Category: News
Responders recall a mission of recovery and grief a year after the midair collision near Washington DC
WASHINGTON — For some, it was the children’s luggage and small ice skates that became indelible memories of the night a passenger plane and a helicopter collided over the murky Potomac River. Others remember boats navigating debris and shallow water to bring victims’ bodies ashore. And there was the suddenness: people seconds from landing, gone.
Families of those on board American Airlines Flight 5342 and an Army Black Hawk helicopter are marking Thursday as the one-year anniversary of the deadliest plane crash on U.S. soil in more than 20 years. Another group is reliving that night and the days, weeks and months that followed: the emergency responders who dove repeatedly into the river with nearly zero visibility, braving cold water, jet fuel and jagged wreckage in the hope of rescuing survivors.
But there were no miracles, just the bodies of daughters, sons, wives, husbands, mothers and fathers to pull from the water, identify and return to their families.
Sixty-four passengers and crew of the airliner traveling from Wichita, Kansas, to Washington were moments from touchdown when the plane collided with the Black Hawk helicopter and its crew of three. All 67 died in the crash on Jan. 29, 2025.
Investigators say deadly midair collision near DC followed years of ignored warnings about traffic
“We knew at the one-hour mark there weren’t going to be any survivors,” said the District of Columbia’s Fire and EMS chief, John Donnelly. The priority became recovering the bodies and the personal belongings and returning them to their families while gathering evidence for crash investigators.
Over nearly a week, divers and other emergency personnel recovered all of the victims from about 8 feet of water and undertook the painstaking task of identification. Others spent months scouring the river for personal effects.
“If you’ve ever been out on the Potomac, it’s not a pleasant place to dive under the best conditions,” said Tim Lilley, whose son Sam, 28, was the co-pilot of the American flight. “But on that night, the fact that they’re getting in the water and doing everything that they could was amazing.”
Tim Lilley, a former Black Hawk pilot, said that later in the spring, first responders took him and his wife, Sheri, out on the river so they could lay flowers at the places where the two aircraft came to rest.
“We were able to talk to the actual person that helped pull my son out of the water. It was a huge emotional experience, and it was so healing.”
Hundreds of responders raced to the scene
The first call — “crash crash crash” — came from the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport control tower at 8:48 p.m.
That and subsequent alerts triggered the region’s largest emergency response since hijackers flew a plane into the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001. By midnight, about 350 responders from dozens of agencies were on scene, including 20 to 30 divers from harbor patrol units.
“The first time you hear it, like anything else, your stomach drops,” said Metropolitan Police Department scuba diver Robert Varga, a 16-year member of the department who was at home when the call came and was in the water within the hour. “We know it’s going to be a serious scene if they’re going to call us.”
The last major crash on the Potomac had been in January 1982, when an Air Florida flight clipped a bridge on takeoff and plunged into the river, killing 78.
“It was total chaos,” said Washington fire rescue squad Lt. Sam Short who, along with two divers from his team, were among the first on the scene. He said he witnessed gruesome sights.
“There’s a lot of different things that we saw and did that night. You just can’t describe it to people,” he said.
When the responders arrived at the frozen river, the plane’s fuselage was partially submerged and suitcases and other possessions were strewn about. The heavy smell of jet fuel wafted in the air.
Police officer and diver Jeffrey Leslie was getting his elementary school-age kids to bed when he got a text.
On a visit to the area last week, Leslie navigated one of the unit’s boats to the crash site almost on instinct as planes took off and landed in the background. He steered to the end of Runway 33, where Flight 5342 was supposed to land but instead became one of the areas where they brought victims.
Leslie, who spent hours at the crash site last year and returned multiple times over the following months, said his memory of that night can be triggered by cold weather and sometimes by the white ice skates in his daughter’s closet. Young figure skaters returning from a meet were among the plane’s passengers.
Personal effects recovered offered some closure
Donnelly, the fire chief, said his priorities were the families, the investigation and the safety of the responders who were braving dangerous temperatures and jet fuel.
His emotions hit him when he met with families hoping for some positive news, to give them updates on the recovery efforts. “Then it becomes very personal and you can feel other people’s grief and pain,” he said.
A memorial in Washington on Wednesday honored the families and the responders. Some family members attending a National Transportation Safety Board hearing on the crash this week wore shirts with the names of responder units.
Lt. Andrew Horos, the harbor master for district’s police department, said mental health is tantamount for the responders. “You can’t really prepare your members or anyone for that,” he said.
Edward Kelly, president of the International Association of Fire Fighters, said the union sent 12 peer support personnel to the city in the aftermath and they met with 75% of the firefighters and paramedics who responded to the crash. One goal was “to let them know what to look for in themselves, how to see if traumatic stress is manifested in them and where to go if they need help,” he said.
That is particularly important in an incident involving so many children, he said. “A lot of those people that respond, firefighters, the paramedics, the police officers, a lot us are parents. We have young kids.”
“It’s been a struggle,” said the rescue squad’s Short, who also responded to the 2001 attack on the Pentagon and lost a close colleague days before the crash. “A couple of our guys have been out numerous months over the last year because of this.”
Donnelly said the department also is monitoring the divers’ health because of hazardous materials they may have encountered.
Leslie, the police diver, said recovering earrings, wedding bands and children’s skates and returning them to the grieving families provided a therapy of sorts.
“They appreciated every single thing we could get back,” Horos said.
Varga, the scuba diver, said if he could say anything to the families it would be that emergency personnel did their best to save, then return the passengers to their families.
“And then in the months after that, we were out there as often as we could trying to recover personal effects for the families, because each thing that we did find, we knew was important to the family members,” he said.
“We hope that we were able to provide just a sliver of closure to them.”
Funk reported from Omaha, Nebraska.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/29/dc-midair-collision-anniversary/
Junaid Ahmed and Neil Khot take on fellow Democrat Melissa Bean in new ads for Illinois’ 8th District
Dueling commercials by two well-funded Democratic candidates in Illinois’ 8th Congressional District race are taking aim at former U.S. Rep. Melissa Bean, with both ads calling her “Wall Street’s favorite Democrat.”
In an election season when Democrats nationally are campaigning to make life more affordable for average citizens and to take on monied interests, the commercials by Junaid Ahmed and Neil Khot aim to portray Bean, a former member of Congress, as a Democratic candidate disconnected from the current political will.
The two men — both children of immigrants — also call for opposing President Donald Trump’s administration, though they differ on some other issues as they run in a crowded field for the Democratic nomination in the heavily blue district. The primary is March 17.
Ahmed, a technology consultant from South Barrington, recently rolled out two new digital and streaming ads. In them, he calls for passing Medicare for All and stopping Republican Trump.
“Both parties have let us down,” he said. “I will stand up to Trump, fight to make life more affordable, and demand billionaires pay their fair share. And I won’t take a dime of corporate PAC money.
“My opponent? She’s called Wall Street’s favorite Democrat. Well, call me Junaid — the people’s favorite.”
Khot, an immigrant and small business owner, also used his ad to cite the Wall Street Democrat line, which appeared in a Huffington Post headline when Bean held the office in 2009.
Khot also calls for caring for seniors, reducing the cost of living, and standing up to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which many candidates across the nation are saying should be abolished amid increased Trump-backed deportation raids, especially in the Chicago area last fall and currently in Minnesota.
“I’ve lived here for 30 years and this is my home,” Khot said. “And now I cannot leave my house without my passport. I want to fight and I want to give back to the country that gave me everything.”
The two men are among eight candidates running for the 8th District congressional seat. The district covers northwest suburbs from roughly the Des Plaines River west along I-90 beyond Gilberts, and along the Fox River from Geneva and St. Charles on the south to the McHenry County line on the north. It includes all or parts of Bloomingdale, Carpentersville, Elgin, Roselle, Palatine, Schaumburg and Streamwood.
The seat will be open because incumbent Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi is running for U.S. Senate to replace retiring Sen. Dick Durbin.
Bean is thought to have an advantage in the race because she previously represented the district in Congress, having defeated longtime incumbent Republican Phil Crane in 2004, Bean held the office from 2005 to 2011 but was ousted by Republican Joe Walsh in a tea party surge. She went on to work for JPMorgan Chase and Mesirow Wealth Advisors.
She was the first candidate to launch a major ad campaign on streaming platforms earlier this month. Both Ahmed and Khot described their ad campaigns as costing in the six figures.
Junaid Ahmed, an 8th Congressional District Democratic candidate, responds to a question Nov. 13, 2025, during a candidate forum at Elgin Community College. (H. Rick Bamman/for the Chicago Tribune)
Neil Khot, an 8th Congressional District Democratic candidate, responds to a question Nov. 13, 2025, during a candidate forum at Elgin Community College. (H. Rick Bamman/for the Chicago Tribune)
Other candidates include Hanover Park Trustee Yasmeen Bankole, who previously worked for Krishnamoorthi and Durbin; small business owner and advocate Sanjyot Dunung, Cook County Commissioner Kevin Morrison, U.S. Army Reserve lawyer Dan Tully, and Ryan Vetticad, a former Presidential Management Fellow at the U.S. Department of Justice.
Morrison, the first openly LGBTQ+ member of the Cook County Board, said his campaign is buying ads on streaming services and social media. He called for pushing down prices by asserting the constitutional authority of Congress to set tariffs and to work to make higher education and health care affordable for all.
“Our residents are concerned about affordability,” he said. “That is a top priority of mine.”
Tully said his legal experience as a judge advocate would be critical for reining in a president acting outside the law.
“I’m the one with actual plans to hold the administration accountable and make the American Dream more affordable.”
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/29/illinois-8th-congressional-ahmed-khot-ads-bean/
Trump amenaza con aranceles a países que vendan petróleo a Cuba, aumentando la presión sobre México
Por MICHELLE L. PRICE
WASHINGTON (AP) — El presidente Donald Trump firmó el jueves una orden ejecutiva que impondría un arancel a cualquier producto proveniente de países que vendan o suministren petróleo a Cuba, una medida que aumenta la presión sobre México.
La presidenta de México, Claudia Sheinbaum, aseguró esta semana que su gobierno había detenido, al menos temporalmente, los envíos de petróleo a Cuba, pero recalcó que fue una “decisión soberana” y no a instancias de Estados Unidos.
Trump ha estado presionando a México para que se distancie del gobierno cubano y se incremente el aislamiento de la nación caribeña, la cual ya está sujeta a estrictas sanciones económicas de Estados Unidos.
Tras un operativo militar estadounidense para detener al entonces presidente venezolano, Nicolás Maduro, Trump ha dicho que el gobierno cubano está por caer.
___
Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
Education Department Warns California To Halt Secret Gender Transitions Of Kids
Education Department Warns California To Halt Secret Gender Transitions Of Kids
Authored by Catherine Salgado via PJMedia.com,
The U.S. Education Department (ED) is warning California to stop hiding gender transitions of students from parents in public schools or face federal consequences.
ED’s Student Privacy Policy Office (SPPO) investigated dangerous and shocking violations of parental rights in California public schools, according to a Jan. 28 press release.
It seems as if now is a good time for the Trump administration to cut off the federal funding to California until and unless the government there stops grooming children so egregiously.
The California Department of Education (CDE) is in violation of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), ED accused. CDE pressures schools to defy FERPA in spite of receiving federal funding. Indeed, California state law AB 1955 mandates that schools not inform parents of a child’s “gender transition” if the parents might disagree with the move.
U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon insisted, “Under Gavin Newsom’s failed leadership, school personnel have even bragged about facilitating ‘gender transitions,’ and shared strategies to target minors and conceal information about children from their own families.” She slammed the Biden administration for ignoring the abuse before adding: “Children do not belong to the State—they belong to families. We will use every available mechanism to hold California accountable for these practices and restore parental rights.”
Since it is quite literally impossible to alter one’s biological sex, “gender transitioning” children is always despicable. The Trump-Kennedy Department of Health and Human Services released a study in November on “sex-rejecting” so-called treatments that found:
The risks of pediatric medical transition include infertility/sterility, sexual dysfunction, impaired bone density accrual, adverse cognitive impacts, cardiovascular disease and metabolic disorders, psychiatric disorders, surgical complications, and regret…
WPATH suppressed systematic reviews its leaders believed would undermine its favored treatment approach.
The latter sentence refers to the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, on whose anti-scientific and disastrous recommendations woke American doctors based trans “treatments.”
Shockingly, puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries are permanently harmful to young bodies.
Any person with an ordinary share of common sense could have told doctors that, but too many members of the medical industry now are more interested in ideology or money than in healing patients and keeping them healthy. Unfortunately, that also goes for the public school educational establishment.
It is not surprising, therefore, that ED is taking decisive action against secretive “gender transitions.” The ED press release issued a list of demands to CDE that include:
Issuing a notice to all superintendents and administrators informing them that “gender support plans” or other related documentation that is directly related to a student are considered education records under FERPA and are subject to parental inspection upon request;
Publicizing that there is no “unofficial records” exception to FERPA and further notifying superintendents and administrators that AB 1955, as well as any other California laws, regulations, or policies, should not be interpreted to undermine or contradict federal law, and that violations of FERPA risk loss of federal financial assistance;
Providing written assurance to SPPO that CDE will allow LEAs to enforce FERPA regarding “gender identity” and pro-parental notification approaches…
Adding FERPA training content that is approved by SPPO to the California Education Code (EC) Section 218.3(b)(1)’s LGBTQ cultural competency training for teachers and other certificated employees.
The ED press release made just that one reference to possible loss of financial assistance re: FERPA violations.
That is threat enough, however, given California’s massive budget deficit.
Hopefully California will have to choose between eschewing child grooming or losing many millions of dollars in federal funding.
Tyler Durden
Thu, 01/29/2026 – 19:15
Trump amenaza con imponer aranceles a países que vendan petróleo a Cuba, lo que pondría presión sobre México
WASHINGTON (AP) — Trump amenaza con imponer aranceles a países que vendan petróleo a Cuba, lo que pondría presión sobre México.
Aurora man charged with first-degree murder in connection with death of his ex-wife in Oswego
An Aurora man has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of his ex-wife in Oswego, the Oswego Police Department said on Thursday.
At around 1:10 p.m. on Tuesday, police were dispatched to a home in the 400 block of Valentine Way in Oswego after a caller had reported that he believed his wife was in danger after he said he observed, via home surveillance, a man run after his wife into their garage, police said.
Upon entering the residence, officers found a woman unresponsive, and Oswego Fire Protection District paramedics responded and pronounced the woman dead at the scene, officials said.
A witness had reported seeing a man running south across Wolf’s Crossing Road, the police department said previously, and officers initiated a search of the area. An officer shortly after observed a vehicle that matched a description provided by dispatch being driven south on Harvey Road near Hathaway Lane by an individual who also matched the suspect’s description, according to police. The driver was ultimately taken into custody and transported to the Oswego Police Department following a traffic stop.
On Thursday, the Oswego Police Department said on its Facebook page that charges have been filed against Ryan D. Dodd, 44, of Aurora, in connection with the woman’s death.
The investigation ultimately determined that Dodd is the woman’s ex-husband, the update from Oswego police on Thursday said. He is accused of following her as she entered her home and killing her with a knife.
Dodd is facing charges of first-degree murder, home invasion, armed violence, residential burglary and aggravated stalking, according to Oswego police.
He was processed and booked at the Oswego Police Department and taken to the Kendall County Jail, where he remains in custody as of Thursday afternoon, online records from the Kendall County Sheriff’s Office show. He has a hearing scheduled for Friday.
An autopsy of the woman was conducted on Thursday by the Kendall County Coroner’s Office, which indicated that the woman sustained multiple sharp force injuries, per the news release from the police department. The Coroner’s Office has identified the woman as Ashley A. Stewart, 41, of Oswego.
President Trump threatens Canada with 50% tariff on aircraft sold in US
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened Canada with a 50% tariff on any aircraft sold in the U.S., the latest salvo in his trade war with America’s northern neighbor as his feud with Prime Minister Mark Carney expands.
Trump’s threat posted on social media came after he threatened over the weekend to impose a 100% tariff on goods imported from Canada if it went forward with a planned trade deal with China. But Trump’s threat did not come with any details about when he would impose the import taxes, as Canada had already struck a deal.
In Trump’s latest threat, the Republican president said he was retaliating against Canada for refusing to certify jets from Savannah, Georgia-based Gulfstream Aerospace.
Trump said the U.S., in return, would decertify all Canadian aircraft, including planes from its largest aircraft maker, Bombardier. “If, for any reason, this situation is not immediately corrected, I am going to charge Canada a 50% Tariff on any and all Aircraft sold into the United States of America,” Trump said in his post.
Spokespeople for Bombardier and Canada’s transport minister didn’t immediately respond to messages seeking comment Thursday evening.
Associated Press writer Rob Gillies in Toronto contributed to this report.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/29/trump-canada-aircraft-tariff/
Chicago Public Schools approves buyers for two more closed buildings
The Chicago Board of Education approved the sale of two closed school buildings Thursday, allowing the long-vacant lots to be repurposed into affordable housing and an athletic facility.
The sales of the former Louis Daniel Armstrong Elementary in Austin and Ignace Paderewski Elementary in Little Village will net the district $155,500. Both properties have been shuttered since the city’s mass closures in 2013. The board voted unanimously in favor of the sales at its January meeting.
In the 12 years since the closures, Chicago Public Schools has repeatedly made efforts to offload its vacant sites — which continue to rack up millions in annual maintenance costs. A total of 20 buildings were put out to bid in May, and the first three buyers were approved in December.
Even after approval, it will likely be years before redevelopment is complete. Neither property has working plumbing, electric or mechanical systems. They also have severe water damage.
BreakAway Community Development was approved for a $100,000 bid on Armstrong. Developer Khalilah Johnson said the property will be repurposed as an athletic training facility, with a focus on affordable access for young athletes in Austin. The property’s annex will be repurposed as rental suites for athletic trainers.
The former Armstrong Elementary School, 5345 West Congress Parkway, Jan. 29, 2026, which has been vacant since the 2013. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune)
“There’s just a need for something like this for kids in the community,” Johnson told the Tribune this week. “We’re hoping it becomes a sports hub.”
The planned facility will have two full-size basketball courts, an indoor turf field and a fitness studio. BreakAway is still seeking $10 million in donations to fund the $12.5 million project, which the nonprofit plans to complete within 18 to 24 months, according to Johnson.
“It’s really just a blank slate of a building, ”Johnson said.
The board also approved a $55,500 bid for Paderewski from developer P3 Markets. The building will be demolished to make way for an 86-unit affordable housing development, according to board documents.
Addressing the board earlier this month, CPS Director of Real Estate Stephen Stults called the lots an “ongoing liability.” They cost $75,000 to $150,000 per year to maintain, depending on the site size, and are repeatedly broken into and vandalized.
“We don’t want to be the landlord of vacant buildings, so we’re doing everything we can,” Stults told the board.
After the school board’s vote, the bids must receive final approval from the City Council or the Public Buildings Commission.
Bids for three other properties were approved by the school board last month: the former John G. Shedd Elementary School in Roseland; Arna Bontemps Elementary School in Englewood; and Henson Elementary School in North Lawndale. A nonprofit plans to repurpose Shedd as a community center, while the other two sites are planned for affordable housing.
Planters are untended at the former Henson Elementary School at 1326 S. Avers Ave. in Chicago on Dec. 18, 2025. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
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The district’s last large-scale push to sell the closed schools was in 2017. More than two dozen remain vacant, though some have been sold but are still pending redevelopment.
Some buyers have also backed out of sales. For example, nonprofit MR Properties offered $50,000 for Paderewski in 2018, but the renovation would have been too costly for the affordable housing developer.
“We just couldn’t make the numbers work,” developer Philip Mappa told the Tribune last month. “The windows have to be replaced, the roof has to be replaced. … We would have been off starting for scratch.”
Now Paderewski has another shot at redevelopment.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/29/chicago-public-schools-closed-buildings-sale/
Daily Horoscope for January 30, 2026
General Daily Insight for January 30, 2026
Unexpected events will probably make more sense in hindsight. Today’s quincunx between systematic Mercury and extravagant Jupiter at 3:58 PM EST could have us misreading the ideal scale or timing of today’s actions. No matter how scatterbrained we’re feeling, slowing down to recheck our assumptions and reshape our plans should help us make it through our plans for the day. By evening, the emotional Moon conjoins Jupiter, lifting moods by reminding us of how nice gratitude feels. We are capable of making reliable progress.
Aries
March 21 – April 19
What support do you want from friends? Chatty Mercury highlights your 11th House of Society, so coordination matters as you organize a meetup or outline a group idea that excites people. Lucky Jupiter in your residential zone pulls your focus inward — you may not be able to handle requests from those not in your direct household, and that’s okay. Set honest expectations so that everyone can adjust plans and protect their energy levels without drama. Agree on a plan that respects home needs.
Taurus
April 20 – May 20
Progress comes from calm, careful choices. Your 10th House of Achievement is in the spotlight as quick-thinking Mercury nudges Jupiter in your wordy 3rd house, potentially influencing you to draft a proposal or step up on a task. Keep in mind that an email thread or virtual meeting may drift without notes, moreso than an in-person conversation would. Set the tone with summaries and kind boundaries. You can leap ahead while staying grounded, ready for any last-minute edits. Your steady focus makes success easier.
Gemini
May 21 – June 20
This morning invites ideas from far places. Though Mercury and Jupiter’s angle today is awkward, it can ultimately be beneficial for your plans to learn and grow. With Mercury in your travel zone and Jupiter in your financial station, you’re capable of asking the questions that might escape the notice of other explorers. Whatever you’re planning, be sure to budget for equipment and compare the costs and benefits of your various options. Set a limit so curiosity stays fun, not costly.
Cancer
June 21 – July 22
Cancer, deep trust guides your smart choices. Your 8th House of Psychology hosts Mercury, whose quincunx with unstoppable Jupiter in your sign could stir up important talks about money and trust with a loved one. Strong feelings — positive and negative alike — could overshadow details unless you take your time and speak slowly. Name what already feels safe and what needs time, and the right people should care about the difference. You’re ready to connect without pressure while keeping your sensitive heart protected.
Leo
July 23 – August 22
Clashing priorities don’t have to inhibit a connection. Right now, Mercury and Jupiter are entangled across the areas of your chart that highlight partnerships and, contrarily, alone time. Still, as long as everyone agrees on public versus private hours, you can make this work. Perhaps you and a business partner will temporarily work alone, or your friend group mutually decides to stay in for the night. Be honest about your desires, because your generous spirit shines when you set realistic timing and show care.
Virgo
August 23 – September 22
Everyday fixes magnify minor successes into major wins. Cognitive Mercury and upbeat Jupiter are tripping over one another, potentially impacting your day-to-day routine or plans with your friends. Are any of your daily habits interfering with your social time? This is a great day to take note of potential friction points and start smoothing them over. Prioritize essentials and write a friendly message about timing, trusting your careful planning to coordinate everyone’s efforts without neglecting your peace. That’s the best way to avoid any snafus.
Libra
September 23 – October 22
Let playfulness find room in your schedule! Your 5th House of Ingenuity unfurls under today’s Mercury-Jupiter quincunx, and with Jupiter in your proud 10th house, others are likely to notice your creative successes. Fresh ideas for passion projects and sweet moments with the people you love are both on the table. That said, outside expectations could balloon unless you share a realistic timeline. Blend grace with specifics, because your diplomacy lands better when you provide clear steps. Ask kindly for time so joy has room.
Scorpio
October 23 – November 21
Home is something worth protecting. Messenger Mercury is activating your 4th House of Authenticity, so you may need to get more personal than you’d planned (especially when discussing your home). The Greater Benefic, Jupiter, invites ideas about trips from your 9th House of Travel, which could distract you unless you anchor what matters indoors. Protect the nest and set kind rules everyone understands, because clarity gives you strength while your intuition helps the household relax. A steady base makes every change easier to manage.
Sagittarius
November 22 – December 21
Conversations open doors when you listen fully. Mercury energizes your 3rd House of Bulletins, which makes this a great time to connect with your neighbors or other local residents. Meanwhile, Mercury’s connection with Jupiter in your regenerative 8th house can guide you through issues with a more financial bent, especially those involving shared resources. Neighborhood councils or homeowners’ associations could have rocky roads ahead! You’ll be best served by keeping boundaries clear and joint funds accountable to all. Generosity needs honesty.
Capricorn
December 22 – January 19
Value grows when you honor your limits. Your 2nd House of Worth and your 7th House of Loved Ones are both involved in this quincunx between Mercury and Jupiter, so you could encounter some philosophical mismatches with your closest peers. You’re also at risk for the fun kind of financial mistake — when you and a friend are both so excited for something that all thoughts of budget go out the window! State your rate and suggest alternatives, because steady boundaries support respectful collaborations.
Aquarius
January 20 – February 18
Your wit is sharp enough to cut! Mental Mercury is in your sign, so your words and choices carry special weight as you set the vibe for plans and projects. In contrast, Jupiter in your 6th House of Effort invites service, which could clash with your needs unless you balance errands and self‑care. Say yes where it feels meaningful and delegate the rest, because clear pacing protects your energy while still letting you be supportive. Pay attention to your bandwidth so your spark keeps shining.
Pisces
February 19 – March 20
Quiet spaces help your heart speak clearly. Intellectual Mercury turns inward in your 12th House of Seclusion, so the benefits of some quiet reflection are even more powerful than normal. When Mercury runs into Jupiter in your inspirational 5th house, though, it could be hard to focus in the best of circumstances. Spending time alone should help you find a way back toward that inner peace. If you want to talk with someone else, stick to your most trusted loved ones.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/29/daily-horoscope-for-january-30-2026/
“Do It Now”: Industry Insiders Urge Consumers To Front-Run PC, TV, Smartphone Purchases As ‘Memory Crunch’ Will Intensify
“Do It Now”: Industry Insiders Urge Consumers To Front-Run PC, TV, Smartphone Purchases As ‘Memory Crunch’ Will Intensify
A global shortage of high-bandwidth memory (HBM) has emerged in recent months, and some of the first casualties of the “great memory crunch” were flagged by Goldman in December, starting with consumer electronics companies such as Nintendo.
The list of victims has continued to expand. Last week, we noted that smartphones, PCs, and other consumer electronics dependent on HBM were set to come under pressure. Goldman then followed with another note, warning that it had slashed global PC shipment forecasts due to soaring memory prices. Now the list of victims is expanding yet again, and we suspect this memory price shock will persist through the year.
Bloomberg Opinion’s US technology columnist Dave Lee opined that, “One frustrating characteristic of the AI boom seems to be that everyone must pay for it, regardless of any interest in using it. For some, it will be through rising utility bills as data centers strain the grid.”
Lee pointed out, “For even more of us, it will be increasing costs of just about every electronic product you can think of: laptops, smartphones, televisions — perhaps even cars.”
The columnist is correct about exploding prices tied to the AI-driven supercycle, as massive data center buildouts are soaking up the world’s HBM supply. A look at the Amazon price-tracking site CamelCamelCamel shows a parabolic surge in the price of Crucial Pro DDR5 64GB RAM, which has jumped from $145 to $790 in just six months.
Expanding the list of victims of the great memory crunch of our time is a new report this week from Nikkei Asia, which warns that entry-level consumer electronics devices, such as smart TVs, set-top boxes, home routers, budget tablets, smartphones, and PCs, will be among the hardest-hit segments. Automobiles are also expected to be heavily affected, as they require longer verification cycles. The analysis is based on commentary from numerous industry executives deeply embedded in the memory supply chain.
Those same industry executives warned that the memory shortage will persist through this year and into 2027. So if you are planning to build a gaming PC for a new trading desk or just for gaming, or if you are thinking about upgrading to a new AI-equipped PC, be warned: prices are expected to soar further. That is why Goldman’s Allen Chang revised down his global PC shipment forecasts for 2026 to 2028, citing a sharp spike in memory prices as data centers worldwide soak up the supply of HBM.
“Demand from servers and AI is extremely strong, and we expect NAND flash prices to continue rising sharply through 2026,” P.S. Pua, CEO of Phison Electronics, a major developer of NAND flash memory controller chips, told Nikkei Asia.
Pua said, “But many consumer electronics makers may not be able to absorb that kind of price increase. TVs will be seriously affected, and products like set-top boxes will be hit very hard as well. The total shipment volume will definitely go down. Many of them simply can’t afford those prices.”
For those who are wondering whether it’s time to upgrade the PC before memory prices soars even more, an executive at one Japanese component supplier summed it up perfectly: “If you want to buy any consumer goods, PCs, or smartphones … do it now, as it is for sure all the prices will be increased. Take an average PC, for example. The ratio of memory chips in the BoM [bill of materials] cost has increased from some 15% to almost 40%.”
The surge in memory prices prompted Synopsys CEO Sassine Ghazi to note that the world’s top memory suppliers are now fully absorbed by AI infrastructure demand, crowding out other end markets.
“Now it’s a golden time for the memory companies,” Ghazi said. Meanwhile, memory suppliers such as SK Hynix, Samsung Electronics, and Micron Technology are imposing stricter customer checks to prevent panic hoarding, even as they see record profit margins.
Tyler Durden
Thu, 01/29/2026 – 18:50
