WORLD
Trump says US used ‘discombobulator’ weapon in Maduro raid
“The discombobulator. I’m not allowed to talk about it,” Trump said in an interview with the New York Post. He said the weapon made enemy equipment “not work.”
WORLD
Netflix’s high-risk skyscraper climb begins after 24-hour delay
US free-solo climber Alex Honnold started his ascent at about 9:10 a.m. local time, climbing the exterior of the 508-meter (1,667-foot) skyscraper made of glass and steel
WORLD
Lawsuit claims Meta can see WhatsApp chats in breach of privacy
In the lawsuit filed Friday in US District Court in San Francisco, the group of plaintiffs allege that Meta’s privacy claims are false
WORLD
US to invest $1.6 billion in USA Rare Earth: Report
The US government will receive a 10% stake in the mining company, the report
BUSINESS
Tense Fed is set to lead global peers with interest-rate hold
Powell is likely to telegraph his view that policy is well-positioned for now, but hold off from signaling much about where rates are headed.
WORLD
US winter storm sets off power grid emergencies, travel chaos
Cold, snow, sleet and ice have triggered emergency declarations, transit warnings, grounded flights and shook up energy markets.
BUSINESS
US pushes for quickest fixes to boost Venezuela oil output
The go-fast approach is designed to fulfill the Trump administration’s goal of swiftly increasing crude flows
MARKETS
Mala Gaonkar’s hedge fund assets hit $6 billion in three years
Her SurgoCap Partners was the largest-ever woman-led debut in an industry dominated by men when it launched with $1.8 billion in January 2023
WORLD
Why this weekend’s US winter storm is likely to be so widespread
The ice from this storm will likely threaten areas less acclimated to winter weather and also impact major airport hubs, including Dallas-Fort Worth, Atlanta and Charlotte
WORLD
US invites dozens of military chiefs to Americas defence summit
The unusual event underscores the priority that President Donald Trump’s foreign policy places on the Americas, weeks after he ordered a military raid on Venezuela
WORLD
US airlines scrap thousands of flights ahead of winter storm
Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport will be one of the hardest hit with more than 60% of scheduled flights to and from the hub canceled for Saturday
BUSINESS
Goldman Sachs boosts CEO Solomon’s pay 21% to $47 million
The board handed Solomon a $2 million base salary and $45 million as a bonus in the form of shares, cash and carried interest, according to a filing Friday
WORLD
Intel suffers worst decline in 17 months after weak forecast
First-quarter projections for revenue and earnings both fell well short of Wall Street estimates
MARKETS
S&P 500 posts its first two-week losses since June
Nvidia Corp. climbed 1.5% as China told tech firms they can prepare orders for H200 AI chips. Intel Corp. sank 17% on a tepid outlook.
BUSINESS
Silver tops $100 an ounce for first time as global uncertainty drives demand
Spot silver surged as much as 4.2% to $100.29 an ounce on Friday, bringing gains this year to almost 40% after prices more than doubled in 2025
WORLD
At Gaza ‘Board of Peace’ signing, Trump superfans and a list of excuses
The list of invitations for this ceremony was long but the more notable list was the excuses made to avoid the event altogether.
BUSINESS
India’s sales of treasuries deepen pivot away from Dollar assets
The country’s holdings of long-term US debt have dropped to $174 billion, down 26% from a 2023 peak, according to US government data made available last week.
BUSINESS
China will set lower growth target as economy weakens, SCMP says
The target range will be 4.5% to 5% this year, the newspaper said, citing three unidentified sources briefed on the matter
WORLD
Trump’s tariffs do bite, when he actually imposes them
Trump says his readiness to use tariffs has helped the US win trade concessions and access to critical minerals, and settle conflicts around the globe.
WORLD
New York City braces for winter storm to bring nearly a foot of snow
If the forecast holds, it would be the biggest snowstorm to hit Manhattan since 2021, based on snowfall records at Central Park.
WORLD
US seeks carte blanche for military presence in Greenland
The original agreement, signed in 1951 and amended in 2004, says the US must “consult with and inform” Denmark and Greenland before it makes “any significant changes to United States military operations or facilities in Greenland.”
COMPANIES
Amazon gears up to axe thousands more corporate employees
The company plans to start rolling out the terminations as early as next week, according to people briefed on the situation.
BUSINESS
Gold rises toward $5,000 as weaker Dollar adds impetus to rally
Bullion climbed to an all-time above $4,960 in early trading and is on track for a weekly gain of more than 7%, while silver also hit a record. A key gauge of the US currency’s strength is down 0.8% so far this week.
WORLD
TikTok seals deal to operate in the US after years of drama
A TikTok sale concludes a yearslong geopolitical and regulatory tug-of-war that, for half a decade, has threatened to shut down TikTok in the US over national security concerns.
