Why Wind And Solar Make Grids More Vulnerable to Blackouts

Renewable energy, like wind and solar, have become a larger part of the overall power supply, but the grid wasn't designed to handle them. WSJ asks a mechanical engineer for three ways to fix this. Photo: Adam Falk, Getty Images

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Senators urge FTC to investigate Spotify's higher-priced bundled subscription

Two U.S. senators have requested that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) investigate Spotify due to allegations that the company bundled its music streaming and audiobook services into a more expensive subscription without obtaining user consent, while also reducing royalty payments to creators in the process. On Friday, June 20, U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn and Ben Ray Luján wrote a letter to the FTC, claiming that Spotify converted standard premium subscriptions into higher-cost bundled subscriptions without informing consumers. They also highlighted that existing U.S. regulations permit digital music providers to pay a reduced music royalty rate if the subscription is bundled with other legitimate offerings. 'Spotify's intent seems clear—to slash the statutory royalties it pays to songwriters and music publishers. Not only has this harmed our creative community, but this action has also harmed consumers,' the letter states. Last year, the Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC) sued Spotify for allegedly undercompensating songwriters and publishers, but the lawsuit was dismissed in January. In March 2024, Spotify restructured its Premium tiers to include 15 hours of audiobooks, raising the price to $12 for individuals and $20 for families. Users have to manually opt out of the plan. This change has reportedly caused publishers to lose $230 million in the first year, according to Danielle Aguirre, executive vice president of the National Music Publishers' Association. In a statement shared with Variety, a Spotify spokesperson noted that users were notified a month in advance about the price increase and the platform offers 'easy cancellations as well as multiple plans for users to consider.' Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data

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US insurance giant Aflac says customers' personal data stolen during cyberattack

Aflac, one of the largest insurance companies in the United States, says hackers stole an unknown quantity of its customers' personal information from its network during a cyberattack earlier this month. The insurance giant confirmed Friday in a legally required filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that the company identified hackers in its system on June 12 and contained the incident. Aflac, which provides supplemental insurance to individuals whose expenses are not covered by their primary providers, said it was not yet known how many customers are affected by the data breach, but that the personal data includes customers' claims, such as Social Security numbers and health information. The breach also included data from Aflac's beneficiaries, employees, and agents, the company said. Aflac said its systems were not affected by ransomware, but attributed the breach to an unspecified cybercrime group known to be targeting the U.S. insurance industry. According to its Friday press release, Aflac said the hackers used social engineering tactics to break into its network. An Aflac spokesperson, who did not provide their name, declined to answer TechCrunch's questions when reached by email on Monday. Aflac, which has around 50 million customers per the company's website, is the latest U.S. insurance company to experience a cyberattack in recent weeks, amid warnings that hackers are targeting the wider insurance industry. John Hultquist, the chief analyst for Google's threat intelligence unit, said last week that the unit was 'aware of multiple intrusions' in the U.S. that bear the hallmarks of activity linked to Scattered Spider, a loose-knit collective of hackers and tactics that rely on social engineering tactics and sometimes threats of violence to target company help desks and call centers in order to gain access to their networks. The hackers are also reportedly behind the recent intrusions at Erie Insurance and Philadelphia Insurance Companies, which disclosed cyberattacks this month, with disruption ongoing. The hackers linked to Scattered Spider attacks are known to be financially motivated, and have been previously linked to cyberattacks and intrusions at tech giants, casinos, and hotels, and recent data breaches across the U.K. and U.S. retail sector. Sign in to access your portfolio

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ALTO Real Estate Funds Acquires Prime 24-Acre Industrial Site in Austin's SH-130 Corridor

Site benefits from direct proximity to major industrial and tech giants, including Tesla, Samsung, and Apple DALLAS, June 23, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ALTO Real Estate Funds announced the acquisition of a 24-acre industrial site in Northeast Austin's Pflugerville submarket. The site is strategically located at the intersection of Cameron Road and SH-130—America's fastest highway and Austin's most critical logistics artery. This acquisition is the 6th industrial ground-up project and marks a significant milestone in ALTO's continued expansion across the Texas logistics market. The opportunity initially surfaced in mid-2024 and evolved into a structured transaction by year-end. Over the subsequent months, ALTO worked closely with the seller to finalize a complex permitting process that had been underway for nearly two years—highlighting the long and complex entitlement timelines typical of the Austin market. With permits now secured, ALTO plans to break ground in Q3 2025 on two state-of-the-art rear-load industrial buildings, each spanning 126,000 square feet (252,000 SF total). Each facility will feature 32-foot clear heights, 130-foot truck courts, and accommodate up to four tenants per building. The project is strategically positioned within a booming tech and logistics ecosystem: Tesla's Giga Texas – a 10 million SF factory minutes from the site – is undergoing a $770M expansion. Samsung is investing $17B in a semiconductor fab in nearby Taylor as part of a broader $40B+ regional commitment. Apple is constructing a $1B campus in North Austin to house up to 15,000 employees. Amazon continues to expand its logistics network along SH-130. Microsoft is growing its data center and office footprint across the metro. "We're proud to bring this well-located, permit-ready site into ALTO's pipeline and are excited to deliver modern product in one of the fastest-growing logistics corridors in the country." said Iman Haddad, Head of Development, who led the deal. Yaniv Melamud, Co-Founder and CEO, added:"The site's proximity to key infrastructure and global tech giants makes it a highly strategic addition to our portfolio." About ALTO Real Estate FundsALTO Real Estate Funds focuses on investing in and developing logistics centers and open-air shopping centers in high-growth U.S. markets. Over the past 15 years, ALTO has raised approximately $560 million across four funds. To date, the Fund has acquired 79 properties totaling 15 million square feet and valued at $1.8 billion, with 50 successful exits. For more information, visit View source version on Contacts Media : General inquiries: alto@ Iman Hadad, Director, Head of Development: iman@ Sign in to access your portfolio