HOUSTON – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement removed Ariel Nunez Figueroa, a 30-year-old Mexican national, to Mexico March 6. Nunez was wanted in Mexico for kidnapping and organized crime for his alleged role in the murder of 43 students from the Ayotzinapa Teachers’ College in September 2014.
ICE transported Nunez from the Montgomery Processing Center in Conroe, Texas, to the Juarez-Lincoln Bridge Port of Entry in Laredo, Texas, and he was turned over to Mexican authorities.
“For nearly eleven years, this foreign fugitive evaded authorities while the family and friends of those 43 students who were brutally murdered patiently awaited justice for their loved ones,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Houston Field Office Director Bret Bradford. “Thanks to outstanding teamwork by ICE, Interpol and the U.S. Embassy in Mexico, we were able to successfully track him down and remove him to Mexico to face prosecution for his alleged crimes.”
Nunez illegally entered the U.S. on an unknown date and at an unknown location. ICE received information from Interpol Sept. 3, 2024, indicating that he was potentially residing in the Houston area. ICE fugitive operations officers were able to quickly locate Nunez, and he was safely taken into custody Sept. 9, 2024. An immigration judge with the Justice Department’s Executive Office for Immigration Review ordered Nunez removed to Mexico Jan. 22.
For more news and information on ICE’s efforts to enforce our nation’s immigration laws in Texas follow us on X at @EROHouston.
BUFFALO, N.Y. — U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Jose Perez, 40, of Celeron, NY, with attempted production of child pornography and possession of child pornography, which carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum of 80 years, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Rudroff, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment and a previously filed criminal complaint, on September 3, 2022, Homeland Security Investigations received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that Perez uploaded a file a suspected child pornography. On December 15, 2022, HSI executed a federal search warrant at Perez’s residence, seizing computers, a cellular telephone, and electronic storage devices, including a thumb drive, which contained two video files that appeared to be taken from a videocam located in Perez’s bathroom. One of the files included video of a naked minor victim who does not appear to be aware that the camera is present. In addition, the thumb drive contained 17,839 image files that appeared to be taken from the same bathroom videocam and included naked images of the minor victim. Images and videos of child pornography were also found on Perez’s cell phone.
The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James Quattrone, and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Manchester Man Pleads Guilty for his Role in a Conspiracy to Traffic Approximately 50 Pounds of Methamphetamine to New Hampshire
CONCORD – A Manchester man pleaded guilty in federal court in Concord to a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy, Acting U.S. Attorney John J. McCormack announces.
Riley Thibodeau, 26, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, specifically methamphetamine. U.S. District Court Samantha D. Elliot scheduled sentencing for June 12, 2025. After also pleading guilty, co-defendant Ronny Ramos was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Samantha Elliott on December 9, 2024 to 120 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Thibodeau conspired to traffic approximately 50 pounds of methamphetamine from Massachusetts to New Hampshire. From March through October 2023, Ramos received five separate orders of methamphetamine from Thibodeau, via an intermediary. The payments from Thibodeau for the methamphetamine were made via the same intermediary. The amounts per order ranged from 10-12 pounds at a price of approximately $20,000 for each order. The methamphetamine was delivered to Thibodeau in New Hampshire. On October 31, 2023, law enforcement agents arrested Ramos in Methuen, Massachusetts, and seized 10 pounds of methamphetamine destined for Thibodeau in New Hampshire.
The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, at least 3 years of supervised release, and a maximum fine of $1,000,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation. The Manchester Police Department, the Salem Police Department, and the Methuen Police Department provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cesar A. Vega is prosecuting the case.
SAN JOSE – Danhong “Jean” Chen, also known as Maria Sofia Taylor, was extradited from the Kyrgyz Republic to the United States and will appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan van Keulen in federal district court in San Jose this afternoon. This is the first extradition from the Kyrgyz Republic to the United States on federal criminal charges.
Chen, 60, who previously resided in Atherton, Calif., and her business partner and ex-spouse, Jianyun “Tony” Ye, were indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2019. The 14-count indictment alleges the defendants committed visa fraud and related crimes to obtain immigration benefits for more than 100 foreign investors through the government’s employment-based immigration fifth preference, or “EB-5,” visa program. In 2021, Ye pleaded guilty to visa fraud and obstruction and was sentenced to 12 months in federal prison. He has since served that sentence and been released from custody.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed a civil complaint in October 2018 against Chen and others alleging that Chen improperly solicited investments and committed other violations of law. According to court documents, immediately after the SEC filed its civil enforcement complaint, Chen left the United States and was at large until she was arrested in the Kyrgyz Republic at the request of the United States.
Acting United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins, FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani, and SEC Office of the Inspector General (SEC OIG) Inspector General Deborah Jeffrey made the announcement.
According to the indictment, Chen was the sole partner at the Law Offices of Jean D. Chen in San Jose, which held itself out as specializing in immigration law. Chen prepared and submitted to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) fraudulent documents that contained false signatures and falsely described how applicants would qualify for the EB-5 program.
Under the EB-5 program, foreign nationals could obtain permanent United States residency, commonly known as “green card” status, by investing in qualifying businesses in the United States. Alien investors who comply with program requirements initially receive a grant of conditional permanent residency status for a two-year period. After two years, the alien investor can petition for permanent residency. To obtain permanent residency status, the applicant’s investment must amount to $500,000 if made in certain geographical areas with low employment rates; if the investment is not in a designated low-employment area, the investment must amount to a minimum of $1,000,000. In addition, under the EB-5 program, individuals seeking investments for businesses may establish “regional centers” to promote investment opportunities to EB-5 applicants within designated geographic areas. The Law Offices of Jean D. Chen, operated by Chen, represented clients who invested a total of approximately $52,000,000 into projects under the EB-5 program.
The indictment alleges Chen fraudulently obtained immigration benefits through the EB-5 program on behalf of her clients by, among other actions, falsifying documents to hide the true ownership and nature of a regional center. Specifically, in 2014, Chen purchased the Golden State Regional Center and other entities and, almost immediately after the purchase, transferred ownership to a straw owner without that individual’s knowledge. Chen filed papers with USCIS requesting that the government continue to recognize Golden State Regional Center as a regional center qualified to promote EB-5 investment within the South Bay.
The indictment also charges Chen with obstruction of justice related to investigations being conducted by the SEC and the FBI, including by demanding that an individual provide false answers to SEC investigators and directing an individual to delete emails relevant to the SEC’s and FBI’s investigations into the visa fraud.
Chen is charged with 10 counts of visa fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1546(a), one count of obstruction of justice in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1505, one count of obstruction of justice in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1512(b)(3), and one count of aggravated identity theft in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1028A. An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, Chen faces a maximum sentence of 10 years and a fine of $250,000 on each count of visa fraud under 18 U.S.C. § 1546(a); five years and a maximum fine of $250,000 on the count of obstruction of justice under 18 U.S.C. § 1505; 20 years and a maximum fine of $250,000 on the count of obstruction of justice under 18 U.S.C. § 1512(b)(3); and a minimum sentence of two years to run consecutively to other felony convictions and a maximum fine of $250,000 on the count of aggravated identity theft under 18 U.S.C. § 1028A. Any sentence following a conviction would be imposed by the Court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lloyd Farnham is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Susan Kreider. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and the SEC OIG. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in the Kyrgyz Republic to secure the arrest and extradition of Chen to the United States, and the U.S. Department of Justice appreciates the cooperation and assistance provided by the Kyrgyz Republic’s General Prosecutor’s Office.
Defendants Sexually Assaulted Teen Victim in Their Van and Apartment Over Several Days
ROANOKE, VA. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment yesterday charging Justin Johiah Curtright, 40, and Christin Marie Curtright, 32, a married couple from Springfield, Missouri. This indictment follows the couples’ arrest and preliminary hearing last month on a federal criminal complaint. The complaint alleged that the Curtrights groomed a 13-year-old victim over the internet, traveled from Missouri to pick her up from her home in Virginia, then repeatedly sexually assaulted her in their van and at their apartment until she was rescued by police.
The indictment charges: coercion and enticement of a minor, which carries a 10-year mandatory minimum prison sentence; conspiracy and transportation of a minor in interstate commerce to engage in criminal sexual activity, which also carries a mandatory 10-year minimum prison sentence; and three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, which each carry 15-year mandatory minimum prison sentences. If convicted, the Curtrights face a maximum punishment of life in prison.
According to court documents, in May 2024 the victim met Justin Curtright on Discord, an online group chat platform, where the two talked for hours. The victim initially used an alias and claimed she was 18 years old. Justin Curtright soon began talking in sexual overtones and eventually sent the victim a sexually explicit video of himself.
The next morning, Justin added the victim to a private Discord channel that included both him and his wife, Christin Curtright. From that point, the three talked extensively, both online and by phone. The victim eventually admitted she was only 13 years old.
The Curtrights also engaged in sexually explicit acts on camera while video chatting with the victim. Justin would frequently pretend to be the victim’s father.
At some point near the end of June, the Curtrights devised a plan to drive to Virginia to abduct the victim and take her to their Springfield apartment. On the morning of July 24, 2024, as planned, the Curtrights met the victim near her home in Virginia. The victim got in the Curtrights’ vehicle, and they drove her back to Missouri.
During the trip back to Missouri, the Curtrights each took turns sexually assaulting the victim while the other drove. Once they reached their apartment, they continued their sexual abuse and exploitation of the victim for several more days.
On July 27, 2024, officers with the Springfield Police Department went to the Curtrights’ apartment, where they found the victim hiding in the back of a closet in the Curtrights’ bedroom. The victim had a debit card and false ID that Justin Curtright gave her, which represented her as Justin’s 15-year-old daughter.
Springfield officers seized the Curtrights’ phones, which held recordings of the Curtrights’ video chats grooming and sexually exploiting the victim, as well as images of the victim being abused during the drive to Missouri.
Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee and Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division, made the announcement today.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Springfield Police Department, and various local law enforcement agencies investigated the case.
Assistant United States Attorneys Drew O. Inman is prosecuting the case for the United States.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identity and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
COVINGTON, Ky. – A Walton, Ky., man, Robert Maxwell Werner, 46, was sentenced on Friday to 30 years in prison, by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning, for extraterritorial production of child pornography.
According to his plea agreement, Werner is a U.S. citizen who was living in the Philippines from February 2021 through November 2021. During this time, Werner became the customer of a Filipino individual who would sell access to dozens of minor victims for in-person or livestreamed sexual acts. For several months, Werner paid this individual for child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and multiple in‑person meetings with minor males in the Philippines. Specifically, Werner admitted to engaging in sexually explicit conduct with at least one minor for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of that conduct between July 2021 and November 2021, while in the Philippines. Werner further admitted to transporting that sexually explicit material into the United States.
Under federal law, Werner must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 20 years.
Supervisory Official Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Paul McCaffrey for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, announced the sentencing.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit, with substantial assistance from the Philippine National Bureau of Investigation and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth and Trial Attorney Rachel Rothberg, with the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section of the Department of Justice, are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
WEST ORANGE, N.J., March 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bel Fuse Inc. (Nasdaq: BELFA and BELFB) (“Bel” or the “Company”) today announced the grand opening of its new facility in Manesar, Gurugram, India, a critical milestone following Bel’s acquisition of Enercon in November 2024. The original Enercon factory in India, which this replaces, was opened in 2018 and grew from 17 associates to over 200 associates today. The new facility will enable our Power Solutions and Protection segment to double its manufacturing capacity in India. This expands the overall Bel footprint outside of China thus providing more optionality for our customers.
Dan Bernstein, President and CEO of Bel, commented, “We’re excited to be celebrating the opening of our new facility in India. This project was underway by the Enercon team at the time of our acquisition and will aid Bel’s goal to accelerate the geographic diversification of our manufacturing footprint.” Eyal Shary, CEO of Enercon, added, “We are proud of our investment in India and our ability to grow our manufacturing base within it. The Enercon team did an amazing job of keeping this project on track even during the acquisition process and we look forward to the combined company benefitting from the additional space.”
About Bel Bel (www.belfuse.com) designs, manufactures and markets a broad array of products that power, protect and connect electronic circuits. These products are primarily used in the defense, commercial aerospace, networking, telecommunications, computing, general industrial, high-speed data transmission, transportation and eMobility industries. Bel’s portfolio of products also finds application in the automotive, medical, broadcasting and consumer electronics markets. Bel’s product groups include Power Solutions and Protection (front-end, board-mount and industrial power products, module products and circuit protection), Connectivity Solutions (expanded beam fiber optic, copper-based, RF and RJ connectors and cable assemblies), and Magnetic Solutions (integrated connector modules, power transformers, power inductors and discrete components). The Company operates facilities around the world.
Investor Contact: Three Part Advisors Jean Marie Young, Managing Director or Steven Hooser, Partner 631-418-4339 jyoung@threepa.com; shooser@threepa.com
Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and John Thune (R-S.D.), members of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry, reintroduced the Livestock Disaster Assistance Improvement Act, bipartisan legislation that would enhance the effectiveness and timeliness of multiple U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs that assist agricultural producers in the aftermath of adverse weather events. The bill would also provide USDA with direction to help improve the accuracy of the U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM), which triggers certain disaster programs.
“Drought, wildfires, and extreme weather are making it harder for New Mexico’s farmers and ranchers to care for livestock, grow crops, and support our communities,” said Luján. “As a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, I’m proud to reintroduce this bipartisan legislation to help farmers and ranchers get the support they need when disaster strikes. USDA programs must respond faster and more effectively to provide the relief New Mexicans deserve. This legislation will help our agricultural producers weather the impacts of extreme weather and disasters and keep contributing to our economy and food security.”
“South Dakota farmers and ranchers are all too familiar with working through extreme weather conditions, especially drought,” said Thune. “These common-sense updates to disaster programs would help provide greater and expedited assistance to producers when they need it the most. I’m proud to lead this bipartisan legislation that would make the Drought Monitor a more effective tool and help ensure USDA programs are using accurate and consistent data in administering programs that are designed to help the agriculture community.”
The legislation would make the following reforms:
Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) and Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP):
Clarify that state and federal grazing permit holders are eligible for these programs
Streamline the ECP and EFRP permitting process to allow:
The Farm Service Agency (FSA) to waive the 30-day public comment period for Bureau of Land Management (BLM) National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) applications during a drought emergency
BLM to accept archeological reviews completed by Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) field staff during a drought emergency
BLM to accept NEPA and endangered species reviews completed by NRCS field staff
Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-raised Fish Program (ELAP):
Require ELAP honey bee assistance to factor in rates, including per-hive, per-colony, and per-standardized expected mortality, and require consistent documentation requirements
Expand honey producer coverage for losses and costs, including transportation related to adverse weather and drought
Livestock Forage Program (LFP):
Modify LFP to allow a one-month payment when a county reaches D2 (severe drought) for four consecutive weeks, compared to eight weeks under current law
USDM:
Convene an interagency working group consisting of representatives from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of the Interior, and the state mesonet programs to develop recommendations to improve USDM data access, accuracy, and reliability
Require the U.S. Forest Service and the FSA to sign a memorandum of understanding related to coordinating drought-related designation and response activities
Full bill text is available here.
Amid the chaos of the Trump administration’s first few weeks in office, a court case regarding the president’s legal right to stop payment of nearly $2 billion in U.S. Agency for International Development contracts poses an important legal question whose answer may show just how strong the country’s separation of powers actually is.
On Jan. 20, 2025, President Donald Trump issued an executive order pausing all foreign aid funding, most of which is administered by USAID. A little more than two weeks later, USAID laid off all but a few hundred of its 10,000 workers.
U.S. District Judge Amir Ali issued a temporary order on Feb. 13 for the administration to not end or pause any existing foreign aid contracts – and again ordered on Feb. 25 that the administration needed to pay the $2 billion owed to various aid organizations for completed work.
After the Trump administration filed an emergency appeal of the decision to the Supreme Court, the justices, in a 5-4 ruling on March 5, found that the federal judge’s decision can temporarily take effect while the district court considers the merits of the case.
Amy Lieberman, a politics and society editor at The Conversation U.S., spoke with Charles Wise, an expert on public administration and law, to understand what is fueling this court case and why it has become a test of how far Trump can push the boundaries of presidential power.
Supreme Court Justices Brett Kavanaugh, left, Amy Coney Barrett, center, and former Justice Anthony Kennedy speak with President Donald Trump after his speech at the U.S. Capitol in March 4, 2025. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
1. What is most important to understand about the Supreme Court’s ruling on USAID funding?
The Trump administration issued a blanket executive order freezing all USAID funds on Jan. 20, 2025. There have been many twists and turns in this case since then, but the Washington, D.C., district court determined in February that the organizations that receive USAID funding to deliver food or health care to people in need, as well as other recipients of USAID money in foreign countries, would suffer irreparable harm.
The U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., also said that the administration did not follow proper procedures in the law. The Administrative Procedure Act has a set of standards that requires the president to do certain things before making any unilateral kind of action to withhold funds.
The Supreme Court’s March 5 order is not the final ruling on the case, but it does allow the U.S. District Court decision to stand – at least for now. This ruling requires the government to release funds to USAID recipients. The Supreme Court’s decision also directs the district court to clarify what the government must do to comply with the district court’s order, including considering the feasibility of the timeline within which the government must release the money.
This is all taking place in a very short time frame, in the context of the D.C. district court issuing a temporary restraining order. It is saying: Let’s freeze the existing situation in place so we can have a full hearing on this issue.
2. Why is this case important?
Any administration is prohibited from just withholding funds for any program it doesn’t like without following the procedures prescribed by law. This case matters because the D.C. district court’s decision puts boundaries on what the Trump administration can do to withhold funds that Congress has appropriated. It forces the administration to follow the laws that Congress and previous presidents have agreed on and adopted.
It ultimately comes down to a contest between the branches of government, and, specifically, the presidency and Congress. This is where Articles 1 and 2 of the U.S. Constitution – and how they divided powers between the president and Congress – comes in. The Trump administration claimed that the court should have respected the president’s Article 2 powers to administer the federal government’s spending. The D.C. court acknowledged the president’s powers under Article 2 but said it has to be balanced against Congress’ right, under Article 1, to appropriate funds.
A terminated federal worker leaves the offices of the U.S. Agency for International Development in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 28, 2025, after being fired. Bryan Dozier/Middle East/AFP via Getty Images
3. What happens if Trump and his administration do not abide by this order?
Trump’s officials have a decision to make. Are they going to follow the executive order or the court’s order? That’s not a fun place to be. Administrative officials take an oath to uphold the Constitution and the laws of the U.S., which subjects them to court decisions.
The president himself is not responsible for distributing USAID funds. State Department officials are responsible for dispersing the funds, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio was appointed as the acting administrator of USAID on Feb. 3, 2025.
If Rubio and other officials refuse to comply with the court’s order, the D.C. judge, Amir Ali, can hold those officials in contempt of court. Ali has a variety of tools he can use – one is to levy fines against them individually. He could say they have to pay a thousand dollars per day for each day they don’t execute the court’s order.
4. What will happen next in this case?
The Supreme Court said in a brief opinion on March 5 that the Feb. 26, 2025, deadline for the government to pay USAID and its contractors had already passed and instructed Ali to “clarify what obligations the Government must fulfill to ensure compliance” with paying USAID.
The government has argued to the court that the timeline the judge initially set was too fast – they couldn’t do it that fast.
Now, a few things are going to happen. Ali has ordered the government to develop and release a new schedule to release funds and to have that ready by March 10.
The second part is that the district court judge will probably schedule a hearing on the merits of the case, in which Ali will be assessing the administration’s argument about whether the administration has violated the Administrative Procedure Act. Ultimately, the Trump administration could appeal Ali’s decision, and the case could wind up back at the Supreme Court.
Charles Wise had a cooperative agreement for work with USAID that ended in 2007.
That means pushing our revolutionary parental leave and childcare policies – helping more mothers return to the workplace should they want to, and fighting against the gender pay gap. Or our plans to end period poverty and ensure that survivors of violence against women and girls are properly supported in the criminal justice system.
Women deserve an ambitious vision from political parties of how their lives can be improved. So it’s disappointing that the government seems to have missed opportunities to make this a reality. They removed the target for women’s health hubs in the latest NHS mandate, while their Crime & Policing Bill fails to mention domestic abuse once.
The fight for equality continues. Liberal Democrats will keep pushing on these issues and others, to deliver the positive future that all women deserve.
Of course, accelerating action also means supporting the tireless campaigners who are already doing fantastic work. I am especially grateful to the groups within our own party who are pushing for change. Lib Dem Women and the Campaign for Gender for Balance are just some examples, who lead the fight to get more women involved in politics.
We as a party – and a country – have come so far. If we keep working together, we can go even further.
As we gather to celebrate International Women’s Day.
We do so standing on the shoulders of generations of women who have fought for the rights we enjoy today.
Women rights activists, feminist movements, and civil society organizations who have paved the way, often at great personal cost, for the progress that we see today.
Every hard-won gain is a testament to their relentless efforts.
This fight is not a battle against windmills. It is real..
What is at stake is not just words in resolutions or declarations.
Eleanor Roosevelt once wisely asked, “Where, after all, do universal human rights begin?”
They of course begin in the everyday lives of individuals.
In the daily lives of women and girls in our societies and communities.
Yet, we are far from where we should be:
In their own homes, women are often subject to violence.
At their workplaces, they often face discrimination and unequal pay.
Online, women often endure harassment and abuse.
Women continue to bear the brunt of unpaid care work, stifling their economic potential and limiting their opportunities.
And when denied equal access to education and the labour market, they are held back from shaping the future they deserve.
These are the everyday injustices that women and girls face. And if their rights are not upheld in these spaces, our work is far from complete.
The impact of inequality is real. It is measured in lost potential, in opportunities denied, in lives constrained by outdated norms and systemic barriers.
Excellencies,
Sisters,
Our journey is not over. We will keep moving forward.
We will continue to reverse centuries of systemic discrimination.
We will dismantle inequalities, prevent rollbacks and push forward—relentlessly—to defend and advance gender equality and the rights of all women and girls, in all their diversity.
And when the patriarchy pushes back. So will we.
We have done it countless times before, and we will do it again.
Because the rights of women and girls – our rights – cannot be taken away.
Eighty years ago, the UN was founded on the principle of non-discrimination.
That principle remains at the heart of our work. The entire United Nations family stands united in its commitment to championing gender equality – not just in words but in action.
We will lead the world humbly and boldly. And every step of the way, we will stand with you.
Together, we have the power to succeed.
Together, we can create a world where every woman and girl can live with dignity, freedom, and opportunity.
Alberta’s population has grown rapidly in the last few years, and this unprecedented population growth has led to enrolment pressures on Alberta schools. To meet these challenges, in fall 2024, Alberta’s government announced a generational investment of $8.6 billion to build more than 100 new and updated schools across the province. Budget 2025, if passed, kick-starts this investment with funding for nine school projects in rural communities and smaller cities across the province.
New schools will be built for families in Lethbridge, Brooks, Fairview, Muskiki Lake and Cold Lake, with modernization projects taking place at Brooks Composite High School and École Dickinsfield School in Fort McMurray. To accommodate growing student populations, additions will also be made to Grande Prairie Composite High School and Holy Trinity Catholic High School in Fort McMurray. Together, these projects represent a significant investment in expanding student spaces outside the Edmonton and Calgary metro areas.
“We are taking action to address the challenges facing rural schools and communities outside metro Edmonton and Calgary. While some schools in rural Alberta are getting older and need to be modernized or replaced, other communities are experiencing growing enrolment. I’m proud to say our Budget 2025 commitment addresses both challenges – and this is just the beginning.”
In total, these nine school projects will deliver about 7,600 new and updated student spaces for smaller urban cities and rural communities in Alberta.
Budget 2025, if passed, funds a total of 41 new school projects across the province, which consists of 30 new schools, five replacement schools, three modernizations and three charter school projects. With these 41 projects funded in Budget 2025, there are now 132 active school projects across Alberta. More than one-third are in smaller centres outside the Edmonton and Calgary metro areas.
“Alberta Infrastructure is committed to getting students into desks as soon as possible, while ensuring their classrooms are well-built and well-maintained for generations of positive learning. Our province is built on strong communities and projects like these will have a generational impact on students as they learn and grow in these facilities.”
Details on school projects in the Edmonton and Calgary metro regions will be shared in the coming days.
“We are incredibly excited to learn the Alberta government has granted design funding for the modernization of the Career and Technology Studies spaces at Brooks Composite High School. We know these modernized and state of art CTS spaces will provide students with critical access and opportunities in the pursuit of career pathways, trades and workplace preparation.”
“We are thrilled to receive this planning funding for a new K-12 school for St. Thomas More in Fairview. We are extremely grateful to the provincial government for recognizing the importance of this investment in the community, and we look forward to seeing the positive impact it will have on the students and families of St. Thomas More, and Catholic Education in Fairview.”
Budget 2025 is meeting the challenge faced by Alberta with continued investments in education and health, lower taxes for families and a focus on supporting the economy.
Quick facts
The 2025 Capital Plan allocates $75 million over the next three years for the planning and design of the 41 school capital projects approved in 2025 and $2.3 billion to building and updating previously announced school projects.
With Budget 2025, if passed, there are now 47 school projects underway in communities outside of the Edmonton and Calgary metro areas:
27 projects in construction
6 projects in design
13 projects in planning
1 project in preplanning
Budget 2025, if passed, new school projects outside Edmonton and Calgary metro regions:
Community
School division
Project type/name
Design funding (2)
Grande Prairie
Grande Prairie Public School Division
Addition to Grande Prairie Composite High School
Fort McMurray
Fort McMurray Catholic Schools
Addition to 7 to 12 Holy Trinity Catholic High School
Planning funding (2)
Brooks
Christ the Redeemer Catholic Schools
New 9 to 12
Lethbridge
Lethbridge School Division
New K to 5
Budget 2025, if passed, replacement school projects outside Edmonton and Calgary metro regions:
Community
School division
Project type/name
Planning funding (3)
Cold Lake
Northern Lights Public Schools
Solution for Art Smith Aviation Academy, North Star Elementary School and Cold Lake Junior High
Fairview
Holy Family Catholic Regional Division
Replacement of St. Thomas More School
Muskiki Lake
Program is delivered by Edmonton Catholic Schools
Replacement of Kisiko Awasis Kiskinahamawin
Budget 2025, if passed, modernization school projects outside Edmonton and Calgary metro regions:
Saskatchewan Families with Sick Children to Have a Place to Stay, Close to their Child’s Side
Today, the Government of Saskatchewan announced $3.5 million in funding to Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) to help build the first ever Ronald McDonald House in Prince Albert.
“This new Ronald McDonald House will offer comfort, affordability and convenience to Saskatchewan families with sick children who travel to Prince Albert for treatment,” Premier Scott Moe said. “I am grateful that our province can help create a space where families feel supported and cared for, a true home away from home.”
The Ronald McDonald Home in Prince Albert will support families whose children are undergoing treatments at nearby health care facilities. The design includes 12 bedrooms, a smudge room, communal kitchen, dining room, living room, play space and family games room.
“The support to build the Ronald McDonald House – Prince Albert will ensure that families traveling to the Victoria Hospital in Prince Albert, for the health care of their child or children, have a place to stay, close to their child’s side,” Chief Executive Officer of RMHC Saskatchewan Tammy Forrester said. “This historic capital investment by the Government of Saskatchewan into Ronald McDonald House Charities Saskatchewan is an investment into all Saskatchewan families.”
The new facility will be built on 5.6 acres located at 791 25th Street West in Prince Albert.
Families across the province have stayed at the Ronald McDonald House in Saskatoon. The Trudel family have experienced firsthand what the home offers.
“Staying at the Ronald McDonald House felt like home, in fact, when we eventually left, we missed it,” Shianne Trudel said.
Construction of the Ronald McDonald House Charities Prince Albert will begin late spring 2025 and is expected to be completed in early 2027.
Last month, the government announced $6.5 million to help build a 20-bedroom Ronald McDonald House in Regina, bringing the total provincial funding to RMHC to $10 million.
RMHC Saskatchewan was founded in 1985. RMHC currently operates two programs in Saskatchewan with Ronald McDonald House in Saskatoon and Family Room in Prince Albert. Approximately 29,800 Saskatchewan families have been served by these programs.
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For more information, contact:
Media Desk Health Regina Phone: 306-787-4083 Email: media@health.gov.sk.ca
Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
Q: Why did President Trump address a joint session of Congress?
A: Article II, Section 3 of the Constitution says the president “shall from time to time” give Congress information about the state of the union. George Washington set the precedent by fulfilling this duty in person. Although his successors from 1801 to 1913 sent their messages to Congress in writing, President Woodrow Wilson resumed the tradition of delivering the address in person that’s continued through the 47th president. While President Harry Truman’s 1947 address was the first televised to the nation, LBJ’s address in 1965 started the tradition of delivering the televised address in the evening.
Since then, the nation’s chief executive has used the annual opportunity to speak directly to the American people, outline the priorities and achievements of the administration and offer legislative proposals for Congress in the coming year. Although it looks and sounds like a State of the Union address, that title refers to the annual speech after a president’s first year in office. So, while March 4th was the fifth time for President Trump to give an annual address before a joint session of Congress, this update covered the first 43 days of his second term. And that six-week timeline is notable for the remarkable breadth of executive actions – and achievements – since inauguration day on January 20.
Since Iowans first sent me to Congress, I’ve represented the people of Iowa under nine administrations. That adds up to a half-century of annual presidential addresses. In all that time, this is the first presidency that has dramatically upended business-as-usual since day one. I compare Trump’s first month in office of his second term as a hurricane uprooting the status quo. He wasted no time delivering on his promises to secure the border, bring manufacturing jobs back to America and reverse the disastrous policies of the previous administration that led to historic inflation and high cost of living.
Q: What were the highlights of President Trump’s message?
A: This president understands the power of the bully pulpit. Throughout his speech – the longest annual address in modern history, surpassing President Bill Clinton’s 85-minute State of the Union address in 1995 by 15 minutes –Trump grabbed the bull by the horns and charged full steam ahead, declaring “America is back.” His critics need to come to grips with reality. Trump won the popular vote and America witnessed a historical electoral shift that delivered Republican majority control in both houses of Congress and the White House. In our system of self-government, elections are intended to have consequences. The victories in November are a mandate for Trump’s agenda: the American people rejected the reckless policies of the previous administration that fostered historic inflation and open borders that allowed a wave of an estimated 10 million illegal immigrants to enter the country, empowering dangerous cartels to infiltrate communities with drug and human trafficking networks.
As chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I recently held a hearing on my bipartisan HALT Act that would give law enforcement better tools to put an end to our nation’s deadly opioid crisis. Chinese fentanyl poured into the U.S. under the Biden-Harris administration’s open border. The bill I got passed out of committee in February is now one step closer to the president’s desk. Families grieving the loss of a loved one from deadly fentanyl are leading a grassroots effort to prevent other families from experiencing the crushing loss of an overdose death. During his address, Trump explained one of the reasons for the tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China were partly a response to their inaction toward the flow of fentanyl into the United States, which kills 200 Americans every day in our country.
Trump also doubled down on his work to scrutinize federal spending and curb the cost of living. By cutting costly regulations and unleashing the power of American energy, the Trump administration seeks to lower energy costs by investments in natural gas pipelines and expanding the production of rare earth minerals. With unapologetic pride and hope for America, the president highlighted a handful of Americans in attendance who captured the spirit of America for their sacrifice, heroism and pursuit of the American Dream. During the speech he made a 13-year-old cancer survivor an honorary Secret Service agent; told an aspiring candidate to the U.S. military academy he was admitted into West Point; and, shined a spotlight on grieving families of crime. Notably, the first bill Trump signed into law was the Laken Riley Act, which included Sarah’s Law, named after a young Iowan killed nine years ago by an illegal migrant while driving drunk. It was an honor to be at the White House signing ceremony in her memory, alongside Sen. Joni Ernst and Rep. Randy Feenstra who I worked with to get this legislation passed. The president presented a strong agenda to strengthen American sovereignty, uphold freedom and liberty and bring prosperity to households, farms and businesses across the country. As always, I’m committed to represent the views and concerns of Iowans as Congress continues work on the people’s business.
Ten years after the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, reports show we are gravely off track. Intensifying, interconnected challenges continue to endanger the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
For example, the global goal of ending extreme poverty by 2030 is in danger of failure, with almost 600 million people still living in extreme poverty. Hunger is also increasing, and we have witnessed the warmest years on record with carbon dioxide levels continuing to rise. But we cannot give up hope or dilute our ambitions. It’s time to rescue the SDGs as a plan of action for people, planet and prosperity. We must build on our successes and accelerate progress in key areas that will achieve the greatest impact.
The number of people lacking electricity access in the world fell by almost 30 per cent from 2015 to 2022. Internet access increased by about 70 per cent.
For local communities these transformations represent real opportunities. To improve health and widen access to education and social protection. To make food systems more resilient, while creating green jobs. To open e-commerce and financial services, while also protecting the environment and biodiversity.
But developing countries cannot take these actions alone. We need to support them in designing and implementing their economic transformations.
At the Summit of the Future last September, world leaders set out the Pact for the Future, a sharp vision of a multilateralism that can deepen cooperation and deliver on these promises.
The Pact contains commitments that can unlock financing, including an SDG Stimulus, a review of the sovereign debt architecture and reform of the international financial architecture.
As TERI and this Summit make clear, these reforms will be critical to help developing countries mobilize the financing and support they need to invest in green solutions and renewable energy systems for the future.
Financing can play a key role in creating demand for renewables and low-carbon solutions at all levels — from households to businesses — while ensuring positive socio-economic and environmental benefits.
To accelerate these efforts, the UN system is working to support country level policy reforms, integrate stakeholder innovations, build institutional capacities, and boost infrastructure investments across the entire renewable clean energy supply chain.
And the Secretary-General’s panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals offers important Principles and Actionable Recommendations to ensure this new era does not repeat historical patterns of exploitation.
This work will be critical in supporting countries as they develop national climate plans ahead of COP30 — plans that must reduce emissions by investing in renewable solutions that can create new jobs and sources of prosperity.
The message is clear. No single nation can navigate challenges alone. Effective collaboration is increasingly critical to shaping our common future.
The United Nations is committed to standing with all partners as we accelerate action on the SDGs and shape the sustainable future all people need and deserve.
Solving the Nursing Shortage: Governor Shapiro Visits Temple University Health System to Highlight Investments in Nurse Training to Grow Pennsylvania’s Health Care Workforce
Governor Josh Shapiro and Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) Secretary Nancy A. Walker visited Temple Women & Families – part of Temple University Health System (TUHS) – to highlight the investments included in the Governor’s 2025-26 budget proposal aimed at tackling Pennsylvania’s nursing shortage and strengthening the Commonwealth’s health care workforce.
The Governor’s budget proposal includes a first-time state-level investment of $5 million to create the Nurse Shortage Assistance Program, which will provide funding to hospitals that partner with nursing schools to cover tuition costs for students who commit to a three-year work placement at Pennsylvania hospitals after graduation. This initiative aims to build a pipeline of trained nursing professionals- boosting retention, limiting turnover, and helping maintain a skilled health care workforce that delivers high-quality care all across the Commonwealth.
“We need to take action now to address Pennsylvania’s nursing shortage, and my budget makes strategic investments to do just that,” said Governor Shapiro. “By expanding education programs, providing tuition assistance, and strengthening workforce pipelines, we can ensure hospitals have the skilled professionals they need to deliver high-quality patient care. We know this model of tuition assistance works, and for the first time ever, we are proposing to help nursing students with an investment of state dollars that not only gives them peace of mind but creates a pipeline of new, highly trained nurses for our communities.”
List of Speakers: Michael Young, President and CEO of TUHS Governor Shapiro Carter Short, Chief Nursing Executive of TUHS Chaudron Maura Cabry,senior nursing student Nancy A. Walker, L&I Secretary
Shapiro Administration Leaders Encourage Postpartum Depression Screenings for All Pennsylvania Mothers, Call for Faster Referrals to Mental Health Services
Shapiro Administration officials from the departments of Human Services (DHS), Health (DOH),and Drugs and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) highlighted Governor Josh Shapiro’s proposal in this year’s budget to implement universal postpartum depression screenings for all Pennsylvania moms.
During a visit to the Allegheny Health Network’s (AHN) Alexis Joy D’Achille Center for Perinatal Mental Health, leaders shared how postpartum depression can occur weeks and months after childbirth, where mothers experience a broad range of symptoms including but not limited to sadness, hopelessness, anxiety, change in appetite, difficulty in sleep, mood swings and thoughts of self-harm that may make it difficult to carry out daily tasks, including caring for themselves and their babies. Postpartum depression affects one in eight mothers across the country. It not only impacts the well-being of Pennsylvania mothers, but also has profound effects on their families and communities.
“For more than two decades, as a pediatrician, I worked with new mothers and their babies and saw firsthand the impact pregnancy-related depression has on women and their families,” said Secretary of Health Dr. Debra Bogen. “Implementing universal postpartum depression screenings and referrals to evidence-based treatment options for all Pennsylvania mothers is a meaningful action we can take to ensure women receive the care they need during a critical time in their lives.”
Speakers Include: Dr. Brian Johnson, AHN West Penn Hospital President Steven D’Achille, President of the Alexis Joy D’Achille Foundation Dr. Debra Bogen, DOH Secretary Sara Goulet, DHS Special Advisor Kelly Primus, DDAP Deputy Secretary Dr. Ewurama Sackey, AHN Medical Director of the Women’s Behavioral Health, Psychiatry and Behavioral Health Institute Dr. Priya Gopalan, Chief of Psychiatry for UPMC Magree-Womens Hospital Jessica Tucker, Patient at the Alexis Joy D’Achille Center for Perinatal Mental Health
On March 7 over one hundred fourth-year medical students presented their capstone scholarly projects at the annual Clinician Scholar Symposium at UConn School of Medicine.
The student presentations are a special part of the culmination of their medical school journey as they march toward UConn Health’s 54th Commencement on May 12 to receive their medical degrees.
The event’s keynote address was delivered by UConn School of Medicine alum Margaret K. Callahan, MD, Ph.D., who now serves as the chief of the Division of Hematology/Oncology at UConn Health and the Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center. She spoke about the power of immunotherapy for cancer patients and beyond.
“I’m delighted to be back at UConn as a clinician scientist. My time here as a student was foundational in building this career – from clinical skills to research skills to my early interest in cancer immunotherapy – it all started here,” shared Callahan.
The soon-to-be future Dr. Cailyn Regan presenting her novel capstone project study findings in the Academic Rotunda on March 7.
“We are thrilled that the UConn medical school community came out to support our graduating fourth-year students as they disseminated their scholarly work. We have had really great projects and presentations. We wish them continued success,” said co-chair of the Clinician Scholar Symposium Stefan Brocke, MD, Ph.D.
“Thank you to all the faculty mentors for making the successful journey of our medical students and their capstone projects possible,” said Jeffrey Pella, Ph.D., MSc., also co-chair of the Symposium.
One of the fourth-year student capstone presenters was Cailyn Regan, 26, of West Hartford. Her project focused on infertility which is widespread in the U.S. impacting approximately 15 percent of couples. She explored “Lutei nizing hormone (LH) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) stimulate ovulation in an epiregulin (EREG)-dependent manner.” Her faculty mentor was Lisa Mehlmann, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Cell Biology.
“My project helped to highlight previously unexplored feedback loops in the ovulatory process. Research like this can expose new targets to explore for future treatment of infertility, IVF, or other hormonal disorders,” says Regan. “Reproductive health is an area of medicine that interacts with both the clinical status and livelihoods of patients. Being able to appreciate and explore both the scientific and humanistic sides of medicine is a pillar I’ve always tried to align myself with.”
Regan’s capstone project presentation has been a long time coming.
Fourth-year UConn medical student Cailyn Regan of West Hartford.
“It’s surreal knowing that presenting my capstone that I’ve been working on for years is the only thing that stands between me and graduation. It’s been a long road but an enriching one,” she reports.
Regan is looking forward to National Match Day on March 21 with her fellow classmates in the Class of 2025 and hopes to be beginning her journey with a match to a surgical residency, likely with research years.
As she presented her capstone findings, Regan’s father Dr. Thomas Regan, assistant dean for Admissions and Student Affairs and an emergency medicine physician at UConn Health, beamed with pride.
“She’s the best, she knows the information, and gave a phenomenal presentation,” he exclaimed.
Double Husky Maxime Braun, 27, of Simsbury presented her capstone on “Artificial Intelligence Screening of Computed Tomography Images for Identification of Findings Requiring STAT Read by a Radiologist.” Associate professor of radiology Dr. Michael Baldwin served as her faculty mentor.
UConn medical school’s Class of 2025’s Maxime Braun of Simsbury.
“Throughout my time in medical school, artificial intelligence (AI) has become a much more prominent presence in society, academia, and medicine. During my training, AI not only arrived on the scene but seems to have become ever more pervasive in day-to-day life. The role of AI seems to be questioned most heavily within the field of radiology,” Braun says.
Braun conducted research into the developments of AI use within the field as she hopes to pursue a diagnostic radiology residency training program and a future career in radiology.
“My research into the relationship between AI and the radiologist has led to my discovery of a few AI-driven tools that I had no previous knowledge of,” Braun reports. “A few of these screening modules that I have witnessed first-hand can detect breast lesions on mammograms, lung nodules on low-dose chest CT scans and, of course, large vessel occlusions on CT angiograms of the head and neck. While this project has certainly not wholly clarified the relationship between AI and radiology, it has confirmed that it is a highly effective triaging tool that increases efficiency for patient care.”
Braun adds, “As a future radiologist I am motivated to continue to investigate this relationship; it will be important to keep up with the development of AI as it will inevitably keep intertwining with the field.”
Maxime Braun, fourth-year UConn med student, presenting her capstone findings.
Braun’s conclusion about the Clinician Scholar Symposium: “It was remarkable witnessing and celebrating all that our class has accomplished. It’s pretty incredible how fast the past 4 years seemed to go by even when, at times, it felt like such a long road ahead. What I love most about UConn are the people I have met along the way. I will cherish the relationships I have formed with professors, mentors, staff, and life-long friends.”
Congrats to the future Dr. Regan, Dr. Braun, and all the future UConn-made doctors on their successful capstones!
Dr. Melissa Held, senior associate dean for Medical Student Education concluded, “This is one of my very favorite days of the year. I am incredibly impressed. Congratulations!”
UConn Health’s Dr. Thomas Regan looks on as his daughter Cailyn Regan presents her final capstone project and follows in his footsteps to become a physician.
Additional information on the event and the presented capstones.
WASHINGTON – Vincent Lee Alston, 23, of Washington D.C. and Niquan Odum, 23, pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court in connection with the December 2023 burglary of 34 firearms from a Maryland pawn shop.
The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., ATF Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department
Alston, aka “Vedo,” pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit firearms trafficking. Odumn, aka “Stickz,” pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit theft from a firearms licensee and to possession of stolen firearms. U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson scheduled a sentencing hearing for Alston on June 27, 2025 and for Odumn on June 13, 2025. Alston was arrested on December 15, 2023, and has been detained since. Odumn was arrested on March 25, 2024, and has been detained since.
Co-conspirator Juwon Markel Anderson, aka “Peezy,” 22, of Washington D.C., pleaded guilty on March 4 to conspiracy to commit firearms trafficking. Others charged in the conspiracy are Cy’Juan Hemsley, 18, of District Heights, Maryland, and Tyjuan McNeal, 28, of Washington, D.C.
According to the court documents, on December 13, 2023, the co-conspirators drove from Washington, D.C. to the A&D Pawn Shop, a Federal Firearms Licensee, in Glen Burnie, Maryland. At the pawn shop, one of the co-conspirators used a portable saw to cut the locks on a pull-down security gate. Another co-conspirator then used a crowbar-type tool to pry open the main door. Once inside, the quintet grabbed an array of rifles, shotguns, and pistols from the shelves and display racks and fled with at least 34 of the firearms. The co-conspirators later used social media to advertise the sale of the stolen firearms. Two days after the burglary, on December 15, 2023, Alston was arrested with one of the stolen firearms.
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Metropolitan Police Department, with assistance from the ATF Baltimore Field Division. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shehzad Akhtar and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Lipes.
According to court documents, Brian Christopher Williams III, 25, and Kalaijha Tomeco Ranier Lewis, 29, schemed to defraud various federally insured banks and credit unions between November 2021 and June 2023. To carry out the fraud scheme, Williams recruited Lewis, who worked at the post office on Saint Joseph Street in Mobile, to steal hundreds of high-value business checks and sell them to Williams. In turn, Williams and other coconspirators sold the stolen checks via an illicit online marketplace hosted on a Telegram channel called “Work Related.” Fraudsters who purchased the stolen checks later counterfeited and negotiated many of them, causing substantial financial losses to multiple victims. In total, the value of the stolen checks posted to the “Work Related” channel exceeded $17 million.
In June 2023, investigators began surveillance at the Saint Joseph Street post office in Mobile. On several occasions, agents saw Lewis manipulating the windowed envelopes of checks to see the amounts listed inside while she sorted mail. On June 23, 2023, agents confronted Lewis after capturing her on video stuffing a large stack of stolen checks into her pants before the end of her work shift. Lewis confessed that for several months, she stole business checks for Williams, who paid her $2,000 to $3,000 for each stack of stolen checks that she brought him.
That same day, agents arrested Williams at a gas station in Mobile, where he had arrived to purchase the stolen checks from Lewis. Agents seized more than $10,000 in cash from Williams’s pocket, which Williams admitted was proceeds of his fraud scheme. Agents also searched Williams’s car, seizing a loaded .40 caliber Glock pistol equipped with an extended magazine, ammunition, marijuana, and stolen checks valued at more than $417,000. Williams confessed to selling stolen checks to a coconspirator in Birmingham who marketed the checks for sale on Telegram.
Agents executed warrants to search cell phones and social media accounts belonging to Williams and Lewis, each of which contained extensive communications regarding the scheme. For example, on June 1, 2023, Williams messaged Lewis, “I need a load today!!!!!,” to which Lewis responded, “I done seen 7 [checks] since 6am.” Days later, Williams messaged Lewis about meeting up to purchase high-value stolen checks, emphasizing, “I need like 20k, 15k, 30k and up, majority of this whole damn load low asf, 1000-1600 are lows.”
Chief United States District Judge Jeffrey U. Beaverstock sentenced Williams and Lewis to serve 100 months and 60 months in federal prison, respectively. Following their release from prison, Williams and Lewis will each serve five-year terms of supervised release, during which time they will receive mental health evaluation and treatment, and will be subject to credit restrictions. The court did not impose a fine, but Chief Judge Beaverstock ordered the defendants to pay $234,246.63 in victim restitution and a total of $300 in special assessments. The court also forfeited $10,773.53 in cash seized from Williams to the United States.
Acting U.S. Attorney Keith A. Jones of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement and thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama for its significant partnership and coordination in the investigation and prosecution of this case.
The United States Postal Inspection Service and the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General investigated the case with significant assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Birmingham.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Roller and Scott Gray prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Source: United States Senator for Vermont – Bernie Sanders
WASHINGTON, March 7 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), today released a new report exposing the stark disparities in life expectancy based on income, education, race and geography. The findings show that working class people in America die much younger than the wealthiest people in our country.
The new analysis reveals that people living in the top 1% of counties ranked by median household income live seven years longer, on average, than Americans living in the bottom 50% of counties.
“The massive income and wealth inequality that exists in America today is not just an economic issue, it is literally a matter of life and death,” said Sanders. “In America today, the bottom 50% of our population can expect to live seven years shorter lives than the top 1%. Even worse, Americans who live in working-class, rural counties can expect to die 10 years younger than people who live in wealthier neighborhoods across the country. The enormous stress of living paycheck to paycheck not only causes far too many Americans to die much quicker than they should, but also leads to higher levels of anxiety, depression, cardiovascular disease and poor health. This is an issue that Congress must address.”
Here are the key findings from the report:
Wealthy Americans live longer than the working class. People living in the top 1% of counties ranked by median household income live an average of 84.3 years, while people living in the bottom 50% of counties ranked by median household income live an average of 77.4 years – a difference of 7 years.
Rural counties face the greatest disparities. Urban and suburban counties with a median household income of $100,000 have an average life expectancy of 81.6 years, while small rural counties with a median household income of $30,000 have an average life expectancy of 71.7 years – a 10-year gap.
Geographic disparities persist. In Loudoun County, Virginia, the highest-earning county in the U.S., life expectancy is 84 years. Just 350 miles away, in McDowell County, West Virginia, one of the lowest-earning counties in the U.S., the life expectancy is 69 years – a 15-year difference.
Higher incomes translate to longer lives. Among rural counties, a $10,000 increase in median annual household income is associated with an additional 2.6 years of life expectancy. Among lower- and lower-middle income populations in urban and suburban counties, the same income increase is associated with a 2.1-year gain in life expectancy.
Through a survey shared on social media, Sanders recently asked working people how stress impacts their lives. The response was overwhelming. Americans shared stories that paint a picture of daily hardship: the stress of affording health care, food, and gas; the anxiety of living paycheck to paycheck; and the feeling of hopelessness that comes from constant financial strain.
Here are just two of those responses.
Edwardo from Texas said: “We struggle to get sleep. Our diets fluctuate, and we get sick from spoiled food from the donation pantry. Working long hours I was recently injured and am struggling, unable to pay for care to help heal.”
Caitlan from Colorado said: “Stress isn’t just an inconvenience for me—it’s a direct threat to my heart. Living with a congenital heart defect and multiple mechanical valves means that every surge of anxiety, every sleepless night worrying about bills, isn’t just mentally exhausting—it physically wears on my heart. Stress triggers palpitations, spikes my blood pressure, and leaves me drained, knowing that too much of it could lead to serious complications. Managing it is a daily battle.”
The report released today also describes policy solutions that would support working Americans and make progress toward closing the life expectancy gap, including:
Raising the minimum wage to at least $17 an hour to ensure workers can earn a living wage.
Guaranteeing health care as a human right by enacting Medicare for All.
Ending the international embarrassment of the United States being the only major country on earth not to guarantee paid family and medical leave.
Making education from child care to trade school and graduate school available to everyone regardless of their income or ZIP code.
Expanding Social Security and restoring defined benefit pension plans so that every senior in America can retire with dignity.
Read the report here.
Moscow Exchange held a round table dedicated to equal career opportunities in public Russian companies.
Representatives of Russian business, consultants and experts in the field of sustainable development and stock exchange infrastructure discussed current issues and best practices of Russian companies aimed at ensuring equal career opportunities, and also assessed their contribution to popularizing the concept of sustainable development in the financial market.
As part of the event, Moscow Exchange presented the results of a study on the disclosure of non-financial information by 65 issuers – companies from the first and second levels of the Moscow Exchange quotation list that issued non-financial reports for 2023. According to the results of the study, 94% of companies disclose general information about the gender and age of employees, gender composition depending on the job level – 82%, but only 51% of issuers disclosed information on initiatives in the field of equal opportunities between men and women.
The event ended with the traditional ringing of the stock exchange bell, which is held in support of international initiatives to ensure equal career opportunities. These days, stock exchanges around the world demonstrate their commitment to these initiatives and draw attention to current issues in this area.
Elena Kuritsyna, Senior Managing Director for Issuer and Government Relations at Moscow Exchange:
“Every year in March, we hold a ceremonial ringing of the stock exchange bell in support of international initiatives to ensure equal career opportunities. This is one of the fundamental principles of the long-term sustainable development program, and the best practices of Russian companies can serve as a starting point for its popularization. Moreover, equal opportunities are a concept that affects each of us, daily influencing our career paths in business, science, sports and other areas of life. In today’s conditions, it is difficult to overestimate the importance of a balanced approach to recruitment and rewarding employees. Its widespread application can have a positive effect on the entire economy and society.”
Moscow Exchange is doing a lot of work with market participants in the field of sustainable development and is demonstrating by its own example the impact of implementing sustainable development principles. In 2025 Moscow Exchange included in updated ESG ranking Russian financial organizations, compiled by the National Rating Agency (NRA). Based on the degree of implementation of sustainable development principles in its strategic and operational activities, the exchange is included in the first, highest group of the ranking.
Moscow Exchange as an issuer adheres to the best practices in the field of non-financial reporting disclosure. In 2024, the fifth sustainability report, and for the first time a climate report has been prepared. The company has environmental policy, which defines the basic principles, objectives and priorities of the exchange’s activities in the field of environmental protection and nature management.
In January 2025, Moscow Exchange presented an updated version of the guide for issuers “How to comply with best sustainability practices”.
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The fall of the Assad regime has created a historic opportunity to rid Syria of chemical weapons and ensure long-term compliance with the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), the UN’s top disarmament official told the Security Council on Friday.
Briefing ambassadors, Izumi Nakamitsu, UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, welcomed steps taken by the country’s new authorities to engage with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and work toward full compliance with international law.
“Syria has started to take its steps towards this objective,” she said, emphasising the importance of seizing this moment to close all outstanding issues related to the country’s chemical weapons dossier.
Ms. Nakamitsu was briefing the Council pursuant to resolution 2118.
High Representative Nakamitsu briefing the Security Council.
The resolution required Syria to fully declare and destroy its chemical arsenal under OPCW supervision and warned of consequences, including under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, which provide for enforcement measures to address threats to international peace and security.
Since Syria joined the CWC in 2013, the chemical weapons watchdog has repeatedly raised concerns about the accuracy and completeness of its declarations, Ms. Nakamitsu said.
Despite 20 amendments to its initial submission, the OPCW Declaration Assessment Team found that the former regime had failed to provide sufficient and accurate information.
As a result, 19 unresolved issues remain, including concerns over undeclared chemical warfare agents and munitions. In addition, OPCW investigations documented multiple instances of chemical weapons use in Syria, several of which were carried out by Syrian Armed Forces.
“It is ‘undeniable’ that the previous authorities in Syria did not declare the full extent of its chemical weapons programme and that they continued to use, and possibly produce, chemical weapons after joining theConvention,” Ms. Nakamitsu told the Council, citing reports from the OPCW Technical Secretariat.
UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe
High Representative Nakamitsu briefs the Security Council.
New chapter of cooperation
“The situation left by the previous Syrian authorities is extremely worrying,” she continued, noting the willingness signalled by Syria’s new authorities to turn the page.
During a visit to Damascus on 8 February, the OPCW Director-General met top Syrian officials, who assured him of their commitment to dismantling the chemical weapons programme, she added.
The caretaker Foreign Minister formally appointed a focal point for chemical weapons issues within the government and held meetings with OPCW on implementing its “9-point Action Plan for Syria.”
An OPCW technical team is expected to be deployed to Damascus, to work on setting up a permanent presence in the country and planning joint site inspections.
Fighting in coastal areas
In spite of the promising developments, Ms. Nakamitsu cautioned that the road ahead will be challenging, as Syria continues to face significant humanitarian, security and recovery challenges.
Developments on the ground exemplify these concerns, with heavy fighting reported in coastal areas between Syrian Caretaker Authority forces and soldiers loyal to the former regime. According to media reports, at least 70 people have been killed.
Among them was a UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) staff member who was caught in a crossfire on his way back from work.
“We are still determining the precise facts, there is clearly an immediate need for restraint from all parties, and full respect for the protection of civilians in accordance with international law,” he said in a statement.
UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe
A wide view of the Security Council meeting on chemical weapons in Syria.
International support needed
Back in the Security Council, Ms. Nakamitsu reminded ambassadors that Syria will need “strong support” from international partners.
“In order to accomplish all the tasks needed to rid Syria of all chemical weapons, the OPCW Technical Secretariat and the new authorities in Syria will require strong support and additional resources from the international community,” she said.
She urged Council members to unite in supporting this unprecedented effort, emphasising that the elimination of chemical weapons in Syria is not just a national priority but a matter of regional and global security.
“The United Nations stands ready to provide support however we can and will continue to do our part to uphold the norm against the use of chemical weapons – anywhere, at any time,” she concluded.
Lisa Beare, Minister of Education and Child Care, and Rohini Arora, parliamentary secretary for child care, have released the following statement about the extension of the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement with British Columbia:
“We welcome the Government of Canada’s continued investment in early learning and child care here in B.C., as we are stronger when we work together.
“The federal government is committing more than $5.3 billion over five years. This investment will assist our government in supporting families throughout our province as we work to make child care a core service people can rely on. Access to affordable and quality child care is life-changing for parents and it’s good for our communities and our economy as a whole.
“From speaking with constituents, families and advocates, we know the relief that comes with securing quality child care you can afford. The additional federal funding over the next five years will assist our government in continuing to make child care more affordable for families. By increasing access to child care, this funding will support early childhood educators and others in the child care workforce to deliver the quality child care families need.
“In 2021, B.C. was the first jurisdiction in Canada to sign a Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement with the Government of Canada. We look forward to continuing to work with the federal government to deliver on our shared priorities and work together to build a future where all families have access to affordable, quality, inclusive and culturally relevant child care, no matter where they live.
“As we face a time of economic uncertainty, investing in child care is helping us build a stronger, more secure future, and we will continue supporting families and making life better for British Columbians.”
A Kentucky man was sentenced today to 30 years in prison for producing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) in the Philippines.
According to court documents, from February 2021 through November 2021, while living in the Philippines, Robert Maxwell Werner, 46, of Walton, purchased access from a Filipino individual to dozens of minor victims for in-person, livestreamed, and recorded sexual acts. For several months, Werner paid this individual for custom-created CSAM, in which the individual would sexually abuse these minors and force the minors to engage in sexual acts together for foreign customers like Werner. Werner also paid the individual for five in‑person meetings with minors at hotels and rental properties in the Philippines. During those meetings, Werner sexually abused multiple minors. In exchange, Werner would provide money, food, clothing, and basic necessities for the minors, who lived in desperate circumstances.
As part of his plea agreement, Werner admitted to engaging in sexually explicit conduct with at least one minor for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of that conduct between July 2021 and November 2021, while in the Philippines. Werner further admitted to transporting that sexually explicit material into the United States. Additionally, once he returned to the United States, Werner continued to solicit CSAM from the individual for at least another month.
Supervisory Official Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Paul McCaffrey for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division made the announcement.
The FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit investigated the case, with substantial assistance from the Philippine National Bureau of Investigation and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.
Trial Attorney Rachel L. Rothberg of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth for the Eastern District of Kentucky prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A Kentucky man was sentenced today to 30 years in prison for producing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) in the Philippines.
According to court documents, from February 2021 through November 2021, while living in the Philippines, Robert Maxwell Werner, 46, of Walton, purchased access from a Filipino individual to dozens of minor victims for in-person, livestreamed, and recorded sexual acts. For several months, Werner paid this individual for custom-created CSAM, in which the individual would sexually abuse these minors and force the minors to engage in sexual acts together for foreign customers like Werner. Werner also paid the individual for five in‑person meetings with minors at hotels and rental properties in the Philippines. During those meetings, Werner sexually abused multiple minors. In exchange, Werner would provide money, food, clothing, and basic necessities for the minors, who lived in desperate circumstances.
As part of his plea agreement, Werner admitted to engaging in sexually explicit conduct with at least one minor for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of that conduct between July 2021 and November 2021, while in the Philippines. Werner further admitted to transporting that sexually explicit material into the United States. Additionally, once he returned to the United States, Werner continued to solicit CSAM from the individual for at least another month.
Supervisory Official Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Paul McCaffrey for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division made the announcement.
The FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit investigated the case, with substantial assistance from the Philippine National Bureau of Investigation and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.
Trial Attorney Rachel L. Rothberg of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth for the Eastern District of Kentucky prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
PEORIA, Ill. – A Marquette Heights, Illinois, man, Dalton Lee Mattus, 35, was sentenced on March 5, 2025, to an aggregate 57 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possessing a firearm as a felon, possessing a stolen firearm, and possessing an unregistered destructive device.
At the sentencing hearing in front of Senior U.S. District Judge Michael M. Mihm, the court was informed that Mattus had multiple prior criminal convictions within Tazewell and Peoria Counties that prohibited him from possessing a firearm. In May 2024, he was the passenger in a car that was stopped by Pekin Police Department officers. During the traffic stop, the officers confiscated a locked bag from the car. After obtaining a search warrant for the bag, they found a stolen Springfield Armory XD-S .45 caliber semiautomatic pistol and two unregistered destructive devices. The devices were made from cardboard tubing, metal BBs, and chemical powder used to make explosives. The officers also obtained a search warrant for Mattus’s residence, where they found three additional unregistered destructive devices, along with materials to make several more. Officers also seized 50 rounds of live ammunition and equipment used to assemble and disassemble firearms.
In sentencing Mattus, Judge Mihm commented that while this was a very serious case, what was most troubling was that the explosives were homemade and were intended to harm others. The judge commented that this is “about as bad as it gets.”
Mattus was arrested by the Pekin Police Department in May 2024, and a federal complaint was filed two weeks later, followed by a federal indictment in June 2024. He entered a guilty plea in October 2024.
The statutory penalties for possessing a firearm as a felon are not more than 15 years’ imprisonment. The maximum term of imprisonment for possessing a stolen firearm and possessing an unregistered destructive device is ten years’ imprisonment. Each count carries up to a three-year term of supervised release.
The Peoria Area Federal Firearms Task Force, comprised of agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Peoria Police Department; the Peoria County Sheriff’s Department; Illinois Department of Corrections; and the Illinois State Police, investigated the case. The Pekin Police Department and Tazewell County Sheriff’s Department also participated in the investigation.
The case against Mattus is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Source: United States of America – Department of State (video statements)
We are fully committed to bringing every American hostage and wrongful detainee home.
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Under the leadership of the President and Secretary of State, the U.S. Department of State leads America’s foreign policy through diplomacy, advocacy, and assistance by advancing the interests of the American people, their safety and economic prosperity. On behalf of the American people we promote and demonstrate democratic values and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world.
The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President’s chief foreign affairs adviser. The Secretary carries out the President’s foreign policies through the State Department, which includes the Foreign Service, Civil Service and U.S. Agency for International Development.
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The dire situation of women and girls in Afghanistan was discussed at a conference held at the initiative of Iceland at the headquarters of UNESCO in Paris today on the occasion of International Women’s Day. A video address from the Minister for Foreign Affairs, H.E. Ms. Thorgerdur Katrin Gunnarsdottir, was delivered at the beginning of the conference where the Minister emphasized that the international community must not forget the human rights of Afghan women and girls.
“The international community must remain firm in supporting Afghan women and girls. Their full enjoyment of all their human rights, including the right to education, should be our ultimate goal. Advocacy must be relentless and strategic, ensuring that the rights of Afghan women and girls remain a global priority. ” said the Minister in her address.
Prior to that, Mr. Xing Qu, Deputy Director-General of UNESCO, addressed the conference and gave an overview of the situation in Afghanistan and UNESCO’s action in the fields of education and culture. A diverse group of Afghan women activists and NGO representatives participated in two panel discussions and shared the immense challenges they face following the Taliban’s takeover in 2021.
Afghanistan is the only country in the world where girls are banned from attending school after the age of 12. Women are only allowed to receive healthcare services from other women, and last year, they were banned from pursuing healthcare education. This situation is putting the lives and health of half the population at risk, with Afghanistan having the highest female mortality rate in the world, and half of the population facing severe poverty. [Additional content will be added tomorrow, including Richard Bennett]. Finally, video testimonies from women living in Afghanistan were shown, in which they described their circumstances, followed by lively discussions in the hall.
UNESCO is responsible for SDG 4 on Education and plays an important role in Afghanistan. The Organization has trained teachers, who provide education in Afghan provinces and for Afghan refugees in neighbouring countries, in collaboration with NGOs. It has also organized online distance learning, aired educational programs on the radio, and made partnership agreements universities so that women can complete higher education outside the country. Iceland serves as a member of the UNESCO Executive Board for the period 2021-2025 and has led negotiations on resolutions on the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan, in collaboration with the Group of Friends of Afghanistan in UNESCO.
Today, on International Working Women’s Day, FIRST Union is proud to announce that a pay equity claim has been raised with employers on behalf of hundreds of veterinary nurses who work for private providers across Aotearoa.
“As a primarily female-dominated profession, veterinary nurses are historically underpaid and socially undervalued – this must change, and it begins with fair pay,” said Sheryl Cadman, FIRST Union central regional secretary.
“Most vet nurses currently earn around $25 per hour – more than $2 below the current living wage – and the industry as a whole is massively struggling with the recruitment of new vet nurses and the retention of experienced workers,” said Ms Cadman.
“Typically, the vet nurses who care for our pets and livestock can expect to start on minimum wage after completing a 2-year diploma or 3-year bachelor’s degree.”
The Boehringer Ingelheim whitepaper also showed that 41% of veterinary nurses expect to leave the industry within five years, and only 26% expect to stay until retirement.
Jasmin Searle, an Auckland-based senior veterinary nurse and practice manager who has worked in the industry for almost eight years, said that many of her colleagues have chosen to leave the profession due to rising burnout and mental health pressures, stemming from a large workload and insufficient staffing levels.
“I love my job, but I’ve almost walked away from it before,” said Ms Searle. “The combination of poor pay, poor working conditions, and a lack of support led to six resignations within 18 months at my previous clinic.”
“It’s historically considered a ‘caring’ role that relies on soft skills and has been classed as women’s work, leading to major pay disparities with comparable professions and a misunderstanding of what our jobs actually involve.”
“Veterinary nurses are responsible for the majority of a patient’s care – everything from anaesthesia and intubation to X-rays, bloodwork and the administration of IVs.”
“The vast majority of vet nurses who leave the industry do so because they’re heading for Australia, where the pay is better, or they’re leaving the industry altogether because it’s simply not sustainable to operate under so much stress in the long-term for such little pay.”
Ms Cadman said that the majority of veterinary practices are owned by large companies like Vetpartners, Vetlife, Pet Doctors and Animates, who are private entities competing on wages and conditions with each other. According to a2020 Companion Animals in New Zealand(CANZ) report, the country has the second highest proportion of pet ownership in the world.
“We’re a nation of pet lovers but we are not valuing the skilled workers who are there for us and our friends in their time of greatest need,” said Ms Cadman.
“This pay equity claim is more than just about securing a fair wage; it’s about creating a sustainable future for the profession.”
FIRST Union’s pay equity claim for veterinary nurses will receive legal support and assistance from the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi (PSA).
