FEDERAL OPEN MARKET COMMITTEE

May 08 2026TECHNOLOGY

Voice Tech Gets a Boost: New AI Tools Let Apps Talk, Translate and Listen

OpenAI has added several new voice‑powered tools to its developer kit, aiming to make apps that can actually speak and understand people in real time. The latest model, GPT‑Realtime‑2, offers a more natural talking voice and smarter logic than its earlier version. It can handle tougher questions an

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May 07 2026POLITICS

What’s happening with Virginia’s top Democrat?

Federal agents showed up unannounced Wednesday in Portsmouth, Virginia, targeting places tied to state Sen. Louise Lucas, a powerful Democrat and marijuana advocate. They raided her personal office, a dispensary she co-owns, and other locations connected to her. Footage from the scene shows agents c

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May 06 2026TECHNOLOGY

ChatGPT Gets a Smart Upgrade

OpenAI has rolled out a new version of ChatGPT’s core engine, called GPT‑5. 5 Instant. The change is meant to make the AI more precise and reduce the number of “hallucinations” it produces, especially when users ask about complex topics like medicine, law or finance. The upgrade also improves the

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May 05 2026TECHNOLOGY

AI Rewrites Finance Work With a New Partner

OpenAI is teaming up with PwC LLP to create AI tools that can handle financial tasks on their own. The plan is to let these systems work alongside the company’s internal finance team, showing how they can change a key part of business operations. The goal is to make revenue tracking and the final ac

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May 05 2026FINANCE

What’s Next for Natural Gas as Seasons Shift?

Market watchers often get caught up in dramatic headlines about energy prices, but natural gas doesn’t always follow the crowd. While traders might panic when weather reports flash "unexpected cold, " the bigger picture often stays the same. Right now, supplies are plentiful, and history shows that

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Apr 29 2026FINANCE

Global Markets React to Oil Surge and Mixed Stock Movements

Markets around the world showed a split picture today. While most major stock indices moved only slightly, oil prices jumped over three percent, driven by worries about the ongoing conflict in Iran and its impact on the Strait of Hormuz. In the United States, futures for the S&P 500 and the Dow Jon

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Apr 24 2026TECHNOLOGY

New AI model boosts coding and research with fewer questions

OpenAI just released a fresh update to its AI tools, called ChatGPT 5. 5, built for people who need help with tough tasks like coding and research. Seven weeks after its last version, this new model is here to make everyday digital work easier. The team behind it says it can figure out confusing pro

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Apr 23 2026POLITICS

US Moves Closer to Easing Marijuana Rules

Federal officials are preparing for a major shift in how marijuana is treated under U. S. law, with changes expected as soon as this week. If approved, this would be the biggest update to marijuana policy in years, making it easier for scientists to study the drug's possible benefits. The push for

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Apr 18 2026TECHNOLOGY

OpenAI Shifts Focus, Key Leaders Exit

OpenAI is pulling back from its video‑making experiment and trimming staff, as a senior project head steps down. The company said last month it was abandoning Sora, its video generation tool, and this week the team’s chief announced his departure. This move fits a larger pattern of trimming “side qu

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Apr 18 2026TECHNOLOGY

AI steps into science labs to speed up drug research

OpenAI’s newest AI model, named after DNA pioneer Rosalind Franklin, isn’t built to write poems or plan dinner menus. Instead, it’s trained to dig through mountains of scientific data to help researchers find new medicines faster. Drug development usually takes over a decade, but this tool could cut

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