News & Updates
The latest news and updates from companies in the WLTH portfolio.
Here's Why Anthropic Is Pushing States to Regulate AI Faster | Tech Biz Web
In the fast-moving world of artificial intelligence, Anthropic is playing a role that feels strikingly counterintuitive for a tech giant. While much of Silicon Valley has aggressively lobbied against government oversight -- fearing that red tape will strangle innovation -- Anthropic is actively inviting it. Last year, the company played a pivotal role in shaping and passing new transparency laws in California and New York. Now, they are signaling that those hard-won victories are already relics of the past. As Cesar Fernandez, Anthropic's head of U.S. state and local government relations, recently told WIRED, the rapid evolution of AI technology means that mere self-reporting is no longer enough. The company is now championing more stringent oversight, arguing that if technology is moving at breakneck speed, our policy responses must accelerate to match it. The motivation behind this stance is rooted in Anthropic's unique corporate DNA. Valued at nearly $1 trillion, the company is undeniably a titan of industry, yet it remains tethered to a founding mission that prioritizes the "safe transition" to a world with transformative AI over pure market dominance. This philosophy has pushed them to support some of the most rigorous proposed regulations in the country. From Illinois to Massachusetts, Anthropic is backing measures that go far beyond simple transparency, advocating for mandatory third-party audits of safety protocols and empowering state attorneys general to hold AI developers accountable. For a company that stands to lose the most from overly restrictive rules, this proactive embrace of regulation is a deliberate, albeit unconventional, strategy. To navigate this complex political landscape, Anthropic has recruited Cesar Fernandez, a seasoned veteran of high-stakes government relations who previously cut his teeth steering policy at companies like Uber and FanDuel. Fernandez's expertise is arriving at a critical juncture; with Congress largely deadlocked on federal AI policy, individual states have stepped into the vacuum to set their own rules. By deploying someone who understands how to win legislative battles on a state-by-state basis, Anthropic is positioning itself as the primary architect of the new AI rulebook. This gives them a significant advantage: they aren't just reacting to laws, they are effectively shaping the environment in which their own future technology will operate. However, not everyone in Silicon Valley sees this as a virtuous quest for safety. A growing chorus of critics, including high-profile tech figures like David Sacks, views Anthropic's behavior through a cynical lens known as "regulatory capture." The argument suggests that by lobbying for complex and expensive compliance requirements, Anthropic is effectively building a moat around its business. If the cost of playing in the AI field becomes high enough due to mandatory audits and strict safety mandates, smaller, hungrier startups will be forced out of the market. To these critics, Anthropic isn't trying to save the world; they are trying to cement their status as an incumbent by rigging the game against potential future competitors. Fernandez and the leadership at Anthropic vehemently reject this "nefarious" characterization. They point out that the legislation they support is carefully calibrated to apply only to "large AI model developers" -- specifically those with hundreds of millions of dollars in development costs and significant annual revenues. From their perspective, the threshold is high enough that it won't affect the average startup just getting off the ground. They argue that the focus is entirely on the industry giants, of which they are a member, acknowledging that companies with the power to influence society at scale should be subject to the intense scrutiny that their own massive scale demands. The reality, however, remains nuanced and arguably somewhat gray. While Anthropic's thresholds might shield early-stage ventures, the line between an "up-and-coming startup" and a "large developer" is blurring, especially as billions of dollars in venture capital flood the sector. Companies like Mistral and Safe Superintelligence are already operating at a scale that could eventually bring them under the umbrella of these regulations. Whether these policies are truly about protecting humanity from "catastrophic risks" or simply about controlling the supply side of the AI market remains a point of heated debate. Ultimately, Anthropic is betting that by leading the regulatory conversation, they can define the safety standards of the future -- and perhaps ensure that the only players left in the game are those willing to play by their, and the government's, sophisticated rules.
Aramco awards Halliburton unconventional gas development contract
Saudi Aramco awarded New York-listed Halliburton a multi-year contract to deliver integrated stimulation and completion services for unconventional gas development in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In a statement, Halliburton said this award is part of a broader multi-billion contract, supporting one of the largest unconventional gas development programs globally. This award builds on Halliburton's established portfolio supporting Aramco's unconventional program. Under the program, Halliburton will deploy intelligent automation solutions for fracturing to optimize performance in real time and support disciplined implementation across multi-well campaigns. These technologies support digital integration across operations while advancing efficiency and operational reliability. Development activities in the Jafurah Basin are underway. Halliburton also plans to increase its investment in local manufacturing, improve its supply chain, and expand workforce development programs within the Kingdom, aiming to scale operations and sustain high performance as unconventional activity accelerates.
Aramco Awards Halliburton Company Long-Term Contract for Unconventional Gas Program
Aramco awarded Halliburton Company a multi-year contract to deliver integrated stimulation and completion services for unconventional gas development in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This award is part of a broader multi-billion contract, supporting one of the largest unconventional gas development programs globally. Across many of the Kingdom?s unconventional plays, Halliburton Company delivers a comprehensive suite of drilling and completion solutions. Its integrated service model is designed to support high-intensity development programs and improve operational efficiency, workflow predictability, and execution reliability. Beginning in the third quarter of 2026, Halliburton Company will deploy the Kingdom?s first fully integrated intelligent fracturing platform through OCTIV Auto Frac and Sensori fracturing monitoring services to contribute to asset value for one of the world?s largest unconventional fields. Under the program, Halliburton Company will deploy intelligent automation solutions for fracturing to optimize performance in real time and support disciplined implementation across multi-well campaigns. These technologies support digital integration across operations while advancing efficiency and operational reliability. Development activities in the Jafurah Basin are underway. To support this effort, Halliburton Company plans to increase its investment in local manufacturing, improve its supply chain, and expand workforce development programs within the Kingdom, aiming to scale operations and sustain high performance as unconventional activity accelerates.
Aramco awards Halliburton long-term contract for unconventional gas program
HOUSTON - July 15, 2026 - Aramco awarded Halliburton (NYSE: HAL) a multi-year contract to deliver integrated stimulation and completion services for unconventional gas development in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This award is part of a broader multi-billion contract, supporting one of the largest unconventional gas development programs globally. This award builds on Halliburton's established portfolio supporting Aramco's unconventional program. Across many of the Kingdom's unconventional plays, Halliburton delivers a comprehensive suite of drilling and completion solutions. Its integrated service model is designed to support high-intensity development programs and improve operational efficiency, workflow predictability, and execution reliability. This collaboration supports broader regional efforts toward integrated unconventional development programs. This award highlights our long-standing collaboration with Aramco and builds on more than 80 years in the Kingdom, while advancing unconventional gas development in the Kingdom. Beginning in the third quarter of 2026, Halliburton will deploy the Kingdom's first fully integrated intelligent fracturing platform through OCTIV® Auto Frac and Sensori™ fracturing monitoring services to contribute to asset value for one of the world's largest unconventional fields. Under the program, Halliburton will deploy intelligent automation solutions for fracturing to optimize performance in real time and support disciplined implementation across multi-well campaigns. These technologies support digital integration across operations while advancing efficiency and operational reliability. Development activities in the Jafurah Basin are underway. To support this effort, Halliburton plans to increase its investment in local manufacturing, improve its supply chain, and expand workforce development programs within the Kingdom, aiming to scale operations and sustain high performance as unconventional activity accelerates. About Halliburton Halliburton is one of the world's leading providers of products and services to the energy industry. Founded in 1919, we create innovative technologies, products, and services that help our customers maximize their value throughout the life cycle of an asset and advance a sustainable energy future. Connect with us on LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook.
Aramco Awards Halliburton Long-Term Contract for Unconventional Gas Program
Aramco awarded Halliburton (NYSE: HAL) a multi-year contract to deliver integrated stimulation and completion services for unconventional gas development in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This award is part of a broader multi-billion contract, supporting one of the largest unconventional gas development programs globally. This award builds on Halliburton's established portfolio supporting Aramco's unconventional program. Across many of the Kingdom's unconventional plays, Halliburton delivers a comprehensive suite of drilling and completion solutions. Its integrated service model is designed to support high-intensity development programs and improve operational efficiency, workflow predictability, and execution reliability. This collaboration supports broader regional efforts toward integrated unconventional development programs. Anzeige "This award highlights our long-standing collaboration with Aramco and builds on more than 80 years in the Kingdom, while advancing unconventional gas development in the Kingdom," said Rami Yassine, president, Eastern Hemisphere, Halliburton. "Beginning in the third quarter of 2026, Halliburton will deploy the Kingdom's first fully integrated intelligent fracturing platform through OCTIV Auto Frac and Sensori fracturing monitoring services to contribute to asset value for one of the world's largest unconventional fields." Under the program, Halliburton will deploy intelligent automation solutions for fracturing to optimize performance in real time and support disciplined implementation across multi-well campaigns. These technologies support digital integration across operations while advancing efficiency and operational reliability. Development activities in the Jafurah Basin are underway. To support this effort, Halliburton plans to increase its investment in local manufacturing, improve its supply chain, and expand workforce development programs within the Kingdom, aiming to scale operations and sustain high performance as unconventional activity accelerates. ABOUT HALLIBURTON Halliburton is one of the world's leading providers of products and services to the energy industry. Founded in 1919, we create innovative technologies, products, and services that help our customers maximize their value throughout the life cycle of an asset and advance a sustainable energy future. Visit us at www.halliburton.com; connect with us on LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260715096562/en/ The Halliburton Stock at the time of publication of the news with a raise of +0,90 % to 31,31EUR on Tradegate stock exchange (15. Juli 2026, 09:30 Uhr).
Aramco Awards Halliburton Long-Term Contract for Unconventional Gas Program
All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here Aramco awarded Halliburton (NYSE: HAL) a multi-year contract to deliver integrated stimulation and completion services for unconventional gas development in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This award is part of a broader multi-billion contract, supporting one of the largest unconventional gas development programs globally. This award builds on Halliburton's established portfolio supporting Aramco's unconventional program. Across many of the Kingdom's unconventional plays, Halliburton delivers a comprehensive suite of drilling and completion solutions. Its integrated service model is designed to support high-intensity development programs and improve operational efficiency, workflow predictability, and execution reliability. This collaboration supports broader regional efforts toward integrated unconventional development programs. "This award highlights our long-standing collaboration with Aramco and builds on more than 80 years in the Kingdom, while advancing unconventional gas development in the Kingdom," said Rami Yassine, president, Eastern Hemisphere, Halliburton. "Beginning in the third quarter of 2026, Halliburton will deploy the Kingdom's first fully integrated intelligent fracturing platform through OCTIV Auto Frac and Sensori™ fracturing monitoring services to contribute to asset value for one of the world's largest unconventional fields." Under the program, Halliburton will deploy intelligent automation solutions for fracturing to optimize performance in real time and support disciplined implementation across multi-well campaigns. These technologies support digital integration across operations while advancing efficiency and operational reliability. Development activities in the Jafurah Basin are underway. To support this effort, Halliburton plans to increase its investment in local manufacturing, improve its supply chain, and expand workforce development programs within the Kingdom, aiming to scale operations and sustain high performance as unconventional activity accelerates. ABOUT HALLIBURTON Halliburton is one of the world's leading providers of products and services to the energy industry. Founded in 1919, we create innovative technologies, products, and services that help our customers maximize their value throughout the life cycle of an asset and advance a sustainable energy future. Visit us at www.halliburton.com ; connect with us on LinkedIn , YouTube , Instagram , and Facebook . View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260715096562/en/
Anya Taylor-Joy's 'Lucky' releases on Apple TV: All about the unconventional plot, cast, and episodes
Anya Taylor-Joy steps into a fierce character embroiled in crime with high-octane action sequences after her unconventional childhood in the brand-new mini-series, 'Lucky.' The 30-year-old leads the seven-episode limited series. While torn between choosing a lifestyle, circumstances keep her freedom and security at stake. Here's a closer look at Anya Taylor-Joy's new mini-series, 'Lucky.'Anya Taylor-Joy dons the role of Lucky (Luciana Anderson) in the new mini-series, released on Apple TV. The first two episodes were released on the OTT platform on July 15, 2026, keeping the thrill alive with weekly releases every Wednesday until the season finale on August 19, 2026, per Deadline. Episode 1: 'No Shortcuts,' Wednesday, July 15, 2026Episode 2: 'Make 'Em Dance,'' Wednesday, July 15, 2026Episode 3 - Wednesday, July 22, 2026Episode 4 - Wednesday, July 29, 2026Episode 5 - Wednesday, August 5, 2026Episode 6 - Wednesday, August 12, 2026Episode 7 - Wednesday, August 19, 2026Despite season 1 being limited to seven episodes, the show is adapted from Marissa Stapley's novel. She is currently working on the follow-up novel from the same world, leaving room for a project revolving around the Lucky-verse. Lucky's startling upbringing - her father is a con artist, and her mother is an FBI agent - sets the tone for her life decisions. Aiming for a million-dollar heist, the plan falls apart, leading her to use the skills she learnt from her father to flee the site. However, she must remain discreet from her FBI agent mother and a mob boss on her trail - for opposite reasons. Created by Jonathan Tropper, Anya Taylor-Joy takes the lead as Lucky, while Drew Starkey plays her husband, Cary. The con artist father is played by Timothy Olyphant, and the FBI agent mother is played by Billie Rand. Meanwhile, the mob boss is played by Annette Bening.
Quote of the day by Johnny Depp: 'My sickness is that I'm fascinated by human behaviour, by what's underneath the surface, by the worlds inside people,' when the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' star explained why he chooses the most unconventional roles
Johnny Depp knows how to make an impression last forever. At CinemaCon in April 2026, the first footage from 'Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol,' directed by Ti West and set for release on November 13, 2026, stopped the room. Depp, playing Ebenezer Scrooge, was described as completely unrecognisable, buried under layers of old-age makeup, fully transformed into a crotchety, terrifying Victorian miser. It is his most high-profile role in nearly a decade, and by every early account, he has disappeared into it entirely. He also stars in the thriller 'Day Drinker' alongside Penélope Cruz, set for release later in 2026. And as the conversation around his return builds, a line he gave years ago in a profile interview has never explained him more completely.The quote of the day reads, "People say I make strange choices, but they're not strange for me. My sickness is that I'm fascinated by human behaviour, by what's underneath the surface, by the worlds inside people."Johnny Depp gave this statement during a profile interview for Vanity Fair, while reflecting on his unconventional approach to his acting career. The interview was not a moment of defensiveness. It was an explanation. And the word he chose to frame it, sickness, is the most interesting thing about the quote.He did not say passion. He did not say curiosity. He said sickness. And the distinction matters. A passion is something you choose to pursue. A sickness is something that chooses you. It is involuntary. It is constitutive. It is the thing that operates in you whether or not you permit it, the compulsion that pulls you toward certain rooms, certain people, certain questions, regardless of whether those rooms are comfortable or those questions have easy answers. By calling his fascination with human behaviour a sickness, Depp describes something that was never really a professional choice. It was always a calling. And not a gentle one.The phrase "what's underneath the surface" is where the quote becomes a key to understanding his entire body of work. Depp has spent his career systematically avoiding the surface. The roles that most clearly show who he is are not the ones where the character is legible from the outside, where the motivation is clear, and the behaviour is predictable. They are the ones where the character operates from a place that is slightly opaque, slightly off-centre, slightly more complicated than the genre they inhabit would seem to require. Captain Jack Sparrow is nominally a pirate adventure character. But what Depp built underneath that character, the private grief, the philosophical detachment, the strange dignity, made him something entirely different and entirely unforgettable.And now, at a point in his career where the easy choice would be to take a safe, legible role and demonstrate to Hollywood that he is reliable and uncomplicated, he has instead chosen to disappear under layers of makeup into one of literature's most psychologically complex characters. A man defined by what is underneath his surface. A man whose interior life, hidden for decades under cruelty and coldness, is the entire subject of the story. It is, in the most Depp way imaginable, exactly the right call.John Christopher Depp II was born on June 9, 1963, in Owensboro, Kentucky, the youngest of four children, and moved frequently throughout his childhood as his family relocated across Florida, according to IMDb. His parents divorced when he was fifteen, a period he described as destabilising, and he dropped out of high school at sixteen to pursue music, forming a band called The Kids that eventually relocated to Los Angeles in search of a record deal. The deal never came. What came instead was acting, initially as a favour, when his then-girlfriend introduced him to her agent, who suggested he try it.His film debut came in Wes Craven's 'A Nightmare on Elm Street' in 1984, followed by his breakthrough as the lead of the television series '21 Jump Street,' which ran from 1987 to 1990 and made him a teen idol in a way he has described as deeply uncomfortable. He has spoken often about his determination to move away from that image as quickly as possible, which is precisely the impulse that led him to Tim Burton and the beginning of one of the most distinctive actor-director partnerships in American cinema.'Edward Scissorhands,' 'Ed Wood,' 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,' 'Donnie Brasco,' 'Sleepy Hollow,' 'Blow,' 'Finding Neverland' (for which he received an Academy Award nomination), 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,' 'Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street' (for which he received his third Academy Award nomination), and of course the five 'Pirates of the Caribbean' films, in which his portrayal of Captain Jack Sparrow became one of the most beloved and widely imitated characters in modern cinema. Each one a choice that the conventional Hollywood logic of the time said was risky or strange or simply wrong. Each one a choice that proved, once again, that the sickness he described in that Vanity Fair interview was not a liability. It was always the engine.He is 62 years old, preparing for the release of the film that may define the next chapter of a career that has already defied every conventional shape a career is supposed to take. And the man who said his sickness is his fascination with what is underneath the surface has chosen, for his return, a character whose entire story is about exactly that. What is underneath. What has been hidden. What can still, even at the very end, be redeemed.
SpaceX Fizzles to Close $1 Above IPO Price Weeks After Debut
(Bloomberg) -- Three days of losses have brought SpaceX shares to the brink of falling below their initial public offering price, a key level that traders and investors watch to assess the health of new issues. Most Read from Bloomberg Shares fell 2.2% Tuesday to close at $136.08 each, just $1 above the $135 price tag buyers paid last month in the biggest first-time share sale ever. Elon Musk's rocket, satellite and artificial intelligence company has plunged one-third from its post-listing peak, erasing nearly $850 billion in value. A company's shares falling below the IPO price within days or weeks of its first trading day punctures the narrative that's been carefully choreographed by the company and its bankers to hype up expectations. Putting shareholders in the red at such an early stage is a blow to confidence that some newly-listed firms don't recover from. Skeptics note that the stock trades at a forward estimated price-to-sales ratio of more than 30 times, among the highest in the Nasdaq-100 Index and modestly lagging that of Palantir Technologies Inc. SpaceX is also facing an extended lock-up that will see insiders periodically releasing shares into the market over the coming months. "We still don't think SpaceX has found its low," according to Ken Mahoney, chief executive officer of Mahoney Asset Management. "There will be continuous supply coming on in the coming months, and you would have to monitor how much demand would be there as you move down the quality spectrum." Index Addition SpaceX's slip near the IPO price comes just a week after the company was added to the Nasdaq 100 through fast-entry rules, and after analysts gave the company -- whose unconventional pitch included a base on the moon and eventually a colony on Mars -- a resoundingly bullish reception. More than a dozen bankers including Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Goldman Sachs Group Inc. started coverage with buy-equivalent ratings, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Over 80% of Wall Street analysts covering SpaceX say to buy shares and see major upside ahead. The average price target of $236.25 is more than 70% above Tuesday's close. It's normal for newly-public stocks to experience volatility. A Truist Wealth analysis of 30 major technology IPOs over the past 15 years found that they averaged a maximum decline of 55% in the first year of trading.
SpaceX Fizzles to Close $1 Above IPO Price Weeks After Debut
(Bloomberg) -- Three days of losses have brought SpaceX shares to the brink of falling below their initial public offering price, a key level that traders and investors watch to assess the health of new issues. Most Read from Bloomberg Shares fell 2.2% Tuesday to close at $136.08 each, just $1 above the $135 price tag buyers paid last month in the biggest first-time share sale ever. Elon Musk's rocket, satellite and artificial intelligence company has plunged one-third from its post-listing peak, erasing nearly $850 billion in value. A company's shares falling below the IPO price within days or weeks of its first trading day punctures the narrative that's been carefully choreographed by the company and its bankers to hype up expectations. Putting shareholders in the red at such an early stage is a blow to confidence that some newly-listed firms don't recover from. Skeptics note that the stock trades at a forward estimated price-to-sales ratio of more than 30 times, among the highest in the Nasdaq-100 Index and modestly lagging that of Palantir Technologies Inc. SpaceX is also facing an extended lock-up that will see insiders periodically releasing shares into the market over the coming months. "We still don't think SpaceX has found its low," according to Ken Mahoney, chief executive officer of Mahoney Asset Management. "There will be continuous supply coming on in the coming months, and you would have to monitor how much demand would be there as you move down the quality spectrum." Index Addition SpaceX's slip near the IPO price comes just a week after the company was added to the Nasdaq 100 through fast-entry rules, and after analysts gave the company -- whose unconventional pitch included a base on the moon and eventually a colony on Mars -- a resoundingly bullish reception. More than a dozen bankers including Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Goldman Sachs Group Inc. started coverage with buy-equivalent ratings, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Over 80% of Wall Street analysts covering SpaceX say to buy shares and see major upside ahead. The average price target of $236.25 is more than 70% above Tuesday's close. It's normal for newly-public stocks to experience volatility. A Truist Wealth analysis of 30 major technology IPOs over the past 15 years found that they averaged a maximum decline of 55% in the first year of trading.