Business

The Modi government presented the 2026-27 budget, prioritizing higher capital spending on infrastructure and domestic manufacturing while aiming to lower the fiscal deficit to 4.3% of GDP. The finance ministry's economic survey projects growth of 6.8%–7.2% next year.

Governors from seven Colorado River Basin states met in Washington to discuss plans and a shared commitment to avoid litigation; a Feb. 14 deadline remains for a new agreement.

O&S Doors near Benburb is installing a biomass-fuelled combined heat and power system to burn MDF dust and generate electricity for its factory, supported by a £2.4m grant from the Shared Island Sustainability Capital Scheme. The company says the system could produce about 6.3 million units of energy and begin generating by early 2027.

At a Prince William County town hall, residents questioned rapid data center growth and rising electric bills; officials said nearly half of Virginia's data centers are located in the county.

Independent rankings and owner reports indicate Kia has improved reliability and now ranks near the top among mainstream brands, though it still trails Toyota and Honda.

A US delegation that included Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent held meetings with Russia's special envoy that an American negotiator described as productive, and those talks came ahead of planned indirect three-way negotiations in Abu Dhabi. Separately, global precious metals markets saw a sharp selloff that sent gold and silver down steeply after a dollar rebound tied to reports about a likely Federal Reserve nomination.

Reuters reported Eli Lilly plans six new U.S. manufacturing plants as part of a previously announced at least $27 billion investment, and the FDA granted Breakthrough Therapy designation to its ovarian cancer drug sofetabart mipitecan after positive early trial results.

The IRS is awarding $53 million in grants to support the VITA and TCE no‑cost tax-preparation programs for 2026, selecting 48 TCE and 315 VITA applicants from 479 applications.

The city announced a settlement requiring Uber Eats, Fantuan and HungryPanda to pay a combined $5.195 million to more than 49,000 delivery workers for minimum-pay violations tied to canceled trips, and Uber Eats agreed to reinstate some deactivated accounts.

Negotiations between the WNBA and the players' union have been at a standstill since a Jan. 9 lapse of the extension, and the two sides are scheduled to meet Monday in New York to continue talks.

Link has recommended a community banking hub for Whitehaven after Santander confirmed its branch will close by the end of January 2027, and the local MP has launched a petition calling for a hub.

American Airlines said it plans to reinstate daily nonstop flights between the U.S. and Venezuela once it receives government approvals and completes security assessments. The announcement follows U.S. moves to reopen Venezuela's commercial airspace.

Verizon reported fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 results, recording its highest quarterly total mobility and broadband volumes since 2019 and noting that the Frontier acquisition closed January 20, 2026 expands its fiber footprint to over 30 million homes and businesses.

Euro zone GDP rose 0.3% quarter-on-quarter and 1.3% year-on-year in Q4 2025, supported by consumption and investment while exports stayed weak amid U.S. trade uncertainty.

Board-certified foot and ankle surgeon Dr. Lori Grant says heel cushioning and arch support are essential for plantar fasciitis, and supportive shoes can include sneakers, sandals, and dress shoes. The article lists ten affordable options available on Amazon, with prices starting around $30.

Dario Amodei of Anthropic warns that AI is advancing rapidly and could be dominant within two to three years, and he says AI is already writing much of the code at his company.

A video from Colorado's spring workouts showed coach Deion Sanders bench-pressing about 205 pounds alongside players, a moment that highlighted his increased physical involvement after last season's health challenges.

National Taxpayer Advocate Erin M. Collins warned in her 2025 Annual Report to Congress that the IRS will confront staffing cuts, leadership turnover and complex new tax rules for the 2026 filing season, and the agency is phasing out paper refund checks, which could delay refunds for people without direct deposit.

Authorities say a Grand Rapids man was arrested and charged after his fiancé and her two teenage sons were found dead; investigators reported inconsistencies in his account and say he later allegedly confessed, while a 5-year-old in the home was unharmed.

At a Davos panel hosted by David Rubenstein, Eric Schmidt and Joe Ucuzoglu discussed how AI is changing the global landscape. Schmidt said AI currently contributes more than 1% of U.S. GDP and predicted a near-term period focused on building agentic AI.

Lurie Children's announced plans to open a new inpatient pediatric hospital in Downers Grove that would include an emergency department, surgery suites, inpatient beds and several pediatric subspecialties.

Two-thirds of Americans told KFF they are very or somewhat worried about affording health care, and more than half reported their health care costs rose in the past year.

The article reports that the 2021 GameStop trading surge was driven in part by financial unease among younger investors and that surge brought many first-time retail traders into the market.

Jerome Powell told his successor to "stay out of elected politics" and to meet regularly with Congress; the Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged at its first policy meeting of 2026.

Same-store sales rose 4% as Starbucks projects fiscal 2026 adjusted EPS of $2.15 to $2.40.

Faced with a broader retreat from DEI language, Disney removed some DEI terminology from public filings but shifted its public framing toward "belonging," and shareholders rejected a proposal to stop participating in the Human Rights Campaign index by about 99%.

Tottenham have shown stronger form in European competition while struggling in the Premier League, repeating a pattern from last season; they will not play in the Champions League again until the middle of March.

Arapahoe County approved two partnership agreements to preserve existing affordable apartments and to build new family units, with officials expecting renovations and unit transitions to add capacity over the next two years.

Varonis CEO Yaki Faitelson shares leadership lessons for tech founders, highlighting a risk framework that weighs upside versus downside, the importance of hiring adaptable talent, and preparing to act when luck appears.

The European Union and India announced a landmark free trade agreement, and analysts say recent U.S. tariff actions and trade pressure have coincided with a broader push by countries to forge bilateral deals with China, India and other partners.