Zara Bets Big on China

Good morning, The world never sleeps, and neither does the news. From rising oil prices to conflict in the Middle East, the stakes are high. But amidst the chaos, there’s always a new day, a fresh start.

Make the most of today!

THE SPOTLIGHT
Lebanon burns, Gaza mourns!

Israel's military has launched strong attacks—southern Lebanon is being hit, and Gaza has experienced two deadly days.

What lit the fuse this time? Three rockets streaked from southern Lebanon toward Israel, aimed at a quiet town called Metula. Israel knocked them out of the sky, but then hit back hard. Join me as we piece together a story of rockets, denials, and a rising tide of loss, with two dead in Lebanon and 130 gone in Gaza in just 48 hours. Imagine a place where the air hums with danger, where families huddle as the night sky flashes. That’s where we’re going. I’ll take you through the human cost, the unanswered questions, and what this could mean for a region hanging by a thread.

Let’s start at the beginning. It was a tense day when those three rockets soared from Lebanon’s south toward Israel. They didn’t hit their mark—Israel’s defenses saw to that—but the response was immediate. Artillery roared, and airstrikes followed, hammering southern Lebanon. Lebanon’s health ministry says two people were killed, eight more hurt. Hezbollah, the big player in that area, stepped up and said, “Not us.” So, who sent those rockets? No one knows yet, and that mystery keeps the tension simmering.

Then there’s Gaza—hundreds of miles away, but tied to the same storm. Overnight, an Israeli airstrike flattened a home in Gaza City. Five children didn’t make it out, and eight others from their family are still lost under the wreckage. Over two days, 130 Palestinians have died across Gaza, say local health officials. Zoom out, and the numbers grow heavy: nearly 49,747 dead since this war started, over 113,213 wounded. Some say it’s even worse more than 61,700 gone, if you count those buried under ruins. It all traces back to October 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel, killed over 1,139 people, and took more than 200 hostages. That day set the wheel spinning.

Picture this: you’re in a village in Lebanon, or a crowded street in Gaza. The ground trembles, sirens wail, and you wonder if tonight’s the night you don’t wake up. That’s life for so many right now. In Lebanon, a shaky truce with Hezbollah feels ready to snap. In Gaza, the war churns on, relentless. The United Nations is watching, the world’s eyes are fixed—what happens next? I’ll keep digging, bringing you the voices, the numbers, and the stakes as this story unfolds.

WHAT’S HAPPENING?
Russia’s drones strike Zaporizhzhia

Russia’s drones have struck Zaporizhzhia, killing three, just before U.S. talks in Saudi Arabia. What sparked this deadly night? I’ll take you through a tale of fire, loss, and fragile ceasefire hopes three dead, 12 hurt, 179 drones in play. Imagine your street burning as diplomats scramble. I’ve got the story tight and clear, from rubble to negotiations, with a promise of what’s next.

Friday night, Russian drones hit Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine. Three died including a family crushed in rubble 12 were wounded, says Governor Ivan Fedorov. Homes and cars blazed as 179 drones flew; 100 were downed, 63 jammed. It’s a brutal lead-in to Monday’s Russia-Ukraine talks with U.S. officials in Saudi Arabia, chasing a limited ceasefire. Trump’s calls pushed it, but terms clash: White House says “energy and infrastructure,” Kremlin narrows it, Zelenskyy adds ports. Russia demands no arms for Kyiv unlikely.

Feel the weight: a family gone, negotiators like Russia’s Grigory Karasin prepping to argue. Ukraine wants energy safe; Russia warns of retaliation. Talks could shift this three-year war—or not. I’ll track what Monday brings. Peace or more pain?

ECONOMY
Zara’s big bet

Zara’s new Nanjing store is a retail revolution—2,500 square meters of fashion and flair. Why go so bold in China? I’m diving into a tale of a shrinking empire 570 stores down to 132 and a fresh push with coffee and cameras. Picture yourself filming a fit check over a latte. I’ll unpack how Zara’s testing this 26,909-square-foot gem to win back shoppers, and what’s next.

Zara, under Spain’s Inditex, opened a 2,500-square-meter (26,909-square-foot) flagship in Nanjing’s Xinjiekou district on Friday. This two-floor beast has a private salon, a “fit check” video studio (booked via WeChat), and China’s first Zacaffe coffee shop. It’s a trial run—China’s middle class is spending less, and local brands are winning online. Zara’s cut its China stores from 570 in 2019 to 132 by January 31, focusing on big, prime-location outlets like this.

You’re in there, sipping coffee, shooting content—it’s shopping meets lifestyle. After Douyin livestreams worked here last year, Zara took them global. Now, this Nanjing move could shape stores worldwide.

ENERGY
Oil prices climb again

Oil’s up again—Brent hits $72.16, WTI $68.28 as supply tightens. What’s behind this second weekly gain? I’ve got a tale of 16-cent rises, 1-million-barrel cuts, and global oil chess. Ever notice gas prices creeping? I’ll unpack the numbers—189,000 to 435,000 bpd trimmed—and what’s fueling this shift.

Oil prices rose Friday: Brent by 16 cents (0.2%) to $72.16, WTI by 21 cents (0.3%) to $68.28 weekly gains of 2.1% and 1.6%. U.S. sanctions on Iran, targeting a Chinese refiner, signal tighter exports—down 1 million bpd from February’s 1.8 million, says ANZ Bank. OPEC+ adds pressure, cutting 189,000 to 435,000 bpd through June 2026, despite a 138,000 bpd hike from April, unwinding part of 5.85 million bpd cuts. Compliance from Iraq, Kazakhstan, and Russia? Still shaky.

AI & TECHNOLOGY
Claude’s web search secret

Anthropic’s Claude just got a web search boost—and Brave’s the quiet hero behind it. How does a chatbot suddenly start scouring the internet? The curtain on a story with sneaky clues, identical citations, and a “BraveSearchParams” hint. Ever chat with an AI and wonder where it digs up its facts? I’ll walk you through the evidence—fresh from Friday’s finds—and what it means for Claude’s game plan.

This week, Anthropic flipped the switch on web search for Claude, its AI chatbot, leveling up against the competition. But who’s feeding it the web? No word from Anthropic—maybe they built their own index? Doubtful. Software engineer Antonio Zugaldia spotted “Brave Search” popping up in Anthropic’s “subprocessor list” this week, a roster of partners handling Claude’s data. Then, programmer Simon Willison ran a test: a search in Claude matched Brave’s results, citation for citation. Digging deeper, he found “BraveSearchParams” tucked in Claude’s code. Coincidence?

Brave’s no stranger to this gig—it powers Mistral’s Le Chat too, hooked up via a February deal for live web results. Other AI players, like OpenAI, play coy—Bing’s in ChatGPT’s mix, but there’s more they won’t name. Imagine, you’re asking Claude a question, and Brave’s quietly fetching the answer. It’s a peek into how chatbots lean on unsung partners to shine. I’ve got the details—Friday’s clue, one matching search—and I’ll keep you posted if Anthropic spills more. Is Brave the new search king for AI? Let’s see where this leads.