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USA Rice Attends Inaugural Global Friends of Agriculture Awards
ARLINGTON, Virginia, Oct. 23 [Category: Agriculture] -- USA Rice Federation posted the following news:
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USA Rice Attends Inaugural Global Friends of Agriculture Awards
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MARSHALLVILLE, GA - Last week, the US Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) held its inaugural Global Friends of Agriculture Awards, honoring importers around the world for their commitment to purchasing high-quality U.S. food and agricultural products. Two of the first honorees are rice buyers: Luke Franklin of S&B Herba Foods in the United Kingdom, and Tetsuya Naruse of Yoshinoya Holdings Co.,
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ARLINGTON, Virginia, Oct. 23 [Category: Agriculture] -- USA Rice Federation posted the following news:
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USA Rice Attends Inaugural Global Friends of Agriculture Awards
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MARSHALLVILLE, GA - Last week, the US Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) held its inaugural Global Friends of Agriculture Awards, honoring importers around the world for their commitment to purchasing high-quality U.S. food and agricultural products. Two of the first honorees are rice buyers: Luke Franklin of S&B Herba Foods in the United Kingdom, and Tetsuya Naruse of Yoshinoya Holdings Co.,Ltd. in Japan.
The awards were the centerpiece of a two-day, USDA-sponsored program in Georgia that brought honorees together with USDA cooperator organizations for speakers, site visits, and an awards ceremony. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins delivered remarks at the ceremony, and Luke Lindberg, Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs, served as Master of Ceremonies.
While neither rice honoree was able to travel to Georgia, Mollie Buckler, USA Rice Senior Director for Grower and International Relations, attended on behalf of the U.S. rice industry and joined the other awardees and cooperators throughout the program.
"Our customers overseas are a big reason U.S. rice farmers have markets beyond our borders," Buckler said. "Recognizing buyers like S&B Herba and Yoshinoya tells them the United States values these partnerships, and it tells our industry members that the relationships we build abroad are seen and supported at the highest levels of USDA."
The two companies reflect the range of customers U.S.-grown rice serves. S&B Herba is one of the leading rice millers and suppliers in the UK, supplying retail and food service customers. Yoshinoya, one of Japan's best-known restaurant chains, serves rice to millions of diners each year. In both cases, the purchasing decision rests on consistent quality, dependable supply, and long-term trust between buyer and seller.
On Wednesday, prior to the awards ceremony, the group visited the University of Georgia's Griffin campus to tour its Food Product Innovation and Commercialization Center. Participants heard directly from entrepreneurs who have used the centers expertise and facilities to develop new products and bring them to market.
Cooperator organizations also took part in a roundtable with the awardees before the event's conclusion on Thursday, giving each group a chance to describe its industry, its export priorities, and the innovations shaping its sector. For USA Rice, the conversation was an opportunity to highlight the quality, sustainability, and versatility of U.S. rice.
USA Rice is a longtime FAS cooperator and works with USDA to build and maintain markets for U.S. rice around the world through promotion, trade servicing, and policy engagement. The Global Friends of Agriculture Awards add a new way to recognize the customers at the other end of that work.
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Original text here: https://www.usarice.com/news-and-events/publications/usa-rice-daily/article/usa-rice-daily/2026/10/23/usa-rice-attends-inaugural-global-friends-of-agriculture-awards
The Society Builds Labour Connections at Saskatchewan Federation of Labour Convention
WASHINGTON, Oct. 23 [Category: Engineering] -- The International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers posted the following news:
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The Society Builds Labour Connections at Saskatchewan Federation of Labour Convention
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Representatives of The Society of United Professionals/IFPTE L160, from Saskatchewan and Ontario, attended the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour (SFL) Convention, strengthening connections across the labour movement and reaffirming the importance of solidarity among workers.
The convention provided an opportunity to engage with labour leaders and affiliates,
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Oct. 23 [Category: Engineering] -- The International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers posted the following news:
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The Society Builds Labour Connections at Saskatchewan Federation of Labour Convention
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Representatives of The Society of United Professionals/IFPTE L160, from Saskatchewan and Ontario, attended the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour (SFL) Convention, strengthening connections across the labour movement and reaffirming the importance of solidarity among workers.
The convention provided an opportunity to engage with labour leaders and affiliates,exchange perspectives on the challenges facing workers, and highlight the value of collective action in protecting workers' rights and improving working conditions. The Society's participation also reinforced its commitment to building stronger relationships with the broader labour movement in Saskatchewan and across Canada.
As The Society continues to grow its presence in Saskatchewan, engagement with the SFL and other labour organizations remains an important part of building collective strength, supporting workers, and advancing shared priorities for working people.
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Original text here: https://www.ifpte.org/news/the-society-builds-labour-connections-at-saskatchewan-federation-of-labour-convention
Reproductive Freedom for All Launches New Digital Ads and Mail Programs Across Critical Battleground States in Final Stretch Before Election Day
WASHINGTON, Oct. 23 [Category: Political] -- Reproductive Freedom for All (formerly the NARAL Pro-Choice America) posted the following news release:
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Reproductive Freedom for All Launches New Digital Ads and Mail Programs Across Critical Battleground States in Final Stretch Before Election Day
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Washington, DC -- With less than two weeks until Election Day, Reproductive Freedom for All has announced new digital ads in Pennsylvania and mail programs in New Hampshire and Florida. The programs, funded by Reproductive Freedom for All Freedom Fund, make up a combined investment of more than
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Oct. 23 [Category: Political] -- Reproductive Freedom for All (formerly the NARAL Pro-Choice America) posted the following news release:
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Reproductive Freedom for All Launches New Digital Ads and Mail Programs Across Critical Battleground States in Final Stretch Before Election Day
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Washington, DC -- With less than two weeks until Election Day, Reproductive Freedom for All has announced new digital ads in Pennsylvania and mail programs in New Hampshire and Florida. The programs, funded by Reproductive Freedom for All Freedom Fund, make up a combined investment of more than$470,000.
Reproductive Freedom for All President and CEO Mini Timmaraju released the following statement:
"The road to taking back the House and Senate runs right through these critical battleground states, and we're making sure voters know who will fight for their reproductive freedom, and who will take it away. With early voting already open in states across the country, we're keeping up the drumbeat on these key races from now until November 3rd."
In Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District, two new creator-led ads build on the momentum of Reproductive Freedom for All's existing digital program, including two ads previously launched in PA-07, slamming Rep. Ryan Mackenzie's extreme anti-abortion record. Reproductive Freedom for All invested over $211,000 in this program.
View the new ads here and here.
In New Hampshire, a $100,000 mail program supporting U.S. Senate candidate Chris Pappas began yesterday, reaching nearly 180,000 "cord cutter" voters, who are difficult to reach through traditional TV ads.
In Florida's 14th congressional district, an approximately $160,000 mail program supporting Rep. Kathy Castor also began yesterday in partnership with the Campaign for a Family Friendly Economy (CFFE). The three-piece program will highlight abortion rights and what is at stake in this election.
These ads are part of Reproductive Freedom for All's historic My Body. My Ballot. midterm campaign and build on the organization's seven-figure ad investment across battleground states.
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Original text here: https://reproductivefreedomforall.org/news/reproductive-freedom-for-all-launches-new-digital-ads-and-mail-programs-across-critical-battleground-states-in-final-stretch-before-election-day/
Reproductive Freedom for All Calls for Release of Maria Alejandra Valero Brinez After Visiting Eloy Detention Center with Reps. Grijalva, Ansari, and Dexter
WASHINGTON, Oct. 23 [Category: Political] -- Reproductive Freedom for All (formerly the NARAL Pro-Choice America) posted the following news release:
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Reproductive Freedom for All Calls for Release of Maria Alejandra Valero Brinez After Visiting Eloy Detention Center with Reps. Grijalva, Ansari, and Dexter
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The 19th*: Woman with history of stillbirth fears losing another pregnancy in ICE detention
This week, Reproductive Freedom for All President and CEO Mini Timmaraju joined a congressional delegation for an oversight visit of Eloy Detention Center in Arizona. Led by Representative Adelita
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Oct. 23 [Category: Political] -- Reproductive Freedom for All (formerly the NARAL Pro-Choice America) posted the following news release:
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Reproductive Freedom for All Calls for Release of Maria Alejandra Valero Brinez After Visiting Eloy Detention Center with Reps. Grijalva, Ansari, and Dexter
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The 19th*: Woman with history of stillbirth fears losing another pregnancy in ICE detention
This week, Reproductive Freedom for All President and CEO Mini Timmaraju joined a congressional delegation for an oversight visit of Eloy Detention Center in Arizona. Led by Representative AdelitaGrijalva (AZ-07) and joined by Representatives Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03) and Maxine Dexter (OR-03), the members of Congress heard directly from women about their reproductive health experiences in immigration detention. The visit focused on the urgent need to protect reproductive health, ensure access to adequate medical care, and uphold the dignity of women in immigration detention.
As reported by The 19th*, Timmaraju, Grijalva, Ansari, and Dexter are now calling for the immediate release of 24-year-old Maria Alejandra Valero Brinez, who is five months into a high-risk pregnancy in the detention facility. She has not received prenatal care since August, when she was first taken to a detention center. Maria also raised concerns about access to drinking water and food inside the facility.
Today, Reproductive Freedom for All and Reps. Grijalva, Ansari, and Dexter launched a petition calling for Valero Brinez's immediate release in response to Wednesday's visit.
While in the facility, Reps. Grijalva, Ansari, and Dexter also spoke to another woman detainee, Lilianne, who reported an inconsistent and limited supply of menstrual products, as access is completely dependent on the will and discretion of guards within the facility. Valero Brinez and Lilliane are among many women across the country who have reported being denied access to basic healthcare while detained, and facing dehumanizing cruelty at the hands of ICE agents and guards.
Reproductive Freedom for All President and CEO Mini Timmaraju released the following statement:
"ICE is putting women's health, pregnancies, and lives at risk--leaving them to plead for even the most basic care and access to menstrual products. I'm grateful to Reps. Grijalva, Ansari, and Dexter for shining a light on this crisis, and Reproductive Freedom for All is with them every step of the way in demanding an end to this cruelty."
Read more from The 19th* below:
* Lawmakers are calling for the immediate release of 24-year-old Maria Alejandra Valero Brinez, who said she is five months pregnant and having potentially dangerous complications while detained in Arizona's Eloy Detention Center.
* The oversight visit, coordinated with the advocacy group Reproductive Freedom for All, is one of several conducted by congressional Democrats during the Trump administration's sweeping immigration enforcement campaign. Lawmakers spoke exclusively to The 19th about the trip to Eloy.
* Eloy has drawn particular scrutiny. Multiple women who were detained at the facility while pregnant said they received insufficient healthcare, including one who said she miscarried.
* Officials fill yellow Igloo water coolers full of ice, and that serves as the main source of water, according to Valero Brinez. She and others have to wait for the ice to melt to have water to drink. She told lawmakers the water often looks dirty and has bugs or hair in it, and because there isn't enough of it for everyone, she ends up buying clean water using wages she makes working in the laundry room.
* Pregnant women at facilities across the country have said that they received inconsistent healthcare and poor-quality food while detained. Some have said they struggled to get medical attention when experiencing symptoms of miscarriage. Women who have received medical care said they were unable to view records of their treatment, including test results.
* Recent polling by The 19th and YouGov found that most Americans believe pregnant, postpartum and nursing people generally should not be held in detention facilities. They also believe that those who are detained should receive basic pregnancy-related healthcare.
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Original text here: https://reproductivefreedomforall.org/news/reproductive-freedom-for-all-calls-for-release-of-maria-alejandra-valero-brinez-after-visiting-eloy-detention-center-with-reps-grijalva-ansari-and-dexter/
Historic Deal Secured: First Lady Melania Trump Brokers Ceasefire Between Russia And Ukraine
WASHINGTON, Oct. 23 [Category: Political] -- The Independent Women's Forum posted posted the following news release:
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Historic Deal Secured: First Lady Melania Trump Brokers Ceasefire Between Russia And Ukraine
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WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, First Lady Melania Trump secured a groundbreaking ceasefire agreement between Russia and Ukraine to allow for humanitarian aid and civilian evacuation from Oleshky. The landmark deal made history as the first ceasefire brokered by a sitting American First Lady.
Independent Women applauds the First Lady's tireless efforts to aid those suffering in Ukraine,
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Oct. 23 [Category: Political] -- The Independent Women's Forum posted posted the following news release:
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Historic Deal Secured: First Lady Melania Trump Brokers Ceasefire Between Russia And Ukraine
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WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, First Lady Melania Trump secured a groundbreaking ceasefire agreement between Russia and Ukraine to allow for humanitarian aid and civilian evacuation from Oleshky. The landmark deal made history as the first ceasefire brokered by a sitting American First Lady.
Independent Women applauds the First Lady's tireless efforts to aid those suffering in Ukraine,with the ceasefire marking a humanitarian win for Ukrainians urgently in need of food, water, and medical aid in Oleshky.
Meaghan Mobbs, director of Independent Women's Center for Safety and Security, said:
"First Lady Melania Trump has made history as the first sitting American First Lady to personally broker a ceasefire during an active war.
"Amid a humanitarian catastrophe in Oleshky, Ukraine, that has brought unimaginable suffering to the innocent, from the young to the elderly, she has demonstrated what American leadership can achieve when compassion is matched by conviction and action.
"Her achievement is an extraordinary reminder that America's greatest strength has never been power alone, but the moral purpose behind its use.
"This, combined with her tireless efforts to reunite Ukrainian children with their families, is precisely the kind of consequential humanitarian diplomacy that merits serious consideration for the Nobel Peace Prize.
"Peace is not merely the absence of war. It is the preservation of human dignity, the protection of the innocent, and the moral courage to act when others cannot or will not."
SEE MORE FROM INDEPENDENT WOMEN ON THE WAR IN UKRAINE:
To learn more about Independent Women's Center for American Safety and Security, visit https://www.independentwomen.com/cass/.
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Original text here: https://www.independentwomen.com/2026/10/23/historic-deal-secured-first-lady-melania-trump-brokers-ceasefire-between-russia-and-ukraine/
Finding Comfort in the Wait: Ascension St. Vincent Chaplains Bring Solace to the ER
WASHINGTON, Oct. 23 [Category: Health Care] -- Ascension, a faith-based healthcare organization, posted the following news release:
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Finding Comfort in the Wait: Ascension St. Vincent Chaplains Bring Solace to the ER
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An emergency department waiting room is often one of the most stressful places a person can sit. While clinical triage teams must focus on prioritizing life-threatening and critical medical cases, patients and their families waiting for care frequently face acute uncertainty, anxiety, and mounting stress. As minutes turn into hours, frustration can build, and the emotional
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Oct. 23 [Category: Health Care] -- Ascension, a faith-based healthcare organization, posted the following news release:
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Finding Comfort in the Wait: Ascension St. Vincent Chaplains Bring Solace to the ER
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An emergency department waiting room is often one of the most stressful places a person can sit. While clinical triage teams must focus on prioritizing life-threatening and critical medical cases, patients and their families waiting for care frequently face acute uncertainty, anxiety, and mounting stress. As minutes turn into hours, frustration can build, and the emotionaltoll often feels as overwhelming as the physical ailments that brought patients through the hospital doors.
To address that emotional strain directly, Ascension St. Vincent Evansville has introduced a proactive initiative to bring comfort to the waiting area by positioning chaplains from the hospital's Spiritual Care team in the emergency department waiting room to connect with patients and families.
Meeting patients where they are
Historically, hospital chaplains have visited patients primarily upon request or during moments of end-of-life and critical emergency bedside care. Ascension St. Vincent is expanding that service by positioning chaplains in waiting areas to offer compassionate support before situations escalate.
The initiative reflects Ascension's faith-based Mission to provide comprehensive care that treats the whole person -- body, mind, and spirit. Both clinical experience and research demonstrate that spiritual care interventions, such as active listening, compassionate presence, and calm reassurance, can de-escalate tension, ease acute anxiety, and help individuals feel heard, respected, and supported.
"We're not necessarily waiting until it's a crisis to come to the emergency room," Chaplain Kirk Rowe said. "We're trying to just make ourselves available to visit with some of those patients who might be alone or maybe are getting anxious while they're waiting their turn to be seen."
Continuous 24/7 spiritual support
Hospital leaders emphasize that their Mission goes well beyond attending to physical medical treatments. A key pillar of the program is providing continuous access to spiritual caregivers. Hospital associates confirmed that chaplains remain available on-site 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
"It's nice that at Ascension St. Vincent, we staff chaplains 24 hours a day, and so we don't have to wait to be called in for a very urgent need," Rowe said. "If it's the night or the weekend, someone is always in the building 24 hours a day. And so I think that speaks well to the hospital's commitment to provide spiritual and emotional care."
Strengthening the community experience
Timed alongside Spiritual Care Week, Ascension St. Vincent is inviting local media to meet with its Spiritual Care team and observe firsthand how proactive spiritual care supports the waiting room environment. Hospital leaders hope the initiative helps foster a calmer, more compassionate experience for the entire Evansville community during life's most uncertain moments.
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Original text here: https://about.ascension.org/news/2026/10/inasc-finding-comfort-in-the-wait-ascension-st-vincent-chaplains-bring-solace-to-the-er
America First Legal Calls for Federal Investigation into Rhode Island School District That Intentionally Hides Student "Gender Transitions" From Parents
WASHINGTON, Oct. 23 [Category: Political] -- America First Legal, a civil rights organization, posted the following news release:
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America First Legal Calls for Federal Investigation into Rhode Island School District That Intentionally Hides Student "Gender Transitions" From Parents
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America First Legal (AFL) has filed a formal complaint with the U.S. Departments of Justice (DOJ) and Education (ED), calling for a federal investigation into Westerly Public Schools (WPS) in Rhode Island, alleging that its policies facilitating students' "gender transitions" without parental notification
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Oct. 23 [Category: Political] -- America First Legal, a civil rights organization, posted the following news release:
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America First Legal Calls for Federal Investigation into Rhode Island School District That Intentionally Hides Student "Gender Transitions" From Parents
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America First Legal (AFL) has filed a formal complaint with the U.S. Departments of Justice (DOJ) and Education (ED), calling for a federal investigation into Westerly Public Schools (WPS) in Rhode Island, alleging that its policies facilitating students' "gender transitions" without parental notificationare unlawful. AFL's complaint follows its 2022 parental rights toolkit, which provides parents and officials with the tools they need to demand transparency and hold woke schools accountable.
Westerly Public Schools maintains a policy that directs staff to facilitate students' "gender transitions," including changes to the student's name, pronouns, and school records. Adopted in 2017, WPS's "Transgender, Gender Nonconforming, and Transitioning Students Protocol" also tells staff to:
* Conceal students' "gender transitions" from their parents absent the student's consent.
* Allow students to access restrooms and locker rooms based on their "gender identity" rather than biological sex.
* Allow students to participate in sex-segregated gym classes and sports teams based on their "gender identity" rather than biological sex.
* Force students who object to find separate accommodations.
AFL's complaint alleges that WPS's policy:
* Violates the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) by purposefully hiding "gender transition" information from parents.
* Violates the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA) by submitting students to evaluations, surveys, or analyses without parental consent.
* Violates Title IX by letting students use restrooms, locker rooms, and sports teams based on "gender identity."
* Undermines female students' safety, privacy, and athletic opportunities.
America First Legal is asking the Trump Administration to investigate WPS, revise its policy, mandate parental notification, and comply with federal law.
This action continues AFL's fight to enforce the PPRA. In 2022, AFL released a toolkit explaining how families can use the PPRA to demand transparency, defend their rights, and protect their children. The Trump Administration's DOJ is now building upon that effort. Most recently, the DOJ sued Kansas City Public Schools in Kansas to stop secret "gender transitions" under both FERPA and the PPRA. AFL's complaint against Westerly Public Schools seeks the same result.
"Westerly Public Schools' policy blatantly violates federal law, tramples on parents' rights, and embraces radical 'gender ideology,'" said Ian Prior, Senior Counsel at America First Legal. "Male students claiming to be female receive every privilege while actual female students are shoved aside. AFL is calling on the Department of Justice and the Department of Education to step in and hold WPS accountable."
Read the full complaint here.
Find more of AFL's resources for parents here.
Learn more about AFL's fight against schools' gender identity policies here.
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Original text here: https://aflegal.org/press-release/america-first-legal-calls-for-federal-investigation-into-rhode-island-school-district-that-intentionally-hides-student-gender-transitions-from-parents/
