Category: 3. Business

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Gold surged to a new record high and the dollar weakened after US prosecutors launched a criminal investigation into Federal Reserve chair Jay Powell, stoking concerns about the central bank’s independence.

The precious metal’s price climbed as much as 2 per cent to $4,600 a troy ounce for the first time during early trading in Asia on Monday, while the dollar weakened 0.2 per cent against a basket of key trading partners’ currencies.

Futures tracking US equities also declined, with those of the S&P 500 falling 0.6 per cent and the Nasdaq 100 shedding 1 per cent.

Richard Yetsenga, chief economist and head of research at ANZ, said the gold rally was due to investors looking for haven assets.

“The immediate market focus is likely to be on concerns regarding the administration’s influence over the Fed’s policy independence,” said Tai Hui, chief Asia-Pacific market strategist at JPMorgan Asset Management.

Powell on Sunday said the Fed had received grand jury subpoenas and a threat of criminal indictment from the justice department relating to his testimony before Congress about a $2.5bn renovation of the central bank’s headquarters.

It is the latest salvo from the Trump administration against the
Fed, which is under pressure to cut interest rates more aggressively despite lingering concerns over reigniting inflation.

Hui said the move was “likely to prompt further steepening of the US Treasury yield curve, with [short-term interest rates] coming down due to the possibility of more aggressive cuts, while long-term inflation concerns keep the long end above 4 per cent”.

Data on US Treasuries prices was unavailable because Japanese markets, the centre for US bond trading during Asian hours, were closed on Monday for a public holiday.

Most Asian stock markets rose on Monday, with Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index gaining 1.2 per cent and mainland China’s CSI 300 rising 0.6 per cent. South Korea’s Kospi rose 0.4 per cent.

The gold rally comes amid rising geopolitical uncertainty after US President Donald Trump said he was considering military operations in Iran over its crackdown on nationwide protests.

Bullion prices later pared gains to trade at $4,582, still higher than the previous record of $4,549 set at the end of 2025.

WindEurope announces the appointment of Tinne Van der Straeten as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective as of 2 February 2026. Her appointment comes at a critical time for Europe’s energy security, industrial competitiveness and climate commitments.

Tinne Van der Straeten will take over as WindEurope’s new CEO on 2 February 2026. Having served as Belgium’s Energy Minister from 2020 to 2025, Van der Straeten brings vast experience and a strong track record leading energy policy at national and EU level.

During her time in office, Tinne Van der Straten oversaw Belgium’s wind energy expansion, including a broad consensus on Belgium’s response to the energy crisis in 2022. She has led European energy cooperation, chairing the North Sea Energy Cooperation in 2020 and at the start of 2025, the European Energy Council in 2024 and vice-chairing the IEA Ministerial meeting in 2022. Most recently, Van der Straeten served as a Member of the Belgian Parliament.

Tinne van der Straeten, incoming WindEurope CEO, said: “I’m honoured to be appointed CEO of WindEurope, and grateful for the trust placed in me. It’s a responsibility I take on with determination at a defining moment for Europe. Wind energy is central to Europe’s energy independence, industrial competitiveness and climate ambitions. Wind is a home-grown and scalable technology. It delivers affordable power, strengthens energy independence and sustains a competitive industrial base with high-quality jobs across Europe.”

Henrik Andersen, WindEurope Chairman, said: “I am very pleased to welcome Tinne Van der Straeten as WindEurope’s new CEO. As one of Europe’s influential energy leaders, Tinne has passionately ensured wind is kept high on the political agenda in her home country of Belgium and across the EU. She has collaborated across industry and government to shape energy policy and build positive long-term investment frameworks that enable sustainable wind deployment. I look forward to working with Tinne as she leads WindEurope forward and supports Europe’s journey to a more competitive, homegrown energy system together with its members.”

The WindEurope Board thanks former CEO Giles Dickson for his 10 years of leadership and contribution to Europe’s wind industry. The development of WindEurope would not have been possible without his dedication.

Delivering the Clean Industrial Deal

As CEO of WindEurope, Tinne Van der Straeten will focus on ensuring Europe gets the most from wind to deliver affordability, industrial competitiveness and energy security.

Faced with mounting geopolitical challenges, Europe must shake its dependence on imported fossil fuels. Wind is uniquely placed to deliver that. A renewables-based energy system, with wind at its core, will save Europe up to €1.6tn, even when counting the grid and backup costs.

To reap these benefits Europe must deliver on the Clean Industrial Deal, accelerate the buildout of home-grown and competitive renewables and ramp up the electrification of its economy.

Today wind energy generates 20% of all electricity consumed in Europe. With the right policies, this will rise to 34% by 2030 and more than 50% by 2050.

But Europe is not building enough new wind energy. The EU installed 13 GW of new capacity in 2025. This is less than half of what Europe needs to deliver its 2030 energy security and climate targets.

“The wind sector is at a turning point. The industry is ready to accelerate and to provide more than 600,000 jobs by 2030. But it is held back by permitting issues and infrastructure delays. I look forward to working with all stakeholders to help unlock the full potential of wind energy for Europe”, said Tinne Van der Straeten.

In a statement announcing the deal, JPRestaurants said the investment would “support the long-term future” of its brands.

There would be “a focus on maintaining the character and heritage of each venue”, it said, although “enhancements” would also be introduced, it added.

Managing director Robert Jones said he would remain the company’s “only other shareholder” and that he would retain a “significant” stake.

“In 2027, we will have been delighting islanders and visitors for 80 years and this new partnership brings a real opportunity to build on that legacy,” he said.

“The investment will help us adapt to Jersey’s dynamic restaurant scene and ensure we continue creating the experiences that our customers value most.

“We’ve built a loyal customer base over many decades, and there is a great deal that will remain unchanged, from our friendly, knowledgeable teams to our iconic locations.

“At the same time, guests can look forward to some carefully considered updates that will keep our sites fresh, exciting and fun.”

Mobile phone owners with devices more than 10 years old may need to get a new one as 2G and 3G networks are phased out, a tech expert has said.

The switch off of the 3G network is almost complete after mobile phone operators were given a 2033 deadline by the government, with O2 to switch off its 3G network gradually in the coming weeks.

Gloucestershire-based David McClelland said some older phones, along with burglar and care alarms, will not be able to receive 4G and 5G networks, while others may automatically switch over.

A spokesperson for O2 said it had written directly to its customers to inform them and had advised those with incompatible phones on upgrades “at a discounted price”.

A Perth-based charity supplying backpacks filled with back-to-school essentials to disadvantaged WA children has seen demand surge so dramatically that it has doubled the size of its headquarters, with support from Mineral Resources (MinRes).

Dandelions WA’s 2026 Back to School campaign is forecast to reach a record 17,000 students at more than 420 schools in the Perth metropolitan area and remote communities, ensuring schoolchildren can start the new school year ready to learn.

The charity began in 2021 supporting just 220 students. By 2022 this had risen to 900, climbed to 6,700 in 2023 and surged to 15,000 last year, highlighting the growing cost‑of‑living pressures facing many families.

An army of volunteers – including MinRes employees – spends months preparing the backpacks with essentials such as pens, pencils, exercise books, lunch boxes, drink bottles, hats and calculators.

Many children also receive toiletry packs containing shampoo, conditioner, body wash or soap, a toothbrush and toothpaste, hairbrush and deodorant.

Since 2021, MinRes has supported Dandelions WA by contributing to the cost of renting its Malaga headquarters, affectionately known as the Kindness Kubby.

As demand for the WA chairty surged, MinRes increased its financial support to enable Dandelions WA to lease an adjoining unit and effectively double its operational capacity.

Surveys on the 1970s-built bridge are needed to help engineers finalise designs for a replacement structure.

The new bridge is needed because the current one is now at the end of its life, said a spokesperson for Network Rail.

In addition, the current bridge is single track and the new bridge will be wide enough to accommodate two tracks as well as freight trains.

During the road closure, a clearly signposted diversion will be in place.

Access for pedestrians and cyclists will also remain open throughout the project’s duration.

Baker McKenzie advised DAAily Platforms, the globally leading digital media company focusing on architecture and design, on the successful sale of Architonic, a global design inspiration platform serving architects and designers, to SANDOW Companies. 

With Architonic now part of SANDOW Companies’ comprehensive design portfolio — which includes prominent brands such as Interior Design, Luxe Interiors + Design, Metropolis and Material Bank — the acquisition will facilitate collaboration across the SANDOW Companies ecosystem. This integration is expected to provide enhanced resources and opportunities for specifiers, architects and designers globally.

Following the sale, DAAily Platforms, which also owns ArchDaily and designboom, will concentrate on editorial excellence for its principal brands, while continuing to work collaboratively with SANDOW Companies to support the global design community.

Baker McKenzie Switzerland advised DAAily Platforms on all legal matters related to this transaction.

M&A partner Matthias Trautmann led the cross-border team, which consisted of Felix Diehl (partner employment, Frankfurt), Christoph Stutz (partner employment, Zurich), Eva Kriechbaumer (counsel M&A, Munich), Andrea Bolliger (counsel tax, Zurich) Sebastian Pfrang (associate employment, Frankfurt), René Kühn (associate M&A, Zurich), Hesam Mirzai (associate M&A, Zurich), Jan Kammler (associate employment, Frankfurt), Collin Stich (associate M&A, Chicago) and Grégory Sarbach (trainee Lawyer, Zurich). 

About DAAily Platforms
DAAily Platforms brings together leading architecture and design platforms, ArchDaily and designboom, serving global communities of architects and designers. ArchDaily is the world’s most visited architecture platform, providing daily news and project insights, while designboom, founded in 1999, is a pioneering online design magazine sharing creativity and innovation. Together, they reach 2.5 billion page views each year and have over 25 million social media followers, offering unmatched influence in the industry.

About Architonic
Architonic is the leading global platform connecting architects, interior designers and specifiers with top design brands and products. Serving over 16 million professionals annually, Architonic offers expertly curated product presentations, editorial content and digital tools to help users discover and specify with confidence. For more than 20 years, it has set industry standards. It remains an indispensable resource for design decision-makers worldwide.

About SANDOW Companies
SANDOW Companies, founded by Adam I. Sandow in 2003, reimagines publishing by blending design, materials and luxury. Its portfolio includes SANDOW DESIGN GROUP, featuring brands like Interior Design, Luxe Interiors + Design, Metropolis, Azure, Design Milk, Architizer, DESIGNTV by SANDOW, SURROUND Podcast Network, ThinkLab, The Agency by SANDOW, The STUDIO by SANDOW, as well as Leaders Magazine, Curator and MediaJet.

Natural England’s risk-averse approach is increasingly affecting well-managed and long-established rural activities. Shooting, predator control, habitat management and gamebird release are being constrained in ways which undermine the contribution these activities make to conservation and practical land management.

BASC submitted detailed evidence to the NAO during the review. It set out how NE frequently prioritises the avoidance of risk over evidence-led decision-making. The NAO’s findings closely reflect those concerns, noting that environmental risk is often treated in absolute terms, where even minimal or theoretical harm leads to a presumption against activity.

The report also supports BASC’s concerns about the use of evidence. The NAO found that NE has not evaluated the impact of its regulatory work for several years and that decisions affecting protected sites are sometimes based on generic or outdated data, rather than robust, site-specific monitoring. BASC has consistently warned that these gaps lead to disproportionate restrictions on land managers and weaken accountability for regulatory outcomes.

Operational issues highlighted by the NAO will be familiar to many BASC members. The report points to inconsistent application of regulation between teams, a loss of local expertise, skills shortages and limited flexibility in engagement. Members regularly report delays, rigid procedures and a lack of practical support or communication, which undermine confidence in the system.

While the NAO notes NE’s stated commitment to reform, BASC believes the report underlines the scale of change required. Without a clear shift towards proportionate, evidence-based regulation, the problems identified will remain.

With an estimated 30% to 40% of the United States’ food supply ending up as waste, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, food science and horticulture experts teamed up to study if it could lay the foundation for growing the next bunch of crops. 

“It’s capturing food waste that would otherwise go to landfill and produce greenhouse gases and cause harm to the environment in some capacity,” said Matt Bertucci, assistant professor of sustainable fruit and vegetable production with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. 

“Instead, we are utilizing it to generate an organic substrate, an organic amendment compost that can then be utilized for propagating seedlings,” he said.

Bertucci is part of the Department of Horticulture within the Division of Agriculture’s research and outreach arms — the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service — and the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences at the U of A.

The study, “Assessing Food Waste Compost as a Substrate Amendment for Tomato and Watermelon Seedlings,” was published in HortTechnology last year. 

Researchers grew tomato and watermelon seedlings in pure food waste substrate, pure commercial peat moss-based potting mix and blends of the two with varying ratios to compare seedling germination, growth and nutrient uptake. The pure food waste substrate was made up of food scraps from a commercial partner and wood chips from a tree service company.

The study found that while food waste compost might not be viable as a standalone alternative to commercial potting mix, it could be suitable as part of a substrate mix.

Results showed that mixtures with less than 50% food waste compost produced better seedling emergence and growth and had better biomass accumulation than pure food waste, a key indicator of a plant’s health and potential yield.

Still, Bertucci underscored the value of composting food waste, which he said prevents waste from going to landfill and offers a usable byproduct.

“Compost is the sweet spot for sustainability,” he said.

Co-authors included former graduate student Allyson Hamilton and professor Kristen Gibson of the Department of Food Science, and department head Mary Savin, program associate D.E. Kirkpatrick and graduate student R.C. Woody-Pumford of the Department of Horticulture. Gibson is a professor of food safety and microbiology, the Donald “Buddy” Wray Endowed Chair in Food Safety and director of the experiment station’s Arkansas Center for Food Safety. Savin is a professor and head of the Department of Horticulture. 

This project was funded by an Arkansas Specialty Crop Block Research Grant (award no. AM180100XXXXG157), with additional support from the United States Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture Hatch project no. 102445.

To learn more about the Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website. Follow us on X at @ArkAgResearch, subscribe to the Food, Farms and Forests podcast and sign up for our monthly newsletter, the Arkansas Agricultural Research Report. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit uada.edu. Follow us on X at @AgInArk. To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit uaex.uada.edu.

About the Division of Agriculture: The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.

The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on three system campuses.

Pursuant to 7 CFR § 15.3, the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services (including employment) without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, sexual preference, pregnancy or any other legally protected status, and is an equal opportunity institution.