Winter Storms Freeze East Coast & Silicon Valley Faces New AI Laws
While India enjoys a repo rate cut, the United States is battling a different set of challenges today. From a massive winter storm grounding flights in New York to a historic Senate hearing on Artificial Intelligence, here is everything happening in America right now.
1. Weather Emergency: Winter Storm 'Epsilon'
The East Coast Freezes Over
Just as North India battles dense fog, the Northeastern United States is facing a severe blizzard named Winter Storm Epsilon.
* Impact: New York, Boston, and Philadelphia are under a "Code Blue" emergency. Over 18 inches of snow has fallen in the last 24 hours.
* Travel Chaos: Major airports like JFK (New York) and Newark (EWR) have cancelled 60% of their international flights. This is contributing to the global aviation backlog that is also affecting flights to India and Europe.
* Power Outages: Approximately 200,000 homes in upstate New York are without power as freezing winds snapped power lines.
2. Technology: The Cloudflare Fallout & AI Bill
Cloudflare CEO Apologizes
Following the massive internet outage that affected global apps like Zerodha and Instagram yesterday, US-based infrastructure giant Cloudflare issued a formal apology today.
* The Cause: They revealed that a "routine software update" in their North American data centers went wrong, causing a ripple effect worldwide.
* Status: Systems are now 100% operational, but the company’s stock took a 4% hit on the NASDAQ today.
Senate Passes Historic AI Copyright Act
In a landmark move, the US Senate passed the "Digital Creator Protection Act of 2025" today.
* What it means: AI companies (like OpenAI and Google) will now have to pay royalties to artists and writers if their data is used to train AI models.
* Global Impact: This law is expected to set a standard for the world, potentially influencing how India drafts its own AI regulations in the coming months.
3. Immigration & H1-B Visa Update
New Wage Rule Proposed
There is crucial news for Indian professionals aiming for the US. The US Department of Labor has proposed a hike in the minimum wage requirement for H1-B visa holders starting in 2026.
* The Goal: The administration claims this is to protect local American jobs.
* The Concern: Indian IT companies (like TCS and Infosys) have expressed concern, stating this will increase their operating costs significantly. Experts predict this might slow down on-site deputations next year.
4. Economy: US Federal Reserve Holds Rates
No Rate Cut Yet
Unlike the RBI in India which cut rates today, the US Federal Reserve announced it will keep its interest rates unchanged at 4.75%.
* Why? US Inflation is still slightly above the target range. The Fed Chair stated, "We need to see more stability before we loosen the purse strings."
* Dollar Impact: The US Dollar Index (DXY) strengthened slightly today, making imports expensive for developing nations.
5. Entertainment: Hollywood's 'Metaverse' Push
Disney's VR Blockbuster
Disney has announced its first-ever "VR-Only Movie" set to release on Christmas 2025.
* The Buzz: The movie will not be released in theaters but will be streamed directly to Apple Vision Pro and Meta Quest headsets. This marks a major shift in how Hollywood views cinema distribution.
Summary for Your Readers
* Travel Warning: Avoid flying via New York or Boston due to the blizzard.
* Tech News: The internet outage is fixed, but AI laws are getting stricter.
* Visa Alert: H1-B rules might get tougher next year; keep an eye on US policy updates.
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