Iran claims full control of Strait of Hormuz amid US tensions

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Federal Reserve holds rates, Powell defends independence

Amazon confirms 16,000 job cuts after mistaken internal email

Tech

OpenAI in talks to secure up to $40bn from major tech partners

Tech

Tesla scraps Model S and Model X to build robots

World

UPS to cut 30,000 jobs as it scales back Amazon deliveries

Asia

Bangladesh engages Meta to counter election disinformation ahead of polls

World

Amazon shuts Go and Fresh stores to focus on Whole Foods expansion

World

Winter cold shocks gas markets

World

China’s Anta to become largest shareholder in Puma after $1.79bn deal

Asia

India strengthens Gulf energy partnerships while managing risks from Russian oil

Spotlight

US leads NATO defense spending as European allies follow behind

The United States remains by far the largest military spender among NATO countries, according to recent data highlighting defense budgets across key member states.

Billionaire wealth soars to record $18.3 trillion

Global billionaire fortunes surged 16% in 2025 to $18.3 trillion, marking the highest level ever and widening economic and political divides, anti-poverty group Oxfam reported Monday.

Climate justice cannot be an afterthought

While we continue to speak of the numerous issues that our country currently faces, we must remember that climate change remains our single biggest existential threat.

Buying technology not enough, companies should build AI-ready workforce

The companies aiming to thrive in the age of artificial intelligence must move beyond simply buying new technology and instead focus on building an AI-ready workforce, highlighted a report by Google.

No quick wins in tapping Venezuela’s oil reserves

Venezuela is unlikely to see any meaningful boost to crude output for years, even if US oil majors do invest the billions of dollars in the country that President Donald Trump promised just hours following Nicolás Maduro`s capture by US forces.

Opinion

Climate justice cannot be an afterthought

The US is already at war with Venezuela

‘Elite capture’: How Pakistan is losing 6 percent of its GDP to corruption?

Creating space for renewables

Cloudflare, AWS outages expose hidden weaknesses in the Internet

How to really deal with climate change?

Paying heed to IMF’s revenue warning

As the shutdown drags on, here’s how it can drag down the economy

Asian Biz

Federal Reserve holds rates, Powell defends independence

The US Federal Reserve voted on Wednesday to keep interest rates unchanged, as chair Jerome Powell strongly defended the importance of the central bank’s independence amid political pressure and a federal investigation.

Bangladesh engages Meta to counter election disinformation ahead of polls

Bangladesh has held high-level discussions with Meta, the parent company of Facebook, to address misinformation and disinformation ahead of the upcoming general elections and a referendum scheduled for February 12.

India and EU finalise landmark trade deal: Modi

India and the European Union have finalised a landmark free trade agreement that will cover around a quarter of the global economy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday, as both sides look to reduce their reliance on uncertain ties with the United States.

Bangladesh overpaying India’s Adani Power by about 50%

Bangladesh has been paying India’s Adani Power about $400–500 million more each year than it should for electricity, amounting to roughly a 50 percent overpayment, according to a report by the national committee reviewing power sector agreements.

World Biz

Iran claims full control of Strait of Hormuz amid US tensions

Iran has said it has complete control over the Strait of Hormuz as fears grow of a possible military confrontation with the United States.

Amazon confirms 16,000 job cuts after mistaken internal email

US prepares general license to ease some Venezuela oil sanctions

UPS to cut 30,000 jobs as it scales back Amazon deliveries

Tech

OpenAI in talks to secure up to $40bn from major tech partners

Tesla scraps Model S and Model X to build robots

NASA releases striking new image of dying star’s Helix Nebula

Netflix shares slide as revenue growth shows signs of stalling

Aerospace & Defence

US leads NATO defense spending as European allies follow behind

The United States remains by far the largest military spender among NATO countries, according to recent data highlighting defense budgets across key member states.

Denmark and Greenland float NATO arctic mission amid US pressure

Denmark and Greenland have proposed a NATO mission in the Arctic, Danish Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said on Monday, as concerns grow over US statements suggesting a possible takeover of the autonomous Danish territory.

Boeing edges Airbus in annual orders for first time since 2018

Boeing won more commercial aircraft orders than Airbus last year, snapping a six-year streak in which the European manufacturer led the tally. The US planemaker recorded 1,173 net orders for 2025, boosted by 175 deals in December, while Airbus reported 889.

Trump weighs military, covert moves on Iran

President Donald Trump has been briefed on a range of potential actions the United States could take against Iran, including missile strikes, cyber operations and psychological campaigns, according to two Pentagon officials quoted by CBS News.