Venezuela in American Politics—Plus, VA Housing for Homeless Vets
Jon Wiener: From The Nation magazine, this is Start Making Sense. I’m Jon Wiener. Later in the show: the VA must end homelessness among disabled vets, by providing housing: that’s what the 9th circuit court of appeals ordered in a historic ruling. Mark Rosenbaum of Public Counsel will explain. But first: Trump, Venezuela, and American […]
5 questions for Netflix subscribers about the Warner Bros. deal
Netflix (NFLX) has come a long way since its days of mailing DVD rentals. In early December, the streaming giant announced its plans to buy Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD)’s studio and streaming assets in a $72 billion deal that would shake up the entertainment industry landscape. The acquisition would include Warner Bros.’ film and television […]
How much is the monthly payment on a $700,000 mortgage?
A $700,000 mortgage loan may sound high. But if you’re in hot housing markets like California, Hawaii, or the Washington, D.C., areas, it can be closer to the norm — especially if you want to buy a larger house. So, the question is: Will monthly payments on a $700,000 mortgage fit your budget? Read more: […]
Gold price today, Wednesday, January 7: Gold price opens above $4,500
Gold (GC=F) futures opened at $4,505.40 per troy ounce Wednesday, up 0.2% from Tuesday’s closing price of $4,496.10. The price of gold fell in early trading. This marks gold’s first open above $4,500 since Dec. 26. The precious metal had been primarily trading in the $4,300s but pushed higher after the U.S. military action in […]
Mortgage and refinance interest rates today, January 7, 2026: A long stretch of stability
Mortgage rates have sustained a long stretch of stability. According to Zillow, the average 30-year fixed rate is 6.01%, down three basis points. Meanwhile, the 15-year fixed home loan rate is up four basis points to 5.45%. These small moves in either direction have been the norm for many weeks. Here are the current mortgage […]
The Assassination That Paved the Way for Trumps Venezuela Attack
World / January 7, 2026 How Trump’s illegal 2020 killing of Qassem Soleimani—and the West’s indifferent response—laid the groundwork for the brazen abduction of Nicolás Maduro. The American abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is undoubtedly a massive and significant historical moment. Yet, despite the headlines it has generated and the victories the US government […]
Are UK buy-to-let landlords dying out – and should we care?
As a buy-to-let landlord of 15 years, Neil France had a feeling things were about to get worse for him and his sector. “You’ll never lose votes for hammering a landlord. That’s the reality,” France, 68, said. “It used to be estate agents and bankers; now it’s landlords.” He was right. In a surprise move, […]
Trump Tower Real Estate & News
How the Latest Economic News Could Affect Your Future Savings It might sound like something only grown-ups worry about, but the big decisions made by people in charge of our country’s money can actually have a real impact on your life, even if you don’t have a lot of money right now. We’re going to […]
Democrats Are Doing What They Do Best on Venezuela: Nothing
Politics / January 6, 2026 Donald Trump staged an illegal coup. Chuck Schumer’s response? Empty words and meaningless parliamentary maneuvers. In a colossal show of both imperial hubris and reality-TV-grade carelessness, America’s ruling regime has kidnapped a world leader and his wife and ordered them to go to trial on overblown charges of “narcoterrorism” (together […]
Dense, sticky and heavy: why Venezuelan crude oil appeals to US refineries
Clustered along the US Gulf coast are some of the largest and most complex heavy-oil refineries in the world. These sprawling industrial hubs, owned by major US oil companies, stand ready to emerge as some of the major victors of Donald Trump’s swoop on Venezuela. In some ways, these refineries are a relic of another […]