January 22, 2026
GLOBAL SPEAK

Waymo Faces Federal Scrutiny After Reports of AVs Passing Stopped School Buses

Waymo, Alphabet’s autonomous ride-hailing subsidiary, is preparing to file a voluntary software recall after a series of incidents in which its driverless taxis reportedly illegally passed stopped school buses. The move follows a growing federal investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which opened an inquiry in October after a media report showed […]

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A I POLITICS, TECHNOLOGY & THE HUMANITIES Science & STEAM

The Growing Battle Over U.S. Datacenters: Energy Costs, Environmental Risks, and Political Fallout

A coalition of more than 230 environmental organizations has called for a national moratorium on new datacenters in the United States, reflecting intensifying concern over the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence infrastructure. Groups like Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, and Food & Water Watch argue that datacenters — essential for AI, cloud computing, and cryptocurrencies […]

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POLITICS, TECHNOLOGY & THE HUMANITIES

China’s $1 Trillion Trade Surplus: Rerouted Exports in a New Trump Tariff Era

Overview & Key Points The article reports that China’s trade surplus has surpassed $1 trillion for the first time in the first 11 months of the year, driven by stronger exports to non-U.S. markets as firms work around sharply higher U.S. tariffs under President Donald Trump. In November alone, China recorded a $111.68 billion monthly […]

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POLITICS, TECHNOLOGY & THE HUMANITIES

Grand Jury Declines to Indict New York AG Letitia James

A federal grand jury in Norfolk, Virginia, delivered a significant setback to the Department of Justice on Thursday by declining to indict New York Attorney General Letitia James on alleged mortgage fraud charges. The decision comes only ten days after a federal judge dismissed an earlier indictment—not on evidentiary grounds, but due to the unlawful […]

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GLOBAL SPEAK

Supreme Court Allows Texas to Use Redrawn Congressional Map

Overview of the Ruling The U.S. Supreme Court, in a 6–3 decision along ideological lines, granted Texas permission to use a newly redrawn congressional map that could add up to five Republican-leaning districts for the 2026 midterms. The unsigned order lifts a lower court ruling that had blocked the map due to concerns that the […]

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POLITICS, TECHNOLOGY & THE HUMANITIES

California Launches Portal to Report Misconduct by Federal Immigration Agents

California has unveiled a new online reporting portal that allows the public to submit videos, photos, and other evidence of alleged misconduct by federal immigration agents. The move comes as the Trump administration intensifies nationwide enforcement operations targeting undocumented immigrants, prompting several states to pursue oversight and accountability measures of their own. Overview of the […]

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POLITICS, TECHNOLOGY & THE HUMANITIES

New York Times Sues Pentagon Over Press Restrictions

The New York Times has filed a federal lawsuit against the Pentagon, challenging new credentialing rules implemented by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth—rules that have effectively barred most mainstream news organizations from accessing the Department of Defense. The Times argues these policies violate constitutional protections and create a system where access to the nation’s military […]

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POLITICS, TECHNOLOGY & THE HUMANITIES

ARREST MADE IN 2021 PIPE-BOMB CASE

Overview The FBI has arrested a suspect, identified as Brian Cole, for allegedly planting two pipe bombs outside the Republican National Committee (RNC) and Democratic National Committee (DNC) headquarters on January 5, 2021 — the night before the Capitol riot. The bombs never detonated, but the case became one of the most high-profile unsolved investigations […]

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POLITICS, TECHNOLOGY & THE HUMANITIES

Pentagon Restricts Press Access as Investigations Into Military Strikes Intensify

The Pentagon’s decision to grant exclusive access to a select group of hand-picked media outlets while denying entry to major mainstream news organizations marks one of the most significant shifts in U.S. defense press operations in modern history. The move comes at a highly sensitive moment: both chambers of Congress are examining potentially unlawful U.S. […]

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POLITICS, TECHNOLOGY & THE HUMANITIES

Pentagon Arms All DC National Guard Members Amid Escalating Domestic Deployments

The Pentagon’s decision to arm every national guard member deployed in Washington DC marks one of the most aggressive escalations of domestic military posture in modern U.S. history. Announced just days after an ambush shooting near the White House that left one guard member dead and another critically wounded, the directive represents a shift toward […]

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