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Wall Street Futures Tick Higher as 2026 Trading Begins

U.S. stock futures moved higher early Friday, signaling a confident start to the first trading session of 2026. The gains follow a strong multi‑year run for equities and come as investors look ahead to a new year of economic and corporate developments. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures edged up, S&P 500 futures posted a modest rise, and Nasdaq futures led the early advance with a stronger uptick. The move reflects continued enthusiasm for technology and growth‑oriented sectors, which helped drive markets through much of the previous year. Despite bouts of volatility in late 2025, major indexes closed the year with solid performance, supported by resilient consumer spending, easing inflation pressures, and expectations of a more accommodative monetary environment. As 2026 begins, traders are watching several themes: the timing and pace of potential interest‑rate cuts, the durability of tech‑sector leadership, and whether gains will broaden across more industries. Early future...

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Escalation in Gaza: Hospital in Flames Amidst Conflict

 

In a tragic turn of events, Israeli troops stormed the Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza on Friday, forcibly removing staff and patients before setting parts of the hospital on fire. The hospital, one of the last operating in the area, has been repeatedly targeted over the past three months as Israeli forces continue their offensive against Hamas fighters.

The Gaza Health Ministry reported that the troops forced medical personnel and patients to assemble in the hospital yard, where they were stripped of their clothes in the cold winter temperatures. Some patients were relocated to the nearby Indonesian hospital, which had already been knocked out of operation by an Israeli raid earlier in the week.

The ministry's account, which could not be independently confirmed, described fires being set in several parts of the hospital, including the lab and surgery department. An audio message from an unidentified staff member posted on social media highlighted the dire situation, with patients unhooked from oxygen and at risk of dying at any moment.

This incident is part of a broader offensive that has seen northern Gaza areas like Jabaliya, Beit Hanoun, and Beit Lahiya virtually sealed off, with large parts of these districts leveled. The ongoing conflict has raised fears of famine, with the U.N. reporting only four humanitarian deliveries to the area from December 1 to December 23.

The Israeli military has claimed that their operations target Hamas infrastructure and fighters, though they have provided no evidence to support their accusations that Hamas fighters were operating inside Kamal Adwan Hospital. Hospital officials have denied these claims.

The situation remains dire, with thousands of Palestinians forced out of their homes and the health sector in Gaza devastated by the nearly 15-month-old campaign of bombardment and offensives. The international community continues to watch closely as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza deepens.


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