Strengthening crisis readiness and health security

During major energy blackouts, natural disasters, conflicts or pandemics, access to essential goods – such as food, water, oil, fuel and medicines – is crucial. The Commission has put forward two strategies designed to improve this access during crises: an EU stockpiling strategy and a medical countermeasures strategy.  The stockpiling strategy becomes the EU’s first […]

Continue Reading

African Continental Brief: 12 Jul 2025

Mali Junta Chief Grants Himself Unlimited Mandate, Expands Military Control On Thursday, Mali’s junta chief, General Assimi Goita, approved a new law granting himself a renewable five-year presidential mandate, effectively extending his rule until at least 2030. The law, which allows Goita to remain in power without elections, was signed on Tuesday following approval by […]

Continue Reading

NASA Faces Historic Workforce Reduction Amid Proposed Budget Cuts

📍 Washington, D.C. — July 11, 2025The U.S. government is preparing to lay off more than 2,145 senior NASA employees, as part of a proposed 25% reduction in the agency’s overall budget for fiscal year 2026. The cuts, if enacted, would represent the largest downsizing in NASA’s history, leaving the agency with its smallest budget […]

Continue Reading

Pentagon Becomes Largest Shareholder in MP Materials to Secure U.S. Rare Earth Supply Chain

📍 Washington, D.C. — July 11, 2025In a landmark move to reduce U.S. dependence on Chinese rare earths, the Department of Defense (DoD) has invested $400 million in MP Materials, acquiring a 15% stake and becoming the company’s largest shareholder. The strategic partnership aims to establish a fully domestic mine-to-magnet supply chain, critical for defense […]

Continue Reading

On the 9th Anniversary of the Philippines-China South China Sea Arbitral Tribunal Ruling

Nine years ago, an Arbitral Tribunal constituted under the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention unanimously ruled China’s expansive South China Sea maritime claims have no basis in international law. This decision, legally binding on both the Philippines and China, was a significant milestone and a useful basis for peacefully resolving disputes between parties in […]

Continue Reading

BBSRC launches refreshed Forward Look – UKRI

This refreshed framework sets out the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council’s (BBSRC) ambition to deliver a healthy, sustainable and resilient future through the power of bioscience. It highlights bioscience’s essential but sometimes unseen role, and the enormous impact it will have in tackling some of the biggest challenges we face as a global society. […]

Continue Reading

Exercise can greatly benefit teenagers’ mental health – here’s what the evidence says

Adolescence is a crucial stage of human development. During this unstable period, teenagers experience numerous physical, emotional and social changes that can be extremely challenging. It is a time of identity construction, increased exposure to external pressures, and a search for autonomy. Without the right support, this can all take a significant emotional toll. Emotional […]

Continue Reading

Justice Department Files Statement of Interest on Suppression of Competition in the Marketplace of Ideas Through Deplatforming of Rival Viewpoints | Office of Public Affairs

Today, the Justice Department filed a statement of interest in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia in the case of Children’s Health Defense et al. v. Washington Post et al. The lawsuit — led by plaintiffs allegedly deplatformed for sharing independent news and opinion related to the COVID-19 pandemic — alleges […]

Continue Reading

Europe-Led Anti-Trafficking Operation Rescues 1,200 Victims and Nets 158 Arrests

📍 Amsterdam, July 11, 2025 — A coordinated international crackdown on human trafficking has led to the rescue of 1,194 victims and the arrest of 158 suspects across 44 countries, according to Europol. The week-long operation, dubbed Operation Global Chain, was spearheaded by Austria and Romania, with support from Europol, Frontex, and Interpol. 🛂 Scope […]

Continue Reading

President Trump and First Lady Melania Travel to Kerrville to Meet Texas Flood Victims

📍 Kerrville, Texas — July 11, 2025President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump traveled to Kerrville, Texas on Friday to meet with families affected by the catastrophic July 4 flash floods, which have claimed at least 121 lives, including dozens of children at Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp along the Guadalupe River. […]

Continue Reading