Mps

• China's new AI model, Kimi K3, has suspended new subscriptions after a surge in demand overwhelmed its system capacity within days of launch. • The model's rapid popularity has drawn significant attention from the U.S. tech industry, signaling strong competitive potential. • This capacity crisis underscores the infrastructure challenges Chinese AI firms face while attempting to scale services for domestic and international users.

• The United States has intensified military strikes against Iranian targets following the death of a third American service member. • President Donald Trump stated that Iran was hit "very hard" in response to the recent casualties. • The escalation occurs amid regional instability, including Houthi accusations that Saudi Arabia attacked the Yemeni capital's airport, ending a long-term de facto truce.

• Oil prices surged on Monday, July 20, 2026, following reports that the conflict between the US and Iran has escalated, resulting in attacks on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. • In separate financial news, South Korea announced plans to ease access to the won as part of a broader strategic goal to make the currency freely convertible. • These developments are driving volatility across Asia-Pacific markets, as energy security concerns clash with regional currency reforms.

• Indian stock markets declined on Monday, with the Sensex slumping 600 points and the Nifty testing the 24,200 level. • The selloff was primarily driven by escalating Iran-US tensions and investor concerns over rising Brent crude oil prices. • Market performance was mixed across sectors, as Axis and HDFC Bank shares dropped while Tech Mahindra and Bharti Airtel saw gains.

• Wall Street experienced a downturn on Friday as investors shifted away from the artificial intelligence sector due to growing concerns over frontier AI development. • In contrast to the U.S. market retreat, the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) managed to edge slightly higher. • Global markets are reacting to volatility in tech valuations and a simultaneous jump in oil prices.

• The Parliament's Monsoon Session opened with a clash between the Centre and Opposition parties over the government's recognition of the NCPI. • The NCPI is a newly formed party consisting of 20 rebel MPs from the Trinamool Congress (TMC), a move that strengthens the NDA's position in the Lok Sabha. • This political shift is significant as it pushes the NDA closer to achieving a two-thirds majority mark in the lower house.

• Entry-level hiring in South Korea's semiconductor industry surged by 47% during the first half of the year, according to data released by JobKorea on Monday. • The spike in recruitment is driven by the global AI boom, which has created a robust demand for specialized talent to develop high-performance chips. • This trend highlights the strategic shift of Korean tech firms to secure a new generation of engineers to maintain a competitive edge in the AI hardware market.

• Host Paul Engel of "The Constitution Study" examines how political influence is currently undermining the equal enforcement of law in the United States. • The program highlights federal investigations into alleged 2020 election irregularities and the impact of unconstitutional state and local policies. • A critical economic concern is raised regarding Congress, which is driving a projected national deficit of $1.9 trillion.

• Wall Street experienced a broad decline, with the Nasdaq Composite dropping 1.81%, the S&P 500 falling 1.14%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average decreasing by 0.24%. • The market downturn was primarily driven by a deepening selloff in semiconductor stocks and a significant slump in Netflix shares. • This volatility highlights growing investor concern over the valuation of high-growth technology companies and the stability of the chip sector.

• Tensions are escalating as the U.S. and Iran exchange missile strikes, leading to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and rising global oil prices. • Israel reports that U.S. forces may shift their targeting strategy from Iranian military sites to civilian infrastructure following recent remarks by President Donald Trump on Fox News. • This shift signifies a potential escalation in conflict, prompting Israel to prepare for intensified hostilities between the two nations starting next week.

• Stock futures rose Wednesday, driven by gains in technology shares and a positive sales outlook from chip-equipment maker ASML due to surging AI demand. • PayPal shares also jumped following reports of a potential takeover, adding to the bullish momentum in the tech sector. • Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh testified before the House Financial Services Committee on Tuesday, emphasizing the central bank's independence from political influence.

• Asian stock markets showed mixed results, highlighted by a significant rally where South Korea's KOSPI jumped nearly 6%. • Other regional indices, including Japan's Nikkei, Hong Kong's Hang Seng, and Australia's ASX 200, also recorded gains. • In contrast, China's Shanghai Composite remained largely unchanged following reports that the country's GDP growth failed to meet forecasts.

• Global stock markets rallied, with the Nasdaq rising 0.90%, the KOSPI jumping 7%, and the FTSE 100 gaining 0.30% following cooler U.S. inflation data. • The rally was driven by reduced fears of Federal Reserve rate hikes and expectations for further economic support due to soft domestic demand. • Regional gains included India's Nifty 50 (+0.57% to 24,188.50) and the BSE Sensex (+0.68% to 77,577.94), though Taiwan's benchmark fell 1.42% to 44,737.95.

In today’s newsletter: The representation of the people bill has become a test of whether ​Britain can curb the surge in billionaire‑backed ​donations trying to influence how we run the countryGood morning. I’m Hettie O’Brien, and I’ll be arriving in your inbox regularly from today, rounding out the First Edition team alongside Libby and Michael.I’ve spent much of my time at the Guardian writing about who is pulling the strings in Britain: I enjoy illuminating knotty subjects for our readers, exposing how power works, and helping to make sense of the stories defining our world. I’d love to hear what you think – just reply to this email – we want you to play a part in shaping First Edition. But go easy, it’s my first day.UK news | The police investigation into the death of Ann Widdecombe is examining whether a leftwing or single-issue cause may lie behind her killing, the Guardian has learned.Middle East | Donald Trump has threatened to expand US strikes on Iran next week to target power plants and bridges if Tehran does not agree to a deal amid a continuing dispute over the strait of Hormuz.UK politics | Boris Johnson’s government wasted £10bn of public money because of the way it went about buying PPE during the coronavirus pandemic, an official inquiry has concluded.Europe news | A spokesperson for the EU has pushed back against the Trump administration’s assertion that the international criminal court poses a threat to US sovereignty.US news | The man killed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Maine on Monday has been identified as Joan Sebastian Guerrero, according to local news outlets. Continue reading...

Commons health committee also recommends end to junk food advertising on billboards and public transportFast food chains such as KFC should be stopped from opening near schools, and advertising for junk food on billboards and public transport should be banned to help curb obesity, MPs will say today.The Commons health committee will also urge ministers to stop giving in to food industry lobbying and get tough to tackle a problem that costs the UK £74bn a year and causes huge illness.Supermarkets should be forced to display fruit and vegetables prominently, for example near entrances and checkouts, to help boost sales.All food must start carrying front-of-pack, traffic light-style labels telling consumers how healthy or unhealthy they are, which some supermarket chains already use.The government should urgently progress its previously announced intention to compel food producers to reveal what percentage of their sales come from healthy and unhealthy products.Ministers should “be more courageous [and start] standing up to challenge from industry”, which often seeks to delay the introduction of measures to limit bad diet. Continue reading...

As Ann Widdecombe’s death raises concerns over security, politicians reveal extent of problemJess Phillips has received so many death threats she has to remind herself not to be blase. One night she received more than 600 rape threats. In 2019, a man forced his way into her office. The same year a white supremacist sent her a picture of Jo Cox, her friend and fellow Labour MP who was murdered in 2016, accompanied with the message: “I will have you dealt with.”“This is not academic to me; it is something I face every day,” says the MP for Birmingham Yardley. “You learn to cope with it, but it does cause terrible anxiety. For me, I feel guilty about the people who work for me, my kids, my family.” Continue reading...

Stock markets fall as analysts price in two quarter-point UK rate rises by the end of the yearBusiness live – latest updatesOil and gas prices have jumped and expectations of interest rate rises in Europe have increased after the US carried out a third night of military strikes against Iran.Brent crude, the international benchmark for oil prices, rose by as much as 4.6% to $87.08 a barrel on Tuesday, its highest level in just over a month. Continue reading...

• Asian stock markets declined as oil prices surged following attacks in the Gulf, sparking fears of supply disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. • Oil prices initially spiked by 5% before paring some gains, driven by escalating tensions between the U.S. and Iran. • The volatility highlights the market's sensitivity to geopolitical instability in key energy corridors, impacting global equity sentiment.

After Ann Widdecombe’s murder, Reform UK has criticised the Commons speaker Lindsay Hoyle and suggested its MPs are not given enough security. Pippa Crerar tells Kiran Stacey what Hoyle’s team have been telling herPlease keep sending your comments and questions to Pippa and Kiran at [email protected] follow and subscribe to the Politics Weekly YouTube channel here Continue reading...

• Asian stock markets declined on Monday, with Japan's Nikkei falling 1.0% and the MSCI Asia-Pacific index dropping 0.2%. • The downturn follows a surge in oil prices triggered by escalating attacks between the US and Iran in the Gulf, which are disrupting the Strait of Hormuz. • Market volatility extended to US futures, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq easing 0.3% and 0.5% respectively, while South Korea's market dipped 0.4% after a sharp 8% decline last week.

• The ASX opened higher despite geopolitical tensions and flaring hostilities between the US and Iran, which have caused oil prices to jump. • Market sentiment was bolstered by the Nasdaq debut of South Korea's SK Hynix, which saw shares rise 14% after raising approximately $US26.5 billion. • Investors are anticipating a strong second-quarter earnings season on Wall Street, with LSEG analysts forecasting a 24% surge in S&P 500 earnings driven largely by technology firms.

Cross-party group backs call from science and technology committee to look at alternative options, citing ‘serious mistrust’A second parliamentary committee has urged Labour to scrap Palantir’s £330m contract with the NHS, increasing pressure on the next prime minister over government deals with the US tech company.MPs on the health and social care select committee want the NHS to cut ties with Palantir and find a replacement for its system, which is supposed to unify and analyse huge amounts of often highly sensitive NHS health data. Continue reading...

• U.S. stock futures for the Dow, Nasdaq, and S&P 500 climbed on Wednesday despite ongoing geopolitical instability and Federal Reserve inflation concerns. • U.S. Central Command launched additional strikes against Iran to degrade its ability to threaten freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. • The military action serves as a response to Iran's "unjustified aggression" against commercial shipping and civilian crews in vital international waterways.

Exclusive: Demands include ban on cryptocurrency donations after controversies over Nigel Farage fundingUK politics live – latest updatesLabour MPs are to rebel next week over the government’s reforms to political funding, pushing ministers to introduce tougher measures including a ban on cryptocurrency donations and much lower spending limits.MPs on the all-party, anti-corruption group are canvassing support for four amendments to the representation of the people bill that would significantly tighten the government’s plans. Continue reading...

• The Indian stock market experienced a sharp crash, with the Sensex slumping 1,677 points and the Nifty falling over 450 points to end below 23,900. • The downturn was triggered by comments from Donald Trump claiming that the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Iran is over and that he will no longer deal with the nation. • This volatility highlights the sensitivity of domestic markets to renewed US-Iran tensions and geopolitical instability.

Foreign affairs select committee says Peter Mandelson episode was ‘nothing short of disastrous’ for governmentPolitical selections for ambassador posts should be subject to a veto by MPs, a parliamentary committee has recommended, as it made damning criticisms of how Peter Mandelson became Britain’s top diplomat in Washington.The foreign affairs select committee concluded that Mandelson’s appointment was “nothing short of disastrous”, “highly damaging” for the British government and “painful and offensive to the victims of Jeffrey Epstein”. Continue reading...

Prime minister in waiting looks to address frustrations backbenchers had with Keir Starmer’s style of party managementAndy Burnham has promised MPs that he will never use party discipline to “stifle debate” and says they should raise problems and policy ideas “without fear or favour”.Nominations for the Labour leadership will open on Thursday, and Burnham is expected to be the only candidate. On Wednesday night the former armed forces minister Al Carns confirmed he would not seek to enter the race to replace Keir Starmer. Continue reading...

• Approximately 88 Labour MPs, representing over one-fifth of the party's House of Commons presence, are calling for the establishment of a body to investigate electoral reform. • The movement seeks to challenge Britain's "first past the post" voting system, with high-profile support from potential leadership contender Andy Burnham. • This push for reform highlights internal party pressure to move toward a more proportional representation system to ensure fairer election outcomes.