Global Headlines and Breaking Stories - November 28, 2025

From Neural Newscast, this is your daily news briefing. Neural Newscast Global. I'm Andrew Lindbeck. Today is November 28th, 2025. You're listening to Neural Newscast. Fresh insights every day. Catch up on past episodes anytime at nnewscast.com. Now, let's cover the latest political moves. The White House says President Donald Trump will pause immigration from select countries, framing it as a security and economic measure. Let's hear from Daniel Groves. Texas Republicans advance a new congressional map that leans on Latino voter gains seen in 2024. New polling this week, cited by party strategists and local media, warns support may be softer in 2025, especially among younger Latino voters. GOP mapmakers say economic and border policies under President Donald Trump broaden their appeal. Opponents dispute that. Voting rights advocates and Democrats argue the plan risks diluting Latino influence. Republicans counter it reflects recent turnout patterns. Democrats signal legal challenges and public hearings are slated as the process moves forward. This is Daniel Grove for Neural Newscast. Hong Kong authorities say the death toll from a tower block fire is rising as crews continue searches and review safety systems. Here's Sarah Wheaton with more. The death toll from a Hong Kong tower block fire rises to 128. City officials say 89 victims remain unidentified, and 79 people are still injured after Wednesday's blaze. Authorities describe a fast-moving fire that traps residents in upper floors. Emergency crews evacuate hundreds and continue searching charred apartments. Hospitals report critical cases and set up family assistance centers. Investigators examine building safety systems and possible code violations. City leaders pledge a full review of fire preparedness and high-density housing, calling the incident, a profound tragedy, as families wait for identification and answers. This is Sarah Wheaton for Neural Newscast. Deadly floods sweep parts of Asia, with authorities reporting widespread casualties this week. Indonesia's disaster agency and Sri Lanka's disaster officials confirm fatalities after days of torrential rain triggered landslides and river surges. Power cuts, washed-out roads, and damaged bridges slow rescues. Meteorological agencies warn more heavy rain through the weekend. Emergency teams deploy boats and helicopters to reach stranded families. and governments urge residents in flood-prone areas to move to higher ground. This is Daniel Grove for Neural Newscast. At least 174 people die after flash floods and landslides strike Indonesia's Sumatra Island on Friday, with 79 still missing, according to the National Disaster Agency. Officials say days of heavy rain swell rivers and unleashed debris flows across several West Sumatra districts. Search and rescue teams wade through mud, using excavators and drones to find survivors. The agency reports damaged bridges, buried homes, and blocked roads slowing aid. Evacuation shelters open for thousands displaced. Meteorologists warn more rain could hamper operations. President Joko Widodo orders emergency relief and urges residents in risk zones to move to higher ground. This is Samuel Green for Neural Newscast. Tech stories shaping our future. Industry analysts and utility planners say A&I companies are pouring billions into data centers, raising bubble concerns over valuations and energy demand. Here's the latest in science. Researchers report they have designed programmable plastics that break down on schedule, which could curb long-term pollution. Let's turn to health news. A global study finds polluted air reduces the life-extending benefits of exercise in areas with high PM2.5 levels, researchers say. I'm joined by Laura Navarro. Researchers say exercise still helps you love longer, but dirty air undercuts those gains. A global cohort tracking more than 1 million adults for over 10 years finds benefits shrink sharply where fine particle pollution runs high. The trouble spot is PM2.5, tiny particles that inflame lungs and blood vessels. People in polluted regions still improve with activity, just less. Public health experts advise checking daily air quality, moving workouts indoors on bad days, wearing a high-filtration mask outside, and backing cleaner air policies to unlock full health benefits. This is Laura Navarro for Neural Newscast. Turning to the environment now. Researchers say Africa's forests have shifted from absorbing carbon to emitting it, driven by deforestation, degradation, and extreme heat. Now Samuel Green joins us. Africa's forests now emit more carbon than they absorb, researchers report over the past decade. That makes all three major rainforest regions – the Amazon, Southeast Asia and Africa – net carbon sources. Scientists link the change to deforestation, degradation and worsening heat and drought. The loss undermines a crucial natural buffer that once soaked up billions of tons of CO2. Researchers warn that protecting intact forests, curbing logging, and restoring degraded land are essential to keep warming targets within reach. This is Samuel Green for Neural Newscast. Business and finance stories coming up. Retail analysts say Gen Z shoppers are reshaping Black Friday online, favoring experiences, beauty, and mobile checkout. Ethan Wells has more on this. Retail trackers say Gen Z buyers push Black Friday online, spending more on experiences, beauty, and tech than apparel. Trackers report shoppers age 18 to 27 favor mobile checkout, buy now, pay later plans, and fast shipping. Many visit stores for demos, then purchase on apps. Gift cards, earbuds, and skincare sets rise, while big TVs slip. Retailers respond with TikTok promos and limited drops. One analyst says they chase novelty and value, urging flexible payment and easy returns. This is Ethan Wells for Neural Newscast. Here's today's sports news. Music According to the NFL, Thanksgiving action features standout performances and wins for Dallas and Green Bay, while Joe Burrow leads Cincinnati. More sports coverage and live updates are at neuralnewscast.com. Follow us on your favorite podcast platform. Those are today's top stories. For more comprehensive coverage and exclusive content, visit neuralnewscast.com and join our growing community of informed listeners. I'm Andrew Lindbeck. Thank you for listening. That wraps up today's journey through time on NNC, Neural Newscast. Discover more stories and daily news episodes at our website, nnewscast.com. Neural Newscast merges real and AI-generated voices to ensure rapid, high-quality news production. Our content is created using advanced AI models and rigorously reviewed by humans for accuracy and fairness. 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