Urge

Suggestion that Scott Bessent so described a world leader included in Regime Change, by New York Times reportersScott Bessent, the US treasury secretary, advised Donald Trump not to host Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office, having called the Ukrainian president a “little fucker”, a “special-needs child” and “Mr Bean on crack”, according to a new book.The suggestion that a US cabinet official described a world leader in such terms is included in Regime Change, a blockbusting account of the second Trump administration by New York Times reporters Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan, set to be published worldwide on Tuesday. Continue reading...

Fifa has defended its Aramco sponsorship, saying revenues are reinvested back into football at all levelsAs scorching temperatures beat down on World Cup soccer games across North America, climate activists – including former and current professional athletes – are calling for Fifa and other professional sporting organizations to cut ties with the oil and gas industry.“Sport, especially football, has the power to influence and inspire billions of people,” said David Wheeler, an English former professional footballer, who supports the campaign. “Fifa should be harnessing that power to do good.” Continue reading...

Liam Byrne, who chairs Commons business committee, says too many operators are still waiting for redressThe Japanese tech company at the centre of the Post Office IT scandal is facing calls from a parliamentary committee to make an “immediate” payment towards the compensation bill for victims.Fujitsu supplied the faulty Horizon software to the UK Post Office, which led to branch operators being wrongly prosecuted over discrepancies in their business accounts. Continue reading...

Miguel Díaz-Canel cites China and Vietnam as possible models for opening up the country’s economyCuba’s economy needs “urgent changes” to overcome a major crisis intensified by a US oil blockade, president Miguel Díaz-Canel said in a speech to Communist party leaders. “The situation calls for urgent and necessary changes,” Díaz-Canel told the party’s politburo in his frankest admission yet of the need to overhaul the country’s communist model.In the remarks, broadcast on Thursday, he cited China and Vietnam as possible models for opening Cuba’s economy to the world in order to “create economic wealth and distribute it equally.” Continue reading...

• French President Emmanuel Macron called on wealthy democracies to collaborate on the regulation of advanced artificial intelligence systems during a high-level meeting in Evian-les-Bains. • The initiative involves cooperation between governments and top industry leaders, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who echoed Macron's plea for unified regulation at the G7 summit. • This effort matters as global powers seek to balance the rapid innovation of cutting-edge AI with safety standards and democratic oversight to prevent systemic risks.

• Ad spend for mobile "short drama" apps in India has experienced an explosive growth of 423%, according to new data from AppsFlyer. • This surge positions the Indian Subcontinent as the primary engine for paid app growth, contrasting with budget cuts seen in North America and Southeast Asia. • The trend highlights a significant shift in global entertainment consumption, as marketers pivot their strategies toward short-form video content in emerging markets.

• G7 leaders have called for a comprehensive overhaul of the international development cooperation system to move away from traditional aid models. • The proposed reforms focus on creating "mutually beneficial partnerships" designed to strengthen the economic sovereignty of partner nations and reduce long-term dependency on foreign aid. • A key component of the strategy involves mobilizing increased private sector investment to fund sustainable development projects.