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Ukraine Faces Deepening Power Shortages After Russian Strikes

A resident shows a journalist where a Russian drone struck the roof of an apartment building, depriving its residents of water, heat and electricity, in Kyiv. Ukraine is confronting one of its most severe energy shortfalls since the start of the full‑scale invasion, with the country currently able to supply only about 60% of its electricity needs. A new wave of Russian missile and drone attacks has heavily damaged power plants and transmission infrastructure across multiple regions, pushing the grid to the brink. Officials report that nearly every major power‑generating facility has been hit in recent weeks. Cities such as Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odesa, and Dnipro have experienced rolling blackouts, leaving millions of residents coping with limited heating, lighting, and communications during the winter season. Ukraine’s government has warned that the situation remains extremely challenging. Engineers are working around the clock to repair damaged facilities, but repeated strikes have slowed...

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AI Surge Lifts Markets as Investors Shrug Off U.S. Shutdown Fears

 

U.S. stock futures climbed Thursday morning, buoyed by a wave of optimism surrounding artificial intelligence that overshadowed concerns about the ongoing government shutdown. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 futures rose 0.3% and 0.5% respectively, with the S&P 500 closing above 6,700 for the first time ever.

Driving the rally was OpenAI’s meteoric rise in valuation to $500 billion following a $6.6 billion employee share sale, making it the world’s most valuable startup and surpassing SpaceX. The company also inked major chip supply deals with Samsung and SK Hynix, sparking a global rally in semiconductor stocks.

Despite the shutdown halting nonessential government functions and delaying key economic data like the September jobs report, investors remained focused on tech gains and potential Federal Reserve rate cuts. Weak private payroll data and signs of a softening labor market have further fueled expectations for monetary easing.

While the Dow Jones futures remained flat amid shutdown concerns, the broader market appears to be riding a wave of AI-driven enthusiasm, with analysts suggesting that solid Q3 earnings and continued tech momentum could push indexes to new highs.

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