South Korea Repatriates 73 Suspected Online Scammers From Cambodia in Major Crackdown 
Trump Warns UK and Canada Against Deepening Business Ties With China 
U.S.–Venezuela Relations Show Signs of Thaw as Top Envoy Visits Caracas 
Apple Forecasts Strong Revenue Growth as iPhone Demand Surges in China and India 
US Judge Rejects $2.36B Penalty Bid Against Google in Privacy Data Case 
Meta Faces Lawsuit Over Alleged Approval of AI Chatbots Allowing Sexual Interactions With Minors 
Venezuela Proposes Amnesty Law and Plans to Transform Helicoide Prison 
More Than 100 Venezuelan Political Prisoners Released Amid Ongoing Human Rights Scrutiny 
SEC Drops Gemini Enforcement Case After Full Repayment to Earn Investors 
Kevin Warsh’s Fed Nomination Raises Questions Over Corporate Ties and U.S.–South Korea Trade Tensions 
Panama Supreme Court Voids CK Hutchison Port Concessions, Raising Geopolitical and Trade Concerns 
China Approves First Import Batch of Nvidia H200 AI Chips Amid Strategic Shift 
U.S. Government Faces Brief Shutdown as Congress Delays Funding Deal 
Climate Adaptation at Home: How Irrigreen Makes Conservation Effortless 
Trump Administration Gun Comments Spark Rift With NRA Ahead of Midterms 
Apple Earnings Beat Expectations as iPhone Sales Surge to Four-Year High 
Trump Nominates Brett Matsumoto as Next Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner 
In his farewell address, President Joe Biden cautioned against the rise of an American oligarchy led by tech billionaires wielding "dangerous concentrations of power." Echoing President Eisenhower’s 1961 warning about a "military-industrial complex," Biden highlighted the emergence of a "tech industrial complex" that threatens democracy and equality.
Biden did not name individuals but noted figures like Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, and Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg. Musk, the world’s richest man, played a pivotal role in Donald Trump’s presidential victory, reportedly contributing over $250 million. These tech moguls will attend Trump’s inauguration alongside key Republican leaders.
Biden expressed concern over the influence of tech giants, citing their role in spreading misinformation and weakening traditional media. The free press, he warned, is crumbling as platforms like Meta and Musk-owned X (formerly Twitter) reduce content moderation and fact-checking.
Wall Street analysts dubbed companies like Apple, Tesla, Nvidia, and Meta the "Magnificent Seven," whose combined market value surged 46% in the past year, far outpacing the S&P 500.
Biden also addressed artificial intelligence, calling it "the most consequential technology of our time." He emphasized the need for trustworthy AI development led by democratic principles, positioning the U.S. as a global leader over China.
The growing power of tech billionaires, Biden warned, parallels the unchecked influence Eisenhower cautioned against, urging Americans to safeguard democracy in the face of evolving challenges.
