The station sent the letter to the authorities, who were trying to track down the senders. Coleman said the newsroom and law enforcement believe the letters sent to the media could be legitimate because they contained sensitive information about Nancy and the crime scene.

Emma Raducanu missed the chance to win her first title since her US Open triumph in 2021 after losing in straight sets to home favourite Sorana Cirstea in the Transylvania Open final. Raducanu, the top seed, appeared to be feeling the effects of her marathon semi-final win against Ukraine’s Oleksandra Oliynykova on Friday, falling to Cirstea 6-0, 6-2 in little over an hour in Cluj. Romanian Cirstea, 35 and in her final year on the Tour, sealed the fourth WTA title of her 20-year career. Raducanu, whose father is Romanian, was pushed to the limit in her last-four clash against Oliynykova 24 hours earlier and had no answers against Cirstea’s big hitting. The British No 1 came under early pressure, eventually losing her opening service game having saved five break points, and she went on to lose the opening set without winning a game in just 30 minutes. View image in fullscreen A struggling Emma Raducanu has a medical timeout in the second set. Photograph: Alex Nicodim/Shutterstock After losing a fourth successive service game to fall 2-0 down in the second set, Raducanu broke Cirstea to love to win her first game but then needed a medical time out. She recovered to then hold her serve for the first time to level at 2-2, but she could not maintain her momentum as Cirstea took the next three games to lead 5-2. Raducanu appeared to have nothing left in the tank as she served to stay in the match and in the next game she lost her serve for a sixth time as Cirstea took the title. At the Abu Dhabi Open, the Czech qualifier Sara Bejlek sealed a surprise first WTA Tour win by beating Ekaterina Alexandrova 7-6 (5), 6-1 in the final. The 20-year-old will climb from 101 in the rankings into the top 50 after the best week of her career.

After years of struggling, retreating, and re-emerging, Intel is once again entering the GPU market. The company plans to build GPUs at scale, a clear signal that it wants a serious seat at the tablet ruled by Nvidia and AMD. Intel’s CEO, Lip-Bu Tan, said that the company has hired a new chief architect to build graphics cards. “I just hired the chief GPU architect, and he’s very good,” Tan mentioned in a statement quoted by Reuters. Why Intel can’t afford to ignore GPUs anymore GPUs are no longer optional in the AI-driven industry, even for the most prominent players in the CPU industry. Recommended Videos Whether it is to enhance a computer or laptop’s video editing or gaming capabilities or to build a massive AI data processing center, GPUs are the building blocks of the modern computing stack. Intel seems to have understood it the hard way. For the last few years, the company has struggled with manufacturing delays, lost a significant market share to AMD, and missed key AI opportunities. A serious GPU push could help the company restore relevance beyond CPUs. The company’s renewed GPU push is primarily enterprise-focused, a market where Nvidia currently enjoys near-unchecked dominance. An enterprise-focused GPU roadmap Consumer-grade GPUs might exist under the Arc brand, but they might not be the headline act, unless the company decides to revamp the Arc lineup. Even though Intel’s efforts seem to be in the right direction, it appears the company is a tad too late in recognizing the importance of GPUs and in creating a lineup that’s attractive to enterprises around the world. It might be a while before the company has models on offer, while the existing giants will continue to innovate and reap profits. Even though the company hasn’t announced any launch dates, development is underway, with early platforms expected over the next few years. Anyways, it’s clear that the company wants to be a full-stack silicon provider again. For now, it’s good to see the company ...

After years of struggling, retreating, and re-emerging, Intel is once again entering the GPU market. The company plans to build GPUs at scale, a clear signal that it wants a serious seat at the tablet ruled by Nvidia and AMD. Intel’s CEO, Lip-Bu Tan, said that the company has hired a new chief architect to build graphics cards. “I just hired the chief GPU architect, and he’s very good,” Tan mentioned in a statement quoted by Reuters. Intel Why Intel can’t afford to ignore GPUs anymore GPUs are no longer optional in the AI-driven industry, even for the most prominent players in the CPU industry. Whether it is to enhance a computer or laptop’s video editing or gaming capabilities or to build a massive AI data processing center, GPUs are the building blocks of the modern computing stack. Intel seems to have understood it the hard way. For the last few years, the company has struggled with manufacturing delays, lost a significant market share to AMD, and missed key AI opportunities. A serious GPU push could help the company restore relevance beyond CPUs. The company’s renewed GPU push is primarily enterprise-focused, a market where Nvidia currently enjoys near-unchecked dominance. Asus An enterprise-focused GPU roadmap Consumer-grade GPUs might exist under the Arc brand, but they might not be the headline act, unless the company decides to revamp the Arc lineup. Even though Intel’s efforts seem to be in the right direction, it appears the company is a tad too late in recognizing the importance of GPUs and in creating a lineup that’s attractive to enterprises around the world. It might be a while before the company has models on offer, while the existing giants will continue to innovate and reap profits. Even though the company hasn’t announced any launch dates, development is underway, with early platforms expected over the next few years. Anyways, it’s clear that the company wants to be a full-stack silicon provider again. For now, it’s good to see the company committi...

The global cryptocurrency market is worth $2.4 trillion. Top performers Bitcoin and Ethereum have delivered gains of 100% and 68% over the last 12 months, as easing inflation has brought less stable investments back into fashion. However, cryptocurrencies remain a riskier play than most stocks, as they are known for their volatility and prices that can rise and fall on the whim of something as simple as a social media post. Crypto's decentralized nature makes it easy to use, enabling worldwide transactions with minimal fees. However, it can also mean that without tangible ties to an organization, there can be very little rhyme or reason for price fluctuation. As a result, investors looking to grow their portfolio with less risk might want to consider tech stocks. Tech is an ever-expanding market that benefits from consistent demand for upgraded software and hardware products. Consequently, investing in companies with solid business models and market penetration can deliver major growth over the long term. So, here are two tech stocks with more potential than any cryptocurrency. 1. Intel You might be surprised to see Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) on this list, with its stock down 39% since 2021. The company doesn't exactly have a reputation for outperforming cryptocurrencies. However, Intel is turning things around and is active in industries that could help it see its stock price soar in the coming years. Intel shares jumped 13% in the last month as investors appear to be taking notice of recent restructuring. In 2023, the company announced a "fundamental change" in its operations that would see it expand full force into the foundry market by building chip fabs across North America. According to Allied Market Research, the semiconductor foundry market was estimated at $107 billion in 2022 and is projected to more than double to $232 billion by 2032. Chip demand skyrocketed in recent years as advances in various tech sectors require more powerful hardware to take their design...

Head coach says defender apologised to he and his team ‘There is not any regret in making him captain’ Thomas Frank will not consider stripping Cristian Romero of the Tottenham captaincy despite the defender invoking a four-game ban after he was sent off in the 2–0 defeat by Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday. It was Romero’s second red card in 10 matches following his two yellows in the 2-1 defeat at Liverpool on 20 December and the ban is his fourth this season. Romero’s off-field conduct has also been a source of concern for the Spurs manager. Following last Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Manchester City , Romero described the depth of Spurs’ squad as “disgraceful” . The outburst on social media called into question his status as captain after the Argentinian was critical of the club’s ownership following the 3-2 defeat at Bournemouth in early January. “They only show up when things are going well, to tell a few lies,” Romero posted on social media, but later deleted the reference to lies. Continue reading...

D-Wave Quantum (NYSE: QBTS) is making a bold move that could redefine its future and unlock massive upside for investors willing to embrace volatility. This video breaks down the catalyst, the risks, and what needs to happen next. Stock prices used were the market prices of Jan. 27, 2026. The video was published on Feb. 5, 2026. Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue » Should you buy stock in D-Wave Quantum right now? Before you buy stock in D-Wave Quantum, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and D-Wave Quantum wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $443,299!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,136,601!* Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 914% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 195% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of February 7, 2026. Rick Orford has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Rick Orford is an affiliate of The Motley Fool and may be compensated for promoting its services. If you choose to subscribe through their link, they will earn some extra money that supports their channel. Their opinions remain their own and are unaffected by The Motley Fool. The views and opinions ...

Artificial intelligence (AI) holds immense potential to reshape industries, from automating tasks to generating new insights. Yet, despite this promise, only a handful of companies have turned AI deployments into substantial profits, though most are chipmakers like Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) that supply advanced accelerators to fuel AI expansion. However, many customers investing in these tools struggle ... Why Nvidia’s Jensen Huang Thinks Meta Platforms Is AI’s Profit Pioneer

Italy 18-15 Scotland Azzurri resist fightback in appalling conditions They say the Six Nations is all about momentum and Scotland, again, find themselves sliding rapidly downhill. Passion and effort are guaranteed from any Italy team but they were clinical here too and defended magnificently. They ruthlessly capitalised on Scotland’s often rank inaccuracy and a richly deserved win – their second in three years against Scotland – sets them up beautifully for the tournament. The fly-half Paolo Garbisi played the appallingly wet conditions superbly to celebrate his 50th Test cap, testing the visitors’ defence with regular, spiralling contestable kicks and mostly striking the ball well off the tee. The centres Tommaso Menoncello and Juan Ignacio Brex, also marking his 50th cap, were sensational again while the energy and skill of the wing Louis Lynagh significantly softened the blow of Ange Capuozzo’s injury absence. Collectively, in difficult conditions, Italy’s handling and ball movement were far superior to Scotland’s and arguably, for head coach Gregor Townsend and his players, there is no excuse for that. Continue reading...

The organisers of the Winter Olympics opening ceremony have refused to deny speculation that the US pop diva Mariah Carey lip synced her part in the show. Carey took to the stage to sing Domenico Modugno’s “Nel Blu, dipinto di Blu” in Italian, followed by one of her own songs, “Nothing Is Impossible”, but many on social media quickly claimed that there were several times where her lip movements were out of time with the music. When asked directly whether Carey was lip synching, the director of the show, Maria Laura Iascone, confirmed that there had been a pre-recording – but refused to say whether it had been used or the American had sung live. “During all the ceremonies, in order to be on the safe side, we always record,” she said. “But this is something that is practised internationally in events with high-level broadcasting.” However, she insisted that Carey’s performance had been “extraordinary”. “Yesterday’s performance was really extraordinary,” she said, “It was fantastic for everybody and we are all satisfied by the results we had. And the images can prove it to you all, because there was magic.” Iascone confirmed that Carey had not been paid. “We believe that Mariah Carey was exceptional, as were all our artists,” she added. “She was not paid for participation as this was the condition for the opening ceremony. We were really honoured to have her with us. “We were extremely happy and satisfied with her performance, as a major talent, who has given us the possibility of representing a very joyful moment. And she also sang an Italian song, which people in the stadium felt deeply about.” View image in fullscreen Mariah Carey was praised for singing an Italian song which pleased the locals attending at San Siro. Photograph: Piero Cruciatti/AFP/Getty Images The International Olympic Commitee played down the boos for the US vice president JD Vance in the opening ceremony, preferring instead to note the enthusiastic reception given to the USA team. However, IOC sp...

MSFT Stock Today: February 8 — Dow 50,000 Close Lifts AI Leaders Meyka

Veteran analysts drop shock call on Micron stock after historic run thestreet.com

Nvidia and AMD have delivered significant growth during this AI boom. Many players are participating in the high-growth field of artificial intelligence (AI). But two in particular stand out as they make key tools critical to the development and functioning of AI. I'm talking about chip designers Nvidia (NVDA +8.01%) and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD +8.32%). Nvidia is the chip leader, offering the world's most powerful graphics processing units (GPUs), and this has resulted in incredible growth over the past few years. AMD has proven it can compete with this market leader as it's launched chips rivaling those of Nvidia and has been announcing soaring demand and revenue. And investors can count on both of these companies for a clear picture of the current and, potentially, future AI market. AMD was the first to report quarterly earnings during the current earnings season, and the company announced record revenue for the quarter and the full year, as well as strong profitability. Chief Lisa Su even said that, based on the current situation, AMD expects "significant" sales and revenue growth this year. In spite of these results, though, AMD stock sank 17% in the trading session following the report. Is this stock performance, following a strong earnings report, a warning for Nvidia shareholders ahead of the market giant's Feb. 25 earnings report? Let's find out. AMD's soaring earnings So, first, let's consider AMD's report. As mentioned, overall, the company delivered very positive news. In the quarter, revenue climbed 34% to more than $10 billion, surpassing analysts' estimates. Gross margin expanded to 54% from 51% a year ago, showing greater profitability on sales. And Su said the company is on track to reach its targets, such as increasing revenue at a more than 35% compound annual growth rate over the coming three to five years. "We are entering a multiyear demand super cycle for high-performance and AI computing," Su said during the earnings call. Still, the stock...

Jeff Clark of TradeSmith discusses contrarian setups in oversold software, discounted Bitcoin, and Albertsons as rotation hits former leaders—plus why gold miners may be due for a pullback.

Key Points Intuitive Surgical makes the da Vinci surgical robot. The company is growing strongly but has a lofty price tag. The stock is prone to drawdowns, such as the one in January. 10 stocks we like better than Intuitive Surgical › Intuitive Surgical (NASDAQ: ISRG) is not going to interest value-conscious investors. In fact, with a price-to-earnings ratio of 60, it is quite an expensive stock. For reference, the S&P 500 index has an average P/E of 28, and it is trading near all-time highs right now. Aggressive growth investors that take a long-term view, however, may appreciate the opportunity opened up by the stock's January swoon. What does Intuitive Surgical do? Intuitive Surgical makes the da Vinci surgical robot. At the end of 2025, there were 11,106 da Vinci systems operating globally, up 12% year over year. The number of surgeries performed with a da Vinci system rose 18%, showing that there's both high demand for the system from medical professionals and high demand among patients for robotic-assisted surgery. The company is expecting the number of surgeries performed with da Vinci systems to rise as much as 15% in 2026. Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue » What's interesting is that robots account for only around 25% of the company's sales. The rest comes from services, instruments, and accessories. These are annuity-like business lines because they provide Intuitive Surgical with a recurring income stream. That income stream grows with each new robot sold. With advances in AI and improvements in surgical outcomes enabled by robot-assisted surgery, it seems Intuitive Surgical is well positioned to be a long-term winner in the healthcare sector. Not cheap, but cheaper What's interesting is that growth stocks like Intuitive Surgical tend to move higher in a jagged fashion. An...

Watch: The US and Russia's nuclear treaty is dead. What comes next? The expiration of New START means there are no limits on nuclear weapons between both countries for the first time since 1991.

Micron stock jumps into the weekend: UBS lifts target to $450 as Nvidia HBM4 doubts surface TechStock²

We recently published 12 Stocks Jim Cramer Talked About. Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) is one of the stocks that Jim Cramer talked about. Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) reported its earnings earlier this week and posted $113.83 billion in revenue to beat analyst estimates of $111.43 billion. The earnings came after Cramer continued to heap praise on the firm throughout January. The CNBC TV host believes that Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) is one of the strongest players in several industries, such as AI. Following the earnings, multiple analysts have discussed the firm. For instance, DA Davidson bumped the share price target to $310 from $300 and kept a Neutral rating. The financial firm commented that Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) is experiencing growing demand for its cloud computing business and added that the demand appears to be stemming from enterprise users. Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated a $370 share price target and an Overweight rating. Cantor focused on Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL)’s capital expenditure to comment that while the expenditure was high, the firm’s dominance in AI was comforting. Given his optimism about the company, Cramer discussed Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) in detail following the earnings:

Scotland are facing a washout of a Six Nations campaign after suffering a dispiriting opening loss to Italy in rain-soaked Rome. Having come from 12 points behind to stun the Scots in 2024, this time the Italians raced into a 12-point lead. The gap was down to three by the final whistle but Scotland did not do enough as the hosts made the most of their rapid start, superior set-piece and solid discipline. Italy scored from their first attack as Louis Lynagh slid in to finish off a lovely grubber kick from Juan Ignacio Brex. The Scottish defence was exposed again soon after, with Tom Jordan beaten to a high ball and Tommaso Menoncello speeding down the left flank to score with ease. Amid a torrential downpour, Jack Dempsey powered through from close range to reduce the deficit. But Paolo Garbisi popped over a penalty after an astonishing drop-goal miss from right in front of the posts to give Italy an eight-point advantage at the interval. With players aquaplaning across the soggy surface and the error count sky high, Finn Russell and Garbisi exchanged penalties before Scotland's replacement hooker George Turner was sent to the bin for a rash clear-out. The conditions were near farcical, the ball frequently squirming through fingers and set-pieces a mess, with Scotland making the lion's share of blunders. Then, almost out of nowhere, replacement scrum-half George Horne slithered across the grass and into the corner, although Russell could not add the extras. A three-point game going into the final 10 minutes, Italy held their nerve and did the simple things better to see out a deserved victory.

Along with criticising the university's teaching, Hegseth said the Pentagon was also cutting off Harvard because some of its research programs have partnered with the Chinese Communist Party. Between 2010 and 2025, Harvard received $560 million in gifts and contracts from Chinese foundations, private donors, and government entities, according to the New York Times.

Goldman Finds Consumer Trends Remain Solid Amid K-Shaped Economy Fears Goldman analysts Scott Feiler and Eric Mihelc updated clients this week with the latest read on consumer health. The key takeaway : spending trends remain resilient heading into spring, even as the K-shaped economy narrative dominates the news cycle and the Trump administration continues to push affordability measures. " It seems like consumer trends are still solid. It's not a clean sweep, but we're seeing January growth as strong, or stronger than December for most companies we have heard from ," Feiler said. There was good news earlier this morning : University of Michigan consumer sentiment rose unexpectedly to a six-month high, driven largely by higher-income households benefiting from stock market gains. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg had expected a reading of 55, but the index came in at 57.3. The report also suggests that tariff-linked inflation fears have eased among Democratic-leaning respondents ( read the report ). Back to Feiler's note, where the key takeaway is that consumption trends remain solid: I wanted to briefly highlight the conversations we are having, inbounds we are getting from investors and stocks in focus on the back of these themes. 1. Health of the Consumer . Fine, Right?: It seems like consumer trends are still solid. It's not a clean sweep, but we're seeing January growth as strong, or stronger than December for most companies we have heard from. Last night, COST beat January sales and saw a 50 bps acceleration vs December. BOOT guided last night and spoke to broad-based acceleration in January comp. CMG spoke to momentum in January. Importantly, Visa provided a table showing acceleration in January trends vs the last 3 months. There are also expectations for very strong revenues later this morning from TPR, RL & EL. Bottom-line, any challenges with the market are not a result of any change to consumption trends, which are generally strong. 2. Under The Hood : At ...

Getty Images For this week's Friday followup article, I'm taking another look at LPL Financial ( LPLA ), which is up around +6.5% since my buy rating last November. The San Diego-based firm, which provides an integrated platform of brokerage and investment advisory services to independent financial advisors and financial advisors at institutions in the US , also had earnings results recently on Jan. 29th so I'll be exploring some of that data. My bullish view last time was reinforced by expectation of further client asset growth, and the firm's strong credit ratings, among other factors. In today's followup, though, I applied an updated methodology and some additional angles, to see if my prior view changes. Thesis Summary This time around, after my updated look into this stock, I'm pulling back slightly to a hold rating from my prior buy . Although several factors drive further bullishness, including organic growth and competitive positioning along with demand drivers in the financial advisory space, the stock seems overvalued in relation to further near-term upside potential, and its technical pattern supports a neutral view as well. LPLA - rating worksheet (author) The worksheet above summarizes the factors that drove my updated rating. Read on to learn more about each topic. Macro & Sector Outlook To understand some macro and sector factors that could impact this stock, let's first get a sense for what the firm does. From its last investor deck (pg 5), we can see its target market is serving financial advisors: LPLA - market served (LPLA investor deck) So, that begs the question whether there are indicators of further demand for personalized wealth advice and financial planning, looking ahead. Consider that a McKinsey study was cited in WealthManagement.com last year which said that "by 2034, the wealth management industry will see a shortage of roughly 100,000 advisors, " adding that it is the growing demand for financial advice which is "the driver of the shor...

These technology giants offer a higher risk-adjusted upside potential than many cryptocurrencies. Cryptocurrencies can deliver explosive gains, but they remain heavily influenced by investor sentiment, speculation, and a changing regulatory landscape. The artificial intelligence (AI) boom, however, is evolving into a more sustainable, measurable global investment cycle. Research firm Gartner expects worldwide AI spending to grow 44% year over year to $2.5 trillion in 2026. Against this backdrop, here are two technology stocks that appear to offer a better risk-reward proposition than cryptocurrencies in the long run. While these stocks may suffer during a potential technology industry downturn, their recovery prospects appear higher due to strong underlying fundamentals. Nvidia Nvidia (NVDA +8.01%) is a critical enabler of the global AI infrastructure build-out and is not relying heavily on a sentiment-driven narrative cycle. According to Goldman Sachs, the consensus estimate for hyperscaler capital spending on AI initiatives is $527 billion in 2026, up from $400 billion in 2025. With this spending cycle still intact, Nvidia should continue to witness robust demand for its AI-optimized chips, networking, and software solutions. Unlike cryptocurrency, where demand can surge and fade with changing regulation or risk appetite, AI capital expenditure (capex) is increasingly tied to productive workloads across enterprise and government clients. AI demand is also shifting from less frequent training workloads to recurring inference workloads (deploying AI models in real products and workflows), making demand stickier once deployed. Expand NASDAQ : NVDA Nvidia Today's Change ( 8.01 %) $ 13.77 Current Price $ 185.65 Key Data Points Market Cap $4.5T Day's Range $ 174.62 - $ 187.00 52wk Range $ 86.62 - $ 212.19 Volume 8.9M Avg Vol 183M Gross Margin 70.05 % Dividend Yield 0.02 % Management has highlighted that revenue visibility for Blackwell and next-generation Vera Rubin sys...

Organizers in Monterey Park took inspiration from other US cities to fight against the construction of a giant datacenter When a southern California city council proposed building a giant datacenter the size of four football fields last December, five residents vowed to stop it. Through a frenetic word-of-mouth campaign, the small group raised awareness about the proposed facility in Monterey Park, a small city east of Los Angeles known affectionately as the country’s first suburban Chinatown. No Data Center Monterey Park organizers – working in tandem with the grassroots racial justice group San Gabriel Valley (SGV) Progressive Action – held a teach-in and rally that drew hundreds of participants, knocked on doors, and distributed flyers on busy streets. They emphasized how the computer systems facility would strain the power grid, drive up energy rates and create noise pollution. A petition quickly amassed nearly 5,000 signatures. All the materials were shared in English, Chinese and Spanish – a concerted effort to reach Monterey Park’s diverse populace, which is two-thirds Asian and one-quarter Hispanic. Continue reading...

Trade can be a dirty business. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was tolerated as a “special representative for trade and investment” in the noughties despite allegations that he kept convicted gun smugglers for friends, while Peter Mandelson’s ability to schmooze the rich and famous repeatedly overruled concerns about his probity. To close a deal, there are always compromises to be made, and sometimes the terms are unsavoury. Britain is at the forefront of international deal making. It has been a trading nation for as long as it has existed. And even before that. Recent studies have shown the Cornish were trading tin and copper long before even the Romans arrived in the UK. The question is, as trade routes become dominated by new powers, such as China and India, does the UK pursue its interests in the same old ways or attempt to clean up its act. Keir Starmer told us what he thought last year when he appointed Mandelson to be US ambassador, and in so doing, became yet another prime minister to put the art of the deal before more ethical concerns. When Liz Truss appointed Ian Botham as a trade envoy to Australia, the former cricketer’s qualifications for the job were not immediately obvious. Last week, a group of MPs said the prime minister had spurned an opportunity to show he wanted to promote more sophisticated, secure and transparent trading relationships when he refused to appoint a “cross-government minister for economic security”. View image in fullscreen Liam Byrne, the business and trade committee chair and former Treasury minister, said deals were being done that needed more scrutiny, especially when Chinese companies are involved. Photograph: Antonio Olmos/The Observer Liam Byrne, the business and trade committee chair and former Treasury minister, said deals were being done that needed more scrutiny, especially when Chinese companies are involved, to prevent them becoming national security issues later on. Byrne wants the government to be more mindful of the in...

The Seahawks and the Patriots aren’t the only ones gearing up for a fight. AI rivals Anthropic and OpenAI have launched a war of ads trying to court corporate America during one of the biggest entertainment nights of the year. Ahead of the Super Bowl, Anthropic has launched a series of ads going hard at its rival. For the scrawny 23-year-old who wants a six-pack, a ripped older man who is supposed to depict a chatbot suggests insoles that “help short kings stand tall” because “confidence isn’t just built in the gym”. And for the man trying to improve communication with his mom: his therapist prescribes “a mature dating site that connects sensitive cubs with roaring cougars” in case he can’t fix that relationship. All four ads end with the same tagline: “Ads are coming to AI. But not to Claude.” There’s no explicit mention of ChatGPT, but the subtext is clear. Even Sam Altman laughed. But he also called the ads “so clearly dishonest” before diving into a lengthy critique on X. “Our most important principle for ads says that we won’t do exactly this; we would obviously never run ads in the way Anthropic depicts them,” Altman wrote. “We are not stupid and we know our users would reject that.” Altman stressed that OpenAI’s decision to include ads, announced last month, makes the product more accessible. “We believe everyone deserves to use AI and are committed to free access,” he wrote. And Altman didn’t shy away from taking some shots of his own. “Anthropic serves an expensive product to rich people. We are glad they do that and we are doing that too, but we also feel strongly that we need to bring AI to billions of people who can’t pay for subscriptions,” he wrote. (Claude has a free subscription version, too.) ChatGPT’s ad policy is not live yet, but OpenAI maintains on its website that ads will be “separate and clearly labeled” and won’t influence the answers users see. The company also states that it will not share conversations with ChatGPT with advertisers, and i...

Christy Swords (Letters, 28 January) notes that millions of homes still use Freeview, but his case for retaining the terrestrial TV network would carry more weight were he not – as his letter makes clear – a consultant for Arqiva, the privately owned monopoly owner of the masts and transmitters that power Freeview. Mr Swords claims that preserving Freeview into the 2040s carries “zero risk” for households reliant on digital terrestrial television. He is wrong. It would actually result in a two-tier system, leaving a minority of vulnerable homes with an inferior free TV service: fewer channels, fewer programmes and basic functionality. By contrast, TV delivered online can offer a more consumer-friendly and accessible future, giving vulnerable audiences a familiar TV experience totally transformed by features only the internet can deliver, like voice control. TV delivered online is not the same as Freeview – it is better. While access and affordability of broadband needs to be solved, access to reliable broadband will be higher than the coverage of Freeview by 2032. Around 95% of homes already pay for the internet, and most of the remainder already pay for a landline that will soon be converted to an internet-delivered line – at no extra cost to them – ready for TV. We absolutely agree that no one should be left behind in terms of connectivity, usability and affordability, and there will be a minority who need support. And of course, any future transition in TV needs to be seen as part of a much wider plan for the UK to embrace the potential for a fully inclusive digital society, along with the wider societal and economic benefits it can deliver. Extending terrestrial TV into the 2040s does little for viewers, but much for the company providing the infrastructure it relies on. Yes, we should have a proper policy debate about Freeview’s future, but let’s base it on facts, not vested interests. Jonathan Thompson CEO, Everyone TV – the organisation that runs free TV in t...

Get ahead of the market by subscribing to Seeking Alpha's Wall Street Week Ahead, a preview of key events scheduled for the coming week. The newsletter keeps you informed of the biggest stories set to make headlines, including upcoming IPOs, investor days, earnings reports, and conference presentations. Wall Street's major averages left the red zone on Friday, advancing after several days of technology-led selloffs, while investors digested Amazon's ( AMZN ) earnings beat and outsized AI capital expenditures. Bitcoin ( BTC-USD ), on the other hand, rose to over $68,000 after touching a new low around the $60,000 mark. ETFs reported outflows of about $434M on Thursday, with IBIT losing $175M alone. Amid a busy week of earnings, the coming week will feature a few important economic data releases. Retail Sales data for December is due on Tuesday, and Nonfarm payrolls and unemployment data are scheduled for Wednesday. On Thursday, initial jobless claims data will be released, followed by January's CPI data release on Friday. ON Semiconductor ( ON ), Coca-Cola ( KO ), Ford ( F ), AstraZeneca ( AZN ) and Cisco ( CSCO ) are among the companies reporting their results in the coming week. _______________________________________________________________ Earnings spotlight: Monday: ON Semiconductor and Loews ( L ). See the full earnings calendar . Earnings spotlight: Tuesday: Coca-Cola, AstraZeneca, Gilead ( GILD ), Ford. See the full earnings calendar . Earnings spotlight: Wednesday: Cisco, T-Mobile US ( TMUS ), TotalEnergies SE ( TTE ). See the full earnings calendar . Earnings spotlight: Thursday: Applied Materials ( AMAT ), British American Tobacco ( BTI ). See the full earnings calendar . Volatility watch: AppLovin ( APP ) and Bloom Energy ( BE ) are set up for a volatile week of trading based on options volume. The most overbought stocks per their 14-day relative strength index include TechCreate Group ( TCGL ), Peakstone Realty Trust ( PKST ), and Frontera Energy ( FECCF...