Zohran Mamdani was a trailblazing candidate whom many in his city of 8 million -- some with hope, some with trepidation -- expect to be a disruptive New York mayor. The democratic socialist's plans for his first day in office on Thursday nod to his politics and priorities, without straying far from his predecessors with a sober official midnight oath-taking followed by a more celebratory ceremony in the afternoon. Learn More

As a New York businessman, President Donald Trump put his name on real estate, golf courses, vodka, steaks, bottled water and his own university. As president in his second term, he is merging his personal brand with national institutions and government programs, an unusual assertion of power by a sitting U.S. president. Learn More

China's factory activity unexpectedly grew in December, snapping a record eight straight months of decline, lifted by a rise in pre-holiday orders as officials seek to spur the $19 trillion economy's manufacturing sector without worsening deflation. The official purchasing managers' index (PMI) rose to 50.1 in December from 49.2 in November, the National Bureau of Statistics' survey showed on Wednesday, topping the 50-point mark separating growth from contraction and beating