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Intel’s Weak Earnings Put Futures on Ice After a Choppy Week

U.S. stock futures lost momentum Friday morning as Wall Street tried to steady itself after several days of sharp swings. Dow futures slipped, while S&P 500 and Nasdaq futures hovered slightly lower, signaling a cautious start to the trading day. The hesitation came largely from Intel’s disappointing earnings report. The chipmaker’s results and weaker outlook weighed heavily on tech sentiment, sending its shares sharply lower in pre‑market trading. Investors had hoped for stronger numbers given the industry’s AI‑driven momentum, but Intel’s update suggested ongoing challenges in key segments like data‑center chips. The broader market has been wrestling with volatility all week, driven by shifting economic expectations and uneven corporate results. With the S&P 500 on track for another weekly decline, traders appear reluctant to make big moves until they see clearer signs of stability.

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USAID Headquarters Seized: Staff Barred as Lease Is Transferred to GSA

In a dramatic turn of events on Monday, scores of USAID staffers were turned away from their decades-old Washington, D.C. headquarters after officials confirmed that the Trump administration had stripped the agency of its lease. When employees arrived to retrieve personal belongings and report for duty, they encountered tightly controlled entry measures—a front desk officer admitted only a pre-approved list of fewer than 10 names was permitted inside, while tarps obscured the agency’s interior signage.

According to multiple reports, the building’s lease has now been handed over to the General Services Administration (GSA), which plans to repurpose the space for other federal uses. This abrupt move is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration, with backing from billionaire Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, to dramatically downsize USAID. Critics argue that such measures are not only intended to cut what the administration deems “wasteful” spending, but also to realign U.S. foreign aid policies with an “America First” agenda.

The chaos unfolding at USAID headquarters comes amid a series of legal and administrative challenges. While a federal judge temporarily blocked an order that would have placed thousands of USAID staffers on administrative leave and imposed a 30-day deadline for overseas workers to return to the United States, the blockage did not extend to the headquarters lockout. Consequently, many employees reported confusion over conflicting emails and notices issued over the past weekend regarding access to the office, with some staffers stating they were simply told to “go” without further explanation.

As the situation continues to evolve, aid organizations and USAID officials warn that the disruption could jeopardize critical life-saving programs abroad—from emergency food and water assistance to health initiatives in some of the world’s most vulnerable regions.


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