Good Morning, it’s Friday, February 4th. And You’re listening to Ausum’s Morning News Briefing, where we round up the top latest articles that everyone is talking about.

Firstly, let’s look at updates on the Russia US standoff. The New York Times reports that the United States has gained information about a plan from the Russian government to fabricate an attack by Ukraine. The faked video would be used accuse Ukraine of genocide against Russian-speaking people to justify an attack or have separatist leaders in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine invite a Russian intervention. The BBC adds to this story by stating that Russia has denied that it was planning to fabricate an attack and the US did not provide evidence to support their claim.

Next, AP News informs us of the recent lethal US raid in Syria. The US mission was in an extremist stronghold of northwest Syria and it is suggested that it was executed with the understanding that children might die alongside the hunted Islamic State chief if the building’s occupants did not get out when given the chance to leave. Biden states that the raid was ordered to remove the world of the man responsible for the “genocide of the Yazidi people in northwestern Iraq in 2014,” when slaughters wiped out villages, thousands of women and young girls were sold into slavery. The Guardian notes that Biden says the civilian casualties were a result of the IS state leader’s detonation of a suicide vest and other explosives on the third floor of the building where he had taken refuge. However, Charles Lister, director of the Syria programme at the Middle East Institute in Washington, said “some of the corpses in the area do not look like they died in an explosion. They look like they were hit by extremely heavy caliber gunfire.”

The Washington Examiner reports that Facebook has suffered the largest one-day value drop of any US company in history. Yesterday, Meta shed more than $220 billion in market capitalization.

Forbes tells us that Amazon is increasing the cost of its Prime service. This is while their fourth-quarter earnings report showed a 9% year-over-year increase in revenue.

Some US lawmakers are pushing to rename Taiwan’s de facto embassy in Washington. Reuters states that by renaming the embassy to "Taiwan Representative Office," the US would certainly create a new rift in U.S.-China relations.

The white former Chicago police officer who killed a black teenager has left prison after serving less than half his sentence. The Guardian tells us that the prospect of his early release, having originally been sentenced in 2018 to less than seven years, had already triggered anger among relatives, community organizers and politicians

That’s all for today. For the full Ausum experience, make sure to download the Ausum app. Catch us, every weekday, morning and afternoon.

Good Morning, it’s Thursday, February 3rd. And You’re listening to Ausum’s Morning News Briefing, where we round up the top latest articles that everyone is talking about.

Firstly, The Washington Post reports that after a raid conducted as a counterterrorism mission, in northwestern Syria, from the U.S. Special Operations Forces, first responders say that dozens including children have been left dead. The mission was called “successful” yet the casualties it resulted in haven’t yet been confirmed.

Next, let’s look at the Russia-US standoff. The New York Times suggests that Putin’s defiance despite the threat of US sanctions has stemmed from Russia’s ability to withstand Western financial pressure. Within the past few years, the Russian president has restructured the country’s economy; for example, it has dramatically reduced its use of dollars and sought to replace Western exports. Furthermore, the Guardian tells us that following the US choice to deploy more than 3,000 US troops in Germany, Poland and Romania, Russia has responded by describing the action as a “destructive step” that makes it harder to reach a compromise over Ukraine.

For the first time in history, Facebook is losing users. The Washington Post updates us that as the company pushes into the metaverse and hardware, the company’s growth is stagnating around the world.

After the latest Spotify Joe Rogan controversy, The Guardian states that the music platform’s shares fell nearly 18% in late trading. However, Spotify’s chief financial officer said that this year would not be that far different from last year in terms of users and subscribers.

Finally, regarding the mysterious “Havana Syndrome”, CNN reports that an intelligence panel investigating the cause of the syndrome which struck US officials across the globe has said that some of the episodes could "plausibly" have been created by "pulsed electromagnetic energy" emitted by an external source. The panel did not make a definitive determination.

That’s all for today. For the full Ausum experience, make sure to download the Ausum app. Catch us, every weekday, morning and afternoon.

Good Afternoon, it’s Wednesday, February 2nd. And You’re listening to Ausum’s Afternoon News Briefing, where we round up the top latest articles that everyone is talking about.

AP News updates us on the latest on Ukraine stating that President Joe Biden has ordered 2,000 US troops to Poland and Germany and 1,000 more from Germany to Romania. Through this, Biden is emphasizing America's commitment to NATO's eastern flank to both allies and rivals amid worries of a Russian invasion of Ukraine, according to the Pentagon on Wednesday. Around 1,700 of the 2,000 US troops newly deployed from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, are members of the 82nd Airborne Division infantry brigade, which will be deployed to Poland. The remaining 300 are with the 18th Airborne Corps and will be deployed to Germany as a "combined task force-capable headquarters," according to the Pentagon.

BBC adds that the reason the US is deploying troops is due to rising tensions and over Moscow's transparency of missile placements. While Russia called it "destructive," the US clarified that forces being deployed will instead be defending the US's allies, and Business Insider adds, not to Ukraine, which isn't a NATO member. The Pentagon's press secretary, John Kirby, explained that these movements are separate from the 8,500 US troops who were recently placed on high alert for possible deployment to Eastern Europe and are meant to serve as a deterrent against further Russian aggression and to signal to Russian President Vladimir Putin that Washington has NATO's back.

In other news, Axios reports that the United States braces for its second significant winter storm in a week, more than 109 million people are under winter precipitation warnings from Colorado to Vermont, and over 3.6 million are under freezing temperature warnings. In comparison to last weekend's blizzard in New England, this one will cover a far greater area, with the National Weather Service (NWS) describing its scope as "huge" on its website. It's due to hit the hardest in the Ohio Valley and parts of the South, where icy roads and power outages could lead to blackouts.

CNN reports that new sources have come forward and disclosed that Trump offered Vernon Jones his endorsement in a congressional campaign if he gets out of the Georgia governor's race and instead runs for Congress. The action is intended to bolster former Sen. David Perdue's bid to unseat Gov. Brian Kemp. It's the latest example of Trump interfering in the 2022 midterm elections to support his chosen candidates. Jones indicated in a tweet shortly after this story was published that he will continue to run in the gubernatorial primary.

The Washington Post reports that there's new findings regarding Havana Syndrome. To backtrack, in 2016, Personnel at the US Embassy in Cuba's capital reported a variety of feelings including ringing and pressure in the ears, headaches, and dizziness. Later, US personnel in China reported similar symptoms, which have already been confirmed by hundreds of persons serving in official positions all around the world. While the vast majority of those cases have been linked to medical issues or other environmental variables, US officials believe that an external energy source may have been involved. Having concluded that, while not definitive, suggests that a foreign power may have launched attacks on US diplomats, intelligence officers, and military people stationed abroad.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Paypal shares dropped more than 26% by midday, wiping off tens of billions of dollars in market value. Since their worst one-day performance on record, the corporation has reduced its earnings forecast for 2022 (15% to 17%, than their original 18%) and abandoned an aggressive growth goal (instead of expects to generate adjusted earnings per share of roughly $4.67, well below the $5.21.) PayPal is losing business from one of its most important client sources, eBay, since eBay is creating its its own payments division. On top fo that, PayPal abandoned a target it set last year of almost doubling its active user population to 750 million accounts since they also uncovered that 4.5 million accounts were "illegitimately created."

That’s all for today. Be sure to download the Ausum app to get the full Ausum experience. Catch you next time for the Ausum News Briefing every weekday, morning, and afternoon.

Good Morning, it’s Wednesday, February 2nd. And You’re listening to Ausum’s Morning News Briefing, where we round up the top latest articles that everyone is talking about.

Firstly, The Guardian updates us on a new discovery regarding the climate crisis. Scientists analyzed sea surface temperatures over the last 150 years and found that extreme heat in the world’s oceans passed the “point of no return” in 2014. In 2019, other scientists reported that the number of heatwaves affecting the planet’s oceans had increased sharply, killing swathes of sea life like “wildfires that take out huge areas of the forest”.

Next, let’s look at the Russia US standoff. The Wall Street Journal tells us that Putin said the U.S. and its European allies had “basically ignored” Russia’s demands for security assurances, however, he expressed a willingness to continue talks. This is as Russian troops manoeuvred near Ukraine’s borders and Kyiv rushed to bolster its defences. The Washington Post adds that, despite Putin making it clear the ultimate goal of Russia’s military buildup around Ukraine was to push NATO away from Russia’s border, it appears to have had the opposite effect. Instead, the often divided NATO members have united around the threat to Ukraine.

Moving on, The New York Times updates us on the Covid-19 pandemic. The United States has a far higher death rate than other wealthy nations. Two years into the pandemic deaths have now surpassed the worst days of the autumn surge of the Delta variant, and are more than two-thirds higher than the record tolls of last winter. It is suggested that this is due largely to lagging vaccination rates. Forbes announced that a study of Welsh adults funded by Public Health Wales showed that people who experienced childhood trauma have an increased likelihood to feel unfairly restricted by government anti-Covid measures, to reject Covid vaccination and to support ending masking and social distancing mandates.

Within the United States, Forbes further reports that gun purchases fell more than 40% in January than those a year prior. This shows that the Covid-driven surge in firearm sales is fading. This surge coincided with a spike in gun deaths over the last two years.

Finally, The Guardian states that a rain-weakened hillside collapsed in Ecuador's capital. This tragedy has resulted in the deaths of over 24 people and many others injured.

That’s all for today. For the full Ausum experience, make sure to download the Ausum app. Catch us, every weekday, morning and afternoon.

Good Afternoon, it’s Tuesday, February 1st. And You’re listening to Ausum’s Afternoon News Briefing, where we round up the top latest articles that everyone is talking about.

According to AP News, Putin today accused the US and NATO of disregarding Russia's primary security concerns, including NATO's refusal to expand into Ukraine and other ex-Soviet countries, but said Moscow is eager to engage more to reduce tensions over Ukraine. Russia will respond soon to NATO and US's thoughts regarding their demands. While the two sides' fundamental views appear solid, and there appears to be little room for concessions, Biden and Putin may meet when the US receives Russia's response.

Reuters reports, however, in his first direct public comments on the crisis in nearly six weeks, a determined Putin showed no hint of backing down from security demands that the West has called non-starters and a possible pretext for an invasion, which Moscow rejects. Putin outlined a possible future scenario in which Ukraine is joined to NATO and then attempts to retake the Crimean peninsula, which Russia captured in 2014.

But, according to the Financial Times, Putin has stated that he wants to continue talking to avoid a "negative outcome" such as war. Putin also stated that he believes Washington's main goal is to limit Russia's power by luring it into a confrontation that will result in economic sanctions, while also bringing Ukraine into Nato. From the words of Putin, Russia feels victimized by the US and that the US wants to "contain developement of Russia."

In other news, CNN reports that Pfizer is seeking emergency use authorization FDA approval for their two-dose COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 6 months to 5 years, and has begun submitting data on the safety and efficacy of the first two doses of a planned three-dose regimen, the Washington Post adds.

The Washington Post continues explaining that the data has not yet been published or peer-reviewed, but the FDA requested the company to move forward with an application due to the “urgent public health need in this population,” the companies said in a statement, noting that 1.6 million children under the age of 4 have tested positive for covid-19.

CNN goes on to explain that, they plan to finish the EUA application in the coming days and will also submit clinical trial data to the European Medicines Agency and other international authorities. The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine is already approved for use in children as young as five, making it the first Covid-19 vaccination available to such children. In this younger age range, the companies are continuing to evaluate a three-dose version of the vaccine.

The Washington Post included a poll conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation and found that only 3 out of 10 parents of children in the age range would get their children vaccinated right away if a vaccine were authorized, and a quarter of parents said they would “definitely not” vaccinate their young children. The poll of 1,536 adults was conducted between Jan. 11 and 23. Uptake of the vaccine has been slow among 5- to 11-year-olds who became eligible for the vaccine in early November, with 70 percent remaining unvaccinated, according to a Kaiser analysis.

In other news, today is the first day of black history month and tragically, more than a dozen historically Black colleges and institutions locked their doors or canceled classes due to bomb threats. Axios explains that several HBCUs got such threats for the second time this week and the third time in the previous month. The majority of the schools had been emptied by this afternoon, and no bombs had been discovered.

In relation to the US job market, the Wall Street Journal explains that it remained tight towards the end of last year, with job opportunities and worker turnover at all-time highs. The labor department reported 10.9 million job opportunities in December, up from 10.8 million the previous month. The number of workers who quit fell to 4.3 million in January, down from a record 4.5 million in December. Hiring has slowed to 6.3 million, a decrease from 6.6 million. According to economists polled by The Wall Street Journal, 150,000 new jobs were added to US payrolls last month. High turnover continues to be a feature of the labor market nearly two years into the pandemic.

That’s all for today. Be sure to download the Ausum app to get the full Ausum experience. Catch you next time for the Ausum News Briefing every weekday, morning, and afternoon.

Good Morning, it’s Tuesday, February 1st. And You’re listening to Ausum’s Morning News Briefing, where we round up the top latest articles that everyone is talking about.

Firstly, let’s kick off by looking at Covid-19 updates. The New York Times tells us that Pfizer and its partner BioNTech are expected to ask the Food and Drug Administration to authorize a coronavirus vaccine for children under 5 years old. This is while the companies continue research into how well three doses work. Reuters has reported that, despite the increasing positive cases being detected within the Beijing Winter Olympics, a senior official at China's Olympics Pandemic Prevention and Control Office said that it was within the "expected controllable range".

Within the United States, Forbes states that 46% of Americans support the Biden Administration’s diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics due to human rights concerns. Under this boycott, the United States will not send an official government delegation to the Olympics, though the White House said it will still cheer on U.S. athletes and offer them “full support.”

Journalists in Mexico are responding in fury after the murder of the fourth reporter in the country this year. The Guardian suggests that some of this outrage is directed at the state for not effectively protecting journalists.

This publication also updates us about Boris Johnson’s Downing Street parties. The Metropolitan police are investigating the parties over alleged lockdown breaches, as the Sue Gray report found “failures of leadership and judgment” in No 10.

The New York Times reports that, six weeks after election day, Trump wanted his lawyer to ask the Department of Homeland Security if it could legally take control of voting machines in key swing states. These new accounts expose that the former president was more directly involved than previously known in exploring proposals to use his national security agencies to seize voting machines as he unsuccessfully searched for evidence of fraud that would help him reverse his defeat in the 2020 election.

Lastly, let's look at Russia US tensions. The Washington Post tells us that the Russian government has sent a written response to a U.S. proposal aimed at de-escalating the Ukraine crisis. Details about the proposal are limited.

That’s all for today. For the full Ausum experience, make sure to download the Ausum app. Catch us, every weekday, morning and afternoon.

Good Morning, it’s Tuesday, February 1st. And You’re listening to Ausum’s Morning News Briefing, where we round up the top latest articles that everyone is talking about.

Firstly, let’s kick off by looking at Covid-19 updates. The New York Times tells us that Pfizer and its partner BioNTech are expected to ask the Food and Drug Administration to authorize a coronavirus vaccine for children under 5 years old. This is while the companies continue research into how well three doses work. Reuters has reported that, despite the increasing positive cases being detected within the Beijing Winter Olympics, a senior official at China's Olympics Pandemic Prevention and Control Office said that it was within the "expected controllable range".

Within the United States, Forbes states that 46% of Americans support the Biden Administration’s diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics due to human rights concerns. Under this boycott, the United States will not send an official government delegation to the Olympics, though the White House said it will still cheer on U.S. athletes and offer them “full support.”

Journalists in Mexico are responding in fury after the murder of the fourth reporter in the country this year. The Guardian suggests that some of this outrage is directed at the state for not effectively protecting journalists.

This publication also updates us about Boris Johnson’s Downing Street parties. The Metropolitan police are investigating the parties over alleged lockdown breaches, as the Sue Gray report found “failures of leadership and judgment” in No 10.

The New York Times reports that, six weeks after election day, Trump wanted his lawyer to ask the Department of Homeland Security if it could legally take control of voting machines in key swing states. These new accounts expose that the former president was more directly involved than previously known in exploring proposals to use his national security agencies to seize voting machines as he unsuccessfully searched for evidence of fraud that would help him reverse his defeat in the 2020 election.

Lastly, let's look at Russia US tensions. The Washington Post tells us that the Russian government has sent a written response to a U.S. proposal aimed at de-escalating the Ukraine crisis. Details about the proposal are limited.

That’s all for today. For the full Ausum experience, make sure to download the Ausum app. Catch us, every weekday, morning and afternoon.

Good Afternoon, it’s Monday, January 31st. And You’re listening to Ausum’s Afternoon News Briefing, where we round up the top latest articles that everyone is talking about.

There was a lot of anguish coming from Russia and Ukraine at today's meeting, and according to the Washington Post, the clash was one of the harshest in years in the UN Security Council. At the beginning of the meeting, Russia forced a vote on whether to hold the sessions privately, but with only one supporter, China, they lost the 15-nation council majority. Once the sessions started, the blame game on the US was hot and heavy.

Russia accused the US of "whipping up hysteria" over Ukraine, claiming that it has brought "pure Nazis" to power on Russia's border. Ukraine's Ambassador said that the US is "citing escalation" of the situation by wrongly accusing Moscow of preparing to invade Ukraine. However, US Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield remarked that Russia was the aggressor, not the US, since Russia's presence of more than 100,000 armed troops on Ukraine's border. Russia mentioned that in Moscow, the Russian military announced that thousands of troops from southern and western military bases were returning to barracks after military exercises, as the Kremlin again accused the United States of fanning hysteria over Ukraine.

The Guardian quoted Thomas-Greenfield saying that Russia continued to add to the more than 100,000 troops already massed around Ukraine’s borders, and within days would have 30,000 inside Belarus alone. And, that Russia warned that if Ukraine violates existing peace treaties, it will be responsible for its own destruction.

The New York Times adds, the conference was adjourned after two hours with no action made – but none was expected. After the meeting, Thomas-Greenfield told reporters that the Russians "didn't provide us the answers we hoped for." However, the Biden administration saw the summit as a crucial opportunity to demonstrate the United States and its allies' willingness to fight Russia over what they see as its threat to invade Ukraine.

CNN provides an update on COVID-19, stating that there is increased hope that the pandemic will stop as more nations lift restrictions.

Denmark lifted all Covid-19 restrictions within the country, and Prime Minister Frederiksen announced that Covid-19 "should no longer be categorized as a socially critical sickness."

In the UK, people no longer have to show their Covid-19 vaccination passes to get into nightclubs and other large venues, and masks aren't required in any public places, although they remain recommended on public transport. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are also easing their restrictions.

But, in the US, "we are still seeing far too many new cases, hospitalizations, and deaths," Kristen Nordlund, a spokesperson for the CDC. But, today, Moder's COVID-19 vaccine gets full FDA approval, according to The Verge. The Moderna vaccine has been available for over a year under an emergency use authorization (EUA), a designation that allows the FDA to sign off on products quickly during an emergency. Now that it’s fully licensed, Moderna can advertise its shot directly to patients. It’ll be marketed under the brand name Spikevax.

Closing off January, US stocks end on a high note, but it is still the worst month since March 2020, according to the Wall Street Journal. Given the extreme volatility January held, there are thoughts it may subside as investors gain clarity on whether inflation has peaked. All through this month the S&P 500 fell 7%, while today advancing 1.9%, though futures fell 0.2%. Contracts for the Nasdaq-100 index rose 0.4% today, but are down 12% for this month, which is on track for the worst month since October 2008. The Dow, which is currently down about 4% for the month, shed about 200 points at Monday’s open, and futures were down 0.5%, The Washington Post adds.

That’s all for today. Be sure to download the Ausum app to get the full Ausum experience. Catch you next time for the Ausum News Briefing every weekday, morning, and afternoon.

Good Morning, it’s Monday, January 31st. And You’re listening to Ausum’s Morning News Briefing, where we round up the top latest articles that everyone is talking about.

Firstly, North Korea has confirmed a test launch of a ballistic missile capable of striking the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam. Forbes tells us that this was aimed to verify the missile’s “overall accuracy”. North Korean media stated that the missile was launched at a steep angle towards the waters off its east coast, “in consideration of the security of neighbouring countries.” The Washington Examiner notes that this is the longest-range missile test since 2017.

Next, let’s look at Afghanistan, The Guardian updates us that over 100 people are believed dead because of extrajudicial killings. This is despite the Taliban’s announcement of “general amnesties” for those affiliated with the former government and US-led coalition forces.

This news source also reported on the US Russia tensions. The US Senate panel has said they were on the verge of approving “the mother of all sanctions” against Vladimir Putin. This warns that there will be no appeasement if the Russian president contemplates an invasion of Ukraine.

Book banning efforts are spreading across the United States. The New York Times explained that parents, activists, school board officials and lawmakers around the country are challenging books at an increased pace and these books often contain topics like race, gender and sexuality.

Next, let’s look at inflation within the US. The Washington Post tells us that rents are up by a shocking 40% in some cities. This is forcing millions of Americans to reassess their living situation and make some move out of their homes.

Forbes reports that a massive snowstorm on the North East coast has led to disruption. Over 3,500 flights have been cancelled with another 855 delayed.

Finally, The Washington Post updates us that Spotify has broken its silence after a week of criticism for allowing its creators, in particular, Joe Rogan to spread misinformation about the pandemic. The company announced slight changes to its policy, these changes include publicly publishing the company’s internal rules for what is permitted on the platform, “testing ways to highlight” those rules to its creators and “working to add a content advisory to any podcast episode that includes a discussion about COVID-19.”

That’s all for today. For the full Ausum experience, make sure to download the Ausum app. Catch us, every weekday, morning and afternoon.

Good Afternoon, it’s Friday, January 28th. And You’re listening to Ausum’s Afternoon News Briefing, where we round up the top latest articles that everyone is talking about.

Three US sources told Reuters that a Russian troop buildup at the border with Ukraine includes supplies of blood for the injured, bolstering US comments that Russia "obviously" now has the potential to move on its neighbor. The statement by the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, adds to growing US fear that Russia is planning for a military invasion of Ukraine, despite amassing more than 100,000 troops along its borders.

According to the Financial Times, the Pentagon announced that Russia accumulated enough military forces along the Ukrainian border to launch an invasion between now and the middle of February. The buildup has provided the Kremlin with a "range of alternatives," including an attack to occupy the entire country. The Pentagon's concerns came as the EU and the US committed to work together to protect European energy supplies if Russia attacked, citing the fact that Russia supplies 40% of the EU's gas and could severely cut supplies. The EU is preparing to send a mission to Azerbaijan in the hope of organizing potential emergency supplies, demonstrating the bloc's level of worry.

The New York Times reports that the formal response from NATO and the US to Russia's list of demands, which included reforming post-Cold War security arrangements in Europe and withdrawing NATO soldiers from Eastern Europe, did not pique Russia's attention. Sergey V. Lavrov, Russia's foreign minister, said it included "a kernel of rationality" for a possible compromise on problems like missile installations and military drills.

On top of that, The Guardian added that in a call with Emmanuel Macron, Vladimir Putin said the US and its Nato partners had neglected Russia's primary security concerns, but offered to continue negotiations with the west. Putin indicated in his first public announcement that Russia intends to reform the post-cold war security architecture, but Moscow's concerns about Nato expansion and the deployment of strike weapons near its borders were ignored.

While all of this is going on, Ukraine is asking everyone not to cause panic and jeopardize the country's economy, according to the BBC. Ukraine also considered that the evacuation of the families of UK, US, and Australian ambassadors from Ukraine was a mistake.

According to The Hill, The House Select Committee issued subpoenas to 14 people from seven different states. The subpoenas are related to the forged Electoral College certificates filed by former President Trump supporters. They claimed he won several battleground states that President Biden had won, among other things. Subpoenaed individuals appear to include state GOP leaders and activists from Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, New Mexico, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

According to the Washington Post, the move comes after two Democratic attorneys general recently asked federal prosecutors to examine whether crimes were committed to drafting or submitting the "alternative" Trump slates.

The executive order establishing a $15 minimum wage for government contractors, signed by President Biden in April, will go into effect on Sunday, Business Insider reports. The average annual rise for up to 390,000 federal contractors will be $3,100. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh believes that raising the minimum wage will minimize turnover and absenteeism. The hike will also signal to the business community that it is time to raise salaries. Since 2009, the federal minimum wage has remained at $7.25 per hour. Last year, the Senate parliamentarian threw out a measure to boost it. Walsh believes that raising wages is important for the economy and American households.

The Wall Street Journal updates us on markets, needless to say, it's been a wild week. The S&P 500 gained 1.35%, but the index remains on course for its fourth weekly loss in a row. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 248 points or 0.7%. The Nasdaq Composite rose 1.7%. Despite today's rise, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq are set to end the week in the red as the Federal Reserve has frightened markets by signaling its intention to raise interest rates, while the Dow is on course for a 0.3% weekly gain, snapping a three-week losing trend.

Finally, Axios reports that a blizzard warning has been issued for 11 million people from coastal Virginia to eastern Maine; this could be a historic winter storm that begins today. The storm will bring hazards ranging from zero visibility in the face of hurricane-force wind gusts and heavy snow to coastal flooding that would erode fragile beaches and destroy property from the Jersey coastline to coastal Massachusetts.

That’s all for today. Be sure to download the Ausum app to get the full Ausum experience. Catch you next time for the Ausum News Briefing every weekday, morning, and afternoon.