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iPhone 17 features the innovative Center Stage front camera, a bigger and brighter new display with ProMotion, and the A19 chip for improved performance

Apple® today announced iPhone® 17, featuring the new Center Stage® front camera that takes selfies to the next level; a powerful 48MP Fusion Main camera with an optical-quality 2x Telephoto; and a new 48MP Fusion Ultra Wide camera that captures expansive scenes and macro photography in more detail. The 6.3-inch Super Retina XDR® display with ProMotion® is bigger and brighter, enabling supersmooth scrolling, immersive gaming, and improved efficiency. ¹ And with the new Ceramic Shield® 2, the front cover is tougher than any smartphone glass or glass-ceramic, with 3x better scratch resistance than the previous generation and reduced glare. It is all powered by the latest-generation A19 chip for higher performance and longevity.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250909438918/en/

iPhone 17 features the Center Stage front camera, a fantastic 48MP Dual Fusion camera system, a bigger and brighter 6.3-inch display with ProMotion, and great all-day battery life.

iPhone 17 will now be available starting with 256GB of storage — double the entry storage from the previous generation — and a 512GB option, in five beautiful colors: black, lavender, mist blue, sage, and white. Pre-orders begin Friday, September 12, with availability beginning Friday, September 19.

‘iPhone 17 is a big upgrade with powerful features that make iPhone even more useful in your day-to-day life, from the bigger and brighter ProMotion display with 3x better scratch resistance, to all-day battery life with faster charging, the A19 chip for powerful performance, a fantastic 48MP Dual Fusion camera system, and the innovative Center Stage front camera — our best front camera yet,’ said Kaiann Drance, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide iPhone Product Marketing. ‘iPhone 17 is a fantastic choice for customers looking for the latest features and the confidence in knowing their iPhone is built to last.’

A Powerful Camera System for Next-Level Selfies and High-Resolution Captures

iPhone 17 introduces an all-new Center Stage front camera that advances the photo and video experience. The Center Stage front camera features the first square front camera sensor on iPhone, offering a wider field of view and higher resolution — up to 18MP for photos — to capture more detail. Users no longer have to rotate their iPhone to take a landscape selfie — they can now take photos and videos in portrait or landscape while holding their iPhone vertically, enabling a more comfortable, secure grip and centered gaze. For group shots, Center Stage for photos uses AI to automatically expand the field of view and can rotate from portrait to landscape to include everyone in the frame. The Center Stage front camera enables ultra-stabilized video in 4K HDR, and users can now record on the front and rear cameras simultaneously with Dual Capture — perfect for capturing themselves and the world around them. During calls over FaceTime® or third-party apps, Center Stage for video calls keeps users stable and positioned in frame.

iPhone 17 features all 48MP rear cameras for the first time, to capture impressive photos and videos. A 48MP Fusion Main camera shoots sharp detail, and with an integrated optical-quality 2x Telephoto — it is like having two cameras in one. A new 48MP Fusion Ultra Wide camera captures up to 4x the resolution compared to the previous generation, so users get even more detail for uniquely framed, wider-angle shots or macro photography. Next-generation Photographic Styles help users customize their photos by adjusting color, highlights, and shadows in real time with a better understanding of skin tones, and a new Bright style will be available with iOS 26 to brighten skin tones and apply a pop of vibrance across the image. ²

iPhone 17 records stunning video in 4K60 fps Dolby Vision with creative features, such as Cinematic mode and Action mode. Video is captured with Spatial Audio for immersive listening; Audio Mix lets users adjust sound after capture to boost voices and reduce ambient noise; and wind noise reduction minimizes unwanted noise. iPhone 17 can also take spatial photos and videos to help users relive memories with remarkable depth on Apple Vision Pro.

A Beautiful and Durable Design with a Pro Display

iPhone 17 introduces major display improvements with a sleek contoured edge design. Available in one 6.3-inch size, iPhone 17 has thinner borders than the previous generation and a stunning Super Retina XDR display, featuring ProMotion with an adaptive refresh rate of up to 120Hz for a smooth and power-efficient experience. The Always-On display shows the time, widgets, and Live Activities® at a glance, and when not in use, the display efficiently adjusts down to 1Hz.

iPhone 17 introduces Ceramic Shield 2 with a new Apple-designed coating for 3x better scratch resistance and improved anti-reflection to reduce glare. It is also easy to use iPhone 17 outside thanks to 3000 nits peak outdoor brightness — the highest ever on iPhone — and 2x better outdoor contrast.

A19: Next-Level Performance and All-Day Battery Life

Built on third-generation 3-nanometer technology, A19 delivers powerful performance, efficiency, and a huge boost in speed. An updated display engine, ISP, and Apple Neural Engine power features like Apple Intelligence and the latest-generation Photographic Styles. The 6-core CPU is 1.5x faster than the A15 Bionic chip in iPhone 13, and the 5-core GPU is more than 2x faster than A15 Bionic, unlocking stunning graphics and next-level mobile gaming. Neural Accelerators are also built into each GPU core to help run powerful generative AI models on device.

The efficiency of A19 and the advanced power management of iOS 26 deliver all-day battery life, and with ProMotion, iPhone 17 gets up to 30 hours of video playback — eight more hours than the previous generation. The new Adaptive Power Mode in iOS 26 also gets to know a user’s typical battery consumption and anticipates when they might run low, intelligently conserving power to help get them through the day. And, iPhone 17 can charge up to 50 percent in 20 minutes with an optional high-wattage USB-C power adapter like Apple’s new 40W Dynamic Power Adapter with 60W Max. ³

iPhone 17 introduces N1, a new Apple-designed wireless networking chip that enables Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread. In addition to the latest generation of wireless technologies, N1 improves the overall performance and reliability of features like Personal Hotspot and AirDrop®.

eSIM: A Flexible, Convenient, and Secure Connection

eSIM is a digital SIM that offers greater flexibility, better security, and seamless connectivity compared to traditional physical SIM cards. ⁴ An industry standard, eSIM is supported by over 500 global carriers, including AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, and more. An eSIM-only iPhone 17 model will be available in Bahrain, Canada, Guam, Japan, Kuwait, Mexico, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, the U.S., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. eSIM also makes staying connected while traveling even more convenient, allowing continued connectivity through affordable international roaming plans from users’ home carriers or local prepaid options available with more than 200 carriers. For better security, eSIM cannot be physically removed if an iPhone is lost or stolen, and managing travel eSIMs is even easier with a new streamlined setup in iOS 26.

Featuring iOS 26 with New Apple Intelligence Capabilities

iOS 26 elevates the iPhone experience with a beautiful new design, powerful Apple Intelligence capabilities, and meaningful improvements to the apps users rely on every day. The new design with Liquid Glass makes apps and system experiences more expressive and delightful, bringing greater focus to content while keeping iOS instantly familiar. Apple Intelligence now translates text and audio on the go with Live Translation, helping users communicate across languages in Messages, FaceTime, and Phone. ⁵ Updates to visual intelligence allow users to capture a screenshot and easily search or take action on anything they are viewing on their iPhone screen. ⁶ The on-device foundation model at the core of Apple Intelligence is available to all developers, with apps already offering new intelligent, privacy-protected experiences that can even be used when offline. New screening tools for calls and messages help eliminate distractions so users can focus on the conversations that matter most. iOS 26 also introduces new features in CarPlay®, Apple Music®, Maps, and Wallet, as well as Apple Games, a brand-new app that gives players a single destination for all their games.

Beautiful New Accessories

In addition to the iPhone 17 Clear Case with MagSafe®, a Silicone Case with MagSafe will be available in five colors: black, neon yellow, light moss, anchor blue, and purple fog. The Silicone Case with MagSafe can be paired with the new Crossbody Strap, giving users a hands-free way to wear iPhone. Crafted from 100 percent recycled yarns, the smooth strap drapes comfortably, with embedded flexible magnets and stainless steel sliding mechanisms to easily adjust the length and keep both straps securely aligned. The Crossbody Strap will be available in 10 colors: black, light gray, blue, light blue, purple, sienna, green, neon yellow, tan, and orange.

iPhone 17 and the Environment

Apple 2030 is the company’s ambitious plan to be carbon neutral across its entire footprint by the end of this decade by reducing product emissions from their three biggest sources: materials, electricity, and transportation. iPhone 17 is made with 30 percent recycled content, including 85 percent recycled aluminum in the enclosure and 100 percent recycled cobalt in the battery. It is manufactured with 35 percent renewable electricity, like wind and solar, across the supply chain. iPhone 17 is also designed to be durable, repairable, and offers industry-leading software support, while meeting Apple’s high standards for energy efficiency and safe chemistry. The paper packaging is 100 percent fiber-based and can be easily recycled.

Pricing and Availability

iPhone 17 will be available in lavender, mist blue, sage, white, and black in 256GB and 512GB storage capacities. iPhone 17 starts at $799 (U.S.) or $33.29 (U.S.) per month. ⁷
Customers in more than 63 countries and regions, including Australia , Canada , China , Colombia , France , Germany , India , Japan , Malaysia , Mexico , Singapore , South Korea , Thailand , Türkiye , the UAE , the UK , the U.S. , and Vietnam , will be able to pre-order iPhone 17 beginning at 5 a.m. PDT this Friday, September 12, with availability beginning Friday, September 19. iPhone 17 will be available in 22 other countries and regions beginning Friday, September 26.
In addition to an iPhone 17 Clear Case, available for $49 (U.S.), a Silicone Case with MagSafe will be available for $49 (U.S.) and a Crossbody Strap will be available for $59 (U.S.). FineWoven Wallet with MagSafe will be available for $59 (U.S.) in black, navy, midnight, purple, fox orange, and moss.

Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro. Apple’s six software platforms — iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, visionOS, and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, iCloud, and Apple TV+. Apple’s more than 150,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth and to leaving the world better than we found it.

Footnotes

¹ The display has rounded corners that follow a beautiful curved design, and these corners are within a standard rectangle. When measured as a standard rectangular shape, the screen is 6.27 inches diagonally. The actual viewable area is smaller.
² The new Bright Photographic Style will be available in iOS 26 on iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max, iPhone 17, iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max.
³ The 40W Dynamic Power Adapter with 60W Max will be available in Canada, China mainland, Japan, Mexico, Taiwan, the Philippines, and the U.S.
⁴ Use of an eSIM requires a carrier that supports eSIM and a wireless service plan. See carrier for details. To learn more, visit apple.com/esim .
⁵ Live Translation in Messages supports English (U.S., UK), French (France), German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish (Spain), and Chinese (simplified). Live Translation in Phone and FaceTime is available for one-on-one calls in English (U.S., UK), French (France), German, Portuguese (Brazil), and Spanish (Spain).
⁶ Visual intelligence is available on any Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone. Some capabilities may not be available in all languages and regions. For more details, see support.apple.com/en-us/121115#visual-intelligence .
⁷ Pricing for iPhone 17 includes a $30 connectivity discount that requires activation with AT&T, Boost Mobile, T-Mobile, or Verizon. Financing available to qualified customers, subject to credit approval and credit limit, and requires the user to select Citizens One Apple iPhone Payments or Apple Card® Monthly Installments (ACMI) as the payment type at checkout at Apple. The user will need to select AT&T, Boost Mobile, T‑Mobile, or Verizon as their carrier when they check out. An iPhone purchased with ACMI is always unlocked, so users can switch carriers at any time, subject to their carrier’s terms. Taxes and shipping on items purchased using ACMI are subject to a card’s variable APR, not the ACMI 0 percent APR. ACMI is not available for purchases made online at special storefronts. The last month’s payment for each product will be the product’s purchase price, less all other payments at the monthly payment amount. ACMI financing is subject to change at any time for any reason, including but not limited to, installment term lengths and eligible products. See the Apple Card Customer Agreement for more information about ACMI. Additional Citizens One Apple iPhone Payments terms are available at apple.com/legal/sales-support/iphoneinstallments_us .
⁸ Trade-in values will vary based on the condition, year, and configuration of the eligible trade-in device.

NOTE TO EDITORS: For additional information visit Apple Newsroom ( www.apple.com/newsroom ), or email Apple’s Media Helpline at media.help@apple.com .

© 2025 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, Center Stage, XDR, ProMotion, Ceramic Shield, FaceTime, Live Activities, Apple Intelligence, AirDrop, CarPlay, Apple Music, Apple Games, MagSafe, Apple Trade In, Apple Store, AppleCare, AppleCare+, AppleCare One, iCloud+, Apple Invites, HomeKit, Apple Arcade, Apple Fitness+, Apple Music, Apple News+, Apple TV+, iPhone Air, and Apple Card are trademarks of Apple. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250909438918/en/

Stephanie Ng
Apple
sng26@apple.com

Alex Kirschner
Apple
alexkirschner@apple.com

News Provided by Business Wire via QuoteMedia

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Investing

From Cartier to Cardboard Boxes: Pop Culture’s Most Iconic Rocks

Taylor Swift is getting married to Travis Kelce, and the news sent the internet into a frenzy.

Wearing a black-and-white Ralph Lauren halter dress with brown Louis Vuitton sandals and a diamond-studded Cartier Santos Demoiselle watch, the singer became the heroine of her own star-crossed love story.

But beyond all the glitz and the glamor, all eyes were on the diamond. Was it six carats? Seven? Fans pulled up high-resolution zooms like they were analyzing UFO footage.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Taylor Swift (@taylorswift)

It didn’t take long for the details to hit the stands.

Designed by Kindred Lubeck of Artifex Fine Jewelry in collaboration with Kelce himself, the piece features a brilliant-cut old mine diamond softened at the corners and set in a yellow-gold bezel.

Experts estimate its value at around US$1 million, a figure modest by Hollywood’s most extravagant standards.

Just a couple of weeks after Swift’s lavish engagement reveal, the cultural calendar is set to highlight the opposite kind of stone. On September 7, National Pet Rock Day will shine a spotlight on the cheapest and most ordinary rocks, a celebration of the humblest of pebbles turned into objects of affection.

Together, these events make it the perfect time to revisit the fascination with celebrity engagement rings — stones that have defined eras and taken on a life of their own — and to hone in on their more modest counterparts.

A glittering tradition

In the 1953 film ‘Gentlemen Prefer Blondes’, Marilyn Monroe popularized the song “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend,” a wink to both consumerism and romance.

Watch Monroe sing “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend.’

A year later, Joe DiMaggio proposed to Monroe with a platinum eternity band set with 36 baguette-cut diamonds.

AI recreation of Marilyn Monroe’s engagement ring.

Image via ChatGPT.

Adjusted for today’s value, the ring would be worth around US$500,000. Monroe kept the band even after her brief marriage to DiMaggio ended, and it has since become a piece of Hollywood lore.

The tradition of making statements with stones spans across generations. In 1956, American actress Grace Kelly accepted a 10.47 carat emerald-cut Cartier diamond from Prince Rainier III of Monaco.

AI recreation of Grace Kelly’s engagement ring.

Image via Gemini.

Regal yet cinematic, Kelly wore the ring in her film ‘High Society’ before her real-life marriage, cementing its place in both Hollywood and European royalty. Adjusted for inflation, it would be worth more than US$4 million today.

The modern staples

As celebrity culture expanded in the 21st century, so too did the scale of engagement rings.

AI recreation of Blake Lively’s engagement ring.

Image via Gemini.

Blake Lively’s 12 carat pink oval diamond, custom-made by Lorraine Schwartz, drew attention not only for its value—around US$2 million — but also for its distinctive color.

Kim Kardashian, also working with Schwartz, wore a 15 carat cushion-cut stone of flawless clarity. That ring was valued at US$2 million, though her earlier 20 carat stone, stolen in a 2016 Paris robbery, had been worth double that.

Jennifer Lopez has worn several dazzling engagement rings, but her 2019 emerald-cut diamond from Alex Rodriguez, which was estimated at up to 20 carats, made headlines for its sheer size and clarity.

AI recreation of Jennifer Lopez’s engagement ring.

Image via Gemini.

Paris Hilton, long associated with extravagant luxury, briefly wore a 20 carat pear-shaped diamond from actor Chris Zylka. Though valued around US$2 million, the ring became infamous for being lost in a nightclub ice bucket — only to be miraculously recovered.

The cultural icons

Any history of engagement rings would be incomplete without Elizabeth Taylor.

AI recreation of Elizabeth Taylor’s engagement ring.

Image via Gemini.

Known for her love of gemstones, her 33.19 carat Asscher-cut “Krupp” diamond from Richard Burton is legendary. After her death, the stone, renamed the ‘Elizabeth Taylor Diamond,’ sold for US$8.8 million at auction.

Mariah Carey briefly outshone even Taylor when billionaire James Packer proposed with a 35 carat emerald-cut diamond in 2016. Estimated at US$10 million, the ring remains one of the largest ever given to a celebrity.

AI recreation of Mariah Carey’s engagement ring.

Image via ChatGPT.

After their engagement ended, Carey reportedly sold the stone for a fraction of its worth.

However, it was Jackie Kennedy Onassis who owned one of the largest celebrity engagement rings in history, reaching an astounding 40 carats. John F. Kennedy proposed in 1953 with a bypass-style ring featuring a 2.88 carat diamond and a 2.84 carat emerald from Van Cleef & Arpels. Later, the former first lady had the ring upgraded with marquise and round diamonds to enhance its brilliance.

But it was her second engagement ring from Aristotle Onassis that would eclipse even Kelly’s in size. Known as the “Lesotho III,’ the 40.42 carat marquise-cut diamond was designed by Harry Winston.

AI recreation of Jackie Kennedy’s engagement ring from Aristotle Onassis.

Image via ChatGPT.

Kennedy Onassis reportedly wore the ring only twice before it was sold at auction for US$2.6 million, though its true market value today would be far higher.

Of pebbles and diamonds

That brings us back to Pet Rock Day.

The pet rock was a 1970s novelty fad that turned an ordinary stone into a low-maintenance “pet.” Marketed in a cardboard box complete with air holes and straw bedding, the gag gift became a pop culture sensation.

Pet rocks became popular precisely because of their absurd simplicity, selling millions at the height of their popularity. They were inexpensive, common and playful. The stones gained notoriety again in 2022, when the A24 movie ‘Everything, Everywhere, All at Once’ featured the retro gift.

A24’s version of the Pet Rock.

Image via A24.

Engagement rings, especially in celebrity culture, represent the opposite: rarity, expense and permanence. The coincidence and proximity of dates this year offers a playful contrast: ordinary pebbles versus extraordinary diamonds.

For Monroe, diamonds were a metaphor for desire. For Taylor, they were a symbol for Hollywood royalty. For Swift, they are now a link to the past, a mirror of the present and a promise of a lifetime

Colorful painted rock with a smiley face, surrounded by paint jars and brushes.

Ilia / Adobe Stock

And yet, in their own quiet way, pet rocks can outshine even the brightest jewels.

September 7 is a reminder that stones are rarely valued for what they are, but for what they mean — proof that the most ordinary things become priceless when they are truly ours.

Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

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Investing

Nebius Shares Soar on US$17.4 Billion Microsoft AI Deal

Nebius Group (NASDAQ:NBIS) surged on Tuesday (September 9) after announcing a multibillion-dollar deal with Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) to provide dedicated artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure.

Valued at US$17.4 billion over five years and expandable to US$19.4 billion if demand increases, the arrangement will see Nebius supply Microsoft with computing capacity from a new data center under construction in Vineland, New Jersey.

The news sent Nebius shares up 43.3 percent to US$91.75, their highest level on record.

For Nebius, a spinout from Russian tech giant Yandex that has grown into a full-stack AI infrastructure provider, the agreement represents a milestone in its long-term expansion strategy.

“Nebius’s core AI cloud business, serving customers from AI startups to enterprises, is performing exceptionally well,” said Arkady Volozh, the company’s founder and CEO, in a statement. “We have also said that, in addition to our core business, we expect to secure significant long-term committed contracts with leading AI labs and big tech companies. I’m happy to announce the first of these contracts, and I believe there are more to come.’

Microsoft’s mounting need for external infrastructure comes as it outpaces its in-house capacity amid a broader surge in demand for generative AI services. The company, already a key backer of OpenAI, has struck similar agreements with CoreWeave (NASDAQ:CRWV) to secure high-performance computing resources.

By turning to firms like Nebius, Microsoft is looking to bridge shortages of the advanced graphics processing units (GPUs) needed to run large AI models. The company’s Vineland facility, part of a wave of new greenfield projects, will provide the dedicated GPU clusters that Microsoft requires to scale its AI services. The arrangement will allow Microsoft to lock in additional computing power, while providing Nebius with long-term revenue visibility.

Beyond its cloud business, Nebius also operates or invests in related ventures, including autonomous driving technology developer Avride, edtech platform TripleTen and database company ClickHouse.

As mentioned, the scale of Nebius’ Microsoft contract has immediately reshaped investor sentiment. Nebius shares, which have already more than doubled this year, gained nearly half their value in a single session.

The rally spilled over to CoreWeave, which has its own multibillion-dollar contract with Microsoft and OpenAI.

Analysts suggest that the Microsoft deal positions Nebius to attract additional marquee customers, including other hyperscalers and frontier AI labs, as the company ramps up its global footprint.

Currently, there are expectations that the company, once considered a niche spinoff, could become one of the central players in supplying infrastructure for the AI boom.

Deliveries to Microsoft are expected to begin later this year.

Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

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Investing

Jaime Carrasco: Gold, Silver, Miners — Where to Focus in Monetary Storm

Jaime Carrasco, senior portfolio manager and senior financial advisor at Harbourfront Wealth, shares his thoughts on gold and silver, emphasizing that it’s important to keep the big picture in mind.

‘In a nutshell, we’re going back to a return to sound money — money not backed by the word of a politician and bankers, but by something sound like gold, which (has been) money for 4,000 years,’ he said.

Securities Disclosure: I, Charlotte McLeod, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

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Politics

Inside Epstein’s infamous ‘birthday book’: Clinton’s note, poolside candids and bizarre animal pics

Among the files made public by the House Oversight Committee is a document that stands out for its tone: a glossy 238-page scrapbook that offers a rare and unusually intimate glimpse of Jeffrey Epstein’s self-curated network.

The infamous ‘birthday book,’ compiled by Ghislaine Maxwell in 2003, for Epstein’s 50th includes what appears to be notes from former President Bill Clinton, Alan Dershowitz, as well as photographs that juxtapose girlfriends, animals, children’s drawings with financiers and politicians — a tableau that feels all the more unsettling today.

Maxwell wrote to Epstein at the beginning of the book that she wanted to ‘gather stories and old photographs to jog your memory about places, people and different events.’ She hoped he would ‘derive as much pleasure from looking through it’ as she did assembling it for him.

Later in the book, a photo of the two canoodling appears with a caption that reads ‘the first date,’ marked with the year 1991.

Maxwell was found guilty in 2021 of sex trafficking and other offenses, and is serving a 20-year prison term. Prosecutors said she played a central role in Epstein’s scheme, luring underage girls into what began as massages and escalated into sexual abuse.

Now 63 and incarcerated since her 2020 arrest, Maxwell told Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche in late August that she had no role in the sexual exploitation of minors. When asked about the ‘birthday book,’ she told Blanche that she could only remember some parts of it, adding that it had been years since she compiled it.

Among the book’s entries is an apparent note from Bill Clinton, where the former Democratic president praises Epstein’s ‘childlike curiosity’ and his ‘drive to make a difference’ as well as the ‘[illegible] of friends.’

Dershowitz, a former Harvard University law professor who once represented Epstein during criminal investigations, used his birthday note to make a joke about influencing media coverage.

‘Dear Jeffrey, as a birthday gift to you, I managed to obtain an early version of the Vanity Unfair article. I talked them into changing the focus from you to Bill Clinton, as you will see from the enclosed excerpt. Happy birthday and best regards,’ the entry said.

Dershowitz has repeatedly denied wrongdoing as it relates to Epstein.

The birthday book also contained sentimental messages from family and friends. In one note, Epstein’s mother, Pauline Stolofsky Epstein, wrote that she’s been ‘very busy reminiscing since Ghislaine asked me to write about you.’

‘Jeff[,] you have been a good son since day one and we have been proud of you ever since,’ Epstein’s mother said.

‘I recall you refused to sleep [as a child] unless I read a story from Grandma’s Golden Book that she bought for 25c,’ she added. ‘At PTA meetings I begged your teachers to improve your handwriting.’

She also referenced Epstein’s life as a bachelor, as well as his prominent media shout-outs.

‘At age 27 Cosmopolitan magazine featured you as ‘Bachelor of the Month,” Pauline Epstein wrote. ‘Today you still hold that title.’

‘Jeff, I’m so sorry that Dad can’t share the nachus [pride] we have regarding your achievements,’ she added. ‘He would have been overjoyed reading the article about you in New York Magazine.’

The book features hundreds of photos from throughout Epstein’s life until age 50, including pictures of him as a child and a teenager.

Some of the earlier images included family pictures, formal school photos and pictures of him hanging out with friends as a teenager.

The book also had revealing images of Epstein shirtless, Epstein embracing women and what appears to be a censored photo of him and Maxwell laughing and embracing in a pool. Pictures of mating lions and zebras were also included in the book.

A picture of a woman in a bikini was also included with the caption, ‘Visiting you down in Palm Beach. Can’t get a second of privacy with you and a camera around ha ha!’

Upon the files’ release, Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., chair of the House Oversight Committee, accused Democrats of previously ‘cherry-picking’ the documents.

‘Oversight Committee Republicans are focused on running a thorough investigation to bring transparency and accountability for survivors of Epstein’s heinous crimes and the American people,’ Comer said.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

Investing

OpenAI Taps Broadcom to Build Custom AI Chips in Face of GPU Supply Concerns

OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, is reportedly set to begin large-scale production of its own artificial intelligence (AI) chips through a partnership with Broadcom (NASDAQ:AVGO).

Experts in the space see the move as a bid to cut reliance on chip giant NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA) and ease the global shortage of processors driving platforms like ChatGPT.

The news came after Broadcom CEO Hock Tan told analysts in a September 4 call that the company had secured a fourth major customer that has committed to a US$10 billion order.

Tan said the deal would bring “immediate and fairly substantial demand” beginning next year. Although he did not name the customer, sources have since identified it as OpenAI. Both companies have declined to comment publicly.

OpenAI has long relied on NVIDIA’s graphics processing units (GPUs) for its AI needs, but securing enough GPUs has become increasingly difficult as demand for large-scale computing surges.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has been blunt about the challenge. In February, he wrote on X: “It is a giant, expensive model. We really wanted to launch it to plus and pro at the same time, but we’ve been growing a lot and are out of GPUs.”

Altman added at the time that OpenAI was preparing to add “tens of thousands of GPUs next week … (hundreds of thousands coming soon, and I’m pretty sure y’all will use every one we can rack up).”

However, shortfalls have slowed the rollout of new models, including GPT-4.5 earlier this year, and have pushed OpenAI to explore alternatives. The Broadcom deal marks its clearest step yet in building in-house hardware.

Broadcom has been developing custom processors it calls XPUs, or accelerated processing units, which are designed for specific high-intensity applications such as AI training. A person close to the project told the Financial Times that the new chips are intended to serve OpenAI internally rather than be sold to outside customers.

The prospect of custom silicon entering the AI infrastructure market has lifted Broadcom, which has climbed more than 30 percent this year. After Tan’s announcement, shares rose nearly 11 percent in New York trading.

For OpenAI, the investment is both a hedge and a necessity. The company has been racing to scale up computing capacity as businesses and consumers adopt ChatGPT in greater numbers. Last month, Altman said OpenAI planned to double its compute fleet “over the next 5 months” to meet demand from its newest model, GPT-5.

Alongside the Broadcom chips, OpenAI has made other major moves as well: it has signed a multibillion-dollar data center contract with Oracle (NYSE:ORCL) in July, struck a smaller cloud deal with Alphabet’s (NASDAQ:GOOGL) Google in June and announced its own data center initiative called Stargate at the beginning of the year.

The deal with Broadcom also comes as Altman has been working to frame OpenAI not only as a leader in cutting-edge research, but also as a driver of economic opportunity. In a message earlier this month, he said that while AI will be disruptive, it also has the potential to “unlock more opportunities for more people than any technology in history.”

He pointed to initiatives such as the OpenAI Academy and a new jobs platform designed to help workers and companies connect over AI skills, with the goal of certifying 10 million Americans in AI fluency by 2030.

Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

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Politics

Schumer-linked PAC accuses senator of stock ‘greed,’ but financial disclosure contradicts claim

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, is pushing against a pair of ads from a group linked to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., that suggests she has enriched herself with stocks over her nearly three decades in Washington.

The Majority Forward PAC, a political action committee that is affiliated with the Schumer-linked Senate Majority PAC, launched a $700,000 ad campaign against Collins, who is eyeing a bid for a sixth term in the Senate, but has yet to officially launch her campaign.

The pair of ads, one a 30-second spot titled ‘Greed,’ the other a 15-second spot titled ‘This Life,’ target Collins for her opposition to a congressional stock trading ban by Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo. However, her office argued that through images of private jets and Collins in glamorous attire, the ads suggested that she has personally enriched herself through trades while working as a lawmaker.

The ads accuse Collins of ‘the worst kind of greed; using insider information to trade stocks.’

‘She’s opposing a bipartisan bill that would ban members of Congress from trading stocks,’ the narrator said. ‘Our representatives should be serving the people of Maine, not lining their own pockets.’

While Collins does not directly own any stocks, according to disclosure filings, her husband Tom Daffron does. However, a trade has not been made since last year, and her office argued that Daffron’s holdings are made by a third-party advisor.

‘Senator Collins has never bought, sold, or owned any shares of stock during her entire Senate tenure,’ her office told Fox News Digital. ‘Tom Daffron’s investment decisions are made exclusively by a third-party advisor without his consultation. No individual stocks have been bought or sold from his account in almost three years.’

Majority Forward spokesperson Lauren French fired back in a statement to Fox News Digital that the ads go after Collins ‘for her refusal to support a stock trading ban for members of Congress and their families — bipartisan legislation that 95 percent of Mainers support.’

‘Nowhere in the ad does it say Senator Collins regularly buys, sells, or owns stocks (though her husband does) — but if she is still confused, we’ll be happy to continue airing it throughout Maine so both she and her constituents can understand how her opposition to ending stock trading is enabling her colleagues to benefit from their positions of power,’ French said.

Senate Democrats are hoping that their prized candidate, Gov. Janet Mills, D-Maine, jumps into the race to take on Collins. However, Mills, who is term-limited, has not made an official announcement on her plans and the Democratic primary has fast become crowded.

Collins told the Bangor Daily News that she did not support Hawley’s bill last month, and instead argued that there should be more enforcement of already existing rules that bar members from insider trading.

The White House similarly panned the bill, which would has included a carve out for both President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, and all Republicans on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Accountability Committee, except for Hawley, voted against the bill. Collins is not a member of that committee.

However, Trump has since warmed to the idea of a congressional stock trading ban, and lauded the push by Rep. Anna Paulina, R-Fla., as a ‘MASSIVE WIN’ on Truth Social.

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Politics

Jury pool shrinks as Ryan Routh trial unfolds in Florida on Day 2

The pool of potential jurors is narrowing for the high-profile federal trial of Ryan Routh, who faces charges for attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump at his West Palm Beach golf club in September 2024.

During the second day of jury selection in Fort Pierce, Florida, U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon eliminated a woman who asserted, ‘I am MAGA’ as a potential juror for the trial. Cannon, a Trump appointee, claimed the statement exhibited ‘self-declared bias.’

Another woman was removed as a potential juror for claiming she ‘only follows God’s law’ on a questionnaire.

However, Cannon refused to cut a potential juror who claimed that he ‘knows Trump personally.’ The potential juror claimed that he had breakfast with Trump and first lady Melania Trump 25 years ago when he was considered for a job at a golf course. However, Cannon said the potential juror would still be able to participate fairly in the trial – despite the interaction decades ago.

Three groups of 60 potential jurors are undergoing the jury selection process, where prosecutors and Routh ask potential jurors questions to assess if they can fairly participate in the trial. The jury selection process got underway on Monday and is expected to conclude Wednesday. Routh is representing himself.

Ultimately, the jury selection process will identify 12 jurors and four alternates for the trial.

During Monday’s session, Routh’s questions for potential jurors included their views on the war in Gaza, their position on the U.S. potentially acquiring Greenland as the president has floated, and how they would act if they were driving and spotted a turtle in the middle of the road.

In response, Cannon labeled them ‘politically charged,’ and said that they were unnecessary for jury selection.

‘None of the questions on your list have any bearing whatsoever. They were off base, sir, and have no relevance to jury selection,’ Cannon said.

According to prosecutors, Routh planned to kill Trump for weeks, and hid out in shrubbery on Sept. 15, 2024, when a Secret Service agent detected him pointing a rifle at Trump while the then-presidential candidate played golf. Routh aimed his rifle at the agent, but abandoned his weapon and the scene after the Secret Service agents opened fire.

Routh was later apprehended by the Martin County, Florida, Sheriff’s Office on the I-95 interstate in a black Nissan Xterra.

According to the Justice Department, he is charged with attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate; possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence; assaulting a federal officer; felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition; and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. Routh also faces state charges related to terrorism and attempted murder.

Routh, who has pleaded not guilty to all charges, was previously convicted of felonies in North Carolina in 2002 and 2010.

Fox News’ Jamie Joseph, Jake Gibson, Heather Lacey and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Politics

Dem crime policies crippling cities even in Red states as crackdown intensifies, White House warns

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt warned that left-wing policies such as cashless bail have sparked violent crime trends in cities nationwide, including Democrat-run cities located in Republican-run states.

‘There is crime in all states, but the crime in these cities is all in cities that are run by Democrats. If you look at the list of the top 20 high-crime cities in the United States, every single one — with the exception of one in Louisiana — is run by a Democrat. And these Democrats have supported the same policies that I spoke about at the beginning of this briefing, like cashless bail,’ Leavitt said.

The press secretary was responding to a question on whether the administration would also work with Republican governors to address cities rocked by crime, instead of focusing on Democrat-run jurisdictions in blue states. President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened crime crackdowns in Chicago and Baltimore, which are located in Democratic states, while crime-riddled cities such as Memphis, which is located in Republican Tennessee, have not received the same level of attention for its crime trends.

Leavitt argued that current violent crime trends are due to left-wing justice policies that affect cities no matter if they are in a Republican or Democrat state, pointing to Jackson, Mississippi, and Birmingham, Alabama, as examples.

‘If you look at a red state, Mississippi, but a Democrat-run city in that state — Jackson. In 2019, Jackson, Mississippi, eliminated cash bail for virtually all misdemeanor cases. And while Jackson is not formally a sanctuary city, the state of Mississippi formally banned sanctuary cities, and this city has acted as a de facto sanctuary city for criminals and illegal aliens since 2017,’ she said.

‘Same thing: Birmingham, Alabama. A Democrat-run city in a red state in 2017, the Birmingham City Council unanimously passed a resolution, quote, committing to establish sanctuary policies. So, if you actually look at the facts from these Democrat-run cities, these are cities that are run by Democrats and by blue, by members of the Democrat Party. These are blue cities. And they have all supported these disastrous policies which allow repeated career criminals back onto the streets to further commit acts of violence.’

Trump’s presidential campaign included repeated vows to bring crime down across the U.S. following the nation’s bloody trends that began in 2020 amid the defund the police protests and riots that summer. On Aug. 11, he federalized Washington, D.C., under Section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, part of his campaign vow, which allows the president to assume emergency control of the capital’s police force for 30 days.

After homicides have dropped and more than 2,000 arrests, Trump has celebrated the D.C. crime crackdown as an example for other cities and has since repeatedly floated sending the National Guard into cities such as Chicago. Local leaders, including Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Democratic Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, have shunned such talk as unnecessary and a form of ‘authoritarianism.’

‘The president wants to work with anyone across this country who wants to end these horrible policies and to bring law and order to our streets. And I think that is proven by his tremendous cooperation with the mayor of Washington, D.C., and our nation’s capital. And just look at the results of that,’ Leavitt continued.

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Investing

ACG Metals Announces Commencement of Trading on the OTCQX Best Market

ACG is pleased to announce that its ordinary shares have today qualified and will begin trading on the OTCQX Best Market, under the OTCQX ticker code ‘ACGAF’. ACG’s shares will also continue to trade on the London Stock Exchange.

The OTCQX Best Market, operated by OTC Markets Group, is the highest tier of the U.S. OTC markets and is designed for established, investor-focused companies that meet high financial and governance standards.

This milestone represents a significant step in ACG’s strategy to broaden its international shareholder base and enhance visibility among U.S. institutional and retail investors.

Representatives of the Company, including Chairman and CEO Artem Volynets, will participate in a ceremonial ‘ringing of the bell’ at the OTC Markets office of the NYSE later today.

Artem Volynets (Chairman and CEO) and Patrick Henze (CFO) will provide a live presentation on the H1 2025 Financial Results and OTCQX listing via Investor Meet Company on 16 September 2025 at 13:00 BST.

Investors can register here.

Artem Volynets, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ACG, said:

‘We are thrilled to begin trading on the OTCQX Best Market, a natural next step as we broaden our global investor outreach and look to enhance liquidity in our shares.

Trading in New York provides U.S. investors, including retail investors, with greater access to ACG at a time when, despite accelerating global demand for copper, opportunities to gain exposure to emerging copper producers remain limited in the U.S.

With the expansion of the Gediktepe mine advancing on schedule and a clear pipeline of copper-focused growth, we are building strong momentum and look forward to engaging with investors on both sides of the Atlantic as we continue to execute our growth strategy to deliver long-term, sustainable value for our shareholders.’

Michael R. Pompeo, Non-Executive Director at ACG, said:

‘Graduating to the OTCQX Best Market is an important milestone for ACG, and vital for American investors seeking exposure to an emerging copper miner at a time when such opportunities are still scarce. Copper is absolutely central to the energy transition, and ensuring continued Western access to critical metals has never been more important.

I look forward to contributing to ACG’s story as it grows its U.S. presence and builds scale and value for shareholders.’

The person responsible for the release of this information on behalf of the Company is Artem Volynets, Chief Executive Officer.

For further information please contact:

Palatine

Communications Advisor

Conal Walsh / James Gilheany/ Kelsey Traynor/ Richard Seed

acg@palatine-media.com

Berenberg

Research Analysts

William Dalby +44 (0) 20 3753 3243

Richard Hatch +44 (0) 20 3753 3070

Cody Hayden +44 (0) 20 3753 3133

Joint Broker

Jennifer Lee

+44 (0) 20 3207 7800

Canaccord

Research Analysts

Tim Huff +44 (0) 20 7523 8374

Alex Bedwany +44 (0) 20 7523 8387

Joint Broker

James Asensio / Charlie Hammond

+ 44 (0) 20 7523 80

Cantor Fitzgerald

Research Analysts

Puneet Singh +1 (416) 350-8153

Stifel

Research Analysts

Andrew Breichmanas +44 (0) 20 3465 1110

Joint Broker

Ashton Clanfield / Varun Talwar

+44 (0) 20 7710 7600

About the Company

ACG Metals is a company with a vision to consolidate the copper industry through a series of roll-up acquisitions, with best-in-class ESG and carbon footprint characteristics.

In September 2024, ACG successfully completed the acquisition of the Gediktepe Mine which is expected to transition to primary copper and zinc production from 2026 and will target annual steady-state copper equivalent production of 20-25 kt. Gediktepe produced 55koz of AuEq in 2024.

ACG’s team has extensive M&A experience built through decades spent at blue-chip multinationals in the sector. The team brings a significant network as well as a commitment to ESG principles and strong corporate governance.

For more information about ACG, please visit: www.acgmetals.com

Source

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