Republicans forge their tax bill in Trump’s image, with ‘MAGA accounts’ and more
WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans are in the final rounds of negotiations over a sweeping budget plan that has been significantly influenced by President Donald Trump’s priorities. Many GOP lawmakers expect the bill will only make it through the finish line if Trump personally weighs with members. It is not unusual in the modern era for a president to direct the legislative priorities in Congress, but many House Republicans see Trump’s role as singular and decisive as they aim to pass the bill before Memorial Day.
Microsoft says it provided AI to Israeli military for war but denies use to harm people in Gaza
WASHINGTON (AP) — Microsoft acknowledged Thursday that it sold advanced artificial intelligence and cloud computing services to the Israeli military during the war in Gaza and aided in efforts to locate and rescue Israeli hostages. But the company also said it has found no evidence to date that its Azure platform and AI technologies were used to target or harm people in Gaza. The unsigned blog post on Microsoft’s corporate website appears to be the company’s first public acknowledgement of its deep involvement in the war in Gaza. It comes nearly three months after an investigation by The Associated Press revealed previously unreported details about the American tech giant’s close partnership with the Israeli Ministry of Defense.
Colombia seeks to join China-based development bank as Latin America drifts away from Washington
MIAMI (AP) — Colombia’s government has applied to join a China-based development bank. It’s another sign of Latin America’s drift away from the U.S. as the Trump administration’s foreign aid cuts, trade barriers and crackdown on immigration spurs many leaders in the region to seek closer ties with Washington’s geopolitical rival. The announcement was made by President Gustavo Petro as he wrapped up a visit to China this week with a stop in Shanghai to visit the New Development Bank. The multilateral lender was set up a decade ago. Petro told reporters in China on Saturday that Colombia is committed to purchasing $512 million worth of shares in the bank.
US cable giants Charter and Cox, under assault by streaming services, pursue $34.5 billion merger
Charter Communications is merging with Cox Communications in an approximately $34.5 billion deal that brings together two of the biggest cable companies in the country. Charter said Friday that it will acquire Cox Communications’ commercial fiber and managed IT and cloud businesses. Cox Enterprises will contribute Cox Communications’ residential cable business to Charter Holdings, an existing subsidiary partnership of Charter. The transaction includes $12.6 billion of debt and other obligations.
US consumer sentiment slides to 3-year lows as trade war raises inflation anxiety
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. consumer sentiment fell slightly in May for the fifth straight month as Americans increasingly worry that President Donald Trump’s trade war will worsen inflation. The preliminary reading of the University of Michigan’s closely watched consumer sentiment index, released Friday, declined 2.7% on a monthly basis to 50.8, the lowest since June 2022. Since January, sentiment has tumbled nearly 30%. Americans have largely taken a sour view about where the economy is headed in the wake of the Trump administration’s imposition of huge import duties, which threaten to slow growth and push up prices.
FDA OKs first blood test that can help diagnose Alzheimer’s disease
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. health officials have endorsed the first blood test that can help diagnose Alzheimer’s. The test would help identify patients who may benefit from drugs that can modestly slow the memory-destroying disease. It can aid doctors in determining whether a patient’s memory problems are due to Alzheimer’s or a number of other medical conditions that can cause cognitive difficulties. The Food and Drug Administration cleared it on Friday for patients 55 and older who are showing early signs of the disease.
Federal judge strikes down workplace protections for transgender workers
A federal judge in Texas struck down guidance from a government agency specifying protections against workplace harassment based on gender identity and sexual orientation. Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk of U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas on Thursday determined that the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission exceeded its statutory authority when the agency issued guidance to employers against deliberately using the wrong pronouns for an employee, refusing them access to bathrooms corresponding with their gender identity, and barring employees from wearing dress code-compliant clothing according to their gender identity because they may constitute forms of workplace harassment.
Like it or not, the Like button has changed the world
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The internet wouldn’t be the same without the Like button, the thumbs-up icon that Facebook and other online services turned into digital catnip. Like it or not, the button has served as a creative catalyst, a dopamine delivery system, a tribal totem pole and an emotional battering ram. It also became an international tourist attraction after Facebook plastered the symbol on a giant sign on that stood outside its Silicon Valley headquarters until the company rebranded itself as Meta Platforms in 2021. A new book delves into the convoluted story behind a symbol that’s become both the manna and bane of a digitally driven society.
CEO of Novo Nordisk, maker of weight loss drug Wegovy, to step down in wake of share price drop
FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk, maker of blockbuster weight loss drug Wegovy, says its CEO is stepping down. The move announced Friday comes by “mutual agreement” with the company’s board of directors. The Danish company is citing “recent market challenges” and also a steep decline in the company’s share price. The departure of CEO Lars Fruergaard Jorgensen comes a week after the company downgraded its sales and profits forecast. And that follows a more than 50% decline in the company’s shares since mid-2024.
Cannes promotional stunts, once a feature of the festival, go missing
CANNES, France (AP) — You can get nostalgic about almost anything at the Cannes Film Festival, even Jerry Seinfeld on a zip line in a bumblebee costume. For many years, Cannes has played host not just to an endless stream of artistically ambitious movies, but to some of Hollywood’s most extreme promotional gambits. With so many films packed into the 12-day festival and with much of the world watching, there are high stakes to standing out in Cannes. But in recent years, the Cannes stunt has turned into an endangered species. Hopes that Tom Cruise might revive a dormant tradition passed with the relatively sedate premiere of “Mission: Impossible — Final Reckoning.”
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