January 12, 2026
Capitol agenda: Trump tests GOP with Fed probe
President Donald Trump is once again forcing a tough fealty test on GOP lawmakers — this time over the fate of the Federal Reserve and Chair Jerome Powell. The Fed chair’s Sunday night revelation of a DOJ probe into the central bank immediately rattled a number of Capitol Hill Republicans and raised serious doubts about […]
January 12, 2026
As Trump urges deal, Cuban president warns that the country will defend itself ‘to the last drop of blood’
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez declared Sunday that the island nation would defend itself ‘to the last drop of blood,’ responding to pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump to strike a deal with Washington. President Trump had spoken about Cuba in a Truth Social post earlier in the day, urging that ‘they make a deal, […]
January 12, 2026
I was told I was a boy. Supreme Court must destroy lies that harm women like me
Normally, the Supreme Court hears cases that deal with matters of law. But on Tuesday, Jan. 13, the justices will also be dealing with basic science. Not only that, they’ll be debating fundamental truth, as I can personally testify. The stakes couldn’t be higher in the case, West Virginia v. B.P.J. The specific question facing the court is simple: […]
January 12, 2026
Rand Paul says Trump’s threat to bomb Iran ‘is not the answer’: Not the ‘job of the American government’
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., on Sunday spoke out against President Donald Trump’s threats to bomb Iran, warning that such an attack may backfire as the U.S. government monitors the Middle Eastern country’s response to widespread protests. During an appearance on ABC’s ‘This Week,’ Paul said he is unsure that striking Iran ‘will have the effect […]
January 12, 2026
The Trump loyalist at the center of the Senate’s Obamacare talks
If the Senate is going to strike a deal to revive a signature Democratic policy, it will be in part because of an unlikely broker: a freshman Republican from the party’s MAGA wing. Sen. Bernie Moreno of Ohio is, on paper, an odd fit in the core group of about a dozen senators in talks […]
January 12, 2026
Is the Apple stock pullback a buy opportunity? Analysts see near term upside
Apple shares extended a rare period of weakness this week, slipping 0.5% to $259.04 on Thursday and marking the stock’s seventh consecutive session of declines dating back to Dec. 30. While the pullback has been relatively modest — Apple shares are down about 5.4% over the streak — the persistence of the losses has drawn […]
January 12, 2026
Europe bulletin: London stocks rise amid Storm Goretti, French turmoil
European markets and politics ended the week on a mixed note, with London equities nudged higher by renewed mining deal speculation, while a powerful storm disrupted daily life across parts of northern Europe. Political uncertainty also loomed in France, where a confidence vote over the Mercosur trade pact threatens fresh turmoil. Meanwhile, Italy’s prime minister […]
January 12, 2026
Netflix stock: are markets mispricing the Warner deal impact?
Netflix stock (NASDAQ: NFLX) has tumbled roughly 27% since hitting a peak in late June 2025. The losses have been particularly steep following the December 5 announcement of its $72 billion equity acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery’s studios and streaming division. Netflix stock briefly dipped further in early January as a hostile Paramount bid complicated […]
January 12, 2026
US midday market brief: S&P 500 rises 0.7% as jobs data lifts sentiment
The S&P 500 climbed 0.7% to a fresh intraday record high on Friday, following the release of December’s employment report, which showed a mixed labor market picture that calmed recession fears. The Nasdaq Composite gained 0.9%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 213.52 points, or 0.43%, closing at 49,480.41 as of midday trading. The […]
January 12, 2026
Evening digest: US job numbers, Iran unrest, OpenAI-SoftBank back AI push
US job growth stalled in December, underscoring a labor market losing momentum, while geopolitical and policy uncertainty weighed on global sentiment. Iran’s Supreme Leader warned protests could isolate the country further as security forces tightened controls. In the US, OpenAI and SoftBank moved to secure clean energy for AI infrastructure with a $1 billion renewables […]
January 12, 2026
This $1B OpenAI–SoftBank bet reveals what AI can’t function without
OpenAI and SoftBank announced a joint $1 billion investment in SB Energy on Friday to build and operate a 1.2-gigawatt data centre in Milam County, Texas. On the surface, it reads like yet another megadeal in the booming AI infrastructure arms race. But it signals something more urgent: electricity has become AI’s single largest production […]
January 12, 2026
Kansas crop woes fuel wheat rally ahead of USDA winter acreage estimate
Wheat kicked off the new year with a price surge, as the most actively traded futures contract on the CBOT climbed to 522 US cents per bushel on Thursday, marking its highest level since December 26. At the time of writing, US wheat futures for the March contract were at 518 cents. Wheat prices began […]