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Asia-Pacific
The Straits Times

askST Jobs: My colleagues get more flexibility because of family commitments. What about me?

Managers may assume that employees without children can always stay late, travel at short notice or work during holidays. Managers may assume that employees without children can always stay late, travel at short notice or work during holidays, said Don Leow, human resource director at the National Institute of Education. But bosses should not assume that employees without children have fewer responsibilities outside work. Employees who are single or do not have children may also have family commitments, including caring for ageing parents, or other personal priorities such as studying or managing their health. “Being family friendly should not mean treating one form of family responsibility as more important than another,” he said. “Fairness does not always mean giving everyone the same thing – it means treating legitimate needs fairly, while making sure the cost is not repeatedly borne by the same people.” Less desirable duties, such as late or weekend assignments, as well as work during peak holiday periods, should instead be shared fairly, rather than assigned to those perceived to have fewer personal commitments. “Too often, responsibilities are redistributed informally while deadlines stay the same... if the same dependable colleagues stay late, cover urgent work, attend the after-hours event or give way on preferred leave periods, over time, resentment can build,” said Leow. To address this, managers should plan how work will be covered before employees go on leave or reduce their hours, rather than waiting for gaps to emerge. They could also adjust deadlines, pause less urgent work or bring in temporary resources where necessary. Any redistribution of responsibilities should be clearly communicated and time-bound, with employees knowing what additional work they are expected to take on and for how long. Employees who take on substantially more work should also have their contributions formally recognised in performance assessments and development opportunities, said Leow.

askST Jobs: My colleagues get more flexibility because of family commitments. What about me?
Asia
The Hindu BusinessLine

Insurance query

My parents are interested in Ayurvedic treatment. With a regular health insurance for them, I am concerned about how claims in Ayurvedic treatment will be handled. Can you please explain what to look for in Ayush related claims in health insurance? Health insurance in India has evolved significantly over the past few years. Beyond conventional medical treatment, insurers today also provide coverage for AYUSH treatments-Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy, giving policyholders greater freedom to choose the system of medicine best suited to their needs. IRDAI has progressively strengthened the regulatory framework for AYUSH coverage, including issuing dedicated guidelines in January 2024 to promote broader and more consistent coverage across health insurance products. However, despite this regulatory push, AYUSH-related claim disputes continue to arise. In most cases, disputes stem not from the exclusion of AYUSH treatment, but from policyholders’ lack of awareness of policy conditions or the treatment failing to meet the insurer’s admissibility criteria. One of the most common reasons for disputes is that policyholders assume every policy provides AYUSH coverage up to the full sum insured. While many newer products do offer broader coverage, several older policies still carry sub-limits. For instance, a health policy with a sum insured of ₹10 lakh may restrict AYUSH treatment to only ₹2 lakh. If policyholders do not review the policy wording carefully, they may discover this limitation only at the time of claim settlement. Another frequent issue is the choice of treatment facility. Health insurance generally covers NABH AYUSH treatment only when it is received at a recognised AYUSH hospital or healthcare facility that meets the prescribed regulatory requirements, including applicable accreditation standards. Wellness centres, spas, rejuvenation retreats, or facilities offering general therapies without meeting the prescribed standards are typically not eligible for insurance reimbursement. IRDAI has defined the requirements for an AYUSH hospital, including infrastructure, qualified practitioners, in-patient facilities and the maintenance of medical records. The treatment itself must also follow recognised AYUSH protocols and be medically indicated. Claims may be questioned if the treatment is primarily for wellness, preventive care or lifestyle improvement rather than for a diagnosed medical condition requiring hospitalisation. Documentation is another area where policyholders often face difficulties. Incomplete admission records, missing prescriptions, inadequate discharge summaries, or improperly prepared bills can delay or even result in rejection of the claim. As with any health insurance claim, maintaining complete and accurate medical documentation is essential for smooth claim processing. Pricing also plays an important role. There have been instances of AYUSH centres charging rates significantly higher than the applicable rates specified by IRDAI. Where hospitals levy charges that are considered unreasonable or exceed the insurer’s admissible limits, disputes may arise regarding the payable amount. The insurer may settle only the amount deemed reasonable and admissible under the policy, leaving the policyholder to bear the balance. ● Read the policy wording carefully to understand whether any AYUSH-specific sub-limit applies. ● Confirm that the treatment will be taken at a recognised AYUSH hospital or authorised healthcare facility. ● Seek pre-authorisation from the insurer wherever cashless treatment is available. ● Prefer network hospitals with existing cashless tie-ups, as these reduce documentation issues and improve claim experience.

Insurance query
Asia
The Hindu BusinessLine

November Bank Holidays 2026: Full list of dates, festivals & bank closures

Bank branches across India will observe multiple closures throughout November 2026, with the holiday schedule varying significantly from state to state based on regional festivals, local observances, and government notifications. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issues the official calendar, and with 14 scheduled holidays this month — including second and fourth Saturdays and all Sundays — customers are advised to plan branch visits, cheque submissions, and cash requirements well in advance. Digital banking services including UPI, net banking, and mobile apps, along with ATM access, will remain unaffected on all holidays. Customers in states such as Meghalaya and Punjab should note that they face a higher number of closures this month due to additional state-specific observances — Meghalaya sees both the Wangala Festival on November 14 and Seng Kut Snem on November 26, while Punjab observes Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Ji’s Martyrdom Day on November 24 alongside Guru Nanak Jayanti. Those in Odisha and Telangana will see an additional closure on November 24 on account of Karthika Purnima, while Karnataka branches will remain shut on November 27 for Kanakadasa Jayanti. It is worth remembering that November 14 falls on a Saturday, but this is also the second Saturday of the month and therefore a designated bank holiday under RBI rules regardless of the Wangala Festival. For time-sensitive transactions, using NEFT, RTGS, IMPS, or UPI is recommended to avoid delays — these services operate round the clock, including on all gazetted holidays. Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments. We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of TheHindu Businessline and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.

November Bank Holidays 2026: Full list of dates, festivals & bank closures
Europe
BBC Business

Grid operator says lights will stay on this winter after concerns

Image source, Getty ImagesByMichael RaceBusiness reporterPublished4 hours agoThe body in charge of Britain's electricity network has given assurances that the lights will stay on this winter after concerns were raised by some of its engineers. The National Energy System Operator (NESO) said the country's electricity system was prepared and "resilient to the challenges it may face" during the colder months. However, its winter outlook report comes after an independent investigation found engineers had "high levels of stress and concern" about their ability to ensure adequate supply due to differences between renewable and gas-fired power generation. NESO said supplies were expected to remain secure throughout the winter, though warned there could be "tight days". It added that such days would result in it deploying notices to power producers that additional electricity generation may be needed. It said such an announcement was not a warning of power cuts and was routine. "While we never take resilience for granted, households and businesses can be confident that Great Britain's electricity system remains secure, reliable and among the most resilient in the world," said Deborah Petterson, director of whole energy system resilience at NESO. In a separate report, National Gas, a private company that owns and runs the country's gas network, and is separate from NESO, said it expected to have sufficient supply to meet demand this winter, but forecast gas for power generation to increase at peak demand due to the "intermittent" nature of renewables. The release of the two reports comes as Britain's energy generation and security falls under increasing scrutiny, given the wars in the Middle East and eastern Europe have pushed prices up and sparked supply fears. The country's electricity is generated from a wide range of sources, including renewables such as solar and wind, as well as more traditional gas-fired and nuclear power stations. Wind power was the largest generator of electricity in Britain last year, accounting for almost 30% of all power, marginally above gas. However, there appear to be challenges in the transition to renewables in ensuring supply keeps up with demand, according to findings from an investigation into practices at NESO, which was commissioned following allegations over operational decision making and record keeping at the grid operator. Law firm Eversheds Sutherland, which carried out the independent investigation, said there were "high levels of stress and concern" within NESO's Electricity National Control Centre over the "current state of the energy industry generally" and the longer-term ability to keep it balanced.

Grid operator says lights will stay on this winter after concerns
Europe
The Guardian

Elon Musk reportedly invests $1bn in David Ellison’s Skydance

Elon Musk gestures as he attends the Viva Technology conference at the Porte de Versailles exhibition centre in Paris, France, on 16 June 2023. Photograph: Gonzalo Fuentes/ReutersView image in fullscreenElon Musk gestures as he attends the Viva Technology conference at the Porte de Versailles exhibition centre in Paris, France, on 16 June 2023. Photograph: Gonzalo Fuentes/ReutersElon MuskElon Musk reportedly invests $1bn in David Ellison’s SkydanceMusk’s investment into the new media empire comes after Paramount’s $111bn merger with Warner Bros Discovery Elon Musk has reportedly invested approximately $1bn in Skydance, the new media empire led by David Ellison. The deal comes alongside fresh equity infusions from existing investors, including board member Laurene Powell Jobs, Steve Jobs’s widow. Semafor first reported the news. The investment follows Paramount’s recent $111bn merger with Warner Bros Discovery, a huge acquisition that brought the media companies together under the Skydance name. At the head of the new media empire is David Ellison, the son of billionaire Oracle co-founder and Donald Trump ally Larry Ellison. The cash infusion solidifies an alliance between two of Trump’s richest monetary backers. In September, Semafor reported that Paramount executives had considered Musk as an equity investor, citing his close ties to Larry Ellison, who invested $1bn in Musk’s acquisition of X in 2022 and also $45m in support of Trump’s re-election bid in 2024. Musk spent more than $290m on Trump’s re-election bid and has spent more than $350m backing Republicans in the current US midterm elections. After the merger, Skydance co-CEOs David Ellison and Ynon Kreiz, who previously led Mattel, informed employees that the integration would involve layoffs, stating: “Integrating two companies will bring change, including difficult decisions that affect our workforce.” The company’s leadership – which now oversees Paramount and Warner Bros’s movie studios, HBO Max, CBS News and CNN – has set a target of more than $6bn in cost savings over the next three years, a goal that Los Angeles county officials estimate could lead to the loss of 4,500 film and television jobs in Los Angeles alone. Prior to the merger, a coalition of 12 states, including California and New York, sued Paramount, arguing that the deal would “extinguish” competition and result in “higher prices, lower quality and less content for film and television”. In September, a settlement agreement required Skydance to release at least 30 films and more than 180 television shows annually, while ensuring that CBS and CNN maintain editorial independence.

Elon Musk reportedly invests $1bn in David Ellison’s Skydance
North America
CNBC Finance

Robot factories and hypersonic missiles: JPMorgan Chase’s first $5 billion of defense investments

JPMorgan Chase has made $5 billion in startup investments in the first year of its U.S. security and resiliency initiative, the company said Monday, a faster-than-expected pace that indicates the bank is finding plentiful opportunities in emerging defense, manufacturing and supply chain firms. The bank, which last year said it would deploy $10 billion into startups over a decade, may expand the program beyond that initial dollar amount, JPMorgan co-president Doug Petno told CNBC in an interview. Todd Combs, the former Berkshire Hathaway executive who leads the JPMorgan group in charge of making startup investments, has "hit the ground running," Petno said. "He's done a great job and put us in some really interesting companies," he added. Most of those investments have yet to be disclosed, but two known stakes seem emblematic of the project's mission to bolster companies that are needed for a more dangerous and chaotic era of geopolitics. JPMorgan, the biggest U.S. bank by assets, has taken direct stakes in defense-related startups Hadrian and Castelion. Wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, as well as trade disputes with China, have threatened the flow of energy and key components needed for U.S. industries and defense, which spurred JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon into creating the initiative a year ago. He put Petno, widely seen as one of two key possible successors, in charge of the overall investment project. Combs, a former board member of the bank, reports directly to Dimon. The scope of the project extends beyond supply chain, defense and manufacturing to include frontier technologies and the pharmaceutical and health-tech industries. "There's a lot of really interesting companies that have been working to solve some of these problems," Petno said. These "early venture-stage, advanced manufacturing companies have found ways to build these capabilities in the U.S." rather than relying on overseas trading partners, he said. In August, the bank helped lead a $1.4 billion funding round in Hadrian, which builds automated factories that make parts for the defense, aerospace and maritime sectors. A California factory run by Hadrian has 10 robots for every human employee, according to the startup's founder. That month, JPMorgan was also involved in a $1 billion funding round for Castelion, whose flagship product is a relatively low-cost hypersonic missile called Blackbeard. Castelion was founded in late 2022 by a group of former SpaceX engineers. "Our approach is to find generational companies and partner with them for the long term," Combs said in a statement Monday.

Robot factories and hypersonic missiles: JPMorgan Chase’s first $5 billion of defense investments
North America
Yahoo Finance

Here Are Tuesday’s Top Wall Street Analyst Research Calls: Akamai Technolgies, Apple, Blackrock, Ford Motor, Healthcare Realty Trust, Noble, Sunoco LP, Venture Global, Western Midstream Partners, Zoetis, and More

Pre-Market Stock Futures:Futures are mixed, but Nasdaq futures are lower as chipmakers come under attack this morning. The AI trade made a Monday comeback after a dreadful period last week. The Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS | GS Price Prediction) upgrade of… Futures are mixed, but Nasdaq futures are lower as chipmakers come under attack this morning. The AI trade made a Monday comeback after a dreadful period last week. The Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS | GS Price Prediction) upgrade of CoreWeave (NASDAQ: CRWV) was a lynchpin in Monday’s move higher, despite the shares actually closing flat on the day, and helped the Nasdaq close at 26,430, up 1.11%, while the S&P 500 finished the day at 7,690, up 0.41%. The small-cap Russell 2000 finished the session at 2,728, up 0.25%, while the legacy Dow Jones Industrials was the only index to close down 0.07% at 51,966. With an avalanche of earnings this week and some early key big-tech numbers, we could move sharply higher or lower, depending on the data. Yields were higher across the curve on Monday, except for the two shortest maturities, as the sellers returned after some substantial buying over the last week. Buyers were expected to emerge in force after yields hit multi-decade highs in recent weeks, and while rates are likely to go higher, that won’t be until November or the last Fed meeting in December. The 30-year bond closed Monday’s session at 5.48%, while the benchmark 10-year note closed at 5.15%. Prices were modestly lower across the board, as one of Monday’s biggest headlines was Qatar offering Lebanon 2 gas plants and 20 years of LNG piped through Syria. The energy complex’s changes, along with disruptions to traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, will improve product distribution in the future. Brent Crude finished Monday at $109.40, down 0.40%, while West Texas Intermediate closed at $98.44, down 0.59%. Natural gas also closed lower at $3.04, down 2.44%. Precious metals had a quiet start to the week, but higher Treasury yields and a stronger dollar kept prices in check. Gold closed at $4,139, down 0.58%, while Silver was last seen up 0.19% at $57.22. Some analysts cited caution ahead of the Federal Reserve’s October meeting, where most on Wall Street expect no change to the fed funds rate. Crypto shook off a weekend hangover on Monday, defying the doom-loopers who predicted a full-blown “Black Monday” collapse after a sharp Sunday selloff—sparked by a liquidation cascade in tokenized AI derivatives—as major digital assets managed to find their footing. The weekend damage wasn’t pretty: it forced liquidations and wiped out roughly $352 million in leveraged long positions across the broader market. But as is often the case in crypto, once the over-leveraged traders were carried off the field, thin weekend liquidity gave way to steady institutional and retail buying on Monday, averting a systemic meltdown. At 8 AM EDT, Bitcoin was trading at $81,374, while Ethereum was quoted at $2,385. 24/7 Wall St. reviews dozens of analyst research reports every day to identify fresh investment ideas for investors and traders alike. These daily analyst notes include recommendations on stocks to buy, sell, or avoid, as well as new coverage initiations. Important reminder: No single analyst report should ever be the sole basis for buying or selling a stock. Here are some of the top Wall Street analyst upgrades, downgrades, and initiations from Tuesday, October 20, 2026. Lee Jackson has covered Wall Street analysts' equity and debt research and equity strategy daily for 24/7 Wall St. since 2012. His broad, diverse career, including a stint as creative services director at an NBC affiliate in Austin, Texas, gives him unique insight into the financial industry. Lee Jackson's journey in the financial industry spans more than 30 years, including nearly two decades as an institutional equity salesperson at Bear Stearns, Lehman Brothers, and Morgan Stanley. His career spanned pivotal sell-side Wall Street events, from the dot-com rise and bubble to the Long-Term Capital Management debacle, 9/11, and the Great Recession of 2008. This reflects his resilience and adaptability amid market volatility. Lee Jackson’s practical financial industry experience, gained through a career at some of the biggest banks and brokerage firms, is complemented by a lifetime of writing across various platforms. This unique combination allows him to shed light on the intricacies of Wall Street in a way only someone with deep insider experience and knowledge can. Moreover, his extensive network across Wall Street continues to provide direct access for him and 24/7 Wall St., a privilege few firms enjoy.

Here Are Tuesday’s Top Wall Street Analyst Research Calls: Akamai Technolgies, Apple, Blackrock, Ford Motor, Healthcare Realty Trust, Noble, Sunoco LP, Venture Global, Western Midstream Partners, Zoetis, and More
Europe
BBC Business

The Indian workers filming their work to train AI

Mohammed Ashim has been cutting hair and trimming beards for four years in Bengaluru. But recently the 22-year old has been strapping a camera to his head to record his work. The camera only records his hands and fingers - his client's faces are blurred out. "The routine is simple, but you have to be disciplined about how you move. The operations team taught me that my hands always have to stay cleanly inside the frame, the lighting has to be sharp, and I can't tilt my head too abruptly while working." "It's good money, but honestly, the feeling of doing something this futuristic is what keeps me excited. I never imagined my razor techniques would be useful to a global tech company," says Ashim. He is one of hundreds of thousands of workers across the world paid to record their activities. Ashim's footage is collected by a local company, which might have hundreds of people filming their work. That video is then sold on to technology companies and research organisations who use it to train artificial intelligence - in particular so-called physical AI, a type of artificial intelligence that can control robots in the real world. "Every robotics company, every frontier AI lab, has a specific kind of data they want: industrial tasks, agriculture, household chores, small business work like pottery, garment-making, embroidery, candle-making. We go wherever the task is," says co-founder and CEO Shahil Baig. His company pays $5 to $10 (£3.74; £7.47) for eight to 10 hours of recorded work. Making sure workers give their consent and are comfortable with the process is important, he says. "We record hands, not faces, and where multi-camera rigs do capture more of the body or environment, we blur faces out. No names, no contact details, nothing that identifies them personally goes into what we hand off."

The Indian workers filming their work to train AI
Europe
BBC Business

Why is Elon Musk plotting a mega-merger of SpaceX and Tesla?

Image source, Getty Images/ReutersByOsmond ChiaBusiness reporterPublished21 October 2026, 05:13 BSTUpdated 5 hours agoElon Musk has spent years building Tesla and SpaceX into a pair of trillion-dollar technology empires. Now, he is considering bringing them together. The prospect is more than hypothetical. Musk said special committees have been formed to assess a potential deal, although he stressed that there is no guarantee a merger will happen and that nothing has been agreed. With Tesla valued at roughly $1.5 trillion (£1.1 trillion) and SpaceX at $2 trillion, a combination of the two companies would mark the largest merger ever. Any deal would also need shareholder backing. But Musk said he saw "a lot to be gained" in bringing the businesses together. "In my opinion, 100%. It's just a question of when," says David Nicholson, chief technology advisor at market research firm The Futurum Group. The unveiling of the Tesla Roadster last week - a futuristic electric car powered by SpaceX rocket thrusters - served as a "symbolic embodiment" hinting at the two Musk companies merging, Nicholson said. Musk, chief executive of both SpaceX and Tesla, said bringing the firms together would be beneficial given the work each does around chips, artificial intelligence (AI) and other technology projects. Specifically, the deal would combine Tesla's cars, robots and self-driving technology with SpaceX's rockets, data centres, satellites and telecommunications operations. The move could be a step towards Musk's mission to build a self-sustaining city on Mars - a vision that has invited sceptics but also plenty of backers. Over the past year, Musk has moved to consolidate his businesses, with SpaceX acquiring xAI and X, formerly Twitter, before going public this year. But the merger would ultimately be decided by shareholders, with half of Tesla's needed to back the deal, a threshold even Musk described as "quite a high hurdle". Even so, Musk, a key shareholder of Tesla, will likely get his way in the next few years, said investment analyst Dan Sheehan from Telos Wealth Advisors.

Why is Elon Musk plotting a mega-merger of SpaceX and Tesla?