On Monday, media watchdog organization Media Matters filed a legal motion seeking to block an ongoing investigation by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The probe examines whether the group coordinated advertising boycotts targeting Elon Musk’s social platform, X (formerly Twitter), and other publishers based on their political content or affiliations.
The European defense sector is experiencing a seismic shift as the European Union earmarks up to €800 billion (~$920 billion USD) in defense spending through 2030. This historic budget expansion comes in response to rising geopolitical tensions, war in Ukraine, and NATO's pressure on member states to meet spending thresholds. While the allocation creates fertile ground for venture capital (VC) investment, much of the funding is expected to be absorbed by entrenched prime contractors like Airbus $AIR.PA and Rheinmetall $RHM.DE — leaving start-ups to contend with formidable structural and regulatory challenges.
Several financial firms have recently updated their applications with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to launch exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that would track the price of Solana $SOLUSD, a prominent cryptocurrency token. These amendments aim to respond to regulatory questions raised by the SEC, reflecting the heightened oversight the agency exercises over crypto-related investment products. Despite these efforts, sources indicate that the SEC shows no immediate intention to expedite approval of these Solana ETFs, underscoring ongoing regulatory prudence in the U.S. crypto market.
GlobalFoundries $GFS, a leading semiconductor manufacturer headquartered in Malta, New York, declared on Wednesday a substantial increase in its investment plans to $16 billion. This capital allocation includes an additional $1 billion in capital expenditures and $3 billion devoted specifically to research and development (R&D) targeting several advanced chip manufacturing technologies.
On Tuesday, Citigroup $C announced the cancellation of its 2018 policy that restricted banking services to retail customers involved in the sale of firearms. The bank cited recent legislative changes as the primary reason for this significant shift. This move occurs against the backdrop of heightened scrutiny from lawmakers on U.S. banks and regulators since the Trump administration took office in January, with growing allegations of discriminatory practices in servicing specific industries.
Latvia-based technology firm Aerones has raised USD 62 million to scale its advanced robotic and AI solutions for the maintenance and protection of wind turbines across more than 30 countries. Backed by clients such as General Electric $GE and Enel $ENEL.MI , the funding marks a critical inflection point in the automation of wind energy infrastructure—a sector that now contributes nearly 10% of global electricity generation.
