Today’s news highlights various global developments across politics, economics, and technology:
- Jerome Powell, Chairman of the Federal Reserve, suggests a delayed approach to potential interest rate cuts following higher-than-expected US inflation figures.
- Vietnam increases support for Saigon Joint Stock Commercial Bank (SCB) amidst the nation’s largest financial fraud crisis.
- Myanmar’s State Executive Council grants amnesty to over 3,000 prisoners on the first day of Myanmar’s New Year festival.
- China experiences a significant decline in exports to Russia, the first drop since mid-2022, amid US threats of retaliation over potential involvement in Ukraine.
- US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen announces plans for new sanctions on Iran following its attack on Israel, aiming to limit Iran’s oil exports.
- Apple CEO Tim Cook discusses the possibility of establishing a manufacturing plant in Indonesia during a meeting with President Joko Widodo.
- US Ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, condemns arms trade between Russia and North Korea, pledging to investigate violations of international sanctions.
- CNBC reports ongoing disruptions to flights to Israel amid escalating tensions between Israel and Iran, leading airlines to adjust routes to avoid the Middle East.
- South Korea’s central bank governor signals readiness to intervene in currency markets to manage excessive volatility in the won’s value.
- Pavel Durov, founder of Telegram, predicts the messaging app will surpass 1 billion monthly active users within a year, citing its rapid growth in popularity.