Minimalist News

The Democrats' Financial Situation Appears To Be Worse Than Previously Known The Democratic Party's money problems have been an open secret for months. Federal Election Commission filings from around six months ago showed the Democratic National Committee entering the final stretch of last year with barely $12 million in its campaign account and nearly $16 million in debt , most of it stemming from a loan the committee took out the previous month. Donations had slumped just as the party needed them most. Since then, the political environment has arguably been extremely beneficial for Democrats, with President Donald Trump's low

Gold & Tech: How The Whales Trick The Retail Plankton Authored by Matthew Piepenburg via VonGreyerz.gold, Never in my 30+ years in the markets have I seen a monetary, precious metal and risk-asset setup more obvious yet more deliberately ignored than today. Below, we look at the converging signposts screaming from the tech/AI sector and the equally obvious (yet deliberately downplayed) signals from a precious metals market entering a watershed turning point. How the Whales Do Their “Magic” As warned for years, and more recently here at the precious metals symposium in Florida, the insider whales (central and commercial banks,

Blackstone Just Made A Physical AI Bet On Actuator-Maker Powering Humanoid Robots Blackstone, the world's largest alternative asset manager, is making a big investment in Futronic, a 33-year-old automotive supplier whose motion-control technology has been adapted for industrial and humanoid robots, according to Reuters . The deal values the South Korean firm at about 1 trillion won ($676.04 million), according to a person with knowledge of the matter. -RTRS The deal comes just ahead of the expected rise of physical AI, with forecasts from top desks indicating that global robot deliveries could begin ramping up later this year before accelerating

Did Scientists Just Solve The Biggest Mystery Holding Back Solid-State Batteries Authored by Alex Kimani via OilPrice.com, Scientists have identified the root causes of solid-state battery failures, discovering that internal pressure cracks the electrolyte while electrical imbalances trigger lithium growth that causes short circuits. The findings could accelerate commercialization by turning a long-standing scientific mystery into a solvable engineering challenge. Automakers including Toyota, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, and BMW are investing billions in solid-state batteries, with commercial EV deployments targeted for the second half of this decade Scientists now know why solid-state batteries have repeatedly failed. Two separate studies have identified the

"Demand Signal Is Real": US Bipartisan Senate Delegation Touts Defense Boom At Farnborough Airshow The Farnborough International Airshow kicked off on Monday and is one of the world's largest aerospace, aviation and defense trade shows. It is held every two years at Farnborough Airport in Hampshire. A Reuters report says that a bipartisan group of nine US senators urged allied European defense giants to expand production, as there is soaring demand for missiles, bombs, drones, and interceptors, and as Congress moves to boost defense spending. " Our message is encouragement to them to increase their capabilities to send the message

Proposed US Deal For Saudi Nuclear Enrichment Is Without Safeguards Via Middle East Eye The Trump administration has greenlit Saudi Arabia's nuclear enrichment project, but with no safeguards in place to prevent the development of a bomb, CNN reported on Friday. The draft deal, viewed by the news outlet, showed Washington's support for Riyadh’s civilian nuclear program is still awaiting President Donald Trump’s signature , despite US-Saudi negotiations concluding in October. via AFP Unnamed officials cited in the story indicated that the documents, which include the mandatory "123 agreement" and safeguards protocols, have not yet been sent to Congress, potentially

Three-Quarters Of Refugee-Linked Households In Vienna Rely On Taxpayer Handouts Via Remix News, Three-quarters of households in Vienna connected to migrants from popular asylum-origin countries are unable to support themselves without government benefits, according to figures analyzed by Statistics Austria. The analysis, cited by Kronen Zeitung , covered approximately 103,000 households across Austria containing at least one recognized refugee, asylum-seeker, or person granted subsidiary protection from Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Somalia, or Chechnya in the Russian Federation. Vienna recorded by far the highest rate of welfare dependence. About 75 percent of the households examined in the capital relied on minimum-income

Narrative Control: The Collapsing Authority Of The State Authored by Jacob Reynolds via 'Academy of Ideas' substack, Perhaps the central battleground of contemporary politics is the need of our political elites to control the narrative. Primarily, the role of establishment politicians is not to deliver changes and reforms, not to fix problems identified by people in their everyday lives, and not to change circumstances such that they can attract votes, but to maintain narrative hegemony. Crucially, this differs from previous attempts to maintain ideological hegemony – that is, to win the societal ‘battle of ideas’ – because ideological warfare was

Oregon Sees Disturbing Spike In Gender Transition Therapy For Children If you're curious to see what the US would look like under an entrenched progressive regime, deep blue states like Oregon offer special insight. Four years of woke Democrats running the show under the Biden Administration was bad enough - Pride flags draped across the White House and naked transgenders dancing across the lawn was an embarrassing moment for the nation. However, for people living on the West Coast, the agenda continues unabated. The children of blue states are still on the menu, and Oregon is surpassing them all with

Is China Sabotaging America's Data Centers? Authored by Lipton Matthews via American Greatness, China is the one foreign power with both the resources and the strategic incentive to shape American technology. Washington’s preoccupation with foreign influence has become almost reflexive, though curiously selective in its targets. Some lawmakers have built entire political identities around scrutinizing the influence of the Israel lobby on American foreign policy. Similarly, journalists trace Qatari money through American think tanks, and analysts fervently scrutinize Gulf investment in universities and sports franchises. Yet China, the one foreign power with both the resources and the strategic incentive to

National Guard Deployment To DC Will Continue Until Trump's Term Ends A new extension of the National Guard’s deployment to Washington will keep guardsmen in the nation’s capital until President Donald Trump’s term ends in more than two years. The Pentagon confirmed on Thursday that the mission for which National Guard troops were deployed will continue until Jan. 20, 2029, or until the president terminates it. The extension would allow National Guard members to remain in Washington until the next president is inaugurated, unless Trump ends the deployment early. The deployment was previously scheduled to expire at the end of

The False Choice Facing American Agriculture Authored by Mollie Engelhart via The Epoch Times , This week, I was talking with one of my neighbors, a good man who raises hay and runs a cow-calf operation. As we discussed different approaches to grazing and pasture management, he laughed and called some of my ideas "fantastical fairy tales." We both laughed. A farmer moves cattle from one pasture to another at a farm outside Swoope, Va., in 2024. Jeff Louderback/The Epoch Times We've known each other long enough that neither of us took offense. The truth is, some days even my

Woman Walks Into Ontario Police Department With Live World War II Grenade An Ontario police department is warning residents not to bring unexploded military munitions to the station after a woman walked in carrying a live World War II grenade, according to the NY Post . The incident happened at an Ottawa-area Ontario Provincial Police detachment, where officers said a resident arrived with the decades-old explosive after finding it while cleaning out her basement. The Post writes that the 77-year-old woman was immediately told to leave the grenade outside the building as a precaution. Police later said the device was

Inside California's Battle With The Marijuana Black Market Authored by Brad Jones via The Epoch Times , A convoy of sheriff's deputies heads into a vast network of illegal marijuana grow operations in the foothills of Mount Shasta in California's Siskiyou County. They drive into a dusty encampment strewn with garbage and piles of empty plastic fertilizer containers, a blight on the otherwise scenic landscape. Siskiyou County Sheriff Jeremiah LaRue participates in marijuana enforcement operations outside Montague, Calif., on June 4, 2026. The sheriff's department is spread thin, with limited staff to cover nearly 6,300 square miles. John Fredricks/The Epoch

NYC Street Vendors Now Openly Selling Illegal Prescription Pills Across 10 Blocks What looks like an ordinary row of street vendors in Washington Heights is, in reality, an illegal outdoor pharmacy, according to the NY Post . Along roughly half a mile of St. Nicholas Avenue, between West 179th and West 183rd streets, vendors openly sell prescription medications from folding tables, offering everything from antibiotics and pain medications to erectile dysfunction pills and over-the-counter remedies. The Post writes that the operation stretches across about 10 blocks, with dozens of nearly identical setups displaying loose blister packs, bottles, and boxed medications.

Winter Is Coming: The Work To Keep Us Warm Is Underway Authored by Larry Behrens via RealClearEnergy , As temperatures near 100 degrees across the country, the last thing on the minds of most Americans are worrying about is…heat. Not the summer heat. The other kind. Winter is coming, and in just a few months, millions of Americans will move from cranking up their air conditioners to firing up their furnaces. Fortunately, the same American energy source that kept millions cool during the recent heat wave is already preparing to keep them warm this winter. Natural gas. During the recent

Trump Reaches For A 1930 Tariff Law To Hit Canada With 50% Duties - But Not On These Items President Donald Trump signed three proclamations Monday imposing an additional 50 percent tariff on a broad list of Canadian goods , accusing Canada of discriminating against American dairy, alcohol, and auto exports. The White House said the president was acting to hold Canada accountable for what it called "continued discrimination" against U.S. commerce, according to The Epoch Times . The duties take effect in 30 days. American whiskey is seen on the shelves of a SAQ liquor store in Montreal on

Border Czar Warns New York City That 'ICE Surge' Is Coming, Enforcement Expanding Authored by Bryan Hyde via American Greatness, Federal Border Czar Tom Homan has announced that an unprecedented surge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents is coming to New York City in response to the city’s sanctuary policies. Homan told Fox News on Sunday , “It’s coming,” citing the Trump administration’s refusal to be hampered by Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s vow to champion the city’s sanctuary status and to continue resisting federal immigration enforcement. Homan refused to discuss specifics as to where and when enforcement actions would occur

Trevor Milton Must Pay $581K In Fees After Losing Suit Against CNBC And Hindenburg, Court Orders Trevor Milton's unsuccessful defamation case against CNBC and Hindenburg Research has ended with another costly setback for the disgraced Nikola founder. A New Jersey judge ordered the Nikola founder to reimburse CNBC $286,087 in attorneys' fees and litigation expenses after Milton ultimately lost his appeal. Hindenburg Research will also be reimbursed by Milton to the tune of $270,475 in fees, costs of $14,053 and $10,992 in other fees, according to the order, made available on Monday. Milton's lawsuit against CNBC and Hindenburg was dismissed

Iranian Strikes On US Bases In Jordan Aided By 'Accurate Intel' From Locals, IRGC Says Via The Cradle Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced Monday that its most recent retaliatory operations against US military assets in Jordan were carried out with "cooperation and accurate information" provided by the Jordanian people . "Honorable people and troops of Jordan, thank you for your sincere cooperation and accurate information that led to the precise targeting of US forces … and the destruction of 20 shelters where child-killing US forces were stationed in the Al-Azraq (Muwaffaq Salti) Base," it said. The IRGC added

Mark Carney says Canada has made proposals to resolve dispute as tariffs are due to be imposed on wide range of goods Sign up for US Breaking News email Donald Trump is in Washington today. We’ll hear from him when he welcomes Lebanon’s president, Joseph Aoun , to the White House at 11am ET. We’ll bring you the latest lines from their bilateral meeting. Later, Trump will meet with House Republican lawmakers in the Oval Office at 5pm ET. That’s currently closed to the press, but we’ll let you know if that changes. Continue reading...

Chiefs in Ontario say they were left to self-evacuate before homes burned to ground, after being told there was no imminent threat Fast-moving wildfires have burned two First Nations communities in Canada to the ground, as members said they were left to self-evacuate without government help or emergency alerts. Thirteen communities in Ontario province have been ordered to evacuate because of wildfires, most of them First Nations. The Ontario premier, Doug Ford, told reporters on Monday that close to 2,000 people had been evacuated so far to cities including Toronto and Niagara Falls. Continue reading...

Turmoil likely as Trump officials say Canada unfairly discriminated against US autos, alcohol and dairy products Donald Trump is imposing 50% tariffs on most Canadian goods in response to the country retaliating against previous US tariffs, the White House announced Monday, declaring Canada has unfairly discriminated against American cars, alcohol and dairy products. The tariffs will hit a wide range of products, the White House said, including wine, hockey sticks and cement. They also include goods previously protected from import taxes under the United States-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) agreement. Continue reading...

New report denounces Havana and claims ‘campaign of subversion’ has infiltrated highest levels of US government As part of the Trump administration’s continuing attack on left-leaning groups, the US state department has listed several activists and organizations as “front groups and fellow travelers” for Cuba, including Hasan Piker and Amazon Labor Union founder Chris Smalls. In a 100-page report released on Monday, the state department denounces Cuba as the “capital of 21st-century communism”, accusing the Cuban government of carrying out a “campaign of subversion” that has “infiltrated the highest reaches of the US government, recruited and cultivated generations of American

Daniel Ortega, the 80-year-old authoritarian leader, says move will ‘build a wall’ against the opposition Nicaragua’s long-serving president, Daniel Ortega, has said the country will hold no further elections to prevent the opposition from coming to power. The 80-year-old authoritarian leader, who has been in office since 2007, also said he would work with the congress he controls to pass new laws that would “build a wall” against the opposition. Continue reading...

Many of the more than 100 people awaiting processing on the tiny Pacific island are skipping meals to make ends meet, a new survey has found Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Most refugees and asylum seekers held in Nauru’s detention centres say they cannot afford to buy enough food or access clean drinking water, despite the Australian government spending the equivalent of more than $9m per person last financial year. The group of more than 100 people have been sent indefinitely to the tiny

Distillery owner could face only three months in jail over alleged poisoning of Australian teenagers Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast The Australian government has increased its travel alert level for Laos, advising travellers to “exercise a high degree of caution” due to the risk of methanol poisoning. It comes as a distillery owner in Laos was charged after a mass methanol poisoning incident killed six foreign nationals, including the Australian backpackers Bianca Jones and Holly Morton-Bowles. Continue reading...

Escaped flowerhorn cichlids are causing concern for native species and about parasites capable of infecting humans Escaped ornamental aquarium fish have integrated into a local ecosystem in the Philippines, but scientists say they may be threatening the native biodiversity of the lake. Flowerhorn cichlids – human-bred hybrid fish prized for their bright-gold colour and prominent head humps – are believed to have escaped from breeding facilities into Lake Sampaloc, which sits in a volcanic crater, during a typhoon. Continue reading...

Arrest in Pennsylvania of Wu Shaoping, who is awaiting asylum decision, raises fears of deportation and persecution A Chinese human rights lawyer has been arrested by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), raising concerns he could be deported to China where he would face persecution. Wu Shaoping fled China at the end of 2019 amid a crackdown on human rights lawyers. He travelled to the US on a tourist visa and made an asylum claim in 2020, for which he is still awaiting a decision. Continue reading...

Storms are typical during intense heat but this week’s have been extreme. Plus, deadly monsoon rains in Bangladesh Hailstones the size of golf balls have been seen in French villages as, on top of the exceptional European heatwave, thunderstorms have struck across parts of Europe. While thunderstorms are typical during and after a period of extreme heat, the storms across countries such as France, Germany and Poland have been particularly severe, bringing flooding, strong winds and heavy showers with large balls of hail. Continue reading...

Beyond the diplomatic platitudes global media focuses on the ‘immense’ scale of the challenge he faces in the job UK politics live – latest updates World leaders have warmly congratulated Andy Burnham on his entry into 10 Downing Street as Britain’s seventh prime minister in a decade, but international media largely focused on the scale of the challenges awaiting him. Emmanuel Macron, France’s president, said he hoped for a deeper relationship “in the service of our peoples, and by giving new momentum to the partnership between the UK and the EU” rekindled by Burnham’s predecessor, Keir Starmer. Continue reading...

Follow today’s news live Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Alpine ski resorts in New South Wales and Victoria saw climate records shattered at the weekend with maximum temperatures up to 12C above average. Ski areas of Mount Hotham and Falls Creek set July records for their hottest daytime and night-time temperatures and Thredbo also set a new hottest July day, according to the Bureau of Meteorology. We want to see more Australian ideas commercialised, more Australian technology deployed globally, and more of the economic value harnessed here at home . Continue reading...

Maps of Hope has been certified by Proudly Human, a company led by former chief scientist, Dr Alan Finkel Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast A collection of speeches and writings by Pope Leo XIV has been certified as human-authored less than two months after Leo declared artificial intelligence the greatest threat to humanity. Proudly Human, the Australian company spearheaded by Australia’s former chief scientist, Dr Alan Finkel, undertook a review of a collection of writings and speeches by the pope, in collaboration with the

George Foster tells royal commission Australia’s democratic institutions fundamentally different, ‘but I can’t ignore certain disturbing parallels in the social atmosphere’ Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast A rise in antisemitism across Australia has “disturbing parallels” with the social climate of Nazi Germany, the president of the Australian Holocaust survivors association says. George Foster, the president of the Australian Association of Jewish Holocaust Survivors and Descendants, told the antisemitism royal commission that he did not believe Australia was “becoming another Germany in the 1930s”. Continue

Interim report not able to draw ‘nexus’ between matters referred to child protection and circumstances leading to five-year-old’s alleged murder •Warning: This story contains references to Indigenous Australians who have died Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Kumanjayi Little Baby’s mother was “effectively” left alone to protect her children while also experiencing domestic violence, because child protection authorities failed to adequately assess multiple threats to her safety, a draft review has found. But the interim report, tabled in parliament on Tuesday, found that despite those

European leaders have made positive noises about the new UK PM, but he is likely to face the same restrictions as Starmer UK politics live – latest updates Andy Burnham is unknown in Brussels, but that will soon change. In his schedule for the autumn is an EU-UK summit that may underscore the same dilemmas that have confronted previous British prime ministers in the relationship with Europe. EU leaders were quick to offer congratulations to Britain’s prime minister, the seventh since the 2016 Brexit referendum. The European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, said she looked forward to strengthening the

Interviews with residents of Russian-held region point to frustration with Moscow as Ukrainian campaign to isolate it takes toll on daily life First, the guests stopped coming. As Ukrainian drones and missiles pounded Crimea throughout the spring and into the summer, Russian tourists began cancelling their bookings at the small guesthouse Marina runs in Yevpatoria, a resort town on the peninsula’s Black Sea coast. Then petrol became scarce, making it harder to stock the business with food and other essentials. Now, electricity and running water are cut off for much of the day, just as the summer heat sets in.

Teargas and water cannon used on protesters after Abderrahim ⁠Fakir died pleading for help from police Police have clashed with demonstrators during a protest in the Italian city of Bologna after a Moroccan-born man died pleading for help under police restraint. Human rights campaigners and Italy’s opposition parties have demanded urgent answers over the death on Sunday of Abderrahim ⁠Fakir, 42, who had lived in Italy since he was five years old and ran a small removals and cleaning business. Continue reading...

Neustrashimy suddenly announced it intended to fire its guns and conducted 30-minute drill south of Plymouth A Russian warship conducted a rare live-fire exercise in the Channel 45 miles south of Plymouth on Monday, the day Andy Burnham was appointed as prime minister. The Neustrashimy suddenly announced it intended to fire its guns and requested that a British warship, which had been tracking it, retreat to a safe distance. Continue reading...

Research during Hungary election shows AI recommended parties not running and gave highly volatile answers to identical prompts AI chatbots provide inaccurate, inconsistent and unreliable guidance to voters asking which party they should back, a study suggests, often recommending the wrong party, not mentioning the right one, or listing parties not even running. “The results raise serious concerns about the reliability of general-purpose AI systems in electoral contexts,” the study , published by the civil liberties group Liberties and based on research during this year’s Hungarian parliamentary elections, concluded. Continue reading...

Revolutionary Guard claims attack on oil tanker and two other ships as US carries out tenth consecutive night of strikes Full report: Almost 100 troops injured in recent weeks, Pentagon admits, as Iran launches reprisals on US allies Lebanon’s president, Joseph Aoun, is due to meet Donald Trump for the first time today as he wraps up a four-day visit to Washington. The meeting coincides with ongoing US-mediated talks between Lebanon and Israel. The two sides announced a “framework agreement” on 26 June which stipulates the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon as well as the disarmament of Hezbollah.

Residents of Deir Jarir say raids that killed two Palestinians late on Sunday are part of pattern of violence Even by the brutal standards of militant settler violence in the West Bank, the raid on Deir Jarir late on Sunday night that killed two Palestinians and left another in hospital with a gunshot wound was extreme. Palestinians in the town said settlers from a nearby outpost arrived after 9pm on Sunday claiming that they were searching for stolen livestock. Israeli soldiers and police soon joined them, protecting them as they sought to take several villagers’ sheep by force. Continue reading...

People gather at cafes and outdoor screenings to support team after Spain’s backing for Palestinian rights The Spanish football team’s World Cup win has been celebrated in the streets of Gaza, where Spain’s support for Palestinian rights and Israel’s backing for the Argentinian team turned the competition into more than a football showdown. Gathered at cafes and outdoor screenings, Palestinians defied the risk of Israeli attacks to cheer on a team they had taken to their hearts. Continue reading...

This blog is now closed – our live coverage of the Middle East crisis continues here The price of oil jumped in early Asian trade on Monday after the US carried out its latest wave of strikes on Iran and a vessel caught fire in the strait of Hormuz. Brent crud e for September delivery rose 2.72% to $90.50 a barrel by around 0100 GMT, after briefly crossing $91 – its highest price since June. CENTCOM assets targeted Iranian military command centers, air defense and coastal surveillance sites, maritime capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and communications networks to further

Iran has attacked a tanker in the strait of Hormuz, forcing its crew to abandon the ship, after the US launched a tenth consecutive night of strikes Middle East crisis live: follow latest updates Nearly 100 US service members have been injured over the last two weeks of escalating strikes on Iran, the Pentagon has said, as Tehran launched a wave of reprisals to the tenth consecutive night of attacks. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on Tuesday they had targeted US military sites including air defence systems and a radar installation in Bahrain and Kuwait, while a tanker in the strait

National disaster agency confirms ‘severe financial and human losses’ in eastern province of Nuristan Rescue crews in Afghanistan are searching for survivors and bodies among the rubble of houses destroyed by devastating flash floods that authorities said had killed nearly two dozen people and left more than 100 people missing. The Afghanistan national disaster management authority said on Tuesday that 23 people had died, 80 had been injured and more than 100 were missing after floods struck the eastern province of Nuristan on Monday, causing an undetermined number of buildings to collapse. The provincial capital city of Parun was among

Youth-led group calls on education minister to quit in one of India’s largest anti-government rallies in years Tens of thousands of protesters have defied police orders and descended on Delhi to demand the resignation of India’s education minister in one of the largest anti-government demonstrations in years. A huge crowd, largely made up of students and gen Z-ers, filled the streets in the heart of India’s capital from early Monday morning shouting anti-government slogans. Hundreds had already camped out overnight. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Outdoor workers losing up to 9% of income as weather becomes ‘poverty multiplier’, research says Extreme heat is pushing some of India’s poorest workers further into poverty, with income losses of up to 9% for outdoor workers, new research has found. Analysis done by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), and shared exclusively with the Guardian, found that extreme heat is acting as a “poverty multiplier” for hundreds of millions of workers in India’s informal sector. Continue reading...

Vessels believed to have departed from Myanmar in late June, with mostly Muslim Rohingya minority onboard The United Nations has said more than 500 people are feared dead after reports of two large shipwrecks off Myanmar since late June. The UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM) and its refugee agency UNHCR voiced alarm in a joint statement at reports “that two boats carrying more than 500 people may have capsized off the coast of Myanmar in recent days”. Continue reading...

Innocent man lynched by mob in West Bengal as police killing of suspect further escalates tensions Protests have engulfed the Indian state of West Bengal after the rape and murder of an 11-year-old girl, the subsequent lynching of an innocent man and the police killing of one of the accused. Outrage erupted on Sunday after the body of a missing girl was recovered from a pond in a town just outside the state capital, Kolkata. Continue reading...

The new prime minister said he wants his government to look at ‘all possible ways’ to help families with high costs Burnham to cut VAT on electricity bills in first cost-of-living move António Costa, the president of the European council, said in a post on X that he held a “good” phone call with Andy Burnham last night, in which he said they agreed to “further strengthen” EU-UK relations and continue to cooperate to support Ukraine. He said there was also discussion about “common geopolitical challenges facing Europe”, which could be a reference to many things, including energy prices soaring

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news More on the cost of living: new figures show that UK grocery inflation eased in the four weeks to 12th July to 2.6%, its lowest rate since December 2024. It marks the fifth consecutive month of slowing price rises, Worldpanel by Numerator found. Easing price rises will come as welcome news to shoppers, but the annual bill tells a fuller story. The average household spent £5,530 on groceries over the past twelve months to July, up £156 on the same period last year - a reminder that even as the rate

Move would give government veto over big decisions and hostile takeovers, after Burnham’s call for greater public control Business live – latest updates The group of investors pursuing a rescue bid for Thames Water have offered the government a “golden share” in a last-ditch attempt to persuade Andy Burnham not to nationalise Britain’s biggest water company. London & Valley Water (L&VW), a consortium of 100 institutional investors that hold £17bn of the company’s £21bn debt, said it recognised the new prime minister wanted greater public control and to strengthen the accountability of the water company. Continue reading...

From the Treasury to the Home Office, we look at who is heading up key departments in new PM’s government Burnham vows his arrival in power will be ‘circuit breaker’ moment for UK Six highlights from Andy Burnham’s first Downing Street speech Andy Burnham has appointed his first cabinet, with the new prime minister rewarding those who have been loyal to his takeover efforts. He had promised to pick his top team from all wings of the party in an effort to show he is trying to run a more inclusive administration. But at the same time, his decision to

Figure of £16bn from ONS comes after Andy Burnham revealed plans to cut VAT on electricity bills Business live – latest updates The UK government borrowed less than expected in June, in a boost for Andy Burnham as he set out plans to cut VAT on household electricity bills and promised a new direction for the British economy. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said public sector net borrowing – the difference between government spending and income – was £16bn last month, £7.9bn less than in June 2025. Continue reading...

Officials sought identity of sources ‘long before’ reporters wrote about the president’s Air Force One jet from Qatar Donald Trump’s administration sought phone records of several New York Times journalists and even those of some of their relatives, according to a motion unsealed Monday – an unusually aggressive attempt to unmask the confidential sources of reporters who wrote about the president’s Air Force One jet from Qatar. The Trump administration’s push to compel the identity of sources in the form of additional subpoenas comes at a time when the executive branch’s relationship with the press is increasingly contentious. The efforts,

Exclusive Harris poll for Guardian reveals Americans’ assumptions about stock market and wider economy Two in five Americans believe the stock market isn’t for them and only benefits the top 1%, according to a new Harris Poll poll exclusive to the Guardian that surveyed investing habits and knowledge about the economy. The poll found a similar share of Americans had incorrect assumptions about the relationship between the economy and the stock market. Nearly 40% did not know that the economy and the stock market were not the same thing. And two-thirds of Americans incorrectly believed that a growing stock market

Salah Sarsour, president of Wisconsin’s largest mosque, said ‘dehumanizing’ treatment reminded him of time spent in Israeli military jail The president of Wisconsin’s largest mosque said he was subjected to “dehumanizing” treatment during more than 80 days in federal immigration custody – treatment that reminded him of the time he spent in Israeli military prisons in occupied Palestine nearly four decades ago. “It all brought back old memories of things that happened to me when I was tried in Palestine,” said Salah Sarsour in his first interview since being released last month. “The humiliation, the treatment by guards, the way

Democrats call for end to war’s resumption amid widespread anxiety over casualties. Plus: Ted Lasso’s Hannah Waddingham on finding stardom in her 50s • Don’t already get First Thing in your inbox? Sign up here Good morning. Democrats have seized on the killing of three US troops in Iranian strikes to urge Donald Trump to reverse his resumption of the war with Iran . Amid widespread anxiety over rising numbers of casualties, Chris Murphy, a Democratic senator for Connecticut, accused the president of having “frighteningly lost control of this war”. Even as US forces launched a 10th consecutive wave of

Christopher Popps, 54, arrested in Michigan on second-degree murder charge in death of Patrick Dearth A Michigan man suspected of having murdered a co-worker in Alaska in 1993 was arrested recently after he called in what he intended to be an anonymous tip revealing where he had hidden the victim’s long missing body, according to investigators. Christopher Popps, 54, faces charges of second-degree murder in the death of Patrick Dearth, Alaska state police said in a statement detailing the latest developments in a case that had remained unsolved for more than three decades. Continue reading...

Iran targeted US radar and air defence installations in the Gulf on Tuesday, warning Washington of “more decisive and powerful” attacks to come as the conflict threatened to widen with a blockade of Saudi ports by Houthi rebels in Yemen. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they had attacked and stopped two “non-compliant oil tankers” attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz, part of an effort to tighten its grip on the vital waterway while the war reignited. Following the deaths of at least three...

The US Department of Justice said on Monday it launched a probe reviewing whether some Harvard University financial aid programmes were discriminatory, marking the latest fight against ‌the university by President Donald Trump’s administration. “The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division announced today it is opening a compliance review into Harvard University to determine whether its China-based financial aid programmes and practices exclude American-citizen students,” the department said...

US President Donald Trump signed orders on Monday to impose new 50 per cent tariffs on many Canadian goods, claiming “discriminatory treatment” by Ottawa against American alcohol, automobile and dairy products. The tariffs take effect in 30 days and cover various items including wine, hockey sticks and cement, said the White House. Trump, who saw many of his tariffs struck down by the Supreme Court this year, tapped an untested legal provision for the new duties – Section 338 of the Tariff Act...

Oil prices are set to rise once more as renewed US attacks on Iran leave the Strait of Hormuz, a major artery of oil trade, closed again. With US strategic petroleum reserves at their lowest in over 40 years, America will have trouble keeping oil prices below US$100 a barrel, as it has mostly done in the war so far. Analysts warn that sustained oil prices above US$100 risk accelerating inflation, depressing consumption and inviting recession. They have also turned their attention to China and...

A federal judge in California on Monday ordered Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros Discovery to temporarily pause their merger while a case brought by multiple states challenging the deal moves forward. The companies are prohibited from closing their US$110 billion deal for 14 days until another hearing is held on August 3 regarding a preliminary injunction, which would prevent Paramount and Warner Bros from closing the transaction before a final decision is reached. The states raised “serious...

Social media influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate will fight extradition to the United Kingdom where the brothers are accused of rape and sex trafficking, their lawyer said on Monday, suggesting their arrest in Miami was politically motivated without explaining why. The Tates appeared in federal court on Monday for the first time since their arrest on Saturday and were being held in federal detention. In the coming weeks, a US district judge would consider whether they meet the conditions for...

Chess legend Judit Polgar on Monday turned down Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar’s offer to join his push to break with the Viktor Orban era as the country’s president. The pro-European conservative had nominated Polgar, widely considered the greatest woman to have taken to the chequered board, as a figure from outside politics to help carry out his promise of “regime change” from Orban’s hardline 16-year tenure. “I do not feel I have the strength to take on the historic responsibility of...

Chinese ⁠Premier ⁠Li Qiang on Monday extended congratulations to Andy Burnham on ‌becoming Britain’s new prime minister. Strengthening dialogue and cooperation between ⁠China and Britain will benefit ‌the two countries and “inject stability into global ‌peace”, Li said in ⁠his ⁠message, Reuters reported. “I am willing to ‌work with the prime minister ‌to strengthen exchanges, ‌enhance mutual ‌trust, promote communication and cooperation, ⁠and advance the long-term, ⁠stable comprehensive...

British prosecutors said ⁠on Monday a 28-year-old man ⁠had been charged with murdering ⁠former government minister Ann Widdecombe, and police said they were still investigating why she was attacked. Widdecombe, 78, who was a prominent member of Nigel Farage’s populist Reform UK, was found at her home in rural southwest England on July 9, ‌after sustaining what police described as serious injuries. She stood down from parliament in 2010. Joshua Kerry, a white British national from northern...

Hungary’s government announced an investigation on Monday into a large foreign investment by Chinese carmaker BYD negotiated by a former foreign minister who last week resigned from parliament to take an executive position at the company. Peter Szijjarto’s announcement last Wednesday that he would take the job at the world’s top electric carmaker prompted accusations of a conflict of interest and criticism over his role in organising substantial government subsidies to the company while in...

Mexican drug kingpin Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada was sentenced on Monday to life in prison in the US, after a plea deal last year in which he admitted to shipping millions ‌of kilograms of cocaine over decades as leader of the violent Sinaloa Cartel. Zambada is one of the most high-profile Mexican drug traffickers to be sentenced in a US court since fellow Sinaloa leader Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman was sentenced to life in prison in 2019. In handing down the sentence at a hearing in Brooklyn federal...

As trade tensions with China reach boiling point, EU officials are ramping up engagement with Beijing in search of an off-ramp. Quietly behind the scenes, though, Europe is preparing for a trade war. In Brussels, a steely determination has set in to ensure the bloc’s manufacturing heartlands are not deindustrialised by the “China Shock 2.0”. With some industries already haemorrhaging jobs, the EU’s resilience-building and de-risking plans are now laced with deterrents as Brussels looks to...

Andy Burnham took office on Monday as Britain’s new prime minister, promising a 10-year plan to restore political stability and revive the economy while acknowledging that six other UK leaders have tried and failed to do so in the past decade. Speaking outside 10 Downing Street minutes after being formally appointed by King Charles, Burnham pledged to ease the cost of living for ordinary people, decentralise political power, revitalise industry and end street sleeping by homeless people. He said...

A teenager died and several people were injured during celebrations of Spain’s victory in the World Cup after a fountain collapsed in western Spain, local authorities and media said on Monday. “The city hall of Ciudad Rodrigo expresses its sadness and presents its condolences for the death of a boy of 13,” the municipality said in a Facebook post. “What should have been a celebration of Spain’s team in the football World Cup turned into tragedy,” it said, adding that several others were...

Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas announced on Monday that it had elected Khalil al-Hayya, the group’s lead negotiator in indirect ceasefire talks with Israel, as the new head of its political bureau. “The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) announces the election of brother mujahid Khalil al-Hayya as head of the movement’s political bureau, succeeding the martyred leader Yahya al-Sinwar,” Hamas said in a statement. Sinwar, whom Israel accused of being one of the principal architects of the...

Facing Europe’s ever-widening trade deficit with Beijing, Berlin is increasingly singing the same tune as Paris. The two nations displayed a united front at this year’s Franco-German Ministerial Council, which will soon be put on paper in a joint road map due by September at the request of Germany. “Our work between Germany and France is indispensable at a time when Russia threatens our security, when the People’s Republic of China challenges our economy, and when the transatlantic partnership...

The EU on Monday slapped a €550 million (US$630 million) fine on online retailer AliExpress for allowing the sale of illegal products, including unsafe toys and cosmetics. The European Union said AliExpress also did not do enough to stop the sale of counterfeit products and that when the platform detected illegal goods were on sale, many remained online for several weeks. The EU found some of the products sold on the platform did not meet the bloc’s strict environmental and safety standards...

North Korea’s top diplomat was in Moscow this weekend for talks analysts say likely focused on fresh ammunition and missile shipments to feed Russia’s war in Ukraine, while also laying the groundwork for a possible visit by Kim Jong-un. Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui met Vladimir Putin on Sunday, more than two years after Russia’s president had invited Kim to Moscow during their landmark summit in Pyongyang in June 2024. On Sunday, Putin expressed fresh gratitude for North Korea’s assistance in...

Lockheed Martin announced a lower-cost Patriot interceptor on Monday as militaries seek cheaper ways to counter drones ‌and missiles, while defence contractors face competition from start-ups making low-cost weapons that can be produced at scale. Lockheed said its new PAC-3 Adapted Capability Effector (ACE) missile would cost less than half as much as its PAC-3 MSE interceptors, which cost roughly US$4 million per missile, according to US Army budget documents. Initial production could ⁠start...

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. China built megaprojects in Ivory Coast, now it’s own role is changing Beijing is transitioning from contractor to stakeholder in the fast-growing African economy, with US$209 million tourist complex in the mix. 2. Sun Fanglin, Chinese scientist who paved way for new cancer drugs, dies at...

US President Donald Trump said that the ⁠Qatari-donated jet that served as an Air ⁠Force One plane would soon be sent away for upgrades, following questions about the plane’s security features. Trump started flying aboard the jumbo jet on July 1 after accepting the plane as a gift last year, when an accelerated effort to renovate the ‌Boeing 747 for presidential use began. But Trump unexpectedly ditched the plane on a flight from Turkey to the United Kingdom amid rising hostility with Iran on...

US President Donald Trump ⁠said that he told Canadian ⁠Prime Minister Mark Carney that Canada must do better at controlling Ontario wildfires whose smoke has affected several US states. The day after threatening to levy additional tariffs ‌on Canadian goods to punish Canada over the wildfire smoke, Trump said he spoke to Carney at the Fifa World Cup final that both of them attended on Sunday. “I have a good relationship with Mark Carney, but we’ve got to ⁠stop the fires up there,” Trump told...

Iran is fighting a “full-scale war” with the United States, its president said on Monday, as Washington expanded its strikes across the Islamic republic. The declaration came as Tehran’s Yemeni allies, the Houthi rebels, threatened to broaden the war even further by announcing they would blockade Saudi ports, putting at risk Riyadh’s ability to bypass the Strait of Hormuz for some of its oil exports. Throughout the war, which began in late February, Iran has hit countries across the region,...

Ukraine said on Sunday that Russian missile strikes on a Turkish-owned cargo ship carrying grain had killed six people, hours after Moscow fired a fresh barrage of missiles at Kyiv. Ukraine’s navy said Russia had launched three cruise missiles at the Golden Leo, which flies the flag of Guinea-Bissau, as it was “leaving the combat zone with a cargo of grain”. Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga said the crew had included citizens of Syria and India, while Prime Minister Sergiy Koretsky said the vessel...

At least 27 people are dead and 83 more are missing after a ferry capsized off the coast of Guyana over the weekend, Prime Minister Mark Phillips said on Monday. The search for survivors is continuing after the MV Barima flipped over late on Saturday, with Phillips telling a press conference that 69 people had been rescued so far. The previous death toll had stood at 10. The ageing ferry MV Barima left the small English-speaking country at the northeast corner of South America on Saturday...

The US military on Sunday reported the death of another US soldier, bringing the total US military death toll in the Iran war to 17. In a post on social media, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said a soldier was killed in northern Iraq on Saturday during a controlled detonation of unexploded ordnance from a downed Iranian one-way attack drone. A second soldier sustained minor injuries and is continuing to receive medical treatment, it said. This came a day after the US military reported that two...

Musical headliners Madonna, Shakira, Justin Bieber, BTS and Coldplay were joined by Brazilian football icons and Ted Lasso actors in a spectacular first-ever Fifa World Cup final half-time show on Sunday. The star-packed, Super Bowl-style extravaganza – a first for football’s showpiece event – also featured a tribute to football icon Pele, and a rendition of “Seven Nation Army” led by Gustavo Dudamel and featuring musicians from the US, Venezuela and Iran. Sesame Street and The Muppets...

Thousands of Israelis, including settlers and right-wing activists, marched towards the border with Gaza on Sunday, calling on the government to re-establish Israeli settlements in the war-shattered Palestinian territory, an Agence France-Presse journalist reported. The demonstrators gathered near the border before walking in large numbers towards the fence overlooking northern Gaza, where Israeli security forces deployed to prevent participants from advancing further. Agence France-Presse...

Football fans launched a unique protest against US President Donald Trump and Fifa chief Gianni Infantino at Sunday’s World Cup final. Red cards were handed out in New York and New Jersey to those on their way to the MetLife Stadium for the Spain v Argentina clash. Protest organisers hope fans will hold up the red cards during the handing over of the trophy to demonstrate their anger at Trump and Infantino. The duo are set to give the winning captain the World Cup trophy. The red cards featured...

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday denounced New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani after he said he is considering whether to arrest the Israeli leader during a coming United Nations summit. “Mr Mamdani should focus on fixing the damage his policies have caused New York,” Netanyahu’s office said, in a post on its official X account. “Like Karim Khan, Mamdani appears interested in diverting public attention from his follies and attacking the leader of the Jewish state and...

The Chinese company that formerly owned British Steel demanded on Sunday compensation from the UK government for investment losses following the nationalisation of the manufacturer last week. The British government took operational control of the company last year after Jingye Group said it was considering closing the blast furnaces at its Scunthorpe plant in northern England, the last in the United Kingdom to make “virgin steel” from raw materials. Jingye Group said in a WeChat statement that...

At least six people were killed and 21 injured after two earthquakes struck a mountainous region of Peru, the country’s civil defence chief said ‌on Sunday. The earthquakes, measuring magnitudes 5.1 and 3.7, hit on Saturday night in Chupaca province in the Junin region, about 300km (186 miles) east of Lima, according to Peru’s National Seismological Centre post on social media. The ⁠first earthquake struck at a depth of 24km (15 ‌miles) and the second at 18km, the centre said. The...

US President Donald Trump has said people in the Scottish city of Aberdeen will be “dancing in the streets” following reports Andy Burnham could back new oil and gas drilling in the North Sea. The incoming UK prime minister, dubbed the “King of the North” for his work as ‌the mayor of Greater Manchester in northwestern England, has not confirmed reports that he is considering approving new fossil fuel production, particularly in the North Sea’s Rosebank and Jackdaw fields. But in a post on his...

Russia battered Ukraine’s capital Kyiv overnight with one of its biggest ballistic missile barrages of the war, killing at least one person and wounding 16 others, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday. A series ‌of powerful explosions thundered across the darkened city in an attack that involved 41 missiles of various types and ravaged buildings across several districts. Residential buildings, warehouses, a supermarket and a dormitory were among the structures damaged, said Kyiv Mayor...

China and Russia are not formal allies, but their ties have grown significantly closer in recent years. The two countries have been “comprehensive strategic partners of coordination for a new era” since 2019, often sharing the goal of countering Western dominance in the international arena. But which nation holds the upper hand in this relationship? Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, commenting on an article in The Wall Street Journal on relations between Moscow and Beijing, said on July 14 that...

The leaders of Germany and France announced on Friday that the German military would participate in a nuclear exercise under a French initiative to deepen European nuclear cooperation. The move by both countries to deepen nuclear cooperation underscores growing European defence self-reliance amid concerns about the future of US security commitments to the continent. “We will have German conventional forces participate in a nuclear exercise conducted by the French armed forces before the end of...

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun will make ⁠his first trip to the White House this week to present a plan to US President Donald Trump on how to disarm Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah and secure Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon. Aoun, who served as the commander of Lebanon’s US-backed army before being elected president last year, is the first Lebanese head of state in nearly 20 years to visit the White House, where he will meet Trump face-to-face for the first time. Tuesday’s meeting comes...

Hong Kong has embarked on the path of drawing up its first five-year plan – a significant moment in its history. Hong Kong’s first five-year plan should be more than a local economic blueprint. Properly conceived, it should define how the city contributes to China’s national development while preserving the global connections that make Hong Kong uniquely valuable. Success will depend on three mutually reinforcing pillars – deeper integration with the mainland, seamless connectivity across the...

Influencer brothers Andrew and Tristan Tate, whose social media empire promoting wealth, male dominance and misogyny has made them among the world’s most polarising internet personalities, were arrested on Saturday in Miami as British authorities sought their extradition on rape and sex trafficking charges. The brothers were taken into custody by the US Marshals Service on a sealed warrant, agency spokesman Brady McCarron said, placing the United States at the centre of an international legal...

Prominent Cuban dissident artist Luis Manuel Otero Alcantara flew to exile on Saturday in the United States after serving a five-year sentence on the island, as Washington urged Havana to release more than 700 political prisoners. Otero Alcantara, designated a prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International, was sentenced to five years in prison in 2022 for insulting national symbols, contempt and disturbing the public order. He landed in Miami, the capital of the Cuban diaspora, after a short...

The recent resignation of Keir Starmer as Britain’s prime minister has reignited a debate over the United Kingdom’s post-Brexit identity – and talk of rejoining the European Union. Over the past decade, has Britain’s decision to exit the EU returned the UK to its splendid isolation – or merely a splendid squalor? It may seem a far-fetched idea but what if the UK were to become a special sovereignty within the EU? And in that case, what can post-Brexit Britain learn from Hong Kong, which has been...

Former Apollo Global Management Chief Executive Officer Leon Black told Congress he paid US$21 million to a woman he accused of blackmailing and extorting him. The billionaire investor said during a June 26 interview with the US House Oversight Committee that he paid the money to the woman, with whom he had had an affair, after she demanded US$100 million because he “ruined her life”. Black’s appearance at the voluntary interview was part of the congressional investigation into the late...

In Iran war news with major US political implications, two US soldiers were killed and several wounded by an Iranian drone, the Pentagon announced on Saturday. The tragedy, the first US combat deaths in months, came as US President Donald Trump has tried to downplay or distract attention from the hugely unpopular war that he started in late February, as his polling numbers tank four months in advance of a hugely consequential midterm election. “Two US service members in Jordan were killed in...

Israeli Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman has reclassified crocodiles from wild animals to “captive-bred wildlife”, a move that clears the way for the reptiles to be used for security purposes, including to deter prison escapes. Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir – who reportedly proposed in December surrounding a prison for Palestinian detainees with crocodiles, a la Florida’s “Alligator Alcatraz” immigration detention facility – welcomed the decision. “Are you...

The Canadian military was preparing on Saturday to evacuate a remote community of 600 people threatened by forest wildfires that have spread, choking smoke across a broad swathe of the United States. Federal Emergencies Minister Eleanor Olszewski said late on Friday that the armed forces would use aircraft to evacuate the inhabitants of Fort Hope in sparsely populated northwestern Ontario, where some of the most intense fires are burning. The region has few roads and relies heavily on air...

Prime Minister Andy Burnham moved quickly to confront the high cost of living. And President Trump wished him well after a phone call between the two leaders.

As Andy Burnham became Britain’s seventh leader in a decade on Monday, he tried to show that he will govern differently.

The Iran-backed Houthi militia in Yemen has declared a Red Sea blockade on Saudi Arabia, potentially opening a new front in the war rippling across the Middle East.

The Israeli military withdrew from the village under a U.S.-brokered deal to transfer control of occupied areas back to Lebanon after months of war. But Hezbollah has rejected the truce.

With anger high over the firing of the defense minister, the president’s office is signaling an openness to compromise.

Lots of men are geeking out over very expensive clothes — and I became one of them.

Troy Jackson, who is expected to become his party’s nominee in the state’s marquee Senate race, has long been an economic populist, but his positions on social issues have changed markedly over time.

Arizona primary voters will chose nominees for governor, secretary of state and for key races that could determine control of the House.

Retirement communities already grappling with labor shortages are being forced to terminate caregivers at a time when more Americans are living longer.

Eighteen Americans were isolated for weeks in a Nebraska quarantine facility after being exposed to the deadly virus on a cruise ship. Many found the experience traumatic.

People in Sandpoint, Idaho, don’t know how to characterize a woman’s brush with a transgender woman in a Y.M.C.A. locker room, but the emergency call that followed is still reverberating.

After Venezuela’s devastating earthquakes, Winder and Deivi Delfín dug every day for 26 days to find the bodies of their mother, brother and grandmother.

Forecasters zeroed in on an area from Kentucky to New York as being the most at risk for dangerous weather.

How the late-night host won comedy’s biggest prize — despite the White House’s objections.

Israel has not been held accountable for its actions in Gaza. The nation and the individuals and countries enabling it to escape punishment may only benefit.

On top of everything else, the president is inept.

We look at the American casualties in the war with Iran.

The late-night host joked that the president’s sports curse had struck again after he backed Lionel Messi of Argentina, which then lost the World Cup final to Spain.

The large number of cases suggests that excrement entered the food system on a “surprising scale.”