Plummet

• Asia-Pacific merger and acquisition deal values have collapsed to $127 billion, marking a significant decline triggered by major tariff announcements across the region. • The tariff shock has disrupted corporate transaction activity, with financial advisers reporting substantial pullback in deal pipelines as companies reassess expansion strategies amid trade uncertainty. • Investment banks including JPMorgan and Houlihan Lokey are recalibrating their M&A advisory strategies, with deal values falling sharply compared to earlier 2026 forecasts.

Analysis finds victims’ compensation program is awarding less money to fewer people, although budget has increasedVictims of violent crime in California are finding it increasingly hard to get support from the state, a new analysis has found, a development that has locked some of the most vulnerable people out of funds to help cover crime scene cleanup, relocation costs, funerals and therapy.California established the nation’s first victims’ compensation program in 1965, aimed at helping victims of violent crimes and their families cover some of the costs sprung onto them by the violence. Continue reading...

• Gas prices have surged above $4 per gallon and flights skyrocketed as the Strait of Hormuz blockade impacts energy markets amid the US-Israel war with Iran, eroding Trump's key political advantage. • More than three-quarters of registered voters—including over half of Republicans and 82% of independents—now blame Trump for the cost-of-living crisis affecting fuel, groceries, housing, and healthcare. • Trump's second-term approval ratings have fallen far faster than previous presidents after a government shutdown, tariffs, and the joint US-Israel attack on Iran, with Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warning the war is fueling inflation.

Consumer confidence hit its lowest level since October 2023 this month, with surveys showing the cost pressures companies are facingConfidence in the UK economy has fallen sharply amid the mounting economic fallout from the Iran war, surveys show, as businesses prepare to raise their prices and consumers brace for a fresh cost of living shock.Highlighting the knock-on impact of the Middle East crisis in Britain, several closely-watched surveys of business activity and consumer confidence blamed the ongoing US-Israeli war on Iran for a marked deterioration in the outlook in April. Continue reading...

Fentanyl-related overdose deaths fell by nearly 30 per cent in the space of a year in the US, which could represent a significant turning point in the country's opioid addiction crisis

Timothee Chalamet, once a frontrunner for Best Actor for his role in 'Marty Supreme,' has seen his Oscar chances collapse following controversial remarks calling opera and ballet art forms 'no one cares about anymore.' Steven Spielberg publicly defended the arts, criticizing Chalamet's snub amid the final stretch of awards campaigning. The backlash highlights tensions in Hollywood as the 98th Academy Awards approach on March 15 in Los Angeles. Industry insiders note this could shift voter sentiment toward other contenders.

Timothée Chalamet, once the frontrunner for Best Actor at the 2026 Oscars for his role in 'Marty Supreme,' has seen his odds drop sharply following controversial viral comments calling opera and ballet art forms 'no one cares about anymore.' The remarks, made just weeks before the March 15 ceremony in Los Angeles, sparked widespread backlash in Hollywood. Steven Spielberg publicly defended the traditional arts, highlighting the cultural divide. Industry insiders predict this could cost Chalamet his first Oscar win amid heightened pre-ceremony tensions.