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Elon Musk's Neuralink raises $600M at $9B valuation

Elon Musk's Neuralink raises $600M at $9B valuation

Yahoo4 days ago

Elon Musk's brain implant startup, Neuralink, has raised $600 million in a funding round that values the company at $9 billion pre-money, Semafor reported, citing anonymous sources.
Semafor did not mention the investors involved in the round. Neuralink last raised $43 million in venture capital, in November 2023, and was valued at about $5 billion in June 2023, Reuters reported at the time.
Neuralink did not immediately return requests for comment outside regular business hours.
Semafor's report corroborates earlier reporting from Bloomberg, which noted in April that the startup was looking to raise $500 million at a $8.5 billion pre-money valuation.
Neuralink last year received the "breakthrough device" clearance from the U.S. FDA. Three people have so far received implants made by Neuralink. Earlier this month, a nonverbal patient posted a video about how he uses a Neuralink implant to edit and narrate YouTube videos with just his brain signals.

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Official: Toyota to build GR Corolla in UK
Official: Toyota to build GR Corolla in UK

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time42 minutes ago

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Official: Toyota to build GR Corolla in UK

Toyota will build the GR Corolla hot hatch in the UK from next year in a bid to cater to increasing demand. Confirming this week's report from Reuters, the Japanese manufacturer said it had chosen the Corolla plant in Burnaston, Derbyshire, to boost GR Corolla production and preparations had been under way since last year. The hot Corolla will be the first GR model to be built outside Japan. Toyota said Burnaston – Toyota Manufacturing UK – was a natural fit because of the capability of the factory and its staff. It also pointed to the "deep motorsport culture" in the UK aligning with its GR (Gazoo Racing) sub-brand. The business case was almost certainly swayed by the fact that Burnaston also has a large and ready supply of Corolla bodies and ancillaries. Toyota added that the decision comes as part of a wider production overhaul aimed at accelerating production and customer delivery times. Indeed, GR Corolla buyers in the US have typically faced long waiting lists and dealer-added cost mark-ups since the car's launch in 2022, owing to strong demand for the model. Production and investment levels will be announced by the firm at a later date, but Reuters previously said it would cost £41 million to add the new line at Burnaston and that would give a capacity of 10,000 cars annually. Reuters added that Toyota's Motomachi plant in Japan – the so-called GR Factory, responsible for output of the GR Corolla, GR Yaris and GR86 – is currently at full capacity. It assembled 25,000 GR cars last year, of which around a third were Corollas. As well as boosting overall output of GR Corollas, the addition of UK production will surely give Toyota additional flexibility to build other models at Motomachi. It could ramp up GR Yaris production, for example, or add entirely new models at the factory. As previously reported by Autocar, Toyota-owned Lexus is priming a new flagship sports car that is expected to compete in GT3 racing series from next year. It is most likely that Motomachi would host assembly of this model, given it previously housed its predecessor, the LFA supercar. The GR division has also been working on an all-new Celica coupé and is thought to be considering replacements for the MR2 (discontinued in 2007) and Supra, plus a Mazda MX-5 rival. Although the plan to boost GR Corolla production through the UK has not been informed by US president Donald Trump's tariffs, given it pre-dates Trump's presidency, the decision to export from the UK surely benefits the company on that front. The US currently charges a tariff of 25% on all cars imported to the country from abroad, including Japan. However, the UK recently agreed to negotiate a deal that will cut the fee for its exports to 10%, within a national quota of 100,000 cars. Final details have yet to be confirmed but at present Toyota would have to pay a smaller fee on UK-built GR Corollas than on those from Japan. The prospect of adding production in the UK also lends weight to the possibility that the GR Corolla – currently offered in only a handful of markets, including the US and Japan – could be set for a launch in Europe. Prototypes were last year spotted testing at Germany's Nürburgring, hinting at a launch. A spokesperson suggested it was standard procedure to test global products at the circuit but did not deny the prospect. Toyota currently sells the GR Yaris and the GR Supra in Europe, the GR86 having been killed off in that market (including the UK) by the European Union's GSR2 safety regulations. The Supra is soon to follow. Regardless, the plan to produce GR Corollas in the UK will come as welcome news to staff at the Burnaston plant, which last year built its five millionth car since opening in 1992. In a statement, Yoshihiro Nakata, president and CEO of Toyota Motor Europe, said: 'We are proud that TMUK, our first plant in Europe, has also been selected as the first overseas Toyota plant to produce GR vehicles, securing this expansion project for TGR worldwide. We very much appreciate the historical support and recognition of the United Kingdom and would like to continue to contribute to UK society as a 'Best in Town' company.' ]]>

Zelensky announces updated Ukrainian delegation list, ahead of planned peace talks with Russia
Zelensky announces updated Ukrainian delegation list, ahead of planned peace talks with Russia

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timean hour ago

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Zelensky announces updated Ukrainian delegation list, ahead of planned peace talks with Russia

President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on June 1 an updated 14-member Ukrainian delegation for upcoming peace talks with Russia in Istanbul, expanding the original group of 12. Defense Minister Rustem Umerov will again lead the delegation, which will include several new figures from Ukraine's military, human rights, and legal sectors. Three officials – Andrii Fomin, Yurii Kovbasa, and Yevhenii Ostrianskyi – are participating for the first time, while Oleksii Malovatskyi, involved in the May 16 talks, will not join. The meeting is scheduled to take place on June 2, with both Russian and Ukrainian delegations expected to attend. Also, security advisors from the U.S., U.K., France, and Germany plan to attend, according to U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg. Russia has not officially submitted its memorandum outlining peace terms, but Ukraine plans to present a detailed roadmap aimed at securing a lasting settlement. According to the proposal, the process would begin with a minimum 30-day ceasefire, followed by a full exchange of prisoners and the return of Ukrainian children taken to Russian-held areas, ultimately leading to a potential meeting between Zelensky and Putin. The plan was reported on June 1 by Reuters, which reviewed a copy of the document. While the U.S. and Ukraine have pushed for an unconditional ceasefire, the Kremlin has rejected it. Instead, Moscow has regularly voiced maximalist demands that are unlikely to be accepted by Kyiv, such as recognition of Russia's illegal annexation of Ukrainian regions and withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the parts of these regions remaining under Kyiv's control. Trump has expressed frustration with Russia's reluctance to make concessions and its intensifying and deadly attacks on Ukraine. However, he has so far refused to sanction Russia. The talks are tentatively still set to continue on June 2, though Russia has not officially commented yet, following Ukraine's Security Service's (SBU) major intelligence drone operation earlier today. The drones destroyed 41 Russian bombers at four airfields across Russia, in what Kyiv called a long-planned blow to Moscow's strike capabilities. Read also: Officials from US, UK, France, Germany to attend Ukraine-Russia peace talks, Kellogg says We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.

Educators ask state for support in the classroom
Educators ask state for support in the classroom

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Educators ask state for support in the classroom

CHEYENNE — Wyoming lawmakers discussed the possibility of drafting a Teacher Bill of Rights Wednesday morning amid rising concerns of behavioral health issues and a lack of support for K-12 teachers in the classroom. During the Legislature's Joint Education Committee meeting, educators said the average classroom environment today is not the same as it was 15 years ago, especially following the COVID-19 pandemic. More students are coming in with behavioral health issues, classroom sizes are larger, and teachers are burdened with test-centered mandates. As a result, public educators are putting in their resignation letters, feeling frustrated by their inability to make a difference in the classroom, according to public testimony. Wyoming Education Association President Kim Amen shared the story of a first-grade teacher in Cheyenne who just submitted her resignation after a 'rough year.' The teacher had 23 students in her class, many with behavioral health issues, Amen said. One particular student had a 'massive' behavioral health issue. He would leave the classroom, punch and kick the walls in the hallway and run out of the school, if given the opportunity. Kim Amen headshot On July 15, 2024, former vice president Kim Amen assumed the role of president for the Wyoming Education Association. One of Amen's goals is to strengthen the association through communication and increasing membership numbers. 'That was a rough year for her,' Amen said. 'When I asked her why she submitted her resignation, she said, 'Because I can't do this anymore. It's not helping my mental health. I'm not a good mom, I'm not a good wife. I can't keep doing this.'' Smaller classroom sizes make a big difference for teachers, the WEA president said. It allows the educator to build better relationships with their students and engage in their learning. A classroom of 23 first-graders with no support staff 'is unmanageable,' Amen said. And this case is not an anomaly — it's an issue happening across the state, she said. 'Students are not the same as they were 15 years ago,' Amen said. 'As you know, they're a great thermometer for our culture.' Increased exposure to social media, such as YouTube and TikTok, has changed how younger students behave and pay attention in the classroom, she said. Since the issue is 'here to stay,' schools need to change how they approach supporting teachers during instruction. One question was asked by committee members multiple times: What is the state's role in this? Teacher Bill of Rights Some states have drafted a Teacher Bill of Rights, a state law that outlines rights, protections and working conditions for K-12 public educators in the classroom. Wyoming is a member of the Education Commission of the States, and state Department of Education Chief of Staff Dicky Shanor said this commission was willing to collect information on bills from other states and present it at the committee's next meeting. Co-chairman Rep. Ocean Andrew, R-Laramie, said the Teacher Bill of Rights seemed 'elusive.' Rep. Ocean Andrew, R-Laramie (2025) Rep. Ocean Andrew, R-Laramie 'If we are going to … ask our staff to draft something, we probably need some more specific suggestions of what the actual lines of statute would look like,' Andrew said. 'We keep bringing it up as a very abstract concept.' Amen said she supported the idea of a Teachers Bill of Rights, but only if it's done in a way that supports teachers without harming students. WEA Governmental Relations Director Tate Mullen echoed his colleague's concern. 'We want to keep (teachers) in the profession, but we also want to make sure that we're not giving up on students,' Mullen said. Wyoming K-12 schools are primarily understaffed and under-resourced, WEA representatives said. Amen told lawmakers her intention wasn't to suggest language for a new statute, but rather deliver the message of what teachers need in the classroom. 'That was my role today was to help you see that it goes beyond just discipline measures,' Amen said. 'It's support with resources like administration and counselors and social workers and support in the classroom.' WEA suggestions Amen provided a list of general suggestions that she said would help relieve some of the stress public educators in K-12 schools face. Her biggest priority was decreasing classroom sizes. 'When you ask about things you can do, class size matters,' Amen said. 'Giving teachers the ability to have relationships in those classrooms, and not have 23 students with no support that they're trying to manage, would be helpful.' She also suggested giving teachers more flexibility in planning their lessons. Currently, public educators are burdened with the stress of teaching their students to pass WY-TOPP, a statewide assessment that measures students' proficiency in English, math, science and writing. If teachers could worry less about WY-TOPP scores, they'd be able to plan more hands-on learning that benefit a student's learning experience. However, Sen. Chris Rothfuss, D-Laramie, questioned how the state could realistically measure a student's learning progress this way. Sen. Chris Rothfuss, D-Laramie (2025) Sen. Chris Rothfuss, D-Laramie 'Honestly, if we started measuring their joy, they'll stop being joyful,' Rothfuss said. Rep. Tom Kelly, R-Sheridan, asked how lawmakers can specifically change statute or state funding to support its public educators. Rep. Tom Kelly, R-Sheridan (2025) Rep. Tom Kelly, R-Sheridan 'I'm talking about the academic mandates, the subjects that must be covered in that basket of goods,' Kelly said. 'Is there some type of revision or maybe more flexibility for the districts? Should it be less prescriptive from the state, top down?' Rothfuss echoed Kelly's concern in his question to Amen, who said she didn't have an answer. 'I do know that that is a topic that's been discussed for years, and I know the State Board of Education has been working on reducing the state standards,' Amen said. '... We have to take some things off the plate, but we don't know which ones.'

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