U.S. Stock Futures Edge Higher as Tech Rout Deepens on AI Concerns and Earnings 
Asian Markets Slip as AI Spending Fears Shake Tech, Wall Street Futures Rebound 
Trump Endorses Japan’s Sanae Takaichi Ahead of Crucial Election Amid Market and China Tensions 
Global PC Makers Eye Chinese Memory Chip Suppliers Amid Ongoing Supply Crunch 
Trump Signs Executive Order Threatening 25% Tariffs on Countries Trading With Iran 
Dow Hits 50,000 as U.S. Stocks Stage Strong Rebound Amid AI Volatility 
Baidu Approves $5 Billion Share Buyback and Plans First-Ever Dividend in 2026 
Amazon Stock Rebounds After Earnings as $200B Capex Plan Sparks AI Spending Debate 
Silver Prices Plunge in Asian Trade as Dollar Strength Triggers Fresh Precious Metals Sell-Off 
Rio Tinto Shares Hit Record High After Ending Glencore Merger Talks 
Anthropic Eyes $350 Billion Valuation as AI Funding and Share Sale Accelerate 
Tencent Shares Slide After WeChat Restricts YuanBao AI Promotional Links 
FDA Targets Hims & Hers Over $49 Weight-Loss Pill, Raising Legal and Safety Concerns 
SoftBank Shares Slide After Arm Earnings Miss Fuels Tech Stock Sell-Off 
Nvidia, ByteDance, and the U.S.-China AI Chip Standoff Over H200 Exports 
U.S.-India Trade Framework Signals Major Shift in Tariffs, Energy, and Supply Chains 
Uber Ordered to Pay $8.5 Million in Bellwether Sexual Assault Lawsuit 
Chick-Fil-A has been planning to build an outlet at a rest stop area on Garen State Parkway in New Jersey. However, the company faces some issues; thus, it cannot proceed with its plans at the moment.
According to Fox Business, Chick-Fil-A encountered a problem due to its history of where it stands regarding marriage and other matters that critics said to be anti-LGBTQ. The restaurant tried to clarify that the claims made against them were based on misleading reports from the media.
Chick-Fil-A is planning to build its restaurant in Bloomfield but Mayor Michel Venezia and councilman Rich Rockwell, a gay public official, are requesting the New Jersey Turnpike Authority to reconsider the idea of having Chick-Fil-A at the Brookdale South rest stop. The NJTA is the division operating the parkway.
Venezia and Rockwell issued statements where they are urging the NJTA to think about the decision to put up Chick-Fil-A once again. The former also told the turnpike authority that the plan is "incredibly disappointing."
The mayor's statements come as the American fast food restaurant chains released statements before where they opposed same-sex marriage. The company also supported groups and politicians that are being opposed by the LGBTQ community.
"Chick-fil-A imposes its religion on employees, customers, and operators and as a publicly funded entity, the New Jersey Turnpike Authority should not allow this type of business on the Parkway," councilman Rockwell said in a statement. "This restaurant chain would be an affront to all of the citizens of Bloomfield that make up the tremendous diversity that makes our town such a great place to live."
On the other hand, Mayor Venezia said, "Bloomfield is a diverse community accepting of all races, religions, and sexual orientations, which is the antithesis of what this chain stands for."
Meanwhile, NJ.com reported that officials at Turnpike announced on Jan. 3 it will be demolishing two McDonalds restaurants sitting at the Brookdale South and Vauxhall services. They are intending to replace them with a new building and restaurants that will include Shake Shack and Chick-Fil-A and this announcement was met with opposition for the chicken restaurant.
