Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-50)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Congressional Medal of Honor may be awarded for acts of valor above and beyond the call of duty that occurred decades ago because of new legislation authored by Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-48).
TheValor Has No Expiration Actextends and expands a key provision from the 1996 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that waived the five-year limitation for Medal of Honor consideration—but only for actions occurring between 1940 and 1990, and only for classified “intelligence activities.” Rep. Issa’s bill specifically removes this arbitrary end date and expands the criteria to include acts that were classified or withheld from public record. Current law states that service members must be recommended and awarded within five years.
“Valor never expires – and neither should the opportunity for our bravest heroes to be recognized with our highest honor,” said Rep. Issa. “There is no reason why those who went above and beyond are ineligible for the Medal of Honor due to an arbitrary time standard, when their true account may not be known or was kept classified for decades.”
Rep. Issa specifically cited his friend and constituent Royce Williams as both the inspiration and example of why the Act is necessary.
In 1952 during the Korean Conflict, then-Lieutenant Williams engaged in one of the most dramatic and heroic dogfights in U.S. history, single-handedly taking on and downing multiple Soviet MiG-15 fighters. His action, however, was kept classified for more than 50 years before becoming public, which made Williams ineligible for the Medal of Honor.
“Captain Royce Williams – now 100 years young — is an American hero of the highest order. Every American should know his story and what he did on that day nearly 73 years ago should go unrecognized no longer,” said Rep. Issa. “With this reform legislation, America’s heroes – whether undiscovered, unknown, or unrevealed – can be honored as they should. Acts of valor have no expiration date.”
Full text of theValor Has No Expiration Actcan be found here.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04)
WASHINGTON —The heroic men and women of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) work around the clock to detain and deport criminal illegal aliens from the U.S. Since President Trump returned to office, ICE has deported murderers, wife-beaters, child sex predators, and violent gang members, making our communities safer. Despite the important work this agency does day in and day out, Democrats take the side of the criminals and want to defund and dismantle it.
“Peaceful” Anti-ICE Protests in Los Angeles
“While Republicans are supporting the men and women of ICE through the One Big Beautiful Bill, Democrats are fighting for illegal aliens and against law enforcement agents. They’re defending the violent anti-ICE protesters in Los Angeles. They visited a violent MS-13 gang member and human trafficker in El Salvador,” Speaker Johnson said. “They charged an ICE facility in Newark and clashed with ICE officers. That was members of the House of Representatives doing that. They’re advocating for people to dox ICE agents and making them targets for threats from radicals. And they’re calling for the elimination of ICE.”
DEMOCRATS IN THEIR OWN WORDS
“I believe that ICE, an agency that was just formed in 2003 during the Patriot Act era, is a rogue agency that should not exist.” – Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
“Every single ICE agent who’s engaged in this aggressive overreach and are trying to hide their identities from the American people, will be unsuccessful in doing that…every single one of them, no matter what it takes, no matter how long it takes, will, of course, be identified.” — Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries
“Donald Trump’s modern-day gestapo…” — Minnesota Governor Tim Walz
“I don’t know of any police department that routinely wears masks. We know that there are other groups that routinely wear masks. NSC-131 routinely wears masks.” — Boston Mayor Michelle Wu
“ICE, get the f*** out of L.A.” — Rep. Norma Torres
“This is not immigration policy that we’re seeing unfold. This is domestic terrorism.” – Rep. Kamlager-Dove
Activists are taking these words to heart. According to the Department of Homeland Security, brave and patriotic ICE agents are facing a 413% increase in assaults against them.
Federal law enforcement officers thatkeep our communities safe deserve our support. And the One Big Beautiful Bill delivers it.
Makes the largest investment in border security and interior enforcement in a generation, providing over $150 billion to secure the border and deport illegal aliens
Includes $45 billion to expand ICE detention capacity
Provides $12 billion in funding to hire 10,000 new ICE personnel, 5,000 new customs officers, 3,000 new Border Patrol agents, and 1,000 criminal investigators, among others
Provides $10,000 bonuses to Border Patrol and ICE agents
Includes $1.2 billion to hire 200 immigration judges and to expand immigration courtroom space
Includes $14.4 billion for air and ground transportation sufficient to support at least 1 million removals per year
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chris Pappas (D-NH)
Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01)joined Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH),and Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander (NH-02)in announcing that the New Hampshire State Society Event, “Experience New Hampshire,” will return to Capitol Hill on Wednesday, June 11, 2025. The New Hampshire Congressional delegation and other members of Congress will attend the event, which exhibits Granite State businesses and their first-class products in the U.S. Capitol. This year’s event marks the New Hampshire State Society’s 14th year hosting the reception.
“By highlighting our state’s small businesses and their unique products and services, Experience New Hampshire brings Granite State culture to our nation’s capital,” said Congressman Pappas. “In New Hampshire, small businesses are the fabric of our communities, economy, and way of life. I am once again thrilled to join our federal delegation in welcoming guests to this popular event, and I look forward to seeing fellow Granite Staters and their small businesses in D.C.”
“From our world-famous maple syrup to tourism in the White Mountains, Experience New Hampshire showcases the businesses, institutions and entrepreneurs that make the Granite State a uniquely wonderful place,” said Senator Shaheen. “By allowing businesses to share their products and services and to connect with industry leaders and policymakers, the reception puts New Hampshire on the map. I’m thankful to the New Hampshire State Society for their work year after year to make this event possible.”
“Experience NH provides an opportunity to showcase some of the many small businesses, vendors, foods, and artists that make our state so great,” said Senator Hassan.“I look forward to Experience NH every year and I appreciate all those who are joining for this year’s celebration and helping bring our Granite State spirit to Washington.”
“New Hampshire is home to the best of America,” said Congresswoman Goodlander. “I’m proud to partner with New Hampshire’s federal delegation and the New Hampshire State Society to help bring a taste of the Granite State to Congress and connect New Hampshire businesses and innovators with legislators and leaders in our nation’s Capitol.”
Some participating businesses this year will include Echo Farm Puddings, Contoocook Creamery, Shire’s Naturals, Concord Regional Technical Center, the New Hampshire Maple Producers, SkiNH, The Spicy Shark, and more.
PROVIDENCE – A previously deported Guatemalan national illegally present in the United States has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Rhode Island on two counts of assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding, or interfering with federal officers engaged in official duties, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
It is alleged that on April 30, 2024, Miguel Tamup-Tamup, a/k/a Miguel US Tamup, 28, struggled with an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deportation officer and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents as they attempted to apprehend him as authorized by an arrest warrant. An HSI agent suffered a serious injury during the encounter.
Charging documents reflect that on April 19, 2025, Tamup-Tamup was arrested on a charge of driving under the influence after his car allegedly collided with another vehicle. He was subsequently arraigned and released. Tamup’s fingerprints matched ICE fingerprint records associated with a person flagged as being in the United States illegally.
It is alleged that on April 30, 2025, an ICE deportation officer and Homeland Security Investigations agents stopped a car that Tamup-Tamup was operating. After he refused to exit, Tamup-Tamup was guided out of the vehicle. While the agents attempted to place Tamup-Tamup in handcuffs, he allegedly resisted, threw his upper body and shoulders against the agents, flailed his arms, and broke an agent’s hold. During the encounter, one of the agents fell to the ground and suffered a serious leg injury. Tamup-Tamup fled as the injured agent was attended to.
On May 16, 2025, ICE and HSI agents located Tamup-Tamup at a Providence residence and took him into custody. He has been detained since making an initial appearance on that date before a U.S. Magistrate Judge.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
A federal indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Milind Shah.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
World news story
UK Trade Commissioner visits Guatemala to boost economic ties
Jonathan Knott, the UK’s Trade Commissioner for Latin America and the Caribbean, will visit Guatemala on June 16-17 to strengthen trade and investment between the two countries.
This visit comes at a key moment, as Guatemala has become the UK’s most dynamic commercial partner in Central America. Last year, trade between the two countries hit a record £376 million, even surpassing pre-pandemic levels.
During his visit, Commissioner Knott will meet with leaders of major Guatemalan companies and British multinational firms to address specific trade challenges. Key sectors of focus include agriculture, textiles, and financial services.
He will also hold strategic meetings with Guatemalan government officials to explore new opportunities for economic cooperation.
Commissioner Jonathan Knott said:
This is my third visit to Guatemala. I’ve been here both as a tourist and professionally, and I know more than just the capital. I’m excited about this trip because Guatemala has proven to be a reliable and dynamic trade partner. We’re here to build on that momentum.
UK Trade Commissioners act as economic ambassadors, promoting exports, investment, and trade policy on behalf of the British government.
The UK has strengthened its presence in the region through the UK-Central America Association Agreement. This deal gives Guatemala preferential access to UK markets. The gradual removal of tariffs under this agreement is a big opportunity for Guatemalan products like specialty coffee, cardamom, and manufactured goods. The Commissioner will also encourage Guatemala to support a fair and rules-based global trade system.
Trade Highlights: UK–Guatemala Boom:
The UK imported £261 million worth of goods from Guatemala, mainly agricultural products.
The UK exported £115 million to Guatemala, mostly machinery and financial services.
Trade between the two countries is growing at 30.1% annually, making Guatemala the UK’s fastest-growing market in Central America.
The main goals of this visit are to remove trade barriers, improve the implementation of the UK-Central America Association Agreement, and support Guatemala’s economic development through financial tools and expert knowledge sharing.
Commissioner Knott will also reaffirm the UK’s support for Guatemala’s efforts to modernize infrastructure, fight corruption, and promote inclusive and sustainable development.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (1st District of Maine)
Today in the full Appropriations Committee markup of the Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration funding bill for Fiscal Year 2026, Senior Appropriator Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) called out the Trump Administration’s hypocrisy, touting a “Make America Healthy Again” agenda while stripping access to healthy food away from families and children. A summary of the bill is available here.
“14,000 families use WIC in my state. That’s a lot in a state of only 1.3 million people. This is a way to make sure we have healthier fruits and vegetables and better health outcomes for young children in their diet,” Pingree said. “You know, this is the administration of ‘MAHA’—Make America Healthy Again. And how do we expect to make America healthy if we are not going to make sure that people get that healthy food in their diet?”
[embedded content]
Watch Pingree’s opening remarks here; Watch the full markup here.
In her opening remarks, Pingree also railed against the bill’s attacks on supporting farmers impacted by the effects of climate change, dispelling the notion that these programs are “woke” or part of a “liberal climate change agenda.”
“When we talk about conservation funds and the cuts there, or the ‘climate change agenda’ as if it’s some woke thing – who deserves more attention than our farmers who are dealing with this extreme weather? That is our responsibility and these programs that help them to access no till agriculture or cover crops or more irrigation. These are the very things that we should be funding now,” Pingree said. “Our farmers deserve our attention. This is not woke. This is not some crazy liberal climate change agenda. This is what’s really going on with our weather right now. And we are derelict in our duty. We are not holding up our responsibility to farmers.”
A transcript of Pingree’s full remarks is copied below:
I’m disappointed that I can’t support this bill. The Agriculture Appropriations Committee in this bill is my second favorite subcommittee after, of course, the work I do with Mr. Simpson on the Interior bill. And I am sorry that this bill isn’t a better piece of work from this committee.
One of the things I love about this bill is that we’re really focusing on farmers and what people eat, and we need to ask ourselves, as we look at this bill in its entirety, what are we doing to help our farmers stay on their farms, to access capital, to be sure that they can purchase or own a farm, to increase their family income, to make ends meet, and to keep their farms in business during these ever challenging times?
The reason you’ll hear a lot today, and we’ve already heard some about the cuts to the local food purchase assistance program and the local foods and schools programs, and I’m going to talk about it today in much more detail in an amendment, is because it is such a good example of a program that was designed to give farmers contracts to supply food to local schools, food banks, and other entities in our home states.
We spend so much time talking about how to get more healthy foods in our diets, how to make sure we give farmers the contracts they need, and for the farmers in Maine who lost those contracts when this was ridiculously cut, it was part of making ends meet. It was part of their winter income. As part of what they had planned for everything from yogurt to carrots to apples to a whole variety of other things.
And that was true in states across the country. And we’ve ended that program and that is an example of something that we should be doing the reverse of in this program. There are other cuts to making sure people get healthy food in their diet, the cuts to WIC – fruits and vegetables that we will talk about more in an amendment today, 14,000 families use WIC in my state.
That’s a lot in a state of only 1.3 million people. And again, this is a way to make sure we have healthier fruits and vegetables, better health outcomes for young children in their diet. You know, this is the administration of “MAHA” – Make America Healthy Again. And how do we expect to make America healthy if we are not going to make sure that people get that healthy food in their diet?
Housing is another cut in this bill. Housing is the number 1 or 2 issue for so many people in my state. The cost of housing, the challenges with finding affordable housing. And we are making cuts there, $46 million of cuts overall to rural development staffing. I have a constituent in my district, Hillary, who is disabled in her 40s.
She was getting a home through an RD loan. It’s her only viable pathway to home ownership. She’s taken all the steps she needs to: completed her homebuyer education, submitted her paperwork on time … But after years of delays, because of funding cuts, she’s finally where she should be, but there is no staff to process her loan to answer the phone.
Her calls and emails are going unanswered, and there’s a question about whether or not she will get to the finish line. Those staffing cuts are throughout our districts, in our local offices, and we talk about how to make sure our farmers are able and eligible to get the funding, whether it is, through a conservation program, through a loan.
But so many of our offices now are understaffed and underfunded, and I know we will be talking more about that. We’ll talk about the cuts. The Dairy Farmers Innovation program. In my state, dairy farmers are under assault, just barely making it. Now, so many of the amendments we’ll have today, we’re going to hear this reply: “Oh, that’s just woke Democratic thinking” or “that’s climate change agenda” or that’s “pre-pandemic money or pandemic money that we don’t need anymore.”
But you know we learned a lot of lessons in the pandemic. We learned that our supply chains were broken, that we should buy more locally. That’s why we have these programs. Yet we’re having them cut out from under us. When we talk about conservation funds and the cuts there, or the “climate change agenda” as if it’s some woke thing – who deserves more attention than our farmers who are dealing with this extreme weather? That is our responsibility and these programs that help them to access no till agriculture or cover crops or more irrigation or a whole variety of other things are the very things that we should be funding now.
Our farmers deserve our attention. This is not woke. This is not some crazy liberal climate change agenda. This is what’s really going on with our weather right now. And we are derelict in our duty. We are not holding up our responsibility to farmers and to making sure our constituents get that healthy food. We’ll have many opportunities to talk about this today.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (1st District of Maine)
Today, during the House Appropriations Committee’s markup of the Fiscal Year 2026 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs bill, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree blasted Republicans’ proposed funding cuts, speaking out against glaring issues in the bill, including giving DOGE unfettered access to the VA and ignoring critical resilience efforts for Maine’s public shipyards. A summary of the bill is available here. [embedded content] Click here to watch Pingree’s opening remarks; Watch the full markup here.
Pingree’s full remarks are copied below.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I am extremely disappointed to see the damage to the vital funding for the MilCon-VA bill that is done in this bill before us today.
Just to mention a few things. You’ve heard people talking about the 80,000 proposed staffing cuts [at the VA], which is absolutely a way to move forward to privatizing our veterans’ medical care. This cuts veterans’ and families’ access to reproductive health care and has many more problems that we’ll have a chance to address in our amendments that will be coming soon.
But I want to talk about a couple of specific impacts that we will see in Maine. The first one is called Installation Resilience funding—a $30 million cut. Now it’s kind of a wonky term, but it will mean a lot to our state.
For those of you who don’t know, I am blessed to have the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in my district. Luckily, there’s no one in here from New Hampshire, because sometimes they think it’s a New Hampshire shipyard. But it’s very clearly in Maine, even if it’s called Portsmouth. It is in Kittery, Maine, and it is a vital military facility where we overhaul, repair, and modernize our U.S. Navy’s nuclear-powered subs—specifically, the Los Angeles and Virginia class.
This shipyard, for you history buffs, was established in 1800, and the first ship they built was a 74 gun warship called the USS Washington in 1814. It was a vital shipyard during World War II, where we constructed 75 submarines and had up to 25,000 people there working every day.
Now, I’m very grateful to this committee for consistently investing in upgrades and improvements in the drydock and modernization of facilities there. But you should know that when you build on the coast—any of your coast, my coast, the West coast—it is not stable. And if you were in Maine in 2024, just a year ago in November, we had two severe storms that wiped out about 50% of our working waterfronts. And even this year, there has been some of the greatest sea level surges in the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard recorded in all time.
So, what happens then? It risks flooding of our nuclear submarines. You can imagine how expensive and delicate this operation is.
This year, they had to use sheets of plywood to keep the dry docks from flooding. The millions and millions of dollars you have invested are now being kept safe with some sheets of plywood. Why would we spend millions of dollars in the SIOP (Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Project) to modernize these facilities, if we’re not going to spend a measly $30 million for resilience funding?
It just doesn’t make any sense. You know why? Because resilience is one of those prohibited words. Perhaps it’s woke. Perhaps it means climate change. So, for the sake of some prohibited words and things that people think don’t actually matter, we are not going to protect our essential investment. Now, as you can imagine, I could go on and on, but I do want to mention one more thing.
The staffing cuts that are being proposed, and have already happened, whether it’s through the DOGE or the deferred resignation—by the way, that deferred resignation that Elon Musk thought up means that you let people out of their jobs, say, “Go ahead, go home, don’t go to work,” but we’ll keep paying you till September—and we can’t fill those vital positions.
So, all those people who thought, huh, maybe I should take the buyout because I might get fired are sitting home wishing they were at work, getting paid. And we are spending the taxpayers’ dollars for people to do nothing. I am lucky to represent a VA clinic. I also have Togus, a medical facility in my district. And I want you to know the number one call that we get from veterans who call in for constituent service—and I know you all do a lot of veterans’ services in your offices, too—is the wait times for VA appointments. It used to be about 17 days, which is a long time to wait, but most recently we heard from a vet who was recently separated and waited 63 days to get to that appointment. You tell me it’s not going to get worse if we layoff 80,000 more people.
The need is there. These cuts are shameful. The damage we’re doing in this bill will be shameful. I’m sorry. I can’t support it. And I yield back my time.
Thousands of veterans rallied on the National Mall in Washington D.C., on June 6, the 81st anniversary of the D-Day landings that began the end to World War II. The ongoing actions of the so-called DOGE committee and proposed spending cuts being considered by Congress have already hit many current military veterans hard, and the rally was a call to action to stop further cuts to hard fought benefits.
The IAM Veterans Services Department and the IAM Human Rights Rapid Responseteams showed up to support the rally.
Current proposals call for 83,000 job cuts at the Veterans Administration.
“The math just doesn’t math,” said IAM Veterans Services Coordinator Rich Evans. “Taking away healthcare workers, taking away our claim examiners – it doesn’t make any sense. The VA since the beginning of this year has opened up 10 new clinics, so how are we going to cut 80,000 people?”
Congressional estimates say that more than 6,000 veterans have already lost their jobs due to the job cuts by the DOGE committee. The job cuts plainly ignored laws under the Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA) and the Servicesmen’s Readjustment Act of 1944, commonly referred to as the GI Bill.
The currently proposed “One Big Beautiful Bill” passed by the House, will require spending impoundments if signed into law. 1.6 million veterans receive healthcare through Medicaid. Estimates are that 14 million Medicaid recipients will lose coverage if the OBBB becomes law, including at least 300,000 veterans under age 65, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. 1.2 million veterans receive some form of food assistance through SNAP, commonly referred to as “Food Stamps”, but includes programs like “meals on wheels” for home bound disabled people.
Unite 4 Veterans rally organizers called attention back to “The Bonus Army” of 1932. At the height of the Great Depression, World War I veterans demanded immediate payment of the “tombstone bonus” that many veterans were desperately waiting on, which would amount to $11,400 in today’s U.S. dollars.
In the summer of 1932, 40,000 veterans and their families occupied the National Mall and surrounding areas in tents demanding that President Hoover give the bonus but he refused. In July of 1932, General Douglas McArthur and the U.S. Army used tear gas and tanks to evict the bonus army from the mall and Washington, D.C. That ignited the modern efforts for veterans benefits legislation.
Bonuses to U.S. service members date back to 1776 when the original Continental Congress offered half-pay for life for any servicemember disabled in the Revolutionary War. In 1781, Congress reneged on that offer, but started war pensions in 1788.
Veteran U.S. Army assault helicopter pilot Tammy Duckworth, who lost both of her legs to an RPG strike in Iraq, and who is now a U.S. Senator from Illinois, was the featured speaker at the rally.
“Our mission today is not too different from what it was when we were in uniform,” said Duckworth. “To defend the Constitution, to protect this democracy, to defend freedoms, and to keep our Nation as strong as she should be. I need you to think of today as not just a singular moment, but the start of our new collective mission.”
A mission as old as the ink on the U.S. Constitution itself.
The post IAM Union Stays in Fight Against Cuts to Military Veterans’ Care, Benefits appeared first on IAM Union.
PROVIDENCE, RI � Secretary of State Gregg M. Amore and the Rhode Island State Archives today announced the opening of a new State Archives exhibit, A Good for the Public: Public Social Welfare in Rhode Island.
The exhibit explores the physical spaces State institutions occupied and offers insight into the experiences of the Rhode Islanders who relied on these services. From the “Dark Days of Social Welfare,” to the advent of improved oversight and patient care, the records of the State Archives help tell part of this complex story.
The exhibit includes artifacts and records spanning correctional facilities, children’s homes, schools for individuals with disabilities, and public welfare commissions. In addition to State Archives records, the exhibit features physical artifacts on loan from The Public Archaeology Lab, Inc. and the State of Rhode Island.
The exhibit is free and open to the public during State Archives business hours, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and will be displayed until December 2025. Appointments are not required.
The State Archives is home to more than 10 million letters, photographs, and important state documents that form a permanent, tangible record of Rhode Island’s rich history. Visitors to the Archives can access vital records, census data, historical manuscripts and documents, and more. Many artifacts and documents have also been digitized and are available in the State Archives online catalog at https://catalog.sos.ri.gov/ and Digital Archives. To learn more about the State Archives, visit https://www.sos.ri.gov/divisions/state-archives.
BOSTON – A Lawrence man has been sentenced in federal court in Boston for leading a large-scale drug trafficking organization that distributed fentanyl, fentanyl analogue and cocaine.
Joseph Correa, 35, was sentenced by on Friday, June 6, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Angel Kelley to 18 years in prison and five years of supervised release. In November 2024, Correa pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, five kilograms or more of cocaine, and other controlled substances; possession with intent to distribute and distribution of cocaine; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense; and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Correa was a target of a long-term investigation into a network of fentanyl and cocaine distributors based in and around Lawrence. The investigation showed that Correa obtained fentanyl from local suppliers, and that he and co-defendants and brothers Jose Martinez and Luis Martinez regularly traveled to Puerto Rico to purchase wholesale quantities of cocaine, which they mailed to addresses in New England for redistribution in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Correa employed co-defendants, as well as an uncharged co-conspirator, to store and process drugs at their residences and to distribute drugs on his behalf. Correa was regularly intercepted over court-authorized wiretaps discussing distribution of fentanyl and cocaine and obtaining, possessing and using firearms. He and co-defendant Mayi Rosario conspired to launder drug proceeds via various financial transactions and purchases. During the course of the investigation, fluorofentanyl, fentanyl, cocaine and drug proceeds were seized from Correa and his associates and from packages mailed by or for Correa. On Dec. 15, 2021, Correa was arrested in Caguas, Puerto Rico. At the time of his arrest, Correa was holding a loaded firearm that had a Glock slide and a privately manufactured grip, and that had been converted into a fully automatic weapon.
In May 2024, Jose Martinez was sentenced to 90 months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release. In February 2025, Luis Martinez was sentenced to five years in prison and four years of supervised release. In August 2024, Rosario was sentenced to 30 months in prison, to be followed by one year of home detention and 26 months of supervised release.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Lawrence Police Department; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Massachusetts State Police; Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Essex County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine Ferguson and J. Mackenzie Duane of the Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
On Wednesday (11 June 2025) at the Brussels Forum, NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska underlined the relevance of the transatlantic bond throughout the Alliance’s 75 year history.
In a session titled “Transatlantic Defence: Who Pays? Who Acts?,” moderated by Claudia Major, Senior Vice President of the GMF, the Deputy Secretary General emphasised that European and US defence efforts must remain transatlantic and complementary. In addition, Ms Shekerinska highlighted that European Allies and Canada are “taking more responsibility and this will make the Alliance a more formidable military partnership.”
She outlined that the upcoming Summit in the Hague will create the grounds for a stronger, better, fairer and even more lethal NATO.
The Brussels Forum is an annual event organised by the German Marshall Fund (GMF) of the United States. The Deputy Secretary General participated in an on-stage conversation with other panellists, including Andrius Kubilius, Commissioner for Defence and Space at the European Commission, Maria Malmer Stenergard, Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs and Nadia Calviño, President of the European Investment Bank.
The hardest part of any workout regime is sticking with it. Around half of those who start an exercise programme stop within six months.
But our recent study found that using wearables (such as a smartwatch) not only makes people more likely to start working out, they’re also seven times more likely to still be active after six months compared to those who didn’t use a smartwatch.
Our study focused specifically on adults who had recently been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Physical activity is a cornerstone of type 2 diabetes management, as it helps regulate blood sugar, supports cardiovascular health and improves quality of life.
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Our study tested a new approach using wearable technology and remote coaching to overcome these barriers. We found that people who followed a smartwatch-supported remote coaching programme were ten times more likely to start a workout regime than those who received remote coaching alone.
The study involved 125 adults aged between 40 and 75 from the UK and Canada who had recently been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. All participants worked with an exercise specialist to co-design a personalised six-month physical activity plan. The focus was on gradually increasing both moderate-to-vigorous exercise (with a target of 150 minutes per week) and daily lifestyle activity. Support was delivered remotely through phone or video calls.
Half of the participants were randomly assigned to use wearable technology to support their personalised activity plans. The smartwatch had movement and heart rate sensors, a mobile app to track activity and personalised text messages based on their recent progress. They could also message their coach, receive real-time feedback and adjust their activity plans accordingly.
The results were striking. Compared to the control group, those who were given a smartwatch were ten times more likely to start working out regularly, seven times more likely to still be active after six months and three times more likely to remain active one year later – even after support had ended.
At the end of the programme, over 50% of the smartwatch group were meeting recommended activity levels. In comparison, only 17% of the control group were.
Feedback from participants showed that the flexibility of plans, personalised messages and smartwatch data were key motivators. While some faced early challenges with the technology, most adapted quickly.
These findings support growing evidence that wearable technology can help people become – and stay – more active. While our study focused on people with type 2 diabetes, similar benefits have also been observed in the general population.
For example, one trial found that inactive adults (aged 45-75) who were given pedometers and walking advice increased their daily step count by around 660 steps after 12 weeks compared to a control group. Those given a pedometer were also more active three years later.
Since then, wearable technology has advanced. Modern smartwatches now capture a wider range of metrics beyond steps – such as heart rate and activity intensity. A 2022 systematic review and meta-analysis, which analysed more than 160 randomised controlled trials, found that fitness trackers and similar devices were effective at increasing physical activity by an average of around 1,800 steps per day. Importantly, the most sustained improvements occurred when wearables were paired with personalised feedback or behavioural support.
Together, these studies suggest that wearables can be powerful tools for long-term behaviour change and may help us better stick to our fitness goals.
Wearable fitness trackers can extremely helpful – but only if you use them purposefully. Our research, along with findings from other studies, shows that wearables are most effective when they help you apply proven behaviour-change strategies.
Here are some evidence-based tips to help you get the most out of your device:
1. Set realistic, specific goals
Plan exactly when and how you’ll move. Apps can help you set daily or weekly targets. Research shows that breaking down big, vague intentions – such as “get fit” – into small, concrete steps makes it easier to stay motivated and avoid feeling overwhelmed.
2. Schedule activity and stick to it
Use reminders or calendar prompts to build a regular routine. Consistency builds habits, and scheduled activity reduces the chance of skipping workouts due to forgetfulness or lack of planning.
3. Track your progress
Monitoring your activity helps you stay motivated and accountable. This feedback boosts motivation by showing that your efforts are making a difference, increasing your sense of control and accountability.
4. Use small rewards
Many devices include features such as badges or streaks, which reinforce progress. Celebrating small wins triggers feelings of accomplishment, which encourages you to keep going and helps build long-term habits.
5. Share with others
Whether it’s a friend or coach, sharing your progress can boost commitment. Knowing others are aware of your goals can increase motivation, provide encouragement, and help you overcome challenges.
6. The tracker is a tool, not the solution
It won’t change behaviour on its own. Its value lies in how it supports your goals and helps you build lasting habits.
Our research shows that when wearable tech is used as part of a structured, supportive programme, it can make a real difference – especially for people managing health conditions such as type 2 diabetes. By combining wearable technology with personalised coaching and proven behaviour change techniques, you might just have a better chance of sticking with your physical activity goals.
Matthew Cocks receives funding from the Medical Research Council.
Katie Hesketh receives funding from Diabetes UK and NIHR.
ARU students Lisa-Marie Soulier, left, and Claudia Vogt at the awards ceremony
Two Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) students have won a national award run by Kodak for a “bold” and “funny” commercial, beating off entries from 17 other universities and film schools from across the UK and Ireland.
Director Claudia Vogt and producer Lisa-Marie Soulier, both 22-year-old third year BA (Hons) Film and Television Production students at ARU, collected the award for best overall film at a ceremony held at the historic Regent Street Cinema in London.
The Kodak Student Commercial Awards is an annual competition run by Kodak and Nahemi, the national association for higher education in the moving image. The competition, which has been running for nearly 40 years, received a total of 61 entries this year.
Students were provided with a 10 minute roll of Kodak 16mm film to make a 30 second commercial based on one of four live briefs set by advertising agencies McCann, Libertine and TBWA. Representatives from the national agencies were on the judging panel.
The ARU students’ live brief was for the sexual health and wellbeing charity Brook, and their winning film, Eros – The Myth Buster, is a light-hearted commercial to promote the use of condoms.
The judges described the commercial as “a film that really stood out with its original storytelling and bold, funny approach. The sharp writing had us laughing throughout, and it felt more like an entertaining story than an ad, in the best possible way.”
In addition to Claudia and Lisa-Marie, the cinematographer for Eros – The Myth Buster was Jack Bryant and it was edited by Karina Bhojwani, who are also both third year BA (Hons) Film and Television Production students at ARU.
“We didn’t expect to win first prize at all, so this is such a surprise. It’s also incredibly rewarding because it was quite a complicated shoot, using cameras we don’t use on a day-to-day basis, so this recognition from Kodak and the judges is fantastic.”
Student Claudia Vogt, who directed the film
“The brilliant thing about the Film and TV Production course at ARU is that it’s so hands-on and practical.
“We have access to the very best equipment, such as ARRI Alexa Mini LF cameras, which are the same cameras used in Hollywood, and our tutors have been amazing. They’ve provided opportunities for us during the course to work with high-profile organisations such as the Imperial War Museum and Shakespeare’s Globe theatre, which is great for our portfolios.”
Producer Lisa-Marie Soulier, who came to study at ARU from Montreal in Canada
The pair also combined for their graduation film Saturday Night Butch, which is on show at the ARU Creative Showcase, and plan to continue working together after graduation.
Claudia added: “We’ve made documentary, fiction and now adverts together, and we plan to expand on all of these and continue to focus on opportunities and projects that feel relevant to us.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raul Ruiz (36th District of California)
Washington, D.C. –The Antiquities Act of 1906, signed into law by President Theodore Roosevelt, was designed to protect areas of cultural, historical, and scientific significance. Its purpose is to preserve these vital resources for the public and for future generations.
The Trump Administration’s efforts to undermine this law will set a dangerous precedent. Rolling back protections not only disregards the intent of the Antiquities Act, it puts at risk the very lands and resources this law was meant to safeguard.
This action would harm veterans, tribal communities, working families, and endangered species. It strips away protections that uphold our responsibility to leave the earth better than we found it, for the benefit of generations to come.
This is yet another attack in a long line of actions targeting California. I will not stand by while our public lands, communities, and future are under threat. I will keep fighting to protect what belongs to all of us.
Toronto, Canada, June 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In a significant step toward mainstreaming crypto-based passive income, Coinchange and Kanga Exchange have joined forces to offer automated yield solutions—resulting in over 30% user adoption in just months. The partnership between Coinchange, a digital asset management platform, and Kanga Exchange, a leading cryptocurrency exchange platform, demonstrates how the integration of yield-generating solutions can simplify access to passive income opportunities. The collaboration has enabled over 30% of Kanga’s active users to generate passive income through multi-strategy active portfolio management solutions on their digital asset holdings without requiring active supervision or technical expertise.
Kanga and Coinchange Address Passive Income Needs
Kanga Exchange operates over 800 physical exchange points across 12 countries, specifically serving users who prefer cash-based transactions or localized financial services. This model merges traditional finance with digital assets to serve both individual and institutional clients through its platform and wallet application. However, users increasingly wanted to grow their crypto holdings passively, which created a demand for tools that automate yield generation with minimal complexity.
Coinchange addressed this need by integrating its Earn API into Kanga’s platform. The API connects user deposits to a range of protocols, automating how users earn returns and eliminating the need for manual intervention. This strategy is appealing to busy individuals as well as businesses that want to grow their unused funds without needing to navigate smart contracts or liquidity pools.
Partnership Highlights: Key results
Increased earnings: Users achieved 3-5% higher yields on average compared to traditional savings and staking offerings;
Expanding reach: Kanga Exchange’s hundreds of thousands active users could see 30% adoption of its Earn product, underscoring surging demand for passive crypto income tools;
Instant access: Coinchange’s Earn product removed the typical 15–30 day waiting period for Kanga Exchange, giving users easy and flexible access to their funds.
Simplifying DeFi: How the Earn API Works for Users
The Earn API simplifies the process: users deposit digital assets as well as stablecoins into their Kanga wallets, and the API automatically allocates funds across vetted protocols. This approach removes technical barriers, allowing users to benefit from decentralized finance without requiring knowledge of wallet addresses, gas fees, or market monitoring.
Key advantages of the integration include:
Reduced transaction costs: The API aggregates funds & optimizes a multi-strategy approach to reduce transaction costs;
Automated yield generation: Algorithms handle asset allocation for consistent and diversified returns;
Liquidity preservation: Integration enables withdrawals without lock-up periods – removing the need to wait.
Measurable Success and Market Impact
The partnership has supported financial inclusion by making access to advanced portfolio composition tools streamlined. Users who previously avoided decentralized finance due to its complexity now earn passive income through a familiar exchange interface.
The integration has demonstrated measurable success in enhancing user engagement, with 30% of users utilizing the yield feature. By making the process easier, Kanga has strengthened its value proposition as more than a trading platform, while Coinchange has expanded its reach to a diverse, globally distributed user base.
Addressing Challenges: Trust and Compliance
Initially, adoption faced challenges as users didn’t fully understand how risks were managed. Coinchange and Kanga addressed this by highlighting the Earn API’s security protocols and audit processes. Regulatory compliance across multiple jurisdictions necessitated the use of reporting tools, ensuring compliance with local financial regulations.
Key Takeaways and Future Outlook
The Coinchange-Kanga partnership case study exemplifies how strategic collaborations can unlock potential for mainstream audiences. The Earn API integration simplified complex technology, making it easy for Kanga’s global users to earn passive income. This model highlights the importance of infrastructure solutions in driving cryptocurrency adoption, particularly for users prioritizing simplicity and liquidity. To further enhance its comprehensive offering, Kanga Exchange also provides a crypto loan service. Looking ahead, Kanga is actively working on introducing advanced features, including futures contracts and trading competitions, to further expand its ecosystem. As the digital asset ecosystem evolves, similar integrations will likely play a pivotal role in bridging the gap between traditional finance and decentralized innovation.
About Coinchange
Coinchange is a digital asset management platform based in Canada that provides market-neutral, multi-management, and multi-strategy solutions. In order to produce steady, market-neutral yields as investment solutions for institutional clients, the company combines active portfolio management, transparency, and strategy diversification.
About Kanga Exchange
Kanga Exchange is a leading cryptocurrency platform born in Poland and built for the world. Since 2018, Kanga has been on a mission to make crypto accessible and usable in everyday life, not just as an investment, but as a real financial alternative.
With a deep presence in Central Europe and an expanding international footprint, Kanga helps people easily move between crypto and cash through one of the region’s largest on-ramp and off-ramp infrastructures, including over 800 physical locations.
More than just a trading platform, Kanga is committed to education and real-world adoption through initiatives like its free Kanga University, helping users explore the full potential of digital assets beyond speculation, focusing on everyday use, financial inclusion, and long-term impact.
As it continues to grow, Kanga is building on its existing ecosystem of accessible financial tools, including peer-to-peer trading, crypto-backed services, and everyday crypto-to-cash solutions. Kanga makes crypto simpler, more useful, and more human for everyone, everywhere.
A Cambodian woman who grew up amid landmines now clears them as a UN peacekeeper in Lebanon. A Sudanese civil society leader rallies displaced women to reclaim their voices in peacebuilding. Young activists from the divided communities of Cyprus foster dialogue and understanding in a deeply complex and long-standing conflict. These are just a few of the extraordinary stories captured in Through Her Lens: Women Rising for Peace, a striking photo exhibition that premiered on 7 June 2025 at Brooklyn Bridge Park as part of the Photoville Festival.
“Too often, women in conflict are portrayed only as victims,” said Natasha Lamoreux of UN Women. “But these photographs tell a different story. They show women as peacekeepers, negotiators, human rights defenders — leaders actively shaping peace.”
From Sudan to Cyprus, Haiti to Lebanon, the UN collaborated with local women photographers who not only document the lives of women but also share in their struggles, striving to build peace in their communities, which creates an intimate and powerful perspective.
“This exhibit is the culmination of months of partnership between the four organizing entities as well as between headquarters and field-based colleagues,” said Shatha Hussein from the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs. “We worked on very difficult contexts and turbulent situations that are changing by the day. So working with women on the ground to amplify their efforts through this initiative was not easy in any of the contexts featured, but their commitment, despite the odds, made this possible.”
Preparing this exhibit has been a profound challenge — one that mirrors the obstacles women face daily in conflict zones. Intense fighting spiked early this year in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan as the photoshoots were being planned.
“These images are more than art — they are a collective story of resilience, acts of resistance, and transformation,” said Sophie Boudre of the UN Department of Peace Operations. “They declare that women’s rights must be protected, their leadership recognized, and their voices heard wherever peace is made.”
Rooted in the Women, Peace and Security agenda launched by UN Security Council Resolution 1325, the exhibit underscores both the critical roles women play in peacebuilding and the persistent challenges they face — including a rising global backlash against gender equality.
The Through Her Lens exhibit is on view through 22 June 2025 at Pier 1 of the Brooklyn Bridge Park. It will also be shown at UN Headquarters in time for a Security Council open debate on Women, Peace and Security at the end of October. Importantly, the exhibit will travel to the regions featured in the photographs — bringing these powerful stories full circle.
The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) has approved a financing package of up to $184.1 million to support the development of the Obelisk 1-gigawatt solar photovoltaic project and 200MWh battery energy storage system in Egypt, which will be Africa’s largest solar power plant.
Located in Qena Governorate in southern Egypt, the project entails the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of a photovoltaic power plant with an integrated battery energy storage system. The Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company will be the sole off-taker under a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement.
The project’s total cost is estimated at more than $590 million. The Bank Group’s financing package includes $125.5 million of ordinary resources, as well as concessional funding from Bank Group-managed Special Funds the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA) worth $20 million, and the Canada-African Development Bank Climate Fund ($18.6 million), a partnership of the Bank Group and the Government of Canada. A further $20 million will come from the Climate Investment Funds’ Clean Technology Fund, with additional financing to be mobilized from a consortium of development finance institutions.
Under Egypt’s Nexus of Water, Food, and Energy (NWFE) platform, Obelisk has been granted a Golden License by the government, which recognizes it as a strategic initiative that will contribute to addressing Egypt’s energy constraints and advancing its energy transition.
Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Egypt’s Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, said “the Obelisk solar project is another important milestone for Egypt under the energy pillar of the NWFE program which has since its launch in November 2022 at COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh delivered 4.2 GW of privately financed renewable energy investments, worth about $4 billion, with the support of partners such as the Africa Development Bank. The goal of NWFE’s energy pillar is to add 10 GW of renewable energy capacity with investments of approximately $10 billion, and phase out 5 GW of fossil fuel power generation by 2030.”
The project, expected to be fully operational by the third quarter of 2026, will generate an estimated 2,772 gigawatt-hours of clean, reliable, and affordable energy annually to the national grid. The battery energy storage system will help meet peak evening demand with renewable power while also mitigating the variability of solar power generation. The project is expected to reduce annual carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by approximately one million tons and create about 4,000 jobs during construction and 50 permanent jobs during operation, with a special focus on women and youth employment.
“Obelisk is another landmark development under NWFE that leverages on Egypt’s and the African Development Bank’s leadership as well as commitment to harnessing the country’s renewable energy to enhance the resilience of the country’s energy supply to meet its fast-growing energy demand sustainably,” said Kevin Kariuki, African Development Bank Vice President for Power, Energy, Climate, and Green Growth. “This project also contributes to Egypt’s ambition of producing 42 percent of its power generation capacity from renewable energy sources by 2030 while spurring economic growth and reducing greenhouse gas emissions,”
Ambassador of Canada to the Arab Republic of Egypt Ulric Shannon said: “Canada is proud to support solar energy development in Egypt. This initiative is a meaningful step toward enhancing energy security and stability, with direct benefits for the Egyptian people. We are pleased to collaborate with the African Development Bank and other partners in supporting Egypt’s transition to a sustainable, low-carbon economy.”
The Obelisk Solar Project aligns with the African Development Bank’s Ten-Year Strategy, its New Deal on Energy for Africa, and its Country Strategy Paper for Egypt as well as SEFA’s strategic framework which aims to accelerate African countries energy transition by increasing the share of renewables and catalyzing commercial capital mobilization in the power sector. The project also advances Egypt’s commitment to achieve 42 percent generation capacity from renewable energy sources by 2030.
“This project exploits the abundant renewable energy potential in Africa and demonstrates how strong partnerships and innovative solutions contribute to balancing three core objectives in the energy sector, namely energy security, affordability, and sustainable economic development,” said Wale Shonibare, Director of Energy Financial Solutions, Policy, and Regulation at the African Development Bank. “It has high potential for replicability across the continent.”
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).
Media Contact: Olufemi Terry Communication and External Relations Department o.terry@afdb.org
Technical Contact: James Otto Senior Investment Officer Energy Financial Solution and Policy Regulations Department j.otto@afdb.org
About the African Development Bank Group: The African Development Bank Group is Africa’s premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 41 African countries with an external office in Japan, the Bank contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states. For more information: www.AfDB.org
Toronto, ON , June 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In a decisive move to fortify Canada’s national security capabilities, Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced an $80 billion long-term defence investment package focused on technological modernization, domestic industrial capacity, and unmanned aerial systems (UAS). This landmark announcement, inclusive of robust support for drone development and Canadian manufacturing, marks a generational shift in federal defence procurement strategy.
Draganfly Inc. (NASDAQ: DPRO) (CSE: DPRO) (FSE: 3U8), an award-winning, industry-leading drone solutions and systems developer. Draganfly is positioned to contribute to objectives within the Our North Strong and Free (ONSAF) defence policy expansion. Draganfly’s interoperable and multi-mission family of UAS platforms is strategically aligned with stated DND priorities such as “Expanding and Enhancing Existing and Emerging Military Capabilities” related to border security and Arctic sovereignty. Demonstrating this adaptability, Draganfly confirms the successful integration and demonstration of a Department of National Defence (DND)-specified radio communications system into its flagship drone platforms, in addition to several other communication system integrations to support interoperability with existing assets. These integrations help prime the company for eligibility in upcoming federal UAS procurements that emphasize secure, interoperable, and sovereign systems.
Draganfly, with multiple R&D and Manufacturing sites in Canada, is one of the world’s longest standing commercial UAS manufacturers. The capacity for expansion of domestic production, in combination with long standing strategic relationships that Draganfly holds with various related technologies providers across various Five Eyes regions uniquely positions Draganfly as a technology integrator and solutions provider.
This week’s developments signal a major policy realignment by Ottawa, anchoring defence spending to strategic domestic priorities such as resilient supply chains, sovereign manufacturing, and interoperability with NATO and Five Eyes partners. The emphasis on drone capabilities and homeland industrial content is particularly relevant in an era marked by asymmetric threats and hybrid warfare.
Prime Minister Carney’s announcement effectively maps a multi-year demand curve for Canadian aerospace, cybersecure communications, and autonomous systems providers. Analysts anticipate that a minimum of 20% of the $80B envelope will be earmarked for next-generation battlefield technologies, with drones expected to account for a significant share of this investment.
Draganfly’s ability to support existing architecture and protocols while providing the ability to rapidly test and adopt emerging technologies with domestic manufacturing and engineering expertise is poised to support these pillars of the Defence Modernization package. Adoption of Draganfly product for testing and use by Canadian and US Military Customers and Prime Contractors through 2024 and 2025, validates its platforms for critical applications such as reconnaissance, force protection, and logistics resupply. This positions Draganfly as one of the few Canadian OEMs and Supply Chain Managers capable of delivering mission-ready systems that meet both tactical requirements and industrial policy criteria.
Strategic Implications for Capital Markets and Domestic Industry
Domestic Preference: The federal focus on Canadian manufacturing aligns with the Industrial and Technological Benefits (ITB) policy, making domestically-integrated platforms poised to win procurement bids.
Supply Chain Security: In an age of escalating global tensions, Canada is reducing reliance on foreign critical components. Draganfly’s control over its own airframe and avionics IP gives it a defensible advantage.
Dual-Use Upside: Beyond military contracts, the integrated communication system enhances the company’s value proposition in emergency response, disaster relief, and public safety markets.
Revenue Catalysts: Analysts expect RFIs and RFPs for defence-grade drones to accelerate in the second half of 2025, with contract awards potentially materializing as early as Q1 2026. Draganfly’s early compliance could provide a first-mover advantage.
About Draganfly
Draganfly Inc. (NASDAQ: DPRO; CSE: DPRO; FSE: 3U8) is the creator of quality, cutting-edge drone solutions, software, and AI systems that revolutionize how organizations can do business and serve their stakeholders. Recognized as being at the forefront of technology for over 25 years, Draganfly is an award-winning industry leader serving the public safety, agriculture, industrial inspections, security, mapping, and surveying markets. Draganfly is a company driven by passion, ingenuity, and the need to provide efficient solutions and first-class services to its customers around the world with the goal of saving time, money, and lives.
This release contains certain “forward looking statements” and certain “forward-looking information” as defined under applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements and information can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “may”, “will”, “expect”, “intend”, “estimate”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “continue”, “plans” or similar terminology. Forward-looking statements and information are based on forecasts of future results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and assumptions that, while believed by management to be reasonable, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to Draganfly’s interoperable and multi-mission family of UAS platforms being strategically aligned with stated DND priorities such as “Expanding and Enhancing Existing and Emerging Military Capabilities” related to border security and Arctic sovereignty as well as the statement regarding analysts’ anticipation that a minimum of 20% of the $80B envelope will be earmarked for next-generation battlefield technologies, with drones expected to account for a significant share of this investment. Forward-looking statements and information are subject to various known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the ability of the Company to control or predict, that may cause the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied thereby, and are developed based on assumptions about such risks, uncertainties and other factors set out here in, including but not limited to: the potential impact of epidemics, pandemics or other public health crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic, on the Company’s business, operations and financial condition; the successful integration of technology; the inherent risks involved in the general securities markets; uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future; the inherent uncertainty of cost estimates; the potential for unexpected costs and expenses, currency fluctuations; regulatory restrictions; and liability, competition, loss of key employees and other related risks and uncertainties disclosed under the heading “Risk Factors“ in the Company’s most recent filings filed with securities regulators in Canada on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com and with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on EDGAR through the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information except as required by applicable law. Such forward-looking information represents managements’ best judgment based on information currently available. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual future results may vary materially. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information.
CALGARY, Alberta, June 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Acceleware® Ltd. (“Acceleware” or the “Company”) (TSX-V: AXE), a leading innovator of cutting-edge radio frequency (RF) power-to-heat technologies targeting process heat for critical minerals, amine regeneration for carbon capture and other applications, and enhanced oil production, is pleased to announce its proposed new and transformative strategic plan (the “Plan”).
The Plan has been developed by management of Acceleware (“Management”) with approval from the Company’s board of directors, (the “Board”). Management and the Board expect the Plan to rapidly establish the Company as a revenue-generating, cash flowing enterprise – with the potential to drive profitability, shareholder value, and long-term stability. Key components of the Plan include:
2025 Financing Strategy: Acceleware intends to secure funding for high potential applications that are expected to support near term revenue and long-term growth, while potentially strengthening the Company’s balance sheet and enabling continued development. At this time, the terms of any financing have not yet been finally determined and are expected to be negotiated with applicable parties in the context of the market.
Focused Investment Strategy: To drive shareholder value, the Company is currently considering certain strategic restructuring options in order to maximize its ability to attract capital investment for surface applications where initial focus will include amine regeneration and critical minerals heating/drying. Investment capital that is raised is expected to be used to speed development and commercialization to achieve revenue generation from those surface applications as quickly as possible.
RF XL Commercialization: The Company is actively looking to acquire additional production rights to heavy oil assets in western Canada and deploy RF XL as an enhanced oil recovery method. This initiative provides an opportunity to deploy RF XL in a well-suited reservoir and earn oil production revenues, while offering the potential for multi-well expansion. The deployment will use a new, fully sealed, continuous tubing based sub-surface design (“RF XL V2.0”) developed by Acceleware. RF XL V2.0 eliminates the possibility of water ingress, dramatically simplifies deployment, and reduces per well capital costs by an estimated 30% compared to RF XL V1.0.
Growth and Culture: The Plan includes aggressive initiatives to be implemented by Management, which are expected to rapidly shift the Company’s focus from research and development to cash flow generation, tactically aligning teams with business growth objectives across all lines of business.
Said Acceleware Chief Executive Officer, Geoff Clark, “Acceleware’s revised strategy aims to strengthen revenue-generation, improving economic performance and sustainable value for both shareholders and customers. This sharpened focus is specifically designed to deliver new market and client commitments and is an exciting new phase of Company development.”
“Acceleware has a lot of work ahead, but the team is engaged and committed,” said new Board Chair Mr. Pete Sametz. “The renewed Board is working closely with Management and looks forward to the success of Acceleware’s near-term strategic plan. We anticipate great strides in the coming months.”
Added new Board member, Merle Johnson, “I’m especially pleased to see that the new strategy capitalizes on surface heating applications to significantly improve amine regeneration and critical minerals processing efficiency – we believe that both markets hold great value potential.”
Additional details regarding the Plan and execution thereof will be released in coming weeks. In particular, details of any financing, restructuring, or material acquisition or disposition of assets, will be disclosed in future press releases of the Company, when determined, in accordance with applicable securities laws and will be subject to applicable approvals (including approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (the “TSXV”), shareholder, and other regulatory approvals, where applicable).
About Acceleware:
Acceleware is an advanced electromagnetic (EM) heating company with cutting-edge radio frequency (RF) power-to-heat solutions for large industrial applications. The Company’s technologies provide an opportunity to electrify and decarbonize industrial process heat applications while reducing costs.
The Company is working to use its patented and field proven Clean Tech Inverter (CTI) to materially improve the efficiency of amine regeneration, and has partnered with a consortium of world-class potash partners seeking to decarbonize drying of potash ore and other critical minerals. Acceleware is actively developing other process heat applications and partnerships for RF heating.
Acceleware’s RF XL is a patented low-cost, low-carbon RF thermal enhanced oil production technology for heavy oil that is materially different from any enhanced recovery technique used today.
Acceleware is a public company listed on the TSXV under the trading symbol “AXE”.
Cautionary Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements and/or forward-looking information (collectively, “forward-looking statements”) within the meaning of applicable securities laws. When used in this release, such words as “will”, “anticipates”, “believes”, “intends”, “expects” and similar expressions, as they relate to Acceleware, or its management, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements reflect the current views of Acceleware with respect to future events, and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors could cause Acceleware’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any expected future results, performance or achievement that may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Certain information and statements contained in this news release constitute forward-looking statements, which reflects Acceleware’s current expectations regarding future events, including, but not limited to: the development and execution of a the Plan; the Company’s ability to successfully execute the Plan; the expected benefits of the Plan; the ability of the Company to raise sufficient capital to execute the Plan; potential restructuring efforts of the Company’s business lines; the potential acquisition by the Company of certain assets, deployment of RF XLV2.0,and related potential for multi-well expansion; the initiatives to be implemented by Management to shift the Company’s focus from research and development to cash flow generation; the receipt of applicable approvals (including Board, shareholder, and approvals of the TSXV) to implement key components of the Plan; the timing to complete certain increments of the Plan; and the impact of the Plan on Acceleware’s business and shareholder value.
Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to: the availability of potential heavy oil production rights in western Canada, the availability of investment capital and other funding, the high degree of uncertainties inherent to feasibility and economic studies which are based to a significant extent on various assumptions; variations in commodity prices and exchange rate fluctuations; variations in cost of supplies and labour; lack of availability of qualified personnel; receipt of necessary approvals; availability of financing for technology and project development; uncertainties and risks with respect to developing and adopting new technologies; general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; change in demand for technologies to be offered by the Company; obtaining required approvals of regulatory authorities and/or shareholders, as applicable; ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources. For a more fulsome list of risk factors please see the Company’s December 31, 2024, year-end Management Discussion and Analysis (“MD&A”) available on SEDAR+ atwww.sedarplus.ca.
Management of the Company has included the above summary of assumptions and risks related to forward-looking statements provided in this release to provide shareholders with a more complete perspective on the Company’s current and future operations and such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking statements included in this news release should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.
Neither 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 press release is intended for distribution in Canada only and is not intended for distribution to United States newswire services or dissemination in the United States.
This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “U.S. Securities Act”) or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available.
For more information:
Geoff Clark Tel: +1 (403) 249-9099 geoff.clark@acceleware.com
Large cuts to government-funded research and development can endanger American innovation – and the vital productivity gains it supports.
The Trump administration has already canceled at least US$1.8 billion in research grants previously awarded by the National Institutes of Health, which supports biomedical and health research. Its preliminary budget request for the 2026 fiscal year proposed slashing federal funding for scientific and health research, cutting the NIH budget by another $18 billion – nearly a 40% reduction. The National Science Foundation, which funds much of the basic scientific research conducted at universities, would see its budget slashed by $5 billion – cutting it by more than half.
Research and development spending might strike you as an unnecessary expense for the government. Perhaps you see it as something universities or private companies should instead be paying for themselves. But as research I’ve conducted shows, if the government were to abandon its long-standing practice of investing in R&D, it would significantly slow the pace of U.S. innovation and economic growth.
I’m an economist at Texas A&M University. For the past five years, I’ve been studying the long-term economic benefits of government-funded R&D with Karel Mertens, an economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. We have found that government R&D spending on everything from the Apollo space program to the Human Genome Project has fueled innovation. We also found that federal R&D spending has played a significant role in boosting U.S. productivity and spurring economic growth over the past 75 years.
Measuring productivity
Productivity rises when economic growth is caused by technological progress and know-how, rather than workers putting in more hours or employers using more equipment and machinery. Economists believe that higher productivity fuels economic growth and raises living standards over the long run.
U.S. productivity growth fell by half, from an average of roughly 2% a year in the 1950s and 1960s to about 1%, starting in the early 1970s. This deceleration eerily coincides with a big decline in government R&D spending, which peaked at over 1.8% of gross domestic product in the mid-1960s. Government R&D spending has declined since then and has fallen by half – to below 0.9% of GDP – today.
Government R&D spending encompasses all innovative work the government directly pays for, regardless of who does it. Private companies and universities conduct a lot of this work, as do national labs and federal agencies, like the NIH.
Correlation is not causation. But in a Dallas Fed working paper released in November 2024, my co-author and I identified a strong causal link between government R&D spending and U.S. productivity growth. We estimated that government R&D spending consistently accounted for more than 20% of all U.S. productivity growth since World War II. And a decline in that spending after the 1960s can account for nearly one-fourth of the deceleration in productivity since then.
These significant productivity gains came from R&D investments by federal agencies that are not focused on national defense. Examples include the NIH’s support for biomedical research, the Department of Energy’s funding for physics and energy research, and NASA’s spending on aeronautics and space exploration technologies.
Not all productivity growth is driven by government R&D. Economists think public investment in physical infrastructure, such as construction of the interstate highway system starting in the Eisenhower administration, also spurred productivity growth. And U.S. productivity growth briefly accelerated during the information technology boom of the late 1990s and early 2000s, which we do not attribute to government R&D investment.
More R than D
We have found that government R&D investment is more effective than private R&D spending at driving productivity, likely because the private sector tends to spend much more on the development side of R&D, while the public sector tends to emphasize research.
Like the private sector, the Department of Defense spends much more on development – of weapons and military technology – than on fundamental research. We found only inconclusive evidence on the returns on military R&D.
R&D work funded by the Defense Department also tends to initially be classified and kept secret from geopolitical rivals, such as the Manhattan Project that developed the atomic bomb. As a result, gains for the whole economy from that source of innovation could take longer to materialize than the 15-year time frame we have studied.
The high returns on nondefense R&D that we estimated suggest that Congress has historically underinvested in these areas. For instance, the productivity gains from nondefense R&D are at least 10 times higher than those from government investments in highways, bridges and other kinds of physical infrastructure. The government has also invested far more in physical infrastructure than R&D over the past 75 years. Increasing R&D investment would take advantage of these higher returns and gradually reduce them because of diminishing marginal returns to additional investment.
So why is the government not spending substantially more on R&D?
One argument sometimes heard against federal R&D spending is that it displaces, or “crowds out,” R&D spending the private sector would otherwise undertake. For instance, the administration’s budget request proposed reducing or eliminating NASA space technology programs it deemed “better suited to private sector research and development.”
But my colleague and I have found that government spending on R&D complements private investment. An additional dollar of government nondefense R&D spending causes the private sector to increase its R&D spending by an additional 20 cents. So we expect budget cuts to the NIH, NSF and NASA to actually reduce R&D spending by companies, which is also bad for economic growth.
Federal R&D spending is also often on the chopping block whenever Congress focuses on deficit reduction. In part, that likely reflects the gradual nature of the economic benefits from government-funded R&D, which are at odds with the country’s four-year electoral cycles.
Similarly, the benefits from NIH spending on biomedical research are usually less visible than government spending on Medicare or Medicaid, which are health insurance programs for those 65 years and older and those with low incomes or disabilities. But Medicare or Medicaid help Americans buy prescription drugs and medical devices that were invented with the help of NIH-funded research.
Even if the benefits of government R&D are slow to materialize or are harder to see than those from other government programs, our research suggests that the U.S. economy will be less innovative and productive – and Americans will be worse off for it – if Congress agrees to deep cuts to science and research funding.
The views expressed in the Dallas Fed working paper are the views of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas or the Federal Reserve System.
Andrew Fieldhouse 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.
It is true that college students’ mental health has deteriorated in many regards during the past two decades.
The Healthy Minds Study, which gathers national survey data on tens of thousands of students annually, has found that the percentage who considered suicide in the prior year rose from 6% in 2007 to 13% in 2024. The percentage of students who made a specific suicide plan tripled during that period.
While some news reports portray the current state of student mental health as an unprecedented crisis, the full picture is more nuanced. As a psychologist who has been researching college student mental health for more than 20 years, as summarized in my recent book, “College Student Mental Health and Wellness: Coping on Campus,” I believe recent data suggests a turning of the tide.
The 2024 Health Minds Study found a slight decrease over the previous two years in the percentage of students contemplating suicide.
Data also reveals a similar decline in the percentage of students dealing with severe anxiety from 2022 to 2024.
The study marks the first time since data collection began on suicide or severe anxiety that there has been a two-year decrease in either area.
Reason for concern
The demand for psychological services at college and university counseling centers has outpaced growth in undergraduate enrollment. Peter Dazeley/Getty Images
To be clear, there is reason for concern about the psychological well-being of college students.
Healthy Minds Study researchers found that in 2007, 9% of college students were taking psychotropic medication such as antidepressants. In 2024, that number had grown to 26%.
A 2024 national survey conducted by the American College Health Association found that more than a third of students received mental health care in the previous year.
The demand for psychological services at college and university counseling centers has outpaced growth in undergraduate enrollment more than fourfold.
Findings from another national dataset gathered by the Center for Collegiate Mental Health, an international network of more than 800 college and university counseling centers, indicate that from 2010 to 2024, depression symptoms increased 18% among students receiving psychological services, general anxiety symptoms rose more than 25%, and social anxiety symptoms climbed more than 30%.
In addition, students’ family-related distress steadily increased during the past decade.
The sky is not falling
Despite disturbing trends in student mental health, recent data suggests that fewer students are contemplating suicide and dealing with anxiety. Ariel Skelley/Getty Images
Despite these challenges, there is good news regarding decreases in the share of students considering self-injury and reporting depression symptoms.
Data from the Healthy Minds Study reveals that the percentage of students considering self-injury has not increased the past two years, after more than doubling from 14% in 2007 to 29% in 2022.
A similar pattern can be found in Center for Collegiate Mental Health data about depression. Depression symptoms have decreased each of the past two academic years.
The network has been collecting depression data since 2010, and never before have scores dropped in consecutive years.
The Center for Collegiate Mental Health data also indicates that students’ academic distress peaked following the onset of COVID-19 and declined each of the past three years, returning to pre-pandemic levels. Students’ frustration has also shown a gradual, 7% decline from 2010 to 2024.
Furthermore, for the first time since 2012, there has been a two-year uptick in college students who are flourishing, according to data from the Healthy Minds Study. Other researchers have found a similar recent trend, accompanied by a decrease in student loneliness.
More good news, based on data, about what students put in their bodies: Symptoms related to eating disorders have not increased in any of the past four years, according to the Center for Collegiate Mental Health. Data from the network indicates that current alcohol use is at its lowest level since 2010, declining 29% over that period.
Binge drinking has also decreased 18% since 2012, according to the Healthy Minds Study.
We need data, not dread
Mental health professionals need accurate data to support the psychological well-being of college students. SeventyFour/Getty Images
Valid data can help in discerning the truth about college student mental health.
Data that captures national trends in college student psychological well-being is needed to support mental health professionals. For example, as data reveals emerging trends, such as an increase in college students with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, training can be provided to clinicians in treating students with these concerns.
Campus mental health professionals and administrators can also use data to advocate for resources they need to support students. For instance, our research has found that students of color are more likely to seek psychological help when there are therapists on staff from the same ethnic or racial background. This data can inform hiring practices at college and university counseling centers.
Finally, continuous data collection can help determine how college student mental health is impacted by specific events, such as pandemics, campus shootings and laws that eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs. During the COVID-19 pandemic, social anxiety decreased, while general anxiety spiked.
These events may not affect students equally.
International students, a group that already experiences heightened suicidal thoughts, may be particularly impacted by recent news of visa cancellations and deportations.
Jeffrey A. Hayes has received a research grant from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention to study college student suicide.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Magali A. Delmas, Professor of Management, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, Anderson School of Management, University of California, Los Angeles
Since the early 1990s, the small blue Energy Star label has appeared on millions of household appliances, electronics and even buildings across the United States. But as the Trump administration considers terminating some or all of the program, it is worth a look at what exactly this government-backed label means, and why it has become one of the most recognizable environmental certifications in the country.
Energy Star was launched by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1992 and later expanded in partnership with the Department of Energy with a simple goal: making it easier for consumers and businesses to choose energy-efficient products, helping them reduce energy use and save money, without sacrificing quality or performance.
As a scholar of energy conservation, I have studied the Energy Star program’s development and public impact, including how it has shaped consumer behavior and environmental outcomes.
Products that earn the Energy Star certification typically use significantly less energy than standard models, often between 10% and 50% less. The energy – and financial – savings can add up quickly, especially when homes or buildings have multiple Energy Star appliances and systems.
Energy Star itself does not manufacture or sell products. Instead, it acts as a trusted third-party certifier, providing consumers and businesses with reliable information and clear labeling. It also offers information to help people estimate energy savings and compare long-term costs, making it easier to identify high-performing, cost-effective options. Manufacturers participating in Energy Star seek to improve their environmental reputation and increase their market share, giving them a strong incentive to meet the program’s efficiency criteria.
Today, the label appears on refrigerators, dishwashers, laptops, commercial buildings and even newly built homes. The government says people in more than 90% of American households recognize the label.
Energy Star-certified appliances include upright freezers, clothes washers and many other types of home equipment, which use between 10% and 50% less energy than uncertified items. AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel
People don’t always choose efficient products
Energy Star seeks to tackle a wide range of problems that can result in people deciding not to buy energy-efficient products.
One problem is that efficient models often come with higher up-front costs. While efficient models save money over time, that higher purchase price can discourage buyers. Energy Star helps counter this problem by clearly showing how much money can be saved on energy costs over the lifetime of the product – as compared with noncertified products – and by offering rebates that reduce the initial expense.
Another problem involves what economists call “split incentives.” A landlord might not want to pay a higher price up front for energy-efficient appliances if the tenants are the ones who will save money on the utility bills. And renters may not want to spend a lot of money on appliances or equipment in a place they do not own. Energy Star tries to bridge this divide by promoting whole-building certifications, which encourage landlords to invest in their buildings’ energy efficiency with the goal of making their properties more attractive to tenants.
The countless varieties of refrigerators, dishwashers, air conditioners and other items on the market can also create confusion. Consumers who just look at manufacturers’ promotional material may find it very hard to determine which appliances truly deliver better energy efficiency. The Energy Star label makes this comparison easier: If the label is there, it is among the most efficient choices available.
And consumers are often skeptical of manufacturers’ claims – especially when it comes to new technologies or environmental promises. Energy Star’s status as a program backed by the government, rather than a private company, gives it a level of independence and credibility that many other labels lack. People know the certification is based on science, not sales tactics.
Lastly, Energy Star helps overcome the problem that many people are not aware of how much energy their appliances consume, or how those choices contribute to climate change. By connecting everyday products to larger environmental outcomes, Energy Star helps consumers understand the effects of their decisions, without needing to become energy experts.
The program delivers real results
Since its inception, more than 800,000 appliance models have earned Energy Star certification based on the criteria for their type of product.
The same principles that make the label valuable for consumer appliances – independent certification, clear metrics and a focus on results – have proved equally effective in real estate. Nearly 45,000 commercial buildings and industrial plants have earned certification. And there have been more than 2.5 million Energy Star-certified homes and apartments built in the U.S.
Energy Star-certified homes are designed to be at least 10% more energy efficient than those built to standard building codes, with more insulation and windows and lights that are energy-efficient, as well as appliances. These enhancements can translate to better quality, comfort and long-term cost savings for homeowners.
Commercial buildings, which account for about 18% of total U.S. energy use, have also benefited substantially. Research I was involved in found that certified commercial buildings use an average of 19% less energy than their noncertified counterparts.
Energy Star’s status as a government-led label contributes to its credibility as a more neutral and science-based source of information than commercial labels.
Energy Star’s government connections also bring scale: By requiring federal purchases to have Energy Star certifications, the federal government can influence manufacturers. For example, a federal executive order in 1993 required government agencies to purchase only computers that had been Energy Star-certified, which required them to have energy-saving sleep functions.
In response, manufacturers began including the feature so they could sell their products to the government. Consumers soon came to expect the sleep feature on all computers.
A quiet success story in energy and climate
Energy Star does not grab headlines. It does not rely on regulation or mandates. Yet it has quietly become one of the most effective tools the U.S. has for improving energy efficiency across homes, offices and public buildings.
That said, the program is not without its limitations. Some critics have pointed out that not all certified products consistently perform at the highest efficiency levels. Other critics note that the benefits of Energy Star are more accessible to wealthier consumers who can afford up-front investments, even with available rebates. And the EPA itself has, at times, struggled to manage the certification process and update standards in line with the latest technological advances.
At a time when energy costs and climate concerns are rising, Energy Star stands out as a rare example of a practical, nonpartisan program that delivers real benefits. It helps individuals, businesses and communities save money, lower emissions and take part in a more sustainable future – one smart decision at a time.
Magali Delmas received funding from the US EPA in 2002 for research on Environmental Management Strategies and Corporate Performance.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Michael Naparstek, Associate Teaching Professor Religious Studies, University of Tennessee
A man plays the Chinese action role-playing game ‘Black Myth: Wukong’ during its launch day in Hangzhou, in eastern China’s Zhejiang province, on Aug. 20, 2024.STR/AFP via Getty Images
Uncommon Courses is an occasional series from The Conversation U.S. highlighting unconventional approaches to teaching.
Title of the course
Religion and Gameworlds
What prompted the idea for the course?
Most of my research is in Chinese religions, and I find it fascinating that popular video games – like many popular films before them – draw from the mythologies, cosmologies, unseen powers and heroic narratives found across the world’s religious traditions.
Recent examples such as “Black Myth: Wukong” and “Raji: an Ancient Epic” draw explicitly from mythologies and religious narratives of China and India, respectively, putting the player in direct contest against pantheons of gods. Meanwhile, games such as “Sid Meier’s CIV VI,” where players develop an historical civilization from the Stone Age to Space Age in a quest for global domination, explicitly utilize religion as ways to develop and conquer the world.
At the same time, the interactive experience of a video game makes it an especially interesting place to study religion. When your character uses magic, interacts with powerful deities, or even achieves godlike status themselves, the player also shares such experiences on some level as well. Sometimes, viewers’ experiences blur the lines between “real life” and on-screen.
Some churches have even used the game “Second Life” to offer worshippers the option of getting baptized using their digital avatar in the game. This kind of practice raises poignant questions about how we understand religion in our modern world.
What makes this course different from many others that utilize video games is that the student experience of playing the games influences how we frame our investigation of religion. Students wrestle with questions about how religion helps build the worlds they are experiencing.
We meet in the game lab as a class once a week to observe and analyze each other’s experiences playing different kinds of games.
We start the week with relevant theoretical and historical framing in the traditional classroom. For example, in our investigation of “Black Myth: Wukong,” a game inspired by the 16th-century novel “Journey to the West,” students first read selections from the work as they learn about its protagonist, the trickster monkey god Sun Wukong.
In the novel, Wukong picks fights with all the gods in an attempt to overthrow the cosmic order, only to eventually be violently put in his place by the highest gods of the Chinese pantheon. Our class discussions thus serve as a general introduction to Chinese religions, while we also get to discuss the theoretical basis for culturally defined ideas such as what makes a hero.
Playing as a descendant of Sun Wukong, students explore enchanted landscapes, interact with local spirits and engage in magical combat against the very gods that we learned about in class.
Each week, students note their observations, carefully detailing their experience playing the game, as well as the experience of watching others do the same. Students are also asked to analyze the ways in which religious themes, narratives and practices played a role in the game world they experienced.
We conclude the class with weekly reflections on the overall experience.
What will the course prepare students to do?
In 2024, the video game industry boasted over US$184 billion generated in market value. The global reach of games allows new audiences to experience and learn about religious narratives and practices in new ways.
Popular media has long been a powerful mode of cultural exchange. Video games are just a recent example, but the scale to which gamers around the world connect with each other through playing demands more attention.
The wild popularity following the 2024 release of the game “Black Myth: Wukong,” the first premier produced game out of China for an international audience, suggests that this kind of experience is truly a global phenomenon that will only continue to grow. It only makes sense that video games can serve as powerful pedagogical tools as well.
The goal of the course is to prepare students to better understand the broader contexts in which their shared experience of enjoying video games derives. Learning about the role of religion in shaping that experience allows students to better understand how religion shapes our modern world.
Michael Naparstek 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.
When combined with factors such as easy access to tobacco products or living with someone who uses them, the risk of adolescent use more than doubles, which sets the stage for harmful physical and mental health effects.
Parental awareness and adolescents’ motivations to use tobacco
As a mother of a teenager, one of us, Adriana, has experienced this firsthand. For months, my 14-year-old son was vaping in his room, and I had no idea. When he finally told me that he turned to vaping whenever he felt upset, it was like coming face-to-face with the very issues we study.
Since 2022, our team has been examining the factors associated with tobacco use among more than 8,000 adolescents ages 12 to 17 from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health, or PATH, study – the largest multiyear, nationally representative study of tobacco use in the U.S. We looked at the use of cigarettes, electronic products, traditional or filtered cigars, cigarillos, pipes, hookahs, smokeless or dissolvable tobacco and more.
We found that emotional distress, along with the belief that tobacco products help manage negative emotions, are significant factors driving adolescent tobacco use.
This highlights the complexity of the issue – that even when teens recognize the health risks of tobacco use, vaping and other forms of tobacco use may function as a coping strategy, albeit an unhealthy one, for the wide range of emotional challenges that come with adolescence.
Teachers and school administrators are struggling to control vaping among students because many devices are small, odorless and easy to conceal. Peter Dazeley/Photodisc via Getty Images
The availability of flavored options further increases the appeal of these products and can contribute to the progression from occasional to regular use and ultimately the development of nicotine dependence.
What makes vaping especially difficult to manage is its stealth. Unlike combustible products, many vaping devices are small, odorless and very easy to conceal. As a result, parents, teachers and school administrators are struggling to detect and curb vaping among teens.
Strategies for addressing why teens use tobacco
In our view, policy efforts that focus primarily on raising awareness about health risks, restricting access to tobacco products or reducing the appeal of e-cigarettes or vapes will reach only a subset of youth who use them, and not those who may use for emotional reasons.
And while such bans may limit access to tobacco products in formal settings, the availability of these products from friends and social networks, online platforms or unregulated markets will not likely be reduced solely through that type of health messaging.
As our findings show, these efforts may miss a stronger, even more enduring driver of youth tobacco use: the pervasive belief that tobacco use helps manage stress, anger and other difficult emotions. Our research highlights that emotional distress and the perception that tobacco use can help them cope with stress are central to why many adolescents begin and continue using these products, even when they are aware of the health risks.
In this context, simply limiting access to tobacco products or repeating well-known health warnings will do little to address the underlying emotional motivations to use.
We believe that to make meaningful progress, policy and prevention interventions will need to address the underlying motives for use, and not just focus on the harmful health effects of nicotine or means of access.
This includes integrating emotional and behavioral health support into tobacco prevention strategies and expanding school-based and community mental health services. And while public health education campaigns such as The Real Cost have been successful in reducing the number of adolescents who begin using e-cigarettes, our findings suggest more emphasis on the emotional drivers of tobacco use is warranted.
Adriana Espinosa receives funding from the National Institutes of Health (NCI and NIMHD).
Lesia M. Ruglass receives funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIGMS, NIDA, NCI, and NIMHD).
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Ian McDonough, Associate Professor of Psychology, Binghamton University, State University of New York
Older adults generally have a good sense of their own financial abilities – unless they have dementia. shapecharge/E+ via Getty Images
Older adults diagnosed with dementia lose their ability to assess how well they manage their finances, according to a recent study I co-authored in The Gerontologist. In comparison, people of the same age who don’t have dementia are aware of their financial abilities – and this awareness improves over time.
For our study, we used data from over 2,000 adults in the U.S. age 65 and older, collected during a long-term study on aging.
We focused on how participants’ financial skills changed over time. The study began in 1998 and is still running, but we probed data collected between 1998 and 2009.
Participants were assessed at one year, two years, five years and 10 years for their ability to carry out everyday tasks, including ones that required handling money. For example, they had to calculate the cost of a gym membership and a store discount rate, fill out part of a tax return and assess the cost of medical services. They also rated how well they thought they could do everyday financial tasks. Initially, none of the participants were diagnosed with dementia, but over the course of the decade, 87 participants, or 3.1%, received a dementia diagnosis.
We found that even though participants’ performance on financial tasks declined as they aged, older adults who did not have dementia and older adults who had mild cognitive impairment were appropriately aware of their financial abilities. What’s more, that awareness increased over time. However, participants who were diagnosed with dementia during the study and experienced severe cognitive decline often misjudged how well they performed financial tasks.
Financial scams targeting older adults are on the rise.
The lack of insight into one’s cognitive abilities is called anosognosia. This study reveals a new type called financial anosognosia.
Few tools are available that can support families in helping cognitively impaired adults manage their finances. Our research suggests that there is a critical window of time after people begin to experience cognitive decline during which they are still aware of their financial abilities. We believe that this is when people can take action to secure their finances and develop systems to protect themselves from fraud.
What still isn’t known
Close friends or family members are often tempted to take away the financial autonomy of an older adult who is mismanaging their finances. However, that may not be the best solution, particularly for people who feel that handling their finances is a core part of their identity. More research is needed to identify how best to balance personal autonomy and the need to protect a person’s finances.
What’s next
This study used paper-and-pencil tasks to assess financial performance. But increasingly, many older adults are using online banking.
E-banking simplifies many calculations, which may be helpful for older adults with declining cognition. However, e-banking can also make finances more of a black box, which may decrease a person’s awareness of their financial abilities. Furthermore, e-banking is constantly advancing, putting older adults at a disadvantage because they are more likely to be less cognitively flexible and to learn more slowly.
We hope to explore whether older adults with and without cognitive decline have similar awareness of their ability to appropriately manage their finances online and identify potential financial scams.
The Research Brief is a short take on interesting academic work.
Ian McDonough receives funding from The National Institutes of Health.
The 49 bus connects the Strawberry Mansion, Grays Ferry and University City neighborhoods. Courtesy of SEPTA
When the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority launched the 49 bus route in Philadelphia in early 2019, those who most benefited were older adults and people who already ride the bus – and not commuters who were persuaded to ditch their cars for public transportation, according to our new research.
Some of the largest benefits of Route 49 came in saved time and fewer transfers for existing users of other transit routes.
Route 49 launched in early 2019 and was the first local bus service that SEPTA added to its system in nearly a decade. It connects two residential Philadelphia neighborhoods – Strawberry Mansion in North Philadelphia and Grays Ferry in South Philadelphia – with the job-rich University City area in West Philadelphia.
Public transit agencies often try to court “choice” riders – people who have a reasonable chance of choosing to either drive or use public transportation for a given trip, and who tend to be higher income.
SEPTA, however, didn’t necessarily focus on choice riders with the design of Route 49. But planners at the agency did tell us during our data collection that many commuters to University City don’t take public transit.
We found that early riders of Route 49 tended to be previous transit riders who seldom drove before the line’s launch. They took other SEPTA buses, or did not make that trip.
Riders ages 65 and older, who are less likely to be commuters, were even more likely to have simply switched bus routes to make the same trip they regularly made before the new service line began.
For new bus and rail lines to be financially sustainable, they must attract enough riders. The fares those riders pay allow agencies to run services more regularly and have the line be cost effective.
While it’s always difficult to attract new riders, the past few years have been especially challenging for U.S. transit agencies. National transit ridership remains only about 80% of what it was when the COVID-19 pandemic began in early 2020.
Getting people back onto buses and trains will require agencies to understand what attracts people to new transit lines. If public transit agencies want to recapture ridership and echo the success of bus services like Route 49, it may be best for them to talk to current users rather than potential public transit converts.
How we do our work
To understand how new riders used Route 49, we boarded Route 49 buses throughout the route and conducted in-person surveys with over 350 riders in early 2019. We wanted to capture feedback and data from users of the service shortly after it was launched.
In addition to asking riders what they used Route 49 for and how they took the same trip before its launch, we recorded characteristics such as age, income and gender.
What’s next
Drawing on our 2019 survey data, we plan to explore how new Route 49 riders learned about the transit line and decided to begin riding the new service. Did they hear about it from agency flyers or websites? From seeing new bus lines on the road, or from friends discussing it? Analyzing these answers can help transit agencies enhance access for all travelers.
The Research Brief is a short take on interesting academic work.
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.
President Donald Trump’s second term as president will surely go down in history, though of course, just six months into his four-year term, much of this story has yet to be written.
But it is already clear that most Americans will not be able to read exactly what Trump has said, as they have with previous presidents, during his current term in the White House.
The White House has removed the official transcripts of Trump’s public remarks from its government website, NBC News reported in May 2025, replacing the written transcripts with select videos and audio of Trump’s public appearances.
White House officials told NBC News that this switch should help people get a fuller, more consistent and accurate sense of Trump by watching and listening to him, rather than reading what he says verbatim at official events.
Government stenographers are also still recording and transcribing all of Trump’s remarks, though these are no longer being published on the White House’s website or elsewhere. It is not clear where or how those transcriptions are being saved.
For years, translators, reporters, students, historians and presidential scholars like me have used official presidential transcripts to understand a president’s exact words and track government decisions. Without these written transcripts, it becomes harder to get the full story of exactly what the president has done or said.
President Donald Trump, joined by members of his cabinet, delivers a statement on natural disaster preparedness in the Oval Office at the White House on June 10, 2025. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
A partial history
A nation’s history is etched in its records. The preservation of official proceedings provides the bedrock for understanding a country’s past and navigating its future.
A growing chorus of historians, public officials and transparency advocates is raising alarms about how the Trump administration is curating and potentially manipulating the government’s records and actions.
The White House’s recent decision to not share official, written transcripts of what the president has said is not the first time this issue has emerged under Trump.
As I wrote in 2021, the first Trump administration did not consistently submit the transcripts of the president’s political rally speeches to the National Archives, as was the custom with previous presidents. The National Archives is an independent government agency within the executive branch that preserves the nation’s historical records.
This official recordkeeping is important, and it’s more than a tradition – it’s a legal obligation. A law called the Presidential Records Act of 1978 says that everything a president does in office – from making speeches to writing emails – belongs to the public.
This includes not just formal speeches, but also public remarks and oral exchanges, which are traditionally included in a compilation of presidential documents.
My examination of this compilation for 2025 appears to show a gap in such records from mid-April 2025 onward. While the transcript of Trump’s full remarks when speaking with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was published on this government site on April 18, for example, publicly available documents from May only include a checklist of White House press releases, a digest of White House announcements and a list of acts that the president signed into law.
In the absence of complete official records from government sources, external, independent organizations that also monitor the presidency, like The American Presidency Project at the University of California, Santa Barbara, have become crucial repositories.
The American Presidency Project diligently logs and, when transcripts are unavailable, provides video of public presidential messaging, striving to create as complete a record as possible for all curious viewers and readers.
The fight over keeping an honest record of presidents is a problem that comes up again and again in American history.
Perhaps the most powerful example of losing historical records comes from the country’s very first president, George Washington. He knew he was setting an example for all future presidents and kept very careful records. He wanted to leave a complete story of his life and his work for the future.
But there is very little of it left.
After Washington died, his wife, Martha, burned most of the letters they wrote to each other to keep their lives private.
Washington left his official papers to his nephew, Supreme Court Justice Bushrod Washington. But Bushrod gave many of them to Chief Justice John Marshall, who was writing a book about the president. The papers were not treated carefully, and many were damaged. To make matters worse, Bushrod would often tear off scraps of Washington’s writings and give them to people as souvenirs.
The result is that Americans have an incomplete picture of their first president. What now exists is a weaker version of the real story, created more by what other people did than by what Washington himself had planned.
Memories fade, and people are not around forever.
The main way that the U.S. can preserve its story is through accurate records. The current arguments over saving transcripts and official papers are about more than just rules. They are about the future. The records that Trump and other presidents leave behind will decide if people in the future see them as they really were, or just how they wanted others to view them.
Shannon Bow O’Brien 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.
NORWALK, Conn., June 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — CUSIP Global Services (CGS) today announced the release of its CUSIP Issuance Trends Report for May 2025. The report, which tracks the issuance of new security identifiers as an early indicator of debt and capital markets activity over the next quarter, found a monthly increase in request volume for new corporate and municipal identifiers.
North American corporate CUSIP requests totaled 7,835 in May, which is up 2.1% on a monthly basis. On an annualized basis, North American corporate requests were up 3.7% over May 2024 totals. The monthly increase was driven by an 8.2% rise in request volume for U.S. corporate debt identifiers, a 13.8% increase in requests for certificates of deposit (CDs) with maturities shorter than one year and a 5.7% increase in requests for CDs with maturities longer than one year.
The aggregate total of identifier requests for new municipal securities – including municipal bonds, long-term and short-term notes, and commercial paper – rose 24.6% versus April totals. On a year-over-year basis, overall municipal volumes were up 21.3% through the end of May. Texas led state-level municipal request volume with a total of 154 new CUSIP requests in May, followed by New York (113) and California (109).
“With the jury still out on the future of potential interest rate cuts in the U.S., issuers were coming to the market at a healthy clip in May,” said Gerard Faulkner, Director of Operations for CGS. “Perhaps most noteworthy is the monthly surge we’ve seen in request volume for new short-term CD identifiers, which suggests that at least some market participants are banking on high rates sticking around for a while longer.”
Requests for international equity CUSIPs rose 23.3% in May and international debt CUSIP requests rose 21.1%. On an annualized basis, international equity CUSIP requests were up 18.2% and international debt CUSIP requests were up 14.5%.
To view the full CUSIP Issuance Trends report for May, please click here.
Following is a breakdown of new CUSIP Identifier requests by asset class year-to-date through May 2025:
Asset Class
2025 YTD
2024 YTD
YOY Change
Long-Term Municipal Notes
214
160
33.8%
Private Placement Securities
2,028
1,529
32.6%
U.S. Corporate Debt
13,627
10,589
28.7%
Municipal Bonds
4,582
3,744
22.4%
International Equity
722
611
18.2%
International Debt
2,768
2,417
14.5%
Canada Corporate Debt & Equity
2,829
2,479
14.1%
Syndicated Loans
1,124
1,090
3.1%
U.S. Corporate Equity
4,769
4,798
-0.6%
CDs < 1-year Maturity
3,941
4,172
-5.5%
CDs > 1-year Maturity
3,251
3,573
-9.0%
Short-Term Municipal Notes
340
394
-13.7%
About CUSIP Global Services
CUSIP Global Services (CGS) is the global leader in securities identification. The financial services industry relies on CGS’ unrivaled experience in uniquely identifying instruments and entities to support efficient global capital markets. Its extensive focus on standardization over the past 50 plus years has helped CGS earn its reputation as the industry standard provider of reliable, timely reference data. CGS is also a founding member of the Association of National Numbering Agencies (ANNA) and co-operates ANNA’s hub of ISIN data, the ANNA Service Bureau. CGS is managed on behalf of the American Bankers Association (ABA) by FactSet Research Systems Inc., with a Board of Trustees that represents the voices of leading financial institutions. For more information, visit www.cusip.com.
About The American Bankers Association
The American Bankers Association is the voice of the nation’s $24.5 trillion banking industry, which is composed of small, regional and large banks that together employ approximately 2.1 million people, safeguard $19.5 trillion in deposits and extend $12.8 trillion in loans.
AI tools gather information about you from many types of devices, including smartphones.Prostock-Studio/Getty Images
Like it or not, artificial intelligence has become part of daily life. Many devices – including electric razors and toothbrushes – have become “AI-powered,” using machine learning algorithms to track how a person uses the device, how the device is working in real time, and provide feedback. From asking questions to an AI assistant like ChatGPT or Microsoft Copilot to monitoring a daily fitness routine with a smartwatch, many people use an AI system or tool every day.
While AI tools and technologies can make life easier, they also raise important questions about data privacy. These systems often collect large amounts of data, sometimes without people even realizing their data is being collected. The information can then be used to identify personal habits and preferences, and even predict future behaviors by drawing inferences from the aggregated data.
As an assistant professor of cybersecurity at West Virginia University, I study how emerging technologies and various types of AI systems manage personal data and how we can build more secure, privacy-preserving systems for the future.
Generative AI software uses large amounts of training data to create new content such as text or images. Predictive AI uses data to forecast outcomes based on past behavior, such as how likely you are to hit your daily step goal, or what movies you may want to watch. Both types can be used to gather information about you.
How AI tools collect data
Generative AI assistants such as ChatGPT and Google Gemini collect all the information users type into a chat box. Every question, response and prompt that users enter is recorded, stored and analyzed to improve the AI model.
OpenAI’s privacy policy informs users that “we may use content you provide us to improve our Services, for example to train the models that power ChatGPT.” Even though OpenAI allows you to opt out of content use for model training, it still collects and retains your personal data. Although some companies promise that they anonymize this data, meaning they store it without naming the person who provided it, there is always a risk of data being reidentified.
ChatGPT stores and analyzes everything you type into a prompt screen. Screenshot by Christopher Ramezan, CC BY-ND
Predictive AI
Beyond generative AI assistants, social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok continuously gather data on their users to train predictive AI models. Every post, photo, video, like, share and comment, including the amount of time people spend looking at each of these, is collected as data points that are used to build digital data profiles for each person who uses the service.
The profiles can be used to refine the social media platform’s AI recommender systems. They can also be sold to data brokers, who sell a person’s data to other companies to, for instance, help develop targeted advertisements that align with that person’s interests.
Many social media companies also track users across websites and applications by putting cookies and embedded tracking pixels on their computers. Cookies are small files that store information about who you are and what you clicked on while browsing a website.
One of the most common uses of cookies is in digital shopping carts: When you place an item in your cart, leave the website and return later, the item will still be in your cart because the cookie stored that information. Tracking pixels are invisible images or snippets of code embedded in websites that notify companies of your activity when you visit their page. This helps them track your behavior across the internet.
This is why users often see or hear advertisements that are related to their browsing and shopping habits on many of the unrelated websites they browse, and even when they are using different devices, including computers, phones and smart speakers. One study found that some websites can store over 300 tracking cookies on your computer or mobile phone.
Here’s how websites you browse can track you using cookies or tracking pixels.
Data privacy controls – and limitations
Like generative AI platforms, social media platforms offer privacy settings and opt-outs, but these give people limited control over how their personal data is aggregated and monetized. As media theorist Douglas Rushkoff argued in 2011, if the service is free, you are the product.
Many tools that include AI don’t require a person to take any direct action for the tool to collect data about that person. Smart devices such as home speakers, fitness trackers and watches continually gather information through biometric sensors, voice recognition and location tracking. Smart home speakers continually listen for the command to activate or “wake up” the device. As the device is listening for this word, it picks up all the conversations happening around it, even though it does not seem to be active.
Some companies claim that voice data is only stored when the wake word – what you say to wake up the device – is detected. However, people have raised concerns about accidental recordings, especially because these devices are often connected to cloud services, which allow voice data to be stored, synced and shared across multiple devices such as your phone, smart speaker and tablet.
If the company allows, it’s also possible for this data to be accessed by third parties, such as advertisers, data analytics firms or a law enforcement agency with a warrant.
Privacy rollbacks
This potential for third-party access also applies to smartwatches and fitness trackers, which monitor health metrics and user activity patterns. Companies that produce wearable fitness devices are not considered “covered entities” and so are not bound by the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act. This means that they are legally allowed to sell health- and location-related data collected from their users.
Concerns about HIPAA data arose in 2018, when Strava, a fitness company released a global heat map of user’s exercise routes. In doing so, it accidentally revealed sensitive military locations across the globe through highlighting the exercise routes of military personnel.
Smart speakers can collect information even when they’re sleeping. recep-bg/Getty Images
Such partnerships can expand corporate and government reach into everyday consumer behavior. This one could be used to create detailed personal profiles on Americans by linking their consumer habits with other personal data. This raises concerns about increased surveillance and loss of anonymity. It could allow citizens to be tracked and analyzed across multiple aspects of their lives without their knowledge or consent.
Some smart device companies are also rolling back privacy protections instead of strengthening them. Amazon recently announced that starting on March 28, 2025, all voice recordings from Amazon Echo devices would be sent to Amazon’s cloud by default, and users will no longer have the option to turn this function off. This is different from previous settings, which allowed users to limit private data collection.
Changes like these raise concerns about how much control consumers have over their own data when using smart devices. Many privacy experts consider cloud storage of voice recordings a form of data collection, especially when used to improve algorithms or build user profiles, which has implications for data privacy laws designed to protect online privacy.
Implications for data privacy
All of this brings up serious privacy concerns for people and governments on how AI tools collect, store, use and transmit data. The biggest concern is transparency. People don’t know what data is being collected, how the data is being used, and who has access to that data.
Companies tend to use complicated privacy policies filled with technical jargon to make it difficult for people to understand the terms of a service that they agree to. People also tend not to read terms of service documents. One study found that people averaged 73 seconds reading a terms of service document that had an average read time of 29-32 minutes.
Data collected by AI tools may initially reside with a company that you trust, but can easily be sold and given to a company that you don’t trust.
AI tools, the companies in charge of them and the companies that have access to the data they collect can also be subject to cyberattacks and data breaches that can reveal sensitive personal information. These attacks can by carried out by cybercriminals who are in it for the money, or by so-called advanced persistent threats, which are typically nation/state- sponsored attackers who gain access to networks and systems and remain there undetected, collecting information and personal data to eventually cause disruption or harm.
While laws and regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation in the European Union and the California Consumer Privacy Act aim to safeguard user data, AI development and use have often outpaced the legislative process. The laws are still catching up on AI and data privacy. For now, you should assume any AI-powered device or platform is collecting data on your inputs, behaviors and patterns.
Using AI tools
Although AI tools collect people’s data, and the way this accumulation of data affects people’s data privacy is concerning, the tools can also be useful. AI-powered applications can streamline workflows, automate repetitive tasks and provide valuable insights.
But it’s crucial to approach these tools with awareness and caution.
When using a generative AI platform that gives you answers to questions you type in a prompt, don’t include any personally identifiable information, including names, birth dates, Social Security numbers or home addresses. At the workplace, don’t include trade secrets or classified information. In general, don’t put anything into a prompt that you wouldn’t feel comfortable revealing to the public or seeing on a billboard. Remember, once you hit enter on the prompt, you’ve lost control of that information.
Remember that devices which are turned on are always listening – even if they’re asleep. If you use smart home or embedded devices, turn them off when you need to have a private conversation. A device that’s asleep looks inactive, but it is still powered on and listening for a wake word or signal. Unplugging a device or removing its batteries is a good way of making sure the device is truly off.
Finally, be aware of the terms of service and data collection policies of the devices and platforms that you are using. You might be surprised by what you’ve already agreed to.
This article is part of a series on data privacy that explores who collects your data, what and how they collect, who sells and buys your data, what they all do with it, and what you can do about it.
It is “the policy of the United States to promote AI literacy and proficiency among Americans,” reads an executive order President Donald Trump issued on April 23, 2025. The executive order, titled Advancing Artificial Intelligence Education for American Youth, signals that advancing AI literacy is now an official national priority.
This raises a series of important questions: What exactly is AI literacy, who needs it, and how do you go about building it thoughtfully and responsibly?
The implications of AI literacy, or lack thereof, are far-reaching. They extend beyond national ambitions to remain “a global leader in this technological revolution” or even prepare an “AI-skilled workforce,” as the executive order states. Without basic literacy, citizens and consumers are not well equipped to understand the algorithmic platforms and decisions that affect so many domains of their lives: government services, privacy, lending, health care, news recommendations and more. And the lack of AI literacy risks ceding important aspects of society’s future to a handful of multinational companies.
How, then, can institutions help people understand and use – or resist – AI as individuals, workers, parents, innovators, job seekers, students, employers and citizens? We are a policy scientist and two educationalresearchers who study AI literacy, and we explore these issues in our research.
What AI literacy is and isn’t
At its foundation, AI literacy includes a mix of knowledge, skills and attitudes that are technical, social and ethical in nature. According to one prominent definition, AI literacy refers to “a set of competencies that enables individuals to critically evaluate AI technologies; communicate and collaborate effectively with AI; and use AI as a tool online, at home, and in the workplace.”
AI literacy is not simply programming or the mechanics of neural networks, and it is certainly not just prompt engineering – that is, the act of carefully writing prompts for chatbots. Vibe coding, or using AI to write software code, might be fun and important, but restricting the definition of literacy to the newest trend or the latest need of employers won’t cover the bases in the long term. And while a single master definition may not be needed, or even desirable, too much variation makes it tricky to decide on organizational, educational or policy strategies.
Who needs AI literacy? Everyone, including the employees and students using it, and the citizens grappling with its growing impacts. Every sector and sphere of society is now involved with AI, even if this isn’t always easy for people to see.
Exactly how much literacy everyone needs and how to get there is a much tougher question. Are a few quick HR training sessions enough, or do we need to embed AI across K-12 curricula and deliver university micro credentials and hands-on workshops? There is much that researchers don’t know, which leads to the need to measure AI literacy and the effectiveness of different training approaches.
Ethics is an important aspect of AI literacy.
Measuring AI literacy
While there is a growing and bipartisan consensus that AI literacy matters, there’s much less consensus on how to actually understand people’s AI literacy levels. Researchers have focused on different aspects, such as technical or ethical skills, or on different populations – for example, business managers and students – or even on subdomains like generative AI.
A recent review study identified more than a dozen questionnaires designed to measure AI literacy, the vast majority of which rely on self-reported responses to questions and statements such as “I feel confident about using AI.” There’s also a lack of testing to see whether these questionnaires work well for people from different cultural backgrounds.
Moreover, the rise of generative AI has exposed gaps and challenges: Is it possible to create a stable way to measure AI literacy when AI is itself so dynamic?
In our research collaboration, we’ve tried to help address some of these problems. In particular, we’ve focused on creating objective knowledge assessments, such as multiple-choice surveys tested with thorough statistical analyses to ensure that they accurately measure AI literacy. We’ve so far tested a multiple-choice survey in the U.S., U.K. and Germany and found that it works consistently and fairly across these three countries.
There’s a lot more work to do to create reliable and feasible testing approaches. But going forward, just asking people to self-report their AI literacy probably isn’t enough to understand where different groups of people are and what supports they need.
Approaches to building AI literacy
Governments, universities and industry are trying to advance AI literacy.
Finland launched the Elements of AI series in 2018 with the hope of educating its general public on AI. Estonia’s AI Leap initiative partners with Anthropic and OpenAI to provide access to AI tools for tens of thousands of students and thousands of teachers. And China is now requiring at least eight hours of AI education annually as early as elementary school, which goes a step beyond the new U.S. executive order. On the university level, Purdue University and the University of Pennsylvania have launched new master’s in AI programs, targeting future AI leaders.
Despite these efforts, these initiatives face an unclear and evolving understanding of AI literacy. They also face challenges to measuring effectiveness and minimal knowledge on what teaching approaches actually work. And there are long-standing issues with respect to equity − for example, reaching schools, communities, segments of the population and businesses that are stretched or under-resourced.
Next moves on AI literacy
Based on our research, experience as educators and collaboration with policymakers and technology companies, we think a few steps might be prudent.
Building AI literacy starts with recognizing it’s not just about tech: People also need to grasp the social and ethical sides of the technology. To see whether we’re getting there, we researchers and educators should use clear, reliable tests that track progress for different age groups and communities. Universities and companies can try out new teaching ideas first, then share what works through an independent hub. Educators, meanwhile, need proper training and resources, not just additional curricula, to bring AI into the classroom. And because opportunity isn’t spread evenly, partnerships that reach under-resourced schools and neighborhoods are essential so everyone can benefit.
Critically, achieving widespread AI literacy may be even harder than building digital and media literacy, so getting there will require serious investment – not cuts – to education and research.
There is widespread consensus that AI literacy is important, whether to boost AI trust and adoption or to empower citizens to challenge AI or shape its future. As with AI itself, we believe it’s important to approach AI literacy carefully, avoiding hype or an overly technical focus. The right approach can prepare students to become “active and responsible participants in the workforce of the future” and empower Americans to “thrive in an increasingly digital society,” as the AI literacy executive order calls for.
Funding from Google Research helped to support part of the authors’ research on AI literacy.
Funding from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research under the funding code 16DHBKI051 helped to support part of the authors’ research on AI literacy.
Arne Bewersdorff 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.
