World News
Asia sees Mexico's sweeping 50% tariffs as building Trump's new trade wall
For the countries affected by the new rates out of Mexico City, this is a sobering reminder that they have more than just the US president to deal with
 "Asia sees Mexico's sweeping 50% tariffs as building Trump's new trade wall")
BP's sudden CEO change shocks investors, signals shift in company strategy
Auchincloss had been in the chief executive role less than two years and just this February had unveiled a strategic reset. His replacement will be Meg O'Neill
 "BP's sudden CEO change shocks investors, signals shift in company strategy")
Australia to start gun buyback programme after Bondi Beach terror attack
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Friday announced the government will introduce legislation to help fund the buyback
 "Australia to start gun buyback programme after Bondi Beach terror attack")
Nasa chief fuels SpaceX-Blue Origin rivalry as US eyes return to moon
Both SpaceX and Blue Origin hold contracts with Nasa to build lunar landers for the agency's Artemis program
 "Nasa chief fuels SpaceX-Blue Origin rivalry as US eyes return to moon")
US Coast Guard removes references to swastikas, nooses being 'divisive'
The move appears to cap off back-and-forth revisions to Coast Guard policy on swastikas, nooses and other hate symbols, which has sparked an uproar
 "US Coast Guard removes references to swastikas, nooses being 'divisive'")
Asian markets rebound as tech lifts Wall Street, investors eye BOJ hike
Markets imply around a 90 per cent chance the BOJ will raise its rate a quarter point to 0.75 per cent later Friday, with much resting on the outlook for further tightening ahead
 "Asian markets rebound as tech lifts Wall Street, investors eye BOJ hike")
Trump's handpicked board votes to rename Washington performing arts centre
Trump, a Republican, often refers to the John F Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts, which is named for a Democratic predecessor, as the Trump Kennedy Centre
 "Trump's handpicked board votes to rename Washington performing arts centre")
Business jet crashes at North Carolina airport, multiple deaths feared
Flight records show the plane was registered to a company run by retired NASCAR driver Greg Biffle
 "Business jet crashes at North Carolina airport, multiple deaths feared")
Britain appoints new ambassador to US, replaces Epstein-linked diplomat
Christian Turner was previously political director of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and high commissioner to Pakistan
 "Britain appoints new ambassador to US, replaces Epstein-linked diplomat")
Bangladesh's uprising leader dies in Singapore, Yunus urges peace
Hadi, also a candidate in the scheduled February 12 general elections, was shot in the head by masked gunmen on Friday as he initiated his election campaign
 "Bangladesh's uprising leader dies in Singapore, Yunus urges peace")
Trump signs executive order to reclassify marijuana as less dangerous drug
The switch would move marijuana away from its current classification as a Schedule I drug, alongside heroin and LSD
 "Trump signs executive order to reclassify marijuana as less dangerous drug")
US weekly jobless claims fall as labour market remains stable in December
Initial claims for state unemployment benefits dropped 13,000 to a seasonally adjusted 224,000 for the week ended December 13, the Labor Department said on Thursday
 "US weekly jobless claims fall as labour market remains stable in December")
US core inflation unexpectedly eases to slowest pace since 2021
The report was complicated by the federal government shutdown, which prevented the BLS from collecting much of the October price data
 "US core inflation unexpectedly eases to slowest pace since 2021")
OpenAI talks funding at $750 bn valuation, could raise up to $100 bn
The ChatGPT maker could raise as much as $100 billion, the report said, citing people with knowledge of the discussions
 "OpenAI talks funding at $750 bn valuation, could raise up to $100 bn")
Venezuela inflation soars 500% as Trump intensifies pressure on Maduro
The inflation rate soared to 556 per cent in the 12 months through Dec. 17, up from 219 per cent at the end of June and 45 per cent in 2024, according to a weekly index compiled by Bloomberg News
 "Venezuela inflation soars 500% as Trump intensifies pressure on Maduro")
Trump announces $1,776 'Warrior Dividend' for troops amid inflation fears
Trump announced the plan Wednesday during a prime-time address from the White House meant to extol his accomplishments this year and assuage Americans increasingly worried about their cost of living
China launches $113 billion free-trade experiment on Hainan island
Foreign direct investment into China fell 10.4 per cent year-on-year in the first three quarters of 2025, official data shows
 "China launches $113 billion free-trade experiment on Hainan island")
US approves up to $11 bn arms sale to Taiwan, risking China backlash
The total value of the sales is up to $11.154 billion, according to a separate statement from Taiwan's Defense Ministry
Pulitzer-winning war correspondent Peter Arnett passes away at 91
Born November 13, 1934, in Riverton, New Zealand, Peter Arnett got his first exposure to journalism when he landed a job at his local newspaper, the Southland Times, shortly after high school
 "Pulitzer-winning war correspondent Peter Arnett passes away at 91")
How BP's new boss O'Neill became the most powerful woman in fossil fuels
Under her watch, Woodside doubled oil and gas output, leaned aggressively into seaborne LNG, and shelved lower-carbon projects that failed to clear commercial hurdles
 "How BP's new boss O'Neill became the most powerful woman in fossil fuels")
