Climate of Hope: Renewable Energy is Booming Despite Trump Administration's Efforts to Slow It (New York Times)

President Trump is poised to preside over a renewable energy boom. Yes, really. The Trump administration and its allies in Congress have rolled back clean energy tax credits and thrown up roadblocks to renewable energy projects — efforts that will mean fewer wind and solar farms will be built than otherwise would have been, according to the Times.

But any meaningful slowdown in the growth of renewable energy and battery storage in the US is likely to take a few years, because companies are racing to install solar panels, wind turbines, and batteries the size of shipping containers before federal tax credits expire or become harder to claim.

The pipeline is so big that analysts widely expect the US to add record, or near-record, amounts of renewable energy and batteries through 2027, with BloombergNEF recently raising its forecast for next year by more than 10 percent.

The rush is being driven not just by subsidies, but by tremendous demand for new sources of energy, as solar and batteries can be installed much faster and cheaper than natural gas or nuclear power, while offshore wind faces nearly insurmountable hurdles under the administration, the Times reports.

While the administration’s efforts will take a toll beginning in 2028, with some smaller solar firms already laying off staff or preparing to shut down, the sector’s current momentum ensures a near-term boom in renewable energy capacity.

Boost for Johns Hopkins University

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Baltimore Rising: Bloomberg Student Center Comes Alive for Festive Grand Opening Celebration (Design Boom) 
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Johns Hopkins University’s new Bloomberg Student Center overflowed with energy and activity Thursday during its grand opening celebration in the sun-splashed space.
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Set into the sloping site at 33rd and Charles Street, the building unfolds as a composition of mass timber volumes cascading down the hill, according to Design Boom.

Hundreds of students, Hopkins employees and university donors gathered in the soaring, multi-tiered living room space for a program that began with a montage of student sound—the pep band’s brass and drums, student singers, and student actors describing the building’s many features.
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“At the dawn of our 150th year, we are here thanks to the extraordinary generosity of our alumni and friends, many of whom are with us today, and to the leadership of the building's namesake, Mike Bloomberg,” JHU President Ron Daniels said as he kicked off the event.
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The Bloomberg Student Center—named for JHU alum Mike Bloomberg, in recognition of his extraordinary commitment to supporting students across Hopkins—was purposefully designed to meet the evolving needs of the Hopkins student community, creating spaces devoted to fostering connections and engagement. 

The series of 29 interlinked pavilions, framed in wood and topped with cantilevered flat roofs, create a sequence of sheltered terraces and accessible entries on each level. Nearly 1,000 photovoltaic panels line the roofscape, supplying roughly half of the building’s energy and underscoring Johns Hopkins’ sustainability goals, Design Boom writes.
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The 150,000-square-foot building includes a state-of-the-art food hall featuring local vendors, a pub and coffee bar, a flexible 250-seat performance venue, a central atrium with open seating, dance studios, club meeting rooms, recording studios, flexible gathering places, a digital media center, and even an esports lounge.
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“Classes are important, but it’s the people and the relationships and the experiences that have a lasting effect,” Mike said during his remarks Thursday. “Meeting people and discovering new things and debating new ideas and old ideas—that’s what makes college so special and so formative. And campuses need places where that can happen.”
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It was that idea—of bringing people together, creating community—that animated the work of the architectural design firm Bjarke Ingels Group, said BIG founder and creative director Bjarke Ingels. The Bloomberg Student Center was designed by BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group and interior architect Rockwell Group in collaboration with executive architect Shepley Bulfinch and landscape design by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates.

Behind the program’s second-level stage, the late-morning sun radiated through suspended multicolored handblown glass orbs, a signature lighting fixture installation by Cuban-American artist Jorge Pardo. The project reflects years of student input and more than 1,500 voices from across the university, all of which were essential in shaping the building’s design and programming.

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Mike Bloomberg, JHU President Ron Daniels and students from Johns Hopkins at the official opening of the Bloomberg Student Center on October 16, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. Below are exterior and interior views of the building. 

What I'm Reading

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US Public Opinion: Trump, RFK Jr. Lose America's Trust on Health Care (Axios)

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Americans who say the US is less healthy under the leadership of President Trump and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. now outnumber believers 2-to-1, according to the latest Axios-Ipsos American Health Index.

Just 19% of respondents said Trump's and Kennedy's policies have made America healthier, down 8 percentage points from the index in late February. Another 41% say their policies have made America less healthy, which is down 5 points, according to Axios. 

The big picture: Skepticism over child vaccine requirements has ticked up since Trump took office in January, while Americans' trust in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Health, and Food and Drug Administration is declining.

A Recipe for Poor Health: How America Got Hooked on Ultraprocessed Food (New York Times)

Wall Street on Edge: US Bank Stocks Rout Deepens as Investors Brace for Earnings (Bloomberg)

Today in the Oval Office: Zelenskiy Readies List of Promises to Win Over Trump in White House Meeting on Weapons (Bloomberg)

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy will be meeting President Trump at the White House today to discuss air defense, long-range weaponry, and urgent energy assistance as Moscow intensifies strikes on its water and gas infrastructure before winter.

US-Russia Talks Ahead: Trump to Meet Putin in Budapest to Discuss War in Ukraine (Bloomberg)

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US President Trump said he would meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Hungary at a yet-to-be-determined date to try and end the war in Ukraine.

Trump and Putin agreed to the meeting during a two-hour phone call on Thursday. The US and Russia will hold high-level staff talks next week, followed by a leaders summit in Budapest “to see if we can bring this ‘inglorious’ War, between Russia and Ukraine, to an end,” Trump posted on social media.

Drawing Lines in the Sky: Carney Says NATO Can Flex Hard Power if Russia Breaches Airspace Again (Bloomberg)

In an interview with Bloomberg Weekend’s The Mishal Husain Show, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said, “NATO countries defend themselves,” adding that they should keep “all options” open if Russia violates their airspace again — including shooting down Russian jets.

Mideast Warning: Trump Says If Hamas Keeps Killing, ‘No Choice But to Go In’ (Bloomberg)
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US President Trump threatened Hamas with reprisals if the group continued its killings in Gaza, saying that such action violated the ceasefire agreement he helped broker with Israel.

More Retribution: John Bolton Indicted Over Handling of Classified Documents (Bloomberg)

The US Justice Department has charged John Bolton, a former national security adviser to President Trump who became one of his fiercest critics, for mishandling classified documents. Bolton is the latest of Trump’s perceived enemies to face charges. 

And Trump is going faster. Yesterday, he listed yet more targets, including former special counsel Jack Smith and former FBI counsel Andrew Weissmann (who just appeared together at an event in London); former Deputy AG Lisa Monaco; and Democratic California Sen. Adam Schiff, according to Politico's Playbook.

“I hope they’re looking at all of these people,” Trump said, standing alongside US Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel. “I’m, in theory, chief law enforcement officer … I don't have to leave it up to them. But I choose to — at this moment at least."

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Japan Gov't Watch: Takaichi’s Hopes of Becoming Japan’s PM Hinge on Coalition Talks (Bloomberg)

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Japanese ruling party leader Sanae Takaichi’s chances of becoming prime minister have strengthened after progress on policy talks with the Japan Innovation Party, with Monday emerging as a deadline for deciding whether the parties form a new coalition.

Listen to the Daily Read Podcast: Get your daily dose of AI-driven news. Available on Spotify and  Apple Podcasts—subscribe to never miss an episode.

Preview: Bloomberg New Economy Forum 2025 Speakers Announced (Bloomberg)

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Returning to Singapore from Nov. 19-21, the Bloomberg New Economy Forum will feature more than 30 speakers—including Mike Bloomberg, H.E. Lawrence Wong, and Rishi Sunak—and 500 senior-level delegates. Anchored on the theme “Thriving in an Age of Extremes,” the Forum will examine global growth and prosperity amid shifting geopolitics, trade flows, technology disruption, and evolving investment priorities.

Dems Call Foul: Arizona Rep Grijalva's Congressional Seat Stalled by Johnson (New York Times)

Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva won a special election in Arizona’s deep-blue 7th Congressional District last month. But Speaker Mike Johnson is still refusing to seat her while the House is out of session during the government shutdown.

Democrats have accused Johnson and Republicans of stalling to prevent Grijalva from being the final signatory needed on an effort to force a vote on legislation related to releasing files about the investigation into sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Last Night in NYC: 7 Takeaways From the First NYC Mayoral Debate (New York Times)

Zohran Mamdani, Andrew Cuomo, and Curtis Sliwa sparred over serious topics like the Israel-Hamas war and President Trump, and more curious subjects like parade attendance. Watch the full debate here. 
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Tomorrow in America: ‘No Kings’ Protests Expected to Draw Millions Across the US This Saturday (Axios)

'No Kings' protest organizers expect millions to gather across the nation on Saturday, Oct. 18, with more than 2,500 events planned across all 50 states.

The latest round of protests comes amid growing frustration about the ongoing government shutdown and widespread opposition to President Trump's use of military enforcement in Democratic-led cities across America.

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Weekend Planner: Hundreds of Hidden NYC Sites to Open to the Public — Including Secret Gardens, Abandoned Post Office (New York Post)

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Open House New York weekend is here. Starting today, the two-decade-old festival gives the public a chance to see hidden places around New York City, featuring a behind-the-scenes look at more than 300 typically off-limits sites.

While some tours have sold out, visitors can still drop in to over 160 locations, including a trio of secluded rooftop gardens in the heart of Midtown Manhattan. Visitors can explore expert-curated content and guides at the sites through Bloomberg Connects. 

Plan your weekend visits here.

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Weekend Streaming Guide

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Ray Dalio on Life, Debt & Global Crisis (Apple TV)

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In this special episode from the UN Ocean Conference, Bloomberg TV's Francine Lacqua meets Ray Dalio aboard OceanX in the port of Nice to discuss radical transparency, stepping away from Bridgewater, and how he's channeling his energy, and billions, into ocean exploration and planetary sustainability.

The Mishal Husain Show (Bloomberg)

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Today marks the launch of “The Mishal Husain Show,” Bloomberg’s new global podcast featuring in-depth conversations with newsmakers and thinkers shaping the world. The debut episode includes a revealing interview with Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney on economics, leadership, and the future of finance.

Manhattan (Amazon Prime, Apple TV)

Directed by and starring Woody Allen, with Diane Keaton, Meryl Streep, and Mariel Hemingway in 1979. This is Allen’s black-and-white love letter to New York City—irreverent, funny, melancholy, and as complicated as its creator. The opening alone, set to Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, is one of the most famous odes to the city ever put on film. Stream it on Amazon Prime or Apple TV and see why every filmmaker since has tried (and mostly failed) to capture Manhattan this beautifully.

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Best of Late Night

On a social media post from Trump that called the Democrats ‘the party of hate, evil and Satan:'

“Hate, evil and Satan. And that’s why they call him the peace president.” 
-- Jimmy Kimmel

On Arizona Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva finally getting into her office (sort of), while Speaker Mike Johnson has stalled her swearing-in:

“Oh, there was some teeny-tiny progress yesterday when Grijalva got the keys to her congressional office, which seemed like a good start. But when she got there, she found it had no internet, no phone lines and no computers. Honestly? Dream office.” 
-- Stephen Colbert

On the US government shutdown entering its 17th day:

“Only four shutdowns have gone longer than this one, the longest being a two-month stoppage in 2018, when Trump shut the government down until they brought back the McRib or something. I think he won that one."
-- Jimmy Kimmel

And from The Late Show: Jimmy Kimmel delved into Donald Trump’s latest speeches, highlighting his blend of self-praise and blame-shifting, his fixation on so-called “hellhole” cities, and his continued reliance on Fox News for validation. Click the photo below to watch.