In 1983, six businessmen got together and opened the first Hooters restaurant in Clearwater, Florida. Hooters of America LLC quickly became a restaurant chain success story.
With its scantily clad servers and signature breaded wings, the chain sells sex appeal in addition to food – or as one of the company’s mottos puts it: “You can sell the sizzle, but you have to deliver the steak.” It inspired a niche restaurant genre called “breastaurants,” with eateries such as the Tilted Kilt Pub & Eatery and Twin Peaks replicating Hooters’ busty business model.
A decade ago, business was booming for breastaurant chains, with these companies experiencing record sales growth.
Today it’s a different story. Declining sales, rising costs and a large debt burden of approximately US$300 million have threatened Hooters’ long-term outlook. In summer 2024, the chain closed over 40 of its restaurants across the U.S. In February 2025, Bloomberg reported that the company was on the verge of filing for bankruptcy.
Hooters isn’t necessarily going away for good. But it’s certainly looking like there will be fewer opportunities for women to work as “Hooters Girls” – and for customers to ogle at them.
As a psychologist, I was originally interested in studying servers at breastaurants because I could sense an interesting dynamic at play. On the one hand, it can feel good to be complimented for your looks. On the other hand, I also wondered whether constantly being critiqued might eventually wear these servers down.
So my research team and I decided to study what it was like to work in places like Hooters.
In a series of studies, here’s what we found.
Concocting a male fantasyland
More so than most restaurants, managers at breastaurants like Hooters seek to strictly regulate how their employees look and act.
For one of our studies, we interviewed 11 women who worked in breastaurants.
Several of them said that they were told to be “camera ready” at all times.
One described being given a booklet with exacting standards outlining her expected appearance, down to “nails, hair, makeup, brushing your teeth, wearing deodorant.” She had to promise to stay the same weight and height, wear makeup every shift and not change her hairstyle.
Beyond a carefully constructed physical appearance, the servers relayed that they were also expected to be confident, cheerful, charming, outgoing and emotionally steeled. They were instructed to make male customers feel special, to be their “personal cheerleaders,” as one interviewee put it, and to never challenge them.
Suffice it say, these demands can be unrealistic – and many of the servers we interviewed described becoming emotionally drained and eventually souring on the role.
‘The girls are a dime a dozen’
It probably won’t come as a surprise that Hooters servers often encounter lewd remarks, sexual advances and other forms of sexual harassment from customers.
But because their managers often tolerate this behavior from customers, it created the added burden of what psychologists call “double-binds” – situations where contradictory messages make it impossible to respond properly.
For example, say a regular customer who’s a generous tipper decides to proposition a server. Now she’s in a predicament. She’s been instructed to make customers feel special. And he’s already left a big tip, in addition to being a regular. But she also feels creeped out, and his advances make her feel worthless. Should she push back?
GOP presidential candidate Bob Dole shakes hands with Hooters employees after a campaign rally in Jacksonville, Fla., in 1996. J. David Ake/AFP via Getty Images
You might assume that managers, aware that their scantily clad employees would be more likely to face harassment, would try to set boundaries and throw out customers who treated servers poorly. But we found that waitresses at breastaurants have less support from both management and their co-workers than servers at other restaurants.
The lack of co-worker support might also come as a surprise. Rather than standing in solidarity, the servers tended to compete for favoritism, better shifts and raises from their bosses. Gossiping, name-calling and scapegoating were commonplace.
The psychological toll
My research team also wanted to learn more about the specific emotional and psychological costs of working in these types of environments.
Psychologists Barbara Fredrickson and Tomi-Ann Robert have found that mental health problems that disproportionately affect women often coincide with sexual objectification.
So we weren’t surprised to find that servers working in sexually objectifying restaurant environments, such as Hooters and Twin Peaks, reported more symptoms of depression, anxiety and disordered eating than those working in other restaurants. In addition, they wanted to be thinner, were more likely to monitor their weight and appearance, and were more dissatisfied with their bodies. Hooters didn’t reply to a request for comment on this story.
Why are women drawn to the job?
Given our findings, you might wonder why any women would choose to work in places like Hooters in the first place.
The women we interviewed said that they sought work in breastaurants to make more money and have more flexibility.
A number of servers in one of our studies noted that they could make more money this way than waitressing at a regular restaurant or in other “real” jobs.
For example, one of the servers we interviewed used to work at a more run-of-the-mill restaurant.
“It was OK, I made OK money,” she told us. “But working at Hooters … I’ve walked out with hundreds of dollars in one shift.”
All the women we interviewed were in college or were mothers. So they enjoyed the high degree of flexibility in their work schedule that breastaurants provided.
Finally, several of them had previously experienced objectification while growing up, or they’d participated in activities centered on physical appearance, such as beauty pageants and cheerleading. This likely contributed to their decision to work at a Hooters or one of its competitors: They’d been objectified as adolescents, and so they found themselves drawn to these kinds of setting as adults.
Even so, our research suggests that the financial rewards and flexibility of working in breastaurants probably aren’t worth the potential psychological costs.
Dawn Szymanski does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Andrew Muhammad, Professor of Agriculture and Resource Economics, University of Tennessee
If all the tariff drama in the news lately has you reaching for a stiff drink, you’re not alone. Unfortunately, those same tariffs might make it harder to get your hands on your favorite brand of tequila.
As an agricultural economist, I’ve analyzed how a 25% tariff could affect tequila, whiskey and other distilled spirits – and the results weren’t pretty. I found that these tariffs would cost distilled spirit importers over $1 billion in lost trade, with tequila alone taking a more than $800 million hit.
Americans’ thirst for imported liquor
The U.S. imports far more distilled spirits than it exports – five times as much by value, as of 2024.
Since 2000, U.S. imports of distilled spirits have surged by more than 300%, driven largely by the explosive rise in tequila consumption. Between 2000 and 2024, tequila imports rose by 1,400%, skyrocketing from $350 million to $5.4 billion.
While imports of whiskey, liqueurs, vodka and brandy also grew, none matched tequila’s explosive rise. Tequila now represents 45% of all spirits imported into the U.S., up from 12% in 2000.
Not surprisingly, 99% of tequila and mezcal is imported from Mexico, making it the leading foreign supplier of distilled spirits to the United States. Meanwhile, Canada has supplied between 4% and 6% of U.S. spirits imports over the past two decades, primarily whiskey and liqueurs.
Since distilled spirits are classified as agricultural products, their rising imports have significantly contributed to the U.S. agricultural trade deficit. However, this isn’t necessarily a problem. Imports help meet demand from U.S. consumers, generate value-added opportunities for U.S. companies, and support economic activity in bars, liquor stores, restaurants and beyond.
A 25% tariff on Mexican goods is a 25% tax on tequila
In my study, published in February in the peer-reviewed journal Agribusiness and in a follow-up policy brief, I found that 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada could reduce imports of distilled spirits by $1.2 billion. This loss exceeds the total amount of tax revenue those tariffs can expected to bring in.
Unsurprisingly, tequila imports would be the hardest hit, falling by $810 million. I found that the tariff revenue from tequila – $910 million – could actually exceed the corresponding fall in imports. That’s because demand for tequila, like most alcoholic beverages, is what economists call “inelastic,” meaning that when prices rise, consumers are unlikely to change their purchasing decisions by very much.
However, it would be a mistake to consider tequila in isolation. When I factored in other notable decreases, such as a $100 million drop in whiskey imports, I found that the value of total trade losses, in the form of decreased imports, would outweigh the total tariff revenue. I also found that no product category would come out ahead.
In fact, even products like vodka, which are mostly exempt from these tariffs, would be indirectly affected. This is because tariffs can increase the overall cost of importing, leading businesses to reduce all imports, tariffed or otherwise. My research suggests that this “trade destruction” effect, to use an economics term, will be quite significant.
A new era of tariffs
The Trump administration has argued that tariffs will generate a lot of money for the federal government. But my research suggests those gains may not outweigh the economic costs to businesses and consumers.
Contrary to common belief, trade losses don’t just affect exporting countries. Domestic consumers also face higher prices and fewer choices – hurting their overall economic welfare. Reducing imports also affects U.S. businesses involved in marketing, distribution and sales.
Trade is more complex than a simple formula of “exports good, imports bad.” Research makes it clear that tariffs have negative consequences, including higher consumer prices, reduced product availability and downstream economic disruption. Policymakers would be wise to take those effects seriously. Otherwise, they might find themselves with a serious economic hangover.
Andrew Muhammad does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Mississippi’s reforms have led to significant gains in reading and math, despite the state being one of the lowest spenders per pupil in the U.S.Klaus Vedfelt/Getty Images
As of 2023, the state ranks among the top 20 for fourth grade reading, a significant leap from its 49th-place ranking in 2013. This transformation was driven by evidence-based policy reforms focused on early literacy and teacher development.
The rest of the country might want to take note.
That’s because Mississippi’s success offers a proven solution to the reading literacy crisis facing many states – a clear road map for closing early literacy gaps and improving reading outcomes nationwide.
When students struggle, their academic performance declines. And that leads to lower test scores. Research shows that these declining scores are closely linked to reduced economic growth, as a less educated workforce hampers productivity and innovation.
The Mississippi approach
In 2013, Mississippi implemented a multifaceted strategy for enhancing kindergarten to third grade literacy. The Literacy-Based Promotion Act focuses on early literacy and teacher development. It includes teacher training in proven reading instruction methods and teacher coaching.
It includes provisions for reading coaches, parent communication, individual reading plans and other supportive measures. It also includes targeted support for struggling readers. Students repeat the third grade if they fail to meet reading standards.
The state also aligned its test to the NAEP, or National Assessment of Educational Progress, something which not all states do. Often referred to as “The Nation’s Report Card,” the NAEP is a nationwide assessment that measures student performance in various subjects.
Mississippi’s reforms have led to significant gains in reading and math, with fourth graders improving on national assessments.
I believe this is extremely important. That’s because early reading is a foundational skill that helps develop the ability to read at grade level by the end of third grade. It also leads to general academic success, graduating from high school prepared for college, and becoming productive adults less likely to fall into poverty.
Research by Noah Spencer, an economics doctoral student at the University of Toronto, shows that the Mississippi law boosted scores.
Students exposed to it from kindergarten to the third grade gained a 0.25 standard deviation improvement in reading scores. That is roughly equivalent to one year of academic progress in reading, according to educational benchmarks. This gain reflects significant strides in students’ literacy development over the course of a school year.
Another study has found an even greater impact attributed to grade retention in the third grade – it led to a huge increase in learning in English Language Arts by the sixth grade.
But the Mississippi law is not just about retention. Spencer found that grade retention explains only about 22% of the treatment effect. The rest is presumably due to the other components of the measure – namely, teacher training and coaching.
These changes were achieved despite Mississippi being one of the lowest spenders per pupil in the U.S., proving that strategic investments in teacher development and early literacy can yield impressive results even with limited resources.
Mississippi’s early literacy interventions show lasting impact and offer a potential solution for other regions facing similar challenges.
In 2024, only 31% of U.S. fourth grade students were proficient or above in reading, according to the NAEP, while 40% were below basic. Reading scores for fourth and eighth graders also dropped by five points compared with 2019, with averages lower than any year since 2005.
Mississippi’s literacy program provides a learning gain equal to a year of schooling. The program costs US$15 million annually – 0.2% of the state budget in 2023 – and $32 per student.
Based on typical high school graduate earnings, the average student can expect to earn an extra $1,000 per year for the rest of their life.
That is, for every dollar Mississippi spends, the state gains about $32 in additional lifetime earnings, offering substantial long-term economic benefits compared with the initial cost.
The Mississippi literacy project focuses on teaching at the right level, which focuses on assessing children’s actual learning levels and then tailoring instruction to meet them, rather than strictly following age- or grade-level curriculum.
I believe Mississippi’s progress, despite being the second-poorest state, can serve as a wake-up call.
Harry Anthony Patrinos does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
In our research on place naming, we explore how this “name game” is used to assert control over shared symbols and embed subtle and not-so-subtle messages in the landscape.
As geographyteachers and researchers, we also recognize the educational and emotional impact the name game can have on the public.
These moves can have strong psychological effects, particularly when the name evokes something threatening. Changing a place name can fundamentally shift how people view, relate to or feel that they belong within that place.
In Shenandoah County, Virginia, students at two schools originally named for Confederate generals have been on an emotional roller coaster of name changes in recent years. The schools were renamed Mountain View and Honey Run in 2020 amid the national uproar over the murder of George Floyd, a Black man killed by a police officer in Minneapolis.
One Black eighth grader at Mountain View High School — now re-renamed Stonewall Jackson High School — testified at a board meeting about how the planned change would affect her:
“I would have to represent a man that fought for my ancestors to be slaves. If this board decides to restore the names, I would not feel like I was valued and respected,” she said. The board still approved the change, 5-1.
Even outside of schools, place names operate as a “hidden curriculum.” They provide narratives to the public about how the community or nation sees itself – as well as whose histories and perspectives it considers important or worthy of public attention.
Trump’s orders to restore the names Fort Bragg and Fort Benning, both originally named for Confederate generals, illustrate this effect. The names were changed to Fort Liberty and Fort Moore in 2023 after Congress passed a law banning the use of Confederate names for federal installations.
Veterans and other guests posed in 2023 next to a newly unveiled sign for Fort Moore, named for Lt. Gen. Harold ‘Hal’ Moore, who served in Vietnam, and his wife, Julia Moore. In 2025, President Donald Trump reverted the name back to Fort Benning. Cheney Orr/AFP via Getty Images
Trump made a campaign promise to his followers to “bring back the name” of Fort Bragg if reelected.
To get around the federal ban, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth identified two unrelated decorated Army veterans with the same last names — Bragg and Benning — but without any Confederate connections, to honor instead.
Call it a sleight of hand or a stroke of genius if you’d like, this tactic allowed the Department of Defense to revive politically charged names without violating the law.
A soldier walks beside a sign that was unveiled when Fort Liberty was rededicated as Fort Bragg during a ceremony on base on March 7, 2025. AP Photo/Chris Seward
The restoration of the names Bragg and Benning may feel like a symbolic homecoming for those who resisted the original name change or have emotional ties to the names through their memories of living and serving on the base, rather than a connection to the specific namesakes.
However, the names are still reminders of the military bases’ original association with defenders of slavery.
For example, Clingmans Dome, the highest peak in the Great Smoky Mountains, was renamed to Kuwohi in September 2024, shifting the name from a Confederate general to a Cherokee word meaning “the mulberry place.”
Under the Trump administration, however, place-name changes are being advanced explicitly to push back against reform efforts, part of a broader assault on what Trump calls “woke culture.”
The view from a lookout tower on Kuwohi, formerly known as Clingmans Dome, in the Great Smoky Mountains. National Park Service
Trump, on his first day in office in January 2025, moved to rename Denali back to Mount McKinley, over the opposition of Republican politicians in Alaska. The state Legislature passed a resolution a few days later asking Trump to reconsider.
Georgia Rep. Earl “Buddy” Carter made a recent legislative proposal to rename Greenland as “Red, White, and Blueland” in support of Trump’s expansionist desire to purchase the island, which is an autonomous territory of Denmark.
When leaders rename a place in an abrupt, unilateral fashion — often for ideological reasons — they risk alienating communities that deeply connect with those names as a form of memory, identity and place attachment.
A better alternative, in our view, would be to make renaming shared landscapes participatory, with opportunities for meaningful public involvement in the renaming process.
This approach does not avoid name changes, but it suggests the changes should respond to the social and psychological needs of communities and the evolving cultural identity of places — and not simply be used to score political points.
Instead, encouraging public participation — such as through landscape impact assessments and critical audits that take the needs of affected communities seriously — can cultivate a sense of shared ownership in the decision that may give those names more staying power.
The latest place renamings are already affecting the classroom experience. Students are not just memorizing new place labels, but they are also being asked to reevaluate the meaning of those places and their own relationship with the nation and the world.
As history has shown around the world, one of the major downsides of leaders imposing name changes is that the names can be easily replaced as soon as the next regime takes power. The result can be a never-ending name game.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Medetomidine is now a key ingredient in street fentanyl sold in Philly.AP Photo/Matt Rourke
Philadelphia’s street opioid supply – or “dope” market – is constantly changing. As health care workers and researchers who care for people who use drugs in our community, we have witnessed these shifts firsthand.
New adulterants are frequently added to the mix. They bring additional and often uncertain risks for people who use drugs, and new challenges for the health care providers and systems who treat them.
The latest adulterant to dominate the supply is medetomidine.
What is medetomodine?
Medetomidine, pronounced meh-deh-TOH-muh-deen, is a drug used in veterinary medicine for sedation, muscle relaxation and pain relief, often during surgery. It is an alpha-2 adrenergic agonist, which essentially means it works by slowing the release of adrenaline in the brain and body.
In May 2024, the Philadelphia Medical Examiner’s Office began testing for medetomidine in people who died from fatal overdoses. By the end of the year, 46 of the deceased had tested positive for the substance, in addition to fentanyl and other known chemicals.
In fact, medetomidine is quickly becoming more common in Philadelphia’s street opioid supply than even xylazine, a non-FDA-approved sedative linked to skin ulceration, chronic wounds and amputation.
Recent studies show even more unusual substances entering the street fentanyl supply, such as the industrial solvent BTMPS.
At the same time, hospital and behavioral health providers are reporting more common presentations of severe withdrawal symptoms among people who use drugs in Philadelphia.
Risks of medetomidine
While medetomidine’s sedating effects are similar in mechanism to xylazine, it is upward of 10-20 times more potent. It suppresses brain signals in the central nervous system, leading to deep sedation.
Since medetomidine is so powerful and does not act on opioid receptors, a person who overdoses on it often does not respond to the opioid-reversal drug naloxone, which goes by the brand name Narcan, in the manner we commonly expect from people who appear to have overdosed on opioids.
When patients overdose on a combination of opioids and medetomidine, providing naloxone will help individuals start breathing again but does not reverse the sedation caused by the medetomidine.
From our clinical experience, after patients start to breathe normally, providing additional doses of naloxone does not seem to help and even risks prompting opioid withdrawal symptoms.
Additionally, medetomidine presents serious clinical challenges for health care workers treating patients in withdrawal. These patients often experience symptoms such as rapid heart rate, severe spikes in blood pressure, restlessness, disorientation and confusion, and severe vomiting. While many of these symptoms were similar, if less intense, for those withdrawing from opioids and xylazine, the number of patients we are seeing is unprecedented – as is the severity of their symptoms.
While published data on humans’ withdrawal from medetomidine is limited, clinicians are drawing comparisons to dexmedetomidine, a related drug used in humans that has shown similar features when withdrawn too quickly.
Researchers and clinicians in Philadelphia’s hospitals, including us at Thomas Jefferson University, are analyzing emerging clinical data. This data suggests that existing protocols that effectively controlled withdrawal symptoms in the era when xylazine was common are no longer adequate in the era of medetomidine. New protocols have been developed based on the guidance of local experts and are being tested.
When patients overdose on a combination of opioids and medetomidine, providing naloxone can help individuals start breathing again but does not reverse the sedation caused by the medetomidine. AP Photo/Alex Brandon
Approaches to drug testing
The rise in severe withdrawal symptoms has prompted expanded testing for adulterants such as medetomidine in Jefferson’s emergency departments.
Currently, drug testing involves two primary approaches. Qualitative analysis determines the presence or absence of substances. For example, fentanyl and xylazine test strips are commonly used by harm reduction groups and people who use drugs. Unfortunately, they can be unreliable and prone to user error, expiration, misinterpretation and false positives or negatives. This technology is also commonly used in urine drug-testing kits sold over the counter.
Quantitative analysis, on the other hand, is a more sophisticated approach to drug testing. It uses complex technology such as liquid-phase chromatography and mass spectrometry to separate the individual components of a sample and determine their concentration. This form of testing is more expensive and requires specialized equipment and analysts to perform the tests and interpret the results.
Hospitals in the city have begun selectively testing urine and blood samples from patients who present with suspected medetomidine exposure. The labs are looking for the presence of certain drugs and their related byproducts, and also trying to identify distinct concentrations that might be associated with overdose, intoxication and withdrawal.
Implications for public health
We believe Philadelphians should be aware of these recent changes in the street drug supply and how people in their communities may react to exposure to medetomidine.
Naloxone is still recommended for a person showing signs of opioid overdose – such as excess sedation, shallow or absent breathing and small pupils. Narcan is freely available at pharmacies around the city. But if the patient starts breathing but does not immediately wake up, additional doses of naloxone should be avoided.
As always, contact 911 for expert assistance and to get patients to an emergency department to complete their care.
Patients who use large amounts of drugs may suffer from severe withdrawal symptoms. Typical medications given to those in opioid withdrawal, such as buprenorphine or methadone, may not be sufficient to treat this constellation of symptoms. Even medications and regimens tailored for xylazine may not be effective.
Patients with severe withdrawal symptoms need to be seen in the emergency department, given the risk of undertreating this emerging condition.
At least, that’s the verdict of one nonprofit, the Center for Systemic Peace, which measures regime qualities of countries worldwide based on the competitiveness and integrity of their elections, limits to executive authority and other factors.
“The USA is no longer considered a democracy and lies at the cusp of autocracy,” the group’s 2025 report read.
It calls Donald Trump’s second inauguration following a raft of criminal indictments and convictions, combined with the U.S. Supreme Court’s July 2024 granting of sweeping presidential immunity, a “presidential coup.”
Generally, only scholars pay attention to this kind of technical index. This year, however, many people are calling out the erosion of U.S. democracy.
The term “political regime” refers to either the person or people who hold power, or to a classification of government, including in a democracy.
Since the mid-1960s, when the U.S. expanded voting rights to include its Black citizens, historians and political scientists have generally classified the U.S. as having a democratic regime. That means the government holds free and fair elections, embraces universal voting rights, protects civil liberties and obeys the law.
Trump’s unprecedented use of nearly 100 executive orders in the first two months of his presidency aims to enact a vast policy agenda by decree. For comparison, President Joe Biden issued 162 executive orders over four years.
This is not what the founders had in mind: Congress is the constitutional route for policy-making. Skirting it threatens democracy, as do the issues Trump’s orders address. From attempting to deny citizenship through birthright to abolishing the U.S. Department of Education, Trump is attacking both the U.S. Constitution and Congress. His administration has even defied judges who order it to stop.
All of this challenges the rule of law – that is, the idea that everyone, including those in power, must follow the same laws.
When things get this bad, can a country recover?
Autocrats can be beaten
Based on my research, the short answer is yes – eventually.
When a political party that does not honor democratic institutions or heed critical democratic norms takes power, political scientists expect the government to shift toward autocratic rule. That means restricting civil liberties, quashing dissent and undermining the rule of law.
However, as long as a country has a robust opposition and elections that offer real opportunities for alternative parties to win office, the regime shift is not necessarily permanent.
According to the American Presidency Project at the University of California Santa Barbara, which measures presidential margins of victory by subtracting the electoral vote percentage from the popular vote percentage for each election, the average margin of victory in presidential elections between 1932 and 2000 was 25 points. Since 2000, it has been 7.8 points.
Moreover, since 1948, every time the White House changed hands after an election, it flipped parties as well, with one exception in 1988. Political scientists refer to this back-and-forth as “thermostatic shifting.” In other words, the electorate regularly sours on the status quo and aims to adjust the thermostat to another temperature – or political party.
When a party that more strongly favors democratic principles takes power, the U.S. more firmly adheres to democratic institutions and norms. This was essentially Biden’s winning pitch to voters in 2020.
The U.S. political pendulum has been singing back and forth like this since at least 2016, with Trump’s first win. I expect the oscillation to continue.
There are good reasons to believe that a permanent slide into autocracy is harder in the U.S. than in those countries.
The U.S. has a robust and wealthy network of civil society organizations, which are well versed in exercising their civil liberties. Its decentralized federalist structure is harder for any one person or party to seize. U.S. elections for example, are run by state and local governments, not the federal government. This makes its election systems more resilient than more centralized election systems.
At the moment, I see no reason to fear that the U.S. will fail to hold free and fair elections in 2026 or 2028.
For the time being, then, the U.S. is in what I call a “pendular equilibrium.” Parties trade majority control as voters react to extremism, shifting the regime from more autocratic to more democratic depending on who is in power.
The effect is a stable outcome of sorts – not a static stability but a dynamic stability. Despite the day-to-day chaos, there is balance over time in the predictable shift back and forth.
When the pendulum stops swinging
Until, that is, some other force comes along to disrupt the pattern.
This might be a force more toward fascism that restricts elections to the point of futility, as in Venezuela and Russia. Or the equilibrium could be thrown off by a democratic resurgence, in the model of Brazil or Poland.
Even just maintaining the pendular equilibrium to conserve some manner of democratic regime will require those who oppose authoritarianism to boldly insist on political leaders who value democratic principles: fair elections, voting rights, civil liberties and rule of law.
Until and unless the U.S. nurtures and elects political movements and leaders who make lasting democratic changes, I believe the country will continue to lurch back and forth in its pendulum swing.
Jennifer Victor serves as the Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of OpenSecrets, a non-partisan, non-profit. This is an unpaid position.
Thank you for this opportunity — and for your focus today on collective climate action and acceleration of implementation.
This could not be more timely.
There is much uncertainty and instability in our world.
But today we meet in the wake of some good news.
Just this morning, the International Renewable Energy Agency officially confirmed that 2024 was a record year for renewables additions to global power capacity.
Renewables represented more than 92 per cent of all new electricity generation capacity installed last year.
The amount of renewables added represents more than the total electricity capacity of Brazil and Japan combined.
Europe’s capacity grew by 9 per cent – with Germany contributing more than one-quarter of that growth. Africa’s capacity grew by almost 7 per cent.
All of this is another reminder of a 21st century truth:
Renewables are renewing economies.
They are powering growth, creating jobs, lowering energy bills, and cleaning our air.
And every day, they become an even smarter investment.
Since 2010, the average cost of wind power has plunged 60%. Solar is 90% cheaper.
In 2023, clean energy sectors accounted for five per cent of economic growth in India and six in the US. It accounted for a fifth of China’s GDP growth, and a third of the EU’s.
The economic case for – and opportunities of – climate action have become ever clearer – particularly for those who choose to lead.
And leadership is what we need – as today’s IRENA report shows:
To accelerate the shift to renewables…
And to correct the imbalances in the transition, which is still starving developing countries – outside China – of the investment needed to fully embrace clean energy.
Excellencies, dear friends,
As the title of this session puts it so well: we are indeed at a turning point to the future.
In the ten years since Paris, we have seen other important progress.
Ninety percent of global emissions are now covered by net-zero targets.
A decade ago, the planet was on course for a global temperature rise of over four degrees Celsius.
Today, countries’ national climate plans – or NDCs – if fully delivered – will take us closer to a 2.6-degree rise.
At the same time, climate challenges are piling up.
It seems records are shattered at every turn — the hottest day of the hottest month of the hottest year of the hottest decade ever.
All of this is hitting the vulnerable hardest, and everyday people in their pockets – with higher living costs, higher insurance premiums, and higher food prices.
Just last week, the World Meteorological Organization confirmed that 2024 was another alarming year:
Almost every climate indicator reached new and increasingly dangerous heights – inflaming displacement and food insecurity and inflicting huge economic losses.
And, for the first time, the annual global temperature was 1.5 degrees Celsius hotter than pre-industrial times.
Scientists are clear – it is still possible to meet the long-term 1.5 degree limit.
But it requires urgent action. And it requires leadership.
Excellencies, dear friends,
I see two critical fronts to drive action.
First, new national climate plans – or NDCs – due by September.
Investors need certainty and predictability.
These new plans are a unique opportunity to deliver – and lay out a coherent vision for a just green transition.
They must align with the 1.5-degree limit, as agreed at COP28. And cover all emissions and the whole economy.
Together, they must reduce global emissions 60% by 2035 – compared to 2019…
And contribute to the COP28 global energy transition goals.
All this must be achieved in line with the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, in the light of national circumstances but everybody, everybody must do more.
The G20 – the largest emitters and economies – must lead.
Every country must step up and play their part.
The United Nations is with you all.
President Lula and I are working to secure the highest ambition from the largest economies.
The United Nations Climate Promise is supporting a hundred countries to prepare their new climate plans.
And we will convene a special event in September to take stock of the plans of all countries, push for action to keep 1.5 within reach, and deliver climate justice.
Second, we must drive finance to developing countries.
The COP29 finance agreement must be implemented in full.
I count on the leadership of the COP29 and COP30 Presidencies to deliver a credible roadmap to mobilize $1.3 trillion a year by 2035.
We need new and innovative sources of financing, and credible carbon pricing.
Developed countries must honour their promise to double adaptation finance to at least $40 billion a year, by this year.
And we need serious contributions to the fund for responding to Loss and Damage, and to get it up and running. Excellencies,
We can only meet these goals with stronger collaboration – between governments, and across society and sectors.
Those that will lag behind need to be not a reason for us to be discouraged but an increase in our commitment to move forward.
The rewards are there for the taking, for all those ready and willing to lead the world through these troubled times.
We are at a turning point. I urge you to seize this moment; and seize the prize.
class=”has-text-align-left”>TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, GREETING:
BE IT KNOWN, THAT THIS DAY, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, PURSUANT TO MY POWERS UNDER ARTICLE II, SECTION 2, CLAUSE 1, OF THE CONSTITUTION, HAVE GRANTED UNTO THE INDIVIDUAL NAMED BELOW
A FULL AND UNCONDITIONAL PARDON
For those offenses against the United States individually enumerated and set before me for my consideration and remission of any and all fines, penalties, forfeitures, and restitution ordered by the court:
United States v. Archer, l:16-cr-371 DEVON ARCHER
I HEREBY DESIGNATE, direct, and empower the Attorney General, as my representative, to immediately sign the grant of clemency to the person named herein. The Attorney General shall declare that her action is the act of the President, being performed at my direction.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto signed my name and caused the seal of the Department of Justice to be affixed.
Done at the City of Washington in the District of Columbia this 25th day of March in the year of our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-five and of the Independence of the United States the Two Hundred and Forty-ninth.
A small but increasing amount of biodiesel in the United States is consumed in the residential, commercial, and electric power sectors, according to new estimates now published in our State Energy Data System. Previously, we allocated all U.S. biodiesel consumption to the transportation sector, where the vast majority of biodiesel is consumed.
Biodiesel is a renewable fuel produced using fats, oils, or greases usually blended with petroleum diesel and consumed by trucks. In 2023, the most recent year for which we have estimates, the transportation sector accounted for about 95% of the nearly 46 million barrels of biodiesel consumed in the United States.
Biodiesel can also be blended with heating oil to heat homes and businesses. We estimate that the residential and commercial sectors combined accounted for nearly 5% of U.S. total biodiesel consumption in 2023, up from about 1% a decade earlier. The introduction of biofuel blending mandates for heating oil in some northeastern states is contributing to that growth. Although customers in other states likely blend biodiesel to heat homes and businesses, we only estimate consumption for New York, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.
Consumption of biodiesel in the residential and commercial sectors is higher in New York than in any other state, accounting for 57% of the U.S. total for those sectors in 2023. New York City passed the nation’s first law requiring biodiesel blending with heating oil, mandating a minimum 2% biodiesel blended with heating oil beginning in 2012. Later, New York enacted a 5% minimum state-wide blend law beginning in 2022, which increases to 10% in 2025 and 20% in 2030. According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, nearly 16% of homes in New York used heating oil as their primary heat source in 2023, about four times more than the U.S. average of about 4%.
Connecticut and Rhode Island also have similar state-wide minimum biofuel blend laws for heating oil. Connecticut’s 5% blend law began in 2022 and ramps up to 10% in 2025, 15% in 2030, 20% in 2034, and 50% in 2035. Rhode Island was the first state to enact a minimum biofuel heating oil blend law that began with a 5% blend in 2017 and increased to 10% in 2023. Rhode Island’s blend law increases more quickly than the other states—up to 20% in 2025 and 50% in 2030. More than 34% of homes in Connecticut and 26% of homes in Rhode Island reported heating oil as their primary heat source in 2023.
Biodiesel can also be burned to generate electricity, and the electric power sector accounted for less than 1% of U.S. biodiesel use in 2023. In 2006, a test plant in Tennessee reported the first biodiesel use for electric power in the United States. Hawaii has accounted for nearly all U.S. biodiesel consumed for electric power since 2009. In 2023, petroleum fueled about 68% of Hawaii’s total electricity generation, the highest share of any state, and we estimate that biodiesel fueled about 1% of the state’s total generation.
Principal contributor: Mickey Francis
Tags: biofuels, distillate fuel, heating oil, transportation, residential, commercial, electric generation, states, Connecticut, Hawaii, New York, Rhode Island, Tennessee, electricity, generation
Secretary Denny Hoskins Applauds President Trump’s Executive Order on Election Integrity: Make Elections Great Again!
JEFFERSON CITY, MO– Today, Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, CPA, praised President Donald J. Trump’s leadership following the issuance of a new executive order titled “Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections.” Signed on March 25, 2025, the executive order delivers sweeping reforms aimed at enhancing the security and transparency of the U.S. election system.
“This is a major victory for the American people,” said Secretary Hoskins. “I fought hard for this, and I will continue to fight hard for this. I praise the President’s efforts. Missouri needs these reforms to protect the voice of our voters and ensure confidence in our democratic process.”
The executive order introduces several key provisions:
Enforcing Citizenship Verification: Requires the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to mandate documentary proof of U.S. citizenship for voter registration, using documents such as passports or REAL ID-compliant identification.
Access to Federal Databases: Directs the Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration to grant state election officials access to citizenship and vital records databases, enabling verification of voter eligibility and the removal of deceased individuals from rolls.
Voting Systems Standards: Instructs the EAC to update technical guidelines to ensure voting systems produce paper records that are verifiable by voters and limit reliance on barcodes in vote counting.
Compliance with Election Day Deadlines: Reinforces existing laws requiring all ballots to be received by Election Day, streamlining deadlines and reducing post-election disputes.
Preventing Foreign Interference: Prioritizes the enforcement of laws prohibiting foreign nationals from participating in or influencing U.S. elections, and calls for the closing of related loopholes.
Secretary Hoskins has long been an advocate for stronger election integrity measures, including his previous support for the SAVE Act, a voter verification initiative currently before Congress.
“This action from the President puts local election authorities and boards of elections in the driver’s seat,” said Hoskins. “It empowers us to prioritize election integrity in a way that’s fair, secure, and reflective of the will of the people.”
For more information and to read the full executive order, visit: Executive Order – Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections
Pioneer in regenerative engineering Professor Cato T. Laurencin, is now Professor Sir Cato T. Laurencin.
Dr. Cato T. Laurencin at the ceremony.
Laurencin is internationally recognized for his groundbreaking contributions to the field of regenerative engineering that he founded, along with groundbreaking work in orthopaedic surgery, polymer science chemistry and engineering, and musculoskeletal repair and regeneration.
Laurencin is the first surgeon in the world elected to the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, the National Academy of Medicine, and the National Academy of Inventors. He earned his B.S.E. in Chemical Engineering from Princeton University, his M.D. from the Harvard Medical School, Magna Cum Laude, and his Ph.D. in Biochemical engineering/Biotechnology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
“St. Lucia is an extraordinary country, with extraordinary people,” said Laurencin. “The country has more Nobel Prize winners per capita than anywhere in the world. In being Knighted through the auspices of King Charles III, I am proud to be included among fellow Knights such as the late Sir Derek Wolcott, winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature.”
Professor Sir Cato T. Laurencin receiving the medal of the Knight Commander of the Order of Saint Lucia.
Laurencin is the Chief Executive Officer of The Cato T. Laurencin Institute for Regenerative Engineering, a cross-university Institute at UConn created in his honor. He is the University Professor and Albert and Wilda Van Dusen Distinguished Endowed Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at UConn School of Medicine. In engineering, he is professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, professor of Materials Science and Engineering and professor of Biomedical Engineering at UConn.
Sir Laurencin’s Knight Commander of the Order of Saint Lucia medals.
His research has successfully translated to and influenced technologies affecting millions of patients. His contributions to science include over 500 scientific articles, numerous patents, and he has written or edited 17 books. He received the National Medal of Technology and Innovation, America’s highest honor for technological achievement, in ceremonies at the White House. In 2023 he was named Inventor of the Year by the Intellectual Property Owners Education Foundation.
Laurencin received Knighthood on the recommendation of the Prime Minister and the Government of St. Lucia. “I’m proud that we have established an MOU between the University of Connecticut and Sir Arthur Lewis Community College in St. Lucia and have a number of collaborations established. I’m especially proud that my donated autobiography ‘Success is What You Leave Behind’ sits in schools and libraries throughout the country.”
Laurencin received the NIH Director’s Pioneer Grant Award, and the NSF Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation Grant Award for his work in Regenerative Engineering. He has received the highest awards of the Biomedical Engineering Society, the Materials Research Society, the American Institute of Chemical Engineering, and the American Chemical Society, which awarded him the Priestley Medal. The American Institute of Chemical Engineers established the Cato T. Laurencin Regenerative Engineering Founder’s Award, honoring his pioneering efforts in the field.
“My father, the late Cyril Laurencin, was born in St. Lucia and was a distinguished carpenter. He asked me to promise to make a difference in the world, and to pay special attention to making a difference in the lives of St. Lucians. Receiving Knight Commander of the Order of St. Lucia shows a promise kept.”
Laurencin was born in America but also became a citizen of St. Lucia. Thus, his Knighthood is not an honorary one.
The University of Connecticut congratulates Sir Cato Thomas Laurencin.
For being “leading experts in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine,” the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering (CASE) is welcoming four faculty from UConn’s College of Engineering (CoE) into its membership.
They are among 12 inductees from UConn, and 36 statewide. The new members will be introduced at the Academy’s 50th Annual Dinner on May 28.
Election to CASE is open to scientists and engineers who work or live in Connecticut based on scientific distinction achieved through significant original contributions in theory or applications, unusual accomplishments in the pioneering of new and developing fields of applied science and technology, or both.
The 2025 CASE inductees from the CoE include: • Omer Khan, professor of electrical and computer engineering
• Ji-Cheng “JC” Zhao, dean of the College of Engineering; professor of materials science and engineering
• Guoan Zheng, Collins Aerospace Professor of Engineering Innovation in the Department of Biomedical Engineering; and director of the UConn Center for Biomedical and Bioengineering Innovation
• Xiao-Dong Zhou, Connecticut Clean Energy Fund Professor in Sustainable Energy; the Nicholas E. Madonna Chair in Sustainability; director of the Center for Clean Energy Engineering; and professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, materials science and engineering, and mechanical engineering
“CASE is honored to have these outstanding scientists and engineers join us as we seek to fulfill our mission to provide evidence-based advice to inform policy and promote innovation in Connecticut,” says CASE President Amy Howell.
Brief bios of the 2025 CASE Fellows are below:
Omer Khan
Omer Khan leads the Computer Architecture Group (CAG) and serves as an associate director of the Connecticut Advanced Computing Center (CACC). His research interests include computer architectures and methods that exploit parallelism, locality, resiliency, and privacy suitable for high-performance applications, such as graph intelligence problems. He has contributed architectural advancements for futuristic massively parallel microprocessors that substantially enhance system level performance and efficiency.
Most recently, Khan and his colleagues took a hardware-architecture-algorithm approach to develop a new system architecture that helps optimize multiple goals at once, like finding the best trade-off between speed and fuel efficiency for autonomous vehicles. They propose Ordered Parallel Multi-Objective Search, or OPMOS, that exploits massive parallelism to achieve huge improvements in performance.
“OPMOS is a unique approach that brings together algorithmic optimizations and architectural insights to rapidly accelerate these computationally hard multi-objective graph intelligence problems,” Khan explains. “This means exact solutions that used to take hours to generate can be found in seconds. This allows decision-makers to have access to real-time information, leading to better decision-making in high-impact application scenarios.”
As a complementary research effort, Khan is addressing the computational complexity problem in artificial intelligence applications, such as autonomous systems, social influence, and chip design that must handle increasingly large and sparse graph-based data.
“Efficient processing of sparse graph problems is extremely challenging since the underlying computations require complex mathematical operations whose processing suffers from performance scaling challenges on existing hardware processing units,” Khan explains. Khan and his colleagues are developing parallel hardware architectures that exploit sparsity for performance to reduce computational complexity without compromising accuracy.
Prior to joining UConn, Khan spent several years in the semiconductor industry as a high-performance processor architect.
Khan has a BS in electrical and computer engineering from Michigan State University (2000) and a Ph.D. in electrical and computer engineering from the University of Massachusetts Amherst (2009).
Ji-Cheng “JC” Zhao
Ji-Cheng “JC” Zhao is an expert on design of advanced alloys and coatings, additive manufacturing (3D printing) of alloys and composites, high-throughput materials science methodologies, and computational thermodynamics and kinetics. He previously served as a director at the U.S. Department of Energy’s ARPA-E (Advanced Research Projects Agency—Energy), managing approximately $100 million in projects to develop energy-efficient and green technologies.
Before working in academia and government, Zhao was a senior materials scientist and project leader at General Electric (GE) Research Center where he invented new materials and processes, mostly for gas turbines and jet engines, leading to 48 U.S. patents.
As dean of engineering at UConn, Zhao is working to expand the College’s research footprint, launch impactful educational programs, and advance relationships with local, national, and international partners.
Zhao is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and the Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the National Academy of Inventors, ASM International, the Materials Research Society, and the Minerals, Metals, and Materials Society. Zhao has a BS in materials science and engineering from Central South University in Hunan, China (1985) and a Ph.D. in materials science and engineering from Lehigh University (1995).
Guoan Zheng
Guoan Zheng is an expert on biomedical optics and instrumentation, computational imaging, microscopy, and chip-scale imaging. At UConn’s Smart Imaging Laboratory, he leads a team of researchers who are developing a new technique called Synthetic Aperture Ptycho-Endoscopy (SAPE), which achieves outstanding resolution and visibility in endoscopic images. Since its inception in 2013, the laboratory has been supported by NSF, NIH, DOE, Connecticut Innovations, and partnerships with multiple industry leaders.
Zheng is also the inventor of Fourier ptychography, a transformative microscopy technique that has become a global standard, now widely adopted across numerous laboratories worldwide. The technique is featured as a chapter in the most widely read textbook on Fourier optics.
He’s also a member of Optica and SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics.
Zheng holds a BS in electrical engineering from Zhejiang University (2007); and a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from the California Institute of Technology (2013).
Xiao-Dong Zhou
Xiao-Dong Zhou is passionate about reducing greenhouse gas emissions through the development of advanced materials and innovative, efficient processes. He’s an expert on nonequilibrium thermodynamics, electrochemistry, thermodynamics and electrochemistry in fuel cells, electrolyzers, and batteries, and studies ways small molecules—such as oxygen, water, carbon dioxide and methane—can be used to create value-added commodities.
At UConn, Zhou serves as a special advisor on sustainable energies to President Radenka Maric and Vice President for Research Pamir Alpay. In this role, he provides guidance and contributes to the development of sustainable energy strategies and initiatives across the university.
Zhou currently serves as the technical editor of the Journal of The Electrochemical Society, and an associate editor of the Journal of the American Ceramic Society and the International Journal of Ceramic Engineering and Science. Since 2017, Zhou has secured more than $23 million in grants from the National Science Foundation, NASA, and the Department of Energy.
Zhou received his BS in chemical engineering from East China University of Science and Technology and his Ph.D. in ceramic engineering from the University of Missouri-Rolla.
In 2012, CASE elected Pamir Alpay, vice president for research, innovation, and entrepreneurship and professor of materials science and engineering to its membership. He’s among 20 engineering faculty from UConn—including the four new inductees—who are CASE members.
“We’re thrilled to have Professors Zhao, Zheng, Khan, and Zhou join our membership at the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering,” Alpay says. “This achievement is a testament to their contributions to research and innovation, and their dedication to advancing knowledge in engineering fields. Their work continues to inspire excellence within our academic community at the CoE.”
The CoE faculty are among 12 newly elected CASE members at UConn. One third of all new inductees statewide are UConn faculty. Others 2025 inductees include:
• Gerald Berkowitz, professor of horticulture, University of Connecticut College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources • Ming-Hui Chen, department head of statistics; Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor, University of Connecticut College of Liberal Arts and Sciences • Jie He, professor of chemistry, University of Connecticut College of Liberal Arts and Sciences • Guozhen Lu, professor of mathematics; director of Mathematical Sciences Research Collaboratory, University of Connecticut College of Liberal Arts and Sciences • Xiuling Lu, professor of pharmaceutical sciences; associate director of the Kildsig Center for Pharmaceutical Processing Research, University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy • Vijay Rathinam, professor of immunology, University of Connecticut Health Center School of Medicine • Kumar Venkitanarayanan, professor of animal science; associate dean for Research and Graduate Studies, University of Connecticut College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources • Jing Zhao, professor of chemistry, University of Connecticut College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
UConn Engineering continues to have a strong presence in CASE membership. Khan, Zhao, Zheng, and Zhou join 16 other faculty from the College of Engineering who are already members of CASE.
CASE was chartered by the Connecticut General Assembly in 1976 to provide expert guidance on science and technology to the people and to the state of Connecticut, and to promote the application of science and technology to human welfare and economic well-being.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
World news story
Welcome Back to Honduran Chevening Scholars 2023-24
Deputy Head of Mission, Paul Huggins, welcomed the Honduran Chevening Scholars who successfully completed their master’s programs at UK universities.
Two Honduran scholars from the 2023-24 academic year pursued master’s degrees at various renowned British institutions.
The Embassy congratulated the scholars on the successful completion of their studies and for being outstanding representatives of Honduras during their time in the UK.
Chevening is the UK government’s global scholarship program, offered by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office in partnership with various organizations. Since 1983, Chevening has helped build bridges with over 160 different countries and territories, supporting the education and development of future leaders, influencers, and decision-makers worldwide.
The returning scholars are:
Eva Carolina Salgado Aguilar – MSc in Data Analytics at Queen Mary University of London.
Fanny Carolina Nuñez Soriano – MSc in Social Innovation & Entrepreneurship at University of Strathclyde.
Chevening has fostered economic development and better business environments worldwide by funding scholars who have created businesses, become directors, and hold high-level positions in global organizations.
The application window for the 2025-2026 scholarships will open in August 2025. We strongly encourage mid-career professionals to apply for the program and sign up for alerts by visiting the Chevening website.
Today’s interview is with Yu-Chen Tsai, a foreign law intern working with Foreign Law Specialist Laney Zhang in the Global Legal Research Center of the Law Library of Congress.
Describe your background.
I was born and raised in Tainan, a city in southern Taiwan known for its rich history and delicious street food. With my father being from the Philippines, I grew up in a multicultural environment.
What is your academic/ professional history?
I started my legal career in a rather unconventional way. My first formal employment was as an Institutional Review Board (“IRB”) coordinator at a hospital, where I was responsible for formulating a new human subject protection plan for all research involving human participants conducted at the institution. After leaving my position as an IRB coordinator, I continued to serve as an IRB member.
Seeking broader legal experience from different perspectives, I worked as an in-house counsel in two distinct industries—human resources and manufacturing. In these roles, I conducted contract analyses, assessed the pros and cons of various agreements, and provided senior management with legal advice to support their decision-making processes.
I hold a bachelor’s degree in law from Soochow University. Following that, I pursued a master’s degree at the College of Law at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, where my dissertation focused on the importance of information disclosure regarding adverse drug events during litigation. I recently completed a Master of Laws (LL.M.) program at Columbia Law School in New York and passed the New York bar in 2024.
How would you describe your job to other people?
As a foreign law intern at the Global Legal Research Center of the Law Library of Congress, I conduct in-depth legal research and draft memoranda on the legal jurisdictions of China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and Singapore in response to Congressional and public inquiries. Additionally, I assist in drafting articles on Taiwan’s legal developments for the Global Legal Monitor.
Why did you want to work at the Law Library of Congress?
About 10 years ago, I had the opportunity to visit the Law Library of Congress with my current supervisor, Laney Zhang, as my guide. I told myself then that I would return one day. And here I am. It is truly a blessing to have the opportunity to work and learn alongside so many talented legal experts from different countries and to contribute by sharing legal developments from Taiwan.
What is the most interesting fact you have learned about the Law Library of Congress?
I was amazed to learn that there are tunnels beneath the Library of Congress that connect its three buildings, as well as some congressional buildings. I always get lost in this underground maze.
What’s something most of your co-workers do not know about you?
I love birds and have nine parrots back home. I also have a passion for flower arrangements and previously ran a small online store in Taiwan.
Subscribe to In Custodia Legis – it’s free! – to receive interesting posts drawn from the Law Library of Congress’s vast collections and our staff’s expertise in U.S., foreign, and international law.
ATLANTA, GA (March 26, 2025) — Today, Sen. Nikki Merritt (D–Grayson) will host a Grayson Delegation town hall meeting alongside Rep. Segun Adeyina (D–Grayson) and Rep. Gabe Okoye (D–Lawrenceville) to discuss legislative updates from the session so far and community concerns with constituents.
EVENT DETAILS:
Date: Wednesday, March 26, 2025
Time: 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Location: Grayson Senior Center, 475 Grayson Parkway, Grayson, GA 30017
This event is open to the public.
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS:
Please RSVP to info@segunforgeorgia.com.
# # # #
Sen. Nikki Merritt represents the 9th Senate District which includes portions of Gwinnett County. She may be reached at 404.463.2260 or via email atnikki.merritt@senate.ga.gov
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, March 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitget Wallet, a leading Web3 non-custodial wallet, has launched the beta phase of “Bitget Wallet Champion” program, the first ecosystem partner initiative among Web3 wallets to feature a 40% built-in rebate mechanism.
The Champion program aims to reward early supporters who help drive growth across the Bitget Wallet ecosystem. The participation of the beta phase is currently limited to invited KOLs, community leaders, and media channels. Selected partners who successfully join the program will not only enjoy a 40% rebate on their referees’ trading fees, but also gain access to a range of exclusive perks including airdrops from key partner projects, custom merchandise, and official traffic support.
This initiative reflects a growing trend among Web3 platforms to deepen collaboration with creators, educators, and community builders through performance-based rewards. As a leading Web3 wallet with integrated crypto trading and payment tools, Bitget Wallet continues to expand its role in supporting ecosystem growth through incentive-driven programs. This initiative also marks a key step in Bitget Wallet’s efforts to bridge online influence with real-world presence, working in tandem with the upcoming Bitget Wallet Connect meetup series, which aims to bring builders and users together through curated local gatherings across key regions.
The full version of the Bitget Wallet Champion program will be revealed in the coming weeks, with a broader rollout planned. “We believe Web3 growth should be community-powered and value-driven. Champion is a step toward building sustainable partnerships with those who share our vision,” said Alvin Kan, COO of Bitget Wallet.
About Bitget Wallet Bitget Wallet is the home of Web3, uniting endless possibilities in one non-custodial wallet. With over 60 million users, it offers comprehensive onchain services, including asset management, instant swaps, rewards, staking, trading tools, live market data, a DApp browser and crypto payment solutions. Supporting over 130 blockchains, 20,000+ DApps, and millions of tokens, Bitget Wallet enables seamless multi-chain trading across hundreds of DEXs and cross-chain bridges, along with a $300+ million protection fund to ensure safety of users’ assets. Experience Bitget Wallet Lite to start a Web3 journey.
NEW YORK, March 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — On March 26, 2025, Satellogic Inc. (NASDAQ: SATL) (the “Company”), consummated its previously announced domestication, pursuant to which the Company changed its jurisdiction of incorporation, domesticating as a corporation incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware and discontinuing as a business company with limited liability incorporated under the laws of the British Virgin Islands. The Company’s business, assets and liabilities on a consolidated basis, as well as its Board of Directors, the Company’s executive officers, principal business locations (other than its principal executive office) and fiscal year, were the same immediately after the domestication as they were immediately prior to the domestication. Additionally, the Company’s Class A common stock will continue to trade under the ticker symbol “SATL” and its publicly-traded warrants will continue to trade under the ticker symbol “SATLW.”
“We are incredibly excited about the strategic realignment of Satellogic as a U.S. company,” said Emiliano Kargieman, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer. “We believe this realignment provides better visibility to our investors and customers and better positions the Company to capture high value growth opportunities as it relates to competing for U.S. and allied government contracts.”
About Satellogic
Founded in 2010 by Emiliano Kargieman and Gerardo Richarte, Satellogic (NASDAQ: SATL) is the first vertically integrated geospatial company, driving real outcomes with planetary-scale insights. Satellogic is creating and continuously enhancing the first scalable, fully automated EO platform with the ability to remap the entire planet at both high-frequency and high-resolution, providing accessible and affordable solutions for customers.
Satellogic’s mission is to democratize access to geospatial data through its information platform of high-resolution images to help solve the world’s most pressing problems including climate change, energy supply, and food security. Using its patented Earth imaging technology, Satellogic unlocks the power of EO to deliver high-quality, planetary insights at the lowest cost in the industry.
With more than a decade of experience in space, Satellogic has proven technology and a strong track record of delivering satellites to orbit and high-resolution data to customers at the right price point.
To learn more, please visit: http://www.satellogic.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the U.S. federal securities laws. The words “anticipate”, “believe”, “continue”, “could”, “estimate”, “expect”, “intends”, “may”, “might”, “plan”, “possible”, “potential”, “predict”, “project”, “should”, “would” and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. These forward looking statements are based on Satellogic’s current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on Satellogic and include statements concerning Satellogic’s strategic realignment as a U.S. company, the visibility and high growth opportunities it will provide in connection therewith. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. These statements are based on various assumptions, whether or not identified in this press release. These forward-looking statements are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to serve, and must not be relied on by an investor as, a guarantee, an assurance, a prediction or a definitive statement of fact or probability. Actual events and circumstances are difficult or impossible to predict and will differ from assumptions. Many actual events and circumstances are beyond the control of Satellogic. Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this press release, including but not limited to: (i) our ability to generate revenue as expected, (ii) our ability to effectively market and sell our EO services and to convert contracted revenues and our pipeline of potential contracts into actual revenues, (iii) risks related to the secured convertible notes, (iv) the potential loss of one or more of our largest customers, (v) the considerable time and expense related to our sales efforts and the length and unpredictability of our sales cycle, (vi) risks and uncertainties associated with defense-related contracts, (vii) risk related to our pricing structure, (viii) our ability to scale production of our satellites as planned, (ix) unforeseen risks, challenges and uncertainties related to our expansion into new business lines, (x) our dependence on third parties to transport and launch our satellites into space, (xi) our reliance on third-party vendors and manufacturers to build and provide certain satellite components, products, or services, (xii) our dependence on ground station and cloud-based computing infrastructure operated by third parties for value-added services, and any errors, disruption, performance problems, or failure in their or our operational infrastructure, (xiii) risk related to certain minimum service requirements in our customer contracts, (xiv) market acceptance of our EO services and our dependence upon our ability to keep pace with the latest technological advances, (xv) competition for EO services, (xvi) challenges with international operations or unexpected changes to the regulatory environment in certain markets, (xvii) unknown defects or errors in our products, (xviii) risk related to the capital-intensive nature of our business and our ability to raise adequate capital to finance our business strategies, (xix) substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern, (xx) uncertainties beyond our control related to the production, launch, commissioning, and/or operation of our satellites and related ground systems, software and analytic technologies, (xxi) the failure of the market for EO services to achieve the growth potential we expect, (xxii) risks related to our satellites and related equipment becoming impaired, (xxiii) risks related to the failure of our satellites to operate as intended, (xxiv) production and launch delays, launch failures, and damage or destruction to our satellites during launch, and (xxv) the impact of natural disasters, unusual or prolonged unfavorable weather conditions, epidemic outbreaks, terrorist acts, and geopolitical events (including the ongoing conflicts between Russia and Ukraine, in the Gaza Strip, and the Red Sea region) on our business and satellite launch schedules. The foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. You should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties described in the “Risk Factors” section of Satellogic’s Annual Report on Form 20-F and other documents filed or to be filed by Satellogic from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and Satellogic assumes no obligation and does not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Satellogic can give no assurance that it will achieve its expectations.
Media Contacts
Satellogic, Inc. Ryan Driver, VP of Strategy & Corporate Development pr@satellogic.com
ASHEVILLE, N.C., March 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Zero Hash, the leading crypto and stablecoin infrastructure platform, has been granted approval to establish a Trust Company in North Carolina, further reinforcing its position as the most comprehensive digital asset provider. This milestone deepens Zero Hash’s regulatory stack, unlocking new opportunities for institutional and brokerage clients.
With the addition of a chartered Trust Company, Zero Hash expands its regulatory footprint, ensuring the broadest regulatory coverage for crypto and stablecoin infrastructure. Specifically, the Trust:
Aligns with the company’s commitment to compliance-forward innovation as the industry prepares for upcoming legislation, including the GENIUS Act, which are expected to add specific regulatory requirements for stablecoin custodians.
Enables Zero Hash to enhance its service offerings. As a Qualified Custodian, the company can now custody tokenized assets on behalf of SEC-registered institutions, further broadening its appeal to enterprise clients.
Allows Zero Hash to introduce new account types for brokerage customers, including retirement accounts and registered investment advisors.
“This approval is a testament to our unwavering commitment to being the most comprehensive and trusted partner in the crypto and stablecoin space,” said Stephen Gardner, CEO of Zero Hash Trust. “We are excited to continue to expand our offering for the partners we service including the leading payment groups such as Shift4 and Stripe and brokerage partners including Interactive Brokers and tastytrade.”
Concurrently, Zero Hash is announcing the appointment of two public board members appointed to the Trust. Mary Ruppert has over 20 years of experience as an attorney, compliance officer, and public policy professional, including at PayPal and the Department of Justice. David Hannigan is currently the CISO at NuBank, having previously led security at Spotify and Capital One.
About Zero Hash
Zero Hash is the leading crypto and stablecoin infrastructure provider that seamlessly connects fiat, crypto, and stablecoins in one platform, enabling a better way to move and transfer money and value globally.
Through its embeddable infrastructure, start-ups, enterprises, and Fortune 500 companies build a diverse range of use cases, including cross-border payments, commerce, trading, remittance, payroll, tokenization, wallets, and on/off-ramps.
Zero Hash Holdings is backed by investors, including Point72 Ventures, Bain Capital Ventures, and NYCA.
Zero Hash Trust Company LLC will be established in North Carolina and hold a non-depository trust charter issued by the North Carolina Commissioner of Banks.
Zero Hash LLC is a FinCen-registered Money Service Business and a regulated Money Transmitter that can operate in 51 U.S. jurisdictions. Zero Hash LLC and Zero Hash Liquidity Services LLC are licensed to engage in virtual currency business activity by the New York State Department of Financial Services. In Canada, Zero Hash LLC is registered as a Money Service Business with FINTRAC.
Zero Hash Australia Pty Ltd. is registered with AUSTRAC as a Digital Currency Exchange Provider, with DCE registered provider number DCE100804170-001. Zero Hash Australia Pty Ltd. is registered on the New Zealand register of financial service providers, with Financial Service Provider (FSP) number FSP1004503. Zero Hash Europe B.V. is registered as a Virtual Asset Services Provider (VASP) by the Dutch Central Bank (Relation number: R193684). Zero Hash Europe Sp. Zoo is registered as a VASP by the Tax Administration Chamber of Poland in Katowice (Registration number RDWW – 1212).
Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Matthew Hefler, Senior Research Fellow, Center for Statecraft and Strategic Communication, Stockholm School of Economics
Since his return to office, United States President Donald Trump has launched a trade war on Canada. The White House has twice set deadlines for the imposition of sweeping 25 pre cent tariffs — and twice pulled back.
Trump has also threatened to use “economic force” to compel Canada to become the 51st state, remarks that are a focal point of the ongoing federal election campaign.
In this trade war, Canada faces more than tariffs: it’s confronting a communications effort by the president to paint Canadians as mean, disrespectful and “nasty.”
The repetition is key to Trump’s StratCom — it’s a way of making his message stick. Hard as it is for Canadians to believe this, there’s a danger of this “nasty Canadian” narrative taking hold south of the border.
Take it from a communications expert who often works in the U.S. and Europe: not everyone is as well-versed on the dispute as Canadians are. Even actions like booing the American anthem risk reinforcing Trump’s slurs against Canada.
Canada must devise its own strategy to counter Trump’s message and remind Americans — and the world — that Canada trades on fair terms. By dampening American support for the president’s trade war, this StratCom effort could actually help protect the Canada-U.S. relationship for the long term.
Creating false counter-narratives
Trump has long mastered the art of swapping one narrative with a preferred alternative. This tactic has arguably helped save his political career.
For millions of Americans, the president turned Russian interference in the 2016 election into the “Russia Hoax” — something he raised as recently as the infamous Oval Office meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Rather than concede the 2020 election, Trump and his allies adopted the mantra “Stop the Steal.” And in a most striking StratCom effort, Trump and supporters recast the events of Jan. 6, 2021 at the U.S. Capitol into “a day of love.” Trump also issued a blanket pardon of all those convicted over the attack.
These are astounding examples of strategic communications, whatever we might think of the president’s honesty or his objectives.
Every time Trump repeats claims that Canada is taking advantage of the U.S., that narrative becomes further entrenched. So far, Ottawa has reminded Americans that Canada is a good partner and that tariffs would hurt both countries.
But it’s not clear that appealing to the long Canadian-American history as allies is having much effect in the White House. In early February, Vice President JD Vance posted: “Spare me the sob story about how Canada is our ‘best friend’” and noted Canada’s low defence spending.
This StratCom effort must make clear that Canadians can and will be forced to buy elsewhere. It must note that Trump renegotiated a new Canada-U.S.-Mexico trade deal in 2018 and that the agreement was a win for the U.S.
The campaign can employ humility and humour, but it must reinforce the mutual benefit of trade and make clear that Trump’s anti-Canada comments are not based in reality.
Some specific claims must be targeted. Trump often notes that Canada has high tariffs on specific American products, like milk. But this can be misleading, as these are part of a negotiated supply control quota system.
Rather than simply counter Trump’s narrative, the campaign should advance a Canadian one.
Canadian leaders are starting to recognize this. Before leaving office, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau compared Trump’s treatment of Canada over trade with his conciliatory stance toward Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.
Former finance minister Chrystia Freeland has underscored the importance of communicating directly to regular Americans. The federal government has paid for anti-tariff ads on digital billboards along key highways in red states, including Florida, Nevada, Georgia, Michigan and Ohio.
Canadians themselves are in on the act. Decades after Canadian actor and broadcaster Jeff Douglas appeared in the iconic “I am Canadian” commercial, he’s come out with a new rendition.
“We are Canadian” rejects the president’s “51st State” threats. Its polite but firm tone is the sort of quintessentially Canadian response that should form the basis of a national StatCom effort.
A new Jeff Douglas ‘We Are Canadian’ video.
Controlling the narrative
Given time and space, Trump can reshape the terms of the debate or even perceptions of reality. The Canadian government should therefore lead the way in defending the country’s trading practices and its value as a partner.
This effort should reflect Canada’s traditional emphasis on respect and decency. Canadians are offended. But they should resist responses like booing another nation’s anthem — especially if it contributes to the president’s effort to paint Canadians as mean or disrespectful.
The Canada-U.S. relationship will be changed by this experience. But whether the rift is lasting depends in part on whether Canadians believe regular Americans accept or reject the president’s narrative.
A good communications effort could help Canada counter the president’s StratCom campaign and reduce the longer-term fallout from this unfair attack — no matter the repeated threats and slurs emanating from the Oval Office.
Matthew Hefler does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
The U.S. net international investment position, the difference between U.S. residents’ foreign financial assets and liabilities, was –$26.23 trillion at the end of the fourth quarter of 2024, according to statistics released today by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (chart 1). Assets totaled $35.89 trillion, and liabilities were $62.12 trillion (chart 2). At the end of the third quarter, the net investment position was –$24.15 trillion (revised). The net investment position and components of assets and liabilities are presented in table 1.
The –$2.08 trillion change in the net investment position from the third quarter to the fourth quarter came from net financial transactions of –$411.2 billion and net other changes in position, such as price and exchange-rate changes, of –$1.67 trillion (table 2).
Exchange-rate changes of –$1.18 trillion reflected major foreign currency depreciation against the U.S. dollar, which lowered the value of U.S. assets more than U.S. liabilities in dollar terms.
Price changes of –$632.0 billion reflected price decreases for assets and price increases for liabilities, as foreign stock prices underperformed relative to U.S. stock prices. Both foreign and U.S. bond prices decreased in the fourth quarter.
U.S. assets decreased by $1.77 trillion to a total of $35.89 trillion at the end of the fourth quarter, driven by the depreciation of foreign currencies against the U.S. dollar that lowered the value of U.S. assets in dollar terms. All major investment categories of assets decreased, notably portfolio investment and direct investment assets (chart 3).
Portfolio investment assets decreased by $734.6 billion to $15.87 trillion and direct investment assets decreased by $643.1 billion to $11.27 trillion, reflecting exchange-rate changes of –$701.7 billion and –$518.5 billion, respectively (table 2).
U.S. liabilities increased by $306.2 billion to a total of $62.12 trillion at the end of the fourth quarter, driven by financial transactions of $402.8 billion, notably foreign purchases of U.S. stocks and long-term debt securities. Increases in portfolio investment and direct investment liabilities were partly offset by decreases in financial derivatives and other investment liabilities (chart 4).
Portfolio investment liabilities increased by $357.6 billion to $33.09 trillion, driven by financial transactions of $328.0 billion. Direct investment liabilities increased by $295.6 billion to $17.84 trillion, driven by price changes of $236.1 billion (table 2).
Table A. Updates to Third-Quarter 2024 International Investment Position Aggregates [Trillions of dollars, not seasonally adjusted]
Preliminary estimates
Revised estimates
U.S. net international investment position
–23.60
–24.15
U.S. assets
37.86
37.66
U.S. liabilities
61.46
61.81
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
Year 2024
The U.S. net international investment position was –$26.23 trillion at the end of 2024, compared to –$19.85 trillion at the end of 2023. The net investment position and components of assets and liabilities are presented in table 3.
The –$6.38 trillion change in the net investment position from the end of 2023 to the end of 2024 came from net financial transactions of –$1.27 trillion and net other changes in position, such as price and exchange-rate changes, of –$5.11 trillion (table 3).
Price changes of –$3.43 trillion reflected U.S. stock price increases that exceeded foreign stock price increases, which raised the market value of U.S. liabilities more than U.S. assets.
Exchange-rate changes of –$1.06 trillion reflected the depreciation of major foreign currencies against the U.S. dollar, which lowered the value of U.S. assets more than U.S. liabilities in dollar terms.
U.S. assets increased by $1.49 trillion to a total of $35.89 trillion at the end of 2024, driven by foreign stock price increases and by financial transactions that were partly offset by exchange-rate changes. All major investment categories of assets increased, notably direct investment and portfolio investment assets (chart 5).
Direct investment assets increased by $658.6 billion to $11.27 trillion and portfolio investment assets increased by $539.0 billion to $15.87 trillion, reflecting increases in foreign stock prices and financial transactions that were largely offset by exchange-rate changes (table 3).
U.S. liabilities increased by $7.86 trillion to a total of $62.12 trillion at the end of 2024, driven by U.S. stock price increases and by financial transactions that mostly reflected foreign purchases of U.S. long-term debt securities and stocks. All major investment categories of liabilities increased, notably portfolio investment and direct investment liabilities (chart 6).
Portfolio investment liabilities increased by $4.47 trillion to $33.09 trillion and direct investment liabilities increased by $3.03 trillion to $17.84 trillion, driven by U.S. stock price increases that raised the market value of these liabilities and by financial transactions (table 3).
Upcoming Update to the U.S. International Investment Position
The annual update of the U.S. international investment position will be released along with preliminary estimates for the first quarter of 2025 on June 30, 2025. A preview of the annual update will be available in the Survey of Current Business in April 2025.
For resources, definitions, and more, visit “Additional Information.”
Next release: June 30, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. EDT U.S. International Investment Position, 1st Quarter 2025 and Annual Update
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Standard Lithium Ltd. (“Standard Lithium” or the “Company”) (TSXV:SLI) (NYSE American:SLI), a leading near-commercial lithium company, is pleased to provide a general corporate update demonstrating continuous advancement and derisking of corporate objectives.
Principal corporate updates and highlights include:
Commencement of a rigorous and disciplined project finance and off-take process for the first phase of the South West Arkansas (“SWA”) Project (first phase contemplates 22,500 tonnes per year of battery quality lithium carbonate production). A banking advisor with recent and relevant success has been selected to lead an intensive off-take selection and project finance (debt) process. This two-pronged engagement with potential off-take partners and debt providers started in January and is expected to be completed in Q3 and Q4 respectively. The Company looks forward to releasing additional information as the process advances;
The Smackover Lithium JV, in partnership with Equinor, continues the successful mineral leasing program in East Texas (“ETX”). SLI first started extensive mineral leasing in the most prospective areas of the Smackover Formation in East Texas in 2022. Since the formation of the JV in May 2024, it has continued to grow the acquired lease position, and is now actively leasing within a total area of 185,000 acres across several Counties in East Texas;
The first ETX project area of approximately 67,000 acres has been identified. This project area is centered on Franklin County, and the Company has previously drilled three exploratory boreholes in and adjacent to this project area and reported the highest known lithium in brine grades in North America (maximum lithium grade of 806 mg/L reported). Some of the existing wells will be resampled during Q2 and Q3 of this year, and it is expected that a maiden Inferred Resource Report for this highly prospective lithium resource will be published in Q3 of this year;
The Company, in partnership with Koch Technology Solutions, continues to use the Demonstration Plant in Union County as an essential test and technology development center to not only demonstrate the derisked and commercially ready DLE technology for the first commercial project at SWA, but also as a test-bed to continuously improve the entire flowsheet for future projects;
Commercial development at the Lanxess Projects is not ruled out, but the Company’s focus on building the next phase of lithium projects in North America is centered on the JV opportunities at the SWA Project and in East Texas. The Company is confident the brine resources that the JV is securing in East Texas will come to be seen as the premier lithium brine assets in North America.
David Park, CEO of Standard Lithium said “The Standard Lithium team, in combination with our partners Equinor and Koch Technology Solutions, has been working diligently to keep on moving the projects forward, derisking key workstreams and hitting development milestones. As we’ve said before, it’s time for us to prioritize, focus, and execute. It is now clear that executing on our SWA Project with our partners is our top priority, and that we see incredible potential to build on that foundation and grow with them into East Texas.”
Six-Month Fiscal Period Ended December 31, 2024 Call and Webcast
The Company will hold a conference call and webcast to discuss its six-month fiscal period ended December 31, 2024 on Friday, March 28th at 3:30 p.m. ET. Access to the call is available via webcast or direct dial.
Conference Call and Webcast Details Standard Lithium Six Month Fiscal Period Ended December 31, 2024 Results Call and Webcast March 28, 2025 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Participant Information: Conference ID: 6644028
USA / International Toll +1 (646) 307-1963 USA – Toll-Free (800) 715-9871 Canada – Toronto (647) 932-3411 Canada – Toll-Free (800) 715-9871
Standard Lithium is a leading near-commercial lithium development company focused on the sustainable development of a portfolio of large, high-grade lithium-brine properties in the United States. The Company prioritizes projects characterized by the highest quality resources, robust infrastructure, skilled labor, and streamlined permitting. Standard Lithium aims to achieve sustainable, commercial-scale lithium production via the application of a scalable and fully integrated DLE and purification process. The Company’s flagship projects are located in the Smackover Formation, a world-class lithium brine asset, focused in Arkansas and Texas. In partnership with global energy leader Equinor, Standard Lithium is advancing the South West Arkansas project, a greenfield project located in southern Arkansas, and actively exploring promising lithium brine prospects in East Texas. Standard Lithium also holds an interest in certain mineral leases in the Mojave Desert in San Bernardino County, California.
Standard Lithium trades on both the TSX Venture Exchange and the NYSE American under the symbol “SLI”. Please visit the Company’s website at www.standardlithium.com.
Qualified Person
Steve Ross, P.Geo., a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, and Vice President Resource Development for the Company, has reviewed and approved the relevant scientific and technical information in this news release.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain certain “Forward-Looking Statements” within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws. When used in this news release, the words “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “expect”, “target”, “plan”, “forecast”, “may”, “schedule” and other similar words or expressions identify forward-looking statements or information. These forward-looking statements or information may relate to intended development timelines, future prices of commodities, accuracy of mineral or resource exploration activity, reserves or resources, regulatory or government requirements or approvals, the reliability of third party information, continued access to mineral properties or infrastructure, fluctuations in the market for lithium and its derivatives, changes in exploration costs and government regulation in Canada and the United States, and other factors or information. Such statements represent the Company’s current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social risks, contingencies and uncertainties. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements or information to reflect changes in assumptions or changes in circumstances or any other events affecting such statements and information other than as required by applicable laws, rules and regulations.
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, March 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Red Cat Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: RCAT) (“Red Cat” or the “Company”), a drone technology company integrating robotic hardware and software for military, government, and commercial operations, announces that financial results for the 2024 Stub Period (as of December 31, 2024 and the eight months then ended) will be reported on Monday, March 31, 2025 at the market close.
Company management will host an earnings conference call at 4:30p.m. ET on Monday, March 31, 2025 to review financial results and provide an update on corporate developments. Following management’s formal remarks, there will be a question-and-answer session.
Interested parties can listen to the conference call by dialing 1-844-413-3977 (within the U.S.) or 1-412-317-1803 (international). Callers should dial in approximately ten minutes prior to the start time and ask to be connected to the Red Cat conference call. Participants can also pre-register for the call using the following link: https://dpregister.com/sreg/10198203/fecb0dc7ae
A replay of the webcast will be available until April 30, 2025 and can be accessed through the above link or at www.redcatholdings.com. A telephonic replay will be available until April 30, 2025 by calling 1-877-344-7529 (domestic) or 1-412-317-0088 (international) and using access code 4379690.
About Red Cat Holdings, Inc.
Red Cat (Nasdaq: RCAT) is a drone technology company integrating robotic hardware and software for military, government, and commercial operations. Through two wholly owned subsidiaries, Teal Drones and FlightWave Aerospace, Red Cat has developed a Family of Systems. This includes the Black Widow™, a small unmanned ISR system that was awarded the U.S. Army’s Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) Program of Record contract. The Family of Systems also includes TRICHON™, a fixed-wing VTOL for extended endurance and range, and FANG™, the industry’s first line of NDAA-compliant FPV drones optimized for military operations with precision strike capabilities. Learn more at www.redcat.red.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” that are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, contained in this press release are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release may be identified by the use of words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “contemplate,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “seek,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “target,” “aim,” “should,” “will” “would,” or the negative of these words or other similar expressions, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. Forward-looking statements are based on Red Cat Holdings, Inc.’s current expectations and are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Further, certain forward-looking statements are based on assumptions as to future events that may not prove to be accurate. These and other risks and uncertainties are described more fully in the section titled “Risk Factors” in the Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 27, 2023. Forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are made as of this date, and Red Cat Holdings, Inc. undertakes no duty to update such information except as required under applicable law.
Broadly defined, sometimes overlooked and often misunderstood, social work is a crucial component in health care.
It can even be life-saving.
“I had a patient who wrote a message in [UConn Health’s patient portal] MyChart to their physical therapist saying, ‘I’m not coming in today, because I think I’m going to end my life,’” says Rachel Boxwell, a licensed clinical social worker who supports many of UConn Health’s outpatient practices. “The physical therapist lets me know, and I’m able to call the patient. They’re sitting in their car, we have a conversation, try to figure out what’s going to be the next step to keep them safe.”
It’s possible that intervention prevented a suicide, and is an example of how social workers can support patients even outside of scheduled face-to-face interactions.
Eleanor Szmurlo ’17 MSW is a licensed clinical social worker who supports UConn Health’s outpatient practices. (Photo provided by Eleanor Szmurlo)
UConn Health employs 35 social workers. Collectively they work with patients in both inpatient and outpatient settings.
Boxwell works in tandem with Eleanor Szmurlo ’17 MSW to cover more than 50 of UConn Health’s outpatient practices as part of UConn Health’s population health team.
“I previously worked as a substance abuse counselor and have seen first-hand how stigma can prevent people from getting appropriate care,” Szmurlo says. “In my role supporting the outpatient clinics, I have the opportunity to show compassion and care to our patients and to connect them with the supports they need to live happier, healthier lives.”
Amanda Mundo works with hospitalized patients, primarily on the fourth floor of UConn’s John Dempsey Hospital, a medical-surgical floor.
Amanda Mundo is a licensed clinical social worker in UConn’s John Dempsey Hospital. (Photo by Chris DeFrancesco)
“I go through the entire floor and look at every single patient and familiarize myself with those I’m not familiar with yet,” Mundo says. “In this setting, social work is a universal service available to all patients where we offer both ‘case finding,’ where we’ll review patients’ charts, see if there’s anything documented in an area that we feel we could help, and we also get consultations from the team. Once I go through the list in the morning of the whole floor, I triage to see who might need to be seen first, and build my day from there.”
Five stories below her, in the Connecticut Children’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at UConn Health, Brittney Niro works with every parent whose child is admitted to the NICU.
Brittney Niro is a licensed clinical social worker in the Connecticut Children’s NICU at UConn Health. (Photo by Chris DeFrancesco)
“I assist families with psychosocial needs and community resources,” Niro says. “Parents don’t anticipate a NICU stay, even if they are counseled on it or prepped. The reality hits once their baby is admitted to the NICU. I value being a part of a multidisciplinary team and providing emotional support and resources during their baby’s NICU stay.”
Niro also facilitates a support group for NICU parents.
Many of the inpatient social workers report to Lori Pawlow, UConn Health nursing director who oversees case management.
“Social work services span from birth to end of life,” Pawlow says. “They are present to provide support during the most vulnerable times in patients’ and families’ life experiences. They help by supporting them and guide them in difficult life choices. One very important aspect of the work that social workers do is that they approach all situations in a holistic manner that supports individuals and the whole family. We are very fortunate to have such a talented and dedicated team of social workers here at UConn Health.”
How patients find their way to a social worker will vary. In the outpatient setting, providers can refer patients to social workers. When that happens, Szmurlo or Boxwell will contact the patient and evaluate their psychosocial needs.
Rachel Boxwell is a licensed clinical social worker who supports UConn Health’s outpatient practices. (Photo by Chris DeFrancesco)
“If you’re having a housing challenge, that could really be exacerbated if you are wheelchair-bound or you need certain levels of accessibility,” Boxwell says. “Or you might need home care, and in theory that sounds simple, but if you can’t self-direct your care due to mental health or cognitive decline, those have additional barriers. So I really can assess all of those, help identify what resources are available to our patients, and really talk it through and help them make an informed decision. Sometimes a resource can sound great, but it’s not a great fit for our patients for reasons like medical complexity, their cognitive ability, maybe a familial relationship, where they live and who they live with.”
Anne Horbatuck is chief operating officer of the UConn Medical Group and vice president for ambulatory operations.
“Social workers play a vital role in our outpatient clinic settings,” Horbatuck says. “They address social, emotional, and environmental factors that impact patients’ health. They provide counseling, connect patient with community resources and support care coordination to improve treatment outcomes. Their involvement helps reduce barriers to care, enhance patient well-being and promote a more holistic approach to health care. Rachel and Eleanor cover our UMG clinics along with many others that are department-based. We thank them for all for all they do.”
Why Social Work
Boxwell, who arrived at UConn Health in 2022, has been a social worker since 2016. She found her way to the profession after a year of teaching high school English in Malden, Massachusetts.
“A lot of my students were living in shelters, were teenage parents, were in foster homes, and getting them to the point where they’re even in a spot where they could actually be present in class was social work, was connecting them to resources, was meeting their psychosocial needs,” Boxwell says. “And I realized I had a passion for it, and there was such a need for that.”
From left: Brittney Niro, a social worker in the Connecticut Children’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at UConn Health, speaks with nurse colleagues Jacqueline Calderon and Tess Connor at their NICU nurse’s station. (Photo by Chris DeFrancesco)
Niro has been a social worker since 2009 and joined UConn Health in 2018 as an inpatient social worker on the sixth floor of John Dempsey Hospital. She moved to the NICU in 2022.
“What draws me to the profession is helping families navigate during a vulnerable time,” Niro says. “I knew I wanted to be in the helping profession; I was involved as a peer advocate during high school. The peer advocate program allowed me to be a peer support for younger peers, and I had a mentor who suggested, ‘You’d be a great social worker, you really should look into social work.’”
Mundo joined UConn Health two years ago and has been a social worker since 2016.
“I like relating with people and really being able to build relationships,” Mundo says. “Being able to be there for someone in a moment of need or vulnerability is an honor and not something that everyone has the opportunity to do. You can really make a big difference even with seemingly smaller gestures or tasks.”
She says every day on the job is different.
“It ranges from smaller tasks such as helping a patient to get clothing, helping to coordinate transportation home, to helping them make a phone call that they’ve been really struggling to make, to more serious matters such as substance use, safety issues, crisis intervention, and end-of-life hospice,” Mundo says.
Szmurlo, who graduated with a Master of Social Work from the UConn School of Social Work in 2017, has spent her nearly three years at UConn Health in an outpatient role.
“The social and medical systems we work with can be overwhelming and complicated to manage when things are going well — even more so when people are undergoing a health crisis,” Szmurlo says. “By helping patients navigate services, we can make this less overwhelming and reinforce to patients that UConn Health is here to treat the whole person.”
Misperceptions
Boxwell and Mundo both say it’s common for people to associate their profession with child protective services and people whose job is to separate children from their families.
“Of course, part of our role is to assess for safety, but our job is so much more than that,” Mundo says. “It’s very multifaceted. It can range from smaller, simple tasks to really intense clinically, emotionally draining, and taxing interactions. A lot of people don’t know what we do day-to-day. A lot of it is behind the scenes, but it does make a really big difference, for the medical team and for the patients.”
She says it’s about an even split between those who understand the social worker is there to help and those who would rather not have an interaction with a social worker, as they may not understand a social worker’s role in this setting.
Niro points out that patients or families may not always realize that social workers are independently licensed clinicians.
“We can diagnose and assess mental health needs,” Niro says. “A social worker can be an autonomous, independent mental health professional. Sometimes the term ‘social work’ is used to explain many different roles and responsibilities. Being a medical social worker is a rewarding career.”
What I find most rewarding about being a social worker is being able to be there for people when they’re at their most vulnerable. — Amanda Mundo
‘An Honor’
Niro says she appreciates the multidisciplinary team approach, working with nurses, physicians, advanced practice providers and others, and the comradery that naturally comes with it.
“I find my job to be rewarding in the sense that families need someone to be in their corner,” Niro says. “I truly enjoy being a constant support and advocate to each family during a challenging time.”
“What I find most rewarding about being a social worker is being able to be there for people when they’re at their most vulnerable,” Mundo says. “It’s really an honor to be there for someone when they need it the most and to be that support when oftentimes a lot of patients don’t have any support.”
Similarly, Szmurlo says, “It’s an honor to be a social worker and to be able to support people through some of the most difficult times in their lives.”
Boxwell says what may seem like a small thing can make big difference in the lives of patients and families who have been struggling.
“It can be life-changing for them, and knowing the ripple effect that that then can have on their life — not just their quality of life, but their relationships with others, their ability to be financially solvent, to then be able to have a solvent retirement, to not be concerned about what’s going to happen with their disease process because they know they have a team to support them, being able to relieve folks of that — it’s a great feeling,” Boxwell says. “You have changed that person’s life for the better, and that will continue having a ripple effect.”
Most people probably don’t think about soil as a living thing. But it is filled with millions of tiny organisms that play a critical role in everything soil does – including sequestering carbon.
Soil contains a diverse array of microorganisms including fungi and bacteria that perform vital functions such as breaking down organic matter, nutrient cycling, and carbon sequestration.
“Microbes — you may not see them with the naked eye, but that doesn’t mean they’re not important,” says Yogesh Kumar ‘27 (CAHNR), a Ph.D. student in the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment.
Thanks to these microbes, soil holds onto a tremendous amount of the earth’s carbon. By supporting the functioning of these microorganisms, a substance known as biochar can improve soil’s ability to serve as a much-needed carbon sink.
Biochar is a charcoal-like substance made by burning organic waste, such as, generated by forestry and agriculture. Biochar has recently emerged as a “Climate-Smart Agriculture” practice given its potential to improve soil health, nutrient and available water holding capacity, resilience, and agricultural sustainability without the negative environmental consequences associated with traditional fertilizers.
A team in the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources is developing a fuller picture of its environmental and agricultural benefits.
Their recent publication in Biochar highlights how biochar supports soil microbes.
Kumar is the lead author on the paper. Other authors include Wei Ren, associate professor of natural resources and the environment; Haiying Tao, associate professor of soil nutrient management and soil health; and Bo Tao, assistant research professor of natural resources and the environment.
The researchers looked at data from hundreds of field studies conducted all around the world to determine biochar’s impact on soil microbes.
On average, biochar application improved soil microbial biomass carbon (SMBC) by approximately 21%.
“When we conducted global data analyses, we found how biochar as a stable carbon influences soil features, particularly microbial activities leading to changes in microbial carbon,” Ren says. “That in turn influences soil’s physical and chemical characteristics and carbon storage.”
A piece of biochar has many tiny pores all over its surface. Microorganisms move into these holes and feed on the carbon, nitrogen, and other essential nutrients the biochar provides. This is especially important in nutrient-deficient soil or soil with a suboptimal pH which would not otherwise be able to support a diverse population of microbes.
“It provides food, nutrients, and a habitat for those microbes,” Kumar says.
The researchers also found that biochar is more effective when used in combination with other management practices, like the use of compost or manure.
By limiting the scope of their analysis to field studies, which take place in real-world conditions, rather than controlled greenhouse environments, this work has clearer and more immediate implications for farmers.
“That helps us understand the reality of the situation with weather or soil or other environmental factors interacting with biochar,” Ren says.
This group’s previous work has looked at how biochar impacts other factors like crop yield and greenhouse gas emissions.
“We want to have a complete understanding of biochar as an effective climate smart agricultural practice,” Ren says.
Biochar is particularly attractive to farmers in the Northeast, which has smaller operations than other parts of the country, like the Midwest. Biochar is still expensive for farmers to implement, making it difficult to apply at a larger scale.
“Although biochar is more expensive than other practices, they see the long-term benefits for the savings in water and nutrient inputs and the long-term carbon storage,” Ren says. “In the northeast region, our farmers and our growers have already shown interest.”
Further, biochar is most effective in climates with an average annual temperature below 59 degrees Fahrenheit and about 20 to 40 inches of rain, like Connecticut and other parts of the region.
Given this interest, the next steps in this research are to collaborate with local farmers to conduct pilot studies of biochar.
In addition to supporting field studies, the group is also using this work to develop models that can predict the long-term impacts of biochar on soil health and other key metrics.
The ultimate goal of this work is to develop a regional bioeconomy in which organic waste is collected, turned into biochar, and reused to grow more crops while keeping the soil healthy.
“We do want to collaborate with our field scientists, people with diverse backgrounds in climate and land use, and socioeconomics,” Ren says. “We want to propose an interdisciplinary program to promote region bioeconomy development.”
This work relates to CAHNR’s Strategic Vision area focused on Ensuring a Vibrant and Sustainable Agricultural Industry and Food Supply.
Sure, in her spare time growing up Krista Mitchell did what any only child might do to keep busy – doodle in a notebook, design a maze like the one in her coloring book, devote hours to reading.
But Mitchell ’25 (SFA, CLAS) says she often took those projects to the nth degree.
“I actually made a household newspaper in which I wrote the articles and drew pictures to go with them. I even used to go crazy sending thank you cards to my family. I would do these elaborate drawings on the envelopes to the point that the post office would send them back because they couldn’t read the addresses,” she says. “So, yeah, I’ve always been very creative.”
There should be no surprise then when, as a high school senior, she used an assignment to make an animal mask as an opportunity to build giant luna moth wings large enough for an adult to wear.
And that final project for a basic photography class at UConn, of course it became the basis for a presentation at the Humanities Undergraduate Research Symposium last year and the reason she was asked to talk during a Humanities Institute conversation on the loneliness epidemic in the fall.
You bet, it even got her an on-air interview with Connecticut Public Radio.
“All of this was absolutely meant to be,” she says. “It all just happened, honestly.”
In the same way, she sort of fell into her latest project, “Joker Stardust,” an art exhibition on display this week that she says started as a critique of consumerism inspired by the 1980s but eventually morphed into a multilayered project focused on the 1960s and 1970s that asks the question, “Who am I?”
Well, who is Krista Mitchell?
Mitchell, a double major in English and art who’ll graduate in December, says she started at UConn planning to exclusively major in English and eventually embark on a career as a journalist or teacher. After all, in high school, she’d had success in various writing contests and people always told her she was a good writer.
Krista Mitchell ’25 (SFA, CLAS) is a double major in art and English. Her solo art exhibition, “Joker Stardust,” opens March 27 and runs through March 30. (Branaugh Morton/Nutmeg Magazine)
But that first year in college, she found herself drowning in the largeness of the University and escaped in the safety of her art minor.
“I took my first art class, Drawing I, and noticed it gave me something I could channel my energy into,” she says. “I felt safe in the small classes where everybody knew who I was, and the teacher actually cared about me. She was the one who said, ‘Krista, there’s something about your artwork that is special. I don’t know what it is, but you have something, and I think you should keep going with it.’ That’s pretty high praise for someone who was just starting.”
That’s the thing about art, she notes, “People think they can’t do it, but everyone has it in them. You just have to slow down and study your surroundings.”
A passion for art started to grow inside her, so elevating it to a second major was a no-brainer. She elected the Bachelor of Arts track in the art and art history department over the Bachelor of Fine Arts because it allowed her to generalize her courses, rather than pick a specific concentration.
If she had to pick, she says, she would have opted for animation and illustration – you might have seen her regular comics and illustrations in The Daily Campus – and that would have been the wrong choice, knowing what she knows now.
“Doing this project, ‘Joker Stardust,’ has shown me that I would be a painting and drawing major because animation and illustration is more about communicating something for an editorial purpose or storytelling and making characters. My mind doesn’t work like that. I’m more of a conceptual person,” she says.
She likes the bright colors of pop art, and things another person might describe as being “off” or just a little bit “creepy,” like those baby dolls whose eyelids open when upright and close when reclined.
She absolutely loves liminal spaces like empty parking lots at night with only the overhead lights illuminated, giving an eerie glow to a familiar place. Candles also are a favorite, if only for the impermanence they represent.
And, vaporwave, oh vaporwave, the aesthetic that pulls from the 1980s and 1990s is close to her heart, along with fashions from the 1960s and 1970s that she finds at thrift shops and wears around campus: cloth hairbands, chunky-heeled shoes, blazers with pinstriped lapels, and miniskirts.
“I know what my vision is as an artist, and I’m able to apply it to a lot of different mediums,” she says. “I say that now, but I know in a couple years, I’ll again say, ‘I don’t know who I am,’ because that’s part of being an artist. You go through these phases of ‘Who am I?’ Fortunately, right now, I’m in a phase where I feel confident.”
But is everything by chance?
In coming to UConn, Mitchell received the Presidential Scholars Enrichment Award, giving her $2,500 for a project of her choosing. But one must choose carefully, and Mitchell mulled ideas for three years. Publishing a book seemed most logical. Then, she saw an art exhibition last spring from Irene Pham ’24 (SFA), a solo show that included paintings about Pham’s family, immigration, and the mixed feelings she had about the two.
Mitchell had taken Art 1010, “Foundation: Studio Concepts,” with associate professor John O’Donnell early on in her studies and liked his teaching style. Plus, they share an affinity for vaporwave.
“I sent him an email with an independent study proposal, explaining I wanted to do an exhibition. It was one of the longest emails I ever wrote, and amazingly he agreed. He hardly knew me, but he did remember me,” she says. “I’m so grateful to him because this has changed my life.”
O’Donnell suggested she make a series of collages and use her time over the summer of 2024 to purchase panels of varying sizes and rummage second-hand stores for magazines, books, and other items.
Krista Mitchell ’25 (SFA, CLAS) made this 3-by-3-foot collage for her upcoming art exhibition, “Joker Stardust.” The piece includes doilies that her grandmother made. (Krista Mitchell)
Mitchell was close with her maternal grandmother, Catherine “Kay” Holloway, who left behind a treasure trove of collections and her own art creations when she died in 2015. Holloway didn’t have any formal art training, but was artistic, and Mitchell says she inherited things like her fondness for antiques and oddities from her.
With O’Donnell’s advice in mind, Mitchell poured through her grandparents’ home, taking handmade doilies, handwritten sewing patterns, hand drawn five-point stars, among other things like Kewpie dolls, stained curtains, a half-drained Snoopy snow globe, and pink graph paper.
“The thing with collages,” Mitchell explains, “it’s kind of like you’re going through an archive and taking the history of these objects and putting them in a new story. You’re almost recontextualizing them.”
She spent at least a hundred hours cutting out pictures from magazines like Ladies’ Home Journal and Reader’s Digest and sorting images of Hummel figurines, angels, and Barbie dolls.
That way, when winter break came early this year, she could start creating, again with O’Donnell’s words in mind reminding her to choose items intentionally, as if to tell a story, and not just for decoration.
As she did, questions started swirling in her head: Why am I so much like my grandmother? Why am I like this? Why do I dress like this? Why do I like this stuff? The theme of consumerism muted to make room for concepts like individual creativity, religion, the meaning of life, and what happens after death.
“I started to think about what this all could mean and what I landed on was one idea,” she says. “Could the belief that there is some sort of greater meaning to life or higher power give people an incentive to create with intention?
“That’s when I realized I love a lot of this stuff because of the history behind it. My grandmother was very careful about building her collection of seemingly random things. She had her own artistic vision, and she was very intentional with how she did things and how they reflected the story she was trying to tell.
“Like, I don’t know who owned this, but somebody did before I did,” Mitchell says, tugging at her second-hand jacket. “That’s kind of mysterious and interesting, right? There is something greater that connects me to my grandmother, that connects me to these interests I have, the way I dress, and the aesthetics of these previous time periods.”
None of the 25 collages are titled, Mitchell says, and that’s intentional because they’re supposed to resemble things one might find at an antique store. As for the title of the show, “Joker Stardust,” that was purposeful, based on a joker card she found at her grandparents’.
“Is everything around us by chance? Is it a joke or is there some sort of divine power making the world as it is or is it random,” Mitchell asks, adding that “stardust” hearkens to the 1970s David Bowie character Ziggy Stardust.
As part of the project, she ended up publishing a book, putting her writing skills to use as she penned thoughts on each collage. She has 20 copies of “Joker Stardust” in her possession, some of which will be for sale during the show’s opening Thursday, March 27.
“My parents have always been very supportive, all through school, helping me with stuff like this project. They’ve always been there, which I’m very grateful for,” she says.
In the show, Mitchell says she’s placed a mirror, with the idea that you see not just your reflection but also those family members who came before you. How did these people find each other, she asks, because without them there wouldn’t be you.
And without stardust, there wouldn’t be anything.
“Joker Stardust” will open Thursday, March 27, in the VAIS Gallery, Room 109, in the Art Building on the Storrs campus. A reception will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. The show will be open Friday, March 28, through Sunday, March 30, from noon to 4 p.m.
UConn’s Neag School of Education, Department of English, and Connecticut Writing Project (CWP), co-sponsors of the 32nd annual Letters About Literature contest, are proud to announce Connecticut’s winners for the 2024-25 academic year.
Each year, students in grades four through 12 are invited to read a text, broadly defined, and write a letter to the author (living or dead) about how the text affected them personally. Submissions are grouped according to grade level (grades four to six; grades seven and eight; and grades nine to 12).
All submissions were read and scored by Neag School alumni teacher-volunteers. Of the 679 submissions from Connecticut students this year, 64 were recognized as semi-finalists and received letters of recognition.
A second set of judges, all pre-service teachers, then read and scored the 64 semi-finalists — twice for each submission — and selected a total of nine winners, three per grade level. Then one student per grade level was named Top Prize. Each of the nine winners will receive a $100 gift card, while the three top prize winners will also be invited to read their letter out loud at a recognition ceremony later in the spring.
Neag School associate professor Doug Kaufman, CWP interim-director Jane Cook, and Department of English graduate assistant Emmanuel Fasipe served as the contest’s representatives for the state of Connecticut.
The following are the contest finalists, listed with their respective school’s and teacher’s names, as well as the work of literature that is the focus of their essay, with access to their winning submissions in PDF format.
Level I (Grades 4-6)
Top Prize and Invited Reader:Cam Lansing, Kimberly Harrell (teacher), King Philip Middle School (West Hartford), The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart
Winner:AJ Salerno, Kimberly Harrell (teacher), King Philip Middle School (West Hartford), Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell
Winner:Ben Camacho, Eva Pandiscia (teacher), Sedgwick Middle School (West Hartford), Storm Runner by J.C. Cervantes
Level II (Grades 7-8)
Top Prize and Invited Reader:Cora Chenier, Sara Green (teacher), Portland Middle School (Portland), Harry Potter Series, J.K. Rowling
Winner:Aaron Shamshtein, Rachel Drouin (teacher), King Philip Middle School (West Hartford), The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo
Winner:Evie Allgood, Olivia Hamaoui (teacher), Hamden Hall Country Day School (Hamden), Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
Level III (Grades 9-12)
Top Prize and Invited Reader:Colin Monahan, Jessica Sobieralski (teacher), Cromwell High School (Cromwell), Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
Winner:Hunter Lebun-Luo, Katherine Gabbay (teacher), Ridgefield High School (Ridgefield), The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Winner: Carrington Long, Tara Ceresa (teacher), Ridgefield High School (Ridgefield), The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Letters About Literature Contest Judges
Alumni, students, and friends of the Neag School of Education and the University of Connecticut judged the Letters About Literature contest submissions earlier this year. The judges selected semi-finalists at each of the three competition levels. Thank you to the first-round contest judges:
Aidan Srb
Alice Jones
Allison Stroili
Anna Muharem
Christy Rybczyk
Daniel Giovinazzo
Danielle Pieratti
Dorothy Tolchin
Emmanuel Fasipe
Jane Cook
Jennifer DeRagon
Jill Kneisl
Jill Slayton
Joan Muller
Joanne Peluso
Kelly Andrews-Babcock
Laura Milligan
Leah Baranauskas
Marc Zimmerman
Migdalia Gonsalves
Mirelinda Dema
Natalie Hubert
Sonia Ahmed
Tara Carlin
Students in the Neag School and Department of English judged the Letters About Literature semifinalist essays this past month. Thank you to the semifinalist contest judges, who are current students in the Neag School of Education Integrated Bachelor’s/Master’s program with a second major or concentration in English or UConn students majoring in English:
Adam Ezedine
Alyssa Slamin
Ava Peschell
Jake Cacace
Joseph Miles
Kammi Zheng
Karen He
Kylie Watson
Natalia Rojas
Shivam Viroja
Taylor Rae
Vanessa Guerra
Yadiel Melendez
Yamilet Zavala
Yaxi He
In honor of Jason Courtmanche’s passing, we honor his hard work, dedication, and legacy for many years as the former director of CWP.
HAMILTON, Bermuda, March 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Aspida Life Re Ltd. (“Aspida Re”), a reinsurance company focused on providing life and annuity reinsurance solutions to companies globally, announced today the recent appointment of Elinor Friedman, FSA, MAAA to its Board of Directors (“the Board”). Ms. Friedman’s extensive product development and pricing knowledge will complement and add broader insight to Aspida Re’s board composition.
Ms. Friedman is a seasoned actuary with vast experience in the life insurance and reinsurance space. From 2013 to 2024, she served as Managing Director at Willis Towers Watson where she provided consulting services to large and mid-size insurers and reinsurers including sell-side appraisal, buy-side due diligence, product development, and pricing.
“Elinor’s deep capabilities in actuarial science, risk management, and insurance analytics, combined with her proven leadership in insurance consulting, make her a valuable addition to our board,” said David Florian, Chief Executive Officer of Aspida Re. “Her insights and operational acumen will be instrumental in helping Aspida Re continue to deliver ongoing value for our partners and clients.”
During her time as Managing Director at Willis Towers Watson, Ms. Friedman also served as Life Division Leader and Sales and Practice Leader for the Americas leadership team for the Insurance Consulting and Technology (ICT) line of business. Prior to joining the firm, she served as Product Actuary at General American Life Insurance Company, coordinating life product development and pricing, and as Assistant Actuary at RGA/Swiss Financial Group, focused on reinsurance transactions, actuarial pricing, and risk analysis.
“I am excited to join Aspida Re’s board and contribute to the company’s mission of providing innovative and secure reinsurance solutions,” said Elinor Friedman. “Aspida Re’s focus on risk management excellence and forward-thinking strategies aligns with my experience in actuarial science and insurance consulting. I look forward to leveraging my background to support Aspida Re’s growth, helping to refine reinsurance structures and strengthen partnerships that drive long-term financial security.”
Ms. Friedman received her Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics from Concordia University (with distinction) and her Master of Science in Applied Mathematics from the University of Ottawa (magna cum laude). She is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries (FSA) and a Member of the American Academy of Actuaries (MAAA). Ms. Friedman is also active in the industry, having previously served as Chair of the Society of Actuaries Product Development Section Council and on the planning committee for several industry meetings. She has been a frequent speaker, lending her knowledge and expertise to the industry.
About Aspida Re Aspida Life Re Ltd (“Aspida Re”), a Bermuda-based reinsurance platform, is focused on providing efficient and secure life and annuity reinsurance solutions to its global clients. Aspida Re seeks to be a trusted partner in its clients’ long-term financial growth by delivering creative, customized solutions while driving business by doing good for the communities it serves. Aspida Re is part of Aspida Holdings Ltd, with over $21bn in total assets as of December 31, 2024. A subsidiary of Ares Management Corporation (NYSE: ARES) acts as the dedicated investment manager, capital solutions and corporate development partner to Aspida Re. For more information on Aspida Re, please visit www.aspidare.bm or follow them on LinkedIn.
AUSTIN, Texas and LONDON, March 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BigCommerce (Nasdaq: BIGC), a leading provider of open, composable commerce solutions for B2C and B2B brands and retailers, today announced the company has hired SaaS and ecommerce veteran Andrew Norman as senior vice president and general manager for EMEA.
Norman will lead BigCommerce’s go-to-market strategy in EMEA, bringing 25 years experience executing international expansion plans for SaaS technology companies, including 15 years experience in the ecommerce market.
“BigCommerce has a strong track record of helping brands, retailers, manufacturers and distributors in EMEA grow, and Andrew is the perfect leader to help us accelerate that growth,” said Travis Hess, CEO at BigCommerce. “His years of experience make him well positioned to drive our strategic growth forward. Andrew brings an exceptional record of scaling international technology companies, as well as an extensive network of strategic partnerships that will be instrumental in boosting our market penetration and delivering innovative solutions to our customers.”
Norman joins BigCommerce from Sendcloud (a Softbank Company), where he led the enterprise, UK and partners teams. He previously worked at Auctane (a Thoma Bravo Company), where he served in general manager roles for ShipStation in Canada, Europe and Australia and New Zealand, as well as general manager for Metapack.
“I was drawn to BigCommerce by its extraordinary potential to lead the next wave of ecommerce innovation as the market converges around truly transformative platforms,” said Norman. “With its unique ability to enable seamless commerce across multiple channels, BigCommerce is perfectly positioned to empower brands, retailers, manufacturers, and distributors in an increasingly complex digital marketplace.”
BigCommerce (Nasdaq: BIGC) is a leading open SaaS and composable ecommerce platform that empowers brands, retailers, manufacturers and distributors of all sizes to build, innovate and grow their businesses online. BigCommerce provides its customers sophisticated professional-grade functionality, customization and performance with simplicity and ease-of-use. Tens of thousands of B2C and B2B companies across 150 countries and numerous industries rely on BigCommerce, including Coldwater Creek, Harvey Nichols, King Arthur Baking Co., MKM Building Supplies, United Aqua Group and Uplift Desk. For more information, please visit www.bigcommerce.com or follow us on X and LinkedIn.
BigCommerce® is a registered trademark of BigCommerce Pty. Ltd. Third-party trademarks and service marks are the property of their respective owners.
TORONTO, March 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Purpose Investments Inc. announced today the final March 2025 distribution rates for Purpose High Interest Savings Fund, Purpose US Cash Fund, Purpose Cash Management Fund, and Purpose USD Cash Management Fund.
The following table reflects the final distribution amounts for the month of March. Ex-distribution date is March 27, 2025.
Open-End Fund
Ticker Symbol
Final distribution per unit
Record Date
Payable Date
Distribution Frequency
Purpose USD Cash Management Fund – ETF Units
MNU.U
US $0.3534
03/27/2025
04/02/2025
Monthly
Purpose Cash Management Fund – ETF Units
MNY
$0.2647
03/27/2025
04/02/2025
Monthly
Purpose High Interest Savings Fund – ETF Units
PSA
$0.1107
03/27/2025
04/02/2025
Monthly
Purpose US Cash Fund – ETF Units
PSU.U
US $0.3375
03/27/2025
04/02/2025
Monthly
About Purpose Investments Inc.
Purpose Investments Inc. is an asset management company with more than $23 billion in assets under management. Purpose Investments has an unrelenting focus on client-centric innovation, and offers a range of managed and quantitative investment products. Purpose Investments is led by well-known entrepreneur Som Seif and is a division of Purpose Unlimited, an independent technology-driven financial services company.
For further information please contact: Keera Hart Keera.Hart@kaiserpartners.com 905-580-1257
Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with investment fund investments. Please read the prospectus and other disclosure documents before investing. Investment funds are not covered by the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government deposit insurer. There can be no assurance that the full amount of your investment in a fund will be returned to you. If the securities are purchased or sold on a stock exchange, you may pay more or receive less than the current net asset value. Investment funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated.
