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Charles Barkley made time for an outdoor workout while on his work trip to San Antonio for the 2026 NBA Finals.

US Formally Rejects Somaliland Sovereignty In Blow To Israel

Via Middle East Eye

The US has reaffirmed “the sovereignty and territorial integrity” of Somalia, in a move seen as a blow to Somaliland, the breakaway region recently recognized by Israel and close to the United Arab Emirates. In a report to Congress on “Potential Areas for Improved United States Engagement with Somaliland”, the US State Department stated that Somaliland was included in the Federal Republic of Somalia.

“Within that framework, the United States maintains a positive, constructive relationship with Somaliland and continues to explore additional opportunities for engagement with Somaliland authorities,” the report says. Israel became the first country in the world to formally recognize Somaliland on December 26 last year.

Reuters/MEE: Somaliland military armed vehicles take part in a parade during the self-declared Independence Day, with celebrations commemorating their 1991 breakaway from Somalia, on 18 May 2026

The month before, Somaliland President Abdirahman Abdullahi Mohamed secretly visited Israel, meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other “top officials”, according to multiple sources in Somalia and Somaliland. 

Those other officials included Mossad chief David Barnea and Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, who visited Somaliland immediately after Israel formally recognised the former British colony’s sovereignty. 

'Recognition is bigger than anything else. Do you have an alternative for us?'

- Rooble Mohamed, Somaliland government adviser

Somaliland has since recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital, establishing an embassy there as meetings between Somaliland and Israeli ministers have continued and pro-Israel figures in the media have taken up the cause of independence for the breakaway Somali region. 

Jake Wallis Simons, former editor of the Jewish Chronicle, and Andrew Fox, an associate fellow at the right-wing Henry Jackson Society, were flown out to Somaliland for the May 18th self-declared independence day celebrations in Hargeisa, the region’s capital. Both men are ardent supporters of Israel. The UK’s former defence minister, Conservative MP Gavin Williamson, another keen supporter of Somaliland, was also part of the trip. 

Somaliland is hoping that Israel’s recognition will be followed by the UAE, with Ethiopia, India, Cyprus and Georgia also in its sights. 

Trump not expected to recognize Somaliland

A congressional source told Middle East Eye they did not expect US President Donald Trump’s administration to recognise Somaliland. Though lobbyists, including former Trump officials Tibor Nagy and Peter Pham, had raised the hopes of Somalilanders over US recognition, “there was never a sign that the president would go through with it,” the source said.

Trump has persistently singled out Somalia and Somali Americans for abuse during his second term in office. He has referred to Somalis as “low IQ people” and said that all Somalis are “crooked as hell”. He has said that Somali American congresswoman Ilhan Omar “is garbage”, and that “her friends are garbage”. 

A Somali analyst and policy adviser, who could not be named as he works with officials in both Somalia and Somaliland, told MEE he thought the report to Congress was “a consequential announcement that may effectively close the door on any lingering hopes of US recognition for Somaliland”.

The #UnitedStates affirms its recognition of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of #Somalia, which encompasses the region of Somaliland.

Furthermore, this report emphasizes the challenges associated with investing in #Somaliland due to its… pic.twitter.com/j7uPDiN0up

— SMS Somali TV (@SMSSomaliTV1) June 1, 2026

“From a strategic perspective, why settle for part of the cake when the whole cake remains within reach,” he said, referring to US ambitions across the whole of Somalia.

Asked if he agreed with this analysis, Rooble Mohamed, who is a consultant for the Somaliland communications ministry, told MEE: “The United States does not currently recognize Somaliland, so unless there is a formal recognition, such a statement is the reality for now. “The US does not officially recognize Taiwan as a sovereign state but has its own arrangements with it as a separate entity from China. This proposal seems to be the same.”

Somaliland's strategic importance for Israel, UAE and US

Somaliland and its location on the Red Sea have become more strategically important to the US, Israel and its allies with the rise of the Houthis in Yemen, the war on Iran and threats to shipping in one of the world’s busiest sea lanes. After it entered the war in Yemen, the UAE began building a ring of bases to control the Gulf of Aden. 

This was done with the help of Israeli military and intelligence officers, even before relations between the two countries were normalised as part of the Abraham Accords in 2020. Berbera, Somaliland’s main port, was part of this circle of bases, which is no longer fully intact following the rift between the UAE and its coalition partner in Yemen, Saudi Arabia.

The State Department’s report to Congress is clear on this matter. “Somaliland’s strategic location near Yemen and the Bab al-Mandab Strait positions it as a potential partner on shared security interests, including freedom of commercial and military navigation from the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean,” it says.

via BBC

Israeli and Somaliland officials are in talks about the establishment of an Israeli base at Berbera. The UAE’s DP World also runs its own port there, which is co-owned by the British government through its foreign investment arm. 

“Somaliland authorities have encouraged US investment in minerals and outlined priorities in infrastructure, trade, and economic growth,” the report to Congress says. Somaliland officials have said their soil is rich in lithium, coltan and other sought-after resources, and they have suggested that US access to these riches could come alongside recognition. 

The State Department report also mentions the “ongoing development” of Berbera’s airport and seaports “into a trade and transportation hub for Somaliland and landlocked Ethiopia”, saying this could “create increased opportunities” for the US. However, the report concludes, “regional security concerns and the dispute over Somaliland’s status, including its refusal to cooperate with national authorities, present challenges for investment, banking, and trade.” 

Asked if he thought Israel’s recognition was doing Somaliland more harm than good, given the genocide in Gaza and Israel’s plummeting popularity worldwide and particularly in the Muslim world, Rooble Mohamed said the government in Hargeisa had “no alternatives”.

“Recognition is bigger than anything else. Do you have an alternative for us? We are one of the Muslim countries of the world, I don’t think we are different. I think it’s normal to have a relationship with Israel,” Mohamed said. “It does not mean the Palestinians are our enemies.”

Tyler Durden Wed, 06/03/2026 - 23:25

Screwworm's maggots typically enter an animal through an open wound and feed on its living flesh, eventually killing the host if left untreated. In rare cases, they will infect humans.

The Knicks struck first blood in their quest to end their 53-year championship drought.

A routine cleaning project turned into a major emergency Wednesday after a Valley Glen homeowner uncovered 20 sticks of active dynamite hidden inside a freezer in her garage, prompting evacuations across the neighborhood. According to the Los Angeles Police Department, officers were called to the 6100 block of Rhodes Avenue at about 9 a.m. after...

Scroll through to see all the big names in attendance.

Scroll through to see all the big names in attendance.

Wembanyama seemed to enjoy the bizarre scene, while Robinson was visibly befuddled.

See all the stars at the global premiere.

See all the stars at the global premiere.

The Spurs nuns have been a presence during San Antonio’s run to the NBA Finals, and ahead of Game 1, they shared a viral moment with one of the team’s biggest stars. 

'Putin's Davos' Forum Opens Under Heavy Ukrainian Drone Attack, With Candace Owens & Trump Official In Attendance

Ukraine's President Zelensky has freshly stated that he's ready for direct talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in order to end the war, but he also warned that the alternative is for Ukraine to increase its retaliatory strikes on Russia, 

The head of Ukraine's Presidential Office, Kyrylo Budanov, stated this week: "Zelensky has instructed officials to try to end this war as quickly as possible, preferably before winter." But the ground war reality as well the escalating tit-for-tat air campaigns, tell a different story of a brutal and largely stalemated conflict which is likely to just grind on for the foreseeable future.

via Ukrinform

The last 24 hour period has seen a significant drone wave rain down on Russia's second largest city of St. Petersburg.

The attack seemed to be met with little in the way of anti-air defenses, with circulating local footage showing security forces trying to shoot down inbound drones only with small arms. Local authorities later said there were several injuries across the region, but no one was killed.

The new attack seemed intentionally timed for the city's major economic forum designed to attract foreign investment into the country. Putin is scheduled to oversee the three-day St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) and will give a keynote address.

Amused residents film Russian servicemembers trying and failing to shoot down Ukrainian one-way drones with automatic rifles during this morning’s large-scale attack against the Northwestern Russian city of St. Petersburg. pic.twitter.com/ecHcM54jfK

— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) June 3, 2026

The forum has been dubbed as 'Putin's Davos' - and according to CNN:

Ukrainian drones rained down on St. Petersburg late Tuesday, striking infrastructure and wounding several people, just hours before Russian President Vladimir Putin’s signature economic forum opened in the city.

Hundreds of drones hit several other Russian cities overnight, with Kyiv claiming to have struck a naval warship and other key assets in a major attack reaching as far as Moscow.

Three districts of St. Petersburg were targeted in the overnight Ukrainian drone assault, according to its governor Aleksandr Beglov. The city is this week hosting the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, often dubbed Putin’s version of Davos.

In the below, the WSJ's foreign chief correspondent has moved from journalist to advocate:

Ukrainian aircraft arrive to deliver a keynote address at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum that opens this morning. Special entertainment for Candace Owens, Andrew Tate and all the other distinguished guests. pic.twitter.com/S8GFB9cTAs

— Yaroslav Trofimov (@yarotrof) June 3, 2026

Broke black plumes of smoke rose over St. Petersburg just as thousands of guests from 130 countries were due to attend. Importantly, this has included 'low level' Trump administration delegation.

BBC writes, "Mobile internet was disrupted and St Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport was temporarily closed, while some regions of nearby Latvia and Estonia also issued air raid alerts." Dozens of regional flights were also delayed.

President Zelensky boastfully owned up to it, after Kiev has already come under heavy Russian bombardment this week. Zelensky commented Wednesday: "Ukraine’s plan for long-range sanctions is being implemented exactly as needed to bring peace closer."

He tweeted footage of the aftermath of Ukrainian drones hitting the St. Petersburg Oil Terminal. Nearby Kronstadt, home to the headquarters base of the Russian Navy's Baltic Fleet, also reportedly suffered attack.

Ukrainian attack drones opened this year's Russian Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum, successfully striking the city's fuel and oil maritime terminal this morning. pic.twitter.com/LHSZkCG7qe

— распад и неуважение (@VictorKvert2008) June 3, 2026

Among the dignitaries attending this year's SPEIF conference is Rodney Mims Cook Jr., who is overseeing President Trump’s controversial planned White House ballroom.

"The attendance of Cook, the chairman of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, has been portrayed by Russian officials as representing the first official U.S. delegation to SPIEF after years of boycotts," The Washington Post writes. "Cook has said his participation was approved by the State Department; however, he did not appear to be part of an official delegation appointed by President Donald Trump."

Also interesting is that Candace Owns is in attendance, and expected to speak at a session on "balancing parenthood in a large family with a successful career."

The Christian expression and heritage here is unmatched.
Unsurprisingly, they are lying to us about Russia. ✝️ pic.twitter.com/pNbwPmiq3m

— Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) June 1, 2026

One aspect to the forum is Russia asserting itself as a more traditionalist, family-oriented society, compared to the progressiveness and 'wokeness' of the West.

Online 'influencer' brothers Andrew and Tristan Tate have also filmed themselves arriving in Russia, though did not initially confirm whether they planned to attend the forum in St. Petersburg.

Andrew Tate has arrived in Russia

The controversial influencer was welcomed with honors at the airport.

Tate is known for his outspoken views on women and his massive online following.

He and his brother Tristan remain under investigation in Romania and the United Kingdom.… pic.twitter.com/WvmrlpIGK3

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) June 2, 2026

Some of the attacks landed in the daylight hours, startling onlookers among St. Petersburg streets...

The Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum of 2026 (SPIEF 2026) in Russia has started with a very fiery keynote speech by the Ukrainian surprise guests. pic.twitter.com/VVIuGcQCO7

— (((Tendar))) (@Tendar) June 3, 2026

From the forum venue itself: large black plumes can be seen enveloping the skyline...

A burning oil terminal in Saint Petersburg, in the background of the SPIEF, while Russia tries to sell its economic resilience.

President Putin and top military brass had last month said strikes would be initiated against "decision-making centers" in response to the dorm attack in the Russia’s Lugansk People’s Republic on May 22, which killed 21 people - mostly teenage girls - and injured 70 others.

🇺🇦🇷🇺🛢️ Un terminal pétrolier en feu à Saint-Pétersbourg, en arrière-plan du SPIEF, pendant que la Russie tente de vendre sa “résilience économique”.

Franchement, difficile de faire plus symbolique. pic.twitter.com/l4X81RoNGK

— Alex 🇫🇷 (@Alexandree1507) June 3, 2026

Kremlin officials now say that Russian forces have "a right to dismantle any infrastructure that supports terrorism." This new bus attack strongly suggests there's no off-ramp or de-escalation on the horizon, but that tit-for-tat strikes will only grow and become more violent. And the fresh attack on St. Petersburg is certainly not going to help matters.

Tyler Durden Wed, 06/03/2026 - 23:00

A Maryland mother and her teenage daughter allegedly beat a 71-year-old great-grandfather over a parking spot, leading to his death weeks later.

"Well, Scott, from all of us, thank you," Dokoupil concluded.

The day I went to the White House to interview President Trump, Democrats launched another fake rumor campaign about his health.

Iran Issues 4-Stage Proposal For Deal With US, After Most Intense Overnight Clashes Since April Summary

• State media issues four-stage proposal for deal with US, says indirect talks are 'ongoing'.
• GCC blasts 'cowardly attacks' after Kuwait International Airport rocked by Iranian missiles: one dead, 63 injured.
• Overnight saw US-Iran exchange fire in Strait of Hormuz - as US attacked Qeshm Island - and Iran unleashed more projectiles on Gulf states. Most intense fighting since April.
• IRGC via state media: Tehran has frozen all back-channel communication with Washington over Israeli operations in Lebanon, calls Trump narrative a fantasy.
• Trump says Iran has agreed not to pursue a nuclear weapon, while saying talks are still ongoing. Tells NYP he believes the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz will "resolve itself fairly quickly."

//--> //--> //--> US x Iran permanent peace deal by June 30, 2026?
Yes 24% · No 77%
View full market & trade on Polymarket

*  *  *

Trump Claims Iran 'Close' To Signing Paper 'In Theory'

The two sides don't actually appear to be any closer to a deal or so much as a MOU to get back to the table, but President Trump is still signaling optimism:

Trump on Iran:

In theory, they are pretty close to signing the paper.

On what you saw for the last few nights: it takes two to tango. pic.twitter.com/j6z0PjP8ve

— Clash Report (@clashreport) June 3, 2026 Fars: Outline of Iran's 4-Stage Proposal For Deal With US

Fars Politics on Telegram has issued the following outline on Wednesday (machine translated). Also, somewhat contradicting reports from other state media outlets, Fars has stated that indirect talks with Washington are still ongoing, but that no final decision on a MOU has yet been made.

Phase 1: Ending war and halting military actions.

Phase 2: Tangible measures, including: The issue of the strait and the mechanisms related to it,
Lifting the blockade, Removing restrictions and oil sanctions, Releasing part of Iran's frozen assets and blocked financial resources.

Phase 3: Dedicated to discussions on sanctions and the nuclear file.

Phase 4: Involves establishing a supervisory committee to oversee implementation of the understanding and monitor the commitments of all parties.

Saeed Ajorlou, a member of the media team of the negotiating delegation provided the following commentary via Fars:

Phase One is ending the war and achieving a complete halt to military actions. This must encompass all parties and all fronts—whether Iran and the United States or the so-called Resistance Axis.

After Phase One is stabilized, the focus shifts to practical and tangible measures. In this phase, four key issues must be addressed:

• The issue of the strait and the mechanisms related to it
• Lifting the blockade,
• Removing restrictions and oil sanctions,
• Releasing part of Iran's frozen assets and blocked financial resources.

Phase Three is dedicated to discussions on sanctions and the nuclear file. At this stage, after concrete and verifiable measures have been implemented, negotiations will begin on broader sanctions relief as well as issues related to the nuclear program.

Phase Four involves establishing a supervisory committee to oversee implementation of the understanding and monitor the commitments of all parties. The members of this committee have not yet been finalized, but Iran is seeking to include friendly and aligned countries in the mechanism so that the implementation process has sufficient backing and support.

By the looks of the above proposal, the warring sides seem very much still at square one.

State Media Still Insists Talks Are Frozen, Amid Most Intense Fighting Since April

State media statement on Wednesday:

IRGC-linked Tasnim claims Tehran has frozen all back-channel communication with Washington over Israeli operations in Lebanon, directly contradicting Trump's assertion that messages are arriving daily from Iran. Tasnim: "Trump's claim that Iran is confirming the issue is completely different from reality."

Iran's Foreign Minister is meanwhile articulating that Iran will lay down some new red lines via military strikes, which he has dubbed 'self-defense' in nature...

Our Armed Forces are conducting self-defense strikes on sites the U.S. is permitted to use to attack civilian shipping and violate the ceasefire.

Any hostile act will be met with an immediate, decisive response. What sanctions and war failed to achieve won't be won with more war pic.twitter.com/CwjULJ6PeI

— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) June 3, 2026

President Donald Trump is still trying to present some bright spots, telling NY Post he believes the situation in the Strait of Hormuz will "resolve itself fairly quickly" and went so far to say he expects to meet with Iran's supreme leader "at some point."

Major Attack on Kuwait International Airport: One Dead, 63 Injured

Kuwait International Airport has come under Iranian missile and drone attack on Wednesday, in a significant strike that killed one person and left 63 people injured - according to the country's health ministry, with several of the victims being seriously wounded.

A passenger terminal was directly struck, damaging facilities including diplomatic missions at the airport, Kuwaiti authorities have said. Area hospitals conducted seven major emergency surgeries following the incident, underscoring that it was a mass casualty event.

via The Telegraph

Kuwaiti defense ministry spokesperson Brig Gen Saud Abdulaziz Al-Atwan described the attack as "criminal Iranian aggression which resulted in significant material damage to the building and injuries." It confirmed engaging 13 missiles and 17 drones total which were fired from Iran. 

Civil aviation authorities immediately suspended traffic and transferred arriving flights to separate unaffected airports after "terminal one came under Iranian attacks causing casualties and damage." The cross-border airport attack came after violent exchanges of fire between the US and Iran, which at first looked like limited one-off incidents, but then became an extended tit-for-tat.

The Overnight Catalyst: US-Iran Exchange Fire in Hormuz

Overnight, the US military deployed a Hellfire missile to disable a tanker attempting to bypass the American blockade in the Strait of Hormuz. Following the intercept, American forces engaged in a wider kinetic exchange, stating they repelled subsequent Iranian reprisal strikes across the region and launched retaliatory attacks against military sites on Iran’s Qeshm Island.

In response, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) claimed it launched a missile and drone barrage targeting the U.S. Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain - an assertion that Central Command (CENTCOM) has explicitly denied. The IRGC had also sent several missiles on two US bases in Kuwait, which were said to have been intercepted.

Serous damage and chaos at Kuwait International Airport:

⚡️#UPDATE Iran bombs Kuwait International Airport pic.twitter.com/beTFw6Lyuv

— War Monitor (@WarMonitors) June 3, 2026 GCC Blasts 'Cowardly Attacks'

The Gulf Cooperation Council has in response slammed Iran for their "ongoing aggression" against member states Bahrain and Kuwait, denouncing the "cowardly attacks on civilian objects" which mark a "dangerous and unprecedented escalation."

But Tehran is not backing down and is instead issuing further hardline warnings and threats, per Al Jazeera citing state media:

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard says retaliatory strikes "should serve as a lesson" for the United States after it fired a barrage of missiles and drones at Kuwait and Bahrain.

While Iran's foreign ministry is warning that the overnight US assault on Qeshm Island continues a severe breach of the ceasefire, President Trump is saying that "conversations between us have been going on continuously" - in reference to the Iranians.

Kuwait's civil aviation authority confirmed Iranian drones and missiles hit the T1 terminal at Kuwait International Airport. Several people were injured and the building sustained severe damage. Commercial flights have been halted. https://t.co/fbFhjSofIY pic.twitter.com/zOz83Ba6cy

— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) June 3, 2026 Overnight Headlines

More latest developments via Newsquawk...

• Explosions were heard near Qeshm Island in Iran on Wednesday morning.
• Kuwait's Army announced its air defences were intercepting hostile missile and drone attacks, while reports noted that two US bases were targeted in Kuwait, with explosions in the Ali al-Salem and Arifjan bases where US soldiers are stationed. Furthermore, air raid sirens sounded in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, with explosions also reported in Saudi Arabia, while explosions were heard in Qamishli, Syria, and earlier reports noted multiple explosions in the centre of Iraqi Kurdistan with the headquarters of anti-Iranian separatist groups targeted.
• IRGC said the US attacked Qeshm Island, and in response, Iran carried out precise and intensive missile strikes on US bases in Kuwait, while it warned further US aggression will be met with a seismic, crushing and decisive response.
• IRGC said the headquarters of the US 5th Fleet in Bahrain was attacked by missiles and drones from the IRGC Aerospace Force, while it targeted a US-affiliated vessel named Panaya with missiles and clarified the recent attack was in retaliation for the US targeting an IRGC communications tower in the south of Qeshm Island.
• US CENTCOM said Iran launched several ballistic missiles towards neighbours and that forces successfully defeated multiple Iranian missiles, while US forces had conducted strikes on Qeshm Island in response to attempted attacks by Iran. CENTCOM stated that forces shot down three one-way attack drones launched by Iran toward civilian mariners that were rightfully transiting regional waters, and US forces also conducted self-defence strikes on an Iranian military ground control station on Qeshm Island. Furthermore, it denied IRGC claims that Iran struck the 5th Fleet HQ in Bahrain and a US airbase in the region, and stated that all Iranian attacks on US forces failed.
• US CENTCOM says forces disabled a Botswana-flagged unladen oil tanker that was attempting to sail toward an Iranian port on the Arabian Gulf on June 2nd. Says: US aircraft disabled the vessel by firing a Hellfire missile into the ship’s engine room, preventing the tanker from reaching Iran.
• US President Trump is pushing Iran to make firmer nuclear commitments and wants nuclear concessions in writing from Iran, according to ABC News.
• US Secretary of State Rubio said that Iran has mined large segments of the Hormuz Strait. Rubio stated that nuclear negotiations with Iran were highly complicated and technical, which would therefore take time, while he added that the war with Iran had made interactions with Tehran more complicated, but also commented that the "war in Iran is over".
• Iran's Foreign Ministry condemned the US attacks on Iranian tanker and Qeshm island. The Foreign Ministry "notes the direct and clear responsibility of the rulers of Kuwait and Bahrain for last night’s aggressive acts."
• Hardline Iranian lawmaker called for stronger military response to US strikes, Al Jazeera reported.
• Kuwait’s General Civil Aviation Authority said an emergency plan at Kuwait International Airport was activated after Terminal 1 was targeted by Iranian drones and missiles.
• Hezbollah attacked an Israeli command post in southern Lebanon with a drone strike, which wounded eight Israeli soldiers, according to SNN.

Tyler Durden Wed, 06/03/2026 - 22:45

US Govt. Lab Launches Advanced Battery Lab To Help Power Grid

Authored by Georgina Jedikovska via Interesting Engineering,

The US has recently launched a new battery production line, which is expected to help researchers develop safer and cheaper energy storage technologies for the electric grid.

PNNL's new prismatic cell line will allow researchers and industry partners to create, test and demonstrate real-world prismatic cells at an industrially relevant scale. (Andrea Starr/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) 

The new line is housed at the Grid Storage Launchpad (GSL), a 93,000-square-foot research facility. It is run by the Department of Energy's (DOE) Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in Richland, Washington State.

According to PNNL, the newly commissioned production line features a total of 16 pieces of equipment inside a 1,400-square-foot laboratory. It is reportedly the first prismatic battery cell production line at a US national laboratory.

Researchers at PNNL pointed out that it will allow them to manufacture, test, and validate advanced battery designs at an industrially relevant scale. "This helps our researchers bridge the gap between science and industry," Adam Jivelekas, GSL operations manager, said.

A New Grid Storage Hub

The line will produce prismatic battery cells. These are rectangular and larger than cylindrical cells, and shaped like a nine-volt battery (9V). As a result, they contain more energy per cell. Developed with a heavier metal casing, they are less prone to overheating, which makes them increasingly popular for storing energy on the electric grid.

Mark Weller, PhD, a PNNL materials scientist and the principal investigator of the project, explained that metal transfers heat more efficiently than most materials. This allows these batteries to cool more easily. "If you have better heat transport, if the cells are more mechanically uniform, if they're packed more efficiently, all those things can translate to not just higher safety, but lower cost," he added.

In addition, their rectangular shape means they can be stacked neatly together. This reduces wasted space compared to cylindrical alternatives. Efficient packing helps boost energy density at the pack level.

As per Jivelekas, the facility will help speed up the transition from battery research to production. "We can help external researchers or industry partners test and validate their prismatic cell designs," he pointed out.

Start Of Operations

PNNL noted that the facility is located inside a specialized dry laboratory, where humidity levels are kept lower than those found in some of the driest places on the planet. Maintaining these conditions is critical, as trace levels of moisture can degrade the sensitive battery components.

The facility wrapped up testing earlier this year. The scientists are now preparing validation projects intended to demonstrate its capabilities. Weller emphasized that the real test is proving it can be used to consistently manufacture high-quality prismatic cells.

"Making a coin cell takes a few milligrams of material; making a prismatic cell takes at least a kilogram," he elaborated in a press release. "When you scale up like that, you can't assume that a chemistry that worked well in a coin cell will work just as well in a prismatic cell."

To demonstrate the approach, the research team will produce and evaluate two promising battery chemistries to use in prismatic cells. These include sodium-ion and lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP).

Following production, the researchers will submit these two prismatic cell types to a number of tests to evaluate their performance and safety. "With this capability, we can do the research and development and pilot-scale testing that is difficult for companies to justify and help facilitate a smoother handoff to get advanced battery concepts to market," Weller concluded.

Tyler Durden Wed, 06/03/2026 - 22:35

This time, Gregg Popovich didn't have to worry about the x's and o's needed to beat the Knicks.

Americans were assured that if Donald Trump became president, women would be stripped of our rights.

The streak is over.