In a move signaling potential reconciliation, Syria is returning control of Jewish religious sites and working to restore private property to Jewish owners who left the country decades ago. This historic reversal offers a glimmer of hope for the diaspora and raises questions about the future of Jewish heritage in Syria.

In a move signaling potential reconciliation, Syria is returning control of Jewish religious sites and working to restore private property to Jewish owners who left the country decades ago. This historic reversal offers a glimmer of hope for the diaspora and raises questions about the future of Jewish heritage in Syria.

Microsoft is developing the Publisher Content Marketplace (PCM), an AI licensing hub, to facilitate agreements between AI companies and content creators for using premium content to train AI models. This marketplace aims to address copyright concerns and fairly compensate publishers, like Vox Media and The Associated Press, by providing usage-based reporting and standardized licensing terms, potentially shaping the future of AI content acquisition.

Microsoft is developing the Publisher Content Marketplace (PCM), an AI licensing hub, to facilitate agreements between AI companies and content creators for using premium content to train AI models. This marketplace aims to address copyright concerns and fairly compensate publishers, like Vox Media and The Associated Press, by providing usage-based reporting and standardized licensing terms, potentially shaping the future of AI content acquisition.

Y Combinator startups can now receive their $500,000 seed funding in stablecoins (USDC) via blockchains like Base, Solana, and Ethereum, beginning with the Spring batch. This move aims to streamline international transactions, particularly for emerging market founders, and reflects YC's increasing investment and interest in blockchain technology amid evolving US crypto regulations.

Y Combinator startups can now receive their $500,000 seed funding in stablecoins (USDC) via blockchains like Base, Solana, and Ethereum, beginning with the Spring batch. This move aims to streamline international transactions, particularly for emerging market founders, and reflects YC's increasing investment and interest in blockchain technology amid evolving US crypto regulations.

British authorities have launched a criminal investigation into former UK Ambassador Peter Mandelson regarding potential misconduct in public office. The probe centers on allegations that Mandelson may have shared confidential market information with Jeffrey Epstein, prompting scrutiny from law enforcement and raising questions about potential breaches of public trust. The investigation follows a review of recently released Epstein files and could carry a significant prison sentence if misconduct is proven.

British authorities have launched a criminal investigation into former UK Ambassador Peter Mandelson regarding potential misconduct in public office. The probe centers on allegations that Mandelson may have shared confidential market information with Jeffrey Epstein, prompting scrutiny from law enforcement and raising questions about potential breaches of public trust. The investigation follows a review of recently released Epstein files and could carry a significant prison sentence if misconduct is proven.

NASA has postponed the Artemis II lunar mission, the first crewed Moon mission in over 50 years, due to issues discovered during critical pre-launch testing of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. The delay, now targeting a March launch, highlights the complexities of deep space travel and the importance of rigorous testing for ensuring astronaut safety and mission success. This mission will carry three astronauts from the U.S. and one from Canada on a ten-day journey to orbit the moon.

NASA has postponed the Artemis II lunar mission, the first crewed Moon mission in over 50 years, due to issues discovered during critical pre-launch testing of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. The delay, now targeting a March launch, highlights the complexities of deep space travel and the importance of rigorous testing for ensuring astronaut safety and mission success. This mission will carry three astronauts from the U.S. and one from Canada on a ten-day journey to orbit the moon.

Multiple news sources indicate that right-wing influencers, including Nick Shirley and Benny Johnson, are now targeting California's social welfare programs with unsubstantiated fraud accusations, mirroring tactics used in Minnesota that preceded a federal immigration enforcement operation. These creators are focusing on Somali-run childcare centers and "ghost daycares," potentially aiming to instigate a similar federal crackdown in the Democrat-run state, with support from Trump allies.

Multiple news sources indicate that right-wing influencers, including Nick Shirley and Benny Johnson, are now targeting California's social welfare programs with unsubstantiated fraud accusations, mirroring tactics used in Minnesota that preceded a federal immigration enforcement operation. These creators are focusing on Somali-run childcare centers and "ghost daycares," potentially aiming to instigate a similar federal crackdown in the Democrat-run state, with support from Trump allies.

Multiple news sources report that President Trump announced a trade deal with India, lowering tariffs to 18 after previously imposing rates as high as 50. This agreement reportedly followed a phone call where Prime Minister Modi agreed to cease purchasing Russian oil and instead buy from the U.S. and potentially Venezuela.

Multiple news sources report that President Trump announced a trade deal with India, lowering tariffs to 18 after previously imposing rates as high as 50. This agreement reportedly followed a phone call where Prime Minister Modi agreed to cease purchasing Russian oil and instead buy from the U.S. and potentially Venezuela.

Multiple news sources indicate escalating tensions between the U.S. and Iran, fueled by a build-up of U.S. military forces in the Middle East following Iranian protests and threats from President Trump regarding Iran's nuclear program. Iran views the U.S.'s demands to dismantle its nuclear enrichment program and ballistic missile capabilities as unacceptable, creating a diplomatic stalemate and raising concerns about potential conflict.

Multiple news sources indicate escalating tensions between the U.S. and Iran, fueled by a build-up of U.S. military forces in the Middle East following Iranian protests and threats from President Trump regarding Iran's nuclear program. Iran views the U.S.'s demands to dismantle its nuclear enrichment program and ballistic missile capabilities as unacceptable, creating a diplomatic stalemate and raising concerns about potential conflict.

Welsh First Minister Eluned Morgan urged the public to support struggling hospitality businesses by visiting pubs and restaurants instead of staying home and using services like Netflix, following criticism of her government's business rate policies and a newly announced one-year discount for the sector. This statement, made in response to concerns about the hospitality sector's "existential crisis," has drawn criticism from opposition leaders who accuse Morgan of deflecting blame instead of addressing the root causes of the sector's difficulties, as reported across multiple news outlets.

Welsh First Minister Eluned Morgan urged the public to support struggling hospitality businesses by visiting pubs and restaurants instead of staying home and using services like Netflix, following criticism of her government's business rate policies and a newly announced one-year discount for the sector. This statement, made in response to concerns about the hospitality sector's "existential crisis," has drawn criticism from opposition leaders who accuse Morgan of deflecting blame instead of addressing the root causes of the sector's difficulties, as reported across multiple news outlets.

Drawing from multiple sources, Henry Soong, founder of Watch Club, is attempting to disrupt the lucrative but often low-quality vertical microdrama market dominated by apps like ReelShort and DramaBox by producing higher-quality, union-backed content with embedded social networking features. Soong aims to create engaging stories that foster community and discussion, moving beyond the formulaic, AI-adjacent romance narratives prevalent in the industry.

Drawing from multiple sources, Henry Soong, founder of Watch Club, is attempting to disrupt the lucrative but often low-quality vertical microdrama market dominated by apps like ReelShort and DramaBox by producing higher-quality, union-backed content with embedded social networking features. Soong aims to create engaging stories that foster community and discussion, moving beyond the formulaic, AI-adjacent romance narratives prevalent in the industry.

Multiple news sources report that the Rafah border crossing in Gaza has reopened with limited access, while in Paris, prosecutors raided X's offices and summoned Elon Musk for questioning as part of an investigation into the spread of child sexual abuse images and deepfakes on the platform. X and Musk's AI company, xAI, are also under investigation in Britain for their handling of personal data related to the Grok chatbot.

Multiple news sources report that the Rafah border crossing in Gaza has reopened with limited access, while in Paris, prosecutors raided X's offices and summoned Elon Musk for questioning as part of an investigation into the spread of child sexual abuse images and deepfakes on the platform. X and Musk's AI company, xAI, are also under investigation in Britain for their handling of personal data related to the Grok chatbot.

Multiple sources confirm that Elon Musk's SpaceX is acquiring his AI startup, xAI, in a deal valuing the combined entity at over $1 trillion, making it the world's most valuable private company and consolidating AI, space exploration, and media ventures under one umbrella. While the merger aims to create an "innovation engine," xAI's Grok chatbot has faced scrutiny and investigations related to its AI image generation capabilities.

Multiple sources confirm that Elon Musk's SpaceX is acquiring his AI startup, xAI, in a deal valuing the combined entity at over $1 trillion, making it the world's most valuable private company and consolidating AI, space exploration, and media ventures under one umbrella. While the merger aims to create an "innovation engine," xAI's Grok chatbot has faced scrutiny and investigations related to its AI image generation capabilities.