and competition in Albany where she awarded the 2025 Governor’s Excelsior Craft Beer Cup to Brooklyn’s Grimm Artisanal Ales for their Grimm Weisse wheat beer. A full list of winners can be found here.
To commemorate New York Craft Beer Day, patrons can download the free Official New York State Craft Beer App, created by the NYS Brewers Association, to find local breweries and is the only app that offers a map of every brewery in the state. To commemorate Craft Beer Day, customers can earn the exclusive “Inaugural New York Craft Beer Day Badge” with any passport stamp on Friday, April 11th.
Governor Hochul’s Support for Craft Producers
In 2023, Governor Hochul signed legislation providing breweries the option to renew their licenses every three years instead of annually, saving brewers $800 — or about 30 percent — in fees over three years. This change not only lowers costs but also reduces paperwork, allowing brewers to spend less time on administrative tasks and more time focusing on their craft and growing their businesses.
Additionally, recognizing the importance of helping craft producers open quickly, Governor Hochul signed legislation that went into effect in 2022 creating new temporary permits for all craft beverage manufacturers — including breweries. For the first time, manufacturers can now begin operating while their full liquor license is pending. These permits, which cost $125 and are valid for six months, allow new producers to begin manufacturing and selling alcoholic beverages while they await final approval. Temporary permits are generally processed in under 30 days, compared to the average six-month timeline for full licenses — significantly accelerating the launch of new craft beverage businesses across the state.
Continuing to build on New York State’s push to modernize outdated Prohibition alcohol laws, in 2024, Governor Hochul signed landmark legislation that allowed New York’s small craft manufacturers of spirits, cider and mead to ship directly to consumers. The law opens significant opportunities for the state’s growing craft beverage industry by providing a vital market expansion tool — allowing these producers to ship their unique products directly to consumers within New York and across state lines.
The craft beverage industry also provides a boost to New York agriculture as New York State has seen increased interest in locally produced craft beverages in recent years. This interest in locally produced beverages has increased demand for locally sourced ingredients. To continue to support the research needed to develop crop varietals of hops and barley that are disease resistant and can adapt to the climate in the northeast, the 2024-25 NYS Budget included more than $650,000 in funding to Cornell for the Geneva Barley program and the hops breeding program.
State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, “New York’s world-class craft brewers are reflective of New York’s long legacy in the craft brewery industry, committed to making the finest beers, using the very best ingredients, including those straight from the farm. I thank Governor Hochul for declaring today Craft Beer Day here in New York State; this celebration provides us all an awesome opportunity to recognize our brewers and their contributions to our local economies, from supporting jobs and tourism to boosting growth in the agricultural industry.”
State Liquor Authority Chair Lily Fan said, “New York’s craft brewers are among the most innovative and entrepreneurial in the country — constantly pushing boundaries with new flavors, creative branding and a true dedication to quality. In today’s competitive market, that kind of ingenuity deserves our support. Thanks to the leadership of Governor Hochul and the close collaboration with our partners at Empire State Development and the Department of Agriculture and Markets, the State Liquor Authority is proud to play a role in helping brewers across New York produce more, sell more, open quickly and save on overhead. We’re excited to celebrate the inaugural New York Craft Beer Day on April 11th — and we hope it brings new fans, fresh energy and increased foot traffic to taprooms across our state. Cheers to our craft brewers — and as always, drink responsibly and stay safe.”
Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, “New York’s community of diverse and creative craft breweries spans the entire state, creating unique libations and destinations that welcome residents and visitors alike. Breweries bring energy into our downtown areas, while supporting jobs and local economies. New York Craft Beer Day is a perfect opportunity to raise a glass and celebrate the New Yorkers who brew the distinctive drafts, and to support the small businesses that keep our communities quenched.”
Executive Director of the New York State Brewer’s Association Paul Leone said,“Beer has been part of New York’s history since the early 1600’s when the first known brewery was built on the southern tip of New Amsterdam, which is now Manhattan. Today there are over 500 breweries scattered throughout every region of the state, thanks to the passion and dedication of the craft brewers, owners and the customers that keep their small businesses alive. We are so honored that Governor Hochul would proclaim April 11th New York Craft Beer Day starting in 2025, which will give us one day every year to shine an extra bright light on an industry that employs over 22,000 hard working New Yorkers, and will give craft beer fans one more reason to celebrate and raise a glass to New York State craft beer!”
State Senator Michelle Hincheysaid, “New York’s inaugural Craft Beer Day is a well-earned toast to the producers who’ve turned their passion into one of our state’s most beloved agricultural sectors. From grain to glass, craft beer is creating jobs, contributing to the economic resurgence of our upstate communities, and keeping New York ingredients in New York products. Congratulations to all of this year’s winners of the 2025 NYS Craft Beer Awards, including the outstanding brewers representing the Hudson Valley. We’re thrilled to celebrate the care and craftsmanship behind every batch and the pride it brings to so many hometowns across New York State.”
Assemblymember Donna Lupardo said, “Cheers to New York Craft Beer. A special day devoted to celebrating NY’s amazing craft brewers and their products is very much appreciated. Some of the finest craft beer in the country can be found in every region of the state.”
In addition, New York State, through its New York State Grown & Certified and Taste NY programs, continues to support New York’s craft beverage industry and its’ breweries through direct marketing, social media and a number of special initiatives and events that spotlight the industry, including at sports arenas and venues across the State. For example, Taste NY is partnering with Minor League Baseball teams across New York State again this year, and in 2024, brought the very best of New York’s local food and beverages, including local craft beverages, to more than 1.2 million fans at stadiums across New York. In 2023 and 2024, Taste NY sponsored a Tasting Yard at the Great New York State Fair, which featured a rotating selection of New York State craft breweries over the course of the Fair, giving visitors a taste of New York’s world-class craft beverage products and giving brewers the opportunity to meet new customers as nearly one million visitors come through the Fair gates.
Reference is made to the Extraordinary General Meeting in IDEX Biometrics ASA (“IDEX” or the “Company”) on 11 April 2025, where all proposed resolutions were approved.
Key information relating to the approved share consolidation:
Date on which the terms and conditions of the share consolidation was made public: 11 April 2025;
Share consolidation ratio: 100 old shares give 1 new share;
Last day including right: 10 June 2025;
Ex-date: 11 June 2025;
Record date: 12 June 2025; and
Date of approval: 11 April 2025
In connection with the share consolidation, the Company’s shares will be transferred to a new ISIN. Please find below the following key information for the change of ISIN:
Issuer: IDEX Biometrics ASA
Old ISIN: NO0013107490
New ISIN: NO0013536078
Date of ISIN change: 11 June 2025.
For further information contact:
Marianne Bøe, Head of Investor Relations, Tel: +47 91800186
IDEX Biometrics ASA (OSE: IDEX) is a global technology leader in fingerprint biometrics, offering authentication solutions across payments, access control, and digital identity. Our solutions bring convenience, security, peace of mind and seamless user experiences to the world. Built on patented and proprietary sensor technologies, integrated circuit designs, and software, our biometric solutions target card-based applications for payments and digital authentication. As an industry-enabler we partner with leading card manufacturers and technology companies to bring our solutions to market.
For more information, visit www.idexbiometrics.com
About this notice:
This notice was published by Kristian Flaten, CFO in IDEX Biometrics ASA, on 11 April 2025 at 16:50 CET on behalf of IDEX Biometrics ASA. This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to the Norwegian Securities Trading Act section 5-12 and Euronext Oslo Børs rule book.
Parkinson’s disease affects more than one million people in the EU and this number is expected to double by 2030, primarily due to an aging population.
To mark World Parkinson’s Day, HaDEA interviewed Prof. Leontios Hadjileontiadis, coordinator of AI-PROGNOSIS, a Horizon Europe research and innovation project aiming to advance Parkinson’s disease diagnosis and care through novel predictive models combined with digital biomarkers from everyday devices, such as smartphones and smartwatches.
Prof. Hadjileontiadis, tell us more about AI-PROGNOSIS.
AI-PROGNOSIS is focused on improving Parkinson’s disease diagnosis and care through predictive models driven by artificial intelligence (AI) and digital biomarkers from everyday devices. The project aims to enhance early detection, predict disease progression and optimise treatment responses, thereby personalising patient care. By leveraging data from smartphones and smartwatches, AI-PROGNOSIS offers valuable insights into individual risk and treatment efficacy, ultimately improving the quality of life for those with Parkinson’s disease.
What can you tell us about your project’s use of AI? Have you encountered any challenges in integrating your solutions in broader healthcare systems?
The lack of interoperability with legacy electronic health record systems has made integrating AI tools into existing clinical workflows difficult. Many healthcare institutions still use outdated systems not designed to support advanced AI technologies. Building trust and acceptance among healthcare professionals and patients has also been a challenge. There is often scepticism about the accuracy and reliability of AI models and concerns about the potential for AI to replace human roles in healthcare. Overcoming these concerns requires continuous educationand demonstration of the AI tools’ benefits and reliability.
Navigating the complex regulatory landscape for AI in healthcare has added to the challenges. Ensuring that AI tools meet all legal and ethical standards is essential for their adoption and use. Additionally, accessing existing datasets has been difficult due to data ownership and sharing restrictions, which limit the amount of data available for training AI models. Recruiting patients for studies and trials has also been challenging, as it requires significant time and resources to ensure a diverse and representative sample.
These challenges underscore the importance of a collaborative and adaptive approach in developing and implementing AI solutions in healthcare, ensuring they are both effective and widely accepted.
Could you elaborate on this collaborative and adaptive approach?
AI-PROGNOSIS has adopted a comprehensive and inclusive approach to identify the needs of key stakeholders, including patients, healthcare professionals, and researchers. The project emphasises continuous engagement and collaboration with these groups to ensure the tools developed are user-friendly and meet their needs.
This includes:
Multidisciplinary workshops: AI-PROGNOSIS organises workshops bringing together experts from various fields to discuss and refine project goals and methodologies;
Patient involvement: Patients are actively involved in the design and testing phases, providing valuable feedback on usability and functionality;
Input from health professionals: Regular consultations with doctors and therapists help tailor the AI tools to clinical workflows and practical needs;
Input from the external advisory board: Expert guidance on the ethical implementation, strategic integration, industry perspectives and impactful application of AI-PROGNOSIS output in Parkinson’s disease research and care.
This collaborative and iterative approach ensures that AI-PROGNOSIS remains aligned with the real-world needs of its stakeholders, enhancing its impact on Parkinson’s diagnosis and care.
Having consulted with numerous stakeholders, can you give us an example of how this feedback has been used?
For example, in one of the focus groups that we ran, healthcare professionals shared how challenging it was to be informed about their patients’ changing symptoms across the course of the illness. This insight helped us develop the mAI-Insights application, which allows healthcare professionals to receive frequent updates and alerts about their patients’ symptoms.*
With the project running until 2027, how important is the EU’s financial support throughout the project life cycle?
The support of EU funding is crucial for our project. It provides financial resources for extensive research, developing advanced AI models, and integrating digital biomarkers from everyday devices. EU funding under the Horizon Europe programme also facilitates collaboration among multidisciplinary European teams, ensuring that the project benefits from diverse expertise and perspectives. Additionally, this support helps navigate regulatory challenges and promotes the adoption of innovative solutions in healthcare systems. Without EU funding, achieving the project’s ambitious goals and significantly impacting Parkinson’s diagnosis and care would be much more challenging.
*The project also features two other applications: mAI-Health for persons with suspected Parkinson’s to track their personalised risk and mAI-CARE for persons with diganosed Parkinson’s to track symptoms, disease progression and treatment efficacy.
Background
Horizon Europe is the research and innovation programme of the EU for the period 2021-2027. The aims of Cluster 1 ‘Health’ include improving and protecting the health and well-being of citizens of all ages by generating new knowledge, developing innovative solutions and integrating where relevant a gender perspective to prevent, diagnose, monitor, treat and cure diseases. Horizon 2020 (H2020) was the EU’s multiannual funding programme between 2014 and 2020.
The agreed draft legislation comes in response to a number of emerging challenges, such as risks relating to digital toys and the surge in online shopping.
On Thursday evening, Parliament and Council negotiators reached a provisional agreement on new EU toy safety rules to enhance the protection of children’s health and development. The deal strengthens the role of economic operators in improving toy safety, and clarifies requirements for safety warnings and the digital product passport (DPP). It expands the list of prohibited substances in toys.
Ban on harmful chemicals
In addition to the existing prohibition of carcinogenic, mutagenic, or reproductive toxic (CRM) substances, the agreed text also bans chemicals that pose particular risks to children, such as endocrine disruptors, substances harmful to the respiratory system, and chemicals that are toxic for the skin and other organs. At Parliament’s insistence, the new rules will ban the intended use of per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFASs) and the most dangerous types of bisphenols. Allergenic fragrances will be banned in toys for children under 36 months and in toys meant to be placed in the mouth.
Safety assessment
Before placing a toy on the market, manufacturers will have to carry out a safety assessment on all potential hazards − chemical, physical, mechanical, and electrical. The assessment will also have to test toys’ flammability, hygiene, and radioactivity, and take children’s specific vulnerabilities into account. For example manufacturers should, where appropriate, ensure that digital toys do not pose risks to children’s mental health − as requested by Parliament negotiators.
Economic operators and online marketplaces
The agreed rules clarify the obligations of economic operators, such as manufacturers, importers, and distributors. This also includes fulfillment service providers (companies responsible for storing, packaging, and dispatching toys). Changes were also introduced to align the agreed text with other legislation, such as the General Product Safety Regulation, the Ecodesign framework and the Digital Services Act.
The text clarifies requirements for online marketplaces, reflecting their growing role in the sale and promotion of toys. For example, marketplaces will have to design their platforms so as to allow sellers to display the CE mark, safety warnings, and a link (such as a QR code) to the digital product passport, to be visible before the purchase is completed.
Digital product passport
All toys sold in the EU will have to bear a clearly visible digital product passport (DPP) showing compliance with the relevant safety rules. The DPP will enhance the traceability of toys and make market surveillance and customs checks simpler and more efficient. It will also offer consumers easy access to safety information and warnings, via a QR code, for example.
Quote
Rapporteur Marion Walsmann (EPP, Germany) said: “Although we already have the safest toys in the world in the European Union, one in five products categorised as dangerous and withdrawn from the market by the EU was a toy. It was therefore very important to revise the 2009 Toy Safety Directive. We are reducing the risks posed by hazardous chemicals in toys and ensuring better labelling, including in online retail. We have also future-proofed the regulation: the Commission will be able to react more quickly to new scientific findings on chemical substances.. The new Toy Safety Regulation sends out a strong signal: for the protection of our children, fair competition and for Europe as a business location.”
Next steps
Parliament and the Council have concluded an “early second reading agreement” (the negotiation took place after Parliament’s first reading was adopted in plenary). The Council is now expected to adopt this agreement formally, and Parliament will then have to endorse the text in plenary, in second reading.
The regulation will enter into force 20 days after its publication in the EU Official Journal. Member states will then have 54 months to comply with the provisions.
Executive board meeting to be held on Wednesday 23 April
Senior councillors in Leeds will consider an update report on ongoing work to enhance local community services and maximise the use of council buildings at a meeting later this month.
At the meeting of the council’s executive board at Civic Hall on Wednesday 23 April, councillors will discuss the report which forms part of the council’s ongoing commitment to continuously assess and review all services to ensure they are being delivered as effectively as possible in the face of ongoing significant financial challenges.
The report details the current positions regarding ongoing service reviews concerning mental health hubs for adults, Little Owls nurseries and children’s centres.
Leeds City Council currently manages three buildings delivering mental health day support and another three buildings for people with complex needs. Due to changes in how services are being delivered across the wider community, especially following the pandemic, there is less need for people to attend these buildings.
At the mental health hubs, nearly half of those receiving support do not access the building and as a result the hubs only open two or three days a week for groups or support sessions, although even on these days the capacity available is not being fully used.
At the complex needs centres attendance has also been gradually declining, with an average capacity use of 58 per cent since the pandemic.
To allow these services to be delivered more efficiently and to make better use of the buildings concerned, the council is proposing to move the three mental health hubs into the complex needs centres to become integrated community hubs for adults. There are no proposed changes to the level of support offered to people.
The complex needs centres offer greater accessibility and are of a good standard and this change would see the Stocks Hill Mental Health Support Hub move to join the Calverlands Complex Needs Centre in Horsforth, Lovell Park Mental Health Support Hub join the Wykebeck Complex Needs Centre, and Vale Circles Mental Health Support Hub join the Laurel Bank Complex Needs Centre in Middleton.
Consultation has been carried out with service users and stakeholders. Careful planning has also been undertaken to design individualised support to help people transition to the new sites or to other local community locations where services can be delivered.
The integration of services from six buildings to three would deliver savings of around £500,000 this year, while the vacated buildings at Lovell Park and Vales Circles would be made available for sale for a capital receipt to help the council meet its savings requirement of over £100million this year.
If executive board approves the proposed change, the mental health hub day services would relocate from next month with the integrated community hubs in full operation from June.
The report also gives an update regarding the review of Little Owls nurseries and children’s centres. Following a market-sounding exercise undertaken for 12 Little Owls nurseries, the potential delivery through schools or alternative providers is being progressed. Interested parties are engaging in an assessment process which will include considering the need for, or use of, existing buildings. If alternative provision cannot be secured for any of the 12 nurseries, the council will retain and continue to deliver the service itself. This position will be clarified by the end of July.
On children’s centres, the report details the timeline for proposals to improve the range, effectiveness and integration of services at the 56 centres managed by Leeds City Council or partners. Consultation will be undertaken in the summer with all interested parties, and a report on future proposals is expected to be considered by the executive board in September.
The changing role of community centres is also explained in the report, broadening their remit to offer an increasingly wide range of services and support for all ages and becoming multi-use community spaces rather than just buildings, enabling them to be accessed more fully by the wider community.
Community asset transfers are also being considered as an option for some community buildings where it is considered appropriate and with viable interest in them being run and managed at a local level.
The council-managed Leeds libraries service continues to offer an increasing range of services, while the report also outlines the potential for leisure centres to also host additional services offering greater flexibility to their local communities.
Leeds City Council deputy leader and executive member for resources Councillor Debra Coupar said:
“The council is firmly committed to continuously reviewing all our services, and how and where they are delivered to ensure they are effective and meeting the needs of residents and the communities they serve.
“Where we can make changes to improve the quality, range and accessibility of our services and to make them more integrated it makes sense to do that, while also helping to make sure our buildings and estate are being well used, maintained and are welcoming environments for people of all ages to want to use and visit.
“Our proposed change to mental health day support provision will provide a transformative boost, with the integrated community hubs for adults bringing services and people together under one roof and all the associated benefits that synergy entails. We are committed to doing everything we can to make the transition as smooth as possible, while also being able to dispose of underperforming buildings to help with the significant financial challenge we face this year.”
To see the report being considered by the executive board visit Council and democracy (item 9).
Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –
On April 11, 2025, the Chairman of the State Duma Defense Committee Andrei Kartapolov visited the State University of Management with a visit and an open lecture for students.
The first item on the program of his stay at the State University of Management was a tour of the university, during which the distinguished guest visited the Pre-University, the Media Center, the Scientific Library, and the Engineering Project Management Center, in which the deputy showed particular interest.
The Director of the Center, Vladimir Filatov, spoke in detail about the activities of the division, in particular about the inter-university design bureau, thanks to the work in which students are introduced to the corporate environment of enterprises while still studying and thus avoid the subsequently uncomfortable period of adaptation at their first job after graduation.
Rector of the State University of Management Vladimir Stroyev noted that it is difficult for universities to fulfill various orders from manufacturers on their own, but the network structure of the student design bureau allows them to quickly find the necessary specialists.
Andrey Kartapolov was presented with prototypes of unmanned aerial vehicles being developed at the State University of Management, including a compact interceptor drone, test flights of which were shown on a computer screen. Vladimir Filatov also told and showed on video a new project of the State University of Management Engineers – an autonomous cargo transporter based on a UAZ vehicle. This project was presented to the public movement “People’s Front”, where it attracted interest with its large format. The Chairman of the State Duma Defense Committee was also interested in the project, gave several recommendations regarding the design characteristics in demand at the SVO, and asked the rector to inform him when the project would be ready for demonstration.
The second point of the visit program was a conversation with the management of the State University of Management. Rector Vladimir Stroyev briefly told about the history of the university, which traces its origins to the Aleksandrovsky Commercial School, founded in 1880, which was a great discovery for the guest. Vladimir Vitalyevich also told about the Soviet system of engineering and economic education, which has again become in demand and is actively reviving at the State University of Management.
Continuing the topic of industry education, Vladimir Stroev spoke about his visit yesterday to the Tyumen Industrial University and the cooperation agreement signed there.
“Old methods of training specialists often do not meet modern requirements. Now we do not have time to revive some of our laboratories or create new ones, so we are actively developing network cooperation programs, using the infrastructure of colleagues. In the regions, this scheme is also very attractive, because the Moscow university takes on part of the funding. And in Moscow, students from the regions study only one year, do not have time to start a family and settle down, return to finish their studies and work at home, but at the same time they retain business and personal connections in the capital,” the rector of the State University of Management outlined the advantages of network programs.
An open lecture by Andrey Kartapolov took place in PA-21, the Olympiada Vasilievna Kozlova auditorium.
As an introduction, the deputy told the students about the activities of the State Duma, which consists of 450 deputies from 5 factions working in 32 different committees. The main task of the Defense Committee since February 2022 is to ensure all the needs of the SVO participants and their families. At the moment, 130 new laws have been adopted in this direction, the last of which equalizes the rights and benefits of participants in a special military operation and participants in counter-terrorism operations, which includes the operation in the Kursk region, which is in its final stage.
Next, Andrei Valerievich discussed the international situation, the disintegration of the world order established after World War II, NATO’s expansion to the east, China’s industrial development, and the latest news.
“Donald Trump has added some drive to the situation. We see how cheerfully and casually the trade war is going on now,” the lecturer joked. “I envy you, you live in interesting times. Take, for example, the development of artificial intelligence, which is changing life around us so rapidly. According to scientists’ forecasts, by 2030, thanks to this technology, life will change beyond recognition.”
The lecture was concluded with a Q&A session. Here are some of them:
— Can you compare the positions of Deputy Minister of Defense and the head of the State Duma Defense Committee? Which was easier?
Andrey Kartapolov: “Service is service, no matter what position you hold. The higher the position, the higher the responsibility. You, as managers, must understand this – the bosses are always held accountable. On the merits of the issue, I can say that there is more independence and fewer regulations in the State Duma.”
— Please give some advice to future managers.
Andrey Kartapolov: “Giving advice is not the most rewarding occupation. I can only say that the winner of the marathon is not the one who lifts his legs beautifully, but the one who knows how to be patient. The ability to be patient is a sign of a successful leader.”
— Where is the conflict with Ukraine heading from an economic point of view?
Andrey Kartapolov: “Moving towards victory. The victors write history and judge the vanquished, and we cannot allow ourselves to be judged. We will achieve our goal when Ukraine is no longer ruled by the Nazi regime, there will be no NATO bases and discrimination against the Russian-speaking population. At the moment, we already have four new regions where we need to restore infrastructure, roads, hospitals, schools, mines, industry – many economic tasks. And there, qualified managers will be needed at enterprises.”
Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 11.04.2025
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
With increasing bear activity expected throughout the coming spring and summer months, Albertans are reminded to take appropriate precautions when spending time outdoors.
“As bears return to the landscape, we ask everyone enjoying Alberta’s trails, parks and great outdoors to be alert and take the necessary steps to avoid conflicts. Bear safety is a shared responsibility, and simple precautions can help prevent serious encounters.”
“Safety in bear country depends on our awareness and preparedness; we urge all Albertans to respect wildlife and follow safety guidelines to ensure both human and bear safety during this active season.”
Spring marks a high-risk period for human-bear encounters, as black and grizzly bears and their cubs emerge from dens in search of food. Natural food sources are limited early in the season, which can draw bears closer to trails, roads, campsites and residential areas.
The prime time for bear activity each year is from May until October. Bears may be attracted to unsecured garbage, pet food, compost, birdseed and natural or decorative fruit. Reducing attractants and remaining vigilant are key to preventing unwanted encounters.
Public safety guidance
Anyone spending time outdoors in bear country is urged to take the following precautions:
Travel in groups and stay on official trails.
Make noise regularly to avoid surprising a bear.
Keep dogs on a leash at all times.
Carry bear spray and know how to use it.
Store food, garbage and other attractants in bear-resistant containers or facilities.
Avoid areas with fresh signs of bear activity such as tracks, scat or diggings.
Backcountry users, hikers, campers and anglers should exercise increased caution around lakeshores, creeks, berry patches and areas with limited visibility. Bears often use these locations as travel routes and feeding areas.
In the event of a bear encounter
Remain calm and do not run.
Back away slowly while speaking in a calm, firm voice.
If a bear approaches, prepare to use bear spray when within range.
Bear sightings or incidents in Kananaskis Country can be reported to Kananaskis Emergency Services at 403-591-7755.
If outside Kananaskis Country, Albertans are reminded that they can report any bear sightings or dangerous wildlife activity to Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Services by calling 1-800-642-3800.
Four men have been sentenced in relation to the murder of a man in Newham.
It follows a Met investigation that saw one of the perpetrators extradited back from Europe.
Anselam Senaj, 26, was killed after being stabbed in the back of a car in East Ham at around 22:10hrs on Saturday, 11 November 2023.
At the Old Bailey today (Friday, 11 April) four men were sentenced, as follows:
[A] Muhammad Saqib Khan, 24 (21.01.01), of Walton Road, Manor Park, was jailed for life, with minimum term of 26 years for murder.
[B] Muhammad Samiyul Miah, 19 (04.02.06) of Jack Cornwell Street, Manor Park, was jailed for life, to serve a minimum of 25 years in prison for murder.
Their sentences also included terms for possession of a knife.
[C] Ibrahim Naim, 18 (21.07.06), of Clacton Road, East Ham was sentenced to ten and a half years for manslaughter.
[D] Zain Ali, 22 (27.03.03), of Poulett Road, East Ham, was sentenced to 14 years for manslaughter.
Detective Sergeant Brett Hagen, who led the Met’s investigation, said: “Anselam Senaj was killed in a brutal cold-blooded assault which lasted seconds, but was so severe he died at the scene.
“Our team conducted a thorough and detailed investigation which led to the arrest of three of the suspects within two weeks of the attack.
“We’d like to thank our partner agencies who helped us ensure the arrest of the final suspect, and bring the case to trial to secure justice for Anselam.
“Our thoughts remain as always with Anselam’s friends and family as they move forward with their life, safe in the knowledge his attackers are behind bars where they belong.”
During a 14-week trial, the court heard the gang of men used a stolen vehicle to stop the taxi Anselam was travelling in and attacked him in the back seat at the junction of Victoria Avenue and Grangewood Street.
Despite the efforts of emergency services, he died at the scene.
The Met’s Specialist Crime Command issued warrants at various addresses in London on 22 November 2023, which led to the arrest of Miah, Ali and Naim who were all charged with murder that night.
They forensically analysed the clothes worn by Anselam and the suspects, as well as downloading phone conversations between the men which all pointed to drug dealing.
The team then identified Khan, who had fled to Amsterdam after the killing, as a further suspect and instigated an international manhunt to bring charges against him.
After extensive enquiries by the Met’s investigative team and following work with international law enforcement partners, Khan was arrested on 4 December 2023 by Dutch authorities.
On 12 January 2024, he was returned to the UK and taken into custody, after being extradited from the Netherlands, where he was charged with murder and possession of a knife.
Khan and Miah were both convicted of the murder and possession of a knife at the Old Bailey on Monday, 13 January.
Naim and Ali were both convicted of manslaughter at the same trial.
WASHINGTON – Today, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem reminded all foreign nationals present in the United Stated longer than 30 days that the deadline to register under the Alien Registration Act is coming up on April 11.
This law requires all aliens in the United States for more than 30 days to register with the federal government. Failure to comply is a crime, punishable by fines, imprisonment, or both.
“President Trump and I have a clear message for those in our country illegally: leave now. If you leave now, you may have the opportunity to return and enjoy our freedom and live the American dream,”said Secretary Noem.“The Trump administration will enforce all our immigration laws—we will not pick and choose which laws we will enforce. We must know who is in our country for the safety and security of our homeland and all Americans.”
BACKGROUND:
On January 20, 2025, President Donald J. Trump signed Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, directing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to restore order and accountability to our immigration system. This includes enforcing the long-ignored Alien Registration Act.
COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS:
On or by April 11, 2025, the following will apply to all noncitizens, regardless of status:
Present in the U.S. for 30 days or more as of April 11, 2025, without registration evidence: Register immediately via USCIS.
Entering on or after April 11, 2025, without registration evidence: Register within 30 days of arrival.
Turning 14 in the U.S.: Re-register and submit fingerprints within 30 days of your 14th birthday, even if previously registered.
Parents or guardians of minors under 14: Register minors if they remain in the U.S. for 30 days or longer.
Upon registration and fingerprinting, DHS will issue proof of registration. All noncitizens 18 and older must carry this documentation at all times. This administration has directed DHS to prioritize enforcement, there will be no sanctuary for noncompliance.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-22)
Washington, DC – Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24), alongside Congressman Brad Schneider (IL-10), reintroduced the Promoting Affordable Childcare for Everyone (PACE) Act to bolster existing federal childcare tax incentives and improve access to affordable and high-quality child care for American families.
The PACE Act would update the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit and enhance Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (DCFSAs) to make the credit refundable and allow for annual updates to keep both incentives effective and provide more financial support for working parents. This legislation increases the amount of pre-tax dollars parents can put into the accounts from $5,000 to $7,500, which indexes the new cap to inflation to allow DCFSAs to keep pace with the cost of childcare.
“Hardworking families should not have to spend their entire paycheck on affordable, quality child care. The PACE Act supports working families and childcare professionals by increasing the Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts cap and expanding the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit to keep up with today’s economy. This pro-family bill modernizes federal child care incentives, increases accessibility, and ensures lower-income and working families can provide quality care for their children,” said Congresswoman Tenney.
“The cost of quality childcare has only gone up while the existing provisions in our tax code that help with these costs haven’t been updated in decades. Childcare costs are crushing too many families across the country — it’s long past time we enhance them to provide substantive financial support for working families and ensure they remain effective going forward. I’m proud to join Rep. Tenney send this lifeline to families struggling to afford care for their kids,” said Congressman Schneider.
“Child care costs are continuing to rise, and working parents simply can’t keep up,” said FFYF Executive Director Sarah Rittling. “The Promoting Affordable Childcare for Everyone (PACE) Act takes a significant step towards making care more affordable by updating two important tax provisions: the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit (CDCTC) and Dependent Care Assistance Plans (DCAP). This legislation is a direct investment in hardworking families who need support as they look to re-enter or stay in the workforce, and we are grateful to Reps. Claudia Tenney and Brad Schneider for their work to provide much-needed relief to parents and caregivers.”
Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME) and Jim Risch (R-ID), co-chairs of the Senate Working Forests Caucus, are introducing bipartisan legislation to improve forest industry employment and participation through a grant program aimed at rural and underserved communities. The Jobs in the Woods Act would support developmental programs designed to better equip and train the forest products workforce for careers with the U.S. Forest Service and timber industries. Nationally, the forest products industry employs roughly 925,000 people directly and supports nearly 2 million jobs indirectly. In Maine, the industry supports nearly 14,000 jobs across the state.
“Maine’s forestry industry has been foundational for our state economy for generations, and we want to sustain it for generations to come,” said Senator King. “As the industry continues to evolve, we must ensure our forestry workforce has the proper training and skills to help responsibly manage our forests while strengthening our local economies. The bipartisan Jobs in the Woods Act is commonsense legislation that will invest in new and innovative workforce programs — helping Maine people get quality, good-paying jobs and securing the future of our state’s iconic timber industry.”
“A robust and skilled workforce is critical to Idaho’s forest and economic health,” said Senator Risch. “My Jobs in the Woods Act will equip rural communities to build up the timber industry with educational and training programs to ensure Idaho continues to effectively manage our forests and prevent catastrophic wildfires for years to come.”
“The Professional Logging Contractors of the Northeast applauds Senator King for sponsoring and introducing the Jobs in the Woods Act and we fully support this important legislation at a critical time for the logging industry,” said Dana Doran, Executive Director of the Professional Logging Contractors Northeast. “Our existing logging and forest trucking workforce is aging, and targeted workforce education and training programs are needed to provide pathways to good paying careers in the woods to ensure the industry’s future. Opportunities are strong for the next generation, particularly in the rural areas where this legislation would have the greatest impact.”
“A strong, economically viable forest products industry depends on a healthy wood supply chain — and that starts with a skilled, supported workforce. The Jobs in the Woods Act invests in workforce development and education in rural, forest-based communities,” said Tim O’Hara, Forest Resources Association President. “By supporting training programs focused on forestry-related careers, this legislation creates pathways for the next generation to pursue meaningful careers in forestry, logging, log transportation, sawmilling, and beyond — right in the communities they call home.”
The forestry and forest products industry relies on the strength and resilience of our rural communities and the rural economy. We need to ensure that this rural economy can persist and to do so we need a strong workforce with the skillsets that can sustainably support our forest,” said Alexander Ingraham, President of Pinetree Associates. “Workforce development is a critical need for these communities, the forest, and the forest products industry to sustain and thrive. The Jobs in the Woods Act sets a pathway towards a thriving workforce and a sustainable rural economy.
The Jobs in the Woods Act is cosponsored by Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jim Crapo (R-ID), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Susan Collins (R-ME), Tina Smith (D-MN) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN).
As a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Senator King is seen as a national leader in efforts to support Maine’s forest products industry. He also introduced the bipartisan Future Logging Careers Act to help train the next generation of Maine loggers. Previously, Senator King introduced the bipartisan Timber Innovation Act for Building Rural Communities Act to improve forest health and support Maine’s rural economy. He also introduced legislation to establish a “Future of Forests” panel tasked with making recommendations to secure the health of America’s forests. Senator King was key in establishing the Forest Opportunity Roadmap Maine (FOR/ME) Initiative, a participant-led initiative that is helping to diversify the state’s wood products businesses, attract investments, support research and development, and develop greater economic prosperity for rural communities impacted by mill closures.
New York, 11 April 2025 – UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, in collaboration with MIT Solve, IE University, and Women of Wearables, is announcing the launch of The Equalizer Challenge: Scaling Women’s Health Innovations. This innovation challenge, enabled by the generous support from the Governments of Germany and Luxembourg, will support women-led enterprises in moving their projects beyond the pilot stage and achieving meaningful, scalable impact on women’s health.
Women’s health remains critically underfunded. “Every minute, at least two women die globally from breast or cervical cancer or pregnancy-related complications due to inequitable access to healthcare,” says Dr. Natalia Kanem, Executive Director of UNFPA.
Despite the severity of these issues, only 1% of global healthcare research and innovation funding addresses female-specific conditions beyond oncology. Even more alarmingly, only 0.2% of research and development funding focuses on sexual and reproductive health in developing countries, despite its critical role in determining lifelong well-being. Gender biases persist in technology and healthcare design, reinforcing the need for inclusive, impactful solutions. The Equalizer Challenge seeks to bridge this gap by investing in innovations that reach underserved communities, leaving no one behind.
The challenge provides catalytic funding alongside a six-month capacity development programme featuring biweekly coaching, expert mentorship, and direct connections to global health and investment networks. Whether through medical devices, digital health platforms, personalized medicine, or breakthrough solutions addressing health conditions unique to women, this challenge seeks bold, women-led innovations that don’t just push boundaries but break through them, reshaping the future of care.
More information on eligibility and how to apply is available here.
APPLY NOW!
About UNFPA
UNFPA is the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency. UNFPA’s mission is to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. UNFPA calls for the realization of reproductive rights for all and supports access to a wide range of sexual and reproductive health services, including voluntary family planning, quality maternal health care and comprehensive sexuality education.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (7th District of Washington)
WASHINGTON – U.S. Representatives Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Ranking Member of the Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee, Bennie Thompson (MS-02), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, and Veronica Escobar (TX-16) sent a letter to President Donald Trump calling on him to end his administration’s use of detention for families and children.
“The last Administration rightfully ended the use of family detention because it is well-documented that detaining children, regardless of the length of detention, causes lasting harm, and yet does nothing to deter migration,” wrote the Members.
The Biden administration recognized the harm of family detention and stopped relying on this outdated and expensive form of immigration enforcement. However, the Trump administration has brought it back despite numerous studies proving that family detention subjects children to significant psychological trauma and long-term mental health risks.
“Multiple administrations have tried to use family detention, only to find it does nothing to prevent families from seeking safety here and instead serves only to traumatize new generations of children,” the Members continued.
Detaining families with children is cruel and unnecessary. There are humane solutions to ensure families comply with immigration proceedings while saving taxpayers money. The Family Case Management Program (FCMP) used case managers to ensure clear assistance to those navigating the immigration system. It produced a 99 percent compliance rate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and immigration court requirements, without relying on detention. FCMP also costs taxpayers only $36 per day while detention can cost up to $319.
The full text of the letter can be read here.
The letter was also signed by Representatives Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Becca Balint (VT-At Large), Nanette Barragán (CA-44), Donald S. Beyer, Jr. (VA-08), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), André Carson (IN-07), Greg Casar (TX-35), Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Judy Chu (CA-28), Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Emanuel Cleaver (MO-05), Gerald Connolly (VA-11), Lou Correa (CA-46), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Jason Crow (CO-06), Danny K. Davis (IL-07), Madeleine Dean (PA-04), Diana DeGette (CO-01), Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Dwight Evans (PA-03), Maxwell Frost (FL-10), Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04), Robert Garcia (CA-42), Silvia Garcia (TX-29), Dan Goldman (NY-10), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Al Green (TX-09), Jahana Hayes (CT-05), Val Hoyle (OR-04), Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), Sarah Jacobs (CA-51), Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr. (GA-04), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Robin Kelly (IL-02), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Summer Lee (PA-12), Teresa Leger Fernandez (NM-03), Sam Liccardo (CA-16), Summer Lee (PA-12), Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Lucy McBath (GA-06), Jennifer McClellan (VA-04), Betty McCollum (MN-04), Morgan McGarvey (KY-03), James P. McGovern (MA-02), LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Gregory W. Meeks (NY-05), Robert Menendez (NJ-08), Grace Meng (NY-06), Gwen Moore (WI-04), Kelly Morrison (MN-03), Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Frank Pallone (NJ-06), Brittany Pettersen (CO-07), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Deborah Ross (NC-02), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Linda T. Sánchez (CA-38), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), David Scott (GA-13), Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Adam Smith (WA-09), Marilyn Strickland (WA-10), Eric Swalwell (CA-14), Mark Takano (CA-39), Dina Titus (NV-01), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Jill Tokuda (HI-02), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Juan Vargas (CA-52), Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-07), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), Maxine Waters (CA-43), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Nikema Williams (GA-05), and Frederica Wilson (FL-24).
It is also endorsed by Alianza Americas; American Immigration Council; American Immigration Lawyers Association; Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC; Bend the Arc: Jewish Action; Caring Across Generations; Center for Gender & Refugee Studies; Center for Law and Social Policy; Center for Victims of Torture; Children’s Defense Fund; Church World Service; Coalition on Human Needs; Global Refuge; Government Accountability Project; Human Rights First; Immigration Equality; Immigration Law & Justice Network; Innovation Law Lab; Instituto para las Mujeres en la Migración (IMUMI); International Refugee Assistance Project; Kids in Need of Defense; Kino Border Initiative; Lawyers for Good Government (L4GG); MPower Change Action Fund; National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum; National Education Association; National Immigrant Justice Center; National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice; National Partnership for New Americans; People’s Action Institute; Refugee Council USA; Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights; Sisters of Mercy of the Americas – Justice Team; Stop AAPI Hate; T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights; The Advocates for Human Rights; UndocuBlack Network; United We Dream; Witness at the Border; Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights; Al Otro Lado; AVAN Immigrant Services; Children’s Defense Fund-Texas; Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice Ventura County (CLUE VC); Colorado Asylum Center; East Bay Sanctuary Covenant; Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project; Free Migration Project; Immigrant Children Advocates’ Relief Effort (ICARE); Immigrant Defenders Law Center; Immigration Services and Legal Advocacy; Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity; Midwest Immigration Bond Fund; New York Immigration Coalition; Oasis Legal Services; Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA); Presbytery of the Pacific, PCUSA; Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network; Services, Immigrant Rights & Education Network (SIREN); Voices for Utah Children.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News
A man who possessed ice methamphetamine with the intent to distribute was sentenced on April 8, 2025, in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Hunter Newberry, age 23, from Boscobel, Wisconsin, pled guilty on October 31, 2024, to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that on January 27, 2024, law enforcement officers stopped the car Newberry was driving. During the traffic stop, officers searched Newberry’s car and located a bag containing nearly two pounds of methamphetamine. Subsequently, Newberry admitted to officers that he had acquired the methamphetamine in Madison, Wisconsin, and brought it to the Dubuque area to distribute. Newberry admitted that between December 2023 and January 2024, he acquired at least ten pounds of methamphetamine and distributed it in the Dubuque area.
Newberry was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Newberry was sentenced to 140 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Newberry remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael S.A. Hudson and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Dubuque Drug Task Force, comprised of the Dubuque Police Department and the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office.
The UN human rights office said on Friday it fears that Israel may intend to permanently remove civilians in Gaza as part of an expanded buffer zone, amid evacuations orders and escalating bombardment.
Hostilities in the Gaza Strip resumed mid-March following the collapse of the ceasefire and Israel’s border closure.
As it enters its sixth week, the denial of aid into the enclave has left more than 2.1 million Gazans trapped without access to food, drinking water, and basic services.
Israel in recent weeks has ramped up its attacks on civilian infrastructure such as residential buildings and camps, leaving many more dead or missing under the rubble.
Between March 18 and April 9, Israeli forces have struck housing and tents for internally displaced people (IDPs) on 224 occasions during 36 separate strikes, according to the UN rights office, OHCHR.
‘Forcible transfer’
Ms. Shamdasani also highlighted the growing trend in attacks against media workers, reporting that at least 209 journalists have been killed in Gaza since the deadly Hamas-led terror attacks of October 2023, as Israel continues to deny international media entry into the Strip.
The OHCHR spokesperson acknowledged that the temporary evacuation of civilians in certain areas can be legal, under strict conditions.
But “the nature and scope of the evacuation orders raises serious concerns that Israel intends permanently to remove the civilian population from these areas in order to create a so-called buffer zone”, she said.
“Permanently displacing the civilian population within occupied territory amounts to forcible transfer, which is a grave breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention and a crime against humanity.”
War crimes
Combatants need to demonstrate compliance with the rules of war, particularly the principles of distinction – meaning defenceless civilians should not be targeted – as well as proportionality and precaution.
“Intentionally directing attacks against civilians not taking a direct part in hostilities constitutes a war crime, further compounding the desperate conditions for Palestinian civilians,” Ms. Shamdasani said.
OHCHR has also repeatedly warned that collective punishment and the use of starvation of the civilian population as a method of war, constitute crimes under international law.
Ms. Shamdasani also stressed that her office was “seriously concerned that Israel appears to be inflicting on Palestinians in Gaza, conditions of life increasingly incompatible with their continued existence as a group”.
Women wait to receive food at a distribution point in Gaza City.
Supplies pile up
With stocks of drugs sharply declining, medicines and other essential supplies have been piling up at the shuttered border crossings.
Almost 36 million tons of supplies in Dubai are on standby for entry into the enclave, according to Dr. Rik Peeperkorn, World Health Organization Representative (WHO) for the West Bank and Gaza.
Medical evacuations for patients in need of urgent treatment have slowed significantly. Likewise, the number of international emergency medical teams deployed has dropped, depriving hospitals of the help they crucially need, “because the caseload is immense”, Dr. Peeperkorn stressed.
“We urgently call for the immediate resumption of medical evacuation through all possible routes, particularly restoring the medical referral pathway to the West Bank and Jerusalem.”
OCALA, FL – A U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement investigation, assisted by local law enforcement, resulted in a decade plus sentence for a man attempting to entice a 13-year-old child to engage in sexual activity.
Francisco Alvarez-Tello, 28, of Ocala, pled guilty on Oct. 24, 2024, and was sentenced April 1 to 12 years in federal prison.
“HSI and our law enforcement partners are continually monitoring and combating the dangerous misuse of social media that puts our children at risk,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Orlando Assistant Special Agent in Charge David Pezzutti. “HSI, in collaboration with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, the Ocala Police Department, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, remains steadfast in our mission to safeguard children from predators who exploit them for their perverse desires.”
According to court documents, in July 2024, Alvarez-Tello responded to an ad on an online dating app from an undercover law enforcement officer who was posing as a 13-year-old child. Alvarez-Tello engaged in sexually oriented conversation, telling the undercover officer in detail what he planned to do with the child. When Alvarez-Tello arrived at a pre-determined location to engage in sex with the child, law enforcement arrested him and found a firearm inside his vehicle. During an interview with officers, Alvarez-Tello admitted to sending the messages and told officers that he was trying to have a “freaky Friday” and they had “ruined that.”
This case was investigated by ICE HSI Orlando, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, the Ocala Police Department, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Belkis H. Callaos.
The federal government provides tax credits for investments in energy sources that generate electricity without emitting carbon dioxide in the process. Two tax credits, the investment tax credit (ITC) and the production tax credit (PTC), directly support investment in wind and solar electric power. In the Congressional Budget Office’s baseline projections, those tax credits reduce federal revenues and increase federal spending. In this report, CBO provides an overview of the tax credits and explains how the agency assesses their budgetary and economic effects.
In CBO’s January 2025 baseline projections, the ITC and PTC together increase projected deficits from 2026 to 2035 by about $300 billion. The cost of tax credits for investing in wind and solar electric power is uncertain because the underlying activity—the amount of investment itself—is uncertain.
The ITC and PTC provide an incentive for private-sector investment. CBO estimates that without those tax credits, investment in wind and solar electric power from 2024 to 2026 would be about one-third less than is expected with the credits in place. But because investors’ behavior is uncertain, including their response to changes in tax policy, the amount of investment attributable to the tax credits could be higher or lower than projected.
The 2022 reconciliation act (Public Law 117-169) made the ITC and PTC more generous for investments in projects that pay prevailing wages and employ apprentices, are located in certain geographic areas, and use domestically sourced materials. Linking the tax credits to those other policy objectives can encourage investment in projects whose costs per unit of generating capacity are higher than they would otherwise be, thus involving a trade-off between supporting the objectives and stimulating investment in wind and solar power at the lowest possible cost.
NEW BERN, N.C. – A Dunn County man was sentenced Wednesday to more than 12 years (151 months) in prison for possession with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Zachary Antoine Williams aka “Fendi”, age 23, pled guilty to the offense on December 13, 2024.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Williams was stopped by law enforcement in Four Oaks, North Carolina on September 18, 2023. Law enforcement searched Williams’ car and found digital scales, fentanyl powder, and drug paraphernalia. In addition, between September 2023 and January 2024, law enforcement conducted five undercover purchases of crystal methamphetamine and fentanyl from Williams. The evidence also showed Williams sold $1,500 of heroin per week since at least January 2022. In January 2024, law enforcement searched William’s house and found two loaded pistols, $3,445 in U.S. currency, and digital scales.
Williams has a prior felony conviction for conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon.
Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and Dunn Police Department investigated the case and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Aria Q. Merle prosecuted the case.
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Cleveland, Ohio, was sentenced in federal court to 72 months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, on his conviction of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, fentanyl, and crack, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan imposed the sentence on Deangelo Ward, 35, on April 10, 2025.
According to information presented to the Court, from in and around July 2022 to in and around March 2023, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Ward conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture of cocaine, 40 grams or more of a mixture of fentanyl, and a quantity of a mixture of crack. Ward was intercepted on a federal wiretap obtaining quantities of the drugs that he distributed to others.
Assistant United States Attorney Arnold P. Bernard Jr. prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and Homeland Security Investigations for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Ward. Additional agencies participating in the investigation included the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, and other local law enforcement agencies.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (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.
Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
NEW ORLEANS – Acting United States Attorney M. Michael Simpson announced that DEVONTE SMITH (“SMITH”), age 25, of New Orleans, was sentenced on Thursday March 27, 2025 by Chief United States District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown to serve 288 months (24 years) in prison, 5 years of supervised release following his release from prison, and a $700 mandatory special assessment fee, for multiple violations of the Federal Gun Control Act and the Federal Controlled Substances Act.
On April 27, 2023, SMITH pled guilty to seven counts of an eight-count indictment, charging him with numerous federal firearms and drug trafficking violations stemming from a March 30, 2022 shootout, and the subsequent search of a residence. Although no one was killed or injured in the shootout, several houses and automobiles sustained damage. At the time of the shooting, SMITH was on bond from a state drug arrest in November 2021, despite a 2019 conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm and aggravated assault with a firearm, for which he was sentenced to six years in the custody of the Louisiana Department of Corrections.
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Maurice E. Landrieu, Jr. of the Narcotics Unit.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Two Hagerstown, Maryland, men have admitted to firearms trafficking in the Berkeley County, West Virginia.
Christopher Seth St. Clair, age 24, pled guilty to making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm. David Lamont Barnes, age 23, pled guilty to conspiracy to violate gun control act.
According to court documents, St. Clair and Barnes worked with others to purchase firearms and transport them to individuals across state lines. During the purchase of the firearms, St. Clair, falsely claimed he was not purchasing the firearms on behalf of other persons. Barnes assisted in the purchases and transportation.
St. Clair is facing up to 10 years in federal prison. Barnes is facing up to five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Kane is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)
ALBUQUERQUE – A Las Cruces man has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison after a federal search warrant uncovered large quantities of fentanyl, firearms, and cash linked to drug trafficking activities.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court records, on April 10, 2024, FBI Southern New Mexico Safe Streets Gang Task Force agents and Task Force Officers along with agents from Las Cruces/Dona Ana County Metro Narcotics executed a federal search warrant at the residence of Joe Angel Sandoval, 29, in Las Cruces, New Mexico, uncovering substantial evidence of drug trafficking.
During the search, investigators located:
Over 500 grams of fentanyl pills.
Three firearms and ammunition.
Approximately $139,857 in cash was found inside the residence, along with $1,900 in Sandoval’s vehicle.
In his plea agreement, Sandoval admitted to being an unlawful user of fentanyl at the time of the search and acknowledged selling the fentanyl pills for approximately three to four years, making him a prohibited possessor of firearms and ammunition under federal law.
Upon his release, Sandoval will be subject to 10 years of supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Las Cruces/Dona Ana County Metro Narcotics Agency, Las Cruces Police Department, and Dona Ana County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Maria Y. Armijo prosecuted this case.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)
ALBUQUERQUE – An Arizona man is facing federal for allegedly assaulting federal officers and transporting a stolen vehicle across state lines after a high-speed pursuit in New Mexico.
According to court documents, on March 31, 2025, Christopher Jack Leach, 33, became aware of a warrant for his arrest in Arizona. He borrowed a friend’s vehicle under false pretenses, claiming he would drive it to another friend’s house in Arizona, but instead fled toward Florida with a passenger. The vehicle was reported stolen after the owner realized Leach’s deception. On that date, Leach and his passenger traveled across state lines, knowing the vehicle was reported stolen, and evaded law enforcement for the next several days.
On the morning of April 2, 2025, U.S. Border Patrol agents responded to reports of a stolen vehicle traveling eastbound at high speed on Interstate 10 in Las Cruces. During the pursuit, Leach accelerated toward the agents’ unmarked vehicle on a narrow street, prompting one agent to exit and discharge a warning shot. Leach evaded the agents, drove into a dead-end street, drove into their vehicle causing a collision, and fled again before ultimately being apprehended by the New Mexico State Police.
Following the incident, agents from the FBI interviewed Leach’s passenger, who confirmed that Leach knowingly fled law enforcement and was aware of the vehicle’s stolen status. Leach, however, claimed memory loss during his FBI interview, stating no recollection of events between Arizona and New Mexico.
Leach is charged with assault of a federal officer and transportation of a stolen vehicle and will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been set. If convicted of the current charges, Leach faces up to 20 years in prison.
Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the U.S. Border Patrol, New Mexico State Police, and Las Cruces Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyson Hehr is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
UConn Health’s Dr. Rebecca Andrews ’02 MD will spend the next year as chair of the policy-making body for the American College of Physicians.
UConn Health’s Dr. Rebecca Andrews (left), incoming chair of the American College of Physicians Board of Regents, and Dr. Jason Goldman, incoming ACP president, hold the ACP’s mace, which is tradition at the ACP’s convocation ceremony. (Photo provided by Dr. Rebecca Andrews)
In addition to her roles as professor of medicine in the UConn School of Medicine, associate program director of its internal medicine residency program, primary care physician, director of primary care, and clinical lead for UConn Health’s Patient-Centered Medical Home and Comprehensive Pain Center, Andrews is now the chair of the ACP’s Board of Regents.
“The American College of Physicians (ACP) is the largest medical specialty organization,” Andrews says. “The ACP is active in advocating for our physicians, our patients, and improvements in our health care as a nation, which makes this such an honor and an opportunity. I’m excited to serve as the chair of ACP’s Board of Regents, and for the opportunity to lead an organization that represents internal medicine physicians and advances the profession of internal medicine.”
UConn Health’s Dr. Rebecca Andrews (left) is announced as chair of the American College of Physicians Board of Regents at the ACP’s annual business meeting in Philadelphia, April 5, 2025. Dr. Jason Goldman (right), who manages a general internal medicine practice in Florida, is announced as ACP president. (Photo provided by Dr. Rebecca Andrews)
Andrews, who graduated from the UConn School of Medicine in 2002 and its internal residency program in 2006, joined the UConn Health faculty in 2009. Last year the ACP elected her chair-elect of its board of regents. As chair, her responsibilities include overseeing policy creation, presiding over committee meetings including the board’s executive committee, and maintaining fiduciary goals.
The American College of Physicians has a membership of more than 160,000 internal medicine physicians, related subspecialists, and medical students in more than 170 countries.
UConn Health’s Dr. Rebecca Andrews (center) at the convocation ceremony at the American College of Physicians 2025 annual meeting April 5, 2025, in Philadelphia, where she was installed as chair of the ACP Board of Regents (Photo by Dr. Ryan Mire)
“Dr. Andrews is an outstanding physician, educator, and clinical leader,” says Dr. Eric Mortensen, chief of UConn Health’s Division of General Internal Medicine. “It is exciting to see her take on this critical role in the American College of Physicians, which represents all of the different branches of internal medicine.”
Andrews first became involved with the ACP as a medical student, joined the ACP’s early physician council, was elected a Fellow of the College in 2010, and since has served in several leadership roles in the Connecticut chapter and at the national level. She joined the ACP’s Board of Regents three years ago following a four-year term as the governor of the Connecticut chapter and a one-year term chairing the ACP’s board of governors. The chair of the board of regents and the president are the ACP’s two highest-level officers. The chair also may act on behalf of the president when the president is unavailable.
UConn Health’s Dr. Victoria Forbes (left), winner of an ACP volunteer chapter award, with Andrews, her nominator (Photo provided by Dr. Rebecca Andrews)
“The ACP is deeply committed to improving lives and advancing the quality of care for all, and helping physicians deliver the best health care possible,” Andrews says. “I look forward to helping to lead the organization over the next year, especially as a primary care internal medicine physician advocating for reduced administrative burdens, emphasizing the importance of immunizations and a strong public health infrastructure, and encouraging public health leaders to use the strongest evidence to guide medical care and public health policies.”
She was installed as chair of the board of regents at the ACP’s annual business meeting, April 5 in Philadelphia.
Two years since Sudan’s brutal conflict began, UN agencies warned that famine is spreading and civilians of all ages continue to suffer shocking abuse, including rape and gang rape.
“With no viable peace in sight, the Sudanese are trapped in a humanitarian crisis of industrial proportions,” said Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN aid coordination office, OCHA.
“Two out of three people need aid, that’s 30 million people…This, of course, demands a massive ramp-up of international support; what we see instead is donors pulling back funding across the world.”
The war between rival militaries – the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) – began on 15 April 2023 after a breakdown in transition to civilian rule, following the overthrow of long-time President Omar al-Bashir. Heavy fighting has levelled towns and cities and claimed tens of thousands of lives.
At least 12.4 million people have been uprooted from their homes, including more than 3.3 million refugees.
Rape as a weapon of war
Since the outset, relief workers and others including the UN human rights office, OHCHR, have repeatedly warned that sexual violence remains pervasive across Sudan.
“One survivor recounted that she was told, ‘We are your men now,’ before RSF fighters raped her in front of her children,”said Li Fung, OHCHR Representative in Sudan, speaking to journalists in Geneva via video link from Nairobi.
Meanwhile, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) reiterated deep concerns about the 25 million Sudanese facing famine. “Two years of war has turned Sudan into the world’s largest hunger catastrophe and famine is spreading,” said Leni Kinzli, WFP Communications Officer for Sudan, also speaking from the Kenyan capital.
Invaluable support
In an appeal for funding to support the UN agency’s work, she testified to the value of food assistance for internally displaced people (IDPs): “It means that a father who has been torn from his home in Khartoum can feed his family of four; it means that a mother in an IDP camp in Kassala can cook a simple meal for her young daughters and so that they don’t fall into malnutrition.”
Amid reports that the paramilitary RSF paramilitary had taken the key Darfur town of Um Kadadah from the SAF, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) warned that attacks on healthcare personnel and facilities “are on the rise”.
The past two years have seen 156 confirmed attacks on health “causing more than 300 deaths and over 270 injuries among either patients or healthcare workers”, said
Dr Shible Sahbani, WHO Representative in Sudan, speaking via video link from Cairo.
Funding cuts dilemma
Echoing those concerns, UN Women reported that 80 per cent of hospitals in conflict areas are no longer functioning, with maternal deaths rising “alarmingly”.
A full eight in 10 displaced women and girls in Sudan now lack access to clean water, said Sofia Calltorp, UN Women Director in Geneva, highlighting the impact of deep cuts to funding for humanitarian work globally.
“The latest global cuts in humanitarian funding have put critical programmes at risk, with teams forced to make unreasonable choices and refugees being left to resort to harmful strategies to meet their basic needs,” said UN refugee agency (UNHCR) spokesperson Olga Sarrado.
“Inside Sudan, reduced funding will cut access to clean water for at least half a million displaced people, significantly increasing risks of cholera and other waterborne diseases,” she added.
Police have charged two people with drug trafficking and weapons offences after executing a search warrant in Pictou.
On April 3, 2025, the Pictou County Integrated Street Crime Enforcement Unit (PCISCEU) executed a search warrant at a residence on Welsford St. as part of an ongoing drug trafficking investigation. A man and a woman were safely arrested inside the home.
Officers searched the residence and seized a quantity of cocaine, methamphetamine, cash, a firearm, a machete, mobile devices and tools, which are believed to have been stolen
Jennifer Anne Stevenson, 40, and Chad Andrew Thomson, 34, both of Pictou are each charged with:
Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking (cocaine)
Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking (methamphetamine)
Careless Use of Firearm
Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm
Possession of a Firearm Knowing its Possession is Unauthorized
Possession of a Weapon for a Dangerous Purpose (2 counts)
Possession of Property Obtained by Crime (2 counts)
Stevenson and Thomson were released on conditions and are scheduled to appear in Pictou Provincial Court on July 7.
The investigation is ongoing and is being led by PCISCEU with assistance of Pictou County District RCMP, Antigonish/Guysborough Street Crime Enforcement Unit and RCMP Police Dog Services.
Nova Scotians are encouraged to contact their nearest RCMP detachment or local police to report crime, including the illegal sale of drugs, in their communities. Anonymous tips can be made by calling Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers, toll-free, at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submitting a secure web tip at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or using the P3 Tips app.
Note: The PCISCEU is made up of police officers from Pictou County District RCMP, Westville Police Service, and Stellarton Police Service.
Westminster City Council is ensuring everyone has access to the city’s remarkable culture on offer by teaming up with English National Opera (ENO) who have been performing in care homes across the city.
The project, funded by the council, was aimed at bringing high-quality music and art to residents who encounter physical, social and economic barriers to participation or access to culture.
Across the month of March, ENO’s musicians and singers have entertained residents in eight care settings in Westminster. They put on activities including singalong workshops using familiar and beloved opera repertoire, a craft activity for people to make their own flower brooch, as well as the opportunity to try on costumes and hats from recent ENO productions.
Classical music is known to improve people’s mental health, their breathing and boosts their mood.
One resident, Deborah, from Beachcroft Care Home said:
“It was so nice to hear such beautiful voices, the singing was superb.
“It was really nice for some of the elderly people here that have got Alzheimer’s and that sort of thing, it was nice to see them actively being involved and to have a chilled afternoon where we were entertained was absolutely lovely.”
Westminster City Council Cabinet Member for Ecology and Culture, Cllr Ryan Jude, said:
“It’s so touching to see English National Opera bring such light and joy to the residents of our care settings in Westminster.
“Our city is brimming with culture, and it’s important there are no barriers to people enjoying what’s on offer on their doorstep. Through our culture fund, we’re ensuring that every person in Westminster, irrespective of age and ability, has the chance to explore the rich culture all around us.”
“We are delighted to be working with Westminster City Council to deliver our new ENO in the Community programme.
“Key funding from the council has allowed ENO to bring live music into the community and to people who otherwise may be unable to access it through ENO Engage – our learning and participation department, opera singers and the Chorus and Orchestra of ENO.
“Classical music brings human connection, mental health and wellbeing benefits and we are excited to see the impact the programme has across the borough.”
1,091 bags of litter collected across more than 80 clean-ups
Nearly 1,000 people took part, including residents, schools, businesses and community groups
Volunteers were supported with equipment from Salford Rangers and new Litter Picking Lockers
Nearly 1,000 volunteers – including residents, schools, businesses and community groups – took part in this year’s Great British Spring Clean in Salford. Together, they got involved in more than 80 litter picks and collected over 1,000 bags of rubbish from streets, parks, and green spaces across the city.
Organised clean-ups were supported by the Salford Ranger Team, who also provided litter-picking equipment. Volunteers could also access tools and supplies through Salford’s new Litter Picking Lockers – storage hubs in local parks designed to help people get involved all year round.
Councillor Barbara Bentham, Lead Member for Neighbourhoods, Environment and Community Safety at Salford City Council, said: “It’s been fantastic to see so many people getting involved in this year’s Great British Spring Clean. Whether it was a few hours with colleagues, a school litter pick, or a community clean-up – every effort has made a difference. I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who gave up their time to help make Salford a cleaner, greener place to live.”
The Great British Spring Clean may be over, but residents are still encouraged to become a Salford Litter Hero and help keep their local area clean. If you’d like to get involved in future clean-ups or borrow equipment from a Litter Picking Lockers, head to www.salford.gov.uk/litterheroes.