Source: United States Senator for Arkansas – John Boozman
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR), a Senate Air Force Caucus Co-Chair and member of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, elicited strong support for the missions and personnel at both Little Rock Air Force Base and Ebbing Air National Guard Base, home of the F-35 foreign pilot training center, from Secretary of the U.S. Air Force Troy Meink and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin.
Boozman noted the recent graduation of the first two pilots as part of the F-35 Foreign Military Sales (FMS) mission, now hosted in Fort Smith at Ebbing, and how the milestone reflects the growing importance of training our allies on U.S. platforms and systems.
“We’ve discussed the critical role the F-35 FMS training mission at Ebbing Air National Guard Base plays not only in maintaining our air superiority but also in strengthening alliances,” Boozman said. “[There is] excitement [among] our allies [in] having this type of plane.”
“I think the training – training with international partners – that’s stuff that helps forever. I think it’s a combination of simplifying FMS so it allows them to get the platforms, and then allowing them to train with us on the platforms, is one of the best ways to get integrated effects between us and our international partners,” Meink stated.
“If we’re selling them the best equipment, you want them to be trained by the best. So we want to be able to do that at Ebbing,” Allvin added.
The senator also noted an announcement about the Air Force’s Deployable Combat Wing concept and the change it represents with how the service seeks to ensure readiness upon deployment.
“Earlier this year the Air Force announced that Little Rock Air Force Base and four other installations were selected as the first tranche of the Deployable Combat Wing initiative. Can you talk about what that means?” Boozman asked.
“The Deployable Combat Wing allows us to move away from a pattern we’ve had over the past few decades in which we crowdsource airmen from across our Air Force, put them together, and then put them over in the theater. I can’t in good conscience continue to send airmen over that are trained as individuals, and not trained as units, to fight as units and understand the new complexities of the strategic environment,” Allvin responded. “I think we’re going to see not only an impact on fighting effectiveness, but also morale. Units that train together have a common esprit de corps that I think is pushing that warrior ethos we’re trying to enhance.”
According to the Air Force, the installations selected will see growth in the population of assigned airmen to ensure adequate staffing for accomplishing their missions.
“We have an increase in airmen that will make sure when that entire wing picks up and goes, that the base is still supported,” Allvin confirmed.
Boozman again echoed his and his colleagues’ ongoing concerns with the impact that temporary funding and authorities – in the form of continuing resolutions – have on military missions and commitments.
He also reiterated his desire to work with the Air Force and Department of Defense to pursue legislative solutions for combating the threat of armed drones to U.S. military installations and assets.
Source: United States Senator for Arkansas – John Boozman
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) joined Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-ME), Vice Chair Patty Murray (D-WA) and fellow committee members Senators Jack Reed (D-RI), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) in voicing their concerns over the sudden closure of all Job Corps Centers to the Department of Labor (DOL). In a letter to Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, the lawmakers urged her to reverse the decision and work with Congress to improve the program.
“Job Corps has served millions of young people, ages 16 to 24, many of whom face significant economic and social challenges, develop the skills and resilience they need to succeed in work and in life through intensive education, training, and support services in a residential setting since its creation in 1964,” the senators wrote.
“Abruptly canceling contracts for the nation’s Job Corps centers will leave students and communities in the lurch and will undermine opportunities for young people to get education and training to succeed in valuable trades. While we would be pleased to work with you to improve the Job Corps program to do even more to serve our young people and address growing workforce needs, it is essential that you faithfully implement the program in accordance with the FY 2025 Continuing Resolution and reopen all Job Corps Centers,” they continued.
Job Corps is the largest residential career training program in the country, operating centers across all 50 states including a contractor-operated campus in Little Rock. Over 60,000 new students enroll in the program nationwide every year and each center supports an average of 228 jobs.
Full text of the letter can be found here and below.
The Honorable Lori Chavez-DeRemerU.S. Department of Labor200 Constitution Avenue, NWWashington, D.C. 20210
Dear Secretary Chavez-DeRemer:
The sudden announcement that the Department of Labor began the process of closing all Job Corps Centers on May 29, 2025, will harm students and local economies in every state across the nation. We urge you to retract this announcement and to faithfully implement the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Full-Year Continuing Resolution Act, which President Trump signed into law and which includes $1,760,155,000 for Job Corps. That includes funding to enroll students in Job Corps Centers for the new program year that starts July 1, 2025. We expect the Department to prevent any interruptions or delays in serving students or program options by making the necessary changes or extensions to contracts and quickly restarting background checks.
Job Corps has served millions of young people, ages 16 to 24, many of whom fact significant economic and social challenges, develop the skills and resilience they need to succeed in work and in life through intensive education, training, and support services in a residential setting since its creation in 1964. Today, many jobs require training beyond a high school diploma but not a college degree, including those of strategic national importance, such as electricians needed to build data centers to power artificial intelligence, machinists, pipefitters, and welders to manufacture the next generation of submarines and destroyers, wildland firefighters to keep our communities safe, and nurses to help care for our families. Job Corps is one of the few national programs that fills the gap by recruiting young people who are out of the labor force and providing them with the career and technical education to address these critical workforce needs.
Job Corps Centers contribute to their local communities and economies. They have developed partnerships with employers, local workforce development boards, local government agencies, and community-based organizations. The sudden closure of Job Corps Centers not only puts young people’s lives at risk, but local communities will pay a steep price, especially the thousands of individuals who work at the Centers and will lose their livelihoods.
Abruptly canceling contracts for the nation’s Job Corps centers will leave students and communities in the lurch and will undermine opportunities for young people to get education and training to succeed in valuable trades. While we would be pleased to work with you to improve the Job Corps program to do even more to serve our young people and address growing workforce needs, it is essential that you faithfully implement the program in accordance with the FY 2025 Continuing Resolution and reopen all Job Corps Centers.
Thank you for your attention to this request, and we request your prompt reply no later than June 24, 2025.
Sincerely,
Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, released the following statement condemning the Supreme Court’s hypocritical ruling condoning President Trump’s attacks on the rule of law:
“This ruling smacks of hypocrisy. For the past four years, Republicans ran to their handpicked judges in select districts seeking universal injunction against Biden Administration policies they disliked. Now, mere months into his administration, President Trump’s Supreme Court has decided to limit lower courts’ ability to hold him accountable. Let’s be clear: this is another instance of the Court bending over backwards to insulate this administration from any restraint on its power.
“In this case, the Trump Administration blatantly violated the Constitution and 100-year-old Supreme Court precedent. Instead of reining in President Trump’s unconstitutional actions, the court has condoned them. Untold numbers of children born in the United States may be denied the citizenship they are entitled to as a result.
“Many of us, Republicans and Democrats alike, have discussed the need to reform nationwide injunctions, and members of both parties have put forth ideas. But the today’s implications of ruling should worry anyone who thinks courts should have a role in defending the rule of law and our constitutional rights—from health care rights, to gun rights. Now is the time for my Republican colleagues to decide whether they are willing to exercise their constitutional obligation to hold a lawless administration accountable.”
The UK government has published a ten-year strategy outlining how it aims to boost productivity and innovation across eight key sectors of the economy. From the future of AI to energy security and net zero, it’s a broad and ambitious plan. Our experts assess what it tells us about how the UK economy – and the jobs it offers – could look in future.
Nuclear placed firmly in the centre of the UK’s low-carbon future
Doug Specht, Reader in Cultural Geography and Communication, University of Westminster
For clean energy and industrial growth, the strategy presents an ambitious and comprehensive vision. And it seeks to establish the UK as a global leader in clean energy manufacturing and innovation. A key strength lies in its substantial investment commitments, however this includes £14.2 billion for the controversial Sizewell C nuclear power station and more than £2.5 billion for a Small Modular Reactor (SMR) programme.
Nuclear energy remains controversial – nevertheless, the strategy firmly places it as a central pillar for low-carbon, reliable energy and national security.
The strategy also targets high-growth sectors, prioritises regional development and introduces support schemes and regulatory reforms to tackle high electricity costs for industry, and slow grid connections. Yet despite these potential strengths, there are notable challenges. Implementation risks are significant, given the ten-year timeframe and potential shifts in political priorities.
And regional disparities and social inequalities may not be fully addressed, as the focus is on high-potential city regions. Some areas could be left behind. Skills shortages in engineering and digital sectors persist, and there is not enough detail on reskilling and lifelong learning. The importance of supply chain resilience, especially for the critical minerals needed for the green transition is acknowledged but not fully assured.
Overall, the strategy is ambitious and well-structured. But a reliance on nuclear rather than true renewables is seeking a quick win with high risks and high costs. A more radical and inclusive plan that expanded green infrastructure, and provided details of resilient growth across all regions and sectors, would have been welcomed.
An innovation boost for the UK’s world-leading creative industries
Bernard Hay, Head of Policy at the Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre, Newcastle University
The plan for the creative industries is a significant step forward for this critical sector. With multiple new commitments announced on areas ranging from scale-up finance and AI to skills, exports and freelance support, there is a lot to welcome for the sector. After all, it already accounts for over 5% of the UK’s annual gross value added (or GVA – which measures the value of goods and services) and 14% of its services exports.
One key aspect is boosting creative industries’ research and development (R&D), which is a driver of innovation, productivity and growth. This includes £100 million for the Arts and Humanities Research Council’s clusters programme, which supports location-based, creative R&D partnerships between universities and industry.
And by the end of the year, HMRC will publish clarification on what types of activity are eligible for R&D tax relief, to include arts activities that meet certain criteria. This is a nuanced change, but together with the other plans, it could have a catalytic effect on innovation in the sector.
Supporting regional creative economies is a golden thread running through this plan. A new £4 billion group capital initiative from the British Business Bank, announced earlier in the spending review, will be an important source of scale-up finance for small and medium-sized creative businesses that face barriers in accessing capital.
It is also welcome to see the government both increasing creative industries investment in several city-regions and supporting places to join up and work together through “creative corridors”. Coupled with the ongoing devolution of powers and funding in England, the next decade provides a huge opportunity for local policy innovation. This includes sharing and scaling proven strategies in growing regional creative economies.
An effective industrial strategy relies on high-quality data and analysis to support it. This is especially true when dealing with a rapidly evolving part of the economy such as the creative industries. The new plan includes commitments to strengthen the evidence base, including by increasing access to official statistics. This is good news not only for researchers, but for the whole sector.
The Lowry in Salford is part of a creative cluster in the north-west of England. Debu55y/Shutterstock
Advanced manufacturing: promising plans, but persistent problems
Michael Lewis, Professor of Operations and Supply Management, University of Bath
The government plans to invest £4.3 billion in advanced manufacturing. This covers research-driven production in sectors including automotive, aerospace and advanced materials (engineered substances that are especially useful in these industries). Some firms may also get energy cost relief through green levy exemptions.
A long-term plan is overdue, but the challenges are huge. Automotive production is targeted to rise substantially, but the sector will still depend heavily on a range of critical imports. The aerospace sector will start 40,000 apprenticeships by 2035, yet further education funding remains below 2010 levels. Much of the promised investment appears to be the repackaging of existing funding.
Most importantly, how to deliver these changes remains unclear. There are good ideas, like £99 million to expand the relatively successful Made Smarter Adoption programme to help small and medium-sized enterprises employ digital technology. But when helping small firms adopt basic digital tools counts as policy success, it shows how far UK manufacturing has fallen behind competitors. Likewise, when you need a new “connections accelerator service” just to help companies connect to the grid, it shows the scale of basic infrastructure problems that undermine grander ambitions.
Overall, the strategy marks real progress. However, without clear delivery plans, it reads more like a wish list than an action plan. This explains why industry reactions have been cautiously optimistic at best.
A chance to take the lead in the global AI race
Kamran Mahroof, Associate Professor of Supply Chain Analytics and Programme Leader for the MSc in the Applied Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics, University of Bradford
From a digital and technologies perspective, the industrial strategy appears to signal a strong commitment to anchoring the nation at the forefront of the global AI race. The proposed Sovereign AI Unit shows an intent to ensure national control and access to critical AI infrastructure, computational power and expertise.
This is pivotal, not only for research and development, but also for national security and economic resilience in an increasingly AI-driven world. It points to a recognition that relying solely on external providers for cutting-edge AI capabilities carries inherent risks.
Besides, some of the world’s most innovative AI businesses are based in the UK. British companies are pushing the limits of what is feasible, from Synthesia’s advances in synthetic media to DeepMind’s developments in machine learning. In sectors including public safety, insurance and defence, smaller firms like Faculty, Tractable and Mind Foundry are also having a significant impact.
Complementing this, the AI Growth Zones are designed to act as regional magnets for investment and innovation, particularly in the realm of data centres and high-density computational facilities. By streamlining planning and providing preferential access to energy, these zones could accelerate the development of the physical infrastructure needed.
This decentralised approach has received more than 200 bids already from local authorities. It also has the potential to spread the economic benefits of AI beyond established tech hubs, encouraging new regional powerhouses and creating high-skilled jobs right across the UK.
Taken as a whole, these projects show a deliberate effort to develop core competencies and draw in private-sector funding. This puts the UK in a position to benefit from AI’s potential. This effort to develop national AI capabilities is not a new idea – it echoes the US AI executive order and the EU’s AI Act.
However, given the dominance of global tech giants, the UK needs to define “sovereignty” in practice and decide whether it is willing to provide large-scale funding. At a time when debates continue around the UK’s defence budget — a field now deeply intertwined with AI – more transparency is needed on how these ambitions will be funded.
Growth plans for financial services – and moves to share the benefits beyond London
Sarah Hall, 1931 Professor of Geography, University of Cambridge
One of the most striking elements of the new plan is that it places financial services much more centrally compared to previous approaches.
There are good reasons for doing this. Financial services are a vital component of the UK economy, contributing close to 9% of economic output in 2023. Clearly then, an industrial strategy without one of the most important economic sectors would make little sense.
There is also a welcome emphasis on the ways in which financial services can grow, not only as a sector in its own right, but also to be better integrated in supporting the growth of other parts of the economy. Some important policy moves have already been announced, such as changes to pension funds aimed at increasing their investment in large infrastructure projects.
In order to meet these ambitions, the strategy is right to note that financial services need to be supported, not only in London but also across the many clusters around the UK. These include, for example, Edinburgh, Manchester and Bristol.
There will be more details in the sector plan, released alongside Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ Mansion House speech on July 15. At that point, we will be able to assess the measures intended to grapple with two longstanding issues for UK financial services. That is, how does the government bridge the gap between finance and the “real” economy (goods and non-financial services)? And how does it bridge the gap between London and the rest of the UK?
Michael A. Lewis receives funding from AHRC, EPSRC and ESRC.
Bernard Hay is Head of Policy at the Creative PEC, a partnership between Newcastle University and the Royal Society of Arts, which is funded by the UKRI via Arts and Humanities Research Council.
Sarah Hall receives funding from an ESRC Fellowship grant.
Doug Specht and Kamran Mahroof do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
The UK government has published a ten-year strategy outlining how it aims to boost productivity and innovation across eight key sectors of the economy. From the future of AI to energy security and net zero, it’s a broad and ambitious plan. Our experts assess what it tells us about how the UK economy – and the jobs it offers – could look in future.
Nuclear placed firmly in the centre of the UK’s low-carbon future
Doug Specht, Reader in Cultural Geography and Communication, University of Westminster
For clean energy and industrial growth, the strategy presents an ambitious and comprehensive vision. And it seeks to establish the UK as a global leader in clean energy manufacturing and innovation. A key strength lies in its substantial investment commitments, however this includes £14.2 billion for the controversial Sizewell C nuclear power station and more than £2.5 billion for a Small Modular Reactor (SMR) programme.
Nuclear energy remains controversial – nevertheless, the strategy firmly places it as a central pillar for low-carbon, reliable energy and national security.
The strategy also targets high-growth sectors, prioritises regional development and introduces support schemes and regulatory reforms to tackle high electricity costs for industry, and slow grid connections. Yet despite these potential strengths, there are notable challenges. Implementation risks are significant, given the ten-year timeframe and potential shifts in political priorities.
And regional disparities and social inequalities may not be fully addressed, as the focus is on high-potential city regions. Some areas could be left behind. Skills shortages in engineering and digital sectors persist, and there is not enough detail on reskilling and lifelong learning. The importance of supply chain resilience, especially for the critical minerals needed for the green transition is acknowledged but not fully assured.
Overall, the strategy is ambitious and well-structured. But a reliance on nuclear rather than true renewables is seeking a quick win with high risks and high costs. A more radical and inclusive plan that expanded green infrastructure, and provided details of resilient growth across all regions and sectors, would have been welcomed.
An innovation boost for the UK’s world-leading creative industries
Bernard Hay, Head of Policy at the Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre, Newcastle University
The plan for the creative industries is a significant step forward for this critical sector. With multiple new commitments announced on areas ranging from scale-up finance and AI to skills, exports and freelance support, there is a lot to welcome for the sector. After all, it already accounts for over 5% of the UK’s annual gross value added (or GVA – which measures the value of goods and services) and 14% of its services exports.
One key aspect is boosting creative industries’ research and development (R&D), which is a driver of innovation, productivity and growth. This includes £100 million for the Arts and Humanities Research Council’s clusters programme, which supports location-based, creative R&D partnerships between universities and industry.
And by the end of the year, HMRC will publish clarification on what types of activity are eligible for R&D tax relief, to include arts activities that meet certain criteria. This is a nuanced change, but together with the other plans, it could have a catalytic effect on innovation in the sector.
Supporting regional creative economies is a golden thread running through this plan. A new £4 billion group capital initiative from the British Business Bank, announced earlier in the spending review, will be an important source of scale-up finance for small and medium-sized creative businesses that face barriers in accessing capital.
It is also welcome to see the government both increasing creative industries investment in several city-regions and supporting places to join up and work together through “creative corridors”. Coupled with the ongoing devolution of powers and funding in England, the next decade provides a huge opportunity for local policy innovation. This includes sharing and scaling proven strategies in growing regional creative economies.
An effective industrial strategy relies on high-quality data and analysis to support it. This is especially true when dealing with a rapidly evolving part of the economy such as the creative industries. The new plan includes commitments to strengthen the evidence base, including by increasing access to official statistics. This is good news not only for researchers, but for the whole sector.
The Lowry in Salford is part of a creative cluster in the north-west of England. Debu55y/Shutterstock
Advanced manufacturing: promising plans, but persistent problems
Michael Lewis, Professor of Operations and Supply Management, University of Bath
The government plans to invest £4.3 billion in advanced manufacturing. This covers research-driven production in sectors including automotive, aerospace and advanced materials (engineered substances that are especially useful in these industries). Some firms may also get energy cost relief through green levy exemptions.
A long-term plan is overdue, but the challenges are huge. Automotive production is targeted to rise substantially, but the sector will still depend heavily on a range of critical imports. The aerospace sector will start 40,000 apprenticeships by 2035, yet further education funding remains below 2010 levels. Much of the promised investment appears to be the repackaging of existing funding.
Most importantly, how to deliver these changes remains unclear. There are good ideas, like £99 million to expand the relatively successful Made Smarter Adoption programme to help small and medium-sized enterprises employ digital technology. But when helping small firms adopt basic digital tools counts as policy success, it shows how far UK manufacturing has fallen behind competitors. Likewise, when you need a new “connections accelerator service” just to help companies connect to the grid, it shows the scale of basic infrastructure problems that undermine grander ambitions.
Overall, the strategy marks real progress. However, without clear delivery plans, it reads more like a wish list than an action plan. This explains why industry reactions have been cautiously optimistic at best.
A chance to take the lead in the global AI race
Kamran Mahroof, Associate Professor of Supply Chain Analytics and Programme Leader for the MSc in the Applied Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics, University of Bradford
From a digital and technologies perspective, the industrial strategy appears to signal a strong commitment to anchoring the nation at the forefront of the global AI race. The proposed Sovereign AI Unit shows an intent to ensure national control and access to critical AI infrastructure, computational power and expertise.
This is pivotal, not only for research and development, but also for national security and economic resilience in an increasingly AI-driven world. It points to a recognition that relying solely on external providers for cutting-edge AI capabilities carries inherent risks.
Besides, some of the world’s most innovative AI businesses are based in the UK. British companies are pushing the limits of what is feasible, from Synthesia’s advances in synthetic media to DeepMind’s developments in machine learning. In sectors including public safety, insurance and defence, smaller firms like Faculty, Tractable and Mind Foundry are also having a significant impact.
Complementing this, the AI Growth Zones are designed to act as regional magnets for investment and innovation, particularly in the realm of data centres and high-density computational facilities. By streamlining planning and providing preferential access to energy, these zones could accelerate the development of the physical infrastructure needed.
This decentralised approach has received more than 200 bids already from local authorities. It also has the potential to spread the economic benefits of AI beyond established tech hubs, encouraging new regional powerhouses and creating high-skilled jobs right across the UK.
Taken as a whole, these projects show a deliberate effort to develop core competencies and draw in private-sector funding. This puts the UK in a position to benefit from AI’s potential. This effort to develop national AI capabilities is not a new idea – it echoes the US AI executive order and the EU’s AI Act.
However, given the dominance of global tech giants, the UK needs to define “sovereignty” in practice and decide whether it is willing to provide large-scale funding. At a time when debates continue around the UK’s defence budget — a field now deeply intertwined with AI – more transparency is needed on how these ambitions will be funded.
Growth plans for financial services – and moves to share the benefits beyond London
Sarah Hall, 1931 Professor of Geography, University of Cambridge
One of the most striking elements of the new plan is that it places financial services much more centrally compared to previous approaches.
There are good reasons for doing this. Financial services are a vital component of the UK economy, contributing close to 9% of economic output in 2023. Clearly then, an industrial strategy without one of the most important economic sectors would make little sense.
There is also a welcome emphasis on the ways in which financial services can grow, not only as a sector in its own right, but also to be better integrated in supporting the growth of other parts of the economy. Some important policy moves have already been announced, such as changes to pension funds aimed at increasing their investment in large infrastructure projects.
In order to meet these ambitions, the strategy is right to note that financial services need to be supported, not only in London but also across the many clusters around the UK. These include, for example, Edinburgh, Manchester and Bristol.
There will be more details in the sector plan, released alongside Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ Mansion House speech on July 15. At that point, we will be able to assess the measures intended to grapple with two longstanding issues for UK financial services. That is, how does the government bridge the gap between finance and the “real” economy (goods and non-financial services)? And how does it bridge the gap between London and the rest of the UK?
Michael A. Lewis receives funding from AHRC, EPSRC and ESRC.
Bernard Hay is Head of Policy at the Creative PEC, a partnership between Newcastle University and the Royal Society of Arts, which is funded by the UKRI via Arts and Humanities Research Council.
Sarah Hall receives funding from an ESRC Fellowship grant.
Doug Specht and Kamran Mahroof do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Richard Bärnthaler, Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in Ecological Economics, University of Leeds
Green energy sites like Flevoland in the Netherlands will be part of the EU’s industrial future.fokke baarssen/Shutterstock
Industrial policy is back – it’s currently central to the agendas of both the EU and the UK. This resurgence comes amid a polycrisis marked by climate breakdown, social inequality, energy insecurity and geopolitical instability. And it reflects a wider shift. Governments across G20 countries are stepping in more actively to shape their economies, moving away from the idea that markets should be left to run themselves.
This is an important development. But current frameworks for industrial policy risk deepening the crises they are meant to solve.
In our research with Sebastian Mang of the New Economics Foundation, we have found that in the case of the EU, its industrial policy framework is riddled with contradictions.
It seeks resilience, yet fails to strengthen essential public services that underpin stability. It aims for strategic autonomy, yet reinforces resource dependencies. And while it gestures towards sustainability, it remains tethered to private-sector strategies that delay the phase-out of harmful industries.
Eroding foundations
EU industrial policy aims to strengthen the resilience of the bloc’s single market by preventing supply chain disruptions. It rightly views Europe’s economy as an interconnected ecosystem, where shocks in one sector ripple across others. But it fails to prioritise the foundational sectors that sustain everyday life. These include essential services such as food, utilities, housing, healthcare and public transport.
Two core issues drive this failure. First, deregulation in the single market has often extended to essential services, pushing providers to operate like private businesses. For example, liberalisation of the energy sector has contributed to volatile prices and energy poverty. And EU competition law and state aid rules have historically constrained social housing provision.
Yet social resilience — the capacity of communities to withstand and recover from crises — and, by extension market resilience, rely on these essential services. But affordable housing, universal healthcare and affordable energy for households are often not prioritised.
Second, EU industrial policy lacks a clear definition of which sectors are “critical” and why. This results in inconsistent lists of priority industries and technologies, while foundational sectors like energy and housing often remain overlooked.
These blind spots have real consequences. Around 40% of Europe’s workforce is employed in foundational sectors. These sectors are where low-income households spend about two-thirds of their income. Yet they often remain precarious and undervalued, leaving Europe more exposed to economic shocks.
To build real resilience, industrial policy must reassert public control over essential services and recognise them as priorities. This means redefining what counts as “critical”, supporting jobs in foundational sectors and accelerating public investment. This investment could be enabled through measures such as reforming the fiscal rules and with joint borrowing by member states.
The scramble for resources
Europe is pushing for strategic autonomy (the capacity of the bloc to act in strategically important areas, without being dependent on non-member countries). The aim is to reduce reliance on imports in key industries such as green technology.
But to make this happen, the EU should put reducing demand for resources and energy at the centre of its industrial policy. Instead, however, its Critical Raw Materials Act foresees skyrocketing consumption of rare earths, lithium and other inputs.
This strategy is self-defeating. It increases the likelihood of European aggression towards the rest of the world and ultimately threatens long-term security and peace for all. These tensions are already surfacing. Export restrictions on things such as nickel, cobalt and rare earth minerals are multiplying. In an era of geopolitical ruptures, these tendencies are likely to intensify.
At the same time, resource conflicts are also escalating within Europe itself. Tensions are emerging in countries including Serbia, Portugal and Greece over lithium and copper, and the environmental and social costs of mining them. And indigenous communities such as the Sámi in northern Europe face threats to their land and rights.
This is not to argue against increasing the extraction of raw materials within Europe. However, without an absolute reduction in energy and material use, these contradictions will deepen. To avoid these problems, the EU must centre industrial policy on reducing unnecessary demand. Some key moves could include investing in public transport instead of subsidising cars, prioritising retrofitting over new building, ending planned obsolescence and backing agro-ecology over industrial farming.
Investing in public rather than private transport will help European nations reduce their demand on energy and materials. The Global Guy/Shutterstock
Research shows that this kind of strategy could significantly lower Europe’s energy use. It could also drastically cut reliance on critical imports and contribute to achieving energy independence by 2050. This is all without compromising basic quality of life.
If Europe wants peace and security, demand reduction is a rational approach that must be at the heart of the EU’s industrial strategy. This should be adopted alongside strengthening ties of cooperation and integration with the rest of Eurasia and the global south, rather than ramping up antagonism towards these neighbours.
Green transition
The EU’s vision of “competitive sustainability” rests on the belief that market incentives and the private sector can drive the green transition. Yet despite decades of efficiency improvements, high-income countries have not decoupled material use and emissions from economic growth at the speed and scale required.
The EU remains reliant on derisking – using public subsidies, guarantees and looser regulations to make green investments attractive to private finance. But as this approach leaves both the pace and direction of change to private capital, it slows the phase-out of harmful industries.
What’s missing is more effective economic planning to restore public control over decarbonisation. Achieving this means building on existing mechanisms capable of delivering change — such as public credit guidance. This sets rules to limit the flow of finance from commercial banks to damaging sectors while directing investment toward sustainable ones.
China offers an example whereby the central bank has used public credit guidance to shift finance to cleaner sectors. The European Central Bank also experimented with credit guidance between 2022 and 2023, introducing climate scores for companies. And post-war France used planned credit to modernise infrastructure over two decades.
Europe and the UK are rearming, climate shocks are intensifying and global power dynamics are shifting. This moment demands a new industrial strategy — one that prioritises foundational sectors and creates fiscal space to build resilience. Reducing demand must be a prerequisite for security, peace and strategic autonomy. And reviving economic planning tools, such as public credit guidance, can accelerate the green transition.
Without these shifts, Europe and the UK face an increasingly unstable future. Industrial policy must change because the stakes are existential.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Richard Bärnthaler, Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in Ecological Economics, University of Leeds
Green energy sites like Flevoland in the Netherlands will be part of the EU’s industrial future.fokke baarssen/Shutterstock
Industrial policy is back – it’s currently central to the agendas of both the EU and the UK. This resurgence comes amid a polycrisis marked by climate breakdown, social inequality, energy insecurity and geopolitical instability. And it reflects a wider shift. Governments across G20 countries are stepping in more actively to shape their economies, moving away from the idea that markets should be left to run themselves.
This is an important development. But current frameworks for industrial policy risk deepening the crises they are meant to solve.
In our research with Sebastian Mang of the New Economics Foundation, we have found that in the case of the EU, its industrial policy framework is riddled with contradictions.
It seeks resilience, yet fails to strengthen essential public services that underpin stability. It aims for strategic autonomy, yet reinforces resource dependencies. And while it gestures towards sustainability, it remains tethered to private-sector strategies that delay the phase-out of harmful industries.
Eroding foundations
EU industrial policy aims to strengthen the resilience of the bloc’s single market by preventing supply chain disruptions. It rightly views Europe’s economy as an interconnected ecosystem, where shocks in one sector ripple across others. But it fails to prioritise the foundational sectors that sustain everyday life. These include essential services such as food, utilities, housing, healthcare and public transport.
Two core issues drive this failure. First, deregulation in the single market has often extended to essential services, pushing providers to operate like private businesses. For example, liberalisation of the energy sector has contributed to volatile prices and energy poverty. And EU competition law and state aid rules have historically constrained social housing provision.
Yet social resilience — the capacity of communities to withstand and recover from crises — and, by extension market resilience, rely on these essential services. But affordable housing, universal healthcare and affordable energy for households are often not prioritised.
Second, EU industrial policy lacks a clear definition of which sectors are “critical” and why. This results in inconsistent lists of priority industries and technologies, while foundational sectors like energy and housing often remain overlooked.
These blind spots have real consequences. Around 40% of Europe’s workforce is employed in foundational sectors. These sectors are where low-income households spend about two-thirds of their income. Yet they often remain precarious and undervalued, leaving Europe more exposed to economic shocks.
To build real resilience, industrial policy must reassert public control over essential services and recognise them as priorities. This means redefining what counts as “critical”, supporting jobs in foundational sectors and accelerating public investment. This investment could be enabled through measures such as reforming the fiscal rules and with joint borrowing by member states.
The scramble for resources
Europe is pushing for strategic autonomy (the capacity of the bloc to act in strategically important areas, without being dependent on non-member countries). The aim is to reduce reliance on imports in key industries such as green technology.
But to make this happen, the EU should put reducing demand for resources and energy at the centre of its industrial policy. Instead, however, its Critical Raw Materials Act foresees skyrocketing consumption of rare earths, lithium and other inputs.
This strategy is self-defeating. It increases the likelihood of European aggression towards the rest of the world and ultimately threatens long-term security and peace for all. These tensions are already surfacing. Export restrictions on things such as nickel, cobalt and rare earth minerals are multiplying. In an era of geopolitical ruptures, these tendencies are likely to intensify.
At the same time, resource conflicts are also escalating within Europe itself. Tensions are emerging in countries including Serbia, Portugal and Greece over lithium and copper, and the environmental and social costs of mining them. And indigenous communities such as the Sámi in northern Europe face threats to their land and rights.
This is not to argue against increasing the extraction of raw materials within Europe. However, without an absolute reduction in energy and material use, these contradictions will deepen. To avoid these problems, the EU must centre industrial policy on reducing unnecessary demand. Some key moves could include investing in public transport instead of subsidising cars, prioritising retrofitting over new building, ending planned obsolescence and backing agro-ecology over industrial farming.
Investing in public rather than private transport will help European nations reduce their demand on energy and materials. The Global Guy/Shutterstock
Research shows that this kind of strategy could significantly lower Europe’s energy use. It could also drastically cut reliance on critical imports and contribute to achieving energy independence by 2050. This is all without compromising basic quality of life.
If Europe wants peace and security, demand reduction is a rational approach that must be at the heart of the EU’s industrial strategy. This should be adopted alongside strengthening ties of cooperation and integration with the rest of Eurasia and the global south, rather than ramping up antagonism towards these neighbours.
Green transition
The EU’s vision of “competitive sustainability” rests on the belief that market incentives and the private sector can drive the green transition. Yet despite decades of efficiency improvements, high-income countries have not decoupled material use and emissions from economic growth at the speed and scale required.
The EU remains reliant on derisking – using public subsidies, guarantees and looser regulations to make green investments attractive to private finance. But as this approach leaves both the pace and direction of change to private capital, it slows the phase-out of harmful industries.
What’s missing is more effective economic planning to restore public control over decarbonisation. Achieving this means building on existing mechanisms capable of delivering change — such as public credit guidance. This sets rules to limit the flow of finance from commercial banks to damaging sectors while directing investment toward sustainable ones.
China offers an example whereby the central bank has used public credit guidance to shift finance to cleaner sectors. The European Central Bank also experimented with credit guidance between 2022 and 2023, introducing climate scores for companies. And post-war France used planned credit to modernise infrastructure over two decades.
Europe and the UK are rearming, climate shocks are intensifying and global power dynamics are shifting. This moment demands a new industrial strategy — one that prioritises foundational sectors and creates fiscal space to build resilience. Reducing demand must be a prerequisite for security, peace and strategic autonomy. And reviving economic planning tools, such as public credit guidance, can accelerate the green transition.
Without these shifts, Europe and the UK face an increasingly unstable future. Industrial policy must change because the stakes are existential.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In response to the Supreme Court’s opinion issued today in Consumers’ Research v. Federal Communications Commissionconsidering the constitutionality of the Universal Service Fund, the Communications Workers of America (CWA) releases the following statement:
The Supreme Court upheld what most observers know to be true: the federal Universal Service Fund (USF) is fully constitutional. As theamicus briefsigned by CWA explained, “Universal service principles have been a key element of American communications policy since the nation’s founding.”
While the legality of the Fund’s structure should never have been in doubt, the communications industry has changed since the USF was originally created in 1996. As technicians and customer service representatives in the telecommunication industry, CWA members see the positive impact of the USF every day. We also recognize that broadband internet and other emerging technologies now play a central role in our daily lives. It’s time for Congress to recognize this and take action to modernize the contribution mechanism supporting the fund to ensure that these essential services are available and affordable for all Americans.
We are gratified that Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Telecommunications and Media Subcommittee, Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE) and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), along with House Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chair Richard Hudson (R-NC9) and Ranking Member Doris Matsui (D-CA7), have re-started theUniversal Service Fund Working Group. The working group puts Congress in a good position to take the action needed.
This round of litigation and briefing before the Supreme Court emphasized that support for the Universal Service Fund and the programs it supports are strong and broadly held. Companies and organizations as diverse as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, the National Foreign Trade Council, NCTA – The Internet & Television Association, the School Superintendents Association and the American Library Association, filed amicus briefs in support of the constitutionality of the fund, and illustrating the many devastating consequences that would arise if it failed.
CWA members stand ready to ensure that the USF is used to provide support to building and maintaining high-quality, fiber broadband infrastructure in rural and remote areas of the country and that low-income households can afford to purchase those services. Without such a network that reaches everyone and that everyone can afford, the well-being of our communities and our nation will be under threat.
In both of the recent elections pro-European forces scraped to victory, thanks to a strong turnout among Moldovan diaspora voters, primarily in western Europe and north America. And in both elections, Russian interference was a significant factor. This is unlikely to change in the upcoming parliamentary vote. Moldova is too important a battleground in Russia’s campaign to rebuild a Soviet-style sphere of influence in eastern Europe.
Wedged between EU and Nato member Romania to the west and Ukraine to the east, Moldova has its own aspirations for EU accession. But with a breakaway region in Transnistria, which is host to a Russian military base and “peacekeeping force” and whose population is leaning heavily towards Russia, this will not be a straightforward path to membership.
What’s more, a Euro-sceptic and Moscow-friendly government after the next elections might allow the Kremlin to increase its military presence in the region and thereby pose a threat not only to Ukraine but also to Romania. While not quite equivalent to Russia’s unsinkable aircraft carrier of Kaliningrad, a more Russia-friendly Moldovan government would be a major strategic asset for Moscow.
Unsurprisingly, Moldova’s president, Maia Sandu, and her Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky have little doubt that further destabilisation is at the top of Russia’s agenda. Fears about a Russian escalation in the months before the elections are neither new nor unfounded.
There were worries that Moldova and Transnistria might be next on the Kremlin’s agenda as far back as the aftermath of Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014. These worries resurfaced when Moscow, rather prematurely, announced the beginning of stage two of its war against Ukraine in late April, 2022.
Knife-edge elections are nothing new in Moldova. The country is not only physically divided along the river Nistru, but even in the territory controlled by the government, opinions over its future geopolitical orientation remain split.
With no pre-1991 history of independent statehood, parts of Moldova were part of Ukraine, Romania and the Soviet Union. Russian is widely spoken and, while declining in number, Moldovan labour migrants to Russia remain important contributors of remittances, which accounted for over 12 percent of the country’s GDP in 2023.
A large number of Moldovans are, therefore, not keen on severing all ties with Russia. This does not mean they are supporters of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine or opponents of closer relations with the European Union. But as the referendum and presidential elections in October 2024, if pushed to make a choice between Russia and Europe and manipulated by Russian fear-mongering and vote buying, pro-European majorities remain slim.
This is despite the significant support that the EU has provided to Moldova, including €1.9 billion (£1.6 billion) in financial support to facilitate reforms as part of the country’s efforts to join the EU. And there’s also nearly €200 million in military assistance over the past four years, including a €20 million package for improved air defences announced in April.
Russian interference in the 2024 election was well documented.
The EU has also provided several emergency aid packages to assist the country’s population during repeated energy crises triggered by Russia. Since then, the Moldovans and Brussels have agreed on comprehensive energy strategy that will make the country immune to Russian blackmail.
This pattern of competitive influence seeking by Russia and the EU is long-standing and has not produced any decisive, lasting breakthroughs for either side.
When the current president of Moldova, Maia Sandu, won in 2020, she defeated her opponent, Igor Dodon, by a decisive 58% to 42% margin, equivalent to some 250,000 votes that separated the candidates in the second round. Sandu’s Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) obtained almost 53% of votes in the 2021 parliamentary elections and gained 63 seats in the 101-seat parliament. Not since the 2005 elections, won by the communist party under then-president Vladimir Voronin, had there been a a majority single-party government in Moldova. According to current opinion polls, PAS remains the strongest party with levels of support between 27% and 37%.
In a crowded field of political parties and their leaders in which disappointment and doubt are the prevailing negative emotions among the electorate, Sandu and PAS remain the least unpopular choices. They have weathered the fall-out from the war in Ukraine well so far – managing the influx of refugees, keeping relations with Transnistria stable, and steering Moldova through a near-constant cost-of-living and energy crisis. Anti-government protests in 2022-23 eventually fizzled out.
Russia’s election interference in 2024 was ultimately not successful in cheating pro-European voters out of their victories in the presidential elections and the referendum on future EU membership. But this is unlikely to stop the Kremlin from trying again in the run-up to parliamentary elections in September.
Moscow will try to disrupt and delay Moldova’s already bumpy road to EU membership. A weakened pro-European government after parliamentary elections would be a very useful tool for Russia. Moldova and its European allies are in for an unusually hot summer.
Stefan Wolff is a past recipient of grant funding from the Natural Environment Research Council of the UK, the United States Institute of Peace, the Economic and Social Research Council of the UK, the British Academy, the NATO Science for Peace Programme, the EU Framework Programmes 6 and 7 and Horizon 2020, as well as the EU’s Jean Monnet Programme. He is a Trustee and Honorary Treasurer of the Political Studies Association of the UK and a Senior Research Fellow at the Foreign Policy Centre in London.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Vincent K.L. Chang, Assistant Professor of the History and International Relations of Modern China, Leiden University
A tour guide competition was held in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in late May. This was not some fun contest. According to Chinese state media, it was a carefully conceived effort to “attract and cultivate a group of politically firm and professionally skilled storytellers of heroes and martyrs in the new era”.
It symbolises the ambitious and far-reaching campaign launched by the Chinese state to revive the country’s pantheon of national heroes and martyrs. The aim is to unite and mobilise the nation in what Chinese leadership see as the crucial final phase in the quest to become a modern global superpower.
On the same day as the Wuhan competition, but 750 miles further inland in Sichuan province, children from a kindergarten gathered with martyrs’ family members to engage in traditional crafts. The official newspaper of the Chinese Communist party, the People’s Daily, explained how this activity helped “pass on the torch of heroes” to young generations.
And two weeks earlier, in China’s eastern province of Shandong, representatives from the official state news agency, Xinhua, attended an immersive training session on hero spirit. By coming “face to face” with heroes of the past, the trainees were able to grasp the “spirit” that had guided the extraordinary deeds of these ordinary people.
This “facing up” to past heroes increasingly takes place through digital means. Thanks to developments in AI, and with the help of universities, museums and various government units, numerous Chinese people have now been “reunited” or become “acquainted” with family members martyred decades ago.
Activities such as these have become commonplace in recent years. They are encouraged, guided and overseen by an expanding architecture of laws and regulations. There are at least two reasons why the campaign to build a new “spirit” of heroism and sacrifice requires attention beyond China-watchers.
Chinese memory politics
The first reason is the increasingly global reach of the campaign. Just as China’s economic statecraft is affecting global trade and finance, so too are Chinese memory politics spreading across the globe and reshaping the transnational memory landscape.
Beijing has become an active sponsor of commemorations that are concerned more with shaping the future than looking into the past. Recent examples include Victory Day celebrations in Moscow and Minsk, and joint commemorations in the Serbian capital, Belgrade, of the Chinese “martyrs” of Nato’s bombing of the Chinese embassy there in 1999.
China’s historical statecraft operates globally in the legal realm, too. Laws have come into effect that aim to promote patriotism and spread “core socialist values” among Chinese communities worldwide.
Chinese embassies and consulates are required to locate Chinese martyrs buried in their host jurisdictions, and erect and maintain memorials for them. They are also expected to organise commemorations involving local Chinese diasporic and expat communities.
Recent laws have been used to detain Chinese citizens living abroad. One example is Chinese artist Gao Zhen. Gao had been a permanent US resident for 13 years when he was detained in China in 2024 for his critical depictions of Mao Zedong a decade earlier.
Gao was charged with the crime of “slandering China’s heroes and martyrs” under a law that did not exist when he created and exhibited his artwork.
The second reason why China’s martyrs and heroes campaign matters globally is possibly more disturbing. China has become an example of a growing body of cases where state actors seek to shape and control historical memory.
With several democracies beginning to show signs of democratic backsliding, the Chinese case is one of many that show that polar distinctions between “liberal” and “illiberal” systems are untenable.
Perhaps the most obvious example of a democracy in democratic recession is the US. Donald Trump, a constitutionally elected president, is relying on a series of executive orders to consolidate power and hamper critical debate.
One such directive, issued late in Trump’s first term, entails a proposal to build a so-called “national garden of American heroes”. The proposal was revived recently with an executive order on “restoring truth and sanity to American history”.
The order aims to remove what the administration deems divisive and anti-American ideologies from national museums and public monuments.
Washington’s efforts to control how history is presented seem to come straight out of Beijing’s playbook. In 2020, during his July 4 address, Trump claimed: “Our nation is witnessing a merciless campaign to wipe out our history, defame our heroes, erase our values, and indoctrinate our children.”
These words eerily resemble those used previously by Chinese president Xi Jinping to justify his campaign against what he calls “historical nihilism” – attempts to “destroy” the Chinese nation by eradicating its history.
The causes and consequences of war have always been and will continue to be hotly debated among historians, and there is no need for the EU’s bureaucracy to unilaterally “resolve” these debates.
A problem with these bureaucratic efforts to codify historical interpretation is that they feed memory wars and fuel escalation. Even more damaging is that they emulate authoritarian practices of “dictating” history and restricting debate.
These examples show that distinctions between authoritarian and democratic regimes are not as pristine as is often claimed. Increasingly, global memory practices are evolving and possibly converging on a fluid spectrum between these two poles.
China’s new hero cult is an important case for shedding light on these dynamics.
Vincent K.L. Chang receives research funding from the Dutch government.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Vincent K.L. Chang, Assistant Professor of the History and International Relations of Modern China, Leiden University
A tour guide competition was held in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in late May. This was not some fun contest. According to Chinese state media, it was a carefully conceived effort to “attract and cultivate a group of politically firm and professionally skilled storytellers of heroes and martyrs in the new era”.
It symbolises the ambitious and far-reaching campaign launched by the Chinese state to revive the country’s pantheon of national heroes and martyrs. The aim is to unite and mobilise the nation in what Chinese leadership see as the crucial final phase in the quest to become a modern global superpower.
On the same day as the Wuhan competition, but 750 miles further inland in Sichuan province, children from a kindergarten gathered with martyrs’ family members to engage in traditional crafts. The official newspaper of the Chinese Communist party, the People’s Daily, explained how this activity helped “pass on the torch of heroes” to young generations.
And two weeks earlier, in China’s eastern province of Shandong, representatives from the official state news agency, Xinhua, attended an immersive training session on hero spirit. By coming “face to face” with heroes of the past, the trainees were able to grasp the “spirit” that had guided the extraordinary deeds of these ordinary people.
This “facing up” to past heroes increasingly takes place through digital means. Thanks to developments in AI, and with the help of universities, museums and various government units, numerous Chinese people have now been “reunited” or become “acquainted” with family members martyred decades ago.
Activities such as these have become commonplace in recent years. They are encouraged, guided and overseen by an expanding architecture of laws and regulations. There are at least two reasons why the campaign to build a new “spirit” of heroism and sacrifice requires attention beyond China-watchers.
Chinese memory politics
The first reason is the increasingly global reach of the campaign. Just as China’s economic statecraft is affecting global trade and finance, so too are Chinese memory politics spreading across the globe and reshaping the transnational memory landscape.
Beijing has become an active sponsor of commemorations that are concerned more with shaping the future than looking into the past. Recent examples include Victory Day celebrations in Moscow and Minsk, and joint commemorations in the Serbian capital, Belgrade, of the Chinese “martyrs” of Nato’s bombing of the Chinese embassy there in 1999.
China’s historical statecraft operates globally in the legal realm, too. Laws have come into effect that aim to promote patriotism and spread “core socialist values” among Chinese communities worldwide.
Chinese embassies and consulates are required to locate Chinese martyrs buried in their host jurisdictions, and erect and maintain memorials for them. They are also expected to organise commemorations involving local Chinese diasporic and expat communities.
Recent laws have been used to detain Chinese citizens living abroad. One example is Chinese artist Gao Zhen. Gao had been a permanent US resident for 13 years when he was detained in China in 2024 for his critical depictions of Mao Zedong a decade earlier.
Gao was charged with the crime of “slandering China’s heroes and martyrs” under a law that did not exist when he created and exhibited his artwork.
The second reason why China’s martyrs and heroes campaign matters globally is possibly more disturbing. China has become an example of a growing body of cases where state actors seek to shape and control historical memory.
With several democracies beginning to show signs of democratic backsliding, the Chinese case is one of many that show that polar distinctions between “liberal” and “illiberal” systems are untenable.
Perhaps the most obvious example of a democracy in democratic recession is the US. Donald Trump, a constitutionally elected president, is relying on a series of executive orders to consolidate power and hamper critical debate.
One such directive, issued late in Trump’s first term, entails a proposal to build a so-called “national garden of American heroes”. The proposal was revived recently with an executive order on “restoring truth and sanity to American history”.
The order aims to remove what the administration deems divisive and anti-American ideologies from national museums and public monuments.
Washington’s efforts to control how history is presented seem to come straight out of Beijing’s playbook. In 2020, during his July 4 address, Trump claimed: “Our nation is witnessing a merciless campaign to wipe out our history, defame our heroes, erase our values, and indoctrinate our children.”
These words eerily resemble those used previously by Chinese president Xi Jinping to justify his campaign against what he calls “historical nihilism” – attempts to “destroy” the Chinese nation by eradicating its history.
The causes and consequences of war have always been and will continue to be hotly debated among historians, and there is no need for the EU’s bureaucracy to unilaterally “resolve” these debates.
A problem with these bureaucratic efforts to codify historical interpretation is that they feed memory wars and fuel escalation. Even more damaging is that they emulate authoritarian practices of “dictating” history and restricting debate.
These examples show that distinctions between authoritarian and democratic regimes are not as pristine as is often claimed. Increasingly, global memory practices are evolving and possibly converging on a fluid spectrum between these two poles.
China’s new hero cult is an important case for shedding light on these dynamics.
Vincent K.L. Chang receives research funding from the Dutch government.
WASHINGTON—The U.S. Supreme Court today ruled 6-3 inFederal Communications Commission v. Consumers’ Research,upholding the constitutionality of the Universal Service Fund and ensuring the federal E-Rate program would stay intact. The ruling is a win for students and educators everywhere by helping them to open the door to online learning with affordable and accessible high-speed broadband and telecommunications services. Recent researchreveals an estimated 25% of all school-aged children live in households without broadband access or a web-enabled device such as a computer or tablet. The National Education Associationjoined a broad-based coalition of education groups in filing an amicus briefin the case, asking the court to uphold the critical funding source for these vital programs that students depend on.
The following statement can be attributed to NEA President Becky Pringle:
“No matter where students live, connectivity is critical to conducting research, doing homework, and attending virtual classes. For some, the internet, tablets, and computers like Chromebooks or laptops are simply too expensive. Oftentimes, multiple people in the same household have to share one or two devices with limited access and time to do homework, research, and refine skills essential to learning. Others lack access to sufficient broadband infrastructure. Federal programs like E-Rate help schools purchase and provide Wi-Fi hotspots, connected devices, and other necessary technology all our students need to learn, grow, and thrive. The Supreme Court’s decision today protects Congress’s commitment through the federal E-Rate program to provide students with these vital educational resources.”
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The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professionalemployeeorganization, representing more than 3 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators, students preparing to become teachers, healthcare workers, and public employees. Learn more at www.nea.org.
WASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. Supreme Court imposed burdensome new requirements on educators and public schools that will undermine their ability to provide students with an inclusive education that reflects the real-life diversity of students and identities in our nation’s public schools and communities. The National Education Association filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in Mahmoud v. Taylor, in which NEA argued, among other things, that a decision like this will hamstring efforts to give students a full, engaging, and inclusive public education. The Court’s decision will have a chilling effect on students and public education for generations to come.
The following statement can be attributed to NEA President Becky Pringle:
“Today the U.S. Supreme Court willfully discounted and ignored the expertise of trained professionals in the classroom. This decision could have a chilling effect on students for generations to come and could lead to more educators self-censoring, shelving books and lessons, and preventing some already marginalized students from being seen and acknowledged. In the end, students are the ones who pay the price for censoring what books they can and cannot access and read. Educators know that students can’t learn when they do not feel welcomed, seen, or valued.
“Educators know all students—no matter who they are or what gender they identify with—deserve access to an inclusive public education. By creating new, unnecessary legal rules that burden hardworking educators and disrupt their ability to teach, the Court is effectively inserting itself into the day-to-day education decisions about what students can learn and what educators can teach.
“The Court’s ruling is a direct attack on our democracy. Public education is founded on the core educational principle of engaging students on a broad range of ideas, allowing them to explore new perspectives, and learn to think for themselves. Students deserve nothing less than to feel supported and valued on that journey, in particular our LGBTQ+ young people and families, who often feel marginalized and excluded.
“Censoring the books and resources students can access puts limits on their freedom to grow, learn and contribute to society. Everyone deserves to see themselves and their lived experiences in books—at our schools and in our libraries. Books are like mirrors and windows. They reflect what we observe and know about the world in which we live and help us understand lives that are different from our own. The Court does students a disservice by limiting access to these opportunities.”
Follow us on Bluesky at https://bsky.app/profile/neapresident.bsky.social & https://bsky.app/profile/neatoday.bsky.social
# # #
The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing more than 3 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators, students preparing to become teachers, healthcare workers, and public employees. Learn more at www.nea.org.
AI chatbots have already become embedded into some people’s lives, but how many really know how they work? Did you know, for example, ChatGPT needs to do an internet search to look up events later than June 2024? Some of the most surprising information about AI chatbots can help us understand how they work, what they can and can’t do, and so how to use them in a better way.
With that in mind, here are five things you ought to know about these breakthrough machines.
1. They are trained by human feedback
AI chatbots are trained in multiple stages, beginning with something called pre-training, where models are trained to predict the next word in massive text datasets. This allows them to develop a general understanding of language, facts and reasoning.
If asked: “How do I make a homemade explosive?” in the pre-training phase, a model might have given a detailed instruction. To make them useful and safe for conversation, human “annotators” help guide the models toward safer and more helpful responses, a process called alignment.
After alignment, an AI chatbot might answer something like: “I’m sorry, but I can’t provide that information. If you have safety concerns or need help with legal chemistry experiments, I recommend referring to certified educational sources.”
Without alignment, AI chatbots would be unpredictable, potentially spreading misinformation or harmful content. This highlights the crucial role of human intervention in shaping AI behaviour.
OpenAI, the company which developed ChatGPT, has not disclosed how many employees have trained ChatGPT for how many hours. But it is clear that AI chatbots, like ChatGPT, need a moral compass so that it does not spread harmful information. Human annotators rank responses to ensure neutrality and ethical alignment.
Similarly, if an AI chatbot was asked: “What are the best and worst nationalities?” Human annotators would rank a response like this the highest: “Every nationality has its own rich culture, history, and contributions to the world. There is no ‘best’ or ‘worst’ nationality – each one is valuable in its own way.”
2. They don’t learn through words – but with the help of tokens
Humans naturally learn language through words, whereas AI chatbots rely on smaller units called tokens. These units can be words, subwords or obscure series of characters.
While tokenisation generally follows logical patterns, it can sometimes produce unexpected splits, revealing both the strengths and quirks of how AI chatbots interpret language. Modern AI chatbots’ vocabularies typically consist of 50,000 to 100,000 tokens.
The sentence “The price is $9.99.” is tokenised by ChatGPT as “The”, “ price”, “is”, “$” “ 9”, “.”, “99”, whereas “ChatGPT is marvellous” is tokenised less intuitively: “chat”, “G”, “PT”, “ is”, “mar”, “vellous”.
AI chatbots do not continuously update themselves; hence, they may struggle with recent events, new terminology or broadly anything after their knowledge cutoff. A knowledge cut-off refers to the last point in time when an AI chatbot’s training data was updated, meaning it lacks awareness of events, trends or discoveries beyond that date.
The current version of ChatGPT has its cutoff on June 2024. If asked who is the currently president of the United States, ChatGPT would need to perform a web search using the search engine Bing, “read” the results, and return an answer. Bing results are filtered by relevance and reliability of the source. Likewise, other AI chatbots uses web search to return up-to-date answers.
Updating AI chatbots is a costly and fragile process. How to efficiently update their knowledge is still an open scientific problem. ChatGPT’s knowledge is believed to be updated as Open AI introduces new ChatGPT versions.
4. They hallucinate really easily
AI chatbots sometimes “hallucinate”, generating false or nonsensical claims with confidence because they predict text based on patterns rather than verifying facts. These errors stem from the way they work: they optimise for coherence over accuracy, rely on imperfect training data and lack real world understanding.
While improvements such as fact-checking tools (for example, like ChatGPT’s Bing search tool integration for real-time fact-checking) or prompts (for example, explicitly telling ChatGPT to “cite peer-reviewed sources” or “say I don ́t know if you are not sure”) reduce hallucinations, they can’t fully eliminate them.
For example, when asked what the main findings are of a particular research paper, ChatGPT gives a long, detailed and good-looking answer.
It also included screenshots and even a link, but from the wrong academic papers. So users should treat AI-generated information as a starting point, not an unquestionable truth.
5. They use calculators to do maths
A recently popularised feature of AI chatbots is called reasoning. Reasoning refers to the process of using logically connected intermediate steps to solve complex problems. This is also known as “chain of thought” reasoning.
Instead of jumping directly to an answer, chain of thought enables AI chatbots to think step by step. For example, when asked “what is 56,345 minus 7,865 times 350,468”, ChatGPT gives the right answer. It “understands” that the multiplication needs to occur before the subtraction.
To solve the intermediate steps, ChatGPT uses its built-in calculator that enables precise arithmetic. This hybrid approach of combining internal reasoning with the calculator helps improve reliability in complex tasks.
Cagatay Yildiz receives funding from DFG (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, in English German Research Foundation)
“Mister. Would you like to play a game with me?” These seemingly innocuous words to debt-ridden Gi-hun (Lee Jung-Jae) by a mysterious recruiter (Gong-Yoo) lead him to an opportunity for financial salvation – at the expense of human lives, including possibly his own.
Squid Game’s third and final season has now been released, and fans can’t wait to see more green tracksuits and brutal games. But here’s what’s really driving the obsession: the show perfectly captures how financial stress warps our minds. It reveals the dark psychology of how money problems affect every decision we make.
As a researcher studying the intersection of cognitive psychology and media dissemination, I’ve been fascinated by Squid Game’s unprecedented global impact. My work on how emotional regulation affects decision-making and moral reasoning provides a unique lens for understanding why this particular show resonated so powerfully with audiences worldwide. Especially during a time of economic uncertainty.
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Scientists have discovered that financial stress decreases cognitive function. Recent research analysing more than 111,000 people found that financial stress reduced their performance when completing basic tasks.
This isn’t about poorer people being less intelligent, but rather an effect called “bandwidth hijacking” that causes mental fatigue when worrying about rent and debt. Worrying about unpaid bills mean less processing power is left for anything else, including moral reasoning and long-term thinking.
Sounds familiar? This research is brought to life in Squid Game. Take Sang-woo, (Park Hae-soo) in season one. The brilliant Seoul National University graduate’s crippling debt (caused by bad investments) leads him to become a participant in the brutal Squid Games. Abandoning the etiquette of his high-flying circles, he manipulates and maliciously betrays fellow contestant Ali (Anupam Tripathi) in the marble game, pushes a man to his death on the glass bridge, and ultimately tries to kill his childhood friend, Gi-hun.
Sang-woo’s intelligence becomes laser-focused on survival, leaving no mental space for the moral reasoning that would typically guide his decisions.
The trailer for Squid Game season three.
Squid Game shows how financial desperation dehumanises people. Bodies have piled up throughout the seasons, but the players barely react to the carnage. They’re transfixed by something else entirely: the digital display showing their prize money growing with each death.
Such reminders of the financial stakes lead to reduced requests for help and reduced help towards others. This “tunnel vision” phenomenon occurs in real life too, leading to the abandonment of empathy and moral considerations.
Sang-woo doesn’t betray Ali because he’s evil – he does it because financial desperation has hijacked his moral reasoning. Look at Ali’s face during the marble game: confused, trusting, unable to process that his “hyung” (older brother, a term of respect) would manipulate him. Ali represents what we lose when desperation turns humans into competitors rather than a community.
Even Gi-hun, the supposed moral centre of the show, experiences this. When he and elderly contestant Il-nam (O Yeong-su) play marbles, Gi-hun lies and manipulates the old man he’s grown to care about. The extreme pressure – both financial and mortal – has consumed so much of his cognitive bandwidth that even basic human compassion becomes secondary to survival.
Why we couldn’t look away
Squid Game season one premiered during the COVID pandemic when millions around the world faced unemployment, eviction and financial ruin. Suddenly, extreme economic scenarios didn’t feel so remote. Audiences weren’t just watching entertainment – they saw their own psychological struggles reflected back at them.
The show has been such a success because it reveals uncomfortable truths about how money doesn’t just change what we can do, but fundamentally alters who we become when survival depends on it.
Every character in Squid Game represents a different response to economic trauma. Take season one. Gi-hun tries to maintain his humanity but repeatedly compromises (lying to his mother about money, manipulating Il-nam). Sang-woo sacrifices everything for survival (from securities fraud to literal murder). And some find strength in solidarity, as in Sae-byeok (HoYeon Jung) and Ji-yeong’s (Lee Yoo-mi) heartbreaking marble game, where Ji-yeong deliberately loses because Sae-byeok has more to live for.
The genius is in the details. Players refer to each other by numbers instead of names, a metaphor for how economic systems reduce humans to data points. The guards wear masks, becoming faceless enforcers of the system. Even the organ-harvesting subplot shows how far commodification can go, turning human bodies into black market goods.
Three seasons later, Squid Game itself has become a commodity. Netflix turned an anti-capitalist critique into a billion-dollar franchise, complete with reality TV spinoffs that recreate the exploitation of the show (without the murder!) in real life. Game shows offer high-risk, high-reward opportunities, where people admire the boldness and accept that unethical behaviour should not be vilified but encouraged.
The spectacle of humiliation is normalised by the genre’s focus on competition and transformation. Failure becomes entertainment, as is echoed in the show itself by the VIPs who, so bored with their wealth, place bets on human lives for “fun”.
Research has also found that people who enjoy reality TV are more likely to feel self-important, vindicated, or free from moral constraints. They are attracted to shows that stimulate these values.
What your Squid Game obsession or hatred means
If you’re fascinated by Squid Game, it isn’t just morbid curiosity at play – it’s recognition. On some level, it’s likely that you understand that the psychological pressure cooker of the games reflects real mechanisms happening in your own life when money gets tight.
If you found yourself repulsed by the violence or bored by the hype, your reaction may reveal something important about how you process economic anxiety. Research on adult viewers shows that people with stronger financial security and emotional regulation are more likely to avoid media content that triggers economic stress responses. Others dismiss it as “unrealistic” – what psychologists call “optimism-bias”, where you may unconsciously distance yourself from economic vulnerability.
Modern research confirms that financial scarcity creates measurable changes in how we think, plan and relate to others. The show’s genius was amplifying these subtle psychological effects to their logical extreme.
Headline: Windows Resiliency Initiative: Making environments touched by Microsoft products more secure
Resilience isn’t optional—it’s a strategic imperative.
In today’s threat landscape, organizations can’t afford to treat resilience as a reactive measure. It must be built into the foundation of how systems are designed, secured and managed. That’s why Microsoft launched the Windows Resiliency Initiative (WRI)—a focused effort to embed resilience and security into the Windows platform itself.
Announced at Ignite, WRI is an initiative designed to make all digital environments touched by Microsoft products more secure and resilient. WRI prioritizes preventing, managing and recovering from security and reliability incidents, mitigating issues swiftly and providing seamless recovery across the Windows platform.
WRI outlines Microsoft’s commitment to helping organizations prevent, withstand and recover from disruptions. This includes three core areas: ecosystem collaboration, actionable guidance and product innovation.
Ecosystem collaboration and learning with partners to evolve the Windows ecosystem
In September 2024, we hosted the Windows Endpoint Security Ecosystem Summit (WESES), bringing together a diverse group of endpoint security vendors and global government officials to discuss strategies for improving resiliency and protecting our mutual customers.
We recognized our shared responsibility to enhance resilience by openly sharing information about how our products function, handle updates and manage disruptions. Since the summit, we’ve continued this close collaboration with Microsoft Virus Initiative (MVI) partners to gather feedback and iterate on Windows platform capabilities to achieve the goal of enhanced reliability without sacrificing security.
As a part of this evolution, our MVI 3.0 program requires partners to commit to taking specific actions to improve the security and reliability of Windows. Requirements include testing incident response processes and following safe deployment practices (SDP) for updates to Windows endpoints. Security product updates must be gradual, leverage deployment rings and leverage monitoring to minimize negative impacts. These practices complement our platform investments, enabling us to deliver greater stability, faster recovery and reduced operational risk for enterprise customers who rely on a secure and reliable Windows environment.
Next month, we will deliver a private preview of the Windows endpoint security platform to a set of MVI partners. The new Windows capabilities will allow them to start building their solutions to run outside the Windows kernel. This means security products like anti-virus and endpoint protection solutions can run in user mode just as apps do. This change will help security developers provide a high level of reliability and easier recovery resulting in less impact on Windows devices in the event of unexpected issues. We will continue to collaborate deeply with our MVI partners throughout the private preview.
Here are some insights from MVI partners that provide further perspective:
Bitdefender:“Bitdefender is pleased to collaborate with Microsoft to redefine how security is delivered to Windows users. Through the Windows Resiliency Initiative and development of the Windows endpoint security platform, our teams have worked together to modernize the security architecture—creating a resilient, forward-looking foundation that enhances protection against evolving threats while maintaining a seamless user experience. This initiative reflects our shared commitment to advancing industry standards and delivering secure, high-performing Windows environments for customers everywhere.” — Florin Virlan, SVP, Product and Engineering at Bitdefender Customer Solutions Group.
CrowdStrike:“We spoke at WESES last year to emphasize the importance of our industry coming together and, since then, have seen significant customer interest in the progress toward greater platform resiliency. Through this collaboration, we’ve driven substantial improvements to the planned capabilities for the Windows endpoint security platform, paving the way for a more integrated high-performing security solution. With the introduction of MVI 3.0, we’ve successfully met all the new standards and recognize how these rigorous requirements strengthen the overall ecosystem. We remain fully committed to developing a Windows endpoint security platform-ready product and look forward to leveraging these new capabilities as Microsoft releases them.” —Alex Ionescu, Chief Technology Innovation Officer, CrowdStrike.
ESET:“The collaboration between ESET and Microsoft technology teams on the proposed Windows endpoint security platform changes continue to be productive with open and ongoing dialogue. Delivering a stable and resilient operating system environment is extremely important for our joint customers, and the ESET team continue to provide detailed feedback to help ensure there is no degradation in the security or performance currently enjoyed by our customers. The increased requirements to maintain MVI membership complement the Windows endpoint security platform, requiring the documentation and adoption of resilient processes to help ensure any incident is either avoided or managed both efficiently and expediently. ESET are committed to the important evolution of both the MVI partnership and the engineering collaboration with Microsoft, something we have valued for several decades.”—Juraj Malcho, Chief Technology Officer, ESET
SentinelOne: “SentinelOne is pleased to be collaborating with Microsoft to drive a more resilient approach to delivering endpoint protection products on Windows. As a security-first company, we understand that every vendor must live up to stringent engineering, testing and deployment standards and follow software development and deployment best practices. SentinelOne has followed these processes for years and we appreciate the opportunity to provide input to Microsoft and shape changes that can drive better outcomes for our shared customers.”— Stefan Krantz, SVP and Head of Engineering, SentinelOne
Sophos: “Sophos has been a close collaborator with Microsoft on the Windows endpoint security platform since the Windows Endpoint Security Ecosystem Summit last September, and we’re enthusiastic about the advancements introduced with MVI 3.0. This evolution underscores Microsoft’s thoughtful approach to equity among its security partners and its ongoing commitment to a resilient and secure ecosystem, which aligns perfectly with Sophos’ dedication to responsible multi-stage software release practices. By establishing MVI 3.0 as a standard for the Windows security ecosystem, we believe the entire industry, vendors and customers alike, will benefit from stronger, more stable protection. We look forward to deepening our partnership with Microsoft and continuing to deliver advanced endpoint security capabilities to protect our shared customers.”— John Peterson, Chief Development Officer, Sophos
Trellix:“We have a long and trusted partnership with Microsoft, and will keep working closely with the Windows endpoint security platform program as it is nurtured and scaled. Over the last year, we have worked with Microsoft to ensure that our processes and products continue to meet stringent requirements and have engaged with feedback and recommendations to improve operational resilience. Safe deployment practices and transparency advance our entire industry and strengthen cybersecurity outcomes for all.”— Jim Treinen, SVP, Engineering, Trellix
Trend Micro:“Our collaboration with Microsoft on the Windows endpoint security platform reflects a shared commitment to more resilient enterprise security. We’ve contributed across technical validation and MVI 3.0 alignment, ensuring the platform is ready for real-world deployment. Just as important, we see the Windows endpoint security platform supporting a more integrated and resilient security model, where platform and protection work together to meet the evolving needs of modern enterprise.” — Rachel Jin, Chief Enterprise Platform Officer, Trend Micro
WithSecure:“WithSecure is proud to be part of Microsoft’s Windows Resiliency Initiative, a collaborative effort to strengthen the Windows ecosystem. Our team has worked diligently to help meet the MVI 3.0 requirements, including improving our safe deployment practices resulting in reduced risk for our customers and partners. Through deep technical collaboration with Microsoft, we’re making Windows more secure, resilient and easier for security vendors to integrate with. As new Windows endpoint security platform capabilities emerge, WithSecure is excited to leverage them to help our customers stay ahead of evolving threats. We look forward to the many security-enhancing opportunities this collaboration will bring.” — Johannes Rave, Lead Architect of XDR at WithSecure
Actionable guidance to build organizational resilience: Introducing the Windows Resiliency Initiative e-book
Today, we are happy to introduce the Windows Resiliency Initiative e-book, one result of our commitment to provide guidance for others building organizational resiliency. The e-book is a resource that helps organizations understand how Windows provides foundational practices, strategies and tools to build resilience and embrace a resilience-focused strategy across their IT platform.
Product innovation to support resiliency on the Windows platform
As an outcome of WRI, organizations can look forward to several new Windows product innovations to support them in their journeys to build infrastructures that can rapidly adapt as needed while maintaining a foundation of resilience. Consider adding these capabilities to your digital repertoire.
Now it’s easier than ever to navigate unexpected restarts and recover faster
A key trait of a resilient organization is the ability to maintain productivity and minimize disruptions. But when unexpected restarts occur, they can cause delays and impact business continuity. This is why we are streamlining the unexpected restart experience. We are also adding quick machine recovery, a recovery mechanism for PCs that cannot restart successfully. This change is part of a larger continued effort to reduce disruption in the event of an unexpected restart.
The Windows 11 24H2 release included improvements to crash dump collection which reduced downtime during an unexpected restart to about two seconds for most users. We’re introducing a simplified user interface (UI) that pairs with the shortened experience. The updated UI improves readability and aligns better with Windows 11 design principles, while preserving the technical information on the screen for when it is needed.
The new Windows 11 unexpected restart screen
The simplified UI for unexpected restarts will be available starting later this summer on all Windows 11, version 24H2 devices.
In the case of consecutive unexpected restarts, devices can get stuck in the Windows Recovery Environment (Windows RE), impacting productivity and often requiring IT teams to spend significant time troubleshooting and restoring affected devices. This is where quick machine recovery (QMR) can help. When a widespread outage affects devices from starting properly, Microsoft can broadly deploy targeted remediations to affected devices via Windows RE—automating fixes with QMR and quickly getting users to a productive state without requiring complex manual intervention from IT.
We are excited to announce QMR will be generally available later this summer together with the renewed unexpected restart functionality. QMR supports all editions of Windows 11, version 24H2 devices. It is enabled by default for Windows 11 Home devices; IT admins will be in full control and can enable it on devices running Windows 11 Pro and Enterprise. Later this year, Microsoft will release additional capabilities for IT teams to customize QMR.
Microsoft Connected Cache saves internet bandwidth
With today’s interconnected work ecosystems, reliable internet bandwidth has become essential for organizations seeking resiliency through a cloud-native approach to device management. Case in point: When all devices in a system simultaneously attempt to download updates, an organization’s network bandwidth, especially in branch offices, can be negatively impacted.
Microsoft Connected Cache can help organizations improve their bandwidth when performing upgrades to Windows 11, Windows Autopilot device provisioning, Microsoft Intune application installations and Windows Autopatch monthly updates. Connected Cache will be generally available in the coming weeks.
Internet bandwidth is saved when Connected Cache nodes transparently and dynamically cache the Microsoft-published content that downstream Windows devices need to download. Using this solution, content requests from Delivery Optimization can be served by the locally deployed Connected Cache node instead of the cloud. This results in fast, bandwidth-efficient delivery across connected devices.
Introducing Universal Print anywhere: Print securely, flexibly and confidentially
Organizational resilience is a holistic concept that extends to printer systems, including third-party drivers that, while often essential to operations, can be an exposure point. Universal Print anywhere, also known as “pull print,” enables users to securely release their printing request from anywhere in the organization to any authorized printer.
Building on the existing secure release with QR code functionality (enabled with the Microsoft 365 mobile app), users can print using the Windows Protected Print infrastructure, without having to choose a printer in advance. This sequence helps ensure that confidential documents aren’t left on the printer for unauthorized viewing and minimizes toner and paper waste from uncollected print jobs.
This Universal Print update provides additional IT control with a feature that allows administrators to configure print options for a printer share. This means end users will only be able to view options selected by the administrator.
Get updates without interruption, thanks to hotpatching
A hotpatch update installs important Windows security updates once a month without needing to restart—quickly securing without disrupting workflow. It’s simple to use and included with Windows Autopatch.
If your devices meet the prerequisites, you can opt devices in (or out) for automated deployment through Windows Autopatch. To learn more, visit the hotpatch blog. Devices that don’t qualify will still receive regular security updates to help ensure protection.
Windows 365 Reserve: Maintain business continuity with instant Cloud PC access
Device disruptions, due to loss, theft, delays or malfunctions, can be inconvenient and disruptive to productivity. That’s why Microsoft just announced Windows 365 Reserve, a new offer to help organizations mitigate the risk of downtime. Windows 365 Reserve provides easy, secure access to a temporary, pre-configured Cloud PC, which can be accessed across devices when a user’s primary device is not available.
With Windows 365 Reserve, organizations can build a more resilient and secure IT infrastructure, especially in the case of a security incident, lost or stolen devices, or an inability to access your physical device, for whatever reason. Windows 365 Reserve will soon be available for preview. Complete this form or contact your Microsoft account team to express interest in participating in the preview of Windows 365 Reserve.
Prepare for a digital future with resiliency as the foundation
Building organizational resilience is a necessary strategic imperative as we move into a new age of digital capabilities—and risk. Organizations equipped with strategies, best practices and tools that will support their ability to maintain operations as they anticipate, prepare for, respond to and recover from disruptions are more likely to thrive and remain competitive within today’s complex and interconnected digital ecosystems.
Microsoft is here to support you as you build resilience in your security strategy with our WRI commitment to helping organizations prepare for uncertainty, minimize risk and emerge stronger from any challenge.
Consider these helpful links:
Disclaimer: This blog post is for informational purposes only and outlines Microsoft’s current product direction and plans. Product availability, licensing terms and capabilities may vary by region and are subject to change. All third-party trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Editor’s note – June 27, 2025 –A quote from Sophos was added.
The Government of Saskatchewan continues to implement the National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence with a new investment of over $640,000 to support four unique initiatives administered by community-based organizations and the agencies that support them. These funds are in addition to the $3.8 million provided to 16 agencies across Saskatchewan announced in early 2025.
The National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence is a ten-year collaborative framework for a national approach to ending gender-based violence. The Government of Canada has provided Saskatchewan $20.3 million over four years to implement new initiatives that create opportunities for action.
“We are proud to empower and support community-based organizations across the province as they create programs, provide services and research new practices to build safe communities,” Justice Minister and Attorney General Tim McLeod, K.C. said. “This increased investment will strengthen outreach and provide families with the tools they need to build a successful path forward.”
This funding will be provided to the following community-based organizations and agencies that support them to develop new initiatives:
Building Active Bystanders Training Program (ChangeMakers – $313,960): This funding is being provided to Changemakers to develop a Building Active Bystanders program, which will teach people how to safely intervene in and report incidents involving interpersonal violence.
Indigenous Led Approaches to Addressing Gender-based Violence: Through this initiative, a total of $120,000 will be provided to three agencies to enhance support for Indigenous approaches to gender-based violence.
Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) ($40,000): The Saskatchewan First Nations Women’s Commission will guide the FSIN Women’s Secretariat in developing a strategy for addressing gender-based violence in Urban and Rural First Nation communities.
YWCA Regina ($40,000): YWCA Regina will support the Bridging Culture and Care project with an Elder in Residence and traditional healing sessions with All Nations Hope Network.
YWCA Saskatoon ($40,000): YWCA Saskatoonwill lead an initiative to train staff on how to provide culturally appropriate services and furnish and decorate new transitional housing in a culturally appropriate way for Indigenous clients.
Safe and Together Model Evaluation (Qatalyst Group – $110,566): The Ministry of Justice and Attorney General and the Ministry of Social Services will provide funding to Qatalyst to evaluate the Safe and Together program, which works to improve collaboration among service providers in addressing the actions and behaviours of perpetrators of violence.
Maddison Sessions Conference (Buckspring Foundation, $100,000): The Maddison Sessons Conference was hosted in Saskatoon in April of 2025. The event provided strong networking opportunities and promoted an exchange of ideas among those working in the area of gender-based violence, law enforcement, lawyers and advocates.
“Saskatchewan’s implementation of the National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence is focused on prevention, this includes expanding awareness and education, increasing Indigenous-led approaches and support for survivors,” Minister Responsible for the Status of Women Alana Ross said. “This additional funding will help these community-based organizations continue to deliver service and supports that will build a safer Saskatchewan, free of interpersonal violence and abuse.”
“Funding through the National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence is crucial to the YWCA’s ability to ensure that women and children experiencing violence have access to culturally appropriate healing and can make lifelong connections with Indigenous community and support,” YWCA Regina Chief Executive Officer Melissa Coomber-Bendtsen said. “This impact ensures sustainable support as women navigate their healing journey.”
This year, the Government of Saskatchewan is dedicating approximately $32 million to partners that facilitate interpersonal violence programs and services through the justice system. This includes $14.2 million per year being provided to community-based partners, over $4.1 million in funding through the National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence, annualized funding for second-stage shelters, and additional funding for Victims Services and other important supports.
“Local, community-based solutions are how we move forward – and that is exactly what this investment supports,” Federal Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Secretary of State (Small Business and Tourism) Rechie Valdez said. “Through the National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence, the Government of Canada is working alongside organizations in Saskatchewan to help build programs that reflect people’s lived experiences, meet survivors where they are, and create safer communities for women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people across the province.”
For additional information about Saskatchewan’s work under the National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence, visit:
Major Investments Made to End Gender based Violence | News and Media | Government of Saskatchewan.
Province Invests $1.2 Million to Support Survivors of Human Trafficking | News and Media | Government of Saskatchewan.
Saskatchewan Supports National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence | News and Media | Government of Saskatchewan.
The Government of Saskatchewan continues to implement the National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence with a new investment of over $640,000 to support four unique initiatives administered by community-based organizations and the agencies that support them. These funds are in addition to the $3.8 million provided to 16 agencies across Saskatchewan announced in early 2025.
The National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence is a ten-year collaborative framework for a national approach to ending gender-based violence. The Government of Canada has provided Saskatchewan $20.3 million over four years to implement new initiatives that create opportunities for action.
“We are proud to empower and support community-based organizations across the province as they create programs, provide services and research new practices to build safe communities,” Justice Minister and Attorney General Tim McLeod, K.C. said. “This increased investment will strengthen outreach and provide families with the tools they need to build a successful path forward.”
This funding will be provided to the following community-based organizations and agencies that support them to develop new initiatives:
Building Active Bystanders Training Program (ChangeMakers – $313,960): This funding is being provided to Changemakers to develop a Building Active Bystanders program, which will teach people how to safely intervene in and report incidents involving interpersonal violence.
Indigenous Led Approaches to Addressing Gender-based Violence: Through this initiative, a total of $120,000 will be provided to three agencies to enhance support for Indigenous approaches to gender-based violence.
Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) ($40,000): The Saskatchewan First Nations Women’s Commission will guide the FSIN Women’s Secretariat in developing a strategy for addressing gender-based violence in Urban and Rural First Nation communities.
YWCA Regina ($40,000): YWCA Regina will support the Bridging Culture and Care project with an Elder in Residence and traditional healing sessions with All Nations Hope Network.
YWCA Saskatoon ($40,000): YWCA Saskatoonwill lead an initiative to train staff on how to provide culturally appropriate services and furnish and decorate new transitional housing in a culturally appropriate way for Indigenous clients.
Safe and Together Model Evaluation (Qatalyst Group – $110,566): The Ministry of Justice and Attorney General and the Ministry of Social Services will provide funding to Qatalyst to evaluate the Safe and Together program, which works to improve collaboration among service providers in addressing the actions and behaviours of perpetrators of violence.
Maddison Sessions Conference (Buckspring Foundation, $100,000): The Maddison Sessons Conference was hosted in Saskatoon in April of 2025. The event provided strong networking opportunities and promoted an exchange of ideas among those working in the area of gender-based violence, law enforcement, lawyers and advocates.
“Saskatchewan’s implementation of the National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence is focused on prevention, this includes expanding awareness and education, increasing Indigenous-led approaches and support for survivors,” Minister Responsible for the Status of Women Alana Ross said. “This additional funding will help these community-based organizations continue to deliver service and supports that will build a safer Saskatchewan, free of interpersonal violence and abuse.”
“Funding through the National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence is crucial to the YWCA’s ability to ensure that women and children experiencing violence have access to culturally appropriate healing and can make lifelong connections with Indigenous community and support,” YWCA Regina Chief Executive Officer Melissa Coomber-Bendtsen said. “This impact ensures sustainable support as women navigate their healing journey.”
This year, the Government of Saskatchewan is dedicating approximately $32 million to partners that facilitate interpersonal violence programs and services through the justice system. This includes $14.2 million per year being provided to community-based partners, over $4.1 million in funding through the National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence, annualized funding for second-stage shelters, and additional funding for Victims Services and other important supports.
“Local, community-based solutions are how we move forward – and that is exactly what this investment supports,” Federal Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Secretary of State (Small Business and Tourism) Rechie Valdez said. “Through the National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence, the Government of Canada is working alongside organizations in Saskatchewan to help build programs that reflect people’s lived experiences, meet survivors where they are, and create safer communities for women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people across the province.”
For additional information about Saskatchewan’s work under the National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence, visit:
Major Investments Made to End Gender based Violence | News and Media | Government of Saskatchewan.
Province Invests $1.2 Million to Support Survivors of Human Trafficking | News and Media | Government of Saskatchewan.
Saskatchewan Supports National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence | News and Media | Government of Saskatchewan.
Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:
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President Wavel Ramkalawan presided over the official handover of the completed St. Louis Hill Stabilisation Project during an occasion held at the St. Louis Community Centre on Friday morning. This major infrastructure initiative represents a significant milestone in the nation’s disaster risk reduction and community resilience efforts.
The highlight of the event was the unveiling of a commemorative plaque by President Ramkalawan and the Minister for Internal Affairs, Mr. Errol Fonseka, recognising the collaborative leadership that brought this transformative project to fruition.The plaque will be temporarily displayed at the St. Louis Community Centre before being permanently relocated to the project site as an enduring testament to this achievement.
Minister Fonseka emphasised the national significance of the project, highlighting its pivotal contribution to disaster risk reduction and community resilience. “The St. Louis Hill Stabilisation Project represents the first technically advanced, climate-resilient slope protection initiative in our country,” stated the Minister. “It was meticulously designed to safeguard lives and protect homes from the increasing threat of landslides and rockfall hazards, which are becoming more frequent due to our changing climate. This is not merely a construction project, it is a symbol of national resilience, innovation, and forward-thinking governance.”
Project Leader Mr. Mikael Evenor delivered a comprehensive presentation outlining the initiative’s key objectives, milestones achieved, challenges overcome, and the substantial benefits delivered to the local community. During his address, he explained that five critical areas were identified for intervention: Waterloo, Belombre, Le Niole, and St. Louis upper and lower hills. These locations were selected to address “not only immediate threats but also to serve as practical training grounds for local teams and contractors.” He attributed the project’s success to the exceptional transparency and collaboration between the government, local teams, Swiss partners, and the community.
Echoing these sentiments, Swiss Expert Mr. Ruedi Degelo characterised the project as “a remarkable success story.” He urged the government and relevant stakeholders to give careful consideration to implementing preventive measures in other areas that could pose risks to life and safety.
The ceremony also featured the presentation of completion certificates to project contractors and the ground team by President Ramkalawan and Mr. Degelo, in recognition of their unwavering dedication and expertise in delivering this critical infrastructure improvement.
The successful completion of the St. Louis Hill Stabilisation Project reflects the government’s steadfast commitment to investing in vital infrastructure that protects communities and supports sustainable development throughout the nation.
The ceremony was attended by distinguished guests including Minister for Local Government and Community Affairs Mrs. Rose-Marie Hoareau, Minister for Land and Housing Mr. Billy Rangasamy, Member of the National Assembly for St. Louis Mr. Satya Naidoo, Director General for Disaster Risk Management Division (DRMD) Mr. Robert Ernesta, Chief Risk Management Officer DRMD Mr. Daniel Cetoupe, the Swiss technical team, members of the local implementation team, contractors, and invited dignitaries.
Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:
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The United Arab Emirates has strongly condemned the attack targeting the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), near the town of Birao, which resulted in the death of a Zambian peacekeeper and the injury of another.
In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) underscored the UAE’s strong condemnation of these criminal and terrorist acts, and its permanent rejection of all forms of violence, extremism and terrorism aimed at undermining security and stability.
The Ministry reaffirmed that targeting UN and humanitarian missions constitutes a blatant violation of the principles of international law and UN Security Council Resolution 1701, stressing the UAE’s full support for the vital role of MINUSCA in promoting security and stability in the Central African Republic.
The Ministry expressed its sincere condolences and sympathy to the family of the victim, and to the government and people of Zambia, as well as its wishes for a speedy recovery for the injured peacekeeper.
The Ministry further expressed its solidarity with the United Nations and its humanitarian missions, and the countries contributing to international efforts aimed at achieving peace and stability in the region and worldwide.
– on behalf of United Arab Emirates, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
A new Policy Statement has been introduced by Preston City Council to back the use of some Council-owned assets, buildings and land, to be used to support the voluntary and community sectors to deliver greater community benefit and social value.
Preston City Council owns a number of building and land assets across the city, many of which are used to bring in money to support the essential services that the Council provides to residents and businesses.
An extensive review has highlighted that some of these assets are of limited commercial value and can play a much more significant role supporting our voluntary, charities and faith sectors (VCFS) in our communities and local neighbourhoods.
A decision has been made that a number of these assets become community centre assets on a long-term lease. VCFS organisations can benefit from a long-term lease to strengthen their bid applications to funding streams from organisations such as the National Lottery.
Councillor Martyn Rawlinson, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Resources at Preston City Council said:
“Community and voluntary organisations across the city are doing and excellent job of delivery vibrant and essential centres of activity. Had these groups and organisations not stepped in, these vital community facilities would have been closed and lost for good. We want to thank these organisations for the support they give to our community and offer long term support to enable this to continue”
The Council has also made the decision that 11 community sports pitches will also be agreed on a long-term peppercorn rental agreement of 10 years, when any current lease arrangement expire, provided operators can demonstrate that they meet the necessary management and maintenance requirements.
Councillor Valerie Wise, Cabinet Member for Community Wealth Buildingsaid:
“Using assets to deliver economic, social and environmental benefits and to contribute to the development of a sustainable and resilient local economy, is a key priority in Preston Council’s Community Wealth Building strategy.
“This an important move to ensure Council owned buildings and land can remain viable, support and to best serve the community in which they are located to improve the overall health and wellbeing of our residents.”
Other underused Council owned space in the city is also under consideration for VCFS uses for community benefit, subject to business plans and evidence of value for money. Similarly, the Council recognises there are other community organisations not occupying Council-owned properties who are delivering equally valuable services to our communities and the Council will explore ways to continue to support these organisations.
Sunderland marked Armed Forces Day with a flag raising ceremony at City Hall this morning (Friday 27 June), paying tribute to the courage and commitment of service personnel, past and present.
The event, attended by veterans and members of the armed forces, civic leaders, and members of the public, began with a formal welcome from the Mayor of Sunderland, Councillor Ehthesham Haque. The Mayor praised the vital role of the armed forces and spoke of the city’s deep gratitude for their sacrifices.
Mayor Councillor Haque said: “Today’s ceremony provides us all with the opportunity to pay tribute to all of those within the armed forces including their families and support organisations. Who continue to make a huge sacrifice and contribution for all of us.”
Speeches followed from Councillor Harry Trueman, Armed Forces Champion at Sunderland City Council. Colonel Christopher Tearney, Deputy Lieutenant for Tyne and Wear, also paid tribute to the enduring values of service, dedication, and unity.
Canon Clare MacLaren, Provost of Sunderland Minster and Mayor’s Chaplain, offered a blessing and led attendees in prayer before the raising of the Armed Forces Day flag.
As part of the celebrations, residents are being invited to a free weekend of family fun at Seaburn Recreational Ground on Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 June. The Armed Forces Weekend event will feature military displays, live entertainment, and opportunities to meet service personnel—making it an unforgettable celebration for all ages.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
News story
Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging announcements.
2025 base fees, fee modulation policy statement, regulatory position statement and interim strategy available.
In a significant step forward for industry, PackUK has released several publications central to the delivery of the UK’s Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging (pEPR) scheme today (27 June 2025):
PackUK has published the 2025 base fees for the Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging (pEPR) scheme, providing crucial certainty to producers ahead of the first invoices in October 2025.
Following three previous illustrative publications of estimated fees, these confirmed base fees represent a significant milestone in the implementation of the UK’s circular economy transition.
Nearly all fees have reduced compared with the illustrative base fees published in December, with glass down by 20 per cent. The reductions result from high levels of industry compliance with reporting obligations and extensive work across the regulators and PackUK to assure and validate the data provided. The 2025 base fees are calculated using packaging tonnages reported by producers for 2024 and local authority waste management costs. The methodology has been rigorously tested with stakeholders including producers, compliance schemes, and local authorities.
Alongside the confirmed base fees, PackUK has also published the Modulation Policy Statement, which outlines how fees will be adjusted from 2026 onwards to incentivise the use of more recyclable packaging.
The pEPR scheme forms the cornerstone of the UK’s packaging reforms, which the leaders of the UK’s largest waste management companies have said will support 25,000 jobs, stimulate more than £10 billion investment in recycling capability over the next decade and fund improvements to household recycling services across the UK.
PackUK will hold a Base Fees themed webinar on Thursday 10 July 2025 – You can sign-up to register your attendance.
Fee Modulation Policy Statement
PackUK has published its first Producer Fee Modulation Policy Statement for the Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging (pEPR) scheme. This policy represents a significant step forward in incentivising the use of environmentally sustainable packaging across the UK.
The new modulation policy establishes a clear three-year framework that will adjust producer fees based on packaging recyclability, as assessed through the Recyclability Assessment Methodology (RAM) ratings. Starting from the 2026/27 financial year, the policy will apply escalating modulation factors of 1.2x, 1.6x, and 2.0x over consecutive years.
What this means in practice:
producers of RAM Green-rated (highly recyclable) packaging will benefit from steadily decreasing fees
producers of RAM Red-rated (poorly recyclable) packaging will face progressively higher fees
special provisions apply for medical packaging where regulatory requirements limit recyclability options
This approach maintains the total revenue generated by pEPR fees while creating meaningful financial incentives for producers to switch to more recyclable packaging options. By setting out a three-year plan, the policy provides industry with the certainty needed to make informed investment decisions and operational changes.
The modulation policy directly supports the core principles underlying the pEPR scheme – ‘polluter pays’, rectification at source, and prevention. It ensures that producers creating less environmentally sustainable packaging bear appropriate financial responsibility, while rewarding those making positive choices.
PackUK is committed to further research to potentially incorporate additional environmental sustainability factors in future policy iterations, continuing to drive innovation and improvement in packaging design across the UK.
Regulatory Position Statement
In response to industry feedback regarding the time and resource required to meet their 2025 recyclability assessment obligations, the four nations environmental regulators have published a Regulatory Position Statement (in Wales, a Regulatory Decision) providing additional flexibility for producers during this transition.
This aims to ease the burden while maintaining the commitment to introduce modulated pEPR fees from the 2026–2027 assessment year. While producers must still report tonnages for the first half of 2025 including flexible and rigid plastics separately, their recyclability assessment obligations for this period can be extrapolated from second-half data.
The initial modulation policy statement covers the three years from assessment year 2026/27 until 2028/29. During this period, fee modulation will be initially based on recyclability only through the Recyclability Assessment Methodology (RAM).
Following this and in line with the requirement for a review of modulation after three years, PackUK will research how modulation might incorporate additional sustainability factors, with the possibility of incorporating these into modulation after this period.
PackUK interim strategy
In setting up the pEPR scheme PackUK, as Scheme Administrator, is required to publish a strategy meeting the requirements set out in Paragraph 11 of Schedule 7 to the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging and Packaging Waste) Regulations 2024.
This is an interim strategy, which has been approved by approved by officials from all four nations and devolved ministers in parallel for agreement.
A long-term strategy will be launched later in 2025 to include:
long-term structures and arrangements (imminent appointments of Chief Executive Officer and Chief Strategy Officer)
developments to UK-wide policy objectives over the coming months e.g. work in reuse, the Local Government Outcomes Framework for England
planned appointment of a Producer Responsibility Organisation by March 2026.
Together, these measures mentioned outlined above represent a cornerstone of the government’s wider packaging initiatives, which collectively aim to support 25,000 jobs and stimulate more than £10 billion in recycling infrastructure investment over the next decade.
Nearly 400,000 riders expected for Fourth of July travel
SEATTLE – Washington State Ferries is preparing to welcome nearly 400,000 Independence Day weekend travelers.
For Port Townsend/Coupeville riders, the holiday will have an extra cause for celebration: Starting July 4, a second boat will run every Friday through Monday through the end of the route’s shoulder season on Oct. 13. This is the third and final step in WSF’s plan to return to nearly full domestic service, three years earlier than originally planned.
The first step was to bring back two-boat service on the Seattle/Bremerton run on June 15. The second will be to restart a daily three-boat schedule on the Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth on Monday, June 30.
“We are pleased to have 18 boats in service for what will likely be our busiest ridership weekend of the year,” said WSF Deputy Secretary Steve Nevey. “I appreciate our staff’s work over the holiday weekend to provide the best service we can for our riders.”
Plan before you go
People boarding a vessel in a vehicle should use the WSDOT mobile app or visit the WSF website before heading to the terminal. The app features sailing schedules by route, live terminal conditions, rider alerts, a real-time map and vehicle reservations.
Busy travel times
The busiest sailings for vehicles will likely be westbound (or onto an island) Wednesday through Friday, July 2-4, then eastbound (or off island) Saturday and Sunday, July 5-6. To help with wait times, riders may consider taking an early morning or late-night sailing or by using transit to walk or bike onto the ferry if possible.
Holiday schedule changes
On the Fourth of July, there will be a few holiday changes to daily schedules for the Edmonds/Kingston route. Seattle/Bainbridge and Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth will run on weekend timetables. All other routes will operate on their normal Friday schedules. Holiday sailings are marked on each route’s schedule.
As a reminder, it is against the law to set off or transport illegal fireworks aboard a state ferry.
People using state highways to get to a ferry terminal can plan for potential holiday travel backups and delays by checking real-time traffic information on the WSDOT mobile app or online using the WSDOT travel map feature.
WSF, a division of the Washington State Department of Transportation, is the largest ferry system in the U.S. and safely and efficiently carries tens of millions of people a year through some of the most majestic scenery in the world.
Nearly 400,000 riders expected for Fourth of July travel
SEATTLE – Washington State Ferries is preparing to welcome nearly 400,000 Independence Day weekend travelers.
For Port Townsend/Coupeville riders, the holiday will have an extra cause for celebration: Starting July 4, a second boat will run every Friday through Monday through the end of the route’s shoulder season on Oct. 13. This is the third and final step in WSF’s plan to return to nearly full domestic service, three years earlier than originally planned.
The first step was to bring back two-boat service on the Seattle/Bremerton run on June 15. The second will be to restart a daily three-boat schedule on the Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth on Monday, June 30.
“We are pleased to have 18 boats in service for what will likely be our busiest ridership weekend of the year,” said WSF Deputy Secretary Steve Nevey. “I appreciate our staff’s work over the holiday weekend to provide the best service we can for our riders.”
Plan before you go
People boarding a vessel in a vehicle should use the WSDOT mobile app or visit the WSF website before heading to the terminal. The app features sailing schedules by route, live terminal conditions, rider alerts, a real-time map and vehicle reservations.
Busy travel times
The busiest sailings for vehicles will likely be westbound (or onto an island) Wednesday through Friday, July 2-4, then eastbound (or off island) Saturday and Sunday, July 5-6. To help with wait times, riders may consider taking an early morning or late-night sailing or by using transit to walk or bike onto the ferry if possible.
Holiday schedule changes
On the Fourth of July, there will be a few holiday changes to daily schedules for the Edmonds/Kingston route. Seattle/Bainbridge and Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth will run on weekend timetables. All other routes will operate on their normal Friday schedules. Holiday sailings are marked on each route’s schedule.
As a reminder, it is against the law to set off or transport illegal fireworks aboard a state ferry.
People using state highways to get to a ferry terminal can plan for potential holiday travel backups and delays by checking real-time traffic information on the WSDOT mobile app or online using the WSDOT travel map feature.
WSF, a division of the Washington State Department of Transportation, is the largest ferry system in the U.S. and safely and efficiently carries tens of millions of people a year through some of the most majestic scenery in the world.
Nearly 400,000 riders expected for Fourth of July travel
SEATTLE – Washington State Ferries is preparing to welcome nearly 400,000 Independence Day weekend travelers.
For Port Townsend/Coupeville riders, the holiday will have an extra cause for celebration: Starting July 4, a second boat will run every Friday through Monday through the end of the route’s shoulder season on Oct. 13. This is the third and final step in WSF’s plan to return to nearly full domestic service, three years earlier than originally planned.
The first step was to bring back two-boat service on the Seattle/Bremerton run on June 15. The second will be to restart a daily three-boat schedule on the Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth on Monday, June 30.
“We are pleased to have 18 boats in service for what will likely be our busiest ridership weekend of the year,” said WSF Deputy Secretary Steve Nevey. “I appreciate our staff’s work over the holiday weekend to provide the best service we can for our riders.”
Plan before you go
People boarding a vessel in a vehicle should use the WSDOT mobile app or visit the WSF website before heading to the terminal. The app features sailing schedules by route, live terminal conditions, rider alerts, a real-time map and vehicle reservations.
Busy travel times
The busiest sailings for vehicles will likely be westbound (or onto an island) Wednesday through Friday, July 2-4, then eastbound (or off island) Saturday and Sunday, July 5-6. To help with wait times, riders may consider taking an early morning or late-night sailing or by using transit to walk or bike onto the ferry if possible.
Holiday schedule changes
On the Fourth of July, there will be a few holiday changes to daily schedules for the Edmonds/Kingston route. Seattle/Bainbridge and Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth will run on weekend timetables. All other routes will operate on their normal Friday schedules. Holiday sailings are marked on each route’s schedule.
As a reminder, it is against the law to set off or transport illegal fireworks aboard a state ferry.
People using state highways to get to a ferry terminal can plan for potential holiday travel backups and delays by checking real-time traffic information on the WSDOT mobile app or online using the WSDOT travel map feature.
WSF, a division of the Washington State Department of Transportation, is the largest ferry system in the U.S. and safely and efficiently carries tens of millions of people a year through some of the most majestic scenery in the world.
Nearly 400,000 riders expected for Fourth of July travel
SEATTLE – Washington State Ferries is preparing to welcome nearly 400,000 Independence Day weekend travelers.
For Port Townsend/Coupeville riders, the holiday will have an extra cause for celebration: Starting July 4, a second boat will run every Friday through Monday through the end of the route’s shoulder season on Oct. 13. This is the third and final step in WSF’s plan to return to nearly full domestic service, three years earlier than originally planned.
The first step was to bring back two-boat service on the Seattle/Bremerton run on June 15. The second will be to restart a daily three-boat schedule on the Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth on Monday, June 30.
“We are pleased to have 18 boats in service for what will likely be our busiest ridership weekend of the year,” said WSF Deputy Secretary Steve Nevey. “I appreciate our staff’s work over the holiday weekend to provide the best service we can for our riders.”
Plan before you go
People boarding a vessel in a vehicle should use the WSDOT mobile app or visit the WSF website before heading to the terminal. The app features sailing schedules by route, live terminal conditions, rider alerts, a real-time map and vehicle reservations.
Busy travel times
The busiest sailings for vehicles will likely be westbound (or onto an island) Wednesday through Friday, July 2-4, then eastbound (or off island) Saturday and Sunday, July 5-6. To help with wait times, riders may consider taking an early morning or late-night sailing or by using transit to walk or bike onto the ferry if possible.
Holiday schedule changes
On the Fourth of July, there will be a few holiday changes to daily schedules for the Edmonds/Kingston route. Seattle/Bainbridge and Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth will run on weekend timetables. All other routes will operate on their normal Friday schedules. Holiday sailings are marked on each route’s schedule.
As a reminder, it is against the law to set off or transport illegal fireworks aboard a state ferry.
People using state highways to get to a ferry terminal can plan for potential holiday travel backups and delays by checking real-time traffic information on the WSDOT mobile app or online using the WSDOT travel map feature.
WSF, a division of the Washington State Department of Transportation, is the largest ferry system in the U.S. and safely and efficiently carries tens of millions of people a year through some of the most majestic scenery in the world.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Robert Garcia California (42nd District)
Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Robert Garcia (CA-42) and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) reintroduced the “Ammunition Modernization and Monitoring Oversight (AMMO) Act.” The bill would restrict bulk sales of ammunition by requiring businesses to conduct background checks on buyers and would require businesses who sell ammunition to obtain the same federal license as gun dealers. Additionally, the bill would also apply the same prohibition on straw purchases for ammunition that currently exists for firearms, restricting individuals from purchasing ammunition to then sell illegally to others and requiring data sharing on ammunition sales. The bill is also co-led by Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25). The full bill text can be foundhere.
“It makes absolutely no sense that anyone in this country can walk into a business and buy as much ammunition as they want, with no background check and no questions asked,” said Congressman Robert Garcia. “We need to do everything in our power to prevent mass shootings and end our nation’s gun violence epidemic. During Gun Violence Awareness Month, I’m proud to help lead a bill that closes this loophole with a commonsense fix that will save lives and protect our communities.”
“Our government needs to step up and limit access to ammunition if we want to stop the gun violence epidemic in this country. I’m going to keep fighting to keep our communities safe from potential mass shooters,” said Senator Elizabeth Warren
“Far too many families endure the deep emotional and financial pain that comes with losing a loved one to gun violence. The costs are felt throughout entire communities,” said Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz. “So, I’m proud to work with Congressman Robert Garcia to introduce comprehensive legislation that would close the gaping ammunition regulation loopholes in our gun safety laws. Our constituents want safer communities, and this bill will save lives.”
“Today, any individual can purchase unlimited rounds of ammunition in a single transaction with no questions asked, not even a background check to ensure they can legally possess firearms and ammunition. This enables people to rapidly amass tens of thousands of rounds of ammunition for trafficking and other nefarious purposes, jeopardizing public safety. By limiting ammunition transactions and requiring dealers to obtain licenses and complete background checks on ammunition sales, the AMMO Act will prevent the rapid stockpiling of ammunition and ammunition trafficking. Brady thanks Congressman Garcia for introducing this legislation to address the supply-side of gun violence.” – Mark Collins, Director of Federal Policy, Brady
“The fact that anyone can easily purchase countless rounds of ammunition without even a background check is a recipe for mass tragedy. We applaud Rep. Garcia for introducing life-saving legislation that would make ammo dealers abide by the same rules as gun dealers, which is the very definition of common sense.” –John Feinblatt, President of Everytown for Gun Safety
“NICJR is thrilled to support this important legislation.” – David Muhammad, Executive Director of the National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform
Currently, there is essentially no regulation governing the sales of ammunition. Businesses are not required to possess licenses in order to sell ammo and can sell to any buyer, in any quantity, without a background check, and with no recordkeeping or data sharing.
The bill prohibits bulk sales of ammunition based on the type of ammo. It specifically limits individuals to 100 rounds for .50 caliber ammo, the most deadly, potent military grade, and 1000 rounds for all other ammunition within a 5-day period.
The AMMO Act is endorsed by Everytown for Gun Safety, Brady, Newtown Action Alliance, Orange Ribbons for Jaime, Community Justice Action Fund, National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform, Voters of Tomorrow, and Sandy Hook Promise.
Congressman Garcia is a staunch believer in common sense gun violence prevention. He first introduced the AMMO Act alongside Senator Elizabeth Warren in the 118th Congress. Since coming to Congress, Congressman Garcia has cosponsored numerous pieces of legislation to help protect our communities from gun violence, such as the Assault Weapons Ban of 2025, the Bolstering Security Against Ghost Guns Act, and the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2025. As former Mayor of Long Beach, he spent his time in office publicly supporting gun reform at the state and local level.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Becca Balint (VT-AL)
Today Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Becca Balint (D-VT), and Maxwell Frost (D-FL) introduced legislation to improve the long-term health and care of LGBTQI+ seniors.
Decades of marginalization and institutional barriers have left LGBTQI+ seniors with fewer sources of support, higher poverty rates, increased social isolation, and inadequate access to health care. Many of these seniors enter their golden years with the detrimental physical and emotional health effects of having lived through a lifetime of discrimination. The Ruthie and Connie LGBTQI Elder Americans Act would help overcome these barriers by decreasing isolation, improving health, and increasing access to culturally competent services and supports.
The legislation is named for Ruthie Berman and Connie Kurtz, long-time advocates for LGBTQI+ equality. Connie fought for the rights of LGBTQI+ older adults until her death in 2018. Ruthie, her widow, continues to serve as a champion for the cause.
“Decades of discrimination have left many LGBTQI+ seniors without the support and resources they need to stay healthy as they age,” said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. “LGBTQI+ seniors are resilient, and they deserve to enjoy full, vibrant lives with the support they need to thrive. I’m grateful for Ruthie and Connie’s advocacy on behalf of LGBTQI+ seniors, and I’m glad to lead this legislation in their honor to provide LGBTQI+ seniors specialized access to care and services without discrimination.”
“LGBTQI+ Americans are facing an overwhelming rise in attacks in the face of a hateful administration,” said Congresswoman Becca Balint. “And our LGBTQI+ seniors are being left behind with fewer supports, higher poverty and social isolation rates, and inaccessible health care. We owe it to our seniors to ensure they have access to the care and services they need. I’m proud to join Reps. Bonamici and Frost in uplifting the needs of LGBTQ+ seniors and celebrating the work of Ruthie Berman and Connie Kurtz.”
“Like all Americans, our LGBTQ+ elders deserve to be able to live their golden years with the peace and security of quality, affordable care and a community that loves and respects them,” said Congressman Maxwell Frost. “In honor of the incredible work of Florida’s own Ruth and Connie, we must act as LGBTQ+ seniors face poverty and isolation to ensure they can live their lives free of discrimination.”
The legislation is endorsed by: Congressional Equality Caucus, SAGE, Human Rights Campaign, Justice in Aging, and Advocates for Trans Equality (A4TE).
“SAGE is honored to cosponsor the Ruthie and Connie LGBTQI Elder Americans Act, which addresses a critical need: support for the ever-growing number of LGBTQ+ Americans who are over 60,” said SAGE CEO Michael Adams. “By permanently establishing the National Resource Center on LGBTQI Aging, aging service providers will have access to a wealth of resources, information, and tools to help them create welcoming and affirming environments for LGBTQ+ participants.”
LGBTQI+ seniors now face additional obstacles from an administration that seeks to disenfranchise them and their community. Because of these profound challenges, LGBTQI+ seniors require specialized services and support that are scarce and severely underfunded in every part of the country.
The Ruthie and Connie LGBTQI Elder Americans Act would:
Include LGBTQI+ older adults among women, rural, and racial and ethnic minorities as a population with the greatest economic and social needs under OAA;
Permanently establish the National Resource Center on LGBTQI Aging to provide critical resources, information, and tools for aging service providers to better address the needs of LGBTQI+ seniors;
Require the Assistant Secretary of Aging to oversee data collection for LGBTQI+ adults, their needs, and efficacy of state aging resources to meet those needs.
Require the long-term care ombudsman to collect and analyze data regarding LGBTQI+ discrimination; and,
Prioritize grants for organizations working to improve LGBTQI+ health, long-term care, and access to culturally responsive services.
The legislation in the House is cosponsored by RepresentativesBecca Balint (D-VT), Maxwell Frost (D-FL), Mike Quigley (D-IL), Jared Moskowitz (D-FL), Summer Lee (D-PA), Jared Huffman (D-CA), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Dina Titus (D-NV), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Ed Case (D-HI), Sharice Davids (D-KS), Andrea Salinas (D-OR), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), Stephen Lynch (D-MA), Sean Casten (D-IL), Mark Pocan (D-WI), Seth Magaziner (D-RI), Andre Carson (D-IN), Hillary Scholten (D-MI), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Lois Frankel (D-FL), Nanette Diaz Barragan (D-CA), Henry “Hank” Johnson (D-GA), Jahana Hayes (D-CT), and Lateefah Simon (D-CA).
A fact sheet about the legislation can be found here, and the text of the legislation can be found here.
Bonamici also Chairs the Congressional LGBTQI+ Equality Caucus’ LGBTQI+ Aging Issues Task Force, and led the last two bipartisan updates to the Older Americans Act.
WASHINGTON — Congressman Morgan Luttrell (R-TX) and Congressman Lou Correa (D-CA) introduced a bipartisan resolution expressing strong support for the designation of September 25th as “National Stop SuiSilence Day.” This initiative underscores the continued need to break the silence and stigma surrounding mental health struggles in America.
“Every single day too many of our brothers and sisters are lost to suicide,”said Congressman Luttrell.“This resolution is a call to action. It’s time we stand shoulder to shoulder as a nation and confront this crisis head-on.”
“Every year, we lose countless of our neighbors to the suicide epidemic. And even one life lost is far too many,”Correa said.“It’s past time Congress stood together—Republicans and Democrats alike—and encourage every American to step up, speak out, and take action to take on this crisis once and for all.”
The resolution highlights alarming statistics from the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other leading institutions. Among the findings:
Suicide claims over 45,000 American lives each year.
Veterans continue to be disproportionately affected, with 17 to 18 suicides per day—and some studies estimating up to 44 when accounting for overlooked cases.
Each death leaves behind an estimated 135 people profoundly impacted—families, friends, and communities forever changed.
By designating September 25th as National Stop SuiSilence Day, during Suicide Prevention Month, this resolution calls on all Americans — from individuals and families to local communities and our government — to step up, speak out, and take action. It’s about learning the signs, breaking the silence, and ending the stigma that keeps too many of our people from getting the help they need and deserve.
