Source: The Conversation – UK – By Lillian Hingley, Postdoctoral Researcher in English Literature, University of Oxford
With her latest album, Virgin, Lorde is stretching the concept of the virgin beyond the common definition. Some may consider the album’s title and its cover art – an X-ray of Lorde’s pelvis showing an IUD – to be contradictory.
But while Lorde could still be using contraception for purposes beyond birth control, its presence shows that the album doesn’t shy away from discussions of sexual activities and the risk of pregnancy (two themes that are clearly discussed in the track Clearblue).
As she also shows with her approach to gender in the album’s opening song, Hammer (“Some days, I’m a woman, some days, I’m a man”), Lorde is testing and muddying common dualisms.
The scientific perspective offered by the album art forces the viewer to look through Lorde’s body, but we are also looking beyond her reproductive organs. Certainly, Lorde sometimes conceptualises virginity as something that can only be given once, as she explains on David.
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In Hammer, her quip “don’t know if it’s love or if it’s ovulation” is a comedic musing on whether an experience is profoundly transcendental or just the product of hormones. But what strikes me is the fact that her concepts and themes are not static or singular.
This album is exploring the idea of being made, or even remade, through experience. In If She Could See Me Now, Lorde recounts how painful moments “made me a woman”.
Like French philosopher Simone de Beauvoir’s phrase “one is not born, but rather becomes, a woman”, Lorde is exploring how her body is being changed by what she has been through. As she sings in What Was That?: “I try to let whatever has to pass through me pass through.”
Again, while she on the one hand describes something moving through her body, she’s also describing an attempt to move through something that has happened to her – turning a passive experience into one of acceptance and action. Here we might think of another notion of virginity: a substance before it is processed. Virginity is part of the experience of being changed, or reborn, into something else.
This is not to say that Virgin is uninterested in the body. Lorde’s discussion of her eating disorder in Broken Glass is a case in point.
Lorde as performance artist
The visuals accompanying Virgin emphasise Lorde’s status as a performance artist. The crescendo of the What Was That video is a spontaneous public performance of Virgin’s first single.
TRYING TO MAKE IT SOUND LIKE A FONTANA, LIKE PAINTING BITTEN BY A MAN, LIKE THE NEW YORK EARTH ROOM. THE SOUND OF MY REBIRTH.
The simile here, or the idea of making music sound “like” visual art, emphasises the tactility of Lorde’s work. Each artistic piece referenced here is concerned with physically intervening into the conventional art gallery set-up.
Italian artist Lucio Fontana’s Spacial Concept series (1960) included slashed canvases a disruption of the body of the artwork with yonic – in other words, vulva-like – imagery (indeed, it challenges how “damaged” artworks are usually hidden from audiences, waiting to be restored).
Similarly, American artist Jasper Johns’ Painting Bitten by a Man (1961) is an encaustic painting (derived from the Greek word for “burned in”), which shows off the markings of someone who has bitten into the canvas.
The video for Man of the Year.
The music video for Man of the Year is filmed in a room that is filled with dirt. This is a clear nod to American sculptor Walter de Maria’s New York Earth Room (1977). The piece also fills a white room in New York with this unexpected material: earth inside a building, where mushrooms can grow.
The video for Man of the Year may also be referencing another artwork. Lorde is shown using duct tape to bind her breasts. While this points to Lorde’s exploration of her body and gender identity, the material also recalls Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan’s duct-taped banana artwork, Comedian.
Offering phallic imagery to Fontana’s yonic imagery, Cattelan’s piece mirrors Lorde’s concern with ontology, or definition. What makes something art?
Prometheus (Un)bound?
But just as Lorde is binding herself in new ways, she is unbinding herself in others. In If She Could See Me Now, Lorde declares: “I’m going back to the clay.”
Here that the album recalls the Prometheus myth: the ancient Greek story that Prometheus fashioned humans out of mud (or clay) and gave his creations fire.
The closing track, David, offers another ancient allusion, this time about David and Goliath. David – who, as a harpist, is a musician like Lorde – kills the giant man with stones. This reference furthers the song’s discussion of the problem of treating a man, a lover, like a god.
In David Lorde explores similar themes to Mary Shelley.
This subtle reference to the killing of Goliath adds another layer to the euphemism for male testicles explored in Shapeshifter: “Do you have the stones?”. Perhaps Virgin is doing what Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1818) did with the Prometheus tale: both exploring what happens when a man tries to create and determine the fate of another being, whether nature or nurture make a person, and how a new body can be refashioned from old ones.
After listening to the entire album, I was struck by how Lorde is exploring different facets of another question: who, exactly, is Lorde? Especially now that she is embracing who she is beyond the yoke of other people – or the demons – that have shaped her? Virgin shows that Lorde now wants to return “to the clay”, or to remake who she is, now that she is unbound by Prometheus.
This article features references to books that have been included for editorial reasons, and may contain links to bookshop.org. If you click on one of the links and go on to buy something from bookshop.org The Conversation UK may earn a commission.
Lillian Hingley does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
The global ecosystem of climate finance is complex, constantly changing and sometimes hard to understand. But understanding it is critical to demanding a green transition that’s just and fair. That’s why The Conversation has collaborated with climate finance experts to create this user-friendly guide, in partnership with Vogue Business. With definitions and short videos, we’ll add to this glossary as new terms emerge.
Blue bonds
Blue bonds are debt instruments designed to finance ocean-related conservation, like protecting coral reefs or sustainable fishing. They’re modelled after green bonds but focus specifically on the health of marine ecosystems – this is a key pillar of climate stability.
By investing in blue bonds, governments and private investors can fund marine projects that deliver both environmental benefits and long-term financial returns. Seychelles issued the first blue bond in 2018. Now, more are emerging as ocean conservation becomes a greater priority for global sustainability efforts.
By Narmin Nahidi, assistant professor in finance at the University of Exeter
Carbon border adjustment mechanism
Did you know that imported steel could soon face a carbon tax at the EU border? That’s because the carbon border adjustment mechanism is about to shake up the way we trade, produce and price carbon.
The carbon border adjustment mechanism is a proposed EU policy to put a carbon price on imports like iron, cement, fertiliser, aluminium and electricity. If a product is made in a country with weaker climate policies, the importer must pay the difference between that country’s carbon price and the EU’s. The goal is to avoid “carbon leakage” – when companies relocate to avoid emissions rules and to ensure fair competition on climate action.
But this mechanism is more than just a tariff tool. It’s a bold attempt to reshape global trade. Countries exporting to the EU may be pushed to adopt greener manufacturing or face higher tariffs.
The carbon border adjustment mechanism is controversial: some call it climate protectionism, others argue it could incentivise low-carbon innovation worldwide and be vital for achieving climate justice. Many developing nations worry it could penalise them unfairly unless there’s climate finance to support greener transitions.
Carbon border adjustment mechanism is still evolving, but it’s already forcing companies, investors and governments to rethink emissions accounting, supply chains and competitiveness. It’s a carbon price with global consequences.
By Narmin Nahidi, assistant professor in finance at the University of Exeter
Carbon budget
The Paris agreement aims to limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels by 2030. The carbon budget is the maximum amount of CO₂ emissions allowed, if we want a 67% chance of staying within this limit. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimates that the remaining carbon budgets amount to 400 billion tonnes of CO₂ from 2020 onwards.
Think of the carbon budget as a climate allowance. Once it has been spent, the risk of extreme weather or sea level rise increases sharply. If emissions continue unchecked, the budget will be exhausted within years, risking severe climate consequences. The IPCC sets the global carbon budget based on climate science, and governments use this framework to set national emission targets, climate policies and pathways to net zero emissions.
By Dongna Zhang, assistant professor in economics and finance, Northumbria University
Carbon credits
Carbon credits are like a permit that allow companies to release a certain amount of carbon into the air. One credit usually equals one tonne of CO₂. These credits are issued by the local government or another authorised body and can be bought and sold. Think of it like a budget allowance for pollution. It encourages cuts in carbon emissions each year to stay within those global climate targets.
The aim is to put a price on carbon to encourage cuts in emissions. If a company reduces its emissions and has leftover credits, it can sell them to another company that is going over its limit. But there are issues. Some argue that carbon credit schemes allow polluters to pay their way out of real change, and not all credits are from trustworthy projects. Although carbon credits can play a role in addressing the climate crisis, they are not a solution on their own.
By Sankar Sivarajah, professor of circular economy, Kingston University London
Carbon credits explained.
Carbon offsetting
Carbon offsetting is a way for people or organisations to make up for the carbon emissions they are responsible for. For example, if you contribute to emissions by flying, driving or making goods, you can help balance that out by supporting projects that reduce emissions elsewhere. This might include planting trees (which absorb carbon dioxide) or building wind farms to produce renewable energy.
The idea is that your support helps cancel out the damage you are doing. For example, if your flight creates one tonne of carbon dioxide, you pay to support a project that removes the same amount.
While this sounds like a win-win, carbon offsetting is not perfect. Some argue that it lets people feel better without really changing their behaviour, a phenomenon sometimes referred to as greenwashing.
Not all projects are effective or well managed. For instance, some tree planting initiatives might have taken place anyway, even without the offset funding, deeming your contribution inconsequential. Others might plant the non-native trees in areas where they are unlikely to reach their potential in terms of absorbing carbon emissions.
So, offsetting can help, but it is no magic fix. It works best alongside real efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and encourage low-carbon lifestyles or supply chains.
By Sankar Sivarajah, professor of circular economy, Kingston University London
Carbon offsetting explained.
Carbon tax
A carbon tax is designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by placing a direct price on CO₂ and other greenhouse gases.
A carbon tax is grounded in the concept of the social cost of carbon. This is an estimate of the economic damage caused by emitting one tonne of CO₂, including climate-related health, infrastructure and ecosystem impacts.
A carbon tax is typically levied per tonne of CO₂ emitted. The tax can be applied either upstream (on fossil fuel producers) or downstream (on consumers or power generators). This makes carbon-intensive activities more expensive, it incentivises nations, businesses and people to reduce their emissions, while untaxed renewable energy becomes more competitively priced and appealing.
Carbon tax was first introduced by Finland in 1990. Since then, more than 39 jurisdictions have implemented similar schemes. According to the World Bank, carbon pricing mechanisms (that’s both carbon taxes and emissions trading systems) now cover about 24% of global emissions. The remaining 76% are not priced, mainly due to limited coverage in both sectors and geographical areas, plus persistent fossil fuel subsidies. Expanding coverage would require extending carbon pricing to sectors like agriculture and transport, phasing out fossil fuel subsidies and strengthening international governance.
What is carbon tax?
Sweden has one of the world’s highest carbon tax rates and has cut emissions by 33% since 1990 while maintaining economic growth. The policy worked because Sweden started early, applied the tax across many industries and maintained clear, consistent communication that kept the public on board.
Canada introduced a national carbon tax in 2019. In Canada, most of the revenue from carbon taxes is returned directly to households through annual rebates, making the scheme revenue-neutral for most families. However, despite its economic logic, inflation and rising fuel prices led to public discontent – especially as many citizens were unaware they were receiving rebates.
Carbon taxes face challenges including political resistance, fairness concerns and low public awareness. Their success depends on clear communication and visible reinvestment of revenues into climate or social goals. A 2025 study that surveyed 40,000 people in 20 countries found that support for carbon taxes increases significantly when revenues are used for environmental infrastructure, rather than returned through tax rebates.
By Meilan Yan, associate professor and senior lecturer in financial economics, Loughborough University
Climate resilience
Floods, wildfires, heatwaves and rising seas are pushing our cities, towns and neighbourhoods to their limits. But there’s a powerful idea that’s helping cities fight back: climate resilience.
Resilience refers to the ability of a system, such as a city, a community or even an ecosystem – to anticipate, prepare for, respond to and recover from climate-related shocks and stresses.
Sometimes people say resilience is about bouncing back. But it’s not just about surviving the next storm. It’s about adapting, evolving and thriving in a changing world.
Resilience means building smarter and better. It means designing homes that stay cool during heatwaves. Roads that don’t wash away in floods. Power grids that don’t fail when the weather turns extreme.
It’s also about people. A truly resilient city protects its most vulnerable. It ensures that everyone – regardless of income, age or background – can weather the storm.
And resilience isn’t just reactive. It’s about using science, local knowledge and innovation to reduce a risk before disaster strikes. From restoring wetlands to cool cities and absorb floods, to creating early warning systems for heatwaves, climate resilience is about weaving strength into the very fabric of our cities.
By Paul O’Hare, senior lecturer in geography and development, Manchester Metropolitan University
The meaning of climate resilience.
Climate risk disclosure
Climate risk disclosure refers to how companies report the risks they face from climate change, such as flood damage, supply chain disruptions or regulatory costs. It includes both physical risks (like storms) and transition risks (like changing laws or consumer preferences).
Mandatory disclosures, such as those proposed by the UK and EU, aim to make climate-related risks transparent to investors. Done well, these reports can shape capital flows toward more sustainable business models. Done poorly, they become greenwashing tools.
By Narmin Nahidi, assistant professor in finance at the University of Exeter
Emissions trading scheme
An emissions trading scheme is the primary market-based approach for regulating greenhouse gas emissions in many countries, including Australia, Canada, China and Mexico.
Part of a government’s job is to decide how much of the economy’s carbon emissions it wants to avoid in order to fight climate change. It must put a cap on carbon emissions that economic production is not allowed to surpass. Preferably, the polluters (that’s the manufacturers, fossil fuel companies) should be the ones paying for the cost of climate mitigation.
Regulators could simply tell all the firms how much they are allowed to emit over the next ten years or so. But giving every firm the same allowance across the board is not cost efficient, because avoiding carbon emissions is much harder for some firms (such as steel producers) than others (such as tax consultants). Since governments cannot know each firm’s specific cost profile either, it can’t customise the allowances. Also, monitoring whether polluters actually abide by their assigned limits is extremely costly.
An emissions trading scheme cleverly solves this dilemma using the cap-and-trade mechanism. Instead of assigning each polluter a fixed quota and risking inefficiencies, the government issues a large number of tradable permits – each worth, say, a tonne of CO₂-equivalent (CO₂e) – that sum up to the cap. Firms that can cut greenhouse gas emissions relatively cheaply can then trade their surplus permits to those who find it harder – at a price that makes both better off.
By Mathias Weidinger, environmental economist, University of Oxford
Emissions trading schemes, explained by climate finance expert Mathias Weidinger.
Environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing
ESG investing stands for environmental, social and governance investing. In simple terms, these are a set of standards that investors use to screen a company’s potential investments.
ESG means choosing to invest in companies that are not only profitable but also responsible. Investors use ESG metrics to assess risks (such as climate liability, labour practices) and align portfolios with sustainability goals by looking at how a company affects our planet and treats its people and communities. While there isn’t one single global body governing ESG, various organisations, ratings agencies and governments all contribute to setting and evolving these metrics.
For example, investing in a company committed to renewable energy and fair labour practices might be considered “ESG aligned”. Supporters believe ESG helps identify risks and create long-term value. Critics argue it can be vague or used for greenwashing, where companies appear sustainable without real action. ESG works best when paired with transparency and clear data. A barrier is that standards vary, and it’s not always clear what counts as ESG.
Why do financial companies and institutions care? Issues like climate change and nature loss pose significant risks, affecting company values and the global economy.
However, gathering reliable ESG information can be difficult. Companies often self-report, and the data isn’t always standardised or up to date. Researchers – including my team at the University of Oxford – are using geospatial data, like satellite imagery and artificial intelligence, to develop global databases for high-impact industries, across all major sectors and geographies, and independently assess environmental and social risks and impacts.
For instance, we can analyse satellite images of a facility over time to monitor its emissions effect on nature and biodiversity, or assess deforestation linked to a company’s supply chain. This allows us to map supply chains, identify high-impact assets, and detect hidden risks and opportunities in key industries, providing an objective, real-time look at their environmental footprint.
The goal is for this to improve ESG ratings and provide clearer, more consistent insights for investors. This approach could help us overcome current data limitations to build a more sustainable financial future.
By Amani Maalouf, senior researcher in spatial finance, University of Oxford
Environmental, social and governance investing explained.
Financed emissions
Financed emissions are the greenhouse gas emissions linked to a bank’s or investor’s lending and investment portfolio, rather than their own operations. For example, a bank that funds a coal mine or invests in fossil fuels is indirectly responsible for the carbon those activities produce.
Measuring financed emissions helps reveal the real climate impact of financial institutions not just their office energy use. It’s a cornerstone of climate accountability in finance and is becoming essential under net zero pledges.
By Narmin Nahidi, assistant professor in finance at the University of Exeter
Green bonds
Green bonds are loans issued to fund environmentally beneficial projects, such as energy-efficient buildings or clean transportation. Investors choose them to support climate solutions while earning returns.
Green bonds are a major tool to finance the shift to a low-carbon economy by directing finance toward climate solutions. As climate costs rise, green bonds could help close the funding gap while ensuring transparency and accountability.
Green bonds are required to ensure funds are spent as promised. For instance, imagine a city wants to upgrade its public transportation by adding electric buses to reduce pollution. Instead of raising taxes or slashing other budgets, the city can issue green bonds to raise the necessary capital. Investors buy the bonds, the city gets the funding, and the environment benefits from cleaner air and fewer emissions.
The growing participation of government issuers has improved the transparency and reliability of these investments. The green bond market has grown rapidly in recent years. According to the Bank for International Settlements, the green bond market reached US$2.9 trillion (£2.1 trillion) in 2024 – nearly six times larger than in 2018. At the same time, annual issuance (the total value of green bonds issued in a year) hit US$700 billion, highlighting the increasing role of green finance in tackling climate change.
By Dongna Zhang, assistant professor in economics and finance, Northumbria University
Just transition
Just transition is the process of moving to a low-carbon society that is environmentally sustainable and socially inclusive. In a broad sense, a just transition means focusing on creating a more fair and equal society.
Just transition has existed as a concept since the 1970s. It was originally applied to the green energy transition, protecting workers in the fossil fuel industry as we move towards more sustainable alternatives.
These days, it has so many overlapping issues of justice hidden within it, so the concept is hard to define. Even at the level of UN climate negotiations, global leaders struggle to agree on what a just transition means.
The big battle is between developed countries, who want a very restrictive definition around jobs and skills, and developing countries, who are looking for a much more holistic approach that considers wider system change and includes considerations around human rights, Indigenous people and creating an overall fairer global society.
A just transition is essentially about imagining a future where we have moved beyond fossil fuels and society works better for everyone – but that can look very different in a European city compared to a rural setting in south-east Asia.
For example, in a British city it might mean fewer cars and better public transport. In a rural setting, it might mean new ways of growing crops that are more sustainable, and building homes that are heatwave resistant.
By Alix Dietzel, climate justice and climate policy expert, University of Bristol
The meaning of just transition.
Loss and damage
A global loss and damage fund was agreed by nations at the UN climate summit (Cop27) in 2022. This means that the rich countries of the world put money into a fund that the least developed countries can then call upon when they have a climate emergency.
At the moment, the loss and damage fund is made up of relatively small pots of money. Much more will be needed to provide relief to those who need it most now and in the future.
By Mark Maslin, professor of earth system science, UCL
Mark Maslin explains loss and damage.
Mitigation v adaptation
Mitigation means cutting greenhouse gas emissions to slow climate change. Adaptation means adjusting to its effects, like building sea walls or growing heat-resistant crops. Both are essential: mitigation tackles the cause, while adaptation tackles the symptoms.
Globally, most funding goes to mitigation, but vulnerable communities often need adaptation support most. Balancing the two is a major challenge in climate policy, especially for developing countries facing immediate climate threats.
By Narmin Nahidi, assistant professor in finance at the University of Exeter
Nationally determined contributions
Nationally determined contributions (NDCs) are at the heart of the Paris agreement, the global effort to collectively combat climate change. NDCs are individual climate action plans created by each country. These targets and strategies outline how a country will reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change.
Each nation sets its own goals based on its own circumstances and capabilities – there’s no standard NDC. These plans should be updated every five years and countries are encouraged to gradually increase their climate ambitions over time.
The aim is for NDCs to drive real action by guiding policies, attracting investment and inspiring innovation in clean technologies. But current NDCs fall short of the Paris agreement goals and many countries struggle to turn their plans into a reality. NDCs also vary widely in scope and detail so it’s hard to compare efforts across the board. Stronger international collaboration and greater accountability will be crucial.
By Doug Specht, reader in cultural geography and communication, University of Westminster
Fashion depends on water, soil and biodiversity – all natural capital. And forward-thinking designers are now asking: how do we create rather than deplete, how do we restore rather than extract?
Natural capital is the value assigned to the stock of forests, soils, oceans and even minerals such as lithium. It sustains every part of our economy. It’s the bees that pollinate our crops. It’s the wetlands that filter our water and it’s the trees that store carbon and cool our cities.
If we fail to value nature properly, we risk losing it. But if we succeed, we unlock a future that is not only sustainable but also truly regenerative.
My team at the University of Oxford is developing tools to integrate nature into national balance sheets, advising governments on biodiversity, and we’re helping industries from fashion to finance embed nature into their decision making.
Natural capital, explained by a climate finance expert.
By Mette Morsing, professor of business sustainability and director of the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, University of Oxford
Net zero
Reaching net zero means reducing the amount of additional greenhouse gas emissions that accumulate in the atmosphere to zero. This concept was popularised by the Paris agreement, a landmark deal that was agreed at the UN climate summit (Cop21) in 2015 to limit the impact of greenhouse gas emissions.
There are some emissions, from farming and aviation for example, that will be very difficult, if not impossible, to reach absolute zero. Hence, the “net”. This allows people, businesses and countries to find ways to suck greenhouse gas emissions out of the atmosphere, effectively cancelling out emissions while trying to reduce them. This can include reforestation, rewilding, direct air capture and carbon capture and storage. The goal is to reach net zero: the point at which no extra greenhouse gases accumulate in Earth’s atmosphere.
By Mark Maslin, professor of earth system science, UCL
Mark Maslin explains net zero.
For more expert explainer videos, visit The Conversation’s quick climate dictionary playlist here on YouTube.
Mark Maslin is Pro-Vice Provost of the UCL Climate Crisis Grand Challenge and Founding Director of the UCL Centre for Sustainable Aviation. He was co-director of the London NERC Doctoral Training Partnership and is a member of the Climate Crisis Advisory Group. He is an advisor to Sheep Included Ltd, Lansons, NetZeroNow and has advised the UK Parliament. He has received grant funding from the NERC, EPSRC, ESRC, DFG, Royal Society, DIFD, BEIS, DECC, FCO, Innovate UK, Carbon Trust, UK Space Agency, European Space Agency, Research England, Wellcome Trust, Leverhulme Trust, CIFF, Sprint2020, and British Council. He has received funding from the BBC, Lancet, Laithwaites, Seventh Generation, Channel 4, JLT Re, WWF, Hermes, CAFOD, HP and Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors.
Amani Maalouf receives funding from IKEA Foundation and UK Research and Innovation (NE/V017756/1).
Narmin Nahidi is affiliated with several academic associations, including the Financial Management Association (FMA), British Accounting and Finance Association (BAFA), American Finance Association (AFA), and the Chartered Association of Business Schools (CMBE). These affiliations do not influence the content of this article.
Paul O’Hare receives funding from the UK’s Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). Award reference NE/V010174/1.
Alix Dietzel, Dongna Zhang, Doug Specht, Mathias Weidinger, Meilan Yan, and Sankar Sivarajah do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Faisal Shennib, Environmental Specialist, 24-25 Concordia Public Scholar, PhD Candidate in Individualized Program, Concordia University
And compared to national waste tracking, localized waste tracking could also provide more timely and relevant insights on the effectiveness of policies, infrastructure investments and education.
Measuring waste
The units for measuring waste are fairly standard across the world. Quantity of waste is measured by weight (tonnes) and waste performance is the per cent of total waste not sent for landfill and incineration.
However, waste terminology varies across both academia and industry. In some settings, “recycling” may mean that the material was collected for recycling, but not necessarily recycled. A term like “municipal waste” can include waste from offices and businesses — or not. This confusion makes global waste tracking challenging.
Regular global reporting on waste is sorely lacking. The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) call for global action on waste management, but there have been no figures for global recycling in recent UN SDG reports. This is likely due to the lack of available, reliable data.
Reports on global waste are compiled from sources using a wide variety of formats; a source may represent annual or daily waste, and total waste or waste per capita. Data is often from different years, making it useful for trend analysis but not strict comparisons.
Estimations and incomplete data are common; only 39 per cent of populations in developing countries are served by waste collection services. Double-counting is another risk when data comes from varied sources like waste collectors, processors and local governments.
With all these challenges, global waste reports require years to compile, leading to multiyear gaps in published reports.
Insufficient data
Even nations with consistent reporting are not immune to methodological gaps. The European Union and Canada both require annual reporting on waste, but allow for a wide variety of methods in data sourcing, including estimation.
In the United States, annual waste data is reported by states to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on a voluntary basis. No new nationwide reports have been published since 2018.
Reliable waste characterization requires the waste to be audited: sampled, weighed, separated into categories, and then weighed again. It’s a labour-intensive and cost-prohibitive process, which might explain why American states haven’t provided updated waste characterizations to the EPA since 2018.
Estimating recycling stats
The oft-cited fact that nine per cent of global plastics are recycled comes from a 2022 report. It was calculated in several steps, each with significant uncertainties, including how much plastic was produced globally, how long it was used for, and how much was collected and likely to have been recycled.
The nine per cent figure is very much an estimate, representing global plastic waste in 2019. And now, it is an outdated figure.
In South Korea, for example, a country renowned for its waste policies and programs, reports a 73 per cent recycling rate for plastics, while Greenpeace estimates that the rate is 26 per cent because much of what is collected is not recycled.
In Canada, plastic recycling tracking suffers from the same lack of standardization and transparency as recycling in general.
A much-needed global consensus
Material consumption and management is a global problem requiring international collaboration, commitments and adequate tracking.
Faisal Shennib does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Daphne Rena Idiz, Postdoctoral fellow, Department of Arts, Culture and Media, University of Toronto
What should count as Canadian content (CanCon) in the era of streaming and generative AI (GenAI)?
That’s the biggest unknown at the heart of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission’s recent (CRTC) public hearing, held in Gatineau, Que., from May 14 to 27.
The debate is about how Canada’s current points-based CanCon system remains effective in the context of global streaming giants and generative AI. Shows qualify as CanCon by assigning value to roles like director, screenwriter and lead actors being Canadian.
The outcome will shape who gets to tell Canadian stories and what those stories are, and also which ones count as Canadian under the law. This, in turn, will determine who in the film and television industries can access funding, tax credits and visibility on streaming services.
It will also determine which Canadian productions big streamers like Netflix will invest in under their Online Streaming Act obligations.
The federal government’s recent announcement that it’s rescinding the Digital Services Tax reveals the limits of Canada’s leverage over Big Tech, underscoring the significance of CanCon rules as parameters around how streaming giants contribute meaningfully to the country’s creative industries.
CanCon: Who gets to decide?
The CRTC’s existing approach to defining CanCon relies on the citizenship of key creative personnel.
The National Film Board argued that this misses the “cultural elements” of Canadian storytelling. These include cultural expression, narrative themes and connection to Canadian audiences. That is, a production might technically count as CanCon by hiring Canadians, without feeling particularly “Canadian.”
The acts empower broadcasters and streamers to decide which Canadian stories and content will be developed, produced and distributed through commissioning and licensing powers. This implicitly limits the CRTC’s role to setting rules about which creatives are at the table.
The Writer’s Guild advocates broadening the pool of Canadian key creatives to modernize the CanCon system. It trusts the combined perspectives of a broader pool to make creative decisions about Canadian identity in meaningful ways. Accordingly, it supports the CRTC’s intent to add the showrunner role to the point system since showrunners are the “the chief custodian of the creative vision of a series.”
Battle over Canadian IP
Streaming introduces more players with financial stakes, complicating who controls content and who profits from it. A seismic shift is happening in how intellectual property (IP) is handled.
CRTC has proposed that the updated CanCon definition include Canadian IP ownership as a mandatory element to enable Canadian companies and workers to retain some control over their own IP, and thereby earn sustainable income. For example, in a streaming drama, Canadian screenwriters who retain ownership of the IP could earn ongoing revenue through licensing deals, international sales and royalties each time the series is distributed.
However, the Motion Picture Association-Canada (MPA-Canada), representing industry titans like Netflix, Amazon and Disney, is pushing back against requirements that mandate the sharing of territory or IP.
Without IP rights, Canadian talent and the industry as a whole may be reduced to becoming service providers for global companies.
Intervenors shared a range of preferences from 100 per cent Canadian IP ownership to none at all. One hundred per cent Canadian IP ownership means Canadian creators like a producer of a streaming series would control the rights to the content. They would receive the majority of profits from licensing, distribution and future adaptations.
Even 51 per cent ownership could give them a controlling stake, but would likely require sharing revenue and decision-making with the streaming service.
AI and CanCon
And then, of course, there’s the question of how generative AI should be considered within the updated CanCon definition. The Writers Guild of Canada has drawn a firm line in the sand: AI-generated material should not qualify as Canadian content.
The guild argues that since current AI tools don’t possess identity, nationality or cultural context, their output cannot advance the goals of the Broadcasting Act, centred on promoting Canadian voices and stories.
The Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA) raised a different concern around AI. AI, ACTRA argued, “should not take over the jobs of the creators in the ecosystem that we’re in and we should not treat AI-generated performers as if they are a Canadian actor.”
Depending on how the CRTC addresses AI, this could mean that streaming content featuring AI-generated scripts, characters, or performances — even if developed by a Canadian creator or set in Canada — would not qualify as CanCon.
The WGC notes that it has already negotiated restrictions on AI use in screenwriting through its agreement with the Canadian Media Producers Association. These guardrails are being held up as the “emerging industry standard.”
Follow the money
Another contested point is how streamers should pay into CanCon: through direct investment or through more traditional modes of financing. Under the Online Streaming Act, streamers are required to pay five per cent of their annual revenues to certain Canadian funds.
This model echoes previous requirements used to manage decision-making at media broadcasters, some at the much more substantial level of 30 per cent.
Research in the European Union and Canada highlight how different stakeholders benefit from different forms of financial obligations, suggesting the industry may be best served by a policy mix.
As Canada rewrites its broadcasting rules, defining Canadian content is a courtroom drama unfolding in real time — and the verdict will have serious ramifications.
MaryElizabeth Luka receives research project funding from peer-adjudicated grants from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and internal grants at University of Toronto, such as the Creative Labour Critical Futures Cluster of Scholarly Prominence.
Daphne Rena Idiz does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
AI-powered assistive devices, like hearing aids, are changing how the people who use them experience public space.(Shutterstock)
New applications and the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) with wearable devices are changing the way users interact with their environments and each other. The impacts and reach of these new technologies have yet to be fully understood.
Connections between technologies and bodies is not a new thing for many disabled persons. Assistive technologies — tools and products designed to support people with disabilities — have played a part in mitigating built and institutional barriers experienced by disabled persons for decades.
While not strictly considered assistive, immersive and wearable technologies have the potential to change the relationship between disabled users and their experience of place.
For example, Ray-Ban’s Meta glasses use AI to describe what the cameras are capturing using the Be My Eyes app. Using OpenAI’s large language model, ChatGPT, this effectively turns a user’s smart phone into a vision assistant.
The availability and production of environmental data from these technologies may impact how we relate to each other, how we move through and understand space, and how we engage with the physical environment around us at any given moment.
Sam Seavey, founder of TheBlindLife.com, reviews the possibilities and limitations of Apple’s VisionPro. (The Blind Life)
We’re at a critical juncture where AI-enabled technologies used by individuals may profoundly impact our urban futures.
What happens, for example, when wearables make any “place” a digital work or play place? What does a largely private-sector, consumer-driven, AI-enabled digital intervention into a city’s spaces mean for planning, zoning and taxation? What are the environmental costs of the global AI project?
And crucially, who gets to participate in this digital reimagining?
AI and the city
While access can be challenging — wearables are often costly — ableist thinking regarding the use of technology to render invisible Blind and/or Deaf people and culture is also a problem. Some people might naively assume that all Blind and Deaf people are universally seeking a bio-technological “miracle.”
There are also other challenges: how a technology captures or describes its data may not match up to a user’s pre-existing sense of place. Moreover, access to tech can produce some unintended consequences, including the erosion of in-person community building among disabled people.
My hearing aids use AI and machine learning to sense and adjust my sound environment. They help me cope with the ways in which the places of my everyday life — such as my home or the lecture hall — are generally configured for people without hearing loss.
When I use my hearing aids, I find that the city has never sounded so wonderful, and yet sometimes irritatingly loud. The sound of birds is one thing; the grinding sound of a breaking subway is another entirely.
Cumulative exposure to noisy indoor and outdoor places of the city poses auditory health risks, such as noise-induced hearing loss or tinnitus, and can contribute to poor health more broadly. I have to be careful about ongoing noise exposure, and by adjusting the volume of my hearing aids, I can turn down the city when I want to.
Future bodies and urban futures
AI-powered technologies can exacerbate issues of access, privilege and freedom of movement. This happens both through who is able to purchase and use devices, as well as through data and their applications. Data may be biased in terms of race, gender, sexuality and disability.
Scientific research and media representations tend to highlight the benevolent possibilities of technologies for “repairing” bodies conceived as being functionally medically deficient.
Much less is said about disabled persons controlling the narrative, taking up key roles in the messy terrain of AI, machine learning and data governance, and in the planning and design of future cities.
Digital modelling
We are also witnessing growing interest in the digital twinning — creating highly accurate digital models — of everything from human hearts to entire cities.
Not everyone can, should or wishes to be technologically “assisted” or augmented. There are medical, identity and culture, affordability, legal, moral and ethical concerns.
Other issues raised by brain-computer interface research, for example, include concerns about legal capacity and ownership of the self, including ownership of device-generated data.
In a study on the impact of neural technologies, researchers shared the legal repercussions relating to two disabled people deprived of voting rights in Spain. The person who recovered the ability to communicate autonomously using their finger and a computer had their rights restored, while the other, who used a human intermediary, did not.
Where does the person end and the technology begin, and vice versa? Who gets to decide?
Future technologies
As the use of AI and assistive technologies increases in everyday urban life, we will need to address these questions sooner rather than later.
And if disabled persons are not adequately involved in these discussions and decisions, then cities will be less — rather than more — accessible.
Ron Buliung does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Rizwan Virk, Faculty Associate, PhD Candidate in Human and Social Dimensions of Science and Technology, Arizona State University
In Stephenson’s novel ‘The Diamond Age,’ a device called the Young Lady’s Illustrated Primer offers emotional, social and intellectual support.Christopher Michel/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA
Every time I read about another advance in AI technology, I feel like another figment of science fiction moves closer to reality.
“The Diamond Age” depicted a post-cyberpunk sectarian future, in which society is fragmented into tribes, called phyles. In this future world, sophisticated nanotechnology is ubiquitous, and a new type of AI is introduced.
Though inspired by MIT nanotech pioneer Eric Drexler and Nobel Prize winner Richard Feynman, the advanced nanotechnology depicted in the novel still remains out of reach. However, the AI that’s portrayed, particularly a teaching device called the Young Lady’s Illustrated Primer, isn’t only right in front of us; it also raises serious issues about the role of AI in labor, learning and human behavior.
In Stephenson’s novel, the Primer looks like a hardcover book, but each of its “pages” is really a screen display that can show animations and text, and it responds to its user in real time via AI. The book also has an audio component, which voices the characters and narrates stories being told by the device.
It was originally created for the young daughter of an aristocrat, but it accidentally falls into the hands of a girl named Nell who’s living on the streets of a futuristic Shanghai. The Primer provides Nell personalized emotional, social and intellectual support during her journey to adulthood, serving alternatively as an AI companion, a storyteller, a teacher and a surrogate parent.
The AI is able to weave fairy tales that help a younger Nell cope with past traumas, such as her abusive home and life on the streets. It educates her on everything from math to cryptography to martial arts. In a techno-futuristic homage to George Bernard Shaw’s 1913 play “Pygmalion,” the Primer goes so far as to teach Nell the proper social etiquette to be able to blend into neo-Victorian society, one of the prominent tribes in Stephenson’s balkanized world.
No need for ‘ractors’
Three recent developments in AI – in video games, wearable technology and education – reveal that building something like the Primer should no longer be considered the purview of science fiction.
In May 2025, the hit video game “Fortnite” introduced an AI version of Darth Vader, who speaks with the voice of the late James Earl Jones.
While it was popular among fans of the game, the Screen Actors Guild lodged a labor complaint with Epic Games, the creator of “Fortnite.” Even though Epic had received permission from the late actor’s estate, the Screen Actors Guild pointed out that actors could have been hired to voice the character, and the company – in refusing to alert the union and negotiate terms – violated existing labor agreements.
In “The Diamond Age,” while the Primer uses AI to generate the fairy tales that train Nell, for the voices of these archetypal characters, Stephenson concocted a low-tech solution: The characters are played by a network of what he termed “ractors” – real actors working in a studio who are contracted to perform and interact in real time with users.
The Darth Vader “Fortnite” character shows that a Primer built today wouldn’t need to use actors at all. It could rely almost entirely on AI voice generation and have real-time conversations, showing that today’s technology already exceeds Stephenson’s normally far-sighted vision.
Recording and guiding in real time
Synthesizing James Earl Jones’ voice in “Fortnite” wasn’t the only recent AI development heralding the arrival of Primer-like technology.
I recently witnessed a demonstration of wearable AI that records all of the wearer’s conversations. Their words are then sent to a server so they can be analyzed by AI, providing both summaries and suggestions to the user about future behavior.
Several startups are making these “always on” AI wearables. In an April 29, 2025, essay titled “I Recorded Everything I Said for Three Months. AI Has Replaced My Memory,” Wall Street Journal technology columnist Joanna Stern describes the experience of using this technology. She concedes that the assistants created useful summaries of her conversations and meetings, along with helpful to-do lists. However, they also recalled “every dumb, private and cringeworthy thing that came out of my mouth.”
AI wearable devices that continuously record the conversations of their users have recently hit the market.
These devices also create privacy issues. The people whom the user interacts with don’t always know they are being recorded, even as their words are also sent to a server for the AI to process them. To Stern, the technology’s potential for mass surveillance becomes readily apparent, presenting a “slightly terrifying glimpse of the future.”
Relying on AI engines such as ChatGPT, Claude and Google’s Gemini, the wearables work only with words, not images. Behavioral suggestions occur only after the fact. However, a key function of the Primer – coaching users in real time in the middle of any situation or social interaction – is the next logical step as the technology advances.
Education or social engineering?
In “The Diamond Age,” the Primer doesn’t simply weave interactive fairy tales for Nell. It also assumes the responsibility of educating her on everything from her ABCs when younger to the intricacies of cryptography and politics as she gets older.
There are certainly advantages to AI tutors: Tutoring and college tuition can be exorbitantly expensive, and the technology can offer better access to education to people of all income levels.
Pulling together these latest AI advances – interactive avatars, behavioral guides, tutors – it’s easy to envision how an AI device like the Young Lady’s Illustrated Primer could be created in the near future. A young person might have a personalized AI character that accompanies them at all times. It can teach them about the world and offer up suggestions for how to act in certain situations. The AI could be tailored to a child’s personality, concocting stories that include AI versions of their favorite TV and movie characters.
But “The Diamond Age” offers a warning, too.
Toward the end of the novel, a version of the Primer is handed out to hundreds of thousands of young Chinese girls who, like Nell, didn’t have access to education or mentors. This leads to the education of the masses. But it also opens the door to large-scale social engineering, creating an army of Primer-raised martial arts experts, whom the AI then directs to act on behalf of “Princess Nell,” Nell’s fairy tale name.
It’s easy to see how this sort of large-scale social engineering could be used to target certain ideologies, crush dissent or build loyalty to a particular regime. The AI’s behavior could also be subject to the whims of the companies or individuals that created it. A ubiquitous, always-on, friendly AI could become the ultimate monitoring and reporting device. Think of a kinder, gentler face for Big Brother that people have trusted since childhood.
While large-scale deployment of a Primer-like AI could certainly make young people smarter and more efficient, it could also hamper one of the most important parts of education: teaching people to think for themselves.
Rizwan Virk owns shares of investments funds which own stock in various private AI companies such as Open AI and X.ai. He owns public stock in Google and Microsoft. Virk has family members who work for a wearable AI company.
Source: The Conversation – USA (2) – By Rizwan Virk, Faculty Associate, PhD Candidate in Human and Social Dimensions of Science and Technology, Arizona State University
In Stephenson’s novel ‘The Diamond Age,’ a device called the Young Lady’s Illustrated Primer offers emotional, social and intellectual support.Christopher Michel/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA
Every time I read about another advance in AI technology, I feel like another figment of science fiction moves closer to reality.
“The Diamond Age” depicted a post-cyberpunk sectarian future, in which society is fragmented into tribes, called phyles. In this future world, sophisticated nanotechnology is ubiquitous, and a new type of AI is introduced.
Though inspired by MIT nanotech pioneer Eric Drexler and Nobel Prize winner Richard Feynman, the advanced nanotechnology depicted in the novel still remains out of reach. However, the AI that’s portrayed, particularly a teaching device called the Young Lady’s Illustrated Primer, isn’t only right in front of us; it also raises serious issues about the role of AI in labor, learning and human behavior.
In Stephenson’s novel, the Primer looks like a hardcover book, but each of its “pages” is really a screen display that can show animations and text, and it responds to its user in real time via AI. The book also has an audio component, which voices the characters and narrates stories being told by the device.
It was originally created for the young daughter of an aristocrat, but it accidentally falls into the hands of a girl named Nell who’s living on the streets of a futuristic Shanghai. The Primer provides Nell personalized emotional, social and intellectual support during her journey to adulthood, serving alternatively as an AI companion, a storyteller, a teacher and a surrogate parent.
The AI is able to weave fairy tales that help a younger Nell cope with past traumas, such as her abusive home and life on the streets. It educates her on everything from math to cryptography to martial arts. In a techno-futuristic homage to George Bernard Shaw’s 1913 play “Pygmalion,” the Primer goes so far as to teach Nell the proper social etiquette to be able to blend into neo-Victorian society, one of the prominent tribes in Stephenson’s balkanized world.
No need for ‘ractors’
Three recent developments in AI – in video games, wearable technology and education – reveal that building something like the Primer should no longer be considered the purview of science fiction.
In May 2025, the hit video game “Fortnite” introduced an AI version of Darth Vader, who speaks with the voice of the late James Earl Jones.
While it was popular among fans of the game, the Screen Actors Guild lodged a labor complaint with Epic Games, the creator of “Fortnite.” Even though Epic had received permission from the late actor’s estate, the Screen Actors Guild pointed out that actors could have been hired to voice the character, and the company – in refusing to alert the union and negotiate terms – violated existing labor agreements.
In “The Diamond Age,” while the Primer uses AI to generate the fairy tales that train Nell, for the voices of these archetypal characters, Stephenson concocted a low-tech solution: The characters are played by a network of what he termed “ractors” – real actors working in a studio who are contracted to perform and interact in real time with users.
The Darth Vader “Fortnite” character shows that a Primer built today wouldn’t need to use actors at all. It could rely almost entirely on AI voice generation and have real-time conversations, showing that today’s technology already exceeds Stephenson’s normally far-sighted vision.
Recording and guiding in real time
Synthesizing James Earl Jones’ voice in “Fortnite” wasn’t the only recent AI development heralding the arrival of Primer-like technology.
I recently witnessed a demonstration of wearable AI that records all of the wearer’s conversations. Their words are then sent to a server so they can be analyzed by AI, providing both summaries and suggestions to the user about future behavior.
Several startups are making these “always on” AI wearables. In an April 29, 2025, essay titled “I Recorded Everything I Said for Three Months. AI Has Replaced My Memory,” Wall Street Journal technology columnist Joanna Stern describes the experience of using this technology. She concedes that the assistants created useful summaries of her conversations and meetings, along with helpful to-do lists. However, they also recalled “every dumb, private and cringeworthy thing that came out of my mouth.”
AI wearable devices that continuously record the conversations of their users have recently hit the market.
These devices also create privacy issues. The people whom the user interacts with don’t always know they are being recorded, even as their words are also sent to a server for the AI to process them. To Stern, the technology’s potential for mass surveillance becomes readily apparent, presenting a “slightly terrifying glimpse of the future.”
Relying on AI engines such as ChatGPT, Claude and Google’s Gemini, the wearables work only with words, not images. Behavioral suggestions occur only after the fact. However, a key function of the Primer – coaching users in real time in the middle of any situation or social interaction – is the next logical step as the technology advances.
Education or social engineering?
In “The Diamond Age,” the Primer doesn’t simply weave interactive fairy tales for Nell. It also assumes the responsibility of educating her on everything from her ABCs when younger to the intricacies of cryptography and politics as she gets older.
There are certainly advantages to AI tutors: Tutoring and college tuition can be exorbitantly expensive, and the technology can offer better access to education to people of all income levels.
Pulling together these latest AI advances – interactive avatars, behavioral guides, tutors – it’s easy to envision how an AI device like the Young Lady’s Illustrated Primer could be created in the near future. A young person might have a personalized AI character that accompanies them at all times. It can teach them about the world and offer up suggestions for how to act in certain situations. The AI could be tailored to a child’s personality, concocting stories that include AI versions of their favorite TV and movie characters.
But “The Diamond Age” offers a warning, too.
Toward the end of the novel, a version of the Primer is handed out to hundreds of thousands of young Chinese girls who, like Nell, didn’t have access to education or mentors. This leads to the education of the masses. But it also opens the door to large-scale social engineering, creating an army of Primer-raised martial arts experts, whom the AI then directs to act on behalf of “Princess Nell,” Nell’s fairy tale name.
It’s easy to see how this sort of large-scale social engineering could be used to target certain ideologies, crush dissent or build loyalty to a particular regime. The AI’s behavior could also be subject to the whims of the companies or individuals that created it. A ubiquitous, always-on, friendly AI could become the ultimate monitoring and reporting device. Think of a kinder, gentler face for Big Brother that people have trusted since childhood.
While large-scale deployment of a Primer-like AI could certainly make young people smarter and more efficient, it could also hamper one of the most important parts of education: teaching people to think for themselves.
Rizwan Virk owns shares of investments funds which own stock in various private AI companies such as Open AI and X.ai. He owns public stock in Google and Microsoft. Virk has family members who work for a wearable AI company.
Source: The Conversation – USA (2) – By Rizwan Virk, Faculty Associate, PhD Candidate in Human and Social Dimensions of Science and Technology, Arizona State University
In Stephenson’s novel ‘The Diamond Age,’ a device called the Young Lady’s Illustrated Primer offers emotional, social and intellectual support.Christopher Michel/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA
Every time I read about another advance in AI technology, I feel like another figment of science fiction moves closer to reality.
“The Diamond Age” depicted a post-cyberpunk sectarian future, in which society is fragmented into tribes, called phyles. In this future world, sophisticated nanotechnology is ubiquitous, and a new type of AI is introduced.
Though inspired by MIT nanotech pioneer Eric Drexler and Nobel Prize winner Richard Feynman, the advanced nanotechnology depicted in the novel still remains out of reach. However, the AI that’s portrayed, particularly a teaching device called the Young Lady’s Illustrated Primer, isn’t only right in front of us; it also raises serious issues about the role of AI in labor, learning and human behavior.
In Stephenson’s novel, the Primer looks like a hardcover book, but each of its “pages” is really a screen display that can show animations and text, and it responds to its user in real time via AI. The book also has an audio component, which voices the characters and narrates stories being told by the device.
It was originally created for the young daughter of an aristocrat, but it accidentally falls into the hands of a girl named Nell who’s living on the streets of a futuristic Shanghai. The Primer provides Nell personalized emotional, social and intellectual support during her journey to adulthood, serving alternatively as an AI companion, a storyteller, a teacher and a surrogate parent.
The AI is able to weave fairy tales that help a younger Nell cope with past traumas, such as her abusive home and life on the streets. It educates her on everything from math to cryptography to martial arts. In a techno-futuristic homage to George Bernard Shaw’s 1913 play “Pygmalion,” the Primer goes so far as to teach Nell the proper social etiquette to be able to blend into neo-Victorian society, one of the prominent tribes in Stephenson’s balkanized world.
No need for ‘ractors’
Three recent developments in AI – in video games, wearable technology and education – reveal that building something like the Primer should no longer be considered the purview of science fiction.
In May 2025, the hit video game “Fortnite” introduced an AI version of Darth Vader, who speaks with the voice of the late James Earl Jones.
While it was popular among fans of the game, the Screen Actors Guild lodged a labor complaint with Epic Games, the creator of “Fortnite.” Even though Epic had received permission from the late actor’s estate, the Screen Actors Guild pointed out that actors could have been hired to voice the character, and the company – in refusing to alert the union and negotiate terms – violated existing labor agreements.
In “The Diamond Age,” while the Primer uses AI to generate the fairy tales that train Nell, for the voices of these archetypal characters, Stephenson concocted a low-tech solution: The characters are played by a network of what he termed “ractors” – real actors working in a studio who are contracted to perform and interact in real time with users.
The Darth Vader “Fortnite” character shows that a Primer built today wouldn’t need to use actors at all. It could rely almost entirely on AI voice generation and have real-time conversations, showing that today’s technology already exceeds Stephenson’s normally far-sighted vision.
Recording and guiding in real time
Synthesizing James Earl Jones’ voice in “Fortnite” wasn’t the only recent AI development heralding the arrival of Primer-like technology.
I recently witnessed a demonstration of wearable AI that records all of the wearer’s conversations. Their words are then sent to a server so they can be analyzed by AI, providing both summaries and suggestions to the user about future behavior.
Several startups are making these “always on” AI wearables. In an April 29, 2025, essay titled “I Recorded Everything I Said for Three Months. AI Has Replaced My Memory,” Wall Street Journal technology columnist Joanna Stern describes the experience of using this technology. She concedes that the assistants created useful summaries of her conversations and meetings, along with helpful to-do lists. However, they also recalled “every dumb, private and cringeworthy thing that came out of my mouth.”
AI wearable devices that continuously record the conversations of their users have recently hit the market.
These devices also create privacy issues. The people whom the user interacts with don’t always know they are being recorded, even as their words are also sent to a server for the AI to process them. To Stern, the technology’s potential for mass surveillance becomes readily apparent, presenting a “slightly terrifying glimpse of the future.”
Relying on AI engines such as ChatGPT, Claude and Google’s Gemini, the wearables work only with words, not images. Behavioral suggestions occur only after the fact. However, a key function of the Primer – coaching users in real time in the middle of any situation or social interaction – is the next logical step as the technology advances.
Education or social engineering?
In “The Diamond Age,” the Primer doesn’t simply weave interactive fairy tales for Nell. It also assumes the responsibility of educating her on everything from her ABCs when younger to the intricacies of cryptography and politics as she gets older.
There are certainly advantages to AI tutors: Tutoring and college tuition can be exorbitantly expensive, and the technology can offer better access to education to people of all income levels.
Pulling together these latest AI advances – interactive avatars, behavioral guides, tutors – it’s easy to envision how an AI device like the Young Lady’s Illustrated Primer could be created in the near future. A young person might have a personalized AI character that accompanies them at all times. It can teach them about the world and offer up suggestions for how to act in certain situations. The AI could be tailored to a child’s personality, concocting stories that include AI versions of their favorite TV and movie characters.
But “The Diamond Age” offers a warning, too.
Toward the end of the novel, a version of the Primer is handed out to hundreds of thousands of young Chinese girls who, like Nell, didn’t have access to education or mentors. This leads to the education of the masses. But it also opens the door to large-scale social engineering, creating an army of Primer-raised martial arts experts, whom the AI then directs to act on behalf of “Princess Nell,” Nell’s fairy tale name.
It’s easy to see how this sort of large-scale social engineering could be used to target certain ideologies, crush dissent or build loyalty to a particular regime. The AI’s behavior could also be subject to the whims of the companies or individuals that created it. A ubiquitous, always-on, friendly AI could become the ultimate monitoring and reporting device. Think of a kinder, gentler face for Big Brother that people have trusted since childhood.
While large-scale deployment of a Primer-like AI could certainly make young people smarter and more efficient, it could also hamper one of the most important parts of education: teaching people to think for themselves.
Rizwan Virk owns shares of investments funds which own stock in various private AI companies such as Open AI and X.ai. He owns public stock in Google and Microsoft. Virk has family members who work for a wearable AI company.
Question for written answer E-002564/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Ralf Seekatz (PPE), Lídia Pereira (PPE)
Article 2(6) of Regulation 2024/1624 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 31 May 2024 on the prevention of the use of the financial system for the purposes of money laundering or terrorist financing[1](the Anti-Money Laundering Regulation, AMLR) clarifies that the activity of account information services (AIS) is not within the scope of the regulation.
In our understanding of the text, the activity of AIS is outside the scope of the regulation, regardless of whether the entity in question exclusively provides AIS or also offers other regulated services.
Can the Commission confirm the interpretation that AIS as an activity is outside the scope of the AMLR, even if it is provided by financial institutions whose additional and regulated activities are otherwise within the scope of the AMLR?
ROAD TOWN, Virgin Islands, July 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BloFin, a leading global cryptocurrency exchange, has officially launched registration for its blockbuster trading competition: the WOW(War of Whales) 2025 Grand Prix.
With an extraordinary total prize pool of up to $4,200,000 USDT, exclusive giveaways including a Tesla Cybertruck, and four exciting competition formats, WOW 2025 is set to become one of the most dynamic trading events of the year for crypto traders worldwide.
Four Thrilling Competition Formats, One Epic Trading Season
This year’s WOW Grand Prix offers participants four engaging ways to compete and win big:
Trading Competition (Futures)
Treasure Box Prize Hunt
Lucky Spin Draw
Grand Lotto Giveaway
From June 26 to July 15, traders can join team battles, climb individual leaderboards, unlock random rewards, and spin their way toward exclusive prizes — creating a truly immersive trading experience.
A Record-Breaking $4.2 Million Prize Pool
The WOW 2025 prize pool scales with total trading volume milestones, starting at $35,000 USDT and expanding to a massive $4,200,000 USDT. The more participants trade, the larger the total prize pool becomes for the community.
Prize Distribution Highlights:
Team Competition (by Trading Volume): 40%
Team Competition (by PNL %): 20%
Individual Competition (by Trading Volume): 25%
Individual Competition (by PNL %): 15%
Additional top-tier rewards include:
A Tesla Cybertruck for the top-performing team
Luxury giveaways for individual champions
As part of this year’s event, BloFin is also unveiling the exclusive WOW (War of Whales) 2025 PNL Card — a distinctive digital emblem crafted for elite competitors. Inspired by the cyber-themed aesthetic of the WOW Grand Prix, this limited-edition PNL Card serves as a personalized record of each trader’s performance throughout the competition. Participants can proudly display their achievements, track their battle stats, and share their milestones within the crypto trading community.
Registration Now Open
Registration runs from June 20 to July 15, 2025 (UTC). Team leaders can create squads and users are encouraged to join early to maximize their competitive edge.
About BloFin
BloFin is a top-tier cryptocurrency exchange that specializes in futures trading. The platform offers 480+ USDT-M perpetual pairs, Coin-Margined Perpetual Contracts, spot trading, copy trading, API access, unified account management, and advanced sub-account solutions. Committed to security and compliance, BloFin integrates Fireblocks and Chainalysis to ensure robust asset protection. By partnering with top affiliates, BloFin delivers scalable trading solutions, efficient fund management, and enhanced flexibility for professional traders. As the constant sponsor of TOKEN2049, BloFin continues to expand its global presence, reinforcing its position as the place “WHERE WHALES ARE MADE.” For more information, visit BloFin’s official website at https://www.blofin.com.
Disclaimer: This content is provided byBloFin. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. We do not guarantee any claims, statements, or promises made in this article. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice. Investing in crypto and mining-related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone, and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent advice if necessary. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector—including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining—complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed. Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility. Globenewswire does not endorse any content on this page.
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New York City, NY, July 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Maintaining clean eyeglasses is part of everyday care for many users. Whether used for reading, driving, or general vision support, lenses can become marked during daily activities. Peeps Glasses Cleaner and Peeps Eyeglass Cleaner are two terms often associated with a portable solution intended to support lens care routines.
Keeping your glasses clean can feel like a constant task — smudges, dust, and fingerprints show up when you least expect them. That’s where the Peeps Glasses Cleaner comes in. Compact and easy to use, this tool is becoming a popular choice for everyday lens care.
The Peeps Glasses Cleaner is a compact tool made for those who wear prescription glasses, reading glasses, or sunglasses. Designed by CarbonKlean, this cleaner features a lightweight build that fits easily in a drawer, travel case, or bag. It offers users a convenient option for keeping eyewear in good condition without relying on liquids or disposable cloths.
Its simple, mess-free design makes it a favorite among people who wear glasses daily, whether for work, reading, or travel.
Please visit the official website to check availability.
Keeping your eyeglasses or sunglasses looking clean throughout the day can be a challenge. Smudges from skin oils, makeup, dust, and fingerprints can quickly cloud your lenses, making it harder to maintain a clear view. That’s where the Peeps Glasses Cleaner can help — a compact, easy-to-carry designed to support your daily eyewear care routine.
A key component of Peeps Eyeglass Cleaner is its carbon-based cleaning pads. These soft pads are applied directly to the lens surface using a light motion. The tool is reusable and does not require sprays, making it a suitable choice for individuals looking for a minimalist approach to eyewear maintenance.
Many users turn to Peeps Eyeglass Cleaner because of its simple, travel-friendly form. The absence of liquids or chemicals allows for use in various settings—whether at a desk, in a car, or while commuting. Its small size makes it accessible and convenient for individuals who prefer not to carry traditional cleaning kits.
In addition to its portability, the Peeps Glasses Cleaner is known for being reusable. Unlike single-use wipes, which contribute to waste, this device can be used multiple times with routine care. It appeals to users interested in sustainable options that support everyday habits.
For availability, please refer to the official website.
Whether you’re a student, a professional, or someone who wears glasses occasionally, having a dedicated cleaning tool can help maintain visual comfort and clarity without hassle. The Peeps Eyeglass Cleaner offers a portable way to care for your lenses in everyday situations.
Key Features
Portable Design: Peeps Eyeglass Cleaner is Small enough to carry in your bag, car, or pocket.
No Liquid Needed: Peeps Eyeglass Cleaner Works without sprays, travel-friendly.
Easy to Use: Just brush and swipe — no complicated steps.
Reusable: Built for repeated use without disposable parts.s
Eyewear users often look for products that are easy to use and gentle in application. Peeps Eyeglass Cleaner is developed with simplicity in mind. The tool requires minimal upkeep and does not rely on external products.
With a variety of lens-cleaning products on the market, including microfiber cloths and disposable solutions, Peeps Glasses Cleaner continues to stand out due to its compact shape and reusability. It’s considered a popular choice for those interested in portable cleaning accessories.
Great for a Range of Eyewear
Whether it’s prescription glasses, reading glasses, or sunglasses, the Peeps Eyeglass Cleaner is designed to work across many styles and types of lenses. It’s a handy solution for students, professionals, travelers, and anyone who values a clear view.
Due to growing interest, availability may be limited. Visit the official website for the latest details.
Perfect for travel, work, or home, the Peeps Eyeglass Cleaner offers a convenient way to clean your glasses. Media Contact : Company Name: CarbonKleans Website:https://getcarbonklean.io Email:info@carbonklean.com Address : 24 Village Pointe Drive, Powell, OH, US, 43065 Phone:+1 (888) 615-2155
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
As the new section of the Chongqing-Xiamen high-speed railway, from Chongqing to Qianjiang, officially opened a week ago, the key hub along this route, Chongqing East Railway Station, was also put into operation.
From obtaining the design blueprints in May 2022 to its official inauguration, it has taken 38 months to complete what is now the largest high-speed rail station in west China. Behind this monumental construction project are a group of unsung heroes — robots.
According to Sun Haoran, a manager of the railway station project under China Railway Construction Engineering Group, the station serves as a pilot for the “integration of stations and cities” as part of the nation’s efforts to strengthen transportation infrastructure.
Located in the Nan’an District of Chongqing, the station features 15 platforms and 29 tracks. The station building spans eight floors with a total construction area of 1.22 million square meters, equivalent to 170 standard football fields. Its roof covers approximately 120,000 square meters and weighs 16,500 tonnes.
“The scale of the station’s roof alone is colossal, making the construction difficult and posing high safety risks,” Sun said.
Indeed, in this city where temperatures regularly hit 40 degrees Celsius during furnace-like summers, building a vast transportation hub on its rugged topography demands innovation.
Robots have conducted a quiet revolution, transforming conventional construction in extreme environments.
“Ground leveling in 40-degree heat used to mean workers often collapsing from heatstroke,” said Huang Pinqing, a senior official with China Railway 11th Bureau Group Corporation Limited, who is in charge of the railway station project.
“Now, laser-guided bots did the job with millimeter precision at three times human speed, cutting labour costs by 40 percent.”
“Meanwhile, in this mountain furnace in summer, steel never sweats,” he added.
Huang proudly introduced his “robot army.”
Four-wheel laser screed machines, equipped with LiDAR sensors, AI algorithms, and 5G connectivity, replaced manual concrete smoothing. While workers remotely monitor them from shaded shelters, their precision reduces waste.
Patrol robots, undeterred by night or rain, became 24/7 sentinels. Using AI vision, they detect the absence of hard hats or misplaced vehicles within 100 meters during the day or 50 meters at night, slashing hazard identification time by 90 percent and quadrupling the quality inspection efficiency, he said.
Glass installation robots tackle 800-kilogram panels needed for soaring facades. Precision servo arms position the massive glass units with millimeter accuracy, accelerating installation threefold while reducing accident risks by 90 percent compared to manual hoisting by dozens of workers.
Omni-directional welding robots were used for joining overhead pipe installations. Capable of 0.1-millimeter accuracy swing control, they sealed an 800-millimeter diameter steel pipe joint in two hours — one-third the time required manually — ensuring consistent quality on high-altitude tasks.
“Robots free our teams from the worst heat exposure,” Huang said. “They aren’t gimmicks but essential partners.”
Data from China Railway 11th Bureau Group Corporation Limited confirmed that robotics tripled average work efficiency and nearly halved labour costs.
In addition, safety incidents dropped by 90 percent, despite Chongqing’s challenging topography, where summer heatwaves now regularly test construction limits, including record-breaking temperatures in 2022 and 2024, forcing traditional sites to suspend daytime work.
“This is how technology serves people — building faster, safer, and smarter, even in Chongqing’s furnace,” said Huang.
This mountainous metropolis is also accelerating the power of automation to reshape infrastructure development and beyond.
According to the Chongqing Municipal Economy and Information Technology Commission, in recent years, Chongqing has drafted action plans to boost robot application and cultivate future industries, empowering the development of the robotics industry from a top-level institutional perspective.
By 2024, the city’s robotics output exceeded 60,000 units, with the total industrial chain output value surpassing 37 billion yuan (about 5.17 billion U.S. dollars).
Meanwhile, the city is creating an internationally competitive intelligent equipment industrial cluster.
Currently, Chongqing has gathered over 300 key robotics enterprises, and hosts 31 research and development platforms, such as the Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences and a national robotics testing center.
This has led to the establishment of a comprehensive ecosystem encompassing research and development, manufacturing, testing, system integration, component supply, talent training and application services.
Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –
The 26th scientific and practical conference “St. Petersburg Collegial Readings – 2025” on the topic “Intellectual Property: Theory and Practice” was held in St. Petersburg. The organizers were the St. Petersburg College of Patent Attorneys and Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University. More than 230 intellectual property specialists from Russia, the Republic of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan discussed issues of legal protection, defense and use of intellectual property. Representatives of FIPS, EAPO, RGAIS also participated in the conference.
At the grand opening, the President of the St. Petersburg College of Patent Attorneys Andrey Fedotov noted the diversity of the reports presented and wished the participants fruitful work. Director of the Center for Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer of SPbPU Ismail Kadiev emphasized that the readings represent a unique opportunity to exchange knowledge, ideas and experience, and that the research will contribute to the development of the intellectual property sphere in Russia.
Asemgul Abenova, Head of the Industrial Designs Department of the EAPO Expertise Department, spoke about the Eurasian system of patenting industrial designs and the features of the Eurasian patent. She presented the stages of consideration of the Eurasian application, the types and amounts of fees, as well as the conditions of patenting.
Russian patent attorney Elena Danilina and Washington State University (Seattle, USA) law professor Anna Bakhmetyeva spoke about the intellectual property rights of ethnic communities and transboundary features of legal regulation. The patent experts explained what object of intellectual property rights is folklore and reviewed the legal regulation of traditional knowledge in Russia and neighboring countries.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: Rosneft – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
At the XXVIII St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Rosneft concluded a trilateral agreement of cooperation in HR training with Management Development Institute (Gurgaon, Republic of India) and St. Petersburg State University (St. Petersburg State University).
The document was signed by Igor Sechin, Chief Executive Officer of Rosneft, Nikolai Kropachev, Rector of St. Petersburg State University, and Professor Arvind Sakhai, Director of the Management Development Institute.
The agreement provides for training Rosneft employees on joint programs of the St. Petersburg State University Graduate School of Management and the Gurgaon Management Development Institute, as well as exchanging knowledge and experience in the area of technology development in the oil and gas sector, improving the efficiency of operational management, logistics, artificial intelligence and digitalization, etc.
Besides, there will be visits to Indian companies organized for the Company employees as part of joint educational programs to study current practices in the oil and gas sector.
The implementation of this Agreement will facilitate developing a long-term mutually beneficial partnership between Rosneft, St. Petersburg State University and the Gurgaon Institute of Management Development, as well as addressing complex business objectives of the Company.
Note:
The Management Development Institute was established in 1973 by Industrial Finance Corporation of India. This is the first institute in India to receive the status of “Management Institute” and is one of the best business schools in India. The Institute has 2 international accreditations from AACSB (USA) and AMBA (UK). The Institute’s programs are also accredited by the National Board of Accreditation (NBA), which confirms their compliance with the quality standards of education in India.
Since 2008 St. Petersburg State University has been a strategic partner university of Rosneft Oil Company. As part of cooperation, Rosneft and the St. Petersburg State University Graduate School of Management are implementing innovative professional development and retraining programs. Employee training takes place on the basis of the Institute of Higher School of Management of St. Petersburg State University. It is the only business school in Russia that is among the top 1% of the best business schools in the world, which is confirmed by the accreditations of the largest international associations EQUIS, AMBA and AACSB. Rosneft facilitates infrastructure development and supports best students and promising teachers. Over 1,500 Company employees have been trained for extended education programs over the period of cooperation.
Department of Information and Advertising Rosneft Oil Company June 20, 2025
These materials contain statements regarding future events and expectations that are forward-looking estimates. Any statement in these materials that is not historical information is a forward-looking statement that involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the expected results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. We assume no obligation to adjust the data contained herein to reflect actual results, changes in underlying assumptions or factors affecting the forward-looking statements.
Please note; this information is the raw content received directly from the information source. This is exactly what the source claims and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: Rosneft – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
2024 HYDROCARBON PRODUCTION AMOUNTED TO 255.9 MLN TOE
2024 LIQUID HYDROCARBON PRODUCTION AMOUNTED TO 184.0 MLN TONS
2024 GAS PRODUCTION TOTALLED 87.5 BCM
2024 EBITDA AMOUNTED TO RUB 3,029 BLN
2024 NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO ROSNEFT SHAREHOLDERS AMOUNTED TO RUB 1,084 BLN
2024 FREE CASH FLOW AMOUNTED TO RUB 1,295 BLN
2024 UNIT UPSTREAM COSTS AMOUNTED TO $2.9/BOE
THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF PAID TAXES AND OTHER PAYMENTS BY THE COMPANY TO THE CONSOLIDATED BUDGET OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION EXCEEDED RUB 6.1 TRLN
Rosneft Oil Company (hereafter, “Rosneft”, and the “Company”) publishes its results for 12M 2024 prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).
12M 2024
12M 2023
%change
RUBbln (except for %)
Revenues from sales and equity share in profits of associates and joint ventures
10,139
9,163
10.7%
EBITDA
3,029
3,005
0.8%
Net income attributable to Rosneft shareholders
1,084
1,267
(14.4)%
CAPEX
1,442
1,297
11.2%
Adjusted free cash flow
1,295
1,427
(9.3)%
Igor Sechin, Chairman of the Management Board and Chief Executive Officer of Rosneft, said:
“In the reporting year, the Company operated against the backdrop of oil production cap under the OPEC+ agreement, increased taxation, the natural monopolies tariff rises outstripping inflation,incremental anti-terrorist security costs, growing sanctions pressure, and unprecedented interest rates increases.
Management focused its efforts on revenue and EBITDA growth, while maintaining unit upstream costs at less than $3/boe, which is in line with our strategic objective, as well as on debt burden reduction. At the end of the year the net financial debt/EBITDA ratio amounted to less than 1.2x.
Rosneft is the country’s largest taxpayer. In 2024, the total amount of paid taxes and other payments made by the Company to the consolidated budget of the Russian Federation exceeded RUB 6,1 trillion1.This is record high both for the Company and for the whole of the Russian market.
The net incomeattributable tothe Company’s shareholders is lower as compared to the previous year due to the impact of non-cash factors, the main one being the revaluation of tax liabilities due to the income tax rate increase to 25% from 2025. In accordance with IFRS requirements, this resulted in a restatement of deferred tax with a negative income effect of RUB 0.24 trillion.However, efficient execution and improveddevelopment parameters of a number of our key projectsafforded an opportunity to dramatically reduce the negative effect of these changes.
The sizable key rate increase exerted additional pressure on the net income. In particular, the Company’s interest expenses on loans and borrowings increased 1.5 times in 2024. I should note that the Bank of Russia maintains a very high real interest rate in the economy: in the last two years, it has been the highest in the world.
Taking into account our shareholders’interests and in full compliance with the dividend policy, in February, the Company paid an interim dividend of RUB 36.47 per share.The Company has been paying dividends consecutively since 1999. The dividend base has remained unchanged since the 2011 dividend, which ensures transparency and predictability of the dividend amount. I am pleased to note that in the last year alone the number of our shareholders increased by almost a third and reached 1.5 million people.
Taking into account the negative macroeconomic environment, the Company forcibly adjusts its strategy to sustain its fundamental value. In 2024, in order to support its stock prices during the periods of sharp decline, the Company continuedits Share Buyback Program previously approved by the Board of Directors. At the end of October – beginning of November 2024, when the Russian stock market hit its local lows, Rosneft successfully bought back about 2.6 mln of its shares at an average price of RUB 443.7. The Company used the same mechanism during 2020, when commodity markets suffered a COVID-pandemic related price crisis. At that time, the Company bought back about 0.76% of its shares at an average price of RUB 347.5. The current stake value exceeds the buyback price by more than 1.5х”.
Operating performance
Exploration and production
FY2024, liquid hydrocarbon production amounted to 184.0 mln tons (3,737 th. bpd) on the back of, primarily, the production cap in compliance with the decisions of the Russian Government.
In 2024, the Company’s gas production amounted to 87.5 bcm (1,455 th. boepd), maintaining Rosneft’s status as the largest independent gas producer in Russia. Greenfield projects in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District commissioned in 2022 account for over a third of the Company’s gas production.
As a result, in 2024, the Company’s hydrocarbon production amounted to 255.9 mln toe (5,192 th. boepd).
In 2024, production drilling footage exceeded 12 mln meters. Rosneft commissioned over 3 th. new wells, horizontal wells accounting for 72% of that amount.
In 2024, Rosneft conducted 1.2 th. linear km of 2D seismic and 5.3 th. sq. km of 3D seismic onshore Russia. The Company completed testing of 62 exploratory wells with a success rate of 89%.
In 2024, Rosneft discovered 7 deposits and 97 new hydrocarbon accumulations to the total of 0.2 bln toe under the AB1C1+B2C2 categories of the Russian reserve classification due to the high efficiency of the Company’s exploration activities. As a result, Rosneft’s hydrocarbon reserves under the Russian classification amounted to 21.5 bln toe (AB1C1+B2C2) at the end of 2024.
Following an audit under the international PRMS classification (Petroleum Resources Management System), the Company’s 2P hydrocarbon reserves amounted to 11.4 bln toe. The 2P reserves replacement ratio exceeds 100%.
Vostok Oil Project
As part of the Vostok Oil project, in 2024, the Company completed 0.7 th. linear km of 2D seismic and 0.6 th. sq. km of 3D seismic. Rosneft carried out successful testing of 4 wells, with 1 well being drilled and 3 more wells being tested.
In the reporting year, the project scope expanded from 52 to 60 license areas, and the resource base under the Russian classification increased to 7.0 bln tons of crude oil.
The Company continues pilot development of the Payakhskoye, Ichemminskoye and Baikalovskoye fields: in 2024, production drilling footage amounted to 92 th. meters, while 11 production wells were completed. Successful drilling and testing of wells at the Payakhskoye field resulted in transportation of produced oil to the nearby Suzun field.
Work is underway at the ‘Vankor – Payakha – Sever Bay’ trunk oil pipeline. As of the end of 2024, over 78,000 piles were installed; 359 km of pipeline were laid, including a 119 km long two-piped section. The Company completed laying and leak testing of the main pipeline crossing the Yenisei River, continues laying the backup pipeline.
The Company completed most of the work on the construction of two cargo berths, as well as a berth for the port fleet at the Sever Bay Port terminal. Construction of the first oil loading berth is underway, and preparatory work for the second one is carried out. Construction of a crude oil delivery and acceptance point and the Suzun oil pumping station is underway. The Company continues with the construction of logistics infrastructure and hydraulic engineering installations, shore reinforcement, and expansion of onshore and berth infrastructure.
Refining
In 2024, Rosneft processed 82.6 mln tons of crude oil in Russia.
Efforts have been made to maintain a high degree of reliability of refining assets and transition to domestic technologies. In particular, Rosneft provides its refineries with proprietary catalysts, which are essential for the production of high-quality motor fuel. In 2024, Rosneft produced more than 2 th. tons of catalysts for hydrotreatment of diesel fuel and gasoline fractions, as well as protective layer catalysts. Rosneft subsidiaries also produced 138 tons of gasoline reforming catalysts and 390 tons of catalysts for hydrogen production, petrochemicals and adsorbents. 1.6 th. tons of coked catalysts for hydrotreatment of diesel fuel were regenerated.
Stable supply of high-quality motor fuel to Russian consumers is one of Rosneft’s key priorities. In 2024, the Company sold 43.6 mln tons of petroleum products in the domestic market, including 13.1 mln tons of gasoline and 18.1 mln tons of diesel fuel.
The Company is an active participant of trading activities at the St. Petersburg International Mercantile Exchange (SPIMEX). In the reporting year, Rosneft sold 10.1 mln tons of gasoline and diesel fuel on the exchange, which is twice the required volume.
Financial performance
Operating performance and the current macroeconomic environment combined with management solutions determined the dynamics of the Company’s key financial indicators.
The Company’s revenue2 for 2024 amounted to RUB 10,139 bln, representing an increase of 10.7% year-on-year on the back of higher Urals prices. EBITDA amounted to RUB 3,029 bln with an EBITDA margin of 29.7%.
The unit upstream liftng costs in 2024 amounted to $2.9/boe.
FY2024 net income attributable to Rosneft shareholders amounted to RUB 1,084 bln, which was 14.4% lower year-on-year and driven primarily by higher debt financing rates, as well as non-cash factors, including exchange rate revaluation of foreign currency liabilities and the effect of changes in the income tax rate.
In 2024, capital expenditures amounted to RUB 1,442 bln, which was 11.2% year-on-year higher due to the scheduled implementation of the investment program at Upstream assets. At the same time, free cash flow3 in the reporting period reached RUB 1,295 bln.
The net debt / EBITDA ratio at the end of 2024 remained unchanged in comparison with the end of Q3 2024, amounting to 1.2x, despite new negative macroeconomic factors.
ESG
Based on 2024 results, Rosneft reaffirmed its leading positions in sustainable development as well as high quality of information disclosure.
The Company once again became a constituent of the Moscow Exchange – RAEX “ESG Balanced” Index with the best performance among Russian oil and gas companies. Rosneft became the only Russian oil and gas company with an AA ESG-rating assigned by RAEX for its “very high” level of ESG risk and opportunity management, with Rosneft governance rating at the highest AAA level.
As a result of RAEX research, Rosneft was recognized as a leader of efficient management of water resources, becoming the only Russian oil and gas company among the top-10 rating participants with the highest scores in prudent water consumption, as well as in the quality of corporate policies and programs related to water consumption. The share of recycled and reused water at Rosneft production facilities consistently has exceeded 90% for 10 years.
Moreover, Rosneft became the only Russian oil and gas company with the highest A+ rating “Leader of Corporate ESG Practices in the Russian Federation” from the Corporate Development Agency “Da-strategy”.
In the reporting period, the Company proceeded with activities aimed at achieving sustainable development goals under the ‘Rosneft-2030: Reliable Energy and Global Energy Transition’ strategy.
Rosneft applies advanced technologies and state-of-the-art production methods to create a safe working environment and minimize the risk of occupational injuries and occupational illnesses. In 2024, the Lost Workday Injury Severity (LWIS) went down by 23%.
In 2024, there were no gas, oil and water shows (release of oil, gas or water to the surface) during well drilling operations at Rosneft facilities. The Company continued with pipeline replacement as part of its efforts to minimize oil and petroleum product spills.
In 2024, Rosneft reduced the area of contaminated land by 9%, and the volume of oily waste – by 11% under the corporate program for the elimination of environmental legacy. In particular, the Company completed execution of a large-scale remediation program of legacy lands harmed during the Soviet years at the Samotlor oil field. Biological soil productivity was restored at the area of more than 2.2 th. hectares.
1 Excluding the reimbursement of the excise duty on crude oil, which represents compensation for oil companies’ losses from motor fuels domestic price controls and refinery modernization costs. 2 Includes sales revenue and income from associated organizations and joint ventures. 3 Adjusted for prepayments under long-term oil supply contracts, including accrued interest payments thereon, net change in operations of subsidiary banks, and operations with trading securities.
Department of Information and Advertising Rosneft Oil Company March 20, 2025
These materials contain statements regarding future events and expectations that are forward-looking estimates. Any statement in these materials that is not historical information is a forward-looking statement that involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the expected results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. We assume no obligation to adjust the data contained herein to reflect actual results, changes in underlying assumptions or factors affecting the forward-looking statements.
Please note; this information is the raw content received directly from the information source. This is exactly what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: Rosneft – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
The digital revolution is opening a new era in the development of the oil and gas industry, Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin said at the Energy Panel at the XXVIII St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.
“The digital revolution is opening a new era in the development of the oil and gas industry, including the impact on oil exploration, production, refining, data storage and cybersecurity of the industry,” Sechin said during his keynote speech.
Sechin cited expert estimates that the market for artificial intelligence technologies in the oil and gas industry will grow by 83% by 2030. At the moment, 49% of this market is in the refining segment. It is expected that the introduction of artificial intelligence in the upstream segment will grow by 14% per year over the next five years, said the CEO of Rosneft.
Department of Information and Advertising Rosneft Oil Company June 21, 2025
Please note; this information is the raw content received directly from the information source. This is exactly what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: Rosneft – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
During the XXVII St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Rosneft and the St. Petersburg National Research University of Information Technologies, Mechanics and Optics (ITMO University) signed an agreement on joint development of knowledge-intensive digital projects.
The document envisages the development of competitive technologies, and joint research studies in the field of infochemistry, digital modeling, chemical informatics*, electrochemistry and robotics for the needs of the oil and gas industry.
The Agreement also provides for involvement of students, postgraduate students, doctoral candidates and the academic staff of ITMO University into Rosneft’s scientific research.
The development of technological potential is one of the key elements of Rosneft’s 2030 Strategy. The Company prioritizes innovation activities defining technological leadership as a key factor of competitiveness in the oil market.
Reference:
Rosneft is a leader in development and implementation of innovative technologies for sustainable development of the oil and gas industry, and is the only Russian oil and gas company that has a line of in-house import-substituting software products.
ITMO University is a recognized educational leader in the area of artificial intelligence and information technologies in Russia.
*- application of IT methods to solve chemical problems
Rosneft Information and Advertising Department June 7, 2024
These materials contain forward-looking statements regarding future events and expectations. All statements contained in these materials that do not relate to matters of historical fact constitute forward-looking statements which involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any expected results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. We assume no obligation to update the data contained herein to reflect actual performance or results, changes in underlying assumptions or factors affecting the forward-looking statements.
Please note; this information is the raw content received directly from the information source. This is exactly what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
The Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST Africa) (www.Meltwater.org), a leader in tech entrepreneurship training and early to growth stage startup support, has officially opened applications for its newly evolved Training Program; the MEST AI Startup Program. This bold redesign of MEST’s flagship Training Program is built to prepare Africa’s most promising tech talents to build, launch, and scale world-class AI startups.
For over 17 years, MEST has trained and supported software entrepreneurs across the continent, contributing to Africa’s innovation economy. Now, as artificial intelligence transforms industries at a very rapid pace, MEST is positioning Africa’s tech entrepreneurs at the forefront of this shift.
“Africa has world-class tech talent, and it’s time AI solutions built on the continent reach users everywhere,” says Emily Fiagbedzi, Director of the MEST AI Startup Program. “MEST is proud to contribute to this reality through our training and incubation program that equips talent from across Africa with training and mentoring from international experts for the development of globally relevant AI Software.”
The MEST AI Startup Program is a fully-funded, immersive experience hosted in Accra, Ghana that equips Africa’s most promising AI entrepreneurs with the technical, business, and leadership skills to build and scale globally competitive startups. Over an intensive seven-month training phase, founders receive hands-on instruction, technical mentorship, and business coaching from global experts while developing AI-powered solutions to real-world challenges. The top ventures then advance to a four-month incubation period, where they refine their products, secure market traction, and sharpen their go-to-market strategies. At the end of incubation, startups have an opportunity to pitch for pre-seed investment of up to $100, 000 and join the MEST Portfolio.
As MEST Founder Jorn Lyseggen notes, “Mastering AI and the advanced AI tools available today is a must for any entrepreneur and further levelling the playing field. The world has never been flatter. We are proud and excited to announce that the next batch of MEST entrepreneurs will be trained by some of the most knowledgeable people in the industry from companies such as OpenAI, Perplexity, Google, and Meltwater.”
For the 2026 intake, the program is open to African founders based in West Africa aged 21 – 30 with software development experience who want to start their own AI startup.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST Africa).
Media Contact: Ophesmur Naa Adjeley Adjei Marketing and Communications Manager ophesmur@meltwater.org
About MEST Africa: Established in 2008 as the non‑profit arm of Meltwater, the Meltwater Foundation drives job creation and economic growth in Africa through software entrepreneurship. Headquartered in Accra, Ghana, the Foundation’s Entrepreneurial Support Organisation—MEST—delivers a full-time, in-person intensive tech‑entrepreneurship training to emerging talent from more than 22 African countries and provides early‑stage investment to promising ventures. To extend this impact, the Foundation launched MESTx, a suite of collaborative programs designed and delivered with like‑minded partners to expand digital‑skills training and startup acceleration across the continent. Since inception, the Meltwater Foundation has trained 2,000+ entrepreneurs and invested in 90+ startups across the continent—fueling innovation, creating jobs, and shaping Africa’s next generation of tech entrepreneurs.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
CAIRO, July 3 (Xinhua) — Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky held a telephone conversation on Wednesday to discuss the Russia-Ukraine conflict and regional developments in the Middle East, the Egyptian presidential office said in a statement.
Speaking about the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, A.F. al-Sisi stressed the importance of achieving a diplomatic and political solution, emphasizing the need to “prioritize dialogue as a means of resolving the current crisis.”
According to the statement, he reaffirmed Egypt’s “full support for all efforts aimed at achieving a peaceful settlement as soon as possible.”
During the talks, the two leaders discussed the broader regional situation, especially the recent ceasefire agreement between Israel and Iran. The sides stressed “the need to maintain the ceasefire” and resume negotiations to achieve a peaceful settlement.
The parties also discussed bilateral relations and ways to strengthen cooperation in the economic, trade and investment spheres.
The phone call took place amid widespread calls for an end to the Russia-Ukraine conflict that began in February 2022. –0–
Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –
From July 21 to 25, 2025, the Summer Engineering and Economics School 2025 will be held at the State University of Management.
For the fourth time, the Scientific School will unite young scientists and engineers from different Russian universities to create inter-university and interdisciplinary collaborations to solve problems of achieving technological leadership and strengthening the value sovereignty of our country.
The School’s scientific areas are engineering, UAS, mechanical engineering, food security, artificial intelligence, and sustainable development.
Every year, the School is scaled up, new participants from universities in different regions of the country join the project. If in the first stream of the engineering and economic school, which took place in 2023, 3 universities took part – GUU, GGNTU named after academician M.D. Millionshchikov and SKMMI (STU), then this year the number of participants increased to eight:
BSTU named after V.G. Shukhov (Belgorod) VlSU named after A.G. and N.G. Stoletov (Vladimir) GGNTU named after academician M.D. Millionshchikov (Grozny) State University of Education (Moscow) Moscow State University named after A.I. Kuindzhi (Mariupol) NTU “Sirius” (Krasnodar region) SKGMI (GTU) (Vladikavkaz) St. Petersburg Federal Research Center RAS (St. Petersburg)
Let us recall that one of the results of the 2024 School was a joint interdisciplinary scientific project between the State University of Management and the State Petroleum Technological University named after Academician M.D. Millionshchikov within the framework of the RSF grant for the research, creation and development of technologies to reduce the carbon footprint.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Capgemini unveils strategic AI framework to turn enterprise ambition into measurable business impact
Paris, July 3, 2025 –Capgeminitoday unveiled itsResonance AI Frameworkto help organizations unlock the full potential of AI at scale, reimagining their business from operations to innovation. With the vast majority of organizations planning to implement agentic AI in the next 2 years1, there is a strong need to reinforce organizations’ AI readiness, while creating the right “human-AI chemistry” to ensure long-lasting adoption. Supported by a suite of AI transformation offers andRAISE, a comprehensive generative AI and AI agents gallery, the framework enables organizations to turn strategy into action across the enterprise.
In an era of unprecedented transformation, AI can release waves of opportunities across industries, ranging from performance improvement to breakthrough innovation and business reinvention. The Resonance AI Framework by Capgemini helps leaders envision AI’s potential, embed it into the foundation of their operations, and enable what Capgemini terms “human-AI chemistry”. Designed to allow effective interaction between people and intelligent systems, the framework addresses the trust, understanding, and collaboration needed for human and AI agents to build reliability over time, ensuring that hybrid teams thrive.
The Resonance AI Framework combines the breadth of the Group’s capabilities, enabling seamless delivery of cohesive, responsible, and high-impact solutions to clients. It is a strategic blueprint that helps organizations navigate a new world of democratized AI, release the next waves of human-AI innovation, and secure long-term adoption.
“At Capgemini, we believe AI is becoming the next utility – accessible everywhere, anytime, and by anyone. This democratization of AI empowers businesses to embed AI into the fabric of everyday operations,” said Aiman Ezzat, Chief Executive Officer of the Capgemini Group. “At the heart of the framework is the concept of resonance, the idea that AI transformation must begin at the core of an organization and radiate outward to generate continuous waves of value. Our approach offers a clear path forward: one that aligns vision with execution, strategy with operations, and innovation with responsibility. This is how the next market-leading businesses will thrive, by fostering human-AI interaction and making AI performance real.”
Releasing the next waves of human-AI innovation To deliver business value, the Resonance AI Framework by Capgemini equips organizations to act across three strategic dimensions:
AI essentials (ACCESS): The core components required to unlock actionable intelligence and transformative value within an organization. It is the combination of two critical components: Intelligent-as-a-Service, which includes scalable infrastructure, advanced language models, and software with built-in AI capabilities; and the organization’s raw data – unique, unprocessed, and often underused assets that power meaningful insights.
AI readiness (ADAPT): This is about preparing the organization to use AI responsibly and effectively. It involves establishing the right enablers, such as workforce models, governance frameworks, and data infrastructure. The implementation of guardrails is also required to ensure ethical, legal, and safe AI operations. Together, these foundations support scalable adoption.
Human-AI chemistry (ADOPT): To achieve success with AI, organizations must intentionally design interactions between humans and AI across workflows, decision-making, and culture. The quality of collaboration between humans and AI is shaped by three core elements: clearly defined roles and responsibilities, well-designed interactions, and strong alignment with legal and ethical standards to build reliability over time. Just as team chemistry drives human performance, human-AI chemistry will shape how deeply AI can integrate into the enterprise.
A comprehensive AI-first portfolio of offers delivering client outcomes Capgemini’s framework is supported by a broad suite of transformation offers, each designed to help organizations derive tangible value from AI. These include:
Envisioning and building the AI strategy roadmap
Developing AI-powered experiences, products and innovation
Boosting AI-powered go-to-market
Uplifting business outcomes with AI-powered business process operations
Evolving faster with AI-powered IT
These offers are supported by a comprehensive and enterprise-ready generative AI and AI agents builder and gallery that will be constantly evolving to support new market opportunities (RAISE).
Already being adopted by clients worldwide, the framework is poised to become a global standard for enterprise AI transformation. From manufacturing to financial services, organizations are using it to craft their AI roadmaps, hyper-automate business process and IT operations, and reimagine customer engagement.
For example, Capgemini is working with a global pharmaceutical leader to address slow resolution times, high support costs, and low user satisfaction in its IT service desk. By introducing agentic and generative AI, the organization reduced average handling time by 20%, improved first contact resolution and user satisfaction, enabled up to 80% zero-touch automation, and cut operational costs by 40%.
The business and technology transformation partner enabling AI-powered enterprises The launch of the Resonance AI Framework is the latest initiative from Capgemini to strengthen its leadership in AI. Over the last two years, Capgemini has accelerated its AI strategy by upskilling over 150,000 team members on generative AI tools and establishing AI Centers of Excellence plus two AI-focused Labs (AI Futures and AI Robotics & Experiences). With a broad ecosystem of 25 strategic partners in AI, the Group has invested in strengthening its partnerships with key players across the AI value chain, including AWS, Google Cloud, Microsoft and Mistral AI. Capgemini’s leadership in AI has also been recognized by the Forrester Wave™: AI services, Q2 2024.
Organizations can learn more about the Resonance AI Framework by Capgemini and how it can help them lead in the age of intelligence here.
About Capgemini Capgemini is a global business and technology transformation partner, helping organizations to accelerate their dual transition to a digital and sustainable world, while creating tangible impact for enterprises and society. It is a responsible and diverse group of 340,000 team members in more than 50 countries. With its strong over 55-year heritage, Capgemini is trusted by its clients to unlock the value of technology to address the entire breadth of their business needs. It delivers end-to-end services and solutions leveraging strengths from strategy and design to engineering, all fueled by its market leading capabilities in AI, generative AI, cloud and data, combined with its deep industry expertise and partner ecosystem. The Group reported 2024 global revenues of €22.1 billion.
Capgemini unveils strategic AI framework to turn enterprise ambition into measurable business impact
Paris, July 3, 2025 –Capgeminitoday unveiled itsResonance AI Frameworkto help organizations unlock the full potential of AI at scale, reimagining their business from operations to innovation. With the vast majority of organizations planning to implement agentic AI in the next 2 years1, there is a strong need to reinforce organizations’ AI readiness, while creating the right “human-AI chemistry” to ensure long-lasting adoption. Supported by a suite of AI transformation offers andRAISE, a comprehensive generative AI and AI agents gallery, the framework enables organizations to turn strategy into action across the enterprise.
In an era of unprecedented transformation, AI can release waves of opportunities across industries, ranging from performance improvement to breakthrough innovation and business reinvention. The Resonance AI Framework by Capgemini helps leaders envision AI’s potential, embed it into the foundation of their operations, and enable what Capgemini terms “human-AI chemistry”. Designed to allow effective interaction between people and intelligent systems, the framework addresses the trust, understanding, and collaboration needed for human and AI agents to build reliability over time, ensuring that hybrid teams thrive.
The Resonance AI Framework combines the breadth of the Group’s capabilities, enabling seamless delivery of cohesive, responsible, and high-impact solutions to clients. It is a strategic blueprint that helps organizations navigate a new world of democratized AI, release the next waves of human-AI innovation, and secure long-term adoption.
“At Capgemini, we believe AI is becoming the next utility – accessible everywhere, anytime, and by anyone. This democratization of AI empowers businesses to embed AI into the fabric of everyday operations,” said Aiman Ezzat, Chief Executive Officer of the Capgemini Group. “At the heart of the framework is the concept of resonance, the idea that AI transformation must begin at the core of an organization and radiate outward to generate continuous waves of value. Our approach offers a clear path forward: one that aligns vision with execution, strategy with operations, and innovation with responsibility. This is how the next market-leading businesses will thrive, by fostering human-AI interaction and making AI performance real.”
Releasing the next waves of human-AI innovation To deliver business value, the Resonance AI Framework by Capgemini equips organizations to act across three strategic dimensions:
AI essentials (ACCESS): The core components required to unlock actionable intelligence and transformative value within an organization. It is the combination of two critical components: Intelligent-as-a-Service, which includes scalable infrastructure, advanced language models, and software with built-in AI capabilities; and the organization’s raw data – unique, unprocessed, and often underused assets that power meaningful insights.
AI readiness (ADAPT): This is about preparing the organization to use AI responsibly and effectively. It involves establishing the right enablers, such as workforce models, governance frameworks, and data infrastructure. The implementation of guardrails is also required to ensure ethical, legal, and safe AI operations. Together, these foundations support scalable adoption.
Human-AI chemistry (ADOPT): To achieve success with AI, organizations must intentionally design interactions between humans and AI across workflows, decision-making, and culture. The quality of collaboration between humans and AI is shaped by three core elements: clearly defined roles and responsibilities, well-designed interactions, and strong alignment with legal and ethical standards to build reliability over time. Just as team chemistry drives human performance, human-AI chemistry will shape how deeply AI can integrate into the enterprise.
A comprehensive AI-first portfolio of offers delivering client outcomes Capgemini’s framework is supported by a broad suite of transformation offers, each designed to help organizations derive tangible value from AI. These include:
Envisioning and building the AI strategy roadmap
Developing AI-powered experiences, products and innovation
Boosting AI-powered go-to-market
Uplifting business outcomes with AI-powered business process operations
Evolving faster with AI-powered IT
These offers are supported by a comprehensive and enterprise-ready generative AI and AI agents builder and gallery that will be constantly evolving to support new market opportunities (RAISE).
Already being adopted by clients worldwide, the framework is poised to become a global standard for enterprise AI transformation. From manufacturing to financial services, organizations are using it to craft their AI roadmaps, hyper-automate business process and IT operations, and reimagine customer engagement.
For example, Capgemini is working with a global pharmaceutical leader to address slow resolution times, high support costs, and low user satisfaction in its IT service desk. By introducing agentic and generative AI, the organization reduced average handling time by 20%, improved first contact resolution and user satisfaction, enabled up to 80% zero-touch automation, and cut operational costs by 40%.
The business and technology transformation partner enabling AI-powered enterprises The launch of the Resonance AI Framework is the latest initiative from Capgemini to strengthen its leadership in AI. Over the last two years, Capgemini has accelerated its AI strategy by upskilling over 150,000 team members on generative AI tools and establishing AI Centers of Excellence plus two AI-focused Labs (AI Futures and AI Robotics & Experiences). With a broad ecosystem of 25 strategic partners in AI, the Group has invested in strengthening its partnerships with key players across the AI value chain, including AWS, Google Cloud, Microsoft and Mistral AI. Capgemini’s leadership in AI has also been recognized by the Forrester Wave™: AI services, Q2 2024.
Organizations can learn more about the Resonance AI Framework by Capgemini and how it can help them lead in the age of intelligence here.
About Capgemini Capgemini is a global business and technology transformation partner, helping organizations to accelerate their dual transition to a digital and sustainable world, while creating tangible impact for enterprises and society. It is a responsible and diverse group of 340,000 team members in more than 50 countries. With its strong over 55-year heritage, Capgemini is trusted by its clients to unlock the value of technology to address the entire breadth of their business needs. It delivers end-to-end services and solutions leveraging strengths from strategy and design to engineering, all fueled by its market leading capabilities in AI, generative AI, cloud and data, combined with its deep industry expertise and partner ecosystem. The Group reported 2024 global revenues of €22.1 billion.
A decision by Washington to halt some shipments of critical weapons to Ukraine prompted warnings by Kyiv on Wednesday that the move would weaken its ability to defend against intensifying airstrikes and battlefield advances.
Ukraine said it had called in the acting U.S. envoy to Kyiv to underline the importance of military aid from Washington continuing, and cautioned that any cut-off would embolden Russia in its war in Ukraine.
The Pentagon’s decision – tied to concerns that U.S. military stockpiles are too low – began in recent days and includes 30 Patriot air defence missiles, which Ukraine relies on to destroy fast-moving ballistic missiles, four people familiar with the decision said on Wednesday.
It also includes nearly 8,500 155mm artillery shells, more than 250 precision GMLRS (mobile rocket artillery) missiles and 142 Hellfire air-to-surface missiles, they said.
“The Ukrainian side emphasised that any delay or procrastination in supporting Ukraine‘s defence capabilities will only encourage the aggressor to continue the war and terror, rather than seek peace,” Ukraine‘s foreign ministry said.
The defence ministry said it had not been officially notified of any halt in U.S. shipments and was seeking clarity from its American counterparts.
A Ukrainian source familiar with the situation said the decision was a “total shock.”
Deputy White House press secretary Anna Kelly said the decision was made “to put America’s interests first” following a Department of Defense review of military support around the world.
“The strength of the United States Armed Forces remains unquestioned — just ask Iran,” she said, referring to U.S. bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities last month.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said the U.S. needed to take care of its stockpiles but told Fox News that “in the short term, Ukraine cannot do without all the support it can get” when it comes to ammunition and air defence systems.
RUSSIAN AIRSTRIKES
Dozens of people have been killed in recent airstrikes on Ukrainian cities and Russian forces, which control about a fifth of Ukraine, have been making gains in the east.
Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the top Democrat on the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the decision risks Ukrainian lives, undermines Washington’s credibility and will make it harder to end the war.
“This sends a message to not just our allies, like Ukraine and our European allies, but it sends a message to our adversaries, to China, to North Korea, to Russia, that our allies can’t count on the United States,” she told WKBK radio in her home state New Hampshire.
Since U.S. President Donald Trump took office in January, he has softened Washington’s position towards Russia, seeking a diplomatic solution to the war and raising doubts about future U.S. military support for Kyiv.
Trump said last week he was considering selling more Patriot air defence missiles to Ukraine after meeting President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
Fedir Venislavskyi, a member of the Ukrainian parliament’s national security and defence committee, said the decision to halt shipments was “very unpleasant for us“.
In an email, the Pentagon said it was providing Trump with options to continue military aid to Ukraine in line with the goal of ending the war.
Elbridge Colby, undersecretary of defence for policy, said it was “rigorously examining and adapting its approach…while also preserving U.S. forces’ readiness.”
All weapons aid was briefly stopped in February, with a second, longer halt in March. Washington resumed sending the last of the aid approved under the previous administration, of Democratic President Joe Biden, but no new aid to Ukraine has been announced.
The Kremlin welcomed the news of a halt, saying the conflict would end sooner if fewer arms reached Ukraine.
Kyiv residents expressed alarm at the Pentagon’s decision.
“If we end up in a situation where there’s no air defence left, I will move (out of Kyiv), because my safety is my first concern,” said Oksana Kurochkina, a 35-year-old lawyer.
On the battlefield, a halt in precision munitions would limit the capacity of Ukrainian troops to strike Russian positions farther behind the front line, said Jack Watling, a military analyst at the Royal United Services Institute.
“In short, this decision will cost Ukrainian lives and territory,” he said.
Immediately after killing Fernando Pereira and blowing up Greenpeace’s flagship the Rainbow Warrior in Auckland harbour, several of the French agents went on a ski holiday in New Zealand’s South Island to celebrate.
Such was the contempt the French had for the Kiwis and the abilities of our police to pursue them. How wrong they were.
A new prologue by former prime minister Helen Clark and a preface by Greenpeace’s Bunny McDiarmid, along with an extensive postscript which bring us up to the present day, underline why the past is not dead; it’s with us right now.
Written by David Robie, editor of Asia Pacific Report, who spent 11 weeks on the final voyage of the Warrior, the book is the most remarkable piece of history I have read this year and one of those rare books that has the power to expand your mind and make your blood boil at the same time. I thought I knew a fair bit about the momentous events surrounding the attack — until I read Eyes of Fire.
Heroes of our age The book covers the history of Greenpeace action — from fighting the dumping of nuclear and other toxic waste in European waters, the Arctic and the Pacific, voyages to link besieged communities across the oceans, through to their epic struggles to halt whaling and save endangered marine colonies from predators.
The Rainbow Warrior’s very last voyage before the bombing was to evacuate the entire population of Rongelap atoll (about 320 people) in the Marshall Islands who had been exposed to US nuclear radiation for decades.
This article is the first of two in which I will explore themes that the book triggered for me.
Neither secret nor intelligent – the French secret intelligence service
Jean-Luc Kister was the DGSE (Direction-générale de la Sécurité extérieure) agent who placed the two bombs that ripped a massive hole in the hull of the Warrior on 10 July 1985. The ship quickly sank, trapping Greenpeace photographer Fernando Pereira inside.
Former colonel Kister was a member of a large team of elite agents sent to New Zealand. One had also infiltrated Greenpeace months before, some travelled through the country prior to the attack, drinking, rooting New Zealand women and leaving a trail of breadcrumbs that led all the way to the Palais de l’Élysée where François Mitterrand, Socialist President of France, had personally given the order to bomb the famous peace vessel.
Robie aptly calls the French mission “Blundergate”. The stupidity, howling incompetence and moronic lack of a sound strategic rationale behind the attack were only matched by the mendacity, the imperial hauteur and the racist contempt that lies at the heart of French policy in the Pacific to this very day.
Thinking the Kiwi police would be no match for their élan, their savoir-faire and their panache, some of the killers hit the ski slopes to celebrate “Mission Accompli”. Others fled to Norfolk Island aboard a yacht, the Ouvéa.
Tracked there by the New Zealand police it was only with the assistance of our friends and allies, the Australians, that the agents were able to escape. Within days they sank their yacht at sea during a rendezvous with a French nuclear submarine and were evenually able to return to France for medals and promotions.
Two of the agents, however, were not so lucky. As everyone my age will recall, Dominique Prieur and Alain Mafart, were nabbed after a lightning fast operation by New Zealand police.
With friends and allies like these, who needs enemies? We should recall that the French were our allies at the time. They decided, however, to stop the Rainbow Warrior from leading a flotilla of ships up to Moruroa Atoll in French Polynesia where yet another round of nuclear tests were scheduled. In other words: they bombed a peace ship to keep testing bombs.
By 1995, France had detonated 193 nuclear bombs in the South Pacific.
David Robie sees the bombing as “a desperate attempt by one of the last colonial powers in the Pacific to hang on to the vestiges of empire by blowing up a peace ship so it could continue despoiling Pacific islands for the sake of an independent nuclear force”.
The US, UK and Australia cold-shouldered New Zealand through this period and uttered not a word of condemnation against the French. Within two years we were frog-marched out of the ANZUS alliance with Australia and the US because of our ground-breaking nuclear-free legislation.
It was a blessing and the dawn of a period in which New Zealanders had an intense sense of national pride — a far cry from today when New Zealand politicians are being referred to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague for war crimes associated with the Gaza genocide.
The French State invented the term ‘terrorism’ I studied French History at university in France and did a paper called “La France à la veille de révolution” (France on the eve of revolution). One of the chilling cultural memories is of the period from September 1793 to July 1794, which was known as La Terreur.
At the time the French state literally coined the term “terrorisme” — with the blade of the guillotine dropping on neck after neck as the state tried to consolidate power through terror. But, as Robie points out, quoting law professor Roger S. Clark, we tend to use the term today to refer almost exclusively to non-state actors.
With the US and Israel gunning down starving civilians in Gaza every day, with wave after wave of terror attacks being committed inside Iran and across the Middle East by Mossad, the CIA and MI6, we should amend this erroneous habit.
The DGSE team who attached limpet mines to the Rainbow Warrior did so as psychopathic servants of the French State. Eyes of Fire: “At the time, Prime Minister David Lange described the Rainbow Warrior attack as ‘nothing more than a sordid act of international state-backed terrorism’.”
Don’t get me wrong. I am not “anti-French”. I lived for years in France, had a French girlfriend, studied French history, language and literature. I even had friends in Wellington who worked at the French Embassy.
Curiously when I lived next to Premier House, the official residence of the prime minister, my other next door neighbour was a French agent who specialised in surveillance. Our houses backed onto Premier House. Quelle coïncidence. To his mild consternation I’d greet him with “Salut, mon espion favori.” (Hello, my favourite spy).
What I despise is French colonialism, French racism, and what the French call magouillage. I don’t know a good English word for it . . . it is a mix of shenanigans, duplicity, artful deception to achieve unscrupulous outcomes that can’t be publicly avowed. In brief: what the French attempted in Auckland in 1985.
Robie recounts in detail the lying, smokescreens and roadblocks that everyone from President Mitterrand through to junior officials put in the way of the New Zealand investigators. Mitterrand gave Prime Minister David Lange assurances that the culprits would be brought to justice. The French Embassy in Wellington claimed at the time: “In no way is France involved. The French government doesn’t deal with its opponents in such ways.”
It took years for the bombshell to explode that none other than Mitterrand himself had ordered the terrorist attack on New Zealand and Greenpeace!
We the people of the Pacific We, the people of the Pacific, owe a debt to Greenpeace and all those who were part of the Rainbow Warrior, including author David Robie. We must remember the crime and call it by its name: state terrorism.
The French attempted to escape justice, deny involvement and then welched on the terms of the agreement negotiated with the help of the United Nations secretary-general.
A great way to honour the sacrifice of those who stood up for justice, who stood for peace and a nuclear-free Pacific, and who honoured our own national identity would be to buy David Robie’s excellent book.
I’ll give the last word to former Prime Minister Helen Clark:
“This is the time for New Zealand to link with the many small and middle powers across regions who have a vision for a world characterised by solidarity and peace and which can rise to the occasion to combat the existential challenges it faces — including of nuclear weapons, climate change, and artificial intelligence. If our independent foreign policy is to mean anything in the mid-2020s, it must be based on concerted diplomacy for peace and sustainable development.”
You cannot sink a rainbow.
Eugene Doyle is a writer based in Wellington. He has written extensively on the Middle East, as well as peace and security issues in the Asia Pacific region. He contributes to Asia Pacific Report and Café Pacific, and hosts the public policy platform solidarity.co.nz
Immediately after killing Fernando Pereira and blowing up Greenpeace’s flagship the Rainbow Warrior in Auckland harbour, several of the French agents went on a ski holiday in New Zealand’s South Island to celebrate.
Such was the contempt the French had for the Kiwis and the abilities of our police to pursue them. How wrong they were.
A new prologue by former prime minister Helen Clark and a preface by Greenpeace’s Bunny McDiarmid, along with an extensive postscript which bring us up to the present day, underline why the past is not dead; it’s with us right now.
Written by David Robie, editor of Asia Pacific Report, who spent 11 weeks on the final voyage of the Warrior, the book is the most remarkable piece of history I have read this year and one of those rare books that has the power to expand your mind and make your blood boil at the same time. I thought I knew a fair bit about the momentous events surrounding the attack — until I read Eyes of Fire.
Heroes of our age The book covers the history of Greenpeace action — from fighting the dumping of nuclear and other toxic waste in European waters, the Arctic and the Pacific, voyages to link besieged communities across the oceans, through to their epic struggles to halt whaling and save endangered marine colonies from predators.
The Rainbow Warrior’s very last voyage before the bombing was to evacuate the entire population of Rongelap atoll (about 320 people) in the Marshall Islands who had been exposed to US nuclear radiation for decades.
This article is the first of two in which I will explore themes that the book triggered for me.
Neither secret nor intelligent – the French secret intelligence service
Jean-Luc Kister was the DGSE (Direction-générale de la Sécurité extérieure) agent who placed the two bombs that ripped a massive hole in the hull of the Warrior on 10 July 1985. The ship quickly sank, trapping Greenpeace photographer Fernando Pereira inside.
Former colonel Kister was a member of a large team of elite agents sent to New Zealand. One had also infiltrated Greenpeace months before, some travelled through the country prior to the attack, drinking, rooting New Zealand women and leaving a trail of breadcrumbs that led all the way to the Palais de l’Élysée where François Mitterrand, Socialist President of France, had personally given the order to bomb the famous peace vessel.
Robie aptly calls the French mission “Blundergate”. The stupidity, howling incompetence and moronic lack of a sound strategic rationale behind the attack were only matched by the mendacity, the imperial hauteur and the racist contempt that lies at the heart of French policy in the Pacific to this very day.
Thinking the Kiwi police would be no match for their élan, their savoir-faire and their panache, some of the killers hit the ski slopes to celebrate “Mission Accompli”. Others fled to Norfolk Island aboard a yacht, the Ouvéa.
Tracked there by the New Zealand police it was only with the assistance of our friends and allies, the Australians, that the agents were able to escape. Within days they sank their yacht at sea during a rendezvous with a French nuclear submarine and were evenually able to return to France for medals and promotions.
Two of the agents, however, were not so lucky. As everyone my age will recall, Dominique Prieur and Alain Mafart, were nabbed after a lightning fast operation by New Zealand police.
With friends and allies like these, who needs enemies? We should recall that the French were our allies at the time. They decided, however, to stop the Rainbow Warrior from leading a flotilla of ships up to Moruroa Atoll in French Polynesia where yet another round of nuclear tests were scheduled. In other words: they bombed a peace ship to keep testing bombs.
By 1995, France had detonated 193 nuclear bombs in the South Pacific.
David Robie sees the bombing as “a desperate attempt by one of the last colonial powers in the Pacific to hang on to the vestiges of empire by blowing up a peace ship so it could continue despoiling Pacific islands for the sake of an independent nuclear force”.
The US, UK and Australia cold-shouldered New Zealand through this period and uttered not a word of condemnation against the French. Within two years we were frog-marched out of the ANZUS alliance with Australia and the US because of our ground-breaking nuclear-free legislation.
It was a blessing and the dawn of a period in which New Zealanders had an intense sense of national pride — a far cry from today when New Zealand politicians are being referred to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague for war crimes associated with the Gaza genocide.
The French State invented the term ‘terrorism’ I studied French History at university in France and did a paper called “La France à la veille de révolution” (France on the eve of revolution). One of the chilling cultural memories is of the period from September 1793 to July 1794, which was known as La Terreur.
At the time the French state literally coined the term “terrorisme” — with the blade of the guillotine dropping on neck after neck as the state tried to consolidate power through terror. But, as Robie points out, quoting law professor Roger S. Clark, we tend to use the term today to refer almost exclusively to non-state actors.
With the US and Israel gunning down starving civilians in Gaza every day, with wave after wave of terror attacks being committed inside Iran and across the Middle East by Mossad, the CIA and MI6, we should amend this erroneous habit.
The DGSE team who attached limpet mines to the Rainbow Warrior did so as psychopathic servants of the French State. Eyes of Fire: “At the time, Prime Minister David Lange described the Rainbow Warrior attack as ‘nothing more than a sordid act of international state-backed terrorism’.”
Don’t get me wrong. I am not “anti-French”. I lived for years in France, had a French girlfriend, studied French history, language and literature. I even had friends in Wellington who worked at the French Embassy.
Curiously when I lived next to Premier House, the official residence of the prime minister, my other next door neighbour was a French agent who specialised in surveillance. Our houses backed onto Premier House. Quelle coïncidence. To his mild consternation I’d greet him with “Salut, mon espion favori.” (Hello, my favourite spy).
What I despise is French colonialism, French racism, and what the French call magouillage. I don’t know a good English word for it . . . it is a mix of shenanigans, duplicity, artful deception to achieve unscrupulous outcomes that can’t be publicly avowed. In brief: what the French attempted in Auckland in 1985.
Robie recounts in detail the lying, smokescreens and roadblocks that everyone from President Mitterrand through to junior officials put in the way of the New Zealand investigators. Mitterrand gave Prime Minister David Lange assurances that the culprits would be brought to justice. The French Embassy in Wellington claimed at the time: “In no way is France involved. The French government doesn’t deal with its opponents in such ways.”
It took years for the bombshell to explode that none other than Mitterrand himself had ordered the terrorist attack on New Zealand and Greenpeace!
We the people of the Pacific We, the people of the Pacific, owe a debt to Greenpeace and all those who were part of the Rainbow Warrior, including author David Robie. We must remember the crime and call it by its name: state terrorism.
The French attempted to escape justice, deny involvement and then welched on the terms of the agreement negotiated with the help of the United Nations secretary-general.
A great way to honour the sacrifice of those who stood up for justice, who stood for peace and a nuclear-free Pacific, and who honoured our own national identity would be to buy David Robie’s excellent book.
I’ll give the last word to former Prime Minister Helen Clark:
“This is the time for New Zealand to link with the many small and middle powers across regions who have a vision for a world characterised by solidarity and peace and which can rise to the occasion to combat the existential challenges it faces — including of nuclear weapons, climate change, and artificial intelligence. If our independent foreign policy is to mean anything in the mid-2020s, it must be based on concerted diplomacy for peace and sustainable development.”
You cannot sink a rainbow.
Eugene Doyle is a writer based in Wellington. He has written extensively on the Middle East, as well as peace and security issues in the Asia Pacific region. He contributes to Asia Pacific Report and Café Pacific, and hosts the public policy platform solidarity.co.nz
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, July 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Innovation Business Machine (IoBM) is delighted to announce the inception of two potentially landmark platforms: Yoojel, an AI-native web browser for smart and intuitive AI based Search Engine, and Digiex, a Crypto card that converts digital assets into currency, which can be accepted anywhere in the world by merchants. With these milestones, IoBM boldly steps forward in giving shape to digital tools that are safe, intelligent, and convenient to use in today’s life.
Yoojel: The Intelligent Browser of the Future
Yoojel is an intuitive AI based Search Engine. It is designed with artificial intelligence to elevate the human experience with the World Wide Web. Yoojel defines browsing in the new age of real-time contextual intelligence, predictive search results, and an adaptive user interface.
Key features of Yoojel include
AI-powered search and curation with results tailored not just by keywords but by user intent
Minimalist interface: clean, elegant design for distraction-free use
Privacy by design: data sovereignty and local-storage-first principles
Integration-ready: built to work side by side with productivity tools, smart wallets, and cloud services
Muhammad Umair Saeed, Founder and CEO of IoBM, said, “Yoojel isn’t just another browser; it’s your intelligent gateway to the web. We built Yoojel to represent a future in which browsing is no longer about finding links but rather about finding knowledge.”
Digiex: Real-World Spending with Crypto Made Simple
Digiex provides a smooth transaction experience with crypto-to-fiat transfer in real-time, allowing users to spend their digital assets with a card accepted worldwide. Supporting multiple blockchains, the Digiex card offers smart invoicing, layers of security, and full wallet management.
Digiex is for professionals, digital nomads, corporations, and the unbanked. It empowers you so you can be in control of how and where you spend your digital currency.
Highlights of Digiex:
Multi-Chain Asset Support (BTC, ETH, USDT, etc.)
Smart Invoicing and Expense Tracking for business and personal finances
Spend Analytics with AI support
“Digiex connects the crypto ecosystem with everyday finances,” Saeed said. “We are empowering a truly digital financial lifestyle.”
About Muhammad Umair Saeed
Muhammad Umair Saeed is a globally recognized technology entrepreneur, investor, and thought leader with a unique combination of technology depth/perspective and business commerce perspective, who has delivered market-leading next-generation platforms in the disciplines of AI, blockchain, digital identity, and post-quantum cryptography. He is the founder and often considered Chief Visionary of Innovation Business Machine (IoBM), a $2 billion company operating in Dubai, Europe, the Middle East, and Turkey.
His company, IoBM, has led start-ups in some of the largest combined ventures across fintech, smart wallets, cybersecurity, cloud infrastructure, and metaverse technologies. He authored many important tenets regarding user sovereignty, privacy-first computing for a digitally sovereign user experience, and scalable digital finance that underpin Yoojel and the recently announced Digiex.
In his role at IoBM, he has established a range of collaborations across continents with multiple strategic organizations, inclusive of financial institutions, blockchain technology consortia, and AI research institutes. His leadership even goes further towards breaking the so-called “rules” of business for the benefit of humanity… whether it be establishing a post-quantum-secure ecosystem, deploying blockchain software solutions for enterprise in the real world, or the latest in cybersecurity bridges and wallets for user-based solutions. Muhammad Umair Saeed, a passionate visionary and believer in purposeful innovation, is not only envisioning the future of digital finance and smart browsing; he is building it.
Disclaimer: This press release is provided by IoBM. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice. Investing in crypto related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility.
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New York City, NY, July 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —NR7 Miner, a global cloud crypto mining platform, officially launched the “one-click mining” service. Users only need $12 to participate in cloud mining, and obtain daily passive income through mainstream currencies such as XRP, Bitcoin, Ethereum, etc., completely eliminating hardware investment and professional technical barriers.
Core advantages of one-click mining
10 seconds quick start: register → select a plan → automatic mining
Intelligent income optimization: the system dynamically allocates computing power to high-potential currencies such as XRP, BTC, ETH, DOGE, etc.
0 additional costs: no equipment purchase, power consumption or maintenance expenses
Terminator of traditional mining pain points ✅ Say goodbye to the investment of 10,000 yuan mining machine ✅ Solve the noise, heat and space occupation ✅ No wallet configuration and mining pool management required ✅ Avoid direct risks of market fluctuations
Three core guarantees of NR7 Miner
Ultra-low threshold: 12 US dollars to start, support cryptocurrency payment
Flexible income: daily withdrawal, no lock-up restrictions
Principal security: 100% return of investment amount upon contract expiration
Common choice of global users NR7 Miner service network covers 180+ countries around the world, providing stable encryption income plans for millions of users. The platform supports mining of mainstream currencies such as XRP, BTC, ETH, DOGE, LTC, SOL, and the user scale will grow by more than 300% in 2025.
“Whether you are an office worker or a white-collar worker in a business, you can start mining immediately as long as you register and get $12. It’s really that simple, and you will have a lazy passive income immediately.” NR7 Miner CEO added.
What are you waiting for? NR7 Miner offers limited-time rewards for new users. Register now to get $12 in free cryptocurrency and start earning daily income through XRP and other popular cryptocurrencies.
About NR7 Miner Founded in 2020, it is a global leader in cloud-based cryptocurrency mining and AI-driven DeFi solutions. The platform supports XRP, BTC, ETH, DOGE, LTC and SOL mining, providing low-risk, high-return cryptocurrency income opportunities for more than 9 million users worldwide. Join NR7 Miner to create the future of decentralized finance. For more information, please visit: https://nr7miner.com
Media details NR7 miner Support@nr7miner.com North Quay, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, United Kingdom, NR30 1HE
New York City, NY, July 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —NR7 Miner, a global cloud crypto mining platform, officially launched the “one-click mining” service. Users only need $12 to participate in cloud mining, and obtain daily passive income through mainstream currencies such as XRP, Bitcoin, Ethereum, etc., completely eliminating hardware investment and professional technical barriers.
Core advantages of one-click mining
10 seconds quick start: register → select a plan → automatic mining
Intelligent income optimization: the system dynamically allocates computing power to high-potential currencies such as XRP, BTC, ETH, DOGE, etc.
0 additional costs: no equipment purchase, power consumption or maintenance expenses
Terminator of traditional mining pain points ✅ Say goodbye to the investment of 10,000 yuan mining machine ✅ Solve the noise, heat and space occupation ✅ No wallet configuration and mining pool management required ✅ Avoid direct risks of market fluctuations
Three core guarantees of NR7 Miner
Ultra-low threshold: 12 US dollars to start, support cryptocurrency payment
Flexible income: daily withdrawal, no lock-up restrictions
Principal security: 100% return of investment amount upon contract expiration
Common choice of global users NR7 Miner service network covers 180+ countries around the world, providing stable encryption income plans for millions of users. The platform supports mining of mainstream currencies such as XRP, BTC, ETH, DOGE, LTC, SOL, and the user scale will grow by more than 300% in 2025.
“Whether you are an office worker or a white-collar worker in a business, you can start mining immediately as long as you register and get $12. It’s really that simple, and you will have a lazy passive income immediately.” NR7 Miner CEO added.
What are you waiting for? NR7 Miner offers limited-time rewards for new users. Register now to get $12 in free cryptocurrency and start earning daily income through XRP and other popular cryptocurrencies.
About NR7 Miner Founded in 2020, it is a global leader in cloud-based cryptocurrency mining and AI-driven DeFi solutions. The platform supports XRP, BTC, ETH, DOGE, LTC and SOL mining, providing low-risk, high-return cryptocurrency income opportunities for more than 9 million users worldwide. Join NR7 Miner to create the future of decentralized finance. For more information, please visit: https://nr7miner.com
Media details NR7 miner Support@nr7miner.com North Quay, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, United Kingdom, NR30 1HE
Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)
Maintenance window scheduled to begin at February 14th 2200 est. until 0400 est. February 15th
Issued by: on
PACIFIC OCEAN (July 2, 2025) U.S. Navy Sailors respond to a general quarters drill on the bridge wing of the Harpers Ferry-class amphibious dock landing ship USS Pearl Harbor (LSD 52) in the Pacific Ocean on July 2, 2025. Now in its 21st iteration, the Pacific Partnership series is the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster management preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific. Pacific Partnership works collaboratively with host and partner nations to enhance regional interoperability and disaster response capabilities, increase security and stability in the region, and foster new and enduring friendships in the Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Alexander Bussman)
