Arizona resident Jacqueline McAferty is suing Elon Musk and his pro-Trump America PAC in a Texas federal court, alleging that the PAC’s $1 million-a-day lottery to registered voters in swing states was fraud. The proposed class-action lawsuit was filed a day after a Philadelphia judge denied the city’s request to order Musk to end the lottery — and seems to have been spurred by Musk’s legal defense in the Philadelphia case.

The complaint, filed in a federal court in Austin, alleges that Musk falsely claimed the PAC would choose sweepstakes winners randomly when the selections were, in fact, predetermined. The complaint cites comments made yesterday by Chris Gober, a Republican lawyer CNBC identified as America PAC’s former treasurer. 

“The $1 million recipients are not chosen by chance,” Gober said during the Monday hearing in the Philadelphia case. “We know exactly who will be announced as the $1 million recipient today and tomorrow.” Grober’s testimony contradicted Musk’s own claim that the funds were awarded “randomly,” as he said when he announced the contest at a political rally in Pennsylvania.

McAferty signed the petition on October 20th, the day Musk announced the contest, according to the complaint. Musk “made the false statements with the intention of inducing individuals to sign the America PAC petition,” which was a scheme to obtain users’ data, the complaint alleges. McAferty is accusing Musk of fraud and breach of contract.

To sign the petition, voters had to provide their first and last name, email address, mailing address, and cell phone number. “The America PAC petition places no limitations on America PAC’s use of or sale of the personal data it collects, nor does it provide any additional information about the planned use of data,” the complaint claims.

The suit also claims that Musk used the lottery to drive “significant traffic to Musk’s X platform.”

Global cybercrime is projected to escalate by 15% annually over the next five years, reaching a staggering $10.5 trillion per year by 2025. Operational Technology (OT) and Information Technology (IT) systems are prime targets for cyber threat actors. A cyberattack on an OT system can halt production, resulting in significant downtime and financial losses potentially amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars. Consequently, IT leaders are tasked with fortifying their organization’s OT cybersecurity posture.

Historically, OT systems were not considered significant threats due to their perceived isolation from the Internet. Organizations relied on physical security measures, such as door locks, passcodes, and badge readers, to protect against hands-on access and disruption to physical operational processes. However, the advent of the 4th Industrial Revolution, or Industry 4.0, has introduced smart technologies and advanced software to optimize efficiency through automation and data analysis. This digital transformation has interconnected OT and IT systems, creating new attack vectors for adversaries to exploit and access sensitive data.

The nation’s goal of landing an Indian on the moon by 2040 “underscores our dedication to human space exploration and a powerful inspiration for the next generation,” said ISRO chief S. Somanath. He was talking at the third edition of the Indian Space Conclave, organised by the Indian Space Association (ISpA), which kicked off in Delhi on Tuesday.

A platform for the space economy in general and for encouraging the participation of private players, the event still grabbed headline-worthy statements with the larger government-ISRO targets, ranging from India launching space tourism as well as the next step in the nation’s ambitious sun mission.

Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (independent charge) for Science and Technology, Space, and Atomic Energy announced that India will be launching a satellite from the European Space Agency aimed at the Sun next month. India’s solar mission is already off the ground, with the Aditya L-1 reaching its intended halo orbit around the sun earlier this year.

Singh pointed out how India has transformed remarkably from being an observer to one of the potential leaders in the space sector. “Once perceived as a follower, we have now established ourselves as a front-line nation in scientific and technological achievements. This shift has been fuelled by a series of groundbreaking missions and innovative partnerships that have garnered international respect and collaboration.”

Singh added, “India is no longer waiting for technologies to be handed down to us; we are now innovators in our own right, developing solutions that are shaping global standards. The sense of confidence that permeates our space endeavours is a reflection of our commitment to excellence and our vision for a self-reliant India.”

ISRO chief Somanath said, “Realising our vision requires new players, inspired young talent, and a thriving startup ecosystem. With policies that enhance data accessibility, we’re enabling space-based applications to support sectors like agriculture and finance, aiming to create a robust, multifaceted space ecosystem,”

“India’s Vision 2047 marks a historic, long-term commitment to transforming our space programme and expanding our space economy…defining a future where space drives economic growth, national security, and technological innovation,” Somanath said, pointing out how India already has 450 private companies in the space sector, launching and building satellites.

Jayant Patil, Chairman, Indian Space Association (ISpA) said, “Every rupee invested in the space sector is returning over 2.5 times to our economy, and over $60 billion added to GDP in the last decade; this sector is driving significant technological advancement and job creation.”

Sony has announced it will discontinue the AirPeak S1 drone next year. The decision comes three years after the company started taking orders for the remotely controlled flying machine.

In a message on its Japanese website, the tech giant said it will stop selling the drone and most of its related products at the end of March 2025. However, battery packs for the AirPeak will continue to be available through March 2026, and repairs and software maintenance will be offered until the end of March 2030.

Sony put its decision down to “changes in the business environment,” which feels like company-speak for: “We weren’t selling enough of them.”

In what seemed like a brave move to take on drone giant DJI, Sony launched the AirPeak S1 in 2021, targeting professional filmmakers and photographers with a system that enabled the use of Sony’s high-end mirrorless cameras. In an even braver move, the company charged $9,000 for the aircraft, a hefty price that may well have been its undoing.

Sony unveiled the AirPeak S1 to great fanfare, trumpeting its top speed of 55 mph and its dual-operation mode that lets one person fly the drone while someone else focuses on controlling the camera. It also has the ability to stay steady in winds as strong as 44.7 mph, allowing filmmakers to capture smooth footage in challenging conditions.

But one early review of the machine was particularly damning. Photography specialist site PetaPixel criticized the AirPeak S1 for its complex set-up process, poor performance, camera feed issues, and app limitations. It titled its review: “A rare, utter flop for Sony.”

The company had been rolling out gradual improvements via software updates, but evidently they were not enough to save the machine. Sony has no other drones among its myriad of product offerings, and it looks likely to stay that way for the foreseeable future.

The Pixel 9 Pro arrived this year for users looking for a compact flagship. Previously, fans of the Pixel lineup had to turn to the less capable vanilla models if they wanted a phone with a smaller screen. Buyers of the device seem happy so far, with generally positive reviews. A new report claims that the Pixel 9 Pro’s cost of materials is just over $400.

After the release of new smartphones from big brands, the Bill of Materials (BOM) usually comes out, giving an idea of how much it costs to manufacture it. However, it is important to note that the bill of materials does not factor in several additional expenses associated with the commercialization of a device. This includes local/regional taxes, logistics, licensing, and more. You must also take into account the necessary margin for future discounts and offers.

It costs Google about $406 to make the Pixel 9 Pro, report claims

According to Nikkei, the cost of materials for the Pixel 9 Pro totals $406. For reference, the iPhone 16 Pro’s BOM is around $485, according to analysts. Additionally, the Pixel 9 Pro’s BOM is around 11% lower compared to the Pixel 8 Pro. However, the Pixel 8 generation did not feature a compact-sized Pro model. Components like the display and battery on the new-gen model are smaller, which can influence the cost. A more fair comparison for last year’s Pro model would be the BOM of the Pixel 9 Pro XL, which is not available yet.

According to the report, the new Tensor G4 chip costs Google around $80. This is significantly less than what other brands pay for the Snapdragon 8 Elite, which costs nearly $200. This is one of the advantages that brands that design their own chips have. The Samsung M14 display on the Pixel 9 Pro costs $75, the source claims. On the other hand, the camera hardware costs around $61.

Google optimizing production costs of Pixel devices

It would be nice to see the BOM of the Pixel 9 Pro XL emerge as well. This way, we could make a fairer comparison with the previous-generation Pixel 8 Pro. In any case, it appears that Google is also striving to optimize the production costs of its mobile devices. For instance, the camera hardware of the new model is reportedly cheaper than that of its predecessor.

Crypto fans are celebrating the results of the Ohio Senate race, where blockchain entrepreneur Bernie Moreno has defeated Senate Banking Chair Sherrod Brown, a three-term incumbent, in a contest that was key in the battle for control of the U.S. Senate.

Some $40 million of crypto money was directed at defeating Brown, with one PAC paying for five ads designed to boost awareness of Moreno, a businessman who worked as a luxury car dealer and had virtually no name recognition going into the contest.

The race was also a litmus test for whether the more than $245 million raised by the crypto industry this cycle would prove effective at the ballot box. The Ohio contest drew more ad spending than any Senate race in history, and was the biggest single target of crypto money this cycle.

Brown was unpopular with crypto fans, in part because he backed Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., in holding hearings on whether digital tokens were tied to terrorism. He voted against pro-crypto legislation, called for more regulation of the sector, and regularly posted anti-crypto rhetoric on social media.

Ripple’s billionaire co-founder Chris Larsen told CNBC Tuesday night that Brown’s loss is “more fallout from the disastrous decision by President Joe Biden to outsource financial regulation to Sen. Warren.”

“Tonight I’m sad, but I’m never giving up,” Brown said in brief concession remarks Tuesday evening.

In December, Brown told journalists that he wasn’t concerned about the crypto industry’s rumblings against him.

“Bring ’em on,” Politico quoted Brown as saying to a crowd of reporters last year.

His antagonists are now taking a victory lap.

Tyler Winklevoss, one of the top individual crypto contributors this election cycle, called Brown a “crypto public enemy,” a “co-conspirator” to Sen. Warren, and a “Gary Gensler crony,” referring to the chair of the SEC. In a post on X, Winklevoss wrote, “The crypto army is striking!”

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong is equally excited.

“Tonight the crypto voter has spoken decisively — across party lines and in key races across the country,” Armstrong wrote in a post to X.

Armstrong called it the “most pro-crypto Congress ever” with more than 219 crypto-friendly candidates elected to the House and Senate.

The Stand With Crypto Alliance, launched by Coinbase last year, started a “Live election results” lander for crypto investors to keep track of the results. According to the tracker, 224 pro-crypto candidates have been elected to the House, against 106 anti-crypto House candidates that have won. In the Senate, 14 pro-crypto candidates have been elected, while nine anti-crypto candidates have been victorious.

NBC News hasn’t yet called all of these races.

Coinbase gave more than $75 million to Fairshake and its affiliated PACs, including a fresh pledge of $25 million to support the group in the 2026 midterms. Armstrong personally was among crypto’s top individual donors, giving over $1.3 million to a mix of candidates up and down the ballot.

Coinbase has been battling Gensler in court for more than a year over claims it sells unregistered securities.

The industry hopes that a pro-crypto Congress will pass rules that will apportion more of the regulatory responsibilities to the Commodities Future Trading Commission, which has traditionally been softer on its approach to policing the sector.

“Americans disproportionately care about crypto and want clear rules of the road for digital assets,” Armstrong wrote. “We look forward to working with the new Congress to deliver it. Thank you to everyone who stood with crypto today. We did it!”

The Fairshake affiliated PAC Defend American Jobs, which donated more than $40 million to Moreno, released a statement on Tuesday night, saying that Brown was a “top opponent of cryptocurrency.”

“Senator-Elect Moreno’s come-from-behind win shows that Ohio voters want a leader who prioritizes innovation, protects American economic interests, and will ensure our nation’s continued technological leadership,” the group said.

The political victories were reflected in the market.

Bitcoin surged to a new record above $75,000 earlier Tuesday night as the NBC News Decision Desk projected a good night for Republican nominee Donald Trump.

— CNBC’s Ece Yildirim contributed to this report.