Amazon founder and Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos said on Wednesday that he's optimistic about President-elect Trump's second term.
Driving the news: "I'm very optimistic that President Trump is serious about this regulatory agenda, and I think he has a good chance of succeeding," Bezos told Andrew Ross Sorkin at the New York Times DealBook Summit.
Firms that provide security to executives are bracing for an influx of calls after the head of UnitedHealthcare, Brian Thompson, was shot and killed yesterday in what appeared to be a targeted attack in midtown Manhattan.
Why it matters: It's not uncommon for high-profile executives to hire security guards. Thompson, however, was a relative unknown and had no protection.
The French government collapsed on Wednesday as parliament voted to oust Prime Minister Michel Barnier and his cabinet, throwing the nation into the worst political and fiscal turmoil in decades.
Why it matters: The chaos leaves Europe's second largest economy without a functioning government for the first time in 60 years — the most severe fallout to date from the efforts to shrink its deficit.
Defense contractor Anduril and ChatGPT maker OpenAI Wednesday announced "a strategic partnership to develop and responsibly deploy advanced artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for national security missions" with an initial focus on anti-drone systems.
Why it matters: The U.S. now sees AI as a global race, chiefly with China, to dominate the new technology and use it to further national interests. At the same time, debates still rage about AI's reliability and long-term safety.
The D.C. Attorney General's Office (OAG) is suing Amazon for allegedly duping residents in majority Black and low-income D.C. ZIP codes into paying for Prime membership delivery benefits they aren't actually receiving.
The big picture: Amazon has since 2022 secretly withheld its quick delivery service to 48,000 Prime members in Northeast and Southeast ZIP codes that include Anacostia, Kenilworth, Deanwood and Fort Dupont, the OAG alleges in a release Wednesday.
President-elect Trump announced Wednesday that he has nominated Jared Isaacman, billionaire and commercial astronaut, as the next head of NASA.
Why it matters: Isaacman is a close associate of Elon Musk, who has emerged as one of Trump's biggest backers, and his selection is a boon for Musk's company SpaceX.
Complex, the media brand covering pop culture like streetwear and music, will relaunch its flagship magazine this week and release quarterly editions, editor-in-chief Aria Hughes tells Axios.
Why it matters: The investment is part of a broader print revival among publishers as they tap into nostalgia and utilize physical products as marketing tools.
Edelman has reduced its global workforce by more than 5% — impacting about 330 employees — and will sunset several of its subsidiary boutique agencies, according to a memo obtained by Axios.
Why it matters: This is part of a broader demand across the industry for more streamlined, integrated PR support that includes corporate reputation, brand marketing and public affairs.
Venture capital's distribution drought isn't parching all employees of VC-backed companies, thanks to a growing number of private stock tenders.
By the numbers: Tender activity climbed 44% year-over-year in Q3 2024, according to new data from Carta, which is one of the largest startup equity and VC fund administrators.
The CEO of insurance company UnitedHealthcare was shot and killed in a broad daylight attack in New York City early Wednesday.
What's happening: Brian Thompson, 50, who led the insurance division of UnitedHealth Group, died after a masked man fired at him repeatedly outside of a midtown Manhattan Hilton around 6:40 a.m.
SpaceX is the most valuable defense contractor in the world. Its valuation has reportedly increased by $140 billion — more than the total value of Lockheed Martin — just since June.
Why it matters: Investors aren't necessarily clamoring for SpaceX shares because Starlink has suddenly become more profitable or rocket launches more numerous. Instead, they're buying into Elon Musk's proximity to President-elect Donald Trump.
President-elect Trump's bombastic policy threats, Mar-a-Lago missives and mere presence have become a driving force in markets and capitals around the world, six weeks before Trump's inauguration.
Why it matters: Only one man occupies the White House. But the norm-busting assertiveness of Trump and his transition team — and the rapidly fading relevance of President Biden — have given the U.S. something of a two-headed presidency.
A man in California has been arrested for allegedly sending weapons and ammunition to North Korea from the U.S., prosecutors announced Tuesday.
The big picture: Shenghua Wen, a Chinese national living unlawfully in Ontario, Calif., is accused of spending $2 million on weapons for Pyongyang and allegedly told the FBI he believed Kim Jong-un's regime wanted the arms "to prepare for an attack against South Korea," per a criminal complaint.
