Global economic growth will be 3% in 2026, exactly as forecast a year ago, according to a quarterly Reuters poll of economists, suggesting they are unfazed by the abrupt and seismic shift in how the U.S. trades with others and treats its allies. But unusual stability across a range of...
S&P 500 Breaches 7,000 Points for the First Time, Lifted by AI Optimism
The S&P 500 breached the 7,000-point mark for the first time on Wednesday, driven by unrelenting optimism over artificial intelligence and expectations of strong Big Tech earnings as well as monetary policy easing. The benchmark index's ascent between successive 1,000-point additions has quickened in recent years, reflecting mounting investor confidence...
Israel to Hold Funeral for Last Hostage Recovered From Gaza
The remains of the last Israeli captive recovered from the Gaza Strip were set to be buried on Wednesday in a funeral that will help Israel turn the page after one of the most traumatizing periods in its history. Ran Gvili, an off-duty police officer, was killed fighting militants during...
Defying White House, Fed Expected to Hold Rates Steady
The Federal Reserve is expected to hold interest rates steady on Wednesday in a pause that investors see lasting beyond U.S. central bank chief Jerome Powell's final meetings in March and April, with his successor expected to take office by the summer and policymakers split over whether more reductions in borrowing costs...
Amazon Axes 16,000 Jobs as It Pushes AI and Efficiency
Amazon confirmed 16,000 corporate job cuts on Wednesday, completing a plan for around 30,000 since October, while leaving open the possibility of further reductions. Reuters first reported last week that Amazon was planning a second round of job cuts as part of its broader goal under CEO Andy Jassy, who has been trying...
Trump Tells Iran to Make Nuclear Deal or Next Attack Will Be ‘Far Worse’
President Donald Trump urged Iran on Wednesday to come to the table and make a deal on nuclear weapons or the next U.S. attack would be far worse, but Tehran said that if that happened it would fight back as never before. "Hopefully Iran will quickly 'Come to the Table'...
Minneapolis Town Hall Disrupted as Man Sprays Substance at Rep. Ilhan Omar
A man lunged at Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., during a Tuesday town hall and appeared to spray her with a substance before being removed, NBC reported. The incident occurred shortly after Omar called for the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and called on Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to...
Fresno Unified Calls Retiree Health Care Complaint Letter ‘Baseless’
Fresno Unified School District responded to a complaint letter alleging elder abuse and opposing Aetna Medicare Advantage, calling claims “baseless” and “misleading.” On Jan. 22, a demand letter was filed on behalf of 6,200 retirees enrolled in Aetna Medicare Advantage, saying the health insurance “doesn't constitute the lifetime medical coverage”...
Madera County Authorities Seek Next of Kin of Man Who Died Earlier This Month
The Madera County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help to locate the next of kin of a 77-year-old man who died earlier this month. Carlos Arevalo, of Madera, died on Jan. 4, according to the sheriff’s office. Authorities said they have been unable to locate his family despite...
Philippine Mayor Survives Rocket Attack, TMZ Reports
The mayor of a town in the southern Philippines survived an apparent assassination attempt after a rocket-propelled grenade struck his armored vehicle, TMZ reports. Video footage from Shariff Aguak municipality shows a white van stopping along a roadway in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. Two men exit the...