Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:
DAKAR, Senegal, April 9, 2025/APO Group/ —
The African Union of Broadcasting (AUB) (www.UAR-AUB.org) will hold its 16th General Assembly from June 18 to 20, 2025 in Abidjan, capital of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, under the theme: Empowering the media: what strategies for financial and technological resilience and innovative content?
This high-level meeting will bring together Directors General representing the media, the broadcasting industry, officials, experts, academics, content creators from across the continent, representatives of sister Unions and partners. This year’s event aims to explore the challenges and opportunities offered by the evolution of digital technologies in the broadcast media sector.
The AUB aims to examine all the possibilities available to African media to obtain quality content amidst scarcity of financial resources, competitiveness and significant technological development. Broadcasters in Africa will also address the issue of satellite broadcasting costs which are increasingly weighing on their organizations’ budgets.
During this General Assembly, the African Union of Broadcasting will reward excellence in African broadcast production at the grand AUB MEDIA AWARDS 2025.
The African Union of Broadcasting is the largest organization of media professionals in Africa, bringing together public and private radio and television broadcasters and associate members. The AUB is responsible for developing all segments of television and radio broadcasting in Africa. It works to develop the exchange of authentic African content through its content distribution platform, AUBVISION.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Naim-Shahid Jumah Austin, 28, of Yeadon, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cynthia M. Rufe on Monday to 144 months in prison and five years of supervised release for a spate of armed robberies targeting local hotels in late 2022.
In January 2023, Austin was charged by indictment with six counts of robbery which interferes with interstate commerce (Hobbs Act robbery), and firearms offenses. In December of last year, the defendant pleaded guilty to all the robberies, and to using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, between September 2022 and December 2022, Austin targeted the hotels in the early morning hours, when one employee was usually working alone at the front desk. He terrorized his victims at gunpoint, demanding that they hand over cash from the registers.
Austin was armed with a .45-caliber semiautomatic pistol and drove his mother’s car to all six robberies, which occurred at hotels in Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties:
September 16, 2022, 3:23 a.m. – Courtyard by Marriott, Tredyffrin Township, Pa.
September 18, 2022, 4:02 a.m. – Holiday Inn & Suites, Drexel Hill, Pa. (also robbed hotel guest)
October 10, 2022, 2:05 a.m. – Fairfield Inn & Suites, Broomall, Pa. (fled empty-handed)
November 21, 2022, 3:35 a.m. – Home2 Suites by Hilton, Glen Mills, Pa.
December 2, 2022, 4:04 a.m. – Marriott Philadelphia West, West Conshohocken, Pa.
December 12, 2022, 4:41 a.m. – Holiday Inn Express & Suites, West Chester, Pa.
West Goshen Township Police located and arrested Austin minutes after the December 12, 2022, hotel robbery.
“Naim Austin was on a one-man crime spree, committing six armed robberies in less than three months,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “He threatened the hotel employees he victimized at gunpoint, to terrify them into compliance. This sentence keeps him off the street and holds him accountable for what he’s done. My office and our partners are committed to making our communities safer by bringing violent offenders like this to justice.”
“Brazen violent criminals like Austin terrorize our communities,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, FBI Philadelphia’s Special Agent in Charge. “This sentencing is a testament to the coordinated efforts between all of law enforcement. The FBI and our partners will never stop working to crush violent crime and ensure our citizens have a safe place to work and live in.”
This case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia’s Newtown Square Resident Agency and the Pennsylvania State Police, with assistance from the Tredyffrin Township Police Department, Upper Darby Township Police Department, Marple Township Police Department, Newtown Township Police Department, West Conshohocken Police Department, Birmingham Township Police Department, West Goshen Township Police Department, and Chester County Detectives. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Sandra Urban.
HOUSTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Phillips 66 (NYSE:PSX) (the “Company”) today responded to a letter released by Gregory J. Goff to Phillips 66 Shareholders. The Board of Phillips 66 has issued the following statement:
“Gregory Goff is clearly affiliated with Elliott Management. As of this morning, he remains featured as CEO of Amber Energy, an entity that Elliott has backed in its bid for Citgo, a Phillips 66 competitor. This important and obvious fact about a clear conflict of interest was never mentioned in Mr. Goff’s communication and is plainly misleading to shareholders. The notion he is an investor independent of Elliott is obviously false. This stunt reflects Elliott’s growing desperation to convince real investors to support its shortsighted, rushed breakup of Phillips 66. We will continue to engage with all investors on the facts and remain confident that those investors value the reliable $43 billion1 dollars of value we have returned through volatile market cycles.”
About Phillips 66
Phillips 66 (NYSE: PSX) is a leading integrated downstream energy provider that manufactures, transports and markets products that drive the global economy. The company’s portfolio includes Midstream, Chemicals, Refining, Marketing and Specialties, and Renewable Fuels businesses. Headquartered in Houston, Phillips 66 has employees around the globe who are committed to safely and reliably providing energy and improving lives while pursuing a lower-carbon future. For more information, visit phillips66.com or follow @Phillips66Co on LinkedIn.
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws relating to Phillips 66’s operations, strategy and performance. Words such as “anticipated,” “committed,” “estimated,” “expected,” “planned,” “scheduled,” “targeted,” “believe,” “continue,” “intend,” “will,” “would,” “objective,” “goal,” “project,” “efforts,” “strategies” and similar expressions that convey the prospective nature of events or outcomes generally indicate forward-looking statements. However, the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements included in this news release are based on management’s expectations, estimates and projections as of the date they are made. These statements are not guarantees of future events or performance, and you should not unduly rely on them as they involve certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecast in such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements include: changes in governmental policies or laws that relate to our operations, including regulations that seek to limit or restrict refining, marketing and midstream operations or regulate profits, pricing, or taxation of our products or feedstocks, or other regulations that restrict feedstock imports or product exports; our ability to timely obtain or maintain permits necessary for projects; fluctuations in NGL, crude oil, refined petroleum, renewable fuels and natural gas prices, and refining, marketing and petrochemical margins; the effects of any widespread public health crisis and its negative impact on commercial activity and demand for refined petroleum or renewable fuels products; changes to worldwide government policies relating to renewable fuels and greenhouse gas emissions that adversely affect programs including the renewable fuel standards program, low carbon fuel standards and tax credits for renewable fuels; potential liability from pending or future litigation; liability for remedial actions, including removal and reclamation obligations under existing or future environmental regulations; unexpected changes in costs for constructing, modifying or operating our facilities; our ability to successfully complete, or any material delay in the completion of, any asset disposition, acquisition, shutdown or conversion that we have announced or may pursue, including receipt of any necessary regulatory approvals or permits related thereto; unexpected difficulties in manufacturing, refining or transporting our products; the level and success of drilling and production volumes around our midstream assets; risks and uncertainties with respect to the actions of actual or potential competitive suppliers and transporters of refined petroleum products, renewable fuels or specialty products; lack of, or disruptions in, adequate and reliable transportation for our products; failure to complete construction of capital projects on time or within budget; our ability to comply with governmental regulations or make capital expenditures to maintain compliance with laws; limited access to capital or significantly higher cost of capital related to illiquidity or uncertainty in the domestic or international financial markets, which may also impact our ability to repurchase shares and declare and pay dividends; potential disruption of our operations due to accidents, weather events, including as a result of climate change, acts of terrorism or cyberattacks; general domestic and international economic and political developments, including armed hostilities (such as the Russia-Ukraine war), expropriation of assets, and other diplomatic developments; international monetary conditions and exchange controls; changes in estimates or projections used to assess fair value of intangible assets, goodwill and property and equipment and/or strategic decisions with respect to our asset portfolio that cause impairment charges; investments required, or reduced demand for products, as a result of environmental rules and regulations; changes in tax, environmental and other laws and regulations (including alternative energy mandates); political and societal concerns about climate change that could result in changes to our business or increase expenditures, including litigation-related expenses; the operation, financing and distribution decisions of equity affiliates we do not control; and other economic, business, competitive and/or regulatory factors affecting Phillips 66’s businesses generally as set forth in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Phillips 66 is under no obligation (and expressly disclaims any such obligation) to update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Additional Information
On April 8, 2025, Phillips 66 filed a definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A (the “Proxy Statement”) and accompanying WHITE proxy card with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) in connection with its 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the “2025 Annual Meeting”) and its solicitation of proxies for Phillips 66’s director nominees and for other matters to be voted on. This communication is not a substitute for the Proxy Statement or any other document that Phillips 66 has filed or may file with the SEC in connection with any solicitation by Phillips 66. PHILLIPS 66 SHAREHOLDERS ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT (AND ANY AMENDMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTS THERETO) AND ACCOMPANYING WHITE PROXY CARD AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT SOLICITATION MATERIALS FILED WITH THE SEC AS THEY CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Shareholders may obtain copies of the Proxy Statement, any amendments or supplements to the Proxy Statement and other documents (including the WHITE proxy card) filed by Phillips 66 with the SEC without charge from the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Copies of the documents filed by Phillips 66 with the SEC also may be obtained free of charge at Phillips 66’s investor relations website at https://investor.phillips66.com or upon written request sent to Phillips 66, 2331 CityWest Boulevard, Houston, TX 77042, Attention: Investor Relations.
Certain Information Regarding Participants
Phillips 66, its directors, its director nominees and certain of its executive officers and employees may be deemed to be participants in connection with the solicitation of proxies from Phillips 66 shareholders in connection with the matters to be considered at the 2025 Annual Meeting. Information regarding the names of such persons and their respective interests in Phillips 66, by securities holdings or otherwise, is available in the Proxy Statement, which was filed with the SEC on April 8, 2025, including in the sections captioned “Beneficial Ownership of Phillips 66 Securities” and “Appendix C: Supplemental Information Regarding Participants in the Solicitation.” To the extent that Phillips 66’s directors and executive officers who may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation have acquired or disposed of securities holdings since the applicable “as of” date disclosed in the Proxy Statement, such transactions have been or will be reflected on Statements of Changes in Ownership of Securities on Form 4 or Initial Statements of Beneficial Ownership of Securities on Form 3 filed with the SEC. These documents are or will be available free of charge at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
1 Shareholder distribution through dividends paid on common stock and repurchases of common stock.
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Delia Grace, Professor Food Safety Systems at the Natural Resources Institute (UK) and contributing scientist ILRI, International Livestock Research Institute
One of the most pressing issues of our time is the wild meat trade. Why? Because it’s consumed by millions and puts billions at risk from emerging diseases. It provides food and income for some of the poorest and most remote communities in Africa and Asia, yet over-exploitation makes ecosystems unstable and threatens the destruction of endangered species.
In Africa, wild meat hunting is driven mostly by protein and meat scarcity (“the poor man’s meat”). In some regions, like east and south-east Asia, it can be found in restaurants, offered as high-priced exotic delicacies (“the rich man’s status”).
But consuming wild meat also poses great dangers and challenges. The global wild meat trade can drive biodiversity loss, fuel illegal markets and spread diseases. The wildlife trade and so-called wet markets, where wild animals and wild meat are often sold, are conducive to the emergence of diseases, such as Ebola and HIV, which can be transmitted from animals to people.
These issues are the focus of a recently released landmark study. It takes a new approach to analysing wild animal exploitation: it focuses on consumption and consumers rather than wild animals or hunting communities.
Most previous studies on wild meat have been by people who want to stop it, with a handful on its livelihood and nutrition benefits to poor people. Our study, with its focus on consumption, allows us to balance conservation, community development, animal welfare and plague prevention.
We are specialists in livestock and sustainable development and authors of the report. We worked for over a year to analyse and synthesise wild meat trade with a focus on hotspots in Africa and Asia.
We argue that, because the wild meat trade is here for the foreseeable future, policymakers and implementers should be looking at: better management of the global wild meat trade, reducing and managing the farming of wild animals, and providing alternatives to consumption of wild meat by poor people.
We must find a way to balance the benefits and risks of wild meat consumption in a way that protects human health, wildlife welfare, and our environment.
Importance of wild meat trade
Drawing on previous studies and a systematic literature review, our report found that the global trade in wild meat is extensive. Annual revenues range from US$1 billion in Africa to US$8-11 billion from illegal trade in south-east Asia to US$74 billion from wildlife farming in China.
The volume of wild meat consumed is also significant – and often much higher than that of livestock meat. On average, African foragers consume 38kg of wild meat and farmers 16kg per year. The average annual livestock meat consumption per person in Africa is about 16.7kg.
We found that in at least 60 countries wildlife and wild-caught fish contribute at least 20% of the animal protein in rural household diets. Where poverty is high, wildlife abundant, and affordable domesticated meat and access to markets scarce, many households turn to hunting wild animals.
Not being harvested sustainably
Unlike domesticated meat, which comes from just 20 or so animal species, the wild meat trade involves hundreds of species. In Africa about 500 species are hunted, in south-east Asia about 300.
Current rates of extraction of wild meat are unsustainable, except for some small and fast-reproducing species such as rodents. Ungulates (hoofed animals) generally tend to be the most frequently hunted, followed by large rodents and primates. Near human settlements, larger bodied animals have over time tended to be hunted out and replaced by smaller species (such as duikers and large rodents), which reproduce at faster rates and thus are more sustainably hunted.
The illegal trade in wild meat is increasingly moving online, with Asia as both a major supplier and consumer. Smuggling intensifies hunting pressure, as wildlife is harvested not only for local needs but also for global markets. There is some evidence of declining extraction rates due to over-hunting, resulting in “empty forests”. While bans can reduce hunting, they may also drive the trade underground.
Climate change is already driving an increase wild meat extraction by making it harder to grow plants and farm animals. Studies show that in some critical ecosystems, such as the Serengeti in Tanzania, there are rapid declines in wildlife linked to climate change and land-use change.
Addressing the wild meat challenge
Moving away from wild meat practices in poorer countries presents a complex challenge.
Replacing wild protein sources with commercially raised livestock can be prohibitively expensive for low-income households and governments alike. Moreover, it’s estimated that increased livestock production to replace the loss of wild meat could increase deforestation and require some 124,000km² of additional agricultural land.
Some solutions do exist – but these depend on the context.
Where wild animal hunting is prevalent, such as the forest margins in Africa and Asia, alternative protein sources could reduce the demand for wild meat by providing sustainable and culturally accepted protein sources. Examples are cane rats, Nile tilapia and African catfish in west and central Africa, cavies (guinea pigs) in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and bamboo rats in south-east Asia. High-reproducing “mini livestock”, such as rabbits, cane rats, cavies, capybara and giant African snails, can provide household meat in a relatively short period. However, attempts to promote alternative animals have met with little success. We suggest paying people not to hunt or subsidising alternative meat may be more effective and feasible.
Hundreds of thousands rely on hunting wild animals. Rather than criminalising hunters or trying to turn them into farmers in unsuitable lands, it may make more sense to pay them not to hunt by giving them free or subsidised livestock meat, which they may prefer.
Promoting disgust triggered by wild meat can be a promising channel, too, for changing consumption behaviours. Societies often, and sometimes quickly, shift from finding “different” meats appealing to finding them appalling. In the UK, for example, offal was eaten by the poor before becoming a fashion-food for the English gentry during the early modern period. Behavioural science can be harnessed to nudge these mind shifts in the right direction.
This study provides new insights into the wild meat trade. Deeply embedded in human culture, hunting wild animals is unlikely to disappear anytime soon. However, sustainable practices can balance human and ecosystem health and wildlife conservation, ensuring a future where both people and nature thrive.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Karen K. Christensen-Dalsgaard, Assistant Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, MacEwan University
An illustration by the medieval Islamic scholar Abu Rayhan al-Biruni depicting the phases of the moon in relation to the Sun. (Wikimedia Commons)The medieval Islamic mathematician, astronomer and physicist Ibn al Haytham (965 – c. 1040) lived in Cairo, Egypt, during the Islamic golden Age and is considered the father of optics. (Wikimedia Commons), CC BY
In the 11th century in Cairo, the foundations for modern science were laid through the detention of an innocent man.
The mathematician Abu Ali al-Hasan Ibn al-Haytham had been tasked with regulating the flow of the Nile, but when he saw the river that had shaped 4,000 years of human civilization, the hubris of the task became all too obvious.
To avoid the wrath of the Fatimid caliph in Egypt, Ibn al-Haytham supposedly feigned madness and was placed under house arrest, giving him time to focus on optics.
When I started teaching the history of biology, the importance of this pivotal period of scientific history was often diminished in western analysis of science history. Studying the contributions of non-western scholars has shown me what history can teach us about the value of multiculturalism.
A video from The Smithsonian explaining Ibn al-Haytham’s experiments with light.
The story typically told in the West is that science was invented in ancient Greece and then, following close to a millennium of intellectual darkness, developed in Western Europe over the past 500 years.
Other cultures might have contributed a clever trick here or there, like inventing paper or creating our modern number system, but science as we know it was developed almost entirely by white men. As such it becomes a story of superiority, one that demands gratitude.
The scars of this way of thinking are all over our geopolitical landscape. It shapes how many western leaders interact with other cultures, apparently entitling them to share their intellectual authority without needing to listen to others. It is a mindset that belittles other civilizations and led to centuries of colonial violence.
This Eurocentric version of scientific history omits some of the most important events that shaped modern thinking. Science was not developed so much by individuals but by a highly complex global process that brought together ideas, lived experiences and approaches from all major civilizations.
The Plimpton 322 clay tablet, with each row of the table relating to a Pythagorean triple, is believed to have been written in Babylonia around 1800 BCE, around 1,000 years before the Greek mathematician Pythagoras was born. (Wikimedia Commons)
Ancient Greek scholarship, for instance, was indeed instrumental in developing science, but it was not inherently western. The Greek empire spanned much of the Mediterranean region and the Black Sea. Scholars travelled extensively, and the centres of scholarship drifted over time from Ionia in present-day Turkey, for example, to Athens to Alexandria in Egypt.
Greek natural philosophy was influenced by the mathematical and astronomical achievements of the Babylonians and the medical traditions of the Egyptians. Later, Alexandrian scholars made great advances in human anatomy when they overcame the Greek aversion to dissections, likely because of Egyptian influences. Natural philosophy was born from the merger of these scholarly traditions.
Similarly, Ibn al-Haytham was one of thousands of scholars who, during the golden age of Islam, were engaged in the immense task of translating, combining and developing the world’s knowledge into great encyclopedic texts. They admired Indian and Chinese scholarship and technology but revered the ancient Greeks.
Many Arab scholars, on the other hand, emphasized the importance of experimentally testing ideas and developed scientific and surgical instruments that allowed for significant advances.
Arguably, Arab scholars built the foundations for modern science by developing a method for controlled experimentation and applying it to Greek scholarship combined with knowledge and technologies from all accessible parts of the world.
Later, Latin translations of the Arabic texts would allow science to grow in the West from the intellectual ashes of medieval Catholicism. Texts like Ibn Sina’s Qānūn fī al-ṭibb (Canon of medicine) would become standard textbooks throughout Europe for hundreds of years.
Ibn Al-Haytham inspired scholars like Roger Bacon to work toward European implementation of the scientific method. This would ultimately lead to Europe’s scientific revolution.
Great civilizations existed all over the world in the beginning of the 16th century, in Africa, the Middle East, the Americas and East Asia. Most had scholarship that was superior to the West’s in at least some respects. Arguably, the most valuable thing Europeans took from the rest of the world was knowledge.
The first vaccine, for instance, was based on variolation techniques developed in China, India and the Islamic world. People were inoculated against smallpox by blowing powdered scabs up their noses or rubbing pus into shallow cuts.
A vaccine developed by English physician Edward Jenner 80 years later was simply the well-known variolation technique made much safer by inoculating with cowpox instead.
The importance of intercultural exchanges should not be surprising. Scientific data and observations are ideally objective, but the questions we ask and the conclusions we draw will always be subjective, shaped by our prior knowledge, beliefs and past experiences. Different cultures can help each other see beyond their inherent biases and grow beyond the intellectual constraints of individual approaches.
In her book, Braiding Sweetgrass, Potawatomi botanist and writer Robin Wall Kimmerer gives a beautiful example of this in the context of how Indigenous approaches can inform modern science.
One of Canada’s greatest gifts is our diversity. Here, cultures from across the world come together, forming a multiplicity of minds that is well positioned to solve the problems of our world. However, this only has value if we can connect and learn from each other. When we advocate for a diversity of ideas in curricula, both nationally and abroad, we are promoting a future built on the knowledge of people and cultures from around the world.
There is nothing more intimately personal than the thoughts in your head, and yet you did not conceive them. They are a continuation of knowledge and ideas that for thousands of years have travelled the globe, shaped by countless minds from all civilizations. In a time of seemingly growing division, that is a thought that ought to bring us all together.
Karen K. Christensen-Dalsgaard does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Chris Deluzio (PA-17), Congressman Donald Norcross (NJ-01), and Senator Mazie K. Hirono (HI) reintroduced thePublic Service Freedom to Negotiate Act, bicameral legislation to guarantee the right of public sector employees to organize, act concertedly, and bargain collectively in states that currently do not afford these basic protections. The lawmakers were joined by Representative Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01) in introducing the legislation.
“No matter where they live, American workers in every sector should have the ability to form and join a union, or to collectively bargain to improve their workplace,” said Congressman Deluzio. “Public servants should have this right, just like other workers. Now is the time for solidarity: let’s come together and stand with hardworking Americans, defend the union way of life, and pass the bipartisanPublic Service Freedom to Negotiate Act.”
“I know the power of collective bargaining because I’ve lived it,” said Congressman Norcross, a union electrician, member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), and co-chair of the Congressional Labor Caucus. “I spent decades at the negotiating table standing up for working families—fighting for fair pay, safer jobs, and better benefits like health care and retirement. This bill ensures public-sector workers across the country have the same rights to a voice on their job and a seat at the table.”
“Public sector workers teach our children, protect our safety, and keep our communities moving forward—they deserve the right to organize,” said Senator Hirono. “ThePublic Service Freedom to Negotiate Actwill help ensure that millions of public sector workers across our country have the federal protections they deserve as they fight for fair wages, benefits, and improved working conditions. Private sector workers are already guaranteed the right to organize under federal law, it should be common sense that public sector workers are afforded those same rights. As President Trump works to gut our public sector workforce, this bill is crucial to protect workers’ freedom to organize and bargain collectively. I’m proud to lead this important legislation with Representative Norcross to help ensure that every public employee has their voice heard in the workplace.”
“Passing this legislation has never been more urgent — especially now, as federal workers face unprecedented attacks on their collective bargaining rights,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders. “We believe, as most Americans do, that every worker deserves a union — no matter who they work for. This bill is about something fundamental: respect. Respect for the public service workers who’ve devoted their careers to serving their communities. And respect means the freedom to negotiate.”
“When workers stand together in a union, their jobs and lives improve. But in half of the country, the people who keep our cities and towns running are banned from collectively bargaining for a good union contract. Every day, the attacks on the fundamental freedoms of workers who keep our streets and water clean, our public transportation moving, and our children learning are increasing from the highest level of government. We need federal law to protect their rights to form a union and negotiate fair contracts that allow them to continue to do the work that is so essential to our communities. We call on every member of Congress to stand with working people and support the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act,” said AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler.
“For years now, the rights of workers like nurses, librarians, educators, and all our essential public servants who dedicate themselves to our communities have been chipped away at, despite their dedication and selfless service to their communities,” said Claude Cummings Jr., president of the Communications Workers of America. “That’s why the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act is so vital. It protects public sector workers’ fundamental right to join together, bargain for fair pay, and stand up for decent working conditions. Congress needs to step up and pass this now and push back against efforts trying to undermine these essential rights.”
“As education, healthcare and public service workers, our members make a difference in the lives of others every day. But too many states don’t allow the people who do the work to have a voice,” said Randi Weingarten, President of AFT. “ThePublic Service Freedom to Negotiate Actwould change that, ensuring public servants, no matter where they reside, have a means to influence their own lives. Whether it’s higher wages, safer working conditions, or a secure retirement, the ability to organize a union and bargain collectively lifts working families, students, patients, and entire communities up. That’s why we enthusiastically support this legislation and are committed to moving it forward.”
ThePublic Service Freedom to Negotiate Actwould establish baseline federal protections to ensure all public service workers can join a union and negotiate workplace conditions—regardless of state law. The bill comes at a critical time, as recent federal actions have renewed attention on the collective bargaining rights of public employees, including those serving in national security-related agencies.
Specifically, thePublic Service Freedom to Negotiate Actwould set a minimum nationwide standard of collective bargaining rights that states must provide, including allowing public service workers to join together and have a voice on the job to improve both working conditions and the communities in which they live and work. The legislation gives public service workers the freedom to:
Read the full bill texthere.
The bill is supported by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME); the Communications Workers of America (CWA); American Federation of Teachers (AFT); AFL-CIO; Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU); Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE); International Brotherhood of Teamsters; International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM); International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE); International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE); International Union of Police Associations (IUPA); International Union of Painters & Allied Trades (IUPAT); Laborer’s International Union of North America (LiUNA); National Education Association (NEA); National Nurses United; Service Employees International Union (SEIU); Transport Workers Union of America (TWU); UNITE HERE!; United Autoworkers; United Steelworkers (USW).
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-50)
Washington: Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-48) today joined Congressman Ken Calvert (CA-41) and a range of Riverside County regional leaders to encourage the Los Angeles City Council, the Los Angeles Organizing Committee for the 2028 Olympic Games, and the International Olympic Committee to extend continued support for Temecula’s Galway Downs Equestrian Center as the idea venue to host the Equestrian events during the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
The official correspondence stated that, “In every way, this international destination for the disciplines of dressage, eventing, and jumping is the ideal location for the equine activities of the 2028 Summer Games, as it combines a SoCal tourist destination with world class state-of-the-art facilities for athletes, horses, their teams, and all spectators to experience and enjoy.”
Galway Downs equestrian center is a premier multi-use facility spanning 242 acres, 400 permanent stalls, a 1-mile racetrack, 5/8-mile training track, 14 arenas for training and competition, 15 miles of trails, and numerous other amenities. It hosts multiple events year-round, including Hunter/Jumper, Arabian Horse and Dressage.
The letter concludes: “Temecula, Riverside County and the region have also made the community commitment and long-term investment in Equestrian sports that will truly leave a lasting legacy that honors the Olympic Movement.”
The letter was also signed by California State Senator Kelly Seyarto, California Assemblywoman Kate Sanchez, Riverside County Supervisor Chuck Washington, and Temecula City Council Member Matt Rahn.
Read the letter here.
Darrell Issa is the Representative of California’s 48th Congressional District, which encompasses the central and eastern parts of San Diego County and a portion of Riverside County, including the communities of Fallbrook, Valley Center, Ramona, Escondido, Santee, Lakeside, Poway, Temecula, Murrieta, and the mountain and desert areas of the San Diego-Imperial County line. Issa served as the Chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform from 2011-2015.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – When Congress passed the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act of 2019, it authorized several new programs designed to improve veterans’ access to mental health care. Among the provisions, the bill established the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program (SSG Fox SPGP) to reduce veteran suicide through a community-based approach.
While the SSG Fox SPGP authorized $174 million to be appropriated for Fiscal Year 2021 through Fiscal Year 2025, neither North Dakota nor Delaware, or entities serving these states, have received any funding.
To address this shortcoming, U.S. Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and Chris Coons (D-DE) introduced the bipartisan Every State Counts for Veterans Mental Health Act to provide for priority consideration of SSG Fox SPGP applications to entities in states which have not previously received a grant.
“Veterans across North Dakota and the nation bravely served our country and have been promised timely access to mental healthcare, no matter where they live,” said Cramer.“Our bipartisan bill provides a practical fix to ensure North Dakota veterans receive suicide prevention support if they need it.”
“We have a duty to support those who have volunteered to serve in our armed forces, and no aid is more urgent than helping our veterans at risk of suicide,”said Coons.“Until now, Delaware has missed out on critical funds to address veterans’ mental health and suicide risk despite the amazing organizations in the First State ready to expand their reach. This bill rights that wrong so that more Delaware veterans who have risked their lives to keep us safe will receive the life-saving support they deserve when they come home.”
The legislation is supported by several organizations, including the North Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs (NDDVA), American Legion Department of North Dakota, Disabled American Veterans Department of North Dakota, and Veterans of Foreign Wars Department of North Dakota.
“Thank you, Senator Cramer, for leading this legislation,” said Lonnie Wangen, Commissioner of NDDVA. “Highly rural states such as North Dakota face a unique challenge in serving our most vulnerable veterans. NDDVA considers suicide prevention the most important and difficult task we are facing. Two words that need to stop being used together are “veteran” and “suicide.” We need all the partners and resources available and appreciate any help we can get in this critical mission.”
Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell
04.09.25
Cantwell, Moran Reintroduce Bill to Help U.S. Host Cities Bolster Local Infrastructure Ahead of 2026 World Cup, 2028 & 2034 Olympics
Cantwell: “With less than 500 days until Seattle hosts its first 2026 World Cup game, we need the Department of Transportation to get in the game and support host cities”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and senior member of the Finance Committee, and Jerry Moran (R-KS), a member of the Commerce Committee, reintroduced the Transportation Assistance for Olympic and World Cup Cities Act to provide federal funding for local communities to prepare for transportation demands and ensure the successful movement of fans, workers, and goods during the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup, the 2028 Summer Olympics, and the 2034 Winter Olympics that will all be held in the United States.
“With less than 500 days until Seattle hosts its first 2026 World Cup game, we need the Department of Transportation to get in the game and support host cities as they work to showcase the best of American innovation and hospitality,” said Sen. Cantwell. “This bill will help ensure the hundreds of thousands of fans visiting Seattle can get to and from games safely and efficiently by improving coordinated transportation planning across the Pacific Northwest.”
“It was a tremendous feat to secure a spot as a host city during the 2026 World Cup, and I have no doubt that Kansas City will be a welcoming community for hundreds of thousands of soccer fans from around the world,” said Sen. Moran. “Preparations are already underway for the games, and this legislation will support local community and agency efforts to improve infrastructure to connect fans with businesses, hotels, the airport and other host cities during the World Cup.”
The United States, Canada, and Mexico were selected to host the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup, and 11 U.S. cities are preparing to host World Cup matches, including Kansas City, Seattle, Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, and the San Francisco Bay Area. Transportation demands will increase greatly as host cities and surrounding communities are expecting hundreds of thousands of additional visitors from across the globe during the games. Los Angeles will host the 2028 Olympics and Salt Lake City was selected to host the 2034 Winter Olympics.
This legislation would create a grant program administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to provide host cities with funding for projects that improve transportation in the region during World Cup or Olympic games. Grants would support permanent transportation projects – building new roads, expanding light rail, purchasing new buses, creating bike lanes, improving existing roads or highways, or making airport terminal improvements.
The Transportation Assistance for Olympic and World Cup Cities Act would:
Provide resources to host cities through grant funding for projects that improve transportation in the region during World Cup or Olympic games, which could include acquiring buses, improving airports, or building roads.
Allow DOT to provide technical and planning assistance to host cities, states, and tribes within 100 miles of a World Cup or Olympic event to help improve coordination and prepare regional transportation systems for the influx of fans.
Allow DOT to facilitate sharing public transportation equipment, such as buses, between host cities and other cities, helping reduce costs while meeting transportation demand.
Direct the Department of Commerce to study the economic impact hosting the World Cup and the Olympics has on travel and tourism in the United States
“The USOPC strongly supports the Transportation Assistance for Olympic and World Cup Host Cities Act, and we thank Senators Moran and Cantwell for their leadership on this issue. This legislation is crucial to ensuring the United States is prepared to host the decade of sport ahead, from the 2026 FIFA World Cup to the 2028 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles and the 2034 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Salt Lake City. This bill will make it possible for cities to enhance their infrastructure and provide a seamless experience for athletes and fans alike. The essential transportation assistance set forward in this bill will help make these global events a success and demonstrate American excellence on the world stage.” – The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee.
“We are excited for the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup to take place in the United States,” said Cindy Parlow Cone, U.S. Soccer Federation President. “We appreciate Senators Moran and Cantwell for introducing legislation to provide the 11 U.S. cities hosting World Cup matches, and the dozens more cities hosting team base camps, fan fests and other events and activities, with the resources they will need to welcome the hundreds of thousands of people that will travel here from around the world.”
“From ferries to trains, buses to highways, the World Cup will undoubtedly put Washington state’s transportation system to the test,” said Peter Tomozawa, CEO, Seattle FIFA World Cup 26 Organizing Committee. “We appreciate Senator Cantwell’s leadership to provide transportation agencies the support they need so we’re ready to showcase Washington to the world in 2026.”
“We are pleased to see this important transportation assistance legislation introduced in support of Kansas City’s World Cup efforts,” said Pam Kramer, Chief Executive Officer of KC2026. “Senator Moran continues to be a leader in transportation, mobility, safety and security in the Kansas City region. This legislation will give much needed support to our efforts to ensure safe and efficient transportation of people and goods throughout the region during the World Cup. More importantly, these investments and support will help us create sustained and lasting impact beyond the World Cup, improving mobility in the region well beyond 2026.”
“On behalf of the KCATA, we are grateful that Senator Jerry Moran is demonstrating his foresight and leadership by introducing bipartisan legislation that will help us, and other host cities effectively host these games and move people to where they need to be,” said Frank White III, President and CEO of the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA). “The Senator’s outreach and understanding of our needs to serve both visitors and residents will help us with effective planning and preparation to host sizable crowds on our transit systems next summer.”
Source: United States Senator MarkWayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma)
RELEASE: Senator Mullin Welcomes Norman Chamber of Commerce to Washington, Holds Q&A
Washington, D.C. – On Tuesday, U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, spoke with the Norman Chamber of Commerce about DOGE cuts, returning power to the states, and the important roles he and Rep. Tom Cole (OK-04) have on their respective Committees, advocating for Oklahomans. The Chamber’s meeting with Senator Mullin was part of their annual Washington Fly-in event.
Highlights of the Senator’s remarks are below.
On getting the bureaucracy out of Washington, D.C., and returning power to the states:
“The President wants to get it closer to the communities and let you guys make decisions on what’s best for your community. You know, it’s very difficult for people up here in Washington, DC to know what’s going on in Norman. They don’t. It’s kind of like the Department of Ag… the Department of Ag covers two city blocks and most of those people have never been kicked by a horse, much less have crap on their boots, and they’re trying to tell us how to run our places. They’re too far removed.”
“We’re trying to push it closer to the states and allow the states to handle that, that’s the whole point of what we’re doing, and what DOGE is about.”
On the Senate and House Appropriations Committees:
“Tom and I will work closely together with it… I felt like we could be more helpful being on Approps… With Tom there, we have real opportunities to get this stuff funded… If we’re going to be in this spot, I want to be as effective as possible. And I felt like that was a positive move for us. So, all these infrastructure projects, I’m well aware of them, and we’ll continue to try carrying them, to fight for them, with you guys.”
On DOGE cuts rumors:
“Now talking about DOGE, here’s what I tell all the different chambers that’s coming up here… don’t chase a rumor… I’ve got a great relationship with the President. I’ve also got an outstanding relationship with Pete Hegseth, who I consider a friend. I consider the President a friend. In fact, just about any nominee that’s out there, I promise you, or a Secretary out there, I have their cell phone, and all of them I have great relationships with… I can find out the answer. So, before you go and chase a rumor, just have someone call me and let’s ask about it. Let’s find out.”
“With transportation, I can tell you, Sean Duffy, they’re shrinking the size of the Department of Transportation too, just like they’re doing this stuff with Department of Ed, and it’s not that the money is going to go away. It’s that we feel like if we can get it closer to the state with transportation working with ODOT, rather than having some person in Washington, D.C. decide where the grants are going to go based on how the state voted.”
“So, with all this, it’s about pushing it closer to the state. The President says over and over again, he wants the dollar to go further.”
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3
Press release
Now is the time to generate growth together with India
£400m of trade and investment wins from UK-India Economic and Financial Dialogue set to boost the British economy.
£400m of trade and investment wins set to boost the British economy and deliver economic growth and security for working people.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announces joint statement unlocking cooperation across a range of business sectors.
Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds and Minister Sitharaman bring together key business leaders from both the UK and India to drive economic growth.
£400m of trade and investment wins are set to boost the British economy and deliver economic growth and security for working people as the government vows to back British business through uncertain global times.
Today (Wednesday 09 April), the Chancellor took part in the 13th UK-India Economic and Financial Dialogue (EFD), marking a significant moment in unlocking opportunities as the two countries look to strengthen economic ties and secure a Free Trade Agreement and Bilateral Investment Treaty.
Rachel Reeves, Chancellor of the Exchequer, said:
In a changing world, it is imperative we go further and faster to kickstart economic growth. We have listened to British businesses, which is why we’re negotiating trade deals with countries across the world, including India, so we can support them and put more money in people’s pockets as part of our Plan for Change.
Our relationship with India is longstanding and broad and I am delighted with the progress made throughout this dialogue to develop it further.
Today’s EFD was Chancellor Reeves’ first with India. It saw the signing of a joint statement unlocking cooperation across a range of business sectors, including defence, financial services, education and development, and strengthened governmental collaboration across growth, economic resilience and international financial issues.
The government is working to make Britain the best country in the world to do business, already bringing in more stability, offering an open trading economy and creating the right conditions for investment.
At the London Stock Exchange today, the Chancellor and her Indian counterpart set out plans to generate growth, improve our Financial Services ties and deepen policy cooperation on the UK Industrial Strategy, tax, sustainable finance and illicit finance.
The total commercial package from this dialogue is made up of new announcements worth £128m in export deals and investments, as well as recent deals worth £271m. This includes:
Paytm, India’s largest digital payment app, announced plans to invest in the UK to accelerate access to affordable digital payments and credit for small businesses.
Barclays Bank PLC India announced on 18 March a further capital injection of over £210M into its Indian operations, affirming its long-term commitment to India. This capital investment will grow its businesses across the Investment and Private Banking in India.
HSBC Bank will expand its presence from the current 14 cities to 34 cities in India. This significant expansion will enable the bank to cover approximately 95% of India’s wealth market, reinforcing their commitment to India.
Standard Chartered Bank today announced that it has shifted to larger office premises at GIFT City, reinforcing its long-term commitment to India’s premier international financial services hub.
Mphasis, an Indian tech business, are setting up a quantum centre of excellence in London and exploring an office in Nottingham which will support 100 jobs.
British International Investment Plc (BII) is committing $10m to the agritech start up, Grow Indigo, to pilot an innovative carbon credit programme to promote regenerative agricultural practices in India.
WNS, a global digital-led business transformation services company founded in India with a $2.7bn market cap, will expand their London HQ presence with a new office and open a state-of-the-art AI design hub to expand the UK’s AI and digital talent pool to drive growth and create jobs.
Revolut announced that they are gearing up for launch in India later this year, following authorisation this week from Reserve Bank of India.
UK firm Wise announces plans to open a new office in Hyderabad, India as part of broader mission to transform the trillion-pound international money movement market.
Prudential’s announcement of launching their first fully owned global services hub in Bengaluru and third joint venture in India establishing a standalone health insurance business.
British International Investment invest $15m investment in vehicle dedicated to investing in India based on inclusion-focused early-stage companies.
The UK welcomes India paving the way to allow Indian companies to list internationally and exploring listing at the London Stock Exchange. The India-UK Financial Partnership published its report ‘Catalysing Bilateral Growth: Connecting India and the UK’s Equity Capital Markets report’. The report aims to lay the foundation for advancing capital account connectivity and strengthening confidence in both markets and will be presented following the EFD.
Coventry University announced today that it is set to become the first English university to be granted a licence to open a campus in India, as UK universities are being granted licences to open a campus in India’s new GIFT city. And the London School of Economics announced that Tata Trusts is continuing its enduring partnership with LSE by awarding a Corpus Grant to support scholarships for Indian students at the School.
Agreement for both sides to continue excellent collaboration as co-chairs of the G20’s Framework Working Group and to work closely together to promote discussion and build consensus around responses to risks to the global macroeconomic outlook.
New ambitions set for joint investments in green enterprises, tech start-ups and climate adaptation building on the success of the UK-India Green Growth Equity Fund (GGEF).
Secretary of State for Business and Trade Jonathan Reynolds and Minister Sitharaman also today hosted a business roundtable, bringing together key leaders from the financial and professional business services sectors including Tide, HSBC, Aviva, Vodafone, WNS, and Mizuho International. Attendees recognised the strength of the economic relationship between the UK and India, as well as the opportunity for closer collaboration – including through an ambitious trade deal.
Areas for collaboration on defence were also identified, as both sides looked forward to the finalisation of the India-UK Defence Industrial Roadmap, set to strengthen ties between industrial sectors and integrate supply chains.
Secretary of State for Business and Trade Jonathan Reynolds said:
I was delighted to meet with Minister Sitharaman, hear from businesses, and discuss how we can strengthen the strong economic bonds between our two nations.
Both the UK and India are committed to delivering economic growth and giving businesses the confidence and stability they need to expand.
That is why we are continuing to negotiate towards an ambitious trade deal that unlocks opportunities both at home and abroad for British businesses and supports our Plan for Change.
The UK and India have strong economic, cultural, and education links, with India being a key trading partner for the UK with over £40bn worth of UK-India trade last year alone. The UK’s long-standing programme of EFDs with India is the critical forum to deliver continuous economic gains over time.
The EFD follows a recent visit to Delhi by Jonathan Reynolds, the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, which relaunched UK-India trade negotiations.
Keshav R. Murugesh, Group CEO, WNS said:
The UK and India stand as natural partners, and this re-energized trade and investment relationship marks a pivotal stride in our already strong alliance. The potential before us is immense. By formalizing our collaboration in pioneering fields like AI, we will not only fuel innovation and generate high-skilled jobs in both our nations, but also solidify our joint leadership in this transformative era. This is indeed a thrilling chapter for the UK-India partnership.
Bill Winters, Group Chief Executive, Standard Chartered said:
In the face of global developments, it is imperative that we think creatively and act in partnership. The UK and India’s focus on strengthening financial ties and deepening cooperation between our governments, regulators, industry leaders and experts, plays an important role in driving economic progress, setting global benchmarks for stability and innovation and paving the way for greater trade and investment in both countries.
The Rt Hon The Lord Mayor of London, Alderman Alastair King,
We had a highly constructive discussion with Hon. Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and The Rt. Hon. Jonathan Reynolds, joined by leaders from across the financial services sector. There is a strong, shared commitment to deepen our economic partnership and drive greater prosperity—particularly in key areas such as green finance, infrastructure investment, and fintech.
Global trade is entering a new era, where strategic alliances and trade agreements are more crucial than ever. As we look ahead to the UK-India Economic and Financial Dialogue and continue FTA negotiations, our focus remains on sustaining momentum and delivering tangible outcomes in the months to come.”
David Schwimmer, CEO, LSEG said:
LSEG is honoured to host the 13th UK-India Economic and Financial Dialogue at the London Stock Exchange as part of our continued support for initiatives that promote collaboration and connectivity between UK and Indian financial markets. Through deepened partnership, the governments and regulators from both countries can help to build an environment which delivers real benefits to their financial markets and economies.
Last night, President Donald J. Trump made clear whose side he is on — everyday Americans, not the globalist politicians who have spent decades selling out American workers to foreign countries.
Here’s what you missed during President Trump’s speech:
President Trump on his motivations: “I’m proud to be the president for the workers, not the outsourcers; the president who stands up for Main Street, not Wall Street; who protects the middle class, not the political class; and who defends America, not trade cheaters all over the globe.”
President Trump on the America First agenda: “Our opponents are not afraid that our America First policies will fail, they’re terrified that our strategy will succeed and we’re going to get bigger and stronger and better … and that is what’s happening … We’re going to prove that all of their treasonous years of betrayal will not be forgotten.”
President Trump on trade: “The shrill voices that you’re hearing this week about tariffs are the same scoundrels and frauds who never thought twice about when the United States lost 90,000 factories and plants … since NAFTA.”
President Trump on deporting foreign terrorists: “Last month, we officially designated Tren de Aragua, MS-13 and the Mexican drug cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations. And thanks to the Supreme Court yesterday … We will continue to deport these monsters under the Alien Enemies Act.”
President Trump on his second term: “I had somebody say the most successful first month in the history — now they say the most successful 100 days in the history of our country, and I believe that’s right, and we’re going to continue that way, if not more so.”
As the brutal war in Sudan nears the the two-year mark, thousands of people continue to flee into neighbouring countries, including Chad, UN refugee agency chief Filippo Grandi said on Wednesday.
Chad hosts 1.3 million forcibly displaced people, according to the UN agency, UNHCR despite it being one of the world’s poorest countries. More than half of these vulnerable individuals are Sudanese who’ve fled the fighting between rival militaries which erupted in April 2023.
Speaking from the Chadian border with Sudan, Mr. Grandi described the continued fighting as “absurd”.
He also condemned the ongoing “vicious human rights abuses” against civilians before calling for far greater international support for Sudanese refugees and their Chadian hosts.
The arrivals are mostly women and children – some of whom have been crawling exhausted across the border with barely any possessions, according to aid teams on the ground.
Funding crisis
The UN agency stressed once again that the crisis rocking humanitarian funding globally has only made matters worse.
Large cuts to overseas aid provision in the United States and elsewhere have made it impossible to pay teachers, the UN agency said.
Clinics and schools that protect women and children from violence and exploitation have been forced to shut down.
Some 8,500 displaced children in Chad are at risk of losing access to secondary education this year. If the cuts carry on into next year, more than 155,000 could be impacted.
Lost futures
“Children have dropped out of school,” said Abdelrahim Abdelkarim, headteacher of a secondary school in Farchana refugee settlement in eastern Chad.
“Many students will take dangerous and illegal migration routes, attempting to cross the sea. Some may drown while others end up working in gold mines,” he warned.
High Commissioner for Refugees Grandi has previously described the funding shortfall as “a crisis of responsibility” in which “the cost of inaction will be measured in suffering, instability and lost futures”.
Soundcloud
‘Siege-like conditions’
And as funding dries up for Sudan, relief teams are scaling back or withdrawing – leaving vulnerable communities to fend for themselves as their homes turn to rubble.
Today, after nearly two years of fighting, attacks against civilians, displacement, and climate shocks have left nearly two-thirds of Sudan’s 50 million people in need of aid and protection.
Speaking from the capital Khartoum, recently liberated from the opposition Rapid Support Forces by the Sudanese Armed Forces, Mohammed Refaat, Sudan Chief of Mission at the International Organization for Migration (IOM), said that he has seen the impact of insufficient funding in just the last few days.
“The people who were in these areas have been trapped in siege-like conditions with no escape, no hope and often forced to face unspeakable abuse,” Mr. Refaat said, describing the destruction and suffering in the country as “immeasurable”.
Little access to basic services
The power struggle between Sudan’s rival generals — Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo of Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and Sudanese army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan — has killed tens of thousands of people and uprooted more than 12 million.
Both sides have been accused of atrocities and rights violations, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has previously reported.
Many families have returned to the capital now that the Sudanese Armed Forces are in control, but with little access to basic services, UN agencies have urged support to ensure relief.
Yet the crisis is far from over – and refugees continue to face hunger.
UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF, has projected that more than three million children under the age of five will likely suffer from acute malnutrition this year.
In Zamzam refugee camp in North Darfur, the crisis is pushing families to eat what is normally used as animal feed. Children also lack water, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
People fleeing insecurity in Blue Nile state in southwest Sudan, are moving towards state capital Ed Damazine, with clashes and access blocked hampering relief efforts, OCHA reported.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative John R Carter (R-TX-31)
Representative John Carter (TX-31) introduced H.R. 2360, the Driving Forward Act, in the House this week. The bill aims to end a burdensome regulation that requires prospective bus drivers to pass an under-the-hood mechanics test to get behind the wheel.
Representative John Carter (TX-31) introduced H.R. 2360, the Driving Forward Act, in the House this week. The bill aims to end a burdensome regulation that requires prospective bus drivers to pass an under-the-hood mechanics test to get behind the wheel.
“When I was in law school, I was a school bus driver,” said Representative John Carter. “This profession is filled with people who understand what it means to show up early, work hard, and care for kids. Across the country, there are stories of students being unable to get to school because of bus driver shortages. The most basic requirement for a student to learn is simply being at school. Still, federal bureaucrats created a rule requiring a mechanics test that keeps otherwise qualified individuals out of the profession. We need to eliminate unnecessary bureaucratic regulations to fix the nationwide bus driver shortage. My bill makes the current exemption permanent to do just that.”
The bill is endorsed by the National School Transportation Association (NSTA), School Superintendent Association (AASA), National Rural Education Association (NREA), National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT), Association of School Business Officials (ASBO), and Association of Education Service Agencies (AESA).
“The National School Transportation Association (NSTA) strongly supports the Driving Forward Act as one method to help alleviate the school bus driver shortage. The existing temporary exemptions from the under-the-hood testing requirement have been proven to increase the number of newly licensed school bus drivers without compromising safety. NSTA believes making the exemption permanent will encourage more states to adopt it and lay the groundwork to license even more school bus drivers, which ultimately allows more children access to the safest way to and from school, the yellow school bus. NSTA thanks Representative John Carter for his leadership on the Driving Forward Act as well as Chairman Tom Cole, Chairman Jason Smith, Chairwoman Virginia Foxx, and Representatives David Valadao, Troy Nehls, and Keith Self for cosponsoring the bill and looks forward to seeing it get enacted into law,” said Curt Macysyn, Executive Director of the National School Transportation Association.
Original cosponsors of the legislation are Representatives Tom Cole (OK-04), Jason Smith (MO-08), Virginia Foxx (NC-05), David Valadao (CA-22), Troy Nehls (TX-22), and Keith Self (TX-03). Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) is expected to introduce the Senate companion bill soon.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI Crime News (b)
Kristin Rehler, special agent in charge of the Jacksonville Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, has announced her retirement, with a departure date of April 17, 2025. She retires after more than 29 years of honorable and dedicated service to the FBI.
Reflecting on her career, Ms. Rehler stated, “Leading FBI Jacksonville has been the honor of a lifetime. I’ve had the privilege of working alongside some of the most dedicated professionals in law enforcement—both within the FBI and among our incredible local, state, and federal partners. Our shared mission to protect the American people and uphold the Constitution is made stronger through these vital partnerships. I’m endlessly proud of the work we’ve accomplished together and deeply grateful for the men and women, past and present, whose selfless service make our communities and our country safer.”
Ms. Rehler began her FBI career in 1996 as a special agent in the Houston Field Office, where she investigated myriad criminal violations, including violent crime, narcotics, and financial crimes. In 2008, she was promoted to supervisor of Houston’s Civil Rights Squad, overseeing the Human Trafficking Task Force.
In 2012, she was assigned to FBI Headquarters as an assistant inspector/team leader in the Inspection Division, conducting field office inspections, agent-involved shooting investigations, and national program reviews.
She returned to Houston in 2013 as a supervisor and later served as acting assistant special agent in charge (ASAC) of both the Criminal Branch and the newly formed Technical and Administrative Branch.
In 2015, Ms. Rehler was promoted to ASAC in the Tampa Field Office, leading the Criminal Branch and overseeing the Evidence Response Team and Operation Panama Express. In 2021, she was appointed ASAC over Tampa’s Counterintelligence and Cyber Branch, managing human intelligence, surveillance, and administrative programs.
Later that year, she returned to the Inspection Division, where she served as an Inspector prior to being appointed by the Director to lead the Jacksonville Division in April 2024.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Ernest D. Pheasant, Sr., 47, an enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI), was sentenced to life in prison today for the 2013 murder of Marie Walkingstick Pheasant, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
“For over a decade, Marie’s family has endured the pain of losing their loved one without justice. Today, that changed,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “Ernest Pheasant will pay for his heinous crime by spending the rest of his life behind bars. While nothing can undo the family’s loss, I hope this sentence brings them a measure of justice. My Office remains committed to pursuing cases involving missing or murdered indigenous persons no matter how much time has passed.”
“While nothing can undo the pain caused by this tragic crime, we hope that this sentence helps to provide closure to the family and friends of Marie Walkingstick Pheasant,” said Marcelino Toersbijns, Chief of the Bureau of Indian Affairs Missing and Murdered Unit (MMU). “This case is emblematic of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Crisis impacting tribal communities across the country and highlights the importance of the MMU’s mission of analyzing and solving missing, murdered and human trafficking cases involving American Indians and Alaska Natives.”
According to filed documents and information presented in court, on December 29, 2013, the body of Marie Walkingstick Pheasant was discovered inside a burned-out vehicle parked near Big Cove Road within the Qualla Boundary in the Western District of North Carolina. Investigators determined that the vehicle had been intentionally set on fire. An autopsy revealed that Marie died from stab wounds to the neck and abdomen. DNA retrieved from a baseball cap found near the vehicle was linked to the defendant, who was Marie’s estranged husband.
On April 7, 2022, following a review of unsolved homicides in the region, the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ Missing and Murdered Unit opened a full interagency investigation into the case. During the investigation, law enforcement determined that Pheasant killed Marie at their home, then transferred her body to the car, drove it to Big Cove Road, and set it on fire. On August 16, 2024, Pheasant pleaded guilty to first degree murder for killing Marie willfully, deliberately, maliciously, and with premeditation.
The MMU began as the Cold Case task force, part of Operation Lady Justice, a multi-agency effort established by President Trump’s administration in 2019 to enhance the operation of the criminal justice system and address the staggering number of missing and murdered American Indian and Alaska Natives in tribal communities.
Today’s sentence is the result of the joint investigation conducted by the MMU, the FBI in North Carolina, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, the Cherokee Indian Police Department, and the EBCI Office of the Tribal Prosecutor.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex M. Scott of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case.
Operation Not Forgotten
On Tuesday, the Justice Department announced a surge in FBI resources across the country to address unresolved violent crimes in Indian Country, including crimes relating to missing and murdered indigenous persons. As part of Operation Not Forgotten, 60 FBI personnel will be sent to Field Offices to support investigations of Indian Country violent crimes. The FBI will be assisted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs Missing and Murdered Unit and will use the latest forensic evidence processing tools to solve cases and hold perpetrators accountable. U.S. Attorney’s Offices will aggressively prosecute case referrals.
“Crime rates in American Indian and Alaska Native communities are unacceptably high. By surging FBI resources and collaborating closely with US Attorneys and Tribal law enforcement to prosecute cases, the Department of Justice will help deliver the accountability that these communities deserve,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi.
“The FBI will manhunt violent criminals on all lands – and Operation Not Forgotten ensures a surge in resources to locate violent offenders on tribal lands and find those who have gone missing,” said FBI Director Kash Patel.
“Violent crime continues to disproportionately impact communities in Indian Country,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “Dedicating additional resources to reduce violent criminal activity in Tribal communities and solve cases of missing or murdered indigenous persons sends a clear message: No victim will be forgotten, and no crime will go unpunished.”
Scott Davis, Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Interior, exercising the delegated authority of the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, said, “We appreciate the partnership of the Department of Justice and the FBI in addressing these crimes. This announcement reinforces our commitment to Indian Country and our dedication to collaborating with federal, state, and tribal agencies to ensure justice for American Indian and Alaska Native victims while holding offenders accountable.”
Indian Country faces persistent levels of crime and victimization. At the beginning of Fiscal Year 2025, FBI’s Indian Country program had approximately 4,300 open investigations, including over 900 death investigations, 1,000 child abuse investigations, and more than 500 domestic violence and adult sexual abuse investigations.
Operation Not Forgotten renews efforts begun during President Trump’s first term under E.O. 13898, Establishing the Task Force on Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives. This is the third deployment under Operation Not Forgotten, which has provided investigative support to over 500 cases in the past two years. Combined, these operations resulted in the recovery of 10 child victims, 52 arrests, and 25 indictments or judicial complaints.
Operation Not Forgotten also expands upon the resources deployed in recent years to address cases of missing and murdered indigenous people. The effort will be supported by the Department’s MMIP Regional Outreach Program, which places attorneys and coordinators in U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the United States to help prevent and respond to cases of missing or murdered indigenous people.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Ali Bilgic, Professor of International Relations and Middle East Politics, Loughborough University
The announcement of planned talks between the US and Iran in Oman signifies a crucial development – especially given the history of distrust and animosity that has characterised their interactions.
There remains a degree of confusion as to whether the negotiations over Iran’s development of a nuclear capacity will be direct or indirect. The US has said that its Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, will meet Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi. Donald Trump has publicly stated that Iran will be in “great danger” if the negotiations fail.
Iran meanwhile has said that talks will be conducted through an intermediary. Araghchi commented that: “It is as much an opportunity as it is a test. The ball is in America’s court.”
This seeming clash in messaging before the talks have even begun is not the greatest omen for their success, even with the threat of US or Israeli military action hovering over Iran. Representatives from Iran, China and Russia are reported to have met in Moscow on April 8.
China’s foreign ministry released a statement reminding the world that it was the US “which unilaterally withdrew from the JCPOA [the 2015 nuclear deal or joint comprehensive plan of action] and caused the current situation”. It stressed the need for Washington to “show political sincerity, act in the spirit of mutual respect, engage in dialogue and consultation, and stop the threat of force and maximum pressure”.
This followed messaging from Washington which very much focused on the possibility of force and maximum pressure. Speaking to the press after meeting the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump struck a very aggressive note, saying: “Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon and if the talks aren’t successful, I actually think it will be a very bad day for Iran if that’s the case.”
The US president’s much discussed transactional approach to diplomacy – as represented at the talks by Witkoff, a former real-estate developer – is likely be pivotal to how negotiations proceed. Trump’s geopolitical ambitions in the Middle East focus on expanding the Abraham accords. These agreements focused on normalising relations between Israel and various Arab countries – including UAE, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan.
The signing of the accords in 2020 were seen as a key foreign policy achievement of Trump’s first administration, particularly in terms of America’s desire to counter Iran in the region.
The US is now actively working to bring Saudi Arabia into the fold. In that respect, recognising that Riyadh’s participation would mark a transformative shift in regional geopolitics. Additionally, Trump aims to leverage trade agreements and major investment initiatives to create economic dependencies that encourage diplomatic normalisation.
Iran, meanwhile, faces severe economic difficulties. The country’s economy is in a state of crisis, with high inflation, a depreciating currency and widespread poverty. These conditions have been worsened by international sanctions and domestic policy failures. As a result, Iran is in dire need of economic concessions, which could be a significant point of leverage for the US.
Tehran’s geopolitical clout has weakened considerably over the past 18 months. Military setbacks in 2024 – including the loss of key allies and leaders in groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah – have diminished Iran’s ability to project power in its region.
This weakened position will affect Iran’s negotiating stance. It could make it more likely that Iran’s negotiators might seek economic relief and diplomatic solutions rather than pursuing aggressive policies. But pressure from hardliners within Iran could push the country towards a more radical approach if concessions are not forthcoming.
Rocky road ahead
A major issue affecting the talks is the low level of trust between the two parties. The US’s involvement in the Gaza conflict – including Trump’s controversial proposal to clear Gaza of Palestinians to make way for possible redevelopment – has further strained relations. So has the recent US campaign against the Tehran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.
Further threats of this kind are likely to be seen by Iran as aggressive and coercive – and Trump’s latest rhetoric won’t have helped. This will inevitably undermine the prospects for trust between the parties.
Iranian parliamentarians on the prospect of nuclear talks with the US.
Iran’s scepticism is rooted in past experiences where promises of economic relief were not fulfilled. Trump’s withdrawal of the US from the 2015 nuclear deal in 2018 is a case in point. This perceived breach of trust has made Iran cautious about entering into new agreements without concrete assurances.
The regional context adds another layer of complexity to the talks. American support for Israel’s actions in Gaza is likely to complicate matters. The populations of most Gulf states are fully supportive of Palestinian self-determination and are scandalised at the way the US president has seemingly given the green light to Israel’s breach of the ceasefire and resumption of hostilities.
Iran’s internal politics are also likely to play an important role in shaping its approach to the negotiations. The country is experiencing significant political polarisation between the “hardliners”, spearheaded by the supreme leader Ali Khamenei, and the “reformists”, who are relatively more conciliatory towards the US and Europe. Following the surprise election of Masoud Pezeshkian, a reformist, last year, hopes that Iran would be open to negotiations with Washington quickly faltered when he realigned his position with Khamenei’s.
In March 2025, he lost two important reformists in the cabinet, the economy minister, Abdolnaser Hemmati, and vice-president, Mohammad Javad Zarif, forced out by the hardliner-dominated parliament. This factional politicking will complicate Iran’s ability to present a unified front in negotiations — and this could represent significant leverage for the US. But it also strengthens hardliners to make demands that are unacceptable to the US.
Ali Bilgic does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
After deciding to flout an international arrest warrant against Benjamin Netanyahu, Hungary has become the first European country to announce plans to leave the International Criminal Court (ICC). This comes after president Viktor Orbán hosted Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, despite the ICC issuing an arrest warrant for him in relation to war crimes in Gaza.
As a member of the ICC, Hungary is supposed to turn in anyone subject to such a warrant if they enter its territory. Instead, Orbán rolled out the red carpet.
Following the visit, a senior government official confirmed Hungary’s intention to leave the court. It will be some time before we know if it will see through on the threat because it takes at least a year to leave once a formal written notification has been sent but the signal itself is a landmark moment.
Hungary’s open repudiation of an important part of international law is further evidence of the tectonic shifts taking place in international relations.
Throughout most of the 1990s and early 2000s, much of western foreign policy was focused on creating institutional mechanisms aimed at preserving the liberal international consensus that emerged at the end of the cold war. The creation of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the ICC were two of the most concrete manifestations of this ethos.
Both represent attempts to bring legal and judicial formality to international politics. Unlike its two ad-hoc antecedents – the international criminal tribunals for Yugoslavia and Rwanda – the ICC is a permanent court of justice. It is tasked with overseeing the criminal trials of people accused of involvement in serious crimes, such as genocide.
Even at the height of its popularity, the idea that international relations should be subject to more rules and enforcement by courts had its fair share of sceptics and detractors, especially among countries whose interests and power could be most severely curtailed by an effective international justice system.
The US, Russia and Israel had originally signed but did not ratify the Rome statute underpinning the ICC – and subsequently withdrew their signatures – while China and India never even signed the treaty.
European countries generally (and EU member states specifically) were always among the most supportive of the ICC. The continent has experience with perhaps the most important experiment in international criminal justice, the Nuremberg trials of Nazi crimes. This legacy has continued to feed European support for holding those responsible for aggression and atrocities to account by means of criminal justice.
Countries like Hungary, emerging from behind the iron curtain in the 1990s, were no exception. There was no ideological or practical reason to oppose the creation of the ICC.
If anything, countries hoping to join the EU saw it as beneficial to endorse the court. Other than Belarus and Azerbaijan, every European country has ratified the Rome statute, and none has left – until now.
The rise of kleptocratic authoritarianism in Hungary means its exit from the ICC should not be particularly surprising. Inside the EU, Hungary has consistently acted as a Trojan horse for the interests of authoritarian governments, most notably Russia, China and Serbia.
Its break with the values and principles that are supposed to be at the heart of the EU project goes substantially beyond support for international institutions and justice.
Consensus crumbles
But the broader international environment has also become less favourable to legalisation and judicialisation. Countries that previously feigned commitment to international law have become outright pariahs. The most obvious example is of course Russia, which is waging a war of aggression against Ukraine – a crime under the Rome statute.
More importantly, though, the US is increasingly turning its back on international rules. It is dismantling many of the international institutions it worked hard to establish.
Although Donald Trump might be wreaking the most havoc, the US already effectively pulled the plug on the WTO’s judicial appeals system under Barack Obama. Last year Joe Biden’s administration came close to imposing sanctions on the ICC for issuing an arrest warrant for Israeli officials, including Netanyahu.
Taken together, these developments leave the EU and a handful of other countries increasingly isolated in backing the ICC and other elements of the so-called “rules-based international order”. And while Hungary’s exit deals yet another blow, it’s not clear how deeply committed other EU member states are either.
Germany’s chancellor Friedrich Merz promised he would find a way to make it possible for Netanyahu to visit his country despite the outstanding ICC arrest warrant.
Hungary’s open defiance of its obligation to arrest Netanyahu has placed it in company of countries that wear their noncompliance with international law as a badge of honour. The experience of one of them is particularly educational.
When Omar Al-Bashir, the then president of Sudan, wanted for crimes against humanity, visited South Africa in June 2015, he was allowed to attend a summit and subsequently leave the country despite court orders to arrest him. Fast forward a decade and South Africa is spearheading the international legal campaign against Israel’s atrocities in Palestine.
Netanyahu would almost certainly be arrested in South Africa today, as well as in a host of other African and Muslim countries which had vehemently protested the arrest warrant against Al-Bashir in the past. Effective international rules and enforcement require consistent and credible support from a broad coalition of states – the ICC is increasingly short on both.
Michal Ovadek does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
The Government received representatives from different industry sectors at Palazzo Chigi today to discuss the tariffs recently introduced by the United States. The meetings, convened and chaired by President of the Council of Ministers Giorgia Meloni, were attended, on behalf of the Government, by the Vice-Presidents of the Council of Ministers, Antonio Tajani and Matteo Salvini (via video link), Ministers Giancarlo Giorgetti, Adolfo Urso, Tommaso Foti and Francesco Lollobrigida, and Undersecretaries of State to the Presidency of the Council of Ministers Alfredo Mantovano and Giovanbattista Fazzolari.
The first meeting was attended by representatives from Confindustria and the Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana, after which representatives from Confapi, CNA, Confimi Industria, Confimprese Italia, Legacoop, Confartigianato, Conflavoro, Confcommercio, Confesercenti and Casartigiani were received, followed by the agri-food industry associations Coldiretti, Confagricoltura, Confcooperative, CIA-Agricoltori Italiani, Copagri, Assolatte, Federvini, Unione Italiana Vini, Origin Italia, Federalimentare and Filiera Italia. The Italian Trade and Investment Agency also participated in today’s meetings.
During the discussions, President Meloni and the Ministers present outlined the proposals under consideration to support the production chains that could be the hardest hit by the imposition of tariffs. The Government and industry sector representatives agreed on the need to avert a trade war between the United States and the EU and to avoid emotional reactions which could amplify the effects of the trade measures in question. In this regard, President Meloni recalled that the challenges Italy intends to explore include removing reciprocal tariffs on existing industrial products with the ‘zero-for-zero’ approach.
There was a significant focus on listening to the proposals put forward by the business representatives, with the shared awareness that the challenge being faced is complex and requires the active and responsible engagement of all players involved.
For this purpose, President Meloni proposed an agreement to the industry sectors to act together in response to the delicate economic situation and to establish working groups to identify a series of measures to support the competitiveness of Italy’s entrepreneurial fabric, to go alongside the initiatives the Government intends to pursue at European level. Today’s discussions were held following yesterday’s meeting of the working group established by President Meloni to analyse the repercussions of the situation on the Italian economy.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)
PROVIDENCE – A Rhode Island man who was previously incarcerated for robbing seven banks was sentenced today to nine years in federal prison for robbing four banks within a three-day span, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
Vaughn Watrous, 48, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Melissa R. DuBose to 108 months of incarceration to be followed by one year of federal supervised release. Additionally, he is ordered to pay restitution to victim banks totaling $4,775.
Watrous pleaded guilty on April 24, 2024, to bank robbery. At the time of his guilty plea, Watrous admitted to robbing three banks in Providence and Cranston on January 19, 20, and 21, 2021; and attempting to rob a fourth bank in North Providence on January 21, 2021.
According to court records, Watrous was previously convicted of multiple bank robberies in 1997, 2003, and 2013. In 1997 Watrous was convicted in the U.S. District Court in Salt Lake City, Utah, on a charge of bank robbery and sentenced to 51 months in federal prison. In 2003 he was convicted in the U.S. District Court in Providence on two counts of bank robbery and sentenced to 76 months of incarceration. In October 2015 he was convicted in U.S. District Court in Providence on four counts of bank robbery and sentenced in February 2016 to a term of incarceration of 92 months.
The most recent case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Julianne Klein and John P. McAdams.
The matter was investigated by the FBI, with the assistance of the Providence, Cranston, and North Providence Police Departments.
RESTON, Va., April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Science Applications International Corp. (NASDAQ: SAIC), a premier mission integrator driving our nation’s digital transformation across the defense, space, civilian and intelligence markets, is pleased to announce the appointment of Kathleen McCarthy as the company’s new Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, effective May 12, 2025.
In this role, McCarthy will report directly to Chief Executive Officer Toni Townes-Whitley and will spearhead all human resources initiatives, employee engagement strategies and talent acquisition operations at SAIC. She will focus on evolving the workforce strategy to deliver the brightest talent, with the highest capabilities to our government customers to help them achieve their missions.
“Kathleen brings a great depth of experience in cultivating and inspiring exceptional talent which is pivotal in driving both substantial business value and innovation,” said Toni Townes-Whitley, CEO of SAIC. “Her proven track record of leadership and strategic foresight position her well to further enhance our employee engagement initiatives and lead our efforts in upskilling and developing critical skills within our workforce. I am delighted to welcome Kathleen to SAIC, where her insights and expertise will be invaluable to ensuring we continue to meet the evolving needs of our industry.”
McCarthy joins SAIC from GE Aerospace, where she served as Chief Human Resources Officer for the Defense & Systems business. Prior to that, she was Chief Human Resources Officer for GE Aviation and earlier in her GE tenure, she served as Chief Human Resources Officer of GE Digital, leading the business to profitability and defining its vision around the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT).
Her career also includes executive roles at American Express as SVP and Chief Talent Officer, where she led global workforce strategy, and at Thomson Reuters where she led talent management and acquisition. McCarthy began her career at Bain & Company and McKinsey & Company, later heading HR at the tech startup eFinanceWorks.
Recognized as a leader in her field, McCarthy is a member of World 50, G100, and The Learning Forum’s Executive Council Network. She has also served on the advisory board for CEB Talent Management, now part of Gartner for HR, and is a frequent speaker on talent development and HR best practices.
About SAIC SAIC is a premier Fortune 500® mission integrator focused on advancing the power of technology and innovation to serve and protect our world. Our robust portfolio of offerings across the defense, space, civilian and intelligence markets includes secure high-end solutions in mission IT, enterprise IT, engineering services and professional services. We integrate emerging technology, rapidly and securely, into mission critical operations that modernize and enable critical national imperatives.
We are approximately 24,000 strong; driven by mission, united by purpose, and inspired by opportunities. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, SAIC has annual revenues of approximately $7.4 billion. For more information, visit saic.com. For ongoing news, please visit our newsroom.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
Viking CCS Pipeline development consent decision announced
The Viking CCS Pipeline application has today been granted development consent by the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero.
Viking CCS Pipeline
The project comprises a new 55 km (approx.) onshore underground pipeline from the point of receipt of dense phase CO2 at Immingham, through its transportation to facilities at Theddlethorpe Gas Terminal, and transportation from TGT through the existing LOGGS pipeline to Mean Low Water Spring (MLWS). Associated infrastructure and ancillary works are anticipated including but not exclusive to required valves, inspection, monitoring, venting and handling facilities and temporary construction compounds, storage areas and access roads will also form part of the project.
The application was submitted to the Planning Inspectorate for consideration by Chrysaor Production (UK) Limited on 23 October 2023 and accepted for examination on 17 November 2023.
Following an examination during which the public, statutory consultees and interested parties were given the opportunity to give evidence to the Examining Authority, recommendations were made to the Secretary of State on 5 December 2024.
This is the 92nd energy application out of 155 applications examined to date and was again completed by the Planning Inspectorate within the statutory timescale laid down in the Planning Act 2008.
Local communities continue to be given the opportunity of being involved in the examination of projects that may affect them. Local people, the local authority and other interested parties were able to participate in this six-month examination.
The Examining Authority listened and gave full consideration to all local views and the evidence gathered during the examination before making its recommendation to the Secretary of State.
The decision, the recommendation made by the Examining Authority to the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero and the evidence considered by the Examining Authority in reaching its recommendation are publicly available on the project pages of the National Infrastructure Planning website.
Journalists wanting further information should contact the Planning Inspectorate Press Office, on 0303 444 5004 or 0303 444 5005 or email:
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News
OKLAHOMA CITY – JOHN CALVIN MOORE, 58, of North Carolina, has been sentenced to serve 84 months in federal prison for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and illegal possession of a firearm after a previous felony conviction, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to public record, on December 22, 2023, Moore was pulled over by an officer with the Oklahoma City Police Department (OCPD) for speeding while driving eastbound on I-40. During the stop, the officer noticed what appeared to be several gift-wrapped Christmas presents in the trunk of the vehicle. Moore told the officer he was traveling to North Carolina from California. During the stop, OCPD learned Moore’s vehicle was a rental, and was due to be returned to Ontario, California, on December 23, 2023, the day following the stop. OCPD called in a K-9 unit, which alerted to the presence of drugs in the vehicle. OCPD officers then searched the vehicle and found more than 42 pounds of methamphetamine and more than 38 pounds of cocaine inside heat-sealed bags, hidden within the Christmas presents in the trunk. Law enforcement estimates the street value of the drugs to be more than $350,000.
Moore was charged by Superseding Information on August 30, 2024, with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and being a felon in possession of a firearm. He pled guilty to the Superseding Information on September 26, 2024, and admitted he possessed meth, which he intended to distribute, and that he possessed a firearm despite his previous felony conviction. Public record reflects that Moore has a previous felony conviction in New Jersey for possessing weapons for an unlawful purpose.
At the sentencing hearing on March 28, 2025, U.S. District Judge Charles Goodwin sentenced Moore to serve 84 months in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release. In announcing the sentence, the Court noted the seriousness of the crime—that Moore acted as a courier to transport controlled substances across the country—and Moore’s criminal history.
This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Criminal Interdiction Team of Central Oklahoma, and the Oklahoma City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew E. Davis prosecuted the case.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
The need to define, refine and reassert what it means to be Canadian has never been stronger. To understand Canada, we need to listen.
Canadian music is how one can hear Canadian identity. Now more than ever, we must ensure equitable funding for this vital part of Canada’s cultural fabric so that Canada’s past, present and future stories are preserved in all their complexity and diversity.
As a PhD candidate in musicology with a focus on equity, diversity and inclusion in the Canadian music industry, I examine how systemic barriers shape this. I also explore strategies for advancing equity in creating, producing and promoting music in Canada.
The recent rise in pro-Canada songs brought on by United States President Donald Trump’s tariffs and threats of annexation demonstrates how powerful a medium music can be in voicing a nation’s frustrations.
Canada has a unique chance to define its music on its own terms and better reflect the full diversity and complexity of Canadian identity through music. Canadian policymakers can bolster music-making, production and circulation while taking stock of broader discourses of what Canadian music includes, and more importantly, what it leaves out.
For an industry that has strived to set itself apart from the American music scene, the time is ripe for Canada to increase and ensure equitable funding of the arts and music scenes.
After recognizing American and British artists dominated airways, Canada introduced rules requiring radio stations to play homegrown music. (Shutterstock)
Promise of representing all of Canada?
In the 1960s and ‘70s, the Canadian government recognized that American and British artists were dominating the country’s airwaves. In response, it established the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission and introduced Canadian content rules, requiring radio stations to dedicate airtime to homegrown music.
The introduction of this policy, perhaps more protectionist than promotional in nature, was a pivotal moment because it meant that Canadian musicians could finally be heard in their own country.
Research on the Canadian music industry further complicates this. Industry reports from the Toronto Metropolitan University Diversity Institute shows that Black and Indigenous artists, and those from 2SLGBTQ+ communities, still face serious barriers to getting radio play, funding or recognition.
The recent renaming of the Minister of Canadian Heritage to the Minister of Canadian Culture and Identity, Parks Canada and Québec Lieutenant could signal a promising shift. This ministry oversees the Canadian Heritage Fund, which distributes much of Canada’s arts funding.
In response to emailed questions from the media about the rebrand of this ministry, and how it might affect policy, Minister Steven Guilbeault, recently sworn into the new dossier, wrote that his appointment came at a time “when our national unity and shared identity have never been more important.”
He added: “Our culture and values define who we are as a country. In a period of political uncertainty, I will make strengthening our Canadian identity a priority to safeguard our sovereignty.”
Strengthening Canadian identity must include sustained investment in Canadian arts and music.
While recent national frustrations and political sentiment might make it easier to gravitate towards a safer and nostalgic version of Canada’s identity, Canadian music is most powerful when it holds space for both comfort and complexity. Take the recent viral clip of Liberal Leader Mark Carney joking with comedian Mike Myers, quizzing him about his Canadian identity. “Tragically?” Carney asks. “Hip!” Myers replies.
Liberal federal election ad showing Liberal Leader Mark Carney speaking with comedian Mike Myers. (The Independent)
It is a charming exchange that evokes a sense of shared pride — rightly so — and familiarity. It is also a gentle reminder of how quickly the boundaries of Canadian identity and music can be reduced to a set of familiar artists.
Both stories are part of Canada, and have also resonated and found acclaimon global stages. Canadian music finds its power nested between the tension of comfort and critique.
‘Let the world know who we are’
In a recent open letter to the arts community, Michelle Chawla, director and CEO of the Canada Council for the Arts, urged the sector to seize the moment: “We need the arts to let the world know who we are — an open, diverse and globally minded society.”
She went on to emphasize that, as Canadians look to contribute more directly to the economy, the arts must be part of that vision. She noted decision-makers must understand the arts “have a vital role to play as part of the solution” as Canada navigates uncertain times.
For policymakers, that means prioritizing funding for the arts and setting clear parameters to ensure this funding is distributed equitably, with meaningful support for emerging and underrepresented artists.
For everyday Canadians, it means being open to stories that challenge us, and resisting the urge to simplify what Canadian music or identity is supposed to be. It also means supporting local artists and musicians, attending shows and investing in local music scenes.
Now is the moment to invest in the arts and Canadian music industry, not just to preserve its past, but to ensure we continue telling bold, complex and uniquely Canadian stories. If we allow Canadian identity to become a curated artefact, and Canadian music to be stripped of its tension, complexity and defiance, we lose far more than funding. We lose the stories that make Canada, Canada.
Rosheeka Parahoo does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: US Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
A new report from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) outlines recommendations that could increase the recycling and reuse of decommissioned wind energy equipment and materials. Among other findings, the research reveals that existing U.S. infrastructure could process 90% of the mass of decommissioned wind turbines. However, the remaining 10% will need new strategies and innovative recycling methods. This research will help guide over $20 million in funding previously announced from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to advance technologies that address this gap. “The U.S. already has the ability to recycle most wind turbine materials, so achieving a fully domestic wind energy industry is well within reach,” said Jeff Marootian, principal deputy assistant secretary for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. “Innovation is key to closing the loop, and this research will help guide national strategies aimed at advancing technologies that can solve the remaining challenges and provide more affordable renewable energy options to the American people.” The Recycling Wind Energy Systems in the United States Part 1: Providing a Baseline for America’s Wind Energy Recycling Infrastructure for Wind Turbines and Systems report provides an assessment of research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) needs and gaps in existing wind energy-related supply chains to support the U.S. wind energy industry. A team of researchers, led by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory with support from Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories, developed the report. The first of a suite of reports, this part provides DOE’s Wind Energy Technologies Office (WETO) with short-, medium-, and long-term RD&D priorities along the life cycle of wind energy systems. The effective reuse and recycling of wind system components, parts, and materials will rely on a combination of measures, including:
Improved end-of-life decommissioning collection and scrap sorting practices. Strategic siting of recycling facilities. Expanded and improved recovery and recycling infrastructure. Substitution of hard-to-recycle and critical materials with more easily separable and affordable materials, improved component designs and manufacturing techniques, or the development of modular system components. Optimized properties of recovered materials for second-life applications. Greater access to wind energy waste streams and the equipment required to disassemble wind energy components.
Towers, foundations, and steel-based subcomponents in drivetrains offer the greatest potential currently to be successfully recycled, whereas blades, generators, and nacelle covers are likely to prove more difficult. Recovering critical materials and alloying elements from generators and power electronics, such as nickel, cobalt, and zinc, will be crucial in the reuse and recycling of wind systems. Short-term strategies for decommissioning include promoting blade production using more easily recyclable thermoplastic resins and reusing these resins in cement production. Thermoplastic-based blade recycling technologies, such as pyrolysis and chemical dissolution, could be viable medium- and long-term options. Other medium- and long-term solutions include high-yield techniques for separating compounds found in power electronics and hybrid methods for recycling permanent magnets. Regional factors—such as material demand, disposal fees, transportation distances, and an available skilled workforce—will play vital roles in ensuring the success and cost-competitiveness of recycling wind energy components.
Funding for Wind Turbine Recycling
Research used to compile this report will be used to guide the development of the Wind Energy Recycling Research, Development, and Demonstration program funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. DOE recently announced an investment of $20 million to improve the recycling of wind energy technologies. This effort, which focuses on wind turbine components, enabling wind turbine material recycling and reuse processes, and qualifying recycled and recyclable material, will help bolster the domestic supply chain. Applications are due on Feb. 11, 2025, at 5 p.m. ET. In September 2024, DOE also announced six final winners of the Wind Turbine Materials Recycling Prize. This $3.6 million competition expands domestic capabilities for the recycling and recovery of wind materials as teams use their winnings to bring their technologies closer to commercialization. Research for the Recycling Wind Energy Systems in the United States Part 1: Providing a Baseline for America’s Wind Energy Recycling Infrastructure for Wind Turbines and Systems report drew from DOE’s Renewable Energy Materials Properties Database (REMPD), which catalogs the type, quantity, availability, and properties of materials worldwide needed to construct wind and solar energy technologies. Additional modeling and analysis identified technical, environmental, and economic potential and trade-offs related to recycling each of the wind energy components using a range of processes. The team also incorporated scenarios from the corresponding report on the REMPD database.
Headline: NCDHHS Livestream Fireside Chat and Tele-Town Hall: NC Crisis Services — Support When You Need It Most
NCDHHS Livestream Fireside Chat and Tele-Town Hall: NC Crisis Services — Support When You Need It Most hejones1
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services will host a live fireside chat and tele-town hall on Thursday, April 10, from 6 to 7 p.m. to discuss how people can support their mental well-being, find resources and get help for themselves or someone else experiencing a mental health crisis.
Event participants include:
Lisa DeCiantis, MA, LCMHC, Chief Clinical Officer for Mental Health Wellness, Treatment and Recovery, Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Use Services, NCDHHS
Sandy Feutz, LCSW, Chief Operating Officer, RHA Health Services
Holly Provance Doggett, MS, Executive Director, NAMI North Carolina
Nearly 1 in 4 adults in North Carolina have reported symptoms of anxiety or depression. Support is available when you need it most. Mental health crisis services offer non-judgmental, confidential and compassionate care to connect North Carolinians with resources and support — available at little or no cost. People of all ages can get help with social or family situations, depression, anxiety, thoughts of suicide, substance use or if they just need someone to talk to.
The fireside chat will stream live from the NCDHHS Facebook and YouTube accounts, where viewers can submit questions. The event also includes a tele-town hall, which invites people by phone to listen in and submit questions. People can dial into the event by calling 855-756-7520 Ext. 120794#. Fireside chat and tele-town hall panelists will discuss:
Where to find mental health information and resources
What crisis services are and how to access them
When to get help for yourself or a loved one
NCDHHS recently launched a Crisis Services page available in English and Spanish to describe and connect people to services. This page includes a searchable map to find community crisis centers and has a zip code search to find a mobile crisis team. If you or someone you love is feeling overwhelmed, NC crisis services are here to help:
Call, text or chat with 988 for immediate support, 24/7
Talk to someone with lived experience through the Peer Warmline: 855-PEERS-NC
Have help come to you — trained mobile crisis teams will meet you in a safe place at low or no cost
Visit a community crisis center for fast, in-person help from licensed clinicians
Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News man was sentenced today to one year and eight months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, on Nov. 20, 2023, Newport News Police (NNPD) conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle of Malik Lloyd Jerome-Marryshow, 29, and, after verifying his identity, placed Jerome-Marryshow into custody on outstanding arrest warrants for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances with a firearm, and carrying a concealed weapon.
At the time of his arrest, Jerome-Marryshow was in possession of a loaded handgun. Jerome-Marryshow previously was convicted for carrying a concealed weapon, driving under influence (DUI), credit card fraud, possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, and being a felon in possession of ammunition. As a convicted felon, Jerome-Marryshow cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; Jason S. Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia; and Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyson C. Yates, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Therese O’Brien prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-cr-11.
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
The first stage of work includes construction of a new standalone community sports pavilion. (Artist’s impression)
Construction has begun on the first stage of upgrades to the Phillip District Enclosed Oval.
The first sod has been turned on the oval, located on the corner of Ainsworth Street and Albermarle Place.
The project’s first stage will be a new standalone community sports pavilion. There will also be extra car parking spaces.
Local construction company Projex Building Group will deliver this first stage.
Further work will also begin soon. These will include:
LED sportsground lighting
a new storage shed
general oval upgrade works (new irrigation system and new turf wicket)
refurbishing the existing Michael O’Connor Grandstand.
The project is due to be finished in mid-2025.
The upgrades will meet the growing needs of local sporting groups. Woden Valley residents can also use the oval to meet and play different sports.
The ACT Government engaged with community and sporting groups to develop the designs.
Canberra Royals Rugby is one of many sporting groups that will benefit from the upgrades. “This is a fantastic outcome for all involved,” President of Canberra Royals Rugby Union Club Dr Jim Taylor said.
The upgrades will bring the oval into line with other high-quality enclosed government sportsgrounds across the ACT.
For further details about the project, including details of the community consultation process, visit the YourSay website.
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Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
The site is located close to the light rail and the city centre.
The ACT Government has sold its first dedicated Build-to-Rent site.
Contracts have been exchanged for the sale of the site in Turner with Cedar Pacific. At least 270 dwellings will occupy the site in Canberra’s Northbourne Avenue corridor. At least 40 of these homes must be affordable rentals.
The site is Block 3 Section 57 and is 7,068m2. It is close to public transport, shops and services.
The ACT Government released the site in October 2022 with the developer to pursue an innovative build-to-rent model.
The initiative means there will be more homes for Canberrans, and more affordable homes for those that need them. It will give tenants longer term security.
The release of this land is among a range of measures to improve the number, choice and affordability of homes in Canberra. These measures will meet the needs of our growing population, which is on track to reach half-a-million people by 2027.
The ACT Government is also supporting community housing providers to deliver Build-to-Rent projects with an affordable rental component as part of its $80 million Affordable Housing Project Fund.
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
The Flute is one of Canberra’s French-style cafes. Image: VisitCanberra
If the 2024 Olympic Games have you wishing you were in Paris enjoying everything France has to offer, you’re not alone. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to get your French fix here in Canberra!
From visiting a delicious French café, to pretending you’re cycling in the Tour de France, find some French inspiration right here.
Visit a French café
Canberra is home to many French cafes that will serve you up a French macaroon, eclair and more! Dive headfirst into sweet treats from the following venues:
Dine at a French Restaurant
Feeling a bit fancy? Enjoy various French meals and dishes at one of Canberra’s French-inspired restaurants. You may still be in Canberra but your taste buds will take a trip to France.
Learn French
Bonjour, au revoir, merci. Did you know over 30 per cent of English words come from the French language? Even if you aren’t planning a trip to France, learning a new language can challenge your mind and even enhance your memory and problem-solving skills.
Alliance Francaise has a French course for all levels and ages. You can book for a one-on-one class, young learners or adult classes all with different levels and experiences.
Canberra Institute of Technology also provides French language courses and will teach you speaking, listening, reading and writing. You’ll learn the basics of French as well as appropriate sociocultural knowledge and sensitivity.
Head to a French art exhibition
Gauguin’s World: Tōna Iho, Tōna Ao is on display at the National Gallery of Australia from 29 June 2024 until 7 October 2024. Explore French Post-Impressionist Paul Gauguin’s art and controversial legacy through talks, programs, films and his collection of works, plus artwork from contemporary artists from the Pacific.
The Alliance Francaise also has a gallery of its own. French, Francophiles and Australian artists alike are invited to display their work on the Alliance’s exhibition rooms.
Enrol in a French cooking class
Learn to whip up delicious French cuisine in the comfort of your own home. You can learn online or in person and wow your friends and family at your next dinner party.
The French Cooking Academy allows you to boost your kitchen skills right at home. You’ll learn about iconic French flavours, authentic recipes and upskill your cooking.
Make your own Tour de France
The Tour de France is iconic in France and would be a great way to see the country, but unfortunately in Canberra you need to watch from afar. Instead, why not create your own Tour de France right here and explore Canberra by bike? There are many bike paths throughout the city with tracks available for beginners all the way to advanced cyclists.
Catch Olympic fever at the AIS
No Paris? No problem. Head over to the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) Arena for the full Olympic experience. The AIS will host two watch parties for the Olympic Games, where visitors are invited to relax on a bean bag and watch the Games on the big screens. You can also head along to the AIS Visitor Centre to watch the Channel 9 broadcast of the Games. It will be screening until 11 September.
