US Judge Rejects $2.36B Penalty Bid Against Google in Privacy Data Case 
Dow Hits 50,000 as U.S. Stocks Stage Strong Rebound Amid AI Volatility 
New York Judge Orders Redrawing of GOP-Held Congressional District 
Oil Prices Slide on US-Iran Talks, Dollar Strength and Profit-Taking Pressure 
Vietnam’s Trade Surplus With US Jumps as Exports Surge and China Imports Hit Record 
South Africa Eyes ECB Repo Lines as Inflation Eases and Rate Cuts Loom 
Trump Lifts 25% Tariff on Indian Goods in Strategic U.S.–India Trade and Energy Deal 
South Korea’s Weak Won Struggles as Retail Investors Pour Money Into U.S. Stocks 
Japanese Pharmaceutical Stocks Slide as TrumpRx.gov Launch Sparks Market Concerns 
Supreme Court Tests Federal Reserve Independence Amid Trump’s Bid to Fire Lisa Cook 
U.S.-India Trade Framework Signals Major Shift in Tariffs, Energy, and Supply Chains 
China Extends Gold Buying Streak as Reserves Surge Despite Volatile Prices 
Meta Faces Lawsuit Over Alleged Approval of AI Chatbots Allowing Sexual Interactions With Minors 
Thailand Inflation Remains Negative for 10th Straight Month in January 
U.S. Lawmakers to Review Unredacted Jeffrey Epstein DOJ Files Starting Monday 
U.S. Condemns South Africa’s Expulsion of Israeli Diplomat Amid Rising Diplomatic Tensions 
Federal Reserve Faces Subpoena Delay Amid Investigation Into Chair Jerome Powell 
A federal judge granted an injunction sought by Epic Games by ordering Apple Inc. to allow developers from receiving payments outside its App store, taking a big bite out of the Phone maker's profitability.
The App Store takes in over $20 billion annually with a profit margin above 75 percent.
US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers found Apple to have engaged in anticompetitive conduct for keeping consumers from getting cheaper prices by enforcing its anti-steering restrictions on developers.
But Rogers said the court cannot ultimately conclude that Apple is a monopolist.
Rogers said the remedy is to eliminate those provisions, which would increase competition, increase consumer choice and information, and increase transparency while preserving Apple’s iOS ecosystem which has procompetitive justifications.”
Epic sought a court order in August 2020 to stop what it called Apple’s “illegal restraints” on the competition. The iPhone maker had removed the Fortnite game from its App Store after Epic created a workaround to paying a 30 percent fee on customers’ in-app purchases.
However, Epic Games was also ordered by Rogers to pay Apple at least $4 million in damages for breach of contract.
Epic has also filed complaints against Apple in the EU, UK, and Australia, and is suing Google over its Google Play store.
