Source: New Zealand Police
A pedestrian who was seriously injured after being struck by a car in Christchurch last week has died.
The man was taken to hospital with serious injuries after being struck by the car in Halswell Road at around 10.45am on 23 May. Sadly he passed away in hospital on 24 May.
Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones.
Enquiries into the circumstances of the incident are ongoing.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
Source: Communications Workers of America
Union Members Protest Unfair Labor Practices in Campbellsburg and Authorize Strike in St.Marys Amid Concerns Over Mill Point Capital’s Real Estate Deal
CAMPBELLSBURG, IN — Union workers at Metal Powder Products (MPP) on Tuesday, May 27, protested the company’s failure to negotiate a fair contract and its ongoing pattern of alleged labor violations. The informational picket took place outside the Company’s facility on Oak Street, Campbellsburg, during both morning and afternoon shift changes while employees were not working.
For nearly a year, the union has been at the bargaining table with MPP management; yet there is still no tentative agreement in sight. Workers complain the company continues to delay progress, reject basic improvements—including fair wages and raises, 401(k) matching, affordable insurance, and the restoration of earned vacation time that was taken away and replaced with an “earn-as-you-go” system.
Adding to frustrations, the National Labor Relations Board is currently investigating four open Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) charges against MPP. The charges allege that the company:
“It felt like a raid — police with dogs going through the facility with no warning,” said one MPP worker. “There was no incident or reason for it. It felt like an attempt to scare us, to punish us for standing together. We’re not the enemy. We’re the people who’ve kept this place running and helped build MPP into what it is. This community has always supported this company, but we deserve respect and fairness in return.”
These charges allege serious violations of federal labor law, including surveillance, interrogation, unilateral changes to working conditions, and bad faith bargaining. More information about the open cases can be found at the National Labor Relations Board’s public docket: https://www.nlrb.gov/search/case.
Though MPP remains a major employer in the close-knit town of Campbellsburg, Indiana, workers argue the company has not acted in a way that reflects shared values or community responsibility.
MPP’s private equity owner, Mill Point Capital, recently sold the company’s real estate to an outside firm in a sale-leaseback deal. The union is concerned this real estate transaction delivered a large cash payout to investors while saddling the company with long-term lease obligations and is investigating further. The union workers feel that that real estate decision, combined with the company’s perceived stalling at the bargaining table, raises serious questions about the company’s long-term stability and commitment to the workers and town it relies on.
MPP Workers are calling on company leadership to stop their tactics and negotiate in good faith. They are also encouraging community members to show support, as the fight for a fair contract is also a fight for good jobs and economic stability in Campbellsburg.
Campbellsburg, Indiana, isn’t the only MPP site experiencing rising labor tensions. On Wednesday May 21, 2025, MPP union workers at MPP’s St.Marys, Pennsylvania, facility overwhelmingly authorized a strike after rejecting the company’s contract offers for the fourth time. Workers described the proposal as deeply offensive, citing that the modest raises offered would be wiped out by increased healthcare costs and other cuts, including a reduced 401(k) match and the elimination of bonus pay for perfect attendance, which many rely on to make ends meet.
MPP is a manufacturer of powder metal components intended for the automotive, hydraulic and medical sectors. Workers at MPP make customized engineered gears and sprockets. Some of its major customers include Danfoss Power Solutions, Hydro-Gear, Takako America Co., Inc, Tuff Torq Corporation, Bosch Rexroth Corporation, Pentair, Fass Diesel Fuel Systems, JB Industries. MPP is a privately held portfolio company of Mill Point Capital.
Union workers at Metal Powder Products (MPP) on May 27, protested the company’s failure to negotiate a fair contract. The informational picket took place outside the Company’s facility on Oak Street in Campbellsburg.
# # #
As the Industrial Division of CWA, IUE-CWA represents a force of 150,000 active and retired men and women united collectively to seek dignity on the job and a secure future for ourselves, our children and all future generations. IUE-CWA represents production workers at 3 of the 7 US-based MPP plants. MPP has one additional plant in China.
Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, May 28 (Xinhua) — Ahead of International Children’s Day on June 1, the crew of the Shenzhou 20 spacecraft aboard the Chinese space station sent greetings to children across China.
The 9th National Congress of the Young Pioneers Organization of China (YPC) opened in Beijing on Tuesday. Cosmonauts congratulated children across the country on this grand event and unfurled the YPC flag, which was delivered to the space station.
The three-person crew, led by experienced astronaut Chen Dong, was launched into orbit on April 24 for a six-month mission.
Chen Dong recalled his childhood dreams, which were born after he put on the red pioneer tie. “I remember deciding to become someone useful to society when I first put it on,” said Chen Dong, who has already been to space three times.
Rookie astronauts Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie, who are making their first space flight, recalled how their youthful interest in space shaped their future careers.
Chen Zhongrui, who made his first spacewalk on May 22, shared how he watched the Shenzhou spacecraft launches on TV with glee as a child and was strengthened in his desire.
Wang Jie mentioned the UPC anthem, a song that gave him strength as a child. He said the anthem encourages generations of Chinese pioneers to follow the glorious traditions of their predecessors. He hoped that children would continue the missions of space exploration.
After arriving at the station, the Shenzhou-20 astronauts rotated with the Shenzhou-19 crew and carried out planned scientific experiments.
On May 22, they successfully completed their first spacewalk, setting a record for the shortest time between a crew’s arrival in orbit and the first extravehicular activity since the space station’s completion. –0–
Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, May 28 (Xinhua) — China’s COVID-19 cases are seeing a slowdown in growth, with most provincial-level regions having reached their peak or showing a downward trend, the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration said Wednesday.
As the department noted, the pathogenicity of the dominant strains of the virus and the clinical severity of the disease remain largely unchanged.
The monitoring results show that the COVID-19 infection rate in the southern regions at the provincial level is higher than in the northern regions, while clinical cases are predominantly mild or asymptomatic.
The number of visits to clinics for patients with elevated temperatures and the number of severe cases do not exceed previous peak values and do not have a noticeable impact on the normal operation of medical institutions.
Since early March, China has seen low levels of influenza and other acute respiratory infections, while COVID-19 cases have been gradually increasing. –0–
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Norma Torres (35th District of California)
May 28, 2025
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Representative Norma Torres (CA-35) joined Nanette Diaz Barragán (CA-44) in sending a letter to President Donald Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., urging them to safeguard federal funding for the Head Start program. The letter comes in response to alarming reports that the Trump Administration considered eliminating Head Start funding during recent federal budget discussions.
“From Los Angeles County to the Central Valley to rural tribal lands, Head Start provides comprehensive early learning, health, nutrition, and family support services to children who are disproportionately impacted by poverty and housing instability,” wrote the members. “These essential services support our state’s economy by allowing parents to work and go to school, while giving our future workforce the strong start that they need to be successful later in life.”
California is home to one of the largest populations of Head Start children in the nation. In Fiscal Year 2023 alone, Head Start and Early Head Start programs served more than 94,000 children across the state. These programs offer critical support to children by integrating early education with health, nutrition, and family services—providing targeted support to those experiencing poverty, housing insecurity, and systemic inequities.
“The elimination or reduction of Head Start funding would be catastrophic,” the letter states. “In California, it would shut the doors of 1,835 Head Start and Early Head Start Centers and eliminate access to early education for tens of thousands of children—disproportionately children of color, English learners, children with disabilities, and those living in low-income and rural communities.”
Since its founding in 1965, Head Start has served over 40 million children and families nationwide. Decades of research confirm that the program improves school readiness, boosts long-term academic and employment outcomes, and helps break the cycle of poverty.
“Head Start is not optional—it is a national commitment that must be honored,” the members added. “I will continue fighting to protect this vital investment in our children’s futures.”
The letter was co-signed by each of the 45 Democratic members of the California Congressional Delegation: Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff, and Representatives Pete Aguilar, Nancy Pelosi, Robert Garcia, Linda Sánchez, John Garamendi, Kevin Mullin, Mark Takano, Ted Lieu, Julia Brownley, Maxine Waters, Laura Friedman, J. Luis Correa, Ro Khanna, Mike Thompson, Mark DeSaulnier, Juan Vargas, Gilbert Ray Cisneros, Jr., Judy Chu, Derek Tran, Raul Ruiz, Jared Huffman, Doris Matsui, Salud Carbajal, Brad Sherman, Ami Bera, Jimmy Panetta, Zoe Lofgren, Eric Swalwell, Lateefah Simon, Dave Min, Jimmy Gomez, Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Jim Costa, George Whitesides, Luz Rivas, Sara Jacobs, Scott Peters, Josh Harder, Adam Gray, Mike Levin, and Sam Liccardo.
The full letter can be found here and below:
President Trump and Secretary Kennedy:
We write today to express serious concern over reports that your Administration considered proposals to eliminate federal funding for the Department of Health and Human Services’ Head Start program in recent budget discussions. While we are relieved that the White House Office of Management and Budget’s Fiscal Year 2026 proposal did not include this cut, that such an action was even contemplated underscores the vulnerability of this vital program under your Administration. As members of the California Congressional Delegation, we urge you to safeguard this critical program, which plays an irreplaceable role in supporting California’s children and families, especially those facing economic hardship and systemic barriers.
California is home to one of the largest populations of Head Start children in the nation. In Fiscal Year 2023 alone, more than 94,000 children and pregnant women in California were served by Head Start and Early Head Start programs.[1] These services are not just beneficial—they are essential. From Los Angeles County to the Central Valley to rural tribal lands, Head Start provides comprehensive early learning, health, nutrition, and family support services to children who are disproportionately impacted by poverty and housing instability. These essential services support our state’s economy by allowing parents to work and go to school, while giving our future workforce the strong start that they need to be successful later in life.
Since its founding in 1965, Head Start has supported more than 40 million children and their families nationwide—and millions in California alone.[2] Research continues to confirm what educators and parents have long known: Head Start works. It boosts school readiness, improves long-term academic outcomes, increases high school graduation and employment rates, and helps break cycles of generational poverty.
The elimination or reduction of Head Start funding would be catastrophic. In California, it would shut the doors of 1,835 Head Start and Early Head Start Centers and eliminate access to early education for tens of thousands of children—disproportionately children of color, English learners, children with disabilities, and those living in low-income and rural communities.[3] Thousands of parents would also lose their ability to go to work or school, and otherwise participate in the economy.
Head Start is not optional—it is a national commitment that must be honored. For these reasons, we urge you to reject any future attempts to weaken or eliminate this program and to ensure its continued success for the children and families who rely on it every day.
###
Source: US National Renewable Energy Laboratory
The life of a wave energy converter (WEC) may sound idyllic—bobbing on ocean waves all day or swaying underwater, quietly generating electricity for the people living and working near shore.
But in reality, it takes a lot of careful planning for salt water and electronics to achieve that perceived state of bliss. And that is where a robust risk management plan can find ways to make that pairing work.
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s (NREL’s) Marine Energy Technology Development Risk Management Framework gives marine energy researchers and developers a comprehensive process to break down their approach and any variables that may impede or accelerate their success. The tool includes technical components, environmental conditions, funding sources, staffing, stakeholder support, deployment permits, and more.
With a greater understanding of each factor and its underlying components, the framework enables groups to better manage uncertainties (both positive and negative) and develop effective contingency plans.
“You might have one little vulnerable part that costs 10 cents to buy, like an O-ring, but the effects of it failing might be a $1 million loss because it leads to water entering a sealed chamber,” said David Snowberg, NREL engineer and lead author on the report. “That kind of information is useful to know early on.”
The revised framework includes a new template for assessing failure modes, their effects, and their potential causes, which are prioritized through a criticality analysis. This free, public tool can help organizations prioritize their investments while minimizing potential damage and costs.
“A risk register provides a structured approach for managing all sources of uncertainty that might impact your objectives,” Snowberg added. “That uncertainty can also be opportunities where potential unknowns become benefits to your project. A risk register can help you manage both those positive and negative uncertainties.”
He emphasized that it is critical to consider more than just the technical components of a project. Human aspects, such as stakeholder support, are equally important factors in the overall success and timeline of a project.
“Ignoring risks is rarely a good approach,” said Scott Jenne, NREL ‘s marine energy desalination lead. “They usually come back and cause greater problems than if you had dealt with them early on.”
Using the marine energy risk management framework, people can identify risks, analyze them, and then plan a response. This cycle continues throughout the course of a project so that groups have a responsive, adaptable way to monitor and manage any type of uncertainty that they encounter.
At NREL, Snowberg is working through the framework with Jenne and the team that designed and built the hydraulic and electric reverse osmosis WEC (HERO WEC), a wave-powered desalination device that has gone through extensive laboratory testing and five ocean installations in North Carolina’s Outer Banks.
“The HERO WEC is able to desalinate seawater using either the hydraulic configuration or the electric configuration—so it has two different energy conversion systems that can be swapped out based on the specific area of research the team is focusing on, which makes it at least twice as complicated as it would be otherwise,” Snowberg said.
Having worked through multiple designs since 2020, Jenne noted, “The complexity increases due to the need to integrate two unique conversion systems on the same device and the fact that you’ve added more things that depend on each other.”
For a device like the HERO WEC, it is not just about basic functionality—survivability is also a key priority. What would it need to survive a 1-in-50-year storm? And what types of conditions would that storm create, from waves and winds to currents and surf?
“The marine environment is harsh,” Snowberg said. “Getting things to survive the corrosion, the biofouling, and everything out there is challenging.”
The HERO WEC team is currently redesigning the second version of the device and leveraging the risk management framework throughout their process—helping them apply lessons learned to build on past successes and steer clear of previous challenges.
“It’s really important that we design HERO WEC to be highly survivable and reliable,” Jenne said. “Having this framework is a critical tool for us to be able to evaluate what might go wrong before we build another physical model.”
Since the development of the original framework 10 years ago, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Water Power Technologies Office has worked closely with NREL to incorporate key components and uphold specific requirements for projects with open water testing that they support.
Snowberg emphasized that the risk management processes are tools for success, meant to meet people where they are at and provide guidance at any stage of project development.
“If you can manage the uncertainty of your project in a way that you see those benefits, then it’s something you’ll be motivated to continue doing,” Snowberg said. “I’ve been at NREL for 15 years, and managing risks to help support marine energy has been the most fulfilling and rewarding type of project that I’ve worked on because it has the most tangible impact.”
With these concrete tools in hand, WPTO and NREL can help pave the way for the marine energy industry to find clearer, quicker paths to success.
Co-authors on the Marine Energy Technology Development Risk Management Framework include Ritu Treisa Philip, NREL mechanical engineer, and Jochem Weber, chief engineer of NREL’s Water Power program.
Source: United States Army
Members of the media are invited to attend the Army’s 250th birthday week-long celebration from June 7-14, 2025. This year’s birthday theme, “This we’ll defend,” was first used as a battle cry by the Continental Army. Today, it reminds us that our Army’s purpose is clear: to fight and win the nation’s wars. We remain committed to honing our warfighting skills, enforcing standards and discipline, and living the values that have defined our Army for the past 250 years.
June 7
On June 7, a new exhibit at the National Museum of the United States Army called “Call to Arms: The Soldier and the Revolutionary War” will be open and free to the public. The museum is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. There will be rare Revolutionary War artifacts from the original colonies, England, France and Canada on display. Opening weekend activities from June 7 to 8 include special, family-friendly, Revolutionary War-themed events such as powder horn carving demonstrations, uniform and equipment displays, and story times. The Revolutionary War 250 special exhibit and companion educational programming are included in the museum’s free admission and will be offered through June 2027.
To learn more, please visit the website at www.thenmusa.org. Media interested in attending or would like more information please reach out to the museum’s Director of Public Affairs Susan Fazakerley- Smullen at usarmy.belvoir.hqda.mbx.publicaffairs-division@army.mil.
June 11
On June 11, the Twilight Tattoo hosted by Lt. Gen. Robert Harter, chief of the Army Reserve and commanding general of U.S. Army Reserve Command, will start a pre-show at 6:30 p.m. and a show at 7 p.m. at Summerall Field at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Virginia. The action-packed military experience will feature Soldiers from the U.S. Army Military District of Washington’s ceremonial units. It will also be livestreamed on @USArmy social media platforms. To learn more, please visit the website at https://jtfncr.mdw.army.mil/twilighttattoo/. Media interested in attending or would like more information please reach out to usarmy.mcnair.mdw.mbx.mediadesk-omb@army.mil.
June 13
The Army birthday run (or walk) will start at 7 a.m. at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall. Media interested in broadcasting live at the start of the run, please reach out to Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall Director of Public Affairs Jason Shepherd, jason.shepherd8.civ@army.mil.
Army Day with the Washington Nationals will begin at 6:45 p.m. Army leaders and personnel will hold their annual Army-focused celebration as the Washington Nationals play the Miami Marlins. Media interested in attending or would like more information, please reach out to Nationals’ Director of Communications Erica George at erica.george@nationals.com.
June 14
The Army Birthday Wreath Laying at Arlington National Cemetery will take place at 8:15 a.m. Media interested in attending or would like more information please reach out to usarmy.mcnair.mdw.mbx.mediadesk-omb@army.mil.
The Army Fitness event will be held at 9:30 a.m., and the Army Birthday Festival will begin at 11 a.m. at the National Mall, Washington D.C. The festival will provide opportunities to interact with Soldiers, Army Astronauts, NFL representatives and Medal of Honor recipients, and to watch military demonstrations, explore equipment displays, participate in a cake cutting ceremony and take part in a variety of activities.
At 6:30 p.m. the Army Birthday Parade will celebrate the Army’s history and will feature Army equipment, flyovers and 6,600 Soldiers in uniforms from the past and the present. The parade’s best viewing area will be south of Constitution Avenue. The day will end with an enlistment and re-enlistment ceremony, a parachute demonstration by the Golden Knights and a fireworks display.
Live music will be featured throughout the day.
To register to attend the free festival and parade, click here.
Members of the media who would like to attend should RSVP by 12 p.m., June 10. There will be a designated media riser for a limited number of credentialed outlets. Members of the media should click here to register.
To learn more about the Army’s 250th birthday, visit:
U.S. Army Celebrating 250 Years – https://www.army.mil/1775
DVIDS 250th Army Birthday – https://www.dvidshub.net/feature/ARMY250
U. S. Army Center of Military History – https://history.army.mil/Revwar250/
Source: US State of Connecticut
(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he is releasing $30 million in state grants to 46 small towns in Connecticut that will be used to complete a wide variety of infrastructure improvements, such as road safety reconstruction projects, emergency management upgrades, sidewalk and pedestrian safety enhancements, educational and recreational facility upgrades, and other kinds of capital improvement projects.
The grants are being provided through the Small Town Economic Assistance Program (STEAP), a state program managed by the Connecticut Office of Policy and Management (OPM) that delivers grants to small towns for economic development, community conservation, and quality-of-life capital projects. In addition to the grants from the state, each municipality is also contributing funds, bringing the total spent on the 48 projects to $43.4 million in a combination of state, local, and other funding sources.
“Our small towns are an important part of what makes Connecticut such a special place to live and work,” Governor Lamont said. “By partnering with each town, we can help get these infrastructure projects completed so these towns can continue to thrive, remain competitive, attract businesses, and improve the quality of life for our residents.”
Towns seeking funding under this current round of STEAP grants were required to submit applications to the state by February 20, 2025. Towns selected to receive grants will soon be contacted by OPM with an official award notification and further instructions. Funding to support these grants was recently approved by the State Bond Commission, a group that Governor Lamont leads as chairperson.
The STEAP grants awarded in this round include:
Source: US State of North Carolina
Headline: NCDHHS Names New State Health Director
NCDHHS Names New State Health Director
jawerner
Dr. Lawrence Greenblatt, a distinguished physician, professor and public health champion, has been appointed as State Health Director and Chief Medical Officer for the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and will begin his duties on Monday, June 2, 2025. He is widely recognized for his commitment to high-quality care for medically and socially complex patients, his leadership in medical education and his pioneering work to improve mental health and addiction services.
“Dr. Greenblatt is an innovator and public health advocate with a long track record of increasing access to mental and physical health care in North Carolina,” said NC Health and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai. “He has the vision and experience needed to lead our state’s public health efforts as we work to create a healthier North Carolina for all.”
Dr. Greenblatt served for three decades as a general internist, educator and leader in Medicaid policy with Duke University Health System, earning recognition for his work to integrate behavioral health and addiction services into primary care.
Since 2008, Dr. Greenblatt has led Duke’s Medicaid Network, first as Northern Piedmont Community Care, which was part of the statewide Community Care of North Carolina network. He continued as Medical Director of Duke’s Clinically Integrated Network under Medicaid transformation in 2021. This well-run network serves 100,000 Medicaid enrollees and supports dozens of practices.
“I am honored to be chosen for this important role in improving the health and well-being of the more than 11 million North Carolinians that call this great state home,” said Dr. Greenblatt. “As a physician and educator, I know the value of making sure every person has access to mental and physical health care when they need it and in the setting that is most appropriate for them.”
In 2012, he launched one of the nation’s first academic initiatives to promote safe opioid prescribing and expand treatment for opioid use disorder. He also served as Chair of the NC Medicaid Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and Secretary of the NC Medicaid Physician Advisory Group. As a long-time advocate for improved mental health care, Dr. Greenblatt has co-led the Durham Crisis Collaborative and actively contributed to local substance use and mental health planning efforts.
El Dr. Lawrence Greenblatt, un distinguido médico, profesor y defensor de la salud pública, ha sido nombrado director de salud del estado y director médico del Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Carolina del Norte y comenzará sus funciones el lunes 2 de junio de 2025. Es ampliamente reconocido por su compromiso con la atención de alta calidad para pacientes médica y socialmente complejos, su liderazgo en educación médica y su trabajo pionero para mejorar los servicios de salud mental y adicción.
“El Dr. Greenblatt es un innovador y defensor de la salud pública con un largo historial de aumentar el acceso a la atención de la salud mental y física en Carolina del Norte”, dijo el secretario de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Carolina del Norte, Dev Sangvai. “Tiene la visión y la experiencia necesarias para liderar los esfuerzos de salud pública de nuestro estado mientras trabajamos para crear una Carolina del Norte más saludable para todos”.
El Dr. Greenblatt se desempeñó durante tres décadas como internista general, educador y líder en políticas de Medicaid con el Sistema de Salud de la Universidad de Duke, obteniendo reconocimiento por su trabajo para integrar los servicios de salud conductual y adicción en la atención primaria.
Desde 2008, el Dr. Greenblatt ha dirigido la red de Medicaid de Duke, primero como Atención Comunitaria del Norte de Piedmont (Northern Piedmont Community Care), que formaba parte de la red estatal de Atención Comunitaria de Carolina del Norte (Community Care of North Carolina). Continuó como director médico de la Red Clínicamente Integrada de Duke bajo la transformación de Medicaid en 2021. Esta red bien administrada sirve a 100,000 miembros de Medicaid y apoya docenas de prácticas.
“Me siento honrado de ser elegido para este importante papel en la mejora de la salud y el bienestar de los más de 11 millones de habitantes de Carolina del Norte que llaman hogar a este gran estado”, dijo el Dr. Greenblatt. “Como médico y educador, sé el valor de asegurarme de que cada persona tenga acceso a la atención de salud mental y física cuando la necesite y en el entorno que sea más apropiado para ellos”.
En 2012, lanzó una de las primeras iniciativas académicas del país para promover la prescripción segura de opioides y ampliar el tratamiento para el trastorno por uso de opioides. También se desempeñó como presidente del Comité de Farmacia y Terapéutica de NC Medicaid y secretario del Grupo Asesor de Médicos de NC Medicaid. Como defensor desde hace mucho tiempo de una mejor atención de la salud mental, el Dr. Greenblatt ha codirigido la colaborativa de crisis de Durham (Durham Crisis Collaborative) y ha contribuido activamente a los esfuerzos locales de planificación del uso de sustancias y la salud mental.
Source: US State of North Carolina
Headline: New Research Showing Critical Impact Medicaid Expansion and Healthy Opportunities Pilots Have in Creating Healthier North Carolina
New Research Showing Critical Impact Medicaid Expansion and Healthy Opportunities Pilots Have in Creating Healthier North Carolina
jawerner
Credentialed media are invited to a symposium highlighting the life-saving impact Medicaid expansion and the Healthy Opportunities Pilots are having on the health and well-being of North Carolinians on Friday, May 30 at 9 a.m. at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.
The Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research at the University of North Carolina will present new research about the programs, including rural health outcomes, economic impact and services people are receiving.
Since Medicaid expansion began in 2023, more than 650,000 newly eligible North Carolinians have gained access to affordable health care through Medicaid expansion, including veterans and workers in child care, construction, hospitality, home health care and other industries essential to the state. Including those covered through Medicaid expansion, NC Medicaid provides affordable health coverage to more than 1 in 4 North Carolinians: more than 3 million children, older adults, people living with disabilities and other working adults.
Additionally, the innovative first of its kind Healthy Opportunities Pilots in North Carolina have been described as a “life changer” for thousands of North Carolina families. Healthy Opportunities addresses people’s social needs with services like food, housing, transportation and assistance related to interpersonal violence and toxic stress. The program proves the best way to lower health care costs and create healthier communities is to reduce the need for medical care in the first place. Additionally, the state is seeing $1,020 in annual health care costs savings per Healthy Opportunities enrollee, and stronger local economies that are supported by local businesses from family farms to home repair.
The event will bring together community leaders, healthcare professionals, policymakers, and researchers to explore the evolving landscape of Medicaid in North Carolina.
What: Medicaid Expansion and Healthy Opportunities Pilots Symposium
Who: Dr. Dev Sangvai, Secretary, NCDHHS
Jay Ludlam, Deputy Secretary for NC Medicaid, NCDHHS
Mark Holmes, PhD, Director of the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, UNC
Seth Berkowitz, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine, UNC
Sandra Greene, PhD, Professor, Health Policy and Management, UNC
Marisa Domino, PhD, Executive Director of the Center for Health Information and Research, ASU
Valerie Lewis, PhD, Professor of Health Policy and Management, UNC
Nancy Messonnier, MD, Dean of Gillings School of Global Public Health, UNC
Christopher Shea, PhD, Professor, Health Policy and Management, UNC
When: Friday, May 30
9 – 11:45 a.m.
Presentations from 9 – 11:15 a.m.
Audience and Media Q&A from 11:15 – 11:45 a.m.
Where: NC Museum of Natural Sciences: Nature Research Center
121 W Jones St.
Raleigh, NC 27601
Media: Credentialed media are invited. Please RSVP to news@dhhs.nc.gov if you are planning to attend.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Mo., man has been charged in federal court with possessing over two kilograms of cocaine and illegally possessing three firearms.
Jacob N. Dodge, 26, was charged in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo. on Tuesday, May 27. The complaint charges Dodge with participating in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine, possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute, and possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
The complaint alleges investigators attempted to arrest Dodge on May 23, 2025 after a controlled drug evidence purchase. Members of the Kansas City, Mo. Police Department Tactical Unit attempted to initiate a high-risk car stop utilizing a Vehicle Intervention Tactic, also known as a “VIT”. Dodge maneuvered his vehicle out of the VIT and fled at a high rate of speed. Three tactical vehicles attempted the VIT maneuver again, and Dodge purposely struck the occupied police vehicles with his vehicle. Police successfully disabled Dodge’s vehicle in the front yard of a residence and arrested Dodge. Investigators executed a federal search warrant on Dodge’s residence and searched Dodge and his vehicle after he was arrested.
Investigators found over 2 kilograms of cocaine, 290 kilograms of marijuana, 251 kilograms of THC wax, 852 kilograms of THC vapes, 125 kilograms of THC syrup, 44 kilograms of THC edibles, 24 kilograms of miscellaneous THC items, 35 kilograms of THC resin, 5 kilograms of psilocybin mushrooms, 250 kilograms of psilocybin mushroom bars, and 46 grams of LSD. Investigators also found $78,943 in cash and 6 firearms.
The charges contained in this complaint are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Jennings. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department, the FBI, IRS-Criminal Investigations, the Independence, Missouri Police Department, and the Johnson County, Kansas Sheriff’s Office.
KC Metro Strike Force
This prosecution was brought as a part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Co-located Strike Forces Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations against a continuum of priority targets and their affiliate illicit financial networks. These prosecutor-led co-located Strike Forces capitalize on the synergy created through the long-term relationships that can be forged by agents, analysts, and prosecutors who remain together over time, and they epitomize the model that has proven most effective in combating organized crime. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
TULSA, Okla. – Today, U.S. District Judge Sara E. Hill sentenced Brandon Earl Presley, 30, of Bixby, for two counts of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country, two counts of Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor in Indian Country, and one count each of Production of Child Pornography, and Possession of Child Pornography. Judge Hill ordered Presley to serve 264 months imprisonment, followed by a lifetime of supervised release. Upon his release, Presley will also be required to register as a sex offender.
“Presley is a child predator who used his position as a coach to groom and seek out minor children through social media. His actions were undetected until someone had the courage to report him,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “I want to encourage parents and teens to learn about the dangers of social media.”
Law enforcement began investigating a tip that Presley had sex with a 14-year-old on a college campus during a high school track meet. The tip included a photo of Presley from social media and described how Presley would often hang out in his car or help at high school track practice or meets.
While investigating the tip, law enforcement discovered a photo Presley took while sexually abusing an unknown minor child. Law enforcement found the location of the minor child and discovered that the child was only 13 years old. Presley chatted with the minor child through social media. When the minor child was at home alone, Presley showed the minor child pornography for “education,” coerced the minor child to engage in sexual activity, and photographed it. Court records show that Presley admitted to sexually abusing the minor child, taking a photo of the sexual abuse, and keeping the photo.
During the investigation, law enforcement discovered that Presley had other minor victims.
In the summer of 2022, Presley found another 13-year-old minor victim online through social media. He lied to the minor victim, stating he was 18 years old. Presley attempted to coerce the minor child to engage in sexually explicit activity. Court records show that Presley admitted to abusive sexual contact with the minor child.
Presley further admitted to abusive sexual contact and sexual abuse of a 15-year-old minor victim in 2019, which led to his termination as an assistant football coach. He approached the minor at school, groomed and coerced her using social media. When Presley convinced the minor child to meet, he showed her a video of himself engaging in sexual activity to “teach” the minor. He repeatedly told the minor not to tell anyone.
Presley is a citizen of the Muscogee Creek Nation and will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
Homeland Security Investigations, the Bixby Police Department, the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, and the Norman Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kate Brandon, Alicia Hockenbury, and Elliot Anderson prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Source: United States of America – Department of State (video statements)
The cessation of sanctions against Syria will advance our primary objective, the enduring defeat of ISIS, by giving the people of Syria a chance for a better future. – Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce on May 27, 2025
———-
Under the leadership of the President and Secretary of State, the U.S. Department of State leads America’s foreign policy through diplomacy, advocacy, and assistance by advancing the interests of the American people, their safety and economic prosperity. On behalf of the American people we promote and demonstrate democratic values and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world.
The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President’s chief foreign affairs adviser. The Secretary carries out the President’s foreign policies through the State Department, which includes the Foreign Service, Civil Service and U.S. Agency for International Development.
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Source: University of Aberdeen
Glenlivet landscape dams
Whisky is ‘the water of life’ but in one of the driest starts to a year seen in Scotland, distillers are turning to researchers to improve access to the crucial water supplies for their unique products.
Scientists from the University of Aberdeen are leading a project funded by Chivas Brothers, the Pernod Ricard business dedicated to Scotch whisky and maker of Ballantine’s, The Glenlivet and Chivas Regal to develop innovative nature-based solutions that could help to mitigate water scarcity but also slow down water run-off following rapid downpours.
The issue has been brought into sharp focus in recent weeks with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) issuing country-wide alerts for low water levels. The dry soil a long dry spell leaves in its wake can repel water rather than letting it soak in as damp soil would, meaning it is harder to hold water when and where it is most needed.
In areas like Speyside – home to half Scotland’s malt distillers – ensuring a continuous water supply, both now and in the future, is essential as temporary closures can cost the industry millions of pounds.
Chivas Brothers is funding new research led by the University of Aberdeen and working with the James Hutton Institute, following a successful project in 2022 which focused on The Glenlivet distillery.
There the team demonstrated the benefits of a series of small leaky dams installed in channels to slow water flow by holding the water in that location in temporary mini reservoirs. This allows it to soak into the subsurface so that more water is available at times when it is needed.
The new research will broaden the geographic scope of the project across Speyside and explore a wider range of possible nature-based solutions for water management.
Project lead Dr Josie Geris, a lecturer in hydrology at the University of Aberdeen, said the techniques they are investigating, including soil and vegetation management, could bring benefits beyond the whisky industry as around three percent of people living in Scotland rely on vulnerable private water supplies.
“First, we will take a comprehensive look at data gathered from across Speyside and carry out detailed monitoring at The Glenlivet and two other distillery sites to develop understanding of how surface water and groundwater are connected, and how this varies across the different locations.” she added.
“This will help us to assess how resilient different water resources in Speyside are to drought and to understand what causes certain water resources to be more vulnerable whether it is driven by geology, land use or other issues.
“We will then use modelling to help future planning and our understanding of which nature-based solutions might work best where to mitigate water scarcity across the region.”
The research team, which also includes Dr Mark Wilkinson (James Hutton Institute), Dr Ronald Daalmans (Chivas Brothers) Dr Jean-Christophe Comte, and PhD student Jennifer Pirie (University of
Aberdeen), will investigate a range of techniques at The Glenlivet, Glenburgie and Aberlour distilleries.
PhD student Jennifer Pirie, from the University of Aberdeen, said: “The techniques used successfully at Glenlivet cannot be applied everywhere and so we are looking at a range of measures to improve water availability in different environments.
“What works best where will depend on local site characteristics, like the geology and soil properties, and so it is vital we build this understanding and knowledge.”
As well as drought conditions, the techniques the team will use could also help with flooding and are applicable to other environmental issues such as improvements to carbon storage, water quality and biodiversity.
Dr Mark Wilkinson, from the James Hutton Institute, said: “There is significant interest from diverse stakeholders for these ‘green solutions’ to environmental problems and the project is designed to share insights and to develop a toolkit of options for different environments and users.”
Ronald Daalmans, Sustainability Director at Chivas Brothers, said: “This important work will help inform the whisky sector on how it can adapt and mitigate the effects of climate change for this critical resource. It forms part of a wider programme, called The River Within, which aims to support river restoration and enhancement in North-East Scotland.”
In addition to supporting research projects, Chivas Brothers’ The River Within, a long-term programme in partnership with three Scottish river trusts – the Deveron, Bogie and Isla Rivers Charitable Trust, Findhorn, Nairn and Lossie Rivers Trust, and the Spey Catchment Initiative – aims to support the delivery of habitat restoration projects to ultimately preserve, protect and improve the health of Scotland’s rivers and waterways.
Source: City of York
Following feedback from local residents and businesses, several changes to car parking charges are being considered at June’s Executive Meeting.
In April, new pricing for car parking was introduced after being approved at Budget Full Council.
Since the implementation of the new charges, the council has listened to residents and businesses most affected by the changes who have shared their concerns.
As a result, Executive will review the parking arrangements at the meeting on 3 June 2025 and consider a number of proposed changes. Executive will also be asked to agree to a consultation as part of a review of the impact of carparking charges on the economy and communities, the outcome of which will be taken to a future Executive meeting.
An initial analysis of the economic impact is very positive, with Parliament Street showing an increase in footfall of 28.7% year on year comparing April figures and an increase in spend of 3.7% year on year, continuing to buck the national trend.
Councillor Claire Douglas, Leader of City of York Council said:
We have recognised the strength of feeling and feedback from local communities following the implementation of new parking charges and continue to listen to concerns. At the upcoming Executive meeting we will consider a number of options which seek to address the issues raised, while still supporting our ambitions to develop a healthier, more sustainable and better connected city.
“Setting a budget is never easy and we are very grateful for those who responded to the consultation carried out over several months last year, whether attending a workshop or filling in our survey. I look forward to having further discussions.”
Councillor Kate Ravilious, Executive Member for Transport said:
Money from car parking goes straight back into improving our highways and public transport. This year we have increased investment in our highway maintenance programme to £10M, meaning more potholes are being repaired on York’s roads – with over 9,000 repaired last year alone.
“We are also investing over £50M in sustainable travel improvements, including ticket concessions for young people, better real time information and in the Station Gateway scheme which includes a bus interchange. This is all focused on making it easier for everyone to get around. To do this we must tackle congestion which residents have told us has a detrimental impact on how they live and work in the city, including their health and wellbeing.
“In recent weeks I have been listening to local residents and businesses. Everyone’s love and support for our incredible independent businesses has shone through.. One of the great strengths of the city is the vibrant local economies that residents enjoy in their local areas. We continue to listen and as a result we are looking at reviewing some of the parking charges in line with our transport strategy and using a data led and evidence based approach.”
At the meeting, Executive will consider a range of interim options which could be introduced while a review into the impact of the car parking charges takes place. These include:
If approved, the new charges will need to be advertised for 21 days in accordance with legislation, meaning those charges implemented will come into effect late June/early July and be subject to a pending review.
Should Executive approve a change to the amount paid for the low vehicle emission discount, Contract, Season and ResPark permits holders will be refunded the difference with more details of this to follow.
Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement
HOUSTON — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement removed Oscar Lopez Delira, a 47-year-old three-time removed criminal alien and convicted child predator, to his home country of Mexico May 27.
ICE officers transported Lopez from the Montgomery Processing Center in Conroe to the Laredo Port of Entry and he was released into Mexico.
While in the U.S. illegally, Lopez has been convicted of two counts of sexually exploiting a minor, March 20, 2017, and illegal reentry July 1, 2024.
Lopez first illegally entered the U.S. on an unknown date and at an unknown location. On Jan. 2, 2001, he was arrested by ICE in Dallas and he was returned to Mexico that same day.
Lopez illegally reentered the U.S. on an unknown date and at an unknown location and wasn’t encountered by ICE again until Aug. 25, 2015, when he was arrested for sexually exploiting a minor in Carrolton. On Aug. 23, 2019, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice transferred Lopez into ICE custody, and he was placed into immigration proceedings. An immigration judge from the Justice Department’s Executive Office for Immigration Review ordered Lopez removed to Mexico Sept. 10, 2019. ICE officers carried out that order Sept. 12, 2019, and deported him to Mexico through the Laredo Port of Entry.
Lopez illegally entered the U.S. for a third time on Feb. 11, 2024, near Hidalgo, and was apprehended by the U.S. Border Patrol and charged with illegal reentry. Lopez was convicted of illegal reentry July 1, 2024, and sentenced to 18 months in prison. On May 23, 2025, he was transferred into ICE custody from the Beaumont Federal Correctional Institution, and he was removed to Mexico May 27.
“For far too long, dangerous criminal aliens like this individual have been able to easily circumvent our nation’s laws to illegally enter the country only to go on and victimize innocent and law-abiding residents,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operation Houston Field Office Director Bret Bradford. “In response, ICE is working daily with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to restore integrity to our nation’s laws and public safety to our communities.”
For more news and information on ICE’s efforts to enforce our nation’s immigration laws in Texas, follow us on X at @EROHouston.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
May 27, 2025
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today sent a letter to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Commissioner Dr. Martin Makary requesting information on FDA’s capacity to carry out its mission to regulate direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertisements for prescription drugs in light of recent workforce reductions. Durbin has introduced bipartisan bills to address the harms from DTC drug advertising, by requiring price disclosures and cracking down on misleading promotions online. As the pharmaceutical industry grows and evolves its advertising practices, Durbin’s letter probes FDA’s ability to oversee DTC drug advertisements, a stated priority of FDA Commissioner Makary and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
Durbin wrote, “In light of recent workforce reductions at the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Office of Prescription Drug Promotion (OPDP), and your recent public statements expressing an interest in “mak[ing] sure that the information being presented … in those ads … is a complete picture,” I write to understand FDA’s operational capacity to carry out its mission to regulate direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertisements for prescription drugs.”
FDA regulates DTC advertisements for pharmaceuticals to ensure they are not false or misleading, by disclosing side effects, contraindication, and effectiveness information to the public. Under federal law and regulations, FDA requires that prescription drug advertisements be truthful, not misleading, and balanced—failure to do so risks FDA enforcement action, including civil monetary penalties. Drug manufacturers in the United States spend approximately $6 billion annually in DTC prescription drug advertisements, with approximately one-third of all commercial time across evening news programs consumed with these pharmaceutical promotions. The United States is one of only two developed countries in the world that permit such pharmaceutical commercials.
Durbin continued, “A recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that more than two-thirds of drugs advertised on television were considered ‘low therapeutic value.’ This creates concern for taxpayers, as a review from the Government Accountability Office that I requested with Senator Grassley found that prescription drugs advertised on television accounted for 58 percent of Medicare’s overall spending on prescription drugs between 2016-2018. In 2022, the two most-advertised drugs on television alone accounted for $1.7 billion in Medicare spending.”
As part of FDA’s mission to protect public health, the agency conducts regulatory oversight of DTC advertisements for pharmaceuticals. FDA enforces Section 502 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, as well as its implementing regulations at 21 CFR 202.1, to ensure prescription drug advertisements are not false or misleading, including by communicating side effects, contraindication, and effectiveness information to the public. FDA’s responsibility has grown to meet the explosion of DTC advertising on new mediums, including social media. In 2012, FDA received submissions from the pharmaceutical industry comprising 78,696 promotional drug communication materials—by 2024, the agency received 149,516 such materials. And in the last six months of 2024, FDA issued four important untitled letters to manufacturers to seek corrections to their false or misleading pharmaceutical advertisements.
In the letter, Durbin expressed concerns that four top leaders in FDA’s Office of Prescription Drug Promotion (OPDP) have departed.
Durbin wrote, “According to recent press reports, four top leaders in the FDA’s OPDP have departed, including under Reduction in Force notices, including the Office’s Director and Deputy Director, as well as the Director and Deputy Division Director for the Division of Promotion Policy, Research, and Operations. Further, the entire Division of Promotion Policy, Research, and Operations also was reportedly laid off. These departures raise major questions about whether FDA has the personnel, expertise, and capacity to fulfill its mission to regulate prescription drug advertisements—especially in light of your and Secretary Kennedy’s scrutiny of these pharmaceutical promotions.”
In the letter, Durbin also expressed concerns that any gap in regulatory oversight would provide an opening for unscrupulous behavior by industry stakeholders eager to promote medications absent FDA scrutiny.
To further Durbin’s legislative efforts to address potential harms from misleading prescription drug advertising, he requested responses to a number of questions by June 17, 2025.
In January, Durbin and U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), senior member and former chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, introduced the bipartisan Drug-price Transparency for Consumers (DTC) Act, a bill that would require price disclosures on advertisements for prescription drugs in order to empower patients and reduce Americans’ colossal spending on medications.
Earlier this year, Durbin and U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS) introduced the Protecting Patients from Deceptive Drug Ads Act, which would protect public health and close regulatory loopholes by having FDA address false and misleading prescription drug promotions by social media influencers and telehealth companies.
Full text of the letter is available here and below:
May 27, 2025
Dear Commissioner Makary:
In light of recent workforce reductions at the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Office of Prescription Drug Promotion (OPDP), and your recent public statements expressing an interest in “mak[ing] sure that the information being presented … in those ads … is a complete picture,” I write to understand FDA’s operational capacity to carry out its mission to regulate direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertisements for prescription drugs.
Drug manufacturers in the United States spend approximately $6 billion annually in direct-to-consumer (DTC) prescription drug advertisements, with approximately one-third of all commercial time across evening news programs consumed with these pharmaceutical promotions. It is a similar story when consumers stream their favorite show or scroll through social media. The United States is one of only two developed countries in the world that permit such pharmaceutical commercials.
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kennedy previously has expressed concern that DTC drug advertising potentially misleads patients about the benefits and risks of the products, while steering patients to the most expensive medications. You also recently stated that these commercials depict customers “always dancing, always singing, at a certain point you don’t even know what the drugs are for, but you feel like, ‘I give up’, I’ll just take it.” This may contribute to, as you’ve stated, how the United States has “the most over-medicated, sickest population.”
Indeed, a recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that more than two-thirds of drugs advertised on television were considered “low therapeutic value.” This creates concern for taxpayers, as a review from the Government Accountability Office that I requested with Senator Grassley found that prescription drugs advertised on television accounted for 58 percent of Medicare’s overall spending on prescription drugs between 2016-2018. In 2022, the two most-advertised drugs on television alone accounted for $1.7 billion in Medicare spending.
I have recently introduced bipartisan legislation to cure deceptive prescription drug advertising by requiring price disclosures in commercials, and closing loopholes exploited by telehealth companies and social media influencers to make false or misleading statements or omit critical safety and side effect information.
As part of the FDA’s mission to protect public health, the agency conducts regulatory oversight of DTC advertisements for pharmaceuticals. FDA enforces Section 502 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, as well as its implementing regulations at 21 CFR 202.1, to ensure prescription drug advertisements are not false or misleading, including by communicating side effects, contraindication, and effectiveness information to the public.
FDA’s responsibility has grown to meet the explosion of DTC advertising on new mediums, including social media. In 2012, FDA received submissions from the pharmaceutical industry comprising 78,696 promotional drug communication materials—by 2024, the agency received 149,516 such materials. And in the last six months of 2024, FDA issued four important untitled letters to manufacturers to seek corrections to their false or misleading pharmaceutical advertisements.
According to recent press reports, four top leaders in the FDA’s OPDP have departed, including under Reduction in Force notices, including the Office’s Director and Deputy Director, as well as the Director and Deputy Division Director for the Division of Promotion Policy, Research, and Operations. Further, the entire Division of Promotion Policy, Research, and Operations also was reportedly laid off. These departures raise major questions about whether FDA has the personnel, expertise, and capacity to fulfill its mission to regulate prescription drug advertisements—especially in light of your and Secretary Kennedy’s scrutiny of these pharmaceutical promotions.
Additionally, I am concerned that any gap in regulatory oversight would provide an opening for unscrupulous behavior by industry stakeholders eager to promote medications absent FDA scrutiny. Last month, Novo Nordisk announced a blockbuster partnership to sell Wegovy to patients through telehealth company Hims & Hers. However, there appear to be promotions on the telehealth company’s website that may be considered advertisements for off-label uses of the drug and also may fail to adhere to FDA’s requirements for providing a “fair balance” of risk information, given the limited safety disclosure that is buried in the text and only accessed via an external link. A telehealth company that has formally partnered with a drug manufacturer to sell the manufacturer’s blockbuster medication—citing its trademark and other promotional statements—should be subject to the same misbranding standards as the manufacturer.
To further our legislative efforts to address potential harms from misleading prescription drug advertising, I request responses to the following questions by June 17, 2025:
Thank you for your attention to this matter, I look forward to working with you.
Sincerely,
-30-
Source: City of Stoke-on-Trent
Global property advisor, Avison Young, has put its weight behind Capital&Centric’s Goods Yard in Stoke-on-Trent, taking the entire Pavilion building and relocating its East Midlands team.
The news comes after Stoke-on-Trent was named by the Sunday Times as one of the best places to invest in the UK earlier this year.
Both organisations champion the role of urban regeneration and placemaking in improving people’s lives and creating economic growth. Social impact developer, Capital&Centric spends £3m a week on regeneration in towns and cities across the UK, with Goods Yard already creating hundreds of jobs and boosting the local economy by £63m.
Avison Young will bring further jobs, training and investment into the new neighbourhood when it relocates in the spring.
It’s not the first time that the two organisations have teamed up, with Avison Young joining forces with Capital&Centric’s Regeneration Brainery, an immersive national programme that aims to get young people from diverse backgrounds fired up about a career in the industry.
Tom Wilmot, joint managing director at Capital&Centric, said: “There’s a massive buzz about Stoke-on-Trent, with Goods Yard right at the heart of this renaissance. It’s a real vote of confidence from Avison Young in not just the Goods Yard neighbourhood but also the city. What better way to support regeneration than putting your money where your mouth is and calling the place home. Our vision for Goods Yard has always been to create a collaborative mixing pot for like-minded businesses and we’ll be announcing more soon.”
Nick Walkley, principal and UK president of Avison Young UK, said: “Our presence in Stoke has been long-standing, and moving to this outstanding space underlines our commitment to the city and the UK regions. This new office is going to be a vastly improved environment for our Avison Young colleagues in Stoke. We look forward to working closely with Stoke-on-Trent City Council and with Capital&Centric.”
Councillor Finlay Gordon-McCusker, cabinet member for transport, infrastructure and regeneration at Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: “We are delighted to have worked with Capital & Centric to bring the Goods Yard to Stoke-on-Trent and make it a success. This long-awaited development will bring with it economic benefits and new opportunities for businesses, local residents and visitors.
We are delighted that Avison Young have chosen to base themselves in Stoke-on-Trent and wish them the best of luck in their new home. It’s a remarkable vote of confidence in our city and our future.
“I know talks are ongoing with a number of other businesses who have also shown an interest in Goods Yard and we look forward to welcoming them too.”
With a new direct link to the neighbouring Stoke-on-Trent main line rail station, the 174-home neighbourhood will feature a mix of spaces, with Capital&Centric assembling a complementary variety of businesses, bars, eateries, coffee shops and stores that want to be at the heart of the action when it opens in the spring.
Goods Yard will also boast a new green space, about the size of a professional tennis court, and a footpath, which will wind through lush plants and shrubs, leading to the interior gardens, with hangout spaces, seating, over 70 trees and stacks of new plants.
Avison Young is the first commercial business to take space at Goods Yard. Flexible spaces range from 1,200 sq ft to 14,000 sqft and include the Vaults Warehouse; the Victorian Signal Box on Glebe Street; the new build Pavilion workspaces; and the industrial style new build spaces on the ground floor of the apartment building.
For more information visit www.capitalandcentric.com/goods-yard or email goodsyard@capitalandcentric.com
Source: City of Stoke-on-Trent
Published: Wednesday, 28th May 2025
Capital&Centric and Stoke-on-Trent City Council have secured the go-ahead to transform the iconic Spode Works into a landmark destination, breathing new life into this historic pottery factory.
Spode Works, covering around 10 acres in the heart of Stoke town centre, is a warren of buildings, kilns and workshops that tells the story of centuries of craftsmanship. The site includes multiple Grade II listed buildings – around 11 of them – that showcase classic industrial architecture and the evolution of the pottery works.
The council’s cabinet has signed off on the partnership, setting the stage for a major overhaul that will blend these historic structures with bold new architecture. The plans will see Spode Works reimagined as a buzzing neighbourhood of homes, creative workspaces and vibrant public spaces, building on the site’s emerging CreaTech (creative technology) community.
For over two centuries, Spode Works was at the heart of the UK’s ceramics industry. Its fine bone china and underglaze blue transfer printing put Stoke-on-Trent on the global map. Now, the ambition is to honour that legacy, repurposing the site’s heritage for the next generation of digital design, gaming, animation and other creative industries.
Capital&Centric is already working on detailed plans and will be consulting with locals later this year.
Tom Wilmot, Joint Managing Director of Capital&Centric, said: “Spode Works is a testament to Stoke-on-Trent’s proud industrial past and a huge opportunity to shape its future. We’re not just restoring bricks and mortar – we’re creating a landmark neighbourhood that taps into the city’s creative energy. This will be a catalyst for attracting new people, new ideas and new investment into the area.”
Councillor Finlay Gordon-McCusker, cabinet member for transport, regeneration and infrastructure at Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: “The regeneration of the Spode site will provide the opportunity for businesses and organisations to operate from a unique location, in the heart of the city.
“It will create employment and economic benefits, which will help to ensure the long-term survival of this site and bring with it the potential of attracting further external funding that otherwise would not have been possible.
“Capital & Centric has a long track record of delivering regeneration projects and is already working closely with the council to deliver Goods Yard, next to the railway station. We are pleased that they are committed to working with us in the future to develop another important heritage site in the city.”
The partnership builds on Capital&Centric’s track record of delivering award-winning regeneration of historic sites, including the soon-to-open Goods Yard neighbourhood in Stoke-on-Trent – a £63 million transformation of a derelict warehouse into 174 homes and community spaces.
Currently investing £3 million a week across eight live construction sites, Capital&Centric is driving regeneration in towns and cities nationwide – from Wolverhampton to Gateshead and Sheffield. The developer recently announced its biggest project to date: creating a whole new town in Cambridgeshire plus 2,000 homes. The town is called Northstowe, the UK’s latest new town.
Source: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
As countries across the UNECE region move towards cleaner and more efficient transport systems, UNECE energy and transport experts have been working to advance electric mobility through the implementation of a regional project that has delivered tangible results, including a comprehensive regional study and subsequent national-level activities.
UNECE continues to provide countries with the tools and insights needed to accelerate the decarbonization of inland transport, as well as with technical and policy support through the development of targeted knowledge resources. At a recent national workshop in Minsk, dedicated to assessing the readiness of the energy sector to implement smart digital energy-efficient technologies in Belarus in view of climate change mitigation, UNECE experts presented two recent publications, aimed at supporting the informed decision-making on electric mobility.
The workshop was co-organized by UNECE, UNDP Belarus, and the Department for Energy Efficiency of the State Committee for Standardization of the Republic of Belarus. The event brought together government officials at the national and local levels, and other national stakeholders to explore strategic options for advancing e-mobility in Belarus, drawing on lessons from the UNECE region.
Advancing e-mobility through regional experience
The “Electrification of Mobility” publication, developed under the UNECE Working Party on Transport Trends and Economics (WP.5), provides a consolidated overview of regional trends and practical policy insights for the electrification of road, rail, and inland waterway transport. It examines:
Common challenges such as infrastructure readiness, vehicle affordability, and supply chain resilience
The publication was developed with extrabudgetary support from the Netherlands, contributing both funding and technical input to UNECE’s broader work on sustainable transport.
Compendium on charging infrastructure and energy integration
The “E-Mobility Compendium: Best Practices and Case Studies on EV Charging Infrastructure Deployment and Energy System Integration” brings together practical, real-world case studies that demonstrate how countries are advancing the deployment of charging infrastructure and its integration with energy systems.
The compendium showcases diverse examples, including:
Strategic placement of charging infrastructure in urban and rural areas
Governance, financing, and public-private collaboration models
Although regional in scope, the compendium is designed to be adaptable to national contexts, including that of Belarus, offering valuable guidance to countries that are shaping their own e-mobility frameworks.
Strengthening the knowledge base through UNECE E-Mobility Task Force
Recognizing the need for continued knowledge exchange and coordination across transport and energy systems, the UNECE E-Mobility Task Force was launched in 2024. It is mandated by the UNECE Inland Transport Committee (ITC) and the Committee on Sustainable Energy (CSE), and co-chaired by the Chairs of WP.5 and the Group of Experts on Cleaner Electricity Systems.
Organized into thematic workstreams, the initiative supports the advancement of EV technology, charging infrastructure, and clean energy integration. It facilitates the exchange of best practices and coordinates efforts to guide long-term planning and Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) deployment. Key areas of focus include smart and bidirectional charging, regulatory frameworks that ensure affordability and transparency, harmonized technical standards, and enhanced cybersecurity. The initiative also promotes user-friendly payment systems, accessible grid connections, and effective communication of charging capabilities.
In addition, it provides guidance for national infrastructure planning, supports the convergence of existing protocols into de jure standards to enable international interoperability of charging systems, and explores how land use strategies can improve accessibility and reduce mobility needs. With broad engagement from governments, industry, academia, and civil society, the initiative ensures inclusive and actionable progress toward a sustainable e-mobility future.
This informal Task Force serves as a collaborative platform to:
The UNECE E-Mobility Task Force will continue to play a central role in enriching the E-Mobility Compendium with new case studies and practical examples. These will be incorporated into an upcoming online quick-start guide designed to support policymakers and practitioners with accessible, actionable insights adaptable to national contexts in specific countries.
Photo credit: Adobe Stock Images by Nitiphol
Source: World Health Organisation
The World Health Organization (WHO) is calling for urgent, coordinated action to tackle the dual threats of tuberculosis (TB) and climate change. In a newly released framework, WHO highlights how climate change is creating conditions that could intensify the global TB epidemic.
The framework outlines how rising temperatures, extreme weather events and environmental degradation are intensifying key TB risk factors. Populations already grappling with poverty, malnutrition, displacement and limited access to health care are expected to be hit hardest, as TB – one of the world’s deadliest infectious diseases – gains ground in a changing climate.
The report highlights three key pathways through which climate change exacerbates TB risk:
“Climate change is not only a planetary crisis – it’s a major health threat,” said Dr Tereza Kasaeva, Director of WHO’s Global Programme on TB and Lung Health. “TB remains the world’s top infectious killer, and climate change threatens to reverse decades of progress in fighting this disease. We must integrate the TB response into climate adaptation efforts to protect the most vulnerable.”
The report urges governments to:
It also stresses the need for cross-sector collaboration across health, agriculture, migration, social protection and disaster preparedness to confront the shared drivers of TB and climate vulnerability.
With the UN Climate Change Conference on the horizon, WHO emphasizes that building climate-resilient health systems and including TB in universal health coverage and social protection plans will be essential to safeguarding global health gains and minimizing emerging risks.
WHO’s Global Tuberculosis Programme (GTB) is collaborating with Member States and key stakeholders to advance a TB response that is resilient in the face of climate change. In partnership with the Pan American Health Organization and Brazil’s Ministry of Health, WHO’s GTB co-hosted a side event on “Climate Change and TB” alongside the G20 Health Working Group meeting in Natal, Brazil, on 2–3 September 2024. The event aimed to raise awareness among G20 members, donors and technical partners about the current and projected impacts of climate change on the TB epidemic and emphasized the importance of coordinated action across and beyond the health sector. WHO and the Government of Brazil also co-organized a high-level side event on TB and climate change during the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly. Held on 23 September 2024, the event focused on the urgent need to combat climate change and its severe consequences on global efforts to end TB.
Source: United States of America – Department of State (video statements)
Secretary of State Marco A. Rubio meets with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul at the Department of State, on May 28, 2025.
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The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President’s chief foreign affairs adviser. The Secretary carries out the President’s foreign policies through the State Department, which includes the Foreign Service, Civil Service and U.S. Agency for International Development.
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Source: Office of United States Attorneys
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson announced today that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has filed separate criminal charges against 18 defendants as part of Operation Take Back America, for violations that include straw purchasing of firearms, bank robbery, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm by an illegal alien, illegal reentry, and failure to notify a change of address.
The 18 defendants charged last week and the alleged offenses include:
Walter Adonai Rivera Chinchilla, 24, of Charlotte, and Fausto Odalis Reyes Guevara, 27, of Honduras, are charged via a superseding indictment of conspiracy to provide a false statement during the purchase of a firearm. Guevara is also charged with possession of a firearm by a person unlawfully in the United States. According to the superseding indictment, on October 12, 2024, Guevara messaged Chinchilla that Guevara needed a “17” and a white Beretta for a good price. Two days later, Chinchilla allegedly purchased a Beretta 92FS pistol from Guns Too, a licensed firearms dealer located in Caldwell County. When he purchased the firearm from Guns Too, Chinchilla allegedly lied on the forms, falsely attesting that he was the actual buyer of the firearm when he was in fact buying it for Guevara. The indictment further alleges that on the same day Chinchilla purchased a second firearm, a Glock 45 pistol, from Foothills Jewelry & Loan, a licensed firearms dealer in Catawba County. It is further alleged that Chinchilla lied again on the forms falsely attesting that he was the actual buyer of the firearm when he knew he was buying it for Guevara. Chinchilla is also facing additional charges including trafficking in firearms, making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm, and dealing in firearms without a license.
Jose Francisco Meraz-Villatoro, 31, of Mexico, is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by an alien and illegal reentry by an alien. It is alleged that Meraz-Villatoro unlawfully possessed two firearms: a Glock 43 9mm handgun and a Girsan Regard MC 9mm handgun. Meraz-Villatoro was previously deported from the United States three times: in September 2013, in July 2014, and again in November 2022.
Carlos Sarmiento-Ochoa, 20, of Honduras, is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by an alien and illegal reentry by an alien. It is alleged in the indictment that Sarmiento-Ochoa unlawfully possessed a Glock 23, 40 caliber handgun, and that he was previously deported from the United States in May 2018 and again in October 2019.
Gial Obed Rodas-Hernandez, 20, of Honduras, is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by an alien and illegal reentry by an alien. The indictment alleges that Rodas-Hernandez unlawfully possessed a Taurus PT709 handgun, 9mm, and that he was previously deported from the United States in February 2021.
Jose Alberto Velazquez-Trejo, 41, of Mexico, is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by an alien and illegal reentry by an alien. The indictment alleges that Velazquez-Trejo unlawfully possessed a Sig Sauer P226 handgun. Velazquez-Trejo was also previously deported from the United States in May 2008.
Norman Enrique Lopez-Santamaria, 42, of Honduras, is charged with illegally reentering into the United States and failure to notify of a change of address. Lopez-Santamaria was previously deported from the United States four times: in October 2002, in July 2009, in August 2010, and again in May 2014.
Rogelio Hernandez-Flores, 50, of Mexico, is charged with illegally reentering the United States and failure to notify of a change of address. Hernandez-Flores was previously deported from the United States three times: in August 1997, July 2003, and again in November 2007.
Luis Zamora-Cruz, 47, of Mexico, is charged with illegally reentering the United States and failure to notify of a change of address. Zamora-Cruz was previously deported from the United States in July 2010 and again in May 2017.
Christian Emanuel Valladares-Sierra, 25, of Honduras, is charged with illegally reentering the United States and failure to notify of a change of address. Valladares-Sierra was previously deported from the United States in September 2018.
Josue Oveniel Martinez-Avalo, 31, of Honduras, is charged with illegally reentering into the United States and failure to notify of a change of address. Martinez-Avalo was previously deported from the United States in June 2014.
Luis Alfredo Navarrete Pastrana, 32, of Mexico, is charged with illegal reentry into the United States. Pastrana was previously deported from the United States in October 2021.
Bryan Flowers, 53, of Hickory, N.C., is charged with bank robbery. According to the indictment, on April 17, 2025, Flowers allegedly robbed the Peoples Bank located in Lincolnton, N.C., by force, violence, and intimidation.
Dwayne Furlow Chaney, 40, of Charlotte, is charged with possession of a firearm by a felon. Chaney allegedly illegally possessed a Smith & Wesson M&P, .40 caliber pistol, and did so knowing he was prohibited from possessing a firearm following a prior criminal conviction.
Marshall Demetrius Rice, 45, of Charlotte, is charged with possession of a firearm by a felon. The indictment alleges that Rice illegally possessed a Smith & Wesson, model SD9VE, 9mm pistol, and did so knowing he was prohibited from possessing a firearm following a prior criminal conviction.
Damiyus Diamonte Fowler, 28, of Charlotte, is charged with possession of a firearm by a felon. Fowler allegedly illegally possessed a Glock 19, Gen 5 9mm caliber pistol, and did so knowing he was prohibited from possessing a firearm following a prior criminal conviction.
Aaron Deondre Conway, 41, of Charlotte, is charged with possession of a firearm by a felon. The indictment alleges that Conway illegally possessed a Walther, Model PPK/S .380 caliber pistol, and did so knowing he was prohibited from possessing a firearm following a prior criminal conviction.
Jamil Omire Ali, 31, of Charlotte, is charged with possession of a firearm by a felon. Ali allegedly illegally possessed a Smith & Wesson M&P Shield, .40 caliber pistol, and did so knowing he was prohibited from possessing a firearm following a prior criminal conviction.
Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The charges in the indictments are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson credited Homeland Security Investigations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement Removal Operations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives for their investigations that led to the charges. U.S. Attorney Ferguson also commended the local law enforcement agencies that assisted in the investigation and apprehension of the defendants.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys with the Criminal Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte are prosecuting the cases.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
NEWARK, N.J. – A Sussex County, New Jersey woman and a Texas man admitted to exploiting a child and producing child pornography, as well as to other child pornography offenses, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Dominique Saczawa, 34, of Sparta, New Jersey, and Russell Lynn Davis, Jr., 47, of Heller, Texas, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Edward S. Kiel in Camden federal court. Saczawa pleaded guilty to production of child pornography, distribution of child pornography, advertisement of child pornography, and possession of child pornography. Davis pleaded guilty to conspiracy to produce child pornography, production of child pornography, and receipt of child pornography.
According to documents filed in these cases and statements made in Court:
Saczawa admitted to sexually exploiting a then-four-year-old by engaging in sexual contact and then producing images and videos of that sexual contact. Saczawa also admitted to sharing these videos and/or images with others, including Davis. Davis admitted to conspiring with Saczawa to sexually exploit the victim, including instructing Saczawa in a video message to perform oral sex on the victim.
Saczawa also admitted to running a group chat within an online messaging application in which participants discussed and shared content and/or images of child pornography. As an administrator of this group, Saczawa solicited participants to share such content. The images Saczawa shared included images of toddlers potentially as young as one year old being sexually assaulted.
Davis had previously been convicted in Texas of indecent contact with a child.
“Protecting small children, the most vulnerable of our community, is among the most important work that we can do. Every child deserves to be in a home free of sexual exploitation, and we will prosecute those that threaten this right. When predators target children, we are committed to unmasking and holding them accountable.”
– U.S. Attorney Alina Habba
“There are truly no words to describe how grotesque the behavior in this case is. A woman admitting to using a prepubescent child to create child sexual assault material is beyond the bounds of any acceptable human behavior – and it always will be. Our FBI Newark Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, alongside our partner agencies, do the work of superheroes each and every day, saving children from monsters and preventing evil from harming more victims,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited FBI Newark’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly, with the investigation.
The charge of production of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison, or in the case of a defendant who has previously been convicted of a sex offense, a mandatory minimum penalty of 25 years and a maximum potential penalty of 50 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. The charge of receipt of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years in prison and a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison, or in the case of a defendant who has previously been convicted of a sex offense, a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years and a maximum potential penalty of 40 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. The charge of possession of child pornography carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. The charge of advertisement of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine.
Saczawa and Davis are both scheduled for sentencing on September 22, 2025.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The government is represented by Assistant United States Attorney Rachelle M. Navarro of the Bank Integrity, Money Laundering, and Recovery Unit in Newark.
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Defense counsel for Saczawa: Stephen Natoli, Esq.
Defense counsel for Davis: Anthony Iacullo, Esq.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Toudeng Thao, 59, La Crosse, Wisconsin was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 90 months in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine and possessing methamphetamine for distribution. Thao pleaded guilty to these charges on March 3, 2025.
On January 25, 2024, law enforcement arrested both Thao and codefendant Joua Thao during a traffic stop as they returned to La Crosse, Wisconsin, from Minnesota after picking up approximately 443 grams of methamphetamine for distribution. Thao and Joua Thao were previously married but were divorced at the time of the arrest. In the six months before his arrest, Thao distributed or possessed for distribution over 5 ½ kilograms of methamphetamine. Thao claimed to have received methamphetamine from multiple sources in Minnesota, California, Canada, and Mexico. He also claimed he supplied six drug distributors. Through a series of controlled purchases, Thao and Joua Thao sold a confidential informant a total of 203.9 grams of methamphetamine in La Crosse. Thao also possessed a firearm during one drug transaction and sought more firearms to traffic to his drug suppliers.
At sentencing, Judge Conley said he was struck by Thao’s statements rationalizing his turn to drug trafficking and found Thao’s minimal criminal history to be puzzling at best given his violent characteristics. Judge Conley noted Thao’s substantial drug dealing was serious enough on its own, but his involvement with firearms, threats of violence, and history of violence against his codefendant and family made him a serious risk to the community.
Joua Thao also pleaded guilty and on March 20, 2025, Judge Conley sentenced her to 5 years of probation for her role in assisting with the drug transactions.
The charges against Toudeng and Joua Thao were the result of an investigation conducted by the West Central Metropolitan Enforcement Group, Drug Enforcement Administration, Wisconsin Department of Justice – Division of Criminal Investigation, Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, Prairie du Chien Police Department, La Crosse County Sheriff’s Office, Campbell Police Department, La Crosse Police Department, Onalaska Police Department, and Wisconsin State Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Ayala prosecuted this case.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
BOSTON – The former Deputy Superintendent at the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office (NCSO) has been arrested and charged in connection with an alleged extortion scheme to force subordinate employees to perform free labor at his residence.
Thomas Brady, 53, of Norwood, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on four counts of extortion and three counts of use of interstate facilities to commit bribery and extortion. Brady was arrested this morning and will appear in federal court in Boston later today.
According to the charging documents, from 2021 through May 2023, Brady served as the Assistant Deputy Superintendent (ADS) for Jail Operations at NCSO. Brady was promoted in May 2023 to Deputy Superintendent. It is alleged that, between December 2021 and mid-November 2022, Brady utilized his official position and authority as an ADS to order two NCSO maintenance officers (Maintenance Officers A and B), who were subordinate in position to Brady, to perform home repairs at his residence during and after work hours.
During the first instance, in late 2021, Brady allegedly ordered Maintenance Officer A to install a new showerhead at Brady’s residence. Because of Brady’s position and authority as an ADS at the NCSO, Maintenance Officer A feared that if they refused Brady’s request, Brady would use his official position and authority to negatively affect Maintenance Officer A’s job position at NCSO – including the possibility of causing Maintenance Officer A to lose their preferred shift schedule, position and/or employment at the NCSO.
It is alleged that Maintenance Officer A complied with Brady’s order and Brady drove Maintenance Officer A to his residence to install the showerhead, during NCSO work hours. Brady then allegedly drove Maintenance Officer A back to NCSO to continue their workday.
During the second instance, on or about Feb. 13, 2022, which was a Sunday, Brady allegedly contacted Maintenance Officer A to fix his water heater. It is alleged that Maintenance Officer A was unavailable that day; however, the following morning, Maintenance Officer A allegedly drove to Brady’s residence, instead of going to work at NCSO, to fix Brady’s water heater. Specifically, after arriving at Brady’s residence, Maintenance Officer A allegedly disconnected the existing water heater in Brady’s basement, carried the water heater to their truck and drove the water heater and Brady to Home Depot. There, Brady allegedly purchased a new 50-gallon water heater, which Maintenance Officer A carried to their truck, drove back to Brady’s residence, carried the into Brady’s residence and connected. Afterwards, Maintenance Officer A allegedly drove to NCSO to finish their shift.
It is further alleged that, between October 2022 and mid-November 2022, Brady ordered Maintenance Officer B to his residence to fix the heating system. Because of Brady’s official position and authority as an ADS at the NCSO, Maintenance Officer B allegedly feared that if Maintenance Officer B refused Brady’s request to help fix the heating system, Brady would use his official position and authority to negatively affect Maintenance Officer B’s job position at NCSO – including the possibility of causing Maintenance Officer B to lose their preferred shift schedule, position and/or employment at the NCSO.
Maintenance Officer B allegedly complied with the order, and on or about Oct. 6, 2022, drove to Brady’s residence to troubleshoot his heating system during NCSO work hours.
It is alleged that, after Brady had subsequent problems with his heating system and contacted Maintenance Officer B to replace the circulator pump. On or about Oct. 15, 2022, Maintenance Officer C allegedly learned that Brady was looking for Maintenance Officer B and the two exchanged the following text messages:
On two occasions between Nov. 1, 2022 and Nov. 2, 2022, Maintenance Officer B allegedly returned to Brady’s residence – with Maintenance Officer C assisting – where they drained the hot water system, removed the old circulator pump and installed the new circulator pump
The charge of extortion provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The charge of use of interstate facilities to commit bribery and extortion provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lucy Sun of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
EVANSVILLE – Arcinial Montreal Watt, 36, and Jazmynn Alaina Brown, 27, both of Evansville, have been sentenced for their roles in a fentanyl dealing operation that resulted in the death of a three-year-old girl.
Watt has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl resulting in death. Watt has also been ordered to pay $6,007 in restitution.
Brown has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents and evidence presented during Brown’s sentencing hearing, between August and October of 2021, Watt obtained at least 400 grams of fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills and stored them in a bedroom he shared with his girlfriend, Jazmynn Brown. Brown sub-leased the room in a shared residence on East Sycamore Street in Evansville, where she lived with two other women and their four children—ages 4, 3, 18 months, and 2 months. Pills were sold and divided for sale by Brown inside the residence.
On October 26, 2021, the three older children accessed the bedroom where the pills were stored and removed a plastic bag containing fentanyl pills prepared for sale. The pills spilled, exposing the children to direct contact. Although Brown recovered some of the pills, several remained unaccounted for.
The three-year-old girl who came into contact with the pills was pronounced dead the following morning as a result of fentanyl poising. The 18-month-old girl was taken to the hospital, where she was placed on a NARCAN drip and survived her fentanyl poisoning.
During the investigation, agents seized over 5,750 fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills marked M30, more than $25,000 in cash, and a firearm. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, as little as 2 milligrams of fentanyl can be fatal, depending on a person’s body size, tolerance, and past usage. One kilogram of fentanyl has the potential to kill 500,000 people.
“The sentencings of Mr. Watt and Ms. Brown are righteous. This case is a heartbreaking example of individuals who recklessly stored Thousands of illicit fentanyl pills in their residence, leading to the tragic poisoning death of one child and the overdose of another. The victims in this case were innocent children. The DEA, alongside our law enforcement partners, remains committed to keeping our communities safe and holding drug traffickers fully accountable,” said DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge J. Michael Gannon.
The Evansville Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case. The Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office Cyber Crime Task Force also provided invaluable assistance. The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Judge Matthew P. Brookman.
Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Jeremy Kemper, Lauren Wheatley, and Todd S. Shellenbarger, as well as former Assistant U.S. Attorney, Kristian R. Mukoski, who prosecuted this case.
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Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
ALEXANDRIA, Va., May 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — HRCI, the premier credentialing and learning community for the human resource profession, today announced its latest collaboration. A new learning solution for Chief Human Resources Officers (CHROs) and their teams, titled HR Academy, will be part of Deloitte Academies, a suite of immersive learning experiences designed to deliver technical skill-building, leadership development, and advisory services needed by today’s HR professionals.
For over 50 years, HRCI has been at the forefront of the human resource profession, most recently with the introduction of HRCI ENGAGE, a free online community for HR professionals worldwide. The launch of the HR Academy comes at a time, as highlighted in Deloitte’s “Global Human Capital Trends” report, that underscores the urgent need for organizations to upskill their HR teams. As HR’s role becomes increasingly strategic, overseeing critical business functions from talent development to people analytics, the combined learning insights of HRCI and Deloitte will position CHROs and their teams for continued success.
“As the pace of change in the workplace accelerates, it is crucial for HR professionals to stay ahead of the skills needed to support their organizations,” said Kyle Forrest, Future of HR leader and principal, Deloitte Consulting LLP. “Our HR Academy, in conjunction with HRCI, provides the tools and resources for teams to achieve their professional certification and meet the evolving demands of the business.”
The Academy offers customized learning experiences tailored to different HR roles, from entry-level professionals to senior executives. Deloitte’s collaboration with HRCI ensures that participants receive the necessary support to achieve professional certification and advance their careers.
Dr. Amy Dufrane, CEO of HRCI, said, “The rise of HR directly correlates to the heightened importance of talent and culture in the world. Our collaboration with Deloitte underscores our shared commitment to providing the learning and credentialing programs that enable HR professionals to excel in their careers while they drive positive business outcomes.”
About HRCI®
HRCI® is the premier credentialing and learning community for the human resource profession. For 50 years, HRCI has set the global standard for HR expertise and excellence through its commitment to developing and advancing those in the people business. HRCI helps HR professionals achieve new competencies that drive results by creating and offering world-class learning and administering eight global certifications. To learn more about HRCI, visit www.hrci.org.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Utah Mike Lee
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Mike Lee (R-UT), Chris Coons (D-DE), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and Kevin Cramer (R-ND), along with Rep. Barry Moore (R-AL), released the following statement to applaud the United States Sentencing Commission’s unanimously finalized recent amendment to the United States Sentencing Guidelines regarding federal supervised release:
“This is an important step by the U.S. Sentencing Commission. This amendment regarding federal supervised release better aligns our system with parts of our Safer Supervision Act. It is a meaningful move to restore federal supervision to the system that Congress originally intended and focus supervision on those who need it most. This is an illustration of how we can work together to improve our justice system by promoting rehabilitation, fairness, and public safety. We look forward to continuing this effort and ensuring that the entire Safer Supervision Act becomes law.”
Federal supervised release is a form of supervision after incarceration that was originally designed to be used “for those, and only those, who [need] it,” according to the U.S. Supreme Court. Currently, however, supervised release is imposed in nearly every case, resulting in an overburdened system with more than 110,000 people in supervision at any moment, and nearly 50,000 people cycling into it each year. The result is a system that does not provide appropriate supervision to the high-risk individuals who most need it while creating counterproductive burdens on low-risk individuals that inhibit their ability to reintegrate.
On April 30, 2025, the United States Sentencing Commission transmitted to Congress an amendment to the Guidelines that encourages courts to impose supervised release on the basis of individualized circumstances, provides courts with factors to consider in assessing potential early termination, and increases courts’ discretion on how to address supervised release violations. These changes are aligned with certain portions of the Safer Supervision Act, a bipartisan, bicameral bill that will ensure that supervision resources are directed in a way that best promotes rehabilitation and public safety. The Commission initially proposed this amendment in January, and the aforementioned members of Congress filed a comment in March in support of the Sentencing Commission’s proposal. The proposal received favorable comments at a public hearing in March from law enforcement and advocates across the political spectrum. The finalized amendment will go into effect on November 1, 2025.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn
WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), and Tim Scott (R-S.C.) reintroduced the Protect LNG Act. The legislation ensures that a court cannot vacate a previously authorized LNG permit, clarifies the venue for LNG lawsuits before federal courts, and mandates that courts grant expedited decisions in relevant cases.
“Oil and natural gas production employs hundreds of thousands of hardworking Texans and is a critical part of the Texas economy, as well as our nation’s energy sector as a whole.” said Sen. Cornyn. “I am proud to lead this bill alongside Sen. Cruz to help protect energy projects across our country from lawsuits that far-left climate activists file in an attempt to hamstring American energy.”
“American energy has the ability to metaphorically and literally power the world, and Texas is the lead exporter of U.S. LNG. Those achievements have been under attack by fringe environmental groups, who use and are enabled by politicized courts,” said Sen. Cruz. “This legislation counters such attacks, and I’m proud to lead the fight to protect energy producers, the jobs they create in Texas, and America’s energy leadership. The Senate should expeditiously take it up and pass it.”
“The United States has an abundance of LNG, which is essential for establishing American energy dominance and safeguarding our national security,” said Sen. Wicker. “The Protect LNG Act would prevent energy production from being politicized or undermined by far-left environmental groups. I am committed to defending energy job creators and preserving American energy independence.”
“The Protect LNG Act is about bringing certainty back to American energy. Radical activists are using the courts to block or delay key energy projects that have already been approved—ultimately threatening jobs, driving up costs, and undermining our national security. For South Carolina, this legislation ensures stronger protections for our growing role in energy exports, stability in our port economy, and a clear signal to our allies that America will deliver,” said Sen. Scott. “I’m proud to support legislation that doesn’t just keep the lights on, but keeps our country strong, competitive, and in control of its future.”
Companion legislation was introduced in the House by Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-Texas-38).
“Natural gas is the most impactful green initiative on the planet—it has the power to lift entire nations and communities out of poverty. Yet sadly, natural gas and LNG have been weaponized by the radical left and the climate cartel, driving up energy costs for hardworking Americans—just as we’re still reeling from the disastrous effects of Biden-flation,” said Rep. Hunt. “I’m proud to lead Senator Cruz’s effort in the House to strengthen our domestic LNG industry and ensure it provides the energy security and economic strength our nation needs.”
Read the full text of the bill here.
Background:
This bill would:
Ensures that a federal court cannot vacate previously authorized permits for Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) facilities.
Specifies that circuit court jurisdiction for litigation against LNG facilities shall be determined by the location of the facility, not the headquarters location of the federal agency that issued the permits.
Sets a 90-day clock for lawsuits challenging a federal permit for an LNG facility and requires expedited review of lawsuits against LNG facilities.