Posts by Liam Redmond
‘Ding-dong ditch’ prank erupts in gunfire, leaving juvenile shot and homeowner under arrest: police
A North Carolina man is behind bars on felony charges after allegedly shooting a juvenile playing “ding-dong ditch” in his residential neighborhood, according to police. The incident occurred around 11:20 p.m. in Statesville, North Carolina, on Saturday, when deputies with the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office heard gunshots coming from a nearby neighborhood while conducting a traffic stop,…
Read MoreIkea to close seven shops in China amid competition, weak demand
The restructuring is aimed at directing resources to channels closer to consumers [BEIJING] Ikea will shutter seven of its signature blue-box furniture stores across China and pivot to smaller outlets, as the Swedish retailer grapples with the country’s prolonged property slump and rising competition from local rivals. Operations will end at stores in cities including…
Read MoreTemasek-backed Clifford Capital prices US$1 billion government-guaranteed bond offering
Issue draws robust subscription; the three-year and five-year tranches carry coupons of 3.852% and 4.037%, respectively [SINGAPORE] Singapore-headquartered infrastructure credit platform Clifford Capital on Tuesday (Jan 6) priced a US$1 billion fixed-rate bond offering. The bonds are guaranteed by the Singapore government and are rated AAA by both Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s, said Clifford Capital, which counts Temasek,…
Read MoreComfortDelGro, Grab, Strides extend help to drivers in a jam amid Autobahn car repossessions
[SINGAPORE] ComfortDelGro (CDG), Grab and Strides Premier are offering their vehicles on favourable terms to private-hire car drivers whose vehicles were repossessed by creditors of Autobahn Rent A Car. All three platform operators have waived the security deposit for these drivers, among other terms such as additional incentives to recover lost income and free rental…
Read MoreCarmakers slash prices again in China, defying regulators
Prices for new cars keep falling as automakers compete to clear out inventory in a sluggish market GLOBAL automakers and their dealers in China are pressing ahead with aggressive price cuts and purchase incentives in early 2026, defying Beijing’s efforts to rein in discounts that have roiled the market for more than three years. BMW…
Read MoreUBS 25-year Asia veteran departs ahead of new wave of job cuts
The Zurich-based firm is set to begin another set of job cuts in mid-January, according to sources [HONG KONG] UBS Group’s Eric Lafon has left the Swiss lender after more than 25 years in one of the most senior departures at its Asia global markets division, according to sources familiar with the matter. Lafon, the…
Read MoreAsian shares edge lower as global tensions climb, crude oil slumps
[TOKYO] Crude futures slid and resource shares climbed in Asian trading as markets absorbed the impact of political upheaval in Venezuela and the fate of its petroleum reserves. Oil prices continued their slide after US President Donald Trump said Venezuela will be “turning over” up to 50 million barrels of oil to be sold at its market…
Read MoreGold, silver slide on profit-booking, US dollar strength
[BENGALURU] Gold and silver slid on Wednesday (Jan 7) as investors booked profits after a recent rally, while a stronger US dollar weighed on sentiment across the precious metals complex. Spot gold slipped 0.7 per cent to US$4,466.19 per ounce, as at 10.05 am. Bullion hit a record high of US$4,549.71 on Dec 26. US…
Read MoreBarclays buys into stablecoin-settlement company Ubyx
Various banks and other financial institutions have announced plans involving stablecoins in the past year [PARIS] Barclays has bought a stake in US stablecoin-settlement company Ubyx, its first such investment and part of its plans to explore “new forms of digital money”, the British bank said on Wednesday (Jan 7). Ubyx, which launched in 2025,…
Read MoreSTI’s 10 best-performing stocks for Q4 and 2025
The index could hit 5,000 points by end-2026 and 10,000 points by 2040, experts say [SINGAPORE] Singapore’s benchmark index, the Straits Times Index (STI), has made notable gains in 2025 and set multiple new records – advancing 22.7 per cent through the year and 8 per cent in Q4 alone. These gains have led experts…
Read MoreUS tells Venezuela to cut ties with China and Russia, ABC says
Any move to cut ties would represent a full political realignment for the country US PRESIDENT Donald Trump’s administration has told Venezuela’s interim leader, Delcy Rodriguez, that her government must exclusively partner with the US on oil production and favor the US when selling heavy crude, ABC reported. The US is also demanding that Venezuela reduce its…
Read MoreEarly Movers Win The AI Discovery Game
Search is shifting under our feet. A new discovery system is forming, and it looks a lot like the early days of SEO. My take is simple: those who act now on GEO and AI optimization will win outsized results. This moment rewards speed, learning, and a bias for action. Wait, and you’ll be stuck…
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