AI & Diplomacy: Elon Musk and Sam Altman are set to attend a Sept. 24 White House state dinner with Xi Jinping as AI safety and calls for a slowdown keep heating up. Semiconductors in Vermont: GlobalFoundries and Marvell expanded their SiGe manufacturing deal, boosting capacity at GlobalFoundries’ Burlington fab to support faster optical networking for AI data centers. Robotics & Public Safety: ICE is considering buying up to four Boston Dynamics Spot robot dogs, drawing protests outside the Burlington processing center. Digital Privacy at Borders: A federal appeals court ruled border agents can search travelers’ phones without suspicion, widening the gap between digital life and constitutional protections. Telehealth Access: A new study finds nearly 12 million Americans can’t access telehealth due to broadband gaps, with rural communities hit hardest. Climate Rule Fight: Environmental and public health groups sued the Trump EPA over a move to roll back fossil-fuel power plant greenhouse-gas protections. Vermont Elections Under Pressure: Vermont’s top election official says the federal government is positioning itself as an adversary as lawsuits over voter records and mail voting continue. Child Welfare Tech Grants: ACF awarded $2.2M to modernize foster licensing tech, including background-check systems, to speed placements. Local Tech/Business: Watsco plans to acquire The Granite Group, expanding plumbing and HVAC distribution across Vermont and the Northeast.