Hello! This is October 27, 2025.

Vance And NYC Mayoral Candidate Clash Over 9/11 Islamophobia Claims

Vice President JD Vance criticized New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani after he shared a story about his aunt stopping subway rides after 9/11 due to hijab-related harassment fears. Vance posted on X that Mamdani portrayed his aunt as the real 9/11 victim who got allegedly bad looks. The New York Post reported Mamdani embellished details, revealing the woman was actually his father's second cousin who neither lived in NYC during 9/11 nor wore a hijab. His only paternal aunt lived in Tanzania from 2000 to 2003 and does not wear hijabs. Mamdani later clarified he meant his father's deceased cousin Zehra but accused Vance of mocking Islamophobia experiences. Critics accuse Mamdani of embellishing for political gain while supporters defend his message about anti-Muslim prejudice.

Washington DC Reinstalls Confederate Statue Toppled In 2020 Protests

A bronze statue of Confederate General Albert Pike, toppled and burned by demonstrators during 2020 protests, has been reinstalled in Washington DC's Judiciary Square. Crews placed the statue Saturday surrounded by fencing and signs reading "Historic preservation work in progress." The Department of the Interior said restoration follows President Trump's directives on restoring historic monuments, citing federal preservation law and executive orders promoting capital beautification. The statue, erected in 1901 at Freemason request, remains controversial due to Pike's Confederate past and alleged Ku Klux Klan ties, which Masons deny. DC Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton called the reinstatement morally objectionable, saying monuments honoring racists and traitors should not stand on public land. DC officials have sought removal since a 1992 City Council resolution.

Qualcomm Enters AI Chip Race, Stock Surges 11 Percent

Qualcomm shares jumped over 11% Monday after announcing entry into the AI chip market, challenging AMD and Nvidia. The semiconductor firm plans to launch its AI200 chip in 2026 and AI250 in 2027, promising a generational leap in efficiency. Trading at less than 20 times trailing price-to-earnings and 13.9 times forward P/E, analysts believe Qualcomm remains undervalued despite the surge. The company's power-efficient semiconductor design expertise positions it well as efficiency gains become crucial in AI chips. Even without overtaking AMD and Nvidia, settling into third place could significantly boost Qualcomm's stock value. Combined with an upcoming 6G connectivity boom expected before 2030, the move represents a major strategic pivot for the underappreciated semiconductor company.

Global Companies Watch Trump-Xi Meeting With Growing Trade Concerns

Global companies are closely monitoring President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping's expected Thursday meeting in South Korea, hoping the world's two biggest economies resolve trade differences. Key concerns include semiconductor sales to China affecting Nvidia, AMD and Intel, plus critical minerals impacting chip manufacturers. China exports over 3.5% of pharmaceutical products to the U.S. and is sole supplier of over 40% of key starting materials for U.S.-approved drug ingredients. U.S. LNG exporters have seen frozen energy flows after China imposed 15% tariffs in February. Automakers face potential chip shortages from Chinese-owned Nexperia and rare-earth metal export controls. Agribusinesses await tariff relief that halted Chinese soybean purchases worth $12.6 billion in 2024. Boeing faces pressure as China pushes domestic jets.

Shingles Vaccine Shows Exciting Benefits Beyond Preventing Rash

A Case Western Reserve University study found the shingles vaccine may reduce vascular dementia risk by nearly half and lower cardiovascular disease risk by a quarter in adults 50 and older. Researchers examined health records from 174,000 U.S. adults over three months to seven years, finding vaccinated participants had 25% lower heart attack or stroke risk, 27% lower blood clot risk and 21% lower death risk. Shingles affects one in three Americans and is caused by reactivation of the chicken pox virus. The findings were presented at IDWEEK 2025 in Atlanta. While more research is needed, experts say decreased inflammation may contribute to these benefits. The CDC recommends two doses for adults 50 and older.

Blood Test Helps Doctors Tailor Chemotherapy For Cancer Patients

A simple blood test detecting circulating tumor DNA could revolutionize chemotherapy decisions for colon and bladder cancer patients, according to studies presented at the ESMO meeting. Over 1,000 stage 3 colon cancer patients had blood drawn six weeks after tumor removal surgery. Those without detectable cancer DNA fragments were classified low-risk and received less intensive chemotherapy, resulting in fewer hospitalizations and reduced side effects like nerve damage, with 87% remaining cancer-free three years later. A separate international trial published in The New England Journal of Medicine found the blood test also guides immunotherapy treatment with Roche's Tecentriq for bladder cancer patients, marking the first time adjuvant immunotherapy showed survival benefits in patients selected through circulating tumor DNA testing.