Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Isabel Pedersen, Professor of Communication and Digital Media Studies, Ontario Tech University
Sophisticated AI assistants are becoming commonplace in people’s lives.(Shutterstock)
The growing proliferation of AI-powered chatbots has led to debates around their social roles as friend, companion or work assistant.
And they’re growing increasingly more sophisticated. The role-playing platform Character AI promises personal and creative engagement through conversations with its bot characters. There have also been some negative outcomes: currently, Character.ai is facing a court case involving its chatbot’s role in a teen’s suicide.
Others, like ChatGPT and Google Gemini, promise improved work efficiency through genAI. But where is this going next? Amid this frenzy, inventors are now developing advanced AI assistants that will be far more socially intuitive and capable of more complex tasks.
The applications of generative AI keep growing. (Shutterstock)
Future shock
The shock instigated by OpenAI’s ChatGPT two years ago was not only due to the soaring rate of adoption and the threat to jobs, but also because of the cultural blow it aimed at creative writing and education.
My research explores how the hype surrounding AI affects some people’s ability to make professional judgments about it. This is due to anxiety related to the vulnerability of human civilization, feeding the idea of a future “superintelligence” that might outpace human control.
With US$1.3 trillion in revenue projected for 2032, the financial forecast for genAI drives further hype.
Mainstream media coverage also sensationalizes AI’s creativity, and frames the tech as a threat to human civilization.
Raising the alarm
Scientists all over the world have signalled an urgency around the implementations and applications of AI.
The turn in AI underway now is a shift toward self-centric and personalized AI tools that go well beyond current capabilities to recreating what has become a commodity: the self. AI technologies reshape how we perceive ourselves: our personas, thoughts and feelings.
The next wave of AI assistants, a form of AI agents, will not only know their users intimately, but they will be able to act on a user’s behalf or even impersonate them. This idea is far more compelling than those that only serve as assistants writing text, creating video or coding software.
These personalized AI agents will be able to determine intentions and carry out work.
Iason Gabriel, senior research scientist at Google DeepMind, and a large team of researchers wrote about the ethical development of advanced AI assistants. Their research sounds the alarm that AI assistants can “influence user beliefs and behaviour,” including through “deception, coercion and exploitation.”
There is still a techno-utopian aspect to AI. In a podcast, Gabriel ruminates that “many of us would like to be plugged into a technology that can take care of a lot of life tasks on our behalf,” also calling it a “thought partner.”
Senior research scientist at Google DeepMind, Iason Gabriel, discusses the implications of AI.
Cultural disruption
This more recent turn in AI disruption will interfere with how we understand ourselves, and as such, we need to anticipate the techno-cultural impact.
Online, people express hyper-real and highly curated versions of themselves across platforms like X, Instagram or Linkedin. And the way users interact with personal digital assistants like Apple’s Siri or Amazon’s Alexa has socialized us to reimagine our personal lives. These “life narrative” practices inform a key role in developing the next wave of advanced assistants.
The quantified self movement is when users track their lives through various apps, wearable technologies and social media platforms. New developments in AI assistants could leverage these same tools for biohacking and self-improvement, yet these emerging tools also raise concerns about processing personal data. AI tools involve the risk of identity theft, gender and racial discrimination and various digital divides.
More than assistance
Human-AI assistant interaction can converge with other fields. Digital twin technologies for health apply user biodata. They involve creating a virtual representation of a person’s physiological state and can help predict future developments. This could also lead to over-reliance on AI Assistants for medical information without human oversight from medical professionals.
Other advanced AI assistants will “remember” people’s pasts and infer intentions or make suggestions for future life goals. Serious harms have already been identified when remembering is automated, such as for victims of intimate partner violence.
We need to expand data protections and governance models to address potential privacy harms. This upcoming cultural disruption will require regulating AI. Let’s prepare now for AI’s next cultural turn.
Isabel Pedersen receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).
Before then, recording was done mechanically, scratching sound waves onto rolled paper or a cylinder. Such recordings suffered from low fidelity and captured only a small segment of the audible sound spectrum.
By using electrical microphones, amplifiers and electromechanical recorders, record companies could capture a far wider range of sound frequencies, with much higher fidelity. For the first time, recorded sound closely resembled what a live listener would hear. Over the ensuing years, sales of vinyl records and record players boomed.
The technology also allowed some enterprising music fans to make recordings in surprising and innovative ways. As a physician and scholar in the medical humanities, I am fascinated by the use of X-ray film to make recordings – what was known as “bone music,” or “ribs.”
This rather bizarre, homemade technology became a way to skirt censors in the Soviet Union – and even played an indirect role in its dissolution.
Skirting the Soviet censorship regime
At the end of World War II, Soviet censorship shifted into high gear in an effort to suppress a Western culture deemed threatening or decadent.
Many books and poems could circulate only through “samizdat,” a portmanteau of “self” and “publishing” that involved the use of copy machines to reproduce forbidden texts. Punishments inflicted on Soviet artists and citizens for producing or disseminating censored materials included loss of employment, imprisonment in gulags and even execution.
The phonographic analog of samizdat was often referred to as “roentgenizdat,” which was derived from the name of Wilhelm Roentgen, the German scientist who received the first Nobel Prize in physics in 1901 for his discovery of X-rays.
Roentgen’s work revolutionized medicine, making it possible to peer inside the living human body without cutting it open and enabling physicians to more easily and accurately diagnose skeletal fractures and diseases such as pneumonia.
Today, X-rays are produced and stored digitally. But for most of the 20th century they were created on photographic film and stored in large film libraries, which took up a great deal of space.
Because exposed X-ray films cannot be reused, hospitals often recycled them to recoup the silver they contained.
Making music from medicine
In the Soviet Union in the 1940s, some clever people realized that X-ray film was just soft enough to be etched by an electromechanical lathe, or sound recording device.
To make a “rib,” or “bone record,” they would use a compass to trace out a circle on an exposed X-ray film that might bear the image of a patient’s skull, spine or hands. They then used scissors to cut out the circle, before cutting a small hole in the middle so it would fit on a conventional record player.
Then they would use a recording device to cut either live sound or, more commonly, a bootleg record onto the X-ray film. Sound consists of vibrations that the lathe’s stylus etches into grooves on the disc. Such devices were not widely available, meaning that only a relatively small number of people could produce such recordings.
A disc-cutting lathe demonstrates the production of an X-ray record at a 2021 exhibition in Berlin, Germany. Adam Berry/Getty Images
The censors kept a close eye on record companies. But anyone who could obtain a recording device could record music on pieces of X-ray film, and these old films could be obtained after hospitals threw them out or purchased at a relatively low price from hospital employees.
Compared with professionally produced vinyl records, the sound quality was poor, with recordings marred by extraneous noises such as hisses and crackles. The records could be played only a limited number of times before the grooves would wear out.
Nonetheless, these resourceful recordings were shared, bought and sold entirely outside of official channels into the 1960s and 1970s.
A window into another life
Popular artists “on the bone” included Ella Fitzgerald and Elvis Presley, whose jazz and rock ’n’ roll recordings, to the ears of many Soviet citizens, represented freedom and self-expression.
In his book “Bone Music,” cultural historian Stephen Coates describes how Soviet authorities viewed performers such as The Beatles as toxic because they appeared to promote a brand of amoral hedonism and distracted citizens from Communist party priorities.
“It is true that from time to time they are caught, their equipment confiscated, and they may even be brought to court. But then they may be released and be free to go wherever they like. The judges decide that they are, of course, parasites, but they are not dangerous. They are getting suspended sentences! But these record producers are not just engaged in illegal operations. They corrupt young people diligently and methodically with a squeaky cacophony and spread explicit obscenities.”
Bone music was inherently subversive.
For one thing, it was against the law. Moreover, the music itself suggested that a different sort of life is possible, beyond the strictures of Communist officials. How could a political system that prohibited beautiful music, many asked, possibly merit the allegiance of its citizens?
The ability of citizens to get around the censors and spread Western thought, whether through books or bone music, helped chip away at the government’s legitimacy.
One Soviet-era listener Coates interviewed long after the USSR’s collapse described the joy of listening to these illicit recordings:
“I was lifted up off the ground, I started flying. Rock’n’roll showed me a new world, a world of music, words, and feelings, of life, of a different lifestyle. That’s why, when I got my first records, I became a happy man. I felt like a changed person, it was as if I was born again.”
The playing of a bootleg record from the Soviet Union, recorded on an X-ray negative.
Richard Gunderman 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 the computer or phone you’re using right now blinks its last blink and you drop it off for recycling, do you know what happens?
At the recycling center, powerful magnets will pull out steel. Spinning drums will toss aluminum into bins. Copper wires will get neatly bundled up for resale. But as the conveyor belt keeps rolling, tiny specks of valuable, lesser-known materials such as gallium, indium and tantalum will be left behind.
Those tiny specks are critical materials. They’re essential for building new technology, and they’re in short supply in the U.S. They could be reused, but there’s a problem: Current recycling methods make recovering critical minerals from e-waste too costly or hazardous, so many recyclers simply skip them.
Sadly, most of these hard-to-recycle materials end up buried in landfills or get mixed into products like cement. But it doesn’t have to be this way. New technology is starting to make a difference.
A treasure trove of critical materials is often overlooked in e-waste, including gallium in LEDs, indium in LCDs, and tantalum in surface mount capacitors. Ansan Pokharel/West Virginia University, CC BY
As demand for these critical materials keeps growing, discarded electronics can become valuable resources. My colleagues and I at West Virginia University are developing a new technology to change how we recycle. Instead of using toxic chemicals, our approach uses electricity, making it safer, cleaner and more affordable to recover critical materials from electronics.
Even worse, nearly half the electronics that people in Northern America sent to recycling centers end up shipped overseas. They often land in scrapyards, where workers may use dangerous methods like burning or leaching using harsh chemicals to pull out valuable metals. These practices can harm both the environment and workers’ health. That’s why the Environmental Protection Agency restricts these methods in the U.S.
The tiny specks matter
Critical minerals are in most of the technology around you. Every phone screen has a super-thin layer of a material called indium tin oxide. LEDs glow because of a metal called gallium. Tantalum stores energy in tiny electronic parts called capacitors.
All of these materials are flagged as “high risk” on the U.S. Department of Energy’s critical materials list. That means the U.S. relies heavily on these materials for important technologies, but their supply could be easily disrupted by conflicts, trade disputes or shortages.
Right now, just a few countries, including China, control most of the mining, processing and recovery of these materials, making the U.S. vulnerable if those countries decide to limit exports or raise prices.
At West Virginia University’s Department of Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering, I and materials scientist Edward Sabolsky asked a simple question: Could we find a way to heat only specific parts of electronic waste to recover these valuable materials?
If we could focus the heat on just the tiny specks of critical minerals, we might be able to recycle them easily and efficiently.
This equipment isn’t very different from the microwave ovens you use to heat food at home, just bigger and more powerful. The basic science is the same – electromagnetic waves cause electrons to oscillate, creating heat.
In our approach, though, we’re not heating water molecules like you do when cooking. Instead, we heat carbon, the black residue that collects around a candle flame or car tailpipe. Carbon heats up much faster in a microwave than water does. But don’t try this at home; your kitchen microwave wasn’t designed for such high temperatures.
West Virginia University researchers are using this experimental microwave reactor to recycle critical materials from end-of-life electronics. Ansan Pokharel/West Virginia University, CC BY
In our recycling method, we first shred the electronic waste, mix it with materials called fluxes that trap impurities, and then heat the mixture with microwaves. The microwaves rapidly heat the carbon that comes from the plastics and adhesives in the e-waste. This causes the carbon to react with the tiny specks of critical materials. The result: a tiny piece of pure, sponge-like metal about the size of a grain of rice.
This metal can then be easily separated from leftover waste using filters.
So far, in our laboratory tests, we have successfully recovered about 80% of the gallium, indium and tantalum from e-waste, at purities between 95% and 97%. We have also demonstrated how it can be integrated with existing recycling processes.
Many important technologies, from radar systems to nuclear reactors, depend on these special materials. While the Department of Defense uses less of them than the commercial market, they are a national security concern.
We’re planning to launch larger pilot projects next to test the method on smartphone circuit boards, LED lighting parts and server cards from data centers. These tests will help us fine-tune the design for a bigger system that can recycle tons of e-waste per hour instead of just a few pounds. That could mean producing up to 50 pounds of these critical minerals per hour from every ton of e-waste processed.
If the technology works as expected, we believe this approach could help meet the nation’s demand for critical materials.
How to make e-waste recycling common
One way e-waste recycling could become more common is if Congress held electronics companies responsible for recycling their products and recovering the critical materials inside. Closing loopholes that allow companies to ship e-waste overseas, instead of processing it safely in the U.S., could also help build a reserve of recovered critical minerals.
But the biggest change may come from simple economics. Once technology becomes available to recover these tiny but valuable specks of critical materials quickly and affordably, the U.S. can transform domestic recycling and take a big step toward solving its shortage of critical materials.
Terence Musho has received funding from Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Patrick Aguilar, Professor of Practice of Organizational Behavior, Washington University in St. Louis
Pharmacies are more than just stores – they’re vital links between people and their health care.
One of us, Patrick, witnessed this firsthand in 2003 while working as a pharmacy technician at Walgreens in a midsize West Texas town. Each day involved handling hundreds of prescriptions as they moved through the system – meticulously counting pills, deciphering doctors’ handwriting and sorting out confusing insurance issues. The experience revealed that how pharmacies are owned and managed is as much a public health issue as it is a financial one.
Fast-forward to today, and Walgreens – one of the world’s largest pharmacy chains, which filled nearly 800 million U.S. prescriptions in 2024 – is at a turning point. In March, the company announced it would be acquired by private equity firm Sycamore Partners for US$10 billion, just 10% of its peak market value. That deal takes the storied pharmacy chain off the public market for the first time in nearly 100 years.
We’re professors who study the intersection of medicineand business, and we think this deal offers a window into the future of pharmacy care. It matters not just to pharmacists but also to the tens of millions of Americans who rely on outlets like Walgreens to meet their everyday health needs.
The rise and struggles of Walgreens
A lot has changed in the pharmacy industry since 1901, when Charles R. Walgreen Sr. purchased the Chicago drugstore where he served as a pharmacist. The company went public in 1927, expanded rapidly throughout the 20th century and grew to 8,000 stores by 2013. By 2014, a merger with the European pharmacy chain Alliance Boots made Walgreens one of the largest pharmacy chains in the world.
More recently, however, the picture for the pharmacy industry hasn’t been so rosy. Labor costs have risen. Front-end retail sales – things like snacks, greeting cards and cosmetics – have fallen. And financial pressures from pharmacy benefit managers – those third-party groups that manage the cost of prescription drug benefits on the behalf of insurers – have grown.
All of these things have significantly constrained revenues across the industry, leading stores to shutter. Some estimates suggest that as many as one-third of U.S. retail pharmacies have closed since 2010.
Against that backdrop, Sycamore Partners’ March acquisition of Walgreens raises big questions. What does Sycamore see in this investment, and what might their strategies imply about the future of American pharmacy care?
Framing the private equity bet
Private equity firms typically buy companies, streamline their operations and seek to sell them for a profit within five to seven years of the acquisition.
This growing movement of private equity into the global economy is by no means limited to health care. In 2020, private equity firms employed 11.7 million U.S. workers, or about 7% of the country’s total workforce. The total assets under management by such investors have grown by over 11% annually over the past two decades, a trend that’s expected to continue.
In looking at Walgreens, Sycamore, like many of these businesses, likely sees an opportunity to buy low, cut costs and improve profitability. One survey of private equity investors found that the most common self-reported sources of value creation in these deals for companies of Sycamore’s size were changing the product and marketing it more robustly to drive demand, changing incentives for those within the business, and facilitating a high-value exit.
While private owners may have more patience than public markets, critics argue that private equity firms tend to have a short-term focus, looking for quick, predictable services of margin improvement – like, for example, cutting jobs.
There’s some evidence in favor of that claim. One study found that employment often drops in the years following a private equity buyout. And if the focus shifts to repaying debt or prepping for resale, long-term projects, such as investing in future innovation, can get deprioritized.
The history of privatized public companies offers a mix of successes and failures. Dell Technologies and hotel chain Hilton are two prominent examples of companies that went private, restructured successfully and came back stronger. In those cases, going private helped management focus without the constant pressure of quarterly earnings reports.
On the other hand, companies such as Toys R Us, which was taken private in 2005 and filed for bankruptcy in 2018, show how high debt and missed innovation can lead to collapse.
What’s next for Walgreens
So, where does this leave Walgreens − and the investors involved in the deal?
As the dust settles on the purchase, Sycamore has indicated an interest in splitting Walgreens into three business units: one focused on U.S. pharmacies, one on U.K. pharmacies and one on U.S. primary health care through its VillageMD subsidiary.
That’s not unusual: Sycamore has used a similar approach before with its investment in the office supply retailer Staples, a strategy that has garnered strong financial returns but been called into question for its long-term sustainability.
Given the significant financial challenges VillageMD has faced since its acquisition by Walgreens, this represents an opportunity to separately evaluate and optimize its performance. Meanwhile, Sycamore’s historic focus on retail and customer-focused businesses might help it modernize the in-store experience or optimize staffing.
For more than a century, Walgreens has survived and adapted to sweeping changes in retail. Now, it’s entering a new chapter – one that could reshape not just its own future but the role of pharmacies in American life.
Will Sycamore help Walgreens thrive, using its resources to strengthen services and deliver more value to customers? Or will pressure to generate quick returns create problems? Either way, the answer matters – not just for investors but for anyone who’s ever relied on their neighborhood pharmacy to stay healthy.
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.
Four helicopters carrying an arrest team whirled over the mountains near Mexico’s southwestern coast toward Cervantes’ compound in the town of Villa Purificación, the heart of the infamous Jalisco Nueva Generación cartel.
As the lead helicopter pulled within range, bullets from a truck-mounted, military-grade machine gun on the ground struck the engine. Before it reached the ground, the massive helicopter was hit by a pair of rocket-powered grenades.
This .50-caliber cartridge was found stuck in the truck-mounted Browning M2HB machine gun that the Jalisco Nueva Generación cartel used to damage a Mexican Security Forces Super Cougar helicopter. ATF
Four soldiers from Mexico’s Secretariat of National Defense were killed in the crash. Three more soldiers were killed in the firefight that followed, and another 12 were injured.
The engagement was the first known incident of a cartel shooting down a military aircraft in Mexico. The cartel’s retaliation for the attempted arrest was swift and brutal. It set fire to trucks, buses, banks, gasoline stations and businesses. The distractions worked. Cervantes, also known as “El Mencho,” escaped.
The Browning machine gun that took down the helicopter was traced to a legal firearm purchase in Oregon made by a U.S. citizen. And a Barrett .50-caliber rifle used in the ambush was traced to a sale in a U.S. gun shop in Texas 4½ years before.
Many military-grade weapons like these are trafficked into Mexico from the U.S. each year, aided by loose standards for firearm dealers and gun laws that favor illicit sales.
We – a professor of economic development who has been tracking gun trafficking for more than 10 years, and an investigative journalist – spent a year sifting through documents to find the number, origins and characteristics of weapons flowing from the U.S. to Mexico.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – the agency known as ATF tasked with regulating the industry – publishes the number of U.S. guns seized in Mexico and traced back to U.S. dealers, but it doesn’t provide an official trafficking estimate. The 2003 Tiahrt Amendments bar the ATF from creating a database of firearm sales and prohibit federal agencies from sharing detailed trace data outside of law enforcement.
To estimate weapons flow, we gathered trafficking estimates, including leaked data, previous research, firearm manufacturing totals and the ATF trace data.
The model we generated gave us a conservative middle estimate: About 135,000 firearms were trafficked across the border in 2022. In contrast, Ukraine, engaged in a war with Russia, received 40,000 small arms from the United States between January 2020 and April 2024 – an average of 9,000 per year.
An increase in guns trafficked to Mexico from the U.S. relates to an increase in Mexico’s homicide rate.
More of the most destructive weapons come from independent gun dealers versus large chain stores – 16 times as many assault-style weapons and 60 times as many sniper rifles.
The trafficking flow drives an arms race between criminals and Mexican law enforcement; the U.S. gun industry profits on sales to both.
ATF oversight of dealers reduces the likelihood their guns are resold on the illicit market.
Following the flow
Since 2008, the U.S. has spent more than US$3 billion to help stabilize Mexico through the rule of law and stem its surges of extreme violence, much of it committed with U.S. firearms. Many programs are funded through the U.S. State Department, which is facing budget cuts, and the U.S. Agency for International Development, which has sustained deep cuts.
Meanwhile, the gun industry and its supporters have undercut these efforts by fighting measures to regulate gun sales.
From 2015-2023, 185,000 guns linked to crimes in Mexico were sent to the ATF to be traced – the process of using a firearm’s serial number and other characteristics to identify the trail of gun ownership. About 125,000 of those weapons have been traced back to the U.S.
Our analyses show that U.S.-Mexico firearms trafficking has dire implications for ordinary Mexicans – and that U.S. regulatory actions can have an enormous impact. This adds to a growing body of research tying U.S.-sold guns to Mexico-based gangs and cartels, illegal drug trafficking, homicide rates, corruption of Mexican officials, illicit financial transactions and migration trends.
Oregon guns tied to cartel
The Jalisco Nueva Generación cartel is poised to be the biggest player in the drug cartel game. El Mencho, still at large, is one of the most powerful people directing the flow of heroin, fentanyl and methamphetamines into the United States, while orchestrating campaigns of fear, intimidation and displacement in Mexico.
The Browning .50-caliber rifle that aided El Mencho’s evasion in 2015 was manufactured by a company based in Morgan, Utah, and legally sold to Erik Flores Elortegui, a U.S. citizen.
Elortegui fled the country after he was indicted in Oregon for smuggling guns into Mexico and is now at the top of the ATF’s most wanted list. He wasn’t alone in his gunrunning schemes. According to a grand jury indictment, Elortegui purchased 20 firearms through an accomplice, Robert Allen Cummins, in 2013 and 2014. Cummins was straw purchasing – buying weapons under his name for Elortegui.
Two of the .50-caliber weapons that Cummins purchased for Elortegui – the long rifles on the right – were among those later recovered from a tractor trailer in Sonora, Mexico. USA v. Robert Allen Cummins. USA v. Robert Allen Cummins
Before she gave Cummins a 40-month prison sentence in 2017, Judge Ann Aiken admonished him for the pain and suffering his weapons were likely going to cause. She told him to read “Dreamland,” which chronicles America’s opioid crisis and its connection to Mexican drug cartels.
After their mother was killed by organized crime five years ago, Emylce Ines Espinoza-Alarcon’s sister’s family migrated to the States, she said.
Espinoza-Alarcon, her children and other relatives were more recently driven from their homes by violence. “As a parent, you try to flee to a different place where they might be safe,” Espinoza-Alarcon said. She said she believes American weapons are to blame, but there “is nowhere else for us to go.”
Emylce Ines Espinoza-Alarcon holds her toddler as she listens while her aunt, Alicia Zomora-Guevara, front, describes the cartel attack on her town that forced their families into exile. Zomora-Guevara’s son, Kevin Jait Alarcon-Zamora, stands to the right, and Espinoza-Alarcon’s son and teenage daughter sit on the Mexico City hotel room bed in front of her. Sean Campbell, CC BY-ND
A 2023 survey found that 88% of the 180,000 Mexican migrants to the U.S. that year were fleeing violence – a flip from 2017 when most were coming for economic opportunity.
The ATF’s enforcement
ATF inspections keep illicit guns in check, our analysis shows.
The agency’s primary enforcement tools are inspections, violations reports, warning letters and meetings, and, when inspectors find violations that are reckless or willfully endanger the public, revocation notices.
But the bureau’s 2025 congressional budget request points out that it would need 1,509 field investigators to reach its goal of inspecting each dealer at least once every three years.
This is a condensed version. To learn more about the connections between U.S. gun sales, U.S. regulations, Mexican drug cartels and migration, read the full investigation
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.
Pennsylvania residents may get sticker shock when they see their electric bills this summer. Aging infrastructure, extreme weather, transmission bottlenecks and increased demand are sending electricity rates soaring.
Widespread rate hikes across the commonwealth started in December 2024 and are continuing in 2025. Rising prices are related to how the wholesale electricity market in Pennsylvania operates, among other factors. Utilities are paying much more than in previous years to ensure they can meet their customers’ future demand, and these costs are being passed on to consumers.
For example, Philadelphia residents were among those hit with a 10% rate increase that went into effect in January 2025 for all residential customers of PECO, Pennsylvania’s largest electric and gas utility. Some of PECO’s residential customers will see an additional 12.5% rate increase kick in on June 1, 2025.
A notice from PECO sent May 21, 2025.
As Penn State University professors who research energy law and electricity markets, we want to suggest five ways Pennsylvania consumers can lower their electric bills amid price hikes.
1. Use less
Much like when gasoline prices rise, the best response for individual consumers when electric rates go up is often to use less electricity.
Weatherization has an added benefit: improved health. In addition to maintaining a more comfortable indoor temperature, weatherizing paired with ventilation improvements can improve indoor air quality and control indoor moisture and mold.
Making a home more energy efficient can be tricky for low-income people, who might not be able to afford the costs, and renters, who don’t own the premises. However, Pennsylvania offers several programs to help residents make energy efficiency improvements, and organizations such as the Philadelphia Energy Authority try to reach low-income households.
Through the state’s low income usage reduction program, eligible tenants can receive help installing energy-saving features with written permission from their landlord. The multifamily weatherization assistance program has also provided grants for weatherization measures such as insulation and “air sealing to reduce infiltration” in buildings with five or more units that meet income criteria for residents.
Pennsylvania has what is called “retail electricity choice,” which means residents can pick who generates their electricity. For example, consumers can shop around for different rates charged per kilowatt-hour of electricity they consume or for electricity produced from wind and solar power.
But electricity customers cannot choose who carries that electricity to their residences. That is done by a regulated electric distribution company, or utility, with a monopoly on service.
Consumers can sometimes reduce their bills by choosing a cheaper offer for generation. But retail choice can be risky if consumers do not carefully read the conditions of the contract.
For example, some plans charge a higher rate than the default rate from the distribution company. Others charge different rates depending on whether the electricity is consumed during peak or off-peak hours. And still others lock customers into long contracts at a fixed price. This becomes undesirable if the default electricity rate drops lower than the contracted rate.
3. Try solar
For those who own their home, installing rooftop solar panels is another way to avoid higher electric bills.
The cost of solar panels has fallen steadily for many years, and rising electric rates make the economics of solar better.
Pennsylvania also has fairly advantageous rules for “net metering, which allows solar homeowners to get credits from the utility for excess solar power fed back into the grid.
For example, say a customer uses 1,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity in a month and their rooftop solar panels generate 1,200 kilowatt-hours. They won’t have to pay for the 1,000 kilowatt-hours they used, and those additional 200 kilowatt-hours will be credited on their next monthly electric bill.
Additionally, a number of federal and state tax incentives are available for rooftop solar energy in Pennsylvania. These incentives offset some of the up-front costs of installing solar panels.
Buying solar panels is a high up-front expense, however, even with tax credits. Programs such as Solarize Greater Philadelphia can help reduce the cost. But keep in mind that not all properties have roofs that are large, strong or sunny enough to benefit from solar.
For homeowners with suitable roofs, third-party solar is another option. This is when a company installs and continues owning the solar panels and charges the customer a fixed rate for the electricity produced by the solar panels. This rate is typically cheaper than the rate offered by the utility. But as with any contract, consumers need to read the fine print carefully and understand the long-term obligation.
4. Go to a public hearing
Local electric utilities are regulated by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. Pennsylvania residents can file formal complaints with the PUC about rate hikes, or they can attend one of PUC’s public input hearings.
Consumers might want to pay particular attention to the commission’s proceedings as it considers new electric rates and regulation for data centers and other large-load customers. These rates will determine which costs are shouldered by the data center operators and which costs wind up on the electric bills of all Pennsylvanians.
Consumers can file comments to advocate for a rate-sharing plan they believe will be fair.
5. Think holistically
As Americans continue to digitize their lives, electricity demand – and therefore prices – will likely continue to rise.
Given that growing electricity demand contributes to higher future rates, consumers may want to think about the energy-intensive online applications they use, such as data storage and all the AI features that tech companies are integrating into their products.
Consumers might also want to consider the types of energy they want produced in their neighborhood. Many people understandably oppose constructing new energy facilities in their communities due to the aesthetic impacts, use of land and in some cases pollution. But this opposition can also slow the construction of new energy generation.
Better processes for community involvement can enable the construction of generation with fewer negative impacts. These processes include, among other things, more detailed developer-community discussions and more comprehensive and thoughtful community benefits agreements. These agreements allow communities to negotiate services and resources that the energy developer will provide them. Such offerings might include vocational training programs, financial or other donations, or commitments to hire local labor.
Hannah Wiseman receives or has recently received funding from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Arnold Ventures, U.S. National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Energy, Center for Rural Pennsylvania, and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. She is a member of the Center for Progressive Reform.
Seth Blumsack receives or has recently received funding from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Heising Simons Foundation, U.S. National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Energy, NASA, U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, Center for Rural Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Benjamin Gonzalez O’Brien, Associate Professor of Political Science, San Diego State University
While sanctuary policies for immigrants have grown in the U.S. since the 1980s, the Trump administration is the first to challenge them. Marcos Silva/iStock/Getty Images Plus
San Francisco, Chicago and New York are among the major cities – as well as more than 200 small towns and counties and a dozen states – that over the past 40 years have adopted what is often known as sanctuary policies.
There is not a single definition of a sanctuary policy. But it often involves local authorities not asking about a resident’s immigration status, or not sharing that personal information with federal immigration authorities.
So when a San Francisco police officer pulls someone over for a traffic violation, the officer will not ask if the person is living in the country legally.
American presidents, from Ronald Reagan to Joe Biden, have chosen to leave sanctuary policies largely unchallenged since different places first adopted them in the 1970s. This changed in 2017, when President Donald Trump first tried to cut federal funding to sanctuary places, claiming that their policies “willfully violate Federal law.” Legal challenges during his first term stopped him from actually withholding the money.
At the start of his second term, Trump signed two executive orders in January and April 2025 which again state that his administration will withhold federal money from areas with sanctuary policies.
“Working on papers to withhold all Federal Funding for any City or State that allows these Death Traps to exist!!!” Trump said, according to an April White House statement. This statement was immediately followed by his April executive order.
These two executive orders task the attorney general and secretary of homeland security with publishing a list of all sanctuary places and notifying local and state officials of “non-compliance, providing an opportunity to correct it.” Those that do not comply with federal law, according to the orders, may lose federal funding.
San Francisco and 14 other sanctuary cities, including New Haven, Connecticut, and Portland, Oregon, sued the Trump administration in February on the grounds that it was illegally trying to coerce cities to comply with its policies. A U.S. district court judge in California issued an injunction on April 24preventing the administration – at least for the time being – from cutting funding from places with sanctuary policies.
However, as researchers who have studied sanctuary policies for over a decade, we know that Trump’s claim that sanctuary policies violate federal immigration law is not correct.
It’s true that the federal government has exclusive jurisdiction over immigration. Yet there is no federal requirement that state or local governments participate or cooperate in federal immigration enforcement, which would require an act of Congress.
In 1979, the Los Angeles Police Department was the first to announce a prohibition on local officials asking about a resident’s immigration status.
However, it was not until the 1980s that the sanctuary movement took off, when hundreds of thousands of Salvadorans, Guatemalans and Nicaraguans fled civil war and violence in their home countries and migrated to the U.S. This prompted a number of cities to declare solidarity with the faith-based sanctuary movement that offered refuge to Salvadoran, Guatemalan and Nicaraguan asylum seekers facing deportation.
In 1985, Berkeley, Calif., and San Francisco pledged that city officials, including police officers, would not report Central Americans to immigration authorities as long as they were law abiding.
“We are not asking anyone to do anything illegal,” Nancy Walker, a supervisor for San Francisco, said in 1985, according to The New York Times. “We have got to extend our hand to these people. If these people go home, they die. They are asking us to let them stay.”
Today, there are hundreds of sanctuary cities, towns, counties and states across the country that all have a variation of policies that limit their cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
Sometimes – but not always – places with sanctuary policies bar local law enforcement agencies from working with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the country’s main immigration enforcement agency.
A large part of ICE’s work is identifying, arresting and deporting immigrants living in the U.S. illegally. In order to carry out this work, ICE issues what is known as “detainer requests” to local law enforcement authorities. A detainer request asks local law enforcement to hold a specific arrested person already being held by police until that person can be transferred to ICE, which can then take steps to deport them.
While places without sanctuary policies tend to comply with these requests, some sanctuary jurisdictions, like the state of California, only do so in the cases of particular violent criminal offenses.
Yet local officials in sanctuary places cannot legally block ICE from arresting local residents who are living in the country illegally, or from carrying out any other parts of its work.
However, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in a 2018 case involving San Francisco and Santa Clara County, California, that the president could not refuse to “disperse the federal grants in question without congressional authorization.”
These cases were in the process of being appealed to the Supreme Court when the Department of Justice, under Biden, asked that they be dismissed.
Other Supreme Court rulings also suggest that the Trump administration’s claim that it can withhold federal funding from sanctuary places rests on shaky legal ground.
The Supreme Court ruled in 1992 and again in 1997 that the federal government could not coerce state or local governments to use their resources to enforce a federal regulatory program, or compel them to enact or administer a federal regulatory program.
Under pressure
The first Trump administration was not generally successful, with the exception of the split over the Edward Byrne Memorial Assistance Grant Program, at stripping funding from sanctuary places. But cutting federal funding – even if it happens temporarily – can be economically damaging to cities and counties while they challenge the decision in court.
Local officials also face other kinds of political pressure to comply with the Trump administration’s demands.
A legal group founded by Stephen Miller, deputy chief of staff in the Trump administration, for example, sent letters to dozens of local officials in January threatening criminal prosecution for their sanctuary policies.
Michelle Wu, the mayor of Boston, a sanctuary city, testifies during a House committee hearing on sanctuary city mayors on March 5, 2025, in Washington. Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images
The real effects of sanctuary policies
One part of Trump’s argument against sanctuary policies is that places with these policies have more crime than those that do not.
But there is no established relationship between sanctuary status and crime rates.
There is, however, evidence that when local law enforcement and ICE work together, it reduces the likelihood of immigrant and Latino communities to report crimes, likely for fear of being arrested by federal immigration authorities.
Sanctuary policies are certainly worthy of debate, but this requires an accurate representation of what they are, what they do, and the effects they have.
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.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Nicholas J. Cull, Professor of Communication, USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism
The bluegrass group Della Mae plays at an orphanage in Kyrgyzstan on its State Department-sponsored American Music Abroad tour in 2012.Photo: Paul Rockower
Previous U.S. administrations have realized this, including during President Donald Trump’s first term, when his team, led by Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs Marie Royce, raised the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs budget to an all-time high.
Modern Jazz Quartet traveled to Germany in 1960 as jazz ambassadors on a State Department-sponsored tour.
Giving politics a human dimension
Government-funded cultural diplomacy is an old practice. In 1889, President Benjamin Harrison’s government hosted a delegation of leaders from Latin America on a 5,000-mile rail tour around the American heartland as a curtain raiser for the first Pan-American conference. The visitors met a variety of American icons, from wordsmith Mark Twain to gunsmiths Horace Smith and Daniel B. Wesson.
President Teddy Roosevelt initiated the first longer-term cultural exchange program by spending money raised from an indemnity imposed on the Chinese government for its mishandling of the Boxer Rebellion, during which Western diplomats had been held hostage. The program, for the education of Chinese people, included study in the U.S. In contrast, European powers did nothing special with their share of the money.
This work went into high gear during the 1950s. The U.S. sought to stitch postwar Germany back into the community of nations, so that nation became a particular focus. Programs linked emerging global leaders to Americans with similar interests: doctor to doctor; pastor to pastor; politician to politician.
Visits gave a human dimension to political alignment, and returnees had the ability to speak to their countrymen and women with the authority of personal experience.
From jazz to promoting peace
The globally focused International Visitor Leadership Program built early-career relationships between U.S. citizens and young foreign leaders who later played a central role in aligning their nations with American policy.
British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s note from 10 Downing Street about her 1967 exchange visit to the US – ‘Forevermore I shall be a true friend to the United States.’ U.S. Department of State
Current programs include bringing emerging highfliers in tech, music and sports to the U.S. to connect to and be mentored by Americans in the same field and then go home to be part of a living network of enhanced understanding. Such programs are in danger of being cut under Trump.
Five U.S. hip-hop artists traveled to Harare, Zimbabwe, in 2024 to perform for audiences and collaborate with local artists as part of the State Department’s Next Level program. U.S. Department of State
Personal experience conquers stereotypes
How exactly does this work advance U.S. security?
I see these exchanges as the national equivalent to the advice given to a diplomat in kidnap training: Try to establish a rapport with your hostage-taker so that they will see the person and be inclined to mercy.
The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs is the part of the Department of State that cultivates empathy and implicitly counters the claims of America’s detractors with personal experience. Quite simply, it is harder to hate people you really know. More than this, exchanged people frequently become the core of each embassy’s local network.
Of course, an exchange program is just one part of a nation’s reputational security.
Reputation flows from reality, and reality is demonstrated over time. Historically, America’s reputation has rested on the health of the country’s core institutions, including its legal system and higher education as well as its standard of living.
U.S. reputational security has also required reform.
In the 1950s, when President Dwight Eisenhower faced an onslaught of Soviet propaganda emphasizing racism and racial disparities within the U.S., he understood that an effective response required that the U.S. not only showcase Black achievement but also be less racist. Civil rights became a Cold War priority.
As lawmakers in Washington debate federal spending priorities, building relationships through cultural tools may not survive budget cuts. Historically, both sides of the political aisle have failed to appreciate the significance of investing in cultural relations.
In 2013, when still a general heading Central Command, Jim Mattis, later Trump’s secretary of defense, was blunt about what such lack of regard would mean. In 2013 he told Congress: ‘If you don’t fund the State Department fully, then I need to buy more ammunition, ultimately.“
Nicholas J. Cull 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.
Cerebrospinal fluid, or CSF, is a clear, colorless liquid that plays a crucial role in maintaining the health and function of your central nervous system. It cushions the brain and spinal cord, provides nutrients and removes waste products.
Despite its importance, problems related to CSF often go unnoticed until something goes wrong.
Recently, cerebrospinal fluid disorders drew public attention with the announcement that musician Billy Joel had been diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus. In this condition, excess CSF accumulates in the brain’s cavities, enlarging them and putting pressure on surrounding brain tissue even though diagnostic readings appear normal. Because normal pressure hydrocephalus typically develops gradually and can mimic symptoms of other neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease, it is often misdiagnosed.
I am a neurologist and headache specialist. In my work treating patients with CSF pressure disorders, I have seen these conditions present in many different ways. Here’s what happens when your cerebrospinal fluid stops working.
What is cerebrospinal fluid?
CSF is made of water, proteins, sugars, ions and neurotransmitters. It is primarily produced by a network of cells called the choroid plexus, which is located in the brain’s ventricles, or cavities.
Cerebrospinal fluid circulates throughout the brain and spinal cord. OpenStax, CC BY-SA
CSF has several critical functions. It protects the brain and spinal cord from injury by absorbing shocks. Suspending the brain in this fluid reduces its effective weight and prevents it from being crushed under its own mass. Additionally, CSF helps maintain a stable chemical environment in the central nervous system, facilitating the removal of metabolic waste and the distribution of nutrients and hormones.
If the production, circulation or absorption of cerebrospinal fluid is disrupted, it can lead to significant health issues. Two notable conditions are CSF leaks and idiopathic intracranial hypertension.
Cerebrospinal fluid leak
A CSF leak occurs when the fluid escapes through a tear or hole in the dura mater – the tough, outermost layer of the meninges that surrounds the brain and spinal cord.
The dura can be damaged from head injuries or punctured during surgical procedures involving the sinuses, brain or spine, such as lumbar puncture, epidurals, spinal anesthesia or myelogram. Spontaneous CSF leaks can also occur without any identifiable cause.
CSF leaks were originally thought to be relatively rare, with an estimated annual incidence of 5 per 100,000 people. However, with increased awareness and advances in imaging, health care providers are discovering more and more leaks. They tend to occur more frequently in middle-aged adults and are more common in women than men.
An upright headache could be a sign of a CSF leak.
Unfortunately, it’s common for health care providers to misdiagnose a CSF leak as another condition, like migraine, sinus infections or allergies. What can make diagnosing a CSF leak challenging is its broad symptoms. Most people with a CSF leak have a positional headache that improves when lying down and worsens when standing. Pain is usually felt in the back of the head and may involve the neck and between the shoulder blades. In addition to headaches, patients may experience ringing in the ears, vision disturbances, memory problems, brain fog, dizziness and nausea.
Conservative treatment for a CSF leak involves rest, lying flat and increasing your fluid intake to give your spine time to heal the puncture. Increasing your caffeine consumption to an equivalent of three to four cups of coffee per day can also help by increasing CSF production through stimulating the choroid plexus. Caffeine also relieves pain by interacting with adenosine receptors, which are key players in the body’s pain perception mechanisms.
If a conservative approach is not successful, an epidural blood patch may be necessary. In this procedure, blood is drawn from your arm and injected into your spine. The injected blood can help form a covering over the hole and promote the healing process. Headache improvement can be fast, but if the patch does not work or the results are short-lived, additional testing may be needed to better locate the site of the leak. In rare cases, surgery may be recommended. Most patients with a CSF leak respond to some form of these treatments.
Idiopathic intracranial hypertension
Idiopathic intracranial hypertension is a disorder involving an excess of CSF that elevates pressure inside the skull and compresses the brain. The term “idiopathic” indicates that the cause of the raised pressure is unknown.
Most patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension have a history of obesity or recent weight gain. Other risk factors include taking certain medications such as tetracycline, excessive vitamin A, tretinoin, steroids and growth hormone. Middle-aged obese women are 20 times more likely to be diagnosed with idiopathic intracranial hypertension than other patient groups. As obesity becomes more prevalent, so too does the incidence of this condition.
Idiopathic intracranial hypertension results from increased intracranial pressure.
Patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension typically experience headaches and vision changes, tinnitus or eye pain. Papilledema, or swelling of the optic disc, is the hallmark finding on a fundoscopic examination of the back of the eye. Clinicians may also observe paralysis of the patient’s eye muscles.
Normal pressure hydrocephalus, Joel’s diagnosis, is a form of this condition that commonly results in difficulty walking, loss of bladder control and cognitive impairment, sometimes referred to as the “wet, wobbly and wacky” triad. Joel’s diagnosis has brought awareness to this underrecognized but potentially treatable disorder, which is often managed through surgically placing a shunt to divert excess fluid and relieve symptoms.
Brain imaging of patients suspected of having idiopathic intracranial hypertension is crucial to excluding other causes of elevated CSF pressure, such as brain tumors or blood clots in the brain. A lumbar puncture or spinal tap to measure the pressure and composition of CSF is also central to diagnosis.
Since high intracranial pressure can damage the optic nerve and lead to permanent vision loss, the primary goal of treatment is to decrease pressure and preserve the optic nerve. Treatment options include weight loss, dietary changes and medications to reduce CSF production. Surgical procedures can also reduce intracranial pressure.
Future directions and unknowns
Cerebrospinal fluid is indispensable for brain health. Despite advances in understanding diseases related to CSF, several aspects remain unclear.
The exact mechanisms that lead to conditions like CSF leaks and idiopathic intracranial hypertension are not fully understood, though there are many theories. Further research is vital to enhance diagnostic accuracy and effective treatments for CSF disorders.
Danielle Wilhour does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: United States of America – Department of State (video statements)
Secretary of State Marco A. Rubio meets with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul at the Department of State, on May 23, 2025.
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Under the leadership of the President and Secretary of State, the U.S. Department of State leads America’s foreign policy through diplomacy, advocacy, and assistance by advancing the interests of the American people, their safety and economic prosperity. On behalf of the American people we promote and demonstrate democratic values and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world.
The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President’s chief foreign affairs adviser. The Secretary carries out the President’s foreign policies through the State Department, which includes the Foreign Service, Civil Service and U.S. Agency for International Development.
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Headline: Logic Pro amplifies beat making on Mac and iPad with advanced new capabilities
May 28, 2025
UPDATE
Logic Pro amplifies beat making on Mac and iPad with advanced new capabilities
An enhanced Stem Splitter and new features like Flashback Capture elevate hip-hop and electronic music production to a new level
Apple today introduced new Logic Pro updates for Mac and iPad, supercharging beat making and producing. The innovative Stem Splitter feature now offers even greater audio fidelity, and can separate guitar and piano into stems. With Flashback Capture, users can retrieve and restore inspiring performances they may have forgotten to record. And with energetic new sound packs like Dancefloor Rush, beat makers have fresh loops and kits to fuel their next track.
Stem Splitter Delivers Enhanced Audio Fidelity and New Stems
The updated Stem Splitter extracts greater detail from old recordings and demos, and now offers added support for guitar and piano stems.1 Producers can easily select common stem variations, such as acapella, instrumental, or instrumental with vocals using presets. Additionally, a new submix feature makes it easy for users to export just the parts of audio they want — for example, removing vocals to create an instrumental track, or pulling out the drums and bass for a custom remix.
Recall Every Moment with Flashback Capture
Flashback Capture allows artists to recover unforgettable performances, even if they forgot to hit record.2 Users can quickly restore MIDI and audio performances using a key command or a custom control bar button. By enabling Cycle mode, musicians can improvise multiple takes, and Flashback Capture will automatically organize each pass into a take folder.
New Sound Packs to Amplify Music Production
Logic Pro adds new sound packs to amplify music production. Dancefloor Rush — the latest sound pack for Mac and iPad — features a world of expertly crafted drum-and-bass sounds with over 400 dynamic loops, punchy drum kits, and a custom Live Loops grid. Today’s update also introduces two new sound packs to Logic Pro for Mac: Magnetic Imperfections and Tosin Abasi. Magnetic Imperfections brings an original texture that captures the raw, unpolished essence of analog tape, while the Tosin Abasi sound pack showcases progressive metal guitar with boutique amps, unique effects, distinctive picking techniques, and the artist’s signature riffs.
Learn MIDI Comes to iPad for Seamless Logic Pro Integration
Learn MIDI is now available on iPad, allowing users to get hands-on control by easily assigning their favorite knobs, faders, and buttons on MIDI devices to control plug-ins, instruments, and other automatable parameters within Logic Pro.3 With Learn MIDI’s intuitive interface and real-time visual feedback, users can quickly create custom assignments, view available controls, and stay in their creative flow.
Additional features to enhance creativity on Mac:
Notepad now features integrated support for Writing Tools, powered by Apple Intelligence, giving users more flexibility and control when they’d like to make their writing more expressive, get help with a rewrite, or even collaborate on song lyrics and more right inline.4
Users can manage large projects with the new search and select feature, which makes it easy to find and choose tracks by their name or track number.
Pricing and Availability
Logic Pro for Mac 11.2 is available May 28 as a free update for existing users and for $199.99 (U.S.) for new users on the Mac App Store. It is also available as part of the Pro Apps Bundle for Education, which includes Final Cut Pro, MainStage, Motion, and Compressor for $199.99 (U.S.). Logic Pro for Mac requires macOS Sequoia 15.4 or later. For more information, visit apple.com/logic-pro.
Logic Pro for iPad 2.2 is available May 28 as a free update for existing users, and available on the App Store for $4.99 (U.S.) per month or $49 (U.S.) per year, with a one-month free trial for new users. Logic Pro for iPad requires iPadOS 18.4 or later. For more information, visit apple.com/logic-pro-for-ipad.
Stem Splitter requires iPad or Mac with M1 chip or later.
Audio support for Flashback Capture requires Logic Pro to be in active play mode.
Connecting third‑party external microphones, musical instruments, or MIDI controllers with Logic Pro for iPad requires devices compatible with iOS and iPadOS.
Apple Intelligence is available in beta on iPad mini (A17 Pro), and all iPad and Mac models with M1 and later, with Siri and device language set to Chinese (Simplified), English (Australia, Canada, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, UK, or U.S.), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), or Spanish, as part of an iPadOS 18 and macOS Sequoia software update, with more languages coming over the course of the year, including Vietnamese. Some features may not be available in all regions or languages. For more details, visit apple.com/apple-intelligence.
The California Independent System Operator (CAISO), the grid operator for most of the state, is increasingly curtailing solar- and wind-powered electricity generation as it balances supply and demand amidst rapid renewables capacity growth.
Grid operators must balance supply and demand to maintain a stable electric system. The output of wind and solar generators is reduced either through price signals or, rarely, through an order to reduce output during periods of:
Congestion, when power lines don’t have enough capacity to deliver available energy
Oversupply, when generation exceeds customer electricity demand
In 2024, CAISO curtailed 3.4 million megawatthours (MWh) of utility-scale wind and solar output, a 29% increase from the amount of electricity curtailed in 2023.
Solar accounted for 93% of all the energy curtailed in CAISO in 2024. CAISO curtailed the most solar in the spring, when solar output was relatively high and electricity demand was relatively low, because moderate spring temperatures meant less demand for space heating or air conditioning.
In 2014, a combined 9.7 gigawatts (GW) of wind and solar photovoltaic capacity had been built in California. By the end of 2024, that number had grown to 28.2 GW.
CAISO also curtails solar generation to leave room for natural gas generation. A certain amount of natural gas generation must stay online throughout the day to comply with North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) reliability standards and to have generation online in time to ramp up in the evening hours.
Solar energy supplies almost half of CAISO’s electricity demand between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., but demand increases in the later evening hours when people come home from work and turn up air conditioners or electric heaters and turn on lights, ovens, computers, and televisions. This need is especially apparent on hot summer evenings after the sun has set and no longer produces solar power overnight.
CAISO is trying to reduce curtailments in several ways:
Trading with neighboring balancing authorities to try to sell excess solar and wind power
Incorporating battery storage into ancillary services, energy, and capacity markets
Including curtailment reduction in transmission planning
In addition, starting this year, companies are planning to use excess renewable energy to make hydrogen, some of which will be stored and mixed with natural gas for summer generation at the Intermountain Power Project’s new facility scheduled to come online in July.
The Western Energy Imbalance Market (WEIM) is a real-time market that allows participants outside of CAISO to buy and sell energy to balance demand and supply. In 2024, more than 274,000 MWh of curtailments were avoided by trading within the WEIM, equivalent to about 8% of the electricity curtailed that year. The Extended Day-Ahead Market (EDAM) is expected to be operational by May 2026 and will allow CAISO another outlet to sell solar energy.
To further reduce renewable curtailments and increase the stability of the grid, CAISO is promoting the addition of flexible resources that can quickly respond to sudden increases and decreases in demand. Battery storage, recently the key flexible resource to come online, allows some renewable energy to be stored and used 4-8 hours later in the day. Batteries can charge using excess solar power at midday and then discharge that energy when the sun is going down, providing electricity during hours when it is most needed. Battery capacity in CAISO increased by 45% in 2024, from 8.0 GW in 2023 to 11.6 GW in 2024 according to our survey of recent and planned capacity changes. However, in the spring, more solar energy than can be used within a day is often produced. Without more transmission capacity or a long-term storage solution, high curtailments during this time of year can still occur.
overnor Kathy Hochul today directed that flags on all State government buildings be flown at half-staff in honor of New York State Police retired First Sergeant Michael E. Snell, who passed away on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, at the age of 56. First Sergeant Snell’s passing is attributed to an illness stemming from his assignment in and around the World Trade Center site following the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.
“First Sergeant Snell honorably served the people of New York State for 23 years, making the ultimate sacrifice for his fellow New Yorkers when it mattered the most,” Governor Hochul said. “On behalf of New York State, I extend my deepest gratitude for First Sergeant Snell’s contribution to the protection of our state, and send my heartfelt condolences to his family.”
First Sergeant Snell retired from the New York State Police on May 24, 2023, after more than two decades of service. He is survived by his wife, Tammy Snell, and their four children: Wyatt, Ashton, Harrison and Lawson.
EDISON, N.J., May 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Eos Energy Enterprises, Inc. (NASDAQ: EOSE) (“Eos” or the “Company”), America’s leading innovator in designing, manufacturing, and providing zinc-based long duration energy storage systems sourced and manufactured in the United States, today announced it has secured an order with Faraday Microgrids to deploy a 3 MW / 15 MWh Eos Z3™ system for a commercial microgrid application on tribal land in California.
Funded partially by the California Energy Commission (CEC), the project will support the development of a renewable energy microgrid featuring a highly flexible long duration energy storage system, designed to bolster resilience for the tribe’s facilities, provide critical backup power, and deliver demand savings and utility ancillary services.
“This strategic project further demonstrates the performance and reliability of our Z3 systems in real world applications,” said Nathan Kroeker, Eos Chief Commercial Officer and Interim Chief Financial Officer. “As a repeat order through our established partners at Faraday and the CEC, this deployment serves as a testament to the strength of our commercial relationships and reinforces our mission to deliver resilient, reliable and domestically manufactured energy solutions.”
The project highlights Eos’ continued momentum in California’s growing energy market and its role in supporting American energy independence. Along with its Z3 systems, Eos will also provide integration services to ensure seamless deployment and operation.
“It is our great pleasure to once again partner with Eos to deploy their cutting-edge zinc-bromide energy storage technology in one of the largest renewable energy microgrids in the Western United States,” said Faraday Chief Executive Officer, David Bliss. “This will support a Native American community and contribute to bulk grid-edge power stability and availability – demonstrating the ability of distributed energy resources to support the safety and growth of vibrant communities in California and across North America.”
This is Eos’ eighth project in partnership with the CEC, and second with Faraday Microgrids, highlighting the Company’s growing presence in this critical market and the state’s commitment to advancing Made-in-USA energy storage applications.
About Eos Energy Enterprises
Eos Energy Enterprises, Inc. is accelerating the shift to American energy independence with positively ingenious solutions that transform how the world stores power. Our breakthrough Znyth™ aqueous zinc battery was designed to overcome the limitations of conventional lithium-ion technology. It is safe, scalable, efficient, sustainable, manufactured in the U.S., and the core of our innovative systems that today provides utility, industrial, and commercial customers with a proven, reliable energy storage alternative for 3 to 12-hour applications. Eos was founded in 2008 and is headquartered in Edison, New Jersey. For more information about Eos (NASDAQ: EOSE), visit eose.com.
About Faraday Microgrids
Faraday Microgrids is the trusted guide for hospitals, industrial facilities, and institutions seeking energy independence. We design, build, and operate turnkey microgrid systems that cut energy costs, boost reliability, and support sustainability—without the complexity. From financing to installation and long-term support, Faraday delivers custom energy systems that keep critical operations running, no matter what.
Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters set forth in this press release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding our expected revenue, for the fiscal years December 31, 2025, our path to profitability and strategic outlook, statements regarding orders backlog and opportunity pipeline, statements regarding our expectation that we can continue to increase product volume on our state-of-the-art manufacturing line, statements regarding our future expansion and its impact on our ability to scale up operations, statements regarding our expectation that we can continue to strengthen our overall supply chain, statements regarding our expectation that our new comprehensive insurance program will provide increased operational and economic certainty, statements that refer to the delayed draw term loan with Cerberus, milestones thereunder and the anticipated use of proceeds, statements that refer to outlook, projections, forecasts or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intends,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “would” and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements are based on our management’s beliefs, as well as assumptions made by, and the information currently available to, them. Because such statements are based on expectations as to future financial and operating results and are not statements of fact, actual results may differ materially from those projected.
Factors which may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to: changes adversely affecting the business in which we are engaged; our ability to forecast trends accurately; our ability to generate cash, service indebtedness and incur additional indebtedness; our ability to achieve the operational milestones on the delayed draw term loan; our ability to raise financing in the future; risks associated with the credit agreement with Cerberus, including risks of default, dilution of outstanding Common Stock, consequences for failure to meet milestones and contractual lockup of shares; our customers’ ability to secure project financing; the amount of final tax credits available to our customers or to Eos pursuant to the Inflation Reduction Act; the timing and availability of future funding under the Department of Energy Loan Facility; our ability to continue to develop efficient manufacturing processes to scale and to forecast related costs and efficiencies accurately; fluctuations in our revenue and operating results; competition from existing or new competitors; our ability to convert firm order backlog and pipeline to revenue; risks associated with security breaches in our information technology systems; risks related to legal proceedings or claims; risks associated with evolving energy policies in the United States and other countries and the potential costs of regulatory compliance; risks associated with changes to the U.S. trade environment; our ability to maintain the listing of our shares of common stock on NASDAQ; our ability to grow our business and manage growth profitably, maintain relationships with customers and suppliers and retain our management and key employees; risks related to the adverse changes in general economic conditions, including inflationary pressures and increased interest rates; risk from supply chain disruptions and other impacts of geopolitical conflict; changes in applicable laws or regulations; the possibility that Eos may be adversely affected by other economic, business, and/or competitive factors; other factors beyond our control; risks related to adverse changes in general economic conditions; and other risks and uncertainties.
The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are also subject to additional risks, uncertainties, and factors, including those more fully described in the Company’s most recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K. Further information on potential risks that could affect actual results will be included in the subsequent periodic and current reports and other filings that the Company makes with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. Moreover, the Company operates in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment, and new risks and uncertainties may emerge that could have an impact on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release.
Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and, except as required by law, the Company assumes no obligation and does not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
The common element in each of these policies is a promise from Trump’s inaugural speech that his administration would recognize only two genders: male and female.
These executive orders make life difficult for transgender people, many of whom do identify as women or men, just not the sex they were assigned at birth. Apart from that, however, the emphasis on two and only two genders denies the existence of another group that is often misunderstood: nonbinary people.
Trans vs. nonbinary
I am a sociologist who studies gender. Over the past few years, co-researchers and I have interviewed 123 nonbinary people in three regions in America: the South, the Midwest and the West Coast. These interviewees spoke about how nonbinary people’s increased visibility in society in recent years helped them feel more welcome and liberated from gender stereotypes.
All of the respondents are nonbinary. They do not want to be seen as the opposite sex from what they were assigned at birth; they do not feel they were “born in the wrong body.”
Rather, they want to avoid being forced into the either/or labels that the categories “masculine” and “feminine” or “man” and “woman” entail. They opt out of those binary identifications altogether.
Decades of research, some of it our own, have shown that sex and gender are different from one another. Sex refers to primary and secondary sex characteristics, while gender is about the cultural meanings built upon sex categories.
Gender is a social system that justifies rules and expectations that differentiate between the rights and social roles of men and women. These systems vary across time and place. Today, there are societies such as those in Iceland, Barbados and Bosnia-Herzegovina where women lead the government, while in other societies women must be covered or secluded at home.
Sense of self
Most of the people we talked to were under age 30. Typically, they rejected the societal pressure to adopt the personality characteristics that are stereotypically associated with their biological sex, such as submissiveness for women and toughness for men.
Many of them also reject the ways people are expected to dress and use their bodies to show whether they are men or women. Some people who had been raised as boys wore nail polish and earrings, for example, while sporting a beard. Others wore long earrings and makeup – though those kinds of choices do not necessarily mean someone is trans or nonbinary. Many of the respondents who had been raised as girls, meanwhile, chose to wear masculine clothing. They wanted to mix and match traditional symbols of gender.
Many of the respondents had felt that binary gender identities never quite fit, and they described feeling overjoyed or relieved when they learned about the word “nonbinary”: an identity that offered a more accurate reflection of their sense of self.
“I was just kind of a flesh blob to myself, until I kind of found out that there was a term … nonbinary. And I heard the term and I was like, “Oh, that actually sounds correct for me. That actually feels right …”
Another person we interviewed remembered:
“Before I knew what to call myself … it was like a sense of emptiness. … I finally found that piece to put in that empty spot. And it feels more full now. Like, I feel complete now.”
He, she, they
The implications of that discovery were quite diverse, however. Although all the interviewees identified as nonbinary, what that meant for how they wanted to interact with their friends and families differed dramatically.
For about half of our respondents, using the pronouns “they/them” rather than he/him or she/her was very important, because using that pronoun made them feel respected. Indeed, when asked how they felt being referred to as they/them, one person told us:
“It felt like magic. It felt like everything just went into place and everything fit. And I was just like, ‘Oh, my God, this is … this is it.‘”
Other people we interviewed didn’t really care how others refer to them: he, she or they. Some of these people described having a flexible sense of their own gender. Some days they feel more feminine and use “she”; other days they feel more masculine, and “he” might work better.
“I don’t have to choose one,” one person told us about their pronouns. “I just need all of them in the arsenal.”
Still others said they don’t care about a “proper” pronoun because they do not think gender should matter at all. They don’t want to be a third category, a “they.” Instead, they hope for a world where their body parts do not determine how they’re perceived or treated, and so gender is not central to their identity. They would like to do without gender entirely.
Significance – for everyone
The people we interviewed want the right to live in peace without being forced into a gender category. The recent executive orders deny this freedom by declaring that gender “does not provide a meaningful basis for identification” – contradicting a decades-long consensusin the social sciences on the distinction between sex and gender.
Understanding that sex and gender are related but different matters not only for people who identify as nonbinary or transgender, but for everyone. Without that understanding, it is far too easy to presume socially constructed gender differences are essentially biological and to stigmatize people who do not follow strict gender norms. If you believe the myth that biology alone is the sole reason women and men differ, it would be easy to presume, for example, that women are naturally less ambitious or that men cannot be as nurturing.
If I have learned anything from our team’s research on nonbinary young people, it is that human beings are creative and try to carve out a place for themselves in the world. The evidence suggests that gender nonconformity and diversity is wide and deep in America. What is at stake, however, is how much freedom or oppression individuals will face as they express themselves.
Barbara J. Risman has received funding from the National Science Foundation for the research discussed in this article.
Infectious diseases such as gonorrhea or chlamydia are often overlooked factors that affect fertility in men. Accumulating evidence suggests that a common single-celled parasite called Toxoplasma gondii may also be a contributor: An April 2025 study showed for the first time that “human sperm lose their heads upon direct contact” with the parasite.
I am a microbiologist, and my lab studies Toxoplasma. This new study bolsters emerging findings that underscore the importance of preventing this parasitic infection.
In addition to eggs, tissue cysts present in the meat of warm-blooded animals can spread toxoplasmosis as well if they are not destroyed by cooking to proper temperature.
While most hosts of the parasite can control the initial infection with few if any symptoms, Toxoplasma remains in the body for life as dormant cysts in brain, heart and muscle tissue. These cysts can reactivate and cause additional episodes of severe illness that damage critical organ systems.
While immunocompromised patients are most at risk for testicular toxoplasmosis, it can also occur in otherwise healthy individuals. Imaging studies of infected mice confirm that Toxoplasma parasites quickly travel to the testes in addition to the brain and eyes within days of infection.
Knowing that Toxoplasma can reside in male reproductive organs has prompted analyses of fertility in infected men. A small 2021 study in Prague of 163 men infected with Toxoplasma found that over 86% had semen anomalies.
Not all studies, however, produce a link between toxoplasmosis and sperm quality.
Toxoplasma can directly damage human sperm
Toxoplasmosis in animals mirrors infection in humans, which allows researchers to address questions that are not easy to examine in people.
Testicular function and sperm production are sharply diminished in Toxoplasma-infected mice, rats and rams. Infected mice have significantly lower sperm counts and a higher proportion of abnormally shaped sperm.
In that April 2025 study, researchers from Germany, Uruguay and Chile observed that Toxoplasma can reach the testes and epididymis, the tube where sperm mature and are stored, two days after infection in mice. This finding prompted the team to test what happens when the parasite comes into direct contact with human sperm in a test tube.
After only five minutes of exposure to the parasite, 22.4% of sperm cells were beheaded. The number of decapitated sperm increased the longer they interacted with the parasites. Sperm cells that maintained their head were often twisted and misshapen. Some sperm cells had holes in their head, suggesting the parasites were trying to invade them as it would any other type of cell in the organs it infiltrates.
The researchers speculate that the harmful effects Toxoplasma may have on sperm could be contributing to large global declines in male fertility over the past decades.
Sperm exposed to Toxoplasma. Arrows point to holes and other damage to the sperm; asterisks indicate where the parasite has burrowed. The two nonconfronted controls at the bottom show normal sperm. Rojas-Barón et al/The FEBS Journal, CC BY-SA
Preventing toxoplasmosis
The evidence that Toxoplasma can infiltrate male reproductive organs in animals is compelling, but whether this produces health issues in people remains unclear. Testicular toxoplasmosis shows that parasites can invade human testes, but symptomatic disease is very rare. Studies to date that show defects in the sperm of infected men are too small to draw firm conclusions at this time.
Additionally, some reports suggest that rates of toxoplasmosis in high-income countries have not been increasing over the past few decades while male infertility was rising, so it’s likely to only be one part of the puzzle.
Regardless of this parasite’s potential effect on fertility, it is wise to avoid Toxoplasma. An infection can cause miscarriage or birth defects if someone acquires it for the first time during pregnancy, and it can be life-threatening for immunocompromised people. Toxoplasma is also the leading cause of death from foodborne illness in the United States.
The probability of any American having dementia in their lifetime may be far greater than previously thought. For instance, a 2025 study that tracked a large sample of American adults across more than three decades found that their average likelihood of developing dementia between ages 55 to 95 was 42%, and that figure was even higher among women, Black adults and those with genetic risk.
Now, a great deal of attention is being paid to how to stave off cognitive decline in the aging American population. But what is often missing from this conversation is the role that chronic stress can play in how well people age from a cognitive standpoint, as well as everybody’s risk for dementia.
We are professors at Penn State in the Center for Healthy Aging, with expertise in health psychology and neuropsychology. We study the pathways by which chronic psychological stress influences the risk of dementia and how it influences the ability to stay healthy as people age.
Recent research shows that Americans who are currently middle-aged or older report experiencing more frequent stressful events than previous generations. A key driver behind this increase appears to be rising economic and job insecurity, especially in the wake of the 2007-2009 Great Recession and ongoing shifts in the labor market. Many people stay in the workforce longer due to financial necessity, as Americans are living longer and face greater challenges covering basic expenses in later life.
Therefore, it may be more important than ever to understand the pathways by which stress influences cognitive aging.
Social isolation and stress
Although everyone experiences some stress in daily life, some people experience stress that is more intense, persistent or prolonged. It is this relatively chronic stress that is most consistently linked with poorer health.
In a recent review paper, our team summarized how chronic stress is a hidden but powerful factor underlying cognitive aging, or the speed at which your cognitive performance slows down with age.
It is hard to overstate the impact of stress on your cognitive health as you age. This is in part because your psychological, behavioral and biological responses to everyday stressful events are closely intertwined, and each can amplify and interact with the other.
Stress is often missing from dementia prevention efforts
A robust body of research highlights the importance of at least 14 different factors that relate to your risk of Alzheimer’s disease, a common and devastating form of dementia and other forms of dementia. Although some of these factors may be outside of your control, such as diabetes or depression, many of these factors involve things that people do, such as physical activity, healthy eating and social engagement.
What is less well-recognized is that chronic stress is intimately interwoven with all of these factors that relate to dementia risk. Our work and research by others that we reviewed in our recent paper demonstrate that chronic stress can affect brain function and physiology, influence mood and make it harder to maintain healthy habits. Yet, dementia prevention efforts rarely address stress.
Avoiding stressful events and difficult life circumstances is typically not an option.
Where and how you live and work plays a major role in how much stress you experience. For example, people with lower incomes, less education or those living in disadvantaged neighborhoods often face more frequent stress and have fewer forms of support – such as nearby clinics, access to healthy food, reliable transportation or safe places to exercise or socialize – to help them manage the challenges of aging
As shown in recent work on brain health in rural and underserved communities, these conditions can shape whether people have the chance to stay healthy as they age.
Over time, the effects of stress tend to build up, wearing down the body’s systems and shaping long-term emotional and social habits.
Lifestyle changes to manage stress and lessen dementia risk
The good news is that there are multiple things that can be done to slow or prevent dementia, and our review suggests that these can be enhanced if the role of stress is better understood.
Whether you are a young, midlife or an older adult, it is not too early or too late to address the implications of stress on brain health and aging. Here are a few ways you can take direct actions to help manage your level of stress:
Prioritize your mental health and well-being to the extent you can. Things as simple as talking about your worries, asking for support from friends and family and going outside regularly can be immensely valuable.
If your doctor says that you or someone you care about should follow a new health care regimen, or suggests there are signs of cognitive impairment, ask them what support or advice they have for managing related stress.
If you or a loved one feel socially isolated, consider how small shifts could make a difference. For instance, research suggests that adding just one extra interaction a day – even if it’s a text message or a brief phone call – can be helpful, and that even interactions with people you don’t know well, such as at a coffee shop or doctor’s office, can have meaningful benefits.
The same behaviors that keep your heart healthy are also beneficial for your brain.
Walkable neighborhoods, lifelong learning
A 2025 study identified stress as one of 17 overlapping factors that affect the odds of developing any brain disease, including stroke, late-life depression and dementia. This work suggests that addressing stress and overlapping issues such as loneliness may have additional health benefits as well.
However, not all individuals or families are able to make big changes on their own. Research suggests that community-level and workplace interventions can reduce the risk of dementia. For example, safe and walkable neighborhoods and opportunities for social connection and lifelong learning – such as through community classes and events – have the potential to reduce stress and promote brain health.
Importantly, researchers have estimated that even a modest delay in disease onset of Alzheimer’s would save hundreds of thousands of dollars for every American affected. Thus, providing incentives to companies who offer stress management resources could ultimately save money as well as help people age more healthfully.
Although research on potential biomedical treatments is ongoing and important, there is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s disease. However, if interventions aimed at reducing stress were prioritized in guidelines for dementia prevention, the benefits could be far-reaching, resulting in both delayed disease onset and improved quality of life for millions of people.
Jennifer E. Graham-Engeland receives funding from the National Institutes of Health.
Martin J. Sliwinski receives funding from The National Institutes of Health
Texas children’s performance on an annual reading test was basically flat from 2012 to 2021, even as the state spent billions of additional dollars on K-12 education.
I recently did a peer-reviewed deep dive into the test design documentation to figure out why the reported results weren’t showing improvement. I found the flat scores were at least in part by design. According to policies buried in the documentation, the agency administering the tests adjusted their difficulty level every year. As a result, roughly the same share of students failed the test over that decade regardless of how objectively better they performed relative to previous years.
From 2008 to 2014, I was a bilingual teacher in Texas. Most of my students’ families hailed from Mexico and Central America and were learning English as a new language. I loved seeing my students’ progress.
Yet, no matter how much they learned, many failed the end-of-year tests in reading, writing and math. My hunch was that these tests were unfair, but I could not explain why. This, among other things, prompted me to pursue a Ph.D. in education to better understand large-scale educational assessment.
Ten years later, in 2024, I completed a detailed exploration of Texas’s exam, currently known as the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, or STAAR. I found an unexpected trend: The share of students who correctly answered each test question was extraordinarily steady across years. Where we would expect to see fluctuation from year to year, performance instead appears artificially flat.
The STAAR’s technical documents reveal that the test is designed much like a norm-referenced test – that is, assessing students relative to their peers, rather than if they meet a fixed standard. In other words, a norm-referenced test cannot tell us if students meet key, fixed criteria or grade-level standards set by the state.
In addition, norm-referenced tests are designed so that a certain share of students always fail, because success is gauged by one’s position on the “bell curve” in relation to other students. Following this logic, STAAR developers use practices like omitting easier questions and adjusting scores to cancel out gains due to better teaching.
Ultimately, the STAAR tests over this time frame – taken by students every year from grade 3 to grade 8 in language arts and math, and less frequently in science and social studies – were not designed to show improvement. Since the test is designed to keep scores flat, it’s impossible to know for sure if a lack of expected learning gains following big increases in per-student spending was because the extra funds failed to improve teaching and learning, or simply because the test hid the improvements.
Why it matters
Ever since the federal education policy known as No Child Left Behind went into effect in 2002 and tied students’ test performance to rewards and sanctions for schools, achievement testing has been a primary driver of public education in the United States.
Texas’ educational accountability system has been in place since 1980, and it is well known in the state that the stakes and difficulty of Texas’ academic readiness tests increase with each new version, which typically come out every five to 10 years. What the Texas public may not know is that the tests have been adjusted each and every year – at the expense of really knowing who should “pass” or “fail.”
Students who are marginalized by racism, poverty or language have historically tended to underperform on standardized tests. STAAR’s design makes this problem worse.
What still isn’t known
I plan to investigate if other states or the federal government use similarly designed tests to evaluate students.
My deep dive into Texas’ test focused on STAAR before its 2022 redevelopment. The latest iteration has changed the test format and question types, but there appears to be little change to the way the test is scored. Without substantive revisions to the scoring calculations “under the hood” of the STAAR test, it is likely Texas will continue to see flat performance.
The Texas Education Agency, which administers the STAAR tests, didn’t respond to a request for comment.
The Research Brief is a short take on interesting academic work.
Jeanne Sinclair receives funding from the Social Science and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) of Canada.
Bears are a growing presence in Connecticut, and while they’re an important part of our ecosystem, safely sharing space with them is essential.
“Black bears are the only bear species found in Connecticut,” says Tracy Rittenhouse, an associate professor in UConn’s Department of Natural Resources and the Environment. “They typically avoid people, but they’re curious animals and are always on the lookout for food, especially during the spring when they are emerging from hibernation and in the fall, as bears eat as much as possible to build fat for hibernation.”
The challenge arises as we coexist in spaces, with more houses being built in wooded areas. The state’s bear population is expanding into new areas and once a female with cubs establishes a home range in a town, the number of bears in that town will continue to increase for several years.
Bears become comfortable around people if they learn that residential areas provide easy meals, examples include birdseed, garbage, pet food, and fallen apples from trees. Easy meals lead to new habits for bears and more frequent human encounters. An example of a new habit in Connecticut is bears entering homes, with 70 reports of bears entering homes in the 2024 State of the Bears report.
Connecticut’s black bear population is estimated at around 1,200 in total. While most live west of the Connecticut River, the population is expanding to the eastern side of the state.
Adults weigh from 250 to 550 pounds, and a female can have between one and five cubs. Bears prefer to live in forestland and areas with thick underbrush, making many of our landscapes ideal habitats. While grasses, fruits, nuts, and berries are usual food sources, bears are omnivores, and will also eat insects, small mammals, livestock, and deer. Their excellent sense of smell easily leads them to food sources.
“Sometimes residents with good intentions accidentally put themselves, their loved ones, and their neighbors at increased risk through their actions, like hanging nectar-filled feeders which are just as attractive to large black bears as they are to delicate hummingbirds,” says Amy Harder, associate dean for extension in the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (CAHNR). “That’s why one of the main roles of UConn Extension is to share expertise from the University to help residents make informed decisions.”
Removing food sources helps prevent bear conflicts. Here are a few simple steps:
Secure your garbage bins. Store them in a garage or shed if possible and put them out only on the morning of pickup.
Take down bird feeders. Bird feeders attract bears and should especially be removed from March to November when natural food is available.
Pick up fallen fruit. Tree fruits and garden crops are another easy meal, especially apples, pumpkins, and other seasonal crops.
Feed pets indoors. Pet food should be provided indoors or remove the outdoor bowls immediately after feeding.
Bear encounters still occur, even with the necessary precautions. It’s important to know how to respond to ensure safety.
“If you encounter a bear, stay calm. Do not run. Bears typically avoid confrontation and will move away if they don’t feel threatened,” Rittenhouse says. “Instead, back away slowly while facing the bear. Make yourself look large by raising your arms or standing on a chair. Use a calm voice and give the bear plenty of space to retreat.”
Hikers and those working outdoors in areas where bears are active should consider carrying bear spray as a precaution, which offers a highly effective, nonlethal deterrent if used correctly. Bear spray must be easily accessible while working or hiking and users should pay attention to the wind direction to avoid spraying themselves.
If you have seen bears in your neighborhood, consider keeping bear spray accessible when grilling in your backyard. Don’t leave a big plate of food on the table next to the grill. Pets and children should be supervised outdoors in neighborhoods where bears are regularly observed.
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) tracks bear sightings and encourages everyone to report bear sightings. This is especially important if the bear is approaching people or damaging property. Wildlife officials monitor bear activity and educate communities about staying safe. So far, there have already been 500 bear sightings in 2025, and last year, sightings were reported in 159 of Connecticut’s 169 municipalities, according to DEEP, with Simsbury reporting the greatest number of sightings at 967.
If you live near bears, consider installing an electric fence around your garden, especially during peak growing season. Bear noses are knee-height, and fences should have three or four strands. Harvest ripe fruits and vegetables and remove rotting produce. Use bear-resistant compost bins and avoid putting food scraps or fruit waste into open piles. Beekeepers also need to protect their hives.
UConn’s bear story map shows bear activity and the geographic locations with the highest bear and human conflict frequency. The story map documents research completed in 2012 and 2013 into the population size and location throughout the state. There is a new study by Rittenhouse and partners that will describe quantitatively how much diet and movements have changed over the last 10 years.
“Bears are not out to harm us. Coexisting with bears means respecting their presence and taking steps to discourage bears from using areas frequented by people. If we remove food attractants, bears are less likely to spend time in backyards,” Rittenhouse says. “By taking simple steps around your home, garden, and yard, we can reduce bear conflicts and live alongside one of Connecticut’s most iconic wild animals.”
This work relates to CAHNR’s Strategic Vision area focused on Fostering Sustainable Landscapes at the Urban-Rural Interface.
TORONTO, May 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Churchill Resources Inc. (“Churchill“) is extremely pleased to announce that due-diligence sampling at the historical Frost Cove Antimony and Stewart Gold mines on the Black Raven property returned assays of >10% antimony and >10g/t gold, respectively. These samples exceeded the detection limit for those elements, and further assay work is underway to determine their precise metal contents. The Frost Cove Antimony Veins and host felsic dyke have been traced over 800m on surface, with numerous historical samples grading >1% Sb (the upper detection limit of the historical assays), and has never been drilled.
“These exceptional results further validate the Company’s strategic pivot to antimony and gold at Black Raven’s past-producing mines, and underscores the entire property’s significant potential. They confirm and expand upon historical records from the property reported in our news release of April 14th, 2025. Further successful exploration at Frost Cove confirming these grade tenors along strike would place it among the highest-grade antimony projects globally. Finally, Churchill is very pleased to announce the execution of the definitive agreement dated May 6th, 2025 to acquire a 100% undivided interest in the Black Raven Antimony Property, from property owners Eddie and Roland Quinlan.” said Paul Sobie, Chief Executive Officer of Churchill.
The Black Raven property encloses the two small-scale past producing mines which operated between 1890 and 1918 exploiting stibnite, gold and arsenopyrite. The mines and numerous related occurrences constitute an extensive high-grade hydrothermal system carrying gold, antimony and silver in veins and stockworks. The historical mines and other occurrences are located within close proximity to each other, in a larger-scale geological environment defined by intense veining and alteration associated with felsic intrusions. For the first time in the project’s history, the entire mineralized system has been consolidated for systematic, state-of-the-art exploration.
Highlights:
Frost Cove Antimony Mine adits are in excellent condition for systematic sampling, CRI grab samples from the two known veins in upper adit assayed >10% Sb
Detailed sampling of both adits, and ~800m of known surface strike extent, with trenching and channel sampling, will commence in June
Numerous other historical high-grade gold-silver veins confirmed including the past-producer Stewart Gold Mine – large hydrothermal system confirmed which is also to be evaluated with trenching/stripping/channel sampling
Additional high-grade Au-Ag-Sb prospects not yet re-sampled
The Black Raven Property is located approximately 60km northwest of Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador, and hosts two past-producing mines dating back to the late 1800’s, the Frost Cove Antimony Mine, and the Stewart Gold-Antimony Mine. The Black Raven Property is located approximately 100km north of the Beaver Brook Antimony Mine, which is currently under care and maintenance. It is reported that the owners are actively exploring for more deposits to feed the mill. (https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/antimony-mine-closure-1.6703205)
Black Raven, like all of Churchill’s projects, is strategically located in Newfoundland and Labrador, which boast access to North American and European markets, proximity to deep water ports, exceptional power infrastructure and transportation networks. Like all of Churchill’s projects, Black Raven also benefits from Newfoundland & Labrador’s large and diversified minerals industry, which includes world class mines and processing facilities, and a well-developed mineral exploration sector with locally based drilling and geological expertise.
Antimony: A Critical Mineral in High Demand
Antimony is a critical mineral essential for national security and modern technology, with over 90% of global production controlled by China, Russia and other non-Western jurisdictions. The metal is a vital component in military applications, while also being crucial for certain flame retardants, strengthening alloys in batteries, and emerging energy storage technologies. Recent Chinese export restrictions have driven prices to record levels exceeding $50,000 per tonne, highlighting antimony’s strategic importance to a “Fortress North America” approach to critical mineral supply chains and making domestic North American sources increasingly important for economic and national security.
Due-Diligence Sampling Program
Antimony, gold and silver assay data from historical surface grab samples are presented in the figure below along with the 2025 Wilton due-diligence sample assays. Due-dilligence samples from several of the other prospects on the property returned high gold, lead, and zinc values per the figure and table below, with silver assays still pending. Importantly, reportedly high-grade occurrences at M.H. (Morton Harbour) Head, M.H.1 and M.H.2 were not able to be sampled during this first tour of the property.
All samples were selected by Dr. Derek Wilton, independent QP to Churchill, during field visits on April 24th and 25th in the company of Mr. Sobie and two senior field technicians, and led by vendor Roland Quinlan. All samples were labelled and securely bound and delivered to the prep laboratory of SGS Canada Inc. in Grand Falls-Windsor, for crushing and pulverizing. Splits were couriered to Burnaby, B.C. by SGS for assay work with analytical methods per the table below. Over-limit samples are currently receiving ore-grade assay work to determine precise metal contents. All due-diligence samples described in this news release were grab samples and are selective by nature and are unlikely to represent average grades of the property.
Frost Cove Antimony Mine – the historical workings are intact and as described by Heyl (1936), with a lower adit just above sea-level on the coast, and the upper adit commencing ~50m to the south, ~15m above the lower adit. It was not possible to examine the lower adit due to ice blockage, but the upper adit was accessible per the photos below and extends ~15m to a face where the antimony veins and host quartz feldspar dyke are exposed. The mine exploited two quartz-antimony veins intruded along the margins of the dyke over a stope width of ~2.5m. A considerable amount of material has been mined out between the surface and the entrances to the two adits. The host dyke and associated quartz-antimony veins have been mapped and sampled over ~800m per the figure with several pits reporting elevated historical sampling results.
Samples DW 307 and 308 are from the massive sulphide portions of the two quartz-antimony veins (HW and FW veins) and both assayed above the detection limit of >10% Sb. The foot wall vein is ~50cm in width, and the hanging wall vein ~15cm in width at the sample site in the upper adit, with impressive massive stibnite zones within the veins, per photos below.
Sample 306 was quartz-carbonate-qfp (quartz-feldspar-porphyry)-antimony vein material from rubble at the mouth of the lower adit, and it assayed 3.32% Sb (with modest Zn).
Follow-up work has commenced as CRI crews have completed clearing away trees from the mined-out stope to provide safe access and better exposure. Plans are in place to collect several channel samples from both adits, as well as systematically sample at surface along the known 800m strike through mechanical trenching/stripping/channel samples. Several affiliated veins to the main one, based on the Heyl’s (1936) mapping will be investigated.
The table below provides assays received to-date for all 24 due-diligence samples.
Stewart Gold Mine – the site has been rehabilitated with the shaft and all pits covered and filled with gravel. Sample 302 quartz-arsenopyrite vein material from a very lean rubble pile (virtually all waste) assayed >10g/t. Follow-up planning for a trenching and drilling program at Stewart is commencing.
Nearby Gold Veins to Stewart Mine – Sample 303 assayed 7.51 g/t Au (plus modest Pb and Zn). In samples 304-305 from veins across the harbour and along trend –both samples returned 7.7g/t Au (plus modest Cu, higher tenor Pb and Zn). Arsenopyrite is the predominant sulphide within these narrow <0.5m veins.
Taylor’s Room Gold Prospect – only rubble piles were located thus far, as overburden and forest cover obscure the veins and pits have been filled in. CRI sampling didn’t confirm previously reported high values, with the best sample DW-310 grading 1.98 g/t Au from weathered arsenopyrite vein material. The CRI crew has completed cutting down the very thick trees and bush cover over these veins for better sampling access. The historical shaft is still present albeit full of water.
Nearby Veins to Taylor’s Room Veins – two different narrow quartz-carbonate-arsenopyrite veins (samples DW-314 and DW-315) graded 5.81 and 5.09 g/t Au respectively with DW-315 returning very high Pb and Zn assays.
Morton’s Harbour Pond/Western Copper – collectively these two prospects exhibit characteristics of a large-scale (~1km diameter) porphyry mineralization target based on wide-spread, intense stockwork veining carrying modest gold, copper, silver and molybdenum contents based on historical work. Low but encouraging values in Au, Mo, Zn were returned for samples DW-319 to 321 and 323 with one quartz vein sample (DW-321) grading 2.16 g/t Au (plus low copper, high Pb and Zn). At Western Copper – low Cu values were returned from three samples collected at past surface channel sampling, DW-316 to 318. CRI has compiled the results from the four Winkie holes drilled by Eddie Quinlan in 2024 which intersected mineralized Cu-Au-Ag stockwork in altered felsic volcanic rocks (0.1-0.3% Cu, 50-350ppb Au plus Ag) from collar to their end of holes at ~60m. CRI also has compiled 2012 Induced Polarization survey work over the larger porphyry target to plan follow-up trenching and drilling for the summer.
Black Raven Antimony-Gold Property The Black Raven Property comprises nine map-staked licenses constituting a single contiguous block of 125 claims that in total cover 3,125ha or 31.25km2. Churchill and the vendors have agreed to a 4km wide area of interest around the property boundaries as part of their agreement.
Churchill intends to immediately commence its sampling program on the surface showings and any accessible historical workings following compilation of all historical data is complete. The entire property will be surveyed with LiDAR and orthophotos as soon as the Government permit has been received. Follow-up prospecting and systematic trenching, with channel sampling work as required, are being planned for initiation in June based on the compiled database. The derived geological and geochemical data will used to outline drill targets along strike and at depth to the historical workings.
The past sampling data reported in this News Release is historic in nature and does not meet NI43-101 standards. Churchill has relied on the information supplied in the Government of Newfoundland field assessment reports and from information found in the Mineral Occurrence Database System operated by the Newfoundland Department of Industry, Energy and, Technology. Natural Resources.
The technical and scientific information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Dr. Derek H.C Wilton, P.Geo., FGC, who is a “qualified person” as defined under National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (“NI 43-101”). Dr. Wilton is an honorary research professor of Economic Geology at Memorial University in St. John’s and is independent of the Company for the purposes of NI 43-101.
References:
Heyl, George R., 1936. Geology and Mineral Deposits of the Bay of Exploits Area. Newfoundland Department of Natural Resources, Geological Section, Bulletin No 3. 65 pages.
Fogwill, W.D., 1968. Report on a copper prospect at Western Head, Moreton’s Harbour in the Notre Dame Bay Area, Newfoundland. Newfoundland and Labrador Geological Survey, Assessment File 2E/10/0350, 1968, 48 pages
Kay, E.A. 1981. A geochemical and fluid inclusion study of the arsenopyrite-stibnite-gold mineralization, Moreton’s Harbour, Notre Dame Bay, Newfoundland. Master Thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, Canada, 1981. Newfoundland and Labrador Geological Survey, Assessment File 002E/10/1075, 1981, 209 pages.
Quinlan E, 2013. First Year Assessment Report for 019872M, Ninth Year Assessment Report for 015553M, and Third Year Assessment Report for 017787M for Exploration within the Black Raven Property, NTS Map Sheet 2E/10. Newfoundland and Labrador Geological Survey Assessment Report, 69 pages
Quinlan, E. 2025. 21st, 8th & 4th Year Assessment Report of Diamond Drilling & Prospecting On Black Raven Property, License 023212M (21st Year), License 02840m (8th Year), License 35674m (4th Year) NTS 02E/10, North-Central Newfoundland. Property centered at approximately 49°57’N, 54°87’ W. 34 pages.
About Churchill Resources
Churchill Resources Inc. is a Canadian exploration company focused on strategic, critical minerals in Canada, principally at its prospective Taylor Brook, Florence Lake, and Black Raven properties in Newfoundland & Labrador. The Churchill management team, board, and advisors have decades of combined experience in mineral exploration and in the establishment of successful publicly listed mining companies, both in Canada and around the world. Churchill’s Newfoundland and Labrador projects have the potential to benefit from the province’s large and diversified minerals industry, which includes world class nickel mines and processing facilities, and a well-developed mineral exploration sector with locally based drilling and geological expertise.
Churchill’s Taylor Brook Nickel-Copper-Cobalt-Vanadium-Titanium Property, and Florence Lake Nickel Property, are both in good standing for a number of years, such that further exploration and development can await improved market conditions sentiment while the Company focuses on high-grade antimony-gold and other critical minerals.
Further Information
For further information regarding Churchill, please contact:
This news release contains certain forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, statements about Churchill’s objectives, goals and exploration activities proposed to be conducted on its properties; future growth potential of Churchill, including whether any proposed exploration programs at any of its properties will be successful; exploration results; and future exploration plans and costs. Wherever possible, words such as “may”, “will”, “should”, “could”, “expect”, “plan”, “intend”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “predict” or “potential” or the negative or other variations of these words, or similar words or phrases, have been used to identify these forward-looking statements. In particular, this release contains forward-looking information relating to, among other things, the entering into of a definitive Option Agreement and other ancillary transaction documents with respect to the Black Raven Antimony Property and the exercise of such option; the number of Common Shares that may be issued in connection with the transactions discussed herein, closing conditions and receive necessary regulatory approvals These statements reflect management’s current beliefs and are based on information currently available to management as at the date hereof.
Forward-looking statements involve significant risk, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from the results discussed or implied in the forward-looking statements. These factors should be considered carefully and readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Such factors, among other things, include: exploration results on the Black Raven Antimony Property; the expected benefits to Churchill relating to the exploration proposed to be conducted on its properties; receipt of all regulatory approvals in connection with the transaction contemplated herein; failure to identify any additional mineral resources or significant mineralization; the preliminary nature of metallurgical test results; uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future, including to fund any exploration programs on the Churchill’s properties, if required; fluctuations in general macroeconomic conditions; fluctuations in securities markets; fluctuations in spot and forward prices of gold, silver, base metals or certain other commodities; change in national and local government, legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments; risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining (including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations pressures, cave-ins and flooding); inability to obtain adequate insurance to cover risks and hazards; the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on mining and mineral exploration; employee relations; relationships with and claims by local communities and indigenous populations; availability of increasing costs associated with mining inputs and labour; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development (including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses, permits and approvals from government authorities); the unlikelihood that properties that are explored are ultimately developed into producing mines; geological factors; actual results of current and future exploration; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be evaluated; soil sampling results being preliminary in nature and are not conclusive evidence of the likelihood of a mineral deposit; and title to properties. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management believes to be reasonable assumptions, the Churchill cannot assure readers that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and the Churchill assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances, except as required by law. Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
NEW YORK, May 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM), operator of regulated markets for trading 12,000 U.S. and international securities, today announced that Magna Mining Inc. (TSX-V: NICU; OTCQX: MGMNF), a company engaged in the acquisition, production, development and exploration of mineral properties in Canada, with a current focus on copper, has qualified to trade on the OTCQX® Best Market. Magna Mining Inc. upgraded to OTCQX from the OTCQB® Venture Market.
Magna Mining Inc. begins trading today on OTCQX under the symbol “MGMNF.” U.S. investors can find current financial disclosure and Real-Time Level 2 quotes for the company on www.otcmarkets.com.
The OTCQX Market is designed for established, investor-focused U.S. and international companies. To qualify for OTCQX, companies must meet high financial standards, follow best practice corporate governance, and demonstrate compliance with applicable securities laws. Graduating to the OTCQX Market from the OTCQB Market marks an important milestone for companies, enabling them to demonstrate their qualifications and build visibility among U.S. investors.
About Magna Mining Inc.
Magna Mining Inc is a producing mining company with a portfolio of copper, nickel and PGM operating, development and exploration projects in the Sudbury Region of Ontario, Canada. The Company’s primary assets are the producing McCreedy West copper mine and the past producing Levack, Podolsky, Shakespeare and Crean Hill mines. Additional information about the Company is available on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) and the Company’s website (www.magnamining.com).
About OTC Markets Group Inc.
OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM) operates regulated markets for trading 12,000 U.S. and international securities. Our data-driven disclosure standards form the foundation of our three public markets: OTCQX® Best Market, OTCQB® Venture Market, and Pink® Open Market.
Our OTC Link® Alternative Trading Systems (ATSs) provide critical market infrastructure that broker-dealers rely on to facilitate trading. Our innovative model offers companies more efficient access to the U.S. financial markets.
OTC Link ATS, OTC Link ECN, OTC Link NQB, and MOON ATS™ are each an SEC regulated ATS, operated by OTC Link LLC, a FINRA and SEC registered broker-dealer, member SIPC.
To learn more about how we create better informed and more efficient markets, visit www.otcmarkets.com.
Secretary-General of the Third UN Ocean Conference (UNOC3) Li Junhua said, “The future of the ocean is not predetermined. It will be shaped by the decisions and the actions we are making now.”
Today (27 May), Li Junhua, together with High-level representatives from France and Costa Rica briefed the press about the upcoming UN Ocean Conference.
He said, “The ocean—our planet’s life-support system—is in a state of emergency. The evidence is overwhelming: rising temperatures, acidifying waters, plastic choking marine life, disappearing habitats, and the relentless overexploitation of resources.”
He continued, “The health of the ocean is declining, and with it, the well-being of the human being. We actually depend on our ocean supply lines. However, there is still time to change our course—if we act collectively.”
He said, “From 9 to 13 June 2025, the global community will gather in Nice, France, for the Third United Nations Ocean Conference, or UNOC3. This will not be just another routine gathering. We hope that it is a pivotal opportunity to accelerate action and mobilize all stakeholders across sectors and borders.”
He also said, “UNOC3 will culminate in the adoption of the “Nice Ocean Action Plan” – a concise, action-oriented declaration, along with new and expanded voluntary commitments. This plan will be our collective blueprint to advance SDG 14: to conserve and sustainably use the ocean, seas, and marine resources.”
He concluded, “The future of the ocean is not predetermined. It will be shaped by the decisions and the actions we are making now. Let us choose a healthy, resilient ocean—for our generation, and also for generations to come.”
French Ambassador Jérôme Bonnafont stated, “The goal for this conference in Nice, for France, is a Nice Agreement that would be for the oceans what the Paris Agreement was for the climate ten years ago.”
Maritza Chan Valverde, Permanent Representative of Costa Rica to the United Nations, said, “Accelerating action means cutting decision-making time from years to months, mobilizing all actors, engaging 195 governments, more than 1,000 cities, more 500 corporations and billions of citizens simultaneously. This is an opportunity for the United Nations to be together and to show that we can deliver as one.”
She concluded, “The third United Nations Ocean Conference will either reverse ocean decline by 2030 or document humanity’s failure to act. Five days, one ocean, a unique opportunity.”
The high-level 2025 United Nations Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development (the 2025 UN Ocean Conference) will be co-hosted by France and Costa Rica and held in Nice, France, from 9 – 13 June 2025.
The overarching theme of the Conference is “Accelerating action and mobilizing all actors to conserve and sustainably use the ocean”.
The Conference will involve all relevant stakeholders, bringing together Governments, the United Nations system, intergovernmental organizations, international financial institutions, other interested international bodies, non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations, academic institutions, the scientific community, the private sector, philanthropic organizations, Indigenous Peoples and local communities and other actors to assess challenges and opportunities relating to, as well as actions taken towards, the implementation of Goal 14.
The Conference will build on the previous UN Ocean Conferences, hosted by Sweden and Fiji in 2017 in New York and by Portugal and Kenya in 2022 in Lisbon.
The Nice Ocean Action Plan, made up of a political declaration and a list of voluntary commitments from stakeholders, will be adopted following international discussions during the Conference.
Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)
On October 18th, 2024, Nicholas Quets traveled to Rocky Point, Mexico, where upon entry, he encountered a Sinaloa cartel checkpoint. These cartel members attempted to steal his pickup truck before shooting him in the back through his heart, ultimately taking his life at just 31 years old. President Trump and Secretary Noem have taken decisive action to dismantle drug cartels.
Headline: Apple launches Self Service Repair for iPad, expands repair programs
Apple today announced the addition of iPad to Self Service Repair, providing iPad owners with access to repair manuals, genuine Apple parts, Apple Diagnostics troubleshooting sessions, tools, and rental toolkits. Beginning tomorrow, with support for iPad Air (M2 and later), iPad Pro (M4), iPad mini (A17 Pro), and iPad (A16), the launch features components including displays, batteries, cameras, and external charging ports. Today’s announcement joins the expansion of other Apple repair services that further enable customers and independent repair providers to complete out-of-warranty repairs, including new details about the Genuine Parts Distributor program.
“At Apple, our goal is to create the world’s greatest products that last as long as possible,” said Brian Naumann, Apple’s vice president of AppleCare. “With today’s announcement, we’re excited to expand our repair services to more customers, enabling them to further extend the life of their products — all without compromising safety, security, or privacy.”
Launched in 2022, Self Service Repair provides consumers who are comfortable completing their own repairs access to the same manuals, genuine Apple parts, and tools used at Apple Store locations and Apple Authorized Service Providers. Building on Apple’s commitment to expand repair access, the company continues to grow Self Service Repair to support even more products and regions: With the addition of iPad, the Self Service Repair Store now supports 65 Apple products, including the recently released iPhone 16e, MacBook Air, and Mac Studio. This summer, Canada will become the 34th country in which Apple offers Self Service Repair.
Today’s package of announcements also includes more details about Apple’s Genuine Parts Distributor program. The recently launched program broadens access to businesses that do not have a direct service relationship with Apple, fulfilling a need in the repair marketplace while providing customers with more options. Through Genuine Parts Distributor, independent mobile repair professionals can order genuine Apple service parts and components via third-party distributors, including MobileSentrix in the U.S., and MobileSentrix and Mobileparts.shop in Europe. Genuine Parts Distributor offers a wide range of Apple parts for iPhone repairs, including displays, batteries, and charging ports, with iPad parts coming tomorrow. Repair providers interested in learning more can visit the program page.
Over the past several years, Apple has accelerated its repair footprint by expanding the number of professional service locations that have access to genuine Apple parts, tools, and training. Repair options include Apple Store locations, Apple Authorized Service Providers, Independent Repair Providers, mail-in repair centers, Self Service Repair, and the Genuine Parts Distributor program.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Heidi Riley, Adjunct Research Fellow, University College Dublin, and Affiliate Researcher in the Department of War Studies, King’s College London
*Some pseudonyms are used to protect the identities of interviewees.
“I saw a lot of suffering.” The old man, Lokwi, gestures towards the woman cooking beside their hut as he talks. “The husband of this woman … was killed here.”
The woman is Lokwi’s sister-in-law. He is recalling the day in 1988 when his brother was killed by soldiers from the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA). Lokwi was still a child when the SPLA captured the town of Kapoeta and surrounding settlements, where he lived with his family. The day his brother was killed, everybody was forced to leave:
There was nothing good that day … They burned all the villages and the soldiers attacked the civilians. People were scattered.
South Sudan – a central African country of around 11.5 million people split in half by the White Nile – suffered decades of conflict prior to gaining independence from the rest of Sudan in 2011. While independence brought optimism, this was thwarted two years later by internal disputes among the ruling parties that led to a resurgence of the violence.
While a ceasefire was brokered in 2018 and a power-sharing agreement signed between opposing political factions, there has been a lack of political will to implement it. The dire economic situation, worsening food insecurity driven by climate change and political instability, and legacies of ethnic rivalries continue to perpetuate ethnically motivated violence and distrust between communities. In April, the head of the UN mission in South Sudan, Nicholas Haysom, warned that the world’s youngest nation is once again on the brink of civil war.
Amid this resurgence of violence, Lokwi – who is from the Toposa community – continues to be haunted by memories of the attack that killed his brother. Sitting under the shade of a tree in the village where it took place, he explains how he fled into the bush and survived for days on wild fruit until, starving, he managed to get to the town of Narus, where he was given some food by a local Dinka man.
When Lokwi finally returned to his village, he found everything destroyed by fire – huts, livestock and granaries “all burned”. Whereas he decided to start again and rebuild the village, his surviving brother, now living in Narus, promised “never to step in this land again because of the memories and pain”.
Today, Lokwi works as a peace activist in South Sudan. He spends a lot of time encouraging people in his village and the surrounding area to engage in peaceful dialogue with rival groups – and to resist violence. With an expression of concern, he explains the difficulties he faces in dissuading young men from engaging in violence:
When I tell them to stop the conflict … we have homes and families who listen and stay calm, but other individuals like the [male] youths don’t listen, they still create problems.
South Sudan’s long history of cattle raiding
Over the course of 2024, Anna Adiyo Sebit and three other South Sudanese researchers interviewed more than 400 men and women from South Sudan’s Toposa and Nuer communities as part of the XCEPT programme. This programme, based at King’s College London, seeks to understand the role that conflict-related trauma plays in influencing who engages in violence and who doesn’t.
As well as inter-ethnic fighting, South Sudan has a long history of cattle raiding. Cattle are central to the pastoralist communities which make up over half of the population, including ethnic groups such as the Dinka, Nuer and Toposa.
In most rural households, financial capital is typically held in livestock, mainly cows – which are also required for dowry payments and as compensation for any crimes committed. This places high value on cattle ownership, meaning that raiding and inter-community disputes over cattle are common.
And whereas these disputes were once fought with sticks, stones and spears, years of political conflict have left the country awash with guns – so cattle raiding has become a lethal activity. As one old man who described himself as a “retired warrior” explained:
In our grandparents’ and grand ancestors’ [time], in battles or fighting we used stones, pangas, sticks, spears and arrows. [At this time there were] rare fights or raids waged against [other] tribes … But after the introduction of AK-47 machine guns, it accelerated [to] higher numbers of raids and increased casualties in both communities.
Among these pastoralist communities, gender norms determine that where women and girls are tasked with maintaining domestic life, including sustaining subsistence farming and constructing huts, men are expected to keep and secure cattle. Many young men are active in cattle camps, which are in areas with better pastures where cows are taken to graze – but can be vulnerable to raids from other ethnic groups.
In many parts of rural South Sudan, young men are expected to fight to secure and protect their livelihood – including achieving the required “bride price” for their marriage to go ahead. Successful cattle raids can earn a young man respect among his peers.
But the trauma of experiencing violence from a young age, as so many of these young men have, is likely to be a factor in the perpetuation of various forms of violence in adulthood, including the prevalence of revenge killings.
The high rates of violence are also having a devastating impact on women and girls in South Sudan. According to a 2024 UN Population Fund study, 65% of women and girls have experienced some form of gender-based violence, of which intimate partner violence is the most prevalent. The UN Mission in South Sudan has also reported a steep increase in sexual violence and abductions of women and girls by armed groups in 2024.
Aware of the prevalence of violence against women by cattle youth, Lokwi speaks of confronting the issue at community meetings in his village where he brings together members of rival communities:
The youths are also part of the meeting. Everybody is given the chance from both communities to talk, and we tell them ‘stop killing women in the bush’. I tell them that women are the ones who give birth to generations, and [ask]: ‘Why do you kill women?’ [Some] will feel touched and listen and stop – but there are other individuals [for] whom killing is part of their life … They will still kill women.
Masculine expectations
In South Sudan, like many countries, masculine expectations that associate men with being the provider or protector, and with characteristics of strength, stoicism and bravery, play an important role in how men experience trauma and the coping mechanisms they use.
Men are often socialised into suppressing emotions such as sadness or hurt. As a result, alternative outlets for dealing with trauma and stress can manifest in more violent or aggressive emotions.
I have spent many years researching how societal expectations of masculinity play into the way men respond to traumatic experiences. In narratives of wartime suffering, our understanding of male trauma is often overshadowed by the association of masculinity with the perpetration of violence.
While not all men suffering from trauma respond in the same way, research by the Brazilian NGO Promundo has found that men and boys are more likely than women and girls to exhibit maladaptive coping behaviour such as risk-taking, low physical activity, withdrawal and self-harm – or violence in its multiple forms. There is also evidence that rates of alcohol and substance abuse are higher among men affected by trauma or high levels of stress.
During conflict or in situations of acute food insecurity, daily stresses through an inability to fulfil masculine expectations can become particularly acute – and lead to increasingly violent behaviour. This pattern emerges in many of the interviews conducted for the XCEPT project.
Eric, from the South Sudan state of Eastern Equatoria, lost his father when he was ten. His father was a fairly wealthy man but after his death, that wealth was passed on to Eric’s uncles on his father’s side, rather than his mother or her three co-wives. (The tradition of inheritance passing to male relatives is reflective of women’s lack of economic independence in rural South Sudan.)
Eric was then required to respect his uncles as stepfathers as they became the de facto authority over his mother, her co-wives and their children. As the oldest son, he endured years of beatings from his stepfathers, as well as witnessing violence by them against his mother.
Upon reaching adulthood, Eric said he realised he was able to escape the “catastrophic mistreatment from his stepfathers” and needed to “adventure” for his own survival. However, due to food shortages, survival meant engaging in cattle raiding.
On his first raid, his “warrior group” secured a herd of cattle by killing the cattle owner. Eric was granted four cows – but apart from one, these had to be handed over to his stepfathers. As he explained:
On my arrival, people in my village were excited to see me back without any injuries and I brought these cows. On [the] spot, my stepfathers took them. As in [the] culture of Toposa, anything from your enemies belongs to elder people. I was only left with one cow.
On his second raid, Eric secured 30 goats, of which his stepfathers allowed him to keep ten.
Aware of the suffering that this raiding had caused and now with an established reputation as a “warrior”, Eric then stepped back from raiding and used the ten goats to breed more. This gave him the resources for marriage and to start a family – but he carried the legacy of his involvement in the killings during past raids, and the knowledge that he was now a target for retaliatory violence. He explained:
So far, I have killed six enemies; hence am also included as a warrior in my community. I do not want them [the enemy] to know my name because they will kill me if they know me.
For Eric and many other men like him in South Sudan, it is difficult to show emotions such as sadness or fear, as this could be interpreted as a sign of weakness. Our researcher and interviewer, Anna Adiyo Sebit, describes the expectations placed on men in her culture: “As a man, even when someone dies, you do not shed a tear, especially in front of women. Instead, you cry from your heart inside.”
The trauma of war
Ten years ago, while conducting fieldwork in Nepal for my PhD and book, I interviewed more than 60 former members of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to examine how their participation in the civil war – known as the People’s War – affected notions of masculinity within the armed group.
While I never asked about trauma or psychological difficulties, it became clear these were present for many of the men – just never explicitly spoken about. Instead, they would talk about their sense of disillusionment or lack of ability to fulfil societal expectations of masculinity – all the while, carefully keeping their emotions in check.
These emotions would only surface in more casual conversations over tea or food, following the formal interviews. In these moments, the men revealed a more vulnerable side – often expressing sadness, frustration, and a desire to share their more personal stories.
It was a clear shift from the displays of hardened masculinity in their narratives of the battlefield. Some of these informal exchanges hinted at signs of PTSD – for example, in their descriptions of flashbacks, sleep difficulties and short temperedness. One young man who was extremely polite and courteous became very fidgety after the end of the interview. He told me: “In the night I can’t sleep, because I hear bomb blasts inside my head.”
Another, clearly proud of his role in the People’s War, recounted his bravery on the battlefield. Yet, when he spoke of the six months of torture he had endured in police custody, his composure faltered and he struggled to hold back tears. He showed me a photo of his three-year-old child, saying: “This is why I will never return to battle.”
What I encountered was men who appeared uneasy about expressing emotions as this runs contrary to masculine expectations, but were also frustrated at a lack of outlets to tell their story.
During one interview with a former PLA member in the western district of Bardiya, I noticed a group of ex-PLA fighters gathered at the boundary of his home after they had heard an interview was taking place. As my interpreter and I were leaving, a thin man at the front of the crowd began shouting aggressively at us.
Having initially assumed his anger was directed at my presence in the area, I realised it stemmed from his frustration at not being selected for an interview. “Why does everyone always want to interview you?” he shouted at the man I had just spoken to. The former fighter’s anger, fuelled by alcohol, appeared to reflect his frustration at lacking a platform to share his own story.
From Nepal in 2016 to South Sudan in 2024, amid the violence and trauma of war and the daily expectations of masculinity associated with being a provider and protector, there appeared to be few outlets through which these men could talk freely about their emotions, tell their stories, and admit their mental health difficulties.
Many of the men interviewed in South Sudan had been involved in violent clashes involving killings at some point in their lives. In interviews carried out in Kapoeta North, a county in eastern Equatoria, some men reported having constant flashbacks to the sounds of gunshots – when they tried to sleep at night, these sounds would “become real”, stopping them getting any proper rest:
Sometimes you can wake up in the middle of the night and find yourself trembling as if these people are coming for you.
One man explained how he would get up in the night to follow a “black shadow” like a ghost. When community members would run after him to stop him, he would become “hostile and behave like he wants to kill everyone” – because, he explained, he saw his friend being killed on the battlefield and the memory of this would not leave him, especially in the night.
A woman described how, when young men are involved in “killing”, their “mind is not functioning well”. Contextualising this claim she explained: “There was this man who got traumatised due to the ongoing conflict of raiding. He fought many battles until the gunshot sound affected his brain and made him crazy.”
She then described a man who could not accept his friend had died in a cattle camp raid and insisted on returning to the battlefield, even though the community told him not to. “After confirming [his friend’s death] he ran mad and became confused. We say that such a person had his heart broken by the incident he witnessed, and we say he is mad.”
Men whose companions have been killed can become fixated on revenge, as Sebit explains, “It will torture their mind until they go and avenge the death of the person that was killed.” Some will encourage them to take revenge but others, like Lokwi, are trying to discourage revenge killings and working towards peaceful resolution of disputes through dialogue.
Societal expectations of masculinity
The link between societal expectations of masculinity, trauma and violent behaviour among men is important in better understanding ongoing insecurities in rural South Sudan. A man is supposed to own cows in order to gain respect from their community. Without these, they can be rejected – leading to feelings of isolation, despair and a fear of ridicule.
As noted by another elderly interviewee: “If a man does not go for raiding, he will be cursed by elders. [In contrast], if he comes back with cows, people will celebrate – and if he dies, people will say he died as a warrior.”
It can be a vicious circle. If you do not get cows when you raid another community, this may lead to further feelings of shame – driving the young men to put themselves at further risk. In a state of stress and having grown up in a culture of conflict, they may regard themselves as having no choice but to risk death in the quest for cows. Those who have been orphaned or do not have other family members to support them can be particularly vulnerable to this.
Such concerns about masculinity emerge in many of the interviews with young men in South Sudan – and also in discussions with support workers there. Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is one of the few organisations in South Sudan who have run trauma awareness training for men. A local CRS programme manager, Luol, explained to me in an online meeting how men’s worries about marriage rights can spiral into acts of violence:
What is actually happening in [young men’s] brains is they are thinking: ‘Okay, I am 18 or 17 years old now, in the next two years I have to have my partner at home, but I don’t have resources. [So] the best way to get resources is to raid or steal people’s properties.’ This is the thinking of war. This is the thinking of a person who has been exposed to conflict – that the best way to get resources is to raid from somebody.
In another meeting, Luol described his experience of facilitating trauma awareness programmes with men. He explained that “many of the men have participated in cattle raiding and have seen horrific kinds of events such as, seeing somebody [being] killed, and [they] can be traumatised because [they] participated in that war [raid].”
Luol described one young man who came and spoke to him after the first day of training:
He wanted to testify that he’s now recovering from his trauma because he participated in the war and he saw children and women being killed and when he returned home, he saw [in] his own children, the children who were killed, and he cried, he felt ashamed for participating and playing a part in this. And he was trying to recover from that effect of trauma. And that’s very common. Most of the young men who participate in war come back traumatised.
The importance of such outlets for men to come and talk together about their emotions was emphasised in our meeting. For cultural reasons, neither individual counselling sessions nor sessions including women would be acceptable to the men.As noted by another local CRS staff member :
If women are in that group, the men are likely not to talk about [trauma] because of masculinity issues. They don’t want the women to hear men accepting weakness or vulnerability … But if the men are talking alone [about] their life they will say: ‘Yes, this is what happened to me, and this is how we can move forward.’
While these sessions are not supposed to be a form of restorative justice or “amnesty” for crimes committed, Luol explained that opening up about feelings of guilt in the small group is helpful in addressing “displaced anger” that can manifest in continued violence in the community, clan or in the family.
CRS Trauma Awareness and Social Cohesion programmes also encourage discussions of alternatives to violence or cattle raiding, presenting a longer-term life vision for those present. According to one attendee, his less traumatised brain allows for rational thinking such as: “If I start cultivating this year and I want to marry in two or three years’ time, I’ll be able to produce the crops, sell them in the market, and then buy cows if I need to buy cows.”
The programme was piloted in South Sudan’s Greater Jonglei State in 2014 using CRS private funding. Three years later it secured funding from USAID after “demonstrating its value”. In 2020, with additional funding from the EU, the programme was expanded to areas of Eastern Equatoria. While the programme has now ended with the completion of its funding cycle, CRS continues to seek future funding to re-establish the initiative.
Soldiers celebrate the anniversary of South Sudan’s independence day, which briefly brought peace. Richard Juilliart/Shutterstock
‘Everything gets destroyed’
While recognising that most men do not engage in violence, the reality is men are overwhelmingly responsible for violence when it does occur. This is the case in South Sudan as in all countries. It is therefore vital to engage with men, not just as perpetrators of violence but as potential peacemakers.
Unfortunately, gender stereotyping within the humanitarian and donor sector has resulted in a lack of trauma response targeted at men. Instead, men and boys tend to be framed as perpetual perpetrators of violence and discrimination – as “emasculated troublemakers” not worth engaging with, or at best by the “men can cope by themselves” narrative.
Wider research by XCEPT has found that out of 12 humanitarian organisations interviewed in northern Syria, northern Iraq and South Sudan, only two had programmes specifically targeted at men. The situation appears little changed from the conclusion reached in the 2021 Promondo report, which stated:
This de-prioritisation of boys and men in emergency response is rooted in donors’ and international organisations’ lack of political will to meaningfully acknowledge that vulnerability exists beyond women and girls … Chronic inattention to boys and men has resulted in programs, services and spaces not being sufficiently tailored to meet their needs.
This not only has an impact on men and boys’ wellbeing. It also fails to take on board the reality that unaddressed trauma among men correlates with increases in community violence, revenge killings, cattle raiding and gender-based violence suffered by women and girls. As an international CRS staff member explained:
Unless donors have a way of facing [the reality of trauma] and addressing it in all interventions, all the money we’re spending on health programs and infrastructure programs and education programs and whatever it is, it’s just money down the drain. Because eventually, everything gets destroyed in violence.
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Heidi Riley receives funding from the Cross-Border Conflict Evidence, Policy and Trends (XCEPT) research programme, funded by UK International Development from the UK government. (Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the UK government’s official policies.) She also received funding from the Irish Research Council for the Nepal research mentioned. Sincere thanks to Anna Adiyo Sebit, expert researcher with Catholic Relief Services in South Sudan, for her fieldwork and other contributions to this article.
Symptoms of depression, suicidal thoughts, and suicide attempts have steadily increased among high school students in the U.S. over the past decade and a half, a University of Connecticut researcher reports. The concerning increase should change how and who we screen for depression or suicidal behaviors.
Adolescents are the age group most likely to commit suicide in the U.S. Although the absolute risk is low, every incident is a tragedy. Identifying youth with suicidal thoughts and offering them support and interventions is the best method we have for preventing suicidal behaviors. Unfortunately, the number of high schoolers reporting feeling sad or hopeless enough to have trouble participating in normal activities has steadily increased from 2007 through 2021, UConn School of Medicine psychiatric epidemiologist T. Greg Rhee reports in two papers, one just published on May 28 in American Journal of Psychiatry and the other this past February in The Lancet.
Among teens with symptoms of depression, the number reporting suicidal thoughts increased by about 1.3% every other year, from 41.2% in 2007 to 51.7% in 2021.
Not only are more teens experiencing episodes of depression more frequently, but even teens who engage in few or no risky behaviors are reporting more depressive symptoms. The study used data from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), a study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) that surveys U.S. high school students. They looked at YRBS data spanning 2007 to 2021, including responses from 119,654 students. The study classifies risky behaviors as including exposure to bullying or violence, substance use, sexual activity, unhealthy behaviors related to weight, and a lack of physical activity.
The results from the researchers’ analysis were particularly disturbing because they indicated almost any teen could be affected.
“Even if you don’t engage in any risky behaviors, you can still have suicidal ideation,” Rhee says.
The Lancent study focused on trends in depressive symptoms among high school students with and without risky behaviors. The American Journal of Psychiatry study focused on trends in suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts among high school students. Taken together, the two studies suggest that even teens with no risk factors could benefit from regular screening for depressive symptoms or suicidal behaviors.
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, May 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitget Wallet, the leading non-custodial crypto wallet, has launched the Binance Alpha Earn Zone, giving users the ability to provide liquidity to selected token pairs and earn a share of trading fees. This launch responds to growing interest in passive income opportunities through decentralized platforms, offering users a simplified path to participate directly from the wallet.
In decentralized finance, users who contribute token pairs to a trading pool, known as liquidity providers, help facilitate on-chain token swaps and, in return, receive a portion of the transaction fees generated. Through this new zone, Bitget Wallet users can access curated high-yield pools such as USDT-ZKJ, WBNB-SOON, and WBNB-B2 via PancakeSwap. Some pools have recently offered returns of up to 2,000% APR, depending on market conditions and demand for trading activity.
The integration is designed for ease of use. Step-by-step tutorials are provided in-app to help users understand how to add liquidity, set price ranges, and track their earnings. The goal is to lower the entry barrier for those interested in earning passive rewards without navigating complex DeFi platforms. Bitget Wallet notes that while returns can be high, liquidity provision carries risks, including potential losses if token prices shift significantly.
“By launching the Binance Alpha Earn Zone, we’re making advanced earning strategies more accessible,” said Alvin Kan, COO of Bitget Wallet. “We believe this is a key step toward empowering more people to engage with on-chain finance in a seamless way.”
About Bitget Wallet Bitget Wallet is a non-custodial crypto wallet designed to make crypto simple and secure for everyone. With over 80 million users, it brings together a full suite of crypto services, including swaps, market insights, staking, rewards, DApp exploration, and payment solutions. Supporting 130+ blockchains and millions of tokens, Bitget Wallet enables seamless multi-chain trading across hundreds of DEXs and cross-chain bridges. Backed by a $300+ million user protection fund, it ensures the highest level of security for users’ assets.
Ahead of the Women’s Rugby World Cup, the newly-revealed trophy will be coming to York on Sunday 1 and Monday 2 of June.
As part of the ‘Trophy Tour’ this summer, a fully branded Land Rover Defender will bring the new trophy into the city, for members of the public to see.
On Sunday 1 and Monday 2 June the trophy will be displayed on Parliament Square, and during the evening of 2 June it will be taken to York Rugby Club from 6pm to allow local sports teams and organisations to enjoy the visit.
Welcoming the trophy to the city, Cllr Pete Kilbane, Executive Member for Economy and Culture, said:
We’re thrilled to be hosting several exciting games as part of the Women’s Rugby World Cup later this summer.
“Supporting this leg of the Trophy Tour is a great way to continue our amazing year of sport, and a great opportunity to celebrate the recent news that York is one of England’s most active cities. Our residents have shown how much love and support they have for sport, from grassroots all the way through to professional and international level competition”.
Interested residents and visitors hoping to catch a glimpse of the trophy don’t need to book a space, just turn up at Parliament Square between 10:30am and 3.30pm on 1 June, or between 10am and 3pm on 2 June.
During August and September York Community Stadium will host six matches, including USA Vs Australia, South Africa Vs Italy and New Zealand Vs Spain.
Anyone interested in watching any of the Women’s Rugby World Cup games can find more information, and buy tickets, at www.rugbyworldcup.com/2025/en.
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