FIVE MINUTE DAILY

Washington returned to familiar ground as legal disputes tied to Donald Trump resurfaced on Capitol Hill and in the courts, reviving questions about institutional independence and discretion.

Elsewhere, forecasters warned that a spreading winter storm could strain power grids and transportation across much of the eastern U.S. Markets leaned cautiously defensive as gold climbed and oil prices reacted to fresh supply concerns, while pressure continued to build around global technology supply chains and long-term investment plans.

Forward this to a friend who wants the world in five minutes.

Coverage Chaser

Why pay more for auto insurance? Drivers are saving up to 40% a year just by comparing rates. See if you qualify for a lower premium in minutes!

Get a Free Quote

*If you wish to unsubscribe from future mailings please click here or write to:
128 Sunset Blvd #1132 New Castle, DE 19720

_{Please support our sponsors!}

A heated House hearing put Jack Smith’s investigations under a spotlight, with Smith arguing his team followed evidence and standard practice. Lawmakers pressed him on subpoenas, record requests, and decisions tied to the 2020 election and classified documents.

Partisan divides dominated questioning as critics cast the cases as political and supporters framed them as accountability. Smith’s testimony also underscored how the cases ended once Trump returned to office under long-standing Justice Department policy.

Congressional scrutiny can shape how future special counsels are appointed and constrained. Legal norms and institutional independence remain central as investigations collide with electoral power.

Donald Trump filed a $5 billion civil lawsuit against JPMorgan and its chief executive, Jamie Dimon, alleging that the bank improperly closed accounts for political reasons. JPMorgan has denied the claim, saying the actions reflected standard risk and compliance practices applied consistently across its client base.

The case raises broader questions about how much discretion banks have when managing clients they view as posing reputational or regulatory risk. Legal experts say the outcome could influence how financial institutions document and justify account closures to limit exposure while maintaining control over customer relationships.

Forecasters expect heavy snow and ice to spread from the Southern Plains toward much of the eastern U.S. over the next several days. Millions could see dangerous travel, downed trees, and long power outages as ice loads build.

Cold air surging south is setting the stage for freezing rain in places that rarely handle prolonged icing. Utility crews and transportation agencies are preparing for widespread disruptions as warnings expand.

Grid strain matters most during multi-day cold snaps when outages can turn life-threatening fast. Home heating, supply chains, and regional travel can unravel quickly when ice closes roads and pulls down power lines.

Verified counts put Iran’s protest death toll above 5,000, with thousands more detained amid an ongoing information blackout. The crackdown coincides with sharper regional rhetoric and military signaling, increasing the risk that internal unrest and external confrontation feed into one another.

A House vote advanced additional funding for Supreme Court security as part of a broader spending package, sending the measure to the Senate. Rising threats against judges are increasingly influencing how courts manage safety and public access.

Finland’s military intelligence review warned Russia will likely keep pursuing undersea infrastructure damage in the Baltic Sea. The assessment raises stakes for energy, telecom, and shipping operators who must harden systems that sit far from shore protection.

An earnings-related update in Intel’s supply problem underscored how constrained capacity can overshadow better-than-expected quarterly results. Near-term chip availability matters for everything from laptops to AI servers, making guidance a market-moving signal.

A renewed deadline in the Warner tender fight buys time for a hostile bidder to persuade shareholders. Media consolidation battles can reshape streaming prices and newsroom economics across the industry.

A finalized deal to create a new American entity for TikTok shifted the long-running standoff into a new phase. Control over algorithms and data governance remains at the center of the dispute.

The latest UK consumer confidence reading extended a decade-long run without a positive print. Weak sentiment continues to cloud the outlook for household spending as inflation pressures and job concerns persist.

Gold prices climbed as investors sought safety amid dollar moves and shifting policy expectations. Sustained strength in defensive assets signals lingering caution across markets.

Crude prices rose as renewed geopolitical tension stirred supply concerns. The move highlights how quickly energy costs can ripple through transport, food, and consumer prices.

A new federal policy announced by NIH will stop supporting research that uses human fetal tissue, steering labs toward alternative methods. Biomedical teams care because the change can reshape project pipelines, timelines, and which experimental tools stay viable.

A Scientific Reports paper detailed the “Goethe’s amber ant” using modern imaging and analysis. The single specimen offers new insight into how major insect groups evolved.

Researchers resurrected a long-extinct enzyme to examine how early organisms processed nitrogen in primitive environments. The work informs how scientists define chemical signatures that could indicate life beyond Earth.

Carlos Alcaraz advanced in his milestone match as he pushed toward a deeper run in Melbourne. The round is beginning to separate players in form from the rest of the field.

American teenager Iva Jovic upset a top seed to reach the last 16 for the first time. The result underscores how quickly the women’s field is getting younger.

Dallas beat Golden State in a game that also moved Stephen Curry into rare 3-point territory. Late-season positioning continues to hinge on narrow margins.

A newly branded mammoth exhibit is being used to frame a major renovation at a landmark fossil site. Museums are leaning on narrative hooks to attract funding and boost attendance.

Sundance tributes highlighted Robert Redford’s lasting influence on independent film and the festival’s creative ecosystem. The moment reflects how institutional backing shapes which filmmakers break through.

A slate of headline shows underscores how Super Bowl week now doubles as a touring and sponsorship engine. The entertainment economy around major sports events continues to expand beyond the game itself.

A wave of new demand has turned advanced chips into the tightest link in the AI boom, and AI supply chains now revolve around a small number of critical steps that cannot be scaled overnight. Shortages no longer look like a temporary pandemic aftershock, since capacity, tools, and specialized materials can take years to expand.

Government incentives and industrial policy are accelerating fab announcements, but PWC’s chip outlook points to a tougher reality: energy, water, talent, and permitting can limit how quickly new plants produce leading-edge output. Corporate plans also depend on where export rules land, since a single policy shift can reroute customers and redesign products.

Even when factories exist, near-term constraints can show up in earnings calls, and Intel’s supply warning highlighted how tight inventories can be in early 2026. Investors care because supply discipline can lift margins for some firms while forcing others to delay launches or prioritize higher-paying segments.

Watch three pressure points next: tool availability for cutting-edge manufacturing, cross-border rules for advanced components, and the reliability of power grids that feed energy-hungry fabs and data centers. A durable AI expansion will depend less on model hype and more on whether the world can build and protect the physical stack fast enough.

Thanks for reading—tomorrow’s edition will track what changed and what held. Forward this to a friend who wants the world in five minutes, and subscribe to get it every morning.

—The Five Minute Daily Team