SAN FRANCISCO, June 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Fundbox, the leading provider of embedded capital infrastructure for small businesses, has joined forces with the founding team of Vaya Technologies Inc. As part of the move, Vaya’s co-founders, Ankit Singh and Soham Sen, will take on leadership roles in product and engineering at Fundbox to deliver for their growing suite of partners and to accelerate their development of new credit products.
Founded in 2021, Vaya has built an end-to-end embedded lending platform, enabling more than a dozen vertical SaaS companies across the US to launch white-label capital programs for their small business customers. The startup has also developed innovative technology that uses credit as an incentive to drive product adoption.
“We are looking forward to having the Vaya team onboard. Their expertise in credit infrastructure across geographies, embedded fintech solutions, and vertical SaaS platforms will help Fundbox expand our offerings and better serve our partners globally,” said Prashant Fuloria, CEO, Fundbox.
“Fundbox pioneered embedded credit, and we’re eager to build on the strong foundation the team has established over the years,” said Ankit Singh, Co-founder and Co-CEO, Vaya.
“We’re excited to join Fundbox to scale the embedded lending vision we have built at Vaya and continue empowering the small businesses and vertical SaaS platforms that have always been at the heart of our mission,” said Soham Sen, Co-founder and Co-CEO, Vaya.
—————–
About Fundbox
Fundbox is the pioneer of embedded capital products for SMBs, offering fast, simple access to credit through the tools businesses already use. Since 2013, Fundbox has helped over 150,000 small businesses unlock more than $6 billion in capital. As a leading capital infrastructure provider behind the digital SMB economy, Fundbox is focused on enabling platforms to embed financial tools directly into their user experiences.
For press inquiries, please contact fundbox@avenuez.com
TORONTO, June 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Rockcliffe Capital is pleased to announce today the initiation of equity research coverage on Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd. (TSX/NYSE: AEM), a premier senior gold mining company with operations spanning Canada, Finland, Australia, Mexico, and the U.S.
Following rigorous financial and operational analysis, Rockcliffe Capital assigns Agnico Eagle a “Strong Buy” rating, alongside a 12-month price target of C$155, reflecting strong upside potential of approximately 25% from current market levels.
“Agnico Eagle has delivered extraordinary operating discipline and record earnings this quarter,” said Felix Gelt, Managing Director of Research at Rockcliffe Capital. “With Q1 net income soaring to US$815 M—up 134% YoY—and free cash flow reaching US$594 M amid near-zero debt, Agnico offers both growth and balance sheet strength in the gold sector.”
Investment Thesis Highlights:
Earnings Powerhouse: Q1 2025 net income rose to US$815 million (US$1.62 EPS), a 134% YoY increase, driven by record operating margins from elevated gold prices.
Revenue & Margin Strength: Q1 revenue climbed 34.9% YoY to US$2.468 billion, while all-in sustaining costs (AISC) dropped ~10% to US$1,183/oz, delivering a ~59% margin.
Balance Sheet Resilience: Operating cash flow hit US$1.044 billion, free cash flow was US$594 million, enabling net debt to fall to just US$5 million, with cash reserves of US$1.138 billion.
Strategic Growth Initiatives: Ongoing capital deployment into high-quality projects like Detour Lake, Upper Beaver, and the O3 Mining acquisition enhances reserve base and future production visibility.
Shareholder Returns: Maintains a US$0.40/share quarterly dividend. NCIB buybacks of US$50 million executed in the quarter; the Board plans an expanded NCIB of up to US$1 billion.
ESG Leadership: Released its 16th Sustainability Report highlighting best-in-class emissions intensity (0.38 tCO₂e/oz), C$1 billion Indigenous economic commitment, and sector-leading safety.
Valuation & Target: Utilizing a disciplined valuation framework with a projected 2026 EV/EBITDA multiple of ~8× and P/E multiple of ~18×, Rockcliffe Capital derives a 12-month price target of C$155, equivalent to ~US$115/share, indicating ~25% upside from current levels.
Risk Factors:
Gold Price Volatility: A sustained decline in gold prices could compress margins and cash flow.
Project Execution: Delays at key sites (e.g., underground transitions, permitting) could affect supply outlook.
Macro Factors: A stronger U.S. dollar or higher real interest rates may weigh on gold sector valuations.
About Rockcliffe Capital Research Rockcliffe Capital’s Research Department provides institutional-grade equity research focused on growth-stage companies, public markets, and high-conviction investment themes. Through rigorous analysis, proprietary modeling, and deep sector insights, our research team supports investors, issuers, and strategic partners in identifying value and making informed decisions.
Our coverage includes detailed valuation frameworks, peer comparisons, financial modeling, and ESG scorecards—delivering the intelligence that drives market leadership.
This press release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. Rockcliffe Capital and its affiliates may hold positions in the securities mentioned.
TORONTO, June 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Rockcliffe Capital is pleased to announce today the initiation of equity research coverage on Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd. (TSX/NYSE: AEM), a premier senior gold mining company with operations spanning Canada, Finland, Australia, Mexico, and the U.S.
Following rigorous financial and operational analysis, Rockcliffe Capital assigns Agnico Eagle a “Strong Buy” rating, alongside a 12-month price target of C$155, reflecting strong upside potential of approximately 25% from current market levels.
“Agnico Eagle has delivered extraordinary operating discipline and record earnings this quarter,” said Felix Gelt, Managing Director of Research at Rockcliffe Capital. “With Q1 net income soaring to US$815 M—up 134% YoY—and free cash flow reaching US$594 M amid near-zero debt, Agnico offers both growth and balance sheet strength in the gold sector.”
Investment Thesis Highlights:
Earnings Powerhouse: Q1 2025 net income rose to US$815 million (US$1.62 EPS), a 134% YoY increase, driven by record operating margins from elevated gold prices.
Revenue & Margin Strength: Q1 revenue climbed 34.9% YoY to US$2.468 billion, while all-in sustaining costs (AISC) dropped ~10% to US$1,183/oz, delivering a ~59% margin.
Balance Sheet Resilience: Operating cash flow hit US$1.044 billion, free cash flow was US$594 million, enabling net debt to fall to just US$5 million, with cash reserves of US$1.138 billion.
Strategic Growth Initiatives: Ongoing capital deployment into high-quality projects like Detour Lake, Upper Beaver, and the O3 Mining acquisition enhances reserve base and future production visibility.
Shareholder Returns: Maintains a US$0.40/share quarterly dividend. NCIB buybacks of US$50 million executed in the quarter; the Board plans an expanded NCIB of up to US$1 billion.
ESG Leadership: Released its 16th Sustainability Report highlighting best-in-class emissions intensity (0.38 tCO₂e/oz), C$1 billion Indigenous economic commitment, and sector-leading safety.
Valuation & Target: Utilizing a disciplined valuation framework with a projected 2026 EV/EBITDA multiple of ~8× and P/E multiple of ~18×, Rockcliffe Capital derives a 12-month price target of C$155, equivalent to ~US$115/share, indicating ~25% upside from current levels.
Risk Factors:
Gold Price Volatility: A sustained decline in gold prices could compress margins and cash flow.
Project Execution: Delays at key sites (e.g., underground transitions, permitting) could affect supply outlook.
Macro Factors: A stronger U.S. dollar or higher real interest rates may weigh on gold sector valuations.
About Rockcliffe Capital Research Rockcliffe Capital’s Research Department provides institutional-grade equity research focused on growth-stage companies, public markets, and high-conviction investment themes. Through rigorous analysis, proprietary modeling, and deep sector insights, our research team supports investors, issuers, and strategic partners in identifying value and making informed decisions.
Our coverage includes detailed valuation frameworks, peer comparisons, financial modeling, and ESG scorecards—delivering the intelligence that drives market leadership.
This press release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. Rockcliffe Capital and its affiliates may hold positions in the securities mentioned.
SANTA CLARA, Calif., June 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ushur, the leading AI-powered Customer Experience Automation™ company, today announced the launch of Ushur Intelligence, purpose-built for highly regulated industries. Designed with enterprise-grade security, compliance, and control, Ushur Intelligence enables healthcare, insurance, and financial services organizations to deploy domain-specific AI Agents that automate workflows requiring hyper personalization and judgment — all while ensuring safety or governance.
As enterprises face mounting pressure to achieve more with fewer resources, the demand for intelligent automation has never been greater. Stricter regulations, rising customer expectations and reliance on manual processes are accelerating the need for smarter, automated solutions. The emergence of agentic AI marks a turning point — enabling autonomous reasoning, decision-making and goal-driven action that adapts to context in real time. This signals a new era of enterprise transformation, one that moves well beyond the scripted, hardwired workflows to deliver contemporary customer experiences and meet rapidly evolving business needs.
“Agentic AI marks a major shift — from reactive task automation to proactive, intuitive problem-solving,” said Simha Sadasiva, CEO and Co-founder of Ushur. “With Ushur Intelligence, we’ve created a way for enterprises to safely deploy vertical-focused AI Agents all while maintaining transparency, trust, and total control.”
Ushur Intelligence uses proprietary language models (UshurLM) trained on customer behavior to deliver digital experiences for industry-specific use cases with adherence to regulatory compliance, data privacy and data security protocols.
Key capabilities include:
Domain-specific AI Agents: Designed for healthcare, insurance, and financial services use cases to ensure precision and regulatory alignment.
Multi-agent orchestration: A scalable architecture designed to build and coordinate multiple AI Agents through MCP and agent-to-agent (A2A) interoperability.
Seamless integration: Connects with enterprise systems, policies, and workflows to enable end-to-end automation without coding involved.
Built-in compliance frameworks: Including HIPAA, SOC 2, GDPR, and HITRUST.
Real-time reasoning and decision-making: Allows AI Agents to interpret context and act accordingly, while operating within an authorized set of tasks and services.
Natural language Agent Builder: Accelerating deployment without engineering overhead.
Enterprise-grade governance: With guardrails, audit trails, and human-in-the-loop capabilities.
Availability
Enterprises can now tap into the power of agentic AI through Ushur’s prebuilt, customizable solutions — designed to address their most urgent, high-impact challenges. Rather than starting from scratch, organizations gain immediate access to a robust infrastructure purpose-built for agentic AI, with the flexibility to tailor each experience to their unique business needs.
Ushur delivers AI Agent solutions purpose-built for customer service in regulated industries, designed to manage the complexity, documentation and high-stakes inbound inquiries these businesses encounter. Customers receive instant support — anytime, anywhere — through empathetic, personalized interactions. Employees benefit from immediate access to information, guided workflows and improved productivity. These solutions not only elevate self-service experiences to drive customer satisfaction and retention, but also generate measurable operational impact across the enterprise.
Available solutions include:
Healthcare: AI Agent for Member Service
Insurance: AI Agent for Policyholder Service
Financial Services: AI Agent for Client Service
Ushur is continuously expanding its portfolio of industry-specific AI Agents to address the most complex and mission-critical processes across the enterprise.
Ushur Intelligence is now available for enterprises to unlock immediate value from Agentic AI. Whether at the early stages of AI exploration or deepening existing investments, Ushur provides a fast, secure and tailored path forward. To learn more, visit ushur.ai.
About Ushur
Ushur delivers the world’s first Customer Experience Automation platform built specifically for regulated industries. Purpose-built for delivering ideal self-service, Ushur infuses intelligence into digital experiences for the most delightful and impactful customer engagements. Equipped with guardrails and compliance-ready infrastructure, Ushur powers vertical AI Agents for healthcare, financial services and insurance use cases. Designed for rapid code-less deployment with flexible, advanced capabilities for IT and business teams, enterprises can transform customer and employee journeys at scale, driving faster time-to-value and improved outcomes.
SANTA CLARA, Calif., June 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ushur, the leading AI-powered Customer Experience Automation™ company, today announced the launch of Ushur Intelligence, purpose-built for highly regulated industries. Designed with enterprise-grade security, compliance, and control, Ushur Intelligence enables healthcare, insurance, and financial services organizations to deploy domain-specific AI Agents that automate workflows requiring hyper personalization and judgment — all while ensuring safety or governance.
As enterprises face mounting pressure to achieve more with fewer resources, the demand for intelligent automation has never been greater. Stricter regulations, rising customer expectations and reliance on manual processes are accelerating the need for smarter, automated solutions. The emergence of agentic AI marks a turning point — enabling autonomous reasoning, decision-making and goal-driven action that adapts to context in real time. This signals a new era of enterprise transformation, one that moves well beyond the scripted, hardwired workflows to deliver contemporary customer experiences and meet rapidly evolving business needs.
“Agentic AI marks a major shift — from reactive task automation to proactive, intuitive problem-solving,” said Simha Sadasiva, CEO and Co-founder of Ushur. “With Ushur Intelligence, we’ve created a way for enterprises to safely deploy vertical-focused AI Agents all while maintaining transparency, trust, and total control.”
Ushur Intelligence uses proprietary language models (UshurLM) trained on customer behavior to deliver digital experiences for industry-specific use cases with adherence to regulatory compliance, data privacy and data security protocols.
Key capabilities include:
Domain-specific AI Agents: Designed for healthcare, insurance, and financial services use cases to ensure precision and regulatory alignment.
Multi-agent orchestration: A scalable architecture designed to build and coordinate multiple AI Agents through MCP and agent-to-agent (A2A) interoperability.
Seamless integration: Connects with enterprise systems, policies, and workflows to enable end-to-end automation without coding involved.
Built-in compliance frameworks: Including HIPAA, SOC 2, GDPR, and HITRUST.
Real-time reasoning and decision-making: Allows AI Agents to interpret context and act accordingly, while operating within an authorized set of tasks and services.
Natural language Agent Builder: Accelerating deployment without engineering overhead.
Enterprise-grade governance: With guardrails, audit trails, and human-in-the-loop capabilities.
Availability
Enterprises can now tap into the power of agentic AI through Ushur’s prebuilt, customizable solutions — designed to address their most urgent, high-impact challenges. Rather than starting from scratch, organizations gain immediate access to a robust infrastructure purpose-built for agentic AI, with the flexibility to tailor each experience to their unique business needs.
Ushur delivers AI Agent solutions purpose-built for customer service in regulated industries, designed to manage the complexity, documentation and high-stakes inbound inquiries these businesses encounter. Customers receive instant support — anytime, anywhere — through empathetic, personalized interactions. Employees benefit from immediate access to information, guided workflows and improved productivity. These solutions not only elevate self-service experiences to drive customer satisfaction and retention, but also generate measurable operational impact across the enterprise.
Available solutions include:
Healthcare: AI Agent for Member Service
Insurance: AI Agent for Policyholder Service
Financial Services: AI Agent for Client Service
Ushur is continuously expanding its portfolio of industry-specific AI Agents to address the most complex and mission-critical processes across the enterprise.
Ushur Intelligence is now available for enterprises to unlock immediate value from Agentic AI. Whether at the early stages of AI exploration or deepening existing investments, Ushur provides a fast, secure and tailored path forward. To learn more, visit ushur.ai.
About Ushur
Ushur delivers the world’s first Customer Experience Automation platform built specifically for regulated industries. Purpose-built for delivering ideal self-service, Ushur infuses intelligence into digital experiences for the most delightful and impactful customer engagements. Equipped with guardrails and compliance-ready infrastructure, Ushur powers vertical AI Agents for healthcare, financial services and insurance use cases. Designed for rapid code-less deployment with flexible, advanced capabilities for IT and business teams, enterprises can transform customer and employee journeys at scale, driving faster time-to-value and improved outcomes.
PUBLIC OPENING POSITION DISCLOSURE/DEALING DISCLOSURE BY A PERSON WITH INTERESTS IN RELEVANT SECURITIES REPRESENTING 1% OR MORE Rule 8.3 of the Takeover Code (the “Code”)
(b)Owner or controller of interests and short positions disclosed, if different from 1(a): The naming of nominee or vehicle companies is insufficient. For a trust, the trustee(s), settlor and beneficiaries must be named.
N/A
(c)Name of offeror/offeree in relation to whose relevant securities this form relates: Use a separate form for each offeror/offeree
ALPHA GROUP INTERNATIONAL PLC
(d)If an exempt fund manager connected with an offeror/offeree, state this and specify identity of offeror/offeree:
N/A
(e)Date position held/dealing undertaken: For an opening position disclosure, state the latest practicable date prior to the disclosure
20 JUNE 2025
(f)In addition to the company in 1(c) above, is the discloser making disclosures in respect of any other party to the offer? If it is a cash offer or possible cash offer, state “N/A”
N/A
2.POSITIONS OF THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE
If there are positions or rights to subscribe to disclose in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 2(a) or (b) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security.
(a)Interests and short positions in the relevant securities of the offeror or offeree to which the disclosure relates following the dealing (if any)
Class of relevant security:
0.2p ORDINARY
Interests
Short positions
Number
%
Number
%
(1)Relevant securities owned and/or controlled:
1,368,812
3.2356
(2)Cash-settled derivatives:
(3)Stock-settled derivatives (including options) and agreements to purchase/sell:
TOTAL:
1,368,812
3.2356
All interests and all short positions should be disclosed.
Details of any open stock-settled derivative positions (including traded options), or agreements to purchase or sell relevant securities, should be given on a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions).
(b)Rights to subscribe for new securities (including directors’ and other employee options)
Class of relevant security in relation to which subscription right exists:
Details, including nature of the rights concerned and relevant percentages:
3.DEALINGS (IF ANY) BY THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE
Where there have been dealings in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 3(a), (b), (c) or (d) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security dealt in.
The currency of all prices and other monetary amounts should be stated.
(a)Purchases and sales
Class of relevant security
Purchase/sale
Number of securities
Price per unit
0.2p ORDINARY
SALE
2,500
2946.21p
0.2p ORDINARY
SALE
5,000
2962.49p
(b)Cash-settled derivative transactions
Class of relevant security
Product description e.g. CFD
Nature of dealing e.g. opening/closing a long/short position, increasing/reducing a long/short position
(d)Other dealings (including subscribing for new securities)
Class of relevant security
Nature of dealing e.g. subscription, conversion
Details
Price per unit (if applicable)
NONE
4.OTHER INFORMATION
(a)Indemnity and other dealing arrangements
Details of any indemnity or option arrangement, or any agreement or understanding, formal or informal, relating to relevant securities which may be an inducement to deal or refrain from dealing entered into by the person making the disclosure and any party to the offer or any person acting in concert with a party to the offer: Irrevocable commitments and letters of intent should not be included. If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state “none”
NONE
(b)Agreements, arrangements or understandings relating to options or derivatives
Details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding, formal or informal, between the person making the disclosure and any other person relating to: (i)the voting rights of any relevant securities under any option; or (ii)the voting rights or future acquisition or disposal of any relevant securities to which any derivative is referenced: If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state “none”
NONE
(c)Attachments
Is a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions) attached?
NO
Date of disclosure:
23 JUNE 2025
Contact name:
MARK ELLIOTT
Telephone number:
01253 376539
Public disclosures under Rule 8 of the Code must be made to a Regulatory Information Service.
The Panel’s Market Surveillance Unit is available for consultation in relation to the Code’s disclosure requirements on +44 (0)20 7638 0129.
PUBLIC OPENING POSITION DISCLOSURE/DEALING DISCLOSURE BY A PERSON WITH INTERESTS IN RELEVANT SECURITIES REPRESENTING 1% OR MORE Rule 8.3 of the Takeover Code (the “Code”)
(b)Owner or controller of interests and short positions disclosed, if different from 1(a): The naming of nominee or vehicle companies is insufficient. For a trust, the trustee(s), settlor and beneficiaries must be named.
N/A
(c)Name of offeror/offeree in relation to whose relevant securities this form relates: Use a separate form for each offeror/offeree
ALPHA GROUP INTERNATIONAL PLC
(d)If an exempt fund manager connected with an offeror/offeree, state this and specify identity of offeror/offeree:
N/A
(e)Date position held/dealing undertaken: For an opening position disclosure, state the latest practicable date prior to the disclosure
20 JUNE 2025
(f)In addition to the company in 1(c) above, is the discloser making disclosures in respect of any other party to the offer? If it is a cash offer or possible cash offer, state “N/A”
N/A
2.POSITIONS OF THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE
If there are positions or rights to subscribe to disclose in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 2(a) or (b) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security.
(a)Interests and short positions in the relevant securities of the offeror or offeree to which the disclosure relates following the dealing (if any)
Class of relevant security:
0.2p ORDINARY
Interests
Short positions
Number
%
Number
%
(1)Relevant securities owned and/or controlled:
1,368,812
3.2356
(2)Cash-settled derivatives:
(3)Stock-settled derivatives (including options) and agreements to purchase/sell:
TOTAL:
1,368,812
3.2356
All interests and all short positions should be disclosed.
Details of any open stock-settled derivative positions (including traded options), or agreements to purchase or sell relevant securities, should be given on a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions).
(b)Rights to subscribe for new securities (including directors’ and other employee options)
Class of relevant security in relation to which subscription right exists:
Details, including nature of the rights concerned and relevant percentages:
3.DEALINGS (IF ANY) BY THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE
Where there have been dealings in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 3(a), (b), (c) or (d) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security dealt in.
The currency of all prices and other monetary amounts should be stated.
(a)Purchases and sales
Class of relevant security
Purchase/sale
Number of securities
Price per unit
0.2p ORDINARY
SALE
2,500
2946.21p
0.2p ORDINARY
SALE
5,000
2962.49p
(b)Cash-settled derivative transactions
Class of relevant security
Product description e.g. CFD
Nature of dealing e.g. opening/closing a long/short position, increasing/reducing a long/short position
(d)Other dealings (including subscribing for new securities)
Class of relevant security
Nature of dealing e.g. subscription, conversion
Details
Price per unit (if applicable)
NONE
4.OTHER INFORMATION
(a)Indemnity and other dealing arrangements
Details of any indemnity or option arrangement, or any agreement or understanding, formal or informal, relating to relevant securities which may be an inducement to deal or refrain from dealing entered into by the person making the disclosure and any party to the offer or any person acting in concert with a party to the offer: Irrevocable commitments and letters of intent should not be included. If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state “none”
NONE
(b)Agreements, arrangements or understandings relating to options or derivatives
Details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding, formal or informal, between the person making the disclosure and any other person relating to: (i)the voting rights of any relevant securities under any option; or (ii)the voting rights or future acquisition or disposal of any relevant securities to which any derivative is referenced: If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state “none”
NONE
(c)Attachments
Is a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions) attached?
NO
Date of disclosure:
23 JUNE 2025
Contact name:
MARK ELLIOTT
Telephone number:
01253 376539
Public disclosures under Rule 8 of the Code must be made to a Regulatory Information Service.
The Panel’s Market Surveillance Unit is available for consultation in relation to the Code’s disclosure requirements on +44 (0)20 7638 0129.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
China’s total power generation capacity had climbed to 3.61 billion kilowatts by the end of May, marking a year-on-year increase of 18.8 percent, the National Energy Administration said on Monday.
Of this total, solar power generation capacity accounted for 1.08 billion kilowatts, surging by 56.9 percent year on year, while wind power generation capacity reached 570 million kilowatts, up 23.1 percent year on year.
In terms of investment, major power generation companies poured 257.8 billion yuan (about 35.95 billion U.S. dollars) into power generation projects between January and May, up 0.4 percent year on year.
Investment in power grid projects rose 19.8 percent year on year to 204 billion yuan.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Chinese Premier Li Qiang has signed a State Council decree unveiling rules to regulate internet platform companies’ submission of tax-related information.
The rules go into effect on Monday.
The rules aim to regulate the internet platform companies’ submission of tax-related information of business operators and employees on their respective platforms, enhance the efficiency of tax services and management, protect the legal rights and interests of taxpayers, create a fair and unified tax environment, and promote the standardized and healthy development of the platform economy.
According to the rules, internet platform companies are required to submit the identity information of operators and employees, as well as income data for the previous quarter, to their respective tax authorities within one month following the end of each quarter.
Internet platform companies should standardize the preservation of tax-related information concerning operators and employees within their platforms, according to the rules.
Tax authorities are required to keep the acquired tax-related information confidential in accordance with the law and establish a tax information security management system.
The rules also outline circumstances under which submission is exempted and measures to reduce submission burdens.
In addition, the rules also stipulate corresponding legal responsibilities for different types of violations.
WOOLBRIDGE, N.J., June 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Plymouth Rock Assurance, a leading auto and home insurance provider in the Northeast, has been recognized as a 2025 Top Workplace in New Jersey by NJ Advance Media. This list is based solely on employee feedback gathered through a third-party workplace survey administered by Energage.
Plymouth Rock is one of only 18 companies with 500+ employees in New Jersey which made this year’s list. Organizations named a 2025 New Jersey Top Workplace were selected based on their employees’ confidential survey responses that focus on core areas of a company’s workplace culture, such as appreciation, direction, values, innovation, and leadership.
“Being named a Top Workplace in New Jersey is an exciting honor,” said Greg Kalinsky, President and Chief Executive Officer of Plymouth Rock Management Company of New Jersey. “We strive to deliver excellence to our customers, and this recognition reinforces the vital role our people play—working together every day to provide exceptional service. Simply put, it’s our great people who make Plymouth Rock a top place to work.”
More than 40 years ago, Plymouth Rock Assurance was founded on the vision to set a higher standard for customer service and to be more than just an insurance company for its customers, agents and employees. Since then, Plymouth Rock has grown to be one of the leading insurance carriers in the Northeast, operating in Connecticut, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania.
About Plymouth Rock Plymouth Rock was established to offer its customers a higher level of service and a more innovative set of products and features than they would expect from an insurance company. Plymouth Rock’s innovative approach puts customers’ convenience and satisfaction first, giving them the choice to do business the way they want—online, with a mobile app, by phone, or by contacting their Plymouth Rock agent. Customers can chat, text, or email to get answers quickly and easily. Plymouth Rock Assurance® and Plymouth Rock® are brand names and service marks used by separate underwriting, managed insurance, and management companies that offer property and casualty insurance in multiple states. Taken together, the companies write and manage more than $2.3 billion in auto and home insurance premiums across Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.
Each underwriting and managed insurance company is a separate legal entity that is financially responsible only for its own insurance products. You can learn more about us by visiting https://www.plymouthrock.com/.
The EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) came into force on October 1, 2023, introducing reporting requirements for importers of covered products and, from 2026, an obligation to pay a fee on the carbon content of imported goods. This paper uses indices of ad valorem tariffs to assess the incidence of the EU CBAM on both EU member states and the EU’s trading partners. Overall, the direct impact on EU countries’ trade is estimated to be small, adding 0.1 percent to the value of EU imports when averaged across all imports, and 0.04 percent to the average cost of non-EU countries’ exports to the EU—with a maximum of 1.2 percent. However, effects could be sizeable for specific products such as iron, steel and aluminium, which can help explain CBAM’s political salience. Moreover, an expanded CBAM featuring full coverage of ETS sectors and a significantly higher carbon price could entail larger costs in the more distant future.
Today, a dozen of Slim Aarons’ most iconic mid-century jet-set scenes arrive on Samsung Art Store in a seasonal, summertime delivery of works from the legendary Photographer. These sunny images of exotic resort locations such as Lake Como, Marrakech, and Mabella join the two dozen works of Aarons’s already available for digital display on the Samsung Art Store.
This latest collection of images from Aaron’s to debut on the Samsung Art Store showcases photographs from the 1960s, 70s and 80s, capturing the world’s most exclusive summer resorts and society destinations, where his timeless vision comes alive in full kaftan clad splendor. This seasonal offering, curated by Samsung Art Store, invites you into Aarons’ timeless world, where sunlit patios set the stage for photographs of the bold personalities and effortless style Aarons is known for. Featuring some of his most famous photography such as Positano Beach (1979) and Poolside Gossip (1970), each image reflects Aarons’ ability to capture high society in its most unguarded, yet dazzling, moments.
“Slim Aarons photography is truly timeless and offers a window into an era defined by elegance and style,” says Daria Greene, Samsung Art Store’s Global Curator. “His extraordinary ability to transport viewers through space and time to the most exotic and exclusive locations of the 20th century is unmatched and accounts for his enduring popularity. As part of the Samsung Art Store catalogue, we’re now able to bring his work into millions of homes in an entirely new format for him.”
“Bringing Slim Aarons’ work to Samsung Art Store reflects our deep commitment to shaping a more accessible future for art and for artists around the world,” said Yong Su Kim, Corporate EVP and Head of Service Business Team. “Samsung Art Store was built to reimagine how art is experienced in the home — making the world’s most celebrated works available in a way that is personal, dynamic, and beautifully integrated into daily life.”
An Analog Icon Goes Digital
“Expanding the Slim Aarons catalog available on the Samsung Art Store supports our mission to keep Slim’s incredible artistic legacy alive in the 21st century,” said Shawn Waldron, curator of the Slim Aarons archive for Getty Images. “Slim provided the blueprint for aspirational living by focusing on timeless elegance and environments. The Samsung Frame television is the ideal digital product to honor and display his work in ways he could never have imagined in his lifetime.”
Slim Aarons’ famously described his photography as capturing “attractive people doing attractive things in attractive places,” a phrase that has become synonymous with his legacy. Now, with his work available on Samsung Art Store, Aarons’ timeless vision finds a new audience, offering an effortless way to transform any space. Samsung Art Store subscribers can also enjoy over 3,500 other works of art from over 800 artists with the service now available on Neo QLED 8K, Neo QLED, QLED, The Frame and The Frame Pro, which are powered by Samsung Vision AI for AI-enhanced picture and sound.
For more information, visit www.samsung.com.
Headline: ICC elects four new members to the Executive Board
The new members were formally elected during the annual meeting of the ICC World Council on 19 June 2025 and will each serve a three-year term effective 19 June 2025. The diverse experience of new members will enrich ICC’s roadmap to enable peace and prosperity through trade and reflects ICC’s continued commitment to geographic representation and diversity of expertise as the world’s largest and most inclusive business organisation.
The ICC Executive Board is responsible for developing and implementing ICC’s strategy, policy and programme of action as well as for overseeing the financial affairs of ICC.
ICC Chair Philippe Varin said:
“I’m very pleased to welcome this exceptional group of global leaders who bring deep expertise and fresh perspectives to ICC. Their leadership will be vital as we continue charting a path forward in delivering real-world solutions for business in a changing global environment. My thanks also to our outgoing Board members for their contributions.”
The new Board members are:
Mohammad Lootah
Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah is the President and CEO of Dubai Chambers, where he leads strategic initiatives to enhance Dubai’s business environment, attract foreign investment, support global business expansion, and promote the digital economy. Prior to this role, he held several key leadership positions within Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism, including CEO of Commercial Compliance and Consumer Protection, overseeing areas such as consumer rights, business protection, and intellectual property. He also served in senior roles at the Department of Economic Development and the Dubai Land Department.
Zhang Hui
Zhang Hui is Vice Chairman, Executive Director and President of the Bank of China, roles he assumed between December 2024 and January 2025. He also serves as Vice Chairman of BOC Hong Kong (Holdings) Limited. Mr Zhang joined the Bank of China in 2024 after serving as Executive Vice President of China Development Bank from 2021 to 2024. Prior to that, he spent many years at Bank of Communications, where he held various senior roles including as Chief Risk Officer, general manager of several risk management departments, and president of regional branches including in Guizhou and Shanghai.
Anousheh Ansari
Anousheh Ansari is the CEO of XPRIZE, where she leads global innovation competitions addressing some of humanity’s most pressing challenges. A tech entrepreneur and space pioneer, Ms Ansari co-founded and led Prodea Systems, an IoT company recognised among Inc. Magazine’s 500 fastest-growing firms. In 2006, she became the first female private space explorer, the first astronaut of Iranian descent, and the first Muslim woman in space. Under her leadership, XPRIZE has awarded over US$81 million and launched US$361 million in active competitions. Ms Ansari also serves in various global advisory roles, including with the World Economic Forum, GESDA and UNESCO, and is an advocate for women entrepreneurs through initiatives like The Billion Dollar Fund for Women.
Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul
Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul is a Thai business leader and former Minister of Tourism and Sports, known for her contributions to both public policy and corporate governance. As Thailand’s tourism minister from 2014 to 2017, Ms Wattanavrangkul championed sustainable tourism and cultural heritage. She currently serves as Chair of the Board of Directors at Kasikornbank and Toshiba Thailand, and plays an active role in advancing education, innovation and international cooperation through various institutional boards. Ms Wattanavrangkul’s career reflects a strong commitment to inclusive and sustainable development in Thailand.
Term renewals
Elected to serve on the ICC Executive Board for a second term during the World Council meeting were Holger Bingmann (Germany), Managing Partner, Bingmann Pflüger International GmbH, Rebecca Enonchong (Cameroon), CEO, AppsTech and Chair of Afrilabs, Marjorie Yang (Hong Kong), Chair, Esquel Group, Lama Al Sulaiman (Saudi Arabia), Shareholder and Board Member of Rolaco Holdings, KSA and LUX and Justin D’Agostino (Hong Kong), Global CEO, Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer.
Outgoing Board members are Candace Johnson (United States/Luxemburg), Vice-Chair, NorthStar Earth and Space, Fredrik Cappelen (Sweden), Chairman and Board Member in the Swedish and Nordic industry, Valentina Mintah (Ghana), Founder West Blue Consulting, Zhang Xiaolun (China) Chair, China National Machinery Industry Corporation (SINOMACH).
Leading chambers worldwide
The ICC World Council also ratified the re-election of Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu as Chair of the ICC World Chambers Federation (WCF) for a second three-year term commencing 20 June 2025. Mr Hisarcıklıoğlu is Chair of ICC Türkiye and President of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye (TOBB).
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Laura Elin Pigott, Senior Lecturer in Neurosciences and Neurorehabilitation, Course Leader in the College of Health and Life Sciences, London South Bank University
Embarrassment is generated by a network of different brain regions working together.Kues/ Shutterstock
Picture this: it’s your first day at a new job. You’re about to introduce yourself to a large group of people you’ll be working with – and promptly fall flat on your face. Not exactly the entrance you had in mind.
We’ve all cringed at moments like these — whether they happen to us or to others. That instant, full-body wince, and the shared, silent relief that it didn’t happen to you.
Embarrassment is a universal, visceral and oddly contagious emotion. It’s what psychologists call a self-conscious emotion. This means it hinges on our awareness of ourselves through others’ eyes.
Unlike shame or guilt, embarrassment isn’t usually moral — it’s about looking awkward or inept. Context matters too. We feel more embarrassed in front of people whose opinions we value or who hold power.
Yet while embarrassment may feel uncomfortable, it actually has surprising social and psychological benefits.
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Empathy and social connection
Evolutionary psychologists believe embarrassment developed as a social corrective – a way to acknowledge mistakes, signal remorse and reduce conflict within groups.
This instinct probably helped our ancestors stay in the group, which was critical for survival. People who showed embarrassment were seen as more trustworthy and cooperative.
In this way, embarrassment can invite empathy and forgiveness, strengthening relationships. It signals that we care what others think, promoting approachability and emotional closeness. So, while it’s uncomfortable in the moment, embarrassment probably evolved to keep communities cohesive.
Embarrassment is also contagious. Most of us have cringed on someone else’s behalf. This shows how deeply tuned our social brains are. We empathise with others’ awkwardness, often rushing to reassure them. This empathy helps preserve harmony and can also help us build connection with others.
Embarrassment signals remorse and can invite empathy from others. fizkes/Shutterstock
Trust and virtue
Visible signs of embarrassment – such as blushing or stumbling over words – are often seen as signs of honesty and generosity. One study found that people who show embarrassment are judged to be more trustworthy and sociable.
Blushing may have evolved on purpose to be a visible, honest signal of humility that others instinctively trust. Experiments even show we’re more likely to forgive someone who looks embarrassed than someone who acts indifferent.
Learning social norms
Forgetting you’re not on mute in a Zoom meeting, sending a message to the wrong group chat or realising your shirt’s inside out after an important meeting. These moments may be minor, but our brains still process them as social threats – albeit small ones.
In this way, embarrassment helps us adhere to social norms and expectations – many of which are unwritten and only discovered once we’ve flubbed them by mistake. Embarrassment acts as an internal guide, helping us remember social missteps and encouraging us to conform to shared expectations – not out of shame, but because it feels right. It also nudges us whenever we stray near the edges of what’s socially comfortable, helping us course-correct swiftly.
The way we react to an embarrassing situation is also important in helping us learn from our experiences. Many of us laugh nervously when embarrassed. This effectively reframes the incident from threatening to harmlessly amusing in our minds.
Humility and authenticity
Embarrassment keeps egos in check, signals emotional intelligence and makes us more relatable. In a curated world, an awkward moment can humanise us and build credibility.
However, while moderate embarrassment is healthy and constructive, excessive fear of it can become harmful – crossing into social anxiety.
Your brain on embarrassment
Embarrassment isn’t generated by a single “embarrassment centre” in the brain. Rather, it’s generated by a network of different brain regions working together.
The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is a region in the front of the brain that’s active during self-reflection and when thinking about how others perceive us. It’s also involved in storing social memories – which is why an embarrassing memory, even from years ago, can still make you cringe when it pops into your head.
The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is the reason you blush, your heart pounds and you feel sweaty when you’re deeply embarrassed. The ACC activates your “fight or flight” reaction. When the ACC fires up, it also helps us adjust our behaviour – aiding in impulse control and helping us learn from the mistake so we don’t do it again.
The amygdala is the brain’s emotional alarm bell. When we get embarrassed, the amygdala registers the emotional intensity of the situation – especially the fear of being seen negatively.
People with social anxiety show an imbalance between the mPFC and amygdala. Their mPFC is underactive (so they’re less able to rationalise others’ perspectives), while their amygdala is overactive (causing excessive fear signals). This combination makes it hard for them to accurately gauge social situations, often interpreting them as more threatening and embarrassing than they really are.
Finally, the insula, a region located deep in the brain, helps us tune into our emotions and bodily states. This creates that gut-level discomfort we feel during embarrassing moments. All these regions work in concert during an embarrassing moment.
Embarrassment is uncomfortable, yes – but it’s also a reminder that we care about others and want to belong. It’s part of what makes us human. So the next time you experience an embarrassing moment, try to laugh it off and remember that the moment is helping us to learn and connect.
Laura Elin Pigott does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
When Kim Kardashian glided into the launch party of her NYC SKIMS boutique on a knee scooter, a mobility aid for people with lower leg injuries – stiletto on one foot, designer cast on the other – she wasn’t just managing an injury. She was creating content.
And she’s far from alone.
In 2024, rapper Kid Cudi turned his own broken foot into a viral storyline, posting updates of himself on crutches and in a surgical boot after a mishap at the Coachella festival in California. These high profile injuries don’t just invite sympathy; they generate style points, followers and millions of views.
But as injury recovery morphs into online entertainment, it raises an important question: is this trend helping people heal or encouraging risky behaviour that can delay recovery?
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Open any social media feed and you’ll likely stumble across videos of people hobbling through supermarkets, dancing on crutches, or sweating through workouts in a medical boot. Hashtags like #BrokenFootClub and #InjuryRecovery have spawned thriving online communities where users share advice, frustrations and recovery milestones. For many, rehab has become a public performance, complete with triumphant comeback narratives.
And it’s not just celebrities. All sorts of people are turning their injuries, from hiking sprains to post-surgery recoveries, into digital diaries. Some offer helpful tips or emotional support, while others focus on fast-tracked progress, sometimes glossing over the slower, necessary steps that true healing demands.
A broken foot used to mean rest. Now it can mean millions of views.
Watching others navigate recovery can be deeply reassuring. Seeing someone joke about wobbling to the bathroom or demonstrate how to climb stairs with crutches can ease the loneliness that often comes with injury.
And some creators are genuinely getting it right. Increasing numbers of healthcare professionals, from orthopaedic surgeons to physiotherapists and podiatrists, now use social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram to share safe exercises, realistic timelines and expert tips on navigating recovery. For people who struggle to access in-person care, this clinically sound content can be a lifeline.
But on social media, rest isn’t always part of the narrative. The most viewed recovery videos often aren’t posted by healthcare professionals but by influencers eager to showcase rapid progress. Some discard crutches too soon, hop unaided, or attempt high-impact exercises while their bodies are still vulnerable – all for the sake of engagement.
What’s often missing is the unglamorous reality: swelling, setbacks, rest and the slow, sometimes frustrating, pace of real healing. Bones, tendons and ligaments aren’t impressed by likes or follower counts. Healing requires time and carefully structured loading: a gradual, deliberate increase in weight bearing and movement to rebuild strength without risking re-injury.
Ignoring this process can lead to delayed healing, chronic pain, re-injury, or even long term joint and muscle complications that can affect the knees, hips, or back.
And this isn’t just speculation. A 2025 study examining TikTok content on acute knee injuries found that most videos were produced by non-experts and often contained incomplete or inaccurate information. Researchers warned that this misinformation may not only distort patient expectations but also lead to decisions that hinder proper recovery. Similar trends were found in anterior cruciate ligament knee injury videos, where dangerous, non-evidence based practices were widely promoted to millions of viewers.
Healthcare professionals are now seeing the ripple effects firsthand. Many physiotherapists and podiatrists report a growing number of patients arriving with unrealistic expectations shaped by social media, rather than medical advice. Some patients feel frustrated when their recovery doesn’t match the rapid progress they see online. Others attempt risky exercises before their bodies are ready, setting themselves back.
A 2025 study examining TikTok content on acute knee injuries found that most videos were produced by non-experts and often contained incomplete or inaccurate information. Researchers warned that this misinformation may not only distort patient expectations but also lead to decisions that hinder proper recovery.
The World Health Organization has also flagged the dangers of online health misinformation. When social media shortcuts replace professional care, patients risk not only slower recovery but potentially more complex medical problems, while clinicians are left managing the aftermath.
Recovery isn’t a race
While supportive online communities can be a valuable source of comfort, the pressure to “bounce back” quickly can be dangerous. Viral videos and celebrity recoveries can create a toxic sense of comparison, tempting people to rush their own healing process.
Research shows that the psychological drive to return to activity, particularly among younger adults, can reduce rehab compliance and sharply increase the risk of re-injury. True recovery isn’t governed by trending hashtags; it follows a personal, biologically determined timeline that requires patience, rest, and carefully structured rehabilitation.
Seeing stars like Kim Kardashian with a designer cast might make injury look fashionable. But for most people, a broken foot is not glamorous; it’s weeks of awkward movement, discomfort, adaptation and quiet, steady healing.
Mobility content can inspire, motivate, and connect – but it’s not a road map for your own recovery. If you’re injured, approach online content with curiosity, not comparison. Learn from others, but listen to your body. Healing is personal. Your recovery won’t be dictated by views, likes, or viral trends – it will unfold on your body’s own timetable.
Craig Gwynne does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Lucy Gill-Simmen, Vice Dean for Education & Student Experience, Royal Holloway University of London
French philosopher René Descartes crowned human reason in 1637 as the foundation of existence: Cogito, ergo sum – I think, therefore I am. For centuries, our capacity to doubt, question and think has been both our compass and our identity. But what does that mean in an age where machines can “think”, generate ideas, write novels, compose symphonies and, increasingly, make decisions?
Artificial intelligence (AI) has brought a new kind of certainty, one that is quick, data-driven and at times frighteningly precise, at times alarmingly wrong. From Google’s Gemini to OpenAI’s ChatGPT, we live in a world where answers can arrive before the question is even finished. AI has the potential to change not just how we work, but how we think. As our digital tools become more capable, we may well be justified in asking: where did the wonder go?
We have become increasingly accustomed to optimisation. From using apps to schedule our days to improving how companies hire staff through AI-powered recruitment tools, technology has delivered on its promise of speed and efficiency.
This article is part of our State of the Arts series. These articles tackle the challenges of the arts and heritage industry – and celebrate the wins, too.
In education, students increasingly use AI to summarise readings and generate essay outlines; in healthcare, diagnostic models match human doctors in detecting disease.
But in our pursuit of optimisation, we may have left something essential behind. In her book The Power of Wonder (2023), author Monica Parker describes wonder as a journey, a destination, a verb and a noun, a process and an outcome.
Lamenting how “modern life is conditioning wonder-proneness out of us”, the author suggests we have “traded wonder for the pale facsimile of electronic novelty-seeking”. And there’s the paradox: AI gives us knowledge at scale, but may rob us of the humility and openness that spark genuine curiosity.
AI as the antidote?
But what if AI isn’t the killer of wonder, but its catalyst? The same technologies that predict our shopping habits or generate marketing content can also create surreal art, compose jazz music and tell stories in different ways.
Tools like DALL·E, Udio.ai, and Runway don’t just mimic human creativity, they expand our creative capacity by translating abstract ideas into visual or audio outputs instantly. They don’t just mimic creativity, they open it up to anyone, enabling new forms of self-expression and speculative thinking.
The same power that enables AI to open imaginative possibilities can also blur the line between fact and fiction, which is especially risky in education where critical thinking and truth-seeking are paramount. That’s why it’s essential that we teach students not just to use these tools, but to question them. Teaching people to wonder isn’t about uncritical amazement – it’s about cultivating curiosity alongside discernment.
Educators experimenting with AI in the classroom are starting to see this potential, as my recent work in the area has shown. Rather than using AI merely to automate learning, we are using it to provoke questions and to promote creativity.
When students ask ChatGPT to write a poem in the voice of Virginia Woolf about climate change, they learn how to combine literary style with contemporary issues. They explore how AI mimics voice and meaning, then reflect on what works and what doesn’t.
When they use AI tools to build brand storytelling campaigns, they practise turning ideas into images, sounds and messages and learn how to shape stories that connect with audiences. Students are not just using AI, they’re learning to think critically and creatively with it.
This aligns with Brazilian philosopher Paulo Friere’s “banking” concept of education, where rather than depositing facts, educators are required to spark critical reflection. AI, when used creatively, can act as a dialogue partner, one that reflects back our assumptions, challenges our ideas and invites deeper inquiry.
The research is mixed, and much depends on how AI is used. Left unchecked, tools like ChatGPT can encourage shortcut thinking. When used purposely as a dialogue partner, prompting reflection, testing ideas and supporting creative inquiry, studies show it can foster deeper engagement and critical thinking. The challenge is designing learning experiences that make the most of this potential.
A new kind of curiosity
Wonder isn’t driven by novelty alone, it’s about questioning the familiar. Philosopher Martha Nussbaum describes wonder as “taking us out of ourselves and toward the other”. In this way, AI’s outputs have the potential to jolt people out of cognitive ruts and into new realms of thought, causing them to experience wonder.
It could be argued that AI becomes both mirror and muse. It holds up a reflection of our culture, biases and blind spots while nudging us toward the imaginative unknown at the same time. Much like the ancient role of the fool in King Lear’s court, it disrupts and delights, offering insights precisely because it doesn’t think like humans do.
This repositions AI not as a rival to human intelligence, but as a co-creator of wonder, a thought partner in the truest sense.
Descartes saw doubt as the path to certainty. Today, however, we crave certainty and often avoid doubt. In a world overwhelmed by information and polarisation, there is comfort in clean answers and predictive models. But perhaps what we need most is the courage to ask questions, to really wonder about things.
The German poet Rainer Maria Rilke once advised: “Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves.”
AI can generate perspectives, juxtapositions and “what if” scenarios that challenge students’ habitual ways of thinking. The point isn’t to replace critical thinking, but to spark it in new directions. When artists co-create with algorithms, what new aesthetics emerge that we’ve yet to imagine?
And when policymakers engage with AI trained on other perspectives from around the world, how might their understanding and decisions be transformed? As AI reshapes how we access, interpret and generate knowledge, this encourages rethinking not just what we learn, but why and how we value knowledge at all.
Educational philosophers such as John Dewey and Maxine Greene championed education that cultivates imagination, wonder and critical consciousness. Greene spoke of “wide-awakeness”, a state of being in the world.
Deployed thoughtfully, AI can be a tool for wide-awakeness. In practical terms, it means designing learning experiences where AI prompts curiosity, not shortcuts; where it’s used to question assumptions, explore alternatives, and deepen understanding.
When used in this way, I believe it can help students tell better stories, explore alternate futures and think across disciplines. This demands not only ethical design and critical digital literacy, bit also an openness to the unknown. It also demands that we, as humans, reclaim our appetite for awe.
In the end, the most human thing about AI might be the questions it forces us to ask. Not “What’s the answer?” but “What if …?” and in that space, somewhere in between certainty and curiosity, wonder returns. The machines we built to do our thinking for us might just help us rediscover it.
Lucy Gill-Simmen does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
The climate and ecological crisis is one of the greatest challenges humanity has ever faced. If the world fails to address it, and over the rest of this century we continue to burn fossil fuels and pump even more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, we’ll face catastrophe. On this much, almost all governments agree (with some notable exceptions such as the US).
Even the world’s largest oil and gas companies now acknowledge that their products are behind the alarming increase in global temperatures and that we will have to transition to alternative fuels. Eventually.
In some oil and gas firms’ net zero policies you will often see the word “eventually” or its equivalent used. Yes, they accept that the age of fossil fuels will be over, but they don’t give any end date. In fact, with continued expansion of new oil and gas fields they appear to give every indication of continuing to be fossil fuel companies for the foreseeable future.
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Will such firms actually phase out coal, oil and gas at the rate required to avoid dangerous climate change? How quickly does that now have to happen? Immediately.
At current rates of emissions, the window to have a 50:50 chance of limiting warming to 1.5°C will close in as little as six years. Given that global emissions are not stabilising but in fact going up, we are in the process of overshooting 1.5°C and heading deep into dangerous climate change territory.
Does that mean it’s game over, that the climate catastrophes we fear will come to pass? Thinking about these sorts of systemic risks form the basis of much of my current research. This includes some pretty alarming analysis on how societies can react to challenges such as climate change in ways that can make the situation much worse.
But herein lies a potentially powerful source of hope for the future because what we do as individuals and members of communities and countries will make all the difference. That’s what was on my mind when I started working on a new climate change documentary with filmmaker Paul Maple.
Radical reductions
Our new film System Update: Rebooting Our Future argues that, while we may have run out of time to avoid dangerous climate change, we are now only beginning to see how we can not just avoid further environmental damage but make a much better world for all of humanity. To do that, we must go beyond the incremental and timid policies of today. We need to be radical and dig into the drivers of climate change.
Take economic growth, for example. You will not find a political party in power in any industrialised nation that does not have continued economic growth as one of its core objectives. Economic performance is often the main way politicians are judged. That’s why threats of a recession lead news reports.
In System Update, I ask what is this economic growth for, if it continues to drive expanded energy and material consumption and drive us further towards climate and ecological collapse?
If our economic and political systems cannot deliver radical emissions reductions in a sustainable and fair way, then they need to be rebooted. Rather than policies being orientated towards maximising economic growth, we can instead question how the current goods and services an economy produces are used.
How can local communities be empowered to make themselves more resilient to climate change while reducing their emissions? Where can citizen assemblies strengthen our democracies and help foster the wider support for ambitious climate action? These assemblies work by recruiting a representative cross section of society who hear from a range of climate experts, and then work together to provide policy recommendations.
I put such questions to an amazing group of activists, academics and policymakers. We quickly discovered from economic anthropologist Jason Hickel that there is no end of new thinking about economics.
Lawyer and key architect of the Paris agreement Farhana Yamin recounted the epic battle that she and others have been waging with politicians to get them to understand and act on some of the fundamental truths of climate change. Researcher and strategist Laurie Laybourn spoke of the need for leaders to understand how this gathering storm of climate change demands new mindsets.
Climate change adaptation expert Kathryn Brown made the case for a rapid increase in efforts to protect communities from environmental change, while climate historian Alice Bell put today’s debates into the wider context. Climate campaigner Max Wakefield and climate justice activist Dylan Hamilton connected the big picture elements of the climate crisis to both everyday actions like what you buy and how to you travel, to deeper engagement with politics.
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed about the scale of climate change. There is a constant stream of bad news about rising temperatures and extreme weather. What I hope System Update shows is that there is no end of ideas for how such an outcome could be averted, and how you could put them into practice.
We will win. The age of fossil fuels is ending. The question now is, how fast do you want to make that happen?
Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?
James Dyke does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Pablo Moyano Fernández, Assistant Professor of Architecture, Washington University in St. Louis
A modular, precast system of concrete ‘rings’ can be connected in different ways to build a range of models of energy-efficient homes.Pablo Moyano Fernández, CC BY-SA
In response to these challenges, I believe mass-produced concrete homes can offer affordable, resilient housing in the U.S. By leveraging the latest innovations of the precast concrete industry, this type of homebuilding can meet the needs of a changing world.
Wood has deep historical roots as a building material in the U.S., dating back to the earliest European settlers who constructed shelters using the abundant native timber. One of the most recognizable typologies was the log cabin, built from large tree trunks notched at the corners for structural stability.
In the 1830s, wood construction underwent a significant shift with the introduction of balloon framing. This system used standardized, sawed lumber and mass-produced nails, allowing much smaller wood components to replace the earlier heavy timber frames. It could be assembled by unskilled labor using simple tools, making it both accessible and economical.
In the early 20th century, balloon framing evolved into platform framing, which became the dominant method. By using shorter lumber lengths, platform framing allowed each floor to be built as a separate working platform, simplifying construction and improving its efficiency.
The proliferation and evolution of wood construction helped shape the architectural and cultural identity of the nation. For centuries, wood-framed houses have defined the American idea of home – so much so that, even today, when Americans imagine a house, they typically envision one built of wood.
Today, light-frame wood construction dominates the U.S. residential market.
Wood is relatively affordable and readily available, offering a cost-effective solution for homebuilding. Contractors are familiar with wood construction techniques. In addition, building codes and regulations have long been tailored to wood-frame systems, further reinforcing their prevalence in the housing industry.
Despite its advantages, wood light-frame construction presents several important limitations. Wood is vulnerable to fire. And in hurricane- and tornado-prone regions, wood-framed homes can be damaged or destroyed.
Wood is also highly susceptible to water-related issues, such as swelling, warping and structural deterioration caused by leaks or flooding. Vulnerability to termites, mold, rot and mildew further compromise the longevity and safety of wood-framed structures, especially in humid or poorly ventilated environments.
The material offers unmatched strength and durability, while also allowing design flexibility and versatility. It’s low-cost and low-maintenance, and it has high thermal mass properties, which refers to the material’s ability to absorb and store heat during the day, and slowly release it during the cooler nights. This can lower heating and cooling costs.
Properly designed concrete enclosures offer exceptional performance against a wide range of hazards. Concrete can withstand fire, flooding, mold, insect infestation, earthquakes, hail, hurricanes and tornadoes.
It’s commonly used for home construction in many parts of the world, such as Europe, Japan, Mexico, Brazil and Argentina, as well as India and other parts of Southeast Asia.
However, despite their multiple benefits, concrete single-family homes are rare in the U.S.
That’s because most concrete structures are built using a process called cast-in-place. In this technique, the concrete is formed and poured directly at the construction site. The method relies on built-in-place molds. After the concrete is cast and cured over several days, the formwork is removed.
This process is labor-intensive and time-consuming, and it often produces considerable waste. This is particularly an issue in the U.S., where labor is more expensive than in other parts of the world. The material and labor cost can be as high as 35% to 60% of the total construction cost.
Portland cement, the binding agent in concrete, requires significant energy to produce, resulting in considerable carbon dioxide emissions. However, this environmental cost is often offset by concrete’s durability and long service life.
Concrete’s design flexibility and structural integrity make it particularly effective for large-scale structures. So in the U.S., you’ll see it used for large commercial buildings, skyscrapers and most highways, bridges, dams and other critical infrastructure projects.
But when it comes to single-family homes, cast-in-place concrete poses challenges to contractors. There are the higher initial construction costs, along with a lack of subcontractor expertise. For these reasons, most builders and contractors stick with what they know: the wood frame.
Unlike cast-in-place concrete, precast systems allow for off-site manufacturing under controlled conditions. This improves the quality of the structure, while also reducing waste and labor.
The CRETE House, a prototype I worked on in 2017 alongside a team at Washington University in St. Louis, showed the advantages of a precast home construction.
To build the precast concrete home, we used ultra-high-performance concrete, one of the latest advances in the concrete industry. Compared with conventional concrete, it’s about six times stronger, virtually impermeable and more resistant to freeze-thaw cycles. Ultra-high-performance concrete can last several hundred years.
The strength of the CRETE House was tested by shooting a piece of wood at 120 mph (193 kph) to simulate flying debris from an F5 tornado. It was unable to breach the wall, which was only 2 inches (5.1 centimeters) thick.
The wall of the CRETE House was able to withstand a piece of wood fired at 120 mph (193 kph).
Building on the success of the CRETE House, I designed the Compact House as a solution for affordable, resilient housing. The house consists of a modular, precast concrete system of “rings” that can be connected to form the entire structure – floors, walls and roofs – creating airtight, energy-efficient homes. A series of different rings can be chosen from a catalog to deliver different models that can range in size from 270 to 990 square feet (25 to 84 square meters).
The precast rings can be transported on flatbed trailers and assembled into a unit in a single day, drastically reducing on-site labor, time and cost.
Since they’re built using durable concrete forms, the house can be easily mass-produced. When precast concrete homes are mass-produced, the cost can be competitive with traditional wood-framed homes. Furthermore, the homes are designed to last far beyond 100 years – much longer than typical wood structures – while significantly lowering utility bills, maintenance expenses and insurance premiums.
The project is also envisioned as an open-source design. This means that the molds – which are expensive – are available for any precast producer to use and modify.
The Compact House is made using ultra-high-performance concrete. Pablo Moyano Fernández, CC BY-SA
Leveraging a network that’s already in place
Two key limitations of precast concrete construction are the size and weight of the components and the distance to the project site.
Precast elements must comply with standard transportation regulations, which impose restrictions on both size and weight in order to pass under bridges and prevent road damage. As a result, components are typically limited to dimensions that can be safely and legally transported by truck. Each of the Compact House’s pieces are small enough to be transported in standard trailers.
Additionally, transportation costs become a major factor beyond a certain range. In general, the practical delivery radius from a precast plant to a construction site is 500 miles (805 kilometers). Anything beyond that becomes economically unfeasible.
However, the infrastructure to build precast concrete homes is already largely in place. Since precast concrete is often used for office buildings, schools, parking complexes and large apartments buildings, there’s already an extensive national network of manufacturing plants capable of producing and delivering components within that 500-mile radius.
There are other approaches to build homes with concrete: Homes can use concrete masonry units, which are similar to cinder blocks. This is a common technique around the world. Insulated concrete forms involve rigid foam blocks that are stacked like Lego bricks and are then filled with poured concrete, creating a structure with built-in insulation. And there’s even 3D-printed concrete, a rapidly evolving technology that is in its early stages of development.
However, none of these use precast concrete modules – the rings in my prototypes – and therefore require substantially longer on-site time and labor.
To me, precast concrete homes offer a compelling vision for the future of affordable housing. They signal a generational shift away from short-term construction and toward long-term value – redefining what it means to build for resilience, efficiency and equity in housing.
An image of North St. Louis, taken from Google Earth, showing how vacant land can be repurposed using precast concrete homes. Pablo Moyano Fernández, CC BY-SA
Pablo Moyano Fernández 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 Nancy Forster-Holt, Clinical Associate Professor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, University of Rhode Island
Americans love small businesses. We dedicate a week each year to applauding them, and spend Small Business Saturday shopping locally. Yet hiding in plain sight is an enormous challenge facing small business owners as they age: retiring with dignity and foresight. The current economic climate is making this even more difficult.
As a professor who studies aging and business, I’ve long viewed small business owners’ retirement challenges as a looming crisis. The issue is now front and center for millions of entrepreneurs approaching retirement. Small enterprises make up more than half of all privately held U.S. companies, and for many of their owners, the business is their retirement plan.
But while owners often hope to finance their golden years by selling their companies, only 20% of small businesses are ready for sale even in good times, according to the Exit Planning Institute. And right now, conditions are far from ideal. An economic stew of inflation, supply chain instability and high borrowing costs means that interest from potential buyers is cooling.
For many business owners, retirement isn’t a distant concern. In the U.S., baby boomers – who are currently 61 to 79 years old – own about 2.3 million businesses. Altogether, they generate about US$5 billion in revenue and employ almost 25 million people. These entrepreneurs have spent decades building businesses that often are deeply rooted in their communities. They don’t have time to ride out economic chaos, and their optimism is at a 50-year low.
New policies, new challenges
You can’t blame them for being gloomy. Recent policy shifts have only made life harder for business owners nearing retirement. Trade instability, whipsawing tariff announcements and disrupted supply chains have eroded already thin margins. Some businesses – generally larger ones with more negotiating power – are absorbing extra costs rather than passing them on to shoppers. Others have no choice but to raise prices, to customers’ dismay. Inflation has further squeezed profits.
At the same time, with a few notableexceptions, buyers and capital have grown scarce. Acquirers and liquidity have dried up across many sectors. The secondary market – a barometer of broader investor appetite – now sees more sellers than buyers. These are textbook symptoms of a “flight to safety,” a market shift that drags out sale timelines and depresses valuations – all while Main Street business owners age out. These entrepreneurs typically have one shot at retirement – if any.
Adding to these woes, many small businesses are part of what economists call regional “clusters,” providing services to nearby universities, hospitals and local governments. When those anchor institutions face budget cuts – as is happening now – small business vendors are often the first to feel the impact.
Research shows that many aging owners actually double down in weak economic times, sinking increasing amounts of time and money in a psychological pattern known as “escalating commitment.” The result is a troubling phenomenon scholars refer to as “benign entrapment.” Aging entrepreneurs can remain attached to their businesses not because they want to, but because they see no viable exit.
This growing crisis isn’t about bad personal planning — it’s a systemic failure.
Rewriting the playbook on small business policy
A key mistake that policymakers make is to lump all small business owners together into one group. That causes them to overlook important differences. After all, a 68-year-old carpenter trying to retire doesn’t have much in common with a 28-year-old tech founder pitching a startup. Policymakers may cheer for high-growth “unicorns,” but they often overlook the “cows and horses” that keep local economies running.
Even among older business owners, circumstances vary based on local conditions. Two retiring carpenters in different towns may face vastly different prospects based on the strength of their local economies. No business, and no business owner, exists in a vacuum.
A small business owner in Rochester, Vt., discusses the challenges of retirement in a news segment from WCAX-TV.
Relatedly, when small businesses fail to transition, it can have consequences for the local economy. Without a buyer, many enterprises will simply shut down. And while closures can be long-planned and thoughtful, when a business closes suddenly, it’s not just the owner who loses. Employees are left scrambling for work. Suppliers lose contracts. Communities lose essential services.
Four ways to help aging entrepreneurs
That’s why I think policymakers should reimagine how they support small businesses, especially owners nearing the end of their careers.
First, small business policy should be tailored to age. A retirement-ready business shouldn’t be judged solely by its growth potential. Rather, policies should recognize stability and community value as markers of success. The U.S. Small Business Administration and regional agencies can provide resources specifically for retirement planning that starts early in a business’s life, to include how to increase the value of the business and a plan to attract acquirers in later stages.
Second, exit infrastructure should be built into local entrepreneurial ecosystems. Entrepreneurial ecosystems are built to support business entry – think incubators and accelerators – but not for exit. In other words, just like there are accelerators for launching businesses, there should be programs to support winding them down. These could include confidential peer forums, retirement-readiness clinics, succession matchmaking platforms and flexible financing options for acquisition.
And finally, policymakers should include ripple-effect analysis in budget decisions. When universities, hospitals or governments cut spending, small business vendors often absorb much of the shock. Policymakers should account for these downstream impacts when shaping local and federal budgets.
If we want to truly support small businesses and their owners, it’s important to honor the lifetime arc of entrepreneurship – not just the launch and growth, but the retirement, too.
Nancy Forster-Holt 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 Andres Clarens, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Virginia
Steelmaking uses a lot of energy, making it one of the highest greenhouse gas-emitting industries. David McNew/Getty Images
The U.S. Department of Energy’s decision to claw back US$3.7 billion in grants from industrial demonstration projects may create an unexpected opening for American manufacturing.
Many of the grant recipients were deploying carbon capture and storage – technologies that are designed to prevent industrial carbon pollution from entering the atmosphere by capturing it and injecting it deep underground. The approach has long been considered critical for reducing the contributions chemicals, cement production and other heavy industries make to climate change.
However, the U.S. policy reversal could paradoxically accelerate emissions cuts from the industrial sector.
An emissions reality check
Heavy industry is widely viewed as the toughest part of the economy to clean up.
The U.S. power sector has made progress, cutting emissions 35% since 2005 as coal-fired power plants were replaced with cheaper natural gas, solar and wind energy. More than 93% of new grid capacity installed in the U.S. in 2025 was forecast to be solar, wind and batteries. In transportation, electric vehicles are the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. automotive market and will lead to meaningful reductions in pollution.
But U.S. industrial emissions have been mostly unchanged, in part because of the massive amount of coal, gas and oil required to make steel, concrete, aluminum, glass and chemicals. Together these materials account for about 22% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.
The global industrial landscape is changing, though, and U.S. industries cannot, in isolation, expect that yesterday’s means of production will be able to compete in a global marketplace.
The appeal of carbon capture and storage, in theory, was that it could be bolted on to an existing factory with minimal changes to the core process and the carbon pollution would go away.
The Trump administration’s pullback of carbon capture and storage grants now removes some of these artificial supports.
Without the expectation that carbon capture will help them meet regulations, this may create space to focus on materials breakthroughs that could revolutionize manufacturing while solving industries’ emissions problems.
The materials innovation opportunity
So, what might emissions-lowering innovation look like for industries such as cement, steel and chemicals? As a civil and environmental engineer who has worked on federal industrial policy, I study the ways these industries intersect with U.S. economic competitiveness and our built environment.
There are many examples of U.S. innovation to be excited about. Consider just a few industries:
Cement: Cement is one of the most widely used materials on Earth, but the technology has changed little over the past 150 years. Today, its production generates roughly 8% of total global carbon pollution. If cement production were a country, it would rank third globally after China and the United States.
Making concrete do more could accelerate the transition. Researchers at Stanford and separately at MIT are developing concrete that can act as a capacitor and store over 10 kilowatt-hours of energy per cubic meter. Such materials could potentially store electricity from your solar roof or allow for roadways that can charge cars in motion.
How concrete could be used as a capacitor. MIT.
Technologies like these could give U.S. companies a competitive advantage while lowering emissions. Heat-shedding concrete cuts air conditioning demand, lighter formulations require less material per structure, and energy-storing concrete could potentially replace carbon-intensive battery manufacturing.
Steel and iron: Steel and iron production generate about 7% of global emissions with centuries-old blast furnace processes that use intense heat to melt iron ore and burn off impurities. A hydrogen-based steelmaking alternative exists today that emits only water vapor, but it requires new supply chains, infrastructure and production techniques.
U.S. Steel has been developing techniques to create stronger microstructures within steel for constructing structures with 50% less material and more strength than conventional designs. When a skyscraper needs that much less steel to achieve the same structural integrity, that eliminates millions of tons of iron ore mining, coal-fired blast furnace operations and transportation emissions.
Companies are developing ways to produce chemicals using engineered enzymes instead of traditional petrochemical processes, achieving 90% lower emissions in a way that could reduce production costs. These bio-based chemicals can naturally biodegrade, and the chemical processes operate at room temperature instead of requiring high heat that uses a lot of energy.
Is there a silver bullet without carbon capture?
While carbon capture and storage might not be the silver bullet for reducing emissions that many people thought it would be, new technologies for managing industrial heat might turn out to be the closest thing to one.
Most industrial processes require temperatures between 300 and 1830 degrees Fahrenheit (150 and 1000 degrees Celsisus for everything from food processing to steel production. Currently, industries burn fossil fuels directly to generate this heat, creating emissions that electric alternatives cannot easily replace. Heat batteries may offer a breakthrough solution by storing renewable electricity as thermal energy, then releasing that heat on demand for industrial processes.
How thermal batteries work. CNBC.
Companies such as Rondo Energy are developing systems that store wind and solar power in bricklike materials heated to extreme temperatures. Essentially, they convert electricity into heat during times when electricity is abundant, usually at night. A manufacturing facility can later use that heat, which allows it to reduce energy costs and improve grid reliability by not drawing power at the busiest times. The Trump administration cut funding for projects working with Rondo’s technology, but the company’s products are being tested in other countries.
Industrial heat pumps provide another pathway by amplifying waste heat to reach the high temperatures manufacturing requires, without using as much fossil fuel.
The path forward
The Department of Energy’s decision forces industrial America into a defining moment. One path leads backward toward pollution-intensive business as usual propping up obsolete processes. The other path drives forward through innovation.
Carbon capture offered an expensive Band-Aid on old technology. Investing in materials innovation and new techniques for making them promises fundamental transformation for the future.
Andres Clarens receives funding from the National Science Foundation and the Alfred P Sloan Foundation.
A comic book produced for Black transgender women in Philadelphia explains the benefits of using PrEP to prevent HIV infection.Wriply Bennet for the Risk Communication Laboratory, Temple University
In Philadelphia, the leading causes of death are heart disease, cancer and unintentional drug overdose. While some of these deaths are caused by things out of our control – like genetics – many are largely preventable.
Preventable deaths are the result of a series of decisions. Whether a person decides to smoke, eat lots of fried foods or be a couch potato, their decisions – sometimes unconsciously – can affect their health.
I’m a health communication expert and public health researcher at Temple University in North Philadelphia. I began working in public health in the late 1980s at the beginning of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and before that I worked in marketing and public relations. I have spent my career thinking about how health decisions are like many of the decisions consumers make each day around which products to buy.
One key difference with health decisions is the inherent risks involved. There isn’t much risk in trying a new brand of cereal, but there is risk in riding a motorcycle without a helmet.
Many people have a “that won’t happen to me” attitude when making a decision that involves risk. This element of “risk perception” has guided my interest in health decisions and how to use commercial marketing techniques – the same ones companies use to sell products – to encourage people to get vaccinated, get a colonoscopy or get treated for a medical condition.
Temple students involved in the RapidVax project talk to Kensington residents about COVID-19 vaccinations during the pandemic. Temple University College of Public Health
Segmentation analysis is the process of looking at groups of people who may look like they are all similar on the surface – such as Black women from North Philadelphia – and then breaking them into smaller groups based on differences in their attitudes, beliefs or behaviors.
Looking at these “psychographics” instead of demographics like age or sex can help public health communication researchers better understand how to communicate effectively.
We found that participants who were more engaged with the trans community were not only more knowledgeable about PrEP, but they were also more likely to see the benefits of using it compared with those who were less engaged.
This indicates that strategies to reach those not as connected may need to include, for example, providing more basic information about what PrEP is and how it works.
An example of perceptual mapping that shows different attitudes and beliefs around the HIV prevention medication PrEP. Temple University College of Public Health
Mathematical models and 3D maps
Another powerful marketing tool that I use is a process known as perceptual mapping and vector message modeling.
Using simple survey answers, we can mathematically model how people are thinking about a health decision and present it in a three-dimensional map.
Similar to how someone might think about the relationship between where cities or countries are in relation to each other – such as where Philadelphia is in relation to New York or Chicago – we can take answers from a survey and convert them into distances. We ask people to agree or disagree to statements about the benefits or barriers to a decision and enter their responses into a computer program to create the map.
We can then do vector message modeling, which shows how to move the group toward the desired decision.
Think back to high school physics when you may have learned about the amount of force, or pushing and pulling, needed to move one object toward another. Vector message modeling helps us figure out which beliefs to push or pull against to get the group to move toward a particular decision, and it helps us create the most persuasive messages for that group.
When we use vector modeling along with segmentation analysis, we can also compare how messaging may need to be similar or different for different groups.
For example, I used segmentation analysis and then perceptual mapping and vector message modeling to understand how medical mistrust might affect the decision to get vaccinated for COVID-19 among a group of Philadelphians who had not yet been vaccinated.
Education materials created after using commercial marketing techniques to identify persuasive messages about COVID-19 booster shots. Temple University College of Public Health
Our team then looked at perceptual maps and vector message modeling by levels of mistrust. The vectors showed that those with high levels of medical mistrust would be more likely to respond to messages that addressed concerns about the pandemic being a hoax, or the worry that minorities wouldn’t get the same treatment as others.
This allowed us to think about how to build in messages around those issues in public media campaigns or other communication strategies that encourage vaccination.
Decision-making tools
I have used these methods to create and test a number of different communication strategies to influence health decisions.
Staff members from the Risk Communication Laboratory organize materials to educate North Philadelphia residents about COVID-19 booster shots. Temple University College of Public Health
My colleagues and I have also developed posters, booklets and social media posts that encourage low-income and vaccine-hesitant Philadelphians in Kensington to get COVID-19 booster shots; educational slides for low-literacy Philadelphia adults on dirty bombs and how the radioactive weapons might be used in a terror attack; and a comic book for trans women to learn about the benefits of PrEP use.
Getting people to make better decisions about their health can be an uphill battle. We all have our reasons for not doing things that are good for us. For example, what did you eat for lunch today? Was it healthy? If not, why did you eat it?
My job is to figure out what makes people do what they do, and then help them make decisions that keep them healthy.
Sarah Bauerle Bass has received funding from a number of organizations, including the National Institutes of Health, the American Cancer Society, Pennsylvania and Philadelphia Departments of Health, and independent pharma research grants from Gilead and Merck.
On June 24, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization eliminated a nearly 50-year constitutional right to abortion and returned the authority to regulate abortion to the states.
Even while the growing limits on abortion in the U.S. heighten the need for effective contraception, family planning providers are less available in many states, and health insurance coverage of some of the most effective types of contraception is at risk.
A growing demand for contraception
Abortion restrictions have proliferated around the country since the Dobbs decision. As of June 2025, 12 states have near-total abortion bans and 10 states ban abortion before 23 or 24 weeks of gestation, which is when a fetus is generally deemed viable. Of the remaining states, 19 restrict abortion after viability and nine states and Washington have no gestational limits.
It’s no surprise that women living in states that ban or severely restrict abortion may be especially motivated to avoid unintended pregnancy. Even planned pregnancies have grown riskier, with health care providers fearing legal repercussions for treating pregnancy-related medical emergencies such as miscarriages. Such concerns may in part explain emerging research that suggests the use of long-acting contraception such as intrauterine devices, or IUDs, and permanent contraception – namely, sterilization – are on the rise.
A national survey conducted in 2024 asked women ages 18 to 49 if they have changed their contraception practices “as a result of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade.” It found that close to 1 in 5 women began using contraception for the first time, switched to a more effective contraceptive method, received a sterilization procedure or purchased emergency contraception to keep on hand.
The Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs reshaped the landscape of abortion access across the U.S.
A study in Ohio hospitals found a nearly 16% increase in women choosing long-acting contraception methods or sterilization in the six months after the Dobbs decision, and a 33% jump in men receiving vasectomies. Another study, which looked at both female and male sterilization in academic medical centers across the country, also reported an uptick in sterilization procedures for young adults ages 18 to 30 after the Dobbs decision, through 2023.
A loss of contraception providers
Ironically, banning or severely restricting abortion statewide may also diminish capacity to provide contraception.
However, the Association of American Medical Colleges reports declining applications to residency training programs located in states that have abortion bans – not just for OB-GYN training programs, but for residency training of all specialties. This drop suggests that doctors may be overall less likely to train in states that restrict medical practice. And given that physicians often stay on to practice in the states where they do their training, it may point to a long-term decline in physicians in those states.
But the most significant drop in contraceptive services likely comes from the closure of abortion clinics in states with the most restrictive abortion policies. That’s because such clinics generally provide a wide range of reproductive services, including contraception. The 12 states with near-total abortion bans had 57 abortion clinics in 2020, all of which were closed as of March 2024. One study reported a 4.1% decline in oral contraceptives dispensed in those states.
Neither method terminates a pregnancy, which by definition begins when a fertilized egg implants in the uterus. Instead, emergency contraceptive pills prevent an egg from being released from the ovaries, while IUDs, depending on the type, prevent sperm from fertilizing an egg or prevent an egg from implanting in the uterus.
Conflating contraception and abortion spreads misinformation and causes confusion. People who believe that certain types of contraception cause abortions may be dissuaded from using those methods and rely on less effective methods. What’s more, it may affect health insurance coverage.
Medicaid, which provides health insurance for low-income children and adults, has been required to cover family planning services at no cost to patients since 1972. Since 2012, the Affordable Care Act has required private health insurers to cover certain women’s health preventive services at no cost to patients, including the full-range of contraceptives approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
According to our research, the insurance coverage required by the Affordable Care Act has increased use of IUDs, which can be prohibitively expensive when paid out of pocket. But if IUDs and emergency contraceptive pills were reclassified as interventions that induce abortion, they likely would not be covered by Medicaid or the Affordable Care Act, since neither type of health insurance requires coverage for abortion care. Thus, access to some of the most effective contraceptive methods could be jeopardized at a time when the right to terminate an unintended or nonviable pregnancy has been rolled back in much of the country.
Indeed, Project 2025, the conservative policy agenda that the Trump administration appears to be following, specifically calls for removing Ella from the Affordable Care Act contraception coverage mandate because it is a “potential abortifacient.” And politicians in multiple states have expressed support for the idea of restricting these contraceptive methods, as well as contraception more broadly.
On the third anniversary of the Dobbs decision, it is clear that its ripple effects include threats to contraception. Considering that contraception use is almost universal among women in their reproductive years, in our view these threats should be taken seriously.
Cynthia H. Chuang receives funding from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
Carol S. Weisman 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.
But there is one recent decision where the court was unanimous in its ruling, perhaps because its holding should not be controversial: National Rifle Association v. Vullo. In that 2024 case, the court said that it’s a clear violation of the First Amendment’s free speech provisions for government to force people to speak and act in ways that are aligned with its policies.
The second Trump administration has tried to wield executive branch power in ways that appear to punish or suppress speech and opposition to administration policy priorities. Many of those attempts have been legally challenged and will likely make their way to the Supreme Court.
The somewhat under-the-radar – yet incredibly important – decision in National Rifle Association v. Vullo is likely to figure prominently in Supreme Court rulings in a slew of those cases in the coming months and years, including those involving law firms, universities and the Public Broadcasting Service.
Will the Supreme Court continue to protect free speech rights, as it did unanimously in 2024? Geoff Livingston/Getty Images
Why the NRA sued a New York state official
In May 2024, in an opinion written by reliably liberal Sonia Sotomayor, a unanimous court ruled that the efforts of New York state government officials to punish companies doing business with the NRA constituted clear violations of the First Amendment.
Following its own precedent from the 1960s, Bantam Books v. Sullivan, the court found that government officials “cannot attempt to coerce private parties in order to punish or suppress views that the government disfavors.”
Many of the current targets of the Trump administration’s actions have claimed similar suppression of their First Amendment rights by the government. They have fought back, filing lawsuits that often cite the National Rifle Association v. Vullo decision in their efforts.
While these cases may still be working their way through the lower courts, it is likely that the Supreme Court will ultimately consider legal challenges to the Trump administration’s efforts in a range of areas.
The court could also hear disputes over the government terminating contracts with a family of companies that provides satellite and communications support to the U.S. government generally and the military in particular.
Despite the variety of organizations and government actions involved in these lawsuits, they all can be seen as struggles over free speech and expression, like Vullo.
Whether it is private law firms, multinational corporations, universities or members of the media, all have one thing in common: They have all been targeted by the Trump administration for the same reason – they are engaged in actions or speech that is disfavored by President Donald Trump.
Protecting speech, regardless of politics
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Robert Jackson, front, took leave to help prosecute war criminals at the Nuremberg trials at the end of World War II. Bettman/Getty Images
But just because the groups that have been targeted by the Trump administration are across the political divide from the NRA does not mean the outcome in decisions relying on the court’s opinion will be different. In fact, these groups can rely on the same arguments advanced by the NRA, and are, I believe, likely to win.
Vullo isn’t the only decision on which the court can rely when considering challenges to the Trump administration’s efforts targeting these groups.
In the wake of World War II, Supreme Court Justice Robert Jackson took a leave from the court and served as a prosecutor in the Nuremberg trials of Nazi leaders. Prosecuting them for their atrocities, Jackson saw how the Nuremberg defendants wielded government authority to punish enemies who resisted their rise and later opposed their rule.
Once he returned to the court, Jackson wrote the majority opinion in West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, where the court found that students who refused to salute the American flag and recite the Pledge of Allegiance at school could not be expelled.
Jackson’s opinion is a forceful rejection of government attempts to control what people say: “If there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation, it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion or force citizens to confess by word or act their faith therein.”
If some of the cases testing the state’s power to force fidelity to the executive branch reach the Supreme Court, the cases could offer the justices the opportunity to, once again, speak with one voice as they did in NRA v. Vullo, to demonstrate it can be evenhanded and will not play politics with the First Amendment.
Ray Brescia 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.
A simulation of a set of synthetic galaxies. Photons are sampled from these galaxies and have been simulated through the Earth’s atmosphere, a telescope and a sensor using a code called PhoSim.John Peterson/Purdue
Professional astronomers don’t make discoveries by looking through an eyepiece like you might with a backyard telescope. Instead, they collect digital images in massive cameras attached to large telescopes.
Just as you might have an endless library of digital photos stored in your cellphone, many astronomers collect more photos than they would ever have the time to look at. Instead, astronomers like me look at some of the images, then build algorithms and later use computers to combine and analyze the rest.
But how can we know that the algorithms we write will work, when we don’t even have time to look at all the images? We can practice on some of the images, but one new way to build the best algorithms is to simulate some fake images as accurately as possible.
With fake images, we can customize the exact properties of the objects in the image. That way, we can see if the algorithms we’re training can uncover those properties correctly.
My research group and collaborators have found that the best way to create fake but realistic astronomical images is to painstakingly simulate light and its interaction with everything it encounters. Light is composed of particles called photons, and we can simulate each photon. We wrote a publicly available code to do this called the photon simulator, or PhoSim.
The goal of the PhoSim project is to create realistic fake images that help us understand where distortions in images from real telescopes come from. The fake images help us train programs that sort through images from real telescopes. And the results from studies using PhoSim can also help astronomers correct distortions and defects in their real telescope images.
The data deluge
But first, why is there so much astronomy data in the first place? This is primarily due to the rise of dedicated survey telescopes. A survey telescope maps out a region on the sky rather than just pointing at specific objects.
These observatories all have a large collecting area, a large field of view and a dedicated survey mode to collect as much light over a period of time as possible. Major surveys from the past two decades include the SDSS, Kepler, Blanco-DECam, Subaru HSC, TESS, ZTF and Euclid.
The Vera Rubin Observatory in Chile has recently finished construction and will soon join those. Its survey begins soon after its official “first look” event on June 23, 2025. It will have a particularly strong set of survey capabilities.
The Rubin observatory can look at a region of the sky all at once that is several times larger than the full Moon, and it can survey the entire southern celestial hemisphere every few nights.
A survey can shed light on practically every topic in astronomy.
Some of the ambitious research questions include: making measurements about dark matter and dark energy, mapping the Milky Way’s distribution of stars, finding asteroids in the solar system, building a three-dimensional map of galaxies in the universe, finding new planets outside the solar system and tracking millions of objects that change over time, including supernovas.
All of these surveys create a massive data deluge. They generate tens of terabytes every night – that’s millions to billions of pixels collected in seconds. In the extreme case of the Rubin observatory, if you spent all day long looking at images equivalent to the size of a 4K television screen for about one second each, you’d be looking at them 25 times too slow and you’d never keep up.
At this rate, no individual human could ever look at all the images. But automated programs can process the data.
Astronomers don’t just survey an astronomical object like a planet, galaxy or supernova once, either. Often we measure the same object’s size, shape, brightness and position in many different ways under many different conditions.
But more measurements do come with more complications. For example, measurements taken under certain weather conditions or on one part of the camera may disagree with others at different locations or under different conditions. Astronomers can correct these errors – called systematics – with careful calibration or algorithms, but only if we understand the reason for the inconsistency between different measurements. That’s where PhoSim comes in. Once corrected, we can use all the images and make more detailed measurements.
Simulations: One photon at a time
To understand the origin of these systematics, we built PhoSim, which can simulate the propagation of light particles – photons – through the Earth’s atmosphere and then into the telescope and camera.
A simulation of photons traveling from a single star to the Vera Rubin Observatory, made using PhoSim. The layers of turbulence in the atmosphere move according to wind patterns (top middle), and the mirrors deform (top right) depending on the temperature and forces exerted on them. The photons with different wavelengths (colors) are sampled from a star, refract through the atmosphere and then interact with the telescope’s mirrors, filter and lenses. Finally, the photons eject electrons in the sensor (bottom middle) that are counted in pixels to make an image (bottom right). John Peterson/Purdue
PhoSim simulates the atmosphere, including air turbulence, as well as distortions from the shape of the telescope’s mirrors and the electrical properties of the sensors. The photons are propagated using a variety of physics that predict what photons do when they encounter the air and the telescope’s mirrors and lenses.
The simulation ends by collecting electrons that have been ejected by photons into a grid of pixels, to make an image.
Representing the light as trillions of photons is computationally efficient and an application of the Monte Carlo method, which uses random sampling. Researchers used PhoSim to verify some aspects of the Rubin observatory’s design and estimate how its images would look.
A simulations of a series of exposures of stars, galaxies and background light through the Rubin observatory using PhoSim. Photons are sampled from the objects and then interact with the Earth’s atmosphere and Rubin’s telescope and camera. John Peterson/Purdue
The results are complex, but so far we’ve connected the variation in temperature across telescope mirrors directly to astigmatism – angular blurring – in the images. We’ve also studied how high-altitude turbulence in the atmosphere that can disturb light on its way to the telescope shifts the positions of stars and galaxies in the image and causes blurring patterns that correlate with the wind. We’ve demonstrated how the electric fields in telescope sensors – which are intended to be vertical – can get distorted and warp the images.
Researchers can use these new results to correct their measurements and better take advantage of all the data that telescopes collect.
Traditionally, astronomical analyses haven’t worried about this level of detail, but the meticulous measurements with the current and future surveys will have to. Astronomers can make the most out of this deluge of data by using simulations to achieve a deeper level of understanding.
John Peterson 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.
Pain is easy to understand until it isn’t. A stubbed toe or sprained ankle hurts, but it makes sense because the cause is clear and the pain fades as you heal.
But what if the pain didn’t go away? What if even a breeze felt like fire, or your leg burned for no reason at all? When pain lingers without a clear cause, that’s neuropathic pain.
We areneuroscientists who study how pain circuits in the brain and spinal cord change over time. Our work focuses on the molecules that quietly reshape how pain is felt and remembered.
We didn’t fully grasp how different neuropathic pain was from injury-related pain until we began working in a lab studying it. Patients spoke of a phantom pain that haunted them daily – unseen, unexplained and life-altering.
These conversations shifted our focus from symptoms to mechanisms. What causes this ghost pain to persist, and how can we intervene at the molecular level to change it?
More than just physical pain
Neuropathic pain stems from damage to or dysfunction in the nervous system itself. The system that was meant to detect pain becomes the source of it, like a fire alarm going off without a fire. Even a soft touch or breeze can feel unbearable.
Neuropathic pain doesn’t just affect the body – it also alters the brain. Chronic pain of this nature often leads to depression, anxiety, social isolation and a deep sense of helplessness. It can make even the most routine tasks feel unbearable.
About 10% of the U.S. population – tens of millions of people – experience neuropathic pain, and cases are rising as the population ages. Complications from diabetes, cancer treatments or spinal cord injuries can lead to this condition. Despite its prevalence, doctors often overlook neuropathic pain because its underlying biology is poorly understood.
There’s also an economic cost to neuropathic pain. This condition contributes to billions of dollars in health care spending, missed workdays and lost productivity. In the search for relief, many turn to opioids, a path that, as seen from the opioid epidemic, can carry its own devastating consequences through addiction.
GluD1: A quiet but crucial player
Finding treatments for neuropathic pain requires answering several questions. Why does the nervous system misfire in this way? What exactly causes it to rewire in ways that increase pain sensitivity or create phantom sensations? And most urgently: Is there a way to reset the system?
This is where our lab’s work and the story of a receptor called GluD1 comes in. Short for glutamate delta-1 receptor, this protein doesn’t usually make headlines. Scientists have long considered GluD1 a biochemical curiosity, part of the glutamate receptor family, but not known to function like its relatives that typically transmit electrical signals in the brain.
Instead, GluD1 plays a different role. It helps organize synapses, the junctions where neurons connect. Think of it as a construction foreman: It doesn’t send messages itself, but directs where connections form and how strong they become.
This organizing role is critical in shaping the way neural circuits develop and adapt, especially in regions involved in pain and emotion. Our lab’s research suggests that GluD1 acts as a molecular architect of pain circuits, particularly in conditions like neuropathic pain where those circuits misfire or rewire abnormally. In parts of the nervous system crucial for pain processing like the spinal cord and amygdala, GluD1 may shape how people experience pain physically and emotionally.
Fixing the misfire
Across our work, we found that disruptions to GluD1 activity is linked to persistent pain. Restoring GluD1 activity can reduce pain. The question is, how exactly does GluD1 reshape the pain experience?
In our first study, we discovered that GluD1 doesn’t operate solo. It teams up with a protein called cerebellin-1 to form a structure that maintains constant communication between brain cells. This structure, called a trans-synaptic bridge, can be compared to a strong handshake between two neurons. It makes sure that pain signals are appropriately processed and filtered.
But in chronic pain, the bridge between these proteins becomes unstable and starts to fall apart. The result is chaotic. Like a group chat where everyone is talking at once and nobody can be heard clearly, neurons start to misfire and overreact. This synaptic noise turns up the brain’s pain sensitivity, both physically and emotionally. It suggests that GluD1 isn’t just managing pain signals, but also may be shaping how those signals feel.
In our second study, we injected mice with cerebellin-1 and saw that it reactivated GluD1 activity, easing their chronic pain without producing any side effects. It helped the pain processing system work again without the sedative effects or disruptions to other nerve signals that are common with opioids. Rather than just numbing the body, reactivating GluD1 activity recalibrated how the brain processes pain.
Of course, this research is still in the early stages, far from clinical trials. But the implications are exciting: GluD1 may offer a way to repair the pain processing network itself, with fewer side effects and less risk of addiction than current treatments.
For millions living with chronic pain, this small, peculiar receptor may open the door to a new kind of relief: one that heals the system, not just masks its symptoms.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –
On June 23, a delegation from Shandong Institute of Technology and Business (SIITB) visited the National University of Management to sign a cooperation agreement.
Rector of the State University of Management Vladimir Stroev, vice-rectors Maria Karelina and Dmitry Bryukhanov and director of the Institute of Marketing Gennady Azoev introduced the guests to the history of the university and the main areas in which cooperation is possible.
“Our university has been training management personnel for various areas of the economy for over 100 years. We have both a humanitarian and a technical component of training. In addition, many students independently study Chinese, as they see more prospects in it than in English. GUU is actively developing cooperation with the People’s Republic of China: our university has a center for social, political and economic research in China, and last year we conducted an internship for 50 graduates of the presidential program for training management personnel in China,” Vladimir Stroyev noted.
Rector of SHITB Tao Hu spoke about the history and capabilities of his university, noting the presence of similar positions and interests:
“Thank you for the invitation, you have a very beautiful university. We are pleased that the interaction between our countries and our universities is developing. Since 1985, the Shandong Institute has been training personnel, primarily in the field of economics. And we really value international cooperation. I am sure that we will be able to work well on joint projects.”
The parties discussed the possibility of admitting GUU graduates to master’s programs at SHITiB: “Business Management and Entrepreneurship”, “Applied Economics”, “Computer Science”, as well as admitting SHITiB graduates to the GUU master’s program “International Marketing and Brand Management”.
Another area of cooperation will be the exchange of teachers for teaching language and special courses and the implementation of scientific cooperation programs.
At the end of the meeting, a ceremonial signing of a cooperation agreement on the issues outlined took place.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
IAM District 837 President and Directing Business Representative Tom Boelling recently led a high-level tour of Boeing’s St. Louis-area facilities, joined by IAM Resident General Vice President Jody Bennett. The tour provided an in-depth look at the critical aerospace manufacturing work being performed by IAM members across three key locations: St. Louis, St. Charles, Mo., and Mascoutah, Ill.
“Our members take immense pride in the work they do to support our military and protect our country,” said IAM Resident General Vice President Jody Bennett. “This tour was an important reminder of what we stand for, not just as union members, but as the builders of American strength and security.”
District 837 members play an essential role in building and producing some of the world’s most advanced military aircraft and defense systems. These include the iconic F-15 and F/A-18 fighter jets, the state-of-the-art T-7A Red Hawk advanced trainer, and the groundbreaking MQ-25 Stingray, the U.S. Navy’s first carrier-based unmanned aerial refueler.
The visit underscored the skill, dedication, and pride of IAM members who contribute to national defense and aerospace innovation daily. It also served as an opportunity for leadership to hear directly from the workforce ahead of upcoming negotiations, ensuring that their voices remain central to the process.
The post IAM District 837 Hosts Leadership Tour of Boeing St. Louis Facilities Ahead of Vital Negotiations appeared first on IAM Union.
PHOENIX, June 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Award-winning real estate technology innovator, Lofty today announced customer La Rosa Holdings Corp. (NASDAQ: LRHC), a real estate and PropTech company, has partnered with the Lofty team to support the company’s impressive national expansion efforts. By enabling La Rosa’s agents to close more deals more efficiently, Lofty can deliver the practical innovation needed to help La Rosa scale and drive their long-term growth strategy forward. Citing immediate demand, a swift onboarding process, and high user engagement, the Lofty platform has already been adopted by over 500 La Rosa agents across the U.S. To learn more about how Lofty helps brokerages boost productivity, recruit and retain top agents, and lower operational costs, visit https://www.lofty.com/solutions-brokers.
With 26 corporate-owned brokerage offices across Florida, California, Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, and Puerto Rico, La Rosa offers both residential and commercial real estate brokerage services, as well as technology-driven products and support for its 2,900 agents and franchise partners. As a strategic part of the firm’s national expansion strategy, Lofty’s comprehensive platform provides La Rosa with the innovative technology foundation needed to scale and grow.
“Our collaboration with Lofty reflects our commitment to empowering agents through cutting-edge technology that aims to enhance productivity, streamline client engagement, and accelerate business growth. Since its rollout, Lofty has demonstrated strong adoption across our agent network, validating its product-market fit,” noted Joe La Rosa, CEO of La Rosa. “The platform’s low churn rate underscores its enduring value and strong reception among La Rosa agents.”
Unlike other real estate technology solutions, Lofty provides a true platform, powered by AI, to support the unique and complex needs of both traditional and modern brokerages. Easy to learn, and quick to drive results, Lofty can convert 42% more leads than other solutions, enabling brokerages like La Rosa to rapidly drive growth from one centralized application while also optimizing technology investments. Lofty has also expanded its multilingual capabilities to better serve clients such as La Rosa. This includes two key features:
Language translation and currency conversion capabilities which are automatically reflected on an agent’s Lofty IDX website.
AI Sales Assistant now supports over 50 languages, powered by the language model from Google DialogFlow to GPT 4.1 to have more real and human conversations.
“La Rosa understands that cutting-edge technology is a key growth lever. From search to settlement, the Lofty platform provides them with innovative yet user-friendly applications that empowers agents, enables the business to scale, and puts them on the path achieving profitability,” noted Andrew Wild, Vice President, Enterprise Sales, Lofty.
About Lofty Inc. Lofty Inc. (formerly Chime Technologies) provides an AI-powered platform that helps real estate professionals increase their productivity and accelerate business growth. Featuring award-winning technology, the Lofty platform is designed to optimize every step of the real estate journey, from search to settlement. By leveraging one unified hub, customers can automate marketing programs, streamline the sales process, and maximize collaboration between agents, empowering them to spend more time building relationships and their business. Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, Lofty provides proven solutions for brokers, teams, and the enterprise. For more information, visit lofty.com.
AboutLa Rosa Holdings Corp. La Rosa Holdings Corp. (NASDAQ: LRHC) is transforming the real estate industry by providing agents with flexible compensation options, including a revenue-sharing model or a fee-based structure with 100% commission. Powered by its proprietary technology platform, La Rosa aims to equip agents and franchisees with the tools they need to deliver exceptional service.
The Company offers both residential and commercial real estate brokerage services, as well as technology-driven products and support for its agents and franchise partners. Its business model includes internal services for agents and external offerings for the public, spanning real estate brokerage, franchising, education and coaching, and property management.
La Rosa operates 26 corporate-owned brokerage offices across Florida, California, Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, and Puerto Rico. La Rosa also recently started its expansion into Europe, beginning with Spain. Additionally, the Company has six franchised offices and branches and three affiliated brokerage locations in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. The Company also operates a full-service escrow settlement and title company in Florida.
LOS ANGELES, June 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Preferred Bank (NASDAQ: PFBC), one of the largest independent commercial banks in California, today reported that the Board of Directors has received regulatory approval to implement its recently announced $125 million stock repurchase plan which was approved by shareholders in May. Preferred Bank is not a Securities & Exchange Commission (“SEC”) registrant, therefore the Bank requires regulatory approval prior to repurchasing its own common stock. The Board of Directors has approved the first tranche of repurchases which will consist of $50 million in buybacks. The stock purchases will be made from time to time in the open market. In addition, the Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend to $0.75 per share, payable on July 22, 2025 to holders of record on July 8, 2025.
Li Yu, Chairman and CEO of Preferred Bank said, “We are pleased to be in a position to repurchase our own stock utilizing our strong balance sheet supplemented by our superior profitability metrics. We are focused on providing value to our shareholders and will continue to do so.”
About Preferred Bank
Preferred Bank is one of the larger independent commercial banks headquartered in California. The Bank is chartered by the State of California, and its deposits are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, or FDIC, to the maximum extent permitted by law. The Bank conducts its banking business from its main office in Los Angeles, California, and through twelve full-service branch banking offices in the California cities of Alhambra, Century City, City of Industry, Torrance, Arcadia, Irvine (2 branches), Diamond Bar, Pico Rivera, Tarzana and San Francisco (2 branches) and two branches in New York (Flushing and Manhattan) and one branch in the Houston suburb of Sugar Land, Texas. Additionally, the Bank operates a Loan Production Office in Sunnyvale, California. Preferred Bank offers a broad range of deposit and loan products and services to both commercial and consumer customers. The Bank provides personalized deposit services as well as real estate finance, commercial loans and trade finance to small and mid-sized businesses, entrepreneurs, real estate developers, professionals and high net worth individuals. Although originally founded as a Chinese-American Bank, Preferred Bank now derives most of its customers from the diversified mainstream market but does continue to benefit from the significant migration to California of ethnic Chinese from China and other areas of East Asia.
AT THE COMPANY: Edward J. Czajka Executive Vice President Chief Financial Officer (213) 891-1188
AT FINANCIAL PROFILES: Jeffrey Haas General Information (310) 622-8240 PFBC@finprofiles.com
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Standard Lithium Ltd. (“Standard Lithium” or the “Company”) (TSXV:SLI) (NYSE American:SLI), a leading near-commercial lithium company, is pleased to announce the appointment of Daniel Rosen as Vice President of Strategy and Investor Relations, as well as Tim Sobel as Vice President of Health, Safety, Social and Environment (“HSSE”).
“We are thrilled to welcome the additions of Daniel and Tim to our leadership team,” said David Park, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Standard Lithium. “Dan’s strategic insight and deep experience in investor relations and capital markets, as well as Tim’s extensive history in ensuring that HSSE standards are not only met, but exceeded and built-in to organizational culture, will be invaluable as we continue to execute our growth strategy on a path towards first production.”
“Bringing on Daniel and Tim is the next step in our process of continuing to evolve and strengthen our capabilities,” said Salah Gamoudi, Chief Financial Officer of Standard Lithium. “We’d also like to thank Chris Lang for helping to support our investor relations function this past year. With Daniel coming onboard, this will allow Chris to prioritize and focus more on the financial planning and treasury aspects of his role.”
Mr. Rosen brings more than 13 years of experience in corporate strategy, finance, and capital markets. Most recently, Mr. Rosen played a key role in the post-acquisition integration of Arcadium Lithium into Rio Tinto, where he led cross-functional initiatives to align strategic priorities, operational capabilities, and investor messaging. Prior to his role as Director of Integration for Rio Tinto, Mr. Rosen held roles in Corporate Strategy, M&A and Investor Relations for Arcadium Lithium and Livent and spent over six years with Barclays in its Investment Banking division. He has a proven track record of aligning corporate vision with market opportunities and building trusted relationships across the investment community.
Mr. Sobel is a seasoned HSSE executive with over three decades of distinguished leadership in health, safety, security, environmental, quality, sustainability, and risk management across global industrial and logistics sectors. He most previously served as Vice President of HSSE for the Americas at DP World, where he oversaw HSSE strategy and execution across more than 40 logistics, port, and terminal operations in North and South America. Prior to DP World, he held senior leadership roles at Air Liquide, New Fortress Energy, Wilhelmsen Ship Management, and Sunoco Logistics, where he led multi-site operational risk, compliance, and crisis management programs. His earlier service in the U.S. Coast Guard laid the foundation for his deep regulatory expertise and command-level emergency response capabilities. Mr. Sobel is recognized for developing and embedding world-class safety cultures, behavioral safety programs, and regulatory-compliant management systems.
About Standard Lithium Ltd.
Standard Lithium is a leading near-commercial lithium development company focused on the sustainable development of a portfolio of large, high-grade lithium-brine properties in the United States. The Company prioritizes projects characterized by high-grade resources, robust infrastructure, skilled labor, and streamlined permitting. Standard Lithium aims to achieve sustainable, commercial-scale lithium production via the application of a scalable and fully integrated DLE and purification process. The Company’s flagship projects are located in the Smackover Formation, a world-class lithium brine asset, focused in Arkansas and Texas. In partnership with global energy leader Equinor, Standard Lithium is advancing the South West Arkansas project, a greenfield project located in southern Arkansas, and actively exploring promising lithium brine prospects in East Texas.
Standard Lithium trades on both the TSX Venture Exchange and the NYSE American under the symbol “SLI”. Please visit the Company’s website at www.standardlithium.com.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain certain “Forward-Looking Statements” within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws. When used in this news release, the words “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “expect”, “target, “plan”, “forecast”, “may”, “schedule” and other similar words or expressions identify forward-looking statements or information. These forward-looking statements or information may relate to intended development timelines, future prices of commodities, accuracy of mineral or resource exploration activity, reserves or resources, regulatory or government requirements or approvals, the reliability of third party information, continued access to mineral properties or infrastructure, fluctuations in the market for lithium and its derivatives, changes in exploration costs and government regulation in Canada and the United States, and other factors or information. Such statements represent the Company’s current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social risks, contingencies and uncertainties. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements or information to reflect changes in assumptions or changes in circumstances or any other events affecting such statements and information other than as required by applicable laws, rules and regulations.
