Longer

• Analysts warn that the US Federal Reserve's decision to maintain higher interest rates for longer will negatively impact Asia's tech sectors and slow global growth. • Economies with large youth populations and high import reliance, specifically India, Indonesia, Pakistan, and the Philippines, are expected to be most vulnerable to these conditions. • Asian central banks are increasingly diverging from the Fed's path to address local macroeconomic factors, such as varying inflation outlooks and energy price exposure.

Some residents in glass-fronted block say they are still ‘fighting to stay cool’ in Britannia Point in south-west LondonAs the fourth heatwave of the year hit the UK on Wednesday, Benice Bodah and her three teenage sons braced for more scorching temperatures inside their south-west London home. The two-bedroom flat is equipped with a built-in air-conditioning unit, but it has only been working intermittently in the almost three years since the family were placed in temporary accommodation at Britannia Point in Colliers Wood. “It has not been easy, but what can we do?” said Bodah, 48.Several councils have now agreed to stop housing families in emergency accommodation in the glass-fronted block after the Guardian revealed they were told they couldn’t use the built-in air-conditioning during heatwaves as it had “not been offered as an amenity” for them. The 19-storey building is owned by Criterion Capital, set up by the billionaire property magnate Asif Aziz. The temporary tenancies can last from weeks to years and are managed separately by letting agencies, including London-based Aura Assets Management. Continue reading...

• Google Finance has officially exited its beta phase and removed the "classic view," transitioning to a fully AI-first rebuild. • The updated platform integrates Gemini-powered research, live earnings tracking, portfolio management, and prediction markets to enhance financial analysis. • The redesign emphasizes fundamental data, providing users with deeper access to financial statements, historical comparisons, and analyst expectations.

Official declines to say whether Gabriel Perez, who allegedly bet on prediction market Kalshi, resigned or was fired A White House teleprompter operator who reportedly used inside knowledge to make bets about Donald Trump’s speeches on the online prediction market Kalshi is no longer in his post, according to a White House official.The official, who was not authorized to comment publicly about the personnel matter and spoke on condition of anonymity, said on Tuesday that Gabriel Perez, “no longer works in the federal government”. Continue reading...

• The Indian government is proposing a 2026 bill to introduce faster trials and longer jail terms for those involved in paper leaks. • This legislative move aims to counter protests by the CJP and Congress, who are demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. • The bill seeks to assuage a growing youth movement by strengthening legal penalties and streamlining the judicial process compared to the 2024 law.

• A review of the school drama "Adarsh Baal Vidyalaya" was released on July 24, 2026, describing the production as fun and relevant. • While the play is praised for its content, the critic notes that the pacing is inconsistent, making the performance feel longer than necessary. • This review is part of a broader real-time entertainment coverage by Mint, tracking trends across the $2.83 trillion global entertainment industry.

• A review of the school drama "Adarsh Baal Vidyalaya" was released on July 24, 2026, describing the production as fun and relevant. • While the play is praised for its content, the critic noted that the pacing occasionally makes the performance feel longer than necessary. • This review is part of a broader real-time entertainment coverage by Mint, tracking trends across the $2.83 trillion global industry.

Flagship health report also shows vaccine rates for children are falling, prompting concern from expertsGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAustralians with cancer are living longer than ever, a flagship health report has revealed, but falling childhood vaccination rates and increasing rates of measles, diphtheria and whooping cough have given experts cause for concern.The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s (AIHW) biennial report card, released on Thursday, shows the five-year relative survival rate for people with cancer has increased from 50% to 72% in 30 years. Continue reading...

• A new wave of multinational co-productions is emerging in the K-drama industry, moving beyond solely Korean casts and crews. • A key example is the mystery thriller "Kidnap Game," a joint venture between Korea’s SimStory, Japan’s Fuji Television Network, and Hong Kong’s MakerVille. • The series features a regional ensemble led by Lee Joon-gi and Kentaro Sakaguchi, with actors from Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, the Philippines, and Thailand.

Thousands of women are killed in dowry disputes each year, despite the practice being banned in 1961Dowry deaths in India no longer provoke the public anger they once did, despite thousands of women’s lives still being lost every year, according to new research.The killings – women who are murdered or driven to suicide following dowry disputes between families – have also faded from political debate, despite an increase in cases. Continue reading...

• Primotech, a global IT solutions and AI consulting firm with operations in Mohali, India, and offices in Texas and California, is positioning itself as a key partner for businesses transitioning to AI-ready infrastructures. • The company argues that simply having a website or ranking on Google is no longer a competitive advantage as the business landscape evolves toward 2026. • This shift matters because businesses must now build foundational AI capabilities to maintain growth and operational efficiency in an increasingly automated market.

• Researchers using complex climate models have determined that life on Earth will likely become unsustainable in approximately 1.8 billion years. • The extinction event will be triggered by the sun increasing in brightness, which will lead to the eventual loss of the planet's oceans. • This finding is significant as it establishes a theoretical timeline for the end of the current biosphere due to solar evolution.

• The Vertex Companies announced on June 29, 2026, that Chad Paulin will join the firm as its new AI Strategy Officer. • Starting in mid-August, Paulin will lead the development of Vertex's artificial intelligence strategy and oversee the application of AI technology for clients. • This strategic hire aims to help clients navigate complex operational challenges and risk management through advanced AI integration.

• The focus of AI investment is shifting away from Large Language Models (LLMs) toward the development of "Agentic AI" systems. • Industry leaders are now prioritizing technologies that enable autonomous decision-making and real-world application over simple generative text. • This transition is evidenced by recent acquisition trends and investor demand, signaling a move toward more functional, goal-oriented AI agents.

• AI consolidation reached record levels last year, with 33 major acquisitions totaling at least $157 billion in disclosed value. • High-profile deals include Google's $32 billion purchase of Wiz, IBM's $27.8 billion data-stack acquisition, and Salesforce's $3.6 billion purchase of Fin. • These trends indicate a shift in investor demand away from Large Language Models (LLMs) toward specialized infrastructure and data-stack companies.

• Hollywood continues to maintain a significant global cultural presence, but its dominance is being challenged by the rise of Asian media industries. • Countries including China, South Korea, Japan, and Indonesia are increasingly producing their own original narratives and content. • This shift signifies a transition from Asia being primarily a consumer of Western media to becoming a confident creator of global entertainment.

• The UK government and private sector announced multi-billion pound investments at London Tech Week. • Lumai unveiled an optical computing system capable of running billion-parameter Large Language Models (LLMs) in real time, a significant advancement in AI technology. • This development indicates that AI is becoming increasingly tangible and powerful, with potential applications across various industries.

• The war in Ukraine has officially surpassed the duration of World War I, leading analysts to draw unsettling parallels between the two conflicts. • The comparison highlights a pattern where initial technological innovations in warfare fail to provide a lasting strategic advantage. • Historical evidence shows that opposing forces, such as the British and French in WWI, eventually adapt and develop countermeasures to neutralize new tactics.

• Europe is facing a critical geopolitical crisis in 2026, driven by aggressive unilateralism from Washington, Beijing, and Moscow, alongside escalating trade wars and energy instability. • The Future Combat Air System (FCAS) serves as a primary example of failure, where the development of a 6th-generation fighter jet has stalled due to national vanity and industrial disputes. • The author argues that European federalism must shift from a political ideology to a necessary survival strategy to ensure strategic autonomy and security.

The public broadcaster launched an investigation into the former bikie’s involvement in a podcast sponsored by an online casinoFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe Four Corners reporter Mahmood Fazal is no longer working for the ABC after an investigation into the former bikie’s involvement in a podcast sponsored by an online casino.The ABC managing director, Hugh Marks, told Senate estimates on Thursday Fazal’s employment had been “terminated” after the investigation. Continue reading...

Welfare advocates say while the reforms are a step in the right direction, the privatised employment services model has failed and should be torn upGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastMutual obligations will be different for every welfare recipient, the employment minister, Amanda Rishworth, says, signalling an end to jobseekers being forced to submit “endless” applications for roles they may not be qualified for.But welfare advocates and a key trade union have said Labor’s employment system changes don’t go far enough and fall short of the reform needed to the failure-plagued sector – they have called for an end to the privatised job services mode,l which Rishworth admits is not providing enough help.At the lower level, a digital service with “individualised resources and brief interventions” for people who are work-ready but need help finding the right job fit;a “targeted provider-led” stream to help people build skills and confidence to gain employment;and at the upper end, more intensive services for people with complex requirements, who will be given more time, flexibility and support to build their confidence and capabilities. Continue reading...

• SCOTUSblog reported that Supreme Court oral argument sessions are getting longer, raising questions about how the justices manage time and case presentation. • The trend has drawn attention because expanded arguments can change how much each justice can probe the lawyers and how many cases the Court can hear efficiently. • The issue matters for judicial administration, since procedural changes at the Court can affect both case outcomes and the pace of the docket.

Landmark report calls for widespread air conditioning and says UK temperatures forecast to exceed 40C by 2050British homes will need air conditioning to survive predicted levels of global heating, the government’s climate advisers have warned in a report, as measures such as drawing curtains, opening windows and growing trees for shade are not likely to be enough.Air conditioning should be installed in all care homes and hospitals within the next 10 years, and in all schools within 25 years, according to the Climate Change Committee (CCC), which published a major report on adapting to the impacts of global heating on Wednesday. Continue reading...

In today’s newsletter: A leadership crisis once again grips Westminster, with the Labour party currently split, the prime minister may not last the weekGood morning. First as tragedy, then as farce. Once again, the UK is shrouded in political uncertainty as a deeply unpopular prime minister clings to power. It has become a familiar cycle in recent years: the wait to find out which perishable good will survive longer than our next doomed premier.Keir Starmer insists he is not leaving – a serious leader for a serious time – and will have been boosted by last night’s lifeline, when Wes Streeting’s challenge failed to materialise. However, his authority with Labour MPs remains weak. Each new resignation attempts to undermine his position. For now, Starmer remains in charge by default.UK politics | Keir Starmer will attempt to regain the political initiative today as his government announces a package of 35 bills for the next parliamentary session, covering everything from housing to immigration.World news| Donald Trump is due to arrive in Beijing on Wednesday evening, the first visit to China by a US president in nearly a decade, as he seeks to mend power and prestige weakened by the war in Iran.UK news | Nine in 10 UK millionaires are proud to live in Britain and three-quarters would be willing to pay more tax to ensure public assets get the funding they need, according to research.Middle East | The risk of some Gulf states becoming embroiled in a direct war with Iran has risen after it was reported the United Arab Emirates had secretly launched a major attack on Iran during the conflict.Health | After more than a decade of global consultation, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) – a condition that affects one in eight women – has been renamed. Continue reading...

Almost two-thirds of respondents said US used to be a great place for immigrants but no longer isSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter email Donald Trump’s aggressive and wide-reaching immigration-enforcement agenda has convinced increasing numbers of adults that the US is no longer a welcoming country for outsiders, a new poll has found.About six in 10 respondents to the Associated Press-NORC poll, conducted last month, say the country used to be a great place for immigrants, but no longer is. Continue reading...

Campaign is said to be first time Labour-affiliated Unison is lobbying en masse against a key party policyMigrant workers and the UK’s largest union will carry out a mass leafleting campaign in Shabana Mahmood’s Birmingham constituency to protest against a planned change in immigration policy.The Labour-affiliated Unison union says the changes will adversely affect migrant care workers. About one-third of all care workers and one-fifth of all NHS workers are migrants. Continue reading...

Lord Robertson says diplomatic tone from White House is at ‘historic low’ and two allies are likely to keep divergingUK politics live – latest updatesBritain’s high military dependence on the US “is no longer tenable” and the UK has to become increasingly independent of the special relationship with Washington, a former Nato chief has warned.Lord Robertson, who last week accused British leaders of a “corrosive complacency” towards defence, said on Wednesday the traditional allies were diverging over values – and that even after Donald Trump, the separation was likely to continue. Continue reading...

Defense secretary Pete Hegseth makes announcement and calls military’s flu vaccine mandate ‘broad’ and ‘not rational’Members of the armed services will no longer be required to have an annual flu vaccination shot under a new policy announced Tuesday by Pete Hegseth, the US defense secretary.In a video statement posted to social media, Hegseth described the mandate as “overly broad” and “not rational” and the decision to drop the vaccine requirement as “seizing this moment to discard any absurd overreaching mandates that only weaken our war fighting capabilities”. Continue reading...