Energy
U.S. electricity prices have increased nearly 40% since 2021, reportedly driven by AI data centers and clean energy manufacturing, with states like Virginia and Illinois seeing the largest increases due to concentrations of such facilities. Companies including Disney have hired energy traders to secure hourly and daily power purchases, while Meta, Amazon, Microsoft, and Alphabet reportedly operate in-house trading desks to hedge costs in deregulated markets. Meta’s subsidiary Atem Energy has applied to become a power marketer, which would enable long-term contracts with renewable and natural gas developers and the resale of surplus electricity. Corporate buyers procured over 100 gigawatts of clean energy from 2014 to 2024, including Microsoft’s 10.5 gigawatts in the U.S. and Europe and Amazon’s agreements for nuclear and wind power. BloombergNEF forecasts U.S. data center power demand reaching 106 gigawatts by 2035, a 36% increase from prior estimates, with projects expanding into regions like the Carolinas, Pennsylvania, and Texas. This growth is straining grids, particularly in PJM, MISO, and ERCOT, where data centers could add 31 gigawatts in PJM alone over the next five years, potentially outpacing new generation capacity. However, some analysts, including those from Grid Strategies, suggest that utility forecasts for additional data center load may be overstated, estimating a more realistic figure closer to 65 gigawatts by 2030.
Relatedly, the Department of Energy has launched the Reactor Pilot Program and Fuel Line Pilot Program to expedite nuclear reactor development amid rising power needs from AI data centers. Under executive orders, the programs aim to achieve criticality for three new reactors by July 4, 2026, with companies like Valar Atomics reaching cold criticality and Oklo securing rapid approval for fuel fabrication. These initiatives provide a faster licensing pathway on federal land, reportedly bypassing some local and regulatory hurdles associated with traditional Nuclear Regulatory Commission processes. Environmental groups, such as the Sierra Club, have raised concerns that the expedited processes could compromise safety and environmental standards.
Overseas, China has commissioned its first domestically manufactured gas turbine power plant, the Anji facility with two 400-megawatt GE-designed units produced through a joint venture with Harbin Electric. This development supports China’s goal of expanding gas-fired capacity to 200 gigawatts by 2030, reportedly to address grid constraints in coastal areas and reduce reliance on foreign suppliers amid global demand surges from data centers and coal phase-outs. The joint venture has prompted discussions about intellectual property rights, with GE Vernova stating its commitment to protecting such assets while fostering technological collaboration.
Economy
IBM CEO Arvind Krishna stated that the trillion-dollar AI data center buildout would require $800 billion in annual profits to service costs, based on $80 billion per gigawatt facility and five-year hardware depreciation cycles. Public announcements indicate around 100 gigawatts of planned capacity for AI workloads, which Krishna said raises questions about long-term financial viability given rapid technological changes necessitating frequent replacements. In response, NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang expressed confidence in the long-term profitability of AI infrastructure, citing the transformative potential of the technology.
A portion of U.S. GDP growth in recent quarters reportedly stems from AI infrastructure spending, including data centers contributing 0.5% in Q2 2025, alongside global investments projected at $6.7 trillion by 2030. Studies indicate that 95% of corporate AI pilots yield no measurable return on investment, with initial productivity losses common before organizational adaptations. AI adoption often relocates rather than eliminates human labor, as outputs require correction, and the technology operates within training data limits. Governments worldwide are integrating AI into strategies, with U.S. initiatives like the Genesis Mission merging federal resources and private firms, potentially embedding financial risks into public systems through subsidies and national platforms. Counterviews from sources like Bloomberg highlight AI’s positive impacts in sectors such as medicine and logistics, suggesting broader economic benefits as the technology matures.
Copper prices on the London Metal Exchange reached a record $11,400 per ton, up 2.4% in a single session and 30% year-to-date, reportedly fueled by withdrawals from warehouses and strong orders from South Korea and Taiwan. Supply disruptions from mine accidents in Chile and Indonesia have tightened the market, while U.S. import stockpiling amid tariff speculation has reduced global availability. The metal, essential for electrification, electronics, and construction, reflects broader economic demand trends influenced by policy shifts. Some market observers have cautioned that the surge may partly reflect overreactions to tariff threats, which the current administration has reportedly stepped back from imposing.
European Politics
French President Emmanuel Macron has called for expanded state powers to block social media content deemed disinformation, including a professional certification system for media outlets. Conservative media outlets, such as Journal du Dimanche and CNews, have criticized the proposal as a totalitarian shift toward a ministry of truth. National Rally leader Jordan Bardella and Senate Republicans head Bruno Retailleau have described it as an authoritarian attempt to control information. Macron’s office has denied plans for a state label and posted clips of critics under a heading questioning false information, while insisting at a cabinet meeting that no free speech limitations are intended. Reuters reported that Macron explicitly denied intentions to limit free speech or create a state-issued media label during the meeting.
An Irish judge sentenced teacher Enoch Burke to jail over Christmas for refusing to comply with orders related to his opposition to transgender ideology in schools. The ruling, which includes potential ongoing incarceration, has drawn criticism for infringing on religious freedom, with Burke’s family present in court and the judge warning against their speaking out. The decision follows Supreme Court guidance on such matters. The Irish Times noted that Burke’s continued imprisonment stems from his disruptive behavior and contempt of court, rather than solely religious convictions.
Canadian Politics
Pastor Derek Reimer was arrested for breaching a court order by refusing to apologize for protesting a drag queen story hour, an action tied to his religious beliefs. Video footage shows police taking him into custody outside a location, with supporters highlighting the case as an erosion of religious freedom. Reimer has faced ongoing legal repercussions for years related to such protests. CBC News reported the arrest as a response to the breach of court order, focusing on legal compliance without emphasizing religious aspects.
Society
A Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression survey of 2,028 undergraduates found that 90% view words as violence at least somewhat, with 47% agreeing completely or mostly and 59% seeing silence as violence to a similar degree. The poll, conducted after the September 10 assassination of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University, revealed widening ideological divides: moderate and conservative students showed decreased support for disruptive tactics against speakers, while liberal students maintained or slightly increased opposition to controversial figures, including those advocating police racism or child transitions without parental consent. Half of respondents reported feeling less willing to attend or host events post-incident, though a majority said it did not affect speaking up in class. Critics, including posts from The Daily Caller, have questioned the survey’s question framing and sample representativeness, suggesting potential influences on the results.
US Politics
Federal judges James Boasberg and Deborah Boardman declined to testify at a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee hearing on rogue judges, citing separation of powers and judicial ethics rules prohibiting public comment on pending matters. The letter from Administrative Office Director Robert Conrad referenced Canon 3A(6), which bars testimony on decided or impending cases until appeals conclude. The hearing, chaired by Sen. Ted Cruz, examines potential impeachments; Boasberg faces accusations from Rep. Brandon Gill for approving search warrants in the January 6 investigation, which Gill described as aiding surveillance of Republicans, while Boardman is targeted by Rep. Chip Roy for an eight-year sentence given to the attempted assassin of Justice Brett Kavanaugh, influenced by the perpetrator’s transgender identity. Legal experts cited by Reuters have described the impeachment threats as an overreach, arguing that the judges’ actions fall within their judicial authority.
Sources
Disney and Big Tech Pivot to Energy Trading Amid AI-Fueled Power Surge
Major corporations are beginning to operate more like energy companies, quietly building in-house trading, hedging, and procurement teams to manage soaring power costs and volatile electricity markets
Source | Submitted by jhughes1973
Copper Prices Hit Record $11,400 on Supply Squeeze and Tariff Jitters
Copper prices have jumped by around 30% so far this year, with the gains mostly occurring in the second half, amid a series of supply issues in key producing countries and speculation about potential U.S. import tariffs.
Source | Submitted by jhughes1973
IBM CEO Warns Trillion-Dollar AI Data Center Surge Is Unsustainable and Unprofitable
there is ‘no way’ that infrastructure costs can turn a profit
Source | Submitted by Rodster
Macron’s Censorship Push Sparks ‘Ministry of Truth’ Outrage in France
“The temptation of a ministry of truth.”
China Launches First Homegrown GE-Designed Gas Turbine Plant
China has launched its first power plant using an advanced gas turbine manufactured domestically, marking a major step toward reducing dependence on foreign technology amid a global equipment shortage, according to Bloomberg.
US Data Centers’ Power Demand Set to Surge to 106 GW by 2035
U.S. data center power demand could reach 106 GW in 2035
DOE’s Hyperspeed Reactors: Fast-Tracking Nuclear Power for the AI Boom
For now, it seems like the federal government is finally ready to give reactor developers what they have been in desperate need of – a nuclear iteration playground.
AI’s Economic Mirage: The Public Risk No One Wants to Admit
What if AI is not accelerating the global economy – but masking its slow down?
9 in 10 College Students See Words as Violence, FIRE Survey Reveals
Nine out of ten undergraduate students think that “words can be violence” at least “somewhat,” according to a new Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression survey.
Federal Judges Boasberg and Boardman Defy Senate Summons Over ‘Rogue Judges’ Probe
Two of the federal judges facing impeachment threats refused to attend a Wednesday Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing on “rogue judges.”
Canadian Pastor Arrested for Defying Court-Ordered LGBTQ Apology
He refused to apologize for his religious beliefs.
Enoch Burke Jailed for Christmas: Irish Judge’s Harsh Sentence Sparks Religious Freedom Outrage
His only “crime” is that he refuses to endorse transgenderism and bow to a satanic ideology.
In addition to sources submitted by community members, the following were also used in the creation of this report: Grid Strategies, Sierra Club, GE Vernova, Financial Times, NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang, Bloomberg, Reuters, Irish Times, Daily Caller, and CBC News.
by mike-from-jersey 
