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MEXICO CITY — A California couple with Mexican roots went south for the holidays to visit relatives, an annual tradition among many U.S. residents of Mexican ancestry. But tragedy struck: Both were shot dead in Mexico's violence-plagued Michoacán state, Mexican authorities said Friday. The couple fell victim to the violence that has been pummeling Mexico. Police were investigating but had no immediate word on a motive or possible suspects, said Magdalena Guzmán, a spokeswoman for the state prosecutor's office. The two were shot just before midnight Thursday while inside a pickup truck on a road in rural Angamacutiro, a municipality of about 15,000 in northern Michoacán. In the last few months, Angamacutiro has seen its chief of security murdered and an ex-mayor disappeared — crimes indicative of the violence that has convulsed the western state of Michoacán. The victims of Thursday's double homicide were identified as Rafael Cardona Aguilera, 53, and his wife, Gloria Ambriz de Cardona, 50, according to authorities and a mourning notice posted on social media. Cardona was the brother-in-law of the town mayor and the couple were staying at the mayor's residence, the prosecutor's spokeswoman said. Cardona was born in the United States and his wife was a naturalized U.S. citizen, Guzmán said. The couple resided in the Sacramento area and arrived in Mexico at the end of November to spend the holidays with relatives, Guzmán said. The wife died at the scene and her spouse succumbed shortly afterward at a hospital, the prosecutor's office said. For decades, Michoacán, a sprawling region to the west of Mexico City, has been a major source of immigrants settling in California and elsewhere in the United States. Many immigrants traditionally return for the end-of-year holidays to visit loved ones and hometowns throughout Mexico. In recent years, Michoacán has seen a wave of violence linked to gangs competing for various lucrative rackets, including drug-smuggling, extortion and illegal timber-harvesting. The state, authorities say, is also a key transit route for precursor chemicals used in the production of U.S.-bound fentanyl, the synthetic opioid, and shipped from China to the Pacific port of Lázaro Cárdenas, on the Michoacán coast. Angamacutiro has seen several recent high-profile crimes. In October, Lizbeth Estela Romero, the head of security in Angamacutiro, was shot dead outside her home. The town's ex-mayor, Maribel Juárez Blanquet, disappeared in August and was presumably kidnapped, authorities say. She remains missing. The ex-mayor's brother, Erik Juárez Blanquet, a state lawmaker and also a former mayor of Angamacutiro, was shot dead in 2020 when a pair of assassins on a motorcycle opened fire on his vehicle in the state capital of Morelia. In a statement, the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City said it was "aware" of the shooting of the U.S. couple and was "closely" tracking developments. "The safety of U.S. citizens abroad is our first priority and we stand ready to assist in any way possible," the embassy said, declining to provide further details. (Los Angeles Times special correspondent Cecilia Sanchez Vidal contributed to this report.) ©2024 Los Angeles Times. Visit latimes.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Chris Mubiru leads Northwestern State over North Alabama 71-58
No. 5 UCLA snaps No. 1 South Carolina's 43-game win streakA 7-year-old rivalry between tech leaders Elon Musk and Sam Altman over who should run OpenAI and prevent an artificial intelligence “dictatorship” is now heading to a federal judge as Musk seeks to halt the ChatGPT maker’s ongoing shift into a for-profit company. Musk, an early OpenAI investor and board member, sued the artificial intelligence company earlier this year alleging it had betrayed its founding aims as a nonprofit research lab benefiting the public good rather than pursuing profits. Musk has since escalated the dispute, adding new claims and asking for a court order that would stop OpenAI’s plans to convert itself into a for-profit business more fully. The world’s richest man, whose companies include Tesla, SpaceX and social media platform X, last year started his own rival AI company, xAI. Musk says it faces unfair competition from OpenAI and its close business partner Microsoft, which has supplied the huge computing resources needed to build AI systems such as ChatGPT. “OpenAI and Microsoft together exploiting Musk’s donations so they can build a for-profit monopoly, one now specifically targeting xAI, is just too much,” says Musk’s filing that alleges the companies are violating the terms of Musk’s foundational contributions to the charity. OpenAI is filing a response Friday opposing Musk’s requested order, saying it would cripple OpenAI’s business and mission to the advantage of Musk and his own AI company. A hearing is set for January before U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in Oakland. At the heart of the dispute is a 2017 internal power struggle at the fledgling startup that led to Altman becoming OpenAI’s CEO. Musk also sought to be CEO and in an email outlined a plan where he would “unequivocally have initial control of the company” but said that would be temporary. He grew frustrated after two other OpenAI co-founders said he would hold too much power as a major shareholder and chief executive if the startup succeeded in its goal to achieve better-than-human AI known as artificial general intelligence, or AGI. Musk has long voiced concerns about how advanced forms of AI could threaten humanity. “The current structure provides you with a path where you end up with unilateral absolute control over the AGI,” said a 2017 email to Musk from co-founders Ilya Sutskever and Greg Brockman. “You stated that you don’t want to control the final AGI, but during this negotiation, you’ve shown to us that absolute control is extremely important to you.” In the same email, titled “Honest Thoughts,” Sutskever and Brockman also voiced concerns about Altman’s desire to be CEO and whether he was motivated by “political goals.” Altman eventually succeeded in becoming CEO, and has remained so except for a period last year when he was fired and then reinstated days later after the board that ousted him was replaced. OpenAI published the messages Friday in a blog post meant to show its side of the story, particularly Musk’s early support for the idea of making OpenAI a for-profit business so it could raise money for the hardware and computer power that AI needs. It was Musk, through his wealth manager Jared Birchall, who first registered “Open Artificial Technologies Technologies, Inc.”, a public benefit corporation, in September 2017. Then came the “Honest Thoughts” email that Musk described as the “final straw.” “Either go do something on your own or continue with OpenAI as a nonprofit,” Musk wrote back. OpenAI said Musk later proposed merging the startup into Tesla before resigning as the co-chair of OpenAI’s board in early 2018. Musk didn’t immediately respond to emailed requests for comment sent to his companies Friday. Asked about his frayed relationship with Musk at a New York Times conference last week, Altman said he felt “tremendously sad” but also characterized Musk’s legal fight as one about business competition. “He’s a competitor and we’re doing well,” Altman said. He also said at the conference that he is “not that worried” about the Tesla CEO’s influence with President-elect Donald Trump. OpenAI said Friday that Altman plans to make a $1 million personal donation to Trump’s inauguration fund, joining a number of tech companies and executives who are working to improve their relationships with the incoming administration.
National chief urges MPs to send water bill to Senate before holiday break
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New Hampshire boy delivers stockings stuffed with donations to veteransFor travelers, Puerto Rico is a floating island of desirability
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NEW YORK — President- elect Donald Trump wants to turn the lights out on daylight saving time . In a post on his social media site Friday, Trump said his party would try to end the practice when he returns to office. “The Republican Party will use its best efforts to eliminate Daylight Saving Time, which has a small but strong constituency, but shouldn’t! Daylight Saving Time is inconvenient, and very costly to our Nation,” he wrote. Setting clocks forward one hour in the spring and back an hour in the fall is intended to maximize daylight during summer months, but has long been subject to scrutiny. Daylight saving time was first adopted as a wartime measure in 1942. Lawmakers have occasionally proposed getting rid of the time change altogether. The most prominent recent attempt, a now-stalled bipartisan bill named the Sunshine Protection Act , had proposed making daylight saving time permanent. The measure was sponsored by Florida Sen. Marco Rubio , whom Trump has tapped to helm the State Department. “Changing the clock twice a year is outdated and unnecessary,” Republican Sen. Rick Scott of Florida said as the Senate voted in favor of the measure. Health experts have said that lawmakers have it backward and that standard time should be made permanent. Some health groups , including the American Medical Association and American Academy of Sleep Medicine, have said that it’s time to do away with time switches and that sticking with standard time aligns better with the sun — and human biology. Most countries do not observe daylight saving time. For those that do, the date that clocks are changed varies, creating a complicated tapestry of changing time differences. Arizona and Hawaii don't change their clocks at all.Published 4:19 pm Friday, December 13, 2024 By Data Skrive The Gonzaga Bulldogs versus the UConn Huskies is one of many strong options on Saturday in college basketball play — suggested picks against the spread for 10 games are available below. Watch men’s college basketball, other live sports and more on Fubo. What is Fubo? Fubo is a streaming service that gives you access to your favorite live sports and shows on demand. Use our link to sign up. Bet on this or any men’s college basketball matchup at BetMGM. Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER .
Zenless Zone Zero update 1.4 launches December 18, as developer HoYoverse announced in a reveal stream earlier today. The patch is headlined by new S-tier Agents Miyabi and Harumasa, with the latter being free to all players, as well as more sweeping changes to the prevalence of the divisive TV mode puzzle-lite minigame. Miyabi is a Frost Anomaly Agent who wields a katana, while Harumasa is an Electric Agent who has both a bow and a blade. To obtain Harumasa for free, you'll just need to reach Inter-Knot level eight after update 1.4 launches. Beyond a free S-tier Agent, version 1.4 has been billed as a thoroughly above-average update, with main story stages redesigned up to chapter three, exploration mode adding the option to roam around as or with their Agents, and combat making a fundamental change by making ultimate-powering Decibels unique to each character instead of shared across the team. In an interview with GamesRadar+ , three developers from the Zenless Zone Zero team discussed the challenge of balancing TV mode with player tastes. The intermission-type game mode has elicited split opinions since launch, and while TV mode isn't disappearing entirely, with this story overhaul the folks who'd rather get on with the rest of the game have largely gotten their wish. "From the early stages of development, we envisioned Zenless Zone Zero as a game designed for long-term operation. Like any living entity, the game will grow and evolve with the support of its players," producer Zhenyu Li, Game Designer X, and Game Designer Y said in a joint response. "The TV mode has been one of the most frequently discussed features based on player feedback, which is why it has undergone significant changes from Version 1.0 to the current Version 1.4. For us, player feedback is a crucial driving force behind the game's long-term growth. We are neither surprised by nor dismissive of any feedback. Instead, we sincerely appreciate all feedback and are always eager to listen to what every player has to say." Update 1.4 is coming to PS5, PC, mobile, and PS5 Pro, with the premium version of the console additionally folding in "enhanced performance and ray-tracing technology for an upgraded visual experience." These games like Genshin Impact are perfect for anyone looking for something new to jump into.No. 5 UCLA snaps No. 1 South Carolina's 43-game win streakDRESSED as sunflowers in yellow petals and green tutus, the six Dutchmen had been boozing since 5.30am in preparation for their Ally Pally initiation. Now, 3,500 bladdered darts fans — also in fancy dress — were bellowing at them: “Have you seen a flower down a pint?” 8 ROARSOME . . . Dean Knight, of Alton, Hants, and family dress as Joe Exotic and big cats from Tiger King Credit: Louis Wood 8 WOWABUNGA . . . sisters Lisa and Kairen Sotheron as Ninja Turtles Credit: Louis Wood 8 Darts prodigy Luke Littler became an overnight sensation last year - exploding the sport's popularity Credit: Getty Bottoms up went the beers, with Rotterdam corn trader Willem Alderliesten, 29, telling me: “It’s crazy here. We love it!” Amid the dark, gloomy days of winter a shining star has reappeared in the sporting firmament — the World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace. Long a hallowed British institution, darts was propelled into a different league last Christmas with the emergence of a bona fide superstar, Runcorn teenager Luke Littler . Now a bucket-list event, all 90,000 tickets for this year’s tournament sold out within 15 minutes in July. READ MORE ON DARTS CAUTIONARY TAYL Luke Littler, 17, warned about 'Man Utd syndrome' by darts idol Phil Taylor Even Prince Harry has been to the arrows — although that was back in 2014 when he was fun. Ed Sheeran (the real one, not a fancy dress stooge) came the week before Christmas, downing a pint when the crowd demanded it. The Tractor Boys fan was also serenaded with a raucous: “Ipswich get battered everywhere they go.” Organisers the Professional Darts Corporation tweeted: “Multi-platinum award-winning artist Ed Sheeran in the house — and he’s watching a window clean- er take on a caravan salesman. You can’t beat the darts.” Most read in Darts RETAIL PAIN Scots retailer warns it's 'running out of cash' putting 1500 jobs at risk 'DISGUSTING' Festive fly-tippers slammed for dumping mountains of rubbish at Scots Asda KEEP CAM Celtic hero Cameron Carter-Vickers 'emerges as shock target for European giants' FOOTIE SHOCK Footage emerges of Hibs star in vow about 'Jambo b*******' before derby win So, dressed as a Christmas tree, clutching a 180 scorecard and giant foam hand, I trekked to Ally Pally to see if they’re right. Frothy lager Emerging from Wood Green Tube station at 11am, I joined the sloshed and surreal comet’s tail of humanity on the mile-long climb to the Palace. Ed Sheeran downs drink and gives Ally Pally crowd the middle finger after Ipswich taunt at PDC World Darts Championship Lord Nelson, Donald Trump, the Toy Story cast, hordes of Mario Brothers, two Harry Potters and some Santas wove unsteadily through the genteel North London streets. With 90 minutes still to go before the darts afternoon session began, most seemed to have indulged in a morning session of their own. Opened as the “Palace of the People” in 1873, Ally Pally was once home to the BBC and hosted 1967’s 14 Hour Technicolor Dream, headlined by Pink Floyd. The LSD-soaked hippies watching must have thought they had witnessed the most far-out scenes ever seen on this North London hill. But that was before the darts. Entering the Palace’s Great Hall, I was greeted by a cacophonous Technicolor dream of my own. Thousands in the most ludicrous fancy dress and brandishing pitchers of frothy lager were belting out: “Stand up if you love the darts.” Everybody does. And then we all sing it again every few minutes throughout the session. It’s as if 500 stag and hen dos converged at a giant pub with quality darts a few feet away. 8 STATES MATES . . . Steve O’Donovan in Trump mask with pals Credit: Louis Wood The occasion is a potent mix of that most endearing of British traits — not taking ourselves too seriously — and our propensity for a roistering alcohol binge. Organisers expect as many as 250,000 pints to be sunk over the course of the 16-day tournament, which finishes on January 3. I’ve come as Captain Kirk for my 60th. What better way to celebrate your birthday? Retired City trader Rob Elston It’s now a firmly entrenched part of the festive calendar, and I met many family groups celebrating there. Retired City trader Rob Elston, from Orpington, Kent, and his children Richard, 31, Georgia , 28, Rianna, 23, and Sasha, 19, were all decked out in Star Trek costumes. Millwall fan Rob said: “I’ve come as Captain Kirk for my 60th. What better way to celebrate your birthday?” Inside the hall, there was a distinct fans’ hierarchy. Those people in the cheaper stands (around £55 a seat) continuously bantered with others who had managed to snaffle table seats (about £65 each). “Boring, boring tables,” was countered with “Feed the stands, let them know it’s Christmas, too” to the tune of Band Aid. Then there was the VIP seating area where, bizarrely, fancy dress is banned. Hospitality packages there begin at just under £400 a head. Two Michelin-starred chefs have conceived three-course meals and you can sip Taittinger champagne while listening to the banter in the cheap seats. 8 TO THE OCHE AND BEYOND . . . Sophie Billing, from Kent, as Bo Peep with a gang of Toy Story favourites Credit: Louis Wood When I visited, the only person ejected for misbehaviour was from the VIP seating. A security guard told me: “He was having a row with another table, then had a pop at our guys and got himself removed. What a waste of £400.” The table and stands — for once with one voice — serenaded the miscreant with chants of “W****r! W****r! W****r!” Then the hall echoed with another perennial darts singalong about the two footballing Toure brothers from the Ivory Coast, who played for Manchester City together. No one I spoke to at Ally Pally seemed to know why this footballing ditty has become part of the darts experience. In the bar area, sisters Lisa and Kairen Sotheron, from Colchester , Essex, gave me a rendition. In their Ninja Turtle outfits, they first chanted Yaya Toure’s name with their hands in the air, then as his brother Kolo’s name got an airing, their hands reached for the floor. Nurse Lisa, 44, told me: “I just love the atmosphere and the buzz. I’ve got a jug of beer and Kairen’s got a jug of vodka. And I actually like watching the darts.” Oh, yes, the darts. Sometimes it does feel like a giant beano with a sports event attached, rather than the other way round. I just love the atmosphere and the buzz Nurse Lisa I was once lucky enough to interview the late commentator Sid Waddell — a bard of darts, who did much to increase its popularity. He told me Ally Pally is “a cross between the Munich Beer Festival and Rome’s Colosseum when the Christians were on the menu. The crowd here are rock ’n’ roll. They are more important to the whole experience than any other sport. “Darts players need to be extroverts and big-headed. It’s a very aggressive and flashy sport.” Each match begins with a boxing-style walk-on, with players glad-handing their devoted fans. 8 BULLSEYE . . . fans hit the mark dressed as dartboards Credit: Louis Wood A good walk-on tune with some exuberant fist bumps and perhaps some provocative bottom-wiggling can win over the Pally. Nathan Aspinall’s walk-on to The Killers’ Mr Brightside is a sure-fire singalong, as is Joe Cullen’s Don’t Look Back In Anger by Oasis. With his long locks flowing, Ryan “Heavy Metal” Searle’s entrance to Black Sabbath’s Paranoid normally unleashes a few air guitarists in the crowd. Once on stage, the players are greeted by an incredible wall of noise, even when on the oche. There’s no Wimbledon-style “Quiet, please”. Each throw can be punctuated by roars and boos, the Toure song and banter between stands and tables. The best players seem to enter a Zen-like state, poker-faced. Then the crowd’s screams disappear, replaced by the regular thud of an arrow hitting the treble 20. Yet even the best pros can get the jitters. On his opening match at the Pally this year, Luke Littler admitted: “In the hours before the game, I was perfectly fine — then it was game on, and the bottom’s gone. It fell out. I didn’t know what to do with myself.” The players’ powers of arithmetic — charting routes to the favoured double 16 in nanoseconds — are astonishing and seemingly innate. Roars and boos Darts has come a long way since the first world championship in 1978 was televised on the BBC. Players sank pints and smoked on the oche, reflecting the sport’s birth in pubs and working men’s clubs. Killjoy governing body the British Darts Organisation banned booze in 1989, and the game drifted towards oblivion. Then, when top players engineered a breakaway from the BDO in 1992, the Professional Darts Corporation was born, with wily boxing and snooker promoter Barry Hearn eventually becoming chair. He ramped up the razzmatazz and in 2007 moved the championship, initially held at the Circus Tavern near the Dartford flyover in Kent, to the Ally Pally. 8 BEAM ME UP . . . Captain Kirk Rob Elston and gang in Star Trek outfits Credit: Louis Wood So why is darts now more popular than ever? Dressed as a banana, Tom Arnold, 50, from West Malling, Kent, who works in sales, said: “It’s the Luke Littler effect — he’s given the whole thing a new lease of life and made it accessible to a new generation.” Littler, 17 — pipped by Luke Humphries in the final last year — is the reason thousands of kids unwrapped pristine dartboards on Christmas morning. It’s the Luke Littler effect — he’s given the whole thing a new lease of life and made it accessible to a new generation Tom Arnold Only the Princess of Wales and Donald Trump had more Google searches in the UK in 2024. Littler is the spearhead of a sport going global. This year’s world championship began with dart players from 28 nations, including India, Japan, the Bahamas, South Africa and the Philippines. England had the most representatives with 26, followed by the Netherlands with 16. And Ally Pally is now a regular pilgrimage for darts fans from Germany, Belgium and Netherlands . Dressed in a blazer in the colours of the Dutch flag, Tom Beumer, 36, from Arnhem, told me: “We love the party, the beer and the fancy dress. The British create a crazy atmosphere but the Dutch are crazy, too.” There is even talk that the Saudis are interested in snaffling this most drunken of occasions. PDC supremo Barry Hearn said recently: “The Saudis asked me for darts and I asked them a simple question — ‘Can we have alcohol?’. Read more on the Scottish Sun SNOW WAY Weather maps show heavy snow for Scotland in DAYS – with -2C New Year’s chill NO CRIME Orange Order slam cops after Celtic activist was cleared over 'sectarian rants' “And they said no. I said, ‘Well then you can’t have the darts’.” This festive cocktail of elite sport and British silliness is safe for now. 8 PETAL POWER . . . Willem Alderliesten and his friends as sunflowers Credit: Louis WoodFor travelers, Puerto Rico is a floating island of desirability
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California couple killed in Mexican town plagued by violence were visiting for the holidaysWASHINGTON — The Supreme Court voted Friday to hear a potentially far-reaching claim of religious freedom and decide whether church-sponsored charities, programs and businesses may refuse to pay state unemployment taxes for their employees. All states exempt churches and church programs from the taxes if they "operate primarily for religious purposes." But they usually require affiliated schools, colleges, hospitals and other businesses to pay unemployment taxes if they are open to all and do not offer worship services or religious training. In a case from Wisconsin, the justices will reconsider that approach and decide whether instead to require the states to defer to religious authorities. The appeal that will be heard argues the government may not "second-guess the religious decisions" of church authorities who seek an exemption. The dispute began with Black River Industries, Barron County Developmental Services and two other small nonprofit corporations that are funded by state or federal grants to provide services for people with developmental disabilities. They are now controlled by Catholic Charities that sued to seek an exemption from the unemployment taxes. Their lawyers argued those charitable programs are motivated by "sincerely held religious beliefs and to carry out the religious mission" of the church. Therefore, they said, it violates the Constitution to require Catholic Charities to pay unemployment taxes, noting the church has its own program of unemployment coverage. The Wisconsin Supreme Court disagreed in a 4-3 ruling and upheld the state taxes. It said the four programs were "charitable" and "educational," but not primarily religious. Lawyers for Becket Fund for Religious Liberty appealed and urged the court to overturn the Wisconsin ruling. The case comes before a high court that has repeatedly ruled in favor of religious claims over the last decade. In one line of cases, the justices said churches and religious claimants are entitled to equal state benefits, including grants to pay for playgrounds at a church school or tuition grants for parents to send children to religious schools. In another line of cases, they ruled religious organizations are freed from government regulation of their employees. Four years ago, for example, they ruled that two Catholic school teachers in Los Angeles who were fired could not sue alleging they were victims of discrimination. A year later, the court ruled that as a matter of religious freedom, Catholic Social Services had a right to participate in a city-sponsored foster care program in Philadelphia and receive payments for doing so, even though it refused to work with same-sex couples as required by the city. The court also ruled that private businesses such as the Hobby Lobby stores and church-sponsored entities had a religious liberty right to refuse to provide contraceptive coverage for their employees as required by federal law. In the Wisconsin case, a group of religious liberty scholars urged the court to rule the government must "defer" to church authorities in matters involving their organizations. "This case involves severe governmental interference with religious liberty that strikes at the heart of the 1st Amendment's most basic guarantees," they wrote in a friend-of-the-court brief . They said "courts must defer to how the religious group defines its message." The Catholic Conference of Illinois was among the church groups that urged the court to hear the case. Its brief noted that its bishops speak for 949 parishes, 46 Catholic hospitals, 21 health care centers, 11 colleges and universities, 424 schools and 527 Catholic cemeteries. The court is likely to schedule arguments in the Wisconsin case in March or April and issue a ruling by the end of June. "Wisconsin is trying to make sure no good deed goes unpunished," said Eric Rassbach, vice president and senior counsel at Becket. "Penalizing Catholic Charities for serving Catholics and non-Catholics alike is ridiculous and wrong. We are confident the Supreme Court will reject the Wisconsin Supreme Court's absurd ruling." ©2024 Los Angeles Times. Visit latimes.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, known for his calm and unassuming nature, left an enduring legacy not only in the political landscape of India but also in Assam, where he developed a deep connection with the people and the region. Though he hailed from Punjab, Assam became the backdrop for a significant chapter of his life as a Rajya Sabha member. His unique relationship with Assam was highlighted by his dedication to the state, the significant works he carried out there, and his residence in a modest 2 BHK apartment in Guwahati, rented from the family of former Chief Minister Hiteswar Saikia, which became Singh’s home for over two decades. His journey began when then-Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao appointed him as finance minister and nominated him to the Rajya Sabha from Assam, a Congress-ruled state at the time. Singh’s time in Assam was marked by his simple lifestyle and strong connections to the state. Though he was not liked in Assam at first, Singh’s connection to Assam deepened when the Saikia family offered him a place to stay, a simple apartment that became Singh's home for nearly 30 years. Singh’s tenure as a Rajya Sabha member from Assam was marked by his involvement in key state projects. As prime minister, he also approved the long-awaited process of updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam, addressing a long-standing issue that had its roots in the Assam Accord of the 1980s. Beyond his work on the NRC, he played a significant role in the development of Assam's infrastructure and economy. Notably, the Brahmaputra River Bridge project, aimed at improving connectivity between the regions, was advanced during his tenure. Singh also championed the Northeast Gas Grid Project, designed to provide natural gas across the region, and the Northeast Industrial Investment Promotion Policy (NEIIPP), which sought to incentivise industrial growth in the northeastern states. Moreover, substantial investments were made in education and healthcare in Assam during his tenure, including the establishment of institutions like the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati and the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in the region. Amidst his position as Prime Minister, Singh remained deeply humble and loyal to Assam. Ms Saikia fondly remembered Singh's integrity, especially in matters like paying his rent. “He always paid on time, even sending a check with a letter when we forgot to cash his rent payment,” she noted. After his tenure ended, the apartment he had rented for a modest Rs. 700 was never rented out again after he left. It now remains locked as a tribute to the former prime minister’s connection to Assam. Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from India and around the world.
In our latest episode , we sit down with Teague Egan , CEO of EnergyX , about the future of lithium and its role in powering the global energy transition. Join us as we discover how EnergyX is reshaping sustainable energy solutions and revolutionizing the electric vehicle industry with its innovative direct lithium extraction technology. Also, check out our educational platform, IE Academy . Why is lithium so important? “Lithium’s physical properties make it one of the best materials for storing energy,” Teague explained to IE. As the third element on the periodic table, lithium is both lightweight and highly energy-dense. He explained that this combination makes it ideal for applications where portability is crucial. Especially for applications like EVs and smartphones. Egan elaborated on lithium’s unique role in batteries, highlighting its importance for mobility applications. “If you just have a battery sitting on the ground, weight doesn’t matter. But energy density is critical if you have to move it in a car or a plane,” he said. This energy density is why lithium has become the backbone of modern rechargeable batteries. Before lithium-ion batteries rose to prominence, lithium had limited applications. “The total global market for lithium was in the low hundreds of thousands of tons,” Egan explained. “It was mostly used in pharmaceuticals, glass, and greases.” However, lithium became indispensable as EVs gained traction and climate change initiatives spurred decarbonization. “Lithium quickly became essential with electric vehicles and the need to store energy without emitting carbon,” he added. What is EnergyX’s direct lithium extraction? Traditional lithium extraction processes like evaporation ponds are slow, inefficient, and environmentally damaging. “The old process takes 18 months and only recovers 30–40% of the lithium,” Egan pointed out. One major problem with this technique, is that it requires vast amounts of land and water, thereby making them unsustainable as demand surges. EnergyX developed Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) technology to address these challenges, dramatically improving efficiency and sustainability. “With DLE, instead of 18 months, we can process lithium in one to two days,” Egan explained. The method also boasts recovery rates of over 90% while using only 1/100th of the land footprint compared to traditional evaporation ponds. Egan also emphasized the environmental benefits of this approach. “In a DLE scenario, you extract the lithium and re-inject the water back into the subsurface, preserving the water table and minimizing disruption to local ecosystems.,” he told us. This innovation is crucial for ensuring lithium production meets rising global demand without causing irreversible ecological damage. Lithium is here for the long run Despite ongoing research into alternative battery materials, Egan is confident in lithium’s long-term dominance. “There’s a 99.99% probability that lithium remains the material of choice for rechargeable batteries,” he said. He credited lithium’s superior physical properties and decades of development for its entrenched position in the energy industry. He also pointed out that even emerging technologies like solid-state batteries are lithium-based. “Solid-state batteries eliminate the liquid electrolyte, increasing energy density and safety,” he explained. “But they still rely on lithium for the anode and cathode materials,” he added. Egan argued that even if a superior technology were invented today, lithium’s head start would make it hard to displace. “The lithium-ion battery was invented in 1982 by Dr. John Goodenough. Forty-two years later, it’s just picking up steam. Even if something better were invented, commercializing would take decades,” Egan said. Lithium: the driving force behind EVs The rapid adoption of EVs has been a key driver of lithium demand. Egan highlighted how countries like Norway and China are leading the charge. “In Norway, over 95% of new cars are electric. In China, over 50% of new vehicles are EVs,” he said. This momentum signals a global shift toward electrification, with lithium at the core. Egan underscored the environmental benefits of EVs compared to traditional internal combustion engine vehicles. “The average gasoline car emits four metric tons of CO2 annually,” he noted. “Even if you charge your EV with power from fossil fuels, it emits significantly less CO2. And if you use renewable energy, the emissions are zero,” he added. The future of lithium batteries Beyond EVs, lithium batteries are poised to revolutionize other sectors, including grid-scale energy storage and aviation. Egan discussed their potential in powering electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. “We’re starting to see companies like Lilium and Jetson working on air taxis,” he said. “While battery energy density isn’t yet on par with gasoline, advances like solid-state batteries could make these applications viable,” he added. Egan also highlighted the growing interest in humanoid robots as a future application. “Elon Musk talks about a billion humanoids in the next decade. These robots would use battery packs similar to EVs but on a smaller scale. If there are a billion of them, that’s a massive market for batteries,” Egan explained. Recycling will be important too As the demand for lithium grows, recycling old batteries will become increasingly critical. “Recycling is essential to ensure the supply chain remains sustainable,” Egan said. He outlined two key considerations: “First, can we recover raw materials competitively? And second, is the recycling process environmentally friendly?” he added. Recycling could mitigate concerns about resource depletion. “Theoretically, lithium deposits in brine and volcanic rock formations could be replenishing,” Egan noted. “But recycling ensures we maximize the material we already have,” he added. The road ahead is not easy Egan acknowledged that the lithium industry faces geopolitical supply chain constraints and environmental concerns. However, he remains optimistic about the future. “The ESG mindset is critical,” he emphasized. “We need to remember why we’re doing this: to transition to a cleaner, more sustainable energy economy,” he added. He also highlighted the role of nuclear energy in complementing lithium-based storage systems. “Nuclear is the holy grail. It’s carbon-free and could provide the power to charge batteries globally,” Egan explained. Lithium: fueling the future “Everything is moving toward electric, and all those applications need batteries,” he said. Lithium is at the heart of the clean energy revolution, from EVs to grid storage, humanoid robots to eVTOLs. His optimism is grounded in EnergyX’s mission to innovate and scale sustainable lithium production. “We unequivocally know lithium is better. We aim to source it as sustainably as possible and help drive the energy transition forward,” he explained. Teague Egan’s insights underscore lithium’s critical role in enabling a cleaner, more sustainable future. By revolutionizing its production and exploring new applications, EnergyX is helping secure the foundation for a global energy transition that prioritizes innovation and environmental stewardship.None