Federal Reserve Criminal Inquiry Threatens to Halt 2026 Interest Rate Cuts

Washington, Monday, 12 January 2026.
Despite administration pressure for cheaper money, the DOJ’s criminal probe into Chair Powell is expected to freeze rate cuts throughout 2026, directly contradicting the President’s economic goals.

US Envoy Confirms Critical Trade Talks Resume Jan 13 as India Joins Strategic Alliance

South Korean Won Slides to Three-Week Low Ahead of Central Bank Review

Oil Prices Climb as Iranian Instability Threatens Global Supply

Criminal Investigation Opened Into Fed Chair Powell Over Renovation Testimony

Lafayette Digital Raises $287.5 Million to Target Technology Sector

Miami, Monday, 12 January 2026.
On January 12, 2026, Lafayette Digital Acquisition Corp. I (Nasdaq: ZKPU) finalized its initial public offering, raising $287.5 million to fund future tech-sector acquisitions. The Miami-based special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) sold 28.75 million units at $10.00 each, a total bolstered by the underwriters fully exercising their over-allotment option. Led by CEO Samuel A. Jernigan IV, the firm intends to deploy this capital toward a merger or acquisition, specifically targeting the technology and fintech industries. This successful closing marks a notable data point in the 2026 financial landscape, suggesting a calculated return of investor appetite for blank-check companies with disciplined focus areas. While currently trading as units, the securities will eventually split into Class A ordinary shares and warrants. This liquidity event provides Lafayette Digital with a substantial war chest to identify a private target ready for the public markets.

Medtronic Partners with Precision Neuroscience to Bring Advanced Brain Mapping to Operating Rooms

Credit Agricole Wins ECB Approval to Raise Banco BPM Stake Above 20%

Alphabet Valuation Tops $4 Trillion as Apple Adopts Gemini for Siri

Valsoft Targets Brazilian Public Health Sector with Strategic Acquisition of Fast Medic

President Trump Reportedly Critical of Attorney General Bondi Amid Legal Delays

Washington D.C., Monday, 12 January 2026.
While Trump privately derides Bondi as ineffective, reports reveal she previously informed the President his name appears multiple times in the delayed Epstein case files, highlighting deepening administrative fracture.

Senator Kelly Sues Defense Secretary to Block Unprecedented Reduction in Military Rank

FDA Streamlines Manufacturing Rules to Accelerate Gene Therapy Innovation

Truck Strikes Crowd at Los Angeles Rally Supporting Iranian Protests

Senator Murphy Declares Federal Tactics Illegal Following Minneapolis ICE Shooting

Taiwan Redefines Bicycle Manufacturing With High-Tech Design Partnerships

Taichung, Monday, 12 January 2026.
Taiwan has effectively become the “Silicon Valley” of the e-bike industry, shifting beyond mass production to integrate smart-sensing technology and bespoke engineering into global supply chains.

Reports Allege US Deployed Advanced Sonic Technology in Venezuela Raid

Seoul Business Agency Accelerates Global Startup Expansion at CES 2026

U.S. Launches Major Retaliatory Airstrikes Against ISIS Targets Across Syria

Eurasia Group Report Flags Canada as Top Casualty of US Political Turmoil in 2026

FBI Confirms Bias Motive in Arson Attack on Mississippi Synagogue

Jackson, Monday, 12 January 2026.
Stephen Spencer Pittman confessed to the January 10 arson at Jackson’s Beth Israel Congregation, citing antisemitic motives. Miraculously, a Torah that survived the Holocaust remained untouched amidst the destruction.

Brooks Koepka Returns to PGA Tour Facing Multimillion-Dollar Financial Penalties

High-Stakes Investment Travis Hunter Sidelined for Jaguars' Wild Card Matchup

Billionaire’s $15 Million Property Sweep Sparks Debate Over Future of Historic Gladwyne

Grateful Dead Co-Founder Bob Weir Dies at 78, Ending a Historic Era in Rock