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Lead: The Writers Guild of America West (WGAW) staff voted to authorize a strike, citing unfair labor practices and accusing guild management of bargaining in bad faith. The authorization — supported by 82 of 100 eligible staffers — comes as the WGA prepares to return to negotiations with major studios on March 16. Staff say … Read more

Lead Quinton Aaron, the actor best known for his role in The Blind Side, was hospitalized and diagnosed with a spinal stroke, his family said on January 29, 2026. The family reported he has been in the hospital for about a week and was placed on life support during initial treatment. They say he is … Read more

Using new Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) observations from 2021, astronomers have linked a 3,000‑light‑year‑long relativistic jet to material immediately surrounding M87*, the supermassive black hole first imaged in 2019. The source lies at the center of galaxy Messier 87, about 55 million light‑years away, and has a mass equivalent to roughly 6.5 billion suns. Modeling … Read more

Lead: On Jan. 29, 2026, President Donald J. Trump reviewed an expanded slate of military options aimed at Iran, officials said, ranging from strikes on nuclear and missile sites to potential raids inside Iranian territory. The proposals were presented to the White House by Pentagon planners amid the aftermath of widespread protests in Iran that … Read more

Lead: SAG-AFTRA is exploring a proposal—nicknamed the “Tilly tax”—that would require studios using synthetic performers to pay a royalty into union trust funds, officials say. The idea is one item on the agenda as union negotiators meet with studio representatives on Feb. 9, 2026. The proposal follows growing concern about AI-generated performers after the 2023 … Read more

On Jan. 28, 2026, New York City police charged 36-year-old Dan Sohail of New Jersey after he repeatedly drove his vehicle into the Chabad Lubavitch headquarters on Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. Authorities said Sohail faces counts of reckless endangerment and attempted assault, and that prosecutors are treating all four counts as hate crimes. … Read more

Lead On Jan. 29, 2026, Immigration and Customs Enforcement abruptly ended a recent enforcement operation in Maine, a development Senator Susan Collins said she helped secure. Collins, a five‑term Republican facing re‑election in November, said she had urged Homeland Security officials — including Secretary Kristi Noem — to change ICE’s approach. Democrats competing to replace … Read more

Lead In late January 2026, Saks Global — the parent company of Saks Off 5th and Last Call — announced plans to close the majority of its discount outlets as it concentrates on luxury brands. The company said nearly 60 Off 5th locations and five Last Call stores will be shuttered, while roughly a dozen … Read more

On Jan. 29, 2026, the Philadelphia Eagles announced the hiring of Sean Mannion, 33, as their new offensive coordinator in Philadelphia. Mannion arrives after two seasons on the Green Bay Packers’ coaching staff, including a promotion to quarterbacks coach last year. The move concludes a search begun after Kevin Patullo’s Jan. 13 firing and aims … Read more

Lead In January 2026, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order at the White House creating the White House Great American Recovery Initiative to coordinate a national response to the disease of addiction. The Initiative is intended to unite federal agencies, healthcare providers, faith groups, and the private sector to expand treatment access, support … Read more

Jan. 29, 2026 — Venezuela’s National Assembly approved a far-reaching revision of the country’s oil laws that grants foreign companies expanded operational control and opens the path to reduce royalties and taxes paid to the state. Lawmakers passed the measure amid intense international pressure and after a dramatic shift in Venezuela’s political leadership earlier in … Read more

Lead: GLP-1 medications such as Novo Nordisk’s semaglutide (Ozempic/Wegovy) and Eli Lilly’s tirzepatide (Mounjaro/Zepbound) have moved from specialist clinics into mainstream conversation — so much so that “Ozempic face” was shortlisted as a word-of-the-year candidate in 2025. These drugs, prescribed mainly for Type 2 diabetes and now for obesity in several formulations, act on appetite … Read more

Lead: According to a Financial Times report, Starbucks plans to open thousands more coffee shops across the globe in the coming years. The move is presented as a major acceleration of its store-growth strategy and aimed at widening customer reach and revenue streams. The report frames the expansion as affecting multiple markets rather than a … Read more

Lead: On Wednesday, 29 January 2026, at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, LeBron James appeared emotional during a pregame tribute as the Los Angeles Lakers lost 129-99 to the Cavaliers. The 60-second tribute, watched by nearly 20,000 fans, prompted prolonged ovations and visible tears from James, who acknowledged the moment’s significance amid a likely end-of-career chapter. … Read more

Volunteer observers in Minneapolis say they have been repeatedly targeted, injured and detained while documenting federal immigration enforcement since Operation Metro Surge began in early December. Witnesses report agents used chemical irritants, smashed car windows and made arrests at scenes where bystanders were filming; several observers were held at the BH Whipple federal facility south … Read more