RMIT

Members of Congress are pushing legislation to accelerate the permitting process for energy projects, frustrated by lengthy federal review delays that have stalled infrastructure for years. The effort targets the approval timelines for pipelines, transmission lines, power plants and other energy facilities. Lawmakers from both parties have long criticized permitting backlogs, and the push is expected to reignite debate over balancing faster approvals against environmental review protections.

A striking fog bank has been photographed hanging over the ocean offshore, shared as part of the weekly #MeerMittwoch (Sea Wednesday) tradition, in which ocean lovers post sea-themed pictures every Wednesday. The image shows a thick wall of fog sitting over the water, drawing appreciative reactions from coastal and ocean enthusiasts.

Under the EU's MiCA framework and the DAC8 directive, crypto exchanges in the European Union will transmit users' transaction data directly to tax authorities from 2026. Commenters warn that crypto investors can no longer count on anonymity and that complete documentation of trades and holdings will be essential to avoid problems with the tax office.

A US aquaculture startup focused on farming red drum, a popular game and food fish, has approached the final hurdle in its permitting process. The company's progress marks a potential step forward for commercial red drum farming in American waters, though details on the company, location and timeline of the decision were not immediately available.

Attention is turning to the risks facing the US permitting bill, with Axios outlining scenarios under which the legislation could fall apart. The report suggests internal divisions and procedural hurdles threaten the bill's passage. Commentators are debating whether lawmakers can hold together a coalition on permitting reform.

Congress is expected to make changes to US energy permitting rules a top legislative priority after the election. The effort would aim to speed approvals for energy infrastructure, a goal that has drawn support from both industry and some lawmakers across party lines, though details of any compromise remain to be seen.

A quotation warning that if discrimination, prejudice or hate are allowed to rob anyone of their democratic rights, everyone's freedom and democracy as a whole are threatened is circulating widely in online political discussion. It is being shared in conversations about fascism and US politics, with readers using it to argue that attacks on any group's rights endanger all citizens.

Version 1.1.4 of P5 Manager is out, a tool that lets users manage a jailbroken PS4 or PS5 from a web browser. It can send payloads, browse files, manage the game library, and use Remote Play from a PC or mobile device. The update is being shared among homebrew enthusiasts on Spanish-language forums and social media.

Texas regulators have paused new permits for large data centers as requests to connect to the state grid have surged to around 474 gigawatts, driven largely by facilities powering artificial intelligence and cloud computing. The move reflects growing concern in ERCOT territory that projected demand far exceeds what the power system can reliably supply, prompting officials to slow approvals while they reassess planning, transmission needs and how heavy users share grid costs.

The Quincy City Council has voted to create a special use permit for solar projects and to accept a resolution from the city's Human Rights Commission. The dual decision, reported by multiple local news outlets, pairs new rules governing where solar installations can operate with an endorsement of the commission's stated position. The details of the resolution were not immediately disclosed, but both measures mark new policy directions for the council.

South West Water has been granted a drought permit as part of efforts to secure water supplies in the region, the BBC reports. Drought permits allow water companies to take extra water from rivers and reservoirs during dry spells, easing restrictions on how much can be abstracted. The move comes amid ongoing pressure on supplies.

A North Dakota judge has upheld the permit for the state's largest dairy operation, resolving a legal challenge to the facility's approval. The ruling clears the way for the dairy to continue operating under its existing permit. Details on the parties who challenged the permit and the judge's reasoning were not immediately available, but the decision is notable given the scale of the operation for the state's small dairy industry.

Texas is pausing new data center permits as electricity demand from AI-driven facilities pushes the state power grid toward overload. The move reflects growing concern that rapid data center expansion is outpacing generation capacity, and it puts Texas at the center of a wider national debate over how to balance AI growth with grid reliability.

The European Union has auctioned 2.792 million spot carbon permits at a clearing price of 85.07 euros per tonne. The sale is part of the EU Emissions Trading System, under which companies buy allowances to cover their carbon output. The auction price reflects ongoing demand for permits as the bloc tightens climate policy and industries weigh rising compliance costs.

The US Chamber of Commerce is pressing Congress to pass federal permitting reform, arguing that communities across the country are left waiting for infrastructure and energy projects delayed by slow approvals. The business group says streamlining reviews would unlock investment and construction, and it is calling on lawmakers to make permitting legislation a priority.

Aon has published an analysis of a ransomware attack attributed to the Termite group, which exploited CVE-2024-50623, a vulnerability in Cleo file-transfer software. The flaw allowed attackers to gain unauthorised access to systems before deploying ransomware. Security teams are being urged to patch Cleo installations and review exposure to the vulnerability.

A draft permit issued through Virginia's RIC process would require quarterly monitoring for PFAS, the so-called forever chemicals, according to the Henrico Citizen's environmental coverage. The proposal is drawing attention in Henrico County as regulators and residents weigh how dischargers should track and report these persistent contaminants in local waterways.

The fourth chapter of the Spanish-language serialized story 'El Cuerno del Toro (Retake)' is out, continuing Emilio's arc. In the new instalment, Emilio, nicknamed 'Lágrima', is sent on an urgent mission involving two red boxes of explosives while wishing for death, but Mérida will not allow it. Readers are following the chapter's mix of bloodshed, fistfights and a whispered act of betrayal as the characters return to base carrying what is described as dead weight.

Moroccans now hold more valid residence permits in the European Union than any other non-EU nationality, according to figures reported by The Arab Weekly. The ranking places the Moroccan community ahead of other large migrant groups across EU member states, underlining the scale of long-established Moroccan migration to Europe, particularly to France, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands.

US lawmakers are considering expanding the federal government's role in permitting electricity transmission lines. The debate centres on whether Washington should have greater authority to approve high-voltage lines that cross state boundaries, an issue that has grown more pressing as grid capacity lags behind growing electricity demand from data centres, electrification and renewable energy projects. Details of any specific legislation remain limited.

The US Supreme Court is hearing a dispute over conflicting federal permitting mandates, a case that could shape how infrastructure and energy projects navigate environmental review requirements. The clash between permitting statutes has drawn attention from industry groups and environmental advocates, who say the outcome could affect the pace of project approvals nationwide.