cross-posted from: https://lemmy.zip/post/49515296

https://archive.is/nElxG

They knew China had raced ahead in sectors like batteries and “everything around energy,” but seeing how big the gap was firsthand left them wondering how European and North American competitors can even survive, Talia Rafaeli, a former investment banker at both Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Barclays Plc who’s now a partner at Kompas VC.

Planet A Ventures, a Berlin-based VC, has decided that investments in Western startups spanning battery manufacturing and recycling, electrolysers, solar and hardware for wind are no longer viable, says Nick de la Forge, general partner and co-founder of the firm. He says before the trip he’d suspected China was way ahead; but after going there, those sectors are now “strictly off the list.”

Yair Reem, a partner at Extantia Capital, says the trip has already led his firm to halt investments in Western battery cell manufacturers. Instead, they’ll look for ways to collaborate with Chinese firms across supply chains. When it comes to battery manufacturing in the West, China’s dominance means it’s now “game over,” according to Reem.

Ashwin Shashindranath, a former Macquarie Group managing director who’s now a partner at Energy Impact Partners, says what he saw on the trip made it “very clear” that Western investors live “in a bubble” in their misconceptions about China.

https://archive.is/nElxG

They knew China had raced ahead in sectors like batteries and “everything around energy,” but seeing how big the gap was firsthand left them wondering how European and North American competitors can even survive, Talia Rafaeli, a former investment banker at both Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Barclays Plc who’s now a partner at Kompas VC.

Planet A Ventures, a Berlin-based VC, has decided that investments in Western startups spanning battery manufacturing and recycling, electrolysers, solar and hardware for wind are no longer viable, says Nick de la Forge, general partner and co-founder of the firm. He says before the trip he’d suspected China was way ahead; but after going there, those sectors are now “strictly off the list.”

Yair Reem, a partner at Extantia Capital, says the trip has already led his firm to halt investments in Western battery cell manufacturers. Instead, they’ll look for ways to collaborate with Chinese firms across supply chains. When it comes to battery manufacturing in the West, China’s dominance means it’s now “game over,” according to Reem.

Ashwin Shashindranath, a former Macquarie Group managing director who’s now a partner at Energy Impact Partners, says what he saw on the trip made it “very clear” that Western investors live “in a bubble” in their misconceptions about China.

If you remember it wrong, its over. (you keep the money you got and that's it)

No notes, digital physical or otherwise. You're only allowed to use your brain.

Starts with 5 words, totally random, then next day it 6 words (the original words from the previous day is kept the same, but adding one new word). Day one prize is $1000, day 2 prize is $2000... (so you have $3000 if you got the first 2 days correct) and so on...

(All currency in USD at current exchange rate)

How much do you think you can get?

I think I max out at like 12 words, then I'd just mess it up.

Tim is eyeing a career change. The 26-year-old has a full-time job with the Department of Veterans Affairs in Salt Lake City, but the pay isn’t enough. He recently spent a lot of money helping his husband, a Peruvian immigrant, settle in the U.S., so he’s looking for a higher salary.

Tim knows that federal agents are responsible for separating families under Donald Trump’s aggressive deportation push. But he thinks that’s a risk immigrants knowingly take living in the U.S. “You want to come here for a better life, but you gotta do it the hard way,” he said before submitting an application to join U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

To understand the motivation of those seeking to join the Trump administration’s violent anti-immigrant campaign, The Intercept spoke to applicants near the parking lot outside. Prospects ran the gamut from college students seeking debt relief to those parroting white nationalist talking points. Many supported the administration’s hard-line approach to immigration, or were convinced that whatever ethical quibbles they might have with current immigration enforcement could be separated from the job itself. Most job-seekers agreed to speak on the condition that only their first name would be published.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.zip/post/49513901

Reuters spoke with five private eyes, who all said their fraudulent sick leave business was booming - so much so that some agencies have ditched traditional gigs like extra-marital affairs to focus solely on employees suspected of skipping work.

It was October 30, 2014, and Sweden was the first country to recognise Palestinian statehood as a current European Union member. (Some eastern European countries, including Poland and Hungary, had already done so in connection with Palestine’s declaration of independence in 1988, but the acknowledgements carried less weight since they were made prior to EU admission.)

The Socialist-led government in Stockholm had hoped that the move – which was widely described as both surprising and bold in European media – would put the Israelis and Palestinians on a more equal footing, and thus help revive the hopes of a two-state solution.

But for the Swedish plan to work, the tiny nation of barely 10 million needed other, more powerful, Western countries to follow suit. No one did.

Israel reacted to Sweden's decision with fury. Tel Aviv immediately recalled its ambassador, and local trade groups threatened with boycotts.

(Former Sweden Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom says), “If the European Union had committed itself back then, and used the political and economic tools it has at its disposal to stop the settlement expansion and encourage a two-state solution, we might not have been where we are today.”

https://archive.ph/2025.09.25-035057/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-09-25/taiwan-suspends-south-africa-chip-export-curbs-after-two-days

https://archive.ph/2025.09.24-234141/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-09-24/hsbc-says-it-s-beaten-wall-street-rivals-with-new-quantum-trial

When you need a few days off.

https://archive.ph/2025.09.25-005201/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-09-24/intel-is-seeking-an-investment-from-apple-as-part-of-its-comeback-bid

• Hacker News.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/36638855

September 24, 2025

“We need to stop the genocide in Gaza. Humanity cannot allow a single day more of this genocide, for the genocidal Netanyahu and his allies in Europe and the United States to continue.”

Colombian President Gustavo Petro has called for Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza to be stopped, urging nations of the world to “bring together weapons and armies to defend Palestine.”

For example, an English person called Bob might introduce themselves as "Bob", whereas an American person called Bob might introduce themselves as "Bahb". (Sorry, don't know the phonetic alphabet but hopefully you get my gist)

Should you pronounce those two people's names the same, with your own natural accent, or should you copy how the person says their own name?

Edit: I specifically picked a generic English name with different pronunciation across different accents. I know my wording wasn't great, sorry! Hopefully the edit is a bit clearer.

• Reddit— Private front-end.

1. @black_mold_futures@hexbear.net

Joshua Jahn's friends speak

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/36637173

Brett Wilkins
Sep 24, 2025

In his stirring final speech to a United Nations General Assembly, Colombian President Gustavo Petro on Tuesday called for an international armed intervention to end Israel’s nearly two-year genocide in Gaza.

“We need a powerful army of the countries that do not accept genocide,” Petro, who is in his last year in office and is limited under Colombian law to a single presidential term, told world leaders gathered in New York. “That is why I invite nations of the world and their peoples more than anything, as an integral part of humanity, to bring together weapons and armies.”

“We must liberate Palestine,” he asserted. “I invite the armies of Asia, the great Slavic people who defeated Hitler with great heroism, and the Latin American armies of Bolívar.”

“We’ve had enough words; it’s time for Bolívar’s sword of liberty or death,” Petro argued, referring to the 19th century Latin American independence hero Simón Bolívar.