Thousands Pay Respects at Minnesota Capitol as the US Mourns Slain Lawmaker and Husband

ST. PAUL, Minn. – 27 June 2025 — A solemn ceremony unfolded at the Minnesota State Capitol as thousands of mourners, including former President Joe Biden, passed through the Rotunda to pay final respects to former House Speaker Melissa Hortman, her husband Mark, and their golden retriever Gilbert, all victims of a politically motivated shooting […]

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Minister Lawless Invites Expressions of Interest for Skillnet Ireland Board Vacancies

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless TD, has invited Expressions of Interest (EOI) from qualified individuals to fill up to three vacancies on the Board of Directors of Skillnet Ireland. Appointments will be for a three-year term, with the aim of strengthening governance and shaping the strategic direction of […]

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Ireland Extends Key Measures to Boost Teacher Availability for 2025/26 School Year

Minister for Education and Youth, Helen McEntee TD, today announced the extension of two key initiatives aimed at supporting schools in securing additional teaching and substitute cover for the upcoming academic year. The measures—part of the Department of Education and Youth’s ongoing teacher supply strategy—include: “These measures are practical steps to support schools experiencing staffing […]

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Copper Hits Three-Month High as Dollar Weakens and LME Inventories Decline

Copper prices surged to their highest level in three months this week, driven by a weakening U.S. dollar and tightening supply. London Metal Exchange (LME) cash settlement prices surpassed $10,000 per metric tonne for the first time this year, marking a significant milestone in the commodity’s recent rally. The uptrend is underpinned by falling LME […]

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US Supreme Court Limits Nationwide Court Orders but Leaves Birthright Citizenship Policy on Hold

Washington, D.C. – 27 June 2025The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Friday that individual judges cannot block government policies across the entire country — a major decision that could limit how courts stop federal actions. However, the Court left in place the current nationwide block on former President Donald Trump’s attempt to change birthright citizenship […]

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Africa Continental Brief – Governance, Security, Justice and Human Rights

UN Warns of Escalating Humanitarian Crisis in Eastern CongoThe UN’s humanitarian chief, Tom Fletcher, has sounded the alarm over worsening conditions in eastern DR Congo, urging increased international support. During his visit to displacement camps in North and South Kivu, Fletcher described “enormous” humanitarian needs, citing a lack of medicine, food, and security. Ongoing violence […]

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Man Sentenced to 12 Years for CSAM and Violating Federal Supervision

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Marquis Drakeford Bynum, 45, of Charlotte, has been sentenced to 144 months in federal prison for possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) involving a prepubescent minor and for violating the terms of his federal supervised release, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina announced today. U.S. District […]

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World News in Brief: Türk speaks out on sexual violence, Brazil floods update, Nicaraguan human rights violations

“We are not meeting the minimum requirement to prevent women from being silenced, and support their participation and leadership in…building peace,” Mr. Türk said. 25 years ago, the UN Security Council passed a resolution which affirmed the vital role that women play in preventing and resolving conflict and emphasized the importance of ending impunity for sexual […]

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Ireland Landmark Mental Health Bill Passes Committee Stage in Dáil Éireann

June 25, 2025 – Department of Health Minister for Mental Health Mary Butler T.D. has successfully guided the Mental Health Bill 2024 through Committee Stage in Dáil Éireann, marking a major milestone in modernising Ireland’s mental health legislation. The Bill, which will replace the Mental Health Act 2001, is designed to strengthen legal protections for […]

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Mpox Outbreak: WHO Reports Over 6,800 New Cases and Confirms Continued Global Health Emergency

27 June 2025 – The World Health Organization (WHO) has released its 54th situation report on the multi-country outbreak of mpox, confirming 6,823 new cases and 16 deaths (case fatality ratio: 0.2%) during May 2025 across 49 countries in all WHO regions. Key Developments: Vaccination and Response: Ongoing Global Emergency: Following a review by the […]

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