Category: News
US tariffs are having an uneven effect on holiday prices and purchases
NEW YORK — The Ah Louis Store in San Luis Obispo, California, turns into a winter wonderland every holiday season.
Green garlands, giant nutcrackers, baubles and bows go up in early November on the historic downtown building that houses the gift shop. Inside, customers can choose from over 500 different types of ornaments and a variety of holiday gift baskets.
“We really just make it a magical spot,” co-owner Emily Butler said. “Whether you come in or not, we want to make sure that we’re spreading that holiday joy.”
But Butler says she and her twin sister-business partner had to work harder this year to turn browsers into buyers and to make a profit. Many of the decorations and stocking stuffers they sell are made overseas and either did not arrive or got more expensive when President Donald Trump imposed unusually high taxes on imported goods, she said.
In response, the sisters focused their selection on more profitable items like nutcrackers and gift baskets. They’ve also noticed customers cutting back, selecting a $100 gift basket over the $150 version, or buying one ornament instead of several, Butler said..
“We’re definitely seeing more cautious spending this year,” she said.
Along with the unpredictable tariffs, stubborn inflation and weak hiring have shaken consumer confidence in the U.S. economy. The vast majority of U.S. adults say they’ve noticed higher than usual prices for groceries, electricity and holiday gifts in recent months, according to a December poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
A Gallup index that summarizes Americans’ assessments of current economic conditions fell to a 17-month low in November. Consumers also indicated less enthusiasm for spending money on holiday gifts; their estimated gift budgets decreased $229 between October and November, the largest drop Gallup has recorded at that point of the holiday shopping season. The survey was conducted in November, partially during the government shutdown, which might have tempered spending plans.
However, the worst-case impact on consumer prices that many economists foresaw from the Trump administration’s tariff policies hasn’t materialized. Some products have been affected more than others. Here’s a look at what has happened with supplies and prices in popular gifting categories.
Games and toys
Game and toys were particularly susceptible to tariff-related price increases since the majority of the ones sold in the U.S. are made in China, according to industry trade group The Toy Association. The tariff rate the Trump administration imposed on Chinese goods became a rollercoaster that started at an additional 10%, peaked at 145% and ended up at 47%.
The uncertainty made it hard for toy shops to decide what to order for the holidays. Dean Smith, who co-owns independent toy stores JaZams in Princeton, New Jersey, and Lahaska, Pennsylvania, said the manufacturers in China that he buys toys from did not pass on their tariff costs all at once but he has seen their prices inch higher with every reorder.
Smith estimated that wholesale prices for 80% of his inventory went up anywhere from 5% to 20%. Some shoppers who don’t buy toys regularly might be surprised by price increases he adopted in turn, Smith said. A doll that sold for $20 to $25 last year now costs $30 to $35 at JaZams, he said.
“For folks with marginal incomes, this is going to be a very difficult holiday,” Smith said.
Electronics
Consumer electronics are mostly made in China and other Asian countries. In 2023, China accounted for 78% of U.S. smartphone imports, and 79% of laptop and tablet imports, according to the Consumer Technology Association trade group.
Best Buy said in May that it was raising prices due to tariffs. But CEO Corie Barry said late last month that the consumer electronics chain made sure to stock computers, phones and other products at different price levels, a decision she credited with helping Best Buy attract more lower-income shoppers.
“The consumer is not a monolith,” Barry told reporters.
Game consoles are always a popular holiday item, and console makers made news earlier this year when they announced price increases. Sony raised the price of the PlayStation 5 by $50 to $550 in August, following Microsoft and Nintendo raising prices for their game consoles.
Jewelry
Jewelry shoppers will likely see higher prices, but that has more to do with the soaring price of gold than tariffs so far, according to David Bonaparte, president & CEO of trade group Jewelers of America.
The varying tax rates Trump set for countries that import American goods with a total value less than their exports to the U.S. affected jewelry in various ways. Watches from Switzerland, for example, were subject to a 39% tariff from July 31 until the country struck a deal with the Trump administration last month to lower the import tax rate on its products to 15%.
India, which refines many of the diamonds sold in the U.S., rushed in shipments of the gemstones before a 50% tariff on the country’s products took effect on Aug. 27. Higher prices for jewelry made with diamonds shipped from India will likely start to be felt in 2026, Bonaparte said.
“It’s really a matter of what happens after Jan. 1,” he said. “If these tariffs are still in place, then prices will probably increase.”
Holiday decor
Holiday decorations are yet another category that mostly comes from overseas, particularly China.
Jeremy Rice co-owns House, a home-décor shop in Lexington, Kentucky, that specializes in artificial flowers, wreaths and table decorations. He said the tariffs slowed down production of much of his fall stock and seasonal merchandise like ribbon. Some larger and more expensive items he didn’t order at all because they would have been too expensive to retail.
Rice raised prices on the products he did get. The popular red berry stems that House long has carried increased from $8.95 last year to $10.95 due to higher import costs, he said.
“We sell thousands of these berry stems, and every time we sold one, I flinched from knowing what it should have been, knowing that our supplier paid more for them, which made us pay more for them, which made our customer pay more for them,” Rice said.
Shopping strategically
For those looking to avoid tariff-related price increases, John Harmon, managing director of technology research at technology consulting company Coresight Resarch, recommends checking out secondhand stores and discount retailers like T.J. Maxx, Marshall’s and HomeGoods. The off-price chains buy much of their inventory from leftover stock that would have entered the U.S. before new tariffs kicked in.
Joe Adamski, senior director at procurement services company ProcureAbility, said books, food and beverages are some of the domestically produced goods that make good gifts.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/15/us-tariffs-holiday-prices/
Trial begins for Wisconsin judge accused of helping immigrant evade federal authorities
MADISON, Wis. —A prosecutor told jurors Monday that a Wisconsin judge said she would “take the heat” for directing an immigrant to dash through a private courtroom door while federal agents were trying to arrest him.
Opening remarks by Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith Alexander kicked off an extraordinary trial for a public official. Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan is charged with obstruction and concealment for her actions this spring during President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.
The trial in federal court in Milwaukee will center on what happened when Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, 31, reported to the county courthouse in April for a hearing on a state crime.
Authorities say Dugan led him out through a back door that led to a public corridor after she told immigration agents to speak with the chief judge about trying to arrest people at the courthouse.
“They did not expect a judge, sworn to uphold the law, would divide their arrest team and impede their efforts to do their jobs,” Alexander told the jury.
He said Dugan informed her court reporter that she “would take the heat” for helping Flores-Ruiz.
The government’s case is expected to run through at least Thursday, with roughly two dozen witnesses lined up to testify. Dugan faces up to six years in prison if convicted on both counts.
During his opening remarks, defense attorney Steven Biskupic said the judge had no intention of obstructing agents.
He said Dugan was following policy when she directed federal agents to Chief Judge Carl Ashley’s office. Biskupic said other agents still in the courthouse hallway decided not to arrest Flores-Ruiz when he emerged through the door and instead followed him outside the building.
“Now, after the fact, everyone wants to blame Judge Dugan,” Biskupic said.
Flores-Ruiz was arrested after a foot chase. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced in November that he had been deported after he pleaded no contest in the local battery case and was sentenced to time served.
Ahead of the trial, U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman declined to dismiss the charges, saying there was no firmly established immunity for Dugan.
Democrats say Trump is looking to make an example of Dugan to blunt judicial opposition to immigration arrests. Dugan told police she and her family found threatening flyers at their homes this spring. The administration has branded her an activist judge.
Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, a fierce Trump loyalist running for Wisconsin governor next year, urged authorities to “lock her up” in a recent tweet.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/15/wisconsin-judge-immigrant/
Man convicted of murder in 2022 Waukegan shooting
A man has been found guilty of a 2022 fatal shooting in Waukegan, according to Lake County prosecutors.
A jury found Jamonte Davis, 32, guilty of first-degree murder in the death of Sergio Berrios.
Berrios, 42, was fatally shot on the morning of Oct. 3, 2022, as he sat in his car in a driveway in the 1300 block of Chestnut Street.
Police officers said Berrios was pronounced dead at the scene after being shot multiple times.
Police identified Davis based on surveillance videos showing him wearing pants with a distinctive logo along with gray boots.
Authorities said that before the shooting, Davis went to Chicago, where he picked up a stolen Dodge Charger. Authorities said footage showed Davis getting out of the Charger wearing a mask and the distinctive clothing, and then firing multiple times at the car with Berrios inside.
The shooter lost two cell phones as he fled, and authorities were able to link the devices to Davis.
Davis faces a minimum of 40 years in prison. He is due back in court on Jan. 12.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/15/waukegan-fatal-shooting-verdict/
Enthusiasm For AI Stocks Is Finally Being Replaced By Questions
Enthusiasm For AI Stocks Is Finally Being Replaced By Questions
By Jane Foley Senior FX Strategist at Rabobank
Perhaps inevitably, the enthusiasm for AI related stocks in the past few years is now being replaced by questions regarding the returns on investment and specifically whether the costs of developing the technology will be matched in terms of the productivity growth it can create [ZH: actually, no: those questions emerged first last summer, but have been swept under the circle-jerking rug every single time].
The tail-end of the week brought further evidence of investors rotating into cyclical stocks. This had pushed the S&P 500 to a fresh record high at Thursday’s close as the market absorbed last week’s ‘as expected’ 25 bps Fed rate cut and its upward revision to US GDP forecasts. The slew of US data releases in the week ahead will be a strong determinate in how sentiment develops in the final weeks of the year.
In an interview with the WSJ on Friday, President Trump indicated that both Warsh and Hassett remain in the running for the job as the next Fed Chair. Trump reportedly commented that he thought the next Fed Chair should consult him on interest rate policy, though Hassett over the weekend remarked that the job of the Fed is to be independent.
The releases of Chinese retail sales, production, investment and home price data have already kicked off a heavy data week. Retail sales have disappointed with a weaker than expected 1.3% y/y upturn in November – the weakest reading since the pandemic. Chinese fixed asset investment also disappointed at -2.6% y/y ytd, which puts it on track to post the first full year drop since 1998. The weakness in property investment and new home prices compounded the weak tone and underpinned concerns about the challenges facing the Chinese economy in 2026.
Ukraine President Zelensky conceded over the weekend that the country would be willing to give up its long-term goal of Nato membership if security guarantees from the US and Europe were a way to prevent future Russian aggression.
US President Trump has issued Kyiv with a Christmas deadline to accept a peace deal. US Special Envoy Witkoff and Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, arrived in Berlin yesterday for talks with Zelensky and German Chancellor Merz. The EU 27 will sit down for a summit on Thursday to discuss Ukraine, defence and its multiannual financial framework.
Week ahead
While the market consensus sees scope for another 50 bps of Fed rate cuts in 2026, the majority of G10 central banks are now expected to be tightening policy by the end of next year. Alongside the Fed, market pricing is also pointing to a 50-bps reduction in BoE rates by the end of 2026 in addition to 25 bps more easing by the Norges Bank. There is still a slight suspicion in the market that the SNB may return to negative rates next year. By contrast all other G10 central banks are expected to hike policy. At the start of last week, the ECB’s Schnable encouraged market hawks by her suggestion that she was comfortable with market bets on rate hikes. It is hoped that the rhetoric from the December 18 ECB policy meeting will bring some clarity to this view, though in terms of the policy announcement, a steady outcome is universally expected from the ECB this week. Indeed, it is Rabobank’s view that further easing this cycle would require a material downside surprise. For now caution will likely prevail, while policymakers continue to evaluate the impact on the Eurozone economy from US tariffs, France’s budget challenges and the competitive issues faced by Germany – not least this year’s firmer exchange rate. Although we expect steady policy throughout 2026, we have pencilled in two potential rate hikes in 2027 from the ECB.
Steady policy is also expected from the Norges Bank on December 18, although further easing has been signalled by Norwegian policymakers this cycle. Steady policy is also expected to be on the cards from the Riksbank on the same day, though Sweden could be in the running to be the first G10 country to see a rate hike this cycle. A rate cut is widely expected from the BoE on December 18.
Friday’s release of UK October GDP data disappointed the market with a weaker than expected -0.1% m/m print. The UK has now failed to see any growth for four consecutive months. The data underpinned fears that uncertainty leading up to the UK’s November budget created a drag on confidence and activity levels. At the November 6th BoE policy meeting there was a 5:4 vote in favour of steady rates. Governor Bailey is widely expected to switch sides and vote alongside the doves this week. That said, while UK CPI inflation appears to have peaked, the headline number at 3.6% y/y, is still showing signs of stickiness. This suggests that some element of caution can be expected from the MPC.
The other G10 central bank scheduled to vote on policy this week is the BoJ on December 19. The market now strongly expects a 25-bps hike. This marks a sharp shift in sentiment since, as recently as October, Takaichi’s appointment as PM had sparked widespread fears that she would lean on the central bank not to tighten policy. Last week Governor Ueda remarked that Japan had weathered the shock of US tariffs well and, in an interview with the FT, he expressed some confidence about the rise in underlying inflation towards the BoJ’s 2% target. The overnight release of Japan’s Quarterly Tankan report shows business confidence amongst large manufacturers improving to its best level in four years in Q4 – a reading which will have solidified market hopes for more BoJ rate hikes. Japanese November CPI inflation and December PMI data will be released this week ahead of the BoJ’s policy announcement.
A slew of US data is due out this week as officials continue to make good the absence caused by the government shutdown. The market median points to a 50K gains in Tuesday’s November non-farm payrolls release combined with an unemployment rate of 4.5%. The data follow last week’s robust US export numbers, which had positive implications for US Q3 GDP. Tomorrow will also bring US October retail sales data and December PMIs. Other US releases this week include the December Philly Fed index, initial claims and November existing home sales. Plenty of Fed speakers are also slated this week. UK releases include Labour data and the November CPI inflation report. The latter is expected to show further signs in easing in UK price pressures, which would solidify market expectations for a BoE rate cut on December 18. UK November retail sales are due at the end of the week. PMIs plus Germany’s ZEW and IFO releases will ensure a European theme is included in this week’s data surge, while Canada will see a fresh CPI inflation report. In Australia, PMI data and consumer confidence numbers are due.
Tyler Durden
Mon, 12/15/2025 – 11:45
https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/enthusiasm-ai-stocks-finally-being-replaced-questions
Familiar es interrogado tras muerte de Rob Reiner y su esposa en Los Ángeles, según fuente de AP
Por CHRISTOPHER WEBER y MIKE BALSAMO
LOS ÁNGELES (AP) — Los investigadores interrogaban a un familiar del director y actor Rob Reiner y su esposa Michele después de que fueran encontrados muertos en su casa en Los Ángeles, según un funcionario al tanto de la investigación.
Las autoridades creen que sufrieron heridas de arma blanca, dijo el funcionario, quien no podía discutir públicamente los detalles de la investigación y habló con The Associated Press bajo condición de anonimato.
La policía de Los Ángeles aún no ha identificado a un sospechoso, dijo el subjefe Alan Hamilton, jefe de detectives, en una sesión informativa el domingo por la noche.
Hamilton expresó: “Vamos a intentar hablar con todos los miembros de la familia que podamos para llegar a los hechos de esta investigación”.
El Departamento de Bomberos de Los Ángeles dijo que respondió a una solicitud de ayuda médica poco después de las 3:30 de la tarde y encontró a un hombre de 78 años y una mujer de 68 años muertos en el interior. Reiner cumplió 78 años en marzo.
Los detectives de la División de Robos y Homicidios estaban investigando un “aparente homicidio” en la casa de Reiner, dijo el capitán Mike Bland del Departamento de Policía de Los Ángeles.
Las autoridades de la ciudad no han confirmado las identidades de las personas halladas muertas en la residencia en el exclusivo vecindario de Brentwood, en el lado oeste de la ciudad, hogar de muchas celebridades.
Reiner fue por mucho tiempo uno de los directores más prolíficos de Hollywood, y su trabajo incluyó algunas de las películas más memorables de los años 80 y 90, incluyendo “This is Spinal Tap”, “A Few Good Men”, “When Harry Met Sally” y “The Princess Bride”.
Su papel como Meathead en el clásico televisivo de los años 70 de Norman Lear, “All in the Family”, como contraparte liberal de Archie Bunker de O’Connor, lo catapultó a la fama y le valió dos premios Emmy.
Los familiares de Lear, el legendario productor que murió en 2023, dijeron que las muertes los dejaron desolados.
Un comunicado de la familia Lear expresó: “Norman a menudo se refería a Rob como un hijo, y su estrecha relación fue extraordinaria, para nosotros y el mundo. Norman habría querido recordarnos que Rob y Michele dedicaron cada aliento a tratar de hacer de este país un lugar mejor, y lo hicieron a través de su arte, su activismo, su filantropía y su amor por la familia y los amigos”.
Se enviaron mensajes a los representantes de Reiner el domingo por la noche sin recibir respuesta de momento.
La alcaldesa de Los Ángeles, Karen Bass, calificó la pérdida como devastadora para la ciudad.
“Las contribuciones de Rob Reiner resuenan en toda la cultura y sociedad estadounidense, y ha mejorado innumerables vidas a través de su trabajo creativo y su defensa de la justicia social y económica”, manifestó Bass en un comunicado. “Un aclamado actor, director, productor, escritor y activista político comprometido, siempre usó sus dones al servicio de los demás”.
Hijo de la leyenda de la comedia Carl Reiner, Rob Reiner estaba casado con la fotógrafa Michele Singer Reiner desde 1989. Ambos se conocieron mientras él dirigía “When Harry Met Sally” (“Cuando Harry encontró a Sally…”) y tienen tres hijos juntos.
Reiner estuvo previamente casado con la actriz-directora Penny Marshall de 1971 a 1981. Adoptó a su hija, Tracy Reiner. Carl Reiner murió en 2020 a los 98 años y Marshall murió en 2018.
Los asesinatos son raros en el vecindario de Brentwood. La residencia donde murieron los Reiner está a aproximadamente a una milla (1,6 kilómetros) de la casa donde la esposa de O.J. Simpson, Nicole Brown Simpson, y su amigo Ron Goldman fueron asesinados en 1994. __ Balsamo informó desde Washington. El periodista de The Associated Press, Andrew Dalton, en Los Ángeles, contribuyó a este despacho.
Morgan Stanley’s Adam Jonas Explores SpaceX IPO, Emerging Orbital Data Center Race
Morgan Stanley’s Adam Jonas Explores SpaceX IPO, Emerging Orbital Data Center Race
Let’s recap what’s unfolded over the past few weeks as America’s space industry prepares to gain momentum:
Elon Musk confirms SpaceX is going public, with space-based data centers secured.
Orbital data centers are set to bypass Earth-based infrastructure constraints.
As we declared at the time:
The orbital data center space race has officially begun.
We’ve highlighted comments from Elon Musk, Jensen Huang, Jeff Bezos, and Sam Altman about space-based data centers, and analyzed a white paper from Nvidia-backed startup Starcloud that makes a compelling case for low Earth orbit data centers operating as a constellation to address Earth’s looming power crunch and land constraints.
Tesla-bull Adam Jonas from Morgan Stanley added more color about the SpaceX IPO and orbital data centers in a recent note to clients.
Jonas noted that an $800 billion valuation, if accurate, would make OpenAI the highest-valued private unicorn, according to PitchBook data.
Compared with companies in the S&P 500, SpaceX ranks 13th by valuation, in between JPMorgan Chase and Oracle, Jonas said.
He added that it would be valued at more than the combined market capitalizations of the publicly traded military-industrial complex, including contractors such as RTX (Raytheon), Boeing, Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, Northrop Grumman, and L3Harris.
On the topic of AI data centers in space, Jonas wrote:
Starlink Orbital Compute? Also this weekend, Musk on X commented on SpaceX’s planned future entry into orbital data centers, describing them as “by far the fastest way to scale [compute] within 4 years, because easy sources of electrical power are already hard to find on Earth. 1 megaton/year of satellites with 100 kW per satellite yields 100GW of AI added next year with no operating costs or maintenance costs, connecting via high-bandwidth lasers to the Starlink constellation.”
Elon Musk recently described the concept as an impending ‘convergence’ of SpaceX and Tesla in an interview with investor Ron Baron. This hypothetical constellation would leverage scaled-up versions of next-gen Starlink V3 connected by high-speed laser links to form an orbital compute cloud of GPU-equipped satellites. He later elaborated that Starship could deliver 100GW/ year within ‘four to five years’ assuming other technical hurdles are solved.
While space-based datacenters face a number of challenges (orbital debris, data governance, etc.), at-scale orbital compute clouds also have a number of benefits vs. traditional datacenters ranging from power (receive full solar constant in space), to cooling (Space is -270°C), and reduced latency for the growing TAM of edge-devices vs. long-haul terrestrial paths.
Why Build Datacenters in Space?
Cooling. Space is rather chilly – at ~2.7 Kelvin of -270°C, providing obvious cooling advantages. Although removing heat generated by GPUs can require very large metal radiators (potentially multiple square kilometers for larger datacenters), the cost of radiating heat from GPUs into deep space is argued by those involved to be much more efficient than chilling the same GPUs in a terrestrial datacenter, where cooling can account for up to 40% of total energy usage. For example, Starcloud (private) projects 10x lower energy costs vs. terrestrial alternative for its datacenter.
Power. Unlike on Earth, solar power in space is effectively uninterrupted and abundant at all times, providing reliable energy without atmospheric losses or weather variability. Space receives a near full solar constant, about 1,361 W/m², roughly 30% more than the best ground-level solar irradiance after atmospheric attenuation.
Global Edge Connectivity. At scale and when positioned in optimal orbits, space-based datacenters can theoretically improve connectivity for distributed users and edge-compute workloads. By leveraging LEO or mixed-orbit constellations, they can theoretically keep compute resources within milliseconds of most population centers, reducing latency compared to long-haul terrestrial paths.
Scalability. SpaceX today is 90% of mass-to-orbit capacity per Elon Musk. However, as use of re-usable rockets becomes more widespread and competitors like Blue Origin, Rocket Lab, and other emerging launch providers (including China) ramp up cadence, the falling cost per kilogram to orbit and rising total mass-to-orbit capacity is likely to enable larger, more modular deployments of space-based infrastructure.
Obstacles: We note that space-based datacenters still face significant challenges, including harsh radiation environments that demand specialized hardened hardware, difficulty of in-orbit maintenance or repair, and orbital debris hazards given the size and scale of currently theorized space-based datacenters. Additionally, regulatory complexities around spectrum, space traffic management, and multinational data governance could pose as substantial hurdles.
Who Else is Involved?
Starcloud (Private): Starcloud is a Redmond, Washington–based startup founded in 2024 by Philip Johnston (CEO), Ezra Feilden (CTO), and Adi Oltean (Chief Engineer). The company’s mission is to deploy orbital data- centers that leverage abundant solar power, passive radiative cooling and space-scale infrastructure to serve AI and cloud-compute workloads. Backed by accelerator and seed investors such as Y Combinator, NFX, FUSE VC, and major funds from Andreessen Horowitz and Sequoia Capital, they have raised over $20 million in seed funding according to PitchBook.
Axiom Space (Private): Axiom Space is a Houston-based commercial space infrastructure company founded in 2016 by Michael T. Suffredini and Kam Ghaffarian. The company is developing an “Orbital Data Center” (ODC) product line, with plans to launch its first two free-flying ODC nodes into low Earth orbit by the end of 2025. These nodes aim to provide secure, cloud-enabled data storage and processing for commercial, civil, and national security customers, leveraging partnerships with companies such as Kepler Communications and Spacebilt Inc. for optical inter-satellite links and in- space server systems. According to PitchBook, the company has raised over $700 million to date from investors including Type One Ventures and Deep Tech Fund Advisors.
Lonestar Data Holdings (Private): Lonestar Data Holdings is a St. Petersburg, Florida-based company founded around 2018 (incorporated in 2021) and led by CEO Christopher Stott. The firm is developing lunar and space-based data center infrastructure (e.g., its “Freedom” payload was launched aboard Intuitive Machines’ Athena lunar lander via a Falcon 9 rocket) to create the first commercial lunar data center.
Google: Google is actively working on an ambitious “moonshot” initiative called Project Suncatcher, which aims to build constellations of solar- powered satellites carrying its custom TPU hardware to serve as space-based AI/computing data centers. The company plans to launch two prototype satellites by early 2027 to test the feasibility of the system and projects that falling launch costs could bring space-based computing close to cost parity with terrestrial data centers by the mid-2030s.
NVIDIA: NVIDIA is actively positioning itself for the space / orbital datacenter frontier by supplying high-performance GPUs and other critical infrastructure. Starcloud is a member of NVIDIA’s Inception program with NVIDIA and Starcloud launching an H100 GPU into orbit earlier this month aboard a Starcloud test satellite to validate the feasibility of operating terrestrial-class AI-data-center hardware in space.
Making spaceflight affordable has been SpaceX’s focus with its reusable rockets, and once Starship becomes commercialized, costs should drop even further. This is great news, not just for SpaceX but also for tech startups building container-sized data centers for space.
Let’s remind readers that SpaceX is effectively America’s rocket program – and it leads the world by light-years.
We must add, Musk is uniquely positioned, with SpaceX and xAI…
SpaceX also leads in terms of spacecraft upmass…
Jonas touched on SpaceX’s valuation:
Who owns SpaceX?
So data centers in low-Earth orbit first, then land on the Moon (again?), then explore Mars with Starship? It appears SpaceX’s Starlink will provide communications for the booming space industry.
Tyler Durden
Mon, 12/15/2025 – 11:25
Petrolera estatal venezolana denuncia ciberataque, acusa a EEUU y conspiradores locales
Associated Press
CARACAS (AP) — La corporación estatal Petróleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA) denunció el lunes que fue blanco de un ciberataque dirigido a detener sus operaciones y acusó a Estados Unidos y conspiradores locales de intentar interrumpir sus sistemas informáticos.
En un comunicado PDVSA rechazó esta “acción deleznable, orquestada por intereses extranjeros en complicidad con factores apátridas”.
“No es la primera vez que Estados Unidos, aliado con sectores extremistas (locales) intenta afectar la estabilidad nacional”, destacó la petrolera en el escrito.
PDVSA es la columna vertebral de la economía y principal fuente de divisas del país sudamericano. Venezuela tiene las mayores reservas probadas de petróleo del mundo y produce alrededor de un millón de barriles por día.
Sostenidamente por más de una década Venezuela ha experimentado varias crisis en los servicios públicos y empresas estatales que las autoridades han atribuido a complots y acciones de sabotaje. Analistas y opositores sostienen que las fallas son consecuencia de la falta de mantenimiento de los equipos, poca formación del personal y presuntas irregularidades en la administración.
La denuncia se produjo cinco días después de que el presidente estadounidense Donald Trump señalara que Estados Unidos incautó un buque petrolero frente a la costa de Venezuela en medio de crecientes tensiones con el gobierno de Nicolás Maduro por el despliegue desde septiembre de fuerzas militares estadounidenses que han ejecutado una serie de ataques contra embarcaciones sospechosas de contrabandear drogas en aguas internacionales del Caribe y el Pacífico. Más de 80 personas han fallecido.
El gobierno de Trump sostiene que el despliegue busca combatir la amenaza de los cárteles de drogas latinoamericanos. Maduro, en tanto, insiste en que el verdadero propósito de las operaciones militares es forzarlo a dejar el cargo.
PDVSA resaltó que “las áreas operativas no sufrieron afectación alguna, siendo reducido a un ataque a su sistema administrativo”. Añadió que “se mantiene la continuidad operativa de la industria mediante la implantación de protocolos seguros” que permitieron mantener el suministro al mercado doméstico y cumplir los compromisos de exportación.
1 dead and others displaced in Glenwood condo fire
One person died in a fire Saturday night that spread through the second floor of a Glenwood condominium unit.
Frankie Thomas, 64, was killed, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office, while neighbors in adjoining units were displaced.
Glenwood firefighters were called at about 5 p.m. to the 900 block of East 194th Street, said Steve Patterson, a village spokesperson.
Firefighters found the second floor of the three-story unit engulfed in flames.
Patterson said the village contacted the Red Cross to assist the displaced residents and the fire remains under investigation.
ostevens@chicagotribune.com
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/15/1-dead-glenwood-condo-fire/
Aussie PM Invokes ‘Right-Wing Extremism’ After Islamic Terrorist Attack, Vows Crackdown On Guns
Aussie PM Invokes ‘Right-Wing Extremism’ After Islamic Terrorist Attack, Vows Crackdown On Guns
In the wake of a Sunday mass shooting at Australia’s Bondi Beach that left 15 dead and more than two dozen injured, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has vowed to strengthen the country’s gun laws. The massacre, which occurred during a Hanukkah event, was reportedly carried out by a father-son pair, Sajid Akram, 50, and Naveed Akram, 24 – with the older gunman having held a gun license for a decade while legally owning six guns.
“The government is prepared to take whatever action is necessary. Included in that is the need for tougher gun laws,” Albanese said.
Other government leaders also proposed restricting gun ownership to Australian citizens – a measure which would have excluded the older suspected gunman who has lived in Australia since 1998 on a student visa, and became a permanent resident after marrying a local woman, according to authorities – who did not confirm what country he had migrated from.
Government leaders are also proposing the “additional use of criminal intelligence” in deciding who can obtain a firearms license – which “could hypothetically have meant that a 2019 investigation into the son’s suspicious associates, confirmed Monday by Albanese, would have disqualify the father from owning a gun” CBS News reports.
New South Wales premier Christopher Minns said his state’s gun laws would change, but did not outline how.
“It means introducing a bill to Parliament to — I mean to be really blunt — make it more difficult to get these horrifying weapons that have no practical use in our community,” he said. “If you’re not a farmer, you’re not involved in agriculture, why do you need these massive weapons that put the public in danger and make life dangerous and difficult for New South Wales Police?”
Of note, Australia enacted a suite of strict gun control laws roughly two weeks after an April, 1996 massacre in Port Arthur, Tasmani in which one man killed 35 people and wounded another 23, prompting then PM John Howard to “significantly strengthen laws relating to gun control in Australia.” Under the National Firearms Agreement (NFA), gun ownership was explicitly made a privilege, while two federally-funded gun buybacks and voluntary surrenders led to the collection of more than a million firearms which were then destroyed. In order to possess a firearm in Australia, a person must have a firearm license and demonstrate at least one “genuine reason” for ownership that doesn’t include self defense.
Albanese, meanwhile, invoked ‘right-wing extremism’ during a press conference after the Islamic terrorist attack when asked about one of the alleged gunmen.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, Mike Burgess warned you in February that antisemitism was the number one threat to life. Is that still the case and have you taken these threats seriously enough? And Acting Deputy Commissioner, if I may, it’s my understanding that Sajid Akram moved to Australia in the late 90s, I believe from Pakistan. Is that correct?
PRIME MINISTER: On the latter the Minister will respond. We take ASIO’s advice very seriously. We work closely with them. We receive regular updates as well. The Director-General of ASIO has warned about a range of threats, be it antisemitism, the rise of right wing extremist groups as well. And we continue to work closely with our security agencies
Watch:
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says he takes ASIO’s advice very seriously, whether it relates to the threat of antisemitism and “right-wing extremist groups.” pic.twitter.com/ssl65pRSA8
— Australians vs. The Agenda (@ausvstheagenda) December 15, 2025
So, more gun control and they’re on the lookout for ‘antisemitism’ and ‘right wing extremist groups’ after the Islamic terrorist attack. Right.
Tyler Durden
Mon, 12/15/2025 – 10:45
Mariah Carey actuará en la ceremonia de apertura de Milán-Cortina
MILÁN (AP) — Mariah Carey añadirá el glamour de estrella del pop estadounidense a la ceremonia de apertura de los próximos Juegos Olímpicos de Invierno de Milán-Cortina.
El comité organizador local anunció el lunes que Carey, de 56 años, y que es reconocida por su canción de Navidad “All I Want for Christmas is You”, es la primera estrella internacional confirmada para actuar en la ceremonia del seis de febrero en el estadio de fútbol San Siro de Milán.
Carey afirmó en Instagram: “Ci vediamo a Milano” — ‘Nos vemos en Milán’.
“Mariah Carey representa plenamente la atmósfera emocional que acompaña la preparación para los Juegos”, expresó el comité organizador. “La música es un lenguaje universal que atrae diferentes historias y sensibilidades, y se entrelaza con el tema de armonía de la ceremonia de apertura”.
Los Juegos se llevarán a cabo en el norte de Italia, y se realizarán ceremonias de apertura simultáneas pero más pequeñas en tres grupos montañosos.
La estrella de ballet de renombre internacional Roberto Bolle encabezará la ceremonia de clausura, que está programada para realizarse en el antiguo Anfiteatro Romano de Verona el 22 de febrero.
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Deportes AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
