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Meta faces a $1.4 trillion threat that could mean ‘turning in the keys and walking away’—but the stakes of the case reach across tech

The $1.4 trillion figure may be unlikely, but the case could give states a new way to challenge how social media platforms are designed.

By Tatiana SatauaAugust 20, 2026

Pentagon pushes ‘zero tolerance’ audit on foreign university partnerships that ‘compromise our national security’

Schools must complete a review and terminate arrangements deemed problematic—or face funding losses.

By The Associated Press and Heather HollingsworthAugust 19, 2026

Geopolitical risk needs to move away from the ‘after-dinner speaker’: Eurasia Group and Rio Tinto’s Dominic Barton

Eurasia Group counselor Dominic Barton says corporate leaders can no longer treat geopolitics as a boardroom sideshow amid tariffs and new restrictions.

By Nicholas GordonAugust 19, 2026

National debt crosses $40 trillion and think tank warns: ‘The level of fiscal mismanagement is tragic

“To anyone who cares about America, about democracy and our future, in my view, this is already a crisis,” Michael Peterson told Fortune.

By Eleanor PringleAugust 19, 2026

More in North America

Venezuela oil minister to U.S. companies: ‘It’s an entire world waiting to be discovered’

Smaller, private U.S. oil producers are beginning to ink deals in Venezuela as the dilapidated energy industry evolves.

By Jordan BlumAugust 20, 2026

In this economy, millennials and Gen Z would rather break up than date someone in debt: ‘There’s a pretty big divide’

Nearly half of Americans say a partner’s debt is a dealbreaker, and younger generations are the pickiest of all.

By Catherina GioinoAugust 20, 2026

The new head of America’s top children’s hospital sees ‘the dawn of a new era’ for kid cancer treatment

St. Jude CEO Dr. Charles W. M. Roberts said he believes this is a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” to achieve the dream of treating cancer in children.

By The Associated Press and Glenn GamboaAugust 19, 2026

Trump threatens to bomb Oman, widening the war that crippled the global economy

The oil chokepoint is under fire from multiple directions as Trump pushes Oman for a tougher line on Iran shipping traffic.

By Samy Magdy and The Associated PressAugust 19, 2026

More in Asia

Unitree, famous for its dancing robots, surges by 460% on its trading debut, lifting valuation to $66 billion, far ahead of U.S. competitors

The Hangzhou-based startup, founded in 2016, has quickly become something akin to a national champion in China’s robotics sector.

By Nicholas GordonAugust 19, 2026

Strait of Hormuz chaos has incentivized China to use an alternative trade route: a 3,400 mile frozen Arctic channel dubbed the ‘Ice Silk Road’

Chinese shipping company Sea Legend Line just announced a shipping route through the Arctic, which takes half the time as established shipping routes.

By Sasha RogelbergAugust 19, 2026

The U.S. built its brand by attracting the world’s best and brightest. It must not lose that advantage

As any chief executive knows, the strongest brands are rarely destroyed by their competitors. This principle applies to nations as well.

By John A. QuelchAugust 18, 2026

Alibaba’s $2 billion gaming exit signals where Beijing wants its money

The e-commerce giant sells its gaming studio and pours $53 billion into AI as the US-China tech rivalry heats up

By Mia OsmonbekovAugust 18, 2026

More in Global

Climate change to cost London up to £36 billion a year by 2050s

Lost working hours, disruption to businesses and damage to infrastructure caused by extreme weather in a warmer climate are likely to reduce the capital’s GDP over the coming decades.

By Olivia Rudgard and BloombergAugust 20, 2026

Bessent’s $4 billion bond plan is like ‘rearranging deckchairs on the Titanic given the U.S. national debt of $40 trillion,’ ING says

Everything you need to know before you reach the office this morning.

By Jim EdwardsAugust 20, 2026

AI won’t fix a broken company. Rewiring it will

Picture a railroad that spends billions on the fastest trains in the world, then runs them on the same aging rails. The tracks are the constraint.

By Sastry Durvasula and Manish SharmaAugust 20, 2026

Companies are spending trillions on AI. The C-suite doesn’t know who is in charge of it

Boards, CEOs, and the executives who report to them are sharply divided on who owns AI.

By Amanda GerutAugust 20, 2026