Daily Strategic Briefing

AI blew open software security, now OpenAI wants to fix it with an agent called Aardvark

AI promises to find bugs and gaps in your apps After helping expand the modern software attack surface with the rise of AI services prone to data poisoning and prompt injection, OpenAI has thrown a bone to cyber defenders.…

Datacenter biz and nuke startup join forces for Texas AI ranch

The bit barn will run on gas power first. Texas is set to get another nuclear-powered datacenter project thanks to Blue Energy and Crusoe, but any atomic action isn't likely until the next decade.…

Ransomware gang runs ads for Microsoft Teams to pwn victims

You click and think you're getting a download page, but get malware instead Imagine searching for Microsoft Teams, seeing a text link at the top of the results, visiting it, and then getting hit with malware. The Rhysida ransomware gang, an especially insidious criminal organization that has stolen millions of people's info, has been placing fake ads for Microsoft Teams in search engines and then infecting victims who make the mistake of clicking them.…

YouTube's AI moderator pulls Windows 11 workaround videos, calls them dangerous

Creators baffled as videos on local accounts, unsupported PCs vanish under ‘harmful acts’ rule Is installing Windows 11 with a local account or on unsupported hardware harmful or dangerous? YouTube's AI moderation system seems to think so, as it has started pulling videos that show users how to sidestep Microsoft's setup restrictions.…

A word about comments and forums...

Our house, our rules One of the biggest surprises of my tenure at El Reg so far is the activity in our forums and article comments. Reg readers are engaged, opinionated, and unafraid to express themselves. I love this. Thank you for reading, and for commenting.…

AI mania tanks CoreWeave’s Core Scientific acquisition — it buys Python notebook Marimo

Summary:

CoreWeave’s failed buy of Core Scientific is another sign of an AI bubble. But it’s still shopping.

ChatGPT: Everything you need to know about the AI-powered chatbot

Summary:

A timeline of ChatGPT product updates and releases, starting with the latest, which we’ve been updating throughout the year.

Equity Live: From $300M seed rounds to data center builds, AI is feeling bubbly

Summary:

The Equity crew was live at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025! Hosts Kirsten Korosec, Max Zeff, and Anthony Ha took over the Builders Stage on Monday morning to kick off the event with the question everyone’s asking: are we in an AI bubble?  Between valuations that have tripled in months, $300M seed rounds, and $100B commitments flying […]

AWS exceeds Wall Street’s expectations as demand for cloud infra remains high

Summary:

AWS continues to see strong demand as companies gobble up its cloud infrastructure services in the age of AI.

Perplexity strikes multi-year licensing deal with Getty Images 

Summary:

Perplexity’s agreement with Getty appears to legitimize some of the startup’s previous use of Getty’s stock photos. Perplexity came under fire last year for a series of plagiarism accusations from several news organizations.

Biotech startup Helex raises $3.5M to advance gene therapies for kidney diseases

Hyderabad- and Cambridge-based biotech startup Helex will use the capital to advance its gene therapy platform and develop targeted treatments for inherited kidney disorders.

Silver jewellery brand Goyaz raises Rs 130 Cr from Norwest

The funding will support Goyaz’s next phase of expansion, including widening retail presence in key cities, improving design and manufacturing, and strengthening online and offline integration.

Jupiter Money raises Rs 115 Cr from Mirae Asset, BeeNext, 3one4 Capital

Fintech company Jupiter aims to achieve operational breakeven within 24 months while doubling its user base over the next 2-2.5 years, it said.

Quick service app Snabbit raises Rs 265 Cr in Series C round

The round was led by led by Bertelsmann India Investments, Lightspeed, Elevation Capital, and Nexus Ventures.

VC funding in October reaches $1.6B—the highest monthly level so far this year

The sharp increase in venture capital funding into Indians startups was primarily driven by large value deals.

Globe Textiles Soars 19% on 219% Profit Surge in Q2

Globe Textiles surged 19% as Q2 FY26 net profit rose 219% QoQ to Rs 4.46 crore. Revenue grew 6% YoY to Rs 156.56 crore; stock corrected 38% YTD despite NIFTY 50's 6.5% gain. Source: Trade Brains

SML Isuzu Sales Jump 32% YoY in Oct

SML Isuzu's October 2025 sales reached 1,059 units, up from 801 in October 2024. Cargo vehicle sales rose 29% and passenger vehicle sales grew 36% YoY in October. Source: ScoutQuest

Tata, Reliance, Adani Lead India Data Centre Boom

Tata, Reliance, Adani outspend Silicon Valley giants on India's data centres. Indian firms lead global shift, investing heavily in digital factories. Source: Live Mint

Deposit Rates Up in Sep; Credit Growth at 11.45% in Oct

Deposit rates rose in Sep as RBI's rate cut cycle impacted lending rates; WALR on fresh loans dropped by 24 bps. Credit growth hit 11.45% in Oct, while deposit growth slowed to 9.51%; banks offered higher FD rates for asset-liability needs. Source: Financial Express

Affle 3i & JK Cement Q2 Results Preview: Key Numbers to Watch

Affle 3i Q2 results expected: net profit Rs 109.5 crore, revenue Rs 645.9 crore, EBITDA Rs 142.7 crore, margin 22%. JK Cement Q2 results expected: net profit Rs 181.2 crore, revenue Rs 2791.4 crore, EBITDA Rs 469.9 crore, margin 16.83%. Source: NDTV Profit

Brunei Trade Surplus Widens

Country: Brunei, Description: Brunei’s trade surplus increased to BND 514.6 million in August 2025 from BND 492.8 million in the same month a year earlier. Year-on-year, exports declined 11.6% to BND 1.11 billion, primarily due to lower shipments of mineral fuels (-9.3%), chemicals (-15.5%), and machinery and transport equipment (-39.9%). Key export destinations included Australia (21.6% of total shipments), China (18.2%), Singapore (16.0%), Japan (11.4%), and Taiwan (7.3%). Meanwhile, imports tumbled 21.9% to BND 597.1 million, mainly reflecting weaker demand for mineral fuels (-35.3%). Malaysia remained the top import source (16.5%), followed by the United Arab Emirates (16.3%), Australia (11.7%), China (11.7%), and Singapore (6.3%). For the first eight months of the year, the trade surplus fell slightly to BND 3.63 billion from BND 3.70 billion a year earlier, as exports shrank 13.2% while imports slumped 19.3%.

Rwanda Producer Inflation Hits 19-Month High

Country: Rwanda, Description: Producer prices in Rwanda rose 13.5% year-on-year in September 2025, accelerating from an 11.0% increase in August and marking the tenth consecutive month of producer inflation. It was also the fastest annual increase since February 2024, as manufacturing prices grew at a faster pace (14.5% vs 11.5% in August). Meanwhile, prices in mining and quarrying rose slightly slower (1.0% vs 1.1%), while electricity, gas, steam, and air conditioning supply prices surged 34.8%, the same pace as in August. In contrast, prices in water supply, sewerage, waste management, and remediation activities were unchanged. On a monthly basis, producer prices rose 2.5% in September, rebounding from a 0.3% decline in August and marking the fastest increase in four months.

South Korea Imports Drop More than Expected

Country: South Korea, Description: South Korea’s imports fell 1.5% year-on-year to USD 53.52 billion in October 2025, compared with market estimates of a 1.4% decline, reversing an 8.2% rise in the previous month, flash data showed. Trade flows were affected by this year’s Chuseok holiday, which fell in October, resulting in fewer working days. Looking ahead, import growth will depend on commodity prices and investment, as the country relies on imports for most of its energy needs, making it the world’s eighth-largest energy consumer. On Wednesday, South Korea and the United States announced they will reduce reciprocal tariffs from 25% to 15%, as agreed last July. Tariffs on automobiles and auto parts, however, will remain at 25%. South Korea will also invest USD 350 billion in the United States, including USD 200 billion in cash investment and USD 150 billion in shipbuilding.

South Korea Exports Rise for 5th Month

Country: South Korea, Description: Exports from South Korea rose 3.6% yoy to USD 59.57 billion in October 2025, slowing from a 12.7% surge in September, partly due to the Chuseok holiday, which resulted in fewer working days, preliminary data showed. It marked the fifth consecutive month of export growth, driven by robust demand for semiconductors—the country’s top export item—which jumped 25.4% yoy to USD 15.73 billion, the highest value for any October. Exports of ships also jumped 131.2%, while shipments of petrochemicals rose 12.7%. Exports surged to Latin America (99%), Taiwan (46%), and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), which includes Russia (34.4%). However, shipments to the US plunged 16.2%, reflecting the impact of the new tariffs. On Wednesday, South Korea and the US announced that they will reduce reciprocal tariffs from 25% to 15%, as agreed last July. Meanwhile, tariffs on automobiles and auto parts will remain at 25%. Also, exports to China, South Korea’s largest trading partner, fell by 5.1%.

South Korea Trade Surplus Above Estimates

Country: South Korea, Description: South Korea's trade surplus widened to USD 6.06 billion in October 2025, up from USD 3.15 billion in the same month a year earlier, surpassing expectations of USD 2.98 billion, according to preliminary data. Exports grew 3.6% yoy, sharply slowing from a 12.7% surge in September, marking the fifth consecutive month of export growth, driven by robust demand for semiconductors—the country’s top export item—which jumped 25.4% yoy to USD 15.73 billion, the highest value for any October. On Wednesday, South Korea and the US announced that they will reduce reciprocal tariffs from 25% to 15%, as agreed last July. Meanwhile, tariffs on automobiles and auto parts will remain at 25%. However, shipments to the US plunged 16.2%, reflecting the impact of the new tariffs. Meanwhile, imports dropped 1.5%, reversing an 8.2% rise in September and compared with forecasts of a 1.4% fall. Trade flows were affected by this year’s Chuseok holiday, which fell in October, resulting in fewer working days.

Amazon drives Wall Street to sixth straight monthly gain

Summary: The e-commerce giant's stock surged 9.6% after reporting third-quarter earnings that exceeded expectations, with AWS generating $33 billion in revenue., Description: Amazon delivered stellar third-quarter earnings that propelled Wall Street to another consecutive winning week and month, despite mixed results from other major technology companies and growing uncertainty about future Federal Reserve rate cuts.

Samsung to build 'AI megafactory' using 50,000 Nvidia GPUs

Summary: The companies are also collaborating on next-generation HBM4 memory chips as Samsung seeks to reclaim technological leadership in AI manufacturing., Description: Samsung Electronics announced plans Friday to construct an AI-powered semiconductor manufacturing facility using more than 50,000 Nvidia graphics processing units, marking a major expansion of the companies' 25-year partnership into artificial intelligence-driven production. The announcement came during Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's first visit to South Korea in 15 years for the Asia-Pacific...

Hurricane Melissa leaves 50 dead across Caribbean

Summary: The former Category 5 storm struck Jamaica with 185 mph winds, tying records for the strongest Atlantic hurricane to make landfall., Description: Hurricane Melissa has claimed at least 50 lives across the Caribbean as the former Category 5 storm continues to weaken after leaving unprecedented destruction in Jamaica, Haiti, and Cuba. The death toll is expected to rise as search and rescue operations continue in isolated communities. Jamaica bore the brunt of the historic storm, which struck the island Tuesday with sustained winds of 185...

Dodgers face elimination as Roberts shakes up lineup

Summary: Roberts moved Betts to cleanup and inserted Rojas at second base after the Dodgers scored just four runs in 29 innings., Description: The Los Angeles Dodgers find themselves on the brink of elimination, trailing the Toronto Blue Jays 3-2 in the World Series as manager Dave Roberts made significant lineup changes ahead of Friday's crucial Game 6 at Rogers Centre. Roberts moved struggling shortstop Mookie Betts to the cleanup spot for the first time since 2017, inserted Miguel Rojas at second base for his first World Series...

White House restricts press access to officials' offices

Summary: Journalists must now schedule appointments to access the Upper Press area, where senior communications staff work near the Oval Office., Description: The White House announced Friday evening a new rule requiring journalists to schedule appointments before accessing Room 140, known as "Upper Press," which houses the offices of Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and Communications Director Steven Cheung near the Oval Office. The restriction, effective immediately, marks the latest effort by the Trump administration to limit press freedoms and...