Daily Strategic Briefing

MPs urge government to stop Britain's phone theft wave through tech

Committee says Apple, Google, and Samsung could render stolen handsets worthless if compelled to act The UK's Home Secretary should use her powers to push the tech industry to deploy stronger technical measures against the surge in phone thefts, according to a House of Commons committee.…

Berkeley boffins build better load balancing algo with AI

One way AI can improve on human work Computer scientists at UC Berkeley say that AI models show promise as a way to discover and optimize algorithms.…

Everybody's warning about critical Windows Server WSUS bug exploits ... but Microsoft's mum

Critical 9.8-rated vulnerability affects Windows Server 2012 - 2025 Governments and private security sleuths warned that attackers are already exploiting a critical bug in Microsoft Windows Server Update Services, shortly after Redmond pushed an emergency patch for the remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability.…

High-stakes poker scam used rigged card shufflers, X-ray tables, and special glasses

31 alleged poker schemers nabbed alongside arrest of separate sports betting ring The feds on Thursday charged alleged mafia associates and current and former National Basketball Association players and coaches with running rigged poker games and illegal sports betting.…

Sneaky Mermaid attack in Microsoft 365 Copilot steals data

Redmond says it's fixed this particular indirect prompt injection vuln updated  Microsoft fixed a security hole in Microsoft 365 Copilot that allowed attackers to trick the AI assistant into stealing sensitive tenant data – like emails – via indirect prompt injection attacks.…

OpenAI reportedly developing new generative music tool

Summary:

Such a tool could be used to add music to existing videos, or to add guitar accompaniment to an existing vocal track, sources said.

High school’s AI security system confuses Doritos bag for a possible firearm

Summary:

A high school student in Baltimore County, Maryland was reportedly handcuffed and searched after an AI security system flagged his bag of chips as a possible firearm.

Who are AI browsers for?

Summary:

OpenAI launched an AI-powered browser this week, but it feels like it offers a slight efficiency gain at best.

The glaring security risks with AI browser agents

Summary:

New AI browsers from OpenAI and Perplexity promise to increase user productivity, but they also come with increased security risks.

How to use the new ChatGPT app integrations, including Spotify, Figma, Canva, and others

Summary:

Learn how to use Spotify, Canva, Figma, Expedia, and other apps directly in ChatGPT.

Wonderland Foods raises Rs 140 Cr from Asha Ventures, BII to set up green processing unit

The company will use the fresh capital to build a green processing facility to expand distribution and create over 1,000 jobs.

FableStreet parent raises Rs 50 Cr to support its offline store rollout

FS Life, the parent company of FableStreet, plans to use the fundraise to support its offline expansion.

L Catterton invests in Pune-based healthcare chain Healing Hands Clinic

The deal will give Healing Hands access to L Catterton’s global experience in building consumer healthcare businesses and support its plans to expand beyond its current network of 36 clinics across 14 cities.

Verlinvest invests $75M in Coimbatore-based The Eye Foundation

Headquartered in Coimbatore, The Eye Foundation runs over 25 hospitals across Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka, treating over a million patients annually.

Enterprise AI firm Uniphore secures $260M from NVIDIA, AMD, others

Uniphore’s latest round, which also included investors such as NEA, March Capital, BNF Capital, National Grid Partners, and Prosperity7 Ventures, maintained the company’s $2.5 billion valuation from its previous funding round in 2022.

Infosys to Manage IT Ops for Int'l Paper's US Packaging Unit

Infosys partners with International Paper to manage IT operations for its Packaging Solutions North America, streamlining costs and operations. International Paper maintains a quarterly dividend of $0.4625 per share, signaling confidence despite ongoing restructuring and mill reliability concerns. Source: Simply Wall Street

Federal Bank Gets Blackstone Backing for Acquisition Plans

Federal Bank CEO KVS Manian states Blackstone's fund infusion will aid acquisition plans. Board approved preferential issue of warrants to Blackstone on Oct 24 in Kochi. Source: The Times of India

Delhi HC: SC/ST Act Won't Block Bank Mortgage Recovery

Delhi HC clarifies SC/ST Act cannot obstruct banks' lawful mortgage rights. SC/ST Act provisions on land dispossession don't hinder banks' recovery rights. Source: The Times of India

GST Exemption: ICICI Prudential, HDFC Life, SBI Life Adjust Terms

Insurers like ICICI Prudential, HDFC Life, and SBI Life renegotiate terms post-GST exemption on life policies. Large distributors face minimal impact; smaller agents and channels bear margin pressure from GST changes. Source: The Economic Times

Shanthi Gears Drops 6% on Weak Q2 FY26 Results; Revenue, Profit Slide

Shanthi Gears fell 6% post weak Q2 FY26 results; revenue dropped 14.9% YoY to Rs. 131.91 crore. Net profit declined 16.1% YoY to Rs. 21.51 crore; EPS fell to Rs. 2.80 from Rs. 3.34 in Q2 FY25. Source: Trade Brains

Crypto currencies

Country: Crypto, Description: Bitcoin and Ether are on the rise. Ether is leading the charge with a 2.13% gain.

Agricultural Commodities Updates: Orange Juice Drops by 2.98%

Country: Commodity, Description: Top commodity losers are Orange Juice (-2.98%), Coffee (-2.48%) and Sugar (-1.83%). Gains are led by Lumber (0.54%) and Rubber (0.52%).

Metals Commodities Updates: Silicon Drops by 1.55%

Country: Commodity, Description: Top commodity losers are Silicon (-1.55%), Silver (-0.68%) and Gold (-0.38%). Gains are led by Lithium Carbonate (0.80%).

Energy Commodities Updates: Natural Gas UK GBP Drops by 1.90%

Country: Commodity, Description: Top commodity losers are Natural Gas UK GBP (-1.90%), Natural Gas EU Dutch TTF (-1.36%), Germany Natural Gas THE (-1.17%), Crude Oil WTI (-0.57%) and Brent Crude Oil (-0.18%).

FX Updates: Norwegian Krone Depreciates by 0.38%

Country: Currency, Description: Top currency losers are Norwegian Krone (-0.38%), Mexican Peso (-0.30%), Japanese Yen (-0.17%) and British Pound (-0.10%). Gains are led by Euro (0.09%). Meanwhile Dollar Index was little changed.

Trump adds 10% tariff on Canada over Reagan ad dispute

Summary: The president denounced Ontario's $54 million campaign as fraudulent, claiming it misrepresented Reagan and attempted to influence the Supreme Court., Description: President Donald Trump escalated his trade war with America's northern neighbor Saturday, announcing a 10% tariff increase on Canadian goods after denouncing Ontario's anti-tariff advertisement as fraudulent and accusing Canada of attempting to influence the Supreme Court. The tariff hike comes just one day after Trump terminated all trade negotiations with Canada over the controversial $54...

Hurricane Melissa threatens Jamaica with Category 5 impact

Summary: The storm rapidly intensified to Category 1 with 90 mph winds and forecasters warn it could reach 160 mph by Monday., Description: Hurricane Melissa has rapidly intensified from a tropical storm to a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 90 mph as of Saturday afternoon, setting the stage for what meteorologists warn could become Jamaica's most powerful hurricane on record. The National Hurricane Center now forecasts Melissa will explode into a potentially catastrophic Category 5 storm with winds reaching 160...

ExxonMobil sues California over climate disclosure laws

Summary: The oil giant claims the regulations violate its First Amendment rights by forcing it to adopt the state's preferred narrative on climate change., Description: ExxonMobil filed a federal lawsuit on Friday challenging California's groundbreaking climate disclosure laws, claiming the regulations violate the oil giant's First Amendment rights by forcing it to adopt the state's preferred narrative on climate change. The lawsuit, submitted to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California, seeks to block enforcement of two 2023 state laws...

Trump starts Asia trip with trade talks ahead of Xi summit

Summary: The president met Qatar's emir during a refueling stop before heading to Malaysia for ASEAN meetings and preliminary U.S.-China trade negotiations., Description: President Donald Trump launched his first major Asia trip of his second term Saturday with a diplomatic meeting aboard Air Force One in Qatar, setting the stage for high-stakes trade negotiations and a crucial summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping next week. Trump met with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani during a...

Scientists observe subduction zone tearing apart under Pacific Northwest

Summary: Researchers captured images of a 75-kilometer tear in oceanic plates beneath Cascadia, revealing how subduction zones gradually break apart over millions of years., Description: For the first time, researchers have directly observed a subduction zone actively breaking apart beneath the Pacific Northwest, revealing a 75-kilometer-long tear in the oceanic plate that could reshape understanding of earthquake risks in the Cascadia region. The groundbreaking discovery, published in Science Advances in September, shows the Juan de Fuca and Explorer plates gradually tearing...

Rubio says intelligence sharing thwarted Hamas attack

Summary: The secretary of state revealed coordinated efforts between the U.S., Israel and mediators prevented a planned assault on Palestinian civilians during the Gaza ceasefire., Description: Secretary of State Marco Rubio disclosed Saturday that coordinated intelligence sharing between Israel, the United States, and other Gaza ceasefire mediators successfully thwarted a potential Hamas attack on Palestinian civilians that was expected last weekend. The revelation underscores the fragile nature of the two-week-old truce and the intensive diplomatic efforts required to maintain...