Financial Markets and Economy
President Trump looms large over stocks despite deluge of earnings (Market Watch)
It may be peak earnings season but the stock market’s main obsession seems to be President Donald Trump. And as investors continue to second guess his next move and decipher what his policies may mean for the economy, equities are likely to continue taking their cue from politics.
Britain's workers are getting poorer and it's only going to get worse (Business Insider UK)
Wage growth is not expanding at a pace that keeps up with the rising cost of living, according to a report by the think tank Resolution Foundation.
Germany’s Merkel Would Welcome South American Trade Deal With EU (Bloomberg)
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she would welcome a free trade agreement between South America and the European Union, further signaling her rejection of the protectionist stance being taken by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Stock rally masks heightened risk in late leg of cycle (Market Watch)
It may be hard for investors to admit it, but the post-election rally in U.S. stocks comes at a cost—it’s masking a sudden rise in the market’s heightened risk profile, according to analysts.
Hemp: how one little plant could boost America's economy (The Guardian)
Imagine a plant that cuts cholesterol, reduces our exposure to toxins, can ease joint inflammation, proves more durable than concrete, and can provide the economy with much-needed jobs for farmers and manufacturers. This wonder of the world exists – it’s hemp. But it is illegal to grow in America.
Companies
How Tesla emerged from the brink of bankruptcy to become America's coolest car company (Business Insider)
Tesla Motors officially changed its name on Wednesday.
The company, known for its impressive electric cars, will now simply go by Tesla Inc.
Air France and Qatar Airways said on Saturday that they have reopened US-bound flights to passengers from the seven majority Muslim countries affected by President Donald Trump's immigration ban.
Trump's 'America First' policies are catapulting Boeing into dangerous territory (Business Insider)
For a company like Boeing, President Donald Trump’s "America First" policies, which represent a sharp departure for the US, threaten the way the corporation does business.
Technology
If you live in America, you probably don’t know about Huawei. If you do, you were either very into the Nexus 6X, or you watched "60 Minutes" around the time US officials expressed concerns over the firm’s potential ties to the Chinese government.
The Struggle to Make AI Less Biased Than Its Creators (Singularity Hub)
The dirty little secret is out about artificial intelligence.
No, not the one about machines taking over the world. That’s an old one. This one is more insidious. Data scientists, AI experts and others have long suspected it would be a problem.
Hackers use streaming devices to make radio stations play 'FDT' (Engadget)
Vulnerabilities in the Internet of Things can have odd results, as we witnessed last year when radio stations suddenly started playing archived clips from a furry podcast.
Mobile App Helps China Recover Hundreds of Missing Children (Reuters)
A mobile app helped Chinese authorities recover hundreds of missing children last year, Xinhua news agency reported on Saturday, in a country where child trafficking is rampant.
Why Comcast's new Roku app fee will infuriate you (CNet)
The nation's largest cable operator is set to begin beta testing its Xfinity TV app for Roku devices later this year. And it's sneaking in a charge that customers will likely find outrageous.
Gmail will stop working on Chrome for XP and Vista this year (Engadget)
If it's been some time since you've updated your Chrome browser, you might see a banner at the top of Gmail's interface on February 8th. It'll contain a reminder to update to Chrome version 55 from 53 and below, since the newer iteration comes with several big security updates.
Politics
President Donald Trump signed an executive order last Friday halting refugee arrivals into the US for 120 days and barring citizens of Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen from entering the US for 90 days.
Romania's Ruling Party Weighs Options for Widening Protests (Bloomberg)
Romania’s largest protests since the fall of Communism continued for a fifth day, forcing the ruling coalition to consider ways to defuse a conflict that sprang from the government’s disputed legislative changes that sparked concerns over a clampdown on corruption.
President Trump's Nominee for Army Secretary Withdraws His Name (Associated Press)
President Donald Trump's nominee for Army secretary, businessman Vincent Viola, has withdrawn his name from consideration for the post.
Trump warns of 'death & destruction' if U.S. not allowed to limit immigration (Politico)
President Donald Trump on Saturday morning warned that “death & destruction” could result if the United States is not allowed to restrict immigration, a dark warning that comes hours after a judge issued a broad block against his travel ban.
Trump tells Ukrainian politician he won't lift Russia sanctions (Politico)
During an unusual private meeting on the sidelines of Thursday’s National Prayer Breakfast, President Donald Trump promised a Ukrainian opposition leader that the United States won’t lift sanctions on Russia until it pulls out of Ukraine, according to three people briefed on the mee336ting.
Sauce For The Goose? Judge Cites Anti-Obama Ruling To Block Trump's Immigration Order (Forbes)
The federal judge who issued a nationwide injunction against President Donald Trump's executive order blocking immigration from seven primarily Muslim nations had a strong precedent to rely upon: The 2015 decision by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals that halted President Barack Obama's order to grant semi-permanent residency status to millions of illegal immigrants.
On Foreign Policy, Trump Still Speaking Campaign Language (Associated Press)
For all the White House's early bravado, President Donald Trump has taken office with few concrete plans for how to make good on his pledge to unravel President Barack Obama's foreign policy and tackle some of the biggest national security challenges facing his administration.
Health and Biotech
Do Heartburn Medications Really Cause Dementia? (Scientific American)
Our small and large intestines, collectively known as the gut, do more than just provide a long, twisting joyride for our food. As we heard in last week’s episode, our gut, plus the trillions of bacteria that live there, influence our mood, our health, and even our personalities.
Life on the Home Planet
Louvre Museums Reopens as Egypt Identifies Machete Attacker (Associated Press)
The Louvre Museum reopened to the public Saturday morning, less than 24 hours after a machete-wielding assailant shouting "Allahu akbar!" attacked French soldiers guarding the sprawling building and was shot by them.
God Announces Plans To Shift Majority Of Resources Tied Up In Humanity Project To Birds, Rocks (The Onion, Humor)
Telling reporters it would be a more worthwhile enterprise in the long run, God, Our Lord And Heavenly Father, announced plans Monday to shift the majority of the resources tied up in His humanity project to birds and rocks.
Antarctica is the Southern-most place on Earth, and it's also the coldest, driest, and windiest continent overall. Experiments are conducted there by 4,000 scientists from all over the world, including one that involves a hunt for meteorites.
Jewish community centers in US receive nearly 50 bomb threats in 2017 so far (The Guardian)
Nearly 50 bomb threats have been received by Jewish community organizations in the US since the start of the year, in a climate of rising antisemitism nationwide.
Unease in Colombia, as Old Enemies Become New Neighbor (NY Times)
The town’s name is Spanish for “peace.” The days to come will test how accurate that is.
After a half-century of war, Colombia’s rebels are disarming, preparing to enter civilian life under the peace accord signed last year. In this mountain town, a new settlement of former fighters, 80 strong and growing, is taking shape, one of many scattered across the country.
