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Bakana Boutique Opens a Cross-Cultural Luxury Lifestyle Space in San Francisco – Our Culture

Bakana Boutique Opens a Cross-Cultural Luxury Lifestyle Space in San Francisco – Our Culture

Bakana Boutique opens in San Francisco as a new cultural space based on global and upcoming brands. Bakana is a selected store, beyond a traditional retail space, and is based on the experience of the founder, Mariana Bakana, in the fields of fashion, creative direction, and entrepreneurship. The notion is a response to a rising local demand for selective and design-conscious setups in the changing luxury scene of the city.

A Platform Shaped by Global Creative Exchange

The boutique started as a career in international fashion networks under the auspices of Mariana Bakana. Her style is more collaborative than distributive, providing independent designers and artisans with a critical audience. The space combines labels from Europe and the United States, whose niche is in Paris, Italy, and the South of France. Every participant is brought in based on a selective process that focuses on craftsmanship, storyline, and cultural relatability.

This is compared to the overall changes in the luxury industry. According to Bain and Company, over 60 percent of luxury purchases made across the world are influenced by experiential retail, as people want to have context and meaning in addition to products. In response to this trend, Bakana Boutique responds by placing each collection within a broader cultural discourse, rather than merchandising at the level of single items.

Curated Collections Across Lifestyle Categories

To establish a cohesive lifestyle outlook, the store offers limited-edition collections in fashion, cosmetics, gourmet goods, and wellness. This interdisciplinary curation reflects shifting consumer behavior. Nearly half of North American luxury customers now base purchasing decisions on lifestyle convergence, as shown in a 2023 McKinsey report.

Two internal lines serve as the space’s anchors within this framework. Bakana Gold, an extra virgin olive oil derived from Puglian millenary trees, supports traceable production and agricultural heritage. Bakana Beauty incorporates local customs with contemporary skincare methods, drawing inspiration from Mediterranean practices. These lines set quality and sourcing criteria for visiting brands and guarantee continuity.

A Launchpad Rather Than a Storefront

Bakana Boutique operates as a launch environment for international labels entering the San Francisco market. Pop-ups, trunk shows, and private presentations create flexible formats that adapt to each brand’s identity. Press previews and cultural programming further extend visibility beyond the physical space.

This model reflects a growing preference for temporary and event-based retail. Pop-up retail revenue in the United States exceeded 10 billion dollars in 2022, driven by brands seeking lower risk and stronger audience engagement, as reported by Statista. Bakana integrates this logic while emphasizing community connection over transactional volume.

Supporting Independent and Women-Led Initiatives

The project’s framework continues to emphasize community interaction. Collaborations, seasonal markets, and fashion shows promote women-owned enterprises and independent creators. These programs promote dialogue among designers, customers, and cultural players in the city.

San Francisco’s creative economy lends support to this strategy. Creative sectors generate more than 15 billion dollars in revenue for the local economy each year, as reported by the San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development. Bakana Boutique exists inside this environment, providing a physical meeting place for global and local influences.

Bakana Boutique’s debut marks the introduction of a hybrid place where retail, culture, and creative exchange converge. The idea connects San Francisco to European design centers while responding to changes in luxury consumerism and community-driven shopping. Bakana, rather than redefining luxury, reframes its circulation through context, collaboration, and cultural continuity.

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Maduro is set to make his first appearance in a US courtroom on drug trafficking charges

Maduro is set to make his first appearance in a US courtroom on drug trafficking charges

NEW YORK – Deposed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is set to make his first appearance Monday in an American courtroom on the narco-terrorism charges the Trump administration used to justify capturing him and bringing him to New York.

Maduro and his wife are expected to appear at noon before a judge for a brief, but required, legal proceeding that will likely kick off a prolonged legal fight over whether he can be put on trial in the U.S.

The couple will be brought from a Brooklyn jail to a Manhattan courthouse just around the corner from the one where President Donald Trump was convicted in 2024 of falsifying business records.

As a criminal defendant in the U.S. legal system, Maduro will have the same rights as any other person accused of a crime — including the right to a trial by a jury of regular New Yorkers. But he’ll also be nearly — but not quite — unique.

Maduro’s lawyers are expected to contest the legality of his arrest, arguing that he is immune from prosecution as a sovereign head of state.

Panamanian strongman Manuel Noriegaunsuccessfully tried the same defense after the U.S. captured him in a similar military invasion in 1990. But the U.S. doesn’t recognize Maduro as Venezuela’s legitimate head of state — particularly after a much-disputed 2024 reelection.

Venezuela’s new interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, has demanded that the U.S. return Maduro, who long denied any involvement in drug trafficking — although late Sunday she also struck a more conciliatory tone in a social media post, inviting collaboration with Trump and “respectful relations” with the U.S.

Before his capture, Maduro and his allies claimed U.S. hostility was motivated by lust for Venezuela’s rich oil and mineral resources.

The U.S. seized Maduro and his wife in a military operation Saturday, capturing them in their home on a military base. Trump said the U.S. would “run” Venezuela temporarily, but Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Sunday that it would not govern the country day-to-day other than enforcing an existing ” oil quarantine.”

Trump suggested Sunday that he wants to extend American power further in the western hemisphere.

Speaking aboard Air Force One, he called Colombia’s president, Gustavo Petro, “a sick man who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States. And he’s not going to be doing it very long.”

He called on Venezuela’s Rodriguez to provide “total access” to her country, or else face consequences.

A 25-page indictment made public Saturday accuses Maduro and others of working with drug cartels to facilitate the shipment of thousands of tons of cocaine into the U.S. They could face life in prison if convicted.

It wasn’t clear as of Sunday whether Maduro had hired a U.S. lawyer yet.

He and his wife, Cilia Flores, have been under U.S. sanctions for years, making it illegal for any American to take money from them without first securing a license from the Treasury Department.

While the indictment against Maduro says Venezuelan officials worked directly with the Tren de Aragua gang, a U.S. intelligence assessment published in April, drawing on input from the intelligence community’s 18 agencies, found no coordination between Tren de Aragua and the Venezuelan government.

Maduro, his wife and his son — who remains free — are charged along with Venezuela’s interior and justice minister, a former interior and justice minister and Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, an alleged Tren de Aragua leader who has been criminally charged in another case and remains at large.

Among other things, the indictment accuses Maduro and his wife of ordering kidnappings, beatings and murders of those who owed them drug money or undermined their drug trafficking operation. That included a local drug boss’ killing in Caracas, the indictment said.

Maduro’s wife is also accused of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes in 2007 to arrange a meeting between “a large-scale drug trafficker” and the director of Venezuela’s National Anti-Drug Office, resulting in additional monthly bribes, with some of the money going to Maduro’s wife, according to the indictment.

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Hanna reported from Topeka, Kansas. Associated Press writers Eric Tucker in Washington, Darlene Superville aboard Air Force One and Joshua Goodman in Miami contributed to this report.

Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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Austin protests erupt after U.S. forces capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro

Austin protests erupt after U.S. forces capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro

Demonstrators gathered in front of Austin City Hall on Sunday to protest the U.S. bombing of Venezuela over the weekend and the capture of President Nicolás Maduro. 

What we know:

Maduro and his wife were apprehended from their home, in Caracas, Venezuela, by U.S. Special Forces early on Saturday morning. The two were then flown to New York, where they’re currently being held on charges of narco-terrorism.

Protesters with the Party for Socialism and Liberation accused the Trump Administration of having a different agenda. 

Austin protests erupt after U.S. forces capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro

What they’re saying:

“We know that Narco terrorism is not the reason that they’re doing this. We know that the liberation of Venezuela is not why they’re doing this,” said Scarleth Lopez, an organizer with the Party for Socialism and Liberation. “We know why they’re doing this. We know that it’s for oil. We know that it’s for land grab, for their resources.”

Big picture view:

Maduro has been in power in Venezuela since 2013, but more than 50 countries, including the U.S. have refused to recognize him as the nation’s leader following contested elections in 2018 and again in 2024. 

Since 2014, more than 7 million Venezuelans have fled the country, per data from the UN Refugee Agency, including Maria Ribers, who attempted to interrupt Sunday’s demonstration to share what she says is the reality of what’s happening in Venezuela. 

“This is just propaganda,” said Ribers. “They don’t know Venezuela. They don’t know (anything) about us. They don’t even just talk to me.”

Ribers attempted to hand out fact sheets about the situation in her country, citing high poverty rates, hospitals without supplies and citizens searching for food in the trash, as organizers attempted to remove her from the event. 

“This is our reality in Venezuela. We are suffering here,” said Ribers.

Dig deeper:

Ribers says she left Venezuela ten years ago because she faced persecution for speaking out against the regime, something she says several of her friends were jailed and tortured for. But now, for the first time in more than a decade, she says she has hope. 

“We have hope for Venezuela. Finally, (we) will be free,” said Ribers. “We need to say thank you because Trump (took) dictatorship from our country.”

Organizers with the Party for Socialism and Liberation say they oppose the actions taken by the Trump Administration over the weekend, calling them illegal. And while demonstrators say they stand with the people of Venezuela, some Venezuelan refugees here in the U.S. say Sunday’s protest showed the opposite. 

The Source: Information in this article was provided by FOX 7’s Bryanna Carroll.

PoliticsU.S.Crime and Public Safety

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Breakthrough obesity drugs are here but not for everyone

Breakthrough obesity drugs are here but not for everyone

Access to obesity treatment in the UK may be heading toward a two-tier system, raising concerns that some of the most vulnerable patients could be left without help. Researchers warn that people who cannot afford private care may struggle to receive effective treatment through the National Health Service.

Specialists from King’s College London and the Obesity Management Collaborative (OMC-UK) say current eligibility rules mean only a limited number of patients can receive the weight loss drug Mounjaro through the NHS. As a result, many people who want the treatment are paying out of pocket instead.

In an editorial published in the British Journal of General Practice (BJGP), the researchers argue that this gap in access risks creating a system where financial means play a major role in who receives care.

Rising Demand for New Obesity Drugs

Obesity is a worldwide public health crisis linked to serious illnesses, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer. The NHS rollout of tirzepatide, also known as Mounjaro, has been welcomed as an important step toward addressing these risks.

However, recent figures suggest that more than one and a half million people in the UK are already accessing these newer weight loss medications through private providers. By comparison, NHS access is expected to reach only about 200,000 patients over the first three years of the program.

Strict Eligibility Limits NHS Access

Under current NHS guidelines, patients must have a body mass index of 40 or higher and also have multiple related health conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart disease, to qualify for Mounjaro. While this approach offers treatment to some people with severe obesity, it excludes many others who face significant health risks but do not meet every requirement.

Researchers caution that these rules could deepen existing health inequalities by preventing high-risk individuals from receiving timely care.

Experts Warn of Widening Health Inequality

Lead author Dr. Laurence Dobbie, an NIHR Academic Clinical Fellow in General Practice at King’s College London, said the current approach could unintentionally make obesity care less fair.

“The planned rollout of Mounjaro risks creating a two-tier system in obesity treatment. Unless we adjust how eligibility is defined and how services are delivered, the planned roll-out of Mounjaro risks worsening health inequalities, where ability to self-fund determines access to treatment and those with the greatest need are less likely to qualify for treatment.

“Current eligibility criteria require multiple diagnosed qualifying criteria, yet the very conditions used to gatekeep access to Mounjaro are frequently under-diagnosed in women, people from minority ethnic communities, those from low income and patients with severe mental illness. The under-diagnosis is well-documented and regional variation in NHS commissioning creates a postcode lottery.

“We should recognize under-diagnosis explicitly in obesity pathways, prioritize our patients at the highest clinical need, and scale culturally adapted wrap-around support so access is based on need, not means or location.”

Professor Barbara McGowan, Professor in Endocrinology and Diabetes at King’s College London, emphasized that obesity should be treated as a long-term medical condition requiring fair access to care.

“Obesity is a complex, chronic disease that demands equitable access to treatment for all who need it — not just those who can afford it. The current approach risks entrenching a two-tier system where wealth, rather than medical need, determines access to care. We urgently need a more inclusive, fair and scalable model that ensures effective treatments are accessible across all communities, especially those already facing systemic barriers to healthcare.”

Professor Mariam Molokhia, Professor in Epidemiology and Primary Care at King’s College London, added that where someone lives or how much they earn should not decide whether they receive obesity care.

“Obesity care should not depend on postcode or the ability to self-fund. Current criteria risk excluding high-need patients because qualifying conditions are often under-diagnosed in the very groups who face the greatest barriers to care. For equitable delivery of care it is important to: recognize under-diagnosis in eligibility criteria, prioritize severe obesity and those with the highest clinical needs, and provide culturally adapted behavioral support.”

Calls for Policy Changes and Broader Support

The authors of the opinion piece urge policymakers to make changes aimed at improving fairness and access. Their recommendations include revising eligibility criteria, creating clearer pathways to care that account for ethnicity and under-diagnosis, speeding up the national rollout, and expanding digital health services in areas with limited specialist support.

They also stress that medication alone is not enough. Effective obesity care, they argue, must be combined with broader public health efforts, such as improving diet quality, reducing food insecurity, and creating healthier urban environments.

Without prompt policy changes, the researchers warn that inequalities in obesity treatment are likely to continue and may become even more pronounced for future generations.

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Google Engineer Says Claude Code Did in 1 Hour What Took Google 1 Year

Google Engineer Says Claude Code Did in 1 Hour What Took Google 1 Year

What began as a casual revelation quickly went viral after Google engineer Jaana Dogan shared an eye-opening comparison: a task that took Google teams nearly a year of meetings, planning, and debate was replicated in just one hour by a rival AI tool. The offhand comment struck a nerve online, fuelling fresh conversations about how fast AI coding tools are advancing and what that speed could mean for traditional software development.

Jaana Dogan, a principal engineer working on Google’s Gemini API, recently shared a moment that caught the tech world’s attention. While testing Anthropic’s Claude Code, an AI tool designed to help write and organise code, she fed it a problem her team had been working on for nearly a year. To her surprise, Claude produced something strikingly similar to Google’s solution in just 60 minutes. “I’m not joking and this isn’t funny. We have been trying to build this since last year. I gave Claude a description, and it generated what we built last year in an hour,” she wrote on X.

ALSO SEE: 7 ChatGPT Prompts That Helped a Man Lose 27 Kg in Just 3 Months Without Gym

The task, she explained, involved designing systems that manage multiple AI agents working together, similar to traffic control, but for AI bots. Google’s team had explored several approaches but hadn’t settled on a final design. To fairly test Claude, Dogan avoided using any internal data and instead framed a simplified version of the problem using public ideas. Her prompt was just three short paragraphs, with no proprietary information or hidden tricks.

Dogan was clear that Claude’s output wasn’t perfect and would still need refinement. However, she urged skeptics of AI coding tools to test them on problems they understand deeply, where the contrast is most striking. When asked if Google uses Claude Code internally, she said it’s only permitted for open-source work, not internal projects. On whether Gemini would catch up, she replied, “We are working hard right now. The models and the harness,” signalling active but challenging progress.

Rather than framing the moment as a threat, Dogan praised the pace of competition and innovation. “Claude Code is impressive work. I’m excited and more motivated to push us all forward,” she wrote. Reflecting on how quickly AI coding has evolved, from single lines in 2022 to rebuilding entire codebases in 2025, she admitted she never expected this speed. Her post crossed 4 million views, with developers pointing out how AI bypasses corporate bureaucracy and accelerates creativity. The takeaway, as many saw it: AI may not replace whiteboards or snacks just yet, but it can certainly replace a year of meetings.

ALSO SEE: Apple to Launch iPhone 18 Pro Soon: Expected Price, Specifications

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Venezuelan supporters rally in Addison after Maduro’s capture

Venezuelan supporters rally in Addison after Maduro’s capture

In Addison’s Vitruvian Park on Sunday, those old enough to remember Nicolas Maduro’s rise to power gathered alongside those who’ve always lived under his reign to celebrate the capture of the Venezuelan leader.

“I can’t express how I feel today because it’s unbelievable, ok? I’m 25 years old. I was born under the regime, and now we got free. It’s amazing. We can’t believe it,” said Robert Rondon.

“I want to say this is the beginning of the end. There’s a lot more that needs to be done. I’m sure it’s going to happen,” said Genesis Beck.

Just a day after President Donald Trump announced the U.S. conducted an attack capturing Maduro and his wife, Venezuelans who fled to the U.S. seeking safety called for additional arrests.  

“The first step was done. Maduro is over. But a lot of people, the right hand of the regime such as Vladimir Padrino López, Delcy Rodríguez, Diosdado Cabello, all of those people have to be in jail. Ok?” said Rondon.

Amid the unabashed joy was a feeling of uncertainty and questions about what comes next.

Through a translator, exiled politician Angel Caridad addressed Trump’s plan for the U.S. to temporarily “run” Venezuela.

“The words, we need to understand the context of how the sentence is,” he said. “The United States is going to be in front of the transition.”

Most said they’re optimistic that the change will be for the better.

“You know what, let’s enjoy this moment because this is the moment we’ve been waiting on for 27 years,” said Jani Mendez.

Mendez and her mother, Rafaela, are among those now dreaming of the possibility of returning home.

“Listen, every one of these people are here for one reason, because we don’t have food in Venezuela or because we want a better life for our kids or our family, but I bet you each one of us wants to go back. My mom is going back. She wants to die there, and I’m going to give this to her,” she said.

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‘No Wonder Everyone Says He Smells’: Trump’s Fast-Food Obsession Has Fans Gagging as the Full Details of His Order Make It Harder to Stomach

‘No Wonder Everyone Says He Smells’: Trump’s Fast-Food Obsession Has Fans Gagging as the Full Details of His Order Make It Harder to Stomach

For years, Donald Trump folded processed food into his larger-than-life persona, regularly reaching for cheeseburgers and fries while insisting—without hesitation—that he’s physically fit and in “great shape.”

The contrast becomes harder to ignore as the sheer scale of his fast-food routine comes back into focus. A habit once brushed off as a quirky indulgence is now viewed as excessive, undercutting Trump’s fitness claims and turning his diet into a liability.

Long before the former real estate mogul ever stood behind a podium or boarded a campaign plane, McDonald’s had already secured a permanent spot in his comfort-food rotation.

‘No Wonder Everyone Says He Smells’: Trump’s Fast-Food Obsession Has Fans Gagging as the Full Details of His Order Make It Harder to Stomach
A Wall Street Journal profile reignited attention on Donald Trump’s McDonald’s habit, turning his fast-food routine into a viral contradiction of his health claims. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

‘They All Look Pretty Scared’: Trump Kicked the Press Out, Then Bribed Them With Food to Write a “Good” Story — Until the Leaked Menu Made It Feel Almost Insulting

For a generation raised in the 1980s, the McDonald’s jingle lodged itself in the brain for good. Decades later, according to a recent Wall Street Journal profile, it appears Trump never outgrew that era, still ordering the same heavy signature meal as if the drive-thru never closed.

“Big Mac, Filet-O-Fish, Quarter Pounder, French Fries / Icy Coke, Thick Shake, Sundaes, and Apple Pies.”

In a piece headline “As Signs of Aging Emerge, Trump Responds With Defiance,” three journalists detail the president’s irritation with public focus on his health. The article notes that Trump, the oldest person to assume the presidency, maintains that his eating habits are unchanged, even as attention swirls around bruising on his right hand, moments of apparent fatigue, and visible swelling of his feet and ankles.

It framed his diet as part of a long-standing pattern rather than a recent indulgence, pointing to a now-private 2025 “Chambers, Changes, & Conversations” interview with Joe Gruters, where he described being stunned by Trump’s McDonald’s order while traveling with him during the 2024 campaign.

Gruters, the Republican National Committee chairman, said, “He had hot fries waiting for him from McDonald’s. Then he had a Filet-O-Fish, a Quarter Pounder, and a Big Mac, and I think he combined two of them.”

Once those specifics circulated, social media reacted immediately.

Daily Mai readers had some of the most colorful comments.

One commenter joked, “McD never molds because it’s basically plastic….. this is why he will live forever!”

Another added, “That’s disgusting. No wonder everyone says he smells so terrible and is severely obese. Ha ha. Pig.”

A sharper response read, “And he’s the one calling reporters ‘piggy.’ Takes one to know one.”

The irony is hard to miss. Donald Trump has a long history of mocking reporters and opponents over their weight, even calling some “piggy.” Those insults now read differently as the focus shifts to his own fast-food habits, creating an uncomfortable contrast he can’t easily laugh off.

Even Gavin Newsom has taken shots at Trump’s eating habits, using a well-timed joke to flip the script and turn Trump’s diet—and fitness bravado—into part of the punchline, also aimed at Pete Hegseth for publicly criticizing the U.S. military’s physical fitness standards.

Over the years, several celebrities have publicly mocked or claimed Trump smells bad, though only one has described a firsthand experience. On the “Daily Beast” podcast, writer E. Jean Carroll said, “He didn’t smell so good.”

Others have framed the claim as ridicule rather than personal reporting. Former Republican congressman Adam Kinzinger once claimed that Trump had a noticeable and unpleasant odor.

Comedian Kathy Griffin, who spent a brief time with Trump while appearing as a guest on “The Apprentice,” shared the same sentiment on “The Mary Trump Show.”

“Donald has a distinct smell that doesn’t get enough press,” Griffin told Trump’s niece, adding that he smelled “like body odor with kind of like scented makeup products.”

Regarding her time on the show, Griffin posted on X, “Oh, God, I was never contestant. However, I did participate in two challenges. One I did because of my dear departed, beloved Joan Rivers. The other one I did because Trump paid me a bunch of money to spend the day with Liza Minnelli and host a challenge. Liza and I tried to ignore him, but he does smell really bad.”

Howard Stern, who once socialized with Trump, has cracked that he appears “sweaty” and implied an unpleasant odor, and Chelsea Handler has echoed the refrain, quipping that he “looks like he smells bad.”

Others pushed back on the Trump pile-on. One reader wrote, “I assume his doctors have advised him to cut back on the cholesterol packed/calorie jacked meals. And for all we know, he has. He had a CT that showed no serious issues with his coronary arteries. Can we stop with all this medical detective foolishness now?”

Another defended him by saying, “He doesn’t drink, smoke or have any health issues, so leave him be. Also, have you seen how SMALL the food items at McDonalds have become? What he ordered is what any normal teenager would eat.”

Trump’s attachment to McDonald’s has been documented well before his current term.

A 2016 CNN town hall with Anderson Cooper offered an early glimpse into how Trump defended his fast-food habits, portraying them as predictable and controlled rather than indulgent. That framing resurfaced in the 2017 book “Let Trump Be Trump,” where former aides described travel days structured around sealed snacks and familiar chains, revealing how comfort and routine quietly guided his eating habits.

Former Trump campaign officials David Bossie and Corey Lewandowski stated in the book, the former reality star once ordered on the road “two Big Macs, two Filet-O-Fish and a chocolate malted” and that, “on Trump Force One, there were four major food groups: McDonald’s, Kentucky Fried Chicken, pizza and Diet Coke,” according to People.

By the 2024 campaign, Trump had leaned into that reputation rather than away from it.

He staged a McDonald’s stop, worked the fry station, then joked about it publicly, turning brand familiarity into political theater.

Then there is his appearance at the McDonald’s Impact Summit in Washington, where he spoke to company leaders and franchise owners while weaving stories about campaign travel and fast food into his remarks.

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Crude oil prices rise after Maduro ouster as Wall Street braces for a big week that will put the U.S. economy back on Trump’s radar | Fortune

Crude oil prices rise after Maduro ouster as Wall Street braces for a big week that will put the U.S. economy back on Trump’s radar | Fortune

Stock futures and oil prices edged higher on Sunday evening as investors began to digest the implications of the U.S. military raid on Venezuela that captured Nicolas Maduro.

While the country has the world’s largest proven oil reserves, production has been waning for years amid U.S. sanctions, mismanagement by the Maduro regime, and underinvestment.

President Donald Trump said Saturday that Maduro’s removal will unleash a surge of investment in Venezuela’s oil industry and revive output, though analysts have said that could take years.

Meanwhile, Venezuela’s shrinking influence in the world’s oil landscape has Wall Street downplaying much near-term effects from U.S. intervention there.

“The physical global oil market situation remains the same. Oil prices have declined due to an oversupplied global oil market,” said Rob Hummel, senior portfolio manager at Tortoise Capital Management, said in a note. “The current events in Venezuela don’t change this dynamic.”

U.S. oil futures rose 0.19% to $57.43 a barrel, and Brent crude climbed 0.28% to $60.92 a barrel, with both benchmarks reversing earlier losses.

OPEC+ also backed plans to keep production steady through the first quarter and hold off on any further hikes, as oil markets still face a supply glut.

Futures tied to the Dow Jones industrial average were essentially flat, down 5 points. S&P 500 futures were up 0.10%, and Nasdaq futures added 0.32%.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury was unchanged at 4.191%. The U.S. dollar was up 0.14% against the euro and up 0.22% against the yen. 

Gold rallied 1.7% to $4,403.70 per ounce, and silver jumped 5.4% to $74.86. Bitcoin edged up 2.3% to $92,265.

After the successful Venezuela raid, Trump said he is still eyeing Greenland and warned Cuba is “very similar” to the Maduro regime.

But the economic calendar may bring his focus back on the U.S. economy rather than more foreign adventures. The upcoming batch of numbers is also highly anticipated as they will largely be free from distortions related to the government shutdown.

On Monday, the Institute for Supply Management will release its manufacturing activity index. On Wednesday, ADP puts out its private-sector payroll report, and the Labor Department publishes job opening and turnover report.

And on Friday, the Labor Department will issue its monthly jobs report, with Wall Street expecting a gain of just 54,000 and another increase in the unemployment rate to 4.7%.

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Falcons fire coach Raheem Morris, GM Terry Fontenot hours after finishing 8-9 season

Falcons fire coach Raheem Morris, GM Terry Fontenot hours after finishing 8-9 season

ATLANTA – The Atlanta Falcons fired coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot on Sunday night, announcing the moves hours after the team completed its second straight 8-9 finish under Morris and eighth consecutive losing season.

Morris said after Sunday’s 19-17 win over the New Orleans Saints that he expected to return for a third season. Instead, his 16-18 record was not enough for him to keep his job after the year began with optimism that the Falcons would reach the playoffs for the first time since 2017.

“I have great personal affinity for both Raheem and Terry and appreciate their hard work and dedication to the Falcons, but I believe we need new leadership in these roles moving forward,” owner Arthur Blank said in a statement.

“The decision to move away from people who represent the organization so well and have a shared commitment to the values that are important to the organization is not an easy one, but the results on the field have not met our expectations or those of our fans and leadership. I wish Raheem and Terry the absolute best in their future pursuits.”

The Falcons finished with four straight wins and in a three-way tie for first place in the NFC South, but the streak came after the team had been eliminated from playoff contention. Carolina won the division because it had a better record in divisional games.

Blank attended Morris’ postgame news conference and gave the second-year coach a hug following the session. The owner showed no emotion when Morris was asked if he expected to return.

“You know, my expectation is always to be back, right?” Morris said before looking at Blank and adding, “I’m going to coach this football team as long as he allows it.”

When asked if he had discussed his job status with Blank, Morris said, “You can’t worry about those things. The boss is sitting right there. All those things — this is a business, what we do. I know it’s fun for you guys to talk about it, but those decisions will always be made at a proper time. Those decisions will always be made, utilize whatever is best for the Atlanta Falcons.”

Blank was scheduled to speak at a news conference on Thursday.

Fontenot was named general manager before the 2021 season. The team was 36-48 during his tenure, but the Falcons got solid production from his 2025 draft class. First-round picks James Peace Jr. and Jalon Walker led NFL rookies in sacks and third-round pick Xavier Watts led all rookies with five interceptions.

Walker said Sunday that Morris did “a great job of keeping the culture here strong. I commend him. All of our trials and tribulations this season, we’ve found a way, we’ve made a way.”

Guard Chris Lindstrom also expressed support for Morris.

“Yeah, I think coach Rah really fosters a connection with one another,” Lindstrom said. “I think, really, we have that across the team and across all three phases. When you have that, when things aren’t going right, there’s still belief in what we want to achieve and belief in one another.

“I think it’s also respect and love for one another, too. So, when it’s easy to pull off the gas, you don’t, because you care about the guys around you. The fan base deserves it, and we all know that. So, I was really proud of our guys to be able to finish the season that way.”

When asked about the possibility of a coaching change, wide receiver Drake London said, “That’s above my pay grade. I can’t make those decisions. I love everybody who’s on this team, everybody who makes this team tick. I love everybody.”

The moves came after Blank hired the consulting firm Sportsology, which previously worked with his Major League Soccer franchise, Atlanta United, to study the Falcons. The Falcons said the search for a new coach and GM would begin immediately, with an executive search firm, ZRG Partners, assisting on the coach search and Sportsology helping with the general manager search.

The Falcons set no timeline for either hire and said the searches will be conducted concurrently.

Morris also served as the Falcons’ interim coach for the final 11 games in 2020, going 4-7 after Dan Quinn was fired following an 0-5 start.

Arthur Smith took over after that season and posted three consecutive 7-10 records from 2021 through 2023. The hiring of Morris, who had been the defensive coordinator of the Los Angeles Rams, came with Blank expressing optimism the Falcons were ready to win.

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

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Trump Has Started Carving Up the World. Now It’s Putin and Xi’s Turn.

Trump Has Started Carving Up the World. Now It’s Putin and Xi’s Turn.

Perhaps the most blatant of all the
recent acts is Trump’s own declaration that the U.S. will “take
control” of Venezuela “for a while” to seize and exploit the oil resources of
the country
. He will undoubtedly place a right-wing dictator beholden to him in
charge of the country, opening the door to yet another avenue for foreign money
flowing to him. Similarly, oil companies will compete with one another for access
to the seized assets, meaning more money being laundered to Trump, his family,
and other supporters in this spoils-of-war system.

It also sets the U.S. up to occupy
a country that, while holding no love Maduro, likely won’t be happy to exchange
a left-wing dictator who bankrupted and impoverished their country with a right-wing
one who is doing the same. The U.S. has a long history of propping up unpopular
despots with embedded troops, which hasn’t gone particularly well since Korea
(where there was at least U.S. and UN support for the sovereignty of South
Korea). Vietnam, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Libya, and Syria have been fruitless fiascos,
producing corrupt unstable dictatorships at best (Iraq), or leaving our enemies
in charge at worst (Iran, Afghanistan, and Vietnam until the 1990s).

Like so many of Trump’s
militaristic foreign policy misadventures, there seems to be no long-term plan
or strategy beyond executing lightning strikes in the hope that it produces
desired results. While Iran is currently in turmoil, the world does not seem to
be safer, more peaceful, or more orderly as a result.

Great Job Brynn Tannehill & the Team @ The New Republic Source link for sharing this story.

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