IMF warns Middle East conflict will lead to higher prices and slower global growth

• The Pentagon is preparing plans for weeks of ground operations in Iran involving conventional infantry and special operations elements, with decisions now resting with President Trump, according to the Washington Post. • Trump raised the idea of U.S. forces seizing Iran's Kharg Island, the country's main oil terminal in the Persian Gulf, telling The Financial Times "Maybe we take Kharg Island, maybe we don't. We have a lot of options." • Trump also claimed Iran agreed to allow 20 ships carrying oil through the Strait of Hormuz starting Monday morning as a "sign of respect," while the White House emphasized no final decision has been made on military operations.

• Secretary of State Marco Rubio told G7 foreign ministers on Friday that the ongoing military conflict with Iran will continue for another two to four weeks, according to sources cited by Axios. • The timeline represents official U.S. government assessment of the expected duration of military operations in the region amid escalating tensions and ground operation preparations. • This projection comes as the U.S. expands military presence and considers multiple operational options in the Persian Gulf region.

• President Trump is considering a military operation to extract nearly 1,000 pounds of uranium from Iran, described by U.S. officials as a complex and risky mission, according to the Wall Street Journal. • The extraction operation would likely require American forces to remain inside Iran for days or longer, adding substantial operational complexity and risk to personnel. • This mission represents one of several military options being weighed by the Trump administration as tensions escalate with Iran.

Oil prices on course for record monthly rise amid risk of further escalation and mixed messaging from USDonald Trump has threatened to “obliterate” Iran’s power stations and fresh water plants if Tehran does not agree to peace terms “shortly”, even as he claimed diplomatic progress in ending the war that was instigated by the US and Israel.Tehran has remained defiant during the month-long conflict, describing US peace proposals as “excessive, unrealistic and irrational” and firing waves of missiles at Israel. Continue reading...

Tim Sweeney, chief of firm that created Fortnite, received backlash after worker’s wife revealed loss of life insuranceThe chief of the company that created Fortnite, a popular online game, has issued an apology following backlash after recent mass layoffs cost an employee with terminal brain cancer his job – and his life insurance.On Sunday, Tim Sweeney, the Epic Games chief executive, apologized after Jenni Griffin, the wife of Mike Prinke, a laid off employee, revealed on social media that the loss of her husband’s job also meant he was losing his life insurance. Continue reading...

Negotiations deadlocked as No 10 wants more action by French officials but France has concerns over safetyThe UK’s agreement with France to pay for beach patrols is on the verge of collapse amid wrangling over the number of small boat interceptions and the safety of asylum seekers in French waters.Negotiations over plans to revamp the three-year, £480m deal remain deadlocked, despite the involvement of ministers including Shabana Mahmood, the home secretary. The deal expires at midnight on Tuesday. Continue reading...

Knesset approves measure that has been criticised by European nations and rights groupsIsrael’s parliament has passed a law imposing the death penalty on Palestinians convicted of fatal attacks, a measure sharply criticised as discriminatory by European nations and rights groups.The legislation makes the death penalty the default punishment for Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank found guilty of intentionally carrying out deadly attacks deemed acts of terrorism by a military court. Continue reading...

Leader understood to have spoken to 10 trade unions after party claimed working class voters are turning to themZack Polanski has kicked off a charm offensive designed to convince trade unions to stop funding Labour and throw their weight behind the Green party, as he delivered the first in a series of speeches to union conferences.The Green leader has had “good conversations” with 10 trade unions, including some affiliated to Labour, according to party sources, and is due to address the University and College Union and the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union, not affiliated with Labour, in the coming months. Continue reading...

Ex-TV host pledged to centre party around equity, with higher wealth taxes, green energy and tuition-free educationSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxCanada’s embattled New Democratic party (NDP) has elected the former broadcaster and self-proclaimed socialist Avi Lewis as its new leader, as it looks to rebuild following a devastating federal election last year that saw it lose official party status.A record number of members voted in the three-day NDP leadership convention, giving Lewis a first-ballot win that underscored widespread support. Lewis pledged to convert the “tremendous momentum” of the convention into a “NDP comeback”. Continue reading...

Dern will play Miami Herald reporter Julie K Brown in first scripted take on the Epstein story, based on Brown’s bookLaura Dern is taking on the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, in a new limited series executive produced by Adam McKay based on journalist Julie K Brown’s work busting open the story.Dern will play Brown, the Miami Herald investigative reporter on the late, disgraced financier’s tail when no one else was, for the first scripted take on the Epstein case. The screenplay will be based on Brown’s 2021 book Perversion of Injustice: The Jeffrey Epstein story. Sharon Hoffman, a writer on the 2020 limited series Mrs America, will write the project and serve as co-showrunner with Eileen Myers (The Night Agent, Masters of Sex). McKay, the writer-director of Don’t Look Up and executive producer on the HBO juggernaut Succession, among other credits, will serve as executive producer alongside Dern and Brown. Continue reading...

California governor contender not accused of wrongdoing in decade-old inquiry into suspected Chinese agentThe Trump administration has reportedly been pushing to release records from an FBI investigation related to Eric Swalwell and alleged links to a Chinese agent as the Democratic congressman makes gains in the California governor’s race.The Washington Post reported on Saturday, citing “three people familiar with the effort”, that the FBI director, Kash Patel, is pushing to release the files, even though there is no public evidence of wrongdoing on Swalwell’s part. The records stem from a decade-old investigation into a suspected spy who had developed relationships with US politicians and assisted Swalwell with fundraising. Continue reading...