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Trump's Administration Orders Mass Firings in Federal Agencies, Affecting Thousands of Workers Across the U.S. In a move that has shaken the federal workforce, President Donald Trump, alongside Elon Musk, the head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has initiated a drastic round of layoffs, targeting nearly 10,000 employees within days. The significant firings, which include employees from various U.S. government departments, follow a directive issued by the Trump administration ordering the dismissal of nearly all probationary workers with less than a year of service across federal agencies. According to a report by Reuters on February 14, 2025, the layoffs primarily affect employees in departments such as the Interior, Energy, Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, and Health and Human Services. These departments have been instructed to let go of probationary workers, which includes those with less than one year of service. In specific terms, the Department of the Interi...

How AI Integration is Shaping the Future of Hedge Fund Investment Strategies / Reuters The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) in hedge funds is a hot topic, especially with the latest success story from Minotaur Capital, a hedge fund startup based in Sydney. This AI-driven fund has recently gained attention for outperforming the market by a substantial margin. Leveraging AI to replace the traditional role of analysts, Minotaur Capital has achieved impressive results, proving the potential of AI in financial markets. Minotaur Capital, founded by Armina Rosenberg and Thomas Rice, recorded an impressive 13.7% return on its global equity investments over the past six months. This performance surpassed the MSCI ACWI index, which recorded a growth of 6.7% during the same period. The hedge fund uses cutting-edge AI models to analyze vast amounts of data, seeking to increase returns while reducing operational costs. Minotaur’s success is a prime example of how AI can disrupt traditional hed...

January 2025 Sees Major Decline in Tesla's Global Deliveries Tesla's recent performance has been dismal, with the company facing a significant slump in sales worldwide as 2025 begins. The primary cause for concern revolves around the electric vehicle (EV) maker's strained relationship with global markets, fueled by CEO Elon Musk’s increasingly close political ties with former U.S. President Donald Trump. This shift in Musk's political stance has sparked backlash and is believed to be playing a key role in Tesla’s recent struggles, from declining stock prices to diminished global sales. Tesla's Global Sales Decline: January 2025 Impact Tesla's year kicked off with troubling news as the company reported its first-ever annual drop in deliveries in 2024. The situation worsened in January, as the EV giant saw sharp declines in key international markets. In France, Tesla's sales plummeted by a staggering 63 percent compared to January 2024, signaling a major dip...

Gold Hits Record High, Dollar Strengthens Amid Market Uncertainty / Getty Images The U.S. stock market opened higher on Monday, defying concerns over potential economic disruptions stemming from former President Donald Trump’s newly announced tariff threats on steel and aluminum imports. As of 10 a.m. Eastern Standard Time, the S&P 500 Index had risen by 0.5%, the Nasdaq Composite Index surged over 0.9%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average posted a 0.3% gain. In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury note dropped by 2 basis points to settle at 4.47%, reflecting cautious investor sentiment. Meanwhile, the U.S. dollar exhibited strength against major currencies such as the Canadian dollar and the Japanese yen. The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index climbed 0.2%, marking its highest level in a week as investors sought safe-haven assets amid mounting trade tensions. Gold prices reached an all-time high, driven by increased demand for safe-haven investments. The precious metal ...

Taiwan's Economic Deputy Minister Heads to Washington to Address US Tariff Concerns Taiwan is preparing to address the looming threat of new tariffs on its semiconductor industry as the Trump administration signals the potential for imposing such measures. The island nation, home to some of the world's largest semiconductor manufacturers such as TSMC, is on high alert over these developments. On February 8th, 2025, Taiwan’s Economic Minister, Kuo Zhi-Hui, confirmed that a high-level delegation from Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), led by Deputy Minister Zhang Yuan-Luo, will visit Washington D.C. next week to engage with US officials. This trip is particularly aimed at addressing concerns related to allegations that Taiwan has been involved in stealing US semiconductor technology. Taiwan, with its pivotal role in the global semiconductor supply chain, is especially concerned about the potential impact of tariffs on its thriving chip manufacturing industry. The ...

Ishiba Shigeru’s Strategic Gift-Giving and its Impact on US-Japan Relations The first summit between US President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba took place at the White House. Prior to the meeting, there were expectations that President Trump would apply significant pressure on Japan, demanding increased defense spending and action on the trade imbalance between the two nations. However, the summit defied expectations, with analysts noting a more subdued tone and an unexpectedly cordial atmosphere. Particularly noteworthy was the fact that Trump refrained from issuing the harsh demands that many anticipated, while the joint press conference between the two leaders exuded a positive tone. According to Japanese media outlets such as Nikkei and Yomiuri Shimbun , one of the standout moments of the meeting came when Prime Minister Ishiba announced Japan's commitment to invest a substantial $1 trillion into the US economy. Given that Japan’s current annual inve...

Massive restructuring of USAID aims to reduce workforce by over 90% / Reuters Former U.S. President Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk have launched a significant overhaul of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which will see a drastic reduction in its staff and operations. According to reports from The New York Times and other outlets on February 6, 2025, only 3% of the agency's current workforce will remain, with the remaining 97%—approximately 9,710 employees—being laid off. This marks the beginning of a major reorganization effort led by Musk, who now heads the U.S. government's Office of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Major Cuts and Layoffs at USAID: What Does This Mean? In a meeting with USAID leadership, the Trump administration revealed plans to reduce the number of employees at the agency to a mere 290, which includes specialists in health and humanitarian assistance. The remaining staff members will be stationed in regions such as Africa and Asi...