On Sept. 29, the Trump administration announced a series of actions intended to boost coal mining and electricity generation, its latest move in a government-wide effort to reverse the fuel’s decline.

The announcements from the EPA, Energy and Interior departments are intended to bolster the domestic coal industry at a time of increasing electricity demand due in large part to artificial intelligence data centers. Administration officials and congressional Republicans said these changes are necessary to ensure U.S. competitiveness.

“Around the world, coal is still growing. People talk about peak coal, most consumption, but last year was the year that the most coal was used in the world, and of course we’re in a competition,” Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said, referring to the AI industry in China. “If we don’t lead in electrical production, we’re going to lose the AI arms race.”

The Energy Department will provide $625 million to subsidize and support coal-fired plants, including $350 million for retrofitting and recommissioning coal plants at or near their retirement dates and $175 million for coal power projects in rural communities.

The Interior Department said it will open more than 13 million acres of federal land for coal mining and streamline permitting the approval process for other mines. It will also implement a provision of the Republican reconciliation law that reduces the royalty rate for coal from 12.5 percent to 7%.

And the EPA announced regulatory changes that would favor coal-fired power plants. They include providing plants with more time to comply with existing effluent limitations guidelines, which govern coal ash wastewater pollution, and an advance notice of proposed rulemaking on changes to the Clean Air Act’s regional haze rule.

U.S. production of coal has declined for more than two decades across Republican and Democratic administrations, with this most carbon emissions-intensive fuel displaced by natural gas, wind and solar power.

However, the Trump administration has been critical of wind and solar energy, blocking projects on federal lands and waters. Officials argue these forms of energy, even when paired with batteries, remain too unreliable and cannot support AI and other industries. In addition, Energy Secretary Chris Wright and others have criticized wind and solar power subsidies, arguing they are evidence these renewables are not cost-effective.

Instead, they have called for increased efforts to preserve and expand forms of baseload power, including coal. Earlier in 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to support the coal industry.

When addressing the United Nations, Trump reiterated his belief that climate change was a “hoax” and said European nations were on the “brink of destruction because of the green energy agenda.”

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said in a Sept. 25 Fox News interview that he agreed with Trump’s statements. Also last week, Wright characterized a network of scientists who agree about the severity of climate change and its impact as “activists.”

2025 CQ-Roll Call, Inc., All Rights Reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed into law groundbreaking legislation requiring the world’s largest artificial intelligence companies to publicly disclose their safety protocols and report critical incidents, state lawmakers announced Monday.

Senate Bill 53 marks California’s most significant move yet to regulate Silicon Valley’s rapidly advancing AI industry while also maintaining its position as a global tech hub.

“With a technology as transformative as AI, we have a responsibility to support that innovation while putting in place commonsense guardrails,” State Senator Scott Wiener, the bill’s sponsor, said in a statement.

The new law represents a successful second attempt by Wiener to establish AI safety regulations after Newsom vetoed his previous bill, SB 1047, after furious pushback from the tech industry.

It also comes after a failed attempt by the Trump administration to prevent states from enacting AI regulations, under the argument that they would create regulatory chaos and slow US-made innovation in a race with China.

The new law says major AI companies have to publicly disclose their safety and security protocols in redacted form to protect intellectual property.

They must also report critical safety incidents—including model-enabled weapons threats, major cyber-attacks, or loss of model control—within 15 days to state officials.

The legislation also establishes whistleblower protections for employees who reveal evidence of dangers or violations.

According to Wiener, California’s approach differs from the European Union’s landmark AI Act, which requires private disclosures to government agencies.

SB 53, meanwhile, mandates public disclosure to ensure greater accountability.

In what advocates describe as a world-first provision, the law requires companies to report instances where AI systems engage in dangerous deceptive behavior during testing.

For example, if an AI system lies about the effectiveness of controls designed to prevent it from assisting in bioweapon construction, developers must disclose the incident if it materially increases catastrophic harm risks.

The working group behind the law was led by prominent experts including Stanford University’s Fei-Fei Li, known as the “godmother of AI.”

© 2025 AFP

Samsung makes everything from smartphones and gaming monitors, to smart TVs and dishwashers. I’m always looking for a sale (I’m assuming you are, too), and I’ve found the best Samsung promo codes and special offers to help you save big on your most important tech purchases. At WIRED, we often review the South Korean company’s products, especially Samsung’s vast lineup of Galaxy smartphones, and I’ve rounded up a bunch of Samsung coupons for (virtually) every type of shopper.

Get 10% Off With Samsung Promo Code and up to $2,100 Off Phones

Right now, Samsung has some of the best deals I’ve ever seen on their best-selling tech, and they’re about to get even better with limited-time trade-in credits, a special offer program, and bundle deals. Right now, you can get a Samsung promo code for 10% off TVs—all you have to do is register for their email newsletter. The offer is sent to your inbox and is valid through September 30.

Shop Samsung’s best coupons and offers to score major discounts (sometimes up to $2,100) on smartphones, laptops, tablets, TVs, and their latest releases. And when you buy products together that you already need, you can save a ton. This includes up to 54% select Galaxy Buds, watches and tablets when you order select products, like the Galaxy S25 Ultra.

If you’re in the market for a new Samsung phone, you can get a new Galaxy Z Fold7 for $10 less with a trade-in. Feeling nostalgic? The new spin on an old classic, the Galaxy Z Flip7 is $150 off or up to $700 off with trade-in.

Or maybe you want one of the Galaxy S25 Ultra models. Get $200 off a Galaxy S25 Ultra, you’ll get up to $940 off with instant trade-in credits, and a storage upgrade for a limited time.

Unlock a 30% Off Samsung Promo Code With Offer Programs, Plus a $100 Referral Code

One of the hottest Samsung promo codes is a whopping 30% discount for government employees, first responders, military personnel, and educators. Samsung also has offer programs, meaning you can combine your promo code discount with most other offers to increase discounts. Get a pal involved for more savings—when a friend uses your referral code to make a purchase at Samsung.com, they’ll get 5% off their purchase (up to $250 off) and you’ll get up to $100 off per order (with the potential to save $1,000 per calendar year). My insider tip is to sign up for a Samsung Rewards account and download the mobile app for even more perks, including exclusive Samsung coupons, flash sales, and updates on the newest products, like the QLED 8K, select refrigerators, and other home appliances.

Save up to 35% on These Trending Samsung TV Deals

Along with other great tech, Samsung has some seriously nice TVs. The Samsung Frame TV has been trending this year for its stylish ability to blend into your home’s decor. Plus it just feels more elevated than a regular ol’ TV and mount. Some other trending TVs this Summer have been the Q60D, S90C, and the S95D models–not only do they have instant discounts of over up to 35% ($2,100 off). Plus, there are tons of TV and home theater deals at Samsung, including a bundle offer for $7500 off when you buy a Neo QLED 4K TV with a Dolby ATMOS soundbar. If you’re in the market for a new TV, it’s worth checking out Neo QLED AI Smart TVs to score 1 year of ESPN for free (worth $299).

You can also take advantage of their Trade-In Recycling Program for up to $200 off when you trade in your old TV—any brand, any size. When your new one is delivered, Samsung will handle recycling the old one, so you can enjoy your upgrade.

$169 Off With Samsung Promo Code or a $400 Gift Card on Appliances

Although here at WIRED we mostly cover Samsung’s traditional AV tech, they also make top-of-the-line kitchen and home appliances. During the Buy More Save More Event (through December 4), you can get up to 40% off high-tech Samsung kitchen appliances along with free 3-day rush shipping. When you buy any two qualifying Samsung Appliances, you’ll receive a $100 Samsung Prepaid Mastercard; if you buy three qualifying Samsung Appliances, you’ll receive a $300 Samsung Prepaid Mastercard; and when you purchase four or more appliances, you’ll get a Samsung Prepaid Mastercard for $400.

In addition to Buy More Save More discounts, other eye-catching deals include an extra $600 off a top freezer refrigerator when you buy a Bespoke 4-Door Flex Refrigerator with AI Family Hub + AI Vision, and $1,100 off the Bespoke 4-Door French Door Refrigerator with Beverage Center. Special offers also include free installation service, plus Samsung will haul away your old appliances and recycle them, while you get a $50 energy rebate. This futuristic fridge is basically also an iPad, with an AI Family Hub with the large screen and changeable door panels. Plus, there’s AI Vision inside, so you always know what’s inside (and what you need to buy at the store). And the Beverage Center has an internal dispenser or a built-in AutoFill Water Pitcher to get cold, crisp water whenever you want it, whichever way you want.

You can save an extra $170 with code SAVE169 at checkout, plus you’ll get $50 in Samsung Rewards (equal to 10,000 bonus points) with your purchase. And right now, you can get $1,000 off a Bespoke Smart Slide-In Electric Range. This range is straight from a The Jetsons fantasy, with an AI Home LCD display, which is pretty much a kitchen robot helper that gives you personalized recipe recommendations, the ability to search for and follow video recipes, and access your favorite apps so you can see who’s at your door through your video doorbell, and more. There’s also a Smart Oven Camera inside, meaning you can check on meals as they cook from anywhere and even share time-lapse videos to show off your skills.

Stay up to Date on all Things Samsung at WIRED

WIRED also has guides to help determine which Galaxy S24 phone is best for you and how to set up your Samsung Galaxy S25 to ensure you’re getting the most out of its features, as well as advice on which Galaxy S24 series accessories, like cases, chargers, and power banks, are worth the money.

Us nerds here at WIRED also follow CES (sort of the Coachella for tech nerds) for all the updates on tech (almost) no one asked for, and Samsung’s bi-annual Galaxy Unpacked event, where they show off its newest toys. We have a lot of opinions about Samsung’s foldable Galaxy Z Flip6 and Z Fold6 phones. We are also patiently awaiting new releases of Galaxy Tab tablets, a new line of Galaxy Buds Pro 3 wireless earbuds, and a new series of the Galaxy Watch, with a new design and improved sensors for health