Top Asia Pacific Breaking News: Morning Edition

BEIJING (AP) – U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived in the Chinese financial center of Shanghai on Friday in his bid to boost business opportunities for British firms in the world’s second-largest economy, just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump signaled a possible opposition to any deal between Beijing and London.

Saks Global to close most of its Saks Off 5th stores as it restructures

NEW YORK (AP) – The parent company of Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus is closing most of its Saks Off 5th locations to focus on its iconic department stores and raise money to pay off its debts during its Chapter 11 bankuptcy reorganization.

Liberia's largest gold miner repeatedly spilled dangerous chemicals

JIKANDOR, Liberia (AP) – For generations, families in Jikandor village fished and drank from the river that runs through Liberia ‘s dense rain forest. Now toxic pollution is making them leave. They blame the largest gold miner in Liberia, Bea Mountain Mining Corporation. When dead fish float to the surface, they said, they know to tell authorities.

Editorials from The Washington Post, New York Times, Wall Street Journal and others

Jan. 19 – The Washington Post says Congress has dropped the ball regarding oversight of ICE, DHS. Geraldo Lunas Campos died at a Texas detention center on Jan. 3 while pleading for air as guards choked him, according to a fellow detainee. The local medical examiner’s office is considering classifying his death as a homicide, The Post reports.

Who is Fed chair nominee Kevin Warsh?

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump says he’ll tap former Federal Reserve governor Kevin Warsh as the next Fed chair to replace Jerome Powell in May – with Trump believing that he can finally get the booming economy that he promised to voters.

Apple's iPhone sales surge to new quarterly high despite early missteps

Apple’s iPhone sales soared to a new quarterly record during the holiday season, despite artificial intelligence blunders that prompted the technology trendsetter to get a helping hand from Google.

Altria earnings fall short amid lower cigarette sales

WASHINGTON (AP) – Shares of Altria dipped Thursday after the tobacco giant reported flat earnings due to declining cigarettes sales and challenging competition for newer products, including flavored nicotine pouches.

Starbucks sees room to expand with hundreds of new US stores and increased seating

NEW YORK (AP) – Starbucks said Thursday that it plans to open hundreds of new stores across the U.S. and add seating capacity at thousands of existing locations, doubling down on a strategy of emphasizing the company’s cafes as community hubs even as consumer demand for drive-thru coffee grows.

Dow to cut about 4,500 jobs as emphasis shifts to AI and automation

Dow is planning to cut approximately 4,500 jobs as the chemicals maker puts more emphasis on using artificial intelligence and automation in its business. The company said Thursday that it anticipates about $600 million to $800 million in severance costs related to the cuts. Those costs are part of a broader plan aimed at simplifying operations and streamlining.