Memo

The United Nations is convening a high-level plenary meeting to commemorate the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons. The annual observance brings member states together to reaffirm commitments to nuclear disarmament and discuss progress toward a world free of nuclear arms. Speeches typically highlight tensions among nuclear-armed states and calls for renewed disarmament efforts.

Discussion is circulating about a ceasefire plan for Palestine that, according to the claim being shared, is based on a Memorandum of Understanding brokered in June. The plan's grounding in that previously agreed document is being highlighted amid ongoing debate over the ceasefire's terms and the broader conflict involving Iran and the region.

The United Nations is holding a commemoration of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, the 2001 anti-racism framework adopted at the World Conference Against Racism in South Africa. Coverage is focusing on what will be on the meeting's agenda and which member states and leaders plan to attend, with attention on divisions among Western countries that have previously boycotted Durban-related events over accusations of antisemitism at earlier conferences.

SK hynix is considering producing memory chips in the United States, according to the Korea Herald. The South Korean chipmaker, a leading supplier of HBM and DRAM to companies like Nvidia, has so far concentrated manufacturing in Korea and China. A US move would align with Washington's push to bring advanced semiconductor production onshore through incentives and tariffs, though the company has reportedly not made a final decision.

Industry observers are asking when the global memory chip shortage will ease. The squeeze is driven by surging AI infrastructure demand, limited wafer capacity, and the priority given to HBM production, while DRAM and NAND investment remains constrained. New manufacturing capacity takes years to build, so analysts say relief is unlikely before major fabs now under construction come online.

Memory marketplace BuySellRam has compared twenty forecasts published over the past year on when the shortage of DRAM and NAND chips will end. It finds predictions vary widely, shaped by AI-driven demand, wafer capacity constraints, new fab construction and shifts in memory technology, leaving the duration of supply constraints highly uncertain.

An author known for writing a memoir about life in Appalachia has launched a campaign for a US congressional seat, and is drawing a clear line between her own story and JD Vance's 'Hillbilly Elegy'. 'I'm not JD Vance,' she says, positioning herself as offering a more authentic account of the region than the vice-president's best-selling memoir, which many in Appalachia criticised as stereotyping. The race is now being watched as part of the broader fight over who gets to speak for the region.

A federal memo under discussion would exempt accidental killings of protected animals from the Endangered Species Act, meaning incidental deaths could no longer trigger penalties or enforcement. Conservation advocates worry the change would weaken protections for species at risk, since companies and individuals could plausibly claim unintentional harm.

The US Senate has blocked legislation sponsored by Senators Jeff Merkley and Lisa Murkowski that would have prevented the Trump administration from tearing down presidential memorials. The bill failed to advance, leaving existing protections in place amid concerns from the two senators about the fate of monuments honouring past presidents.

Researchers report a technique for reshaping light to control magnetic memory and adjust a material's magnetic properties. The advance could point toward faster, more efficient data storage, since it suggests magnetism in certain materials can be manipulated optically rather than only with electric currents or magnetic fields. Details of the method and its practical applications have not been widely reported yet.

New research reported by The Scientist suggests bacteria can learn and store memories in ways that resemble artificial neural networks. The findings point to memory-like behaviour in single-celled organisms without nervous systems, drawing comparisons between microbial adaptation and machine learning models. Scientists say the work could reshape understanding of how simple life forms process information and inspire new computing approaches.

An FBI memo cautioned that ICE agents could be targeted through fake 'tradwife' dating profiles, apparently set up to identify or expose immigration enforcement officers. The warning highlights growing concern about doxing of federal agents amid ongoing immigration crackdowns and public opposition to ICE operations. Observers are debating the security implications and the tactics being used against enforcement personnel.

Mariana Ochoa has been crowned winner of the fourth season of La Casa de los Famosos México, taking the 2026 title after the finale. Memo Schutz, a TUDN commentator, finished in second place. Mexican media are also covering the size of the cash prize after taxes, the final voting results, and where fans could watch the finale live.

South Korean figure skater Kim Yuseong rallied from fourth place after the short program to win the women's title at the ISU Challenger Series Nepela Memorial 2026. Austria's Sauter, who led earlier in the competition, dropped to seventh in the final standings as the free skate reshuffled the podium.

News outlets are publishing year-end memoriam pieces honoring notable public figures who died in 2026. These retrospectives typically compile politicians, entertainers, athletes and other prominent personalities who passed away over the course of the year, offering brief tributes and summaries of their lives and careers. Such year-end roundups draw wide readership as audiences reflect on the loss of well-known names.

Russia's Evgeni Semenenko held onto his overnight lead to win the men's event at the ISU Challenger Series Nepela Memorial 2026 in Bratislava, delivering a strong free skate. Olympic champion Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan finished third after the free skate. The result offers an early-season form check for the men's field heading toward the Olympic season.