Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (12th District of Michigan)
Representatives Debbie Dingell (MI-06), David Joyce (OH-14), and Michael McCaul (TX-10), introduced a resolution honoring May 17 as Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG) Awareness Day to support expanded research for treatments and care for DIPG. DIPG is the leading cause of childhood death due to brain tumors, and less than one percent of its victims live more than five years after diagnosis.
“It’s impossible to express the pain and devastation a family faces when their child is diagnosed with cancer. A battle with cancer at any age is hard, but especially for a child who should have a lifetime full of opportunities ahead of them,” said Dingell. “DIPG is responsible for the most pediatric brain tumor deaths each year and consistently has one of the lowest survival rates. We must redouble our efforts to confront childhood cancer with the urgency it requires by supporting efforts that will spread awareness and spur new research endeavors that inspire new treatments and cures. Together, we can show these young children and their families that they are not alone in their fight.”
“I am proud to introduce this bipartisan resolution to raise awareness for the more than 300 children in America suffering from this heartbreaking disease,” said Joyce. “DIPG is one of the deadliest forms of pediatric cancer, devastating children, parents, and families. We must work together to find a cure to ensure no child has to face this illness ever again.”
“With a heartbreaking survival rate of less than one percent, DIPG is considered the most lethal form of childhood cancer,” said McCaul. “We must do everything in our power to change that and give these children the futures they deserve. As founder of the Childhood Cancer Caucus, I’m proud to join Rep. Dingell and others in raising awareness of DIPG as we work toward a cure. For the precious young lives diagnosed with this disease, there’s no time to waste.”
“I am so very grateful to Congresswoman Dingell for not giving up on our kids by continuing to champion this resolution! They truly have no other voice or national visibility and I’m indebted to her for her unwavering commitment to them and to representing the interests of the American People. The most devastating part of the DIPG diagnosis experience for my 3-year old son Jack and our family was to hear that there were no solutions for him because the lives of children with brain cancer don’t represent a good enough “investment incentive” to the powers that be. If no one knows, no one cares and nothing changes. Congresswoman Dingell won’t let that happen!” said Janet Demeter, Founder of DIPG Advocacy Group.
This resolution aims to raise awareness and support efforts by the Carr family, who launched the Chad Tough Foundation in 2015 in honor of five-year-old Chad Carr of Ann Arbor, who lost his battle with DIPG in 2015; Jack’s Angels Foundation that was launched in honor of three-year-old Jack Demeter who lost his battle with DIPG in 2012; and every family impacted by DIPG.
A group of drug dealers involved in the supply of nearly half a ton of cocaine worth up to £17 million have been jailed for a combined 47 years.
The four, who brought in cocaine from the Netherlands to distribute throughout London, were caught in the act by Metropolitan Police Service officers.
Bert De Jong, 59, (03.09.1965), of the Netherlands, Hussain Sakhi, 22, (13.03.2003), of Laughton Road, Northolt and Zaibaa Zahur, 21, (04.06.2003), of Harlington Road, Uxbridge were sentenced on Monday, 19 May at Kingston Crown Court.
They were found guilty of conspiracy to evade the prohibition on the importation of cocaine and conspiracy to supply cocaine, following a four-week trial at Kingston Crown Court on Monday, 7 April.
Sakhi and Zahur were also found guilty of conspiracy to supply cocaine.
A fourth drug dealer, Justyn Morris, 23, (21.07.2001), of Upper Lees Road, Slough, pleaded guilty on Tuesday, 11 March to conspiracy to evade the prohibition on the importation of cocaine and conspiracy to supply cocaine.
Detective Constable Leon Ure, of the Met’s Specialist Crime South team who led the investigation, said:
“This has been a complex and lengthy investigation to dismantle a group supplying drugs across London. It has been part of a wider, proactive drug operation led by the Specialist Crime South team.
“This investigation shows the breadth of work the specialist crime unit deals with and I’d like to thank every officer who was involved in the case.
“Drug dealing has a huge impact on Londoners. It fuels further crime and impacts the heart of our communities.
“Their sentences are fully deserved and I hope this acts as a deterrent to those thinking about bringing in illegal drugs to the country.”
The investigation found that millions of pounds of cocaine were distributed by lorries across London. Lorries would stop outside the capital, and the drugs would be collected and then be sent to ‘retail suppliers’ on a weekly basis.
On Tuesday, 16 July 2024, Marsham booked a holiday home near Norwich. Morris drove a van, which has been seen outside the home, to an industrial estate in Norwich, where Morris met De Jong in a lorry. De Jong gave Morris, three cardboard boxes.
Morris was then intercepted by Met officers who had seen the suspected handover.
The Met officers searched the van and the three boxes were found hidden behind black cladding containing a total of 70kg worth of cocaine – worth between £1.75million and £2.45million.
Sakhi and Zahur went to the holiday let later that day, to ‘view’ the property which raised suspicion, leading to the officers arriving and searching the pair.
A phone was found and showed messages between Sakhi and an unidentified contact, who Morris had also been in contact with.
All three were arrested by the Met that day.
They were charged on Thursday, 18 July 2024.
What followed was an extensive investigation, which proved the defendants had all been involved in the supply of millions of pounds worth of cocaine. Drug ledgers kept by the gang showed they moved nearly 500kg worth.
De Jong would bring the drugs into the country from the Netherlands and Morris would pick them up and pass them to Sakhi and Zahur, who would then distribute them.
On Wednesday, 23 July 2024 De Jong, when entering the country again, was arrested. He claimed he had no knowledge of what he was bringing into the country, but evidence suggested on his phone that he would send ‘tokens’ to his counterparts, implying the drugs had been delivered.
He was charged on the same day.
De Jong was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment.
Zahur was sentenced to six years and 10 months’ imprisonment
Sakhi was sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment.
Morris was sentenced to 12 years and six months’ imprisonment.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Lexington business owner, Matthew Buresh, 65, was sentenced on Friday by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell to 24 months in prison, for two counts of failure to pay taxes.
Buresh was the owner and President of CR Cable Construction Inc. (CR), a company operating in Lexington that installed underground utility lines. As the owner of the company, Buresh was required to remit trust fund taxes withheld from employee paychecks, such as individual income, Social Security, and Medicare taxes, as well as the matching amounts contributed by the employer, to the IRS on quarterly basis. These taxes are generally known as “employment taxes.”
According to his plea agreement, between March 2018 and December 2022, Buresh knew that his company was required to make deposits of the employment taxes to the IRS on a periodic basis, but chose not to pay the employment taxes withheld from CR’s employees’ paychecks to the IRS. Buresh was notified of CR employment taxes due and owing, accounted for such taxes, had sufficient funds to pay them, but willfully chose not to pay a significant portion of those employment taxes from 2018 through 2022. At the same time, between 2017 and 2022, Buresh withdrew $2.9 million in cash from CR’s bank account to pay for business expenses, his wages, and his distributions.
Under federal law, Buresh must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years. Buresh is also required to pay $805,787.82 in restitution.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; and Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge, IRS-Criminal Investigations, Cincinnati Field Division, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the IRS. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany Dunn-Pirio is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Kani Bassie, age 36, of Brooklyn, New York, and Jermon Brooks, age 20, of Richmond, Virginia, pled guilty last week to their roles in a multi-million-dollar bank fraud conspiracy led by Oluwaseun Adekoya, age 39, a Nigerian citizen. United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
Bassie and Brooks admitted that they were members of a conspiracy to defraud financial institutions all over the country by obtaining the personal identifying information (“PII”) of individuals and using lower-level “workers” to impersonate the identity-theft victims to conduct fraudulent banking transactions in their names. Bassie and Brooks supervised and oversaw lower-level coconspirators who withdrew hundreds of thousands of dollars from identity-theft victims in the Northern District of New York and all over the country. Bassie admitted to conspiring with alleged ringleader Adekoya to launder bank fraud proceeds in transactions designed to conceal and disguise the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the proceeds and to use bank fraud proceeds to reinvest in the ongoing conspiracy.
Adekoya, the alleged ringleader of the conspiracy, faces trial beginning June 9, 2025 before United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino on a second superseding indictment charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of money laundering conspiracy, and nine counts of aggravated identity theft. The charges against Adekoya in the second superseding indictment are merely accusations. He is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
“And then there was one,” United States Attorney Sarcone said. “We look forward to trial. We appreciate the efforts of the FBI, and many other law enforcement partners across the country, in uncovering this scheme.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Tremaroli stated: “The FBI takes very seriously our responsibility to investigate and pursue those who commit fraud for personal gain. We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who use illegal means and criminal behavior to take advantage of others.”
The prosecution is the result of an ongoing investigation led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and FBI Albany Field Office, which began after the May 2022 arrest of David Daniyan, a/k/a “Bamikole Laniyan,” a/k/a “David Enfield,” a/k/a “Africa,” age 60, of Brooklyn, New York, Gaysha Kennedy, age 46, of Brooklyn, and Victor Barriera, age 64, of the Bronx, New York, by the Cohoes Police Department after the trio traveled to the Capital Region to commit bank fraud. According to documents previously filed in the case, the investigation has uncovered over $2 million in fraudulent transactions to date. Thirteen defendants have pled guilty and forfeited hundreds of thousands of dollars in proceeds, luxury apparel, and jewelry.
At sentencing later this year, Bassie and Brooks face a maximum term of 30 years’ incarceration for the bank fraud conspiracy, Bassie faces a maximum term of 20 years’ incarceration for the money laundering conspiracy, and Bassie and Brooks face a mandatory consecutive term of 2 years’ incarceration for their convictions of aggravated identity theft. The defendants will be ordered to pay restitution and will also face a term of post-incarceration supervised release of up to 5 years.
FBI Albany is investigating the case, with assistance from the FBI Field Offices in New York, Newark, Richmond and Resident Agencies in Westchester, New York; Brooklyn/Queens, New York; Garrett Mountain, New Jersey; and Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Additional assistance was provided by other law enforcement agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement & Removal Operations (New York Field Office & Albany sub-office); U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service (Buffalo Field Office & St. Albans Resident Office); U.S. Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General; New York law enforcement agencies including the New York State Police; Cohoes PD; Colonie PD; Elmira PD; Corning PD; Plattsburgh PD; Florida law enforcement agencies including the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and Escambia County Sheriff’s Office; the Pennsylvania State Police; Alabama law enforcement agencies including the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office, Gasden PD, and Rainbow City PD; Georgia law enforcement agencies including the Georgia State Patrol, Bartow County Sheriff’s Office, and Morrow PD; Kansas law enforcement agencies including Lawrence PD and Overland Park PD; New Hampshire law enforcement agencies including Rochester PD, Manchester PD, and Amherst PD; the Delaware State Police; Maryland law enforcement agencies including the Maryland State Police, Harford County Sheriff’s Office and Baltimore County Sheriff’s Office; Wisconsin law enforcement agencies including Onalaska PD and Eau Claire PD; and Indiana law enforcement agencies including the Allen County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorneys Benjamin S. Clark, Mathew M. Paulbeck, and Joshua R. Rosenthal are prosecuting this case.
Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Jennifer Wallner, Associate Professor, School of Political Studies, L’Université d’Ottawa/University of Ottawa
Throughout the recent federal election campaign, political leaders outlined their vision for Canada’s future. Responding to a dramatically changing geopolitical climate, party platforms contained ambitious policy proposals about how to reposition the country for the challenges that lie ahead.
But the leaders were silent about how a new federal government would navigate the division of powers among various levels of government in order to bring their proposals to life.
Life would be easy if the problems we faced adhered to the 1867 Constitution Act. Most challenges, however, transcend the individual categories of jurisdiction. Collaboration among jurisdictions is therefore essential to meet the individual and collective needs of Canadians.
From apprenticeships to energy corridors, childcare to caregiving, most policy areas require sustained and substantive co-ordination to succeed. Often, like in case of housing and climate change, this must also include municipalities.
In addition, intergovernmental co-ordination must finally reflect a nation-to-nation relationship with Indigenous peoples.
The Liberal Party’s Canada Strong platform refers eight times to nation-building projects. But it fails to acknowledge the need to transform intergovernmental relations for 21st century challenges.
Instead, the Constitution is seemingly perceived as a minor inconvenience, not as a key governance challenge: “We will work with the provinces and territories,” the policy says, seemingly hoping that somehow things will work out.
Federal leaders seem oblivious to the fact that Canada is one of the most decentralized federations worldwide. The provinces exercise fiscal and jurisdictional autonomy exceeding those of other countries. In the meantime, the decisions of individual provinces and territories have implications that stretch far beyond their own borders.
Natural resources fall under the exclusive jurisdiction of provinces and, increasingly, the territories. But their development profoundly affects economic and environmental policy.
If one province or territory unilaterally decimates the natural resources of their region, it’s not just that specific province or territory that bears the consequences. This is just one of many sectors in need of collective consideration so that all of Canada benefits.
There is a simple truth here: orders of government in Canada are not completely autonomous over their areas of jurisdiction. The federal government does not have the legitimate authority to compel provincial-territorial action; in the meantime, provinces and territories have little means to influence federal policy according to the needs and wants of their constituents.
Rather than tackling this institutional problem, the federal government often asserts itself as the leader
Alternatively, the federal government evokes an ad hoc “Team Canada” approach in response to imminent crises, like the re-negotiation of the former NAFTA agreement in 2017 and today’s threats and tariffs by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Neither option, however, addresses the deeper problem: intergovernmental relations in Canadian federalism are notoriously weak and lack the legitimacy and transparency to bring about effective collective action.
Canadian and international research shows that a robust institutional framework is critical for nurturing the key ingredient for effective and legitimate intergovernmental relations: Reciprocity.
Regular policy meetings among governments and senior level public servants, especially when backed by sufficient administrative and political support, promotes shared norms and understandings, enhancing the potential for long-term policy solutions.
Royal commission?
If this type of regular collaboration is entrenched, it would be more difficult to obstruct meaningful collective action that respects Canada’s political integrity.
As Mark Carney’s new government gets to work, Canadians must question not only the fiscal soundness of its proposals, but also their feasibility considering the deep divisions in Canadian federalism.
Without taking tangible steps to reimagine Canada’s outdated system of intergovernmental relations or developing a road map for institutional reform, the lasting policy changes that are needed to reposition Canada in an increasingly hostile environment are unlikely to materialize.
About 100 Canadian academics recently argued in an open letter, Canada needs to establish a royal commission for securing Canada’s future. As past experience has shown, this approach has great potential, but it must be developed in partnership among federal, provincial and territorial governments, including those of First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples.
Jörg Broschek receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)
Jennifer Wallner does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Imagine feeling invisible simply because of your body. Now imagine that invisibility extends into how society treats your desires, your safety, and your rights.
We are global health researchers and authors of a recent qualitative study that explores the sexual experiences of women with disabilities in Lagos, Nigeria.
The women in our study told us they had sexual needs and desires like any other women, but they faced particular challenges such as societal stigma, inadequate access to reproductive health services, widespread misconceptions about contraception and sexual harassment. They suggested how more accessible health services and better legal protection could help them.
How we did our study
We spoke to 24 women in Lagos between the ages of 20 and 45. Sixty-seven percent of participants had physical disabilities, while 33% had visual impairments.
Participants were recruited through local networks and came from a range of educational, employment and marital backgrounds. They were asked open-ended questions in interviews conducted in English, Yoruba or Pidgin.
We focused on how disability influenced their sexual activity, autonomy, contraceptive use, engagement in risky sexual behaviours, and experiences of sexual violence.
What we learnt
Our research found that the women were mostly sexually active and understood their sexual rights.
However, they faced major barriers:
physical limitations
poor access to affordable contraceptives
misinformation
vulnerability to sexual violence, with limited support available
widespread stigma that made it difficult for them to express their sexuality freely and safely.
‘We are not asexual’
Many participants rejected the stereotype that they were “asexual” or uninterested in sex. They emphasised they had sexual needs and desires just like any other woman.
Some participants expressed that being disabled made certain sex positions painful or physically impossible.
A woman who was in her thirties told us that her husband complained that she couldn’t “do different styles”.
Other women expressed sadness, frustration, or even guilt for not being able to satisfy their partners, leading to feelings of rejection and abandonment.
Accessing modern contraceptives was another major issue.
Some of the women said they were afraid of using contraceptives because of health myths – like the fear that birth control might worsen their disability or cause infertility.
Others struggled to go to pharmacies because of their limited mobility and obstacles such as being unable to use stairs.
Several women said they had experienced harassment, assault or rape, often linked to their vulnerability and social isolation.
One woman described her sexual assault.
If I were not disabled and nothing was wrong with me, the one that happened to me would not happen. Because of my leg, I didn’t have any energy to shout, and the people that were supposed to assist me did not show up. If I had legs and was complete, the thing that happened to me will not happen.
A visually impaired woman said she couldn’t defend herself or even recognise her attacker when she was abused.
Another said:
If I had legs, that thing would not have happened to me.
A number of women also spoke about the fear of being blamed or shamed about their sexual harassment experience. Others said people in their communities believed they had no right to complain.
It’s not all bad
Still, it wasn’t all despair. The women in the study had clear and actionable suggestions.
They called for accessible health facilities, better education for men about disability and sex, and more media campaigns to challenge stigma.
They wanted laws that specifically protected them against sexual harassment and health systems that included them in terms of physical accessibility and financial subsidy.
Some called for free or subsidised contraceptives or door-to-door services for those unable to travel.
One participant simply asked for a walking aid so she could visit the hospital when she needed to.
We are not invisible
The findings highlight the need for accessible, affordable sexual and reproductive health services tailored to women with disabilities.
This includes disability-friendly healthcare, public education to challenge stereotypes, stronger legal protections, and initiatives that empower women to assert their rights.
Society needs to stop pretending that women with disabilities are invisible. They are here. They are sexually active. And they have a right to love, pleasure, safety and choice.
– Sex and disability: Nigerian women share their stories – https://theconversation.com/sex-and-disability-nigerian-women-share-their-stories-254405
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Speech
PM’s remarks at press conference with EU leaders : 19 May 2025
PM’s remarks at his press conference with EU leaders on the UK-EU deal.
Ladies and gentlemen – Britain is back on the world stage.
Working with our partners. Doing deals that will grow our economy and putting more money in the pockets of working people.
In the last two weeks alone, we’ve delivered trade deals with India and the US. That means: jobs saved, jobs created, more growth and a huge vote of confidence in this country.
It shows that – as global instability is rising, the decisions we have taken to stabilise the economy and lead the way internationally have made Britain a place where people want to do business once again.
And from that position of strength – today we have struck this landmark deal with the EU – a new partnership between an independent Britain and our allies in Europe.
This is the first UK-EU summit, that marks a new stage in our relationship. And this deal, is a win-win. It delivers what the British public voted for last year.
It gives us unprecedented access to the EU market – the best of any country outside the EU or EFTA.
All while sticking to our red lines in our manifesto about. Not rejoining the single market, no rejoining the customs union and no return to freedom of movement.
This deal is good for both sides – and let me set out why it is good for Britain. We’ve struck an SPS deal to make food and agriculture trade with the EU cheaper and easier.
Slashing red tape and bureaucracy. That will mean lower food prices at the checkout.
More choice on our supermarket shelves – and more money in people’s pockets.
It will boost British exporters because, once again after a long absence, we’ll be able to sell great British burgers, shellfish and other products into the EU.
We’ve also struck a new Defence and Security Partnership to strengthen our cooperation and strengthen our security – which is vital in this dangerous new era.
And it will open the door to working with the EU’s new defence fund – providing new opportunities for our defence industry, supporting British jobs and livelihoods.
We are also increasing our co-operation on emissions trading. Saving UK businesses from having to pay £800 million in EU carbon taxes. Once again: supporting British businesses, backing British jobs.
Next, we are increasing our cooperation on energy to drive down bills in the long term.
The agreement negotiated by the last government left us with more disconnected with our closest neighbours despite being physically connected to the European grid by our undersea cables.
Today’s deal will see us work to bring these systems together again – benefitting bill payers and boosting our renewables industry in the North Sea.
Today’s deal is also good for British steel, protecting our steel exports from new EU tariffs. Saving the industry £25 million each year. Another example of this government backing our steel sector to the hilt.
We’ve reached a deal today on fish, protecting our access, rights and fishing areas with no increase in the amount that EU vessels can catch in British waters.
Our fishing industry will also benefit from the new SPS agreement which slashes costs and red tape for our exports into the European market. And we already sell 70% of our seafood into that market so it’s really significant. It is also opening the gates to sending shellfish back into the EU.
And I can announce today that we’re investing £360 million into our fishing industry – to help them take advantage of this deal.
We have acted today to strengthen our borders. The previous deal left a huge gap in our ability to work together to tackle illegal migration.
So this deal closes that gap so that we can work across the migration routes to end the migration crisis and smash the criminal gangs.
We are boosting our cooperation on law enforcement. Combating terrorism and serious organised crime with better sharing of intelligence and data – including facial imaging, for the first time.
Today’s deal will also help British holidaymakers as we are confirming that they will able to use e-Gates when they travel to Europe – ending those huge queues at passport control.
And I call on all EU members states to help make this a reality without delay.
Finally – we have agreed today cooperate on a youth experience scheme to allow our young people to travel and work freely in Europe. And I’m clear – this will come with all the appropriate time-limits, caps and visa requirements.
So – it’s a long list – and it just shows how much we have achieved here today – real benefits for the British people.
Because, it’s time to look forward. It’s time to move on from the stale old debates and political fights to focus on delivering common sense, practical solutions which get the best for the British people.
We’re ready to work with all our partners.
If it means we can improve people’s lives here at home.
And that’s what this deal is all about: facing out to the world once again in the great tradition of this nation. Building the relationships we choose, with the partners we choose and closing deals in the national interest.
BILLERICA, Mass., May 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — E Ink (8069.TW), the originator, pioneer, and global commercial leader in ePaper technology, announced today its collaborative donation with MediaTek to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Louisiana as part of E Ink’s eRead for the Future program. E Ink and MediaTek are donating 58 Amazon Kindle Kids eReaders—each Kindle Kids device features an E Ink ePaper display for a comfortable, paper-like reading experience and is powered by MediaTek’s advanced chipset technology.
“The donation from E Ink and MediaTek will have a meaningful impact on the children,” said Brandon Smith, Clubs Director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Louisiana. “Access to books and educational tools is crucial for our Club kids’ development, and these Kindle devices open up a world of opportunities for their learning.”
During the upcoming summer, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Louisiana is running a Summer Reading program to combat reading skill loss during the summer. These Kindle Kids will be used to support this program.
A study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health found that E Ink’s ePaper screens with a ComfortGaze front light are up to three times healthier for eyes than LCD screens. As distraction and blue light dominate modern devices, paper-like E Ink screens provide a healthier screen time option. Blue light from LED and fluorescent lighting, as well as monitors, tablets, and mobile devices, can negatively affect vision over the long term, according to the American Optometric Association. Unlike traditional LCD screens, ePaper screens are non-emissive, meaning they rely on ambient light for viewing. Devices like the Amazon Kindle can help families minimize the blue-light hazard and enable more focused reading and learning.
“This collaboration with E Ink and the Boys & Girls Clubs is a wonderful opportunity to share our passion for technology with future generations,” said Jerry Yu, Corporate Senior Vice President at MediaTek. “These Kindles are valuable tools that ensure our youth have access to more important resources to empower deeper learning.”
“Our partnership with MediaTek and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Louisiana is steeped in helping inspire a lifelong love of reading,” said Lynne Garone, Associate Vice President of Corporate Learning and Social Responsibility at E Ink Corporation. “Our ePaper technology is designed to make reading more enjoyable and accessible for kids everywhere.”
To expand on eRead for the Future program in 2025, this eReader donation reflects E Ink and MediaTek’s ongoing commitment to supporting communities and creating opportunities for children through technology and education. The devices come bundled with a 6-month subscription to Amazon Kids+, giving the young readers unlimited access to thousands of children’s books, with a part of the donation being reserved for a permanent book collection.
In 2024, E Ink engaged over 22 partners across the ePaper ecosystem to participate in the social good initiative, eRead for the Future, that focuses on delivering technology that elevates students’ reading abilities. Through last year’s collaboration, E Ink donated 1,024 color eReaders, benefiting over 15,000 students across 40 elementary schools. The total donation value was nearly USD 1 million and saved 777 metric tons of carbon from reading digital, nonprinted, books. For context, if 160 million eReaders worldwide download 50 eBooks each over a five-year period, this totals 8 billion eBooks. In comparison, if all these books were read in paper form, it would equate to nearly 60 million tons of CO2e.
About E Ink
E Ink Holdings Inc. (8069.TWO), based on technology from MIT’s Media Lab, provides an ideal display medium for applications spanning eReaders and eNotes, retail, home, hospital, transportation, logistics, and more, enabling customers to put displays in locations previously impossible. E Ink’s electrophoretic display products make it the worldwide leader for ePaper. Its low power displays enable customers to reach their sustainability goals, and E Ink has pledged using 100% renewable energy in 2030 and reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2040. E Ink has been recognized for their efforts by receiving validation from Science-Based Targets (SBTi) and is listed in both the DJSI World and DJSI Emerging Indexes. Listed in Taiwan’s Taipei Exchange (TPEx) and the Luxembourg market, E Ink Holdings is now the world’s largest supplier of ePaper displays. For more information please visit www.eink.com. E Ink. We Make Surfaces Smart and Green.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
Train services between Bradford and London more than triple thanks to government funding
5 additional train services daily will bring an estimated extra £4 million into the local economy each year.
new platform at Bradford Forster Square station, thanks to £35 million government funding
will boost daily trains between Bradford and London from 2 to 7, providing an extra 1.9 million train seats a year
key part of the government’s commitment to investment in transport infrastructure in the North of England and Plan for Change
Passengers in Bradford are now benefiting from improved, increased rail journeys thanks to a multi-million-pound government boost.
Today (19 May 2025) saw the opening of a brand-new platform at Forster Square Station, which is already facilitating 5 additional services a day between Bradford and London.
The new platform and improved station infrastructure will ease congestion and increase access into the city for passengers, commuters and tourists.
Minister for Local Transport, Simon Lightwood, who officially opened the platform, said:
Thanks to £35 million of government investment, rail passengers in Bradford will now be connected to more jobs, education and business opportunities.
These additional services will not only create a more reliable and comfortable journey but bring an estimated extra £4 million into the local economy each year.
After decades of underfunding, this government is investing in change for the people of Yorkshire by delivering the transport system they deserve.
The new services to Bradford come at a key time as they celebrate being the UK’s City of Culture for 2025. Visitors enjoying the celebrations throughout the year will make use of the enhanced timetable, which sees the first train from London to Bradford now arrive at 09:52 compared with 19:30 previously.
Minister Lightwood continued:
You cannot achieve real growth without the transport connectivity to support it. We have an ambitious Plan for Change that’s making a real difference for the people of West Yorkshire, evidenced by large scale projects like this one.
The extra 1.9 million seats annually, increasing weekday services to Bradford by 250%, show that we are delivering our plan, creating more jobs and more opportunities.
Today’s unveiling is part of the government’s wider commitment to investing in transport infrastructure across the North of England and its wider Plan for Change. Thanks to a £10 billion cash injection from the government, the TransPennine Route Upgrade will provide more capacity on faster, more reliable, greener journeys between Manchester, Leeds and York.
Leeds, Bradford and Huddersfield will see their connectivity further improved thanks to the government providing £200 million development funding to the West Yorkshire Combined Authority for the West Yorkshire Mass Transit System.
Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin, said:
There is such a positive energy in Bradford at the moment, with the recent transformation of the city centre and the series of amazing City of Culture events.
Increasing capacity at one of West Yorkshire’s flagship city centre stations means the city can really build on this momentum.
This will help us to create a transport system to be proud of and is vital to helping us create a more prosperous and better-connected region.
Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe, Leader of Bradford Council, said:
I’m so pleased about the new Platform 0 and the important London services that will now happen as a result of the investment. A major city like Bradford needs to be better connected, not just to the capital but also to other major cities in the country. We’ve been able to work with government, Network Rail and the train operators to make this happen in this major year for us.
These services will provide local people with better access to more and better jobs, not just for this year but permanently. There will be more opportunity to travel for education and training and cultural experiences, as well as giving people from across the country more opportunity to visit us and experience all we have to offer.
Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –
On May 17, the Polytechnic Park hosted the traditional track and field race in memory of Hero of the Soviet Union Viktor Lyagin. The event dedicated to the graduate of our institute has been held since 1972. For several years now, the race at the Polytechnic has rightfully been considered a large-scale city event.
The race was opened by the Vice-Rector for Youth Policy and Communication Technologies of SPbPU Maxim Pasholikov.
The strength of the Polytechnic University is in its people, its Heroes and traditions. Anyone who finds themselves in the university family is involuntarily immersed in our culture and environment, which shapes their personality. The run named after Hero of the USSR Viktor Lyagin, which has been held for over 55 years, is a vivid confirmation of this. The event not only bears the name of an outstanding intelligence officer, a graduate of the university, but also cultivates willpower. After all, everyone who accepts this sports challenge, overcoming themselves, develops, achieves their goal and becomes a hero for themselves, their family and immediate environment, being an example. Through the prism of such traditions, we learn to achieve results in simple things, which over time becomes a habit, and we no longer see the possibility of behaving differently, – noted Maxim Pasholikov.
Viktor Lyagin’s grandson, Aleksey Esipov, was present at the race and thanked the Polytechnic for preserving the memory of the hero.
This sporting event is dedicated to my grandfather, intelligence officer and outstanding polytechnician Viktor Lyagin. Viktor Aleksandrovich became a successful engineer, thanks to which he was appointed head of scientific and technical intelligence. He had great prospects, but the war began. He was sent to Nikolaev, where his group carried out the most significant sabotage. Viktor Aleksandrovich himself was an athlete and paid great attention to volleyball and weightlifting, – Alexey Esipov emphasized.
By the will of fate, the family of Alexey Esipov met for the first time with relatives Alexey and Natalya Kochkarev, with whom they had lost contact for many years. This year, the Kochkarev couple came to the race for the first time, and a fateful meeting took place.
I decided to honor the memory of the outstanding polytechnician in this way and pay tribute to his contribution to the common victory. My family has many ties to the Polytechnic. My father was an associate professor at the power engineering faculty, worked at the Hydro Tower. My mother worked at the metallurgy faculty. I graduated from the Polytechnic and then worked here. Therefore, we are hereditary polytechnicians, – said Alexey Kochkarev.
Our paths diverged. But what a coincidence! It was at the Polytechnic that I met my relatives again, – Alexey Esipov was surprised.
Alexey Esipov came to the race with his daughter Tatyana Leonchenkova and granddaughter Alina. The girl is in the third grade, enjoys football and swimming. Viktor Lyagin’s great-great-granddaughter decided to participate in the race dedicated to his memory.
Perhaps Alina’s athletic abilities were inherited from her great-great-grandfather. We love the Polytechnic University and visit it often. We plan to enroll Alina in programming classes. It is important that the university carefully preserves the memory of the Great Patriotic War. No one is forgotten, and nothing is forgotten. This is truly the very memory that is very dear, – shared Tatyana Leonchenkova.
Time flew by while chatting. And then the participants were called to a warm-up led by Kristina Kapinus, a member of the Russian Nordic walking team. After that, experienced athletes and newcomers checked their equipment and went to the start. To the encouraging shouts of the spectators, the runners covered a distance of five kilometers.
The participants of the children’s race also received no less support – boys and girls ran 800 meters.
Yulia Kurakina took first place, Grigory Khrustalev finished second, and Alexander Kabanov showed the third time.
Yulia Kurakina started running only a year ago, and her first place came as a surprise to her family.
I play chess, dance, and running is just a hobby, Yulia shared.
At the competition, Yulia was supported by her mother Svetlana. She said: We visited the Polytechnic for the first time and were pleasantly surprised by the friendly atmosphere and warm relations between the participants.
Nine-year-old Vasilisa Ambrazhey won the hearts of the audience with her willpower and incredible fortitude. She participated in the race for the first time and successfully overcame the adult distance. Then Vasilisa ran half a circle to meet her mother and support her at the finish line. But the girl did not stop there – she took part in the children’s race together with her brother Fyodor.
I have been swimming since I was three and doing acrobatics since I was six. Before, I only ran at school during physical education classes. So, at the Polytechnic, I covered such a serious distance for the first time, Vasilisa shared.
Her mother, Natalia Rybakova, works as a leading specialist at the Center for Continuing Professional Education of the Advanced Engineering School “Digital Engineering”.
We enjoyed spending Saturday morning in the Polytechnic University park. Such events are very useful, as they allow you to participate in the life of the university, get to know your colleagues from a new side and get involved in sports, – noted Natalia Rybakova.
Evgeniy Chuchmanov is a 2nd year Bachelor’s student at the Civil Engineering Institute. He has been a professional skier since childhood.
Running is an integral part of preparation for skiing competitions. When I entered the Polytechnic, I decided not to limit myself to competing for the biathlon-skiing team. So running became my hobby. At today’s competition, I did not strive for victory, but during the race I realized that I could compete with my rivals. It was a wonderful event that filled me with pride for the university. It is nice that the teachers emphasize the importance of a healthy lifestyle by their example, – said Evgeniy.
Maria Kiseleva, a specialist at the Department of Support of Educational Programs of the Center for Continuing Professional Education, is a regular participant in the race. Last year, she took fourth place. She seriously prepared for this start: she trained five times a week and participated in various running events.
I am so glad that I won! Polytechnic combines patriotism, love for one’s country, sports, science and much more. I love my native university with all my heart, – shared Maria Vladimirovna.
The joint finish of mother and daughter took place in the Aleshiny family. Director of the Higher School of Power Engineering Alena Aleshina, having taken third place in the adult distance, supported her youngest daughter in her race.
I am participating in this event for the third year in a row. The great weather, the warm and friendly atmosphere in the Polytechnic Park added positive emotions. I am glad that I was able to improve my time by a whole minute compared to last year. Both my daughters participated in the children’s distance. Lera is almost 11 years old, and she managed on her own, and Sasha is still little, so we ran the second lap together. The race at the Polytechnic is dedicated to the memory of Viktor Lyagin, a famous Soviet intelligence officer and a graduate of the Polytechnic. Thus, this event is more of a tribute to memory than a sporting event, and you participate in it at the call of your heart. Thank you to the Polytechnic for continuing the tradition, – shared Alena Aleshina.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
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 19 (Xinhua) — China expects the European Union (EU) to meet each other halfway with the Chinese side and properly handle the EU’s anti-subsidy case on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) at an early date, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Monday.
Wang Yi, who is also a member of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee, made the remarks during a telephone conversation with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul. –0–
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge William F. Jung has sentenced Marquis Lamar McCullough (39, Tampa) to imprisonment for life for distributing fentanyl, the use of which resulted in the deaths of two victims. On February 13, 2025, a federal jury found McCullough guilty of two counts of distribution of fentanyl, the use of which resulted in the death of a person, and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. The court sentenced McCullough to life imprisonment for each count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death, 30 years on the count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and ordered that the sentences be served consecutively to prison sentences McCullough is currently serving in the Florida Department of Corrections.
According to court records and the evidence presented at trial, on April 22, 2021, Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) deputies responded to the residence of K.K. to conduct a wellness check. They found K.K. dead when they entered his apartment and found two baggies with small quantities of fentanyl in the residence. Detectives reviewed K.K.’s cellphone and found communications with a woman who appeared to help K.K. purchase fentanyl the previous evening. During the investigation, detectives found the woman, who explained that K.K. could not get heroin from his usual source, so he asked her to buy some for him from her source. She arranged a meeting with McCullough, who was her supplier, and she purchased the fentanyl and provided it to K.K. The woman provided McCullough’s phone number to the detectives.
On May 6, 2021, the son of N.M. found his father dead, lying in his bed, and called 911 to report the death. HCSO deputies and detectives responded to the residence, and inside N.M.’s wallet they found a baggie with a small amount of fentanyl. While reviewing calls and texts on N.M.’s phone, a detective determined that the last three calls placed by N.M. were to McCullough’s phone number, and the call and text history indicated that McCullough was N.M.’s supplier. Later that day, detectives planned to purchase fentanyl from McCullough, using N.M.’s cellphone to set up the meeting. When McCullough arrived at the meet location, he tried to call N.M., but when his calls went unanswered, McCullough fled the area. An arrest team pursued his vehicle and apprehended McCullough.
The Hillsborough County Medical Examiner’s Office investigated both deaths and determined that the use of fentanyl caused the deaths of K.K. and N.M.
Before he committed these offenses, McCullough had been convicted in Hillsborough County, Florida, for trafficking in cocaine, and he served a prison sentence of 60 months. He was also convicted in state court in 2022 for trafficking in fentanyl and aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, and he is currently serving a sentence of seven years in the Florida Department of Corrections for those crimes.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, and the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Sinacore and Ross Roberts.
GSK’s Nucala (mepolizumab) demonstrated a consistent reduction in exacerbation rates among patients with eosinophilic chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), irrespective of prior severe event history, according to findings presented at the 2025 American Thoracic Society (ATS) International Conference. These results further solidify the role of IL-5 inhibition in biomarker-driven COPD management, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.
GlobalData’s latest analysis of the Phase III MATINEE trial (NCT04133909) highlights Nucala’s ability to reduce moderate or severe exacerbations by 25% in patients with a history of severe exacerbations and by 21% in those without such a history. In both groups, Nucala significantly lowered the rate of exacerbations requiring emergency department (ED) visits or hospitalization—by 32% in the severe subgroup and 40% in the non-severe group—over a period of up to 104 weeks.
Asiyah Nawab, Healthcare Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “The consistent benefit seen in both high-risk and lower-risk eosinophilic COPD patients highlights Nucala’s broad utility. These results can support its positioning as a foundational therapy in a segment where precision biologics are beginning to take hold.”
The MATINEE trial enrolled 804 patients aged ≥40 years with screening blood eosinophil counts ≥300 cells/μL and a history of ≥2 moderate or ≥1 severe exacerbations in the prior year. All patients were receiving triple inhaled therapy. In addition to reducing exacerbation rates, Nucala improved health-related quality of life, with a greater proportion of patients achieving ≥4-point improvements in the St George’s Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) score—particularly among those without prior severe events.
Nawab adds: “The findings from the MATINEE trial reinforce Nucala’s efficacy across different levels of baseline disease severity and align with precision medicine strategies increasingly used to identify high-value subgroups within the broader COPD population. Despite a delayed FDA decision following its 07 May PDUFA date, the totality of evidence from METREX, METREO, and MATINEE trials provides a strong platform for potential regulatory approval.
“With the recent approval of GSK’s Dupixent (dupilumab) in COPD and the growing emphasis on biomarker stratification, Nucala’s consistent performance in high-eosinophil populations could carve out a differentiated role, especially given its mature safety profile and experience in respiratory indications.”
GSK’s extensive experience with Nucala in asthma and eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA), combined with established payer familiarity, may facilitate market access if approved for COPD. However, competitive positioning against upstream agents such as Dupixent will require clear value messaging, robust real-world data, and targeted diagnostics to optimize prescriber uptake.
Nawab concludes: “The MATINEE results provide a compelling case for Nucala’s use in eosinophilic COPD. Success will depend not only on regulatory approval but on strategic execution across diagnostics, pricing, and payer alignment to maximize its impact in an increasingly competitive and biomarker-driven biologics market.”
Tezepelumab, a thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) inhibitor developed by AstraZeneca and Amgen, demonstrated significant reductions in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations among eosinophilic subgroups, regardless of chronic bronchitis status, according to new post hoc findings presented at the 2025 American Thoracic Society (ATS) International Conference. These results further support the potential for biomarker-driven biologic therapies in COPD, a historically underserved market, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company
GlobalData’s latest analysis reveals that tezepelumab, evaluated in the Phase IIa COURSE trial, achieved a 26% reduction in annualized moderate or severe exacerbations in patients with chronic bronchitis (CB), with a 28% reduction in those with baseline blood eosinophil counts (BECs) ≥150 cells/μL. Notably, in patients without CB but with elevated BECs, a 56% reduction was observed. These findings highlight the impact of type 2 inflammation and eosinophilic status in shaping treatment response.
Asiyah Nawab, Healthcare Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “These subgroup findings reinforce the growing momentum around precision medicine in COPD. While tezepelumab did not meet its primary endpoint in the overall trial population, the marked benefit in biomarker-defined groups could pave the way for future regulatory and commercial strategies centered on eosinophilic inflammation.”
The COURSE study enrolled 337 patients with moderate to very severe COPD and at least two exacerbations in the prior year, all of whom were on optimized triple inhaled therapy. Participants received either tezepelumab 420mg subcutaneously every four weeks or a placebo for 52 weeks. In addition to exacerbation reductions, tezepelumab was associated with improvements in lung function and quality of life, particularly in CB patients with elevated eosinophils.
These results align with prior patterns seen in other biologics targeting eosinophilic COPD, including GSK’s Nucala (mepolizumab) and AstraZeneca’s Fasenra (benralizumab). However, tezepelumab’s upstream mechanism of action may offer a broader anti-inflammatory effect, which could differentiate it in a competitive landscape increasingly defined by biomarker stratification.
Nawab continues: “Biologics remain a small segment of the COPD market, largely due to underwhelming results in unselected populations. Tezepelumab’s ability to deliver clinically meaningful outcomes in eosinophilic subgroups, if confirmed in Phase III trials, could establish it as a valuable add-on therapy for high-risk patients unresponsive to standard inhaled regimens.”
From a commercial standpoint, AstraZeneca’s existing respiratory portfolio, including Symbicort and Fasenra, may offer strategic leverage for market integration. However, Nawab notes that payers will require clear evidence of clinical value and biomarker-based stratification to justify premium pricing.
Nawab concludes: “Tezepelumab’s trajectory will depend on its ability to validate these subgroup effects in a pivotal program. In an increasingly crowded and cost-sensitive biologics space, a successful precision medicine strategy will be essential to achieving market access and uptake.”
The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) on Monday said it has begun sharing non-personal, anonymized data from the Aadhaar Dashboard on the open government data platform called data.gov.in.
The move aims to further promote transparency, research, and data-driven policy making, said the Ministry of Electronics and IT in a statement.
The datasets, released by the Chief Data Officer (CDO) and Deputy Director General of UIDAI, include aggregated insights on Aadhaar enrollment, updates, and authentication patterns, categorized by geography, age group, and other relevant parameters.
According to the IT Ministry, by making these non-personal and anonymized datasets accessible, UIDAI aims to support academic research, innovation in digital services, and collaborative developments.
“This initiative opens new avenues for evidence-based policy-making and technological innovation, furthering UIDAI’s commitment to transparency, public good, and secure data governance,” it added.
It also aligns with the broader government vision of fostering evidence-based policymaking and maximizing the value of open data for the public good. It is expected to further boost digital inclusion and governance efficiency.
Meanwhile, the total number of Aadhaar authentication transactions has crossed the 150 billion (15,011.82 crore) mark. Moreover, the total number of eKYC transactions (37.3 crore) carried out during April is 39.7 percent more than the numbers during the same period last year.
The cumulative number of e-KYC transactions has crossed 2,393 crore as of April 30, according to the Ministry of Electronics and IT.
In April alone, almost 210 crore Aadhaar authentication transactions were carried out, nearly 8 percent more than the same month in 2024, the ministry informed.
More than 100 entities, both in the government and private sectors, are using face authentication for the smooth delivery of benefits and services. In FY25, Aadhaar number holders carried out more than 2,707 crore authentication transactions in 2024-25. The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) on Monday said it has begun sharing non-personal, anonymized data from the Aadhaar Dashboard on the open government data platform called data.gov.in.
The move aims to further promote transparency, research, and data-driven policy making, said the Ministry of Electronics and IT in a statement.
The datasets, released by the Chief Data Officer (CDO) and Deputy Director General of UIDAI, include aggregated insights on Aadhaar enrollment, updates, and authentication patterns, categorized by geography, age group, and other relevant parameters.
According to the IT Ministry, by making these non-personal and anonymized datasets accessible, UIDAI aims to support academic research, innovation in digital services, and collaborative developments.
“This initiative opens new avenues for evidence-based policy-making and technological innovation, furthering UIDAI’s commitment to transparency, public good, and secure data governance,” it added.
It also aligns with the broader government vision of fostering evidence-based policymaking and maximizing the value of open data for the public good. It is expected to further boost digital inclusion and governance efficiency.
Meanwhile, the total number of Aadhaar authentication transactions has crossed the 150 billion (15,011.82 crore) mark. Moreover, the total number of eKYC transactions (37.3 crore) carried out during April is 39.7 percent more than the numbers during the same period last year.
The cumulative number of e-KYC transactions has crossed 2,393 crore as of April 30, according to the Ministry of Electronics and IT.
In April alone, almost 210 crore Aadhaar authentication transactions were carried out, nearly 8 percent more than the same month in 2024, the ministry informed.
More than 100 entities, both in the government and private sectors, are using face authentication for the smooth delivery of benefits and services. In FY25, Aadhaar number holders carried out more than 2,707 crore authentication transactions in 2024-25.
The IAM Union Rail Division and Transportation Communications Union/IAM (TCU/IAM) stood shoulder to shoulder with other labor unions and transit advocates at the Pennsylvania State Capitol to send a loud and unified message: public transit workers and the communities they serve must not be abandoned.
Dozens of union members, transit riders, and community allies rallied in Harrisburg, Pa., to call on state lawmakers to pass urgently needed legislation that would provide stable, long-term funding for Pennsylvania’s mass transit systems.
Without immediate action, public transit services, particularly those operated by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), face devastating cuts and fare hikes that would disproportionately impact working families, seniors, and students across the state.
“This fight is not just about transit, it’s about people,” said Josh Hartford, IAM Special Assistant to the International President for the Rail Division. “Every route slashed, every job cut, every fare hike—it’s a direct hit to the livelihoods of our members and their communities. We are calling on the Pennsylvania legislature to do what’s right: fund public transit and protect the workers who keep it running.”
“TCU/IAM and IAM Union members know firsthand what’s at stake,” said TCU-IAM National President Artie Maratea. “Cuts to service don’t just mean fewer trains and buses, they mean lost jobs, weakened communities, and an erosion of the public infrastructure that millions rely on every single day.”
The IAM Union and TCU/IAM reaffirm their commitment to working in solidarity with all labor allies and local leaders to ensure public transportation remains safe, accessible, and reliable for everyone.
Imagine feeling invisible simply because of your body. Now imagine that invisibility extends into how society treats your desires, your safety, and your rights.
We are global health researchers and authors of a recent qualitative study that explores the sexual experiences of women with disabilities in Lagos, Nigeria.
The women in our study told us they had sexual needs and desires like any other women, but they faced particular challenges such as societal stigma, inadequate access to reproductive health services, widespread misconceptions about contraception and sexual harassment. They suggested how more accessible health services and better legal protection could help them.
How we did our study
We spoke to 24 women in Lagos between the ages of 20 and 45. Sixty-seven percent of participants had physical disabilities, while 33% had visual impairments.
Participants were recruited through local networks and came from a range of educational, employment and marital backgrounds. They were asked open-ended questions in interviews conducted in English, Yoruba or Pidgin.
We focused on how disability influenced their sexual activity, autonomy, contraceptive use, engagement in risky sexual behaviours, and experiences of sexual violence.
What we learnt
Our research found that the women were mostly sexually active and understood their sexual rights.
However, they faced major barriers:
physical limitations
poor access to affordable contraceptives
misinformation
vulnerability to sexual violence, with limited support available
widespread stigma that made it difficult for them to express their sexuality freely and safely.
‘We are not asexual’
Many participants rejected the stereotype that they were “asexual” or uninterested in sex. They emphasised they had sexual needs and desires just like any other woman.
Some participants expressed that being disabled made certain sex positions painful or physically impossible.
A woman who was in her thirties told us that her husband complained that she couldn’t “do different styles”.
Other women expressed sadness, frustration, or even guilt for not being able to satisfy their partners, leading to feelings of rejection and abandonment.
Accessing modern contraceptives was another major issue.
Some of the women said they were afraid of using contraceptives because of health myths – like the fear that birth control might worsen their disability or cause infertility.
Others struggled to go to pharmacies because of their limited mobility and obstacles such as being unable to use stairs.
Several women said they had experienced harassment, assault or rape, often linked to their vulnerability and social isolation.
One woman described her sexual assault.
If I were not disabled and nothing was wrong with me, the one that happened to me would not happen. Because of my leg, I didn’t have any energy to shout, and the people that were supposed to assist me did not show up. If I had legs and was complete, the thing that happened to me will not happen.
A visually impaired woman said she couldn’t defend herself or even recognise her attacker when she was abused.
Another said:
If I had legs, that thing would not have happened to me.
A number of women also spoke about the fear of being blamed or shamed about their sexual harassment experience. Others said people in their communities believed they had no right to complain.
It’s not all bad
Still, it wasn’t all despair. The women in the study had clear and actionable suggestions.
They called for accessible health facilities, better education for men about disability and sex, and more media campaigns to challenge stigma.
They wanted laws that specifically protected them against sexual harassment and health systems that included them in terms of physical accessibility and financial subsidy.
Some called for free or subsidised contraceptives or door-to-door services for those unable to travel.
One participant simply asked for a walking aid so she could visit the hospital when she needed to.
We are not invisible
The findings highlight the need for accessible, affordable sexual and reproductive health services tailored to women with disabilities.
This includes disability-friendly healthcare, public education to challenge stereotypes, stronger legal protections, and initiatives that empower women to assert their rights.
Society needs to stop pretending that women with disabilities are invisible.
They are here. They are sexually active. And they have a right to love, pleasure, safety and choice.
Obasanjo Bolarinwa works for York St. John University, United Kingdom.
Blessing Babalola works for Federal University Oye-Ekiti.
CLIFFORD O ODIMEGWU works for the University of the Witwatersrand.
Aliu Mohammed does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
I am pleased to send my warm greetings to this 78th World Health Assembly.
In a divided world, you are uniting behind a shared goal to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable.
That is the longstanding mission of the World Health Organization.
And it is especially crucial at a time of deep reductions in funding for health and development – even while military spending reaches record highs.
Now more than ever, our world needs a coherent global health architecture that responds rapidly to crises and strengthens protection and wellbeing for all.
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted deep gaps in collective preparedness – and served as a powerful reminder that no one is safe until everyone is safe.
The WHO Pandemic Agreement builds upon these lessons – and reflects the power of multilateralism in action.
After years of negotiation and compromise, you have come together to consider this landmark agreement, recognizing that global health emergencies demand global responses.
If adopted, this will be only the second international health convention under the WHO Constitution after the Global Convention on Tobacco Control, which came into force 20 years ago.
So I urge you to make history:
To strengthen global preparedness against pandemics;
To ensure equity and solidarity in responding to health threats;
And to uphold the promise of health as a fundamental human right – for this generation and the next.
But health is about more than emergencies.
The upcoming high-level meeting of the General Assembly on the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases and the promotion of mental health offers a crucial opportunity to improve countless lives.
Progress towards Universal Health Coverage is essential to building resilient systems grounded in primary care – and delivering on the 2030 Agenda.
I also urge you to match ambition with resources – by strengthening investment in the World Health Organization and ensuring the sustainability and predictability it needs to build a healthier, safer, and fairer world for all.
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
May 19, 2025
Liam Barry, constituent: “I can’t believe I’m reading this letter 8 years later, still fighting for my mom to have health care. Cutting Medicaid will affect millions of American families just like mine, Republican and Democrat alike.”
Warren: “[T]his is a righteous fight. Back in 2017, we stopped them from ending health care for millions of people, we can do it again.”
Watch on YouTube
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) released a new video underscoring how Congressional Republicans’ plans for massive cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act will hurt families. The video, featuring a teenage constituent from Worthington, MA, tells the story of how his family will be harmed by the proposed cuts, and draws a connection between Republicans’ assault on health care in 2017 and today.
In 2017, Senator Warren read her then-10-year-old constituent’s letter to President Trump on the Senate floor. In the letter, Liam Barry explained that his family relies on protections in the Affordable Care Act for coverage due to his mother’s illness, and asked Trump not to cut their care. In the newly-released video, entitled “Liam’s Letter to President Trump on Medicaid: 8 Years Later,” a now 18-year-old Liam reads a new version of his letter, and Senator Warren shares her thoughts on today’s fight.
“I can’t believe I’m reading this letter eight years later, still fighting for my mom to have health care. Cutting Medicaid will affect millions of American families just like mine, Republican and Democrat alike,” said Liam Barry.
“I talk a lot about righteous fights — this is a righteous fight. Back in 2017, we stopped [Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress] from ending health care for millions of people. We can do it again,” said Senator Warren.
Transcript:Liam’s Letter to President Trump on Medicaid: 8 Years Later YouTube May 19, 2025
Liam Barry (2017): Dear President Trump
Liam Barry (2025): and Republicans in Congress.
Liam Barry (2017): My name is Liam Barry
Liam Barry (2025): and I am 18 years old. 8 years ago, my Senator, Elizabeth Warren, read a letter I wrote to you about my mom on the Senate floor.
Senator Warren (2017): I don’t know if President Trump ever read that letter, but I’m going to read it right now into the congressional record: “Dear President Trump, my name is Liam Barry, and I am 10 years old.”
Liam Barry (2017): My mother has been very ill.
Liam Barry (2025): My mother is still very ill. Thanks to Medicaid, my mom gets the care she needs and the medication she needs. If you cut Medicaid,
Liam Barry (2017): My mother will not be able to get the care she needs.
Liam Barry (2025): I can’t believe I’m reading this letter eight years later, still fighting for my mom to have health care. Cutting Medicaid will affect millions of American families just like mine, Republican and Democrat alike.
Liam Barry (2017): I know there are millions of kids in the same situation as me, so please think of them when you read this. Sincerely, Liam Barry.
Senator Warren (2017): Mr. President, I get letters and emails everyday from families begging me not to let Republicans in Congress tear up health care in this country.
Senator Warren (2025): I’m still getting letters from people who are terrified that Donald Trump and the Republicans are going to tear away their health care. I talk a lot about righteous fights — this is a righteous fight. Back in 2017, we stopped them from ending health care for millions of people. We can do it again.
The Environment & Ecology Bureau and the General Administration of Customs (GACC) today signed two operation agreements on meat and dairy products exported to the Mainland, facilitating food trade between Hong Kong and the Mainland.
Secretary for Environment & Ecology Tse Chin-wan said the Memorandum of Understanding on the Inspection, Quarantine & Hygiene Requirements for Meat Products Exported from Hong Kong to the Mainland, and the Cooperation Arrangement for the Export of Dairy Products from Hong Kong to the Mainland, will further facilitate bilateral food trade and the development of meat and dairy products businesses in Hong Kong.
“Upon implementation of the arrangements, Hong Kong-manufactured meat and dairy products meeting the requirements set out in the co-operation agreements will be allowed to be imported into the Mainland.”
The two agreements put in place the monitoring of food safety from the source for Hong Kong-manufactured meat and dairy products exported to the Mainland. They will cover requirements for testing the sources of food raw materials and food manufacturers on production management, including storage and transportation of food products.
The Centre for Food Safety will discuss with the GACC the operational details of the agreements. The centre will also organise seminars to help the trade better understand the requirements of the agreements.
INDIANAPOLIS, May 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Mark Cuban Foundation is proud to announce its bootcamp in partnership with Corteva. The program will bring back the highly acclaimed Artificial Intelligence (AI) Bootcamp to Indianapolis, Indiana, while expanding its reach for the first time to Des Moines, Iowa area high schools. This collaboration emphasizes the Foundation’s mission to reach students in underserved and previously unconnected regions, providing them with opportunities to engage with innovative technology.
Corteva’s global headquarters and crop protection business unit is located in Indianapolis, while its seed business is based in Johnston, Iowa, near Des Moines.
“We leverage AI tools throughout our innovation pipeline to deliver leading seed and crop protection products to farmers worldwide,” said Brian Lutz, vice president of agricultural solutions at Corteva. “We’re excited to collaborate with the Mark Cuban Foundation for the third consecutive year to help students gain experience with AI, and to understand the remarkable capabilities of this technology.”
The program aims to provide students with a foundational understanding of artificial intelligence and its applications to future careers. Students can select from six tracks: healthcare, arts and entertainment, business and entrepreneurship, computer science, sports science, or education and career readiness. Driven by the belief that fostering interest in AI at a young age is crucial for preparing the next generation for their future, the AI Bootcamps are introductory and accessible to students in 9-12 grade with an interest in technology. Students do not need any familiarity with computer science or programming to attend.
This free AI Bootcamp is hosted for underserved high school students with a transparent focus on underrepresented communities, first-generation college students, and those from low to moderate-income households. The AI Bootcamp Program provides students with lunch and a snack, transportation assistance, and technology equipment during bootcamp.
“As AI continues to become an undeniable force in all of our lives, it’s crucial that we open the door to this knowledge, especially to young people who want to explore it,” said Mark Cuban, founder. “While technology expands and becomes more advanced, it becomes more critical that we ensure our students are prepared when they apply for schools or jobs in the future. Thanks to our work with Corteva, the bootcamp will offer an avenue to explore this fascinating field of technology to any student, no matter their means.”
This year’s bootcamps, taking place on November 1st, 8th, and 15th is hosted and staffed by Corteva, a global pure-play agriculture company that combines industry-leading innovation, high-touch customer engagement and operational execution to deliver solutions for the world’s most pressing agriculture challenges.
Corteva hosted a camp last year and is one of more than 25 host companies selected to host camps across the U.S. in 2025.
This bootcamp is facilitated with support from Mark Cuban Foundation AI Bootcamp
Program’s media partner, Notified, a globally trusted technology partner for investor relations, public relations and marketing professionals.
About Mark Cuban Foundation’s AI Bootcamp Initiative The Mark Cuban Foundation is a 501(c)(3) private non-profit led by entrepreneur and investor Mark Cuban. The AI Bootcamps Program at MCF seeks to inspire young people with emerging technology so that they can create more equitable futures for themselves and their communities. Over 3 consecutive Saturdays underserved 9th -12th grade students learn what AI is and isn’t, where they already interact with AI in their own lives, the ethical implications of AI systems, and much more. Learn more about the no-cost AI Bootcamp program at markcubanai.org.
About Corteva Corteva, Inc. (NYSE: CTVA) is a global pure-play agriculture company that combines industry-leading innovation, high-touch customer engagement and operational execution to profitably deliver solutions for the world’s most pressing agriculture challenges. Corteva generates advantaged market preference through its unique distribution strategy, together with its balanced and globally diverse mix of seed, crop protection, and digital products and services. With some of the most recognized brands in agriculture and a technology pipeline well positioned to drive growth, the company is committed to maximizing productivity for farmers, while working with stakeholders throughout the food system as it fulfills its promise to enrich the lives of those who produce and those who consume, ensuring progress for generations to come. More information can be found at www.corteva.com.
PUBLIC OPENING POSITION DISCLOSURE/DEALING DISCLOSURE BY A PERSON WITH INTERESTS IN RELEVANT SECURITIES REPRESENTING 1% OR MORE Rule 8.3 of the Takeover Code (the “Code”)
1.KEY INFORMATION
(a)Full name of discloser:
Rathbones Group Plc
(b)Owner or controller of interests and short positions disclosed, if different from 1(a): The naming of nominee or vehicle companies is insufficient. For a trust, the trustee(s), settlor and beneficiaries must be named.
(c)Name of offeror/offeree in relation to whose relevant securities this form relates: Use a separate form for each offeror/offeree
Craneware Plc
(d)If an exempt fund manager connected with an offeror/offeree, state this and specify identity of offeror/offeree:
(e)Date position held/dealing undertaken: For an opening position disclosure, state the latest practicable date prior to the disclosure
16/05/2025
(f)In addition to the company in 1(c) above, is the discloser making disclosures in respect of any other party to the offer? If it is a cash offer or possible cash offer, state “N/A”
No
2.POSITIONS OF THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE
If there are positions or rights to subscribe to disclose in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 2(a) or (b) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security.
(a)Interests and short positions in the relevant securities of the offeror or offeree to which the disclosure relates following the dealing (if any)
Class of relevant security:
1p Ord
Interests
Short positions
Number
%
Number
%
(1)Relevant securities owned and/or controlled:
2,118,117
5.98%
(2)Cash-settled derivatives:
(3)Stock-settled derivatives (including options) and agreements to purchase/sell:
TOTAL:
2,118,117
5.98%
All interests and all short positions should be disclosed.
Details of any open stock-settled derivative positions (including traded options), or agreements to purchase or sell relevant securities, should be given on a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions).
(b)Rights to subscribe for new securities (including directors’ and other employee options)
Class of relevant security in relation to which subscription right exists:
Details, including nature of the rights concerned and relevant percentages:
3.DEALINGS (IF ANY) BY THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE
Where there have been dealings in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 3(a), (b), (c) or (d) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security dealt in.
The currency of all prices and other monetary amounts should be stated.
(a)Purchases and sales
Class of relevant security
Purchase/sale
Number of securities
Price per unit
1p Ordinary Shares
Sale
110
2180p
(b)Cash-settled derivative transactions
Class of relevant security
Product description e.g. CFD
Nature of dealing e.g. opening/closing a long/short position, increasing/reducing a long/short position
(d)Other dealings (including subscribing for new securities)
Class of relevant security
Nature of dealing e.g. subscription, conversion
Details
Price per unit (if applicable)
4.OTHER INFORMATION
(a)Indemnity and other dealing arrangements
Details of any indemnity or option arrangement, or any agreement or understanding, formal or informal, relating to relevant securities which may be an inducement to deal or refrain from dealing entered into by the person making the disclosure and any party to the offer or any person acting in concert with a party to the offer: Irrevocable commitments and letters of intent should not be included. If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state “none”
None
(b)Agreements, arrangements or understandings relating to options or derivatives
Details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding, formal or informal, between the person making the disclosure and any other person relating to: (i)the voting rights of any relevant securities under any option; or (ii)the voting rights or future acquisition or disposal of any relevant securities to which any derivative is referenced: If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state “none”
None
(c)Attachments
Is a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions) attached?
No
Date of disclosure:
19/05/2025
Contact name:
Chinwe Enyi – Compliance Department
Telephone number:
0151 243 7053
Public disclosures under Rule 8 of the Code must be made to a Regulatory Information Service.
The Panel’s Market Surveillance Unit is available for consultation in relation to the Code’s disclosure requirements on +44 (0)20 7638 0129.
Hundreds of universities around the world are now engaging in psychedelic research. And psychedelic legalization initiatives are taking hold.
Psychedelics are becoming big business. Just as private capital flooded the cannabis sector years ago, a psychedelic gold rush is underway.
Wealthy entrepreneurs are investing in the psychedelic industry while biotechnology start-ups are raising capital and running clinical trials on novel psychedelic molecules. Venture capitalists are eyeing the prospects of a new lucrative mass market.
The authors of this article have a new book out: ‘Psychedelic Capitalism’ published by Fernwood. (Fernwood)
Three causes for concern
To date, most debates about psychedelics have offered little critical analysis of their relationship to the political economy of modern capitalism and broader power structures. In our new book Psychedelic Capitalism, we make three central claims about the so-called psychedelic renaissance.
First, the medicalization of psychedelics is likely to restrict access and reinforce existing health and social inequalities.
Second, the corporatization of psychedelics will enable economic elites to dominate the market while appropriating the vast reservoir of knowledge built up by Indigenous communities, public institutions and underground researchers.
And third, rather than representing progressive drug reform, the limited legalization of select psychedelics for medical use will help to entrench and sustain the drug war and the criminalization of most drug use.
Ignoring community knowledge
Across North America, we’re seeing a medicalization of psychedelics, where a range of problems are presented as treatable by these substances. This is happening in a way that boosts corporate control of the process and pushes aside community and Indigenous knowledge.
We have seen this scenario play out in Australia. Substances such as psilocybin and MDMA are legally available, but only through a doctor’s prescription and at great financial cost — raising questions about equity, access and who these therapies are for.
Framing psychedelics as pharmaceutical commodities and individualized health-care solutions reinforces the prohibitionist narrative that these substances are unsuitable for use outside of the medical context. This narrative shifts attention away from how medicalized use might perpetuate a neoliberal ideology — locating mental “disorder” within an individual, rather than addressing more systemic causes such as poverty, inequality and social exclusion.
A system built on expensive individual therapy, medically trained gatekeepers and hyper-controlled clinical access is not the model that most advocates have envisioned.
A pill-only model for productivity and happiness
The foundations of psychedelic capitalism were largely created by public innovation at the public’s expense and are now in the process of being taken over by private capital.
Psychedelic conferences increasingly resemble corporate trade shows. The psychedelic tourism industry continues to expand and cater to elite clients. For-profit companies like Mind Medicine and Compass Pathways are eliminating psychotherapy from their treatment protocols and embracing a “pill-only” model favoured by Big Pharma.
Psychedelics, including microdosing and psychedelic-assisted therapy, are marketed as a way for the general population to extract more work out of their already overworked lives, and to be happy about it in the process.
Companies are competing to capture intellectual property to harness profits from existing compounds and erect legal barriers around new chemicals and their applications.
There has been a surge of new patent applications (and granted patents) in the U.S. on substances such as psilocybin, LSD, DMT, 5-MeO DMT and mescaline that seek to secure exclusivity, monopolize supply chains and privatize knowledge that already exists in the public domain.
Psychedelics have been swept up into the well-rehearsed capitalist playbook where private players are fabricating exclusionary rights over what are ultimately the products of collective human struggle and intellectual achievement.
Medical legalization of psychedelics
The medicalized approach to psychedelic mainstreaming also connects to drug law and policy.
Across North America, the biomedical approach is the main influence on drug law and the primary avenue for psychedelic access in most jurisdictions. This approach is widely supported by psychedelic capitalists who have a financial stake in medical legalization and want to limit legal access to anything outside of the medical-pharma frame.
In the United States, places like Oregon and Colorado have more holistic legal models that include elements of community control to prevent corporate capture. But most state initiatives remain limited in scope and are centred around medicalized therapy, particularly for military veterans. Even in Oregon, which has been lauded for its progressive drug policies, there has been an unmistakable drift toward medicalization.
Canada’s cannabis industry exemplifies how processes of legalization can become intertwined with the interests of corporate-dominated industries.
As Michael Devillaer, professor of psychiatry and behavioural neurosciences and author of Buzz Kill (2024), has explained, the cannabis industry has prioritized profit maximization, product promotion and increased consumption at the expense of public health concerns.
What is best for public interest?
As the medical legalization of psychedelics deepens, we are likely to see the intensification of criminal penalties for recreational and other uses.
In fact, police seizures of psychedelics like psilocybin in the U.S. have increased in recent years. Global arrests for the transportation of compounds such as ayahuasca, iboga and peyote have also increased.
These problems are likely to be exacerbated by systems of bifurcated scheduling, where a drug product is placed in a different class from the active ingredient or substance.
For example, if the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) were to approve psilocybin for depression or MDMA for PTSD, it is likely that only FDA-approved medicinal psilocybin and MDMA products would be rescheduled, while the substances themselves would continue to be prosecuted as restricted narcotics.
It is in the public interest to move beyond a myopic focus on medical legalization to a more open, decriminalized model of public access. An approach like this would not only mitigate the threats associated with corporate capture, it would also reduce the harms associated with criminalization and the war on drugs.
Community-controlled decriminalization is a better path to mainstreaming psychedelics than relinquishing power to the medical industry and pharmaceutical cartels that provide monopolized services to primarily affluent customers.
And treating drug use and dependence as a public health issue and incentivizing harm reduction and support services for at-risk populations would go a long way to mitigating the tragedies of the drug war.
Kevin Walby receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.
Jamie Brownlee does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Laura Eramian, Associate Professor, Department of Sociology and Social Anthropology, Dalhousie University
All participant names in this story are pseudonyms.
What does it mean to have few or no friends in a time when social connection is seen as key to a healthy and fulfilling life? This is the question at the centre of our recent research study on modern friendship in an Atlantic Canadian city.
Friendship is having a cultural moment. From journalists to physicians, a wide range of experts have pointed to friendship and social connection as being vital for people to live good and healthy lives and as a way to combat a growing “loneliness epidemic.”
But not everyone experiences friendship in the same way. Andrew, a student in his mid-20s who took part in our study, identified as having no friends. He told us:
“I do feel sad and lonely a lot. But I also feel kind of at peace, because I’m pretty introverted. I do want my alone time. So I kind of struggle going back and forth between liking not having friends and then also hating it. It’s just those two are always in conflict.”
Andrew’s experience reflects the broader tensions many people feel about modern friendship. While friendship is widely valued, western culture also prizes self-sufficiency and sees virtues in introversion.
These ideals can affirm a desire for solitude, but they don’t stop people from worrying about the negative effects of living friendless lives. These conflicting messages can leave people unsure of how to feel about living without friends.
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Exploring friendlessness in adulthood
In our study, we interviewed 21 men and women to understand experiences of friendlessness. Over half were in the “quarter life” phase, meaning they were in their 20s or 30s. They ranged from young professionals, to students, to minimum wage workers.
Some participants had rich family lives, professional lives or spousal relationships. Others were almost entirely socially isolated. Still, all participants saw lacking friends as something they struggled with, thought about or needed to justify to others.
Some participants had strong family ties, but still struggled with friendships. Young parents spend time with their daughter on Family Day in Vancouver in 2018. (Shutterstock)
Since we recruited “friendless” rather than “lonely” people for our study, we didn’t assume that people without friends were lonely. Instead, we aimed to understand how they experienced life without friends.
Why people struggle to make friends
Participants in our study reported a range of challenges to making friends, as well as insights into what it’s like not to have them.
Challenges included lacking regular encounters with others due to the structures of school or work or having quit social media and lost touch with friends. Some were disappointed by friendships in the past, or reported other priorities over making friends.
For example, Tim, a lawyer in his 30s, explained there are many “metrics” of a good life, and that he had no friends because he had chosen to put his time into his career and family.
Melissa, an administrative assistant in her 20s, felt she always ended up in “lopsided” friendships where she gave more than she received.
Andrew explained that he no longer had friends at university after moving out of residence, a problem compounded by the public health restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, the pandemic didn’t necessarily cause new friendship challenges. Most of our participants said they already had no friends, so lockdown orders didn’t change anything.
Friendless but not always lonely
Our study revealed two key narratives people told about the relation of friendlessness to loneliness. On the one hand, they reported intense loneliness and said they suffered without friends. On the other hand, people said having no friends afforded opportunities for self-sufficiency and independence.
Crucially, there was no clear distinction between participants who claimed to be lonely or not lonely. Rather, participants often told conflicting stories of feeling lonely without friends or feeling good about being alone or self-reliant.
Participants reported a range of challenges to making friends, as well as insights into what it’s like not to have them. (Shutterstock)
Melissa, for example, talked about her profound loneliness, yet also spoke with pride about how she has learned to get herself out of any situation because she had no one to rely on.
Regardless of the degree of loneliness they reported, our quarter-life participants often felt shame or stigma for being friendless. Some of our participants imagined others thought there was something wrong with them.
If you have experienced these feelings, you aren’t alone. While people may blame themselves or feel shame, as social scientists, we believe the causes of friendlessness or loneliness are bigger than individuals and their choices.
Making friends isn’t just a personal challenge
To formulate solutions to social disconnection, it’s not enough to simply ask, “why don’t people just go and make friends?” While friendship often appears to be a matter of personal choice and mutual liking, like all social relationships, it can be enabled or constrained by the broader ways our societies are organized.
If there is a loneliness epidemic, it can’t be understood solely as a matter of individual choice or the pitfalls of social media or other technology. It also needs to be seen as a structural condition born of infrastructural and policy failures that require collective solutions to address.
A better question might be: is friendship accessible to people? Are there enough free, inclusive public spaces where people can gather to meet or make friends? How do the rigid, often unpredictable work schedules faced by many young adults make it difficult to cultivate friendships?
You may recognize these barriers in your own life and feel disconnected not because you aren’t trying, but because the conditions for connection are so often missing.
If our society values friendship as much as it claims in the quest to combat loneliness, then collectively we could be doing much more to create social spaces and policies that enable social connection.
Laura Eramian receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.
Peter Mallory receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Eran Ben-Joseph, Professor of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
The U.S. Housing Corporation built nearly 300 homes in Bremerton, Wash., during World War I.National Archives
In 1918, as World War I intensified overseas, the U.S. government embarked on a radical experiment: It quietly became the nation’s largest housing developer, designing and constructing more than 80 new communities across 26 states in just two years.
These weren’t hastily erected barracks or rows of identical homes. They were thoughtfully designed neighborhoods, complete with parks, schools, shops and sewer systems.
Few Americans are aware that such an ambitious and comprehensive public housing effort ever took place. Many of the homes are still standing today.
But as an urban planning scholar, I believe that this brief historic moment – spearheaded by a shuttered agency called the United States Housing Corporation – offers a revealing lesson on what government-led planning can achieve during a time of national need.
Government mobilization
When the U.S. declared war against Germany in April 1917, federal authorities immediately realized that ship, vehicle and arms manufacturing would be at the heart of the war effort. To meet demand, there needed to be sufficient worker housing near shipyards, munitions plants and steel factories.
So on May 16, 1918, Congress authorized President Woodrow Wilson to provide housing and infrastructure for industrial workers vital to national defense. By July, it had appropriated US$100 million – approximately $2.3 billion today – for the effort, with Secretary of Labor William B. Wilson tasked with overseeing it via the U.S. Housing Corporation.
Over the course of two years, the agency designed and planned over 80 housing projects. Some developments were small, consisting of a few dozen dwellings. Others approached the size of entire new towns.
For example, Cradock, near Norfolk, Virginia, was planned on a 310-acre site, with more than 800 detached homes developed on just 100 of those acres. In Dayton, Ohio, the agency created a 107-acre community that included 175 detached homes and a mix of over 600 semidetached homes and row houses, along with schools, shops, a community center and a park.
Designing ideal communities
Notably, the Housing Corporation was not simply committed to offering shelter.
Its architects, planners and engineers aimed to create communities that were not only functional but also livable and beautiful. They drew heavily from Britain’s late-19th century Garden City movement, a planning philosophy that emphasized low-density housing, the integration of open spaces and a balance between built and natural environments.
Milton Hill, a neighborhood designed and developed by the United States Housing Corporation in Alton, Ill. National Archives
Importantly, instead of simply creating complexes of apartment units, akin to the public housing projects that most Americans associate with government-funded housing, the agency focused on the construction of single-family and small multifamily residential buildings that workers and their families could eventually own.
This approach reflected a belief by the policymakers that property ownership could strengthen community responsibility and social stability. During the war, the federal government rented these homes to workers at regulated rates designed to be fair, while covering maintenance costs. After the war, the government began selling the homes – often to the tenants living in them – through affordable installment plans that provided a practical path to ownership.
A single-family home in Davenport, Iowa, built by the U.S. Housing Corporation. National Archives
Though the scope of the Housing Corporation’s work was national, each planned community took into account regional growth and local architectural styles. Engineers often built streets that adapted to the natural landscape. They spaced houses apart to maximize light, air and privacy, with landscaped yards. No resident lived far from greenery.
In Quincy, Massachusetts, for example, the agency built a 22-acre neighborhood with 236 homes designed mostly in a Colonial Revival style to serve the nearby Fore River Shipyard. The development was laid out to maximize views, green space and access to the waterfront, while maintaining density through compact street and lot design.
At Mare Island, California, developers located the housing site on a steep hillside near a naval base. Rather than flatten the land, designers worked with the slope, creating winding roads and terraced lots that preserved views and minimized erosion. The result was a 52-acre community with over 200 homes, many of which were designed in the Craftsman style. There was also a school, stores, parks and community centers.
Infrastructure and innovation
Alongside housing construction, the Housing Corporation invested in critical infrastructure. Engineers installed over 649,000 feet of modern sewer and water systems, ensuring that these new communities set a high standard for sanitation and public health.
Attention to detail extended inside the homes. Architects experimented with efficient interior layouts and space-saving furnishings, including foldaway beds and built-in kitchenettes. Some of these innovations came from private companies that saw the program as a platform to demonstrate new housing technologies.
To manage the large scale of this effort, the agency developed and published a set of planning and design standards − the first of their kind in the United States. These manuals covered everything from block configurations and road widths to lighting fixtures and tree-planting guidelines.
A single-family home in Bremerton, Wash., built by the U.S. Housing Corporation. National Archives
The standards emphasized functionality, aesthetics and long-term livability.
Architects and planners who worked for the Housing Corporation carried these ideas into private practice, academia and housing initiatives. Many of the planning norms still used today, such as street hierarchies, lot setbacks and mixed-use zoning, were first tested in these wartime communities.
And many of the planners involved in experimental New Deal community projects, such as Greenbelt, Maryland, had worked for or alongside Housing Corporation designers and planners. Their influence is apparent in the layout and design of these communities.
A brief but lasting legacy
With the end of World War I, the political support for federal housing initiatives quickly waned. The Housing Corporation was dissolved by Congress, and many planned projects were never completed. Others were incorporated into existing towns and cities.
Yet, many of the neighborhoods built during this period still exist today, integrated in the fabric of the country’s cities and suburbs. Residents in places such as Aberdeen, Maryland; Bremerton, Washington; Bethlehem, Pennsylvania; Watertown, New York; and New Orleans may not even realize that many of the homes in their communities originated from a bold federal housing experiment.
These homes on Lawn Avenue in Quincy, Mass., in 2019 were built by the U.S. Housing Corporation. Google Street View
The Housing Corporation’s efforts, though brief, showed that large-scale public housing could be thoughtfully designed, community oriented and quickly executed. For a short time, in response to extraordinary circumstances, the U.S. government succeeded in building more than just houses. It constructed entire communities, demonstrating that government has a major role and can lead in finding appropriate, innovative solutions to complex challenges.
At a moment when the U.S. once again faces a housing crisis, the legacy of the U.S. Housing Corporation serves as a reminder that bold public action can meet urgent needs.
Eran Ben-Joseph does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
A little over two decades ago, addressing Nigeria’s HIV crisis topped U.S. President George W. Bush’s priorities. Africa’s most populous nation had 3.5 million HIV cases, and the disease threatened to destabilize the region and ultimately compromise U.S. interests. These interests included securing access to Nigeria’s substantial oil reserves, maintaining regional military stability and protecting trade partnerships worth billions.
While living in Nigeria for my work as a medical anthropologist, I witnessed PEPFAR’s rollout and saw firsthand how the powerful therapies it provided transformed Nigerian lives. The women I worked with told me they could finally put aside the fears of death or abandonment that had consumed their days. Instead, they could focus on a newly expanded horizon of possibilities: building careers, finding love, having healthy children.
Now, however, a serious threat to preventing and treating HIV worldwide looms. The Trump administration’s decision to substantially restrict access to a vital HIV prevention tool – PEPFAR-funded preexposure prophylaxis, or PrEP – would cut off ongoing treatment for millions of people and block future access for countless others who need this protection.
The Trump administration aims to cut HIV prevention funding.
The timing is devastating: Scientists recently made a major advance in HIV prevention. Named the 2024 Breakthrough of the Year by the journal Science, the drug lenacapavir offers six months of HIV protection with one injection. Unlike previous PrEP options that required daily pills, which created significant barriers to consistent access and adherence, this twice-yearly injection dramatically simplifies prevention.
By undermining access to a treatment that has been essential to reducing HIV rates, the Trump administration’s new restrictions threaten to derail two decades of bipartisan investment in eliminating HIV globally. The consequences extend well beyond individual lives.
Afterlife of aid
“Some people that have it, they choose to be wicked and just spread it all around,” confided Elizabeth, a woman I interviewed during my time in Nigeria. I am using a pseudonym to protect her privacy. “They say, ‘Somebody gave it to me, so I am going to spread it too.’ But if they know that they can live positively with the virus, it would reduce their evil thoughts.”
Elizabeth’s words reveal a concerning dynamic: When hope for treatment disappears, a dangerous desperation can take its place. Patients who feel abandoned by health care systems might lose motivation to protect others from HIV. They may also stop seeking medical care, abandon prevention measures and turn away from future aid.
Cultural anthropologists use the phrase “the afterlife of aid” to describe what happens after global aid programs are withdrawn or drastically reduced. Communities are left not just without resources but with a lasting sense of betrayal that undermines their willingness to seek help, creating cycles of skepticism that can persist for generations.
Treatment as hope
In my fieldwork, I’ve witnessed how managing life with the virus involves far more than taking medications. It requires carefully navigating personal relationships, family obligations, cultural expectations and hopes for the future.
Many of the women I worked with had contracted HIV from their husbands or boyfriends. Some even suspected their partners’ positive status but were unable to protect themselves. Before these medications, women – both HIV positive and HIV negative – had to choose between risking rejection or risking transmission.
The welfare of entire families depends on access to HIV medication. Here, a woman who is the sole provider of several children takes antiretroviral treatment. Saurabh Das/AP Photo
Elizabeth and David’s story illustrates these challenges. They had been together for more than a year when David proposed. “When I sensed he was serious about marriage, I knew I had to tell him my status,” Elizabeth told me during one of our many conversations. Though initially shocked, he remained committed to their relationship.
Elizabeth had maintained a decade of careful adherence to her HIV treatment, but the couple still struggled with consistent condom use. David described using condoms as akin to “eating candy with the wrapper still on it.” He also was eager to have a baby. While PrEP had greatly reduced transmission risk, it placed the full burden of protecting her husband on Elizabeth.
The path Elizabeth navigated highlights how Nigerian cultural expectations complicated their situation. When proving one’s fertility is often considered essential to establishing gender identity, the pressure to have sex without protection created additional tension. Moreover, Elizabeth’s need to balance her own health needs with her husband’s desires reflected the delicate negotiation many Nigerian women face between personal well-being and marriage.
As Elizabeth prepared for the birth of their child, she expressed both joy and anxiety: “I have to stay healthy for both of them now.”
Politicizing global health
Previous interruptions in aid foreshadow what’s at stake when shifts in U.S. political priorities compromise global health funding.
Consider the global spike in maternal and child mortality when President Ronald Reagan instituted the Mexico City Policy, often referred to as the “global gag rule.” It blocked U.S. funding to all international nongovernmental organizations that provided or even referred abortion services.
This policy has been repeatedly implemented by Republican administrations – including those of George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush and Donald Trump during his first term – and subsequently rescinded by Democratic presidents, creating a disruptive cycle of funding uncertainty. Among these affected organizations are recipients of PEPFAR funds.
The human cost of this policy pendulum is measurable and significant. Researchers have found that when this law is enacted, nations across the globe suffer increased death rates for newborns and mothers as well as jumps in HIV cases. In countries heavily dependent on U.S. aid, the Mexico City Policy has resulted in approximately 80 additional child deaths and nine additional maternal deaths per 100,000 live births annually and about one additional HIV infection per 10,000 uninfected people.
My research in Nigeria also reveals the fragile progress that now hangs in the balance. Before treatments arrived, HIV ravaged Nigerian communities. In 2001, nearly 6% of the population had HIV, totaling around 3.5 million people. The Hausa language reflected this trauma: Terms for AIDS also meant “lifeless body” and “nearby grave.”
Following the rollout of HIV treatments, Nigeria’s cases dropped dramatically – by 2010, prevalence had fallen to 4.1%. Declines continued steadily as treatment access expanded from 360,000 people in 2010 to over 1 million by 2018. This progress was heavily dependent on international support, with PEPFAR and other global donors providing over 80% of the US$6.2 billion spent fighting HIV in Nigeria between 2005 to 2018.
What’s at stake isn’t just increasing HIV rates. The Trump administration’s reductions in foreign aid threaten to unravel over two decades of U.S. investment in global security and economic growth.
Public health crises rarely stay contained within national boundaries. When health systems fail in West Africa, diseases can quickly spread overseas and require costly emergency responses. The 2014 Ebola outbreak demonstrated this reality, when cases reached America and prompted a $5.4 billion emergency response. Similarly, the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic, which infected around 60 million Americans, showed how quickly infectious diseases circle the globe when surveillance and containment systems are inadequate.
Inconsistent aid, in turn, undermines American global leadership and creates openings for competing powers to establish their influence. China has actively exploited these gaps, establishing bilateral trade with Africa reaching $295 billion in 2024. While the U.S. reduced its global health engagement during previous administrations, China expanded its global health diplomacy, partnering on issues ranging from infectious disease prevention and control to health emergency response and health technology innovation.
Meanwhile, restrictions in PrEP access risk recreating the same impossible choices women faced at the advent of the epidemic: choosing between disclosing their status and risking abandonment; accepting unprotected sex and risking transmission, or refusing unprotected sex and risking violence or loss of economic support.
I believe the result is a far less safe world where preventable suffering continues, hard-won progress unravels and the promise of an AIDS-free generation remains unfulfilled.
Kathryn Rhine has received funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Wenner Gren Foundation, the American Philosophical Society, the West African Research Association, the American Council of Learned Societies, Fulbright programs, the National Science Foundation, and the National Security Education Program. These views are her own and not those of her institution.
On April 14, 2025, Blue Origin launched six women – Aisha Bowe, Amanda Nguyễn, Gayle King, Katy Perry, Kerianne Flynn and Lauren Sánchez – on a suborbital journey to the edge of space.
The headlines called it a historic moment for women in space. But as a tourism educator, I paused – not because I questioned their experience, but because I questioned the language. Were they astronauts or space tourists? The distinction matters – not just for accuracy, but for understanding how experience, symbolism and motivation shape travel today.
In tourism studies, my colleagues and I often ask what motivates travel and makes it a meaningful experience. These women crossed a boundary by leaving Earth’s surface. But they also stepped into a controversy about a symbolic one: the blurred line between astronaut and tourist, between scientific achievement and curated experience.
This flight wasn’t just about the altitude they flew to – it was about what it meant. As commercial space travel becomes more accessible to civilians, more people are joining spaceflights not as scientists or mission specialists, but as invited guests or paying participants. The line between astronaut and space tourist is becoming increasingly blurred.
Blue Origin’s NS-31 flight brought six women to the edge of space.
In my own work, I explore how travelers find meaning in the way their journeys are framed. A tourism studies perspective can help unpack how experiences like the Blue Origin flight are designed, marketed and ultimately understood by travelers and the tourism industry.
So, were these passengers astronauts? Not in the traditional sense. They weren’t selected through NASA’s rigorous training protocols, nor were they conducting research or exploration in orbit.
Instead, they belong to a new category: space tourists. These are participants in a crafted, symbolic journey that reflects how commercial spaceflight is redefining what it means to go to space.
Space tourism as a niche market
Space tourism has its origins in 1986 with the launch of the Mir space station, which later became the first orbital platform to host nonprofessional astronauts. In the 1990s and early 2000s, Mir and its successor, the International Space Station, welcomed a handful of privately funded civilian guests – most notably U.S. businessman Dennis Tito in 2001, often cited as the first space tourist.
Space tourism has since evolved into a niche market selling brief encounters to the edge of Earth’s atmosphere. While passengers on the NS-31 flight did not purchase their seats, the experience mirrors those sold by commercial space tourism providers such as Virgin Galactic.
Like other forms of niche tourism – wellness retreats, heritage trails or extreme adventures – space travel appeals to those drawn to novelty, exclusivity and status, regardless of whether they purchased the ticket.
These suborbital flights may last just minutes, but they offer something far more lasting: prestige, personal storytelling and the feeling of participating in something rare. Space tourism sells the experience of being somewhere few have visited, not the destination itself. For many, even a 10-minute flight can fulfill a deeply personal milestone.
Tourist motivation and space tourism’s evolution
The push-and-pull theory in tourism studies helps explain why people might want to pursue space travel. Push factors – internal desires such as curiosity, an urge to escape or an eagerness to gain fame – spark interest. Pull factors – external elements such as wishing to see the view of Earth from above or experience the sensation of weightlessness – enhance the appeal.
Space tourism taps into both. It’s fueled by the internal drive to do something extraordinary and the external attraction of a highly choreographed, emotional experience.
Participants in space tourism wear branded jumpsuits with the company’s logo, pose for photos and talk to the media about their experience. AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez
These flights are often branded – not necessarily with flashy logos, but through storytelling and design choices that make the experience feel iconic. For example, while the New Shepard rocket the women traveled in doesn’t carry a separate emblem, it features the company’s name, Blue Origin, in bold letters along the side. Passengers wear personalized flight suits, pose for preflight photos and receive mission patches or certificates, all designed to echo the rituals of professional space missions.
What’s being sold is an “astronaut-for-a-day” experience: emotionally powerful, visually compelling and rich with symbolism. But under tourism classifications, these travelers are space tourists – participants in a curated, short-duration excursion.
Representation and marketing experience
The image from the Blue Origin flight of six women boarding a rocket was framed as a symbolic victory – a girl-power moment designed for visibility and celebration – but it was also carefully curated.
This wasn’t the first time women entered space. Since its inception, NASA has selected 61 women as astronaut candidates, many of them making groundbreaking contributions to space science and exploration. Sally Ride, Mae Jemison, Christina Koch and Jessica Meir not only entered space – they trained as astronauts and contributed significantly to science, engineering and long-duration missions. Their journeys marked historic achievements in space exploration rather than curated moments in tourism.
Recognizing their legacy is important as commercial spaceflight creates new kinds of unique, tailored experiences, ones shaped more by media performance than by scientific milestones.
The Blue Origin flight was not a scientific mission but rather was framed as a symbolic event. In tourism, companies, marketers and media outlets often create these performances to maximize their visibility. SpaceX has taken a similar approach with its Inspiration4 mission, turning a private orbital flight into a global media event complete with a Netflix documentary and emotional storytelling.
The Blue Origin flight sold a feeling of progress while blending the roles between astronaut and guest. For Blue Origin, the symbolic value was significant. By launching the first all-female crew into suborbital space, the company was able to claim a historic milestone – one that aligned them with inclusion – without the cost, complexity or risk associated with a scientific mission. In doing so, they generated enormous media attention.
Tourism education and media literacy
In today’s world, space travel is all about the story that gets told about the flight. From curated visuals to social media posts and press coverage, much of the experience’s meaning is shaped by marketing and media.
Understanding that process matters – not just for scholars or industry insiders, but for members of the public, who follow these trips through the narratives produced by the companies’ marketing teams and media outlets.
Another theory in tourism studies describes how destinations evolve over time – from exploration, to development, to mass adoption. Many forms of tourism begin in an exploration phase, accessible only to the wealthy or well connected. For example, the Grand Tour of Europe was once a rite of passage for aristocrats. Its legacy helped shape and develop modern travel.
As more people travel to a destination over time, it moves through the tourism area life cycle. During the early exploration phase, the destination has only a few tourists. Coba56/Wikimedia Commons
Right now, space tourism is in the exploration stage. It’s expensive, exclusive and available only to a few. There’s limited infrastructure to support it, and companies are still experimenting with what the experience should look like. This isn’t mass tourism yet, it’s more like a high-profile playground for early adopters, drawing media attention and curiosity with every launch.
Advances in technology, economic shifts and changing cultural norms can increase access to unique destinations that start as out of bounds to a majority of tourists. Space tourism could be the next to evolve this way in the tourism industry. How it’s framed now – who gets to go, how the participants are labeled and how their stories are told – will set the tone moving forward. Understanding these trips helps people see how society packages and sells an inspirational experience long before most people can afford to join the journey.
Betsy Pudliner is affiliated with International Council of Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Educators.
WASHINGTON, May 19, 2025—The National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE-IAM) and the IAM Union (International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers) will gather outside the Department of Commerce on Tuesday, May 20, at 8:30 a.m. to welcome back employees of the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA).
Approximately 35 employees, represented by NFFE-IAM, had been placed on administrative leave and faced a Reduction in Force (RIF) threat. Now returning to their jobs, they will be greeted with signs of support and solidarity.
Federal workers are the backbone of our nation, providing essential services that keep our country running.
Event Details:
What: IAM Union and NFFE-IAM to host a visibility event to welcome back MBDA workers
When: Tuesday, May 20, 2025, from 8:30 a.m. to 9:15 a.m.
Where: Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. (supporters will gather at the 14th Street main entrance)
Who: IAM Union, NFFE-IAM, labor allies, and community supporters
RSVP: Interested reporters can RSVP by emailing Bethany Shelton (bshelton@iamaw.org).
Supporters will hold signs welcoming the MBDA workers back and thanking them for their work. Members of Congress, elected officials, and local community leaders are invited to attend this event.
The IAM Union and NFFE-IAM invite members of the media to attend and cover this event. Visuals and interview opportunities will be available.
The IAM Union (International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers) is one of North America’s largest and most diverse industrial trade unions, representing approximately 600,000 active and retired members in the aerospace, defense, airlines, railroad, transit, healthcare, automotive, and other industries.
NEW YORK, May 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Cornerstone Strategic Investment Fund, Inc. (the “Fund”) (NYSE American: CLM) (CUSIP: 21924B302) is pleased to announce the completion of its one-for-three rights offering which expired on Friday, May 16, 2025 (the “Offering”). Under the terms of the Offering, record date stockholders were entitled to purchase one newly issued share of common stock of the Fund for every three rights held. The subscription price for each newly issued share was determined to be $7.30 which, under the terms of the prospectus, was equal to the greater of (i) 112% of net asset value per share as calculated at the close of trading on the date of expiration of the Offering and (ii) 80% of the market price per share at such time.
Based on preliminary results provided by the Fund’s subscription agent, the Fund received requests for approximately $173 million of its shares. The Fund anticipates issuing over-subscription shares under the additional subscription privilege.
The subscription price is higher than the original estimated subscription price of $6.61. It is anticipated that shares will be issued on or about Thursday, May 22, 2025. Stockholders are encouraged to contact their broker regarding the specifics of their account. Newly issued shares will not be entitled to the Fund’s distribution to stockholders for the month of May 2025.
Cornerstone Strategic Investment Fund, Inc. is a closed-end, diversified management investment company and is registered with the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission (“SEC”) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
Cornerstone Strategic Investment Fund, Inc. is traded on the NYSE American under the trading symbol “CLM”. The Fund’s investment adviser is Cornerstone Advisors, LLC, which also serves as the investment adviser to another closed-end fund, Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. (NYSE American: CRF). For more information regarding Cornerstone Strategic Investment Fund, Inc. or Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. please visit www.cornerstonestrategicinvestmentfund.com, and www.cornerstonetotalreturnfund.com.
Past performance is no guarantee of future performance. An investment in the Fund is subject to certain risks, including market risk. In general, shares of closed-end funds often trade at a discount from their net asset value and at the time of sale may be trading on the exchange at a price that is more or less than the original purchase price or the net asset value. An investor should carefully consider the Fund’s investment objective, risks, charges and expenses. Please read the Fund’s disclosure documents before investing.
In addition to historical information, this report contains forward-looking statements, which may concern, among other things, domestic and foreign markets, industry and economic trends and developments and government regulation and their potential impact on the Fund’s investment portfolio. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, including the factors set forth in the Fund’s disclosure documents, filed with the SEC, and actual trends, developments and regulations in the future and their impact on the Fund could be materially different from those projected, anticipated or implied. The Fund has no obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements.
NEW YORK, May 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. (the “Fund”) (NYSE American: CRF) (CUSIP: 21924U300) is pleased to announce the completion of its one-for-three rights offering which expired on Friday, May 16, 2025 (the “Offering”). Under the terms of the Offering, record date stockholders were entitled to purchase one newly issued share of common stock of the Fund for every three rights held. The subscription price for each newly issued share was determined to be $6.97 which, under the terms of the prospectus, was equal to the greater of (i) 112% of net asset value per share as calculated at the close of trading on the date of expiration of the Offering and (ii) 80% of the market price per share at such time.
Based on preliminary results provided by the Fund’s subscription agent, the Fund received requests for approximately $207 million of its shares. The Fund anticipates issuing over-subscription shares under the additional subscription privilege.
The subscription price is higher than the original estimated subscription price of $6.29. It is anticipated that shares will be issued on or about Thursday, May 22, 2025. Stockholders are encouraged to contact their broker regarding the specifics of their account. Newly issued shares will not be entitled to the Fund’s distribution to stockholders for the month of May 2025.
Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. is a closed-end, diversified management investment company and is registered with the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission (“SEC”) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. is traded on the NYSE American under the trading symbol “CRF”. The Fund’s investment adviser is Cornerstone Advisors, LLC, which also serves as the investment adviser to another closed-end fund, Cornerstone Strategic Investment Fund, Inc. (NYSE American: CLM). For more information regarding Cornerstone Strategic Investment Fund, Inc. or Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. please visit www.cornerstonestrategicinvestmentfund.com, and www.cornerstonetotalreturnfund.com.
Past performance is no guarantee of future performance. An investment in the Fund is subject to certain risks, including market risk. In general, shares of closed-end funds often trade at a discount from their net asset value and at the time of sale may be trading on the exchange at a price that is more or less than the original purchase price or the net asset value. An investor should carefully consider the Fund’s investment objective, risks, charges and expenses. Please read the Fund’s disclosure documents before investing.
In addition to historical information, this report contains forward-looking statements, which may concern, among other things, domestic and foreign markets, industry and economic trends and developments and government regulation and their potential impact on the Fund’s investment portfolio. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, including the factors set forth in the Fund’s disclosure documents, filed with the SEC, and actual trends, developments and regulations in the future and their impact on the Fund could be materially different from those projected, anticipated or implied. The Fund has no obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements.
