STOCKHOLM, Sweden, May 26 -- The Council of the European Union issued the following remarks on May 25, 2022, by President Charles Michel after his meeting with Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson: * * * Thank you, dear Prime Minister, dear Magdalena (Andersson). First of all, allow me to join you in expressing our shock at the tragic attack in Texas. On behalf of the EU, I would also like to offer my condolences to the victims and to their families. Thank you for your warm welcome, an  more

WASHINGTON, May 27 -- The U.S. Department of Defense issued the following transcript of news conference on May 26, 2022, by Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks and Norwegian Ministry of Defence State Secretary Bent-Joacim Bentzen aboard USS Porter in Oslo, Norway: * * * STAFF: Good morning everybody, I'm Lieutenant Colonel Meiners from DOD Public Affairs. This morning we're joined by State Secretary Bentzen and Deputy Secretary Hicks. We have 30 minutes this morning. State Secretary Ben  more

BRUSSELS, Belgium, May 28 -- The European Commission issued the following video remarks on May 27, 2022, by President Ursula von der Leyen at the African Union Extraordinary Humanitarian Summit and Pledging Conference: * * * I am delighted to have the chance to address you today at this Extraordinary Humanitarian Summit. I regret that I cannot be with you in person in Malabo. Since I welcomed the leaders of the African Union three months ago in Brussels, the unthinkable has happened. Russia l  more

DAVOS, Switzerland, May 25 -- The European Commission issued the following remarks on May 24, 2022, by President Ursula von der Leyen at the World Economic Forum: * * * Indeed, following your introduction, dear Klaus, it is difficult to believe that in Davos today we are talking about war. Because the Davos spirit is the antithesis of war. It is about forging ties and together finding solutions for the big challenges of the world. You might remember, and you worked on it together with us, that  more

WASHINGTON, May 27 -- Sen. John Boozman, R-Arkansas, issued the following news release and letter on May 26, 2022: After repeated calls from U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, to devise a plan empowering American agricultural producers to help address the global food crisis, the U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced expanded flexibilities within the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) for participants with ex  more

STILLWATER, Oklahoma, May 24 (TNSres) -- Oklahoma State University issued the following news: On the western side of Oklahoma, early cotton acre establishment is in question, and winter wheat outcome looks devastating, according to Gary Strickland, Jackson County director and southwest regional agronomist for Oklahoma State University Extension. With winter wheat crops being harvested as of last week, OSU Extension experts predict a nearly 50% decline in wheat yields on the western side of the  more

WASHINGTON, May 25 -- Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, issued the following news release: Senator Portman joined Bloomberg TV this afternoon to discuss the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework - though the framework does not include market access, Portman said it would lead to reducing barriers in the region, which is a good thing. When asked if including market access would be doable in a trade agreement in the region, Portman argued that an agreement of that nature would be most plausible with Japan - gi  more

WASHINGTON, May 27 -- Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minnesota, issued the following news release: At a Senate Agriculture Committee hearing, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) secured Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack's commitment that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will provide disaster assistance for Minnesota farmers impacted by recent storms. "These two separate storm systems that passed through Minnesota with heavy rains recently...tornadoes destroying farms and grain bins, flooded f  more

FALLS CHURCH, Virginia, May 27 (TNSpol)(TNScapv) -- The U.S. Apple Association issued the following joint news release and letter on May 26, 2022, with 40 organizations: The U.S. Apple Association today joined more than 40 agriculture and food groups to call for the elimination or reduction of U.S. tariffs being imposed on other countries that in turn are harming U.S. agriculture through retaliatory tariffs. In a letter sent to U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai, the groups said America's   more

WASHINGTON, May 27 -- The White House issued the following transcript of a news briefing on May 26, 2022, by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre: * * * MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Hey, good afternoon, everybody. Okay, I have a few toppers, so please bear with me. Over the past 15 months, we've made tremendous progress in our fight against COVID, with 220 million Americans fully vaccinated and over 100 million people boosted. We've also moved quickly to ensure Paxlovid, an oral antiviral pill that reduc  more