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Federal agencies are arguing they need more authority so they can better deal with drones amid the surge in unexplained drone sightings that have caused confusion throughout the eastern US in recent weeks. Department of Homeland Security and FBI officials said on Saturday that they are limited right now in how they can respond to the that have stretched from Maryland to Massachusetts since mid-November. Much of the mystery has centered on New Jersey, where drones have been reported around military facilities and critical infrastructure sites. The Biden administration has stressed that these drones are and do not appear to be a public safety threat. A White House spokesperson said many of the suspected drones are believed to be crewed aircraft that are operating lawfully. "While there is no known malicious activity occurring in New Jersey right now, the reported sightings there do highlight a gap in our current authorities," a DHS official said during a weekend background call with reporters. The official said that they urged Congress "to pass our important counter-UAS legislation that will extend and expand our existing counter-drone authorities." That legislation would leave DHS "better equipped to identify and mitigate any potential threats at airports or other critical infrastructure" but also provide state and local authorities with" the tools that they need to respond to such threats," the official added. An FBI official agreed with that argument and said that any investigation into the drones is "limited in scope." They said there is pending legislation that, if lawmakers passed it, would expand the agency's legal authority regarding counter-drone tools and technologies. The official said that the legislation would "help us quickly identify or quickly mitigate some of the threats." A , the Counter-UAS Authority Security, Safety, and Reauthorization Act, sponsored by Tennessee Rep. Mark Green, would expand federal agencies' oversight of drones. Federal law enforcement officials at a hearing this week that the current legal authorities they are working with aren't enough to deal with the threat that drones pose. These restrictions are felt by the military as well, as US Northern Command said earlier that it was aware of reports of unauthorized drone flights near two military installations in New Jersey: the Picatinny Arsenal and Naval Weapons Station Earle. A Department of Defense official said the military is limited in what it can do off-base and needs to coordinate with local and federal law enforcement to take any action. "We're also significantly restricted — and rightfully so, in fact, prohibited — from intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance here in the homeland," the official said during the call with reporters on Saturday. "We don't have the same capabilities and the same methods that we would employ in other locations outside of the homeland to determine points of origin and identify very quickly where these operators are located and then respond to that location," the official added. "We just can't do that here in the homeland." The recent sightings follow similar incidents over the past year, with drones spotted in the US and overseas. Recognizing it has a drone issue, the Pentagon recently announced a as it looks to uncover . While the ongoing East Coast "mystery drone" saga has confused civilians and officials alike, federal agencies say many of the reported sightings are just crewed aircraft that are being misidentified as drones. However, the FBI has acknowledged that while only a small percentage of the tips it received ended up warranting further investigation, there is definitely some unexplained drone activity above New Jersey. "We're doing our best to find the origin of those drone activities," the FBI official said. "But I think there has been a slight overreaction." Read the original article on

Leo Colimerio scores 27 to help Queens University hold off Gardner-Webb 85-83KUWAIT: The 696th Lord Mayor of the City of London concluded his visit to Kuwait as the final leg of his first overseas trip in office. Elected annually from the City of London’s Court of Aldermen, the Lord Mayor represents the UK’s financial, professional, legal, and maritime sectors while leading the City of London Corporation, the governing body of the Square Mile. During his two-day visit, Lord Mayor Alastair King met with senior Kuwaiti officials, including His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah, Minister of Finance Noura Al-Fassam, Managing Director of the Kuwait Investment Authority Sheikh Saoud Salem Abdulaziz Al-Sabah, and Governor of the Central Bank of Kuwait Basel Al-Haroon. He also engaged with representatives from private investors, commercial banks, businesses, and prominent trading families to explore opportunities for expanding UK-Kuwait trade and investment ties. The lord mayor explained his focus on the Gulf as he highlighted the strong trade and investment relations between the UK and GCC countries. Specifically, UK-Kuwait trade reached £5.9 billion between July 2023 and June 2024, a 14.8 percent increase from the previous year. He also emphasized the long-standing investment relationship, exemplified by the Kuwait Investment Office’s 71-year presence in the City of London and the Sovereign Investment Partnership signed during His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah’s visit to the UK. Regarding Brexit and the UK’s recent political changes, Lord Mayor King affirmed London’s continued strength as a global financial hub. “Over 100,000 additional professionals now work in the city’s financial and professional services sector compared to 2016. In comparisons to other European hubs, London’s financial services workforce exceeds the entire population of Frankfurt,” he said. Lord Mayor King assured Kuwaiti investors that the City of London and the UK remain open for business. The UK’s stable political and fiscal environment, strong financial returns, robust legal system, and international workforce, with nearly 40 percent of London’s financial services professionals coming from abroad. Outlining his vision for enhanced collaboration, the lord mayor identified insurance, legal services, asset management, and banking as key sectors with growth potential. He emphasized the UK’s expertise in adapting to specific needs, including environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations and Sharia compliance. He also encouraged more British companies to explore opportunities in Kuwait, where over 100 UK firms are already active. Lord Mayor King concluded by expressing gratitude for Kuwait’s hospitality and reaffirming his commitment to strengthening bilateral ties. He expressed hope that the enduring relationship between the UK and Kuwait would continue to thrive as the two nations celebrate the 125th anniversary of diplomatic relations.AP Business SummaryBrief at 12:30 p.m. EST

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( MENAFN - Caribbean News Global) DUBAI, UAE – In a milestone for sustainability and innovation in the UAE, KEZAD Group and Witthal Gulf Industries LLC signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during Automechanika Dubai 2024 to establish the UAE's first lithium battery recycling plant. The collaboration aims to establish a cutting-edge battery recycling facility that contributes to sustainable industrial practices while supporting the UAE's environmental objectives facility, which is scheduled to commence full operations by Q2 2027, will have the capacity to recycle 5,000 tons of battery waste annually by 2027. Doing so will save an estimated 20,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions each year, reduce the need for energy-intensive mining, and create new opportunities for local employment and innovation. This transformative project aligns with the UAE's Net Zero by 2050 goals and its Circular Economy Policy 2021-2031, underscoring the nation's leadership in green industrial development. The plant will support the EV ecosystem by fostering renewable energy storage, reducing the carbon footprint of battery manufacturing, and promoting sustainable practices through advanced carbon capture technologies and material recovery methods. During a panel discussion at Automechanika Dubai's Innovation4Mobility main feature, Sugumaran Devaraja, Advisor, Witthal Gulf Industries LLC, said: “At Witthal, we have a strong vision for the sustainable future of human mobility. We have over a decade of strong understanding of the future of trade – we are already involved in the battery trade segment and the supply materials that go into battery manufacturing. We wanted to find a gap where we could play our part that matched KEZAD's automotive hub ambition.” This project marks a groundbreaking step for the UAE's automotive industry, particularly in accelerating the growth of the electric vehicle (EV) sector. Establishing a fully operational lithium battery recycling plant lays the foundation for a robust EV ecosystem within KEZAD, but will also be a fundamental element of Whittal's growth. “We are poised for the next phase of growth as a company. We want to build technology and other ecosystems around the factory, so whether it's carbon capture or value-added manufacturing, we want to look at how we can embed ourselves as a foundation member of what KEZAD is looking to do,” added Devaraja. Automechanika Dubai, the largest automotive aftermarket trade exhibition in the wider Middle East, provided the ideal platform for this announcement, emphasising the show's role as a hub for groundbreaking partnerships and cutting-edge advancements in the automotive sector. Automechanika Dubai 2024 concluded today, having welcomed 2,228 global exhibitors from more than 62 countries and an audience of industry leaders and professionals to showcase innovation, foster connections, and drive the future of mobility. The post Lithium battery recycling plant announced at Automechanika Dubai 2024 appeared first on Caribbean News Global . MENAFN14122024000232011072ID1108993517 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.