• Ah, the wonders of modern governance—where Big Tech asks for looser Clean Water Act permitting, and guess what? Trump is all ears! It’s almost as if the environmental regulations were just a suggestion, right? Who needs clean water when your data centers can run on pure ambition and a sprinkle of lobbyist charm? Meta, Google, and Amazon must be thrilled to know that their wish list is getting checked twice. Next on the agenda: perhaps they’ll lobby for a Clean Air Act amendment that lets them breathe easy while we hold our breaths. Cheers to progress!

    #BigTech #CleanWaterAct #Trump #EnvironmentalRegulations #Lobbying
    Ah, the wonders of modern governance—where Big Tech asks for looser Clean Water Act permitting, and guess what? Trump is all ears! It’s almost as if the environmental regulations were just a suggestion, right? Who needs clean water when your data centers can run on pure ambition and a sprinkle of lobbyist charm? Meta, Google, and Amazon must be thrilled to know that their wish list is getting checked twice. Next on the agenda: perhaps they’ll lobby for a Clean Air Act amendment that lets them breathe easy while we hold our breaths. Cheers to progress! #BigTech #CleanWaterAct #Trump #EnvironmentalRegulations #Lobbying
    Big Tech Asked for Looser Clean Water Act Permitting. Trump Wants to Give It to Them
    New AI regulations suggested by the White House mirror changes to environmental permitting suggested by Meta and a lobbying group representing firms like Google and Amazon Web Services.
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  • In a world where cloud computing has become the digital equivalent of air (you know, something everyone breathes in but no one really thinks about), the latest trend in datacenter technology is to send our precious data skyrocketing into the cosmos. Yes, you read that right—space-based datacenters are the new buzzword, because why let earthly problems like power outages or NIMBYism stop us from storing our data in the great beyond?

    Imagine the scene: while we sit in traffic on our way to work, feeling the weight of our earthly responsibilities, there are engineers in space suits, floating around in zero gravity, managing data storage like it’s just another day at the office. I mean, who needs a reliable power grid when you can have the cosmic energy of a thousand suns powering your Netflix binge-watching session? Talk about an upgrade!

    Of course, this leap into the stratosphere isn't without its challenges. What happens if there’s a little too much space debris? Will our precious selfies come crashing back down to Earth? Or worse, will they be lost forever among the stars? But fear not! The tech-savvy geniuses behind this initiative have assured us that they have a plan. Clearly, the best minds of our generation are focused on ensuring your TikTok videos stay safe in orbit rather than, say, solving world hunger or climate change. Priorities, am I right?

    Let’s not forget about the cost. Space travel isn’t exactly cheap. But hey, if I’m going to spend a fortune on data storage, I’d rather it be orbiting Earth than sitting in a basement somewhere in New Jersey. Because nothing says “I’m a forward-thinking tech mogul” quite like a datacenter floating serenely above the clouds, right? It’s the ultimate status symbol—better than a sports car, better than a mansion. “Look at me! My data is literally out of this world!”

    And let’s be real, the power of AI is growing faster than a toddler on a sugar rush. Our current datacenters are sweating bullets trying to keep up. So, the solution? Just toss them into orbit! Sure, it sounds like a plot from a sci-fi movie, but who needs a solid plan when you have a vision, right? The next logical step is to start launching all our problems into space. Traffic jams? Launch them! Your ex? Into orbit they go!

    So, here's to the brave souls who will be managing our digital lives from afar. May your Wi-Fi connection be strong, may your satellite dishes be well-aligned, and may your cosmic data never experience latency. Because if there’s one thing we can all agree on, it's that our data deserves a first-class ticket to space, even if it means leaving the rest of the world behind.

    #SpaceBasedDatacenters #CloudComputing #DataInOrbit #TechTrends #AIFuture
    In a world where cloud computing has become the digital equivalent of air (you know, something everyone breathes in but no one really thinks about), the latest trend in datacenter technology is to send our precious data skyrocketing into the cosmos. Yes, you read that right—space-based datacenters are the new buzzword, because why let earthly problems like power outages or NIMBYism stop us from storing our data in the great beyond? Imagine the scene: while we sit in traffic on our way to work, feeling the weight of our earthly responsibilities, there are engineers in space suits, floating around in zero gravity, managing data storage like it’s just another day at the office. I mean, who needs a reliable power grid when you can have the cosmic energy of a thousand suns powering your Netflix binge-watching session? Talk about an upgrade! Of course, this leap into the stratosphere isn't without its challenges. What happens if there’s a little too much space debris? Will our precious selfies come crashing back down to Earth? Or worse, will they be lost forever among the stars? But fear not! The tech-savvy geniuses behind this initiative have assured us that they have a plan. Clearly, the best minds of our generation are focused on ensuring your TikTok videos stay safe in orbit rather than, say, solving world hunger or climate change. Priorities, am I right? Let’s not forget about the cost. Space travel isn’t exactly cheap. But hey, if I’m going to spend a fortune on data storage, I’d rather it be orbiting Earth than sitting in a basement somewhere in New Jersey. Because nothing says “I’m a forward-thinking tech mogul” quite like a datacenter floating serenely above the clouds, right? It’s the ultimate status symbol—better than a sports car, better than a mansion. “Look at me! My data is literally out of this world!” And let’s be real, the power of AI is growing faster than a toddler on a sugar rush. Our current datacenters are sweating bullets trying to keep up. So, the solution? Just toss them into orbit! Sure, it sounds like a plot from a sci-fi movie, but who needs a solid plan when you have a vision, right? The next logical step is to start launching all our problems into space. Traffic jams? Launch them! Your ex? Into orbit they go! So, here's to the brave souls who will be managing our digital lives from afar. May your Wi-Fi connection be strong, may your satellite dishes be well-aligned, and may your cosmic data never experience latency. Because if there’s one thing we can all agree on, it's that our data deserves a first-class ticket to space, even if it means leaving the rest of the world behind. #SpaceBasedDatacenters #CloudComputing #DataInOrbit #TechTrends #AIFuture
    Space-Based Datacenters Take The Cloud into Orbit
    Where’s the best place for a datacenter? It’s an increasing problem as the AI buildup continues seemingly without pause. It’s not just a problem of NIMBYism; earthly power grids are …read more
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  • Fox News AI Newsletter: Hollywood studios sue 'bottomless pit of plagiarism'

    The Minions pose during the world premiere of the film "Despicable Me 4" in New York City, June 9, 2024. NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
    Welcome to Fox News’ Artificial Intelligence newsletter with the latest AI technology advancements.IN TODAY’S NEWSLETTER:- Major Hollywood studios sue AI company over copyright infringement in landmark move- Meta's Zuckerberg aiming to dominate AI race with recruiting push for new ‘superintelligence’ team: report- OpenAI says this state will play central role in artificial intelligence development The website of Midjourney, an artificial intelligencecapable of creating AI art, is seen on a smartphone on April 3, 2023, in Berlin, Germany.'PIRACY IS PIRACY': Two major Hollywood studios are suing Midjourney, a popular AI image generator, over its use and distribution of intellectual property.AI RACE: Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is reportedly building a team of experts to develop artificial general intelligencethat can meet or exceed human capabilities.TECH HUB: New York is poised to play a central role in the development of artificial intelligence, OpenAI executives told key business and civic leaders on Tuesday. Attendees watch a presentation during an event on the Apple campus in Cupertino, Calif., Monday, June 9, 2025. APPLE FALLING BEHIND: Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conferencekicked off on Monday and runs through Friday. But the Cupertino-based company is not making us wait until the end. The major announcements have already been made, and there are quite a few. The headliners are new software versions for Macs, iPhones, iPads and Vision. FROM COAL TO CODE: This week, Amazon announced a billion investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure in the form of new data centers, the largest in the commonwealth's history, according to the eCommerce giant.DIGITAL DEFENSE: A growing number of fire departments across the country are turning to artificial intelligence to help detect and respond to wildfires more quickly. Rep. Darin LaHood, R-Ill., leaves the House Republican Conference meeting at the Capitol Hill Club in Washington on Tuesday, May 17, 2022. SHIELD FROM BEIJING: Rep. Darin LaHood, R-Ill., is introducing a new bill Thursday imploring the National Security Administrationto develop an "AI security playbook" to stay ahead of threats from China and other foreign adversaries. ROBOT RALLY PARTNER: Finding a reliable tennis partner who matches your energy and skill level can be a challenge. Now, with Tenniix, an artificial intelligence-powered tennis robot from T-Apex, players of all abilities have a new way to practice and improve. DIGITAL DANGER ZONE: Scam ads on Facebook have evolved beyond the days of misspelled headlines and sketchy product photos. Today, many are powered by artificial intelligence, fueled by deepfake technology and distributed at scale through Facebook’s own ad system.  Fairfield, Ohio, USA - February 25, 2011 : Chipotle Mexican Grill Logo on brick building. Chipotle is a chain of fast casual restaurants in the United States and Canada that specialize in burritos and tacos.'EXPONENTIAL RATE': Artificial intelligence is helping Chipotle rapidly grow its footprint, according to CEO Scott Boatwright. AI TAKEOVER THREAT: The hottest topic nowadays revolves around Artificial Intelligenceand its potential to rapidly and imminently transform the world we live in — economically, socially, politically and even defensively. Regardless of whether you believe that the technology will be able to develop superintelligence and lead a metamorphosis of everything, the possibility that may come to fruition is a catalyst for more far-leftist control.FOLLOW FOX NEWS ON SOCIAL MEDIASIGN UP FOR OUR OTHER NEWSLETTERSDOWNLOAD OUR APPSWATCH FOX NEWS ONLINEFox News GoSTREAM FOX NATIONFox NationStay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future with Fox News here. This article was written by Fox News staff.
    #fox #news #newsletter #hollywood #studios
    Fox News AI Newsletter: Hollywood studios sue 'bottomless pit of plagiarism'
    The Minions pose during the world premiere of the film "Despicable Me 4" in New York City, June 9, 2024. NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Welcome to Fox News’ Artificial Intelligence newsletter with the latest AI technology advancements.IN TODAY’S NEWSLETTER:- Major Hollywood studios sue AI company over copyright infringement in landmark move- Meta's Zuckerberg aiming to dominate AI race with recruiting push for new ‘superintelligence’ team: report- OpenAI says this state will play central role in artificial intelligence development The website of Midjourney, an artificial intelligencecapable of creating AI art, is seen on a smartphone on April 3, 2023, in Berlin, Germany.'PIRACY IS PIRACY': Two major Hollywood studios are suing Midjourney, a popular AI image generator, over its use and distribution of intellectual property.AI RACE: Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is reportedly building a team of experts to develop artificial general intelligencethat can meet or exceed human capabilities.TECH HUB: New York is poised to play a central role in the development of artificial intelligence, OpenAI executives told key business and civic leaders on Tuesday. Attendees watch a presentation during an event on the Apple campus in Cupertino, Calif., Monday, June 9, 2025. APPLE FALLING BEHIND: Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conferencekicked off on Monday and runs through Friday. But the Cupertino-based company is not making us wait until the end. The major announcements have already been made, and there are quite a few. The headliners are new software versions for Macs, iPhones, iPads and Vision. FROM COAL TO CODE: This week, Amazon announced a billion investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure in the form of new data centers, the largest in the commonwealth's history, according to the eCommerce giant.DIGITAL DEFENSE: A growing number of fire departments across the country are turning to artificial intelligence to help detect and respond to wildfires more quickly. Rep. Darin LaHood, R-Ill., leaves the House Republican Conference meeting at the Capitol Hill Club in Washington on Tuesday, May 17, 2022. SHIELD FROM BEIJING: Rep. Darin LaHood, R-Ill., is introducing a new bill Thursday imploring the National Security Administrationto develop an "AI security playbook" to stay ahead of threats from China and other foreign adversaries. ROBOT RALLY PARTNER: Finding a reliable tennis partner who matches your energy and skill level can be a challenge. Now, with Tenniix, an artificial intelligence-powered tennis robot from T-Apex, players of all abilities have a new way to practice and improve. DIGITAL DANGER ZONE: Scam ads on Facebook have evolved beyond the days of misspelled headlines and sketchy product photos. Today, many are powered by artificial intelligence, fueled by deepfake technology and distributed at scale through Facebook’s own ad system.  Fairfield, Ohio, USA - February 25, 2011 : Chipotle Mexican Grill Logo on brick building. Chipotle is a chain of fast casual restaurants in the United States and Canada that specialize in burritos and tacos.'EXPONENTIAL RATE': Artificial intelligence is helping Chipotle rapidly grow its footprint, according to CEO Scott Boatwright. AI TAKEOVER THREAT: The hottest topic nowadays revolves around Artificial Intelligenceand its potential to rapidly and imminently transform the world we live in — economically, socially, politically and even defensively. Regardless of whether you believe that the technology will be able to develop superintelligence and lead a metamorphosis of everything, the possibility that may come to fruition is a catalyst for more far-leftist control.FOLLOW FOX NEWS ON SOCIAL MEDIASIGN UP FOR OUR OTHER NEWSLETTERSDOWNLOAD OUR APPSWATCH FOX NEWS ONLINEFox News GoSTREAM FOX NATIONFox NationStay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future with Fox News here. This article was written by Fox News staff. #fox #news #newsletter #hollywood #studios
    WWW.FOXNEWS.COM
    Fox News AI Newsletter: Hollywood studios sue 'bottomless pit of plagiarism'
    The Minions pose during the world premiere of the film "Despicable Me 4" in New York City, June 9, 2024.  (REUTERS/Kena Betancur) NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Welcome to Fox News’ Artificial Intelligence newsletter with the latest AI technology advancements.IN TODAY’S NEWSLETTER:- Major Hollywood studios sue AI company over copyright infringement in landmark move- Meta's Zuckerberg aiming to dominate AI race with recruiting push for new ‘superintelligence’ team: report- OpenAI says this state will play central role in artificial intelligence development The website of Midjourney, an artificial intelligence (AI) capable of creating AI art, is seen on a smartphone on April 3, 2023, in Berlin, Germany. (Thomas Trutschel/Photothek via Getty Images)'PIRACY IS PIRACY': Two major Hollywood studios are suing Midjourney, a popular AI image generator, over its use and distribution of intellectual property.AI RACE: Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is reportedly building a team of experts to develop artificial general intelligence (AGI) that can meet or exceed human capabilities.TECH HUB: New York is poised to play a central role in the development of artificial intelligence (AI), OpenAI executives told key business and civic leaders on Tuesday. Attendees watch a presentation during an event on the Apple campus in Cupertino, Calif., Monday, June 9, 2025.  (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)APPLE FALLING BEHIND: Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) kicked off on Monday and runs through Friday. But the Cupertino-based company is not making us wait until the end. The major announcements have already been made, and there are quite a few. The headliners are new software versions for Macs, iPhones, iPads and Vision. FROM COAL TO CODE: This week, Amazon announced a $20 billion investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure in the form of new data centers, the largest in the commonwealth's history, according to the eCommerce giant.DIGITAL DEFENSE: A growing number of fire departments across the country are turning to artificial intelligence to help detect and respond to wildfires more quickly. Rep. Darin LaHood, R-Ill., leaves the House Republican Conference meeting at the Capitol Hill Club in Washington on Tuesday, May 17, 2022.  (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)SHIELD FROM BEIJING: Rep. Darin LaHood, R-Ill., is introducing a new bill Thursday imploring the National Security Administration (NSA) to develop an "AI security playbook" to stay ahead of threats from China and other foreign adversaries. ROBOT RALLY PARTNER: Finding a reliable tennis partner who matches your energy and skill level can be a challenge. Now, with Tenniix, an artificial intelligence-powered tennis robot from T-Apex, players of all abilities have a new way to practice and improve. DIGITAL DANGER ZONE: Scam ads on Facebook have evolved beyond the days of misspelled headlines and sketchy product photos. Today, many are powered by artificial intelligence, fueled by deepfake technology and distributed at scale through Facebook’s own ad system.  Fairfield, Ohio, USA - February 25, 2011 : Chipotle Mexican Grill Logo on brick building. Chipotle is a chain of fast casual restaurants in the United States and Canada that specialize in burritos and tacos. (iStock)'EXPONENTIAL RATE': Artificial intelligence is helping Chipotle rapidly grow its footprint, according to CEO Scott Boatwright. AI TAKEOVER THREAT: The hottest topic nowadays revolves around Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its potential to rapidly and imminently transform the world we live in — economically, socially, politically and even defensively. Regardless of whether you believe that the technology will be able to develop superintelligence and lead a metamorphosis of everything, the possibility that may come to fruition is a catalyst for more far-leftist control.FOLLOW FOX NEWS ON SOCIAL MEDIASIGN UP FOR OUR OTHER NEWSLETTERSDOWNLOAD OUR APPSWATCH FOX NEWS ONLINEFox News GoSTREAM FOX NATIONFox NationStay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future with Fox News here. This article was written by Fox News staff.
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  • How a US agriculture agency became key in the fight against bird flu

    A dangerous strain of bird flu is spreading in US livestockMediaMedium/Alamy
    Since Donald Trump assumed office in January, the leading US public health agency has pulled back preparations for a potential bird flu pandemic. But as it steps back, another government agency is stepping up.

    While the US Department of Health and Human Servicespreviously held regular briefings on its efforts to prevent a wider outbreak of a deadly bird flu virus called H5N1 in people, it largely stopped once Trump took office. It has also cancelled funding for a vaccine that would have targeted the virus. In contrast, the US Department of Agriculturehas escalated its fight against H5N1’s spread in poultry flocks and dairy herds, including by funding the development of livestock vaccines.
    This particular virus – a strain of avian influenza called H5N1 – poses a significant threat to humans, having killed about half of the roughly 1000 people worldwide who tested positive for it since 2003. While the pathogen spreads rapidly in birds, it is poorly adapted to infecting humans and isn’t known to transmit between people. But that could change if it acquires mutations that allow it to spread more easily among mammals – a risk that increases with each mammalian infection.
    The possibility of H5N1 evolving to become more dangerous to people has grown significantly since March 2024, when the virus jumped from migratory birds to dairy cows in Texas. More than 1,070 herds across 17 states have been affected since then.
    H5N1 also infects poultry, placing the virus in closer proximity to people. Since 2022, nearly 175 million domestic birds have been culled in the US due to H5N1, and almost all of the 71 people who have tested positive for it had direct contact with livestock.

    Get the most essential health and fitness news in your inbox every Saturday.

    Sign up to newsletter

    “We need to take this seriously because whenconstantly is spreading, it’s constantly spilling over into humans,” says Seema Lakdawala at Emory University in Georgia. The virus has already killed a person in the US and a child in Mexico this year.
    Still, cases have declined under Trump. The last recorded human case was in February, and the number of affected poultry flocks fell 95 per cent between then and June. Outbreaks in dairy herds have also stabilised.
    It isn’t clear what is behind the decline. Lakdawala believes it is partly due to a lull in bird migration, which reduces opportunities for the virus to spread from wild birds to livestock. It may also reflect efforts by the USDA to contain outbreaks on farms. In February, the USDA unveiled a billion plan for tackling H5N1, including strengthening farmers’ defences against the virus, such as through free biosecurity assessments. Of the 150 facilities that have undergone assessment, only one has experienced an H5N1 outbreak.
    Under Trump, the USDA also continued its National Milk Testing Strategy, which mandates farms provide raw milk samples for influenza testing. If a farm is positive for H5N1, it must allow the USDA to monitor livestock and implement measures to contain the virus. The USDA launched the programme in December and has since ramped up participation to 45 states.
    “The National Milk Testing Strategy is a fantastic system,” says Erin Sorrell at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland. Along with the USDA’s efforts to improve biosecurity measures on farms, milk testing is crucial for containing the outbreak, says Sorrell.

    But while the USDA has bolstered its efforts against H5N1, the HHS doesn’t appear to have followed suit. In fact, the recent drop in human cases may reflect decreased surveillance due to workforce cuts, says Sorrell. In April, the HHS laid off about 10,000 employees, including 90 per cent of staff at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, an office that helps investigate H5N1 outbreaks in farm workers.
    “There is an old saying that if you don’t test for something, you can’t find it,” says Sorrell. Yet a spokesperson for the US Centers for Disease Control and Preventionsays its guidance and surveillance efforts have not changed. “State and local health departments continue to monitor for illness in persons exposed to sick animals,” they told New Scientist. “CDC remains committed to rapidly communicating information as needed about H5N1.”
    The USDA and HHS also diverge on vaccination. While the USDA has allocated million toward developing vaccines and other solutions for preventing H5N1’s spread in livestock, the HHS cancelled million in contracts for influenza vaccine development. The contracts – terminated on 28 May – were with the pharmaceutical company Moderna to develop vaccines targeting flu subtypes, including H5N1, that could cause future pandemics. The news came the same day Moderna reported nearly 98 per cent of the roughly 300 participants who received two doses of the H5 vaccine in a clinical trial had antibody levels believed to be protective against the virus.
    The US has about five million H5N1 vaccine doses stockpiled, but these are made using eggs and cultured cells, which take longer to produce than mRNA-based vaccines like Moderna’s. The Moderna vaccine would have modernised the stockpile and enabled the government to rapidly produce vaccines in the event of a pandemic, says Sorrell. “It seems like a very effective platform and would have positioned the US and others to be on good footing if and when we needed a vaccine for our general public,” she says.

    The HHS cancelled the contracts due to concerns about mRNA vaccines, which Robert F Kennedy Jr – the country’s highest-ranking public health official – has previously cast doubt on. “The reality is that mRNA technology remains under-tested, and we are not going to spend taxpayer dollars repeating the mistakes of the last administration,” said HHS communications director Andrew Nixon in a statement to New Scientist.
    However, mRNA technology isn’t new. It has been in development for more than half a century and numerous clinical trials have shown mRNA vaccines are safe. While they do carry the risk of side effects – the majority of which are mild – this is true of almost every medical treatment. In a press release, Moderna said it would explore alternative funding paths for the programme.
    “My stance is that we should not be looking to take anything off the table, and that includes any type of vaccine regimen,” says Lakdawala.
    “Vaccines are the most effective way to counter an infectious disease,” says Sorrell. “And so having that in your arsenal and ready to go just give you more options.”
    Topics:
    #how #agriculture #agency #became #key
    How a US agriculture agency became key in the fight against bird flu
    A dangerous strain of bird flu is spreading in US livestockMediaMedium/Alamy Since Donald Trump assumed office in January, the leading US public health agency has pulled back preparations for a potential bird flu pandemic. But as it steps back, another government agency is stepping up. While the US Department of Health and Human Servicespreviously held regular briefings on its efforts to prevent a wider outbreak of a deadly bird flu virus called H5N1 in people, it largely stopped once Trump took office. It has also cancelled funding for a vaccine that would have targeted the virus. In contrast, the US Department of Agriculturehas escalated its fight against H5N1’s spread in poultry flocks and dairy herds, including by funding the development of livestock vaccines. This particular virus – a strain of avian influenza called H5N1 – poses a significant threat to humans, having killed about half of the roughly 1000 people worldwide who tested positive for it since 2003. While the pathogen spreads rapidly in birds, it is poorly adapted to infecting humans and isn’t known to transmit between people. But that could change if it acquires mutations that allow it to spread more easily among mammals – a risk that increases with each mammalian infection. The possibility of H5N1 evolving to become more dangerous to people has grown significantly since March 2024, when the virus jumped from migratory birds to dairy cows in Texas. More than 1,070 herds across 17 states have been affected since then. H5N1 also infects poultry, placing the virus in closer proximity to people. Since 2022, nearly 175 million domestic birds have been culled in the US due to H5N1, and almost all of the 71 people who have tested positive for it had direct contact with livestock. Get the most essential health and fitness news in your inbox every Saturday. Sign up to newsletter “We need to take this seriously because whenconstantly is spreading, it’s constantly spilling over into humans,” says Seema Lakdawala at Emory University in Georgia. The virus has already killed a person in the US and a child in Mexico this year. Still, cases have declined under Trump. The last recorded human case was in February, and the number of affected poultry flocks fell 95 per cent between then and June. Outbreaks in dairy herds have also stabilised. It isn’t clear what is behind the decline. Lakdawala believes it is partly due to a lull in bird migration, which reduces opportunities for the virus to spread from wild birds to livestock. It may also reflect efforts by the USDA to contain outbreaks on farms. In February, the USDA unveiled a billion plan for tackling H5N1, including strengthening farmers’ defences against the virus, such as through free biosecurity assessments. Of the 150 facilities that have undergone assessment, only one has experienced an H5N1 outbreak. Under Trump, the USDA also continued its National Milk Testing Strategy, which mandates farms provide raw milk samples for influenza testing. If a farm is positive for H5N1, it must allow the USDA to monitor livestock and implement measures to contain the virus. The USDA launched the programme in December and has since ramped up participation to 45 states. “The National Milk Testing Strategy is a fantastic system,” says Erin Sorrell at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland. Along with the USDA’s efforts to improve biosecurity measures on farms, milk testing is crucial for containing the outbreak, says Sorrell. But while the USDA has bolstered its efforts against H5N1, the HHS doesn’t appear to have followed suit. In fact, the recent drop in human cases may reflect decreased surveillance due to workforce cuts, says Sorrell. In April, the HHS laid off about 10,000 employees, including 90 per cent of staff at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, an office that helps investigate H5N1 outbreaks in farm workers. “There is an old saying that if you don’t test for something, you can’t find it,” says Sorrell. Yet a spokesperson for the US Centers for Disease Control and Preventionsays its guidance and surveillance efforts have not changed. “State and local health departments continue to monitor for illness in persons exposed to sick animals,” they told New Scientist. “CDC remains committed to rapidly communicating information as needed about H5N1.” The USDA and HHS also diverge on vaccination. While the USDA has allocated million toward developing vaccines and other solutions for preventing H5N1’s spread in livestock, the HHS cancelled million in contracts for influenza vaccine development. The contracts – terminated on 28 May – were with the pharmaceutical company Moderna to develop vaccines targeting flu subtypes, including H5N1, that could cause future pandemics. The news came the same day Moderna reported nearly 98 per cent of the roughly 300 participants who received two doses of the H5 vaccine in a clinical trial had antibody levels believed to be protective against the virus. The US has about five million H5N1 vaccine doses stockpiled, but these are made using eggs and cultured cells, which take longer to produce than mRNA-based vaccines like Moderna’s. The Moderna vaccine would have modernised the stockpile and enabled the government to rapidly produce vaccines in the event of a pandemic, says Sorrell. “It seems like a very effective platform and would have positioned the US and others to be on good footing if and when we needed a vaccine for our general public,” she says. The HHS cancelled the contracts due to concerns about mRNA vaccines, which Robert F Kennedy Jr – the country’s highest-ranking public health official – has previously cast doubt on. “The reality is that mRNA technology remains under-tested, and we are not going to spend taxpayer dollars repeating the mistakes of the last administration,” said HHS communications director Andrew Nixon in a statement to New Scientist. However, mRNA technology isn’t new. It has been in development for more than half a century and numerous clinical trials have shown mRNA vaccines are safe. While they do carry the risk of side effects – the majority of which are mild – this is true of almost every medical treatment. In a press release, Moderna said it would explore alternative funding paths for the programme. “My stance is that we should not be looking to take anything off the table, and that includes any type of vaccine regimen,” says Lakdawala. “Vaccines are the most effective way to counter an infectious disease,” says Sorrell. “And so having that in your arsenal and ready to go just give you more options.” Topics: #how #agriculture #agency #became #key
    WWW.NEWSCIENTIST.COM
    How a US agriculture agency became key in the fight against bird flu
    A dangerous strain of bird flu is spreading in US livestockMediaMedium/Alamy Since Donald Trump assumed office in January, the leading US public health agency has pulled back preparations for a potential bird flu pandemic. But as it steps back, another government agency is stepping up. While the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) previously held regular briefings on its efforts to prevent a wider outbreak of a deadly bird flu virus called H5N1 in people, it largely stopped once Trump took office. It has also cancelled funding for a vaccine that would have targeted the virus. In contrast, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has escalated its fight against H5N1’s spread in poultry flocks and dairy herds, including by funding the development of livestock vaccines. This particular virus – a strain of avian influenza called H5N1 – poses a significant threat to humans, having killed about half of the roughly 1000 people worldwide who tested positive for it since 2003. While the pathogen spreads rapidly in birds, it is poorly adapted to infecting humans and isn’t known to transmit between people. But that could change if it acquires mutations that allow it to spread more easily among mammals – a risk that increases with each mammalian infection. The possibility of H5N1 evolving to become more dangerous to people has grown significantly since March 2024, when the virus jumped from migratory birds to dairy cows in Texas. More than 1,070 herds across 17 states have been affected since then. H5N1 also infects poultry, placing the virus in closer proximity to people. Since 2022, nearly 175 million domestic birds have been culled in the US due to H5N1, and almost all of the 71 people who have tested positive for it had direct contact with livestock. Get the most essential health and fitness news in your inbox every Saturday. Sign up to newsletter “We need to take this seriously because when [H5N1] constantly is spreading, it’s constantly spilling over into humans,” says Seema Lakdawala at Emory University in Georgia. The virus has already killed a person in the US and a child in Mexico this year. Still, cases have declined under Trump. The last recorded human case was in February, and the number of affected poultry flocks fell 95 per cent between then and June. Outbreaks in dairy herds have also stabilised. It isn’t clear what is behind the decline. Lakdawala believes it is partly due to a lull in bird migration, which reduces opportunities for the virus to spread from wild birds to livestock. It may also reflect efforts by the USDA to contain outbreaks on farms. In February, the USDA unveiled a $1 billion plan for tackling H5N1, including strengthening farmers’ defences against the virus, such as through free biosecurity assessments. Of the 150 facilities that have undergone assessment, only one has experienced an H5N1 outbreak. Under Trump, the USDA also continued its National Milk Testing Strategy, which mandates farms provide raw milk samples for influenza testing. If a farm is positive for H5N1, it must allow the USDA to monitor livestock and implement measures to contain the virus. The USDA launched the programme in December and has since ramped up participation to 45 states. “The National Milk Testing Strategy is a fantastic system,” says Erin Sorrell at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland. Along with the USDA’s efforts to improve biosecurity measures on farms, milk testing is crucial for containing the outbreak, says Sorrell. But while the USDA has bolstered its efforts against H5N1, the HHS doesn’t appear to have followed suit. In fact, the recent drop in human cases may reflect decreased surveillance due to workforce cuts, says Sorrell. In April, the HHS laid off about 10,000 employees, including 90 per cent of staff at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, an office that helps investigate H5N1 outbreaks in farm workers. “There is an old saying that if you don’t test for something, you can’t find it,” says Sorrell. Yet a spokesperson for the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says its guidance and surveillance efforts have not changed. “State and local health departments continue to monitor for illness in persons exposed to sick animals,” they told New Scientist. “CDC remains committed to rapidly communicating information as needed about H5N1.” The USDA and HHS also diverge on vaccination. While the USDA has allocated $100 million toward developing vaccines and other solutions for preventing H5N1’s spread in livestock, the HHS cancelled $776 million in contracts for influenza vaccine development. The contracts – terminated on 28 May – were with the pharmaceutical company Moderna to develop vaccines targeting flu subtypes, including H5N1, that could cause future pandemics. The news came the same day Moderna reported nearly 98 per cent of the roughly 300 participants who received two doses of the H5 vaccine in a clinical trial had antibody levels believed to be protective against the virus. The US has about five million H5N1 vaccine doses stockpiled, but these are made using eggs and cultured cells, which take longer to produce than mRNA-based vaccines like Moderna’s. The Moderna vaccine would have modernised the stockpile and enabled the government to rapidly produce vaccines in the event of a pandemic, says Sorrell. “It seems like a very effective platform and would have positioned the US and others to be on good footing if and when we needed a vaccine for our general public,” she says. The HHS cancelled the contracts due to concerns about mRNA vaccines, which Robert F Kennedy Jr – the country’s highest-ranking public health official – has previously cast doubt on. “The reality is that mRNA technology remains under-tested, and we are not going to spend taxpayer dollars repeating the mistakes of the last administration,” said HHS communications director Andrew Nixon in a statement to New Scientist. However, mRNA technology isn’t new. It has been in development for more than half a century and numerous clinical trials have shown mRNA vaccines are safe. While they do carry the risk of side effects – the majority of which are mild – this is true of almost every medical treatment. In a press release, Moderna said it would explore alternative funding paths for the programme. “My stance is that we should not be looking to take anything off the table, and that includes any type of vaccine regimen,” says Lakdawala. “Vaccines are the most effective way to counter an infectious disease,” says Sorrell. “And so having that in your arsenal and ready to go just give you more options.” Topics:
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  • Five Climate Issues to Watch When Trump Goes to Canada

    June 13, 20255 min readFive Climate Issues to Watch When Trump Goes to CanadaPresident Trump will attend the G7 summit on Sunday in a nation he threatened to annex. He will also be an outlier on climate issuesBy Sara Schonhardt & E&E News Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty ImagesCLIMATEWIRE | The world’s richest nations are gathering Sunday in the Canadian Rockies for a summit that could reveal whether President Donald Trump's policies are shaking global climate efforts.The Group of Seven meeting comes at a challenging time for international climate policy. Trump’s tariff seesaw has cast a shade over the global economy, and his domestic policies have threatened billions of dollars in funding for clean energy programs. Those pressures are colliding with record-breaking temperatures worldwide and explosive demand for energy, driven by power-hungry data centers linked to artificial intelligence technologies.On top of that, Trump has threatened to annex the host of the meeting — Canada — and members of his Cabinet have taken swipes at Europe’s use of renewable energy. Rather than being aligned with much of the world's assertion that fossil fuels should be tempered, Trump embraces the opposite position — drill for more oil and gas and keep burning coal, while repealing environmental regulations on the biggest sources of U.S. carbon pollution.On supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.Those moves illustrate his rejection of climate science and underscore his outlying positions on global warming in the G7.Here are five things to know about the summit.Who will be there?The group comprises Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States — plus the European Union. Together they account for more than 40 percent of gross domestic product globally and around a quarter of all energy-related carbon dioxide pollution, according to the International Energy Agency. The U.S. is the only one among them that is not trying to hit a carbon reduction goal.Some emerging economies have also been invited, including Mexico, India, South Africa and Brazil, the host of this year’s COP30 climate talks in November.Ahead of the meeting, the office of Canada's prime minister, Mark Carney, said he and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva agreed to strengthen cooperation on energy security and critical minerals. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump would be having "quite a few" bilateral meetings but that his schedule was in flux.The G7 first came together 50 years ago following the Arab oil embargo. Since then, its seven members have all joined the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement. The U.S. is the only nation in the group that has withdrawn from the Paris Agreement, which counts almost every country in the world as a signatory.What’s on the table?Among Canada’s top priorities as host are strengthening energy security and fortifying critical mineral supply chains. Carney would also like to see some agreement on joint wildfire action.Expanding supply chains for critical minerals — and competing more aggressively with China over those resources — could be areas of common ground among the leaders. Climate change is expected to remain divisive. Looming over the discussions will be tariffs — which Trump has applied across the board — because they will have an impact on the clean energy transition.“I think probably the majority of the conversation will be less about climate per se, or certainly not using climate action as the frame, but more about energy transition and infrastructure as a way of kind of bridging the known gaps between most of the G7 and where the United States is right now,” said Dan Baer, director of the Europe program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.What are the possible outcomes?The leaders could issue a communique at the end of their meeting, but those statements are based on consensus, something that would be difficult to reach without other G7 countries capitulating to Trump. Bloomberg reported Wednesday that nations won’t try to reach a joint agreement, in part because bridging gaps on climate change could be too hard.Instead, Carney could issue a chair’s summary or joint statements based on certain issues.The question is how far Canada will go to accommodate the U.S., which could try to roll back past statements on advancing clean energy, said Andrew Light, former assistant secretary of Energy for international affairs, who led ministerial-level negotiations for the G7.“They might say, rather than watering everything down that we accomplished in the last four years, we just do a chair's statement, which summarizes the debate,” Light said. “That will show you that you didn't get consensus, but you also didn't get capitulation.”What to watch forIf there is a communique, Light says he’ll be looking for whether there is tougher language on China and any signal of support for science and the Paris Agreement. During his first term, Trump refused to support the Paris accord in the G7 and G20 declarations.The statement could avoid climate and energy issues entirely. But if it backtracks on those issues, that could be a sign that countries made a deal by trading climate-related language for something else, Light said.Baer of Carnegie said a statement framed around energy security and infrastructure could be seen as a “pragmatic adaptation” to the U.S. administration, rather than an indication that other leaders aren’t concerned about climate change.Climate activists have lower expectations.“Realistically, we can expect very little, if any, mention of climate change,” said Caroline Brouillette, executive director of Climate Action Network Canada.“The message we should be expecting from those leaders is that climate action remains a priority for the rest of the G7 … whether it's on the transition away from fossil fuels and supporting developing countries through climate finance,” she said. “Especially now that the U.S. is stepping back, we need countries, including Canada, to be stepping up.”Best- and worst-case scenariosThe challenge for Carney will be preventing any further rupture with Trump, analysts said.In 2018, Trump made a hasty exit from the G7 summit, also in Canada that year, due largely to trade disagreements. He retracted his support for the joint statement.“The best,realistic case outcome is that things don't get worse,” said Baer.The worst-case scenario? Some kind of “highly personalized spat” that could add to the sense of disorder, he added.“I think the G7 on the one hand has the potential to be more important than ever, as fewer and fewer platforms for international cooperation seem to be able to take action,” Baer said. “So it's both very important and also I don't have super-high expectations.”Reprinted from E&E News with permission from POLITICO, LLC. Copyright 2025. E&E News provides essential news for energy and environment professionals.
    #five #climate #issues #watch #when
    Five Climate Issues to Watch When Trump Goes to Canada
    June 13, 20255 min readFive Climate Issues to Watch When Trump Goes to CanadaPresident Trump will attend the G7 summit on Sunday in a nation he threatened to annex. He will also be an outlier on climate issuesBy Sara Schonhardt & E&E News Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty ImagesCLIMATEWIRE | The world’s richest nations are gathering Sunday in the Canadian Rockies for a summit that could reveal whether President Donald Trump's policies are shaking global climate efforts.The Group of Seven meeting comes at a challenging time for international climate policy. Trump’s tariff seesaw has cast a shade over the global economy, and his domestic policies have threatened billions of dollars in funding for clean energy programs. Those pressures are colliding with record-breaking temperatures worldwide and explosive demand for energy, driven by power-hungry data centers linked to artificial intelligence technologies.On top of that, Trump has threatened to annex the host of the meeting — Canada — and members of his Cabinet have taken swipes at Europe’s use of renewable energy. Rather than being aligned with much of the world's assertion that fossil fuels should be tempered, Trump embraces the opposite position — drill for more oil and gas and keep burning coal, while repealing environmental regulations on the biggest sources of U.S. carbon pollution.On supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.Those moves illustrate his rejection of climate science and underscore his outlying positions on global warming in the G7.Here are five things to know about the summit.Who will be there?The group comprises Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States — plus the European Union. Together they account for more than 40 percent of gross domestic product globally and around a quarter of all energy-related carbon dioxide pollution, according to the International Energy Agency. The U.S. is the only one among them that is not trying to hit a carbon reduction goal.Some emerging economies have also been invited, including Mexico, India, South Africa and Brazil, the host of this year’s COP30 climate talks in November.Ahead of the meeting, the office of Canada's prime minister, Mark Carney, said he and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva agreed to strengthen cooperation on energy security and critical minerals. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump would be having "quite a few" bilateral meetings but that his schedule was in flux.The G7 first came together 50 years ago following the Arab oil embargo. Since then, its seven members have all joined the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement. The U.S. is the only nation in the group that has withdrawn from the Paris Agreement, which counts almost every country in the world as a signatory.What’s on the table?Among Canada’s top priorities as host are strengthening energy security and fortifying critical mineral supply chains. Carney would also like to see some agreement on joint wildfire action.Expanding supply chains for critical minerals — and competing more aggressively with China over those resources — could be areas of common ground among the leaders. Climate change is expected to remain divisive. Looming over the discussions will be tariffs — which Trump has applied across the board — because they will have an impact on the clean energy transition.“I think probably the majority of the conversation will be less about climate per se, or certainly not using climate action as the frame, but more about energy transition and infrastructure as a way of kind of bridging the known gaps between most of the G7 and where the United States is right now,” said Dan Baer, director of the Europe program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.What are the possible outcomes?The leaders could issue a communique at the end of their meeting, but those statements are based on consensus, something that would be difficult to reach without other G7 countries capitulating to Trump. Bloomberg reported Wednesday that nations won’t try to reach a joint agreement, in part because bridging gaps on climate change could be too hard.Instead, Carney could issue a chair’s summary or joint statements based on certain issues.The question is how far Canada will go to accommodate the U.S., which could try to roll back past statements on advancing clean energy, said Andrew Light, former assistant secretary of Energy for international affairs, who led ministerial-level negotiations for the G7.“They might say, rather than watering everything down that we accomplished in the last four years, we just do a chair's statement, which summarizes the debate,” Light said. “That will show you that you didn't get consensus, but you also didn't get capitulation.”What to watch forIf there is a communique, Light says he’ll be looking for whether there is tougher language on China and any signal of support for science and the Paris Agreement. During his first term, Trump refused to support the Paris accord in the G7 and G20 declarations.The statement could avoid climate and energy issues entirely. But if it backtracks on those issues, that could be a sign that countries made a deal by trading climate-related language for something else, Light said.Baer of Carnegie said a statement framed around energy security and infrastructure could be seen as a “pragmatic adaptation” to the U.S. administration, rather than an indication that other leaders aren’t concerned about climate change.Climate activists have lower expectations.“Realistically, we can expect very little, if any, mention of climate change,” said Caroline Brouillette, executive director of Climate Action Network Canada.“The message we should be expecting from those leaders is that climate action remains a priority for the rest of the G7 … whether it's on the transition away from fossil fuels and supporting developing countries through climate finance,” she said. “Especially now that the U.S. is stepping back, we need countries, including Canada, to be stepping up.”Best- and worst-case scenariosThe challenge for Carney will be preventing any further rupture with Trump, analysts said.In 2018, Trump made a hasty exit from the G7 summit, also in Canada that year, due largely to trade disagreements. He retracted his support for the joint statement.“The best,realistic case outcome is that things don't get worse,” said Baer.The worst-case scenario? Some kind of “highly personalized spat” that could add to the sense of disorder, he added.“I think the G7 on the one hand has the potential to be more important than ever, as fewer and fewer platforms for international cooperation seem to be able to take action,” Baer said. “So it's both very important and also I don't have super-high expectations.”Reprinted from E&E News with permission from POLITICO, LLC. Copyright 2025. E&E News provides essential news for energy and environment professionals. #five #climate #issues #watch #when
    WWW.SCIENTIFICAMERICAN.COM
    Five Climate Issues to Watch When Trump Goes to Canada
    June 13, 20255 min readFive Climate Issues to Watch When Trump Goes to CanadaPresident Trump will attend the G7 summit on Sunday in a nation he threatened to annex. He will also be an outlier on climate issuesBy Sara Schonhardt & E&E News Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty ImagesCLIMATEWIRE | The world’s richest nations are gathering Sunday in the Canadian Rockies for a summit that could reveal whether President Donald Trump's policies are shaking global climate efforts.The Group of Seven meeting comes at a challenging time for international climate policy. Trump’s tariff seesaw has cast a shade over the global economy, and his domestic policies have threatened billions of dollars in funding for clean energy programs. Those pressures are colliding with record-breaking temperatures worldwide and explosive demand for energy, driven by power-hungry data centers linked to artificial intelligence technologies.On top of that, Trump has threatened to annex the host of the meeting — Canada — and members of his Cabinet have taken swipes at Europe’s use of renewable energy. Rather than being aligned with much of the world's assertion that fossil fuels should be tempered, Trump embraces the opposite position — drill for more oil and gas and keep burning coal, while repealing environmental regulations on the biggest sources of U.S. carbon pollution.On supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.Those moves illustrate his rejection of climate science and underscore his outlying positions on global warming in the G7.Here are five things to know about the summit.Who will be there?The group comprises Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States — plus the European Union. Together they account for more than 40 percent of gross domestic product globally and around a quarter of all energy-related carbon dioxide pollution, according to the International Energy Agency. The U.S. is the only one among them that is not trying to hit a carbon reduction goal.Some emerging economies have also been invited, including Mexico, India, South Africa and Brazil, the host of this year’s COP30 climate talks in November.Ahead of the meeting, the office of Canada's prime minister, Mark Carney, said he and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva agreed to strengthen cooperation on energy security and critical minerals. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump would be having "quite a few" bilateral meetings but that his schedule was in flux.The G7 first came together 50 years ago following the Arab oil embargo. Since then, its seven members have all joined the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement. The U.S. is the only nation in the group that has withdrawn from the Paris Agreement, which counts almost every country in the world as a signatory.What’s on the table?Among Canada’s top priorities as host are strengthening energy security and fortifying critical mineral supply chains. Carney would also like to see some agreement on joint wildfire action.Expanding supply chains for critical minerals — and competing more aggressively with China over those resources — could be areas of common ground among the leaders. Climate change is expected to remain divisive. Looming over the discussions will be tariffs — which Trump has applied across the board — because they will have an impact on the clean energy transition.“I think probably the majority of the conversation will be less about climate per se, or certainly not using climate action as the frame, but more about energy transition and infrastructure as a way of kind of bridging the known gaps between most of the G7 and where the United States is right now,” said Dan Baer, director of the Europe program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.What are the possible outcomes?The leaders could issue a communique at the end of their meeting, but those statements are based on consensus, something that would be difficult to reach without other G7 countries capitulating to Trump. Bloomberg reported Wednesday that nations won’t try to reach a joint agreement, in part because bridging gaps on climate change could be too hard.Instead, Carney could issue a chair’s summary or joint statements based on certain issues.The question is how far Canada will go to accommodate the U.S., which could try to roll back past statements on advancing clean energy, said Andrew Light, former assistant secretary of Energy for international affairs, who led ministerial-level negotiations for the G7.“They might say, rather than watering everything down that we accomplished in the last four years, we just do a chair's statement, which summarizes the debate,” Light said. “That will show you that you didn't get consensus, but you also didn't get capitulation.”What to watch forIf there is a communique, Light says he’ll be looking for whether there is tougher language on China and any signal of support for science and the Paris Agreement. During his first term, Trump refused to support the Paris accord in the G7 and G20 declarations.The statement could avoid climate and energy issues entirely. But if it backtracks on those issues, that could be a sign that countries made a deal by trading climate-related language for something else, Light said.Baer of Carnegie said a statement framed around energy security and infrastructure could be seen as a “pragmatic adaptation” to the U.S. administration, rather than an indication that other leaders aren’t concerned about climate change.Climate activists have lower expectations.“Realistically, we can expect very little, if any, mention of climate change,” said Caroline Brouillette, executive director of Climate Action Network Canada.“The message we should be expecting from those leaders is that climate action remains a priority for the rest of the G7 … whether it's on the transition away from fossil fuels and supporting developing countries through climate finance,” she said. “Especially now that the U.S. is stepping back, we need countries, including Canada, to be stepping up.”Best- and worst-case scenariosThe challenge for Carney will be preventing any further rupture with Trump, analysts said.In 2018, Trump made a hasty exit from the G7 summit, also in Canada that year, due largely to trade disagreements. He retracted his support for the joint statement.“The best, [most] realistic case outcome is that things don't get worse,” said Baer.The worst-case scenario? Some kind of “highly personalized spat” that could add to the sense of disorder, he added.“I think the G7 on the one hand has the potential to be more important than ever, as fewer and fewer platforms for international cooperation seem to be able to take action,” Baer said. “So it's both very important and also I don't have super-high expectations.”Reprinted from E&E News with permission from POLITICO, LLC. Copyright 2025. E&E News provides essential news for energy and environment professionals.
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  • NVIDIA and Deutsche Telekom Partner to Advance Germany’s Sovereign AI

    Industrial AI isn’t slowing down. Germany is ready.
    Following London Tech Week and GTC Paris at VivaTech, NVIDIA founder and CEO Jensen Huang’s European tour continued with a stop in Germany to discuss with Chancellor Friedrich Merz — pictured above — new partnerships poised to bring breakthrough innovations on the world’s first industrial AI cloud.
    This AI factory, to be located in Germany and operated by Deutsche Telekom, will enable Europe’s industrial leaders to accelerate manufacturing applications including design, engineering, simulation, digital twins and robotics.
    “In the era of AI, every manufacturer needs two factories: one for making things, and one for creating the intelligence that powers them,” said Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of NVIDIA. “By building Europe’s first industrial AI infrastructure, we’re enabling the region’s leading industrial companies to advance simulation-first, AI-driven manufacturing.”
    “Europe’s technological future needs a sprint, not a stroll,” said Timotheus Höttges, CEO of Deutsche Telekom AG. “We must seize the opportunities of artificial intelligence now, revolutionize our industry and secure a leading position in the global technology competition. Our economic success depends on quick decisions and collaborative innovations.”
    This AI infrastructure — Germany’s single largest AI deployment — is an important leap for the nation in establishing its own sovereign AI infrastructure and providing a launchpad to accelerate AI development and adoption across industries. In its first phase, it’ll feature 10,000 NVIDIA Blackwell GPUs — spanning NVIDIA DGX B200 systems and NVIDIA RTX PRO Servers — as well as NVIDIA networking and AI software.
    NEURA Robotics’ training center for cognitive robots.
    NEURA Robotics, a Germany-based global pioneer in physical AI and cognitive robotics, will use the computing resources to power its state-of-the-art training centers for cognitive robots — a tangible example of how physical AI can evolve through powerful, connected infrastructure.
    At this work’s core is the Neuraverse, a seamlessly networked robot ecosystem that allows robots to learn from each other across a wide range of industrial and domestic applications. This platform creates an app-store-like hub for robotic intelligence — for tasks like welding and ironing — enabling continuous development and deployment of robotic skills in real-world environments.
    “Physical AI is the electricity of the future — it will power every machine on the planet,” said David Reger, founder and CEO of NEURA Robotics. “Through this initiative, we’re helping build the sovereign infrastructure Europe needs to lead in intelligent robotics and stay in control of its future.”
    Critical to Germany’s competitiveness is AI technology development, including the expansion of data center capacity, according to a Deloitte study. This is strategically important because demand for data center capacity is expected to triple over the next five years to 5 gigawatts.
    Driving Germany’s Industrial Ecosystem
    Deutsche Telekom will operate the AI factory and provide AI cloud computing resources to Europe’s industrial ecosystem.
    Customers will be able to run NVIDIA CUDA-X libraries, as well as NVIDIA RTX- and Omniverse-accelerated workloads from leading software providers such as Siemens, Ansys, Cadence and Rescale.
    Many more stand to benefit. From the country’s robust small- and medium-sized businesses, known as the Mittelstand, to academia, research and major enterprises — the AI factory offers strategic technology leaps.
    A Speedboat Toward AI Gigafactories
    The industrial AI cloud will accelerate AI development and adoption from European manufacturers, driving simulation-first, AI-driven manufacturing practices and helping prepare for the country’s transition to AI gigafactories, the next step in Germany’s sovereign AI infrastructure journey.
    The AI gigafactory initiative is a 100,000 GPU-powered program backed by the European Union, Germany and partners.
    Poised to go online in 2027, it’ll provide state-of-the-art AI infrastructure that gives enterprises, startups, researchers and universities access to accelerated computing through the establishment and expansion of high-performance computing centers.
    As of March, there are about 900 Germany-based members of the NVIDIA Inception program for cutting-edge startups, all of which will be eligible to access the AI resources.
    NVIDIA offers learning courses through its Deep Learning Institute to promote education and certification in AI across the globe, and those resources are broadly available across Germany’s computing ecosystem to offer upskilling opportunities.
    Additional European telcos are building AI infrastructure for regional enterprises to build and deploy agentic AI applications.
    Learn more about the latest AI advancements by watching Huang’s GTC Paris keynote in replay.
    #nvidia #deutsche #telekom #partner #advance
    NVIDIA and Deutsche Telekom Partner to Advance Germany’s Sovereign AI
    Industrial AI isn’t slowing down. Germany is ready. Following London Tech Week and GTC Paris at VivaTech, NVIDIA founder and CEO Jensen Huang’s European tour continued with a stop in Germany to discuss with Chancellor Friedrich Merz — pictured above — new partnerships poised to bring breakthrough innovations on the world’s first industrial AI cloud. This AI factory, to be located in Germany and operated by Deutsche Telekom, will enable Europe’s industrial leaders to accelerate manufacturing applications including design, engineering, simulation, digital twins and robotics. “In the era of AI, every manufacturer needs two factories: one for making things, and one for creating the intelligence that powers them,” said Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of NVIDIA. “By building Europe’s first industrial AI infrastructure, we’re enabling the region’s leading industrial companies to advance simulation-first, AI-driven manufacturing.” “Europe’s technological future needs a sprint, not a stroll,” said Timotheus Höttges, CEO of Deutsche Telekom AG. “We must seize the opportunities of artificial intelligence now, revolutionize our industry and secure a leading position in the global technology competition. Our economic success depends on quick decisions and collaborative innovations.” This AI infrastructure — Germany’s single largest AI deployment — is an important leap for the nation in establishing its own sovereign AI infrastructure and providing a launchpad to accelerate AI development and adoption across industries. In its first phase, it’ll feature 10,000 NVIDIA Blackwell GPUs — spanning NVIDIA DGX B200 systems and NVIDIA RTX PRO Servers — as well as NVIDIA networking and AI software. NEURA Robotics’ training center for cognitive robots. NEURA Robotics, a Germany-based global pioneer in physical AI and cognitive robotics, will use the computing resources to power its state-of-the-art training centers for cognitive robots — a tangible example of how physical AI can evolve through powerful, connected infrastructure. At this work’s core is the Neuraverse, a seamlessly networked robot ecosystem that allows robots to learn from each other across a wide range of industrial and domestic applications. This platform creates an app-store-like hub for robotic intelligence — for tasks like welding and ironing — enabling continuous development and deployment of robotic skills in real-world environments. “Physical AI is the electricity of the future — it will power every machine on the planet,” said David Reger, founder and CEO of NEURA Robotics. “Through this initiative, we’re helping build the sovereign infrastructure Europe needs to lead in intelligent robotics and stay in control of its future.” Critical to Germany’s competitiveness is AI technology development, including the expansion of data center capacity, according to a Deloitte study. This is strategically important because demand for data center capacity is expected to triple over the next five years to 5 gigawatts. Driving Germany’s Industrial Ecosystem Deutsche Telekom will operate the AI factory and provide AI cloud computing resources to Europe’s industrial ecosystem. Customers will be able to run NVIDIA CUDA-X libraries, as well as NVIDIA RTX- and Omniverse-accelerated workloads from leading software providers such as Siemens, Ansys, Cadence and Rescale. Many more stand to benefit. From the country’s robust small- and medium-sized businesses, known as the Mittelstand, to academia, research and major enterprises — the AI factory offers strategic technology leaps. A Speedboat Toward AI Gigafactories The industrial AI cloud will accelerate AI development and adoption from European manufacturers, driving simulation-first, AI-driven manufacturing practices and helping prepare for the country’s transition to AI gigafactories, the next step in Germany’s sovereign AI infrastructure journey. The AI gigafactory initiative is a 100,000 GPU-powered program backed by the European Union, Germany and partners. Poised to go online in 2027, it’ll provide state-of-the-art AI infrastructure that gives enterprises, startups, researchers and universities access to accelerated computing through the establishment and expansion of high-performance computing centers. As of March, there are about 900 Germany-based members of the NVIDIA Inception program for cutting-edge startups, all of which will be eligible to access the AI resources. NVIDIA offers learning courses through its Deep Learning Institute to promote education and certification in AI across the globe, and those resources are broadly available across Germany’s computing ecosystem to offer upskilling opportunities. Additional European telcos are building AI infrastructure for regional enterprises to build and deploy agentic AI applications. Learn more about the latest AI advancements by watching Huang’s GTC Paris keynote in replay. #nvidia #deutsche #telekom #partner #advance
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    NVIDIA and Deutsche Telekom Partner to Advance Germany’s Sovereign AI
    Industrial AI isn’t slowing down. Germany is ready. Following London Tech Week and GTC Paris at VivaTech, NVIDIA founder and CEO Jensen Huang’s European tour continued with a stop in Germany to discuss with Chancellor Friedrich Merz — pictured above — new partnerships poised to bring breakthrough innovations on the world’s first industrial AI cloud. This AI factory, to be located in Germany and operated by Deutsche Telekom, will enable Europe’s industrial leaders to accelerate manufacturing applications including design, engineering, simulation, digital twins and robotics. “In the era of AI, every manufacturer needs two factories: one for making things, and one for creating the intelligence that powers them,” said Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of NVIDIA. “By building Europe’s first industrial AI infrastructure, we’re enabling the region’s leading industrial companies to advance simulation-first, AI-driven manufacturing.” “Europe’s technological future needs a sprint, not a stroll,” said Timotheus Höttges, CEO of Deutsche Telekom AG. “We must seize the opportunities of artificial intelligence now, revolutionize our industry and secure a leading position in the global technology competition. Our economic success depends on quick decisions and collaborative innovations.” This AI infrastructure — Germany’s single largest AI deployment — is an important leap for the nation in establishing its own sovereign AI infrastructure and providing a launchpad to accelerate AI development and adoption across industries. In its first phase, it’ll feature 10,000 NVIDIA Blackwell GPUs — spanning NVIDIA DGX B200 systems and NVIDIA RTX PRO Servers — as well as NVIDIA networking and AI software. NEURA Robotics’ training center for cognitive robots. NEURA Robotics, a Germany-based global pioneer in physical AI and cognitive robotics, will use the computing resources to power its state-of-the-art training centers for cognitive robots — a tangible example of how physical AI can evolve through powerful, connected infrastructure. At this work’s core is the Neuraverse, a seamlessly networked robot ecosystem that allows robots to learn from each other across a wide range of industrial and domestic applications. This platform creates an app-store-like hub for robotic intelligence — for tasks like welding and ironing — enabling continuous development and deployment of robotic skills in real-world environments. “Physical AI is the electricity of the future — it will power every machine on the planet,” said David Reger, founder and CEO of NEURA Robotics. “Through this initiative, we’re helping build the sovereign infrastructure Europe needs to lead in intelligent robotics and stay in control of its future.” Critical to Germany’s competitiveness is AI technology development, including the expansion of data center capacity, according to a Deloitte study. This is strategically important because demand for data center capacity is expected to triple over the next five years to 5 gigawatts. Driving Germany’s Industrial Ecosystem Deutsche Telekom will operate the AI factory and provide AI cloud computing resources to Europe’s industrial ecosystem. Customers will be able to run NVIDIA CUDA-X libraries, as well as NVIDIA RTX- and Omniverse-accelerated workloads from leading software providers such as Siemens, Ansys, Cadence and Rescale. Many more stand to benefit. From the country’s robust small- and medium-sized businesses, known as the Mittelstand, to academia, research and major enterprises — the AI factory offers strategic technology leaps. A Speedboat Toward AI Gigafactories The industrial AI cloud will accelerate AI development and adoption from European manufacturers, driving simulation-first, AI-driven manufacturing practices and helping prepare for the country’s transition to AI gigafactories, the next step in Germany’s sovereign AI infrastructure journey. The AI gigafactory initiative is a 100,000 GPU-powered program backed by the European Union, Germany and partners. Poised to go online in 2027, it’ll provide state-of-the-art AI infrastructure that gives enterprises, startups, researchers and universities access to accelerated computing through the establishment and expansion of high-performance computing centers. As of March, there are about 900 Germany-based members of the NVIDIA Inception program for cutting-edge startups, all of which will be eligible to access the AI resources. NVIDIA offers learning courses through its Deep Learning Institute to promote education and certification in AI across the globe, and those resources are broadly available across Germany’s computing ecosystem to offer upskilling opportunities. Additional European telcos are building AI infrastructure for regional enterprises to build and deploy agentic AI applications. Learn more about the latest AI advancements by watching Huang’s GTC Paris keynote in replay.
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