Public Policy & NGOs
Here's a look at documents from public policy and non-governmental organizations
Public Policy & NGOs
Featured Stories
FFI Demands Citizenship for TPS Holders and Opening of Asylum to All Following SCOTUS Rulings
COVINA, California, July 5 -- Freedom for Immigrants, a nonprofit that monitors human rights abuses faced by immigrants, issued the following news release:
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FFI Demands Citizenship for TPS Holders and Opening of Asylum to All Following SCOTUS Rulings
The far-right Supreme Court is jeopardizing millions of lives and families. It's past time Congress delivers Citizenship for All.
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WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Following a series of Supreme Court rulings that affirm birthright citizenship but allow the Trump administration to terminate TPS (Temporary Protected Status) for Haitians and Syrians and ... Show Full Article COVINA, California, July 5 -- Freedom for Immigrants, a nonprofit that monitors human rights abuses faced by immigrants, issued the following news release: * * * FFI Demands Citizenship for TPS Holders and Opening of Asylum to All Following SCOTUS Rulings The far-right Supreme Court is jeopardizing millions of lives and families. It's past time Congress delivers Citizenship for All. - WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Following a series of Supreme Court rulings that affirm birthright citizenship but allow the Trump administration to terminate TPS (Temporary Protected Status) for Haitians and Syrians anddeny migrants their right to seek asylum, Laura Hernandez, executive director of Freedom for Immigrants, issued the following statement.
"The extremist Supreme Court continues to remove the guardrails and enable the Trump administration to advance its authoritarian power grab. While the court's lukewarm affirmation of birthright citizenship is a welcome reprieve, the government now has the green light to pull the rug out from under TPS holders who have sought safety and dignity in the U.S. Many of the same families impacted by the positive birthright ruling will remain the target of immigration detention and deportation, two callous policies that separate families, wreck havoc on entire communities, and put people back into harm's way.
"The court's disastrous rulings on TPS and asylum are the byproducts of centuries of overtly racist and exclusionary policies that form the bedrock of U.S. immigration policy. Not advancing permanent protections and a pathway to citizenship is a bipartisan failure -- just as the profit-driven detention machine and deportation systems were expanded in bipartisan fashion for decades well before Trump took the reins.
"Make no mistake -- we see you SCOTUS, your ruling is a direct attack on our communities, and we will not soon forget it. We must firmly reject this legacy of anti-Blackness, criminalization, and mass incarceration and deportation. We demand permanent protections for Haitians, Syrians, and all TPS holders. Following the successful House passage of Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley's discharge petition, we demand the Senate pass the bill to preserve and extend TPS for Haitians. This critical legislation is only the first step in undoing the damage done and defending our values of justice, dignity, and family unity for all of us."
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Freedom for Immigrants is an abolitionist organization working to end immigration incarceration by organizing with and following the leadership of currently and formerly incarcerated immigrants. We're building a future in which all people can move freely and thrive. Learn more at www.freedomforimmigrants.org/.
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Original text here: https://www.freedomforimmigrants.org/news-and-updates/statement-on-scotus-rulings-june-2026
[Category: International]
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FFI Demands Citizenship for TPS Holders and Opening of Asylum to All Following SCOTUS Rulings
The far-right Supreme Court is jeopardizing millions of lives and families. It's past time Congress delivers Citizenship for All.
-
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Following a series of Supreme Court rulings that affirm birthright citizenship but allow the Trump administration to terminate TPS (Temporary Protected Status) for Haitians and Syrians and ... Show Full Article COVINA, California, July 5 -- Freedom for Immigrants, a nonprofit that monitors human rights abuses faced by immigrants, issued the following news release: * * * FFI Demands Citizenship for TPS Holders and Opening of Asylum to All Following SCOTUS Rulings The far-right Supreme Court is jeopardizing millions of lives and families. It's past time Congress delivers Citizenship for All. - WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Following a series of Supreme Court rulings that affirm birthright citizenship but allow the Trump administration to terminate TPS (Temporary Protected Status) for Haitians and Syrians anddeny migrants their right to seek asylum, Laura Hernandez, executive director of Freedom for Immigrants, issued the following statement.
"The extremist Supreme Court continues to remove the guardrails and enable the Trump administration to advance its authoritarian power grab. While the court's lukewarm affirmation of birthright citizenship is a welcome reprieve, the government now has the green light to pull the rug out from under TPS holders who have sought safety and dignity in the U.S. Many of the same families impacted by the positive birthright ruling will remain the target of immigration detention and deportation, two callous policies that separate families, wreck havoc on entire communities, and put people back into harm's way.
"The court's disastrous rulings on TPS and asylum are the byproducts of centuries of overtly racist and exclusionary policies that form the bedrock of U.S. immigration policy. Not advancing permanent protections and a pathway to citizenship is a bipartisan failure -- just as the profit-driven detention machine and deportation systems were expanded in bipartisan fashion for decades well before Trump took the reins.
"Make no mistake -- we see you SCOTUS, your ruling is a direct attack on our communities, and we will not soon forget it. We must firmly reject this legacy of anti-Blackness, criminalization, and mass incarceration and deportation. We demand permanent protections for Haitians, Syrians, and all TPS holders. Following the successful House passage of Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley's discharge petition, we demand the Senate pass the bill to preserve and extend TPS for Haitians. This critical legislation is only the first step in undoing the damage done and defending our values of justice, dignity, and family unity for all of us."
* * *
Freedom for Immigrants is an abolitionist organization working to end immigration incarceration by organizing with and following the leadership of currently and formerly incarcerated immigrants. We're building a future in which all people can move freely and thrive. Learn more at www.freedomforimmigrants.org/.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.freedomforimmigrants.org/news-and-updates/statement-on-scotus-rulings-june-2026
[Category: International]
Lebanon/Israel: Framework Agreement Betrays Victims of War Crimes in Lebanon
NEW YORK, July 3 [Category: International] -- Human Rights Watch issued the following news:
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Lebanon/Israel: Framework Agreement Betrays Victims of War Crimes in Lebanon
*
(Beirut) - The Israel-Lebanon framework agreement signed in Washington on June 26, 2026, threatens to betray war crimes victims in Lebanon, Human Rights Watch and five human rights and press freedom organizations said today. Parts of the text appear to be aimed at preventing victims of serious international crimes from seeking justice before international forums. Others seem to acquiesce to the prolonged and indefinite ... Show Full Article NEW YORK, July 3 [Category: International] -- Human Rights Watch issued the following news: * * * Lebanon/Israel: Framework Agreement Betrays Victims of War Crimes in Lebanon * (Beirut) - The Israel-Lebanon framework agreement signed in Washington on June 26, 2026, threatens to betray war crimes victims in Lebanon, Human Rights Watch and five human rights and press freedom organizations said today. Parts of the text appear to be aimed at preventing victims of serious international crimes from seeking justice before international forums. Others seem to acquiesce to the prolonged and indefiniteforced displacement of tens of thousands of residents of vast swathes of southern Lebanon occupied by Israeli forces.
The agreement comes following months of hostilities resulting in immense civilian harm, including as a result of war crimes, violations of international humanitarian law, and gross human rights abuses. Yet, Clause 13 of the agreement commits the governments of Israel and Lebanon to the cessation of "all hostile or adverse actions in international political or legal fora."
To the extent that this agreement is interpreted to prevent Lebanon and Israel from having recourse to international courts, including the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ), it would contradict the countries' international legal obligations to pursue accountability for serious international crimes committed on their territories. The agreement does not appear to commit Israel to halt any initiatives in international forums against Hezbollah.
Clause 3 further violates international law and the prohibition of forced displacement, conditioning the return of residents to specified zones along the border, currently occupied by Israel, to the "successful disarmament of non-state armed groups and dismantlement of their infrastructure." Under international humanitarian law, people must be allowed to return once hostilities have ended or the reasons for their displacement cease to exist.
"Time and time again, we have seen civilians in Lebanon pay the price for successive cycles of conflict and serious violations and crimes under international law with no accountability," said Agnes Callamard, secretary general of Amnesty International. "Victims of war crimes and other violations deserve justice. Any agreement that fails to center their rights to justice, accountability, and reparations will falter underneath the very impunity it builds. The past few years have made it abundantly clear: rampant impunity comes at a cost to us all. States that claim to uphold the international legal order must speak out: justice, reparation, and respect for international law in Lebanon and beyond are nonnegotiable."
Since 2023, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Legal Agenda, the Lebanese Center for Human Rights (CLDH), the Union of Journalists in Lebanon, and other rights groups have documented the Israeli military's repeated violations of the laws of war and apparent war crimes in Lebanon. They include apparent direct attacks on civilian objects and civilians, indiscriminate attacks and other unlawful attacks that have killed medical personnel, journalists, and entire families; and the unlawful use of white phosphorus, which causes horrific burns, over residential areas.
Amnesty International found in a recent report that the Israeli military has forcibly displaced tens of thousands of Lebanese civilians, committing the war crime of unlawful transfer, while continuing the extensive destruction of civilian property and infrastructure it began in 2024 across southern Lebanon. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have also documented Hezbollah's firing of unguided rockets at northern Israel, which have unlawfully killed and injured civilians.
Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Reporters Without Borders, Legal Agenda, CLDH, and other Lebanese and international rights and media groups, have repeatedly called for investigations into, accountability, and reparation for international law violations committed during the ongoing hostilities. In a February 2026 open letter to Lebanon's deputy prime minister and justice minister, the groups highlighted the urgent need for decisive action from Lebanon's government to ensure justice, accountability, and reparations for victims of serious violations of international humanitarian law committed in Lebanon, including seeking accountability at international legal forums.
"It is imperative that Lebanon promptly provides the ICC with the jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute such crimes," said Wadih Al Asmar, president of CLDH. "Any delay amounts to tolerance of impunity and further injustice for victims."
The groups called on the authorities to accede to the ICC's Rome Statute and file a declaration with the ICC, accepting the court's jurisdiction under article 12(3) of the Rome Statute, to investigate and prosecute crimes under international law committed on Lebanese territory since at least October 2023, and support the establishment of prompt, thorough, independent, and impartial domestic judicial investigations into war crimes committed on Lebanese territory. Lebanon's parliament should put into place a legal framework for these efforts by adopting, without delay, a law criminalizing war crimes and other acts that are crimes under international law, in line with international standards.
In March, hostilities escalated again, as did serious international law violations. A UN Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights' (OHCHR) assessment team is already deployed in Lebanon, documenting violations of international humanitarian law and human rights violations and abuses committed since March 2, at the request of Lebanese authorities.
Under OHCHR's terms of reference, to which Lebanese authorities agreed, the UN team would "examine options for accountability that may be available" and "safely document, preserve and secure all information collected together, with a view to enhancing its use in future accountability processes."
Victims of serious international law violations, as well as their family members and loved ones, have demanded justice.
"Not only does this agreement risk further entrenching impunity, but it includes a clause that signals that political expediency outweighs the fundamental rights of those who have suffered atrocious violations," said Lama Fakih, program director at Human Rights Watch. "It risks denying justice to victims at a time when mounting evidence points to repeated unlawful Israeli attacks causing extensive civilian harm and widespread destruction."
Since October 8, 2023, more than 8,700 people, including at least 569 children and 357 medical workers, have been killed in Lebanon, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry. Israeli forces have also repeatedly targeted and killed identifiable journalists covering the war, according to Reporters Without Borders. Hezbollah attacks have killed at least 32 civilians since October 2023, according to Israeli media.
Hundreds of thousands of people remain displaced in Lebanon following displacement orders issued by the Israeli military, which has also occupied nearly 600 square kilometers of Lebanon's border villages, prohibiting residents from returning.
While the agreement notes that both Israel and Lebanon recognize the importance of "the safe return of [southern Lebanon's] civilian population," it effectively consents to the prolonged and indefinite displacement of tens of thousands of residents of southern Lebanon by making their return, as well as reconstruction, contingent on conditions subject to "confirmation". The agreement makes no mention of justice or reparation for victims of serious international humanitarian law violations, such as those subjected to unlawful transfer and those whose homes and agricultural lands have been unlawfully destroyed.
"The Lebanese government has conceded a right that is not its right: the right of the victims to pursue and hold the perpetrators accountable," said Elsy Moufarrej, president of the Union of Journalists in Lebanon. "This is the right of the people who lost their loved ones, whose homes and memories were destroyed. This is the right of those who performed their duties despite the dangers, like journalists and emergency medical workers."
The Lebanese and Israeli governments should not implement the agreement in a way that overlooks the rights of victims and survivors and should make clear that the agreement, including clauses 3 and 13, does not override the two government's international legal obligations, the groups said.
Governments, including those that have previously supported accountability for crimes under international law committed in Lebanon, should make clear that their support for a political settlement does not extend to provisions that foreclose the possibility of justice, reparation and return of the displaced, the groups said.
"Accountability and respect for international law are not bargaining chips," said Ghida Frangieh, head of litigation at Legal Agenda, "They are legal obligations. International law is clear: States cannot waive or negotiate away their obligation to investigate and prosecute the most serious crimes of concern to the international community as a whole. Nor can states extinguish individual rights to truth, justice, and reparation.
"Lebanese authorities should urgently take concrete steps to uphold their obligations under international law by pursuing every possible path to accountability, including granting jurisdiction to the ICC and pursuing reparation for international law violations. And they must secure the right of the displaced to return to their homes. There cannot be peace without justice."
List of signatories:
* Amnesty International
* Human Rights Watch
* Lebanese Center for Human Rights (CLDH)
* Legal Agenda
* Reporters Without Borders
* Union of Journalists in Lebanon
***
Original text here: https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/07/03/lebanon/israel-framework-agreement-betrays-victims-of-war-crimes-in-lebanon
* * *
Lebanon/Israel: Framework Agreement Betrays Victims of War Crimes in Lebanon
*
(Beirut) - The Israel-Lebanon framework agreement signed in Washington on June 26, 2026, threatens to betray war crimes victims in Lebanon, Human Rights Watch and five human rights and press freedom organizations said today. Parts of the text appear to be aimed at preventing victims of serious international crimes from seeking justice before international forums. Others seem to acquiesce to the prolonged and indefinite ... Show Full Article NEW YORK, July 3 [Category: International] -- Human Rights Watch issued the following news: * * * Lebanon/Israel: Framework Agreement Betrays Victims of War Crimes in Lebanon * (Beirut) - The Israel-Lebanon framework agreement signed in Washington on June 26, 2026, threatens to betray war crimes victims in Lebanon, Human Rights Watch and five human rights and press freedom organizations said today. Parts of the text appear to be aimed at preventing victims of serious international crimes from seeking justice before international forums. Others seem to acquiesce to the prolonged and indefiniteforced displacement of tens of thousands of residents of vast swathes of southern Lebanon occupied by Israeli forces.
The agreement comes following months of hostilities resulting in immense civilian harm, including as a result of war crimes, violations of international humanitarian law, and gross human rights abuses. Yet, Clause 13 of the agreement commits the governments of Israel and Lebanon to the cessation of "all hostile or adverse actions in international political or legal fora."
To the extent that this agreement is interpreted to prevent Lebanon and Israel from having recourse to international courts, including the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ), it would contradict the countries' international legal obligations to pursue accountability for serious international crimes committed on their territories. The agreement does not appear to commit Israel to halt any initiatives in international forums against Hezbollah.
Clause 3 further violates international law and the prohibition of forced displacement, conditioning the return of residents to specified zones along the border, currently occupied by Israel, to the "successful disarmament of non-state armed groups and dismantlement of their infrastructure." Under international humanitarian law, people must be allowed to return once hostilities have ended or the reasons for their displacement cease to exist.
"Time and time again, we have seen civilians in Lebanon pay the price for successive cycles of conflict and serious violations and crimes under international law with no accountability," said Agnes Callamard, secretary general of Amnesty International. "Victims of war crimes and other violations deserve justice. Any agreement that fails to center their rights to justice, accountability, and reparations will falter underneath the very impunity it builds. The past few years have made it abundantly clear: rampant impunity comes at a cost to us all. States that claim to uphold the international legal order must speak out: justice, reparation, and respect for international law in Lebanon and beyond are nonnegotiable."
Since 2023, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Legal Agenda, the Lebanese Center for Human Rights (CLDH), the Union of Journalists in Lebanon, and other rights groups have documented the Israeli military's repeated violations of the laws of war and apparent war crimes in Lebanon. They include apparent direct attacks on civilian objects and civilians, indiscriminate attacks and other unlawful attacks that have killed medical personnel, journalists, and entire families; and the unlawful use of white phosphorus, which causes horrific burns, over residential areas.
Amnesty International found in a recent report that the Israeli military has forcibly displaced tens of thousands of Lebanese civilians, committing the war crime of unlawful transfer, while continuing the extensive destruction of civilian property and infrastructure it began in 2024 across southern Lebanon. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have also documented Hezbollah's firing of unguided rockets at northern Israel, which have unlawfully killed and injured civilians.
Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Reporters Without Borders, Legal Agenda, CLDH, and other Lebanese and international rights and media groups, have repeatedly called for investigations into, accountability, and reparation for international law violations committed during the ongoing hostilities. In a February 2026 open letter to Lebanon's deputy prime minister and justice minister, the groups highlighted the urgent need for decisive action from Lebanon's government to ensure justice, accountability, and reparations for victims of serious violations of international humanitarian law committed in Lebanon, including seeking accountability at international legal forums.
"It is imperative that Lebanon promptly provides the ICC with the jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute such crimes," said Wadih Al Asmar, president of CLDH. "Any delay amounts to tolerance of impunity and further injustice for victims."
The groups called on the authorities to accede to the ICC's Rome Statute and file a declaration with the ICC, accepting the court's jurisdiction under article 12(3) of the Rome Statute, to investigate and prosecute crimes under international law committed on Lebanese territory since at least October 2023, and support the establishment of prompt, thorough, independent, and impartial domestic judicial investigations into war crimes committed on Lebanese territory. Lebanon's parliament should put into place a legal framework for these efforts by adopting, without delay, a law criminalizing war crimes and other acts that are crimes under international law, in line with international standards.
In March, hostilities escalated again, as did serious international law violations. A UN Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights' (OHCHR) assessment team is already deployed in Lebanon, documenting violations of international humanitarian law and human rights violations and abuses committed since March 2, at the request of Lebanese authorities.
Under OHCHR's terms of reference, to which Lebanese authorities agreed, the UN team would "examine options for accountability that may be available" and "safely document, preserve and secure all information collected together, with a view to enhancing its use in future accountability processes."
Victims of serious international law violations, as well as their family members and loved ones, have demanded justice.
"Not only does this agreement risk further entrenching impunity, but it includes a clause that signals that political expediency outweighs the fundamental rights of those who have suffered atrocious violations," said Lama Fakih, program director at Human Rights Watch. "It risks denying justice to victims at a time when mounting evidence points to repeated unlawful Israeli attacks causing extensive civilian harm and widespread destruction."
Since October 8, 2023, more than 8,700 people, including at least 569 children and 357 medical workers, have been killed in Lebanon, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry. Israeli forces have also repeatedly targeted and killed identifiable journalists covering the war, according to Reporters Without Borders. Hezbollah attacks have killed at least 32 civilians since October 2023, according to Israeli media.
Hundreds of thousands of people remain displaced in Lebanon following displacement orders issued by the Israeli military, which has also occupied nearly 600 square kilometers of Lebanon's border villages, prohibiting residents from returning.
While the agreement notes that both Israel and Lebanon recognize the importance of "the safe return of [southern Lebanon's] civilian population," it effectively consents to the prolonged and indefinite displacement of tens of thousands of residents of southern Lebanon by making their return, as well as reconstruction, contingent on conditions subject to "confirmation". The agreement makes no mention of justice or reparation for victims of serious international humanitarian law violations, such as those subjected to unlawful transfer and those whose homes and agricultural lands have been unlawfully destroyed.
"The Lebanese government has conceded a right that is not its right: the right of the victims to pursue and hold the perpetrators accountable," said Elsy Moufarrej, president of the Union of Journalists in Lebanon. "This is the right of the people who lost their loved ones, whose homes and memories were destroyed. This is the right of those who performed their duties despite the dangers, like journalists and emergency medical workers."
The Lebanese and Israeli governments should not implement the agreement in a way that overlooks the rights of victims and survivors and should make clear that the agreement, including clauses 3 and 13, does not override the two government's international legal obligations, the groups said.
Governments, including those that have previously supported accountability for crimes under international law committed in Lebanon, should make clear that their support for a political settlement does not extend to provisions that foreclose the possibility of justice, reparation and return of the displaced, the groups said.
"Accountability and respect for international law are not bargaining chips," said Ghida Frangieh, head of litigation at Legal Agenda, "They are legal obligations. International law is clear: States cannot waive or negotiate away their obligation to investigate and prosecute the most serious crimes of concern to the international community as a whole. Nor can states extinguish individual rights to truth, justice, and reparation.
"Lebanese authorities should urgently take concrete steps to uphold their obligations under international law by pursuing every possible path to accountability, including granting jurisdiction to the ICC and pursuing reparation for international law violations. And they must secure the right of the displaced to return to their homes. There cannot be peace without justice."
List of signatories:
* Amnesty International
* Human Rights Watch
* Lebanese Center for Human Rights (CLDH)
* Legal Agenda
* Reporters Without Borders
* Union of Journalists in Lebanon
***
Original text here: https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/07/03/lebanon/israel-framework-agreement-betrays-victims-of-war-crimes-in-lebanon
Latest Florida Chamber Statewide Poll Shows Floridians Taking Pride in Being American as Our Nation Celebrates Its 250th Anniversary
TALLAHASSEE, Florida, July 3 (TNSxrep) -- The Florida Chamber of Commerce issued the following news:
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Latest Florida Chamber Statewide Poll Shows Floridians Taking Pride in Being American as Our Nation Celebrates Its 250th Anniversary
Voters also overwhelmingly proud of America's achievements through history.
-
As America prepares to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the latest Florida Chamber of Commerce statewide poll shows the majority of Floridians remain very proud of America and her history.
The Florida Chamber asked likely voters ... Show Full Article TALLAHASSEE, Florida, July 3 (TNSxrep) -- The Florida Chamber of Commerce issued the following news: * * * Latest Florida Chamber Statewide Poll Shows Floridians Taking Pride in Being American as Our Nation Celebrates Its 250th Anniversary Voters also overwhelmingly proud of America's achievements through history. - As America prepares to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the latest Florida Chamber of Commerce statewide poll shows the majority of Floridians remain very proud of America and her history. The Florida Chamber asked likely votersacross Florida how proud they are to be American in the run-up to the 250th anniversary of America declaring independence. Nearly two-thirds of those polled, 64 percent, stated they are very proud to be an American, while an additional 12 percent said they were somewhat proud. Only 12 percent of Florida voters polled indicated they were not at all proud of being American.
"Two hundred and fifty years ago, the Founding Fathers set America on a course that has shaped the world ever since," said Mark Wilson, President and CEO of the Florida Chamber of Commerce. "As America celebrates this milestone anniversary, the Florida Chamber celebrates and takes pride in our nation, in Florida's national leadership, and in the entrepreneurial spirit that defines America to this day."
In line with recent national polling on related questions, the Florida Chamber's poll found a partisan divide in how voters view being an American. An overwhelming 89 percent majority of registered Republicans polled said they were very proud to be American, compared to 34 percent of Democrats and 58 percent of No Party Affiliation (NPA) voters who were very proud. A similar partisan divide exists on the opposite side of the response spectrum: 25 percent of Democrats polled responded they were not at all proud of being an American, while just 2 percent of Republicans and 12 percent of NPA voters gave that response.
A smaller but still notable divide was seen based upon age. Among Florida voters under 40 years of age, just 42 percent stated they were very proud of being an American, compared with 71 percent of voters over the age of 60 who were very proud when surveyed. One demographic basis that did not impact a Floridian's pride in being American was by gender: 66 percent of men and 63 percent of women polled were very proud of being an American, a difference within the margin of error.
Floridians Proud of American History in General
The Florida Chamber also polled voters' views of American history. When asked to give an indication of how, in general, Americans should view our nation's history, nearly three-quarters (74%) of voters said Americans should be proud of the nation's history, compared with just 12 percent who indicated a general feeling of being ashamed.
As with polling on voters' personal views of being American, partisan and age divides were seen. 91 percent of Republicans polled said Americans should be generally proud of America's history, forty points higher than the 51 percent of Democrats who said the same, with 71 percent of NPA voters who saw American history as a source of pride. By age, just over half (54%) of voters under 40 said Americans should be proud of our history, against 76 percent of Florida voters over 40 who shared this response.
* * *
ABOUT THIS POLL: The Florida Chamber of Commerce political poll was conducted on May 1 - 9, 2026, by Cherry Communications during live telephone interviews of likely voters and has a margin of error of +/- 4 percent. The sample size included 203 Democrats, 274 Republicans and 127 Others for a total of 604 respondents statewide.
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Original text here: https://www.flchamber.com/latest-florida-chamber-statewide-poll-shows-floridians-taking-pride-in-being-american-as-our-nation-celebrates-its-250th-anniversary/
[Category: Business]
* * *
Latest Florida Chamber Statewide Poll Shows Floridians Taking Pride in Being American as Our Nation Celebrates Its 250th Anniversary
Voters also overwhelmingly proud of America's achievements through history.
-
As America prepares to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the latest Florida Chamber of Commerce statewide poll shows the majority of Floridians remain very proud of America and her history.
The Florida Chamber asked likely voters ... Show Full Article TALLAHASSEE, Florida, July 3 (TNSxrep) -- The Florida Chamber of Commerce issued the following news: * * * Latest Florida Chamber Statewide Poll Shows Floridians Taking Pride in Being American as Our Nation Celebrates Its 250th Anniversary Voters also overwhelmingly proud of America's achievements through history. - As America prepares to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the latest Florida Chamber of Commerce statewide poll shows the majority of Floridians remain very proud of America and her history. The Florida Chamber asked likely votersacross Florida how proud they are to be American in the run-up to the 250th anniversary of America declaring independence. Nearly two-thirds of those polled, 64 percent, stated they are very proud to be an American, while an additional 12 percent said they were somewhat proud. Only 12 percent of Florida voters polled indicated they were not at all proud of being American.
"Two hundred and fifty years ago, the Founding Fathers set America on a course that has shaped the world ever since," said Mark Wilson, President and CEO of the Florida Chamber of Commerce. "As America celebrates this milestone anniversary, the Florida Chamber celebrates and takes pride in our nation, in Florida's national leadership, and in the entrepreneurial spirit that defines America to this day."
In line with recent national polling on related questions, the Florida Chamber's poll found a partisan divide in how voters view being an American. An overwhelming 89 percent majority of registered Republicans polled said they were very proud to be American, compared to 34 percent of Democrats and 58 percent of No Party Affiliation (NPA) voters who were very proud. A similar partisan divide exists on the opposite side of the response spectrum: 25 percent of Democrats polled responded they were not at all proud of being an American, while just 2 percent of Republicans and 12 percent of NPA voters gave that response.
A smaller but still notable divide was seen based upon age. Among Florida voters under 40 years of age, just 42 percent stated they were very proud of being an American, compared with 71 percent of voters over the age of 60 who were very proud when surveyed. One demographic basis that did not impact a Floridian's pride in being American was by gender: 66 percent of men and 63 percent of women polled were very proud of being an American, a difference within the margin of error.
Floridians Proud of American History in General
The Florida Chamber also polled voters' views of American history. When asked to give an indication of how, in general, Americans should view our nation's history, nearly three-quarters (74%) of voters said Americans should be proud of the nation's history, compared with just 12 percent who indicated a general feeling of being ashamed.
As with polling on voters' personal views of being American, partisan and age divides were seen. 91 percent of Republicans polled said Americans should be generally proud of America's history, forty points higher than the 51 percent of Democrats who said the same, with 71 percent of NPA voters who saw American history as a source of pride. By age, just over half (54%) of voters under 40 said Americans should be proud of our history, against 76 percent of Florida voters over 40 who shared this response.
* * *
ABOUT THIS POLL: The Florida Chamber of Commerce political poll was conducted on May 1 - 9, 2026, by Cherry Communications during live telephone interviews of likely voters and has a margin of error of +/- 4 percent. The sample size included 203 Democrats, 274 Republicans and 127 Others for a total of 604 respondents statewide.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.flchamber.com/latest-florida-chamber-statewide-poll-shows-floridians-taking-pride-in-being-american-as-our-nation-celebrates-its-250th-anniversary/
[Category: Business]
GAZA: After 1,000 Days of War, Gaza's Children Dream of Home and a Better Future
WESTPORT, Connecticut, July 3 -- Save the Children, an organization that says it is giving children a healthy start in life, opportunity to learn and protection from harm, posted the following news release:
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GAZA: After 1,000 Days of War, Gaza's Children Dream of Home and a Better Future
GAZA - After 1,000 days of war, children in Gaza have lost homes, schools and a sense of safety, but many have told Save the Children that they have not lost hope for the future.
At least 21,000 children are confirmed to have been killed by the Israeli forces since the start of the war in October 2023, ... Show Full Article WESTPORT, Connecticut, July 3 -- Save the Children, an organization that says it is giving children a healthy start in life, opportunity to learn and protection from harm, posted the following news release: * * * GAZA: After 1,000 Days of War, Gaza's Children Dream of Home and a Better Future GAZA - After 1,000 days of war, children in Gaza have lost homes, schools and a sense of safety, but many have told Save the Children that they have not lost hope for the future. At least 21,000 children are confirmed to have been killed by the Israeli forces since the start of the war in October 2023,with an additional unknown number of children buried under rubble. Over 800,000 children - the vast majority of children in Gaza - are displaced, and it's estimated that more than 7,000 are separated from family.
The conflict began with the atrocities committed in Israel on October 7, 2023. The deadly violence included the abduction of children and adults as hostages. One thousand days later, the definitive ceasefire that would truly protect children remains unrealized
The ongoing violence continues to terrify children, with the United Nations Population Fund reporting that 96% of children in Gaza feel that death is imminent.
In personal testimonies, children supported by Save the Children said that they wanted people to hear their stories of how the war was impacting them and realize that they wanted to be treated like any other child - with a home, an education, and a safe future.
"We could die at any moment. I hope the war stops for us," Amani*, a 14-year-old Palestinian girl, said. "I hope the war stops so that I can continue my education in Gaza and live my rights as a human like any girl in other countries. I would like to live with love, peace, and an easy life. There are many children in Gaza whose voices are not heard."
Bisan*, 14, said: "My wish is for the war to stop, for every one of us to return to their home, and for our lives to return to how they were."
Reem*, 16, told Save the Children that she had many dreams for her future and would not give those up, wanting to fulfil her mother's dream of becoming a doctor.
"The most important thing is for my voice and others to reach everyone, so people know what we're going through. I have many, many dreams. Even before the war I always dreamed of traveling and studying abroad. That hasn't changed. I still hold onto that dream. l will travel and continue my education."
Food insecurity is also ravaging children in Gaza, with an estimated 245,000 children in Gaza at risk of or affected by malnutrition. The flow of humanitarian aid remains limited, food prices are unaffordable for most families, and available food lacks proper nutrition.
Ahlam*, 36, a mother of twins suffering from malnutrition, says: "The children need food, but I have nothing. I do not have the money to buy them anything. Since January, I have been looking for food for them. They are in pain from time to time. They are not growing normally."
Since the declaration of a ceasefire last October, more than 265 children have been reported killed by the Israeli forces. Recently, an eight-year-old boy was reported killed when an Israeli drone hit tents sheltering displaced people in Deir el -Balah in central Gaza. A 13-year-old girl was killed by shrapnel from Israeli tank shelling at the weekend in southern Gaza. Last month 18-year-old Raghad Ashour was killed by an Israeli strike on her way to take her high school exams.
Palestinians are being pushed inside less than 40% of Gaza's territory behind the "Yellow Line". The "Yellow Line" has also reportedly shifted, expanding the area under Israeli military control and further shrinking the space available to Palestinian families.
Save the Children's Regional Director for the Middle East, North Africa, and Eastern Europe, Ahmad Ahendawi, said:
"Every day for the past 1,000 days, the world has failed one million children in Gaza by not intervening to stop the killing and maiming of children.
"As their young fragile bodies were blown to bits and pieces by bombs and missiles, the world sold those same weapons to the Government of Israel. As children died from hunger and disease, the Government of Israel failed to live up to its legal obligations to provide humanitarian access, including sufficient nutritious food into Gaza, and the world continued trade agreements with the Government of Israel.
"Even nine months since a 'ceasefire' when over 275 children have been killed by the Israeli forces, the world continues to ignore the voices and needs of children as they simply demand that they be treated like any other child in the world."
Save the Children is calling for the "ceasefire" agreement to become an immediate and definitive ceasefire as the first step to save lives and end grave violations of children's rights. There must be full accountability for crimes against children. Those responsible must be investigated and held to account, to break the cycle of impunity and prevent further harm.
Save the Children is calling on governments to immediately suspend the transfer of arms to Israel and ensure that they do not support or sustain unlawful practices in the occupied Palestinian territory. Member States must also ban trade, economic cooperation and services that maintain or support illegal Israeli settlements, in line with the International Court of Justice's 2024 Advisory Opinion. This would represent a necessary step to end the systematic violation of Palestinian children's fundamental rights.
*Names changed to protect identity
* * *
Notes:
1. Save the Children has worked in the occupied Palestinian territory since 1953, with a permanent presence since 1973. We work with partners to help provide quality education, protection for children, early childhood development support, and employment opportunities for young people.
Together with our partners, Save the Children helped nearly 890,000 people in the oPt in 2025, including almost 430,000 children. As of May 2026, we have supported over 218,000 people, including over 107,000 children in Gaza, through our multisectoral programming.
We have been responding to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza directly and through our partnerships with local organizations. In Gaza, we're currently, running two health clinics, 15 nutrition points, water and sanitation services (8 hygiene promotion sites, 59 water trucking sites, 49 sanitation facilities, and 39 solid waste management points), child protection programs including mental health support and case management at 21 sites, education in 63 temporary learning spaces, and cash transfer programs to support families whose livelihoods have been decimated.
2. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) expected to be published in early July will provide more details about the malnutrition crisis facing children in Gaza.
3. According to UNOCHA, the occupied Palestinian territory flash appeal is only 12-24% funded against a minimum need of $2 billion. Humanitarian donors must urgently scale up their funding to the response to meet the needs of children and families in Gaza.
* * *
Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. Since our founding more than 100 years ago, we've been advocating for the rights of children worldwide. In the United States and around the world, we give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. We do whatever it takes for children - every day and in times of crisis - transforming the future we share. Our results, financial statements and charity ratings reaffirm that Save the Children is a charity you can trust. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X and YouTube.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.savethechildren.org/us/about-us/media-and-news/2026-press-releases/gaza-children-dream-of-home-and-better-future
[Category: Sociological]
* * *
GAZA: After 1,000 Days of War, Gaza's Children Dream of Home and a Better Future
GAZA - After 1,000 days of war, children in Gaza have lost homes, schools and a sense of safety, but many have told Save the Children that they have not lost hope for the future.
At least 21,000 children are confirmed to have been killed by the Israeli forces since the start of the war in October 2023, ... Show Full Article WESTPORT, Connecticut, July 3 -- Save the Children, an organization that says it is giving children a healthy start in life, opportunity to learn and protection from harm, posted the following news release: * * * GAZA: After 1,000 Days of War, Gaza's Children Dream of Home and a Better Future GAZA - After 1,000 days of war, children in Gaza have lost homes, schools and a sense of safety, but many have told Save the Children that they have not lost hope for the future. At least 21,000 children are confirmed to have been killed by the Israeli forces since the start of the war in October 2023,with an additional unknown number of children buried under rubble. Over 800,000 children - the vast majority of children in Gaza - are displaced, and it's estimated that more than 7,000 are separated from family.
The conflict began with the atrocities committed in Israel on October 7, 2023. The deadly violence included the abduction of children and adults as hostages. One thousand days later, the definitive ceasefire that would truly protect children remains unrealized
The ongoing violence continues to terrify children, with the United Nations Population Fund reporting that 96% of children in Gaza feel that death is imminent.
In personal testimonies, children supported by Save the Children said that they wanted people to hear their stories of how the war was impacting them and realize that they wanted to be treated like any other child - with a home, an education, and a safe future.
"We could die at any moment. I hope the war stops for us," Amani*, a 14-year-old Palestinian girl, said. "I hope the war stops so that I can continue my education in Gaza and live my rights as a human like any girl in other countries. I would like to live with love, peace, and an easy life. There are many children in Gaza whose voices are not heard."
Bisan*, 14, said: "My wish is for the war to stop, for every one of us to return to their home, and for our lives to return to how they were."
Reem*, 16, told Save the Children that she had many dreams for her future and would not give those up, wanting to fulfil her mother's dream of becoming a doctor.
"The most important thing is for my voice and others to reach everyone, so people know what we're going through. I have many, many dreams. Even before the war I always dreamed of traveling and studying abroad. That hasn't changed. I still hold onto that dream. l will travel and continue my education."
Food insecurity is also ravaging children in Gaza, with an estimated 245,000 children in Gaza at risk of or affected by malnutrition. The flow of humanitarian aid remains limited, food prices are unaffordable for most families, and available food lacks proper nutrition.
Ahlam*, 36, a mother of twins suffering from malnutrition, says: "The children need food, but I have nothing. I do not have the money to buy them anything. Since January, I have been looking for food for them. They are in pain from time to time. They are not growing normally."
Since the declaration of a ceasefire last October, more than 265 children have been reported killed by the Israeli forces. Recently, an eight-year-old boy was reported killed when an Israeli drone hit tents sheltering displaced people in Deir el -Balah in central Gaza. A 13-year-old girl was killed by shrapnel from Israeli tank shelling at the weekend in southern Gaza. Last month 18-year-old Raghad Ashour was killed by an Israeli strike on her way to take her high school exams.
Palestinians are being pushed inside less than 40% of Gaza's territory behind the "Yellow Line". The "Yellow Line" has also reportedly shifted, expanding the area under Israeli military control and further shrinking the space available to Palestinian families.
Save the Children's Regional Director for the Middle East, North Africa, and Eastern Europe, Ahmad Ahendawi, said:
"Every day for the past 1,000 days, the world has failed one million children in Gaza by not intervening to stop the killing and maiming of children.
"As their young fragile bodies were blown to bits and pieces by bombs and missiles, the world sold those same weapons to the Government of Israel. As children died from hunger and disease, the Government of Israel failed to live up to its legal obligations to provide humanitarian access, including sufficient nutritious food into Gaza, and the world continued trade agreements with the Government of Israel.
"Even nine months since a 'ceasefire' when over 275 children have been killed by the Israeli forces, the world continues to ignore the voices and needs of children as they simply demand that they be treated like any other child in the world."
Save the Children is calling for the "ceasefire" agreement to become an immediate and definitive ceasefire as the first step to save lives and end grave violations of children's rights. There must be full accountability for crimes against children. Those responsible must be investigated and held to account, to break the cycle of impunity and prevent further harm.
Save the Children is calling on governments to immediately suspend the transfer of arms to Israel and ensure that they do not support or sustain unlawful practices in the occupied Palestinian territory. Member States must also ban trade, economic cooperation and services that maintain or support illegal Israeli settlements, in line with the International Court of Justice's 2024 Advisory Opinion. This would represent a necessary step to end the systematic violation of Palestinian children's fundamental rights.
*Names changed to protect identity
* * *
Notes:
1. Save the Children has worked in the occupied Palestinian territory since 1953, with a permanent presence since 1973. We work with partners to help provide quality education, protection for children, early childhood development support, and employment opportunities for young people.
Together with our partners, Save the Children helped nearly 890,000 people in the oPt in 2025, including almost 430,000 children. As of May 2026, we have supported over 218,000 people, including over 107,000 children in Gaza, through our multisectoral programming.
We have been responding to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza directly and through our partnerships with local organizations. In Gaza, we're currently, running two health clinics, 15 nutrition points, water and sanitation services (8 hygiene promotion sites, 59 water trucking sites, 49 sanitation facilities, and 39 solid waste management points), child protection programs including mental health support and case management at 21 sites, education in 63 temporary learning spaces, and cash transfer programs to support families whose livelihoods have been decimated.
2. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) expected to be published in early July will provide more details about the malnutrition crisis facing children in Gaza.
3. According to UNOCHA, the occupied Palestinian territory flash appeal is only 12-24% funded against a minimum need of $2 billion. Humanitarian donors must urgently scale up their funding to the response to meet the needs of children and families in Gaza.
* * *
Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. Since our founding more than 100 years ago, we've been advocating for the rights of children worldwide. In the United States and around the world, we give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. We do whatever it takes for children - every day and in times of crisis - transforming the future we share. Our results, financial statements and charity ratings reaffirm that Save the Children is a charity you can trust. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X and YouTube.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.savethechildren.org/us/about-us/media-and-news/2026-press-releases/gaza-children-dream-of-home-and-better-future
[Category: Sociological]
FREEDOM 250: Independent Women Celebrates America's Exceptionalism and Urges Americans to Defend Our Nation's Great Legacy
WASHINGTON, July 3 [Category: Political] -- The Independent Women's Forum posted issued the following news release:
* * *
FREEDOM 250: Independent Women Celebrates America's Exceptionalism and Urges Americans to Defend Our Nation's Great Legacy
*
As the United States celebrates Independence Day and the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Independent Women is inviting Americans to take part in its Freedom 250 campaign, a yearlong initiative to celebrate America's exceptionalism, honor the women who helped build the nation, inspire the next generation, and advance ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, July 3 [Category: Political] -- The Independent Women's Forum posted issued the following news release: * * * FREEDOM 250: Independent Women Celebrates America's Exceptionalism and Urges Americans to Defend Our Nation's Great Legacy * As the United States celebrates Independence Day and the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Independent Women is inviting Americans to take part in its Freedom 250 campaign, a yearlong initiative to celebrate America's exceptionalism, honor the women who helped build the nation, inspire the next generation, and advancethe enduring promise of self-determination.
Meaghan Mobbs, director of Independent Women's Center for American Safety and Security, said in a video for Independent Women's Freedom 250: Celebrating America's Exceptionalism campaign:
America has given women opportunities unprecedented in human history. Thanks to our founding and the liberty it protects, women have been able not just to succeed, but to flourish.
From the earliest women who fought for independence, to the suffragettes who insisted that the rights proclaimed in the Declaration belonged to them too, to the generations of women who built, defended, and strengthened our nation-for 250 years, American women have been the example for the rest of the world.
We must never lose sight of what an incredible inheritance this is. This freedom cannot be taken for granted. It must be protected. It must be fought for. This is our national inheritance. Preserving it-and expanding it-is our cause so that future generations of Americans will not only enjoy the freedoms we have today, but will live flourishing, abundant lives as truly free and independent women.
For 250 years, America has led the world, and, together, we will fight to ensure the next generation inherits an even stronger, freer, more perfect America.
WATCH VIDEO: Celebrating America's Exceptionalism: 250 Years of American Freedom-Now It's Our Turn to Protect It.
Freedom 250: Celebrating America's Exceptionalism is Independent Women's yearlong nationwide campaign celebrating America's semiquincentennial that invites Americans to reflect on the nation's founding ideals, honor the women who shaped its history, share their own stories, and step forward to shape what comes next. Through educational resources, patriotic merchandise, and opportunities to participate in the nation's 250th anniversary, Freedom 250 inspires civic engagement and love of country.
Ways to Get Involved in Independent Women's Freedom 250: Celebrating America's Exceptionalism :
* Submit a Video: Share why America is great through a short video, and be part of a growing collection of voices celebrating what makes this country exceptional.
* Join the Comment Drive: Tell us what gives you hope for America's next 250 years. From innovation to community to freedom, we're looking forward!
* Shop Independent Women 250 Merch: Celebrate America in style -designed to showcase the spirit of independence.
* Catch the Freedom Truck: Take part in the Freedom Truck mobile museum tour, bringing American history to life in communities across the country.
See more below from Independent Women on America's 250th:
* Women-Especially Republican Women-Have Much to Celebrate at America's 250th
* I was lucky enough to escape Cuban socialism. America's 250th reminds me why
* Freedom Demands Women Who Won't Back Down. Independent Women Launches 'Freedom 250' Campaign to Celebrate America's Exceptionalism
* Guarding the Republic: America's Army at 250
Explore Independent Women's Freedom 250 campaign and get involved HERE.
Direct media inquiries and booking requests to press@independentwomen.com
***
Original text here: https://www.independentwomen.com/2026/07/03/freedom-250-independent-women-celebrates-americas-exceptionalism-and-urges-americans-to-defend-our-nations-great-legacy/
* * *
FREEDOM 250: Independent Women Celebrates America's Exceptionalism and Urges Americans to Defend Our Nation's Great Legacy
*
As the United States celebrates Independence Day and the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Independent Women is inviting Americans to take part in its Freedom 250 campaign, a yearlong initiative to celebrate America's exceptionalism, honor the women who helped build the nation, inspire the next generation, and advance ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, July 3 [Category: Political] -- The Independent Women's Forum posted issued the following news release: * * * FREEDOM 250: Independent Women Celebrates America's Exceptionalism and Urges Americans to Defend Our Nation's Great Legacy * As the United States celebrates Independence Day and the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Independent Women is inviting Americans to take part in its Freedom 250 campaign, a yearlong initiative to celebrate America's exceptionalism, honor the women who helped build the nation, inspire the next generation, and advancethe enduring promise of self-determination.
Meaghan Mobbs, director of Independent Women's Center for American Safety and Security, said in a video for Independent Women's Freedom 250: Celebrating America's Exceptionalism campaign:
America has given women opportunities unprecedented in human history. Thanks to our founding and the liberty it protects, women have been able not just to succeed, but to flourish.
From the earliest women who fought for independence, to the suffragettes who insisted that the rights proclaimed in the Declaration belonged to them too, to the generations of women who built, defended, and strengthened our nation-for 250 years, American women have been the example for the rest of the world.
We must never lose sight of what an incredible inheritance this is. This freedom cannot be taken for granted. It must be protected. It must be fought for. This is our national inheritance. Preserving it-and expanding it-is our cause so that future generations of Americans will not only enjoy the freedoms we have today, but will live flourishing, abundant lives as truly free and independent women.
For 250 years, America has led the world, and, together, we will fight to ensure the next generation inherits an even stronger, freer, more perfect America.
WATCH VIDEO: Celebrating America's Exceptionalism: 250 Years of American Freedom-Now It's Our Turn to Protect It.
Freedom 250: Celebrating America's Exceptionalism is Independent Women's yearlong nationwide campaign celebrating America's semiquincentennial that invites Americans to reflect on the nation's founding ideals, honor the women who shaped its history, share their own stories, and step forward to shape what comes next. Through educational resources, patriotic merchandise, and opportunities to participate in the nation's 250th anniversary, Freedom 250 inspires civic engagement and love of country.
Ways to Get Involved in Independent Women's Freedom 250: Celebrating America's Exceptionalism :
* Submit a Video: Share why America is great through a short video, and be part of a growing collection of voices celebrating what makes this country exceptional.
* Join the Comment Drive: Tell us what gives you hope for America's next 250 years. From innovation to community to freedom, we're looking forward!
* Shop Independent Women 250 Merch: Celebrate America in style -designed to showcase the spirit of independence.
* Catch the Freedom Truck: Take part in the Freedom Truck mobile museum tour, bringing American history to life in communities across the country.
See more below from Independent Women on America's 250th:
* Women-Especially Republican Women-Have Much to Celebrate at America's 250th
* I was lucky enough to escape Cuban socialism. America's 250th reminds me why
* Freedom Demands Women Who Won't Back Down. Independent Women Launches 'Freedom 250' Campaign to Celebrate America's Exceptionalism
* Guarding the Republic: America's Army at 250
Explore Independent Women's Freedom 250 campaign and get involved HERE.
Direct media inquiries and booking requests to press@independentwomen.com
***
Original text here: https://www.independentwomen.com/2026/07/03/freedom-250-independent-women-celebrates-americas-exceptionalism-and-urges-americans-to-defend-our-nations-great-legacy/
Climate Change May Prop Up Urban Plant Growth in the Face of Development -- Provided Cities Build Slowly Enough
WASHINGTON, July 3 -- The American Geophysical Union issued the following news release:
* * *
Climate change may prop up urban plant growth in the face of development -- provided cities build slowly enough
Researchers find a "critical speed limit" of urban development for maintaining plant communities amid climate change. Most cities blow right past it.
-
Worsened drought stress, changing rainfall patterns, flowers and pollinators thrown out of sync: these only scratch the surface of the ways climate change challenges plant life. But warmer air and higher carbon dioxide levels can also fuel ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, July 3 -- The American Geophysical Union issued the following news release: * * * Climate change may prop up urban plant growth in the face of development -- provided cities build slowly enough Researchers find a "critical speed limit" of urban development for maintaining plant communities amid climate change. Most cities blow right past it. - Worsened drought stress, changing rainfall patterns, flowers and pollinators thrown out of sync: these only scratch the surface of the ways climate change challenges plant life. But warmer air and higher carbon dioxide levels can also fuelfaster plant growth, limit plants' water loss, and extend growing seasons -- enough so, in some cases, to offset the paving-over of green spaces in cities.
From 1982 to now, a new study finds, cities converting more than about 5.83 square kilometers (2.25 square miles) of land to impervious surfaces within their boundaries each year tended to see the total productivity of their plant communities decline. But in slower-developing cities, the ecosystem retained its ability to recover from land conversion, with climate conditions invigorating the remaining greenery enough for overall plant productivity to rise.
The offsetting effect doesn't apply equally in every climate. But knowing when and where it kicks in could help planners adjust the pace of development to conserve city greenery in the context of climate change, the researchers hope. Urban plants keep city air clean and cool, support city ecosystems, capture carbon dioxide and generally make cities more pleasant to live in.
"The speed of city growth matters. If cities expand too fast, they lose green land faster than plants can benefit from warming and higher carbon dioxide," said Han Chen, an urban ecosystem scientist at Tianjin University and lead author of the study. "Slower and smarter growth can help cities keep stronger vegetation and better climate benefits."
The study will appear Thursday, July 2nd in Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, AGU's journal for research on the biogeosciences of the past, present, and future Earth.
Cities, don't grow up too fast
Overall plant productivity in most cities drops as humans replace parks, lawns, farmland, wetland and patches of urban forest and grassland within city limits with buildings and pavement, canceling out any benefits the plant community as a whole might derive from warmer, more carbon-rich air due to climate change. Chen's team wanted to know whether a city's development rate affects how easily that canceling-out occurs.
"Previous studies mainly looked at one city or a few cities and often focused on the past," Chen added. "We wanted to study many cities around the world [and] include both past and future changes."
Accounting for the elevated carbon dioxide levels found in most cities, the researchers used a vegetation model and satellite observations to simulate plant productivity from 1982 to 2100 in 2,126 cities around the world, each with more than 50 square kilometers (19 square miles) of pavement and buildings to ensure they were covering the bulk of the global urban environment. The simulations considered various future scenarios of urban development and low, medium, and high greenhouse gas emissions.
Collectively, the cities in the study overshoot the team's "speed limit," developing an average of over 21 square kilometers (8 square miles) within their boundaries each year and climbing. North American and Asian cities build especially fast, averaging 26.6 and 35.8 square kilometers per year, respectively. Of the cities studied, 1,713 showed declining plant productivity, with Shanghai, Chongqing, and New Delhi emerging as notable hotspots.
But some cities fall below the threshold, mostly in Europe: In Giffnock, Scotland, a moderate urban development rate has helped keep the plant community stable or rising and able to take advantage of any potential climate boosts. Across the 413 cities where plant productivity rose from 1982 to the present, climate change accounted for approximately 69% of that trend.
The researchers project the "tipping point" may rise to 7.18 square kilometers (2.8 square miles) per year as climate change progresses through this century, allowing cities to convert land slightly faster before incurring vegetation declines. But those declines may be steeper, with the gap between greening and de-greening cities widening as urban development accumulates, too. Represented in terms of the carbon plants lock into their tissues as they grow, the team estimates, average annual city plant declines from now through 2100 will rise roughly 1.5% to 2% from the 1982-2024 baseline, with plants losing around three grams of carbon per square meter per year.
"The number looks small, but cities cover very large areas, so the total loss can become large," Chen said. "It is like a slow leak: After many years it means less plant growth, less carbon uptake, and weaker cooling from urban green spaces. In practice, this can make cities hotter and less resilient."
Urbanites need to touch grass, too
The researchers hope their findings will help inform urban development strategies. To maximize plant productivity, they write, fast-growing cities should make sure to preserve green space as they grow, while slower-growing cities should focus on managing existing plant life to take full advantage of climate conditions. Arid cities like Phoenix may want to take extra care since, as the team's analysis found, dry climates make plant communities disproportionately sensitive to urban expansion.
Efforts like these can help maintain plants as food and habitat for city ecosystems, Chen said. "Flowers support bees and butterflies, trees support birds, and fallen leaves feed soil microbes. These food webs help keep the urban ecosystem alive and stable, not just green-looking."
That stability allows plants to keep the city air clean and cool, store carbon, and make outdoor spaces more comfortable over the long term. "Green areas outside the city cannot provide the same direct benefits to urban residents," Chen said. "It is important to have strong vegetation inside the city because this is where people live and feel heat, air pollution, and stress every day."
* * *
Notes for journalists:
This study is published in Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, an AGU journal. View and download a PDF of the study here. Neither this press release nor the study is under embargo.
Paper title:
"The Pace of Urbanization Regulates Global Urban Gross Primary Productivity Trends"
Authors:
* Han Chen, Tianjin Bohai Rim Coastal Earth Critical Zone National Observation and Research Station, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China; Institute of Surface-Earth System Science, School of Earth System Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China; Biological & Ecological Engineering, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
* Bo Liu, Tianjin Bohai Rim Coastal Earth Critical Zone National Observation and Research Station, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China; Institute of Surface-Earth System Science, School of Earth System Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
* Yaping Deng, College of Management and Economics, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
* Siyi Wang, School of Water Conservancy and Transportation, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
* Tiejun Wang, Tianjin Bohai Rim Coastal Earth Critical Zone National Observation and Research Station, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China; Institute of Surface-Earth System Science, School of Earth System Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
* * *
AGU (www.agu.org) is a global community supporting more than half a million professionals and advocates in Earth and space sciences. Through broad and inclusive partnerships, AGU aims to advance discovery and solution science that accelerate knowledge and create solutions that are ethical, unbiased and respectful of communities and their values. Our programs include serving as a scholarly publisher, convening virtual and in-person events and providing career support. We live our values in everything we do, such as our net zero energy renovated building in Washington, D.C. and our Ethics and Equity Center, which fosters a diverse and inclusive geoscience community to ensure responsible conduct.
* * *
Original text here: https://news.agu.org/press-release/climate-change-may-prop-up-urban-plant-growth-in-the-face-of-development-provided-cities-build-slowly-enough/
[Category: Science]
* * *
Climate change may prop up urban plant growth in the face of development -- provided cities build slowly enough
Researchers find a "critical speed limit" of urban development for maintaining plant communities amid climate change. Most cities blow right past it.
-
Worsened drought stress, changing rainfall patterns, flowers and pollinators thrown out of sync: these only scratch the surface of the ways climate change challenges plant life. But warmer air and higher carbon dioxide levels can also fuel ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, July 3 -- The American Geophysical Union issued the following news release: * * * Climate change may prop up urban plant growth in the face of development -- provided cities build slowly enough Researchers find a "critical speed limit" of urban development for maintaining plant communities amid climate change. Most cities blow right past it. - Worsened drought stress, changing rainfall patterns, flowers and pollinators thrown out of sync: these only scratch the surface of the ways climate change challenges plant life. But warmer air and higher carbon dioxide levels can also fuelfaster plant growth, limit plants' water loss, and extend growing seasons -- enough so, in some cases, to offset the paving-over of green spaces in cities.
From 1982 to now, a new study finds, cities converting more than about 5.83 square kilometers (2.25 square miles) of land to impervious surfaces within their boundaries each year tended to see the total productivity of their plant communities decline. But in slower-developing cities, the ecosystem retained its ability to recover from land conversion, with climate conditions invigorating the remaining greenery enough for overall plant productivity to rise.
The offsetting effect doesn't apply equally in every climate. But knowing when and where it kicks in could help planners adjust the pace of development to conserve city greenery in the context of climate change, the researchers hope. Urban plants keep city air clean and cool, support city ecosystems, capture carbon dioxide and generally make cities more pleasant to live in.
"The speed of city growth matters. If cities expand too fast, they lose green land faster than plants can benefit from warming and higher carbon dioxide," said Han Chen, an urban ecosystem scientist at Tianjin University and lead author of the study. "Slower and smarter growth can help cities keep stronger vegetation and better climate benefits."
The study will appear Thursday, July 2nd in Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, AGU's journal for research on the biogeosciences of the past, present, and future Earth.
Cities, don't grow up too fast
Overall plant productivity in most cities drops as humans replace parks, lawns, farmland, wetland and patches of urban forest and grassland within city limits with buildings and pavement, canceling out any benefits the plant community as a whole might derive from warmer, more carbon-rich air due to climate change. Chen's team wanted to know whether a city's development rate affects how easily that canceling-out occurs.
"Previous studies mainly looked at one city or a few cities and often focused on the past," Chen added. "We wanted to study many cities around the world [and] include both past and future changes."
Accounting for the elevated carbon dioxide levels found in most cities, the researchers used a vegetation model and satellite observations to simulate plant productivity from 1982 to 2100 in 2,126 cities around the world, each with more than 50 square kilometers (19 square miles) of pavement and buildings to ensure they were covering the bulk of the global urban environment. The simulations considered various future scenarios of urban development and low, medium, and high greenhouse gas emissions.
Collectively, the cities in the study overshoot the team's "speed limit," developing an average of over 21 square kilometers (8 square miles) within their boundaries each year and climbing. North American and Asian cities build especially fast, averaging 26.6 and 35.8 square kilometers per year, respectively. Of the cities studied, 1,713 showed declining plant productivity, with Shanghai, Chongqing, and New Delhi emerging as notable hotspots.
But some cities fall below the threshold, mostly in Europe: In Giffnock, Scotland, a moderate urban development rate has helped keep the plant community stable or rising and able to take advantage of any potential climate boosts. Across the 413 cities where plant productivity rose from 1982 to the present, climate change accounted for approximately 69% of that trend.
The researchers project the "tipping point" may rise to 7.18 square kilometers (2.8 square miles) per year as climate change progresses through this century, allowing cities to convert land slightly faster before incurring vegetation declines. But those declines may be steeper, with the gap between greening and de-greening cities widening as urban development accumulates, too. Represented in terms of the carbon plants lock into their tissues as they grow, the team estimates, average annual city plant declines from now through 2100 will rise roughly 1.5% to 2% from the 1982-2024 baseline, with plants losing around three grams of carbon per square meter per year.
"The number looks small, but cities cover very large areas, so the total loss can become large," Chen said. "It is like a slow leak: After many years it means less plant growth, less carbon uptake, and weaker cooling from urban green spaces. In practice, this can make cities hotter and less resilient."
Urbanites need to touch grass, too
The researchers hope their findings will help inform urban development strategies. To maximize plant productivity, they write, fast-growing cities should make sure to preserve green space as they grow, while slower-growing cities should focus on managing existing plant life to take full advantage of climate conditions. Arid cities like Phoenix may want to take extra care since, as the team's analysis found, dry climates make plant communities disproportionately sensitive to urban expansion.
Efforts like these can help maintain plants as food and habitat for city ecosystems, Chen said. "Flowers support bees and butterflies, trees support birds, and fallen leaves feed soil microbes. These food webs help keep the urban ecosystem alive and stable, not just green-looking."
That stability allows plants to keep the city air clean and cool, store carbon, and make outdoor spaces more comfortable over the long term. "Green areas outside the city cannot provide the same direct benefits to urban residents," Chen said. "It is important to have strong vegetation inside the city because this is where people live and feel heat, air pollution, and stress every day."
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Notes for journalists:
This study is published in Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, an AGU journal. View and download a PDF of the study here. Neither this press release nor the study is under embargo.
Paper title:
"The Pace of Urbanization Regulates Global Urban Gross Primary Productivity Trends"
Authors:
* Han Chen, Tianjin Bohai Rim Coastal Earth Critical Zone National Observation and Research Station, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China; Institute of Surface-Earth System Science, School of Earth System Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China; Biological & Ecological Engineering, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
* Bo Liu, Tianjin Bohai Rim Coastal Earth Critical Zone National Observation and Research Station, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China; Institute of Surface-Earth System Science, School of Earth System Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
* Yaping Deng, College of Management and Economics, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
* Siyi Wang, School of Water Conservancy and Transportation, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
* Tiejun Wang, Tianjin Bohai Rim Coastal Earth Critical Zone National Observation and Research Station, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China; Institute of Surface-Earth System Science, School of Earth System Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
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AGU (www.agu.org) is a global community supporting more than half a million professionals and advocates in Earth and space sciences. Through broad and inclusive partnerships, AGU aims to advance discovery and solution science that accelerate knowledge and create solutions that are ethical, unbiased and respectful of communities and their values. Our programs include serving as a scholarly publisher, convening virtual and in-person events and providing career support. We live our values in everything we do, such as our net zero energy renovated building in Washington, D.C. and our Ethics and Equity Center, which fosters a diverse and inclusive geoscience community to ensure responsible conduct.
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Original text here: https://news.agu.org/press-release/climate-change-may-prop-up-urban-plant-growth-in-the-face-of-development-provided-cities-build-slowly-enough/
[Category: Science]
CAIR-CA Welcomes Release of Attorney General's 2025 Hate Crime Report, Highlights Statewide Increase in Anti-Muslim Hate
WASHINGTON, July 3 (TNSrep) -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release on July 2, 2026:
* * *
CAIR-CA Welcomes Release of Attorney General's 2025 Hate Crime Report, Highlights Statewide Increase in Anti-Muslim Hate
The California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CA) today welcomed the release of California Attorney General Rob Bonta's 2025 Annual Hate Crime Report, which showed a 58% increase in anti-Muslim hate statewide compared to the previous year.
SEE: Attorney General Bonta Releases 2025 Hate Crime Report, Calls for Renewed ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, July 3 (TNSrep) -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release on July 2, 2026: * * * CAIR-CA Welcomes Release of Attorney General's 2025 Hate Crime Report, Highlights Statewide Increase in Anti-Muslim Hate The California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CA) today welcomed the release of California Attorney General Rob Bonta's 2025 Annual Hate Crime Report, which showed a 58% increase in anti-Muslim hate statewide compared to the previous year. SEE: Attorney General Bonta Releases 2025 Hate Crime Report, Calls for RenewedCommitment to Combat Hate Across California (https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-releases-2025-hate-crime-report-calls-renewed-commitment)
The Attorney General's annual report compiles hate crimes reported to law enforcement agencies statewide. According to the 2025 data, hate crime events and hate crimes involving religious bias in California overall decreased from 2024. However, anti-Islamic (Muslim) bias events rose from 24 in 2024 to 38 in 2025, according to the report.
These findings are consistent with CAIR's internal reporting. CAIR's most recent civil rights report reveals that complaints of anti-Muslim bias and discrimination across the nation are at an all-time high. In 2025, the organization received the highest number of single-year complaints ever recorded since its first civil rights report was published in 1996. In California, CAIR-CA's offices received 119 hate crime and hate incident reports in 2025.
The Attorney General's report shows that crimes involving racial bias also rose in 2025, with anti-Black bias events increasing by 2.8% and anti-Hispanic/Latino bias events increasing by 30.3%.
In a statement, CAIR-CA CEO Hussam Ayloush said:
"The findings from Attorney General Bonta's 2025 Hate Crime Report mirror the alarming increase and persistence in hate and bias targeting the Muslim community that has been reported to our offices statewide over the past year. This rise in hate can be directly attributed to the Islamophobic and anti-Palestinian rhetoric perpetuated by elected officials, media outlets, and extremists online that has become normalized and politically rewarded in the U.S.
"At the same time, we know that hate crimes and hate incidents are underreported, and these numbers do not fully capture the extent of anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian hate our community faces. Many individuals do not feel safe going to law enforcement, whether out of fear, past negative experiences, or distrust of the system. Much more work needs to be done to address hate against vulnerable communities in California, starting with the commitment from our elected officials to the safety and well-being of their Muslim, Black, Latino, and other diverse constituents."
CAIR-CA urges community members to report all hate crimes and incidents, even if they are not seeking legal action. Doing so helps build an accurate picture of the harm communities are facing and strengthens advocacy efforts to create systemic change.
To report any bias incidents to your local CAIR-CA office, click here (https://ca.cair.com/legal-services/civil-rights/).
* * *
CAIR-CA is the California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-ca-welcomes-release-of-attorney-generals-2025-hate-crime-report-highlights-statewide-increase-in-anti-muslim-hate/
[Category: Sociological]
* * *
CAIR-CA Welcomes Release of Attorney General's 2025 Hate Crime Report, Highlights Statewide Increase in Anti-Muslim Hate
The California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CA) today welcomed the release of California Attorney General Rob Bonta's 2025 Annual Hate Crime Report, which showed a 58% increase in anti-Muslim hate statewide compared to the previous year.
SEE: Attorney General Bonta Releases 2025 Hate Crime Report, Calls for Renewed ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, July 3 (TNSrep) -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release on July 2, 2026: * * * CAIR-CA Welcomes Release of Attorney General's 2025 Hate Crime Report, Highlights Statewide Increase in Anti-Muslim Hate The California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CA) today welcomed the release of California Attorney General Rob Bonta's 2025 Annual Hate Crime Report, which showed a 58% increase in anti-Muslim hate statewide compared to the previous year. SEE: Attorney General Bonta Releases 2025 Hate Crime Report, Calls for RenewedCommitment to Combat Hate Across California (https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-releases-2025-hate-crime-report-calls-renewed-commitment)
The Attorney General's annual report compiles hate crimes reported to law enforcement agencies statewide. According to the 2025 data, hate crime events and hate crimes involving religious bias in California overall decreased from 2024. However, anti-Islamic (Muslim) bias events rose from 24 in 2024 to 38 in 2025, according to the report.
These findings are consistent with CAIR's internal reporting. CAIR's most recent civil rights report reveals that complaints of anti-Muslim bias and discrimination across the nation are at an all-time high. In 2025, the organization received the highest number of single-year complaints ever recorded since its first civil rights report was published in 1996. In California, CAIR-CA's offices received 119 hate crime and hate incident reports in 2025.
The Attorney General's report shows that crimes involving racial bias also rose in 2025, with anti-Black bias events increasing by 2.8% and anti-Hispanic/Latino bias events increasing by 30.3%.
In a statement, CAIR-CA CEO Hussam Ayloush said:
"The findings from Attorney General Bonta's 2025 Hate Crime Report mirror the alarming increase and persistence in hate and bias targeting the Muslim community that has been reported to our offices statewide over the past year. This rise in hate can be directly attributed to the Islamophobic and anti-Palestinian rhetoric perpetuated by elected officials, media outlets, and extremists online that has become normalized and politically rewarded in the U.S.
"At the same time, we know that hate crimes and hate incidents are underreported, and these numbers do not fully capture the extent of anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian hate our community faces. Many individuals do not feel safe going to law enforcement, whether out of fear, past negative experiences, or distrust of the system. Much more work needs to be done to address hate against vulnerable communities in California, starting with the commitment from our elected officials to the safety and well-being of their Muslim, Black, Latino, and other diverse constituents."
CAIR-CA urges community members to report all hate crimes and incidents, even if they are not seeking legal action. Doing so helps build an accurate picture of the harm communities are facing and strengthens advocacy efforts to create systemic change.
To report any bias incidents to your local CAIR-CA office, click here (https://ca.cair.com/legal-services/civil-rights/).
* * *
CAIR-CA is the California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-ca-welcomes-release-of-attorney-generals-2025-hate-crime-report-highlights-statewide-increase-in-anti-muslim-hate/
[Category: Sociological]