`How I "Vibe Coded" an asyncio-first trading engine that bridges the gap between technical indicators and human-scale market context. In the world of algorithmic trading, we've been stuck in a loop. We rely on RSI, MACD, and Bollinger Bands—mathematical formulas designed for an era before high-frequency sentiment and global AI reasoning. While these indicators are foundational, they are blind to context. A human trader doesn't just buy because an RSI hits 30. They look at the shape of the wedge, they read the fear in the headlines, and they interpret the "vibe" of the order book. I wanted to build a bot that doesn't just calculate—it reasons. Meet LLM_Trader v2: An autonomous, vision-capable trading engine that turns market data, news, and chart context into structured BUY/SELL/HOLD/UPDATE decision. LLM_Trader v2 in action. 🏗️ The Architecture: A "Brain" for the Markets Most AI bots fail because they simply dump raw numbers into a prompt. LLM_Trader v2 uses a sophisticated multi-stage pipeline designed for confluence: The Muscles (Market Data): Using ccxt, the bot aggregates data from 5+ major exchanges (Binance, KuCoin, Gate.io, MEXC, Hyperliquid). But it doesn't stop at price—it analyzes: Technical Indicators: (Custom engine, built from scratch without pandas-ta). Order book depth & spread analysis. Trade flow (Buy/Sell ratio, trade velocity). Funding rates for perpetual futures. OHLCV across 7 timeframes: 4H, 12H, 24H, 3D, 7D, 30D, 365D. The Eyes (Vision Engine): The bot renders a ~150 candlestick chart using Plotly, optimized for AI pattern recognition. This image is sent directly to Vision models (Gemini Flash) for visual pattern analysis—because sometimes, a chart pattern is worth a thousand RSI readings. The Ears (RAG Engine): Real-time news via CryptoCompare, processed with wtpsplit for neural sentence segmentation. The bot extracts key facts and numbers, filtering noise to give the LLM a "ground truth" of current events—not just headlines, but data-rich sentences. The Brain (Model Manager): All this context—textual data, visual charts, news snippets, and market metrics—is orchestrated by a model manager that toggles between Google Gemini, Claude (via OpenRouter), or local models via LM Studio. 🧠 From "Chat" to "Execution": The PositionExtractor (New Feature in v2) The magic isn't just in the prompt—it's in the parsing. I built a robust PositionExtractor that doesn't just "guess" what the AI wants. It uses standardized REGEX patterns to consistently extract: Action: BUY / SELL / HOLD / CLOSE Confidence: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW (mapped to position sizing) Rationale: A structured explanation that is logged for future "Trading Brain" learning. 📊 What the AI Actually Sees (Real Example) Here's a glimpse of what gets sent to the AI for a single analysis cycle: `yaml TRADING CONTEXT: Symbol: BTC/USDC Current Price: $87,499 Fear & Greed Index: 24 (Extreme Fear) - 7 day history MARKET OVERVIEW: Total Market Cap: $3.88T | BTC Dominance: 56.52% Order Book Imbalance: +0.180 (Moderate Buy Pressure) Buy/Sell Ratio: 0.16 (Strong Selling) TECHNICAL ANALYSIS (4h): RSI: 46.65 | MACD Histogram: +112.46 ADX: 12.86 | Stochastic: 60.02/73.78 Death Cross Active (20 SMA < 50 SMA) TTM Squeeze: Extreme Low Volatility Volume Spike: 2.55x average WEEKLY MACRO (200W SMA): Trend: Bullish (100% confidence) Cycle Phase: Early Bull Market Distance from 200W SMA: +46.2% DETECTED PATTERNS: MACD bull cross 9 bars ago Stochastic bull cross in oversold (12 bars ago) MACD Bullish Divergence (64 bars ago) Volume spike 2.55x average (NOW) NEWS CONTEXT: "Bitcoin Soars Past $89,000 Milestone..." "Crypto Shorts Liquidated: $64M Wiped Out..." ` The AI synthesizes all of this—plus a chart image and its previous analysis—into a structured JSON decision with confluence scoring. 🧠 Multi-Model Intelligence & Local Privacy One of the biggest upgrades in v2 is Provider Resilience. If Google's API is down, the bot automatically falls back to OpenRouter. If you want 100% privacy, it connects to LM Studio, allowing you to run the entire reasoning layer on your own hardware. Currently supported models: Any model with Google API (Flash, Pro, 2.5, 3.0) Any model (preferred vision models) via OpenRouter Any local model via LM Studio 🧬 Persistent Learning: The Trading Brain Here's where it gets interesting. LLM_Trader v2 doesn't just trade—it learns. After every closed trade, the bot analyzes its performance and distills lessons into a persistent TradingBrain: Confidence Calibration: Tracks win rates by confidence level. If "HIGH confidence" trades have a 0% win rate, the AI sees this and adjusts. Distilled Insights: Stores lessons like "SL too tight (1.4%) caused early exit. Consider 1.5–2% minimum in Sideways + Weak Trend + Low Vol." Factor Performance: Tracks which confluence factors (volume support, trend alignment) correlate with wins. Time Decay: Recent insights weighted higher (0.95 per week), so the bot adapts to changing regimes. This feedback loop means the bot genuinely improves over time. 📡 Discord Integration (Already Live) Real-time signals delivered straight to your Discord server: Trade notifications (BUY/SELL/CLOSE with reasoning) Position status updates Message tracking for cleanup Configurable via config.ini ⚙️ The Tech Stack Built with an "Asyncio-First" approach in Python 3.13: Language: Python 3.13 (asyncio-first) Data Aggregation: ccxt (5+ exchanges) Charting: Plotly + Kaleido Technical Indicators: Custom engine with numpy, pandas, numba, scipy NLP/Segmentation: wtpsplit (backed by torch) Market Data: CoinGecko API (global metrics, dominance, DeFi) Sentiment: Fear & Greed Index (7-day history) (alternative.me) Persistence: JSON-based Trading Brain Notifications: Discord.py 🚀 Get Started (Open Source & Beta) The project is in BETA and configured for Paper Trading. Watch the bot make decisions without risking a dollar. Clone & Install bash git clone https://github.com/qrak/LLM_trader.git cd LLM_trader python -m venv .venv source .venv/bin/activate # or .venv\Scripts\Activate.ps1 pip install -r requirements.txt Configure Your Keys Copy keys.env.example to keys.env and add your API keys (Google AI, OpenRouter, CryptoCompare, CoinGecko). Customize Your Strategy (config.ini) The bot is fully configurable via config/config.ini. You can switch AI providers, change timeframes, or enable/disable Discord integration without touching the code. `ini [ai_providers] Options: "local", "googleai", "openrouter", "all" provider = googleai Base URL for local LM Studio instance lm_studio_base_url = http://localhost:1234/v1 lm_studio_model = local-model OpenRouter openrouter_base_url = https://openrouter.ai/api/v1 openrouter_base_model = google/gemini-2.0-flash-exp:free Google AI Studio google_studio_model = gemini-3-flash-preview [general] crypto_pair = BTC/USDC timeframe = 4h candle_limit = 999 ai_chart_candle_limit = 150 discord_bot = false ` Launch the Engine bash python start.py 💬 Join the Community Trading is better with friends (and more AI). GitHub: github.com/qrak/LLM_trader Discord: Join our Development Chat Disclaimer: This software is for educational purposes. Crypto trading involves high risk. Always paper trade first. `

COLLEGE STATION, TX - DECEMBER 20: Wide receiver KC Concepcion #7 of the Texas A&M Aggies slides for a catch that was later overturned on replay during the CFP First Round game between Miami Hurricanes and Texas A&M Aggies on December 20, 2025, at Kyle Field in College Station, TX. (Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images It wasn’t that long ago that the San Francisco 49ers seemed to have a plan for the future at wide receiver. They drafted Ricky Pearsall in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, and he was expected to take a bigger role as a second-year pro after working behind Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel, and Jauan Jennings as a rookie.The 49ers were expected to move off Samuel after the 2024 season, having engaged in trade talks about him a few times, and ultimately did trade him to the Washington Commanders. That set up a trio of Pearsall, Aiyuk, and Jennings for the 2025 season, with younger receivers potentially taking over for the latter afterwards.But Aiyuk’s return from a torn ACL and MCL during the 2024 season never came, and he now isn’t expected to play another game for the 49ers after his relationship with the organization soured and his guarantees were voided last offseason.Now, heading into the offseason, the 49ers have quite a few questions to answer at wide receiver. Jennings is a pending free agent and should see interest on the open market with a likely pay bump. Pearsall’s first two years have been hampered by injuries, as he’s only played 20 games since being drafted. And there was a lot of rotating in the position group in 2025, with guys like Kendrick Bourne and Demarcus Robinson seeing key roles for much of the season.The 49ers should have money to spend in free agency, and a field-stretcher could be a priority, given the lack of speed San Francisco had at the position in 2025. Pending free agents like Alec Pierce and Rashid Shaheed could fit that role, assuming they don’t return to their current teams.But the draft is also a place for the 49ers to improve and find a talented, cost-controlled option. Could that even come in the first round at No. 27 overall? NFL.com’s Cynthia Frelund believes so, mocking Texas A&M star wideout KC Concepcion to the 49ers in the first round.“Concepcion’s ability to create space and earn YAC should fit well within Kyle Shanahan’s offense,” Frelund wrote.Concepcion had 61 catches for 919 yards and nine touchdowns for the Aggies in 2025, averaging over 15 yards per catch, earning him All-American status.Here’s what NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein wrote about Concepcion, comparing him to former Seattle Seahawks star wideout Doug Baldwin.“Concepcion offers immediate burst and separation into space,” Zierlein said. “He’s elusive in beating press and getting into breaks with minimum damage from handsy coverage. While he has a one-speed approach, he can snap off routes with alarming suddenness, making him extremely difficult to match at leveraged break points. “He’s instinctive against zone. He’s also a nightmare for man coverage on choice routes and near the goal line. He’s quicker than fast, with more value on utility throws utilizing run after catch. Concepcion’s ability to quickly uncover should be very appealing to teams with spotty protection and a young quarterback.”At 5’11, 190 pounds, Concepcion could be utilized in the slot and on the outside, and his ability to separate could be a big boost for Kyle Shanahan’s offense. The 49ers lacked separators in 2025, and it really showed in their losses down the stretch.There are a few holes to address this offseason, but wide receiver could very well be in the cards at No. 27 in the 2026 NFL Draft. And Concepcion is an option there.

The IRS has released guidance to help taxpayers understand how the One Big Beautiful Bill Act will impact existing Employee Retention Credit (ERC) claims and refunds.

Analysts and investors voice caution about tech valuations and Trump’s influence on the US central bankInvestors expect global stock markets to keep rising in 2026, despite fears that the AI bubble could burst, and anxiety about chaos engulfing the US central bank.Wall Street strategists broadly expect the S&P 500 share index of US-listed companies to continue to rise over the next 12 months, but said it could be a volatile year if geopolitical tensions increase and inflation fails to fall. Continue reading...

Despite Steph Curry's absence, the Golden State Warriors' relentless ball movement and 3-point shooting demand disciplined defense from the fatigued Memphis Grizzlies.

🚨 CHAOS on the court! 🚨 Four players ejected after a massive brawl overshadowed the Pistons' upset win over the red-hot Hornets, snapping their 9-game streak!

LeBron's Lakers, on a 3-game win streak, clash with the 1st-place Thunder tonight at 9 PM PT. OKC is without SGA, but Jalen Williams returns for a crucial battle.

In a surprising turn, former President Trump and NYC Mayor Mamdani, political opposites, agree on reforming New York City's zoning laws. They're keen to streamline burdensome rules like ULURP to boost housing construction.

Donald Trump threatens to halt the opening of the crucial Gordie Howe International Bridge, demanding concessions from Canada despite their $5.7B investment. Critics warn of severe economic fallout for both nations.

曾任江西、浙江省委书记的易炼红，因涉嫌严重违纪违法，正接受中纪委国家监委审查调查。他此前已退居二线。

A Democrat running to pick up one of the party’s top target House seats recently worked for two defense contractors looking to help the federal government use artificial intelligence for border surveillance and military projects.  Cait Conley, a Special Operations combat veteran and former national security adviser under former President Joe Biden, is running in the crowded Democratic primary to challenge incumbent Republican Rep. Mike Lawler in New York’s 17th Congressional District. Her candidate financial disclosures show that she earned more than $80,000 between January 2024 and July 2025 from two companies, Primer and Hidden Level. Both companies partner with far-right billionaire Peter Thiel’s surveillance tech firm Palantir to help government agencies use AI. Both are military contractors; Hidden Level holds an active contract with the Department of War, and Primer’s most recent one was paid out last year. Primer has also praised President Donald Trump’s AI policy and advertises on its website that it “helps” the Department of Homeland Security with data and intelligence work and that “Primer’s AI platforms support DHS missions,” but it does not appear to have an active deal with the department in a federal contracting database.  “Cait believes AI can be both an opportunity and a risk to the middle class and is determined to shape AI policy so that it grows and strengthens middle-class New Yorkers, rather than being used to further enrich billionaires,” said Conley campaign manager Emily Goldson in a statement to The Intercept. “She’ll be a leader in Congress, ensuring working Americans are included in the growth created and aren’t left behind.”  Running in a swing district north of New York City, Conley has walked a fine line on matters of immigration and the national security apparatus, blasting Trump for deploying the military to U.S. cities and criticizing immigration agents for killing protesters. On her campaign website, she pledges to “stand strong on our national security priorities,” including “defending the homeland, fighting crime, and fixing our broken immigration system.” Conley’s close ties to companies at the intersection of AI and national security policy aren’t a surprise given her military background. But her connections to the firms raise questions about how she might approach those policy sectors in Congress, said Albert Fox Cahn, a civil rights attorney who previously led the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project and is a lifelong resident of New York’s 17th District.  “At a time when we see so many Silicon Valley companies having their technology weaponized against immigrant communities, these sorts of consulting roles raise questions about what exactly she did and what lines were drawn,” Cahn told The Intercept.  It’s unclear what exactly Conley did at the companies, according to her candidate disclosure filed with the House Clerk. She started consulting for Primer at some point after January 2024, when she left her previous job as an adviser for the Department of Homeland Security under Biden. In the period ending in July 2025, she earned $12,500 for her consulting work for that company.   Related Lawmakers Pave the Way to Billions in Handouts for Weapons Makers That the Pentagon Itself Opposed Touting the candidate’s military service, Goldson said that Conley “has worked with a range of private and public sector entities, either through her work at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) or as a consultant, to help keep American families and American infrastructure, like stadiums and other public spaces and our energy grid, safe from terrorist attacks.” The campaign did not comment on The Intercept’s questions about whether Conley was still employed by either firm. Between January 2024 and July 2025, Conley earned $68,000 from Hidden Level, which works in radio-frequency sensing and airspace security, including monitoring unauthorized drone activity. Hidden Level’s data is used in Palantir’s Maven platform, which Trump’s Pentagon awarded a $480 million contract in May. When Trump announced his plan to build a “golden dome” missile defense system — described by one critic as “more of a political marketing scheme than a carefully thought-out defense program” — Hidden Level released a statement applauding his plan and saying it “stands ready to support this mission today.” Of a White House directive to cut waste in commercial technology in April, the company said the “policy shift doesn’t just validate the model Hidden Level was built on, it demands it.” ‘‘I get nervous when people are quick to invoke the language of national security and counter-terrorism. It raises more questions than it answers.” Both companies have received lucrative contracts from the federal government under previous administrations. Primer has won at least $7.2 million in contracts from the Department of Defense since 2021, according to federal spending records. Hidden Level earned just under $3 million in Pentagon contracts to monitor airspace and bolster the federal system that manages drone traffic between 2022 and 2024 under former President Joe Biden. “We’ve seen just how brazenly people can manipulate the label ‘national security and counterterrorism’ and the ways it can mask government efforts aimed at people who never pose a threat to our country. As a civil rights lawyer and activist, I get very nervous when people are quick to invoke the language of national security and counter-terrorism,” said Cahn, the civil rights lawyer. “It raises more questions than it answers.” The seat in suburban New York, which includes north Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, and Dutchess counties, is a top priority for Democrats. It was one of four New York House seats the party lost to Republicans amid a slew of upsets in the 2022 midterms. The winner of the June Democratic primary will take on Lawler, a Republican who flipped the seat that cycle after a combination of redistricting and Democratic infighting helped him beat former Democratic Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney.  Conley is one of six candidates running for the Democratic nomination. Other contenders include local official and tech founder Peter Chatzky, who has funded his own campaign with more than $10 million; Rockland County Legislator Beth Davidson; lawyer and former television reporter Mike Sacks; nonprofit executive Effie Phillips-Staley; and Air Force veteran John Cappello.  Conley has campaigned on her military experience and highlighted the fact that the Russian government banned her from the country because of her work on Biden’s National Security Council. She said she hopes voters in the swing district will see her lack of traditional political experience as a positive. “We need people who take public service seriously, who are not politicians, who are actual leaders and problem solvers,” Conley told the New York Times in March. Her campaign originally focused primarily on issues of affordability and improving Hudson Valley infrastructure, including criticizing Trump’s economic policies. As the campaign progressed, Conley has become more aggressive in criticizing Trump’s intensifying attacks on cities around the country and his nationwide crackdown on immigrants.  Goldson said that Conley believed in holding ICE accountable, investigating the officials responsible for the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, and impeaching Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. “Congress must pass legislation ensuring ICE operates lawfully like local law enforcement, including banning masks and requiring judicial warrants for arrest, and sending CBP back to the border where it belongs,” she added.  Lawler, meanwhile, has urged immigration agents to “reassess their current tactics,” while refraining from criticizing Trump. Conley has faced criticism throughout the campaign — much of it from Republicans — for not voting in recent midterm elections and registering as a Democrat just before she launched her campaign. Critics attacked her for moving to the district in January from Virginia, though she grew up in the Hudson Valley.  Her detractors have pointed out that many of her donors come from outside the district, several of them from the defense and tech industries. Conley has received $10,000 in contributions from Matt and Kimberly Grimm, the former of whom is the co-founder of Anduril Industries. Anduril, which was heavily backed by Thiel, builds autonomous drones, systems to surveil the border, and surveillance towers powered by AI. “There’s a lot of questions to answer, and I think that this is true for candidates across the country who have worked for these companies in the past or who you know are receiving large donations from their employees,” Cahn said. “There’s a growing recognition that many of these tech firms are carrying out a mission that is fundamentally at odds with the values that Democrats hold and most Americans hold.” Conley’s donors also include a vice president and other employees at the top Washington lobbying firm BGR group, which has represented the Saudi government – until it cut ties with the country in 2018 – and companies like defense giant Raytheon and the energy behemoth Chevron, as well as big pharmaceutical firms. BGR vice president Joel Bailey gave Conley’s campaign $500 in July, while BGR principals Syd Terry and Fred Turner each also gave Conley’s campaign $250. BGR senior director Hai Peng has given $5,500 to Conley’s campaign since May. None of the BGR donors listed residences in New York.  In a statement to The Intercept, Peng said he met Conley at Oklahoma’s Fort Sill close to two decades ago and made the contribution in his personal capacity. “I genuinely believe she is the kind of leader our country needs right now,” Peng said.  Conley has been endorsed by several political action committees including MD PAC, previously known as Majority Democrats PAC, which has given $90,900, VoteVets, Equality PAC, and Giffords PAC. She’s also endorsed by several local officials and political leaders, as well as Rep. Pat Ryan, D-N.Y.  Cahn said he wasn’t sure who, if anyone, he would vote for in the primary. But he sees the race as an example of the opportunity voters have to hold Democrats to a higher standard of accountability than in the past, particularly when it comes to policy issues like technology, surveillance, and artificial intelligence.  “We’re at a new moment of accountability within the tech sector more broadly, as we start to recognize that so many tech companies are part of the apparatus that is powering ICE’s attacks,” Cahn said. “This is especially notable for someone who’s running based off of their time in military defense roles.” The post NY Democratic House Candidate Worked for Palantir Partners Pushing AI Border Surveillance appeared first on The Intercept.

Top Democrat calls operation 'a violation of the law' and promises Senate vote on President Trump's war powers.(Image credit: Molly Riley)

Results mean coalition of recently installed PM has supermajority in lower house of parliamentJapan’s conservative governing coalition has dramatically strengthened its grip on power after a landslide victory in Sunday’s elections in what will be seen as an early public endorsement of the new prime minister, Sanae Takaichi.Her Liberal Democratic party (LDP) had won 316 seats by early Monday, comfortably surpassing the 261 it needed for an absolute majority in the 465-member lower house and the highest number since the party was founded in 1955. With her coalition partner, the Japan Innovation party, which won 36 seats, Takaichi now has a supermajority of two-thirds of seats, easing her legislative agenda as she can override the upper chamber, which she does not control. Continue reading...

SpaceX’s acquisition of xAI creates business worth $1.25tn but whether premise behind deal will work is questionedThe acquisition of xAI by SpaceX is a typical Elon Musk deal: big numbers backed by big ambition.As well as extending “the light of consciousness to the stars”, as Musk described it, the transaction creates a business worth $1.25tn (£920bn) by combining Musk’s rocket company with his artificial intelligence startup. It values SpaceX at $1tn and xAI at $250bn, with a stock market flotation expected in June to time with Musk’s birthday and a planetary alignment. Continue reading...

"He plans to watch TPUSA because he is against everything 'woke,' which he claims the halftime show is."View Entire Post ›

Chipotle is giving away $1 MILLION in FREE food this Super Bowl Sunday! Watch for their real-ingredient Instagram Reel on Feb 8, text the code & score. Game Day Nacho Hacks also available.

Pizza Hut will close 250 underperforming U.S. locations by early 2026. Parent company Yum! Brands is reviewing strategic options for the struggling chain, including a potential sale.

National Pizza Day (Feb 9) is bringing epic savings! We've got the scoop on 26+ delicious deals, discounts, and freebies from your favorite pizza spots. Don't miss out!

Exeter winger injured hamstring in trainingFurbank and Genge also doubts for Scotland matchImmanuel Feyi-Waboso has been ruled out of England’s forthcoming pursuit of the triple crown and is a major doubt for the rest of the Six Nations tournament, while Steve Borthwick has fitness concerns over George Furbank and Ellis Genge as his team seek to end their Murrayfield hoodoo on Saturday.Feyi-Waboso pulled out of the 48‑7 victory against Wales 24 hours before kick-off after sustaining a hamstring injury and was replaced by Tom Roebuck. The Exeter winger will be out for “a number of weeks”, ensuring he misses the trip to Murrayfield and the visit of Ireland to Twickenham a week later. He has not yet been ruled out of England’s entire campaign but the chances of him appearing seem remote and he has been left out of the 36‑man squad called into camp on Sunday night. Continue reading...

The video was later deleted and the White House said it had been posted in error by a staffer.

Before they joined the Jaguars, coach Liam Coen and general manager James Gladstone worked under Rams coach Sean McVay and general manager Les Snead.

Hunt backs Turning Point USA’s rival half-time showGoodell stands firm despite Trump-driven backlashGracie Hunt, the daughter of Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt, is throwing her support behind Turning Point USA’s plan to stage an alternative Super Bowl half-time show, a direct counter to the NFL’s decision to feature Bad Bunny at Super Bowl LX.Hunt said in an appearance on Fox News Channel’s The Will Cain Show on Tuesday that she “most definitely” backs Turning Point’s counter-programming effort, spearheaded by Erika Kirk, the widow of Charlie Kirk. The NFL’s choice of Bad Bunny for the half-time show has attracted strong pushback from many on the right, who object to his criticism of Donald Trump and US immigration enforcement. Continue reading...

The Seahawks will play the Patriots in Super Bowl LX this Sunday. (Maximilian Haupt/picture alliance via Getty Images) picture alliance via Getty Images It's time for the 2026 Super Bowl. This Sunday, the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks are headed to Santa Clara, CA, to play in Super Bowl LX. The Big Game kicks off on Feb. 8, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. ET at Levi's Stadium. Bad Bunny, the most-streamed artist in the world, is set to headline the 2026 Super Bowl Halftime Show. The whole thing will air on NBC and stream live on Peacock. Want to watch for free? Here's what you need to know to tune in to Super Bowl LX for $0.Looking for live updates of Super Bowl 60? Yahoo Sports has you covered. How to watch Super Bowl LX free:Date: Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026Time: 6:30 p.m. ETLocation: Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, CATV channel: NBC, TelemundoStreaming: Peacock, DirecTV, NFL+ and moreWhat time is the 2026 Super Bowl?The 2026 Super Bowl kicks off at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT on Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. Green Day will be performing a pre-game special starting at 6 p.m. ET.2026 Super Bowl game channelSuper Bowl LX will air on NBC. A Spanish-language broadcast is available on Telemundo. How to watch the 2026 Super Bowl for free:You can stream NBC and Telemundo on platforms like DirecTV and Hulu + Live TV; both offer free trials and are among Engadget's choices for best streaming services for live TV. (Note that Fubo and NBC are currently in the midst of a contract dispute and NBC channels are not available on the platform.)  2026 Super Bowl teams:The AFC champions, the New England Patriots, will play the NFC champions, the Seattle Seahawks, at Super Bowl LX.Where is the 2026 Super Bowl being played?The 2026 Super Bowl will be held at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, CA, home of the San Francisco 49ers.Who is performing at the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show?Bad Bunny is headlining the 2026 Super Bowl halftime performance. You can expect that show to begin after the second quarter, likely between 8-8:30 p.m. ET. Green Day will perform a pre-game show starting at 6 p.m. ET. If you're tuning in before the game, singer Charlie Puth will perform the National Anthem, Brandi Carlile is scheduled to sing "America the Beautiful" and Grammy winner Coco Jones will perform "Lift Every Voice and Sing." More ways to watch Super Bowl LX

By freezing thresholds, Labour is quietly loading the cost of public services on to young graduates, while insisting it has not raised taxes at allThe personal finance expert Martin Lewis upbraided the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, for freezing the threshold at which millions of graduates repay their loans, saying that this was treating student debts like tax. He was right, and Ms Reeves’s defence last weekend made his case for him. She argued that her decision would help to fund a reduction in patient waiting lists. But money used to repay student loans cannot simultaneously fund public services. In economic terms, such charges are taxes in all but name.Mr Lewis’s reasoning was nuanced. He pointed out that freezing the repayment threshold is either a retrospective rewriting of the terms of a private contract or a targeted tax rise on a cohort of young people. Neither, he said, fits Ms Reeves’s claim that the policy is “fair and reasonable”. There are five student “loan” plans in operation covering most postgraduate courses, Scotland and three largely English student cohorts: entrants pre-2012, those between 2012 and 2023, and those post-2023. Continue reading...

On Oct. 2, the second day of the government shutdown, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem arrived at Mount Rushmore to shoot a television ad. Sitting on horseback in chaps and a cowboy hat, Noem addressed the camera with a stern message for immigrants: “Break our laws, we’ll punish you.”  Noem has hailed the more than $200 million, taxpayer-funded ad campaign as a crucial tool to stem illegal immigration. Her agency invoked the “national emergency” at the border as it awarded contracts for the campaign, bypassing the normal competitive bidding process designed to prevent waste and corruption. The Department of Homeland Security has kept at least one beneficiary of the nine-figure ad deal a secret, records and interviews show: a Republican consulting firm with long-standing personal and business ties to Noem and her senior aides at DHS. The company running the Mount Rushmore shoot, called the Strategy Group, does not appear on public documents about the contract. The main recipient listed on the contracts is a mysterious Delaware company, which was created days before the deal was finalized. No firm has closer ties to Noem’s political operation than the Strategy Group. It played a central role in her 2022 South Dakota gubernatorial campaign. Corey Lewandowski, her top adviser at DHS, has worked extensively with the firm. And the company’s CEO is married to Noem’s chief spokesperson at DHS, Tricia McLaughlin.read more