ReNew Power

An immigration advocate is suing US border agents after they demanded access to his cell phone when he returned from vacation. The case, reported by Ars Technica, highlights that travelers at US borders can have their devices searched without a warrant, renewing debate over the scope of constitutional protections at ports of entry.

The Nuclear Innovation Initiative-aligned group NSI is arguing that direct disposal of spent nuclear fuel, rather than interim storage or reprocessing, offers the fastest route to scaling up nuclear power. Writing in the American Nuclear Society's Nuclear Newswire, the group contends that removing the spent-fuel bottleneck would let new reactors deploy sooner, a claim likely to fuel ongoing debate over waste policy among industry and policymakers.

Commentary from Reason argues that the most effective way to halt a US war with Iran is for Congress to refuse to fund it. The piece taps into renewed debate over presidential war powers and whether lawmakers will use their control of the purse to block military escalation against Iran, a question gaining urgency as tensions in the region rise.

A new analysis traces the long history of civil nuclear cooperation between the United States and China, examining how the two countries have partnered on peaceful atomic energy even amid deep strategic rivalry. The piece explores what decades of shared nuclear technology and commerce reveal about the current state of the relationship and its future.

A new commentary argues that keeping humans in the loop of AI-powered warfare will not adequately control the risks of autonomous weapons and military AI systems. The piece contends that human oversight is undermined by automation bias, time compression in combat and the difficulty of supervising machine decisions at scale, so reliance on it offers false reassurance as militaries rapidly adopt AI-driven systems.

China's long-standing practice of lending giant pandas to foreign countries is drawing fresh attention as people ask how the tradition works and what it signals. Known as panda diplomacy, the practice dates to the 20th century and is used as a gesture of goodwill, with pandas on loan to zoos abroad serving as symbols of friendly ties between Beijing and partner governments.

Attention is turning to Texas ahead of the midterm elections, with coverage focused on the state's political landscape and the contests shaping up there. Houston Public Media is examining what the road to the midterms looks like in Texas, a state that often draws national interest because of its size, its competitive races, and its influence over Congress. The discussion reflects growing focus on how Texas voters may shape the national balance of power.

West Indies cricket faces an uncertain future, with the BBC's Stumped programme asking what direction the team should take next. The Caribbean side has struggled in recent years, and debate is growing over leadership, player development and how the once-dominant cricketing power can rebuild its competitiveness on the international stage.

A full-length documentary on the militarization of space is drawing significant attention, examining how world powers are competing to develop military capabilities beyond Earth, from anti-satellite weapons to space-based surveillance. The film highlights growing concerns that orbit is becoming the next strategic battleground, with the US, China and Russia at the center of the race.

Nearly five years after Winter Storm Uri crippled Oklahoma's power grid and sent natural gas prices soaring, the legal battle over billions of dollars in excess gas costs is moving toward trial. The case centers on whether gas suppliers and utilities overcharged customers during the February 2021 emergency. The dispute could determine who ultimately pays for the storm's staggering fuel bills.

German singer-songwriter Reinhard Mey is back in the headlines amid renewed attention to his work and recent interviews. The 82-year-old 'Gute Nacht, Freunde' creator discusses the quiet political power of his songs and speaks openly about aging and death, saying he fears the darkness that comes with losing his faculties rather than death itself.

TurningPoint has energised a 2.1-MW community solar farm in Delaware, bringing the new renewable capacity online. The project adds to the state's growing portfolio of community solar installations, allowing local subscribers to benefit from solar power. Details on subscribers, contractors and financial terms were not disclosed.

The city of Frisco, Texas has renewed a three-year contract with an AI-powered visitor data platform. The deal allows the city to continue using artificial intelligence to track and analyze visitor traffic and tourism data. The renewal signals Frisco's continued investment in data-driven tools to inform its economic development and visitor services decisions.