SpaceX and xAI in merger talks ahead of record IPO
SpaceX and Elon Musk's xAI are negotiating a potential merger that could pave the way for the largest initial public offering in history, according to an exclusive Reuters report. The deal would unite Musk's aerospace powerhouse with his AI venture, folding the Starlink satellite network, the X social media platform, and the Grok AI......
Siemens tops German market value after SAP's sharp decline
Siemens AG has overtaken SAP SE to become Germany's most valuable listed company, following a steep sell-off in the software giant's shares triggered by investor disappointment over its 2026 cloud outlook. SAP's stock plunged as much as 17 percent in session trading, trimming its market capitalization to around 199 billion euros......
China ends credit restrictions that sparked property crisis
China has officially scrapped its "three red lines" policy for real estate developers, lifting the strict credit limits that ignited a debt crisis still rippling through the world's second-largest economy. According to a report from China Real Estate Business, a publication under the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development,......
Submarine mountains and waves stir Pacific Ocean depths
A fresh study unveils surprising activity in the deep Pacific Ocean, where waters just above the seafloor churn dynamically under the influence of distant surface waves and underwater topography. Far from the static abyss many imagine, this bottom boundary layer fluctuates dramatically in thickness, shaped by submarine mountains and tidal-generated......
Microsoft loses $357 billion in second-largest single-day market drop
Microsoft's market capitalization plunged by $357 billion on Thursday, securing the second-largest one-day loss in stock market history. Investors punished the tech giant over slowing cloud growth and rising doubts about the returns from its massive artificial intelligence investments. The stock closed down nearly 10 percent, marking......
Trump claims Putin agreed to pause strikes on Kyiv for a week
President Donald Trump announced Thursday that Russian President Vladimir Putin accepted a temporary halt to strikes on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities for one week, citing extreme cold gripping the region. Trump made the claim during a White House cabinet meeting, though Russia has not officially confirmed any such deal. "I personally......
U.S. Treasury labels yuan largely undervalued, warns China
The U.S. Treasury labeled China's yuan "largely undervalued" on Thursday and urged Beijing to let it appreciate, toughening its tone in the semiannual currency report while stopping short of naming China a currency manipulator. The assessment cites China's "extremely large and growing external surpluses," warning......
Venezuela ends 20 years of state oil control with new law
Venezuela's National Assembly approved a sweeping overhaul of the country's hydrocarbons law on Thursday, dismantling over two decades of state dominance in the oil sector and opening the door to private investment in the world's largest proven crude reserves. The vote signals a dramatic break from the socialist economic model......
Israeli officials expect Trump Iran strike decision soon
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened a high-level security consultation in Jerusalem on Thursday with top advisors and defense officials on a "classified matter," Israeli media reported, as the United States edges toward a potential military strike on Iran amid soaring regional tensions. Discussions zeroed in on Iran and the......
Angelina Jolie demands accountability after deadly Iran protests
Angelina Jolie has spotlighted the human cost of Iran's ongoing protests by sharing a photo of a seven-year-old girl at her mother's grave, calling for justice amid a brutal government crackdown that rights groups say has claimed thousands of lives. In an Instagram post on Tuesday, the actress and humanitarian featured the grieving......
Nasa starts critical Artemis II fueling test ahead of moon mission
Two days after families gathered at Kennedy Space Center to mark the 40th anniversary of the Challenger disaster, NASA presses forward with final preparations for Artemis II, the first crewed lunar flyby since 1972. The space agency launched wet dress rehearsal operations Thursday evening at Launch Pad 39B, a pivotal fueling test to confirm......
Gold plunges nearly $500 in widest intraday swing since 2013
Gold and silver prices plunged from record highs on Thursday in one of the most volatile trading sessions in over a decade. The precious metal saw a staggering swing of nearly $500 per ounce, wiping out roughly $3.4 trillion in market capitalization before a partial recovery. This marked the largest intraday price range since April 2013, with......
Russia and Ukraine pause energy strikes, bloggers claim
Military bloggers from both Russia and Ukraine report a mutual halt to attacks on energy infrastructure, though neither government has confirmed the arrangement. These unverified claims surfaced on January 29, fueling talk of a diplomatic shift after recent U.S.-mediated talks in Abu Dhabi. Vladimir Romanov, who runs the pro-war Telegram......
German chancellor Merz dismisses Ukraine's 2027 EU membership goal
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz firmly rejected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's push for EU membership by 2027 on Wednesday, deeming the timeline "out of the question" and "impossible." This staunch opposition from Europe's most powerful member highlights deepening divisions within the bloc over the pace......
European stocks rebound as record gold prices boost mining sector
European stock markets climbed Thursday, fueled by soaring precious metals prices that propelled mining shares higher, even as technology stocks faced headwinds from disappointing results at SAP. London's FTSE 100 rose 0.6% to 10,217.40 points by midday, while the pan-European STOXX 600 gained 0.4% following a 0.8% drop in the prior session.......