10 Things Global News - 5th November 2025
Important and interesting news from around the world
Typhoon Kalmaegi Leaves 66 Dead Across Philippines
Aftermath: Hurricane Melissa Devastates Caribbean Economies
Aid Shortfalls Deepen Gaza’s Winter Risk
Drone Strike Kills 40 Mourners In Sudan
Lula Pitches ‘COP Of Truth’ As UNEP Warns On Warming
US Shutdown Hits Day 36, Longest On Record
Mamdani Elected New York Mayor, A Historic First
California Passes Partisan House Maps
AI Valuation Jitters Hit Stocks From NY To Asia
Bitcoin Sinks Below $100,000 as Risk-Off Bites
On this day …..
On this day in 2013 India launched the Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan), becoming the first Asian nation to reach Mars and the first country to succeed on its maiden attempt. Completed in just 18 months and costing about $75 million, it showed how a developing nation could enter the space race through ingenuity rather than scale.
The mission demonstrated new efficiencies in design and navigation while signalling India’s growing technological confidence on the global stage.
It marked a moment when aspiration met inspiration — and a reminder that space exploration is no longer the preserve of the West.
At least 66 people have been confirmed dead and 26 remain missing after Typhoon Kalmaegi tore through the central Philippines, causing widespread flooding and destruction across Cebu province.
Homes were flattened, cars swept away and streets submerged, forcing residents to seek refuge on rooftops. In Talisay City, survivors picked through the debris of destroyed neighbourhoods, while the local government declared a state of calamity to accelerate relief funds.
Among the dead were six military personnel whose helicopter crashed in Agusan del Sur during a humanitarian mission. The storm, known locally as Tino, displaced hundreds of thousands across the Visayas region and struck communities still recovering from a September earthquake that killed dozens. Kalmaegi has since moved into the South China Sea, prompting Vietnam to prepare for its expected landfall on Friday.
Sources: Reuters, The Guardian
At least 75 people were killed and nearly six million affected across the Caribbean after Hurricane Melissa, the strongest storm ever to hit Jamaica, swept through the region. Jamaica recorded 32 deaths and damage equivalent to nearly one-third of its GDP, while Haiti counted 43 fatalities amid severe flooding and Cuba reported extensive destruction though no deaths.
Jamaican prime minister Andrew Holness warned that reconstruction costs of $6 billion to $7 billion would raise the country’s debt burden, forcing the temporary suspension of fiscal rules. The storm destroyed homes, roads, farms and tourism zones already weakened by last year’s Hurricane Beryl.
The World Food Programme has begun emergency food deliveries to affected areas and launched a $74 million appeal to assist 1.1 million people. Officials across the region said the disaster underscored the growing toll of rapidly intensifying storms driven by warming seas.
Sources: The Guardian, UN News
Nearly four weeks after a ceasefire, humanitarian agencies say aid reaching Gaza remains far below need as winter approaches. The World Food Programme reports only about half the required food is arriving, while a Palestinian umbrella group estimates overall aid flows at just 25–30% of expected volumes. Israel says the truce provides for an average of 600 trucks daily; Gaza’s local administration says only about 145 reach destinations due to restrictions.
OCHA notes some improvements since mid-October: acute malnutrition among screened children fell to around 10% from 14% in September, and many households in the south now manage two meals a day, up from one in July. Yet a stark north–south divide persists.
WFP has delivered 20,000 metric tons of food and opened 44 of a targeted 145 distribution sites, but shelter and fuel remain critical: the NRC estimates 1.5 million people need shelter, and over 60% of Gazans cook by burning waste.
Sources: Arab News, Reuters
At least 40 people were killed when a drone hit a funeral in al-Luweib village outside el-Obeid in North Kordofan, officials and activists said. Local authorities blamed the Rapid Support Forces for the strike; many victims reportedly died before reaching hospital. The RSF has not commented. Fighting has intensified in the oil-rich Kordofan area, and thousands fled to el-Obeid after the RSF captured nearby Bara.
The attack comes as the conflict escalates across Darfur and Kordofan. The United Nations said the war is “spiralling out of control” after the RSF seized el-Fasher, where the IPC has declared a famine following an 18-month siege. Reports cite mass killings and other abuses.
Displacement is soaring, with about 12 million people forced from their homes since the war began, and access to food and supplies remains severely constrained.
Sources: New York Times, BBC, NBC
Brazil’s president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said this month’s Amazon summit must be a “COP of Truth”, shifting from new promises to implementing past climate deals. He will propose a U.N-linked environment council empowered to monitor commitments, plus a roadmap to reduce fossil fuels. Brazil also wants approval of the Tropical Forest Forever Fund, to which it has deposited US$1 billion.
The push comes alongside a U.N. Environment Programme report warning current policies put the world on a 2.3–2.5°C path, implying an overshoot of the 1.5°C goal.
COP30 will run 10–21 November in Belém, where an estimated 50,000 visitors and soaring accommodation costs have raised access concerns for poorer nations. Lula said hosting in the Amazon was deliberate — to “see the forest” and press for delivery on past pledges rather than another showcase of aspirations.
Sources: France 24, Reuters
The US government shutdown has entered its 36th day, surpassing the 35-day record set in 2019. Congress remains gridlocked after repeated failed votes on a short-term funding bill, with Democrats seeking extensions to Affordable Care Act subsidies and Republicans rejecting a deal tied to those terms.
Impacts are widening. Millions of federal workers have missed paycheques, while 42 million Americans reliant on SNAP face only partial payments after a court-ordered draw on contingency funds. Airport delays are mounting as about 13,000 air traffic controllers work without pay; the transportation secretary warned of possible airspace closures if the shutdown continues.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune said his “gut” suggests a potential off-ramp, but efforts so far have stalled as party leaders trade blame and the deadline in the House-passed stopgap nears.
Sources: ABC News, BBC
Zohran Mamdani was elected New York City mayor on Tuesday, defeating Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa. With roughly 90% of votes counted, he held about a nine-point lead, in an election that drew more than two million voters.
The 34-year-old democratic socialist will be the city’s first Muslim mayor and the first of South Asian heritage, and is set to be its youngest leader in more than a century.
Mamdani campaigned on affordability and broadened participation by mobilising communities often overlooked in citywide races. He promised to refocus City Hall on working-class priorities while preparing to contend with a hostile federal backdrop, after threats from President Donald Trump to cut funding to the city.
Sources: New York Times, Associated Press
California voters approved Proposition 50 to redraw congressional districts in Democrats’ favour, an aggressive shift that could eliminate up to five Republican-held seats. Governor Gavin Newsom championed the measure as a response to partisan remaps in Republican-led states pressed by President Trump. Early returns showed a near two-to-one lead, prompting swift Republican concessions.
The change rolls back California’s independent commission and installs new lines through 2030, potentially lifting Democrats to as many as 48 of the state’s 52 seats after 2026. It also marks the most significant counter-move in a nationwide redistricting fight that has seen Republicans carve new advantages elsewhere, including Texas.
With Republicans holding only a narrow House majority, both parties are testing mid-decade mapmaking as a tool of power — a trend critics warn will deepen polarisation and weaken competitive districts.
Sources: New York Times, BBC
US stocks fell as concern over stretched artificial-intelligence valuations widened and top bank chiefs warned of an overdue pullback. The S&P 500 closed down 1.2% and the Nasdaq 2.0%, even as defensive sectors edged higher. Executives cautioned that sentiment can flip and produce 10%–15% drawdowns.
The sell-off extended to chips, where roughly $500bn of market value was erased across US and Asia. Samsung, SK Hynix, Advantest and TSMC all slid, reflecting unease over earnings power if rates stay higher for longer.
The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index trades near 28x forward earnings versus a five-year average below 22x, underlining valuation pressure. Reduced expectations for US rate cuts and the prolonged shutdown added to the nerves as investors reassessed how quickly heavy AI data-centre spend can translate into returns.
Sources: FT, Bloomberg
Bitcoin fell as much as 7.4% to $96,794, its first break below $100,000 since June and more than 20% off last month’s record. Ether slid as much as 15%, with broader tokens also weaker over the week. The drop has unfolded alongside a reversal in high-flying tech shares and mounting unease over stretched valuations.
Flows and positioning point to caution. Tuesday’s crypto liquidations totalled about $1bn, far below the $19bn wiped out on 10 October, while open interest in Bitcoin futures remains well under pre-crash levels. Options desks report demand for late-November $80,000 puts.
Spot Bitcoin and Ether ETFs have posted net outflows over the past month, and the sector’s aggregate market value has fallen by about $760bn since early October. With the Federal Reserve signalling that further near-term interest rate cuts are not assured, risk appetite has cooled.
The Advantest selloff really underscores how testing equipment makers are downstream from both chip demand and investor sentiment. When money rotats out of AI plays, companies like Advantest face a double hit. The fact that semiconductor testing trades at 28x earnings shows the entire supply chain got overextended.