Live Nation executives are reportedly attempting to sidestep the Justice Department's antitrust division to negotiate directly with senior officials, potentially fracturing the Trump administration's approach to the company's monopoly trial, according to The Verge. Meanwhile, reports indicate that Chinese banks have been urged to limit their holdings of U.S. Treasuries, raising concerns about foreign investor behavior towards U.S. assets, as reported by Fortune.
According to The Verge, settlement discussions are underway with pro-business DOJ officials outside of the antitrust division. This move suggests a potential rift within the Justice Department regarding the handling of the Live Nation case. The article, published February 9, 2026, notes that the executives are hoping to avoid a monopoly trial.
Fortune reported that the Trump administration is likely to be concerned by reports that Chinese banks are being encouraged to reduce their holdings of U.S. Treasuries. This comes after Deutsche Bank faced criticism from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent for suggesting foreign investors might leverage their U.S. debt holdings against the White House. The administration's reaction to foreign investor behavior, particularly regarding U.S. Treasuries, is a key focus.
In other news, according to Wired, over 160 companies in New York state have filed notices of mass layoffs since March, but none have attributed their workforce cuts to technological innovation or automation. This is despite many companies celebrating the offloading of repetitive tasks to AI systems. The New York Department of Labor confirmed that no employer had marked technology as the reason for workforce reduction by the end of January.
Elsewhere, The Verge reported on the use of 3D-printed whistles to alert neighbors to the presence of ICE agents. The whistles are part of a campaign to fight against ICE, with the goal of helping neighbors alert each other when they see ICE agents abducting people.
Finally, according to Hacker News, the Matrix open communication protocol is gaining ground in government IT, driven by growing interest in digital sovereignty. The protocol handles one-to-one and group messaging, encrypted VoIP calls, and video conferencing.
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