WASHINGTON -- Tony Blair had a rough day after he stepped down as Prime Minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Upon getting his first mobile phone the day after he left office, he sent his first text message to a friend, who replied: "Sorry, but who are you?"

WASHINGTON -- To help protect against rising litigation costs that are coming at credit unions from new angles, CUNA Mutual Group has introduced coverage that reimburses certain defense costs associated with claims that are commonly not covered by liability policies.

WASHINGTON -- NCUA is part of a new working group that includes members of law enforcement, intelligence communities and other financial services regulators, to better understand the cyber threats and vulnerabilities facing banks and credit unions.

TAMPA, Fla. -- Card Services for Credit Unions (CSCU) on Friday made a major departure from the majority of cards processors by calling for all its member credit unions to begin issuing EMV-enabled credit and debit cards as soon as possible.

A selection of images featuring credit unions' efforts in their communities.

ARLINGTON, Va. -- NASCUS President and CEO Mary Martha Fortney has announced her retirement after 21 years with the trade association representing state regulators, including 11 years at the helm.

DES MOINES, Iowa -- Coopera and CUNA are partnering to help CUs reach out to the Hispanic community.

With mid-term and other elections coming up (and GAC in D.C. this week), CU Journal asked leagues which races they are watching and why. We also asked how CUs are getting involved in the political process this year.

TUKWILA, Wash. -- BECU is one of the largest credit unions in the United States with nearly $12 billion in assets. But Gary Oakland, its president and CEO from 1986 until his retirement in 2012, insisted on the CU keeping a "small" feel.

HARRISBURG, Pa. -- Across Pennsylvania, credit unions and their members are doing better today thanks to the efforts of Jim McCormack, retired president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Credit Union Association.

SAN ANTONIO -- Reflecting on a career in credit unions, Tim Haegelin says he became involved in the movement because "I guess I'm one of these types of people that wants to save the world, and I got a little bit frustrated until someone told me, 'You can do that, but you have to do it one person at a time.'"

CAMAS, Wash. -- Many people in the credit union movement know Sarah Canepa Bang -- or at least they think they do.

Whether it's the expansive powers of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau or NCUA's rule-setting and examination practices, regulation is top of mind with CU execs this time of year.

NAPERVILLE, Ill. -- The decision by the Illinois Credit Union League to ban volunteers from its board of directors last year has been panned by some in the community, but a league representative said it was a necessary step approved by delegates.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Though credit unions traditionally have offered better rates on savings accounts than banks, until recently CUs have not made much noise in the online marketplace.

Jan. 10, 2014, will be remembered in years to come as the day that brought sweeping changes to the way mortgage loans are underwritten.

State Employees' Credit Union's decision to disaffiliate from CUNA and the Carolinas League has some CUs supporting the move, while others contend that the nation's second-largest CU has quit on the community.

2014 has begun and the credit union system is analyzing a sizable and complicated proposed rule from NCUA that would implement a risk-based capital requirement for natural person credit unions.

Whether tax reform will make any headway this year remains uncertain, but one thing is clear: eliminating the credit union exemption would be bad for consumers, the financial industry and the economy.

NEW YORK -- For Montauk Credit Union to continue to meet the borrowing needs of its members, it may have to switch to a mutual savings bank charter, says the credit union's CEO.