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☆ EU Parliament passes bill hiking renewable energy targets
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( Kate Abnett | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The law significantly raises the EU's renewable energy targets, requiring 42.5% of EU energy to be renewable by 2030, replacing a current 32% target for that date. It faced a tough passage through negotiations among EU countries' governments, and only secured support after France won carve-outs for nuclear energy - which is low-carbon, but not renewable. EU countries and lawmakers had negotiated a deal on the renewable energy law in March which was supposed to be final, but was held up by countries seeking greater recognition of nuclear power. A Commission spokesperson said on Tuesday it was aware of the difficulties and was in touch with renewable energy manufacturers to discuss possible solutions. Europe got 22% of its energy from renewable sources in 2021, the latest year for which official EU data are available.

Persons: Pascal Rossignol, Markus Pieper, Pieper, Kate Abnett, Ed Osmond, David Evans Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Union, France, European, EU, Thomson Locations: Bevillers, France, Rights BRUSSELS, EU, Brussels, China, Europe

Nikola's investors on Thursday approved a proposal that will allow the company to issue more shares. The maker of Tre model electric trucks has been trying to pivot to hydrogen fuel cell technology. Nikola forecast third-quarter revenue of $18 million to $28 million, compared with estimates of $34.5 million, according to Visible Alpha. It had cash and cash equivalents of $226.7 million at the end of the second quarter, compared with $441.8 million, a year earlier. The company laid off 270 employees in June and liquidated assets of a recently acquired battery maker last month.

Persons: Stephen Girsky, Brendan McDermid, Nikola, okayed, Michael Lohscheller, Girsky, Tre, Trevor Milton, Akash Sriram, Abhirup Roy, Anil D'Silva, Sriraj Kalluvila, David Gregorio Our Organizations: VectolQ, Reuters, of Autonomous Vehicles, REUTERS, General Motors, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Bengaluru, San Francisco

☆ Canadian farmer's thumbs-up emoji leads to $62,000 fine for undelivered flax
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( Ismail Shakil | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

OTTAWA, July 7 (Reuters) - A Canadian farmer has been ordered to pay more than C$82,000 ($61,784) in damages over an emoji confusion that a Saskatchewan judge resolved by ruling that a thumbs-up image is enough to accept contractual terms. Chris Achter, the owner of a farming company in Swift Current, Saskatchewan, had sent a thumbs-up emoji in response to a photograph of a flax-buying contract sent to him by a grains buyer in 2021. Months later, when the time of the delivery arrived, the buyer - which had been doing business with Achter for several years - did not receive the flax. "In my opinion the signature requirement was met by the thumbs-up emoji originating from Chris and his unique cell phone," Keene said. ($1 = 1.3272 Canadian dollars)Reporting by Ismail Shakil in Ottawa Editing by Marguerita ChoyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Chris Achter, Rosetta Stone, Achter, Judge T.J, Keene, Chris okayed, Chris, Ismail Shakil, Marguerita Choy Organizations: OTTAWA, Swift Current, Thomson Locations: Saskatchewan, Israel , New York State, Canada, Ottawa

☆ Farmer owes $82,000 in contract dispute over use of a ‘thumbs-up’ emoji, judge says
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( Jennifer Henderson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —A Canadian farmer owes $82,000 for breach of contract after using a “thumbs-up” emoji in a text. After phone calls with farmers Bob and Chris Achter, SWT drafted a contract for Chris Achter to sell SWT 86 metric tons of flax for $17 a bushel and deliver the flax in November. He said the only difference this time was Achter responded with a “thumbs-up” emoji instead of “ok”, “yup” or “looks good.”According to Achter in the court documents, he confirmed “the thumbs-up emoji simply confirmed that I received the Flax contract. It was not a confirmation that I agreed with the terms of the Flax Contract. In my opinion, when considering all of the circumstances that meant approval of the flax contract and not simply that he had received the contract and was going to think about it.

Persons: Bob, Chris Achter, SWT, ” Achter, Achter, emoji, Mikleborough, ”, jud, tim, abou Organizations: New, New York CNN, Saskatchewan, South West, Achter, pla Locations: New York

☆ Argentina's lithium pipeline promises 'white gold' boom as Chile tightens control
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Lucila Sigal | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Neighboring Chile, the region's top lithium producer, last week unveiled plans for a state-led public-private model, spooking investors. Bolivia has long maintained strict control over its huge though largely untapped resources, while Mexico nationalized its lithium deposits last year. The country has six lithium projects under construction and 15 in the advanced exploration or feasibility stage, Mignacco said. "Argentina's lithium sector has thrived through a decentralized, pro-market strategy," said Benjamin Gedan, director of the Latin America program at The Wilson Center, adding in contrast Bolivia's lithium sector had "repeatedly stalled as a result of excessive state control." "Chile today produces and exports much more lithium than Argentina," said Natacha Izquierdo, analyst at consultancy ABCEB.

☆ Copycatting lawsuits hit new media as TikTok creators, game designers and Instagrammers are sued
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-22 | by ( Alexandra Peers | Cnn Business | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

A series of hot-button lawsuits have linked all those unlikely creators and platforms in litigation that goes as high as the US Supreme Court. The litigation deals with issues of intellectual property, copyright infringement and fair use in a rapidly changing new-media landscape. She won, but not much: $3,750, because the court ruled that, though her copyright had been violated, her tattoos didn’t impact game profits. It was a huge hit on TikTok, in part because the duo invited feedback and participation, making it a crowd-sourced artwork. But when the creators took their show on the road and sold tickets, Netflix sued.

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