Good morning . Donald Trump says Israel and Lebanon will cease fire for three more weeks. The European Union paves the way for Ukraine to take the next steps toward membership. And Meta and Microsoft could cut 23,000 jobs. Listen to the day’s top stories . Market Snapshot S&P 500 futures 7,151.00 +0.1% Nasdaq 100 futures 27,082.75 +0.6% WTI crude oil futures $95.97 +0.1% Spot gold $4,684.02 -0.2% ...
Good morning . Donald Trump says Israel and Lebanon will cease fire for three more weeks. The European Union paves the way for Ukraine to take the next steps toward membership. And Meta and Microsoft could cut 23,000 jobs. Listen to the day’s top stories . Market Snapshot S&P 500 futures 7,151.00 +0.1% Nasdaq 100 futures 27,082.75 +0.6% WTI crude oil futures $95.97 +0.1% Spot gold $4,684.02 -0.2% Euro $1.17 -0.0% Market data as of 07:03 AM GMT. Data is subject to provider delays. Israel and Lebanon will extend their ceasefire by three weeks, Donald Trump said, creating space to work on a long-term deal. The US president’s blitz of social media posts is hindering Iran’s willingness to engage in more peace talks, according to officials familiar with the matter. A US-sanctioned supertanker loaded with 2 million barrels of Iranian oil today attempted to cross the Strait of Hormuz, which remains effectively shut. Oil climbed for the fifth day on a lack of perceived progress on US-Iran talks. Treasury 10-year yields and Bloomberg’s dollar gauge headed for their first weekly advance in a month on fading hopes of Mideast de-escalation. Check out our Markets Today live blog for all the latest news and analysis relevant to UK assets. European Union leaders agreed to initial talks for Ukraine to begin the membership process. Earlier, the bloc finalized its deal to pay out its €90 billion loan to Kyiv after Hungary lifted its long-standing veto. And Hungary’s new ruling party wants to divert €16.2 billion in EU defense loans away from firms linked to outgoing Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Pimco privately lent more than $10 billion to state-linked borrowers in the Gulf since the war began, people familiar said. Meanwhile, energy trader Pierre Andurand’s largest hedge fund plunged 52% on bullish oil bets made at the conflict’s start. Meta and Microsoft are planning cuts or announcing buyouts that could affect as many as 23,000 jobs , as the tech giants trim expenses to pour billio...
Norway plans to restrict access to social media for children under 16, joining a growing number of countries responding to concerns about the potential harm kids face online. The bill comes after an “overwhelming” demand from the public, the government said Friday. It plans to bring the legislation to parliament before the end of the year. The limit will apply up until January 1 the year a child t...
Norway plans to restrict access to social media for children under 16, joining a growing number of countries responding to concerns about the potential harm kids face online. The bill comes after an “overwhelming” demand from the public, the government said Friday. It plans to bring the legislation to parliament before the end of the year. The limit will apply up until January 1 the year a child turns 16 with technology companies responsible for age verification, the government said. “We want a childhood where children get to be children,” Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store said in the statement. “Play, friendships, and everyday life must not be taken over by algorithms and screens.” The Nordic nation’s move follows on the heels of bans instituted recently in Australia and Greece, with multiple other nations considering similar action. Australia’s restrictions came into force in December, with 4.7 million accounts held by young users affected. Greece will end access to social media for children under 15 from the start of next year. Read More: Australia’s Social Media Ban Meets a Wave of Teen Workarounds French President Emmanuel Macron said last week that Europe must come up with a cohesive approach to protecting children online as the bloc grapples with how to regulate social networks. “Children cannot be left with the responsibility for staying away from platforms they are not allowed to use,” Karianne Tung, Norway’s minister of digitalization, said in the statement. “That responsibility rests with the companies providing these services.”