President Trump's deployment of national guard troops in Illinois, his use of a government shutdown to punish political foes, and concerns about retirees losing Medicare assistance reflect ongoing domestic policy debates, alongside ethical questions surrounding vaccine lawsuits and Saudi Arabia's oil production decisions giving Trump a win, with Simon Schama's commentary on American founders adding historical perspective.

• Trump deploys national guard troops in Illinois over governor’s objections — Financial Times -
• Trump Seizes On Government Shutdown to Punish Political Foes — The New York Times Business -
• More Retirees Are Living on Less, and Losing a Means of Help to Pay for Medicare — The New York Times Business -

• Simon Schama: What America’s Founders can teach Trump about liberty — Financial Times -
• Saudi Arabia Takes a Risk in Boosting Oil Production—and Gives Trump a Win — Wall Street Journal -
• Kennedy’s Ties to Ally Leading Vaccine Lawsuits Raise Ethical Concerns — The New York Times Business -

Donald Trump's urging of Hamas for a quick hostage deal and his call for Israel to cease bombing Gaza underscore the Middle East conflict, while Czech elections potentially bringing Eurosceptic Babiš to power, Japan's first female PM Sanae Takaichi winning leadership, Pakistan's pitch for a new Arabian Sea port to the US, and warnings over Europe's drone wall initiative mark significant international political and security developments, alongside Gaza protesters defying calls to cancel marches.

• Donald Trump tells Hamas to ‘move quickly’ on hostage deal — Financial Times -
• Gaza protesters defy calls to cancel marches after synagogue attack — Financial Times -
• Eurosceptic Babiš on course to win power in Czech election — Financial Times -

• Pakistan courts US with pitch for new Arabian Sea port — Financial Times -
• Japan set for first female PM after Sanae Takaichi wins leadership race — Financial Times -
• Europe Express: Warning shots over the drone wall — Financial Times -
• Trump tells Israel to stop bombing Gaza after Hamas agrees to release hostages — Financial Times -

Starbucks's job cuts and store closures and discount airlines facing financial trouble reveal corporate challenges, while private equity's role in drug research ethics and concerns over investment trends due to budget rumors highlight financial market anxieties; Robinhood's expansion into the UK, Milan's appeal to the global elite with tax breaks, the rise of private concierge services for the wealthy, a German billionaire facing questions over a Nazi-era legacy, a book on the 1929 Wall Street crash, and the success story of Lucky Saint's founder showcase a diverse range of business news and historical reflections.

• Your Wealthiest Friend Has a Private Concierge — The New York Times Business -
• Starbucks’s Roller Coaster Week of Job Cuts and Store Closures — Wall Street Journal -
• Discount Airlines Like Spirit and Frontier Changed Flying. Now They’re in Trouble. — The New York Times Business -

• How Private Equity Oversees the Ethics of Drug Research — The New York Times Business -
• Robinhood takes aim at UK ‘DIY’ platforms Hargreaves Lansdown and AJ Bell — Financial Times -
• Don’t let Budget rumours deter the next generation of investors — Financial Times -
• German logistics billionaire faces questions over Nazi-era legacy — Financial Times -
• 1929 by Andrew Ross Sorkin — the hubris behind the Wall St crash — Financial Times -
• Lucky Saint founder Luke Boase: ‘I used my annual leave to visit breweries’ — Financial Times -
• Come for an Aperitivo, Stay for the Tax Breaks: Milan Lures the Global Elite — Wall Street Journal -

The passing of TV news trailblazer Belva Davis is noted, alongside conservative attacks on 'Wokepedia', Japan's immigration debate in a ski resort town, and concerns over Britain's political polarisation reflecting social discourse; a ban on supermarket BOGOF offers, essays on Americanization and patriotism in the UK, reviews of London exhibitions and the Lee Miller show, a story about an exoskeleton for hikers, the re-enchantment of Villa Medici's gardens, and an epidemic of crack cocaine addiction in the Amazon basin cover a broad spectrum of cultural, lifestyle, and social welfare issues.

• Belva Davis, West Coast Trailblazer in TV News, Dies at 92 — The New York Times Business -
• Why Conservatives Are Attacking ‘Wokepedia’ — Wall Street Journal -
• A Japanese Ski Resort Town Is Roiled by a Debate Over Immigration — The New York Times Business -

• The best exhibitions to see in London this weekend — Financial Times -
• Supermarket BOGOF ban takes the biscuit — and that’s no bad thing — Financial Times -
• Why I welcome Americanisation. Sorry, Americanization — Financial Times -
• The war against the quite good — Financial Times -
• How polarised is Britain? — Financial Times -
• I am Robohiker! — testing the exoskeleton that promises to take hikers further, faster — Financial Times -
• Blessed are the flagmakers as the UK pivots to patriotism — Financial Times -
• Tate Britain’s Lee Miller show is a seize-the-day marvel — Financial Times -
• When life gives you lemons: Villa Medici’s gardens are re-enchanted — Financial Times -
• Epidemic of crack cocaine addiction sweeps Amazon basin — Financial Times -