America Abbai Newsletter 2/12/25

By Vamsi Kari

Stock Markets As of 2/12 7:30 PM CST

S&P 500
6,051.97 (-0.27%)

Dow 30
44,368.56(-0.50%)

Nasdaq
19,649.95(0.03%)

Bitcoin
97,796.38(1.73%)

Top News

Inflation rose to 3% in January, with a 0.5% month-over-month increase, driven by higher costs in food, health insurance, and auto expenses. Grocery prices continued to climb, with eggs surging 15.2% monthly, while healthcare and auto insurance costs also saw significant hikes. With inflation still above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target, the latest data suggests interest rate cuts may be delayed for much of the year.

The Trump administration and Fortune 500 companies are pushing to end remote work for employees, citing productivity concerns. Remote work can hinder new hires and junior employees, leading to poor onboarding experiences and potential career setbacks. Studies show that remote workers put in 3.5 hours less per day of work compared to in-person workers, potentially impacting productivity levels. workers, potentially impacting productivity levels.

Kevin Lamarque | Reuters

It appears that Elon Musk’s secretive team, DOGE, has taken aggressive measures at the Department of Education, displacing top officials, restructuring offices, and using white-noise machines to obscure discussions. Rather than working alongside Trump officials, DOGE staffers seem to be competing among themselves to impose the deepest budget cuts. Employees claim these cuts are arbitrary and lack any clear political or policy objectives.

Eugene Gologursky/The New York Times / Getty Images

OpenAI has canceled the standalone release of its o3 model in favor of integrating it into GPT-5, which will offer a more unified and simplified AI experience. CEO Sam Altman announced that GPT-5 will incorporate various features like voice, search, and deep research, with different intelligence tiers available for users. Before its launch, OpenAI plans to release GPT-4.5 (“Orion”), its last non-chain-of-thought model, as it shifts focus toward more reliable reasoning models to compete with rivals like DeepSeek.

Movie News

At a recent pre-release event for “Brahma Anandam” in Hyderabad, megastar Chiranjeevi made comments that have sparked debate on social media. Reflecting on his family, he mentioned feeling like a warden in a “ladies’ hostel” due to being surrounded by granddaughters and expressed a desire for his son, Ram Charan, to have a son to continue their legacy. While some interpreted these remarks as light-hearted, others criticized them as reflecting a preference for male children and exhibiting gender bias. The YSR Congress Party also criticized Chiranjeevi for these comments.

The highly anticipated VD12, starring Vijay Deverakonda and directed by Gowtam Tinnanuri, has officially been titled KINGDOM, with its title teaser igniting immense excitement. Featuring NTR’s powerful voiceover, Anirudh Ravichander’s electrifying score, and breathtaking visuals by Jomon T. John and Girish Gangadharan, the teaser delivers an adrenaline-pumping experience, showcasing Vijay’s intense transformation. Produced by Sithara Entertainments, Fortune Four Cinemas, and presented by Srikara Studios, KINGDOM promises a high-octane action drama that raises the bar for Indian cinema.

The shooting of Mahesh Babu’s highly anticipated film with SS Rajamouli resumed after a brief halt due to Priyanka Chopra’s break for her brother’s wedding. Reports suggest that Nana Patekar might join the cast, though official confirmation is still awaited. This new schedule will feature intense confrontation scenes between Mahesh Babu and Priyanka, with her character reportedly having a significant negative shade, while MM Keeravani composes the music for this secretive project.

Theatre Releases

Movie

Release Date

Thandel

Feb 7th

Laila

Feb 14th

Mazaka

Feb 14th

Dilruba

Feb 14th

Streaming Dates

Binged

Binged

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