Public Policy & NGOs
Here's a look at documents from public policy and non-governmental organizations
Featured Stories
Retinal Organoid Platform Identifies Biomarkers and Affords Genetic Testing for Retinal Disease
EVANSTON, Illinois, Dec. 5 -- The International Society for Stem Cell Research issued the following news release:
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Retinal Organoid Platform Identifies Biomarkers and Affords Genetic Testing for Retinal Disease
Leber Congenital Amaurosis (LCA) is an inherited retinal disease leading to severe vision impairment from early infancy, affecting 2-3 out of every 100,000 newborns. LCA is caused by variants in certain genes from which proteins essential for retinal cell function and survival are made. Mutations in over 20 different genes can cause LCA and in each of those genes, hundreds of different
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EVANSTON, Illinois, Dec. 5 -- The International Society for Stem Cell Research issued the following news release:
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Retinal Organoid Platform Identifies Biomarkers and Affords Genetic Testing for Retinal Disease
Leber Congenital Amaurosis (LCA) is an inherited retinal disease leading to severe vision impairment from early infancy, affecting 2-3 out of every 100,000 newborns. LCA is caused by variants in certain genes from which proteins essential for retinal cell function and survival are made. Mutations in over 20 different genes can cause LCA and in each of those genes, hundreds of differentchanges, known as genetic variants, can occur. Importantly, while some of these genetic variants are benign and do not compromise function, other variants cause dysfunction or complete loss of function. Further, for some of these variants, which are called variants of uncertain significance (VUS), it is currently not known if they are disease causing or benign.
The research team of Robyn Jamieson from Children's Medical Research Institute, University of Sydney, Australia have now set up a lab-based testing platform to classify VUS in retinal organoids, which are small 3D structures of retinal cells resembling the human retina. The work was published recently in Stem Cell Reports. The retinal organoids were grown from immature stem cells taken from a LCA patient with known pathogenic variants in the gene RPGRIP1, and from a second patient who carried a VUS in the same gene. Organoids from both patients had distinct abnormalities such as less light-sensing photoreceptors and altered gene expression. Having identified these "biomarkers" of RPGRIP1-related LCA in the retinal organoids, Jamieson's team went one step further and inserted the RPGRIP1 VUS into healthy retinal organoids. Strikingly, the genetically engineered retinal organoids also developed the disease changes, confirming that the VUS in the RPGRIP1 gene was indeed pathogenic. Further, by reintroducing a healthy RPGRIP1 gene into the retinal organoids these disease-mediated changes were reversed. This new platform can be used to classify new VUS in RPGRIP1 and other LCA genes, enabling clinical genetic diagnosis. Ultimately, the gained knowledge may help to develop targeted therapies for LCA patients and will inform decision-making and genetic counselling for at-risk populations.
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About Stem Cell Reports
Stem Cell Reports is the open access, peer-reviewed journal of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) for communicating basic discoveries in stem cell research, in addition to translational and clinical studies. Stem Cell Reports focuses on original research with conceptual or practical advances that are of broad interest to stem cell biologists and clinicians. Stem Cell Reports is a Cell Press partner journal. Find the journal on X: @StemCellReports.
About ISSCR
With nearly 5,000 members from more than 80 countries, the International Society for Stem Cell Research (@ISSCR) is the preeminent global, cross-disciplinary, science-based organization dedicated to stem cell research and its translation to the clinic. The ISSCR mission is to promote excellence in stem cell science and applications to human health.
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Original text here: https://www.isscr.org/isscr-news/retinal-organoid-platform-identifies-biomarkers-and-affords-genetic-testing-for-retinal-diseasenbsp
[Category: Medical]
Quad Cities' First Leadless Pacemaker Procedure Performed at UnityPoint Health - Trinity Heart Center
WEST DES MOINES, Iowa, Dec. 5 -- UnityPoint Health issued the following news release:
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Quad Cities' First Leadless Pacemaker Procedure Performed at UnityPoint Health - Trinity Heart Center
UnityPoint Health is proud to announce that the Quad Cities' first leadless pacemaker, which helps regulate the heartbeat without the use of wires, was performed at UnityPoint Health - Trinity Heart Center in July 2025 by Helbert Acosta, MD, Cardiovascular Medicine, PLLC.
"Trinity Heart Center continues to set the standard for exceptional heart care in the Quad Cities, and we're honored that patients
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WEST DES MOINES, Iowa, Dec. 5 -- UnityPoint Health issued the following news release:
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Quad Cities' First Leadless Pacemaker Procedure Performed at UnityPoint Health - Trinity Heart Center
UnityPoint Health is proud to announce that the Quad Cities' first leadless pacemaker, which helps regulate the heartbeat without the use of wires, was performed at UnityPoint Health - Trinity Heart Center in July 2025 by Helbert Acosta, MD, Cardiovascular Medicine, PLLC.
"Trinity Heart Center continues to set the standard for exceptional heart care in the Quad Cities, and we're honored that patientstrust us with their heart health," says Kathy Pulley, director of cardiology services at Trinity Heart Center. "Our goal is to help patients feel at ease both emotionally and physically so they can return to doing what they love most."
A pacemaker is a small, implantable device that delivers electrical impulses to the heart to maintain a stable heart rhythm. Traditional pacemakers require a separate battery under the skin and leads, or wires, that connect to the heart. A leadless pacemaker, however, regulates the heartbeat without the need for wires. It's placed in the heart's lower right chamber.
"The leadless pacemaker is implanted through a small puncture, often in the groin, making the procedure minimally invasive," says Dr. Acosta. "Patients typically experience quicker recovery times, fewer restrictions after surgery and an overall reduced risk of complications. Because there are no leads, we also see lower infection rates and improved long-term outcomes."
As a nationally recognized leader in heart care, Trinity Heart Center is committed to bringing the latest, most effective heart technologies to the Quad Cities region.
"We're proud to lead the way in offering advanced heart care," adds Pulley. "Patients can count on the team at Trinity Heart Center for compassionate, high-quality care close to home, without having to travel far."
To learn whether this procedure might be right for you, speak with your doctor. For more information about heart care services visit Trinity Heart Center.
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Original text here: https://www.unitypoint.org/news-and-articles/press-releases/quad-cities-first-leadless-pacemaker-procedure-performed-at-unitypoint-health-trinity-heart-center
[Category: Health Care]
Institute for Energy Economics & Financial Analysis: Strains in Australian Met Coal Supply Heighten Energy Security Risks for India, Which Depends on Imports for 90% of Its Needs
LAKEWOOD, Ohio, Dec. 5 (TNSbrep) -- The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis issued the following news release:
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Strains in Australian met coal supply heighten energy security risks for India, which depends on imports for 90% of its needs
India, the world's key market for steel demand growth, is expanding steelmaking capacity primarily through blast furnace-basic oxygen furnace (BF-BOF) technology, which relies on met coal
Key Takeaways:
India has taken steps to strengthen its energy security, but more action is needed to avoid the risks clouding its fast-expanding steel
... Show Full Article
LAKEWOOD, Ohio, Dec. 5 (TNSbrep) -- The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis issued the following news release:
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Strains in Australian met coal supply heighten energy security risks for India, which depends on imports for 90% of its needs
India, the world's key market for steel demand growth, is expanding steelmaking capacity primarily through blast furnace-basic oxygen furnace (BF-BOF) technology, which relies on met coal
Key Takeaways:
India has taken steps to strengthen its energy security, but more action is needed to avoid the risks clouding its fast-expanding steelsector. The country still relies on imports, primarily from Australia, for about 90% of its metallurgical (met) coal needs.
Australia is by far the largest met coal exporter globally. However, its long-term production is increasingly at risk from financial, legal, regulatory and climate risks, increasing the likelihood that future met coal supply from the country may fall short for India.
If India's continued blast furnace capacity expansion keeps met coal demand high, a global shortfall could drive significant and structural price increases given the risks associated with developing new supply.
Green hydrogen and scrap steel will become strategic, domestic resources that can reduce energy and materials security risk in India's steel sector. Actions to further accelerate their long-term availability should begin now.
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(IEEFA): The Indian government and steelmakers have begun reducing reliance on Australian metallurgical (met) coal, but India needs to go further to prevent India's steel sector from being weighed down by long-term energy security challenges, states a new report by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA).
India aims to reach a crude steel production capacity of 300 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) by 2030. Much of this growth is driven by the blast furnace (BF) technology that uses met coal. As a result, the Indian steel sector depends heavily on imported met coal since domestic met coal does not meet quality requirements due to its high ash and sulphur content. India currently imports around 90% of its met coal, primarily from Australia.
However, concerns are mounting over the reliability of the future supply from Australia, the world's largest exporter of met coal. The sector faces a series of risks that could leave Indian steelmakers exposed to supply shortfalls. These include over-optimistic met coal export forecasts by the Australian government; slowing mine development; rising financial, legal and regulatory constraints; escalating mining costs; and price volatility driven by climate impacts.
If India continues to develop blast furnaces requiring much more met coal, a supply shortfall could drive significant and structural price increases given the risks associated with developing new supply. The country now faces the urgent need to accelerate the move to alternative steelmaking technologies.
"Key risks include growing concern about the methane emissions associated with Australian met coal mining and legal challenges. Coal mine capacity expansions are now being successfully challenged in Australian courts on climate and emissions grounds," says Simon Nicholas, Lead Analyst, Global Steel at IEEFA and co-author of the report.
"India has a 2070 net-zero emissions target, but is reliant on met coal imports from a country that has a 2050 target and will need to take emissions reduction actions sooner. During COP30 in November 2025, Australia was among the dozens of countries that signed the Belem Declaration which calls for a quick and just transition away from oil, gas and coal," adds Nicholas.
The report examines long-standing concerns over future coking coal supply, including rising mining costs, companies opting to acquire existing operations rather than opening new mines, the growing challenge of methane emissions, and the withdrawal of finance for greenfield met coal projects by Australian banks. It then recommends ways in which India can accelerate its shift towards steelmaking technologies that do not rely on met coal.
"The combination of scrap-based electric arc furnaces (EAF) expansion, green hydrogen-based steelmaking, and policy incentives for low-carbon technologies could gradually reduce India's reliance on imported met coal. In doing so, India would not only enhance its energy security but also strengthen its competitiveness in global low-carbon steel markets," says Saumya Nautiyal, Energy Finance Analyst, Steel at IEEFA and the co-author of the report.
India looks like it can become one of the most cost-competitive producers of green hydrogen. But the focus should be on domestic use of green hydrogen in key industries like steelmaking, rather than export.
These shifts represent the next stage of India's energy and industrial transition.
Read the briefing note: India's steel sector confronts growing coal risks (https://ieefa.org/resources/indias-steel-sector-confronts-growing-coal-risks)
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About IEEFA: The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) examines issues related to energy markets, trends, and policies. The Institute's mission is to accelerate the transition to a diverse, sustainable and profitable energy economy. (ieefa.org)
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Original text here: https://ieefa.org/node/19307
[Category: Energy]
Fuel Economy Standards: Statement by Consumer Reports
YONKERS, New York, Dec. 5 -- Consumer Reports posted the following statement on Dec. 4, 2025:
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Fuel economy standards: Statement by Consumer Reports
Following the announcement of plans to roll back the current federal standards for fuel economy of new cars and light trucks, Dylan Jaff, policy analyst for Consumer Reports, said: "For many years, fuel economy standards have led to more cars that cost less to fuel, and that saves people a lot of money. Our nationally representative surveys show that a large majority of Americans want improved fuel economy in the cars they drive, and it's a
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YONKERS, New York, Dec. 5 -- Consumer Reports posted the following statement on Dec. 4, 2025:
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Fuel economy standards: Statement by Consumer Reports
Following the announcement of plans to roll back the current federal standards for fuel economy of new cars and light trucks, Dylan Jaff, policy analyst for Consumer Reports, said: "For many years, fuel economy standards have led to more cars that cost less to fuel, and that saves people a lot of money. Our nationally representative surveys show that a large majority of Americans want improved fuel economy in the cars they drive, and it's abig factor when they are shopping for their next vehicle."
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Here is recent Consumer Reports research on fuel economy and the cost of vehicles:
* CR: Survey Shows Americans Want Better Fuel Economy (https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/fuel-economy-efficiency/survey-americans-want-better-fuel-economy-a1173495182/)
* CR: Car Safety and Fuel Efficiency Improvements Aren't Driving Up the Cost of Cars (https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/buying-a-car/car-safety-fuel-efficiency-impact-on-car-prices-a5238334931/)
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Original text here: https://advocacy.consumerreports.org/press_release/fuel-economy-standards-statement-by-consumer-reports/
[Category: Business]
FFRF Action Fund Urges Senate Judiciary Committee to Reject Extremist Judicial Nomination
MADISON, Wisconsin, Dec. 5 -- FFRF Action Fund, an organization that says it develops and advocates for legislation, regulations and government programs to preserve the constitutional principle of separation between state and church, posted the following news:
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FFRF Action Fund urges Senate Judiciary Committee to reject extremist judicial nomination
The FFRF Action Fund is calling on the Senate Judiciary Committee to reject President Trump's nomination of Nicholas Ganjei for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas.
Federal judges are entrusted to uphold the law fairly
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MADISON, Wisconsin, Dec. 5 -- FFRF Action Fund, an organization that says it develops and advocates for legislation, regulations and government programs to preserve the constitutional principle of separation between state and church, posted the following news:
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FFRF Action Fund urges Senate Judiciary Committee to reject extremist judicial nomination
The FFRF Action Fund is calling on the Senate Judiciary Committee to reject President Trump's nomination of Nicholas Ganjei for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas.
Federal judges are entrusted to uphold the law fairlyand impartially, without prejudice to personal political views. However, Ganjei has a long history of allegiance to far-right advocacy organizations, which casts significant doubt on his ability to meet this standard.
In a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee, FFRF Action Fund has highlighted Ganjei's time as a James Madison Fellow at Hillsdale College, an institution that defines "morally responsible sexual acts" as "those occurring in marriage and between the sexes." He completed additional fellowships with the Claremont Institute, an organization that filed an amicus brief in Obergefell v. Hodges arguing against a constitutional right to same-sex marriage, and the Manhattan Institute, which has advocated for school voucher programs to allow public school funds to be diverted to private, oftentimes religious schools.
Ganjei also served as chief counsel to Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, when Cruz signed on to an amicus brief arguing for a ruling that would have effectively stripped doctors of their ability to perform emergency abortions in hospitals across the country.
In the interest of upholding the U.S. Constitution in a fair and impartial manner, FFRF Action Fund is urging the Senate Judiciary Committee to reject the nomination of Nicholas Ganjei to the federal bench.
"Ganjei's nomination threatens the rights and freedoms of all Americans who do not follow a Christian nationalist worldview," FFRF Action Fund President Annie Laurie Gaylor says. "The Senate Judiciary Committee must remember that federal judges are meant to be impartial arbiters, not ideological advocates."
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FFRF Action Fund is a 501(c)(4) organization that develops and advocates for legislation, regulations and government programs to preserve the constitutional principle of separation between state and church. It also advocates for the rights and views of nonbelievers, endorses candidates for political office, and publicizes the views of elected officials concerning religious liberty issues.
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Original text here: https://ffrfaction.org/ffrf-action-fund-urges-senate-judiciary-committee-to-reject-extremist-judicial-nomination/
[Category: Sociological]
Catholic League for Religious & Civil Rights: Two Faces Of Christian Persecution
NEW YORK, Dec. 5 -- The Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights issued the following news release:
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TWO FACES OF CHRISTIAN PERSECUTION
By Bill Donohue
As 2025 comes to a close, it is sad to note that Christians are being persecuted in many countries, the extent of which is deeply troubling. There are two faces to this crisis: some of it is violent in nature; some of it is more invidious. All of it is being done by extremists: religious fanatics and secular fanatics.
No one saw this being played out in detail better than Pope Benedict XVI. Faith and reason are critical components
... Show Full Article
NEW YORK, Dec. 5 -- The Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights issued the following news release:
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TWO FACES OF CHRISTIAN PERSECUTION
By Bill Donohue
As 2025 comes to a close, it is sad to note that Christians are being persecuted in many countries, the extent of which is deeply troubling. There are two faces to this crisis: some of it is violent in nature; some of it is more invidious. All of it is being done by extremists: religious fanatics and secular fanatics.
No one saw this being played out in detail better than Pope Benedict XVI. Faith and reason are critical componentsto the good society, he counseled, but when either is taken to extremes, it bears ugly fruit. He properly saw Muslim fanaticism as the greatest threat stemming from those whose faith perspective became unhinged from reason; he saw European secular fanaticism as the greatest threat emanating from those whose embrace of reason became unhinged from faith.
The data make it clear that Benedict got it just right.
Recently, rapper Nicki Minaj stunned a United Nations audience when she blasted the elites for failing to defend religious liberty. "Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria," she said. She is right, and much of it is due to the Islamist extremist group, Boko Haram. This is the same woman whose vile anti-Catholic performance at the 2012 Grammy Awards led me to unload on her. So if it is obvious to her that there is a crisis in Nigeria, it should be a top priority for the prestigious world body to tackle.
Pope Leo XIV is correct to note that Muslims are also being slaughtered in Nigeria. But according to the Observatory for Religious Freedom in Africa, of the 30,000 civilians killed in a four-year period, roughly 6,000 were Muslims and 17,000 were Christians. At least 7,000 Christians have been killed in 2025--an average of 35 a day--and 19,000 churches have been destroyed. It is radical Muslims in the north who are killing Christians in the southern part of the nation, the lion's share of whom are Catholics.
The other face of Christian persecution is taking place in Europe. We are witnessing what Pope Francis called "polite persecution." Typically, it is "disguised as culture, disguised as modernity, disguised as progress." It centers on thought control. "God made us free," he said, "but this kind of persecution takes away freedom." It is the devil, he said, who is the sponsor of "polite persecution."
What Francis observed is happening in Europe.
The Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians in Europe (OIDAC Europe) recently released a report noting more than 2,200 anti-Christian hate crimes throughout Europe in 2024. France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain and Austria have the worst record. The crimes run the gamut from killings and arson to conscience violations and parental rights abuses.
Who's committing these offenses? Radical Muslims lead the way, followed by radical left-wing ideologues. No demographic group is more wary of exercising their religious rights than Catholic priests. This is due in no small way to left-wing media portrayals of them. In fact, in the OIDAC survey, 90 percent of respondents said they perceive a consistent media bias against Catholic priests and bishops. Regrettably, 81 percent of priests said they did not report anti-Catholic incidents to the authorities.
It is not radical Muslims who are stocking the command centers in Europe. No, it is radical secularists. To be exact, it is the political and cultural elites who are drunk on secular extremism, and it is they who are the masters of "polite persecution." Here are some examples.
* In France, a Catholic media outlet was fined for reporting that abortion was a "cause of death"
* In Scotland, a Christian midwifery student was suspended from her school after she shared her conscientious objection to abortion in a private Facebook forum
* Scotland has become so extreme that it is warning Christians about restrictions in their homes. If their pro-life activities can be seen or heard from outside, they risk violating the law
* In England, an army veteran was found guilty for silently praying within a designated "buffer zone," 50 meters from an abortion clinic. He did not speak or engage with anyone
* In Spain, over 20 persons have faced prosecution since 2022 for peacefully praying near abortion clinics
* In Spain, a Christian father who took his child to church, over the objections of the child's secular mother, was told to stop. He was also told he had no right to read the Bible to his child
* In the Netherlands, Christians have been detained for peacefully distributing pro-life literature outside abortion clinics
* In Finland, a court convicted an elderly Christian couple of "assault" after they prayed with a man about his struggles with sexuality
* In Germany, a crucifix was removed from a state secondary school because he was declared "compulsory, recurring, and unavoidable"
* In Italy, the town mayor of Manduria banned all "on-foot" funeral processions, including traditional funeral bands
These are examples of "soft totalitarianism." It differs from the classic "hard totalitarianism" of Hitler, Stalin and Mao--who murdered tens of millions of their own people--by concentrating more on thought control.
There are examples of "soft totalitarianism" in the United States, as well, but on this score, the Europeans win first prize.
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Original text here: https://www.catholicleague.org/two-faces-of-christian-persecution/
[Category: Sociological]
COA Statement on the Visit of Mexico's President and Canada's Prime Minister to Washington
NEW YORK, Dec. 5 -- The Americas Society/Council of the Americas issued the following news release:
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COA Statement on the Visit of Mexico's President and Canada's Prime Minister to Washington
Hosting the World Cup alongside the review process of the USMCA in 2026 offers a unique chance for the North American neighbors to reinforce economic ties.
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Council of the Americas (COA), a business organization committed to the social and economic development of the Western Hemisphere, welcomes the visit of Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney to Washington,
... Show Full Article
NEW YORK, Dec. 5 -- The Americas Society/Council of the Americas issued the following news release:
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COA Statement on the Visit of Mexico's President and Canada's Prime Minister to Washington
Hosting the World Cup alongside the review process of the USMCA in 2026 offers a unique chance for the North American neighbors to reinforce economic ties.
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Council of the Americas (COA), a business organization committed to the social and economic development of the Western Hemisphere, welcomes the visit of Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney to Washington,DC, to attend the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final Draw, which will be co-hosted by Mexico, the United States, and Canada. U.S. President Donald Trump has also confirmed his attendance.
Hosting the World Cup alongside the review process of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) in 2026 offers a unique opportunity for the three countries to showcase the strength of their partnership and reinforce the economic ties that benefit all three nations.
Over the past 30 years, a strong and integrated North America has generated shared growth and prosperity for the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The upcoming World Cup and the first mandatory review of the USMCA underscore the need for a renewed commitment to deepening regional integration, strengthening supply chains, and enhancing the competitiveness of the North American platform in an increasingly complex global landscape.
"This moment symbolizes the future we can build together," said Susan Segal, president and CEO of the Council of the Americas. "The World Cup can serve as a powerful symbol of North American cooperation, demonstrating how the three countries can work effectively as a team to foster innovation and shared prosperity."
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Original text here: https://www.as-coa.org/articles/coa-statement-visit-mexicos-president-and-canadas-prime-minister-washington
[Category: Sociological]
