MORNING NEWS UPDATE: DECEMBER 29, 2025
- A major winter storm, described as a "bomb cyclone," is battering the Midwest, particularly Minnesota and Wisconsin, with heavy snow, blizzard conditions, and life-threatening travel disruptions during the holiday weekend.
- Stock markets are mixed as the year ends, with tech megacaps weighing on futures amid thin trading, while precious metals like silver retreat after record highs.
- Reports emerge on the Jan. 6 pipe bomb suspect's motivations tied to election beliefs, and ongoing impacts from immigration policies reducing foreign-born populations in various sectors.
Trump Mandates Moon Landing by 2028: Just hours after Jared Isaacman was sworn in as NASA Administrator, President Trump issued an executive order mandating U.S. boots on the lunar surface by 2028 and the start of a nuclear-powered lunar outpost by 2030.
National Guard Legal Battle: The Supreme Court left in place a ruling barring the Trump administration from deploying the National Guard in Illinois, though a separate deployment of 350 troops was just announced for New Orleans to secure New Year’s and Mardi Gras events.
Medal of Honor Monday: The Pentagon is honoring Army Pfc. David Paul Nash today, a Vietnam veteran posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for saving three fellow soldiers.
- President Trump met with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy at Mar-a-Lago, reporting progress toward a Ukraine-Russia peace deal but noting "thorny issues" like Donbas remain unresolved; teams may meet next week.
- Trump administration policies continue to influence areas like AI restrictions, immigration crackdowns, and potential Fed independence debates.
- Upcoming challenges for 2026 include midterm elections, government spending impasses, and Supreme Court decisions on tariffs.
Year-End Arts "War": Political tension is high as the administration continues its push to defund federal arts agencies and the Smithsonian unless they align with "patriotic" celebrations for the 2026 U.S. 250th anniversary.
Immigration Raids Impact: State leaders in Colorado and Illinois are reporting significant legal and social friction following increased ICE raids and shifts in federal immigration enforcement throughout December.
Supreme Court Year-End Report: Chief Justice John Roberts is scheduled to release his annual year-end report on the federal judiciary this Wednesday, which is expected to address the independence of the courts.
- China conducts its largest-ever military drills encircling Taiwan, including live-fire exercises and port blockades, amid rising tensions.
- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversees long-range cruise missile launches, emphasizing nuclear readiness.
- Trump-Zelenskyy talks signal momentum on Ukraine peace, with security guarantees discussed; separate meeting planned with Netanyahu on Gaza ceasefire.
Ukraine Peace Plan: President Zelenskyy revealed the U.S. is offering a 15-year security guarantee as part of a proposed peace plan.
President Trump stated today that a deal to end the war is "closer than ever before" following talks with both Zelenskyy and Putin. Tensions in the Pacific: The Chinese military staged new drills around Taiwan as a warning to "external forces" following increased diplomatic friction between the U.S. and Japan.
Mexico Train Disaster: An Interoceanic Train derailed in southern Mexico, resulting in at least 13 deaths and dozens of injuries.
- New College of Florida undergoes a conservative overhaul under Gov. DeSantis, shifting from progressive roots with new curriculum requirements like "The Odyssey" and hiring conservative professors.
- Discussions on AI in education rise, including mandates for AI literacy, microcredentials for hiring, and concerns over data security in schools.
- Year-end reviews highlight budget cuts, protests, and leadership changes in various U.S. districts and universities.
- U.S. economy shows resilience with strong GDP growth driven by AI and consumer spending, setting up cautious optimism for 2026 despite inflation persistence.
- Precious metals rally, with silver hitting records before retreating amid China export limits; stock markets near highs as "Santa Claus rally" builds.
- Global notes include China's revised foreign trade law to bolster capabilities and rising inequality concerns in the U.S.
Inflation Slows: New November data shows a cooling of inflationary pressures, providing a boost to the administration’s economic agenda, though market analysts remain cautious ahead of the December report.
Markets & Commodities: Gold and silver prices dipped slightly from record highs today.
Meanwhile, silver has reached a unique milestone—an ounce of silver is now worth more than a barrel of crude oil. 2026 Hiring Freeze: Early reports for the new year suggest large employers are planning to maintain current team sizes or reduce staff in 2026 rather than expand.
- Big Tech aligns with Trump policies, easing AI chip export limits and fast-tracking data centers.
- Innovations in cloud computing address energy crunch, including orbital data centers and heat-repurposing ideas.
- Nvidia's major deals, like with Groq, and China's reusable rocket tests highlight AI and space advancements.
The $84B AI Surge: Year-end reports show that 2025 was a record-breaking year for AI investment, with OpenAI alone raising $40 billion in a round that valued the company at $300 billion.
Archival Tech Breakthroughs: European startups are competing to launch "zero-power" archival storage systems in 2026, aiming to replace traditional data centers with high-density, low-energy solutions.
Firmware & Hardware: DJI released a major free firmware upgrade allowing the Osmo Action 6 to record 8K video, while leaks suggest the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro launch is imminent.
- Debate intensifies over kratom and related products' availability and addiction risks, with FDA scrutiny.
- Research advances: Mini brain organoids reveal distinct signals for schizophrenia/bipolar; concerns over midlife weight loss aggravating brain inflammation.
- Global health setbacks noted in WHO reports, with erased progress from COVID era and rising climate-related threats.
ADHD Research Shift: New brain scans revealed that ADHD medications work less by "sharpening focus" and more by "waking up" the brain's reward and alertness systems to make boring tasks more tolerable.
Oncology Breakthroughs: Doctors are celebrating a new "off-the-shelf" cancer vaccine (ELI-002 2P) that has shown significant promise in boosting survival rates for colorectal and pancreatic cancer patients.
Diet & Dementia: A long-term study released today suggests that high-fat cheese and cream consumption may actually be linked to a lower risk of dementia over a 25-year period.
- NFL action highlights include Lakers' win behind Luka Doncic and Eagles clinching for Patriots.
- Tennis "Battle of the Sexes" sees Kyrgios defeat Sabalenka; Shiffrin wins slalom.
- Year-end reviews feature memorable moments like Cholita wrestling and major victories in soccer and cycling.
College Basketball: No. 15 Texas Tech defeated Winthrop 87-57, extending their non-conference home winning streak to 46 games behind Christian Anderson’s 29 points.
NFL Playoff Race: As the regular season nears its end, teams are battling for final wildcard spots; the "Monday Night Football" matchup tonight carries heavy playoff implications.
Cricket: India clinched the T20 series against South Africa today after winning the fifth and final match by 30 runs.
