MORNING NEWS UPDATE: OCTOBER 25, 2025
- Government Shutdown Enters Second Week: The U.S. federal government shutdown, triggered by disputes over spending and border security, has now extended into its second week, furloughing thousands of workers and disrupting services like national parks and air traffic control. Senate negotiations stalled over the weekend without a resolution.
- Social Security COLA Announcement Delayed: Due to the shutdown, the Social Security Administration postponed its 2026 cost-of-living adjustment reveal from October 15 to October 24, with early estimates pointing to a modest 2.7% increase in benefits amid steady inflation.
- Military Escalation in Latin America: The U.S. deployed an aircraft carrier to the region as part of a broader military buildup, amid rising tensions over drug trafficking and trade disputes.
Government Shutdown and Airport Delays: The ongoing federal government shutdown is causing major problems, with airlines bracing for more delays as over 60,000 airport officials are working without pay.
Trump Administration Policy: The Trump administration continues to push its agenda, with policy shifts occurring, including a rejection by a US court of an effort to delay rulings on veterans' disability benefits.
White House East Wing Demolition: The East Wing of the White House has reportedly been destroyed as part of President Trump's planned construction of a new gilded ballroom, drawing outrage from historians.
Caribbean Deployment: The Pentagon has deployed the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier battle group to the Caribbean for counter-drug cartel operations, marking an escalation in the militarization of the region.
- Trump Terminates Canada Trade Talks: President Trump announced the end of U.S.-Canada trade negotiations, citing a controversial TV ad, escalating a broader trade war that includes new tariffs on India and sanctions on Russian oil firms.
- Sen. Cory Booker's Record-Breaking Filibuster: The New Jersey Democrat delivered a 25-hour speech criticizing the administration's policies, breaking the modern Senate record and highlighting impacts on public health and education funding.
- Sanctions on Colombian President Petro: The U.S. Treasury imposed sanctions on Colombia's leader for alleged ties to the global drug trade, drawing sharp rebukes from South American allies and complicating regional diplomacy.
- U.S. Sanctions Hit Russian Oil Giants: Harsh penalties on Rosneft and Lukoil, controlling 5% of global oil production, prohibit transactions and aim to curb Russia's war funding, with the UK following suit on similar measures.
- Côte d'Ivoire Presidential Election Underway: Voters head to polls in the West African nation, with results expected early next week; incumbent Alassane Ouattara seeks a fourth term amid opposition protests.
- Russia Intercepts 121 Ukrainian Drones: Overnight air defenses downed a massive drone swarm over Russian regions, escalating the Ukraine conflict as Zelenskyy fails to secure advanced U.S. missiles from Trump.
- Explosion in Italy Kills Three Carabinieri: An intentional blast during a farmhouse eviction in Verona injures 25 and kills three officers; a woman and her brothers in their 60s were arrested.
US-China Trade Talks: High-level trade negotiations between the U.S. and China began in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Saturday.
The talks aim to prevent an escalation of tariffs and salvage a planned summit meeting between President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping next week in South Korea. Trump's Asia Trip: President Trump embarked on his first trip to Asia in his second term, visiting Malaysia, Japan, and South Korea, with a focus on trade and investment.
Japan's New PM: Japan's new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi began her diplomatic debut at the ASEAN summit meetings in Malaysia.
Protests in Italy: A significant demonstration sponsored by the Italian General Confederation of Labor is scheduled to take place in the city center of Rome today.
Russian Oil Sanctions: The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned major Russian oil companies earlier this week, calling on Moscow to agree to a ceasefire.
- University of Exeter Postgraduate Scholarships for Indian Students: The UK institution launches tuition discounts for Master's programs in environmental studies starting January 2026, targeting Indian applicants to boost international enrollment.
- Nayanta University Pune Opens Admissions for 2026-30 Batch: The new Indian university begins its inaugural UG session for BA and BSc honors, emphasizing interdisciplinary learning and skill development via mobile labs.
- India-Nigeria IIT Campus Collaboration Advances: Plans progress for Africa's first Indian Institute of Technology branch in Nigeria, focusing on tech and engineering education to strengthen bilateral ties.
Coaching Class Crackdown: There are debates surrounding whether India should follow China's action of cracking down on coaching classes.
- IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast Slightly: The World Economic Outlook projects 3.2% growth for 2025, up from April estimates but down from pre-tariff levels, crediting AI investments for buffering U.S. slowdowns from trade policies.
- Fed Eyes Two Rate Cuts by Year-End: Markets price in near-certainty for 25-basis-point reductions in October and December, aiming for a neutral 3.00%-3.25% range by mid-2026 amid sticky core inflation.
- WTO Warns of Delayed Tariff Impact on Trade: U.S. tariffs' full effects on global goods trade are pushed to 2026 due to 2025 stockpiling, predicting a sharp deceleration as front-loading fades.
- German Industry Job Losses Hit 245,000 Since 2019: Europe's largest economy sheds roles for five straight quarters, signaling manufacturing struggles from energy costs and trade tensions.
Financial Data Rights: The Bank Policy Institute (BPI) is supporting the CFPB's effort to realign the Personal Financial Data Rights Rule under Section 1033 of the Dodd-Frank Act, which addresses legal deficiencies in the rule to better safeguard consumers' sensitive financial data.
Fed Stress Test Models: The Federal Reserve issued a significant proposal to improve the accuracy and transparency of its stress testing models.
AML Requirements: New Senate legislation, the STREAMLINE Act, seeks to modernize anti-money laundering (AML) requirements by raising thresholds for currency transaction reports (CTR) and suspicious activity reports (SAR).
- AWS Graviton4 Boosts AI Efficiency by 25%: Amazon's new custom processor drives cloud migration for Netflix and Zoom, cutting energy use and emissions in AI training workloads.
- Anthropic Partners with Google for Massive AI Chip Deal: The AI firm secures tens of billions in Google's custom chips to power Claude chatbot training, intensifying the race in generative AI infrastructure.
- Apple M5 Chip Powers Next-Gen Devices: The efficient processor enables advanced battery management and AI tasks, set for 2025 iPad Pro and MacBook refreshes amid global chip shortage concerns.
- U.S. Launches Digital Trade Enforcement Tool: A new system streamlines customs clearance to combat errors and delays, accelerating adoption of AI-driven supply chain tech.
Generative AI Regulation: Governments and organizations worldwide are moving to solidify or minimize AI regulation, following precedents like the G7 Hiroshima Process and the EU's new AI Act.
Open Innovation in Asia: Việt Nam launched Open Innovation Day (OID) 2025, a major tech and business networking event aimed at positioning the country as a hub for green and digital innovation.
AI and Tech Investment: There are reports of VCs moving into deeptech as India's startup space matures, and new ventures are emerging to thwart AI bio attacks.
- Breakthrough Cancer Therapy Halts Tumors Selectively: A novel treatment stops growth without harming healthy cells, offering hope for precision oncology based on recent trials.
- Iron-Probiotic Supplement Restores Levels Gut-Safely: A "three-in-one" formula combines iron with prebiotics to fight deficiency while preventing inflammation, per new research.
- Stem Cell-Derived Immune Cells Reverse Alzheimer's in Mice: "Young" cells from human stem cells improve memory and cognition in models, potentially advancing treatments for neurodegenerative diseases.
- FDA Approves Eye Drops as Reading Glasses Alternative: The non-invasive solution targets presbyopia, providing a daily drop regimen to restore near vision for millions.
Rising Health Care Costs: A new poll highlights what Americans think about rising health care costs.
Pregnant Farmworkers at Risk: Pregnant farmworkers are facing increased risk due to more extreme heat.
- India Crushes Australia in Decisive ODI Win: Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli lead a dominant victory in Sydney, securing the series and boosting morale ahead of the World Cup.
- UFC 321: Aspinall vs. Gane Headlines Abu Dhabi Card: Tom Aspinall faces Ciryl Gane for heavyweight supremacy in a highly anticipated main event at Etihad Arena.
- Parker vs. Wardley WBO Interim Heavyweight Clash: Joseph Parker battles Fabio Wardley at London's O2 Arena for the title, promising a brutal showdown in the super heavyweight division.
- Fundora vs. Thurman WBC Junior Middleweight Title Fight: Sebastian Fundora defends against Keith Thurman at MGM Grand, a pivotal bout in the 154-pound class.
NBA Gambling Probe: More details are emerging around the illegal gambling investigation linked to the American mafia, which includes current and former professional basketball players and a head coach.
Argentina Match: Lionel Messi's Argentina match in India is not scheduled to be played in November, but during FIFA's next window.
