Azerbaijan agrees to join Trump's 'Board of Peace' for Gaza
Azerbaijan said on Wednesday that it had accepted an invitation from U.S. President Donald Trump to join his 'Board of Peace' for Gaza....
Ford Motor Company said on Monday it will take a $19.5 billion writedown and scrap several electric vehicle (EV) models, marking a major retreat from its battery-powered ambitions amid declining EV demand and changes under the Trump administration.
The Dearborn, Michigan-based automaker says it will end production of the F-150 Lightning in its current electric form and instead pivot to an extended-range electric model (EREV), which uses a gas-powered generator to recharge the battery. Ford also cancelled its next-generation electric truck, codenamed the T3, and planned electric commercial vans.
“Ford is refocusing on gas, hybrid, and extended-range EVs,” the company said, noting the shift will eventually create thousands of jobs, despite some near-term layoffs at a Kentucky battery plant. Ford expects its global mix of hybrids, extended-range EVs, and pure EVs to reach 50% by 2030, up from 17% today.
The $19.5 billion writedown will be spread over the fourth quarter of 2025, continuing into 2027. About $8.5 billion is linked to cancelled EV models, $6 billion to the dissolution of a battery joint venture with South Korea’s SK On, and $5 billion to programme-related expenses.
Ford raised its 2025 guidance for adjusted earnings before interest and taxes to about $7 billion, up from $6 billion–$6.5 billion.
The move reflects broader industry trends as U.S. EV sales falter. November EV sales fell roughly 40% following the September expiry of the $7,500 federal tax credit. Trump-era policies also reduced federal EV incentives and eased fuel-efficiency rules, encouraging automakers to focus on gas-powered models.
The F-150 Lightning, launched in 2022 with high-profile promotions, saw sales of 25,583 units through November, down 10% from a year earlier, despite initial production to meet 200,000 orders. The planned T3 EV pickup will be replaced by new gas-powered trucks starting in 2029 at Ford’s Tennessee plant.
Ford’s second-generation EV lineup is effectively paused. Future EVs will target affordability, with a midsize model priced around $30,000 planned for release in 2027 from Ford’s California “skunkworks” team, to be built at the Louisville plant.
“This is not for PR or for Wall Street. We built a truck so people can use it in their daily lives,” Ford said in a statement, underscoring the company’s shift toward practical and hybrid solutions.
More than 100 vehicles were involved in a massive pileup on Interstate 96 in western Michigan on Monday (19 January), forcing the highway to shut in both directions amid severe winter weather.
Several locally-developed instant messaging applications were reportedly restored in Iran on Tuesday (20 January), partially easing communications restrictions imposed after recent unrest.
There was a common theme in speeches at the World Economic Forum on Tuesday (20 January). China’s Vice-Premier, He Lifeng, warned that "tariffs and trade wars have no winners," while France's Emmanuel Macron, labelled "endless accumulation of new tariffs" from the U.S. "fundamentally unacceptable."
Dozens of beaches along Australia's east coast, including in Sydney, closed on Tuesday (20 January) after four shark attacks in two days, as heavy rains left waters murky and more likely to attract the animals.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington would “work something out” with NATO allies on Tuesday, defending his approach to the alliance while renewing his push for U.S. control of Greenland amid rising tensions with Europe.
Argentina’s economic activity fell by 0.3% in November 2025 compared with the same month a year earlier, marking the country’s first monthly contraction of the year, the national statistics agency INDEC said on Wednesday.
Wall Street closed sharply lower on Tuesday as global markets fell after U.S. President Donald Trump’s new tariff threats against Europe unsettled investors and revived fears of renewed volatility.
Global markets are rattled after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened new tariffs on eight European countries over Greenland, sending the euro to a seven-week low and raising concerns about renewed transatlantic trade tensions.
Hong Kong and Shanghai will sign a memorandum of understanding next week to establish a cross-border gold trade clearing system, a move aimed at boosting Hong Kong’s role as an international gold trading hub, Financial Secretary Paul Chan said.
Elon Musk is seeking up to $134 billion from OpenAI and Microsoft, arguing that the companies profited unfairly from his early support of the artificial intelligence firm, according to a court filing made public on Friday.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment