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Irish Examiner
4 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
Irish Examiner view: Satire dead as Trump makes peace
The ceasefire between Israel and Iran appears to be holding at the time of writing, though the swiftness of unfolding events in the Middle East has often made a mockery of presumption in the past. The two nations' exchange of missiles was a worrying escalation in a region not short of hair-trigger tempers, so we should not belittle anyone who is seeking to calm the situation. The performance of US president Donald Trump in these circumstances, however, bears closer inspection. Many readers will be familiar by now with the clip of Mr Trump using bad language in describing Israel and Iran; it is a soundbite that will probably play well with his base, and he may plausibly justify his choice of words while portraying himself as a peacemaker. That was surely part of the motivation for his outspokenness, particularly as it came before his trip to the annual meeting of Nato this week in Holland. Depicting himself as a peace broker would surely have bolstered Mr Trump's authority with his Nato allies, particularly as he is keen to get those allies contributing more to Nato's running costs. That authority was undermined by American intelligence reports suggesting the recent US missile attack on Iran did not obliterate that country's nuclear capability, as claimed, but merely set it back by a few months (reports Mr Trump immediately contradicted). It may not be coincidental that this week, Nato countries have accepted the need to contribute more revenue — but some at least have avoided being bound to Mr Trump's spending targets. This last development may have real-world implications in the future, but for now we are still processing extraordinary scenes: The US president cursing about other countries on air, and rubbishing his own intelligence services' findings, would have fuelled a month's worth of headlines at any other time. This week those stories were outdone by a US politician nominating Mr Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize because of the Iran-Israel ceasefire. When Henry Kissinger was nominated for that award, comedian Tom Lehrer declared satire dead. This week we learned that it is not dead but decomposing. Concrete supply: Infrastructure woes continue It is widely accepted that one of the great challenges of modern Irish life is the pressure on our national infrastructure. Energy is an obvious concern, not just because of our fragile energy security due to our location, but also due to the vast amounts of electricity consumed by data centres. Water supply is another ongoing headache, not least because of the various travails of Uisce Éireann ever since that body was founded. Now, we have learned that another key element in creating and maintaining large-scale infrastructure is in trouble. Engineering consultancy firm RPS carried out a study for the Irish Concrete Federation, which found replenishment rates of quarries are inadequate — currently they are running at 61% of the annual consumption. The study also found that planning permission was refused for over half of the volume of proposed extraction of sand, stone, and gravel in greater Dublin between 2017 and last year — while there have also been delays in obtaining planning permission to extend quarries or get permission for new sites. One does not need to be a civil engineer to realise that if supplies of sand, stone, and gravel dwindle, then there are obvious implications for our building capacity. It is notable that the lack of planning permissions is a key issue here, thus echoing the comments of the ESRI's Seán O'Driscoll in these pages recently. He pointed out then that the Government needed to accept that there was a 'national crisis in Irish infrastructure' if progress was to be achieved, and this study adds weight to that claim. Unfortunately, the response from the current administration does not seem to acknowledge that crisis. The Government will engage with the concrete industry about their concerns, according to housing minister James Browne, but he added that the independent planning system also has to take its 'natural course'. The various shambles we have witnessed in our planning system over the years do not depict that 'natural course' in a flattering light. The 'business as usual' approach on show here is the last response needed for a national crisis. Glastonbury festival: Kneecap drama The Glastonbury festival opened yesterday, with thousands of fans pouring into the venue to see their favourite musicians. This year there is an edge of controversy in the presence of Belfast band Kneecap; band member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh faces a terrorism charge for allegedly displaying a Hezbollah flag at a London show last year. British prime minister Keir Starmer said this week that it is not 'appropriate' for the band to perform at Glastonbury, while Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has said the BBC — which normally broadcasts many of the acts at the festival — should not show Kneecap's performance. Belfast band Kneecap. It was not clear at press time whether the BBC would show the Belfast band or wait until nearer the time to make a decision — Kneecap are due to play on Saturday. It is not for us to wonder that an experienced lawyer such as Mr Starmer should be expressing opinions which might be prejudicial to Mr Ó hAnnaidh's case. But we are hardly the only people who feel that British politicians surely have better things to do than complain about Kneecap. Read More Irish Examiner view: Cork crime series reveals a city divided by neglect of the northside
RTÉ News
5 days ago
- Business
- RTÉ News
Concrete industry warns of quarry materials shortfall
The concrete industry has warned Ireland is facing a significant shortfall of materials such as stone, sand and gravel in future years because quarries are not being granted sufficient planning permissions. The Irish Concrete Federation said the delivery of the Government's housing targets and major infrastructure projects are highly dependent on reliable supplies. A study by engineering consultancy firm RPS for the Irish Concrete Federation, found the replenishment rates of quarries is running at 61% of the annual consumption. The study found planning permission was refused for more than half of the volume of proposed extraction of sand, stone and gravel in greater Dublin between 2017 and last year. It also highlighted delays obtaining planning to extend quarries or get permission for new sites. It said: "During 2023, planning cases for aggregates (when subject to an appeal) were spending on average 146 weeks (33 months) in the planning process, almost five times the statutory objective period." The report said there is "an urgent need for a National Policy Statement by the Irish Government to facilitate the long-term sustainable supply of essential aggregate materials". It said the statement should explicitly recognise that stone, sand and gravel are a "strategic national resource", essential for the future development of Ireland and fundamental to meeting societal needs. The RPS report said a typical new 3-bed semi-detached home requires approximately 300 tonnes of aggregates for construction, including foundations, floors, walls and roof tiles with larger houses requiring substantially more. The report said: "A continued depletion of aggregate reserves in the Greater Dublin Area will eventually lead to increased haulage of large volumes of aggregates over longer distances from quarries located outside the region, thereby increasing fuel consumption, costs and greenhouse gas emissions." Commenting on the report, Oisín Coghlan, a spokesman for the Environmental Pillar, said: "There is a new planning regulator An Coimisiún Pleanála. There is no reason why any one industry should get a pass or prioritisation. "There is a lot the industry can do, the national and EU drive is towards less concrete per square foot, more efficiency less pollution and more recycled materials which we aren't using as much of in Ireland."
Associated Press
11-06-2025
- Automotive
- Associated Press
Vaya Space Announces $4 Million Strategic Partnership with Velo3D to Advance Additive Manufacturing for Space Propulsion
'Velo3D offers the production readiness, material capabilities, and deep technical partnership we need to bring our vision to life and deliver flight-ready engines on schedule.'— Aaron Blankenship, Vice President of Operations at Vaya Space COCOA, FL, UNITED STATES, June 11, 2025 / / -- Vaya Space, a space and defense company developing breakthrough hybrid rocket systems on Florida's Space Coast, today announced a strategic partnership with Velo3D, Inc. (OTCQX: VLDX), a leader in additive manufacturing (AM) technology known for transforming aerospace and defense supply chains through world-class metal AM. The two companies have signed a $4 million, two-year Master Services Agreement (MSA) to collaborate on high-performance additive manufacturing R&D and production. Vaya Space selected Velo3D as a key strategic partner in its propulsion development roadmap. Through the agreement, Vaya Space will leverage Velo3D's Rapid Production Solution (RPS) to accelerate production of critical propulsion system components and meet key development timelines. Utilizing Velo3D's Sapphire printer platform, Vaya Space will print parts in both GRCop42—a NASA-developed copper alloy for high-heat transfer and strength—and Inconel 718, a nickel superalloy known for strength and thermal resilience in aerospace applications. Vaya currently uses the Sapphire platform to produce the world's first expander cycle hybrid rocket engine; under the agreement, the two companies will work together to optimize Sapphire's printing parameters, increasing part quality and reducing unit cost and production time. As part of the partnership, Velo3D will serve as Vaya Space's exclusive provider of GRCop42 additive components, delivering guaranteed capacity, advanced engineering support, and Flow™ software training to streamline design-to-production cycles for propulsion assemblies including nozzles, injectors, and turbopumps. The two companies will work collaboratively to produce high-quality engine components for aerospace and defense applications faster and at a lower cost than traditionally achievable. The combination of Velo's closed loop in-situ monitoring with Vaya's fuel grain and tank manufacturing processes will enable full hybrid rocket engines to be produced in days, with the ability to adjust designs and tailor performance profiles to meet the demands of any mission profile. 'Additive manufacturing plays a central role in our ability to reduce design complexity, increase performance, and scale production,' said Aaron Blankenship, Vice President of Operations at Vaya Space. 'Velo3D offers the production readiness, material capabilities, and deep technical partnership we need to bring our vision to life and deliver flight-ready engines on schedule.' 'This partnership is a powerful example of how our Rapid Production Solution helps scale complex hardware manufacturing for today's most ambitious aerospace companies,' said Dr. Arun Jeldi, CEO of Velo3D. 'By combining our capabilities in GRCop42 and Inconel 718 with deep engineering collaboration, we're helping Vaya Space achieve faster, more cost-effective production—right here in the United States.' The agreement includes a joint marketing roadmap and formal signing event at Vaya Space's testing facility in Cocoa, Florida, where one of the propulsion systems produced with Velo3D parts will be on display. About Vaya Space Vaya Space is a privately owned company based on the Space Coast and leveraging patented Vortex-Hybrid engine technology to disrupt both the Space and Defense markets. About Velo3D Velo3D is a metal 3D printing technology company. 3D printing—also known as additive manufacturing (AM)—has a unique ability to improve the way high-value metal parts are built. However, legacy metal AM has been greatly limited in its capabilities since its invention almost 30 years ago. This has prevented the technology from being used to create the most valuable and impactful parts, restricting its use to specific niches where the limitations were acceptable. Velo3D has overcome these limitations so engineers can design and print the parts they want. The company's solution unlocks a wide breadth of design freedom and enables customers in space exploration, aviation, power generation, energy, and semiconductor to innovate the future in their respective industries. Using Velo3D, these customers can now build mission-critical metal parts that were previously impossible to manufacture. The fully integrated solution includes the Flow print preparation software, the Sapphire family of printers, and the Assure quality control system—all of which are powered by Velo3D's Intelligent Fusion manufacturing process. The company delivered its first Sapphire system in 2018 and has been a strategic partner to innovators such as SpaceX, Honeywell, Honda, Chromalloy, and Lam Research. Velo3D has been named as one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies for 2024. For more information, please visit or follow the company on LinkedIn or Twitter. Mary Baldino Vaya Space + 13214465905 email us here Visit us on social media: LinkedIn Instagram Facebook YouTube X Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bangladesh in Sri Lanka 2025
June 17-21 1st Test, Galle (05:00 BST) 25-29 2nd Test, Colombo (SSC) (05:00 BST) July 2 1st ODI, Colombo (RPS) (d/n) (10:00 BST) 5 2nd ODI, Colombo (RPS) (d/n) (10:00 BST) 8 3rd ODI, Pallekele (d/n) (10:00 BST) Advertisement 10 1st Twenty20 international, Pallekele (d/n) (15:00 BST) 13 2nd Twenty20 international, Dambulla (d/n) (15:00 BST) 16 3rd Twenty20 international, Colombo (RPS) (d/n) (15:00 BST) NB Fixtures and start times are subject to change. The BBC is not responsible for any changes that may be made
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Engine Technology Forum Calls for Changes to California's Renewable Portfolio Standards Guidebook
Urges Inclusion of Renewable Diesel/HVO and Hydrogen for ICE Washington, D.C., June 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The following statement was issued today from Allen Schaeffer, Executive Director of the Engine Technology Forum, regarding the Forum's filing to the California Energy Commission's (CEC) open docket for the tenth edition of the Renewable Portfolio Standard Guidebook: 'California's ambitious energy and climate goals demand a full range of solutions of fuels and technologies that are able to reduce carbon emissions. The California Energy Commission's proposed revisions to the Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS) Guidebook establishes new standards of eligibility for technologies and fuels to receive renewable energy credits for power generation. 'At a time when the affordability and availability of reliable energy in California are top of mind, the CEC's proposed revisions to the RPS Guidebook fall short of maximizing opportunities to lower energy costs and increase supply. 'This is due in part to the CEC's failure to explicitly recognize Hydrogenated Vegetable Oils (HVO), also known as renewable diesel (RD), when used in power generation applications. Additionally, the CEC's consideration of the use of renewable hydrogen must be clarified to explicitly include all applications, not only fuel cells and linear generators but also hydrogen use in internal combustion engines for generators. 'Diesel generators remain a critical part of California's energy portfolio. This large, well-established fleet of installed power systems plays a vital role in providing backup power to public and private utilities, as well as critical institutions, during planned power safety shutoffs and other emergency situations. The use of hydrotreated vegetable oils in these units instead of fossil-based diesel delivers proven reductions of greenhouse gas and other emissions of at least 50-75%. These are significant reductions, and operators of these units should be eligible to generate renewable energy credits just like other power producers utilizing bio-based or alternative fuels. 'HVO/RD should receive explicit and specific recognition within the Guidebook revision for several reasons: HVO/RD is a key, proven fuel in achieving carbon reductions under California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard program, with renewable diesel now accounting for more than 70% of all diesel fuel used in the state. HVO/RD offers superior affordability compared to other low-carbon technologies – an especially important factor as energy costs continue to rise in California. There is widespread acceptance of HVO/RD among engine manufacturers and end users, particularly those deploying generator-based power systems across California. The refining sector is making significant investments to expand production of HVO/RD. HVO/RD offers a proven, immediately available solution to help California meet its greenhouse gas reduction commitments. 'In addition, the Guidebook Revision should clarify and explicitly recognize all applications to produce electricity using renewable hydrogen, from fuel cells and linear generators to internal combustion engines. Engine manufacturers are developing and starting to deploy hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engines today in limited heavy-duty on and off-road applications. The use of renewable hydrogen offers another important option for hard-to-decarbonize sectors of the economy such as power generation.' The Forum's comments filed with the California Energy Commission can be found here. About the Engine Technology ForumFounded on the principles of fact-based education, science, outreach and collaboration, the Engine Technology Forum is dedicated to promoting a greater understanding of the benefits of advanced engines and the fuels that they use, as well as how these contribute to a sustainable future. Sign up for our digital newsletter and connect with us on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. CONTACT: Allen Schaeffer Engine Technology Forum 3015149046 aschaeffer@
