Skip to main content

Record-breaking heat wave grips western United States

A record early heat wave striking the western United States on Friday is a one-in-500-year event and almost certainly the result of human-caused climate change, experts say. The heat has been toppling records this week and is set to continue into the weekend across western cities while expanding eastward. Four locations in the desert area near the California-Arizona border registered 44.4 degrees Celsius on Friday, a US national record for March. The readings were recorded near Yuma and Martinez Lake in Arizona, and around Winterhaven and Ogilby in California. Read: Intense heatwave grips US, triggering record-breaking temperatures Already, 65 cities have recorded new March highs, ranging from Arizona and California to Idaho, Weather.com reported. Death Valley reached 40°C on Thursday, while typically cool and foggy San Francisco tied its historic March record at 29°C. In Colorado, skiers were seen hitting the slopes shirtless. The National Weather Service issued extreme heat warni...
Post a Comment

Government allocates 2,000MW for AI data centres and bitcoin mining

In a groundbreaking move to transform Pakistan into a global leader in digital innovation, the Government of Pakistan has announced the allocation of 2,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity in the first phase of a national initiative to power Bitcoin mining and Artificial Intelligence (AI) data centres. This ambitious initiative is spearheaded by the Pakistan Crypto Council (PCC)—a government-backed body under the Ministry of Finance—as part of a broader strategy to monetise surplus electricity, create high-tech jobs, attract billions of dollars in foreign direct investment, and generate billions of dollars for the government. Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb stated that this strategic allocation marks a pivotal moment in Pakistan’s digital transformation journey, unlocking economic potential by turning excess energy into innovation, investment, and international revenue. Pakistan is uniquely positioned—both geographically and economically—to become a global hub for data centres. As a digital bridge between Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, Pakistan offers the most strategic location in the world for data flow and digital infrastructure. Since the inception of the Pakistan Crypto Council, there has been tremendous interest from global Bitcoin miners and data infrastructure companies. Several international firms have already visited the country for exploratory discussions, and following this landmark announcement, more global players are expected to visit in the coming weeks. Pakistan’s underutilised power generation capacity is now being repurposed into a high-value digital asse, according to a statement by the finance ministry. AI data centers and Bitcoin mining operations, known for their consistent and heavy energy usage, provide an ideal use case for this surplus. Redirecting idle energy, especially from plants operating below capacity, allows Pakistan to convert a long-standing financial liability into a sustainable, revenue-generating opportunity. Bilal Bin Saqib, CEO of the Pakistan Crypto Council, emphasised the transformative nature of this initiative. He explained that with proper regulation, transparency, and international collaboration, Pakistan can become a global crypto and AI powerhouse. He added that this energy-backed digital transformation not only unlocks high-value investment but enables the government to generate foreign exchange in USD through Bitcoin mining. Moeover, as regulations evolve, Pakistan can accumulate Bitcoin directly into a national wallet, marking a monumental shift from selling power in Pakistani Rupees (PKR) to leveraging digital assets for economic stability. By offering stable and affordable energy, Pakistan presents a highly competitive environment compared to regional counterparts like India and Singapore, where rising power costs and land scarcity limit scalability. Pakistan’s strategic advantage is further underscored by the global context: while AI data centres' demand has soared to over 100GW, global supply remains around 15GW. This massive shortfall creates an unprecedented opportunity for countries like Pakistan with surplus power, land, and an emerging regulatory framework. The country’s digital connectivity has also been significantly strengthened by the landing of the world’s largest submarine internet cable. The Africa-2 Cable Project, a 45,000-kilometre global network connecting 33 countries through 46 landing stations, has now landed in Pakistan. This milestone enhances Pakistan’s internet bandwidth, latency, and resilience through redundant fiber routes, key for ensuring high availability and operational continuity for AI data centers. With a population of over 250 million and more than 40 million crypto users, Pakistan holds immense potential as a regional leader in digital services. Establishing local AI data centers will not only address growing concerns around data sovereignty but will also enhance cybersecurity, improve digital service delivery, and empower national capabilities in AI and cloud infrastructure. These centers are expected to create thousands of direct and indirect jobs, catalysing the development of a skilled workforce in engineering, IT, and data sciences. This announcement marks only the first phase of a broader, multi-stage digital infrastructure rollout. Future developments are expected to include renewable energy-powered facilities—leveraging Pakistan’s immense wind (50,000 MW potential in the Gharo-Keti Bandar corridor), solar, and hydropower resources—strategic international partnerships with leading blockchain and AI companies, and the establishment of fintech and innovation hubs. These efforts will be complemented by proposed incentives such as tax holidays, customs duty exemptions on equipment, and reduced taxes for AI infrastructure developers. Pakistan’s combination of surplus power, geographic advantage, advanced subsea cable connectivity, renewable energy potential, and a large, digitally engaged population creates a compelling case for becoming a regional epicenter of Web3, AI, and digital innovation. With the right incentives, strategic investments, and collaborative partnerships, Pakistan is positioning itself not only as a destination for global digital infrastructure but also as a sovereign economy that can accumulate digital assets, export digital services, and lead in the next generation of technological transformation.

from Latest World News, International News | Breaking World News https://ift.tt/TtyvKpJ
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

At least 32 miners dead after bridge fails at cobalt site in southeast DR Congo

A bridge collapsed at a cobalt mine in southeast Democratic Republic of Congo killing at least 32 wildcat miners, a regional government official said Sunday. The bridge came down Saturday onto a flooded zone at the mine in Lualaba province, Roy Kaumba Mayonde, the provincial interior minister, told reporters. He said 32 bodies had been recovered and more were being searched for. The DRC produces more than 70 percent of the world supply of cobalt, which is essential for batteries used in electric cars, many laptop computers and mobile phones. More than 200,000 people are estimated to be working in giant illegal cobalt mines in the giant central African country. Local authorities said the bridge collapsed at the Kalando mine, about 42 kilometres (26 miles) southeast of the Lualaba provincial capital, Kolwezi. "Despite a formal ban on access to the site because of the heavy rain and the risk of a landslide, wildcat miners forced their way into the quarry," said Mayonde. He said ...
Post a Comment
Read more

US, Philippines kick off joint military drills in South China Sea with 16,000 troops

Some 16,000 US and Philippine troops kicked off the annual joint military drills on Monday in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), local media reported. WPS is the official designation by Philippines to the parts of the South China Sea that are included in the country's exclusive economic zone. The 19-day exercises, dubbed "Balikatan 2024," will involve around 5,000 Philippine and 11,000 US troops, making it the largest joint military drills between the two allies conducted in decades, local English daily Manila Times reported citing the military. A total of 14 nations, including Japan and India, will take part in the drills as observers amid mounting maritime tensions in the South China Sea. Contingents from the Australian Defence Force and the French Navy will also join the exercise as participants. Read also: China urges US to stop using Philippines as a pawn to destabilise South China Sea France will join the group sail but will only navigate on the edge of the Philippine E...
Post a Comment
Read more

Indian devotees splurge on jets, gold idols as Hindu temple opens

The private jet parking lots at airports near the Indian city of Ayodhya are full and the shops have run out of gold-plated idols, as wealthy devotees prepare for the invite-only opening ceremony of one of Hinduism's holiest temples. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Asia's richest man Mukesh Ambani are among the 8,000 or so attendees at Monday's inauguration event for the Ram Temple, which devotees believe is built on the birthplace of Lord Ram, a sacred Hindu deity. The construction of the temple, which began after the Supreme Court awarded the site to Hindus in 2019 more than two decades after a Hindu mob razed a mosque there, triggering deadly riots, fulfils a key campaign promise of Modi and his Hindu nationalist party. Read BJP-promised temple transforms Ayodhya: Muslims, locals feel neglected The opening ceremony, organised by the trust that built the temple, comes months before a national election which the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party is widely expected to w...
Post a Comment
Read more