Minimalist News

'Mission Impossible' Begins: Watch Live As Kevin Warsh Is Sworn In As 17th Fed Chair Kevin Warsh, who’s promised the biggest shakeup in decades at the US central bank, is set to be sworn into office this morning at 1100ET in a White House ceremony as the 17th chair of the Federal Reserve. Warsh takes over at a tense moment for the economy and the central bank . Inflation has reaccelerated, driven by the impact of war in the Middle East on energy supplies. The Fed, meanwhile, has been battered by President Donald Trump for not cutting interest rates quickly

UBS Warns Of "Scary" Oil Price Scenarios Once Inventory Buffers Run Dry Drawing down crude inventories at a record pace, with SPR releases doing the heavy lifting to cushion the Gulf supply shock, only delays the move higher in crude oil prices. Once those buffers are depleted, oil risks being violently repriced higher. That is why the Trump administration's race to secure a peace deal with Iran and reopen the Hormuz chokepoint has taken on new urgency in recent weeks. The longer the critical waterway remains disrupted, the greater the risk that the oil shock will escalate from a market

Viral Video Reveals Extent Of LA's Homeless Hell Authored by Steve Watson via Modernity.news, A shocking video making the rounds shows the reality of life under Los Angeles bridges: a sprawling setup of makeshift homes complete with lighting tapped into the city power grid, tables of items, and a self-contained community living off public resources. The clip, originally from local documentarian @whitewallstuntz, captures a resident proudly displaying his space. "This how people living out here in LA man. My boy got the whole bridge to himself." The footage reveals lighting strung throughout, suggesting direct access to grid electricity, alongside what

As Stocks Hit Record Highs, Americans' Consumer Confidence Collapses To Record Low With the "mini war" still ongoing (albeit with a 'ceasefire' in place), expectations were for UMich consumer sentiment to continue languishing at record lows in final May data released this morning. And it did, with the headline sentiment - along with both Current Conditions and Expectations - all plunging to record lows... Source: Bloomberg Yep... Americans have never been more miserable... Black Friday, meh; 9/11, nothingburger; GFC, fleshwound... “ The cost of living continues to be a first-order concern , with 57% of consumers spontaneously mentioning that high

Rubio Says 'Not There Yet' As Reports Of Draft Iran Deals Circulating Deemed Inaccurate Summary Rubio confirms that there's been no deal and that "we're not there yet" - amid broader late morning pushback against morning optimistic, premature headlines. Saudi sources report Pakistan army chief & a Qatar delegation en route to Tehran, after which Field Marshal Munir arrives . Influential Iranian parliament member threatens 'preemptive' military action if preparations & movements by US forces in region is perceived. US x Iran permanent peace deal by June 15, 2026? Yes 40% · No 61% View full market & trade on

Hope And Reality By Teeuwe Mevissen, Senior Macro Strategist at Rabobank Since the start of the Iran war the market has had a tendency to view the likelihood of a peace agreement with a ‘glass half full’ attitude. Once again, markets have found some comfort in encouraging remarks from both the US and Iran, even though both sides are making it clear that there are still major sticking points on critical issues. US Secretary of State Rubio has suggested that there are “some goods signs” towards finding a resolution. This is despite Iran’s Supreme leader ordering that the country’s enriched

Trump Sending 5,000 Additional Troops To Poland, After Same Number Reduced From Germany President Trump announced in a post on Truth Social late Thursday that he will send 5,000 additional troops to Poland , which has raised a lot of questions and introduced some level of confusion, given this is precisely the same number of troops the Pentagon has announced it plans to pull out of Germany. "Based on the successful Election of the now President of Poland, Karol Nawrocki, who I was proud to Endorse, and our relationship with him, I am pleased to announce that the United States

Great Again: Blue-Haired Liberals Seen Enjoying Beautifully Restored DC Park Fountain Authored by Steve Watson via modernity.news Decline is a choice Just weeks ago, Meridian Hill Park - also known as Malcolm X Park - stood as a graffiti-scarred reminder of neglect, overrun by vagrants, trash, and decay. Today, its iconic 13-basin cascading fountain flows powerfully once more, drawing families, dog walkers, and even those with blue hair who once might have sneered at such efforts. The transformation is undeniable: clean pathways, flowing water, and people reclaiming public space in the heart of Washington, D.C. It's the direct result of

Regulators Circle StanChart After CEO's AI Layoff Comments Spark Uproar It has been a tumultuous week for Standard Chartered CEO Bill Winters. Winters appeared out of touch with the growing anxiety surrounding mounting white-collar AI-related job losses. He described the bank's AI adoption push as "not cost-cutting," but rather as "replacing lower-value human capital with financial and investment capital." Such language ignited a firestorm for the CEO and the bank, and by the end of the week, regulatory scrutiny had descended on the firm. Reuters reports that authorities in Hong Kong and Singapore have pressed the bank for clarity on

US Stock Futures Rise, Set For 8th Consecutive Week Of Gains US equity futures are higher into the long weekend, with the S&P 500 gaining for an 8th consecutive week higher, its longest streak of weekly wins since 2023 with sustained momentum in popular thematics, thanks to a liquidity boost, supportive macro readings, solid earnings and hopes that the US and Iran are moving closer to a peace deal, not to mention unrelenting enthusiasm for artificial intelligence which is fueling a historic gamma squeeze. As of 7:30am ET, S&P futures are 0.2% higher, cutting overnight gains of 0.5% by more

Hormuz Shock Raises Recession Risk As Retailers Sound Alarm On Consumer Stress Oil market experts at Rapidan Energy Group warn that a prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz could trigger an oil shock severe enough to hit consumers hard and push the economy into a downturn on a scale approaching that of the 2008 Great Recession. That warning was reinforced by a UBS analyst, who cautioned that sharper slowdowns for working-class households could emerge this summer as gasoline pump prices average north of $4.50 per gallon this week and collide with already stretched budgets. Bloomberg cites a Rapidan note

Starmer Government Doubles Down On Anti-Free Speech Policies Authored by Jonathan Turley, When hundreds of thousands of Britons joined the recent Unite the Kingdom rally, the government of Keir Starmer wanted them to know that they were being watched for possible arrest. By deploying facial recognition systems and invoking the United Kingdom’s anti-free speech laws, Starmer’s government made it clear that it would not tolerate anything it considered hateful or xenophobic, on the heels of its losses to Reform UK in council elections. Under its Online Safety Act, the government removed posts from social media platforms such as TikTok, including

Mortgage Rates Hit 9-Month High, Freezing Out Homebuyers In Peak Season The average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage climbed to its highest level since August, threatening to derail the spring selling season as higher Treasury yields and renewed inflation pressure push loan costs higher and freeze more prospective buyers out of the market. Freddie Mac data released Thursday show the 30-year fixed mortgage rate for the week ending May 21 jumped to 6.51% from 6.36%, the highest rate since Aug. 28, 2025. Soaring mortgage rates stem from turmoil in the Gulf region, with the U.S.-Iran war driving up oil

US Removes UN Gaza Rapporteur Francesca Albanese From Sanctions List Authored by Owen Evans via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours), The United States has removed U.N. special rapporteur Francesca Albanese from its sanctions list, according to a May 20 notice posted by the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control. Francesca Albanese, U.N. special rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian territories, attends a news conference during the Human Rights Council at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, on March 24, 2026. Denis Balibouse/Reuters The notice said Albanese, listed as Francesca Paola Albanese, had been deleted from the Specially Designated

Chinese EV Makers Turn Abandoned Western Factories Into Global Launchpads Chinese EV companies are rapidly expanding overseas by snapping up unused factory space from struggling Western automakers, many of whom are downsizing traditional gasoline-car production, according to Nikkei . Stellantis recently opened plants in France and Spain to partnerships with Dongfeng and Leapmotor. At the same time, Geely is expected to restart an idle production line at a Spanish factory owned by Ford Motor Company. The trend reflects a broader shift in the auto industry: Chinese EV makers are expanding aggressively while many legacy manufacturers are cutting capacity. UBS analysts

Elon Musk Offers To Fund Lawsuit Against UK Police In Henry Nowak Stabbing Tragedy Authored by Steve Watson via Modernity.news, Elon Musk has stepped forward to hold UK police accountable in what appears to be one of the most disturbing policing failures to emerge from Britain in years. The tech mogul publicly offered to bankroll a wrongful death lawsuit against officers who allegedly prioritized an attacker's claims of "racism" over saving the life of 18-year-old Henry Nowak. Musk's intervention comes as harrowing bodycam footage from the scene plays out in Southampton Crown Court during the ongoing murder trial of Vickrum

Shipping Turmoil Remains Largely Contained To Gulf, For Now The world's most critical maritime energy chokepoint has now been closed for 12 weeks, leaving seaborne energy supply chains heavily disrupted. Still, one UBS analyst points out that the shock has yet to meaningfully spill over into broader global shipping outside the Gulf area, suggesting the disruption remains largely contained for now. " It looks like non-energy related global shipping traffic is running just 4% below normal in May - a bit better than April ," UBS analyst Arend Kapteyn wrote in a note to clients Thursday morning titled "The State

No Deal Reached, Amid 'Fabricated' Mideast Media Reports; Trump Presses Nuclear Issue & Iran President Says 'Won't Back Down' Summary Al Arabiya issues dramatic retraction on prior 'deal reached' reporting . Iranian president vows to not back down , as Trump still vows to get nuclear material. AI Arabiya TV obtains what it describes as final draft of US-lran agreement, Reuters reported that Ayatollah ordered that stockpile of uranium enriched to 60% remain strictly inside Iranian territory . Some Iranian officials then denied report to Al Jazeera. WH says make a deal or else... "they can face a punishment from

Authoritarianism Doesn't Arrive With A Coup... It Arrives With A Login Authored by Sam Lowry via dailysceptic.org, Authoritarianism doesn’t usually arrive with a coup. It arrives with a login, a compliance form, a penalty notice for keeping records in the wrong format. It comes with a quietly extended electoral term, a cancelled bank account, a prison sentence for a social media post. Each measure has a reasonable-sounding justification. The problem is the direction — and how far it has already travelled. Power is migrating from the visible arena of democratic politics to the less visible world of systems — compliance

From ISIS To Finance Bro: Syria's Sharaa To Attend G7 Summit In France Syria continues stepping out of the geopolitical wilderness, now apparently onto the highest-stakes stage in international finance. Or rather, the reality is that Washington's post-Assad Al Qaeda in suits makeover of 'former' terror leader Ahmed al-Sharaa has reached its peak. According to a Reuters report on Thursday, self-appointed Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa (Jolani) is set to lead a national delegation to the G7 summit in France next month . HTS leader Ahmed Al-Sharaa, now self-declared President, also known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani The invitation marks the country's

Andry José Hernández Romero was deported from the US to El Salvador’s notorious Cecot prison before he was allowed to return to Venezuela One of the Venezuelan men sent from the US to El Salvador’s most notorious prison by Donald Trump has moved to Spain to request asylum after concluding that he did not feel safe back home and did not trust US authorities sufficiently to return to fight his legal case. Andry José Hernández Romero left Venezuela for Spain in early February and is due for his first asylum hearing in court there in a few days, hoping that

US secretary of state says president would like a negotiated agreement with Havana but likelihood ‘is not high’ The US president, Donald Trump, and the secretary of state, Marco Rubio, on Thursday again raised the spectre of military intervention in Cuba, a renewed threat that takes on greater weight a day after the administration announced criminal charges against Raúl Castro, the island’s former leader. “Other presidents have looked at this for 50, 60 years, doing something,” Trump told reporters when asked about Cuba during an event in the Oval Office. “And it looks like I’ll be the one that does

It’s a nerve-racking time for Havana neighbours of top Cuban officials as fears of US attack mount A new question in being asked in Havana as people digest the news that the US has brought criminal charges against Cuba’s 94-year-old former president, Raúl Castro: who’s your neighbour? If you happen to live near a senior figure in Cuba’s government or armed forces, others suck their teeth in an expression of concerned sympathy. For the first time, US military strikes on the island are being considered a serious possibility. Continue reading...

Parliamentary rule that only English is allowed has reignited debate about language, legitimacy and postcolonial identity When the Jamaican MP Nekeisha Burchell stood up to give her maiden speech, she was keenly aware of how much her country’s parliament mirrored the Westminster version thousands of miles away in London. As in the UK, the session on 12 May had started with the arrival of the ceremonial mace – a 1.7-metre ornamented silver staff representing the British monarch’s authority over parliament – which now rested on a table between the government and the opposition. Despite the heat outside, debate was presided

Colombia is a global leader in climate activism. Could US influence drag country to a future of mining and fracking? Several hours after dark in a quiet Caribbean neighbourhood, a cluster of environmental activists gather on plastic chairs between a mango tree and a courtyard wall emblazoned with the words “Colombia, respira!” (Breathe, Colombia). So many people have turned up that some have to stand. That is because tonight’s speaker is Susana Muhamad , one of the most admired socio-environmental campaigners in the world, and this is a moment of profound historical significance. Continue reading...

Resolution backed by 141 states hailed as ‘new chapter’ that could improve climate diplomacy and litigation efforts When the UN general assembly voted overwhelmingly in favour of a landmark climate crisis ruling on Wednesday, the Pacific island of Vanuatu’s prime minister hailed the result as the start of “a new chapter” in climate action. “The task before all of us now is to translate legal clarity into meaningful action, stronger cooperation, and greater protection for present and future generations,” said Jotham Napat. Continue reading...

Hung Cao’s comments are latest blow to Taipei after Donald Trump recently cast doubt over US’s enduring support US arms sales to Taiwan have been “paused” to ensure the US military has enough munitions for its Iran operations, according to Washington’s acting navy secretary, in the latest blow to Taipei after a series of comments by Donald Trump. When asked at a congressional hearing on Thursday about a $14bn (£10.4bn) weapons package awaiting Trump’s signoff for months, Hung Cao said: “Right now we’re doing a pause in order to make sure we have the munitions we need for Epic Fury

Twelve dead as southern and central areas also suffer travel disruption, electricity outages and evacuations Heavy, prolonged rainfall in southern and central China has resulted in weather warnings for flash flooding, landslides and waterlogging. The slow-moving band of rainfall spanned 620 miles (1,000km) and travelled eastwards across the regions on Tuesday. It was formed from the convergence of multiple bands of rain originating from the Bay of Bengal, South China Sea and Pacific Ocean. Given the accompanying low wind speeds, high daily and hourly rainfall totals have been recorded, with as much as 75mm locally in Hunan, 85mm in Anhui

Initial testing found evidence of metals in water samples, months after province’s residents began reporting unusual numbers of dead fish washing ashore Papua New Guinea’s government has warned communities not to fish from parts of the New Ireland coastline as preliminary tests show evidence of metals in some water samples, after months of residents reporting dead marine life in the area. On 7 May the fisheries minister, Jelta Wong, said initial testing conducted by an independent company detected various metals in water samples taken from affected areas around Kafkaf village and Larairu lagoon in New Ireland, an island in eastern

Xi Jinping welcomed Vladimir Putin to Beijing with pomp and pageantry, just days after hosting Donald Trump. But as Russia’s war in Ukraine makes Moscow increasingly dependent on China, and western leaders thaw relations with Beijing, what does the power imbalance mean for Xi and Putin’s relationship? Lucy Hough speaks to the Guardian’s deputy head of international news, Devika Bhat Continue reading...

Exclusive: With warnings world oil supplies are expected to hit ‘red zone’ by August, the Albanese government has outlined its powers to enforce daily purchase limits for motorists Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast The federal government has outlined plans for retail fuel rationing, documents reveal, as the International Energy Agency warned on Friday that oil markets would enter the “red zone” by August. Contained in documents obtained by Guardian Australian under freedom of information, one option the government has outlined to arrest a local fuel supply shortage is to impose a “maximum transaction

Unopposed nomination comes seven years after Abbott lost his Sydney seat of Warringah at the 2019 election Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Tony Abbott will become the new federal Liberal party president in a return to the political frontlines for the conservative former prime minister. Abbott was the only nominee for the presidency after the other contender – former foreign minister Alexander Downer – chose to instead run for one of the vice-president’s positions. Continue reading...

This blog is now closed Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Guzman y Gomez , the Mexican-themed fast food chain, is pulling out of the United States in a spectacular turnaround on its American market ambitions, AAP reports. The decision was made because the financial performance of the US business was not acceptable or meeting targets. Continue reading...

Company founder Steven Marks says US stores will close as it can no longer justify cost of trying to break into crowded market Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Guzman y Gomez is closing its US business after failing to establish itself in a market already rich with Mexican food, confirming the American country’s reputation as a “graveyard” for Australian fast food companies. The Mexican-themed chain told shareholders on Friday that the performance of its US stores had not been acceptable, despite its well-publicised plans

Federal minister Tanya Plibersek says the group will face same repercussions on arrival in Australia as previous returnees Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast The last remaining Australian women and children left stranded in the al-Roj detention camp have reportedly left north-east Syria for Damascus, ahead of an expected return to Australia. Vision obtained by an ABC news crew in Syria showed a minivan leaving the camp, which it reported was transporting all the remaining seven women and 14 children from the camp, though this

Growing backlash among European staff against radical cuts to pay off Covid-era debt, with some accusing council of ‘colonial attitude’ The historic Palacete building at 31 Paseo del General Martínez Campos in Madrid’s upmarket Chamberí district has been home to the British Council in Spain for about 70 years. About 5,000 students each year pass through its 35 classrooms, learning English, attending exams, and forging cultural ties with the UK. Over the years that is hundreds of thousands of Madrileños (people from Madrid), while it also serves as a centre for the expat community. Continue reading...

The US secretary of state said the US is monitoring Russian allegations against the Baltics Rubio begins with thanks to Sweden for hosting the ministerial meeting. But that’s where the niceties end as says the upcoming Ankara summit will be “one of the more important leaders’ summit in the history of Nato,” as the leaders will have to respond to Trump’s “disappointment” with the alliance’s “response to our operations in the Middle East.” “That will have to be addressed, that won’t be solved or addressed today. That’s something for the leaders level to discuss. ” Continue reading...

Israeli prison service denies claims of abuse during detention of 430 people trying to take aid to Palestinians Activists released from Israeli custody after being detained on a flotilla trying to take aid to Gaza were subjected to abuse, organisers have alleged, with several hospitalised with injuries and at least 15 reporting sexual assaults, including rape. Israel’s prison service denied the allegations, and Reuters was not able to verify them independently. Continue reading...

Key sticking point to building beauty powerhouse was level compensation demanded by Charlotte Tilbury Business live – latest updates The US cosmetics company Estée Lauder has ended talks with its Spanish rival Puig about a merger that would have created a fashion and beauty group worth almost $40bn (£30bn). Estée Lauder, one of the world’s biggest manufacturers of skincare, makeup and fragrances, owns brands including Clinique, Bobbi Brown and Tom Ford Beauty. Continue reading...

Bill Winters faced backlash over remarks about some of near 8,000 staff set to lose roles to AI The chief executive of Standard Chartered has apologised for referring to some of the almost 8,000 staff that are set to lose their jobs to artificial intelligence as “lower-value human capital” . Bill Winters offered the apology after a backlash over comments he made earlier this week as the London-headquartered lender became one of the first major global banks to lay out plans to cut about 7,800 back-office roles, primarily in response to AI. Continue reading...

Secretary of state suggests July meeting of alliance will be fraught as US demands help in strait of Hormuz Europe live – latest updates Donald Trump is disappointed that Nato allies refused to become more actively involved in attacking Iran, the US secretary of state has said, setting up what could become a fraught summit of the alliance in July. Marco Rubio, meeting with foreign ministers of the military alliance, emphasised that he expected the rift would be discussed at the July meeting in Ankara, making the summit “one of the more important” in Nato’s 77-year history. Continue reading...

Iran has threatened to impose tolls on shipping, while US demands that Iran hand over its highly enriched uranium may be deferred. Is there an end in sight? Qatar has rushed a team of mediators to Tehran in a sign that talks to open the strait of Hormuz, in return for the lifting of US sanctions and asset freezes, are reaching a climax. The aim would be to sign a memorandum of understanding on the strait that would lead to 30 days of talks on Iran’s nuclear programme – so deferring discussion of the US demand that Iran hand over

Targeting of foreign activists drew global outrage from governments that have not acted on violence against Palestinian detainees Israel’s far-right national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, has made abuse of detained Palestinians something of a macabre calling card, celebrating cruelty publicly and often on video. During his time in office, violence including rape , extreme hunger and humiliation have been normalised in Israeli jails. Rights groups say detention centres have become “ torture camps ” for Palestinians. Continue reading...

US social media firms acting on orders from Middle East kingdom accused of being ‘instruments of repression’ Major US social media companies including Meta’s Facebook and Instagram platforms have blocked the accounts of Saudi Arabian dissidents so they are no longer visible inside the kingdom, following orders by Saudi authorities. Those affected include Abdullah Alaoudh, a US-based activist and vocal critic of Saudi human rights violations, and Omar Abdulaziz, a Canada and UK-based activist who worked closely with Jamal Khashoggi before the journalist’s murder by Saudi agents in 2018. Continue reading...

In today’s newsletter: As ​the polls tighten a​​round Benjamin Netanyahu, the coming months may redefine Israel’s political order without resolving its most entrenched conflicts Good morning. On Wednesday, Israeli legislators took the first steps towards dissolving parliament and calling fresh nationwide elections. Leading leftwing Knesset member Yair Golan hailed it “the beginning of the end of the worst government in Israel’s history.” Benjamin Netanyahu has spent 20 of the last 30 years as Israel’s prime minister, the last four of which have seen him helm a far-right coalition. Under the incumbent government, settlement building in the illegally occupied West Bank

Up to 70% of girls may be in early or forced marriages but law now makes divorce impossible if husbands disagree Child marriage appears to have been legally recognised for the first time by the Taliban in Afghanistan, as activists say “shameful” new laws make it almost impossible for girls and young women to seek divorce against their husbands’ will. There are no official statistics on forced and underage marriages in Afghanistan, but activists say it has risen at an alarming rate in recent years, driven by the ban on girls being in education after the age of 11 .

Satirical project is viral sensation and outlet for protest on social media as it taps into young people’s frustration It began as a satirical online project after India’s chief justice compared unemployed young people to cockroaches. Now millions of young Indians are flocking to it as an outlet for their frustration. A parody political party with the insect as its symbol has exploded across India’s social media by turning absurdist humour into protest. Memes and short videos mocking corruption, joblessness and political dysfunction have flooded social media sites, where millions of users are embracing the cockroach – an insect known

Climbers take advantage of clear weather after threat of ice fall on normal route delayed start of spring season A record 274 climbers have reached the summit of Mount Everest from the Nepalese side in a single day after a spring season that started late because of the threat of ice fall on the normal tourist route. The climbers took advantage of the clear weather on Wednesday, said Rishi Ram Bhandari, of the Expedition Operators Association Nepal. Continue reading...

Gautam Adani, richest man in Asia, was accused of conspiring to pay $250m in bribes to Indian government officials The US Department of Justice is dropping its fraud charges against the Indian billionaire Gautam Adani, the richest man in Asia, after he hired a new legal team led by Donald Trump’s personal lawyer, according to new reports. In an undisclosed April meeting at the justice department, Trump’s personal lawyer, Robert J Giuffra Jr, said that Adani would invest $10bn in the US economy and create 15,000 jobs if prosecutors dropped the charges against him, according to the New York Times

Stone being paid $50,000 a month to ‘rebuild’ relations between Washington and Myanmar’s military-backed government The US lobbyist Roger Stone, a longtime friend and ally of Donald Trump, has been condemned for accepting $50,000 a month to “rebuild” relations between Washington and Myanmar’s military-backed government. Myanmar’s leaders have been internationally isolated since seizing power in a coup in 2021 , and have repeatedly been accused of atrocities that may amount to war crimes . Activists say the military rulers, which recently held widely condemned “sham” elections , are now trying to reassert themselves abroad. Continue reading...

A ruthless Thomas Tuchel has left several big names at home for his England squad at this summer’s World Cup. There was no space for Harry Maguire, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Cole Palmer or Phil Foden – previous stalwarts in former manager Gareth Southgate’s squads. The announcement comes as the club season nears its end, with a historic week for Arsenal winning its first Premier League title in 22 years, sparking an incredible and diverse celebration from fans. Lucy Hough speaks to sportswriter and columnist Jonathan Liew – watch on YouTube Continue reading...

In interview with Guardian, former health secretary sets out plans for government, including social care, tax and refugees Wes Streeting has insisted he can win over the Labour left, as he launches a shadow campaign for the party leadership, saying he has “beaten the odds” throughout his life and can do so again. The former health secretary, who called on Keir Starmer to resign as he quit the cabinet last week, warned Labour MPs that drifting on with Starmer in charge risked a Joe Biden situation that would usher in a Reform government. Continue reading...

Family says host of more than 500 episodes of travel show leaves behind ‘giant suitcase of the happiest memories’ The TV presenter Judith Chalmers, who spent almost three decades persuading British people to go on holiday as the host of Wish You Were Here … ?, has died at the age of 90 after living with Alzheimer’s in her final years. Her family said she died peacefully at home on Thursday, surrounded by “the family she loved so much”, after becoming ill in recent weeks. They added that she would be greatly missed but left behind “a giant suitcase of

Andy Burnham talks up his local credentials and says: ‘This is not business as usual, this is not more of the same’ On transport, Burnham says “I like my buses” (they were taken back under public control in Greater Manchester in 2023) but he was woeful about the cost of rail journeys. £364 is the cost of an anytime return from Wigan North Western to London Euston. So how can people here connect with the capital and all of the opportunities it’s got, if they cannot afford those train fares? We need to use rail re-nationalisation to reduce those train

‘This is a change byelection,’ says Labour mayor as he launches bid for Makerfield seat and lays out policy views UK politics live – latest updates Andy Burnham has formally launched his campaign for the Makerfield byelection with a barely coded pitch for Downing Street, saying a vote for him to become the MP there was “a vote to change Labour”. While not explicitly saying that he would seek to replace Keir Starmer, the Greater Manchester mayor used a speech to Labour MPs and activists in the constituency, followed by questions from the media , to lay out a series

Laura Clery says she was able to call 911 and have the fridge lifted off her by firefighters after she was pinned under it US comedian Laura Clery has described how she almost died when her 600lb fridge fell on her while she was at home with her two young children and found herself pinned under the massive appliance and struggling to breathe. In an Instagram post on Thursday, Clery said the experience was the “most terrifying night of my life as a single mom”. Continue reading...

President makes veiled criticism of outgoing chief Jerome Powell, whom he attacked frequently, at White House ceremony Most Americans think Trump is not focused enough on economy – poll Sign up for the Breaking News US email “There’s broad recognition there are going to be eventually less US troops in Europe than historically,” Rubio says Rubio said he didn’t set the timeline for reducing the number of US troops in Europe , but “it has been an ongoing process that started from the first day of this administration.” Continue reading...

Former Fed governor and Wall Street banker succeeds Powell as central bank under pressure cut interest rates US politics live – latest updates Kevin Warsh has been sworn in as chair of the US Federal Reserve , tasked with steering the world’s largest economy as the Trump administration faces mounting pressure over Americans’ financial wellbeing. Warsh, handpicked by Donald Trump, takes charge of the powerful central bank as it comes under extraordinary pressure from the US president to cut interest rates, even as prices climb. Continue reading...

Videos in this batch show unidentified aerial phenomena but offer few clues to existence of alien life Sign up for the Breaking News US newsletter email The Pentagon on Friday released a second tranche of videos and documents of unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) – or UFOs – answering few questions about the existence of alien life but fueling what has quickly become a ratings winner for the White House. The first reveal earlier this month of 162 files of previously secret or rarely seen accounts of UAP sightings received more than a billion hits on the government website set up

Everlane CEO confirms sale in letter to employees and says it will stay true to ‘sustainability’ commitments Everlane, the retailer that bucked the fast-fashion industry by promising affordable ethically sourced and sustainable clothing, is being acquired by the king of fast fashion, China’s Shein. A letter to Everlane employees from CEO Alfred Chang confirming the deal was obtained by the Associated Press on Friday. Continue reading...

Perhaps the most fascinating and important aspects of US President Donald Trump’s jolt to the global economy have been its unintended consequences, especially the impact on relations between China and India. Two consistent aspects of Trump’s meandering narrative are to “make America great again” by bringing manufacturing jobs back to the US, and to hobble China as an economic and strategic threat. A decade later, there has been negligible progress on either objective. Instead, the unintended...

Bowing to pressure ⁠from within its ranks, the Democratic National Committee released on Thursday its long-withheld “autopsy” of Kamala Harris’ loss to Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential race – only to quickly disavow it. The report found that Democrats have ceded ground to Trump’s Republicans through underfunding of state parties and a “persistent inability or unwillingness to listen to all ‌voters”. In particular, Democrats underperformed among male voters, non-college voters, irregular...

The Brazilian head of a victims’ association for the 2009 crash of Flight 447 from Rio to Paris said that justice has yet to be served in France’s worst aviation crash after a Paris appeals court found Airbus and Air France guilty of manslaughter. Air France and Airbus, two of France’s most emblematic companies, said in separate statements that they would appeal Thursday’s ruling, potentially prolonging the legal battle for years. Brazilian Nelson Faria Marinho, who lost his son in the crash...

Paul McCartney led an all-star line-up for the final episode of The Late Show as frontman Stephen Colbert bowed out after broadcaster CBS cancelled his show as it courted US President Donald Trump. But one A-lister who eluded the comic to the end was the pope, whom Colbert, a devout Catholic, had long touted as his dream guest. “The pope, who was definitely my guest tonight, has cancelled,” Colbert joked, blaming a dispute over hot dogs before McCartney appeared to rapturous cheers. The show,...

We have selected seven stories from this week’s news across Hong Kong, mainland China, the wider Asia region and beyond that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Substance for Putin, ‘face’ for Trump as China, Russia deepen strategic alliance Days after US President Donald Trump’s visit framed around managing risks, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin reached a...

When Air Force One touched down in Beijing, one of the most photographed passengers was Boeing’s chief executive, Kelly Ortberg, there to close a deal. Washington had come to sell aircraft. Beijing was buying something else. The last time this scene played out in 2017, China signed an agreement for 300 Boeing aircraft. Since then, it has pursued an industrial programme aimed at reducing dependence on precisely such orders. That effort has not failed, but neither has it advanced at the pace...

The leader of a Minnesota non-profit group was sentenced to 41 years in prison on Thursday after she was convicted last year of being the ringleader of a US$250 million ‌scheme to defraud a federally funded child nutrition programme. Aimee Bock, 45, was charged in 2022 with using her non-profit group Feeding Our Future to enact what the Justice Department said was the largest known fraud against the US government’s relief programmes during the ⁠Covid-19 pandemic. More than 70 other people have...

At least 19 people were killed at a palm plantation in northern Honduras, authorities said Thursday, as the Central American nation prepares for a resurgent wave of anti-gang militarisation. The killings took place the previous night in Rigores, in the restive Bajo Aguan region, where rival gangs have fought over control of palm plantations and drug trafficking routes. The attack came shortly after the national legislature approved a series of reforms to confront criminal violence in Honduras,...

US President Donald Trump surprised Nato allies by pledging to send an additional 5,000 troops to Poland, but Secretary of State Marco Rubio cautioned alliance ministers that Washington’s frustration with some of them would still need to be discussed. “The President’s views of, frankly, disappointment at some of our Nato allies and their response to our operations in the Middle East ‌are well documented,” Rubio said on Friday at a gathering of Nato foreign ministers in the Swedish town of...

Israel said on Thursday it had deported all the foreign activists seized by its forces from a Gaza-bound flotilla, as the first group arrived in Turkey following global outcry over their treatment in custody. Hundreds of activists from countries around the world were placed in detention in Israel after they were intercepted at sea Monday while making the latest in a string of attempts to break the blockade of the Palestinian territory. Turkish foreign ministry sources said 422 activists,...

The Iran war has baked in stagflation and starvation through big reductions in the supply of oil and fertilisers. This inflationary pressure will only increase. As inflation sucks liquidity out of financial markets and into the real economy, bond yields are being pushed up across the world. If bond yields rise by more than a percentage point, a likely scenario before the year’s end, the liquidity diversion could be big enough to pop the AI bubble. The US-Israeli war on Iran has disrupted the...

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday voiced hope of progress on ending the war with Iran, with mediator Pakistan’s army chief poised for talks in Tehran. The role played by Field Marshal Asim Munir, a powerful figure with a growing role in Pakistan’s foreign relations, has taken on increased significance as US President Donald Trump warned that negotiations to end the war were on the “borderline” between a deal and renewed strikes. “I believe the Pakistanis will be travelling to Tehran...

One day after the United States brought criminal charges against former Cuban leader Raul Castro over the 1996 shooting down of two civilian aircraft, President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio portrayed Cuba as both a growing national security threat tied to China and Russia and a candidate for a negotiated political transition. The comments came amid renewed friction between Washington and Beijing over Cuba after China criticised the US charges against Castro and accused...

US House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast has warned US Secretary of State Marco Rubio of “Chinese malign influence” in a bid for a major contract in Argentina, according to a letter seen by Reuters. The April 23 letter concerns an auction for a 25-year contract to dredge and operate Argentina’s Parana River, a vital waterway for most of ‌the country’s agricultural exports, that Argentina estimates will reach US$10 billion in investment. The terms of the tender, which is in its...

US federal prosecutors have charged two men with using artificial intelligence to create nude videos and photos of female celebrities under a newly enacted law meant to halt the spread of deepfake pornography. Cornelius Shannon, 51, and Arturo Hernandez, 20, were both arrested on Tuesday for generating sexually explicit AI content that drew millions of views online, according to criminal complaints. The men – who do not appear to be connected – are among the earliest defendants to face charges...

The United Nations expressed “grave concern” on Thursday about a new law issued by Afghanistan’s Taliban government on separation in marriage which includes provisions on child marriage, saying the code further entrenches discrimination against women and girls. The government rejected the accusations, saying the decree follows Islamic law and insisting the country has already banned the forced marriage of girls. Afghanistan’s justice ministry published Decree No 18 “on judicial separation of...

Portuguese police on Thursday arrested the mother of two young French boys found abandoned by a main road in the south of the country, alone and crying. The boys, aged four and five, were rescued on Tuesday by a passing motorist near the resort town of Comporta, where they had been left with backpacks containing food and water but no identity documents, according to Portuguese media. A manhunt was launched for the boys’ mother, 41, and on Thursday Portuguese police said they had arrested her in...

Police fired warning shots and tear gas ⁠as part of a dispute in Democratic Republic of Congo’s northeast over the burial of a suspected Ebola victim, a footballer who played for local teams, that saw protesters burn down tents for Ebola patients, Reuters witnesses said. The incident highlighted the struggle Congolese authorities could face to enforce the safe burials of people with confirmed and suspected cases that are required to help contain the outbreak. It took place in the town ‌of...

An Ankara court on Thursday annulled the 2023 leadership election of Turkey’s main opposition CHP party in a sharp escalation against the country’s embattled opposition. It is the latest in a string of moves targeting the Republican People’s Party, Turkey’s oldest political faction that won a huge victory over President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling AKP in the 2024 local elections and has been rising in the polls. The ruling overturned the result of a leadership election that brought in current...

Three fully laden supertankers – including two Chinese vessels – crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, in a possible sign that Tehran may be starting to open up the vital waterway to more shipping traffic. The exit of the three very large crude carriers (VLCCs) came on the same day that Iran confirmed it had allowed 26 vessels to transit the strait – a hefty uptick compared with the level of traffic Iranian forces have generally permitted since the war began. The moves appeared to signal an...

At least nine people were killed and others injured when a four-storey building collapsed overnight in the Moroccan city of ‌Fez, about 200km (124 miles) east of the capital Rabat, the city’s prosecutor said on Thursday. State media 2M had said 11 people were killed before issuing an official correction. Residents of nearby buildings in the densely populated neighbourhood were asked to evacuate as a precaution against potential further collapses while a search for potential survivors was still...

Fewer Americans filed for jobless aid last week as lay-offs remain low despite a number of uncertainties that continue to cloud the economy. US applications for unemployment benefits for the week ending May 16 fell by 3,000 to 209,000, the Labour Department reported Thursday. That is fewer than the 213,000 new applications analysts surveyed by the data firm FactSet had forecast. Weekly filings for unemployment benefits are considered a proxy for US lay-offs and are close to a real-time indicator...

Beijing is increasingly seen as key to securing international stability and economic opportunities, a status which both Washington and Moscow are converging on. Chinese President Xi Jinping’s recent foreign policy interactions with the leaders of the United States and Russia highlight China’s rising strategic position – acting as a significant player in global affairs, from the conflict in Ukraine to the volatile situation with Iran. Xi’s relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin has...

A Paris appeal court on Thursday found Airbus and Air France guilty of corporate manslaughter over the 2009 Rio-Paris plane crash ‌that killed 228 passengers and crew in France’s worst air disaster. The verdict is the latest milestone in a legal marathon involving two of France’s most emblematic companies and relatives of the mainly French, Brazilian and German victims. Relatives of some of the 228 passengers and crew who died when the Airbus A330 vanished in darkness during an Atlantic storm...

Queen Elizabeth pressed ⁠for her son Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor ⁠to be made a government trade envoy back in 2000, according to documents released on Thursday. Mountbatten-Windsor, brother of King Charles, served as the UK’s Special Representative for International Trade and Investment between 2001 and 2011 in an unpaid role that allowed him to travel the world meeting senior business and government figures. David Wright, the chief executive of British Trade International, said that before the...

Despite instability in the Middle East, China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) has begun building the world’s largest aircraft maintenance complex in the United Arab Emirates, underscoring China’s growing dominance in overseas infrastructure. The project, worth more than US$5 billion and one of the largest construction deals a Chinese builder has secured in the region, will comprise eight large maintenance hangars for aircraft storage, covering about 1.21 million square metres (13 million...

An ex-Austrian intelligence officer was found guilty of passing on state secrets to a fugitive former top executive at the fraudulent payments company Wirecard in a high-profile spy case that has prompted authorities in Vienna to tighten rules on espionage. Egisto Ott was handed a prison sentence of more than four years for spying, abuse of office, bribery and embezzlement, and other charges, according to a statement from the Vienna Regional Criminal Court late on Wednesday. He was found...

The presidents of the United States and Russia visited Beijing on separate trips in May to meet with President Xi Jinping. The South China Morning Post produced extensive coverage of Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin’s summit meetings in Beijing. Here are some of the highlights of our coverage, showing you what happened, what it means, and what’s next. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. The Xi-Trump summit is over. What comes next in the US-China...

Former British ⁠health minister Wes Streeting, a ⁠potential candidate for the leadership of the Labour Party, said he backed the introduction of tax changes which would equalise capital gains tax with income tax to make the system “fairer”. Streeting ‌said on Saturday that he wanted to challenge embattled Prime Minister Keir Starmer if there is a contest, days after he stepped down and urged Starmer to set a timetable for his departure. The former health minister, who has already said he...

Brazil’s right-wing presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro was riding high in the polls until the news broke of his ties to a banker jailed over a multimillion-dollar fraud scandal. The 45-year-old senator had been polling neck-and-neck with 80-year-old President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is expected to seek a fourth term in presidential elections in October. But a change may be under way following the publication of an audio recording by investigative outlet The Intercept in which...

US President Donald Trump’s state visit to Beijing on May 13 was Xi Jinping’s 18th meeting with a US president since he became China’s leader in 2013. Xi has previously held talks with presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden, as well as with Trump during the US leader’s first term. By comparison, Xi has had more than 40 physical meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin during the same period.

Sixteen months into his second presidency, Donald Trump may ⁠be as unpopular as he has ever been among the American electorate – but his grip on his ⁠core base of Maga voters remains unshaken. That power was on full display over the last two weeks, as Trump ousted a string of fellow Republicans he considered apostates for not showing him enough personal fealty. The president’s revenge tour continued on Tuesday, when a hand-picked loyalist defeated US congressman Thomas Massie, a frequent critic,...

US President Donald Trump said his administration’s negotiations with Iran were “in the final stages” on Wednesday, while simultaneously warning of further attacks, as a fragile ceasefire concluded its sixth week with no sign of an end to the war. The US launched “Operation Epic Fury” close to three months ago, in a war that began with strikes inside Iran alongside key ally Israel, which has since spread across the wider Middle East region, killing thousands and disrupting global supply...

The US special envoy to Greenland, the Arctic island coveted by President Donald Trump, said on Wednesday that Washington needs to rebuild its presence in the Danish autonomous territory. At the height of the Cold War, Washington had 17 military facilities in Greenland, but closed them over the years and currently has just one – the Pituffik base in the north of the island. Trump has repeatedly argued the US needs to control Greenland because of national security concerns, claiming that if it...

We have put together stories from our coverage of Xi and Putin’s meeting in Beijing. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Xi and Putin’s united front – from tigers to trade: the summit takeaways Putin’s trip to Beijing came only days after US President Donald Trump’s closely watched visit to the Chinese capital, the back-to-back summits highlighting the strong trust between Beijing and Moscow and China’s ability to manage ties with the two major...

A former federal prosecutor in Florida sent to her personal email account a special counsel report from the investigation into US President Donald Trump’s hoarding of classified documents despite a judge’s order that it remain sealed, according to an indictment made public on Wednesday. Carmen Lineberger, who worked in the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida and managed its Fort Pierce branch, faces charges including theft of government property and concealment of...

A former British pirate radio station on Wednesday apologised “for any distress caused” after accidentally announcing the death of King Charles. The erroneous announcement was made on Tuesday afternoon due to a computer error at its main studio in Maldon in eastern Essex, Radio Caroline said in a post on social media. The error had triggered the so-called death of a monarch procedure “which all UK stations hold in readiness while hoping not to require”, station manager Peter Moore said. “Radio...

The United States announced on Wednesday criminal charges against former Cuban leader Raul Castro over his alleged role in the 1996 downing of two civilian aircraft operated by the Miami-based exile group Brothers to the Rescue, an incident that killed four people. The indictment, unsealed by acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche in Miami, includes charges of conspiracy to kill US nationals, destruction of an aircraft, and four individual counts of murder against the 94-year-old brother of...

More than two-thirds of Harvard University faculty voted to cap the proportion of A-grades in undergraduate courses, instituting one of the strongest policies against grade inflation in US higher education in decades. Starting in the fall of 2027, no more than 20 per cent of a class, plus four additional students, can receive an A. Just under 70 per cent of the votes were in favour of the policy in a week-long electronic vote that concluded on Tuesday. The vote represents a “large mandate for...

Israel’s national security minister drew a sharp rebuke from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and triggered a backlash abroad, after releasing videos taunting detained flotilla activists who tried to breach Israel’s blockade of Gaza, telling them they should be imprisoned for a long time. Netanyahu said that although Israel has every right to stop “provocative flotillas of Hamas terrorist supporters”, the way National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir dealt with the activists was “not in line...

In the wake of the summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump, the China-US relationship is, in one critical respect, more dangerous than at any time since Tiananmen Square. The reason is not trade friction, tariffs, Taiwan or geopolitical competition – significant as those are. It is the competition over artificial intelligence supremacy, which will reshape every aspect of relations in the coming decade. This is not just a technological contest. It is a contest...

Iranian Revolutionary Guard members now regularly show the public in Tehran how to handle Kalashnikov-style assault rifles. Parades through the capital feature military vehicles mounted with belt-fed Soviet-era machine guns. And at one mass wedding, a ballistic missile, like the one that rained down cluster munitions on Israel, adorned the stage. Weapons are now regularly brandished in Tehran, an increasing show of defiance as US President Donald Trump threatens he could restart the war with...

The UK moved to loosen its Russian sanctions in a controversial move aimed at preventing shortages of diesel and jet fuel, as the war in Iran eats into global oil buffers. The move highlights how Britain has become more reliant on fuel imports than other major European nations, and has prompted political backlash over the government’s commitment to support Ukraine. The European Union is not currently planning a similar measure, according to people with knowledge of the matter, who asked not to...

The ⁠European Union has shortlisted ⁠tungsten, rare earths and ⁠gallium for its first joint stockpile of critical minerals aimed at reducing its reliance on China, according to three sources familiar with the matter. The EU is also talking to major ports ‌including Rotterdam in the Netherlands, the region’s biggest, to store the minerals, one of the three and a fourth source said. The move marks one of the bloc’s most concrete steps to insulate its economy from Beijing’s production dominance in...

Chinese investment in Europe hit a seven-year high of €16.8 billion (US$19.5 billion) in 2025, driven by a strong rebound in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and record greenfield completions, a new report has found. But the annual study, published on Tuesday by Rhodium Group and the Mercator Institute for China Studies, cautioned that the pipeline may be thinning, with newly announced projects falling under pressure from Beijing’s push to retain industrial capacity at home and Europe’s growing...

The discussions suggest that the United States and the Iranian government may not be close to reaching a deal to end a war that has badly damaged the global economy.

House Republican leaders abruptly scrapped a planned vote on a measure to direct President Trump to end the conflict or win authorization for it, amid party defections and absences.

They played second fiddle to private equity and hedge funds for years, but 2026 is shaping up to be “the year of the bank,” one consultant said.

In recent days, Mayor Zohran Mamdani has taken actions that have made the relationship between his office and some Jewish New York leaders more fraught.

The “Late Show” cancellation was a disappointment. But a surreally lovely final episode turned it into a cancellebration.

“The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” has ended. Our culture critic Jason Zinoman describes what we stand to lose.

Colbert was joined by famous friends, fellow hosts and special guests like Paul McCartney for the finale of “The Late Show.”

The suit may be a totem of conventionality, but for late-night hosts, it has become a useful tool.

Republicans drew the former D.N.C. chairwoman out of her district. Her decision to run in Florida’s 20th Congressional District, however, has stoked tensions with Black Democrats.

Howard Lutnick, the commerce secretary, made the donation after agreeing to an interview with lawmakers about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.

The divisions are clear, but there’s more common ground than one might expect within the coalition, a Times/Siena poll shows.

In 2025, Caleb Vazquez’s obsession with mass shooters and Nazism prompted reports to the authorities. The F.B.I. was also alerted to concerns about one of the teens.

Thousands filled a San Diego park to recite a funeral prayer for the three men killed by gunmen on Monday.

A video of a Palestinian family’s dog being savagely beaten has spread widely in the days after the attack.

The national ambassador for young people’s literature published a manifesto aimed at adults. Then came the blowback.

America is witnessing the greatest decimation of Black political power in over a century.

Most U.S. travelers will be driving to their destinations for the long weekend, kicking off what is expected to be a busy summer travel season.

With gas prices through the roof, more travelers are considering alternative vehicles to control costs. But how much will you really save?

Memorial Day weekend will be wet for much of the United States, though dry, seasonal weather is likely in the West.

Europeans are considering appointing an envoy to Ukraine peace talks with Russia. First, many warn, they need to decide what to ask.

President Trump said he would send 5,000 troops to Poland, part of a back-and-forth that has left European leaders reeling.

Hunger and conflict are on the minds of the residents of Akobo, where an outbreak could have devastating consequences.

Here’s what to know about the symptoms and spread of the virus, which has sickened people in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.

A.I. will create more jobs than it will kill.

You’re going to miss corporate media.

A note for Memorial Day.

The ultra low priced retailer has purchased Everlane, the millennial standby that promised transparency.

A new Afghan law requires girls to wait until puberty before seeking to get out of a marriage. It also requires mediation for women seeking to escape an abusive husband.