Axios

Luigi Mangione, the suspect charged with murder in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, was denied bail in Pennsylvania Tuesday, according to a Blair County Courthouse clerk.

The big picture: Following a nationwide manhunt, Mangione, 26, was arrested in Pennsylvania Monday on forgery and gun charges. He faces murder and other charges in New York.

Boeing has resumed production of its 737 Max as it tries to put a nightmarish year behind it.

Why it matters: The jet maker is trying to get back on its feet after a bruising strike and a series of quality and safety breakdowns that have undermined production, deliveries and its bottom line.

King County Superior Court Judge Marshall Ferguson ruled today that the merger of Kroger and Albertsons violated Washington state consumer protection law and blocked it from moving forward there.

Why it matters: His decision, delayed from mid-November, quickly follows a federal court blocking the proposed combination.

General Motors is shutting down its Cruise robotaxi project, citing intense competition for self-driving cars and the steep costs associated with developing them.

Why it matters: GM had heralded the Cruise as central to its self-driving vehicle strategy.

A federal court on Tuesday issued a preliminary injunction against the proposed merger of grocery giants Kroger and Albertsons, siding with the Biden administration.

Why it matters: The ruling, according to Kroger's own assertion, is certain to doom the merger.

President-elect Trump promised an expedited pathway to permits and project approvals for anyone investing $1 billion in the United States.

Why it matters: It's not clear who would be eligible, or for what kind of projects, nor how the federal government would do away with the usual labyrinth of regulatory hurdles.

Microsoft shareholders have voted down a proposal to force the board to specifically evaluate investing some of the company's assets in bitcoin, following the recommendation directors.

Why it matters: Exchange-traded products in the U.S. have given institutional investors ready access to the original cryptocurrency, but the Microsoft decision shows that not everyone wants in quite yet.

The Daily Wire is looking to possibly partner with a larger company or raise a significant round of capital next year to meet its growth ambitions, its co-CEO Jeremy Boreing told Axios.

Why it matters: The company's commercial success has caught the attention of investors and potential buyers looking to gain a foothold in the younger conservative culture.

Holiday shopping is in high gear and so are delivery package scams where scammers impersonate USPS, UPS and FedEx via text and email.

Why it matters: Americans lost roughly $1.3 billion in 2023 to scammers pretending to be from the government or tech support, according to FBI data.

In roughly a year, The Free Press — a media startup launched by former New York Times writer and editor Bari Weiss — has accrued nearly 1 million email sign-ups, more than 136,000 of which are paid subscribers, Weiss told Axios.

Why it matters: Weiss, a pioneer in both business and media, is a rare connector between the West and East Coasts, which typically live in their own bubbles.

Walgreens shares spiked more than 20% on Tuesday, following a Wall Street Journal report that the company is in talks to be taken private by private equity firm Sycamore Partners.

Why it matters: Walgreens is the country's second-largest non-grocery pharmacy chain, with over 12,000 locations.

Former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) will join One America News Network's primetime lineup in January, the network announced Tuesday.

Why it matters: Gaetz's next steps have been an open question following his decision to withdraw as President-elect Trump's short-lived attorney general nominee.

Nippon Life Insurance of Japan is in advanced talks to buy control of Bermuda-based insurer Resolution Life from investors like private equity giant Blackstone for $8.2 billion, as first reported by Nikkei.

Why it matters: It would be the largest-ever acquisition by a Japanese insurer, and reflects how the sector is seeking to diversify as the domestic population ages and shrinks.

Snacking giant Mondelez is kicking kisses on Hershey Co., eight years after being rebuffed by the iconic chocolatier, according to Bloomberg.

The big picture: Hershey is one of the toughest U.S. companies to buy, despite being publicly traded, due to its unusual corporate structure and a unique state law.

Spotify ended last week worth more than $100 billion — a fivefold increase in less than two years.

Why it matters: Spotify is now worth more than twice as much as Universal Music Group, home to artists including Taylor Swift and Drake.

The news that Nvidia is being investigated by Chinese antitrust authorities helped to depress the S&P 500 on Monday. Some stock analysts, however, are worried less about the volatility in megacaps and more about stretched valuations everywhere else in the market.

Why it matters: The valuation of the S&P 500 is very concentrated in a handful of tech stocks. But those "Magnificent 7" companies are mostly trading at valuations they've seen before. It's the rest of the market that's in uncharted territory.

The incoming Trump administration will give Silicon Valley moguls unprecedented federal power, with tech-friendly officials and policies intertwined throughout government.

Why it matters: The tech economy's most aggressive disrupters want to apply their ethos and thinking to government. AI, crypto and move-fast, break-things thinking will be at the center of the new Washington agenda — with America's technological lead over China in the balance, and vast fortunes at stake.

If your New Year's resolution is to use all of your PTO, here's how to best do it in 2025 by creating longer stretches of time off.

Why it matters: Research shows that taking time away from work improves well-being.

New York Mets owner and hedge-fund titan Steve Cohen just shocked the sports world, agreeing to pay outfielder Juan Soto $765 million to play baseball for him over the next 15 years.

Why it matters: The nearly 10-figure deal, the biggest contract in the history of pro sports, is huge for Juan Soto — but it might end up being a winner for Cohen too.

Daniel Penny, a Marine veteran charged with criminally negligent homicide in the chokehold death of Jordan Neely, a Black unhoused man, on a New York City subway train, was acquitted by an N.Y. jury on Monday.

The big picture: The death of the 30-year-old Michael Jackson impersonator who performed in Times Square triggered a wave of demonstrations at the time and Black Lives Matter members protested throughout the trial of Penny, who is white, per the New York Times.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said Monday some reactions to the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson have been "deeply disturbing, as some have looked to celebrate instead of condemning this killer."

The big picture: Shapiro noted at a Monday evening briefing the outpouring of online vitriol toward the insurance industry since Thompson's killing in New York City last week.

Altoona, Pennsylvania, police arrested a person of interest in connection with the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on Monday, following a tip from an employee at a local McDonald's.

The big picture: Thompson's killing in New York City last week sparked a nationwide manhunt and triggered a groundswell of online vitriol toward the insurance industry, turning the anonymous shooter into a folk hero figure for many.

New York prosecutors filed a murder charge against Luigi Mangione in connection with the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, on Monday night, according to online court documents.

The big picture: Mangione, 26, was arrested in Pennsylvania on forgery and gun charges earlier Monday. He also faces several other charges in N.Y.

Luigi Mangione, 26, was arrested in Pennsylvania Monday and charged with five counts unrelated to the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Mangione is a person of interest in Thompson's death.

The big picture: Thompson's killing in New York City sparked a nationwide manhunt and triggered an outpouring of online vitriol toward the insurance industry. N.Y. prosecutors filed a murder charge and other charges against Mangione late Monday.