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Firm urges customers to avoid running washing machines and dishwashers between 6pm and 8pm on WednesdayWhere in the UK will get the best view of the solar eclipse?Business live – latest updatesGreat Britain’s biggest household energy supplier is calling on its customers to use less electricity this week during the deepest solar eclipse in almost 30 years.Octopus Energy has urged customers to avoid running washing machines and dishwashers between 6pm and 8pm this Wednesday as the moon is expected to block up to 95% of the sun over parts of Britain. Continue reading...

• A Microsoft survey reveals that users in South-east Asia view AI as a tool for boosting capabilities rather than a threat to their roles. • The study focused on the Asean-6 economies, including Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. • Key findings indicate that AI users in this region report a higher ability to produce work they could not complete a year ago compared to their global peers.

Much-delayed devices to be deployed by end of month after immigration agents involved in deaths or serious injuriesOfficers for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will be equipped with much-delayed body cameras by the end of next month, it was reported on Friday. But experts have questioned the transparency of a policy that allows the ICE director to restrict the public release of footage unless “it is in the best interests of the agency”.Pressure has mounted on the Trump administration to provide body cameras after people caught up in encounters with federal immigration personnel suffered death or serious injuries. Continue reading...

• Western nations are engaging in a massive AI spending spree, while Chinese competitors are reportedly keeping pace at a fraction of the cost. • In the U.S., growing opposition to data center expansion is driven by environmental concerns and a general distrust of Silicon Valley's influence over society. • Donald Trump has expressed concerns regarding cybersecurity risks linked to OpenAI and Anthropic, suggesting a need for more public control over AI development.

• Todoist is shifting its AI strategy to focus on using generative models to translate user intent into predictable code rather than keeping AI in the execution loop. • The company believes that reducing the reliance on autonomous AI execution in favor of structured code leads to more reliable and consistent user experiences. • This approach matters as it challenges the current industry trend of integrating "black box" generative AI directly into task management workflows.

Sarah Henderson says bill ignores gambling inducements, uniting parties and independents against controversial legislationFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastLabor will be forced to make major changes to its planned crackdown on online gambling advertising, as the Coalition, Greens and independents demand tougher rules to stop betting companies offering generous inducements as well as further limits on broadcast ads.After a two-day inquiry including sensational evidence that gambling companies allegedly provided illegal drugs and access to sex workers to keep problem gamblers betting, the Coalition confirmed on Wednesday afternoon it would seek “crucial amendments” before agreeing to support the government’s legislation. Continue reading...

• Singer Ariana Grande, 33, will step back from public visibility and take a break from her public life following the conclusion of her world tour next month. • The decision comes as a response to what her representative describes as "endless" scrutiny surrounding the artist. • Grande is currently continuing her tour schedule, with three upcoming performances at the United Center in Chicago starting this Monday.

• US singer Ariana Grande, 33, has announced she will "step back from visibility" and take a break from public life. • The hiatus will begin next month following the conclusion of her current world tour. • According to her representative, the decision comes as a response to the "endless" scrutiny the artist has faced.

Winter flu season is putting pressure on the health system, with medical staff bracing for the ‘worst three weeks of the year’Sick patients in New South Wales have been told to avoid the emergency room unless their life is at risk after a record day for winter presentations put the hospital system under strain.The New South Wales health minister, Ryan Park, said just under 10,000 people presented to emergency departments in Sydney on Monday, the “biggest ever recorded winter day in history”. It was around 1,000 more people than the average. Continue reading...

• Leopold Aschenbrenner's hedge fund suffered a massive 67% loss in July following a "chip wipeout" that impacted leveraged AI investments. • The financial collapse forced Aschenbrenner to remove all leverage and sell the majority of the fund's public holdings to Citadel. • This event highlights the volatility of the AI boom and the risks associated with high-leverage bets on semiconductor stocks.

Singer was due to reunite with Wicked co-star Jonathan Bailey in London production of Sunday in the Park With GeorgeAriana Grande has announced plans to take a break from public-facing work after her tour ends due to “endless, ongoing public scrutiny”. She is pulling out of the upcoming London revival of Sunday in the Park With George.The pop singer was due to appear opposite her Wicked co-star Jonathan Bailey in a new production of Stephen Sondheim’s critically acclaimed musical at the Barbican in 2027. Continue reading...

Prime minister says UK needs to ‘bring back that control’, but safe routes for refugees are necessary to tackle traffickingAndy Burnham has pledged to be “relentless” in tackling small boat crossings after tens of thousands of migrants entered Ceuta, a Spanish territory, but said “safe routes” for refugees were necessary to tackle trafficking gangs.Speaking during a visit to Dover, the prime minister said he had been assured by the Spanish prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, that approximately 98% of the estimated 50,000 people who entered Spain’s north African territory of Ceuta last week have now been returned to Morocco. Continue reading...

Climate scientist urges better planning as southern England had just 1% of long-term average rainfall last monthHalf of England and the whole of Wales are officially in drought and July is set to be the driest month on record as extreme heat intensified by the climate crisis continues to grip the UK and Europe this summer.The announcements this week by England’s Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales mark the third such event over the past five years, and come in the wake of four record-breaking heatwaves since May which have fuelled huge wildfires and left farmers, wildlife and protected habitats running out of water. Continue reading...

Some have called it ‘S&M’, but partnership with Ann Summers is less a scandal than another step in a century of evolving underwear trends, experts sayThe news that Marks & Spencer is selling Ann Summers crotchless knickers on their website has been greeted – as might be expected – with outrage online, being described as everything from “tawdry” to “S & M”.But it could be this is just the latest evolution in what the UK’s biggest underwear retailer has available for the smalls drawer. In recent years, the store has sold vastly different options through its own products, ranging from full-brief knickers to thongs, period knickers and those that can be used by women who wear stomas. The introduction of other brands in clothing came five years ago, with underwear included. Ann Summers – which is selling bras and chemises as well as knickers on the M&S website – lines up alongside lingerie brands including Pour Moi and Calvin Klein. Continue reading...

• Europe and the U.K. are currently refining their AI model testing frameworks as the U.S. government faces an upcoming deadline to establish its own safety rules. • The Trump administration is tasked with developing a comprehensive oversight framework to determine which specific AI capabilities and models require regulation. • This effort is driven by the rapid increase in AI power, necessitating a shift from general guidelines to concrete safety standards.

• Leopold Aschenbrenner, a prominent analyst focusing on generative AI and semiconductors, experienced a significant hedge fund collapse. • The event serves as a cautionary tale, illustrating how high-level intellectual brilliance in investing can still be defeated by volatile market shifts. • This failure highlights the inherent risks associated with aggressive investment strategies, even for those with deep technical expertise in frontier technologies.

Trump administration boasts of cutting $1.73bn already allocated for cycling improvements to city streetsSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter email The Trump administration’s plans to stymie and defund bike lane plans in the US, on the unusual basis that they are DEI tools, will hurt efforts to improve roadway safety, non-motorized transportation advocates say.The transportation secretary, Sean Duffy, posted on X this month that he had redirected $1.73bn allocated for “Biden-era DEI pet projects” to “America’s actual backbone: ROADS, BRIDGES, AND SHIPPING PORTS”. Continue reading...

Data shows Canadians have replaced US vacations with other international trips in apparent rebuke to TrumpCanadians spent $3.3bn less on travel to the US in 2025 than in the previous year, as Donald Trump’s hostile policies towards his northern neighbour continue to incur an economic cost, new government data shows.The research also indicates that Canadians are not bucking travel overall and instead have replaced US vacations with other international destinations, in a rebuke to Trump’s tariff regime and the president’s continued musings on annexing Canada. Continue reading...

• Science adviser Michael Kratsios has proposed a major overhaul of federal research funding under President Trump, shifting priorities toward White House-selected fields like chemistry, biological, and physical sciences. • The plan aims to increase investment in artificial intelligence while reducing funding for universities, citing a slowdown in biomedical breakthroughs and flatlining drug approvals despite funding increases since the 1990s. • To improve efficiency, Kratsios intends to reduce the time researchers spend on grant applications and implement stricter measures to track the returns on government investments.

Exclusive: Two children reportedly taken to hospital after residents told in-built units ‘not offered as amenity’Homeless families placed in temporary accommodation in London were told they could not use the in-built air conditioning as it had “not been offered as an amenity” for them, leading to two children being hospitalised during recent heatwaves.Some residents at Britannia Point in Colliers Wood, south-west London, experienced such stifling conditions that young children became ill. The company managing some of the tenancies involved told the Guardian households in temporary accommodation had now been told they could use the air conditioning. Continue reading...

• A survey of nearly 5,000 professionals and companies across 10 Asian markets reveals that workers in Singapore and Hong Kong are the least optimistic about AI's impact on their careers. • These financial hubs rank below mainland China (88%), Vietnam (83%), Japan (80%), and Taiwan (79%) in terms of regional career optimism. • Professionals in Singapore specifically fear job displacement via automation, potential bias in AI-driven decision-making, and the risk of their current skills becoming obsolete.

• A security breach at Hugging Face has exposed critical vulnerabilities in how AI models are developed and deployed across the web. • The incident highlights a trend of "ruthless efficiency" in the AI industry, where rapid development often comes at the expense of robust security protocols. • This event is significant as it signals a new era of systemic risk, where AI-driven tools may be exploited to automate attacks or leak sensitive data.

As measles, hantavirus and cyclospora spread, experts say lost staff and expertise are slowing the responseA series of health challenges – hantavirus, screwworm, Ebola, cyclospora, measles, whooping cough, bird flu – are exposing the widening gaps in America’s ability to prevent, identify and halt infectious disease outbreaks.The rapid dismantling of the US public health system at all levels means the US is in worse shape than it was before the Covid pandemic, former top CDC officials say. Continue reading...

Figure of £16bn from ONS comes after new prime minister revealed plans to cut VAT on electricity billsBusiness live – latest updatesThe UK government borrowed less than expected in June, in a boost for Andy Burnham as he set out plans to cut VAT on household electricity bills and promised a new direction for the British economy.The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said public sector net borrowing – the difference between government spending and income – was £16bn last month, £7.9bn less than in June 2025. Continue reading...

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial newsGood morning, and welcome to our rolling coverage of business, the financial markets and the world economy.New prime minister Andy Burnham has announced this morning that VAT will be cut from household electricity bills, as part of his plan to help with the cost of living.Westminster has not been working for people for too long, with families struggling with the cost of living.That needs to change. I said I wanted to give people breathing space, and that’s what I’m announcing on my second day as prime minister.Fiscal control is the first duty of any chancellor. It is mine. And fiscal credibility is the bedrock for economic stability and for national security, and you heard the prime minister this afternoon say, in this more dangerous world, we will meet our commitments on defence to our international allies…7am BST: ONS Labour market figures and public financesToday: New PM Andy Burnham to announce cost of living measures Continue reading...

• The US Central Command conducted airstrikes for the ninth consecutive night, targeting Iranian missile sites, air defense systems, and military command centers. • Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei dismissed the interim ceasefire deal signed by Donald Trump as "worthless and invalid," while Iranian negotiators announced the suspension of their commitments. • The conflict escalates as Tehran rejects the current terms, signaling a breakdown in the immediate truce and increasing regional instability.

• The BBC released a four-minute campaign film titled "What Has The BBC Ever Done For Me?" featuring nearly 100 celebrities to promote the license fee. • The advert has faced heavy criticism, with detractors describing it as "nauseating" and "shameless self-promotion." • Star Romesh Ranganathan acknowledged the corporation's "flaws" while the campaign aims to justify the BBC's funding model.

• A NOTUS review of Senate voting patterns reveals a decades-long trend where the chamber is focusing more on party-line nominations and less on passing legislation. • Extreme partisanship has shifted the Senate's role, with members increasingly holding party-line votes for judicial and administration nominees rather than engaging in deliberation. • This shift undermines the Senate's traditional reputation as the "world’s greatest deliberative body" by replacing legislative debate with polarized confirmation battles.