In US News, a federal judge has dismissed Donald Trump’s defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal over its report on a lewd birthday letter allegedly sent to Jeffrey Epstein. Trump denied writing it, while the Journal defended its reporting as accurate and protected. Trump could still appeal.
The administration is asking the Supreme Court to intervene in a dispute over California’s mail-voting rules. The case involves roughly 20,000 ballots that arrived after Election Day but were postmarked on time. California says they were lawfully cast; the administration argues their inclusion conflicts with federal requirements.
A judge has also dismissed a criminal complaint accusing two former FBI officials of lying to Congress about information related to Hunter Biden. The ruling removes the immediate case, though prosecutors could amend or refile the allegations.
In World News, the United States carried out limited strikes on Iran’s Qeshm Island, according to three US officials who described the action as defensive. Officials have not disclosed the targets, weapons or any casualties, and the Pentagon has not released a full account.
China is reportedly testing how large stealth drones could operate from naval vessels. The demonstration involved the unmanned GJ-11 aboard the Type 076 amphibious assault ship Sichuan, which features an electromagnetic catapult and arresting gear. The test suggests Beijing is exploring longer-range naval drones while reducing risks to pilots.
The Green Party of England and Wales has abandoned its longstanding opposition to nuclear energy. Supporters cite reliable, low-carbon power; critics point to cost, construction time, safety and waste.
In Money, the AI industry is beginning to resemble a new industrial economy, consuming vast amounts of capital, electricity, hardware and political attention. Anthropic says Claude now writes more than 90 percent of its new code, while revenue has grown 86-fold. But the company has committed nearly $895 billion through 2045 for computing capacity.
That momentum is colliding with uncertainty over what AI can actually do. One benchmark found the strongest model completed only 12 percent of real-world job tasks, while another recorded performance above 80 percent in caregiving, health and administrative work. The gap shows how dependent AI remains on the task.
Markets are beginning to price in the risks. CoreWeave’s volatility has reached a record, credit-default swaps for major technology companies are at their highest levels since 2021, and Jump Trading has opened a desk to hedge falling GPU rents.
Marvell plans to acquire Lumentum for $115 billion, betting optical technology will carry more AI-generated data. Marvell shares nevertheless fell more than 10 percent as investors demanded clearer evidence that AI spending will produce lasting returns.
In Science and Technology, the AI build-out is running into physical limits. Alphabet, Meta, Microsoft, Amazon and Oracle have disclosed more than $3 trillion in combined commitments for leases, buildings, electricity and computing equipment. Banks are demanding stricter terms as construction delays and uncertain returns raise concerns.
Arizona is facing growing opposition to data centers amid severe water stress and reduced Colorado River allocations. Agriculture still accounts for roughly 70 percent of regional water use, while TSMC’s Phoenix plant reportedly consumes in nine days more water than a proposed data center would use in a year. The comparison highlights the political challenge of deciding which industries receive scarce resources.
Energy availability is shaping the global build-out. Envision plans a three-gigawatt data-center campus in Inner Mongolia, while Boom Supersonic is reportedly shifting attention from its delayed aircraft to gas turbines for data centers. Google’s energy chief says permitting, rather than generation, may now be the main constraint.
AI is also reshaping labor and institutions. Linux maintainers are struggling with a surge of AI-generated patches, while PostgreSQL’s next release could be delayed as back-patches increase. Michigan plans to pilot software that scores inmates’ violence risk in real time, raising questions about bias, transparency and due process.
Physical technology is advancing more slowly. Apple’s first home robot has reportedly been delayed to 2027 or later because its software lagged behind finished hardware. Ford, Rivian and General Motors are expanding 3D printing for production parts, while Toyota’s electric-vehicle sales rose sharply even as its China business weakened.
NASA is confronting resource constraints of its own. Voyager 1 is conserving its dwindling plutonium supply after engineers replaced three heaters, while the agency is asking private companies how they might raise, service or deorbit Hubble by 2032. No mission has yet been funded.
Xiaomi delivered more than 50,000 electric vehicles in October, its strongest monthly performance reported so far in 2026. The milestone reflects the company’s expanding production capacity and its effort to compete with China’s leading EV manufacturers.
Scientists are tracking monarch butterfly migration across North America to identify critical breeding, resting and overwintering grounds. The research could guide habitat restoration, reduce pesticide exposure and protect milkweed and native wildflowers.
Researchers are also studying how mechanical pressure on mice’s leg bones triggered anti-aging proteins, producing stronger bones, improved cognitive performance and nearly three additional months of life. The findings are preliminary, but suggest physical signals may influence aging in ways scientists are only beginning to understand.
In Sports, the Golden State Valkyries defeated the Atlanta Dream in Game 7 to win the franchise’s first WNBA title. The championship caps a tightly contested series and establishes the Valkyries as a new force in the league.
In Entertainment, You Can See Everything and Clayface are competing for the top spot, with each film projected to earn about $10.5 million domestically. The unusually close race reflects a broader slowdown in theatrical attendance and could be decided by final estimates and Monday updates.
The Kennedy Center has selected its 2026 honorees, including playwright and screenwriter David Mamet, singer-songwriter Paul Anka and actor Andy Garcia. Further ceremony and broadcast details are expected later.
The Try Guys are returning with Season 9 of Without a Recipe, bringing contestants back for elaborate dishes, improvised techniques and inevitable kitchen mishaps. JonnyCakes, known for Is It Cake?, joins as a professional dessert specialist. A premiere date and contestant list have not yet been announced.
The wider lesson is that technology does not operate in isolation. AI can accelerate software, medicine, logistics and research, but its impact depends on power, water, memory, labor, trust and public consent. The next phase of the technology race will be decided not only by who builds the largest model, but by who can govern its consequences.
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