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Customer data stolen, company confirms Customer data stolen, company confirms Marks & Spencer has revealed that some personal customer data was stolen in the cyber attack which continues to disrupt its services. The High Street giant has not disclosed what specific information was taken but said it did not include “useable” payment or card details or any account passwords. M&S was hit by the cyber attack some three weeks ago and is still struggling to get services back to normal, with online orders still suspended. The retailer said customers would be prompted to reset passwords for accounts “for extra peace of mind”. Source link #Customer #data #stolen #company #confirms Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Raids across Germany after far-right right group banned Raids across Germany after far-right right group banned The ******* government has banned the largest “Reich citizen” group, an extremist far-right organisation that calls itself the “Kingdom of Germany” and seeks to undermine the country’s democratic order. Four of its leaders were arrested. Since early Tuesday morning, hundreds of police in several states have been searching the association’s properties and the homes of leading members. “The members of this association have created a ‘counter-state’ in our country and built up economic criminal structures,” Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said He said the members of the group underpinned their supposed claim to power with anti-Semitic conspiracy narratives – a behaviour the country could not tolerate. “We will take decisive action against those who attack our free democratic basic order,” Dobrindt said. The so-called ” Reich citizen”, or “Reichsburger”, movement does not recognize Germany as a state. Many of them claim the historical ******* Reich still exists and ignore the country’s democratic and constitutional structures such as parliament, laws or courts. They also refuse to pay taxes, social security contributions or fines. The so-called “Kingdom of Germany” was proclaimed by its leader Peter Fitzek – who was among those arrested on Tuesday – in the eastern town of Wittenberg in 2012 and says it has around 6000 followers, the interior ministry said. It claims to be a “counter-state” that seceded from the ******* federal government. The group’s online platforms will be blocked and its assets will be confiscated to ensure that no further financial resources can be used for extremist purposes. It’s not the first time that Germany acts against the “Reichsburger” movement. In 2023, ******* police officers searched the homes of about 20 people in connection with investigations into the far-right Reich Citizens scene, whose adherents had similarities to followers of the QAnon movement in the United States. In March, the alleged leaders of a suspected far-right plot to topple Germany’s government went on trial in a case that shocked the country in late 2022. In March, a ******* court jailed five people for plotting to overthrow the government in a far-right coup, in a case that shocked the country in late 2022. Source link #Raids #Germany #farright #group #banned Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Nebraska family of 4 killed in apparent *******-suicide, police say Nebraska family of 4 killed in apparent *******-suicide, police say A Nebraska family is calling for more accessible mental health care after a husband, wife and their two teenage children were found dead inside their home Saturday morning from what authorities say is an apparent *******-suicide. They were identified as Bailey Koch, 41; her husband, Jeremy Koch, 42; and their sons, Hudson, 18, and Asher, 16. After a preliminary investigation, authorities said they believe Jeremy Koch killed his family before taking his own life, a Nebraska State Patrol news release states. All four had fatal stab wounds, and a knife was found at the scene, police said. Lane and Peggy Kugler, the parents of Bailey, said Jeremy had struggled with his mental health for years and that his wife was trying to get him help. “Jeremy had been fighting mental illness for many, many years. His depression had turned into psychosis. It was not Jeremy that committed this horrific act. It was a sick mind,” the Kuglers wrote on their joint Facebook page. “Bailey, Jeremy and the boy’s faith was very strong. It really helped them through the worst of times. We find strength in our belief that heaven now has four new angels sitting at the right hand of God. They are together and Jeremy’s sickness is gone,” the post said. The couple said Bailey and her children “lived in fear of the possibility of losing her husband and their father to mental illness for many years.” Bailey tried repeatedly to get him help and documented the journey on the Facebook page “Anchoring Hope for Mental Health.” In a post Thursday, written days before the deaths, Bailey said her husband had just been released from a mental health hospital. She made another post later that day, saying he was struggling. In a post Friday, a day before the deaths, Bailey shared that they had signed paperwork so Jeremy could begin mental health treatment. “We feel heard, seen, and supported. We feel confident TMS in Kearney at Serene Mental Health is where we are being led,” she wrote, sharing photos from the facility. The Kuglers wrote that the mental health care industry tries to “so hard to help people,” but overall, the “country’s mental health care is a disaster.” “Our daughter and her family were killed by a diseased mind with a knife,” they wrote. “Far too many diseased minds have nowhere to go. Yes, there is some help that can be tapped but, not near enough. …This country is in crisis because there is far, far too little help available to tackle the mental illness crisis.” The deaths occurred hours before the oldest son’s high school graduation. “Cozad Schools was made aware of a tragic situation that will deeply affect our Cozad community. Our thoughts are with all those impacted during this incredibly difficult time,” Cozad Community Schools said in a Facebook post Saturday afternoon. “We appreciate the strength and support of our community as we come together in care, compassion and unity.” Nebraska State Patrol said the investigation into the deaths is ongoing. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988, or go to 988lifeline.org, to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also call the network, previously known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, at 800-273-8255, or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Source link #Nebraska #family #killed #apparent #murdersuicide #police Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump's offer to join Russia-Ukraine peace talks triggers flurry of diplomacy – Reuters Trump's offer to join Russia-Ukraine peace talks triggers flurry of diplomacy – Reuters Trump’s offer to join Russia-Ukraine peace talks triggers flurry of diplomacy ReutersTrump considers attending Ukraine-Russia talks in Turkey CNNRussia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,174 Al Jazeera’Not what Putin was expecting’ — What we know (and don’t know) about Ukraine, Russia peace talks in Istanbul The Kyiv IndependentE.U. Leaders Demand Russia Accept Ukraine Cease-fire by End of Day The New York Times Source link #Trump039s #offer #join #RussiaUkraine #peace #talks #triggers #flurry #diplomacy #Reuters Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Who is Manni L. Perez, the Rumored Lead Cast of GTA 6? Who is Manni L. Perez, the Rumored Lead Cast of GTA 6? GTA 6 will be one of the biggest, if not, the biggest game ever, and the hype is at an all-time high since the recent release of the game’s second trailer. But did you know that we still don’t even know who voices Lucia and Jason in the game? Well, we kinda do. Have you heard of Manni L. Perez? Rockstar Games has yet to confirm the voice or motion capture actors behind its characters, but fans have hunted for clues over the last year, and it does seem that the voice behind Lucia is indeed the Puerto Rican-American actress. Manni L. Perez might be the actor playing Lucia Caminos in GTA 6 When Lucia first appeared in the December 2023 GTA 6 trailer, she was shown in a detention center in the fictional Leonida state. You could immediately guess from her accent, body language, and facial features that the character was Hispanic, possibly of South American descent. She says, “Bad luck, I guess,” when asked how she ended up in jail. The line has since become iconic. And so fans searched far and wide (on the internet) to find out whose voice was behind the character. More than a year since the first trailer, there is one leading speculation, and the new trailer that just came out has made fans even more confident. The voice behind Lucia is most likely to be Manni L. Perez. Manni L. Perez is a Puerto Rican-American actress best known for her role in the NBC series Blindspot. Over the past few years, the actress has gradually shifted her career toward motion capture and voice acting (via the Tuesday Talks with Ope podcast). We’ve heard her share this on several interviews, including one on The Just Acting Up Show. While on the hunt for Lucia’s actor in #GTA6 the community has found Manni L Perez who sounds and looks just like Lucia. In an interview, a hosts brings up GTA which results in Manni’s facial expression automatically changes and she says “no” to the question of her possibly… pic.twitter.com/1V7WC0lm7C — Dyllie (@_Dyllie_) December 24, 2023 In the interview, Perez spoke about transitioning into the gaming and animation world. Interestingly, during that same interview, her reaction to a question about GTA was interesting. Perez dismissed the question but looked visibly uncomfortable, which many took as a hint. There is no hard evidence, but it’s more than clear at this point. This game will take over the world It comes out on May 26, 2026. | Image Credit: Rockstar Games We recently got the second trailer for GTA 6 on May 6, 2025, and it has only added to the speculation. The new trailer contains a lot of new scenes and voice lines with Lucia, and fans are even more convinced that Manni L. Perez is the actress behind the voice. Rockstar is famously secretive about its casting choices, and everything else, as we all know. But this time, the cat may be out of the bag. The company has not confirmed a single name from the voice cast. It’s likely that the cast will only be officially revealed when the game releases on May 26, 2026. What’s crazy is that there are probably hundreds of people under NDA, from voice actors to experts in science and nature. These people worked on what will most likely be the biggest game ever made, and they have kept quiet about it for so long. At this stage, nothing is confirmed, and Rockstar will remain tight-lipped. We’ve waited this long to find out, and we can wait one more year for all the juicy details. Who else do you think we could see in the GTA 6 case? Do you think we’ll see any returning characters from previous games? Let us know in the comments! Source link #Manni #Perez #Rumored #Lead #Cast #GTA Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Mixed bag of rain, crop composition and sentiment for WA grain farmers as they wrap up seeding Mixed bag of rain, crop composition and sentiment for WA grain farmers as they wrap up seeding Grain crops are up and away in the Great Southern and Esperance areas, but farmers in the Mid West are still enduring dry and hot conditions while looking to the sky and praying for rain. Some farmers are tentatively pulling back their cropping programs across the Northern Wheatbelt and across the Geraldton area, causing the total estimated crop area for WA to dip from last month’s projections to 8.67 million hectares. Farmer sentiment is mixed across the Central and Southern Wheatbelt, where localised storms have caused patchy or minimal germination and many farmers still seeding into dry soil. York agronomist Mike Lamond, who pens the monthly Grains Industry Association of WA crop report, said farmers were aware it was still “early days” in the grain growing season and most were sticking to their planned seeding programs. But more paddocks could be put to fallow, or not cropped, this year if the persistent dry conditions continued. “Crops are up and away in the southern grain growing regions of Western Australia following several decent falls of rain in April,” Mr Lamond said. “However, the northern half of the State is mostly dry with little or no crops up and no subsoil moisture available to risk sowing on the light rainfall events that have occurred. “The total estimated crop area for WA is slightly down from the April crop report due to the persistent dry conditions in the top third of the State’s grain growing regions.” GIWA’s May estimate forecasts WA grain farmers will plant 4 million hectares of wheat, 1.92 million hectares of barley, 1.73 million hectares of canola, 365,000ha of oats, 495,000ha of lupins, 93,000ha of pulses this year. WA Nutrien seed category manager and Seednet regional manager David Clegg said the excellent rainfall in the Great Southern and Esperance areas had canola off to a good start, but elsewhere, some germinated crops were starting to show signs of moisture stress. “Most farmers are keeping their cropping programs on track, but the next two weeks will be a case of whether those programs are pulled back,” he said. Mr Lamond echoed that sentiment, that temperatures of between 30C and 33C had stressed emerging canola, and most farmers were moving on from canola sowing to focus on barley and wheat. Crop composition has been variable across WA’s grain growing areas, with canola being subbed out for barley due to dry conditions in the Mid West, while canola and lupin plantings are up across the Central and Southern Wheatbelt. While pest and disease is understood to be low across grain growing areas, Mr Lamond said there had been a focus on revising pre-emergence strategies after ineffective rainfall events, with a trend toward post-emergence herbicide application. The Great Southern and the Esperance areas are proving to be the jewels in the grain growing crown this year, with many farmers receiving more than 50mm of rain in April to get crops off to a good start. Canola and early-sown barley crops are rocketing through their growth stages, with limited rainfall in May meaning waterlogging — often an issue in the Albany area — has not been a problem just yet. “The crops that are up will be drying out the soil profile and setting a good amount of top growth to assist them if the winter rainfall does pick up,” Mr Lamond said. “As a result, it could be another very good year for the region.” Esperance farmers have had one of their best starts to the grain growing season in recent years, thanks to falls of between 20-30mm in March and up to 140mm in April driving strong crop germination. Mr Lamond said there had been a marked contrast in rainfall recorded in grain growing areas between Geraldton and Esperance, with little rain and hot conditions in the Mid West and above-average falls along the South Coast. Source link #Mixed #bag #rain #crop #composition #sentiment #grain #farmers #wrap #seeding Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Steven Seagal appeared at Putin’s big Victory Day celebration next to a biker gang Steven Seagal appeared at Putin’s big Victory Day celebration next to a biker gang Russia’s previously toned-down Victory Day parades aimed to bring back its military splendor this year. That was evident by the appearance of modern tanks, fighter jets, drones, and even Xi Jinping. But it wasn’t just military and political leaders in attendance. Steven Seagal showed up too. As dozens of Russia-aligned world leaders gathered in Moscow to pay homage to its military, state media spotted one guest standing out from the crowd — the ’90s Hollywood action star, Steven Seagal. Between shots of armored vehicles rumbling down the cobbled streets near the Kremlin, Seagal appeared briefly in a close-up during state media outlet Izvestia’s coverage of Russia’s Victory Day. A separate clip of the movie martial artist moving through the crowd on Friday also circulated on social media over the weekend. The French news agency Agence France-Presse reported from Moscow that Seagal was seen sitting near a Russian nationalist biker gang called the Night Wolves. Seagal, a longtime friend of Russian leader Vladimir Putin, has been vocal about his support for Moscow and gained Russian citizenship in 2016. Russia’s foreign ministry made Seagal a special representative in 2018 to promote Russian culture to the US, and he continued to publicly align himself with the Kremlin after it invaded Ukraine. He wasn’t the only US movie personality to attend Friday’s parade. Oliver Stone, a three-time Oscar-winning director who’s made a four-hour documentary about Putin, was also photographed at the event. Stone has also often praised Putin, calling the latter a “great leader” in a May 2023 interview with The Guardian. The director was photographed shaking Putin’s hand during a reception for foreign leaders on Friday. Stone was seen attending the parade sporting a Ribbon of Saint George, a symbol of the Russian military.KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP via Getty Images Their appearance at the parade marks how Russia sought to elevate the grandeur of this year’s event for the 80th anniversary of Nazi Germany’s surrender in World War II. The last two years’ Victory Day parades had featured scaled-back processions, largely believed to be due to Russia conserving resources such as tanks and aircraft for the war. A few world leaders — mostly from eastern European and central Asian states — had appeared to watch the event. On Friday, however, Moscow put on a full show for roughly two dozen leaders, including China’s Xi Jinping, in attendance. Iskander and Yars ballistic missiles, Tornado-S multiple rocket launchers, and modern T-90 main battle tanks wheeled past a raft of cameras on the street, and Su-25 fighter jets roared over central Moscow with colored smoke. Also featured in the procession for the first time were Russian attack drones, which have become the Kremlin’s staple weapons in the war. An armored vehicle carries what appears to be Shahed drones, designed by Iran and used heavily by Russia in the war.Xinhua News Agency/Xinhua News Agency via Getty Images The days leading up to the parade, meant to be a demonstration of Russia’s strength and confidence in its military, saw Ukraine threatening Moscow with several waves of attempted drone strikes that forced nearby airports to close temporarily. Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy had warned world leaders earlier that week that they could face risk by attending the Victory Day parade. “Our position is very simple for all countries travelling to Russia on May 9: We cannot be held responsible for what happens on the territory of the Russian Federation,” Zelenskyy said. During the actual parade, Russia cut off internet access in central Moscow and said it had stepped up measures to counter potential drone threats. Read the original article on Business Insider Source link #Steven #Seagal #appeared #Putins #big #Victory #Day #celebration #biker #gang Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

For Silicon Valley, AI isn’t just about replacing some jobs. It’s about replacing all of them | Ed Newton-Rex For Silicon Valley, AI isn’t just about replacing some jobs. It’s about replacing all of them | Ed Newton-Rex I recently found myself at a dinner in an upstairs room at a restaurant in San Francisco hosted by a venture capital firm. The after-dinner speaker was a tech veteran who, having sold his AI company for hundreds of millions of dollars, has now turned his hand to investing. He had a simple message for the assembled startup founders: the money you can make in AI isn’t limited to the paltry market sizes of previous technology waves. You can replace the world’s workers – which means you can capture their salaries. All of them. Replacing all human labour with AI sounds like the stuff of science fiction. But it is the explicit aim of a growing number of the tech elite – and these are people who lack neither drive nor resources, who have deep pockets and even deeper determination. If they say they want to automate all labour, we should take them at their word. This is generally an aim that’s only admitted to behind closed doors, for obvious reasons. There’s little that will summon the pitchforks quicker than telling people you’re trying to take away their jobs. But a company called Mechanize last month bucked the trend and said the quiet part out loud. Their vision is “the full automation of the economy”, a vision they’ve convinced some of the biggest names in Silicon Valley to fund, including Google’s chief scientist, Jeff Dean, and popular podcaster Dwarkesh Patel. Is automating all jobs really feasible? Elon Musk certainly thinks so. The rise of AI and robotics will mean “probably none of us will have a job”, he said last year. Bill Gates thinks humans soon won’t be needed for “most things”. Massive labour replacement has also been predicted by godfather of AI Geoffrey Hinton and billionaire investor Vinod Khosla. These are hardly fringe voices that have no idea what they’re talking about. Some careers are obviously safe from robot takeover. Taylor Swift is not in danger. Nor is Harry Kane. Nor, for that matter, is Keir Starmer, or the as-yet-unnamed next archbishop of Canterbury. Famous artist, sportsperson, politician, priest – perhaps the four jobs that are the most resistant to automation. Unfortunately they’re not open to all of us. Today’s technology cannot replace all human labour. AI makes mistakes. Robots lack coordination, dexterity, versatility. So that’s something. But there is lots that cutting-edge technology can already do. And there are good reasons to think it will continue to improve – fast. GPT-4, one of OpenAI’s large language models, was already scoring in the top 10% on the bar exam back in 2023. Their more recent models are better at coding than their own chief scientist. Freelance writing jobs plummeted when ChatGPT was released; the same happened to graphic design jobs with the arrival of AI image generators. Driverless cars are everywhere in San Francisco. As Sam Altman himself said: “Jobs are definitely going to go away, full stop.” While AI grabs most of the headlines, robots are advancing rapidly too. And where AI threatens white-collar jobs, robots target physical labour. One type of humanoid robot is already being tested in BMW factories; another managed to master more than 100 tasks that would usually be done by human store workers. Companies plan to start testing robots in the home this year. The Silicon Valley vision for the labour market is remarkably simple: AI does the thinking, robots do the doing. What place do humans have in this arrangement? Up until very recently, AI researchers thought that artificial general intelligence (AGI) – that is, AI that can perform essentially all cognitive tasks at human level – was a long way off. Not any more. Demis Hassabis, the head of Google DeepMind, now thinks “it’s coming very soon” – less than five to 10 years wouldn’t surprise him. Of course these predictions may be wrong. Perhaps we’re headed for another AI winter; perhaps the chatbots will stop improving, the robots will keep falling over, the funding will move on to the next big thing in tech. I don’t think so, but it’s possible. But that’s not the point. The question here isn’t whether the legions of tech CEOs and billions of dollars of funding being poured into near-total labour automation will achieve what they’re trying to achieve. The question is why they’re trying to achieve it at all, and how the rest of us feel about it. The generous answer is that they genuinely believe a post-labour economy will mean huge economic growth and vastly improved global living standards. The obvious question is what, historically speaking, suggests that the benefits of this growth would be distributed evenly. The less generous answer is that it’s about what it’s always about: money. Venture capitalist Marc Andreessen once famously said: “Software is eating the world.” Up until now there’s only been so much it could eat. Whatever software you built, you still needed people to do most of the world’s work, with the labour market itself tantalisingly out of reach for ambitious tech execs. But now Silicon Valley sees an opening. A chance to own the entire means of production. And it wouldn’t be Silicon Valley if it didn’t try to seize that chance. Ed Newton-Rex is the founder of Fairly Trained, a non-profit that certifies generative AI companies that respect creators’ rights, and a visiting scholar at Stanford University Source link #Silicon #Valley #isnt #replacing #jobs #replacing #NewtonRex Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Dubai government to accept crypto through Crypto.com partnership Dubai government to accept crypto through Crypto.com partnership Crypto.com logo displayed on a phone screen with representation of cryptocurrencies. Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images Dubai’s Department of Finance announced a partnership with crypto platform Crypto.com that will allow government service fees to be paid with cryptocurrencies. The memorandum of understanding between Dubai government officials and Mohammed Al Hakim, president of Crypto.com UAE, was signed Monday on the sidelines of the Dubai FinTech Summit. Government officials said in a press release that the partnership will help achieve the “Dubai Cashless Strategy,” which seeks to solidify Dubai’s status as a leading digital city. The strategy aims to reach 90% cashless transactions across Dubai’s public and private sectors by 2026. Once technical arrangements for the initiative are finalized, individuals and “businesses customers of government entities” will be able to pay service fees through digital wallets on Crypto.com. “The platform will securely convert these payments into Emirati dirhams and transfer them to Dubai Finance accounts, ensuring a streamlined, secure, and innovative payment framework,” Dubai Finance added. Crypto.com’s Al Hakim called the initiative a “truly global first programme.” However, the announcement did not clarify what types of digital currencies the department of finance would accept, or for which types of government fees covered by the agreement. Crypto.com and Dubai Finance did not immediately respond to a request for comment from CNBC. Crypto.com first received a license for its Dubai entity to offer regulated virtual asset service activities in 2023. Last month, the company said Dubai’s virtual asset regulatory body had also issued a limited license to offer derivatives. Dubai has been betting on the crypto industry for years as part of its ambition to become a global tech hub. Source link #Dubai #government #accept #crypto #Crypto.com #partnership Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Sony Xperia 1 VII With Snapdragon 8 Elite Chipset, Triple Rear Camera Setup Launched: Price, Specifications Sony Xperia 1 VII With Snapdragon 8 Elite Chipset, Triple Rear Camera Setup Launched: Price, Specifications Sony Xperia 1 VII has been launched in European markets on Tuesday. Sony’s new Xperia series phone has the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset and comes in three colour options. The handset boasts a triple rear camera array enhanced by Sony Alpha technology. The camera setup consists of Exmor T and RS sensors, and the primary rear sensor is a 1/1.35-inch 48-megapixel sensor. The Sony Xperia 1 VII flaunts a 6.5-inch screen featuring Sony’s Bravia technology and carries a 5,000mAh battery with 30W charging support. Sony Xperia 1 VII Price The Sony Xperia 1 VII is priced at GBP 1,399 (roughly Rs. 1,56,700) for the 12GB RAM + 256GB storage model. It is available in Moss Green, Orchid Purple, and Slate ****** colour options. The phone is currently available for pre-order in European markets. Sony Xperia 1 VII Specifications The dual SIM (nano+eSIM) Sony Xperia 1 VII runs on Android 15 with Sony assuring four major OS upgrades and six years of security updates for the new phone. It comes with a 6.5-inch full-HD+ (1,080×2,340 pixels) display with 120Hz refresh rate, 100 percent coverage of DCI-P3 colour gamut, and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection. The display has Sony’s Bravia tuning for enhanced clarity. It has a light sensor on the front and back. The handset has Corning Gorilla Glass Victus protection on the rear. Sony Xperia 1 VII is equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Elite mobile platform with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of onboard storage. The memory is expandable up to 2TB via microSD card. For optics, the Sony Xperia 1 VII features a triple rear camera setup headlined by a 48-megapixel primary 1/1.3-inch Sony Exmor T sensor with 24mm focal length. The camera setup also includes a 12-megapixel 1.3.5-inch Sony Exmor RS mobile sensor with optical zoom from 85 to 170mm and a 50-megapixel Sony Exmor RS 1/1.56-inch sensor with 16mm focal length. The new ultrawide camera is a notable upgrade from the 12-megapixel ultrawide sensor on the Sony Xperia 1 VI. The camera setup is powered by Sony’s Alpha camera division. The camera unit supports 30 fps (frames per second) with AF/AE burst shot, 4K 120fps HDR video recording and more. On the front, it has a 12-megapixel selfie shooter. The Sony Xperia 1 VII comes with Walkman-series components and includes stereo speakers. It offers a range of audio features and supports LDAC, DSEE, Dolby Atmos, 360 Reality Audio, and Qualcomm aptX adaptive. It includes a 3.5mm audio jack, Bluetooth 5, GPS/AGPS, GLONASS, NFC, a USB Type-C port, and Wi-Fi 6 for connectivity. It has a fingerprint sensor for biometric authentication. Sony is offering gaming-focused features like Remote Play compatibility, Game enhancer, FPS Optimiser, and 240Hz touch scanning rate for the Xperia 1 VII. It has an IPX5 and IPX8 rated build for water resistance. The phone has an IP6X-certified build that is meant for dust resistance. Like last year’s Sony Xperia 1 VI, the new Sony Xperia 1 VII carries a 5,000mAh battery with support for 30W fast charging. It measures 162x74x8.2mm and weighs 197g. Source link #Sony #Xperia #VII #Snapdragon #Elite #Chipset #Triple #Rear #Camera #Setup #Launched #Price #Specifications Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

US cuts tariffs on small parcels from ******** firms like Shein and Temu – BBC US cuts tariffs on small parcels from ******** firms like Shein and Temu – BBC US cuts tariffs on small parcels from ******** firms like Shein and Temu BBCUS to cut ‘de minimis’ tariff on China shipments to 54% from 120% ReutersChina trade deal: White House partially cuts tariffs on Shein, Temu packages AxiosA Shipping Change Might Help Small Businesses if Not for Trump’s Trade Wars The New York TimesTemu and Shein are in a tricky spot — but it’s mostly good news Business Insider Source link #cuts #tariffs #small #parcels #******** #firms #Shein #Temu #BBC Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Dubai government to accept crypto through Crypto.com partnership Dubai government to accept crypto through Crypto.com partnership Crypto.com logo displayed on a phone screen with representation of cryptocurrencies. Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images Dubai’s Department of Finance announced a partnership with crypto platform Crypto.com that will allow government service fees to be paid with cryptocurrencies. The memorandum of understanding between Dubai government officials and Mohammed Al Hakim, president of Crypto.com UAE, was signed Monday on the sidelines of the Dubai FinTech Summit. Government officials said in a press release that the partnership will help achieve the “Dubai Cashless Strategy,” which seeks to solidify Dubai’s status as a leading digital city. The strategy aims to reach 90% cashless transactions across Dubai’s public and private sectors by 2026. Once technical arrangements for the initiative are finalized, individuals and “businesses customers of government entities” will be able to pay service fees through digital wallets on Crypto.com. “The platform will securely convert these payments into Emirati dirhams and transfer them to Dubai Finance accounts, ensuring a streamlined, secure, and innovative payment framework,” Dubai Finance added. Crypto.com’s Al Hakim called the initiative a “truly global first programme.” However, the announcement did not clarify what types of digital currencies the department of finance would accept, or for which types of government fees covered by the agreement. Crypto.com and Dubai Finance did not immediately respond to a request for comment from CNBC. Crypto.com first received a license for its Dubai entity to offer regulated virtual asset service activities in 2023. Last month, the company said Dubai’s virtual asset regulatory body had also issued a limited license to offer derivatives. Dubai has been betting on the crypto industry for years as part of its ambition to become a global tech hub. Source link #Dubai #government #accept #crypto #Crypto.com #partnership Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

‘Might be a bit lonely’: sole Greens MP claims victory ‘Might be a bit lonely’: sole Greens MP claims victory The only Greens MP in the House of Representatives has promised to fight for progressive reform after the minor party’s near wipeout in the lower house. Elizabeth Watson-Brown was the only lower house Greens member to hold on at the federal election, recording a narrow victory in the Brisbane seat of Ryan. The Greens went into the election with four seats but lost three to Labor, including leader Adam Bandt’s electorate of Melbourne. The party will elect its next leader on Thursday. Ms Watson-Brown, who said the party would examine where it went wrong, pledged to continue the work of her former colleagues. “It might be a little bit lonely on the floor,” she told reporters in Brisbane on Tuesday. “I am desperately going to miss my mates. They were incredible. “The Greens party room is our strength, so every one of us is part of the decision-making around legislation and around policy. “We are going to be combing over the entrails (of the election losses). We need to work out how we actually do that.” The Greens will hold the balance of power in the Senate, with Labor only needing the minor party to pass legislation in the upper house. Queensland senator Larissa Waters said the party was willing to work with the government to implement changes. “If the Labor Party would like to actually fix the problems that people are facing, the Greens stand at the ready to help them do that,” she said. “There’s now no excuse for the Labor Party not to take the climate crisis seriously, to take real action on the housing crisis, to genuinely tackle the cost of living. “People deserve more than just tinkering.” Senator Waters said the party was “devastated” to lose Mr Bandt, Max Chandler-Mather and Stephen Bates as MPs. “We will consider whether we have any lessons to learn … people deserve representation that’s for them,” she said. Source link #bit #lonely #sole #Greens #claims #victory Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

House of Lords pushes back against government’s AI plans | Artificial intelligence (AI) House of Lords pushes back against government’s AI plans | Artificial intelligence (AI) The government has suffered another setback in the House of Lords over its plans to let artificial intelligence firms use copyright-protected work without permission. An amendment to the data bill requiring AI companies to reveal which copyrighted material is used in their models was backed by peers, despite government opposition. It is the second time parliament’s upper house has demanded tech companies make clear whether they have used copyright-protected content. The vote came days after hundreds of artists and organisations including Paul McCartney, Jeanette Winterson, Dua Lipa and the Royal Shakespeare Company urged the prime minister not to “give our work away at the behest of a handful of powerful overseas tech companies”. The amendment was tabled by crossbench peer Beeban Kidron and was passed by 272 votes to 125. The bill will now return to the House of Commons. If the government removes the Kidron amendment, it will set the scene for another confrontation in the Lords next week. Lady Kidron said: “I want to reject the notion that those of us who are against government plans are against technology. Creators do not deny the creative and economic value of AI, but we do deny the assertion that we should have to build AI for free with our work, and then rent it back from those who stole it. “My lords, it is an assault on the British economy and it is happening at scale to a sector worth £120bn to the ***, an industry that is central to the industrial strategy and of enormous cultural import.” The government’s copyright proposals are the subject of a consultation due to report back this year, but opponents of the plans have used the data bill as a vehicle for registering their disapproval. The main government proposal is to let AI firms use copyright-protected work to build their models without permission, unless the copyright holders signal they do not want their work to be used in that process – a solution that critics say is impractical and unworkable. skip past newsletter promotion Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what’s happening and why it matters Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. after newsletter promotion The government insists, however, that the present situation is holding back both the creative and tech sectors and needs to be resolved by new legislation. It has already tabled one concession in the data bill, by committing to an economic impact assessment of its proposals. A source close to the tech secretary, Peter Kyle, said this month that the “opt out” scenario was no longer his preferred option but one of several being given consideration. A spokesperson for the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology said the government would not rush any decisions on copyright or bring forward related legislation “until we are confident that we have a practical plan which delivers on each of our objectives”. Source link #House #Lords #pushes #governments #plans #Artificial #intelligence Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

A Toxic Pit Could Be a Gold Mine for Rare-Earth Elements A Toxic Pit Could Be a Gold Mine for Rare-Earth Elements There’s a tale told about a miner who found copper cans in his garbage dump in the early days of mining. Wastewater from copper mining had flowed through his land, he said, and turned steel cans into copper. The story might be apocryphal, but the process is real, and it’s called cementation. Montana Resources, the mining company that took over from the Anaconda Copper Company, still uses this alchemical trick in a process at its Continental Pit mine in Butte, Mont. Next to the mine is the Berkeley Pit, which is filled with 50 billion gallons of a highly acidic, toxic brew. Montana Resources pipes liquid from the pit, enabling it to cascade onto piles of scrap iron. The iron becomes copper and is gathered for production. While methods to remove metals from water have been around a long time, in recent years the global scramble for metals critical to manufacturing and technology advances has given birth to a new generation of extraction technologies and processes. One of the mineral-rich sources researchers are focused on is wastewater, including the brine from desalination plants, oil and gas fracking water and wastewater from mining. Researchers at Oregon State University estimate the brine from desalination plants alone contains metals valued at about $2.2 trillion. “Water is the ore body of the 21st century,” said Peter S. Fiske, director of the National Alliance for Water Innovation at the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Lab California. “Technology now is allowing us to pick through the garbage piles of wastewater and pick out the high-value items.” Research on the extraction of rare earths, a set of metallic elements, from waste is widespread as the need for them increases significantly. Researchers at Indiana Geological and Water Survey at Indiana University, for example, are studying the potential for mining rare earths in coal waste, including fly ash and coal tailings. And researchers at University of Texas at Austin have created membranes that mimic natural ones to separate rare earths from waste. Not only is mining wastewater more economical and faster than starting new mines, it is also cleaner. Among the big waterborne prizes in the pit next to Butte are two light rare-earth elements (REEs), neodymium and praseodymium. They are vital for small, powerful magnets in electric vehicles, for medical technology and for defense purposes, such as precision-guided missiles and satellites. A single F-35 fighter jet uses 900 pounds of rare-earth metals. “We’re turning a giant liability into something that’s contributing to defense,” said Mark Thompson, vice president for environmental affairs at Montana Resources. “There’s some high-level metallurgy going on here. Real egghead stuff.” This is a critical time for research into domestic production of rare earths. Not only does the United States lag far behind China, but President Trump’s trade war has spurred China to threaten to further restrict rare-earth mineral exports as a result of the Trump tariffs. Experts with the critical minerals security program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies say the large gap would enable China to expand its defense capabilities far more quickly than the United States could. Both Greenland and Ukraine are the focus of the Trump administration’s attention in large part because the countries have significant deposits of rare earths. Mr. Trump also just ordered the government to move toward mining large portions of the ocean floor, including in international waters, for its mineral riches. There are 17 types of metals known as rare earths, all of which have been found in the Berkeley Pit. They aren’t rare in prevalence, but they are called that because they are often scattered in small concentrations. Rare earths are sorted into two kinds: heavy and light. Heavy rare earths — such as dysprosium, terbium and yttrium — have a greater atomic weight and are typically more rare, meaning they sell in smaller quantities and are prone to shortages. Light metals, by contrast, have a lower atomic weight. Acid mine drainage is a highly toxic pollutant created when sulfur-bearing pyrite in rock is exposed to oxygen and water during mining. The drainage then oxidizes and creates sulfuric acid and poisons waterways. It’s one of the country’s biggest environmental problems, and tens of thousands of abandoned mines have contaminated 12,000 miles of streams. However, the acid also dissolves zinc, copper, rare earths and other minerals out of the rock and into the water, providing an opportunity for the right technology to extract them — which didn’t exist until recently. Paul Ziemkiewicz, director of the water research institute at West Virginia University, has researched the pit water in Butte for 25 years. He and a team of researchers from Virginia Tech and L3 Process Development, a chemical engineering firm, developed a method to extract critical metals from acid mine drainage in West Virginia’s coal mines, the same process used in Butte. Large, densely woven plastic bags are filled with a mudlike sludge from the water treatment plant. The water slowly percolates out, leaving a preconcentrate of about 1 to 2 percent rare earths that need further refinement, with chemical processes. The final step in the patented process is an extraction with solvents that creates pure rare-earth elements. “One of the nice things about acid mine drainage is the concentrates we get are particularly enriched in heavy rare earths,” Dr. Ziemkiewicz said. “The light ones aren’t as valuable.” The Butte project is awaiting word on a Department of Defense grant of $75 million to build a concentrator, the last step needed to refine the preconcentrate to rare earths and begin full-scale production. Zinc is also plentiful in the acid-mine-drainage mix here and, because it fetches a higher price, is important as a way to pay for the process. Nickel and cobalt are also extracted. While rare-earth elements are much in demand, China produces a majority and manipulates prices to keep them low, which forces out competition. That’s why the Defense Department is funding much of the work on rare-earth elements and other metals. The United States has just one operational rare-earths mine, in Mountain Pass, Calif., which produces around 15 percent of the global supply of rare earths. The Berkeley Pit has been a festering sore since 1982, when, the Anaconda Copper Company closed the open-pit mine, turned off the pumps and let water fill it. The water is so acidic from acid mine drainage that when tens of thousands of snow geese flew over it on their migration in 2016, many landed on the surface and were quickly poisoned. About 3,000 birds died. The Atlantic Richfield Company and Montana Resources are required to treat the pit water in perpetuity to keep it from reaching levels that could contaminate the area groundwater. (Montana Resources mines the Continental Pit, next to the Berkeley Pit.) The Clean Water Act requires that companies treat acid mine drainage, an expensive process. Adding another level of treatment to the Horseshoe Bend plant here is less costly than building a new one and can offset the costs of treatment or even turn a profit. There have been dozens of research efforts to liberate the suspended metals from the water. Mr. Thompson displayed a map with lines radiating out from Butte, showing where water samples had been sent to research facilities across the country. But the metal-producing process that’s going on now is the first one that’s proven economical. While the riches in the mineral soup here have been known for decades, a way to extract them was elusive, until Dr. Ziemkiewicz’s team developed the new method. He has been producing rare earths at two coal mines in West Virginia where acid mine drainage is a problem. Each mine produces four tons of rare earths a year. The Berkeley Pit, however, has a much richer concentration of rare earths in solution and a higher volume of water and is expected to produce 40 tons a year. Dr. Ziemkiewicz believes this process if used at other mines could eventually provide nearly all of the U.S. imports of rare-earth elements needed for defense purposes, which, he said, currently amount to about 1,400 tons. But demand for rare earths could increase by as much as 600 percent in the coming decades, according to some estimates. In the global effort to clean water and produce critical minerals, the lab at Lawrence Berkeley researches an array of water-filter-related technology, especially experiments to improve membranes. It operates a particle accelerator called Advanced Light Source, which creates very bright X-ray light that enables scientists to study various membranes at the atomic scale. The lab has worked with outside researchers to create a new generation of filters, called nanosponges, that are designed to trap a single target molecule, such as lithium. “It’s an atomic catcher’s mitt,” said Adam Uliana, the chief executive of ChemFinity, a Brooklyn company studying the use of nanosponges for cleaning many different types of waste. “It catches one and only one type of metal.” Lithium, cobalt and magnesium are critical minerals, in addition to rare earths, that have attracted considerable attention from researchers. Ion exchange, a proven technique for removing metals and pollution from water, is gaining interest. Lilac Solutions, a start-up in Oakland, Calif., has developed the specialized resin beads needed to extract lithium from brine with ion exchange and plans to start its first production facility at the Great Salt Lake in Utah. The company’s technology pumps brine through ion exchange filters, extracts the mineral and returns the water to its source, a process David Snydacker, the company’s president, said caused very little environmental disturbance. If it proves to work at scale, it could revolutionize lithium extraction and reduce or eliminate the need for underground mines and open pits. Magrathea Metals is a start-up in Oakland that makes magnesium ingots from salty brines left over after seawater has been desalinated. The company allows the brines to dry, which leaves behind magnesium chloride salts. An electrical current — which can utilize off-peak renewable energy — heats the solution and separates the salts from the molten magnesium, which is cast into ingots. Its chief executive, Alex Grant, said this process is extremely clean, though it has yet to be used to manufacture magnesium at a large scale. The Department of Defense has funded much of its work. China produces 90 percent of the world’s magnesium. The metal is smelted with something called the Pidgeon process — . heated with coal-fired kilns to around 2,000 degrees, which is highly polluting and carbon-intensive. Dr. Fiske expects a lot more innovation. “Three vectors are converging,” he said. “The value of some of these critical materials is going up. The cost of conventional mining and extraction is going up, and the security of international suppliers, especially Russia and China, is going down.” Source link #Toxic #Pit #Gold #RareEarth #Elements Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Who is ***** Alexander, the Israeli-American hostage released by ******? – AP News Who is ***** Alexander, the Israeli-American hostage released by ******? – AP News Who is ***** Alexander, the Israeli-American hostage released by ******? AP NewsHamas Frees ***** Alexander, American Hostage Held in Gaza, in Deal With U.S. The New York TimesAs Israeli negotiators head to Doha, PM assures coalition partners Israel won’t end war The Times of IsraelTrump Sides With the Israeli People Against Netanyahu The AtlanticAmerican hostage ***** Alexander released by ****** after more than 580 days in captivity Fox News Source link #***** #Alexander #IsraeliAmerican #hostage #released #****** #News Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

watchOS 11.5 Update Released With Pride Harmony Watch Face; macOS 15.5 Arrives With Improved Parental Controls watchOS 11.5 Update Released With Pride Harmony Watch Face; macOS 15.5 Arrives With Improved Parental Controls Apple rolled out the watchOS 11.5 update and macOS 15.5 update on Monday, and the latest versions of these operating systems have introduced a couple of new features. The company has made it easier to purchase content using an Apple Watch when using Apple TV on a third party device. Meanwhile, the company has also improved its parental controls features with the macOS 15.5 update. Apple is set to unveil the next versions of its operating system next month, at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC 2025). watchOS 11.5 and macOS 15.5 Updates: What’s New After updating to watchOS 11.5, users will see a new Pride Harmony wallpaper, and it supports the improved always-on display mode on the company’s latest smartwatch model. This means that you will see the hand that represents seconds move even when the display is dimmed in always-on mode, when using this watch face on the Apple Watch Series 10. Other watch faces that support this functionality on the latest model are Activity Digital, Flux, Reflections, and Unity Rhythm. The latest update adds a new button that allows users to purchase content using their Apple Watch, when using the Apple TV app on a third party device, such as an Android TV or smartphone. Apple has also fixed a bug that would not show a notification on a connected iPhone when the Apple Watch battery is fully charged. Meanwhile, the macOS 15.5 update only has one notable change that users will notice after they set up parental controls on Apple devices for their children. After macOS 15.5 is installed, parents will receive a notification when a Screen Time passcode (used to control settings) is entered on a child’s phone. This will inform a parent or guardian in case a child manages to guess the passcode that is used to manage these controls. Apple is expected to unveil watchOS 12 and macOS 16 next month, alongside iOS 19 and iPadOS 19. These updates are expected to introduce new designs, along with support for even more artificial intelligence (Apple Intelligence) features on supported devices. We can expect to learn more when Apple unveils its next OS updates on June 9, at WWDC 2025. Source link #watchOS #Update #Released #Pride #Harmony #Watch #Face #macOS #Arrives #Improved #Parental #Controls Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

World Test Championship final: Green & Cummins return for Australia World Test Championship final: Green & Cummins return for Australia Cameron Green and Pat Cummins have been named in Australia’s 15-man squad for next month’s World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord’s. All-rounder Green suffered a stress fracture in his lower back during the one-day international series in England last year and had surgery in October. Cummins returns as captain after missing the tour of Sri Lanka because of the birth of his second child in February as well as being ruled out of the Champions Trophy campaign earlier this year because of an ankle injury. Fellow pace bowler Josh Hazlewood also returns after a spell out with a hip injury while teenager batter Sam Konstas is included. The final between defending champions Australia and South Africa begins on 11 June. “We are fortunate and looking forward to having Pat, Josh and Cam back in the squad,” chief selector George Bailey said. “The team finished the WTC cycle with an impressive series victory in Sri Lanka following an equally strong summer in defeating India for the first time in a decade. “Those series capped a consistent performance across the two-year cycle and now present us with the incredibly exciting opportunity to defend the WTC.” Source link #World #Test #Championship #final #Green #Cummins #return #Australia Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

A Toxic Pit Could Be a Gold Mine for Rare-Earth Elements A Toxic Pit Could Be a Gold Mine for Rare-Earth Elements There’s a tale told about a miner who found copper cans in his garbage dump in the early days of mining. Wastewater from copper mining had flowed through his land, he said, and turned steel cans into copper. The story might be apocryphal, but the process is real, and it’s called cementation. Montana Resources, the mining company that took over from the Anaconda Copper Company, still uses this alchemical trick in a process at its Continental Pit mine in Butte, Mont. Next to the mine is the Berkeley Pit, which is filled with 50 billion gallons of a highly acidic, toxic brew. Montana Resources pipes liquid from the pit, enabling it to cascade onto piles of scrap iron. The iron becomes copper and is gathered for production. While methods to remove metals from water have been around a long time, in recent years the global scramble for metals critical to manufacturing and technology advances has given birth to a new generation of extraction technologies and processes. One of the mineral-rich sources researchers are focused on is wastewater, including the brine from desalination plants, oil and gas fracking water and wastewater from mining. Researchers at Oregon State University estimate the brine from desalination plants alone contains metals valued at about $2.2 trillion. “Water is the ore body of the 21st century,” said Peter S. Fiske, director of the National Alliance for Water Innovation at the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Lab California. “Technology now is allowing us to pick through the garbage piles of wastewater and pick out the high-value items.” Research on the extraction of rare earths, a set of metallic elements, from waste is widespread as the need for them increases significantly. Researchers at Indiana Geological and Water Survey at Indiana University, for example, are studying the potential for mining rare earths in coal waste, including fly ash and coal tailings. And researchers at University of Texas at Austin have created membranes that mimic natural ones to separate rare earths from waste. Not only is mining wastewater more economical and faster than starting new mines, it is also cleaner. Among the big waterborne prizes in the pit next to Butte are two light rare-earth elements (REEs), neodymium and praseodymium. They are vital for small, powerful magnets in electric vehicles, for medical technology and for defense purposes, such as precision-guided missiles and satellites. A single F-35 fighter jet uses 900 pounds of rare-earth metals. “We’re turning a giant liability into something that’s contributing to defense,” said Mark Thompson, vice president for environmental affairs at Montana Resources. “There’s some high-level metallurgy going on here. Real egghead stuff.” This is a critical time for research into domestic production of rare earths. Not only does the United States lag far behind China, but President Trump’s trade war has spurred China to threaten to further restrict rare-earth mineral exports as a result of the Trump tariffs. Experts with the critical minerals security program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies say the large gap would enable China to expand its defense capabilities far more quickly than the United States could. Both Greenland and Ukraine are the focus of the Trump administration’s attention in large part because the countries have significant deposits of rare earths. Mr. Trump also just ordered the government to move toward mining large portions of the ocean floor, including in international waters, for its mineral riches. There are 17 types of metals known as rare earths, all of which have been found in the Berkeley Pit. They aren’t rare in prevalence, but they are called that because they are often scattered in small concentrations. Rare earths are sorted into two kinds: heavy and light. Heavy rare earths — such as dysprosium, terbium and yttrium — have a greater atomic weight and are typically more rare, meaning they sell in smaller quantities and are prone to shortages. Light metals, by contrast, have a lower atomic weight. Acid mine drainage is a highly toxic pollutant created when sulfur-bearing pyrite in rock is exposed to oxygen and water during mining. The drainage then oxidizes and creates sulfuric acid and poisons waterways. It’s one of the country’s biggest environmental problems, and tens of thousands of abandoned mines have contaminated 12,000 miles of streams. However, the acid also dissolves zinc, copper, rare earths and other minerals out of the rock and into the water, providing an opportunity for the right technology to extract them — which didn’t exist until recently. Paul Ziemkiewicz, director of the water research institute at West Virginia University, has researched the pit water in Butte for 25 years. He and a team of researchers from Virginia Tech and L3 Process Development, a chemical engineering firm, developed a method to extract critical metals from acid mine drainage in West Virginia’s coal mines, the same process used in Butte. Large, densely woven plastic bags are filled with a mudlike sludge from the water treatment plant. The water slowly percolates out, leaving a preconcentrate of about 1 to 2 percent rare earths that need further refinement, with chemical processes. The final step in the patented process is an extraction with solvents that creates pure rare-earth elements. “One of the nice things about acid mine drainage is the concentrates we get are particularly enriched in heavy rare earths,” Dr. Ziemkiewicz said. “The light ones aren’t as valuable.” The Butte project is awaiting word on a Department of Defense grant of $75 million to build a concentrator, the last step needed to refine the preconcentrate to rare earths and begin full-scale production. Zinc is also plentiful in the acid-mine-drainage mix here and, because it fetches a higher price, is important as a way to pay for the process. Nickel and cobalt are also extracted. While rare-earth elements are much in demand, China produces a majority and manipulates prices to keep them low, which forces out competition. That’s why the Defense Department is funding much of the work on rare-earth elements and other metals. The United States has just one operational rare-earths mine, in Mountain Pass, Calif., which produces around 15 percent of the global supply of rare earths. The Berkeley Pit has been a festering sore since 1982, when, the Anaconda Copper Company closed the open-pit mine, turned off the pumps and let water fill it. The water is so acidic from acid mine drainage that when tens of thousands of snow geese flew over it on their migration in 2016, many landed on the surface and were quickly poisoned. About 3,000 birds died. The Atlantic Richfield Company and Montana Resources are required to treat the pit water in perpetuity to keep it from reaching levels that could contaminate the area groundwater. (Montana Resources mines the Continental Pit, next to the Berkeley Pit.) The Clean Water Act requires that companies treat acid mine drainage, an expensive process. Adding another level of treatment to the Horseshoe Bend plant here is less costly than building a new one and can offset the costs of treatment or even turn a profit. There have been dozens of research efforts to liberate the suspended metals from the water. Mr. Thompson displayed a map with lines radiating out from Butte, showing where water samples had been sent to research facilities across the country. But the metal-producing process that’s going on now is the first one that’s proven economical. While the riches in the mineral soup here have been known for decades, a way to extract them was elusive, until Dr. Ziemkiewicz’s team developed the new method. He has been producing rare earths at two coal mines in West Virginia where acid mine drainage is a problem. Each mine produces four tons of rare earths a year. The Berkeley Pit, however, has a much richer concentration of rare earths in solution and a higher volume of water and is expected to produce 40 tons a year. Dr. Ziemkiewicz believes this process if used at other mines could eventually provide nearly all of the U.S. imports of rare-earth elements needed for defense purposes, which, he said, currently amount to about 1,400 tons. But demand for rare earths could increase by as much as 600 percent in the coming decades, according to some estimates. In the global effort to clean water and produce critical minerals, the lab at Lawrence Berkeley researches an array of water-filter-related technology, especially experiments to improve membranes. It operates a particle accelerator called Advanced Light Source, which creates very bright X-ray light that enables scientists to study various membranes at the atomic scale. The lab has worked with outside researchers to create a new generation of filters, called nanosponges, that are designed to trap a single target molecule, such as lithium. “It’s an atomic catcher’s mitt,” said Adam Uliana, the chief executive of ChemFinity, a Brooklyn company studying the use of nanosponges for cleaning many different types of waste. “It catches one and only one type of metal.” Lithium, cobalt and magnesium are critical minerals, in addition to rare earths, that have attracted considerable attention from researchers. Ion exchange, a proven technique for removing metals and pollution from water, is gaining interest. Lilac Solutions, a start-up in Oakland, Calif., has developed the specialized resin beads needed to extract lithium from brine with ion exchange and plans to start its first production facility at the Great Salt Lake in Utah. The company’s technology pumps brine through ion exchange filters, extracts the mineral and returns the water to its source, a process David Snydacker, the company’s president, said caused very little environmental disturbance. If it proves to work at scale, it could revolutionize lithium extraction and reduce or eliminate the need for underground mines and open pits. Magrathea Metals is a start-up in Oakland that makes magnesium ingots from salty brines left over after seawater has been desalinated. The company allows the brines to dry, which leaves behind magnesium chloride salts. An electrical current — which can utilize off-peak renewable energy — heats the solution and separates the salts from the molten magnesium, which is cast into ingots. Its chief executive, Alex Grant, said this process is extremely clean, though it has yet to be used to manufacture magnesium at a large scale. The Department of Defense has funded much of its work. China produces 90 percent of the world’s magnesium. The metal is smelted with something called the Pidgeon process — . heated with coal-fired kilns to around 2,000 degrees, which is highly polluting and carbon-intensive. Dr. Fiske expects a lot more innovation. “Three vectors are converging,” he said. “The value of some of these critical materials is going up. The cost of conventional mining and extraction is going up, and the security of international suppliers, especially Russia and China, is going down.” Source link #Toxic #Pit #Gold #RareEarth #Elements Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Premier Roger Cook urges opponents of children’s hospice parkland development to put politics aside Premier Roger Cook urges opponents of children’s hospice parkland development to put politics aside The Premier has urged opponents of a park planned to brighten the view of terminally-sick kids at Perth’s first children’s hospice to have a “sense of humanity”. A planned park development next to the site earmarked for a children’s hospice has continued to come under fire, with a pamphlet shared around Swanbourne claiming the parcel of A-class reserve was “under threat” and being “targeted by the WA Government”. The pamphlet purporting to be from a group called Friends of Allen Park said the park was the “only public access” to the coast and “could be lost to building expansion and public access prevented forever”. The State Government has set the ball rolling to excise the land after the City of Nedlands opposed the Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation’s $4 million plans because of concerns it would lose its A-class reserve status. After a 30-day ******* — that expires within days — the plan goes to Parliament, where it is expected to be approved. Ahead of the plans reaching Parliament, Premier Roger Cook urged the City of Nedlands and the community to put politics aside and have a sense of humanity. “The hospice is about providing services to the sickest kids in our community, some who are facing life limiting diseases and will have a short time with us,” he said. “It’s about helping their parents, it’s about providing them with relief and a sense of humanity must enter this debate. “Please just allow this project to go forward and let it be a celebration of the way we care for our sickest kids, not an opportunity for people to try to prosecute some sort of local political agenda.” Mr Cook said the park would provide an opportunity to enhance the environment and the public would be able to move freely through the area. Liberal Cottesloe MP Sandra Brewer said she had sought and received written assurances from the PCHF after listening closely to the concerns of local stakeholders, including the Friends of Allen Park and the City of Nedlands. Camera IconSwanbourne parkland pamphlet. Credit: Unknown/Supplied She said the PCHF wrote assurances that the land would always remain publicly accessible, be developed exclusively as a park for recreation, and involve community input on landscaping and design. “This proposal gives terminally ill children the simple joy and dignity of a backyard — a rehabilitated bushland space that remains accessible to the entire community,” Ms Brewer said. “It is a compassionate and community-driven initiative — not a loss, but a meaningful gain for Swanbourne and the broader community. “Class ‘A’ status is not a prohibition — it is a standard. It demands that any change must deliver demonstrable public value. I believe that, in this case, that standard is being upheld.” Shadow Minister for Planning and Lands Neil Thomson MLC also expressed in-principle support for the initiative, provided it is underpinned by strong community consultation and protections against inappropriate future land use. Source link #Premier #Roger #Cook #urges #opponents #childrens #hospice #parkland #development #put #politics Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

SoftBank Vision Fund swings to annual loss as investment gains slow SoftBank Vision Fund swings to annual loss as investment gains slow SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son delivers remarks next to U.S. President Donald Trump at an ‘Investing in America’ event in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 30, 2025. Leah Millis | Reuters Softbank’s Vision Fund business on Tuesday posted a loss in the fiscal year ended March as it booked slowing gains at its massive tech investment arm. The Vision Funds are a key focus for investors who are looking for signs of improvement at SoftBank’s huge investment arm, after it swung to a surprise loss in the company’s fiscal third quarter. SoftBank’s stock is down about 17% this year as volatility in financial markets and concerns about the macroeconomic environment continues to weigh on the company. SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son has sought to position company as a key player in artificial intelligence through various investments and acquisitions. The firm owns the majority of semiconductor designer Arm and announced plans this year to acquire server chip designer Ampere Computing for $6.5 billion. Ampere’s semiconductors are designed to run AI applications. One of SoftBank’s biggest AI bets has been on OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT. SoftBank invested $30 billion in OpenAI as part of a broader $40 billion financing round in March that valued the startup at $300 billion. Softbank is also involved in Stargate, a joint venture that was unveiled by U.S. President Donald Trump in January, calling for hundreds of billions of dollars of investment into AI infrastructure. This is a breaking news story. Please refresh for updates. Source link #SoftBank #Vision #Fund #swings #annual #loss #investment #gains #slow Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Driver who killed e-bike rider by ramming him into concrete post jailed for life Driver who killed e-bike rider by ramming him into concrete post jailed for life A car driver who hunted down and deliberately rammed an e-bike rider, leaving him to die at the roadside, has been jailed for life for *******. Abdirahman Ibrahim, 21, “weaponised” his Seat Leon after seeing friends Liam Jones and Tayzhon Johnson “showboating” on electric off-road bikes in the Yardley area on August 1 2023, BirminghamCrown Court was told. Ibrahim remained emotionless in the dock as he was handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 22 years on Monday. Judge Andrew Smith KC said Mr Jones, who was described in court as the fun and bubbly “spark” of his family, had done nothing to prompt Ibrahim to chase him. Liam Jones, who was murdered in August 2023 (West Midlands Police) The 22-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene after being knocked off his e-bike into a concrete post in Moat Lane, having been rammed twice by the Seat. The judge told Ibrahim, of Bonham Grove, Yardley: “After careful reflection I have concluded that you did drive the car into and on Moat Lane such that you had the car available as a weapon. You pursued (Mr Jones and his friend) in a determined and deliberate way. “You became aware of Liam Jones and Tayzhon Johnson as you entered the Coventry Road and you changed your direction to follow them. “Once behind the electric bikes being driven by Mr Jones and Mr Johnson it must have been clear to you that neither of them was wearing a helmet. “There is no evidence that Mr Jones or Mr Johnson ever participated in racing with your car or did anything to encourage you to interact with them.” Abdullah pleaded guilty to assisting an offender and was jailed for two years and 10 months. (West Midlands Police) The judge said the two men had realised they were being followed and went down a one-way street in a bid to get away from the car, but Ibrahim drove at speed along another nearby road to catch them. The judge added: “Your actions in the immediate aftermath of this deliberate collision were governed by a selfish desire to escape from the scene and involved no care for Mr Jones.” Ibrahim’s brother, Abdullahi Ibrahim, also of Bonham Grove, pleaded guilty to assisting an offender and was jailed for two years and 10 months. The court heard the 22-year-old, who was a rear seat passenger in the Seat, was involved in efforts to hide the vehicle in the hours after the *******. Source link #Driver #killed #ebike #rider #ramming #concrete #post #jailed #life Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Palantir’s Latest Deal Could Put a Freeze on Its Stock Price Palantir’s Latest Deal Could Put a Freeze on Its Stock Price In its most recent earnings report, Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ:) announced that it had signed 139 deals valued at least $1 million. That wasn’t surprising to long-term investors. In its last quarter, Palantir seemed to sign a new deal every other day. That momentum has continued since the earnings report. However, one of Palantir’s latest contract wins focuses on why many investors find the company’s stock hard to stomach. And this reason has nothing to do with its premium valuation. Palantir and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency announced a new $30 million deal. The deal will help expand ICE’s ability to track individuals accused of violent crimes as well as individuals who have stayed in the country after their visas have expired. Palantir has been working with ICE since 2014. In fact, its partnership with the agency is one reason many investors object to owning the company’s stock. If that’s the case, this expansion of the partnership won’t do much to encourage them. Critics Fear the Growth of a Surveillance State Under the agreement, Palantir is building an upgraded system for ICE, called “ImmigrationOS.” The new system will pull all the information that ICE agents need, from identification through arrest and deportation. The goal, as written into the contract, is to save ICE time and reduce costs while increasing the number of deportations to meet the Trump administration’s goal of removing one million people from the U.S. in 2025. The system can identify individuals even before ICE officials receive an official deportation order, enabling quiet tracking of those instructed to “self-deport.” It also aggregates data from multiple sources, which can help agents identify potential visa violations and make arrests. The approach has raised concerns from advocacy groups and legal experts about the potential for wrongful arrests, deportations, and civil liberties violations. Leaked internal documents show that Palantir is aware of certain risks and limitations beyond its control. Nonetheless, the company is proceeding with the project, which is scheduled for delivery by the end of September. Supporters Know What They Own Many current Palantir shareholders have held the stock since its public debut in 2020, when the company’s operations were less transparent than they are today. Despite changes in visibility, the company’s stated mission and values have remained consistent. Palantir positions itself as a supporter of Western democratic institutions and a strong U.S. defense sector enhanced by advanced technology. This stance appears to align with the priorities of the U.S. Department of Defense, which is expected to maintain Palantir’s existing contracts even as it seeks to reduce waste and inefficiency. When asked about potential cuts to its government contracts on the company’s most recent earnings call, co-founder and chief executive officer Alex Karp noted that Palantir “does exceptionally well when things are pen-tested.” Adding that the company likes it when there is pressure on the system. That makes sense because Palantir is about making operations more efficient, including controversial ones like those carried out by ICE. Volatility Is the Only Certainty For now, this story may not get much attention from retail investors. Since the company’s earnings report, more attention has been paid to the company’s valuation. With that in mind, some analysts are concerned about a lack of international growth in the company’s business. However, the company’s recent deal with NATO may be the first step in overcoming these objections. The announcement of, at least, the framework of a trade deal with China is sending technology stocks like Palantir sharply higher. Temporarily, that may keep the stock moving higher. However, in early trading on May 12, PLTR stock was already showing signs of hitting resistance. That makes sense because PLTR stock is not really a tariff trade. That means investors may be setting a higher bar for the stock. If that bar includes weaker institutional sentiment due to the ICE deal, investors should expect volatility in the coming months. Original Post Source link #Palantirs #Latest #Deal #Put #Freeze #Stock #Price Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

SoftBank Vision Fund swings to annual loss as investment gains slow SoftBank Vision Fund swings to annual loss as investment gains slow SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son delivers remarks next to U.S. President Donald Trump at an ‘Investing in America’ event in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 30, 2025. Leah Millis | Reuters Softbank’s Vision Fund business on Tuesday posted a loss in the fiscal year ended March as it booked slowing gains at its massive tech investment arm. The Vision Funds are a key focus for investors who are looking for signs of improvement at SoftBank’s huge investment arm, after it swung to a surprise loss in the company’s fiscal third quarter. SoftBank’s stock is down about 17% this year as volatility in financial markets and concerns about the macroeconomic environment continues to weigh on the company. SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son has sought to position company as a key player in artificial intelligence through various investments and acquisitions. The firm owns the majority of semiconductor designer Arm and announced plans this year to acquire server chip designer Ampere Computing for $6.5 billion. Ampere’s semiconductors are designed to run AI applications. One of SoftBank’s biggest AI bets has been on OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT. SoftBank invested $30 billion in OpenAI as part of a broader $40 billion financing round in March that valued the startup at $300 billion. Softbank is also involved in Stargate, a joint venture that was unveiled by U.S. President Donald Trump in January, calling for hundreds of billions of dollars of investment into AI infrastructure. This is a breaking news story. Please refresh for updates. Source link #SoftBank #Vision #Fund #swings #annual #loss #investment #gains #slow Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Frasers Property Mulls Privatization of Hospitality REIT, Sources Say – WSJ Frasers Property Mulls Privatization of Hospitality REIT, Sources Say – WSJ Frasers Property Mulls Privatization of Hospitality REIT, Sources Say WSJView Full Coverage on Google News Source link #Frasers #Property #Mulls #Privatization #Hospitality #REIT #Sources #WSJ Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]