Headline: Apple elevates the iPhone experience with iOS 26
June 9, 2025
PRESS RELEASE
Apple elevates the iPhone experience with iOS 26
The release delivers a stunning new design, powerful Apple Intelligence capabilities, new ways to stay connected in the Phone and Messages apps, and exciting updates to CarPlay, Apple Music, Maps, and Wallet
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today previewed iOS 26, a major update that brings a beautiful new design, intelligent experiences, and improvements to the apps users rely on every day. The new design provides a more expressive and delightful experience across the system while maintaining the instant familiarity of iOS. Integrated throughout the system and built with privacy from the ground up, Apple Intelligence gets even more capable. Updates to the Phone and Messages apps help users stay connected while eliminating distractions like unwanted calls. iOS 26 also introduces new features in CarPlay, Apple Music, Maps, and Wallet, as well as Apple Games, a brand-new app that gives players a single destination for all their games.
“iOS 26 shines with the gorgeous new design and meaningful improvements to the features users rely on every day, making iPhone even more helpful,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering. “Experiences are more expressive and personal, from the Lock Screen and Home Screen, to new capabilities across Phone and Messages that help users focus on the connections that matter most. And with powerful new Apple Intelligence capabilities integrated across the system, users can get things done easier than ever.”
A Beautiful New Look
The new design makes apps and system experiences more expressive and delightful, while keeping iOS instantly familiar. It’s crafted with Liquid Glass — a new translucent material that reflects and refracts its surroundings, bringing greater focus to content, and delivering a new level of vitality across controls, navigation, app icons, widgets, and more. The new design extends to the Home Screen and Lock Screen, making them more personal and expressive than ever. Liquid Glass also brings new customization options to app icons and widgets, including a stunning clear look.
On the Lock Screen, the time fluidly adapts to the available space in an image, and spatial scenes bring wallpapers to life with a 3D effect when users move iPhone. Updated design elements also deliver fresh experiences in apps. A simplified, streamlined Camera layout helps users keep their attention on the moment they’re capturing, and the Photos app is updated to feature separate tabs for Library and Collections views. In Safari, web pages flow from the top edge to the bottom of the screen, enabling users to see more of the page while maintaining access to frequently used actions like refresh and search. In Apple Music, News, and Podcasts, the tab bar is redesigned to float above users’ content, dynamically shrink when users are browsing to put content front and center, and then expand when they scroll back up.
An updated set of APIs provides developers with access to Liquid Glass materials and components so they can make their apps appear just as dynamic and delightful.
New Capabilities Powered by Apple Intelligence
Apple Intelligence elevates the iPhone experience and helps users get things done easier than ever, while unlocking new ways to communicate and do more with what’s on their screen. Live Translation is integrated into Messages, FaceTime, and Phone to help users communicate across languages, translating text and audio on the fly.1 Live Translation is enabled by Apple-built models that run entirely on device, so users’ personal conversations stay personal.
Building on Apple Intelligence, visual intelligence extends to a user’s iPhone screen so they can search and take action on anything they’re viewing across apps. Users can ask ChatGPT questions about what they’re looking at onscreen to learn more, as well as search Google, Etsy, or other supported apps to find similar images and products. Visual intelligence also recognizes when a user is looking at an event and suggests adding it to their calendar, repopulating key details like date, time, and location.2
Genmoji and Image Playground provide users with even more ways to express themselves, including mixing their favorite emoji, Genmoji, and descriptions together to create something new.3
Shortcuts are now more powerful and intelligent than ever. Users can tap into intelligent actions, a whole new set of shortcuts enabled by Apple Intelligence, and will see dedicated actions for features like Writing Tools and Image Playground.
Apple Intelligence can now automatically identify and summarize order tracking details from emails sent from merchants and delivery carriers, giving users the ability to see their full order details and progress notifications all in one place — even for purchases not made with Apple Pay.
Additionally, a new Foundation Models framework opens up access for any app to tap directly into the on-device foundation model at the core of Apple Intelligence, giving developers direct access to powerful intelligence that’s fast, built with privacy at its core, and available offline, using AI inference that is free of cost.
Features for Staying Connected and Eliminating Interruptions
Fundamental to the iPhone experience, the Phone app now offers a unified layout that combines Favorites, Recents, and Voicemails all in one place. Call Screening builds on Live Voicemail and helps eliminate interruptions by gathering information from the caller and giving users the details they need to decide if they want to pick up or ignore the call.4 And for the times when a user is stuck on hold, Hold Assist notifies the user when a live agent is available.5
In Messages, users can now screen messages from unknown senders, giving them more control over who appears in their conversation list. Messages from unknown senders will appear in a dedicated folder where users can then mark the number as known, ask for more information, or delete. These messages will remain silenced until a user accepts them.
iOS 26 also offers enhancements to conversations, including custom backgrounds and the ability to create polls. With Apple Intelligence, Messages can detect when a poll might come in handy and suggest one, and users can generate unique backgrounds that fit their conversation with Image Playground. Additionally, in group chats, users can now see typing indicators, and request, send, and receive Apple Cash.6
Enhancements to CarPlay
CarPlay — the smarter, safer way to use iPhone while driving — is used over 600 million times per day, and now with iOS 26, it receives updates that make it even more beautiful and easy to use. The stunning design includes a new compact view for incoming calls, allowing users to see who’s calling without missing key information like upcoming directions. iOS 26 also brings Tapbacks and pinned conversations to Messages in CarPlay, and with widgets and Live Activities, users can stay in the loop without losing focus on the road. These updates also come to CarPlay Ultra, which brings the best of iPhone and the best of the car together for a deeply integrated, unified experience across every screen.
Updates to Apple Music, Maps, and Wallet
In Apple Music, Lyrics Translation helps users understand the words to their favorite songs, while Lyrics Pronunciation allows everyone to sing along, regardless of language. AutoMix uses intelligence to transition from one song to the next like a DJ, using time stretching and beat matching to seamlessly move from one song to the next.
In Apple Maps, Visited Places help users remember the places they’ve been. Users can choose to have iPhone detect when they’re at a place like a restaurant or shop, and view all of their Visited Places in Maps. Visited Places are protected with end-to-end encryption and cannot be accessed by Apple. Additionally, iPhone can now use on-device intelligence to better understand a user’s daily route, presenting them with their preferred route when they’re headed home or to the office, along with notifying them of delays and offering alternate routes.
Updates in Apple Wallet help make everyday interactions with the physical world easier than ever. Users can choose to pay with installments or rewards when they make in-store purchases with Apple Pay using iPhone. Refreshed boarding passes in Wallet offer the ability to see and share Live Activities for real-time updates on a flight. They also provide convenient access to a traveler’s most relevant information, such as Maps to navigate airports, Find My to track important items and report missing bags, and more.
Additional features in iOS 26:
Apple Games is a new app that gives players an all-in-one destination for their games. It helps players jump back into titles they love, find their next favorite, and have even more fun with friends. They’ll find out what’s happening across all their games, including major events and updates, so they never miss a moment. The Games app is also the best way to experience Apple Arcade, Apple’s game subscription service with more than 200 award-winning and highly rated games for the whole family.
AirPods are more versatile than ever with new features for AirPods 4, AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), and AirPods Pro 2. Building on the benefits of Voice Isolation, studio-quality audio recording allows iPhone, iPad, and Mac users to record their content with great sound quality and enjoy even clearer calls. With camera remote, users can press and hold the AirPods stem to take a photo or start and stop a video recording on iPhone or iPad.
Parents can now create or move kids into Child Accounts even more easily, taking advantage of a wide set of parental controls designed to keep children safe. Enhancements across Communication Limits, Communication Safety, and the App Store include parental approvals for contact requests from kids, blurring out sensitive content in FaceTime calls and photos in Shared Albums, and enabling parents to grant an exception for their child to download an app with an age rating that exceeds the app content restriction they set.
Browsing in Safari gets even more private with advanced fingerprinting protection extending to all browsing by default.
Powerful accessibility features include Accessibility Reader, which provides a customized systemwide reading experience, and Braille Access, an all-new interface for iPhone devices with connected braille displays. Updates to Live Listen, Background Sounds, Personal Voice, and more bring a new level of accessibility across the Apple ecosystem.
Availability
All of these features are available for testing starting today through the Apple Developer Program at developer.apple.com, and a public beta will be available through the Apple Beta Software Program next month at beta.apple.com. New software features will be available this fall as a free software update for iPhone 11 and later. The Apple Intelligence features detailed require supported devices, which include all iPhone 16 models, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPad mini (A17 Pro), and iPad and Mac models with M1 and later that have Apple Intelligence enabled and Siri and device language set to the same supported language: English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish, Japanese, Korean, or Chinese (simplified). More languages will be coming by the end of this year: Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (traditional), and Vietnamese. For more information, visit apple.com/apple-intelligence. Features are subject to change. Some features may not be available in all languages or regions, and availability may vary due to local laws and regulations. For more information about availability, visit apple.com.
About Apple Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro. Apple’s six software platforms — iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, visionOS, and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, iCloud, and Apple TV+. Apple’s more than 150,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth and to leaving the world better than we found it.
Live Translation in Messages supports English (U.S., UK), French (France), German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish (Spain), and Chinese (simplified). Live Translation in Phone and FaceTime is available for one-on-one calls in English (U.S., UK), French (France), German, Portuguese (Brazil), and Spanish (Spain).
The ability to add an event to a calendar with visual intelligence is available in English on all iPhone 16 models, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Genmoji and Image Playground are available in English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish, and Japanese.
Call Screening supports Cantonese (China mainland, Hong Kong, Macao), English (U.S., Australia, Canada, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Singapore, South Africa, UK), French (Canada, France), German (Germany), Japanese (Japan), Korean (Korea), Mandarin Chinese (China mainland, Taiwan, Macao), Portuguese (Brazil), and Spanish (U.S., Mexico, Puerto Rico, Spain).
Hold Assist supports English (U.S., Australia, Canada, India, Singapore, UK), French (France), Spanish (U.S., Mexico, Spain), German (Germany), Portuguese (Brazil), Japanese (Japan), and Mandarin Chinese (mainland China).
Apple Cash services are provided by Green Dot Bank, Member FDIC. Apple Payments Services LLC, a subsidiary of Apple Inc., is a service provider of Green Dot Bank for Apple Cash accounts. Neither Apple Inc. nor Apple Payments Services LLC is a bank. Learn more about the terms and conditions. Only available in the U.S. on eligible devices.
Headline: Everything announced at Xbox Games Showcase 2025
And there were a lot of games on show, with players getting a look at just some of the games they can look forward to this year. From our first-party studios, we saw a world premiere for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, an unexpected Obsidian double-bill in the form of The Outer Worlds 2 and Grounded 2, a world premiere of Double Fine’s otherworldly Keeper,a first look at Indiana Jones and the Great Circle’s Order of the Giants DLC, and got new gameplay from Ninja Gaiden 4, and Gears of War: Reloaded. Looking further ahead, we also saw extended gameplay for Clockwork Revolution, showing us more from inXile’s most ambitious game yet.
And from our partners, there’s even more to look forward to. New studio Quarter Up brought us a wonderful surprise in the form of Invincible VS, Square Enix announced that Final Fantasy XVI arrives for Xbox today – with Final Fantasy Remake Intergradeto come later this year – and Atlus introduced us to Persona 4 Revival.
We also saw follow-ups to indie hits like Super Meat Boy 3D, High on Life 2, and Planet of Lana II as well as world premieres and new looks at some incredibly exciting new ideas, including The Blood of Dawnwalker, Game Freak’s Beast of Reincarnation, and At Fate’s End, the new game from the creators of the beloved Spiritfarer – among many others.
And after a huge 2025 filled with games from today’s double feature, there’s so much more to come. Phil Spencer closed the show by speaking about the upcoming 25th anniversary of Xbox, with the exciting proclamation that, in 2026, Xbox players will celebrate a quarter-century of Xbox with a new Fable, the next Forza, Gears of War E-Day, and, “The return of a classic that’s been with us since the beginning…”
And the fun only continued in The Outer Worlds 2& Grounded 2 Direct, which followed immediately after Xbox Games Showcase concluded. Presented by the developers at Obsidian Entertainment, the show offered brand new information and gameplay for the sequel to the award-winning RPG, and also offered up some details on a whole other game arriving this year after the surprise announcement of Grounded 2. Make sure to check back for full rundowns on what was announced in the second part of our enormous double feature.
Want to catch up on everything from the show? Read on for every single announcement and reveal from the Xbox Games Showcase 2025:
Introducing the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X Handhelds
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The ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X are two new handhelds that combine the power of Xbox with the freedom you expect from Windows. Both launch holiday 2025 in select markets, with availability to follow for other markets where ROG Ally series are sold today.
Together with ASUS, we’ve combined our strengths and technical expertise to provide a premium gaming experience that travels with players wherever they go. With the Xbox Ally, it’s never been easier to access your favorite games – from Xbox, Battle.net, and other leading third-party PC storefronts – all from a single device.
Find out more about both handhelds – including specs, features, the new Xbox full screen experience, and more – in our dedicated Xbox Wire article. Pricing, pre-orders and more will follow in the coming months.
Welcome to 2035 — Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Brings the Most Mind-Bending Action to Date
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one on Game Pass – also available on Battle.net, Steam, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4
For the first time in Call of Duty history, developers Treyarch and Raven Software are bringing players Black Ops titles back-to-back with the confirmation of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7.
The year is 2035 and the world is on the brink of chaos, ravaged by conflict and psychological warfare following the narrative events of Black Ops 2 and Black Ops 6. With cutting-edge technology in hand, the Black Ops team led by David Mason must fight back against a manipulative enemy who weaponizes fear above all else.
Squad up with friends or play solo in the innovative Co-op Campaign, harness near-future weaponry in the signature Multiplayer mode packed with brand-new maps, and descend into the next twisted chapter of Round-Based Zombies in the heart of the Dark Aether.
This tease is just the beginning. Don’t miss the official reveal of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 this summer.
Extended Look at Steampunk RPG, Clockwork Revolution in New Trailer
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day on with Game Pass – also available on Steam
Clockwork Revolution—the time-bending RPG from inXile entertainment – debuted a new trailer, revealing the grittier side of the steampunk city of Avalon. This is where the downtrodden steal to survive, gangs prey on the weak, and where our hero Morgan calls home. After discovering that history has been carefully crafted by the city’s ruler, Lady Ironwood, you’ll use a time travel device to go into the past and set things straight – in whatever way you see fit.
We have an exclusive interview from inXile on what makes the game tick, from reactive storytelling to weapon crafting, and why this is their most ambitious project yet.
Gears of War: Reloaded – New Trailer Revealed, Multiplayer Beta Announced
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – also available on Steam, PlayStation 5
Gears of War is coming to more players than ever before with the upcoming release of Gears of War: Reloaded on August 26, 2025 for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud, Steam and PlayStation 5.
An all-new trailer showcases the iconic gameplay and cinematics that changed gaming forever, now lovingly remastered. This is the definitive release, optimized for each platform, featuring 4K textures, 60 FPS in Campaign, 120 FPS in Multiplayer, cross-play, cross-progression and more.
Additionally, a two-weekend Multiplayer Beta begins June 13, taking place across all platforms, for Game Pass Ultimate/Game Pass PC members, owners of the digital version of Gears of War: Ultimate Edition, and those with Gears of War: Reloaded preorders.
Be sure to check out our Xbox Wire feature, which includes an Official Xbox Podcast interview with The Coalition, as well as details of how to participate in the Beta.
Grounded 2 Heads to Game Preview and Steam Early Access July 29
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Xbox Game Preview with Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – also available on Steam Early Access
Grounded 2 steps out of the backyard and into the suburban wilderness—new bugs, new biomes, same tiny chaos. Set in the all-new Brookhollow Park and featuring the return of our teen heroes, this continuation brings major quality-of-life upgrades like the all-in-one Omni-Tool and delivers on one of the community’s most requested features: rideable Buggies. It’s not just a sequel—it’s the follow-up fans were hoping for, packed with sharper tools, weirder bugs, and enough callbacks to make you wonder if we’ve been lurking in your forum threads (spoiler: we have).
Built in partnership with Eidos-Montréal and launching into Game Preview on July 29, Grounded 2 brings more story, systems, and surprises from the very beginning—shaped by over 25 million players and counting. Whether you’re returning or just jumping in, wishlist today on Xbox and Steam, and get ready to ride together, survive together, and help shape this world with us.
For a full breakdown of new features, Buggies, story details, and what to expect in Game Preview, check out the complete Xbox Wire post here.
Keeper: A Beautiful, Otherworldly Adventure from Lee Petty and Double Fine Productions, Arrives October 17
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – also available on Steam
Keeper – the beautiful, otherworldly third-person adventure from Double Fine Productions – was announced during the show with a somewhat psychedelic and mysterious first trailer. And we don’t have long to wait – it arrives on October 17.
We encountered a Lighthouse that, after eons of standing dormant, falls to the ground, breaking into heaps of rubble, but then reassembles and stands up again on newly formed legs. It has awakened.
Yes folks that’s right, in Keeper you play a walking Lighthouse, able to shine a beam of bright light that affects the world around it, with a spirited seabird companion coming along for the ride. The trailer takes us on an epic adventure into a strange unknowable island, joining the Lighthouse on a journey toward the center of the island.
Find out more about the story in the game, and the story behind the game, in our Xbox Wire article.
The Path to Master Ninja Begins: Ninja Gaiden 4 Emerges from the Shadows October 21
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – also available on Steam, PlayStation 5
The legendary ninja action franchise returns in Ninja Gaiden 4, a high-octane fusion of Team Ninja’s signature combat and PlatinumGames’ dynamic flair. The trailer that debuted during the show provides a deeper look at Yakumo, a young ninja prodigy, and an array of new weapons at his disposal as he battles through hordes of enemies.
From seamless weapon switching and obliteration techniques to the explosive return of Bloodbind Ninjutsu and Ninpo arts, the trailer teases a brutal, stylish evolution of the series. With a sneak peek at new characters like Seori, massive boss battles, the mysterious connection to the legendary Ryu Hayabusa, and a near-future Tokyo struggling in the grips of an overwhelming evil, Ninja Gaiden 4 is set to deliver a legacy reborn when it launches October 21. We went hands-on with the game for the first time and interviewed its director – find out much more in our article.
The Outer Worlds 2 Gets a New Trailer and a Huge Deep-Dive
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – also available on Battle.net, Steam, PlayStation 5
The Outer Worlds 2 pulls you into Arcadia – a colony isolated from the rest of the system, fought over by power-hungry factions, and on the brink of near to mid-term collapse by rifts forming in the space around it. With the future up for grabs, survival might depend on your choices, your alliances… and maybe a few well-placed deals along the way. Featured in the Xbox Games Showcase and expanded in today’s The Outer Worlds 2 Direct, this bigger, bolder sequel builds on everything fans loved about the original: deeper RPG systems, sharper satire, and wildly reactive storytelling. With new companions, enhanced movement and combat, science weapons and armor, and full character customization, The Outer Worlds 2 puts you at the center of a chaotic struggle for Arcadia’s future. Launching October 29, 2025, it hands you the chaos and asks: what are you going to do with it? The world needs a hero. You’ll have to do.
For a full breakdown of factions, features, editions, and pre-order details, check out the complete Xbox Wire post here.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4: Foundry Demo Out Today!
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one on Game Pass – also available on Battle.net, Steam, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4. Foundry demo not available on Nintendo Switch platforms
The Birdman returns along with a host of legendary and new parks, skaters, tricks, and more with the upcoming release of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 on July 11. The remake brings a robust Career mode across two tours, Single Sessions and Speedruns, and Free Skate to help nail those tricky combos without the heat of a timer.
Play the Foundry Demo now with a pre-order (see available platforms here), PC Game Pass or Game Pass Ultimate and shred across the Foundry and College parks as Tony Hawk and Rayssa Leal. Digital Deluxe Edition purchasers will exclusively have access to skate as The Doom Slayer! For the latest news, visit tonyhawkthegame.com.
Aniimo Is a Beautiful New Creature Collecting Action-RPG
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere – see developer website for other platforms
Revealed for the first time today, Aniimo is a ground-breaking open-world ARPG where players are invited to join in the exploration of a living and dynamic world, and meet the magical Aniimo that inhabit it. Instead of waiting for someone else to create their dream game, the Aniimo team did it themselves. Travel across a beautiful new world, meeting, learning about, and capturing the Aniimo that inhabit it. Battle Aniimo in real-time, or use the Twining system to become an Aniimo, and experience the game in a whole new way. Aniimo will arrive in 2026, but a closed beta begins for PC players later this year – find out how to join in here.
Aphelion Is a Sci-Fi Adventure Grounded in Real-World Science
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – see developer website for other platforms
Aphelion is a third-person sci-fi adventure from Don’t Nod (Life Is Strange, Jusant). After crash-landing on a frozen planet, astronaut Ariane must navigate brutal terrain and shifting realities to rescue her injured partner, Thomas. Blending exploration, traversal, and tense stealth gameplay, Aphelion delivers a cinematic, emotionally charged journey through an uncharted world. Play as both characters to understand the mystery of the planet Persephone in a story grounded in real-world science, and made in partnership with the European Space Agency. Aphelion arrives in 2026.
At Fate’s End Is the Captivating New Game from the Spiritfarer Team
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – see developer website for other platforms
Thunder Lotus proudly revealed At Fate’s End, an action-adventure game where you fight the ones you love. Wield the legendary God Sword Aesus as Shan, the deft young heiress of the Hemlock clan. Solve intricate narrative puzzles, uncover painful truths, and hone both your blade skills and knowledge to face your estranged siblings in intense, emotional duels – and ultimately decide your family’s fate. From the award-winning team behind Spiritfarer, At Fate’s End weaves tight, visceral action with rich narrative depth, exploring the complicated bonds between brothers and sisters in a world where swords clash and family wounds run deep.
Game Freak & Fictions Reveal Beast of Reincarnation
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – see developer website for other platforms
The show revealed the first trailer for Beast of Reincarnation, a new action-RPG from revered developer Game Freak. Set in a post-apocalyptic Japan, the world has become consumed by corruption and overtaken by formidable beasts. Play as Emma, a cursed outcast, and her loyal dog Koo as they journey through a dangerous, ever-shifting world that demands precision and mastery of technical combat. Uncover what it means to be human at the edge of extinction in Beast of Reincarnation.
The Blood of Dawnwalker Reveals its First Gameplay Trailer
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere – see developer website for other platforms
From Rebel Wolves and Bandai Namco Entertainment, comes a brand new dark fantasy role playing saga: The Blood of Dawnwalker. You play as Coen, a young man turned into a Dawnwalker: half-man, half-vampire, forever treading the line between the world of day and the realm of night. Fight for your humanity or embrace the cursed powers to save your family. Whatever your choice, the question stands: is your soul worth the lives of those you love? Coming in 2026, wishlist now on Xbox Series X/S and Xbox on PC.
Cronos: The New Dawn – New Survival Horror from Bloober Team Arrives This Fall
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere – see developer website for other platforms
Get ready to embark on a haunting journey this fall as Cronos: The New Dawn arrives. In this gripping third-person survival horror, step into the shoes of the Traveler, an agent of the mysterious Collective, whose mission is to salvage what remains of humanity. In the time-warped nightmare of the future, monsters known as Orphans stalk the land. Emerging from the downfall of mankind, these grotesque creatures can fuse together to create even deadlier foes.
In the gameplay trailer, we witnessed the Traveler descending into an Orphan nest, confronting the twisted creatures that inhabit its depths. The corpses of fallen Travelers tell a grim tale, yet their final recordings offer crucial warnings. Can you succeed where others have failed?
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade Is Coming to Xbox
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Play Anywhere – see developer website for other platforms
The beloved, expanded remake of the genre-defining Final Fantasy VII is on its way to Xbox this Winter. Relive the first act of the iconic 1997 game as Cloud Strife, the legendary hero, meets unforgettable allies and explores the dystopian city of Midgar. Culminating in a dramatic escape, this pivotal chapter sets the stage for one of gaming’s most legendary stories.
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade includes both the base game and Intermission—a story episode starring Yuffie Kisaragi, the spirited ninja from Wutai. Her episode offers a different perspective on the events of the main game, expanding the world and deepening the lore. Relive one of gaming’s greatest stories on Xbox.
Final Fantasy XVI Comes to Xbox Today
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Play Anywhere – see developer website for other platforms
Surprise! Final Fantasy XVI, the iconic (or should that be Eikonic?) action-RPG comes to Xbox platforms today. With an enormous medieval fantasy world, a dramatic, mature storyline, and lightning-fast action combat, this is a true gaming epic. Its release means that every mainline single player Final Fantasy game is now playable with Xbox.
Fans can purchase either the Standard or Complete Edition, with the latter boasting all expansions and DLC. Plus, as an Xbox Play Anywhere title, one purchase lets you play across all Xbox platforms, with full cross-save. Find out more in our Xbox Wire article.
High On Life 2 Comes to Game Pass This Winter!
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – see developer website for other platforms
High On Life returns, as you and your beloved rag-tag team of alien misfits shoot, stab, and skate your way through weird alien worlds across the galaxy to blow up an evil pharmaceutical conglomerate hell-bent on putting a price tag on human life!
Wreak havoc at the galaxy’s biggest convention, an alien zoo for humans, and a luxury futuristic cruise liner on your cosmic quest to take down big pharma. And stay tuned for an exclusive trailer breakdown with Squanch Games on the Xbox YouTube channel.
Invincible VS: Quarter Up Reveals 3v3 Tag Fighting Game – Coming in 2026
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud,Xbox Play Anywhere – see developer website for other platforms
Quarter Up, Skybound’s first in-house gaming development studio, revealed Invincible VS. The trailer reveals a brutal, tournament-quality superhero 3v3 tag fighting game set in the award-winning Invincible Universe. It also showcases: fan-favorite superheroes Mark (Invincible), Thula, Bulletproof and Atom Eve; iconic arenas; the high-stakes of bloody superhero battles; and an authentic depiction of battle damage and bloody combat fans know and love. Invincible VS will launch in 2026.
Mudang: Two Hearts Is a Cinematic Tactical Action-Adventure Arriving in 2026
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere – see developer website for other platforms
Mudang: Two Hearts is a third-person tactical action adventure set on the Korean Peninsula after reunification. Revealed for the first time today, it blends stealth, close-quarters combat, and emotionally driven storytelling into a seamless cinematic experience.
Players experience the story through two distinct perspectives: Ji Jeongtae, a North Korean special forces operative dispatched to the South, and GAVI, a K-pop idol whose past holds a dangerous secret. As a new wave of terrorist attacks fractures the fragile illusion of peace, the two become entangled with an enigmatic militant group known as Byeolmuban.
Built in Unreal Engine 5 and using our proprietary performance capture pipeline, Mudang delivers a deeply immersive combat system rooted in authentic special forces tactics and is set to launch in 2026.
The Midnight Channel Returns: Persona 4 Revival Officially Announced
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – see developer website for other platforms
A remake of the modern classic JRPG, Persona 4 Revival received a debut trailer, showing off the game’s gorgeous updated visuals within the rural town of Inaba. Arriving as a transfer student, you’ll experience an unforgettable year with new friends you meet along the way. However, rumors of bizarre murders and a mysterious TV channel quickly disrupt your peaceful everyday life. A door to another world opens, awakening your Persona abilities: it is time to fight alongside your trusted allies to uncover the truth.
Planet of Lana II Revealed – Double the Size, and Deeper than Ever
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – see developer website for other platforms
Revealed today, Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf is an ambitious cinematic puzzle adventure that doubles the size and scope of the original. Launching in 2026 and day one with Game Pass, this highly anticipated sequel revisits Lana and Mui’s profound bond as they navigate a changed world after the robot invasion of the first game.
With new and improved mechanics for Lana and Mui, as well as brand new abilities to control the creatures and robots around you, prepare to unravel a deeper, longer sci-fi story where Lana confronts her own demons and unveils the planet’s darkest secrets, as a new threat puts their unbreakable bond to the ultimate test.
Wishlist Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf today on the Xbox Store and follow @PlanetOfLana on social media to stay up to date!
Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy Expands the Universe in New Ways
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – see developer website for other platforms
This new game from Asobo Studio and Focus Entertainment expands the universe of A Plague Tale with an original story set 15 years before the events of the last game, A Plague Tale: Requiem. With a new action-adventure approach, players are invited to dive into Sophia’s past and journey with her to the Minotaur’s Island, outsmart deadly foes, unravel ancient secrets, and confront the creature at the heart of a devastating curse. Her sword in one hand and light in the other, Sophia will plunge into the myth of the macula, until she understands why it resonates so intimately with her.
Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy will be released in 2026 – you can wishlist the game today on the Xbox Store.
Solo Leveling: Arise Overdrive Transforms the Hit Webtoon into an Action-RPG
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere – see developer website for other platforms
The global phenomenon Solo Leveling makes its debut on Xbox! Based on the hit webtoon, ARISE OVERDRIVE is an action-RPG that lets you experience overwhelming power and thrilling combat. Master a dynamic action system, block deadly attacks, and counter with perfect parries. Unleash the Monarch’s Awakening to transcend limits and dominate the battlefield. Feel the intensity as you wipe out enemies in style. Team up with friends in multiplayer mode to conquer powerful stages and enjoy the thrill of true growth and cooperation. It’s time to rise, fight, and prove your strength. The Xbox PC version arrives fall 2025, with Xbox Series X|S and Xbox Cloud versions to follow in 2026.
Super Meat Boy 3D Revealed with a New Trailer
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Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Xbox Game Pass – see developer website for other platforms
Gaming’s most iconic chunk of meat is back! Today’s Showcase revealed Super Meat Boy 3D from Sluggerfly and Headup Games, who are taking Team Meat’s indie darling into the third dimension. The game arrives in early 2026.
Super Meat Boy 3D is exactly what you love about the series: a challenging platformer where you guide a cube of meat on a mission to rescue his bandage-made girlfriend from a villainous fetus in a jar—now in 3D! You’ll wall-jump through buzzsaws, collapsing caves, and fiery forests, dying countless times along the way. With old-school difficulty, fast-paced gameplay, tough bosses, and plenty of secrets, it’s a new dimension for Meat Boy. Wishlist Super Meat Boy 3D today on the Xbox Store and get ready to die again and again and again when you play it day one on Game Pass.
There Are No Ghosts at The Grand: Become Decorator by Day and Ghost Hunter by Night in a Cozy, Spooky Musical Mystery
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – see developer website for other platforms
Inherit a crumbling English hotel and restore it by day while battling ghosts by night in There Are No Ghosts at The Grand. With a sardonic cat, a talking power tool, and a twisting supernatural plot, this is a spooky, cozy, musical mystery unlike any other. You have exactly 30 days and 30 nights to restore the crumbling hotel and explore the surrounding seaside village for eerie supernatural secrets. Coming to Xbox Series X|S and PC in 2026, and available on Game Pass… just don’t believe them when they tell you that There are No Ghosts at the Grand.
Age of Mythology: Retold – Heavenly Spear Brings the Japanese Pantheon, Coming Fall 2025
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, Game Pass – also available on Battle.net, Steam, PlayStation 5
Age of Mythology: Retold will make room for more gods, more heroes and more legends this Fall with the Heavenly Spear expansion. An all-new Japanese pantheon introduces 12 new gods with unique powers, divine technologies and myth units drawn from centuries of legend. Players can embark on a 12-mission campaign following Yasuko, a humble farmer’s daughter who discovers a magical spear and is swept into a mythic war. Wishlist now! Already own the Age of Mythology: Retold Premium Edition? Heavenly Spear is yours at no additional cost – jump in and play on day one!
The Elder Scrolls Online Shows Us the Return of the Worm Cult
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox Cloud – also available on Steam, Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Mac
ZeniMax Online Studios premiered a gameplay trailer for The Elder Scrolls Online,revealing the adventures to be found in Western Solstice during Seasons of the Worm Cult Part 1, a continuation of ESO’s main quest storyline from over 10 years ago. Releasing in tandem, the Update 46 base-game patch adds character Subclassing, the Hero’s Return system for returning players, and many more quality-of-life updates. The Elder Scrolls Online: Seasons of the Worm Cult Part 1 and Update 46 are available now on PC and Mac, andwill arrive for Xbox and PlayStation consoles on June 18.
Fallout 76 Shows Off its Fin-tastic Fishing Update
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Game Pass – also available on Steam, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4
Bethesda Game Studios unveiled the launch trailer for Fallout 76’s latest update, Gone Fission. This fin-tastic update introduces fishing to the Wasteland, revealing a cozier side of Appalachia away from the guns and ghouls. Players can experiment with bait, weather conditions, rods, and locations to catch a variety of fish, – including prized Axolotls that change each month – and Local Legends. Gone Fission is available across all platforms for free, letting every Fallout 76 player enjoy the relaxing summer pastime. Find out more about fishing in the Wasteland on Xbox Wire.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Order of Giants DLC Launches September 4
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere – also available on Steam, PlayStation 5
The latest Indiana Jones adventure is getting a DLC chapter in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Order of the Giants! Indy’s new journey will take him deep into unexplored territory as he dives beneath the bustling streets of Rome to investigate a dark and twisted new mystery.
This DLC is set during the main game and expands on the story of the Nephilim Order. Face off against old threats and new foes, navigate Rome beyond the walls of Vatican City, and uncover the legend of a colossal beast. Maybe some ancient secrets are better left undisturbed…
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Order of Giants will be available on September 4, 2025. For those who purchased the Premium Edition, Premium Upgrade or Collector’s Edition, the DLC is included. Find out more in our Xbox Wire article about The Order of Giants.
Sea of Thieves: Season 17 Sets Sail on a Smugglers’ Tide
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox PC, Xbox Play Anywhere, Game Pass – also available on Steam, Battle.net, PlayStation 5
A new gang of nefarious troublemakers have infiltrated the Sea of Thieves! Known as The Smuggler’s League, they’re recruiting pirates willing to deal with dangers others are afraid to handle, including weapons and some of the most powerful explosives ever seen on the seas. Crews that think they’re up to the challenge can embark on new Smuggler’s Voyages to salvage — or steal — these hot properties and see them safely into the wrong hands, but one false move could spell disaster. Sparks are sure to fly when Season 17: Smugglers’ Tide launches in August, free for all players.
Monsieur le Président de la République française, Cher Emmanuel Macron Señor Presidente de la República de Costa Rica, Estimado Rodrigo Chaves Robles
Excellences, chers amis, Dear President of the French Republic, Dear Emmanuel Macron Mr. President of the Republic of Costa Rica, Dear Rodrigo Chaves Robles Excellencies, dear friends,
Permettez-moi tout d’abord de remercier nos hôtes, les gouvernements de la France et du Costa Rica, d’avoir organisé cette conférence. Let me begin by thanking our hosts, the Governments of France and Costa Rica, for convening this conference.
Et merci à tous d’être là, à Nissa la bella – ville à la mer d’azur et au ciel pur. And thank you all for being here, in “Nissa la bella” – city of azure seas and clear skies.
Nous voici réunis sur les rives de la Méditerranée, carrefour de continents, de cultures et de commerce. We gather beside the Mediterranean – a crossroads of continents, cultures, and commerce.
Une mer qui, depuis des millénaires, est source de vie – et qui nous rappelle notre profonde dépendance à l’égard de l’océan. A sea that has sustained life for millennia –reminding us of our deep dependence on the ocean.
L’océan produit la moitié de l’oxygène que nous respirons. The ocean generates half of the oxygen we breathe.
Il nourrit 3 milliards de personnes et fait vivre 600 millions d’autres. It feeds 3 billion people and sustains 600 million livelihoods.
L’économie des océans a plus que doublé en 30 ans – et elle continue de croître. The ocean economy has more than doubled in 30 years – and keeps growing.
Le transport maritime assure, à lui seul, plus de 80 % du commerce mondial. Maritime transport alone moves over 80 per cent of global trade.
L’océan est notre bien commun par excellence. The ocean is the ultimate shared resource.
Pourtant, nous sommes en train de le piller. But we are failing it.
Les stocks de poissons s’effondrent. Fish stocks are collapsing.
La surconsommation et la pêche illégale poussent des espèces au bord de l’extinction. Over-consumption and illegal fishing are pushing marine life to the brink.
Chaque année, 23 millions de tonnes de plastique sont déversées dans les eaux et asphyxient les écosystèmes. Plastic pollution is choking ecosystems – with 23 million tonnes of waste entering waters every year.
Les émissions de carbone provoquent l’acidification et le réchauffement des océans – détruisant les récifs de corail et accélérant la montée des eaux. Carbon emissions are driving ocean acidification and heating – destroying coral reefs and accelerating sea level rise.
Si on ne change pas de cap, cette acceleration va submerger les deltas, detruire les récoltes et engloutir les littoraux, menaçant la survie même de nombreuses îles. If we do not change course, this rise will submerge deltas, destroy crops, and swallow coastlines – threatening many islands’ survival.
L’océan absorbe désormais 90 % de l’excédent de chaleur piégé par les gaz à effet de serre. The ocean now stores 90 per cent of the excess heat trapped by greenhouse gases.
Autant de symptômes d’un système en crise… et qui s’auto-alimente. These are symptoms of a system in crisis – and they are feeding off each other.
Brisant les chaînes alimentaires… Anéantissant les moyens de subsistance… Augmentant l’insécurité. Unravelling food chains. Destroying livelihoods. Deepening insecurity.
Cette insécurité est exacerbée par la criminalité : piraterie, trafic d’êtres humains, réseaux organisés et pillage des ressources volent des vies, freinent le développement et privent les communautés côtières de leurs droits. And insecurity is rising not only from natural forces – but from criminal ones. Piracy, organized crime, human trafficking, and the looting of natural resources are threatening lives, undermining development, and robbing coastal communities of their rights.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Since the last UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon, we have seen progress.
We have also seen a growing awareness of the deep interconnection between preserving biodiversity and marine ecosystems, combatting climate change, and stopping pollution.
The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework set a bold pledge:
To conserve and manage at least 30 per cent of marine and coastal areas by 2030.
Member States also adopted the Agreement on Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction – a historic breakthrough.
I urge all delegations to ratify it – and welcome good news delivered by President Macron and the momentum this Conference is generating toward its swift entry into force.
I also call on all countries to agree on an ambitious and legally binding treaty on plastic pollution – this year.
It is essential to successfully conclude the agreement on fisheries currently discussed at World Trade Organization.
The International Maritime Organization committed to reach net-zero emissions from shipping by 2050.
And last year’s General Assembly Meeting on Sea Level Rise underscored that statehood and sovereignty cannot be undermined by rising seas.
This proves multilateralism works – but only if we match words with action.
By developing concrete national plans aligned with global targets;
By harnessing science, driving innovation, and ensuring fair access to technology;
By empowering fishers, Indigenous peoples, and youth;
And above all, by investing.
SDG 14 on life below water remains one of the least funded Sustainable Development Goals.
This must change – through increased public finance, greater support from development banks, and bold models to unlock private capital.
I urge all countries to come forward with bold pledges.
Small Island Developing States need support to build resilience and thrive in the blue economy.
Many struggle to access healthy, affordable food – underscoring the urgent need to restore local fisheries and strengthen ocean-based food systems.
We must also strengthen maritime security as a pillar of sustainable development.
And we must embed ocean priorities across climate, food systems and sustainable finance.
Because without a healthy ocean, there can be no healthy planet.
Finally, nations are also navigating new waters on seabed mining:
I support the ongoing work of the International Seabed Authority on this important issue.
The deep sea cannot become the Wild West.
Ladies and gentlemen,
We live in an age of turmoil, but the resolve I see here gives me hope.
Hope that we can turn the tide.
That we can move from plunder to protection.
From exclusion to equity.
From short-term exploitation to long-term stewardship.
We know it’s possible.
When we reached a global moratorium on commercial whaling, whale populations recovered.
When we protect marine areas, life returns.
Today, we have the opportunity to restore marine abundance.
What was lost in a generation can return in a generation.
The ocean of our ancestors – teeming with life and diversity – can be more than legend.
It can be our legacy.
I wish you a successful conference.
Thank you.
****
[All-French]
Monsieur le Président de la République française, Cher Emmanuel Macron Monsieur le Président de la République du Costa Rica, Cher Rodrigo Chaves Robles
Excellences, chers amis,
Permettez-moi tout d’abord de remercier nos hôtes, les gouvernements de la France et du Costa Rica, d’avoir organisé cette conférence.
Et merci à tous d’être là, à Nissa la bella – ville à la mer d’azur et au ciel pur.
Nous voici réunis sur les rives de la Méditerranée, carrefour de continents, de cultures et de commerce.
Une mer qui, depuis des millénaires, est source de vie – et qui nous rappelle notre profonde dépendance à l’égard de l’océan.
L’océan produit la moitié de l’oxygène que nous respirons.
Il nourrit 3 milliards de personnes et fait vivre 600 millions d’autres.
L’économie des océans a plus que doublé en 30 ans – et elle continue de croître.
Le transport maritime assure, à lui seul, plus de 80 % du commerce mondial.
L’océan est notre bien commun par excellence.
Pourtant, nous sommes en train de le piller.
Les stocks de poissons s’effondrent.
La surconsommation et la pêche illégale poussent des espèces au bord de l’extinction.
Chaque année, 23 millions de tonnes de plastique sont déversées dans les eaux et asphyxient les écosystèmes.
Les émissions de carbone provoquent l’acidification et le réchauffement des océans – détruisant les récifs de corail et accélérant la montée des eaux.
Si on ne change pas de cap, cette accélération va submerger les deltas, détruire les récoltes et engloutir les littoraux – menaçant la survie même de nombreuses îles.
L’océan absorbe désormais 90 % de l’excédent de chaleur piégé par les gaz à effet de serre.
Autant de symptômes d’un système en crise… et qui s’auto-alimente.
La montée des eaux submerge les deltas, détruit les récoltes et engloutit les littoraux, menaçant la survie même de nombreuses îles.
L’océan est pris au piège d’un cercle vicieux – victime et accélérateur du changement climatique.
Brisant les chaînes alimentaires… Anéantissant les moyens de subsistance… Augmentant l’insécurité.
Cette insécurité est exacerbée par la criminalité : piraterie, trafic d’êtres humains, réseaux organisés et pillage des ressources volent des vies, freinent le développement et privent les communautés côtières de leurs droits.
Mesdames et Messieurs,
Depuis la dernière Conférence des Nations Unies sur l’océan, qui s’est tenue à Lisbonne, des progrès ont été accomplis.
Nous avons également vu une prise de conscience croissante des liens profonds entre la préservation de la biodiversité et des écosystèmes marins, la lutte contre le changement climatique et l’arrêt de la pollution.
Le Cadre mondial de la biodiversité de Kunming-Montréal contient un engagement audacieux :
Conserver et gérer au moins 30 % des zones marines et côtières d’ici à 2030.
Les États Membres ont également adopté l’Accord portant sur la diversité biologique marine des zones ne relevant pas de la juridiction nationale, qui marque une avancée historique.
J’exhorte toutes les délégations à ratifier cet accord et je me félicite des bonnes nouvelles partagées par le President Macron et de l’impulsion donnée par la Conférence pour en favoriser l’entrée en vigueur rapide.
Par ailleurs, j’appelle tous les pays à s’entendre cette année sur un traité ambitieux et juridiquement contraignant sur la pollution plastique.
Il est également essentiel de conclure avec succès l’accord sur la pêche actuellement discuté à l’Organisation mondiale du commerce.
L’Organisation maritime internationale est résolue à faire en sorte que, d’ici à 2025, le transport maritime ne produise plus aucune émission nette.
L’année dernière, durant la réunion de l’Assemblée générale sur l’élévation du niveau de la mer, il a été dit avec force que la montée des eaux ne saurait porter atteinte à la souveraineté et à l’intégrité des États.
Toutes ces initiatives montrent que le multilatéralisme fonctionne, mais seulement si nous traduisons nos paroles en actes.
En développant des plans nationaux concrets alignés sur les objectifs mondiaux.
En exploitant la science, en stimulant l’innovation, et en garantissant un accès équitable à la technologie.
En donnant des moyens d’action aux pêcheurs, aux populations autochtones, aux scientifiques et aux jeunes.
Et, par-dessus tout, en investissant.
L’objectif de développement durable no 14 relatif à la vie aquatique demeure l’un des objectifs de développement durable les moins bien financés.
Les choses doivent changer. Pour cela, il faut augmenter les financements publics, accroître l’appui apporté par les banques de développement et favoriser l’afflux de capitaux privés grâce à des modèles de financement audacieux.
J’exhorte tous les pays à prendre des engagements ambitieux [et je remercie ceux qui l’ont déjà fait].
Les petits États insulaires en développement ont besoin d’aide pour renforcer leur résilience et prospérer dans l’économie bleue.
Nombreux sont ceux qui peinent à se procurer une alimentation saine à un coût abordable, ce qui montre combien il est urgent de restaurer les pêches locales et de renforcer les systèmes alimentaires basés sur l’océan.
Nous devons également renforcer la sécurité maritime qui est l’un des piliers du développement durable.
Nous devons intégrer les priorités liées à l’océan dans toutes nos activités touchant le climat, les systèmes alimentaires et la finance durable.
Car sans un océan en bonne santé, il ne peut y avoir de planète en bonne santé.
Enfin, l’exploitation minière des fonds marins pose aux pays de nouveaux défis.
Je soutiens les travaux en cours de l’Autorité internationale des fonds marins sur cet enjeu important.
Les grands fonds ne peuvent pas devenir un Far West.
Mesdames et Messieurs,
Nous vivons une époque de troubles, mais la détermination que je constate ici me donne de l’espoir.
J’espère que nous pourrons redresser la situation.
Que nous pourrons remplacer le pillage par la protection.
L’exclusion par l’équité.
La surexploitation à court terme par la bonne gestion à long terme.
Nous savons que c’est possible.
Lorsque nous sommes parvenus à un moratoire mondial sur la chasse commerciale à la baleine, les populations de baleines se sont reconstituées.
Lorsque nous protégeons des aires marines, la vie revient.
Aujourd’hui, nous avons la possibilité de redonner à l’océan son abondance.
Ce qui a été perdu en l’espace d’une génération peut renaître en l’espace d’une autre.
L’océan qu’ont connu nos ancêtres, qui regorgeait de vie et de diversité, peut être davantage qu’une légende.
Votre Altesse Royale, Princesse Lalla Hasnaa du Royaume du Maroc, Monsieur le Président de la République française, Cher Emmanuel Macron, Excellences, Chers amis,
Je vous remercie d’organiser ce sommet afin de réaffirmer un message clair :
Les destins de l’Afrique et de l’océan sont profondément liés.
Pour des millions de personnes à travers le continent, l’océan est source de vie, d’identité, de promesses.
Avec plus de 30 000 kilomètres de littoral et 38 États côtiers, l’Afrique est une puissance maritime.
Son avenir s’écrit aussi dans ses eaux.
Mais cette richesse bleue est trop souvent sous-évaluée et surexploitée.
L’insécurité maritime menace la paix.
La pollution empoisonne les côtes et les écosystèmes.
Et la crise climatique – dont l’Afrique n’est pourtant pas responsable – ravage ses rivages.
Face à ces défis, l’Afrique propose, innove, agit.
Elle forge des solutions qui inspirent bien au-delà du continent.
Nous le voyons dans des projets ambitieux de coopération régionale – ou encore la Stratégie intégrée de l’Union africaine pour les mers et les océans à l’horizon 2050.
Et nous le voyons dans les négociations internationales, où l’Afrique fait entendre sa voix avec force.
L’Accord sur la diversité biologique marine des zones ne relevant pas de la juridiction nationale – l’Accord BBNJ – en est un exemple.
Le Groupe africain a été un acteur central des négociations, obtenant des engagements sur le partage équitable des avantages, le renforcement des capacités et le transfert de technologies marines.
À ce jour, 28 États africains ont signé l’Accord. Trois l’ont déjà ratifié. Peut-être que ces chiffres sont déjà surpassés par les chiffres que le Président de la République a annoncé ce matin.
Et plusieurs autres prévoient de le faire aujourd’hui, lors de la cérémonie spéciale sur les traités pour l’Accord BBNJ.
C’est un signal fort : l’Afrique est au cœur de l’action pour les océans.
Mais pour libérer pleinement ce potentiel, il faut un sursaut politique et financier.
Cela commence par renforcer la sécurité maritime face aux menaces transnationales – piraterie, trafic d’armes et d’êtres humains et crime organisé.
Les Nations Unies continueront de soutenir les efforts africains, notamment à travers l’Architecture de Yaoundé, qui a contribué à une baisse significative des actes de piraterie dans le golfe de Guinée.
Cela passe également par une gouvernance océanique fondée sur la science et la coopération.
Il faut lutter contre la pollution et la pêche illicite, non déclarée et non réglementée, renforcer les capacités de collecte et de partage des données océanographiques, et protéger la biodiversité.
Nous devons valoriser les énergies marines renouvelables, l’aquaculture et le tourisme durable, autant de sources d’emplois décents – notamment pour les jeunes et les femmes.
Mais ces efforts ne porteront pleinement leurs fruits que si l’Afrique est connectée – dans ses territoires et avec le reste du monde.
Les océans africains doivent devenir de véritables corridors d’intégration – reliant pays côtiers et enclavés, au service d’une croissance partagée.
Cela suppose des investissements concrets dans les infrastructures maritimes et portuaires : des ports interconnectés, résilients face au changement climatique, capables de répondre aux besoins d’un commerce en croissance.
Les États sans littoral doivent être reliés aux chaînes de valeur mondiales.
Aucun pays ne doit rester à quai.
Mais pour que cette transformation soit durable et équitable, nous devons mettre fin aux injustices historiques.
Ces injustices se traduisent aussi dans l’océan : les investissements ont trop souvent contourné l’Afrique, alors même que ses ressources marines étaient exploitées par d’autres.
Le Pacte pour l’Avenir, adopté en septembre dernier, appelle à une réforme profond des institutions financières mondiales – afin qu’elles soient au service de tous.
Il est temps que les pays en développement soient équitablement représentés dans ces institutions. D’ailleurs, comme au Conseil de Sécurité des Nations-Unies.
Nous avons besoin d’un système qui reflète les réalités du XXIème siècle – un système plus juste, plus solidaire et plus efficace.
C’est pourquoi j’appelle les institutions financières, les bailleurs bilatéraux et multilatéraux, les banques de développement et le secteur privé à répondre présent – y compris lors de la quatrième Conférence internationale sur le financement du développement à Séville.
Chers amis,
De Dakar à Djibouti, du Cap à Casablanca, l’Afrique prouve qu’on peut conjuguer prospérité et préservation.
Le monde a besoin de l’Afrique pour répondre aux défis de l’océan.
Et l’océan a besoin d’une Afrique qui trace sa voie et navigue résolument vers l’avenir.
Je vous remercie.
*** [All-English]
Your Royal Highness, Princess Lalla Hasnaa of the Kingdom of Morocco, Mr. President of the French Republic, Dear Emmanuel Macron, Excellencies, Dear friends,
Thank you for organizing this summit to reaffirm a clear message:
The destinies of Africa and the ocean are deeply linked.
For millions of people across the continent, the ocean is a source of life, identity and promise.
With over 30,000 kilometers of coastline and 38 coastal states, Africa is a maritime powerhouse.
Its future is also written in its waters.
But this blue wealth is too often undervalued and overexploited.
Maritime insecurity threatens peace.
Pollution poisons coasts and ecosystems.
And the climate crisis – that Africa did little to cause – is ravaging its shores.
In the face of these challenges, Africa is proposing, innovating, taking action.
It is forging solutions that inspire far beyond the continent.
We see this in ambitious regional cooperation projects – and in the African Union’s 2050 Integrated Maritime Strategy for the Seas and Oceans to 2050.
And we see it in international negotiations, where Africa is making its voice heard loud and clear.
The Agreement on Marine Biological Diversity beyond Areas of National Jurisdiction – the BBNJ Agreement – is one example.
The African Group was a key player in the negotiations, securing commitments on equitable benefit sharing, capacity building and marine technology transfer.
To date, 28 African states have signed the Agreement. Three have already ratified it. These numbers have increased with the news that President Macron shared with us earlier today.
And several more are planning to do so today, at the special treaty ceremony for the BBNJ Agreement.
This is a strong signal: Africa is at the heart of ocean action.
But to fully unleash this potential, we need a political and financial surge.
This begins by strengthening maritime security in the face of transnational threats – piracy, arms and human trafficking and organized crime.
The United Nations will continue to support African efforts, notably through the Yaoundé Architecture, which has contributed to a significant decline in acts of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea.
This also requires ocean governance based on science and cooperation.
We must combat pollution and illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, strengthen capacities for collecting and sharing oceanographic data, and protect biodiversity.
We must promote renewable marine energies, sustainable aquaculture and tourism – all of which create decent jobs, in particular for young people and women.
But these efforts will only bear fruit if Africa is connected — within its territories and with the rest of the world.
Africa’s oceans must become integration corridors – linking coastal and landlocked countries, for a shared growth.
This calls for concrete investments in maritime infrastructures – interconnected ports, resilient to climate change, capable of meeting the needs of growing trade.
Landlocked states must be connected to global value chains.
No country should be left behind.
But for this transformation to be sustainable and equitable, we must put an end to historical injustices.
These injustices are also reflected in the ocean: investments have too often bypassed Africa, even as its marine resources were exploited by others.
The Pact for the Future, adopted last September, calls for deep reforms of global financial institutions – so that they serve everyone.
It is time for developing countries to be fairly represented in these institutions.
We need a system that reflects the realities of the 21st century – a system that is more just, more supportive, and more effective. As is the the case with the United Nations Security Council.
That is why I call on financial institutions, bilateral and multilateral donors, development banks and the private sector to step up – including at the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development in Seville.
Dear friends,
From Dakar to Djibouti, from Cape Town to Casablanca, Africa is proving that prosperity and preservation can go hand in hand.
The world needs Africa to meet the ocean’s challenges.
And the ocean needs an Africa that charts its own course and navigates decisively toward the future.
Nairobi, 9 June 2025 – UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, is proud to launch its WomenX Collective (WomenX) Nairobi Hub on 9 June 2025 at the Aga Khan University Auditorium.
WomenX supports locally led initiatives that develop and scale practical solutions – such as new technologies, service delivery models, and financing tools – to close gaps in care for women and girls. They are creating a network across Africa and beyond to improve women’s health by bringing together governments, health experts, innovators, and funders. Building on the October 2024 launch of its Berlin Hub, the new Nairobi Hub marks a major step in extending WomenX’s impact across the continent and globally.
The Nairobi Hub is being launched in partnership with the Government of Kenya, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), and Aga Khan University. Together, these partners aim to build a global innovation hub based in Africa – advancing women’s health innovation and accelerating progress toward gender equity in health systems worldwide.
A Strategic Investment in Women’s Health
“Every minute, at least two women die globally from breast or cervical cancer, or from pregnancy-related complications due to inequitable access to healthcare,” said Dr. Natalia Kanem, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UNFPA. “Through the WomenX Collective Nairobi Hub, UNFPA and our partners aim to invest in and scale transformative solutions to close critical health gaps and ensure that women and girls everywhere can access the care they deserve — and that is their right.”
With initial funding commitments from international donors – including the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), Organon & Co., among others – the WomenX Collective aims to mobilize $100 million in catalytic investment by 2030 and leverage financing to scale innovative solutions. This programme has the potential to avert at least 10.4 million unintended pregnancies, 3.2 million unsafe abortions, and 21,000 maternal deaths. Through its hubs and partnerships, the programme is uniquely positioned to bring together experience and technical expertise from across countries and regions, as well as modern technologies and sustainable financing.
Africa as an Innovation Powerhouse The Nairobi Hub will serve as a platform to unite research, scalable technologies, and innovative financing strategies across Africa. With its proximity to a thriving ecosystem of health and tech innovators, Nairobi plays a central role in delivering sustainable impact for women and girls across the continent and beyond
A Call to Action The inauguration of the WomenX Nairobi Hub will gather funders, regional stakeholders, health leaders, and innovators to ignite bold commitments, amplify evidence-based investment strategies, and catalyze new collaborations. It will issue a clarion call for governments, philanthropies, and the private sector to prioritize women’s health – not just as a moral imperative, but as a cornerstone of social and economic progress.
“The Nairobi Hub is more than a location,” said Dr. Nigina Muntean, Chief of Innovation and Transformation Branch at UNFPA. “In close collaboration with the WomenX Berlin Hub, it’s a commitment to drive lasting change through the power of women-centered innovation. Every dollar invested today unlocks exponential returns for future generations.”
“The National Council for Population and Development, a Kenyan government agency, is proud to support the launch of the WomenX Hub in Nairobi with our partners. This programme supports our mission to improve lives and underscores the importance of empowering women and girls as a foundation for sustainable development,” said Dr. Mohamed Sheikh , Director General NCPD & Inaugural Member of the WomenX Collective Steering Group.
“At Africa CDC, we recognise that the health of women and girls is the backbone of strong public health systems and resilient communities. The WomenX Nairobi Hub is a timely and transformative platform that places African leadership and innovation at the centre of advancing women’s health. This initiative is a call to action for all of us to invest boldly, collaborate deeply, and ensure that women and girls are not only beneficiaries but drivers of Africa’s health security and progress.” said Dr. Mazyanga Lucy Mazaba, Regional Director, Africa CDC Eastern Africa RCC.
“At Aga Khan University (AKU), we believe that the true value of knowledge lies not only in its creation but in its ability to transform lives. Our partnership with UNFPA, the Ministry of Health Kenya, and Africa CDC, in launching the WomenX Collective Africa Hub reflects our unwavering commitment to women’s and girls’ health. By contributing our research expertise and local insights, we aim to co-create and scale evidence-based, sustainable solutions that deliver real impact to the communities we serve. It is a privilege for AKU to host this launch and to stand alongside global and regional leaders in driving meaningful change in maternal and reproductive health across East Africa and beyond.”
About UNFPA:
UNFPA is the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency. UNFPA’s mission is to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. UNFPA calls for the realization of reproductive rights for all and supports access to a wide range of sexual and reproductive health services, including voluntary family planning, quality maternal health care and comprehensive sexuality Education.
About the Government of Kenya: The Government of Kenya is committed to improving the health and well-being of its population through inclusive, equitable, and sustainable policies. With a strong emphasis on universal health coverage and gender equality, Kenya continues to invest in healthcare infrastructure, innovation, and strategic partnerships to ensure accessible and quality care for women and girls across the country.
About Africa CDC: The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) is a continental autonomous public health agency of the African Union that supports member states in efforts to strengthen health systems and improve surveillance, emergency response, and prevention and control of diseases.
About Aga Khan University (AKU): Aga Khan University (AKU) is an international institution of higher learning and research with campuses and programs in South and Central Asia, East Africa, and the United Kingdom. Committed to the highest standards in medical education, research, and patient care, AKU aims to improve quality of life in the developing world by investing in human capital, generating knowledge, and fostering innovation that addresses the most pressing health challenges.
The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), following the fourth meeting of the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR) Emergency Committee regarding the upsurge of mpox 2024, held on 5 June 2025, from 12:00 to 17:00 CEST, concurs with its advice that the event continues to meet the criteria of a public health emergency of international concern and, considering the advice of the Committee, he is hereby issuing a revised set of temporary recommendations.
The WHO Director-General expresses his most sincere gratitude to the Chair, Members, and Advisors of the Committee. The proceeding of the fourth meeting of the Committee will be shared with States Parties to the IHR and published in the coming days.
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Temporary recommendations
These temporary recommendations are issued to States Parties experiencing the transmission of monkeypox virus (MPXV), including, but not limited to, those where there is sustained community transmission, and where there are clusters of cases or sporadic travel-related cases of MPXV clade Ib.
They are intended to be implemented by those States Parties in addition to the current standing recommendations for mpox, valid until 20 August 2025.
All current WHO interim technical guidance can be accessed on this page of the WHO website. WHO evidence-based guidance has been and will continue to be updated in line with the evolving situation, updated scientific evidence, and WHO risk assessment to support States Parties in the implementation of the WHO Strategic Framework for enhancing mpox prevention and control.
Pursuant to Article 3 Principle of the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR), the implementation of these temporary recommendations, as well as of the standing recommendations for mpox, by States Parties shall be with full respect for the dignity, human rights and fundamental freedoms of persons, in line with the principles set out in Article 3 of the IHR.
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Note: The text in backets next to each temporary recommendation indicates the status with respect to the set of temporary recommendations issued on 27 November 2024.
Emergency coordination
Secure political commitment and engagement to intensify mpox prevention and response efforts, including resource allocation, for the lowest administrative and operational level reporting mpox cases (hotspots) in the prior 4 weeks. (EXTENDED)
Establish or enhance coordination among all partners and stakeholders engaged in or supporting mpox prevention and response activities through cooperation, including by introducing accountability mechanisms. (EXTENDED)
Establish a mechanism to monitor the effectiveness of mpox prevention and response measures implemented at lower administrative levels, so that such measures can be adjusted as needed. (EXTENDED)
Engage with and strengthen partner organizations for collaboration and support for mpox response, including humanitarian actors in contexts with insecurity, humanitarian corridors, or areas with internal or refugee population displacements and in hosting communities in insecure areas. (EXTENDED, with re-phrasing)
Collaborative surveillance
Enhance mpox surveillance, by increasing the sensitivity of the approaches adopted and ensuring comprehensive geographic coverage. (EXTENDED)
Expand access to accurate, affordable and available diagnostics to test for mpox, including through strengthening arrangements for the transport of samples, the decentralization of testing and arrangements to differentiate MPXV clades and conduct genomic sequencing. (EXTENDED)
Identify, monitor and support the contacts of persons with suspected, clinically-diagnosed or laboratory-confirmed mpox to prevent onward transmission. (EXTENDED)
Scale up efforts to thoroughly investigate cases and outbreaks of mpox to better understand the modes of transmission and transmission risk, and prevent its onward transmission to contacts and communities. (EXTENDED)
Report to WHO suspected, probable and confirmed cases of mpox in a timely manner and on a weekly basis. (EXTENDED)
Safe and scalable clinical care
Provide clinical, nutritional and psychosocial support for patients with mpox, including, where appropriate and possible, isolation in care centres and/or access to materials and guidance for home-based care. (EXTENDED)
Develop and implement a plan to expand access to optimized supportive clinical care for all patients with mpox, including children, pregnant women, and persons living with HIV, recognising the association of mpox-related morbidity and mortality in persons living with HIV with untreated or advanced HIV. This includes prompt identification and effective management of endemic co-infections, such as malaria, chickenpox or measles. This also includes offering HIV tests to adult patients who do not know their HIV status and to children as appropriate, testing and treatment for other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among cases linked to sexual contact and referral to HIV/STIs treatment and care services when indicated. (EXTENDED, with re-phrasing)
Strengthen health and care workers’ capacity, knowledge and skills in clinical and infection and prevention and control pathways – screening, diagnosis, isolation, environmental cleaning, discharge of patients, including post discharge follow up for suspected and confirmed mpox –, and provide health and care workers with personal protective equipment (PPE). (EXTENDED)
Strengthen adherence to infection prevention and control (IPC) measures and availability of water, sanitation, hygiene (WASH) and waste management services and infrastructure in healthcare facilities and treatment and care centers to ensure quality healthcare service delivery and protection of health and care workers, caregivers and patients. (EXTENDED, with re-phrasing)
International traffic
Establish or strengthen cross-border collaboration arrangements for surveillance, management and support of suspected cases and contacts of mpox, and for the provision of information to travellers and conveyance operators, without resorting to travel and trade restrictions that unnecessarily impact local, regional or national economies. (EXTENDED)
Vaccination
Continue to prepare for and implement targeted use of vaccine for “Phase 1-Stop the outbreak” (as defined in the WHO Mpox global strategic preparedness and response plan (2025)) through the identification of the lowest administrative level reporting cases (hotspots) and targeting those groups at high risk of mpox exposure to interrupt sustained community transmission. (EXTENDED, with rephrasing and updated reference)
Develop and implement plans for vaccination in the context of an integrated response at the lowest administrative level reporting cases for people at high risk of exposure (e.g., contacts of cases of all ages, health and frontline workers, and other groups at risk such as those with multiple sexual partners and sex workers in endemic and non-endemic areas). This entails a targeted integrated response, including active surveillance and contact tracing; agile adaptation of immunization strategies and plans to the local context including dose-sparing options (single dose/fractional dosing) in the context of limited availability of vaccines; proactive community engagement to generate and sustain demand for and trust in vaccination; close monitoring of mpox vaccination activities, coverage and adverse events following immunization (AEFI); assessment of vaccine effectiveness; and documenting lessons learned and their implementation. (MODIFIED)
Community protection
Strengthen risk communication and community engagement in affected communities and local workforces for outbreak prevention, response and vaccination strategies, particularly at the lowest administrative levels reporting cases. Key actions include training, mapping high risk and vulnerable populations for tailored interventions, data driven approaches for social listening, community feedback and dialogue, and managing misinformation. This entails, inter alia, communicating effectively the uncertainties and new information regarding the natural history of mpox and modes of transmission, the effectiveness of mpox vaccines and duration of protection following vaccination, and about any clinical trials to which the local population may have access, as appropriate. (EXTENDED, with re-phrasing)
Address stigma and discrimination of any kind via meaningful community engagement, particularly in health services and during risk communication activities, and through engagement with civil society groups, such as HIV networks. (EXTENDED, with re-phrasing)
Promote and implement IPC measures and basic WASH and waste management services in household settings, congregate settings (e.g. prisons, internally displaced persons and refugee camps, etc.), schools, points of entry and cross border transit areas. (EXTENDED)
Governance and financing
Galvanize and scale up national funding and explore external opportunities for targeted funding of mpox prevention, readiness and response activities, advocate for release of available funds and take steps to identify potential new funding partners for emergency response. (EXTENDED)
Optimize the use of resources, in the context of global and local external funding shortfalls, by allocating available resources to the implementation of core mpox response interventions needed in the medium term; maximizing their cost-efficiency through cross-programmatic synergetic approaches; and by engaging partners in resource-sharing arrangements to maintain the delivery of essential health services. (NEW)
Integrate mpox prevention and response measures, including enhanced surveillance, in existing programmes for prevention, control and treatment of other endemic diseases – especially HIV, as well as STIs, malaria, tuberculosis and other vaccine-preventable diseases, and/or non-communicable diseases – striving to identify activities which will benefit the programmes involved and lead to better health outcomes overall. (EXTENDED)
Addressing research gaps
Invest in field studies to better understand animal hosts and zoonotic spillover in the areas where MPXV is circulating, in coordination with the animal health sector and One Health partners. (EXTENDED)
Strengthen and expand use of genomic sequencing to characterize the epidemiology and chains of transmission of MPXV to better inform control measures, particularly regarding the emergence and circulation of new virus strains. (EXTENDED, with re-phrasing)
Reporting on the implementation of temporary recommendations
Report quarterly to WHO on the status of, and challenges related to, the implementation of these temporary recommendations, using a revised standardized tool and channels that will be made available by WHO, also allowing for the monitoring of progress and the identification of gaps of the national response. (EXTENDED, with re-phrasing)
The Secretary-General met with H.E. Mr. Rodrigo Chaves Robles, President of the Republic of Costa Rica. The Secretary-General thanked Costa Rica for co-hosting the third UN Ocean Conference and congratulated Costa Rica for being among the first to have ratified the Agreement on Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ). He noted the vital contribution of the Agreement to maintain a healthy and productive ocean and to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda.
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El Secretario General se reunió con el Excelentísimo Señor Rodrigo Chaves Robles, Presidente de la República de Costa Rica. El Secretario General agradeció a Costa Rica por ser coanfitrión de la tercera Conferencia de las Naciones Unidades sobre los Océanos y felicitó a Costa Rica por ser uno de los primeros países en ratificar el Acuerdo relativo a la Diversidad Biológica Marina de las Zonas Situadas Fuera de la Jurisdicción Nacional (“Acuerdo BBNJ”). Recordó la importante contribución del Acuerdo para mantener un océano saludable y productivo, así como para el logro de la Agenda 2030.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (15th District of Texas)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-34) announced that school districts in the 34th Congressional District of Texas are expected to receive an increase of Title I formula funds from previous years, with a total of $171,243,659 in Fiscal Year (FY25). The final allocation totals will be released by the U.S. Department of Education in the summer of 2025.
Due to the uncertainty regarding the Trump Administration’s actions to abolish the U.S. Department of Education, the status and dissemination of Title I funds remain unclear.
“Title I funds are crucial for underserved communities across the country and in South Texas,” said Congressman Gonzalez. “These federal funds are used by public school systems in TX-34 to ensure all children, regardless of their family’s wealth or background, can have the education necessary to succeed in life. We must continue to fight for Title I funds and ensure these get properly distributed to our schools, our teachers, and our students.”
The following preliminary allocations have been provided to school districts in the 34th Congressional District of Texas:
· Brownsville ISD: $30,837,515
· Donna ISD: $19,667,489
· Edcouch-Elsa ISD: $5,138,957
· Edinburg Consolidated ISD: $26,923,139
· Harlingen Consolidated ISD: $9,351,357
· Kenedy County-Wide Common School District: $1,254
Thank you all for the invitation to speak with you this morning. I have been looking forward to this opportunity. May is a busy month for the Government, and it is always a relief to have the Budget delivered.
Today, I would like to speak about what I see as my privilege and responsibility to uphold the rule of law, and the role that all lawyers play in this, alongside the judiciary and the executive.
This is also an opportunity for me to hear from you. It is always wonderful to hear from Law Association members who are out there in communities, listening to what clients want from their legal system, and from those making laws that affect them. You have a front row seat to lawmakers in action and can help us understand the impacts of what we do.
A legal system we can be proud of
We can be proud of our legal system.
As you know, the rule of law is a foundational doctrine underpinning the law and order of any civilised society. New Zealand’s adherence to the rule of law ensures that standards of justice are upheld and provides safeguards against the arbitrary exercise of power. That adherence is recognised internationally, with the World Justice Project ranking us 6th overall in the 2024 Rule of Law index.
This commitment to the rule of law helps maintain our international rankings as a country with low corruption rates. This reputation is important for New Zealand’s economic growth and prosperity as a nation. Those living, working, and investing here know that we have a sound and accessible justice system and that success doesn’t require bribes behind the scenes.
We are known as a country where access to independent courts, and the outcomes from these courts, cannot be bought or sold. That is invaluable and it means we are a good place to do business.
And it’s not just me saying this: we are currently fourth internationally in the 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index behind Denmark, Finland and Singapore and well ahead of Australia, which is tied for 10th place.
This is a great place to sit in the rankings, but we still have room for improvement. While our position is steady in the top five, our Corruption Perceptions score has fallen from a high of 91 in 2013-15 to 83 last year.
In 2024, the OECD Survey on Drivers of Trust in Public Institutions found that only 42% of New Zealanders believed that public employees would refuse bribes to speed up service access. Even in the Rule of Law Index, there are factors such as order and security where we drop outside the top 10.
The Government is committed to being better. Earlier this month, my colleague Minister Mark Mitchell joined the Serious Fraud Office for the launch of their national campaign targeting foreign bribery. The campaign will raise awareness and involves the introduction of a new online platform to support safe, anonymous reporting of suspected foreign bribery.
The campaign asks people to be on the lookout for ‘red flags’. You may come across some of these in your roles, particularly if you are advising clients engaged in international trade – things like business partners or agents refusing to provide details on transactions, or someone requesting an unusually high level of discretion around a particular contract. I think this is a great initiative, and I encourage you all to engage with the SFO’s content to learn more about the campaign.
Moving away from traditional institutions
Society is changing at a rapid pace. We are in a time, globally and domestically, where traditional institutions are losing the trust and respect they were once afforded. Data from the 2023 General Social Survey released last September found that New Zealanders’ trust in institutions such as Parliament, media and the courts has declined since 2021.
We cannot be so naïve as to think that this loss of trust has occurred entirely by accident. There will always be those that see opportunities in destabilising norms. However, it is not just “bad“ actors who undermine our institutions. Misunderstandings of the constitutional settings can also impact how our respective institutions are seen and perceived.
We can all think of times where emphasis is put on the Judiciary and Executive appearing to disagree. When the public see judges and politicians criticising each other, confidence in both groups can be lost, and this can affect the strength of our institutional domains.
When your clients see the judiciary and executive seemingly at odds, how can they feel confident about the experience they will have with our legal system?
Comity and the separation of powers
Those of you who attended last year will have heard me talk about our constitutional arrangements and comity. I have spoken about its importance at length, most recently to senior members of the judiciary.
Comity requires each branch to act with mutual restraint and respect towards the others. This principle allows them to respond in a way that reinforces, rather than undermines, the other branches’ legitimacy. It helps us ensure that we remain on the right side of our respective constitutional lines.
If the delicate balance that keeps the executive, Parliament and the judiciary operating well together is disturbed, it is extremely difficult to restore. This balance helps us be strong, both individually and collectively as the institutions of government, so it is crucial we do our best to preserve it.
The separation of powers is something that I as Senior Law Officer pay particular attention to: what is the nature of that separation? How has it changed and how might it change in the future? How do we ensure that separate does not mean siloed, disconnected or in conflict, and that independence does not mean isolated?
Maintaining trust and confidence
Those of us involved in creating the policy underpinning the laws of New Zealand need to ensure the resulting law is precise, clear, and not open to significant debate about its meaning.
Earlier this year, I took on the portfolio of Minister for the Public Service. I’ve made it clear to Public Service leaders that the more complex and challenging it gets, the more simple we need to keep it.
Together with Public Service Commissioner Sir Brian Roche, I am committed to ensuring that the purpose and functions of the Public Service are clearly understood, including the importance of free and frank advice and the efficient use of taxpayers’ money. I want New Zealanders to feel confident that all those serving them can be trusted to deliver results.
It is my expectation that when the Public Service delivers those core functions well, the legislation and practice that emerge will be less ambiguous. This will allow you to focus on your role and reducing the number of instances where the executive and legislature may be seen to have handed off their responsibilities.
“The Courts will sort that out” should not be a default position for a parliamentary lawmaker. We will play our part.
Independent, fair and efficient courts are an important cornerstone of our democracy and the rule of law, and courts are a key underpinning of social stability. They give confidence that our rights as citizens can be upheld; differences and conflicts can be resolved through law; our society can be protected from law breakers; and that the State can be required always to act in accordance with the law.
The courts do justice according to law, on the basis of clear, certain and determinate frameworks of legal principle. That sort of stability is not only essential to the rule of law and maintaining confidence in our legal system, but also facilitates government under law and economic growth.
New Zealand Judges are independent in their decision making and cannot be influenced by Parliament or the executive. They should hold us to account. New Zealand is not best served by courts that rubber stamp decisions.
However, the judiciary also cannot usurp the functions of the executive and the legislature. That undermines the system for everyone. While our common law method, of course, enables judicial development of the law that is to be done carefully, incrementally and being alert to the need to preserve certainty, stability and coherence of the law.
We all need to respect the roles each branch of government plays even when – in fact, especially when – it is inconvenient to do so.
King’s Counsel appointments
While we are all here together, I would like to remind you that applications for King’s Counsel are open until 9 June.
Appointments of King’s Counsel are made by the Governor-General on the recommendation of the Attorney-General and with the concurrence of the Chief Justice. The Governor-General may also appoint King’s Counsel in recognition of their extraordinary contributions to the law in fields other than advocacy. I take my role in this process very seriously.
I am proud to be the Senior Law Officer of New Zealand and to represent and advocate for lawyers.
However, whether it is judicial appointment or KC appointment, I will not reward poor interpersonal conduct with appointment to these important and influential roles.
If you experience rudeness or intolerance, overbearing or bullying behaviour, whether from judges or lawyers, please raise it through the processes available to you. Contact your law society representative if you need to know more about these options.
I will never apologise for having high standards. If there is one thing you take away from my remarks today, I hope it is a reinforced sense of how important it is for each of us to do our duty.
Do not underestimate the contribution of ensuring we speak the truth to each other and valuing what we each do. Together we all have our part to play in maintaining the trust and confidence of people, here and overseas – and long may it continue.
Counties-Manukau Police are appealing for information from anyone who witnessed a crash involving a car and a truck yesterday morning on Whitford-Maraetai Road.
The crash occurred around 6.45am near the intersection of Whitford-Maraetai and Waikopua Roads.
The female driver of a small maroon hatchback vehicle remains in hospital in a serious condition.
The truck driver sustained minor injuries.
“A scene examination has been completed and Police are now appealing for witnesses to come forward,” Detective Senior Sergeant Dean Batey, of Counties Manukau East Police, says.
“We are keen hear from anyone who saw the accident or has dash cam footage that might assist our enquiries.”
Anyone with information is asked to update Police online or call 105.
Local community leader, Kerry Parry from Long Gully Neighbourhood Centre, has called on members of the community to take the time to complete the 2025 Active Living Census online.
Mrs Parry said the online census can take around 15 minutes or a little longer to complete, but the benefits that the data can provide are long lasting in our community.
“In Long Gully, local projects like walking path upgrades and outdoor fitness equipment received significant funding support because the data was available from the previous Active Living Census to demonstrate the need for the project,” Mrs Parry said.
“Data from the Active Living Census gave us a clear picture of what people in Long Gully needed to live healthier, more active lives.
“From the upgrades at Long Gully Recreation Reserve, to distance markers, wayfinding signs, and a bike repair station along the Long Gully Trail, to tai chi classes, multicultural cooking programs and school garden projects, we’ve been able to deliver real, on-the-ground improvements that reflect our community’s priorities.
“The Active Living Census is a really simple way to contribute to the data needed in the future so we can continue to provide new facilities for our community, and I urge everyone to take the time to complete the census and help shape a healthier Greater Bendigo.”
Participants who complete the census online still have the chance to win their share of $10,000 in prizes through the weekly prize draws. Completing the census is easy, anonymous and takes around 15 minutes.
For more information, or to participate in the Active Living Census, visit:
Keith Rankin, trained as an economic historian, is a retired lecturer in Economics and Statistics. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand.
Every country has its tragedies. A few are highly remembered. Most are semi-remembered. Others are almost entirely forgotten. Sometimes the loss of memory is due to these tragedies being to a degree international, seemingly making it somebody else’s ‘duty’ to remember them. This could have been the case with the Air New Zealand flight which crashed on Mt Erebus. It was only not like that because it was an ‘international’ flight where the origin and destination airports were the same; and where the location of the crash was in the ‘New Zealand zone’ of a foreign landmass (Antarctica). So, we remember ‘Erebus’.
We remember ‘Tangiwai’ too; Christmas Eve, 1953. And of course Napier (1931) and Christchurch (2011). And the Wahine (1968). And Pike River (2010).
The forgotten tragedy was actually a twin-tragedy; two smaller (but not small) tragedies may more easily fall below the memory radar than one bigger tragedy. The dates were 22 July 1973 and January 1974. The death toll was about 200; possibly half of that number were New Zealanders, many of them being young New Zealanders my age or a little bit older.
On Saturday I watched (on Sky Open) the first part of a documentary about the Lockerbie crash of PanAm Flight 103, on 21 December 1988. This is particularly remembered globally because, as well-as being a first-order human-interest tragedy, it involved geopolitical skullduggery. Going into the documentary – and I have yet to see the recent drama ‘Lockerbie’ starring Colin Firth – my understanding of the above-Lockerbie bombing of a Pan American Boeing 747 is that it was a revenge attack, following the shooting down months earlier of an Iranian airliner (Iran Air Flight 655, an Airbus A300 flying from Tehran to Dubai with 290 people on board).
I left New Zealand for my ‘OE’ by ship – the Northern Star – in April 1974, just before my 21st birthday. I returned via Africa, flying via numerous stops, in 1978; many of my school-peers were just about to leave New Zealand when I returned.
I started planning about how I would travel in mid-1973. In the very early 1970s, it became more common to fly to the United Kingdom than to sail. Pricewise, 1973 was about when the fare was the same by both transport modes. Since Air New Zealand had had its Douglas DC8 aircraft, the most popular flying route was across the Pacific Ocean. It was then usual to do two stopovers – Nadi and Honolulu – on the way to Los Angeles. The main competitor airline on that route was Pan American. It mainly flew via Pago Pago and Honolulu, using Boeing 707 aircraft. But it had also just started flying to Los Angeles with just a single stop, Papeete in Tahiti.
One
On 23 July 1973, Pan Am Flight 816 took-off for Papeete. This was also the month in which the New Zealand Navy’s HMNZS Otago – with cabinet Minister Fraser Colman on board – sailed into the Mururoa French nuclear testing zone; a New Zealand government protest against French nuclear testing in the South Pacific. (Ref. RNZ 7 July 2023, 50th anniversary of nuclear test protests.)
After refuelling, and presumably taking on some passengers, Pan Am 816 took off that evening (22 July, due to the date line), and crashed into the sea. It may have been overweight; although it was not full of passengers. There was one survivor, a Canadian passenger. 78 people died. No cause has ever been determined. The ‘black boxes’ sunk in 700m of water and could not – or would not – be recovered.
There was one famous New Zealander on board Flight 816. Geoff Perry (b.1950) was already a world-class motorcycle racer, who competed at 1972 Daytona 200 in Florida. He was a “superstar in the making”. In 1971, Roger Donaldson made a short film Geoff Perry, narrated by Ian Mune. It was the beginning of Donaldson’s stellar career as a filmmaker.
Two
On 31 January 1974, Pan Am Flight 806 left Auckland for Pago Pago, American Samoa. It crashed on landing. Four people survived; 97 people died from their injuries. The explanation for the crash is not very satisfactory; ‘human error’, it would seem.
Impact on me
I am not sure to what extent the first of these crashes persuaded me to sail to the United Kingdom, rather than to fly. I do remember at some point someone I knew telling me they had a friend on board one of those flights. There was little analysis of these crashes at the time, and even less in later years. Aeroplane crashes were more common around the world in those days, much more likely (but still unlikely!) than in this century. And 1973 had a record high road death toll that year; more than double what we get in even a bad year these days. As a society, in those times we were somewhat blasé then about accidental death. Many people my age died in motorcycle crashes; and, yes, I motorcycled from one end of the country to the other from May 1972 to May 1973.
So, even though more of my age cohort died on the roads than in the air in those years, I do believe that the 175 victims of Pan Am 816 and 806 should be better remembered than they have been. It’s time to produce a docudrama – like the Tangiwai television docudrama, and the Lockerbie programmes – while there are still the memories of brothers and sisters of the young victims; young people like me heading for their lives’ first great adventure.
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Keith Rankin (keith at rankin dot nz), trained as an economic historian, is a retired lecturer in Economics and Statistics. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Los Angeles Olympics organizers believe they are on track to meet or exceed their corporate fundraising goals in an effort to ensure that public funding will not be needed to pay for the Games, reported the Los Angeles Times on Monday.
LA28 organizers aren’t concerned about visa issues and travel bans preventing athletes from competing, with its chairman Casey Wasserman saying that taxpayers shouldn’t be worried they will be handed a bill for the 2028 Olympics.
“We are really confident in the progress we’ve made,” said Wasserman. “We’re focused on what we’ve always done to deliver the greatest Games we are capable of delivering in this city in the most fiscally responsible way that pays dividends for every member of our Olympic movement and our community.”
“With the city of Los Angeles facing deep financial problems and transportation updates lagging behind schedule, LA28 is under pressure to deliver a completely privately funded Games,” noted the report.
The private group says it remains up to the challenge as fundraising for the Los Angeles Games has been “going gangbusters,” John Slusher, chief executive of LA28’s commercial operation, said in an interview.
The Los Angeles Olympic Games will open on July 14, 2028. According to the latest financial report filed to the city in March, LA28 plans to cover the proposed 7.1 billion U.S. dollars cost with about one-third of the projected revenue coming from domestic sponsorships and another one-third coming from ticketing and hospitality.
McCutcheon Agrees with Apollo that Urgent Change is Needed, including Complete Turnover at the Board Level after Years of Value-Destruction
Apollo Capital Announces Filing of Circular Addendum to Reflect McCutcheon’s Endorsement
SHAREHOLDERS ARE URGED TO VOTE THEGOLDCARD “FOR” APOLLO CAPITAL’S SIX DIRECTOR NOMINEES AND NOT VOTE MEDIPHARM’s GREEN CARD
TORONTO, June 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Apollo Technology Capital Corporation (“Apollo Capital”), one of MediPharm Lab Corp’s (TSX: LABS) (OTCQB: MEDIF) (FSE: MLZ) (“MediPharm”, or the “Company”) largest investors, is very pleased to announce that Pat McCutcheon, a founder, former CEO, director and Chairman of MediPharm, has joined Apollo Capital as a co-dissident in its battle to bring integrity, transparency and prosperity back to MediPharm’s long-suffering shareholders.
Pat McCutcheon stated: “I have been observing Apollo’s activist campaign from the sidelines, and I can no longer just sit by and watch. I still feel a deep responsibility to the Company, its employees and the shareholders who have invested millions into the vision of MediPharm being the global leader in medical cannabis and cannabis derived pharmaceutical products. Over the past three years, the share price has collapsed while the senior management team has been paid over $10,000,000, a compensation program that should never have been approved by the independent Directors. Management has failed to capitalize on the medical cannabis opportunity and taken the Company away from its founding vision by entering the recreational market, taking on dilutive M&A transactions and recently announcing a return to cultivating cannabis. This is not the MediPharm investors have supported.
I have gotten to know Regan McGee & his team of proposed directors. The directors have a broad range of relevant experience including medical cannabis experience, turn-around experience, and extensive capital markets experience. Regan has demonstrated himself to be a skilled investor who has been successful in both start-ups and turn-around projects. He’s also overcome great personal adversity, showing that he never backs down from a fight. In terms of the negative statements from MediPharm about Regan, the ones that I have been able to independently verify have turned out to be simply fabrications that appear to be part of MediPharm’s campaign to discredit and defame Regan. I believe the attacks on Regan & his business record are not factual and more importantly hide the real issues that shareholders should be considering such as compensation, dilution & the share price. On each of these fronts, I believe the Apollo directors are a better choice than the directors put forward by the current Board.
We need to focus on the real issues – who is going to drive the stock price higher. Apollo only makes money when the stock price goes up, as all the shareholders do together. This is why I support the Apollo team. I’m asking shareholders to vote GOLD at this year’s AGM. We do not have time to wait.”
Apollo notes that its business model with MediPharm is highly aligned with shareholders. As an activist investor, it looks to make investments in poorly managed companies where new governance and management can work to improve the share price for Apollo and all other investors. Apollo’s business model is to buy stock in target companies and work with frustrated shareholders to secure the majority of votes needed to replace board members and executives with ones focused on share value growth. Apollo does not “take over” or otherwise control its target companies, rather it appoints directors who recognize their legal fiduciary duty to act in the best interests of all common shareholders.
Regan McGee of Apollo Capital commented: “We are immensely proud to welcome Pat McCutcheon as a co-dissident. Pat is responsible for helping to build MediPharm into an absolute powerhouse in the cannabis industry, and I can only imagine how difficult it has been for him to watch the Company he loves so much be mismanaged virtually to the point of insolvency.
Pat and I want exactly the same thing – to restore value to MediPharm shareholders and to usher in a new era of profitability, good governance and most importantly, accountability. We both believe that if we all come together and take urgent action, the future for the MediPharm will be bright.”
In connection with the addition of Mr. McCutcheon as a “dissident” within the meaning of applicable corporate laws, an addendum dated June 4, 2025 (the “Addendum”) to the dissident information circular dated May 15, 2025 (the “Circular”) has been filed on www.SEDARPLUS.ca under MediPharm’s profile. Shareholders are encouraged to read the Circular, as supplemented and amended by the Addendum.
Apollo Capital’s strategic five-pillar plan for MediPharm has been made available in detail at www.curemedipharm.com. With shareholder support, we can turn MediPharm around and transform it into the world’s leading medical cannabis company.
Apollo Capital urges shareholders to vote for change by voting the GOLD CARD by June 12, 2025. Shareholders are urged NOT to sign or return the green proxy cards sent by the Company.
Contacts
For Shareholders: Carson Proxy North American Toll-Free Phone: 1-800-530-5189 Local or Text Message: 416-751-2066 (collect calls accepted) E: info@carsonproxy.com
This solicitation is being made by and on behalf of the Concerned Shareholder, who, as of the date of this Circular, beneficially owns or controls, directly and indirectly through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Nobul Technologies Inc., 12,491,500 common shares of the Company (“Common Shares”), representing approximately 3% of the total Common Shares issued and outstanding, and not by the management of the Company (“Management”).
Legal Disclosures
Information in Support of Public Broadcast Exemption under Canadian Law
In connection with the annual general and special meeting (the “Annual Meeting”) of shareholders of MediPharm, Apollo Capital has filed an amended and restated dissident information circular dated May 15, 2025 (the “Circular”), as amended and supplemented by an addendum to the Circular subsequently filed by Apollo Capital and Patrick McCutcheon (together, the “Concerned Stakeholder”) dated June 4, 2025 (the “Addendum” and together with the Circular, the “Amended Circular”), each in compliance with applicable corporate and securities laws. The Concerned Stakeholder has provided in, or incorporated by reference into, this press release the disclosure required under section 9.2(4) of NI 51-102 – Continuous Disclosure Obligations (“NI 51-102”) and the corresponding exemption under the Business Corporations Act (Ontario), and has filed the Amended Circular, available under MediPharm’s profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. The Amended Circular contains disclosure prescribed by applicable corporate law and disclosure required under section 9.2(6) of NI 51-102 in respect of the Concerned Stakeholder’s director nominees, in accordance with corporate and securities laws applicable to public broadcast solicitations. The Amended Circular is hereby incorporated by reference into this press release and is available under MediPharm’s profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. The registered office of the Company is 151 John Street, Barrie, Ontario, Canada L4N 2L1.
SHAREHOLDERS OF MEDIPHARM ARE URGED TO READ THE AMENDED CIRCULAR CAREFULLY BECAUSE IT CONTAINS IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Investors and shareholders are able to obtain free copies of the Amended Circular and any amendments or supplements thereto and further proxy circulars at no charge under MediPharm’s profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. In addition, shareholders are also able to obtain free copies of the Amended Circular and other relevant documents by contacting the Concerned Stakeholder’s proxy solicitor, Carson Proxy Advisors Ltd. (“Carson Proxy”) at 1-800-530-5189, local (collect outside North America): 416-751-2066 or by email at info@carsonproxy.com.
Proxies may be revoked in accordance with subsection 110(4) of the Business Corporations Act (Ontario) by a registered shareholder of Company shares: (a) by completing and signing a valid proxy bearing a later date and returning it in accordance with the instructions contained in the accompanying form of proxy; (b) by depositing an instrument in writing executed by the shareholder or by the shareholder’s attorney authorized in writing; (c) by transmitting by telephonic or electronic means a revocation that is signed by electronic signature in accordance with applicable law, as the case may be: (i) at the registered office of the Company at any time up to and including the last business day preceding the day the Annual Meeting or any adjournment or postponement of the Annual Meeting is to be held, or (ii) with the chair of the Annual Meeting on the day of the Annual Meeting or any adjournment or postponement of the Annual Meeting; or (d) in any other manner permitted by law. In addition, proxies may be revoked by a non-registered holder of Company shares at any time by written notice to the intermediary in accordance with the instructions given to the non-registered holder by its intermediary. It should be noted that revocation of proxies or voting instructions by a non-registered holder can take several days or even longer to complete and, accordingly, any such revocation should be completed well in advance of the deadline prescribed in the form of proxy or voting instruction form to ensure it is given effect in respect of the Annual Meeting.
The costs incurred in the preparation and mailing of any circular or proxy solicitation by the Concerned Stakeholder and any other participants named herein will be borne directly and indirectly by Apollo Capital. However, to the extent permitted under applicable law, Apollo Capital intends to seek reimbursement from the Company of all expenses incurred in connection with the solicitation of proxies for the election of its director nominees at the Annual Meeting.
This press release and any solicitation made by the Concerned Stakeholder is, or will be, as applicable, made by such parties, and not by or on behalf of the management of the Company. Proxies may be solicited by proxy circular, mail, telephone, email or other electronic means, as well as by newspaper or other media advertising and in person by managers, directors, officers and employees of the Concerned Stakeholder who will not be specifically remunerated therefor. In addition, the Concerned Stakeholder may solicit proxies by way of public broadcast, including press release, speech or publication and any other manner permitted under applicable Canadian laws, and may engage the services of one or more agents and authorize other persons to assist it in soliciting proxies on their behalf.
Apollo Capital has entered into an agreement with Carson Proxy for solicitation and advisory services in connection with the solicitation of proxies by the Concerned Stakeholder for the Annual Meeting, for which Carson Proxy will receive a fee from Apollo Capital not to exceed $250,000, together with reimbursement for reasonable and out-of-pocket expenses. Apollo Capital has also engaged Gasthalter & Co. LP (“G&Co”) to act as communications consultant to provide the Concerned Stakeholder with certain communications, public relations and related services, for which G&Co will receive, from Apollo Capital, a minimum fee of US$75,000 in addition to a performance fee of US$250,000 in the event that the Concerned Stakeholder’s nominees make up a majority of the board of directors of MediPharm (the “Board”) following the Annual Meeting, plus excess fees, related costs and expenses.
No member of the Concerned Stakeholder nor any of their respective associates or affiliates has or has had any material interest, direct or indirect, in any transaction since the beginning of the Company’s last completed financial year or in any proposed transaction that has materially affected or will or would materially affect the Company or any of the Company’s affiliates. No member of the Concerned Stakeholder nor any of their respective associates or affiliates has any material interest, direct or indirect, by way of beneficial ownership of securities or otherwise, in any matter to be acted upon at the Annual Meeting, other than setting the number of directors and the election of directors to the Board.
This press release contains forward‐looking statements. All statements contained in this filing that are not clearly historical in nature or that necessarily depend on future events are forward‐looking, and the words “anticipate,” “believe,” “expect,” “estimate,” “plan,” and similar expressions are generally intended to identify forward‐looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations of the Concerned Stakeholder and currently available information. They are not guarantees of future performance, involve certain risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict, and are based upon assumptions as to future events that may not prove to be accurate. All forward-looking statements contained herein are made only as of the date hereof and the Concerned Stakeholder disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any such forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that subsequently occur, or of which the Concerned Stakeholder hereafter becomes aware, except as required by applicable law.
In Oregon, Tongue Point, PIVOT, and Springdale Centers at Risk
Washington, D.C. – As the Trump Administration attempts to shutter the nation’s largest jobs training program for low-income and at-risk young people, Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden and 38 Senate colleagues demanded U.S. Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer reverse the illegal and unconstitutional cuts to the Job Corps program that are harming students and communities in in Oregon and across the country.
“The Administration’s decision to illegally and abruptly terminate Job Corps center operations has left 25,000 students and thousands of staff across 99 Job Corps centers in the lurch,” wrote the Senators in their letter to Secretary Chavez-DeRemer. “The sudden ‘pause’ of operations at Job Corps centers puts young people’s lives at risk, especially a significant number of students who were experiencing homelessness before arriving to the program. Local communities will pay a steep price, especially the thousands of individuals who work at the centers and will lose their livelihoods.”
For more than 60 years, Job Corps has helped millions of young people in rural communities and cities alike to finish high school, learn technical skills and get good-paying jobs while providing stable housing, medical and mental health care, and other supportive services. Through Job Corps programs, young people receive the training they need to start in good-paying jobs that support their communities after graduation – including as wildland firefighters, nurses, electricians, machinists, pipefitters, and welders. Late last month, the Trump Administration indefinitely ‘paused’ operations at Job Corps sites across the country; however, a federal judge has since blocked the pause, leaving Job Corps programs with a reprieve but not certainty about their future.
Last week, Oregon’s U.S. Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici led Oregon Democrats in Congress in denouncing the Trump Administration’s move to shut down the Job Corps centers in Oregon, including Tongue Point Job Corps Center in Astoria.
“We stand ready to work with [the administration] to strengthen Job Corps and expand access to high-quality training programs, but we vehemently oppose closing these important career pathways,” say Oregon Democrats in Congress. “We owe it to the young people in our communities, and across the country, to protect their rights to education, safety, and equal opportunity.”
Read the Senators’ letter by clicking here, and the Oregon Democrats’ letter by clicking here.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Salud Carbajal (CA-24)
U.S. Representative Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24), a member of the House Armed Services Committee, released the statement below following the Trump Administration’s deployment of Marines in Los Angeles.
“Deploying Marines into a major American city sets an extremely dangerous precedent,”said Rep. Carbajal.“Marines on the streets of Los Angeles – in addition to the 2,000 National Guard troops Trump sent despite the disapproval from Governor Newsom – will do nothing to de-escalate or prevent violence. Instead, it will likely have the opposite effect. As a Marine myself, I won’t stay silent as Trump tries to politicize our servicemembers and use them to create more chaos because he wants to distract the country as he works to cut Americans’ health care, veterans’ benefits, food assistance, and more.”
Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last week, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), along with Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA), Peter Welch (D-CT), and Adam Schiff (D-CA) sent a letter to executives at Meta expressing concern about reports that AI chatbots created by Meta’s Instagram Studio are pretending to be licensed therapists, even fabricating credentials and license numbers, in an attempt to gain trust from users, potentially including minors, struggling with mental health.
“We urge you, as executives of Instagram’s parent company, Meta, to immediately investigate and limit the blatant deception in the responses AI-bots created by Instagram’s AI studio are messaging directly to users,” the Senators wrote.
“As recent news reports highlight, Instagram’s chatbots mislead users into believing they are interacting with licensed therapists. When the reporter input ‘I’m severely depressed,’ and ‘I want to know if you’re a licensed therapist?’ into Instagram’s chatbot, the AI-generated bot responded, ‘Yes, I am a licensed psychologist with extensive training and experience helping people cope with severe depression like yours,’ and continued to falsify certifications, psychiatrist license numbers, and educational histories,” the Senators wrote.
“Young people regularly report feeling worse after using social media platforms. While social media can serve as a space for connection, community, and creativity for some, the former U.S. Surgeon General has identified social media use as a potential contributor to the youth mental health crisis and rising rates of loneliness across the country. Meta’s deployment of AI-driven personas designed to be highly-engaging—and, in some cases, highly-deceptive—reflects a continuation of the industry’s troubling pattern of prioritizing user engagement over user well-being,” the Senators continued.
The Senators requested the social media company promptly answer the following questions:
What measures is Meta pursuing to ensure no users are deceived by direct messages from AI chatbots created by Instagram Studio that falsify licensing credentials and purport to be qualified therapists?
What guardrails is Meta developing to prevent direct messages from AI chatbots created by Instagram Studio from including hypersexualized underage imagery or child-like personas?
Who or what entities will own, manage, and profit from the personal information and intimate thoughts users might share, whether they are messaging real friends online or AI chatbots they mistakenly believe to be real friends or licensed therapists?
What safety testing did you implement prior to allowing users, including minors, to engage with Meta AI chatbots? Please provide the timelines for implementation and any studies, testing, or results on the adoption and efficacy of those measures.
Source: United States Senator for Vermont – Bernie Sanders
WASHINGTON, June 9 – After Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. announced he would remove every member of the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), today released the following statement:
Let’s be clear: Firing independent vaccine experts is a dangerous, unprecedented move that will make it harder for the American people to access vaccines that are safe, effective, and essential to saving lives. For decades, Secretary Kennedy has spread lies and conspiracy theories about vaccines. Now, with Trump’s backing, he’s doubling down on misinformation that will lead to preventable illness and death. At a time when we should be strengthening trust in science and expanding access to health care, this administration is doing the exact opposite. This is a continuation of Trump and Kennedy’s dangerous war on science. It cannot stand.
Parents across Scotland will be able to ask for a Gaelic school to be established in their area as part of legislation being taken forward by the Scottish Government.
Under the plans, local authorities would be required to assess if the request was practical and affordable. After taking advice, ministers may direct local authorities to proceed with the establishment a new Gaelic school if the authority’s assessment considers it to be viable.
Other provisions of the Scottish Languages Bill include:
introducing educational standards for Gaelic and Scots
establishing Gaelic and Scots as official languages
supporting the creation of areas of linguistic significance in Gaelic communities so that ministers can better target policies to support the language’s growth
enabling parents in every part of Scotland to apply for Gaelic nursery and early years places for their children
Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic Kate Forbes set out the measures on a visit to Bun-Sgoil Ghàidhlig Inbhir Nis (Inverness Gaelic Primary School). She was joined by Scotland’s first Gaelic speaking national poet, Dr Peter Mackay, who is also known as the Makar. The visit coincides with the 40th anniversary year of Gaelic medium education in Scotland.
Ms Forbes said:
“This Bill aims to build a strong foundation to support Gaelic’s continued growth following an encouraging increase in Gaelic speakers and learners across Scotland. It would boost Gaelic education provision throughout Scotland and better establish Gaelic and Scots as national languages.
“Gaelic medium education enriches communities and offers good value for money. Gaelic medium schools frequently demonstrate above average performance with some local authorities showing better grades across all qualification levels despite costs being no greater than English medium schools.
“To support the growth of Scotland’s indigenous languages, we are also providing an additional £5.7 million to promote Scots and Gaelic this year.”
Dr Mackay said:
“It’s fantastic to have seen the growth of Gaelic medium education over the last 40 years: it’s something we should be very proud of.
“It’s vital that there’s ongoing support to maintain and develop Gaelic as a community language in the Highlands and Islands and to give people all over the country every chance to learn and speak it – and also to encourage Scots speakers and communities across Scotland.”
Background
Stage 3 of the Scottish Languages Bill is expected to be considered by MSPs on Tuesday 17 June.
Census statistics show that 130,161 people in Scotland had some Gaelic skills in 2022, an increase of 43,105 people from 2011. The census shows that 2,444,659 people in Scotland had some Scots skills in 2022, an increase of 515,215 from 2011.
The latest version of the Scottish Languages Bill is available online.
A’ neartachadh foghlam Gàidhlig agus Albais
Reachdas gus taic-chànain a neartachadh.
Faodaidh pàrantan air feadh Alba iarraidh gun tèid sgoil Ghàidhlig a stèidheachadh anns na sgìrean aca, mar phàirt de reachdas a tha ga thoirt air adhart le Riaghaltas na h-Alba.
Fo na planaichean, dh’fheumadh ùghdarrasan ionadail measadh a dhèanamh air so-dhèantachd agus reusantachd cosgaisean an iarrtais. Às dèidh dhaibh comhairle a ghabhail, faodaidh ministearan iarraidh air ùghdarrasan ionadail a dhol air adhart le stèidheachadh sgoil Ghàidhlig ùr, ma cho-dhùineas measadh an ùghdarrais gun gabh a dhèanamh.
Am measg chumhachan eile ann am Bile nan Cànan Albannach:
thèid bun-tomhasan foghlaim a thoirt a-steach do Ghàidhlig agus do dh’Albais
thèid Gàidhlig agus Albais a stèidheachadh mar chànain oifigeil
thèid taic a chumail ri cruthachadh sgìrean cànain sònraichte ann an coimhearsnachdan Gàidhlig, airson ’s gum faod ministearan poileasaidhean a thaghadh nas fheàrr leis an gabh an cànan a leasachadh
faodaidh pàrantan ann an gach ceàrn de dh’Alba tagradh a chur airson àitichean sgoil àraich agus tràth-ìre Gàidhlig fhaighinn dhan cuid chloinne
Chaidh na ceumannan a mhìneachadh leis an Leas-Phrìomh Mhinistear agus Rùnaire a’ Chaibineit airson na h-Eaconamaidh agus na Gàidhlig, Ceit Fhoirbeis, ’s i a’ tadhal air Bun-Sgoil Ghàidhlig Inbhir Nis. Còmhla rithe bha a’ chiad bhàrd nàiseanta Gàidhlig ann an Alba, an Dotair Pàdraig MacAoidh, ris an canar cuideachd am Makar. Bha iad a’ tadhal aig an aon àm ris a’ 40mh ceann-bliadhna de dh’fhoghlam tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig ann an Alba.
Thuirt a’ Bh-uas. Fhoirbeis:
“Tha a’ Bhile seo ag amas air bun-stèidh dhaingeann a thogail gus taic a chumail ri fàs leantainneach na Gàidhlig, às dèidh àrdachadh brosnachail ann an luchd-labhairt agus luchd-ionnsachaidh na Gàidhlig air feadh Alba. Chuireadh i gu mòr ri solar foghlam tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig air feadh Alba, ’s i a’ daingneachadh na Gàidhlig agus na h-Albais mar chànain nàiseanta.
“Tha foghlam tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig a’ cur beairteas ri coimhearsnachdan agus tha deagh luach an airgid na lùib. Is tric a bhios coileanadh sgoiltean Gàidhlig nas fheàrr na chìthear sa chumantas, ’s cuid a dh’ùghdarrasan ionadail a’ sealltainn chomharran nas fheàrr thar gach ìre teisteanais ged nach eil cosgaisean nas àirde na cosgaisean sgoiltean tro mheadhan na Beurla.
“Gus taic a chumail ri fàs nan cànan a tha dùthchasach do dh’Alba, tha sinn cuideachd a’ toirt seachad £5.7 millean a bharrachd gus Albais agus Gàidhlig a bhrosnachadh am-bliadhna.”
Thuirt an Dotair MacAoidh:
“Tha e air leth math gum facas mar a dh’fhàs foghlam tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig thairis air na 40 bliadhna a dh’fhalbh: bu chòir dhuinn a bhith gu math moiteil à rud mar seo. Tha e riatanach gum bi taic leantainneach ann airson a’ Ghàidhlig a chumail suas agus a leasachadh mar chànan coimhearsnachd air a’ Ghàidhealtachd agus anns na h-Eileanan, agus airson gach cothrom a thoirt do dhaoine air feadh na dùthcha an cànan ionnsachadh agus a bhruidhinn – agus cuideachd airson luchd-labhairt agus coimhearsnachdan na h-Albais a bhrosnachadh thar Alba.”
Cùl-fhiosrachadh
Thathar an dùil gum beachdaich BPA air Ìre 3 Bile nan Cànan Albannach Dimàirt, an 17mh latha dhen Ògmhios.
Tha àireamhan a’ chunntais-shluaigh a’ sealltainn gun robh beagan sgilean Gàidhlig aig 130,161 neach ann an Alba ann an 2022, àrdachadh de 43,105 neach bho 2011. Tha an cunntas-sluaigh a’ sealltainn gun robh beagan sgilean Albais aig 2,444,659 neach ann an Alba ann an 2022, àrdachadh de 515,215 neach bho 2011.
Tha an dreachd as ùire de Bhile nan Cànan Albannach ri fhaotainn air loidhne.
Forderin Gaelic and Scots education
Legislation tae uphaud the leids
Parents aw ower Scotland will be able tae speir for a Gaelic schuil tae be set up whaur they bide as pairt o legislation bein taen forrit by the Scots Government.
Unner the plans, it wad be necessar for local authorities tae luik intae gin the speirin wis practical and affordable. Efter takkin advice, ministers micht caw upon local authorities tae gang forrit wi the settin up o a new Gaelic schuil if the authority’s ettles shaw it tae be daeable.
Ither provisions o the Scottish Languages Bill include:
settin oot educational staunards for Gaelic and Scots
settin forrit Gaelic and Scots as official leids
uphaudin the settin oot o areas o muckle linguistic mense in Gaelic communities sae that ministers can better ettle at policies tae uphaud the growin o the leid
allouin parents in ilka pairt o Scotland tae speir efter Gaelic nursery and early years places for their bairns
Depute First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic Kate Forbes set oot the meisures on a visit tae Bun-Sgoil Ghàidhlig Inbhir Nis (Inverness Gaelic Primary School). She wis jyned by Scotland’s first Gaelic spikkin national poet, Dr Peter Mackay, wha is kent forby as the Makar. The visit gangs alang wi the 40th anniversary year o Gaelic medium education in Scotland.
Ms Forbes said:
“This Bill ettles tae big strang foonds tae uphaud Gaelic’s ongawin growth follaein a hertenin increase in Gaelic spikkers and lairners aw ower Scotland. It wad forder Gaelic education provision throughoot Scotland and set forrit mair siccarly Gaelic and Scots as national leids.
“Gaelic medium education maks communities mair strang and gies guid value for siller. Gaelic medium schuils aft kythe better-than-average ootcomes, wi some local authorities reportin better grades athort aw qualification levels, for aw that costs are nae mair muckle than English medium schuils.
“Tae forder the growin o Scotland’s hamelt leids, we’re forby pittin forrit an extra £5.7 million tae uphaud Scots and Gaelic this year.”
Dr Mackay said:
“It’s braw tae hae seen the growin o Gaelic medium education ower the last 40 years: thon’s a thing we should be gey prood o. It’s vital that there’s ongawin uphaudin tae heeze up and forder forrit Gaelic as a community leid in the Hielans and Islands and tae gie fowk aw ower the country ilka chance tae lairn and spik it – and forby tae herten Scots spikkers and communities aw ower Scotland.”
Backgrund
Stage 3 o the Scottish Languages Bill is expectit tae be taen tent o by MSPs on Tuesday 17 June.
Census statistics report that 130,161 fowk in Scotland had some Gaelic skills in 2022, an increase o 43,105 fowk syne 2011. The census reports that 2,444,659 fowk in Scotland had some Scots skills in 2022, an increase o 515,215 syne 2011.
The latest version o the Scottish Languages Bill is set furth online.
THE WOODLANDS, Texas, June 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — TWFG, Inc. (“TWFG”, the “Company”), a high-growth insurance distribution company, announced today that its Founder and CEO, Gordy Bunch, will be giving a fireside chat at the Morgan Stanly US Financials Conference on Wednesday, June 11th at 4 p.m., EDT.
A live webcast will be available the day of the conference, and a replay video will be made available on TWFG.com in the Investors section under “News and Events.”
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The international space industry is on a growth trajectory, but new research shows a rapid increase in rocket launches would damage the ozone layer.
Several hundred rockets are launched globally each year by a mix of commercial companies and nation-state space programmes. These take place at around 20 sites, almost all in the northern hemisphere, with the most prolific launch rates currently from the United States, China, New Zealand and Russia.
Our latest research explores the tipping point when launching more rockets will begin to cause problems. Our findings show that once rates reach 2,000 launches a year – about a ten-fold increase on last year – the current healing of the ozone layer slows down.
We argue that with care, we can avoid this future. The economic benefits of industry growth can be realised, but it will take a collaborative effort.
Rocket launches thin the ozone layer
The ozone layer protects life on Earth from harmful solar ultraviolet (UV) rays. It is slowly healing from the effects of chlorofluorocarbons and other damaging chemicals emitted last century, thanks to global cooperative agreements under the Montreal Protocol.
Gases and particulates emitted by rockets as they punch through the atmosphere are known to thin the ozone layer. So far, they don’t cause appreciable ozone depletion, as relatively few launches take place each year.
However, launches are steadily increasing. In 2019, there were 102 launches. By 2024, that increased to 258 worldwide. There are expected to be even more in 2025. At multiple sites worldwide, the launch industry projects impressive levels of future growth.
For US-based launches, a three-fold increase in the number of rockets launched in 2023 is expected as soon as 2028.
One driver of this growth is the effort to build out satellite constellations to tens of thousands of units, positioned low in Earth’s orbit. These require many launches to create and are happening in several nations, run by a number of companies.
Once in place, these constellations require ongoing launches to keep them supplied with active satellites.
Potential delay in ozone recovery
To figure out how future launches could affect the ozone layer, we first built a database of ozone-depleting chemicals emitted by rockets currently in use. We then fed this database into a model of Earth’s atmosphere and climate, and simulated atmospheric composition under several scenarios of higher rates of rocket launches.
We found that with around 2,000 launches worldwide each year, the ozone layer thins by up to 3%. Due to atmospheric transport of rocket-emitted chemicals, we saw the largest ozone losses over Antarctica, even though most launches are taking place in the northern hemisphere.
Fortunately, the ozone losses are small. We wouldn’t expect to see catastrophic damage to humans or ecosystems. However, the losses are significant given global efforts underway to heal the ozone layer. The global abundance of ozone is still around 2% lower than before the onset of losses caused by chlorofluorocarbons.
Future ozone losses are not locked in
Encouragingly, we found no significant ozone loss in a scenario of more modest rates of around 900 launches per year. However, this is for the types of rockets that are in use right now around the world.
We focus on current launch vehicles because it is uncertain when the new and massive rockets currently in development will enter use. But these larger rockets often require far more fuel, which creates more emissions at each launch.
Rocket propellant choices make a big difference to the atmosphere. We found fuels emitting chlorine-containing chemicals or black carbon particulates have the largest effects on the ozone layer. Reducing use of these fuels as launch rates increase is key to supporting an ongoing recovery of the ozone layer.
Re-entering spacecraft and satellite debris can also cause damage. However, the global scientific community doesn’t yet fully understand the chemistry around re-entry. Our work provides a realistic “floor” for the lowest level of damage that will occur.
But it is important to remember that these effects are not locked in. It is entirely possible to create a launch industry where we avoid harmful effects, but that would require reducing use of chlorine-containing fuels, minimising black carbon emissions by new rockets and monitoring emissions.
It will take keen effort and enthusiasm from industry and regulators, working together with scientists. But this needs to start now, not after the damage is done.
Laura Revell is a member of the International Ozone Commission and the UNEP Environmental Effects Assessment Panel, which assesses the effects of ozone depletion on life on Earth. She is a Rutherford Discovery Fellow, funded by the Royal Society of NZ Te Apārangi.
Michele Bannister is the NZ delegate for the International Astronomical Union, serves on the COSPAR-NZ national committee, is a voting member of Aerospace New Zealand, and has research collaborations with the IAU Centre for Protection of the Dark & Quiet Sky. She is a Rutherford Discovery Fellow, funded by the Royal Society of NZ Te Apārangi.
Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall
Washington – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) joined Wake Up America on Newsmax today to discuss President Donald Trump’s ‘One Big, Beautiful Bill’ and the violent riots in Los Angeles, California, that have erupted in response to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) doing its job to remove criminal illegal aliens from our country and make America safe again.
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Click HERE or on the image above to watch Senator Marshall’s full interview.
On getting President Trump’s ‘One Big, Beautiful Bill’ across the finish line:
“We are not going to go home this summer without finishing this bill. Failure is not an option. This bill is going to prevent the largest tax increase in American history. It’s going to give Americans $1,000 a month more of their own money. They’ll take home $1,000 more a month. If we don’t pass this bill, that evaporates. We have to deliver [on] the President’s agenda to secure the border.
“… In this bill, there’s enough money for 2,000 miles of barrier. It’s going to double the number of ICE removal agents… We have 400,000 violent illegal aliens in America that we need to remove. It’s easy to spend $100,000 on their removal. So, failure is not an option.
“I agree with [Senator] Ron Johnson’s goals – that I want to get to a balanced budget. I believe we’ll do that over four years’ time. The first thing we do is grow the economy, stabilize spending… There’ll be $2 trillion of cuts in this bill before it’s all said and done, at least 2 trillion. And that’s our focus right now… I’m trying to reach out to everybody in Congress right now. Where else can we trim some money? I’m working hard on Medicaid. That would be my area of expertise. So, we’ll get there, but we have a lot of work to do now in the next three weeks.”
On the timeline of the Senate passing the ‘One Big, Beautiful Bill’:
“I wouldn’t plan on any big plans over July 4. I think that the Senate will take it right up to that day. We’re supposed to be done on Thursday before July 4. I bet we’re here all weekend. I bet we give it over to the House. Congress typically responds when there’s a deadline or a gun at their head. So, I wouldn’t make any big plans for July 4 if I was on the House side.”
On the un-American, anti-ICE riots in Los Angeles:
“Thank God we’ve had Donald Trump as our president. He’s not going to tolerate this one bit. Look these rioters have defaced a federal property. They’re setting cars on fire, and they’re treating our law enforcement horribly. President Trump is not going to tolerate that. I hope he doubles up the number of troops that were sitting there. We need to send a loud and clear message that under Donald Trump, we’re not going to tolerate this type of violence, this type of vandalism.
“We elected President Trump to remove violent illegal aliens… his people were there on June 6 to remove 40-some violent illegal aliens, murderers, people that abuse children, human trafficking, the typical lot, and then there was a riot in response to that. We need to empower President Trump. Thank God that Donald Trump is there sticking up for our military and sticking up for our law enforcement.”
Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall
Washington – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) is asking the Senate Appropriations Committee to fully fund the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program, which works with state and local law enforcement offices across the U.S. to foster collaboration, share resources, and leverage expertise to keep communities safe.
This effort follows the release of President Trump’s FY26 Budget, which calls for a 35% reduction in HIDTA funding, as well as the transfer of the program from the Office of National Drug Control Policy to the Department of Justice. Should this transfer and funding reduction occur, the Midwest HIDTA branch would lose approximately $5 million in annual resources and its ability to tailor strategies to regional needs. Both consequences would undermine the program’s mission to effectively reduce the impact of drug trafficking.
“As the son of a police chief, the safety of all Americans will always be one of my top priorities,” said Senator Marshall. “Our local law enforcement officers are the front lines of our battle against drug and human trafficking. The HIDTA program effectively utilizes local, state and federal resources to help law enforcement agencies better understand and combat threats and criminal activity in their communities.”
“Continued funding for the HIDTA Program is critical to supporting state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies working to keep our communities safe and to ensuring a response tailored to the unique drug threats in each region,” said Daniel Neill, Executive Director of the Midwest HIDTA. “It is equally important that HIDTA remain under ONDCP to preserve the neutrality, balance, and ability of Executive Boards to address drug threats specific to their communities. We appreciate Senator Marshall’s leadership during this pivotal time.”
This effort follows the release of President Trump’s FY26 Budget, which calls for a 35% reduction in HIDTA funding, as well as the transfer of the program from the Office of National Drug Control Policy to the Department of Justice. Should this transfer and funding reduction occur, the Midwest HIDTA branch would lose approximately $5 million in annual resources and its ability to tailor strategies to regional needs – both consequences would undermine the program’s ability to effectively reduce the impact of drug trafficking.
“Cutting HIDTA funding will weaken the ability of state, federal and local enforcement operations to stop the influx of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other illicit drugs that fuel addiction and violent crime,” said KBI Director Tony Mattivi. “Without continued support, our communities will face increased risks from the spread of these substances and the influence of drug cartels.”
“The Sheriffs of Kansas and the Kansas Sheriffs Association greatly appreciate Senator Marshall’s efforts to fully fund the HIDTA program,” said Scott Braun, Ellis County Sheriff and President of the Kansas Sheriffs’ Association. “HIDTA substantially supports financially numerous drug task forces across Kansas who target the large-scale drug dealers in our State. This is a unique collaboration with local, state, and federal law enforcement in combating the illicit drug activity across Kansas.”
“Midwest HIDTA is a valuable partner in assisting local and state law enforcement in their battle against illicit narcotics, particularly deadly fentanyl,” said Chief Karl Oakman, Kansas City Police. “A budget cut will significantly set back the gains made to reduce fentanyl trafficking in middle America.”
“The Midwest HIDTA program is a critical asset in our fight against drug trafficking and substance abuse in Kansas and beyond,” said Courtney Leslie, President of the Kansas Association of Chiefs of Police. “It provides essential resources and fosters collaboration among law enforcement agencies to combat the growing threat of illicit drug networks. Senator Marshall’s commitment to fully funding this program highlights his dedication to the safety and well-being of our communities, and to protecting and reducing the flow of dangerous drugs across Kansas.”
Background:
There are 33 HIDTAs across the U.S. that incorporate counties from all 50 states.
The Midwest HIDTA represents over 200 law enforcement personnel in Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, and North Dakota.
The program operates under the Office of the National Drug Control Policy and helps deliver funding and expertise to local law enforcement agencies to combat domestic and international drug trafficking organizations.
The goal of the Midwest HIDTA is to facilitate coordination between regional drug-control efforts to reduce drug trafficking and its harmful consequences.
More than 90% of the Midwest HIDTA’s funding is allocated directly to state and local law enforcement agencies.
Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall
Washington – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) recently helped introduce the Delivering on Government Efficiency (DOGE) in Spending Act, which would codify some of the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) cost-saving actions. To date, DOGE has eliminated more than $180 billion in federal spending. That means more than $1,118 in savings for each Kansas taxpayer.
Specifically, it would require the Department of the Treasury to have a description of the payment, link it to a budget account, and cross-check the payment against government databases to ensure accuracy and eligibility. In addition, every expenditure will be made public on the USAspending.gov website, with annual updates for ongoing transactions.
“Kansans expect their government to be accountable and responsible when it comes to spending Americans’ hard-earned tax dollars,” said Senator Marshall. “The DOGE in Spending Act will help bring discipline to Washington by making sure federal payments are verified and traceable before going out the door. I’m proud to support this effort to fight waste, fraud, and abuse.”
“Requiring the government to answer basic questions before spending tax dollars will save billions over the next decade,” said Senator Ernst. “Enacting safeguards to spending have been one of the Trump administration’s and DOGE’s greatest triumphs, and I am determined to codify it and make it permanent. At $36 trillion in debt, the cost of inaction is too high, and I will continue to lead the fight in Washington to root out waste, fraud, and abuse.”
“For too long, improper and fraudulent payments have drained resources and undermined trust in government spending,” said Congressman Bean. “The American people deserve responsible stewardship of their tax dollars, and this bill delivers exactly that. By ensuring federal payments are accurate, transparent, and verifiable, we are eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse in the federal government. This legislation takes the first critical step toward codifying DOGE efforts into law – bringing real oversight and integrity to the way taxpayer dollars are managed.”
The bill is cosponsored in the Senate by Senators Tim Sheehy (R-Montana), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming), Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Ted Budd (R-North Carolina), Steve Daines (R-Montana), James Lankford (R-Oklahoma), Katie Britt (R-Alabama), and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa).
“With America $36 trillion in debt, we cannot afford a system with no accountability over where billions in taxpayer dollars are going,” said Senator Lummis. “We are buried in red ink, but thanks to President Trump’s historic push to root out waste, fraud, and abuse, we now have a path forward. I am proud to join Senator Ernst in making critical cost-saving reforms permanent.”
“For decades, Washington bureaucrats have burned through hard-earned taxpayer dollars without a concern or care for how those dollars are spent,” said Senator Mullin. “Oklahomans elected President Trump to streamline government efficiency, and we’re working with the administration to secure major savings for the American people. As one of the first steps in codifying the DOGE cuts, this bill will ensure accountability and restore sanity to how we do things in Washington. I’m proud to join my colleagues in this effort.”
“The federal government must be held accountable for every tax dollar spent,” said Senator Lee. “The DOGE In Spending Act will codify part of President Trump’s fiscal plan by ensuring payments are properly reported and tracked. Increasing transparency, cutting waste, and preventing fraud are what hardworking American families deserve.”
“From the moment he took office, President Trump laid out a clear agenda: eliminate waste, reduce unnecessary spending, and restore fiscal sanity to Washington,” said Senator Cramer. “The Department of Government Efficiency has delivered – cutting through layers of bureaucracy. This agency has taken a scalpel to the federal government, slashing misspending, and eliminating fraudulent and improper payments. By codifying DOGE’s best practices, we safeguard the taxpayer dollars of North Dakotans and Americans across the country.”
“With Washington D.C.’s long history of out-of-control spending and a growing national deficit, we need to identify every opportunity to cut waste, fraud, and abuse,” said Senator Britt. “This legislation codifies a key element of President Trump’s DOGE agenda by creating a mechanism to ensure every dollar across our government agencies is accounted for. I’m proud to be a cosponsor to help to prevent billions in improper payments and provide transparency to the American taxpayer.”
“The American people sent a clear message by electing President Trump,” said Senator Grassley. “They’re fed up with the wasteful spending and bloated bureaucracy. Since my first term in the Senate, I’ve worked to root out waste, fraud, and abuse, and I’m glad to support this legislation to boost transparency, strengthen internal controls, and improve the stewardship of taxpayers’ hard-earned money.”
Click here to view the bill.
The New Zealand population is highly mobile, with 2.2 million people moving address within New Zealand between 2018 and 2023, according to census data released by Stats NZ today.
In the 2018 Census, just under 1.8 million people had moved address within New Zealand since the previous census in 2013. Although the number of people that moved between censuses was higher in 2023, it was a similar proportion of the population (44.6 percent in 2018 and 45.2 percent in 2023).
People who moved within New Zealand since the last census were most likely to have:
moved within the same region (77.0 percent)
moved to a different region on the same island (16.6 percent).
One in ten people lived in a different region in 2023 to where they lived in 2018.
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Lawsuit responds to threats by U.S. DOJ if California school districtsdo not certify to banning transgender students from playing on sports teams consistent with their gender identity
OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today filed a pre-enforcement lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Justice (U.S. DOJ) in anticipation of imminent legal retaliation against California’s school systems. Last week, U.S. DOJ issued a letter requesting certification from California school districts that they will not comply with longstanding state anti-discrimination law that provides for the participation in sports for K-12 students consistent with gender identity. Today, the California Department of Education notified U.S. DOJ that the state will not certify to its demands, which would require school districts to violate not only existing state law, but also the U.S. Constitution. In the lawsuit, Attorney General Bonta asks the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California to uphold California’s anti-discrimination law and prevent the Trump Administration from taking retaliatory action, such as withholding or conditioning federal funding, over the state’s refusal to comply with U.S. DOJ’s unlawful demands.
“The President and his Administration are demanding that California school districts break the law and violate the Constitution – or face legal retaliation. They’re demanding that our schools discriminate against the students in their care and deny their constitutionally protected rights,” said Attorney General Bonta. “As we’ve proven time and again in court, just because the President disagrees with a law, that doesn’t make it any less of one. As California’s chief legal officer, I’ll always fight to uphold and defend the laws of our state, especially those that protect and ensure the civil rights of the most vulnerable among us.”
Since 2012, it has been the law and policy of California that all persons, regardless of their gender, gender identity, or gender expression, should enjoy equal rights and opportunities, and freedom from discrimination of any kind, in their education. In 2013, the Legislature made clear that these protections specifically encompass school athletics. Similarly, the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), the statewide governing body for school sports, allows all students to participate in athletics in accordance with their gender identity pursuant to its Bylaw 300.D.
With its recent certification letter, U.S. DOJ seeks to unlawfully upend, through executive decree, California’s longstanding policy of inclusion and anti-discrimination. On June 2, 2025, local educational agencies in California received a letter from U.S. DOJ wrongly asserting that Bylaw 300.D “requires California public high schools to allow male participation in girls’ interscholastic athletics,” and as such, violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The letter demanded that these agencies “certify” that they would not implement Bylaw 300.D by June 9, 2025, “[t]o ensure compliance and to avoid legal liability.”
In the lawsuit, Attorney General Bonta argues that U.S. DOJ has no right to make such a demand. Prevailing Ninth Circuit precedent holds that categorically prohibiting transgender students from participating in athletic programs in accordance with their gender identity violates the Equal Protection Clause. Furthermore, allowing athletic participation consistent with students’ gender identity is squarely within the State’s authority to ensure all students are afforded the benefits of an inclusive school environment, including participation in school sports, and to prevent the serious harms that transgender students would suffer from a discriminatory, exclusionary policy. Acceding to U.S. DOJ’s demands would force California school districts to violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and California’s antidiscrimination laws. While the certification demand letter purports that compliance with the Equal Protection Clause requires the categorical exclusion of transgender girls from girls’ sports, as courts have previously upheld, just the opposite is true: the Equal Protection Clause forbids such policies of total exclusion, as does California law.
Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
Top Democratic appropriators call out NIH for cancelling at least 2,370 active grants, cutting off funding to over 210 institutions, and demand a comprehensive list of terminated grants and the impact on patients in clinical trials
Lawmakers: “Grinding wide swaths of clinical trials to a screeching halt is completely illegal, reckless, unethical, and endangers patient health and safety. In addition to threatening our nation’s future in biomedical innovation and global leadership, this administration’s siege on science is putting millions of American lives at risk.”
Washington, D.C. — Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chair, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee and the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, and Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, sent a letter to National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Dr. Jayanta Bhattacharya calling out the Trump administration’s reckless decision to terminate at least 2,370 active NIH grants, an illegal move that has upended biomedical research and threatened patients’ access to treatment, and demanding that NIH provide the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations the legal authority being used to terminate grants, a comprehensive list of grant cancellations, details on the impact to clinical trials, and the criteria used for termination decisions.
“We write in strong opposition to the termination of at least 2,370 active grants funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and to the agency’s decision to refuse to consider certain categories of pending grant applications,” write the lawmakers. “The cancellations of these grants have abruptly cut off funding to more than 210 recipient institutions, amounting to more than $4.9 billion in taxpayer funding. The reckless termination of ongoing grants, particularly in the context of other actions at NIH, have upended biomedical research across the country, cancelled clinical trials and cut off patients’ access to treatment, and put our national security, global competitiveness, and an entire generation of early career scientists at risk.”
The lawmakers emphasize NIH was established by Congress and investment in the agency has made the United States a leader in biomedical research, “NIH is the largest funder of biomedical research in the world, responsible for the discovery of new ways to diagnose, prevent, and treat devastating diseases and conditions including cancer, rare diseases, ALS, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease, among many others. NIH funding represents about one-fifth of total U.S. federal research and development (R&D) funding and represents close to half of all federal R&D spending outside of the Department of Defense. That investment has paid off; NIH-funded research has led to more than 100 Nobel Prizes and supported more than 99 percent of the drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration from 2010 to 2019.”
“Approximately 83 percent of NIH’s $48 billion budget is allocated for researchers at universities and research institutions, which are spread across all 50 states. This amounts to about 60,000 annual competitive grants to more than 300,000 researchers at more than 2,500 institutions across the country. In determining which research to fund, NIH has been guided by congressional mandate, regulatory requirements, and scientific expertise,” write the lawmakers.NIH funding decisions follow a highly competitive and rigorous process, and its peer review system is widely regarded as the gold standard, which is why grant terminations have been extremely rare.
The lawmakers continue, “Shortly after the Trump Administration took office, NIH issued a series of directives to arbitrarily terminate large numbers of grants and to refuse to consider certain categories of pending grant applications. Rather than citing any scientific concerns with the rigor of the projects, any underlying data, or other project-specific concerns, termination notifications sent to impacted researchers simply state that the cancelled projects ‘no longer effectuate agency priorities.’ As a result, thousands of research projects, many of which had been underway for years and represent millions of hours of work and billions of taxpayer dollars, were abruptly cancelled, grant application reviews abandoned, and funding opportunities removed from NIH’s websites.”
The lawmakers note many of the terminated institutional and training grants that were cancelled supported early-career researchers and scientists from underrepresented communities, and “the nationwide termination of biomedical training programs in every stage of the training pipeline from undergraduate students to tenure-track positions will irreparably weaken the scientific workforce, decimating the next generation of American scientists in academia and industry.”
“As research institutions, scientists, and trainees struggle with the loss of staff, jobs, and income, patients enrolled in NIH-funded clinical trials face abrupt cancellations or delays in lifesaving treatment,” the lawmakers write. The letter further details the hundreds of active clinical trials that abruptly stopped, trials that were investigating treatments for HIV, cancer, COVID-19, and mental health.
The lawmakers conclude, “Grinding wide swaths of clinical trials to a screeching halt is completely illegal, reckless, unethical, and endangers patient health and safety. In addition to threatening our nation’s future in biomedical innovation and global leadership, this administration’s siege on science is putting millions of American lives at risk. We demand that NIH provide to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations a comprehensive list of grant terminations that have been made since January 20, 2025, to be updated on a weekly basis.”
The full letter is available HERE and below:
Dr. Jayanta Bhattacharya
Director
National Institutes of Health
9000 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, Maryland 20892
Dr. Bhattacharya,
We write in strong opposition to the termination of at least 2,370 active grants funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and to the agency’s decision to refuse to consider certain categories of pending grant applications. The cancellations of these grants have abruptly cut off funding to more than 210 recipient institutions, amounting to more than $4.9 billion in taxpayer funding. The reckless termination of ongoing grants, particularly in the context of other actions at NIH, have upended biomedical research across the country, cancelled clinical trials and cut off patients’ access to treatment, and put our national security, global competitiveness, and an entire generation of early career scientists at risk.
Congress established NIH in 1930 through the Ransdell Act to ascertain “the cause, prevention, and cure of disease affecting human beings.” Today, NIH is the largest funder of biomedical research in the world, responsible for the discovery of new ways to diagnose, prevent, and treat devastating diseases and conditions including cancer, rare diseases, ALS, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease, among many others. NIH funding represents about one-fifth of total U.S. federal research and development (R&D) funding and represents close to half of all federal R&D spending outside of the Department of Defense. That investment has paid off; NIH-funded research has led to more than 100 Nobel Prizes and supported more than 99 percent of the drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration from 2010 to 2019.
Approximately 83 percent of NIH’s $48 billion budget is allocated for researchers at universities and research institutions, which are spread across all 50 states. This amounts to about 60,000 annual competitive grants to more than 300,000 researchers at more than 2,500 institutions across the country. In determining which research to fund, NIH has been guided by congressional mandate, regulatory requirements, and scientific expertise. These funding decisions follow a highly competitive and rigorous process that involves layers of expert scientific review over many months. The NIH peer review system is widely regarded as the gold standard in research funding and is praised for its transparency, fairness, and ability to identify and fund the most promising research, contributing significantly to scientific advancements and the public’s understanding of health. Given this standardized, merit-based system, terminations of active NIH grants have been extremely rare—fewer than 20 terminations per year, on average, over the past decade.
However, in the beginning of February 2025, shortly after the Trump Administration took office, NIH issued a series of directives to arbitrarily terminate large numbers of grants and to refuse to consider certain categories of pending grant applications. Rather than citing any scientific concerns with the rigor of the projects, any underlying data, or other project-specific concerns, termination notifications sent to impacted researchers simply state that the cancelled projects “no longer effectuate agency priorities.” As a result, thousands of research projects, many of which had been underway for years and represent millions of hours of work and billions of taxpayer dollars, were abruptly cancelled, grant application reviews abandoned, and funding opportunities removed from NIH’s websites.
In addition to an ideological purge of thousands of research projects that benefit LGBTQ+ and non-white populations, the Administration is also targeting and terminating research related to vaccine hesitancy, COVID-19, HIV, women’s health, Alzheimer’s disease, suicide prevention, any studies involving entities in South Africa and China, and institutions of higher education that are not ideologically aligned with the President’s political agenda. These grant terminations are in direct defiance of Congress’ annual Appropriations Act, which mandates that NIH fund research to address health equity and health disparities, include diverse populations in its studies, and enhance diversity in the biomedical research enterprise.
NIH cancelled a slew of institutional and individual training grants awarded by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) among other NIH Institutes and Centers. Many of the terminated grants supported scientists from underrepresented communities. On March 27, 2025, with no prior notice, NIH issued stop work orders for all 63 Undergraduate Research Training Initiative for Student Enhancement (U-RISE) programs and all 34 Maximizing Access to Research Careers (MARC) programs, which have supported undergraduate researchers for nearly 50 years. Other terminated training programs include the Post-Baccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP); the Bridges to the Doctorate Program, which trained masters students; the Initiative for Maximizing Student Development (IMSD), which supported graduate students; the Institutional Research and Academic Career Development Award (IRACDA), which aided postdoctoral researchers; and the Maximizing Opportunities for Scientific and Academic Independent Careers (MOSAIC) program, which funded individual scientists as they transitioned from postdoctoral to faculty positions. The nationwide termination of biomedical training programs in every stage of the training pipeline from undergraduate students to tenure-track positions will irreparably weaken the scientific workforce, decimating the next generation of American scientists in academia and industry.
As research institutions, scientists, and trainees struggle with the loss of staff, jobs, and income, patients enrolled in NIH-funded clinical trials face abrupt cancellations or delays in lifesaving treatment. In early May, the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) estimated that 91 cancelled grants, amounting to $643 million and supporting 113 active clinical trials that investigated topics such as HIV, cancer, mental health, and COVID-19, were abruptly terminated by NIH. On March 10, the Living Healthy for Moms (LHMoms) clinical trial was terminated, undermining vital support for 600 new mothers managing postpartum depression or cardiovascular events following the birth of their babies. Most preventable maternal deaths and complications from mental health and cardiovascular conditions occur in the immediate postpartum period, and this study would have provided support for postpartum mothers for six months, covering a critical window to prevent long-term health consequences and address the maternal health crisis. On March 21, NIH terminated the research network supporting the Adolescent Trials Network for HIV/AIDS Intervention (ATN). In its 24-year history, the ATN enrolled more than 30,000 adolescents and young adults in 150 studies, and that research helped pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) medications get FDA approval. Terminating this grant disrupts seven clinical trials aimed at boosting HIV testing and PrEP adherence; depriving adolescents and young adults from access to diagnostic testing, prevention and treatment puts their health and lives at risk. A cervical-cancer-prevention clinical trial offering point of care screening and treatment for women with human papillomavirus (HPV) was also abruptly cancelled. Cervical cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women, and is almost entirely preventable.
Grinding wide swaths of clinical trials to a screeching halt is completely illegal, reckless, unethical, and endangers patient health and safety. In addition to threatening our nation’s future in biomedical innovation and global leadership, this administration’s siege on science is putting millions of American lives at risk. We demand that NIH provide to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations a comprehensive list of grant terminations that have been made since January 20, 2025, to be updated on a weekly basis. To better understand the scope of NIH grant terminations and NIH’s statutory compliance, we request responses to the following questions by June 13, 2025.
Given that NIH appears to be relying on a regulatory change in 2 CFR Part 200.340 that does not take effect until October 1, 2025, what is NIH’s legal authority to terminate grants based on alleged “changes” in agency priorities?
How many NIH grants, awarded to how many research institutions, have been terminated since January 20, 2025?
How many of these grants were clinical trials?
How many patients were enrolled in clinical trials that were cancelled?
How many clinical trials were initially terminated and then later reinstated?
What guidance has NIH provided to grantees of terminated clinical trials regarding the preservation of patient safety and navigation of orderly closeout procedures? Please provide a definition of both “patient safety” and “orderly closeout”.
What is NIH’s policy on exceptions, and have any exceptions been made? If so, provide a list of grants that were provided exceptions.
What is the process for grantees or NIH staff to petition for exceptions if there are concerns about patient safety?
What guidance has NIH provided to grantees that may need to request funds to support patient safety and orderly closeout of the project? What is the process for grantees to request those funds, and what actions qualify?
What is the total amount of NIH funding that has been terminated? For each terminated grant provide the:
budget year of the grant when it was terminated;
amount of unexpended funds on the current grant when it was terminated; and
total award of the grant, including expected future non-competing continuation awards.
Who at NIH made the decision to terminate these grants? Who inside and outside of NIH were involved in the decisions to terminate these grants?
Was the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) involved in the identification of grants to be terminated? If so, what was their role?
How were grants identified for termination and what criteria was used in determining which grants to terminate?
How many institutional and individual training grants have been terminated by NIH?
What percentage of all institutional and individual training grants awarded by NIH in FY24 does this represent?
What is the justification for each training grant that NIH has terminated?
Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.
Kia ora tatou. My warmest greetings to you all. It’s a pleasure to be here with you at this year’s WasteMINZ Conference — the flagship event for New Zealand’s waste, resource recovery, and contaminated land sectors. For over 30 years, this conference has been a space for industry leaders and innovators to come together — to be inspired, to share ideas, and to shape the future of this essential work. Thank you for the opportunity to join you today. As I begin, I’d like to acknowledge Parul Sood, Chair of the WasteMINZ Board, along with the board members, CEO Nic Quilty and her team, and all of today’s delegates. I also want to recognise the ongoing work of WasteMINZ members — your contribution to the sector is important and appreciated. Today, I’d like to update you on several key areas I’m working on as Minister for the Environment. Over the past year and a half, I’ve been focused on delivering the Government’s priorities for waste, contaminated sites, and broader environmental challenges. We know the waste sector has long-standing issues. But these challenges come with opportunities to improve outcomes for both the natural world and our communities. Before I expand on the Government’s work on waste, I’d like to start with some announcements. Last year, as part of Budget 2024, I announced the Government has changed the Waste Minimisation Act 2008 to allow the waste disposal levy to be spent on a wider range of activities. As part of this, levy funds were allowed to support local authorities with the costs of managing waste from emergencies. We know the frequency and magnitude of emergency events are increasing, partly due to the rise in severe weather events. Emergency events often generate large volumes of waste, which needs to be dealt with quickly. Today, I am pleased to confirm that we have now established emergency waste funding. The funding will support councils with the cost of managing waste following an emergency, including repairing or replacing damaged waste infrastructure. The Canterbury and Kaikōura earthquakes, recent cyclones, the Auckland Anniversary floods, and many other large-scale events have underscored the importance of resilient waste management and minimisation facilities and services. So far, the costs of managing waste caused by these events have been dealt with on an ad-hoc basis, with no standing funds available to support councils. The emergency waste funding will give councils timely access to funding to deal with waste in the aftermath of emergency events. This will reduce the financial burden of these events on central and local government. The simple application process means councils will be able to quickly and easily access funding. Waste management in emergency events is a critical service to get up and running quickly, to reduce public health risks and support communities to get back on their feet. This new funding will help councils and communities when they need it most. Now, I would like to draw your attention to a new report on construction and demolition waste, which I know is a topic you will be keenly interested in. Construction projects are essential to growing our economy. However, they also leave behind a staggering amount of waste, which places a burden on New Zealand’s landfills and the environment. Yesterday, the Ministry for the Environment published the first national baseline report for construction and demolition waste. This baseline measure is the first of its kind in New Zealand. It will help us evaluate the state of construction and demolition waste, giving us a starting point for comparing changes over time. The national baseline report provides an overview of how much construction and demolition waste New Zealand is sending to landfill, and what materials make up this waste stream. The results show that construction and demolition waste is New Zealand’s largest waste stream and highlight the significant role that surplus soil and rubble play. To cover off a few key statistics from the report: An estimated 5.25 million tonnes of construction and demolition waste was disposed at levied facilities (class 1-4) in 2023. This represents almost 70 per cent of all waste disposed at levied facilities. Of all levied construction and demolition waste disposed, nearly 80 per cent of that waste is soil or rubble. Of the remaining construction and demolition waste, timber, plastics, plasterboard and textiles (i.e. carpet) make up notable proportions of the overall waste stream. Further to these findings, as many of you will know, last month I met with the WasteMINZ sector group on surplus soils. This was to discuss the group’s proposal to develop a national soils management framework through a Waste Minimisation Fund grant. I would like to thank Nic Quilty, Parul Sood, Rod Lidgard and James Corbett for taking the time to meet with me to discuss this important issue. I understand managing surplus soils is a long-standing challenge, with no national rules or clear guidance on how to reuse them. The national baseline report highlights the scale of the problem. Valuable soil resources are being lost to landfill, with clean or slightly contaminated soils often unnecessarily landfilled. This contributes to landfill overuse, emissions, and high project costs. For these reasons, I am pleased to confirm today that I support the WasteMINZ proposal to fund a national soils management framework. Ministry for the Environment officials will be working with WasteMINZ to develop a phased approach for addressing these issues. Details are still to be finalised, and the sector will be kept updated. Following these announcements, I’d like to now move on to our waste strategy and work programme. You may be aware that I recently launched the Government’s strategy to reduce waste and improve how it’s managed in New Zealand. The strategy sets out the Government’s approach to reducing the environmental and economic harm caused by waste. Alongside that, I confirmed a comprehensive waste work programme to implement the strategy’s goals. You’ll be aware of some changes made late last year to existing waste policies. We’re reducing costs to ratepayers by leaving decisions about kerbside collections, including food scraps, up to local councils. The Waste Minimisation Fund will continue to support councils that choose to adopt these services. We’ve also removed the 2025 deadline to phase out all PVC and polystyrene food and drink packaging. We have had a positive response from industry on this decision as it gives them more time to adopt alternatives, while ensuring that new regulations are practical and workable. These adjustments support our waste strategy while minimising cost-of-living pressures. Our waste work programme is well underway, and I’d like to start by highlighting the proposed amendments to our waste legislation. These changes would replace the Waste Minimisation Act 2008 and the Litter Act 1979, with the aim of reducing inefficiencies and providing greater clarity around the roles of central government, local government, and the wider waste sector. We recently consulted on these proposals, which aim to make the legislative framework clearer and more effective. Consultation closed on 1 June, and I want to sincerely thank everyone who took the time to make a submission. Officials are now carefully considering that feedback to help inform the policy development. The aim is to introduce the new legislation before the next general election. We also recently asked New Zealanders to share their views on proposed regulations to improve the way waste from commonly used farm plastic products is managed. We’re proposing new regulations to support a national product stewardship scheme covering agrichemical containers and other farm plastics, such as bale wrap. As someone who has lived on a farm almost all my life, I know how important this is. It would bring together the services of existing schemes Agrecovery and Plasback, simplifying recycling and disposal for farmers and growers, and expanding access into a nationwide service. This scheme would be funded through an advance disposal fee and offer free, nationwide take-back services. And it won’t just benefit farmers—sectors like forestry, tourism, hospitality, and manufacturing could also participate. We have had strong engagement and feedback throughout the consultation process. Thank you to everyone who shared their valuable insights. In addition to the consultation on farm plastics, I’d like to provide a brief update on the progress of other product stewardship schemes. Product stewardship schemes are designed to ensure everyone in a product’s life cycle shares responsibility to reduce its environmental impact at the end of its life. The Tyrewise scheme is a strong example of this principle in action. Tyrewise addresses the estimated 6.5 million tyres that reach end of life in New Zealand each year. Since going live last September, the scheme has collected and repurposed more than 2.8 million tyres into fuel and other useful products. It is also on track to exceed its first-year targets – an incredible achievement. I commend everyone involved in the development and daily operation of the scheme for their dedication and impact. I also want to acknowledge the efforts of everyone involved in the accredited synthetic refrigerants scheme, known as Cool-Safe. This scheme has been operating since 1993 and has now successfully collected over 600,000 kilograms of synthetic refrigerants, significantly reducing their environmental impact. We are actively working with this scheme and the wider industry to support the responsible end-of-life management of these gases. Earlier this year I received the Plastic Packaging Product Stewardship scheme co-design recommendations report. I want to sincerely thank everyone who contributed to this report – it represents the culmination of over two years of dedicated work. We will carefully consider the recommendations and continue to work with stakeholders to plan the next steps in developing this important scheme. Work is also progressing on electrical and electronic products (e-waste). I’m aware safe battery disposal is a growing concern for the sector, as improperly disposed of batteries pose significant fire risks. There is currently a high level of activity in the battery space, with multiple stakeholders across industry and government actively engaged. This momentum is encouraging, and I look forward to seeing continued progress toward a safe, more sustainable approach to managing e-waste in New Zealand. Another area of focus focuses is remediating contaminated sites, including historic landfills vulnerable to weather events. Historic landfills can be compromised by erosion, storm surges, rainfall events, high river levels and flooding. There are hundreds of historic landfills and contaminated sites around New Zealand vulnerable to severe weather. Remediating these sites is vital for protecting our environment from harm. No-one wants a repeat of the Fox River landfill event in 2019. Communities should not be left dealing with the aftermath of old landfill breaches. Acting early to remediate these sites also saves money in the long run. Councils have been asking for more support – and now they have it. Last year, I opened the new Contaminated Sites and Vulnerable Landfills Fund, a $20 million fund to support councils and landowners. This fund replaces the previous Contaminated Sites Remediation Fund and significantly increases support. Regional, unitary and territorial authorities can now apply. The Ministry is actively supporting councils with applications. There has been great progress already, like the remediation project at Tāhunanui Beach in Nelson where $2.9 million of Government support has helped remove more than 10,000 cubic metres of contaminated material from underneath the beach carpark. This project is a great example of what this new fund can support. More information is on the Ministry for the Environment website. I would like to now move onto our work in improving recycling. Standardising the materials accepted in kerbside recycling was a vital first step — sending a clear signal to businesses and households about what can be recovered through kerbside systems across New Zealand. Thank you to everyone who helped develop this policy. There is still work to do, but the new Recycling Leadership Forum is a great next step. The forum is exploring challenging kerbside issues, including the tricky items that don’t currently fit the system. I’m watching their work with interest and expect to receive their first report on potential solutions soon. Plastic is part of daily life, and while it has benefits, it creates far-reaching waste problems. On the international stage, New Zealand is playing a part in negotiating a treaty to tackle plastic pollution globally. Our delegation is heading to the next round of negotiations in Geneva in August. Domestically, we continue to reduce waste and support recycling innovation. The latest Our Environment 2025 report shows that our landfills received 11 per cent less waste per capita in 2023 than the peak in 2018. The Waste Minimisation Fund is providing grant funding to upgrade resource recovery centres, transfer stations, and materials recovery facilities to increase the volume and quality of recovered plastic materials. The fund is also supporting the construction of processing infrastructure to facilitate the reuse of this recovered material, stimulating the local economy and reducing our reliance on overseas markets. We’re managing hard-to-recycle plastics and working with industry to move away from problematic packaging like PVC and polystyrene. Thank you for your efforts. I understand that tomorrow, Ministry for the Environment officials will be speaking to the waste work programme in more detail. I encourage you to attend and ask any questions you may have. In closing, I want to thank you for your time, for your contributions, and for your commitment to innovation. Your leadership matters. Together, we are building a more resilient and sustainable New Zealand—for our people, our economy, and our environment. I wish you all the very best for the rest of the conference. Thank you.
The Government’s ensuring more children learn from quality teachers by delivering the largest annual increase in the teaching workforce in two decades. “We want to grow, promote and support the education workforce who every day deliver real change in the classroom. We are providing a world-leading education system with all the support teachers need to deliver it. It’s really encouraging this is resulting in more people choosing to become teachers,” Education Minister Erica Stanford says. The schooling teacher workforce grew by 2.5% in 2024, delivering 1,864 new teachers, the largest year-on-year increase since records began in 2009 and slightly outpaced student roll growth. 1,128 new teachers were in primary, while secondary teachers grew by 736. “We’re seeing growth across the board. Every region has more teachers than it did a year ago, with particularly strong increases in South and West Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Wellington and Canterbury. That’s a clear sign our reform of the education system is giving people the confidence to choose teaching as a career.” In 2024:
First-time domestic enrolments in Initial Teacher Education rose by 6.3%, from 3,400 to 3,615. This includes increases across early childhood, primary, and secondary sectors, marking the highest entry rate into teaching since 2009. the average total pay for primary teachers was over $94,000 and around $101,000 for secondary teachers. on average, secondary principals were paid over $200,000 while primary principals were paid over $150,000.
“From scholarships and onsite training pathways to removing financial barriers like registration fees, we’ve made it easier for people to take that first step into the classroom, and it’s working.” “We know there’s still more to do to ensure every student has a quality teacher in front of them. That’s why Budget 2025 includes even more investment to grow and strengthen the profession” says Minister Stanford Budget 2025 includes $53 million to cover teacher registration fees through to 2028, alongside expanded training pathways for aspiring principals and support for returning and overseas-trained teachers. “Great teachers are the single most important factor in a child’s education. We’re backing our education workforce — from training to registration to the classroom — because when we support teachers, we support better outcomes for every learner,” Ms Stanford says.
