US to Build Qatari Air Force Facility in Idaho to Boost Joint Training and Defense Cooperation

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Qatari Defense Minister Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani announce the new Qatari Air Force facility at the Pentagon, standing at podiums with U.S. and Qatari flags behind them.

WASHINGTON — The United States will host a Qatari Emiri Air Force facility at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho under a new defense cooperation agreement, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Friday. Speaking alongside Qatari Minister of Defense Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani at the Pentagon, Hegseth said the facility will allow Qatari … Read more

Dow sinks 400 points after Trump China tariff threat rattles investors

Stock trader reacts to market drop after Trump China tariff threat causes major selloff.

NEW YORK — US stocks fell sharply Friday after former President Donald Trump threatened to impose significantly higher tariffs on Chinese imports, accusing Beijing of “becoming very hostile” and tightening control over its rare earth metal exports.  The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 449 points, or roughly 1%, in a sudden midday selloff that erased … Read more

China blacklists TechInsights after Huawei chip report sparks national security concerns

A person holds a smartphone displaying the TechInsights logo against a backdrop featuring the Chinese flag and a semiconductor chip, symbolizing China blacklisting TechInsights over Huawei chip reports.

BEIJING— China has blacklisted Canadian semiconductor research firm TechInsights, barring the company from working with or obtaining data from Chinese entities in a move that underscores Beijing’s tightening control over information related to its chip industry. The Ministry of Commerce announced Thursday that TechInsights and several of its subsidiaries were added to China’s “unreliable entity … Read more

Maria Corina Machado Wins 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for Defending Democracy

Venezuelan opposition leader Nobel Prize winner Maria Corina Machado unable to attend Oslo ceremony, daughter accepts award on her behalf

OSLO, Norway (AP) — Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has been awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her long standing fight to defend democratic rights and lead a peaceful movement for political transition in Venezuela, the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced Friday. “When authoritarians seize power, it is crucial to recognize courageous defenders of … Read more

AMD OpenAI Deal Surprises Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, Who Calls It ‘Clever but Risky’

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang speaking during an interview about the AMD OpenAI deal and competition in the AI chip market.

Nvidia Corp. Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang reacted to the AMD OpenAI deal, calling it “imaginative” but “surprising” after Advanced Micro Devices Inc. offered OpenAI a warrant for up to 160 million AMD shares roughly 10% of the company. Speaking on CNBC’s Squawk Box on Wednesday, Huang said he was taken aback by AMD’s move … Read more

Letitia James indicted on federal bank fraud charges over Virginia mortgage deal

Letitia James and Donald Trump during court proceedings amid new federal bank fraud indictment

Alexandria, Va. — New York Attorney General Letitia James, who gained national prominence for winning a civil fraud case against former President Donald Trump, was indicted Thursday on two federal felony counts related to a 2023 mortgage she obtained in Virginia. A federal grand jury in Alexandria charged Letitia James with bank fraud and making … Read more

Microsoft outage disrupts thousands worldwide before service recovery begins

A professional office worker uses a laptop showing a Downdetector screen indicating a Microsoft outage, symbolizing the global disruption in Microsoft 365 services.

A widespread Microsoft outage that disrupted the company’s productivity software suite on Thursday appeared to be easing by late afternoon, according to outage tracking website Downdetector.com. The issue, which affected tools such as Microsoft Teams and Exchange Online, left tens of thousands of users unable to access essential services for several hours.  Downdetector reported that … Read more

Delta Air Lines Earnings Soar in Q3 as CEO Highlights ‘Significant Improvement’ in Revenue Outlook

A Delta Air Lines aircraft prepares for takeoff at a major U.S. airport, symbolizing the airline’s strong Q3 performance and rising Delta Air Lines earnings.

ATLANTA — Delta Air Lines reported stronger than expected third quarter earnings on Thursday, signaling renewed strength in air travel demand and improved corporate bookings after a challenging start to the year.  The carrier’s chief executive, Ed Bastian, said the airline’s “significant improvement” in revenue outlook positions it for one of its most profitable fourth … Read more

European stocks fall as gold tops $4,000 amid US shutdown and geopolitical tensions

European stocks fall as traders monitor declining charts with gold prices rising in a modern stock exchange

European stocks opened lower Thursday, retreating from Recent Record High, as investors weighed the risk of a market correction and sought safer assets amid global uncertainty.  Gold remained above $4,000 for the first time, reflecting heightened demand for safe haven assets amid a weaker dollar and geopolitical tensions. Wall Street hit fresh record highs in … Read more

China Tightens Rare Earth Export Controls, Raising Stakes for Defense and Semiconductor Industries

A worker in protective gloves handles silver-colored rare earth metal ingots inside a Chinese factory, representing China’s tightening rare earth export controls affecting global semiconductor and defense industries.

BEIJING — China on Thursday announced a significant tightening of its rare earth export controls, expanding restrictions on key processing technologies and specifying new limits on exports to overseas defense and semiconductor users.  The move, unveiled by the Ministry of Commerce, underscores Beijing’s growing determination to wield its dominance in critical mineral supply chains as … Read more