iShares International Equity Factor ETF (ARCA: INTF)

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iShares Edge MSCI Multifactor Intl ETF

iShares FactorSelect MSCI International ETF

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The Fund seeks to track the investment results of the MSCI World ex USA Diversified Multiple-Factor Index (the Underlying Index), which has been developed by MSCI Inc. (the Index Provider or MSCI). The Underlying Index is designed to select developed market large- and mid-capitalization equity securities from the MSCI World ex USA Index (the Parent Index) that have high exposure to four investment style factors value, quality, momentum and low size while maintaining a level of risk similar to that of the Parent Index. The Underlying Index is also constrained in its construction to limit turnover and extreme exposures to particular sectors, countries, component weights or other investment style factors.

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iShares Rolls Out New Smart Beta ETFs

South&nbsp;Korea's&nbsp;Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) said it has halted&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/25/02/43763629/south-korea-joins-italy-in-halting-downloads-of-chinas-deepseek-amid-global-scrutiny-over-privacy-issues" rel="noreferrer noopener">new downloads of&nbsp;</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/25/02/43763629/south-korea-joins-italy-in-halting-downloads-of-chinas-deepseek-amid-global-scrutiny-over-privacy-issues" rel="noreferrer noopener">DeepSeek</a>.
A Russian court has&nbsp;imposed a fine on&nbsp;Alphabet Inc.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>)&nbsp;Google&nbsp;for hosting a&nbsp;YouTube&nbsp;video that&nbsp;provides instructions to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/legal/25/02/43772605/moscow-slaps-google-with-fine-for-youtube-video-showing-russian-troops-how-to-surrender" rel="noreferrer noopener">Russian soldiers on how to surrender</a>.
Mexico reiterates its&nbsp;warning to take legal action&nbsp;against&nbsp;Google&nbsp;over <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/25/02/43771526/after-google-stands-firm-on-gulf-of-america-label-mexico-says-its-waiting-for-a-new-response-or-will-proceed-to-court">the naming of the</a>&nbsp;&#8220;Gulf of Mexico&#8221;&nbsp;on its&nbsp;Maps service.
Earnings Results
Bumble&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BMBL#NASDAQ">BMBL</a>) reported fourth-quarter revenue of&nbsp;$261.6 million&nbsp;which beat the analyst consensus estimate of&nbsp;$260.47 million&nbsp;and&nbsp;is a&nbsp;decrease from revenue of&nbsp;$273.64 million&nbsp;from&nbsp;the same period last year.&nbsp;Total Paying Users fell&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/social-media/25/02/43797993/bumble-shares-drop-after-q4-report-heres-why" rel="noreferrer noopener">57,000&nbsp;from the previous quarter</a>.
Smartphones
Apple Inc.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) is reportedly considering adding advertising to&nbsp;Maps, mirroring&nbsp;Alphabet&nbsp;Inc.&#8217;s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43761610/top-analyst-says-apple-maps-may-introduce-ads-similar-to-its-google-counterpart-as-the-tech-giant-explores-new-revenue-stream" rel="noreferrer noopener">Google Maps&nbsp;</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43761610/top-analyst-says-apple-maps-may-introduce-ads-similar-to-its-google-counterpart-as-the-tech-giant-explores-new-revenue-stream" rel="noreferrer noopener">model</a>.
Apple&nbsp;reportedly plans to introduce its first in-house 5G modem, manufactured by&nbsp;Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSM#NYSE">TSM</a>),&nbsp;in the upcoming&nbsp;iPhone SE 4&nbsp;— but early reports suggest it may not match the performance of&nbsp;Qualcomm&nbsp;Inc.&#8217;s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43774315/apples-iphone-se-4-to-feature-tsmc-made-in-house-5g-modembut-it-may-lag-behind-qualcomms-snapdragon-x75" rel="noreferrer noopener">(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QCOM#NASDAQ">QCOM</a>)&nbsp;</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43774315/apples-iphone-se-4-to-feature-tsmc-made-in-house-5g-modembut-it-may-lag-behind-qualcomms-snapdragon-x75" rel="noreferrer noopener">Snapdragon X75</a>.
Jon Prosser&nbsp;– a well-known&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;product leak source – shared leaked renders of the&nbsp;iPhone 17 Air&nbsp;and&nbsp;iPhone 17 Pro, each&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/02/43802471/apples-leaked-renders-show-iphone-17-air-and-pro-getting-unique-camera-islands-but-base-models-looks-may-disappoint-some" rel="noreferrer noopener">featuring unique camera island designs</a>.
Apple&nbsp;is reportedly testing a wireless reverse charging feature&nbsp;for its upcoming&nbsp;iPhone 17 Pro&nbsp;models,&nbsp;allowing&nbsp;the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/25/02/43838655/iphone-17-pro-may-finally-get-wireless-reverse-charging-apple-reportedly-testing-power-sharing-with-airpods-apple-watch-and-more" rel="noreferrer noopener">smartphone to power other devices</a>.
Apple&nbsp;announced the iPhone 16E, an affordable iPhone offering that replaces<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/02/43820197/apple-unveils-iphone-16e-with-a18-chip-ai-features-599-price-tag" rel="noreferrer noopener">&nbsp;the third-generation iPhone SE</a>.
In response to the tariffs imposed by the Trump administration,&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;might have to raise iPhone prices by 9%, said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/02/43839627/apple-may-hike-iphone-prices-by-9-due-to-trumps-tariffs-says-bank-of-america" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">analysts at the&nbsp;</a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/02/43839627/apple-may-hike-iphone-prices-by-9-due-to-trumps-tariffs-says-bank-of-america" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bank of America</a>.
Technology
Elon&nbsp;Musk&#8217;s&nbsp;X, formerly&nbsp;Twitter, is blocking links to&nbsp;Signal.me, a URL shortener used by the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/25/02/43772415/elon-musks-x-blocks-links-to-signal-app-as-federal-workers-turn-to-encrypted-messaging-amid-doge-fallout-report" rel="noreferrer noopener">private messaging app&nbsp;</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/25/02/43772415/elon-musks-x-blocks-links-to-signal-app-as-federal-workers-turn-to-encrypted-messaging-amid-doge-fallout-report" rel="noreferrer noopener">Signal</a>.
Read:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/25/02/43771979/elon-musk-will-unleash-grok-3-tonight-tesla-integration-live-voice-mode-and-more-heres-what-to-expect" rel="noreferrer noopener">Elon Musk Will Unleash Grok 3 Tonight: Tesla Integration, Live-Voice Mode, And More —&nbsp;Here&#8217;s&nbsp;What To Expect</a>
Humane Inc.&nbsp;has&nbsp;decided to discontinue&nbsp;its AI Pin and sell its assets to&nbsp;HP Inc.&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HPQ#NYSE">HPQ</a>) for $116 million. The AI Pin will cease to connect to&nbsp;Humane's&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/02/43803887/humanes-ai-pin-dubbed-as-potential-iphone-killer-dies-this-month-as-company-sells-to-hp-for-116-million-amid-poor-sales-and-scathing-reviews" rel="noreferrer noopener">servers after 3 PM ET&nbsp;on Feb. 28</a>.
Amazon.com, Inc.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>) is removing a crucial&nbsp;Kindle&nbsp;feature that allows users to download and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/25/02/43805683/amazon-is-killing-a-key-kindle-feature-that-let-you-back-up-your-ebooks-heres-what-will-change-for-you" rel="noreferrer noopener">back up their purchased ebooks</a>.
Google&nbsp;has decided to remove its AI assistant,&nbsp;Gemini, from the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/02/43840109/google-takes-away-gemini-from-main-ios-app-users-forced-to-download-standalone-ai-chatbot" rel="noreferrer noopener">main app on&nbsp;iOS devices</a>.
NVIDIA&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) has&nbsp;introduced&nbsp;Evo 2, an advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system&nbsp;aimed at<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/02/43841450/nvidias-new-ai-system-aims-to-transform-genetic-research-with-unmatched-speed-and-precision" rel="noreferrer noopener">transforming the field of&nbsp;biological research</a>.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Microsoft Corporation&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) CEO&nbsp;Satya Nadella&nbsp;has cautioned against the hype surrounding artificial intelligence (AI), comparing the current&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/02/43838071/microsoft-ceo-satya-nadella-warns-of-dot-com-like-ai-bubble-pushes-for-measuring-ai-impact-with-gdp-growth-self-claiming-agi-milestone-is-just-nonsensical-benchmark-hacking" rel="noreferrer noopener">frenzy to the&nbsp;dot-com bubble</a>.
Ilya Sutskever, the co-founder and former chief scientist of&nbsp;OpenAI, is reportedly raising over $1 billion for his AI venture,&nbsp;Safe Superintelligence&nbsp;(SSI),&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/02/43772135/ex-openai-chief-scientist-ilya-sutskevers-ai-startup-valued-at-30-billion-in-latest-funding-round-report" rel="noreferrer noopener">pushing its valuation beyond $30 billion</a>.
Mira Murati, the former CTO of OpenAI, has launched her own AI startup and has already recruited top researchers from ChatGPT-maker, Meta Platforms, Inc., <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/02/43803027/mark-zuckerbergs-meta-and-sam-altmans-chatgpt-parent-bleed-talent-to-ex-open-ai-cto-mira-muratis-new-ai-venture" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">and </a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/02/43803027/mark-zuckerbergs-meta-and-sam-altmans-chatgpt-parent-bleed-talent-to-ex-open-ai-cto-mira-muratis-new-ai-venture" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mistral AI</a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/02/43803027/mark-zuckerbergs-meta-and-sam-altmans-chatgpt-parent-bleed-talent-to-ex-open-ai-cto-mira-muratis-new-ai-venture" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">, a Paris-based startup</a>.
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Consumer Tech News (Feb 17-Feb 21): Mexico Warns Alphabet Over Naming of the "Gulf of Mexico" On Maps, Apple Launches iPhone 16E & More

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has taken over creative control of the James Bond franchise, with his streaming service now in charge of the legendary British spy series.
What Happened: Bezos took to social media to ask for public opinion on who should be the next James Bond. British actor Henry Cavill emerged as the clear favorite. Cavill, who has starred in &#8220;Mission: Impossible — Fallout,&#8221; &#8220;The Man from U.N.C.L.E.,&#8221; and &#8220;Argylle,&#8221; outperformed other candidates such as Tom Hardy, Tom Hiddleston, Theo James, and Michael Fassbender.
Support for Cavill came from various corners, including Dogecoin creator Billy Markus and Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Bezos, however, has not yet responded to the suggestions.
Amazon&#8217;s purchase of MGM Studios for $8.5 billion allowed it to enter the Bond franchise, but until now, creative direction was still in the hands of the Broccoli family.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Who'd you pick as the next Bond? <a href="https://t.co/u7nBaRROlf">pic.twitter.com/u7nBaRROlf</a>
&mdash; Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) <a href="https://twitter.com/JeffBezos/status/1892590064766484622?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2025</a></blockquote>
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While Cavill&#8217;s casting is popular, there is concern among fans about how Amazon will handle the franchise. This is due to the company&#8217;s controversial handling&nbsp;of J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle Earth&nbsp;in The Rings of Power series. 
Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/12/42380748/heres-how-jeff-bezos-three-simple-steps-made-amazon-a-giant">Here&#8217;s How Jeff Bezos&#8217; Three Simple Steps Made Amazon a Giant</a>
The Bond franchise is known for its high-budget set pieces and cinematic universe, and fans worry that Amazon may water this down with its approach.
Why It Matters: This move by Bezos marks a significant shift in the control of the James Bond franchise. The acquisition of MGM Studios by Amazon was a clear indication of the company&#8217;s intent to delve deeper into the entertainment industry. 
However, the change in creative control from the Broccoli family to Bezos could potentially alter the direction of the franchise. The public&#8217;s choice of Cavill as the next James Bond also reflects a desire for continuity in the character&#8217;s portrayal. 
However, Amazon&#8217;s controversial handling of The Rings of Power series has raised concerns about the future of the Bond franchise. This development is a key moment in the evolution of the entertainment industry, as tech giants continue to expand their influence.
Read Next
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/11/42154948/costco-founders-chat-with-bezos-over-coffee-helped-save-amazon">Costco Founder&#8217;s Chat With Bezos Over Coffee Helped Save Amazon</a>
Image: Shutterstock

Entertainment

Amazon's Jeff Bezos Weighs in on Next James Bond — Fans Agree on a Clear Favorite

Motorola Solutions (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSI#NYSE">MSI</a>) has acquired RapidDeploy, a complementary cloud-native 911 solution provider for public safety, based in Austin, Texas. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Motorola Solutions Acquired RapidDeploy; Terms Not Disclosed

These ten large-cap stocks were the best performers in the last week. Are they in your portfolio?
<ol>
<li>Unity Software Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/U#NYSE">U</a>) shares escalated 36.64% after the company reported better-than-expected <a href="https://www.benzinga.com//node/43851464" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fourth-quarter financial results</a>. Multiple firms raised their respective<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/U/analyst-ratings" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> price forecasts on the stock</a>.</li>
<li>Super Micro Computer Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SMCI#NASDAQ">SMCI</a>) shares surged 32.62% on what appears to be continued momentum from the prior week. Investors await an update from the company <a href="https://www.benzinga.com//node/43812953" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">regarding its delayed filings</a>.</li>
<li>Alibaba Group Holding (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NYSE">BABA</a>) stock increased 20.25% after the company <a href="https://www.benzinga.com//node/43846533" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported fiscal third-quarter results</a>. Several analysts raised <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/baba/analyst-ratings" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">their price forecasts on the stock</a>.</li>
<li>FTAI Aviation Ltd. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FTAI#NASDAQ">FTAI</a>) shares jumped 19.82% following a major announcement that <a href="https://www.benzinga.com//node/43866554" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">addressed recent short-seller reports</a>.</li>
<li>STMicroelectronics (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/STM#NYSE">STM</a>) stock surged 15.39%. The company is preparing to launch its next-generation technologies aimed at improving optical connections within <a href="https://www.benzinga.com//node/43852969" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">data centers and AI clusters</a>.</li>
<li>XPeng Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XPEV#NYSE">XPEV</a>) shares rose 15.36%, probably on Alibaba&#8217;s upbeat quarterly results, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com//node/43884588" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">President Xi&#8217;s support and DeepSeek AI boost</a>.</li>
<li>Analog Devices Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ADI#NASDAQ">ADI</a>) stock upped 14.13% after the company reported upbeat fiscal first-quarter results and analysts <a href="https://www.benzinga.com//node/43855595" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">revised the price forecast</a>.</li>
<li>BeiGene, Ltd. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ONC#NASDAQ">ONC</a>) stock rose 13.25%.</li>
<li>Tencent Music Entertainment Group (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TME#NYSE">TME</a>) stock upped 12.70% last week amid optimism from <a href="https://www.benzinga.com//node/43884588" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">President Xi&#8217;s support and DeepSeek AI boost</a>.</li>
<li>Microchip Technology Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MCHP#NASDAQ">MCHP</a>) stock grew 12.55% after the company announced the introduction of its Mplab AI coding assistant, which leverages the power of AI to assist software developers and engineers <a href="https://www.benzinga.com//node/43843881" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">in writing and debugging code</a>.</li>
</ol>
Photo via Shutterstock

Movers

BABA

FTAI

MCHP

SMCI

XPEV

Alibaba, Super Micro Computer And XPeng Are Among Top 10 Large Cap Gainers Last Week (Feb 17-Feb 21): Are The Others In Your Portfolio?

The week has been a rollercoaster ride in the tech and automotive sectors. From Rivian&#8217;s new limited-edition vehicle to SpaceX&#8217;s controversial delay, Tesla&#8217;s sales slump, and Nikola&#8217;s bankruptcy, there&#8217;s a lot to unpack. Let&#8217;s dive into the top stories of the week.
Rivian Unveils &#8216;California Dune&#8217; Edition R1&nbsp;
Rivian Automotive Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RIVN#NASDAQ">RIVN</a>) introduced a limited edition of its R1 electric vehicle, the California Dune, designed specifically for off-road sand driving. The company emphasized that this edition is built for the extreme conditions of the desert.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/02/43839672/rivian-unveils-california-dune-edition-r1-ahead-of-earnings-report-catch-it-while-you-can">Read the full article here.</a>
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk Alleges Political Delay 
Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, claimed that the return of astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore from the International Space Station (ISS) was delayed due to &#8220;political reasons.&#8221; Musk suggested that SpaceX could have brought the astronauts back last year, but the return was pushed past the inauguration date.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/space/25/02/43877217/spacex-ceo-elon-musk-pegs-delay-in-returning-sunita-williams-and-butch-wilmore-from-space-station-to-political-reasons">Read the full article here.</a>
Rivian&#8217;s Financial Struggles&nbsp;
Fund Manager Gary Black pointed out that Rivian reported a quarterly gross profit for the first time in Q4, but this was due to the sale of regulatory credits, not cost-cutting. Without this revenue, the company would have lost about $13,000 per vehicle sold in the quarter.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/02/43876738/tesla-bull-says-rivian-is-a-long-way-from-making-money-absent-volkswagen-and-amazon-as-sugar-daddies-they-would-probably-be-history">Read the full article here.</a>
Tesla&#8217;s Sales Slump in California&nbsp;
Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) has seen a significant drop in its California sales, hitting a four-year low. This decline has raised questions about the impact of CEO Musk&#8217;s political actions on the company&#8217;s appeal.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43765071/teslas-california-sales-hit-four-year-low-amid-political-concerns-researcher-says-left-leaning-customers-are-turning-away-from-ev-giant">Read the full article here.</a>
Nikola Files for Bankruptcy&nbsp;
Nikola Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NKLA#NASDAQ">NKLA</a>) has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and is seeking to auction its assets while continuing limited operations through March.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/asset-sales/25/02/43811409/nikola-files-for-bankruptcy-seeks-auction-for-sale-of-its-assets">Read the full article here.</a>
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43900186/trump-administration-eyes-mineral-rights-deal-with-ukraine-amid-rising-tensions-were-signing-an-agreement">Trump Administration Eyes Mineral Rights Deal With Ukraine Amid Rising Tensions: &#8216;We&#8217;re Signing An Agreement&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock
This story was generated using <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro">Benzinga Neuro</a> and edited by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/ananya-gairola" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ananya Gairola</a>

NKLA

RIVN

TSLA

Rivian's New Edition, Spacex Delays, Tesla's Decline, And Nikola's Bankruptcy: This Week In Mobility

Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) chief Elon Musk is demanding that federal employees justify their <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/02/43581767/elon-musks-former-employees-warn-federal-workers-about-long-hours-firings-and-much-more">positions to him through email</a> or lose their jobs.
What Happened: Musk declared that federal employees who do not comply with this directive will be considered to have resigned. He says the move aligns with President Donald Trump&#8216;s instructions to eradicate federal waste and fraud.
Musk announced his directive in a Saturday afternoon post on X, stating, &#8220;Consistent with President @realDonaldTrump's instructions, all federal employees will shortly receive an email requesting to understand what they got done last week. Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation.&#8221;
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Consistent with President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a>'s instructions, all federal employees will shortly receive an email requesting to understand what they got done last week. Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation.
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1893386883444437415?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
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In another post, Musk shared that a large number of responses have been received and and those people should be considered for promotion. 
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">A large number of good responses have been received already. These are the people who should be considered for promotion. <a href="https://t.co/Rc8sGBLemU">https://t.co/Rc8sGBLemU</a>
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1893530756602847340?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
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According to a report <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2025/02/22/politics/elon-musk-employees-emails/index.html">by</a> CNN, Musk&#8217;s message has stirred up controversy and apprehension among federal employees. Newly confirmed FBI Director Kash Patel advised bureau employees to hold off on responding to the email. He emphasized that the FBI would handle review processes according to its procedures and coordinate responses if further information is required.
"The FBI, through the Office of the Director, is in charge of all of our review processes, and will conduct reviews in accordance with FBI procedures. When and if further information is required, we will coordinate the responses. For now, please pause any responses," Patel said in an email to bureau employees. 
Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/02/43770024/from-tech-to-politics-how-elon-musk-is-empowering-far-right-across-the-globe">From Tech to Politics: How Elon Musk Is Empowering Far Right Across the Globe</a>
Similarly, the National Security Agency employees were instructed to wait for further guidance from the Department of Defense before responding. Secret Service Director Sean Curran advised staff to comply with the email, noting the agency&#8217;s resources available for employees during uncertain times.
The email ultimatum has been heavily criticized by unions representing federal workers.&nbsp;Everett Kelley, the&nbsp;national president of the American&nbsp;Federation of Government Employees, criticized Musk&#8217;s ultimatum, stating it mirrors the Trump administration's disregard&nbsp;for federal employees and their crucial services to the American public.
Doreen Greenwald, President&nbsp;of the National Treasury Employees&nbsp;Union, labeled the email as "completely unAmerican."
Why It Matters: President Trump has appointed Musk to revamp&nbsp;the federal government with his&nbsp;Department of Government Efficiency. However, the legality of this latest move remains uncertain. 
This directive is the latest in a series of moves by Musk and DOGE to streamline the federal workforce and eliminate inefficiencies. 
The approach mirrors Musk&#8217;s previous actions at Tesla and X, where he implemented significant staffing cuts to improve efficiency. The impact of this directive on the federal workforce and its efficiency will be closely watched in the coming weeks.
Read Next
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/02/43768756/privacy-concerns-emerge-as-elon-musks-doge-team-seeks-access-to-taxpayer-data">Privacy Concerns Emerge As Elon Musk&#8217;s DOGE Team Seeks Access to Taxpayer Data</a>

Politics

Elon Musk Demands Federal Workers Justify Their Jobs — FBI's Kash Patel Tells Employees Not To Respond

Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner refused to sign a statement asserting that Donald Trump was not antisemitic in the wake of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks, according to Michael Wolff&#8216;s latest book, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/01/43173869/ivanka-trump-denounces-fake-crypto-coin-using-her-name" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">All or Nothing: How Trump Recaptured America</a>.
Wolff writes that despite Trump&#8217;s increasing attempts to garner support for Israel following the deadly attacks, he turned to his daughter and son-in-law for public backing, The Guardian <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/21/donald-trump-ivanka-jared-kushner-michael-wolff-all-or-nothing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reports</a>.
However, both Ivanka, a convert to Judaism, and her husband declined to offer formal support or sign the statement.
The refusal to offer public support highlights the tensions within the Trump family, particularly in light of his actions following the attacks.
The couple, both senior advisors during Trump&#8217;s first term, distanced themselves further from the then-former president after the January 6 Capitol riots, The Guardian adds.
Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43890188/bybit-founder-says-14b-eth-hack-may-stem-from-safe-wallet-compromise" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bybit Founder Says $1.4B ETH Hack May Stem From Safe Wallet Compromise</a>
They have also chosen not to take any roles in Trump&#8217;s second term, which began after the 2024 election.
Wolff&#8217;s book offers a detailed portrait of Trump&#8217;s political battles, including his controversial tariff decisions, plans for territorial expansion, and clashes with key allies, like Elon Musk.
Musk, a major Trump campaign backer, reportedly generated confusion within Trump&#8217;s team, with Wolff capturing Trump&#8217;s bewilderment at Musk&#8217;s actions during a rally.
All or Nothing, set to be released this week, also reveals personal and professional tensions among Trump&#8217;s inner circle, offering a candid and often critical look at the President&#8217;s second campaign for the White House.
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43900955/berkshire-hathaways-q4-profits-soar-71-warren-buffett-says-his-firm-has-paid-more-taxes-than-tech-titans-in-trillions" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Berkshire Hathaway Q4 Profits Soar 71%, Buffett Says Firm Pays More Taxes Than &#8216;Tech Titans&#8217; With Market Value in &#8216;Trillions&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>
Image: Shutterstock

General

Wolff Book: Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner Refused to Sign Statement Saying Trump Is Not Antisemitic

The week was abuzz with news from the tech world, with artificial intelligence (AI) taking center stage. From Bill Gates issuing a warning to the next generation to Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) and Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NYSE">BABA</a>) making strides in AI, the weekend was anything but quiet. Let&#8217;s dive into the top stories.
Bill Gates&#8217; Warning to the Next Generation
In a recent address, Microsoft Corp. co-founder, Bill Gates, outlined critical challenges that future generations need to tackle. Gates emphasized the importance of addressing bioterrorism, climate change, and artificial intelligence. He also noted the persistent threat of nuclear war and stressed the need for societal unity to combat polarization.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43900360/bill-gates-has-a-warning-for-the-next-generation-says-be-very-afraid-of-these-4-issues">Read the full article here.</a>
Nvidia&#8217;s Leap into Assistive Tech
Nvidia has unveiled &#8216;Signs&#8217;, an innovative AI-powered platform designed to enhance American Sign Language (ASL) learning and accessibility. The platform, developed in partnership with the American Society for Deaf Children and Hello Monday, marks Nvidia&#8217;s entry into the assistive technology space.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/02/43874865/nvidia-unveils-signs-ai-platform-for-teaching-american-sign-language-expanding-into-assistive-tech">Read the full article here.</a>
Alibaba&#8217;s AI Strategy
Alibaba Group executives believe that the real value in AI will come from cloud infrastructure rather than the models themselves. During Alibaba&#8217;s third-quarter earnings call, an executive addressed the impact of DeepSeek&#8217;s free large-language models and AI monetization strategies.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43874037/alibaba-sees-ai-gold-rush-in-cloud-computing-not-open-and-closed-source-modelshints-monetization-lies-in-powering-ai-not-selling-it">Read the full article here.</a>
Elon Musk&#8217;s Grok Tops App Store
Elon Musk&#8217;s AI startup xAI&#8217;s Grok has surpassed OpenAI&#8217;s ChatGPT, Google's Gemini, and China&#8217;s DeepSeek to become the leading productivity app on Apple Inc.&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) App Store. Musk shared a screenshot highlighting the achievement of Grok, noting that it secured the top position without even launching its voice mode and additional upcoming features.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/02/43841642/elon-musks-grok-overtakes-openais-chatgpt-google-gemini-and-chinas-deepseek-as-the-leading-productivity-app-on-apples-app-store">Read the full article here.</a>
Nvidia&#8217;s Evo 2 Set to Transform Genetic Research
NVIDIA has introduced Evo 2, an advanced AI system aimed at transforming the field of biological research. Evo 2 is set to fast-track advancements in genetics and medicine by rapidly analyzing and generating genetic code from a wide range of organisms. According to Nvidia, this project ‘provides insights into DNA, RNA and proteins across diverse species.'
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/02/43841450/nvidias-new-ai-system-aims-to-transform-genetic-research-with-unmatched-speed-and-precision">Read the full article here.</a>
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43900360/bill-gates-has-a-warning-for-the-next-generation-says-be-very-afraid-of-these-4-issues" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bill Gates Has A Warning For The Next Generation, Says Be ‘Very Afraid&#8217; Of These 4 Issues</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock
This story was generated using <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro">Benzinga Neuro</a> and edited by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/Rounak-Jain" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rounak Jain</a>

Bill Gates' Concerns, Nvidia' Leap In Genetic Research, Elon Musk's Grok Beats OpenAI's ChatGPT, And More: This Week In AI

Elon Musk&#8216;s intellectual abilities have been called into question by his biographer, Seth Abramson. Abramson has disputed the widely held belief of Musk&#8217;s intellectual achievements, asserting that there is no substantial evidence to support such claims.
What Happened: Abramson, a journalist and attorney, took to social media X on Friday to voice his opinions. He criticized Musk and his followers for using the billionaire&#8217;s IQ as a benchmark of his intellectual capacity.
Abramson, who is in the process of writing a biography on Musk, stated, &#8220;There&#8217;s&nbsp;zero evidence, from his life&nbsp;history, of Musk having anything&nbsp;higher than a 110 IQ.&#8221; He further contended that Musk&#8217;s success with companies such as Zip2, PayPal, and&nbsp;Tesla Inc.&nbsp;was not a result of his intellectual accomplishments but rather his financial investments.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">He was sued for stealing the idea for Zip2—which fired him as soon as investors got involved. He was going to run PayPal into the ground after his company merged with it—again he was fired. He invested in Tesla when it was distressed and quickly began running it into the ground.
&mdash; Seth Abramson (@SethAbramson) <a href="https://twitter.com/SethAbramson/status/1892972729583784215?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The biographer also asserted that Musk&#8217;s only &#8220;truly successful and novel company&#8221; is SpaceX, attributing a significant portion of its success to President Obama, whom Musk had lobbied. 
Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/02/43768756/privacy-concerns-emerge-as-elon-musks-doge-team-seeks-access-to-taxpayer-data">Privacy Concerns Emerge As Elon Musk&#8217;s DOGE Team Seeks Access to Taxpayer Data</a>
Abramson went on to criticize Musk&#8217;s ventures like the Boring Company and Neuralink, labeling the former a failure and the latter embroiled in ethics investigations.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">I account Elon Musk&#39;s idea for SpaceX to be more or less the only clearly good idea he has ever publicly had, though it required heavy lifting mostly from a powerful Black man for it to become a success, which may be why Musk has so much resentment for the former president now.
&mdash; Seth Abramson (@SethAbramson) <a href="https://twitter.com/SethAbramson/status/1892974055130570876?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The comments made by Abramson have ignited a widespread online debate, with many questioning the correlation between wealth and intelligence.
Why It Matters: This development is significant as it challenges the popular narrative around Musk&#8217;s intellectual prowess, which has been a key aspect of his public persona. 
Abramson&#8217;s comments have sparked a debate around the correlation between wealth and intelligence, a topic that has been a subject of discussion in the tech and business world. 
The outcome of this debate could potentially impact public perception of successful entrepreneurs like Musk and their business ventures.
Read Next
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/02/43581767/elon-musks-former-employees-warn-federal-workers-about-long-hours-firings-and-much-more">Elon Musk&#8217;s Former Employees Warn Federal Workers About Long Hours, Firings, And Much More</a>
Image: Shutterstock

Social Media

Author of Upcoming Elon Musk Biography Questions His 'Intellectual Achievements'

The week was a rollercoaster ride in the world of cryptocurrency. From&nbsp;Gary Cardone&nbsp;exiting his XRP position to&nbsp;Elon Musk embracing his meme status with Dogecoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/doge/usd">DOGE</a>), the crypto market was buzzing with activity. Here&#8217;s a quick round-up of the top stories.
Gary Cardone Dumps XRP
Investment influencer Gary Cardone announced his exit from XRP (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/xrp/usd">XRP</a>), selling his 30,000 XRP holdings at $2.71. Cardone cited six guiding principles refined over his 40-year finance career as the reason for his decision. He wished the XRP army luck, though he expressed doubts about their potential wealth.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43880897/gary-cardone-dumps-xrp-position-saying-i-genuinely-hope-the-xrp-army-gets-stupid-rich-i-dont-think-you-will">Read the full article here.</a>
Dogecoin Millionaire Advocates for Conviction Plays
Glauber Contessoto, also known as SlumDOGE Millionaire, encouraged his followers to invest in &#8216;conviction plays&#8217; like Pepe amid a broader slump in the meme coin market. He urged his followers to seize the opportunity presented by the ongoing correction to invest in meme coins.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43874379/dogecoin-millionaire-pushes-conviction-plays-like-pepe-like-theres-no-tomorrow-best-time-to-start-buying">Read the full article here.</a>
Peter Schiff Expresses Concerns Over Strategy Inc.&#8217;s Convertible Debt Offerings
Economist and market commentator Peter Schiff expressed concerns over Strategy Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSTR#NASDAQ">MSTR</a>) convertible debt offerings, hinting at potential financial troubles for the Bitcoin treasury company. Schiff highlighted the 4.5% decline in the company's shares despite Bitcoin's gain of 2.5%.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43838036/peter-schiff-says-michael-saylor-led-strategys-convertible-debt-offerings-arent-going-well-as-stock-falls-despite-bitcoins-gain">Read the full article here.</a>
Pepe Bull Questions Traders Selling Frog-Themed Memecoin
A widely followed cryptocurrency trader highlighted the &#8220;Cycle of Regret&#8221; phenomenon, predicting that 99% of the traders cashing out of the frog-themed meme coin Pepe (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/">PEPE</a>) won&#8217;t buy it back at a discount. The trader suggested that these traders would panic, wait for a better entry, and then freeze when it dips further.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/02/43805854/pepe-bull-questions-traders-selling-frog-themed-memecoin-theyll-fomo-back-in-higher-than-they-sold">Read the full article here.</a>
Elon Musk Embraces Dogecoin
Tesla Inc. and SpaceX CEO, Elon Musk embraced his meme status during his recent appearance at CPAC 2025, tying it to his association with Dogecoin. Musk described himself as "living the meme," a reference to his connection with Dogecoin, a cryptocurrency that originated from the internet-famous Doge meme.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43878760/dogecoins-journey-from-memecoin-to-real-money-crazy-but-cool-says-elon-musk-i-am-living-the-meme">Read the full article here.</a>
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43900186/trump-administration-eyes-mineral-rights-deal-with-ukraine-amid-rising-tensions-were-signing-an-agreement">Trump Administration Eyes Mineral Rights Deal With Ukraine Amid Rising Tensions: &#8216;We&#8217;re Signing An Agreement&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock
This story was generated using <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro">Benzinga Neuro</a> and edited by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/ananya-gairola" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ananya Gairola</a>

Coverage of Bitcoin, Etherum, Ripple and all the latest digital currencies.

Cryptocurrency

$DOGE

$PEPE

$XRP

DOGE

MSTR

Cardone Exits XRP, Dogecoin Millionaire's Conviction Plays, Schiff's Concerns, Pepe Bull's Predictions, And Musk's Dogecoin Endorsement: This Week In Crypto

It was an eventful week for tech giant&nbsp;Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>), with the company making headlines for a variety of reasons. From the launch of a new budget-friendly iPhone to a significant investment pledge in the United States, Apple was in the spotlight. Here&#8217;s a recap of the top stories.
Apple Unveils Budget-Friendly iPhone 16e
Apple kicked off the week with the announcement of the iPhone 16e, a new affordable offering that replaces the third-generation iPhone SE. The announcement was made by Apple CEO Tim Cook in a video posted by the company. The new iPhone comes with several improvements over its predecessor.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/02/43820197/apple-unveils-iphone-16e-with-a18-chip-ai-features-599-price-tag">Read the full article here.</a>
Apple Pledges Significant US Investment
In a meeting with President Donald Trump, Tim Cook reportedly pledged a significant investment in the United States and a shift in manufacturing from Mexico to the U.S. This announcement was made by Trump during a meeting with governors.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/02/43898992/tim-cook-reportedly-tells-trump-apple-will-invest-hundreds-of-billions-in-us-they-dont-want-to-be-in-the-tariffs">Read the full article here.</a>
New iPhone Expected to Boost Apple&#8217;s Revenue
Gene Munster of Deepwater Management predicts that the newly launched iPhone 16e will drive a revenue boost for Apple in FY25. Munster shared his insights on Apple's latest offering, highlighting three key takeaways from the new model.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/02/43840286/apples-iphone-16e-to-drive-revenue-growth-for-tim-cooks-company-says-top-analyst">Read the full article here.</a>
Apple May Increase iPhone Prices
In response to tariffs imposed by the Trump administration, analysts at the Bank of America suggest that Apple might have to raise iPhone prices by 9%. The tech titan may need to revise its pricing strategy to compensate for the costs related to the tariffs.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/02/43839627/apple-may-hike-iphone-prices-by-9-due-to-trumps-tariffs-says-bank-of-america">Read the full article here.</a>
Wireless Reverse Charging Feature for iPhone 17 Pro
Apple is reportedly testing a wireless reverse charging feature for its upcoming iPhone 17 Pro models. This feature would allow the smartphone to power other devices. The news was reported by a Weibo-based Chinese leaker.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/25/02/43838655/iphone-17-pro-may-finally-get-wireless-reverse-charging-apple-reportedly-testing-power-sharing-with-airpods-apple-watch-and-more">Read the full article here.</a>
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43900360/bill-gates-has-a-warning-for-the-next-generation-says-be-very-afraid-of-these-4-issues" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bill Gates Has A Warning For The Next Generation, Says Be ‘Very Afraid&#8217; Of These 4 Issues</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock
This story was generated using <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro">Benzinga Neuro</a> and edited by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/Rounak-Jain" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rounak Jain</a>

Analyst Color

Apple's iPhone 16E Launch, US Investment Pledge, Potential Price Hikes, And More: This Week In Appleverse

The week has been a whirlwind of economic news, with President Donald Trump&#8217;s administration making headlines for its tax proposals and plans for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Meanwhile, gold is nearing the $3000 mark, and billionaire investor Ray Dalio has proposed a solution to America&#8217;s mounting debt crisis. Here&#8217;s a recap of the top stories.
Trump&#8217;s Plan to &#8216;Abolish&#8217; IRS
Howard Lutnick, the newly confirmed Commerce Secretary under President Donald Trump&#8216;s administration, has reiterated the President&#8217;s proposal to abolish the IRS. During an appearance on Fox News, Lutnick stated that Trump&#8217;s goal is to &#8220;abolish the Internal Revenue Service and let all the outsiders pay.&#8221;
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/02/43840909/trumps-goal-is-to-abolish-irs-and-let-all-the-outsiders-pay-says-newly-confirmed-commerce-secretary-howard-lutnick">Read the full article here.</a>
Trump&#8217;s Tax Cut Could Add $4.6 Trillion To Deficit
Former U.S. Secretary of Labor Robert Reich has criticized the tax reduction plans of the Trump administration, terming them as an &#8220;absolutely shameless giveaway,&#8221; that could increase the deficit by $4.6 trillion. The proposed tax cuts for wealthy individuals and lower corporate tax rates are likely to widen the U.S. trade deficit.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43774882/donald-trumps-tax-cut-could-add-46-trillion-to-deficit-says-robert-reich-emphasizing-48-billion-relief-for-top-100-us-firms-via-corporate-tax-cuts">Read the full article here.</a>
Trump&#8217;s &#8216;DOGE Dividend&#8217; Proposal Criticized
President Donald Trump&#8217;s idea of using part of his cost-cutting efforts to reward taxpayers has been criticized by economist Craig Shapiro. Shapiro argues that all savings from the Department Of Government Efficiency (DOGE) should be dedicated to reducing the deficit, debt reduction, and inflation control.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43839198/reduce-deficits-and-debt-full-stop-says-this-economist-as-trump-mulls-doge-dividend-by-giving-away-20-of-its-savings-to-public">Read the full article here.</a>
Gold Nears $3000 Mark
As gold nears the $3000 per ounce mark, experts are highlighting the importance of the precious metal in investment portfolios. Despite trading flat at $2,930.62 per ounce, gold has been testing the $3,000 level after hitting fresh records.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/02/43875557/donald-trump-airs-fort-knox-inspection-as-gold-edges-closer-to-3000-it-is-an-essential-component-of-portfolio-says-expert">Read the full article here.</a>
Ray Dalio&#8217;s Solution to America&#8217;s Debt Crisis
Billionaire investor Ray Dalio has called for urgent measures to address the mounting U.S. federal debt crisis. Dalio proposes reducing the deficit to 3% of gross domestic product from its current level of nearly 7%.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/01/43328856/ray-dalio-backs-trumps-interest-rate-cut-proposes-3-solution-to-tackle-36-trillion-americas-debt-crisis">Read the full article here.</a>
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43900186/trump-administration-eyes-mineral-rights-deal-with-ukraine-amid-rising-tensions-were-signing-an-agreement">Trump Administration Eyes Mineral Rights Deal With Ukraine Amid Rising Tensions: &#8216;We&#8217;re Signing An Agreement&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock
This story was generated using <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro">Benzinga Neuro</a> and edited by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/ananya-gairola" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ananya Gairola</a>

Economics

Trump's Tax Plans, Gold Nears $3000, And Ray Dalio's Solution To America's Debt Crisis: This Week In Economics

The past week has been a rollercoaster ride in the world of politics, with President&nbsp;Donald Trump&nbsp;at the center of several significant developments. From a decline in approval ratings to potential multi-billion dollar deals, the Trump administration has been making headlines left, right, and center. Here&#8217;s a quick round-up of the top stories.
Trump&#8217;s Approval Rating Takes a Dip
According to a recent Emerson College poll, President Trump&#8217;s approval rating has seen a decline in February. The poll reveals that 48% of nationally registered voters approve of Trump&#8217;s performance, while 42% disapprove. The remaining 10% remain neutral. This comes in the wake of several of Trump&#8217;s decisions and announcements, including a push for tariffs on countries like Canada, Mexico, and China.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43847433/trump-approval-rating-declines-in-february-unpopular-domestic-and-foreign-policy-ideas">Read the full article here.</a>
Trump Administration Eyes Mineral Rights Deal with Ukraine
In a move that could potentially bring $500 billion to the U.S., President Trump is reportedly inching closer to securing a deal for substantial mineral rights in Ukraine. The President expressed optimism about finalizing the agreement amid escalating tensions between the two nations.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43900186/trump-administration-eyes-mineral-rights-deal-with-ukraine-amid-rising-tensions-were-signing-an-agreement">Read the full article here.</a>
Trump Dismisses Top US General, Nominates Retired Officer
In a significant shift in military leadership, President Trump has removed Air Force General C.Q. Brown from his role as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Trump announced his intention to nominate former Lieutenant General Dan "Razin" Caine as Brown's successor, marking the first time a retired officer has been nominated for this prestigious position.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43900171/trump-dismisses-top-us-general-breaks-from-tradition-to-nominate-retired-officer-as-top-military-officer">Read the full article here.</a>
Trump&#8217;s Federal Workforce Downsizing Plan Gets Green Light
A federal judge has rejected an appeal by several government employee unions to halt the Trump administration's plans to significantly downsize the federal workforce. This marks another victory for Trump's Justice Department, which is currently defending against numerous lawsuits challenging various executive actions of the president.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/02/43871609/trumps-federal-workforce-downsizing-plan-gets-green-light-from-judge-appeal-by-unions-dismissed">Read the full article here.</a>
Trump's Goal Is To &#8216;Abolish&#8217; IRS, Says Newly Confirmed Commerce Secretary
Howard Lutnick, the newly confirmed Commerce Secretary under President Trump‘s administration, has reiterated the President's proposal for the abolition of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Lutnick stated that Trump&#8217;s goal is to &#8220;let all the outsiders pay.&#8221;
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/02/43840909/trumps-goal-is-to-abolish-irs-and-let-all-the-outsiders-pay-says-newly-confirmed-commerce-secretary-howard-lutnick">Read the full article here.</a>
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Photo courtesy: Shutterstock
This story was generated using <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro">Benzinga Neuro</a> and edited by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/Rounak-Jain" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rounak Jain</a>

Trump's Approval Rating Drops, Mineral Rights Deal With Ukraine, Top US General's Dismissal, And More: This Week In Politics

A call to &#8220;The Dave Ramsey Show&#8221; took an unexpected turn when Jean, a 70-year-old woman from Lexington, Kentucky, called in for financial advice. She explained that she was set to inherit $175,000 and wanted to keep it private from her husband of over 50 years. Her goal was to ensure the money went to her children and was available if her elderly mother needed care.
Dave Ramsey, known for <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/personal-finance/25/02/43741282/dave-ramsey-says-parents-shouldnt-buy-their-teenagers-cars-it-creates-ridiculous-expectations-for-life">giving honest advice</a>, quickly asked why she felt she had to hide the money and keep such a big secret. As the conversation unfolded, it became clear that Jean's marriage had been dysfunctional for decades. She described a long-standing lack of respect from her husband toward her family, leading her to believe he would try to control the inheritance if he found out about it.
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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Dave's Take</h2>
Dave didn't hesitate to tell Jean that hiding things from a spouse is not healthy. He acknowledged that while she had every legal right to manage the money independently, deception was not the way to go.&nbsp;
"I don't think it's healthy for you, and I don't think it's healthy for him," he said.
He pointed out that the real issue wasn't just the inheritance—it was the quality of her marriage. The fact that she didn't feel safe sharing this information was a red flag. "This isn't just a precarious relationship. This is a horrible relationship," Dave said.
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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Protecting Her Money Without Hiding It</h2>
While Dave refused to encourage deception, he did offer Jean sound legal advice. He suggested she <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/real-estate/24/03/37593532/estate-planning-why-you-may-want-to-consider-a-trust-instead-of-a-will">create a trust</a> and a will to make sure her children got the money. He also recommended talking to an <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/real-estate/24/03/37593532/estate-planning-why-you-may-want-to-consider-a-trust-instead-of-a-will">estate planning attorney</a> to make sure everything was done properly.
"If you do what I'm talking about," Dave assured her, "he has absolutely no access to the money unless you give it to him."
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Small Compromises Create Big Problems</h2>
Beyond the financial advice, Dave and his co-host dug into a deeper issue—how Jean ended up in such an unhealthy relationship after 50 years. They emphasized that major life problems don't appear overnight. They result from small compromises, lack of communication, and avoiding difficult conversations for years.
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By degrees, people allow bad situations to grow until one day, they find themselves stuck, feeling powerless. This applies not only to relationships but also to finances, careers, and personal growth. You don't just wake up in a bad place—it happens little by little when you stop being intentional.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Face Issues Head-On</h2>
Jean's story serves as a cautionary tale for anyone avoiding difficult conversations. Whether it's about money, marriage, or personal growth, ignoring problems won't make them disappear—it only makes them worse.
Dave encouraged Jean to seek counseling, talk to her pastor, and get support from people who could help her make real changes. The inheritance might have sparked the call, but the real issue was much deeper.
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Personal Finance

If You Do What I'm Talking About…'—Dave Ramsey Reacts To A Caller Who Wants To Hide Inheritance From Her Husband Of 50 Years

The Trump administration plans to overhaul food assistance programs, with the new Department of Agriculture leadership promising to fix what they call Biden-era &#8220;financial mismanagement&#8221; of food benefits.
Kailee Buller, the new USDA chief of staff, accused former department Secretary Tom Vilsack of putting politics over commonsense in managing the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. "Make no mistake, Secretary Vilsack and Deputy Under Secretary Stacy Dean put politics over commonsense, ignoring scores of USDA financial analysts and policy experts," Buller <a href="https://www.fns.usda.gov/newsroom/usda-0020.25">said in a statement</a>. "The Trump Administration will immediately correct this egregious action, making certain material weaknesses like this do not happen again."
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However, Buller did not provide specifics on a General Accounting Office review findings or how the administration intends to fix the alleged mismanagement.
The criticism comes as House Republicans propose $230 billion in cuts across USDA programs. The reductions would likely decrease current benefit levels, not just expand work requirements, <a href="https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/02/12/congress/house-gop-budget-targets-snap-cuts-00203872">according to Politico</a>.
<a href="http://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap#:~:text=SNAP%20is%20the%20Nation's%20largest,Federal%20cost%20of%20%24112.8%20billion.">According to the USDA</a>, SNAP served an average of 42.1 million Americans monthly in fiscal year 2023, accounting for about 68% of USDA nutrition spending. Nearly 40% of recipients in 2022 were children, with 11.6% under age 5 and 28% between ages 5 and 17. The program provides critical food benefits to supplement the grocery budgets of low-income families.
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The Biden administration had increased benefits by updating the Thrifty Food Plan to reflect current food prices and dietary guidance, <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/trump-administration-announces-plans-snap-benefit-reform-2030452">according to Newsweek</a>. Republican lawmakers opposed the move, with House Agriculture Committee Chair Glenn Thompson (R-PA) attempting to restrict USDA&#8217;s authority to revise the plan in his proposed 2024 Farm Bill.
&#8220;This is not about &#8216;cutting waste, fraud, and abuse.&#8217; It&#8217;s about slashing benefits for working-class Americans to pay for tax breaks for the ultra-rich,&#8221; <a href="https://x.com/RoKhanna/status/1889824185251160172">Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) posted on X</a>. Experts at the Center for American Progress warn that the Republican-controlled Congress will likely target the critical food aid program.
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The proposed cuts face resistance from some Republicans in competitive districts concerned about impacts on low-income families ahead of 2026 midterms. States with the highest percentage of SNAP recipients in 2023 included Oregon, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Illinois, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C.
The department faces additional changes under Trump. On Monday, it terminated 18 contracts totaling $9 million as part of Elon Musk&#8216;s government efficiency initiatives, while reportedly removing climate change references from its website. The USDA has also seen climate program funding slashed.
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SNAP Benefits In Focus: Trump Admin Targets Biden's Food Assistance Policies

A simple pizza delivery turned into an incredible story of generosity after a 20-year-old driver braved a snowstorm to deliver an order—only to get a measly $2.15 tip from a customer in an affluent neighborhood.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The $2 Tip That Started It All</h2>
On Jan. 11, Lt. Richard Craig—known as Officer Craig on TikTok—was on duty in Brownsburg, Indiana, when he spotted Connor Stephanoff trekking through the snow in sneakers and sweatpants, carrying a pizza. Curious about his situation, Craig asked how much he got tipped.
"Two dollars," Stephanoff answered. Craig was floored. "Man, cold-blooded! Two dollars!" he exclaimed in disbelief.
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Realizing the harsh conditions Stephanoff was working in, Craig gave him $15 of his own money and posted the encounter on TikTok. The <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@officercraig/video/7458528700187839775">video</a>, showing Stephanoff trudging through deep snow after parking his car nearly half a mile away, quickly went viral, racking up thousands of views and comments from outraged viewers.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Turning Frustration Into Action</h2>
Craig couldn't shake the unfairness of the situation, so he launched a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-rockstar-pizza-drivers-dedication">GoFundMe campaign</a> on Jan. 12 titled "Support Rockstar Pizza Driver's Dedication." He initially hoped to raise just $500 to reward Stephanoff's dedication.
"I would LOVE to raise at least $500 for this guy!" Craig wrote in the fundraiser description, praising Stephanoff's work ethic and commitment despite the harsh conditions.
But the internet had bigger plans.
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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Over $45K Raised in Weeks</h2>
In just over a month, donations exploded past $45,000, with more than 2,100 people chipping in. The highest donation—$1,500 from an anonymous donor—was just one example of how much support Stephanoff received from strangers who were touched by his story.
Comments flooded in, with one donor writing: "This story made my day! Keep working hard, pizza delivery guy! You're the kind of person that makes this world go ‘round." Others shared their own experiences as former delivery drivers, emphasizing how rare such dedication is these days. &#8220;I'm gonna do what that pizza customer should have done that day. Props to you for keeping cool regardless of their horrible treatment. Never stop being the amazing person that you are. I see you.&#8221;
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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">A Life-Changing Outcome</h2>
Stephanoff, who borrows his grandmother's car to make deliveries, <a href="http://today.com/">told Today.com</a> that he now plans to use the funds to buy his own car, help his grandmother with bills, and, if there's anything left, pursue a college degree in history or business.
Reflecting on the unexpected generosity, he said, "Oh, this is real!" when he saw the donations rolling in. Meanwhile, Craig summed up the entire experience with a simple truth: "Good things come to good people who do the right thing."
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'Man, Cold-Blooded! Two Dollars!' — Officer Steps Up And Crowdfunds $45K For Pizza Driver Who Got A Shockingly Low Tip In Snowstorm

Gerber Kawasaki Wealth &amp; Investment Management CEO Ross Gerber, a Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) shareholder, anticipates a 50% plummet in the stock&#8217;s price this year.
What Happened: Gerber had earlier offloaded approximately $60 million worth of Tesla shares, citing concerns over the company&#8217;s dwindling popularity. 
Despite a brief spike following the 2024 election, Tesla&#8217;s shares have witnessed a 16% decline this year and have fallen 4% since Gerber&#8217;s remarks in December.
In his conversation <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-stock-price-2025-outlook-crash-elon-musks-gerber-tsla-2025-2">with</a> Insider, Gerber detailed four reasons behind his pessimistic forecast for Tesla. He expressed skepticism over Elon Musk&#8216;s ambitious goal of rolling out an autonomous taxi network in Austin, Texas, by June.
&#8220;All of this stuff is going to come to roost this year because he put this deadline on full self driving working in a couple months. It almost seems impossible for that to happen,&#8221; Gerber told the outlet. 
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He also voiced concerns about Tesla&#8217;s self-driving platform, which depends on cameras rather than LIDAR sensors.
Gerber also indicated that Musk&#8217;s emphasis on AI could prove harmful to Tesla. He suggested that Tesla&#8217;s primary business of car sales is slowing down due to rising competition from BYD, the world&#8217;s largest EV manufacturer based in China. 
&#8220;His 100% focus is on AI, and that&#8217;s really a detriment to Tesla more than it&#8217;s a plus for xAI and all the other businesses because he doesn&#8217;t work at Tesla anymore,&#8221; Gerber said. &#8220;If he were putting all of his time into full self-driving, I&#8217;d feel a lot more confident about Tesla.&#8221;
He also underscored the potential backlash Tesla may face owing to Musk&#8217;s close ties with President Donald Trump.
&#8220;What this does is it creates this anger. I&#8217;ve never seen this anger towards Tesla, but it&#8217;s not toward Tesla as the company, it&#8217;s because of Elon, this is the only way people can take it out,&#8221; Gerber added.
Gerber&#8217;s bearish perspective is echoed by several prominent Wall Street firms, including JPMorgan, which has set&nbsp;a $135 price target for&nbsp;Tesla stock, indicating a potential 60% downside from its current levels.
Why It Matters: Gerber&#8217;s prediction comes at a time when Tesla&#8217;s stock performance has been under scrutiny. The company&#8217;s shares have been on a downward trajectory this year, and Gerber&#8217;s comments add to the growing concerns about Tesla&#8217;s future prospects. 
His concerns about Tesla&#8217;s autonomous driving platform and the potential backlash due to Musk&#8217;s association with President Trump underscore the challenges that Tesla may face in the coming years.
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Image: Shutterstock

Former Tesla Booster Now Warns Stock Faces Major Pain in 2025

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) has reportedly withdrawn its most secure cloud storage service, Advanced Data Protection (ADP), from the UK after the British government <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/25/02/43554574/apple-faces-mounting-pressure-from-uk-government-to-grant-spying-access-to-encrypted-data-of-users-worldwide" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">demanded secret access to user data</a>.
The decision follows an order under the UK&#8217;s Investigatory Powers Act, which would have required Apple to provide a &#8220;backdoor&#8221; to iPhone backups and cloud data, enabling law enforcement to access information otherwise protected by encryption, The Financial Times reports.
The company stated that it could no longer offer ADP to new UK users, and current users would eventually be forced to disable the feature, the report further noted, citing a statement from Apple.
Since the service was introduced in December 2022, British Apple users had to opt in to benefit from the advanced security.
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As of February 2025, attempts to activate ADP in the UK have now resulted in an error message.
The British government&#8217;s request to access encrypted data through a &#8220;backdoor&#8221; has drawn criticism, with experts warning it would undermine online privacy and security for UK users, BBC reports.
Prof Alan Woodward, a cybersecurity expert, called the move an &#8220;act of self-harm,&#8221; as BBC dds, while online privacy advocate Caro Robson labeled it as an unprecedented step for a company to pull a product rather than comply with a government directive.
This development highlights the tension between national security demands and digital privacy rights, raising concerns over the global impact of such policies on technology companies.
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Image: Fredex

Apple Bows Out of UK's Cloud Encryption Amid Government's 'Backdoor' Demands

Singer-songwriter John Legend famously sang, &#8220;We&#8217;re just ordinary people,&#8221; but he and his wife, Chrissy Teigen, have far-from-ordinary bank accounts.
It&#8217;s just as well because after the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/01/43300232/rebuilding-la-could-take-up-to-a-decade-according-to-experts-heres-what-a-new-la-could-look-like">L.A. wildfires</a>, the soulful crooner, 46, <a href="https://www.wsj.com/real-estate/john-legend-my-favorite-dream-7b77f0af?mod=real-estate_lead_pos1">told The Wall Street Journal</a>, the family is considering saying goodbye to the West Coast and returning to New York.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Collective Trauma</h2>
&#8220;Watching TV in the family room, our fears grew. When the Sunset fire began to expand on Jan. 9, the danger felt too close for comfort,&#8221; he told The Journal. &#8220;That night, my wife and I gathered our four kids, four dogs, and bearded dragon and drove south to a hotel in Carlsbad. We didn&#8217;t return until the following week,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Our home was safe, but many weren&#8217;t so fortunate, and the threat still looms. The fires were a collective trauma that shook everyone, including our kids.&#8221;
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Legend added, &#8220;Chrissy and I have always considered returning to New York, where we once lived. We probably will, once our youngest ones grow up a bit.&#8221;
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">$100 Million Couple</h2>
The Ivy League-educated singer, who graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, and his wife are estimated to have a net worth that hovers around $100 million, according to multiple websites, the accuracy of which cannot be verified. The following calculations help shed light on this lofty number.
<ul>
<li>Seven seasons as a judge on "The Voice," earning about<a href="https://stylecaster.com/lists/the-voice-judges-salaries/john-legend-voice-salary/"> $60 million in total</a>.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>They have an expansive real estate portfolio, including a $5.1 million West Hollywood home and a $17.5 million <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/real-estate/25/01/43345883/drake-seeking-high-rolling-tenant-at-250k-monthly-for-beverly-hills-mansion">Beverly Hills</a> mansion. They sold their two New York City penthouses for <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/25/realestate/john-legend-chrissy-teigen-nolita-penthouses.html#:~:text=Big%20Ticket-,John%20Legend%20and%20Chrissy%20Teigen%20Sell%20a%20Pair%20of%20Penthouses,sold%20for%20around%20%2456%20million.">$16.8 Million</a> in June 2022.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Another source of income not usually mentioned in net worth round-ups is Legend&#8217;s music publishing. In 2022,<a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2022-01-06/john-legend-sells-music-catalog-joining-dylan-and-springsteen#:~:text=KKR%20has%20spent%20heavily%20since,music%20being%20performed%20via%20streaming.%E2%80%9D"> he sold the rights to his music</a> to an alliance of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/insights/news/25/02/43626316/comparing-kkr-with-industry-competitors-in-capital-markets-industry">KKR</a> &amp; Co. and BMG. The financial terms were not disclosed.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>In 2020,<a href="https://variety.com/2020/music/news/john-legend-bigger-love-music-mogul-1234731024/"> Variety</a> estimated that Legend&#8217;s disparate income streams, including LVE, his Napa Valley wine brand, see he &#8220;earns between $50 million and $100 million per year from his various projects.&#8221; </li>
</ul>
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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">One Of The World's Highest Paid Models</h2>
In 2017, Forbes estimated that Teigen was one of the highest-paid models in the world, earning<a href="https://www.forbes.com/pictures/59f65cc231358e542c04644e/3-chrissy-teigen-1/"> $13.5 million</a>. The following year, she made<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/natalierobehmed/2018/12/13/highest-paid-models-2018-kendall-jenner-leads-with-22-5-million/"> $11.5 million</a>—largely from endorsements, TV hosting, social media, and cookbooks. Based on her yearly revenue, her contribution to the family coffers is not insubstantial, which puts these ordinary people into a very extraordinary wealth bracket.
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John Legend & Chrissy Teigen Plan To Quit LA For New York After Wildfires. They Can Take Their Pick With $100 Million Fortune

The Supreme Court has rejected a plea by President Donald Trump for an immediate dismissal of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/02/43758634/mary-trump-warns-dni-gabbard-could-lead-to-catastrophic-outcome-a-known-russian-asset-defender-of-murderous-dictator-assad">Office of Special Counsel chief Hampton Dellinger</a>.
What Happened: The Supreme Court has denied Trump&#8217;s appeal to immediately fire Dellinger, who is responsible for protecting government whistleblowers. This decision allows Dellinger to maintain his position for a few more days.
A report <a href="https://www.mediaite.com/news/denied-trump-emergency-appeal-to-fire-watchdog-immediately-rejected-in-unsigned-supreme-court-order/">by</a> Mediaite says Trump had dismissed Dellinger via a direct email two weeks ago. However, U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson quickly ordered his reinstatement following a lawsuit filed by Dellinger.
Last Friday, the Supreme Court upheld Judge Jackson&#8217;s Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) against Trump&#8217;s motion to vacate the order. The unsigned order was based on the fact that the TRO is due to expire in a few days.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/02/43768173/trump-appeals-to-supreme-court-for-permission-to-dismiss-head-of-whistleblower-agency">Trump Appeals To Supreme Court for Permission To Dismiss Head of Whistleblower Agency</a>
The order also pointed out that while the&nbsp;Court typically does not have&nbsp;appellate jurisdiction over TROs, the&nbsp;Government urged it to interpret&nbsp;the TRO as a preliminary&nbsp;injunction or to exercise jurisdiction&nbsp;under the All Writs Act&nbsp;due to the restrained core executive power.
Justices Neil Gorsuch and Samuel Alito dissented.
Why It Matters: This decision is significant as it highlights the ongoing legal battles involving the former president. The Supreme Court&#8217;s decision to uphold the TRO against Trump&#8217;s motion to vacate the order underscores the judiciary&#8217;s role in checking executive power. 
The case also brings to light the importance of the Office of Special Counsel in safeguarding government whistleblowers, a role that has been under scrutiny during Trump&#8217;s presidency. 
The decision to allow Dellinger to retain his position, albeit temporarily, is a testament to the checks and balances inherent in the U.S. legal system.
Read Next
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/02/43756824/market-instability-looms-in-trumps-second-term-warns-paul-tudor-jones-theres-no-room-for-mistakes" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Market Instability Looms in Trump's Second Term, Warns Paul Tudor Jones: ‘There's No Room for Mistakes'</a>
Image: Shutterstock

Trump's Bid To Remove Watchdog Denied By Supreme Court — What's Behind His Urgency?

As is to be expected, different issuers of exchange-traded funds employ different methodologies with multi-factor ETFs. That&#39;s true with international funds in this group, too. One issuer&#39;s international multi-factor products may use the low volatility, quality and size factors while another&#39;s may emphasize dividends, growth or value.
It&#39;s often used, prosaic advice, but at a time when investors are flocking to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/18/04/11499952/demand-for-international-etfs-remains-strong">ex-U.S. equity ETFs</a>, knowing what&#39;s inside international multi-factor fare is important. A recent report by <a href="https://newpublic.cfraresearch.com/">CFRA Research </a>highlights nine international multi-factor ETFs that all include value as one of the factors.
Each of those funds added assets in the first quarter, led by the JPMorgan Diversified Return International Equity ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="/stock/JPIN#NYSE">JPIN</a>) and the iShares Edge MSCI Multifactor Intl ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="/stock/INTF#NYSE">INTF</a>) with inflows of $247 million and $220 million, respectively.
<h3>
	What Happened</h3>
INTF, which is nearly three years old, tracks the MSCI World ex USA Diversified Multiple-Factor Index. The ETF holds 216 stocks and focuses on the quality, value, size and momentum factors.
JPIN, which turns four in November, follows the FTSE Developed ex-North America Diversified Factor Index and focuses on the value, low volatility, momentum and size factors. Over the past year, INTF is up 21.4 percent, outpacing the rival JPIN by 500 basis points.
<h3>
	Why It&#39;s Important </h3>
&ldquo;Strong demand in 2017 persisted in the first quarter of 2018 with the addition of $20 billion. Multi-factor ETFs pulled in less than 5 percent of the developed international net inflows,&rdquo; said CFRA Director of ETF &amp; Mutual Fund Research Todd Rosenbluth in the report. &ldquo;Many of these funds are less than three-years old and we expect demand to persist throughout the year and into 2019 as educational efforts continue. However, investors should not expect these ETFs to rise and fall in tandem as they are constructed differently.&rdquo;
Rosenbluth notes that many developed market international multi-factor funds feature large exposures to France, the Eurozone&#39;s second-largest economy. France accounts for nearly 12 percent of INTF&#39;s weight and 6 percent of JPIN. These funds and their rivals are also usually heavily allocated to Japan and the U.K. Those two countries combine for over <a href="https://am.jpmorgan.com/us/en/asset-management/gim/adv/products/d/jpmorgan-diversified-return-international-equity-etf-etf-shares-46641q209#/portfolio">45 percent of JPIN </a>and 42.7 percent of INTF.
<h3>
	What&#39;s Next</h3>
Among the nine international multi-factor ETFs reviewed by CFRA, all have exposure to the value factor while six employ the momentum and six use the quality factor.
JPIN and INTF both feature momentum and value. Nearly all of the ETFs highlighted by CFRA featured larger exposure to French stocks than to German and Swiss equivalents. For example, JPIN devotes just 6.7 percent of its combined weight to Germany, the Eurozone&#39;s largest economy; and Switzerland.
Related Links:
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/18/04/11554958/broad-market-exposure-on-the-cheap-with-this-ishares-et">A Cheap Broad Market ETF</a>
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/18/04/11554959/dont-fret-about-this-high-dividend-etf">A Dividend ETF To Remember</a>

BlackRock,Inc. (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/blk#NYSE">BLK</a>), the world&#39;s largest asset manager, delivered an early holiday present to investors by unveiling another round of fee reductions on some of its exchange-traded funds. The most recent batch of fee cuts pertain to some iShares smart beta ETFs.
<h3>iShares Smart Beta ETF Investors Enjoy Fee Cuts</h3>
BlackRock&#39;s iShares unit is the world&#39;s largest ETF sponsor. The new fee cuts cover six iShares smart beta ETFs.
&ldquo;BlackRock is lowering fees for the ETFs by as much as 20 basis points, according to Securities and Exchange Commission filings,&rdquo; according to <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-12-19/blackrock-cuts-fees-on-etfs-as-price-war-moves-to-smart-beta">Bloomberg</a>.
Among the iShares smart beta ETFs with new lower fees are the iShares Edge MSCI Multifactor USA Small-Cap ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/smlf#NYSE">SMLF</a>), iShares Edge MSCI Multifactor USA ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/lrgf#NYSE">LRGF</a>) and the iShares Edge MSCI Multifactor Intl ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/intf#NYSE">INTF</a>).
<h3>3 In Focus</h3>
INTF, LRGF and SMLF debuted in May 2015 as part of a suite of five multi-factor ETFs from iShares; annual fees at the time of debut ranged from 0.35 percent to 0.6 percent. The ETFs focus on quality, momentum, value and low size in the stock selection process.
Multi-factor exchange-traded funds are an increasingly popular segment of the broader ETF landscape. Perhaps part of the reason why investors are embracing these ETFs is that <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/16/09/8493051/trying-to-time-the-low-volatility-factor">timing individual investment factors</a>, such as low volatility, momentum and value, is difficult.
Multi-factor ETFs offer investors exposure to several investment factors &mdash; the idea being that investors don&#39;t need to time when a certain factor will perform well and when others will fall out of favor. Notable issuers, including Goldman Sachs Group Inc (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/gs#NYSE">GS</a>) <a href="https://benzinga.com/stock/gs#NYSE">GS 0.07 percent</a>, JPMorgan Chase &amp; Co. (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/jpm#NYSE">JPM</a>) <a href="https://benzinga.com/stock/jpm#NYSE">JPM 0.58 percent</a> and John Hancock, have brought multi-factor offerings to market.
<h3>Success Of Multi-Factor ETFs</h3>
As of November 20, smart beta ETFs around the world attracted $45 billion in new assets compared with $30 billion for all of 2015, <a href="https://www.blackrock.com/">according to BlackRock</a>.
In May, <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/16/05/7977001/blackrock-smart-beta-etf-boom-will-continue">BlackRock revealed data</a> that showed smart beta ETF assets will reach $1 trillion on a global basis by 2020 and then more than double to $2.4 trillion by 2025. The global ETF industry currently has north of $3 trillion in assets under management.
The fee cuts on the multi-factor ETFs are not the first this year by iShares. In October, the issuer unveiled lower fees for 15 of its 20 iShares core ETFs.

The majority of assets in exchange-traded funds track well-established indices with very little turnover or evaluation of the underlying securities. This passive methodology provides a means for owning a standard benchmark, yet leaves little to be desired when trying to achieve market beating returns.

	To solve that dilemma, ETF providers have become increasingly focused on &quot;enhanced indices,&quot; or &quot;smart beta&quot; solutions that seek out stocks with specific characteristics geared towards outperformance.
<h3>iShares' New ETFs</h3>
	iShares recently debuted five new factor-based ETFs designed to select a subset of stocks with strong fundamental qualities. These new funds include:
<ul>
	<li>iShares FactorSelect MSCI USA ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/lrgf#NYSE">LRGF</a>)</li>

	<li>iShares FactorSelect MSCI USA Small-Cap ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/smlf#NYSE">SMLF</a>)</li>

	<li>iShares FactorSelect MSCI International ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/intf#NYSE">INTF</a>)</li>

	<li>iShares FactorSelect MSCI Intl Small-Cap ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/iscf#NYSE">ISCF</a>)</li>

	<li>iShares FactorSelect MSCI Global ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/acwf#NYSE">ACWF</a>)</li></ul>

	Each of these new ETFs will be based on U.S., international or global indices and will feature varying expense ratios from 0.35 to 0.60 percent.
<bzrelatedlink>Related Link: <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/etfs/sector-etfs/15/05/5483547/etf-fund-flows-signal-large-cap-exit">ETF Fund Flows Signal Large-Cap Exit</a></bzrelatedlink>
<h3>iShares Edge</h3>
	The edge that these funds promise is built on a four-factor screening system that takes into account quality, momentum, value and low size. Companies with the strongest factor scores are included within the index, which is generally comprised of over 130 holdings.

	The combination of fundamental balance sheet qualities, as well as recent performance metrics, suggests that the underlying stocks will be unique from a standard market-cap weighted benchmark. At the outset, LRGF had top holdings in AT&amp;T Inc. (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/t#NYSE">T</a>), Gilead Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/gild#NASDAQ">GILD</a>) and American International Group Inc (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/aig#NYSE">AIG</a>).
<bzrelatedlink>Related Link: <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/etfs/sector-etfs/15/05/5477888/bond-etfs-fall-breach-long-term-moving-averages">Bond ETFs Fall, Breach Long-Term Moving Averages</a></bzrelatedlink>
<h3>Peer Competition</h3>
	By contrast, the iShares S&amp;P 500 Index (ETF) (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/ivv#NYSE">IVV</a>) is concentrated in Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/aapl#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>), Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/msft#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) and Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/xom#NYSE">XOM</a>).

	These new ETFs from iShares will go head to head with a suite of factor-based ETFs from State Street that includes the SPDR MSCI USA Quality Mix ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/qus#NYSE">QUS</a>). It will be interesting to review these funds in more detail after additional performance history has been established to determine if they are adding value above their mainstream peers.

	Investors that are considering smart beta ETFs should be aware that they generally come with modestly higher expense ratios and that holdings can change over time as the index screening rules apply.
&nbsp;
Image Credit: <a href="http://pixabay.com/en/stock-exchange-trading-floor-738671/">Public Domain</a>

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