RAG

Qualcomm has announced the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6, its new flagship smartphone chip, alongside a higher-tier 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 variant. The company describes both as flagship processors, with relatively minor differences between them, mostly limited to improved AI processing, video capture and gaming performance.

Germany has awarded 480MW of capacity in its latest tender for combined solar and battery storage projects, continuing its programme of procuring flexible renewable capacity. The results keep attention on how quickly storage-backed solar is scaling in Europe's largest power market and on prices paid under the scheme.

Cheyenne's city council has heard a proposal for a solar energy project with a battery storage facility on the Belvoir Ranch, a large city-owned property west of the Wyoming capital. The plan would add renewable generation and storage capacity locally. Discussion is focused on what the development would mean for the city's land and energy future.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with Qatari mediators to discuss stalled nuclear negotiations. The meeting comes as a US official said no agreement would be reached unless nuclear issues are addressed, while Tehran continues to await a response from Washington. Qatar has positioned itself as a key intermediary between Iran and the United States in the ongoing diplomatic standoff.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with Qatari mediators as Tehran floated a seven-day plan to de-escalate: reopening the Strait of Hormuz on day six and resuming nuclear talks on day seven. The United States rejected the proposal, leaving the diplomatic path uncertain amid rising tensions over Iran's nuclear programme and the strategic waterway.

Researchers are proposing metal-organic frameworks as a way to rethink how liquid hydrogen is stored. The materials, with their highly porous structures, could offer denser and more efficient hydrogen containment than conventional cryogenic tanks. The work is drawing attention amid growing interest in hydrogen as a clean fuel for transport and industry, where storage remains a key technical hurdle.

A city government has begun looking for partners to occupy and operate retail space in a planned parking garage. The announcement, reported by the Williamson County Sun, indicates the garage project will include commercial units alongside parking, with the city inviting businesses or developers to express interest in the future spaces. Further details on location, timeline, and terms were not provided in the report.

Analysts say Bitcoin is trading into a zone dense with long-term holder supply while excess leverage in the market has largely been flushed out. The overlap is being watched closely, since long-term holders selling into strength could cap the price, but reduced leveraged positioning may make any move less prone to violent liquidations and forced selling.

André Dragosch, an analyst known for macro-driven Bitcoin research, has laid out a case that Bitcoin's fair value stands at roughly $197,000, well above current market prices. The argument, circulated via Bitcoin Magazine, links the estimate to macroeconomic and valuation models. Crypto commentators are weighing in on whether the model holds up and what it would take for prices to reach that level.

Meredith Whitney, the analyst known for her prescient calls on banks, is out with commentary on the fragile state of the US economy in a new Bloomberg interview. She discusses strains facing American households and the risks building beneath the surface of the economy, reviving attention on her famously bold market forecasts.

24/7 Wall St. outlines how investors could build a dividend portfolio generating $2,850 a month, enough to match the average Social Security retirement check. The piece walks through income targets, yield assumptions and stock selection needed to replace the benefit with investment income. It reflects growing interest among retirees and savers in supplementing or substituting government benefits as concerns about the program's long-term funding persist.