Public Policy & NGOs
Here's a look at documents from public policy and non-governmental organizations
Featured Stories
Save the Children: Four Children Killed or Injured Per Day During the So-Called Ceasefire in Lebanon
WESTPORT, Connecticut, May 13 -- 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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Four Children Killed or Injured per Day During the So-Called Ceasefire in Lebanon
BEIRUT - More than four children have been killed or injured every day on average in Lebanon since a temporary ceasefire was reached 25 days ago, and many families are unable to return to their homes. As peace talks resume this week, Save the Children is urging the international community to work toward
... Show Full Article
WESTPORT, Connecticut, May 13 -- 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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Four Children Killed or Injured per Day During the So-Called Ceasefire in Lebanon
BEIRUT - More than four children have been killed or injured every day on average in Lebanon since a temporary ceasefire was reached 25 days ago, and many families are unable to return to their homes. As peace talks resume this week, Save the Children is urging the international community to work towarda permanent ceasefire.[1]
New data from Lebanon's Ministry of Health on Tuesday showed that 22 children have been killed and 89 injured following the temporary ceasefire started on April 17. Israeli military strikes have killed 2,900 people, including 189 children, since fighting first escalated in early March.[2]
Violence and renewed displacement orders have forced more than one million people - one-sixth of the population - from their homes. Many people are now living with relatives, in host communities, or in collective shelters.
The number of families living in collective shelters has increased 5% since the conditional ceasefire due to renewed displacement orders by Israeli forces. There are now 44,800 children among about 125,000 people in collective shelters. [3]
Thousands of children have been living in these shelters for over two months in overcrowded conditions with inadequate water, sanitation and hygiene facilities leading to reports of scabies and growing health concerns.
Parents are reporting widespread behavioral changes among children living in collective shelters due to a lack of routine and reduced school engagement including loss of appetite and trouble sleeping. Many children are struggling to continue learning, and some schools are being used as collective shelters. Online learning is difficult to access due to limited electricity and poor connectivity.
Tala*, 10, who has been living in a collective shelter after being displaced from southern Lebanon, said:
"I just want the war to end so I can go home to my village and sleep in my own bed. I really miss school, I want to see my teachers and be with my friends, and study and play again."
Nora Ingdal, Save the Children's Lebanon Country Director, said:
"This 'so called' ceasefire that still sees more than four children killed or injured every day is not a ceasefire for children. Attacks on civilians have not stopped; They have simply continued under another name. Colleagues have told me that the airstrikes feel more intense in some areas than they ever did before. Children are not safe until there is a permanent and definitive ceasefire with no violations."
With further peace talks set to take place on Thursday to determine next steps between Lebanon and Israel, Save the Children is calling on the international community to urgently work toward a permanent and definitive ceasefire and ensure flexible and sustained funding to protect children and allow families to return home to resume their lives.
Save the Children has worked in Lebanon since 1953. In collaboration with partners and local authorities, we are distributing essential items in hard-to-reach areas in the south, providing psychosocial support for children, educating families and children about the risks of unexploded ordnance, ensuring access to safe water and sanitation facilities, and distributing essential items for those displaced.
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*Name changed for anonymity
Notes:
[1] Lebanon Ministry of Health - Israeli strikes have killed 380 in Lebanon since truce: Health ministry
[2] Lebanon Ministry of Health
[3] WHO - Lebanon Casualties and Injury Overview
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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.
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Original text here: https://www.savethechildren.org/us/about-us/media-and-news/2026-press-releases/lebanon-four-killed-injured-during-ceasefire
[Category: Sociological]
Peterson Institute for International Economics Issues Commentary: The Lula-Trump Meh Meeting: Three Hours, Lunch, and a Working Group
WASHINGTON, May 13 -- The Peterson Institute for International Economics issued the following commentary on May 12, 2026, by senior research staffer Monica de Bolle:
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The Lula-Trump meh meeting: Three hours, lunch, and a working group
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva met with President Donald Trump for nearly three hours on May 7. On paper it was the most substantive US-Brazil engagement in years. Yet there was no joint statement after the session, no tariff rollback, no memorandum on critical minerals, no security framework, and no mention of organized crime. The session served the
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WASHINGTON, May 13 -- The Peterson Institute for International Economics issued the following commentary on May 12, 2026, by senior research staffer Monica de Bolle:
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The Lula-Trump meh meeting: Three hours, lunch, and a working group
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva met with President Donald Trump for nearly three hours on May 7. On paper it was the most substantive US-Brazil engagement in years. Yet there was no joint statement after the session, no tariff rollback, no memorandum on critical minerals, no security framework, and no mention of organized crime. The session served thepolitical purposes for both leaders, however--especially Lula, who can now tell Brazilians that he has at least temporarily stabilized relations with the United States.
The headline deliverable of the session was hardly a showstopper: A working group with a 30-day homework assignment. The leaders of the Western Hemisphere's two largest economies resolved, with appropriate solemnity, to keep meeting. In diplomacy as in bureaucracy, when there is nothing to announce, you announce a deadline.
Presidents Lula and Trump were joined by JD Vance, Scott Bessent, Jamieson Greer, and a Brazilian delegation led by Commerce and Industry Minister Marcio Elias Rosa. Lula had originally planned to come to Washington in March, but the trip was postponed because of the war in Iran.
The two presidents were scheduled to take questions from the press together in the Oval Office. They didn't. Instead, Lula held a press conference at the Brazilian embassy alongside the clutch of Brazilian officials who had accompanied him to DC. The sole concrete deliverable was an agreement that Rosa and Greer would lead a bilateral working group within 30 days to draft a proposal on the tariff dispute and the pending Section 301 investigation into alleged unfair trade practices by Brazil. The most likely result will be yet another piece of paper that could be accepted, modified, rejected, or ignored, the latter being the outcome with the highest probability as of now.
Lula, in his remarks at the Brazilian Embassy, said he was "very, very satisfied." Trump, in a post on Truth Social, wrote that Lula is "very dynamic" and that the meeting "went very well." Most major US media outlets covered the meeting briefly and moved on, while the Brazilian coverage, though heavier, was largely absorbed into the domestic political contest over whether Lula had achieved anything tangible besides a photo-op.
Three things are worthy of mention.
The first is that the absence of substance is the substance. A three-hour meeting with this cast of characters, with no announcements, is a deliberate choice. Both Lula and Trump clearly wanted the ritual of a high-stakes encounter and the optics of a friendly exchange without having to commit to anything that could be politically litigated in the press, in Congress, or in Brazil's Supreme Court. For Lula, this meant he could fly back to Brasilia with the narrative that ties between the two countries have been "stabilized" following the tensions at the end of 2025. For Trump, who has spent the past several months oscillating between punitive and conciliatory tariff postures towards Brazil, the meeting allowed him to claim progress without conceding leverage.
Second, the meeting reframed, but did not resolve, the core economic dispute. The tariffs Trump imposed on Brazilian goods last year, and partially walked back as part of the broader push to bring down US consumer prices, remain the elephant in the room. The Section 301 investigation into Brazilian commercial practices remains open, and nothing was lifted, paused, or even publicly narrowed. But the register of the bilateral relationship did change: Instead of being managed through tariff escalation and threats, the dispute is now (temporarily, most likely) being managed through a deadline-bound technical track. Whether that track survives contact with political developments in either country is a different question altogether.
Finally, critical minerals were on the table, but not in a way that committed Brazil to anything--or the United States, for that matter. Shortly before Lula boarded the plane to DC, the Brazilian lower house had passed PL 2780, the bill detailing the country's new framework for critical and strategic minerals, including rare earth elements; the bill will now go to the Senate. During the meeting, Lula reportedly told Trump that Brazil is open to partnerships with the United States, China, the European Union, and Japan, reinforcing the country's tradition of non-alignment in foreign policy and economic matters. The country is therefore signaling that it wants to keep all doors open and has no intention of joining a US-led critical minerals bloc. For an administration that has been trying to corral allies into a Western critical-minerals architecture, Brazil's message signals a non-trivial outcome, dressed up as diplomatic courtesy.
So, what did the May 7 session accomplish? In essence, a working group, a 30-day clock, two carefully phrased social media posts, and a handful of nice pictures. In a different bilateral relationship, that would count as a setback. But as both leaders face challenges to their mandates in this year's elections, it counts as a win.
The next real test is the 30-day mark. If the working group produces a credible proposal on tariffs and the Section 301 investigation, the meeting will look retrospectively useful, a stage-setter for a deal. If it doesn't, the session will confirm that the bilateral relationship is being run on deadline diplomacy and Truth Social posts.
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Original text here: https://www.piie.com/blogs/realtime-economics/2026/lula-trump-meh-meeting-three-hours-lunch-and-working-group
[Category: Economics]
Environmental Defense Fund: Integrity Council Outlines Path Forward for CCP Eligibility of ART TREES HFLD Credits
NEW YORK, May 13 -- The Environmental Defense Fund posted the following news release:
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Integrity Council outlines path forward for CCP eligibility of ART TREES HFLD credits
The long-awaited decision leaves CCP labeling pending while TREES HFLD credits remain in use under CORSIA
* ICVCM decision: ART TREES v2.0's HFLD and Removals crediting levels are not yet CCP-approved and must complete remedial actions before qualifying.
* Market signal: TREES HFLD credits remain eligible under Phase 2 of CORSIA, and EDF encourages companies to continue viewing them as a credible option to meet climate
... Show Full Article
NEW YORK, May 13 -- The Environmental Defense Fund posted the following news release:
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Integrity Council outlines path forward for CCP eligibility of ART TREES HFLD credits
The long-awaited decision leaves CCP labeling pending while TREES HFLD credits remain in use under CORSIA
* ICVCM decision: ART TREES v2.0's HFLD and Removals crediting levels are not yet CCP-approved and must complete remedial actions before qualifying.
* Market signal: TREES HFLD credits remain eligible under Phase 2 of CORSIA, and EDF encourages companies to continue viewing them as a credible option to meet climategoals.
* Why it matters: 58.4 million HFLD credits have already been issued under TREES v2.0, helping channel forest finance to Indigenous Peoples and local communities keeping intact tropical forests standing.
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The Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM) has issued a decision on the Architecture for REDD+ Transactions' (ART) TREES High Forest, Low Deforestation (HFLD) approach under its Core Carbon Principles (CCP) label. Under this decision, the TREES v2.0 HFLD crediting level is not yet CCP-approved and must complete remedial actions before credits issued under a revised version can become eligible for the CCP label.
"EDF remains confident in the quality of ART's TREES HFLD credits today. Continuous improvement is best practice in any industry, and ICVCM's decision now gives ART a clear process to follow as it works toward CCP eligibility. We encourage all parties to move expeditiously towards approval," said Mark Moroge, Vice President, Forests, Environmental Defense Fund. "Companies, including airlines participating in CORSIA, should continue to view HFLD credits as a viable way to address emissions while supporting intact forests and the communities who depend on them."
"From the perspective of Indigenous Peoples, it is urgent to consider the approval of the proposed HFLD approach, because this would help ensure respect for our rights over our territories and forest resources." -- Onel Masardule, Guna People, Foundation for the Promotion of Indigenous Knowledge
"We are deeply concerned that the ICVCM's decision regarding the HFLD methodology continues to delay its approval. We hope that this remedial action process will finally provide a definitive pathway forward, rather than becoming another stage of unnecessary technical barriers that fail to recognize the realities of Indigenous Peoples and local communities' territories, which for generations have kept forests standing." -- Fermin Chimatani Tayori, President, National Association of Executors of the Communal Reserves Administration Contract (ANECAP)
Background:
High Forest, Low Deforestation regions are some of the most carbon-rich and biodiverse areas on Earth, but they are facing growing pressure from deforestation and degradation: from 2002 to 2020, 60 of 310 HFLD jurisdictions underwent periods of high deforestation, and 59 lost HFLD status overall.
HFLD crediting has emerged as an important tool for these regions. For many Indigenous Peoples and local communities in HFLD areas, forest finance can help support continued stewardship of forests that are central not only to climate stability, but also to livelihoods and cultural identity.
The ART TREES conservative, jurisdictional crediting approach - applied at the national or subnational level - is designed to reward governments and communities that have kept forest loss low while ensuring that credits reflect real, additional climate benefits.
To date, over 40 million tons of TREES HFLD credits issued by Guyana alone have attracted interest from buyers in both voluntary and compliance markets, including credits already approved for use under Phase 2 of ICAO's Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) through 2030.
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With more than 3 million members, Environmental Defense Fund creates transformational solutions to the most serious environmental problems. To do so, EDF links science, economics, law, and innovative private-sector partnerships to turn solutions into action.
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Original text here: https://www.edf.org/media/integrity-council-outlines-path-forward-ccp-eligibility-art-trees-hfld-credits
[Category: Environment]
Center for a Humane Economy Leads Effort to Remove More Beagles From Ridglan Farms and Announces Plan to Halt Invasive Testing on Dogs in U.S.
WASHINGTON, May 13 -- The Center for a Humane Economy posted the following news release on May 12, 2026:
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Center for a Humane Economy Leads Effort to Remove More Beagles from Ridglan Farms and Announces Plan to Halt Invasive Testing on Dogs in U.S.
Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler and pop star Debbie Gibson join advocates highlighting rescue of dogs and growing national movement to modernize medical science
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BLUE MOUNDS, Wis. -- The Center for a Humane Economy announced today that, with its rescue partners, it will remove another 500 beagles this week in Wisconsin from Ridglan Farms.
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, May 13 -- The Center for a Humane Economy posted the following news release on May 12, 2026:
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Center for a Humane Economy Leads Effort to Remove More Beagles from Ridglan Farms and Announces Plan to Halt Invasive Testing on Dogs in U.S.
Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler and pop star Debbie Gibson join advocates highlighting rescue of dogs and growing national movement to modernize medical science
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BLUE MOUNDS, Wis. -- The Center for a Humane Economy announced today that, with its rescue partners, it will remove another 500 beagles this week in Wisconsin from Ridglan Farms.When complete, this will conclude a 14-day process of removing 1,500 dogs from the laboratory animal supplier. These actions are consistent with a confidential accord reached between the Center for a Humane Economy, Big Dog Ranch Rescue, and Ridglan Farms. It is one of the largest coordinated transitions of dogs from a research-breeding facility into rescue organizations and homes in recent U.S. history.
The Center for a Humane Economy is working alongside Beagle Freedom Project, Dane County Humane Society, Wisconsin Puppy Mill Project, and Wisconsin Federated Humane Societies to oversee the care, triage, transport, medical treatment, socialization, and placement of the dogs into qualified rescue organizations and loving homes. Leaders of those groups today were joined by music icons Geezer Butler and Debbie Gibson who announced their support for beagle protection efforts and the surging movement advancing human-relevant, non-animal research methods.
"I've loved animals my entire life, and seeing these dogs finally get a chance at freedom and loving homes is deeply moving," said Geezer Butler, the legendary bassist and primary lyricist for Black Sabbath and recognized as a founding father of heavy metal. "This rescue represents compassion in action and a growing recognition that we can pursue better science without animal suffering." Butler is a spokesman for the Center for a Humane Economy.
"I'm so honored to be invited by Beagle Freedom Project to help shine a light on this rescue effort that represents a shift in consciousness. Although there is a long way to go for these docile, sentient beings, their entire world is about to change thanks to the tireless efforts of all of those who have been advocating for these beautiful beagles," said Debbie Gibson, the American singer, songwriter, and actress. Gibson is a spokeswoman for Beagle Freedom Project.
"We're so excited to play a role, with our many partners, to connect 1,500 families with these glorious beagles so they can start a new, loving chapter in all of their lives," said Wayne Pacelle, president of the Center for a Humane Economy.
"Today we're also announcing a legislative campaign in Congress to end federal funding of invasive and painful testing on dogs in America," added Pacelle. "For decades, beagles have been poisoned, prodded, and punished in the misguided name of science. As a nation, we'll secure better outcomes in human health when we exclude beagles from testing and embrace modern screening and testing methods grounded in human biology."
Congressman Nick Langworthy, R-N.Y., participated in the press conference and will help advance efforts to restrict the use of dogs in animal tests. "The practice of breeding dogs and cats solely for painful experimentation and euthanasia is wrong," said Congressman Nick Langworthy. "My heart breaks for these innocent beagles who are victims of their docile temperament, and the very least we can do is ensure that not one penny of taxpayer dollars is spent on enriching the monsters responsible for inflicting such cruelty and abuse. Ridglan Farms is facing its last days, but our work is not done. We have a duty to ensure that federally funded research reflects both humane treatment and modern scientific standards. As better and more reliable alternatives continue to emerge, there is zero excuse for continuing to support painful, outdated, and unnecessary animal testing practices. I'm working with HHS to make sure we never spend another federal dollar that leads to cruelty against dogs and cats."
The rescue operation comes amid accelerating federal reforms aimed at reducing and replacing the use of animals in drug development and biomedical testing. The FDA Modernization Act 2.0, formulated by the Center for a Humane Economy and enacted in 2022, removed the longstanding requirement that new drugs be tested in animals before human clinical trials. Federal agencies have since advanced policies supporting organ-on-chip systems, organoids, computational modeling, and other non-animal methods.
In April 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration unveiled a roadmap to phase down animal testing requirements in key areas of drug development, while the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced major new investments in human-based research technologies. The House Energy and Commerce Committee will vote tomorrow on the FDA Modernization Act 3.0 to further align federal regulations with the reforms established in federal statute. The Senate approved the legislation, S. 355, by unanimous consent in December.
The Center for a Humane Economy and Animal Wellness Action, with Big Dog Ranch Rescue, also announced today that they will seek legislation in Congress to restrict NIH funding for research and testing featuring invasive and painful testing on dogs. Annually, 50,000 dogs are used in such experiments, creating the market for animal suppliers to laboratories. The organizations are also concerned about the outdated, non-predictive use of animals in invasive tests, including the use of 70,000 primates annually, and worked on this bipartisan letter from December, calling on NIH to move away from invasive testing on non-human primates.
Rescue Partners Playing Essential Role in Beagle Defense
Rescue teams and veterinary personnel have established a temporary staging and care operation at the Dane County Humane Society in Madison, Wisconsin, where dogs are receiving examinations, vaccinations, microchips, behavioral assessments, and, where appropriate, spay and neuter procedures before transport to partner organizations around the country.
"These beagles represent hope and a new beginning," said Shannon Keith, president and founder of the Beagle Freedom Project. "We're excited to be the leaders in placing these beagles in the perfect homes where they can finally thrive and learn how to be the dogs they were meant to be. Beagle Freedom Project is honored to help them begin that journey."
"We're proud to support this historic operation," said Pam McCloud Smith, executive director of the Dane County Humane Society. "The community response has been overwhelming, and it shows how deeply people care about giving these animals a second chance."
"The Wisconsin Puppy Mill Project (WPMP) is pleased to partner with the individuals and organizations involved in the negotiated release of 1,500 beagles from Ridglan Farms. WPMP is coordinating with our experienced Wisconsin rescue and shelter partners to rehabilitate and place 300 of these dogs," said Eilene Ribbens, executive director of the Wisconsin Puppy Mill Project.
"We're grateful for the outpouring of support from our Wisconsin Federated Humane Societies (WFHS) members," said Gina Mason, WFHS vice president. "Twenty-three Wisconsin shelter and rescue members of WFHS have stepped up in a big way to provide care, comfort, support, and adoption services to the beagles. We welcome every dog, as we assist them on the journey to a loving forever home. We're grateful to the humane organizations in our network and nationwide for their outstanding care for all animals and the communities they serve."
Call to Action: Supporters can learn more and contribute at: centerforahumaneeconomy.org/beagle-rescue/
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Center for a Humane Economy is a Washington, D.C.-based 501(c)(3) whose mission is to help animals by helping forge a more humane economic order. The first organization of its kind in the animal protection movement, the Center encourages businesses to honor their social responsibilities in a culture where consumers, investors, and other key stakeholders abhor cruelty and the degradation of the environment and embrace innovation as a means of eliminating both. The Center believes helping animals helps us all. Twitter: @TheHumaneCenter
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Animal Wellness Action is a Washington, D.C.-based 501(c)(4) whose mission is to help animals by promoting laws and regulations at federal, state and local levels that forbid cruelty to all animals. The group also works to enforce existing anti-cruelty and wildlife protection laws. Animal Wellness Action believes helping animals helps us all. Twitter: @AWAction_News
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Original text here: https://centerforahumaneeconomy.org/center-for-a-humane-economy-leads-effort-to-remove-more-beagles-from-ridglan-farms/
[Category: Animals]
Baltimore City Council Passes One-Year Data Center Moratorium
WASHINGTON, May 13 (TNSrpt) -- The Food and Water Watch posted the following news release:
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Baltimore City Council Passes One-Year Data Center Moratorium
Vote establishes a moratorium and data center impact study
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Baltimore City, MD -- At a Baltimore City Council meeting yesterday evening, the council voted to pass a one-year moratorium on the construction of data centers that use 10 megawatts or more of power annually. The moratorium, introduced by Council President Zeke Cohen, would also establish a nine-month study to determine new data centers' impacts on energy infrastructure, ratepayers,
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, May 13 (TNSrpt) -- The Food and Water Watch posted the following news release:
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Baltimore City Council Passes One-Year Data Center Moratorium
Vote establishes a moratorium and data center impact study
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Baltimore City, MD -- At a Baltimore City Council meeting yesterday evening, the council voted to pass a one-year moratorium on the construction of data centers that use 10 megawatts or more of power annually. The moratorium, introduced by Council President Zeke Cohen, would also establish a nine-month study to determine new data centers' impacts on energy infrastructure, ratepayers,the economy, as well as environmental and public health. The bill is now headed to the Mayor's desk to be signed.
The move comes after the Maryland General Assembly passed the Governor Moore-backed Utility RELIEF Act last month. The bill incentivizes the buildout of dangerous methane gas and nuclear power plants for AI data centers.
In response to the vote Food & Water Watch Maryland Organizer Jomar Lloyd stated,
"Dirty, costly data centers are unwelcome in Maryland. While Governor Moore and the General Assembly dragged their feet on protecting Marylanders from industry's buildout, the Baltimore City Council is taking the necessary steps to protect families.
"This is an opportunity to determine if -- not how -- data centers can coexist with the needs of Baltimoreans. Today's vote is a historic step in the right direction to prioritize people over profits for Big Tech."
In March, Food & Water Watch released a first-of-its-kind report detailing the harms of the AI and data center boom infiltrating communities around the country. Last October, Food & Water Watch became the first national group to call for a data center moratorium. Over 250+ organizations have since joined the call.
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REPORT: https://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/RPT2_2602_DataCenterMoratorium.pdf
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Original text here: https://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/2026/05/12/baltimore-city-council-passes-one-year-data-center-moratorium/
[Category: Science]
32BJ Health Fund and Northwell Direct Celebrate Launch of Largest Direct Healthcare Partnership of Its Kind in the Country
NEW HYDE PARK, New York, May 13 -- Northwell Health issued the following news release:
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32BJ Health Fund and Northwell Direct celebrate launch of largest direct healthcare partnership of its kind in the country
Elected city representatives join 32BJ members, Northwell Health providers and partnership leaders in a celebration event
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Leadership from 32BJ SEIU, Northwell Health, Northwell Direct and the Realty Advisory Board on Labor Relations, Inc. (RAB) joined union members, clinicians and New York City elected representatives on Monday to celebrate the official launch of the largest
... Show Full Article
NEW HYDE PARK, New York, May 13 -- Northwell Health issued the following news release:
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32BJ Health Fund and Northwell Direct celebrate launch of largest direct healthcare partnership of its kind in the country
Elected city representatives join 32BJ members, Northwell Health providers and partnership leaders in a celebration event
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Leadership from 32BJ SEIU, Northwell Health, Northwell Direct and the Realty Advisory Board on Labor Relations, Inc. (RAB) joined union members, clinicians and New York City elected representatives on Monday to celebrate the official launch of the largestdirect contract of its kind in the country, delivering major savings and expanding access to care.
The kickoff event, held at Northwell Greenwich Village Hospital, marked the full operational launch of the partnership between the 32BJ Health Fund and Northwell Direct, a leading direct-to-employer healthcare model designed to expand access, lower costs and improve care navigation for 32BJ members and their families. The partnership provides members with expanded access to 43,000 providers at lower cost, including thousands of Northwell providers available at a $0 copay, while projecting a 20% savings (approximately $46 million in the first year) for the 32BJ Health Fund.
Leadership and officials discuss partnership benefits
Elected officials participating in the event included New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin, New York City Council Health Chair Lynn Schulman and New York City Council Member Harvey Epstein.
"This partnership is a major victory for our members and their families," said Manny Pastreich, President of 32BJ SEIU. "At a time when healthcare costs continue to rise for working people, we are expanding access to high-quality care while lowering costs and making the system easier to navigate. Our members now have more options, more support and access to thousands of providers at low or no copay. This partnership proves that innovation in healthcare can work for working people."
"What we are celebrating today is far bigger than a traditional healthcare agreement," said John D'Angelo, MD, president and CEO of Northwell Health. "This partnership represents a new model for how healthcare can be delivered more efficiently, more transparently and with patients at the center. By working directly together, we are removing unnecessary administrative barriers while expanding access to high-quality care for the people who keep New York running every day."
"This is what healthcare collaboration should look like," said Nick Stefanizzi, CEO of Northwell Direct. "The Built for Health partnership creates meaningful savings for the Health Fund, expanded access and affordability for members, and a better care delivery experience for providers. What has been built here has the potential to serve as a national blueprint for addressing the affordability crisis facing healthcare systems, employers and workers across the country."
"The scale and impact of this partnership cannot be overstated," said Howard Rothschild, President and CEO of the Realty Advisory Board on Labor Relations, Inc. "This agreement ensures that our members continue to receive access to world-class healthcare while helping create long-term sustainability for the Health Fund. It represents a shared commitment between labor, healthcare leadership and employers to build a system that better serves workers and families."
During the event, speakers emphasized how the Built for Health partnership removes costly administrative layers that often create barriers between patients and providers, while preserving existing doctor-patient relationships and expanding access to care navigation services, virtual care and specialized clinical support.
Leaders also highlighted the partnership as a symbol of the long-term collaboration between 32BJ Health Fund, Northwell Health and Northwell Direct, and as a scalable national model for improving healthcare affordability without sacrificing quality or access.
Additional quotes:
New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin: "New Yorkers are struggling with rising healthcare costs, so partnerships that expand access and lower costs for working families are incredibly important," said Speaker Julie Menin. "By bringing together providers and labor in a way that prioritizes affordability, transparency, and quality care, Northwell Direct and the 32BJ Health Fund are creating a model that can make a real difference for workers and their families."
New York City Council Health Chair Lynn Schulman: "Affordability and access are the two biggest challenges facing healthcare today, and this partnership tackles both head-on, said Council Member Lynn Schulman, Chair of the Health Committee. As a co-sponsor of legislation creating the Office of Healthcare Accountability, this collaboration between Northwell Direct and the 32BJ Health Fund is a prime example of how we can deliver a practical, common-sense solution that lowers costs for working families while expanding their care options. Hopefully, this sets the bar for other healthcare institutions."
New York City Council Member Harvey Epstein: "I'm proud that this groundbreaking partnership between 32BJ Health Fund and Northwell Direct, the largest direct contracting agreement of its kind in the country, is rooted right here in Lower Manhattan. This milestone represents a real solution to rising healthcare costs, lowering costs for 32BJ members while expanding access to quality, coordinated care. It's an innovative model for healthcare affordability in New York City and one worth applauding and encouraging others to follow."
Sandy Balwan, MD (Chief Medical Officer of Northwell Direct and Executive Director and CMO of Northwell's independent physician association): "As a practicing physician, I see every day how the cost of care weighs on patients' decisions about whether to seek treatment. This partnership changes that, lowering out-of-pocket costs for 32BJ members and giving them a true guide through their healthcare journey. When you remove that friction, patients get care sooner, and that's when medicine works best."
Alfreda Simpkins (32BJ member): "I've been a proud 32BJ member for 25 years. Like a lot of working New Yorkers, I've had my share of health challenges. Knowing I can get great care from Northwell doctors and hospitals - especially right here on Long Island - with no copay and someone to help me navigate the system, is a huge relief for my family and me."
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Original text here: https://www.northwell.edu/news/the-latest/32bj-health-fund-northwell-direct-partnership-celebration
[Category: Health Care]
'Nature's Algorithm' Found in Chinese Money Plants
COLD SPRING HARBOR, New York, May 13 -- The Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory issued the following news:
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'Nature's algorithm' found in Chinese money plants
The Takeaway
CSHL Associate Professor Saket Navlakha and former graduate student Cici Zheng have discovered a naturally occurring Voronoi diagram in Chinese money plants' leaves. Their research answers a longstanding question in biology regarding the mathematics of looping vein structures and could help explain how plants solve complex problems in nature.
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Look up at the clouds. What do you see? A sailboat? A seahorse? Your great-aunt
... Show Full Article
COLD SPRING HARBOR, New York, May 13 -- The Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory issued the following news:
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'Nature's algorithm' found in Chinese money plants
The Takeaway
CSHL Associate Professor Saket Navlakha and former graduate student Cici Zheng have discovered a naturally occurring Voronoi diagram in Chinese money plants' leaves. Their research answers a longstanding question in biology regarding the mathematics of looping vein structures and could help explain how plants solve complex problems in nature.
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Look up at the clouds. What do you see? A sailboat? A seahorse? Your great-auntRosemary? As humans, we're prone to seeing patterns where they don't actually exist. This behavior is so common there's a name for it: apophenia. But sometimes, those patterns really do exist. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Associate Professor Saket Navlakha specializes in finding them.
Voronoi diagrams are geometric patterns used to divide space into regions. Each region contains a given central point. For example, when dividing a town into school districts (regions), a Voronoi diagram guarantees that all students living within a district are closer to that district's school (central point) than to any other school. "Voronoi diagrams have been used for centuries in a variety of applications ranging from city planning to network design," Navlakha says.
Voronoi-like patterns are common in nature--giraffe stripes, for example. However, the keyword there is "like." The difference between textbook Voronoi patterns and what we see in nature is that the latter usually lacks visible "schools." Now, Navlakha and former graduate student Cici Zheng have found an exception in Pilea peperomioides, the Chinese money plant.
Chinese money plants are perennials native to China's Yunnan and Sichuan provinces. You may have received one as a housewarming gift from great-aunt Rosemary. Its round, flat leaves feature prominent pores called hydathodes, surrounded by looping reticulate veins that transport water and nutrients to and from the leaf. By mapping Chinese money plants' pores and veins, Navlakha and Zheng discovered a naturally occurring Voronoi pattern.
The team then turned to world-renowned scientist Przemyslaw Prusinkiewicz, who has studied vein patterning for decades. Together, they worked out the "natural algorithm" used to form looping veins around central pores in Chinese money plants' leaves.
"Just as humans have to solve problems to survive, the same goes for other organisms," says Zheng, now a postdoc at the Allen Institute. "But unlike humans, plants cannot explicitly measure distances! Instead, they rely on local biological interactions to achieve the same Voronoi solution."
"We think of these algorithms in nature as an explanation for how organisms will behave and as a way to try to make sense of the world," Navlakha says. "This example is a nice merger of classical geometry, modern plant biology, and computer science."
"It's remarkable how mathematical yet another aspect of plant form and patterning turns out to be," Prusinkiewicz adds. "For decades, the question of how reticulate veins form has remained open, and finally we have a plausible answer" in Chinese money plants' Voronoi patterns.
Navlakha and Zheng hope exploring this phenomenon can help tell us how plants work out complex problems in nature. Understanding that may provide a new framework for making sense of the math underlying evolution, development, and life itself.
Funding
CSHL School of Biological Sciences William R. Miller Fellowship, National Institute of General Medical Sciences, National Science Foundation, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, CSHL Simons Center for Quantitative Biology
Citation
Zheng, C.X., et al., "Reticulate leaf venation in Pilea peperomioides is a Voronoi diagram", Nature Communications, May 12, 2026. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-71768-3
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Original text here: https://www.cshl.edu/natures-algorithm-found-in-chinese-money-plants/
[Category: Science]
