Innholdsfortegnelse for #553 i Techlife News

Automaker Stellantis has reached a deal to have Controlled Thermal Resources Ltd. supply battery-grade lithium hydroxide for its electric vehicles in North America. CTR will supply Stellantis, the company that combined PSA Peugeot and Fiat Chrysler, with up to 25,000 metric tons per year of lithium hydroxide over the 10-year term of the agreement. CTR will produce battery grade lithium hydroxide and lithium carbonate along with geothermal energy in California with a resource production capacity in excess of 300,000 metric tons per year. “Ensuring we have a robust, competitive, and low-carbon lithium supply from various partners around the world will enable us to meet our aggressive electric vehicle production plans in a responsible manner,” Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares said in a statement on Thursday. Last month the Biden administration announced…

The white-hot demand for U.S. workers cooled a bit in April, though the number of unfilled jobs remains high and companies are still desperate to hire more people. Employers advertised 11.4 million jobs at the end of April, the Labor Department said, down from nearly 11.9 million in March, the highest level on records that date back more than 20 years. At that level, there are nearly two job openings for every unemployed person. That’s a sharp reversal from the historic pattern: Before the pandemic, there were always more unemployed people than available jobs. The number of people quitting their jobs remained near record highs at 4.4 million in April, mostly unchanged from the previous month. Nearly all of those who quit do so to take another job, typically for…

Opponents of a proposed launchpad for commercial rockets on the Georgia coast are asking a court to throw out the project’s government license, saying the Federal Aviation Administration failed to correctly assess the risks of firing rockets over homes and a barrier island popular with tourists. Attorneys for the Southern Environmental Law Center filed suit in U.S. District Court seeking to revoke the launch site operator license the FAA granted in December to the planned Spaceport Camden. Officials in coastal Camden County have spent the past decade and more than $10 million seeking to build a spaceport for launching satellites into orbit. The proposed flight path would send rockets over Little Cumberland Island, which has about 40 private homes, and neighboring Cumberland Island, a federally protected wilderness visited by about…

The FBI thwarted a planned cyberattack on a children’s hospital in Boston that was to have been carried out by hackers sponsored by the Iranian government, FBI Director Christopher Wray said this week. Wray told a Boston College cybersecurity conference that his agents learned of the planned digital attack from an unspecified intelligence partner and got Boston Children’s Hospital the information it needed last summer to block what would have been “one of the most despicable cyberattacks I’ve seen.” “And quick actions by everyone involved, especially at the hospital, protected both the network and the sick kids who depended on it,” Wray said. The FBI chief recounted that anecdote in a broader speech about ongoing cyber threats from Russia, China and Iran and the need for partnerships between the U.S.…

Sheryl Sandberg, the No. 2 executive at Facebook owner Meta, is stepping down, according to a post Wednesday on her Facebook page. Sandberg has served as chief operating officer at the social media giant for 14 years. She joined from Google in 2008, four years before Facebook went public. Meta did not immediately respond to a message for comment. “When I took this job in 2008, I hoped I would be in this role for five years. Fourteen years later, it is time for me to write the next chapter of my life,” Sandberg wrote on her Facebook page. She did not say what she planned to do. Sandberg has led Facebook — now Meta’s — advertising business and was responsible for nurturing it from its infancy into an over…

Budget carrier Norwegian Air Shuttle this week said it had reached an agreement with Boeing to buy 50 737 MAX 8 aircraft, saying the planes are due to be delivered between 2025 and 2028, at a schedule closely corresponding to current aircraft lease expirations. The company said it intends to finance the outstanding balance of pre-delivery payments through positive cash flow from operating activities, and that “a significant share of the aircraft” will be owned by Norwegian, “ensuring an optimized and balanced aircraft financing structure.” Board chairman Svein Harald Oygard called it “a landmark deal.” “This will result in lower all-in costs and increased financial robustness, enabling us to further solidify our Nordic stronghold,” Oygard said in a statement. “The deal also allows us to serve our customers with state-of-the-art…

Buying your first car is already an intimidating experience; in the midst of historic supply shortages, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. In March of this year, the average price of a used car was $27,246, according to Cox Automotive — an automotive marketplace and data company — or 28% higher than it was a year ago. With those price increases, monthly payments have also swelled. Average payments for used cars reached $488 in the last quarter of 2021, according to Experian. On top of that, the average loan term for used vehicles was just over 67 months, or more than five years. For many, cars are a necessity. If you have little or no credit, no co-signer or just a limited budget, it can be easy to accept a loan…

The Coca-Cola 600 was many things — excruciatingly long, wildly unpredictable and perhaps above all else, immensely entertaining. It was, as William Byron described after getting caught up in a 12-car crash, “chaos out there.” In race that took five hours, 13 minutes to complete and included 18 cautions and 17 cars finishing in the garage in various states of disrepair, the first Next Gen race at Charlotte Motor Speedway left many shaking their heads over the events of the night. Denny Hamlin ultimately won the longest race in NASCAR history (619.5 miles) by beating Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch to the finish line by 0.014 seconds in double overtime. Things were so insane at one point that Fox Sports racing analyst and longtime Cup Series driver Clint Bowyer…

The federal Bureau of Land Management collected public comment on a big north-south electricity transmission project that Nevada’s main utility, NV Energy, says is a key to its plan for a statewide renewable energy network. The project, dubbed Greenlink West, would stretch about 350 miles (563 kilometers) to connect electricity facilities near Las Vegas in southern Nevada and Yerington in the north by the end of 2026. It would generally run parallel to and east of the California state line. Conservationists and protesters say they do not want to see that much public land disturbed, and members of a tribe adjacent to the route say the transmission lines would adversely affect culturally significant land. Barbara Durham, tribal historic preservation officer for the Timbisha Shoshone Tribe, told the Las Vegas Sun…

The OPEC oil cartel and allied producing countries including Russia will raise production by 648,000 barrels per day in July and August, offering modest relief for a global economy suffering from soaring energy prices and the resulting inflation. The decision Thursday steps up the pace by the alliance, known as OPEC+, in restoring cuts made during the worst of the pandemic recession. The group had been adding a steady 432,000 barrels per day each month to gradually restore production cuts from 2020. The move to increase production faster than planned comes as rising crude prices have pushed gasoline to a record high in the U.S. , a potential problem for U.S. President Joe Biden in mid-term Congressional elections this fall. There are fears that elevated energy prices could slow the…

China’s government on Thursday accused Washington of jeopardizing peace after U.S. envoys began trade talks with Taiwan aimed at deepening relations with the self-ruled island democracy claimed by Beijing. Talks that started Wednesday cover trade, regulation and other areas based on “shared values” as market-oriented economies, according to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. It did not mention China but the talks add to gestures that show U.S. support for Taiwan amid menacing behavior by Beijing, which threatens to invade. Trade dialogues “disrupt peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait,” said a foreign ministry spokesman, Zhao Lijian. He called on Washington to “stop negotiating agreements with Taiwan that have sovereign connotations and official nature.” Taiwan and China split in 1949 after a civil war that ended with the ruling…

The unofficial start of summer over the Memorial Day weekend offers a troubling glimpse of what lies ahead for travelers during the peak vacation season. U.S. airlines canceled more than 2,800 flights from Thursday through Monday, or about 2% of their schedules, according to tracking service FlightAware. Delta Air Lines, usually among the top performers, had the worst record among major carriers with more than 800 canceled flights over the five-day span. “This was a chance for airlines to show that last summer’s delays would not be repeated this summer, and yet, it was not to be,”said Helane Becker, an analyst for banking firm Cowen. She blamed the disruptions on bad weather, air traffic control delays, airline crew members calling in sick, and long security lines at some airports. “We…

Electronic voting machines from a leading vendor used in at least 16 states have software vulnerabilities that leave them susceptible to hacking if unaddressed, the nation’s leading cybersecurity agency says in an advisory sent to state election officials. The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency, or CISA, said there is no evidence the flaws in the Dominion Voting Systems’equipment have been exploited to alter election results. The advisory is based on testing by a prominent computer scientist and expert witness in a long-running lawsuit that is unrelated to false allegations of a stolen election pushed by former President Donald Trump after his 2020 election loss. The advisory details nine vulnerabilities and suggests protective measures to prevent or detect their exploitation. Amid a swirl of misinformation and disinformation about elections, CISA seems…

A divided Supreme Court has blocked a Texas law, championed by conservatives, that aimed to keep social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter from censoring users based on their viewpoints. The court voted in an unusual 5-4 alignment Tuesday to put the Texas law on hold, while a lawsuit plays out in lower courts. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett voted to grant the emergency request from two technology industry groups that challenged the law in federal court. The majority provided no explanation for its decision, as is common in emergency matters on what is informally known as the court’s “shadow docket.” Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Elena Kagan and Neil Gorsuch would have allowed the law to remain in…

Seemingly overnight, the all-electric small SUV segment has exploded with options from both startup companies and established automotive players. Two of the most promising new models come from sister brands Hyundai and Kia. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 flaunts a retro-futuristic design in a spacious, fast-charging form, while the Kia EV6 wears a sleek, future-facing look to match its excellent performance. Prospective buyers are likely to consider both since they’re very similar underneath the sheetmetal. But are there enough differences to make one stand out over the other? Experts compared them to find out. RANGE AND CHARGING TIMES Though the EV6 and Ioniq 5 share the same powertrains and battery technology, range figures do vary. Hyundai and Kia both offer their EVs in three trims with two battery packs. In entry-level…

Harry Styles, “Harry’s House” (Columbia Records). If the 13 tracks of Harry Styles’ third LP are the walls in which he lives, “Harry’s House” is a place of self-expression, happiness and healing. From the jubilant, funky “Cinema,” to the meandering cruiser “Keep Driving,” Styles shows a breadth of style that matches the album’s emotional range. Styles set the tone for the album with his single “As It Was.” The up-tempo track sounds carefree at first listen, but the lyrics reveal a heavier premise. It’s a song that thematically explores the fear and pain associated with accepting that you must let something, or someone, go. It’s a single that teases Styles’ comfort with vulnerability — something that he displays countless times on the record. Similarly, “Grapejuice” is deceivingly upbeat with synthesized…

Russia said it may use an arrangement similar to that used for payments for its gas supplies to pay its dollar-denominated foreign debts. The Vedomosti business daily quoted Finance Minister Anton Siluanov as saying that Russia will offer the holders of its Eurobond obligations to accept a payment system bypassing Western financial infrastructure. Russia previously has offered the customers receiving its natural gas to establish an account in dollars or euros at Russia’s third-largest bank, Gazprombank, then a second account in rubles. The importer would pay the gas bill in euros or dollars and direct the bank to exchange the money for rubles. The system was established on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s order and aims to avoid a risk of payments for gas being frozen as part of Western sanctions…

A former product manager at an online marketplace was arrested Wednesday in what federal authorities called the first ever digital asset insider trading scheme involving NFTs. Nathaniel Chastain, a former employee of a company that does business as OpenSea, was arrested in Manhattan. He was later released on $100,000 bail after entering a not guilty plea to wire fraud and money laundering charges. Chastain, 31, and his lawyers declined comment immediately after the Manhattan federal court hearing. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said the charges were a first because they pertained to NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, that provide digital ownership of art and other content. Michael J. Driscoll, head of New York’s FBI office, said Chastain used his knowledge of confidential information to buy dozens of NFTs in advance of them…

A groundbreaking ceremony was held Wednesday for a museum that will permanently exhibit the retired NASA space shuttle Endeavour in Los Angeles. Endeavour will be displayed vertically as if ready for launch, complete with a massive external tank and solid rocket boosters on each side. U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and other local leaders attended the ceremony at the California Science Center in Exposition Park. The event coincided with the 11th anniversary of Endeavour’s final return from space. The shuttle will be housed in the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, a 200,000-square-foot (18,580-square-meter) addition that will rise 20 stories high and contain 150 educational exhibits in multi-level galleries. About halfway through construction, Endeavour will be positioned in the new museum and the building will be…

Apple’s smart home platform, HomeKit, is designed to allow consumers to control a whole host of internet-enabled devices from the comfort of their Apple Watch or HomePod, from their thermostats to CCTV cameras. As new technologies continue to innovate in the space, Apple must also keep up and create tools and platforms that push the world further forward. HOMEKIT CHALLENGES Whilst companies like Amazon and Google have taken the lead when it comes to smart home technology, with the launch of products like Eero WiFi routers, Blink home surveillance cameras, and the Google Nest range of doorbells, fire alarms, and smart speakers, Apple has taken a slightly different approach. Though the firm now finally appears to be doubling down on the HomePod with the launch of a mini variant and…

The cybersecurity firm Recorded Future boasts some 1,400 clients and enjoys considerable respect. But the threat-intelligence business wasn’t enough for CEO Christopher Ahlberg. Two years ago, he created an online cybersecurity news service called The Record. The interview has been edited for clarity and brevity. Q: What made you decide to launch The Record? A: Michael Bloomberg’s book “Bloomberg by Bloomberg.” I must have read it five times. We want to build a Bloomberg terminal for cybersecurity. We want all the data, all the analytics, all the research, all the news in one place. So a threat intel person, a government analyst, a security generalist can have the best intel at their fingertips. (The Bloomberg news agency grew out of what was initially a financial data supplier delivered on proprietary…

In the aftermath of a mass shooting on a New York City subway train, the mayor floated a high-tech idea: deploy scanners that can spot someone carrying a gun into the transit system before they have a chance to use it. The technology to scan large numbers of people quickly for weapons does exist, and is used now to screen people at places like sports stadiums and theme parks. But security experts say installing such a system in the city’s sprawling, porous subway system in a way that would make a difference would be difficult, if not impossible. The problem wouldn’t necessarily be the technology — but rather the reality that scanners need to be accompanied by human operators to confront people carrying firearms illegally. “Logistically, it would be a…

Ford’s chief executive says he expects the cost of building electric vehicles to fall to the point that in coming years automakers will be battling each other for sales of EVs priced around $25,000. CEO Jim Farley told the Bernstein Strategic Decisions Conference on Wednesday that the $25,000 price tag will democratize EVs. Materials to build that vehicle will cost around $18,000, he said. “So I believe there will be our industry is definitely heading to a huge price war,”Farley said. It currently costs much more to build an EV than it does one powered by a gas engine, Farley noted. The company’s Mustang Mach-E electric SUV, with a starting price around $44,000 but can run much higher, costs about $25,000 more than a comparable Ford Edge gas SUV, he…

If you must reboot an over 30-year-old Disney Channel cartoon like “ Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers,” you could do much worse than looking to “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” for inspiration. But it is a high bar and though “Chip ‘n Dale” might not reach the heights of that Robert Zemeckis film, it is still a pleasant surprise stuffed to the brim with pop culture references that children of the “Chip ’n Dale” era may enjoy. Now, wait, you may be thinking: Aren’t children of the “Chip ‘n Dale” era in their 30s and 40s at this point? And was “Chip ’n Dale” even that beloved enough to warrant a reboot? The answers are yes and no, but the minds behind this movie know that and aren’t pretending otherwise. In…

Tired of speaking to a machine when you call the bank or power company? Spain’s government wants to end those nerve-shattering, one-sided conversations with a computerized answering service by making it obligatory for companies to offer a real, flesh-and-blood customer service worker when so requested by a caller. That is one among a battery of measures included in a customer service bill presented by Spain’s left-wing coalition government. The bill will need the approval of Spain’s Parliament before it can become law. “Customer service is a critical part of our relations with consumers which unfortunately and far too often causes endless headaches for Spanish families because far too many companies create bureaucratic labyrinths to stop you from exercising your right to service,” said Consumption Minister Alberto Garzón. “These are difficulties…