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Chaos in Venezuela as Machado Briefly ‘Kidnapped’

In a dramatic turn of events, Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado was reportedly detained and later released on Thursday after being “violently intercepted” while leading a protest against President Nicolás Maduro’s government. Her brief disappearance sent shockwaves through Venezuela and the international community, reigniting debates over the country’s deteriorating political climate under Maduro’s regime.

Machado, one of the most prominent figures opposing Maduro, appeared in public for the first time in months on Thursday. She joined thousands of supporters in Caracas to protest the legitimacy of Maduro’s third presidential term, set to begin on Friday.

The Venezuelan opposition, led by Machado, has steadfastly maintained that the 2024 presidential election was fraudulent, with opposition candidate Edmundo González securing the majority of votes.

You can read more on the matter here.

• Musk Admits Cutting Federal Spending By $2 Trillion May Be a Long Shot (theDeepDive)

• Liberals will remove 'fraudulent' memberships, as some register their pets to vote (CTV)

• Freeland Eyes Liberal Leadership As Party Sets March 9 Vote (theDeepDive)

• Average asking rents hit a 17-month low across Canada in December (CBC)

• Loblaws, Groceries Accused of Overcharging Canadians for Underweighted Meat (theDeepDive)

• Canada Finance Minister LeBlanc Won’t Seek Liberal Leadership (theDeepDive)

• Greenland prime minister expresses desire for island’s independence (FT)

• Czech Republic to Boost Nuclear Power to 68%, Phase Out Coal in Energy Overhaul (theDeepDive)

• Los Angeles fires expose inflated US home prices (Reuters)

• Hershey Seeks Approval for Giant Cocoa Purchase Amid Global Shortage (theDeepDive)

• Hiring Blew Past Expectations With 256,000 Jobs Added in December (WSJ)

What’s the latest?

• Trump: Donald Trump was sentenced to an unconditional discharge in his New York hush money case, meaning no jail, probation, or fines, 10 days before his second-term inauguration. This makes him the first criminal convict to occupy the Oval Office. Trump was convicted of 34 felony counts for falsifying business records tied to a $130,000 hush payment to Stormy Daniels, though the judge cited the presidency’s protections as overriding other sentencing considerations. The U.S. Supreme Court narrowly allowed the sentencing to proceed, rejecting Trump’s immunity claims.

• Oil: Oil prices surged on Friday, with Brent crude rising 2.5% to $78.84 per barrel and U.S. crude gaining 2.56% to $75.81, following U.S. sanctions targeting Russia's oil industry. The sanctions hit major firms like Gazprom Neft and Surgutneftegas, over 180 tankers, and several energy executives. The measures aim to disrupt Russia’s "shadow fleet" and energy exports amid its war against Ukraine.

• Corus: Corus Entertainment reported a 12% revenue drop in Q1, totaling $327.2 million compared to $369.9 million last year. Profit attributable to shareholders fell to $11.9 million (6 cents per diluted share), down from $32.7 million (16 cents per diluted share). Television revenue decreased to $303.6 million, and radio revenue dropped to $23.5 million. Adjusted earnings were 14 cents per share, down from 20 cents last year.

• Apollo: Apollo Global Management is considering investing up to ¥1.5 trillion ($9.5 billion) in the Ito family-led bid to take Japanese convenience store operator Seven & i private. The proposed equity stakes could total ¥4 trillion, with additional financing from major Japanese banks like Sumitomo Mitsui, Mitsubishi UFJ, and Mizuho Financial. The buyout, potentially valued at ¥9 trillion, faces competition from Couche-Tard's ¥7.5 trillion offer. Seven & i shares rose 4.9% following the news, with analysts viewing Apollo's involvement as a positive signal for shareholders.

• Labor Market: Canada added 91,000 jobs in December, dropping the unemployment rate to 6.7%. Average hourly wage growth slowed to 3.8% year-over-year, down from 4.1% in November. The public sector added 40,000 jobs, while self-employment rose by 24,000 but remains 100,000 below pre-pandemic levels.

What's happening w/ Endeavour Silver

The stock market and stuff

• New Gold Comes Up Short On Guidance With 2024 Production Of 298,303 Gold Ounces (theDeepDive)

• Wall Street stocks fall after US jobs report smashes expectations (FT)

• Stellantis reaches goal of cutting U.S. inventories by 100,000 units (Reuters)

• Bitcoin Investor Must Hand Over Keys to $124 Million Crypto Cache (theDeepDive)

In the juniors

• Aura Minerals Produces 267,232 Gold Equivalent Ounces In 2024 (theDeepDive)

• Gatos Silver Beats Production Guidance With 15.57 Million Silver Equivalent Ounces Produced In 2024 (theDeepDive)

• Tilray Brands Posts Net Loss Of $85 Million In Q2 2025 (theDeepDive)

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