All posts tagged: Surges

Iran apologises to Gulf but strikes escalate, war surges across region

Iran apologises to Gulf but strikes escalate, war surges across region

Published by Sam Flores

BEIRUT: Israel and Iran traded attacks on Saturday (Mar 7) as the war entered a second week, while the Islamic republic made an unusual apology to neighbouring states for its “actions”, apparently seeking to calm regional anger at Iranian strikes on Gulf civilian targets. “I personally apologise to neighbouring countries that were affected by Iran’s actions,” Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said, urging them not to join US-Israeli attacks on Iran. He said Iran’s temporary leadership council had agreed to suspend attacks on nearby states unless strikes on Iran originated from their territory. Hours later, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said their drones struck a US air combat centre at Al Dhafra Air Base, near Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates. Reuters could not independently verify that report. Huge explosions were heard in several parts of the Iranian capital, state media reported. GULF STATES HIT BY DRONES AND MISSILES The US-Israeli war on Iran has already spilled beyond Iran’s borders, as Tehran has responded by hitting Israel and Gulf Arab states hosting US military installations and …

Bonus abuse surges across North American online gaming platforms, report finds

Bonus abuse surges across North American online gaming platforms, report finds

Published by skeptic

Bonus abuse has emerged as the leading fraud threat facing North America’s online gaming industry, as criminals increasingly exploit promotional incentives and sign-up offers to generate illicit profits. A new industry survey suggests the problem remains a constant concern for operators trying to grow their customer base. LexisNexis Risk Solutions questioned nearly 1,000 decision-makers working in online gaming. Most respondents said the situation has not improved, with 78% reporting that fraud levels have not declined at their companies. Bonus abuse causes the greatest financial damage to gaming operators in North America, with some companies attributing more than a quarter of their total fraud losses to the scheme. Credit: LexisNexis The findings appear in the report Fraud and Identity Industry Pulse: Online Gaming in North America. It describes an industry trying to attract new players while also blocking criminals who target bonuses, payment systems and account creation tools. Bonus abuse leads the online gambling fraud landscape in North America Among all reported threats, bonus abuse stands out as the most common problem operators encounter. Other frequent …

Lithium shortages could hit by 2028 as EV demand surges

Lithium shortages could hit by 2028 as EV demand surges

Published by skeptic

By Dnn87 – Self-photographed, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3215855 Global lithium demand could top 13 million tonnes by 2050 if the world moves fast on clean energy, according to Wood Mackenzie’s latest Energy Transition Outlook for Lithium. The warning is blunt: Without major new investment, lithium shortages could start as early as 2028. “The lithium market is heading into a supply crunch much sooner than many industry players expect,” said Allan Pedersen, research director at Wood Mackenzie. “Under ambitious climate scenarios, we see deficits emerging from 2028. The industry needs to act now, as governments progress policies toward Net Zero.” EVs are driving the surge Wood Mackenzie modeled four energy transition pathways. By 2050, lithium demand ranges from 5.6 million tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) in a delayed transition to 13.2 million tonnes in a net zero scenario. Source: Wood Mackenzie Here’s how the supply picture changes depending on how fast the world electrifies: Advertisement – scroll for more content Delayed Transition: The market stays balanced until around 2037 before tipping into deficit. Base Case: Existing …

3 tiny gadgets that quietly protect your devices from surges and snooping

3 tiny gadgets that quietly protect your devices from surges and snooping

Published by skeptic

This tiny device is designed to block data signals that tracking algorithms and cookies look for while using HDMI-connected devices like game consoles and DVD or Blu-ray players. It does not have the physical pin required to send data signals to your TV, making it impossible for tracking cookies and algorithms to scrape data from your games, movies, and shows. It also helps block HDMI-CEC signals that allow multiple devices to be controlled with a single remote, which can cause issues with more complicated home theater setups. Also: I changed 13 settings on my TV to dramatically improve its performance – here’s how And with gold-plated connections, you’ll still get crisp video and audio output, so you can continue to enjoy your favorite media without having to worry about getting bombarded with relentless advertisements and suggestions for shows and movies you won’t ever watch. Source link

Humongous Numbers of People Are Uninstalling ChatGPT as Anti-OpenAI Sentiment Surges

Humongous Numbers of People Are Uninstalling ChatGPT as Anti-OpenAI Sentiment Surges

Published by José Betancourt

Sign up to see the future, today Can’t-miss innovations from the bleeding edge of science and tech This is one PR hit that’ll be hard to come back from. After OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced a new deal with the Department of Defense last week, droves of once-loyal users vowed that they’d ditch ChatGPT.  And now, new data reported by TechCrunch shows that those outraged users weren’t making empty threats. On Saturday, uninstalls of the ChatGPT mobile app skyrocked by 295 percent from the day before, according to market intelligence provider Sensor Tower. As TC noted, that’s a significant leap compared to the AI chatbot’s typical day-over-day uninstall rate of nine percent over the past 30 days. Many of them appear to be jumping ship to Anthropic’s Claude. Anthropic, unlike OpenAI, had refused to cut a deal with a deeply unpopular administration to give the military unrestricted access to its AI tech. In particular, Anthropic demanded that its AI wouldn’t be used in autonomous weapons systems or in the mass surveillance of US citizens. Even …

Iran war fears hit markets: Oil surges, stocks plunge

Iran war fears hit markets: Oil surges, stocks plunge

Published by Sam Flores

U.S. stocks tumbled and energy prices soared Tuesday as fears spread through global markets that the Iran war may bring prolonged disruption. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite both closed down around 1%, while the Dow wrapped up the trading session by falling more than 400 points. Earlier in the day, stocks faced steeper losses. At the lows earlier in the session, the S&P 500 declined as much as 2.5% and the Dow plunged 1,277 points. The Nasdaq was down as much as 2.7%. Follow live updates here. An offshore oil and gas platform in California in 2025.Mario Tama / Getty Images Meanwhile, energy prices continued to soar after posting a large jump Monday. Earlier in the day, U.S. crude oil traded higher by 8%, bringing its total increase since Sunday night to more than 13% and pushing prices to their highest since January 2025. The international crude oil benchmark also jumped sharply to its highest level since July 2024. However, later in the day Trump said on Truth Social that he had ordered the …

US commercial gaming revenue surges to record highs in 2025 nationwide

US commercial gaming revenue surges to record highs in 2025 nationwide

Published by skeptic

The US commercial gaming business reached a new peak in 2025, pulling in $78.72 billion in gross gaming revenue, according to figures released Thursday (February 26) by the American Gaming Association. That total represents a 9.2% increase over 2024 and extends the industry’s run of year-over-year gains. As revenue climbed, so did the amount flowing back to governments. State and local coffers collected a record $18.09 billion in gaming taxes, up 15.1% from the previous year. Those dollars, tracked through the AGA’s Commercial Gaming Revenue Tracker, are said to help pay for schools, roads and other essential services across the country. Industry executives say the sustained growth shows that regulated gambling continues to resonate with consumers. “For another year, legal commercial gaming in the United States has delivered exceptional results for consumers, operators, and the communities we serve,” Bill Miller, president and CEO of the AGA, said in a statement. “These record revenues and tax contributions demonstrate the broad appeal of regulated gaming markets and why strong state oversight remains essential as our industry evolves.” …

Japan’s Ami Nakai Surges Into Olympic Lead After Short Program as US Struggles at the Winter Games

Japan’s Ami Nakai Surges Into Olympic Lead After Short Program as US Struggles at the Winter Games

Published by Sam Flores

MILAN (AP) — Ami Nakai and Japanese teammate Kaori Sakamoto upstaged Alysa Liu and the rest of the “Blade Angels” on Tuesday night. Nakai rode her opening triple axel to a career-best 78.71 points in her short program at the Milan Cortina Olympics, while three-time world champion Sakamoto — the reigning Winter Games bronze medalist — was right behind with 77.23 as she chases down about the only gold medal she has yet to win. Liu was third with 76.59, keeping her within range of the top step of the podium. “Whether I beat them or not is not my goal,” Liu said of the Japanese contingent, which includes Mone Chiba right behind her in fourth place. “My goal is just to do my programs and share my story and I don’t need to be over or under anyone to do that.” The 20-year-old Liu was nearly perfect. Her fellow “Blade Angels” were not. Isabeau Levito lost a level on her step sequence and wound up eighth with 70.84 points, while three-time reigning U.S. champ …

Google secures 1 GW solar deal as Texas data‑center load surges

Google secures 1 GW solar deal as Texas data‑center load surges

Published by skeptic

Photo: TotalEnergies TotalEnergies just landed a massive solar deal to power Google’s expanding Texas data centers. The company signed two long‑term power purchase agreements (PPA) totaling 1 gigawatt (GW) of capacity, or about 28 terawatt‑hours of electricity over 15 years. The power will come from two projects now in development: the 805‑megawatt Wichita solar farm and the 195‑MW Mustang Creek site. Construction is slated to start in Q2 2026. It’s the largest renewable PPA TotalEnergies has ever signed in the US and a clear signal of how fast data‑center power demand is rising. Rather than tapping existing supply, the contracts are tied to brand‑new generation that will feed regional grids. The agreements also stack on top of 1.2 GW in separate PPAs recently secured by Clearway, the California‑based developer that’s 50% owned by TotalEnergies. Those projects will supply Google facilities across ERCOT, PJM, and SPP power markets. Advertisement – scroll for more content Marc‑Antoine Pignon, TotalEnergies’ vice president of US renewables, said deals like this show how major tech companies are increasingly seeking customized clean‑power …

US Core CPI Tumbles To Slowest In 4 Years; Real Wage Growth Surges

US Core CPI Tumbles To Slowest In 4 Years; Real Wage Growth Surges

Published by Jenni Sidey

Rate-cut expectations have surged (dovishly) higher this week (along with tumbling Treasury yields) amid a mixed macro picture (Labor market ‘good’, Retail sales bad, Housing ugly). Today could change all that as CPI for January prints with risk skewed to the upside. January brings annual resets and they tend to surprise on the high side. Despite the ‘hot’ whisper numbers (and 4 previous Januarys in a row of upside surprises), headline consumer price inflation came in cooler than expected in January (+0.2% MoM vs +0.3% expected). That pulled the headline CPI down dramatically from +2.7% to +2.4% – near the lowest in 4 years… Source: Bloomberg Food cost inflation is slowing, Energy is deflating… Core CPI printed +0.3% MoM (in line with expectations), lowering the YoY change in core prices to +2.5% – the lowest since March 2021… Source: Bloomberg Goods inflation is clearly lacking (despite UMich respondents being sure we’d by hyperinflating by now)… The much-watched SuperCore CPI (Services Ex-Shelter) rose notably (+0.6% MoM) but the YoY figure remains at its lowest since Sept 2021… …