Friedrich Merz, likely Germany’s next chancellor, condemned the recent Russian missile strike in Sumy that killed at least 34, labelling it a “deliberate and calculated war crime.”
Xi Jinping’s Diplomatic Mission: Chinese President Xi Jinping has commenced a pivotal week of diplomacy in Southeast Asia, beginning his visit in Vietnam. This trip serves to reinforce China’s image as a responsible global player in contrast to the United States’ recent trade policies under President Donald Trump, particularly as the US maintains high tariffs on Chinese goods.
Cliff Notes Russia’s recent missile strikes in Sumy, targeting civilians and resulting in at least 34 fatalities, have drawn severe condemnation from US officials, including…
Cliff Notes An emergency bill has been enacted to ensure the continued operation of British Steel’s Scunthorpe blast furnaces, with powers allowing the government to…
Cliff Notes NATO allies committed nearly £20bn in additional military aid for Ukraine, with significant pledges from the UK and Germany. Donald Trump urged Russia…
Cliff Notes The appointment of the inaugural chair for the Independent Football Regulator (IFR) faces fresh uncertainty as Whitehall officials contact applicants not on the…
Cliff Notes MPs are set to debate emergency legislation to potentially nationalise British Steel, as its owner Jingye cites unsustainable running costs and plans to…
Cliff Notes US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff’s recent meeting with Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg marks continued efforts for a potential ceasefire in the Ukraine…
Cliff Notes Sir Keir Starmer announced that emergency legislation will be debated on Saturday to keep the British Steel plant in Scunthorpe operational, citing economic…
Cliff Notes Parliament is being recalled on Saturday to discuss the potential nationalisation of British Steel following Jingye’s cancellation of essential raw material orders, raising…
Harriet Harman advises Sir Keir Starmer to clearly communicate that Donald Trump’s tariffs on UK goods are incorrect and unjustified.
Continuing the trend of the week, coverage of Donald Trump’s tariffs, the stock market reaction and now claims of potential insider trading.
Gold has risen to a record high as investors seek safe-haven assets amid the chaos. The ongoing escalation in the US-China trade war is still causing chaos in the markets as the Asian markets slid on Friday and the US markets slumped on Thursday close, wiping out a chunk of Wednesday’s historic rally. The US markets open at 14:30 GMT.
Friday’s UK headlines cover a variety of domestic and international stories. There is, of course, continued coverage of the fallout from the Trump tariff debacle amid claims of market manipulation and calls for an investigation into potential insider trading.
Royal news continues to be highlighted on the front pages – in print and online – with Prince Harry making a surprise visit to Ukraine and Prince William talking football after Villa’s 3-1 loss. Charles and Camilla are pictured on several tabloids after marking their 20th wedding anniversary with a state visit to Italy, where the pair exercised their soft power in a bid to rebuild relations with the rest of Europe.
The UK is set for another sunny day with temperatures reaching over 23C in some parts – and in Scotland, there are warnings of potential wildfires.
The International Energy Agency forecasts that electricity consumption by global data centres will double within five years, largely driven by the rise of powerful AI models.
Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a Pakistani-born Canadian, was extradited from the US to India and accused of being a key conspirator in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks that resulted in over 160 deaths.
The US aims for free and priority access to the Panama Canal, while Panama insists on its sovereignty, complicating negotiations amidst ongoing tensions.
Space Forge, founded by two entrepreneurs in Cardiff, is set to launch its ForgeStar-1 satellite, aimed at revolutionising semiconductor manufacturing in microgravity.
Cliff Notes The father of a grooming gang victim criticises the government for causing confusion regarding the promised local inquiries, stating it is "messing around…
Donald Trump has backed down on his tariffs (higher than the baseline 10%) on countries that did not retaliate against the levies. The US president announced via social media that there would be a 90-day pause on those tariffs and they would instead be dropped to the blanket 10% rate. But since China did retaliate, Trump announced that the tariffs on China would be hiked to 125%.
Much of the global media sees the announcement of Trump backing down from the trade war he started, likely amid US government bond sell-offs.
King Charles and Camilla are in Italy for a state visit, meeting with politicians and the pope and delivering a historic speech to both houses of the Italian parliament. The UK media is suggesting it is an exercise in Britain’s soft powers and that the royals are being used to help reset the UK’s relationship with the rest of Europe following the fraught and turbulent times of the Brexit era.
The state visit also coincides with the pair’s 20th wedding anniversary, and several of the royal-supporting news media offer insights into the couple’s marriage – the ups and downs and how they finally got together. There is also commentary on the King’s relationship with his youngest son, who is back in Britain for a court case regarding his personal security. The pair reportedly did not meet before Charles headed to Italy.
Thursday’s UK headlines, like much of the rest of the world, are, of course, dominated by the latest from the escalating trade war between the United States and the rest of the world. Trump announced a 90-day pause on the highest tariffs, dropping them all down to 10% except for China, which was hit with 125% levies. The stock markets have bounced back since the announcement, but the ball is very much back in China’s court, and all eyes are on Beijing to see how it responds. Everything that is coming out of China at the moment suggests they won’t back down and believe they can ride this out.
A little closer to home, there are a handful of royal headlines, including King Charles’s state visit to Italy, which is being viewed as Britain exercising the royal family’s soft powers to help reset Britain’s relationship with the rest of Europe, nine years on from the Brexit mess. Charles and Camilla met with politicians and the Pope during their visit.
Joseph Kent, chief of staff to the Director of National Intelligence, stated that intelligence is investigating potential FBI involvement in the January 6 riots during a Senate intelligence committee hearing.
Keir Starmer is leading a “coalition of the willing” that pledges military support for Ukraine amid a shifting geopolitical landscape, reflecting a strategic comeback for the UK in European affairs since Brexit.
The UK government is considering nationalising British Steel as concerns grow over the Scunthorpe plant’s future after Jingye cancelled vital orders for raw materials.
An all-out trade war starts as China hit with 104% levies, and fears of a global recession dominate the morning conversations. Wednesday’s newspaper headlines reflect the fears before the tariffs started (they’ve since come into effect).
Last week, Donald Trump announced a baseline rate of 10% tariffs on most countries, with more extreme tariffs coming into effect today for what the US president said were the ‘worst offenders’ – around 60 countries, including China, have been hit with a 104% tariff.
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