Cast

• The U.S. trading session was primarily driven by labor-market data and shifting Federal Reserve expectations, causing volatility in the U.S. dollar and Treasury yields. • Policymakers are closely monitoring sharp fluctuations in the Japanese yen due to their potential influence on global financial conditions and inflation. • Japan's economy continues to show moderate expansion, fueled by strong corporate investment, firm domestic consumption, and a recovering global demand.

• Disney+ and Hulu have entered a strategic partnership with iHeartMedia to integrate six video podcasts into their streaming platforms. • The deal includes popular titles such as "Hey Jonas!", expanding the variety of non-scripted content available to subscribers. • This move signifies a growing trend of streaming giants incorporating podcasting formats to diversify their libraries and attract new audiences.

The former US president will host six episodes of A Great Book for Audible, discussing work from Toni Morrison and John le Carré to James BaldwinBarack Obama is set to host a podcast about books that have “profoundly shaped his worldview and our society”, from Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison to Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy by John le Carré.The podcast, called A Great Book with Barack Obama, will launch on Audible on 24 September. Continue reading...

Barrister alleges ‘account of penis wiggling is an attempt to humiliate’ broadcaster who has pleaded not guilty to 22 charges of indecent assault and sexual touchingFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAlan Jones’s defence barrister has told a Sydney court one of the broadcaster’s alleged victims invented details of alleged indecent assaults at a Fitzroy Falls farm to “humiliate” and “smear” the former media titan.Complainant J told the court during evidence-in-chief earlier this week that during one alleged incident in the property’s bedroom, Jones’s penis was not fully erect and “not very big”. Continue reading...

Donald Trump’s second term is unlike his first. The politicians who challenged him are gone. The lawyers who once pushed back now choose their battles. What remains is an imperial president with almost no internal checks, using executive power to reshape everything from the economy, immigration and even the presidency itself.Few journalists have covered Trump as closely as the New York Times journalist Jonathan Swan. Jonathan Freedland speaks to him about how the president has consolidated such power – and what it could mean for the US and the worldWatch Jonathan Freedland on our new Politics Weekly YouTube channelYou can find Jonathan Swan and Maggie Habermans’ book Regime Change hereSend your questions and feedback to [email protected] Continue reading...

• Australia's trade balance shifted to a surplus in June, exceeding market forecasts due to a significant rebound in exports. • The growth was driven by increased iron ore shipments to China, Japan, and South Korea, as well as stronger coal exports to India, Japan, and China. • Solid gains in liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports further contributed to the rise in overall export earnings for the month.

• Castlelake has withdrawn its interest in easyJet, effectively removing a major competitor and clearing the path for Apollo Global to pursue the airline. • In broader financial markets, European shares rose and Brent crude oil prices remained stable, hovering around $80 per barrel. • Asian markets saw significant declines, with South Korea’s Kospi dropping 4.6%, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng falling 1.9%, and Japan’s Nikkei decreasing by 0.9%.

As another summer of extreme heat rumbles on, warnings about excess deaths, ageing infrastructure and potential food shortages are growing louder. So how well prepared is the UK to cope, both now and in the years ahead? Jessica Elgot and Alexandra Topping examine why politicians have been so slow to act. Plus, Kemi Badenoch has distanced herself from the former neo-Nazi turned Tory council candidate Joshua Bonehill-Paine, only to offer him him an advisory role instead. What was she thinking?You can read Jessica Elgot’s interview with the health secretary on heatwaves hereYou can read about Kemi Badenoch’s action on Joshua Bonehill-Paine herePlease keep sending your comments and questions to [email protected] and subscribe to the Politics Weekly YouTube channel here Continue reading...

Former 2UE and 2GB radio broadcaster is facing 22 charges. Jones, 85, has pleaded not guiltyFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA former student sports star has denied in a Sydney court that he “fabricated” indecent assault allegations against broadcaster Alan Jones after he lost his police job and fell on “extremely hard times”.Jones’s defence barrister Gabrielle Bashir SC on Wednesday suggested to complainant J during cross-examination that he had a financial motive to report his alleged indecent assaults 20 years after the incidents. Continue reading...

• Global stocks reached record highs following upbeat annual revenue growth forecasts from key companies, including Palantir Technologies and Caterpillar. • Caterpillar's growth is being driven by the expansion of AI data centers, signaling strength in the global industrial economy. • Market analysts, such as Oliver Pursche of Wealthspire Advisors, attribute the surge to stronger corporate earnings and improved future expectations.

Rhys Ifans, Matthew Rhys, Aimee-Ffion Edwards and Mark Lewis Jones among actors voicing characters from 1977 blockbusterThere are a few links between the Star Wars franchise and Wales, including the secretive building of the Millennium Falcon in an old hangar in the far south-west of the Celtic nation.But until now speakers of Welsh – Cymraeg – have not been able to hear the words of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Princess Leia spoken in their own language. Continue reading...

• A new election forecast for the 2026 congressional midterms indicates that Democrats are strongly favored to take control of the House of Representatives. • The forecast also suggests the Senate is tilting Democratic, placing the party at equal odds to secure control of both chambers of Congress. • These projections are based on current polling averages for general elections involving the House, Senate, and various governorships.

Former 2UE and 2GB radio broadcaster is facing 22 charges. Jones, 85, has pleaded not guiltyWarning: This live blog may contain graphic content when discussing evidence in the trialJones allegedly gifted cash and car to teenager he kissed after commenting on sprinter’s penis, trial hearsWelcome to day two of the Alan Jones indecent assault trial. On Monday, a former schoolboy athlete told the court he didn’t tell anyone that the broadcaster, now 85, was allegedly kissing him and touching his genitalia when he was a teenager because he was “fearful” of losing Jones’s financial support. The man, known as complainant J, is expected to continue giving evidence via video link on Tuesday.J is the first of six complainants expected to give evidence of their alleged indecent assault by Jones, who is facing 22 charges. The trial before judge Glenn Walsh at Downing Centre local court is expected to run for four months and hear from 76 witnesses. Continue reading...

Nigel Farage has promised that Reform UK would call in the navy to tackle small boat Channel crossings. Will this familiar-sounding immigration policy distract from the party’s internal problems? Plus – as we learn more about Andy Burnham’s plans for devolution, is this the biggest rewiring of the UK state since the second world war?Read about Richard Tice being investigated by parliament’s standards watchdog hereYou can read Alexandra’s report on Andy Burnham’s trip to Dover here and about constitutional reform herePlease keep sending your comments and questions to [email protected] can watch Politics Weekly on our YouTube channel here Continue reading...

• Over 50% of South Korea's listed companies surpassed market expectations in their second-quarter earnings reports. • These strong financial results indicate that corporate fundamentals remain resilient despite significant volatility currently affecting the Kospi. • The trend is critical as it bolsters investor confidence in the underlying strength of the Korean economy amidst market instability.

• South Korea's stock market experienced extreme volatility throughout July, leading to significant losses for retail investors. • Industry officials are calling for tighter scrutiny of overly bullish brokerage research and stricter regulations on margin-lending rules. • These measures aim to prevent inflated market expectations and high-leverage trading from amplifying losses during sharp market swings.

• Newcastle United is reportedly exploring a potential transfer for Tyler Adams, a midfielder currently playing for Bournemouth and the USMNT. • In a separate development, Newcastle player Joelinton has expressed a desire to move to the Saudi Pro League following the conclusion of the season. • Despite Joelinton's interest in a move to Saudi Arabia, no formal offers from SPL clubs have materialized yet.

• Stryker Corporation (SYK) shares fell 5.83% to $327.77 after the company's quarterly revenue failed to meet consensus forecasts. • Technical analysis shows the stock has broken below the $314.99 support level and is currently trading under its 20, 50, and 200-day moving averages. • Negative momentum is evident as the MACD and ADX issue sell signals, while the RSI sits at 33.71, indicating a bearish trend.

• Investors are shifting focus to US economic data during the first full week of August to determine if the US Dollar can recover from its late-July sell-off. • Key market drivers include the ISM surveys, ADP employment figures, and Friday's Nonfarm Payrolls, which will heavily influence the GBP/USD currency pair. • In Asia, the USD/JPY pair closed July near 159.10, with traders now awaiting the Bank of Japan's Monetary Policy Meeting Minutes and June Labor Cash Earnings.

• Euronext reported Q2 earnings that exceeded analyst forecasts, driven by a strategic shift to diversify its business operations. • The company is actively reducing its reliance on market volatility and adapting to the evolving landscape of European capital markets following Brexit. • This growth highlights the success of Euronext's diversification strategy in stabilizing revenue streams against fluctuating trading volumes.

Leftwing Democrats are having their moment in the sun, with Zohran Mamdani in New York, Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan and endless calls for Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to run for president in 2028. Has Democratic socialism shifted from the political fringe to the mainstream? And can this group lure back the all-important swing voters?Jonathan Freedland speaks to Bhaskar Sunkara, president of the Nation magazine, founding editor of Jacobin and author of The Socialist Manifesto: The Case for Radical Politics in an Era of Extreme InequalitiesArchive: AP, ReutersWatch Jonathan Freedland on our new Politics Weekly YouTube channelSend your questions and feedback to [email protected] support the Guardian. Go to theguardian.com/politicspodus Continue reading...

Stock tumbles nearly 8% after weaker-than-expected results, despite CEO’s blitz to tout positive effects of AIMeta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg’s media spree touting the positive impacts of artificial intelligence did little to cushion the blow of its second-quarter earnings, which sent its stock tumbling on Wednesday.In a Wall Street Journal op-ed published on Tuesday, Zuckerberg expressed his optimism for a world where everyone has access to a super-intelligent machine. Continue reading...