On December 26, 2024, a heroic 28-truck convoy from the World Food Program finally rolled into Khartoum, Sudan’s beleaguered capital, after 20 grueling months of civil war. Delivering vital food and medical supplies to 78,000 families, this marks the largest aid shipment since April 2023. Despite facing ongoing violence and logistical nightmares, WFP aims to stave off famine for millions, proving that even in chaos, compassion drives the wheels of hope.

On December 28, 2024, the White House confirmed that Salt Typhoon, a Chinese espionage campaign, has hacked its ninth U.S. telecom company, snooping on private communications of government officials and over a million Americans, mainly in DC. Deputy National Security Advisor Anne Neuberger urges the FCC to tighten regulations, highlighting flaws in firewalls and CALEA backdoors. While China denies involvement, the Biden administration is ramping up cybersecurity defenses, proving that even in espionage, persistence pays… unfortunately.

Three years after its 2021 launch, NASA's James Webb Space Telescope continues to dazzle. JWST uncovered massive galaxies just 500-700 million years post-Big Bang and mysterious 'Little Red Dots' that could unlock supermassive black hole secrets. Not stopping at the cosmos, it also discovered a high-speed jet on Jupiter—proving even our solar neighbors have surprises. With stars like Earendel shining from 13 billion years ago, JWST is reshaping our universe understanding as we head into 2025!

In a sleek move on December 26, 2024, Chengdu Aircraft Corp and Shenyang Aircraft Corp showcased their latest tailless stealth fighters, marking a bold leap in China’s aerospace ambitions. Chengdu's larger, three-engine diamond-wing marvel and Shenyang’s nimble twin-engine lambda design are now flight-testing, with Shenyang reportedly taking its maiden flight on December 20. These radar-evading jets, potentially part of the JH-XX program, highlight China’s quest for air superiority in the Asia-Pacific, proving once again that tails are so last century.

In a splashy discovery, astronomers have found a water reservoir orbiting quasar APM 08279+5255, a mind-boggling 12 billion light-years away. This cosmic ocean holds 140 trillion Earth oceans’ worth of water vapor, the largest known in the universe. Circling a supermassive 20-billion-sun black hole, this find suggests water was brewing shortly after the Big Bang, playing a key role in star and galaxy formation. Looks like the early universe was thirstier than we thought!

As of late 2024, Microsoft and OpenAI have ambitiously pegged AGI’s worth at a cool $100 billion in profits. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman hints AGI might arrive sooner—and with fewer fireworks—than expected. Meanwhile, OpenAI’s pivot from nonprofit to for-profit raises eyebrows (and Elon Musk’s ire). Projected $5 billion losses until 2029 push OpenAI to chase immediate gains, while Microsoft diversifies its AI bets, possibly cozying up with Anthropic. Stay tuned for this high-stakes tech tango!

Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin has triumphantly ignited its New Glenn rocket engines for 24 seconds at Cape Canaveral, signaling green lights from the FAA. Scheduled to potentially soar as early as January 6, 2025, this 321-foot marvel boasts seven BE-4 engines and a reusable first stage, aiming to rival SpaceX’s dominance. The inaugural Blue Ring Pathfinder mission promises to kickstart a new era in heavy-lift space endeavors. Buckle up, space enthusiasts—Blue Origin is ready to launch!

In late 2024, OpenAI made a bold pivot from its 2015 nonprofit origins to a Delaware Public Benefit Corporation, aiming to rake in $6.6B and hit a $157B valuation. This switch seeks to charm investors while still championing humanity’s good, despite Elon Musk’s courtroom drama to stop the change. The original nonprofit now holds shares, turbocharging its healthcare and education missions. Stay tuned for biannual transparency reports as OpenAI juggles profits with purpose.

In a bold move, Texas has introduced House Bill 1709, the Texas Responsible Artificial Intelligence Governance Act (TRAIGA), spearheaded by Rep. Giovanni Capriglione. Aiming to balance innovation and ethics, TRAIGA targets high-risk AI systems while giving small businesses a break. Key highlights include an AI Regulatory Sandbox for safe experimentation, hefty fines up to $100K, and strict bans on pesky deepfakes and data misuse. With transparency and workforce training at its core, Texas is set to lead the AI governance frontier—no robo-revolt in sight!

Get ready for a legislative whirlwind in 2025 as states tackle AI, abortion, gun control, and more. California spearheads with AB-2273 effective July 1, safeguarding minors on social media, and SB 976 signed Sept 20 to curb addictive feeds. Delaware's House Bill 110 seeks to expand abortion access without copays, awaiting Governor Carney’s nod. Colorado's SB24-205 fights AI bias, while legal battles brew over new social media regs. Fasten your seatbelts!