Iran war costs US $45.1 billion; fatalities possibly higher than 18 reported by Pentagon

Iran war costs US $45.1 billion; fatalities possibly higher than 18 reported by Pentagon

File photo: Shredded tents, destroyed jet: Images reveal hidden scale of Iranian strikes on US Gulf bases The human and material cost of America’s war with Iran is proving larger than previously disclosed, with the Pentagon telling Congress that the conflict has cost $45.1 billion so far, while a Washington Post report said the number … Read more

Greenland and Antarctica have lost 11,309 billion tonnes of ice between 1979 and 2023, raising sea levels by 31.4 mm; glaciers drive 84% of loss, surface melting 16%

Greenland and Antarctica have lost 11,309 billion tonnes of ice between 1979 and 2023, raising sea levels by 31.4 mm; glaciers drive 84% of loss, surface melting 16%

Greenland and Antarctica have lost 11,309 billion tonnes of ice since 1979. (Photo: SWNS) Greenland and Antarctica have lost a combined 11.3 billion tonnes of ice since the late 1970s, contributing more than 3 centimetres to global sea level rise, according to a new international assessment by polar scientists.As per SWNS, the comprehensive study, led … Read more

Trump admin paid $9.5 billion to federal workers to stay home in 2025: Report

Trump admin paid $9.5 billion to federal workers to stay home in 2025: Report

Trump administration spent $9.5 billion paying federal workers to do absolutely nothing, watchdog report says. The Trump administration spent an estimated $9.5 billion paying federal employees who were on administrative leave in 2025, as it moved to significantly reduce the size of the federal workforce, according to a new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report.About $6.7 … Read more

Melinda French Gates puts $1 billion behind women’s power; her investments back overlooked women tackling climate change

Melinda French Gates puts $1 billion behind women's power; her investments back overlooked women tackling climate change

Melinda French Gates is committing $1 billion through 2026 to advance women’s power and influence, while her investment platform is backing women-led funds working on climate solutions. Through Pivotal Ventures, Gates has invested in Planeteer Capital, a climate-tech fund led by Sophie Purdom that backs early-stage companies developing solutions to climate change. The investment comes … Read more

A $100 billion “ghost city” became a home for tech entrepreneurs, but the experiment lasted less than two years after it began

A $100 billion “ghost city” became a home for tech entrepreneurs, but the experiment lasted less than two years after it began

Forest City was meant to become a futuristic metropolis near Singapore, but its empty towers and quiet streets earned it a very different reputation. That unusual setting later attracted a group of technology entrepreneurs who saw the underused development as an opportunity to test a new way of living and working. In 2024, Network School … Read more

Treasury triples bond buyback to $6 billion: Why are US yields at their highest since 2023?

US Treasury bond buyback rises to $6 billion as long-term bond yields climb. (AFP)

The US Treasury plans to buy back as much as $6 billion of government debt in its next operation. The bonds will have maturities of 10 to 20 years. This is three times larger than the previous maximum of $2 billion. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had earlier indicated a $4 billion minimum for the expanded … Read more

After losing about 140.5 billion tons of ice a year for two decades, Antarctica temporarily reversed course, gaining a record 695 billion tons in 2021-23 as tropical warmth drove heavy snowfall

After losing about 140.5 billion tons of ice a year for two decades, Antarctica temporarily reversed course, gaining a record 695 billion tons in 2021-23 as tropical warmth drove heavy snowfall

Representative Image (AI-generated) Antarctica has been losing mass for years as glaciers shed ice into the ocean, contributing to rising sea levels. But between 2021 and 2023, the continent experienced an unusual and temporary reversal. Instead of continuing to lose mass at its recent rate, Antarctica gained about 695 billion tonnes over 22 months, marking … Read more

Michael Bloomberg was fired from a Wall Street bank after 15 years. He used his $10 million payout to build a $109 billion fortune and has given away $25.4 billion

Michael Bloomberg was fired from a Wall Street bank after 15 years. He used his $10 million payout to build a $109 billion fortune and has given away $25.4 billion

Michael Bloomberg was 39 when his 15-year career at Wall Street investment bank Salomon Brothers came to an end in 1981. A general partner at the firm, Bloomberg left as Salomon was being acquired by Phibro Corporation and received about $10 million for his stake. Rather than use the money to retire or join another … Read more

EBay’s first full-time employee left the company after its IPO and built a $5.9 billion fortune; he has now donated about $1.2 billion into social-change projects

EBay's first full-time employee left the company after its IPO and built a $5.9 billion fortune; he has now donated about $1.2 billion into social-change projects

Jeffrey Scholl. Image Credit: Scoll World Forum Jeff Skoll, eBay‘s first full-time employee and president, played a crucial role in building the company before leaving after its 1998 public offering. He helped turn an online auction business into one of the defining technology companies of the internet boom, then chose a different path from the … Read more

Scientists discover nearly 1 billion tons of water locked inside Utah’s rocky glaciers, using gravity measurements to map ice buried beneath mountain debris

Scientists discover nearly 1 billion tons of water locked inside Utah's rocky glaciers, using gravity measurements to map ice buried beneath mountain debris

At first glance, Utah’s rocky mountain slopes may look completely dry, with loose stones and boulders covering the ground. But beneath some of those rocks lies an enormous store of frozen water. Researchers have now estimated that Utah’s rock glaciers contain about 0.99 gigatonnes, or nearly 1 billion tons, of water equivalent. These unusual formations … Read more