Power

• Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched a sharp attack on the Samajwadi Party (SP) and Congress during an event in Pilibhit. • Yogi claimed the public has rejected the SP, asserting that their governance leads to riots, curfews, and threats to the security of women and traders. • He attributed the Partition of India to the Congress party's "lust for power," arguing that a firmer stand against Jinnah could have prevented the country's division.

Health secretary announces move after Amos review finds childbirth and neonatal care in need of ‘urgent reform’Analysis: Transparency, standards and a new commissioner – but does maternity review go far enough?A powerful maternity commissioner will be appointed to push through an urgent transformation of childbirth care in England after a major review concluded that it had multiple failings.Ministers have bowed to growing pressure by agreeing to recruit the UK’s first commissioner for maternity and neonatal care. Whoever takes on the role will pursue hospitals over persistent failures in care, ensure wide-ranging improvements are made and try to restore the faith of families in a maternity system in England that has been rocked by a series of scandals.Maternity triage services – the childbirth equivalent of A&E – need an urgent overhaul, including more staff on duty, so that women’s concerns are acted on more quickly.Families should get the right to seek a fresh, independent investigation when things go wrong if they are not happy with the hospital’s own inquiry.The NHS’s “brutal” and “cruel” system of agreeing compensation with harmed and bereaved families should be replaced by a new process in which hospitals admit errors immediately.The NHS must root out racism and discrimination that is “embedded throughout the maternity and neonatal system”. Continue reading...

• The Supreme Court issued twin rulings clarifying the extent of President Trump's authority to remove independent regulators from their positions. • The Court ruled that the President may fire certain independent regulators for any reason, significantly expanding executive power over administrative agencies. • However, the justices affirmed the independence of the Federal Reserve, ruling that its governors cannot be dismissed at will.

• Liberal Supreme Court justices issued a blistering dissent against a ruling that expands the president's authority to fire regulators, with Justice Sonia Sotomayor comparing the power to that of the "English crown." • The decision sparks concerns over the independence of federal agencies, though Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook emphasized that the central bank must remain free from political interference to ensure sound economic stewardship. • In a separate victory for Democrats, the Court ruled in Watson v. Republican National Committee that ballots mailed on time can be counted even if they arrive after Election Day.

• Andy Burnham will deliver a speech on Monday outlining a 10-year plan to transform the economy by shifting decision-making power to local communities and regions. • The proposal aims to achieve "good growth in every postcode" and serves as a "circuit-breaker" to address low public trust in national politics. • Burnham has indicated that his economic strategy will adhere to the fiscal rules established by Chancellor Rachel Reeves.

• Andy Burnham has proposed establishing a "No 10 North" in Manchester to devolve more power to UK regions and promote "good growth in every British postcode" if he becomes Prime Minister. • His specific plans include increasing residential density in towns, utilizing vacant public land for building, and granting regional mayors control over employment support and mental health services to reduce welfare spending. • Burnham also aims to reform Westminster's political culture, specifically targeting the "whipping" system of party management which he claims stifles debate through fear.

• The author argues that Europe will never achieve "AI superpower" status or catch up to industry leaders like OpenAI and Anthropic due to insufficient funding and delayed investments in AI gigafactories. • European industry players are currently avoiding large-scale data center investments, preferring less compute-intensive approaches to applied AI. • To maintain technological independence, the continent should pivot from superpower ambitions to a "middle power" strategy, focusing on its distinctive strengths and collaborating with other mid-sized nations.

Legal and labor experts say Trump v Slaughter decision upends settled constitutional law in favor of ‘loyalty test’As a reality TV show host, Donald Trump rose to fame with the catchphrase: “You’re fired!” On Monday, the US supreme court handed him – and all future presidents – the power to fire leaders of independent agencies or commissions, overturning 90 years of court precedent curbing executive power.While Trump celebrated the decision on Truth Social as a “big win”, labor advocates, unions, and consumer advocacy groups criticized the supreme court decision on the case, Trump v Slaughter, and warned of the long-term impacts for democracy in the US.Court rules Trump can fire leaders of independent agenciesCourt rules geofence warrants require constitutional privacy protectionsCourt rules Trump’s firing of Lisa Cook from Fed was unconstitutionalCourt upholds law to count mail-in ballots arriving after election dayCourt rejects Trump’s bid to appeal $5m E Jean Carroll Continue reading...

• The Supreme Court ruled on Monday, June 29, 2026, that the president has the authority to fire the heads of independent agencies without cause. • The decision specifically allows President Donald Trump to remove Democratic member Rebecca Slaughter from the Federal Trade Commission, whom he fired last year. • This ruling strikes down a nearly century-old legal precedent designed to protect independent agencies from executive political influence.

• The US Supreme Court issued a blockbuster decision expanding the president's legal authority to dismiss top government officials. • This ruling shifts control of dozens of federal agencies to the White House, removing protections for officials who previously operated independently. • The decision is significant because it fundamentally alters the balance of power between the executive branch and independent regulatory bodies.

• The Supreme Court issued a ruling that strengthens President Trump’s authority to fire independent agency members, a move Trump described as a historic expansion of presidential power. • Despite this broader authority, the Court specifically protected Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, ruling that Fed governors can only be fired "for cause" rather than for any reason. • This decision is significant as Trump seeks to transform the U.S. government by replacing independent officials with political allies to ensure executive control.

• The Supreme Court expanded the president's authority to fire independent government regulators, though it explicitly ruled that Federal Reserve officials cannot be fired at will. • In a ruling against President Roosevelt, the Court distinguished between officials performing "executive functions" and those exercising "executive power." • The Court determined that the duties of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) are predominantly quasi-judicial and quasi-legislative rather than political or executive.

• The Supreme Court ruled on Monday that removal protections for members of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) are unconstitutional. • This decision overturns a 90-year-old legal precedent that previously allowed Congress to shield officials in independent agencies from being fired by the president at will. • The ruling significantly expands presidential power by granting the executive branch greater authority to remove agency leaders.

• The Supreme Court ruled that President Donald Trump cannot fire Federal Reserve board member Lisa Cook, protecting her position within the central bank. • Conversely, the Court granted the president broader authority to remove officials from other independent agencies, specifically green-lighting the firing of FTC Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter. • This split decision balances the independence of the Federal Reserve against the president's desire for greater executive control over various federal regulatory bodies.

Caroline Simpson worked closely with Burnham when he was Greater Manchester mayorUK politics live – latest updatesAndy Burnham has asked the current chief executive of the Greater Manchester combined authority to be his deputy chief of staff, leading the new No 10 North, if as expected he becomes prime minister in three weeks’ time.Caroline Simpson, who worked closely with Burnham when he was mayor, will be based in Manchester to oversee the devolution of power and resources across the UK that he promised would transform the country. Continue reading...

• Andy Burnham, identified as a likely future leader of Britain, intends to unveil a strategic plan to shift political and administrative power away from London. • The initiative aims to decentralize authority, though the report notes that the actual scope for making radical spending changes remains limited. • This move matters as it represents a significant attempt to address regional inequality and redistribute governance across the UK.

• President Donald Trump ordered U.S. strikes against Iran for a second consecutive day, prompting retaliatory actions from Tehran. • A Democratic lawmaker has accused the President of violating a war powers resolution recently passed by Congress, which required him to seek approval or end the conflict. • The situation highlights a legal and political clash over the executive branch's authority to conduct military operations without explicit legislative consent.

• The Supreme Court is concluding a term centered on President Donald Trump’s expansive claims regarding presidential power. • The Court is set to rule on two critical election-related cases involving state laws that allow grace periods for mailed ballots sent by Election Day. • Another pending decision concerns the legal limits placed on political party spending for candidates running for Congress and the presidency.

• Microsoft has integrated PitchBook's market intelligence into Microsoft 365 Copilot, allowing enterprise users to access specialized financial data directly within their productivity tools. • Users with licenses for both services can use the PitchBook Copilot agent via natural language to summarize research, surface market insights, and build financial models. • This integration matters as it enables professionals to develop complex presentations and data analysis without leaving Microsoft 365 applications or Copilot in Excel.

Court expected to hand down decisions on several outstanding cases, wrapping up term that has focussed on Trump’s expansive claims of presidential powerHello and welcome to the US politics live blog.The supreme court is expected to hand down decisions later today on several outstanding cases, before wrapping up a term that has focused on Donald Trump’s expansive claims of presidential power.Joe Biden has said Donald Trump has diminished America’s standing in the world “more than any president in history”. The former president delivered remarks highly critical of his successor, while giving the keynote address at a gala in Hanover, Maryland, hosted by the state’s Democratic party, which is hoping to help wrest control of Congress away from Trump and his Republican allies during November’s midterm elections.A new round of escalating strikes between Iran and the US has continued, further undermining the fragile interim peace agreement between the two countries, and prompting Trump to threaten violence that would ensure Iran “will no longer exist”. On Sunday, Tehran launched drone and missile attacks against Bahrain and Kuwait after new US strikes on sites in southern Iran, and threatened a “complete halt” to negotiations to end the war.Migrants in the US on temporary protected status should seek permanent residence or leave, Markwayne Mullin, the Homeland Security secretary, said in the wake of last week’s supreme court decision that stripped humanitarian protections from hundreds of thousands of immigrants.An opaque White House office staffed largely by veterans of Elon Musk’s “department of government efficiency” (Doge) has quietly rebuilt some of the federal government’s most sensitive websites – for passport applications, voter registration, prescription-drug pricing and children’s savings – in ways critics say appear to violate federal law. Continue reading...

• Andy Burnham plans to move tens of thousands of jobs out of London to replace the current "centralised, top-down model" of governance with locally-driven economic growth. • The initiative is described as the "biggest devolution of power in modern times," aiming to shift political and economic influence away from the capital. • This move comes as trust in mainstream politics declines, with voters increasingly turning toward Reform UK and the Green Party over Labour and the Conservatives.

• The Supreme Court is preparing to release several key rulings by early July regarding presidential authority, birthright citizenship, and election rules. • These decisions will address critical disputes involving immigration policy and the legal status of independent federal agencies. • The rulings are significant as they could fundamentally redefine executive power and shift the legal landscape for future administrations.

• India is strategizing to integrate nuclear energy with its growing artificial intelligence and data center infrastructure to meet the massive power demands of AI. • The initiative aims to leverage nuclear power's stability and low carbon emissions to provide a reliable energy source for energy-intensive computing clusters. • This synergy is viewed as a critical geopolitical and technological advantage, potentially positioning India as a global hub for sustainable high-performance computing.

• European investors are diversifying their AI portfolios by targeting power suppliers and banks to compensate for a lack of direct large-cap technology stocks. • The shift is driven by a significant disparity in sector weight; technology makes up only 9% of the Stoxx 600, compared to 44% of the S&P 500. • Semiconductor exposure is similarly limited in Europe at 6%, whereas it represents 19% of the U.S. market.

• European investors are diversifying their AI portfolios by targeting "enabler" companies, specifically power suppliers and banks, as traditional AI stock options become saturated. • Massive government funding is driving this trend, including over 800 billion euros (US$912 billion) in EU decarbonization grants and a 500-billion-euro fiscal package from Germany. • This shift has led to significant stock surges for infrastructure firms, with Italy’s Prysmian rising roughly 150%, Siemens Energy jumping 66%, and Schneider Electric increasing 28% over the past year.

• Israeli aid teams from NATAN Worldwide Disaster Relief are deploying to Venezuela to provide emergency assistance following a series of powerful earthquakes. • CEO Alice Miller emphasized that the organization prioritizes immediate medical aid and respect over political flags to ensure rapid response in disaster zones. • The mission is significant because it allows Israel to maintain humanitarian contact and a form of "soft diplomacy" with a nation where it lacks formal diplomatic relations.

• The Five Eyes intelligence alliance issued a critical warning that AI-powered cyberattacks are accelerating and could target businesses within months. • Intelligence agencies signal that AI is evolving beyond productivity tools to become one of the most significant cybersecurity threats facing the private sector. • This shift matters as AI enables attackers to automate complex breaches and scale sophisticated threats more rapidly than traditional methods.

• The Five Eyes intelligence alliance—consisting of the U.S., UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand—has issued a rare joint warning regarding the imminent threat of AI-powered cyberattacks. • The alliance cautions that advanced "frontier" AI models capable of launching destructive cyber operations could be developed within just a few months. • This development is viewed as an immediate societal risk, necessitating urgent coordinated action from global governments and private businesses to bolster defenses.