The Estonian economy is slowly re-emerging from a prolonged downturn but faces structural challenges. Wages growing faster than productivity and permanent increases in input costs, a legacy of previous shocks, are hindering price-sensitive activities, while production with higher technological content is constrained by lack of skilled labor and limited access to capital markets. Geopolitical developments, rising defense spending needs, and preexisting fiscal imbalances pose significant hurdles.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav, currently on a three-day visit to the UAE as part of his Dubai-Spain tour from July 13–19, is making strong headway in attracting international investments. His meetings with UAE officials and global investors have already yielded substantial commitments.
On the second day of his Dubai visit, Dr. Yadav held in-depth talks with UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade, Dr. Thani Bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, focusing on investment prospects under the India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and the I2U2 collaboration. He outlined Madhya Pradesh’s strengths, including its industrial infrastructure, supportive policies, and investor-friendly environment across sectors such as electric vehicles, textiles, pharmaceuticals, smart manufacturing, renewable energy, and food processing.
Significant investment commitments have already been secured. Vinay Thadani, Director and CEO of Grew Solar, confirmed an existing investment of ₹3,000 crore in the state, with plans to scale it up to ₹10,000 crore, covering renewable energy, textiles, and other key sectors.
Another key development came from Dr. Yadav’s meeting with Mukesh Vora, Chairman of the Jain International Trade Organisation (JITO). Both sides agreed to establish an MP-JITO investment platform in Dubai. The initiative will promote joint ventures in advanced manufacturing, logistics, and renewable energy, while also supporting skill development, MSME growth, and educational exchange.
Highlighting the broad scope of his visit, the Chief Minister said, “We have been meeting with various stakeholders since morning, including embassy officials. We discussed how the Indian and MP governments can make doing business with foreign partners simpler.” He also mentioned plans to develop food parks, explore mining potential, and support industrial setups.
Aviation also emerged as a focus area. Dr. Yadav noted efforts to boost flight connectivity and promote the state’s Air Ambulance service, with investor support under the Indian government’s guidance.
Essa Sulaiman Ahmad, Emirates’ Senior Vice President for Commercial Operations, expressed strong interest in partnering with the state. “It was a terrific opportunity to meet the CM of Madhya Pradesh. Having been in India for seven years, I’ve seen the scale of investment and vision the CM brings,” he said.
The Dubai leg of Dr. Yadav’s tour spans multiple sectors, including energy, health, services, and wellness. Particular investor interest has been noted in Madhya Pradesh’s mineral wealth, specifically gold, diamonds, and cement. The CM emphasized the state’s diverse offerings: mineral resources, tourism, healthcare, plug-and-play industrial parks, and air cargo facilities.
The collaboration frameworks laid out during the visit are expected to deepen India-UAE ties while furthering the vision of a ‘Developed Madhya Pradesh.’ The Chief Minister’s targeted approach, through structured discussions with officials and direct engagement with investors, is positioning the state as a top destination for UAE and global investment.
The visit began with Dr. Yadav’s address to the Indian diaspora on Sunday and continued with presentations to international investors, projecting Madhya Pradesh as one of India’s most investment-friendly and fastest-growing states.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav, currently on a three-day visit to the UAE as part of his Dubai-Spain tour from July 13–19, is making strong headway in attracting international investments. His meetings with UAE officials and global investors have already yielded substantial commitments.
On the second day of his Dubai visit, Dr. Yadav held in-depth talks with UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade, Dr. Thani Bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, focusing on investment prospects under the India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and the I2U2 collaboration. He outlined Madhya Pradesh’s strengths, including its industrial infrastructure, supportive policies, and investor-friendly environment across sectors such as electric vehicles, textiles, pharmaceuticals, smart manufacturing, renewable energy, and food processing.
Significant investment commitments have already been secured. Vinay Thadani, Director and CEO of Grew Solar, confirmed an existing investment of ₹3,000 crore in the state, with plans to scale it up to ₹10,000 crore, covering renewable energy, textiles, and other key sectors.
Another key development came from Dr. Yadav’s meeting with Mukesh Vora, Chairman of the Jain International Trade Organisation (JITO). Both sides agreed to establish an MP-JITO investment platform in Dubai. The initiative will promote joint ventures in advanced manufacturing, logistics, and renewable energy, while also supporting skill development, MSME growth, and educational exchange.
Highlighting the broad scope of his visit, the Chief Minister said, “We have been meeting with various stakeholders since morning, including embassy officials. We discussed how the Indian and MP governments can make doing business with foreign partners simpler.” He also mentioned plans to develop food parks, explore mining potential, and support industrial setups.
Aviation also emerged as a focus area. Dr. Yadav noted efforts to boost flight connectivity and promote the state’s Air Ambulance service, with investor support under the Indian government’s guidance.
Essa Sulaiman Ahmad, Emirates’ Senior Vice President for Commercial Operations, expressed strong interest in partnering with the state. “It was a terrific opportunity to meet the CM of Madhya Pradesh. Having been in India for seven years, I’ve seen the scale of investment and vision the CM brings,” he said.
The Dubai leg of Dr. Yadav’s tour spans multiple sectors, including energy, health, services, and wellness. Particular investor interest has been noted in Madhya Pradesh’s mineral wealth, specifically gold, diamonds, and cement. The CM emphasized the state’s diverse offerings: mineral resources, tourism, healthcare, plug-and-play industrial parks, and air cargo facilities.
The collaboration frameworks laid out during the visit are expected to deepen India-UAE ties while furthering the vision of a ‘Developed Madhya Pradesh.’ The Chief Minister’s targeted approach, through structured discussions with officials and direct engagement with investors, is positioning the state as a top destination for UAE and global investment.
The visit began with Dr. Yadav’s address to the Indian diaspora on Sunday and continued with presentations to international investors, projecting Madhya Pradesh as one of India’s most investment-friendly and fastest-growing states.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav, currently on a three-day visit to the UAE as part of his Dubai-Spain tour from July 13–19, is making strong headway in attracting international investments. His meetings with UAE officials and global investors have already yielded substantial commitments.
On the second day of his Dubai visit, Dr. Yadav held in-depth talks with UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade, Dr. Thani Bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, focusing on investment prospects under the India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and the I2U2 collaboration. He outlined Madhya Pradesh’s strengths, including its industrial infrastructure, supportive policies, and investor-friendly environment across sectors such as electric vehicles, textiles, pharmaceuticals, smart manufacturing, renewable energy, and food processing.
Significant investment commitments have already been secured. Vinay Thadani, Director and CEO of Grew Solar, confirmed an existing investment of ₹3,000 crore in the state, with plans to scale it up to ₹10,000 crore, covering renewable energy, textiles, and other key sectors.
Another key development came from Dr. Yadav’s meeting with Mukesh Vora, Chairman of the Jain International Trade Organisation (JITO). Both sides agreed to establish an MP-JITO investment platform in Dubai. The initiative will promote joint ventures in advanced manufacturing, logistics, and renewable energy, while also supporting skill development, MSME growth, and educational exchange.
Highlighting the broad scope of his visit, the Chief Minister said, “We have been meeting with various stakeholders since morning, including embassy officials. We discussed how the Indian and MP governments can make doing business with foreign partners simpler.” He also mentioned plans to develop food parks, explore mining potential, and support industrial setups.
Aviation also emerged as a focus area. Dr. Yadav noted efforts to boost flight connectivity and promote the state’s Air Ambulance service, with investor support under the Indian government’s guidance.
Essa Sulaiman Ahmad, Emirates’ Senior Vice President for Commercial Operations, expressed strong interest in partnering with the state. “It was a terrific opportunity to meet the CM of Madhya Pradesh. Having been in India for seven years, I’ve seen the scale of investment and vision the CM brings,” he said.
The Dubai leg of Dr. Yadav’s tour spans multiple sectors, including energy, health, services, and wellness. Particular investor interest has been noted in Madhya Pradesh’s mineral wealth, specifically gold, diamonds, and cement. The CM emphasized the state’s diverse offerings: mineral resources, tourism, healthcare, plug-and-play industrial parks, and air cargo facilities.
The collaboration frameworks laid out during the visit are expected to deepen India-UAE ties while furthering the vision of a ‘Developed Madhya Pradesh.’ The Chief Minister’s targeted approach, through structured discussions with officials and direct engagement with investors, is positioning the state as a top destination for UAE and global investment.
The visit began with Dr. Yadav’s address to the Indian diaspora on Sunday and continued with presentations to international investors, projecting Madhya Pradesh as one of India’s most investment-friendly and fastest-growing states.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav, currently on a three-day visit to the UAE as part of his Dubai-Spain tour from July 13–19, is making strong headway in attracting international investments. His meetings with UAE officials and global investors have already yielded substantial commitments.
On the second day of his Dubai visit, Dr. Yadav held in-depth talks with UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade, Dr. Thani Bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, focusing on investment prospects under the India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and the I2U2 collaboration. He outlined Madhya Pradesh’s strengths, including its industrial infrastructure, supportive policies, and investor-friendly environment across sectors such as electric vehicles, textiles, pharmaceuticals, smart manufacturing, renewable energy, and food processing.
Significant investment commitments have already been secured. Vinay Thadani, Director and CEO of Grew Solar, confirmed an existing investment of ₹3,000 crore in the state, with plans to scale it up to ₹10,000 crore, covering renewable energy, textiles, and other key sectors.
Another key development came from Dr. Yadav’s meeting with Mukesh Vora, Chairman of the Jain International Trade Organisation (JITO). Both sides agreed to establish an MP-JITO investment platform in Dubai. The initiative will promote joint ventures in advanced manufacturing, logistics, and renewable energy, while also supporting skill development, MSME growth, and educational exchange.
Highlighting the broad scope of his visit, the Chief Minister said, “We have been meeting with various stakeholders since morning, including embassy officials. We discussed how the Indian and MP governments can make doing business with foreign partners simpler.” He also mentioned plans to develop food parks, explore mining potential, and support industrial setups.
Aviation also emerged as a focus area. Dr. Yadav noted efforts to boost flight connectivity and promote the state’s Air Ambulance service, with investor support under the Indian government’s guidance.
Essa Sulaiman Ahmad, Emirates’ Senior Vice President for Commercial Operations, expressed strong interest in partnering with the state. “It was a terrific opportunity to meet the CM of Madhya Pradesh. Having been in India for seven years, I’ve seen the scale of investment and vision the CM brings,” he said.
The Dubai leg of Dr. Yadav’s tour spans multiple sectors, including energy, health, services, and wellness. Particular investor interest has been noted in Madhya Pradesh’s mineral wealth, specifically gold, diamonds, and cement. The CM emphasized the state’s diverse offerings: mineral resources, tourism, healthcare, plug-and-play industrial parks, and air cargo facilities.
The collaboration frameworks laid out during the visit are expected to deepen India-UAE ties while furthering the vision of a ‘Developed Madhya Pradesh.’ The Chief Minister’s targeted approach, through structured discussions with officials and direct engagement with investors, is positioning the state as a top destination for UAE and global investment.
The visit began with Dr. Yadav’s address to the Indian diaspora on Sunday and continued with presentations to international investors, projecting Madhya Pradesh as one of India’s most investment-friendly and fastest-growing states.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav, currently on a three-day visit to the UAE as part of his Dubai-Spain tour from July 13–19, is making strong headway in attracting international investments. His meetings with UAE officials and global investors have already yielded substantial commitments.
On the second day of his Dubai visit, Dr. Yadav held in-depth talks with UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade, Dr. Thani Bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, focusing on investment prospects under the India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and the I2U2 collaboration. He outlined Madhya Pradesh’s strengths, including its industrial infrastructure, supportive policies, and investor-friendly environment across sectors such as electric vehicles, textiles, pharmaceuticals, smart manufacturing, renewable energy, and food processing.
Significant investment commitments have already been secured. Vinay Thadani, Director and CEO of Grew Solar, confirmed an existing investment of ₹3,000 crore in the state, with plans to scale it up to ₹10,000 crore, covering renewable energy, textiles, and other key sectors.
Another key development came from Dr. Yadav’s meeting with Mukesh Vora, Chairman of the Jain International Trade Organisation (JITO). Both sides agreed to establish an MP-JITO investment platform in Dubai. The initiative will promote joint ventures in advanced manufacturing, logistics, and renewable energy, while also supporting skill development, MSME growth, and educational exchange.
Highlighting the broad scope of his visit, the Chief Minister said, “We have been meeting with various stakeholders since morning, including embassy officials. We discussed how the Indian and MP governments can make doing business with foreign partners simpler.” He also mentioned plans to develop food parks, explore mining potential, and support industrial setups.
Aviation also emerged as a focus area. Dr. Yadav noted efforts to boost flight connectivity and promote the state’s Air Ambulance service, with investor support under the Indian government’s guidance.
Essa Sulaiman Ahmad, Emirates’ Senior Vice President for Commercial Operations, expressed strong interest in partnering with the state. “It was a terrific opportunity to meet the CM of Madhya Pradesh. Having been in India for seven years, I’ve seen the scale of investment and vision the CM brings,” he said.
The Dubai leg of Dr. Yadav’s tour spans multiple sectors, including energy, health, services, and wellness. Particular investor interest has been noted in Madhya Pradesh’s mineral wealth, specifically gold, diamonds, and cement. The CM emphasized the state’s diverse offerings: mineral resources, tourism, healthcare, plug-and-play industrial parks, and air cargo facilities.
The collaboration frameworks laid out during the visit are expected to deepen India-UAE ties while furthering the vision of a ‘Developed Madhya Pradesh.’ The Chief Minister’s targeted approach, through structured discussions with officials and direct engagement with investors, is positioning the state as a top destination for UAE and global investment.
The visit began with Dr. Yadav’s address to the Indian diaspora on Sunday and continued with presentations to international investors, projecting Madhya Pradesh as one of India’s most investment-friendly and fastest-growing states.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav, currently on a three-day visit to the UAE as part of his Dubai-Spain tour from July 13–19, is making strong headway in attracting international investments. His meetings with UAE officials and global investors have already yielded substantial commitments.
On the second day of his Dubai visit, Dr. Yadav held in-depth talks with UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade, Dr. Thani Bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, focusing on investment prospects under the India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and the I2U2 collaboration. He outlined Madhya Pradesh’s strengths, including its industrial infrastructure, supportive policies, and investor-friendly environment across sectors such as electric vehicles, textiles, pharmaceuticals, smart manufacturing, renewable energy, and food processing.
Significant investment commitments have already been secured. Vinay Thadani, Director and CEO of Grew Solar, confirmed an existing investment of ₹3,000 crore in the state, with plans to scale it up to ₹10,000 crore, covering renewable energy, textiles, and other key sectors.
Another key development came from Dr. Yadav’s meeting with Mukesh Vora, Chairman of the Jain International Trade Organisation (JITO). Both sides agreed to establish an MP-JITO investment platform in Dubai. The initiative will promote joint ventures in advanced manufacturing, logistics, and renewable energy, while also supporting skill development, MSME growth, and educational exchange.
Highlighting the broad scope of his visit, the Chief Minister said, “We have been meeting with various stakeholders since morning, including embassy officials. We discussed how the Indian and MP governments can make doing business with foreign partners simpler.” He also mentioned plans to develop food parks, explore mining potential, and support industrial setups.
Aviation also emerged as a focus area. Dr. Yadav noted efforts to boost flight connectivity and promote the state’s Air Ambulance service, with investor support under the Indian government’s guidance.
Essa Sulaiman Ahmad, Emirates’ Senior Vice President for Commercial Operations, expressed strong interest in partnering with the state. “It was a terrific opportunity to meet the CM of Madhya Pradesh. Having been in India for seven years, I’ve seen the scale of investment and vision the CM brings,” he said.
The Dubai leg of Dr. Yadav’s tour spans multiple sectors, including energy, health, services, and wellness. Particular investor interest has been noted in Madhya Pradesh’s mineral wealth, specifically gold, diamonds, and cement. The CM emphasized the state’s diverse offerings: mineral resources, tourism, healthcare, plug-and-play industrial parks, and air cargo facilities.
The collaboration frameworks laid out during the visit are expected to deepen India-UAE ties while furthering the vision of a ‘Developed Madhya Pradesh.’ The Chief Minister’s targeted approach, through structured discussions with officials and direct engagement with investors, is positioning the state as a top destination for UAE and global investment.
The visit began with Dr. Yadav’s address to the Indian diaspora on Sunday and continued with presentations to international investors, projecting Madhya Pradesh as one of India’s most investment-friendly and fastest-growing states.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav, currently on a three-day visit to the UAE as part of his Dubai-Spain tour from July 13–19, is making strong headway in attracting international investments. His meetings with UAE officials and global investors have already yielded substantial commitments.
On the second day of his Dubai visit, Dr. Yadav held in-depth talks with UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade, Dr. Thani Bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, focusing on investment prospects under the India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and the I2U2 collaboration. He outlined Madhya Pradesh’s strengths, including its industrial infrastructure, supportive policies, and investor-friendly environment across sectors such as electric vehicles, textiles, pharmaceuticals, smart manufacturing, renewable energy, and food processing.
Significant investment commitments have already been secured. Vinay Thadani, Director and CEO of Grew Solar, confirmed an existing investment of ₹3,000 crore in the state, with plans to scale it up to ₹10,000 crore, covering renewable energy, textiles, and other key sectors.
Another key development came from Dr. Yadav’s meeting with Mukesh Vora, Chairman of the Jain International Trade Organisation (JITO). Both sides agreed to establish an MP-JITO investment platform in Dubai. The initiative will promote joint ventures in advanced manufacturing, logistics, and renewable energy, while also supporting skill development, MSME growth, and educational exchange.
Highlighting the broad scope of his visit, the Chief Minister said, “We have been meeting with various stakeholders since morning, including embassy officials. We discussed how the Indian and MP governments can make doing business with foreign partners simpler.” He also mentioned plans to develop food parks, explore mining potential, and support industrial setups.
Aviation also emerged as a focus area. Dr. Yadav noted efforts to boost flight connectivity and promote the state’s Air Ambulance service, with investor support under the Indian government’s guidance.
Essa Sulaiman Ahmad, Emirates’ Senior Vice President for Commercial Operations, expressed strong interest in partnering with the state. “It was a terrific opportunity to meet the CM of Madhya Pradesh. Having been in India for seven years, I’ve seen the scale of investment and vision the CM brings,” he said.
The Dubai leg of Dr. Yadav’s tour spans multiple sectors, including energy, health, services, and wellness. Particular investor interest has been noted in Madhya Pradesh’s mineral wealth, specifically gold, diamonds, and cement. The CM emphasized the state’s diverse offerings: mineral resources, tourism, healthcare, plug-and-play industrial parks, and air cargo facilities.
The collaboration frameworks laid out during the visit are expected to deepen India-UAE ties while furthering the vision of a ‘Developed Madhya Pradesh.’ The Chief Minister’s targeted approach, through structured discussions with officials and direct engagement with investors, is positioning the state as a top destination for UAE and global investment.
The visit began with Dr. Yadav’s address to the Indian diaspora on Sunday and continued with presentations to international investors, projecting Madhya Pradesh as one of India’s most investment-friendly and fastest-growing states.
Each time the Huskies win another championship, it is not just the team’s performance that galvanizes UConn Nation; it is the collective experience of fans chanting in unison in Gampel or at Rentschler, celebrating together in the streets, and proudly displaying their UConn gear that forges a strong sense of community. By synchronizing our appearances, our actions, and — as my research team’s studies reveal — our emotions, fandom compels us to act as one, look as one, and feel as one.
Growing up in Greece, I witnessed this deep emotional investment firsthand. Entire cities would come to a standstill before a football derby, with those not in the stadium glued to their televisions. I met couples who left their own wedding receptions early to attend a match, showing up at the stadium still dressed in their wedding attire. Scientific research shows that sports fans can identify so strongly with their team that they experience the game’s emotional highs and lows as though they were playing the game themselves. One study shows testosterone levels rising among fans of the winning team and falling among those of the losing team. Those reactions can even be observed in the brain.
When a team of researchers placed Red Sox and Yankees fans in a brain scanner and showed them real games, they found that fans watching a negative performance by their team activated the regions of the brain typically associated with the experience of pain. Correspondingly, their team’s success triggered activity in an area related to the brain’s reward system. Intriguingly, similar feelings of pleasure were elicited by watching their opponents fail.
And while the game itself provides excitement and fosters engagement, recent research suggests that the strongest connections among fans are often forged in the stands, through ritualized interactions that shape and reinforce collective identities.
My research team has been exploring these effects at UConn and beyond. In a real-life experiment, we used wearable technology to track the emotional responses of Husky fans over an entire basketball season. As they watched the men’s and women’s games live, either in the stadium or on television, we found that those in the stadium reported more meaningful experiences and felt a stronger sense of connection with other fans compared to those watching together on TV. These shared experiences even left measurable traces in their bodies: Fans in the stadium exhibited greater emotional synchrony, their hearts beating in unison. In fact, physical co-presence was the most important predictor of emotional synchrony overall, more so than any element of the game itself, such as its pace, outcome, or score difference.
Each time the Huskies win another championship, it is not just the team’s performance that galvanizes UConn Nation; it is the collective experience of fans chanting in unison in Gampel or at Rentschler, celebrating together in the streets, and proudly displaying their UConn gear that forges a strong sense of community. By synchronizing our appearances, our actions, and — as my research team’s studies reveal — our emotions, fandom compels us to act as one, look as one, and feel as one.
Growing up in Greece, I witnessed this deep emotional investment firsthand. Entire cities would come to a standstill before a football derby, with those not in the stadium glued to their televisions. I met couples who left their own wedding receptions early to attend a match, showing up at the stadium still dressed in their wedding attire. Scientific research shows that sports fans can identify so strongly with their team that they experience the game’s emotional highs and lows as though they were playing the game themselves. One study shows testosterone levels rising among fans of the winning team and falling among those of the losing team. Those reactions can even be observed in the brain.
When a team of researchers placed Red Sox and Yankees fans in a brain scanner and showed them real games, they found that fans watching a negative performance by their team activated the regions of the brain typically associated with the experience of pain. Correspondingly, their team’s success triggered activity in an area related to the brain’s reward system. Intriguingly, similar feelings of pleasure were elicited by watching their opponents fail.
And while the game itself provides excitement and fosters engagement, recent research suggests that the strongest connections among fans are often forged in the stands, through ritualized interactions that shape and reinforce collective identities.
My research team has been exploring these effects at UConn and beyond. In a real-life experiment, we used wearable technology to track the emotional responses of Husky fans over an entire basketball season. As they watched the men’s and women’s games live, either in the stadium or on television, we found that those in the stadium reported more meaningful experiences and felt a stronger sense of connection with other fans compared to those watching together on TV. These shared experiences even left measurable traces in their bodies: Fans in the stadium exhibited greater emotional synchrony, their hearts beating in unison. In fact, physical co-presence was the most important predictor of emotional synchrony overall, more so than any element of the game itself, such as its pace, outcome, or score difference.
Each time the Huskies win another championship, it is not just the team’s performance that galvanizes UConn Nation; it is the collective experience of fans chanting in unison in Gampel or at Rentschler, celebrating together in the streets, and proudly displaying their UConn gear that forges a strong sense of community. By synchronizing our appearances, our actions, and — as my research team’s studies reveal — our emotions, fandom compels us to act as one, look as one, and feel as one.
Growing up in Greece, I witnessed this deep emotional investment firsthand. Entire cities would come to a standstill before a football derby, with those not in the stadium glued to their televisions. I met couples who left their own wedding receptions early to attend a match, showing up at the stadium still dressed in their wedding attire. Scientific research shows that sports fans can identify so strongly with their team that they experience the game’s emotional highs and lows as though they were playing the game themselves. One study shows testosterone levels rising among fans of the winning team and falling among those of the losing team. Those reactions can even be observed in the brain.
When a team of researchers placed Red Sox and Yankees fans in a brain scanner and showed them real games, they found that fans watching a negative performance by their team activated the regions of the brain typically associated with the experience of pain. Correspondingly, their team’s success triggered activity in an area related to the brain’s reward system. Intriguingly, similar feelings of pleasure were elicited by watching their opponents fail.
And while the game itself provides excitement and fosters engagement, recent research suggests that the strongest connections among fans are often forged in the stands, through ritualized interactions that shape and reinforce collective identities.
My research team has been exploring these effects at UConn and beyond. In a real-life experiment, we used wearable technology to track the emotional responses of Husky fans over an entire basketball season. As they watched the men’s and women’s games live, either in the stadium or on television, we found that those in the stadium reported more meaningful experiences and felt a stronger sense of connection with other fans compared to those watching together on TV. These shared experiences even left measurable traces in their bodies: Fans in the stadium exhibited greater emotional synchrony, their hearts beating in unison. In fact, physical co-presence was the most important predictor of emotional synchrony overall, more so than any element of the game itself, such as its pace, outcome, or score difference.
Each time the Huskies win another championship, it is not just the team’s performance that galvanizes UConn Nation; it is the collective experience of fans chanting in unison in Gampel or at Rentschler, celebrating together in the streets, and proudly displaying their UConn gear that forges a strong sense of community. By synchronizing our appearances, our actions, and — as my research team’s studies reveal — our emotions, fandom compels us to act as one, look as one, and feel as one.
Growing up in Greece, I witnessed this deep emotional investment firsthand. Entire cities would come to a standstill before a football derby, with those not in the stadium glued to their televisions. I met couples who left their own wedding receptions early to attend a match, showing up at the stadium still dressed in their wedding attire. Scientific research shows that sports fans can identify so strongly with their team that they experience the game’s emotional highs and lows as though they were playing the game themselves. One study shows testosterone levels rising among fans of the winning team and falling among those of the losing team. Those reactions can even be observed in the brain.
When a team of researchers placed Red Sox and Yankees fans in a brain scanner and showed them real games, they found that fans watching a negative performance by their team activated the regions of the brain typically associated with the experience of pain. Correspondingly, their team’s success triggered activity in an area related to the brain’s reward system. Intriguingly, similar feelings of pleasure were elicited by watching their opponents fail.
And while the game itself provides excitement and fosters engagement, recent research suggests that the strongest connections among fans are often forged in the stands, through ritualized interactions that shape and reinforce collective identities.
My research team has been exploring these effects at UConn and beyond. In a real-life experiment, we used wearable technology to track the emotional responses of Husky fans over an entire basketball season. As they watched the men’s and women’s games live, either in the stadium or on television, we found that those in the stadium reported more meaningful experiences and felt a stronger sense of connection with other fans compared to those watching together on TV. These shared experiences even left measurable traces in their bodies: Fans in the stadium exhibited greater emotional synchrony, their hearts beating in unison. In fact, physical co-presence was the most important predictor of emotional synchrony overall, more so than any element of the game itself, such as its pace, outcome, or score difference.
Each time the Huskies win another championship, it is not just the team’s performance that galvanizes UConn Nation; it is the collective experience of fans chanting in unison in Gampel or at Rentschler, celebrating together in the streets, and proudly displaying their UConn gear that forges a strong sense of community. By synchronizing our appearances, our actions, and — as my research team’s studies reveal — our emotions, fandom compels us to act as one, look as one, and feel as one.
Growing up in Greece, I witnessed this deep emotional investment firsthand. Entire cities would come to a standstill before a football derby, with those not in the stadium glued to their televisions. I met couples who left their own wedding receptions early to attend a match, showing up at the stadium still dressed in their wedding attire. Scientific research shows that sports fans can identify so strongly with their team that they experience the game’s emotional highs and lows as though they were playing the game themselves. One study shows testosterone levels rising among fans of the winning team and falling among those of the losing team. Those reactions can even be observed in the brain.
When a team of researchers placed Red Sox and Yankees fans in a brain scanner and showed them real games, they found that fans watching a negative performance by their team activated the regions of the brain typically associated with the experience of pain. Correspondingly, their team’s success triggered activity in an area related to the brain’s reward system. Intriguingly, similar feelings of pleasure were elicited by watching their opponents fail.
And while the game itself provides excitement and fosters engagement, recent research suggests that the strongest connections among fans are often forged in the stands, through ritualized interactions that shape and reinforce collective identities.
My research team has been exploring these effects at UConn and beyond. In a real-life experiment, we used wearable technology to track the emotional responses of Husky fans over an entire basketball season. As they watched the men’s and women’s games live, either in the stadium or on television, we found that those in the stadium reported more meaningful experiences and felt a stronger sense of connection with other fans compared to those watching together on TV. These shared experiences even left measurable traces in their bodies: Fans in the stadium exhibited greater emotional synchrony, their hearts beating in unison. In fact, physical co-presence was the most important predictor of emotional synchrony overall, more so than any element of the game itself, such as its pace, outcome, or score difference.
Following a ruling by a District Judge, a council tenant was evicted yesterday (Thursday 10 July 2025), after criminal activities and anti-social behaviour caused misery for their neighbours.
This follows reports from local residents to the Council and North Yorkshire Police about substance misuse and dealing, and anti-social behaviour at a home in the west of the city.
The anti-social behaviour in the home and local area included loud noise and arguments at the house, which disrupted and worried local people about its impact on their families.
Following ongoing work with residents and North Yorkshire Police, City of York Council served the tenant a number of legal warnings of eviction. The tenant then unsuccessfully appealed against the warnings and also breached them.
The Council then applied to York County Court for an eviction warrant. After considering the evidence, the District Judge granted it and evicted the tenant on Thursday 10 July.
Councillor Michael Pavlovic, Executive Member for Housing and Safer Communities at City of York Council, said:
Working with the police and neighbours, as this case shows, we take action against tenancy breaches to stop anti-social behaviour. We also fully support work to tackle illegal activity such as County Lines and the misery it heaps on communities.
“This home will now be prepared to be sensitively re-let to another tenant as quickly as possible.”
Sergeant Charlotte Gregory, from the York Community Safety Hub, said:
Alongside City of York Council, we have worked tirelessly to robustly address the deeply concerning behaviour of the tenant, resulting in the County Court granting full possession of the property back to the Council.
“This positive outcome, which falls under Operation Titan, North Yorkshire Police’s dedicated effort to combat County Lines drug dealing, shows we will use all available powers to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour. The multi-agency approach involves more than criminal convictions, as this successful eviction clearly demonstrates.
“The detrimental impact this behaviour has on residents, and the community as a whole, will not be tolerated.
“We encourage residents to keep feeding information to the Council, to the police, or anonymously to Crimestoppers.
“You can be assured that we will use it effectively against those suspected of being involved in drug dealing and related anti-social behaviour in our area.”
The tenant was advised where they could get information about their options for new accommodation.
To report anti-social behaviour:
To report drug-related crime:
Anyone with any information about suspected drug-related crime are urged to make a report via the North Yorkshire Police website or by calling 101 and speaking to the Force Control Room.
Always dial 999 if an emergency response is required.
If you would prefer to remain anonymous, please call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or make a report online.
The signs of drug-dealing can include:
Increased callers at a home at all times of the day or night
Increase in cars pulling up for short periods of time
Different accents at a home
Anti-social behaviour at a home
Not seeing the resident for long periods of time
Drug-related waste such as small plastic bags and syringes
Windows covered or curtains closed for long periods.
For professional support for substance-related issues, visit:
Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Ted Palys, Professor of Criminology, Associate Member of Dept. of Indigenous Studies, Simon Fraser University
The contemporary internet has been with us since roughly 1995. Its current underlying economic model — surveillance capitalism — began in the early 2000s, when Google and then Facebook realized how much our personal information and online behaviour revealed about us and claimed it for themselves to sell to advertisers.
Perhaps because of Canada’s proximity to the United States, coupled with its positive shared history with the U.S. and their highly integrated economies, Canada went along for that consumerist ride.
The experience was different on the other side of the Atlantic. The Stasi in the former East Germany and the KGB under Josef Stalin maintained files on hundreds of thousands of citizens to identify and prosecute dissidents.
This has fuelled the motivation of Canada both internally and in co-operation with western European governments to seek greater independence in trade and military preparedness by diversifying its relationships.
Prime Minister Mark Carney has begun promoting “nation-building projects,” but little attention has been paid to Canada’s digital infrastructure.
Three recent developments suggest Canada would be well-advised to start paying close attention:
1. The current U.S. administration has raised concerns about its reliability as a partner and friend to Canada. Most of the concerns raised in Canada have been economic. However, Curtis McCord, a former national security and technology researcher for the Canadian government, has said the current situation has created vulnerabilities for national security as well:
“With Washington becoming an increasingly unreliable ally, Mr. Carney is right to look for ways to diversify away from the U.S. But if Canada wants to maintain its sovereignty and be responsible for its national security, this desire to diversify must extend to the U.S. domination of Canada’s digital infrastructure.”
2. Silicon Valley is exhibiting a newfound loyalty to Trump. The photo of the “broligarchy” at Trump’s inauguration spoke volumes, as their apparent eagerness to appease the president brings the data gathered by the internet’s surveillance-based economy under state control.
3. Trump’s recent executive order entitled “Stopping waste, fraud and abuse by eliminating information silos” is alarming. The order became operational when the Trump administration contracted with Palantir, a company known for its surveillance software and data analytics in military contexts. Its job? To combine databases from both the state and federal levels into one massive database that includes every American citizen, and potentially any user of the internet.
Combining multiple government databases is concerning. Combining them with all the personal data harvested by Silicon Valley and providing them to a government showing all the hallmarks of an authoritarian regime sounds like Big Brother has arrived.
Civil liberties groups such as the Electronic Freedom Foundation, academics and even former Palantir employees have raised alarms about the possibilities for abuse, including the launch of all the vendettas Trump and his supporters have pledged to undertake.
The appeal of Eurostack
European governments have attempted to rein in Silicon Valley’s excesses for years. Trump’s re-election and his moves toward potentially weaponizing internet data have further boosted Europe’s resolve to move away from the U.S.-led internet.
One newer effort is Eurostack. A joint initiative involving academics, policymakers, companies and governments, it envisions an independent digital ecosystem that better reflects European values — democratic, sovereign, inclusive, transparent, respectful of personal privacy and innovation-driven.
Spokesperson Francesca Bria explains the “stack” arises from the idea that a digitally sovereign internet needs to have European control from the ground up.
Bria discusses Eurostack in May 2025. (re:publica)
That includes the acquisition of raw materials and manufacture and operation of the physical components that comprise computers and servers; the cloud infrastructure that has the processing power and storage to be operational at scale; the operating systems and applications that comprise the user interface; the AI models and algorithms that drive services and its policy and governance framework.
Prospective gains to Europe are considerable. They include greater cybersecurity, promoting innovation, keeping high-end creative jobs in Europe, promoting collaboration on equitable terms and creating high-skilled employment opportunities.
Canada receives no mention in the Eurostack proposal to date, but the project is still very much in the developmental phase. Investment so far is in the tens of millions instead of the billions it will require.
Canada has a lot to offer and to gain from being part of the Eurostack initiative. With the project still taking shape, now is the perfect time to get on board.
Ted Palys does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
When the FIFA World Cup hits North America in June 2026, 48 teams and millions of sports fans will be traveling among venues spread across Canada, the United States and Mexico.
It’s a dramatic expansion – 16 more teams will be playing than in recent years, with a jump from 64 to 104 matches. The tournament, whether you call it soccer or football, is projected to bring in over US$10 billion in revenue. But the expansion will also mean a lot more travel and other activities that contribute to climate change.
The environmental impacts of giant sporting events like the World Cup create a complex paradox for an industry grappling with its future in a warming world.
A sustainability conundrum
Sports are undeniably experiencing the effects of climate change. Rising global temperatures are putting athletes’ health at risk during summer heat waves and shortening winter sports seasons. Many of the 2026 World Cup venues often see heat waves in June and early July, when the tournament is scheduled.
Some athletes are speaking out for more sustainable choices and have called on lawmakers to take steps to limit climate-warming emissions. At the same time, the sport industry is growing and facing a constant push to increase revenue. The NCAA is also considering expanding its March Madness basketball tournaments from 68 teams currently to as many as 76.
Park Yong-woo of team Al Ain from Abu Dhabi tries to cool off during a Club World Cup match on June 26, 2025, in Washington, D.C., which was in the midst of a heat wave. Some players have raised concerns about likely high temperatures during the 2026 World Cup, with matches scheduled June 11 to July 19. AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson
Estimates for the 2026 World Cup show what large tournament expansions can mean for the climate. A report from Scientists for Global Responsibility estimates that the expanded World Cup could generate over 9 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, nearly double the average of the past four World Cups.
This massive increase – and the increase that would come if the NCAA basketball tournaments also expand – would primarily be driven by air travel as fans and players fly among event cities that are thousands of miles apart.
A lot of money is at stake, but so is the climate
Sports are big business, and adding more matches to events like the World Cup and NCAA tournaments will likely lead to larger media rights contracts and greater gate receipts from more fans attending the events, boosting revenues. These are powerful financial incentives.
In the NCAA’s case, there is another reason to consider a larger tournament: The House v. NCAA settlement opened the door for college athletic departments to share revenue with athletes, which will significantly increase costs for many college programs. More teams would mean more television revenue and, crucially, more revenue to be distributed to member NCAA institutions and their athletic conferences.
When climate promises become greenwashing
The inherent conflict between maximizing profit through growth and minimizing environmental footprint presents a dilemma for sports.
Several sport organizations have promised to reduce their impact on the climate, including signing up for initiatives like the United Nations Sports for Climate Action Framework.
However, as sports tournaments and exhibition games expand, it can become increasingly hard for sports organizations to meet their climate commitments. In some cases, groups making sustainability commitments have been accused of greenwashing, suggesting the goals are more about public relations than making genuine, measurable changes.
For example, FIFA’s early claims that it would hold a “fully carbon-neutral” World Cup in Qatar in 2022 were challenged by a group of European countries that accused soccer’s world governing body of underestimating emissions. The Swiss Fairness Commission, which monitors fairness in advertising, considered the complaints and determined that FIFA’s claims could not be substantiated.
Alessandro Bastoni, of Inter Milan and Italy’s national team, prepares to board a flight from Milan to Rome with his team. Mattia Ozbot-Inter/Inter via Getty Images
Aviation is often the biggest driver of emissions. A study that colleagues and I conducted on the NCAA men’s basketball tournament found about 80% of its emissions were connected to travel. And that was after the NCAA began using the pod system, which is designed to keep teams closer to home for the first and second rounds.
These solutions are frankly not practical, in my view, nor do they align with other positive developments. The growing popularity of women’s sports shows the challenge in limiting sports events – more games expands participation but adds to the industry’s overall footprint.
Further compounding the challenges of reducing environmental impact is the amount of fan travel, which is outside the direct control of the sports organization or event organizers.
Many fans will follow their teams long distances, especially for mega-events like the World Cup or the NCAA tournament. During the men’s World Cup in Russia in 2018, more than 840,000 fans traveled from other countries. The top countries by number of fans, after Russia, were China, the U.S., Mexico and Argentina.
There is an argument that distributed sporting events like March Madness or the World Cup can be better in some ways for local environments because they don’t overwhelm a single city. However, merely spreading the impact does not necessarily reduce it, particularly when considering the effects on climate change.
How fans can cut their environmental footprint
Sport organizations and event planners can take steps to be more sustainable and also encourage more sustainable choices among fans. Fans can reduce their environmental impact in a variety of ways. For example:
Avoid taking airplanes for shorter distances, such as between FIFA venues in Philadelphia, New York and Boston, and carpool or take Amtrak instead. Planes can be more efficient for long distances, but air travel is still a major contributing factor to emissions.
While in a host city, use mass transit or rent electric vehicles or bicycles for local travel.
Consider sustainable accommodations, such as short-term rentals that might have a smaller environmental footprint than a hotel. Or stay at a certified green hotel that makes an effort to be more efficient in its use of water and energy.
Engage in sustainable pregame and postgame activities, such as choosing local, sustainable food options, and minimize waste.
You can also pay to offset carbon emissions for attending different sporting events, much like concertgoers do when they attend musical festivals. While critics question offsets’ true environmental benefit, they do represent people’s growing awareness of their environmental footprint.
Through all these options, it’s clear that sports face a significant challenge in addressing their environmental impacts and encouraging fans to be more sustainable, while simultaneously trying to meet ambitious business and environmental targets.
In my view, a sustainable path forward will require strategic, yet genuine, commitment by the sports industry and its fans, and a willingness to prioritize long-term planetary health alongside economic gains – balancing the sport and sustainability.
Brian P. McCullough 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.
When the FIFA World Cup hits North America in June 2026, 48 teams and millions of sports fans will be traveling among venues spread across Canada, the United States and Mexico.
It’s a dramatic expansion – 16 more teams will be playing than in recent years, with a jump from 64 to 104 matches. The tournament, whether you call it soccer or football, is projected to bring in over US$10 billion in revenue. But the expansion will also mean a lot more travel and other activities that contribute to climate change.
The environmental impacts of giant sporting events like the World Cup create a complex paradox for an industry grappling with its future in a warming world.
A sustainability conundrum
Sports are undeniably experiencing the effects of climate change. Rising global temperatures are putting athletes’ health at risk during summer heat waves and shortening winter sports seasons. Many of the 2026 World Cup venues often see heat waves in June and early July, when the tournament is scheduled.
Some athletes are speaking out for more sustainable choices and have called on lawmakers to take steps to limit climate-warming emissions. At the same time, the sport industry is growing and facing a constant push to increase revenue. The NCAA is also considering expanding its March Madness basketball tournaments from 68 teams currently to as many as 76.
Park Yong-woo of team Al Ain from Abu Dhabi tries to cool off during a Club World Cup match on June 26, 2025, in Washington, D.C., which was in the midst of a heat wave. Some players have raised concerns about likely high temperatures during the 2026 World Cup, with matches scheduled June 11 to July 19. AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson
Estimates for the 2026 World Cup show what large tournament expansions can mean for the climate. A report from Scientists for Global Responsibility estimates that the expanded World Cup could generate over 9 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, nearly double the average of the past four World Cups.
This massive increase – and the increase that would come if the NCAA basketball tournaments also expand – would primarily be driven by air travel as fans and players fly among event cities that are thousands of miles apart.
A lot of money is at stake, but so is the climate
Sports are big business, and adding more matches to events like the World Cup and NCAA tournaments will likely lead to larger media rights contracts and greater gate receipts from more fans attending the events, boosting revenues. These are powerful financial incentives.
In the NCAA’s case, there is another reason to consider a larger tournament: The House v. NCAA settlement opened the door for college athletic departments to share revenue with athletes, which will significantly increase costs for many college programs. More teams would mean more television revenue and, crucially, more revenue to be distributed to member NCAA institutions and their athletic conferences.
When climate promises become greenwashing
The inherent conflict between maximizing profit through growth and minimizing environmental footprint presents a dilemma for sports.
Several sport organizations have promised to reduce their impact on the climate, including signing up for initiatives like the United Nations Sports for Climate Action Framework.
However, as sports tournaments and exhibition games expand, it can become increasingly hard for sports organizations to meet their climate commitments. In some cases, groups making sustainability commitments have been accused of greenwashing, suggesting the goals are more about public relations than making genuine, measurable changes.
For example, FIFA’s early claims that it would hold a “fully carbon-neutral” World Cup in Qatar in 2022 were challenged by a group of European countries that accused soccer’s world governing body of underestimating emissions. The Swiss Fairness Commission, which monitors fairness in advertising, considered the complaints and determined that FIFA’s claims could not be substantiated.
Alessandro Bastoni, of Inter Milan and Italy’s national team, prepares to board a flight from Milan to Rome with his team. Mattia Ozbot-Inter/Inter via Getty Images
Aviation is often the biggest driver of emissions. A study that colleagues and I conducted on the NCAA men’s basketball tournament found about 80% of its emissions were connected to travel. And that was after the NCAA began using the pod system, which is designed to keep teams closer to home for the first and second rounds.
These solutions are frankly not practical, in my view, nor do they align with other positive developments. The growing popularity of women’s sports shows the challenge in limiting sports events – more games expands participation but adds to the industry’s overall footprint.
Further compounding the challenges of reducing environmental impact is the amount of fan travel, which is outside the direct control of the sports organization or event organizers.
Many fans will follow their teams long distances, especially for mega-events like the World Cup or the NCAA tournament. During the men’s World Cup in Russia in 2018, more than 840,000 fans traveled from other countries. The top countries by number of fans, after Russia, were China, the U.S., Mexico and Argentina.
There is an argument that distributed sporting events like March Madness or the World Cup can be better in some ways for local environments because they don’t overwhelm a single city. However, merely spreading the impact does not necessarily reduce it, particularly when considering the effects on climate change.
How fans can cut their environmental footprint
Sport organizations and event planners can take steps to be more sustainable and also encourage more sustainable choices among fans. Fans can reduce their environmental impact in a variety of ways. For example:
Avoid taking airplanes for shorter distances, such as between FIFA venues in Philadelphia, New York and Boston, and carpool or take Amtrak instead. Planes can be more efficient for long distances, but air travel is still a major contributing factor to emissions.
While in a host city, use mass transit or rent electric vehicles or bicycles for local travel.
Consider sustainable accommodations, such as short-term rentals that might have a smaller environmental footprint than a hotel. Or stay at a certified green hotel that makes an effort to be more efficient in its use of water and energy.
Engage in sustainable pregame and postgame activities, such as choosing local, sustainable food options, and minimize waste.
You can also pay to offset carbon emissions for attending different sporting events, much like concertgoers do when they attend musical festivals. While critics question offsets’ true environmental benefit, they do represent people’s growing awareness of their environmental footprint.
Through all these options, it’s clear that sports face a significant challenge in addressing their environmental impacts and encouraging fans to be more sustainable, while simultaneously trying to meet ambitious business and environmental targets.
In my view, a sustainable path forward will require strategic, yet genuine, commitment by the sports industry and its fans, and a willingness to prioritize long-term planetary health alongside economic gains – balancing the sport and sustainability.
Brian P. McCullough 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.
Press Release Nokia to deploy private 5G network for Memphis Light, Gas and Water’s grid modernization initiative
Private 5G wireless network will provide a secure, scalable, and high-performance network designed for critical applications and future mobility needs.
Nokia’s technology will modernize communications systems, cyber defense and operations to enhance power distribution, reduce outages and improve the efficiency of service restoration.
Collaboration marks a major milestone in building a smarter, more resilient, and future-ready utility infrastructure for the Memphis community in the U.S.
14 July 2025 Espoo, Finland – Nokia today announced it has been selected by Memphis Light, Gas and Water (MLGW), the largest three-service municipal utility in the United States, to deploy a comprehensive private 5G wireless network. The project will support MLGW’s long-term, multi-year grid modernization strategy across Memphis and Shelby County, Tennessee, ultimately enhancing power distribution to its customers, which will reduce the risk and customer impact of unplanned outages and enable MLGW to restore service to the public more efficiently.
This landmark project positions MLGW as the first municipal utility in the U.S. to implement a full-scale standalone 5G private wireless network to better serve its more than 420,000 customers. Nokia’s state-of-the art solution will unify and enhance communications across all of MLGW’s electric, gas and water services, improving data connectivity, resilience and operational efficiency and provide a secure, scalable, and high-performance network designed for critical applications and future mobility needs.
“The 5G Network Deployment is a foundational aspect of MLGW’s Grid Modernization Initiative. We will be able to meet the requirements for a modern electric grid. We will have fast and reliable communication for grid devices; increased reliability during storms or cyber events that will help us restore power even faster after outages. This enables more automation and smart control operations and supports future technology like electric vehicles and battery storage,” said Doug McGowen, President and CEO, MLGW.
The solution will enable real-time communication and automation across MLGW’s operations, supporting critical applications including automated meter reading, grid monitoring, fault detection, and remote operations while laying the foundation for innovations like connected mobility, voice, and video services. Nokia’s technology will also enable secure interoperability with both existing infrastructure and modern IoT devices, including grid sensors, smart meters, automation systems and field equipment to ensure continuity while expanding capabilities.
“This collaboration marks a major milestone in advancing MLGW’s power grid modernization and their commitment to building a smarter, more resilient, and future-ready utility infrastructure for the community. It also underscores Nokia’s leadership in delivering end-to-end private wireless networks that empower utilities to accelerate their digital transformation and enhance service reliability for their customers,” added Jeff Pittman, Head of North America Enterprise, Mobile Networks, Nokia.
Nokia will deliver a private 5G wireless network, including its AirScale radio access equipment and its 5G Core Enterprise Solution. The contract also includes a microwave backhaul solution and towers supported by Nokia managed services, as well as Nokia’s NetGuard cybersecurity products for proactive threat detection and response and privileged access management.
About Nokia At Nokia, we create technology that helps the world act together.
As a B2B technology innovation leader, we are pioneering networks that sense, think and act by leveraging our work across mobile, fixed and cloud networks. In addition, we create value with intellectual property and long-term research, led by the award-winning Nokia Bell Labs, which is celebrating 100 years of innovation.
With truly open architectures that seamlessly integrate into any ecosystem, our high-performance networks create new opportunities for monetization and scale. Service providers, enterprises and partners worldwide trust Nokia to deliver secure, reliable and sustainable networks today – and work with us to create the digital services and applications of the future.
HERE helps eliminate data prep headaches with high-qualityfoundational data ready to go and tailored for Esri users.
San Diego, CA (Esri User Conference)– HERE Technologies, the leading location data and technology platform, today announced the launch of the HERE GIS Data Suite, a comprehensive, ready-to-use foundational dataset designed to meet the evolving needs of GIS professionals using Esri platforms. The product officially debuts at the 2025 Esri User Conference July 14-18.
Built by mapmakers who understand the real-world challenges of GIS, the HERE GIS Data Suite delivers high-quality, globally consistent data in a format optimized for seamless integration with ArcGIS Pro.
HERE GIS Data Suite allows users to get started immediately, without the burden of data preparation and curation. It includes vector tile basemaps, transportation network datasets, rich place and address information, locator files for geocoding and a pre-configured and pre-symbolized ArcGIS Pro project. The HERE GIS Data Suite features high-detail attribution, including advanced truck-specific information like height and weight restrictions, tolls and preferred routes. With regular quarterly global updates, users can rely on fresh, current and accurate data.
“The HERE GIS Data Suite is easy to use in our ArcGIS implementation, and the data itself has the attribution organized in a much more straightforward way than other alternatives,” said Kevin Depolo, GIS Analyst at Contra Costa County, CA Fire Protection District. Solving Real-World GIS Challenges Today’s GIS professionals face a common set of challenges: inconsistent and outdated data with time-consuming, pre-processing requirements. The HERE GIS Data Suite addresses these pain points head-on by:
Saving Time: Eliminate hours of data prep with ready-to-use vector tile basemaps, transportation network dataset and locator files that are configured and ready to go for ArcGIS Pro.
Increasing Confidence: Work with reliable, validated data that supports high-stakes decision-making.
Building Faster: Start projects immediately with high-quality base layers and premium content like traffic patterns, truck restrictions and detailed POIs.
Working Smarter: Download only what is needed; no more massive, unwieldy datasets. The suite lets users start small by purchasing data for a specific area of interest or region and expand as needed.
“GIS professionals spend significant time sourcing, vetting and preparing fragmented data from multiple vendors,” said Chris Handley, Vice President of Product Management at HERE Technologies. “The HERE GIS Data Suite comes pre-processed and ready for use, giving users a single, trusted source of data so they can focus on building powerful, accurate maps and delivering insights.”
For 40 years, HERE has been a trusted provider of high-accuracy, enterprise-grade map data. The HERE GIS Data Suite is built on HERE’s data, which is used by governments, logistics providers, automotive companies and critical infrastructure operators worldwide.
Experience the HERE GIS Data Suite The HERE GIS Data Suite will be available for purchase directly from HERE. Check out HERE GIS Data Suite in action at the Esri User Conference, booth #915. Learn more about how HERE maximizes GIS capabilities at: https://www.here.com/gis
About HERE Technologies HERE has been a pioneer in mapping and location technology for 40 years. Today, HERE’s location platform is recognized as the most complete in the industry, powering location-based products, services and custom maps for organizations and enterprises across the globe. From autonomous driving and seamless logistics to new mobility experiences, HERE allows its partners and customers to innovate while retaining control over their data and safeguarding privacy. Find out how HERE is moving the world forward at here.com.
With OASIS now approaching the halfway mark of their five epic homecoming gigs in Heaton Park, Manchester’s Central Library is all set this week (14 – 19 July) to Roll With It as it celebrates its very own ‘Oasis Week’.
As the Gallagher brothers prepare for another legendary three nights performing in the park, right here in the city centre the award-winning Central Library will be paying tribute to the legendary Manchester band throughout the week with six days of free festivities, during its very own “Oasis Week”.
Part of the city council’s MCR Live ’25 celebrations taking place across the city this summer, the library has put together its own Masterplan of Oasis-themed programming, which is packed with live performancesfrom Rock’n’Roll Stars, Supersonic film screenings, Liam’n’Noel look-a-like competitions, a head-shrinking Big Oasis Quiz, and much more.
If you were one of the many who missed out on tickets to see Oasis on their Live 25 Tour, Don’t Look Back In Anger because there will be plenty to enjoy during the week at Central Library.
With different activities on every day the week includes the screening of an Oasis fan favouritefilm – picked by local fans – in Central Library’s Performance Space, a chance to test your knowledge in The Big Oasis Quiz with some tasty prizes up for grabs, and to show-off your swagger in a brilliant Liam’n’Noel Look-a-Like competition.
For any fans in the mood for a Talk Tonight, tomorrow Tuesday 15 July, will see Northern music journalist and frontman of the Membranes / Goldblade JOHN ROBB at Central Library in-conversation about his brand-new book ‘Live Forever: The Rise, Fall, and Resurrection of Oasis’ – a rollercoaster ride through the Gallagher brothers’ turbulent lives and the music that defined a generation. John will be appearing in-conversation with local Oasis expert Joe Feeley, who leads the Oasis Wonderwalk Tour in Manchester. Taking audience Q&As, John will also be signing books at the event to mark its release.
Wednesday brings a chance for fans to Slide Away into the sounds of the NEW HORIZONS CHOIR who will be offering their own innovative take on Oasis hits. A fun, welcoming, inclusive choir who meet for a sing every week in Manchester Central Library, they are inviting everyone to come down to enjoy and join in with an hour of uplifting singing of everyone’s favourite Oasis tunes.
Elsewhere, the library’s Archives+ and Sound Archives team will be digging deep into the Piccadilly Radio and Key103 audio archives and resurfacing some vintage interviews with Noel Gallagher from the band’s 90’s peak. Available to hear on the Sound & Vision pods on the ground floor of Central Library, the Oasis sound clips will feature as part of a new Piccadilly Radio Exhibition also launching in July.
The supersonic week of events at the library will conclude with ‘Live Forever’ – a day of special Oasis-themed live sessions next Saturday 19 July.
The day gets underway with a little Morning Glory from the MANCHESTER STRING QUARTET performing classical renditions of Oasis hits; followed by an afternoon of performances in the Henry Watson Music Library offering reimaginations of Oasis tracks by the UKULELE ORCHESTRA, and sumptuous reworkings by vocal harmony group CANTER SEMPER, before a rousing headline performance by top-tier tribute act: NOASIS.
Having previously played big venues including London’s Alexandra Palace and major festivals like Y-Not, NOASIS bill themselves as ‘The definitive Oasis Tribute Band’ and will be appearing in the Music Library for an intimate, stripped-back set especially for “Oasis Week”. With thanks to the support from the Manchester Libraries Trust, tickets will be pay-what-you-like.
Councillor John Hacking, Executive Member for Skills, Employment and Leisure, Manchester City Council said: “The library is going all out to celebrate the return of the brothers from Burnage with an epic line-up all week long of Oasis themed free fun for everyone to get involved and join in with. Dig out your bucket hat and come and join us!
“Everyone is welcome and best of all you won’t have to pay a penny for anything – yes, It’s Good To Be FREE!”
The full programme for “Oasis Week” at Central Library is as follows:
Mon 14 July
QUIZ: The Big Oasis Quiz – with Big Oasis Prizes up for grabs! 6.00pm, Henry Watson Music Library
Tues 15 July
TALK: John Robb In-Conversation about his Oasis book ‘Live Forever: The Rise, Fall, and Resurrection of Oasis’ 6.30pm, Henry Watson Music Library
Wed 16 July
MUSIC: New Horizons Choir performing Oasis songs 6.00pm, Henry Watson Music Library
Thurs 17 July
FILM: Mystery Screening of an Oasis documentary – chosen by you! 5.30pm, Performance Space
Fri 18 July
COMPETITION JUDGING: Liam’n’Noel Look-a-like Competition – are you a Gallagher doppelganger? 1.00pm, Henry Watson Music Library
Sat 19 July
MUSIC: Live Forever – A Day of Oasis-themed Live Sessions featuring:
Manchester String Quartet 11.00am – 12.00pm, Shakespeare Hall Balcony
Ukulele Orchestra 12.00pm – 12.30pm, Henry Watson Music Library
Canter Semper 1.00pm – 1.30pm, Henry Watson Music Library
Noasis (stripped-back set) 2.00pm – 2.45pm, Henry Watson Music Library
Seamless Charting and Real-Time Execution—Now Trade Directly from TradingView on the Alchemy Platform
Irvine, CA:, July 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FDCTech, Inc. (“FDC” or the “Company,” PINK: FDCT), a fintech-driven firm specializing in acquiring and scaling small to mid-size legacy financial services companies, today announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Alchemy Markets Limited (“Alchemy”), has launched full TradingView integration into its multi-asset trading platform.
This seamless integration empowers Alchemy clients to trade directly from TradingView charts, the world’s most popular charting and analytics platform, used by over 50 million traders and investors in more than 190 countries. TradingView processes over one billion charts monthly and supports real-time data across global markets, making it the go-to solution for traders ranging from beginners to hedge fund professionals.
The integration with TradingView marks a major leap in platform functionality and client experience – whether trading forex, crypto, or other instruments, users now have access to institutional-grade tools right from their Alchemy account.
What Users Can Expect:
Execute trades directly from TradingView charts
Analyze markets with 100+ built-in indicators and drawing tools
Access real-time data across forex, crypto, and other asset classes
Create and deploy custom indicators with Pine Script
Enjoy a responsive and intuitive interface optimized for all devices
By August 2025, the Company anticipates being listed as a Gold Broker on TradingView’s broker directory in the 10 largest European countries where Alchemy Markets is regulated. This elevated designation is expected to increase visibility among TradingView’s vast user base and drive client acquisition across key markets. Being a Gold Broker provides a competitive edge by showcasing regulatory credibility, technology integration, and execution quality—critical factors for traders seeking trusted platforms within the TradingView ecosystem.
Alchemy Markets, regulated by the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) under MiFID II, has been enhancing its trading infrastructure and user experience as part of the Company’s broader growth and uplisting strategy. The TradingView integration reinforces Alchemy’s commitment to providing an elite trading environment with next-generation tools, security, and compliance.
This development aligns with the Company’s mission to deliver robust, regulated, and technologically advanced financial services across multiple jurisdictions, thereby accelerating value creation for both clients and shareholders.
For more information on the Company’s results and strategic plans, please visit our SEC filings or the Company’s website.
Alchemy Markets Limited
Alchemy Markets Limited is a licensed investment firm regulated by the Malta Financial Services Authority under MiFID II. Offering multi-asset execution, custody, and institutional-grade trading infrastructure, Alchemy serves clients across Europe and other regulated jurisdictions. As a core part of the Company’s international expansion, Alchemy plays a pivotal role in delivering regulated and scalable trading solutions globally.
FDCTech, Inc.
FDCTech, Inc. (“FDC”) is a regulatory-grade financial technology infrastructure developer designed to serve the future financial markets. Our clients include regulated and OTC brokerages, as well as prop and algo trading firms of all sizes, across various asset classes, including forex, stocks, commodities, indices, ETFs, precious metals, and other financial instruments. Our growth strategy involves acquiring and integrating small to mid-size legacy financial services companies, leveraging our proprietary trading technology and liquidity solutions to deliver exceptional value to our clients.
Press Release Disclaimer
This press release’s statements may be forward-looking statements or future expectations based on currently available information. Such statements are naturally subject to risks and uncertainties. Factors such as the development of general economic conditions, future market conditions, unusual catastrophic loss events, changes in the capital markets, and other circumstances may cause the actual events or results to be materially different from those anticipated by such statements. The Company does not make any representation or warranty, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, completeness, or updated status of such forward-looking statements or information provided by the third party. Therefore, in no case will the Company and its affiliate companies be liable to anyone for any decision made or action taken in conjunction with the information and/or statements in this press release or any related damages.
Seamless Charting and Real-Time Execution—Now Trade Directly from TradingView on the Alchemy Platform
Irvine, CA:, July 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FDCTech, Inc. (“FDC” or the “Company,” PINK: FDCT), a fintech-driven firm specializing in acquiring and scaling small to mid-size legacy financial services companies, today announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Alchemy Markets Limited (“Alchemy”), has launched full TradingView integration into its multi-asset trading platform.
This seamless integration empowers Alchemy clients to trade directly from TradingView charts, the world’s most popular charting and analytics platform, used by over 50 million traders and investors in more than 190 countries. TradingView processes over one billion charts monthly and supports real-time data across global markets, making it the go-to solution for traders ranging from beginners to hedge fund professionals.
The integration with TradingView marks a major leap in platform functionality and client experience – whether trading forex, crypto, or other instruments, users now have access to institutional-grade tools right from their Alchemy account.
What Users Can Expect:
Execute trades directly from TradingView charts
Analyze markets with 100+ built-in indicators and drawing tools
Access real-time data across forex, crypto, and other asset classes
Create and deploy custom indicators with Pine Script
Enjoy a responsive and intuitive interface optimized for all devices
By August 2025, the Company anticipates being listed as a Gold Broker on TradingView’s broker directory in the 10 largest European countries where Alchemy Markets is regulated. This elevated designation is expected to increase visibility among TradingView’s vast user base and drive client acquisition across key markets. Being a Gold Broker provides a competitive edge by showcasing regulatory credibility, technology integration, and execution quality—critical factors for traders seeking trusted platforms within the TradingView ecosystem.
Alchemy Markets, regulated by the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) under MiFID II, has been enhancing its trading infrastructure and user experience as part of the Company’s broader growth and uplisting strategy. The TradingView integration reinforces Alchemy’s commitment to providing an elite trading environment with next-generation tools, security, and compliance.
This development aligns with the Company’s mission to deliver robust, regulated, and technologically advanced financial services across multiple jurisdictions, thereby accelerating value creation for both clients and shareholders.
For more information on the Company’s results and strategic plans, please visit our SEC filings or the Company’s website.
Alchemy Markets Limited
Alchemy Markets Limited is a licensed investment firm regulated by the Malta Financial Services Authority under MiFID II. Offering multi-asset execution, custody, and institutional-grade trading infrastructure, Alchemy serves clients across Europe and other regulated jurisdictions. As a core part of the Company’s international expansion, Alchemy plays a pivotal role in delivering regulated and scalable trading solutions globally.
FDCTech, Inc.
FDCTech, Inc. (“FDC”) is a regulatory-grade financial technology infrastructure developer designed to serve the future financial markets. Our clients include regulated and OTC brokerages, as well as prop and algo trading firms of all sizes, across various asset classes, including forex, stocks, commodities, indices, ETFs, precious metals, and other financial instruments. Our growth strategy involves acquiring and integrating small to mid-size legacy financial services companies, leveraging our proprietary trading technology and liquidity solutions to deliver exceptional value to our clients.
Press Release Disclaimer
This press release’s statements may be forward-looking statements or future expectations based on currently available information. Such statements are naturally subject to risks and uncertainties. Factors such as the development of general economic conditions, future market conditions, unusual catastrophic loss events, changes in the capital markets, and other circumstances may cause the actual events or results to be materially different from those anticipated by such statements. The Company does not make any representation or warranty, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, completeness, or updated status of such forward-looking statements or information provided by the third party. Therefore, in no case will the Company and its affiliate companies be liable to anyone for any decision made or action taken in conjunction with the information and/or statements in this press release or any related damages.
Seamless Charting and Real-Time Execution—Now Trade Directly from TradingView on the Alchemy Platform
Irvine, CA:, July 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FDCTech, Inc. (“FDC” or the “Company,” PINK: FDCT), a fintech-driven firm specializing in acquiring and scaling small to mid-size legacy financial services companies, today announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Alchemy Markets Limited (“Alchemy”), has launched full TradingView integration into its multi-asset trading platform.
This seamless integration empowers Alchemy clients to trade directly from TradingView charts, the world’s most popular charting and analytics platform, used by over 50 million traders and investors in more than 190 countries. TradingView processes over one billion charts monthly and supports real-time data across global markets, making it the go-to solution for traders ranging from beginners to hedge fund professionals.
The integration with TradingView marks a major leap in platform functionality and client experience – whether trading forex, crypto, or other instruments, users now have access to institutional-grade tools right from their Alchemy account.
What Users Can Expect:
Execute trades directly from TradingView charts
Analyze markets with 100+ built-in indicators and drawing tools
Access real-time data across forex, crypto, and other asset classes
Create and deploy custom indicators with Pine Script
Enjoy a responsive and intuitive interface optimized for all devices
By August 2025, the Company anticipates being listed as a Gold Broker on TradingView’s broker directory in the 10 largest European countries where Alchemy Markets is regulated. This elevated designation is expected to increase visibility among TradingView’s vast user base and drive client acquisition across key markets. Being a Gold Broker provides a competitive edge by showcasing regulatory credibility, technology integration, and execution quality—critical factors for traders seeking trusted platforms within the TradingView ecosystem.
Alchemy Markets, regulated by the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) under MiFID II, has been enhancing its trading infrastructure and user experience as part of the Company’s broader growth and uplisting strategy. The TradingView integration reinforces Alchemy’s commitment to providing an elite trading environment with next-generation tools, security, and compliance.
This development aligns with the Company’s mission to deliver robust, regulated, and technologically advanced financial services across multiple jurisdictions, thereby accelerating value creation for both clients and shareholders.
For more information on the Company’s results and strategic plans, please visit our SEC filings or the Company’s website.
Alchemy Markets Limited
Alchemy Markets Limited is a licensed investment firm regulated by the Malta Financial Services Authority under MiFID II. Offering multi-asset execution, custody, and institutional-grade trading infrastructure, Alchemy serves clients across Europe and other regulated jurisdictions. As a core part of the Company’s international expansion, Alchemy plays a pivotal role in delivering regulated and scalable trading solutions globally.
FDCTech, Inc.
FDCTech, Inc. (“FDC”) is a regulatory-grade financial technology infrastructure developer designed to serve the future financial markets. Our clients include regulated and OTC brokerages, as well as prop and algo trading firms of all sizes, across various asset classes, including forex, stocks, commodities, indices, ETFs, precious metals, and other financial instruments. Our growth strategy involves acquiring and integrating small to mid-size legacy financial services companies, leveraging our proprietary trading technology and liquidity solutions to deliver exceptional value to our clients.
Press Release Disclaimer
This press release’s statements may be forward-looking statements or future expectations based on currently available information. Such statements are naturally subject to risks and uncertainties. Factors such as the development of general economic conditions, future market conditions, unusual catastrophic loss events, changes in the capital markets, and other circumstances may cause the actual events or results to be materially different from those anticipated by such statements. The Company does not make any representation or warranty, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, completeness, or updated status of such forward-looking statements or information provided by the third party. Therefore, in no case will the Company and its affiliate companies be liable to anyone for any decision made or action taken in conjunction with the information and/or statements in this press release or any related damages.
FREMONT, Calif., July 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Enovix Corporation (Nasdaq: ENVX) (“Enovix”), a leader in advanced silicon battery technology, today announced the appointment of Srikanth Kethu as Head of Enovix India, effective today. In this key leadership role, Mr. Kethu will oversee the company’s Hyderabad R&D center and play a strategic role in supporting the ramp-up of Enovix’s high-volume manufacturing facility in Malaysia, while driving the broader expansion of Enovix’s footprint in India.
Mr. Kethu brings more than two decades of experience leading high-performance engineering teams and scaling offshore operations for global automotive and industrial leaders including ZF, Mercedes-Benz, and as an external consultant to BMW’s R&D center in Germany. His deep expertise in product development, systems integration, and cross-border team building makes him uniquely qualified to help lead Enovix through its next phase of global growth.
“We are thrilled to welcome Srikanth to the Enovix leadership team,” said Dr. Raj Talluri, President and CEO of Enovix. “India has always had a tremendous depth of engineering talent. I was fortunate to have been part of establishing and growing India’s cutting-edge R&D teams for Texas Instruments, Qualcomm and Micron — and now Enovix. As head of Enovix India, Srikanth will not only strengthen our world-class R&D center in Hyderabad but also support our efforts to industrialize at scale — including helping ensure the success of our new facility in Malaysia. He brings the experience and leadership we need to accelerate innovation and execution.”
Enovix’s Hyderabad R&D center plays a critical role in developing next-generation battery technology. Under Mr. Kethu’s leadership, the India team will expand its contributions to core cell and pack design, advanced manufacturing, and reliability testing. In addition to scaling R&D efforts, Mr. Kethu will help Enovix establish broader operational capabilities in India as the company grows its regional presence.
“I’m excited to join Enovix at such an important time for the battery industry and to make an impact,” said Mr. Kethu. “The Hyderabad team has already demonstrated exceptional technical capability. I look forward to working with our talented and dedicated teams across India and Southeast Asia to scale world-class solutions, support our factory in Malaysia, and help Enovix deliver breakthrough battery performance on a global scale. India offers a vast and highly skilled talent pool, and we remain committed to leveraging this strength to drive Enovix’s continued growth as a leading R&D hub in the region.”
About Enovix Corporation
Enovix is a leader in advancing lithium-ion battery technology with its proprietary cell architecture designed to deliver higher energy density and improved safety. The Company’s breakthrough silicon-anode batteries are engineered to power a wide range of devices from wearable electronics and mobile communications to industrial and electric vehicle applications. Enovix’s technology enables longer battery life and faster charging, supporting the growing global demand for high-performance energy storage. Enovix holds a robust portfolio of issued and pending patents covering its core battery design, manufacturing process, and system integration innovations. For more information, visit https://www.enovix.com.
Forward‐Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding Enovix’s global growth strategy, expected plans for expansion in India, research and development in India, operational scale-up in Malaysia, product development roadmap, and other future events or expectations. Words such as “expects,” “intends,” “believes,” “will,” “plans,” and similar expressions are used to identify these forward-looking statements.
Actual results may differ materially due to a variety of risks and uncertainties, including those identified in the “Risk Factors” section of Enovix’s most recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. All forward-looking statements in this release speak only as of the date hereof, and Enovix undertakes no obligation to update any such statements as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by law.
TALLINN, Estonia, July 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitcoin Solaris (BTC-S), a next-generation crypto protocol blending high performance with early-stage accessibility, has officially entered the final phase of its highly anticipated presale. With over $6.6 million already raised and more than 14,150 participants onboarded, BTC-S is rapidly becoming one of 2025’s most talked-about blockchain projects.
Now priced at $12 per token, Bitcoin Solaris is set to increase to $13 in the next phase before reaching its launch value of $20—a built-in 150% gain for early adopters.
Why Bitcoin Solaris Is Gaining Real Momentum
Bitcoin Solaris isn’t riding on hype alone. It’s ticking boxes that most projects can’t even reach. The technology backing it makes it more than a speculative bet; it’s a calculated one.
Dual Consensus: A hybrid architecture combining Proof-of-Work and Delegated Proof-of-Stake creates a balance between decentralization and performance.
Validator Rotation: Prevents monopolies by automatically shifting block production roles.
Over 10,000 TPS: With sub-2-second finality, BTC-S is built to handle scale, not just promise it.
Energy Efficient: Uses 99.95% less power than traditional PoW systems.
Rust-Based Smart Contracts: Flexible for DeFi, NFTs, cross-chain apps, and enterprise adoption.
It’s also fully mobile-first, engineered for scalability on phones via the upcoming Solaris Nova App. That part alone unlocks billions of potential users. And influencers like Crypto Show have taken notice with detailed coverage breaking down why the coin has so much upside.
This isn’t another testnet coin. It’s a fully audited, community-backed protocol preparing for a real breakout. Independent audits from Cyberscope and Freshcoins back up the claim.
Right now, Bitcoin Solaris is in phase 12 of its presale. The current token price sits at $12, with a next phase set to jump to $13, and a final launch price locked at $20. That’s a clean 150% upside baked into the structure.
With over 14,150 users already onboarded and $6.6M+ raised, this has become one of the fastest-moving presales in 2025. And it’s closing in just under two weeks. That doesn’t leave much time for hesitation.
To ensure smooth token delivery after launch, wallets like Trust Wallet and Metamask are recommended for receiving BTC-S. You don’t need them to join the presale, just to get your tokens later.
Not Just Talk. Real Wealth Mechanics Built In
Bitcoin Solaris isn’t another buzzword coin. It’s designed with wealth generation in mind.
Easy mining via the upcoming mobile app.
A mobile-friendly network structure with validator flexibility.
DeFi-ready infrastructure with real smart contract utility.
TPS performance and security are audited by trusted firms.
Early-stage access before listings even begin.
And unlike Bitcoin, this one didn’t start in obscurity. It’s building momentum with a loud, excited community and attention from respected creators.
Final Verdict
Sei laid a foundation. But for those seeking real upside potential, Bitcoin Solaris offers a very different path, one that looks less like waiting for the next bull run and more like building value now.
It’s rare for a coin to combine polished tech with first-mover wealth positioning. BTC-S is doing both. And this might just be the last window to get in before the market wakes up.
The Final Entry Window Is Closing
With the presale now in its twelfth and penultimate stage, investor interest is surging. As the price edges closer to the final $20 listing, Bitcoin Solaris is positioning itself as both a technological leap forward and a rare opportunity for early-stage participation in a crypto ecosystem before market saturation.
BTC-S can be purchased directly from the project’s official website using credit cards or crypto payments. No wallet is required for initial purchase; tokens will be claimable post-launch via supported wallets.
About Bitcoin Solaris
Bitcoin Solaris is a next-generation blockchain protocol focused on accessibility, decentralization, and performance. Designed to support a wide range of use cases—from DeFi to real-world commerce—it offers a mobile-friendly, energy-efficient platform for scalable, secure digital transactions.
Disclaimer:This content is provided by Bitcoin Solaris. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented.We do not guarantee any claims, statements, or promises made in this article.This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice.Investing in crypto and mining-related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital.It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone, and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent advice if necessary. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose.Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector—including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining—complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed.Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release.In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility.Globenewswire does not endorse any content on this page.
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With regard to the European Commission’s letter on the application of special powers regarding UniCredit’s offer for Banco BPM, the Italian Government will respond to the requested clarifications in a collaborative and constructive spirit, as it already did before the Regional Administrative Court (‘Tribunale Amministrativo Regionale’) within the time frames and with the justifications already deemed legitimate by the administrative court judges.
Zohran Mamdani takes photos with union members during a campaign rally at the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council headquarters in New York on July 2, 2025. AP Photo/Richard Drew
When Zohran Mamdani announced his candidacy for mayor of New York City, political observers noted his progressive platform and legislative record. But understanding the Democratic candidate’s background requires examining the rich cultural tapestry woven into his very surname: Mamdani.
He takes the name from his father, Mahmood Mamdani, a prominent academic who was raised in Uganda and whose work focuses on postcolonial Uganda. I studied the history of the Khoja community for my doctoral work and have helped develop Khoja studies as an academic discipline. The Mamdani surname tells a story of migration, resilience and community-building that spans centuries and continents.
The Khoja history
Mamdanis in Uganda belong to the Khoja community, a South Asian Muslim merchant caste, that shaped economic development across the western Indian Ocean for centuries.
The name originates from greater Sindh, a region in South Asia that today includes southeastern Pakistan and Kachchh in western India.
Its etymology is twofold. Mām is an honorific title in Kachchhi and Gujarati languages, meaning kindness, courage and pride. Māmadō is a local version of the name Muhammad that often appeared in surnames in Hindu castes that converted to Islam, such as the Memons.
The Khoja were categorized by the British in the early 19th century as “Hindoo Mussalman” because their traditions spanned both religions.
Over time, the Khoja came to be identified only as Muslim and then primarily as Shiite Muslim. Today, the majority of Khoja are Ismaili: a branch of Shiite Islam that follows the Aga Khan as their living imam.
The Mamdani family, however, is part of the Twelver community of Khoja, whose Twelfth Imam is believed to be hidden from the world and only emerges in times of crisis. Twelvers believe he will help usher in an age of peace during end times.
Around the late 18th century, the Khoja helped export textiles, manufactured goods, spices and gems from the Indian subcontinent to Arabia and East Africa. Through this Western Indian Ocean trading network, they imported timber, ivory, minerals and cloves, among other goods.
Khoja family firms were built on kinship networks and trust. They built networks of shops, communal housing and warehouses, and extended credit for thousands of miles, from Zanzibar in Tanzania to Bombay – now Mumbai – on the western coast of India.
Cousins and brothers would send money and goods across the ocean with only a letter. The precarious nature of trade in this period meant that families also served as insurance for each other. In times of wealth, it was shared; in times of disaster, help was available.
Khoja contributions in Africa
The Khoja became instrumental in building the commercial infrastructure of eastern, central and southern Africa. But the Khoja contribution to the development of Africa extended far beyond trade.
In the absence of colonial investment in public infrastructure, they helped build institutions that formed the foundation of the modern nation-states that emerged after colonization. The institutions both facilitated trade and established permanent communities.
For example, the first dispensary and public school in Zanzibar were constructed by a Khoja magnate, Tharia Topan, who made his wealth through the ivory and clove trades. Topan eventually became so prominent that he was knighted by Queen Victoria in 1890 for his service to the British Empire in helping to end slavery in East Africa.
The Khoja community continues to invest in East Africa. The most famous example is the Aga Khan Development Network, whose hospitals and schools operate in 30 countries. In places such as Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, they are considered the best.
Khoja in Uganda
Like in other parts of Africa, the Khoja settled in Uganda as a liaison business community to develop a market to serve both African and European needs. The linguistic and cultural knowledge, developed over centuries, helped facilitate business despite the challenges of colonization.
Ugandan President Idi Amin and his wife, Sarah, in Rome on Sept. 10, 1975. AP Photo
However, in 1972, Ugandan dictator Idi Amin expelled all Asians – approximately 80,000 – forcing families like the Mamdanis into exile. These included indentured laborers, who were brought in to help build the railroad and farm during the British colonial period, and free traders, like the Mamdani family.
Amin saw them all as the same and famously said: “Asians came to Uganda to build the railway. The railway is finished. They must leave now.”
The experience was a bitter one. Families lost everything, and many left with only the clothes on their backs.
Mahmood Mamdani, who came from a Khoja merchant family, was 26 when he was exiled. Yet, unlike most Ugandan Asians, he chose to go back. At Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda’s capital, Mamdani set up the Institute for Social Research, which helped to provide rigorous social science training to Ugandan researchers trying to improve their society.
While the earlier generations of the Khoja tended to choose business or adjacent professions, such as accounting, the subsequent generations – particularly those educated in the West – embraced the knowledge economy as professionals, academics and nonprofit leaders.
Several of Mahmood Mamdani’s generation of Khoja academics conducted path-breaking work on Afro-Asian solidarity – a way of thinking about the world beyond colonial categories, such as the category of religion as a separate domain from the secular. These scholars, such as Tanzania’s Issa Shivji and Abdul Sheriff, worked on creating solidarity among the newly independent states of the Global South.
Mahmood Mamdani is known for his influential post-9/11 academic work, “Good Muslim, Bad Muslim,” which examined how Muslim identities are stereotyped. He argued that these identities are complex and varied, shaped by accumulated history and present experiences.
Interfaith identity
The Khoja community – known globally as the Khoja Shia Ithnasheri Muslim Community – has developed strong transnational connections. Today, they are concentrated in the United Kingdom, Canada, United States and France. However, Khoja can be found in almost any country in the world. In 2013, I met members of the community in Hong Kong.
The Khoja community plays an important role in interfaith dialogue and global development initiatives. A prominent Ismaili Khoja, Eboo Patel, the founder of Interfaith America, has dedicated his life to pluralism and mutual understanding through building up civil society.
Zohran Mamdani’s mother, acclaimed filmmaker Mira Nair, is Hindu by birth. This interfaith marriage exemplifies the flexibility, diversity and tolerance of Khoja Islam, which has historically navigated between Hindu and Islamic traditions.
Whether Mamdani’s policies prove practical remains to be seen, but his background offers something valuable: a deep understanding of how communities build resilience across generations and geographies.
Iqbal Akhtar 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.
Zohran Mamdani takes photos with union members during a campaign rally at the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council headquarters in New York on July 2, 2025. AP Photo/Richard Drew
When Zohran Mamdani announced his candidacy for mayor of New York City, political observers noted his progressive platform and legislative record. But understanding the Democratic candidate’s background requires examining the rich cultural tapestry woven into his very surname: Mamdani.
He takes the name from his father, Mahmood Mamdani, a prominent academic who was raised in Uganda and whose work focuses on postcolonial Uganda. I studied the history of the Khoja community for my doctoral work and have helped develop Khoja studies as an academic discipline. The Mamdani surname tells a story of migration, resilience and community-building that spans centuries and continents.
The Khoja history
Mamdanis in Uganda belong to the Khoja community, a South Asian Muslim merchant caste, that shaped economic development across the western Indian Ocean for centuries.
The name originates from greater Sindh, a region in South Asia that today includes southeastern Pakistan and Kachchh in western India.
Its etymology is twofold. Mām is an honorific title in Kachchhi and Gujarati languages, meaning kindness, courage and pride. Māmadō is a local version of the name Muhammad that often appeared in surnames in Hindu castes that converted to Islam, such as the Memons.
The Khoja were categorized by the British in the early 19th century as “Hindoo Mussalman” because their traditions spanned both religions.
Over time, the Khoja came to be identified only as Muslim and then primarily as Shiite Muslim. Today, the majority of Khoja are Ismaili: a branch of Shiite Islam that follows the Aga Khan as their living imam.
The Mamdani family, however, is part of the Twelver community of Khoja, whose Twelfth Imam is believed to be hidden from the world and only emerges in times of crisis. Twelvers believe he will help usher in an age of peace during end times.
Around the late 18th century, the Khoja helped export textiles, manufactured goods, spices and gems from the Indian subcontinent to Arabia and East Africa. Through this Western Indian Ocean trading network, they imported timber, ivory, minerals and cloves, among other goods.
Khoja family firms were built on kinship networks and trust. They built networks of shops, communal housing and warehouses, and extended credit for thousands of miles, from Zanzibar in Tanzania to Bombay – now Mumbai – on the western coast of India.
Cousins and brothers would send money and goods across the ocean with only a letter. The precarious nature of trade in this period meant that families also served as insurance for each other. In times of wealth, it was shared; in times of disaster, help was available.
Khoja contributions in Africa
The Khoja became instrumental in building the commercial infrastructure of eastern, central and southern Africa. But the Khoja contribution to the development of Africa extended far beyond trade.
In the absence of colonial investment in public infrastructure, they helped build institutions that formed the foundation of the modern nation-states that emerged after colonization. The institutions both facilitated trade and established permanent communities.
For example, the first dispensary and public school in Zanzibar were constructed by a Khoja magnate, Tharia Topan, who made his wealth through the ivory and clove trades. Topan eventually became so prominent that he was knighted by Queen Victoria in 1890 for his service to the British Empire in helping to end slavery in East Africa.
The Khoja community continues to invest in East Africa. The most famous example is the Aga Khan Development Network, whose hospitals and schools operate in 30 countries. In places such as Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, they are considered the best.
Khoja in Uganda
Like in other parts of Africa, the Khoja settled in Uganda as a liaison business community to develop a market to serve both African and European needs. The linguistic and cultural knowledge, developed over centuries, helped facilitate business despite the challenges of colonization.
Ugandan President Idi Amin and his wife, Sarah, in Rome on Sept. 10, 1975. AP Photo
However, in 1972, Ugandan dictator Idi Amin expelled all Asians – approximately 80,000 – forcing families like the Mamdanis into exile. These included indentured laborers, who were brought in to help build the railroad and farm during the British colonial period, and free traders, like the Mamdani family.
Amin saw them all as the same and famously said: “Asians came to Uganda to build the railway. The railway is finished. They must leave now.”
The experience was a bitter one. Families lost everything, and many left with only the clothes on their backs.
Mahmood Mamdani, who came from a Khoja merchant family, was 26 when he was exiled. Yet, unlike most Ugandan Asians, he chose to go back. At Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda’s capital, Mamdani set up the Institute for Social Research, which helped to provide rigorous social science training to Ugandan researchers trying to improve their society.
While the earlier generations of the Khoja tended to choose business or adjacent professions, such as accounting, the subsequent generations – particularly those educated in the West – embraced the knowledge economy as professionals, academics and nonprofit leaders.
Several of Mahmood Mamdani’s generation of Khoja academics conducted path-breaking work on Afro-Asian solidarity – a way of thinking about the world beyond colonial categories, such as the category of religion as a separate domain from the secular. These scholars, such as Tanzania’s Issa Shivji and Abdul Sheriff, worked on creating solidarity among the newly independent states of the Global South.
Mahmood Mamdani is known for his influential post-9/11 academic work, “Good Muslim, Bad Muslim,” which examined how Muslim identities are stereotyped. He argued that these identities are complex and varied, shaped by accumulated history and present experiences.
Interfaith identity
The Khoja community – known globally as the Khoja Shia Ithnasheri Muslim Community – has developed strong transnational connections. Today, they are concentrated in the United Kingdom, Canada, United States and France. However, Khoja can be found in almost any country in the world. In 2013, I met members of the community in Hong Kong.
The Khoja community plays an important role in interfaith dialogue and global development initiatives. A prominent Ismaili Khoja, Eboo Patel, the founder of Interfaith America, has dedicated his life to pluralism and mutual understanding through building up civil society.
Zohran Mamdani’s mother, acclaimed filmmaker Mira Nair, is Hindu by birth. This interfaith marriage exemplifies the flexibility, diversity and tolerance of Khoja Islam, which has historically navigated between Hindu and Islamic traditions.
Whether Mamdani’s policies prove practical remains to be seen, but his background offers something valuable: a deep understanding of how communities build resilience across generations and geographies.
Iqbal Akhtar 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.
Who was the first pirate? – Yandel R., age 11, Lakewood Ranch, Florida
When most people imagine a pirate, they picture actor Johnny Depp playing the mad but likable swashbuckler Jack Sparrow, captain of the sailing ship the Black Pearl.
Depp’s pirate portrayal was inspired by seafaring bandits in older make-believe tales, such as Long John Silver in “Treasure Island,” Captain Hook in “Peter Pan,” or sailor Edmond Dantès in “The Count of Monte Cristo.”
Pirates in these stories were mischievous but also glamorous, courageous and mostly kindhearted. They wore flashy costumes. They had missing limbs, like Captain Cook’s iron hook for a left hand and Long John Silver’s wooden peg leg. They buried treasure chests of gold and silver, forced enemies to walk the plank and had talking parrots as shipboard companions. They flew the Jolly Roger skull and crossbones flag from the ship’s mast to frighten enemies. The new Netflix series “One Piece,” which is based on a Japanese comic book, continues this popular depiction of pirates.
While fun, these portrayals of pirates are mostly invented.
I’m a political scientist who studies modern-day commerce raiding: robbing of private cargo vessels on the high seas. I’m interested in where it happens in the world, who does it and what can be done to stop it. My research finds today’s pirates to be less like swashbuckling Jack Sparrow and more like regular old thieves.
Pirates in the ancient world
Since pirates have been around for as long as people have moved things by boat, it is hard to pin down the very first pirate.
But archaeological evidence shows that boatbuilding goes all the way back to the ancient Egyptians, who used boats made from papyrus reedsas early as 6,000 years ago. These vessels likely carried valuable goods up and down the Nile River, and where valuable goods can be found, you can usually find thieves too. In fact, researchers know that pirates – basically just thieves on the water – targeted these river boats, because Egyptian pharaohs left records grumbling about pirates and their widespread pillaging.
By 3,500 years ago, thieves were using sailing vessels to raid coastal towns and villages in and around the Nile Delta, as well as the Aegean and Adriatic basins. Attacking ships far from land on the high seas and stealing the cargo was a logical next step in the tactics of seafaring raiders.
As trade increased across the Mediterranean Sea, boats carrying valuable cargo, such as pottery, silk, glass, spices and metals, became the targets of ancient pirates. Given the worth of these goods, pirate attacks became widespread across the ancient Mediterranean Sea. With money from the Roman senate and strong effort by a military leader named Pompey, the Roman navy worked hard to stop the pirates – and for a while it did.
The earliest named pirate?
The first mention of a pirate by name may have been in a Greek history book written in the fifth century BCE by an ancient historian named Herodotus.
He briefly describes the adventures of a naval commander by the name of Dionysius who was from Ionia, which is in modern-day Turkey. Dionysius set up a pirate base on the island of Sicily that allowed him and his fellow pirates to plunder ships that happened to sail past.
Pirates of the Caribbean
While Dionysius may have been the first recorded pirate, the most famous pirates lived during the 17th and 18th centuries, which came to be known as the golden age of sea piracy.
Islands such as Jamaica, Tortuga and the Bahamas, as well the North Carolina coast, all became notable pirate havens. Port Royal, on the island of Jamaica, in particular, was a notorious pirate refuge. It was ideally positioned for preying upon Spanish galleons sailing across the Atlantic from ports in Panama and Venezuela. Johnny Depp’s character, Jack Sparrow, swashbuckled around a fictionalized Port Royal in the first “Pirates of the Caribbean” film.
Each dot represents a maritime pirate attack that happened between 1995 and 2023. Brandon Prins
21st-century pirates
The 2013 Hollywood movie “Captain Phillips,” starring Tom Hanks, drew attention back to real-world pirates and piracy. The movie was based on a real-life 2009 attack by Somali pirates on a ship named the MV Maersk Alabama, which was carrying food to Kenya. The 500-foot-long vessel and its crew were rescued by the U.S. Navy.
To better understand 21st-century piracy, my research team compiled data on all pirate attacks from 1995 to the present day. We found three main piracy hot spots: the Gulf of Aden near Somalia, the Strait of Malacca in Southeast Asia and the Gulf of Guinea off the coast of West Africa. All three locations experience the conditions that attract pirates: ship traffic, valuable cargo and weak governments.
Why become a pirate?
People become pirates for many reasons, not the least of which is to escape poverty and enslavement. Others just want adventure and to travel the world. These are the same motivations that drove commerce raiding in the ancient world, during the golden age of piracy, and even today.
While we may never know the first pirate, just like we will never know the very first thief, historical evidence shows that sea-raiding has been around since the very first boats traversed the world’s waterways. Despite efforts to end piracy, my research shows that the conditions that produce ship looting remain and will likely always exist.
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Brandon Prins received funding from the U.S. Department of Defense, Office of Naval Research, through the Minerva Initiative, awards #N00014-21-1-2030 and #N00014-14-1-0050.
The great and the good from the world of dance joined the Lord Mayor of Westminster as a plaque was unveiled to honour the work of its founder, Debbie Moore.
Dame Arlene Phillips, Louis Spence, Bonnie Langford were some of the famous faces to share the moment with dance fans and well-wishers for the ceremony. A small showcase of dancers from the studios entertained the crowds after the plaque was unveiled by Debbie and lifelong friend Dame Arlene Phillips.
In June 1979, Pineapple opened its doors out of a derelict pineapple warehouse following Covent Garden fruit market’s departure being reborn as ‘Pineapple Dance Studios’. Since then, it has gone onto teach countless performers for some of the biggest show on stage and screen.
The plaque, organised by The Seven Dials Trust, now stands proudly outside the entrance to the studio on Langley Street. The People’s Plaques celebrate individuals and institutions who have contributed to London and beyond.
The Lord Mayor of Westminster, Cllr Paul Dimoldenberg said:
It was a privilege to join dancing royalty at Pineapple Dance Studios to unveil a plaque celebrating the remarkable Debbie Moore. Her dedication has supported generations of performers, helping them take their first steps — and leaps — into the world of dance and performance.”
“Pineapple Studios has well and truly chassé-ed its way into dancing folklore, nurturing talent that has graced both stage and screen. Debbie’s vision continues to inspire, and today’s celebration was a testament to the vibrant creative community she helped build.”
David Bieda, Seven Dials Trust chairman said:
We are delight to have Dame Arlene Phillips OBE, Wayne Sleep and The Lord Mayor of Westminster participate in the ceremony. The Seven Dials Trust People’s Plaques commemorate those who have made a contribution to London, and in this case internationally.”
