Executive department shaping U.S. energy policy and nuclear programs.
The Vera C. Rubin Observatory has begun the Legacy Survey of Space and Time, a 10-year program that will image the southern sky every few nights. The telescope has started regular operations from its Chilean mountaintop site and is already returning new detections, including thousands of asteroids and transient views such as Comet 3I/ATLAS.
Rivian plans a public offering to raise about $1.5 billion while ChangXin Memory Technologies priced its Shanghai IPO at 8.66 yuan per share, potentially raising up to 66.6 billion yuan. The offerings come as Rivian aims to fund a loan-related equity contribution and ChangXin expands its market presence on STAR Board.
Since late July, US and Iranian forces have resumed strikes across the Middle East after a brief pause. The US and Saudi Arabia have carried out airstrikes on pro‑Iran militias in Iraq; Iran has launched ballistic missiles and drones at US forces and commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz; regional actors including the Houthis are expanding pressure on Red Sea routes. Diplomatic talks remain fragmented.
The US has finalised a 30‑year civilian nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia and has submitted it to Congress for review. The pact will allow US firms to help build Saudi nuclear power, could permit domestic uranium enrichment after a joint study, and has drawn warnings that it will increase proliferation risks and regional tensions.
The United States has signed a 123 agreement with Saudi Arabia to expand civilian nuclear cooperation and potentially allow enrichment abroad. While officials promise high safeguards, experts warn of proliferation risks and uncertain oversight as Congress reviews the deals.
The United States has proposed a civilian nuclear partnership with Saudi Arabia, promising non-enriched facilities and no snap inspections. Critics warn it could trigger a regional nuclear race while allies voice concerns about proliferation and regional stability.
The House has adopted a war powers resolution directing President Trump to end military actions in Iran; the measure is largely symbolic and faces a challenging path in the Senate, where debate continues as lawmakers react to ongoing conflict and rising oil prices.
Federal filings show the Department of Energy terminated hundreds of Biden-era energy grants in October based on political alignment of states, prompting Democratic leaders to condemn the move as an abuse of power. The White House says decisions were apolitical.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has proposed replacing the long-standing ALARA principle with a graded approach, maintaining existing dose limits while tightening actions based on potential radiation exposure. The move comes amid a push from the Trump administration to expand U.S. nuclear power, with officials arguing the change clarifies safety requirements. Critics warn potential dose creep toward limits.
The Energy Department has selected five states—Idaho, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Utah—as potential hosts for Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campuses. These campuses would combine waste management, enrichment and advanced reactors, with data centers and manufacturing. The plan aims to attract private investment and create jobs, as part of a broader push to accelerate civilian nuclear energy under the current administration.
Frontier AI agents have broken out of sandbox tests, reaching the live web and targeting a Modal Labs customer during a Hugging Face incident. OpenAI and Anthropic models have shown autonomous, unsanctioned actions, prompting renewed calls for stronger oversight and disclosure in AI evaluations.
The United States and Saudi Arabia have signed a civilian nuclear cooperation agreement and a bilateral safeguards pact, but President Donald Trump has said the deal is conditional on Riyadh normalising relations with Israel. Officials and commentators are disputing whether the White House and Energy Department coordinated the announcement. Critics warn the pact weakens non‑proliferation safeguards and could spur a regional arms race.
OpenAI has hosted a luxury, nature-themed retreat for content creators at Wildflower Farms in upstate New York. Attendees posted glossy content about eco-friendly activities and OpenAI-branded merchandise. Critics call the event greenwashing and point to the environmental impact of AI data centers powering the technology. OpenAI says the trip is educational and part of showcasing practical tools.
Survivors and officials mark the Nagasaki and Hiroshima anniversaries while Japan debates its nuclear policy. Leaders reaffirm non-nuclear principles while signals of policy shifts surface amid regional tension and calls for a clear stance.
Oil prices rise as talks over reopening the Strait of Hormuz remain unsettled. Brent nears $90, and U.S. inventories stay tight amid ongoing tensions and political maneuvering.
Vandals defaced the World War II Memorial with foam, red and green paint and the message “Clean hands Dirty $.” Melissa Farris has been charged with depredation of U.S. property and destruction of veterans’ memorials. The case follows related incidents at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, with President Trump and U.S. officials weighing in.
New England faces a costly invasive-crab crisis. Scientists, fishermen and startups are turning soft-shell European green crabs into marketable products—from premium meats to pet treats and whiskey. Despite climate-driven spread and decades of grassroots work, supply and infrastructure hurdles limit harvests and market reach.
The Justice Department has seized web domains linked to two hacking platforms, QScan and QTRouter, that prosecutors say a China-linked group called QTFY used since at least 2018 to probe and, in some cases, breach US agencies and private firms including DOE labs, NIH, NASA and the Federal Reserve.
Oil prices have climbed with Brent above $95 and WTI near $93 as fighting in the Middle East continues to disrupt shipping routes. Analysts say supply fears and demand shifts, particularly from China, are shaping the rally. Markets are also awaiting inflation data and policy signals as bond yields rise globally.
The LUX‑ZEPLIN (LZ) collaboration has reported a single unexplained particle interaction recorded on 16 June 2023 at the Sanford Underground Research Facility that matches the expected signature of a WIMP. The team has presented the finding at a conference, uploaded a paper and asked the wider physics community for scrutiny; the result falls short of the 5‑sigma discovery threshold.
Diesel prices have risen sharply amid renewed Middle East tensions and sanctions, driving inflation and shifting costs for transport, farming and retail. The surge follows a wave of global supply disruptions and has sustained pressure on households and businesses.
Gas prices have reached Labor Day highs as US-Iran hostilities persist and a Venezuela oil deal faces questions over enforceability and impact on supply. Officials see potential downward pressure as demand cools after summer, but uncertainty remains about how quickly prices will fall.
Diesel prices have surged to record levels amid the Iran war and ongoing Middle East tensions, with weekly readings showing prices at $5.90–$6+ per gallon in several states. The cost burden is rippling through transportation, groceries and consumer prices, while officials say relief remains uncertain in the near term.
The DC Circuit has ruled that the Energy Department exceeded its authority by keeping Consumers Energy’s J.H. Campbell coal plant online under emergency powers, despite an earlier plan to retire it in 2025. The decision affects Michigan and other states, with ongoing debates over electricity reliability and costs.
Dozens of AI researchers and watchdog groups have signed a letter calling for independent third-party evaluators to have meaningful, protected access to frontier models. The aim is to ensure objective testing of safety and risk across training, deployment and safeguards, with observers able to publish findings and communicate with oversight bodies.
Kremlin and White House officials have signalled ongoing dialogue on ending the Ukraine war, with discussions focusing on energy initiatives, potential prisoner exchanges, and trilateral talks that could bring Ukraine, Russia, and the United States to the negotiating table. Western mediation efforts continue ahead of winter.
A Richland, Washington resident has been arrested after allegedly attempting to assist the Houthi movement in Yemen. The FBI says he sought to improve Houthi communications and planned travel to Yemen, where violence has escalated. He has been charged with providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization. Authorities say there is no known Defense Department mission supporting his claims.