MORNING NEWS UPDATE: DECEMBER 5, 2025
- Scrutiny on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over Caribbean Strikes: Hegseth faces bipartisan congressional hearings and Pentagon investigations regarding the September 2 "double-tap" strikes on an alleged Venezuelan drug boat, which killed survivors and raised questions about legality and his use of the Signal app for classified discussions.
- Nor'easter Hits East Coast with Snow and Ice: A powerful storm brought heavy snow, ice, and rain across the Northeast, disrupting travel and power, while a false 5.9-magnitude earthquake alert caused panic in Nevada and California.
- Arrest in Long Island Serial Killings Case: A suspect was arrested in Florida for the 2010 murder of a woman linked to the Gilgo Beach killings, marking a breakthrough in the decade-old investigation.
- Justice Department Ends LGBTQ-Specific Prison Inspections: A new memo directs inspectors to stop using standards protecting trans and LGBTQ inmates from sexual violence, drawing criticism from advocates.
NPR Battles Trump Executive Order in Court: NPR and its member stations were in court at a pivotal hearing, arguing that an executive order issued by President Trump to end federal subsidies for public media, based on accusations of ideological bias, violates the First Amendment.
New York Times Sues Pentagon: The New York Times filed a lawsuit against the Pentagon's new press policy, arguing that the rules give the Secretary of Defense the unconstitutional power to unilaterally ban reporters.
H-1B Visa Vetting Enhanced: The Trump administration has reportedly ordered enhanced vetting of H-1B visa applicants, with anyone potentially involved in "censorship" of free speech considered for rejection.
Treasury Sanctions and Penalties: The U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is actively imposing penalties, including a $7 million fine on a company tied to a sanctioned Russian oligarch and a $7.1 million fine on a New York firm for managing properties for a Putin ally.
- Trump Targets Somali Immigrants in Minnesota: The president escalates rhetoric calling Somali communities "garbage" amid planned ICE enforcement, prompting backlash from local leaders and fueling immigration debates.
- Supreme Court Allows Texas GOP-Favoring Redistricting Maps: The court greenlights new congressional districts for midterms, boosting Republican chances and part of broader election strategy.
- Grand Jury Declines to Re-Indict NY AG Letitia James: Efforts to charge James over Trump-related probes fail, amid ongoing legal battles between state officials and the administration.
- Bipartisan Push to Block Venezuela Strike Without Congress: Senators introduce a war powers resolution against unauthorized attacks, following Trump's threats, highlighting tensions over executive military authority.
- State Department Layoffs in Reorganization: Over 1,200 employees, including foreign service officers, receive reduction-in-force notices as part of sweeping changes.
- U.S.-Brokered DR Congo-Rwanda Peace Deal Signed: The agreement aims to end eastern conflict, but M23 rebels' advances in Goma cast doubt on implementation.
- Taliban Public Execution in Afghanistan: Authorities in Khost carry out a hanging, drawing international condemnation amid rising human rights concerns.
- Putin-Modi Summit Strengthens Russia-India Ties: Talks in New Delhi focus on energy and defense, with Putin pledging uninterrupted fuel supplies despite global sanctions.
- Over 300 Lebanese Killed Post-Ceasefire: U.N. reports ongoing violence despite truce, exacerbating humanitarian crisis in the region.
- Russia Blocks Snapchat Access: Regulators cite national security, part of broader internet controls amid geopolitical tensions.
India-Russia Annual Summit: Russian President Vladimir Putin is visiting New Delhi for the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The leaders discussed strengthening the strategic partnership, touching upon regional and global issues, and pushing officials to speed up a preferential trade pact between India and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). Amazon Pays €180 Million to Italy:
Amazon paid 180 million euros to Italian authorities to resolve a probe into alleged tax fraud and circumventing labor practices by its logistics services unit. US-China Trade Relations: A U.S. official stated that the U.S. wants stable trade with China instead of conflict, noting that the U.S. trade deficit with China is down "about 25 percent" since President Trump took office.
Pakistan Appoints First Chief of Defence Forces: Pakistan formally appointed General Asim Munir as the country's first Chief of Defence Forces (CDF).
- U.S. Department of Education Reassigns Powers: Responsibilities shifted to agencies like Labor and HHS in dismantling efforts, criticized by Democrats for slashing resources.
- Six-Year College Graduation Rate Steady at 61.1%: National Student Clearinghouse data shows minimal change for 2019 entrants, amid concerns over access and affordability.
- S&P Issues Negative Outlook for Nonprofits: Fiscal 2026 credit warnings highlight enrollment declines and rising costs for U.S. higher education.
- School Holidays Amid Strikes and Weather: Maharashtra confirms closures due to teacher protests; Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala review options for rain and disruptions.
NM College Graduates Rank High for Economic Mobility: A new study, the 2025 "State Opportunity Index," reports that New Mexico college graduates are among the most likely in the nation to achieve economic security, with 70% achieving a positive return on investment (ROI) over 10 years.
Chile Bans Smartphone Use in Class: Chile has become the latest country to pass a law banning smartphone use among young students during class time, effective next year, to reduce harmful effects and curb distractions.
Higher Education Scrutiny in U.S.: U.S. congressional Republicans are expected to continue pressuring higher education institutions to lower tuition costs, remove programs with poor outcomes, and increase transparency around costs and China-related matters.
Delhi University and Russia's HSE University to Collaborate: Delhi University (DU) and Russia’s National Research University Higher School of Economics (HSE University) signed an agreement to jointly set up a Space Mirror Lab at DU's Faculty of Technology.
- Weak November Jobs Data Boosts Fed Cut Hopes: ADP reports 32,000 private payroll cuts, far below expectations, raising odds of a December rate reduction to 95%.
- China's Economy Shows Mixed Signals: Fixed-asset investment down 1.7%, retail sales up modestly at 2.9%, and industrial production at 4.9%, amid property slump and stimulus calls.
- U.S. Factory Orders Miss Estimates: Up just 0.2% in October, below forecasts, as tariffs constrain manufacturing growth.
- Global Growth Slows to 2.6% in 2025: UNCTAD warns of trade pressures, financial volatility, and geopolitical risks dragging on investment.
- Treasury Yields Rise on Labor Data: 10-year yield climbs to 4.06% as markets eye Fed's December moves despite softening employment.
IndiGo Flight Disruption in India: The widespread disruption plaguing the flight operations of India's largest airline, IndiGo, is a major domestic business story, with the Civil Aviation Minister saying operations are expected to normalize in three days.
Indian Stock Market Outlook: Market analysis shows benchmark indices (Nifty and Bank Nifty) consolidating after recent highs, with a positive bias expected to continue.
Key factors influencing the market include currency stabilization dynamics, the upcoming RBI monetary policy statement, and the US FOMC policy outcome. Call to Ban 10-Minute Delivery Services: An Indian politician is demanding the termination of 10-minute delivery services by quick commerce players, calling the practice "cruelty" toward gig workers who are under extreme pressure to meet deadlines.
- Google Launches Gemini 3 with Deep Think Mode: The AI model's enhanced reasoning and coding capabilities top 2025 searches, rivaling OpenAI and Anthropic updates.
- AWS re:Invent Unveils AI Agents and Graviton5 CPU: CEO Garman emphasizes enterprise AI value; new chip promises top efficiency for data centers.
- Anthropic's $200M Agentic AI Deal with Snowflake: Focuses on enterprise tools, highlighting billion-dollar bets in autonomous systems.
- AI Safety Report Cards Rank Companies: New evaluations assess efforts to mitigate risks, amid warnings on security in critical infrastructure.
- Meta's AI Deals with News Publishers: Multiple partnerships for content integration, boosting generative AI training data.
Lexus LFA Concept BEV Sports Car World Premiere: Lexus held the world premiere of the Lexus LFA Concept, a battery electric vehicle (BEV) sports car that aims to embody "Discover Immersion" and preserve core car-making skills in the electrification era.
18 Record Set for Lightning-Fast Chips: Researchers engineered a strained germanium layer on silicon, achieving a record mobility for charge movement, which could lead to chips that run cooler, faster, and with dramatically lower energy consumption.
New Low-Temperature Fuel Cell: Scientists have developed a new low-temperature fuel cell that can enable efficient proton transport at just
20 $300^\circ\text{C}$, a major leap that could transform hydrogen power.21 New Regulations for AI Chatbots Proposed: Federal lawmakers, concerned about artificial intelligence safety, have proposed a new bill that calls for restrictions on minors' access to AI chatbots.
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- UnitedHealth CEO Assassination Fallout: One year on, the killing exposes U.S. healthcare crises, with rising costs, denials, and investor skepticism hitting insurers.
- WHO Backs GLP-1 Drugs for Obesity: New guidelines endorse medications like semaglutide alongside diet and exercise for management.
- Coffee Linked to Slower Aging in Psychiatric Patients: Up to four cups daily correlates with longer telomeres, potentially delaying biological aging by five years.
- AI Tool Boosts Dementia Diagnoses in Primary Care: Machine learning increases testing and identifications, per new study.
- Child Mortality Reversal: 5M Under-5 Deaths Projected: Gates Foundation warns of setbacks in global progress, urging vaccine and resource access.
Wildfire Smoke's Impact on Lung Health: UNC School of Medicine researchers published findings on how inhaling wood smoke (like that from wildfires) can alter the lung microbiome, potentially reducing "good" bacteria and increasing those associated with diseases like asthma.
Experimental RNA Treatment for DNA Repair: Cedars-Sinai scientists created a new experimental drug, TY1, that has shown power in helping the body repair damaged DNA and restore injured tissue.
Alzheimer’s Blood Tests and Kidney Function: A large study found that Alzheimer's biomarkers can be higher in people with impaired kidneys, potentially making blood tests misleading, although kidney problems were not associated with a higher overall risk of dementia.
Wearable Technology is Top 2025 Fitness Trend: The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) named Wearable Technology as the number one worldwide fitness trend for 2025, followed by Mobile Exercise Apps and Exercise Programs for Older Adults, showing the continued dominance of digital technology in fitness.
- Purdue Reclaims No. 1 in AP Men's Basketball Poll: Boilermakers top Houston after big wins; UConn holds at No. 3, Michigan jumps to No. 18.
- Coco Gauff Wins French Open for Second Slam: The 21-year-old defeats Aryna Sabalenka 6-7, 6-2, 6-4, marking a breakout year.
- Eagles Dominate Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX Rematch: Philadelphia wins 40-22 for second title; Jalen Hurts earns MVP in redemption.
- Luka Dončić Traded to Lakers for Anthony Davis: Blockbuster three-team deal shakes NBA, pairing Dončić with LeBron James.
- OKC Thunder Win First NBA Title: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's MVP performance leads seven-game series victory over Pacers.
Youngest Rated Chess Player: A 3-year-old from India has become the youngest-ever rated chess player in history with a rapid rating of 1,572.
India Announces T20I Squad: India announced its T20I squad for the South Africa tour, with Shubman Gill named as vice-captain and Hardik Pandya making a comeback after a two-month injury layoff.
Wearable Technology is Top Fitness Trend: (Also a Health story) The ACSM named Wearable Technology as the top worldwide fitness trend for 2025, indicating a strong trend in the sports and fitness industry towards data-driven and digital training.
