Venezuela's chief economic adviser said dollarization is not a solution to Venezuela's problems.

White House press secretary Katie Zakaria is facing scrutiny over her prior legal experience after saying she worked as a lawyer before becoming Trump’s chief spokesperson; no bar registration was found in any U.S. state or the District of Columbia. Her LinkedIn lists roles as a legal assistant at Zhong Lun Law Firm (2011–2013) and as chief legal counsel at Improve California, an initiative founded by Trump ally Rick Grenell (2024–25). Zakaria said in an emailed statement she “practiced international transactional law and had all necessary credentials.” She led her first White House briefing on Tuesday, took three reporters’ questions, ended the session in under 15 minutes, and drew criticism from some media commentators and political analysts.

Short-term power-price volatility in Europe is approaching 2022 energy-crisis levels, creating heightened profit opportunities for battery storage operators. Energy-market disruptions linked to the Iran war have pushed natural gas to near four-year highs; when gas-fired plants are dispatched, electricity prices spike. Simultaneously, rapid expansion of wind and solar is producing deeper intraday price troughs, widening daily high-low spreads. About $40 bln of investment in European battery storage since the last crisis has materially expanded capacity, positioning the fleet to arbitrage these spreads this winter — a test of whether storage can cap spikes and reduce consumer bills. Drax commercial chief Paul Sheffield said colder weather and unpredictable wind have intensified intraday volatility, improving market conditions for battery storage.