Pressure

• International pressure is intensifying as the UN and foreign governments warn of an expanding conflict and deteriorating humanitarian conditions in Sudan. • Particular concern is mounting over the city of El Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan, where fears of escalation are rising. • This escalation threatens to further destabilize the region and exacerbate an already severe humanitarian crisis for the civilian population.

Late-night vote came hours after US president berated GOP senators over opposition to the conflictSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter emailSenate Republicans rejected a war powers resolution in a late-night vote, hours after they were berated by Donald Trump over opposition to his controversial war on Iran.The US president was said to have harangued GOP senators during a lunch on Capitol Hill earlier on Wednesday. The previous day, they had angered the White House by allowing a vote to block Trump’s war in Iran. Continue reading...

President’s promise of photo and video evidence of vandalism at Washington landmark yet to be fulfilledDonald Trump and the Department of the Interior are facing growing pressure to release photo and video evidence substantiating their claims of sabotage at the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool in Washington.The $14.7m renovation of the landmark has descended into a farce of algae blooms, peeling paint and dead ducks just days before the US’s 250th anniversary celebrations. Crews have been seen erecting fencing near the area. Continue reading...

Australia’s most populous state forecast to plunge into worse-than-expected $2.3bn deficit in 2026-27, before rebounding to a $1.1bn surplus following yearGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastPublic transport fares will be frozen for one year and vehicle registration cut by $100 under New South Wales budget measures designed to provide cost-of-living relief ahead of the upcoming election.In Tuesday’s budget, the last before the March 2027 state poll, the Minns government has made a direct appeal to working families in seats threatened by One Nation and the Coalition, especially in Sydney’s west. Continue reading...

• Four San Francisco Giants players recently defaced or refused to wear official Pride Night hats during a team event. • The players stated that the action was planned for several weeks and denied that they were victims of discrimination. • The incident highlights a conflict between team-mandated social initiatives and individual player beliefs or expressions.

Ministers say PM faces being forced out by party if he does not act, with one calling his departure inevitableCabinet loyalists tell Starmer he has the weekend to set out timetable for exit‘Within 10 mins, he’d nicked it’: illustrator on his ubiquitous image of BurnhamKeir Starmer faces pressure from cabinet ministers and MPs to avoid a bruising leadership battle and instead set a timetable to hand power to Andy Burnham, who won a resounding majority in the Makerfield byelection.The prime minister pledged to fight to keep his job, but ministers loyal to Starmer have urged him to set out plans to step down over the weekend.Starmer called members of the cabinet on Friday afternoon to set out his determination to fight on. The transport secretary, Heidi Alexander, is said by sources to be among those who expressed concerns in a call on Friday.At least two ministers, Ed Miliband and Shabana Mahmood, have previously suggested to Starmer that he should set out a timetable for his departure. Continue reading...

One Labour MP said there are about 200 who are prepared – if necessary – to sign Burnham’s nomination papersUK politics – live updatesHow quickly could Burnham become PM?Allies of Andy Burnham and Wes Streeting will ask cabinet ministers, friends and Labour grandees to persuade Keir Starmer over the weekend not to fight a leadership challenge.Burnham, who won a compelling majority in the Makerfield byelection overnight, is expected to travel to London on Monday to meet MPs in the expectation of becoming prime minister within weeks. Continue reading...

Size of victory in Makerfield byelection has many allies hoping former Manchester mayor will be installed in No 10 within daysUK politics – live updatesHow quickly could Burnham become PM?Speaking hours before polls closed in Makerfield, a Downing Street source acknowledged a rare moment of doubt about the prime minister’s future. “Keir will fight on,” the source said, repeating the message to which Keir Starmer has stuck for several weeks. “Although, that might depend on the size of the majority.”In the end, Andy Burnham’s majority was so convincing that allies hope he can be installed in No 10 within days. Louise Haigh, the Labour MP who helped run Burnham’s campaign, said on Thursday night: “I hope that [Starmer] will consider an orderly and managed transition. Continue reading...

Josh Hokit’s comment, made after the match at the White House, was condemned widely, but not by the presidentDonald Trump is facing growing pressure to condemn an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) competitor who used a White House appearance to push a sexist, racist and transphobic conspiracy theory about former first lady Michelle Obama.At a UFC event on the south lawn on Sunday, the US president’s 80th birthday, Josh Hokit, a fighter, shouted into the microphone in front of Trump: “Michelle Obama is a man. Am I right, America?” Continue reading...

Country follows ECB in increasing borrowing costs, but US Fed and Bank of England expected to hold ratesBusiness live – latest updatesThe Bank of Japan (BoJ) has raised interest rates to a 31-year high, as it tried to dampen inflationary pressures created by the Iran war.Policymakers in Tokyo raised the BoJ’s short-term policy rate by a quarter of one percentage point, to 1% from 0.75%, and warned that companies were passing on rising oil costs to each other at a “relatively fast pace”. Continue reading...

• A survey of 200 senior leaders across Western and Central Europe reveals that while nearly all organizations feel pressure to scale AI for customer experience (CX), only 38% have a clear governance approach. • The research, conducted by CallMiner, highlights a widening gap between rapid AI adoption and the necessary frameworks to manage compliance and customer trust. • This disparity exposes significant operational risks, particularly regarding multilingual CX and the ability to maintain regulatory standards across diverse European markets.

• A survey of 200 senior leaders across Western and Central Europe reveals that nearly all organizations feel significant pressure to scale AI to improve customer experience (CX). • Despite this push for adoption, only 38% of these organizations have established a clear approach to AI governance. • This gap between rapid implementation and oversight creates critical risks regarding regulatory compliance, customer trust, and the management of multilingual CX.

Keir Starmer ready to overrule Ed Miliband after warnings that manufacturers would be penalised and jobs put at riskThe UK government is poised to water down its 2030 targets for electric vehicle sales after intense lobbying by the car industry and unions.The government is preparing to consult on less ambitious targets for the transition to fully battery-powered electric cars over the rest of the decade after carmakers and unions warned that they would penalise manufacturers and put jobs at risk. Continue reading...

• Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar defended India's decision to continue purchasing Russian oil during a visit to Finland, rejecting Western criticism of the move. • Jaishankar challenged global double standards by highlighting European arms sales to Pakistan while the West pressures India over its energy ties with Russia. • He emphasized that conflicts in Ukraine and Iran create global ripple effects, destabilizing international trade networks, economies, and geopolitical security.

Both John Healey and Al Cairns resigned from their ministerial positions on Thursday over the government’s defence investment planGood morning. This time yesterday Keir Starmer’s leadership was already in peril, with many in his party assuming that he will be replaced by Andy Burnham at some point later this year, but there was a consensus that, on defence and international security, his record was impressive. John Healey’s surprise resignation as defence secretary blew that apart. Later, after 8pm last night, Al Carns, the armed forces minister, also resigned over the defence investment plan.Here is our main story, by Pippa Crerar and Dan Sabbagh. Continue reading...

Treasury minister Lucy Rigby says the government has the right to alter terms of existing agreementsMinisters have rejected accusations that recent changes to student loans were unfair, arguing they are so heavily subsidised that the government has the right to alter their terms.Pressure has been intensifying on the UK government to reform the student loans system but the chief secretary to the Treasury, Lucy Rigby, told MPs on Wednesday that less than half of young people go to university, and the government had to bear in mind “fairness to taxpayers as a whole”. Continue reading...

Section 702 renewal stalls amid dispute over Bill Pulte’s role as acting intelligence chief and leadership vacuumUS politics live – latest updatesDonald Trump is reportedly set to meet with the House speaker, Mike Johnson, at the White House on Tuesday as pressure mounts on the president to nominate a permanent director of national intelligence, the step some Republicans now believe is the only way to save a controversial and powerful surveillance law before it expires by the end of the week.At stake is section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, a post-9/11 authority that allows US intelligence agencies to collect the communications of foreign targets overseas without a court warrant. While the program is intended to target non-Americans abroad, it can also sweep up communications involving Americans. This powerful and contentious spy tool is set to expire at midnight on Thursday. Continue reading...

Survey puts Labor behind the Coalition and One Nation in state election race; advocacy groups say care burden will shift to womenGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastGood morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories and then it will be Nick Visser with the main action.Jacinta Allan will be feeling the heat today after a poll showed her Labor party trailing the Coalition and One Nation before November’s state election. More coming up. Continue reading...

• AI chip giants TSMC, Samsung, and SK Hynix are dominating Asia's investment landscape, driving significant stock rallies in Taiwan and South Korea. • The extreme concentration of these winners has created systemic risks, forcing fund managers like Sam Konrad to sell off their best-performing assets to maintain portfolio balance. • This trend highlights a critical tension between the massive growth of AI infrastructure and the necessity for active funds to manage "top-heavy" portfolios.

Relationship between Vladimir Putin and traditional ally has slowly unravelled under current PM Nikol PashinyanThe bottling line at the Abovyan cognac factory in Armenia is running at full tilt.Women in white coats and hairnets work the conveyor with practised speed – labelling, stacking, loading pallets – racing to fill a truck. Continue reading...

Sultanate says talks with Tehran are limited to lawful management of waterway, but Washington has doubts about neutralityOman is resisting US pressure to break its links with Iran, and insists it has only been negotiating with Tehran on a future management system for the strait of Hormuz that would be compliant with international law. The aim would be to implement any regime after consulting the UN’s International Maritime Organization (IMO).Traditionally Oman, a longtime US ally that shares stewardship of the strait, has adopted the role of a back-channel mediator allowing it to remain neutral in disputes that have led to fissures in other parts of the Gulf. Continue reading...

• EU crisis management chief Hadja Lahbib announced on Tuesday that the bloc is placing its largest-ever firefighting force on standby to combat an increase in wildfires. • The initiative follows a trend of forest fires starting earlier and growing in scale, with responses already required this spring in Czechia, Germany, Italy, and Poland. • This escalation in readiness highlights the EU's urgent need to mitigate climate-driven environmental disasters across member states.

• EU leaders are preparing a draft diplomatic text to increase pressure on Israel by threatening new sanctions against "extremist ministers." • The initiative gained momentum after Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani formally requested that EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas place the issue on the union's agenda. • This move signals a significant escalation in the EU's diplomatic approach to the conflict, targeting specific government officials rather than the state as a whole.

Former first lady speaks about Biden’s decision to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race at event for her new memoirJill Biden recalled the immense pressure that Joe Biden faced in the aftermath of his disastrous 2024 debate performance, saying he told her “Jilly, I had no choice,” following his decision to drop out of the presidential race.The former first lady made the comments during a Tuesday book event coinciding with the release of her new memoir, View from the East Wing. The event was held at the 92nd Street Y in New York City, and moderated by comedian and co-host of The View, Whoopi Goldberg. Former president Biden was in attendance at the event and received two standing ovations from the crowd. Continue reading...

Criticisms revealed in major release of files relating to Mandelson’s appointment as ambassador to USUK politics live – latest updatesPeter Mandelson exchanged WhatsApp messages with a senior cabinet minister criticising Keir Starmer’s lack of “verve” and tendency to buckle under pressure, suggesting the prime minister should behave in a more “Trumpian” fashion.The former US ambassador said Number 10 was “beleaguered and bereft” and that the public were “crying out for leadership”. Continue reading...

• India's manufacturing sector experienced its fastest expansion in three months during May, driven by sustained demand. • Despite the growth, businesses faced some of the most intense cost pressures seen in nearly four years. • Business optimism has declined, reaching its lowest level since February.

• The KOSPI index declined on the 28th, trading at 8,157.11 (down 71.59 points) following a record-breaking all-time high the previous day. • The downturn is driven by profit-taking pressure, with major semiconductor leaders Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix falling by 2.44% and 3.43%, respectively. • These losses from the market's two largest companies have exerted significant downward pressure on the overall index.

• WJCT reported on May 27, 2026 that AI advances could sharply reduce white-collar jobs in Phoenix, including customer service, data entry, and payroll processing roles. • The story connects local employment risk to broader U.S. concerns about how quickly generative AI and automation could reshape office work in major metro economies. • The issue matters because Phoenix is being used as a test case for the national labor impact of AI on routine knowledge work.