Devon Energy’s Jackfish Projects processing plant in Alberta, Canada.
Jimmy Jeong | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Devon Energy and Coterra Energy on Monday announced a $58 billion all-stock merger to become a large-cap producer with a top position in the Permian Basin as the shale sector consolidates to cut costs and boost scale.
The largest deal in the sector since Diamondback’s $26 billion acquisition of Endeavor Energy Resources in 2024 comes as a global oil glut and the increasing likelihood of more Venezuelan barrels returning to the market are pressuring U.S. crude prices, hurting shale producers’ margins.
Even though M&As in the sector cooled in 2025, producers in the shale patch continue to pursue size advantages, from lowering per‑barrel costs to extending drilling runways in maturing basins like the Permian and Anadarko.
Coterra shares have risen nearly 14% since deal talks were first reported on Jan. 15, while Devon has gained about 6%.
Both stocks were trading lower before the market opened on Monday. Devon was down about 3% and Coterra off 2.7%, tracking a roughly 5% slide in oil prices.
Under the deal, shareholders will receive 0.70 Devon shares for each share held. Devon will own roughly 54% of the combined company. The deal has an equity value of $21.4 billion, according to a Reuters calculation.
“The combination is incrementally positive for both shareholders, as it brings together two high-quality companies to create a larger entity that should garner greater investor interest in today’s volatile energy tape,” said Siebert Williams Shank & Co. analyst Gabriele Sorbara.
Operations in major basins
Devon and Coterra operate in several major U.S. shale formations, with overlapping positions in the Delaware portion of the Permian Basin in Texas and New Mexico, as well as in Oklahoma’s Anadarko Basin.
The combined pro-forma 2025 production for the third quarter would exceed 1.6 million barrels of oil equivalent per day, including more than 550,000 barrels of oil and 4.3 billion cubic feet of gas.
Over half of production and cash flow would come from the Delaware Basin, where the combined company will hold roughly 750,000 net acres in the core of the play.
Leadership and headquarters
The merger is expected to close in the second quarter of 2026, after which the combined company will retain the name Devon, be based in Houston and maintain a major presence in Oklahoma City.
Devon CEO Clay Gaspar will lead the company, while Coterra CEO Tom Jorden will become non-executive chairman.
Tributes have poured in for actor Catherine O’Hara, who died Friday at the age of 71. Macaulay Culkin, who starred in “Home Alone” as O’Hara’s son, wrote, “Mama, I thought we had time. I wanted more, but I had so much more to say – I love you.” Vlad Duthiers reports.
Comet C/2025 K1 ATLAS, a relatively new visitor from the outer solar system, has broken apart after swooping close to the Sun in October 2025. Stunning images captured by the Gemini North telescope in Hawaii show glowing fragments tumbling through space, like shards of icy glass, which observers say is a rare sight. These long-period comets are loosely bound collections of ice and dust, so they’re fragile. They might look solid in pictures, but they can crumble with just a little push from the Sun’s gravity or the solar wind.
Comet C/2025 K1 ATLAS captured breaking apart in new telescope images revealed
As reported in NOIRLab, the new image released on 29 January, falling apart in the pictures obtained: with one set from November 11, 2025, shows a glowing white streak with hints of blue, streaking across the dark sky. By December 6, the comet had further fragmented. Experts say these pictures are rare because most comets aren’t observed in such detail when they break up. High up on Mauna Kea, the Gemini North telescope reportedly captured the comet in all its messy glory. It’s a big telescope with 8.1 meters across at the International Gemini Observatory. C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) made its closest approach on October 8. The Sun’s gravity and the solar wind apparently worked together to rip the comet into pieces. Astronomers saw at least three chunks, maybe a fourth with distances of up to 2,000 kilometres reportedly separated some pieces.
Gianluca Masi and Asiago Observatory catch the comet splitting
Gianluca Masi in Italy caught it too, using a smaller telescope; he apparently saw three or four fragments. The Asiago Observatory also spotted two main pieces separated by roughly 1,200 miles. It’s like watching cosmic fireworks, but frozen in time. C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) isn’t from around here. It was discovered in May 2025 by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System. Billions of comets might float out there, dormant for eons, until a gravitational nudge sends one falling toward the Sun.
The UK housing market is showing “early signs” of recovery, Crest Nicholson has said, despite warning over low levels of demand and after missing its profit expectations for the year.
The Surrey-based housebuilder said it had seen inquiries pick up since the end of 2025.
It nonetheless gave a downbeat assessment of the market over the past year, pointing to tougher conditions that have prevailed even though interest rates and inflation have eased.
“The housing market remained sluggish throughout 2025 compared with much of the previous decade, with comparatively high mortgage rates, low consumer confidence and an absence of meaningful government support all contributing to the depressed levels of demand,” the company said in its full-year results announcement.
The company also indicated that there could be “material uncertainty” over its position as a going concern if trading worsens further.
Crest said it currently expects to meet all its banking covenants, but could breach these by April in a “severe but plausible” scenario.
It also stressed that it “maintains good relationships and a regular dialogue with all its lenders, and is confident that an amendment to its covenants would be secured if necessary”.
But its accounts said that this is “not guaranteed” and could therefore impact the firm’s ability to continue.
Crest, a developer of new build homes and communities, said it completed the sale of 1,691 homes in the year to the end of October, about a 10th fewer than the previous year.
Its pre-tax profit came in at £26.5 million – about 31% higher than the prior year, and below previous guidance of between £28 million and £38 million.
This was due to there being a weaker market over the second half of the year, Crest told investors.
It cautioned that this sentiment had continued into the new year, with demand failing to pick up since the autumn budget and confidence among UK consumers remaining low despite four interest rate cuts last year.
“However, since Boxing Day, forward indicators, including website visits, inquiries and appointment conversion, show early signs of improving activity levels,” it highlighted.
Lower interest rates and government support for housebuilding should help improve affordability and supply in the longer term, according to the business.
2026 will be a “transitional year in a difficult market”, boss Martyn Clark said, with the firm focusing on a range of “self-help measures” to get through.
Crest closed one divisional office in December which resulted in about 50 redundancies.
From tactile materials and curved forms to context-driven layouts and subtle tech, Interior Trends 2026 focus on empathy, experience, everyday comfort across homes and workspaces
Interiors in 2026 prioritise emotion, comfort, and context, spaces designed to be lived in, not just looked at.
As we step into 2026, interior design is shedding its obsession with picture-perfect aesthetics and turning decisively toward people centric places. Homes, workplaces, and hospitality spaces are being shaped less by what photographs well and more by what feels right to live in. Across the board, designers are embracing empathy, context, and sensory experience as the new foundations of great interiors.
“Spaces are now being designed to engage with people’s lives and emotions, focusing on interactions and experience over fleeting Instagrammable aesthetics,” says Giulia Baima Bollone, Director, Embassy Interiors. She describes 2026 as a moment where intuitive, emotionally resonant environments take centre stage.
From Visual Appeal to Experiential Design
A defining direction this year is experiential design, the thoughtful layering of materials, textures, lighting, and acoustics to create warmth and connection. Warmer colour palettes, tactile surfaces, and natural materials are replacing overly curated finishes. The result is rooms that feel grounded, authentic, and easy to inhabit.
Echoing this, Amrita Phookun, Principal Leader, Design, Olive by Embassy, notes a global move away from rigid minimalism toward interiors that feel “lived-in, layered, and deeply human.” Nuanced whites and gentle neutrals act as light-enhancing backdrops, allowing craftsmanship and materiality to take focus over stark perfection.
Curved silhouettes, sculptural forms, layered lighting, and artisanal details come together to create sensorially rich spaces, interiors designed to be experienced, not just admired.
Context Is the New Trend
Another significant shift is context-driven design. Instead of blindly following global trends, interiors are increasingly influenced by local climate, culture, and personal lifestyles.
“Personalisation and flexibility are now design essentials, enabling spaces to evolve over time to meet changing needs,” says Bollone. This philosophy is especially relevant in India, where homes must adapt fluidly between work, rest, and social moments.
For Vaishali Shah, Design Lead, Home Storage, Interio by Godrej, this manifests as what she calls “new heritage.”
“This isn’t nostalgia,” Shah explains. “It’s about rediscovering essential materials and forms that offer lasting value.” Natural woods, stone, and tactile finishes are paired with contemporary detailing to create interiors that feel timeless yet relevant. Durability, adaptability, and long-term value now take precedence over frequent aesthetic updates.
The Softening of Minimalism
Minimalism hasn’t disappeared, it has softened. According to Harshita Nookula, Lead, Visual Merchandising, Livspace, homes are moving away from sharp visual statements toward spaces that support real life.
“The question is no longer how a room looks on screen, but how it feels to wake up in, work from, and unwind in,” she says.
Earthy tones, textured finishes, meaningful objects, and breathable layouts are replacing cold surfaces and empty corners. Daylight-driven planning and natural materials are being used deliberately to improve emotional wellbeing.
Technology That Disappears
Another subtle but powerful shift is the role of technology. Instead of being visible, it is becoming seamlessly integrated into the background.
Nookula points out that lighting, climate control, and security systems will increasingly work quietly, enhancing comfort without demanding attention. Shah adds that tech-integrated furniture and storage solutions now support evolving routines across the day while maintaining visual calm.
Personalisation and Sustainability Take Priority
Across all perspectives, personalisation emerges as a defining thread for 2026. Collected objects, meaningful art, travel finds, and heirlooms replace uniform design language. Spaces begin to reflect identity and story rather than trend cycles.
Phookun emphasises that sustainability and thoughtful sourcing are no longer aspirational, they are foundational. Material choices are being guided by longevity and environmental responsibility as much as aesthetics.
Designing with Empathy
Ultimately, empathy is the common thread running through interior trends in 2026. “Understanding people is the first step in creating environments that gently improve their everyday lives,” says Bollone.
As design continues to evolve, the most successful interiors will not be those that shout for attention, but those that quietly support comfort, flexibility, and authentic human connection. In 2026, interior design is no longer about making a statement. It is about making life better, one thoughtfully designed space at a time.
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First Published:
February 02, 2026, 19:11 IST
Newslifestyle Interior Trends 2026: The Shift Toward Emotion, Comfort And Context
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Bad Bunny wins Album of the Year at Grammys as he and other stars protest ICE – CBS News
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Bad Bunny took home the top prize at the Grammy Awards — Album of the Year — as Kendrick Lamar also won big with five awards. Meanwhile, many artists at the awards show wore “ICE out” pins and called for love and hope in their speeches.
Documents reveal emails between UK figures and Epstein, showing ties, financial dealings, photos
Britain’s former prince Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson came in spotlight again after release of Epstein files. PHOTO: REUTERS
Britain’s former prince Andrew, his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson and a former UK ambassador to Washington were on Monday thrust back into the eye of the Jeffrey Epstein storm, as shocking emails with the late sex offender rocked political and royal circles.
The cache of documents included multiple emails between notable UK figures and Epstein, often revealing warm relations, illicit financial dealings and private photos.
The fallout continued on Monday, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s spokesperson saying Peter Mandelson, the UK’s former ambassador to the United States, should be stripped of his membership of the House of Lords, Britain’s upper chamber of parliament.
Government minister Darren Jones said Mandelson “must acccount for his actions and conduct”.
Starmer has ordered an inquiry into Mandelson’s contacts with Epstein, after allegations that he passed a confidential government memo to the disgraced financier.
Mandelson, 72, who was sacked as ambassador to the US last year over his ties to Epstein, also allegedly received several payments from Epstein in the early 2000s, according to documents.
One exchange appears to show Mandelson sending a sensitive economic briefing meant for then-prime minister Gordon Brown to Epstein in 2009, when he was Brown’s business secretary.
Mandelson also appears in newly released, undated photographs, wearing a T?shirt and underwear beside a woman whose face has been redacted.
The politician gave up his decades-long membership of the Labour Party on Sunday, while maintaining the allegations were “false”.
Lawmaker Stephen Flynn, leader of the pro-independence Scottish National Party (SNP) in parliament, said he had written to the commissioner of London’s Metropolitan Police calling Mandelson to be investigated for potential misconduct in public office.
Meanwhile, calls grew for Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor — who was stripped of his royal titles last October — to testify in front of the US Congress about Epstein’s crimes, as another woman alleged she was trafficked to Britain for a sexual encounter with the then-prince.
‘Just marry me’
The second sexual claim was allegedly made over a decade after Virginia Giuffre said she was trafficked by Epstein and sexually assaulted three times by Andrew, including when she was 17.
After Giuffre launched a lawsuit against Andrew, who has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing linked to Epstein, the brother of King Charles III paid her a multi-million-pound settlement in 2022 without making any admission of guilt.
Charles has already stripped Andrew of all his titles and ordered that he quit Royal Lodge, his home of two decades on the Windsor estate west of London.
While the former Duke of York and Epstein’s friendship has been in the spotlight for years, the latest emails also appeared to reveal the extent of ties between Andrew’s ex-wife Sarah Ferguson and Epstein.
“Thank you Jeffrey for being the brother I have always wished for,” Ferguson, nicknamed “Fergie”, wrote in an email dated August 2009 — a year after Epstein was convicted for procuring a minor for prostitution.
“You are a legend,” read a June 2010 email from “Sarah”, although the email address is redacted as in the other exchanges.
“I really don’t have the words to describe, my love, gratitude for your generosity and kindness. Xx I am at your service. Just marry me.”
Multiple exchanges appear to involve invitations and plans to meet, as well as discussions of Ferguson’s money problems following her 1996 divorce from Andrew.
In one exchange about a possible meeting, Ferguson tells Epstein she was waiting for her younger daughter, Eugenie, to return from “a shagging weekend”.
However, the relationship soured after “Fergie” apologised for her friendship and dealings with Epstein in a 2011 interview, saying she “abhorred paedophilia” and was cutting ties with him.
She also called a £15,000 ($20,000) loan that she took from him to help pay off her debts a “gigantic error of judgement”.
Uni drops US envoy’s name
Queen’s University in Northern Ireland on Monday said it was also dropping the former US senator George Mitchell’s name from one of its institutes because of his links with Epstein.
Mitchell brokered the negotiations that in 1998 ended three decades of conflict over British rule in Northern Ireland, and was chancellor of the prestigious university from 1999-2009.
The latest tranche of documents includes 339 references to Mitchell, including several appointments and lunches.
Mitchell has previously said he regrets having met and known Epstein and said he had no knowledge of his illegal actions.
Princess Anne steps in to support baby basics programmes
Princess Anne is taking her trademark hands-on approach to charity out of London and straight to Sheffield on Monday.
The Princess will spotlight two vital community projects for families and young children.
First on her schedule is a visit to the Save the Children Nursery and Baby Bank at Meadows Nursery, where volunteers and staff provide crucial early years support for children and their parents.
Anne has been a fixture in the children’s charity world for decades serving as President of Save the Children from 1970 until 2017 and now its Patron and is known for championing programmes that ensure kids have the safety, health, and learning opportunities they deserve.
After that engagement, she will swing by Baby Basics UK, a charity helping families who can’t afford the everyday items that make caring for a baby possible.
Based on the belief that no family should have to choose between heating their home and buying nappies, they provide everything from clothes and feeding equipment to pushchairs and beds for children up to five years old.
The Sheffield Baby Basics centre works with more than 100 referral agencies including health visitors, social care professionals and midwives.
It has a team of over 80 volunteers helping sort, package and deliver support.
An elephant passes its time at an elephant camp closed to tourists. — Reuters/File
A wild bull elephant killed a tourist in central Thailand’s Khao Yai National Park on Monday, a park official said, the third fatality linked to the same animal.
The 65-year-old Thai tourist from Lopburi province was out for a morning walk with his wife when he was trampled to death by an elephant named Oyewan, national park chief Chaiya Huayhongthong told AFP.
His wife managed to escape after park rangers scared the animal away, Chaiya said.
“He was the third person killed by Oyewan,” he said, adding that the wild bull elephant could have been responsible for several more deaths that remain unsolved.
Chaiya said authorities will meet on Friday to decide what to do with the elephant.
“We will probably decide to relocate him or change his behaviour,” he said, without elaborating.
More than 220 people, including tourists, have been killed by wild elephants since 2012, according to the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation.
Wild elephant numbers in Thailand rose from 334 in 2015 to almost 800 last year, prompting authorities to administer contraceptive vaccines to female animals in an effort to control their ballooning population.
An elephant killed a Spanish tourist while she was bathing the animal at a sanctuary in southern Thailand in January last year.
Another tourist was killed by an elephant at a national park in Loei province in northern Thailand in December 2024.
The man suspected of smuggling illegal immigrants who was shot on Tuesday by federal agents is a repeat offender once convicted of a similar crime, records show.
Officials said the individual, identified as Patrick Gary Schlegel, 34, was recognized by law enforcement as being possibly related to a possible human trafficking incident around 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday near the town of Arivaca, Arizona, which is just miles from the southern border with Mexico. Officials said everyone in the vehicle fled on foot. Schlegel previously was convicted in a $40,000 human smuggling operation.
A few hours later, Border Patrol agents spotted the vehicle and attempted to make a traffic stop, but Schlegel fled on foot. During the foot chase, Schlegel allegedly shot at a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) helicopter and individual agents.
A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told Fox News Digital that agents returned fire, striking Schlegel. He was taken to a hospital where he’s expected to recover after undergoing surgery, an official said.
Patrick Gary Schlegel allegedly exchanged gunfire with law enforcement on Tuesday.(Facebook/Patrick Gary Schlegel)
Schlegel will likely face federal charges of assault on a federal officer, alien smuggling, and being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to authorities.
Heith Janke, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Phoenix Division, said that Schlegel has a “significant criminal history,” which includes an active federal arrest warrant that was issued by the U.S. Marshals Service in 2025 after an escape tied to a previous federal alien smuggling conviction.
Schlegel was convicted of transportation of illegal aliens for profit and felon in possession of a firearm after a May 2023 incident where prosecutors said he smuggled people into the country.
On May 20, 2023, Schlegel tried to get 16 people across the southern border and was arrested. According to the criminal complaint, a Border Patrol camera observed a car being driven by Schlegel pick up a group of 16 suspected illegal immigrants, and showed him loading them into the bed of a pickup truck, covering them with a tarp. At that time, the suspected illegal aliens jumped out of the pickup truck and its bed.
This photo shows a US Border Patrol patch on a border agent’s uniform in McAllen, Texas, on January 15, 2019.(SUZANNE CORDEIRO/AFP via Getty Images)
A Border Patrol agent began following Schlegel until the suspect drove “recklessly off road through the desert,” the complaint states, adding that he “yelled angrily and threw rocks” at an Army National Guard helicopter.
Adela Martinez-Lopez, a witness in the case, told prosecutors that her cousin arranged for her to be smuggled into the U.S. for $12,000. Two other illegal immigrants claimed that they paid $14,000 to be smuggled into the U.S., totaling over $40,000. It’s unclear if all the money went to Schlegel. In January 2024, Schlegel was sentenced to three years in prison.
Court records in Arizona show Schlegel was also found guilty of misconduct involving weapons in 2024.
It is unclear what led to the encounter, or the subsequent shooting.(Herika Martinez/AFP via Getty Images)
Nanos said during a press conference that multiple shots were fired in Tuesday’s incident.
“In Pima County, we’re not tolerating any abuse of a law enforcement officer… any type of abuse, but that goes for our citizens as well,” the sheriff said.
Adam Sabes is a reporter for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to Adam.Sabes@fox.com and on Twitter @asabes10.
