AI News

In a stunning power play, Donald Trump is weaponizing media mergers, demanding CNN’s journalistic surrender as the price for approving the Warner Bros. Discovery sale. This coercive tactic exposes a terrifying vulnerability: today’s debt-laden, consolidation-chasing media giants are uniquely susceptible to political pressure. As Paramount and Netflix vie for the prize by promising to tame CNN, the very architecture of modern news is buckling, threatening one of the last major sources of skeptical coverage.

South Korea pledges to retire most coal plants by 2040, accelerating its renewable energy transition. However, a major trade deal for U.S. liquefied natural gas imports creates a climate policy conflict. Experts warn replacing coal with LNG risks locking the country into fossil fuel dependency. This dilemma highlights the challenge of balancing international agreements with ambitious carbon reduction goals.

A Paramount employee chose severance over a punishing 5-day office mandate, joining hundreds who left. His story highlights the personal toll of rigid RTO policies on childcare and commute. As companies like Amazon and JPMorgan enforce returns, workers are forced to make difficult life calculations. This finance manager’s choice underscores a growing workplace rift over flexibility.

Project 2025’s trade chapter foreshadowed the Heritage Foundation’s internal split, pitting Peter Navarro’s „fair trade” against Kent Lassman’s „free trade.” The recent purge has left a staff dominated by economists aligned with pro-tariff, dirigiste policies. This shift positions Heritage to appeal to economic populism, despite tariffs being a regressive tax with mixed public support.

November’s jobs report reveals a labor market at a standstill, with unemployment hitting a four-year high. The data, delayed and distorted by the federal shutdown, shows an economy adding few jobs outside of healthcare. Economists warn the US is now in a „jobs recession,” with hiring stalled amid a fog of economic uncertainty.

Oracle founder Larry Ellison and his son are making a major play for Warner Bros. Discovery, backed by billions from Middle Eastern petrostates. This proposed mega-merger with Paramount raises critical questions about foreign influence in major U.S. media assets. Despite assurances of no operational control, the involvement of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi is sure to face intense regulatory scrutiny. The deal’s fate may ultimately hinge more on political winds than on traditional merger reviews.

Inspired by traditional Veneto cabins, this Italian kindergarten features an abstract ensemble of pyramidal roofs. The design by AACM studio creates a small village feel to foster community connection. Classrooms surround a central agora, eliminating corridors and promoting social interaction. Clad in terracotta tiles, the building blends history with modern educational spaces.

Zelenskyy urges EU to unlock Russian assets, proving Moscow’s war aims are futile. Ukraine intensifies pressure with drone strikes inside Russia as crucial EU summit debates $247bn aid package. Western unity faces test over legal risks and funding disputes, while US-led peace efforts struggle for traction.

From Olympic dreams to Wall Street success: A Goldman Sachs partner reveals how her elite gymnastics training forged the competitive edge and meticulous discipline needed to thrive in high finance. Meena Lakdawala-Flynn, co-head of Global Private Wealth Management, says the pressure and precision required in gymnastics directly translate to winning in banking. She credits her athletic background with instilling the work ethic, grit, and performance mindset critical to her rise at the firm. Discover how the skills honed in sports are becoming a powerful differentiator for top finance recruits.

EU leaders impose indefinite freeze on $246 billion in Russian assets, overcoming Hungarian objections to clear path for using funds to support Ukraine. The unprecedented move aims to underwrite a massive loan for Kyiv’s military and reconstruction needs while addressing Belgium’s legal concerns. Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban condemned the decision as violating EU law, highlighting deep divisions within the bloc over Russia policy. This financial maneuver coincides with intensified diplomatic efforts to craft a potential peace framework between Moscow and Kyiv.