The Rare Earth Metal Driving Tensions Between the US and China

French President Emmanuel Macron has accused the United States of undermining European Union investigations into major technology companies, particularly regarding the Digital Services Act, which has seen delays of up to two years at the European Commission. Macron expressed concern over the slow pace of regulatory actions that were initially promised to be expedited.

More than a century ago, the U.S. government faced a significant scandal involving manipulated photographs of the president, which nearly resulted in a national ban on fake images. This incident highlights the longstanding concerns surrounding photographic authenticity that have persisted since the inception of the medium.

A significant disruption occurred in worldwide markets due to a data-center issue in a Chicago suburb, which was first noted at 9:41 p.m. Eastern time on Thursday, coinciding with the Thanksgiving holiday in the U.S. This incident unfolded while Wall Street was largely inactive, raising concerns about market stability during a critical trading period.

Chinese robotics company AgiBot has achieved a significant milestone by setting a new world record with its humanoid robot A2, which successfully walked 106.3 kilometers (66 miles) over three days. This accomplishment highlights advancements in humanoid robotics and showcases the capabilities of AI technology in physical tasks.

Apple's iPhone 17 series has emerged as the dominant product during China's Singles' Day shopping festival, contributing to a 3% increase in the overall market despite the country's cautious economic environment. This success underscores Apple's strong brand presence in China amidst stiff competition.

China has issued a warning regarding the potential for a bubble in the humanoid robot industry, highlighting concerns about market saturation and funding risks that could disrupt the sector globally. This caution comes from the country's top economic-planning agency, marking a significant acknowledgment of the challenges facing this rapidly expanding field.

President Trump is actively pursuing a trade agreement with Taiwan aimed at expanding U.S. chipmaker operations, particularly encouraging major Taiwanese firms like TSMC to enhance their presence in the U.S. and assist in training American workers in high-tech manufacturing.

China's homegrown Hygon CPU has demonstrated performance comparable to Intel's Core i7-14700, featuring 16 cores, 32 threads, and a base clock of 2.8 GHz. However, the reported TDP of 55,535W raises questions about the accuracy of the specifications.