News from Around the Web: June 23-27

Here are some top headlines in industry news that you should know about:

AI and Ethics Take Center Stage at Toronto Tech Week – During Toronto Tech Week in Canada, an online session titled Healing with Intelligence: How AI Is Reshaping Healthcare will be held today at 10:00 a.m. ET. Hosted by Dr. Jodie Lobana of TeraTera Collaborations Inc., the event will explore how AI is transforming diagnostics and drug development, while warning of rising risks like bias, misinformation, and unchecked decision-making. Lobana, a global expert in AI governance, emphasized the need for strong oversight to ensure AI serves human values. The session is open to the public. Register here. This press release was distributed through Canadian Media Watch, part of Affinity Group Publishing.

Niagara College PR Grads Win Big at CPRS Hamilton Awards – Three recent graduates of Niagara College’s Public Relations program—Marcus Giancola, Tiana Melnychuk, and Naomi Fox—were recognized at the Canadian Public Relations Society Hamilton Pinnacle Awards for their early-career excellence. Giancola earned the Student Award of Excellence with a 94% average and strong internship performance. Melnychuk received the Heather J. Pullen Memorial Award supporting her transition into the profession, while Fox was the inaugural recipient of the Mark Gregory Memorial Award, because of her continued CPRS involvement. Read more here.

Elon Senior Honored for Transformative Community Work – Waverly Smith, a communication design major at Elon University in North Carolina, has been named the inaugural recipient of the School of Communications’ Excellence in Community Engagement Award. Over four years, Smith logged nearly 400 hours of service—most notably with the Salvation Army Red Shield Youth Center in Burlington—and mentored fellow volunteers through Elon’s Kernodle Center for Civic Life. Find out more.

Spain Probes Novo Nordisk Over Illegal Marketing of Ozempic– Spanish authorities have launched an investigation into Novo Nordisk, suspecting the drugmaker of using a recent public health campaign to covertly promote its weight loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy. Though the initiative didn’t mention any products, officials claim it blurred the line between education and advertising, possibly violating EU rules. It’s the latest in a series of European inquiries into the company’s promotional tactics. Health Secretary Javier Padilla warned that such campaigns “create awareness of the disease [and] sell the drug.” Catch the full story in Advertising Press Releases, part of Affinity Group Publishing.

NASA Appoints Will Boyington as New Comms Chief – In a memo published online, Will Boyington has been named associate administrator for NASA’s Office of Communications. He’ll lead internal and external messaging across all mission areas, with a spotlight on Moon to Mars storytelling. A veteran of Blue Origin and the National Space Council, Boyington brings more than 15 years in strategic communications to the role. Find out more here.

PR Leaders Talk DEI, AI, and Strategy in the 24/7 News Era – At a recent roundtable hosted by George Washington University and the Washington Business Journal, top communications execs discussed adapting to political shifts, AI adoption, and nonstop media cycles. From DEI messaging to rapid-response planning, participants stressed strategy, agility, and more. Read the full conversation.

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