| President Joe Biden has finally decided to block the sale of US Steel to Japan’s Nippon Steel, people familiar said, ending a $14.1 billion deal that faced months of vocal opposition. The White House is planning to make the announcement today. The Washington Post earlier reported senior advisers raised concerns the move may hurt relations with Japan, and tried to sway him. It raises difficult questions about the next steps for US Steel. Photographer: SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg South Korean anti-corruption investigators failed to arrest impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol after a nearly six-hour standoff with his security team, showing tensions remain high even after the impeachment. Adding to the fray were more than a thousand protesters gathered outside his residence. Donald Trump announced members of his senior leadership team at the Treasury Department, including Ken Kies who will be assistant secretary for tax policy and work on Trump’s much-touted tax cuts. Meanwhile, county-level GDP data show that the president-elect won in the places that have seen the slowest growth since the pandemic, pointing to challenges ahead. Trump’s threat to eliminate tax credits for electric vehicles probably gave plug-in cars a much-needed boost after a disappointing 2024, part of a broader surge in auto sales at the end of the year. The trend isn’t expected to spill into this year with policy changes. And as for those who remain EV skeptics (or just plain curious), automakers have the answer: the super hybrid. Not in my sky. The Biden administration is considering a rule that may limit or ban Chinese drones in the US, the latest in a series of measures aimed at addressing national-security concerns linked to the country’s largest geopolitical rival. Two Shenzhen-based firms control about 90% of the worldwide drone market, according to lawmakers. It’s all part of the national discussion (New Jersey, anyone?) over drones. The bottom line is, get ready for more. | 