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U.S. stocks pushed to fresh highs on Wednesday as the S&P 500 briefly moved above 7,000 for the first time. Traders pointed to enthusiasm around artificial intelligence, big-tech earnings expectations and a Federal Reserve decision due later in the day.
NFL.com’s coaching tracker lists Cleveland hiring Todd Monken as head coach and notes the Jets hiring Brian Duker as defensive coordinator. The moves highlight a fast-moving hiring cycle as teams reshape staffs ahead of 2026.
A Reuters factbox highlights a growing list of U.S. companies announcing job cuts in the opening weeks of 2026. Amazon’s move is one of the biggest, reflecting cost controls and a broader shift toward AI tools and reorganized teams.
Rep. Ilhan Omar was sprayed with an unidentified liquid during a public event in Minneapolis. She was not reported injured, and officials said the incident is under investigation as lawmakers call for more clarity about motive and security.
President Donald Trump tried to put prices and pocketbook issues front and center during a trip to Iowa, but questions about the fatal shooting of an ICU nurse by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis again pulled the White House back into an escalating political and legal storm.
Defenseman Mattias Ekholm recorded his first NHL hat trick as Edmonton beat Anaheim 7-4, ending the Ducks’ seven-game winning streak and making league history with back-to-back hat tricks by Oilers defensemen.
Tens of thousands of Kaiser Permanente nurses and other clinicians walked off the job in California and Hawaii, saying chronic understaffing and stalled bargaining have made patient care harder and pushed workers to demand better compensation and safer staffing levels.
General Motors lifted shareholder returns with a dividend increase and a new $6 billion buyback, projecting stronger adjusted profit in 2026 even as the company absorbs EV-related charges and navigates tariff and demand uncertainty.
Israel said it has recovered and identified the remains of Ran Gvili, described as the final hostage held in Gaza. The moment delivered symbolic closure for many Israelis while raising fresh questions about the next steps in a fragile ceasefire and Gaza’s future governance and security.
Micron said it is investing about $24 billion over the next decade to build an advanced wafer fabrication facility in Singapore, aiming to expand NAND output as AI-driven data center growth intensifies a global shortage of memory components.
Striking nurses in New York City returned to the bargaining table Tuesday as the walkout entered its third week. The New York State Nurses Association said Mount Sinai and NewYork-Presbyterian agreed to maintain current Plan A health benefits, while staffing and workplace violence protections remain central issues.
Boston built an early cushion and survived a late Portland push Monday night, with Payton Pritchard providing key scoring and momentum-swinging buzzer-beaters to end the first two quarters. Jaylen Brown added 20 points as the Celtics secured a 102-94 win.