Key Points The software giant's "Azure and other cloud services" revenue grew 40% last quarter, with demand exceeding supply. Microsoft's commercial backlog soared, driven primarily by Azure commitments. Capital expenditures were $34.9 billion last quarter, and management said spending will rise sequentially. 10 stocks we like better than Microsoft › It's a timely moment to look at Microsoft (NASD...
Key Points The software giant's "Azure and other cloud services" revenue grew 40% last quarter, with demand exceeding supply. Microsoft's commercial backlog soared, driven primarily by Azure commitments. Capital expenditures were $34.9 billion last quarter, and management said spending will rise sequentially. 10 stocks we like better than Microsoft › It's a timely moment to look at Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) stock. Not only is it down more than 10% in three months, but it reports fiscal second-quarter results after market close on Wednesday. Going into the report, we know demand is surging for the company's cloud-computing business, Azure. So this part of the software giant's business should report another spectacular quarter. But we have less clarity about how quickly the company's capital expenditures will grow and whether its backlog will continue to expand at the extraordinary rate it was in fiscal Q1. Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue » While we'll have to wait until the update to get clarity on these items, do we have enough information in the meantime to know whether the stock is a buy now? Or is waiting for more information from the earnings report before making a decision the better move? Demand for Azure is surging As is the case for many tech companies during the AI (artificial intelligence) boom we find ourselves in today, the story at Microsoft right now is all about its cloud business, Azure. Demand for AI-capable cloud computing at Azure helped the company's "Azure and other cloud services" revenue soar 40% year over year in fiscal Q1. And Azure commitments are showing up in the company's commercial backlog, too. "Our commercial [remaining performance obligations (RPO)] increased over 50% to nearly $400 billion," said Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella in the company's fiscal first-quarterearnings call Microsoft's soaring RPOs, or the contracted revenue that it h...
is the Verge’s weekend editor. He has over 18 years of experience, including 10 years as managing editor at Engadget. Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. The FBI went to Microsoft last year with a warrant, asking them to hand over keys to unlock encrypted data stored on three laptops as part of an investigation into potential fraud involving the ...
is the Verge’s weekend editor. He has over 18 years of experience, including 10 years as managing editor at Engadget. Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. The FBI went to Microsoft last year with a warrant, asking them to hand over keys to unlock encrypted data stored on three laptops as part of an investigation into potential fraud involving the COVID unemployment assistance program in Guam — and Microsoft complied. Typically, companies resist handing over encryption keys to authorities. Most famously, Apple refused to grant the FBI access to a phone used by the San Bernardino shooters in 2016. The FBI eventually found a third-party to hack their way into the phone, but ultimately withdrew its case. Most of the major tech companies, including Google and Facebook backed Apple in its battle with the FBI. Even Microsoft supported Tim Cook’s position, if a bit less forcefully than some others. In this instance, however, it seems that Microsoft has decided to bow to government demands and confirmed to Forbes that it “does provide BitLocker recovery keys if it receives a valid legal order.” Microsoft spokesperson Charles Chamberlayne told The Verge that Microsoft is legally required to produce the keys stored on its servers. Chamberlayne ellaborated saying, “customers can choose to store their encryption keys locally, in a location inaccessible to Microsoft, or in Microsoft’s cloud. We recognize that some customers prefer Microsoft’s cloud storage so we can help recover their encryption key if needed. While key recovery offers convenience, it also carries a risk of unwanted access.” Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon countered, telling Forbes that it was “irresponsible” for companies to “secretly turn over users’ encryption keys.” What alarms privacy advocates like the ACLU is the precedent this sets and the potential for abuse. The current administration and ICE have shown little respect for data security or the rule of law. A...
Almost 4,000 flights were cancelled in the US on Saturday ahead of a monster winter storm that has already cut power to thousands of utility customers as far west as Texas, and threatened to paralyse eastern states with heavy snowfall. Forecasters said snow, sleet and freezing rain, accompanied by dangerously frigid temperatures, would sweep the eastern two-thirds of the nation on Sunday and int...
Almost 4,000 flights were cancelled in the US on Saturday ahead of a monster winter storm that has already cut power to thousands of utility customers as far west as Texas, and threatened to paralyse eastern states with heavy snowfall. Forecasters said snow, sleet and freezing rain, accompanied by dangerously frigid temperatures, would sweep the eastern two-thirds of the nation on Sunday and into next week. Calling the storms “historic”, US President Donald Trump on Saturday approved federal emergency disaster declarations in South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, Maryland, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Indiana, and West Virginia. Advertisement “We will continue to monitor, and stay in touch with all States in the path of this storm. Stay Safe, and Stay Warm,” Trump wrote in a social media post. Several states and the District of Columbia have declared weather emergencies. Snow blankets Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Saturday. Photo: Tulsa World via AP The US National Weather Service warned of an unusually expansive and long-duration winter storm that will bring widespread, heavy ice accumulation in the southeast US and cited “crippling to locally catastrophic impacts”.
We all know the saying "all that glitters is not gold," but these two previous metal ETFs may have the potential to shine bright in your portfolio. The VanEck Gold Miners ETF (GDX +1.76%) and abrdn Physical Platinum Shares ETF (PPLT +4.89%) may appeal to investors seeking to target precious metals, but their structures and exposures differ significantly. GDX is a large, liquid ETF focused on gold ...
We all know the saying "all that glitters is not gold," but these two previous metal ETFs may have the potential to shine bright in your portfolio. The VanEck Gold Miners ETF (GDX +1.76%) and abrdn Physical Platinum Shares ETF (PPLT +4.89%) may appeal to investors seeking to target precious metals, but their structures and exposures differ significantly. GDX is a large, liquid ETF focused on gold miners, while PPLT provides direct exposure to platinum’s spot price. This comparison breaks down their costs, recent returns, volatility, portfolio makeup, and other quirks to help investors weigh each option’s fit. Snapshot (cost & size) Metric GDX PPLT Issuer VanEck Aberdeen Investments Expense ratio 0.51% 0.60% 1-yr return (as of Jan. 24, 2026) 185.16% 190.64% Beta 0.64 0.34 AUM $30.36 billion $3.52 billion Beta measures price volatility relative to the S&P 500; beta is calculated from five-year weekly returns. The one-year return represents total return over the trailing 12 months. PPLT’s higher cost may be justified by its higher one-year yield and if investors are seeking direct platinum exposure. Performance & risk comparison Metric GDX PPLT Max drawdown (five years) -46.52% -35.73% Growth of $1,000 over five years $2,587 $2,133 What's inside PPLT holds physical platinum rather than stocks. The fund’s 16-year track record makes it one of the older options in its niche. Its price range over the past year has spanned $82.79 to $225.71, reflecting platinum’s significant price swings. GDX, by contrast, tracks an index of global gold mining companies. Top holdings include Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd. (AEM +0.40%), Newmont Corp. (NEM +2.15%), and Barrick Mining Corp. (B +3.74%). Outside of the top three, all of its holdings have less than 5% weight in the total fund. What this means for investors First, it should be noted that PPLT currently offers no dividend yield, while GDX has a yield of 0.59% and pays dividends annually. But overall, whether exposure is indirect or direct...
Billions owed: 'The Debt' podcast covers the South's long fight to repay public HBCUs A long-running fight over how to calculate and repay state funding debts to public HBCUs is flaring across the South, and Emily Siner and Camellia Burris tell the story in their podcast 'The Debt' from Nashville Public Radio and The Tennessee Lookout. SARAH MCCAMMON, HOST: State governments across the South have ...
Billions owed: 'The Debt' podcast covers the South's long fight to repay public HBCUs A long-running fight over how to calculate and repay state funding debts to public HBCUs is flaring across the South, and Emily Siner and Camellia Burris tell the story in their podcast 'The Debt' from Nashville Public Radio and The Tennessee Lookout. SARAH MCCAMMON, HOST: State governments across the South have underfunded their historically Black public colleges and universities, or HBCUs. So how should these debts be repaid? States have wrestled with this question for decades, and it's led to lawsuits, university mergers and, in one case, a student-led hunger strike. Reporters Emily Siner and Camellia Burris tell the story of one of these public HBCUs, Tennessee State University in Nashville, in their podcast "The Debt." Emily and Camellia, welcome to the program. EMILY SINER: Thanks for having us. CAMELLIA BURRIS, BYLINE: Thank you. MCCAMMON: I want to start with something that got national attention a few years ago. The state of Tennessee came out with a report saying that it had underfunded its public HBCU by up to half a billion - with a B - dollars. How did that happen? BURRIS: Well, TSU is a land-grant university, and these schools were created when the federal government gave states money or land to start colleges. But in the South, states ended up opening Black colleges to keep getting those federal funds but maintain segregation. And the state is required to match some of those federal funds. But for the Black schools, they usually did not. Fast forward to 2012 or so. There was a new lawmaker in Tennessee named Harold Love. Someone told him that TSU still wasn't getting its matching funds. Love did some research and found that it's true. TSU was not getting matching funds for many years. But the University of Tennessee, the state's other land-grant university, always got their matching funds. It wasn't until the summer of 2020, though, and the George Floyd protests when...
Photos: Massive winter storm sweeps across the U.S. toggle caption Nick Oxford/Reuters An extreme winter storm is underway impacting two-thirds of the U.S. Starting Friday and expected to last through Monday, freezing rain, ice, and dangerously low temperatures will stretch from New Mexico to the Northeast. Thousands of flights have been cancelled and power outages are of catastrophic concern espe...
Photos: Massive winter storm sweeps across the U.S. toggle caption Nick Oxford/Reuters An extreme winter storm is underway impacting two-thirds of the U.S. Starting Friday and expected to last through Monday, freezing rain, ice, and dangerously low temperatures will stretch from New Mexico to the Northeast. Thousands of flights have been cancelled and power outages are of catastrophic concern especially for the southern states. We take a look. toggle caption Andrew Nelles/USA Today Network via REUTERS toggle caption Will Newton/Getty Images toggle caption Cara Anna/AP toggle caption Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images toggle caption Will Newton/Getty Images toggle caption George Walker IV/AP toggle caption Clayton Steward/Bloomberg via Getty Images toggle caption Mark Felix/Bloomberg via Getty Images toggle caption Mark Felix/Bloomberg via Getty Images toggle caption Kiichiro Sato/AP
Key Points TMC is a deep-sea mining company that has exploratory rights for a deposit of critical minerals in the Pacific Ocean. The company recently became the first to submit an application under NOAA's newly consolidated deep-seabed mining permit process. TMC needs regulatory approval to mine nodules commercially before it can generate revenue. 10 stocks we like better than TMC The Metals Compa...
Key Points TMC is a deep-sea mining company that has exploratory rights for a deposit of critical minerals in the Pacific Ocean. The company recently became the first to submit an application under NOAA's newly consolidated deep-seabed mining permit process. TMC needs regulatory approval to mine nodules commercially before it can generate revenue. 10 stocks we like better than TMC The Metals Company › Right now, on the floor of the Pacific Ocean, tens of billions of dry tons of polymetallic nodules sit undisturbed, awaiting a decision on whether they will ever be extracted. Each of these polymetallic nodules contains metals critical to clean energy technology and electric vehicle (EV) batteries, such as cobalt, copper, nickel, and manganese. Collectively, they may represent one of the largest untapped critical mineral deposits in the world. Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue » One mining company believes it has the best shot at extracting them for industrial purposes. That company is The Metals Company (NASDAQ: TMC), and the likelihood of it commercially harvesting nodules at scale may have just gotten better. On Jan. 21, 2026, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced changes that would accelerate the permitting timeline for deep-seabed mining applications. In short, it's now allowing applicants -- like TMC -- to apply for both an exploration and commercial recovery permit through a single, consolidated application. Previously, applicants had to apply for an exploration permit first, then a commercial recover permit. Putting them together in the same application will, therefore, streamline the process. It could also put commercialization within TMC's reach. Up until now, the story around the stock has been shot through with uncertainty. The company has lacked regulatory approval, its path to commercialization has been unclear, and cash burn h...
Head coach Eddie Howe believes Newcastle United can still achieve "great things" despite the constraints of financial rules as his side look to upset the Premier League's status quo. Clubs who spend the most on wages have traditionally picked up the most points per game. But both Newcastle and Sunday's opponents Aston Villa have bucked that trend in recent years with the eighth and sixth-biggest s...
Head coach Eddie Howe believes Newcastle United can still achieve "great things" despite the constraints of financial rules as his side look to upset the Premier League's status quo. Clubs who spend the most on wages have traditionally picked up the most points per game. But both Newcastle and Sunday's opponents Aston Villa have bucked that trend in recent years with the eighth and sixth-biggest salary bills in the top flight respectively. Newcastle qualified for the Champions League in 2023 and 2025, while Aston Villa followed suit in 2024. Both are bidding to do so again this season and Howe's men could move up to fourth with a victory against third-placed Villa if results elsewhere go their way. "People much cleverer than me will say that the wage bill follows the league position, but I can't think that way," said the Newcastle boss. "We have got to think differently and find ways to still win games to upset the status quo and finish as high as we can. "That will always be my belief, and that was my belief from day one in management. Football is played on the pitch - not with the money." It is worth noting Newcastle's net spend on new signings last summer was £100m-plus, but they sold star striker Alexander Isak to Liverpool for a British transfer record fee of £125m. Targets such as Hugo Ekitike, Joao Pedro, James Trafford and Benjamin Sesko also opted to join Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United respectively rather than move to St James' Park. Although Newcastle are majority owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia, legacy clubs - also including Arsenal and Tottenham - have the ability to spend more within the rules on account of their superior income streams. Analysis from financial firm Deloitte revealed Liverpool generated £367m more in revenue than Newcastle last season, and Howe recognised his side have "a long way to go" on that front. "I know people are bored of us talking about it, but it's factual," he added. "Buil...
A powerful winter storm with more than 140 million Americans in its crosshairs started sweeping across much of the US on Saturday, packing heavy snow and sleet as well as freezing rain and causing widespread power outages. Snowfall was already being reported on Saturday morning across parts of the plains, the south and the midwest, including in areas of Oklahoma, Iowa, Tennessee, Kansas, Texas and...
A powerful winter storm with more than 140 million Americans in its crosshairs started sweeping across much of the US on Saturday, packing heavy snow and sleet as well as freezing rain and causing widespread power outages. Snowfall was already being reported on Saturday morning across parts of the plains, the south and the midwest, including in areas of Oklahoma, Iowa, Tennessee, Kansas, Texas and Missouri. The severe cold weather created unsafe driving conditions on many roads throughout the midwest and southern US as ice coated streets and highways and electric grid operators stepped up precautions to avoid rotating blackouts. Three people were found dead on New York City streets amid freezing temperatures on Saturday afternoon. A 67-year-old man was found on a sidewalk at about 7.45am on Third Avenue in Manhattan, according to police. An additional two bodies – a man in his 30s and a woman in her 60s – were found separately in Brooklyn about two hours after the first discovery. All three died as a result of “weather-related circumstances”, according to sources who spoke with NBC News New York. Ice and sleet hit northern Texas overnight and moved toward the central part of the state on Saturday. Ice formed on roads and bridges in a third of Mississippi’s counties. Dominion Energy said it is preparing for widespread power outages in Virginia and North Carolina caused by the storm. View image in fullscreen A de-icing crew works during Winter Storm Fern on a Southwest Airlines flight at Nashville international airport in Nashville, Tennessee. Photograph: Andrew Nelles/Reuters As of Saturday afternoon, nearly 14,000 flights through Monday into, within or out of the US had been canceled as the storm began its track, according to FlightAware.com. The storm brought severe cold and ice to regions unaccustomed to such severe conditions. About 140 million people, or more than 40% of the US population, were under winter storm warnings from New Mexico to New England. By midda...
Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) has released its company-compiled analyst estimates for the Elon Musk-led EV giant ahead of its fourth quarter earnings call next week. $24 Billion Q4 Revenue The company published the figures in an official press release on Thursday, citing data from 19 investment firms, including the likes of Wedbush Securities, UBS, Wells Fargo, JPMorgan & Chase, Morgan Stanley, Baird a...
Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) has released its company-compiled analyst estimates for the Elon Musk-led EV giant ahead of its fourth quarter earnings call next week. $24 Billion Q4 Revenue The company published the figures in an official press release on Thursday, citing data from 19 investment firms, including the likes of Wedbush Securities, UBS, Wells Fargo, JPMorgan & Chase, Morgan Stanley, Baird and more. Analysts estimate Tesla will report $24.49 billion in the fourth quarter, of which the automotive revenue comprises $17.29 billion. Tesla's assets will be around $43.53 billion, analysts say. Don't Miss: Missed Nvidia and Tesla? RAD Intel Could Be the Next AI Powerhouse — Just $0.85 a Share Sam Altman Says AI Will Transform the Economy — This Platform Lets Investors Back Private Tech Early Analysts estimate Tesla to report a profit of around $4.15 billion, with an operating income of $1.05 billion for Q4. As far as earnings per share are concerned, analysts predict Non-GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) EPS of $0.44 per share, while the GAAP EPS figure is $0.30 per share. 2026 Estimates Tesla also released 2026 estimates for the company, with total deliveries comprising 1,722,932 units for the year, of which Model 3 and Model Y would comprise 1.6 million units. Analysts predict Non-GAAP EPS of $2.03 per share for 2026, while revenues would be $104 billion, of which $71 billion would be from the company's automotive business. Tesla's energy storage deployments would account for 65.1 GWh. See Also: This Jeff Bezos-backed startup will allow you to become a landlord in just 10 minutes, with minimum investments as low as $100. Tesla FSD Price Hike The news comes as Elon Musk recently announced that the subscription fee of $99/month for Tesla's Full Self-Driving system would be hiked once the system's capabilities get better. The decision comes after Musk announced that the company would stop offering FSD as a one-time payment of $8,000 upfront, opting inste...
Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) has released its company-compiled analyst estimates for the Elon Musk-led EV giant ahead of its fourth quarter earnings call next week. $24 Billion Q4 Revenue The company published the figures in an official press release on Thursday, citing data from 19 investment firms, including the likes of Wedbush Securities, UBS, Wells Fargo, JPMorgan & Chase, Morgan Stanley, Baird a...
Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) has released its company-compiled analyst estimates for the Elon Musk-led EV giant ahead of its fourth quarter earnings call next week. $24 Billion Q4 Revenue The company published the figures in an official press release on Thursday, citing data from 19 investment firms, including the likes of Wedbush Securities, UBS, Wells Fargo, JPMorgan & Chase, Morgan Stanley, Baird and more. Analysts estimate Tesla will report $24.49 billion in the fourth quarter, of which the automotive revenue comprises $17.29 billion. Tesla's assets will be around $43.53 billion, analysts say. Don't Miss: Missed Nvidia and Tesla? RAD Intel Could Be the Next AI Powerhouse — Just $0.85 a Share Sam Altman Says AI Will Transform the Economy — This Platform Lets Investors Back Private Tech Early Analysts estimate Tesla to report a profit of around $4.15 billion, with an operating income of $1.05 billion for Q4. As far as earnings per share are concerned, analysts predict Non-GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) EPS of $0.44 per share, while the GAAP EPS figure is $0.30 per share. 2026 Estimates Tesla also released 2026 estimates for the company, with total deliveries comprising 1,722,932 units for the year, of which Model 3 and Model Y would comprise 1.6 million units. Analysts predict Non-GAAP EPS of $2.03 per share for 2026, while revenues would be $104 billion, of which $71 billion would be from the company's automotive business. Tesla's energy storage deployments would account for 65.1 GWh. See Also: This Jeff Bezos-backed startup will allow you to become a landlord in just 10 minutes, with minimum investments as low as $100. Tesla FSD Price Hike The news comes as Elon Musk recently announced that the subscription fee of $99/month for Tesla's Full Self-Driving system would be hiked once the system's capabilities get better. The decision comes after Musk announced that the company would stop offering FSD as a one-time payment of $8,000 upfront, opting inste...
一名联邦探员正在封锁枪击事件相关区域。 本月明尼阿波利斯市发生第二起联邦探员枪击致死事件后，明尼苏达州州长沃尔兹于周六发声，要求美国总统唐纳德・特朗普终止移民海关执法局（ICE）在该州开展的大规模执法行动。 沃尔兹在社交平台 X 上写道：“今早联邦探员再次制造骇人枪击事件，我已与白宫方面通话。明尼苏达州受够了。这令人发指。总统必须终止这项行动。立刻将数千名暴戾且未经专业训练的执法人员撤出明尼苏达州...
一名联邦探员正在封锁枪击事件相关区域。 本月明尼阿波利斯市发生第二起联邦探员枪击致死事件后，明尼苏达州州长沃尔兹于周六发声，要求美国总统唐纳德・特朗普终止移民海关执法局（ICE）在该州开展的大规模执法行动。 沃尔兹在社交平台 X 上写道：“今早联邦探员再次制造骇人枪击事件，我已与白宫方面通话。明尼苏达州受够了。这令人发指。总统必须终止这项行动。立刻将数千名暴戾且未经专业训练的执法人员撤出明尼苏达州。” 在周六下午举行的新闻发布会上，明尼阿波利斯市警察局长布莱恩・奥哈拉证实，遇难者为 37 岁白人男性，系该市居民，除交通违章记录外无其他已知犯罪史。随后，遇难者父母及美联社确认，此人正是重症监护室护士亚历克斯・普雷蒂。 奥哈拉表示：“据我们目前掌握的信息，该男子与执法部门的交集仅限交通违章处罚，且他持有合法持枪许可证。” 不过他同时指出，此次执法冲突的具体细节仍在调查中。 奥哈拉透露，明尼阿波利斯警方已与美国国土安全部取得联系，但对方并未就事件本身提供具体细节。 这起最新枪击事件，让明尼苏达州当局与联邦移民执法人员之间已持续数周的紧张对峙局面雪上加霜。本月早些时候，一名移民海关执法局探员在一次执法行动中枪杀了 37 岁的明尼阿波利斯市居民勒妮・妮可・古德，这一事件引发大规模抗议活动，也加快了针对联邦执法行动的政治反弹节奏。 美国国土安全部发言人在社交平台 X 发布声明称：“美国中部时间上午 9 点 05 分，国土安全部执法人员正在明尼阿波利斯市针对一名涉嫌暴力袭击的非法移民执行定点抓捕行动。就在此时，一名男子持一把 9 毫米半自动手枪靠近美国边境巡逻队警员，相关画面如下。” 一把手枪据称是从明尼苏达州明尼阿波利斯市一名遭枪击男子身上缴获。 国土安全部称，联邦探员试图解除该男子的武装，但遭到对方激烈反抗，并表示 “关于此次武装对峙的更多细节将陆续公布”。 该部门还提到，事发后约有 200 名抗议者聚集现场，“为保障公众及执法人员安全，相关部门已采取人群管控措施”。 美国海关与边境保护局局长格雷格・博维诺在周六下午的新闻发布会上表示，涉事联邦探员已在该部门任职 8 年。 两名知情人士向 MS Now 透露，本次枪击事件的调查工作将由国土安全部负责，而非联邦调查局。 应亨内平县警长达瓦纳・维特的请求，沃尔兹州长于周六下午批准调动明尼苏达州国民警卫队，为一线应急人员提供支援。 ...
The government is setting up a National Police Service – dubbed the “British FBI” – to deal with organised crime, terrorism, fraud and online child abuse in a major change to policing in England and Wales. The new organisation, which will be announced by the Home Office in a white paper on Monday, means fraud, criminal gang and UK-wide counter terror investigations will no longer be carried out by...
The government is setting up a National Police Service – dubbed the “British FBI” – to deal with organised crime, terrorism, fraud and online child abuse in a major change to policing in England and Wales. The new organisation, which will be announced by the Home Office in a white paper on Monday, means fraud, criminal gang and UK-wide counter terror investigations will no longer be carried out by a combination of existing agencies such as the National Crime Agency and regional organised crime units run by local police forces. The National Police Service (NPS) will instead deploy “world-class talent” and “state-of-the-art technology” to carry out these investigations nationally, enabling local police officers to use more of their resources to crack down on less serious and complex local crimes, such as shoplifting or antisocial behaviour. Under the plans, the work of the counter-terror policing unit led by the Metropolitan police, the National Police Air Service run by West Yorkshire police and national roads policing operations will all be carried out by the new NPS, which will share technology, intelligence and resources across borders. “The current policing model was built for a different century,” said the home secretary, Shabana Mahmood. “Some local forces lack the skills or resources they need to fight complex modern crime such as fraud, online child abuse or organised criminal gangs,” she added. “We will create a new National Police Service – dubbed ‘the British FBI’ – deploying world-class talent and state-of-the-art technology to track down and catch dangerous criminals. “In doing so, local forces will be able to spend more time fighting crime in their communities.” The NPS will be run by a national police commissioner who will become the most senior police chief in the country. It will set standards and training for police forces and acquire new technology such as facial recognition cameras – a controversial move that has provoked fierce criticism over its...
'British FBI' to take over terror and fraud probes in reforms to police 14 minutes ago Share Save Rachel Muller-Heyndyk Share Save Getty Images The new body will buy technology such as facial recognition on behalf of all police forces A new national police force is being created to take over counter-terror, fraud, and criminal gang investigations. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the new Nation...
'British FBI' to take over terror and fraud probes in reforms to police 14 minutes ago Share Save Rachel Muller-Heyndyk Share Save Getty Images The new body will buy technology such as facial recognition on behalf of all police forces A new national police force is being created to take over counter-terror, fraud, and criminal gang investigations. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the new National Police Service (NPS), described as a "British FBI", would deploy "world class talent and state of the art technology to track down and catch dangerous criminals". It will bring the work of existing agencies such as the National Crime Agency and regional organised crime units under the same organisation, buying new technology such as facial recognition on behalf of all forces. Mahmood said policing was stuck "in a different century" and the new body will form part of a series of police reforms she will unveil on Monday. The NPS will cover England and Wales but be able to operate in the wider UK, setting standards and training. It will be led by a national police commissioner who will become the most senior police chief in the country. The Home Office said local police officers have been "burdened" with tackling major crimes without adequate training, leaving them unable to address everyday offences like shoplifting and anti-social behaviour. In the past week, the home secretary has announced a number of sweeping changes to policing, having described the current structures as "irrational". Counter terror policing, led by the Metropolitan Police, the National Air Service run by West Yorkshire Police, and National Roads Policing will also all be brought under the new organisation. Intelligence and resources will be shared across different forces in stages to ensure the public receive the same level of security "no matter where they live", the Home Office said in a statement. While the government claims facial recognition has led to a rapid reduction in crime - reportedly lea...
The Goldman Sachs S&P 500 Premium Income ETF targets enhanced yield by combining broad U.S. equity exposure with a premium income strategy. What happened According to a January 20, 2026, SEC filing, Guild Investment Management, Inc. initiated a new position in Goldman Sachs S&P 500 Premium Income ETF (GPIX +0.08%), acquiring 53,890 shares. The estimated transaction value for the quarter was $2.85 ...
The Goldman Sachs S&P 500 Premium Income ETF targets enhanced yield by combining broad U.S. equity exposure with a premium income strategy. What happened According to a January 20, 2026, SEC filing, Guild Investment Management, Inc. initiated a new position in Goldman Sachs S&P 500 Premium Income ETF (GPIX +0.08%), acquiring 53,890 shares. The estimated transaction value for the quarter was $2.85 million, based on the quarterly average price. The position’s value at quarter-end also totaled $2.85 million, reflecting both the purchase and market movement during the period. What else to know This is a new position, representing 2.11% of Guild Investment Management’s reported 13F assets under management after the filing. Top holdings after the filing: NYSEMKT:PHYS: $12.01 million (8.9% of AUM) NYSEMKT:CLIP: $11.29 million (8.4% of AUM) NYSEMKT:BIL: $10.40 million (7.7% of AUM) NASDAQ:NVDA: $8.99 million (6.7% of AUM) NASDAQ:VTIP: $8.14 million (6.0% of AUM) As of January 20, 2026, shares of GPIX were priced at $52.19. The fund posted a one-year gain of about 12.9% and outperformed the S&P 500 by 0.26 percentage points over that period. The ETF’s annualized dividend yield stands at 8.15%, and it was 2.45% below its 52-week high as of January 21, 2026. ETF overview Metric Value AUM $2.67 billion Price (as of market close January 20, 2026) $52.19 Dividend yield 8.15% 1-year total return 12.87% ETF snapshot The ETF’s investment strategy seeks to generate premium income by investing at least 80% of assets in S&P 500 equities, while maintaining benchmark-like style and sector exposures. equities, while maintaining benchmark-like style and sector exposures. The portfolio is composed primarily of S&P 500 constituent stocks, aiming for diversified exposure across market capitalizations and industries. The fund’s scale, with a market capitalization of $1.09 billion, supports liquidity and efficient portfolio implementation. The Goldman Sachs S&P 500 Premium Income ETF provides i...
Cathie Wood's firm, Ark Invest, is known for being a major investor in companies with disruptive technologies. Quantum computing stocks like Rigetti Computing (RGTI 5.95%), D-Wave Quantum (QBTS 6.54%), and IonQ (IONQ 3.95%) have generated some pretty spectacular gains in recent years. Other large tech giants like Alphabet (GOOG 0.73%)(GOOGL 0.73%) are also betting big on quantum and developing the...
Cathie Wood's firm, Ark Invest, is known for being a major investor in companies with disruptive technologies. Quantum computing stocks like Rigetti Computing (RGTI 5.95%), D-Wave Quantum (QBTS 6.54%), and IonQ (IONQ 3.95%) have generated some pretty spectacular gains in recent years. Other large tech giants like Alphabet (GOOG 0.73%)(GOOGL 0.73%) are also betting big on quantum and developing their own quantum systems. These companies all believe that quantum computers could one day replace the traditional computer, which is built on bits, the smallest unit of digital information. Quantum computers are built on qubits, which are in a state of superposition and can therefore process information and search for solutions simultaneously, unlike bits, which must process information sequentially. Cathie Wood's firm, Ark Invest, is a big believer in game-changing technologies that can be major disruptors. Ark, for instance, is a major investor in crypto and artificial intelligence (AI). Given this interest in disruptive technologies, one would think that Ark and quantum stocks would be a natural fit. While Wood and her team are excited about the sector, they recently sent a clear message to investors: Wait another 20 to 40 years. A potential red flag In Ark's Big Ideas of 2026 presentation, one slide said that while quantum is an interesting technology, it is unlikely to be disruptive for decades, due to what has so far been a slow performance curve. Ark points out that despite spending billions on research and development, Google has only managed to double the number of qubits in the quantum system it's developing once in four years. In certain types of quantum systems, the more qubits they have, the more powerful they are. However, stabilizing the qubits can be difficult. Some researchers believe that quantum technology will not only be able to solve problems well beyond the capabilities of today's most advanced supercomputers, but could also be a better way to encrypt ...
Duffy's Nuclear Option Remains On The Table: California Could Lose Authority To Issue Any CDLs Authored by Rob Carpenter via FreightWaves.com, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy just dropped what I’ve been calling the nuclear option. In an appearance on Katie Pavlich Tonight Thursday, Duffy made clear that withholding $200 million in federal funding isn’t the end of this fight. If California does...
Duffy's Nuclear Option Remains On The Table: California Could Lose Authority To Issue Any CDLs Authored by Rob Carpenter via FreightWaves.com, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy just dropped what I’ve been calling the nuclear option. In an appearance on Katie Pavlich Tonight Thursday, Duffy made clear that withholding $200 million in federal funding isn’t the end of this fight. If California doesn’t come into compliance on the non-domiciled CDL issue, Duffy said, “we will eventually pull their ability to issue commercial driver’s licenses to anybody in California.” Not just the 17,000 non-domiciled CDLs at the center of this fight. Every single CDL in the state. I’ve written extensively about this standoff since the FMCSA released its audit findings last September, which showed that roughly 25% of California’s non-domiciled CDLs were improperly issued. I’ve covered the $160 million funding hit. I’ve warned about the decertification authority in 49 U.S.C. 31312 and 49 CFR 384.405, which most people in this industry didn’t even know existed. How We Got Here This didn’t start with the Trump administration’s September 2025 emergency rule restricting non-domiciled CDLs to certain visa categories. That rule, which limited eligibility to H-2A, H-2B, and E-2 visa holders, has been stayed by the D.C. Circuit since November. The court found that petitioners were “likely to succeed” on their claims that the FMCSA violated federal law in its rulemaking. The California problem predates all of that. FMCSA’s August 2025 Annual Program Review found California had been violating federal regulations that existed long before Duffy took office. The state was issuing CDLs with expiration dates extending years beyond drivers’ lawful presence documentation. In one case that still makes my blood boil, California issued a driver from Brazil a CDL with passenger and school bus endorsements that remained valid months after his legal presence expired. That’s not a new rule problem. That’s a C...
The PIMCO Active Bond ETF uses an active approach, combining investment grade and high yield bonds for diversified fixed income exposure. On January 22, SimpliFi, Inc. disclosed a sale of 108,047 shares of the PIMCO Active Bond ETF (BOND +0.12%), with an estimated transaction value of $10.11 million based on quarterly average pricing. What happened According to an SEC filing dated January 22, Simp...
The PIMCO Active Bond ETF uses an active approach, combining investment grade and high yield bonds for diversified fixed income exposure. On January 22, SimpliFi, Inc. disclosed a sale of 108,047 shares of the PIMCO Active Bond ETF (BOND +0.12%), with an estimated transaction value of $10.11 million based on quarterly average pricing. What happened According to an SEC filing dated January 22, SimpliFi, Inc. reduced its holdings in the PIMCO Active Bond ETF (BOND +0.12%) by 108,047 shares. The estimated value of this transaction, based on the average closing price for the quarter, was $10.11 million. The fund’s quarter-end position in BOND declined in value by $10.11 million, a figure that incorporates both share sales and price changes. What else to know The post-trade BOND position represents 4.15% of 13F reportable AUM. Top five holdings after the filing: NASDAQ: BND: $50.36 million (21.3% of AUM) NYSEMKT: RSP: $32.86 million (13.9% of AUM) NYSEMKT: VIG: $23.04 million (9.7% of AUM) NASDAQ: IEF: $22.30 million (9.4% of AUM) NYSEMKT: QEFA: $22.09 million (9.3% of AUM) As of January 22, BOND shares were priced at $93.46, up approximately 3% over the past year, with a yield of about 5%. ETF overview Metric Value AUM $6.85 billion Yield 5.09% Price (as of January 22) $93.46 ETF snapshot BOND’s investment strategy focuses on a diversified portfolio of fixed income instruments, primarily investment grade bonds, with up to 30% allocation to high yield securities. Its underlying holdings include a diversified portfolio of fixed income instruments, utilizing derivatives such as options, futures, and swaps. It’s structured as an actively managed ETF. PIMCO Active Bond ETF is a large actively managed fixed income fund that leverages PIMCO's expertise to dynamically allocate across investment grade and high yield bonds, aiming to deliver attractive income and risk-adjusted returns. BOND's diversified approach and active management provide flexibility to respond to changing ma...