Issues

US labels group ‘global terrorist’ as its legal challenge against proscription in UK nears supreme court hearingThe US ⁠has ​issued sanctions against ⁠the UK-based direct action organisation Palestine ⁠Action, describing it as a “transnational terror group”.The US Department of the Treasury labelled Palestine Action a specially designated global terrorist on Wednesday, which allows the US to freeze the assets of foreign individuals and entities. Continue reading...

• Lauren is running a campaign in Tennessee focused on providing independent solutions to everyday problems rather than engaging in ideological two-party gridlock. • She is specifically opposing a coordinated effort to eliminate the neutrality of the state's court system. • The candidate pledges to protect the constitutional balance of powers and ensure judicial decisions remain free from political pressure.

Prestige Brand Holdings has voluntarily recalled a batch of its Clear Eyes eye drops after FDA alertNearly 40,000 bottles of eye drops are being pulled from store shelves across the US over concerns about potential contamination, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).Prestige Brand Holdings, based in Tarrytown, New York, has voluntarily recalled 39,060 bottles of Clear Eyes Maximum Itchy Eye Relief eye drops because of a “lack of assurance of sterility”, an FDA enforcement report states. The FDA classified the action as a Class II recall, defined on the agency’s website as a moderate-risk situation “in which use of or exposure to a violative product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences or where the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote”. Continue reading...

• Trump-endorsed Michigan gubernatorial candidate John James has accused opponent Jocelyn Benson of allowing hundreds of illegal aliens onto jury rolls. • James further alleged that more than a dozen non-citizens were discovered to have cast votes in Michigan elections. • These accusations highlight ongoing tensions regarding election integrity and voter eligibility in the lead-up to the gubernatorial race.

• An investigation into seized Puerto Rican voting machines revealed significant security flaws, although no evidence suggests these vulnerabilities were used to alter election results. • The report highlights how technical glitches, such as those seen in Maricopa County, Arizona, during the 2022 midterms, are often weaponized by political figures to claim voter disenfranchisement. • While a judge ruled that no voters were prevented from casting ballots in Arizona, Donald Trump and his allies used the malfunctions to fuel conspiracy theories regarding election integrity.

Parts of country face fifth heatwave of the summer with highs of 38C forecast this week Parts of the UK will face the fifth heatwave of the summer this week with temperatures forecast to reach highs of 38C, prompting the Met Office to issue an amber weather warning for extreme heat.The record-shattering heatwave has caused wildfires and drought in many parts of the country, with this summer on course to be the UK’s hottest since records began, according to the Met Office. The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) said firefighters have responded to 966 wildfires across England and Wales this year, including 185 in the first 10 days of August alone. The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) general secretary, Steve Wright, told Times Radio the country faces a national emergency “right now”, with wildfires seen “all across” the UK. Continue reading...

• NDA and INDIA bloc MPs engaged in a heated face-off at Parliament’s main gate on Tuesday, requiring security personnel to form a cordon to separate the opposing groups. • The confrontation was sparked by protests over "brutal" police action against job aspirants in Jharkhand and allegations regarding the theft of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya. • The clash highlights the deepening political divide between the ruling coalition and the opposition over law enforcement conduct and religious administration.

Tehran urges US to ‘correct its behaviour’ as UAE says one of its ships targeted by Iranian missileIran has issued tough new demands for reopening the strait of Hormuz, while the United Arab Emirates said one of its ships was targeted by an Iranian missile, as a deal to open the strategic waterway remained out of reach on Saturday.Iran’s politburo-like body known as the supreme national security council said the strait of Hormuz will not open until the United States “corrects its behaviour”, with its state broadcaster publishing a statement from the council’s secretary, Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, who is also a commander in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps IRGC. Continue reading...

• Spain has issued an ultimatum to Italy following a diplomatic dispute over the potential suspension of Schengen Zone open-border policies. • The conflict stems from the ongoing migrant crisis in Ceuta, leading to a "war of words" between the two European Union member states. • Under current regulations, Schengen members are permitted to temporarily reintroduce border controls if there are significant security or public-order concerns.

• Dr. Arun Mitra warns that ongoing global wars and increasing militarization are creating a deepening humanitarian crisis that the world cannot afford. • The author emphasizes that the abolition of nuclear weapons must be an urgent international priority to prevent the threat of nuclear brinkmanship. • Current geopolitical conflicts demonstrate that military coercion is ineffective, as evidenced by repeated cycles of ceasefires and renewed hostilities.

• Israel has officially announced that national elections will be held on October 27, 2026. • The upcoming race will feature a variety of political parties and candidates competing in one of the world's most dynamic electoral systems. • The election is significant as it will determine the future leadership and policy direction of the country amidst ongoing regional and internal challenges.

Exclusive: Louisiana firm awarded tender to build rudimentary outpost to house Moroccan troopsDonald Trump’s Board of Peace, which was set up in January to oversee the reconstruction of Gaza, has finally issued its first construction contract in the devastated territory: a project to build a rudimentary 150-person military outpost to house Moroccan troops, a source familiar with the matter told the Guardian.The contract, which has not yet been finalised, was awarded to Arkel International, a Louisiana-based firm that has previously carried out work with the US government in countries such as Iraq. Continue reading...

The president is constantly assigning motives, identifying heroes and villains, and telling his audience what to thinkThis was originally published in This Week in Trumpland. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every WednesdayFrom Charles Barkley to Thierry Henry to John McEnroe, the path from the arena to the commentary box is well trodden, and plenty of politicians have made the transition from elected office to the TV studio. One man, however, insists on doing both at the same time.Donald Trump is the US president, empowered to kill terrorists, grant pardons, sign and veto bills, and represent the nation on the world stage. But when issues become thorny, as they have of late, he is wont to embrace an alternative role as commentator-in-chief. Continue reading...

• On August 4, 2026, Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei reportedly issued a "final ultimatum" to President Pezeshkian. • The Supreme Leader has explicitly signaled his support for the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). • This development indicates a significant power struggle and tension between Iran's top religious leadership and its executive branch.

Police also released notes received from presumed abductors of mother of Today anchor Savannah GuthrieThe family of Nancy Guthrie issued a new appeal on Saturday for information on the whereabouts of their missing grandmother, six months after she disappeared from her home in Tucson, Arizona, and a day after local investigators released two purported ransom notes.“Six months ago, someone took her out of her bed in the dead of night. We have lived every moment, every breath, and every heartbeat in agony and despair ever since,” a post on Instagram said. Continue reading...

Trump’s overall approval rating slumps to 34%, according to new CNN poll, as midterms testing Republican power loomThree-quarters of Americans believe Donald Trump is not paying enough attention to the country’s most important problems, and two-thirds think he places himself above the needs of the US, according to a new poll.The CNN survey, conducted by market research company SSRS, comes less than 100 days before November’s midterm elections in which the president’s Republican party is widely expected to lose control of one or both chambers of Congress. Continue reading...

• The Indian government is set to introduce the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, during the Parliament Monsoon Session. • The draft legislation, approved by the Cabinet on Friday and circulated to MPs on Saturday, aims to implement tougher penalties to prevent paper leaks. • The move comes as the Opposition issues adjournment notices to protest the NEET paper leak row and ongoing demonstrations at Jantar Mantar.

Pub chain blames worse-than-expected sales on rising costs for workers, food, energy and property taxesBusiness live – latest updatesJD Wetherspoon has issued its fourth profit warning in seven months, with the pub chain blaming worse-than-expected sales, despite the World Cup, as it struggled with rising costs for food, workers, energy and property taxes.Shares in the pub chain tumbled 10% on Wednesday morning as its chair, Tim Martin, warned that profits would fall short of forecasts when it reports full-year earnings in October. Continue reading...

• Parliament's Monsoon Session 2026 was adjourned on its second day following protests from opposition members over various national issues. • DMK MP Tiruchi Siva submitted a Suspension of Business Notice under rule 267 in the Rajya Sabha to demand a discussion on the proposed Mekedatu Reservoir on the river Cauvery. • The request emphasizes the reservoir's negative impact on Tamil Nadu and calls for the urgent constitution of a tribunal to resolve the dispute.

• ASEAN foreign ministers are meeting in Manila to address critical regional challenges, including food and energy security, the Myanmar crisis, and tensions in the South China Sea. • To ensure energy stability, governments are urged to modernize electricity grids, invest in battery storage, and strengthen cross-border transmission infrastructure and regulatory frameworks. • Officials warned that food security is becoming an increasingly urgent concern as climate change triggers more frequent droughts, floods, and extreme weather across Southeast Asia.

Officials say smoke from US fires has crossed the border days after US president accused Canada of improper fire managementAfter days of acrid smoke from northern wildfires choking major US cities and inspiring Donald Trump to threaten Canada with tariffs, officials now say the reverse is also happening as parts of Canada issue air quality warnings due to American fires to the south.Officials in the Canadian province of British Columbia warned in an alert on Saturday evening that smoke from US fires, spurred on by thousands of lightning strikes in the north-east, is creating smoky conditions as polluted air drifts north. Continue reading...

• King Abdullah II issued a royal decree appointing a 12-member committee, including the Prime Minister and the Speaker of the Senate, to oversee constitutional and electoral reforms in Jordan. • To combat widespread election forgery, the committee decided to revise the Law of the Independent Election and Polling Results Commission during the first half of 2014. • The reform aims to ensure functional and administrative independence by staffing the Commission with highly qualified judges.

Demonstrations planned across the US this weekend will focus on three issues likely to define the midterm electionsThousands of Americans are expected to take to the streets this weekend in mass protests around issues likely to define the midterm elections: widespread violence from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, voter suppression and datacenter construction.The protests – some recently planned in response to last week’s ICE shootings, others an annual event with new urgency – will take place not just in big cities and progressive towns, but also in rural and red areas. Continue reading...

• The European Commission released a new report praising the Hungarian government for making significant progress on sweeping rule of law reforms. • Despite the progress, the EU warned that the election process for the prosecutor general and the prosecution service's structure still risk "undue political interference." • While the report rated Hungary's justice system as efficient, it noted a lack of structured measures regarding the ongoing salary increases for judges and prosecutors.

Mykhailo Fedorov, celebrated by many for innovative, tech-driven approach, was sidelined for military old guardThe abrupt dismissal of Ukraine’s youthful and innovative defence minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, by Volodomyr Zelenskyy at precisely the moment Kyiv appeared to be gaining advantages in several spheres of its war with Russia has exposed, not for the first time, a troubling flaw in the president’s leadership.The move, which has startled senior European officials and caused consternation in Ukraine – where it has prompted demonstrations – is all the more shocking given Fedorov’s role in pushing a clear strategy to prosecute the war, leveraging Ukraine’s rapidly developing technological advances in drone and missile technology. Continue reading...

• IBM stock plummeted 25%, marking the company's worst single-day decline on record, following a second-quarter earnings warning. • The company reported adjusted earnings of $2.93 per share on $17.2 billion in revenue, missing analyst expectations of $3.01 per share and $17.86 billion in revenue. • The CEO attributed the shortfall to weakness in the software and infrastructure sectors, noting that clients shifted their spending toward hardware purchases.

• South Korea's bourse operator activated a circuit breaker for the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) on Monday, July 13. • The emergency measure was triggered after stocks experienced a sharp tumble, driven by renewed geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. • This action matters as it serves as a volatility control mechanism to prevent panic selling and stabilize the domestic financial market.

• The INDIA bloc intends to challenge the central government during the upcoming Monsoon session of Parliament over several critical issues. • Key points of contention include the construction of the Ram temple, the NEET exam paper leak, and the protection of democratic rights. • RJD leader Sudhakar Singh warned that failing to address these concerns could lead to an "illusion of democracy," comparing potential future elections to those in China, Russia, and North Korea.