UK's Johnson invites Bill Gates, JPMorgan's Dimon, others to dinner -The Telegraph

Yahoo Finance
Alibaba stock surges as Chinese tech giant touts 'robust' AI momentum
Alibaba stock surged Thursday after the company reported quarterly earnings ahead of Wall Street’s expectations and highlighted the results of its aggressive push into the artificial intelligence space.
Associated Press
Indigenous resistance stalls Colombia's potential renewable energy boom in La Guajira
This arid, wind-swept region, dotted with cacti and roaming herds of goats, holds immense potential to position Colombia as a wind and solar energy leader. The Wayuu have concerns about the environmental and cultural impacts and the lack of prior consultation in what's one of the nation’s poorest regions. Now, these companies are also eyeing the region’s offshore wind farm prospects.
Associated Press
The Pacific diving paradise of Palau wants travelers to explore its cultural depths, too
While researching an upcoming trip to Palau, a tiny island nation dotting Micronesia’s western edge, I found endless information about its famed mushroom-shaped Rock Islands and spectacular diving sites, including over 50 World War II wrecks. The remote archipelago’s efforts to encourage activities like village tours and traditional handicraft workshops appears to be helping tourism rebound from pandemic-era lows. Visitor numbers have surged from about 5,000 in 2021 to more than 50,000 in 2024, according to the country’s visitors authority.
Time
What the Founding Fathers Said About Monarchy
Trump declared himself “king”—something the crafters of the Constitution hoped the U.S. would avoid.
Associated Press
Sightly more Americans apply for unemployment benefits last week, but layoffs remain relatively low
The number of Americans filing for jobless benefits rose by 5,000 to 219,000 for the week ending Feb. 15, the Labor Department said Thursday. Weekly applications for jobless benefits are considered a proxy for layoffs. Earlier this month, the Labor Department reported that U.S. employers added 143,000 jobs in January, significantly fewer than December’s 256,000 job gains.
AFP
DR Congo unrest sparks biggest refugee wave to Burundi in 25 years
Burundi is dealing with its biggest influx of refugees in 25 years as families flee the escalating conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the United Nations refugee agency said.The 25-year-old motorbike taxi rider said armed groups had "started firing in all directions", leaving the family no option but to run.
Associated Press
When the pope is sick, Italians always gossip about who comes next - even before 'Conclave'
While the Vatican has been providing twice-daily updates on his condition and Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni said they “joked around as usual” during her visit Wednesday, all kinds of reports — true and not — abound about Francis' health. It doesn’t help that the Oscar-nominated movie “Conclave” is in theaters and has made everyone an expert in the arcane rules and spectacular drama involved in a papal election. Or that Francis recently extended the term of the dean of the College of Cardinals rather than find someone new to fill a key job during the next papal transition.
Reuters
White House adviser urges Ukraine to tone down criticism
The White House continued to press Kyiv on Thursday with its efforts to bring an end to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, urging it to rein in criticism and quickly sign a minerals deal pushed by U.S. President Donald Trump. "They need to tone it down and take a hard look and sign that deal," Mike Waltz, the White House national security adviser, said in an interview with Fox News. Pushback from Ukraine on the minerals deal and how Trump is carrying out peace talks is simply unacceptable, Waltz said, given everything the United States has done for Ukraine.
Associated Press
The Latest: Trump supports Musk’s idea to send some DOGE savings to American citizens
President Donald Trump said that he likes the idea of giving some of the savings from Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency back to U.S. citizens as a kind of dividend. This comes as labor unions, Democrats and federal employees have filed several lawsuits against DOGE. The Resolute Desk, an Oval Office mainstay, “is being lightly refinished,” Trump posted on social media.
USA TODAY
Iranian Christians feared death in Iran. Then the US deported them to Panama.
Iranian Christians were flown to Panama after seeking asylum at the U.S. border. The flights are part of Trump's strategy to expel migrants.
AFP
South Korea's ousted PM says he tried to stop martial law decree
South Korea's ousted premier said on Thursday that he had opposed suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol's declaration of martial law, testifying for the first time at his former boss's impeachment trial about the events of a night that threw the country into turmoil.Much of Yoon's impeachment trial has centred on the question of whether he violated the constitution by declaring martial law, which is reserved for national emergencies or times of war.
USA TODAY
Hegseth orders $50 billion of defense budget redirected from Biden to Trump priorities
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the funds will be pulled from 'so-called "climate change" and other woke programs.'
USA TODAY
What's next for NYC Mayor Eric Adams? That depends on one judge and the NY governor
Adams, facing corruption charges and possibly a gubernatorial ouster, planned a full day of standared mayoral actitives Thursday.
Reuters
Indonesia anti-graft body arrests senior opposition official
Indonesian investigators on Thursday arrested a senior politician from the only opposition party in parliament in a long-running bribery case connected to a parliamentary appointment, the country's anti-graft agency chief said. Hasto Kristiyanto, secretary general of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, known as PDIP, was arrested on charges of bribing an election official to install his preferred politician in a parliamentary seat in 2019, and obstruction of justice, Setyo Budiyanto said at a press conference.
AFP
Walmart sales rise but shares tumble on forecast
Walmart reported solid fourth-quarter results Thursday behind higher US sales, but shares tumbled after its quarterly and annual projections missed estimates.Shares of the retail behemoth fell around eight percent in pre-market trading after the company projected annual profits of between $2.50 and $2.60 a share in fiscal 2026, below the $2.77 expected by analysts.
CNN
A Delta flight crashed and overturned while landing in Toronto. Here’s what we know
A Delta Air Lines flight from Minneapolis crashed, turned upside down and caught fire on the runway at Toronto Pearson International Airport while attempting to land Monday, the latest in a string of passenger plane crashes since December.
Associated Press
Ancient deity, pet and endangered species. Why is axolotl Mexico's most beloved amphibian?
Legend has it the axolotl was not always an amphibian. Long before it became Mexico’s most beloved salamander and efforts to prevent its extinction flourished, it was a sneaky god. “It’s an interesting little animal,” said Yanet Cruz, head of the Chinampaxóchitl Museum in Mexico City.
CNN
Hamas hands over bodies of four Israeli hostages, said to include Bibas children and their mother
Hamas on Thursday handed over the bodies of four Israeli hostages held in Gaza — the first time the group has released deceased captives since October 7, 2023.
Time
Denmark’s PM Opens Up About Fiery Trump Call Over Greenland
In an exclusive interview, Mette Frederiksen discusses the incident and new transatlantic tensions over NATO and Ukraine.
Yahoo Finance
Mercedes-Benz CEO on Trump tariffs: We are an American company too
Auto tariffs are the topic of the moment with industry leaders. Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Källenius says

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