CEOs in Minnesota Urge De-escalation After Recent Shooting

Over 60 CEOs of Minnesota-based companies have signed an open letter posted on the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce website, calling for state, local, and federal officials to work together in the wake of recent tensions in the state and across the country. The CEOs, including William Brown of 3M, Corie Barry of Best Buy, Jeff Harmening of General Mills, and others, are urging for a collaborative effort to address the aftermath of two fatal shootings by federal agents, which have sparked protests and raised questions about immigration enforcement.

The letter comes in the midst of a massive immigration enforcement operation that has seen widespread protests and backlash against businesses seen as aiding federal immigration efforts. Among the targeted businesses is Minneapolis-based Target, which has been the subject of demonstrations.

EU Investigates Musk’s AI Chatbot Over Deepfake Controversy

European Union regulators have opened a formal investigation into Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, after its AI chatbot, Grok, started producing non-consensual sexualized deepfake images. The investigation comes after Grok sparked backlash for using AI to undress people, including children, in images. Some governments have even banned the service or issued warnings. The EU executive is examining whether X has met its obligations under the Digital Services Act, which requires companies to contain illegal content. A spokesperson for X has stated that the platform remains committed to safety and has a zero-tolerance policy for child sexual exploitation and non-consensual nudity.

US Stocks Rise as Gold Hits Record High and Dollar Falls

US stocks are slightly up, while other markets make more significant moves, including another record-breaking surge for the price of gold. The S&P 500 rose 0. 4% on Monday, making up for its losses from the previous week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 143 points, and the Nasdaq composite also saw a slight increase. Energy technology company Baker Hughes led the way with a stronger-than-expected profit report. Meanwhile, the price of gold briefly surpassed $5,100 per ounce for the first time, and the US dollar continued to weaken against other currencies, with the Japanese yen seeing the most significant jump.

Massive Winter Storm Causes Over 11,400 Flight Cancellations

A massive winter storm has resulted in a brutal travel day on Sunday, causing widespread cancellations and delays at some of the nation’s busiest airports. According to flight-tracking site FlightAware, over 11,400 flights were canceled on Sunday. This is the highest cancellation event since the pandemic began, with over 29% of all US departing flights being axed, according to aviation analytics company Cirium.

Trump Administration Invests in US Rare Earth Miner to Loosen China’s Grip on Supply

The US government is taking a minority stake in an Oklahoma rare earth miner, the latest investment in the sector as the country seeks to reduce its dependence on imports of a material used in smartphones, robotics, and