Trump’s Defense System Proposal and India’s Economic Surge – 5/25/25

President Trump’s Golden Dome missile defense system raises concerns over costs and space weaponization, while India surpasses Japan to become the world’s fourth-largest economy. Internationally, Russia escalates attacks in Ukraine, and Venezuela’s elections face government crackdowns.

United States

• President Trump criticizes Harvard for using American taxpayer funds to educate global students who don’t contribute to the cost
• Memorial Day, honoring America’s fallen soldiers, became a federal holiday in 1971, observed on the last Monday in May, per AP News
• Biden’s 2024 campaign footage was reportedly deemed “unusable” due to concerns over his cognitive abilities
• Sen. Ron Johnson reportedly secures enough votes to block Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” per Axios
• Trump’s approval rating among Gen Z stands at 51% approve, 48% disapprove, per Insider Advantage
• Dr. Mehmet Oz demands system cleanup, saying, “We’re not going to pay for illegal immigrants in states that are submitting those claims!”
• Pope Leo XIV, the first American to lead the Catholic Church, becomes a U.S. citizen serving as a foreign head of state, per AP News
• Gas prices for Memorial Day 2025 hit a 20-year low when adjusted for inflation
• Georgia man charged with wife’s 2006 murder after fleeing with nanny, per CNN
• U.S. military spent over $6 billion in three years to boost recruitment and retention, per NBC News
• Cryptocurrency investor arrested for allegedly k-dnapping and ass-ulting a man held captive in a Manhattan townhouse, per AP News
• President Trump inspires West Point graduates, urging them to “fight, fight, fight and win, win, win” through challenges, per Fox News, TheNextGenBusiness
• A record-breaking tornado year strains overworked U.S. meteorologists, raising safety concerns, per FOX5 Las Vegas, TheNextGenBusiness
• A family sues after a funeral home mix-up placed the wrong body in their loved one’s clothing, per FOX5 Las Vegas, TheNextGenBusiness
• A 13-year-old girl uses jiu-jitsu to fend off an attempted assault by a man, per FOX5 Las Vegas, TheNextGenBusiness
• President Trump’s proposed Golden Dome defense system, with space-based missile interceptors, could cost billions and escalate space weaponization, per New Scientist, TheNextGenBusiness
• FDA finds unproven benefits for multiple COVID-19 vaccine doses in healthy adults, per Fast Company, TheNextGenBusiness
• U.S. family contracts airborne fungal disease after visiting bat-filled caves, per Gizmodo, TheNextGenBusiness
• Federal judge rules against DOGE and U.S. government in bid to control $500M United States Institute of Peace, per Wired, TheNextGenBusiness
• A suspect accused of attempting to burn down Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s residence seeks to delay his court hearing, per KUTV2 News, TheNextGenBusiness

Western States

• Fontana police fatally sh-t a suspect armed with a firearm during a domestic dispute response, per KTLA 5, TheNextGenBusiness
• A man was arrested and two guns seized after a sh–ting in a Southeast Portland parking lot led to a police chase, per KOIN 6 News, TheNextGenBusiness
• One man k-lled and two injured in a sh–ting after an argument near 19th Avenue and Bell Road, per ABC15 Arizona, TheNextGenBusiness
• A truck driver died after crashing into a historic building in Death Valley National Park, per KTLA 5, TheNextGenBusiness
• Utah Highway Patrol reports a spike in DUI arrests during the holiday weekend, with 56 already detained, per KUTV2 News, TheNextGenBusiness
• Logic’s debut film, supported by a St. Helens record shop, premieres at Tribeca Film Festival, per KOIN 6 News, TheNextGenBusiness
• California Highway Patrol deploys six K9 teams trained to detect f–tanyl across the state, per KTLA 5, TheNextGenBusiness
• Scottsdale Police arrest seven members of a South American theft group for multiple burglaries, per FOX 10 Phoenix, TheNextGenBusiness
• A candlelight vigil honors Stacey Nicole Scott, k-lled in a Riverdale stabbing, per KUTV2 News, TheNextGenBusiness
• A man was found dead after a large gas leak prompted evacuations in a Gresham home, per KOIN 6 News, TheNextGenBusiness
• A hit-and-run in Old Town Scottsdale leaves a man seriously injured; police search for the driver, per ABC15 Arizona, TheNextGenBusiness
• I-10 in Tempe closes after a semi-truck carrying watermelons catches fire, per Arizona’s Family 3TV & CBS 5, TheNextGenBusiness
• Lix Uptown Ice Cream in Phoenix robbed at gunpoint, with the thief escaping with $300, per FOX 10 Phoenix, TheNextGenBusiness
• Oregon man sails to Hawaii with his cat after quitting job and liquidating savings, arriving safely Saturday, per AP News, TheNextGenBusiness
• Max Jones, a homeless high school student, graduates with multiple full-ride college scholarships, per FOX5 Las Vegas, TheNextGenBusiness

International

• Putin’s helicopter allegedly played a key role in countering a major Ukrainian drone assault
• Venezuela holds elections for lawmakers and governors amid government crackdowns and opposition boycott calls
• U.S. citizen, 28, arrested for allegedly planning to b-mb U.S. Embassy office in Israel, per NBC News
• Israeli strikes in Gaza k-ll at least 38, including a mother and her two children in Deir al-Balah, per The Guardian
• Russia and Ukraine exchange hundreds of prisoners in a rare cooperative move amid ongoing war, per PBS News
• Teenage girl critically injured in London fire that k-lled a mother and three children; suspect questioned, per The Guardian
• Only a third of UK racism report recommendations implemented over 40 years, per The Guardian
• Families demand release of sealed documents from 1994 Chinook crash that k-lled 29, per The Guardian
• UK child poverty taskforce likely to recommend reviving Sure Start, but funding doubts persist, per The Guardian
• Germany’s finance minister urges talks with U.S. after Trump threatens 50% tariffs on EU imports, per The Guardian
• Novak Djokovic secures his 100th career singles title in Geneva, a historic milestone in a city cherished by his family, per CGTN, TheNextGenBusiness
• Russia intensifies attacks on Vovchansk with glide bombs, amassing 50,000 troops near Kharkiv, signaling a possible offensive, per Sky News, TheNextGenBusiness
• U.S. negotiates access to Congo’s lithium, cobalt, and coltan to counter China’s dominance, but Congo demands M23 rebels and Rwandan troops withdraw first, per Financial Times, TheNextGenBusiness
• Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma offer prayers at Ayodhya’s Hanuman Garhi temple, per WIO News, TheNextGenBusiness
• Niue, a Pacific island nation with Alofi as its capital, lies between Tonga, Samoa, and the Cook Islands, per CGTN, TheNextGenBusiness
• China and the Cook Islands strengthen trade and cultural ties since 1997, fostering deeper cooperation, per CGTN, TheNextGenBusiness
• PM Modi chairs NITI Aayog meeting, emphasizing “Team India” unity to achieve ambitious goals, per NDTV, TheNextGenBusiness
• Financial experts offer strategies for smarter money management amid a challenging 2025 global economy, per Euronews, TheNextGenBusiness
• India surpasses Japan to become the world’s fourth-largest economy, per NDTV, TheNextGenBusiness
• A burning car explosion in Lebanon k-lls one person and scatters debris across the neighborhood, per KOIN 6 News, TheNextGenBusiness
• Meta argues WhatsApp and Instagram thrive under its ownership, strengthening its antitrust defense, per The Verge, TheNextGenBusiness
• Scientists discover Earth’s core is leaking gold into volcanoes, revealing new geological insights, per Gizmodo, TheNextGenBusiness
• Magnet ingestion by children remains a serious global health concern, with alarming rates reported, per Gizmodo, TheNextGenBusiness
• Amazon secures direct Nike product sourcing, boosting its fashion business expansion, per The Information, TheNextGenBusiness
• Nike rejoins Amazon to drive sales growth, marking a strategic shift for the apparel giant, per The Information, TheNextGenBusiness
• Innovative product design can transform traditional development processes, says industry expert, per Fast Company, TheNextGenBusiness
• Scientists propose paraparticles, a new quantum particle type, could be created in exotic materials, per Wired, TheNextGenBusiness
• Advanced 3D display technology emerges, surpassing all previous innovations, per Wired, TheNextGenBusiness
• TCL QM7K delivers exceptional image quality at a budget-friendly price, per Digital Trends, TheNextGenBusiness
• Archaeologist’s Viking-tech sea journey reveals insights into ancient navigation, per Gizmodo, TheNextGenBusiness
• Job market tightens as fewer roles attract more applicants; experts share standout strategies, per Fast Company, TheNextGenBusiness
• Birds may use human-made materials in nests to deter predators, new evidence suggests, per New Scientist, TheNextGenBusiness
• Four graphics cards offer compelling alternatives to the RTX 5060 for performance and value, per Digital Trends, TheNextGenBusiness
• Nintendo Switch 2 reportedly supports USB mouse functionality, per The Verge, TheNextGenBusiness
• Dopamine drives modern dissatisfaction but fuels innovation, shaping today’s world, per Fast Company, TheNextGenBusiness

East Asia

• Ningbo, China, blends history and serenity at Tianyi Pavilion, Dongqian Lake, and Baoguo Temple, inviting visitors to explore its ancient port city charm, per CGTN, TheNextGenBusiness
• Shenzhen’s 21st International Cultural Industries Fair showcases Chinese intangible heritage, from embroidery to paper cutting, per CGTN, TheNextGenBusiness
• Kunshan, China, celebrates its 600-year-old Kunqu Opera tradition, transforming a host into a classic clown character, per CGTN, TheNextGenBusiness
• Guangzhou and Surabaya, sister cities since 2005, now connected by China Southern Airlines’ direct flight, per CGTN, TheNextGenBusiness
• China-CEEC Expo in Ningbo boosts economic and trade collaboration with Central and Eastern European countries, per CGTN, TheNextGenBusiness
• China and Pacific Island nations plan to enhance cooperation across multiple sectors, per CGTN, TheNextGenBusiness