Sanae Takaichi Poised to Become Japan’s First Female Prime Minister After LDP Victory

Sanae Takaichi delivers a speech after being elected as Japan’s first female prime minister

TOKYO — Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Saturday elected conservative nationalist Sanae Takaichi as its new president, positioning her to become the country’s first female prime minister.  The decision comes as the party struggles to restore public trust amid growing dissatisfaction over rising prices and waning confidence in its leadership. Takaichi, 64, will likely … Read more

Brazilian fraud ring ran Gisele Bundchen deepfake scam on Instagram, police say

Close-up image of a woman resembling Gisele Bundchen, illustrating the Gisele Bundchen deepfake scam investigated by Brazilian police

PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil — Authorities in Brazil have dismantled an online fraud ring accused of using deepfake videos of supermodel Gisele Bundchen and other celebrities in deceptive Instagram ads that lured victims into paying for fake products and giveaways.  Police said the operation, which allegedly generated more than 20 million reais ($3.9 million), marks one … Read more

Treasury Department Considers $1 Trump Coin to Mark America’s 250th Anniversary

Close-up of a $1 Trump coin featuring Donald J. Trump’s profile, minted design for the 2026 U.S. semiquincentennial.

WASHINGTON — The US Treasury Department is weighing the possibility of minting a one dollar coin featuring former President Donald Trump to mark the nation’s 250th anniversary next year, a spokesperson confirmed Friday, in a move that has already sparked debate over tradition, legality and symbolism. The draft design, prepared under the direction of US … Read more

S&P 500 Posts Winning Week Despite Fizzling Friday Rally as US Shutdown Drags On

A professional trader analyzing real-time stock data on multiple monitors displaying S&P 500, Nasdaq, and Dow Jones figures in a modern trading room.

The S&P 500 edged slightly higher Friday, retreating from record territory but capping a strong week as investors looked past the third day of a US government shutdown and weighed a murky economic outlook clouded by missing labor data. The benchmark index closed nearly flat, up 0.01% at 6,715.79, while the Nasdaq Composite slipped 0.28% … Read more

How Afghanistan internet blackout disrupted education, trade, and daily life

Afghan citizens reconnect online after Afghanistan internet blackout

KABUL, Afghanistan — For nearly two days last week, Afghanistan’s internet and phone networks went dark, leaving millions of citizens cut off from the outside world and sparking global concern.  The unprecedented blackout highlighted both the Taliban’s capacity to control communications and the limits of authoritarian power in an increasingly connected society. On Monday evening, … Read more

Russ Vought’s Shutdown Gamble: Inside Trump’s Plan to Cut Jobs and Reshape Washington

Russ Vought with Donald Trump discussing shutdown strategy at the White House

WASHINGTON — As the federal government enters another shutdown, one name has emerged at the center of the administration’s response Russ Vought.  The director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, a longtime policy strategist and ally of former President Donald Trump, is playing an outsized role in determining how the shutdown unfolds … Read more

YouTube TV Avoids Blackout After Google NBCUniversal Agreement Extends Peacock and NBC Networks

Logos of NBC and YouTube TV side by side, representing the new Google NBCUniversal agreement to keep NBC shows on YouTube TV

Alphabet Inc.’s Google and Comcast owned NBCUniversal have reached a multi year agreement to keep NBC’s full lineup of television programming available on YouTube TV, ending a tense round of negotiations that had raised concerns over potential blackouts for millions of subscribers. The deal ensures that popular NBCUniversal shows including Sunday Night Football, The Voice … Read more

Pope Leo’s critique of Trump ends honeymoon with conservative Catholics

Pope Leo alongside U.S. President Donald Trump amid growing debate over immigration policies — Pope Leo’s critique of Trump sparks conservative backlash.

VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo’s early goodwill with conservative Catholics appears to be fading after the pontiff criticized US President Donald Trump’s immigration policies, questioning whether they align with the Church’s pro life doctrine. The remarks, delivered Tuesday during a press briefing with Vatican correspondents, drew sharp responses from American conservatives who had initially embraced … Read more

Berkshire Hathaway OxyChem Deal: Buffett’s $9.7 Billion Acquisition Signals New Era Before Exit

Warren Buffett discusses Berkshire Hathaway OxyChem deal worth $9.7 billion

OMAHA, Neb. — Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway announced Thursday it reached an agreement to purchase Occidental Petroleum’s petrochemical division, OxyChem, for $9.7 billion in cash marking the conglomerate’s largest acquisition since 2022 and one of Buffett’s final major deals before stepping down as CEO. The transaction reflects Berkshire’s confidence in the industrial and chemical sectors … Read more

DoorDash Robot Deliveries Are Here: Company Shocks Market With Restaurant Reservations Expansion

DoorDash robot deliveries debut in U.S. with new autonomous robot Dot and restaurant reservation expansion

SAN FRANCISCO — DoorDash is expanding its services beyond traditional food delivery, introducing restaurant reservations and autonomous robot deliveries in select US markets as it looks to stay ahead in the competitive on demand delivery industry. The San Francisco based company announced Tuesday it will roll out a new Going Out tab for restaurant reservations … Read more