Plus: A simple trick to get cheaper gas.
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An Apple store in Hangzhou, China
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Apple is winning its smartphone away game in China. After falling behind rival Huawei in the lucrative market, the iPhone maker staged a comeback.
The Boeing machinists union asked its members to be nicer to each other. Repeated votes to extend their strike are raising tensions for workers who don’t want to wait for a better contract deal.
Here’s what to expect from Alphabet’s earnings next week. A two-letter hint: A and I.
Another fast-food chain is battling e-coli. This time, it’s Burger King doing a double-take at its products.
Satya Nadella asked for a pay cut and still made a bunch more money in 2024. Despite giving back some compensation after a few cybersecurity failures, his compensation jumped 63% to $79.1 million this year.
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It is normal for major American executives to be in touch with various world leaders. It is perhaps less normal for one to be in touch with Russian president Vladimir Putin.
Reports have emerged that Elon Musk has been in regular contact with Putin, who allegedly pressed him to limit Starlink internet service in Taiwan as a favor to Chinese president Xi Jinping. The timeline of their communications also lines up with Starlink becoming much more difficult for the Ukrainian military to use.
How does this look to U.S. government officials who have national security dealings with Musk? Quartz’s William Gavin looks at the latest Musk scandal.

Everyone loves cheap gas, and there are companies out there that hope they can get you to buy more stuff by linking purchases to cheaper gas. A link here, a sign-up there, and suddenly petrol is a little less pricey.
Walmart+ hooked itself up with Exxon; Amazon Prime can get you a discount at BP. The savings come after the upfront cost of a membership in the programs.
Quartz’s Francisco Velasquez lays out which corporate loyalty programs will make it easier to fill your tank.

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Gas price volatility (by Deena Zaidi)