At the Academy Women's Luncheon, a keynote speaker urged women in film to fight tokenism, highlighting the industry's fragile progress post-MeToo. Emphasizing solidarity and truth-telling, she cited a 2025 stat of only three studio films directed by women, underscoring ongoing gender disparities, while prominent attendees applauded calls for practical action.

Sandbar introduces the Stream Ring, an AI-powered wearable for seamless note-taking, poised to ship next summer. With a freemium model, it blends hardware with software, emphasizing privacy and ease of use.

Giga secures $61 million in funding to expand its AI-powered customer support agents, emphasizing real-time, contextually aware interactions for high-compliance industries. Led by Redpoint Ventures, the investment aims to enhance Giga's multilingual capabilities and enterprise-scale deployments, with notable clients like DoorDash already reaping benefits in customer service efficiency.

Benchmark has raised AMD's price target to $325, citing strong AI data center growth and a 30% potential upside from its current price. Analysts see AI GPU opportunities and server CPU demand as key catalysts, with optimism bolstered by AMD's recent earnings beat.

Eleven states and Kentucky have sued DHS and FEMA in Oregon over new terms for emergency grants, claiming they undermine disaster readiness and public safety. The lawsuit argues the changes, including a reduced fund disbursement window, are illegal and politically motivated, potentially harming disaster response efforts.

Jimmie Johnson is set to return to the NASCAR Cup Series, racing the No. 84 Toyota Camry XSE for Legacy Motor Club at the 2026 San Diego street race. This marks a significant moment for Johnson, as the race takes place near his hometown of El Cajon, California, and may be his final NASCAR appearance.

Minneapolis Mayor Frey clinches a third term with a narrow victory over state senator Fateh in a ranked-choice voting race. Frey's tenure is marked by police reform efforts, while Fateh highlighted affordable housing and workers' rights.

Microsoft announces plans to enable in-country data processing for Copilot in 15 countries by 2026, starting with Germany, France, Norway, and the Netherlands by 2025. This move aims to aid regulated sectors in meeting data protection rules and enhance Copilot's responsiveness, as part of a broader push for cloud sovereignty and compliance.

The genomic sequencing market is booming, driven by advancements in cloud technologies, AI, and precision medicine, with North America leading at 41% of global revenue in 2024. Falling costs and improved workflows are spurring broader adoption, with a notable CAGR of 20% projected from 2024–2032, emphasizing the sector's role in oncology and precision healthcare.

West Virginia has applied for over $100 million annually from the Rural Health Transformation Fund to modernize rural health care for five years. Governor Morrisey emphasizes its potential benefits, part of broader health reforms, as the state awaits CMS's end-of-year decision.