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The Star
8 hours ago
- Automotive
- The Star
Panasonic's battery unit profit grows 47% y/y in Q1 on AI boom
The Panasonic booth is shown during the 2020 CES in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. January 7, 2020. REUTERS/Steve Marcus/File Photo TOKYO (Reuters) -Panasonic on Wednesday said operating profit at its battery-making energy unit grew strongly in the first quarter due to the AI investment boom, offsetting negative impacts from U.S. tariffs and the termination of electric vehicle tax credits. Profit for the key unit, which makes batteries for Tesla and other EV makers, rose 47% year-on-year to 31.9 billion yen ($215.6 million). "Concerns remain over a further slowdown in EV demand due to U.S. tariff policies and termination of IRA 30D tax credit", Panasonic said in a presentation slide, but noted demand for data centre-bound energy storage systems is "growing more than anticipated". For the full-year that ends in March 2026, the company kept its operating profit forecast for the energy unit at 167 billion yen. Panasonic Holdings said in May it would cut 10,000 staff and expected to book restructuring costs of 130 billion yen as part of a push to improve group profitability. The electronics manufacturer said at the time it did not expect to book any restructuring costs in its energy business. Last week, Panasonic Energy's major customer Tesla warned of fallout from the U.S. government's legislation to cut a $7,500 tax credit for EV buyers. Panasonic Energy operates a plant in the U.S. state of Nevada that provides batteries to Tesla and earlier this month started production at its second U.S. plant, in Kansas. It also makes energy storage systems for data centres in its consumer business, which in the April-June quarter saw a rapid rise in demand owing to massive AI-related investments, the company said. But both auto batteries and consumer energy storage systems would see certain impact from U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs, it added, without providing the impact forecast in numerical terms. Panasonic Energy is investing in new battery technologies as it competes with Chinese and South Korean rivals such as CATL and LG Energy Solution (LGES) in the global EV supply chain. Last week, LGES warned of slowing demand by early next year due to U.S. tariffs and policy uncertainties after it reported a profit jump for the April-June period. ($1 = 147.9400 yen) (Reporting by Kantaro Komiya; Writing by Daniel Leussink; Editing by Christopher Cushing and David Holmes)
Newsweek
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
National Parks Asked For Feedback. The Response They Got Was Devastating
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Trump administration has placed signs up across National Parks asking for visitors to report any "negative" sentiments about American history shared at the park. Instead, much of the feedback so far expresses negative sentiments about the Trump administration, as seen in responses sent to Newsweek by a National Parks Service (NPS) employee. Over 200 responses leaked to Newsweek by an NPS employee, who has asked to remain anonymous out of fear of retribution, show visitors' anger and frustration at President Donald Trump's climate policies and dismay at the White House's request for feedback on language that is "negative about either past or living Americans." For example, a visitor to Ohio's Cuyahoga Valley National Park said: "I would like the new excuse of a government to keep their hands off our national parks. The orange one doesn't care about the beauty of this landscape otherwise he wouldn't be allowing logging. "Please fight. Please pull us in and tell us how we can help you. Make it easy for the public to get our lands back into the right hands." J. Elizabeth Peace, senior public affairs specialist at the Department of the Interior, told Newsweek: "We welcome public feedback—always have, always will. In fact, it's a core part of how we ensure our programs remain transparent, accountable, and responsive." A woman holds up a sign during a "Protect Our Parks" rally at the Lake Mead National Recreation Area Visitor Center Saturday, March 1, 2025, near Boulder City, Nevada. A woman holds up a sign during a "Protect Our Parks" rally at the Lake Mead National Recreation Area Visitor Center Saturday, March 1, 2025, near Boulder City, Nevada. Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP) Why It Matters A number of National Parks in the U.S. document controversial events and bloody battles in American history, including, for example, the use of Japanese internment camps during World War II and Civil War battlefields. Some of the visitor responses shared with Newsweek expressed anger at what they say is the Trump administration attempting to rewrite some of America's history. The initiative reflects a broader federal effort to promote what the administration describes as "patriotic education" by emphasizing the nation's achievements and historical progress. Cynthia Novellano listens to a speaker during a "Protect Our Parks" rally at the Lake Mead National Recreation Area Visitor Center Saturday, March 1, 2025, near Boulder City, Nevada. Cynthia Novellano listens to a speaker during a "Protect Our Parks" rally at the Lake Mead National Recreation Area Visitor Center Saturday, March 1, 2025, near Boulder City, Nevada. Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP Visitors Push Back on Trump The feedback is given via QR codes which have been popping up across National Parks that tell people to report language in the parks that is "negative about either past or living Americans or that fails to emphasize the beauty, grandeur, and abundance of landscapes." One visitor to Joshua Tree said: "Climate change science says there may be no Joshua Trees left in Joshua Tree National Park in the next 100 years. Why isn't there more signage talking about that?" "Yosemite is awesome! Stop cutting funds for staffing, research, and visitor services. I want to know ALL US history, not just what the government tells me to know. As a country, we need to know the history of all Americans, not just about white men. Hands off my parks!" said a Yosemite visitor. "National Parks are not just about scenic beauty; they're vital classrooms for American unvarnished history makes our parks more relevant and inclusive, ensuring all Americans see their stories reflected. It's about honesty, healing, and building a more complete understanding of who we are as a nation," said another National Parks visitor. What To Know Interior Secretary Doug Burgum issued a secretarial order to implement the signs, saying they are intended to allow parks to "remind Americans of our extraordinary heritage." His announcement about these signs came after President Trump issued his executive order on "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History," which aims to give the federal government more control over Smithsonian exhibits in order to "restore Federal sites dedicated to history, including parks and museums, to solemn and uplifting public monuments that remind Americans of our extraordinary heritage, consistent progress toward becoming a more perfect Union, and unmatched record of advancing liberty, prosperity, and human flourishing." Burgum quoted that paragraph of the executive order twice in his secretarial order, adding parks should be "Recognizing that the natural and historical resources managed by the Department should accurately reflect American history and not partisan ideology." "[Parks should] take action, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, to ensure that all public monuments, memorials, statues, markers, or similar properties within the Department's jurisdiction do not contain descriptions, depictions, or other content that inappropriately disparage Americans past or living (including persons living in colonial times), and instead focus on the greatness of the achievements and progress of the American people or, with respect to natural features, the beauty, abundance, and grandeur of the American landscape," Burgum said. This order is clearly not popular among those National Parks visitors who have taken the opportunity to respond to his survey by criticizing this request. Some also took the opportunity to criticize other Trump administration moves such as trying to make Alcatraz an active prison again, and firing parks employees. Only one response out of the 274 sent to Newsweek by the NPS employee aligned with Trump's assertation that government employees are poorly representing American history. That person said: "I am shocked by the amount of false information, false history, and other very negative to the glory of the United States that is currently being presented at the White House & President's Park Site. "Government employees at this site are damaging the reputation of America with their never ending falsehoods, attacks against people of the United States, and misguided and incorrect view of American history and policy." Not all of the responses to the survey provided to Newsweek mention the president, and focus instead on parks upkeep, with people asking for better signage on trails, and better trail maintenance. A visitor to Sarasota National Historical Park said: "Better signage needed for the handicapped parking areas at the visitor's center. It's very hard to see the signs that show that there is parking up behind the visitor center which is paved nice level ground for wheelchairs." And one hiker in Congaree National Park said: "Too many mosquitos." This type of feedback has been thanked by the Department of the Interior. "Since the President's Executive Order was issued, the Department has received citizen-submitted concerns about historical accuracy at National Park Service sites and materials and took actions to correct errors," Peace told Newsweek. Peace pointed to how a visitor reported that a souvenir postcard mislabeled a nearby landmark and appeared to copy text from Wikipedia without attribution, and another visitor said a video on the Monument's website inaccurately quoted George Washington with a phrase that historians say definitive sourcing. "The National Park Service reviewed the claims and took appropriate corrective or clarifying action," said Peace. "These examples underscore the value of public feedback in helping us maintain historical accuracy across our sites and materials." A billboard at an intersection in Cleveland points out DOGE cuts at Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Thursday, June 5, 2025. A billboard at an intersection in Cleveland points out DOGE cuts at Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Thursday, June 5, 2025. Sue Ogrocki/AP Photo What Happens Next The signs do not appear to be disappearing any time soon as they are based on an executive order and a secretarial order.
Toronto Sun
17-05-2025
- Toronto Sun
2 dead and others injured in Las Vegas gym shooting, police say
Published May 16, 2025 • 1 minute read Las Vegas Metro Police officers are shown in front of a Las Vegas Athletic Club after a shooting Friday, May 16, 2025, in Las Vegas. Photo by Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP / AP LAS VEGAS — There was a shooting Friday afternoon inside a gym, killing two people and injuring at least three others, Las Vegas police said. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account One person died as gunfire erupted at the Las Vegas Athletic Club on the city's west side, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Undersheriff Andrew Walsh said. There was no longer a threat to the public, Walsh said. Heavy police presence was seen lined along North Rainbow Boulevard. In a social media post, police said the suspect in the shooting was confirmed dead at a local hospital. Three people who were injured were transported to local hospitals, with one in critical condition, a spokesperson with the police department said in a press conference. Officials said they are still investigating a motive. 'They said get out, get out, get out,' Claudio Vigani, a witness who was at the gym when the shooting started, told KLAS-TV. 'Then I saw the dead guy next to the machine.' The Associated Press was not able to reach the athletic club for comment. The University Medical Center confirmed it received four patients, with one in critical condition. Columnists Celebrity Toronto & GTA Ontario Columnists
The Star
13-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
Google is developing software AI agent ahead of annual conference, The Information reports
FILE PHOTO: The Google logo is seen on the Google house at CES 2024, an annual consumer electronics trade show, in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. January 10, 2024. REUTERS/Steve Marcus/File Photo (Reuters) -Alphabet's Google has been demonstrating to employees and outside developers an array of different products, including an AI agent for software development, ahead of its annual developer conference, The Information reported on Monday. The agent is intended to help software engineers navigate every stage of the software process, from responding to tasks to documenting code, the report said, citing three people who have seen demonstrations of the product or been told about it by Google employees. The tech giant may also demonstrate the integration of its Gemini AI chatbot, in voice mode, with its Android XR glasses and headset, according to the report. Google declined to comment when contacted by Reuters. Investors have been piling pressure on Google to show returns on the billions poured into artificial intelligence as competition intensifies in the industry. The company's search and ad tech businesses also face a threat from antitrust regulators. Google's I/O conference is set to be held next week in Mountain View California, with the keynote scheduled for May 20. (Reporting by Zaheer Kachwala in Bengaluru; Editing by Shilpi Majumdar)
The Star
06-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
U.S. seeks breakup of Google's ad-tech products after judge finds illegal monopoly
FILE PHOTO: The Google logo is seen on the Google house at CES 2024, an annual consumer electronics trade show, in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. January 10, 2024. REUTERS/Steve Marcus/File Photo (Reuters) -The U.S. Department of Justice has proposed that Alphabet's Google divest its AdX advertising marketplace and ad server DFP, a court filing showed on Monday, after a federal judge found the company illegally dominated two online ad-tech markets. The judge set a September trial date on Friday, after hearing from Google and the DOJ on potential remedies for the company's dominance in ad tools used by online publishers. The Justice Department said the proposed remedies, including divestitures, are necessary to end Google's monopolies and restore competition in the ad-exchange and publisher ad-server markets. Google has said the company supported behavioural remedies such as making real-time bids available to competitors, but that prosecutors cannot legally pursue a bid to force it to sell parts of its business. "The DOJ's additional proposals to force a divestiture of our ad tech tools go well beyond the Court's findings, have no basis in law, and would harm publishers and advertisers," Lee-Anne Mulholland, Google's vice president of Regulatory Affairs, said in a statement to Reuters. AdX, or Ad Exchange, is a marketplace where publishers can make their unsold ad space available to advertisers for purchase on a real-time basis. Publisher ad servers are platforms used by websites to store and manage their digital ad inventory. Along with ad exchanges, the technology lets news publishers and other online content providers make money by selling ads. Last year, Google took a major step to end an EU antitrust investigation with an offer to sell AdX but European publishers rejected the proposal as insufficient. (Reporting by Abinaya Vijayaraghavan; additional reporting by Chandni Shah in Bangalore; Editing by Nivedita Bhattacharjee, Mrigank Dhaniwala, Miyoung Kim)
