The next big leap in electric vehicles could come down to a high-stakes tech battle between China and the U.S. Both countries are pouring resources into developing better, cheaper EV batteries—meaning the cars of tomorrow might depend on who wins this innovation sprint today.

Elon Musk, who became the top donor to Donald Trump's 2024 campaign, says he's hitting the brakes on political spending. In a candid remark, the billionaire shrugged, "I think I've done enough," signaling a shift away from pouring money into elections—at least for now.

What This Mean: Musk's pullback could shake up the funding landscape for Trump and other candidates, given his outsize influence. It also hints at a broader fatigue among megadonors—or maybe just Musk’s trademark unpredictability. Either way, it’s a reminder that even the richest players in politics can change their minds overnight.

Verizon is scrapping its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) commitments to smooth the path for its $20 billion acquisition of Frontier. The move comes as part of negotiations with the FCC, signaling a growing trend of corporations rolling back social pledges to avoid regulatory roadblocks.

** The U.S. Department of Labor’s watchdog is digging into claims from a whistleblower who says employees at DOGE (presumably a company or agency) demanded—and got—unusually high-level access to the agency’s systems. According to the whistleblower and NPR’s reporting, this access may have led to sensitive data slipping out. Now, investigators are trying to figure out what really happened and whether there was a breach.

President Trump's recent trip to Saudi Arabia included an unexpected entourage: top tech CEOs from companies like Apple, Microsoft, and Amazon. This signals a notable shift, as Silicon Valley and the Saudi government—once at odds over issues like human rights and the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi—are now cozying up. The visit likely revolves around lucrative tech investments and Saudi Arabia's push to diversify its oil-dependent economy.

In a groundbreaking and emotionally charged moment, an AI-generated avatar of murder victim Chris Pelkey addressed his killer in court last week. Pelkey, who died in a 2021 road rage shooting, was digitally recreated by his sister to deliver a posthumous statement of forgiveness. This appears to be the first time an AI victim impact statement has been admitted in a U.S. court—raising big questions about technology’s role in justice, grief, and even absolution.

** Some foreign policy experts are floating a surprising idea—that AI tools like ChatGPT and DeepSeek could play a key role in shaping America’s global decisions. These advanced language models might help analyze complex international scenarios, offering insights or even recommendations in high-pressure diplomatic or military situations. While it sounds like sci-fi, the discussion is gaining traction in serious circles.