LARAMIE, Wyo., June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Airloom Energy, the company pioneering low-cost and resilient U.S. energy generation and backed by Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy Ventures, today announced its pilot site groundbreaking near Rock River, Wyoming. At this research and development site, Airloom Energy will build out its first utility-scale turbine, designed to generate more energy at lower cost and increased efficiency amid the U.S.’s prevailing need for energy security and independence.
According to a report from the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), approximately half of the United States is at risk of energy shortfalls that could cause outages and reduced power supplies by 2035. Combined with surging demand from the increased use of AI and reliance on data centers, global research and advisory firm Gartner predicts 40% of existing facilities around the world will be constrained by access to sufficient power by as soon as 2027. Low-cost, high-efficiency energy is critical for the grid—requiring bold innovation and long-overdue improvements to power system design and deployment.
“Current energy technologies can’t meet the growing complexity and demand of the next decade,” said Neal Rickner, CEO of Airloom Energy. “With growing electricity needs, we need more flexible systems that can be built quickly, and deployed anywhere at large scale. That’s the only way we’re going to achieve and maintain energy security and independence. Airloom’s proprietary, U.S.-manufactured turbines do just that—replacing bulky, costly models with low-cost compact designs that generate more energy in less space. This groundbreaking marks a key milestone in validating our power curve and achieving essential cost efficiencies for wind energy.”
Traditional horizontal-axis wind turbines (HAWTs), are increasingly less cost-competitive and difficult to construct. Made in low volumes and at massive scale, this approach has resulted in restricted innovation, limited sites for deployment, and a stagnation in levelized-cost of energy (LCOE).
Comparatively, Airloom Energy designs a next-generation of turbines that add to the energy mix while yielding substantial cost savings and boosts in efficiency, even without subsidies.
High-density architecture at utility scale: Airloom Energy’s modular turbines feature rectangular swept areas instead of traditional circular ones, increasing wind capture and improving energy conversion efficiency—meeting the growing need to generate more power in less space as land use and regulations evolve.
Faster deployment at lower cost: Unlike traditional turbines that can take up to five years to deploy, Airloom Energy’s 30-year turbines—built with low-cost, mass-manufacturable components and minimal infrastructure needs—can be installed in under a year, supporting more reliable energy generation through simplified supply chains.
Universal deployability, close to home: By using smaller, mass manufacturable parts made in the U.S. to simplify transportation, installation and maintenance, Airloom Energy can deploy its wind turbines at low-wind sites, those with height or viewability restrictions such as airports or military stations, or even in difficult to access mountainous areas or islands that have minimal infrastructure.
“Breaking ground on a first pilot site is a major inflection point for any wind technology product — Airloom has reached this point with remarkable speed and clarity of purpose,” said Paul Judge, former head of Product Management at GE Onshore Wind and advisory board member for Airloom Energy. “What sets Airloom apart is not only its innovative architecture, but the caliber of the team behind it who understand how to move from concept to scale with tenacity and rigor. This pilot is more than a test site; it’s the beginning of a fundamentally new approach to resilient renewable energy generation: wind energy that’s faster to deploy, land-efficient, and built for the energy challenges ahead.”
The groundbreaking keeps Airloom on track to complete its pilot site build out ahead of commercial demos beginning in 2027. At this site, Airloom will be installing and testing its proprietary turbine designs to validate its power curve, ensure efficiency of production, refine cost of deployment, and expand maintenance documentation. Beyond standard onshore integration, Airloom Energy will also evaluate future use cases such as defense, disaster relief, and offshore wind energy generation.
In October 2024, Airloom Energy raised $7.5 million in a seed financing round with participation from Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Lowercarbon Capital, WYVC, Crosscut Ventures, WovenEarth Ventures, and others. An additional $5 million in Energy Matching Funds was secured in September 2024 from the State of Wyoming, and a $1.25-million non-dilutive contract from the U.S. Department of Defense in August 2024.
For more information about Airloom Energy’s wind turbine designs, technical roadmap, or investment opportunities, reach out to info@airloom.energy.
About Airloom Energy Airloom Energy is on a mission to create low-cost, utility-scale, resilient energy generation technology that is simple to manufacture and transport, and can be installed anywhere. Founded and headquartered in Laramie, Wyoming, USA, and led by a world-class team of experts from Boeing, General Electric, Google X, and Deloitte, Airloom is backed by leading investors such as Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Lowercarbon Capital, WYVC, Crosscut Ventures, WovenEarth Ventures, and others. For more information, visit the Airloom Energy website at https://www.airloom.energy/, and follow us on LinkedIn.
This article was first published in The Conversation UK’s World Affairs Briefing email newsletter. Sign up to receive weekly analysis of the latest developments in international relations, direct to your inbox.
Once again Donald Trump and his senior team are unhappy with their press coverage. Here’s the US president, fresh from his triumph in The Hague, having persuaded Nato’s leaders to open their wallets and agree to up their defence spending to 5% of GDP (apart from Spain, that is, which can expect to hear of triple-digit tariffs coming its way in the near future) – and do the media focus on Trump’s tour de force? Do they hell. Instead they focus on whether his strikes against Iran had been as successful as he claimed.
As you can imagine, this would have been irksome in the extreme for the president, who might reasonably have expected that the story of the day would be his victory in getting pledges from virtually all Nato’s members to pull their weight in terms of their own defence. Certainly the Nato secretary-general, Mark Rutte, could appreciate the scale of his achievement. Even before the summit, Rutte was talking it up.
“Donald, you have driven us to a really, really important moment for America and Europe, and the world,” he wrote in a message to Trump as the US president prepared to fly to The Netherlands. “You will achieve something NO American president in decades could get done.”
The fact that Trump promptly posted this message to his TruthSocial website suggests how important praise is to the the US president. It’s something that many world leaders (including Benjamin Netanyahu and Vladimir Putin who have become past-masters at pouring honey in the president’s ear) have recognised and are willing to use as a diplomatic tool when dealing with the man Rutte calls “Daddy”.
Sign up to receive our weekly World Affairs Briefing newsletter from The Conversation UK. Every Thursday we’ll bring you expert analysis of the big stories in international relations.
But while flattery as a tactic seems to be effective with the US president, Andrew Gawthorpe, a political historian from Leiden University, cautions that flattery, appeasement and compliance are a flawed approach when dealing with a man like Trump. For a start, he writes it means that not much actually gets done and that problems are often merely avoided rather than solved.
But more worryingly, simply capitulating in the face of Trumpian pressure or ire risks giving this US president the idea that he can do anything he wants. “When his targets roll over, it sends a message to others that Trump is unstoppable and resistance is futile,” writes Gawthorpe. It encourages not just the next presidential abuse of power, but also the next surrender from its victims.
We got a taste of what the US president’s anger at being defied sounds like as he prepared to fly to The Netherlands for the Nato summit. Asked about the ceasefire he had negotiated between Israel and Iran, he lashed out at both countries who had breached the peace within hours of agreeing to stop firing missiles at each other. “We basically have two countries that have been fighting so long and so hard that they don’t know what the fuck they’re doing,” he told reporters as he walked to the presidential helicopter.
Psychologist Geoff Beattie, of Edge Hill University, believes this was no accidental verbal slip. Trump wanted to let the world know how angry he was and chose to use the “f-bomb” as a way of showing it. Beattie looks at what this can tell us about the character of the US president – and how it might reflect a tendency to make rapid decisions based on emotional reactions.
What was remarkable about the Nato summit was that it was condensed to one fairly short session which focused solely on the issue of Nato members’ defence budgets. Usually there’s a much broader agenda. Over the past couple of years the issue of Ukraine has been fairly high on the list, but this time – perhaps to avoid any potential divisions – it was relegated to a side issue.
Perhaps the biggest success for Nato, writes Stefan Wolff, is that they managed to get Trump to the summit and keep him in the room. After all, less than a fortnight previously he walked out of the G7 leaders’ meeting in Canada a day early before authorising the bombing raids on Iran’s nuclear installations (of which more later).
Wolff, an expert in international security from the University of Birmingham (and a regular contributor to this newsletter) believes that the non-US members realised they had little choice but to comply – or at least to be seen to be complying. There’s a significant capability deficit: “European states also lack most of the so-called critical enablers, the military hardware and technology required to prevail in a potential war with Russia.”
So keeping the US president onside – and inside Nato with a remaining commitment to America’s article 5 mutual defence pledge – was top of the list this year and something they appear to have pulled off.
The fact is, writes Andrew Corbett, a defence expert at King’s College London, that Europe and the US have different enemies these days. Europe is still focused on the foe it faced across the Iron Curtain after 1945, against which Nato was designed as a defensive bulwark.
The US is now far more focused on the threat from China. This means it will increasingly shift the bulk of its naval assets to the Pacific (although the Middle East seems to be delaying this shift at present). This inevitably means downgrading its presence in Europe, something of which European leaders are all-too aware.
The importance of continuing US involvement in European defence via Nato was underlined, as Corbett highlights, by a frisson of unease when it appeared that the US president might be preparing to reinterpret article 5, which requires that members come to the aid of another member if they are attacked.
So there was relief all round when the US president reaffirmed America’s commitment to the principle of collective defence. But one feels Rutte will need to use all his diplomatic wiles to keep things that way.
Rutte, who has the nickname “Trump whisperer”, is clever enough to know that emollient words will have been just what the US president was looking for given the stress of the past couple of weeks. The decision to launch strikes against Iran was controversial even within his own base as we noted last week.
But by directly engaging in hostility against Iran, Trump risked embroiling the US in the “forever war” that he always promised his supporters he would avoid. The move was freighted with risk. Nobody knew how Iran might retaliate or how the situation could escalate. There was (and remains) the chance that an angry Iran could try to shut down the Strait of Hormuz. This is one of the world’s most important waterways though which 20% of the world’s oil transits. This would have huge ramifications for the global economy, seriously damaging Iran’s Gulf neighbours and angering China, which gets much of its oil from the region.
For now it appears that Iran has contented itself with performative strikes against US bases in Iraq and Qatar, having given advance warning. This token retaliation was made shortly before the ceasefire was negotiated. Despite a defiant message from Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran is reported to be making noises about coming to the negotiating table. A deal to restore calm to the region would be an achievement indeed.
But legal questions remain about the US decision to launch strikes. For a start, Article 2(4) of the UN charter strictly forbids the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of another state, or “in any other manner inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations”.
But, as Caleb Wheeler, an expert in international law from the University of Cardiff writes, it’s a rule that has rarely been either observed or enforced. He points out that the Korean War, when following a resolution of the UN security council, a number of countries went to war with North Korea to defend its southern neighbour which had been attacked in violation of article 2(4), was the high watermark of compliance with the UN on conflict.
In most other international conflicts since, the use of vetoes by one or another of the permanent members of the security council has effectively prevented the UN acting the way it was supposed to.
Now, writes Wheeler, there can be little doubt the US has violated article 2(4) by bombing Iran, particularly as Trump expressed his opinion that a regime change might be appropriate. Given that the US is one of the leading lights of the UN, Wheeler thinks you could reasonably expect a degree of condemnation from other world leaders. He worries that the absence of criticism could seriously lower the bar for aggression in the future.
And if, as remains unclear at present, Iran’s nuclear programme was not set back by years, as the US claims, but merely by months, then you could expect Tehran to redouble its efforts to acquire a bomb. The Islamic Republic will be mindful of the fact that there has been little talk of bombing North Korea in recent years, for example. Possession of a nuclear deterrent means exactly what it says.
So, conclude David Dunn and Nicholas Wheeler, these strikes which were conducted on what they feel was the false premise of defence against an “imminent” threat from a nuclear Iran, could actually have the opposite effect of encouraging Iran to rapidly develop its own bomb.
After Israel began its latest campaign of airstrikes against Iran earlier this month, the government moved to restrict internet access around the country to discourage criticism of the regime and make it difficult for protesters to organise. But in June 14 in response to a plea over social media, Elon Musk announced, appropriately on X, that he would open up access to his Starlink satellite system.
Joscha Abels, a political scientist at the University of Tübingen, recalls that Starlink became very popular in Iran during the protests that followed the killing of Mahsa Amini in 2022, and which really rocked the regime to its core. He also points to the use of Starlink by Ukraine as a vital communications tool in its defence against Russia over the past three years.
But Abels warns that what is given is also too easily switched off, as Musk did in Ukraine in 2023. At the time a senior Starlink executive warned that the tool was “never intended to be weaponized”. The concern is that such an important tool, which can make or break a regime or cripple a country’s defence, could be a risk in the hands of a private individual.
Cataract surgery is being conducted for 700 citizens from across the country at Berhan Aini National Referral Hospital from 23 to 26 June.
Nurse Gebrezgiabhier Haile, head of health services at the hospital, stated that cataract surgery has already been performed on 500 patients, with an additional 200 surgeries planned in the coming days.
He noted that the program is part of the national plan to conduct cataract surgery for 5,000 patients annually across all regions of the country.
Highlighting that cataract surgery was previously carried out in collaboration with foreign experts, Nurse Gebrezgiabhier explained that the current program is being conducted entirely through internal capacity. He also noted that similar surgeries have been recently carried out in the sub-zones of Afabet, Massawa, and Ghinda in the Northern Red Sea Region, as well as in the Assab sub-zone of the Southern Red Sea Region.
Nurse Gebrezgiabhier further indicated that similar cataract surgeries are planned for next month in the Gash Barka cities of Golij, Barentu, and Teseney, with additional surgeries to follow in August in Asmara.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.
This article was first published in The Conversation UK’s World Affairs Briefing email newsletter. Sign up to receive weekly analysis of the latest developments in international relations, direct to your inbox.
Once again Donald Trump and his senior team are unhappy with their press coverage. Here’s the US president, fresh from his triumph in The Hague, having persuaded Nato’s leaders to open their wallets and agree to up their defence spending to 5% of GDP (apart from Spain, that is, which can expect to hear of triple-digit tariffs coming its way in the near future) – and do the media focus on Trump’s tour de force? Do they hell. Instead they focus on whether his strikes against Iran had been as successful as he claimed.
As you can imagine, this would have been irksome in the extreme for the president, who might reasonably have expected that the story of the day would be his victory in getting pledges from virtually all Nato’s members to pull their weight in terms of their own defence. Certainly the Nato secretary-general, Mark Rutte, could appreciate the scale of his achievement. Even before the summit, Rutte was talking it up.
“Donald, you have driven us to a really, really important moment for America and Europe, and the world,” he wrote in a message to Trump as the US president prepared to fly to The Netherlands. “You will achieve something NO American president in decades could get done.”
The fact that Trump promptly posted this message to his TruthSocial website suggests how important praise is to the the US president. It’s something that many world leaders (including Benjamin Netanyahu and Vladimir Putin who have become past-masters at pouring honey in the president’s ear) have recognised and are willing to use as a diplomatic tool when dealing with the man Rutte calls “Daddy”.
Sign up to receive our weekly World Affairs Briefing newsletter from The Conversation UK. Every Thursday we’ll bring you expert analysis of the big stories in international relations.
But while flattery as a tactic seems to be effective with the US president, Andrew Gawthorpe, a political historian from Leiden University, cautions that flattery, appeasement and compliance are a flawed approach when dealing with a man like Trump. For a start, he writes it means that not much actually gets done and that problems are often merely avoided rather than solved.
But more worryingly, simply capitulating in the face of Trumpian pressure or ire risks giving this US president the idea that he can do anything he wants. “When his targets roll over, it sends a message to others that Trump is unstoppable and resistance is futile,” writes Gawthorpe. It encourages not just the next presidential abuse of power, but also the next surrender from its victims.
We got a taste of what the US president’s anger at being defied sounds like as he prepared to fly to The Netherlands for the Nato summit. Asked about the ceasefire he had negotiated between Israel and Iran, he lashed out at both countries who had breached the peace within hours of agreeing to stop firing missiles at each other. “We basically have two countries that have been fighting so long and so hard that they don’t know what the fuck they’re doing,” he told reporters as he walked to the presidential helicopter.
Psychologist Geoff Beattie, of Edge Hill University, believes this was no accidental verbal slip. Trump wanted to let the world know how angry he was and chose to use the “f-bomb” as a way of showing it. Beattie looks at what this can tell us about the character of the US president – and how it might reflect a tendency to make rapid decisions based on emotional reactions.
What was remarkable about the Nato summit was that it was condensed to one fairly short session which focused solely on the issue of Nato members’ defence budgets. Usually there’s a much broader agenda. Over the past couple of years the issue of Ukraine has been fairly high on the list, but this time – perhaps to avoid any potential divisions – it was relegated to a side issue.
Perhaps the biggest success for Nato, writes Stefan Wolff, is that they managed to get Trump to the summit and keep him in the room. After all, less than a fortnight previously he walked out of the G7 leaders’ meeting in Canada a day early before authorising the bombing raids on Iran’s nuclear installations (of which more later).
Wolff, an expert in international security from the University of Birmingham (and a regular contributor to this newsletter) believes that the non-US members realised they had little choice but to comply – or at least to be seen to be complying. There’s a significant capability deficit: “European states also lack most of the so-called critical enablers, the military hardware and technology required to prevail in a potential war with Russia.”
So keeping the US president onside – and inside Nato with a remaining commitment to America’s article 5 mutual defence pledge – was top of the list this year and something they appear to have pulled off.
The fact is, writes Andrew Corbett, a defence expert at King’s College London, that Europe and the US have different enemies these days. Europe is still focused on the foe it faced across the Iron Curtain after 1945, against which Nato was designed as a defensive bulwark.
The US is now far more focused on the threat from China. This means it will increasingly shift the bulk of its naval assets to the Pacific (although the Middle East seems to be delaying this shift at present). This inevitably means downgrading its presence in Europe, something of which European leaders are all-too aware.
The importance of continuing US involvement in European defence via Nato was underlined, as Corbett highlights, by a frisson of unease when it appeared that the US president might be preparing to reinterpret article 5, which requires that members come to the aid of another member if they are attacked.
So there was relief all round when the US president reaffirmed America’s commitment to the principle of collective defence. But one feels Rutte will need to use all his diplomatic wiles to keep things that way.
Rutte, who has the nickname “Trump whisperer”, is clever enough to know that emollient words will have been just what the US president was looking for given the stress of the past couple of weeks. The decision to launch strikes against Iran was controversial even within his own base as we noted last week.
But by directly engaging in hostility against Iran, Trump risked embroiling the US in the “forever war” that he always promised his supporters he would avoid. The move was freighted with risk. Nobody knew how Iran might retaliate or how the situation could escalate. There was (and remains) the chance that an angry Iran could try to shut down the Strait of Hormuz. This is one of the world’s most important waterways though which 20% of the world’s oil transits. This would have huge ramifications for the global economy, seriously damaging Iran’s Gulf neighbours and angering China, which gets much of its oil from the region.
For now it appears that Iran has contented itself with performative strikes against US bases in Iraq and Qatar, having given advance warning. This token retaliation was made shortly before the ceasefire was negotiated. Despite a defiant message from Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran is reported to be making noises about coming to the negotiating table. A deal to restore calm to the region would be an achievement indeed.
But legal questions remain about the US decision to launch strikes. For a start, Article 2(4) of the UN charter strictly forbids the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of another state, or “in any other manner inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations”.
But, as Caleb Wheeler, an expert in international law from the University of Cardiff writes, it’s a rule that has rarely been either observed or enforced. He points out that the Korean War, when following a resolution of the UN security council, a number of countries went to war with North Korea to defend its southern neighbour which had been attacked in violation of article 2(4), was the high watermark of compliance with the UN on conflict.
In most other international conflicts since, the use of vetoes by one or another of the permanent members of the security council has effectively prevented the UN acting the way it was supposed to.
Now, writes Wheeler, there can be little doubt the US has violated article 2(4) by bombing Iran, particularly as Trump expressed his opinion that a regime change might be appropriate. Given that the US is one of the leading lights of the UN, Wheeler thinks you could reasonably expect a degree of condemnation from other world leaders. He worries that the absence of criticism could seriously lower the bar for aggression in the future.
And if, as remains unclear at present, Iran’s nuclear programme was not set back by years, as the US claims, but merely by months, then you could expect Tehran to redouble its efforts to acquire a bomb. The Islamic Republic will be mindful of the fact that there has been little talk of bombing North Korea in recent years, for example. Possession of a nuclear deterrent means exactly what it says.
So, conclude David Dunn and Nicholas Wheeler, these strikes which were conducted on what they feel was the false premise of defence against an “imminent” threat from a nuclear Iran, could actually have the opposite effect of encouraging Iran to rapidly develop its own bomb.
After Israel began its latest campaign of airstrikes against Iran earlier this month, the government moved to restrict internet access around the country to discourage criticism of the regime and make it difficult for protesters to organise. But in June 14 in response to a plea over social media, Elon Musk announced, appropriately on X, that he would open up access to his Starlink satellite system.
Joscha Abels, a political scientist at the University of Tübingen, recalls that Starlink became very popular in Iran during the protests that followed the killing of Mahsa Amini in 2022, and which really rocked the regime to its core. He also points to the use of Starlink by Ukraine as a vital communications tool in its defence against Russia over the past three years.
But Abels warns that what is given is also too easily switched off, as Musk did in Ukraine in 2023. At the time a senior Starlink executive warned that the tool was “never intended to be weaponized”. The concern is that such an important tool, which can make or break a regime or cripple a country’s defence, could be a risk in the hands of a private individual.
Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
June 26, 2025
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and U.S. Representatives Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., and Representative Zach Nunn, R-Iowa, today reintroduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation to help prevent domestic abusers from using technology to stalk, harass or control survivors.
With today’s rapidly growing digital environment, technology-enabled abuse has taken many forms, including social media platforms, phone-based apps, and specialty spyware programs. Because of the diversity of platforms in today’s growing digital environment, it’s clear that abuse does not require huge financial resources or sophisticated understanding of technology, and survivors rarely have the tools they need to recognize and prevent abuse.
The Tech Safety for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking Act would provide new grant funding to clinics and other partnerships focused on domestic violence and technology-enabled abuse prevention. It would also support new training that would give organizations the specialized services necessary to help survivors with a range of experiences.
“As technology continues to evolve, so do the tactics of abusers who are grossly leveraging many different platforms to stalk, harass and control survivors of domestic violence – from tracking them on social media to hacking into their email,” Wyden said. “Survivors deserve support and the tools to protect against abuse in any shape or form. More education, training, and health care clinics are needed.”
“It’s critical that we recognize domestic abuse and sexual harassment often extend beyond physical violence,” Dingell said. “To fully protect survivors, we must keep up with the many ways that abusers can use technology to stalk, harass, control, or otherwise endanger their victims. This legislation will support specialized education and resources for advocates and victim service providers to recognize, prevent, and combat tech-enabled abuse.”
“In the Iowa statehouse, I led efforts to protect survivors from the growing threat of digital abuse. Now, we’re taking that work nationwide,” Nunn said. “This bill strengthens community-based networks that are on the frontlines, giving them the tools to recognize and address tech-enabled abuse and help victims secure their devices. Survivors deserve both safety and support, and this legislation delivers both.”
The legislation would take two steps in combating technology-enabled domestic abuse:
It would authorize a pilot project run by the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women to establish more tech-enabled abuse clinics. The program would provide $2 million grants for up to 15 clinics and other organizations that support survivors of sexual and domestic violence who are experiencing technology-enabled abuse.
It would establish another grant program, which is also under the DOJ’s Office on Violence Against Women, to ensure nonprofit organizations and higher education institutions develop and implement training and technical assistance for groups working to prevent tech-enabled abuse.
The text of the bill is here.
The Tech Safety for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking Act is endorsed by National Domestic Violence Hotline, National Network to End Domestic Violence, Legal Momentum, Clinic to End Tech Abuse, EndTAB, New Beginnings, Natalie Dolci of the Technology-Enabled Coercive Control Initiative (endorsed in her personal capacity), Oregon Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, Sexual Assault Support Services of Oregon, Center for Hope and Safety of Oregon, and the Oregon Attorney General’s Sexual Assault Task Force.
“Technology facilitated abuse is one of the fastest growing threats victims and survivors face today. The reintroduction of the Tech Safety for Victims of Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Act is a vital step toward ensuring survivors have the expert support they need to stay safe in an increasingly digital world. We’re deeply grateful to Rep. Dingell, Rep. Nunn, and Senator Wyden for their leadership in advancing meaningful, survivor-centered solutions to this urgent issue,” said Marium Durrani, Vice President of Policy for the National Domestic Violence Hotline.
“Legal Momentum is proud to endorse the Tech Safety for Victims Act to help ensure that survivors of technology facilitated abuse receive the support and services they need and deserve. As technology makes it easier than ever to upend people’s lives, it’s crucial that survivors are protected not just in their homes and communities, but also in the digital spaces where abuse occurs more and more frequently. This legislation would provide critical resources to help survivors reclaim and rebuild their lives after the trauma of cyber abuse,” said Azaleea Carlea, Legal Director at Legal Momentum.
“People experiencing tech-enabled abuse often don’t know where to turn. Our clinic has helped hundreds of New Yorkers over the last few years, but survivors around the country urgently need assistance. This Act could expand access to similar support services and develop knowledge about evolving forms of tech-enabled abuse,” said Thomas E. Kadri, Legislative & Policy Director of the Clinic to End Tech Abuse.
“Programs that serve survivors of gender-based violence need additional support and technical assistance to keep up with increasingly pervasive tech abuse. Failure to provide this enhancement to victim services infrastructure will compromise the safety of survivors of domestic violence, stalking, and sexual assault,” said Natalie Dolci, of the Technology-Enabled Coercive Control Initiative (endorsed in her personal capacity).
“Technology can be weaponized to cause harm or by victims seeking safety. I have heard countless stories about various forms of tech being used to harass, stalk and control someone by abusive partners. This bill is needed to further address all forms of technology and the intersection with violence. It will provide anti-domestic violence organizations with needed funding to further develop Safety planning resources technology and be able to respond effectively to the ever changing tech landscape,” said Keri Moran-Kuhn, Executive Director of the Oregon Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence.
Headline: Building security that lasts: Microsoft’s journey towards durability at scale
In this blog you will hear directly from Microsoft’s Deputy Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for Azure and operating systems, Mark Russinovich, about how Microsoft operationalized security durability at scale. This blog is part of an ongoing series where our Deputy CISOs share their thoughts on what is most important in their respective domains. In this series you will get practical advice and forward-looking commentary on where the industry is going, as well as tactics you should start (and stop) deploying, and more.
In late 2023, Microsoft launched its most ambitious security transformation to date, the Microsoft Secure Future Initiative (SFI). An initiative with the equivalent of 34,000 engineers working across 14 product divisions, supporting more than 20,000 cloud services on 1.2 million Azure subscriptions, the scope is massive. These services operate on 21 million compute nodes, protected by 46.7 million certificates, and developed across 134,000 code repositories.
At Microsoft’s scale, the real challenge isn’t just shipping security fixes—it’s ensuring they’re automatically enforced by the platform, with no extra lift from engineers. This work aligns directly to our Secure by Default principle. Durable security is about building systems that apply fixes proactively, uphold standards over time, and engineering teams can focus on innovation rather than rework. This is the next frontier in security resilience.
Learn more about the Secure Future Initiative
Why “staying secure” is harder than getting there
SFI April 2025 report blog
Read the blog ›
When SFI began, Microsoft made rapid progress: teams addressed vulnerabilities, met key performance indicators (KPIs), and turned dashboards green. Over time, sustaining these gains proved challenging, as some fixes required reinforcement and recurring patterns like misconfigurations and legacy issues began to re-emerge in new projects—highlighting the need for durable, long-term security practices.
The pattern was clear: security improvements weren’t durable.
While key milestones were successfully achieved, there were instances where we did not have a clearly defined ownership or built-in features to automatically sustain security baselines. Enforcement mechanisms varied, leading to inconsistencies in how security standards were upheld. As resources shifted post-delivery, this created a risk of baseline drift over time.
Moving forward, we realized that our teams need to establish explicit ownership, standardize enforcement design, and embed automation at the platform level because it is essential to ensure long-term resilience, reduce operational burden, and prevent regression.
Read the latest SFI report
Engineering for endurance: The making of Microsoft’s durability strategy
To transform security from a reactive effort into an enduring capability, Microsoft launched a company-wide initiative to operationalize security durability at scale. The result was the creation of the Security Durability Model, anchored in the principle to “Start Green, Get Green, Stay Green, and Validate Green.” This framework is not a slogan—it is a foundational shift in how Microsoft engineers build, enforce, and sustain secure systems across the enterprise.
At the core of this effort are Durability Architects—dedicated Architects embedded within each division who act as stewards of persistent security. These individuals champion a “fix-once, fix-forever” mindset by enforcing ownership and driving accountability across teams. One example that catalyzed this effort involved cross-tenant access risks through Passthrough Authentication. In this case, users without presence in a target tenant could authenticate through passthrough mechanisms, unintentionally breaching tenant boundaries. The mitigation initially lacked durability and resurfaced until ownership and enforcement were systemically addressed.
Microsoft also applies a lifecycle framework they call “Start Green, Get Green, Stay Green, Validated Green.” New features are developed in a secure-by-default posture using hardened templates, ensuring they “Start Green.” Legacy systems or existing features are brought into compliance through targeted remediation efforts—this is “Get Green.” To “Stay Green,” ongoing monitoring and guardrails prevent regression. Finally, security is verified through automated reviews, and executive reporting—ensuring enduring resilience.
Automating for scale and embedding security into engineering culture
What is Azure Policy?
Learn more
Recognizing that manual security checks cannot scale across an enterprise of this size, Microsoft has heavily invested in automation to prevent regressions. Tools such as Azure Policy automatically enforce best practices like encryption-at-rest or multifactor authentication across cloud resources. Continuous scanners detect expired certificates or known vulnerable packages. Self-healing scripts autocorrect deviations, closing the loop between detection and remediation.
To embed durability into the operational fabric, review cadences and executive oversight play a critical role. Security KPIs are reviewed at weekly or biweekly engineering operations meetings, with Microsoft’s top leadership, including the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Executive Vice Presidents (EVPs), and engineering leaders receiving regular updates. Notably, executive compensation is now directly tied to security performance metrics—an accountability mechanism that has driven measurable improvements in areas such as secret hygiene across code repositories.
Rather than building fragmented solutions, Microsoft focuses on shared, scalable security capabilities. For example, to maintain a clean build environment, all new build queues will now default to a virtualized setup. Customers will not have the option to revert to the classic Artifact Processor (AP) on their own. Once a build is executed in the virtualized CloudBuild environment, any previously allocated resources in the classic CloudBuild will be either decommissioned or reassigned.
Finally, durability is now a built-in requirement at development gates. Security fixes must not only remediate current issues but be designed to endure. Teams must assign owners, undergo gated reviews or durability, and build enforcement mechanisms. This philosophy has shifted the mindset from one-time patching to long-term resilience.
The path to durable security: A maturity framework
Durable security isn’t just about fixing vulnerabilities—it’s about ensuring security holds over time. As Microsoft learned during the early days of its Secure Future Initiative, lasting protection requires organizations to mature operationally, culturally, and technically. The following framework outlines how to evolve toward security durability at scale:
1. Stages of security durability maturity: Security durability evolves through distinct operational phases that reflect an organization’s ability to sustain and scale secure outcomes, not just achieve them temporarily.
Reactive: Durable outcomes are rare. Fixes are implemented manually and inconsistently. Drift and regressions are common due to a lack of enforcement or oversight.
Define: Security fixes are codified in basic processes. Teams may implement fixes, but durability is still dependent on individual vigilance rather than systemic support.
Managed: Security controls are embedded in standardized workflows. Durable design patterns are introduced. Baseline drift is measured, and early automation begins to prevent regression.
Optimized: Durability becomes part of engineering culture. Secure-by-default templates, guardrails, and metrics reduce variance. Real-time enforcement prevents security drift.
Autonomous and predictive: Systems proactively enforce durability. AI-assisted controls detect and self-remediate regressions. Durable security becomes self-sustaining and adaptive to change.
2. Dimensions of security durability: To embed durability across the enterprise, organizations must mature along five integrated dimensions:
Resilience to change: Security controls must remain stable even as infrastructure, tools, and organizational structures evolve. This requires decoupling controls from fragile, manual systems.
Scalability: Durable security must scale effortlessly across expanding environments, including new regions, services, and team structures—without introducing regressions.
Automation and AI readiness: Durability depends on machine-powered enforcement. Manual reviews alone cannot guarantee persistence. AI and automation provide speed, consistency, and fail-safes.
Governance integration: Durability must be wired into governance platforms to provide traceability, accountability, and risk closure across the control lifecycle.
Sustainability: Durable security solutions must be lightweight and operationally viable. If controls are too burdensome, teams will circumvent them, undermining long-term resilience.
3. Key milestones in security durability evolution: Microsoft’s implementation of durable security revealed critical transformation points that signal organizational maturity:
Enforce controls through automated policy and self-healing.
Build durability-aware platforms like Govern Risk Intelligent Platform (GRIP) to track regressions and closure loops.
Embed durability reviews into engineering checkpoints and risk ownership cycles.
Drive a durability mindset across teams—from development to operations.
Create feedback loops to evaluate what holds and what regresses over time.
Deploy AI-powered agents to detect drift and initiate remediation.
Each milestone builds a stronger foundation for durability and aligns incentives with sustained security excellence.
4. Measuring security durability: Tracking the stickiness of security work requires a shift from traditional risk metrics to durability-focused indicators. Microsoft uses the following to monitor progress:
Percentage of controls enforced automatically versus manually
Baseline drift rate (how often known-good states erode)
Mean time to regress (how quickly fixes unravel)
Volume of self-healing actions triggered and resolved
Percentage of fixes that meet “never regress” criteria
Durability metadata coverage in systems like GRIP (ownership, status, and closure)
Percentage of engineering teams integrated into durability reporting cadences
Results: From short-term wins to sustained gains
By February 2025, the durability push resulted in:
100% multi-factor authentication (MFA) enforcement or legacy protocol removal remained stable for months.
Teams use real-time dashboards to catch any KPI dips—addressing them before they spiral.
Where previous improvements faded, new ones held firm—validating the durability model.
Get the latest Secure Future Initiative updates
Lessons for any enterprise
Microsoft’s journey offers valuable takeaways for organizations of all sizes.
Durability requires programmatic support
Security doesn’t persist by accident. It needs:
Roles for durability and accountability.
Durable design patterns.
Empowering technologies (automation and policy enforcement).
Regular leadership and architect reviews.
Standardized workflows.
Teams across security, development, and operations must be aligned and coordinated—using the same metrics, tools, and gates.
Culture and leadership matter
Security must be everyone’s job—and leadership must reinforce that relentlessly. At Microsoft, security became part of performance reviews, executive dashboards, and everyday conversation.
As EVP Charlie Bell put it: “Security is not just a feature, it’s the foundation.”
That mindset—combined with consistent leadership pressure—is what transforms short-lived security into long-term resilience.
Security that endures
The Secure Future Initiative proves that durable security is achievable—even at hyperscale.
Microsoft is showing that lasting security can be achieved by investing in:
People (clear ownership and champions).
Processes (repeatable metrics and reviews).
Platforms (shared tooling and automation).
The playbook isn’t just for tech giants. Any organization—whether you’re securing 20 cloud services or 20,000—can adopt the principles of security durability
Because in today’s cyberthreat landscape, fixing isn’t enough.
Secure Future Initiative
A new world of security.
Learn more with Microsoft Security
To see an example of the Microsoft Durability Strategy in action, read this case study in the appendix below. Learn more about the Microsoft Security Future Initiative and our Secure by Default principle.
To learn more about Microsoft Security solutions, visit our website. Bookmark the Security blog to keep up with our expert coverage on security matters. Also, follow us on LinkedIn (Microsoft Security) and X (@MSFTSecurity) for the latest news and updates on cybersecurity.
Appendix:
Security Durability Case Study
Eliminating pinned certificates: A durable fix for secret hygiene in MSA apps
SFI Reference: [SFI-ID4.1.3] Initiative Owner: Microsoft Account (MSA) Engineering Team
Overview
As part of the Secure Future Initiative (SFI), the Microsoft Account (MSA) team addressed a critical weakness identified through Software Security Incident Response Plans (SSIRPs): the unsafe use of pinned certificates. By eliminating this legacy pattern and embedding preventive guardrails, the MSA team set a new bar for durable secrets management and secure partner onboarding.
The challenge: Pinned certificates and hidden fragility
Pinned certificates were once seen as a strong trust enforcement mechanism, ensuring that only specific certificates could be used to establish connections. However, they became a security and operational liability:
Difficult to rotate: If a pinned certificate expired or was compromised, coordinating a fast and seamless replacement across services was challenging.
Onboarding risk: New services had no safe, scalable path to onboard without replicating this fragile pattern.
Lack of durability: Without controls, the risk of regression and repeated misuse remained high.
The durable fix: Secure by default and enforced by design
The MSA team implemented a durability-first solution grounded in engineering enforcement and operational pragmatism:
Strategy
Action
Code-Level Blocking
All code paths accepting pinned certificates were hardened to prevent adoption.
Temporary Allow Lists
Existing apps using pinned certificates were allow-listed to prevent immediate outages.
Default Deny Posture
New apps are automatically blocked from using pinned certificates, enforcing secure defaults.
This “fix-once, fix-forever” approach ensures the issue doesn’t resurface—even as new partners onboard or systems evolve.
Sustained impact and lifecycle integration
To maintain progress and ensure no regression, the MSA team aligned remediation with each partner’s SFI KPI milestones. Services were removed from the allow list only after completing their transition, closing the loop with full compliance and operational readiness.
This work reinforced several Security Durability pillars:
Preventive guardrails
Owner-enforced controls
Security built into the engineering lifecycle
Lessons and model for the future
This case is a model for how Microsoft is shifting from reactive security work to systemic, enforceable, and scalable durability models. Rather than patching the same issue repeatedly, the MSA team eliminated the root cause, protected the ecosystem, and created a repeatable blueprint for other risky cryptographic practices.
Key takeaways
Eliminating pinned certificates reduced fragility and boosted long-term resilience.
Durable controls were enforced via code, not just process.
Gradual deprecation through partner alignment ensured no disruption.
This sets a precedent for eliminating insecure patterns across Microsoft platforms.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mark Alford (Missouri 4th District)
Today, Congressman Mark Alford (MO-04), the Chairman of the House Small Business Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations, and Regulations, introduced the Supporting Trade and Rebuilding Opportunity for National Growth (STRONG) Act.
The STRONG Act will give American small businesses greater access to financing to create jobs, support existing workers, and invest in their communities by increasing the maximum value threshold of SBA 7(a) and 504 loans.
“We’re proud to introduce the STRONG Act to ensure American small businesses not only survive but thrive,”said Congressman Alford.“After four years of being crushed by inflation, supply chain bottlenecks, and overregulation under the Biden Administration, our small businesses are on the brink. Job creators and entrepreneurs desperately need support, including greater access to SBA lending, to help them make ends meet and stay in business. This critical legislation will work in concert with the One Big, Beautiful Bill and other initiatives from the Small Business Committee to finally put Main Street before Wall Street.”
Read the text of the legislation here.
Background:
The STRONG Act raises the maximum value threshold of 7(a) and 504 loans from $5,000,000 to $10,000,000.
The upper limit for 7(a) and 504 was last updated in 2010 and has not been adjusted for inflation since then.
The bill also provides an increase on the total limit of 504 loans SBA is able to issue, allowing more small businesses to access long-term, fixed-rate financing for major fixed assets.
What are 7(a) and 504 loans?
SBA 7(a) loans offer flexible, government-backed financing up to $5 million for small businesses, which can be used for a wide range of purposes including working capital, equipment, or buying a business, with terms and rates negotiated between the borrower and lender.
504 loans provide long-term, fixed-rate financing for small businesses to purchase major fixed assets like real estate or equipment, typically with a 50-40-10 structure (50% from a private lender, 40% from a Certified Development Company backed by the SBA, and 10% from the borrower).
The programs are subsidy free and are paid for by fees on SBA partnered lenders.
(June 26, 2025) LEBANON BOROUGH, N.J. – Today, Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. announced the opening of the 2025 Congressional App Challenge, one of the most prestigious app competitions for middle and high school students across the country.
The Congressional App Challenge is designed to engage student creativity and encourage participation in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education fields. This nationwide event allows middle and high school students from across the country to compete against their peers by creating and exhibiting their software application, or “app.” Students can use any programming language (such as Python, JavaScript, C++, Ruby, or block code) and any platform (including PC, web, tablet, robot, mobile).
The submission portal is now open, and students may register and submit their apps through October 30, 2025, at 12:00 PM ET. Students can compete individually or in teams of up to four. All eligible students are encouraged to participate, regardless of prior coding experience.
“The Congressional App Challenge is an incredible opportunity for the next generation of innovators to showcase their creativity and technical talent,” said Rep. Tom Kean, Jr. “Every year, I am inspired by the students of our district, and I look forward to seeing the innovative and impactful apps they create this year. Their work has the potential to give back to our communities, solve real-world problems, and inspire even more young people across New Jersey to pursue careers in STEM.”
The winning app from New Jersey’s 7th District will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol and featured on the official House of Representatives website. Winning students will also be invited to the #HouseofCode Capitol Hill Reception in Washington, D.C. Runners-up will also be selected for recognition.
Learn more and register for the Congressional App Challenge by visiting kean.house.gov/services/congressional-app-challenge-2025.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
HARBIN, June 26 (Xinhua) — The 69th General Assembly of the World Federation of International Music Competitions (WFIMC) opened Thursday in Harbin, capital of northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, bringing together representatives of the world’s leading music competitions to promote in-depth international cooperation in the music field.
For the first time since its inception, the federation is holding its annual general assembly in a Chinese city.
WFIMC President Peter Paul Kainrath noted that Harbin is known for its openness to the world and serves as a window into China’s musical life.
He said the federation sees itself as a bridge builder and hopes that the current assembly will provide inspiration and impetus to WFIMC’s future collaborations with cultural institutions across China.
Harbin Deputy Mayor Wang Bo pointed out that Harbin hosted China’s first symphony concert, the country’s first music school and symphony orchestra, and is known as the cradle of modern Chinese music.
Wang Bo recalled that the Alice and Eleanor Shenfeld International String Competition, which was the first Chinese competition to join the federation, has been successfully held four times and has become an influential international music event.
The vice mayor added that Harbin hopes to establish a closer cooperation mechanism with WFIMC to promote the prosperity and development of global music culture.
Xue Suli, Chairman of the Sisters Shenfeld International Music Society and the Alice and Eleanor Shenfeld International String Competition, stated that the A. and E. Shenfeld Competition has become an important bridge connecting Eastern and Western musical cultures since 2014.
Xue Suli expressed the hope that WFIMC will take advantage of this assembly to strengthen cooperation between all parties and promote exchanges and integration in the world music culture.
According to federation officials, this year’s assembly will examine how music can contribute to building mechanisms for cross-border dialogue, expand its target audience and achieve innovative development in line with the trends of technological change in the current complex geopolitical situation and accelerated digital transformation.
Founded in 1957, WFIMC is a global network of more than 120 international music competitions and 20 prestigious music associations and organizations representing 111 cities in 39 countries. The Federation assists young musicians in their international careers. –0–
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BANGUIE, June 26 (Xinhua) — A stampede at a high school in the Central African Republic’s capital Bangui on Wednesday left about 20 people dead and many others injured, the CAR National Assembly (parliament) said in a statement Thursday.
It is reported that on Wednesday, a power transformer exploded at the Barthélemy Boganda Secondary School in Bangui. At the time of the incident, about 5,300 schoolchildren were taking an exam. Panic broke out at the scene, which led to a mass stampede during the evacuation. The dead and wounded were taken to several medical facilities in the capital. The final death toll cannot yet be determined.
At least 29 students were killed in the incident, local media reported. –0–
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Cliff Bentz (R-Ontario)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — This week, the Department of the Interior announced that more than 1,900 state and local governments across the country will receive a total of $644.8 million in Payments in Lieu of Taxes program (PILT) of which $31 million dollars is designated to Oregon counties. Because local governments cannot tax federal lands, annual PILT payments help defray the costs associated with maintaining community services including firefighting, policing, education, and road construction.
PILT payments are made for tax-exempt federal lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, National Park Service, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Forest Service, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Payments are based on the number of acres of federal land within each county or jurisdiction, and the population of that area.
Said Congressman Cliff Bentz: “Since PILT payments began in 1977, the U.S. Government, through the Department of Interior, has distributed more than $12.6 billion dollars. PILT makes sense, since the Government collects more than $20.7 billion in revenue ANNUALLY from commercial activities on public lands. Millions of acres of federal land are located in Oregon counties, but this land cannot be taxed. Nonetheless, these counties and the people in them shoulder the multitude of costs that benefit this land such as maintaining roads, schools, first responders, law enforcement, and fire protection. This PILT program helps defray some of the cost associated with maintaining these crucial services.”
Individual payments may vary from year to year as a result of changes in acreage data; prior-year federal revenue-sharing payments; and inflationary adjustments based on U.S. Census Bureau data.
AfulllistoffundingbyStateandcountyisavailableontheDepartment’sPayments in Lieu of Taxes page.
Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy
June 25, 2025
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Wednesday celebrated the third anniversary of his landmark Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA), the first comprehensive gun safety legislation passed in three decades. The bill made significant investments in our background check system, boosted prosecutors’ enforcement capabilities, supported domestic violence victims by preventing abusers from purchasing guns, and invested billions of dollars into schools, mental health, and community-based violence intervention programs.
“Three years ago, after the horrific tragedies in Uvalde and Buffalo, Democrats and Republicans came together to address a gun violence epidemic that has devastated families and communities across the country. The gun violence prevention movement beat the gun lobby, and we found compromise on common sense solutions supported by the American people. And it worked. In the last two years, this country has seen significant drops in violent crime, gun deaths and injuries, and mass shootings. Now, President Trump is trying to gut the very mental health and violence prevention programs that have helped save countless lives. But our movement is stronger than this President and the congressional Republicans who enable him, and we will keep fighting to make all of our communities safer,” said Murphy.
Since BSCA’s passage, there has been a historic decrease in gun violence, including a 24% drop in mass shootings and a 12% reduction in gun violence-related deaths.
BSCA’s accomplishments include:
Expanding background checks and cracking down on loopholes that allowed domestic abusers to buy guns.
Creating stiff penalties for “straw purchase” gunrunners that buy weapons on behalf of criminals.
Investing over half a billion dollars towards increasing the number of mental health personnel in schools.
Providing millions in grants to community-based nonprofits that directly provided counseling and support to at-risk youth and families traumatized by gun violence.
Expanding mental health service for thousands of students in rural communities.
Supporting implementation of the National Suicide Prevention Hotline.
On day one of his presidency, President Trump shut down the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention responsible for coordinating efforts across the federal government and working with states and local governments to identify available resources for impacted communities. On April 30th, the Department of Education (ED) notified grant recipients of the School-Based Mental Health Services (SBMH) and Mental Health Service Professional (MHSP) Grant Programs, which BSCA funded, that their funding would not be continued after this fiscal year.
Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy
June 25, 2025
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy, a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, joined a group of seven of his Senate colleagues in introducing the AUKUS Improvement Act. Building upon the bipartisan, AUKUS-enabling legislation in the FY24 National Defense Authorization Act, the AUKUS Improvement Act will further streamline defense industrial base collaboration and co-production between the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom.
“AUKUS is a historic partnership that helps protect U.S. national security interests in the Indo-Pacific. This legislation will strengthen our alliance with Australia and the United Kingdom and keep the submarine production AUKUS depends upon on track. The bill will also further the work of Electric Boat, its unparalleled workforce, and the many innovative small businesses across Connecticut and the United States that power our submarine industrial base,” Murphy said.
The AUKUS Improvement Act would:
Exempt State Department-vetted entities that have been approved as AUKUS Authorized Users from the requirement to obtain Third Party Transfer approvals under Foreign Military Sales.
Exempt Australia and the United Kingdom from the need for Congressional Notification for overseas manufacturing.
In the last five years, Australia has placed $23 billion in Foreign Military Sales (FMS) orders, making it one of the biggest users of the FMS process. FMS ensures Australia is procuring the exact same variant that the U.S. military uses, enabling greater interoperability. It also supports American deployed forces operating in Australia through access to spare parts. Australia is often required to transfer elements of equipment procured through FMS to industry for further development, operation, maintenance, and sustainment. In order to do this, it must obtain written consent from the State Department in the form of a Third Party Transfer (TPT) request. However, the TPT process can be slow, with applications often taking many months before being approved. By making TPTs made under FMS subject to similar export controls to those made under AUKUS for Direct Commercial Sales (DCS), the AUKUS Improvement Act will get capability in the hands of our allies faster.
In March 2021, Australia established the Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordinance (GWEO) Enterprise to expand its munitions and missile stockpiles, establish domestic manufacturing of guided weapons, and supplement international partners’ supply chains. As part of this announcement, Australia and the U.S. agreed to collaborate on a flexible guided weapons production capability in Australia, with an initial focus on the potential for co-production of Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (GMLRS) by 2025, and eventual co-production of the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM).
However, the Arms Export Control Act requires Congressional Notification (CN) 15 days prior to approving a commercial technical assistance or manufacturing license agreement to manufacture significant military equipment abroad, regardless of the value. Currently, the State Department excludes any transfer of defense articles, technical data, or services that requires a CN from the license-free environment and expedited processing provisions under AUKUS. Therefore, Australia is required to obtain a Manufacturing License Agreement to receive the technical data and manufacturing know-how for each component of a precision-guided munition. This adds complexity, time, and cost, thereby limiting munitions co-production cooperation that benefits both the U.S. and Australia.
U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), and Chris Coons (D-Del.) also cosponsored the bill.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Sean Casten (IL-06)
June 26, 2025
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Representative Sean Casten (D-IL-06) and U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced the Fair Calculations in Civil Damages Act, legislation to prohibit the consideration of race, ethnicity, gender, or actual or perceived sexual orientation when calculating damages in civil lawsuits.
“It is unacceptable that our courts often award less in damages to women and people of color than white men in comparable civil cases,” said Congressman Casten. “In doing so, our courts are declaring that some Americans’ lives are worth less based on lifetime earning potential statistics borne of racism and sexism. I’m proud to join Senator Booker in introducing the Fair Calculations Act to outlaw discriminatory damage calculations in federal courts. This bill takes a major step in ensuring justice and equity in our civil courts.”
“Nobody should be granted lower civil damages because of their gender, race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation,” said Senator Booker. “However, studies show that women and people of color often receive less in damages in comparison to their white, male counterparts. The Fair Calculations in Civil Damages Act will work to ensure equal justice under the law by banning discriminatory practices that prevent victims in civil cases from receiving fair compensation.”
Concerning studies and news reports have shown that state and federal courtrooms across the country consider race, ethnicity, and gender when calculating damages. Courts often award women and people of color significantly less than white men, even in comparable civil cases. In these instances, a person of color may, for example, be presumed to have less lifetime earning potential than a similarly situated white counterpart, leading to the low and unfair appraisal of damages.
The Fair Calculations in Civil Damages Act makes our legal system more just and equal by outlawing discriminatory damage calculations in federal courts and preventing courts from determining that victims in civil cases should be awarded less in damages on the basis of their actual or perceived race, ethnicity, sex, gender, or sexual orientation.
This bill is endorsed by the American Association for Justice and Equal Justice Under Law.
This bill is cosponsored by Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton.
overnor Kathy Hochul today announced that the Empire State Development (ESD) Board approved $40 million to launch Empire AI Beta, the second phase of the supercomputer powering New York’s nation-leading Empire AI initiative. Empire AI Beta will be 11 times more powerful than current capacity, allowing hundreds of researchers from the now 10 member institutions to continue to advance AI research for public good. Empire AI is now backed by over $500 million in public and private funding, including up to $340 million in state capital funding secured by Governor Hochul.
“With Empire AI, New York is leading in emerging technology and ensuring the power of AI is harnessed for public good and developed right here in this great state,” Governor Hochul said. “The launch of Beta will supercharge our efforts to advance responsible AI development by some of our brightest minds at research institutions focused on purpose, not profit.”
The funding approved today by ESD will allow the Empire AI consortium to purchase the equipment needed to power the second-phase supercomputer, housed at the University of Buffalo. Empire AI Beta will use NVIDIA’s state-of-the-art Blackwell AI supercomputing platform. The new Beta system will dramatically accelerate Empire AI’s computing performance from the current Alpha system: 11-fold in AI training, 40-fold in AI inference, and an 8-fold increase in data storage. Empire AI Beta also is expected to be among the first academic deployments of NVIDIA DGX SuperPOD with DGX GB200 systems. While both the Alpha and Beta systems are running only fractions of Empire AI’s eventual computing power, the new Beta system will propel Empire AI to become one of the most advanced academic computers in the world.
Empire AI is now backed by over $500 million in public and private funding, and made up of 10 member universities and research institutions. As part of Governor Hochul’s FY26 Budget, the Governor secured $90 million in new capital funding to substantially increase the computing power of Empire AI, expand access for SUNY researchers, and support the addition of new members including the University of Rochester, the Rochester Institute of Technology, and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. They join the seven founding members of Empire AI, SUNY, CUNY, Columbia University, Cornell University, NYU, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and the Flatiron Institute.
The new Beta system builds on the successful 2024 launch of Alpha, which was made possible by philanthropic support from the Simons Foundation. Planning and development of the full-scale Empire AI computing center is underway. Empire AI Alpha and Empire AI Beta allow member institutions to conduct critical AI research as soon as possible until the full-scale system is complete.
Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, “As AI research, development and usage grows, New York tech leaders are exploring new ways to utilize these advancements in ways that will generate solutions to complex issues and support positive growth. The $40 million in funding approved today by ESD’s Board of Directors represents a significant step forward that will increase the capacity of Empire AI and further enhance the AI research happening throughout our state.”
Empire AI Interim Executive Director Robert Harrison said, “With the launch of Beta, Empire AI is unleashing a game-changing level of computational power to serve researchers across New York. From cancer diagnostics to climate modeling, this system will accelerate innovation across fields — while putting New York at the forefront of responsible AI development. Thanks to the vision of Governor Hochul and our expanding roster of top-tier academic partners, we are building something truly unprecedented: a public AI research powerhouse designed to benefit everyone.”
NVIDIA Head of AI State Initiatives Michael Isadore said, “Democratizing access to accelerated computing for academic research creates economic growth and scientific discovery across industries. The team at Empire AI aims to empower researchers across New York State with leading-edge NVIDIA infrastructure, enabling groundbreaking advancements in artificial intelligence and high-performance computing.”
Assemblymember Steve Otis said, “Governor Hochul’s nation leading Empire AI Consortium depends upon increased computing power to serve the academic institutions and researchers that are part of this initiative. Today’s announcement delivers on that promise with funding supported by the Governor and the Legislature in this year’s budget. Our Assembly Science and Technology committee has visited the AI team in Buffalo and was very impressed with the public purpose, focus of the AI initiatives already undertaken. There is no doubt that new advances are on the horizon thanks to the work of the Empire AI Consortium.”
Expanding Artificial Intelligence Across New York State Access to the computing resources that power AI systems requires significant investment, making it difficult to obtain. As a result, researchers, public interest organizations, and small companies are being left behind, which has enormous implications for AI safety and society at large. Empire AI is bridging this gap and accelerating the development of AI centered in the public interest for New York State. Enabling this pioneering AI research and development is also helping educational institutions nurture the next generation of talent that will create AI-focused technology startups, driving job growth.
By increasing collaboration between New York State’s world-class research institutions, Empire AI is creating efficiencies of scale not achievable by any single university, empowering and attracting top notch faculty, expanding educational opportunity, and enabling responsible innovation that will significantly strengthen our state’s economy and our national security.
The initiative is currently funded by over $500 million in public and private investment, including up to $340 million in State capital grant investment and $25 million over ten years in SUNY operating funding. The project will also receive more than $200 million from the founding institutions as well as philanthropic backers such as Tom Secunda and the Simons Foundation. Empire AI has positioned New York as the national model in responsible AI innovation, with its leading research institutions pioneering safe, equitable, and accessible AI research and development that is benefiting every corner of New York. For more information about Empire AI, visit empireai.edu.
BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Matthew Rudy, 43, of Jamestown, NY, who was convicted of accessory after the fact, was sentenced to serve 60 months in prison by Senior U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael J. Adler and Timothy C. Lynch, who handled the case, stated that on May 27, 2014, Anthony Neubauer kidnapped Joseph Anthony and traveled from Jamestown to property in Pennsylvania owned by Matthew Rudy. Neubauer tricked Anthony into traveling by offering him cocaine. After arriving in Pennsylvania, Neubauer and Rudy told Anthony they did not have any cocaine, before shooting and killing him, and then burying him on Rudy’s property. Neubauer and Rudy took Anthony to Pennsylvania because they believed he was a cooperator.
Anthony Neubauer was previously convicted and is awaiting sentencing.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Mark Grimm. Additional assistance was provided by the Warren County, PA, District Attorney’s Office.
HOUSTON, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ignis H2 Energy Inc. (“Ignis Energy”), a geothermal exploration and development company, announced the final close of its Series A funding round, securing $13.6 million from a global consortium of investors. This milestone builds on the initial close announced in February, which was led by sustainable energy investor alfa8 and included drilling contractor Nabors Industries, climate technology investor The Twynam Group, GEOLOG, and several private investors and family offices.
Ignis Energy is building a globally diversified, risk-balanced geothermal portfolio focused on near-term viability and long-term growth. The company specializes in locating, de-risking, and delivering commercially viable geothermal power. The capital secured in this round enables key projects to reach technical maturity and prepare for capital-intensive development phases.
“In a market chasing breakthrough headlines, Ignis Energy brings the spotlight back to the geology,” said Richard Calleri, CEO, Ignis Energy. “Without proven heat in the ground, there’s nothing to scale. Ignis finds it, proves it, and produces it.”
“Ignis has demonstrated strong execution on its strategy and is already moving rapidly onto the next milestones,” said Guillermo Sierra, VP, Strategic Initiatives, Nabors Industries. “Their commercial focus and speed stand out, and we look forward to continued collaboration on near-term projects and beyond.”
Building a Global, Fit-for-Resource Geothermal Platform
Leveraging decades of oil and gas expertise, Ignis applies proven technologies and exploration workflows to de-risk geothermal projects across high-enthalpy regions. Rather than betting on a single breakthrough, Ignis uses a ‘fit-for-resource’ strategy—tailoring each project to the best commercial technology for its reservoir and market. This includes conventional hydrothermal systems as well as emerging approaches like Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) and Advanced Geothermal Systems (AGS), where appropriate.
Platform Momentum & Outlook
Ignis is rapidly advancing high-priority assets in Türkiye and the U.S.:
Türkiye: In Eastern Anatolia, Ignis drilled its first temperature gradient well in Q4 2024, confirming reservoir temperatures and artesian flow. Two deep wells will follow this summer to fully de-risk the Kaynarpınar field and position it as Ignis’ first commercial project—and a model for underexplored geothermal basins.
Western U.S.: Ignis is advancing surface exploration across five Nevada and one Utah lease, supported by its proprietary AI targeting engine. Drilling in Nevada is expected in 2026, with development of a data center-aligned power plant targeted for 2027.
Alaska: The Alaska Railbelt grid—supplying two-thirds of the state’s population—faces urgent pressure to replace aging gas-fired capacity and reduce high electricity prices. GeoAlaska, Ignis’ regional partner, plans to drill its first well by mid-2026, backed by three Letters of Intent from major offtakers in the utility, mining, and data center sectors.
“Our vision is pragmatic and region-first,” said Marcus Oesterberg, COO, Ignis Energy. “We don’t chase speculative breakthroughs—we match the right technology to the right resource and build local momentum. Ignis is a geothermal opportunity engine, unlocking real heat under real projects.”
AI-Driven Exploration for a Cleaner Future
Ignis applies AI not as a gimmick, but as a precision tool. Its hybrid system—combining machine learning and computer vision—has already improved lease targeting and accelerated early-stage decision-making. This allows Ignis to move confidently and cost-effectively into underexplored geothermal basins.
About Ignis Energy
Ignis Energy develops commercially viable geothermal projects in the U.S., Türkiye, Indonesia, and Italy. Its region-first, technology-flexible model enables early de-risking and smarter development. The company is targeting 1 GW of producible geothermal reserves by 2030. https://ignisenergy.com/
About alfa8 alfa8 is an entrepreneurial family office that backs builders and technologies driving the energy transition, with a passion for geothermal energy. https://alfa8.co/
About Nabors Industries Nabors Industries is a global drilling and energy technology leader advancing low-carbon solutions, including geothermal. https://www.nabors.com/
About Twynam Twynam is a climate-focused investment firm supporting bold, scalable technologies for deep decarbonization. https://www.twynam.com/
About GEOLOG GEOLOG delivers advanced formation evaluation and real-time geoscience services for energy operators worldwide.
Here is the latest update on the progress of the Trefusis Park Flood Relief Scheme which, started on site earlier this year.
The first thing that contractor Kier have done is secure the site and remove the topsoil from the park, ready for the heavy earthworks to begin later in the year. They have also employed security staff, so someone is on site round the clock.
Kier have also installed a gate to close the boundary of the children’s playpark to prevent dogs from gaining access.
Residents who live nearby have attended a Meet the Team event. There will be several more of these events over the course of the build with residents being given the opportunity to get involved with some of the plans for planting later on in the project.
Meanwhile, following feedback from residents, teams from the Council have cleared the paths in the woods to the north-east of the park, so that whilst the main recreational space is out of action, this canopied area can still be enjoyed.
Work has also started at the Compton Vale end of the park where a new sewer is being laid.
To ensure that everyone is kept safe during these works, but to avoid closing off access from Compton Vale, a temporary path through the community orchard has been established. This work will continue until the end of July.
Over the next few weeks, work on the main seasonal wetland basins will begin.
This will involve filling in the stream that runs down the western side of the park.
The lovely irises that grow here have been carefully removed and replanted in Central Park.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steny H Hoyer (MD-05)
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government (FSGG), delivered opening remarks at the House Appropriations Full Committee Markup of the Fiscal Year 2026 Legislative Branch Bill. Below is a video and transcript of his remarks:
Click here to watch a full video of his remarks.
“Thank you very much. I had comments in our markup, but I’m going to repeat some of them. The Legislative Branch is supposed to deliver, at least, for the Legislative Branch. This bill, however, is designed to deliver, in my view, for the Administration and its mission to consolidate the power of the federal government within the executive. That is clearly their objective and the articulated policy of the Office of Management and Budget. It does so, of course, at the expense of our Congress’s status as an independent, co-equal branch of government under the Constitution.
“The Administration and many of my colleagues across the aisle talk a big lot about government efficiency and about the power of Congress, then why in heaven’s name do we back this bill’s 50% cut in the GAO? That nonpartisan, independent agency’s entire purpose is to ensure the Executive Branch is using federal funds efficiently and effectively and absent waste, fraud, and abuse, as the Congress intended. The GAO is currently conducting, as the Chairman has said, over 40 investigations into the White House’s efforts to illegally and unconstitutionally impound funds. My Republican colleagues, surely, that is not of interest of us, only if it is the other Administration. If that’s the case, then it is a empty power that we have in the Congress.
“The GAO is the only entity – I appreciate that one of you is paying attention, because these are not partisan issues. This is about whether the Congress can act as it should, as it was designed to do, as democracy demands that it does. It’s the only entity capable of taking legal action to compel the Administration to spend impounded funds. This bill, astonishingly and wrongly, takes that power away from them. In other words, nobody can sue unless they’re personally affected. Taking that power away from the GAO and thus from the Congress and the American people. My Republican colleagues, the Congress is not a suggestion box. We are the Congress, we are the deciders, we are the ones who set policy. We are the one who appropriate money. Nothing can be spent unless we act. Don’t give that up lightly. This action, however, allows the President to divert or stop congressionally directed funding without accountability or legal consequences. Is that what you want? [It’s] very frustrating, two of you are now paying any attention to what I have to say. The rest of you are reading.
“This isn’t about Democrats or Republicans. This is about the Congress of the United States. Since 1949, we’ve had 76 years. 40 of those years, Republicans have been presidents. 36 years, Democrats have been president and if you look at the record, it sort of passes back and forth. And in passing, bouncing back and forth, the perspectives change. If our guy is a Democrat or your guy is Republican, your perspective seems to change — both sides. But it ought not to change, because the power of the Congress makes this country unique in the world. And that is why, I suggest you, our democracy has survived since 1789. The oldest democracy in the world not by chance, but by design. Article One of the Constitution makes it clear that Congress has the power of the purse. All of you know that, all of you articulate that, all of you say that but we need to protect that power because power unprotected will be lost.
“Chairman, can I have a little bit of leniency here. I’m trying not to speak… Okay. Thank you very much. I think we will rue this day on both sides of the aisle, depending upon whose president is in charge. So I have other things to say, but my time is up. But I would hope that you would look at this not from a partisan standpoint, but as a patriot. A patriot that believes that the Congress’s unique status in our government is what makes us a great democracy. I yield back.”
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As excitement builds around the Ethereum ETF buzz, smart money is pouring into promising altcoins—and Little Pepe (LILPEPE) is catching the attention of whale wallets. With Stage 3 of its presale nearly 93% complete and over $2.33 million raised, LILPEPE is quickly emerging as a top contender in the meme coin space. Backed by an Ethereum-compatible Layer 2 blockchain, the project offers real utility beyond the hype, positioning itself for a strong price surge as it heads into Stage 4.
While most meme tokens are still chasing whatever’s trending, LILPEPE is putting down real roots. It’s creating the kind of infrastructure that could actually shift the direction of the space, and somehow, it’s still trading for less than $0.002 in its presale.
A Meme Coin That’s Actually Building Something
What sets LILPEPE apart is that it’s not just living on someone else’s chain. It’s gone a step further and built its own custom Layer-2 blockchain—something rarely seen in the meme coin scene. Most projects just stick their token on Solana or BNB Chain and call it a day. But LILPEPE actually went for the tough stuff—like fixing insane gas fees, slow transactions, and the fact that a lot of communities have zero real protection.
A Meme Coin with Real Tech
The Little Pepe chain’s fully EVM-compatible, so it works straight out of the box with usual wallets, dApps, and tools. No weird steps, no messing around—just a meme coin that actually took the time to build something smoother and way more user-friendly.
The chain’s actually built with meme projects in mind—it’s not just some repurposed tech. It comes with zero trading taxes, sniper bot protection, and lightning-fast transactions, which is a huge deal if ever been rugged or stuck waiting forever on a slow chain. This isn’t just some surface-level hype or flashy graphics—it’s actual tech built with meme culture at the core.
One of the best parts is a launchpad made to give new meme tokens a safe space to launch—just a cleaner way to get started. And they’re just getting started—staking, community voting through a DAO, and even NFT integration are all lined up next. It’s turning into a full ecosystem, not just another hype token.
Presale Picking Up Serious Steam
LILPEPE’s presale is heating up fast. The early stages have sold out rapidly, raising $500,000 in Stage 1 (at $0.001 per token) and $1.325 million in Stage 2 (at $0.0011). Now in Stage 3, tokens are priced at $0.0012, and over $2.33 million has already been raised, with more than 93% of this stage completed. The presale follows a tiered pricing model meaning early buyers lock in lower prices while supporting the ongoing development of LILPEPE’s Ethereum-compatible Layer-2 network. The next stage will increase the token price to $0.0013, continuing the momentum ahead of its public launch.
Getting in on the presale is super simple. LILPEPE tokens can be purchased using ETH or USDT (ERC-20) directly from supported wallets such as MetaMask or Trust Wallet. For those new to crypto, there’s also an option to buy using a credit or debit card. It’s important to note that USDT transactions still require a small amount of ETH in the wallet to cover gas fees.
A Token Setup Built to Last
LILPEPE’s token supply is actually thought out, not just thrown together. There’s a hard cap of 100 billion tokens, with 26.5 billion set aside for the presale. The rest is split across different parts of the project—13.5 billion for staking rewards, 10 billion for liquidity, 30 billion held in reserve for the chain, and 20 billion saved for marketing and future listings on decentralized exchanges. And here’s a big plus—there are zero buy or sell taxes, so it’s clean and fair whether holding or trading.
The tokenomics are crafted not only to reward early holders but also to ensure sustainable growth through community incentives, ecosystem scaling, and utility integrations planned on the roadmap.
What makes it even better is that Little Pepe’s chain is fully EVM-compatible. That means it works seamlessly with popular wallets, dApps, and crypto tools—no complicated setups or extra steps. It’s designed specifically for meme projects and the roadmap includes upcoming features like DAO governance, an NFT marketplace and creator tools that support community-driven development.
About Little Pepe:
Little Pepe ($LILPEPE) is a next-generation meme coin built for the community, by the community. Inspired by crypto culture’s favorite frog, Little Pepe combines viral meme energy with real utility, launching on a fast, secure Layer 2 blockchain to ensure low fees and high scalability. With over $2.3 million raised in its presale, a growing army of holders, and a transparent roadmap, Little Pepe is more than just a meme—it’s a movement.
For more information about Little Pepe, visit the links below:
Disclaimer:This content is provided byLittle Pepe. 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.
Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an “as-is” basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We assume no responsibility for any inaccuracies, errors, or omissions. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As excitement builds around the Ethereum ETF buzz, smart money is pouring into promising altcoins—and Little Pepe (LILPEPE) is catching the attention of whale wallets. With Stage 3 of its presale nearly 93% complete and over $2.33 million raised, LILPEPE is quickly emerging as a top contender in the meme coin space. Backed by an Ethereum-compatible Layer 2 blockchain, the project offers real utility beyond the hype, positioning itself for a strong price surge as it heads into Stage 4.
While most meme tokens are still chasing whatever’s trending, LILPEPE is putting down real roots. It’s creating the kind of infrastructure that could actually shift the direction of the space, and somehow, it’s still trading for less than $0.002 in its presale.
A Meme Coin That’s Actually Building Something
What sets LILPEPE apart is that it’s not just living on someone else’s chain. It’s gone a step further and built its own custom Layer-2 blockchain—something rarely seen in the meme coin scene. Most projects just stick their token on Solana or BNB Chain and call it a day. But LILPEPE actually went for the tough stuff—like fixing insane gas fees, slow transactions, and the fact that a lot of communities have zero real protection.
A Meme Coin with Real Tech
The Little Pepe chain’s fully EVM-compatible, so it works straight out of the box with usual wallets, dApps, and tools. No weird steps, no messing around—just a meme coin that actually took the time to build something smoother and way more user-friendly.
The chain’s actually built with meme projects in mind—it’s not just some repurposed tech. It comes with zero trading taxes, sniper bot protection, and lightning-fast transactions, which is a huge deal if ever been rugged or stuck waiting forever on a slow chain. This isn’t just some surface-level hype or flashy graphics—it’s actual tech built with meme culture at the core.
One of the best parts is a launchpad made to give new meme tokens a safe space to launch—just a cleaner way to get started. And they’re just getting started—staking, community voting through a DAO, and even NFT integration are all lined up next. It’s turning into a full ecosystem, not just another hype token.
Presale Picking Up Serious Steam
LILPEPE’s presale is heating up fast. The early stages have sold out rapidly, raising $500,000 in Stage 1 (at $0.001 per token) and $1.325 million in Stage 2 (at $0.0011). Now in Stage 3, tokens are priced at $0.0012, and over $2.33 million has already been raised, with more than 93% of this stage completed. The presale follows a tiered pricing model meaning early buyers lock in lower prices while supporting the ongoing development of LILPEPE’s Ethereum-compatible Layer-2 network. The next stage will increase the token price to $0.0013, continuing the momentum ahead of its public launch.
Getting in on the presale is super simple. LILPEPE tokens can be purchased using ETH or USDT (ERC-20) directly from supported wallets such as MetaMask or Trust Wallet. For those new to crypto, there’s also an option to buy using a credit or debit card. It’s important to note that USDT transactions still require a small amount of ETH in the wallet to cover gas fees.
A Token Setup Built to Last
LILPEPE’s token supply is actually thought out, not just thrown together. There’s a hard cap of 100 billion tokens, with 26.5 billion set aside for the presale. The rest is split across different parts of the project—13.5 billion for staking rewards, 10 billion for liquidity, 30 billion held in reserve for the chain, and 20 billion saved for marketing and future listings on decentralized exchanges. And here’s a big plus—there are zero buy or sell taxes, so it’s clean and fair whether holding or trading.
The tokenomics are crafted not only to reward early holders but also to ensure sustainable growth through community incentives, ecosystem scaling, and utility integrations planned on the roadmap.
What makes it even better is that Little Pepe’s chain is fully EVM-compatible. That means it works seamlessly with popular wallets, dApps, and crypto tools—no complicated setups or extra steps. It’s designed specifically for meme projects and the roadmap includes upcoming features like DAO governance, an NFT marketplace and creator tools that support community-driven development.
About Little Pepe:
Little Pepe ($LILPEPE) is a next-generation meme coin built for the community, by the community. Inspired by crypto culture’s favorite frog, Little Pepe combines viral meme energy with real utility, launching on a fast, secure Layer 2 blockchain to ensure low fees and high scalability. With over $2.3 million raised in its presale, a growing army of holders, and a transparent roadmap, Little Pepe is more than just a meme—it’s a movement.
For more information about Little Pepe, visit the links below:
Disclaimer:This content is provided byLittle Pepe. 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.
Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an “as-is” basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We assume no responsibility for any inaccuracies, errors, or omissions. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above.
TORONTO, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ninepoint Partners LP (“Ninepoint”), one of Canada’s leading independent investment management firms, today released its 2025 Midyear Market Outlook, offering insights across key asset classes including fixed income, private equity, energy, gold, crypto and infrastructure.
The report reflects on a volatile first half of the year, marked by macroeconomic uncertainty and the impact of U.S. tariffs, and looks ahead to what investors can expect in the second half of 2025 and beyond.
“With growing trade tensions and so much uncertainty, investors are trying to make sense of a quickly changing world,” said James Fox, co-CEO and Managing Partner at Ninepoint Partners. “In this kind of environment, active portfolio management is critical. It helps investors understand where stability will come from, which sectors will benefit and how to position portfolios for both protection and growth in the second half of the year.”
Key highlights from the report include:
Fixed Income: High-quality, short-duration bonds offer investors an attractive combination of yields and lower risk amid continued macroeconomic uncertainty.
Energy: The increased global demand for liquefied natural gas (LNG) poses a big opportunity for Canadian producers as the country builds out its LNG capacity and export infrastructure.
Gold: A sustained gold bull market, driven by central bank purchases and safe-haven demand, is expected to create significant investment opportunities in both major producers and exploration companies.
Infrastructure: As GDP growth picks up and monetary policies ease, infrastructure assets should benefit from higher utilization, stronger cash flow and improved performance in rate-sensitive sub-sectors.
Digital Assets: Demand for cryptoassets is expected to grow through the back half of the year driven by regulatory tailwinds, large-scale adoption by institutional players and the ongoing convergence of crypto and AI.
Based in Toronto, Ninepoint Partners LP is one of Canada’s leading independent investment management firms overseeing approximately $7 billion in assets under management and institutional contracts. Committed to helping investors explore innovative investment solutions that have the potential to enhance returns and manage portfolio risk, Ninepoint offers a diverse set of alternative strategies spanning Equities, Fixed Income, Alternative Income, Real Assets, F/X and Digital Assets.
For more information on Ninepoint Partners LP, please visit www.ninepoint.com or for inquiries regarding the offering, please contact us at (416) 943-6707 or (866) 299-9906 or invest@ninepoint.com.
TORONTO, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ninepoint Partners LP (“Ninepoint”), one of Canada’s leading independent investment management firms, today released its 2025 Midyear Market Outlook, offering insights across key asset classes including fixed income, private equity, energy, gold, crypto and infrastructure.
The report reflects on a volatile first half of the year, marked by macroeconomic uncertainty and the impact of U.S. tariffs, and looks ahead to what investors can expect in the second half of 2025 and beyond.
“With growing trade tensions and so much uncertainty, investors are trying to make sense of a quickly changing world,” said James Fox, co-CEO and Managing Partner at Ninepoint Partners. “In this kind of environment, active portfolio management is critical. It helps investors understand where stability will come from, which sectors will benefit and how to position portfolios for both protection and growth in the second half of the year.”
Key highlights from the report include:
Fixed Income: High-quality, short-duration bonds offer investors an attractive combination of yields and lower risk amid continued macroeconomic uncertainty.
Energy: The increased global demand for liquefied natural gas (LNG) poses a big opportunity for Canadian producers as the country builds out its LNG capacity and export infrastructure.
Gold: A sustained gold bull market, driven by central bank purchases and safe-haven demand, is expected to create significant investment opportunities in both major producers and exploration companies.
Infrastructure: As GDP growth picks up and monetary policies ease, infrastructure assets should benefit from higher utilization, stronger cash flow and improved performance in rate-sensitive sub-sectors.
Digital Assets: Demand for cryptoassets is expected to grow through the back half of the year driven by regulatory tailwinds, large-scale adoption by institutional players and the ongoing convergence of crypto and AI.
Based in Toronto, Ninepoint Partners LP is one of Canada’s leading independent investment management firms overseeing approximately $7 billion in assets under management and institutional contracts. Committed to helping investors explore innovative investment solutions that have the potential to enhance returns and manage portfolio risk, Ninepoint offers a diverse set of alternative strategies spanning Equities, Fixed Income, Alternative Income, Real Assets, F/X and Digital Assets.
For more information on Ninepoint Partners LP, please visit www.ninepoint.com or for inquiries regarding the offering, please contact us at (416) 943-6707 or (866) 299-9906 or invest@ninepoint.com.
PHOENIX, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Kinematics, a leading provider of critical motion control systems that optimize, simplify, and secure energy production with leading bankability, today announced the appointment of Ross Rosenberg to its Board of Directors. Rosenberg is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Magic Leap, a leader in augmented reality (AR) optics, display systems, device services and scalable manufacturing, and he brings extensive experience leading strategic transformations in energy, industrial automation, and enterprise technology companies.
Rosenberg brings over two decades of executive leadership experience across multiple technology sectors. As CEO of Magic Leap, he has led the company’s strategic transformation, expanding its AR device and services business into new markets via technology partnerships. Previously, he served as Chief Strategy Officer at Belden Inc., where he helped transform the $2.5 billion company from a commodity supplier to a global leader in industrial networking and cybersecurity solutions, resulting in 70% revenue growth and significant margin expansion. Rosenberg also served as an operating executive in Bain Capital’s software portfolio and held senior roles at Danaher in industrial automation and motion control.
“Ross’s track record of scaling technology businesses and driving innovation in the energy sector makes him an invaluable addition to our Board,” said John Payne, CEO of Kinematics. “His deep understanding of mission-critical applications and experience transforming industrial companies aligns perfectly with our vision of advancing intelligent motion control solutions for the global solar, mobile industrial, and satellite industries. As we continue expanding our capabilities following the successful P4Q acquisition, Ross’s strategic insights will be instrumental in guiding our next phase of growth.”
Notably, Rosenberg spent six years at First Solar as VP of Global Marketing, Strategy & Corporate Development, where he helped scale the utility-scale solar solutions provider from $500 million to $4 billion in revenue and built a $7 billion contracted backlog in North America. His experience spans the entire solar value chain, from manufacturing and project development to software-based maintenance and predictive analytics.
Rosenberg started his career in M&A advisory, investment banking and corporate roles at PWC, Merrill Lynch and Zebra Technologies. He holds an MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
“I’m excited to join Kinematics’ Board at such a pivotal time for both the company and the solar industry,” said Ross Rosenberg. “Having worked extensively in utility-scale solar, I understand the critical role that reliable, intelligent motion control plays in maximizing energy production and project economics. Kinematics’ combined portfolio of actuators, motors, controllers, and global support capabilities positions the company uniquely to serve the rapidly growing solar market. I look forward to working with John and the team to capitalize on the tremendous opportunities ahead.”
About Kinematics
Founded in 1996, Kinematics is the leading provider of critical motion control solutions. From actuation technology to advanced algorithms, controls, and global support, the company provides a total solution that maximizes power production for the solar industry and improves reliability and safety for industrial and satellite applications. Kinematics supplies engineered systems, sensors, software, and services to move mission-critical equipment into precise position. The company is headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, and operates globally with facilities in Asia, Europe, and the Americas.
Stockholm / Milan, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — iGrant.io, a Swedish provider of EU Digital Identity Wallet infrastructure, and Intesi Group S.p.A., a European Qualified Trust Service Provider (QTSP), have entered into a strategic partnership to enable document signing and the issuance and management of Qualified Electronic Attribute Attestations (QEAAs) using EU Digital Identity Wallets (EUDI Wallets).
Intesi Group and iGrant.io partnership
This collaboration delivers the first fully integrated solution combining qualified electronic signature and legally recognised issuance of QEAAs within the iGrant.io Organisation Wallet Suite, also referred to by the European Commission as the European Business Wallet.
Two Game-Changing Capabilities, One Seamless Offering
1. Effortless Document Signing via EUDI Wallets
By integrating Intesi Group’s Qualified Electronic Signature and Seal services into iGrant.io’s Organisation Wallet Suite, organisations can enable users to sign documents using their EUDI Wallets with a one-click experience. This ensures legally valid, cross-border transactions across all sectors, including public administration.
2. Issuance of Qualified Electronic Attribute Attestations (QEAAs)
QEAAs represent verifiable credentials that establish legal roles, mandates, or affiliations. These are issued to EUDI Wallets through iGrant.io’s Organisation Wallet Suite, which provides the credential issuance and delivery framework. The underlying qualified infrastructure, including certificate lifecycle management and Hardware Security Modules (HSMs), is provided by Intesi Group..
The result? A future-proof solution that:
● Delivers high assurance identity and credential services fully compliant to the European Digital Identity Framework.
● Leverages EU Trust List mechanisms to validate QTSP status and ensure legal recognition
“This partnership enables a production-ready, one-stop-shop solution for signing and credential issuance within the EUDI Wallet ecosystem,” said Lotta Lundin, CEO of iGrant.io. “By embedding Intesi Group’s capabilities into the Organisation Wallet Suite, we accelerate real-world adoption of what the EU refers to as the European Business Wallet”.
“The EUDI Wallet represents a landmark opportunity for Europe to lead the world in digital identity. Intesi Group is excited to join forces with iGrant.io to provide a practical, legally sound, and easy-to-implement solution that empowers businesses and citizens to thrive in this new era. Together, we’re making the vision of a truly interconnected European digital economy a reality. ” said Paolo Sironi, CEO of Intesi Group.
This cutting-edge solution is already making waves in key European programmes like the European Digital Identity Wallet Consortium (EWC) andCRANE PCP, revolutionizing use cases including:
Legal Person Identification (LPID) and business registry onboarding: Streamlining and securing the verification process.
Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) and payment verification: Reducing fraud and boosting consumer trust.
Remote patient monitoring and consent-based data exchange under the European Health Data Space (EHDS): Protecting patient privacy while enabling seamless access to vital medical information.
About iGrant.io:
iGrant.io is a Swedish provider of EU Digital Identity Wallet infrastructure, empowering individuals and organizations to manage and share their digital identities securely and seamlessly.
About Intesi Group:
Intesi Group is a leading European Qualified Trust Service Provider (QTSP), offering a wide range of digital trust services to ensure secure and legally compliant electronic transactions.
For more information, contact:
iGrant.io Lotta Lundin – CEO lotta@igrant.io www.igrant.io
Intesi Group Paola Monti – Head of Marketing and Communication marketing@intesigroup.com intesigroup.com
Stockholm / Milan, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — iGrant.io, a Swedish provider of EU Digital Identity Wallet infrastructure, and Intesi Group S.p.A., a European Qualified Trust Service Provider (QTSP), have entered into a strategic partnership to enable document signing and the issuance and management of Qualified Electronic Attribute Attestations (QEAAs) using EU Digital Identity Wallets (EUDI Wallets).
This collaboration delivers the first fully integrated solution combining Qualified Electronic Signature (QES) and legally recognised issuance of QEAAs within the iGrant.io Organisation Wallet Suite, also referred to by the European Commission as the European Business Wallet.
Two Game-Changing Capabilities, One Seamless Offering
1. Effortless Document Signing via EUDI Wallets
By integrating Intesi Group’s Qualified Electronic Signature and Seal services into iGrant.io’s Organisation Wallet Suite, organisations can enable users to sign documents using their EUDI Wallets with a one-click experience. This ensures legally valid, cross-border transactions across all sectors, including public administration.
2. Issuance of Qualified Electronic Attribute Attestations (QEAAs)
QEAAs represent verifiable credentials that establish legal roles, mandates, or affiliations. These are issued to EUDI Wallets through iGrant.io’s Organisation Wallet Suite, which provides the credential issuance and delivery framework. The underlying qualified infrastructure, including certificate lifecycle management and Hardware Security Modules (HSMs), is provided by Intesi Group..
The result? A future-proof solution that:
● Delivers high assurance identity and credential services fully compliant to the European Digital Identity Framework.
● Leverages EU Trust List mechanisms to validate QTSP status and ensure legal recognition
“This partnership enables a production-ready, one-stop-shop solution for signing and credential issuance within the EUDI Wallet ecosystem,” said Lotta Lundin, CEO of iGrant.io. “By embedding Intesi Group’s capabilities into the Organisation Wallet Suite, we accelerate real-world adoption of what the EU refers to as the European Business Wallet”.
“The EUDI Wallet represents a landmark opportunity for Europe to lead the world in digital identity. Intesi Group is excited to join forces with iGrant.io to provide a practical, legally sound, and easy-to-implement solution that empowers businesses and citizens to thrive in this new era. Together, we’re making the vision of a truly interconnected European digital economy a reality. ” said Paolo Sironi, CEO of Intesi Group S.p.A.
This cutting-edge solution is already making waves in key European programmes like the European Digital Identity Wallet Consortium (EWC) and CRANE PCP, revolutionising use cases including:
About iGrant.io:
iGrant.io is a Swedish provider of EU Digital Identity Wallet infrastructure, empowering individuals and organisations to manage and share their digital identities securely and seamlessly.
About Intesi Group S.p.A.:
Intesi Group is a leading European Qualified Trust Service Provider (QTSP), offering a wide range of digital trust services to ensure secure and legally compliant electronic transactions.
Boca Raton, Florida , June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Apex Capital Partners (Apex), a leading life settlement advisor and asset manager, has advised on the sale of a large block of life insurance policies by an institutional seller to a leading third-party investor.
Apex Capital Partners
The portfolio comprised approximately 70 life insurance policies with an aggregate face value of more than $500m. Apex was engaged by the client, which was in the process of rebalancing its investment portfolio, in January this year; Apex brought the block to market shortly thereafter and the divestment was completed in April.
The transaction underscores the opportunities available to investors in the life settlement industry’s tertiary market, where blocks of policies are transacted bilaterally, and comes at a time when institutional investors are increasingly looking at asset classes which can provide returns with lower correlation to traditional markets, such as bonds and equities, due to the prevailing geopolitical and economic environment.
Aaron Schwartz, CEO at Apex Capital Partners, said: “The portfolio required significant updating in terms of both the medical records, and the life expectancy reports and the fact we were able to do this and complete the sale in less than four months speaks to our capabilities and expertise.”
About Apex Capital Partners
Apex Capital Partners was founded with the goal of providing investors with institutional quality management in the life settlement asset class. The extensive experience of the Apex team, combined with the vertical integration of origination, medical, and legal experts, delivers the comprehensive and nuanced knowledge driving Apex’s investment thesis. The Co-Founders bring decades of experience in all aspects of the life settlement industry to their roles at Apex. They have extensive expertise building life settlement investment portfolios, running successful asset management businesses, and operating life settlement brokers and providers. Individually and collectively, they have earned a reputation for strategic execution, transparency, and the ability to create value.
Press inquiries
Apex Capital Partners https://apexgrp.com/ Adam Meltzer adam@apexgrp.com +1 (845) 357 4700 165 E Palmetto Park Rd. 2nd Floor, Boca Raton, FL 33432
Boca Raton, Florida , June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Apex Capital Partners (Apex), a leading life settlement advisor and asset manager, has advised on the sale of a large block of life insurance policies by an institutional seller to a leading third-party investor.
Apex Capital Partners
The portfolio comprised approximately 70 life insurance policies with an aggregate face value of more than $500m. Apex was engaged by the client, which was in the process of rebalancing its investment portfolio, in January this year; Apex brought the block to market shortly thereafter and the divestment was completed in April.
The transaction underscores the opportunities available to investors in the life settlement industry’s tertiary market, where blocks of policies are transacted bilaterally, and comes at a time when institutional investors are increasingly looking at asset classes which can provide returns with lower correlation to traditional markets, such as bonds and equities, due to the prevailing geopolitical and economic environment.
Aaron Schwartz, CEO at Apex Capital Partners, said: “The portfolio required significant updating in terms of both the medical records, and the life expectancy reports and the fact we were able to do this and complete the sale in less than four months speaks to our capabilities and expertise.”
About Apex Capital Partners
Apex Capital Partners was founded with the goal of providing investors with institutional quality management in the life settlement asset class. The extensive experience of the Apex team, combined with the vertical integration of origination, medical, and legal experts, delivers the comprehensive and nuanced knowledge driving Apex’s investment thesis. The Co-Founders bring decades of experience in all aspects of the life settlement industry to their roles at Apex. They have extensive expertise building life settlement investment portfolios, running successful asset management businesses, and operating life settlement brokers and providers. Individually and collectively, they have earned a reputation for strategic execution, transparency, and the ability to create value.
Press inquiries
Apex Capital Partners https://apexgrp.com/ Adam Meltzer adam@apexgrp.com +1 (845) 357 4700 165 E Palmetto Park Rd. 2nd Floor, Boca Raton, FL 33432
GREENWICH, Conn., June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Aetherium Acquisition (the “SPAC” or the “Company”), a publicly-traded special purpose acquisition company, today announced that its Special Meeting (“Meeting”), previously scheduled at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time on June 27, 2025, has been postponed to 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time on July 7, 2025, and the redemption right deadline has been postponed to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on July 2, 2025.
The record date for the Meeting remains May 9, 2025. No changes have been made to the proposals to be voted on by shareholders at the Meeting. Shareholders of the Company who have previously submitted their proxy and who do not want to change their vote do not need to take any action.
On May 23, 2025, the Company filed a definitive proxy statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), on June 3, 2025 the Company filed a revised definitive proxy statement with the SEC and on June 13, 2025 and the Company issued a press release postponing the Meeting from 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time on June 13, 2025 to 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time on June 27, 2025, each in connection with its solicitation of proxies for the Meeting. Before making any voting decision, investors and shareholders of the company are urged to read the definitive proxy statement (including any amendments or supplements thereto) and other documents the company files with the sec carefully in their entirety when they become available as they will contain important information. Investors and shareholders will be able to obtain free copies of the definitive proxy statement (including any amendments or supplements thereto) and other documents filed or that will be filed with the SEC through the web site maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov.
About Aetherium Acquisition Corp.
Aetherium Acquisition Corp. is a blank check company formed to effect a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization, or similar business combination with one or more businesses. Efforts to identify a prospective target business will not be limited to a particular business, industry sector, or geographical region. However, it intends to focus on companies in Asia (excluding China).
Forward-looking Statements
This press release contains statements that may constitute “forward-looking statements,” including with respect to Aetherium’s pursuit of an alternative business combination. No assurance can be given that Aetherium will successfully seek and consummate such an alternative business combination. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of Aetherium, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of Aetherium’s public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Copies are available on the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov. Aetherium undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release except as required by law.
Participants in the Solicitation
The Company and its directors, executive officers, other members of management and employees, under SEC rules, may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the shareholders of the Company in connection with the Meeting. Investors and shareholders may obtain more detailed information regarding the names, affiliations and interests of the Company’s directors and officers in the Proxy Statement, which may be obtained free of charge from the sources indicated above.
No Offer or Solicitation
This press release shall not constitute a solicitation of a proxy, consent or authorization with respect to any securities or in respect of the Meeting proposals. This communication shall also not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any states or jurisdictions in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offering of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or an exemption therefrom.
Gurugram, Haryana, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —
In response to the surging demand for accessible and engaging mobile games across India, the widely played Chicken Road Game has formally announced its expansion within the country. This move comes as the developers aim to reach the core of India’s fast-evolving mobile gaming community by offering a lightweight, intuitive, and entertaining game that is already resonating with casual gamers nationwide.
As one of the fastest-growing entertainment sectors, India’s mobile gaming market is forecasted to exceed USD 8.6 billion in value by 2027. With over 600 million mobile users, the country offers a fertile ground for innovative digital games that combine fun with engagement. Chicken Road Game aims to meet this opportunity by providing short, skill-based sessions suitable for on-the-go play, whether users are commuting, taking breaks at work, or simply relaxing at home.
“Our mission has always been to deliver gaming experiences that are not only fun but fair and accessible to all. India’s diversity and digital enthusiasm make it an ideal home for Chicken Road’s next phase of growth,” said a spokesperson from the Chicken Road development team.
A Game that Blends Simplicity with Strategy
At its core, Chicken Road is a fast-paced arcade-style mobile game where players guide a cartoon chicken across an obstacle-filled road. The challenge lies in avoiding hazards such as fire traps and navigating shifting paths, all while collecting points. The longer a player survives, the higher the score.
The gameplay may appear simple on the surface, but as the game progresses, players require quick reflexes and strategic thinking to avoid pitfalls. There’s no need for tutorials or lengthy onboarding — the game’s minimalist controls and clean interface allow players to dive straight into the action.
Developers emphasize that Chicken Road’s model is skill-based rather than chance-based, aligning with responsible gaming practices that prioritize player choice and interaction.
Tailored for the Indian Audience
To better serve the Indian market, the Chicken Road team has introduced several localized features and updates, such as:
Multi-language support in Hindi, Tamil, Bengali, and more.
Low-data mode for users on limited mobile internet.
Compatibility with budget smartphones, ensuring gameplay remains smooth across devices.
In-game notifications aligned with Indian festivals and regional events, creating a culturally relevant experience.
User data from early testing in Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities such as Delhi, Jaipur, Lucknow, and Bengaluru reveals high session engagement and return play, especially among users aged 18–35. Notably, the game has attracted users beyond traditional metro hubs, showing strong performance in semi-urban regions.
Commitment to Fair Play and User Trust
As digital games face increasing scrutiny over user data, security, and play ethics, the Chicken Road Game platform has proactively taken steps to ensure transparency and user safety. These include:
No in-game gambling or betting mechanics
No forced ads between sessions
Optional session time reminders to promote mindful play
In-app reporting and support for technical issues or feedback
“We believe gaming should be a safe space for everyone,” said the developer’s representative. “That’s why we’ve made it a priority to provide clean, ad-minimized gameplay while putting the player in control.”
Encouraging Skill, Not Spending
Unlike many modern mobile games that rely on in-app purchases or randomized rewards, Chicken Road allows players to progress based on gameplay performance. Its non-pay-to-win design ensures that users who build skill over time see greater progression and results.
This approach also aligns with the increasing call across India for transparent, ethical gaming practices, especially in a mobile ecosystem where young users make up a significant share of players.
Global Roadmap and Future Outlook
The development team behind Chicken Road Game has indicated that its expansion into India is part of a broader push across Asia and other emerging digital economies. Plans for future updates include:
Leaderboards and friendly competitions
Collaborations with local content creators
Limited-time seasonal maps inspired by Indian festivals
Beta versions of these features are currently under testing, and official announcements are expected later this year.
About Chicken Road Game
Chicken Road Game is a casual skill-based mobile game developed by a global team of gaming professionals. With a focus on fast gameplay, player-first design, and mobile optimization, the game has gained popularity across multiple countries for its accessible and rewarding user experience. The game does not involve chance mechanics or wagering, making it suitable for a wide audience of casual players.
Media Contact
Company Name: Chicken Road Address: 673, JMD Building, Gurugram, Haryana Website:https://chicken-roadd.com Email: sumit@chicken-roadd.com Phone: +91-2049157035 Media Contact: Sumit
Editorial Disclaimer
This press release is intended solely for informational purposes and does not serve as a solicitation, financial advice, or commercial endorsement. The features and availability of Chicken Road Game may change over time and vary by region. All user experiences mentioned are based on publicly available feedback and internal performance metrics.