Minimalist News

"Rich Dad Poor Dad" Author Robert Kiyosaki Claims He’s In $1.2 Billion In Debt Best-selling Rich Dad Poor Dad author Robert Kiyosaki said he owes a whopping $1.2 billion tied to his extensive real estate holdings, the New York Post reported. Kiyosaki made the admission during a wide-ranging interview on the " Get Rich Education " podcast. "So, I'm a billion two in debt," he said. "But I studied it since 1974... If you're going to learn to use debt, you'd better take some education." However, Kim Kiyosaki, the financial self-help guru's former wife, told Vanity Fair the figure was

Solar Overtakes Coal As China's Largest Power Source Authored by Tsvetana Paraskova via OilPrice.com , Solar power has just become the single largest electricity capacity source in China, toppling coal in a landmark achievement of the Chinese renewable energy rollout. Solar power capacity in China stood at 1,286 gigawatts (GW) at the end of July, Chinese media cited the country's National Energy Administration as saying on Tuesday. Thus, solar capacity accounted for 31.5% of total installed power generation in China as of July 31. In July, Chinese authorities said that China would have more installed solar power capacity than coal-fired

California Let 400,000 Voters Register Without Providing Any ID On Monday, the Trump administration's top federal prosecutor in Los Angeles revealed that California's voter ID rules are so lax that nobody was checking whether voters were American citizens , with what he says is at least half a million voters on the rolls who never provided documentary proof of identification. The prosecutor, Bill Essayli, first assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, made the case in an interview with Bill Melugin on Fox News. He said the state runs voter registration on the honor system, with no one

Hydrogen: Energy's Version Of Waiting For Godot Authored by James Varney via RealClearInvestigations , Elon Musk may consider hydrogen "mind-bogglingly stupid" as a power source for cars, but the derision of the world's most successful electric vehicle manufacturer has not stopped Washington from nursing dreams that hydrogen might become a big part of an envisioned clean new energy future. That dream came into focus three years ago at a time when the "climate crisis" dominated Washington's thinking. Praising the role hydrogen could play in a brave new energy world that was "sustainable and equitable," the United States had a plan

"Escalation Trap": Robert Pape Blasts Bessent's "Economic D-Day" Targeting Iran University of Chicago professor Robert Pape tore into Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's so-called "Economic D-Day" campaign against Iran, branding it a dangerous "escalation trap" that history shows will not force Tehran to fold, and may instead drag the United States deeper into war. Appearing recently on the "Breaking Points" podcast, Pape, a longtime scholar of air power, blockades and sanctions, argued that Bessent is selling maximum economic pressure as an alternative to more fighting. "That's not what it is," Pape told "Breaking Points" co-host Saagar Enjeti. "What it's really going

Chinese Student Charged With Lying To Border Agents Over Alleged Airport Photo Assignments From Beijing Authored by Frank Fang via The Epoch Times , A Chinese national studying at a Canadian university has been charged with lying to American officials to conceal that he took photographs at a Chicago airport cargo facility at the direction of a suspected Chinese official , according to a federal complaint filed in Detroit on Aug. 26. The U.S. Department of Justice in Washington on Jan. 6, 2026. Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch Times Zeng Weiheng, born in 2004, is charged with making false statements in a

Governor DeSantis Revokes Permits For Flock Cameras On Florida State Highways Authored by Bryan Hyde via American Greatness , Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has ordered the removal of all Flock Safety automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras from state highway right-of-ways, citing privacy, data, and systematic surveillance concerns. The Daily Caller reports that DeSantis ordered all Flock cameras to be removed from the "state highway system," including interstates such as I-10 and I-75, within 30 days, in a Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) memo on Monday. 🚨 JUST IN: Gov. Ron DeSantis' FDOT is hereby TAKING DOWN Flock cameras statewide

Chevron Nears Deal To Expand Venezuela Oil Operations Venezuela could soon become a much bigger part of Chevron’s global oil business, according to Bloomberg . The company is reportedly nearing an agreement to take control of operations at two large crude-producing areas in the country’s Carabobo region, adding access to substantial heavy-oil resources. The potential expansion comes as Washington seeks to attract more American capital to Venezuela’s energy sector and boost the country’s output. Chevron already has an established presence there through a partnership with state oil company PDVSA, making it the only major US producer currently active in Venezuela.

The State Is Coming For Your Roomba Authored by Thiago V. S. Coelho via The Mises Institute , The federal government has discovered another menace to the republic: the vacuum cleaner. In July, the Federal Communications Commission added foreign-produced "advanced robotic devices" to its Covered List, generally preventing new models from receiving the authorization needed to be imported, marketed, or sold in the United States. Although early headlines emphasized Chinese humanoid robots and mechanical dogs, Sean Hollister reported in The Verge that the rule also encompasses robotic vacuums, lawnmowers, delivery machines, and many warehouse robots. It potentially applies to almost

Trump Mentions Tapping The 'Older Stuff' While Dismissing Reports Of Missile Shortages The below Trump exchange with reporters in the Oval Office on Monday seems a tacit admission from the Commander-in-Chief that yes, the United States is running out of standoff munitions... Q: Several military leaders have reportedly told Hegseth that a prolonged, large-scale operation in Iran weakens our ability to confront threats elsewhere, including the homeland. Have you heard that? TRUMP: We're very respected. Nobody else would be crazy enough to do it... We have unlimited amounts of... older stuff . Q: Several military leaders have reportedly told Hegseth

Federal Judge Blocks New York From Enforcing $75 Billion Climate Superfund Law Authored by Kimberly Hayek via The Epoch Times , A federal judge ruled on Monday that New York cannot enforce a 2024 state law that sought to impose an estimated $75 billion in charges on carbon-emitting companies for allegedly causing climate damage between 2000 and 2018. Chief U.S. District Judge Brenda Sannes in Syracuse, New York, sided with 22 Republican state attorneys general, as well as industry groups including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, in finding the state measure preempted by federal law. The judge said the Clean

"State Terrorism": Putin Blasts Zelensky After Wild Threat Of Drone Attacks To 'De Facto Close' Russian Airspace Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky just issued a crazy and unexpected threat which portends a major escalation in the war. Certainly it will provoke the Kremlin into even more uncontrolled escalation and massive strikes, such as has been (somewhat unusually) happening on Odesa port as well as the capital city of late. He has vowed moving forward to de facto close Russia's skies , and has put Russian airlines, insurers, and foreign governments on notice. Zelensky is in effect warning that airlines could be

Netanyahu Boasts Of Years-Long Effort To Convince US To Launch War Against Iran Authored by Dave DeCamp via AntiWar.com, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has boasted of his efforts to convince the US to launch a war against Iran, crediting his frequent appearances on US television networks and his "intimate knowledge" of US leaders . Netanyahu made the comments Sunday night on Israel’s Channel 14, and a clip of his appearance was posted on X by the account Clash Report, which Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi later shared. via Associated Press The Israeli leader said that he had been against

Iran Targets Marine Barracks In Jordan, Sends Drones On Bahrain & Kuwait, After Trump's New Strikes Summary Explosions in Jordan reported amid initial Iranian retaliation, drones on Bahrain . Reports of fresh US strike wave on southern Iran , oil soars Bessent Says Hormuz Will Be " Worthless Piece of Water " In Two Years Iran offers conditional ceasefire: Pezeshkian says Iran will return to talks if the US honors prior commitments, which Tehran says it has violated. Tankers hit in Strait of Hormuz: Two supertankers struck exiting Hormuz, escalating energy-market risks. Oil prices surge: Brent crude rose above $92/barrel

'Daddy's Savings Account': Two More NYC-DSA Leaders Caught Living The Capitalist Dream A pair of New York City's leading Democratic Socialists live in Brooklyn apartments that would be pure fantasy for the working-class Americans they claim to champion, according to the New York Post , the latest installment in a running audit of the personal real estate of the organization that put Zohran Mamdani in Gracie Mansion. The report lands less than two weeks after the Post revealed that NYC-DSA co-chair Gustavo Gordillo, a Yale-trained sculptor who has billed himself as a "union electrician," lives in a $1.5 million Bed-Stuy

Top US General Says No Plans To Deploy Troops To Polling Sites In November Authored by Aldgra Fredly via The Epoch Times , The U.S. military has no plans to send troops or other personnel to polling places during November's midterm elections, the top U.S. general has said. Gen. Dan Caine, chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was responding to Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), who had asked him and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth in an Aug. 18 letter to confirm they won't send troops to polls. Caine wrote in response that state and local officials retain responsibility for

Trump Admin Urges SCOTUS To Step In On Military Trans Ban The Trump administration has asked the Supreme Court to uphold its ban on transgender troops serving in the military, appealing a lower court ruling that has, for now, blocked enforcement against service members already in uniform . Vin Testa waves a LGBTQ pride flag in front of the Supreme Court building on June 26, 2023 in Washington, DC. Getty Images The petition targets a June decision by the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals finding the ban probably violates the constitutional rights of transgender troops already serving. The decision claimed

How Capitalism Reduces Poverty And Creates Wealth Authored by James T. Moodey via American Thinker , The word capitalism was coined in the 1700s. The definition was vague. It generally meant "private property traded freely" or "free markets." However, most non-totalitarian countries had free markets, and these countries in Europe and elsewhere were not particularly wealthy. Their rural people were paupers living off the land, even in England, France, and the U.S. at our founding. We generally regard capitalism as creating wealth, but free markets are not what created the enormous wealth that occurred in the United States. I knew

Clyburn Calls For Packing The Court With "Baker's Dozen" To Flip Cases Authored by Jonathan Turley via Jonathan Turley , On NBC's "Meet the Press," Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC) added his voice to expand the Supreme Court to a "baker's dozen," or thirteen members to allow Democrats to add justices who agree with him and Democratic members on how the law must be interpreted. In the meantime, as discussed earlier, court packing is being pushed as the new litmus test for any Democratic candidates. Clyburn's "baker's dozen" is a telling description of an effort to bake in partisan views on

NY Prosecutor Says He Was Told To 'Find Crimes' To Target Trump Allies A veteran prosecutor in New York Attorney General Letitia James' office says he was ordered to find crimes to pin on people connected to President Donald Trump , and the fallout left him on paid leave within days. Daniel Wiesenfeld, a former Brooklyn prosecutor who moved into James' Investor Protection Bureau, sent an email to roughly 2,000 colleagues on Friday laying out what he says happened inside the office. The email disappeared from inboxes not long after it went out , but the Times-Union obtained a copy

Canadian PM is set to retaliate against tariffs levied by Donald Trump and criticized US officials over insults US politics live – latest updates Mark Carney has rebuked Donald Trump’s administration and urged officials in Washington to “start being serious” amid escalating trade tensions between the US and Canada. Days before Canada is due to retaliate against Trump’s sweeping tariffs with its own duties on US goods, the Canadian prime minister criticized US officials for insulting his country. “It is beneath their office,” he said. Continue reading...

Navigating app surpasses Google and Apple Maps on top-downloaded US chart after posting ‘we’re not changing it’ A pioneering online mapping app that defied Donald Trump by refusing to rename Lake Ontario has become the most in-demand navigation tool in the US. MapQuest, which was openly dismissive of the president’s 27 August executive order directing federal agencies to refer to the smallest of the Great Lakes as “Lake America” amid a trade spat with Canada, leapfrogged rivals Google Maps and Apple Maps to top the most-downloaded list, as first reported by TechCrunch . Continue reading...

Claims that Trump and Rubio are trying to influence result have parallels with CIA intervention 64 years ago The year was 1962 and the Kennedy administration was desperate to swing Brazil’s congressional elections against its leftwing president, João Goulart, as a way of countering the supposed communist threat sweeping a region the US considered its back yard. Historians say that in the lead-up to the vote, the CIA and the Department of State secretly channelled millions of dollars to opposition candidates and a group tasked with spreading rightwing propaganda and stirring up unrest. Continue reading...

Comments signal president prepared to use dispute to push UK to raise defence spending and Nato contributions Donald Trump has suggested he is reconsidering US support for Britain’s sovereignty over the Falkland Islands, in a move likely to strain the “special relationship” between Washington and London. “I always review every position – that’s just one of many,” the US president told reporters in the White House, in response to a question about whether he was reviewing the US’s position over the South Atlantic islands, an archipelago whose status has long been disputed by Argentina, which claims sovereignty. Continue reading...

Three projected victories are a message to US that Carney has support of the Canadian people, says one MP Canada’s ruling Liberal party has swept three byelections, a result that showed voters backing the prime minister, Mark Carney, after his face-off with Donald Trump . The Canadian Press, Canada’s national news agency, projected Liberal victories in Chicoutimi-Le Fjord in Quebec, Beaches-East York in Toronto and North Vancouver-Capilano in British Columbia. Continue reading...

Speed limit dropped from 60km/h for around 70% of general roads in the hope of making narrow streets of crowded cities safer Drivers on residential roads in Japan have been forced to take their foot off the accelerator, after the speed limit was slashed from 60km/h (37mph) to 30km/h in an attempt to reduce deaths and injuries among pedestrians on narrow urban streets. The new limit, which went into effect on Tuesday, applies to residential roads with no centre line or maximum speed signs, media reports said. Continue reading...

Wong, 29, is accused of urging foreign powers to impose sanctions, blockades and other hostile measures against China Joshua Wong , one of Hong Kong’s most prominent pro-democracy activists, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to conspiring to seek foreign sanctions against Hong Kong and China, a national security charge that carries a maximum life sentence. Prosecutors have accused Wong, 29, of working with the exiled Hong Kong activist Nathan Law to urge foreign powers to impose sanctions, blockades or other hostile measures against China. Continue reading...

Ship has been plagued by reports of deteriorating living conditions and poor mental health because of lengthy deployment The USS Abraham Lincoln, an US aircraft carrier at the centre of a row over conditions on board after months at sea as part of Donald Trump’s war against Iran, has arrived off a Thai port. Reports of deteriorating living conditions and poor mental health on the vessel, including attempted suicides , have made headlines around the world, provoking criticism of the president’s actions in the Middle East. Continue reading...

Security stepped up in Pattaya before arrival of thousands of sailors and marines whose deployment was extended due to US war in Iran Authorities in the Thai resort city of Pattaya have stepped up security as they prepare to welcome thousands of sailors and marines from the USS Abraham Lincoln who have spent more than 270 consecutive days at sea . “About 600 officials will provide security and other necessary assistance,” the provincial governor, Narit Niramaiwong, told AFP. Continue reading...

Hong Kong flotation at $26bn by firm once valued at $100bn follows failure to list in US and UK Shares in the fast-fashion brand Shein slumped by as much as 10% as the China-founded company made its long-anticipated trading debut on the Hong Kong stock exchange. The Singapore-headquartered company, once valued at almost $100bn (£74bn), went public on Tuesday pricing shares at HK$48.56, valuing the business at just over $26bn. Continue reading...

Follow the day’s news live Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Ride share driver charged on allegations of committing sexual acts during booking A ride share driver will face court in Sydney today over multiple allegations of sexual acts, including one allegedly committed in the city’s CBD last weekend. They’re sick and tired of the feminisation of our curriculum and the lack of direction and leadership that they’re given. Maybe we should look at getting more male teachers in. That used to be an agenda. I don’t know what’s happened to that, but maybe

Police say the sheep were stolen from a property 830km west of Brisbane between February and May Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Queensland police are investigating after about 5,500 Dorper sheep worth more than $1.7m were allegedly stolen from a western Queensland farm. Police said the sheep were stolen from a property outside Blackall, about 830km west of Brisbane, between February and May this year. Continue reading...

Hundreds of university staff were stationed at picket lines, calling for stronger protections around the use of AI Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast The same week union members at the University of Sydney agreed to a 24-hour strike, staff received the results of an internal survey. In the faculty of arts and social sciences, 0% agreed with the statement: “I trust the University of Sydney to act in the best interests of staff, students and the broader community.” Continue reading...

Lehrmann is accused of raping a woman in 2021 and will stand trial in Toowoomba in November. He intends to contest the charges Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Jurors in the pending trial of Bruce Lehrmann for alleged rape could be questioned about their prior knowledge of him and the case. Lehrmann, 31, is set to stand trial from 2 November, accused of twice raping a woman at a house in regional Queensland in 2021. Continue reading...

Hadley is giving evidence in trial of former 2GB rival Jones, 85, who has pleaded not guilty to 22 indecent assault and sexual touching charges Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Warning: This article contains offensive language Broadcaster Ray Hadley has told a Sydney court he used a homophobic slur and derogatory names when talking about his colleague Alan Jones, after 2GB withdrew a secret offer of a $4m contract to take over Jones’s coveted breakfast slot. Hadley agreed under cross-examination by defence barrister Gabrielle Bashir SC that he told police in 2019 that

Sergei Loznitsa likens removal of €2m grant to ‘a punishment in kindergarten’ on eve of Venice film festival One of Ukraine’s most acclaimed film-makers has criticised the European Commission’s decision to cut off funds to the Venice Biennale over the opening of Russia’s pavilion, likening it to “a punishment in kindergarten”. The Biennale drew heavy criticism this spring when it allowed Russia to use its pavilion for the first time since 2022, despite the ongoing full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Continue reading...

John Sellers, 34, who moved with his family to Sweden aged 10, has been ejected despite his recent marriage to a Swede A 34-year-old British man who has lived in Sweden since he was 10 has been deported in the latest of a series of Brexit-induced catastrophes for UK citizens in the country. John Sellers was told to leave despite living in Sweden for 24 years, having been educated in the country and newly married to his Swedish partner, Caroline. Continue reading...

Government says ‘dangerous behaviour’ is part of effort by Moscow to cause damage with hybrid attacks The German government has blamed Russia for the drone attack on Leipzig airport last month, calling it “dangerous behaviour” and part of a systematic and concerted effort by Moscow to “cause great damage” through a large number of hybrid attacks. The interior minister, Alexander Dobrindt, and the foreign minister, Johann Wadephul, ended weeks of speculation and the government’s hesitancy to blame Russia, saying in a brisk 10-minute briefing in Berlin that all indications were the Russian state had provided the knowhow and equipment for

Police urged people in Overasselt to stay indoors after one person died and 34 were arrested Authorities have arrested 34 people, including French, Belgian and Algerian nationals, after a person died in a pre-dawn shootout in a Dutch village reportedly linked to a notorious drug lord. Police urged people in Overasselt, near the German border, to stay indoors with doors and windows shut in case further suspects were on the loose. Continue reading...

Russia believed to be behind hybrid activities in Germany and Europe, minister says Over in Brussels, the European Commission is just starting its first midday briefing of the autumn. It opens with an announcement that Commission president Ursula von der Leyen will receive Nato’s Mark Rutte tomorrow. This comes amid growing scrutiny of Russia’s activities on the eastern flank. Continue reading...

Exclusive: sanctions against ministers and settler groups are ‘smoke and mirrors cop-out’ says Omar Barghouti Britain’s legal and ethical obligation to stop a genocide in Gaza requires it to take bigger steps than halting trade with illegal Israeli settlements or imposing further sanctions, Omar Barghouti, the co-founder of the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement has said. He described sanctions against individual settler groups or extremist ministers as a “smoke and mirrors cop-out and distraction” from the UK’s legal obligation under international law to end all support for Israel, including arms exports, trade deals and academic relations that “may directly or

Attacks on Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and reprisals against US bases in Middle East quash hopes that flare-up last weekend was limited in nature The US has launched new airstrikes on Iranian targets, prompting counter strikes by Tehran targeting American interests in Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan and Iraq, fuelling concerns about a ⁠wider renewal of hostilities. US Marine Corps base Camp Titin in Jordan was targeted for an “intense ballistic missile attack”, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) said early on Wednesday, according to Iranian news outlet Tasnim. Continue reading...

Foreign secretary tells MPs he will try to stop illegal settlements carving up the West Bank Ed Miliband has promised to “reset” Britain’s policy on Israel, saying he will try to stop British companies helping build settlements in the West Bank. Speaking to the Commons for the first time as foreign secretary, Miliband said he would set out measures to prevent UK involvement in projects such as the illegal E1 plan , which critics say would split the West Bank in half. Continue reading...

Iran responded to an assault on its Larak Island by targeting US bases in Jordan Trump threatens further action as US and Iran exchange fire in new flare-up Coinciding with this week’s G20 meeting , the EU has issued a statement saying it will work with the US and other allied countries to maintain economic pressure against Iran. “The ‌EU welcomes efforts at ensuring that Iran ceases its destabilising activities and engages in peace negotiations with good ‌faith, also through additional economic pressure, including through ​the US-led Operation Economic Outcast,” it said in reference to the pressure strategy the White

Washington says it acted after observing Iran was planning to deploy fresh mines in strait of Hormuz The US and Iran have exchanged fire for the first time in a month, with missiles and drones fired at Iranian rocket launchers on an island in the strait of Hormuz, and Iran targeting US military bases in Jordan and the United Arab Emirates in response. The US president, Donald Trump, on Monday threatened further action. The US is trying to prise open Tehran’s grip on shipping going through the strait, which before the war accounted for a fifth of the world’s seaborne

More than 1,000 people confirmed dead and more than 4,000, including 36 British nationals, remain missing A British aid worker was mistakenly identified by Nepalese authorities as a rescued survivor after returning to Kathmandu on a humanitarian aid flight. Alastair Chambers, a 45-year-old former Gloucester councillor, said he flew to Nepal last week to distribute sleeping bags, food and essentials to communities cut off by collapsed bridges. Continue reading...

Relatives of missing tourists asked for blood samples and photos, as efforts continue to rescue trapped hydropower workers Nepal-Tibet floods – latest updates Visual guide: How the Nepal-Tibet flash flood unfolded Nepali rescuers have built temporary bridges to reach remote areas and dug through the ruins of hydropower projects in the Himalayas to rescue hundreds of trapped workers, as the death toll passed 1,000 nearly ⁠a week after devastating ​floods left a trail of destruction across the country’s towns and valleys. About 600 people remain stuck in several devastated hydropower stations that have become the focus of rescue efforts. The

As families await news of missing loved ones, the disaster is a stark reminder of how the climate crisis is creating a fast-growing threat. Plus, the town considered India’s ‘Jurassic Park’ • Don’t get This is India delivered to your inbox? Sign up here It has been hard not to despair while watching the ruinous floods swallow parts of Nepal , and harder, still knowing that the agony compounds each passing day for dozens of Indian families whose members remain unaccounted for. Social media is awash with desperate pleas, photos and details of the young and old, men and women,

Organisers say people must revive spiritual relationship with food amid double threat of climate crisis and conflict Mending the broken food system under the threat of climate-driven weather extremes will require more than economic fixes and intensive agriculture, according to the organisers of a pioneering summit this week, who say the world must revive its spiritual relationship with food. Delegates from more than 60 countries and the UN will gather for the next five days in Paro in the tiny Himalayan nation of Bhutan for the world’s first “conscious food summit”, which will bring together governments and farmers, mindfulness experts

In today’s newsletter: As rescuers search for survivors after catastrophic floods, the disaster offers a stark warning about the climate risks facing the region, and the world Good morning. Over the weekend, rescue workers in Nepal and Tibet raced to find people who are still trapped in villages affected by catastrophic flash floods. As of this morning, the death toll stands at 903, and more than 4,000 people are missing. For those of you reading this in a place where life continues as usual, the scale of devastation is hard to fathom. In a matter of minutes, a torrent of

In today’s newsletter: Communities from Scotland to India are pushing back against datacentres they feel have been forced upon them, warning they threaten energy supplies and the climate Good morning. This summer, datacentres have become targets of resistance across the world. Ever since the arrival of ChatGPT, big tech has been lobbying for the creation of enormous new facilities. Many governments claim they’re essential in any country that wants to cash in on AI. Campaigners argue datacentres drain resources and exacerbate the climate crisis. The Scottish National Party has backed a moratorium on new developments; so has the Greens. The

Matt Clifford, who drafted AI action plan and advised Starmer and Sunak, hired for senior role at US firm The architect of the UK government’s AI strategy has joined the US startup Anthropic in a senior role a year after stepping down from his Downing Street post. Matt Clifford, a successful tech investor, was appointed as AI opportunities adviser by Keir Starmer last year but resigned from the unpaid role six months later for personal reasons. Continue reading...

Resolution Foundation argues that UK’s internationally low ‘tax wedge’ must rise to pay for defence ambitions The chancellor, John Healey, must be prepared to raise taxes for middle earners if he wants to fund significantly higher defence spending, the Resolution Foundation thinktank has said. Healey resigned from Keir Starmer’s government in June , protesting against what he argued was the then prime minister’s failure to adequately fund defence. Continue reading...

Cash announced after horror car crash that killed two police officers and house fire in which woman and young girl died Cleveland’s police force is to receive a £2m funding boost to tackle serious crime, after the home secretary said successive high-profile tragedies in the Middlesbrough area had led to a “sense of disquiet” in the community. Shabana Mahmood and the prime minister, Andy Burnham, paid tribute in parliament on Tuesday to police constables Matthew Blades and Tom Clough, who were killed when a Volkswagen Passat travelling on the wrong side of the A66 dual carriageway collided head-on with their

British far-right pundit breaks silence on ICE arrest and deportation and says he was ‘really, really terrified’ Milo Yiannopoulos, the British far-right commentator who was arrested last week by Immigration and Customs Enforcement ( ICE ) officers in Louisiana and deported to the United Kingdom, has broken his silence about the experience, saying that “for the first time I know what it feels like to be really, really terrified”. Yiannopoulos on Tuesday appeared on Piers Morgan Uncensored , a YouTube show presented by Piers Morgan , the British broadcaster and media personality. Yiannopoulos, 41, described the experience in the US

This live blog is now closed. New system for screening mail-in ballots risks denying entire batches, says whistleblower Sign up for the US Breaking News email Democratic senator Chuck Schumer is introducing a bill that would reverse Donald Trump’s most recent tariffs, among them the new 50% duty on Canadian goods, MS Now reported . While the Senate minority leader’s proposed legislation has virtually no chance of becoming law, Schumer hopes that his proposal shows that Democrats are actively fighting the affordability crisis. Schumer first shared his proposed legislation with MS Now. Continue reading...

Incumbent, 80, beats back challenge from Seth Moulton, who argued Markey was too old to be effective at his job Senator Ed Markey won the Democratic primary in Massachusetts on Tuesday, beating back a challenge from Seth Moulton, a congressman who tried to unseat him by arguing to voters his opponent was too old to be effective at his job. Massachusetts is heavily Democratic, making the senator favored to win a third full term in the November general election, where he faces the Republican nominee John Deaton. Continue reading...

In a major LGBTQ+ rights victory, the justice department cannot force the state to ban trans girls from women’s sports A federal judge has dismissed the Trump administration’s lawsuit challenging California’s policy of allowing transgender youth to play on sports teams that match their gender, a major loss for Donald Trump and the Department of Justice (DoJ). The justice department had been fighting for a year to force California to ban trans girls from women’s sports, with the president directly singling out one trans track and field athlete in online attacks and regularly mocking trans athletes in his speeches. Continue

Acting secretary picked for top role as critics accuse president of overworking sailors during war with Iran Donald Trump said Tuesday that he is nominating acting navy secretary Hung Cao for the permanent job, giving the navy combat veteran the nod as concerns have emerged that some sailors have been stretched to the limit during the Iran war. Cao has been serving as acting navy secretary since John Phelan departed the job unexpectedly and without explanation in late April. Continue reading...

Government talks up pact but Venezuelan opposition alarmed that democracy yet to return after Maduro exit Trump administration officials on Tuesday defended a highly contentious deal giving the US control of a significant chunk of Venezuelan oil reserves, arguing that the sweeping agreement would help stabilize and rebuild democracy in the shattered South American country while giving Washington vital access to strategic crude reserves. Last week, Donald Trump announced a “groundbreaking” deal that would give the US “majority” control over 65bn barrels – roughly one-fifth – of Venezuela’s oil reserves. Continue reading...

Prime Minister Andy Burnham faced lawmakers in the House of Commons on Tuesday for the first time since becoming UK leader six weeks ago, with wars in Europe and the Middle East weighing on his promise to kick-start the economy, ease the cost of living and oversee a radical redistribution of power from London to Britain’s regions. On the day parliament returned from its summer break, Burnham said he would “unlock a feeling of positivity and possibility in every postcode in Britain”. “We can make...

Syria was constructing a nuclear reactor in Deir el-Zour under the leadership of ousted former president Bashar al-Assad, according to a UN report seen Tuesday by Associated Press. Inspectors with the UN nuclear watchdog visited several sites in Syria in August and carried out verification work that confirmed the existence of a long-suspected nuclear site, according to the confidential report circulated to member states. Based on this visit, the International Atomic Energy Agency reported that...

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney told the Trump administration on Tuesday to “stop doing memes, stop throwing shade and stop trying to be tough”, as he pushed back against a fresh wave of attacks from Washington. Carney said US-Canada trade talks could resume if Washington became serious about negotiations, but he also accused the US of pursuing terms that he said could leave Canadian industries “gradually wound down in Canada and wiped out”. “When the Americans stop doing memes, stop...

The German government on Tuesday blamed Russia for an attempted attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport last month using a drone laden with explosives, and announced that it would shut down a Russian consulate among other measures. The drone was found near a Ukrainian plane on August 4 and the device was defused. German officials said at the time that the incident posed a new level of danger. Moscow has been widely accused by Western officials of running a campaign of sabotage and disruption with the...

A ⁠Bank of America ⁠vice-president, Erin Piacenti, was ⁠killed in a stabbing at Times Square on Monday. Piacenti, 32, was a vice-president in BofA’s business selection and conflicts unit, according to her LinkedIn profile. “We are shocked ‌and deeply saddened by the tragic loss of our colleague. She was a valued teammate who will be greatly missed. Our hearts go out to her family and all of her loved ones,” the US banking giant said in an emailed statement on Tuesday. New York Mayor Zohran...

The latest trade war between the United States and Canada marks a turning point with key lessons for China and other major US trading partners as well as risks, say analysts and former trade officials, as US President Donald Trump continues to put his blunt stamp on global institutions. The breakdown in ties between Washington and Ottawa, one of the largest trade relationships in the world, opens one more front in the president’s disruptive path that could fuel a backlash and further distrust to...

Apple’s new CEO John Ternus takes the helm of the iconic tech giant on Tuesday, ending Tim Cook’s 15-year tenure during which the company’s value skyrocketed to US$4.6 trillion thanks to the iPhone’s enormous popularity. The transition to a new CEO comes at a pivotal time for Apple. Artificial intelligence has unleashed the greatest upheaval within the industry since Steve Jobs unveiled the first iPhone in 2007. Apple has got off to a rough start in AI after stumbling in its efforts to deliver...

Improvised explosive devices were used on Tuesday in a sabotage attack near a coal-fired power plant in Germany, with several electricity lines damaged and supply briefly interrupted, officials said. Several makeshift bombs were found around 8am local time at the Preilack substation, which distributes power from the nearby Jaenschwalde plant that runs on lignite and also burns rubbish, a police spokeswoman said. At least one of the devices detonated but others failed to go off, she said, adding...

Britain’s former prime minister Keir Starmer, who stepped down as leader this summer after a tumultuous two years in power, announced on Tuesday he would quit parliament to focus on “international affairs”. In a statement on social media, Starmer said it was the “right time” to resign as the MP for the Holborn and St Pancras seat in London after 11 years, triggering a by-election. “It is now time to step aside and focus on other issues: international affairs including defence, security, trade...

Norway’s King Haakon VIII took an oath before parliament on Tuesday, the first major institutional step of his reign, though his wife, still convalescing after a lung transplant, was unable to attend. Dressed in a ceremonial uniform, the 53-year-old Haakon, who became king when his father King Harald V died on Friday morning aged 89, swore to abide by the Scandinavian country’s constitution, under which the royals have a primarily symbolic function. “I promise and swear that I will govern the...

The US threat of sanctions on China because of Beijing’s relationship with Iran isn’t credible. The artificial intelligence bubble and its own precarious bond market make the US more vulnerable to a shock than China. Even if the US risks massive self-harm and kicks major Chinese institutions off SWIFT, the global messaging system enabling dollar-based cross-border payments, it will merely accelerate the yuan’s rise. China’s trading partners can easily switch to the perfectly functional yuan...

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s party swept to victory in special elections on Monday, boosting the leader’s parliamentary majority as a trade war with the United States escalates. Carney’s Liberal Party secured three seats, taking the district of Chicoutimi-Le Fjord in French-speaking Quebec from the opposition Conservatives, and two other districts in Ontario and British Columbia that were previously held by the Liberals. Carney congratulated the winning candidates in a post on X, saying...

Twelve people were killed and several more injured in Russian air attacks on Kyiv and the surrounding region on Tuesday, authorities said, in the sixth consecutive day of ‌strikes on the Ukrainian capital. Attacks both in Ukraine and Russia continue as efforts are ongoing to find a solution to end the deadliest conflict on the European continent since World War II, which started with Moscow’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. Eight people were killed and another five wounded in Kyiv, three...

Chinese President Xi Jinping ended August in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, kick-starting a potential run of overseas trips after what has so far been a quiet year for foreign travel. Xi met the presidents of Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Russia and Uzbekistan in Bishkek on the sidelines of a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit. He may hold talks with other attendees, possibly including Iran’s Masoud Pezeshkian. After the summit, the Chinese president will fly to Egypt, where he will meet...

A woman randomly stabbed two people in New York City’s Times Square on Monday, killing one woman, and then was fatally shot by police, according to officials. The shooting happened just before 4.30pm next to a New York Police Department substation, just outside One Times Square, the building that hosts the city’s annual New Year’s Eve ball drop celebration. It is one of the most heavily touristed and policed spots in all of New York. The 49-year-old woman from Queens pulled out two knives from a...

US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll is stepping down after 18 months on the job, the White House said Monday, in the latest departure of a top military leader during the Trump administration. No reason was given for the departure of Driscoll, who is a friend of US Vice-President J.D. Vance, but tensions with US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth have been widely reported. It marks the latest in a series of shake-ups of the military leadership, with the US Army especially seeing major upheaval. “Secretary...

The US Supreme Court on Monday allowed President Donald Trump to continue construction of his White House ballroom, granting him a major victory as he works to leave a permanent mark on Washington. The conservative-dominated court ruled 5-4 to lift a lower order demanding most construction be halted, saying that the plaintiff in the case likely did not have legal standing to sue. Chief Justice John Roberts joined the court’s three liberals in dissenting, writing in an opinion that the major...

Jurors in the Lindsay Clancy trial on Monday spent a third day deliberating without reaching a verdict on whether the former labour and delivery nurse is criminally responsible for killing her three children in 2023 – a case that has drawn attention to maternal mental health after childbirth. The jurors began discussing the case on Thursday in Plymouth County Superior Court in Massachusetts after hearing testimony from more than 70 prosecution witnesses, including her former husband, and 10...

A Chilean court on Monday fined a Chinese man caught with cocaine inside a Santiago prison, where he is being held on charges of homicide, kidnapping and drug trafficking. It was the second such ruling in five involving a Chinese inmate in five months, with prosecutors linking the two men to the same criminal network. Officers had searched Haifeng Tang at Santiago Uno prison on August 12, a day before his move to La Laguna, the maximum-security jail at the centre of President Jose Antonio Kast’s...

A man refusing to eat food while jailed on charges he shot two National Guard troops near the White House, killing one of them, can be fed against his will under a judge’s emergency order. US District Judge Amit Mehta agreed on Saturday to order “non-consensual” nutrition and medical treatment for Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who was rushed to a hospital in July after he stopped eating. Mehta said Federal Bureau of Prisons medical staff can feed Lakanwal intravenously or through a medical tube to save...

Top fashion designer John Galliano announced on Monday he is cancelling an exhibition of his work that was to kick off New York’s Met Gala next spring, following criticism from donors and political leaders over his past antisemitic remarks. “After much reflection and discussion with all those involved, I have decided, with great sadness, that it is best for the exhibition not to take place at this time,” Galliano, 65, wrote on Instagram. “I remain fully accountable for the pain caused by my...

Lithuania’s President Gitanas Nauseda said he has been briefed by the US on the content of CIA Director John Ratcliffe’s talks in Moscow, describing the visit as aimed at reducing regional tensions. “I can say at this stage that the meeting achieved its stated objectives, and it was aimed at reducing tensions in the region,” Nauseda said in Vilnius, according to Lithuanian media reports on Monday. “I very much hope that this message reached the Kremlin regime in good time.” He did not provide...

An ex-street gang leader accused of orchestrating the drive-by shooting death of hip-hop star Tupac Shakur three decades ago in Las Vegas was convicted of murder on Monday for his role in a long-unsolved crime that silenced one of rap music’s most influential voices. A jury in Clark County, Nevada, ‌deliberated for nearly three hours before finding Duane “Keffe D” Davis, 63, guilty of a single count of first-degree murder with a deadly weapon, capping an 11-day trial in a downtown Las Vegas...

US President Donald Trump will meet oil refining executives on Tuesday as he tries to tame fuel prices sent spiralling by the Iran war ahead of midterm elections in November, the White House said. The talks at the White House also come days after Trump announced a deal for a huge US stake in the oil reserves of Venezuela, whose leader Nicolas Maduro was toppled by US forces in January. Republicans fear voters will punish them in November’s crucial US midterm elections after high fuel prices...

France will from Tuesday impose a fee on ultra-fast fashion items that will eventually reach almost €20 (US$23.20) per garment, as the government targets major Asian e-commerce platforms including Shein. The levy follows legislation passed by the French parliament in June to regulate “ultra-fast fashion” companies, known for selling large volumes of lower-quality clothing at rock-bottom prices. It is part of a push to rein in Asian e-commerce giants including Shein, Temu and AliExpress, which...

We have selected seven of the most interesting and important news stories covering Latin American relations from the past few weeks. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Chinese executive filmed taking cash on Colombia metro project Colombian prosecutors are investigating allegations that executives of a Chinese state-owned contractor building the Bogota metro demanded cash from a local subcontractor in exchange for releasing payments owed for work on...

We have selected seven of the most interesting and important news stories covering US-China relations from the past few weeks. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Harvard, MIT among 30 US universities ordered to audit China research ties Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Johns Hopkins University were among 30 American institutions ordered to audit their foreign research relationships, according to US officials, as...

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Monday there were signs Russia and Israel had spread the disinformation over Spain’s migration policy that triggered last month’s rush of migrants into Ceuta, but no evidence of Moroccan involvement. Over 72,000 migrants irregularly crossed ‌from Morocco into the tiny Spanish territory between July 30 and 31 in an unprecedented surge at one of the European Union’s only two land borders with Africa, prompting alarm across the bloc. At least 100 people...

Israel signed a multibillion-dollar weapons deal with Greece, the largest between the two Mediterranean countries, as Israeli defence exports soar. Israel’s Defence Ministry said on Monday the nearly €3 billion (US$3.5 billion) defence export deal, coined Achilles Shield, was one of the country’s largest and included a multilayered air defence system for Greece using Israeli technology. “Israel and Greece share common strategic interests and face shared regional challenges. At a time when actors...

A UN committee has said countries are legally obliged to consider reparations for the transatlantic slave trade and take other measures to address the enduring legacy of racial discrimination it says persists today. Guidance published on Monday by the Committee on the Elimination of ‌Racial Discrimination stated that the obligations arise from a legally binding 1965 convention on racial discrimination, not from the legal standards that existed when the slave trade took place. The committee...

We have put together stories from our coverage last weekend to help you stay informed about news across Asia and beyond. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. What Japan’s coming fighter jet deployment to India means for China Japan plans to deploy fighter jets in India for the first time next month, a decision experts say reflects Tokyo’s desire to strengthen security cooperation with “like-minded” countries in the Indo-Pacific region as it ramps up...

Google has updated its maps application to rename Lake Ontario as “Lake America” for users in the United States, reflecting a recent order by US President Donald Trump that changed the name of the lake, the global technology giant said. The Google Maps update comes days after Trump’s order amid an escalating trade war with Canada that has led both countries to impose billions of dollars in added tariffs on each other’s goods. It echoes what Google did in 2025 when Trump issued an order to rename...

At least one person was killed and around 15 others are missing after a flash flood at the Grand Canyon, one of the most popular tourist sites in the United States, the National Park Service said in a statement on Sunday. The floods hit the Bright Angel Canyon and Phantom Ranch area on Saturday, forcing dozens of people to evacuate and damaging the sole water pipeline serving the park. The body of a 46-year-old man was recovered on Sunday evening near Crystal Rapids along the Colorado River in...

US forces struck Iranian rocket launchers on the Strait of Hormuz in their first military action in a month on Sunday, breaking a lull in fighting during an intermittent war that has lasted more than six months. Vowing to retaliate for what it called a deadly attack, Iran later said it had launched missiles at US sites in Jordan. Forces with the Revolutionary Guard Corps were observed preparing to launch rockets with sea mines into the strait, according to Tim Hawkins, a spokesman for the US...

A prominent leader of the dissident factions of the defunct Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia who operated in a volatile area in the country’s southwest region was killed on Sunday during a military operation, said President Abelardo de la Espriella. The president said the death of a man known as “Felipe” or “Arcadio” was a “crushing blow” to the dissident faction led by a man who goes by “Ivan Mordisco”. De la Espriella posted a video on social media presumably showing a person in a body...

US President Donald Trump on Sunday threatened a prominent NBC broadcast journalist with possible punishment by US media regulators as the Republican expressed disappointment with coverage of his candidate endorsements ahead of November’s midterm elections. Trump took to his Truth Social platform to attack Kristen Welker as the “unpopular ‘hostess’ of the once great Meet the Press” talk show. He objected to her having said the president had had “mixed results” on his endorsement of political...

Ukraine is preparing for a new round of talks with representatives of US President Donald Trump, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday, expressing hope that diplomacy can prevent open conflict from remaining the only path forward. “There will be more details tomorrow. We will do everything we can so that war does not remain the only option for how events unfold further,” Zelensky said in a televised address. “It is important that America shares many of our views on the situation”. US-led...

Iceland’s voters rejected restarting negotiations to join the European Union in a referendum that pitted concerns about geopolitical stability against keeping national control of Iceland’s prized fisheries, officials said on Sunday. Opponents defeated the measure by a margin of 52.8 per cent to 47.2 per cent, the National Electoral Commission said. The result puts the divisive issue to rest for now – more than a decade after a Eurosceptic government ended EU talks that had begun after the 2008...

A passenger ferry capsized and sank off Northern Cyprus Sunday, killing at least eight people and leaving more than a dozen missing, officials and media reports said, as police took the captain and seven crew members into custody. Several rescued passengers told local media a blast had gone off at the bow of the ferry before it rolled over, and said the boat had an insufficient supply of life-vests. The vessel capsized 6.5km (4 miles) off the coast of Cyprus, shortly after leaving a Northern...

Andy Burnham has enjoyed a honeymoon first month as UK prime minister, but the hard trade-offs involved in governing are about to get real as parliament returns from its summer break in the coming days. Since succeeding Keir Starmer on July 20, Burnham has pleased voters with several low-cost sweeteners, including cutting electricity bills and bus fares, while burnishing his casual man-of-the-people vibes. He has poured pints of beer with his finance minister, played guitar in Ukraine, and kept...

Earlier this month, when US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent threatened sanctions against any nation continuing to purchase Iranian crude oil, he did not name China. He did not need to. China, the Islamic Republic’s largest oil customer, is squarely in Washington’s crosshairs. The US has already unveiled new sanctions against 60 individuals, companies and vessels linked to Iranian trade, including some in mainland China and Hong Kong. Just three months after the May summit between President Xi...

Venezuelan hardliners and opposition forces alike criticised acting president Delcy Rodriguez for agreeing to grant the US exclusive access to the country’s valuable oil resources. She may be betting that the deal with US President Donald Trump is her ticket to a tighter grip on power. One potential advantage for Rodriguez is if the deal to give the US majority control over 65 billion barrels of Venezuelan crude hems in the Trump administration’s incentive to press for swift election. “I think...

Zurich, Aug 31, 2026 (AFP) -A 43-year-old Swiss man was arrested on Monday on “strong suspicion” of being behind a rare deadly gun attack at a rave in Switzerland, police said. Gunfire erupted in the early hours of Sunday morning as an annual rave was winding down at the racecourse in Aarau, capital of Switzerland’s northern canton of Aargau. The attack triggered an international manhunt for the shooter, who left an Italian woman dead and wounded five others, some seriously. “A 43-year-old Swiss...

Finland’s President Alexander Stubb said he did not believe ⁠Russia would risk ⁠an attack against a Nato country, ⁠telling Germany’s Bild newspaper it would “make no sense” to test the resolve of the alliance. Western officials have warned of a growing risk of Russian hybrid operations, including cyberattacks, against European countries potentially leading to a direct ‌confrontation with the Nato alliance. German officials have said they assess Russia would be in a position to attack a Nato...

From trolling Canada about a lake to suddenly talking about Kim Jong-un, US President Donald Trump’s recent distractions speak louder than words. The former reality television star has long been known for his reliance upon a simple tactic: when you don’t like what’s being said, change the conversation. But the 80-year-old’s recent stunts appear to be even more targeted than usual at wrestling the news away from the Iran war and the economy as difficult midterm elections loom in November. “This...

The New York Police Department made public the names of some of the people involved in a seemingly random knife attack on a crowded Manhattan street, but questions remained.

Pamela Cisneros was killed by the police in Times Square after she stabbed two people, one fatally. Her father said she had stopped going with him to her mental health appointments.

Officers who stood around a woman wielding two kitchen knives, and then opened fire without clearing the area, risked harming themselves or passers-by, the experts said.

Senator Ed Markey, 80, trounced a younger challenger who had made an argument for generational change. Two other longtime Democratic lawmakers hung on, too.

Representative Stephen Lynch, 71, a centrist, beat Patrick Roath, 39, in a primary that reflected the party’s generational and ideological divides.

Dan Koh, who ran with the endorsement of former President Joseph R. Biden Jr., topped a crowded field to secure the nomination in the safely Democratic Sixth Congressional District.

Representative Chuck Edwards received a formal rebuke on the floor after a speech in which he apologized for his conduct but said it did not constitute harassment.

Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. has been in the majority in divided cases more times than any other chief since 1953. But not this time.

The defense secretary’s cuts, which have hit about 10 percent of the military’s top officers, are dividing the Pentagon, officials said.

Amid a trade war, Canada’s Liberals swept three special votes and new polling suggested strong support for Prime Minister Mark Carney and his retaliatory tariffs against the U.S.

When a man was found guilty of orchestrating the murder of Tupac Shakur, it brought catharsis to many who knew the rapper. But questions remain even after the trial.

A new policy to be announced by the Department of Education bars younger students from using A.I., but stops short of a moratorium.

Initial results showed that residents of Independence, Mo., voted overwhelmingly to recall an official who backed billions of dollars in tax breaks for a data center.

It proposed a new goal of limiting the “overshoot” of rising temperatures and eventually figuring out how to undo the temperature gains, a highly uncertain path.

The judge said prosecutors had presented enough evidence to try the man accused of killing the conservative activist last year, who pleaded not guilty.

We must be honest about the seriousness of the situation we’re in.

With John Galliano, Anna Wintour cannot seem to separate the man from his work.

The 20-year-old was fitted with a tracking device under a Trump administrative initiative targeting Haitians in Springfield, Ohio.