Prenetics, a health-sciences company that started buying Bitcoin earlier this year, has become the latest digital-asset treasury firm to halt that strategy amid depressed crypto prices.
The firm said on Tuesday that it stopped buying Bitcoin on Dec. 4, and will now focus more squarely on IM8, a nutritional supplement brand co-founded by English football icon David Beckham. Beckham is also a strategic investor in Prenetics, according to the company’s website.
Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical (RARE) experienced a significant drop of approximately 42% on Monday after two late-stage trials for a rare bone disorder treatment failed. However, the stock recovered about 11% in early Tuesday trading. Jefferies analyst Maury Raycroft maintains a "buy" rating, citing potential gains from a phase 3 readout of apazunersen (GTX-102) in 2024. Raycroft adjusted his price target to $63, suggesting a 219% upside. Ultragenyx continues to aim for profitability by 2027 and plans to address expense reductions in early 2026.
https://www.gurufocus.com/news/4090257/ultragenyx-rare-sees-potential-rebound-despite-recent-setback
A derailed CSX train leaked a flammable chemical and sparked a fire in a rural part of southern Kentucky on Tuesday, prompting authorities to issue a shelter-in-place order that was later lifted for nearby residents.
No injuries were reported after 31 rail cars derailed at about 6:15 a.m. CST in Todd County, CSX said in a statement. The derailment caused a leak of molten sulfur from one rail car and sparked a fire that was extinguished by late Tuesday morning, the company said.
Crews at the scene were working “as safely and quickly as possible" to clean up the site, it said.
“We appreciate the swift response and coordination of local first responders and emergency management officials,” the company said. “Our primary focus continues to be the health and safety of onsite personnel, the surrounding community and mitigating any potential risk to the environment.”
The chemical substance that leaked can be toxic when it is on fire, the company said. But air quality testing at the derailment site indicated that “everything is good now” and the shelter-in-place order was lifted, said Ash Groves, emergency management director for Todd County.
Todd County authorities had issued a half-mile shelter-in-place order around the impacted site as a precaution.
The derailment occurred about 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) west of downtown Trenton — about 55 miles (88.5 kilometers) northwest of Nashville, Tennessee.
A federal judge in the US has granted a temporary restraining order that will stop HHS' much-contested 340B rebate model from launching as planned on 1st January.
Judge Lance Walker sided with the American Hospital Association (AHA) and other plaintiffs in the lawsuit, brought in a Maine district court, which claims that the new model was unlawful and would add "hundreds of millions" of dollars to the annual costs of hospitals serving some of the most vulnerable people in the US.
The 340B drug discount programme requires pharma companies to discount outpatient drug sales to 'safety net' healthcare systems that serve uninsured and low-income patients. At the moment, these discounts are applied upfront, but pharma companies have been pushing for rebates to be paid to hospitals only after medicines have been purchased at normal commercial prices.
The HHS' Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) was poised to start testing the new rebate model in the pilot, and several pharma companies joined the action in support of the federal agency earlier in December, seeking to ensure its implementation proceeded as planned. Trade organisation PhRMA also took part to support the defence.
The companies have claimed – in and outside of lawsuits – that the 340B programme has long since strayed away from its primary purpose of ensuring access to medicines for vulnerable people. They contend that recipients of the discounted medicines charge both uninsured patients and insurance companies higher prices, pocketing the difference.
In the latest ruling (PDF), Judge Walker denied the pharma companies' motion to intervene in support of the HRSA's action to launch a pilot, on the grounds that they had failed to "demonstrate that the government will not adequately represent their interests in defending against the lawsuit."
According to recent data from the HRSA, drug purchases made under the 340B programme totalled $81.4 billion in 2024, with 340B hospitals making up nearly 87% ($71 billion) of that total.
It has grown over time, but the AHA argues that growth has mirrored the underlying growth in the medicines industry and also reflects bipartisan efforts over the years to broaden its scope.
"Hospitals have an obligation to care for anyone who presents at their doors, regardless of ability to pay, while also striving to meet community benefit requirements in a variety of ways," said the AHA in a recent blog post.
It further contends that the 340B programme "is the primary way drug companies financially contribute to the social safety net, giving back some of the immense financial benefits they have received from federal programmes like NIH-funded research."
In reality, drug companies contribute "just a small fraction of their approximately $1.7 trillion in revenue in 2024," according to the AHA.
On the other hand, a recent Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report (PDF) concluded that the 340B programme "encourages behaviours – including the prescription of more and higher-priced drugs, the expansion of services, and the integration of hospitals and off-site clinics – that tend to increase federal spending."
The ruling introduces a pause in the pilot's implementation, but expect plenty more legal wrangling over the 340B rebate implementation in 2026.
https://pharmaphorum.com/news/judge-blocks-hhs-340b-rebate-pilot-11th-hour
Truth Social-parent Trump Media & Technology (DJT) and Yorkville America Equities announced the Tuesday launch of a batch of five Truth Social ETFs on the New York Stock Exchange. The funds reportedly concentrate on companies with a "Made in America focus spanning diverse industries."
In a press release before Tuesday's stock market open, Trump Media said the ETFs are part of the Truth.Fi fintech brand. The ETFs are Truth Social American Security & Defense ETF, trading under the ticker TSSD; Truth Social American Next Frontiers ETF, with the ticker TSFN; Truth Social American Icons ETF, under the ticker TSIC; Truth Social American Energy Security ETF, with a ticker of TSES; and Truth Social American Red State REITs ETF, that will begin trading Tuesday with the ticker of TSRS.
Yorkville America Equities is the sponsor and investment advisor for the Truth Social exchange traded funds and MarketVector Indexes is the administrator of the indexes that these Truth Social ETFs will track, according to Trump Media.
Yorkville America Equities and Trump Media plan to launch additional ETFs in 2026, including equity-based ETFs as well as digital asset-based funds made available through Crypto.com's broker dealer, Foris Capital, according to the company's release Tuesday.
"We're gratified to make available a slate of ETFs for patriotic investors who want to invest in American ingenuity. These unique funds provide an excellent way for Americans to express their optimism about the strength, resiliency, and immense future prospects of the American economy," Trump Media CEO Devin Nunes said in Tuesday's press release.
Yorkville America CEO Troy Rillo added Tuesday that the Truth Social ETFs "represents a transformative global opportunity to channel capital toward American strength, innovation, and self-reliance."
The launch of the five ETFs follows the news, on Dec. 18, that Trump Media agreed to merge with nuclear fusion company TAE Technologies in an all-stock transaction valued at more than $6 billion. The deal makes Trump Media one of first publicly traded nuclear fusion companies as AI data center demand has supercharged nuclear stocks throughout the 2025 stock market.
Investors can also keep tabs on the Leaderboard, the IBD 50 list of top growth stocks and IBD SwingTrader along with the IBD Sector Leaders list.
Trump Media stock entered Tuesday's stock market up 14% in December, but remains down 62% on the year. DJT shares angled 2.8% lower Tuesday.
Meanwhile, among the new ETFs, Truth Social American Security & Defense ETF (TSSD) gained 0.2% to 24.98 on Tuesday. Truth Social American Next Frontiers ETF (TSFN) edged up 0.1% to 24.99 with Truth Social American Energy Security ETF (TSES) declining a fraction to 25.10. Truth Social American Red State REITs ETF (TSRS) edged 0.1% lower to 25.06 Tuesday while Truth Social American Next Frontiers ETF (TSFN) did not appear to be active.
Throughout the 2024 election cycle, DJT often acted as a Donald Trump sentiment indicator, hitting short-term highs following the assassination attempt against Trump near Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024. The stock responded negatively after the Sept. 12, 2024, presidential debate between Trump and former Vice President Kamala Harris.
Special purpose acquisitions company DWAC took Trump Media and Technology Group, or TMTG, public in a reverse merger. After a prolonged battle, DWAC stockholders voted in favor of the special purpose acquisition company's merger with TMTG.
Trump in December 2024 shifted ownership of all 114.75 million of his shares to the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust, according to regulatory filings.
Following that move, Trump does not directly own any DJT shares. The president's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., is the trustee of the trust and has sole voting and investment power over all securities it owns.
The "Nick Shirley Effect" has begun, with Muckraker founder Anthony Rubin on the ground in Columbus, Ohio, home to the second-largest Somali community in the U.S., investigating daycare centers. This development comes less than a day after Ohio attorney Mehek Cooke said federal investigators are examining allegations that elements within Ohio's Somali community defrauded millions of dollars from the state's Medicaid system.
"The first Somali-affiliated daycare facility that we knocked on after landing in Columbus, Ohio, today did not answer," Rubin wrote on X, alongside a video showing the daycare center, Great Minds Learning Academy.
Rubin continued, "A neighbor across the street told us, 'I've never seen anybody come out of the building or go into the building.'"
On Sunday, Breitbart News published an interview with Ohio attorney Mehek Cooke, who alleges that members of the Somali community in Ohio have defrauded millions of dollars from the state's Medicaid program. She said that authorities at the highest levels are investigating "what is happening in Ohio."
Rubin's on-the-ground reporting comes as tech bros have pitched a grant funding program to "unlock tens of investigative journalists" to cover widespread fraud in Democratic-run states. The idea follows Shirley's investigation into Somali-linked daycare fraud in Minneapolis, which shocked the nation over the weekend with an investigative video that has garnered 125 million views.
We assess that public sentiment toward DOGE could reverse after the Democratic Party's propaganda machine vilified the effort this year, even as evidence of fraud, waste, and abuse was plainly visible. As on-the-ground reporting expands in corrupt blue states, the scale of the alleged fraud is likely to broaden, increasing the likelihood of a renewed push of DOGE.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has newly claimed that US President Donald Trump is considering the possibility of deploying American troops to Ukraine as negotiations toward peace with Moscow stall. This is presumably connected with promises of future 'security guarantees'.
This is somewhat of a surprise, as the White House has made no indication of this in any statement whether public or based on anonymous officials. Throughout the nearly four-long war the question of Western 'boots on the ground' has been raised at various times.
But the US - whether under Biden or Trump - has always denied that sending American troops into Ukraine is a solution. Instead, it's well understood that this could escalate things between Washington and Russia toward full-scale war.
Zelensky made the remarks during a WhatsApp conversation with journalists, according to Reuters national security correspondent Idress Ali, who then revealed his words on social media.
But the outlet has still stressed that Zelensky understands that the final decision rests with Trump.
"To be honest, this can only be confirmed by the President of the United States of America. These are US troops, and therefore it is America that makes such decisions. Of course, we are discussing this both with President Trump and with representatives of the Coalition [of the Willing]," Zelensky was quoted as saying.
And just like that, boots on the ground as a talking point is being echoed among EU leaders...
Russian media has also picked up on the remarks...
President Trump has regularly emphasized that he won't contemplate boots on the ground in Ukraine, for example last August:
President Donald Trump on Tuesday pledged that American troops would not be on the ground in Ukraine — but provided little other insight into the scale of U.S. security guarantees as he pushes to end Russia’s war on its neighbor.
"You have my assurance, and I’m president," Trump said on “Fox & Friends,” when asked what assurances he has that there won’t be American boots in the country to defend against another Russian incursion.
Needless to say such a moved, if he were to reverse his own policy, would be hugely unpopular among Trump's base. And broadly the American public would likely see such a risky move as recipe for another US troop quagmire abroad, and in a very complex battlespace.
https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/zelensky-claims-trump-considering-us-boots-ground-ukraine
by Steve Watson via Modernity.news,
In a game-changing move that’s set to shake up the corrupt food industry, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has unveiled his 2026 MAHA agenda – a no-holds-barred assault on the chemicals and loopholes poisoning the health of America.
The agenda, highlighted during a Fox News broadcast, targets eight critical areas: GRAS reform to close loopholes for untested additives, updating dietary guidelines to prioritize real nutrition over junk science, defining ultra-processed foods, front-of-pack labeling for radical transparency, a chemical review overhaul to weed out toxins, banning petroleum-based food dyes linked to hyperactivity and worse, enhancing infant formula safety, and launching a nutrition regulatory science program free from Big Pharma influence.
As highlighted in the segment by FDA Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods Kyle Diamantas, “2026 will be a fundamental transformational year for the Trump administration,” with Secretary Kennedy’s team at the FDA leading the charge on food reform.
? JUST IN: Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s 2026 MAHA agenda has been RELEASED ?
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) December 30, 2025
– Petroleum-based food dyes
– Dietary guidelines
– Define ultra processed foods
– Infant formula safety
– "Generally Recognized As Safe" reform for food ingredients
– Front-of-pack labeling
-… pic.twitter.com/u9MpK0Si8Z
Diamantas further urged, “This is an issue that has gone on for far too long in our country when you talk about our national nutrition crisis – 70% of Americans are overweight or obese, we have over half of young adolescents who can’t qualify for military service, and 15,000 new cases of diabetes each week. So we have deep problems in this country – we want to tackle those head on.”
This push comes amid broader MAHA victories, but not without resistance from entrenched interests. Just days ago, a federal judge blocked enforcement of H.B. 2354, calling it “unconstitutionally vague” and halting a state-level crackdown on seven harmful additives like FD&C Red No. 40 and Yellow No. 5.
West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrissey had championed the bill, stating, “West Virginia ranks at the bottom of many public health metrics, which is why there’s no better place to lead the Make America Healthy Again mission. By eliminating harmful chemicals from our food, we’re taking steps toward improving the health of our residents and protecting our children from significant long-term health and learning challenges.”
Yet Kennedy’s federal agenda powers ahead, building on 2025 milestones like phasing out Red Dye No. 3 and reconstituting vaccine advisory committees with conflict-free experts.
The 2026 plan directly addresses the childhood chronic disease explosion – one in 31 kids now diagnosed with autism, allergies afflicting one in four children, and obesity rates that disqualify young people from defending the nation.
GRAS reform stands out as a major win against the “generally recognized as safe” scam that’s allowed over 1,000 untested ingredients into food since 1997 without proper FDA scrutiny. Kennedy’s team aims to slam that door shut, forcing real safety reviews instead of industry self-certification.
On dietary guidelines, due for a radical update in January 2026, expect a shift away from outdated saturated fat limits that have propped up processed garbage. As nutrition expert Jerold Mande noted in recent coverage, “They don’t see a strong future for animal products. They just keep getting more and more expensive,” pointing to a potential emphasis on whole foods over ultra-processed alternatives. School lunches and military meals could see massive improvements, with resources funneled toward fresh, untainted options.
Defining ultra-processed foods is another cornerstone, with Marlene Schwartz emphasizing, “If the dietary guidelines said something about ultra-processed foods that just got people paying attention, I think that would be great.” This could spark a nationwide awakening to the hidden dangers in everyday snacks, cutting into Big Food’s profits while slashing obesity and diabetes rates.
Front-of-pack labeling promises to empower consumers with clear warnings, bypassing the fine-print tricks that hide toxins. Coupled with the chemical review overhaul, this will expose and eliminate contaminants that have evaded oversight for decades.
The petroleum-based food dyes ban builds on Kennedy’s April 2025 pledge to eliminate six synthetic colors by year’s end, now extended into a full purge. Despite judicial roadblocks like the West Virginia ruling, federal action could override such hurdles, protecting kids from behavioral issues tied to these petroleum-derived poisons.
Infant formula safety gets a spotlight through Operation Stork Speed, reviewing options to ensure the youngest aren’t exposed to harmful additives. And the nutrition regulatory science program will rebuild trust by grounding policies in unbiased research, free from lobbyist corruption.
Kennedy’s 2026 blueprint is a declaration of independence from the forces eroding American vitality. By prioritizing clean food, transparent science, and family health, MAHA delivers on the promise of a stronger, freer nation.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone conversation to review the status of bilateral relations and the implementation of joint agreements, according to Iran's state media.
The leaders reiterated the strategic importance of their partnership and highlighted achievements in economic, political, and defense cooperation.
Both sides emphasized the need for continued consultations and stronger coordination to expand what they called "comprehensive relations."
https://breakingthenews.net/Article/Iran-and-Russia-discuss-deeper-ties-in-phone-call/65411532
The Iranian Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday that it has designated the Royal Canadian Navy as a terrorist organization.
In its official statement, the ministry explained the decision as a reaction to Canada listing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization. It did not specify what the consequences of that move would be.
Back in June 2024, Canada designated the IRGC as a terrorist organization, claiming that the evidence indicated that the corps "has knowingly carried out, attempted to carry out, participated in or facilitated a terrorist activity." Previously, it designated Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism.
https://breakingthenews.net/Article/Iran-lists-Canada's-navy-as-terrorist-organization/65410155
The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) released its minutes from the December meeting on Tuesday, showing that some members suggested leaving interest rates unchanged after the last cut.
On the other hand, according to the document, "most participants judged that further downward adjustments to the target range for the federal funds rate would likely be appropriate if inflation declined over time as expected." Additionally, some of the members who were in favor of the December cut implied that the move was "finely balanced."
Meanwhile, regarding inflation, a certain number of participants pointed out that additional cuts could be viewed as a "lack of commitment" to the 2% inflation target, since they saw the risk of higher inflation becoming "entrenched."
https://breakingthenews.net/Article/Fed-minutes-show-some-favor-pause-after-December-cut/65411925
As a blank check company pursuing a business combination with a hydrogen-focused entity, the stock's limited public float—reduced to under 4 million shares following heavy redemptions noted in recent SEC filings—amplified buying pressure during regular trading hours. This dynamic, combined with ongoing retail chatter about proxy approvals and deadline extensions from mid-December, triggered volatile spikes as traders bet on potential short-term squeezes. Volume surged alongside the move, reflecting speculative positioning rather than new operational news, though post-merger dilution risks from planned share issuance loomed large. Based on available reports, this extends momentum from the November shareholder vote greenlighting the complex merger structure.
Ekso Bionics Holdings, Inc. (EKSO) shares jumped 102.93%, closing at $11.08, up $5.62, after Applied Digital announced plans to spin out its cloud business, a move investors interpreted as potentially unlocking value for affiliates, including Ekso.
The stock rallied following news that Applied Digital is pursuing a separation of its cloud segment into a standalone business, with proposed strategic actions aimed at sharpening operational focus and capital allocation.
A pair of Empire State snowbirds just learned it’s not easy to fly the coop.
An upstate couple who relocated to Florida is still on the hook for a $60,000 New York tax bill because they didn’t prove their Sunshine State pad was their main residence, the state tax panel ruled in a recent bombshell decision.
John Hoff and his wife, Kathleen Ocorr-Hoff, kept cashing paychecks here and didn’t give up their local country club memberships, the tax panel found in the decision — which could give pause to snowbirds splitting time between the Empire State and Florida.
The couple decided to retire to the warmer climes of Naples, Florida, and plunked down money for a ritzy $1 million three-bedroom, three-bath condo in the Sunshine State — but kept too many ties to Canandaigua, the Oct. 9 decision determined.
Hoff and Ocorr-Hoff contended the proof of their move was they had registered vehicles in Florida and had bank accounts there, the 24-page ruling by the State of New York Tax Appeals Tribunal said.
Hoff also got a hunting and fishing license while Ocorr-Hoff said she started a business with a Florida address, the ruling said.
“We disagree that any of these factors are persuasive here, as each is unsubstantiated, not established to have occurred during the period in issue or contrary to the record,” the decision said.
Hoff, the founder of Global Point Technology, a successful upstate tech import/export company, and his graphic designer wife, married in 2008, according to the document.
In 2011, the couple bought the upstate home on Poplar Beach for $907,000 and settled in.
But Hoff and Ocorr-Hoff later “fell in love with the Naples area,” and planned an “exit strategy” to relocate to Florida, including Hoff planning to turn over the business to his grown son.
They bought the condo on Gulf Shore Boulevard in Naples in 2014 for $935,000 and even made another $200,000 in improvements, planning to make it their retirement home — and listed it as their primary residence in their 2018 and 2019 tax returns, the decision said.
The Hoffs moved their ski equipment and a valuable Waterford crystal collection into the condo, and signed up to vote, drive and hunt in Florida, and opened bank accounts as they began the transition.
They even joined a local country club, despite keeping two memberships in New York, with plans to spend winters down south and summer months back in their upstate ‘burb.
In 2018, they said they spent 186 days in New York, 131 in Florida and 48 days elsewhere, with the numbers going up to 164 days in New York, 153.5 in Naples and 47.5 somewhere else in 2019.
New York State tax officials said it wasn’t enough to make them legit Floridians.
Hoff’s plans to turn the business over to his son fizzled due to newly imposed tariffs on Chinese products, affecting the company’s bottom line, and despite reducing his work load he continued to play a key role in the company, the tax tribunal said.
More importantly, the two continued to earn income from their New York companies, including Ocorr-Hoff’s graphic design business, despite opening a new company in Florida.
In 2021, state tax officials hit the pair with a $59,648 tax bill for 2018 and 2019, with penalties.
The Hoffs challenged the bill, with the dispute ending up before an administrative judge.
“The administrative judge concluded that petitioners have not met their burden of proof to show that they changed their domicile for purposes of the tax law for the years at issue,” the judge ruled.
They appealed to the tribunal, which upheld the judge’s ruling in the October decision.
The couple could not be reached for comment Monday, and their attorneys did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Post.
