HOUSTON, TX, April 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Houston American Energy Corp.(NYSE American: HUSA) (“HUSA” or the “Company”), today announced the results of the Company’s special meeting of stockholders (the “Meeting”) held virtually on April 24, 2025.
At the Meeting, all of the matters put forward before the Company’s stockholders for consideration and approval, as set out in the Company’s definitive proxy statement dated April 11, 2025, were approved by the requisite number of votes cast at the meeting.
Of most importance, the HUSA shareholders approved the Company’s proposed acquisition of Abundia Global Impact Group (AGIG) with over 90% of shareholders’ votes cast supporting HUSA’s plan to acquire AGIG, a company specializing in converting waste into high value fuels and chemicals. The acquisition supports HUSA’s strategy to diversify its portfolio, expand its global footprint and execute its strategy aimed at driving shareholder value through innovation in the renewable energy sector.
HUSA and AGIG will continue developing a structured integration and execution plan, with additional updates to come as the acquisition advances toward closing. HUSA currently anticipates closing on the AGIG acquisition by the end of second quarter of 2025.
“The AGIG acquisition aligns with our strategy to position HUSA into the multi-billion-dollar renewable energy market” said Peter Longo, CEO of HUSA. AGIG has developed a commercially ready project for converting waste into valuable fuels and chemicals, and this transaction gives HUSA stockholders a ready-made platform and project pipeline for future value generation. We are witnessing the growing momentum of the fuel and chemical industry’s transformation into alternative solutions like recycled chemical alternatives and the highly publicized sustainable aviation fuel market.”
About HUSA
HUSA is an independent oil and gas company focused on the development, exploration, acquisition, and production of natural gas and crude oil properties. Our principal properties, and operations, are in the U.S. Permian Basin. Additionally, we have properties in the Louisiana U.S. Gulf Coast region. For more information, please visit: https://houstonamerican.com/.
About Abundia Global Impact Group
AGIG’s mission is to transition the world into a decarbonized future through the deployment of its technologies, which convert plastic and certified biomass waste into high-quality renewable fuels, energy, and chemical products, providing sustainable solutions that meet the growing demand within established global markets, thus facilitating the transition into a decarbonized future. AGIG is preparing to build its first advanced plastic recycling facility in Cedar Port, Texas. The facility represents the first phase of a structured, capital-efficient growth plan aimed at scaling and deploying AGIG’s technologies for producing renewable fuels and chemicals from waste.
This news release contains “forward-looking information” and “forward-looking statements” (collectively, “forward-looking information”) within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information is based on management’s current expectations and beliefs and is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking information in this news release includes, but not limited to, statements regarding HUSA’s expected financial condition and performance, the current and projected market, and growth opportunities for the company.
With respect to the forward-looking information contained in this news release, the Company has made numerous assumptions. While the Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable, these assumptions are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, market and social uncertainties and contingencies. Additionally, there are known and unknown risk factors which could cause the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information contained herein. A complete discussion of the risks and uncertainties facing our business is disclosed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and other filings with the SEC on www.sec.gov.
All forward-looking information herein is qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement, and the Company disclaims any obligation to revise or update any such forward-looking information or to publicly announce the result of any revisions to any of the forward-looking information contained herein to reflect future results, events or developments, except as required by law.
For additional information, view the company’s website at www.houstonamerican.com or contact Houston American Energy Corp. at (713) 222-6966.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., April 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ARRAY Technologies (NASDAQ: ARRY) (“ARRAY” or the “Company”), a leading provider of tracker solutions and services for utility-scale solar energy projects, has named Brian Pitel as its general manager, Latin America. He will be based in São Paulo, Brazil.
With a career spanning more than two decades across technology and renewable energy in the Brazilian and Latin American markets, Pitel brings deep expertise in the local markets and regulatory environments. His track record of growing business operations through strategic partnerships led to his ascension at General Electric (GE), where he began as a senior sourcing and logistics manager before becoming general manager of its Latin America branch.
“Brian’s impressive background in the energy sector combined with his expertise in the Brazilian and Latin American markets made him the perfect fit to lead ARRAY’s growth objectives in the region,” said Neil Manning, President and Chief Operating Officer at ARRAY. “He has an ability to anticipate trends and manage business relationships, which will help us expand our global footprint and reinforce our leadership in renewable energy innovation.”
Pitel will oversee all of ARRAY’s operations in Brazil and Latin America, fostering efficiency, compliance, and alignment with regional and global objectives. He will play a critical role in supporting existing customers and exploring new market opportunities as ARRAY continues its mission to provide smart, sustainable, and cost-effective solar energy solutions.
“The solar industry is entering a pivotal moment as we work to realize the impact of recent investments, and I admire ARRAY’s dedication to advancing clean energy across Latin America,” said Pitel. “I look forward to working with the leadership team to drive strategic growth in the region and shape the next generation of solar tracking solutions.”
Since 2024, Pitel had served as senior advisor and new business development leader at Grupo GA230, a Brazilian manufacturer of components for the oil and gas and renewable energy sectors. He was previously at GE, managing its Latin America supply chain before rising to a general manager position in 2020. Pitel began his career at United Technologies Corporation, starting as a sourcing specialist and eventually relocated to Brazil to lead materials management and logistics at the UTC Otis Elevator factory in Sao Paulo. Pitel graduated from the University of Minnesota and has master’s degrees from RPI Lally School of Management and Purdue University.
About ARRAY ARRAY Technologies (NASDAQ: ARRY) is a leading global provider of solar tracking technology to utility-scale and distributed generation customers who construct, develop, and operate solar PV sites. With solutions engineered to withstand the harshest weather conditions, ARRAY’s high-quality solar trackers, software platforms and field services combine to maximize energy production and deliver value to our customers for the entire lifecycle of a project. Founded and headquartered in the United States, ARRAY is rooted in manufacturing and driven by technology – relying on its domestic manufacturing, diversified global supply chain, and customer-centric approach to design, deliver, commission, train, and support solar energy deployment around the world. For more news and information on ARRAY, please visit arraytechinc.com.
Forward Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements are not historical facts but rather are based on the Company’s current expectations and projections regarding its business, operations and other factors relating thereto. Words such as “may,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “anticipate,” “predict,” “potential,” “continue,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “projects,” “believes,” “estimates” and similar expressions are used to identify these forward-looking statements. These statements are only predictions and as such are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors. Forward-looking statements should be evaluated together with the risks and uncertainties that affect our business and operations, particularly those described in more detail in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and other documents on file with the SEC, each of which can be found on our website www.arraytechinc.com. Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future.
Partnered with Working in Support of Education (W!se)
Continued Campus Tour with Columbia University and New Jersey City University (NJCU)
Published Financial Literacy Survey with moomoo’s North America users
JERSEY CITY, N.J., April 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The intuitive global trading platform moomoo and its Moomoo Foundation with the dedication to boosting financial literacy, are excited to announce its 2025 plan to celebrate the financial literacy month with its North American users and communities worldwide.
This year, the moomoo foundation is partnering with the New York city-based educational nonprofit Working in Support of Education (W!se) to recognize the 100 Best W!se High Schools Teaching Personal Finance at Touro College in Midtown New York. Moomoo’s US CEO Neil McDonald presented awards to representatives from the 100 highest ranking high schools whose students excelled on W!se’s Financial Literacy Certification Test in the 2023-24 school year. Always held during April -Financial Literacy Month – the 100 best ceremony, is the first and only national ranking award to honor outstanding schools from W!se’s national network whose students performed well on the Test.
In addition, Moomoo Foundation will host a series of financial literacy seminars across the New York and New Jersey area. Moomoo Technology’s Vice President of Strategy Justin Zacks spoke about stock market fundamentals and equity trading at Columbia University on April 25 and will conduct a seminar at NJCU’s business school on May 2. Working with Columbia’s GCC and NJCU’s Student Development & Community Engagement team, moomoo continues its efforts of bringing financial inclusion to empower individual investors of all kinds, irrespective of ethnicity, age or gender, with the tools they need to make informed investment decisions.
Zacks said, “we are thrilled to extend our educational mission to the diverse academic audience in the Tri-State Area. These events reflect our long-term mission to inspire financial literacy at an early age and strengthen our community engagement with underserved demographics at every level of learning.”
To understand investors’ financial health and their personal finance behaviors and habits, moomoo also conducted a quarterly survey with its North American users. As the U.S. markets notched a second consecutive year of over 20% price appreciation. Many retail investors gained a positive return financially, but a new tariff policy and signs of an economic slowdown made some of them concerned.
The majority of moomoo users are better off than last year and many are able to save a consistent amount some of which is going into stocks. Low income and housing is a headwind for some and is preventing them from saving.
Moomoo’s users in Canada are closely watching political developments both at home and in the US in order to help them adjust their spending plans.
For more details, please download the moomoo North America financial literacy whitepaper here.
About Moomoo Foundation
Moomoo Foundation is a non-profit initiative launched by Moomoo, an intuitive investment and trading platform dedicated to financial empowerment. The foundation seeks to further Moomoo’s mission by promoting financial literacy, advancing economic equality, and fostering technological innovation.
Through strategic partnerships and targeted grants, Moomoo Foundation focuses on nurturing fintech startups that share its vision, working to build a more inclusive and forward-thinking financial landscape.
Our commitment goes beyond traditional philanthropy. At Moomoo Foundation, we are dedicated to establishing a sustainable, long-term approach that ensures our efforts make a lasting impact. We believe in equipping those we support with the knowledge, tools, and resources they need to shape their own financial journey and thrive as active participants in the investment world. For more information, please visit moomoo’s official website at
The survey included approximately 1200 registered moomoo users in North America (1000 U.S. users, 200 Canada users) from March 14 to March. 23, 2025. The data shown in the survey represents the opinion of those surveyed and may change based on the market and other conditions. The survey results provided herein may not represent other customers’ experience, and there is no guarantee of future performance or success and should also not be construed as investment advice. Experiences may differ than the ones represented here. Investing involves risks regardless of the strategy selected.
This whitepaper is for informational and educational use only and is not a recommendation or endorsement of any particular investment or investment strategy. Past investment performance does not indicate or guarantee future success. You should consider the appropriateness of this information having regard to your relevant personal circumstances before making any investment decisions.
We do not provide tax advice and any tax-related information provided is general in nature and should not be considered tax advice. Consult a tax professional regarding your specific tax situation.
Moomoo is a financial information and trading app offered by Moomoo Technologies Inc. In the U.S., Investment products and services on Moomoo are offered by Moomoo Financial Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC.
About moomoo Moomoo is a leading global investment and trading platform dedicated to empowering investors with user-friendly tools, data, and insights. Our platform is designed to provide essential information and technology, enabling users to make more-informed investment decisions. With advanced charting tools, pro-level analytical features, moomoo evolves alongside our users, fostering a dynamic community where investors can share, learn, and grow together.
Founded in the U.S., moomoo operates globally, serving investors in countries such as the US, Singapore, Australia, Japan, Canada and Malaysia. As a subsidiary of a Nasdaq-listed Futu Holdings (FUTU), we take pride in our role as a global strategic partner of the Nasdaq, earning numerous international accolades from renowned industry leaders such as Benzinga and Fintech Breakthrough. Moomoo has also received multiple awards in the US, Singapore, and Australia for its innovative, inclusive approach to investing.
For more information, please visit moomoo’s official website at www.moomoo.com or feel free to email us: pr@us.moomoo.com.
Moomoo is a financial information and trading app offered by Moomoo Technologies Inc. In the U.S., Investment products and services on Moomoo are offered by Moomoo Financial Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC.
Investing is risky. Securities offered through Moomoo FInancial Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC
W!se and Nasdaq are independent third parties, not affiliated with Moomoo Financial Inc., Moomoo Technologies Inc., or its affiliates.
FortiGuard Labs 2025 Global Threat Landscape Report highlights a boom in Cybercrime-as-a-Service on the darknet, fueling a lucrative market for credentials, exploits, and access
SUNNYVALE, Calif., April 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —
News Summary
Fortinet® (NASDAQ: FTNT), the global cybersecurity leader driving the convergence of networking and security, today announced the release of the 2025 Global Threat Landscape Report from FortiGuard Labs. The latest annual report is a snapshot of the active threat landscape and trends from 2024, including a comprehensive analysis across all tactics used in cyberattacks, as outlined in the MITRE ATT&CK framework. The data reveals that threat actors are increasingly harnessing automation, commoditized tools, and AI to systematically erode the traditional advantages held by defenders.
“Our latest Global Threat Landscape Report makes one thing clear: Cybercriminals are accelerating their efforts, using AI and automation to operate at unprecedented speed and scale,” said Derek Manky, Chief Security Strategist and Global VP Threat Intelligence, Fortinet FortiGuard Labs. “The traditional security playbook is no longer enough. Organizations must shift to a proactive, intelligence-led defense strategy powered by AI, zero trust, and continuous threat exposure management to stay ahead of today’s rapidly evolving threat landscape.”
Key findings from the latest FortiGuard Labs Global Threat Landscape Report include:
Automated scanning hits record highs as attackers shift left to identify exposed targets early. To capitalize on newfound vulnerabilities, cybercriminals are deploying automated scanning at a global scale. Active scanning in cyberspace reached unprecedented levels in 2024, rising by 16.7% worldwide year-over-year, highlighting a sophisticated and massive collection of information on exposed digital infrastructure. FortiGuard Labs observed billions of scans each month, equating to 36,000 scans per second, revealing an intensified focus on mapping exposed services such as SIP and RDP and OT/IoT protocols like Modbus TCP.
Darknet marketplaces fuel easy access to neatly packaged exploit kits. In 2024, cybercriminal forums increasingly operated as sophisticated marketplaces for exploit kits, with over 40,000 new vulnerabilities added to the National Vulnerability Database, a 39% rise from 2023. In addition to zero-day vulnerabilities circulating on the darknet, initial access brokers are increasingly offering corporate credentials (20%), RDP access (19%), admin panels (13%), and web shells (12%). Additionally, FortiGuard Labs observed a 500% increase in the past year in logs available from systems compromised by infostealer malware, with 1.7 billion stolen credential records shared in these underground forums.
AI-powered cybercrime is scaling rapidly. Threat actors are harnessing AI to enhance phishing realism and evading traditional security controls, making cyberattacks more effective and difficult to detect. Tools like FraudGPT, BlackmailerV3, and ElevenLabs are fueling more scalable, believable, and effective campaigns, without the ethical restrictions of publicly available AI tools.
Targeted attacks on critical sectors intensify. Industries such as manufacturing, healthcare, and financial services continue to experience a surge in tailored cyberattacks, with adversaries deploying sector-specific exploitations. In 2024, the most targeted sectors were manufacturing (17%), business services (11%), construction (9%), and retail (9%). Both nation-state actors and Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) operators concentrated their efforts on these verticals, with the United States bearing the brunt of attacks (61%), followed by the United Kingdom (6%) and Canada (5%).
Cloud and IoT security risks escalate. Cloud environments continue to be a top target, with adversaries exploiting persistent weaknesses such as open storage buckets, over-permissioned identities, and misconfigured services. In 70% of observed incidents, attackers gained access through logins from unfamiliar geographies, highlighting the critical role of identity monitoring in cloud defense.
Credentials are the currency of cybercrime. In 2024, cybercriminals shared over 100 billion compromised records on underground forums, a 42% year-over-year spike, driven largely by the rise of “combo lists” containing stolen usernames, passwords, and email addresses. More than half of darknet posts involved leaked databases, enabling attackers to automate credential-stuffing attacks at scale. Well-known groups like BestCombo, BloddyMery, and ValidMail were the most active cybercriminal groups during this time and continue to lower the barrier to entry by packaging and validating these credentials, fueling a surge in account takeovers, financial fraud, and corporate espionage.
CISO Takeaway: Strengthening Cyber Defenses Against Emerging Threats Fortinet’s Global Threat Landscape Report provides rich details on the latest attacker tactics and techniques while also delivering prescriptive recommendations and actionable insights. Designed to empower CISOs and security teams, the report offers strategies to counter threat actors before they strike, helping organizations stay ahead of emerging cyberthreats.
This year’s report includes a “CISO Playbook for Adversary Defense” that highlights a few strategic areas to focus on:
Shifting from traditional threat detection to continuous threat exposure management: This proactive approach emphasizes continuous attack surface management, real-world emulation of adversary behavior, risk-based remediation prioritization, and automation of detection and defense responses. Utilizing breach and attack simulation (BAS) tools to regularly assess endpoint, network, and cloud defenses against real-world attack scenarios ensures resilience against lateral movement and exploitation.
Simulating real-world attacks: Conduct adversary emulation exercises, red and purple teaming, and leverage MITRE ATT&CK to test defenses against threats like ransomware and espionage campaigns.
Reducing attack surface exposure: Deploy attack surface management (ASM) tools to detect exposed assets, leaked credentials, and exploitable vulnerabilities while continuously monitoring darknet forums for emerging threats.
Prioritizing high-risk vulnerabilities: Focus remediation efforts on vulnerabilities actively discussed by cybercrime groups, leveraging risk-based prioritization frameworks such as EPSS and CVSS for effective patch management.
Leveraging dark web intelligence: Monitor darknet marketplaces for emerging ransomware services and track hacktivist coordination efforts to preemptively mitigate threats like DDoS and web defacement attacks.
Discover how FortiGuard Labs Advisory Services combine cutting-edge technology and expert services to help organizations strengthen their security posture before threats emerge. In the event of an incident, FortiGuard Labs offers swift, effective response and in-depth forensic analysis to minimize impact and prevent future intrusions, delivering comprehensive protection in today’s increasingly volatile digital landscape.
Additional Resources
About Fortinet Fortinet (Nasdaq: FTNT) is a driving force in the evolution of cybersecurity and the convergence of networking and security. Our mission is to secure people, devices, and data everywhere, and today we deliver cybersecurity everywhere our customers need it with the largest integrated portfolio of over 50 enterprise-grade products. Well over half a million customers trust Fortinet’s solutions, which are among the most deployed, most patented, and most validated in the industry. The Fortinet Training Institute, one of the largest and broadest training programs in the industry, is dedicated to making cybersecurity training and new career opportunities available to everyone. Collaboration with esteemed organizations from both the public and private sectors, including Computer Emergency Response Teams (“CERTS”), government entities, and academia, is a fundamental aspect of Fortinet’s commitment to enhance cyber resilience globally. FortiGuard Labs, Fortinet’s elite threat intelligence and research organization, develops and utilizes leading-edge machine learning and AI technologies to provide customers with timely and consistently top-rated protection and actionable threat intelligence. Learn more at https://www.fortinet.com, the Fortinet Blog, and FortiGuard Labs.
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn., April 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Arctic Wolf®, a global leader in security operations, today announced that the Arctic Wolf Security Operations Warranty now offers up to $3 million USD in the event of a covered cybersecurity incident for customers who deploy Aurora Managed Endpoint Defense alongside the company’s Security Operations Bundles. This doubling in warranty coverage further extends Arctic Wolf’s leadership in offering the largest warranty in the cybersecurity industry and reflects the efficacy of Aurora Endpoint Security and the Arctic Wolf Aurora Platform.
This announcement comes as Arctic Wolf Endpoint Security continues to see strong market momentum across customers and partners from around the globe, with more than 3,000 organizations in over 60 countries now relying on the solution to protect their endpoints. The expanded warranty underscores Arctic Wolf’s continued investment in outcome-based security and reaffirms its commitment to assisting customers of all sizes throughout their security journey.
“Doubling our industry-leading Security Operations Warranty to $3 million underscores our confidence in the power of Aurora Endpoint Security,” said Dan Schiappa, president, technology and services, Arctic Wolf. “Customers and partners are responding with real enthusiasm because they see the innovation and value Aurora Endpoint Security brings to the market. This expanded warranty reinforces our commitment to delivering trusted outcomes and world-class endpoint security to measurably reduce risk.”
New AI-enhanced Behavioral Detection Engine Enhances Detection Efficacy In addition to the expanded Security Operations Warranty, Arctic Wolf is introducing a new AI-enhanced Behavioral Detection Engine within Aurora Endpoint Security that delivers a streamlined and modern approach to endpoint threat detection. Launching with double the detection coverage and increased accuracy over previous detection capabilities, the engine builds on Arctic Wolf Endpoint Security’s proven foundation in endpoint defense to deliver even greater efficacy and precision.
This enhancement includes a refreshed library of high-efficacy detection rules vetted by Arctic Wolf Labs, AI-assisted tuning workflows, and threshold-based alerting that reduces noise without compromising visibility. With support for MITRE ATT&CK tagging and flexible exception management across tenants, zones, and device policies, the engine helps security teams focus on the threats that matter most while reducing operational overhead.
Arctic Wolf Signs CISA Secure by Design Pledge As part of its leadership in secure software development with Aurora Endpoint Security, Arctic Wolf has signed the CISA Secure by Design Pledge, reinforcing its commitment to building secure software as a core part of its development process. By aligning with CISA’s principles, Arctic Wolf is taking meaningful steps to reduce exploitable vulnerabilities, implement secure defaults, and embed security into every stage of the product lifecycle. This pledge reflects the company’s broader mission to end cyber risk for its customers while promoting greater transparency and accountability across the industry.
To learn more about Aurora Endpoint Security and the Arctic Wolf Aurora platform, visit them at RSA Conference (Booth S-549) in San Francisco from April 28 – May 1, or visit arcticwolf.com.
About Arctic Wolf Arctic Wolf® is a global leader in security operations, delivering the first cloud-native security operations platform to end cyber risk. Built on open XDR architecture, the Arctic Wolf Aurora Platform operates at a massive scale and combines the power of artificial intelligence with world-class security experts to provide 24×7 monitoring, detection, response, and risk management. We make security work!
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn., April 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Arctic Wolf, a global leader in security operations, today announced a strategic collaboration with Anthropic, a leading AI safety and research company, to accelerate the development of next-generation autonomous Security Operations Centers (SOCs). This collaboration combines the human augmented AI capabilities of the Arctic Wolf Aurora Platform, home to one of the world’s largest commercial SOCs, with Anthropic’s cutting-edge AI models and deep expertise in building safe, interpretable, and controllable AI systems.
The Arctic Wolf Aurora Platform, built on an open XDR architecture, processes more than 8 trillion security events each week across endpoint, network, cloud, and identity, integrating with hundreds of third-party tools to deliver broad, real-time visibility across the enterprise. With a global customer base of over 10,000 organizations and millions of hours of analyst experience, Arctic Wolf has built one of the most robust and operationalized data lakes in cybersecurity.
Building on this foundation, Arctic Wolf is collaborating with Anthropic to apply cutting-edge AI in ways that drive measurable improvements in security outcomes. Together, Arctic Wolf’s massive datasets and Anthropic’s LLM models aim to accelerate automation within the Arctic Wolf’s AI-powered SOC by improving detection precision, accelerating response, and strengthening cyber resilience as threats grow in volume and complexity.
The first output of the Arctic Wolf and Anthropic collaboration is Cipher, an AI security assistant. Purpose-built to help customers extract deeper insights from the Arctic Wolf Aurora Platform, Cipher meets the highest standards of safety, privacy, and performance. Its launch marks a concrete step toward delivering on the promise of the autonomous SOC, demonstrating how AI can augment security teams with new levels of speed, accuracy, and intelligence at scale.
“To keep up with the speed and complexity of today’s cyber threats, the Autonomous SOC is no longer aspirational, it’s essential,” said Dan Schiappa, president, technology and services, Arctic Wolf. “Anthropic brings world-class AI research and a deep commitment to building safe, high-performing systems. When paired with the scale of Arctic Wolf’s threat data, the openness of our platform, and the operational depth of our global SOC, we have everything needed to redefine what security operations can be.”
“As model capabilities increase, access to expert, domain-specific data remains the bottleneck in highly complex jobs like cyber operations,” said Michael Gerstenhaber, VP of product, Anthropic. “We’re proud to support Arctic Wolf’s development of Cipher and excited to see how it empowers security teams with instant, reliable access to the intelligence they need to conduct their operations.”
To learn more about the Arctic Wolf and Anthropic collaboration, or see Cipher in action, visit Arctic Wolf at the RSA Conference (Booth S-549) in San Francisco from April 28 – May 1.
About Arctic Wolf Arctic Wolf® is a global leader in security operations, delivering the first cloud-native security operations platform to end cyber risk. Built on open XDR architecture, the Arctic Wolf Aurora Platform operates at a massive scale and combines the power of artificial intelligence with world-class security experts to provide 24×7 monitoring, detection, response, and risk management. We make security work!
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn., April 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Arctic Wolf®, a global leader in security operations, today announced the promotion of Dan Schiappa to President, Technology and Services. In this expanded leadership role, Schiappa will oversee the strategic direction and continued innovation of Arctic Wolf’s industry-leading Aurora Platform, which is transforming cybersecurity outcomes via artificial intelligence and the human-reinforced learning from one of the world’s largest commercial security operations centers (SOCs).
Schiappa, who previously served as Chief Product and Services Officer at Arctic Wolf, brings decades of experience leading product strategy and development at some of the world’s most recognized cybersecurity and technology companies. Since joining Arctic Wolf, he has played a pivotal role in scaling the platform’s capabilities, driving product innovation, and aligning the company’s services with the evolving needs of customers navigating an increasingly complex threat landscape.
“Dan’s promotion reflects the incredible impact he has made on our technology and services organization, as well as the confidence we have in his ability to lead Arctic Wolf into its next phase of growth,” said Nick Schneider, president and chief executive officer, Arctic Wolf. “His leadership will be instrumental as we continue to scale our AI-powered security operations platform and deliver outcomes that make security more accessible and effective for organizations of all sizes.”
As President, Technology and Services, Schiappa will guide Arctic Wolf’s strategic initiatives across product management, engineering, security services, and threat intelligence—ensuring the company remains at the forefront of innovation in AI-driven security operations.
Schiappa’s distinguished career includes executive roles at Sophos, Microsoft, and RSA, where he consistently championed security transformation and operational excellence.
About Arctic Wolf Arctic Wolf® is a global leader in security operations, delivering the first cloud-native security operations platform to end cyber risk. Built on open XDR architecture, the Arctic Wolf Aurora Platform operates at a massive scale and combines the power of artificial intelligence with world-class security experts to provide 24×7 monitoring, detection, response, and risk management. We make security work!
During the Vietnam War, the U.S. bombed and defoliated vast areas of forest and protective mangroves.AP Photo
When the Vietnam War finally ended on April 30, 1975, it left behind a landscape scarred with environmental damage. Vast stretches of coastal mangroves, once housing rich stocks of fish and birds, lay in ruins. Forests that had boasted hundreds of species were reduced to dried-out fragments, overgrown with invasive grasses.
The term “ecocide” had been coined in the late 1960s to describe the U.S. military’s use of herbicides like Agent Orange and incendiary weapons like napalm to battle guerrilla forces that used jungles and marshes for cover.
As an environmental scientist and anthropologist who has worked in Vietnam since the 1990s, I find the neglect and slow recovery efforts deeply troubling. Although the war spurred new international treaties aimed at protecting the environment during wartime, these efforts failed to compel post-war restoration for Vietnam. Current conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East show these laws and treaties still aren’t effective.
Agent Orange and daisy cutters
The U.S. first sent ground troops to Vietnam in March 1965 to support South Vietnam against revolutionary forces and North Vietnamese troops, but the war had been going on for years before then. To fight an elusive enemy operating clandestinely at night and from hideouts deep in swamps and jungles, the U.S. military turned to environmental modification technologies.
The most well-known of these was Operation Ranch Hand, which sprayed at least 19 million gallons (75 million liters) of herbicides over approximately 6.4 million acres (2.6 million hectares), of South Vietnam. The chemicals fell on forests, and also on rivers, rice paddies and villages, exposing civilians and troops. More than half of that spraying involved the dioxin-contaminated defoliant Agent Orange.
A U.S. Air Force C-123 flies low along a South Vietnamese highway spraying defoliants on dense jungle growth beside the road to eliminate ambush sites during the Vietnam War. AP Photo/Department of Defense
As news of the damage from these tactics made it back to the U.S., scientists raised concerns about the campaign’s environmental impacts to President Lyndon Johnson, calling for a review of whether the U.S. was intentionally using chemical weapons. American military leaders’ position was that herbicides did not constitute chemical weapons under the Geneva Protocol, which the U.S. had yet to ratify.
Scientific organizations also initiated studies within Vietnam during the war, finding widespread destruction of mangroves, economic losses of rubber and timber plantations, and harm to lakes and waterways.
A photo at the War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City, historically known as Saigon, shows the damage at Cần Giờ mangrove forest. The mangrove forest was destroyed by herbicides, bombs and plows. Gary Todd/Flickr
Fires from napalm and other incendiary weapons cleared stretches of forest, in some cases scorching the soil so badly that nothing would regrow. AP Photo
“Rome Plows,” massive bulldozers with an armor-fortified cutting blade, could clear 1,000 acres a day. Enormous concussive bombs, known as “daisy cutters”, flattened forests and set off shock waves killing everything within a 3,000-foot (900-meter) radius, down to earthworms in the soil.
The U.S. also engaged in weather modification through Project Popeye, a secret program from 1967 to 1972 that seeded clouds with silver iodide to prolong the monsoon season in an attempt to cut the flow of fighters and supplies coming down the Ho Chi Minh Trail from North Vietnam. Congress eventually passed a bipartisan resolution in 1973 urging an international treaty to prohibit the use of weather modification as a weapon of war. That treaty came into effect in 1978.
Despite Congress’ concerns, there was little scrutiny of the environmental impacts of U.S. military operations and technologies. Research sites were hard to access, and there was no regular environmental monitoring.
Recovery efforts have been slow
After the fall of Saigon to North Vietnamese troops on April 30, 1975, the U.S. imposed a trade and economic embargo on all of Vietnam, leaving the country both war-damaged and cash-strapped.
Vietnamese scientists told me they cobbled together small-scale studies. One found a dramatic drop in bird and mammal diversity in forests. In the A Lưới valley of central Vietnam, 80% of forests subjected to herbicides had not recovered by the early 1980s. Biologists found only 24 bird and five mammal species in those areas, far below normal in unsprayed forests.
Only a handful of ecosystem restoration projects were attempted, hampered by shoestring budgets. The most notable began in 1978, when foresters began hand-replanting mangroves at the mouth of the Saigon River in Cần Giờ forest, an area that had been completely denuded.
Mangroves have been replanted in the Cần Giờ Biosphere Reserve near Ho Chi Minh City, but their restoration took decades. Tho Nau/Flickr, CC BY
In inland areas, widespread tree-planting programs in the late 1980s and 1990s finally took root, but they focused on planting exotic trees like acacia, which did not restore the original diversity of the natural forests.
That project, completed in 2018, treated 150,000 cubic meters of dioxin-laden soil at an eventual cost of over $115 million, paid mostly by the U.S. Agency for International Development, or USAID. The cleanup required lakes to be drained and contaminated soil, which had seeped more than 9 feet (3 meters) deeper than expected, to be piled and heated to break down the dioxin molecules.
Large amounts of Agent Orange had been stored at the Da Nang airport during the war and contaminated the soil with dioxin. The cleanup project, including heating contaminated soil to high temperatures, was completed in 2018. Richard Nyberg/USAID
Another major hot spot is the heavily contaminated Biên Hoà airbase, where local residents continue to ingest high levels of dioxin through fish, chicken and ducks.
Agent Orange barrels were stored at the base, which leaked large amounts of the toxin into soil and water, where it continues to accumulate in animal tissue as it moves up the food chain. Remediation began in 2019; however, further work is at risk with the Trump administration’s near elimination of USAID, leaving it unclear if there will be any American experts in Vietnam in charge of administering this complex project.
Laws to prevent future ‘ecocide’ are complicated
While Agent Orange’s health effects have understandably drawn scrutiny, its long-term ecological consequences have not been well studied.
Current-day scientists have far more options than those 50 years ago, including satellite imagery, which is being used in Ukraine to identify fires, flooding and pollution. However, these tools cannot replace on-the-ground monitoring, which often is restricted or dangerous during wartime.
The legal situation is similarly complex.
In 1977, the Geneva Conventions governing conduct during wartime were revised to prohibit “widespread, long term, and severe damage to the natural environment.” A 1980 protocol restricted incendiary weapons. Yet oil fires set by Iraq during the Gulf War in 1991, and recent environmental damage in the Gaza Strip, Ukraine and Syria indicate the limits of relying on treaties when there are no strong mechanisms to ensure compliance.
Remediation work to remove dioxin contamination was just getting started at the former Biên Hoà Air Base in Vietnam when USAID’s staff was dismantled in 2025. USAID Vietnam, CC BY-NC
Some countries have adopted their own ecocide laws. Vietnam was the first to legally state in its penal code that “Ecocide, destroying the natural environment, whether committed in time of peace or war, constitutes a crime against humanity.” Yet the law has resulted in no prosecutions, despite several large pollution cases.
Both Russia and Ukraine also have ecocide laws, but these have not prevented harm or held anyone accountable for damage during the ongoing conflict.
Lessons for the future
The Vietnam War is a reminder that failure to address ecological consequences, both during war and after, will have long-term effects. What remains in short supply is the political will to ensure that these impacts are neither ignored nor repeated.
Pamela McElwee receives funding from the Carnegie Corporation, National Science Foundation, and National Endowment for the Humanities.
Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Elizabeth Goodyear-Grant, Professor, Political Studies; Director, Canadian Opinion Research Archive, Queen’s University, Ontario
Pierre Poilievre stands between two workers — no women in sight — in a photo promoting the Conservative Party of Canada’s ‘More Boots, Less Suits’ campaign policies on the party’s website. (The Conservative Party of Canada website)
In 2025, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s strategy doesn’t appear poised to achieve the same success in terms of closing the gender gap. In fact, his rhetoric and platform both seem aimed at men, particularly younger and working-class demographics.
Like Donald Trump and other leaders of the populist right, Poilievre’s and the Conservative Party of Canada’s rise in the polls since 2023 has been in part due to strengthening their appeal to working-class voters, particularly men.
Poilievre has spent much of his time as CPC leader courting blue-collar workers and shifting the party’s agenda to include pro-worker policies. The culmination of this is its “More Boots, Less Suits” plan, a package of promises to boost training and apprenticeship grants, improve access to EI, harmonize health and safety policies and provide tax write-offs for trades people’s travel and subsistence costs for out of town work.
Male-dominated sectors
These may be good proposals, but these policies — and the rhetoric in which they were couched during the election campaign — don’t seem to offer much opportunity for the party to close the sizeable gender gap in voter intention.
The rhetoric is heavily masculine, including the “More Boots, Less Suits” tagline. The policies in the plan appeal to workers in sectors that are heavily male-dominated.
Drawing on my forthcoming chapter “Gender, Class and Voting Behaviour” in The Working Class and Politics in Canada (UBC Press), we can examine a simple question: does class affect men and women differently as they decide how to vote?
The CPC has considerable support among working-class voters, particularly predominantly non-unionized men, but far less support among working-class women, as my chapter shows based on analyses of the 2019 Canadian Election Study.
This gender difference arises, in part, because there are many more working-class men, according to occupational definitions, than there are working-class women, as noted above in terms of skilled trades.
Poilievre has made strong sector- and occupation-based appeals in this campaign, invoking the idea of blue-collar versus white-collar workers and campaigning on pro-trades policies.
There is a second issue beyond the gender-based occupational segregation in blue-collar jobs. Even among working-class voters, the appeal of the Conservative Party is significantly greater among men compared to women.
The graph below shows the predicted probabilities of a Conservative vote in 2019 for men and women voters grouped by working-class versus non-working class on a scale of zero to one (with control variables for other factors that influence CPC vote such as income, region and partisanship).
A gender gap is visible in both working-class and non-working class groups, but is largest in the working-class group, with working-class men heavily supporting the Conservatives.
What about this election?
We can assess these numbers as probabilities that can help us think through how voters might cast their ballots today.
What’s the probability they’ll vote Conservative? Based on the statistical analyses of 37,000 respondents to the Canadian Election Study in 2019, this chart tells us that for working-class men, more than one in two might be expected to vote CPC in 2025, which represents a majority preference.
In contrast, only one in four non-working-class women would. This makes for a big vote gap — a chasm even — as working-class men form the backbone of the party’s voter base.
Men and women have distinct pathways to supporting Conservatives. But key parts of the Conservative strategy in 2025 limited the party’s potential to appeal to women, even working-class women. “More Boots, Less Suits” offers little to women specifically, or provides them with an opportunity to see themselves reflected in the policy. The broader CPC platform mentions women only four times.
One mention of women appears in a promise to end intimate partner violence and consider aggravating factors for violence against vulnerable women.
The other three are in single policy promising to repeal a federal regulation on the rights of gender-diverse federal offenders.
There is a widening gender divide in Canadian electoral politics. The Conservative Party’s appeal to working-class men is clear, consistent and electorally meaningful. But this success comes at the cost of deepening the party’s gender gap, and this gap is not merely symbolic, but structural.
With women comprising more than half of the electorate, the Conservative Party of Canada’s current trajectory risks locking the party into a limited base. The “More Boots, Less Suits” plan may have mobilized one key demographic, but it did so while alienating another the party couldn’t afford to ignore.
Elizabeth Goodyear-Grant receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
Airline passengers wait at a Transportation Security Administration checkpoint before boarding to flights in Denver in 2022.Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images
As the Trump administration seeks to shrink the federal workforce, slash nonmilitary spending and curb opposition to its policies, it is taking steps beyond the firing and furloughing of thousands of government workers.
The government is also trying to strip hundreds of thousands of federal employees of their right to bargain collectively and have a voice in their conditions of employment.
Citing “national security” concerns, President Donald Trump issued an executive order on March 27, 2025, that canceled collective bargaining agreements at more than 30 federal agencies, commissions and programs, including the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Science Foundation and the Food and Drug Administration. A judge temporarily blocked the order’s enforcement on April 25.
Over three decades of researching American unions, I’ve never witnessed such a sweeping assault on collective bargaining rights, which give workers represented by unions the ability to negotiate with employers about the terms of their employment.
The Trump administration’s broad attack on federal workers’ rights arrived less than three weeks after an earlier, similar action by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
Only a “flexible, at-will” workforce can possess the “organizational agility” needed to “safeguard our transportation systems and keep Americans safe,” she said. Employers may fire “at-will” workers at their discretion with few limitations.
Noem’s claim that unions and national security aren’t compatible strikes me as disingenuous.
Unionized workforces have displayed in recent history both patriotism and dedication in their efforts to keep Americans safe. Unionized firefighters, police officers and other first responders rushed to the World Trade Center attempting to rescue those trapped inside on 9/11, for example.
It is also worth noting that veterans comprise approximately 30% of the federal workforce. Their history of military service attests, I would argue, to their clear record of demonstrating loyalty and patriotism.
To my eye, the argument that federal workers belonging to unions compromises national security appears to be more rooted in ideology than evidence.
Demonstrators rally in support of federal workers outside the Department of Health and Human Services on Feb. 14, 2025, in Washington. AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein
TSA as a case study
The TSA emerged as part of President George W. Bush’s administration’s response to the 9/11 attacks in 2001; it designated newly hired airport security officers as federal employees.
At the time, Bush insisted that TSA security officers should not belong to a union. He invoked national security concerns, arguing that union representation would undercut the “culture of urgency” needed to wage the “war on terrorism.”
However, in recent years, TSA workers have obtained wage increases and stronger rights of appeal, along with other advances contained in a 2024
collective bargaining agreement that the American Federation of Government Employees described as “groundbreaking.” These gains included uniform allowances, greater input on safety concerns and a pledge to examine expanded child care options.
Now, the union has sued Noem, another Trump administration official and the TSA itself to block the administration’s rollback of these workers’ rights and protect their 2024 contract.
JFK empowered federal workers
Federal employees had historically organized unions to advocate and lobby for their interests.
However, these unions lacked the formal ability to negotiate with the federal government in a collective bargaining process where, as labor scholar Robert Repas has explained, “decisions are made jointly, rather than unilaterally,” or ultimately at managerial discretion.
Their members did not gain collective bargaining rights until 1962 when President John F. Kennedy issued an executive order making that possible. Kennedy’s action reflected the view that government employees should not be denied basic union rights enjoyed by their private sector counterparts.
Acknowledging concerns that union rights might limit the ability to exercise centralized command and control, Kennedy’s directive exempted the FBI, CIA and other agencies charged with national security functions from collective bargaining.
Federal employees covered by the 1962 executive order were also barred from striking. They could not negotiate over wages and benefits; power to make these decisions remained in the hands of Congress.
In 1978, Congress passed the Civil Service Reform Act, which expanded the right of federal employees to collectively bargain for better working conditions, which its authors said were “in the public interest.” This law created an authority to oversee federal labor relations and established an appeals board to adjudicate worker grievances.
Although federal employees did not enjoy as many rights as most union members in the private sector, they did gain a stronger voice in determining their working conditions and accessing grievance procedures to address workplace issues and concerns.
Reagan and the air traffic controllers union
Three years later, however, President Ronald Reagan fired over 11,000 air traffic controllers who had gone on strike, even though they lacked the right to do so. The Federal Labor Relations Authority subsequently decertified their union, the Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization – known as PATCO.
Besides seriously diminishing the labor movement’s power and influence, the PATCO strike also had important political consequences. In his book about this labor dispute, historian Joseph McCartin wrote that crushing the PATCO strike led the Republican Party “in the direction of an unambiguous antiunionism” and a heightened antipathy toward unions in the public sector.
Members of PATCO, the air traffic controllers union, hold hands and raise their arms during a strike in 1981. Bettmann/Getty Images
But Sens. Mike Lee of Utah and Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, both Republicans, introduced a bill in March that would enshrine Trump’s executive order in law. If that bill were to become law, it would “end federal labor unions and immediately terminate their collective bargaining agreements,” Lee and Blackburn have said.
As the courts make their determinations and political opposition gathers, the American public has, I believe, an important question to answer. Is the spirit of the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 – that “labor organizations and collective bargaining in the civil service are in the public interest” – worth upholding?
This question warrants careful consideration and scrutiny. How the courts, Congress and the public respond will have enormous consequences for federal workers and the future of the union movement and the state of American democracy.
Bob Bussel does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Michel Anteby, Professor of Management and Organizations & Sociology at Questrom School of Business & College of Arts and Sciences, Boston University
But bureaucrats have historically stood for something else entirely. As the sociologist Max Weber argued in his 1921 classic “Economy and Society,” bureaucrats represent a set of critical ideals: upholding expert knowledge, promoting equal treatment and serving others. While they may not live up to those ideals everywhere and every day, the description does ring largely true in democratic societies.
I know this firsthand, because as a sociologist of work I’ve studied federal, state and local bureaucrats for more than two decades. I’ve watched them oversee the handling of human remains, screen travelers for security threats as well as promote primary and secondary education. And over and over again, I’ve seen bureaucrats stand for Weber’s ideals while conducting their often-hidden work.
Bureaucrats as experts and equalizers
Weber defined bureaucrats as people who work within systems governed by rules and procedures aimed at rational action. He emphasized bureaucrats’ reliance on expert training, noting: “The choice is only that between ‘bureaucratisation’ and ‘dilettantism.’” The choice between a bureaucrat and a dilettante to run an army − in his days, like in ours − seems like an obvious one. Weber saw that bureaucrats’ strength lies in their mastery of specialized knowledge.
I couldn’t agree more. When I studied the procurement of whole body donations for medical research, for example, the state bureaucrats I spoke with were among the most knowledgeable professionals I encountered. Whether directors of anatomical services or chief medical examiners, they knew precisely how to properly secure, handle and transfer human cadavers so physicians could get trained. I felt greatly reassured that they were overseeing the donated bodies of loved ones.
Weber also described bureaucrats as people who don’t make decisions based on favors. In other forms of rule, he noted, “the ruler is free to grant or withhold clemency” based on “personal preference,” but in bureaucracies, decisions are reached impersonally. By “impersonal,” Weber meant “without hatred or passion” and without “love and enthusiasm.” Put otherwise, the bureaucrats fulfill their work without regard to the person: “Everyone is treated with formal equality.”
The federal Transportation Security Administration officers who perform their duties to ensure that we all travel safely epitomize this ideal. While interviewing and observing them, I felt grateful to see them not speculate about loving or hating anyone but treating all travelers as potential threats. The standard operating procedures they followed often proved tedious, but they were applied across the board. Doing any favors here would create immense security risks, as the recent Netflix action film “Carry-On” − about an officer blackmailed into allowing a terrorist to board a plane − illustrates.
Advancing the public’s interests
Finally, Weber highlighted bureaucrats’ commitment to serving the public. He stressed their tendency to act “in the interests of the welfare of those subjects over whom they rule.” Bureaucrats’ expertise and adherence to impersonal rules are meant to advance the common interest: for young and old, rural and urban dwellers alike, and many more.
The state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education staff that I partnered with for years at the Massachusetts Commission on LGBTQ Youth exemplified this ethic. They always impressed me by the huge sense of responsibility they felt toward all state residents. Even when local resources varied, they worked to ensure that all young people in the state − regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity − could thrive. Based on my personal experience, while they didn’t always get everything right, they were consistently committed to serving others.
Today, bureaucrats are often framed by the administration and its supporters as the root of all problems. Yet if Weber’s insights and my observations are any guide, bureaucrats are also the safeguards that stand between the public and dilettantism, favoritism and selfishness. The overwhelming majority of bureaucrats whom I have studied and worked with deeply care about upholding expertise, treating everyone equally and ensuring the welfare of all.
As outside temperatures dropped to the low- to mid-teens Fahrenheit on Feb. 10, 2025, two children died of carbon monoxide toxicity in a family van parked in a Detroit casino parking garage.
We are political scientists who study urban and housing public policies, and in the months since this tragedy, we took a deep look at the trends in homelessness and housing policies that foreshadowed the events of that night.
More kids are experiencing homelessness
One important trend is that the number of homeless children in the city reached a record high in 2024. This is true even though the overall numbers of people experiencing homelessness in the city is declining overall.
Most of these children were unhoused but considered sheltered because they had a place to sleep in an emergency shelter or transitional housing, or were able to temporarily stay with family or friends.
Nineteen of the kids were unsheltered – meaning they were sleeping in places not designed for human habitation, like cars, parks or abandoned buildings.
A different set of data comes from the Detroit Public Schools. The district looked at the entire 2022-2023 school year and found that roughly 1 in 19 students were unhoused at some point during that nine-month period — more than double the number in the 2019-2020 school year.
A lack of temporary solutions
The lack of adequate funding and staffing in the city’s shelter system means unhoused people often struggle to access temporary shelter beds.
Children who experience housing insecurity are often caught in the middle of bureaucracy and failed regulation.
The mother of the children who died in February had reached out to the city in November 2024 when they were staying with a family member. The mother noted that she wanted to keep all five of her children together.
The long wait for shelter has contributed to the rise in people living on the streets or in their vehicles. The number of unsheltered individuals — including both adults and children — doubled from 151 in 2015 to 305 in 2024. This trend of increasing unsheltered homelessness contrasts with the overall decline in the total number of homeless people in the city, which is down from a peak of 2,597 in 2015.
Their access to stable housing depends on their parents and what the adults in their life are able to provide. As rents increase in the city, some children are left vulnerable.
Some landlords pass the expense of these regulations on to tenants, making housing less affordable. Others leave their properties vacant, pushing up prices by lessening the supply.
The current average fair market rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Detroit is $1,314 per month. For the typical household in the city, this basic shelter cost, not including utilities, makes up 41% of the household income.
For the lowest-income households, any unexpected expense can disrupt a delicate financial balance and lead to eviction and homelessness. Children in these situations often face major instability, moving between shelters – or, as in the case of the children who died in February, sleeping in cars.
Detroit’s stricter housing regulations may have improved conditions for some renters, but a report by Outlier Media shows that only 8% of landlords are in compliance, leaving legacy residents in subpar rentals at higher prices.
And these new rules have victims who are too often ignored until tragedy strikes.
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.
The Catholic Church’s 115 cardinal-electors take part in a mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on March 12, 2013, ahead of entering the conclave for a papal election.Michael Kappeler/picture alliance via Getty Images
Following the death of 88-year-old Pope Francis on Easter Monday, several cardinals who were already in Rome, or who traveled only short distances to arrive, held the first of several meetings – general congregations – to discuss preparations for the papal funeral and the election to follow.
The College of Cardinals – which will elect the next pope – has 252 members, but only 135 can vote. Only those younger than 80 as of the day of a pope’s death may cast a ballot. Theoretically, church law allows the College of Cardinals to elect any Catholic man in the world to become the next pope – but in reality, as has been the case for more than 600 years, one of those cardinal-electors will almost certainly be Francis’ successor.
During the early centuries of Christianity, three classes of ordained minsters came about to lead and serve Christian communities: bishops, priests and deacons.
Bishops supervised local church communities and presided at liturgical ceremonies in the main churches – cathedrals. Priests advised the bishops and led individual communities – parishes. Deacons tended to the needs of the poor, widows and orphans and took care of community finances. They also had a special role during some worship services and often acted as the bishop’s secretaries.
Over time, seven of these deacons in key Roman churches served as special advisers to the bishop of Rome, the pope. They came to be called cardinals, from Latin “cardo” – meaning hinge – and “cardinalis” meaning key or principal. Later popes would choose priests and bishops to be cardinals as well.
Electing the pope
In the earlier centuries, popes would be elected by the clergy and people of the city of Rome. As time went on, these elections could be manipulated by local civic leaders, wealthy families and political leaders outside of Rome and Italy.
It was not until the 11th century that Pope Nicholas II formulated a process for selecting a new pope: election by an assembly of cardinals. However, it was not always possible for all the cardinals – known as the College of Cardinals – to come together, due to age, illness or distance. Those who had to travel long distances might arrive too late to vote.
In order to avoid continued outside interference, Pope Gregory X in the 13th century adopted a new procedure: the conclave. Cardinals would remain in a locked location – from the Latin cum clave, “with a key” – in isolation from outside influences until the election concluded.
The rules governing the conclave changed slightly over the years. The leader of the College of Cardinals is called the dean of the college. Over the centuries, his duties have come to include organizing the conclave, assisted by other Vatican officials. The size of the college has also varied over time but has steadily increased despite efforts to limit its size.
Starting in the 19th century, popes began expanding the size and geography of the college. Once dominated by European and especially Italian cardinals, popes began to choose new cardinals from different areas of the globe. For example, the first cardinals born in North America were named: John McClosky, archbishop of New York, was named cardinal in 1875; James Gibbons, archbishop of Baltimore in 1886, and Elzéar-Alexandre Taschereau, archbishop of Quebec, also in 1886.
The College of Cardinals receives final instructions from the Grand Marshal before adjourning to the Sistine Chapel to begin voting for a new pope in 1922. Bettmann via Getty Images
The expansion of the college gathered momentum in the mid-20th century. The first native-born bishops from Asia were named at this time – for example, from China in 1946, Japan and the Philippines in 1960, and Sri Lanka in 1965. The first native-born cardinals of both Mexico and Uruguay were named in 1958, and the first native-born African of modern times, from Tanzania, was named in 1960. Popes continued this trend through the later 20th and early 21st centuries.
Different visions
By the time of his death, Francis had named a large number of new, non-European cardinals, especially from the Global South, where Catholicism is expanding. Currently, out of a total of 252 cardinals, 138 are non-European. Importantly, out of a total 135 cardinals eligible to vote, 82 are not from Europe, which makes a record number of non-Europeans eligible to vote.
In addition, at this conclave, 80% of the cardinal-electors have been named by Francis: that is 108 cardinals out of 135. This is an overwhelming number, representing a wide variety of Catholic communities from several different cultures. A new pope must be elected with a two-thirds majority of the votes: a total of 90 votes. If no candidate receives 90 votes, balloting continues as scheduled.
As I see it, there are several issues likely to arise and influence the vote for the upcoming election. Some of the cardinal-electors may want to choose a cardinal with more progressive views. But other cardinals, even if chosen by Francis, still might prefer to choose a more conservative candidate, to moderate what they see as the progressive agenda of the past 12 years. Their appointment by Francis doesn’t mean that they automatically agree with all of his ideas.
Catholics around the world will be praying for the Holy Spirit to guide the hearts and minds of the cardinals as they fill out their ballots. Many will hope for a pope as inspiring as his predecessor, one who can face the challenging problems of an increasingly complex world.
Joanne M. Pierce 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.
Did you eat cereal this morning? Or have you walked on a gravel path? Maybe you had a headache and had to take a pill? If you answered any of these questions with a yes, you interacted with a granular system today.
Scientists classify any collection of small, hard particles – such as puffed rice, sand grains or pills – as a granular system.
Even though everyone has interacted with these kinds of systems, describing the physics of how the particles collectively act when they are close together is surprisingly hard.
Granular systems sometimes move like a fluid. Think of an hourglass where sand, a very typical granular material, flows from one half of the glass to the other. But if you’ve run on a beach, you know that sand can also act like a solid. You can move over it without sinking through the sand.
As a geologist, I’m interested in understanding when a granular system flows and when it has strength and behaves like a solid. This line of research is very important for many agricultural and industrial applications, such as moving corn kernels or pills in a pipeline or shoot.
Understanding when a granular system might flow is also essential for geologic hazard assessments. For example, geologists would like to know whether the various boulders making up the slope of a mountain are stable or whether they will move as a rockslide.
Transferring forces between grains
To understand the behavior of a granular system, scientists can zoom in and look at the interactions between individual grains. When two particles are in contact with each other, they can transfer forces between each other.
Imagine this scenario: You have three tennis balls – the grains in this experiment. You place the tennis balls in a row and squeeze the three balls between your hand and a wall, so that your hand presses against the first ball. The last ball is in contact with a wall, but the middle ball is free floating and touches only the other two balls.
Tennis balls can act as grains in this simple granular system experiment. When you push against the tennis ball on the end, you exert a force, which acts upon the other two balls and eventually the wall. Jeremy Randolph-Flagg
By pushing against the first ball, you have successfully transferred the force from your hand through the row of three tennis balls onto the wall, even though you’ve touched only the first ball.
Now imagine you have many grains, like in a pile of sand, and all the sand grains are in contact with some neighboring grains. Grains that touch transfer forces between each other. How the forces are distributed in this granular system dictates whether the system is stable and unmoving or if it will move – such as a rockslide or the sand in an hourglass.
On the left are photoelastic discs used for two-dimensional experiments (9 mm diameter), and on the right are photoelastic grains used for three-dimensional experiments (14 mm diameter). Nathan Coon
Tracking forces in the lab
This is where my research team comes in. Together with my students, I study how grains interact with each other in the laboratory.
In our experiments, we can visualize the forces between individual grains in a granular system. While all granular systems have these forces present, we cannot see their distribution because force is invisible in most grains, such as sand or pills. We can see the forces only in some transparent materials.
To make the forces visible, we made grains using a material that is transparent and has a special property called photoelasticity. When photoelastic materials are illuminated and experience force, they split light into two rays that travel at different speeds.
This property forms bright, colorful bands in the otherwise transparent material that make the force visible. The brightness of the grains depends on how much force a grain is experiencing, so we can see how the forces are distributed in the granular system. The particles themselves do not emit light, but they change how fast light rays travel through them when they experience force – which makes them appear brighter.
On side A is a three-dimensional photoelastic grain without force applied, while on side B is the same grain once force is applied. In this case, we just squish the grain from the top and bottom. The brighter green bands start at the top and bottom of the grain where the force is applied and are the result of the photoelastic property. Jacqueline Reber
Scientists before us have used photoelasticity to visualize force in granular materials. These previous experiments, however, have examined only a single layer of grains. We developed a method to see the forces in not just a single layer of grains but throughout a whole heap.
Observing the forces on the outside of the heap of grains is pretty easy, but seeing how the forces are distributed in the middle of the pile is a lot harder. To see into the middle of the granular system and to illuminate grains there, we used a laser light sheet.
To generate a laser light sheet, we manipulated a laser beam so that the light spread out into a very narrow sheet.
With this light sheet, we illuminated one slice throughout the granular system. On this illuminated slice, we could see which grains were transferring forces, similarly to the previous two-dimensional experiments, without having to worry about the third dimension.
We then collected information from many slices across different parts of the grain heap. We used the information from the individual slices to reconstruct the three-dimensional granular system.
This technique is similar to how doctors reconstruct three-dimensional shapes of the brain and other organs from the two-dimensional images obtained by a medical CT scanner.
In 3D photoelastic experiments, the cart system shown at the top left is used to obtain regularly spaced laser light slices of the experiments, with the middle being sliced. The bottom left shows a schematic on how multiple slices can recreate a 3D object. The right shows three consecutive photos that are 0.7 cm apart – roughly one grain’s radius. The bright green crosshatch pattern shows how the forces are distributed between the individual grains. Nathan Coon
In our current experiments, we’ve been using only a small number of grains – 107. This way we can keep track of every individual grain and test whether this method works to see the force distribution in three dimensions. These 107 grains fill a cube-shaped box that is about 4 inches (10 centimeters) wide, tall and deep.
So far, the experimental method is working well, and we’ve been able to see how the force is distributed between the 107 grains. Next, we plan to expand the experimental setup to include more grains and explore how the force changes when we agitate the granular system – for example, by bumping it.
This new experimental approach opens the door for many more experiments that will help us to better understand granular systems. These systems are all around you, and while they seem so simple, researchers still don’t truly understand how they behave.
Jacqueline Reber receives funding from the Iowa State University College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Frontier Science Fund.
How does soap clean our bodies? – Charlie H., age 8, Stamford, Connecticut
Thousands of years ago, our ancestors discovered something that would clean their bodies and clothes. As the story goes, fat from someone’s meal fell into the leftover ashes of a fire. They were astonished to discover that the blending of fat and ashes formed a material that cleaned things. At the time, it must have seemed like magic.
As the centuries passed, people around the world began to use soap to clean the things that got dirty. During the 1600s, soap was a common item in the American colonies, often made at home. In 1791, Nicholas Leblanc, a French chemist, patented the first soapmaking process. Today, the world spends about US$50 billion every year on bath, kitchen and laundry soap.
But although billions of people use soap every day, most of us don’t know how it works. As a professor of chemistry, I can explain the science of soap – and why you should listen to your mom when she tells you to wash up.
You’ll be amazed at how much work it takes to make a bar of soap.
The chemistry of clean
Water – scientific name: dihydrogen monoxide – is composed of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. That molecule is required for all life on our planet.
Chemists categorize other molecules that are attracted to water as hydrophilic, which means water-loving. Hydrophilic molecules can dissolve in water.
So if you were to wash your hands under a running faucet without using soap, you’d probably get rid of lots of whatever hydrophilic bits are stuck to your skin.
But there is another category of molecules that chemists call hydrophobic, which means water-fearing. Hydrophobic molecules do not dissolve in water.
Oil is an example of something that’s hydrophobic. You probably know from experience that oil and water just don’t mix. Picture shaking up a jar of vinaigrette salad dressing – the oil and the other watery ingredients never stay mixed.
So just swishing your hands through water isn’t going to get rid of water-fearing molecules such as oil or grease.
Here’s where soap comes in to save the day.
Soap, a complex molecule, is both water-loving and water-fearing. Shaped like a tadpole, the soap molecule has a round head and long tail; the head is hydrophilic, and the tail is hydrophobic. This quality is one of the reasons soap is slippery.
It’s also what gives soap its cleaning superpower.
To see what happens when you wash your hands with soap and water, let’s zoom in.
Picture all the gunk that you touch during the day and that builds up on your skin to make your hands dirty. Maybe there are smears of food, mud from outside, or even sweat and oils from your own skin.
All of that material is either water-loving or water-fearing on the molecular level. Dirt is a jumbled mess of both. Dust and dead skin cells are hydrophilic; naturally occurring oils are hydrophobic; and environmental debris can be either.
If you use only water to clean your hands, plenty will be left behind because you’d only remove the water-loving bits that dissolve in water.
But when you add a bit of soap, it’s a different story, thanks to its simultaneously water-loving and water-fearing properties.
Soap molecules come together and surround the grime on your hands, forming what’s known as a micelle structure. On a molecular level, it looks almost like a bubble encasing the hydrophobic bit of debris. The water-loving heads of the soap molecules are on the surface, with the water-fearing tails inside the micelle. This structure traps the dirt, and running water washes it all away.
To get the full effect, wash your hands at the sink for at least 20 seconds. Rubbing your hands together helps force the soap molecules into whatever dirt is there to break it up and envelope it.
It’s not just dirt
Along with dirt, your body is covered by microorganisms – bacteria, viruses and fungi. Most are harmless and some even protect you from getting sick. But some microorganisms, known as pathogens, can cause illness and disease.
They can also cause you to smell if you haven’t taken a bath in a while. These bacteria break down organic molecules and release stinky fumes.
Although microorganisms are protected by a barrier – it’s called a membrane – soap and water can disrupt the membrane, causing the microorganism to burst open. The water then washes the remains of the microorganism away, along with the stink.
To say that soap changed the course of civilization is an understatement. For thousands of years, it’s helped keep billions of people healthy. Think of that the next time Mom or Dad asks you to wash up – which will likely be sometime soon.
Hello, curious kids! Do you have a question you’d like an expert to answer? Ask an adult to send your question to CuriousKidsUS@theconversation.com. Please tell us your name, age and the city where you live.
And since curiosity has no age limit – adults, let us know what you’re wondering, too. We won’t be able to answer every question, but we will do our best.
Paul E. Richardson receives funding from the NIH and NSF.
Cancer research in the U.S. doesn’t rely on a single institution or funding stream − it’s a complex ecosystem made up of interdependent parts: academia, pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology startups, federal agencies and private foundations. As a cancer biologist who has worked in each of these sectors over the past three decades, I’ve seen firsthand how each piece supports the others.
When one falters, the whole system becomes vulnerable.
The United States has long led the world in cancer research. It has spent more on cancer research than any other country, including more than US$7.2 billion annually through the National Cancer Institute alone. Since the 1971 National Cancer Act, this sustained public investment has helped drive dramatic declines in cancer mortality, with death rates falling by 34% since 1991. In the past five years, the Food and Drug Administration has approved over 100 new cancer drugs, and the U.S. has brought more cancer drugs to the global market than any other nation.
But that legacy is under threat. Funding delays, political shifts and instability across sectors have created an environment where basic research into the fundamentals of cancer biology is struggling to keep traction and the drug development pipeline is showing signs of stress.
These disruptions go far beyond uncertainty and have real consequences. Early-career scientists faced with unstable funding and limited job prospects may leave academia altogether. Mid-career researchers often spend more time chasing scarce funding than conducting research. Interrupted research budgets and shifting policy priorities can unravel multiyear collaborations. I, along with many other researchers, believe these setbacks will slow progress, break training pipelines and drain expertise from critical areas of cancer research – delays that ultimately hurt patients waiting for new treatments.
A 50-year foundation of federal investment
The modern era of U.S. cancer research began with the signing of the National Cancer Act in 1971. That law dramatically expanded the National Cancer Institute, an agency within the National Institutes of Health focusing on cancer research and education. The NCI laid the groundwork for a robust national infrastructure for cancer science, funding everything from early research in the lab to large-scale clinical trials and supporting the training of a generation of cancer researchers.
This federal support has driven advances leading to higher survival rates and the transformation of some cancers into a manageable chronic or curable condition. Progress in screening, diagnostics and targeted therapies – and the patients who have benefited from them – owe much to decades of NIH support.
The Trump administration is cutting billions of dollars of biomedical research funding.
But federal funding has always been vulnerable to political headwinds. During the first Trump administration, deep cuts to biomedical science budgets threatened to stall the progress made under initiatives such as the 2016 Cancer Moonshot. The rationale given for these cuts was to slash overall spending, despite facing strong bipartisan opposition in Congress. Lawmakers ultimately rejected the administration’s proposal and instead increased NIH funding. In 2022, the Biden administration worked to relaunch the Cancer Moonshot.
This uncertainty has worsened in 2025 as the second Trump administration has cut or canceled many NIH grants. Labs that relied on these awards are suddenly facing funding cliffs, forcing them to lay off staff, pause experiments or shutter entirely. Deliberate delays in communication from the Department of Health and Human Services have stalled new NIH grant reviews and funding decisions, putting many promising research proposals already in the pipeline at risk.
Philanthropy’s support is powerful – but limited
While federal agencies remain the backbone of cancer research funding, philanthropic organizations provide the critical support for breakthroughs – especially for new ideas and riskier projects.
Groups such as the American Cancer Society, Stand Up To Cancer and major hospital foundations have filled important gaps in support, often funding pilot studies or supporting early-career investigators before they secure federal grants. By supporting bold ideas and providing seed funding, they help launch innovative research that may later attract large-scale support from the NIH.
Without the bureaucratic constraints of federal agencies, philanthropy is more nimble and flexible. It can move faster to support work in emerging areas, such as immunotherapy and precision oncology. For example, the American Cancer Society grant review process typically takes about four months from submission, while the NIH grant review process takes an average of eight months.
Ted Kennedy Jr., right, and Jeff Keith raise money for the American Cancer Society in 1984. Mikki Ansin/Getty Images
But philanthropic funds are smaller in scale and often disease-specific. Many foundations are created around a specific cause, such as advancing cures for pancreatic, breast or pediatric cancers. Their urgency to make an impact allows them to fund bold approaches that federal funders may see as too preliminary or speculative. Their giving also fluctuates. For instance, the American Cancer Society awarded nearly $60 million less in research grants in 2020 compared with 2019.
While private foundations are vital partners for cancer research, they cannot replace the scale and consistency of federal funding. Total U.S. philanthropic funding for cancer research is estimated at a few billion dollars per year, spread across hundreds of organizations. In comparison, the federal government has typically contributed roughly five to eight times more than philanthropy to cancer research each year.
Industry innovation − and its priorities
Private-sector innovation is essential for translating discoveries into treatments. In 2021, nearly 80% of the roughly $57 billion the U.S. spent on cancer drugs came from pharmaceutical and biotech companies. Many of the treatments used in oncology today, including immunotherapies and targeted therapies, emerged from collaborations between academic labs and industry partners.
But commercial priorities don’t always align with public health needs. Companies naturally focus on areas with strong financial returns: common cancers, projects that qualify for fast-track regulatory approval, and high-priced drugs. Rare cancers, pediatric cancers and basic science often receive less attention.
Industry is also saddled with uncertainty. Rising R&D costs, tough regulatory requirements and investor wariness have created a challenging environment to bring new drugs to market. Several biotech startups have folded or downsized in the past year, leaving promising new drugs stranded in limbo in the lab before they can reach clinical trials.
Without federal or philanthropic entities to pick up the slack, these discoveries may never reach the patients who need them.
A system under strain
Cancer is not going away. As the U.S. population ages, the burden of cancer on society will only grow. Disparities in treatment access and outcomes persist across race, income and geography. And factors such as environmental exposures and infectious diseases continue to intersect with cancer risk in new and complex ways.
Addressing these challenges requires a strong, stable and well-coordinated research system. But that system is under strain. National Cancer Institute grant paylines, or funding cutoffs, remain highly competitive. Early-career researchers face precarious job prospects. Labs are losing technicians and postdoctoral researchers to higher-paying roles in industry or to burnout. And patients, especially those hoping to enroll in clinical trials, face delays, disruptions and dwindling options.
Researchers have been rallying to protect the future of science in the U.S. AP Photo/John McDonnell
This is not just a funding issue. It’s a coordination issue between the federal government, academia and industry. There are currently no long-term policy solutions that ensure sustained federal investment, foster collaboration between academia and industry, or make room for philanthropy to drive innovation instead of just filling gaps.
I believe that for the U.S. to remain a global leader in cancer research, it will need to recommit to the model that made success possible: a balanced ecosystem of public funding, private investment and nonprofit support. Up until recently, that meant fully funding the NIH and NCI with predictable, long-term budgets that allow labs to plan for the future; incentivizing partnerships that move discoveries from bench to bedside without compromising academic freedom; supporting career pathways for young scientists so talent doesn’t leave the field; and creating mechanisms for equity to ensure that research includes and benefits all communities.
Cancer research and science has come a long way, saving about 4.5 million lives in the U.S. from cancer from 1991 to 2022. Today, patients are living longer and better because of decades of hard-won discoveries made by thousands of researchers. But science doesn’t run on good intentions alone. It needs universities. It needs philanthropy. It needs industry. It needs vision. And it requires continued support from the federal government.
Jeffrey MacKeigan receives funding from NIH National Cancer Institute. He has consulting agreements with Merck and scholarly activity with the Translational Genomics Research Institute and the Van Andel Research Institute.
After a relatively warm start to the 2024–25 winter heating season (November–March), colder-than-normal temperatures across much of the United States in January and February resulted in increased consumption of natural gas and more withdrawals from U.S. natural gas storage than normal. By the end of March, the least amount of natural gas was held in U.S. underground storage in the Lower 48 states since 2022, with inventories 4% lower than the previous five-year average for that time of year, according to our Weekly Natural Gas Storage Report.
In January and February, the colder-than-normal temperatures across the country led to increased natural gas consumption in the residential, commercial, and electric power sectors. Consumption in the combined residential and commercial sectors in January and February averaged 97 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d), 16% more compared with the same period in 2024. A cold snap in the second half of January resulted in the fourth-largest reported weekly withdrawal from storage at 321 Bcf for the week ending January 24. Natural gas withdrawals in January and February combined totaled nearly 1,650 Bcf, or 33% more than the five-year (2020–24) average for those months.
Working natural gas inventories in the Mountain and Pacific regions at the end of March exceeded the five-year average by 53% and 18%, respectively, while inventories elsewhere were less than the five-year average. At the start of the heating season in November, natural gas inventories in all regions in the Lower 48 states were above the five-year average. As the winter progressed, inventories in the East and Midwest regions fell below the five-year average by the end of December, and inventories in the South Central region were less than the five-year average by the end of January.
Warmer-than-normal temperatures in March resulted in net natural gas injections into storage for the month, signaling an earlier start to the injection season than is typical. Working natural gas in underground storage facilities in the Lower 48 states totaled 1,786 Bcf as of March 31, 2025.
WASHINGTON — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations announced an expanded partnership with the Federal Police of Brazil April 22 in a collaborative bid to combat transnational crime.
HSI International Operations Deputy Assistant Director Jeff DaRin and PF Director of International Cooperation Felipe Tavares Seixas signed the memorandum of understanding at ICE headquarters in Washington, D.C.
“This partnership will enable our agents and officers to collaborate seamlessly on high-impact investigations, strengthening our collective ability to address security threats and protect the well-being of citizens in both countries,” said DaRin.
The memorandum upholds HSI’s longstanding, cooperative relationship with PF and establishes a robust framework for directly sharing criminal investigative intelligence, best practices and methodologies for investigating transnational crime across North and South America.
“Today’s signing ceremony is not just a formal agreement, but a testament to our shared commitment to fighting crime and protecting our citizens,” said Tavares Seixas. “By leveraging our collective resources and expertise, we will make substantial strides in combating transnational crime and safeguarding the security of our nations.”
HSI and PF have collaborated for over 20 years to combat some of the world’s most significant transnational criminal organizations, with a particular focus on human smuggling and trafficking, firearms trafficking, child exploitation, cybercrimes and financial criminal networks.
Most recently, HSI and PF took down a transnational criminal organization allegedly responsible for smuggling hundreds of individuals from Brazil to the United States in March, with support from multiple partners.
For more news and information on ICE’s efforts to enforce our nation’s immigration laws and combat transnational crime, follow us on X at @ICEgov and @HSI_HQ.
TORONTO, April 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — POET Technologies Inc. (“POET” or the “Corporation“) (TSXV: PTK; NASDAQ: POET), a leader in the design and implementation of highly-integrated optical engines and light sources for artificial intelligence networks today announces its intention to complete a non-brokered public offering of 5,000,000 units of the Corporation (the “Units“) at a price of US$5.00 per Unit (the “Issue Price“) for aggregate gross proceeds to the Corporation of US$25 million (the “Offering“). Each Unit will be comprised of one common share of the Corporation (each, a “Common Share“) and one common share purchase warrant of the Corporation (each, a “Warrant“), with each Warrant being exercisable to acquire one Common Share at a price of C$8.32 for a period of five years from the date of issuance.
The Issue Price represents a premium of approximately 21.8% over the closing price of the Common Shares on the TSX Venture Exchange on Friday, April 25, 2025. The Corporation anticipates using the net proceeds of the Offering for working capital and general corporate purposes.
The Offering will be made by way of a prospectus supplement (the “Prospectus Supplement“) to the short form base shelf prospectus of the Corporation dated September 6, 2024, which Prospectus Supplement will be prepared and filed by the Corporation prior to the closing of the Offering with the securities regulatory authorities in each of the provinces and territories of Canada, as well as with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as part of the Corporation’s U.S. registration statement on Form F-10 (“Form F-10“) (Registration No. 333-280553) under the U.S.-Canada Multijurisdictional Disclosure System, with such additions thereto and deletions therefrom as may be permitted or required by Form F-10. The Offering is expected to be fully subscribed by a single institutional investor in Canada that qualifies as an “accredited investor” under National Instrument 45-106 – Prospectus Exemptions of the Canadian Securities Administrators.
The consummation of the Offering remains subject to the receipt of all regulatory approvals, including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (the “Exchange“), and the satisfaction of other customary closing conditions. No commission or finder’s fee will be paid in connection with the Offering.
The Corporation had announced the terms of a similar offering on December 12, 2024. However, the Corporation decided to postpone such offering in order to prioritize the completion of its previously announced acquisition of Quanzhou San’an Optical Communication Technology Co., Ltd.’s 24.8% interest in Super Photonics Integrated Circuit Xiamen Co., Ltd. (“SPX“) and meet key milestones related to establishing assembly and manufacturing capabilities in Malaysia. With the SPX acquisition now complete and the Malaysia expansion well underway, the Corporation and the investor have agreed to revised offering terms and anticipate completing the Offering on or about May 15, 2025. With an already robust cash position, the completion of the current offering will be used to further establish the Corporation as a leading supplier of optical engines and light sources that power connectivity in artificial intelligence systems and networks.
This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.
About POET Technologies Inc.
POET is a design and development company offering high-speed optical engines, light source products and custom optical modules to the artificial intelligence systems market and to hyperscale data centers. POET’s photonic integration solutions are based on the POET Optical Interposer™, a novel, patented platform that allows the seamless integration of electronic and photonic devices into a single chip using advanced wafer-level semiconductor manufacturing techniques. POET’s Optical Interposer-based products are lower cost, consume less power than comparable products, are smaller in size and are readily scalable to high production volumes. In addition to providing high-speed (800G, 1.6T and above) optical engines and optical modules for AI clusters and hyperscale data centers, POET has designed and produced novel light source products for chip-to-chip data communication within and between AI servers, the next frontier for solving bandwidth and latency problems in AI systems. POET’s Optical Interposer platform also solves device integration challenges across a broad range of communication, computing and sensing applications. POET is headquartered in Toronto, Canada, with operations in Singapore, Penang, Malaysia and Shenzhen, China. More information about POET is available on our website at www.poet-technologies.com
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information
This news release contains “forward-looking information” (within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws) and “forward-looking statements” (within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995). Such statements or information are identified with words such as “anticipate”, “believe”, “expect”, “plan”, “intend”, “potential”, “estimate”, “propose”, “project”, “outlook”, “foresee” or similar words suggesting future outcomes or statements regarding any potential outcome. Such statements include, without limitation, the Corporation’s expectations with respect to consummation of the Offering, the Corporation’s ability to complete the Offering on the announced terms, the Corporation’s products, the scalability of the POET Optical Interposer and the success of the Corporation’s products, the Corporation’s ability satisfy all closing conditions and close the Offering within the announced timeline, the investor acquiring all of the Units under the Offering on the terms announced, the Corporation’s use of proceeds for the Offering, the Corporation’s ability to complete the Malaysia expansion, the Corporation’s ability to obtain the final approval of the Exchange, the Corporation being well-capitalized upon the closing of the Offering and the Corporation being able to advance its business objectives. Such forward-looking information or statements are based on a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions which may cause actual results or other expectations to differ materially from those anticipated and which may prove to be incorrect. Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things, management’s expectations regarding the size of the market for its products, the capability of SPX to produce products on time and at the expected costs, the performance and availability of certain components, and the success of its customers in achieving market penetration for their products. Actual results could differ materially due to a number of factors, including, without limitation, the attractiveness of the Corporation’s product offerings, performance of its technology, the performance of key components, and ability of its customers to sell their products into the market. For further information concerning these and other risks and uncertainties, refer to the Corporation’s filings on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and on the website of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov. Although the Corporation believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information or statements are reasonable, prospective investors in the Corporation’s securities should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements because the Corporation can provide no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking information and statements contained in this news release are as of the date of this news release and the Corporation assumes no obligation to update or revise this forward-looking information and statements except as required by applicable securities laws.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein.
120 Eglinton Avenue, East, Suite 1107, Toronto, ON, M4P 1E2- Tel: 416-368-9411 – Fax: 416-322-5075
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, April 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitget Wallet, a leading Web3 non-custodial wallet, has announced a new product update that enables users to access and interact with pre-bonded tokens from leading meme launch platforms pump.fun and Four.meme. This new feature, available on the latest version (V8.33) of the Bitget Wallet App, allows users to view, sort, and trade meme tokens at both the “New” and “Bonding” stages—without leaving the app.
With this new feature, Bitget Wallet users can now navigate the fast-paced meme coin space more efficiently. Tokens can be filtered by launch progress and creation time, providing early access to emerging projects directly from the mobile end. This reduces the need to monitor multiple platforms and significantly improves the user experience for traders seeking to discover early-stage assets with high growth potential.
The update comes as meme coins experience renewed momentum in on-chain trading activity. Platforms like pump.fun and Four.meme have seen rapid adoption by a wide range of users looking to participate in early-stage token launches. In response, wallets and trading tools are evolving to better support this trend by offering more real-time and in-app discovery functions tailored to meme market dynamics.
“With the resurgence of meme token activity, users need tools that allow them to move quickly and stay informed,” said Alvin Kan, COO of Bitget Wallet. “Our updated feature represents our commitment to building tools that adapt to user behavior and market shifts, helping traders stay one step ahead.”
About Bitget Wallet Bitget Wallet is a non-custodial crypto wallet designed to make crypto simple, secure, and accessible for everyone. With over 60 million users, it brings together a full suite of crypto services, including swaps, market insights, staking, rewards, a DApp browser, and crypto payment solutions. Supporting 130+ blockchains, 20,000+ DApps, and a million 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. For more information, visit: X | Telegram | Instagram | YouTube | LinkedIn | TikTok | Discord | Facebook For media inquiries, contact media.web3@bitget.com
Source: The White House
Background
Under President Biden, the Federal government promoted a grotesque social and scientific experiment on American children. During the first three years of his administration alone, more than 7,000 children were administered puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones. Over 4,000 were subjected to sex-trait modification surgical interventions, such as mastectomies. These interventions were marketed to children on the basis of ideologically driven and financially motivated junk-science.
On January 28, 2025, President Trump signed Executive Order 14187, “Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation.” EO 14187 prohibits Federal departments from funding, sponsoring, assisting, or facilitating the chemical and surgical mutilation of minors and directs them to stop these immoral, unjust, and disproven practices more broadly to the greatest extent possible. The following sections summarize initial steps taken to implement this Order.
Restoring Scientific Integrity
Section 3(i) directs agencies to rescind or amend all policies that rely on the “Standards of Care Version 8” developed by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH). These standards were not drafted based on scientific evidence, but on political considerations. During the drafting process, then-Assistant Secretary for Health, Admiral Levine, lobbied WPATH to drop its proposed age limits for surgical mutilation. Levine then issued Federal guidance titled “Gender-affirming Care and Young People,” which promoted the chemical sterilization and surgical mutilation of minors.
After President Trump took office in January, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) immediately removed this document, along with other pseudo-scientific information, from its webpages. On February 14, a court order compelled HHS to display this document and other pseudoscientific webpages. HHS followed the court order, but provided a notice that it disavows Levine’s document – and all materials that cite WPATH – in the strongest possible terms.
Section 3(ii) directs HHS to publish an evidence-based review of the literature on best-practices to promote the health of children who assert gender dysphoria. HHS has coordinated with a team of eight distinguished scholars, and will publish this review by the 90-day deadline.
Promoting Accurate Information
Section 3(b) directs HHS to use “all available methods” to increase data quality to improve practices “for improving the health of minors with gender dysphoria.”
The lead researcher of one notable study, funded by the National Institute for Health (NIH), withheld its results from the public for political reasons. The NIH has taken, and will continue to take, all necessary and proper steps to ensure accountability and transparency for all taxpayer-funded studies.
HHS is reviewing data tools to ensure that Federal data collection reflects biological reality and provides medically useful information.
Stopping Taxpayer-Funded Child Experimentation and Mutilation
Section 4 directs HHS to “immediately take appropriate steps to ensure that [medical] institutions receiving federal research or education grants end the chemical and surgical mutilation of children.”
HHS has eliminated 215 such grants, saving taxpayers over $477 million. Two examples include: a $1,319,024 grant to the Center for Innovative Public Health research for “#TranscendantHealth – Adapting an LGB+ inclusive teen pregnancy prevention program for transgender boys;” and a $5,955,310 grant to Boston Children’s Hospital for “TransHealthGUIDE: Transforming Health for Gender-Diverse Young Adults Using Intervention to Drive Equity.”
Ensuring Proper Medical Treatment
Section 5 directs HHS to take all appropriate actions to end the chemical and surgical mutilation of children. On March 5, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a Quality and Safety Special Alert Memo entitled “Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation,” which alerted providers to the dangers of chemical mutilation as well as the lack of medical evidence supporting their use. Among other provisions, the letter stated that:
it is of utmost importance that all providers follow the highest standards of care and adhere closely to the foundational principles of medicine, especially as it comes to America’s children. This CMS alert to providers on the dangerous chemical and surgical mutilation of children, including interventions that cause sterilization, is informed by a growing body of evidence and protective policies across the world.
Within days, similar letters were sent by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Health Resources and Services Administration, and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health.
This administration is preparing other actions in accordance with Section 5. HHS, through CMS, is also exploring every avenue to increase access to detransition care.
Pursuant to Section 6, the Department of Defense has required its health services contractors to discontinue child mutilation as a covered benefit. Pursuant to Section 7, the Office of Personnel Management has excluded coverage for the mutilation of the children of the Federal civilian workforce beginning in Plan Year 2026.
Ensuring Equal Protection and Rule of Law
Pursuant to Section 8, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has prepared guidance regarding enforcement of 18 U.S.C. § 116, prioritizing protection against female genital mutilation, and will convene State Attorneys General to coordinate enforcement. It has also initiated investigations of multiple entities that have misled the public about the long-term side effects of chemical and surgical mutilation under the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.
DOJ has drafted and submitted legislation creating a private right of action, with a long statute of limitations, for children whose bodies have been chemically and surgically damaged and their parents, for additional review. DOJ will also establish a “Parental Rights Task Force” to vindicate the rights of parents in states like California, where parental refusal to consent to the mutilation of their children can enable the state to remove children from parental custody, and to further uphold parents’ recognized constitutional rights.
Source: Traditional Unionist Voice – Northern Ireland
Statement by TUV East Antrim representative, Councillor Matthew Warwick:
“It is revealing that Danny Donnelly, an elected representative of the Alliance Party, attacks Unionists for criticising Kneecap — a rap group whose very name glorifies the brutal practice of IRA kneecappings, leaving countless innocent victims scarred for life.
“While Alliance routinely condemns Loyalism for the slightest real or perceived offence, Mr Donnelly leaps to the defence of a group that:
• openly calls for the ethnic cleansing of ‘Brits’ from Northern Ireland;
• weaponises the Irish language, featuring the notorious slogan ‘Every word spoken in Irish is a bullet in the freedom struggle’ in promotional material;
• supports terrorist groups in the Middle East, including Hamas; and
• advocates the murder of Tory MPs.
“If any group associated with Loyalism featured a character in a balaclava named DJ UDA, Mr Donnelly and his party would waste no time in public denunciation. Yet he now seeks to shield a group whose stage names mock the suffering inflicted by IRA terrorists.
“It is important to make clear that Mr Donnelly’s views do not represent the majority of East Antrim. Accordingly, today I have written to the U.S. Department of State to request that Kneecap be denied visas to spread their toxic ideology to America.”
Mr Warrick’s letter is as follows:
Visa Office
U.S. Department of State
Washington, D.C. 20520
United States of America
Re: Objection to Visa Applications by Kneecap
Dear Sir/Madam,
I write on behalf of Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) to urge the United States Department of State to deny visas to the rap group Kneecap, who are seeking entry into the United States for a concert tour later this year.
Kneecap are not merely entertainers; they are open advocates of violence, division, and terror. Their lyrics and public appearances glorify the blood-soaked legacy of the Provisional IRA, a terrorist organisation responsible for nearly 1,800 murders. Their very name references the IRA’s gruesome practice of “kneecapping” — a method of torture used to permanently maim their victims.
Kneecap has publicly called for violence against sitting Members of Parliament, promoting the killing of elected officials — a grave incitement that goes far beyond artistic expression and constitutes a direct attack on democracy.
The group also uses their platform to champion extremist causes abroad. At their recent performance at the Coachella music festival, they projected inflammatory anti-Israel slogans, accusing Israel of genocide and condemning the U.S. government as complicit in alleged war crimes.
Furthermore, they have publicly aligned themselves with organisations such as Hamas, whose brutal acts of terrorism have targeted Jewish civilians.
In today’s climate, where antisemitism is a rising threat particularly in academic settings where President Trump’s administration has taken welcome steps to address the issues, it would be deeply irresponsible to allow entry to individuals who promote such hatred and violence.
U.S. law rightly provides for the denial of visas to those who advocate terrorism, incite political violence, or pose a risk to public order and social cohesion. By their words and actions, Kneecap clearly fall into this category.
Granting Kneecap visas would not promote cultural exchange. It would instead export to American cities a toxic ideology rooted in glorifying terrorism and stoking division.
I therefore respectfully urge the Department of State to reject any current or future visa applications from members of Kneecap.
Shenzhen, April 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Shenzhen, China, April 28, 2025 – MicroAlgo Inc. (NASDAQ: MLGO), (the “Company”), a leading developer and application provider of bespoke central processing algorithms, today announced its financial results for the year ended December 31, 2024. The Company reported total revenues of RMB 541.5 million (USD 75.3 million) and net income of RMB 53.4 million (USD 7.3 million), marking a significant turnaround from the previous year’s net loss of RMB 266.2 million and net loss of RMB 46.54 million in 2022. This return to profitability is largely attributed to the company’s strategic shift away from its intelligent chips and services segment, and dedication of resources resulting in strong performance in its central processing algorithm services, which accounted for 100% of revenues in 2024.
The Company’s strategic focus on central processing algorithm services has proven effective, with revenues from this segment reaching RMB 541.5 million (USD 75.3 million). MicroAlgo’s ability to provide comprehensive solutions that integrate these algorithms with its customers’ needs have proven successful. The Company’s ongoing investment in research and development, totaling RMB 111.7 million (USD 15.5 million) in 2024, has been crucial in driving innovation and maintaining a competitive edge in the rapidly evolving technology landscape.
MicroAlgo’s success in 2024 demonstrates its ability to capitalize on the growing demand for central processing algorithm services in industries such as internet advertising and online gaming. The Company’s strategic initiatives, including expanding its application fields and diversifying its customer base, position it for continued growth and success in the central processing algorithm services industry. With a strong balance sheet, including cash and cash equivalents of approximately RMB 1,035.9 million (USD 144.1 million) as of December 31, 2024 (as compared to the RMB 317 million in 2023), MicroAlgo is well-positioned to pursue strategic opportunities and further enhance its technology capabilities.
Quote from Min Shu, CEO of MicroAlgo:
“We are very pleased with MicroAlgo’s performance in 2024, achieving profitability and demonstrating the strength of our central processing algorithm services segment. Our commitment to innovation and providing cutting-edge solutions has enabled us to deliver significant value to our customers. Looking ahead, we will continue to invest in research and development, expand our market reach, and pursue strategic opportunities to further solidify our position as a leader in the data intelligence processing industry. We are confident in our ability to drive sustainable growth and create long-term value for our shareholders.”
The information disclosed in this press release does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Company’s annual report on Form 20-F. The annual report, which contains the Company’s audited consolidate statements, can be accessed on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov and on the Company’s investor relations website at http://ir.microalgor.com/.
About MicroAlgo Inc.
MicroAlgo Inc. (the “MicroAlgo”), a Cayman Islands exempted company, is dedicated to the development and application of bespoke central processing algorithms. MicroAlgo provides comprehensive solutions to customers by integrating central processing algorithms with software or hardware, or both, thereby helping them to increase the number of customers, improve end-user satisfaction, achieve direct cost savings, reduce power consumption, and achieve technical goals. The range of MicroAlgo’s services includes algorithm optimization, accelerating computing power without the need for hardware upgrades, lightweight data processing, and data intelligence services. MicroAlgo’s ability to efficiently deliver software and hardware optimization to customers through bespoke central processing algorithms serves as a driving force for MicroAlgo’s long-term development.
Safe Harbor / Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains statements that may constitute “forward-looking statements.” Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of MicroAlgo, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of MicroAlgo’s periodic reports on Forms 20-F and 6-K filed with the SEC. Copies are available on the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov. Words such as “expect,” “estimate,” “project,” “budget,” “forecast,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “may,” “will,” “could,” “should,” “believes,” “predicts,” “potential,” “continue,” and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, MicroAlgo’s expectations with respect to future performance and anticipated financial impacts of the business transaction.
MicroAlgo undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as may be required by law.
Contact
MicroAlgo Inc. Investor Relations Email: ir@microalgor.com
FORT WAYNE, Ind., April 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Franklin Electric Co., Inc. (NASDAQ: FELE) announced today that its Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.265 per share payable May 22, 2025, to shareholders of record on May 8, 2025.
About Franklin Electric Franklin Electric is a global leader in the production and marketing of systems and components for the movement of water and energy. Recognized as a technical leader in its products and services, Franklin Electric serves customers around the world in residential, commercial, agricultural, industrial, municipal, and fueling applications. Franklin Electric is proud to be named in Newsweek’s lists of America’s Most Responsible Companies and Most Trustworthy Companies for 2024 and America’s Climate Leaders 2024 by USA Today.
“Safe Harbor” Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any forward-looking statements contained herein, including those relating to market conditions or the Company’s financial results, costs, expenses or expense reductions, profit margins, inventory levels, foreign currency translation rates, liquidity expectations, business goals and sales growth, involve risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to, risks and uncertainties with respect to general economic and currency conditions, various conditions specific to the Company’s business and industry, weather conditions, new housing starts, market demand, competitive factors, changes in distribution channels, supply constraints, effect of price increases, raw material costs, technology factors, integration of acquisitions, litigation, government and regulatory actions, the Company’s accounting policies, future trends, epidemics and pandemics, and other risks which are detailed in the Company’s Securities and Exchange Commission filings, included in Item 1A of Part I of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2024, Exhibit 99.1 attached thereto and in Item 1A of Part II of the Company’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. These risks and uncertainties may cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements made herein are based on information currently available, and the Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.
The Army Mission – our purpose – remains constant: To deploy, fight and win our nation’s wars by providing ready, prompt & sustained land dominance by Army forces across the full spectrum of conflict as part of the joint force.
Interested in joining the U.S. Army?
Visit: spr.ly/6001igl5L
Connect with the U.S. Army online:
Web: https://www.army.mil
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/USarmy/
X: https://www.twitter.com/USArmy
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/usarmy/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/us-army
#USArmy #Soldiers #Military #Shorts #Army
BALTIMORE — An investigation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Maryland; along with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services; Department of State Diplomatic Security Service and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Maryland, led to federal charges for four individuals — Ella Zuran, 65, Tatiana Sigal, 74, and Alexandra Tkach, 41, of New York City, New York; along with Shawnta Hopper, 33, of Sicklerville, New Jersey — for facilitating visa and marriage fraud.
ICE Homeland Security Investigations HSI Maryland and USCIS with assistance from the Department of State Diplomatic Security Service administratively arrested 10 individuals April 24. Individuals involved have had their immigration benefits revoked as part of this investigation.
“Marriage fraud is not a victimless crime — it compromises the integrity of our immigration system, diverts critical resources, and erodes public trust in a process that countless individuals follow legally and in good faith,” said ICE HSI Maryland Special Agent in Charge Michael McCarthy. “These arrests mark a critical milestone in our broader effort to dismantle a criminal network that has sought to undermine our nations immigration laws. HSI remains committed to safeguarding the lawful immigration process and holding accountable those who seek to exploit it.”
“The defendants’ greed led them to concoct an illegal-marriage scheme that compromises the integrity of our immigration system,” said U.S. Attorney Kelly Hayes. “This indictment sends a clear message: the U.S. Attorney’s Office, along with our law enforcement partners, will relentlessly pursue and hold accountable those who try to exploit our immigration system through fraud and deception.”
In April 2022, HSI Maryland’s Document and Benefit Fraud/El Dorado Task Force with assistance from United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, Office of Fraud Detection and National Security began investigating individuals suspected of entering sham marriages with foreign nationals in order to obtain immigration benefits. As of result of interviews with FDNS officers, U.S. citizen petitioners admitted to their participation in the fraud scheme and to receiving financial compensation.
“Some marriages are made in heaven. Some are just made up,” said USCIS Spokesperson Matthew Tragesser. “Our work with ICE in this investigation dismantled a major marriage fraud ring where U.S. citizens were paid to marry illegal aliens. These criminals are now behind bars, reaffirming President Trump and Secretary Noem’s commitment to restoring integrity in our immigration system. Fraudulent marriages should never lead to U.S. citizenship.”
In March 2025, HSI Maryland successfully charged and arrested Zuran, Sigal and Tkach who orchestrated fraudulent marriage schemes to help foreign nationals obtain permanent residence in the United States. The individuals were paid thousands of dollars for facilitating introductions to U.S. citizens and coordinating sham weddings. In addition, they arranged for the preparation of false immigration forms, including fake health status attestations, in connection with applications for immigration benefits.
In addition to these individuals, HSI Maryland arrested Shawnta Hopper. Hopper encouraged several U.S. citizens to participate in fraudulent marriages with foreign nationals for financial gain. She received compensation for recruiting women in Baltimore and other locations to enter into these sham marriages.
If convicted, the defendants face up to five years in federal prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.
“The Diplomatic Security Service is s key partner in the United States’ work to reduce illegal immigration and root out those who endeavor to exploit the U.S. travel system,” said Diplomatic Security Service Washington Field Office Special Agent in Charge David Richeson. “DSS proudly coordinates with our U.S. and international law enforcement partners to investigate transnational crimes and apprehend fugitives who commit fraud and violate U.S. law.”
McCarthy, with HSI – Maryland, announced the indictment with Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, and Field Office Director Elizabeth Grant, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services – Baltimore Field Office.
HSI conducts federal criminal investigations into the illegal movement of people, goods, money, contraband, weapons and sensitive technology into, out of and through the United States. HSI’s investigations are wide ranging – our cases include drug and weapons smuggling, cyber and financial crime, illegal technology exports and intellectual property crime. HSI also plays a crucial role in investigating crimes of exploitation. This includes combating child exploitation, human trafficking, financial fraud and scams and other crimes against vulnerable populations.
Members of the public with information about criminal activity in your community are encouraged to contact the Tip Line at 866-DHS-2-ICE.
Learn more about HSI Baltimore’s mission to increase public safety in our Maryland communities on X at @HSIBaltimore.
As the world’s population grows, it is becoming more and more important to develop more environmentally and economically sustainable ways of producing food.
As part of an ongoing $10 million grant from the USDA, led by Kumar Venkitanarayanan, CAHNR associate dean of research and graduate education and professor of animal science, Abhinav Upadhyay, assistant professor of animal science, has developed a course to teach the next generation of agricultural workers and researchers about sustainable poultry production.
“We are aiming to educate the next generation workforce to understand that food production is important but at the same time it should not come at the cost of losing our planet,” Upadhyay says.
The course is designed as a follow-up to Upadhyay’s longstanding course on the fundamentals of poultry science. The new course was offered for the first time in fall 2024.
Students are introduced to the basic tenets of sustainability, why it is important, and why the scientific community is interested in making agriculture reducing the impact of agriculture on the environment now.
“In the scientific world, there is a lot of discussion as to how are we going to provide this human population with nutritious food that is also sustainable,” Upadhyay says. “Because what we cannot do is have an intensive farming model where we destroy forests or don’t care about the industry’s implications on climate.”
The course then moves into more specific information on raising poultry more sustainably and the specific challenges this industry faces in terms of human, animal, and environmental health.
For the final project in the course, students work in groups to create a proposal for their own sustainable poultry production research project.
Through this assignment, students get to experience how research proposals are actually evaluated in the professional scientific world with their peers serving as anonymized reviewers.
“These students don’t have a lot of research experience,” Upadhyay says. “But it was still very impressive to see how they could crosslink the ideas that were discussed in the course and then come up with a project of their own.”
The course had 12 undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in the fall. It will be offered again in fall 2025. The course is open to all UConn students.
“I was happy to see that the first time we introduced this course, it has significant interest among graduate and undergraduate students,” Upadhyay says.
Mackenzie Connors ‘25 (CAHNR) is one undergraduate student who took the course in the fall.
Connors says she valued how the course exposed her to new information not just about poultry sustainability, but also the grant writing process, even as she plans to attend veterinary school after graduation.
“It taught me a lot about sustainable poultry and also about writing grants,” Mackenzie says. “For somebody who will do that in the future, that is a very, very good course. And even if you’re not planning to take that career path, it’s good exposure.”
Upadhyay and his colleagues at Appalachian State University, University of Minnesota, and University of Arkansas published an article in Poultry Science, highlighting the course.
“The aim of the research article was to share with the entire global scientific community what we are doing,” Upadhyay. “We are expecting, in the future when people read this article, they will reach out to us for potential collaborations.”
Upadhyay will continue to offer the course at UConn and eventually share it with other universities as an online course. The course will be consistently updated to reflect new research and regulations related to sustainable poultry production.
“In order to develop a strong workforce in the U.S. we are developing this course and UConn is at the crux of it,” Upadhyay says.
This work relates to CAHNR’s Strategic Vision area focused on Ensuring a Vibrant and Sustainable Agricultural Industry and Food Supply.
UConn Hartford will be able to offer student housing near its downtown campus starting this fall, a year ahead of its planned opening of a larger and permanent student housing development nearby.
UConn’s Board of Trustees recently approved plans to lease studio and one-bedroom apartments in The Donaghue at 525 Main St., to accommodate up to 57 students in the 2025-2026 academic year. That newly renovated building is across the street from the Hartford Public Library and just a few minutes from the campus.
The University will offer the apartments for student housing through Residential Life, acclimating students to the concept of living near the campus so they can easily transition next year to the permanent housing under development at 64 Pratt St.
The housing complements the planned opening of a new café this fall in the Hartford Times campus headquarters building, where food will be available for purchase with UConn meal plans or à la carte by members of the University community and the public.
Students who live in the apartments in The Donaghue building will be able to opt for a UConn meal plan that includes either five or 10 meals per week, plus $50 in dining points per semester.
Nathan Fuerst, UConn’s vice president for student life and enrollment, said at a recent Board of Trustees meeting that offering the apartments near UConn Hartford has many benefits both for the students and for the campus itself.
“The housing option will help students develop a strong sense of community and build momentum moving into the coming year as we prepare to open the housing on Pratt Street,” Fuerst said. “We’re very excited to be able to offer a housing opportunity even earlier than we anticipated, and we look forward to strong interest.”
Providing the option also will help ease some space constraints at UConn Storrs, since UConn Hartford students who currently live in Storrs dorms will get first dibs on The Donaghue apartments closer to their home campus.
“UConn Hartford’s new café and its student housing plans are examples of the University’s commitment to partnering with the City of Hartford and adding to its economic, social, and cultural vibrancy,” said Mark Overmyer-Velázquez, UConn Hartford’s dean and chief administrative officer.
UConn plans to offer about 200 beds of student housing starting in August 2026 in a building called The Annex at the corner of Pratt and Trumbull streets in downtown Hartford, not far from the campus.
UConn has been working for the past several years to deepen its ties with the capital city, where the University also recently opened an academic and research facility in a building that fronts the XL Center on Trumbull Street.
UConn opened the Hartford campus downtown in 2017, and has worked since then to position it as a centerpiece of a thriving capital city by bringing people downtown to learn, live, and support the regional economy.
Interest in student housing has grown along with the campus population. UConn Hartford’s undergraduate enrollment has increased steadily since fall 2017, and an increasing number of students are choosing to start their UConn careers there.
UConn Neag School of Education alumni Jessica Stargardter ’16 (ED), ’17 MA; Gabriel Castro ’14 (ED), ’15 MA; Nicole Holland Kew ’09 (ED), ’10 MA; and Yurah Robidas Emmenegger ’09 (ED), ’09 (CLAS), ’10 MA; have each embarked on remarkable journeys as educators, spanning continents and cultures. From their foundations at UConn to classrooms across the world, their careers highlight the transformative power of teaching beyond borders.
“Time after time, our UConn participants have told me that studying and teaching abroad has been one of the most profound experiences of their lives,” says Doug Kaufman, the Neag School’s director of global education and an associate professor of curriculum and instruction. “I see it, too. Moving away from familiar and comfortable contexts has taught them how to recognize the diverse and powerful gifts that their students at home bring into the classroom.
“Working abroad develops cultural awareness, empathy, humility, and an expanded sense of possibility when working with students. Our teachers learn how to learn from their students and advocate for them all.”
Stargardter’s passion for gifted education led her from Connecticut to Panama, Singapore, and Finland, shaping her global perspective. She says her experiences reinforce her belief in education as a universal force for change, transcending cultural and linguistic differences.
Working abroad develops cultural awareness, empathy, humility, and an expanded sense of possibility when working with students. Our teachers learn how to learn from their students and advocate for them all. — Doug Kaufman, Neag School’s director of global education
Castro’s path to teaching went from Puerto Rico to Colombia, Costa Rica, and Taiwan, and he has embraced each opportunity with curiosity and openness. His teaching philosophy is rooted in adaptation and connection, ensuring meaningful relationships with students regardless of geography. As he prepares for fatherhood, he looks forward to the next chapter of his journey.
For Kew, London became home. A study abroad trip led to a life-changing move across the Atlantic, where she has spent over a decade teaching and raising a family. Balancing work and her personal life, she cherishes her role as an educator in a diverse, evolving community.
Emmenegger’s love for language and culture brought her from Connecticut to France, Portugal, and Switzerland. Teaching French and German in international schools, she exemplifies resilience and adaptability, proving that a commitment to education can create opportunities in unexpected places.
Together, their stories illustrate the boundless impact of teaching, and the unique paths educators take to inspire students worldwide.
Reconnecting with Family Roots
From Connecticut to Puerto Rico, Colombia, Costa Rica, and now Taiwan, every step of Gabriel Castro’s ’14 (ED), ’15 MA journey has been driven by curiosity, a love for teaching, and an openness to change. (Photo courtesy of Gabriel Castro)
Education wasn’t Castro’s first choice — he entered UConn as a psychology major, uncertain of his career path. However, a mentorship role in a First-Year Experience course changed everything. Standing before a classroom, guiding new college students, he realized teaching was what he was meant to do.
After graduating from the Neag School, he took his first teaching position in Puerto Rico, reconnecting with his roots. His mother had spent much of her childhood moving between Puerto Rico and Connecticut, and teaching at a K-12 school immersed him in a close-knit community.
Three years in Puerto Rico deepened his love for international teaching and inspired him to explore the other half of his heritage. His father had emigrated from Colombia, and Castro wanted to experience the country firsthand. Moving to Colombia, he found a vibrant culture, rich with music festivals, soccer, and breathtaking landscapes. It was there he met his wife, Kismeth, a fellow international teacher from New York. He says their shared passion for education and adventure brought them together.
They had intended to take a sabbatical year traveling through South America, but the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped their plans. With borders closing, they found temporary teaching positions in Costa Rica. Castro stepped in as a last-minute math teacher, navigating virtual classes, hybrid schedules, and masked interactions. Despite the challenges, Costa Rica was a paradise.
My years of adapting to different educational environments had prepared me well. — Gabriel Castro ’14 (ED), ’15 MA
“With tourism at a standstill, nature thrived,” he says. “Sloths and monkeys roamed undisturbed, and sunsets painted the sky in hues of gold and crimson.”
As the world reopened, they faced their next big decision. Asia had always intrigued them, and Taiwan offered everything they wanted — an excellent school, a safe environment, and a strong culture of hiking, cycling, and running.
Moving to Taiwan was a leap of faith but quickly felt like home. While the language barrier existed outside the classroom, Castro found his ability to connect with students transcended words.
“My years of adapting to different educational environments had prepared me well,” he says.
From Connecticut to Puerto Rico, Colombia, Costa Rica, and now Taiwan, every step of his journey has been driven by curiosity, a love for teaching, and an openness to change. His classroom now extends beyond four walls, spanning countries, cultures, and languages, and he is preparing for an exciting new personal chapter: fatherhood.
“I have an 11-month-old puppy, so I feel like I’ve been practicing in a way,” he says. “It’s a steep learning curve! But I’m excited to see how we can continue traveling with a baby and incorporating her into our adventures.”
Finding Love While Abroad
“It’s the children, really. Seeing them progress, mature, but still retain that spark of who they are — it’s special,” says Nicole Holland Kew ’09 (ED), ’10 MA. (Photo courtesy of Nicole Holland Kew)
Fourteen years into her teaching career — first in Connecticut and then in London — Kew still finds joy in watching her students grow.
“It’s the children, really,” she says. “Seeing them progress, mature, but still retain that spark of who they are — it’s special.”
Having spent 10 years at the same London school, she has become deeply embedded in the community. She gets to know families, watches siblings pass through her classroom, and shares their triumphs and struggles.
“Teaching wasn’t just a job; it was a life woven into the fabric of so many others,” she says.
Her path to teaching began in high school when she worked at an after-school program at her former elementary school in Connecticut. Later, as a camp director at a nature center, she solidified her love for mentoring. Her mother had always dreamed of being a teacher but never pursued it.
Teaching wasn’t just a job; it was a life woven into the fabric of so many others. — Nicole Holland Kew ’09 (ED), ’10 MA
“Maybe in a way, I was fulfilling that dream for both of us,” Kew says.
A single decision changed her trajectory. Studying abroad in London while at the Neag School was supposed to be an adventure — an opportunity to explore a city she had loved since a family trip at 13. She hadn’t expected to meet her future husband just weeks into the program.
They met in a pub, a chance encounter that turned into a long-distance relationship. After navigating time zones and transatlantic flights, they decided to marry. With her husband’s career established in London and the UK actively recruiting teachers, it made sense for Kew to move.
Adjusting to teaching in England came with challenges. In Connecticut, Kew had more autonomy in her teaching, while curriculum and behavior management were standardized in London. Leadership opportunities came more readily, and she briefly considered administration but loved being in the classroom too much.
Balancing work and family was another challenge. With four children — two daughters, 6 and 4, and toddler twins — her hands are full.
“Honestly,” she says, “going to work feels like a break compared to being home!”
London has become home in ways she never expected. During the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, she and her husband considered moving to the U.S. to be closer to her family, but something always held them back. London has given her a life she cherishes, a career she loves, a community she belongs to, and — most importantly — a family she has built from the ground up.
Focused on All Things French
Yurah Robidas Emmenegger ’09 (ED), ’09 (CLAS), ’10 MA says her Neag School education instilled adaptability, an open-minded approach to curricula, and a hands-on teaching philosophy. These lessons help her navigate unfamiliar school systems and cultural differences with confidence. (Photo courtesy of Yurah Robidas Emmenegger)
Emmenegger, who taught for 15 years in Connecticut and now teaches in France, first became interested in education while teaching piano and tutoring in high school. With a mother who was also a teacher, it felt natural.
“It just made sense that I would become a teacher,” she says.
Growing up in Bristol and Plainville, Emmenegger developed a love for French through her mother, who had lived in Switzerland and Portugal.
“She sang to us in French as kids,” Emmenegger says. “In high school, I jumped at the chance to study it.”
A summer program in France in 2007 and the Neag School’s study abroad program in London during her master’s year of the Integrated Bachelor’s/Master’s teacher education program deepened her passion for language and curriculum planning.
My marriage, career, and worldview have all been shaped by this journey. While I still hope for a French teaching position, I know I am exactly where I am meant to be. — Yurah Robidas Emmenegger ’09 (ED), ’09 (CLAS), ’10 MA
After graduating, she taught French in Ellington, for three years but longed to live in France. She joined the French government’s teaching assistant program and was placed in Monté, where she lived with international assistants and did a weekly language exchange with another teacher. She spoke in English for half an hour for the language exchange to help the other teacher improve his English communication skills. Then, the other half specifically worked on improving her grammar.
Since she couldn’t teach French in France, Emmenegger explored other opportunities. Her mother’s past in Portugal led her there for Christmas, where she fell in love with the country and found a teaching job. But her journey took an unexpected turn — she met her future husband in Switzerland. When the world shut down in 2020, they spent months apart. Determined to be together, they married in May 2021, and, by July, she had moved to Switzerland.
Finding a teaching job there was challenging. She took a role at a private school, but it wasn’t the right fit.
She joined the International School of Basel (ISB), but no French positions were available. Expanding her search, she took a six-month role at a Swiss public school, but left after half a year.
ISB welcomed her back with an unexpected offer: teaching beginner German. Having learned German just two years earlier through Duolingo and night classes, she thought the interview offer was a joke. But ISB encouraged her. She took the leap and found herself in a supportive, engaging environment. ISB promised her priority for the next French opening, but no one wanted to leave — a testament to the school’s quality.
Despite career uncertainties, Emmenegger and her husband were building a life together. He was teaching while finishing his studies, and they navigated the challenges of being an international couple.
“You have to be open to moving,” she says. “Each time I relocated, I rebuilt my support system, making me appreciate my deep connections back home even more.”
She says her Neag School education instilled adaptability, an open-minded approach to curricula, and a hands-on teaching philosophy. These lessons helped her navigate unfamiliar school systems and cultural differences with confidence.
For those who love studying abroad, Emmenegger encourages taking the next step and teaching internationally, as she has no regrets.
“My marriage, career, and worldview have all been shaped by this journey,” she says. “And while I still hope for a French teaching position, I know I am exactly where I am meant to be.”
From UConn to Global Classrooms
Jessica Stargardter’s ’16 (ED), ’17 MA teaching journey included a year in Finland as a Fulbright Scholar, during which time she researched teacher evaluations in the country’s globally recognized education system. (Photo courtesy of Jessica Stargardter)
Stargardter’s journey as an educator has been extraordinary, spanning continents and shaping her perspective on the transformative power of teaching. After graduating from the Neag School, she began her career in Connecticut, teaching in Greenwich Public Schools before moving to Norwalk. There, she discovered her passion for gifted and talented education, an interest sparked during her time at UConn, where she worked at the Renzulli Center for Creativity, Gifted Education, and Talent Development.
“I started filing papers at first, but then I received a grant to conduct research,” she says, which ignited a lifelong commitment to student potential.
Stargardter’s dedication led her to teach abroad at the International School of Panama.
“It was my first experience in a traditional classroom after working across grade levels,” she says. “I felt like a first-year teacher again, but it taught me so much about myself and the world.”
She later moved to Singapore, where she found a more manageable cultural transition.
“I was in a classroom with students from all over the world, each bringing something unique,” she says. “It was challenging but incredibly rewarding.”
Teaching is more than just a profession. It’s a way to change lives, one student at a time, no matter where I teach. — Jessica Stargardter ’16 (ED), ’17 MA
Teaching abroad reinforced her belief in education’s universal impact, transcending borders and backgrounds. Reflecting on what initially drew her to teaching, Stargardter credits her third-grade teacher, Mr. Simeone.
“He gamified everything,” she says. “Learning was fun and engaging. I remember thinking I wanted to do the same for my students.”
Her teaching journey also included a year in Finland as a Fulbright Scholar, during which time she researched teacher evaluations in the country’s globally recognized education system. Initially considering a career in academia, she realized how much she missed teaching, leading her back to the classroom and eventually to her move to Panama.
Stargardter’s foundation for success was built at the Neag School, where extensive classroom experiences prepared her for any teaching environment.
“Neag gave me the tools to step into my first classroom ready to succeed,” she says, crediting the program’s diverse placements for shaping her adaptable teaching philosophy.
During her master’s year, Stargardter interned in London through one of the Neag School’s study abroad programs, working at a school for adolescents with mental health challenges. She says this experience reshaped her understanding of education, teaching her that learning extends beyond traditional classrooms.
Her journey abroad has reinforced her belief in cross-cultural education’s power to broaden perspectives.
“Teaching is more than just a profession,” she says. “It’s a way to change lives, one student at a time, no matter where I teach.”
To learn more about the Neag School’s teacher education programs, visit teachered.education.uconn.edu.
