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Nuclear stocks surge after Army launches program to deploy small reactors– www.cnbc.com

pgnewser October 15, 2025 0

Blurb:

Nuclear stocks rallied Wednesday after the U.S. Army launched a program to deploy small reactors.

Shares of NuScale, a small reactor developer, soared 17%. Oklo and Nano Nuclear were up nearly 7% and 4%, resepectively. The uranium company Centrus was up 13%.

The U.S. Army on Tuesday launched a program to build micro nuclear reactors in partnership with the Defense Innovation Unit. The microreactors will be commercially owned and operated with the goal of helping developers scale up their businesses, according to the Army.

LendingTree CEO and founder Doug Lebda dies in ATV accident– abcnews.go.com

pgnewser October 14, 2025 0

Blurb:

LendingTree CEO and founder Doug Lebda died in an an all-terrain vehicle accident over the weekend, the online loaning platform said Monday.

In a company announcement, LendingTree confirmed that Lebda unexpectedly died on Sunday and that its leadership “deeply mourns his passing” while extending condolences to the executive’s loved ones.

“Doug was a visionary leader whose relentless drive, innovation and passion transformed the financial services landscape, touching the lives of millions of consumers,” LendingTree’s board of directors said in a statement. “His passion will continue to inspire us as we move forward together.”

Hundreds of colleges could lose federal student loans due to default rates, economist says– www.thecollegefix.com

pgnewser October 14, 2025 0

Blurb:

Key Takeaways

  • Over 1,000 colleges are at risk of losing access to federal student loans due to high default rates, with 400 having rates above 40 percent and another 700 between 30-40 percent.
  • An economist says colleges in the ‘danger zone’ have time to take proactive measures to reduce default rates, such as advising recent alumni on loan repayment options, before facing potential loss of federal aid.

Johnson Quotes Obama, Uses Dems’ Own Words Against Them In Shutdown Ultimatum– trendingpoliticsnews.com

pgnewser October 14, 2025 0

Blurb:

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) delivered a firm warning to his Democrat colleagues on Monday as the partial government shutdown drags past the two-week mark.

“We’re barreling toward one of the longest shutdowns in American history unless Democrats drop their partisan demands and pass a clean, no-strings-attached budget to reopen the government and pay our federal workers,” Johnson said during a press conference Monday.

Will Republicans Nuke the Filibuster to End the Shutdown?– www.dailysignal.com

pgnewser October 14, 2025 0

Blurb:

Will Senate Republicans go nuclear to end the shutdown?

It’s a fair question, considering how dug in the Democrats appear to be, having voted down a continuing resolution to fund the government over a half dozen times. “The nuclear option,” in Senate parlance, is a process through which the Senate can establish new precedent with a simple majority.

Almost two weeks into a shutdown with no end in sight, some are asking if President Donald Trump, who has previously criticized the 60-vote threshold required to end debate on most bills, could call for the nuclear option to remove the requirement.

Shutdown polls show Democrats’ economic messaging still falling flat– www.politico.com

pgnewser October 14, 2025 0

Blurb:

Democrats’ hardline opposition to rising health care costs isn’t earning them voters’ trust on economic issues — a disconnect that lays bare the party’s challenge heading into next year’s midterms.

Voters blame Republicans more than Democrats for the federal government shutdown, according to a review of polling conducted after services shuttered. An Economist/YouGov survey of 1,648 Americans showed 41 percent hold the GOP accountable for the lapse in federal funding, compared to 30 percent who point a finger at Democrats and 23 percent who hold the parties equally responsible. A 2,441-person CBS News/YouGov survey also found Americans blame Republicans more than Democrats — 39 percent to 30 percent — with 31 percent faulting both. And a Harvard/Harris poll demonstrated 2,413 voters impugned Republicans more than Democrats by 6 points.

China takes steps against US-linked units of S.Korea shipbuilder Hanwha – Reuters– news.google.com

pgnewser October 14, 2025 0

Blurb:

  1. China takes steps against US-linked units of S.Korea shipbuilder Hanwha  Reuters
  2. China targets five U.S. subsidiaries of South Korea’s Hanwha Ocean, sending shares down 8%  CNBC
  3. China Escalates US Trade Fight With Some Curbs on Shipping  Bloomberg.com
  4. Trump tariffs live updates: China hits back at Trump on shipping with curbs on US units of Hanwha Ocean  Yahoo Finance
  5. China probes US maritime investigation’s impact on shipping industry  Reuters

DJI fights U.S. government classification as ‘Chinese military company,’ appeals ruling– mashable.com

pgnewser October 14, 2025 0

Blurb:

DJI is continuing to fight the U.S. government’s classification of it as a “Chinese military company,” filing an appeal in its unsuccessful lawsuit against the Department of Defense (DoD, recently renamed the Department of War).

In a ruling against DJI last month, a U.S. district court allowed the DoD’s designation of the Chinese drone manufacturer as a “Chinese military company” to stand. Despite disagreeing with the DoD’s allegation that DJI is “indirectly owned by the Chinese Communist Party,” the judge determined that there is evidence that the company does contribute to the “Chinese defence industrial base,” as drones are of substantial use in military contexts.

Dutch government takes control of China-owned chip firm– www.bbc.com

pgnewser October 14, 2025 0

Blurb:

The Dutch government has taken control of Nexperia, a Chinese-owned chipmaker based in the Netherlands, in a bid to safeguard the European supply of semiconductors for cars and other electronic goods and protect Europe’s economic security.

The Hague said it took the decision due to “serious governance shortcomings” and to prevent the chips from becoming unavailable in an emergency.

Nexperia’s owner Wingtech said on Monday that it would take actions to protect its rights and would seek government support.

The development threatens to raise tensions between the European Union and China, which have increased in recent months over trade and Beijing’s relationship with Russia.

Can Lutnick’s Chip-for-Chip Idea Work?– warontherocks.com

pgnewser October 9, 2025 0

Blurb:

The Commerce Department’s imminent Section 232 investigation — launched in April and expected to conclude soon — may fundamentally shift how the United States acquires semiconductors. The chips America imports range from commodity devices embedded in household appliances to the expensive, high-performance AI processors that power the AI boom, designed in America by Nvidia, but manufactured in Asia.

Taiwan and Korea sit at the center of this challenge. Together, they produce the majority of semiconductors used by the United States across nearly every category. This concentration represents a major national security risk, given China’s preparations and repeated threats to use force against Taiwan and antagonism toward South Korea.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick phrased the situation thus in a recent interview: “If you can’t make your own chips, how can you defend yourself?”

Tariffs are one tool to address this exposure, designed to boost demand for chips manufactured in the United States. But they are not enough. Lutnick offers a second measure, called “chip for chip.” It would tie tariff waivers directly to verifiable domestic production milestones, incentivizing U.S. firms to act more in the national interest.

However, Lutnick’s ‘chip-for-chip’ framework could succeed only if Washington pairs it with enforceable production benchmarks and demand-side incentives. Otherwise, it risks becoming another half-measure in America’s decades-long struggle to rebuild semiconductor sovereignty.

Trump could shift funds to pay troops, White House officials say– www.politico.com

pgnewser October 9, 2025 0

Blurb:

President Donald Trump’s administration is considering options to pay members of the military if the government shutdown drags on, according to two White House officials granted anonymity to discuss private deliberations.

Those options include Trump shifting available funds or pressing Republican leaders on Capitol Hill to put a standalone troop pay bill on the floor, according to one of the officials. The White House is not seeking a vote on troop pay at the moment and is reviewing internal options to address the pay issue, the other official said.

Active-duty military members are set to miss their paychecks Oct. 15 if Congress does not act.

“The president has been clear that he is going to pay the troops,” one of the officials said.

Asked Wednesday if he would encourage Congress to pass a standalone bill to pay troops amid the shutdown, he replied: “Probably.” He added, “Our military will always be taken care of.”

But Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune have so far refused to consider a separate bill, arguing Democrats need to stop blocking the stopgap funding measure passed by the House last month.

Marjorie Taylor Greene Breaks with Republicans to Support Obamacare Subsidies– slaynews.com

pgnewser October 9, 2025 0

Blurb:

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) is winning praise from the Democrats after the congresswoman broke with House Republicans on the issue of Obamacare subsidies.

Greene has strayed from her party’s shutdown talking points to join a handful of Republicans in supporting the Democrats’ plans.

The Georgia congressman is demanding the renewal of the Obamacare tax credits at the center of the government shutdown.

She is warning that premiums will double unless Congress acts.

“I’m absolutely disgusted that health insurance premiums will DOUBLE if the tax credits expire this year,” Greene wrote on X.

Shutdown Dems Demand Concessions They Never Gave GOP– thefederalist.com

pgnewser October 9, 2025 0

Blurb:

Democrats’ position on the government shutdown contains no small amount of hypocrisy. Even the corporate media have pointed out that people like Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., were decrying the problems associated with government shutdowns as recently as March.

But the problem with Democrats’ demands, such as they are, goes well beyond hypocrisy. Democrats are insisting on getting their demands met — namely, an expansion of Obamacare, via extension of enhanced subsidies — in exchange for reopening the government. In making that appeal, they’re citing Republicans’ unsuccessful efforts to defund Obamacare, chief of which was the government shutdown in 2013. Viewed from this perspective, Democrats’ position looks even more asinine — they are demanding that they succeed where Republicans (largely) failed.

Saskatchewan exports to China drastically fall amid Canada’s tariff dispute– globalnews.ca

pgnewser October 9, 2025 0

Blurb:

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe is again facing calls to stand up for farmers after new figures shows exports from the province to China have drastically fallen.

The Statistics Canada data released this week comes amid a trade dispute where Beijing has slapped tariffs on Canadian canola products, widely seen in response to Canada’s 100 per cent tariff on Chinese electric vehicles.

The data shows Saskatchewan exported $96 million in goods to China in August, a 76 per cent drop when compared with the same month last year.

About 60 per cent of the province’s exports to China are farming and food products, and the data shows they’ve been declining since June.

Opposition NDP trade critic Aleana Young says the drop could hit the province’s economy and job market.

She says Moe needs to take a stronger position by advocating to have the electric vehicle tariffs removed.

FAA delays flights for third day as government shutdown continues– www.channelnewsasia.com

pgnewser October 9, 2025 0

Blurb:

BALTIMORE: The Federal Aviation Administration delayed flights for a third straight day on Wednesday (Oct 8) at airports including Reagan Washington National and Newark Liberty International Airport as the agency continued to face higher-than-normal staffing shortages.

There were nearly 3,000 flight delays by 5.30pm (Thursday, 5.30am, Singapore time) after 10,000 delays in total on Monday and Tuesday with thousands tied to the FAA slowing flights because of air traffic controller absences at facilities across the country as the government shutdown reached its eighth day.

Some flights at Reagan were being forced to hold in the air due to a slowdown in air traffic, the FAA said.

“Historically, there’s about 5 per cent of delays that is attributed to staffing issues in our towers. Last couple days it has been 53 per cent,” US Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said on Fox News’ “Will Cain Show.” “My message to the air traffic controllers who work for DOT is show up for work – you have a job to do.”

Air traffic control staffing issues during this shutdown have emerged earlier than the last major halt to government funding in 2019, during US President Donald Trump’s first term, leading to unexpected shortages in cities around the country.

AMD: Latest news and insights | Network World

AMD wins massive AI chip deal from OpenAI with stock sweetener– arstechnica.com

pgnewser October 7, 2025 0

AMD: Latest news and insights | Network World

AMD wins massive AI chip deal from OpenAI with stock sweetener– arstechnica.com
Source Link
Excerpt:

As part of the arrangement, AMD will allow OpenAI to purchase up to 160 million AMD shares at 1 cent each throughout the chips deal.

With demand for AI compute growing rapidly, companies like OpenAI have been looking for secondary supply lines and sources of additional computing capacity, and the AMD partnership is part the company’s wider effort to secure sufficient computing power for its AI operations. In September, Nvidia announced an investment of up to $100 billion in OpenAI that included supplying at least 10 gigawatts of Nvidia systems. OpenAI plans to deploy a gigawatt of Nvidia’s next-generation Vera Rubin chips in late 2026.

OpenAI has worked with AMD for years, according to Reuters, providing input on the design of older generations of AI chips such as the MI300X. The new agreement calls for deploying the equivalent of 6 gigawatts of computing power using AMD chips over multiple years.

Beyond working with chip suppliers, OpenAI is widely reported to be developing its own silicon for AI applications and has partnered with Broadcom, as we reported in February. A person familiar with the matter told Reuters the AMD deal does not change OpenAI’s ongoing compute plans, including its chip development effort or its partnership with Microsoft.

Trump Opens the White House Doors to Foreign Regimes and Their Dirty Money– www.thenation.com

pgnewser October 7, 2025 0

Trump Opens the White House Doors to Foreign Regimes and Their Dirty Money– www.thenation.com
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Excerpt:

Lobbyists for foreign countries have long helped other governments influence US policy, but nothing compares to the brazen corruption of the second administration of Trump.

Given that anyone anywhere can quietly bankroll President Donald Trump via his “memecoin,” it’s fair to say that we’ve never seen a White House so saturated in foreign money.

(Paul Yeung / Bloomberg via Getty Images)

It’s difficult to overstate how significantly the world of foreign lobbying has transformed in the past few months. An industry that was once relegated to backrooms and back channels is now blasted out in public statements and social media posts. From India to Oman to Romania and beyond, governments are lavishing Donald Trump with luxury jets, high-rise towers, resorts, and crypto investments—and the president is unashamed, even bragging about it. Eight months into Trump’s second administration, it’s difficult to keep track of all the unprecedented ways that regimes have tried to curry favor with him.

Senate votes for fifth time against advancing legislation to end the shutdown– www.politico.com

pgnewser October 7, 2025 0

Senate votes for fifth time against advancing legislation to end the shutdown– www.politico.com
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Excerpt:

The Senate is trapped in a shutdown Groundhog’s Day with no end in sight.

Senators rejected dueling stopgap spending bills Monday for the fifth time as lawmakers show few signs of nearing a detente —even as the shutdown-induced pain is poised to grow as the federal funding lapse heads into its second workweek.

Senate Republicans had hoped the Trump administration’s imminent threat of mass firings, paired with a weekend back home to hear from constituents, would shake loose even a couple of potential swing-vote Democrats. Add to that the fact that most federal workers and active duty members of the military are due to miss their first paychecks Oct. 10 and Oct. 15, respectively.

But Monday evening, Democratic Sens. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania and Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada — alongside Independent Sen. Angus King of Maine, who caucuses with Democrats — were once again the only three to break ranks and vote to advance the GOP-led stopgap bill, which would fund the government until Nov. 21.

Earlier in the day, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) reiterated that Democrats are ready to negotiate on a deal to end the shutdown, but the discussion on health care needs to happen now.

Myanmar activists to sue Norway’s Telenor for handing data to military | Privacy News– www.aljazeera.com

pgnewser October 7, 2025 0

Myanmar activists to sue Norway’s Telenor for handing data to military | Privacy News– www.aljazeera.com
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Excerpt:

Claimants say government used data to track and target activists in the wake of 2021 coup.

A group of civil society organisations in Myanmar plans to take legal action against Norwegian telecoms firm Telenor, accusing it of passing customer data to the country’s military government for use in repression.

The activists sent Telenor a notice of intent to sue on Monday, according to a statement from the Netherlands-based nonprofit Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations (SOMO), which is backing the case. The case states that the data shared by the telecoms giant was used by the military following its 2021 coup to trace and target civilians.

The claimants allege that Telenor, majority-owned by the Norwegian government, disclosed data from millions of customers to the military authorities, which, after toppling the country’s elected government, embarked on a campaign of violence and repression.

German government advisory body proposes raising retirement age to 73 by 2060– rmx.news

pgnewser October 7, 2025 0

German government advisory body proposes raising retirement age to 73 by 2060– rmx.news
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Excerpt:

Germany’s pension system should gradually raise the retirement age to 73 by 2060, according to a report by the Economics Ministry’s new scientific advisory board.

The panel of economists warns that without significant reform, the system will become unsustainable as productivity stagnates and the population continues to age.

The report, presented on Monday and cited by Bild, concludes that demographic realities and low economic growth leave no alternative but to extend working lives. It was prepared by economists Justus Haucap of the University of Düsseldorf, Stefan Kolev of the Ludwig Erhard Forum, Volker Wieland of the Institute for Monetary and Financial Stability in Frankfurt, and Veronica Grimm of Nuremberg University of Technology. All four are known for advocating free-market solutions and limited government intervention.

“The time for reforms is becoming increasingly urgent,” the authors wrote. “Economic output has been stagnating for years, while comparable economies are growing significantly more dynamically.” The report attributes this to weak productivity growth and demographic decline, arguing that Germany must adjust its retirement policies to reflect rising life expectancy.

Schumer rejects Trump’s claim that bipartisan government shutdown negotiations are under way – live | Trump administration– www.theguardian.com

pgnewser October 7, 2025 0

Schumer rejects Trump’s claim that bipartisan government shutdown negotiations are under way – live | Trump administration– www.theguardian.com
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Excerpt:

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer rejected President Donald Trump’s claim that negotiations with Democrats are underway.

“Trump’s claim isn’t true – but if he’s finally ready to work with Democrats, we’ll be at the table,” Schumer said in a statement. “For months, Democrats have been calling on Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans to come to the table and work with us to deliver lower costs and better healthcare for the American people.”

Minority leader Chuck Schumer on 3 October 2025. Photograph: Bonnie Cash/UPI/Shutterstock

He added: “If President Trump and Republicans are finally ready to sit down and get something done on healthcare for American families, Democrats will be there – ready to make it happen.”

Earlier today, Trump told reporters that “we are speaking with Democrats” regarding the ongoing government shutdown and that “some good things could happen with health care.”

“Just hang in there, because I think a lot of good things could happen, and that could also pertain to health care,” Trump said.