Direction

• NASA’s Curiosity rover photographed a valley called Valle Grande in June 2026, discovering a vast field of honeycomb-like ground fractures. • The rover captured images of small polygonal fractures that measure between 4 and 8 centimeters across. • Researchers are analyzing the chemistry and imagery of these textures to determine the geological processes that formed them.

Some in party are delighted by leader’s tack rightwards but opponents have savoured latest Conservative controversyThere was a moment in the middle of this week when a news alert raised eyebrows among the politically committed. It read: “Kemi Badenoch: Former neo-Nazi candidate would just be sorting out bins.” It was a collection of words that might prompt palpitations in the most sanguine of communications professionals, followed by panicked advice that retreat was necessary. But as a deeply weird week for the Conservative party came to a close on Friday, its leader appeared adamant she would hold the line.With Badenoch accused of aping Reform UK on policy and purging centrists from her party in recent weeks, her decision to stand by a man who was jailed after creating sexualised images of a Jewish MP and calling her a “rodent” has prompted concerns about the leader of the opposition’s political antennae and the Tories’ wider strategy. Continue reading...

• Asian markets showed mixed results on Tuesday, August 4, as investors balanced the potential for AI-related growth from strong U.S. corporate earnings against broader volatility. • Regional performance varied, with the Nikkei 225 rising 0.2% and S&P 500 e-mini futures up 0.3%, while MSCI’s Asia-Pacific index (excluding Japan) dipped 0.1%. • Oil prices rebounded following reports of attacks on shipping vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, adding geopolitical tension to the market landscape.

A week after his elevation to premier and four months out from an election, the priorities of the Carroll government are becoming clearerFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastIt’s been exactly one week since Ben Carroll became Victorian premier, promising to differentiate himself from his predecessors Jacinta Allan and Daniel Andrews. With his new cabinet sworn in at Government House on Tuesday morning, Victorians are beginning to see what that actually looks like.This was far more than tinkering at the edges. Four months out from an election, Carroll has made cuts and completely overhauled portfolios, and in turn, the priorities of his government. Continue reading...

• Wall Street investors are awaiting the release of the U.S. nonfarm payrolls report on August 7 and upcoming corporate earnings to determine the market's next direction. • Markets are currently navigating significant volatility driven by geopolitical tensions and uncertainty regarding the Federal Reserve's future interest rate policies. • The situation is critical because the Federal Reserve's most recent communication failed to provide a clear roadmap for monetary policy, leaving stocks without a definitive outlook.

• The United States has halted military strikes on Iran for a second consecutive night as diplomatic discussions show positive momentum. • Oman and Iran are currently engaged in talks focused on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and resolving disputes over territorial waterways. • Prime Minister Al-Thani emphasized the necessity of dialogue, diplomacy, and ensuring freedom of navigation to strengthen regional security and stability.

• European stock markets showed mixed results on the 15th, as the STOXX Europe 600 Index struggled to find a clear direction. • Strong corporate earnings from semiconductor giant ASML Holding and luxury goods firm Richemont provided support, offsetting broader market volatility. • Geopolitical instability in the Middle East acted as a primary headwind, weighing on investor sentiment and impacting indices like the FTSE 100 and Germany's DAX.

• Indian stock markets are entering a new trading week as the June-quarter (Q1) earnings season gains momentum. • Investors are closely monitoring key economic indicators, including inflation data, crude oil price fluctuations, and global macroeconomic trends. • These factors, along with upcoming corporate actions, are expected to provide the primary trading cues and set the overall market direction.

• The FTSE 100 dropped 5 points to 10,492 as global stocks struggled for direction following new US-Iran strikes. • Oil prices surged to a three-week high due to geopolitical tensions, while Asian markets saw significant declines, including a 1.9% drop in Japan's Nikkei and a 7.6% fall in Korea's Kospi. • Corporate updates were released by Plus500, PageGroup, and Oxford Nanopore, adding to the market volatility.

• The Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank (ECB) are diverging in their interest rate policies, creating a significant split in monetary direction. • Strong U.S. economic data, including the latest ISM Services PMI, suggests the U.S. economy is expanding healthily without triggering new inflation concerns. • Market expectations have shifted, with investors becoming less convinced that the ECB will implement further rate hikes in September, which is putting downward pressure on the EUR/USD pair.

Forecaster says curtailing rising costs such as health and pensions ‘are today’s challenge, not just tomorrow’s’Business live – latest updatesPolicymakers must act to prevent public debt rising unsustainably in coming decades as the population ages and defence spending rises, the government’s independent economic forecaster has said.In a fresh illustration of the challenges facing the prime minister in waiting, Andy Burnham, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) said that without government action “debt would move on to what would be an unsustainable, ever-upward path from around the 2040s”. Continue reading...

• Investors are awaiting the release of the US Federal Reserve's latest meeting minutes, marking the first such report under new chairman Kevin Warsh. • The minutes are expected to provide critical insights into the central bank's internal deliberations and its current stance on monetary policy. • Market participants are specifically searching for clues regarding the timing and likelihood of upcoming interest rate increases.

• Prospective prime minister Andy Burnham has pledged to lead the UK in a "new direction" to rescue a country he describes as being "stuck in a rut." • In his first major speech following Sir Keir Starmer's announcement to leave Downing Street, the Makerfield MP vowed to end "politics as usual." • Burnham aims to build the "broadest possible coalition" to revive national hope and unify the public.

• Asian markets showed mixed results as investors balanced a pause in U.S.-Iran hostilities against the risks of firm oil prices and a strong U.S. dollar. • Regional indices saw varied movement, with Hong Kong's Hang Seng rising 2.1% to 23,153.89 and the Shanghai Composite edging up 0.2% to 4,034.08. • Gains in Japan and South Korea, previously driven by AI-related chip demand, faced pressure due to growing concerns over artificial intelligence valuations.

Keir Starmer’s party lost out to Reform and the Greens, with no respite in Scotland, Wales or England. These maps show the scale of the historic resultsElection 2026 live: latest news updatesFull results from England, Scotland and WalesLabour has suffered heavy losses across England, Scotland and Wales, losing ground to opponents on the left and the right in a fragmented political system.The graphics below show where Labour’s losses were most severe, and how the electoral landscape has changed as a result. Continue reading...

Rabbis Charley Baginsky and Josh Levy say criticising Israeli government is not disloyalty but a Jewish obligationThe UK’s most senior progressive rabbis have warned that Israel’s current political direction risks becoming “incompatible with Jewish values”, while insisting that criticism of the country’s government is “a Jewish obligation” rather than an act of disloyalty.Rabbi Charley Baginsky and Rabbi Josh Levy, co-leads of Progressive Judaism – the newly formed movement representing around a third of synagogues in the UK – said Israel’s trajectory could pose an “existential threat” not just to the country itself but to Judaism. Continue reading...

Rightwing Naftali Bennett and centrist Yair Lapid announce new party before Knesset vote expected later this yearTwo of Benjamin Netanyahu’s most formidable political rivals say they are joining forces in an attempt to oust the Israeli prime minister’s coalition government in the election expected later this year.The former prime ministers – rightwing Naftali Bennett and centrist Yair Lapid – issued statements announcing the merger of their parties, Bennett 2026 and Yesh Atid (There is a Future). Continue reading...

Steady UK opposition to the war and the US president’s insults mean MPs are finding it easier to point out the obviousWhen is a U-turn definitely a U-turn? To the consternation of politicians through the ages, this is rarely something within their control, but decided instead by the herd. And thus it is with Kemi Badnoch over Iran and Donald Trump.The Conservative leader would very much like it to be known that she had not changed her stance on the US-Israeli attacks on Iran, or on the US president. Continue reading...