The US dollar exchange rate showed its sharpest decline in three weeks. The reason was a legal conflict between the US presidential administration and the Fed, which intensified investors' fears.
Global oil prices are rising for the third consecutive day due to escalating protests in Iran and US actions regarding Venezuela. Brent crude reached $63.89 per barrel, and WTI reached $59.65.
Kepler Communications Inc. has successfully launched 10 new satellites into low Earth orbit using a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. These satellites, each weighing 300 kg, will serve as "orbital data centers" and use lasers for data transmission.
Mass protests in Iran, which have been ongoing for two weeks, have led to the deaths of over 530 protesters and the arrest of over 10,000 people. These events could radically change global geopolitics and energy security, causing oil prices to rise.
Meta Platforms Inc. has deactivated nearly 550,000 accounts in Australia due to a law banning social media for children under 16. This applies to Instagram, Facebook, and Threads, according to Bloomberg.
Google is expanding Gemini's functionality, allowing users to purchase products from Walmart, Shopify, and other retailers directly within the chat. This feature, introduced on January 11, enables instant payment for purchases without navigating to third-party websites.
Asian tech giants started 2026 with a strong surge, outperforming American competitors in the field of artificial intelligence. The region's key technology index rose by 6%, three times more than the Nasdaq 100.
Thousands of protesters marched in Minneapolis over the death of Renee Nicole Good, who was shot by a federal agent. The incident sparked widespread protests and escalated political tensions over immigration policy.
Nvidia and Tesla have different approaches to autonomous driving: Nvidia introduced the open Alpamayo model with explainable AI capabilities, while Tesla uses a closed end-to-end system. Mercedes-Benz plans to integrate Alpamayo into its vehicles by the end of 2026.
Elon Musk accused the British authorities of "fascism" and a desire to suppress freedom of speech. The conflict escalated due to the possible blocking of X over the dissemination of sexualized images created by the AI tool Grok.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán postponed the announcement of the Fidesz party's candidate until February, despite falling ratings. Sociological surveys show Fidesz trailing the opposition for the first time in 15 years.
Venezuelan authorities have released 18 political prisoners, including an opposition coordinator, following the capture of Nicolás Maduro. Acting President Delcy Rodríguez vows to "rescue" Maduro.
X platform owner Elon Musk stated that the company will open-source its new algorithm to the public within a week. This will happen every 4 weeks with developer notes.
South Korea refutes Pyongyang's claims of its drones violating its airspace. The South Korean military has no records of drone operations on the day specified by the DPRK.
The tanker Ocean Mariner delivered 85-90 thousand barrels of Mexican oil to Havana. Mexico continues to export fuel to Cuba as humanitarian aid, despite criticism from the United States.
Peridot, a cocktail bar, has opened on the 38th floor of The Henderson skyscraper in Hong Kong. The establishment stands out with its "neon-green" interior and unique cocktails.
A state of disaster has been declared in Victoria, Australia, due to three emergency-level bushfires. Authorities have been granted expanded powers to evacuate and fight the fires.
Amazon integrates new features into its compact $50 Bee device. The gadget now syncs with Gmail and calendar, allowing users to draft emails and meeting invitations.
OpenAI and SoftBank Group Corp. are each investing $500 million in SB Energy to support the construction of large-scale data centers in the US. SB Energy has been selected to build a new 1.2 GW data center in Texas.
Bitcoin ends the first week of 2026 unchanged, hovering around $90,000, down 2% from a year ago. Investors are awaiting tariff decisions and future Fed guidance.
North Korea accused the South of sending a reconnaissance drone to the DPRK's borders.
Apple Inc. shares fell for the eighth consecutive session on January 9, approaching their longest losing streak since 1991. Investors are concerned about the company's lagging position in the AI race and rising component costs.
Global oil prices rose by 2% at the close of trading on January 9 due to geopolitical instability. Protests in Iran and escalation in Ukraine affected the market.
Delcy Rodriguez, appointed as interim president of Venezuela, announced the start of a diplomatic dialogue with the Donald Trump administration. This comes despite official condemnation of US actions, which Caracas calls the "illegal kidnapping" of Nicolas Maduro.
President Zelenskyy initiates discussions on a free trade agreement between Ukraine and the US with zero tariffs. He also proposes special economic zones and a buffer zone along the contact line.
Russia's crude oil production experienced its largest drop in 18 months in December. This was attributed to Western sanctions and active Ukrainian drone strikes on energy infrastructure.
EU countries have supported a trade agreement with the Mercosur bloc, paving the way for its signing next week. The agreement, which concludes 25 years of negotiations, will create an integrated market with 780 million consumers.
Trump's team is preparing potential deals to strengthen US influence in Greenland, including mineral extraction. Denmark, which controls the island, refuses to sell but offers to strengthen the US military and economic presence.
US airstrikes in Venezuela during the capture of Nicolas Maduro resulted in the deaths of over 100 people. The deceased were young people and had no connection to the "socialist revolution."
Russia is using the online game ARMA3 and the Discord app to recruit South Africans for the war against Ukraine. Two men in their 20s left South Africa, one of whom was killed in battle in Luhansk Oblast.
