Doubts

• Asian stocks declined broadly during Tuesday trading, with MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan falling 0.6 per cent. • The downturn was led by Korean shares, which tumbled as much as 3.3 per cent following an initially higher open. • Market volatility was driven by skepticism regarding the durability of a ceasefire in West Asia and the progress of US-Iran peace talks to end a three-month war.

Documents were published to reveal what ministers knew about his links to Epstein, but instead exposed government riftsPeter Mandelson wrote to David Lammy on 18 November 2024, making a simple promise to the foreign secretary.“If you were minded to appoint me [as ambassador to Washington],” he said, “I would make sure you never regret it.” Continue reading...

• The Shangri-La Dialogue, a major Asia defense summit hosted by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, has officially opened to address critical regional security issues. • Discussions will focus on escalating tensions in the Middle East, Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine, and concerns regarding the consistency of U.S. strategic priorities in Asia. • Vietnamese leader Lam is expected to advocate for regional stability and the use of consensus to manage differences, reflecting Hanoi's delicate diplomatic balancing act between Washington and Beijing.

Veteran host says format may not last as The Late Show with Stephen Colbert ends its 33-year run amid controversyAhead of the final episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on CBS, former network late-night host David Letterman said that he would be “surprised” if other shows in that format last too much longer.Letterman, 79, made the remark in an interview with the New York Times that was published on Tuesday, in which he also described his “disbelief” upon learning Colbert’s show had been cancelled. Continue reading...

• Oil prices surged amid Iran-U.S. conflict threatening global supplies, but U.S. stocks remained resilient near record highs driven by strong earnings from Visa and Starbucks on April 29, 2026. • S&P 500 edged down 0.1%, Dow fell 286 points or 0.6%, Nasdaq up 0.1%; Visa shares jumped 8.3% on resilient consumer spending per CEO Ryan McInerney, Starbucks climbed 8.6% with higher per-visit spending in North America. • Federal Reserve officials hinted at no 2026 rate cuts, nearly eliminating investor bets and nearly favoring hikes due to inflation from energy prices; bond market trembled.

Standoff between Iran and US continues as both impose blockades of critical shipping waterway Iranian forces have seized two ships in the strait of Hormuz, as the US and Iran doubled down on imposing separate blockades of the critical shipping waterway that have choked global energy markets.The standoff over the narrow waterway – through which about 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas passed through during peacetime – raised doubts about whether stalled peace negotiations would resume. Continue reading...

• Oracle reported earnings that exceeded expectations, lifting its stock price, while Adobe continues to face investor skepticism over its AI strategy and competitive positioning amid broader tech sector repricing. • Morningstar downgraded Adobe's economic moat rating alongside Salesforce and ServiceNow, citing concerns that AI disruption could erode traditional software competitive advantages and justify lower valuation multiples. • The broader earnings season reveals a disconnect between traditional valuation metrics and AI disruption risks, prompting investors to reassess which software companies can sustain pricing power and market share in an AI-transformed landscape.