Funds

• The UN's top humanitarian official has allocated $8 million to assist Burundi and South Sudan in preparing for the potential spread of Ebola. • Despite increased laboratory capacity from the WHO and Africa CDC, the UN is urging donors to provide more funding to sustain life-saving humanitarian assistance. • UNICEF issued a statement of condolence after an explosive device in the village of Raybi, Yemen, killed five children and injured seven others.

• Funds Europe has released the 2026 edition of its Top 200 and Top 50 rankings, providing a comprehensive overview of the European asset management industry. • Produced in partnership with FundGuard, the research identifies the leading firms currently shaping the regional financial landscape. • The report highlights a market where established industry trends remain dominant despite the emergence of new competitive dynamics.

• FE Fundinfo's 2026 Asset Managers Report identifies fragmented fund data as a critical barrier to operational efficiency and distribution effectiveness for asset managers. • To address these gaps, firms are currently investing in new technology, specialized talent, and the consolidation of vendors to strengthen their operational foundations. • This issue matters because data silos hinder the ability of asset managers to scale their distribution and maintain streamlined internal processes.

Top Democrat signals party will not back paying for unpopular conflict never authorized by CongressThe White House has requested Congress approve $87.6bn in new funding, much of which would go towards the costs of Donald Trump’s war with Iran, but a top Democrat has signaled the party will not support paying for an unpopular conflict that lawmakers never authorized.The Trump administration’s supplemental funding request released on Wednesday comes amid a logjam in US Congress sparked by the president’s demand that the Senate pass a measure to impose sweeping new restrictions on voting nationwide. Continue reading...

• Hungary has approved a new legislative package designed to eliminate corrupt structures and reduce the influence of oligarchs. • A key component of the reforms involves returning universities to state control to ensure greater transparency and governance. • These legal changes are intended to satisfy European Union requirements, potentially unlocking billions in withheld EU funds.

• Trustnet analyzed the performance of UK and European funds ten years after the Brexit referendum to determine the best-performing assets. • Adrian Murphy, CEO of Murphy Wealth, acknowledged that while Brexit contributed to sluggish economic growth, it is not the sole reason for the UK stock market's underperformance. • Murphy highlighted that the FTSE 100's heavy concentration in financials, energy, and pharmaceuticals caused it to lag as global investors prioritized high-growth tech stocks.

• Former President Donald Trump's proposed Social Security tax cuts are facing scrutiny due to their potential impact on program funding. • New estimates suggest the policy could reduce Social Security revenue by approximately $168 billion through the year 2034. • This reduction matters as it could accelerate the depletion of funds, potentially threatening the long-term stability of benefits for millions of retirees.

• Iranian Speaker Mohammad Ghalibaf announced that the United States will release $12 billion in frozen Iranian funds. • Donald Trump claimed the released funds would be used to purchase U.S. produce, a statement that Tehran immediately rejected. • To manage the process, four working groups have been established to oversee sanctions termination, the nuclear file, economic reconstruction, and MoU implementation.

Funds meant for Secret Service were transferred to project president promised would be financed by private donationsUS politics live – latest updatesDonald Trump’s administration has quietly redirected $352m in federal funds designated for the Secret Service toward the president’s controversial White House ballroom project, despite repeated promises by Trump that the construction would be financed by private donationsThe funds were drawn from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, Trump’s signature tax legislation passed last summer on Republican-only votes. The law stipulates the money may only be spent on Secret Service personnel, training facilities, technology and related costs, not construction. Continue reading...

• The Asian Media Awards are now open for nominations to recognize outstanding media professionals and organizations serving the British Asian community in the UK. • The awards are open to UK-based and UK-coordinated work across various media platforms, including newspapers, radio, television, and digital platforms, with a deadline of August 21, 2026. • The awards aim to acknowledge the contributions of media organizations, journalists, broadcasters, and public relations practitioners who cater to the British Asian community.

• Asia hedge funds have achieved triple-digit gains through May, driven by a powerful AI-led market rally. • Hong Kong’s WT Asset Management reported a net return of 103% for its long-short China Focus fund year-to-date, including a 20% surge in May alone. • The rally has pushed stock markets in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan to record highs, overcoming volatility caused by the Iran war.

Housing and urban development department alleges fraud in administration’s latest clash with CaliforniaThe Trump administration has suspended federal funding to Los Angeles’s beleaguered homelessness agency.The announcement is the administration’s latest move rescinding funding to California, where Donald Trump has feuded with the state’s Democratic leaders. Continue reading...

• Nobel laureate Philippe Aghion warns that Europe lacks a comprehensive industrial policy necessary to compete effectively in the modern global economy. • Aghion highlights a concerning trend where long-term institutional investors, including pension funds, are directing the majority of their AI-related capital toward the United States. • This investment gap threatens Europe's technological sovereignty and its ability to foster home-grown innovation in critical sectors like artificial intelligence.

• At the Linedata Exchange London 2026 conference on June 10, industry panellists urged asset managers to move beyond AI hype and rethink their operating models and workflows. • Experts warned that firms are currently focusing on the wrong objective by attempting to simply replace human staff with AI technology. • The discussion emphasized that true industry transformation will come from using AI to redesign and optimize inefficient business processes.

• Indian deep technology startups have raised $1.23 billion across 120 funding rounds so far in 2026. • This activity follows a highly active 2025, during which the sector recorded a total of 372 funding rounds. • The trend highlights a maturing ecosystem as new funding platforms and specialized startup support programmes are launched to sustain growth.

Amazon and Sony among firms that may have sourced coltan, used in phones, from supply chains controlled by the M23 rebels, says Global WitnessLeading global brands including Amazon, Ericsson and Sony are “likely” to have sourced minerals linked to a militia accused of widespread sexual violence, summary executions and torture, a new investigation claims.The companies allegedlybut unknowingly, acquired coltan smuggled from mines in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) that are occupied by the M23 militia, which has committed myriad atrocities in eastern DRC. Continue reading...

• Applications are now open for the European Award 2026, a funding initiative designed to support non-profit cultural organizations across Europe. • The award targets innovative audience-engagement projects that aim to strengthen the connections between arts, culture, and local communities. • Eligible applicants include organizations based in EU Member States, as well as Great Britain, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland.

• The Global Environment Facility (GEF) has approved over USD 67 million in new funding to strengthen climate resilience in eight vulnerable nations. • Recipient countries include Bangladesh, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea-Bissau, Niue, Senegal, Solomon Islands, Sudan, and Togo. • This financial injection is critical for supporting Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States in managing biodiversity loss and climate-driven disasters.

• Mid-sized UK institutional investors are shifting their focus from identifying opportunities in European markets to optimizing the execution of those investments. • The move is driven by a desire for better portfolio diversification, access to specialized investment strategies, and proximity to a wider range of asset classes. • This trend is expected to accelerate as financial markets undergo further digitization, specifically through the tokenization of securities.

• Global investors returned to equity funds during the week ending May 27, driven by a rally in AI-linked stocks that revived market sentiment. • Regional performance was mixed, with U.S. equity funds attracting a net $1.97 billion and European funds gaining $678 million, while Asian funds saw net outflows of $3.92 billion. • Despite the AI-driven demand, overall buying remained constrained due to investor caution surrounding U.S.-Iran peace negotiations.

Refunds came after the supreme court ruled Trump overstepped his authority in enacting sweeping tariffsUS importers are expected to receive $85bn in tariff refunds after the supreme court struck down Donald Trump’s tariffs in February, according to US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the agency that collects tariffs.Importers and shippers have so far been refunded $20bn, according to court documents filed on Tuesday, with about $65bn more on the way. Continue reading...

Domestic abuse commissioner ‘deeply concerned’ by move as councils in England and Wales struggle to fund reviewsThe Home Office has rejected a proposal to allocate government funds for reviews into domestic abuse-related deaths.Nicole Jacobs, the domestic abuse commissioner, said it was “deeply concerning” that local authorities in England and Wales would not receive direct resources to help them carry out domestic homicide reviews (DHRs) and urged officials to be “braver and bolder” in their decision making.In the UK, Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123 and the domestic abuse helpline is 0808 2000 247. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14 and the national family violence counselling service is on 1800 737 732. In the US, the suicide prevention lifeline is 1-800-273-8255 and the domestic violence hotline is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Other international helplines can be found via www.befrienders.org Continue reading...

Scottish National party’s attempt to focus on call for independence referendum overshadowed by embezzlement scandalThe Scottish National party was accused of “embezzling” voters after opposition leaders highlighted the crisis over Peter Murrell’s misuse of £400,000 from party funds.The scandal over Murrell’s guilty plea on Monday to embezzling £400,310.65 while he was the SNP’s chief executive overshadowed a Holyrood motion tabled by John Swinney to call for a second independence referendum. Continue reading...

• Global hedge funds significantly increased their investments in AI-related stocks during the second quarter of 2026. • According to a report from Goldman Sachs, chipmakers including Intel and Lam Research have emerged as top holdings for these funds. • This trend highlights a growing institutional confidence in the long-term scalability and profitability of AI hardware infrastructure.

Rightwing commentator says she is hundreds of thousands of dollars out of pocket and claims she was misled by promoter RocksmanGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastNone of the 15,000 ticket holders for conservative influencer Candace Owens’ cancelled Australian tour are expected to get their money back from the promoter, after it spent all its money then collapsed.Owens herself says she is hundreds of thousands of dollars out of pocket and claims she was misled by the promoter, Rocksman, a company with links to the influential conservative lobby group Turning Point Australia. Continue reading...

Sue Jacquot was taking part in fundraiser when police swarmed her home after someone falsely reported a crimeAn Arizona grandmother has said someone subjected her to a so-called police swatting call while she was taking part in a Minecraft fundraiser to raise financial support for her grandson’s cancer treatment medical bills.The bizarre turn of events is the latest high-profile instance in the US of an act of criminal harassment which involves prank-calling emergency operators to get a heavily armed police response sent to a target’s home. Continue reading...

• The AI boom is generating unprecedented windfalls for Asian chipmakers, particularly in South Korea and Taiwan, creating a global circular flow of capital. • This surge in wealth is mirroring a narrower version of the "Asian savings glut" seen in the late 1990s and early 2000s, which historically kept U.S. borrowing costs low. • The phenomenon matters because these massive profits are being reinvested back into the global economy to fund hyperscalers and AI infrastructure.

Government announces a near tenfold increase but forces fear it will not cover anticipated cost of dedicated teamsKeir Starmer’s government has announced a near tenfold increase in funding for detectives hunting grooming gangs but has been warned by police that the amount will “likely fall short” of what is needed.Operation Beaconport, which was set up last year to review closed group-based sexual exploitation inquiries in England and Wales, will receive nearly £38m, a Home Office statement said – up from £4m given last year. Continue reading...