Page 8 - World News
West Asia war updates: Iran hits Qatar LNG hub; Brent crude above $111
Iran strikes energy sites, including a key LNG hub in Qatar, as tensions rise across West Asia; oil prices climb past $111. Here are the top updates at 9 am (IST)
 "West Asia war updates: Iran hits Qatar LNG hub; Brent crude above $111")
FBI probes ex-counterterror official over alleged classified info leak
Prosecutors have repeatedly struggled to make charges stick amid rejections from judges or to secure indictments in the first place
 "FBI probes ex-counterterror official over alleged classified info leak")
Asian shares skid as oil prices top $111 a barrel, Wall Street slumps
US stocks also sagged due to a report that said inflation was primed to worsen even before the war with Iran sent oil and gas prices spiking
 "Asian shares skid as oil prices top $111 a barrel, Wall Street slumps")
Trump, US First Lady extend greetings to Americans on Eid al-Fitr
In a statement released by the White House, the US President said, "The First Lady and I send our best wishes to every American celebrating Eid al-Fitr"
 "Trump, US First Lady extend greetings to Americans on Eid al-Fitr")
For US, unmet expectations in Iran fit a familiar pattern in West Asia
Iran's military retaliation, along with the political defiance of its new leaders, evokes a decades-old pattern of unrealised goals for American interventions in the region
 "For US, unmet expectations in Iran fit a familiar pattern in West Asia")
Strikes hit world's biggest natural gas field in Iran as Tehran retaliates
Trump pledged that Israel would make no more attacks on Iran's major South Pars gas field, but if Iran attacked Qatar again, the US would retaliate
 "Strikes hit world's biggest natural gas field in Iran as Tehran retaliates")
West Asia war: Saudi FM warns patience with Iranian attacks 'not unlimited'
Saudi FM Prince Faisal said Iran 'does not engage with its neighbours through dialogue' but instead seeks to pressure them, adding such tactics would fail
 "West Asia war: Saudi FM warns patience with Iranian attacks 'not unlimited'")
Trump Alaska lease sale draws record $163 million from oil majors
The record auction revealed pent-up demand among drillers for acreage in the reserve, more than six years after the last federal oil and gas auction there
 "Trump Alaska lease sale draws record $163 million from oil majors")
No plans to leave Fed until justice department investigation over: Powell
"I have no intention of leaving the board until the investigation is well and truly over, with transparency and finality," Powell said
 "No plans to leave Fed until justice department investigation over: Powell")
Trump weighs sending more troops to West Asia as Iran war enters new phase
Trump administration officials have also discussed the possibility of deploying US forces to secure Iran's stocks of highly enriched uranium
 "Trump weighs sending more troops to West Asia as Iran war enters new phase")
World's largest LNG plant in Qatar suffers damage in missile strikes
The Ras Laffan Industrial City, home to the LNG plant that accounted for about a fifth of global supply before production was halted earlier this month
 "World's largest LNG plant in Qatar suffers damage in missile strikes")
US oil exports seen rising as WTI discount to Brent hits widest in 11 years
US West Texas Intermediate crude traded at as much as a $12.05 a barrel discount to Brent during the session on Wednesday, its largest since March 2015
 "US oil exports seen rising as WTI discount to Brent hits widest in 11 years")
Venezuela's acting Prez names new defence chief to replace Maduro loyalist
The announcement comes more than ten weeks after Rodriguez became acting head of state following the Jan. 3 US military operation that captured Maduro to put him on trial in the US
 "Venezuela's acting Prez names new defence chief to replace Maduro loyalist")
Nato allies benefit more from reopening of Hormuz than US: WH press secy
US White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that US President Donald Trump's energy agenda made sure that the US has enough resources of oil.
 "Nato allies benefit more from reopening of Hormuz than US: WH press secy")
US national debt surges past $39 trillion just weeks into war with Iran
Federal debt has surged under both Republican and Democratic presidents, most recently fueled by wars, large-scale pandemic spending and tax cuts
 "US national debt surges past $39 trillion just weeks into war with Iran")
World Happiness Report shows social media's harms; Finland happiest country
The annual report, published by the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford, also found that Finland is the happiest land in the world for the ninth year in a row
 "World Happiness Report shows social media's harms; Finland happiest country")
Concern, anger and hope grow in Cuba as Trump calls for 'imminent action'
Island-wide blackouts have roiled Cubans already grappling with years of crisis, and lack of gasoline and basic resources has crippled hospital and slashed public transport
 "Concern, anger and hope grow in Cuba as Trump calls for 'imminent action'")
US Fed holds rates, signals one cut in 2026 despite higher inflation
Inflation, as measured by the Fed's preferred gauge, was expected to end the year at 2.7 per cent , not far below its current rate and higher than the 2.4 per cent projected in December
 "US Fed holds rates, signals one cut in 2026 despite higher inflation")
EU proposes 'EU Inc' plan to boost startups against US and China
While the EU proposal to operate under a single set of EU rules is available to any European businesses, it is mainly aimed at new companies with innovative technologies to help them scale up
 "EU proposes 'EU Inc' plan to boost startups against US and China")
Microsoft considers legal action over $50 billion Amazon-OpenAI deal
The dispute centers on whether OpenAI can offer Frontier via AWS without violating the Microsoft partnership, which requires the start-up's models to be accessed
 "Microsoft considers legal action over $50 billion Amazon-OpenAI deal")