THE TOP NEWS STORIES THIS WEEK
11-9-25 TO 11-15-25
SPECIAL: TRUMP'S WORST WEEK EVER: HOW HE SHOT HIMSELF ON FIFTH AVENUE AND SURVIVED (BUT BARELY)
https://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2025/11/trumps-worst-week-ever-how-he-shot.html
GEMINI
🇺🇸 U.S. News (Top Developments)
The ongoing federal government shutdown and related political turmoil continued to dominate domestic headlines.
Federal Government Shutdown Continues: The protracted shutdown remains the top story, affecting court operations, federal agencies, and economic activity.
Immigration Crackdown Targets Charlotte: The Trump administration announced a new immigration enforcement action, possibly deploying Customs and Border Protection agents to Charlotte, North Carolina.
Rise in Financial Precarity: New data revealed that more Americans are living paycheck-to-paycheck, highlighting growing economic strain.
Major Media/Tech Deal: Google and Disney reached an agreement to restore ABC, ESPN, and FX channels to YouTube TV subscribers.
New Home Feature Trend: Reports on the "hottest home feature for 2025" were published, suggesting a significant new trend in the housing market.
U.S. Military Buildup in Puerto Rico: The U.S. reopened Naval Station Roosevelt Roads as part of an increased military presence in the Caribbean, reportedly in preparation for possible action regarding Venezuela.
Saks Off 5th Store Closures: The retail chain announced it would be closing multiple stores across several states.
Toyota Vehicle Recall: Toyota recalled over 126,000 vehicles due to a potential engine failure issue.
Laney College Coach Shooting: Police arrested a former player in the "targeted" fatal shooting of legendary Laney College football coach, John Beam, in Oakland.
Youth Poll on Emigration: A notable poll found that a high percentage of younger women in the U.S. are considering leaving the country for good.
🏛️ Politics (Top Developments)
The government shutdown and internal party friction were the primary political narratives.
Government Shutdown Stalemate: The shutdown continued as the main political battle, with the Senate failing to reach a deal despite efforts to hold separate votes on key issues like Affordable Care Act subsidies.
Trump-Greene Feud: A highly public feud erupted on social media between President Trump and Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), with the President reportedly withdrawing his support.
DOJ Investigates Epstein-Democrat Ties: President Trump requested the Department of Justice and FBI investigate convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein's connections to prominent Democrats and financial institutions.
Federal Courts Affected by Shutdown: The federal judiciary system began operating under the Antideficiency Act, forcing staff furloughs and causing significant delays in criminal trials and civil case backlogs.
Prosecutor Appointed in Georgia Election Case: A prosecutor appointed himself to lead the high-profile Trump election interference case in Georgia after no others accepted the role by a court deadline.
FAA Flight Reductions: The Federal Aviation Administration announced it would cut flights by up to 10% at 40 major U.S. airports as a result of the ongoing government shutdown.
AOC Health Subsidies Stance: Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's proposal to reopen the government in exchange for a one-year extension of ACA tax credits was rejected by Republicans.
Jeffries Names Surprise GOP Ally: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) named Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene as a surprising Republican ally during the shutdown negotiations.
Trump's Proposed 50-Year Mortgage Plan: The Trump administration floated a proposal for a 50-year mortgage plan, generating significant debate.
White House Press Gaggle: President Trump's press gaggle at Joint Base Andrews on November 9th was a major source of weekend political coverage and commentary.
🌎 World Affairs (Top Developments)
International relations and climate concerns were key global stories.
UN Climate Change Conference (COP30): The conference in Brazil was underway, with significant focus on new financing mechanisms for climate action and protests from environmental and Indigenous groups demanding stronger commitments.
Pakistan-Afghanistan Tensions: The Pakistani Interior Minister stated that a suicide bombing in Islamabad, which killed 12, was planned and directed from Afghanistan, escalating tensions between the two nations.
Typhoon Fung-wong in the Philippines: The powerful typhoon made landfall over Luzon, resulting in at least two deaths and forcing the evacuation of over 900,000 people.
Iraq Parliamentary Election: Elections were scheduled for November 11th-15th, with prominent Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr calling for an uncertain boycott of the process.
Chile Presidential Elections: The country was preparing for presidential elections on November 16th, with the right-wing opposition candidate favored to win.
Mariana Dam Disaster Ruling: A British High Court judge ruled that Australian mining corporation BHP was liable for the 2015 Samarco dam collapse in Brazil, one of the country's biggest environmental disasters.
Russia Bans Japanese Nationals: Russia indefinitely banned 30 Japanese nationals from entering the country in retaliation for Japan's sanctions related to the war in Ukraine.
Colombia Halts US Intelligence Sharing: Colombian President Gustavo Petro ordered public forces to stop sharing intelligence with the U.S. after U.S. military strikes on vessels in the Caribbean.
Sudan's Humanitarian Crisis Warning: The International Organization for Migration (IOM) warned that humanitarian operations in Sudan's Darfur region were nearing collapse due to ongoing violence.
Norway Offshore Oil Ruling: The Borgarting Court of Appeal nullified the government's approval of three offshore oil and gas developments due to insufficient climate assessment, though production was allowed to continue temporarily.
🍎 Education (Top Developments)
The U.S. Department of Education's regulatory and administrative actions were the main focus.
New Federal Student Aid COO: The U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced Richard Lucas would serve as the Acting Chief Operating Officer of Federal Student Aid (FSA).
New ED Leadership Confirmed: The Senate confirmed several key appointments, including Assistant Secretaries for the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and other departmental offices.
Postsecondary Improvement Priorities: The ED released seven new priorities under the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) for the FY 2025 competition.
Loan Provisions Rulemaking Concluded: The ED concluded its negotiated rulemaking session to implement the loan provisions of the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act."
Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Final Rule: The ED announced a final rule regarding Public Service Loan Forgiveness aimed at protecting American taxpayers.
Schools Ordered to Include Current Events: Education boards in India directed schools to include major national and international current events in daily morning assemblies to build civic awareness.
Red Fort Blast Investigation: News of the NIA taking over the probe into a car explosion near Delhi's Red Fort was highlighted in international education news, indicating the inclusion of national security events in school briefings.
U.S. Presidential Scholars Honored: Secretary of Education Linda McMahon announced the 2025 U.S. Presidential Scholars, recognizing high school seniors for their accomplishments.
Title IX Violation Finding: A previous ED/HHS finding that Minnesota violated Title IX remained a significant administrative story.
Action Against Fairfax County Schools: An ongoing enforcement action by the ED against Fairfax County Public Schools concerning the provision of abortion services to students continued to draw attention.
💰 Economy (Top Developments)
The U.S. government shutdown's impact and geopolitical trade tensions dominated the financial headlines.
Shutdown Impact on GDP: The prolonged U.S. government shutdown led economists, including Goldman Sachs, to estimate a significant drop in GDP growth (approximately 1.5% knocked off).
Market Optimism for Shutdown End: Major stock indexes surged early in the week on optimistic rumors of a pending deal to end the record-long government shutdown.
Paycheck Deadline Looming: The November 15th deadline for U.S. troops' paychecks, cited by the Treasury Secretary, remained a hard stop under the Antideficiency Act, intensifying pressure on Congress.
US-China Trade Truce: An earlier de-escalation agreement was holding, allowing the shipment of rare earth magnets to U.S. industry and the resumption of Chinese purchases of U.S. agricultural goods.
Global Economic Headwinds: The global economy was reported to be "limping," facing geopolitical crosswinds, policy fragmentation, and structural shifts despite high equity markets.
New Tariffs on Selected Goods: The U.S. announced new trade agreements with Latin American countries (Argentina, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala) that lowered tariffs and expanded market access for U.S. products.
IRS Announces 2026 Contribution Limits: The Internal Revenue Service unveiled the contribution limits for 401(k) and IRA retirement accounts for the 2026 calendar year.
New Diageo CEO: Diageo, a world-leading beverage business, announced its new CEO, amid reports the company's U.S.-listed shares had lost about a quarter of their value for the year.
Proposal for 50-Year Mortgage: The Trump administration's proposal for an ultra-long mortgage term stirred debate among financial experts and real estate analysts.
Trade Deal for Commodities: The Trump administration announced a trade deal aimed at lowering the prices of bananas and coffee.
💻 Technology (Top Developments)
AI, security, and the ongoing product cycle for major companies were the biggest tech news.
Google Gemini Live Update: Google announced the "biggest update ever" to its Gemini Live feature, including five new upgrades for the AI assistant.
SoftBank Sells Nvidia Stock: The news that SoftBank sold its entire stake in Nvidia fueled discussion about a potential "AI bubble bursting" within the market.
Major NPM Security Attack: Thousands of fake packages flooded the npm registry in a significant attack, raising alarms across the developer community about software supply chain security.
AI-Generated Music Dominates: A report highlighted that an AI-generated tune was the most-downloaded country song in the U.S.
Microsoft AI Marketplace Experiment: Microsoft built a fake online marketplace to study how its AI agents would behave selling unsupervised, with the results described as "unsurprising."
Disney+ App Visual Revamp: Disney announced a major visual overhaul for its Disney+ apps to improve navigation and personalization.
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Review: A significant hands-on review of the rumored iPhone 17 Pro was published, confirming certain suspicions about the new device lineup.
Peugeot's Concept EV: Peugeot unveiled a new concept electric vehicle (EV) featuring gullwing doors, swappable seats, and steer-by-wire technology, offering a glimpse into the future of hatchbacks.
Perplexity Upgrades Comet: The AI search engine Perplexity upgraded its Comet model to allow for multitasking across multiple tabs.
Chatbot Interruptibility: A new feature was rolled out allowing users to interrupt a major chatbot (likely ChatGPT) as it learns to take feedback on the fly, improving interaction.
⚕️ Health (Top Developments)
Public health policy and infectious disease threats were key issues, often tied to the government shutdown.
Rising Flu Cases & Vaccine Drift: Flu cases were on the rise, and public health officials warned that many circulating viruses had drifted from the strains used in the 2025/2026 vaccines, though vaccination was still urged.
Threat of Bird Flu Resurgence: A "grim resurgence" of bird flu was a concern, particularly threatening Thanksgiving food supplies, in the run-up to the holiday season.
CDC Politicization and Weakening: Ongoing news and concerns about the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) being politicized and weakened by mass firings amid the government shutdown continued.
Expiration of ACA Subsidies: Health experts estimated that Americans shopping for 2026 Obamacare plans face a "more than doubling" of monthly premiums due to pandemic-era subsidies expiring at year-end.
Guidance on Medicines in Pregnancy: New guidelines and research regarding the safe use of medicines during pregnancy were highlighted in a clinical news round-up.
Updates on RWHAP Funding: The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) sought public feedback on proposed changes to the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP) funding formula to better allocate resources based on where clients currently live.
New Cardiovascular Research: Significant new research on cardiovascular health was reported, including a surprising study regarding the consumption of coffee and atrial fibrillation.
Ebola Outbreak Nearing End: Reports indicated that the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was hopefully nearing the end of its ongoing Ebola outbreak.
FDA Pre-RFD Guidance: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released updated guidance on how to prepare a Pre-Request for Designation (Pre-RFD) for combination products.
Focus on Medicaid Eligibility Integrity: CMS released guidance to states to address instances of concurrent Medicaid and CHIP enrollment across multiple states to ensure program integrity.
🏈 Sports (Top Developments)
The NFL season, a major shooting in college sports, and gambling scandals were key topics.
Laney College Coach Shooting/Arrest: The fatal, "targeted" shooting of legendary Laney College football coach, John Beam, was followed by the arrest of a 27-year-old former player.
Guardians Pitchers Gambling Scheme: Multiple Cleveland Guardians pitchers were reportedly indicted in a gambling scheme involving MLB games, marking a significant scandal in baseball.
NFL Week 11 Outlook: News and coverage focused heavily on the upcoming schedule, matchups, and predictions for Week 11 of the NFL season.
Tribute to Paul Tagliabue: Paul Tagliabue, the longtime former Commissioner of the NFL, passed away at the age of 84, prompting tributes across the league.
Ex-NFL Star Arrested: Former NFL player Antonio Brown was arrested on an attempted murder charge.
College Cross Country Regionals: The NCAA South Central Regional and other cross-country meets took place, with teams like UTRGV's women's team moving up in the regional ranks.
NFL Salute to Service: Reports highlighted that the NFL's annual "Salute to Service" campaign had raised millions of dollars for its military nonprofit partners.
College Basketball Season Start: The Men's Basketball season was beginning, with teams like John Carroll playing in tournaments like the Ron Linhart Memorial Classic.
College Soccer and Volleyball Tournaments: NCAA Division III Championship Tournament action was underway for Women's Soccer, and the NCAC Tournament semifinals were being played in Volleyball.
College Football Championship Race: The final regular season games for college football teams, such as John Carroll's push for the NCAC conference title, determined bids for the NCAA playoffs.
- Prolonged federal government shutdown reaches day 40, causing widespread flight delays and economic strain across the nation.
- Millions under freeze alerts as winter weather hits early, exacerbating shutdown-related disruptions in transportation and services.
- Senate holds rare Sunday session for procedural vote on bill to end shutdown, passing 60-40 amid urgent negotiations.
- Judge orders Trump administration to fully fund November SNAP benefits for millions, averting food aid crisis during shutdown.
- Trump administration reports 66,000 people in immigration detention, drawing criticism over conditions amid funding freeze.
- Americans report high prices straining budgets, with President Trump preparing response to economic concerns in Charlotte, N.C.
- Louisville plane crash update reveals dual engine failure, prompting FAA safety reviews.
- Kennedy delivers fiery speech on Senate floor criticizing shutdown handling.
- Socialism gains traction in NYC and Washington politics, highlighted in weekly review.
- SNAP impact "doubled overnight" due to shutdown, affecting low-income families nationwide.
- Senate votes 60-40 to advance legislation ending the 40-day government shutdown, a major bipartisan breakthrough.
- Trump calls for jailing Democratic donor George Soros, escalating partisan rhetoric.
- Top Trump adviser Stephen Miller threatens to dismantle Democratic-linked organizations.
- Schiff outlines Trump's "10 most corrupt acts" in Senate floor speech, intensifying impeachment debates.
- Judge mandates full SNAP funding amid shutdown, a legal rebuke to Trump administration policies.
- Immigration detention surges to 66,000 under Trump policies, sparking humanitarian concerns.
- Trump flips stance on Ukraine aid, drawing international backlash and domestic division.
- Lawmakers convene rare Sunday session on day 40 of shutdown to avert deeper crisis.
- PBS News analyzes shutdown stalemate, with focus on impacts to federal workers and services.
- Space policy events highlight congressional debates on NASA funding during shutdown.
- Israel condemned for killing nine Yemeni journalists in airstrike, per International Federation of Journalists.
- Trump threatens $5 billion lawsuit against BBC despite apology, straining U.S.-U.K. relations.
- U.S. lowers tariffs on beef and coffee imports, easing global trade tensions.
- Massive U.S.-China trade deal announced, aiming to stabilize global markets.
- Escalating conflicts in Ukraine and Sudan dominate international headlines.
- Political crisis deepens in the United Kingdom, with calls for leadership change.
- South Africa allows 153 Palestinians to disembark after 12-hour plane ordeal.
- Israel accused of normalizing anti-Palestinian violence and rhetoric in ongoing conflict.
- 2025 Saint Helena Island shooting adds to global mass shooting concerns.
- 2025 Islamabad suicide bombing heightens South Asia security alerts.
- Policymakers show growing support for public school choice programs nationwide.
- Universal vouchers gain public backing, reshaping school funding debates.
- ISRO's updated Chandrayaan-2 data enhances global STEM education resources.
- 19-year-old Cameran Drew defeats teacher for Surry County Board seat by 10 votes.
- New York mandates climate change education across all grade levels starting 2027.
- Access to education highlighted as key American dream issue for 2025 school year.
- U.S. Department of Education unveils seven priorities for postsecondary improvement funding.
- Board of Education discusses academic achievement strategies in key committee meeting.
- Campus issues and university applications dominate higher ed news cycle.
- NewsForKids.net launches simplified articles on current events for young learners.
- Markets surge on optimism for shutdown-ending deal, with S&P 500 and Nasdaq leading gains.
- Tech stocks like Micron triple in value amid AI boom and trade optimism.
- Global business outlook and European GDP updates signal cautious recovery.
- U.S.-China trade deal boosts markets, but risks from shutdown linger.
- Trump downplays economic woes as "partisan spin," claims costs are fake news.
- Prolonged shutdown builds economic risks, with strong Q3 fading into slower Q4.
- Federal Reserve eyes cautious easing amid inflation data fog.
- Home builder confidence index at 37, reflecting housing market slowdown.
- Business inventories rise 0.1% in August, hinting at supply chain stabilization.
- Potential market topple risks from volatility, per Economist weekly analysis.
- Apple partners with Google in secret $1B AI deal to upgrade Siri capabilities.
- OpenAI launches GPT-5.1 with custom chat features, revolutionizing user interactions.
- D-Matrix raises $275M for AI hardware, fueling inference tech boom.
- OnePlus 15 launches with cutting-edge specs; ChatGPT goes free in India.
- Over 100K tech layoffs announced, signaling industry shifts.
- SpaceX achieves key milestones in reusable rocket tech.
- AI spending surges globally, with OpenAI entering healthcare applications.
- Orbital data centers rise as next frontier in cloud computing.
- Norway pioneers green-energy data centers amid sustainability push.
- ASML earnings confirm strong AI chip demand holding firm.
- Government shutdown disrupts health services, with KFF highlighting federal impacts.
- SNAP cuts threaten food aid, worsening health outcomes for vulnerable populations.
- Tariffs on drugs could spike prices, per health policy analysis.
- "Make America Healthy Again" initiative launches amid shutdown debates.
- FDA cracks down on misleading drug ads in weekly health roundup.
- 1 in 6 parents delay child vaccinations, raising outbreak fears.
- Chagas disease emerges as growing U.S. concern in migrant health.
- CDC faces scrutiny over bird flu response ahead of Thanksgiving.
- Ebola cases wane in DRC, but global vigilance urged.
- WHO rolls out mRNA tech transfer program worldwide.
- SportsCenter highlights top plays from NFL Week 10, including epic finishes.
- NFL's second Sunday features high-stakes games like Bucs vs. Patriots.
- Bill Belichick declines NFL jobs, recommits to UNC coaching role.
- 2026 NFL Draft: Five-team race emerges for No. 1 pick.
- NBA Top 10 Plays: Lobs, posters, and jams from seven-game Sunday slate.
- TNF ratings spike to all-time high, securing Prime's eighth year of growth.
- CBS Sports posts best Week 10 audience in 14 years with 18M viewers.
- Mavericks rumored to trade for Anthony Davis in Lakers reunion blockbuster.
- England's high-risk strategy against Greece dominates soccer headlines.
- Curving soccer kicks steal the show in Monday's global highlight reel.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2025
Big Education Ape: MORNING NEWS UPDATE: NOVEMBER 9, 2025 https://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2025/11/morning-news-update-november-9-2025.html
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2025
Big Education Ape: MORNING NEWS UPDATE: NOVEMBER 10, 2025 https://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2025/11/morning-news-update-november-10-2025.html
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2025
Big Education Ape: MORNING NEWS UPDATE: VETERAN'S DAY NOVEMBER 11, 2025 https://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2025/11/morning-news-update-veterans-day.html
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2025
Big Education Ape: MORNING NEWS UPDATE: NOVEMBER 12, 2025 https://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2025/11/morning-news-update-veterans-day_12.html
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2025
Big Education Ape: MORNING NEWS UPDATE: NOVEMBER 13, 2025 https://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2025/11/morning-news-update-november-13-2025.html
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2025
Big Education Ape: MORNING NEWS UPDATE: NOVEMBER 14, 2025 https://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2025/11/morning-news-update-november-14-2025.html
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2025
