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An S&P Global survey showed the housebuilding subindex fell to 33.5 in December, its weakest since early 2020, while the overall construction PMI was 40.1, indicating continued contraction.

A viral Reddit post claiming to be a DoorDash whistleblower was shown to be fabricated using AI; DoorDash's CEO denied the allegations and reporters found AI-generated images and documents used to support the story.

Health Canada approved Plosbrio and Poviztra on Dec. 22 and said they are identical to Ozempic and Wegovy except for name and packaging; Novo Nordisk Canada says it is considering introducing a version of semaglutide to compete with generics once they enter the Canadian market.

The Press Herald Toy Fund completed its 76th annual drive and delivered gifts to more than 4,400 Maine children, and the Drummond family made their 76th consecutive donation.

The government has proposed cutting the legal breath alcohol limit in England and Wales from 35 to about 22 micrograms and urged people not to drink if they plan to drive; the strategy also proposes alcolocks for some offenders and new powers to suspend licences.

A viral clip shows Conor McGregor encouraging people experiencing homelessness in Ireland over the New Year and urging community support; the video has drawn positive responses on social media.

The article mentions CrowdStrike shares rose about 26% over the past year and that an analyst cites AI-driven platform adoption and strong quarterly revenue growth (over 20%) as reasons for continued momentum.

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office reportedly refused Tesla’s 'Robotaxi' trademark and reports say 'Cybercab' was already claimed by a French company; the article says Tesla shares fell about 4% after the news.

IKEA will close seven large stores in China from Feb. 2 and will refocus on smaller-format shops and online channels while continuing to operate 34 physical stores and two flagship e-commerce shops.

A Midwestern-style chicken and broccoli casserole that takes about an hour to make and uses parboiled brown rice and frozen broccoli for convenience and cost savings.

The Met Office has issued yellow ice and snow warnings across much of the UK ahead of Storm Goretti, and snow has already caused school closures and transport disruption.

Saudi Arabia's Capital Market Authority removed qualification requirements for foreign investors and will allow non-residents to invest directly in the main market from Feb. 1, the regulator said.

Ascentage Pharma announced that its next-generation BTK-targeted protein degrader APG-3288 has received IND clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and will enter a global, multicenter Phase I study in patients with relapsed or refractory B‑cell and other hematologic malignancies.

John Harbaugh has a reported 180–113 record over 18 seasons with a Super Bowl win, and some commentators urged the New York Giants to consider front-office changes—similar to Jacksonville’s recent move—to increase their chances of hiring him.

Mackenzie Dalton, 16, was found safe in Lexington County and an 18-year-old man was arrested on an obstruction charge; authorities say there is no indication she was held against her will.

Lucid, Uber and Nuro revealed a robotaxi program at CES 2026 using Lucid’s Gravity SUV, with testing already underway in the San Francisco Bay Area and production planned later this year.

Chinese buyers largely shunned offers for Venezuelan Merey crude this week as loadings to China fell amid a US naval blockade, and sellers raised offers with Merey offered about $13 a barrel below Brent versus roughly $15 a month ago.

Major Japanese trading houses warned that recent yen volatility is raising investment risks and urged authorities to help stabilize the currency; separately, China announced immediate export controls on dual-use items to Japan, and Japanese officials are still assessing the impact.

A December survey for Pensions UK found 28% of people in salary sacrifice schemes plan to increase contributions before rules change, while about 11% expect to reduce contributions once the change takes effect; the autumn budget makes salary-sacrificed pension contributions above £2,000 a year subject to national insurance from April 2029.

Researchers at Mass General Brigham proposed adding waist and body‑fat measures to BMI; applying their criteria to about 300,000 adults raised the estimated U.S. obesity rate from 42.9% to nearly 70%, and nearly 80% of participants over 70 met the new threshold.

Prokaryotics and Basilea announced a joint program to develop a novel broad‑spectrum antifungal aimed at severe invasive infections caused by Candida, Aspergillus and rare molds; Basilea will fund development and hold an exclusive global license after a clinical candidate is selected, and Prokaryotics may receive milestone payments and royalties.

South Africa published regulations on Jan. 5 that expand an energy users' block exemption so firms in 'industries in distress' can jointly negotiate energy and share backup generation, and the change could assist ferrochrome and manganese processors facing high electricity costs and recent layoffs.

At CES, automakers and tech firms showed AI-powered in-cabin systems that adapt to drivers and passengers, while experts raised questions about how much personal data those systems collect.

Satellite imagery shows an algal bloom in the Hartbeespoortdam reservoir growing, shifting, and fading between June 2022 and July 2023; researchers link blooms mainly to phosphorus in runoff and warmer water temperatures.

The FTSE/JSE Africa All Share Index's market capitalization climbed above $500 billion, supported by gains in precious metals and a rand that strengthened about 14% last year; the Johannesburg bourse rose 38% over the same period.

Blood donations are lower than usual across the Philadelphia region after winter illnesses, colder weather and holiday scheduling reduced donor turnout; nearby New Jersey declared a blood emergency and reported about a 40% decline in recent weeks.

Newly released video shows a November crash on U.S. 87 near Dalhart that killed four Houston-area women; families have filed a civil lawsuit naming the truck driver, two trucking companies and H-E-B, and the incident is being investigated as criminally negligent homicide.

Eureka introduced the Z50 robot vacuum and the FloorShine 890 wet/dry vacuum, bringing continuous fresh-water mopping and high-temperature steam features to mid- and entry-level markets.

The Bank of Thailand said it will take a medium-term view of monetary policy after cutting its benchmark rate by a cumulative 125 basis points to 1.25%; the next Monetary Policy Committee meeting is scheduled for Feb. 25.

Brian Cole Jr. was federally indicted on charges tied to explosive devices placed near the Republican and Democratic National Committee headquarters on Jan. 5, 2021; he was arrested in December 2025 and is being held pending trial.