From Gymnastics to Goldman Sachs

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 Freezes Russian Assets Indefinitely to Fund Ukraine Loan

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.

Windows LNK Flaw Finally Fixed After Years of Abuse

Microsoft has silently patched a critical Windows shortcut flaw, CVE-2025-9491, long exploited by state-sponsored and cybercriminal groups to hide malicious commands. The fix, rolled out in a November 2025 update, now reveals hidden arguments in shortcut properties, closing a key obfuscation method. This vulnerability was recently leveraged in a targeted espionage campaign against European diplomatic entities, deploying the PlugX remote access trojan. Despite the mitigation, the widespread historical exploitation means unpatched systems remain at risk from this deceptive attack vector.

Chile Chooses a New Direction

Chile has elected far-right candidate José Antonio Kast as its next president, marking the country’s most significant political shift rightward since the end of military rule. Kast secured a decisive victory by campaigning on promises to crack down on crime and irregular immigration, themes that resonated with voters concerned about security. His election has sparked celebrations among supporters hoping for restored order, while critics fear a return to Chile’s authoritarian past. The president-elect, an admirer of figures like Augusto Pinochet and Donald Trump, has pledged to build border walls and implement mass deportations upon taking office next March.

Europe Moves to Seize Russian Funds for Ukraine War Loan

EU leaders agree to indefinitely freeze billions in Russian assets, paving the way for a massive loan to fund Ukraine’s defense and recovery. The move comes as Kyiv faces a critical cash shortage and international military aid dwindles. Russia has denounced the plan as „theft” and launched a legal challenge, while key EU member Belgium seeks ironclad financial guarantees.

Unlocking Growth Beyond Institutions

Nobel economics winners highlight institutions as growth engines—yet innovation systems remain stuck in the past. Policymakers fixate on narrow issues like AI investment, ignoring the institutional reforms that truly fuel progress. To unlock dynamism, leaders must rethink competition, ease business experimentation, and modernize ossified frameworks. The future of growth depends on revitalizing the institutions that enable ideas to thrive.

Supreme Court Poised to Scrap Key Campaign Finance Limits

The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear a pivotal case that could dismantle long-standing limits on coordinated campaign spending between political parties and candidates. With its conservative majority, the court may further reshape campaign finance law by siding with Republicans, including Vice President JD Vance, who argue the restrictions violate free speech. This case represents the latest battle in a decades-long trend of the court chipping away at campaign finance regulations, following landmark rulings like Citizens United. A decision, expected by June, could amplify the influence of big-money donors in American elections.

The Fragile Web

Cloudflare’s massive outage today was a wake-up call for our over-centralized internet. This disruption highlights the critical need for resilient digital infrastructure and offline alternatives. We must embrace these failures as a catalyst for building redundancy into our essential systems. Let this outage be a lesson in strengthening our societal pillars against single points of failure.