Policy Deals and Hardware Leaks

Hello and welcome to Neural Newscast. I am Isabel Moreno. And I am Thatcher Collins. Today is Friday, January 9th, 2026. We're starting things off today with, well, some significant developments in the pharmaceutical industry and how it's really starting to intersect with U.S. trade policy. That's exactly right, Thatcher. Johnson & Johnson announced yesterday that they have reached an agreement with the President Trump administration to reduce drug prices for Americans. This move is particularly notable because it involves a very specific trade-off. You see, J&J will see their pharmaceutical products exempt from U.S. tariffs in exchange for these price cuts. Right. And this seems to be part of a broader trend, Isabel. I mean, J&J is actually the tenth major pharmaceutical company to strike such a deal recently. The administration has been pushing for American drug costs to align more closely with what patients pay in other wealthy nations. Right. Currently, Americans often pay up to, well, three times more for the same prescriptions. Mm-hmm. Exactly, Thatcher. While the specific terms and which exact medicines are covered remain undisclosed, J&J confirmed they will participate in the TrumpRX.gov website. This platform is intended to let consumers purchase drugs at significantly discounted rates. Furthermore, the company will provide Medicaid access at prices comparable to international standards. There's also a manufacturing component to this, which I find really interesting from a domestic investment perspective. J&J is planning to build two new manufacturing facilities, one in North Carolina and another in Pennsylvania, as part of a $55 billion investment plan. It really shows how policy and industry footprint are being tied together right now. It certainly does. We'll be watching to see how this impacts the broader healthcare market as more companies join the fold. But moving from the boardroom to the basketball court, Thatcher, I know you have been following some high-stakes Big Ten action. I have indeed. It was a classic battle in East Lansing last night. The 12th-ranked Michigan State Spartans had to dig deep to secure a 76-66 victory over Northwestern. It was really a tale of two halves for Coach Tom Izzo's squad. Engaged in curious questioning, Northwestern is always a tough out in the Big Ten. How did the Spartans manage to turn it around after trailing at the half? It really came down to grit and a massive spark from the backcourt. Jeremy Fears Jr. was the story of the second half. He didn't score a single point in the first 20 minutes, but then he just exploded for 15 points after the break. He hit a crucial layup in the final two minutes that really broke Northwestern's spirit. What about the front court? I saw Carson Cooper had a pretty big night as well. Oh, Carson Cooper was a beast on the boards. He finished with 18 points and nine rebounds. The Spartans completely dominated the glass. out rebounding the Wildcats 42 to 25. That led to 16 second-chance points, which is often the difference in these tight conference games. And Northwestern? I mean, they usually have a very disciplined defense. They did their best, and Nick Martinelli was spectacular, scoring 28 points, but he just didn't have enough help. Northwestern is now zero and four in the Big Ten, while Michigan State moves to 14 and two overall. The Spartans look like a team that is finding its rhythm at just the right time. Turning our attention to the world of technology, Thatcher... we have some leaked information regarding one of the most anticipated mobile releases of the year. It looks like the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is undergoing some internal testing. Yeah, the leaks are coming from Ice Universe, who has a very reliable track record with this stuff. The headlines are focused on the new 60-watt charging capabilities. According to these leaked laboratory tests, the S26 Ultra can charge from 0 to 75% in about 30 minutes. 30 minutes for a 75% charge sounds fast. But how does that compare to the current models? Is it the leap forward fans were hoping for? Honestly, Isabel, it's a bit underwhelming for some. The previous S25 Ultra could reach 72% in the same amount of time with 45-watt charging. We're seeing a 15-watt increase in the charger rating, but the actual real-world speed gain seems marginal. There's also word that the battery capacity might only see a slight bump to 5,200 milliamp hours. I suppose when you're at the top of the flagship market, the gains become incremental. Are there any other hardware changes we should be looking for? There are rumors of an upgrade to wireless charging, moving from 15 watts to 25 watts, and possibly the introduction of magnetic cases, similar to what we've seen with other manufacturers. Interestingly, the 60-watt charging seems to be exclusive to the Ultra model. The standard S26 and S26 Plus are expected to stay at 25 and 45 watts respectively. It's always a balance between raw power and battery longevity, I guess. We'll likely see the full reveal next month, as Samsung typically sticks to a February launch schedule for their flagships. Right. I'll be curious to see if the software optimization makes up for what looks like a modest hardware refresh on paper. That brings us to the end of today's briefing. Thank you for joining us on Neural Newscast. I am Isabel Marino. And I am Thatcher Collins. We will be back with more news and analysis on Monday. Have a wonderful weekend. Neural Newscast is AI-assisted, human-reviewed. View our AI transparency policy at neuralnewscast.com.