Controversial Ex-Trump Aide Appointed to High State Department Position

Alphabet, the parent company of Google, reported fourth-quarter earnings that fell short of Wall Street expectations, leading to a more than 6% decline in its stock price. The company posted $96.5 billion in revenue, slightly below estimates of $96.67 billion, despite surpassing earnings per share forecasts with $2.15. According to CEO Sundar Pichai, growth was bolstered by advancements in artificial intelligence, as the company aims to enhance its core business and competitive advantage. Analysts are increasingly concerned about the heightened competition within the AI sector, particularly from emerging players like China's DeepSeek and OpenAI. According to Emarketer’s Evelyn Mitchell-Wolf, Google faces a “challenging year,” with the potential risk of losing its dominance in search due to shifting consumer behavior and increased antitrust scrutiny. Alphabet plans to invest approximately $75 billion in capital expenditures in 2025, primarily to expand its AI capabilities. Meanwhile, the recent changes in the company's AI usage policies have sparked debates about its role in national security and technology applications. Additional scrutiny also arises from ongoing antitrust challenges in the U.S. and regulatory actions in China.

U.S. President Donald Trump suggested that displaced Palestinians from Gaza should be permanently resettled outside the war-torn territory during a recent meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House. Emphasizing the unsustainable living conditions in Gaza, Trump remarked, “I don’t think people should be going back,” and advocated for relocating them to places that would allow them to live safely and happily. These comments align with a broader approach by Trump’s administration, which has suggested that reconstruction timelines for Gaza are impractical due to ongoing violence. While Trump mentioned Egypt and Jordan as potential host countries for resettlement, both nations and other regional stakeholders, including the Palestinian Authority and the Arab League, have firmly rejected such proposals. Trump believes these nations may eventually reconsider due to U.S. financial aid leverage. The discussion occurs at a critical point as a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is tested, with Netanyahu facing pressure from domestic hard-liners to resume military action, highlighting the complexity of the situation on the ground.

Authorities have confirmed that the remains of all 67 victims from last week's midair collision between American Airlines Flight 5342 and an Army Black Hawk helicopter near Washington, DC, have been recovered, according to a statement from city and federal officials. The chief medical examiner is still identifying one set of remains, highlighting the ongoing efforts to provide closure for the victims' families. Crews continue salvage operations in the Potomac River, retrieving significant parts of the jetliner, which was approaching Ronald Reagan National Airport when the incident occurred on February 1, 2025. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) stated that recovery efforts are being influenced by wind and tidal conditions, with a focus on the plane's wreckage first before addressing the helicopter's recovery later this week. Among those on board the American Airlines flight were 60 passengers and four crew members returning from the US Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas. Federal investigators are working to determine the cause of the collision, with a preliminary report expected within 30 days. This incident marks the deadliest aviation accident in the US since November 2001.