Drops

Mills cites lack of funds as rival to unseat Susan Collins fuels Democratic rift under Donald TrumpSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxJanet Mills, the Maine governor, on Thursday dropped her bid for the US Senate just weeks before the Democratic primary in a race that reflected an internal party debate over how to win one of this year’s most competitive Senate seats.“While I have the drive and passion, commitment and experience, and above all else – the fight – to continue on, I very simply do not have the one thing that political campaigns unfortunately require today: the financial resources,” Mills said in a statement. “That is why today I have made the incredibly difficult decision to suspend my campaign for the United States Senate.” Continue reading...

Journalists face rising threats while media ownership is concentrated in fewer hands, leading civil liberties group warnsJournalists in the EU face increasing levels of harassment, threats and violence, while news outlets are owned by a shrinking number of proprietors and public trust in the media has plummeted, a report has found.The Civil Liberties Union for Europe (Liberties) said the findings of its fifth annual media freedom report, released on Tuesday, should place EU officials “on high alert”, with media freedom and pluralism “under sustained attack” across mainland Europe. Continue reading...

• Tesla's stock fell 3.2% on April 26 after the company reported first-quarter global deliveries of 389,000 vehicles, missing consensus expectations of 410,000 units and marking the weakest quarterly performance in two years. • Management attributed the shortfall to supply chain disruptions at the Berlin and Texas Gigafactories, as well as slower-than-anticipated demand in European and Chinese markets, particularly for the Model 3 and Model Y lineup. • The miss reignites concerns about Tesla's ability to sustain its 50% annual growth target and prompted three major brokerages to lower 2026 earnings forecasts by 8–12%, citing heightened competition from legacy automakers' EV offerings.

Industry analysts say fuel price surge could lead to canceled flight routes that could snarl travelers’ plansCalifornia’s jet fuel supply has dropped to a level not seen since 2023, as turmoil in the Middle East continues to squeeze the global oil market.As of 17 April, the state’s jet fuel stock was just over 2.6m barrels, in comparison to 3.2m barrels two years prior, according to the California energy commission (CEC), which publishes a refinery stocks data dashboard. Continue reading...

• The Department of Justice dropped its criminal investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Powell regarding the agency's building expenditures, marking a significant development in federal oversight. • The decision came amid broader discussions on Capitol Hill about federal accountability, with both Republican and Democratic representatives weighing in on the implications. • The outcome reflects shifting priorities in federal investigations and debates over Fed governance and spending practices.

• The Department of Justice has dropped its investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, marking a significant policy shift. • The decision comes amid Trump's emergency economic orders, potentially easing tensions over Fed independence. • This move is viewed as stabilizing financial markets but criticized by conservatives seeking accountability on monetary policy.

ONS data for three months to February is not expected to alter Bank of England’s decision on interest ratesUnemployment in the UK unexpectedly fell in the three months to February, according to official figures – but the fallout from the conflict in the Middle East is expected to cause a rise in job cuts.The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said that the rate of unemployment was 4.9% in the three months to February. This compares with 5.2% in the three months to January, a rate that economists had expected to also see in February. Continue reading...

• Beyoncé surprise-released 'Renaissance Act III' at midnight ET on April 16, featuring 14 tracks blending country and R&B with collabs from Miley Cyrus and Shaboozey. • The album debuted with 25 million global streams in first hour, topping US iTunes charts per Parkwood Entertainment. • Critics hail it as 'a bold evolution' in Rolling Stone, positioning Beyoncé for Album of the Year Grammy contention amid her cultural renaissance trilogy.

TMTG drops defamation claim over report that prosecutors were investigating payments received as possible money launderingDonald Trump’s media corporation has dropped a defamation claim against the Guardian and two other defendants over a report that federal prosecutors were investigating $8m in payments the company received from entities with ties to Vladimir Putin as possible money laundering.A filing in the 12th judicial circuit in Sarasota county, Florida, on Friday confirms that Trump Media and Technology Group (TMTG), the parent company of the president’s Truth Social platform, was withdrawing its claims without prejudice, meaning it could refile the lawsuit at a later date. Continue reading...

• The Nasdaq Cybersecurity ETF declined 15% over the past six months, signaling mounting pressure on the cybersecurity sector. • Investors are questioning the industry's traditional moat as competitive and technological challenges erode barriers to entry. • This downturn coincides with rising AI-driven threats, prompting initiatives like Anthropic's Project Glasswing for defensive advantages.

Exclusive: Move comes after Guardian Australia revealed Gemma Seymour was facing potential suspension over video criticising RMIT’s ties to weapons companiesRMIT University has dropped a misconduct case against a student who accused the institution of being “complicit in genocide” in Gaza, because of its defence and aerospace research centre’s ties to weapons companies.Guardian Australia this week revealed the student, Gemma Seymour, faced potential suspension over a social media video calling for the university’s Sir Lawrence Wackett Defence and Aerospace Centre to be shut down. Continue reading...

Ex-hedge fund manager ‘forced to accept’ newspaper likely to succeed in its public interest defence, say his lawyersCrispin Odey, the former hedge fund manager, has dropped his £79m libel claim against the Financial Times over its reporting of sexual misconduct allegations against him, his lawyers have said.In 2023, the FT published several articles from 20 women alleging sexual assault and harassment against Odey, covering a period of five decades. He has previously denied the allegations against him. Continue reading...

• Medi-Cal immigrant enrollment is declining, with researchers attributing the drop directly to Trump administration policies. • The reduction affects healthcare access for immigrant populations in California, exacerbating public health challenges. • This trend highlights ongoing tensions between federal immigration policies and state-level health programs serving vulnerable groups.

• Bitcoin price fell to $66,710.43 at 8:45 a.m. ET on March 31, 2026, down $1,112 from prior day and $15,830 from recent peak. • Decline reflects ongoing cryptocurrency market pressures in US trading. • Highlights volatility impacting tech investment sectors tied to digital assets.

Three cases previously confirmed reclassified by UK Health Security Agency after further testingThe number of confirmed meningitis cases linked to the Kent outbreak has fallen from 23 to 20.The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said on Sunday that three cases previously thought confirmed had been downgraded after further testing. Continue reading...

• Adobe's CEO announced his resignation on March 13, 2026, causing the stock to plunge 7.6% in U.S. trading on Friday amid renewed skepticism over its AI initiatives. • The S&P 500 fell 0.6% to around 6,632, with Nasdaq Composite down 0.9%, pressured by oil prices near $100 per barrel from Iran tensions. • This leadership change revives investor concerns about Adobe's competitiveness in AI tools against rivals like OpenAI integrations in competitors.

Adobe shares fell 5.4% on March 13, 2026, even after exceeding Wall Street's sales and profit estimates for the quarter. Investors reacted negatively to the software maker's forecast for recurring subscription revenue, which underwhelmed expectations amid competitive pressures in creative software. The drop underscores concerns over growth sustainability in tech amid macroeconomic headwinds. Adobe's outlook may influence sentiment for other SaaS companies reporting soon.