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☆ AI is going to eliminate way more jobs than anyone realizes
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Emil Skandul | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +16 min

We didn't see the internet coming, but AI is within viewThe adoption of groundbreaking technology is often hard to predict. The World Economic Forum estimated 83 million jobs worldwide would be lost over the next five years because of AI, with 69 million jobs created — that leaves 14 million jobs that will cease to exist during that timeframe. In the US, the knowledge-worker class is estimated to be nearly 100 million workers, one out of three Americans. The small and large compounding effects of productivity growth across many industries are central to the growth trajectory and the long-run effects of AI. This is an alarmingly trivial amount for an economy of $25 trillion GDP and over 150 million workers.

Persons: Goldman Sachs, Joseph Schumpeter, Bill Gates, David Letterman, Paul Krugman, Erik Brynjolfsson, —, Brynjolfsson, Robert Solow, Robert Gordon, provocatively, It's, Gordon, David Autor, Maria Flynn, Flynn, –, Georgia –, Emil Skandul, Tony Blair Organizations: McKinsey, Newsweek, Stanford University, Microsoft, Amazon, Cisco, Economic, International Labor Organization, Organization for Economic Co, Development, MIT, Congressional, Office, Department of Labor, Tony Blair Institute Locations: Washington, Singapore, New York, Georgia

☆ Shares of China's second largest chip foundry Hua Hong jump 13% in Shanghai debut
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( Sheila Chiang | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Shares of the chipmaker opened on the Nasdaq-style Star Market at 58.88 Chinese yuan, according to Refinitiv data. That's a 13.2% jump from its offer price of 52 Chinese yuan ($7.23). The Shanghai-listed shares have since pared gains and were trading lower at 53.99 Chinese yuan on Monday afternoon. Hua Hong's Shanghai debut raised 21.2 billion yuan ($2.95 billion) — in what was the largest IPO in mainland China so far this year, according to EY's global IPO report. SMIC raised 46.28 billion yuan ($6.62 billion) during its IPO in 2020.

Persons: Hua Hong, Hua Hong's, Chips, Hong, Phelix Lee, Lee, SMIC Organizations: Huahong Group, Huahong, Getty, Shanghai Stock Exchange's, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp, Nasdaq, Morningstar Asia, Hua Locations: Shanghai, China, Hua Hong's Shanghai, Hong Kong, Beijing

☆ China's Leapmotor unveils new manufacturing platform, wants others to use it
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SHANGHAI, July 31 (Reuters) - Chinese electric vehicle maker Zhejiang Leapmotor Technology (9863.HK) unveiled on Monday a new platform it developed in-house for making vehicles, which its chief executive said it wants to license to other automakers. The company hopes to sell the platform to other automakers via tech licensing agreements, he said. "We hope Leapmotor will not only be an EV brand but also a licensor of core technologies," Zhu said. Leapmotor, which employs more than 2,000 engineers, sold 44,500 units in the first half, 14% fewer than a year ago. ($1 = 7.1512 Chinese yuan renminbi)Reporting by Zhang Yan and Brenda Goh; Editing by Jacqueline Wong, Robert Birsel and Tomasz JanowskiOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Zhu Jiangming, Leapmotor, Zhu, Tesla, Zhang Yan, Brenda Goh, Jacqueline Wong, Robert Birsel, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: Zhejiang Leapmotor Technology, HK, Companies, Shanghai Electric Group Corp, Sequoia Capital, Volkswagen, Thomson Locations: SHANGHAI, Zhejiang, Shanghai, Sequoia Capital China

☆ China to increase support for private firms to bolster recovery
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( Ella Cao And Kevin Yao | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Summary Party, cabinet issue policies to support private sectorTo protect private property rights, ensure fair competitionTo create "traffic light" regime for private investorsTo support eligible firms to list and refinanceBEIJING, July 19 (Reuters) - China on Wednesday pledged to make the private economy "bigger, better and stronger" with a series of policy measures designed to help private business and bolster the flagging post-pandemic recovery. The measures include protection for the property rights of private firms and entrepreneurs and steps to ensure fair market competition by breaking down market-entry barriers. They will also create a "traffic light" system to make clear the areas in which private investors are able to invest, as well as encouraging some private companies to issue technology innovation bonds. Private companies will be encouraged to increase investment in areas such as power generation and storage, and the industrial internet. China is also encouraging private enterprises to increase investment in research and development and participate in investment and construction of new types of infrastructure.

Persons: Ella Cao, Kevin Yao, Bernard Orr, Andrew Heavens, Jane Merriman, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Xinhua, Communist Party, Authorities, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, China, Xinhua

☆ SPECIAL REPORT-Inside the subsea cable firm secretly helping America take on China
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( Joe Brock | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +23 min

Reuters is revealing details of the Diego Garcia project and SubCom’s deepening ties with the Pentagon. SubCom’s loyalty is especially important because it is the only major U.S. subsea cable company. Rather, they carefully obscured the U.S. military component within a larger private-sector cable project, according to four subsea cable industry sources with knowledge of the arrangement. That project, known as the Oman Australia Cable, was spearheaded by SUBCO, a Brisbane-based subsea cable investment company owned by Australian entrepreneur Bevan Slattery. Once the Navy project was complete, AT&T’s submarine cable project morphed into a commercial business, the former employees said.

Persons: Diego Garcia, SubCom, Cerberus, Stephen Feinberg, Donald Trump, Feinberg, Joe Biden, Biden, Eckhard Bruckschen, They’ve, ” Bruckschen, Trump, Brad Smith, –, Mao Ning, ”, Jacob Helberg, Bevan Slattery, SUBCO’s, Richard Payne, Payne, “ We’re, ” Payne, Alex Kerska, Catherine Creese, Creese, David Coughlan, Coughlan, Slattery, SubCom’s Coughlan, Rich, Australia West Express –, John Mariano, Anthony Albanese, Albanese, Caesar, Kellee Wicker, ” Wicker Organizations: CS, SubCom, Google, Microsoft, Meta, ., U.S, Navy, Cerberus Capital Management, U.S . Navy, President’s Intelligence, Board, U.S . Navy’s Pacific Fleet, U.S . Pacific Fleet, U.S ., Pentagon, America Inc, Cable Consultancy, Reuters, Japan’s NEC Corporation, France’s Alcatel Submarine Networks, China’s HMN, U.S . Department of Defense, White, U.S . Department of Justice, Foreign, Oracle, China Economic, Security, Commission, U.S . Department of Transportation, Department of Defense, government’s, Cable Security Fleet, Oman Australia Cable, SUBCO, The, The U.S . Pacific Fleet, SUBCO’s Oman Australia Cable, Facebook, Defense, Intelligence, SubCom’s, London Stock Exchange Group, U.S . Coast Guard, Naval, Cable, Office, Tyco Telecommunications, Australian, Financial, Australia West Express, GoTo Networks, couldn’t, Netflix, AT, Tyco International, Tyco, New, Washington, Science, Technology, Wilson, “ Cables Locations: Diego, Indian, China, New Jersey, United States, U.S, Soviet, Washington, New York, Philippine, South China, Beijing, America, American, Hong Kong, Switzerland, Eatontown , New Jersey, British, Britain, Australian, Australia, Oman, Brisbane, Southeast Asia, The U.S, SUBCO’s Oman, Perth, SubCom, Guam, U.S . Pacific, Republic of Djibouti, of Africa, Djibouti, Sri Lanka, Scotland, Newfoundland

☆ Inside the subsea cable firm secretly helping American take on China
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +24 min

Persons: Diego Garcia, SubCom, Cerberus, Stephen Feinberg, Donald Trump, Feinberg, Joe Biden, Biden, Eckhard Bruckschen, They’ve, ” Bruckschen, Trump, Brad Smith, –, Mao Ning, ”, Jacob Helberg, Bevan Slattery, SUBCO’s, Richard Payne, Payne, “ We're, ” Payne, Alex Kerska, Catherine Creese, Creese, David Coughlan, Coughlan, Slattery, SubCom’s Coughlan, Rich, Australia West Express –, John Mariano, Anthony Albanese, Albanese, Caesar, Kellee Wicker, ” Wicker, Joe Brock, Mohammad Kawoosa, Edgar Su, Catherine Tai Design, Eve Watling, Marla Dickerson Organizations: CS, SubCom, Google, Microsoft, Meta, ., U.S, Navy, Cerberus Capital Management, U.S . Navy, President’s Intelligence, Board, U.S . Navy’s Pacific Fleet, U.S . Pacific Fleet, U.S ., Pentagon, America Inc, Cable Consultancy, Reuters, Japan’s NEC Corporation, France’s Alcatel Submarine Networks, China’s HMN, U.S . Department of Defense, White, U.S . Department of Justice, Foreign, Oracle, China Economic, Security, Commission, U.S . Department of Transportation, Department of Defense, government’s, Cable Security Fleet, Oman Australia Cable, SUBCO, The, The U.S . Pacific Fleet, SUBCO’s Oman Australia Cable, Facebook, Defense, Intelligence, SubCom’s, London Stock Exchange Group, U.S . Coast Guard, Naval, Cable, Office, Tyco Telecommunications, Australian, Financial, Australia West Express, GoTo Networks, couldn’t, Netflix, AT, Tyco International, Tyco, New, Washington, Science, Technology, Wilson, “ Cables Locations: Diego, Indian, China, New Jersey, United States, U.S, Soviet, Washington, New York, Philippine, South China, Beijing, America, American, Hong Kong, Switzerland, Eatontown , New Jersey, British, Britain, Australian, Australia, Oman, Brisbane, Southeast Asia, The U.S, SUBCO’s Oman, Perth, SubCom, Guam, U.S . Pacific, Republic of Djibouti, of Africa, Djibouti, Sri Lanka, Scotland, Newfoundland

☆ Inside Ukraine's tech push to counter Russian 'suicide' drone threat
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-05 | by ( Tom Balmforth | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

One man arrived in shorts and a baseball cap with a large drone under his arm. Another participant, Yuriy, an engineer and deputy head of a Ukrainian company, said his team presented designs for new anti-drone electronic warfare systems that would be more effective against Shaheds. "This really is an unprecedented war of drones," Fedorov said, adding that Ukraine's military technology innovation had boomed since Russia's invasion. Anatoliy Khrapchynskyi, who works for a firm developing electronic warfare technology, contrasted Ukraine's approach to technological innovation with Russia's. "There were seven companies that could sell drones to the state when we began this project last year.

Persons: Yuriy Motov, Alina Smutko, Mykhailo Fedorov, Oleksandr Kubrakov, Fedorov, Oleksandr, Yuriy, Yurii, Shchyhol, Anatoliy Khrapchynskyi, ", " Fedorov, Tom Balmforth, Mike Collett, White, Gareth Jones Organizations: REUTERS, Russian, Reuters, Shaheds, Army, Defence Ministry, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Russia, KYIV, Kyiv, Ukrainian, Yemen, Syria, Nagorno, Karabakh, China

☆ Their parents made China the world's factory. Can the kids save the family business?
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-19 | by ( David Kirton | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +9 min

Du, like tens of thousands of other young Chinese factory bosses, is inheriting a basic manufacturing business that can no longer rely on the labour-intensive model that made China the world's largest exporter of goods. Those skills would come in handy in a factory the Chinese state set up in 1951 and privatised in 2002. Like five of the other chang er dai who spoke to Reuters, Zhang never planned to take over the factory. Chang er dai, however, help lift the bottom, which is also important for preserving China's share of world manufacturing, two industry experts told Reuters. Not all chang er dai will get there.

Persons: Steven Du, Du, Zhang Zhipeng, Mao Zedong's, Du said, Zhang, Zhang Zeqing, Chang, Zhou Yuxiang, Tian Weihua, Tian, Zhang Ying, David Kirton, Marius Zaharia, David Crawshaw Organizations: Shenzhen Research Institute of High, Reuters, Apple, Agricultural Products, Lake Technologies, Science, Technology Innovation Research Institute, University of Arts, Workers, Thomson Locations: RUICHANG, China, Shanghai, Southeast Asia, India, New Zealand, United States, TW, Wisconsin, Ruichang, France, London, Ningbo

☆ Analysis-In China's lithium hub, mining boom comes at a cost
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( Siyi Liu | Dominique Patton | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

FILE PHOTO: A vehicle is seen near a lithium smelter in Yichun, Jiangxi province, China March 30, 2023. It has supported mine development by taking stakes in mining companies to help battery materials makers that do not have mines overseas like those owned by China’s top lithium producers Ganfeng Lithium and Tianqi Lithium. Separating lithium from lepidolite can cost as much as 100,000 yuan per metric ton, compared to 40,000-50,000 yuan for brine and 50,000-60,000 yuan for spodumene, analysts said. ‘NATURAL RESOURCES CHAOS’Further dimming the outlook for lepidolite, environmental damage is a growing concern. UBS analysts see China’s supply of lithium from lepidolite tripling to 280,000 metric tons, or 13% of global supply, between 2022 and 2025, well short of Yichun’s target.

Persons: ”, Yang Yaohua, Yang, Wu Wei, Eric Norris, ” Norris, Yongxing, Yichun, Ma Jun, ” Ma, Vicky Zhao, Li Qi Organizations: REUTERS, Staff, Australia, Guosen, Macquarie, Gotion High Tech, CRU, Xiamen University, Energy, lepidolite, Reuters, Materials Technology, Institute of Public & Environmental Affairs, UBS, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence Locations: YICHUN, China, Yichun, Jiangxi province, lepidolite, Beijing, Sichuan, Qinghai, Tibet, Shanghai, Jin, U.S, Jiangxi

It has supported mine development by taking stakes in mining companies to help battery materials makers that do not have mines overseas like those owned by China's top lithium producers Ganfeng Lithium (002460.SZ), (002460.SZ) and Tianqi Lithium (002466.SZ). Separating lithium from lepidolite can cost as much as 100,000 yuan per metric ton, compared to 40,000-50,000 yuan for brine and 50,000-60,000 yuan for spodumene, analysts said. 'NATURAL RESOURCES CHAOS'Further dimming the outlook for lepidolite, environmental damage is a growing concern. As it gets stricter now, lithium resources in Yichun will lose their competitiveness with the higher costs for environmental protection," Ma said. UBS analysts see China's supply of lithium from lepidolite tripling to 280,000 metric tons, or 13% of global supply, between 2022 and 2025, well short of Yichun's target.

Persons: YICHUN, Yang Yaohua, Yang, Wu Wei, Eric Norris, Norris, Yongxing, Yichun, Ma Jun, Ma, Vicky Zhao, Li Qi, Siyi Liu, Dominique Patton, Ernest Scheyder, Tony Munroe, Sonali Paul Organizations: Australia, Guosen, Macquarie, Gotion High Tech, CRU, Xiamen University, Energy, Corp, Reuters, Materials Technology, Institute of Public & Environmental Affairs, UBS, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, Beijing Newsroom, Thomson Locations: China, Yichun, lepidolite, Beijing, Sichuan, Qinghai, Tibet, Shanghai, Jin, U.S, Jiangxi, Houston

☆ C919: Why China's answer to Boeing and Airbus isn't as 'homegrown' as it seems
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( Michelle Toh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Hong Kong CNN —China is claiming a historic win this week after its answer to Boeing and Airbus, the C919, took to the skies for its first commercial flight. But instead of boosting China’s global stature in technology innovation, experts say the C919 is a symbol of its continued reliance on the West. COMAC’s first commercial plane, by comparison, is a much smaller regional jet called the ARJ21, which can only fly up to 3,700 kilometers (2,300 miles) and accommodate up to 97 passengers. Technicians working on a COMAC C919 aircraft under assembly at the COMAC Shanghai Research and Development Center in 2017. Boeing and Airbus also depend on “high-quality global suppliers,” state-run newspaper China Daily said in an editorial Wednesday.

Persons: ”, Scott Kennedy, Scott, Shukor Yusof, it’s, Kennedy, “, Qilai Shen, Yusof, VCG, Parker, Rockwell Collins, America’s, COMAC, COMAC hasn’t, there’s, ” Yusof Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Boeing, Airbus, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Endau, CNN, China Eastern Airlines, Shanghai Research, Development Center, Bloomberg, China, Global Times, GE, CFM, China Daily, America’s Boeing, US, TransNusa, “ Airlines Locations: Hong Kong, China, Beijing, North America, Europe, Washington, Shanghai, Russia, Ukraine, Russian, Asia, United States, European, Malaysia, Indonesia

☆ Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff says he's neighbors with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and the pair chatted about AI over dinner together
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff says he's neighbors with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and speaks to him regularly. Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff says that he's neighbors with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and that the pair spoke about artificial intelligence over dinner together. "My neighbor, Sam Altman, is the CEO of OpenAI," Benioff told investors at the company's earnings call Wednesday. "But I did notice that there was only one application that he was using on his laptop, and that was Slack," Benioff told investors. Speaking about the creation of Slack GPT, Benioff told investors: "You may never need to leave Slack to get a question answered."

Persons: Marc Benioff, Sam Altman, Altman, Benioff, Slack, OpenAI, Elon Musk, Salesforce, Slack GPT, we've Organizations: Elon Locations: OpenAI, San Francisco

☆ Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff says he dreams of the day when AI means the company's messaging system will 'wake up and become intelligent itself'
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Generative AI will have "revolutionary" impacts, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff told investors. Slack is almost going to like wake up and become intelligent itself," Benioff told CNBC. "We are about to enter an unbelievable super cycle for tech, and everyone can see that," Benioff told investors. "You may never need to leave Slack to get a question answered," Benioff told investors. Generative AI can help users by saving time with routine tasks, gathering and summarizing research, and conveying information concisely.

Persons: Marc Benioff, . Slack, Benioff, Salesforce, Slack, they've, Gucci, we've Organizations: CNBC, Morning, Gucci Locations: Slack

☆ Salesforce delivers a quarterly beat and raise, showing Benioff can deliver on profitability
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-31 | by ( Jeff Marks | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

The small beat and raise are prompting some profit-taking, resulting in shares falling roughly 6% after hours Wednesday, to around $210 apiece. The best way to offset sluggish revenue growth is by driving profitability higher and Salesforce stepped up to the task. Quarterly Commentary We are pleased to see Salesforce beat across so many key metrics, despite the challenging macroeconomic environment. Although the company left its revenue prediction unchanged, at $34.5 billion to $34.7 billion, the company expects its profitability will come in better than previously anticipated. Marc Benioff, co-founder and CEO of Salesforce, speaks at an Economic Club of Washington luncheon in Washington, DC, on Oct. 18, 2019.

Persons: Refinitiv ., Salesforce, Marc Benioff, Einstein, Slack, Jim Cramer's, Jim Cramer, Jim, Nicholas Kamm Organizations: Salesforce, CNBC, Economic, Washington, AFP, Getty Locations: Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia, Washington ,

loadingWhile major social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube have made efforts to prohibit and remove deepfakes, their effectiveness at policing such content varies. In total, about 500,000 video and voice deepfakes will be shared on social media sites globally in 2023, DeepMedia estimates. Jon Smith, Republican chair for Michigan's 5th Congressional district, is holding several educational meetings so his allies can learn to use AI for social media and ad generation. Political consultancies are also seeking to harness AI, further muddying the line between real and unreal. Democratic polling and strategy group Honan Strategy Group is meanwhile trying to develop an AI survey bot.

☆ 7. Anduril Industries
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Cnbc.Com Staff | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Anduril Industries operates in an increasingly complex security environment, where science and technology innovation are needed for the U.S. military to keep an edge. Throughout 2022, defense technology specialist Anduril Industries supplied drones, artificial intelligence software and training to help the Ukrainian Armed Forces conduct surveillance and reconnaissance missions. With a recent round of venture financing directed toward cutting-edge autonomous militaristic products, Anduril Industries stands to help fill this gap and scale it up. Building on that acquisition, last year Anduril Industries partnered with the U.S. Special Operations Command on a 10-year, $967 million contract to provide systems for shooting down drones. Anduril also bought startup Dive Technologies, a maker of underwater vehicles, to expand its suite of autonomous vehicles.

☆ Geely's EV brand Zeekr jumps on the 'gigapress' bandwagon
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Norihiko Shirouzu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

REUTERS/Aly Song/File PhotoApril 27 (Reuters) - Geely's EV brand Zeekr is the latest to join a growing list of automakers that have turned to the "gigapress" die casting technique pioneered by Tesla to slash the cost of electric cars. "In the future, Zeekr will use giga-casting technology on more models," Jiang said. Metal and plastic die casting has long been used in manufacturing, but its application to large aluminium underbodies in carmaking is relatively new. The front and rear sections are then connected with large under-floor battery packs to form a three-piece EV chassis. 'MEGA-CASTING'Other automakers turning to large die casting include General Motors (GM.N), which is using the technology to help design its Cadillac Celestiq electric saloon.

☆ Microsoft's $68.7 billion Activision takeover blocked by UK competition regulator
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Hasan Chowdhury | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Microsoft's $68.7 billion takeover of Activision has been blocked by UK regulators. The UK's CMA blocked the deal on Wednesday over concerns antitrust concerns. Microsoft's $68.7 billion takeover of "Call of Duty" developer Activision has been blocked by the UK's competition regulator, marking a devastating blow to the blockbuster deal. According to the CMA, Microsoft already accounts for around 60-70% of global cloud gaming services through its Xbox platform and Azure. Microsoft and Activision did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

☆ Fifty-three million tons of electronics become junk every year. Here's how one company is tackling the problem.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Sponsor Post | Created Insider Studios With Dell Technologies | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Dell is stepping up to tackle this problem, committing to a circular business model. By 2030, Dell will ensure that 100% of its packaging will be either reused or made from recycled or renewable material. Additionally, more than half of its product content will also be made from recycled, renewable, or reduced carbon emissions material. Already, there are almost 400 million pounds of sustainable materials in Dell's products and packaging and 55% of its electricity comes from renewable sources. "Our emphasis on environmental, social, and governance measures ensures that while we accomplished our business goals, we also delivered positive results for all of our stakeholders," he said.

☆ A 1960s-era cannon is 'kicking ass' against Russia's drones, but the country that makes ammo for it won't send more to Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Benjamin Brimelow | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

But Switzerland, where Gepard ammo is made, is not allowing more of that ammo to be sent to Ukraine. The Gepard SPAAGA German Gepard anti-aircraft tank during an exercise near Munster in June 2007. German defense company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann built 570 Gepards between 1963 and 1980 — 420 for the German Bundeswehr, 95 for the Dutch army, and 55 for the Belgian army. Kay Nietfeld/picture alliance via Getty ImagesAfter being criticized for its reluctance to send heavy weaponry to Ukraine, the German government promised some 50 Gepards to Ukraine in April 2022. In February, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced that German firm Rheinmetall would restart ammo production for the Gepard.

☆ Global Executives Say Greenwashing Remains Rife
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Rochelle Toplensky | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +4 min

Most global executives think greenwashing is widespread in their industry, and despite customers becoming more vocal about preferring sustainable brands, many companies are cutting corners on their environmental, social and corporate governance initiatives. PREVIEWThe risk of greenwashing is increasing with crackdowns on overstated green claims on both sides of the Atlantic. Despite that threat, the figures are consistent with last year’s findings: Nearly 60% say their own organization is overstating its sustainability methods. Nearly three-quarters of executives said they want to advance sustainability efforts but don’t actually know how to go about doing it. Most executives surveyed—85%—said customers and clients are becoming more vocal about their preference for engaging with sustainable brands.

☆ From black to green: How an oil-and-gas company pivoted to embrace wind energy — and is now raking in billions
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Freya Graham | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Like Sykes, it made a transition from black to green — and in doing so, it demonstrated it's possible for big energy companies to pivot to clean energy. To limit the influence of climate change, those emissions need to rapidly decrease — which means that big energy companies need to change their operations. A 2022 study found that 51% of the world's biggest publicly listed energy companies had not set out a strategy to reduce their emissions. Shell, for example, says it has about 50 gigawatts of renewable energy in operation, under construction, or in development. "If we could do the energy transition without them, I wouldn't be doing this," van Baal added.

WASHINGTON, April 10 (Reuters) - A federal judge's decision last week to suspend the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) approval of abortion pill mifepristone could severely weaken the agency if allowed to stand, health policy and legal experts said. The FDA approved mifepristone, part of a two-drug regimen that accounts for more than half of U.S. abortions, over 20 years ago. Banning its sale calls into question the FDA's power to regulate all drugs nationwide, the experts said. The challenge was brought by a coalition of anti-abortion groups and doctors seeking withdrawal of the FDA's mifepristone approval before Kacsmaryk, who is himself a conservative former Christian activist. Plaintiffs are arguing that the FDA in its 2000 approval did not adequately consider the drug's safety when used by girls under age 18 to terminate a pregnancy.

☆ After growing GM corn for decades, some US farmers open to Mexican restrictions
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( Tom Polansek | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

"I'm all for free and fair trade," said Fred Huddlestun, who grows GM corn and soybeans in Yale, Illinois. Supporters of the policy say GM corn can contaminate Mexico's age-old native varieties and have questioned its impact on human health. NCGA said GM corn is safe and it will fight all illegal trade barriers for farmers. But many would consider growing more non-GM corn, if the price were right. "You need to make it worth my while," said Illinois farmer Dave Kestel, who grows GM corn and sells seed for Corteva.

☆ Florida Sugar Grower’s Digital Plans Crystallize
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( Isabelle Bousquette | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Florida Crystals, one of the largest growers of sugar cane in the U.S., farms 130,000 acres in Florida every season. For years, billions of dollars in technology innovation have flooded the agriculture sector, promising cutting-edge data collection and analysis around the farming process. Some farms are only now starting to figure out how to put that data to work. Florida Crystals, one of the largest growers of sugar cane in the U.S., is one of them. The privately held company farms 130,000 acres in Florida every season, and for decades it has used Excel spreadsheets or physical paper to map out when and where it would plant, tend and harvest, relying on subjective and experiential knowledge, CIO Kevin Grayling said.

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