UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer's leadership faces intense pressure, with defiance against calls to quit and challenges from Labour MPs, while resignations of senior aides and allegations of misconduct against Peter Mandelson underscore internal party strife, and King Charles's involvement in the Epstein investigation adds to the political scrutiny, even as US lawmakers call for Howard Lutnick to step down over similar ties, and **English councils face a £5bn overspending crisis**.

• Starmer defies call to quit as UK prime minister — Financial Times -
• US lawmakers call on Howard Lutnick to step down over ties to Epstein — Financial Times -
• Starmer crisis as it happened: Labour MPs back premier as he asks for more time to deliver on party manifesto — Financial Times -

• Starmer stumbles on as rivals balk at killer blow — Financial Times -
• Misconduct in public office: the offence that rarely ensnares politicians — Financial Times -
• King Charles says he will help police investigate brother’s links to Epstein — Financial Times -
• English councils to receive at least £5bn to cover overspending on special needs education — Financial Times -
• Gilts stabilise after cabinet voices support for Starmer — Financial Times -
• Starmer’s communications chief quits as pressure grows on PM — Financial Times -
• Keir Starmer’s inconvenient truth — Financial Times -
• Secret access to Reeves’ fiscal statements more extensive than thought, review will say — Financial Times -
• What went wrong with the Starmer-McSweeney approach? — Financial Times -
• Keir Starmer faces crunch week in battle to hold on to power — Financial Times -
• Pressure mounts on Starmer even as top aide resigns — Financial Times -

The rapid expansion of AI is evident across diverse sectors, from AI chatbots writing romance books and the political battle for AI in space to AI companies dominating Super Bowl ads and fundraising for 'hypergrowth' AI startups, indicating its transformative yet sometimes debated impact on technology and investment, with Alphabet even lining up a 100-year bond sale linked to its AI ventures.

• Can AI Chatbots Write Emotionally Rich Romance Books? — The New York Times Business -
• Opinion | The Political Battle for AI in Space — Wall Street Journal -
• This Year’s Super Bowl Ads Were Dominated by AI Companies — The New York Times Business -

• Alphabet lines up 100-year sterling bond sale — Financial Times -
• AI Fumbles Its Big Super Bowl Investment as Viewers Opt for Laughter and Tears — Wall Street Journal -
• Here comes the great American bitcoin-mining-to-AI pivot — Financial Times -
• Ex-General Atlantic executive in $1bn fundraising drive for ‘hypergrowth’ companies — Financial Times -
• The Biggest (Nonsports) Moments From Super Bowl Sunday — Wall Street Journal -
• The 2026 Super Bowl Ads, Ranked — The New York Times Business -

**Significant M&A activities are reshaping various industries, including Mubadala's acquisition of Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, Transocean's takeover of Valaris, and a FedEx-led consortium's purchase of InPost, alongside NatWest's wealth management expansion and DSM-Firmenich's animal nutrition unit sale, while Apollo Group reports strong earnings and Michael Grimes returns to Morgan Stanley**.

• Mubadala to Buy Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings — Wall Street Journal -
• Apollo Looks to New Markets After Strong Quarter — Wall Street Journal -
• Court TV, Known for Live Trial Coverage, Is Getting a New Owner — The New York Times Business -

• Apollo says it avoided pain of PE peers by steering clear of software holdings — Financial Times -
• Michael Grimes returns to Morgan Stanley after Trump administration stint — Financial Times -
• Transocean to Acquire Valaris in $5.8 Billion Deal — Wall Street Journal -
• Advent, FedEx-Led Consortium to Buy InPost for $9.2 Billion — Wall Street Journal -
• NatWest Agrees to Buy Wealth Manager Evelyn Partners for $3.7 Billion — Wall Street Journal -
• Italy’s UniCredit Lifts Shareholder Returns as Profit Grows — Wall Street Journal -
• Advent and FedEx lead €7.8bn takeover of parcel company InPost — Financial Times -
• DSM-Firmenich to Sell Animal Nutrition Unit to CVC in $2.6 Billion Deal — Wall Street Journal -

Japan's political and economic landscape is rapidly evolving after Sanae Takaichi's landslide election win, leading to a surge in Japanese stock markets and calls for constitutional changes, while rising wage growth signals potential monetary policy tightening, with Thailand's election outcome also buoying regional markets.

• FirstFT: Sanae Takaichi targets changes to Japan’s constitution after election landslide — Financial Times -
• Japan Stocks Surge on Takaichi’s Landslide Election Win — The New York Times Business -
• Japan’s election paves the way for faster tightening — Financial Times -

• Sanae Takaichi’s historic opportunity in Japan — Financial Times -
• After Takaichi sweeps Japan’s election, watch these two sectors — Financial Times -
• Takaichi targets changes to Japan’s constitution — Financial Times -
• Japanese stocks soar to record after Takaichi’s landslide election win — Financial Times -
• Thai conservatives’ first election win this century buoys markets — Financial Times -
• FirstFT: Stocks rally in Japan as Takaichi wins landslide — Financial Times -
• Pick-up in Japan wage growth paves way for near-term rate increase — Financial Times -
• Japan LLC has been trading its way out of a fiscal hole — Financial Times -

The energy and resources sector is marked by diverse developments, from market talks on oil and uranium and Neara's fundraising for power grid resilience to America's largest gold mine project and the Defense Department's focus on strategic metals, alongside Adnoc Gas reporting record profits and leadership changes at Expand Energy.

• Energy & Utilities Roundup: Market Talk — Wall Street Journal -
• Gold Bull Thomas Kaplan Pushing Ahead on Plans for America’s Biggest Gold Mine — Wall Street Journal -
• Neara Raises More Than $60 Million as Data Centers Pressure Power Grids — Wall Street Journal -

• CEO of Natural-Gas Giant Expand Energy Steps Down Amid Corporate Relocation — Wall Street Journal -
• The Defense Department Is Infatuated With This Drippy Silver Metal — Wall Street Journal -
• Adnoc Gas Reports Record Profit Despite Fall in Prices — Wall Street Journal -

Global trade and geopolitical risks are significantly impacting business, as seen with Cuba's jet fuel shortage due to Trump's sanctions, big business souring on South Africa, and Chinese companies overtaking US investment in Singapore, while shipping giants adapt to new challenges and EU economic fixes remain elusive, alongside Germany's estrangement from the US and UK universities bolstering defenses against Chinese intimidation.

• Cuba runs out of jet fuel as Trump squeezes oil supplies — Financial Times -
• Air Canada Suspends Cuba Service Due to Fuel Shortage — Wall Street Journal -
• Argentines snap up Lego and Apple computers as Milei opens economy — Financial Times -

• They Came for Its Riches, but Big Business Is Souring on South Africa — Wall Street Journal -
• Shipping giants have learned the right lessons from past storms — Financial Times -
• How CEOs are grappling with the geopolitics of trade — Financial Times -
• Chinese companies overtake US in Singapore investment — Financial Times -
• EU failing to implement economic fixes as single market withers — Financial Times -
• ‘It feels like a betrayal.’ Germany’s painful estrangement from the US — Financial Times -
• The Chinese Factory That Opened in the U.S. and Clobbered Its Rivals — Wall Street Journal -
• UK universities told to step up defences against intimidation by China — Financial Times -

Diverse corporate performance and industry-specific news highlights include On Semiconductor's sales fall, American Airlines facing union criticism, Kroger appointing a new CEO, Kyndryl's shares halving after an accounting review, **Novo Nordisk suing Hims & Hers, and Eddie Bauer's operator filing for bankruptcy, alongside Hapag-Lloyd reporting an earnings drop and GM's risky bet on battery technology**.

• On Semiconductor Fourth-Quarter Sales Fall on Persistent Weakness in Power, Analog Units — Wall Street Journal -
• Pilots and Flight Attendants Criticize American Airlines’ Performance — The New York Times Business -
• Kroger Names Ex-Walmart Executive as Its Next CEO — Wall Street Journal -

• Kyndryl Shares Halved Amid CFO Departure, Accounting Review — Wall Street Journal -
• Novo Nordisk sues Hims & Hers over copycat weight-loss drugs — Financial Times -
• Hapag-Lloyd to Report Earnings Drop on Rerouting Costs — Wall Street Journal -
• Eddie Bauer Store Operator Files for Bankruptcy — Wall Street Journal -
• Kura Sushi Hangs On to Diners Despite Price Increases — Wall Street Journal -
• Why GM is making a ‘risky’ bet on an unproven battery technology — Financial Times -

This topic covers a range of media, cultural, and workplace trends, from Super Bowl prediction market losses and videogame history insights to challenges in journalism, Hollywood labor talks, streaming competition, sustainable product innovation, Washington Post leadership changes, and bank bosses pushing return-to-office mandates.

• How One Prediction-Market Trader Played the Super Bowl—and Lost $100,000 — Wall Street Journal -
• Key Moments in the History of Videogames (and No, ‘Pong’ Wasn’t First) — Wall Street Journal -
• Opinion | The Biggest Threat to Journalism? Journalists — Wall Street Journal -

• Warner streaming boss defends HBO Max UK launch ahead of Netflix takeover — Financial Times -
• Hollywood Braces for New Round of Labor Talks — The New York Times Business -
• Why the N.F.L. Booked Bad Bunny for the Super Bowl Halftime Show — The New York Times Business -
• From Fishing Nets to Furniture: Turning Ocean Plastic Into Usable Products — The New York Times Business -
• ‘Devastated and exhausted’: Washington Post looks to life after Will Lewis — Financial Times -
• ‘They want their pound of flesh’: bank bosses push strict return-to-office mandates — Financial Times -

Corporate accountability and legal issues are prominent, with Binance giving a Trump family crypto firm a leg up, far-right Alternative for Germany embroiled in a nepotism scandal, Hong Kong's Jimmy Lai sentenced to 20 years, and questions about corporate board oversight, alongside Uber found liable in a rape case, US visa denials for executives, and immigration raids impacting the economy.

• Binance Gives Trump Family’s Crypto Firm a Leg Up — The New York Times Business -
• Far-right Alternative for Germany embroiled in nepotism scandal — Financial Times -
• Hong Kong’s Jimmy Lai sentenced to 20 years in prison — Financial Times -

• Are corporate boards missing in action? — Financial Times -
• Immigration Raids in South Texas Are Starting to Hit the Economy — Wall Street Journal -
• Uber Found Liable in Rape by Driver, Setting Stage for Thousands of Cases — The New York Times Business -
• US embassy in London denies visas to executives over minor offences — Financial Times -

Financial regulations and economic policy debates are ongoing, featuring discussions on state-level taxation affecting startups and farms, changes in French central bank leadership, evolving jobs and prices impacting Fed decisions, America's approach to data as an asset, Brussels reviving a bank deposit guarantee scheme, and calls for European alternatives to Visa and Mastercard, alongside insights into dollar-selling funds.

• Opinion | Olympia’s Plan to Repel Startups — Wall Street Journal -
• Opinion | Forget a California Farm Tax — Wall Street Journal -
• French central bank governor to step down early — Financial Times -

• Will jobs and prices leave the Fed room to cut? — Financial Times -
• America must follow China in treating data as an asset — Financial Times -
• A chilly January in the job market — Financial Times -
• The fund giant selling the dollar — Financial Times -
• Brussels to revive campaign for bank deposit guarantee scheme — Financial Times -
• European alternatives to Visa and Mastercard ‘urgently’ needed, says banking chief — Financial Times -
• Bash All Day, Buy All Night — Financial Times -