April 20, 2026

06 Market

French lawmakers to vote on social media ban for children– www.channelnewsasia.com

pgnewser January 27, 2026 0

Blurb:

PARIS: French lawmakers on Monday (Jan 26) were set to vote on draft legislation to ban social media for under-15s, an effort championed by President Emmanuel Macron as a way to protect children from excessive screen time.

The legislation, which also provides for a ban on mobile phones in high schools, follows Australia banning social media for under-16s in December, a world first.

As social media has grown around the world, so has concern that too much screen time is arresting child development and contributing to declining mental health in minors.

“The emotions of our children and teenagers are not for sale or to be manipulated, either by American platforms or Chinese algorithms,” Macron said in a video broadcast on Saturday.

Historic Trade Deal Strengthens Ties, Offers Security Benefits, but Faces a Hurdle – RedState– redstate.com

pgnewser January 23, 2026 0

Blurb:

 

 

The U.S. and Taiwan recently reached a historic trade deal. Taiwanese companies will invest at least $250 billion in U.S. semiconductor manufacturing. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, the world’s largest chipmaker, pledged $100 billion in U.S. investment in 2025. Taipei will provide an additional $250 billion in credit guarantees to Taiwanese companies.

Murder Rate Plummets to Historic Lows in Just One Year

pgnewser January 23, 2026 2

A Year into President Trump’s mass deportation operation, the murder rate in America dropped by a staggering 21% from 2024 to 2025, and to a low that hasn’t been seen since the records were first kept 125 years ago. The correlation between mass deportation and a massive drop in the murder rate cannot be dismissed, but more date would be needed to affirm causation beyond correlation.

Blurb:

A newly released report shows the U.S. murder rate is on track to drop to its lowest level in the 125 years such records have been kept.

125 years.

And nine of 13 offenses tracked in the Council on Criminal Justice’s (CCJ) Year-End 2025 Update declined by double digits from 2024.

DAVOS Marks Official Death of Post-War Order

pgnewser January 22, 2026 2

President Donald Trump came to Davos and delivered the news that the global order was dead. While much hand wringing conspired amongst Europe’s elites, and America’s Democrats (including Gavin Newsome), at the end of the day all had to acknowledge the reality of power. If America says the global order is dead, it’s dead.

Trump let the Western Hemisphere know, “The USA is the economic engine of the planet, and when America booms, the entire world booms. History shows that when America goes bad, the whole world goes bad. When we go down, you follow us down. When we go up, you follow us up. Trump on the burgeoning US economy in Davos ‘Instead of hiring bureaucrats we’re firing them”

Blurb:

NATO Secretary General Warns China’s Investments Come With Strategic Strings Attached – dailycaller.com

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte warned Wednesday that Western leaders must not grow complacent about China’s intentions, even as some U.S. allies deepen economic and diplomatic ties with Beijing.

China has been steadily expanding its influence across NATO countries. Rutte pushed back on “Special Report with Bret Baier” against suggestions that Western leaders are rethinking their approach to China, while warning about Beijing’s long-term military ambitions.

“It’s not up to me to comment on what any allies are doing in terms of their relationship with China. I think collectively as NATO, we have a position,” Rutte told Bret Baier when the host asked about a change in the way leaders deal with China. “The position is that we should not be naive. I can tell you, Bret, these huge investments the Chinese are making in the military are not there to organize parades in Beijing.”

Inflation ticked up to 2.8% in November in Fed’s preferred gauge– www.washingtonexaminer.com

pgnewser January 22, 2026 0

Blurb:

Inflation rose one-tenth of a percentage point to 2.8% for the year ending in November 2025, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Thursday in an update to the personal consumption expenditures index, which is the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge.

Thursday’s report is the last the Fed will receive before it votes on interest rates next week.

Thursday’s report includes data for both October and November, unusually, because the government shutdown prevented the scheduled release of key economic reports.

Hospitals Gouge Patients By Gaming Trump’s Order To Post Prices– thefederalist.com

pgnewser January 22, 2026 0

Blurb:

Surprise medical bills have bludgeoned most Americans. In fact, about half of insured Americans face unexpected charges every year. In 2020, Congress passed the No Surprises Act, which banned out-of-network billing rates for some services. It also entitled patients who aren’t using health insurance to a “good faith estimate” of out-of-pocket costs before receiving care. But there’s a catch that stacks the deck against patients and taxpayers: final bills within $400 of the original estimate are legally collectible.

After stinging GOP losses in November, health care “affordability” is all the rage. Voters are frustrated that every other medical appointment brings another unexpected charge and an inevitable battle of wills and wits with the billing department. Christopher Jacobs recently opined in these pages that “Republicans should stop playing into Democrats’ hands and start … reducing the underlying cost of health care.”

17 House Republicans Cave on Subsidies, Avoid Reforms– www.dailysignal.com

pgnewser January 22, 2026 0

Blurb:

Seventeen House Republicans gave California Democrats a late Christmas present this month when they crossed the aisle to vote for extending enhanced Obamacare premium subsidies for another three years.

Not only did they move these massive handouts one step closer to permanent entitlement status, but they failed to advance reforms that would actually lower health care costs, like closing the Intergovernmental Transfer loophole that has cost taxpayers tens of billions over time.

The Senate should stop this bill in its tracks and—in anticipation of pushback from those who have never seen a government expansion they didn’t like—prepare to argue to the public why propping up a broken system won’t reduce health insurance premiums. As I argued in The Hill, these subsidies just mask the true cost of government distortion.

Trump XO Stops Corporate Purchases of Single-Family Homes

pgnewser January 21, 2026 1

President Donald Trump just signed an executive order that effectively prevents large corporations from buying single-family homes. The President posted on Truth Social, “To preserve the supply of single-family homes for American families and increase the paths to homeownership, it is the policy of my Administration that large institutional investors should not buy single-family homes that could otherwise be purchased by families.”

Blurb:

In a huge move to make housing affordable again, President Trump just took action to prevent Wall Street from competing with everyday home-buyers.

Today, he signed an executive order to stop large institutional investors from buying residential homes meant for families.

Take a look:

Australia Goes Police State in Response to Islamist Slaughtering of Jews

pgnewser January 21, 2026 0

Australia is set to increase the power of the state to arrest its citizens for questioning the very religion that led to the massacre of 15 people at a Jewish festival. It will also make it more difficult for its citizens to own guns to assure more Islamist terror attacks are met with NO armed resistance.

Effete Prime Minister Anthony Albanese claimed to be protecting Australians from future terrorist attacks by passing laws that ennoble hateful ideologies like Islam (now protected from criticism from Australian citizens) and assures their victims will be unarmed. He stated, “The terrorists had hate in their hearts, but they also had high-powered rifles in their hands. We’re taking action on both — tackling antisemitism, tackling hate, and getting dangerous guns off our streets.”

Blurb:

Australia passed tougher hate crime and gun laws Tuesday, weeks after gunmen targeting a Jewish festival on Bondi Beach killed 15 people. | via ANC 24/7 Full story link in the comments.  facebook.com
from news.google.com

 Australia passed tougher hate crime and gun laws Tuesday, weeks after gunmen targeting a Jewish festival on Bondi Beach killed 15 people.

Lawmakers in both houses of parliament voted in favor of the legislation in response to the December 14 shooting at Sydney’s most famous beach.

Sajid Akram and his son Naveed allegedly attacked a Jewish Hanukkah celebration in the nation’s worst mass shooting in nearly three decades.

Trump says he may tariff countries that don’t ‘go along’ with Greenland plans – National– globalnews.ca

pgnewser January 20, 2026 0

Blurb:

U.S. President Donald Trump suggested Friday that he may punish countries with tariffs if they don’t back the U.S. controlling Greenland, a message that came as a bipartisan Congressional delegation sought to lower tensions in the Danish capital.

Trump for months has insisted that the U.S. should control Greenland, a semiautonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark, and said earlier this week that anything less than the Arctic island being in U.S. hands would be “unacceptable.”

During an unrelated event at the White House about rural health care, he recounted Friday how he had threatened European allies with tariffs on pharmaceuticals.

In Venezuela, Big Oil Collides with a Hotter Planet– www.scientificamerican.com

pgnewser January 20, 2026 0

Blurb:

Kendra Pierre-Louis: For Scientific American’s Science Quickly, I’m Kendra Pierre-Louis, in for Rachel Feltman.

Over the past couple of weeks oil—specifically, Venezuelan oil—has been all over the headlines.

It started late on January 2, when President Donald Trump ordered U.S. military forces to enter Venezuela and capture the country’s president, Nicolás Maduro, which they did early the next morning. Last week the country’s interior minister said the action killed 100 people.

Netherlands and UK Join France, Spain, Austria, Germany, Ireland, and Others to Hike Accommodation Taxes Across Europe This Year, Affecting Amsterdam, Edinburgh, Paris, Barcelona, Vienna, Berlin, Dublin and Other Key Destinations – Travel And Tour World

pgnewser January 20, 2026 0

Blurb:

Netherlands and UK Join France, Spain, Austria, Germany, Ireland, and Others to Hike Accommodation Taxes Across Europe This Year, Affecting Amsterdam, Edinburgh, Paris, Barcelona, Vienna, Berlin, Dublin and Other Key Destinations  Travel And Tour World
from news.google.com

Bulk U.S. Cash from Mexico Is Being Funneled to Federal Reserve Through Foreign Bank › American Greatness– amgreatness.com

pgnewser January 15, 2026 0

Blurb:

New public records reveal that large volumes of U.S. currency from Mexico entered the Federal Reserve system in 2024 and 2025 through a foreign bank access program operating outside routine U.S. bank supervision.

According to Mexico Business Daily, bank disclosures, regulatory filings, and media reports show that Banco Azteca, a Mexican retail bank that previously lost U.S. correspondent banking relationships, routed bulk U.S. currency through Moneycorp Bank Limited.

Moneycorp is a Gibraltar-based financial institution with direct access to Federal Reserve cash services.

Retail Sales Jump Higher On Strong Cars Sales and Holiday Shopping– www.breitbart.com

pgnewser January 15, 2026 0

Blurb:

Sales by U.S. retailers rose by much more than expected in November, signaling that the household sector remains resilient and consumer spending continues to support rapid economic growth.

Retail spending rose 0.6 percent in November, exceeding even the most optimistic estimates. Analysts surveyed by Econoday expected sales to rise by around 0.2 percent, with estimates ranging from a decline of 0.5 percent to a gain of 0.4 percent.

Since the start of the year through November, sales are up 3.7 percent compared with the first 11 months of the prior year. During that period, consumer prices rose by around 2.7 percent, implying that real sales were up by one percent.

Case Studies Contradict Accepted Wisdom About AI Psychosis– www.madinamerica.com

pgnewser January 15, 2026 0

Blurb:

More and more people have been experiencing psychosis induced by AI chatbot use. This is concerning since chatbot use is so prevalent, especially among young people and those who are in distress and vulnerable (one recent study found that about a quarter of young adults used chatbots specifically for mental health advice).

Reassuringly, psychiatry’s stance is that anyone who experiences this was already “prone to psychosis”—that the chatbot simply triggered delusions that would have been triggered some other way. Yet there is no evidence to support this explanation, and the case reports of those who have experienced AI psychosis tell a different story.

Trump Seeks to Set Terms of AI Brain Datacenter Debate Coming to America

pgnewser January 14, 2026 1

President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social on the emerging need for massive data centers to power AI brains every nation-state will now need to be a world power in the years to come. He offered a carrot to the main sides of the incoming debate, the taxpayers who may be on the hook to pay for the data centers, the locals affected by the data centers and the corporatists relying on those data centers for personal power.

He characterized it in the American context, writing, “We are the ‘HOTTEST’ Country in the World, and Number One in AI. Data Centers are key to that boom, and keeping Americans FREE and SECURE but, the big Technology Companies who build them must ‘pay their own way,” His post does not address another conflict-of-interest crisis, water resources, which are also needed in large volumes to fund the AI brains.

Blurb:

Trump seeks to quell data center rebellion – Washington Post

In a bid to tamp down growing unrest in communities over tech giants’ expansion of power-hungry data centers, President Donald Trump said his administration would push Silicon Valley companies to ensure their massive computer farms do not drive up people’s electricity bills, seizing on a promise Tuesday by Microsoft to be a better neighbor.

The Trump administration has gone all in on artificial intelligence, pushing aside concerns within the MAGA movemen and seeking to sweep away regulations that it says hamper innovation. But neighbors of the vast warehouses of computer chips that form the technology’s backbone – many of them in areas otherwise supportive of the president – have grown increasingly concerned about how the facilities sap power from the grid, guzzle water to stay cool and secure tax breaks from local governments. And Trump now appears to be recalibrating his approach.

“We are the ‘HOTTEST’ Country in the World, and Number One in AI. Data Centers are key to that boom, and keeping Americans FREE and SECURE but, the big Technology Companies who build them must ‘pay their own way,’” Trump said Monday in a post on his Truth Social site, teasing Microsoft’s announcement of an initiative to address the issue and framing it as part of a broader effort by his administration.