Skip to main content

Featured

Wall Street Holds Steady as S&P 500 Hits Record Ahead of Christmas Break

Market Snapshot – December 24, 2025 Dow Jones Futures: Flat at 48,735 points S&P 500 Futures: Near 6,957 points, little changed after Tuesday’s record close Nasdaq 100 Futures: Slight dip of 0.1% to 25,796.5 points S&P 500 Index: Closed Tuesday at 6,909, its latest all-time high Key Drivers Robust economic growth continues to fuel investor optimism. Seasonal “Santa Claus rally” has lifted stocks for four consecutive sessions. Markets will close early today at 1 p.m. EST and remain shut tomorrow for Christmas Day. Traders remain cautious about inflation and potential Federal Reserve rate cuts in 2026. Quick Take Wall Street enters the holiday season on a high note, with the S&P 500 near the 7,000 mark and futures showing little movement. The shortened trading session means liquidity will be thin, amplifying small moves. Still, the overall tone remains upbeat, with investors betting that the year-end rally will carry into the final days of 2025.

article

CBS Pulls Salvadoran Prison Report, But Leaked Segment Goes Viral

CECOT is a mega-prison in El Salvador where the US has sent hundreds of mostly Venezuelan migrants without trial. It has been condemned by human rights groups for its harsh conditions.

Background

CBS News canceled the broadcast of a “60 Minutes” segment on El Salvador’s CECOT prison just hours before it was scheduled to air on December 21, 2025. The network stated the report “needed additional reporting” and promised it would be shown at a later date.

The Segment

The investigation, led by veteran correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi, focused on Venezuelan migrants deported by the U.S. and held in CECOT, a facility widely condemned by human rights groups for its harsh conditions. Testimonies included allegations of torture, beatings, and sexual assault, raising questions about U.S. deportation practices.

Online Leak

Despite CBS’s decision, the segment appeared on Global TV’s streaming app in Canada, where it was briefly available before being removed. Copies quickly spread across platforms such as Reddit, Substack, Bluesky, and X, making the report accessible worldwide.

Internal Backlash

Alfonsi reportedly told colleagues that the decision to pull the piece was “political, not editorial,” fueling speculation about pressure from CBS’s new editor-in-chief, Bari Weiss. The move has drawn criticism from journalists and human rights advocates who argue the story highlights urgent issues of due process and migrant treatment.

Implications

The controversy underscores the tension between journalistic independence and political sensitivities. While CBS insists the segment will air in the future, its premature leak has already ensured global attention on the prison and the U.S. government’s deportation policies.

Key Takeaway: The pulled “60 Minutes” report on El Salvador’s CECOT prison has become more widely viewed online than it might have been on television, raising questions about censorship, transparency, and accountability in both U.S. media and immigration policy.

Comments