20-year partnership to boost fusion skills in East Midlands
UKAEA and East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) announce a new 20-year collaboration to advance fusion energy training and skills development.
Claire Ward, Mayor of the East Midlands, and Nick Walkden, UKAEA’s Head of Fusion Skills, signing the collaboration agreement at the Fusion Energy Cafe in Worksop, Notts. Copyright United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority.
The collaboration will focus on developing and delivering fusion related skills, including apprenticeships and wider vocational training programmes, to support the Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (STEP) project – the UK’s first prototype fusion energy power plant that will be built on the West Burton site in Nottinghamshire.
This new collaboration will not only provide crucial skills for STEP but also support a growing fusion industry across the region. An Economic and Wider Impact Assessment commissioned by relevant local authorities has calculated that by the time it is fully operational, the West Burton site is anticipated to accommodate 6,500 full-time jobs across STEP and the surrounding business park, equivalent to 12.5% of the current total workplace jobs in Bassetlaw. Around half of the forecast STEP Campus construction jobs are expected to require Level 3+ qualifications, and it is estimated that nearly three quarters of the on-site jobs on the STEP Campus are expected to require individuals with Level 4+ qualifications.
Fusion has the potential to provide abundant, clean power, and deliver energy security, and bolstered by the government’s record £2.5 billion investment, the sector promises to create thousands of jobs and empower the UK to export its world-leading technology to a global market, expected to be worth trillions of pounds in the future.
UKAEA is committed to facilitating the training of the next generation of British scientists and engineers. The East Midlands benefits from an outstanding base of training and skills providers, and universities. This EMCCA-led collaborative will bring together the best of this existing provision to empower people in the region to meet the skill needs of this globally significant clean energy programme.
Training provided through the new collaborative will be designed with flexibility to adapt as the STEP programme and the West Burton site evolves. Initial training will focus on the engineering and project skills needed to complete plant design, with construction and operational skills as focus areas for future stages of the programme.
The collaboration will deliver fusion-relevant courses through existing training sites across the EMCCA geography, South Yorkshire, and Greater Lincolnshire. Colleges, training providers, and universities are already mobilising to offer more places for construction and clean energy qualifications, gearing up the region to deliver on its emerging inclusive growth strategy even before the West Burton facility is in place.
I am delighted to announce EMCCA as our partner in this exciting new training collaboration, which will be delivered out of our planned West Burton Training Facility,
said UKAEA’s Head of Fusion Skills and FOSTER (Fusion, Opportunities, Skills, Training, Education and Research) Programme Director, Nick Walkden.
People are the most important element of any programme or project. We have listened and learned from other major research, engineering, and infrastructure projects and believe that an early and focussed attention to local skills and workforce growth will be a critical enabler to success.
STEP is a programme with global impact and, as with the successive Governments who have recognised fusion’s potential to have a significant and positive impact on the nation’s economy, we are equally committed to leaving a lasting local legacy. The training provided will equip people across the East Midlands, Lincolnshire, and South Yorkshire with the skills needed for the prototype fusion powerplant at West Burton as well as long-term career opportunities in fusion and beyond.
The STEP programme, led by UK Industrial Fusion Solutions (UKIFS), provides an enormous opportunity for regional growth and regeneration, with the potential to create thousands of jobs during construction and a pipeline of long-term highly skilled careers over decades of operations. Permissions and consents will be sought for construction to begin in the early 2030s, with the prototype powerplant targeting first operations in 2040.
Paul Methven, CEO, UK Industrial Fusion Solutions and Senior Responsible Owner of STEP, said:
Delivering STEP, and commercial fusion beyond that, will require a strong skills pipeline, not only in STEM subjects, but in every aspect of running a complex business. It is fantastic to see that UKAEA are leading on putting this essential enabler in place now to ensure local people benefit directly from the programme, in addition to ensuring we have the skills needed to deliver STEP.
Claire Ward, Mayor of the East Midlands, said:
The East Midlands is planning for our energy future today, and fusion energy is an exciting part of that future. One day – thanks to the Nottinghamshire-based STEP programme – the whole region will benefit from clean, affordable fusion energy. Right now, my priority is ensuring that local people can get the jobs associated with developing this new industry and its supply chains. This is what inclusive growth in practice looks like – investing smartly to ensure that growth is created, sustained, and experienced by local people.
The Fusion Skills Collaboration embodies this goal, and our outstanding colleges, training providers, and universities will be front and centre in training people in the skills of the future.
New Permanent Secretary at Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
Emram Mian has been appointed as the new Permanent Secretary at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, replacing Sarah Munby
The Cabinet Secretary, with the approval of the Prime Minister, has today (Monday, 30 June) announced the appointment of Emran Mian as the new Permanent Secretary of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).
Emran is currently Director General for Digital Technologies and Telecoms at DSIT, where he is responsible for programmes to make the UK one of the best places in the world to undertake AI research and to build an AI company, covering data use and access policy, cybersecurity policy and online safety.
He has previously held roles in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government as a Director General for Regeneration, Housing and Planning, and Director General for Stronger Places, and at the Department for Education as Director General for Strategy and International.
Emran, replacing Sarah Munby, will lead the department at a critical time as the Government drives innovation and investment through the UK’s world-class science sector, and aims to harness new technologies to deliver growth and renewal for working people through the Plan for Change.
Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, Peter Kyle, said:
Emran will be an outstanding Permanent Secretary with exceptional experience and vision. I have had the pleasure of working with him closely since I became Secretary of State and he knows this department inside out.
Under his leadership, DSIT will go from strength to strength in harnessing the power of science and technology to improve people’s lives across the UK, playing a central role in delivering our Plan for Change.
I also want to place on record my thanks to and deep appreciation for Sarah Munby, not only for her personal support to me but for her service to the country at large during her years in the civil service. She has helped to navigate several of the most complex challenges facing the government of the day under five Prime Ministers and wherever she goes next will be extremely lucky to have her.
Cabinet Secretary, Sir Chris Wormald, said:
I congratulate Emran Mian on his appointment as Permanent Secretary at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, and I thank Sarah Munby for her leadership of the department since February 2023.
Emran brings significant experience into this role from his time as Director General for Digital Technologies and Telecoms, and previous roles at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and the Department for Education.
He is well placed to take on the opportunities of this exciting post, and lead the Government’s delivery of the blueprint for modern digital government as part of the Plan for Change.
Emran Mian said:
I applied for this role because I am hugely optimistic about how science, technology and AI can improve lives, government services and economic growth. At this moment there is no cap on how ambitious we should be for our country.
I am grateful to Sarah Munby for her leadership of DSIT since the department was created. It is a privilege to take the work forward with colleagues across the department and wider government, working closely with scientists, inventors, entrepreneurs, businesses and civil society.
The appointment follows an external recruitment competition overseen by the independent Civil Service Commission.
Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –
On June 30, the State University of Management and the leading Russian container operator TransContainer signed a cooperation agreement.
Representatives of the company, represented by HR Director Oleg Novikov and Deputy HR Director Ekaterina Balykina, who are graduates of the educational programs of the State University of Management, arrived at the university to meet with the management.
Rector Vladimir Stroyev, vice-rectors Dmitry Bryukhanov and Maria Karelina, as well as associate professor of the Department of Transport Complex Management Artem Merenkov spoke about the history of the university, discussed the future of the industry and priority formats of interaction.
“Historically, one of the first logistics departments was established at our university, back in the days of Sergo Ordzhonikidze. Of course, the name was different, but that doesn’t change the essence. Of course, there were also railway universities back then, but they were only looking at one area, while we trained transport hub managers in a more global sense and in different areas. Today is the time for quick actions and decisions, so it is especially important that we signed the agreement in the shortest possible time. Now it’s time for specific working steps,” Vladimir Stroyev noted.
Dmitry Bryukhanov spoke about project-based learning, which is carried out at the State University of Management from the first year, and also drew attention to the possibility of interaction within the framework of the work of the State University of Management Higher School of Business and Technology.
Oleg Novikov also confirmed his readiness to implement joint projects.
“We are extremely interested in cooperation. Today is the time when personnel must be forged before they are intercepted. Literally 5-7 years ago we were monopolists, but now there are many competitors, albeit on a smaller scale, but they exist. First of all, we are interested in attracting students for internships in order to assess their abilities and readiness for employment. We are also interested in project activities, since we have ideas that we would like to implement, and we are confident that students of the State University of Management will help with this,” concluded the representative of TransContainer.
The parties also agreed on the possibility of conducting introductory tours for students at the company’s enterprises and practical classes from TransContainer experts.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
NBA Africa (www.NBA.com), Stanbic Bank and the Luol Deng Foundation tipped off the second season of the Stanbic Jr. NBA League for boys and girls ages 16 and under at Nimra Talata Basketball Stadium in Juba, South Sudan last Saturday.
The league, featuring 28 boys and girls’ teams, will play regular season games through September, which will be followed by the second edition of playoffs and finals in October.
Prior to the season’s tip-off, a league draw was held at St. Mark’s Orthodox School on Thursday, where participating school teams selected jerseys of NBA teams which they will represent throughout the season. This was followed by a basketball clinic for 40 coaches and educators on Friday.
The inaugural season’s finals took place at Nimra Talata Basketball Stadium in Juba last August with two-time NBA All-Star Luol Deng and 1995 NBA All-Star Cedric Ceballos in attendance. Juba One 76ers were crowned the inaugural season’s champions.
The Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA is the league’s global youth basketball program for boys and girls that teaches the fundamental skills and core values of the game – teamwork, respect, determination and community – at the grassroots level in an effort to help grow and improve the youth basketball experience for players, coaches and parents. The Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA program has been launched in 19 African countries, reaching more than 350,000 youth from across the continent last year.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of National Basketball Association (NBA).
Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –
The State University of Management hosted the Demo Day of the Acceleration Interuniversity Program “City Energy. Environment 2.0”, which was held at the State University of Management from February to June 2025.
Over 1,000 students from the State University of Management and other Russian universities took part in the accelerator; 212 startup projects were prepared; over 30 experts from such fields as medicine, education, IT, construction, agro-industrial complex, ecology and others were involved in providing expert advice to the teams.
The acceleration program included an educational block, expert webinars, team consultations with trackers, equator, expert consultations and project defense. The industrial partner was Technopark, a part of the Rusnano Group.
The trackers of the acceleration program were teachers of the project management department, who have extensive experience in tracking and mentoring student teams. The tracking process was carried out using the BusinessChain platform from the partner of the State University of Management, IPI Lab.
On the final day of the program, student teams presented projects such as:
“City breathing” (the product is a bull for collecting cigarette butts for subsequent processing).
“The Light of the Future 2.0” (adaptive lighting system with AI and motion sensors to save electricity and increase people’s performance).
“Smart Bird Monitoring System” (software, which will allow to collect, analyze and recommend taking measures based on data from video surveillance and humidity and sensors, lighting, temperature and ammonia concentration. The product is focused on poultry farms).
“Dron Cleaning” (autonomous drone for cleaning water bodies. The product is focused on hotel owners, fishing facilities, NPOs, distributors).
“Universkino” (the organization of a cinema on the territory of the GUU in the open air with the involvement of students, applicants and partners of the GUU).
“QR code, as a way of quick connection with the owner of a lost thing” (a service for creating personalized icons / stickers / stickers intended for labeling personal things and increasing the likelihood of returning a lost thing to the owner).
The game on ecology “Eco -geria” (board game on ecology for children is 7-12 years old, which will allow the environmental education of the younger generation).
Wedding machine of useful drinks “Ne Ice” (an automatic machine for the preparation of fruit frhes with ice).
The mobile application “Interactive map of Russia” is an interactive map that allows you to open tourist places in Russia, as well as upload a description and photos of new places. Extended functionality will allow users to get acquainted and unite for planning joint trips).
Guli-Guli WMS system (simple warehouse management system for B2B and B2C customers)
“Smart device for the refrigerator” (allows you to keep records of products and shelf life, make a menu and inform the owner about the need to buy the necessary products).
The works were evaluated by the following jury members:
Head of the Acceleration Program “City Energy. Environment 2.0”, Deputy Head of the Project Management Department of the State University of Management, certified project manager IPMA® Level B Ekaterina Khalimon; Deputy General Director of TEN Group LLC – TechnoSpark technology park in Troitsk Igor Volkov; Head of the Committee of the Scientific and Technical Council of the Moscow Confederation of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs Yuri Bocharov; Head of the Logistics Department of the transport company KIT Alexander Alexandrov; Chairman of the Youth Association for Project Management Young Crew SOVNET Mikhail Zorin; Associate Professor of the Project Management Department of the State University of Management, experienced mentor and tracker of student startups Tatyana Chernova; Associate Professor of the Project Management Department of the State University of Management, experienced mentor and tracker of student startups Tatyana Mezina.
The experts noted the deep development of the projects: the teams presented manufactured technological prototypes, mock-ups, 3D models, certificates from companies with intentions to further implement the technological product in the company’s activities. In addition, the jury members offered their assistance in the further implementation of startup projects, in finding potential investors and partners.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, over 60 organizations are the first signers of the White House’s Pledge to America’s Youth: Investing in AI Education, which promises to support the goals and mission of President Trump’s executive order Advancing Artificial Intelligence Education for America’s Youth.
The organizations “pledge to make available resources for youth and teachers through funding and grants, educational materials and curricula, technology and tools, teacher professional development programs, workforce development resources, and/or technical expertise and mentorship” over the next four years, working alongside the White House Task Force on Artificial Intelligence Education. Together, the Pledge will help make AI education accessible to K-12 students across the country, sparking curiosity in the technology and preparing the next-generation for an AI-enabled economy.
“Fostering young people’s interest and expertise in artificial intelligence is crucial to maintaining American technological dominance. These initial pledges from American organizations will help create new educational and workforce development opportunities for our students. We invite other organizations to join the pledge as we look forward to furthering these partnerships to introduce more of America’s youth to AI,” said Michael Kratsios, Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and Chair of the White House Task Force on AI Education.
“We are thrilled that so many organizations have signed the Pledge to America’s Youth. It is clear there is a lot of energy about AI and how it can be used responsibly in education. The resources and tools that have been pledged through this initiative will help our teachers and learners leverage AI in classrooms and communities across America,” said Secretary of Education Linda McMahon.
“AI is reshaping our economy and the way we live and work, and we must ensure the next generation of American workers is equipped with the skills they need to lead in this new era,” said Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer. “By uniting behind this pledge to provide critical resources for students and educators, I’m encouraged to see these organizations are committed to helping young Americans build the skills they need in AI literacy to drive innovation and become empowered leaders of tomorrow.”
“To secure America’s future, the United States must win the AI race,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright. “That’s why President Trump is investing in the next generation of American innovators and providing students and teachers the tools to lead in this emerging industry. With this President’s bold leadership and the future leaders of America dialed in, America stands to dominate.”
“The U. S. National Science Foundation is proud to support the White House’s Pledge to America’s Youth: Investing in AI Education. Equipping young people with the tools to understand and shape artificial intelligence is not only a matter of national competitiveness—it is an investment in a more innovative, prosperous and informed future,” said Brian Stone, performing the duties of the NSF director. “NSF has long recognized the importance of nurturing early interest in science and technology. Through our ongoing efforts to fund cutting-edge research, support teacher development, and expand access to STEM education in every corner of the country, we are committed to ensuring that all students have the opportunity to engage with and contribute to the future of AI. We applaud the organizations that have joined this pledge and look forward to collaborating with our partners to deliver the contributed resources to America’s youth and inspire the next generation of AI innovators, researchers, and technology leaders.”
“President Trump is bringing America into a new Golden Age by harnessing the best tools and innovations America has to offer. At USDA, we are working to give students the opportunities and mentorship they need to continue the legacy of American ingenuity. Our efforts involve leveraging specific training and grant opportunities for students and teachers that encourage the use and development of artificial intelligence in agriculture. Under President Trump’s leadership, this task force is empowering teachers to integrate artificial intelligence into their curriculum as they prepare their students for the future,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins.
Stay tuned as the Trump Administration works with these and other organizations to announce specific new grants, programs, and technologies towards the Pledge throughout the year ahead. Visit our website for more information on joining the Pledge to America’s Youth, and stay up to date with the latest pledge signers and initiatives.
SAN FRANCISCO, June 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — CodeMonkey, a leading provider of gamified coding education for K-12 students, is proud to announce the launch of its brand-new Advanced Placement (AP) Computer Science Principles (CSP) course, which has officially received endorsement and approval from the College Board. This endorsement signifies that CodeMonkey’s AP CSP course meets the rigorous standards of AP curricula and provides students with the foundational knowledge and skills necessary for success in computer science and beyond.
The AP CSP course is designed specifically for high school students and educators looking for an accessible, interactive, and standards-aligned introduction to computer science. With its roots in game-based learning, CodeMonkey brings a fresh, student-centered approach to AP CSP, integrating real-world problem solving, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking with core computing concepts such as algorithms, data, the internet, and programming.
CodeMonkey’s AP CSP course includes everything educators need to confidently teach the subject, whether they are new to computer science or experienced in the field. The curriculum includes detailed lesson plans, interactive coding challenges, project guides, student assessments, and teacher professional development. The platform also features built-in support for preparing students for the AP exam and performance task, ensuring alignment with College Board expectations.
Schools and districts interested in adopting CodeMonkey’s AP CSP course for the upcoming academic year can now access the full curriculum through the CodeMonkey platform. Teacher training and support services are also available to ensure successful implementation and student achievement.
With this new offering, CodeMonkey continues to lead the way in transforming how students learn computer science—empowering the next generation of digital creators, thinkers, and innovators.
The official opening of the refurbished BMX track at Preston Pirates was held on Saturday 28 June, the day before a British Cycling Regional event which saw more than 300 riders and 2,000 spectators in attendance at the London Road track.
The upgrade has improved two of the ‘berms’ (sweeping corners), reprofiling them to improve the rider experience, track safety and drainage. There have also been improvements to some other areas of the track.
Since previous investment in 2014, the club has gone from strength to strength and hosted British Cycling regional events along with its own annual club series event.
The refurbishment was made possible with a partnership between Preston Pirates’ contribution of £30,000 along with £18,000 from Preston City Council’s UK Shared Prosperity Funding (UKSPF) allocation for 2024/25 (£9,000 from Parks grant and £9,000 from Leisure Development grant).
Deputy Mayor of Preston, Councillor Nweeda Khan, who officially opened the refurbished track, said:
“Preston Pirates is a very well-established sports club within the city, which we’re incredibly proud to support.
“The funding from the Council’s shared prosperity allocation is used with the goal of delivering wide-reaching and impactful activities that build pride of place in Preston and increase life chances for all our residents.
“This refurbishment will enable more young people to take part in a growing sport and aid the budding sports stars of the future.”
Ian Brookes from Preston Pirates, added:
“Our newly refurbished track gave us an upgrade to our corners (berms), which secures the facility’s condition for the long term and means the club can continue to produce top class BMX athletes. We’re very grateful for this funding and to everyone involved for their continued support.
“We run sessions five times a week that caters for riders of all abilities and ages. We have been National and British Club Series Champions multiple times, and this year we currently sit in first place in this National Club standings with a good chance of winning it with just two rounds to go.
“It’s a great sport for young people to try and we’re always welcoming of those who want to give it a go.”
About Preston Pirates
Preston Pirates BMX Club was founded in 2005 and provides expert race coaching to riders of all levels and ages.
Today, the club has in excess of 100 members and is well represented at BMX racing events regionally, nationally and globally.
Plans going forward to increase engagement within the local community will have four key themes:
Youth engagement
Diverse communities
Family sessions
School engagement
With a team of nine fully qualified coaches and five youth mentor coaches that work together to deliver coaching sessions to riders of all abilities from novice level through to expert riders, the club is going from strength to strength.
Preston Pirates currently has riders on the British Cycling performance pathway with local Preston lad, Ross Cullen aiming for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, and both James Criddle and Fin Hough both on the Junior Performance Pathway, as well as a number on the regional development structure. Ross Cullen was in attendance at the official opening.
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Lauren Graham, Professor at the Centre for Social Development in Africa, University of Johannesburg, University of Johannesburg
More than a third of young South Africans are not in employment, education or training. This cohort of 3.4 million (37.1% of those aged 15–24) risks long-term joblessness. Discouragement – giving up looking for work – is also a risk, as the latest data show.
This has serious social and economic implications. Social and economic exclusion can lead to declining mental health, social drift, long-term dependence on grants and lost economic potential.
To help break this cycle, a research team we were part of piloted a Basic Package of Support programme that offered personalised coaching and referrals to services to tackle the barriers young people face. Between 2022 and 2024 we worked with 1,700 young people in three of South Africa’s nine provinces – Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape. The team worked in peri-urban areas where there were high rates of young people not in education, employment or training.
The initiative aimed to help young people clarify their goals and find pathways into relevant learning and earning an income.
The results of the programme showed improved mental health, reduced distress and a stronger sense of belonging. The findings show the power of targeted and multifaceted support to prevent social drift.
The programme and its participants
The pilot took place in three peri-urban communities with limited job and learning opportunities, and high rates of poverty and unemployment. We chose these areas for their high rates of young people who are not in education, employment or training.
Over half of the participants (51%) were aged 18-20, 43% were 21-24 and just under 6% were aged 25-27. While 51% had completed high school, 30% had grade 9-11, and under 2% had less than grade 9. A further 17% held a university degree. Most (77%) had been actively seeking work, or opportunities in training or volunteering (73%), when they started the programme.
Data were collected at intake and after three sessions. A monitoring survey after each coaching session was used to determine whether the participant was in any earning or learning opportunity.
The qualitative component included in-depth interviews with young people who had completed multiple coaching sessions. Interviews were conducted six to eight months after pilot sites were opened to explore participants’ situations, experiences of coaching, and any shifts in perspective.
The primary objective of this pilot phase was to assess the programme’s capability to:
engage and support disconnected young people
achieve anticipated outcomes, including improved sense of belonging, wellbeing and connection to learning or earning opportunities.
In general, feelings of being supported and having access to resources in their community were low among the participants: 18.33% reported having had low levels of support in general, from adults and from peers. Young men reported considerably higher access to peer support than women (9% of men rated peer support as low relative to 24% of women).
One-third of young people reported a lack of access to, or availability of, resources in their community. These resources included health, psychosocial, or training resources.
Research has also shown that spending a long time without learning or earning creates disillusionment and poor mental health, creating a cycle of chronic unemployment and social drift.
For these reasons we felt it was important to examine how the young people’s well-being had changed as they progressed through the programme. The programme involved:
reaching out to young people
conducting an assessment to understand where they wanted to go and the barriers they faced
coaching sessions
referrals to relevant services to overcome barriers
opportunites to take steps towards their planned objectives.
The research team saw positive changes in all emotional well-being indicators, including quality of life, anxiety, emotional distress, and sense of belonging. Participants also showed an interest in taking up available training and work opportunities. They showed improvements in the three key outcomes we examined for this pilot phase.
Firstly, participants felt supported, were more resilient, and had better mental health outcomes than before they completed three coaching sessions.
Secondly, they showed increased capacity, knowledge and resources to navigate and access the systems and services needed to realise their aspirations.
Thirdly, 40% of them took up available opportunities to learn and earn income after just three coaching sessions. Larger numbers of these young people connected to training or education opportunities than to job opportunities. This is hardly surprising in the context of low job growth.
Taken together, these findings showed that the young people felt more positive about their lives after completing three coaching sessions. They indicated that, prior to starting the programme, they had been feeling unhappy about life and lost about how to move forward in their lives.
Part of their frustration was not having anyone to talk to about how they were feeling.
A 21-year-old female participant said after completing round two:
I didn’t know where I was going in life, what I was going to do, I didn’t know where to start. It was a whole blank page for me.
A young man said after round one:
Before I got here, the way I was feeling I didn’t think I can do anything progressive about my life. I had finished high school, but I didn’t know what step to take from there and … I did try but nothing worked … Coaching helped me cope and feel more optimistic.
Next steps
The programme is based on the idea that some young people need more time and support to find their way back into work or education. This might mean connecting them to counselling, childcare, nutrition or social grants.
The pilot revealed high levels of emotional distress, echoing recent labour force data that shows growing discouragement in the working age population. It’s clear that skills training alone isn’t enough; many young people need broader, deeper support to reconnect and thrive.
Efforts to help young people become employable need to offer more support than simply skills training. People involved in the youth employability/youth employment policy and programming sector have to understand young people from a holistic point of view and take into account the significant barriers that poverty and deprivation continue to create. This is the only way to achieve employability programmes that make an impact.
– Jobless young South Africans often lose hope: new study proves the power of mentorship – https://theconversation.com/jobless-young-south-africans-often-lose-hope-new-study-proves-the-power-of-mentorship-259168
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Jonathan Jackson – Illinois (1st District)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
This week, the U.S. State Department urged American citizens in Haiti to leave immediately due to escalating violence and instability. This is a clear admission: Haiti is not safe. Forcing 700,000 Haitians—who have lived here legally under Temporary Protected Status (TPS)—to return to such life-threatening conditions is not just wrong, it is immoral and inhumane.
These individuals have been thoroughly vetted, obeyed our laws, and are vital members of our communities. They are nurses, teachers, business owners, and parents who have contributed to our nation for years. Ending their TPS status ignores their humanity and the reality on the ground.
Let’s be honest: Haitians with TPS are here legally. Yet, they face threats of deportation while white South Africans have often received expedited pathways to legal status. This double standard is indefensible.
I call on the administration and Congress to restore TPS protections for Haitians. Decency and justice demand we protect those who have built their lives here and who would face grave danger if forced to return. America must stand for fairness, compassion, and humanity—nothing less.
Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, June 30, 2025 – (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) Codere Online (Nasdaq: CDRO / CDROW, the “Company”), a leading online gaming operator in Spain and Latin America, today announced the favorable resolution of all 24 agenda items at the Annual General Meeting (“AGM”) held today at the registered office of the Company, including the confirmation and renewal of all currently serving Board members, thereby maintaining the existing composition of the Board.
For detailed biographies of the members of our Board of Directors please visit our website.
Appointment of A.G. Burnett as Chairman of the Compliance Committee
In the Board of Directors meeting held earlier this month ahead of the AGM, A.G. Burnett was appointed as Chairman of the Compliance Committee, effective July 1, 2025. Rafael Catalá and Yaiza Rodríguez will continue to serve as members.
Mr. Burnett brings over 20 years of experience in gaming regulation and law, including his service as Chairman and Executive Director of the Nevada Gaming Control Board (“GCB”) from 2012 to 2017. Prior to that, he served as a Board Member and Deputy Chief of the GCB’s Corporate Securities Division, as well as Senior Deputy Attorney General representing the GCB and the Nevada Gaming Commission.
Mr. Burnett is a recognized professional in gaming law, regulatory compliance, enforcement, legislative affairs, AML, and sports betting law and regulation. He currently serves as a Partner at McDonald Carano, where he advises gaming clients on a wide range of regulatory and compliance matters. A graduate of Gonzaga University School of Law, Mr. Burnett holds leadership and advisory roles with several industry groups, including the International Association of Gaming Advisors, the International Masters of Gaming Law, and the UNLV’s Boyd School of Law Gaming Law Advisory Board.
Mr. Burnett succeeds Mark Dunn as chairman of the Compliance Committee. We extend our sincere thanks to Mr. Dunn for his outstanding contribution as member and Chair of the Compliance Committee. From his appointment as member of the Compliance Committee in 2022, his dedication and integrity have been instrumental in shaping a strong compliance culture across the Company, and we are very grateful for his service.
About Codere Online Codere Online refers, collectively, to Codere Online Luxembourg, S.A. and its subsidiaries. Codere Online launched in 2014 as part of the renowned casino operator Codere Group. Codere Online offers online sports betting and online casino through its state-of-the art website and mobile applications. Codere currently operates in its core markets of Spain, Mexico, Colombia, Panama and Argentina. Codere Online’s online business is complemented by Codere Group’s physical presence in Spain and throughout Latin America, forming the foundation of the leading omnichannel gaming and casino presence.
About Codere Group Codere Group is a multinational group devoted to entertainment and leisure. It is a leading player in the private gaming industry, with four decades of experience and with presence in seven countries in Europe (Spain and Italy) and Latin America (Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Panama, and Uruguay).
Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this document may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding Codere Online Luxembourg, S.A. and its subsidiaries (collectively, “Codere Online”) or Codere Online’s or its management team’s expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future. In addition, any statements that refer to projections, forecasts or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intends,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “would” and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements in this document may include, for example, statements about Codere Online’s financial performance and, in particular, the potential evolution and distribution of its net gaming revenue; any prospective and illustrative financial information; and changes in Codere Online’s strategy, future operations and target addressable market, financial position, estimated revenues and losses, projected costs, prospects and plans.
These forward-looking statements are based on information available as of the date of this document and current expectations, forecasts and assumptions, and involve a number of judgments, risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing Codere Online’s or its management team’s views as of any subsequent date, and Codere Online does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date they were made, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.
As a result of a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties, Codere Online’s actual results or performance may be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. There may be additional risks that Codere Online does not presently know or that Codere Online currently believes are immaterial that could also cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Some factors that could cause actual results to differ include (i) changes in applicable laws or regulations, including online gaming, privacy, data use and data protection rules and regulations as well as consumers’ heightened expectations regarding proper safeguarding of their personal information, (ii) the impacts and ongoing uncertainties created by regulatory restrictions, changes in perceptions of the gaming industry, changes in policies and increased competition, and geopolitical events such as war, (iii) the ability to implement business plans, forecasts, and other expectations and identify and realize additional opportunities, (iv) the risk of downturns and the possibility of rapid change in the highly competitive industry in which Codere Online operates, (v) the risk that Codere Online and its current and future collaborators are unable to successfully develop and commercialize Codere Online’s services, or experience significant delays in doing so, (vi) the risk that Codere Online may never achieve or sustain profitability, (vii) the risk that Codere Online will need to raise additional capital to execute its business plan, which may not be available on acceptable terms or at all, (viii) the risk that Codere Online experiences difficulties in managing its growth and expanding operations, (ix) the risk that third-party providers, including the Codere Group, are not able to fully and timely meet their obligations, (x) the risk that the online gaming operations will not provide the expected benefits due to, among other things, the inability to obtain or maintain online gaming licenses in the anticipated time frame or at all, (xi) the risk that Codere Online is unable to secure or protect its intellectual property, and (xii) the possibility that Codere Online may be adversely affected by other political, economic, business, and/or competitive factors. Additional information concerning certain of these and other risk factors is contained in Codere Online’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements concerning Codere Online or other matters and attributable to Codere Online or any person acting on their behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements above.
The Czech National Bank (CNB) is continuing to implement changes in the Cash and Payments Department, aimed at significantly speeding up and simplifying client services. With effect from 1 July 2025, a new Bohemian Regional Division will be established, headed by the current Director of the CNB’s Prague branch Vladislav Jetenský. The Bank Board made this decision at its meeting on 20 March 2025.
The Bohemian Regional Division will be created through the merger of the Prague and Hradec Králové branches as part of the CNB’s broader strategy for service digitalisation. The aim is to simplify and speed up communication with clients, regardless of their location. Digitalisation will enable faster processing of requests and more convenient access to the CNB’s services.
Vladislav Jetenský graduated in finance from the Prague University of Economics and Business. He worked at the CNB as banking supervision inspector in 2001–2003 and then in ING as senior auditor, head of internal audit for the Czech Republic and Slovakia and head of the financial controlling team. He returned to the CNB in 2017 and held the post of Director of the Capital Market Supervision and Control Division of the Financial Market Supervision Department II. He served as Executive Director of the Internal Audit Department from 2021 to 2024. He has been Director of the Prague branch of the Cash and Payments Department since June 2024.
SAN DIEGO, June 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — LPL Financial LLC, a leading wealth management firm, has appointed Mike Holtschlag as Executive Vice President of Banking and Lending. In this role, Holtschlag will lead the company’s banking and lending initiatives to drive growth and enhance the full-service experience for both advisors and investors. His team will be responsible for the strategy, design, development, execution and delivery of LPL’s suite of solutions, including cash management accounts (CMA), credit cards and secured credit lending.
LPL’s strategic focus on developing state-of-the-art banking and lending solutions makes it easier for advisors to provide comprehensive services to discerning investors who desire a singular partner, where they can get personalized financial advice along with flexible options for lending, liquidity and cash management. Holtschlag will also oversee integration of these services with LPL’s trading and investment advisory teams, guiding and advancing the firm’s strength in delivering comprehensive wealth management solutions.
“Simplification and centralization are key for both advisors and investors,” said Aneri Jambusaria, Group Managing Director of Wealth Management at LPL Financial. “Mike’s deep expertise in financial solutions and his proven track record in driving innovation will be instrumental in advancing our banking and lending initiatives, ensuring we continue to offer exceptional, one-stop solutions that reduce friction and power growth for our advisors. With Mike on board, we look forward to continuing to elevate LPL as the destination of choice in wealth management.”
Holtschlag brings more than 25 years of financial services experience to LPL. Most recently, he spent 17 years at Fidelity Investments, where he served as Senior Vice President for the Saving, Spending, and Lending Business within Personal Investing. He led a global team of 150 associates providing a broad portfolio of financial solutions to retail clients, including cash management, credit, debit, lending solutions, health savings accounts, 529 plans, fixed income securities and alternatives. Prior to Fidelity, he was a Principal at The Boston Consulting Group, leading critical initiatives for clients ranging from start-ups to multinational corporations.
Holtschlag holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Harvard University and a Master of Business Administration in Operations and Information Management from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He is based in San Diego.
About LPL Financial
LPL Financial Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: LPLA) is among the fastest growing wealth management firms in the U.S. As a leader in the financial advisor-mediated marketplace, LPL supports over 29,000 financial advisors and the wealth management practices of approximately 1,200 financial institutions, servicing and custodying approximately $1.8 trillion in brokerage and advisory assets on behalf of approximately 7 million Americans. The firm provides a wide range of advisor affiliation models, investment solutions, fintech tools and practice management services, ensuring that advisors and institutions have the flexibility to choose the business model, services, and technology resources they need to run thriving businesses. For further information about LPL, please visit www.lpl.com.
Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial LLC (“LPL Financial”), a registered investment adviser and broker-dealer. Member FINRA/SIPC.
Throughout this communication, the terms “financial advisors” and “advisors” are used to refer to registered representatives and/or investment advisor representatives affiliated with LPL Financial.
We routinely disclose information that may be important to shareholders in the “Investor Relations” or “Press Releases” section of our website.
SAN DIEGO and TORONTO, June 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ESET, a global leader in cybersecurity, is proud to announce the winners of its tenth annual Women in Cybersecurity Scholarship. Selected from a highly competitive pool of applicants across the US and Canada, the ten scholarship recipients impressed the review panel with their academic achievements, passion for cybersecurity, and commitment to making a positive impact in STEM fields.
This year marks a milestone in the program’s evolution with the continued expansion of the Cybersecurity Trailblazer Award Tier, a designation reserved for the most exceptional applicants who have demonstrated outstanding technical proficiency, leadership, and a deep, sustained focus on cybersecurity. The recipients of this year’s Cybersecurity Trailblazer Awards are U.S.’ Alexis Eskenazi, Crystal Yang, and Ismat Jarin, each receiving a $10,000 scholarship in recognition of their exemplary work. The Canadian Trailblazer recipients are Azka Siddiqui and Constance Prevot, each receiving a $5,000 scholarship for their remarkable contributions and potential to drive change within the field.
This year, Canada also saw the launch of the Future Leader Award, a new scholarship tier recognizing emerging talent with strong potential in the field of cybersecurity. Five students were selected to receive $1,000 scholarships: Yushika Jhundoo, Meadow Agbor, Tina Ismail, Vrinda Joshi, and Yashvi Shah. Together, these individuals have shown exceptional promise as future leaders in cybersecurity. Their ambitions and achievements reflect the values at the heart of the Women in Cybersecurity Scholarship: innovation, inclusion, and impact.
“This scholarship has always been deeply personal to us at ESET,” said Celeste Blodgett, Vice President of Human Resources at ESET North America. “As we celebrate its tenth year, I’m incredibly proud to recognize this group of brilliant and driven women. With so many outstanding applicants this year, selecting the final recipients was no easy task. What set these winners apart was not only their technical excellence, but also their drive to lead and create meaningful change. They represent the future of cybersecurity, and we’re honored to support them on their journey.”
ESET North America awarded $45,000 in scholarships this year to celebrate the program’s tenth anniversary, reaffirming its commitment to building a more inclusive and secure digital future.
Learn more about the Trailblazer Award recipients:
Alexis Eskenazi, Berkeley, California, United States: Alexis Eskenazi’s journey into cybersecurity began with competitive robotics, where building championship-level robots sparked her interest in how connected systems function. That passion led her to launch Eskenazi Ed-Tech & AI Consulting, bringing hands-on STEM education to over 400 students globally. From mentoring the world’s first all-female Indigenous robotics team in New Zealand to researching vulnerabilities in U.S. healthcare and semiconductor infrastructure, Alexis blends technical insight with education and policy to advance a more secure, inclusive digital world.
“Through work in technology, policy, and education, I’ve learned how to navigate complexity, and through community engagement, how to make that knowledge actionable,” said Alexis. “The ESET Women in Cybersecurity Scholarship represents critical support for my continued integration of technical, educational, and policy-driven cybersecurity work.”
Crystal Yang, Katy, Texas, United States: Crystal Yang’s interest in cybersecurity was sparked by watching scam-baiting videos, which seem humorous on the surface, but reveal just how vulnerable people can be to social engineering. Determined to fight back, she built TimeWaster3000, an AI-powered bot that wastes scammers’ time using natural language processing and speech recognition. As the founder of Audemy.org, Crystal has also created AI-driven educational games used by more than 5,000 blind and visually impaired students worldwide and implemented in 19 schools. Today, she is focused on cybersecurity projects aimed at scam awareness and social engineering defense for businesses.
“Cybersecurity isn’t just about protecting data,” said Crystal. “It’s about protecting people. Winning this scholarship helps me build tech that defends not just with firewalls, but with empathy, creativity, and humor.”
Ismat Jarin, Irvine, California, United States: Ismat Jarin’s path to cybersecurity began in her home country, where early experiences with societal biases and privacy violations fueled her resolve to protect underrepresented communities through technology. She became the first woman from her town to rank in the top 2% nationally for admission to her country’s top engineering university, later earning a Master’s in Systems and Security from UM Dearborn and now pursuing a Ph.D. at UC Irvine. Her research explores privacy risks in AI/LLMs and emerging technologies and has been published at leading conferences like PETS, NeurIPS(WiML) and CODASPY. Beyond research, Ismat is a passionate mentor and advocate, helping first-generation and underrepresented students find belonging and success in cybersecurity.
“For women from restrictive backgrounds like mine, it’s not just about breaking barriers,” said Ismat. “It’s about paving new paths so others can thrive. Ultimately, my contributions will help create a more inclusive and innovative cybersecurity landscape, where every individual can thrive.”
Azka Siddiqui, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada: Azka Siddiqui’s passion for computer science began in fourth grade when she programmed Dash robots during a classroom activity, sparking her fascination with the intersection of hardware and software. Her interest in cybersecurity solidified during a 2024 internship at Nokia, where she helped refine an advanced filter tool that monitored over 10,000 alarms. In addition to furthering her technical skills, Azka serves as Vice Chair of a national nonprofit empowering girls in STEM, has led a coding club spanning three Canadian provinces, and conducted research on smart-grid anomaly detection and eye-tracking technologies in university labs. This fall, Azka will begin her Honours Bachelor of Applied Science in Computer Engineering at the University of Waterloo, where she plans to focus on cybersecurity and AI with an emphasis on making digital spaces safer for women.
“As a young woman of color in tech, I’ve often felt like I had to work twice as hard just to be seen. Winning the ESET Women in Cybersecurity Scholarship reminds me that I do belong — not just in this field, but at the forefront of it. With ESET’s support, I’m committed to not only advancing my own journey in building ethical and secure technologies but also to challenging the barriers that keep others, especially women, from stepping into these spaces.”
Constance Prevot, Mount Royal, Quebec, Canada: Constance Prevot’s journey into cybersecurity began at Concordia University, where a Capture-The-Flag competition sparked a passion that would shape her academic and professional path. She has since represented Canada at the 2024 International Cybersecurity Competition in Chile, served as a SOC Analyst at OnePoint for Desjardins, conducted adversary-focused research at GoSecure, and co-presented her findings at conferences including HOPE and BSides. As President of Concordia University’s Software Engineering and Computer Science Society, she has led initiatives to make cybersecurity education more accessible, including launching “compétitionsquebec,” a platform cataloging local competitions and training resources.
“I believe in creating environments where individuals from all backgrounds can thrive and contribute their unique perspectives,” said Constance. “By continuing to bridge research, practice, education, and community engagement, I hope to help build a more secure and inclusive cybersecurity ecosystem.”
Future Leader Awards: This inaugural award proudly recognizes five exceptional students who exemplify the next generation of innovators and changemakers. With a $1,000 award, these students are being honored not only for their academic excellence but also for their passion and potential to shape the future of technology. This year’s awardees are:
Yushika Jhundoo (Ottawa, ON) – Computer Science, University of Ottawa: Tech community builder and cybersecurity enthusiast dedicated to inclusive outreach and digital empowerment.
Meadow Agbor (Calgary, AB) – Computer Information Systems, Mount Royal University (MRU): Cybersecurity intern and youth mentor with a passion for digital safety and inclusive community engagement.
Tina Ismail (Mississauga, ON) – Electrical Engineering, McMaster University: Cybersecurity enthusiast and IEEE leader blending technical innovation, educational research, and creative expression.
Vrinda Joshi (Markham, ON) – Systems Design Engineering (Co-op), University of Waterloo: STEM equity advocate and nonprofit co-founder empowering youth through coding, robotics, and hands-on innovation.
Yashvi Shah (Caledon, ON) – Computer Engineering (Co-op), University of Toronto: Innovative researcher and tech educator with experience in AI, 3D simulation, and youth empowerment through coding and wellness initiatives.
Blodgett adds, “ESET extends heartfelt congratulations to all of this year’s winners. Their drive, curiosity, and commitment to cybersecurity exemplify the very best of what the next generation has to offer. As ESET looks ahead to the future, the company remains dedicated to supporting women in cybersecurity and building a more inclusive and secure digital world for all.”
Learn more about the Women in Cybersecurity Scholarship here.
About ESET
ESET® provides cutting-edge digital security to prevent attacks before they happen. By combining the power of AI and human expertise, ESET stays ahead of emerging global cyberthreats, both known and unknown— securing businesses, critical infrastructure, and individuals. Whether it’s endpoint, cloud, or mobile protection, our AI-native, cloud-first solutions and services remain highly effective and easy to use. ESET technology includes robust detection and response, ultra-secure encryption, and multifactor authentication. With 24/7 real-time defense and strong local support, we keep users safe and businesses running without interruption. The ever-evolving digital landscape demands a progressive approach to security: ESET is committed to world-class research and powerful threat intelligence, backed by R&D centers and a strong global partner network. For more information, visit www.eset.com or follow our social media, podcasts and blogs.
Source: State University Higher School of Economics – State University Higher School of Economics –
In 2025, the system of admission by priorities for admission to bachelor’s, specialist’s and master’s degree programs will continue to operate. We tell you how it works and how to rank them correctly.
What are priorities?
Admission priorities are the ordinal numbers that applicants use to rank their chosen educational programs in their application. One means the highest priority: the applicant wants to get into the corresponding educational program the most. The higher the priority value of a program, the less desirable it is for the applicant.
“Applicants set priorities within one university at the time of application. Remember that all HSE campuses are considered one university, so priorities for them are indicated cross-cuttingly. If any changes have occurred and the applicant wants to change the priority of the programs they have chosen, this can be done during the entire period of accepting documents. In the case of admission to a budget-funded bachelor’s and specialist’s degree, there is time until July 25, and for a master’s degree – until August 8. Please note that the deadlines for accepting documents for fee-paying places depend on the program,” commented Alexander Chepovsky, Director of Strategic Work with Applicants.
What are the limitations when choosing programs?
Applicants to the HSE bachelor’s and specialist’s programs this year can choose up to five areas of training/specialization and an unlimited number of programs in each. It is important to note that the areas by campus are counted in total.
An example of prioritization of 13 educational programs when choosing five areas of training
Starting this year, Master’s degree applicants can choose any number of educational programs.
Are there any special requirements for admission under the target quota?
In accordance with federal legislation, applicants must separately indicate the priority of the target quota. For other admission conditions, the priority of other places is indicated.
If the priority of the target quota is higher, then the applicant is considered first in the competition for targeted training.
How to determine the priority for enrollment
After the application period is over, all universities publish competitive lists, which determine the highest priorities for each applicant.
The main highest priority is calculated regardless of whether applicants have consents to enrollment. It shows which program an applicant will be enrolled in if all other applicants in all priorities submit consents to enrollment.
Highest Passing Priority — the highest enrollment priority an applicant has in the competition, taking into account the consents submitted for enrollment at the time the competition lists are created. This indicator will be updated, showing an increasingly accurate picture as other applicants submit consents and the end of their admission approaches.
How is enrollment on a budget in bachelor’s and specialist’s degrees organized?
Those applicants who submit their consent for admission to the university within the established deadlines will be enrolled with the highest passing priority if they pass the competition. Please note that consents for admission are accepted until 12:00 Moscow time on the corresponding day. In the bachelor’s and specialist’s degree programs, the deadline for the priority stage (applicants without entrance examinations and by quotas) is August 1, for the main stage (applicants based on the results of entrance examinations) – August 5. At the time of enrollment, the consent must remain at the university (not be revoked).
On August 2–3, applicants will be enrolled in the priority stage. If the applicant’s highest passing priority is the target quota priority, he/she will first participate in the competition for target places. The same happens if, for all other programs, the applicant only participates in the general competition (i.e., not in the priority stage). In this case, to be enrolled, it is necessary to pass the competition not only for the total number of allocated target places, but also for the number of places specified by the customer in the relevant offer for targeted training.
If the applicant’s highest passing priority is the priority of other places, then he is enrolled in the main budget places without entrance examinations. If the applicant did not have such a condition for admission (or he did not pass the competition), then he is enrolled under a separate quota. Accordingly, if the applicant did not participate in this competition (or did not pass it), then he is enrolled under a special quota.
“Please note that those admitted at the priority stage are excluded from further competition for the main budget places in the same educational program. If an applicant expresses a desire to participate in the general competition, he/she can refuse admission by writing an application before 12:00 Moscow time on August 5,” added Alexander Chepovsky.
On August 6–7, information on those admitted in the main stage will be published in accordance with the priorities of other places. First of all, the applicant will participate in the competition for the program with the highest position in his personal ranking list. In case of failure to enter the budget for this program, he will participate in the competition for the second program, and so on.
How budget enrollment in a master’s program works
Admission to master’s programs is carried out in one stage. Applicants who submit consent to enrollment in the university before 12:00 Moscow time on August 24 and pass the competition will be enrolled according to the highest passing priority. An important condition is also the fact that consent must not be revoked at the time of enrollment.
If the applicant’s highest passing priority is the priority of the target quota, then he/she first participates in the competition for target places. We remind you that the competition is for both the total number of allocated target places and the number of places specified by the customer in the relevant proposal for targeted training. If the highest passing priority is the priority of other places, the applicant participates in the competition for the main budget places in the order of priority of the selected programs.
How does enrollment for fee-paying places work?
Applications for fee-paying places are submitted separately from budget places, so programs are also ranked separately. When enrolling in such places, the key factors are the presence of a concluded education agreement and payment for the first half of the year. The payment receipt must be uploaded to the applicant’s personal account or sent by e-mail Treaty@mse.ru – this determines whether the applicant has consented to enrollment in fee-paying places in the relevant program.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
SUZHOU, China, June 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — YXT.com Group Holding Limited (NASDAQ: YXT) (“YXT.com” or the “Company”), a provider of AI-enabled enterprise productivity solutions, today announced that Mr. Pun Leung Liu has notified the board of directors of the Company (the “Board”) of his decision to resign from his position as a Director and Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”) of the Company, effective June 30, 2025, due to personal reasons.
Mr. Liu’s resignation did not result from any disagreement or dispute with the Company, the Board, or the Company’s management regarding any matter relating to the Company’s operations, policies, or practices.
Following Mr. Liu’s resignation, the Board has appointed Mr. Yazhou Wu, the Company’s Chief Operating Officer and Chief Technology Officer, as the new Director. The Board has also appointed Mr. Shen Cao, the current Vice President of Investment Relations, as the new CFO.
Mr. Shen Cao joined the Company in May 2025 as Vice President of Investment Relations. Prior to joining YXT.com, Mr. Cao served as the Deputy Chairman of the Board in Topsperity Securities Asset Management Co., Ltd. from June 2023 to April 2025. Mr. Cao holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Civil Engineering from Tsinghua University.
About YXT.com YXT.com (NASDAQ: YXT) is a technology company focusing on enterprise productivity solutions. With a mission to “Empower people and organization development through technology,” The Company strives to become the supreme provider in building and boosting enterprise productivity by combining over a decade of experience in tech-enabled talent learning and development and with AI-augmented task copilots and unleashing the power of knowledge and synergy. Since its inception, YXT.com has supported and received recognition from numerous Global and China Fortune 500 companies.
YXT.com operates its business in China through “Jiangsu Radnova Intelligence Technology Co., Ltd.,” formerly known as “Jiangsu Yunxuetang Network Technology Co., Ltd.”. YXT.com has established an entity in Singapore to serve as a headquarter for its overseas business to be conducted in the future, with the “Radnova” trademark to serve international markets.
Safe Harbor Statement This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Company’s beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, and a number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “target,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “potential,” “continue,” “is/are likely to”, or other similar expressions. Further information regarding these and other risks, uncertainties or factors is included in the Company’s filings with the SEC. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and the Company does not undertake any duty to update such information, except as required under applicable law.
Contact Robin Yang ICR, LLC YXT.IR@icrinc.com +1 (646) 405-4883
SUZHOU, China, June 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — YXT.com Group Holding Limited (NASDAQ: YXT) (“YXT.com” or the “Company”), a provider of AI-enabled enterprise productivity solutions, today announced that Mr. Pun Leung Liu has notified the board of directors of the Company (the “Board”) of his decision to resign from his position as a Director and Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”) of the Company, effective June 30, 2025, due to personal reasons.
Mr. Liu’s resignation did not result from any disagreement or dispute with the Company, the Board, or the Company’s management regarding any matter relating to the Company’s operations, policies, or practices.
Following Mr. Liu’s resignation, the Board has appointed Mr. Yazhou Wu, the Company’s Chief Operating Officer and Chief Technology Officer, as the new Director. The Board has also appointed Mr. Shen Cao, the current Vice President of Investment Relations, as the new CFO.
Mr. Shen Cao joined the Company in May 2025 as Vice President of Investment Relations. Prior to joining YXT.com, Mr. Cao served as the Deputy Chairman of the Board in Topsperity Securities Asset Management Co., Ltd. from June 2023 to April 2025. Mr. Cao holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Civil Engineering from Tsinghua University.
About YXT.com YXT.com (NASDAQ: YXT) is a technology company focusing on enterprise productivity solutions. With a mission to “Empower people and organization development through technology,” The Company strives to become the supreme provider in building and boosting enterprise productivity by combining over a decade of experience in tech-enabled talent learning and development and with AI-augmented task copilots and unleashing the power of knowledge and synergy. Since its inception, YXT.com has supported and received recognition from numerous Global and China Fortune 500 companies.
YXT.com operates its business in China through “Jiangsu Radnova Intelligence Technology Co., Ltd.,” formerly known as “Jiangsu Yunxuetang Network Technology Co., Ltd.”. YXT.com has established an entity in Singapore to serve as a headquarter for its overseas business to be conducted in the future, with the “Radnova” trademark to serve international markets.
Safe Harbor Statement This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Company’s beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, and a number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “target,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “potential,” “continue,” “is/are likely to”, or other similar expressions. Further information regarding these and other risks, uncertainties or factors is included in the Company’s filings with the SEC. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and the Company does not undertake any duty to update such information, except as required under applicable law.
Contact Robin Yang ICR, LLC YXT.IR@icrinc.com +1 (646) 405-4883
JACKSONVILLE, Fla., June 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Chang Robotics Fund, a venture capital firm founded by Matthew Chang and a team of seasoned experts in automation, manufacturing, and finance, is thrilled to announce its initial capital deployment. With a mission to reinvigorate American manufacturing and automation, the Fund is now fully operational and actively investing in U.S.-based innovations.
The Fund’s inaugural cohort, The First Five, includes Kodiak Technologies, Curabotics, Green Corridors, GO-Eco, and OXOS Medical. Each company represents a significant step forward in transforming America’s construction, healthcare, and sustainability endeavors.
While the Fund ultimately aims to raise $50 million to invest in at least 15 visionary companies, this initial deployment of capital provides the necessary momentum to begin making impactful investments. The window remains open for additional accredited investors to join and participate in this groundbreaking journey.
“The First Five are more than just portfolio companies— they represent the ‘tip of the iceberg’ for the very best innovations for 2025. We’re investing in a future where American-made once again means world-class,” said Matthew Chang, Founder and General Partner.
The First Five Deployments
Kodiak Technologies is at the forefront of innovation, having developed the world’s most powerful electric snow removal vehicle, which also serves as a mobile power plant to support airports. These next-generation electric vehicles combine unmatched durability, high performance, and cutting-edge technology to deliver powerful snow removal while reducing environmental impact.
Curabotics is a robotics, automation, and engineering company dedicated to designing solutions that enhance hospital operational efficiency and alleviate the burden on medical professionals. Their most recent deployment of Nurse-Assist bots in a top hospital alleviated 15% of the average nurse’s daily workload spent on non-clinical tasks.
Green Corridors – Recently featured in The Wall Street Journal – is a high-speed, autonomous freight system that reroutes cargo off congested roads onto elevated guideways, combining robotic automation with national security-grade scanning to deliver faster, cleaner, and more secure logistics.
GO-Eco is a sustainable materials startup founded through a collaboration between Chang Robotics and Northwestern University. The company focuses on replacing harmful “forever chemicals” like PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) in food packaging with a compostable, graphene oxide-based coating.
OXOS Medical is a medical technology company, specializing in portable, AI-enhanced X-ray imaging systems designed to bring radiographic diagnostics directly to the point of care. OXOS aims to enable faster decisions, reduce radiation exposure, and improve care where it matters most.
This is Only the Beginning
This first capital deployment is only the beginning. It is not too late for accredited investors to take advantage of this opportunity. The Fund remains open to new capital, and the mission to reshape American industry is still unfolding.
About the Chang Robotics Fund
The Chang Robotics Fund is America’s premier manufacturing-tech investment company, investing in seed to early-growth stage robotics, automation, energy, and industrial AI. Founded by engineering leader Matthew Chang, PE, and backed by a top-tier technical team, the Fund brings a builder’s mindset to early-stage investing, backing companies that are reshaping American industry. With extensive experience in factory automation, smart infrastructure, and sustainability, the Fund offers more than just funding: it provides hands-on engineering and operational support to help founders move from prototype to production.
Disclaimer: This press release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities. Investment activities in the Chang Robotics Fund’s portfolio companies mentioned herein involve risk and are intended to be made in compliance with applicable law. Potential investors should seek independent legal, tax, and financial advice before making any investment decisions.
Kumar Venkitanarayanan, professor of animal science, has been named interim dean for the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (CAHNR).
“Dr. Venkitanarayanan is deeply committed to the success of CAHNR, its people, and the communities it serves,” said UConn Provost Anne D’Alleva in a message to the College announcing Venkitanarayanan’s appointment. “I am grateful to him for stepping into this role and for the continuity and leadership he will provide during this period of transition.”
Venkitanarayanan is a leader in the field of egg and poultry meat safety. Venkitanarayanan’s research focuses on developing novel, organic antimicrobials to combat foodborne pathogens in an age of antibiotic resistance. Venkitanarayanan is currently leading a $10 million USDA-NIFA grant focused on sustainable poultry production with objectives to improve bird, human, and environmental health.
Venkitanarayanan previously served as CAHNR senior associate dean for research and graduate studies. Venkitanarayanan played a key role in establishing formal connections with Indian universities creating opportunities for student and faculty in both countries. In 2021, Venkitanarayanan was named a fellow of the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT).
Venkitanarayanan will serve in this position while the College completes a national search to fill the position permanently. This transition follows former Dean Indrajeet Chaubey’s departure from the University. Chaubey served as dean for six years and is now Provost at the University of Arkansas. Ock Chun, professor in the Department of Nutritional Science, will serve as interim associate dean for research and graduate studies during Venkitanarayanan’s term as interim dean. Her term begins August 24, 2025.
“I am honored to support the teaching, research, and extension mission at CAHNR,” says Venkitanarayanan. “I am excited to continue to seek creative strategies to elevate CAHNR’s unique strengths and amplify our impactful programs that reach all of Connecticut’s cities and towns, as well as communities around the world.”
By the end of the year, Erin Leigh Boughamer will have attended more the 50 weddings – 31 of them in 2025 and all of them since 2022.
It’s not that a tribe of friends are spontaneously making trips down the aisle, or even children of friends or friends of her children. It’s not that she’s stuck in a loop of invite after invite, caught in some practical joke or on a list of reception seat fillers.
Boughamer ’94 (SFA) is an event painter, a wedding artist who now makes a living by focusing on flowers and gowns, first dances and first looks. The artwork she produces for each couple is the gift of a lifetime, keepsakes meant to endure until death do they part.
At least one time, though, she was the gift, when a groom-to-be arranged for her to live-paint their first private dance as a token of affection for his bride.
Erin Leigh Boughamer ’94 (SFA) is a live event painter who has 31 weddings booked this year. (Contributed art)
“She started crying,” Boughamer says of the reveal. “The bride was walking through the reception room before the guests came in to look around at everything she had chosen for their decorations. She walked up to me thinking I was with the venue, when he looked at her and said, ‘This is my gift to you.’ Witnessing that beautiful little moment between the two of them was precious, and one I won’t soon forget.”
When Boughamer left UConn three decades ago with a degree in graphic design from the School of Fine Arts, event painting hadn’t yet become part of bridal vocabulary. People talked about videographers and photographers to document the day, not painters to encapsulate a single moment.
To ask her back then if she foresaw herself with a wardrobe of dressy pantsuits, each with at least a little dollop of acrylic paint on them, she’d have said no way. Then again, she might have said no way to some of the other professions she’s held along the way.
House stager. Interior designer. Children’s clothing designer. Private art teacher. Crafter on the green. Marketer. Public school teacher. Business owner. Entrepreneur. Gallery artist.
There might even be more, as she dabbled in small creative outlets through the years while staying home to raise her children. The last few, however, have been the most influential on her work today, all coming over the last 12 years as she set out on an unintentional quest to find her spark.
Reigniting That Flame
“Every time I go in the studio, whether I’m cleaning and organizing it, drawing and painting, or simply making sketches that aren’t a beautiful end product, just doing something, anything, I come out happy every single time,” Boughamer says. “I think we’re all like that. We all need to have some form of expression. We’ve gotten to the point where life is all work, family, house chores, go to bed, and do it again. We don’t allow ourselves the time or the space to express ourselves or be creative. I think even the simplest act of creating can keep us sane.”
Around 2013, Boughamer moved into the workforce full time when her two kids were older and took a job in network marketing selling health and wellness products, a job that was far from the world of art but nonetheless important to her future.
It’s where she learned branding, public speaking, and sales pitching. She learned how to approach people and how to talk to them. She learned how to sell someone something by sharing her story and building relationships. These were business skills that hadn’t been offered before, and it was a job that inadvertently gave her a business education.
So, when she came across the then-burgeoning paint-and-sip industry – those popular paint nights that usually involve a group of people noshing on hors d’oeurves and sipping beverages while being guided through a painting project – she’d gained the business know-how to move ahead with her own.
Paint Sip Fun became a near overnight success, Boughamer says, with she and 30 part-timers teaching sometimes two to three classes a day at restaurants, banquet halls, private residences, bars, and other places all around Connecticut and Massachusetts.
One class drew 198 students and required 10 assistants – and was the best time ever, she says.
What really makes my heart sing is that person coming in, saying, ‘I can’t even draw a straight line,’ and walking out two hours later saying, ‘I did that.’ That’s what really makes me happy, helping others to reignite that creative flame that lies dormant inside most of us. — Erin Leigh Boughamer ’94 (SFA)
“What really makes my heart sing is that person coming in, saying, ‘I can’t even draw a straight line,’ and walking out two hours later saying, ‘I did that.’ That’s what really makes me happy, helping others to reignite that creative flame that lies dormant inside most of us,” she says.
Back when she was selling health products, there was a point when Boughamer asked herself why that job. Was it to just to make money? Was it just to pay the bills? Was it to sharpen a business acumen? The answer boiled down to something pretty simple.
She found fulfillment in empowering others, whether to transform their bodies or draw a straight line.
“If you don’t have that drive, that passion, that fire, you’re going to fizzle out. I want to make an impact on other people’s lives,” she says of her impulse. “I want the woman who hasn’t done art since the third grade be amazed by what she’s created at the end of a class.”
Even as the pandemic put a temporary end to in-person group classes, each night for three months Boughamer got on social media at 6 p.m. to talk people through an art project with supplies they had at home.
This is how you can draw with a crayon. Here’s what a marker can do. Do you have a pencil? It’s a dream tool for blending and shading.
That maintained her clientele, who when they left their houses as pandemic restrictions lifted, clamored for her to open a physical studio, and while she did in Somers for about 18 months, Boughamer’s own life had taken a turn.
She’d gone back to school to earn a teaching degree and by now was working with school-aged children. Running a physical location while working full time proved incompatible, so she returned to the flexibility of a mobile paint-and-sip model.
And then, lightning struck while leading a class for a bridal party.
Taking It Seriously
“’Can you live paint my wedding?’” Boughamer says the bride-to-be asked her. “I was confused. ‘What are you talking about?’ She explained it to me, showed me pictures, and I agreed. Then, a couple people randomly found me in 2023, probably from a social post, and last year I decided to give it a go. 2024 was really my first year in the event painting business, as that’s when I created a website and started marketing at bridal shows.”
Last year brought her to 18 weddings, earning enough to outpace what she made as a public school teacher. This year has her at 31 weddings – three over Memorial Day weekend alone – and now contemplating whether to shift her professional efforts solely to Paint Sip Fun and Event Painting by Erin, along with some gallery work.
Erin Leigh Boughamer ’94 (SFA) is a live event painter who has 31 weddings booked this year. (Contributed art)
She also paints live at fundraisers and charity auctions, with her first on Nantucket last summer for the Great Harbor Yacht Club Foundation to help with its efforts to preserve Nantucket Harbor.
“It’s not that I don’t like teaching in schools, I do, I just want to build the businesses properly. I want to really set the foundation and proper business structure,” she says, adding that she’s on the hunt for a business coach to help.
Art was something gifted to Boughamer in part through genetics. Her grandmother: artist. Aunt: artist. Mom: crafty. Dad: encouraging, with a side of business savvy.
She started at UConn as a psychology major, earning a D and D- in those first two intro classes, mostly because she wasn’t interested in the subject matter. But her GPA was bolstered by the A+ in the elective art class she took.
“When I got home after freshman year, my dad sat me down and asked me why I wasn’t doing something with art. ‘Clearly, you’re good at it. You got an A+ in your elective drawing class. Why don’t you take it seriously?’ I looked at him and said, ‘I can do that?’ I didn’t know I could. From then on, it never stopped,” she says.
A couple years ago, Boughamer says she started to get restless and sought to find her art, the work that would show the world the contradictory bohemian and reserved parts of her personality, born of the free spirit side of her dad and the pearls-and-heels influence of her mom.
Erin Leigh Boughamer ’94 (SFA) exhibited her painting series, “Calming Chaos,” at The Jorgensen Gallery in March. (Courtesy of Molly Mia Photography & Film LLC)
The series that developed, “Calming Chaos,” puts on canvas her love for architectural, geometric shapes alongside a freeform, almost carefree style of painting. After hours, in her studio at home in Hampden, Massachusetts, she says one could find her literally throwing paint one minute and the next sitting with a ruler and compass.
“I had this series almost done, and I thought how poignant it would be if I could show it at the place where my whole art career began,” she says, explaining she called Emily Murray, alumni relations director at the UConn Foundation, with whom she’d worked before, to ask if UConn had a place.
The Jorgensen Gallery agreed, and in March, Boughamer, as Fine Art by Erin, returned to her alma mater as a gallery artist, having created several canvas pieces as large as 5-by-6-feet as showstoppers. She sold four artworks from the show to collectors in New York City.
The opening fed her soul, and now she’s in the thick of wedding season.
Capturing a Moment
“It’s kind of a throwback to the old days,” she says of live wedding painting. “Before the camera was invented, all couples had to remember their day was a painting. It’s almost full circle that way. Brides these days want an heirloom keepsake and instead of having a photo like we had, it’s a painting.”
Live wedding painting, while somewhat a new add-on to weddings in the Northeast, started to migrate from California about a decade ago, Boughamer says, working its way through the country, artist by artist, who now talk shop on social media about things like contract language and technique.
With her couples, though, Boughamer talks about what moment they want to preserve, but the answer to that oftentimes comes only after answering the second question.
Is it important to include the bride’s bouquet in the painting? If so, then the first dance in which the couple would be holding each other and not likely the bouquet, probably is out of contention. Is grandma’s pearl necklace an important detail? If so, the back of the couple’s heads or even a side view at the altar probably wouldn’t work so well.
Is there a visible tattoo that ought not be overlooked? Should the dogs somehow be set in the scene? How much of the architecture and décor of the barn, ballroom, reception hall, church, outdoor garden should be in the background? The bride has on a cape not a veil. Yes, the cape should be included, how can that be best emphasized?
“I ask these things for two reasons. First, this is something the couple is going to stare at the rest of their lives. Second, the very first bride was very particular and knew she wanted the dipping kiss pose because she was wearing Christian Louboutin red-bottom shoes and wanted them in the painting,” Boughamer says. “The painting has to be really tailored to exactly what the couple is looking for.”
Erin Leigh Boughamer ’94 (SFA) is a live event painter who has 26 weddings booked this year. She not only paints the wedding couple but also can sketch guest portraits. (Contributed art)
The betrothed also must decide if they want any of the other painting options Boughamer offers – guest paintings, 5-by-7-inch watercolor illustrations of each guest often given as favors, and collaborative paintings that engage the artistic efforts of guests in a sort of paint by number kind of way.
In one instance, the couple had restored an old truck together and mentioned to Boughamer there’s a special dirt road where they like to take it. So, she grabbed photos of the road and the truck and painted the focal point of the truck in the piece, sectioning off the rest of the canvas into little blocks for each guest to contribute.
One by one, she gives each guest an art lesson, handing them a palette of paint and instructing them exactly how to layer it on. Nervous guests who can’t even draw a straight line are reassured: it’s a very small area; no, they can’t mess it up. She won’t put red paint on the palette for a guest who’s painting the water in a beach scene.
An added bonus is a photograph of each guest in the act, pictures added to a guest-autographed book and given to the couple.
Boughamer relies on photographs for much of her live event work, taking pictures of the dogs to add in later, or the gardens, or the mountains in the distance, because most of the canvases get finished back in her studio – another 20 to 40 hours of work ahead.
“Some weddings are more quiet and more subdued, while some are just a flat-out party,” she says. “I enjoy all of them because I like being with people and interacting with guests. I have yet to be at a wedding where someone didn’t come talk to me and express amazement by what I do.”
Usually, guests remark that they can’t wait to see the final product, and since that’ll likely happen back in the studio, she gives blank note cards depicting the piece to each couple for use as thank yous.
People have an intrinsic desire to be creative, she says. Just watching a painting being done in real-time can be invigorating; it’s like watching the birth of something from nothing.
“We are creative creatures whether you’re creating dinner, creating a garden, creating a spreadsheet, or creating an outfit for the day. Everyone creates something, it doesn’t matter what. It’s our human nature to create,” she says.
LIMERICK, Ireland, June 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — kneat.com, inc. (TSX: KSI) (OTCQC: KSIOF), a leader in digitizing and automating validation and quality processes, announces a change to its senior leadership team.
Hugh Kavanagh, our CFO, is retiring from Kneat to spend more time pursuing other interests. We wish him the very best for the future. During his time at Kneat, Hugh contributed significantly to our success, helping the Company to grow to its current level and building a strong finance team. We have very much enjoyed working with Hugh and will miss his valuable contributions, his friendship and ongoing financial guidance at all levels within the Company.
Dave O’Reilly will join the Kneat team as our new CFO on July 7th. Most recently, Dave served as CFO at Ekco for seven years. During his time there he helped scale this fast-growing cloud business from a start up to $200 million in annual revenue. He was responsible for directing financial strategy and operations, driving rapid business growth, and establishing Ekco as a market leader in the European Managed Security Service space. He built and led high-performing finance, accounting, and FP&A teams, fostering a culture of accountability and strategic alignment. Prior to his time at Ekco he served as the international controller for a $4 billion-SaaS business, Consensus Cloud Solutions/Ziff Davis Inc., formerly J2 Global. Dave holds a BA in Accounting and Finance from Dublin City University and is a licensed CPA.
Dave will partner with Hugh for a period of one month – to ensure a smooth transition, and Hugh’s final day with the company will be Friday, August 8th.
“I’d like to thank Hugh and our finance team for their continued dedication to Kneat and trust in their combined leadership to ensure a smooth transition in the coming months,” said Eddie Ryan, Kneat CEO. “I look forward to working with Dave, I’m confident he will have a considerable impact, as we continue to scale the value we deliver for Life Sciences.”
About Kneat
Kneat Solutions provides leading companies in highly regulated industries with unparalleled efficiency in validation and compliance through its digital validation platform Kneat Gx. As an industry leader in customer satisfaction, Kneat boasts an excellent record for implementation, powered by our user-friendly design, expert support, and on-demand training academy. Kneat Gx is an industry-leading digital validation platform that enables highly regulated companies to manage any validation discipline from end-to-end. Kneat Gx is fully ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 certified, fully validated, and 21 CFR Part 11/Annex 11 compliant. Multiple independent customer studies show up to 40% reduction in documentation cycle times, up to 20% faster speed to market, and a higher compliance standard.
Cautionary and Forward-Looking Statements
Except for the statements of historical fact contained herein, certain information presented constitutes “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Such forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, the relationship between Kneat and the customer, Kneat’s business development activities, the use and implementation timelines of Kneat’s software within the customer’s validation processes, the ability and intent of the customer to scale the use of Kneat’s software within the customer’s organization, and the compliance of Kneat’s platform under regulatory audit and inspection. While such forward-looking statements are expressed by Kneat, as stated in this release, in good faith and believed by Kneat to have a reasonable basis, they are subject to important risks and uncertainties. As a result of these risks and uncertainties, the events predicted in these forward-looking statements may differ materially from actual results or events. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, given that they involve risks and uncertainties.
Kneat does not undertake any obligation to release publicly revisions to any forward-looking statement, except as may be required under applicable securities laws. Investors should not assume that any lack of update to a previously issued forward-looking statement constitutes a reaffirmation of that statement. Continued reliance on forward-looking statements is at an investor’s own risk.
LIMERICK, Ireland, June 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — kneat.com, inc. (TSX: KSI) (OTCQC: KSIOF), a leader in digitizing and automating validation and quality processes, announces a change to its senior leadership team.
Hugh Kavanagh, our CFO, is retiring from Kneat to spend more time pursuing other interests. We wish him the very best for the future. During his time at Kneat, Hugh contributed significantly to our success, helping the Company to grow to its current level and building a strong finance team. We have very much enjoyed working with Hugh and will miss his valuable contributions, his friendship and ongoing financial guidance at all levels within the Company.
Dave O’Reilly will join the Kneat team as our new CFO on July 7th. Most recently, Dave served as CFO at Ekco for seven years. During his time there he helped scale this fast-growing cloud business from a start up to $200 million in annual revenue. He was responsible for directing financial strategy and operations, driving rapid business growth, and establishing Ekco as a market leader in the European Managed Security Service space. He built and led high-performing finance, accounting, and FP&A teams, fostering a culture of accountability and strategic alignment. Prior to his time at Ekco he served as the international controller for a $4 billion-SaaS business, Consensus Cloud Solutions/Ziff Davis Inc., formerly J2 Global. Dave holds a BA in Accounting and Finance from Dublin City University and is a licensed CPA.
Dave will partner with Hugh for a period of one month – to ensure a smooth transition, and Hugh’s final day with the company will be Friday, August 8th.
“I’d like to thank Hugh and our finance team for their continued dedication to Kneat and trust in their combined leadership to ensure a smooth transition in the coming months,” said Eddie Ryan, Kneat CEO. “I look forward to working with Dave, I’m confident he will have a considerable impact, as we continue to scale the value we deliver for Life Sciences.”
About Kneat
Kneat Solutions provides leading companies in highly regulated industries with unparalleled efficiency in validation and compliance through its digital validation platform Kneat Gx. As an industry leader in customer satisfaction, Kneat boasts an excellent record for implementation, powered by our user-friendly design, expert support, and on-demand training academy. Kneat Gx is an industry-leading digital validation platform that enables highly regulated companies to manage any validation discipline from end-to-end. Kneat Gx is fully ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 certified, fully validated, and 21 CFR Part 11/Annex 11 compliant. Multiple independent customer studies show up to 40% reduction in documentation cycle times, up to 20% faster speed to market, and a higher compliance standard.
Cautionary and Forward-Looking Statements
Except for the statements of historical fact contained herein, certain information presented constitutes “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Such forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, the relationship between Kneat and the customer, Kneat’s business development activities, the use and implementation timelines of Kneat’s software within the customer’s validation processes, the ability and intent of the customer to scale the use of Kneat’s software within the customer’s organization, and the compliance of Kneat’s platform under regulatory audit and inspection. While such forward-looking statements are expressed by Kneat, as stated in this release, in good faith and believed by Kneat to have a reasonable basis, they are subject to important risks and uncertainties. As a result of these risks and uncertainties, the events predicted in these forward-looking statements may differ materially from actual results or events. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, given that they involve risks and uncertainties.
Kneat does not undertake any obligation to release publicly revisions to any forward-looking statement, except as may be required under applicable securities laws. Investors should not assume that any lack of update to a previously issued forward-looking statement constitutes a reaffirmation of that statement. Continued reliance on forward-looking statements is at an investor’s own risk.
LIMERICK, Ireland, June 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — kneat.com, inc. (TSX: KSI) (OTCQC: KSIOF), a leader in digitizing and automating validation and quality processes, announces a change to its senior leadership team.
Hugh Kavanagh, our CFO, is retiring from Kneat to spend more time pursuing other interests. We wish him the very best for the future. During his time at Kneat, Hugh contributed significantly to our success, helping the Company to grow to its current level and building a strong finance team. We have very much enjoyed working with Hugh and will miss his valuable contributions, his friendship and ongoing financial guidance at all levels within the Company.
Dave O’Reilly will join the Kneat team as our new CFO on July 7th. Most recently, Dave served as CFO at Ekco for seven years. During his time there he helped scale this fast-growing cloud business from a start up to $200 million in annual revenue. He was responsible for directing financial strategy and operations, driving rapid business growth, and establishing Ekco as a market leader in the European Managed Security Service space. He built and led high-performing finance, accounting, and FP&A teams, fostering a culture of accountability and strategic alignment. Prior to his time at Ekco he served as the international controller for a $4 billion-SaaS business, Consensus Cloud Solutions/Ziff Davis Inc., formerly J2 Global. Dave holds a BA in Accounting and Finance from Dublin City University and is a licensed CPA.
Dave will partner with Hugh for a period of one month – to ensure a smooth transition, and Hugh’s final day with the company will be Friday, August 8th.
“I’d like to thank Hugh and our finance team for their continued dedication to Kneat and trust in their combined leadership to ensure a smooth transition in the coming months,” said Eddie Ryan, Kneat CEO. “I look forward to working with Dave, I’m confident he will have a considerable impact, as we continue to scale the value we deliver for Life Sciences.”
About Kneat
Kneat Solutions provides leading companies in highly regulated industries with unparalleled efficiency in validation and compliance through its digital validation platform Kneat Gx. As an industry leader in customer satisfaction, Kneat boasts an excellent record for implementation, powered by our user-friendly design, expert support, and on-demand training academy. Kneat Gx is an industry-leading digital validation platform that enables highly regulated companies to manage any validation discipline from end-to-end. Kneat Gx is fully ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 certified, fully validated, and 21 CFR Part 11/Annex 11 compliant. Multiple independent customer studies show up to 40% reduction in documentation cycle times, up to 20% faster speed to market, and a higher compliance standard.
Cautionary and Forward-Looking Statements
Except for the statements of historical fact contained herein, certain information presented constitutes “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Such forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, the relationship between Kneat and the customer, Kneat’s business development activities, the use and implementation timelines of Kneat’s software within the customer’s validation processes, the ability and intent of the customer to scale the use of Kneat’s software within the customer’s organization, and the compliance of Kneat’s platform under regulatory audit and inspection. While such forward-looking statements are expressed by Kneat, as stated in this release, in good faith and believed by Kneat to have a reasonable basis, they are subject to important risks and uncertainties. As a result of these risks and uncertainties, the events predicted in these forward-looking statements may differ materially from actual results or events. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, given that they involve risks and uncertainties.
Kneat does not undertake any obligation to release publicly revisions to any forward-looking statement, except as may be required under applicable securities laws. Investors should not assume that any lack of update to a previously issued forward-looking statement constitutes a reaffirmation of that statement. Continued reliance on forward-looking statements is at an investor’s own risk.
The NGO Coalition on Human Rights in Fiji (NGOCHR) has called on Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka as the new chair of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) to “uphold justice, stability and security” for Kanaky New Caledonia and West Papua.
In a statement today after last week’s MSG leaders’ summit in Suva, the coalition also warned over Indonesia’s “chequebook diplomacy” as an obstacle for the self-determination aspirations of Melanesian peoples not yet independent.
Indonesia is a controversial associate member of the MSG in what is widely seen in the region as a “complication” for the regional Melanesian body.
The statement said that with Rabuka’s “extensive experience as a seasoned statesman in the Pacific, we hope that this second chapter will chart a different course, one rooted in genuine commitment to uphold justice, stability and security for all our Melanesian brothers and sisters in Kanaky New Caledonia and West Papua”.
The coalition said the summit’s theme, “A peaceful and prosperous Melanesia”, served as a reminder that even after several decades of regional bilaterals, “our Melanesian leaders have made little to no progress in fulfilling its purpose in the region — to support the independence and sovereignty of all Melanesians”.
“Fiji, as incoming chair, inherits the unfinished work of the MSG. As rightly stated by the late great Father Walter Lini, ‘We will not be free until all of Melanesia is free”, the statement said.
“The challenges for Fiji’s chair to meet the goals of the MSG are complex and made more complicated by the inclusion of Indonesia as an associate member in 2015.
‘Indonesia active repression’ “Indonesia plays an active role in the ongoing repression of West Papuans in their desire for independence. Their associate member status provides a particular obstacle for Fiji as chair in furthering the self-determination goals of the MSG.”
Complicating matters further was the asymmetry in the relationship between Indonesia and the rest of the MSG members, the statement said.
“As a donor government and emerging economic power, Indonesia’s ‘chequebook and cultural diplomacy’ continues to wield significant influence across the region.
“Its status as an associate member of the MSG raises serious concerns about whether it is appropriate, as this pathway risks further marginalising the voices of our West Papuan sisters and brothers.”
This defeated the “whole purpose of the MSG: ‘Excelling together towards a progressive and prosperous Melanesia’.”
The coalition acknowledged Rabuka’s longstanding commitment to the people of Kanaky New Caledonia. A relationship and shared journey that had been forged since 1989.
‘Stark reminder’ The pro-independence riots of May 2024 served as a “stark reminder that much work remains to be done to realise the full aspirations of the Kanak people”.
As the Pacific awaited a “hopeful and favourable outcome” from the Troika Plus mission to Kanaky New Caledonia, the coalition said that it trusted Rabuka to “carry forward the voices, struggles, dreams and enduring aspirations of the people of Kanaky New Caledonia”.
The statement called on Rabuka as the new chair of MSG to:
Ensure the core founding values, and mission of the MSG are upheld;
Re-evaluate Indonesia’s appropriateness as an associate member of the MSG; and
Elevate discussions on West Papua and Kanaky New Caledonia at the MSG level and through discussions at the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders.
The Fiji NGO Coalition on Human Rights (NGOCHR) represents the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre (chair), Fiji Women’s Rights Movement, Citizens’ Constitutional Forum, femLINKpacific, Social Empowerment and Education Program, and Diverse Voices and Action (DIVA) for Equality Fiji. Pacific Network on Globalisation (PANG) is an observer.
The 1,100-page bill would slash incentives for green technologies such as solar, wind, batteries, electric cars and heat pumps while subsidizing existing nuclear power plants and biofuels. That would leave the country and its people burning more fossil fuels despite strong popular and scientific support for a rapid shift to renewable energy.
The bill may still be revised by the Senate before it moves to a final vote. But it is a picture of how President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans want to reshape U.S. energy policy.
As an environmental engineering professor who studies ways to confront climate change, I think it is important to distinguish which technologies could rapidly cut emissions or are on the verge of becoming viable from those that do little to fight climate change. Unfortunately, the House bill favors the latter while nixing support for the former.
However, the House bill rescinds billions of dollars that the Inflation Reduction Act, enacted in 2022, devoted to boosting domestic manufacturing and deployments of renewable energy and batteries.
Deployments would be hit even harder. Wind, solar, geothermal and battery projects would need to commence construction within 60 days of passage of the bill to receive tax credits.
In addition, the bill would deny tax credits to projects that use Chinese-made components. Financial analysts have called those provisions “unworkable,” since some Chinese materials may be necessary even for projects built with as much domestic content as possible.
Wind turbines and solar panels generate renewable energy side by side near Palm Springs, Calif. Mario Tama/Getty Images
Efficiency and electric cars
Cuts fall even harder on Americans who are trying to reduce their carbon footprints and energy costs. The bill repeals aid for home efficiency improvements such as heat pumps, efficient windows and energy audits. Homeowners would also lose tax credits for installing solar panels and batteries.
For vehicles, the bill would not only repeal tax credits for electric cars, trucks and chargers, but it also would impose a federal $250 annual fee on vehicles, on top of fees that some states charge electric-car owners. The federal fee is more than the gas taxes paid by other drivers to fund highways and ignores air-quality and climate effects.
For new nuclear plants, the bill would move up the deadline to 2028 to begin construction. That deadline is too soon for some new reactor designs and would rush the vetting of others. Nuclear safety regulators are awaiting a study from the National Academies on the weapons proliferation risks of the type of uranium fuel that some developers hope to use in newer designs.
The House-passed bill would protect government subsidies for existing nuclear power plants, like the one in the background, while limiting support for wind turbines. Scott Olson/Getty Images
The bill would end tax credits for hydrogen production. Without that support, companies will be unlikely to invest in the seven so-called “hydrogen hubs” that were allocated a combined $8 billion under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in 2021. Those hubs aim to attract $40 billion in private investments and create tens of thousands of jobs while developing cleaner ways to make hydrogen.
The repealed tax credits would have subsidized hydrogen made emissions-free by using renewable or nuclear electricity to split water molecules. They also would have subsidized hydrogen made from natural gas with carbon capture, whose benefits are impaired by methane emissions from natural gas systems and incomplete carbon capture.
As Congress deliberates on the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the nation’s energy agenda is one of many issues being hotly debated. Kevin Carter/Getty Images
Summing it up
The conservative Tax Foundation estimates that the House bill would cut the Inflation Reduction Act’s clean energy tax credits by about half, saving the government $50 billion a year. But with fewer efficiency improvements, fewer electric vehicles and less clean power on the grid, Princeton’s Jenkins projects American households would pay up to $415 more per year for energy by 2035 than if the bill’s provisions were not enacted. If the bill’s provisions make it into law, the extra fossil fuel-burning would leave annual U.S. greenhouse gas emissions 1 billion tons higher by then.
No one expected former President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act to escape unscathed with Republicans in the White House and dominating both houses of Congress. Still, the proposed cuts target the technologies Americans count on to protect the climate and save consumers money.
Daniel Cohan receives funding from the Carbon Hub at Rice University.
The 1,100-page bill would slash incentives for green technologies such as solar, wind, batteries, electric cars and heat pumps while subsidizing existing nuclear power plants and biofuels. That would leave the country and its people burning more fossil fuels despite strong popular and scientific support for a rapid shift to renewable energy.
The bill may still be revised by the Senate before it moves to a final vote. But it is a picture of how President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans want to reshape U.S. energy policy.
As an environmental engineering professor who studies ways to confront climate change, I think it is important to distinguish which technologies could rapidly cut emissions or are on the verge of becoming viable from those that do little to fight climate change. Unfortunately, the House bill favors the latter while nixing support for the former.
However, the House bill rescinds billions of dollars that the Inflation Reduction Act, enacted in 2022, devoted to boosting domestic manufacturing and deployments of renewable energy and batteries.
Deployments would be hit even harder. Wind, solar, geothermal and battery projects would need to commence construction within 60 days of passage of the bill to receive tax credits.
In addition, the bill would deny tax credits to projects that use Chinese-made components. Financial analysts have called those provisions “unworkable,” since some Chinese materials may be necessary even for projects built with as much domestic content as possible.
Wind turbines and solar panels generate renewable energy side by side near Palm Springs, Calif. Mario Tama/Getty Images
Efficiency and electric cars
Cuts fall even harder on Americans who are trying to reduce their carbon footprints and energy costs. The bill repeals aid for home efficiency improvements such as heat pumps, efficient windows and energy audits. Homeowners would also lose tax credits for installing solar panels and batteries.
For vehicles, the bill would not only repeal tax credits for electric cars, trucks and chargers, but it also would impose a federal $250 annual fee on vehicles, on top of fees that some states charge electric-car owners. The federal fee is more than the gas taxes paid by other drivers to fund highways and ignores air-quality and climate effects.
For new nuclear plants, the bill would move up the deadline to 2028 to begin construction. That deadline is too soon for some new reactor designs and would rush the vetting of others. Nuclear safety regulators are awaiting a study from the National Academies on the weapons proliferation risks of the type of uranium fuel that some developers hope to use in newer designs.
The House-passed bill would protect government subsidies for existing nuclear power plants, like the one in the background, while limiting support for wind turbines. Scott Olson/Getty Images
The bill would end tax credits for hydrogen production. Without that support, companies will be unlikely to invest in the seven so-called “hydrogen hubs” that were allocated a combined $8 billion under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in 2021. Those hubs aim to attract $40 billion in private investments and create tens of thousands of jobs while developing cleaner ways to make hydrogen.
The repealed tax credits would have subsidized hydrogen made emissions-free by using renewable or nuclear electricity to split water molecules. They also would have subsidized hydrogen made from natural gas with carbon capture, whose benefits are impaired by methane emissions from natural gas systems and incomplete carbon capture.
As Congress deliberates on the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the nation’s energy agenda is one of many issues being hotly debated. Kevin Carter/Getty Images
Summing it up
The conservative Tax Foundation estimates that the House bill would cut the Inflation Reduction Act’s clean energy tax credits by about half, saving the government $50 billion a year. But with fewer efficiency improvements, fewer electric vehicles and less clean power on the grid, Princeton’s Jenkins projects American households would pay up to $415 more per year for energy by 2035 than if the bill’s provisions were not enacted. If the bill’s provisions make it into law, the extra fossil fuel-burning would leave annual U.S. greenhouse gas emissions 1 billion tons higher by then.
No one expected former President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act to escape unscathed with Republicans in the White House and dominating both houses of Congress. Still, the proposed cuts target the technologies Americans count on to protect the climate and save consumers money.
Daniel Cohan receives funding from the Carbon Hub at Rice University.
The 1,100-page bill would slash incentives for green technologies such as solar, wind, batteries, electric cars and heat pumps while subsidizing existing nuclear power plants and biofuels. That would leave the country and its people burning more fossil fuels despite strong popular and scientific support for a rapid shift to renewable energy.
The bill may still be revised by the Senate before it moves to a final vote. But it is a picture of how President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans want to reshape U.S. energy policy.
As an environmental engineering professor who studies ways to confront climate change, I think it is important to distinguish which technologies could rapidly cut emissions or are on the verge of becoming viable from those that do little to fight climate change. Unfortunately, the House bill favors the latter while nixing support for the former.
However, the House bill rescinds billions of dollars that the Inflation Reduction Act, enacted in 2022, devoted to boosting domestic manufacturing and deployments of renewable energy and batteries.
Deployments would be hit even harder. Wind, solar, geothermal and battery projects would need to commence construction within 60 days of passage of the bill to receive tax credits.
In addition, the bill would deny tax credits to projects that use Chinese-made components. Financial analysts have called those provisions “unworkable,” since some Chinese materials may be necessary even for projects built with as much domestic content as possible.
Wind turbines and solar panels generate renewable energy side by side near Palm Springs, Calif. Mario Tama/Getty Images
Efficiency and electric cars
Cuts fall even harder on Americans who are trying to reduce their carbon footprints and energy costs. The bill repeals aid for home efficiency improvements such as heat pumps, efficient windows and energy audits. Homeowners would also lose tax credits for installing solar panels and batteries.
For vehicles, the bill would not only repeal tax credits for electric cars, trucks and chargers, but it also would impose a federal $250 annual fee on vehicles, on top of fees that some states charge electric-car owners. The federal fee is more than the gas taxes paid by other drivers to fund highways and ignores air-quality and climate effects.
For new nuclear plants, the bill would move up the deadline to 2028 to begin construction. That deadline is too soon for some new reactor designs and would rush the vetting of others. Nuclear safety regulators are awaiting a study from the National Academies on the weapons proliferation risks of the type of uranium fuel that some developers hope to use in newer designs.
The House-passed bill would protect government subsidies for existing nuclear power plants, like the one in the background, while limiting support for wind turbines. Scott Olson/Getty Images
The bill would end tax credits for hydrogen production. Without that support, companies will be unlikely to invest in the seven so-called “hydrogen hubs” that were allocated a combined $8 billion under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in 2021. Those hubs aim to attract $40 billion in private investments and create tens of thousands of jobs while developing cleaner ways to make hydrogen.
The repealed tax credits would have subsidized hydrogen made emissions-free by using renewable or nuclear electricity to split water molecules. They also would have subsidized hydrogen made from natural gas with carbon capture, whose benefits are impaired by methane emissions from natural gas systems and incomplete carbon capture.
As Congress deliberates on the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the nation’s energy agenda is one of many issues being hotly debated. Kevin Carter/Getty Images
Summing it up
The conservative Tax Foundation estimates that the House bill would cut the Inflation Reduction Act’s clean energy tax credits by about half, saving the government $50 billion a year. But with fewer efficiency improvements, fewer electric vehicles and less clean power on the grid, Princeton’s Jenkins projects American households would pay up to $415 more per year for energy by 2035 than if the bill’s provisions were not enacted. If the bill’s provisions make it into law, the extra fossil fuel-burning would leave annual U.S. greenhouse gas emissions 1 billion tons higher by then.
No one expected former President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act to escape unscathed with Republicans in the White House and dominating both houses of Congress. Still, the proposed cuts target the technologies Americans count on to protect the climate and save consumers money.
Daniel Cohan receives funding from the Carbon Hub at Rice University.
The 1,100-page bill would slash incentives for green technologies such as solar, wind, batteries, electric cars and heat pumps while subsidizing existing nuclear power plants and biofuels. That would leave the country and its people burning more fossil fuels despite strong popular and scientific support for a rapid shift to renewable energy.
The bill may still be revised by the Senate before it moves to a final vote. But it is a picture of how President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans want to reshape U.S. energy policy.
As an environmental engineering professor who studies ways to confront climate change, I think it is important to distinguish which technologies could rapidly cut emissions or are on the verge of becoming viable from those that do little to fight climate change. Unfortunately, the House bill favors the latter while nixing support for the former.
However, the House bill rescinds billions of dollars that the Inflation Reduction Act, enacted in 2022, devoted to boosting domestic manufacturing and deployments of renewable energy and batteries.
Deployments would be hit even harder. Wind, solar, geothermal and battery projects would need to commence construction within 60 days of passage of the bill to receive tax credits.
In addition, the bill would deny tax credits to projects that use Chinese-made components. Financial analysts have called those provisions “unworkable,” since some Chinese materials may be necessary even for projects built with as much domestic content as possible.
Wind turbines and solar panels generate renewable energy side by side near Palm Springs, Calif. Mario Tama/Getty Images
Efficiency and electric cars
Cuts fall even harder on Americans who are trying to reduce their carbon footprints and energy costs. The bill repeals aid for home efficiency improvements such as heat pumps, efficient windows and energy audits. Homeowners would also lose tax credits for installing solar panels and batteries.
For vehicles, the bill would not only repeal tax credits for electric cars, trucks and chargers, but it also would impose a federal $250 annual fee on vehicles, on top of fees that some states charge electric-car owners. The federal fee is more than the gas taxes paid by other drivers to fund highways and ignores air-quality and climate effects.
For new nuclear plants, the bill would move up the deadline to 2028 to begin construction. That deadline is too soon for some new reactor designs and would rush the vetting of others. Nuclear safety regulators are awaiting a study from the National Academies on the weapons proliferation risks of the type of uranium fuel that some developers hope to use in newer designs.
The House-passed bill would protect government subsidies for existing nuclear power plants, like the one in the background, while limiting support for wind turbines. Scott Olson/Getty Images
The bill would end tax credits for hydrogen production. Without that support, companies will be unlikely to invest in the seven so-called “hydrogen hubs” that were allocated a combined $8 billion under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in 2021. Those hubs aim to attract $40 billion in private investments and create tens of thousands of jobs while developing cleaner ways to make hydrogen.
The repealed tax credits would have subsidized hydrogen made emissions-free by using renewable or nuclear electricity to split water molecules. They also would have subsidized hydrogen made from natural gas with carbon capture, whose benefits are impaired by methane emissions from natural gas systems and incomplete carbon capture.
As Congress deliberates on the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the nation’s energy agenda is one of many issues being hotly debated. Kevin Carter/Getty Images
Summing it up
The conservative Tax Foundation estimates that the House bill would cut the Inflation Reduction Act’s clean energy tax credits by about half, saving the government $50 billion a year. But with fewer efficiency improvements, fewer electric vehicles and less clean power on the grid, Princeton’s Jenkins projects American households would pay up to $415 more per year for energy by 2035 than if the bill’s provisions were not enacted. If the bill’s provisions make it into law, the extra fossil fuel-burning would leave annual U.S. greenhouse gas emissions 1 billion tons higher by then.
No one expected former President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act to escape unscathed with Republicans in the White House and dominating both houses of Congress. Still, the proposed cuts target the technologies Americans count on to protect the climate and save consumers money.
Daniel Cohan receives funding from the Carbon Hub at Rice University.
As summer arrives, people are turning on air conditioners in most of the U.S. But if you’re like me, you always feel a little guilty about that. Past generations managed without air conditioning – do I really need it? And how bad is it to use all this electricity for cooling in a warming world?
If I leave my air conditioner off, I get too hot. But if everyone turns on their air conditioner at the same time, electricity demand spikes, which can force power grid operators to activate some of the most expensive, and dirtiest, power plants. Sometimes those spikes can ask too much of the grid and lead to brownouts or blackouts.
Research I recently published with a team of scholars makes me feel a little better, though. We have found that it is possible to coordinate the operation of large numbers of home air-conditioning units, balancing supply and demand on the power grid – and without making people endure high temperatures inside their homes.
Studies along these lines, using remote control of air conditioners to support the grid, have for many years explored theoretical possibilities like this. However, few approaches have been demonstrated in practice and never for such a high-value application and at this scale. The system we developed not only demonstrated the ability to balance the grid on timescales of seconds, but also proved it was possible to do so without affecting residents’ comfort.
The benefits include increasing the reliability of the power grid, which makes it easier for the grid to accept more renewable energy. Our goal is to turn air conditioners from a challenge for the power grid into an asset, supporting a shift away from fossil fuels toward cleaner energy.
Originally, the U.S. electric grid was built to transport electricity from large power plants to customers’ homes and businesses. And originally, power plants were large, centralized operations that burned coal or natural gas, or harvested energy from nuclear reactions. These plants were typically always available and could adjust how much power they generated in response to customer demand, so the grid would be balanced between power coming in from producers and being used by consumers.
But the grid has changed. There are more renewable energy sources, from which power isn’t always available – like solar panels at night or wind turbines on calm days. And there are the devices and equipment I study. These newer options, called “distributed energy resources,” generate or store energy near where consumers need it – or adjust how much energy they’re using in real time.
One aspect of the grid hasn’t changed, though: There’s not much storage built into the system. So every time you turn on a light, for a moment there’s not enough electricity to supply everything that wants it right then: The grid needs a power producer to generate a little more power. And when you turn off a light, there’s a little too much: A power producer needs to ramp down.
The way power plants know what real-time power adjustments are needed is by closely monitoring the grid frequency. The goal is to provide electricity at a constant frequency – 60 hertz – at all times. If more power is needed than is being produced, the frequency drops and a power plant boosts output. If there’s too much power being produced, the frequency rises and a power plant slows production a little. These actions, a process called “frequency regulation,” happen in a matter of seconds to keep the grid balanced.
This output flexibility, primarily from power plants, is key to keeping the lights on for everyone.
I’m interested in how distributed energy resources can improve flexibility in the grid. They can release more energy, or consume less, to respond to the changing supply or demand, and help balance the grid, ensuring the frequency remains near 60 hertz.
Some people fear that doing so might be invasive, giving someone outside your home the ability to control your battery or air conditioner. Therefore, we wanted to see if we could help balance the grid with frequency regulation using home air-conditioning units rather than power plants – without affecting how residents use their appliances or how comfortable they are in their homes.
From 2019 to 2023, my group at the University of Michigan tried this approach, in collaboration with researchers at Pecan Street Inc., Los Alamos National Laboratory and the University of California, Berkeley, with funding from the U.S. Department of Energy Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy.
We recruited 100 homeowners in Austin, Texas, to do a real-world test of our system. All the homes had whole-house forced-air cooling systems, which we connected to custom control boards and sensors the owners allowed us to install in their homes. This equipment let us send instructions to the air-conditioning units based on the frequency of the grid.
Before I explain how the system worked, I first need to explain how thermostats work. When people set thermostats, they pick a temperature, and the thermostat switches the air-conditioning compressor on and off to maintain the air temperature within a small range around that set point. If the temperature is set at 68 degrees, the thermostat turns the AC on when the temperature is, say, 70, and turns it off when it’s cooled down to, say, 66.
Every few seconds, our system slightly changed the timing of air-conditioning compressor switching for some of the 100 air conditioners, causing the units’ aggregate power consumption to change. In this way, our small group of home air conditioners reacted to grid changes the way a power plant would – using more or less energy to balance the grid and keep the frequency near 60 hertz.
Moreover, our system was designed to keep home temperatures within the same small temperature range around the set point.
Smart thermostats could have frequency regulation capabilities available to interested consumers, to help balance the electricity grid. Danielle Mead/iStock/Getty Images Plus
Testing the approach
We ran our system in four tests, each lasting one hour. We found two encouraging results.
First, the air conditioners were able to provide frequency regulation at least as accurately as a traditional power plant. Therefore, we showed that air conditioners could play a significant role in increasing grid flexibility. But perhaps more importantly – at least in terms of encouraging people to participate in these types of systems – we found that we were able to do so without affecting people’s comfort in their homes.
We found that home temperatures did not deviate more than 1.6 Fahrenheit from their set point. Homeowners were allowed to override the controls if they got uncomfortable, but most didn’t. For most tests, we received zero override requests. In the worst case, we received override requests from two of the 100 homes in our test.
In practice, this sort of technology could be added to commercially available internet-connected thermostats. In exchange for credits on their energy bills, users could choose to join a service run by the thermostat company, their utility provider or some other third party.
Then people could turn on the air conditioning in the summer heat without that pang of guilt, knowing they were helping to make the grid more reliable and more capable of accommodating renewable energy sources – without sacrificing their own comfort in the process.
Johanna Mathieu works for the University of Michigan. She has received funding from the National Science Foundation, Department of Energy, ARPA-E, and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. She is affiliated with the IEEE.
Source: The Conversation – USA (2) – By Magali A. Delmas, Professor of Management, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, Anderson School of Management, University of California, Los Angeles
Since the early 1990s, the small blue Energy Star label has appeared on millions of household appliances, electronics and even buildings across the United States. But as the Trump administration considers terminating some or all of the program, it is worth a look at what exactly this government-backed label means, and why it has become one of the most recognizable environmental certifications in the country.
Energy Star was launched by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1992 and later expanded in partnership with the Department of Energy with a simple goal: making it easier for consumers and businesses to choose energy-efficient products, helping them reduce energy use and save money, without sacrificing quality or performance.
As a scholar of energy conservation, I have studied the Energy Star program’s development and public impact, including how it has shaped consumer behavior and environmental outcomes.
Products that earn the Energy Star certification typically use significantly less energy than standard models, often between 10% and 50% less. The energy – and financial – savings can add up quickly, especially when homes or buildings have multiple Energy Star appliances and systems.
Energy Star itself does not manufacture or sell products. Instead, it acts as a trusted third-party certifier, providing consumers and businesses with reliable information and clear labeling. It also offers information to help people estimate energy savings and compare long-term costs, making it easier to identify high-performing, cost-effective options. Manufacturers participating in Energy Star seek to improve their environmental reputation and increase their market share, giving them a strong incentive to meet the program’s efficiency criteria.
Today, the label appears on refrigerators, dishwashers, laptops, commercial buildings and even newly built homes. The government says people in more than 90% of American households recognize the label.
Energy Star-certified appliances include upright freezers, clothes washers and many other types of home equipment, which use between 10% and 50% less energy than uncertified items. AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel
People don’t always choose efficient products
Energy Star seeks to tackle a wide range of problems that can result in people deciding not to buy energy-efficient products.
One problem is that efficient models often come with higher up-front costs. While efficient models save money over time, that higher purchase price can discourage buyers. Energy Star helps counter this problem by clearly showing how much money can be saved on energy costs over the lifetime of the product – as compared with noncertified products – and by offering rebates that reduce the initial expense.
Another problem involves what economists call “split incentives.” A landlord might not want to pay a higher price up front for energy-efficient appliances if the tenants are the ones who will save money on the utility bills. And renters may not want to spend a lot of money on appliances or equipment in a place they do not own. Energy Star tries to bridge this divide by promoting whole-building certifications, which encourage landlords to invest in their buildings’ energy efficiency with the goal of making their properties more attractive to tenants.
The countless varieties of refrigerators, dishwashers, air conditioners and other items on the market can also create confusion. Consumers who just look at manufacturers’ promotional material may find it very hard to determine which appliances truly deliver better energy efficiency. The Energy Star label makes this comparison easier: If the label is there, it is among the most efficient choices available.
And consumers are often skeptical of manufacturers’ claims – especially when it comes to new technologies or environmental promises. Energy Star’s status as a program backed by the government, rather than a private company, gives it a level of independence and credibility that many other labels lack. People know the certification is based on science, not sales tactics.
Lastly, Energy Star helps overcome the problem that many people are not aware of how much energy their appliances consume, or how those choices contribute to climate change. By connecting everyday products to larger environmental outcomes, Energy Star helps consumers understand the effects of their decisions, without needing to become energy experts.
The program delivers real results
Since its inception, more than 800,000 appliance models have earned Energy Star certification based on the criteria for their type of product.
The same principles that make the label valuable for consumer appliances – independent certification, clear metrics and a focus on results – have proved equally effective in real estate. Nearly 45,000 commercial buildings and industrial plants have earned certification. And there have been more than 2.5 million Energy Star-certified homes and apartments built in the U.S.
Energy Star-certified homes are designed to be at least 10% more energy efficient than those built to standard building codes, with more insulation and windows and lights that are energy-efficient, as well as appliances. These enhancements can translate to better quality, comfort and long-term cost savings for homeowners.
Commercial buildings, which account for about 18% of total U.S. energy use, have also benefited substantially. Research I was involved in found that certified commercial buildings use an average of 19% less energy than their noncertified counterparts.
Energy Star’s status as a government-led label contributes to its credibility as a more neutral and science-based source of information than commercial labels.
Energy Star’s government connections also bring scale: By requiring federal purchases to have Energy Star certifications, the federal government can influence manufacturers. For example, a federal executive order in 1993 required government agencies to purchase only computers that had been Energy Star-certified, which required them to have energy-saving sleep functions.
In response, manufacturers began including the feature so they could sell their products to the government. Consumers soon came to expect the sleep feature on all computers.
A quiet success story in energy and climate
Energy Star does not grab headlines. It does not rely on regulation or mandates. Yet it has quietly become one of the most effective tools the U.S. has for improving energy efficiency across homes, offices and public buildings.
That said, the program is not without its limitations. Some critics have pointed out that not all certified products consistently perform at the highest efficiency levels. Other critics note that the benefits of Energy Star are more accessible to wealthier consumers who can afford up-front investments, even with available rebates. And the EPA itself has, at times, struggled to manage the certification process and update standards in line with the latest technological advances.
At a time when energy costs and climate concerns are rising, Energy Star stands out as a rare example of a practical, nonpartisan program that delivers real benefits. It helps individuals, businesses and communities save money, lower emissions and take part in a more sustainable future – one smart decision at a time.
Magali Delmas received funding from the US EPA in 2002 for research on Environmental Management Strategies and Corporate Performance.
