Articles about Down

Pat McFadden says Trump running a ‘transactional presidency’ and that ‘our job is to navigate this’Good morning. Keir Starmer is holding a press conference in Downing Street this morning. As Kiran Stacey reports, the PM’s main intention will be to announce support for people most hit by rising energy prices, particularly householders reliant on heating oil. The measures are expected to be worth tens of millions of pounds.But, inevitably, most of the focus likely to be on how Starmer responds to the latest provocations from Donald Trump. Continue reading...

Charities Aid Foundation says giving no longer a ‘deeply embedded cultural norm’ amid rising cost of livingBritain is rapidly losing the charity habit, with public donations to good causes plummeting by more than £1.4bn last year and millions of people saying they can no longer afford – or do not want – to give, according to an analysis.The Charities Aid Foundation (Caf) said in its annual report that, while the British remained generous at heart, society was witnessing a big transformation in attitudes towards charitable giving. Just half of people gave to charity in 2025, down from 61% a decade earlier. Continue reading...

Class action settles after retailers argued state government should pay them for economic loss resulting from pandemic lockdown Businesses affected by one of the world’s longest Covid-19 lockdowns will receive $125m from taxpayers after a state government agreed to settle the matter.A class action was brought in the supreme court on behalf of businesses affected financially by Victoria’s 2020 lockdowns. Continue reading...

• The S&P 500 fell 1.6% last week to 6,632.19, now down 5% from its January 27 high of 6,978.60 and 3.1% year-to-date, hit by broad selling across indices including Dow -2% and Nasdaq -1.3%. • Geopolitical tensions from US-Iran escalation drove oil higher, with markets pricing in prolonged uncertainty as the conflict enters its third week. • Core PCE price index rose 0.36% month-over-month, with annualized three-month trend at 3.7%, signaling persistent inflation pressuring Fed rate cut expectations.

Nearly month-long funding lapse has disrupted US air travel and caused long wait times amid security officers’ absencesThe CEOs of major US airlines urged Congress on Sunday to move quickly to end a 29-day partial government shutdown that has forced 50,000 airport security officers to work without pay, warning it could further disrupt US air travel.Absences by Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers had already disrupted travel at some major airports over the previous week, raising alarm as the busy spring break travel season continues. Continue reading...

• The House passed DHS funding bill H.R. 7147 earlier in 2026 to secure operations, but Senate disagreements over spending have delayed votes as of March 2026. • Delays threaten USCIS offices in Florida and nationwide, slowing visa applications, renewals, and Dreamer status adjustments. • Without approval, DHS faces potential shutdown, limiting immigration processing and creating uncertainty for immigrants.

Underquoting and ‘dummy bidding’ will attract fines of $110,000 in bid to create a ‘fair property market’Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe New South Wales government will introduce new laws this week to force property sellers to publish a price guide on all advertising, and impose a fivefold increase to fines for underquoting real estate agents.The government says the draft laws, first flagged last year, are aimed at cracking down on agents providing misleading price estimates on property listings, a practice often used to inflate interest. Continue reading...

Minns government introducing legislation to significantly increase penalties. Follow the day’s updates liveFuel shortages not expected, Chalmers saysJim Chalmers has told Sky the government does not expect Australia to run out of fuel amid the ongoing war in Iran. About a fifth of the world’s oil supplies travel through the Strait of Hormuz and the growing conflict has already played havoc with international prices.We don’t have a model that has petrol prices going that high, but there’s a lot of volatility and a lot of unpredictability in the global oil market.The way these things unfold is ultimately a matter for those officials to determine they’ve done the absolute best they can by these Iranian women under extreme and extraordinary pressure, and often that requires some pretty dramatic and unusual steps, like those which you’ve described. Continue reading...

The S&P 500 declined around 1% for the week ending March 13, 2026, capping a volatile session with Nasdaq down nearly 1% on the final day. Dow Jones showed resilience with three mornings of sharp openings recovered to flat or up 250 points, yet year-to-date losses stand at 2%. Stagflation fears intensify due to oil surges and geopolitical risks, impacting investor sentiment. Next week's Nvidia GTC event may spotlight AI sectors amid broader caution.

Sacramento Kings visit the LA Clippers at 10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN, closing out Saturday's NBA schedule with a Pacific Division clash. Both teams vie for improved Western Conference standings in a high-energy contest. This game follows marquee matchups like Denver at Lakers on ABC. It underscores intense late-season competition.

The 2025-2026 flu season is concluding with one of the lowest vaccine effectiveness rates in more than a decade, with the CDC reporting effectiveness of approximately 25-30% in preventing adults from needing medical care, according to data released Friday. A viral mismatch between the vaccine strain and dominant H3N2 variant that emerged early winter caused the poor performance, with vaccination proving more protective in children at around 40% effectiveness against medical visits. Despite low effectiveness, the CDC estimates 27 million illnesses, 350,000 hospitalizations, and 22,000 deaths from flu this season—substantially lower than the prior year's 40 million illnesses and 520,000 hospitalizations at the same point.

The US economy grew at a revised 0.7% annualized rate in the October-December 2025 quarter, down from prior estimates, due to impacts from a 43-day government shutdown last fall. This downgrade reflects weaker-than-expected final demand and drags on business investment. Amid current oil shocks, the data heightens stagflation risks, complicating Federal Reserve policy. Economists anticipate upward revisions in Q1 2026 figures depending on energy price trajectories.

Carmaker’s decision to drop NissanConnect EV app on relatively recent cars fuels warnings from expertsOwners of some Nissan Leaf electric vehicles are angry after the carmaker announced it would shut down an app that lets them remotely control battery charging and other functions.Drivers of Leaf cars made before May 2019 and the e-NV200 van (produced until 2022) have been told that the NissanConnect EV app linked to their vehicles will “cease operation” from 30 March. This means they will lose remote services, including turning on the heating, and some map features. Continue reading...

The Florida Gators take on Vanderbilt Commodores in the SEC Tournament semifinals on March 14, 2026, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, with Florida favored by 6.5 points and a total set at 160.5. Florida enters hot, winning four straight including 71-63 over Kentucky, led by Tyler Tanner's 19.2 PPG average. Vanderbilt seeks an upset after beating Tennessee 75-68, with odds at +258. A Gators win advances them toward the title game against Auburn or Alabama, impacting NCAA Tournament seeding.

Markets fully priced in a Federal Reserve rate cut for 2026 on March 13, as economic steam loss combined with oil-driven inflation pressures. Traders adjusted expectations following Treasury volatility spikes and tariff news. This pricing reflects bets on policy easing despite persistent price risks. Upcoming data will test if slowdown warrants aggressive cuts.

Cleveland Cavaliers face Dallas Mavericks at 7:30 p.m. ET on Prime Video, featuring Donovan Mitchell vs. Luka Doncic in a battle of MVP candidates. Dallas enters with a 48-20 record, boosted by Kyrie Irving's 28.5 PPG average. Cleveland seeks to solidify their Eastern Conference standing post-All-Star break. Analysts predict over 220 total points given both teams' offensive firepower.