A version of this story first appeared in Business’ Before the Bell newsletter. Not a subscriber? You can sign up right here. You can listen to an audio version of the newsletter by clicking the same link. New York    The 2024 gangbusters rally in stocks has skidded to a screeching halt. The S&P 500 index has fallen 4.6% so far in April, and all three major US indexes are on track for their first negative month since last October. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is on the brink of wiping out its gains since the start of 2024 it’s up…

April 19th, 2024 — Merlin Chain, the largest Bitcoin Layer 2 protocol by total value locked (TVL), is thrilled to announce the launch of its native token, $MERL. As a significant enhancement to the Bitcoin network, Merlin Chain facilitates the rapid growth of decentralized applications (DApps) across various sectors, including decentralized finance (DeFi), gaming and social platforms.Since its mainnet debut in February 2024, Merlin Chain has seen explosive growth, accumulating over $3.6 billion in TVL and fostering a vibrant ecosystem with more than 200 native DApps. The introduction of $MERL marks a pivotal moment in the evolution of Merlin Chain,…

GameStop has faced an onslaught of challenges in recent years, given the rapidly evolving gaming industry landscape. Co-founder Gary Kusin, who has watched the company navigate turbulent times, including the infamous 2021 short squeeze orchestrated by Reddit users (it sent the stock soaring temporarily), says the company needs to cut its footprint until it can find a profitable path forward.CEO Ryan Cohen has “got to reduce the footprint of stores,” said Kusin, who has a track record of building businesses in the retail space from GameStop to Laura Mercier. Kusin co-founded the video game retailer Babbage’s in the 1980s, which…

Hong Kong/London    Oil prices jumped overnight after explosions were reported near the Iranian city of Isfahan, but those gains dissipated Friday as officials sought to play down the latest escalation in Middle East tensions. Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, was down 0.4% at $86.8 per barrel, having earlier spiked more than 3%. US crude futures slipped 0.3% to trade at $82.50, also reversing earlier gains. Israel carried out a military strike inside Iran, a US official told , a move that could push the oil-rich region deeper into conflict. The Israeli military has not commented, and Iran has not identified the source of…

Israel carries out a retaliatory strike inside Iran. The fragility of the 911 system is exposed after operations fail in several states. And we go inside a far-right sheriffs convention where conspiracy theories were abundant, but actual sheriffs weren’t. Here’s what to know today.Israel caries out retaliatory strike inside IranIsrael carried out a limited military strike against Iran and is assessing the strike’s effectiveness and the damage it caused, a source familiar with the situation told NBC News. Iran’s state media reported that three small drones were destroyed in Isfahan province, and reported that there had been no casualties or damage,…

Shiba Shootout ($SHIBASHOOT) has kindled the new meme coin craze. Drawing inspiration from the legendary Shiba Inu meme coin, the project embarks on an exciting journey themed around the crypto Wild West. Here is an analysis of Shiba Shootout and whether it can become the next big meme coin. Shiba Shootout: An IntroductionThe website presents Shiba Shootout as a meme coin project that goes beyond the conventional limits of cryptocurrency. It takes the user through a captivating adventure filled with creativity, strategic gameplay, and the allure of a cowboy’s showdown.While the cryptocurrency market is renowned for its extremely erratic meme coins, Shiba…

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New York    Renee Berry has been working at the Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee since 2010, shortly after it opened, long enough to see the majority of her co-workers twice vote against joining the United Auto Workers union. She thinks the third vote taking place this week will be different. “It’s a totally different ball game,” she said. “The atmosphere is different. You see more pro-union than anti-union [workers]. A whole lot of people who were anti-union in the past have switched.” The union vote at the Volkswagen plant will mean more than whether the 4,300 hourly workers in…

The release of Taylor Swift’s new album, The Tortured Poets Department, has fans trying to decode the meaning behind every new song — and some are speculating that “Guilty as Sin?” could be an admission of emotional cheating. The ninth track on the album, which dropped on Friday, April 19, begins with Swift wishing for freedom while stuck in a failing relationship — presumably with her ex Joe Alwyn — that’s leaving her feeling stifled. “My boredom’s bone-deep, this cage was once just fine,” she sings in the first verse. “Am I allowed to cry? I dream of cracking locks,…

The U.S. is anticipating the emergence of trillions of periodical cicadas, which, if prepared properly, can be tasty to eat, according to some.Periodical cicadas emerge every 13 or 17 years, with two groups expected to emerge soon across 16 states in the Midwest and South.The Audubon Insectarium in New Orleans is serving up insect-based treats at its “Bug Appetit” cafe.As the nation prepares for trillions of red-eyed bugs known as periodical cicadas to emerge, it’s worth noting that they’re not just annoying, noisy pests — if prepared properly, they can also be tasty to eat.Blocks away from such French Quarter…

A gun store in Maine has quite the new hire on its hands: a baby cow.The calf named Kade is now the “shop pet” of A&G Shooting, a gun store in Fairfield, Maine.Fairfield is a small town in central Maine, located near the city of Waterville. OKLAHOMA BOY’S PET OCTOPUS IS TIKTOK SENSATION: ‘WILDLIFE IS MAGNIFICENT’ Kade’s backstory is somewhat sad. His “mom had rejected him, so he was shivering and cold and [lying] in some mud in the woods, and we found him,” Adam Hendsbee, owner of A&G Shooting, told Fox 22 Bangor.  Hendsbee and his wife brought the Miniature Zebu calf…

As Indians start casting votes in the 44-day election that started Friday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk will meet, with reports indicating that Musk will announce an investment of $2 billion to $3 billion in the country. “I don’t think Mr. Musk is going to make a huge impact, positive or negative, on Mr. Modi, but [his visit’s] going to solidify Modi as someone who’s able to attract the world’s fanciest corporations to India to manufacture in India,” Siddhartha Dubey, a journalism professor based in Evanston, Illinois, told Fox News Digital.”Mr. Modi is going to…

Lenovo If you can’t decide between a laptop computer or tablet, there’s a third option that gives you the capabilities of both in a single device — one that also runs either Windows 11 or ChromeOS. These are two-in-one hybrids that come from brands like Acer, Dell, HP, Lenovo and Microsoft. All offer a large and vibrant touchscreen and either a flippable or detachable keyboard.Two-in-one hybrids are the ultimate in mobile computingOur in-house team of consumer technology experts has curated this roundup of the best two-in-one hybrid devices. These amazing gadgets can serve as either a full-featured laptop or tablet,…

Editor’s Note: Sign up for ’s Meanwhile in China newsletter which explores what you need to know about the country’s rise and how it impacts the world. Hong Kong    Apple has removed WhatsApp and Threads from its app store in China, following an order from the country’s internet watchdog which cited national security concerns. “We are obligated to follow the laws in the countries where we operate, even when we disagree,” an Apple spokesperson told on Friday. “The Cyberspace Administration of China ordered the removal of these apps from the China storefront based on their national security concerns. These apps remain…

During last night’s performance of Lempicka, the new musical now playing on Broadway, the show’s standby for the title role, Mariand Torres, took the stage without ever having rehearsed the show with the cast.In a video posted on Instagram, Matt Gould gave a speech before the show, drawing attention to Torres’ special performance. The video also includes a clip of Torres’ first curtain call in the role!”Today, our standby went on as Tamara de Lempicka without a single put-in rehearsal and blew the doors off the theatre,” reads the caption.Check out the video!About LempickaSpanning decades of political and personal turmoil and…