Unusual Whales

President-elect Donald Trump says US Congress should eliminate the debt ceiling

President-elect Donald Trump unexpectedly rejected a bipartisan plan on Wednesday aimed at averting a government shutdown, instructing House Speaker Mike Johnson and fellow Republicans to renegotiate the deal just days before federal funding is set to expire. Trump's last-minute demands have thrown Congress into disarray, complicating efforts to

Georgia appeals court disqualifies Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis from prosecuting Trump

The Georgia Court of Appeals ruled on Thursday to disqualify Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis from prosecuting the case against President-elect Donald Trump and his alleged co-conspirators over attempts to overturn the 2020 election results. This decision in the state criminal case against Trump, which was already paused, raises

An employee has been arrested for stabbing company president of Anderson Express Inc in West Michigan

Police are investigating the stabbing of Erik Denslow, president of Anderson Express Inc., during a staff meeting on Tuesday in the company’s Muskegon, Michigan, office, according to a statement from the Fruitport Township Police Department. While authorities initially withheld the victim's name, local news outlets News 8

Nissan Motor will be rolling back its diversity initiatives

Nissan Motor is scaling back its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives after discussions with conservative activist Robby Starbuck, known for leading boycotts against companies like Walmart and Tractor Supply that prompted them to reduce their DEI efforts. According to Starbuck, Nissan’s Americas unit will cease funding Pride events

AT&T, T, is asking all of its staff to work in the office five days a week

AT&T is ramping up its return-to-office policies, announcing that all employees will be required to work on-site five days a week starting in January. This marks a shift from the current policy, which mandates three in-office days per week. The decision, affecting employees across all business levels, builds

The White House hid Biden’s decline, per WSJ, by giving controlled access, scripting most moments and placing senior advisers in roles that Biden would have otherwise occupied

President Joe Biden has chosen to remain out of the public eye during what could become one of the final domestic crises of his presidency, as the White House and congressional Democrats frame the impending government shutdown as a Republican problem to solve. The crisis escalated Wednesday after President-elect Donald

If Congress fails to act and approve the spending bill by Saturday, the US government will run out of funds to maintain operations

Republicans in Congress met on Thursday to strategize after President-elect Donald Trump rejected a bipartisan agreement to prevent a partial government shutdown and insisted on abolishing the federal debt ceiling. Without a deal passing both the Republican-led House of Representatives and the Democrat-controlled Senate, the U.S. government faces a

California Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a State of Emergency in response to bird flu

California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on Wednesday to "streamline and expedite the state's response" to the bird flu outbreak. The declaration follows the detection of additional cases in dairy cows at farms in Southern California. According to the Governor's Office,

Republicans are reportedly having a hard time getting votes for the 1,500 page spending bill because of Elon Musk's crusade against it

* President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday urged U.S. lawmakers to reject a stopgap funding bill designed to keep the government running past Friday, increasing the risk of a partial government shutdown. Trump, along with Vice President-elect JD Vance, called for an alternative spending bill that excluded what they described as

Jerome Powell has said: We have avoided a recession

The Federal Reserve, as widely expected, reduced its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points (bps) on Wednesday, setting the target range at 4.25% to 4.5%. This marks the third consecutive rate cut, following a 50-bps reduction in September and a 25-bps cut in November, bringing the total

Deutsche Bank, Germany’s largest lender, is reportedly developing its own layer-2 blockchain on Ethereum

Deutsche Bank, Germany’s largest bank, is reportedly developing its own layer-2 (L2) blockchain on Ethereum, utilizing ZKsync technology to address the compliance challenges of using public blockchains in regulated finance. This L2 solution, part of Project Dama 2, aims to enhance transaction efficiency and ensure regulatory safeguards while directly

The new spending bill gives Congress their first pay raise since 2009

House Speaker Mike Johnson's (R-La.) agreement with Democrats to prevent a government shutdown until March includes provisions that would give members of Congress their first pay raise since 2009 and allow them to opt out of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Why it matters: These measures—particularly the

The Federal Reserve has cut interest rates by 25BPS

The Federal Reserve, as widely expected, reduced its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points (bps) on Wednesday, setting the target range at 4.25% to 4.5%. This marks the third consecutive rate cut, following a 50-bps reduction in September and a 25-bps cut in November, bringing the total

Only 21% of Baby Boomers with at least $1 million said they “want the next generation to enjoy my money while I’m alive"

Baby Boomers are notably the least inclined among generations to pass on their wealth during their lifetimes, according to a new survey by Charles Schwab. The survey found that only 21% of Boomers with at least $1 million in investable assets expressed a desire to share their wealth with the

There are around 11 million Americans 65 or older who are working today, accounting for 7% of all wages and salaries paid by US employers

Baby boomers are extending their careers, creating a ripple effect on the job market for younger workers. While some, like LVMH’s Bernard Arnault, are holding onto their positions for as long as possible, others are “unretiring” after brief stints in retirement, realizing it’s not for them. A new

Chain restaurant bankruptcies are reportedly at their highest level since the pandemic

Chain restaurant bankruptcies are reportedly at their highest level since the pandemic, with several well-known brands struggling to stay afloat. One of the latest casualties is TGI Friday’s, a casual dining chain, which joins over a dozen high-profile restaurants that filed for bankruptcy protection between January and October of

Elon Musk has come out against the bill to avert a looming government shutdown

Tech billionaire and Trump ally Elon Musk has voiced his opposition to a stopgap funding deal, calling for the government to reduce spending. After the release of the bipartisan legislation Tuesday night, Musk took to his platform, X, to criticize the measure, describing the 1,547-page bill as a "

Trump has said: Many Canadians want Canada to become the 51st State

U.S. president-elect Donald Trump has taken another swipe at Canada, suggesting it could become the 51st state of the United States. In a post on Truth Social, Trump claimed that many Canadians support the idea, citing potential savings on taxes and military protection. He added that he thinks it’

U.S. home sales are on track for the worst year since 1995

The average rate for a 30-year mortgage in the U.S. declined for the third consecutive week, providing some relief for potential homebuyers during what is typically a quieter period for the housing market. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac reported Thursday that the rate dipped to 6.6%, down from 6.

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear oral arguments on Jan. 10 over whether the law to force a sale of TikTok from its parent company or face a ban is constitutional

The Supreme Court announced Wednesday that it will review a legal challenge to a new law that could result in a U.S. ban on TikTok, setting the stage for a significant legal battle over access to the widely popular app, which is used by tens of millions of Americans.

Selling new gas cars in California will be banned in 2035

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved two California requests on Wednesday to implement stringent vehicle emissions rules, including a landmark policy aiming to ban the sale of new gasoline-powered cars by 2035. However, the incoming Trump administration is expected to challenge this decision. California’s regulation goes beyond a federal

Harvard Law enrolled 19 first-year Black students this fall, the lowest number since the 1960s, following last year's SCOTUS decision banning affirmative action

The percentage of Black students in Harvard Law School’s J.D. Class of 2027 dropped by over four percentage points compared to the previous year, according to enrollment data released by the school on Monday. This marks the first class admitted after the Supreme Court’s ruling against race-based

Restaurant prices have risen 44% since 2015, compared to a 26% uptick in grocery prices during the same timeframe

Chain restaurant bankruptcies are reportedly at their highest level since the pandemic, with several well-known brands struggling to stay afloat. One of the latest casualties is TGI Friday’s, a casual dining chain, which joins over a dozen high-profile restaurants that filed for bankruptcy protection between January and October of

The FTC has banned "junk fees" on hotels and live event tickets

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) approved a rule on Tuesday requiring ticket sellers, hotels, and vacation rental platforms to disclose total prices upfront, including all fees, and banning them from hiding add-on charges until the final stages of checkout. The rule is one of the final steps in

President-elect Donald Trump said federal workers who don't want to work in the office will be fired, despite a union deal to allow federal workers to continue to telework into 2029

Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy—two billionaire entrepreneurs and newly appointed Trump administration advisors—are making lofty promises. This week, the pair informed Congress that through their advisory board, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), they intend to cut $2 trillion in “government waste.” The catch? The proposed savings rely