Catamist News

Trump Cabinet Picks Spark Bipartisan Alarm

President-elect Donald Trump's controversial cabinet selections, including nominees for Attorney General, Director of National Intelligence, and Secretary of Defense, are facing significant bipartisan opposition due to concerns over their qualifications and past actions. Further intensifying scrutiny, the transition team has reportedly bypassed traditional FBI background checks for these critical roles, opting instead for private investigators, which has raised red flags among senators.

5 min read

Millions Face SNAP Delays in Shutdown Crisis

Millions of Americans are facing severe uncertainty regarding their food assistance benefits after a crucial November 1st deadline passed without clear resolution, despite federal judges ordering the Trump administration to utilize emergency reserves to fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) amidst an ongoing government shutdown. However, the immediate distribution of these vital benefits remains unclear, leaving approximately 42 million recipients in limbo as the administration cites a lack of legal authority and warns of potential weeks-long delays.

Kerala: First Indian State Free of Poverty

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced on November 1, 2025, that the state has eradicated extreme poverty, becoming the first Indian state to achieve this significant milestone through its four-year Extreme Poverty Alleviation Project. This historic declaration, however, faced strong criticism and skepticism from the Opposition United Democratic Front, who dismissed the claim as a "hollow proclamation" despite the state's multi-dimensional approach to defining and addressing poverty.

Skin Cells Become Human Eggs: Breakthrough

In a groundbreaking advancement, Oregon Health & Science University scientists successfully generated immature human egg-like cells from skin-derived stem cells, a discovery poised to revolutionize fertility treatments and genetic research. Published on September 30, 2025, this innovative technique offers immense hope for individuals facing infertility by potentially enabling genetically related offspring and deepening insights into human development, though clinical application remains a decade or more away.

IAEA: Russian Strikes Threaten Ukraine Nukes

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has issued a dire warning that recent Russian missile and drone attacks, targeting vital energy substations, are gravely imperiling the safety of Ukraine's nuclear power plants, forcing some to reduce output or lose external power. Ukraine has condemned these assaults as "nuclear terrorism," underscoring the persistent threat to critical infrastructure and the fragile nuclear safety across the country, including ongoing efforts to restore a crucial backup power line at the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia plant.

Dueling Dinosaurs" Settles Nanotyrannus

A long-standing paleontological debate has finally been resolved, confirming that Nanotyrannus is a distinct species of tyrannosaur and not merely a juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex. This groundbreaking conclusion, stemming from the detailed analysis of the remarkable "Dueling Dinosaurs" fossil, significantly reshapes our understanding of Late Cretaceous ecosystems.

India Trials Digital Census, Includes Caste

India has commenced a groundbreaking trial run for its first-ever digital Census, which notably includes caste enumeration, beginning today, November 1, 2025. This pivotal exercise aims to test a new self-enumeration module and digital platforms in preparation for the fully digital Population Census 2027, marking a significant modernization of the nation's decennial count.

Nvidia Moves AI Chips to AZ, Funds Nokia

Nvidia has officially begun full production of its advanced Blackwell AI chips in Arizona, marking a strategic shift to bolster domestic semiconductor supply chains and align with U.S. national security objectives. Concurrently, the company invested $1 billion in Nokia for a 2.90% stake, aiming to accelerate 5G and 6G base station technology, while CEO Jensen Huang projected a combined $500 billion in sales from its Blackwell and next-generation Rubin chips.

Shenzhou-21 Docks Tiangong in Record Time

China's Shenzhou-21 crewed spacecraft achieved a historic milestone by docking with the Tiangong space station in a record-breaking 3.5 hours on November 1, 2025, marking a new era for the nation's manned space program. This ambitious six-month mission, featuring the youngest Chinese astronaut and the first mammalian specimens sent into orbit for scientific experiments, underscores China's accelerating ambitions to become a dominant force in space exploration.

UN: 1.5°C Climate Target Missed, Act Now

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has issued a stark warning, declaring that humanity has failed to limit global heating to the critical 1.5°C target, making an overshoot of this threshold "inevitable" with "devastating consequences." Ahead of the upcoming COP30 climate summit, Guterres urged global leaders to dramatically accelerate emissions cuts to minimize the overshoot's duration and intensity, thereby preventing catastrophic ecological tipping points like the Amazon transforming into a savannah.

Hurricane Melissa: Caribbean Devastated, 49

Hurricane Melissa, a catastrophic Category 5 storm, has unleashed widespread devastation across the Caribbean, particularly in Jamaica and Haiti, leaving a confirmed death toll of 49 and impacting over 700,000 children as of October 31, 2025. With communities grappling with immense loss and extensive damage, international relief efforts are intensifying to provide critical aid amidst fears that the death toll could continue to rise as search and rescue operations persist.

US, China Cut Tariffs After Trump-Xi Summit

In a significant de-escalation of trade tensions, U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping reached a new agreement in Busan, South Korea, on October 30, 2025, leading to a reduction in U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods from 57% to 47%. This breakthrough includes China's commitment to export critical rare earth elements and significantly increase purchases of U.S. agricultural products, while the U.S. reciprocated by lowering tariffs on fentanyl-related chemicals, contingent on China curbing their flow.

5 min read

Latest News

Trump Cabinet Picks Spark Bipartisan Alarm

Millions Face SNAP Delays in Shutdown Crisis

Kerala: First Indian State Free of Poverty

Skin Cells Become Human Eggs: Breakthrough