Latest news with #nuclearEnergy
Bloomberg
8 hours ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Meta's Deal for Nuclear Power Is Likely Cheaper Than Microsoft's, Jefferies Says
By and Naureen S Malik Corrected June 3, 2025 at 12:58 PM EDT Save Surging demand for power to run artificial intelligence just prompted Meta Platforms Inc. to enter a 20-year contract with the biggest US nuclear operator, penning a deal that's likely to be priced at a cheaper rate than a similar agreement rival Microsoft Corp. entered last year. The parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp will probably be paying about $80 per megawatt hour for energy from the Clinton plant in Illinois, according to Paul Zimbardo, an analyst at Jefferies LLC, who made the forecast based on company guidance.
CNA
5 days ago
- Business
- CNA
Singapore and France working together to put in place outlines of new global order: PM Wong
SINGAPORE: Singapore and France are two "like-minded" countries working together to put in place the outlines of a new global order, with the old one of decades past changing, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said on Friday (May 30). Speaking to members of the media at a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron, Mr Wong said both countries believe deeply in multilateralism and a rules-based global order. But this is now "shifting" and "no one knows what the new order will be in the coming years". 'In this period of transition, it's important that like-minded countries work together to put in place the outlines and the pillars of a new order that will ensure stability and continued shared prosperity for countries around the world,' he added. France and Singapore are doing this not just bilaterally but also through wider initiatives involving the European Union, ASEAN and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnershi p, said Mr Wong. 'These are significant moves which I believe will help to further emphasise the principles of free trade, of the rules-based trading system, and will ensure that they are able to put in place the new pillars of multilateralism that will eventually emerge In the years to come." Mr Macron was on the second of a two-day state visit to Singapore, which also saw a dozen agreements signed across various sectors, including on mutual extradition of fugitives and cooperation on nuclear energy. The two countries also upgraded their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership. ENGAGING WITH ASEAN Asked by the media on Friday how France was looking to present itself as a "third force" in Southeast Asia amid US-China rivalry, Mr Macron said his country believes in the same values such as a world order and open trade. 'We don't want to depend on another. We want to cooperate with both as far as we can and we can cooperate for growth and prosperity and safety for our people,' he added. The French president noted that France was also looking at how precisely to engage with ASEAN as well as Indo-Pacific states. Responding to the same question, Mr Wong said that while there has been 'a lot of focus' on the US and China, there are other major powers such as France to engage with. 'France has significant capabilities across a wide range of different areas ... but we also welcome France to do more, not just with Singapore, but also with the rest of Southeast Asia." Singapore is the third and final stop of Mr Macron's Southeast Asia tour, following trips to Vietnam and Indonesia. In Vietnam - his first formal visit - deals for 20 Airbus planes and cooperation on nuclear energy were signed, among others. On Mr Macron's trip to Indonesia, France and Indonesia signed a preliminary agreement that could lead to new orders of French military equipment such as Rafale fighter jets and Scorpene submarines. 'By having these additional links for all the major powers to have stakes in Southeast Asia and Asia to work together to find win-win arrangements, we believe such a configuration makes for a stabler configuration in Asia,' Mr Wong said. SINGAPORE AS A 'STEADFAST SUPPORTER' Mr Wong earlier spoke about France and Singapore sharing numerous common areas, including in sectors such as security, economy and energy. 'What Singapore will bring to the table as a constructive partner is that we will always be a steadfast supporter, to advance these areas of shared interest together, in order to achieve win-win outcomes for both sides.' On Friday, other agreements were signed in the areas of security, defence, artificial intelligence, education, aviation and maritime affairs. An annual security dialogue was also established. These agreements show the 'deep and significant' levels of trust between both countries, showing that Singapore will always be a reliable, credible and steadfast partner to France, Mr Wong noted. Singapore and France celebrate 60 years of diplomatic relations this year. France is the first European Union member state to establish a strategic partnership with Singapore. Singapore is also the only non-NATO country with a military presence in France, which hosts the Republic of Singapore Air Force's Advanced Jet Training Detachment at Cazaux Air Base near Bordeaux. Later on Friday, the French president will deliver the keynote speech at the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia's largest forum on security and defence.
Daily Mail
26-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Retired general issues terrifying warning about China mining the moon: 'Power for the entire world'
A retired top Air Force general has warned that China is mining a rare and powerful element from the moon that could give them the upper hand in the new space race. China confirmed its plans to build a nuclear plant on the moon to power the research station it's 'dreaming up' with Russia during an April presentation. The country aims to become a major space power and land astronauts on the moon by 2030. Its planned Chang'e-8 mission for 2028 would lay the groundwork for constructing a permanent, manned lunar base. However, Steven Kwast, a retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant General and the CEO of SpaceBilt, claimed China has already started mining helium-3 from the moon. Helium-3 is a rare form of the gas helium on Earth, but NASA estimates that a million tons of it is on the moon. Scientists believe helium-3 could provide nuclear energy in a fusion reactor, but since it is not radioactive, it would not produce dangerous waste. Kwast warned during a recent episode of the Shawn Ryan Show that if China monopolizes the element, they could have enough power to crack any computer code. 'If we were to mine the moon for helium-3, at the current level of electricity use... we could power the energy needs of the human race for thousands of years based on the helium-3 that's on the moon right now,' Kwast said. 'Let's take the scenario where China now has enough helium-3 as they're mining it on the moon and bringing it back to Earth to be able to power the entire world for thousands of years. 'They are the ones that can actually operationalize quantum because they can cool it down to the temperature it needs to actually operate.' Kwast explained that helium-3 can be used to control the quantum cooling needed for advance technology, and whoever controls it will be able to break any code on the planet. 'When you start combining those three quantum capabilities - sensing, computing, communication - and you can affordably cool it down to the levels where it can be operationalized, now you've broken every code that ever was. I don't care how good your encryption is. They see every secret, every code, everything,' Kwast said. 'So there's an example of why not being in space with logistics and infrastructure to be able to move to see and to operate can make you vulnerable. 'Space is the place where if America does not change our strategy and how we're investing in space, we will become victims to others that use space as a way of dominating the energy market but also the information market.' While there is no proof that China is actively mining helium-3 on the moon, they have expressed interest in lunar resource extraction. In June 2024, China became the first country to land on the moon's far side. The Chang'e 6 spacecraft returned with 4.4 pounds of lunar rock samples. A new space race is warming up after half a century, with Russia, China and America racing to put robots, human astronauts and even lunar trains on the moon. Rare earth metals - used in smartphones, computers and advanced technologies - are available on the moon, according to research by Boeing.
Gizmodo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Gizmodo
Trump Struggles to Silence His Ringing iPhone During Press Conference
The president isn't the most tech-savvy fascist around. President Donald Trump had difficulty figuring out how to stop his phone from ringing Friday during an Oval Office press conference that was supposed to be about nuclear energy. It's just the latest reminder that the 78-year-old president has never been great with technology. Trump was in the middle of talking about the crippling tariffs he's imposed on goods coming into the U.S.—which have already raised prices on products for many American consumers—when his phone rang during the White House event. 'Oh, it's a phone call, do you mind?' Trump said jokingly while picking up his iPhone. Trump looked down at his phone and swiped to his right, which is normally how you answer a phone call, not send it to voicemail. 'Okay, it's only a Congressman,' Trump said with a crooked smile, setting the phone face-down on his desk. One of the reporters in the room appeared to ask 'who was it?' and Trump replied 'I'd let you know,' but then didn't let anyone know. Not even 10 seconds passed before the phone rang again and he picked the phone back up, mouth agape, saying 'it's a different Congressman.' Trump seemed to have more luck silencing his phone on the second try, pushing the side buttons a couple of times in an effort to properly turn the ringer off. Again, Trump didn't name whoever was calling him. There's no evidence that Trump has ever sat down in front of a computer to do proper work (Gizmodo investigated that question back in 2016). Trump is known to dictate his tweets during the day, opting to send them himself late at night. And when Trump was being tried for his many crimes back in 2022, his personal attorney Alina Habba reportedly told a New York court that he doesn't use email or texts. 'President Trump does not email. He does not text message. And he has no work computer at home or anywhere else,' Habba said, according to CNN. Habba is now serving as the acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey. Trump lives in a tech-filled world that frequently seems to perplex him at the best of times. While staging a publicity stunt for Elon Musk's cars at the White House back in March, Trump famously blurted out 'everything's computer' while sitting in a Tesla. Everything is indeed computer, Mr. President, and you seem to struggle with those. Trump has also spoken in an extremely awkward fashion about cryptocurrencies, especially back when he was against things like bitcoin. The president changed his tune as soon as he figured out it could help make him literally billions of dollars, according to CBS News. And Trump even hosted a dinner for some of the largest buyers of his own cryptocurrency $TRUMP on Thursday night in one of the most shockingly corrupt moves ever made by a sitting president. Trump spent the morning threatening a special 25% tariff on Apple for its decision to move production facilities to India rather than the U.S. The president said Friday in the Oval Office that tariff would likely start 'at the end of June,' and Trump appeared to suggest that Apple should have no problem with moving factories to the U.S. since everything is automated. A reporter asked how Apple could afford that 'at a price in America.' 'A lot of it's so computerized now. These plants are amazing if you look at them,' Trump said. That, of course, contradicts the ostensible reason for Trump's insistence that companies need to move to American shores. He says it's all about jobs, when in reality it seems to be rooted in his fundamental misunderstandings about how modern economies work. All Trump cares about is trade deficits, and constantly refers to any trade deficit as a cash handout to other countries, which they obviously aren't. Trump was frustrated with Apple CEO Tim Cook, saying that he had an 'understanding' about bringing his plants to the U.S. rather than moving them from China to India. 'I said, that's okay to go to India, but you're not going to sell into here without tariffs. And that's what it is,' Trump said. Maybe if Trump was nicer to Cook (and God knows that Big Tech guys like him tried to buy their way in to this administration), the Apple CEO could help the president figure out how to silence his phone during important meetings.
Fox News
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Trump sets the 'gold standard' for science
The Fox News Politics Newsletter will not be sent out on Monday, May 25th due to the Memorial Day Holiday. We wish everyone a happy and safe Memorial Day. Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump administration, Capitol Hill and more Fox News politics content. Here's what's happening… -Hundreds of Ukrainian prisoners released in swap with Russia, Zelenskyy says -New footage shows Milwaukee judge confronting ICE before allegedly helping illegal immigrant exit -Vance tells Naval Academy graduates they are facing 'new' and 'very dangerous era' for US President Donald Trump signed several executive orders (EOs) on nuclear energy proliferation and an order removing political considerations from public-sector science, as conservatives claimed the latter was scandalized in its response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Trump also signed restoring "gold standard science" as the cornerstone of federal research. A senior White House official said on Friday there has been a decline in "disruptive research" and investments in biomedical research, along with "serious cases" of fraud and misconduct and the inability to reproduce scientific methods for the purpose of restoring public trust…Read more 'COULD NOT SPEAK': Biden struggled to film 2024 campaign videos amid declining health, new book claims: 'The man could not speak' RESTRAINING ORDER: Judge temporarily pauses Trump move to cancel Harvard student visa policy after lawsuit DEADLY SLOGAN: Former Biden diplomat says there's 'no question' 'Free Palestine' slogan has become a call for violence BARRACK ON: US Ambassador to Turkey Barrack to assume role of US Special Envoy for Syria ATOMIC SHOWDOWN: US and Iran clash over uranium enrichment as nuclear talks resume in Rome 'WATER TORTURE': Dems call budget bill 'bureaucratic water torture' as GOP 'glad to have the ball in our court' 'ABOUT TO FIND OUT': Sen. Mike Lee accuses Chicago mayor — who called Trump a 'monster' — of 'bragging about' violating the law 'HEARTBREAKING': Wisconsin man fired for refusing to use preferred pronouns appeals to Trump administration WALL WORKS: Republican AGs visit US-Mexico border wall as Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' clears expansion funding SHIFTING GEAR: Blue-state Republican 'thankful' for move to scrap gas-car ban as Newsom vows court fight to save it SOROS UNDER FIRE: Alex Soros blasted for condemning shooting of Israelis while funding anti-Israel groups TIMELINE TWIST: RFK Jr. backtracks on timeline for determining cause of autism in CNN interview TERROR IN DC: Father of suspect accused of killing Israeli Embassy staffers in DC was guest at Trump's joint address Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on
