Wall St opens lower; defence firms up as Trump calls for budget boost

Wall St opens lower; defence firms up as Trump calls for budget boost

[NEW YORK] Wall Street’s main indexes opened lower on Thursday (Jan 8), as investors turned cautious ahead of Friday’s crucial nonfarm payrolls report, while defence companies advanced after President Donald Trump called for a US$1.5 trillion military budget. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 145.9 points, or 0.30 per cent, at the open to 48,850.17.…

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Morgan Stanley boosts managing director ranks after dealmaking revival

Morgan Stanley boosts managing director ranks after dealmaking revival

Wall Street expects another strong year as equity markets hit record highs and interest rates decline [NEW YORK] Morgan Stanley elevated 184 employees to the managing director rank this year, up 6 per cent compared to 2025, indicated an internal memo on Wednesday (Jan 7), as dealmaking rebounded across the industry. The promotions, typically occurring…

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Barry Blitt’s “Guzzler”

Barry Blitt’s “Guzzler”

When President Trump announced the U.S. military’s capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, the cartoonist Barry Blitt decided that his image for the cover of the January 19, 2026, issue could hark back to Gilded Age political cartoons that skewered the oil barons and petty tyrants of the era. “After years of depicting Donald Trump,…

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Google and Character.AI to settle lawsuits alleging chatbots harmed teens

Google and Character.AI to settle lawsuits alleging chatbots harmed teens

Google and Character.AI, a California startup, have agreed to settle several lawsuits that allege artificial intelligence-powered chatbots harmed the mental health of teenagers. Court documents filed this week show that the companies are finalizing settlements in lawsuits in which families accused them of not putting in enough safeguards before publicly releasing AI chatbots. Families in…

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Caroline Maggs Is New York’s New Fashion-Forward Creator, and She Is Doing Her MBA Between Outfit Changes

Caroline Maggs Is New York’s New Fashion-Forward Creator, and She Is Doing Her MBA Between Outfit Changes

Image Credit: @carolinemaggs / Warrior Network Agency Caroline Maggs may appear on your TikTok feed as the girl with the perfect blazer and the effortless look, but New York’s newest well-known figure in fashion circles has an entirely different life happening behind the camera. She is not just walking the streets in classic tailoring. She…

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