Wave Race

CNN's Harry Enten rounds up the key political storylines heading into the next election cycle, covering competitive Senate races, signs of a Democratic 'blue wave', and corruption allegations involving Donald Trump. The roundup breaks down polling trends and what the numbers suggest about voter mood. Viewers are engaging heavily with the analysis as attention shifts to upcoming contests.

The venture firm behind AI chip startup Groq is raising a $10 billion megafund, according to a Wall Street Journal exclusive. The move would be one of the largest fundraising efforts ever by a venture capital firm, underscoring the enormous sums flowing into artificial intelligence and semiconductor startups as investors race to back the next wave of AI hardware.

Denise Pessôa has been reelected as a federal deputy in Brazil, securing a new term in the Chamber of Deputies. The result adds to the wave of congressional races being closely watched across the country, with voters and commentators following which incumbents will return to Brasília and how the new legislature's balance of power will shape up.

Formula 1 drivers and teams have been responding to a software glitch involving the FIA during the Malaysian Grand Prix weekend. The issue has drawn comment from across the grid, with drivers and team figures weighing in on the governing body's technical systems and reliability at race events.

Google and Constellation Energy have agreed to a sweeping nuclear power deal, according to the Wall Street Journal. The agreement, part of a broader wave of tech companies securing reliable low-carbon electricity, is expected to power Google's data centers and growing AI operations. It marks one of the largest corporate commitments to nuclear energy to date.

Broadcom, Oracle and SpaceX are each pursuing large debt offerings to help fund expansions tied to the artificial intelligence buildout, according to the Wall Street Journal. The deals would add to a wave of corporate borrowing as tech and space companies race to secure capital for data centers, chips and infrastructure. Investors are watching whether credit markets can absorb the volume of issuance without strain.

SpaceX is seeking around $40 billion in funding to buy Nvidia chips, according to Bloomberg, in one of a wave of enormous AI-related deals. The move would give Elon Musk's space company massive computing power, adding it to the list of companies raising huge sums for AI infrastructure as megadeals reshape the semiconductor and technology landscape.

Bloomberg reports that SpaceX is looking to tap into the wave of borrowing driven by artificial intelligence investment, joining companies racing to raise debt for AI-related expansion. The report suggests the Elon Musk-led rocket company wants access to financing that has become abundant as lenders chase AI-sector deals. Details on the amount or timing were not given.

A new PEN America report finds that book bans in US public schools have reached a record high, marking the most extensive wave of school library and curriculum removals the free expression group has documented. The findings cover titles pulled from classrooms and libraries, often over content relating to race, gender and sexuality. The report has drawn wide attention in the ongoing US debate over censorship, parental rights and education policy.

Jair Bolsonaro has moved ahead of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in Brazil's presidential election, prompting a wave of reactions from investors and analysts tracking the race. Market watchers are assessing what a Bolsonaro lead could mean for Brazilian assets, fiscal policy and economic outlook as the election contest tightens.

The NBA offseason has been marked by an unusual wave of star players changing teams, prompting commentary describing it as a wild few months for the league. Observers are weighing how the reshuffling of marquee names could reshape team rosters, division races and championship expectations heading into the new season.

Google is close to signing a billion-dollar nuclear power agreement with Constellation Energy, according to a Bloomberg report. The deal would support the tech company's growing electricity needs, driven largely by the expansion of data centers for artificial intelligence. It adds to a wave of major tech firms securing nuclear energy to meet surging power demand while pursuing carbon-free electricity targets.

A Fox News commentary argues that Democratic wins in state governorships could affect American families more than Democratic control of Congress. The piece contends that governors hold direct power over education, family policy and state budgets, making statehouses a more consequential battleground than Washington for household interests ahead of upcoming elections.

Robotics startup RoboParty has debuted the RP1, a humanoid robot intended for open-source robotics research. The announcement positions the RP1 as a platform researchers and developers can build on, joining a growing wave of companies releasing humanoid hardware aimed at accelerating development through open collaboration. Details on specifications, pricing and availability remain limited so far.

Renault has announced plans to invest more than €10 billion, with the bulk of the spending directed at electric mobility. The French carmaker is among a wave of legacy auto manufacturers committing large sums to electrification as the industry shifts away from combustion engines. The investment signals Renault's intent to remain competitive in Europe's rapidly evolving electric vehicle market.

Mistral's chief executive says the French AI startup's newest model outperforms Chinese competitors on cybersecurity tasks. The claim, reported by Fortune, positions Mistral's release against a wave of capable models from China and underscores Europe's push to stay competitive in frontier AI amid intensifying US-China rivalry.

Robotics startup Minerva Humanoids has raised $10 million to develop humanoid robots designed to perform dangerous jobs that are risky for humans. The funding will support the company's work on machines intended to take over hazardous tasks in industrial and other high-risk settings, adding to the growing wave of investment in humanoid robotics.

The question of who owns the Moon is drawing renewed attention as spacefaring nations and private companies expand lunar ambitions. The Outer Space Treaty of 1967 bars national appropriation of celestial bodies, but it leaves gaps on resource extraction, commercial landings and property rights. With NASA's Artemis programme, China's lunar plans and a wave of private missions, lawyers and policymakers are debating whether existing rules are enough to govern the race for the lunar surface.

Betfair, the Paddy Power-owned betting exchange, is drawing attention in the UK alongside a wave of horse racing tips and betting previews from punters and tipsters covering meetings at Musselburgh, Catterick and Kempton. The platform's technical capacity has also been highlighted, with reports noting Couchbase technology helps it process over one million transactions per second.

Election results in Brazil show a right-wing wave in Congress, strengthening Jair Bolsonaro's camp ahead of the presidential runoff. Allies of the incumbent performed better than expected in legislative races, giving his bloc more seats and potentially more leverage regardless of who wins the top job. The outcome raises the stakes for the decisive second-round vote against Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Honda is drawing attention for its progress on solid-state battery technology, which could offer greater energy density, faster charging and improved safety compared with today's lithium-ion cells. Coverage focuses on what the breakthrough means for the wider EV industry, as automakers race to commercialize solid-state batteries and secure an advantage in the next generation of electric vehicles.

Investment in artificial intelligence has reached record levels, with companies and investors pouring unprecedented sums into developing the technology. Commentators describe an intense race to transform industries and daily life before the current wave of funding runs out, raising questions about sustainability of the spending boom and whether the expected returns will materialise.

Senate Republicans are setting political spending records in Texas through an aggressive wave of advertising in support of Attorney General Ken Paxton. The ad-buying binge has drawn attention for the scale of outlay involved, making it one of the most expensive Senate GOP political pushes in the state's history.

The New York Jets will be without running back Breece Hall and several other starters when they face the Chicago Bears. The team ruled the players out ahead of the matchup, leaving significant gaps in the lineup for the Week 12 contest. The absences come as the Jets look to keep pace in the AFC playoff race despite a wave of injuries.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has promised to deploy his large campaign war chest to turn Harris County "deep red," targeting the Democratic-leaning county that includes Houston. Reporting by Michelle Pitcher in the Texas Observer examines what a Republican takeover could mean for the county's jails, bail reform and the rights of the accused, while a potential blue wave could unseat Abbott's GOP-backed favorites in local races.

Washington Democrats are eyeing the possibility that a blue wave could push past the Cascades and put a traditionally conservative region of the state in play. The Seattle Times reports on whether the surge in Democratic enthusiasm could flip a legislative race east of the mountains, where the party has long struggled. Observers are watching the contest as a test of Democratic strength beyond the Seattle area.

Zhou Yuxiang, a Chinese AI entrepreneur, began by hiring food delivery riders to knock on factory doors and pitch industrial AI services, a grassroots sales tactic aimed at getting manufacturers to adopt automation tools. He is now focused on achieving a breakthrough in industrial AI in China, betting that the country's vast manufacturing base will drive the next wave of AI applications beyond consumer chatbots.