What you need to know: In the first two months of 2025, California National Guard’s Counter Drug Task Force has seized 1,045 pounds of illicit fentanyl with a street valuation of $6.8 million.
SACRAMENTO – Continuing an enhanced focus in 2025 to combat the scourge of illegal fentanyl trafficking, in January and February, the California National Guard (CalGuard) has seized 1,045 pounds and more than 650,000 pills containing fentanyl, with a street valuation of more than $6.8 million.
Through their Counter Drug Task Force operations, the Cal Guard Task Force members have been strategically deployed statewide, including at ports of entry, to combat transnational criminal organizations and trafficking illegal narcotics like fentanyl, in support of federal, state, and local law enforcement partners.
“By disrupting the trafficking of the 1,045 pounds of fentanyl so far this year, Cal Guard’s Counter Drug Task Force continues to save countless lives across our state. I cannot thank them enough for their support in keeping deadly fentanyl out of our communities.”
Governor Gavin Newsom
Service members helped confiscate 488 pounds of powder-laced fentanyl and 331,069 pills of this dangerous drug in February, adding to the efforts in January.
In addition, Cal Guard service members continue to transform drug prevention in elementary, middle, and high schools statewide through the Task Force’s Drug Demand Reduction Outreach program. Since October 2024, servicemembers visited 112 schools across the state and engaged with 57,442 students. By conducting in-person outreach and understanding students’ beliefs about their own health using a Health Belief Model, Cal Guard is implementing an impactful initiative in the fight against opioid abuse.
Latest laboratory testing from the federal Drug Enforcement Agency indicates five out of 10 pills tested in 2024 contain a potentially deadly dose of fentanyl, which is down from seven of 10 pills in 2023.
How we got here
In 2024, Governor Newsom doubled down on the deployment of the Cal Guard’s Counterdrug Task Force by more than doubling the number of service members supporting fentanyl interdiction, and seizing other drugs, at California ports of entry to nearly 400. Fentanyl is primarily smuggled into the country by U.S. citizens through ports of entry.
Cal Guard’s coordinated drug interdiction efforts in the state are funded in part by California’s $60 million investment over four years to expand Cal Guard’s work to prevent drug trafficking by transnational criminal organizations. This adds to the Governor’s efforts to address fentanyl within California, including by cracking down on fentanyl in communities across the state, including San Francisco.
Addressing the opioid crisis
The state has launched various initiatives in recent years to combat illicit opioids through the Governor’s Master Plan for Tackling the Fentanyl and Opioid Crisis, which provides a comprehensive framework to support overdose prevention efforts, hold the opioid pharmaceutical industry accountable, crack down on drug trafficking, and raise awareness about the dangers of opioids like fentanyl.
Recently, through funding designated by the Governor in the 2022-23 budget to develop the Fentanyl Enforcement Program, the Department of Justice recently announced a significant fentanyl bust worth $55 million and leading to the arrest of three major fentanyl traffickers.
The Campus Opioid Act, signed by Governor Newsom in 2022, requires that every public college campus in California distribute a federally approved opioid overdose reversal medication like naloxone, and include information about opioid overdoses in their orientation process. Building on this effort, the Governor last year signed AB 2429, requiring that fentanyl education be included in high school health classes starting in the 2026-27 school year.
Serving as a one-stop tool for Californians seeking resources for prevention and treatment, the website opioids.ca.gov provides information on how California is working to hold Big Pharma and drug traffickers accountable in this crisis.
The public education campaign Facts Fight Fentanyl informs Californians about the dangers of fentanyl and how to prevent overdoses and deaths. This effort will provide critical information about fentanyl and life-saving tools such as naloxone.
Through the Naloxone Distribution Project (NDP), over-the-counter CalRx®-branded naloxone is now available across the state. The CalRx®-branded over-the-counter (OTC) naloxone HCL nasal spray, 4 mg, is available for free to eligible organizations through the state and for sale for $24 per twin-pack through Amneal. Since 2018, there have been over 334,000 reversals reported from NDP naloxone since 2018.
Recent news
Mar 19, 2025
News What you need to know: 51 projects — including 46 independent features — will generate nearly $580 million in economic activity and employ over 6,490 cast and crew thanks to California’s Film & Television Tax Credit Program. HOLLYWOOD — Governor Newsom today…
Mar 19, 2025
News What you need to know: Governor Newsom streamlined a solar and battery storage project in the Fresno area that would provide clean energy to power up to 300,000 homes. SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced he is taking action to streamline a clean…
Mar 18, 2025
News Sacramento, California – Governor Gavin Newsom today issued a proclamation declaring March 17, 2025 through March 23, 2025, as Women’s Military History Week. The text of the proclamation and a copy can be found below: PROCLAMATION From the Revolutionary War to…
What you need to know: 51 projects — including 46 independent features — will generate nearly $580 million in economic activity and employ over 6,490 cast and crew thanks to California’s Film & Television Tax Credit Program.
HOLLYWOOD — Governor Newsom today announced the California Film Commission selected 51 film projects for the latest round of awards under the California Film & Television Tax Credit Program. This batch represents the most projects ever approved in one application window.
While other states try to chase California’s on-screen success, everyone knows the Golden State is the entertainment capital of the world – built through decades of innovation and hard work. Today’s awards are vital to keeping production where it belongs – generating thousands of good-paying jobs ‘below the line,’ and supporting the local businesses that rely on a thriving film and television industry.
Governor Gavin Newsom
Why this matters
Collectively, these productions are estimated to spend $346.9 million in wages, generate approximately $577.8 million in qualified expenditures statewide, and are expected to hire 6,490 cast and crew members, with 37,000 background performers hired (measured in days worked).
This latest allocation round includes an impressive slate of 46 independent and 5 non-independent films, reflecting an unprecedented regional diversity and offering significant economic benefits across the state with 31 projects planning to film in various areas beyond Los Angeles. These projects plan to film more than 360 days in Contra Costa, Oakland, Ojai, Merced, and San Diego Counties, among others.
“The devastating wildfires in Southern California have presented unprecedented challenges for our film and television community, disrupting more than a dozen productions within our Film & Television Tax Credit Program alone and impacting countless more,” said Colleen Bell, Director of the California Film Commission.“These disruptions have impacted employment for thousands of cast and crew members, affecting everything from production schedules and financing to housing and location access. Now more than ever, this program is a critical tool to help productions recover, keeping jobs and investment here in our state, all while ensuring that California remains the heart of the entertainment industry.”
Highlights from this round of awards include:
Untitled Daniels/Wang Project (NBCUniversal), expected to receive $20.8 million in tax credits, generating estimated wages of $61.9 million and total qualified spending of $106.8 million.
Business Women (Twentieth Century Studios), securing $5.7 million in tax credits, estimated wages of $27.6 million, and total qualified spending of $49.4 million.
Behemoth! (Dialogue Industries Inc.), projected to bring $36.1 million in total qualified spending and generate $28.9 million in wages, securing $7.4 million in tax credits.
Cut Off (Warner Bros. Pictures), receiving $10 million in tax credits, with estimated wages of $28.3 million and total qualified spending of $49.4 million.
Untitled Drag Queen Movie (World of Wonder Productions), securing $1.7 million in tax credits, estimated wages of $4.4 million, and total qualified spending of $6.6 million.
“We are LA filmmakers, with very dear LA friends, who happen to be some of the greatest creative talents we’ve worked with,” said The Daniels and Wang in a joint statement.“On ‘Everything Everywhere All At Once’ we received the California tax credit, and had we not, it would have been utterly impossible to make that film. We were also deeply moved by the CFC’s commitment to supporting local filmmakers and the broader community. We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to film our next project in Los Angeles, creating jobs and opportunities for countless Californians.”
“Category is: there’s no place like home!” said producer RuPaul Charles. “As someone who’s produced a TV series in Los Angeles for 17 years, I’m thrilled that our feature film, ‘Untitled Drag Queen Movie,’ is receiving tax credits from the California Film Commission. These incentives have been instrumental in supporting our financing. And best of all, we’re getting people back to work in Hollywood.”
Press Releases, Recent News
Recent news
Mar 19, 2025
News What you need to know: Governor Newsom streamlined a solar and battery storage project in the Fresno area that would provide clean energy to power up to 300,000 homes. SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced he is taking action to streamline a clean…
Mar 18, 2025
News Sacramento, California – Governor Gavin Newsom today issued a proclamation declaring March 17, 2025 through March 23, 2025, as Women’s Military History Week. The text of the proclamation and a copy can be found below: PROCLAMATION From the Revolutionary War to…
Mar 18, 2025
News What you need to know: California will provide a total of $2.4 billion in utility bill credits this year thanks to the state’s Cap-and-Trade program that funds critical climate action. SACRAMENTO – Today, Governor Gavin Newsom announced millions of Californians…
MIDLAND, Texas, March 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Diamondback Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ: FANG) (“Diamondback”), today announced that it plans to release first quarter 2025 financial results on May 5, 2025 after the market closes.
In connection with the earnings release, Diamondback will host a conference call and webcast for investors and analysts to discuss its results for the first quarter of 2025 on Tuesday, May 6, 2025 at 8:00 a.m. CT. Access to the live webcast, and replay which will be available following the call, may be found here. The live webcast of the earnings conference call will also be available via Diamondback’s website at www.diamondbackenergy.com under the “Investor Relations” section of the site.
About Diamondback Energy, Inc.
Diamondback is an independent oil and natural gas company headquartered in Midland, Texas focused on the acquisition, development, exploration and exploitation of unconventional, onshore oil and natural gas reserves in the Permian Basin in West Texas. For more information, please visit www.diamondbackenergy.com.
Headline: Straight Talk and NASCAR Return for the Straight Talk Wireless 400 with Groundbreaking NASCAR Pit Crew Member Brehanna Daniels
MIAMI – Straight Talk Wireless, a leading prepaid brand covered by Verizon’s 5G network and sold at Walmart, is bringing the excitement back to the Homestead-Miami Speedway as the Straight Talk Wireless 400 NASCAR Cup Series race makes its highly anticipated return on Sunday, March 23. As the Entitlement Sponsor of the race and an Official Wireless partner of NASCAR, Straight Talk is delivering an unforgettable experience with exclusive access for fans both on and off the track.
As part of this year’s “Real Unlimited Fan Experience,” Straight Talk Wireless partnered with Brehanna Daniels, the first ever Black female NASCAR Tire Changer and Cup Series pit crew member, in a social media campaign to bring a lucky fan (and three friends) closer to the action. Through the #WintoWaveSweepstakes, Brehanna explained how fans could enter for a chance to win a VIP experience at the Straight Talk Wireless 400 —including:
Serving as the Honorary Starter and waving the Green Flag to kick off the race.
Circling the speedway at top speed and joining the drivers during the Drivers Meeting.
Walking Pit Lane and meeting their favorite drivers face-to-face.
Watching the race from the rooftop where the spotters work their magic, getting a peek inside the broadcast booth, and enjoying the race from premium seats.
After the checkered flag drops, the opportunity to be in Victory Lane and celebrate with the winner of the Straight Talk Wireless 400.
“It is an honor to partner with Straight Talk Wireless, a brand that shares my passion for breaking barriers and creating unforgettable experiences,” said Brehanna Daniels. “Throughout my career, I’ve cherished connecting with the NASCAR community and building relationships through the sport. This partnership allows us to create unique opportunities for fans to engage with NASCAR and make lasting memories together.”
“At Straight Talk Wireless, we believe in delivering real, unlimited experiences —just like our customers expect from their wireless service, said Nancy Clark, President of Verizon Value. As an official partner of NASCAR, we’re committed to making the sport more accessible to fans. Partnering with Brehanna Daniels makes this even more special –she’s a trailblazer, and together, we’re excited to offer our NASCAR-loving audience a unique chance to get closer to the action and create unforgettable memories.”
More Ways to Experience The Excitement
In addition to the #WinToWaveSweepstakes, fans can get in on the action early at the NASCAR® on Tour event presented by Straight Talk Wireless at Walmart. This high-energy tailgate will set the stage for the Straight Talk Wireless 400 with an unforgettable pre-race celebration at the Walmart store located at 13600 SW 288th St, in Homestead-Miami Speedway on Friday, March 21, from 3-7 pm.
Fans can expect all the excitement of our in-store events —plus delicious food trucks, a live DJ, and special NASCAR driver appearances. Live music will cap off the night, taking the celebration to the next level, and making it the ultimate way to kick off race weekend.
The “NASCAR on Tour” series, held exclusively in Walmart parking lots, brings fans closer to the sport across key markets, including Pennsylvania, Miami, Nashville, Charlotte, Atlanta, South Carolina, Wilkesboro and Augusta. For more information, visit www.straighttalkracingtour.com
Tune in on Sunday, March 23rd on FOX Sports 1 at 3 pm ET to catch all of the exciting action of the Straight Talk Wireless 400. Don’t miss out on this incredible event—tickets are still available for purchase by phone at 1-866-409-7223 or online at www.homesteadmiamispeedway.com.
For more information on Straight Talk Wireless, visit www.straighttalk.com.
About Straight Talk Wireless
Straight Talk Wireless provides quality no-contract wireless solutions to value-conscious consumers and is available exclusively at Walmart, Walmart.com, and Straighttalk.com.
Straight Talk is part of the Verizon Value portfolio of prepaid brands, which includes Total Wireless, Visible, Tracfone, Simple Mobile, SafeLink, Walmart Family Mobile, and Verizon Prepaid.
The world had its eyes on Sydney in 2000. A million people lined the harbour to ring in the new millennium (though some said it was actually the final year of the old one) on January 1.
US television reporters called it “the biggest party in Australian history”. Bill Gates, chairman of Microsoft, whose corporation seemed to represent the coming age, was among those watching on.
Sydney offered not only a world-leading party, but also a litmus test for the much-feared Y2K bug, which threatened to knock planes out of the sky and bring the global economy to a halt. Australia and New Zealand were said to be the “tripwire for the world’s computer systems”.
It was fine in the end, although plenty of work had in fact been undertaken behind the scenes to make Australia’s systems more millennium-proof than they might have been.
This was arguably the defining feature of Australia in the year 2000: a confident display for the world concealing a lot of angst and uncertainty. Australia was the “oldest continent on Earth”, the US broadcasters told their viewers, but it was “much more of an Asian nation”, and much closer to the rest of the world “thanks to technology”.
Those confident claims would probably have surprised many Australians. Theirs was an old country trying to keep up with a new, interconnected world, and also a relatively young one trying to reconcile itself with the ancient cultures that its settler forebears had dispossessed.
A curated Australia
In September, the world’s sporting and political elite, followed by a train of journalists, arrived in Sydney for the 2000 Olympic Games. It had been years in the making, and every level of government was involved. There were no fewer than 47,000 volunteers.
There was something for everyone in the well-curated opening ceremony. The event opened with the crack of a stockman’s whip and a fleet of flag-waving bushmen on horseback. There were highly sanitised displays of European arrival, pastoral settlement and a tribute to an armour-clad colonial Victorian bushranger that must have baffled those viewers watching from abroad who had not seen a Sidney Nolan painting before.
Ancient stories and new cultural sensibilities were on display too. There were stylised performances of the Dreaming, striking First Nations dances and the distinctive sounds of the didgeridoo. A section entitled “Arrivals” recognised the importance of migration in the nation’s story.
A young Aboriginal sprinter, Cathy Freeman, lit the cauldron in what became one of the iconic images of the year. The cauldron’s hydraulics unfortunately got stuck as it ascended, and the flame was mere seconds from snuffing out in what could have been a global embarrassment. But big ambitions incur big risks.
This global performance of Australian-ness was arrestingly simple: that of a nation confident in its own diversity and capable of catering to everyone’s tastes.
Even the musical selections seemed to reconcile the needs of the youth (with performances from a young Vanessa Amorosi and even younger Nikki Webster), and the more mature (represented by John Farnham and Olivia Newton-John).
Australia’s athletes had their best ever showing with 58 medals, including Freeman’s own gold.
Not quite comfortable, not quite relaxed
The Olympics masked as much as they revealed.
In 2000, many white Australians still weren’t sure if theirs was, or should be, a multicultural society.
The reactionary Pauline Hanson was out of parliament for the time being, but her One Nation Party had won 7.5% of the vote in New South Wales in the March 1999 state election, and nearly 23% of the vote in Queensland the year before.
Eight weeks before millennium day, Australians had roundly rejected two referendum proposals, one to become a republic, and for a Constitutional preamble that, among other things, recognised Indigenous Australians as “the nation’s first people”.
But whether Hanson liked it or not, her lifetime had coincided with great demographic and social change.
In 1976, roughly 1.8% of the population said they were born in Asia or the Middle East. In the 2001 census, 1.6% of the population were born in China or Vietnam alone, and many more were the descendants of migrants from these places.
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population had more than doubled over the same period, while those identifying as Christian decreased from nearly 79% in 1976 to 56% in 2001.
This increasingly diverse Australia claimed to be on a journey to “reconciliation”. That process had been sorely tested during the nasty debates about land rights and the Stolen Generations.
Corroboree 2000, held on May 27 in Sydney, saw the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation and the nation’s political leaders present their visions for the next phase of national healing. The leaders symbolically left their handprints on a “reconciliation canvas”.
The following day, 250,000 Australians walked across the Sydney Harbour Bridge in a moving display of togetherness. John Howard, the prime minister, declined to participate.
But his treasurer, Peter Costello, made a point of showing up for a similar event in Melbourne that December, leading Victorian Liberals and another 200,000 or so Australians.
Their different approaches showed that the past was still a troubling present. Howard rebuffed suggestions of a treaty between Indigenous and settler Australians and maintained his refusal to apologise on behalf of the Commonwealth to the Stolen Generations, though all the states had done so by this time.
The idea of such an apology was not as popular then as it seemed later on. The prime minister was sensitive to the fact that his was “an unpopular view with a lot of people”, but an opinion poll in The Australian newspaper showed a majority of voters were opposed to a national apology.
Two survivors of the Stolen Generations, Peter Gunner and Lorna Cubillo, sued the Commonwealth for damages in 2000, giving their opponents the chance to challenge the legitimacy of their experiences. None of this looked like a nation that was as “comfortable and relaxed” as Howard had hoped it would be under his watch.
Border politics
Australian collective memory often gravitates toward 2001, the year of the Tampa affair and the September 11 terrorist attacks in New York.
But Australia’s border was already highly politicised in 2000.
In January, a boat arrived from Indonesia carrying 54 Christians fleeing religious conflict. They spent ten weeks at Port Hedland Immigration Detention facility, from which 39 went back to Indonesia and only 15 moved on to Adelaide to build new lives.
Port Hedland and other detention centres made the news for all the wrong reasons. There were riots, hunger strikes and multiple breakouts. Authorities responded with upgraded security perimeters, character checks, and strip searches without warrants.
Frustrated refugees set fire to South Australia’s Woomera facility, which former prime minister Malcolm Fraser publicly condemned as a “hell-hole”.
In an end-of-year reflection for The Age newspaper, Gary Tippet said there had been a “touch of mean-spiritedness” about the handling of it all. Chris Wallace rightly suggests 2000 was a crucial moment in the “march towards an absolute offshore, extraterritorial approach” to refugees in Australia.
In the intervening quarter-century, Australian officials have made mean-spiritedness an art form at the border and on the seas.
First-rate democracy, third-rate economy
Compared to the many legal challenges that came out of the US presidential contest in November 2000, Australia’s elections looked pretty smooth and sensible. The US seemed to have a backward democracy grafted onto its world-leading, information-age economy.
Australia looked the opposite: a first-rate democracy with what looked increasingly like a “branch-office economy”.
Reformers had tried for 20 years to make Australia efficient and competitive, but as one editorial in The Australian Financial Review explained, the country still suffered from its “old economy image”.
Certainly, Australia still sold its minerals and farm products to the world in exchange for quality cars and cutting-edge computers.
With global capitalists still enthralled by the global tech boom (though it was soon to become the “tech wreck”), they had little need for the Aussie dollar.
The currency’s value declined through the year to just 50 US cents, and it would fall further in the following months. On its own, this mattered little, but a quarter of negative growth at the end of the year meant, as Paul Kelly later wrote, an “election-year recession” seemed a “real threat”.
In the meantime, the much-debated Goods and Services Tax took effect around midnight on June 30 (a few hours later for businesses trading through the night).
The 10% consumption tax was a big deal. Costello said in his memoir the “prices of three billion products were to change all at the same time”.
The measure was politically brave, but soon became unpopular, helping raise petrol prices and alienate small business owners.
The punters were pretty confident the Howard government was heading for defeat in 2001. They were wrong.
Between the old and new
The pace of social change accelerated from 2000.
In the 2021 census, 2.6% of the population said they were born in India, and a further 3.2% in China and Vietnam. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians had more than doubled over two decades, such that they made up 3.2% of the total population in 2021.
People increasingly related to their economy differently, too. Half of the workforce had been unionised in the 1980s, but coverage fell to roughly a quarter in 2000 and just 12.5% in 2022.
These and other changes make our politics look different from that of 25 years ago. Nailbiter elections are now more common than thumping majorities and attitudes toward the once-feared “minority government” have softened.
For all that, many of the challenges of 2000 are still with us.
Many Australians are less tolerant of overt racism than they once were, but the 2023 Voice referendum and our offshore detention regime remind us that race still matters in this country.
Kevin Rudd apologised to the Stolen Generations in 2008, but Treaty and Truth-Telling are left unresolved.
And for all our talk about human capital and the digital economy, resources make up a much higher share of our total export mix today than in 2000.
A quarter-century on, Australia is still caught between the old and the new.
Dr Joshua Black is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at The Australia Institute.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
A study published in PLOS One looks at ADHD TikTok content and its association with ADHD perception.
(From our colleagues at SMC Germany) Prof Kathrin Karsay, Assistant Professor for Entertainment Research, Department of Communication, University of Vienna, Austria, said:
Evaluation of the study methodology
“Pre-registration is to be positively mentioned in the sense of Open Science, as it makes the planning and execution of the study transparent in advance. The selection of the videos, on the other hand, is not representative, as it was not drawn from the population of available Tiktok videos. The chosen method of selecting the 100 most popular videos at a specific point in time with a newly created account is therefore not ideal. Under the circumstances, it is a pragmatic, but nevertheless legitimate, approach. Overall, the number of videos analyzed remains relatively low, especially considering that Tiktok users often consume many videos. Another critical point is that no information is available on coder training (training of the evaluators; editor’s note) and that an evaluation of inter-coder reliability is missing for all selected variables. This does not meet the typical standard for communication science studies, but it is not uncommon in studies outside the field.”
Contextualization of the results
“It is particularly noteworthy that the majority of the videos (93.9 percent) only address symptoms, while only a small minority of the videos discuss treatment options. Especially when it comes to health topics, social media is a central source of information and a place for exchange. At the same time, the algorithms favor those posts that generate a lot of interaction because they are particularly entertaining or emotional. It is therefore not surprising that the symptoms are not presented correctly or are exaggerated – similar findings already exist for other conditions, such as Tourette’s syndrome, epicondylitis (tendonitis at the elbow; editor’s note) or prostate cancer. On Tiktok, people with ADHD are often portrayed as lively, lovable and almost entertaining – a ‘cute disorder’ that is staged in short, humorous clips. Much of the content shows everyday situations and relies on self-irony and entertaining narratives. This creates a positive, sometimes trivializing, romanticized image of the disorder. It is also particularly interesting that the experts classified around two-thirds of the ADHD-related statements as normal human experiences. In other words, everyday situations are shown with which many people can identify, which can encourage self-diagnosis.”
“This presentation can be explained, among other things, by the fact that content creators usually pursue monetary interests, as the study also shows. Half of all content creators advertise products on their profiles or ask for financial donations. This does not include sponsorships or marketing collaborations. Of course, influencers have an interest in their videos being seen by many and being considered personally relevant.”
When asked how the results on the correlation between self-diagnosed ADHD, the extent of ADHD video consumption and the perception of the prevalence of ADHD can be explained: “Frequently consuming ADHD-related content attracts increased attention and draws focus to corresponding symptoms. Priming (improved processing of a stimulus due to it or a similar one having been presented previously; editor’s note) activates cognitive schemata that can lead people to identify more readily with these symptoms. In the long term, repeated exposure reinforces the impression that ADHD is particularly widespread, even if the actual prevalence is lower. Since the videos often stage common experiences as pathological symptoms, those affected are more likely to identify with the clinical picture. This results in a so-called ‘confirmation bias’: people tend to interpret, seek out, and remember information in a way that confirms their existing beliefs or hypotheses. This also fits with the study’s finding that participants with self-diagnosis significantly overestimate the prevalence of ADHD in the general population – far more than those with a formal ADHD diagnosis and those without ADHD. They also tend to rate videos with the lowest psychological ratings as more recommendable.”
Practical implications
“Those who already suspect they have ADHD perceive more matching symptoms in the videos and interpret them as confirmation. This can reinforce the belief in one’s own diagnosis without professional clarification. Constant consumption of such content can lead to overidentification: everyday difficulties are then possibly interpreted too quickly as symptoms. I would therefore recommend taking a critical look at the source of the information and considering professional diagnosis.”
Dr Blandine French, Senior Research Fellow, School of Psychology and Institute of Mental Health, University of Nottingham, said:
“Due to the recent nature of social media engagement on platforms such as TikTok, very few studies have been able to evaluate the impact it has. As mentioned by the authors, the huge rise of TikTok ADHD content has only been observed in the last 5 years and little has been published on this. In fact, ADHD fell within the 10 most -viewed health related hashtags on TikTok so we really need to understand more about its impact on those viewing this content.
“It is therefore great to see a study starting to address this. This study is very well conducted, with a thorough analysis and robust findings. The rational for the way the study was conducted is sound, well designed and well explained.
“One limitation of the study is that the majority of participants in the second study were females (669/843) which does not represent the ADHD general population (ratios of male to female vary from 1:4 male to 1:2) so we must be cautious in generalising the findings.
“It would also have been useful to see more detail on what they defined as misinformation. The experts rated according to DSM-V diagnosis (attention, hyperactivity, impulsivity) which is a robust and scientific way of approaching content. However, we know that many things are linked with ADHD but not part of diagnostic symptoms (emotion dysregulation, sleep, social difficulties etc). Therefore, content that would have been rated as misinformation can be relevant (and authors acknowledge this) but would not be scored as such as they are not technically linked with ADHD in terms of strict diagnosis criteria. This nuance would have been good to include and reflect a more holistic approach and understanding of ADHD that is not solely based on criteria but still has significant evidence-based studies behind.
“Overall, this paper has some important implications and offers a balanced view of the impact on social media. On one hand it supports how much young people rely on social media, the breadth of reach of this kind of content (over 500 million views) and that there are positives from viewing such videos (sense of community, greater understanding etc). But it also raises concern about viewers relying on this content as educational and support sources. The lack of nuance, evidence-base and reliability of these video is very high. Now this doesn’t mean that it is always bad, but it is to be taken with extreme caution.
“The findings also show that the group more prone to highly rate or engage with these videos is the group that is self-diagnosed which is interesting but potentially worrying. The diagnosed group seemed better able to tell the difference between quality of information, while self-diagnosed were not as able to do so.
“Therefore, if any person has seen this type of content on TikTok and thinks they may have ADHD, I would say that I am glad they might have found an answer to ongoing difficulties. But I would advise to do some further research from more reliable sources and evidence-based criteria. Social media can be a great source of support but shouldn’t be a place for diagnosis as it is not made for this. It should be used alongside other more reliable methods, sources, and information.”
Prof Philip Asherson,Emeritus Professor of Neurodevelopmental Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, said:
“The methodology is fair as an initial investigation of the association of Tik Tok use and content related to ADHD; and is well conducted. The first study investigates the content of the top 100 Tik Tok watched videos related to #ADHD. This is a reasonable approach to understand how specific the content is to ADHD, rather than mental health more broadly. The second study is limited primarily by the sole participation of psychology students, which suggests that the findings cannot be generalised to a general (unselected) population. Further research is therefore needed. The sample sizes are reasonable for an initial investigation. It is to be commended that the study design was lodged within the Open Science Framework, increasing the robustness of the study findings. Agreement between psychologist ratings was good.
“The findings on symptoms in the video are not entirely ‘incorrect’; but fit with my expectations. First it is important to recognise that the TikTok videos reflect personal experience and not that of professional trained mental health specialists. Also, that not all the symptoms commonly experienced by adults with ADHD are specified as specific criteria in DSM-5. Given that, around 49% of the videos were a good reflection of specific (DSM-5) symptoms. However, non-specific symptoms are also commonly seen in people with ADHD and are an independent source of impairment. The prime example of this is emotional dysregulation which is cited as an example of 42% reflecting transdiagnostic symptoms. The paper does not list all of the other transdiagnostic symptoms but other common symptoms include sleep problems (delayed sleep onset), and low self-esteem related to the impairments of ADHD are common as part of ADHD. Without a more detailed evaluation it is not clear that these ‘non-ADHD’ symptoms may also reflect other common aspects of ADHD which are not among the 18 specific DSM symptoms of ADHD. Note that emotional dysregulation is not specific to ADHD, but it is cited in DSM-5 as a common symptom that supports the diagnosis; and is a common part of the lived experience of most adults with ADHD.
“So, the other symptoms may not all be ‘incorrect’ but just not specific to ADHD. However, it is possible that this could lead some people to think they might have ADHD unless they also consider the full diagnostic criteria for ADHD (which is not included as an aim in these studies).
“It is of interest that those with a formal diagnosis access Tik Tok most, followed by those with self-diagnosis. This suggests that the main driver of looking at Tik Tok videos of ADHD is to learn more about ADHD, rather than the videos leading to excess self-diagnosis.
“A more subtle but essential point is that many ADHD symptoms are a continuous trait/dimension in the general population. So there is no clear boundary between those with clinically significant levels of ADHD symptoms and impairments, and those with higher than average levels of ADHD symptoms. Many people who do not meet full ADHD criteria may nevertheless struggle with some ADHD symptoms at times and seek information on better to manage this aspect of their lives. The videos are therefore of more general relevance than only adults meeting full ADHD criteria. Many self-diagnosed people may fall in this category.
“It is also true that some people with other mental health problems may conclude they have ADHD, as the videos do not detail the full diagnostic criteria. This indicates the importance of an assessment that considers ADHD alongside other mental health disorders for those that seek help. Similarly, people with ADHD might consider they have an anxiety or mood disorder or personality disorder, when ADHD is the main problem. In general the non-expert Tik Tok videos are not generally specific to ADHD. However, they usually reflect common symptoms experienced by adults with ADHD.
“The relationship between ADHD self-diagnosis, video consumption and perception of prevalence only indicates an association but there is no information on the causal relationship. It seems likely that having ADHD or symptoms of ADHD leads to increased TikTok use as one form of information, since those without ADHD consume the less (as expected). While a causal role of watching TikTok on self-diagnosis could be implied or play a role in some cases, this publication provides no information on the causal direction – so should not be interpreted in that way without further research.
“Watching these videos may be helpful to people with ADHD to understand the experiences of ADHD they are having. However, it would be important to discuss this with other people with ADHD (ADHD user/support groups could be helpful here) and to seek professional advice.
“The conflict of interests and Tik Tok algorithms are a concern and might lead to over diagnosis in some cases – but overall the greater awareness of ADHD is a benefit.”
‘A double-edged hashtag: Evaluation of #ADHD-related TikTok content and its associations with perceptions of ADHD’ byVasileia Karasavvaet al.was published in PLOS One at 18:00 UK time on Wednesday 19th March.
Prof Kathrin Karsay: “There are no conflicts of interest.”
Dr Blandine French: Dr. BF reports personal fees and nonfinancial support from Takeda and Medice.
Prof Philip Asherson: In the last 4 years, Asherson received payments for consultancy and/or educational talks from Takeda, Jannsen, Flynn Pharma, Medice and AGB Pharma, and royalties from PATOSS and Cambridge University. He is Honorary President of the UK Adult ADHD Network (UKAAN).
For all other experts, no reply to our request for DOIs was received.
A 31-year-old Stephenville man remains under investigation by Bay St. George RCMP for a number of crimes committed on March 17, 2025.
Shortly after 5:00 a.m. on Monday, a pickup truck was stolen from a business on Utah Drive and, around the same time, during a break and enter at a nearby business, generators and a number of propane tanks were stolen.
While investigating the above matters, at approximately 7:00 a.m., police received a report of a stolen all-terrain vehicle (ATV) in Fox Island River. A 2022 Can AM Outlander was stolen from a residential property. The property owner witnessed the theft and followed the suspect. Police attempted to stop the operator of the ATV, who fled the area on the stolen side by side.
Shortly before 11:00 a.m., Bay St. George RCMP recovered the stolen pickup truck in a snow bank near Crane Place in Stephenville. The abandoned vehicle was left running and was seized as part of the investigation.
Shortly after this, the stolen Can Am Outlander ATV was observed by its owner, traveling along the T’railway. Police attended the area and, with the assistance of the owner, the ATV was located and recovered in Heatherton. The suspect was arrested nearby without further incident.
Following these crimes, Bay St. George RCMP received a report of a second ATV that was stolen sometime overnight from a residential property in Point Au Mal, a 2019 black and blue 800 Can Am Commander XT.
Police are continuing to look for the stolen property, including generators, currently of an unknown make or model, propane tanks and the 2019 Can Am Commander. An image of the Can Am Commander side by side ATV is attached.
The investigation is continuing with charges anticipated.
Anyone having information about these crimes or the current location of the stolen property is asked to contact Bay St. George RCMP at 709-643-2118. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers: #SayItHere 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), visit www.nlcrimestoppers.com or use the P3Tips app.
Canadian Parliament has been unanimous in its response: “Canada is not for sale.” But Canada’s head of state, King Charles, has remained largely silent on the matter — until recently.
Over the last several weeks, observers have started to pick up on subtle signs of support for Canadians from the King. But many people have no doubt been wondering why there’s not been a direct statement of support from King Charles.
The answer to that question isn’t as simple as many people might think.
King of Canada
Since 1689, Britain has been a constitutional monarchy. The sovereign is the head of state, but the prime minister leads the government. As such, the King can’t interfere with politics. He is supposed to remain neutral and be the embodiment of the nation.
This crucial separation between palace and Parliament was solidified in Canada and throughout the Commonwealth in 1931 with the Statute of Westminster. In 1954, the Royal Styles and Titles Act separated the British Crown from the other Commonwealth realms. Queen Elizabeth became the first sovereign to ever be called Queen of Canada.
As a constitutional monarch, King Charles is bound by parliamentary limitations on his authority. He cannot act without taking advice from the prime ministers in his various realms.
This means King Charles can’t make a political statement about the ongoing tensions between Canada and the U.S. without the green light from Ottawa. When asked about the situation in January, a palace official said simply that this is “not something we would comment on.”
“For Canadians disappointed that King Charles has not commented on President Trump’s threats to annex Canada: in his capacity as King of Canada, he can only act on the advice of his Canadian first minister, i.e. Justin Trudeau.”
Or, at this moment, Mark Carney.
Signs of support
The King met with Trudeau at Sandringham, the royal family’s private estate in Norfolk, England, on March 3. This meeting seems to have prompted a series of symbolic gestures demonstrating the monarchy’s solidarity with Canadians.
The next day, the King conducted an inspection of the British aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales in his capacity as head of the Armed Forces. Canadian medals and honours adorned his naval dress uniform during the inspection.
A week later, the King planted a red maple tree at Buckingham Palace to honour Queen Elizabeth’s commitment to the preservation of forests and the bonds among Commonwealth nations.
On March 12, the King met with representatives from the Canadian Senate.
He presented a ceremonial sword to Gregory Peters, the Usher of the Black Rod (one of the Senate’s chief protocol officers). Raymonde Gagné, the speaker of the Senate, was also present for that meeting.
And on March 17, the King met with Carney as part of new prime minister’s whirlwind diplomatic tour of western Europe.
Some observers even pointed to the Princess of Wales’s red dress at the Commonwealth Day Service of Celebration on March 10 as yet another nod of recognition for Canada.
Soft power and the Royal Family
These sorts of gestures are examples of what is known as “soft power.” Unlike the hard power of military and economic force used by governments, soft power describes any number of ways that people or groups can influence others through culture, personal diplomacy and even fashion.
One of the best known forms of the monarchy wielding soft power is through the use of state visits. At the British prime minister’s request, world leaders are invited to London by the sovereign. The red carpet is rolled out for them, they’re wined and dined in lavish dinners at Buckingham Palace and they often make a speech to Parliament.
These state visits are a way for the Royal Family to use their soft power to positively influence diplomatic relations.
In February, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer presented Trump with an invitation from the King for a second state visit to the U.K.. So far, no date for the trip has been announced, but the King’s meetings with Trudeau and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy reportedly irritated Trump.
It remains to be seen how King Charles navigates his constitutional role as both king of the United Kingdom and of Canada. Will Trump’s state visit only be about British interests? Or will Charles use it as a chance to address the concerns of his Canadian subjects?
Justin Vovk received funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. Justin Vovk is an advisory board member for the Institute of the Study of the Crown in Canada.
NEW YORK and OCEANSIDE, Calif., March 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — SolMicroGrid, a leading national microgrid company, announced the completion of a microgrid project at a Chick-fil-A® Quarry Creek in Oceanside, California.
SolMicroGrid typically leverages a combination of solar, on-site battery energy storage, and generators to enable reliable and continuous power to its clients. The project at this Chick-fil-A restaurant includes an 81 kWh battery energy storage system and has a 112 kW solar array consisting of canopy and ground-mounted modules. The project’s components are all controlled by a sophisticated energy management system which optimizes the performance and maximizes the synergies between the technologies. Due to the location’s unique, sloped terrain, SolMicroGrid approached the ground-mount installation with a technique specifically designed for rocky slopes – utilizing ground screws instead of standard concrete-poured footings.
Among other benefits, microgrid projects strategically deploy distributed energy resources to lower energy bills. The Oceanside project is expected to deliver about one-third of the restaurant’s annual energy needs at a 10% discount to grid power.
“The combination of solar and battery storage that we provided Chick-fil-A will help reduce energy costs while also achieving sustainability goals,” said Kirk Edelman, CEO of SolMicroGrid. “We’re grateful for the opportunity to provide Chick-fil-A with renewable energy at a discount.”
SolMicroGrid and Chick-fil-A’s latest achievement comes after successful microgrid deployments at local owner-operated locations at Chick-fil-A Mendocino Avenue in Santa Rosa, CA and Chick-fil-A March Lane at I-5 in Stockton, CA.
“Chick-fil-A’s investment in piloting solar-powered microgrids, in partnership with SolMicroGrid, demonstrates our commitment to environmental stewardship,” said Peden Young, a principal program lead on the sustainability team at Chick-fil-A, Inc. “Harnessing renewable energy onsite at our restaurants reduces our environmental footprint, while also reflecting Chick-fil-A’s dedication to pursuing what’s next and caring for our planet.”
SolMicroGrid requires no upfront costs and provides quick-service restaurants, large franchises, grocery stores, and other building operators with customizable microgrid components that reduce energy costs and improve efficiency.
About SolMicroGrid SolMicroGrid is a differentiated developer and operator of solar-enabled microgrid systems, offering energy resiliency and efficiency to commercial and industrial customers. The company’s service solution reduces operating expenses without the need for customer capital investment. SolMicroGrid is a portfolio company of Morgan Stanley Energy Partners.
About Chick-fil-A, Inc. Chick-fil-A, Inc. is the third largest quick-service restaurant company in the United States, known for its freshly prepared food, signature hospitality and unique franchise model. More than 200,000 Team Members are employed by local Owner-Operators in more than 3,000 restaurants across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.
Chick-fil-A opened its first restaurant in the UK in early 2025 with the goal of launching five locations across the UK within the next two years. The first Singapore restaurant is set to open in late 2025, marking the brand’s entry into Asia.
Chick-fil-A local Owner-Operators live and work in the communities their restaurants serve, each supporting local efforts to address hunger, education, and making a positive impact. The family-owned and privately held company was founded in 1967 by S. Truett Cathy. More information on Chick-fil-A is available at www.chick-fil-a.com and @ChickfilANews
Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:
Even before the recent protest by a group of well-known musicians at the UK government’s plans to allow AI companies to use copyright-protected work for training, disquiet around artists’ rights was already growing.
In early February, an open letter from artists around the world called on Christie’s auction house to cancel a sale of art created with the assistance of generative AI (GenAI). This is a form of artificial intelligence that creates content – including text, images, or music – based on the patterns learned from colossal data sets.
Without giving specific examples, the letter suggested that many of the works included in the sale, which was entitled “Augmented Intelligence” were “known to be trained on copyrighted work without a licence” and suggested that such sales further “incentivises AI companies’ mass theft of human artists’ work”.
This article is part of our State of the Arts series. These articles tackle the challenges of the arts and heritage industry – and celebrate the wins, too.
If we think about Dall-E, Midjourney, and Stable Diffusion, all of which use text prompts to generate images and are trained on data sets harvested from online sources, the letter raised significant issues about the nature of artistic creativity and how the legal concept of “fair use” and originality is applied in such cases.
These are complex debates, encompassing perennial misgivings about machine automation, intellectual property (IP), and the cherished ideal that ingenuity and originality remain the sole preserve of humanity.
How to think from within GenAI
The impact of AI on the creative industries has become a major issue in the UK and elsewhere, so much so that we are faced with an existential question: how do we understand the evolving impact of AI on human creativity today?
The scope of this enquiry reveals a simple fact: we need to develop more accessible and inclusive ways to think from within AI image processing models. This is exactly what my latest research, produced in collaboration with the acclaimed artist and photographer Trevor Paglen, proposes.
How, this research asks, do we better understand the mechanisms behind the collation and labelling of the data sets that are used to train AI? And how, in turn, can we create new ways for understanding the extent to which AI image-production models inform our experience the world?
It is, I argue, through the development of interdisciplinary research methods that draw upon the arts and humanities that we can critically engage with these concerns.
Although the open letter addressed to Christie’s alluded to these topics, it did not, perhaps unsurprisingly, observe the degree to which some of the more prominent artists in the Augmented Intelligence sale had actively engaged in providing visual methods and insights into how GenAI functions.
It is notable that Holly Herndon and Mat Dryhurst’s work xhairymutantx scrutinises how the data sets used in AI models of image production both define and transform images. For example, if you type the word “Holly Herndon” into Midjourney, it will produce images that are based on data sets derived from Herndon’s online presence.
To draw attention to, and simultaneously disrupt, this process, the artists generated their own data sets of images and labelled them “Holly Herndon”. The images in these data sets had been previously manipulated to emphasise certain qualities associated with Herndon (her red hair, for example). Once fed back into the AI image processing model, the ensuing images of “Holly Herndon” became evermore outlandish and exaggerated.
This clearly shows that AI image processing is a highly inconsistent and selective procedure that can be manipulated with ease.
Reflecting upon aerial photography in his work Machine Hallucinations – ISS Dreams, artist and data visualisation pioneer Refik Anandol used a data set of 1.2 million images collated by the International Space Station (ISS). Alongside other satellite images of Earth, he produced an AI-generated composition.
Employing generative adversarial networks (GANs) – an AI model that trains neural networks to recognise, classify and, crucially, generate new images – Anandol effectively produced a unique landscape that changes over time and never seems to repeat itself.
In both these examples, artists are not simply engaging in either “mass theft” or using AI models that have been trained on large data sets to mechanically produce images. They are explicitly drawing attention to how the data sets used to train AI can be both strategically engineered and actively disrupted.
In our recent book (to which I contributed as editor and author), Trevor Paglen, whose work was not in the Christie’s sale, reveals how data sets regularly produce disquieting, hallucinatory allegories of our world.
Given that GANs are trained on specific data sets and do not experience the world as such, they often produce hallucinatory and uncanny versions of it. Although often considered to be a fault or a glitch in the system, the event of hallucination, as Paglen demonstrates, is nevertheless central to GenAI.
In images such as Rainbow, which was produced using a data set created and labelled by Paglen, we see a ghostly image of our world that discloses the inner, latent mechanics of image production in GANs.
Paglen’s practice, alongside that of Dryhurst, Herndon and Anandol, defines a clear distinction between those artists who casually use AI to generate yet more images and those who critically investigate the operative logic of AI. The latter approach is precisely what is needed when it comes to thinking through GenAI and rendering it more accountable as a technology that has evolved to define significant aspects of our lives.
If we allow that the internal workings of AI are opaque to users and programmers alike, it is all the more crucial that we explore how art practices – and the humanities more broadly – can encourage us to think from within these unaccountable systems. In doing so we could significantly improve levels of understanding and engagement with a technology that is defining the future and our relationship to it.
Anthony Downey does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
LOS ANGELES – A longtime leader of the South Los Angeles-based Rollin’ 60s Neighborhood Crips street gang – who also is an entertainment entrepreneur and a self-proclaimed community activist – has been charged in a federal complaint alleging he ran a criminal enterprise that committed a series of racketeering crimes, including extortion, human trafficking, fraud, and the 2021 murder of an aspiring rap musician, the Justice Department announced today.
Eugene Henley Jr., 58, a.k.a. “Big U,” of the Hyde Park neighborhood of South Los Angeles, is charged in the complaint with conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act.
Two other alleged members of the criminal enterprise – Sylvester Robinson, 59, a.k.a. “Vey,” of Northridge, and Mark Martin, 50, a.k.a. “Bear Claw,” of the Beverlywood area of Los Angeles – were arrested today on the same criminal complaint in which Henley is charged.
Robinson, and Martin are expected to make their initial appearances this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. Henley is considered a fugitive.
“The allegations in the complaint unsealed today reveal a criminal enterprise that engaged in murder, extortion, human trafficking, and fraud – all led by a supposed anti-gang activist and purported music entrepreneur who was nothing more than a violent street criminal,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph McNally. “Eliminating gangs and organized crime is the Department of Justice’s top priority. Today’s charges and arrests target the leadership of this criminal outfit and will make the neighborhoods of Los Angeles safer. I am grateful for the work of our prosecutors and law enforcement partners.”
“The lead defendant and others in this case have for too long gotten away with violent acts and stealing money from taxpayers and well-intentioned donors whether they use intimidation tactics or wield influence as rehabilitated original gangsters,” said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “The FBI and our partners have worked for four years to bring justice in this case and will continue to rule out this kind of criminal behavior plaguing the streets of Los Angeles.”
In total, law enforcement in the last 24 hours arrested 10 Rollin’ 60s members and associates who are charged with various federal crimes, including drug trafficking, racketeering conspiracy, and firearms offenses. Four defendants already were in custody. Law enforcement is seeking the whereabouts of five other defendants – three of whom are expected to be in custody shortly. Two defendants, including Henley, are considered fugitives.
According to an affidavit filed with the criminal complaint filed Monday and unsealed today, from 2010 to the present, Henley’s criminal group – identified in court documents as the “Big U Enterprise” – operated as a mafia-like organization that utilized Henley’s stature and long-standing association with the Rollin’ 60s and other street gangs to intimidate businesses and individuals in Los Angeles. Henley is widely regarded as a leader within the Rollin’ 60s and rose to prominence in the street gang during the 1980s.
While the Big U Enterprise at times partnered with the Rollin’s 60s and other criminal elements for mutual benefit, the Big U Enterprise is a distinct and independent criminal enterprise engaged in criminal activity including murder, extortion, robbery, trafficking and exploiting sex workers, fraud, and illegal gambling.
For example, in January 2021, Henley murdered a victim – identified in the affidavit as “R.W.” – an aspiring musician signed to Uneek Music, Henley and Martin’s music label. Shortly before R.W.’s murder, Henley and Uneek Music paid for R.W. to travel to Las Vegas to record music at a Grammy Award-winning music producer’s studio.
But R.W. did not record at the agreed-upon rate and instead recorded a defamatory song about Henley, causing Henley and Robinson to travel to Las Vegas to confront him. Henley allegedly drove R.W. to North Las Vegas, shot him in the head, and dragged the victim’s body off Interstate 15 into the desert and left it in a ditch. Henley returned to Los Angeles with Robinson and ordered studio workers to leave while his associate removed security surveillance footage from the studio. Henley allegedly later ordered witnesses to not speak with law enforcement about R.W.’s murder.
Not only did the enterprise expand its power through violence, fear, and intimidation, but it also used social media platforms, documentaries, podcasts, interviews, and Henley’s reputation and status as an “O.G.” (original gangster) to create fame for – and stoke fear of – the Big U Enterprise, its members, and its associates.
In furtherance of the enterprise, Henley allegedly submitted a fraudulent application for a COVID-19 pandemic relief loan in which he claimed that Uneek Music was operating at a $200,000 profit in 2019 despite operating at a $5,000 loss that year, which should have disqualified it from loan eligibility.
The enterprise also enriched itself by defrauding donors to nonprofit entities under the control of the Big U Enterprise, including Henley’s charity, Developing Options, a Hyde Park-based nonprofit. Henley marketed Developing Options as giving South Los Angeles youth alternative choices to gang violence, drugs, and other criminal activity. But the Big U Enterprise allegedly used it as a front for fraudulent purposes and to insulate its members from suspicion by law enforcement.
Henley allegedly embezzled large donations that celebrities and award-winning companies made to Developing Options, which Henley immediately converted to his personal bank account. According to the complaint, Developing Options is primarily funded through the City of Los Angeles’s Mayor’s Office through the Gang Reduction Youth Development (GRYD) Foundation, portions of which receive federal funding, but also receives donations from prominent sources, including NBA players.
“The RICO charges against Mr. Henley and his associates reflect a pattern of crimes that runs the gambit from extortion to tax evasion, all under the umbrella of a well-organized criminal organization led by Mr. Henley,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher, IRS Criminal Investigation, Los Angeles Field Office. “Additionally, Mr. Henley allegedly duped the County of Los Angeles by running a charitable organization that promoted anti-gang solutions while continuing criminal activity that was directly contrary to his charity. IRS-CI is proud to partner with fellow law enforcement organizations to investigate these criminal organizations to protect our communities from further harm.”
“From day one, the Los Angeles Police Department has been proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with the FBI in this critical investigation,” said Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell. “The invaluable expertise provided by the Operations South Bureau FBI Task Force on the Rollin’ 60’s criminal street gang has played a pivotal role in securing these charges. This is a major step forward in our ongoing fight against gang violence, and it brings hope and relief to a community that has endured far too much. Together, we will continue to protect and serve, working tirelessly to ensure the safety of our neighborhoods.”
Criminal complaints and indictments contain allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted, Henley would face a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison. If convicted, Robinson, and Martin would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
The FBI’s Los Angeles Metropolitan Task Force on Violent Gangs; IRS Criminal Investigation; the United States Department of Justice Office of Inspector General; the Los Angeles Police Department; and the North Las Vegas Police Department are investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin J. Butler and Jena A. MacCabe of the Violent and Organized Crime Section are prosecuting this case.
Police are continuing to investigate a fatal collision in Aldwych on Tuesday, 18 March.
Emergency services were called to a location close to The Strand, near King’s College London’s campus at 11:41hrs following a collision involving a van and pedestrians.
Sadly, a woman in her 20s was pronounced dead at the scene. Her family have been made aware and continue to be supported by specialist officers.
A 27-year-old woman was taken to hospital where she remains in a serious condition. Her injuries are not believed to be life-threatening. A 23-year-old man was taken to hospital and has since been discharged.
Police arrested the driver of the van, a 26-year-old man at the scene on suspicion of causing death by careless driving. He was further arrested whilst in custody on suspicion of drug driving offences. He has since been bailed with conditions while enquiries continue.
Detective Chief Superintendent Christina Jessah, in charge of policing for the area said:
“This was a tragic incident which has deeply affected the community.
“I commend the actions of the emergency services and members of the public, who provided aid to those involved who tried to save this young woman’s life and help the others who were injured.
“This area of London is extremely busy and those who have been in the area over the last 24 hours would have noticed an increased police presence as our enquiries continue.
“Cordons have since been lifted, however we continue to work with those in the area, including King’s College London.
“We are aware of inaccurate speculation online about this incident being terrorism related. We ask the public to refrain from this speculation to protect the integrity of the ongoing investigation and avoid causing further suffering to the family of the young woman.
“Our thoughts remain with the family of the young woman who has died.”
Chief Superintendent Thomas Naughton of the Met’s Roads and Transport Policing Command said:
“Our team is continuing to establish the facts around this extremely upsetting incident.
“The investigation remains in the early stages and officers continue to gather CCTV and obtain witness statements from those at the scene.
“The 26-year-old man who was arrested has since been bailed whilst our enquiries continue. This is a complex investigation which remains a priority to ensure justice for those affected.”
Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 or post @MetCC ref CAD 2771/18MARCH.
To remain 100% anonymous contact the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
DETROIT – Joseph Strange, 46, of Holly, Michigan and a former employee of Marshall Mathers, AKA Eminem, was charged in a criminal complaint with criminal infringement of a copyright and interstate transportation of stolen goods in connection with the sale of unreleased music created by Eminem, announced Acting United States Attorney Julie Beck.
Beck was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Detroit Field Office (Michigan).
According to the criminal complaint, on or about January 16, 2025, the FBI was contacted by employees of Mathers’s music studio in Ferndale, Michigan who recently discovered unreleased music created by Mathers that was available on the internet. This music was still in the process of being developed by Mathers. The employees obtained an image of a list of the music that Mathers had created, but not released, and was for sale through various internet sites. The employees recognized this as an image taken directly from a hard drive in the Ferndale studio. The FBI was able to identify and locate multiple individuals that purchased the unreleased music. These individuals identified Joseph Strange as the person who was selling the music. Strange was an employee of Marshall Mathers from approximately 2007 until 2021.
“Protecting intellectual property from thieves is critical in safeguarding the exclusive rights of creators and protecting their original work from reproduction and distribution by individuals who seek to profit from the creative output of others,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Beck.
“This investigation underscores the FBI’s commitment to safeguarding artists’ intellectual property from exploitation by individuals seeking to profit illegally,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “Thanks to the cooperation of Mathers Music Studio, FBI agents from the Oakland County Resident Agency were able to swiftly enforce federal laws and ensure Joseph Strange was held accountable for his actions.”
If convicted on the charge of criminal infringement of a copyright, Strange faces a statutory maximum penalty of 5 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. A conviction on of the charge of interstate transportation of stolen goods, carries a statutory maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison.
A complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Trial cannot be held on felony charges in a complaint. When the investigation is completed, a determination will be made whether to seek a felony indictment.
This case is being investigated by special agents of the FBI Oakland County Resident Agency and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy Wyse and Alyse Wu.
Toronto, CANADA, March 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FreshBooks, a leader in cloud-based accounting software for small businesses and accountants, released its in-depth report on how small business owners are thinking about their taxes in 2025. The report uncovers trends among American small business owners on what’s going behind the scenes about their tax habits, fears, and what they do to procrastinate.
“At FreshBooks, we understand that tax season can be a source of stress for many small business owners. Our ‘2025 Small Business Tax Trends: Procrastinator or Planner’ report highlights that only 26% of small businesses feel confident about their tax submissions,” said Faye Pang, Chief Growth Officer at FreshBooks. “The data reveals a concerning trend: many small businesses, the backbone of our economy, are essentially ‘winging it’ when it comes to tax submissions. This may lead to costly penalties and unnecessary financial risk. It’s why having an accounting solution like FreshBooks is so important – we keep the hard parts of running a business, easy.”
Key Takeaways
Confidence gap: Only 26% of small business owners and freelancers feel completely confident about their taxes.
Tax preparation methods: Small business owners and freelancers primarily manage their taxes through software (35%) or by hiring accountants (33%).
Top challenges: The biggest tax-related headaches include organizing receipts (35%), understanding complex tax laws (33%), and identifying proper deductions (32%).
Procrastination trends: While 78% claim to start tax preparation early, 51% of Gen Z self-employed individuals wait until the last minute.
Tax compliance: Tax compliance is primarily motivated by fear, with 46% concerned about penalties and 37% worried about potential audits.
Methodology: FreshBooks designed and conducted an online survey of approximately 1,300 self-employed individuals, freelancers, and small business owners from the United States. Participants were sourced through an online panel representing a diverse range of small businesses across various industries, revenue levels, and employment sizes. The study examined tax preparation habits, challenges, and attitudes across demographic segments.
The survey’s margin of error is +/- 2.7% at 95% confidence.
About FreshBooks
FreshBooks is a leading cloud-based SaaS accounting software platform built for small business owners and consistently ranks #1 for ease of use. With an emphasis on keeping things simple and stress-free wherever possible, FreshBooks makes the hard parts of running a business easier. With Freshbooks, small businesses can get paid faster and spend less time on administrative tasks and paperwork, so they can focus on what they do best — growing their businesses.
The Board of Directors and Management have today discussed and approved the Annual Report of Ress Life Investments A/S for the period 1 January 2024 – 31 December 2024.
Key results and highlights:
Ress Life Investments A/S realised a net profit before and after tax of USD 20,463,751 for the period 1 January – 31 December 2024.
The net asset value per share in the Group increased with 6.5% during the financial year.
The profit for the year is mainly a result of fair value adjustments of life insurance policies offset by administrative expenses and staff costs.
The fair value of the Group’s investment assets decreased from USD 356,920,259 at 31 December 2023 to USD 284,310,582 at 31 December 2024.
The Group’s investments in treasury bills increased from USD 4,936,925 at 31 December 2023 to USD 4,991,360 at 31 December 2024.
Equity stands at USD 293,732,907 at 31 December 2024, corresponding to a net asset value of USD 2,595 per share compared with a net asset value of USD 2,437 at 31 December 2023.
During the period, 5,701 new ordinary shares were issued and 43,350 shares were bought back from investors and no shares were resold to investors. The Group holds 62,375 treasury shares at 31 December 2024.
Management continues to expect that the life insurance policy market will offer attractive returns for the medium term.
Questions related to this announcement can be made to the Company’s AIF-manager, Resscapital AB.
Herzliya Israel, March 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Beamr Imaging Ltd. (NASDAQ: BMR), a leader in video optimization technology and solutions, today announced that Beamr Cloud video service is now available to members of NVIDIA’s startup and ISV programs at special rates, helping accelerate their AI development and deployment with high-quality, high-performance, GPU-accelerated video operations. The program members can learn more and request the benefit through the NVIDIA Inception and NVIDIA Connect member portals.
“Our high-impact engagement with NVIDIA expands with this new offering to over 22,000 startups and ISVs in the NVIDIA Inception and Connect programs,” said Beamr CEO, Sharon Carmel. “We look forward to delivering our high-quality, high-performance solutions to program members across industries leveraging video at scale – including media and entertainment, user-generated content, machine learning, autonomous vehicles, and more”.
The NVIDIA Inception program helps startups accelerate innovation and growth with developer resources and training, preferred pricing on NVIDIA products, and opportunities for VC exposure. NVIDIA Connect is a free program that helps ISVs shorten time-to-market through training on the latest accelerated computing technologies, expert guidance, and exclusive pricing on NVIDIA hardware and software.
Beamr Cloud, available on Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI), delivers high-efficiency, scalable video processing, reducing video file size by 30%-50% while lowering CDN, networking and storage costs for VoD and live up to 4K resolution at 60 frames per second (4Kp60). As GPUs are the pixel domain of AI, Beamr enriches videos with AI-powered capabilities, such as visual enhancement and super resolution, in real time during the transcoding process. It supports all major video formats (AVC, HEVC, AV1) and simplifies video modernization to advanced codecs.
About Beamr
Beamr (Nasdaq: BMR) is a world leader in content-adaptive video optimization and modernization. The company serves top media companies like Netflix and Paramount. Beamr’s inventive perceptual optimization technology (CABR) is backed by 53 patents and won the Emmy® award for Technology and Engineering. The innovative technology reduces video file size by up to 50% while guaranteeing quality.
Beamr Cloud is a high-performance, GPU-based video optimization and modernization service designed for businesses and video professionals across diverse industries. It is conveniently available to Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) customers. Beamr Cloud enables video modernization to advanced formats such as AV1 and HEVC, and is ready for video AI workflows. For more details, please visit www.beamr.com
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” that are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements in this communication may include, among other things, statements about Beamr’s strategic and business plans, technology, relationships, objectives and expectations for its business, the impact of trends on and interest in its business, intellectual property or product and its future results, operations and financial performance and condition. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, contained in this press release are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release may be identified by the use of words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “contemplate,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “seek,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “target,” “aim,” “should,” “will” “would,” or the negative of these words or other similar expressions, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. Forward-looking statements are based on the Company’s current expectations and are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Further, certain forward-looking statements are based on assumptions as to future events that may not prove to be accurate. For a more detailed description of the risks and uncertainties affecting the Company, reference is made to the Company’s reports filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including, but not limited to, the risks detailed in the Company’s annual report filed with the SEC on March 4, 2025 and in subsequent filings with the SEC. Forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are made as of the date hereof and the Company undertakes no duty to update such information except as required under applicable law. investorrelations@beamr.com
Dundee City CouncilleaderCouncillorMark Flynn visited the site ofthe newDrumgeithCommunity Campus and Greenfield Academy on Wednesday March 19 to see progress on the £100 million development.
As the largest investment in education, sport and community provision in the city, the flagship Community Campus will deliver state-of-the-art facilities and services to the area.
Greenfield Academy will replace the currentBraeviewAcademy and Craigie High School.
Set to open in August 2025,DrumgeithCommunity Campus will serve as a modern and vibrant central hub for the north and east of the city for both pupils and the community to use.
It will provide specialist pupil support provision, citywide music and performing arts, as well as community, library, leisure, and sports facilities for use by the wider community.
Facilities at the campus will support partnership working with Dundee & Angus College to provide Senior Phase Education curricular experiences for young people with complex additional support needs.
Sport facilities which include floodlit all weather pitches, a fitness suite and a dance studio in addition to gym and games halls.
Councillor Flynn said: “This isa really excitingtime for the whole community, and I am pleased to see progress on such an important investment for the future of our city.
“It will host superb facilities for young people and the wider community that will help them to develop skills to take advantage of new opportunities in the years ahead.
“DrumgeithCommunity Campus and Greenfield Academy show our ambition to deliver real improvements and make the city a better place for everyone.
“I am delighted that pupils are also getting the chance to look at facilities that will become their learning environment from the start of the next school year.”
Children, Families and Communities Convener Councillor Stewart Hunter said: “Our ambition is for the campus to be the heart of the community with state-of-the-art facilities for everyone to enjoy and it’s great to see the vision coming together.”
Fair Work, Economic Growth and Infrastructure Convener Steven Rome added: “This £100 million investment in creating theDrumgeithCommunity Campus in thenorth eastof the city is a significant project to transform educational and community facilities, replacing two outdated school buildings with a secondary placed within a modern and vibrant campus.”
DrumgeithCommunity Campus is being delivered through Procurement Hub Major Projects 2 Framework.
Elliot Robertson, Chief Executive Officer, Robertson Group, said: “As we near completion of the state-of the-art campus and academy, it’s been fantastic to show how we have realised Dundee City Council’s ambitious vision, which will be at the heart of the community for generations to come.
“We have beenpartnerof choice with the Council for several years now and this project represents a shared vision of creating modern, sustainable,high qualitybuildings that make a difference to the people who use them, as well as the local economy through the construction process and beyond.”
SINGAPORE, March 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The globally recognized crypto exchange BYDFi has officially listed Mubarak ($MUBARAK) and MUBARAKAH ($MUBARAKAH) tokens, allowing users to trade directly using their account balance or purchase via fiat transactions with ease. Additionally, users can participate in the 8,100 USDT newcomer event, where they can earn rewards by completing tasks and investing at a low cost. More details can be found on the BYDFi official website or by downloading the official app.
Mubarak ($MUBARAK) Surges, 24-Hour Trading Volume Exceeds $339 Million
Mubarak ($MUBARAK) is a BSC-based Meme Coin launched by four.meme, which has rapidly gained traction through extensive social media exposure. The term “Mubarak” means “blessing” in Arabic, symbolizing prosperity and good fortune, aligning perfectly with its recent market performance.
On March 12, 2025, Abu Dhabi-based investment firm MGX injected $2 billion into Binance. The day after the investment announcement, CZ (@cz_binance) shared a tweet from Binance’s Chinese official account featuring a Middle Eastern figure, captioning it “mubarak” (meaning “blessing”). He then went on to like and retweet multiple community memes, further fueling the hype. On March 15, CZ publicly purchased 20,155 MUBARAK tokens for 1 BNB, stating “Weekend testing.” This action propelled MUBARAK’s market cap to $140 million, igniting investor enthusiasm and pushing its valuation close to $150 million.
Beyond its unique meme culture, Mubarak offers a distinctive feature – the Mubarak Meme Creator Tool, available at mubarak.dev. This tool enables users to create custom Mubarak-themed stickers, fostering viral social media engagement and further amplifying its popularity.
The explosive growth of $MUBARAK can largely be attributed to its cultural significance, which enhances its appeal as a meme coin. Strong community participation, combined with strategic social media marketing, has further fueled its exposure, sustained interest, and increased trading volume. Moreover, efficient blockchain technology and Binance’s strategic trading approach played pivotal roles in its success.
As of this writing, $MUBARAK is priced at $0.1642, reflecting a 549.64% increase from its all-time low, with a 24-hour trading volume of $339 million, marking another all-time high.
MUBARAKAH ($MUBARAKAH): Riding the Binance Hype, Social Media Fuels Market Excitement
Simultaneously, $MUBARAKAH followed suit, mirroring the success of $MUBARAK. Binance Vice President He Yi (@heyibinance) shared an image of a Middle Eastern woman on social media. Given that Mubarakah is a common term associated with Middle Eastern women, this move drew massive market attention to $MUBARAKAH. The token leveraged Binance’s brand influence, providing a strong foundation for its future growth.
As of this writing, $MUBARAKAH is priced at $0.005, with a 24-hour trading volume of $2.36 million,and it still has potential to be unlocked.
About BYDFi
Founded in 2020, BYDFi is recognized by Forbes as one of the world’s top 10 crypto exchanges, trusted by over 1,000,000 global users. The upcoming “MoonX” is a professional Memecoin trading tool designed specifically for “degen” traders. MoonX supports over 500,000 trading pairs, integrating smart trading tools, comprehensive market analysis, and advanced technology to help users track smart money and snipe the next 1,000x Meme coin. BYDFi is committed to delivering a world-class crypto trading experience. BUIDL Your Dream Finance.
Annual Report and Notice of 2025 Annual General Meeting
Further to the release of Alliance Witan PLC (the ‘Company’) Annual Results on 7 March 2025, the Company announces that it has now published the Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 December 2024 (the ‘Annual Report’) which also includes the Notice of the 2025 Annual General Meeting.
In accordance with Listing Rule 6.4.1R, a copy of the Annual Report has been submitted to the National Storage Mechanism (NSM) and will shortly be available for inspection at https://data.fca.org.uk/#/nsm/nationalstoragemechanism
Emergency alerts may amplify distress in people who already have anxiety.(Shutterstock)
When there’s a disaster, it’s helpful to know what’s going on — and know whether you’re truly at risk. But as essential as emergency alert systems are, they can leave many of us feeling anxious — even when the alert may be a false alarm or test.
This is because emergency alerts, whether real or tests, can activate the same neural circuits involved in real danger. This can trigger stress, confusion and anxiety.
Our nervous systems are constantly processing information from both our bodies and our environment, trying to distinguish between warnings that demand action and those that can be safely ignored.
But over time, the stress associated with being on constant alert can have lasting effects on mental health. Chronic stress can contribute to the risk of developing anxiety disorders and depression, and even physical disorders such as heart disease. This is especially true for people who live in war-torn or natural disaster-prone areas.
In people who already have anxiety, being unable to distinguish between real and perceived threats can be particularly debilitating. This can amplify their distress, making it difficult to navigate a world filled with both real and perceived threats.
Similarly, neurological conditions such as migraines, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease can be exacerbated by chronic stress responses. This can lead to a worsening of symptoms and lower quality of life.
The constant barrage of information we’re exposed to — from daily news alerts to “doomscrolling” on social media — highlights a broader challenge we all face: learning to navigate a world increasingly filled with real and perceived threats that can further exacerbate anxiety.
The body’s interoceptive system — the brain’s ability to sense and interpret internal physiological signals — plays a crucial role in determining which environmental signals warrant our attention.
This systems helps us detect when our heart is racing from actual danger, versus when it’s simply responding to stress or uncertainty. But when interoception is disrupted, as it often is during heightened anxiety states, distinguishing between true and false alarms becomes increasingly difficult.
Nervous system support
Thankfully, there are things we can do to help better support our nervous systems in making these critical distinctions.
It’s helpful to be conscious and deliberate about what we expose ourselves to in our internal and external environment. Creating a daily schedule with set times for exercise, sleep and social connection can be effective. Practising mind-body approaches such as mindfulness, breath work, yoga and tai chi might also help to facilitate an inward focus. Sustaining this inward focus can help reset our interoceptive system.
Spending time with friends and sharing your concerns with them can also be helpful when dealing with perceived threats. This can also enhance social connection, which can buffer stress. It can be very comforting to feel connected to others who are experiencing a similar trauma. Limiting time with people who increase your anxiety is also key.
Stepping away from information streams might also help. Finding ways to temporarily turn off or physically separate from digital devices such as laptops, cellphones and smart-watches for set periods of time can effectively facilitate a break from media. This can allow our minds to settle and reset our attention on priorities that are meaningful to us.
A novel strategy that has recently been studied for reducing anxiety and resetting the interoceptive nervous system is flotation tank immersion, also known as float therapy or flotation-REST. This involves lying in a shallow bath of warm water filled with concentrated levels of Epsom salt. When combined with reduced visual and auditory stimulation, this is thought to enhance the body’s interoceptive signals.
Float therapy may be helpful for mental health. (Shutterstock)
Ultimately, understanding the brain’s role in processing internal and external threats is vital to improving our mental and physical wellbeing.
Using our interoceptive nervous system as a way of developing resilience involves learning to be proactive rather than reactive. Sensing when our body is getting the preliminary cues of anxiety or stress that can mount into full-blown disarray can help. Not reacting to these cues, and consciously and deliberately choosing alternative actions, can help to unwind the anxiety from these cues. This may also potentially even help us avoid an episode of panic.
Being more in tune with our nervous system can help us better equip ourselves to face the challenges ahead — whether they’re true threats or false alarms.
Sahib Khalsa receives funding from the National Institute of Mental Health. He is an associate editor of several journals, Biological Psychology and JMIR Mental Health. He is a board member of several nonprofit organizations, the International Society for Contemplative Research and the Float Research Collective, which are non-compensated positions.
Indu Subramanian does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
NEW YORK, NY, March 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Hola Prime has presented a major enhancement to its compliance framework, reinforcing its commitment to transparency and accountability in proprietary trading. As regulators and market participants call for greater compliance, Hola Prime has implemented a robust monitoring system to uphold fair and ethical trading practices.
Hola Prime’s compliance structure is a 24/7 Compliance Review system designed to ensure fair and ethical trading practices. A dedicated compliance team actively monitors trade execution, fund allocation, and reviews trader activity in real-time, preventing potential market manipulation and irregularities. Each trader undergoes an extensive review before being funded, eliminating any potential exploitation of loopholes and ensuring that all profits stem from genuine, skill-based trading rather than artificial tactics.
Risk management is another pillar of Hola Prime’s approach. The internal audit team conducts continuous assessments and reviews of financial stability and risk exposure, identifying potential compliance gaps before they escalate. Proprietary trading firms often operate in a grey area, but Hola Prime’s commitment to stringent internal audits ensures accountability in every aspect of its operations. By proactively addressing risks, the firm provides a stable and predictable environment for traders.
Payouts, often a contentious issue in prop trading, undergo a rigorous reconciliation process at Hola Prime. Each transaction is subject to dual-layer approval to prevent unauthorized withdrawals. The firm prioritizes liquidity planning, ensuring that reserves are always maintained to facilitate seamless trader payouts. This includes a rapid withdrawal system, enabling traders to access their earnings within an hour. Collaborations with leading payment service providers such as Rise and multiple cryptocurrency networks further optimize transaction efficiency, ensuring smooth and reliable fund transfers.
Hola Prime’s simulated-to-live trading model serves as an additional safeguard. This system enables real-time risk assessment and seamless order execution, leveraging advanced algorithms and a parallel liquidity infrastructure. By minimizing execution lag and monitoring market exposure, the firm mitigates risk while maintaining optimal trade flow. Regular IT security audits further bolster these measures, ensuring that system access and transactions remain secure and compliant with international cybersecurity standards.
One of the most unique aspects of Hola Prime’s compliance strategy is its approach to trader monitoring. The firm conducts in-depth evaluations of trading patterns, ensuring that no participant engages in practices that could compromise market integrity. This includes monitoring order flow management, identifying discrepancies in trading behavior, and preventing activities that may indicate manipulation.
Transparency is a cornerstone of Hola Prime’s operational philosophy. Every financial decision, from earnings allocation to trader payouts, is backed by structured financial planning and accountability measures. The firm’s daily financial comparisons ensure that payouts for the next day are planned well in advance, with funds being kept separately to meet all the liabilities of the next day. In addition, an extra reserve of 35% is also kept as cushion funds, to make provision for any unforeseen expenses.
Hola Prime also places a strong emphasis on compliance with global anti-money laundering (AML) protocols. A robust Know Your Customer (KYC) and AML framework ensures that only legitimate traders participate on the platform, reducing the risk of fraudulent activities. The firm conducts thorough background checks and transaction monitoring, preventing any attempts at money laundering or financial misconduct. By prioritizing trader integrity over sheer numbers, Hola Prime fosters a responsible trading community where only serious traders thrive.
The company’s dedication to transparency is further exemplified through its industry-leading Price Transparency Report. This report offers a tick-by-tick comparison of Hola Prime’s pricing against industry benchmarks, allowing traders to independently verify execution quality. Forex markets, known for their decentralized nature and price discrepancies, often leave traders questioning the fairness of their trades. Hola Prime’s proactive approach addresses this concern, providing a publicly available record of price movements that reinforces trust and accountability.
Ashutosh Sharma, Head of Risk and Compliance at Hola Prime, highlights the importance of financial prudence in the firm’s approach. “We don’t just aim to be profitable; we aim to be sustainable. Our liquidity planning ensures that trader payouts are secured in advance, preventing any shocks. We maintain separate accounts for company expenses and trader funds, reinforcing integrity at every level.”
Another crucial component of Hola Prime’s compliance framework is its approach to liquidity and order flow management. The firm ensures that the gap between simulated and live trading execution remains under two minutes, maintaining efficiency while reducing market impact. Exposure limits are meticulously calculated, taking into account actual cash reserves, liabilities, and additional financial cushions. By capping risk exposure in accordance with its financial standing, the firm ensures that it never overextends its market position.
Technology plays a vital role in Hola Prime’s compliance-driven ecosystem. From automated risk assessments to real-time transaction monitoring, the firm leverages advanced software to enhance its oversight capabilities. System checks and IT audits are conducted regularly, reinforcing data security and ensuring seamless trading operations.
Somesh Kapuria, CEO of Hola Prime, believes that trust is the key to long-term success in prop trading. “Our traders deserve to know how we operate. We don’t believe in hiding behind complex structures or ambiguous policies. Transparency isn’t just a marketing term for us – it’s the foundation of our business. By implementing rigorous compliance standards, we ensure that Hola Prime remains a trusted platform where traders can focus on their craft without concerns over financial mismanagement.”
In an industry often marred by uncertainty, Hola Prime stands as a beacon of reliability. Its stringent compliance measures, robust financial planning, and unwavering commitment to transparency set it apart as a leader in ethical prop trading. With its structured approach to governance, the firm is proving that self-regulation, when done right, can be just as effective as formal oversight—if not more so. For traders seeking a platform built on trust and accountability, Hola Prime continues to raise the bar.
An increase in attacks on media outlets in Haiti by armed gangs which control most of the capital Port-au-Prince are intended to intimidate journalists and instill chaos according to the UN agency for culture, UNESCO.
The Caribbean island nation is facing humanitarian, economic and political crises in addition to the break-down of law and order.
In the last week, three media houses were targeted, in what appears to be a change in gang tactics in order to isolate the population.
UN News asked Frantz Duval, the editor of Le Nouvelliste newspaper, Hervé LeRouge, the CEO of Le National newspaper and Télévision-Radio Pacific, and the head of the UNESCO Haiti office, Eric Voli Bi, what effect the attacks are having on journalists’ ability to continue providing accurate information to Haitians about the crisis there.
UNOCHA
Most of the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, is controlled by gangs.
An attempt to silence the free press
Frantz Duval: The Haitian press has been under attack for a long time already. It’s already been a year since our offices were totally vandalized. There have -also been attacks on Radio Télévision Caraïbes, Radio Mélodie, and Télé Pluriel. It’s all part of the total takeover of the Haitian capital by armed gangs, which has affected all institutions as well as private individuals.
Eric Voli Bi: The situation is very alarming. We are seeing repeated against civilians, students and journalists. The attacks against the media are intended to intimidate them and end their essential mission of informing the public. UNESCO is calling for immediate measures to ensure the safety of journalists, protect their media facilities and create a secure environment for the free exercise of the press.
Frantz Duval: Le Nouvelliste is 127 years old, and under the same ownership for four generations. It is the first time we have suffered a crisis of this magnitude. There have been difficult political situations in the past which disrupted publication, but only for a week or two. Even when we were hit by the 2010 earthquake, we resumed publishing just a few months later.
It is very difficult to travel in Port-au-Prince. Those who continue to work are restricted to ever smaller areas. This means that are fewer news images and reports from places where there are violent clashes, because journalists no longer venture into these areas.
Decades of archives and essential equipment destroyed
Frantz Duval: When our historic premises were vandalized in March 2024, the editorial staff were unharmed because they had already left, but we couldn’t take the printing presses or our archives. Because downtown Port-au-Prince became a no-go area due to the presence of gangs, it was 10 months before we could get to the building. There was almost nothing left. This means that now we are an online-only news organisation.
A 63-year-old woman lies wounded on the floor of a hospital in Port-au-Prince after warring gangs swept through her neighborhood.
Hervé LeRouge: So far, neither I nor my media companies have been attacked. However, I own several construction companies, providing concrete and asphalt, and two weeks ago, we were attacked by the gangs. Our premises were reduced to ruins and one of my employees was killed. He had been with me for fifteen years. It was a big loss.
Non-existent revenue
Frantz Duval: There are no subsidies or public funds for the Haitian press. Everything is financed by advertising, which has been slashed because hardly any businesses are doing well enough to be able to advertise.
Hervé LeRouge: 51 people work for my TV station and newspaper, and the revenue doesn’t even cover payroll. My other companies allow me to pay their salaries, and I don’t want to let them go because there is no work for them anywhere else right now. Also, I consider this career to be a social service to the community.
Eric Voli Bi: For the press to survive this difficult period, it goes without saying that we will still need a minimum of security in this country, and that is the responsibility of the government.
UNESCO is working with the Ministry of Communications to restructure the state broadcaster (Radio Télévision Nationale d’Haïti), by providing training and new equipment. We are also using social media to help get verified information to the people, but also radio, which remains the must trusted channel of communication, especially in the countryside.
Reliable information ‘a matter of life and death’
Eric Voli Bi: Access to reliable information can be a matter of life and death. It can help people to identify safe zones, avoid danger and make the right decisions to protect themselves and their families.
People flee the neighbourhood of Solino in Port-au-Prince following gang attacks there in May 2024.
Hervé LeRouge: These journalists are used to difficult situations because, every day, they are reporting and presenting live shows from the streets, just as they have always done, showing the population what is happening, so that they know where it is safe to go. That is the service we provide to the people.
Eric Voli Bi: The armed groups are trying to isolate the population and create chaos in the in the country by attacking the media. Press freedom is essential to guarantee the right to information and ensure transparency in the society. It’s also a platform for diverse voices a key to ensuring transparency. In this country, which has been scarred by violence and instability, knowing the truth can be incredibly healing.
Hervé LeRouge: I will not leave the country I love. This is my country, and I will defend it even at the risk of my life.
Fans of the video game franchise Assasin’s Creed have been pining for a game set in feudal Japan for decades. In theory, it looked like a match made in heaven.
The series (which started in 2007 and has sold over 200 million copies) uses historical settings, such as ancient Greece, the Italian Renaissance or the American Revolution, to tell its fictional epic story of a battle between the Order of Assassins and the Knights Templar. What better scenario, then, than the Japanese civil war (1477-1600), where samurai and ninjas (known as shinobi) were fighting each other?
Yet when the premiere trailer for Assassin’s Creed Shadows dropped on May 15 last year, it unleashed a torrent of criticism from fans around the world. By June, a Japanese-language petition had gathered over 100,000 signatures, claiming the game “insults Japanese culture and history” and “could be tied to anti-Asian racism”.
The publisher of the franchise Ubisoft issued a public apology, delaying the game’s release multiple times. With other Ubisoft titles under-performing, Shadows rescheduled release on March 20 has become a high-stakes endeavour.
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So what exactly had fans so enraged? Online, amateur historians highlighted what they saw as copious historical inaccuracies in the promotional material.
However, none was deemed as damaging as the fact that one of the two playable characters in the game was based on the historical figure of Yasuke. Yasuke was a formerly enslaved black man from Mozambique who became a retainer of the Japanese warlord Oda Nobunaga (1534-1582).
While the historical existence of Yasuke stands without question, some gamers took offence at the notion that Yasuke was being portrayed as a “black samurai”. That’s because the historical sources are not clear on whether Yasuke was considered a “samurai” by his contemporaries.
The trailer for Assassin’s Creed Shadows.
Some gamers argue that focusing on Yasuke, rather than a more typical Japanese-born warrior, represents a misguided attempt at diversity, equity and inclusion. Especially since the second playable character is a fictional female ninja named Naoe.
To critics, highlighting these two characters allegedly overwrites the history of male Japanese samurai, injecting a “foreignness” they believe distorts the setting.
White samurai in popular media
Despite the uproar over Assassin’s Creed: Shadows, it’s not the first piece of media to depict a non-Japanese samurai.
In James Clavell’s 1975 novel Shōgun, English navigator John Blackthorne (based on the real-life William Adams) becomes a samurai in the rank of hatamoto of the warlord Toranaga (based on Tokugawa Ieyasu).
Historians also debate whether the real Adams was a true samurai, yet his “white samurai” image endures in adaptations like the 2024 FX series Shōgun, which garnered praise from critics across the ideological spectrum.
Another famous instance is Nathan Algren (played by Tom Cruise) who in the movie The Last Samurai (2003) joins the Satsuma Rebellion of 1877 led by the charismatic Katsumoto (played by Ken Watanabe and based on Saigō Takamori).
Katsumoto represents in the movie the “true” samurai spirit of male honour, duty, loyalty and principles. In the end, he dies in a final showdown against modern weaponry, but Tom Cruise’s character survives and reminds the emperor that Japan needs to honour its past despite the modernisation.
The movie follows the formula of films like Dances with Wolves (1990), and later the first James Cameron Avatar movie (2009), in which a white character joins a minority population to “save” said people from their doom. This is also known as the “white savior complex”.
Accuracy v authenticity
Why, then, is Yasuke’s portrayal as a black samurai so contentious when white foreigners in similar roles have been widely accepted?
Racism is one answer, but audience expectations about historical authenticity also play a key role. It’s critics claim that Shadows teems with historical inaccuracies, yet other celebrated titles, such as Ghost of Tsushima (2020) are just as historically inaccurate.
Ghost of Tsushima is set during the 13th-century Mongol invasion. Yet the game developers decided to base their protagonists on the heavily idealised and romanticised samurai of 1950s Akira Kurosawa movies, which have little in common with their historical 13th-century counterparts.
However, since these samurai conform to audience expectations of Japanese warriors with two swords that follow the largely fictional honour code of bushido, the game feels authentic even though it is historically inaccurate. By contrast, Yasuke’s presence in Shadows challenges a deeply ingrained notion of a xenophobic or sealed-off Japan – an anachronistic concept that overlooks evidence of foreign influence in the 16th century.
While Ubisoft has taken creative liberties and introduced historical inaccuracies, this is consistent with what has been done in other Assassin’s Creed titles and historically inspired games in general. Yet while predominantly white (and even Japanese) cultures seem quick to forgive depictions of white samurai figures, the same leniency does not seem to extend to a black character.
Fynn Holm receives funding from the German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft).
SINGAPORE, March 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Following President Donald Trump’s announcement to include Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Ripple (XRP), Solana (SOL), and Cardano (ADA) in the U.S. Strategic Crypto Reserve, the crypto market has experienced significant volatility. This led Bitcoin to surge past $94,000, while other major altcoins followed suit, reaffirming short-term market turbulence.
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The biometric verification and authentication leader was honored for setting a new standard in identity management with its advanced biometric solutions
DENVER, Colorado, March 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — authID (Nasdaq: AUID), a leading provider of biometric identity verification and authentication solutions, today announced that it has once again been selected as the winner of the “Best ID Management Platform” award in the 2025 FinTech Breakthrough Awards.
Presented by FinTech Breakthrough, a leading market intelligence organization that recognizes the top companies, technologies, and products in the global FinTech market, the 9th annual FinTech Breakthrough Awards recognize the most innovative companies in the financial technology industry, highlighting those that have demonstrated exceptional performance and growth. authID was recognized for its groundbreaking biometric identity verification technology, which has set a new standard for precision, speed, and data privacy in the fintech industry, as well as the verification landscape at large.
This marks the third time in the past four years that authID has been recognized as the “Best ID Management Platform” by FinTech Breakthrough. The company previously received this recognition in 2022 and 2023.
“We are honored to once again be recognized as the ‘Best ID Management Platform’ by FinTech Breakthrough,” said Rhon Daguro, CEO of authID. “At authID, we are committed to helping businesses navigate the ever-evolving challenges of digital identity security. Our platform offers biometric authentication and identity verification solutions that are not only sub-second fast and accurate but also designed with privacy and compliance in mind. This recognition is a testament to the dedication of our team in making the digital ecosystem safer, more secure, and more user-friendly for both businesses and consumers.”
As consumer awareness of data privacy grows, authID addresses the need for secure digital identity management without compromising on compliance or ease of use. By leveraging public/private key encryption and key-rotation capabilities, as well as advanced deepfake detection, authID’s solutions enable companies to control who can access sensitive data and combat sophisticated fraud. Moreover, authID’s groundbreaking PrivacyKey™ solution stores zero biometric data while retaining one-in-one-billion false-match accuracy and 25ms authentication speed, and helping prevent identity fraud, account takeovers, and data breaches, ensuring clients stay ahead of emerging threats and regulatory changes.
The FinTech Breakthrough Award nominations were evaluated by an independent panel of experts within the financial services and technology industries, with the winning products and companies selected based on a variety of criteria. For more about the 2025 Fintech Breakthrough Awards, click here. Learn more about authID and its suite of solutions here.
About authID
authID (Nasdaq: AUID) ensures enterprises “Know Who’s Behind the Device™” for every customer or employee login and transaction through its easy-to-integrate, patented biometric identity platform. authID quickly and accurately verifies a user’s identity and eliminates any assumption of ‘who’ is behind a device to prevent cybercriminals from compromising account openings or taking over accounts. Combining secure digital onboarding, biometric authentication, and account recovery with a fast, accurate, user-friendly experience, authID delivers biometric identity processing in 700ms. With our ground-breaking PrivacyKey Solution, authID delivers all the benefits of biometric identity verification, with a 1-to-1-billion false match rate, while storing no biometric data. Binding a biometric root of trust for each user to their account, authID stops fraud at onboarding, detects and stops deepfakes, prevents account takeover, eliminates password risks and costs, and provides the fastest, most frictionless, and most accurate user identity experience demanded by today’s digital ecosystem. Contact us to discover how authID can help your organization secure your workforce or consumer applications against identity fraud, cyberattacks, and account takeover.
NATIONWIDE – Today, in a historic development for video game organizing, workers across the U.S. and Canada are launching United Videogame Workers-CWA Local 9433, a direct-join, industry-wide video game union with the Communications Workers of America (CWA) in partnership with the American Federation of Musicians (AFM). The launch will be formally announced at the 2025 Game Developer Conference in San Francisco, Calif., the world’s largest industry event for video game professionals, where workers will be joined by other CWA members to launch this powerful new organization.
CWA members will be handing out an introductory UVW-CWA zine to GDC 2025 attendees. A digital version of the zine can be foundhere.
UVW-CWA builds off of the unprecedented mobilization following the Game Developers Conference in 2018, which served as a launching pad for the creation of Game Workers Unite, an international grassroots organization dedicated to labor organizing the industry. The launch of UVW-CWA also coincides with the fifth anniversary of CODE-CWA, which has helped over 6,500 tech and video game workers organize to join the union since 2020.
“The creation of this union was not done in isolation; it’s a cumulative effort by the thousands of video game workers who have been fighting for years to redefine what it means to stand together and reclaim power in one of the largest and highest-grossing industries on the globe,” said Tom Smith, CWA’s Senior Director of Organizing. “These workers are taking a bold stand, joining together to build power for the workers behind the games we all know and love.”
As part of the United Videogame Workers-CWA launch, members will be gathering signatures for a petition demanding dignity and job security for all video game workers, particularly those facing layoffs. The video game industry is one of the fastest-growing entertainment industries in the world, with huge revenue increases in recent years. Across the industry, over 10,500 jobs were lost in 2023 and an additional 14,600 jobs were lost in 2024. According to the GDC 2025 State of the Game Industry, more than 10% of surveyed game developers reported being laid off in 2024. Over 30 studios have laid off their entire staff and were closed by their parent companies, including some of the largest and most profitable corporations like Microsoft and Sony Interactive Entertainment. The full petition can be found here.
“Our mission is to take back our lives, our labor, and our passion from those who treat us like replaceable cogs; to empower our fellow workers; to link up arms with the laid off, with the freelancer, with the disillusioned contractor, with the disenfranchised and the marginalized, with the workers laboring invisibly to keep this industry afloat,”readsUVW-CWA’s mission statement. “We are going to create a game industry that works for us, one that nourishes its talent and invests in its future, rather than constantly seeking short-term profits. We are the ones that make the games, so we must be the ones that set the terms of how we work.”
UVW-CWA joins a list of several other historic union campaigns with CWA that have organized within a direct-join organizing model, including United Campus Workers-CWA, Texas State Employees Union-CWA Local 6186, and Alphabet Workers Union-CWA. Direct-join organizing, sometimes referred to as pre-majority unionism, enables workers – including freelancers and the thousands of video game workers who were laid off in recent years – to build power across the industry without the obstacles and delays that employers can impose during the traditional union certification process., It also makes it easier for workers to address shared concerns beyond just one video game studio. UVW-CWA will include video game workers across the United States and Canada, as well as video game contractors, freelancers, indie developers, workers who are currently unemployed, and workers who are already organizing their workplaces.
“The formation of United Video Game Workers-CWA is an exciting next step in our union’s work to help video game workers build power in their industry,” said CWA President Claude Cummings Jr. “As video game studios have consolidated, the workers whose creativity, dedication, and skill bring the games to life have become more an afterthought. They are subject to endless cycles of layoffs and rehiring as corporate executives pursue short-term profits at the expense of a sustainable future.”
Video game workers and musicians in the United States/Canada who are interested in becoming members can apply here.
Follow UVW-CWA on Bluesky, X, and Instagram. Visit uvw-cwa.org for more information on campaign updates and membership opportunities.
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About CODE-CWA The Campaign to Organize Digital Employees (CODE-CWA) is a network of worker-organizers and their staff working every single day to build the voice and power necessary to ensure the future of the tech, game, and digital industries in the United States and Canada. CODE-CWA is a project of the Communications Workers of America which represents hundreds of thousands of workers throughout tech, media, telecom, and other industries who stand together to fight for justice on the job and in our communities.
About CWA The Communications Workers of America represents working people in telecommunications, customer service, media, airlines, health care, public service and education, manufacturing, tech, and other fields.
In the forests of eastern Australia, satin bowerbirds create structures known as “bowers.”
The males gather twigs and place them upright, in two bundles, with a gap in the middle, resulting in what looks like a miniature archway. All around the bower the bird scatters small objects – shells, pieces of plastic, flower petals – which all possess the same property: the color blue.
Studies suggest that the purpose of the bowers is to impress and attract females. But their beauty and intricacy has left some researchers wondering whether they shouldn’t be considered art.
Of course, figuring out whether something is a work of art requires answering some tricky philosophical questions. Are animals even capable of creating art? And how can we tell whether something is a work of art rather than just a coincidentally beautiful object? As a philosopher and artist who’s interested in aesthetics and biology, I recently wrote about the evolution of behaviors in animals that could be seen as art.
A contested concept
First, it’s important to outline various theories of what makes something a work of art.
There’s a general agreement that art must have some sort of producer and some possible or intended audience. In this way, it’s similar to other forms of communication.
But the rest of the picture is unclear, and there’s no universally agreed-upon definition of art. In fact, art has proven so difficult to define that Scottish philosopher W.B. Gallie once suggested it might be an “essentially contested concept” – an idea for which there is no correct definition.
That being said, some popular views have emerged.
Leo Tolstoy famously suggested art is a conduit for emotion, writing in 1897 that “one man consciously, by means of certain external signs, hands on to others feelings he has lived through, and that other people are infected by these feelings and also experience them.”
Platoand Aristotle emphasized the representational role of art: the idea that a work of art must in some way mimic, depict or “stand in” as a sort of sign for something else.
Some philosophers believe that creating art requires intention – for example, a sculptor will mold clay with the intention of having it look like Abraham Lincoln. And nonhuman animals, they’ll argue, simply don’t have the right kind of intentions for art-making.
Art, beauty and sex
And yet, it’s not clear how much intention really does matter for art.
Philosopher Brian Skyrms has pointed out that communication arises even in animals that plausibly do not have sophisticated intentions like our own. For example, fireflies signal to mates with flashes, and this seems to be largely an evolved behavior. Communication can even emerge via simple reinforcement learning, as when a dog learns to associate a certain call with dinner.
These aren’t instances of art. But they reveal how meaningful signs or representations can operate without the need for complex intentions. Given that much art also serves a communicative role, I argue that there’s reason to think that art might be able to come about in less intention-demanding ways too.
Ornithologist Richard Prum also takes a communicative view of art, but one where art is meant to be evaluated for its beauty. The beauty of a work functions as an indicator of the artist’s reproductive fitness, or their having “good genes” – and this can apply to both humans and animals.
Charles Darwin, musing about birds in “The Descent of Man,” also thought at least some animals appreciate beauty:
“When we behold a male bird elaborately displaying his graceful plumes or splendid colours before the female, whilst other birds, not thus decorated, make no such display, it is impossible to doubt that she admires the beauty of her male partner.”
Some might not like an account like Prum’s, since it seems to allow creations like bowers to count as art. And yet, as philosopher Denis Dutton points out in his 2009 book “The Art Instinct,” mate attraction and fitness broadcasting can be the primary motivation behind many human works of art too: just consider the stereotype of the sex-hungry rock musician.
Whale ballads and pig paintings
I think it’s safe to say some animal creations don’t count as art. The webs of most spiders, though intricate and carefully designed, appear to exist for utilitarian purposes and serve no evaluative or communicative function. The same goes for most anthills.
But what about animal songs?
The structures of the songs of humpback whales are complex, featuring parts and repeated patterns that researchers often describe as “themes” and “verses.” The songs are long – sometimes up to 30 minutes. Because males perform these songs primarily during mating season, it’s plausible that female whales assess them for their beauty, which serves as a way to gauge the singer’s genetic fitness. Details of songs even vary from whale population to population, often changing over the course of a mating season.
Then there are animals that have been trained to make art. Pigcasso was a pig in South Africa whose trainer taught her to paint on canvas via reinforcement learning. The trainer would pick out the colors for Pigcasso, and Pigcasso would do the brushing. Was Pigcasso really an artist? Were her paintings works of art?
Pigcasso was plausibly making these paintings for reasons other than her own desire to communicate or make something beautiful; she was motivated, at least in part, by “piggy treats.” The trainer chose the colors. But Pigcasso did, in the end, have some aesthetic freedom: She had control over her brushstrokes.
Off the coasts of Japan, male white-spotted puffer fish create impressive nests to attract females. The male puffer fish uses his mouth to remove rocks from the sand and his body to wiggle out long, strategically placed grooves. The finished product is a multi-ringed sand mandala about 6 feet in diameter.
Like the bowers, the nests of the puffer fish are beautiful and involve mate attraction. Yet some researchers argue that since these sorts of works all look roughly the same – have the same shape, use the same materials and so on – they’re more likely the result of evolved, inflexible dispositions than more creative processes.
Male white-spotted puffer fish create elaborate designs in the sand to attract mates.
But it’s worth noting that many human works of art bear core similarities as well. Many paintings use flat surfaces, oils or acrylics. Many songs follow the same chord patterns. And would we still consider human sculptures art if we discovered much about the motivation to build them could be explained by evolution? I wager we would.
Birds bust a move
Many human cases of art involve more than one person, sometimes even a large group. Think of all the people it takes to make a modern film. Does anything like that happen in animals?
Consider the blue manakin bird of South America. Male blues will form groups, often of three or more, which then practice an elaborate song-and-dance routine to later perform in front of females. The practice is detailed and dutiful. The groups hone their moves. This involves learning and memorization, not just genetics. Flaws in the performance are challenged and corrected. Sometimes during practices, a juvenile male will even fill in as a mock female.
Some blue manakins spend years honing their dance moves.
It’s not The Beatles. But the similarity to music groups seem hard to deny.
At the same time, it’s worth wondering whether, beyond conveying their eagerness to mate, the birds are trying to “say” or “express” anything more with their performance. And do they know it’s beautiful?
All this leaves room for doubt about whether animals really make art.
To me, a key question is whether there’s any animal art that doesn’t have to do with mating, and instead expresses something more complex or sentimental. Without being able to get into the heads of animals, it’s hard to say. But it’s plausible that humans aren’t alone in their artistic pursuits.
Shawn Simpson does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
President Donald Trump calls on reporters during a news conference at the White House on Jan. 30, 2025.Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Like many other news organizations, The Associated Press maintains a “live updates” page, which posts the latest from the Trump administration in a ticker tape-like live scroll, with multiple updates per hour, 12 hours a day.
President Donald Trump has kept the ticker busy.
“Trump is moving with light speed and brute force to break the existing order and reshape America at home and abroad,” an Associated Press reporter wrote on Feb. 22, 2025.
Deliberately overwhelming people with a flood of news content is a propaganda strategy used by authoritarians like Russian President Vladimir Putin to distort reality and prevent people from clearly evaluating their government’s actions.
Trump communicates more than ‘The Great Communicator’
When Ronald Reagan’s first term as president began in 1981, several prominent political scientists noted in an analysis that a “week scarcely goes by without at least one major news story devoted to coverage of a radio or TV speech, an address to Congress, a speech to a convention, a press conference, a news release, or some other presidential utterance.”
It’s hard to believe that Reagan’s presidential communication only attracted one major news story per week, especially since he is often called “the Great Communicator.”
The 1980s had a slower, pre-digital news environment than that of the current day, to be sure. But Trump is also simply generating a lot more news content than Reagan did.
Today, Trump’s frequent press conferences, news releases, social media posts and other appearances and offhand remarks generate a constant flow of new stories and social media posts each day. The proliferation of cellphones and social media allows many people to follow the news throughout the day. People, in return, expect the president and other politicians to talk to the public constantly and often berate them when they fail to meet that expectation and go silent.
In fact, Trump is generating a lot more media content in his second term than he did in his first.
Trump’s intensified communication strategy
Reagan averaged about 5.8 news conferences per year. Trump averaged 22 per year in his first term, according to data collected by a nonpartisan group at the University of California Santa Barbara called the American Presidency Project. Former President Joe Biden averaged 9.25 per year.
Trump has already had 18 press gaggles or press conferences since taking office in January 2025.
A news analysis conducted by National Journal White House reporter George Condon showed that Trump has already answered more than 1,000 questions from reporters since he returned to office, which is nearly five times more questions than he answered at this point in his first presidency.
Reagan issued 50 executive orders in his first year in office in 1981. Trump issued 72 executive orders within his first 30 days in 2025. That’s more executive orders than any previous president has issued in their first month over the last 40 years, including himself. He only issued 33 at this point in his first term in 2017.
Trump’s media strategy in his second term appears to intensify the approach he used in his first term. During Trump’s first term, according to The New York Times, “Mr. Trump told top aides to think of each presidential day as an episode in a television show in which he vanquishes rivals.”
As former Trump aide and current host of the show “War Room” Steve Bannon said in 2018, “The real opposition is the media. And the way to deal with them is to flood the zone with shit.”
In 2025, in order to win the day’s news coverage, Trump is flooding the media with an unrelenting tidal wave of news content to dominate and vanquish the zone.
This strategy is evident in the Oval Office executive order signing events. Trump literally makes news by signing a large piece of paper in front of cameras and reporters. These events are carefully staged political theater for media consumption in which Trump casts himself as the nation’s hero protecting it from foreign invasions, diversity programs or paper straws.
Many of Trump’s executive orders are facing legal challenges, and some have been shot down by federal judges. Nonetheless, it is the spectacle of signing the orders that I, as a communications scholar, believe is designed to win the day – they are effective at generating news coverage and making Trump look powerful.
“Trump, as we know from this first month, is the most news-making person to occupy the Oval Office I’ve ever seen,” said New York Times Executive Editor Joe Kahn on Feb. 27.
President Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk speak to reporters in front of a red Model S Tesla vehicle outside the White House on March 11, 2025. Pool Image/Associated Press
A strategy of control
Media scholar Marshall McLuhan famously argued in 1964 that “The medium is the message.” Likewise, with Trump, the communication strategy is the message.
Communication is a tool. It can be used to promote democracy or to erode it. Any politician’s communication strategy reveals, at least in part, how they think about governing, power and democracy. Some political leaders communicate in ways that encourage people to ask questions and use their reason and critical thinking skills to evaluate public policies.
Other political leaders use communication in undemocratic ways to manipulate and coerce, preventing citizens from using their reason and critical thinking skills to evaluate policies.
What does Trump’s tidal wave of news content say about how he thinks about governing, power and democracy?
As a media and governing strategy, I think that creating an unrelenting tidal wave of content is designed to enable Trump to attract and keep the nation’s attention on himself and – in the process, drown out other voices.
This method overwhelms the media and exhausts many Americans who cannot easily absorb so much information at once.
And the tidal wave strategy prevents the public from scrutinizing the president’s actions – because no one can push back against a tidal wave.
Jennifer Mercieca does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Of the 8.7 million species on Earth, why are human beings the only one that paints self-portraits, walks on the Moon and worships gods?
For decades, many scholars have argued that the difference stems from our ability to learn from each other. Through techniques such as teaching and imitation, we can create and transmit complicated information over many generations.
So if a human finds, for instance, a better but more complex way to make a knife, they can pass along the new instructions. One of those learners might stumble upon their own improvement and pass it along in turn.
If this loop continues, you get a ratchet effect, in which small changes can accumulate over time to produce increasingly intricate behaviors and technologies. This process produces our uniquely complex cultures: Scientists call it cumulative cultural evolution.
But extensive data has emerged suggesting that other animals, including bees, chimpanzees and crows, can also generate cultural complexity through social learning. Consequently, the debate over human uniqueness is shifting in a new direction.
As an anthropologist, I study a different feature of human culture that researchers are beginning to think about: the diversity of our traditions. Whereas animal cultures affect just a few crucial behaviors, such as courtship and feeding, human cultures cover a massive and constantly expanding set of activities, from clothing to table manners to storytelling.
This new view suggests that human culture is not uniquely cumulative. It is uniquely open-ended.
What is cumulative culture?
In the early 2000s, a research team led by psychologist Michael Tomasello tested 105 human children, 106 adult chimpanzees and 32 adult orangutans on a battery of cognitive assessments. Their goal was to see whether humans held any innate cognitive advantage over their primate cousins.
Surprisingly, the human children performed better in only one capacity: social learning. Tomasello thus concluded that humans are not “generally smarter.” Rather, “we have a special kind of smarts.” Our advanced social abilities allow us to transmit information by accurately teaching and learning from each other.
Psychologist Michael Tomasello and his team ran a number of experiments comparing how human children and nonhuman primates performed on cognitive tasks, including tests of social learning. Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
Humans’ apparent social learning abilities suggested a clear explanation for our unique cultural traits. Knowledgeable humans – say, someone who discovers a better way to make a spear – can successfully transfer that skill to their peers. But an inventive chimp – one who discovers a better way to smash nuts, for example – can’t successfully share their innovation. Nobody listens to Chimp Einstein. So our inventions persist and build upon each other, while theirs vanish into the jungle floor.
Or so the theory went.
Now, though, scientists have hard evidence showing that, just like us, animals can learn from each other and thus maintain their cultures for long periods of time. Groups of swamp sparrows appear to use the same song syllables for centuries. Meerkat troops settle on different wake-up times and maintain them for a decade or more.
Of course, long-term social learning is not the same as cumulative culture. Yet scientists also now know that humpback whale songs can oscillate in complexity over many generations of learners, that homing pigeons create efficient flight paths by learning from each other and making small improvements, and that hooved mammals cumulatively alter their migration routes to exploit plant growth.
Once again, the animals have shot down our claim to uniqueness, as they have innumerable times throughout scientific history. You might wonder, at this point, if we should just settle the uniqueness question by answering: “We’re not.”
If not cumulative culture, what makes us unique?
But it remains the case that humans and their cultures are quite different from animals and their equivalents. Most scholars agree about that, even if they disagree about the reasons why. Since cumulative complexity appears not to be the most important difference, several researchers are sketching out a new perspective: Human culture is uniquely open-ended.
Currently, anthropologists are discussing open-endedness in two related ways. To get a sense of the first, try counting the number of things you’re engaged with, right now, that came to you through culture. For example, I picked my clothes today based on fashion trends I did not develop; I am writing in a language I did not invent; I tied my shoes using a method my father taught me; there are paintings and postcards and photographs on my walls.
Give me 10 minutes, and I could probably add 100 more items to that list. In fact, other than biological acts such as breathing, it is difficult for me to think of any aspect of what I’m doing right now that is not partially or completely cultural. This breadth is incredibly strange. Why should any organism spend time pursuing such a wide range of goals, particularly if most of them have nothing to do with survival?
Other animals are much more judicious. Their cultural variation and complexity pertains almost entirely to matters of subsistence and reproduction, such as acquiring food and mating. Humans, on the other hand, lip-synch, build space stations and, less grandiosely, have been known to do things such as spend six years trying to park in all 211 spots of a grocery store lot. Our cultural diversity is unparalleled.
Open-endedness, as a unique human quality, is not just about variety; it reflects the quantum leaps by which our cultures can evolve. To illustrate this peculiarity, consider a hypothetical example regarding the rocks that chimpanzees use to smash nuts.
Let’s say these chimps would benefit from using rocks that they can swing as hard and accurately as possible, but that they don’t immediately know what kind of rocks those would be. By trying different options and observing each other, they might accumulate knowledge of the best qualities in a nut-smashing rock. Eventually, though, they’d hit a limit in the power and precision available by swinging a rock with your fist.
How could they get past this upper limit? Well, they could tie a stick to their favorite rock; the extra leverage would help them smash the nuts even harder. As far as we know, though, chimpanzees aren’t capable of realizing the benefits of harnessing this additional quality. But we are – people invented hammers.
Crucially, discovering the power of leverage allows for more than just better nut-smashing. It opens up innovations in other domains. If adding handles to wielded objects allows for better nut-smashing, then why not better throwing, or cutting, or painting? The space of cultural possibilities, suddenly, has expanded.
Through open-ended cultural evolution, human beings produce open-endedness in culture. In this respect, our species is unparalleled.
What’s next?
Researchers have not yet answered most of the major questions about open-endedness: how to quantify it, how we create it, whether it has any true limitations.
But this new framework must shift the tides of a related debate: whether there is something obviously different about the way human minds work, other than social learning capacities. After all, every cultural trait emerges through interactions between minds – so how do our minds interact to produce such a degree of cultural breadth?
No one knows yet. Interestingly, this shifting debate over how cognition influences culture coincides with a spate of research bridging psychology and anthropology, which explores why certain behaviors – such as singing lullabies, curative bloodletting and storytelling – recur across human cultures.
Human minds produce unparalleled diversity in their cultures; yet it is also true that those cultures tend to express variations on a strict set of themes, such as music and marriage and religion. Ironically, the source of our open-endedness may illuminate not only what makes us so diverse, but also what makes us so often the same.
Eli Elster does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Derby Arena is celebrating its 10th anniversary. The landmark building opened in 2015, with the aim of inspiring the next generation and put sport, health and physical activity at the heart of the city.
Since opening, the Arena has offered citizens the opportunity to be more physically active and improve their health and wellbeing. It’s not just a fitness facility – it’s a national cycling hub, a stage for top performers and a venue for major sporting events, as well as conferences and tradeshows.
In the past decade, Derby Arena has had over a 4 million visits and, in the last five years, has held over 300 events. These have included shows by top comedians Jimmy Carr, Sarah Millican, national hockey and international handball finals, and University of Derby graduations.
It was also an important part of the city’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, becoming a huge vaccination centre which saw more than 100,000 people vaccinated.
The Arena was constructed on behalf of Derby City Council by Bowmer + Kirkland – the same company that completed the new Becketwell Live performance venue.
Councillor Ndukwe Onuoha, Derby City Council Cabinet Member for Streetpride, Public Safety and Leisure said:
For a decade, Derby Arena has thrived, becoming a leading hub for fitness, wellbeing, sport, and entertainment. Looking ahead, this ambitious facility will no doubt continue to enhance Derby’s appeal as a great place to live, work, and visit.
As a centre for fitness and wellbeing, the Arena is continuing to inspire people to change their lives through physical activity.
Fitness member Dave Martin said:
I can now lift, press, push, and pull weights that I couldn’t have imagined handling before. Initially, even lifting the bar was a struggle. All of this progress is thanks to the dedicated personal training team. The PTs both challenge and support you at your desired level. At 56 years old, I’ve learned that with the right team and motivation, anything is possible.
The Arena is one of only five cycling velodromes in the country and boasts four world champions coaches.
Cyclist John Baugh is a regular at the velodome. He said:
Since our first visit to the Arena three years ago, my son and I have shared many happy hours riding the velodrome. This venue is unique, in our experience. Where else could a father and son share an interest and passion for cycling, ride with multiple world champions, under the guidance and supervision of the finest coaches in the UK?
The atmosphere on Track League evenings is superb – there’s a sense of camaraderie that is a joy to be a part of. I can’t thank the team at Derby Arena enough for their kindness and encouragement.
The facility has attracted top-flight cyclists with the Great Britain Cycling Team track squads relocating to Derby Arena in 2022 while their usual home, the National Cycling Centre in Manchester, was renovated. Team GB’s track cyclists won one gold, three silver and four bronze medals at the Paris Olympics
The Arena hosted the British University and College Sport (BUCS) cycling championships for the first time. Joe O’Loughlin, event organiser for the BUCS Track Championships, said:
The first BUCS Track Championships in Derby was a huge success and we received amazing feedback, with members experiences overwhelmingly positive. We look forward to making next year even bigger and better and continuing to provide a platform where student riders can display their immense talent.
The Arena is an important sporting centre for Derbyshire’s young people, as home to Derbyshire Institute of Sport. DIS provides bespoke support services to individual athletes, sports teams and club members to enable them to achieve success.
Managing director Chloe Maudsley said:
We are proud to be hosted at the iconic Derby Arena, where we can deliver exceptional sports science, accessible to all the young athletes of Derbyshire. Together, we are showcasing that Derby can compete with the best in the world.
The cast of Cinderella outside the Arena
Beyond sport, Derby Arena has become a key entertainment venue, and has hosted Derby LIVE and Little Wolf Entertainment’s much-loved pantomimes since it opened. Last year’s Cinderella was Derby’s highest grossing panto ever, enjoyed by almost 40,000 people with sparkling reviews from audiences. The award-winning team will be back this year with Dick Whittington.
Further exciting shows coming up this year include comedy from Jimmy Carr and Al Murray, the mind-blowing family show Jurassic Earth and music from world-renowned acts celebrating the sounds of Taylor Swift, Tina Turner and Elvis, to name a few.
The Arena team will be celebrating the landmark 10th anniversary throughout the year with a host of events and activities, including Les Mills fitness launches, our popular family Fun-Fest, Cycle-Fest and other local, regional and national events.
Look out for the upcoming National Track Series Cycle Championships, the England Boxing National Amateur Championship Finals in April and, in September, the UK’s first full DEKA FIT competition – billed as ‘the ultimate fitness test’.
