REYKJAVIK, Iceland (AP) — Icelanders voted to elect a new parliament Saturday after disagreements over immigration, energy policy and the economy forced Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson to pull the plug on his coalition government and call an early election. This is Iceland’s sixth general election since the 2008 financial crisis devastated the economy of the North Atlantic island nation and ushered in a new era of political instability.LSU outlasts UCF 109-102 in triple-OT affairFuse Energy Technologies Corporation Los Alamos Chief Engineer Joins Nuclear Fusion Startup Fuse to Lead Federal Business Fuse Energy Technologies Corporation Los Alamos Chief Engineer Joins Nuclear Fusion Startup Fuse to Lead Federal Business Building on unparalleled nuclear experience, James Owen to lead Fuse's strategy to build technology solutions for sustainable, clean, reliable energy SAN LEANDRO, Calif. , Nov. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Fuse , a leading nuclear fusion company dedicated to accelerating the world's transition to fusion energy while safeguarding humankind, today announced the appointment of Los Alamos National Laboratory's (LANL) Chief Engineer for Nuclear Weapons, James Owen , as President of Fuse Federal, the company's wholly-owned subsidiary focused on U.S. government business. " James Owen's unparalleled background in nuclear engineering and his leadership at Los Alamos National Lab make him the ideal person to spearhead our federal business," said JC Btaiche, Founder and CEO of Fuse. "His experience and unique background at LANL will be invaluable as we strive to solve one of humanity's grandest challenges: fusion energy." At Los Alamos , Owen was responsible for the oversight of all weapons engineering activities in support of the Lab's national security mission to ensure America's nuclear deterrent remains effective and secure. Notably, Owen led and delivered four stockpile modernization programs while sustaining the United States' legacy deterrent through surveillance, weapons response, and more. Owen oversaw six divisions at Los Alamos with over 1,300 staff members and an annual budget of $1 billion dollars . LANL's heritage stretches back to the Manhattan Project, and now Owen will be working on what many consider humanity's next Manhattan Project: unlocking clean and abundant fusion energy. As President of Fuse Federal, Owen will leverage his extensive experience in nuclear technologies to lead the company's efforts in providing critical products and testing services for components of the nuclear stockpile and other defense infrastructure. He will focus on expanding the company's radiation services, a critical component of nuclear fusion energy, for government customers while also contributing to Fuse's overall strategy for commercializing fusion energy technology as a source of clean energy. Owen will join Fuse's executive team to drive the expansion of fusion and pulsed power products and services for the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, and other customers. Owen expressed enthusiasm about joining Fuse: "Since beginning as a summer student in 1988, I have been privileged to work with the most amazing people on the most important mission for the nation," Owen said. "And I am looking forward to working on one of the most difficult yet important technological challenges facing humanity and our planet – fusion energy." The Honorable Lisa Gordon-Hagerty, Fuse board member and former Under Secretary of Energy for Nuclear Security, added: "Fuse will provide critically needed and groundbreaking technologies to the national security ecosystem and will support a clean energy future. I am thrilled that James Owen , a pioneer in the nuclear security community has joined the Fuse team, bringing invaluable experience and expertise which will enable the nuclear enterprise to accelerate and execute important missions." About Fuse Fuse is a California -based nuclear fusion company dedicated to accelerating the world's transition to fusion energy while safeguarding humankind. Through its subsidiary, Fuse Federal, the company provides essential radiation services to U.S. government agencies, supporting critical defense and energy initiatives. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/los-alamos-chief-engineer-joins-nuclear-fusion-startup-fuse-to-lead-federal-business-302313709.html SOURCE Fuse Energy Technologies Corporation
Time is running out for traditional foreign automakers to adapt to China's electric car market, signaling to industry analysts that companies must double down on local partnerships to survive. U.S. automaker General Motors, Germany's Volkswagen and Japan's Nissan each saw their China revenue drop between 2019 and 2023, according to CNBC's calculations of company data. "Western [automakers] are waking up to the fact that they can't just sit here and watch their market positions just erode and erode," said David Norman, a Hong Kong-based mergers and acquisitions lawyer at A&O Sherman. BEIJING — Time is running out for traditional foreign automakers to adapt to China's electric car market, signaling to industry analysts that companies must double down on local partnerships to survive. Fossil fuel-based automakers have struggled to hold their ground in the world's largest car market, which has swiftly transformed into one where new energy vehicles now account for more than half the country's car sales . If the foreign brands "can't launch competitive clean energy vehicles in the China market soon, the only hope for salvaging any market share is likely via partnership with a domestic player," said Tu Le, founder and managing director of Sino Auto Insights. "But is it too little too late? Perhaps for a number of foreign brands," he said. U.S. automaker General Motors , Germany's Volkswagen and Japan's Nissan each saw their China revenue drop between 2019 and 2023, according to CNBC's calculations of company data. In 2023, South Korea's Kia reported China sales more than 30% lower than 2020 levels . Tesla in comparison said its China sales surged by more than six times between 2019 and 2023. As investor concerns grow , management are deliberating plans. GM CEO Mary Barra said on an earnings call last month the company had meetings lined up with shareholders and joint venture board members to discuss "restructuring" in order to improve profits in China, once GM's top market by revenue . U.S., German and other foreign automakers that entered China decades ago were required by Beijing to form joint ventures with local companies, typically state-owned. Only in 2022 did Chinese authorities allow foreign car companies to fully own their local production. But it was a lucrative market, with GM and Volkswagen holding the top two spots by market share as recently as 2022 . China's BYD and Geely have since climbed, cementing their first and second places in the market, respectively, according to October data from the country's passenger car association. "Western [automakers] are waking up to the fact that they can't just sit here and watch their market positions just erode and erode, and they have to do something, they have to do something big," said David Norman, a Hong Kong-based mergers and acquisitions lawyer at A&O Sherman. He represented Netherlands-based Stellantis last year in its roughly $1.59 billion purchase of a 20% stake in Chinese electric car company Leapmotor. "To take the crystal ball out, I think we will see more tie-ups for sure," said Norman. "The technology lead that Chinese NEV companies have is substantial and growing." Chinese electric car companies have integrated smartphone-like entertainment displays , projectors and driver-assist technology into their vehicles to stay afloat in a fiercely competitive local market. While Tesla's version of driver-assist has yet to gain full approval in China, domestic players have developed their own. Xpeng, BYD and other local companies use Nvidia 's chips, while Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei has built driver-assist and in-car entertainment systems for other automakers. "I think to have competitive vehicles in China, [foreign] companies need to have an advanced driver system that's comparable to what you see on some of the Chinese vehicles," said Stephen Dyer, co-leader and head of AlixPartners' Asia automotive practice. He expects foreign automakers will partner with Chinese companies on driver-assist, not just for the local market but also overseas. Already, Volkswagen last year invested $700 million in Chinese electric car startup Xpeng to create models for delivery in China in 2026. The prior year, the German automaker announced plans to invest 2.4 billion euros ($2.5 billion) for a partnership between its car software subsidiary and Chinese autonomous driving chipmaker Horizon Robotics . Other significant partnerships in advanced driver-assist technology include Toyota's announcement last year for a joint venture to mass produce cars with Chinese autonomous driving startup Pony.ai. It remains to be seen whether foreign automakers can build an effective edge by partnering with Chinese companies that are selling their own cars or tech in the same market. "Domestic new energy vehicle brands are too competitive," Weng Yajun, a Shanghai-based partner in M&A at JunHe Law, said in Chinese, translated by CNBC. "You may put in all your effort but still only sell a few cars." Weng expects industry players will fight "to death" for survival, rather than acquisitions in the near term Automakers in China have slashed prices in order to attract buyers, while launching a slew of new models in just one year. Even state-owned car companies are struggling . That means foreign automakers must compete with state-owned ones for any local acquisitions, said Yiming Wang, analyst at China Renaissance Securities. He added that the Chinese startups are also not yet at a point where they want to sell themselves, despite operating at losses. Volkswagen's stake in Xpeng remains the most high-profile tie-up so far between a foreign automaker and Chinese electric car startup in the China market. The German company is trying other strategies to recover its market share. Its Audi brand, together with partner SAIC, a Chinese state-owned automobile manufacturer, this month launched a new electric car brand in China that does away with the four-ring logo, instead spelling out "AUDI" in rounded capital letters. Foreign automakers' market share in China will likely drop next year, with some brands essentially exiting the country, said Jing Yang, director of Asia-Pacific corporate ratings at Fitch Ratings. Global car companies also face competition from Chinese automakers that are expanding abroad, Yang pointed out. She noted that despite tariffs, such as in the European Union, "Chinese companies will not easily give up overseas expansion for the sake of higher profitability."Trump threat to immigrant health care tempered by economic hopes
Car and Driver. The Gordon Murray Automotive (GMA) T.50 is not a world-beating numbers car. It does not boast the biggest engine. It does not make jaw-dropping horsepower or tractor-like torque. Its shift speeds will be limited by the skill of its driver, as will its lateral and launch results. None of this is by mistake. If Gordon Murray wanted to make a world-beating numbers car, he could have. He did it multiple times on the racetrack with Formula 1 designs for Brabham and McLaren that led to several constructors' and drivers' championships. He's also done it with a street machine. The naturally aspirated held a record for the world's fastest production car from 1993 until 2005, when the outran it—with the help of four turbochargers. Murray could have built his own big turbocharged, electrified, grippy aero machine and gone up against the s and s, but he wanted to make a driver's car. By his definition, that's a three-seater with a central driving position and a naturally aspirated V-12 like the F1, but this time lighter, more fuel efficient, and better balanced. "The brakes never worked really well," Murray tells us. "The air conditioning didn't work very well. The clutch needed adjusting regularly. The fuel tank needed changing every five years. From an aesthetic point of view, there were always a few things on the F1 that I really didn't like. I had a very low budget and a very short time [with it]. When I finished the tooling, I would have loved to have changed those things, but I couldn't. And every time I see an F1, it grates." Murray didn't sit and sulk about it. He founded a design and engineering firm in 2007 and developed an award-winning city-car prototype (the T.25). After a corporate restructuring, the sale of the Gordon Murray Technologies side of the business allowed GMA to fix all the flaws that had been bugging Murray about the F1. For the T.50, Murray thinned out the central spine, designed a more reliable fuel tank, upgraded the brakes to carbon-ceramic rotors, and commissioned a jewel of an engine from Cosworth Engineering [see "The Engine," below]. That engine alone is worth the car's $3.2 million asking price. Its revs zing so high, it'll knock satellites off course. It howls like a '90s Formula 1 car or an entire MotoGP field. During our ride, when we pulled off the road and popped the cover to the mid-mounted engine bay, I expected Marc Márquez to wheelie out, but all I could see was a glimpse of an orange Cosworth valve cover and a carbon-fiber plenum. Can you buy this car? Nope. GMA is only making 100, and they've all been sold out since it was announced in 2020. Did they let us drive it? They did not. The T.50 is in the United States under the "show or display" exemption that allows rare or historically important vehicles to be imported and driven a small number of miles every year. The lack of registration was GMA's reasoning for not handing us the keys. As a consolation prize, they sent four-time IndyCar champion Dario Franchitti—consultant during the car's development and GMA's executive director of product and brand—to be our wheelman. They at least let us test it, right? Nah, Murray believes that performance numbers are a barstool braggart's approach to automobiles. "We're not in that bar conversation," says GMA CEO Phillip Lee. "Why are you chasing top speed anyway? I mean, there are only so many times you can feel sick in a car. You can go to a theme park for those sorts of things. You want to be engaged with the car. You want to keep getting in it." I did want to get in it, Phil—that's what I'm mad about! But if you have to play co-driver, there are worse scenarios than one involving Franchitti, a California mountain road, and a 661-hp car about the size of a Porsche Cayman that weighs an estimated 2400 pounds. When Franchitti flicked up the red cover and hit the start button, there was fan whir and the hum of the 48-volt integrated starter-generator. A second later, the 4.0-liter V-12 came in with a thump like a sonic boom, and then Franchitti was on the gas, punching it through the gears, while the tach needle climbed as if a bear were chasing it. He passed a slow-moving van on an uphill section in fifth gear just to prove the V-12's grunt isn't only in the upper register. The T.50 makes 353 pound-feet of torque at 8000 rpm, but variable valve timing makes it possible to access 71 percent of the max torque at just 2500 rpm. Clear of the van, he dropped to third and gunned it, blurring the scenery like a left-hander's calligraphy. Off the gas, he turned to me and grinned. "We just barely got past 9000 rpm," he said. Later, on a longer straight, we tapped the 12,100-rpm redline. I'm surprised it didn't trigger a landslide. A recurring theme while Franchitti was driving was the idea of perfect balance. GMA claims the car gets good mileage because the engine is small. The engine can be small because the car is light. The car can ride on narrow tires and a soft suspension because, unlike most modern supercars, it doesn't have a huge amount of downforce. It doesn't need huge downforce because it doesn't have an insane amount of horsepower. The T.50 doesn't need insane power because the car is light. And so the circle goes. Speaking of circles, one of the most noticeable design elements on the T.50 is the fan set like a rocket thruster in the center of the rear panel. "It doesn't suck the car to the ground," Franchitti remarks, anticipating my Brabham/Chaparral questions. "It's not like the old Brabham BT46. What it does is allow for a more aggressive diffuser angle without stalling the air under the car." The fan has a couple of mode options, the main one being an automatic setting that kicks it on at speed and during braking, where Franchitti says it makes a noticeable difference in stability. Under sustained high speeds, it creates a virtual long tail for better highway mileage. With the fan on and the optional tall overdrive sixth gear, the T.50 is surprisingly economical. "I'm not sure what the official number is," Franchitti says. "It's bloody good. I've had it over 30 mpg." There is a filter before the fan blades, so T.50 drivers won't be spitting chewed-up grasshoppers at the cars behind them. It does spit fire out the Inconel and titanium exhaust, though, so don't follow too closely. The T.50 has a relatively small footprint, and Franchitti moved the car around in the lane to showcase how its narrow track offers multiple entry and exit angles. "It's not like a wide body on massive tires, all he says, mimicking the repetitive thump of running up against the centerline reflectors. "The thing about this car is that you keep getting better at it," he says. "You learn with it." A mash-up of carbon fiber and aluminum forms the T.50's central tub. Beneath it are aluminum control arms with pushrods working inboard springs and dampers. The chassis—like every other component on the car, from the titanium and aluminum pedals to the machined Brembo brake calipers—has had the fat carved away like a brisket trimmed by an overzealous chef. The windshield is the thinnest glass that can pass muster. GMA even laid the evening-blue paint on the car with a light touch and optimized its weight with a bare minimum of metal flake to achieve a low-mass glitter. One compromise was made in the use of glass in the roof, but GMA offers a solid top for those who can't bear a twitch up the scale. A clear roof is worth the weight, though, because it turns the cabin from austere to airy. Even the passengers get an unobstructed view, like a co-pilot in a helicopter. There is just enough electronic assistance in the T.50 to keep it from scaring beginners. But skilled drivers can click off the stability control and rev matching, switch the throttle mapping to Sport (which gives you all the revs all the time), and experience it with no interference. The steering only engages assist at speeds under 10 mph, but because the car is so light and the tires are narrow (235/35ZR-19 Michelin Pilot Sport 4S in the front and 295/30ZR-20s in the rear), Franchitti says the effort is entertaining, not overwhelming. Murray's use of carbon-ceramic rotors makes good on a promise to improve on the F1, which was notoriously squeaky and required a heavy foot. Franchitti describes the T.50 pedals as light and immediate, with the clutch effort matched to the throttle and the brake in line for a quick blip. As a passenger, I can vouch for the comfort and usability of the T.50. It sits high, so there's no need for a heavy nose lift to clear speed bumps. Entry is a bit like getting to your theater seat, a lot of scooting over into place, but once you're inside, the seats are at a comfortable angle, with space around the driver and passengers. The right-hand rider gets less room, having to give up some space to the console and six-speed shifter. This is not a car for grabbing dinner on the go, but it would be a great weekend-getaway machine. There is room for luggage in pods on either side of the engine and a custom set to fill them. The interior is about sensation more than looks. There's a pop of red on the start-button cover, the reverse lockout, and a little leather stripe up the faux suede of the center seat, but the prettiest thing in the cabin is the open side of the console, where the shifter linkage is on display. From a tactile perspective, it's gorgeous. The switches and buttons click with authority. Franchitti says he once came into the office to find Murray surrounded by possible switchgear, twisting each until he found the best feel. Every detail on the T.50 is like this, tweaked and tuned to Murray's idea of perfection. And most perfect might be more bragworthy than the biggest numbers. The star of the T.50 show is the naturally aspirated 4.0-liter 12-cylinder. The 392-pound V-12 winds up to 12,100 rpm, producing 661 horsepower at 11,000 rpm, 353 pound-feet of torque at 8000 rpm, and 251 pound-feet at 2500 rpm. Interestingly, GMA approved engine supplier Cosworth to build a 65-degree V-12 rather than use the perfectly balanced 60-degree layout. Why? Strictly for optimizing the packaging of the 12 port injectors in the valley of the V. With an 81.5-mm bore and a 63.8-mm stroke, the aluminum block houses a delicate-looking polished crankshaft. "With a 65-degree angle, you don't have the vibrations that require large counterweights," Gordon Murray says. The crank, which is cut from a steel billet, weighs just 29 pounds and sits 3.3 inches from the lower crankcase, keeping the center of gravity and rotating mass low. The short-skirt pistons provide a 14.0:1 compression ratio and are forged from a metal matrix composite that Murray describes as "ceramic inside the aluminum from a molecular point of view." They swing on titanium connecting rods in plasma-coated bores. The valves are hollowed titanium. Chains and 12,000-plus rpm are not besties, so Cosworth employed a geartrain that links the crankshaft and valvetrain. Double overhead camshafts, gun drilled to shave weight and hydraulically damped to prevent torsional vibration, operate the titanium valves via finger followers. For the variable valve timing, which gives the V-12 its low-end torque, Cosworth developed its own actuators, as nothing off the shelf could handle 6000 rpm (cams spin half as fast as cranks). The high revs caused problems in designing the 48-volt integrated starter-generator (ISG), which had to handle quick revs and changes in electrical load. The ISG runs at twice the engine speed, spinning the crankshaft only when it's in starter mode and then feeding the batteries that run the electrical components, including the rear fan's 11-hp motor. Xtrac developed the six-speed manual gearbox, which, together with the V-12, forms a semi-stressed component of the chassis. Each handbuilt V-12 takes approximately 140 hours to complete. While all the T.50 models are sold out, there are plans for variants of the V-12 in future GMA models, including the more conventional two-seat T.33. "Murray has filing cabinets absolutely full of ideas," Dario Franchitti says.Bathinda: Farm leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal ’s fast unto death, to demand a legal guarantee to minimum support price (MSP) on farm produce, entered the the 15th day on Tuesday, stretching longer than the 13-day hunger strike by anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare in Aug 2011. Dallewal, who is on a fast at the farm protest site on the Khanauri border of Punjab and Haryana, has lost 11kgs and is under observation by a team of doctors. The functioning of his kidneys has also been affected due to less intake of water, said a doctor attached with the team of US-based Dr Swaiman Singh, a cardiologist from the Mayo Clinic who has been part of the farm protests. Doctors have installed medical equipment to monitor the vitals of Dallewal, and are observing his blood pressure (BP) and sugar levels. Hoping to raise support for the fasting leader, farm groups SKM (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha have urged people to pray for Dallewal’s health and skip dinner or one meal on Dec 12, and also post on social media with the hashtag #WeSupportJagjitSinghDallewal. Farmers have formed a security ring around Dallewal to not allow authorities to take him to the hospital. They have stated that if anything happens to Dallewal, the central govt will be held responsible for it. Protesters at Khanauri held a day-long fast in solidarity with Dallewal. No chullah (earthen stove) was ignited and neither was langar brought or distributed at the protest site. Even residents of Dallewal’s eponymous native village in Faridkot district observed the fast. Faridkot MP Sarabjit Singh Khalsa visited Khanauri border and said he will raise the issue in Lok Sabha. We also published the following articles recently 12th day of Dallewal fast unto death, but no word on resumption of talks Farm leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal's hunger strike demanding guaranteed minimum support prices (MSP) entered its 12th day with no government response. Dallewal's health has deteriorated, but he remains resolute. Protesting farmers plan to send another group to Delhi on Sunday after talks stalled ten months ago. They accuse Haryana authorities of obstructing their protest while allowing other large gatherings. Lucknow traders to observe half-day closure on Dec 10 Lucknow's business community, led by the Akhil Bhartiya Udyog Vyapar Mandal and Uttar Pradesh Yuva Udyog Vyapar Mandal, is planning a half-day market closure and a 'Jan Aakrosh Rally' on December 10th. This demonstration aims to protest the recent violence against Hindus and attacks on temples in Bangladesh. Modi government to purchase all farm produce at MSP, assures agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in Rajya Sabha Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan assured Parliament that the Modi government is committed to procuring all farm produce at minimum support prices (MSP). He emphasized the government's policy of calculating MSP with a 50% profit margin over production costs, contrasting it with previous administrations. Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss daily games like Crossword , Sudoku , and Mini Crossword .
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