Chaos

Some experts worry factors affecting wheat exports could push global food prices even higher than they are nowWheat prices are at their highest level in three years, which means farmer Merrill Nielsen should be getting more for his crops out of his 2,500-acre (1,010-hectare) Kansas farm.Yet even as future prices for bread-type wheat are up 39%, Nielsen is unsure whether increased prices will raise his bottom line. The price of diesel fuel, which he needs to run his tractor, has hit record highs. Then there’s the erratic weather that made him lose his entire wheat crop in the spring, and drought has overtaken the southern Great Plains. Continue reading...

Martin Rolfe, who faces pressure to resign, due to brief Heidi Alexander after cancellations hit 1,300Business live – latest updatesThe boss of the air traffic control provider Nats has been summoned to meet the UK transport secretary as the number of flight cancellations hit 1,300 in a second day of disruption for hundreds of thousands of passengers.Martin Rolfe, who is facing increasing pressure to resign over a third major stoppage to flights in just over three years, is due to brief Heidi Alexander on Wednesday. Continue reading...

US-Israel war on Iran and political instability in Somalia lead to pirates targeting cargo ships off Horn of AfricaThe scourge of Somali piracy targeting cargo ships and smaller dhows off the Horn of Africa has returned to levels not seen in a decade, driven by a convergence of factors including disruptions to the shipping industry caused by the US-Israeli war against Iran and a resurgence of political instability in Somalia.Since late April there have been eight hijackings by Somali pirates, including two within the space of a fortnight in August: one targeting an oil tanker with ties to Iran, the other a Cameroon-flagged vessel, the Lutuf, carrying military equipment for Turkey. Continue reading...

Blaze causes electricity supply failure and disruption of services to airport and ReadingA fire near a train track in the London Paddington area has caused major disruption, with services to Heathrow airport cancelled.The fire caused an electricity supply failure which has left all lines between Paddington and the airport blocked, National Rail said. Continue reading...

• The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Donald Trump regarding mail-in voting on Monday, though the court stopped short of declaring his specific order legal. • The decision avoids a definitive ruling on the legality of the voting mandates, leaving significant legal ambiguities unresolved. • This lack of clarity matters because it fails to settle the underlying dispute, potentially leading to widespread confusion for voters and election officials.

• The Supreme Court has removed a legal roadblock, facilitating efforts by the Trump administration to implement stricter restrictions on mail-in voting. • Judge Holmes warned that requiring new ballot packet designs is unrealistic, as county election offices already have materials printed and ready for the general election. • Implementing new USPS-mandated envelope designs would cause significant financial strain and logistical disruptions due to limited printing vendors and strict automation requirements.

• The Supreme Court issued a ruling on Monday regarding a voting order initiated by Donald Trump, though the court refrained from declaring the order lawful. • Election officials have expressed significant concern that the ruling's lack of clarity could lead to widespread chaos during upcoming voting processes. • The decision is critical as it leaves the legal status of the voting order in limbo, potentially impacting election administration and voter access.

• The Supreme Court ruled Monday that it is too early for Democratic-run states to challenge a mail-voting order issued by President Donald Trump. • The order mandates specific formatting for mail-in ballot envelopes and requires states to use an electronic system to identify mail voters to the Postal Service. • This decision maintains the status quo for now but could force some jurisdictions to completely revise their ballot processes, potentially leading to "chaos" before the November election.

Intervention follows days of delays and a near-miss between two planes on the Sydney aiport tarmac. Follow today’s news liveGood morning, and happy Monday. Here’s what’s on deck:Catherine King, the federal minister for transport, said she has asked Air Services Australia to come and talk to her today about a “pathway forward” after two aircraft were involved in a near-miss at Sydney airport on Sunday. Continue reading...

Disruption after power failure at regional signalling centre likely to continue until noon with many crews and trains in wrong locationsBusiness live – latest updatesRail passengers are facing a second day of travel disruption across parts of north-west England, after a power failure hit the signalling centre controlling the railway in the region.The power failure, which occurred shortly before 2pm on Thursday, triggered widespread cancellations and delays to services including CrossCountry and London Northwestern Railway. Continue reading...

• The Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day following an uproar from Opposition MPs regarding the funding of the Ram Temple. • Chaos also erupted in the Rajya Sabha as members protested the absence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah during discussions on the July 20 police action and NEET protests. • Congress MP Pawan Khera demanded an official statement from the Union Home Minister, alleging that the government is intentionally avoiding a parliamentary discussion on student issues.

• The Guardian editorial criticizes the "weaponization" of chaos and tragedy in Ceuta by far-right political figures to push anti-migration agendas. • Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is specifically highlighted for a "performative overreaction" in temporarily suspending Rome's Schengen agreement with Madrid. • The piece notes that Meloni's move was logically flawed, as Ceuta was never part of the Schengen area and Italy shares no border with Spain.

• In his work "Despite it All," author Fred Pearce argues that the environmental disruptions of the Anthropocene are accelerating plant evolution and adaptation. • Pearce highlights that many plant species are finding innovative ways to survive and thrive despite the ongoing climate crisis. • The author contends that humans must shift their perspective to embrace these evolutionary changes rather than clinging to rigid, outdated notions of how nature should look.

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...

Factories in upbeat mood despite fears over economic impact of US war on Iran, poll findsBusiness live – latest updatesUK manufacturers ramped up production last month for the fourth consecutive month and at the fastest pace in almost two years, according to a leading survey of the industry.The S&P Global poll of manufacturers found them in upbeat mood in July, though anxious about the prospect of a long war in the Middle East that would block supplies of oil and gas, and raise the cost of production. Continue reading...

• An analysis in The Irish Times warns that the rapid integration of AI could trigger mass deflation, potentially leading to widespread bankruptcies and bank failures within the international financial sector. • The core concern is that a general decline in prices across the board would make it mathematically impossible for debtors to repay the massive amounts of accumulated global debt. • This perspective challenges the current "AI bonanza," questioning whether the surge in investment is a sustainable technological shift or an old-fashioned economic bubble.

People among the more than 50,000 who entered Spanish enclave this week describe the journey and their prospectsFour days ago, Youssef El Abbas saw an opportunity to reclaim the life he had lost years seven earlier. News was circulating that about 400 people had swum from Morocco to the neighbouring Spanish enclave of Ceuta on the north African coast, approximately 12 miles (19km) across the strait of Gibraltar from mainland Spain.Here was a chance for the 44-year-old Moroccan father of four to return to Spain, from which he had been deported when his residency expired after the loss of his job in Bilbao in 2019. Continue reading...

• Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has condemned the European Union as "selfish" following a mass migrant crossing in Ceuta. • The tension escalated after France and Italy tightened their border controls, prompting Sánchez to call for an emergency meeting to address the crisis. • This diplomatic row highlights the friction between EU member states over the shared responsibility and management of migration flows.

• The Trump administration is attempting to seize control of election powers through a multifaceted blitz to overhaul voting rules, sparking warnings from US courts, state officials, and Democrats. • Senator Markwayne Mullin escalated the conflict by threatening local election officials with jail time if they fail to comply with the administration's policy changes. • Critics, including voting experts and former Justice Department officials, argue these moves are dangerous political exercises designed to boost Trump's power and ensure GOP control of Congress.

US courts, state officials and Democrats warn that moves are endangering voting rights and the rule of lawThe Trump administration continues to expand its authoritarian and radical drive to revamp voting rules and seize state election powers, though it faces growing resistance from US courts, state officials and Democrats, who warn the moves are sparking “chaos” and endangering voting rights and the rule of law.Donald Trump’s unprecedented drive to change election rules, which states legally set, is fueled by his obsession with his 2020 election loss to Joe Biden, which he falsely attributes to voting fraud, coupled with his fear that Democrats will “find a reason to impeach me” if they take control of the House in November’s midterms elections, say former election officials and legal experts. Continue reading...

The Pentagon head proposed a 44% increase – to second world war levels – while ‘woke’ programs are guttedUS politics live – latest updatesWhen the ‘“department of government efficiency” was raging unchecked through the federal government in February 2025, the US defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, ordered his subordinates to find cuts of 8% a year for the next five years, theoretically trimming a total of $340m from the Pentagon budget.The disclosure briefly sent Palantir and defense stocks tanking – though soon the plan evaporated, as if it never existed. Continue reading...

Officials ‘do not know’ how to respond to potential changes to plans to start freeing up to 6,000 offendersUK politics live – latest updatesAndy Burnham’s pledge to review early release plans has created “a sense of chaos” across the Prison Service, probation officers have said.As Whitehall insiders confirmed the prime minister was examining possible exemptions to the law under which offenders will be freed, the Napo probation union said prison officials “do not know” how to respond. Continue reading...

• The Trump administration is facing scrutiny over the killing of two American citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, during immigration enforcement operations in Minnesota. • The report details an 18-day period marked by alleged cover-ups, false claims, and "mendacity" regarding how the administration handled the shootings. • This event highlights systemic issues and aggression within federal immigration enforcement, raising serious concerns about the targeting of U.S. citizens.

• Market expert Vinod Nair suggests that Indian equities are positioned to outperform global peers in the medium term due to resilient domestic demand and reasonable valuations. • The Nifty50 has shown strength by recovering quickly from geopolitical volatility in West Asia and crude price spikes, finding steady support between 23,900 and 24,100. • Early Q1FY27 results and business updates indicate that corporate earnings growth may be stronger than previously anticipated by investors.

British domestic holidays are being pushed to their highest levels since CovidThe start of the peak summer season is set to bring millions of drivers on to British roads, with concerns of traffic chaos as the port of Dover faces its biggest test yet of new EU border controls.The semi-functioning entry-exit system (EES) is credited, along with the heatwaves and fears about flights after the war in Iran, with helping push British domestic holidays to its highest levels since Covid halted international travel. Continue reading...

• China has initiated deleveraging measures following a period of significant volatility in South Korea's Kospi market. • Analyst Jin Qianjing of Shenwan Hongyuan Group warns that South Korean stocks may act as a sentiment amplifier for global technology stocks due to high leverage levels. • The situation highlights the interconnectedness of Asian markets, where instability in one region can trigger preemptive risk management in another.

Five months of U-turns and false boasts leave Donald Trump in worse position than when he startedDonald Trump has taken the war with Iran into a new, murkier phase as the two sides move further and further from the vague memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed on 17 June.And as during the opening phase of the conflict, the US leader’s objectives and methods are clouded in confusion, daily U-turns and boasts that within hours are revealed to be false. Continue reading...

Disruption at Channel crossings expected to rise amid new fingerprinting and facial recognition checksFrance and the UK have agreed to increase staffing at border controls in response to warnings of travel chaos caused by new fingerprinting and facial recognition checks.Disruption at Channel crossings is expected to rise sharply next weekend at the start of the summer holiday season, with MPs warning of “utter chaos and miles of tailbacks” unless the EU’s entry/exit system (EES) is fixed or checks are suspended. Continue reading...