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- 1California studies solar panels over irrigation canalsโWhat California is learning from solar panels built over irrigation canals
California is testing and studying solar panels built over irrigation canals, a design meant to generate clean energy while shading water and reducing evaporation. Early findings from pilot projects are shaping how the state evaluates wider rollout of the approach. The idea has drawn attention as a way to save land and conserve water at the same time.
- 2RAF training jet crashes shortly after take-off at RAF ValleyโWATCH: The moment an RAF training jet crashes shortly after take-off at RAF Valley
Footage circulating online shows the moment an RAF training jet crashed shortly after taking off from RAF Valley in Wales. Early clips appear to show the aircraft losing control moments into its flight, and emergency services are understood to be responding to the scene. The status of the pilot or pilots has not yet been confirmed, and the Ministry of Defence is expected to release details. RAF Valley is a major training base on Anglesey, home to jet training operations.
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The European Central Bank's digital euro has entered wholesale financial markets for the first time, marking a step beyond the retail-focused pilot work discussed so far. The debut signals that the eurozone is moving forward with a central bank digital currency for institutional settlement between banks, not just consumer payments. Observers of monetary policy and financial infrastructure are watching closely, as wholesale use could reshape how cross-border and interbank transactions are settled in Europe.
- 4GM Completes EV Battery Recycling Pilot Using Fully Recycled MetalsโผGM Completes Closed-Loop EV Battery Recycling Pilot With 100% Recycled Metals
General Motors says it has completed a closed-loop electric vehicle battery recycling pilot in which 100% of the metals used were recycled materials. The announcement, reported by Electric Cars Report, signals that batteries recovered from vehicles can be processed and returned into new cell production. If scaled, closed-loop recycling could reduce GM's dependence on newly mined lithium, nickel and cobalt and cut the environmental footprint of its EV supply chain.
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US Senator Tommy Tuberville of Alabama is claiming that American military pilots identify as furries, a remark that has drawn widespread mockery and disbelief online. Critics questioned how such claims about service members emerged from a sitting senator, while supporters treated it as commentary on military culture. The comment adds to Tuberville's history of controversial statements about the armed forces.
- 6Senate approves mental health legislation for US pilots and controllersโSenate approves mental health legislation for US pilots, air traffic controllers
The US Senate has passed legislation addressing mental health support for pilots and air traffic controllers. The measure aims to reduce barriers that discourage aviation professionals from seeking mental health care, a long-standing concern in the industry. Reporting by Reuters, the bill is drawing attention amid broader debate over aviation safety and workforce well-being.
- 7Walmart pilots new health program for customersโผWalmart pilots new health program for customers: What does it include?
Walmart has launched a pilot health program for customers, with details about what services it includes drawing attention in early coverage. The retailer has been expanding into healthcare in recent years, and the new initiative is being reported as another step in that strategy. Early reports focus on what the program offers and which customers it is meant to serve, though full details remain limited while the pilot is underway.
- 8Pilots and Flight Attendants Face Highest Radiation-Related Cancer MortalityโPilots and Flight Attendants Have the Highest Radiation-Related Cancer Mortality
A study published in JAMA finds that pilots and flight attendants have the highest radiation-related cancer mortality among workers exposed to ionizing radiation on the job. The findings point to prolonged exposure to cosmic radiation at altitude as a significant occupational health risk for cabin crews, renewing discussion about monitoring and protection for airline staff.
- 9Senate passes bill on pilot and air traffic controller mental healthโSenate approves legislation targeted at pilot, air traffic control mental health guidance
The US Senate has approved legislation aimed at updating mental health guidance for pilots and air traffic controllers. The measure addresses long-standing concerns that strict medical certification rules discourage aviation professionals from seeking mental health care, for fear of losing their licenses. Supporters say the bill could modernize how federal regulators assess and support the psychological wellbeing of safety-critical aviation staff.
- 10Senate approves mental health bill for pilots and controllersโผSenate approves mental health legislation for pilots, air traffic controllers
The US Senate has passed legislation addressing mental health support for pilots and air traffic controllers. The measure aims to make it easier for aviation workers to seek mental health treatment without automatically jeopardising their medical certification or careers, an issue that has drawn attention amid concerns over stigma in the aviation industry. Details on the bill's specific provisions and its path in the House have not been provided.
- 11Google tests shopping via Gemini on Flipkart in IndiaโGoogle tests buying from Walmart-owned Flipkart through Gemini and AI Mode in India https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/26/go
Google is piloting the ability to purchase products from Flipkart, the Indian e-commerce platform owned by Walmart, directly through its Gemini AI assistant and AI Mode in Search. The test, reported in India, would let users complete purchases without leaving Google's AI interfaces, deepening the company's push into AI-powered commerce and tightening its ties with Flipkart.
- 12Senate Passes Mental Health Bills for Aviation WorkersโNATCA Applauds Unanimous Passage of John A. Hauser Mental Health in Aviation and Aviation Medication Transparency Acts by Senate
The US Senate has unanimously passed the John A. Hauser Mental Health in Aviation Act and the Aviation Medication Transparency Act, measures aimed at improving mental health support for pilots and air traffic controllers. The National Air Traffic Controllers Association welcomed the passage, saying the laws will help reduce stigma and clarify which medications aviation workers can take without losing their medical certification.
- 13Copper wire theft leaves Louisville interstates dark, city launches solar light pilotโผCopper wire theft leaves Louisville interstate stretches dark, prompts solar light pilot
Thieves have stripped copper wiring from Louisville's interstate lighting system, leaving long stretches of the highway dark at night and raising safety concerns for drivers. In response, local officials are launching a pilot program to install solar-powered lights that do not depend on copper wiring, aiming to deter future theft and restore illumination along affected corridors.
- 14Column urges voters to back coastal resilience candidatesโColumn: Support for coastal resilience should drive election choices
A column in The Virginian-Pilot argues that support for coastal resilience should be a deciding factor in how voters choose candidates in upcoming elections. The piece frames sea-level rise, flooding and shoreline protection as issues voters should weigh when evaluating officeholders and challengers, particularly in low-lying coastal communities of Hampton Roads, Virginia, where infrastructure and climate adaptation policy are pressing local concerns.
- 15TSMC starts pilot production of 1.4nm A14 chipsโTSMC reportedly begins pilot production of 1.4nm chips on A14 node, targets volume production in 2028
TSMC has reportedly begun pilot production of chips on its A14 node, a 1.4nm-class process, with volume production targeted for 2028. The A14 line would succeed the current 2nm generation and keep the Taiwanese foundry ahead of rivals Samsung and Intel in the race for ever-smaller transistor sizes, with major customers such as Apple expected among early adopters.
- 16St. Pete City Council explores robot food deliveryโCould robots soon deliver food in St. Pete? City Council wants to explore
St. Petersburg's City Council is looking into allowing robots to deliver food on the city's streets, according to the Tampa Bay Times. The idea would put small sidewalk delivery robots to work carrying orders from local restaurants to customers. Council members want the city to explore the concept before any rules or pilot programs are considered.
- 17Senate passes two pilot mental health bills a year after The RehearsalโA year after The Rehearsal season two, the Senate passes two pilot mental health bills
The US Senate has passed two bills related to pilot mental health, one year after the second season of Nathan Fielder's HBO series The Rehearsal, which focused heavily on mental health among pilots. Commentators have noted the timing, suggesting the show helped bring public attention to the issue, though the bills' specific provisions remain unclear.