Acquiring the Panama Canal falls into the category of something Trump may want but is also using as an economic pressure campaign. For years, he has felt that President Jimmy Carter should not have returned the Panama Canal to Panama. Yet, this person said, Trump believes his trolling could get some policies to cut his way and help with negotiations. Greenland is closer to New York than Copenhagen, and the United States briefly occupied it during World War II. “Let’s say somehow Donald Trump buys Greenland and renames [the Gulf of Mexico] the Gulf of America,” this person said.

President Biden and others will honor former President Jimmy Carter at a funeral in Washington, D.C. And the end of fact-checking on Meta suggests a new era of social media is upon us. Today’s forecastAlthough the ferocious winds that have fueled the fires were expected to gradually diminish overnight, dangerous conditions are expected to persist. President-elect Donald Trump is blaming President Biden and California Gov. Carter has laid in state at the U.S. Capitol since Tuesday and is in the Washington National Cathedral for today’s funeral service. After the funeral, Carter will make his final journey to his hometown of Plains, Georgia, where he will be buried alongside his wife, Rosalynn Carter.

New York CNN —President-elect Donald Trump’s quest to buy Greenland from Denmark could make Ozempic and Wegovy, the weight-loss and diabetes drugs exploding in popularity, even more expensive for Americans. That figure is likely even higher for 2024 because Novo Nordisk, the Danish pharmaceutical giant, makes one of the hottest drugs on the market: Ozempic. “Novo Nordisk retains a sizable monopoly power on the market,” said Jacob Funk Kirkegaard, senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. Charlotte de la Fuente/Bloomberg/Getty ImagesIt’s also gotten the attention of officials at Novo Nordisk. However, Novo Nordisk has facilities that fill the containers and package them around the world, including in the United States.

Holger Rune, an enigma at this point, is the highest seed in Sinner’s quarter; Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic wouldn’t come around until a final. Aryna Sabalenka suffered the same fate as Coco Gauff, drawing a former Grand Slam champion. Draw day at the Australian Open was not a great one for American tennis fans. The 10-time Australian Open champion would then be seeded to face another Czech, Jiri Lehecka, or three-time major semifinalist Grigor Dimitrov. The prize for the winner of this little cluster of potentially lethal players is a slated fourth round against Gauff.

She added she isn’t sure if she currently makes enough from bartending to pay federal income tax. That’s because a large share don’t earn enough to pay federal income tax. Social Security is already predicted to be insolvent by 2034, according to the Social Security trustees. Exempting tipped income from Social Security taxes could mean calculation for the Social Security benefits will not include tipped income, effectively cutting benefits for those workers. Many states and municipalities have higher minimum wages and minimum tipped wages, while some states have eliminated lower minimum wages for tipped workers.

Wedbush has a $220 price target on the stock and a buy-equivalent outperform rating. The firm has a buy rating on the stock and a price target of $250. Morgan Stanley has an overweight rating on Apple stock with a price target of $273. The firm also raised its price target on Meta stock to $750 from $660 while maintaining its outperform rating. The bank has a buy rating on Wells Fargo with a price target of $84 per share.

From the front office to the field – and even to the halls of Congress – there are signs that football in Washington, DC, is once again being revived. Since that last Super Bowl win in the 1991-92 season, Washington has returned to the playoffs eight times and only advanced out of the first round on three occasions. High-profile and high-priced, players came and went without bringing the kind of success that Washington fans were used to. The pain of seeing RGIII lying on the field, writhing in pain, is never far from Commanders’ fans minds. Washington fans will hope there are many more satisfied smiles to come as the postseason – and, they hope, a new era – begins to dawn.

The optimism comes as the Biden administration and President-elect Donald Trump’s team are working together to achieve a deal before Trump is inaugurated on Jan. 20. All hell will break out,” Trump told reporters at his Mar-a-Lago residence. Witkoff told reporters at Trump's Florida resort that he’s traveling to “hopefully finish it up” and outlined some of the deal. The deal includes 34 hostages, though it’s unclear how many are still be alive, according to a separate senior administration official. (Mohammed succeeded his brother, Yahya Sinwar, as Hamas' leader after Yahya was killed by Israel Defense Forces in October.)

Altagracia is one of several migrants CNN spoke to who are racing to reach the US-Mexico border before Trump returns to the White House. “Everyone wants to arrive before [Trump] does,” another migrant, from Cuba, told CNN. Migrant crossings at the US-Mexico border remain at their lowest levels since 2020, according to US Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) data. “It is difficult to say that this decline has mainly to do with a Trump effect,” George Mason University policy and government professor Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera told CNN. Despite their challenges and fears, the migrants CNN spoke to said they intended to reach the border.

The longest-burning of the now five active fires in Los Angeles County, the Palisades Fire, has burned over 15,000 acres, official said. Chief of Los Angeles Fire Department Kristin Crowley said that fire was under control as of Wednesday evening. Tourist landmarks close as smoke chokes LAThe Los Angeles area is a huge tourist draw, attracting nearly 50 million visitors a year. The fires forced some Los Angeles-area landmarks to close, including the Hollywood sign, the Los Angeles Zoo, Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal CityWalk, and the Griffith Observatory. ADEven miles from the fires in South Los Angeles, smoke reduced visibility to just one block, officials said.

Stock Chart Icon Stock chart iconPart of the reason behind the U.S. dollar strength is the policies Trump had promised on the campaign trail, including tariffs and tax cuts, which are seen by economists to be inflationary. James Ooi, market strategist at online broker Tiger Brokers told CNBC that a strong U.S. dollar would make it more difficult for Asian central banks to manage their economies. A stronger U.S. dollar is likely "to pose challenges for Asian central banks by increasing inflationary pressures through higher import costs and straining their [central banks'] foreign exchange reserves if they attempt to support their currencies through interventions," Ooi told CNBC over email. Stock Chart Icon Stock chart iconChina's onshore yuan hit a 16-month low of 7.3361 on Jan. 7, pressured by rising U.S. Treasury yields and a stronger dollar. Stock Chart Icon Stock chart icon

New York CNN —A group formed by billionaire entrepreneur and former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt has made a formal offer to buy TikTok from its China-based parent company, ByteDance. TikTok is the first Chinese social media app to become a global success that competes with American tech giants. TikTok's parent company ByteDance has repeatedly said it has no interest in selling the American version of the app. “We want to eliminate the misconception that it can’t sell because no one will buy it without the algorithm. NOT true,” O’Leary said in an X post Wednesday, after announcing he was joining the bid to buy the app earlier this week.

Last night, Atlanta hosted Salt Lake in the first-ever pro match for League One Volleyball, a new U.S.-based professional women's league. "It doesn't have to be a huge audience, it just has to grow a little bit week over week," Barry said. CNBC Sport highlight reel The best of CNBC Sport from the past week: Earlier this week, I interviewed Eli Manning about his business aspirations after football. Last night, Atlanta hosted Salt Lake in the first-ever pro match for League One Volleyball, a new U.S.-based professional women's league. "It doesn't have to be a huge audience, it just has to grow a little bit week over week," Barry said.

Jerome Powell, chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve, at a news conference after a Federal Open Market Committee meeting in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 18, 2024. This report is from today's CNBC Daily Open, our international markets newsletter. CNBC Daily Open brings investors up to speed on everything they need to know, no matter where they are. That poses a conundrum for Asia's central banks: A weaker currency would boost exports but might increase imported inflation, complicating the ability of banks to steer domestic economic policy. China's persistently low consumer inflation indicates that China is struggling with weak domestic demand, stoking fears of deflation.

Artyom Geodakyan | Via ReutersThe Kremlin said Thursday that it's keeping a close eye on President-elect Donald Trump's ongoing pursuit of Greenland. Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov told CNBC Thursday that Russia is watching the situation closely. Trump's comments were condemned in Europe, with France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot stating Wednesday the European Union would not tolerate attacks on its sovereign borders. That sentiment was reiterated by Greenland following Trump's comments in December, with Prime Minister Mute Egede saying: "We are not for sale and we will not be for sale" and that "Greenland belongs to the people of Greenland." Hours after Trump's comments in December, Copenhagen announced it would increase defense spending on Greenland to give it a "stronger presence in the Arctic."

President Donald Trump shakes hands with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella during an American Technology Council roundtable at the White House in Washington on June 19, 2017. Microsoft said Thursday that it's contributing $1 million to President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration fund. Google said earlier on Thursday that it's donating $1 million to the Trump fund, and Meta offered the same amount in December. Microsoft also contributed $500,000 to the first inauguration fund for Trump's first term and gave the same amount to President Joe Biden's fund, a Microsoft spokesperson told CNBC. Microsoft is hoping that under Trump, the U.S. will push artificial intelligence policy in a favorable direction.

Some of those policies were not renewed by homeowners, according to an insurance industry trade group. The issue has continued to build over the past several years, State Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara and consumer groups say. Those policies have higher premiums than traditional private insurance and less coverage, often requiring homeowners to buy additional “wrap around” coverage at an even higher cost. The policy is designed to get private insurers to take back much of the coverage now handled by California FAIR. California is the only state that hasn’t allowed the cost of reinsurance to be factored in to rates, she said.

Wildfires are rampaging across Los Angeles County this week. Wildfires continue to rage in Los Angeles — and could become the costliest blazes in US history, according to a JPMorgan research note. The Los Angeles downtown skyline in the distance was surrounded by smoke and haze on Thursday morning. AP Photo/Damian DovarganesMeanwhile, 20 people have been arrested on suspicion of looting in areas affected by the fires, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said at Thursday's briefing. ADHurst FireThe Hurst fire burned in the hills above the Sylmar area of Los Angeles on Wednesday.

Ofori was one of a small number of Black founders in the U.K. who eventually secured funding for their businesses. But Black founders overall received just 0.23% of venture funds in 2018, according to data from Extend Ventures. Other VC companies will pit Black founders against each other to compete for the limited funding allocated to them, Wernér said. Google also supported Propelle's Ofori and Husmus' Wernér, offering funding via its Google for Startups Black Founders Fund. Black Tech Fest 2024 BTF by ColorintechShe also approached some of her former colleagues at Goldman and got high-profile investors including female entrepreneurs on board.

Los Angeles CNN —Acrid smoke shrouded the sky in Altadena, California, as Gail watched flames from the raging Eaton Fire swallow her next-door neighbor’s house. The wildfires in Los Angeles County together consumed thousands of acres in just over a day, with the blaze near Altadena quadrupling in size in a matter of hours Wednesday. Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said several of his employees have lost their homes to the flames. “This is a tragic time in our history here in Los Angeles, but a time when we’re really tested and see who we really are,” Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said at a news conference Wednesday morning. Video Ad Feedback Timelapse video shows Los Angeles wildfire spread rapidly 00:45 - Source: CNNHarsh winds have made the fires unpredictable.

Now they find themselves — and their political future — on the shopping list of the incoming U.S. president. He told reporters that he would not rule out military or economic force to make the Arctic island part of the United States. But it comes a little suddenly.”Donald Trump Jr. poses for a selfie with a local man after arriving in Nuuk, Greenland on Tuesday. Scott Olson / Getty ImagesInger Skydsbjerg, an administration worker in Nuuk, told Danish television channel DKTV that she was in favor of remaining linked to Copenhagen and "not so happy" with Trump's designs. “We are a peaceful country and we want to live our own life,” he told DR. “And then to make threats like that, that is far beyond the line.”

Wildfires have broken out in Los Angeles and are raging through the Pacific Palisades neighborhood. Wildfires in Los Angeles are tearing through the Pacific Palisades neighborhood, home to A-list actors, including Ben Affleck — who bought his $20.5 million mansion there in July. ADThe fire started on Tuesday in the Pacific Palisades before spreading west toward the Malibu stretch of the Pacific Coast Highway. AD"The Pacific Palisades is a resilient community of amazing people and we know in time it will rise again. "Honestly, I'm in shock and feeling numb for all so many have lost, including my family," she wrote in an Instagram post.

On July 28, he was proclaimed winner of the presidential election by electoral authorities under the tight control of the ruling Socialist Party. Demonstrators clash with police close to an armored police car during a protest against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas, Venezuela, on July 29, 2024, a day after the Venezuelan presidential election. “It means putting a leader in jail to scare off the entire movement, political or human rights,” Himiob said. “Correa is a veteran of human rights activism in Venezuela, he’s a reference for the entire human rights movement. Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado looks on with a hand in her chest during a protest against the result of the presidential election on July 30, 2024 in Caracas, Venezuela.

CNN —The Biden administration has announced the final tranche of military aid it will send to Ukraine, amounting to about $500 million. The last package comes as the White House prepares to announce another round of sanctions on Russia, expected at the end of this week. All of the remaining money that has been appropriated by Congress for Ukraine is expected to be provided. That does not mean, however, that all of the Presidential Drawdown Authority for Ukraine will be used by the time President Joe Biden leaves office. The Biden administration has given Ukraine more than $65 billion in aid since the war began in late February 2022.

Fears of lofty valuation multiples alongside trimmed earnings expectations have led to a steady decline for the Nifty 50 . By my count, the Nifty 50 turned negative by the fifth trading day of the year in seven of the past 10 years. Many also believe that Indian equities, after their long slide, are now ripe for picking. Investor interest in India waned at the end of 2024 because of a pullback in Indian equities during that period. The dip in the market is a buying opportunity, he says, and names three Indian stocks to buy for 2025.

WASHINGTON — The Senate is scheduled to vote Thursday to begin debate on the Laken Riley Act, a Republican-led bill aimed at cracking down on illegal immigration that has attracted significant support from Democrats. Democrats are expected to provide enough votes to overcome the 60-vote threshold in the GOP-controlled Senate to advance the legislation. The Laken Riley Act would change federal law to require ICE, operating under the Department of Homeland Security, to issue detainers and take custody of people in the country illegally over theft-related crimes, including shoplifting. Ossoff supports the Laken Riley Act and plans to vote for it,” a spokesperson for the Georgia senator, who is up for re-election in 2026, said Thursday in a statement. This is a trap,” said Kerri Talbot, executive director at the advocacy group Immigration Hub and former counsel to Senate Democrats.

Musk hadn’t waved people off the number until Wednesday, and it has been widely cited in reports about DOGE’s plans. “Do you think the $2 trillion is a realistic number now that you’re looking more closely at it?” he asked. I think that’s the best-case outcome,” Musk said. I think if we try for $2 trillion, we’ve got a good shot at getting 1,” he said, meaning $1 trillion in spending cuts. Penn also asked whether Musk had “identified some cuts that you’re really looking at, that you think will be successful.” Musk didn’t name any specific cuts, though he said generally that it’s a “very target-rich environment for saving money.”

CNN —With all four teams that had a bye in the first round now eliminated, Thursday and Friday’s College Football Playoff semifinals have the potential to be some of the most exciting games in years. It’s not about the head coach. That’s what’s important.”Penn State quarterback Drew Allar“They’re (the Notre Dame defense) a very sound unit that also plays very hard and very physical. Ohio State quarterback Will Howard and Texas tight end Gunnar Helm have both impressed so far this postseason. Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian“This game has been one that’s notorious for great games, great teams over the years.

Fueled by powerful winds and dry conditions, a series of ferocious wildfires erupted Tuesday and roared across the Los Angeles area, destroying hundreds of homes and killing at least five people. The Palisades Fire erupted Tuesday morning in Pacific Palisades, a Los Angeles County neighborhood east of Malibu, as a brush fire. erupted Tuesday morning in Pacific Palisades, a Los Angeles County neighborhood east of Malibu, as a brush fire. The Sunset Fire sparked in the Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles near Runyon Canyon shortly before 6 p.m. Wednesday, prompting mandatory evacuations. There have been a significant number of injuries in the Eaton Fire, according to Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone.

Every day it seems as if another company is calling its workers back to the office five days a week. So, which Wall Street firms are still letting employees work from home at least part of the time? On days employees are in, the firm focuses on taking "advantage of our shared location," it reads. At that time, the firm required its employees to work in the office at least three days a week. Since then, most employees have been in the office 5 days a week, according to a person familiar with the firm.

The Summary Exceptionally dry conditions and strong Santa Ana winds have fueled the dangerous fires in Los Angeles. Southern California has been abnormally dry for months, even in what is typically the rainy season. The parched landscape across Southern California meant that any ignition was likely to become a monster blaze. “We haven’t had any substantial rain for hundreds of days,” said Max Moritz, a wildfire specialist at the University of California, Santa Barbara. The last time Los Angeles logged more than one-tenth of an inch of rain was in early May.

The Service Employees International Union said Wednesday it is re-joining the AFL-CIO, a group comprising 60 affiliated labor unions. The second Trump administration, which begins in less than two weeks, is expected to take a decidedly different view of labor unions compared with the Biden administration. "The notion that this is political couldn't be further from the truth in terms of the election results," AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler said in an interview. At the same time, the union leaders said they are prepared to defend workers as Trump enters office. Still, Trump's efforts to win over union workers proved effective in getting one major union, the Teamsters, to decline to endorse a presidential candidate after years of supporting Democrats.

Baby boomers, they're just like us. Not that he's doing anything weird on the stock market, but he knows how to buy an exchange-traded fund. The oldest baby boomers reached 30 in 1976, while the youngest reached that mark in 1994. AD"The baby boomer homeownership rate started to plateau when baby boomers reached the age of late 40s, early 50s. While wealthy millennials are doing better than their boomer parents, poorer millennials are doing worse.

The Panama Canal Authority chief said giving preferential treatment to one country's ships would lead to "chaos." Giving US ships preferential rates to navigate the Panama Canal would "lead to chaos," the head of the canal authority said. AD"Rules are rules — and there are no exceptions," Ricaurte Vásquez Morales told The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday. ADThose charges "apply to all ships from around the world and there are no exceptions," Vásquez Morales told the Journal. The 51-mile Panama Canal was officially opened in 1914, creating a new trade route between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

ADSince 2022, major insurance companies have either stopped writing new policies, pulled back coverage, or dropped residents altogether. Last March, State Farm, the state's largest home insurance provider, dropped 72,000 property policies in the state, including 69% of policies in Pacific Palisades. This week's fires will only worsen the situation, insurance and real estate experts told Business Insider. AD"It's like we took two steps forward, then we just took five back," California insurance agency owner Nick Ramirez told BI. Insurance will continue to get more expensive for the whole regionFirefighters outside a home in the Pacific Palisades in Los Angeles.

So that, I think, would be an epic outcome.”There’s no shortage of money-saving targets in the federal government, Musk said, without offering any specifics. “Actually, I know people in the government who do care about, just as a matter of principle, spending money effectively. The system prevents them from doing so.”Musk, the world’s richest person, is looking to downsize the federal budget and operations by slashing spending, curbing regulations and cutting the workforce. However, budget experts have scoffed at his pronouncements, saying that eliminating $2 trillion from a roughly $6.8 trillion budget is unrealistic. Still, many congressional Republicans, as well as some Democratic lawmakers, have embraced DOGE’s mission to streamline the federal government.

President Joe Biden will deliver a eulogy Thursday morning at the state funeral for former President Jimmy Carter. Biden was briefed before the funeral on the latest impacts of the wildfires. He plans to gather top administration officials on Thursday afternoon for a briefing on the government's response to the disaster. Biden will be speaking to an audience that includes all four other living U.S. presidents. They were joined by Biden and first lady Jill Biden before the service began.

CNN —In 2024, job growth continued to cool off, settling back into a familiar gait that was roughly in line with the pace of job creation in 2010-2019. Economists expect that job growth last month was solid — but relatively tame — at 153,000 and that the unemployment rate didn’t budge from 4.2%, according to FactSet consensus estimates. “2024 captured a very stable labor market, a labor market where supply and demand were in balance for the first time, post-pandemic,” Nela Richardson, chief economist at payroll company ADP, said Wednesday. While steady, sturdy and solid were ongoing themes in the jobs market through this past year, 2025 has the potential to be anything but. “But the longer those improvements are seen, the more and more likely a labor market rebound can happen,” she said.

He was taken by the men after posting cartoons critical of Kenyan President William Ruto and his government to social media in December. But they all have said that they will no longer criticize the government on social media or have completely gone silent. Human rights groups say the abductions should be called enforced disappearances, and that they violate Kenyan and international law. Amnesty International Kenya’s executive director, Irungu Houghton, told CNN that the disappearances were well-calculated and organized. Muteti’s cousin Ansity Kendi Christine told CNN that handcuff marks and cuts on Njeru’s arms indicate violence in detention.

The Santa Ana winds, as they’re known, are a naturally occurring phenomenon made possible by the geography in the western U.S. “And boy, when a big Santa Ana hits, that’s when the nightmare for our firefighters really kicks in.”The Santa Ana winds form in a western area of the country known as the Great Basin, which includes Nevada and part of Utah. By the time they reach Southern California, the winds can move at a speed of 40 mph, with gusts that are even stronger. “That targeted the strongest winds for the foothills around Eaton Canyon.”Tripti Bhattacharya, an associate professor of earth and environmental sciences at Syracuse University, said her models don’t predict that Santa Ana winds will get worse this century. “So that fire season is more likely to coincide with Santa Ana winds in the future.”

Los Angeles County public officials are vowing to crack down on people allegedly stealing from homes as devastating wildfires rip through the region, insisting that lawbreakers will face consequences. “In the midst of the emergency, we have all seen individuals who are targeting vulnerable communities by burglarizing and looting homes. This is simply unacceptable,” Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger told reporters Thursday. Barger then addressed looters directly: “I promise you, you will be held accountable. Shame on those who are preying on our residents during this time of crisis.”Residents ride their motorbike past a burning liquor store during the Eaton fire in the Altadena area of Los Angeles County, Calif., on Wednesday.

CNN —An alleged leader from Japan’s Yakuza crime syndicates has pleaded guilty to trafficking nuclear materials from Myanmar as part of a global web of trades in drugs, weapons and laundered cash, according to the US Department of Justice. The 60-year-old Japanese national on Wednesday pleaded guilty in a New York court to conspiring with a network of associates to traffic the nuclear materials out of Myanmar, it said. He also admitted to international narcotics trafficking and weapons charges. A year later, US authorities arrested Ebisawa on charges of plotting to distribute drugs in the United States and purchase American-made surface-to-air missiles. The country is awash with natural resources such as rare-earth metals and other materials vital for civilian and military technology, including uranium.

Lechleitner said President Joe Biden should “absolutely” have acted sooner to tighten border security to reduce the flow of migrants into the United States. By September, the monthly total of illegal border crossings had dropped to 54,000, the lowest since Biden took office. Acting ICE Director Patrick J. Lechleitner during an interview with Julia Ainsley of NBC News in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. Lechleitner says he’s not surprised that Biden has not identified the lack of action at the border as a regret. After being appointed acting ICE director by the Biden administration last year, Lechleitner said, he often asked for more resources for an agency that, according to him, was chronically underfunded.

CNN —Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has been detained in Caracas after joining a protest against President Nicolas Maduro’s planned inauguration for a third term, according to her team. Asked what would happen if she were arrested earlier this week, Machado acknowledged the risk. Rival protests throughout CaracasRival groups of demonstrators had gathered throughout Venezuela’s capital Caracas on Thursday, the eve of the inauguration. In several parts of Caracas on Thursday, crowds of opposition supporters slowly swelled with people waving flags and calling for libertad (freedom). A demonstrator waves a Venezuelan flag at an opposition protest in Caracas on January 9, 2025.

Stanley Black & Decker's turnaround looks less and less promising as the bond market revolts against the Federal Reserve's interest rate cuts. SWK YTD mountain Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) year-to-date performance Stanley Black & Decker stock has gained about 1% in 2025, roughly matching the S & P 500 's performance. Moving forward, the Club previously stated it would look to sell Stanley Black & Decker shares into strength. In our Stanley Black & Decker downgrade, we wrote, "We want to have less tariff risk ahead of Inauguration Day. Based in New Britain, Conn., Stanley Black & Decker is the largest maker of hand tools, power tools, and related accessories in the U.S.

New York's highest court on Thursday rejected President-elect Donald Trump’s bid to halt his Friday sentencing, and prosecutors are urging the U.S. Supreme Court to do the same. The denial was the third such refusal for Trump this week, but he still has a motion to block the proceeding that's pending in the Supreme Court. In a filing Thursday, prosecutors from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office urged the conservative high court, which includes three Trump nominees, to let the proceeding move forward. Trump had denied actress Stormy Daniels' account of the sexual encounter the two had. The judge presiding over the case, Juan Merchan, denied his request for a stay on Monday, and the New York state Appellate Division, a mid-level appeals court, denied Trump's bid to halt the sentencing on Tuesday.

CNN —Attorney General Merrick Garland told Congress he plans to make special counsel Jack Smith’s report on the cases against Donald Trump available to committee leaders and, ultimately, the public, once courts allow, marking the formal end of Smith’s office. Garland noted he believes even the part of the report about the classified documents case should be public someday. Of course, Garland will no longer be attorney general in 11 days, and the proceedings for Nauta and De Oliveira are likely to end once Trump takes office. But Garland’s outline differs from others given the ongoing court action over Trump’s report, which he and his co-defendants in the classified documents case are trying to keep secret in its entirety. A ruling on Garland’s disclosure plan from a federal appeals court is expected as early as Thursday.

CNN —Is Novak Djokovic the greatest of all time (GOAT) in tennis? The Serbian star holds 24 grand slam singles titles and needs one more to be clear of Margaret Court, but if he gets to 25, will his critics finally be able to concede that he is the greatest? Fabian Bimmer/APTennis fans each have their preference for who is the GOAT of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal or Djokovic. Seven-time grand slam singles champion Mats Wilander once mused that Djokovic was the ‘BOAT’. Whether you like it or not, Novak Djokovic is the GOAT.

Lebanon’s parliament elected army chief Joseph Aoun head of state on Thursday, filling the vacant presidency with a general who enjoys U.S. approval and showing the diminished sway of the Iran-backed Hezbollah group after its devastating war with Israel. It also indicated a revival of Saudi influence in a country where Riyadh’s role was eclipsed by Iran and Hezbollah long ago. The terms require the Lebanese military to deploy into south Lebanon as Israeli troops and Hezbollah withdraw forces. Aoun, 60, has been commander of the U.S.-backed Lebanese army since 2017. On his watch, U.S. aid continued to flow to the army, part of a long-standing U.S. policy focused on supporting state institutions to curb Hezbollah’s influence.

The U.S. dollar charged ahead on Thursday underpinned by rising Treasury yields, putting the yen, sterling and euro under pressure near multi-month lows amid the shifting threat of tariffs. The evolving threat of tariffs has led bond yields higher, with the yield on the benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury note hitting 4.73% on Wednesday, its highest since April 25. The bond market selloff has left the dollar standing tall and casting a shadow on the currency market. The pound was little changed at $1.2353 in early Asian trading, after hitting its weakest since April on Wednesday as British government bond yields hit multi-year highs. "Clearly there is reason to watch the UK bond market intently, and the recent trend is certainly concerning," said Chris Weston, head of research at Pepperstone.

CNN —Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce denied that the team intentionally lost its Week 18 game to ensure that the Cincinnati Bengals were eliminated from playoff contention. Due to the two teams’ shared history, the nature of the Week 18 defeat from the Chiefs led to social media speculation that Kansas City intentionally lost to the Broncos to see the Bengals miss the playoffs, something Kelce denied emphatically. The Chiefs lost heavily to the Broncos in Week 18. “I don’t give a sh*t.We can have our own game in the offseason where we really duke it out. 1 seed in the AFC, the Chiefs earned a first-round playoff bye meaning they will begin their postseason charge for a historic third straight Super Bowl title next week.

Firefighters confronting the Los Angeles wildfires face hurdles to many tactics in their arsenal as they try to tame some 27,000 burning acres. Satellite image @2025 Maxar TechnologiesHis conclusion: Until the winds fanning the blazes die down, "putting out a fire like this is essentially impossible." This can be really effective — but with the strong winds in LA, it risks making things even worse, Doerr said. "In reality, most fires of such extremity tend to be stopped by a change in weather," he added. Until then, Doerr said, "putting out a fire like this is essentially impossible."

Medicare’s drug pricing negotiations — the first of their kind in the United States, passed under President Joe Biden — face an uncertain future in the incoming Trump administration. “I think there is definitely ideologic support from the Trump administration, or allies of the incoming Trump administration, for getting rid of the negotiation program,” she added. Eliminating Medicare negotiations would be politically risky for Trump, Mulcahy said. “Supporting negotiations for a lower price for Ozempic would be a win-win for Trump,” Gostin said. “There are compelling political reasons to support drug price negotiations,” Gostin said.

Beirut, Lebanon CNN —Lebanon’s parliament has elected the US-backed army chief to be the country’s new president, ending a years-long political stalemate and presidential vacuum. After he was declared president, Aoun effectively stepped down as army chief. “The Lebanese state – I repeat the Lebanese state – will get rid of the Israeli occupation,” Aoun said his speech. Lebanon had been without a president since the end of the tenure of former President Michel Aoun – who is not related to Joseph Aoun – in October 2022. Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri (right) shakes hands with Aoun after he was elected as president on Thursday.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Meta both announced $1 million donations to the inaugural fund late last year, and Amazon and Apple CEO Tim Cook have also reportedly contributed. "Google is pleased to support the 2025 inauguration, with a livestream on YouTube and a direct link on our homepage. Trump has had a rocky relationship with major tech companies over the years and has not shied away from criticism of the sector following the election. He signaled late last year that he wouldn't rule out antitrust enforcement, which is a particularly sore spot for Google. Tech CEOs have made substantial moves to publicly show their support for Trump and repair their relationship with the incoming president.

Yet recent runway shows by the likes of Valentino, Prada and Ashish indicate maximalist fashion — a style with roots as far back as 17th century Rome — might be staging a loud return. It evolves every time.”Indeed the current maximalist movement, popularized on social media, is more extreme and theatrical than ever before. Jaclyn posts videos of her building maximalist outfits on TikTok under the name @llolfashiondump. lolfashiondumpHer eclectic, mis-matched style has garnered her a social media following of over 1.2 million. Both TikTokers say their creativity is well-received not only on social media but also in real life.

Hundreds of thousands of Tibetan children are being separated from their families and placed in boarding schools by the Chinese government. Chair Chair The teacher picked a chair up. Chair Chair The teacher picked up a chair. Physical punishment is outlawed in Chinese schools, but studies by Chinese academics have found that the practice persists in Tibetan boarding schools. A Generation of Cultural ErasureThe Chinese government does not say how many Tibetan children are in boarding schools.

Saving $2 trillion would be a "best-case outcome" for DOGE, Elon Musk said on Wednesday. Musk said DOGE has a "good shot" at saving $1 trillion, and that would still be an "epic outcome." Elon Musk said in October that the Department of Government Efficiency — a commission in the Trump administration he's been tapped to co-run — would save the government $2 trillion. But I do think that you kind of have to have some overage," Musk told Penn. Watch Stagwell's CEO Mark Penn interview Elon Musk at CES!

CNN —New York’s highest court on Thursday rejected President-elect Donald Trump’s bid to postpone his sentencing in the hush money case, leaving the US Supreme Court as his last chance to delay Friday’s scheduled hearing. Trump appealed to both the Supreme Court and the New York Court of Appeals to try to block state Judge Juan Merchan from imposing a sentence in the hush money case, where Trump was convicted in May on 34 counts of falsifying business records. In a two-sentence letter Thursday from the Court of Appeals, Trump’s attorneys were notified that Judge Jenny Rivera denied Trump’s request. The US Supreme Court can act at any time on Trump’s attempt to intervene and stop the sentencing, which was filed Wednesday after the New York Appellate Court, First Division, also denied Trump’s request to stay the sentencing. Trump’s “extraordinary immunity claim is unsupported by any decision from any court,” Bragg, a Democrat, told the Supreme Court.

LA's Palisades Charter High School was damaged by a wildfire on Tuesday. A wildfire partially destroyed an iconic Los Angeles high school with A-list alumni, which was used as a set for iconic films including "Freaky Friday" and "Carrie." Palisades Charter High School, which was set to start a new term next week, set on fire on Tuesday evening. Palisades Charter High School has a rich pop culture legacySissy Spacek at Bates High School Senior Prom in the horror film 'Carrie', 1976. Palisades Charter High School was used as a location for Beacon Hills High School in "Teen Wolf."

Behrouz Esbati, an Iranian general, partially blamed Russia for the fall of Bashar Assad in Syria. In a speech in Tehran, Esbati accused Russia of bombing an empty desert instead of hitting Syrian rebels. A top Iranian general has accused Russia of lying to Tehran by saying its jets were attacking Syrian rebels while they were instead bombing the open desert. The general also largely blamed internal corruption for Assad's fall, saying that bribery was rife among Syria's top-ranking officials and generals. Assad's fall, which neither Moscow nor Tehran stepped up to prevent, has brought deep implications for Russia's forces in the region.

Michelle Bowman, governor of the U.S. Federal Reserve, speaks during the Exchequer Club meeting in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 21, 2024. Federal Reserve Governor Michelle Bowman said Thursday she supported the recent interest rate cuts but doesn't see the need to go any further. Bowman added that the current policy rate is near what she thinks of as "neutral" that neither supports nor restrains growth. Despite the progress that has been made, there are "upside risks to inflation," Bowman added. He expects "further reductions will be appropriate" to the Fed's main policy rate, which currently sits in a range between 4.25%-4.5%.

More than 15,000 doctors have signed a letter urging senators to vote against confirming Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for secretary of health and human services. “The health and well-being of 336 million Americans depend on leadership at HHS that prioritizes science, evidence-based medicine, and strengthening the integrity of our public health system,” the letter reads. “RFK Jr. is not only unqualified to lead this essential agency — he is actively dangerous.”The letter was posted online by the Committee to Protect Health Care, a physicians advocacy group. “This appointment is a slap in the face to every health care professional who has spent their lives working to protect patients from preventable illness and death,” the letter says. The Committee to Protect Health Care, which is not funded by the pharmaceutical industry or for-profit health corporations, has been active in opposing drug companies in state-level efforts to install prescription drug affordability boards.

Fire forecast: Critical fire weather is forecast to last across parts of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties through Friday. The Pasadena Water and Power system may be compromised by “debris and elevated turbidity,” according to the city. Air quality: The excessive smoke and ash has caused air quality to plummet to ‘hazardous’ levels across parts of the region and air quality alerts are in place in many areas, including Downtown Los Angeles. Altadena has a current air quality index of 426, which exceeds the worst air quality seen in New Delhi, a city notorious for air pollution, over the last two days. Learning disrupted: All schools within the Los Angeles Unified School District will be closed today.

WASHINGTON — A former FBI informant who fabricated a story about President Joe Biden and his son Hunter accepting bribes that became central to Republicans’ impeachment effort was sentenced Wednesday to six years in prison. Smirnov’s explosive claim in 2020 came after he expressed “bias” about Joe Biden as a presidential candidate, according to prosecutors. In reality, investigators found Smirnov had only routine business dealings with Burisma starting in 2017 — after Biden’s term as vice president. Smirnov was prosecuted by Weiss, who also brought gun and tax charges against Hunter Biden. Hunter Biden was supposed to be sentenced in December after being convicted at a trial in the gun case and pleading guilty to tax charges.

Alice Weidel, co-leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) political party, arrives to speak to the media with AfD co-leader Tino Chrupalla shortly after the AfD leadership confirmed Weidel as the party's candidate for chancellor on December 07, 2024 in Berlin, Germany. Elon Musk used his social network X to promote Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany party, known as AfD, hosting a live discussion Thursday with party leader Alice Weidel, a candidate for chancellor, ahead of a general election on Feb. 23. "I'm really strongly recommending that people vote for AfD," Musk, who is CEO of Tesla and SpaceX in addition to his role at X, said about a half hour into the conversation. Musk, the wealthiest person in the world, has also endorsed far-right and anti-establishment candidates and causes in the U.K. Musk, who was one of President-elect Donald Trump's top backers in November's election, previously promoted Trump in a live-streamed discussion on X.

Mayor Karen Bass refused to answer questions about the Los Angeles fires on Wednesday as a reporter pressed her about being out of town while fires burned out of control in her city. Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass arriving at LAX on Jan. 8, 2025. “Have you nothing to say today? Have you absolutely nothing to say to the citizens today?” Blevis continued. “Madam Mayor, have you absolutely nothing to say to the citizens today, who are dealing with this disaster?"

Singapore has the world's most powerful passport, according to the 2025 Henley Passport Index. The Henley Passport Index uses data from the International Air Transport Association to rank 199 passports in the world. "Visa-free," according to the index, includes situations where no visa is required, or when easier-to-obtain entrance documents, such as visas on arrival, visitor's permits and electronic travel authorities, are required. It's just behind the United States, whose citizens can visit 186 places without needing a visa, according to the ranking. The U.S. is one of 22 places where passports fell in the index in the past 10 years, it said.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The sky's the limit when it comes to Dubai property giant Damac's investment in the United States, the company's chairman told CNBC on Thursday. Two days prior, President-elect Donald Trump announced a $20 billion foreign investment by the Emirati company to build new data centers across the U.S. — adding that its founder and chairman Hussein Sajwani was pledging "at least" that amount. "The U.S. is a huge market, so our $20 billion [investment] is a sizeable [amount of ] money when you look at it from our point of view. He pointed to Microsoft's recent announcement on investing $80 into American data centers in 2025. He added, "we can use initially our own financial resources, but then [in the] second phase we can use [a] third party's money, if our platform can grow to the next level."

WASHINGTON — The leader of a Japanese crime syndicate who was charged by U.S. authorities with trafficking nuclear materials from Myanmar pleaded guilty on Wednesday, the Justice Department said in a statement. Takeshi Ebisawa, 60, of Japan, pleaded guilty in Manhattan to conspiring with a network of associates to traffic nuclear materials, including uranium and weapons-grade plutonium, from Myanmar to other countries, the Justice Department said. Ebisawa also pleaded guilty to international narcotics trafficking and weapons charges, the department added. In February 2024, U.S. authorities charged the Japanese “yakuza” crime leader with conspiring to traffic nuclear materials from Myanmar for expected use by Iran in nuclear weapons. U.S. Magistrate Judge/Southern District of New York via Reuters fileHe was also previously charged in 2022 with international narcotics trafficking and firearms offenses.

CNN —A baby girl was born at sea on a migrant dinghy en route to Spain from Africa on Monday, according to the Spanish maritime rescue service. In 2020, he cut the umbilical cord of a child born on a similar journey. This Atlantic migration route is the deadliest in the world according to Caminando Fronteras, an NGO which defends migrants’ rights. The migrant pressure on the Canary Islands is causing political tensions in Madrid. Spain has been considering setting up an emergency reception center for migrants arriving on its shores at an airport near Madrid, according to multiple reports last year.

The 123-year-old department store chain anchors the new company — a joint venture with Sparc Group, which also owns Lucky Brand, Eddie Bauer, Nautica and Aeropostale. Catalyst represents a new chapter for JCPenney, the historic chain that filed for bankruptcy in the height of the pandemic in 2020. It was later bought by mall-owner Simon Property Group and real estate developer Brookfield in a $1.75 billion deal. Malls have been facing significant problems from store closings and reduced foot traffic since before the pandemic. JCPenney CEO Marc Rosen is leading the new company, which will be headquartered at the department store’s offices in Plano, Texas.

Some buildings have survived, though, like the Getty Villa art museum in Pacific Palisades. The Villa is not your average home, but homeowners can learn from what Getty staff have been doing all year. As the Palisades and Eaton fires burned through thousands of acres on Tuesday, razing nearly 2,000 homes, the iconic Getty Villa remained standing with minor damage. The Getty Villa is part of the J. Paul Getty Trust, which includes the largest endowment of any museum in the world, estimated at more than $8 billion in 2023. Related VideoA trail of flames from the Palisades fire leads to the Getty Villa.

China's consumer price inflation in December slipped to 0.1% year on year, data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed Thursday, stoking deflation concerns. On a month-on-month basis, China's CPI came in flat, compared with the 0.6% decline in the prior month. "Headline CPI will be negatively impacted by the weaker pork price in 2025," analysts at ANZ Bank wrote in a note. Wholesale prices continued to be fall for a 27th straight month, with China's producer price inflation down 2.3% year on year in December. The ongoing near-zero consumer inflation indicates that China continues to struggle with weak domestic demand that has raised the specter of deflation.

CNN —The US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) says it “fully supports” the US government’s decision to withhold a $3.625 million payment to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) that was due on December 31, 2024. USADA’s decision comes after a months-long dispute between the two anti-doping organizations that stems from WADA’s handling of a case involving Chinese swimmers. It was revealed in April last year that WADA had cleared 23 Chinese swimmers to compete at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, despite all of them testing positive for the banned heart drug trimetazidine (TMZ). “USADA fully supports this decision by the White House as the only right choice to protect athletes’ rights, accountability, and fair competition,” USADA CEO Travis Tygart said in a statement on Wednesday. The statement also added that WADA’s overall 2025 budget is $57.5 million.

In 1979, former President Jimmy Carter did himself significant political damage in an extraordinary address to the nation on the energy crisis. We can see this crisis in the growing doubt about the meaning of our own lives and in the loss of a unity of purpose for our nation,” Carter said. After the Soviets invaded Afghanistan in December 1979, Carter decided to boycott the Summer Olympics in Moscow and asked the Senate to delay ratification of SALT II. The actor-turned-California governor pulled off a stunning landslide on Election Day 1980, winning 489 electoral votes. In the final humiliation for Carter, on January 20, 1981, 20 minutes after Reagan was sworn in, Iran released the hostages.

Here’s what we know about the power struggle and what it means for the country and region. Maduro and González both claimed victory in the presidential election on July 28. Venezuela’s National Electoral Council, a body stacked with Maduro allies, formally declared Maduro the winner without providing voting tallies. González has long vowed to return to Venezuela to form a new government and prevent a new Maduro term. International impactIf Maduro takes office again, it could further deteriorate diplomatic relations with many of Venezuela’s neighbors.

The tech billionaire is set to speak on Thursday with Alice Weidel, head of the AfD — Germany's far-right party. The outrage has crossed borders, with French President Emmanuel Macron also criticizing Musk and former European Commissioner Thierry Breton, saying the interview would give Weidel a "significant and valuable advantage." German civil society initiative LobbyControl meanwhile argues that the interview could even be seen as an illegal party donation. "Therefore we can indeed speak of political advertising in this case, because the Platform X usually sells this kind of reach for a lot of money," the group said in a statement, according to a CNBC translation. This is not the first time Musk has endorsed right-wing parties and figures in Europe.

Just 10 days before the U.S. ban on TikTok goes into effect, businessman Frank McCourt's internet advocacy nonprofit Project Liberty announced Thursday it has submitted a proposal to buy the social media site from Chinese technology company ByteDance. Project Liberty and its partners, known as "The People's Bid for TikTok," would restructure the app to exist on an American-owned platform and prioritize users' digital safety, the project said in a statement. "We've put forward a proposal to ByteDance to realize Project Liberty's vision for a reimagined TikTok – one built on an American-made tech stack that puts people first," McCourt, Project Liberty's founder, said in the statement. A Project Liberty spokesperson said the nonprofit was not disclosing the financial terms of the offer but confirmed that ByteDance has received the proposal. The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on the ban, which was signed into law by President Joe Biden last April, on Friday.

CNN —Over-the-counter protein powders may contain disturbing levels of lead and cadmium, with the highest amounts found in plant-based, organic and chocolate-flavored products, according to a new investigation. Another key source of contamination in protein powders was chocolate flavoring, according to the report. “Chocolate-flavored protein powders contained four times more lead and up to 110 times more cadmium than vanilla-flavored powders,” Bowen said. Nearly 80% of the plant-based and organic protein powders tested were over the Prop 65 limit for lead. “For people following a fully plant-based diet, protein powders made from peas appear to have the lowest levels of heavy metals,” she said.

WASHINGTON — Justice Samuel Alito confirmed Wednesday that he took a phone call from Donald Trump one day before the president-elect asked the Supreme Court to halt his upcoming sentencing, but insisted that the case was not discussed. "I agreed to discuss this matter with President-elect Trump, and he called me yesterday afternoon," Alito said in the statement, which was first reported by ABC News. On Wednesday morning, Trump asked the Supreme Court to halt legal proceedings in his hush money case ahead of his sentencing hearing, which is scheduled for Friday. The Supreme Court has not yet responded to Trump's request. Alito said that he and Trump "did not discuss any other matter that is pending or might in the future come before the Supreme Court or any past Supreme Court decisions involving the President-elect."

Oil prices fell on Thursday, extending losses from the previous day, pressured by large builds in U.S. fuel inventories last week, though concerns over tighter supplies from OPEC members and Russia capped the decline. Brent crude futures fell 28 cents, or 0.4%, to $75.88 a barrel by 0125 GMT. Gasoline stocks rose by 6.3 million barrels last week to 237.7 million barrels, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said on Wednesday. Distillate stockpiles rose by 6.1 million barrels in the week to 128.9 million barrels, versus expectations for a 600,000-barrel rise. In Russia, oil output averaged 8.971 million barrels a day in December, below the country's target, Bloomberg reported.

Vox Media laid off at least 12 staffers at Vox.com, in the company's second round of cuts in about a month. Vox Media laid off staff on Thursday for the second time in just over a month, this time at its general news and politics site Vox.com. The Vox Media Union had 256 members across Vox Media sites before the new cuts. She'll continue to oversee New York, Vox, and Vox Media Studios. Vox Media grew out of the boom in digital media, raising more than $400 million from investors, including NBCUniversal and General Atlantic.

North Korea is learning combat lessons fighting Ukraine, a US official said. North Korea is learning valuable lessons from fighting against Ukraine, making it an increased threat to its neighbors, a US official said. After brokering its alliance with Russia, North Korea has taken a defiant posture and on Monday tested a ballistic missile tipped with a hypersonic warhead. The timing seemed intended to showcase North Korea's capacity to overcome the defenses of the US and its regional allies. The UN has long sought to constrain North Korea's military program, specifically its ability to deploy nuclear weapons, by imposing severe sanctions.

ET as it went through an X-ray machine at the Capitol Visitor Center. As officers investigated, screening at the north site of the Visitor Center was paused for about an hour, the agency said. “This vigilance is critical during this time of heightened security.”Capitol Police have made other arrests at the Visitor Center over the past year. In November, Capitol Police arrested a man officers said was carrying a flare gun, a torch lighter and bottles of fuel. Earlier last year, the agency said it arrested a man attempting to enter the Visitor Center with a hammer.

Wildfires have torn through Los Angeles, destroying homes and displacing residents. As the Los Angeles wildfires continue to tear through swathes of the city, Hollywood has responded by pausing multiple TV and film productions. The Los Angeles Times reported that around 2,000 buildings had been destroyed, citing the LA Fire Department. 'Fallout' and 'Grey's Anatomy' are among the TV shows affectedElla Purnell in "Fallout" and Ellen Pompeo in "Grey's Anatomy." And Disney delayed work on "Grey's Anatomy," "Jimmy Kimmel Live," and "Doctor Odyssey."

When I moved from New Zealand to the US, I didn't realize how much it would actually cost me. I moved from New Zealand to California more than 12 years ago after I met and married an American. Plus, I never stopped feeling the pull of home and the family I left behind in New Zealand. ADBack in New Zealand, however, I was used to — and raised in — a culture that encourages people to act humble. ADIt's also tough for my family overseas to visit the US, in part due to the exchange rate.

CNN —Lisa Kudrow has revealed that she recently found a note that Matthew Perry left inside a “Friends” prop for her 20 years ago. “I had recently found the note that he had in it (the jar) for me,” Kudrow said. Perry died because of “acute effects of ketamine” and subsequent drowning, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office autopsy report. And a lot of ‘talking.’ Thank you for showing up at work when you weren’t well and then, being completely brilliant. Thank you for the best 10 years a person gets to have,” Kudrow’s Instagram post continued.

Here are Thursday's biggest calls on Wall Street: Barclays reiterates Apple as underweight Barclays said it's sticking with its underweight rating on Apple to start 2025. Goldman Sachs reiterates Amazon as buy The firm said it's standing by the stock ahead of earnings later this quarter. Bank of America reiterates Alphabet as buy The firm said the search giant remains best positioned for the long term. UBS reiterates Costco as buy UBS said Costco saw "meaningful acceleration" following its December sales report. "We are initiating coverage with an Overweight rating and a 12-month $30 price target based on 8.6x FY26E EV/Sales."

The President of Mexico has suggested renaming parts of the US to "América Mexicana." Claudia Sheinbaum's sarcastic remark followed Trump's idea of renaming the Gulf of Mexico as "the Gulf of America." Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has responded to President-elect Donald Trump's proposal to rename the Gulf of Mexico as "the Gulf of America," suggesting that parts of North America should be renamed "América Mexicana." "We're going to be changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America," he said. President Trump’s second term is off to a GREAT start.

She met her partner 11 years ago and, like an increasing number of women in China, doesn't plan to get married or have kids. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Zou Qiang, a fashion designer and owner of a tailoring brand in Shanghai. Sometimes, parental pressure gets to my partner, and we discuss having kids, but I'd be the one carrying the baby, and I don't want to. I've noticed that after a few of my friends had kids, they often started complaining to me. Despite China's efforts to encourage childbearing — including monetary rewards and subsidies — I come across more and more people who, like me, are not interested in having kids.

An overview of the Benjamin's ADU built by Villa. Others build ADUs to create comfortable, semi-independent living spaces for aging parents or adult children who may need assistance or support. Take Todd Kuchta, a 58-year-old engineer who built an ADU in his Napa, California, backyard for his 26-year-old son, Jacob, who has autism. Christine WilderAbrams built an ADU in her backyard in Oakland, California, allowing her adult daughter to take over the main home. The kitchen of Wilder-Abrams' ADU.

Russian glide-bomb attacks against Ukraine are down compared to a few months ago. Ukrainian officials long argued more freedom in this space would allow them to threaten Russian airfields and reduce glide-bomb attacks. Russian glide bombs are seen en route to their targets in August 2024. Chernev said that while glide-bomb attacks are ultimately down, "it's still a problem for us because we cannot intercept these guided bombs." Despite an overall decrease in glide-bomb strikes, these weapons are still causing death and destruction across Ukraine.

Jerome Powell, chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve, at a news conference after a Federal Open Market Committee meeting in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 18, 2024. This report is from today's CNBC Daily Open, our international markets newsletter. CNBC Daily Open brings investors up to speed on everything they need to know, no matter where they are. Fed cautious about inflation and Trump's policiesAt their December meeting, U.S. Federal Reserve officials expressed concern that inflation would stubbornly remain above the central bank's 2% target, and over the possible impact of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's policies. A Bank of America strategist explains why the benchmark, which comprises the smallest 2,000 stocks in the Russell Index, ran into obstacles in December and might see further trouble ahead.

WARSAW — Poland’s president asked the government to ensure Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu can choose to attend the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz Nazi death camp without fear of arrest under an ICC warrant, a senior aide said on Thursday. On Wednesday, Bloomberg reported that President Andrzej Duda had written Prime Minister Donald Tusk saying Poland should ensure Netanyahu can be “unhindered” in attending the Jan. 27 Auschwitz commemoration given the event’s exceptional nature. A spokesperson for Netanyahu, like Duda on the hard right of the political spectrum, declined to comment. Netanyahu has not said whether he would attend the Auschwitz commemoration. More than three million of Poland’s 3.2 million Jews were murdered by the Nazis, accounting for about half of the Jews killed in the Holocaust.

President Jimmy Carter will be honored in a state funeral Thursday, culminating days of marking the contributions of a man who after leaving office remained an influential leader on the world stage. Along with his family, his casket will be moved from the Capitol to the National Cathedral for the funeral proceedings. Tributes from former President Gerald Ford and former Vice President Walter Mondale will also be delivered by their sons. Also in attendance will be Vice President Kamala Harris, members of Congress, former presidents, Supreme Court justices and members of Carter's administration. “Jimmy Carter was that all too rare example of a gifted man who also walks with humility, modesty and grace,” she said.

Susie Wiles, President-elect Donald J. Trump’s incoming White House chief of staff, begins her days at 7:30 a.m. in the West Palm Beach transition headquarters. But by 2 p.m. she has typically parked herself a few feet from Mr. Trump for a daily five-hour marathon in his office, the former Mar-a-Lago bridal suite. As Elon Musk and staff members file in and out, Ms. Wiles and the president-elect go over plans for Trump II: executive orders for Day 1. “It’s everything from who wants to be the ambassador to Portugal to what kind of deputy does Marco need?” Ms. Wiles said, referring to Senator Marco Rubio, Mr. Trump’s choice to be secretary of state. There were only 25 completed by the first Trump inaugural in 2017, when Ms. Wiles was not in the administration.

Lebanon’s parliament was set Thursday to make yet another effort to elect a president, filling a vacuum that’s lasted for more than two years. The leading candidate is Lebanese army commander Joseph Aoun, no relation to the former president. Hezbollah previously backed another candidate, Suleiman Frangieh, the leader of a small Christian party in northern Lebanon with close ties to former Syrian President Bashar Assad. Lebanese army commander, General Joseph Aoun, center, during a visit to the southern Lebanese village of Khiam on Dec. 23. AFP - Getty ImagesAs a sitting army commander, Joseph Aoun is technically barred from becoming president by Lebanon’s constitution.

A U.S flag flies as fire engulfs a structure while the Palisades Fire burns during a windstorm on the west side of Los Angeles, California, U.S. January 7, 2025. The wildfires around Los Angeles continued to rage Thursday, disrupting an area resided by millions of people. At least five people have been reported dead due to the wildfires, while more than 100,000 were forced to leave their homes. The first fire erupted Tuesday morning in Pacific Palisades, a Los Angeles County neighborhood. Another one started near a canyon north of downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday night.

CNN —Historical treasures hidden for decades have been uncovered in the crypts of a cathedral, with items including burial crowns and insignia belonging to Medieval European rulers. The cache from Vilnius Cathedral, in Lithuania, has not been seen since the outbreak of World War II in 1939, according to a press release from Go Vilnius tourism promotion agency on Wednesday. The burial insignia were recovered from a hiding place where they were stored in 1939. She was married to Sigismund II Augustus, or Žygimantas Augustas, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, and died in 1551. They were put on display until World War II broke out in 1939, when they were hidden.

She balances event work, a tax business, and family life amid Hawaii's high living costs. Despite the challenges, she finds beauty in Hawaii but would return to Oregon for lower living costs. I balance my event work with Aloha HP, running a successful tax practice, and caring for my family on Oahu in Hawaii. Now that I'm back in Hawaii, the downsides are clearThe cost of living is one of Hawaii's biggest downsides. I may earn more money in Hawaii, but it's offset by the cost of living in Hawaii being much greater than in Oregon.

Global insured losses climbed to $140 billion last year, according to a report from Munich Re. Extreme weather events battered global insurance markets last year, bringing losses to a seven-year high amid a series of intense hurricanes and wildfires. The amount is more than double a 30-year average of around $61 billion and marks the third most expensive year for insured losses over the same timeframe. Still, insured losses comprised less than half of the $320 billion total weather-related losses for the year, which came in at over triple the 30-year average. ADOnly $16 billion of Hurricane Helene's total $56 billion in losses were covered by insurers, while insurers covered $25 billion of Hurricane Milton's total $38 billion loss.

An evacuation and shelter center at the Westwood Recreation Center in Los Angeles on Wednesday. The drive was short but eerie, Ms. Duffy said, because the power and all the lights were out. Around 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, a neighbor warned Ms. Cowles and her husband of a fire in the hills above the community. Ms. Cowles left a sheet of uncooked peanut butter cookies on the counter in her haste to flee. Ms. Cowles has lived in Los Angeles for about 50 years, she said, but has never had to evacuate before.

Entrepreneur and former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt’s Project Liberty and its consortium of partners in The People’s Bid said on Thursday they proposed to make a formal bid to ByteDance to buy TikTok’s U.S. assets. The move comes ahead of a Jan. 19 deadline by which ByteDance has to sell the platform or face a ban under a law signed by President Joe Biden on April 24. McCourt and his firm Project Liberty formed the consortium last year to buy social media platform TikTok in the United States. “By keeping the platform alive without relying on the current TikTok algorithm and avoiding a ban, millions of Americans can continue to enjoy the platform. We look forward to working with ByteDance, President-elect Trump, and the incoming administration to get this deal done,” McCourt said in a statement.

Cohere co-founder Nick Frosst is surrounded by chatter of artificial general intelligence, or AGI. But it's not a company that's well known among consumers, who have swarmed to chatbots and other tools from OpenAI, Google and Perplexity. "I'm in meetings with companies in health care, banking and IT all the time," Frosst told CNBC in an interview this week. Some of Cohere's chief competitors in the AI arms race offer products for both consumers and businesses. OpenAI, for instance, launched ChatGPT Enterprise in 2023, and Anthropic rolled out Claude Enterprise in September.

CNN —A Swiss national who was arrested and accused of spying in Iran died by suicide in prison on Thursday, according to Mizan Online, a news agency affiliated with Iran’s judiciary. Semnan prison is about 190 kilometers (118 miles) east of Tehran, Iran’s capital. The Swiss citizen, who was being held in Semnan prison, asked his cellmate on Thursday morning local time to provide him with food from the prison buffet, the chief justice said, as cited by Mizan Online. “This prisoner took advantage of the time he was left alone in the cell,” and took his own life, the chief justice added. “Prison officials immediately took action to save this person, but efforts to save him were unsuccessful,” according to the chief justice of Iran’s Semnan province.

President Joe Biden has canceled a trip to Rome to meet with Pope Francis so he can instead focus on federal response to the rapidly moving wildfires that are tearing through the Los Angeles area, the White House said Wednesday. He accepted an invitation from the pope to visit the Vatican last month, the White House said previously in a statement. Federal government is here to stay, as long as it needs,” Biden added. Biden, who is Roman Catholic, has met with the pope several times, including privately in June when he was in Italy for the G7 summit. His Italy trip was expected to be his culminating international trip before he leaves the White House this month.

Former President Jimmy Carter was the longest living president in U.S. history, and credited his longevity in part to marrying the best spouse, his wife, Rosalynn Carter. James Earl Carter, Jr., served as the 39th U.S. president. Carter's wife, Rosalynn Carter, died in November 2023 at the age of 96. When asked what he thought leads to a long, happy life, Carter told People Magazine: "I think the best explanation for that is to marry the best spouse: someone who will take care of you and engage and do things to challenge you and keep you alive and interested in life." Their love story began in their hometown of Plains, Georgia, Mr. Carter told The Washington Post.

On Tuesday, as a series of aggressive wildfires began ripping through Southern California, I found myself having an unlikely reaction: the desire to be there. I mean this not as a thrill seeker or fire follower but rather as someone who wanted to go home. I have lived in Los Angeles since 1991, when I moved from New York. My wife and I raised our family in Los Angeles, and in June my father entered an assisted-living facility in Pasadena, not far from what is now the Eaton fire evacuation zone. This is my father’s first go-round as a California resident, and he is right to be afraid.

Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold The Pixel 9 Pro Fold's 6.3-inch exterior display is the same shape and size as the Pixel 9 Pro, making it familiar and comfortable to use as a simple phone. I go into more detail about Google's Tensor G4 processor in my Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL review. Antonio Villas-Boas/Business InsiderThe Pixel 9 Pro Fold obtained a 55% result in our updated foldable phone battery test. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold takes excellent photos, which is typical for any Google Pixel phone. The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold should be the first foldable phone in your shortlist.

One basis point is equal to 0.01% and yields and prices move in opposite directions. ET, the 10-year Treasury yield was more than two basis points lower to 4.67%, while the 2-year Treasury yield was more than one basis point lower at 4.27%. On Wednesday, Treasury yields topped 4.7%, its highest level since April. U.S. Treasury yields fell on Thursday ahead of a shortened trading session as the bonds market will close early in honor of the late former U.S. President Jimmy Carter. "Almost all participants judged that upside risks to the inflation outlook had increased," the minutes said.

CNN —UK Athletics – the governing body for track and field in the United Kingdom – and a former official have been charged with manslaughter following the death of a 36-year-old Paralympian in 2017, the Crown Prosecution Service announced on Wednesday. According to Malcolm McHaffie, Head of the CPS Special Crime Division, UK Athletics has been charged with corporate manslaughter and a Health and Safety at Work Act offense. “Following a review of the evidence provided by the Metropolitan Police Service, the Crown Prosecution Service has authorised criminal charges against UK Athletics Limited and a 77-year-old man following the death of United Arab Emirates Paralympian Abdullah Hayayei,” McHaffie said in a statement. UK Athletics told CNN that it will not be making any statement at this time due to the upcoming proceedings, while World Para Athletics also said that it cannot comment on ongoing legal cases. UK Athletics and Davies will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on January 31.

Torchia told local television that while “we take (the decree) with a bit of irony,” it is intended to highlight the town’s inadequate access to healthcare. “This is not just a provocation, the ordinance is a cry for help, a way to shine a spotlight on an unacceptable situation,” Torchia told local news outlet Corriere della Calabria. The ordinance will stay in effect until the town’s public health center is open regularly, the mayor said. Over 75% of Calabria towns – roughly 320 – currently had fewer than 5,000 residents in 2021, sparking fears that some communities could die out completely without regeneration. “I am a drop in the ocean,” Torchia told local broadcaster LaC News24.

Tens of thousands of Southern Californians have been ordered to evacuate their homes after raging wildfires engulfed several parts of the Los Angeles area. Follow along for live coverageThe wind-fueled Palisades Fire destroyed homes in Los Angeles on Wednesday. Monitor updates closelyTo receive real-time updates and alerts from the National Weather Service, residents can download the FEMA App. The Los Angeles Fire Department is posting real-time updates on its X account and on its website. In the unfortunate event that you're trapped, the first thing experts advise is to stay calm.

Whatever old-school CEOs like Jamie Dimon and Andy Jassy may think of it, remote work is here to stay. The economist Nick Bloom runs a monthly survey of American workers that tracks the prevalence of remote work. Despite all the headlines about companies getting rid of hybrid arrangements, the actual prevalence of remote work has barely budged. And third, the technology that enables us to collaborate at a distance will only get better over time, reducing what's probably the biggest pain point of remote work. Remote work, Jamie Dimon once groused, "doesn't work."

Elon Musk said SpaceX will donate free Starlink terminals to areas of LA hit by massive wildfires. Elon Musk says he will donate free Starlink terminals to Los Angeles as the city fights a series of devastating wildfires. "SpaceX will provide free Starlink terminals to affected areas in LA tomorrow morning," the billionaire wrote in a post on X. Related Video A report says Starlink terminals are being used in Russia after Putin and Musk deny itSpaceX's Starlink service provides internet using a network of thousands of low-orbit satellites. Musk has also offered free Starlink services to areas hit by extreme weather events in the past.

A picture of U.S. President Jimmy Carter is seen as members of the public sign a condolence book in the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center on Jan. 8, 2025 in Washington, DC. American politicians, foreign dignitaries and family members honored former President Jimmy Carter at a state funeral held Thursday at the Washington National Cathedral. Carter, the 39th president of the United States, died on Dec. 29 at age 100. Thursday's service concluded three days of tributes to the former president in the nation's capital. Here are photos from Carter's state funeral:

Under the rule, insurance companies are permitted to pass on the cost of reinsurance to consumers, although at an amount that can't exceed an industry standard. Reinsurance is protection that insurance companies acquire to shield themselves from catastrophic claim events. Typical property insurance policies, however, don't generally cover damage from disasters such as earthquakes, floods and landslides. The concern isn't whether insurance companies will pay out for damage but rather how much and how long it will take, Bach said. California does have an insurance program under the Fair Access to Insurance Requirements Plan, established in the 1960s, which provides fire insurance coverage for high-risk properties.

The highly anticipated crossover episode of “Abbott Elementary” and “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” blends the raunchy, NSFW style of the FX show with the witty, family-friendly romp. Rob McElhenney and Janelle James on “Abbott Elementary.” Gilles Mingasson / DisneyThe episode stayed true to both shows, proving that opposites do attract. Fans of the South Philly misfits will see them wreaking havoc on the public school while the West Philly team works to rein them in. “Good, mine are enormous.”McElhenney has teased the crossover episode for months on social media, sharing photos with Abbott creator and star Brunson and both casts in the familiar public-school hallways. “They represent a part of South Philly, and we represent a part of West Philly that is very real, and it wasn’t a long walk for these characters to interact.

Credit goes to Donald Trump for alerting the world to the dangers posed by China, particularly its efforts to overtake the United States as the world’s most advanced economy. Lawmakers need to understand that for China, a desire to make money — the fundamental driver of trade and of capitalism — is secondary. Its primary goal is to damage America’s economy and pave the way for China to become the world’s pre-eminent power. China’s rate of progress in production and innovation across a wide range of industries is striking. If our policymakers don’t work fast and smart enough, they will put at risk America’s workers, economy and place in the world.

Accenture CEO Julie Sweet said she looks for candidates who love to learn new things. The former lawyer said it didn't matter even if people just said they learned how to bake a cake. Accenture CEO Julie Sweet said there's one key question she poses to people who want to work for her. ADRepresentatives for Sweet at Accenture did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider. "My advice to students: Learn, learn, learn, learn, learn, learn, learn.

New York prosecutors on Thursday urged the U.S. Supreme Court to deny President-elect Donald J. Trump’s last-ditch effort to halt his criminal sentencing, in a prelude to a much-anticipated ruling that will determine whether he enters the White House as a felon. In a filing a day before the scheduled sentencing, prosecutors from the Manhattan district attorney’s office called Mr. Trump’s emergency application to the Supreme Court premature, noting that he had not yet exhausted his appeals in state court. They noted that the judge overseeing the case plans to spare Mr. Trump jail time, which they argued undermined any need for a stay. The prosecutors, who had secured Mr. Trump’s conviction last year on charges that he falsified records to cover up a sex scandal that endangered his 2016 presidential campaign, implored the Supreme Court to let Mr. Trump’s punishment proceed. “There is a compelling public interest in proceeding to sentencing,” they wrote, and added that “the sanctity of a jury verdict and the deference that must be accorded to it are bedrock principles in our Nation’s jurisprudence.”

It's easy to see why people are unsure of themselves: Retirement savings is an inexact science. Benefits generally account for a bigger chunk of lower earners' retirement income relative to higher earners. Between those sources, households generally need enough money each year to replace about 70% to 75% of the salaries they earned just before retirement, Chao said. To get there, people should save 15% a year from age 25 to 67, the firm estimates. This figure is 45% of her $100,000 income before retirement, which is Fidelity's estimate for an adequate personal savings rate.

Air travel is being disrupted by strong winds and wildfires in Los Angeles. Several airlines have waived change fees for flights to Los Angeles and Orange County. The wildfires devastating Los Angeles and the strong winds intensifying them are also disrupting air travel in and around the city. A flight passenger traveling from Denver to Los Angeles captured footage of the Palisades Fire tearing across neighborhoods as the plane was making its descent into Los Angeles International Airport. The Los Angeles Fire Department said 12 helicopters and six fixed-wing aircraft are in operation.