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☆ I drove the $62,000 Kia EV6 GT — a genius electric SUV with supercar speed. Here are 8 things it taught me.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Alanis King | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

I heard a lot of great things about the Kia EV6 GT before driving one myself. The Kia EV6 GT is geniusThe EV6 is Kia's new electric crossover, and it starts at $48,700. The 2023 Kia EV6 GT. The 2023 Kia EV6 GT. The 2023 Kia EV6 GT.

☆ China’s Tightening Grip on Foreign Firms Risks Hitting Investment
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Jason Douglas | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Foreign investment in China will likely remain concentrated among a few big companies willing to maintain or expand their existing operations there. Photo: ROMAN PILIPEY/EPA-EFE/ShutterstockSINGAPORE—China’s moves to put pressure on foreign companies risk squeezing the flow of overseas capital its economy needs, as signs point to the country’s appeal waning as a destination for all but the largest global companies. By one measure, foreign direct investment into China dropped by almost half last year from a year earlier, hitting the lowest level in five years as Covid-19 lockdowns mauled its economy, while other gauges suggest the world’s second-largest economy is struggling to attract corporate newcomers.

☆ European Economies Are Finding New Ways to Pay for War on Their Doorstep
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( David Luhnow | Sandra Kilhof | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Danish lawmakers have canceled a 300-year-old religious public holiday to recoup the additional tax revenue. Photo: epa-efe/ShutterstockCOPENHAGEN—Denmark, a founding member of NATO, has no artillery, submarines or air-defense system. The small Nordic nation didn’t think it needed them because a ground war in Europe seemed far-fetched—until Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The conflict in its neighborhood has set it and similar European nations scrambling to plug gaps in their armory. Denmark, one of the richest nations per capita in the Western world, has pledged to boost military spending from about 1.4% of gross domestic product to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s target of 2% by 2030.

☆ Why you should think twice before splurging on all-wheel drive in your new electric car
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

AWD EVs have an extra motor, which consumes more energy and decreases range. Two extra drive wheels help increase traction and mean an AWD EV will be more capable and confident in snow and other slippery conditions. Thanks to that boost in horsepower and torque, AWD EVs tend to accelerate much quicker than ones with front- or rear-wheel drive. Ford rates the entry-level Mustang Mach-E at 250 miles for RWD models and 226 miles for AWD ones. AWD gas vehicles are also less fuel efficient than their 2WD counterparts, but it isn't a big deal beyond the added emissions and gas costs.

REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File PhotoNEW YORK, May 1 (Reuters) - The U.S. government could delay a decision on giving electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers tradable credits under a renewable fuel scheme, due to concern about legal challenges to the plan, two sources familiar with the matter said. Most credits generated under the RFS are for blending liquid fuels such as ethanol made from corn into gasoline. Adding credits for power generated from renewable gas and then used for charging EVs would take the program in a new direction. The EPA initially proposed adding EVs to the program when it outlined the mandates for blending biofuels for 2023-2025. The delay in finalizing the EV credit program may mean more volume is available for other renewable fuel pools under the 2023-2025 mandate, including blending for renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last year recommended adding EVs to the U.S. Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), which incentivizes oil refiners to blend biofuels. The EPA under the Biden administration is now testing the legal limits of the liquid fuel program by extending it to EVs. The EPA has proposed granting EV manufacturers tradable credits based on the amount of renewable electricity that makes it on the grid. Renewable gas producers and EV manufacturers like Tesla have been jockeying to gain the most benefits from the new credits. The November proposal foresaw EV manufacturers could generate as many as 600 million credits in 2024 and 1.2 billion of them by 2025.

☆ Jon Rahm sets new PGA Tour earnings record with four months still to play
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Jack Bantock | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —It’s been quite the year for Jon Rahm – and he’s got the prize money to prove it. A runner-up finish at the Mexico Open on Sunday took the Spaniard’s PGA Tour season earnings to $14,462,840, setting a new Tour record for money earned in a single season. With $49,486,883 in total earnings since joining the PGA Tour in 2016, Rahm looks set to pass the $50 million mark imminently upon his return. The American had finished joint-second, one shot shy, of Rahm at last year’s event, but improved his total by eight shots to end on 24-under and clinch his sixth PGA Tour title. Orlando Ramirez/Getty ImagesGiven his form, Rahm looks well-placed to add to his two majors and 11 PGA Tour titles this year, but the 28-year-old is keeping his feet firmly on the ground.

☆ For only the second time in its history, the US Navy is beginning the slow, tricky process of taking apart a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

In April, the Navy published a notice announcing the beginning of planning to scrap the USS Nimitz. But Nimitz will be only the second nuclear-powered carrier to go through deactivation and defueling. The Nimitz would only be the second American nuclear-powered carrier scheduled to be scrapped. The first is the USS Enterprise, which was commissioned in 1961 and was also the world's first nuclear-powered carrier. The private shipyard will probably be in Alabama, Texas, or Virginia, according to a draft environmental impact statement posted on a special Navy carrier disposal website.

☆ Coinbase, crypto industry hope new Supreme Court doctrine is silver bullet
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Alison Frankel | Thomson Reuters | Alison Frankel Has Covered High-Stakes Commercial Litigation As A Columnist For Reuters Since A Dartmouth College Graduate | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

But the agency will have to provide a more detailed response if Ripple, Coinbase or crypto groups that have filed friend-of-the-court briefs pushing major questions doctrine arguments manage to pique a judge’s interest. Former Coinbase manager Ishan Wahi expanded on the major questions theory last February in his motion to dismiss the SEC’s insider trading case. Under the major questions doctrine, they said, the SEC does not have the requisite Congressional authority to regulate digital assets. Coinbase’s contention in that paper, released last Thursday, is all-encompassing: The major questions doctrine, according to Coinbase counsel at Sullivan & Cromwell, “forecloses” regulation of the trillion-dollar crypto industry. But if the SEC moves ahead with a case against Coinbase, the major questions doctrine could turn out to be, well, a major question.

☆ World's longest bridge could transform Sicily. But not if the Mafia and earthquakes get in the way
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-30 | by ( Barbie Latza Nadeau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Since then, various plans, including a short-lived idea for a tunnel, have come and gone – like water under the bridge. If built, the bridge across the Straits of Messina would span two miles (3.2 kilometers) and would be the longest suspension bridge in the world. When Salvini became transport minister, he made it his priority, betting his legacy on the bridge. “The bridge over the Strait of Messina is a project that can break ground immediately. The recent arrest of Cosa Nostra boss Matteo Messina Denaro after 30 years on the lam in Sicily represented a victory.

☆ Why I'd buy the Tesla Model Y over Toyota's newest EV after driving both electric SUVs
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-29 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

It's so-so range and slow charging speeds can't compete with the popular Tesla Model Y. The Tesla has better rangeThe Tesla Model Y. Tim Levin/InsiderWhen it comes to range for your dollar, Tesla has Toyota beat. The Model Y Long Range earns a rating of 330 miles, while the base model gets 279. The Tesla wins out on cargo spaceThe Tesla Model Y. Tim Levin/InsiderOne of the Model Y's strengths is interior space. The Tesla Model Y. Tim Levin/InsiderThe quick Model Y is more exciting to drive, but its stiff suspension sometimes makes for a bumpy ride.

☆ Louisiana's carbon well permitting application heads to Federal Register
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Liz Hampton | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

April 28 (Reuters) - Louisiana's application to obtain enforcement authority over carbon capture wells has gone to the Federal Register for public comment, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said on Friday, a key step in receiving "so-called" primacy and speeding up the permitting process. The EPA currently manages permitting for most Class VI wells across the United States, which are used to store carbon dioxide. Carbon capture and sequestration is viewed by many as a critical technology in helping reduce emissions and slow global warming. States that have received primacy over Class VI wells - so far just North Dakota and Wyoming - have been able to cut the permitting process to months from years. Several major oil and gas companies, including Talos Energy (TALO.N) and Occidental Petroleum (OXY.N), have carbon capture and sequestration projects planned for Louisiana.

☆ Dianne Feinstein's ongoing absence allowed Senate Republicans and Joe Manchin to overturn a Biden rule reducing pollution from large trucks
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Eliza Relman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Senate Republicans and Sen. Joe Manchin voted to roll back an EPA regulation on truck pollution. Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna argued it wouldn't have passed had Sen. Dianne Feinstein been present. Senate Republicans and Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin took advantage of Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein's ongoing medical leave to roll back a significant environmental regulation on Wednesday. Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna argued in a tweet on Thursday that Feinstein's prolonged absence from the Senate has repeatedly blocked Democrats' ability to succeed in crucial votes, including the EPA rule vote. Supporters of the EPA rule say it's a reasonable and cost-efficient change that's well-worth the lives it's expected to improve and save.

☆ Merck Keeps Striking Out on Expanding Its Cancer-Drug Juggernaut
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Jared S. Hopkins | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Merck says it has been doing deals and developing new drugs to reduce its dependence on Keytruda for sales. Photo: David Crosling/EPA-EFE/ShutterstockThe gold rush from pioneering cancer immunotherapy Keytruda is about to run out for Merck & Co.Keytruda, one of the world’s top-selling drugs, powered its maker for the past decade. The therapy’s annual sales neared $21 billion last year, about a third of Merck’s revenue. Yet a drop in sales looms after Keytruda’s main patent expires in 2028.

☆ House Debt Ceiling Bill Cuts Deficits by $4.8 Trillion Over 10 Years, CBO Says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( David Harrison | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Speaker Kevin McCarthy unveiled a debt-ceiling bill last week. Photo: will oliver/EPA/ShutterstockWASHINGTON—House Republicans’ debt-ceiling bill would cut government deficits by $4.8 trillion over 10 years, according to Congress’s nonpartisan scorekeeper, as party leaders moved to gather enough support for a vote this week. The bill is designed to unify Republicans around a position as they prepare for expected talks with the White House and congressional Democrats over spending cuts, ahead of a projected summer deadline to raise the country’s borrowing limit. Unless Congress raises the ceiling, the U.S. could default on payments to borrowers and other obligations.

☆ U.S. Senate votes to overturn heavy duty truck emissions rules
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Rebecca CookWASHINGTON, April 26 (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate voted 50-49 to overturn Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rules that aim to drastically cut smog- and soot-forming emissions from heavy-duty trucks but the White House said President Joe Biden would veto the measure. The White House said the rule "cuts pollution, boosts public health, and advances environmental justice." The new standards, the first update to clean air standards for heavy duty trucks in more than two decades, are 80% more stringent than current standards. The new EPA rules target heavy-duty truck and engine manufacturers by tightening yearly emissions limits and changing key provisions of existing rules to ensure emissions reductions in long-term road use. The rule would reduce smog-forming nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions by as much as 48% by 2045, he added.

☆ Exclusive: Tesla readies export of Model Y to Canada from China
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The Model Y is the electric vehicle (EV) maker's best-selling model globally. Tesla's website showed that customers in Canada could take delivery of the new version of the Model Y between May and July. Tesla Shanghai began production of the Canada-bound version of Model Y earlier this month, the person with knowledge of the development said. The introduction of the cheaper Model Y for Canada qualified both it and Tesla's C$69,900 long-range Model Y for the incentive as of Friday, Transport Canada said on its website. Tesla’s Shanghai plant uses lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) batteries for the Model Y version produced there for sale in China and for export to Europe and other markets.

☆ Dr. Fauci Looks Back: ‘Something Clearly Went Wrong’
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( David Wallace-Wells | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +55 min

Dr. Fauci Looks Back: ‘Something Clearly Went Wrong’ In his most extensive interview yet, Anthony Fauci wrestles with the hard lessons of the pandemic — and the decisions that will define his legacy. But when people say, “Fauci shut down the economy” — it wasn’t Fauci. But somehow or other, the general public didn’t get that feeling that the vulnerable are really, really heavily weighted toward the elderly. We also had a public-health system that we thought was really, really good. But it was really, really antiquated.

☆ SpaceX Starship explosion spread particulate matter for miles
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Lora Kolodny | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Of primary concern is the large amount of sand- and ash-like particulate matter and heavier debris kicked up by the launch. Images captured during the test flight show that the SpaceX launch pad also exploded, with concrete chunks from it flying in multiple directions leaving behind a giant crater underneath. That would translate to a one-square-mile debris field, with debris emanating about three-quarters of a mile away from the site, he said, referencing SpaceX environmental site assessment documents that are public record. Health concernsThe impacts of particulate emissions from the SpaceX launch won't be understood until samples are evaluated and the debris field measured comprehensively. Margolis and Cortez both noted that roads had been damaged, with gates and cordons closed immediately following the SpaceX Starship test flight.

☆ 17 electric cars with the longest range money can buy
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

Here they are, ranked in order of lowest to highest range. The Lucid Air Sapphire. Lucid MotorsThis list excludes any 2023 vehicles that don't have public EPA results yet, and some that are classified as too big for regular EPA testing, like the GMC Hummer EV pickup and SUV. We'll update this post as new results come out.

☆ Car Dealer Markups Helped Drive Inflation, Study Finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-23 | by ( Ben Eisen | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

During the height of the pandemic, the supply-demand imbalance for new vehicles meant dealerships could suddenly charge more for each one. Photo: etienne laurent/EPA/ShutterstockMarkups on new cars were a key force behind the current bout of inflation, according to new research published this month. Those extra dealer profits contributed between 0.3 and 0.7 percentage point of the nearly 16% rise in the consumer-price index between the end of 2019 and the end of 2022, a study published in a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics journal found.

Most new gas plants currently do not pay for emitting carbon, so the rules could make it harder for them to compete with solar and wind power. Second, the Inflation Reduction Act created tax credits making carbon capture and hydrogen more affordable and affirmed EPA's authority to regulate power plants. Existing technology can capture and store approximately 90% of carbon emissions, Lynch said. The EIA projected that this year, 54% of new generation (21GW) will be solar and 14% will be natural gas (7.5GW). Southern, which also runs the National Carbon Capture Center with the Department of Energy, said commercial deployment of carbon capture technology "is many years away" despite the cost-reduction potential of the Inflation Reduction Act.

☆ EPA Planning New Rules to Slash Emissions From Power Plants
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-23 | by ( Eric Niiler | Andrew Restuccia | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Emissions from both new and existing natural-gas plants would be regulated under the new rules. Photo: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg NewsThe Environmental Protection Agency is preparing to issue new rules that would slash the amount of planet-warming greenhouse gases produced by U.S. power plants in the coming decades, according to people familiar with the matter. For the first time, emissions from both new and existing natural-gas plants, as well as existing coal-fired plants, would be regulated, the people said. Electric utilities would have various options for meeting the tougher standards by installing new carbon-capture systems or switching to cleaner fuels such as hydrogen, according to the people.

☆ How the U.S. Clean Air Act lets closed coal plants keep polluting for years
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( Tim Mclaughlin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +10 min

Under the federal program, states distribute a certain number of allowances to power plants annually. Reuters found dozens of other examples of coal plants using credits from closed facilities to help comply with pollution rules over the past five years. During the 2021 ozone season, New Madrid’s pollution was five times higher than average among coal plants participating in the NOx-reduction program, EPA data show. RED-STATE PROTESTSUtilities and lawmakers in Republican-controlled states have pushed hard against curbs on coal pollution, including the EPA’s latest NOx-reduction regulations. But even at that price, NOx allowances will find buyers among coal plants, including those that operate at high pollution rates.

CNN —The editor-in-chief of Die Aktuelle, a German magazine that published a fake artificial intelligence (AI) interview with Michael Schumacher, has been “relieved of her duties,” a statement from publishing house FUNKE said, alongside an apology to the Schumacher family. Schumacher has not been seen in public since he suffered a brain injury in a skiing accident in December 2013. It in no way meets the standards of journalism that we – and our readers – expect from a publishing house like FUNKE,” FUNKE magazine managing director Bianca Pohlmann said in the statement. Only toward the end of the article does it become apparent that the interview was produced by AI. Hannibal Hanschke/EPA-EFE/ShutterstockSince the accident, the Schumacher family has kept updates about the health of the motorsport legend to a minimum to protect their privacy.

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