Business

The Verge reports: Falling debris from the SpaceX Starship explosion yesterday created what looked like a meteor shower, or a colorful fireworks show based on videos shared by people in the area, but it also delayed flights. Eight and a half minutes after launch yesterday, the upper stage of the SpaceX Starship “experienced a rapid unscheduled disassembly,” following the separation …

CNN reports: SpaceX just took to the social media platform X to rehash what happened today: Starship experienced a “rapid unscheduled disassembly.” That’s a favored SpaceX euphemism for an explosion or unplanned destruction of a launch vehicle. It’s not clear how, when or why the Starship spacecraft exploded. The vehicle is equipped with a “flight termination system,” which is designed …

CBS News reports: A Southwest Airlines pilot was removed from the cockpit ahead of a Wednesday flight from Georgia to Chicago and was booked on a charge of driving under the influence, a source familiar with the incident told CBS News. David Paul Allsop allegedly smelled of alcohol and may have shown other signs of intoxication, the source said. Airport …

Semafor reports: President-elect Donald Trump and his running mate JD Vance had lunch with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella Wednesday, along with Elon Musk, according to people briefed on the meeting. Microsoft President Brad Smith also attended the gathering at Mar-a-Lago, the latest example of the tech industry’s increasingly close relationship with Trump following his victory in the November election. Microsoft …

Politico reports: Google CEO Sundar Pichai will join the growing list of tech executives sitting on the dais as President-elect Donald Trump is sworn into office on Monday, according to a person familiar with the company’s plans who was not authorized to speak publicly. Tesla CEO Elon Musk, a close confidant of the incoming president, is expected to attend the …

CBS News reports: Locking up store merchandise can deter shoplifters and paying customers alike, according to Walgreens.  The pharmacy chain’s CEO Tim Wentworth said in Walgreens Boots Alliance’s first-quarter earnings call Tuesday that “When you lock things up … you don’t sell as many of them. We’ve kind of proven that pretty conclusively.” Keeping retail products under lock and key …

The New York Times reports: The chief executive of TikTok plans to attend President-elect Donald J. Trump’s inauguration and has been invited to sit in a position of honor on the dais, where former presidents, family members and other important guests traditionally are seated, two people familiar with the plans said Wednesday. The invitation to the executive, Shou Chew, went …

The Guardian reports: Pakistan’s prime minister has ordered an investigation after the country’s national airline released an advert that drew accusations that it evoked imagery of the 9/11 attacks. The advert was released by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) last week to celebrate the resumption of flights to Paris, which had been suspended for four years over safety concerns about its …

Newsweek reports: Donald Trump has received a special personalized inauguration present from beverage giant Coca-Cola, which previously criticized the president-elect after the January 6 Capitol riot. Coca-Cola condemned Trump and his supporters following the January 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. At the time, the company said the riots were “an offense to the ideals of …

The New York Times reports: U.S. securities regulators sued Elon Musk in federal court in Washington on Tuesday in an enforcement action arising from his $44 billion purchase of Twitter, now called X. The lawsuit against Mr. Musk, who has become a close adviser to President-elect Donald J. Trump, is likely to be one of the more contentious final acts …

NBC News reports: Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg will attend President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on Monday, according to an official involved with the planning of the event. They will have a prominent spot at the ceremony, seated together on the platform with other notable guests including Trump’s Cabinet nominees and elected officials. In a post on his social …

Reuters reports: Brazil’s government said on Tuesday it is “seriously concerned” about Meta Platforms’ recently announced changes to its hate speech policy, adding that it believes they do not comply with the country’s legislation. The Brazilian government ordered the social media company, which also owns Instagram and Threads, to explain its plans, which President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva had …

Ars Technica reports: Mastodon announced Monday that it’s shifting its structure over the next six months to become wholly owned by a European nonprofit organization—”affirming the intent that Mastodon should not be owned or controlled by a single individual.” This takes control of the social network away from its previous “ultimate decision-maker,” Eugen Rochko [photo]. As founder, Rochko initially took …

Courthouse News reports: The Supreme Court turned down an appeal from fossil fuel giants on Monday, rejecting an attempt to skirt a climate change lawsuit seeking to hold companies liable over claims of deceptive marketing about the effect of greenhouse gases. Companies such as Sunoco, Exxon Mobil, Chevron and BP said they are facing dozens of lawsuits, leaving a vital …

Yahoo News reports: Ryanair has once again called for the number of alcoholic drinks served at airport bars to be limited to two per passenger. It said such a policy would result in “a safer travel experience for passengers and crews”. Last week the airline announced that it has started taking legal action to recover losses against disruptive passengers, as …

The Washington Post reports: As Donald Trump prepares to return to the White House, Amazon has cut commitments to protecting the rights of Black and LGBTQ+ people from a public listing of its corporate policies. Statements that said Amazon supported the rights of transgender people and would protect the safety of Black employees and customers disappeared from a webpage stating …

CBS News reports: Macy’s is closing 66 store locations that it has said are underperforming. The closures are part of the storied retailer’s turnaround strategy. The company referred to the brick-and-mortar stores it’s shuttering as “non-go-forward” locations. They include outposts in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, …

CBNC reports: Google donated $1 million to President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration fund, becoming the latest major tech company to try and curry some goodwill with the incoming administration. “Google is pleased to support the 2025 inauguration, with a livestream on YouTube and a direct link on our homepage. We’re also donating to the inaugural committee,” Karan Bhatia, Google’s global head …

The Associated Press reports: Four years after launching a push for more diversity in its ranks, McDonald’s is ending some of its diversity practices, citing a U.S. Supreme Court decision that outlawed affirmative action in college admissions. McDonald’s said Monday it will retire specific goals for achieving diversity at senior leadership levels. It also intends to end a program that …

The Associated Press reports: Mexican airline Aeromexico had the world’s best record for on-time arrivals in 2024, according to an annual ranking released Thursday. Delta Air Lines scored the highest among U.S. carriers. Aviation-data provider Cirium said in a report that nearly 87% of Aeromexico flights arrived within 15 minutes of their scheduled arrival, a widely used measure of on-time …