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Reproductive Freedom for All – one of the country’s oldest pro-choice groups – backs Jackson in his fight against Republican Susan CollinsOne of the oldest abortion rights groups in the US is endorsing Troy Jackson, the Democratic nominee in Maine’s critical US Senate race, according to details first shared with the Guardian.Reproductive Freedom for All is supporting Jackson, the former state senate president, in challenging Susan Collins – the five‑term Republican incumbent who has been dogged on the campaign trail for her role in overturning abortion access in the US. Continue reading...

Confidence index drops to 89.4 in August from 90.2 in July amid frustration after five years of elevated inflationAmericans’ confidence in the economy declined again this month as the ongoing conflict in Iran continued to push US gasoline prices above $4 per gallon.The Conference Board said on Tuesday that its consumer confidence index dipped to 89.4 in August from 90.2 in July. That was the lowest level in seven months but was essentially within the same lukewarm range it has been in since the beginning of the year. In late 2024 and early 2025, readings were consistently above 100. Continue reading...

• US Treasury Secretary Bessent is scheduled to unveil the "toughest" sanctions in history against Iran today at 2 pm ET. • Markets are reacting to the anticipation of these "Economic D-Day" sanctions, causing oil prices to slide by 2%. • This move represents a significant escalation in US economic pressure on Iran, aiming to severely restrict its financial capabilities.

• United Airlines is pursuing growth through an expansion at JFK airport and the increased integration of AI to optimize operations. • The airline is specifically focusing on the premium travel segment as options for major industry mergers remain limited and uncertain. • These strategic shifts aim to drive revenue and efficiency in a competitive market where consolidation is currently stalled.

Seal found dead at Beachport in South Australia on Wednesday follows three mass mortality events in ternsFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA long-nosed fur seal has died from H5 bird flu in South Australia, marking the first confirmed case in a mammal on the Australian mainland. The seal was found dead at Beachport on Wednesday on the state’s Limestone Coast. It marks a fresh escalation in the spread of the virus days after the South Australian premier, Peter Malinauskas, announced three mass mortality events on offshore islands involving more than 1,000 greater crested terns.The highly pathogenic strain of bird flu has killed millions of birds globally and crossed over into mammal species, including elephant seals. Long-nosed fur seals and the endangered Australian sea lion are among the mammal species the federal government has assessed as facing very high risk from the virus. The SA government has also confirmed a little penguin found at Kangaroo Island this week also tested positive for H5 bird flu. Continue reading...

National Trust’s Holnicote estate says restored wetlands and rivers offer proof of resilience to drought, wildfires and floodingAerial footage of an estate in Somerset has revealed the benefits of rewilding land in the face of extreme weather brought about by the climate crisis.The area of the National Trust’s Holnicote estate where rivers have been returned to their natural courses and wetlands have been restored have remained green and lush during the five heatwaves across the summer. In contrast, the surrounding countryside has become parched and brown. Continue reading...

• The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) released the minutes from its July meeting on Wednesday, revealing that officials believe inflation remains elevated. • The meeting involved twelve Fed officials, including the seven Board of Governors members and five regional Reserve Bank presidents, who assess economic conditions to set monetary policy. • This acknowledgment is critical as it signals the Federal Reserve's ongoing struggle to bring inflation down to its target levels, influencing future interest rate decisions.

Discovery marks latest grim finding in lake as water levels in crucial reservoir outside Las Vegas continue to declineHuman remains have once again been discovered at Lake Mead outside Las Vegas, Nevada, marking the latest in a line of gruesome discoveries as water levels in the crucial reservoir continue to drop, authorities said.These remains were discovered on 16 August, USA Today reported. The National Park Service (NPS) told the outlet there did not appear to be anything suspicious about the body. Continue reading...

• A comprehensive revision checklist has been released for UPSC Civil Services Mains 2026 aspirants, focusing on 15 essential International Relations (IR) topics. • The guide highlights critical areas including the India-UK FTA, Arctic geopolitics, UNSC reforms, neighbourhood ties, and the concept of "Pax Silica." • These topics are linked to Previous Year Questions (PYQs) to help candidates understand how recent global developments impact India's foreign policy.

Madrid government changes stance after previously saying anyone who entered territory illegally would be sent backEurope live – latest updatesThe Spanish government has U-turned and said it will allow 500 migrant children in Ceuta to relocate to the mainland.The majority of the estimated 70,000 people who crossed into Ceuta – a Spanish territory on the coast of north Africa – on 30 July have returned to Morocco. However, under Spanish law, the state has a duty of care to young, unaccompanied migrants until they reach the age of 18. Continue reading...

Cedric Lodge, 58, sentenced in December to eight years in prison for stealing and selling body parts in national schemeHarvard University has agreed to pay a $53m settlement to resolve civil lawsuits stemming from the illegal theft and sale of human remains that had been donated to its medical school for scientific research.A former Harvard medical school morgue manager, Cedric Lodge, 58, was sentenced in December last year to eight years in prison after he had pleaded guilty in May to stealing and selling human body parts in a nationwide scheme. Prosecutors said this had involved the theft and sale of organs, skin, brains and dissected heads from cadavers donated to Harvard from 2018 through at least March 2020. Continue reading...

• The UK labour market showed continued loss of momentum in June, characterized by weaker hiring conditions and a cooling in wage growth. • Private-sector wage growth slowed to 2.8%, marking its weakest pace since 2020, while the unemployment rate held steady at 4.9%. • A decline in job vacancies further reinforces the trend of a softening labour market across the United Kingdom.

• The University of Michigan's Index of Consumer Sentiment dropped to 51, down from July's reading of 55.2. • This decline ends a two-month trend of improvement in consumer sentiment, signaling a shift in public perception. • The downturn is primarily driven by persistent concerns over inflation, which continue to weigh on US households.

• A comprehensive revision checklist has been released for UPSC Mains 2026 aspirants, focusing on 15 essential Polity and Governance topics. • The guide aims to help candidates bridge the gap between static syllabus requirements and evolving current affairs, which often pose a significant challenge. • This resource is critical for final preparations as the Mains examinations are scheduled to commence on August 21.

• The Consumer Price Index for July reported a 3.4 percent year-over-year increase in prices, though energy costs remain elevated due to the ongoing war in Iran. • This data arrives as the Federal Reserve evaluates whether to raise interest rates after keeping them steady throughout the year. • The report is critical because inflation has consistently exceeded the central bank's 2 percent target for over five years.

Thanks to the drought, these black-and-white beauties are struggling to catch worms in the rock-hard earth. But there’s still good foraging on well-watered fairways and greensName: Badgers.Age: European badgers live for five to eight years in the wild. They have been in the UK, where this story is set, for half to three-quarters of a million years. Continue reading...

• AI, big data, and cybersecurity emerged as the dominant global tech hiring themes during the second quarter of 2026, according to GlobalData. • While overall job postings saw a slight decline, the automotive and technology sectors remained resilient, and the Netherlands experienced a rise in hiring due to stable economic growth and increased public spending. • Job postings in the US and UK recorded only modest growth, as noted by GlobalData Business Fundamentals Analyst Sherla Sriprada.

• A circuit breaker was triggered on the Kosdaq as South Korean technology stocks experienced a significant surge. • Market activity is otherwise expected to remain rangebound today due to a lack of major scheduled economic events. • Traders are currently maintaining a cautious stance while awaiting the release of the US Consumer Price Index (CPI) report.

• A new report released on August 10 indicates that Indian equities remain attractive for long-term investment despite recent market volatility. • The positive outlook is driven by a recovery in corporate earnings, an increase in private capital expenditure, and the potential for new trade deals. • Despite pressures from geopolitical tensions, crude oil price fluctuations, and earnings reports, Indian equities closed July with a 2.2 per cent gain.

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...

• The New York Times is fact-checking key competitive Senate races in Maine, Michigan, and Ohio, focusing on the accuracy of campaign claims. • Republican candidates are centering their attacks on illegal immigration and terrorism, including claims by Mr. Rogers that Dr. El-Sayed is a "radical Islamist." • Democrats are countering by highlighting the unpopularity of President Trump’s cuts to Medicaid to gain an electoral advantage.

• The SET Index is currently trading sideways as investors maintain a cautious stance amid a lack of significant new market drivers. • Market participants are closely monitoring geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, specifically focusing on negotiations regarding the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. • Investors are also awaiting the release of upcoming U.S. labor data, which is expected to influence global market sentiment.

Officials describe ‘deplorable conditions’ at home run by pair linked to crematory closed due to mishandled remainsThe remains of 56 people were found improperly stored and decomposing on Thursday at a Chicago funeral home run by a couple who previously operated a crematory that was similarly shut down because of mishandled remains, authorities said.Illinois state officials, meanwhile, suspended the license of one of the funeral home’s directors, alleging bodies were being kept in an unrefrigerated area in “deplorable conditions”. Continue reading...

People voice frustration with officials’ failure to engage with community over placement of asylum seekers in areaA smashed window pane and some broken eggshells on a footpath were some of the tell-tale signs of events that took place this week on a residential street at the edge of Thetford.On Friday afternoon it was not hard to find local people with a sense of foreboding after the latest disorder in the Norfolk market town which has seen crowds attempt to break into properties believed to be housing asylum seekers. Continue reading...

• Gianni Infantino has retained his position as FIFA president following a high-stakes crisis meeting held on August 6, 2026. • The decision comes amid a period of administrative power struggles and significant tactical evolutions across major European football leagues. • This outcome ensures continuity in FIFA's leadership as the global sports calendar accelerates into the latter half of 2026.

Fires have destroyed about 850 buildings and forced about 67,000 people to evacuate since they erupted last weekendFirefighters have taken advantage of cooler weather to begin getting a handle on wildfires that have displaced tens of thousands of people around Washington state’s second-largest city, but hotter, drier and breezier days lie ahead.Officials reported Wednesday that firefighters had established containment lines around the perimeters of all three fires affecting Spokane and that they were focused on reinforcing those lines. Temperatures were expected to climb from the 80sF the past two days into the upper 90sF (36C), with less humidity, late this week. Continue reading...

• Asian markets are experiencing cautious trading with the NZX opening lower, as investors await critical US initial claims and Friday's jobs data. • Market focus remains on earnings reports from Softbank and Swire, while the Yen's volatility and China's pursuit of taxes on overseas investments pressure insurers and financials. • In regional data, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) maintained interest rates on Wednesday as expected, while the Philippines prepares to release June unemployment and industrial production figures.

The former public health official has slight lead over congresswoman Haley Stevens, but vote count could continue well into the dayEl-Sayed holds narrow lead in Michigan Senate primary but race too close to callUS representative Haley Stevens, who is currently trailing in the Democratic primary for Senate in Michigan, has cast herself throughout her campaign as a pragmatic problem-solver and workhorse.Stevens, who has represented Michigan’s 11th House district since 2019, after flipping the seat, has a long list of high profile endorsements from within the Democratic party that include the Senate minority leader, Chuck Schumer, the Michigan governor, Gretchen Whitmer, and Gary Peters, the retiring senator who holds the seat she is now running for. Her campaign had also been boosted by tens of millions of dollars in outside spending, including from groups affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (Aipac), the pro-Israel lobbying organization. Continue reading...