SMU is a private research university in University Park, Texas, founded in 1911 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. The 2026 news cycle spotlights MacArthur fellows, AI distillation debates, Trump-era fundraising, and coaching moves in higher education; SMU’s ongoing academic and research profile anchors these conversations.
MAGA Inc. has opened a $10 million television and digital ad campaign to boost Ken Paxton’s U.S. Senate bid against Democrat James Talarico in a race that has become unexpectedly competitive in Texas. The buy is the first major general-election spend from Trump’s super PAC this cycle and will run positive spots for Paxton and attack ads against Talarico.
U.S. authorities allege that Chinese AI developers have distillation capabilities drawn from American frontier models since at least late 2024, naming firms such as DeepSeek, Alibaba and Moonshot AI. Beijing rejects the claims, calling for cooperative AI development.
The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation unveiled its 2026 class of fellows Tuesday. It's an interdisciplinary list of 20 individuals ranging from artists to scientists.