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Experience the news on NNC, Neural Newscast.

Neural Newscast Global.

I'm Andrew Lindbeck.

It's December 2, 2025.

Here are the headlines.

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Fresh insights every day.

Catch up on past episodes anytime at nnewscast.com.

Updates from around the globe are next.

Authorities in Hong Kong open an investigation after a deadly high-rise fire.

According to AP, Chief Executive John Lee orders a probe into building safety as hospitals report multiple injuries.

Sarah Wheaton has the latest from Hong Kong.

According to AP, Hong Kong chief executive John Lee orders an investigation into a blaze that kills dozens, the city's deadliest fire in decades.

Fire services department officials say the fire erupts overnight in a mixed-use high-rise, trapping families and workers.

Firefighters battle intense smoke and heat for hours before declaring control.

Hospital authority reports many more injured, some in critical condition.

Lee pledges a transparent probe into building safety, sprinkler systems, and emergency exits.

Officials open a hotline for families and set up shelters for displaced residents.

We will find answers, Lee says in a briefing.

This is Sarah Wheaton for Neural Newscast.

Reuters reports Hamas says it is handing over the remains of one of the last two hostages

still unaccounted for in Gaza.

The group does not name the victim or specify the handover location.

Israeli officials do not immediately confirm receipt.

The transfer follows months of fighting and sporadic exchanges of bodies and hostages.

Families of the missing press for answers as negotiations over ceasefire terms and releases remain fragile.

Officials say identifying the remains could clarify the fate of the final hostage, still unaccounted for.

This is Kara Swift for Neural Newscast.

Philippine officials acknowledge large-scale embezzlement tied to a flagship flood control

program as floods worsen nationwide.

The Commission on Audit reports hundreds of millions of pesos diverted from projects meant

to protect Metro Manila and vulnerable provinces.

Investigators target contractors, local officials, and agency staff tied to padded contracts

and ghost works.

Communities report deeper, longer floods after recent monsoon storms and typhoons,

with clogged waterways and unfinished dikes compounding damage.

Lawmakers demand charges and a full audit of projects since 2017.

The Department of Public Works and Highways vows reforms and no sacred cows.

This is Laura Navarro for Neural Newscast.

Reuters reports the Kremlin says President Vladimir Putin will visit India for talks focused on

energy and defense ties. Thomas Golding has more.

Russian President Vladimir Putin begins a two-day visit to India this week,

seeking to boost energy and defense sales, according to Reuters.

He aims to expand Russian oil shipments and pitch missile systems and fighter jets to New Delhi.

The trip tests India's balance between long-standing defense links with Moscow and growing U.S. partnerships.

Talks are expected to cover pricing, payment channels, and co-production.

Officials on both sides say they want stable, long-term supply deals.

This is Thomas Golding for Neural Newscast.

For economic analysis, here's what's new.

Bloomberg reports major retailers continue challenging U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports at the Court of International Trade,

seeking refunds under Section 301.

Reuters reports, TSMC is expanding production beyond Taiwan,

building fabs in the U.S., Japan, and Europe to reduce geopolitical risk.

Cassandra Joyce joins us and reports on this story.

Reuters reports TSMC, the world's largest contract chipmaker, shifts expansion beyond Taiwan as politics and supply risks rise.

The company anchors the global supply of advanced microchips from Taiwan's Sinchu Science Park.

Now it builds new capacity in the United States, Japan, and Europe.

Executives seek resilient supply chains, stable power, and skilled labor.

Governments court TSMC with subsidies and security guarantees.

The push diversifies production, trims geopolitical exposure,

and could reshape where next-generation chips are designed, fabricated, and delivered.

This is Cassandra Joyce, for Neural Newscast.

Tech Stories, Shaping Our Future.

Bloomberg reports Apple's AI chief John Gianandrea plans to retire,

underscoring urgency in the company's AI strategy.

Apple declines comment.

Let's hear from Kara Swift.

Bloomberg and the information report Apple's AI chief, John Gianandrea, is retiring after

leading the company's machine learning push.

He joined from Google in 2018 and oversaw Siri and core AI research.

The move follows delays to a revamped Siri experience, according to Bloomberg.

The timing raises urgency inside Apple's AI strategy as competitors ship chatbots and

generative tools faster.

The stakes are big. Smarter Siri could mean better on device search, safer automation,

and privacy gains. Apple does not comment on personnel matters.

This is Kara Swift for Neural Newscast.

Stories from the Frontiers of Knowledge.

Nature reports researchers in Japan unveil a tool that measures cellular energy in real time,

improving metabolic studies.

Now, let's share the latest in health.

Music

Public Health Scotland reports a sharp rise in flu cases as a new strain spreads, prompting

public health warnings. I'm joined by Laura Navarro.

Public Health Scotland says flu cases jump 45% in one week.

Clinics feel the strain.

Parents juggle sick days.

Older adults and people with chronic conditions face higher risk.

Doctors urge flu shots now, handwashing, and masks in crowded spaces.

If you feel feverish, rest, hydrate, and call your GP.

Seek urgent care for trouble breathing, chest pain, or dehydration.

Stay home until fever-free 24 hours.

This is Laura Navarro for Neural Newscast.

A look at environmental news and issues.

A review in Nature Climate Change finds the southern annular mode

is in one of its most positive states in more than a thousand years.

Here's what's making headlines right now.

AP reports the murder trial of Brian Walsh here opens in Massachusetts

with conflicting opening statements from prosecutors and the defense.

Jason Miller reports on this story.

Brian Walshie goes on trial for murder in Massachusetts, accused of killing his wife,

Anna Walshie, who vanished on January 1, 2023.

Prosecutors say he dismembered her and tried to cover it up with internet searches and

purchase supplies, according to AP and court filings.

He has pleaded guilty to misleading police.

His defense says he found her dead in bed and panicked.

Jurors hear opening statements as the high-profile case begins.

This is Jason Miller for Neural Newscast.

Let's keep the news moving with our next report.

That's our roundup for this edition of NNC Daily News.

For full coverage and updates, visit neuralnewscast.com.

That's our coverage for this hour.

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I'm Andrew Lindbeck, signing off.

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