💵 Google looks to plow $180B into data centers this year.

Google’s parent Alphabet is doubling down on generative AI in 2026. On Wednesday's earnings call, the search and advertising giant boosted its full-year capital expenditures target to between $175 and $185 billion, roughly twice what it spent last year. The search and ads giant will use that massive pile of cash to build data centers and buy the kit to fill them, to support its own products and the infrastructure needs of partners like Apple, OpenAI, and Anthropic.

Speaking during Alphabet’s earnings call, CFO Anat Ashkenazi said roughly 60 percent of the company's 2026 capex spend, or about $105 to $111 billion, will go toward fast-depreciating assets like servers. The remaining 40%, or $70 to $74 billion, will support the construction and networking of new data center facilities.

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⚡️📉Bitcoin price nears $63,000, hitting lowest levels since October 2024, hitting its lowest price in more than a year.

On Thursday, the price of Bitcoin fell sharply as broader financial markets weakened and traders moved money out of riskier investments. The slump pushed the global crypto market down by hundreds of billions from its peak in late 2025. The token is down more than 45% from last year's all-time high, erasing all of the gains made during President Trump's second term.

A mix of reasons is behind the slide. Some large Bitcoin holders and funds are selling their holdings, placing downward pressure on price. Analysts also say that high interest rates and weaker confidence in risky assets like crypto have made people cautious.

A similar dynamic is playing out with ethereum (ETH) ETFs, as investors are down approximately 31% given their average cost basis, according to 10X Research data. Altcoins are also seeing losses as traders shift money toward more traditional assets.

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🇺🇸🛳 US CENTCOM releases footage from onboard USS Abraham Lincoln amid tensions with Iran.

US CENTCOM released incredible footage showing the take-offs and landings on the USS Abraham Lincoln - the carrier has been called into action recently in the Gulf as tensions with Iran have increased.

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🇺🇸🇨🇳 US, China opt out of joint declaration on AI use in military

At a military AI summit, one-third (35) of the 85 attending countries pledged to govern AI in warfare and signed a commitment to 20 principles on AI on Thursday.

The document outlined the ⁠importance of risk assessments, robust testing and training ​and education for personnel operating military AI capabilities, affirming human responsibility over AI-powered weapons, encouraging clear chains of command and control, and sharing information on national oversight arrangements.

Notably, China and the U.S. did not sign. Major signatories on Thursday included ‌Canada, Germany, France, Britain, the Netherlands, South Korea and Ukraine.

#BRICS

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🇺🇸 Scott Bessent: Iran leadership wiring money out ’like crazy’ 🤪

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told the Senate Banking Committee on Thursday that Iranian leaders are moving money out of the country "like crazy," which he views as a sign that "the end may be near" for the current regime. Bessent described the situation saying "the rats are leaving the ship" in Iran, suggesting significant capital flight by Iranian leadership.

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🇨🇳 Geely Overtakes Tesla in Global EV Sales

Global electric vehicle deliveries in 2023 reached approximately 21.47 million units, a 21.5% increase compared to the previous year. Chinese BYD claimed the top position in the global electric vehicle market.

Chinese Geely Auto Group sold approximately 2.225 million units, a 56.8% surge compared to the previous year, overtaking Tesla to secure second place. In contrast, Tesla sold around 1.636 million units, an 8.6% decrease from the previous year, dropping to third place. Weak sales of key models such as the Model 3 and Model Y led to an overall decline in performance.

#BRICS

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🇺🇸 President Trump mocks the media for not grasping his sense of humor during a lighthearted moment about his faith.

Addressing the National Prayer Breakfast, he blamed the media for writing his exact past words about the afterlife, suggesting his sense of irony didn't come through in the reporting.

"I said, 'I won't qualify. I'm not going to make it to heaven.' And the New York Times did a front-page story that Donald Trump is questioning his life and the meaning of his life. I was just having fun ," 😄 Trump said of his past comments.

He added of heaven: "I really think I probably should make it. I mean, I'm not a perfect candidate, but I did a hell of a lot of good for perfect people." ❤️

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🤔 CME to support Cardano, Chainlink, and Stellar – Potential impact on altcoins? 

Cardano, Chainlink, and Stellar are set to score new institutional milestones. From the 9th of February, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) will support Futures products for these altcoins, opening a new venue for big players to gain exposure.

For ADA, the bigger size contract will contain 100K ADA coins, while the smaller one will have 10K ADA. Chainlink’s contracts will contain 5K Chainlink [LINK] and 250 LINK coins for the larger and micro offerings, respectively. Finally, Stellar’s larger contract will have 250K Stellar [XLM], and the smaller version will have 12,500 XLM. 🤩

The latest addition will expand CME’s crypto portfolio to seven assets, covering Bitcoin, Ethereum [ETH], Solana, and Ripple [XRP]. 

According to Giovanni Vicioso, CME Group global head of crypto products, the latest additions will offer investors more tools to gain exposure in the growing markets.

“Market participants will now have greater choice with enhanced flexibility and more capital efficiencies,” - he added.

#Stellar

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👨‍💻 Nvidia recommends uninstalling Windows 11 KB5074109 January update to prevent framerate drops and artifacting

If you've recently updated your Windows and are experiencing gaming instability despite owning one of the best graphic cards, the Windows 11 KB5074109 January update may be to blame. Amid reports of framerate drops, gaming artifacts, and black screens, Nvidia has recommended uninstalling the update as a temporary workaround while the chipmaker investigates the issues.

"Even though it started after a Windows 11 update, we are looking into it. As far as I know, the only way to resolve it appears to be uninstalling KB5074109," wrote Manuel, a Nvidia representative, on the official GeForce forums.

The January 2026 security update is a mandatory one because it addresses 114 security vulnerabilities and resolves multiple issues, including battery drain on systems with NPUs. However, the major update has done more harm than good, particularly leaving owners of GeForce graphics cards on the short end of the stick. 🙁

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🇺🇸 ‘Rebuilt military in first term, refurbished nuclear weapons’: Trump on why US is world's most powerful country.

In a post on his social media platform, TruthSocial, Trump stated that the United States is the most powerful country in the world. During his first term, Trump rebuilt the American military and refurbished nuclear weapons, stopped the nuclear wars from breaking out between India and Pakistan, Iran and Israel, Russia and Ukraine.

Thank you President Trump! 🙏❤️

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🇨🇳 China beats U.S. on another automotive innovation: banning electronic door handles

The Chinese government moved to ban retractable door handles in new cars following multiple deaths where occupants were trapped inside burning vehicles. China isn’t the only country where such incidents have happened. On Wednesday, a new lawsuit was brought to the U.S. District Court of Massachusetts regarding the death of another Tesla driver who was unable to escape a vehicle on fire.

Since reports of similar cases have emerged over the last year, Tesla has stated that it is redesigning its door system to automatically unlock after detecting collisions. Rivian says it’s also reconsidering its approach for the upcoming R2 model, after the revised R1 introduced electronic handles that made the physical failsafes particularly difficult to find for rear passengers. One U.S. representative from Illinois introduced a bill last month requiring manual interior handles in new cars, but it’s too early to say if the measure has legs. 🤔

#BRICS

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🇨🇦🇫🇷Canada and France planned to open diplomatic consulates Friday in the capital of Greenland, showing support for NATO ally Denmark and the Arctic island.

Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand was traveling to Nuuk to inaugurate the consulate could help boost cooperation on issues like climate change and Inuit rights. France's Foreign Ministry said Jean-Noël Poirier also would take up his duties as consul general, making it the first European Union country to establish a consulate general in Greenland.

“Poirier will be tasked with working to deepen existing cooperation projects with Greenland in the cultural, scientific, and economic fields, while also strengthening political ties with the local authorities,” the ministry said.

Anand met Danish counterpart Lars Lokke Rasmussen in Denmark on Thursday and posted on social media that “as Arctic nations, Canada and the Kingdom of Denmark are working together to strengthen stability, security, and cooperation across the region.” France says the decision to open its diplomatic outpost was taken when President Emmanuel Macron visited in June.

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🤖 This AI can read a brain MRI in seconds, spot emergencies instantly, and may redefine how neurological care is delivered.

Researchers at the University of Michigan have developed an AI Prima system that can analyze brain MRI scans and deliver a diagnosis in just seconds. The model identified neurological conditions with accuracy reaching 97.5% and was also able to determine how urgently patients needed medical care. Over the course of one year, Hollon's research team evaluated the technology using more than 30,000 MRI studies. The model was tested across over 50 different radiologic diagnoses related to major neurological disorders.

“As the global demand for MRI rises and places significant strain our physicians and health systems, our AI model has potential to reduce burden by improving diagnosis and treatment with fast, accurate information,” said senior author Todd Hollon, M.D., a neurosurgeon at University of Michigan Health.

In these comparisons, Prima exceeded the performance of other leading AI systems designed for brain imaging. The model was also effective at ranking cases by urgency so that the most critical patients could be addressed first. Certain neurological emergencies, including strokes and brain hemorrhages, require immediate attention. Hollon explained that in these situations, Prima can automatically notify medical providers so treatment can begin without delay.

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🇺🇸🇮🇷 US-Iran nuclear talks conclude in Oman, with another round said planned for coming days

Iran and the US held two rounds of indirect talks in Oman on Friday, negotiations that appeared to return to the starting point on how to approach discussions over Tehran’s nuclear program. They expect further talks to take place in the coming days.

The presence of US Navy Adm. Brad Cooper, the head of the American military’s Central Command, in his dress uniform at the talks in Muscat, the Omani capital, served as a reminder that the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and other warships were now off the coast of Iran in the Arabian Sea.

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🇦🇪 OpenAI developing UAE-specific ChatGPT version with G42

OpenAI is developing a customized version of ChatGPT specifically for the United Arab Emirates in collaboration with Abu Dhabi - based G42. This specialized version of the popular chatbot is being designed to accommodate local language, political outlook, and speech restrictions in the UAE.

OpenAI officials told that the fine-tuned ChatGPT is intended for use by the UAE government. When completed, this will represent one of the first examples of a local implementation of the chatbot.

#BRICS

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💱 XRP, HBAR & XLM tipped as core rails in a $43 trillion shake-up

XLM, XRP & HBAR is key in ISO 20022, SWIFT’s live on-rail trials & the rise of “staplecoins”, mirroring fiat obligations on-chain. Сrypto analyst Cheeky Crypto argues that the quiet restructuring of the global financial “plumbing” is centering on three protocols: XRP, Hedera Hashgraph (HBAR) and Stellar (XLM). The host frames it as a move from “sandbox” pilots to industrial deployment by central banks, asset managers and payment networks.

An internal strategy to build a “global liquidity bridge” is now moving into institutional implementation. XRP is presented as a universal liquidity translator, routing between fragmented fiat & replacing trillions in pre-funded Nostro/Vostro accounts with on-demand settlement.

Cheeky Crypto says the XRP Ledger “was built for business” and suggests that even a small fraction of the reported $1 quadrillion in notional value moving on-chain would be “transformational.” XRP, XLM and HBAR positioned to capture a large share of a tokenisation market the host says is projected to approach $10 trillion by 2030.

A central pillar of the argument is a recent collaboration from the Official Monetary and Financial Institutions Forum (OMFIF), a network of central banks and sovereign wealth funds collectively overseeing around $43 trillion in assets. XRP and Stellar are rails for “staplecoins” — blockchain-native versions of existing fiat obligations.

#Stellar

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