Monday, January 19, 2026
ScienceDaily
Johns Hopkins University researchers found that AI systems built with brain-inspired designs can mimic human brain activity even before seeing any training data. The study challenges the dominant AI development strategy of relying on massive datasets and computing power, suggesting that architectural foundation may be as important as data volume. This breakthrough could significantly reduce the hundreds of billions of dollars currently spent on training AI models with enormous datasets.
AOL
Chinese AI startup DeepSeek published a research paper introducing 'Manifold-Constrained Hyper-Connections' (mHC), a training approach designed to scale AI models without them becoming unstable. Analysts describe the approach as a 'striking breakthrough' that could minimize training costs while yielding much higher performance. The paper comes as DeepSeek reportedly works toward releasing its R2 model, following the success of its R1 reasoning model that shook the tech industry in 2025.
IBM
IBM unveiled fundamental progress toward delivering quantum advantage by the end of 2026 and fault-tolerant quantum computing by 2029 at its Quantum Developer Conference. The company introduced new quantum processors and achieved a 10x speedup in quantum error correction decoding, completed one year ahead of schedule. IBM anticipates the first verified cases of quantum advantage will be confirmed by the broader community by the end of 2026, marking a milestone where quantum computers outperform classical computers on practical problems.
Bloomberg
China's economy grew 5% in 2025, meeting government targets, but momentum weakened in Q4 with growth slowing to 4.5%, the slowest since COVID reopening. While exports supported growth, retail sales and investment performed worse than forecast, highlighting persistent domestic demand challenges and an export-dependent recovery model.
European Central Bank
The ECB revised euro area growth projections upward to above 1% for 2026 and 1.4% in following years, driven by domestic demand as global trade faces challenges. Inflation remains stable at the 2% target while the economy benefits from a robust labor market and resilient economic activity despite geopolitical uncertainties.
Enverus
Energy analysts forecast Brent crude averaging $55 per barrel in 2026, down significantly from previous years due to abundant global supply from the US, Canada, and Guyana outpacing demand growth. The outlook reflects a supply-demand imbalance that has pushed prices to multi-year lows, though geopolitical risks from Iran and Venezuela continue to create volatility.
Fox News
Ukrainian drone strikes on Sunday targeted energy infrastructure in Russian-occupied areas of southern Ukraine, leaving over 200,000 households without power in the Zaporizhzhia region. The attacks, part of Ukraine's strategy to 'weaponize winter,' came as Russia continued its own bombardment of Ukrainian energy facilities, killing at least two people overnight. This escalation occurs amid ongoing U.S.-brokered peace talks, with Ukrainian crews also beginning crucial repair work on the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant's backup power line under an IAEA-brokered ceasefire.
CNN
Eight European countries issued a joint statement Sunday calling Trump's tariff threats 'unacceptable' and warning they 'undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral.' European Council President Antonio Costa announced an extraordinary meeting this week to coordinate the response, while even typically Trump-friendly Italian PM Giorgia Meloni called the move an 'error.' The crisis threatens to derail the US-EU trade deal that was set for European Parliament debate this week, marking an unprecedented rupture in NATO unity.
ABC News
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen declared Europe will remain 'united, coordinated and committed to upholding its sovereignty' in response to Trump's tariff threats. British PM Keir Starmer spoke directly with Trump, telling him 'applying tariffs on allies for pursuing collective security of NATO allies is wrong,' while French President Macron described the threats as having 'no place in this context.' The unprecedented crisis has prompted urgent diplomatic coordination between European capitals and NATO leadership as they prepare a unified response to protect transatlantic relations.
Pravda Germany
Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa cancelled his planned visit to Germany on January 19-20 due to the political situation in his country, where he was scheduled to meet with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Chancellor Friedrich Merz. He was also set to meet with German businessmen on January 20. This diplomatic cancellation reflects the ongoing instability in Syria following recent political changes.
The Local
Right-wing extremists and Reichsbürger in Germany possess more than 4,000 legally registered firearms, with 2,996 held by right-wing extremists and 932 by Reichsbürger as of end-2024. Green Party politicians called the situation a 'scandal' and demanded stricter disarmament measures, as the Reichsbürger movement rejects German state legitimacy and has been linked to violent plots. This raises significant concerns about domestic security and gun control policies.
SWI Swissinfo
Two cantonal police officers, aged 42 and 41, died in an avalanche in the Chamoson area in canton Valais while ski touring on Thursday. Another person was injured and a separate avalanche incident in Thyon also claimed a victim, highlighting the critical avalanche situation in Valais this weekend.
SWI Swissinfo
Hundreds of protesters participated in an anti-WEF demonstration in Switzerland, with organizers including the Young Socialists and other left-wing organizations. The protest march from Laret to Davos experienced significant delays due to extensive police controls of participants during their train journey from Klosters.
SWI Swissinfo
Switzerland summoned the Iranian ambassador to express its "deepest concern" about violence in Iran. This diplomatic move reflects Switzerland's ongoing role in international mediation and its concerns about human rights issues, demonstrating the country's active engagement in global diplomatic affairs despite its traditional neutrality.