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uno bet LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Biden administration plans on reducing part of Intel's $8.5 billion in federal funding for computer chip plants around the country, according to three people familiar with the grant who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations. The reduction is largely a byproduct of the $3 billion that Intel is also receiving to provide computer chips to the military. President Joe Biden announced the agreement to provide Intel with up to $8.5 billion in direct funding and $11 billion in loans in March. The changes to Intel’s funding are not related to the company’s financial record or milestones, the people familiar with the grant told The Associated Press. In August, the chipmaker announced that it would cut 15% of its workforce — about 15,000 jobs — in an attempt to turn its business around to compete with more successful rivals like Nvidia and AMD. Unlike some of its rivals, Intel manufactures chips in addition to designing them. Two years ago, President Biden hailed Intel as a job creator with its plans to open a new plant near Columbus, Ohio. The president praised the company for plans to “build a workforce of the future” for the $20 billion project, which he said would generate 7,000 construction jobs and 3,000 full-time jobs set to pay an average of $135,000 a year. The California-based tech giant's funding is tied to a sweeping 2022 law that President Biden has celebrated and which is designed to revive U.S. semiconductor manufacturing. Known as the CHIPS and Science Act , the $280 billion package is aimed at sharpening the U.S. edge in military technology and manufacturing while minimizing the kinds of supply disruptions that occurred in 2021, after the start of the coronavirus pandemic, when a shortage of chips stalled factory assembly lines and fueled inflation . The Biden administration helped shepherd the legislation following pandemic-era concerns that the loss of access to chips made in Asia could plunge the U.S. economy into recession. When pushing for the investment, lawmakers expressed concern about efforts by China to control Taiwan, which accounts for more than 90% of advanced computer chip production. In August, the administration pledged to provide up to $6.6 billion so that a Taiwanese semiconductor giant could expand the facilities it is already building in Arizona and better ensure that the most advanced microchips are produced domestically for the first time. The Commerce Department said the funding for Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. meant the company could expand on its existing plans for two facilities in Phoenix and add a third, newly announced production hub. The administration has promised tens of billions of dollars to support construction of U.S. chip foundries and reduce reliance on Asian suppliers, which Washington sees as a security weakness. Boak reported from Washington.Top eight advance directly to Round of 16. Teams ranked 9-24 will compete in knockout round play-offs to determine the remaining spots in the last 16. (Home teams listed first) All Times EDT FIRST ROUND Tuesday, Sept. 17 Juventus 3, PSV Eindhoven 1 Aston Villa 3, Young Boys 0 Bayern Munich 9, Dinamo Zagreb 2 Liverpool 3, AC Milan 1 Real Madrid 3, Stuttgart 1 Sporting Lisbon 2, Lille 0 Wednesday, Sept. 18 Bologna 0, Shakhtar Donetsk 0 Sparta Prague 3, Salzburg 0 Borussia Dortmund 3, Club Brugge 0 Celtic 5, Slovan Bratislava 1 Manchester City 0, Inter Milan 0 Paris Saint-Germain 1, Girona 0 Thursday, Sept. 19 Benfica 2, Crvena zvezda 1 Leverkusen 4, Feyenoord 0 Atalanta 0, Arsenal 0 Atlético Madrid 2, RB Leipzig 1 Monaco 2, Barcelona 1 Brest 2, Sturm Graz 1 Tuesday, Oct. 1 Brest 4, Salzburg 0 Stuttgart 1, Sparta Prague 1 Inter Milan 4, Red Star Belgrade 0 Borussia Dortmund 7, Celtic 1 Barcelona 5, Young Boys 0 Leverkusen 1, AC Milan 0 Arsenal 2, Paris Saint-Germain 0 PSV Eindhoven 1, Sporting Lisbon 1 Manchester City 4, Slovan Bratislava 0 Wednesday, Oct. 2 Atalanta 3, Shakhtar Donetsk 0 Feyenoord 3, Girona 2 Liverpool 2, Bologna 0 Juventus 3, RB Leipzig 2 Benfica 4, Atlético Madrid 0 Dinamo Zagreb 2, Monaco 2 Lille 1, Real Madrid 0 Aston Villa 1, Bayern Munich 0 Club Brugge 1, Sturm Graz 0 Tuesday, Oct. 22 AC Milan 3, Club Brugge 1 Monaca 5, Crvena zvezda 1 Paris Saint-Germain 1, PSV Eindhoven 1 Stuttgart 1, Juventus 0 Arsenal 1, Shakhtar Donetsk 0 Aston Villa 2, Bologna 0 Girona 2, Slovan Bratislava 0 Sporting Lisbon 2, Strum Graz 0 Real Madrid 5, Borussia Dortmund 2 Wednesday, Oct. 23 Atalanta 0, Celtic 0 Brest 1, Leverkusen 1 Manchester City 5, Sparta Prague 0 Liverpool 1, RB Leipzig 0 Barcelona 4, Bayern Munich 1 Lille 3, Atlético Madrid 1 Feyenoord 3, Benfica 1 Dinamo Zagreb 2, Salzburg 0 Inter Milan 1, Young Boys 0 All Times EST Tuesday, Nov. 5 PSV Eindhoven 4, Girona 0 Dinamo Grazeb 4, Slovan Bratislava 1 AC Milan 3, Real Madrid 1 Liverpool 4, Leverkusen 0 Borussia Dortmund 1, Sturm Graz 0 Sporting Lisbon 4, Manchester City 1 Lille 1, Juventus 1 Celtic 3, RB Leipzig 1 Monaco 1, Bologna 0 Wednesday, Nov. 6 Club Brugge 1, Aston Villa 0 Shakhtar Donetsk 2, Young Boys 1 Bayern Munich 1, Benfica 0 Atlético Madrid 2, Paris Saint-Germain 1 Inter Milan 1, Arsenal 0 Salzburg 3, Feyenoord 1 Barcelona 5, Red Star Belgrade 2 Brest 2, Sparta Prague 1 Atalanta 2, Stuttgart 0 Tuesday, Nov. 26 AC Milan 3, Slovan Bratislava 2 Atlético Madrid 6, Sparta Prague 0 Manchester City 3, Feyenoord 3 Bayern Munich 1, Paris Saint-Germain 0 Inter Milan 1, RB Leipzig 0 Barcelona 3, Brest 0 Leverkusen 5, Salzburg 0 Arsenal 5, Sporting Lisbon 1 Atalanta 6, Young Boys 1 Wednesday, Nov. 27 Red Star Belgrade vs. Stuttgart, 12:45 p.m. Strum Graz vs. Girona, 12:45 p.m. Liverpool vs. Real Madrid, 3 p.m. PSV Eindhoven vs. Shakhtar Donetsk, 3 p.m. Dinamo Zagreb Borussia Dortmund, 3 p.m. Celtic vs. Club Brugge, 3 p.m. Monaco vs. Benfica, 3 p.m. Aston Villa vs. Juventus, 3 p.m. Bologna vs. Lille, 3 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 10 Dinamo Zagreb vs. Celtic, 12:45 p.m. Girona vs. Liverpool, 12:45 p.m. RB Leipzig vs. Aston Villa, 3 p.m. Leverkusen vs. Inter Milan, 3 p.m. Atalanta vs. Real Madrid, 3 p.m. Club Brugge vs. Sporting Lisbon, 3 p.m. Shakhtar Donetsk vs. Bayern Munich, 3 p.m. Salzburg vs. Paris Saint-Germain, 3 p.m. Brest vs. PSV Eindhoven, 3 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 11 Atlético Madrid vs. Slovan Bratislava, 12:45 p.m. Lille Sturm Graz, 12:45 p.m. Borussia Dortmund vs. Barcelona, 3 p.m. Juventus vs. Manchester City, 3 p.m. Benfica vs. Bologna, 3 p.m. Arsenal vs. Monaco, 3 p.m. Inter Milan vs. Red Star Belgrade, 3 p.m. Feyenoord vs. Sparta Prague, 3 p.m. Stuttgart vs. Young Boys, 3 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 21 Atalanta vs. Sturm Graz, 12:45 p.m. Monaco vs. Aston Villa, 12:45 p.m. Slovan Bratislava vs. Stuttgart, 3 p.m. Club Brugge vs. Juventus, 3 p.m. Atlético Madrid vs. Leverkusen, 3 p.m. Benfica vs. Barcelona, 3 p.m. Liverpool vs. Lille, 3 p.m. Bologna vs. Borussia Dortmund, 3 p.m. Red Star Belgrade vs. PSV Eindhoven, 3 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 22 Leipzig vs. Sporting Lisbon, 12:45 p.m. Shakhtar vs. Brest, 12:45 p.m. Real Madrid vs. Salzburg, 3 p.m. Paris Saint-Germain vs. Manchester City, 3 p.m. Sparta Prague vs. Inter Milan, 3 p.m. Arsenal vs. Dinamo Zagreb, 3 p.m. Celtic vs. Young Boys, 3 p.m. Feyenoord vs. Bayern Munich, 3 p.m. Inter Milan vs. Girona, 3 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 29 Sporting Lisbon vs. Bologna, 3 p.m. PSV Eindhoven vs. Liverpool, 3 p.m. Young Boys vs. Red Star Belgrade, 3 p.m. Stuttgart vs. Paris Saint-Germain, 3 p.m. Sturm Graz vs. Leipzig, 3 p.m. Manchester City vs. Club Brugge, 3 p.m. Bayern Munich vs. Slovan Bratislava, 3 p.m. Inter Milan vs. Monaco, 3 p.m. Borussia Dortmund vs. Shakhtar, 3 p.m. Barcelona vs. Atalanta, 3 p.m. Leverkusen vs. Sparta Prague, 3 p.m. Juventus vs. Benfica, 3 p.m. Dinamo Zagreb vs. Inter Milan, 3 p.m. Salzburg vs. Atlético Madrid, 3 p.m. Lille vs. Feyenoord, 3 p.m. Aston Villa vs. Celtic, 3 p.m. Girona vs. Arsenal, 3 p.m. Brest vs. Real Madrid, 3 p.m.

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad police have issued a traffic advisory for the unveiling of the Telangana Thalli statue and the carnival on NTR Marg which is scheduled to take place on Monday, December 9 as part of the “Praja Palana – Praja Vijayotsavalu” event. The event which will be held at the Dr B R Ambedkar Telangana State Secretariat will cause significant traffic diversions from 2 pm to 10 pm. Below are the traffic diversions: Commuters are advised to avoid the following junctions due to expected congestion: Buddha Bhavan, Nallagutta X Roads, VV Statue (Khairatabad), Iqbal Minar, New Telugu Thalli Junction, Printing Press Junction, Old PS Saifabad, Ravindra Bharathi, Kattamaisamma Junction, Old Ambedkar Statue, and Liberty Junction. For public parking, several locations have been designated including LB Stadium, Ravindra Bharathi, MMTS railway station, Snow World and others. The citizens are urged to follow real-time traffic updates on the Hyderabad traffic police social media platforms or call the traffic helpline at 9010203626 for any emergency travel assistance. The traffic diversions and road closures will remain in place until the conclusion of the event. The public is requested to cooperate with the Hyderabad Traffic Police and plan their journeys accordingly.Champions League Glance

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — The NFL removed New England Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers from the commissioner exempt list on Monday, making him eligible to participate in practice and play in the team’s games. Peppers missed seven games since being placed on the list on Oct. 9 after he was arrested and charged with shoving his girlfriend’s head into a wall and choking her. The league said its review is ongoing and is not affected by the change in Peppers’ roster status. Braintree, Massachusetts, police said they were called to a home for an altercation between two people on Oct. 7, and a woman told them Peppers choked her. Police said they found at the home a clear plastic bag containing a white powder, which later tested positive for cocaine. Peppers, 29, pleaded not guilty in Quincy District Court to charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and possession of a Class “B” substance believed to be cocaine. At a court appearance last week a trial date was set for Jan. 22. “Any act of domestic violence is unacceptable for us,” Patriots coach Jerod Mayo said after the arrest. “With that being said, I do think that Jabrill has to go through the system, has to continue to go through due process. We’ll see how that works out.” A 2017 first-round draft choice by Cleveland, Peppers spent two seasons with the Browns and three with the New York Giants before coming to New England in 2022. He was signed to an extension this summer. He played in the first four games of the season and missed one with a shoulder injury before going on the exempt list, which allows NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to place a player on paid leave while reviewing his case. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflLee Enterprises announced a partnership Friday morning with Perplexity, the AI search engine, through the company’s Publishers’ Program. This collaboration underscores Lee’s commitment to advancing local journalism by integrating innovative AI solutions that enhance content delivery, deepen audience engagement, and create new revenue opportunities, according to a news release. "By leveraging Perplexity’s advanced AI capabilities, Lee aims to redefine how communities interact with local news and advertising, offering personalized content experiences and opening new avenues for local businesses to connect with their audiences," the release continued. The partnership between Lee Enterprises and Perplexity focuses on two key initiatives: • Advertising Innovation: Utilizing AI technology to empower local businesses with data-driven advertising solutions, optimizing their reach, and ensuring campaigns resonate with community needs. • Future-Ready Strategies: Collaborating on scalable innovations to strengthen local journalism, explore new content monetization opportunities, and support advertisers in an evolving digital landscape. “AI is reshaping the business models of industries around the world, and journalism is no exception,” said Kevin Mowbray, CEO at Lee Enterprises. “This partnership with Perplexity is a bold step forward in embracing change. By integrating AI into our operations, we’re excited to transform how we deliver news, support our advertisers, and engage with readers in ways that were never possible before. This is about creating a future where trusted local journalism thrives in the digital age.” Runners climb the Brady Street Hill as the 50th Quad City Times Bix 7 kicks-off. Runners leave the mark in the eight-year-old division at the Arconic Junior Bix on Friday, July 26, in Davenport. Theodore Schnekloth, 6, takes off in the Arconic Jr. Bix on Friday, July 26, in Davenport. A young runner takes a much-deserved break with some snacks after the Arconic Jr. Bix on Friday, July 26, in Davenport. Raelynn Fuhlman, 7, of Silvis, receives some help as she finishes the race at the Arconic Jr. Bix on Friday, July 26, in Davenport. Volunteers hand out medals to participants as they finish the Arconic Jr. Bix on Friday, July 26, in Davenport. A volunteer hands out medals to the six-year-old runners medals at the Arconic Jr. Bix on Friday, July 26, in Davenport. Two members of the crowd peek out from the race barricade on Fourth Street at the Arconic Jr. Bix on Friday, July 26, in Davenport. Conner Byrd, 11, of North Liberty, crosses the finish line with an entourage of Bix Buddies from the Arconic Jr. Bix on Friday, July 26, in Davenport. Young runners leave the mark along Fourth Street at the Arconic Jr. Bix on Friday, July 26, in Davenport. Friends and family cheer on runners at the Arconic Jr. Bix on Friday, July 26, in Davenport. The crowd cheers on runners at the Arconic Jr. Bix on Friday, July 26, in Davenport. The 7-year-old division participants elbow their way out from the starting line at the Arconic Jr. Bix on Friday, July 26, in Davenport. Racers on the mark at the Arconic Jr. Bix on Friday, July 26, in Davenport. Volunteers hand out medals to runners as they cross the finish line at the Arconic Jr. Bix on Friday, July 26, in Davenport. Participants run the Arconic Jr. Bix down Fourth Street on Friday, July 26, in Davenport. Young runners wait on the mark at the Arconic Junior Bix on Friday, July 26, in Davenport. A volunteer leads the runners to the finish line at the Arconic Jr. Bix on Friday, July 26, in Davenport. The 7-year-old division participants are anxious to start running at the Arconic Jr. Bix on Friday, July 26, in Davenport. A volunteer hands out medals to the 6-year-old runners medals at the Arconic Jr. Bix on Friday, July 26, in Davenport. A boy hitches a ride at the Arconic Jr. Bix on Friday, July 26, in Davenport. Runners in the six-year-old division cross the finish line at the Arconic Jr. Bix on Friday, July 26, in Davenport. Guests stay hydrated at the Arconic Jr. Bix on Friday, July 26, in Davenport. A group of 11-year-olds run the Arconic Jr. Bix on Friday, July 26, in Davenport. A young guest watches the Arconic Jr. Bix from a comfortable height on Friday, July 26, in Davenport. A family encourages a runner as he nears the finish line at the Arconic Jr. Bix on Friday, July 26, in Davenport. Nathan Paustian, 12, of Durant, receives some encouragement from the crowd at the Arconic Jr. Bix on Friday, July 26, in Davenport. Hugh Thomas, 10, of Davenport, sticks his hand out for high-fives from the crowd at the Arconic Jr.Bix on Friday, July 26, in Davenport. Eleven-year-old runners leave their mark at the Arconic Jr. Bix on Friday, July 26, in Davenport. Runners run into the sunset at the Arconic Jr. Bix on Friday, July 26, in Davenport. A young spectator high-fives an Arconic Jr. Bix racer during the six-year-old race on Friday, July 26, 2024. Jr. Bix racers grab post-race popsicles in the Quad-City Times parking lot on Friday, July 26, 2024. Six-year-old Obed Toto, the Garfield Elementary School Running Club's top "Elite" runner for the 2023-24 school year, poses after the Arconic Jr. Bix race on Friday, July 26, 2024. Miguel Cedillo, 9, of Bettendorf, high-fives the Chik-fil-A mascot before racing in the Arconic Jr. Bix on Friday, July 26, 2024. A young spectator extends a high-five to an Arconic Jr. Bix racer during the six-year-old race on Friday, July 26, 2024. Two six-year-old racers join hands during the Arconic Jr. Bix on Friday, July 26, 2024. Obed Toto, the Garfield Elementary School Running Club's top "Elite" runner, speeds by during the Arconic Jr. Bix six-year-old race on Friday, July 26, 2024. Obed Toko (left), of Davenport, races alongside Beau Schepers, of Bettendorf, during the Arconic Jr. Bix six-year-old race on Friday, July 26, 2024. Six-year-old Arconic Jr. Bix runners gear up for the race on Friday, July 26, 2024. Logan Dasso 6, of Davenport, sits on the shoulders of Andrew, her dad, and watches the races, Friday, July 26, 2024, during the Arconic Jr. Bix in Davenport. Oliver Little 6, of Eldridge plays with is Jr. Bix Medal as he is held by friend Jen Burman, Friday, July 26, 2024, during the Arconic Jr. Bix in Davenport. Jim Thomas from Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, blows loudly on his horn, encouraging the racers to finish, Friday, July 26, 2024, during the Arconic Jr. Bix in Davenport. A large crowd complete with cell phone cameras, capture the end of the races, Friday, July 26, 2024, during the Arconic Jr. Bix in Davenport. The start of the 11-year-old race, Friday, July 26, 2024, during the Arconic Jr. Bix in Davenport. Terriq Morgan-Clay (R) of Bettendorf beats out Logan Boll of Bettendorf at the finish line of the 10-year-old 's race Friday, July 26, 2024, during the Arconic Jr. Bix in Davenport. The start of the nine-year-old race, Friday, July 26, 2024, during the Arconic Jr. Bix in Davenport. Elyjah Ashby of Davenport gets some high five's as he approaches the finish line of the nine-year-old race, Friday, July 26, 2024, during the Arconic Jr. Bix in Davenport. The start of the eight-year-old race, Friday, July 26, 2024, during the Arconic Jr. Bix in Davenport. Jimmie Martin of Davenport is determined to finish his race, Friday, July 26, 2024, during the Arconic Jr. Bix in Davenport. The six-year-olds leave the starting line , Friday, July 26, 2024, during the Arconic Jr. Bix in Davenport. A Bix Buddy picks up a six-year-old on her back so he can finish the race, Friday, July 26, 2024, during the Arconic Jr. Bix in Davenport. A pair of six-year-olds race for the finish line as the crowd cheers, Friday, July 26, 2024, during the Arconic Jr. Bix in Davenport. Five-year-old Jayden "Superman" Gibbs gets ready to run the Arconic Junior Bix on Friday, July 26, 2024. Three-year-old Oscar Sanchez is all smiles during his heat of the Arconic Junior Bix on Friday, July 26, 2024. Following the completion of the ages five and under races, Bix 7 Volunteers Emerson Quick, Allison Harris and Ava Harris-Shepard couldn't resist their own race at the Arconic Junior Bix on Friday, July 26, 2024. Calvin Henneman flies to the finish line during the three-year-old division of the Arconic Junior Bix on Friday, July 26, 2024. Sydney Hutchins of Rock Island and her friend Mickey Mouse went their separate ways during the 3-year-old division of the Arconic Jr. Bix on Friday, July 26, 2024. Sydney Hutchins of Rock Island and her friend Mickey Mouse went their separate ways during the 3-year-old division of the Arconic Jr. Bix on Friday, July 26, 2024. Sydney Hutchins of Rock Island and her friend Mickey Mouse went their separate ways during the 3-year-old division of the Arconic Jr. Bix on Friday, July 26, 2024. Axel Munos, of Davenport, had to get a little help across the finish line of the Arconic Jr. Bix race, from his mother Stephanie, on Friday, July 26, 2024. Two-year-old Tatum Grothus chases her shadow during her heat of the Arconic Jr. Bix on Friday, July 26, 2024. Sophie Shrader finds a familiar face to run to during the 3-year-old division of the Arconic Jr. Bix on Friday, July 26, 2024. One-year-old Callie Peters crosses the finish line with a big smile during the Arconic Jr. Bix on Friday, July 26, 2024. Runners take off from the starting line during the 11-year-old division of the Arconic Jr. Bix on Friday, July 26, 2024. Seven-year-olds jump the starting gun during of the Arconic Jr. Bix on Friday, July 26, 2024. From left, Bella Lombardi, Allie Stringer and Trey Pettigrew run in the four-year-old division of the Arconic Jr. Bix on Friday, July 26, 2024. Nine-month-old Briar Smith would rather check the taste of her medal than pose for a photo with her mother, Lexi, after crawling in the under one-year-old division of the Arconic Jr. Bix on Friday, July 26, 2024. From left, Briar Larsen (530), Claire Berkley (460) and Josephine Vradenburg (461) run in the 3-year-old division of the Arconic Jr. Bix on Friday, July 26, 2024. Two-year-old Rowan Lind runs with his mother Brandee during the Arconic Jr. Bix on Friday, July 26, 2024. Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.

THE barmy £1 trillion Neom project in Saudi Arabia has revealed its newest addition of a vast hollow skyscraper. Despite unveiling new ultra-luxurious hotels, restaurants and yacht marinas on the daily, the Neom project has been exposed for the deaths of over 21,000 workers since it began. Advertisement 7 The new planned skyscraper at the Zardun site Credit: NEOM 7 Zardun spans a whopping four square kilometres Credit: NEOM 7 The site is on the Northwest of Saudi Arabia Credit: NEOM The newly revealed luxury development plans on the coast of the Gulf of Aqaba, dubbed Zardun, is made up of four buildings and looks to provide a so-called "peaceful" retreat for guests. Despite its pledge to bring tranquillity, some visitors may think this is hard to find knowing it could have been the place where thousands of workers died under dangerous and inhumane working conditions. Zardun spans a whopping four square kilometres, set on a restored semi-desert landscape. It sports angular sections within the middle of the skyscraper which is said to draw influence from the changing natural landscape around it. Advertisement read more world news EGO TRIP Saudi’s NEOM megaproject boss sacked after ‘threatening to BURY worker in desert’ NEOM BEGINNINGS First part of Saudi's £1tn mega-project Neom COMPLETE as resort opens doors Among the hollow skyscraper are three other architectural compounds which will all total 100 rooms and suites for big spenders as well as an experience centre. And for guests it will offer trekking, mountain biking, rock climbing, among various other sports and leisure. But the dark underbelly of the location imagines bloodshed and slaves. Zardun is part of Magna - one of Neom's mega regions. Advertisement Most read in The Sun LAST WORDS Mum wrote 'I was murdered' before she 'took own life after years abuse from ex' Gossip GELD STAR Rangers 'keen to land Championship star labelled human wrecking ball in January' HOOLIGAN BAN Gers thug sentenced over incident that saw female St Johnstone employee pushed DEVASTATING Tragic Scots TikTok star, 27, who survived crash which killed friend found dead Other regions included in the heavily criticised project include Trojena, The Line, Sindalah and Oxagon. Despite human life not seeming to be considered, the plans say they have so-called "environmental stewardship" in mind. EGO TRIP Saudi Arabia insists first part of $500bn NEOM Megacity WILL be open this year with ultra-lux island resort It is said to accommodate various habitats and make it easier to reintroduce native plants, animals and tree species to the landscape. The Saudi government's focus on the luxury market is said to be an attempt to distinguish itself from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. Advertisement But with serious allegations of missed payments, illegal working hours and a number of clear human rights violations made, the future success of the mega-project is unclear. 21,000 worker deaths have occurred in the years since the Crown Prince launched the project, shocking statistics claim. Staff have complained of feeling like "trapped slaves" and "beggars" in the country. Serious allegations of missed payments, working illegal hours and a number of clear human rights violations have all been made. Advertisement The first part of Saudia Arabia's £1 trillion Neom project was complete in October - with a luxurious Red Sea resort opening its doors to the world's elite. Terrified workers and the heartbroken family members of workers who have died since moving to Saudi have revealed the horrors they've faced in recent years in ITV's latest expose. Dubbed "Kingdom Uncovered: Inside Saudi Arabia" the documentary speaks on the deadly issues experienced firsthand for many. It goes inside the illegal practices and terrible violations many say are being committed each day under the guise of constructing some of the world's priciest building projects. Advertisement Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman , has been at the forefront of trying to develop the oil state into a global tourism hub. 7 It looks to bizarrely bring peace to visitors Credit: NEOM 7 The visitor center pictured Credit: NEOM 7 It sports angular sections within the middle of the skyscraper Credit: NEOM Advertisement He has splashed trillions to create his Saudi Vision 2030 project which features complexes sch as the flagship NEOM which includes fantasy ideas such as The Line. Despite the luxury plans for the ambitious builds human rights groups have expressed many concerns over the massive construction plans . With fears that migrant labour will be exploited and many locals would be displaced. Saudi Arabia has also been hit with serious allegations claiming a significant number of migrants working in construction have disappeared. Advertisement Emerging reports allege that as many as 100,000 migrant workers have gone missing during the construction of Neom. One worker revealed in the documentary that he is often made to work 16-hour days helping to build a high-speed train tunnel for The Line. Read more on the Scottish Sun REY-LY EXCITING US pop superstar announces first Scots show in almost 10 years BALLSED UP Lorraine apologises on air for using phrase she 'didn't know' was a swear word Over just one seven-day week the worker says he can do upwards of 84 hours. Saudi law strictly states that no one should do more than 60 hours a week. Advertisement Top 5 blunders plaguing NEOM project BY Juliana Cruz Lima, Foreign News Reporter Saudi Arabia's NEOM project, despite its ambitious vision, has been criticized for several major blunders that have raised concerns about its feasibility, ethics, and overall execution. Here are the top five major blunders associated with the project: Forced Displacement of Indigenous Communities : One of the most significant controversies surrounding NEOM is the forced displacement of the Huwaitat tribe. This indigenous community, which has lived in the area for centuries, was forcibly removed from their ancestral lands to make way for the development of the mega-city. The Saudi government's crackdown on those who resisted, including the killing of a tribal leader, Abdul Rahim al-Howeiti, has drawn widespread condemnation from human rights organisations. This blunder not only sparked international outrage but also tainted NEOM's image as a forward-thinking, humane project. Environmental Impact and Sustainability Concerns : NEOM has been marketed as an environmentally sustainable city, but the environmental impact of such a massive development is a major concern. The project's scale—covering over 26,500 square kilometers—poses significant risks to local ecosystems, particularly in the Red Sea, which is home to rich marine biodiversity. Critics argue that the construction of artificial islands and extensive urbanisation could lead to irreversible ecological damage. The enormous water and energy demands required to maintain a green city in the desert also raise questions about the project's sustainability. Economic Viability and Cost Overruns : NEOM is one of the most expensive development projects in history. But there are serious doubts about its economic viability. Critics question whether the project can attract the necessary foreign investment and whether it will generate sufficient returns to justify the enormous expenditure. The economic risks are further compounded by potential cost overruns and delays, which are common in megaprojects of this scale. This financial gamble has led some to worry that NEOM could become a costly white elephant if it fails to meet its ambitious goals. Technological Overreach and Ethical Concerns : NEOM is envisioned as a high-tech city, heavily reliant on artificial intelligence, robotics, and extensive surveillance systems. While this technological ambition is central to NEOM's identity, it also raises significant ethical concerns. The level of surveillance planned for the city could lead to unprecedented control over residents' lives, sparking fears about privacy and civil liberties. The lack of transparency about how AI will be used, coupled with concerns about job displacement, has also led to criticism that NEOM’s technological vision may be more dystopian than utopian. Cultural and Social Disconnect : NEOM’s vision of a futuristic, liberalized society clashes sharply with Saudi Arabia's deeply conservative cultural norms. The project plans to introduce mixed-gender sports, entertainment events, and other liberal lifestyle elements that are rare in the kingdom. This cultural shift has raised concerns about a potential clash between NEOM's globalised vision and the traditional values of Saudi society. The disconnect between the project's ambitions and the broader cultural context has led to skepticism about whether NEOM can truly integrate into Saudi Arabia's social fabric without causing significant friction. 7 Pictured: The Line (concept image) - a smart city NEOM project under construction in Saudi Arabia

ALLEN PARK — The Detroit Lions made a move on Tuesday that would have seemed incomprehensible just two seasons ago. The Lions waived edge rusher James Houston, who had one of the best rookie seasons (2022) for an edge rusher in recent memory but has not returned to that form since. Asked why it didn’t work out in Detroit, Lions head coach Dan Campbell said, “It just didn’t.” “It just didn’t. We had James up for a number of games, came back off of injury, got back, and it just never quite worked out,” Campbell said. Houston, a sixth-round pick by Detroit in 2022, collected eight sacks in seven games during his rookie season and appeared to have a limitless ceiling on what he could become as a pass rusher in the following seasons. But he appeared to fall out of favor with the coaching staff as early as 2023 training camp — Detroit was unsuccessfully trying to turn him into a well-rounded outside linebacker that could play every down — then broke an ankle in Week 2 of that season while playing on special teams. He didn’t return until the NFC Championship game, where he had limited snaps (11) and didn’t make an impact on the stat sheet. In training camp before this season, the Lions continued to try to improve other parts of Houston’s game but eventually gave up on the experiment, allowing him to just focus on rushing the passer. He has 13 pressures and just one sack in 2024, even with there being a clear vacancy on the edge following several key injuries. This time two years ago, Houston was getting called up from the practice squad to make his NFL debut against the Buffalo Bills on Thanksgiving Day. Houston dazzled in front of a national television audience , sacking Bills quarterback Josh Allen twice as Detroit took Buffalo to the wire in a 28-25 loss that came on a last-second field goal. Now, before the Lions’ Thanksgiving Day game in 2024, the Lions have decided to move on. Houston hinted at the potential parting with a cryptic social media post on Monday night. He posted on X (formerly Twitter), “Live... Learn.. Move on” with a peace sign emoji. “Look, wish him the best of luck, and sometimes you just need a fresh start and this could be great for him, so, wish him the best,” Campbell said. Houston, 26, is just the third Brad Holmes draft pick to no longer be on the active roster or practice squad (Antoine Green, Chase Lucas).

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No. 19 Illinois 75, Md.-Eastern Shore 55Commerce Department to reduce Intel's funding on semiconductorsDaniel Jones has fallen a long way since his status as the New York Giants' franchise quarterback earlier this season. After the Giants' Week 10 overtime loss to the Carolina Panthers, Jones was benched, demoted to third-string quarterback, then released by the franchise. Jones officially cleared waivers on Monday, making him an unrestricted free agent able to sign with any team of his choosing. Many expected Jones to sign with a team in need of an immediate starting QB. But according to recent reports from ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter, it appears the 27-year-old signal caller could be open to taking a backup role. Jones reportedly wants to sign with a playoff contender, and Schefter reported Baltimore and Minnesota as possible destinations. If Jones were to sign with Baltimore, he would serve as a backup option behind MVP frontrunner Lamar Jackson. Former Giants QB Daniel Jones officially cleared waivers today and is now an unrestricted free agent, per source. Jones prefers to sign with a playoff contender, and potential destinations include Baltimore and Minnesota. pic.twitter.com/qayAd294Rk "He’d actually be the perfect backup in Baltimore," one fan wrote in the comments. "He fits the Ravens system absolutely would be a good back up," another added. "Prefers to be a backup then. Translation," another said. Ravens as a backup seems to make a lot of sense The 7-4 Ravens are poised for a potential deep run in the postseason. Jackson is in the midst of yet another MVP-caliber season, completing 67% of his passes for 2,876 yards, 25 touchdowns and three interceptions so far this year. He also has 584 yards and two touchdowns in the rushing game. Josh Johnson is the only quarterback option currently available behind Jackson on the Ravens' depth chart. Barry Reeger-Imagn Images Jackson and the Ravens will face off against the Los Angeles Chargers in a primetime "Monday Night Football" matchup later this evening.

The first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff field is set, as the first bracket was revealed Sunday afternoon. The top four conference champions in Oregon, Georgia , Boise State and Arizona State received the first four seeds of the playoff. That group will also receive first-round byes. As for seeds No. 5-8, which will host home playoff games for the first time in college football postseason history, Texas , which hosts No. 12 Clemson, secured the No. 5 spot. Penn State came in at No. 6 and will host No. 11 SMU. No. 7 Notre Dame will host No. 10 Notre Dame and No. 8 Ohio State will host No. 9 Tennessee. 2024 CFP Odds As far as which teams are favored, it looks like the Big Ten champs Oregon and the SEC runner-up Texas are the favorites at +350. Right behind those two are the SEC Champion Georgia at +360 followed by Ohio State at +525. MORE: What is Notre Dame's path to winning the CFP? Let's take a look at the full national championship odds for the 2024-25 CFP, as well as predict who might have the edge, and sleeper picks to win it all. (Odds courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook ) Teams Odds Oregon Ducks +350 Texas Longhorns +350 Georgia Bulldogs +360 Ohio State Buckeyes +525 Penn State +650 Notre Dame Fighting Irish +1000 Tennessee Volunteers +2800 SMU Mustangs +4000 Arizona State Sun Devils +4000 Indiana Hoosiers +4500 Clemson Tigers +5000 Boise State Broncos +6000 Who will win the 2024 College Football Playoff? Just like the March Madness college basketball tournament, it's easy to pick the top seeds to win it all. But unlike that tournament, this is a college football postseason unlike anything we've ever seen before. And in college football, which is consistently one of the most unpredictable sports every season, who really knows what to expect. Obviously the likes of Oregon, Georgia, Boise State and Arizona State — all of which have first-round byes — are four great teams, winning the Big Ten, SEC, Mountain West and Big 12, respectively. Picking one of the top-4 seeds to win seems like a safe bet. But as we've seen time and time again in this sport, one of those teams could be knocked out as early as the second round. Let's take a closer look at the top four teams. MORE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF NEWS: SN's Expert College Football Playoff bracket predictions Tracking college football bowl games for 2024-25 Alabama, Miami among biggest snubs from College Football Playoff When do the College Football Playoff games start? Full list of locations for 2024 College Football Playoff games Top four seeds No. 1 Oregon Ducks (+350) In their first season in the Big Ten, the Ducks have dismantled every team in their path, finishing undefeated and 13-0. And aside from the Ducks' one-score wins over Boise State, Ohio State, Wisconsin and Penn State, Oregon won comfortably against most of the teams on its schedule. Oregon's offense is led by Oklahoma transfer quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who leads the Big Ten in passing yards with 3,558 yards and 28 touchdowns with six interceptions on the year. The unit ranks 15th in scoring offense, putting up 35.9 points per game. Defensively, the unit is just as good, tied for 13th, allowing just 17.8 points per game. Oregon also has an impressive resume, featuring three wins over playoff teams in Boise State, Ohio State and Penn State. The Ducks also beat No. 20 Illinois 38-9 earlier in the season. It feels like Oregon is on a collision course to the title game with how well it's played all year. No. 2 Georgia Bulldogs (+360) Georgia's playoff hopes actually looked to be in doubt at various points in the season. The Dawgs' lost to Alabama 41-34, as well as dropped a bad 28-10 game to Ole Miss. Georgia also had close calls against Kentucky and Florida, and needed eight overtimes to get past rival Georgia Tech. Quarterback Carson Beck has struggled, throwing a career-high 12 interceptions this season. MORE: Who Georgia could face in the CFP quarterfinals But even during Georgia's 22-19 victory over Texas in the SEC title game, it feels like this Bulldog team might be destined for a national title. The Dawgs lost Beck to injury in the second half, and turned to backup Gunner Stockton, a Georgia native whose from a town of just 574 people . Incredibly, Beck had to come in for Stockton after the quarterback lost his helmet in overtime against Texas. Beck handed the ball off to Trevor Etienne, sealing an SEC title win. Georgia feels like a team that has everything going its way as the Bulldogs look to win their first time since 2022. No. 3 Boise State Broncos (+6000) The first 12-team playoff means for the first time ever, a Group of Five team gets a bid. No team is more deserving of that honor than the Boise State Broncos. In head coach Spencer Danielson's first full season with the Broncos, Boise State finished 12-1. The lone loss was a 37-34 road loss to No. 1 Oregon. In the first season where the Group of Five gets to be included, Boise stormed its way to a bid and a first-round bye You can't talk about Boise State without mentioning Heisman candidate Ashton Jeanty. He leads the FBS in rushing yards with 2,497 yards — a Boise school record — and 29 touchdowns on the season. He could also come close to breaking Barry Sanders' FBS single-season rushing record of 2,628 yards he set in 1988. The obvious question for Boise State is: Can they hang with the big dogs? Every other team in the 12-team field has a clear talent advantage, especially when looking at the blue-chip player ratio . We'll see if Boise has what it takes to step onto the biggest stage it's been on since the 2007 Fiesta Bowl. No. 4 Arizona State Sun Devils (+4000) Out of all the teams in the 12-team playoff field, the Sun Devils are playing their best football at just the right time. Although ASU was predicted to finish dead last in its first season in the Big 12, the Sun Devils defied the odds. ASU beat a very good Iowa State team convincingly 45-19 in the Big 12 title game to secure a first-round bye. Arizona State peaked late in the season. During the month of November, the Sun Devils didn't lose a single game. Arizona State's last three wins over Kansas State, BYU and Arizona secured their berth in the Big 12 title game. Not to mention the Sun Devils have one of the most dynamic and electric running backs in all of college football in Cam Skateboo. Skateboo — known for his angry runs and fiery speeches — is fifth in the nation in rushing yards, with 1,568 yard and 19 touchdowns on the season. His quarterback, Sam Leavitt, has four straight games with over 200 yards passing, along with 10 touchdowns and just one interception. ASU head coach Kenny Dillingham, who played for the Sun Devils in the early 2010's, led this team from a 3-9 finish last season to a playoff berth in just his second season. If ASU keeps playing like it has late in the season, the Sun Devils can make a deep run. Teams that will host playoff games Let's take a look at the rest of the field, including Texas, Penn State, Notre Dame and Ohio State. No. 5 Texas (+350) Texas impressively made it to an SEC title game during the Longhorns' first season in their new conference. Although Texas ultimately lost twice to Georgia this season, Texas is still very good team. MORE: What is Texas' path to a CFP championship? Texas will hope the nearly two weeks between now and the Longhorns' first-round game against Clemson can give time for quarterback Quinn Ewers to get healthy. He missed two games due to an ankle injury earlier in the season, and hasn't quite looked like himself since then. If he can do that, it will be key for the Longhorns' playoff run. Texas' defense has been playing lights out all year, and ranks third in total defense. No. 6 Penn State (+650) In the years since James Franklin has been at Happy Valley, from 2014-Present, his Penn State teams have been perfect for a 12-team playoff system. Now, the Nittany Lions will host the SMU Mustangs at home. Penn State's only two losses this year came against Ohio State by one score, and the Nittany Lions hung tough against Oregon in the Big Ten title game, losing 45-37. This Penn State team is led by its defense, which ranks sixth in the country. Quarterback Drew Allar is also playing much better this season, having thrown for 2,894 yards with 21 touchdowns and seven interceptions this season. No. 7 Notre Dame (+1000) Although Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman was expected to lead the Irish to the playoff in his first two seasons, he's done a great job in South Bend in 2024. Notre Dame had an embarrassing home loss to Northern Illinois earlier in the season. But since then, ND has won their last 10 straight games, anchored by a Top-10 defense. Fighting Irish quarterback Riley Leonard, who transferred last offseason from Duke, leads this ND offense with 2,813 yards of total offense, along with 23 total touchdowns and five interceptions. In ND's first two playoff appearances in 2021 and 2019, the Irish have lost by a combined score of 61-17. No. 8 Ohio State (+525) The Buckeyes losing in the last week of the regular season 13-10 to rival Michgian appeared to put OSU's playoff hopes in doubt. But Ohio State's 10-2 finish, with losses to Oregon and the Wolverines, was good enough to keep Ohio State in. OSU will be looking for redemption this postseason, as the loss to Michigan marked the fourth-straight loss to the Buckeyes' most hated rival. Not to mention the Buckeyes paid $20 million in NIL for its roster, which consists of transfer-portal stars like quarterback Will Howard, running back Quinshon Judkins and safety Caleb Downs. Ohio State has a 3-4 record in playoff games, and will undoubtedly be looking to improve that. The last four teams in No. 16 Clemson Tigers (12th seed) (+5000) The Tigers got into the playoff by the skin of their teeth in 2024. Despite suffering a third loss to South Carolina during Rivalry Week, a Miami loss to Syracuse sent Clemson to the ACC title game to face SMU. Clemson made the most of it, jumping out to a 24-7 halftime lead and holding off the Mustangs late with a 55-yard field goal to win 34-31 and secure the 12th spot. MORE: A look at Clemson's path to the CFP championship Clemson's offense is much improved with quarterback Cade Klubnik and running back Phil Mafah leading the unit that puts up 35.5 points per game. This is also an important playoff for head coach Dabo Swinney, whose Tigers haven't played in the postseason since 2020. He's eager to prove that he can still consistently make Clemson a championship contender, despite falling short of that goal the last four years. No. 11 SMU Mustangs (+4000) In SMU's very first season in the ACC, the Mustangs were predicted to finish seventh in the conference. Instead, SMU made it to the conference title game in its first season in the ACC. The Mustangs' agreement with the ACC is particularly unique too, as SMU opted to forgo television revenue from the conference in order to play in a power conference. MORE: Nick Saban responds after Alabama misses out on CFP SMU nearly knocking off Clemson on Saturday night in Charlotte was impressive enough for the committee to give the Mustangs a bid. The next step for proving SMU is for real, and can return to its 1980s glory days, is by making a surprise run in the playoff. No. 10 Indiana Hoosiers (+4500) Indiana was the surprise, feel-good story in college football in 2024. The Hoosiers got off to their first-ever 10-win season in school history in head coach Curt Cignetti's first year at Indiana. The Hoosiers' 38-15 loss to Ohio State did cause Indiana's start to lose some of its luster. But Indiana's 11-1 finish, finished off with a statement 66-0 win over in-state rival Purdue, was solid enough for the Hoosiers to earn a bid. Cignetti has built this team with a lot of transfer portal talent, including quarterback Kurtis Rourke, and JMU transfers like receiver Elijah Sarratt and leading tacklers Aiden Fisher and Jalin Walker. Cignetti can prove that his first season at Indiana was no fluke with a strong playoff outing. No. 9 Tennessee Volunteers (+2800) Tennessee has had a great 10-2 season so far, with just two losses on the road to Arkansas and to Georgia earlier in the season. The offense, which averages 37.3 points per game is led by star running back Dylan Sampson. He leads the SEC with 1,485 yards on the ground with 22 touchdowns. Vols quarterback Nico Iamaleava has thrown for 2,512 yards with 19 touchdowns and six interceptions This is a big moment for Tennessee, who will be making their first-ever playoff appearance in school history. Let's see if head coach Josh Heupel and the Vols can rise to the occasion. College Football Playoff schedule 2024 Date Round Matchup Time TV Channel Dec. 20 First Round Indiana at Notre Dame 8:00 p.m. ET ABC/ESPN Dec. 21 First Round SMU at Penn State 12:00 p.m. ET TNT Dec. 21 First Round Clemson at Texas 4:00 p.m. ET TNT Dec. 21 First Round Tennessee at Ohio State 8:00 p.m. ET ABC/ESPN Dec. 31 Quarterfinals TBD vs. Boise State 7:30 p.m. ET ESPN Jan. 1 Quarterfinals TBD vs. Arizona State 1:00 p.m. ET ESPN Jan. 1 Quarterfinals TBD vs. Oregon 5:00 p.m. ET ESPN Jan. 1 Quarterfinals TBD vs. Georgia 8:45 p.m. ET ESPN Jan. 9 Semifinals TBD vs. TBD 7:30 p.m. ET ESPN Jan. 10 Semifinals TBD vs. TBD 7:30 p.m. ET ESPN Jan. 20 National Championship TBD vs. TBD 7:30 p.m. ET ESPN If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Learn more >No. 19 Illinois 75, Md.-Eastern Shore 55

Rohit Sharma came out in support of Harshit Rana after the pacer went wicketless in the IND vs AUS 2nd Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. The India national cricket team suffered a humiliating 10-wicket defeat at the hands of Australia in the pink ball Test match in Adelaide and with that, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 has been levelled 1-1. The 22-year-old pacer, who had an impressive Test debut in Perth, earned praise from the India national cricket team captain despite not having performed how he would have liked to, in Adelaide. Rohit Sharma Reacts on Mohammed Shami’s Potential Inclusion to Team India’s BGT Squad, Says ‘Door Very Much Open’ . While talking to the media after India's defeat to Australia, Rohit Sharma defended the young bowler and reminded everyone how he performed in Perth, where India defeated Australia by 295 runs. " Rana ne kuch galat nahin kiya tha first Test match mein. Unhone jo bhi kiya, kaafi accha kiya. Crucial breakthroughs jab team ko chahiye they unhone dilaaya. Main believe karta hoon ki kisi ne kuch galat nahin kiya hai toh bina kisi reason ke bahar nahin kiya jaa sakta hai aur karna bhi nahin chahiye ," (Harshit Rana did not do anything wrong. He did well in Perth, provided crucial breakthroughs when the team needed. I believe that when someone has not done anything wrong, he should not be left out of the team and it should not be done also.) Rohit Sharma Joins MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli In Unwanted India Test Captaincy Record After Defeat In BGT 2024-25 Pink-Ball Test, Only Behind Mansoor Pataudi and Sachin Tendulkar . googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1560419204258-2'); }); Rohit Sharma: Harshit Rana didn't do anything wrong in the 1st game, so there was no reason to drop him in the 2nd test. 🫡❤️ pic.twitter.com/8nN3ALLTiS — TEJASH 🚩 (@LoyleRohitFan) December 8, 2024 The India national cricket team had a horror show with the bat in Adelaide, being bowled out for 180 and 175 respectively in both innings of the pink ball Test. Travis Head was named Player of the Match for his aggressive 140-run knock that helped Australia obtain a lead by 157 runs. Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins took five-wicket hauls in the match as well. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 09, 2024 12:01 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com ).With summer upon us, cranking up the air conditioning is the most comfortable option, but the electricity bill that goes with it can be shocking. That’s why Australians who have a house, a roof and some money are increasingly getting solar panels. But there is a problem because there is a thing as too much solar. Today, energy reporter Dan Mercer explains that the surge of solar power is risking stability of the power grid and it’s a bit like riding a bike. Featured: Dan Mercer, ABC energy reporter on the . With summer upon us, cranking up the air conditioning is the most comfortable option. But the electricity bill that goes with it can be, well, rude. That's probably why more Australians than ever now have solar panels. But while that sounds pretty good, there is a problem. Because, yes, there is a thing as too much solar. Today, energy reporter Dan Mercer explains why. I'm Sam Hawley on Gadigal land in Sydney. This is ABC News Daily. Dan, it's getting really hot now, of course, because summer is here and we know in Australia there is going to be a heap of sunshine, which is really good news if you have solar panels on your roof. And, oh, my, there are so many people that actually have that now, aren't there? Yeah, it's a remarkable number of people, Sam. By the federal government's estimates, a couple of weeks ago we had our four millionth rooftop solar installation, which is a big number in a country like Australia. And certainly a bunch of them are on small businesses and commercial buildings. But, you know, any way you dice it, there's just no doubt that Australia has an extraordinary amount of solar on rooftops. And when you think that just 20 years ago there were barely any panels anywhere, it's incredible. That's brilliant, isn't it? And it's really providing relief for people on their bills because, of course, if you don't have it, the electricity bill, the power bills, you know, they can come as a pretty big shock most of the time. Yeah, I think in the main that's right. The rule of thumb is that solar will cut your bills these days by about 30 odd per cent. There's probably still a perception, I reckon, in some circles that you can somehow win by selling the surplus solar back to the grid. But the reality is there's now so much solar being generated in the middle of the day across Australia that the output is valued at close to zero by the market. You know, so using the power yourself is really the ticket and it sure beats buying the electricity from the grid. I spoke to one Sydney householder, Kerry Bradbury. I live in Chifley, New South Wales, and I work for the New South Wales Health. She was getting stung by very high bills until recently, like many Australians have been. And it got to the stage where you're actually afraid to open your electricity bill because in those days it came in the mail. She's got three kids. I think they're all adults. And they don't strictly live at home with her, but they are occasional tenants. And also having three transient children, for want of a better word, coming in and out. I've had huge bills when they're here and not-so-huge bills when they're not here, when it's just me. And when they are there, or, you know, certainly until recently, when they were there, she said she was getting bills of up to $2,000 a quarter. So she decided to take matters into her own hands. So she's basically what set herself up to use solar as much as she possibly can. So just tell me what she's got. She shelled out for a system that could basically take care of all her power needs. She installed batteries. She got new solar panels. She bought smart appliances and invested in some tech that could coordinate all of this for her. It's a smaller power provider that runs it all for her. And it wasn't cheap. It cost her about $28,000. Not the sort of money that the average person necessarily would have lying around. But she says she now won't have to pay a power bill for the next seven years. It is quite expensive, but you have to weigh up the cost, A, to the environment, if you can afford it, and how big your actual bills are. If you're getting hammered every time, you've got to look at other solutions. Yeah, that sounds pretty good. But then what happens after the seven years? Because $28,000, as you say, that's a pretty big number. I mean, to a large extent, it'll depend on her circumstances after seven years. But she might not have to pay any bills for a few more years after that. She might, on the other hand, have to replace the batteries because batteries do degrade. That's just a reality with them. But even then, batteries are likely to be much cheaper by then, Sam. That's certainly the forecast. All right. Well, Dan, Kerry, of course, was sick of her massive power bill. So she's done what lots of Australians have done and has tried to take advantage of the sun. And of course, we expect that number to keep growing. But things can get tricky because there is such a thing as too much solar. Yeah. I mean, it becomes a problem when solar supply eclipses demand for power from the grid. And you've got no way of using that excess generation or storing it somewhere. And realistically, we are reaching that point in Australia. At times. It's made worse or it's really kind of characterised by a technical phenomenon known as minimum demand. Now, energy nerds, and that's not the vast majority of Australians. That's you though, Dan, right? Well, you know, perhaps that's an uncharitable interpretation. It's a compliment. It's a compliment. But yeah, I mean, they have been talking and warning about this phenomenon for years. But it basically refers to demand for electricity from the grid. Yeah, that's key. And, you know, therefore it excludes demand for power that is being met behind the meter. So not on the grid. And that's basically a reference to rooftop solar. And, you know, as we've been discussing, the amount of rooftop solar in the system is now at such monumental levels. It's pushing that minimum demand to lower and lower and lower levels. The problem is we still need the grid. We need it to be there when the sun stops shining. And right now the grid is being propped up still by coal and gas-fired power plants to a very significant extent. But of course, solar is increasingly squeezing the sorts of conventional power plants out of the system. And so more and more of them are closing. Yeah, OK, but just explain that a bit further, because that actually sounds like a good thing, because aren't we meant to be reducing our reliance on coal and gas? Yes, but what we're basically seeing at the moment is a mismatch between the system we're trying to build and the one we've already got, the one that we're using right now. I mean, this energy transition is basically a story about rebuilding the entire electricity system from one that runs on fossil fuels to one that runs on renewable energy. And right now the old system is just struggling to cope with those vast amounts of solar power that are flooding onto the grid daily. Now, that's generally true. There is that much solar washing through the grid every day, even through winter a lot of the time, that it's almost invariably depressing wholesale prices in the middle of the day. But it's especially true in certain conditions. Think spring or autumn days when there's plenty of sunshine and output from solar is peaking, but demand for power is fairly subdued because the temperature is mild and people aren't using their air conditioners, which suck up an enormous amount of juice. In these circumstances, the demand for power from the grid, that is, demand for power that is not being met by rooftop solar, it's falling to extraordinarily low levels. OK, so then what happens when that happens? Why does that matter? it's a question of physics, basically. Now, I was no exemplary physics student at school. I bet you were. No, no, I most definitely wasn't. I don't believe you. But, you know, the people who run the system, you know, they understand these things thoroughly. And, you know, running a power system isn't just about generating electricity to meet demand. That's obviously,that's its most obvious purpose. It's also, though, about ensuring that, you know, that electricity is provided at a consistent frequency and at a safe voltage so our appliances work properly and don't get cooked. The system needs this really steady heartbeat to keep everything on an even keel. To do this, the system relies on things like inertia, which is basically the physical property that makes balancing a moving bike much, much easier than balancing a stationary one. And the simple reason for that is, you know, like the moving bicycle, these coal and gas and hydro plants are big pieces of spinning metal. They take a long time to get up and running and they take a long time to slow down once they've got a head of steam. But this helps keep the grid stable. You know, it helps it ride through shocks. And it's always been provided by these conventional power plants basically as a byproduct. So coal and gas power stations provide stability, but renewables don't. Yeah.The reality is that clean energy sources, wind, batteries, but particularly solar, they just don't intrinsically provide those services. They're connected to the grid by these bits of kit known as inverters that basically try to convert the electricity from the solar panels, for example, into a type that can be used in the grid. And they try to follow what's happening on the grid. And because the system, the grid, that is, is almost invariably up and running and ticking along nicely. These solar panels through the inverters can just plug in and follow along. But for the most part, they don't and they can't provide those sorts of system security services. They can't help maintain that heartbeat of the grid. I spoke with Alex Wonhas, who is a former executive at the Australian Energy Market Operator, AEMO. It basically becomes unstable and you have to either increase the load during that time to make it more stable or you have to basically reduce the solar output. So, Dan, let's look then at how we address this, because we want to use as much renewable energy as we can, right? We want to use as much sun as we can. That's right, Sam. Well, we're really only getting into the teeth of the transition now. Alex Wonhas says we're on the cusp of much better integrating all of this intermittent renewable energy. For starters, he says that inverter technology is actually getting much more sophisticated. By some accounts, there are now inverters that can provide a type of synthetic system security. And there's a view that these kinds of inverters will soon just become the norm. And so a lot of these problems might start to fall away. But then, of course, there's just something as simple as batteries. Alex Wonhasreckons batteries will be able to take care of a lot of these problems for us, because they'll be able to store so much of that excess solar power for use later in the day. Batteries can also go even further. They can, with the latest technology, they can actually provide inertia so that it can basically pretend to be a coal or a gas plant and provide that inertia. And they can also provide something which the technical people call system strength. So that's really the ability to keep the electricity waveform really nice and smooth, which is also something that you want in an electricity system. But importantly, there are other solutions that are out there. One of the biggest ones involves us as consumers, actually, Sam. We just have to change the way we use power. Historically, the supply of power has been there to meet demand. But increasingly, there's a view that demand should be much better at meeting supply. In other words, we should use as much of that renewable energy as we can while it's being generated. And for that, you can really read in the middle of the day when solar output is highest. Now, this doesn't mean we shouldn't use power outside of those times, of course. We can build storage to stash as much of that as possible away for later in the day. But storage costs money. You know, we don't try to capture every drop of water that falls out of the sky in dams. It would be cost prohibitive. And the same sort of thinking applies to solar power. So finding clever and equitable ways of shifting demand seems to be the key. All right. And that, of course, brings us back to Kerry, because she's someone who is really doing this well, isn't she? I'm sure she feels that way. And, you know, when I spoke to her, she certainly did feel that way. But, you know, she's got in her house smart tech that can do a lot of this heavy lifting for her. For example, she's got software that can automatically turn off or on appliances or can cycle them up and down, depending on the circumstances, how sunny it is, what time of the day it is, for example. More broadly, it could be as simple as a householder soaking up as much of their solar as they can during the middle of the day, pre-cooling their home in summer, pre-warming it in winter. The promise of this solution in particular, you know, changing how we use energy is really enormous, but it's only if we can get it right. The jury is out at the moment, Sam, on whether we can do that. It's a bit of an open question. Dan Mercer is the ABC's energy reporter based in WA. This episode was produced by Sydney Pead, Kara Jensen-MacKinnon and Anna John. Audio production by Sam Dunn. Our supervising producer is David Coady. I'm Sam Hawley. Thanks for listening.