Business

Elon Musk may be on the brink of achieving the impossible: Salvaging his $44 billion investment in X

Feb. 20, 2025

In October 2022, Elon Musk paid $44 billion to buy Twitter — almost certainly an overpayment — and he promptly made significant changes that plunged the company into chaos and sent its ad business and valuation into a tailspin. Two and a half years later, Musk appears close to pulling off a minor miracle: The company, now called X, may once again be worth about what he paid for it. Bloomberg on Wednesday reported that X is in talks to raise money that would value the company at $44 billion. The anonymous sources Bloomberg cited acknowledged that the ongoing talks could break down, and it’s not clear whether X will actually fetch that valuation.

Weather

When Could You See Warmer Temperatures?

Feb. 20, 2025

For those who are winter-weary, there is hope for warmer temperatures this weekend. Dangerously cold wind chills will persist through the end of the week across the Plains with places like Bismarck, Chicago and Kansas City still seeing feels-like temps far below zero. The record-breaking cold will give way to a warmup this weekend with temperatures soaring above average for the western half of the country. Check out how warm it could get where you live.

Business

Walmart warns of a slower 2025. That’s a bad sign for America’s economy

Feb. 20, 2025

During America’s inflation crisis, shoppers have flooded to Walmart for groceries and clothing, looking for good deals on all manner of essentials. But Walmart said Thursday 2025 will be trickier as consumers grow increasingly frustrated with inflation and concerned about President Donald Trump’s tariffs. Walmart warned Thursday that its sales and profit growth will slow this year. The forecast sent its stock tumbling around 6% during early trading. It also dragged down the Dow, which fell more than 1%.

International News

Netanyahu orders West Bank military operation after Israel bus blasts

Feb. 20, 2025

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered Israel’s military to conduct an operation in the occupied West Bank after three empty buses exploded in a suspected terror attack near Tel Aviv on Thursday. No casualties were reported and there was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blasts, which occurred when explosive devices planted on the empty vehicles detonated in quick succession in the cities of Bat Yam and Holon, south of Israel’s financial center. In Bat Yam, two bombs exploded on buses parked in a depot, authorities said. A third blast was reported in Holon from an explosive device planted on a third bus.

International News

Israel says Bibas boys were among the dead bodies returned by Hamas – but not their mother

Feb. 20, 2025

Israel says it has identified two of the dead bodies returned by Hamas on Thursday as Ariel and Kfir Bibas – but tests show another body that was expected to be that of their mother Shiri is not hers – and does not match any other Israeli hostage. The Israeli military also said forensic evidence and intelligence suggested the boys were murdered. “This is a violation of utmost severity by the Hamas terrorist organization, which is obligated under the agreement to return four deceased hostages. We demand that Hamas return Shiri home along with all our hostages,” the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement.

International News

Pope Francis shows 'slight improvement,' remains hospitalized in stable condition

Feb. 20, 2025

Pope Francis is in stable condition, the Vatican said in a statement Wednesday, adding that blood tests showed "a slight improvement" since he was hospitalized last week with severe respiratory issues. The improvement, particularly in his inflammatory markers, suggests that the treatment is working. Francis remains at Policlinico Agostino Gemelli, one of Italy’s largest hospitals, for pneumonia treatment.

International News

South Korea’s Yoon attends first trial hearing for insurrection

Feb. 20, 2025

South Korea’s impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol appeared in a Seoul court on Thursday for his first trial hearing on charges of insurrection in the country’s first criminal prosecution of an incumbent leader. Last month prosecutors indicted Yoon after accusing him of leading an insurrection with his short-lived imposition of martial law on December 3. A justice ministry motorcade took Yoon from the Seoul Detention Center, where he is being held, to the court, outside which were parked lines of police buses to ensure security.

Sports

Israeli UFC fighter talks antisemitism at self-defense seminar as Hamas hostages mark 500 days

Feb. 20, 2025

Israeli UFC fighter Natan Levy marked the 500th day of hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza by teaching a self-defense course. "For years now, but especially since October 7th, antisemitism has been on the rise and lifting its nose again. Especially today at 500 days, it’s important to strengthen the community," Levy told Fox News Digital ahead of a seminar in New York. Levy expressed his hope to see all the hostages return from Gaza, and he told Fox News Digital about getting the chance to train former Hamas hostage Andre Kozlov. The UFC fighter said it was "an honor to meet him and train him."

International News

Train hits elephant herd in Sri Lanka, killing at least six elephants, say police

Feb. 20, 2025

A train collided with a herd of elephants in Sri Lanka on Wednesday night, killing at least six of them, according to Sri Lanka Police. No passengers were injured, but wildlife veterinary officers are treating a female elephant and an injured calf in the city of Giritale, Sri Lanka’s state-owned Daily News reported Thursday. The Meenagaya train hit the herd at the 140 km mark between Minneriya and Galoya railway stations at around 11:30 pm Wednesday, Daily News reports.

Entertainment

Movie Review: ‘The Monkey’ is a family drama with guts — the kind that spill all over the place

Feb. 20, 2025

It’s not a toy. Whatever you do, do NOT call it a toy. That’s the chilling message from the spooked airline pilot (Adam Scott) who arrives at a pawn shop, covered in blood that’s not his, trying to get rid of the monkey. It’s an old mechanical organ grinder toy — sorry, NOT a toy! — and it’s been causing lots of chaos. Thus begins “The Monkey,” Osgood Perkins’ latest horror film, an absorbing and stylish if not quite smoothly blended mix of family drama, humor, and blood-and-guts mayhem. Not all of it works, but it’s never uninteresting or uncreative — especially when it comes to finding inventively horrible (or horribly inventive) ways for people to die. Perkins, basing his story on a 1980 tale by Stephen King, has returned to a few themes from “Longlegs,” his breakout horror hit of last year. For one, he clearly has a thing for creepy dolls. (And after this film, you may never find a monkey’s face cute again.)