• The Federal Reserve maintained interest rates unchanged at its latest meeting but signaled a more hawkish stance, shifting investor sentiment regarding future policy direction.
• Tech sector earnings continued to show strong numbers, though stock market reactions remained mixed, with the S&P 500 rising 1% for the week as equities powered through higher oil prices and a backup in yields.
• Fed Chair Jerome Powell announced he will not retire after his term ends next month, committing to serve as a constructive governor rather than a shadow Fed chair.
Pete Hegseth argumentó que un acuerdo de alto el fuego con Irán hace más de tres semanas ‘significa que el reloj de 60 días se pausa, o se detiene’Suscríbase al correo electrónico de Breaking News US para recibir alertas del boletín en su bandeja de entradaHola y bienvenidos a nuestra cobertura en vivo del día.Hoy se cumplen 60 días desde que la administración Trump notificó al Congreso que estaba llevando a cabo ataques contra Irán, lo que significa que, según la Ley de Poderes de Guerra de 1973, hoy es la fecha límite para que Donald Trump ponga fin a la guerra contra Irán o solicite autorización del Congreso para extenderla.Jeanine Pirro, la fiscal federal principal en Washington DC, publicó un video editado de la cámara de seguridad del incidente en la cena de corresponsales de la Casa Blanca en medio de preguntas sobre si el sospechoso armado, Cole Allen, disparó su arma antes de ser sometido. Aunque el video muestra cuatro destellos de boca del arma del agente cuando disparó contra Allen, no quedó inmediatamente claro que muestre a Allen disparando su arma después de apuntar al agente.Sean Curran, el director del Servicio Secreto de EE. UU., dijo a Fox News que Allen fue detenido no por los disparos del Servicio Secreto, sino por una caja utilizada para transportar un detector de metales, con la que tropezó.El Congreso ha aprobado una extensión de 45 días de la sección 702 de la Ley de Vigilancia de Inteligencia Extranjera, una ley que otorga a las agencias de inteligencia de EE. UU. poderes de espionaje sin orden judicial.Trump ha amenazado con retirar tropas de España e Italia, dos países que han criticado abiertamente su guerra en el Medio Oriente. Esto ocurre después de que Trump sugiriera revisar la presencia militar estadounidense en Alemania después de que la canciller del país dijera que Estados Unidos estaba siendo “humillado” por Irán. Continúe leyendo...
Un aumento del 3% en abril, el ritmo anual más rápido en 11 meses, deja el precio típico de una vivienda en £278,880, según NationwideBusiness live – últimas actualizacionesEl crecimiento de los precios de la vivienda en el Reino Unido ha sorprendido a agentes inmobiliarios y economistas al dispararse en abril al ritmo anual más rápido en 11 meses, según Nationwide. La mayor sociedad de crédito hipotecario del Reino Unido afirmó que sus datos hipotecarios mostraban que los precios de la vivienda subieron inesperadamente un 3% en abril respecto al año anterior, desde el 2,2% de marzo, dejando el precio típico de una vivienda en el Reino Unido en £278,880. Sigue leyendo...
• Los precios del petróleo se dispararon en medio del conflicto entre Irán y EE. UU. que amenaza los suministros mundiales, pero las acciones de EE. UU. se mantuvieron resilientes cerca de máximos históricos impulsadas por los sólidos resultados de Visa y Starbucks el 29 de abril de 2026.
• El S&P 500 bajó un 0,1%, el Dow cayó 286 puntos o un 0,6%, el Nasdaq subió un 0,1%; las acciones de Visa saltaron un 8,3% por el gasto resiliente de los consumidores según el CEO Ryan McInerney, Starbucks subió un 8,6% con un mayor gasto por visita en América del Norte.
• Funcionarios de la Reserva Federal insinuaron que no habrá recortes de tasas en 2026, eliminando prácticamente las apuestas de los inversores y favoreciendo casi los aumentos debido a la inflación por los precios de la energía; el mercado de bonos tembló.
One by one, the pins have been knocked out from under B.C. businessman Fred Sharp: He's been fined tens of millions of dollars for his role in stock-market schemes, he's banned from equity markets in Canada, his bank accounts were frozen. But he still has his freedom, and it's not clear why.
The Israeli military began carrying out strikes in eastern Lebanon on Monday, expanding the scope of its bombing campaign during a ceasefire that has failed to fully halt hostilities with Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.
• Ukrainian officials acknowledged on Monday that Russian forces have captured additional territory in eastern Donbas region despite increased deliveries of Western arms and ammunition over the past 30 days.
• Kyiv's military command reported that Russian forces are attempting encirclement operations near Bakhmut and Popasna, forcing Ukrainian units into tactical withdrawals in select areas.
• The Pentagon reaffirmed commitment to Ukraine, announcing a $500 million weapons package including air defense systems and precision munitions, with U.S. officials emphasizing the long-term nature of support.
Prime minister says ‘you never hear from … the people who are supportive, loyal and just want to get on with the job’Good morning and welcome to today’s live coverage of UK politics.Despite several calls for his resignation from within his own party, Keir Starmer told the Sunday Times that the “vast majority” of the Labour party are supportive of his leadership. Continue reading...
Exclusive: Report shows cost of first appointment rose $20 in one year, with steeper rises in Western Australia, South Australia and TasmaniaGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastPatients are increasingly going without medically necessary dermatological care, the head of the Consumers Health Forum said, as new report reveals the rising cost of the specialty in Australia.Dermatology is expensive and getting pricier, with an average first visit now costing an adult patient without concessions $230 out-of-pocket, while follow-up appointments cost almost $190, the report from health directory Cleanbill found. Continue reading...
• US stocks recently reached an all-time high even as geopolitical tensions between the US and Iran dominate headlines, suggesting investor confidence in economic fundamentals.
• The market surge occurs amid what analysts describe as a major market disruption cycle, with oil shocks and other disruptions rattling investors before receding.
• The disconnect between headline risks and market performance highlights investor focus on sustained economic growth and underlying corporate fundamentals over short-term geopolitical concerns.
ABF, which owns Kingsmill, Twinings and Patak’s, to demerge fashion chain to maximise shareholder returnsBusiness live – latest updatesPrimark is to break free from its sister food company, which owns Twinings, Kingsmill and Patak’s, next year despite warning that the conflict in the Middle East is likely to hit consumer spending.The fashion chain’s owner, Associated British Foods (ABF), confirmed the plan to split off Primark from the rest of the group, first mooted last year. Continue reading...
• US stocks demonstrated resilience amid Iran geopolitical tensions and high energy prices, with the S&P 500 up nearly 2% year-to-date by April 14, just 1% below its January 27 all-time high.
• The index's maximum drawdown stayed under 10%, cushioned by forward earnings estimates growing at a 17% annual rate despite a 20% drop in P/E ratios.
• S&P 500 profit margins hit new highs around 15% in early April, driven by broad fundamentals including AI and the One Big Beautiful Bill Act effects, not just energy sector gains.
Greens criticise premier’s ‘extraordinary attack’ on judiciary and urge him to accept he ‘got it wrong’Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe New South Wales premier has doubled down on an anti-protest law struck down in the state’s highest court last week, defending the legislation introduced by his government as “rational and proportionate”.But advocates for protesters charged at demonstrations restricted under the laws have criticised Chris Minns’ comments, calling them a “extraordinary attack” on the judiciary. Continue reading...
• Fraud incidents continue climbing at US banks even with substantial spending on advanced detection tools and analytics.
• The gap highlights limitations in current tech defenses against evolving fraudster tactics.
• This trend matters as it pressures financial institutions to innovate faster, amid rising economic impacts from cyber fraud.
PM said he was ‘staggered’ not to have been told that Peter Mandelson had failed his security vetting before becoming ambassador to the USHello and welcome to the Guardian’s live coverage of UK politics on Saturday 18 April.Keir Starmer is facing “judgment day” according to senior government figures over the failure in Peter Mandelson’s vetting process. Continue reading...
Health secretary and chef Robert Irvine claim Americans could eat healthier and more cheaply if they shopped betterSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxThe first episode of the new Secretary Kennedy Podcast, produced by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), opens with this quote from guest Robert Irvine, who creates meal plans for the US military: “We talk about food being expensive. If you’re buying expensive food, it’s expensive. But if you’re buying food and you know what to do with it, it’s not expensive.”The episode is titled Fixing America’s Food System – Robert Irvine, and features a 45-minute conversation with the HHS secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr, the host of the show, and guest Irvine. Best known as a celebrity chef, Irvine has collaborated with the US military to launch Victory Fresh, a program that offers healthy grab-and-go meals on military bases, during the Biden administration. The program’s Biden-era origins are never acknowledged during the show. Continue reading...
Exclusive: John Sidoti wins cheers and applause at re-election fundraiser for his successorFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA former New South Wales minister found by Icac to have engaged in serious corrupt conduct has been feted as one of the “esteemed luminaries of the Liberal party” at an election fundraiser headlined by the state opposition leader, Kellie Sloane.John Sidoti, a former Liberal minister and state member for Drummoyne who left the party in 2021 amid an investigation by the Independent Commission Against Corruption, attended a re-election campaign launch event last week for his successor as MP and former staffer, Stephanie Di Pasqua. Continue reading...
• A dialysis unit in rural Nebraska closed after operating at a financial loss, leaving patients without local treatment access despite the state receiving $219 million in federal rural health transformation funding.
• The closure highlights the challenges rural healthcare facilities face in maintaining operations even with substantial federal support aimed at rural health infrastructure.
• The facility's closure upends the lives of dialysis patients who must now travel for treatment, raising questions about the effectiveness of federal rural health programs in sustaining critical services.
• A defiant House incumbent facing low polling numbers and a fragmented base has announced he will not yield to pressure to step aside for another centrist candidate, Zohran Mamdani, in an upcoming primary.
• The incumbent's decision to remain in the race despite weak polling reflects confidence in his political base despite internal party divisions.
• The contested primary underscores Democratic Party tensions between progressive and centrist factions as ambitious candidates position themselves for the upcoming midterm cycle.
• CDC data reveals sexually transmitted disease rates fell among US adults last year, but congenital syphilis in newborns kept increasing.
• This trend highlights persistent challenges in prenatal screening and treatment access for at-risk pregnant women.
• Rising newborn syphilis threatens infant health outcomes, prompting calls for enhanced public health interventions.
Ukraine reports 469 violations of Putin’s 32-hour ceasefire, hours after deadly drone attacks on Odesa and KhersonRussia continued to strike Ukrainian positions with drones after a Kremlin-declared Easter ceasefire took effect on Saturday, a Ukrainian military officer said.“The ceasefire is not being observed by the Russian side,” said Serhii Kolesnychenko, a communications officer for the 148th Separate Artillery Brigade. Continue reading...
• Strait of Hormuz shipping disruptions persist post-ceasefire, exacerbating the largest global oil supply crisis since the 1970s amid US-Iran war.
• Iran's effective closure followed retaliatory strikes after US-Israeli airstrikes on 28 February 2026 targeting Iranian nuclear sites and leadership.
• Ceasefire fails to resolve key stumbling blocks to lasting US-Iran agreement, threatening continued economic impacts on US energy security.
Israeli military announces further action against Hezbollah, contradicting statements from Pakistan and IranMiddle East crisis – live updatesIsrael said its military operations in Lebanon would continue despite Donald Trump’s ceasefire announcement, with Israeli forces carrying out strikes and telling civilians in the south of the country to leave the areas they are targeting.The office of the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said that Trump’s two-week pause “does not include Lebanon” amid reports of continued artillery and drone strikes, directly contradicting statements made by Iran and Pakistan, which has been mediating in the conflict. Continue reading...
Man born in El Salvador has been fighting removal to series of ‘third’ countries after mistaken deportation last yearUS government attorneys on Tuesday told a federal judge the Department of Homeland Security still intends to deport Kilmar Ábrego García to Liberia, despite a new agreement with Costa Rica to accept deportees who cannot legally be returned to their home countries.The Salvadoran national’s case has become a focal point in the immigration debate after he was mistakenly deported to El Salvador last year. Since his return, he has been fighting a second deportation to a series of African countries proposed by homeland security officials. Continue reading...
Astronauts had a call with the US president from space after setting record for the farthest-traveled humans from EarthThe crew of Artemis II phoned home from the moon on Monday night after their record-breaking day, to find Donald Trump musing about how he had saved the US space agency Nasa from closing down and telling the astronauts how much they deserved the honor of the president seeking their autographs.The intermittently uncomfortable 12-minute Earth to space call, facilitated by Nasa administrator and Trump acolyte Jared Isaacman, featured a lengthy period of silence, several references by the president about his friendship with the retired Canadian ice hockey player Wayne Gretzky, and how “America is the hottest country in the world right now”. Continue reading...
The actor whose husband is charged with child sexual abuse says she believes ‘his side of the story’ is ‘the truth’ Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxMelissa Gilbert contends she is “neither naive nor … complicit” having married and deciding to stand by her fellow actor Timothy Busfield amid numerous allegations of sexual misconduct, saying she exclusively has “heard his side of the story” and that it is “the truth”.“I know this man in my bones,” the former Little House on the Prairie cast member remarked in an interview on Monday’s edition of Good Morning America. “No one knows him better than I do.” Continue reading...
Performer is being extended ‘forgiveness’ over antisemitic remarks, says managing director of festival’s promoter Kanye West is still due to perform at the Wireless festival, one of its organisers has said, despite calls to cancel his appearance.The musician, legally known as Ye, has been criticised for making antisemitic remarks including voicing admiration for Adolf Hitler. Last year he released a song called Heil Hitler, a few months after advertising a swastika T-shirt for sale on his website. Continue reading...
Energy minister Chris Bowen says 3.4% of Australia’s service stations had no diesel, as of Monday, after wholesale prices surgedTrack Australia’s fuel prices, service station outages and shipments in chartsGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastDiesel users in Australia are not enjoying the same relief as unleaded customers, with one in 30 service stations still entirely out of diesel and prices rising again after an initial slump last week.But while the energy minister, Chris Bowen, urged Australians not to participate in a social media trend where people claim to be filling up their fuel tanks with cooking oil, he said the government was keen to support the development of biofuels like biodiesel from fats and vegetable oils. Continue reading...
Donald Trump will claim rescue as a triumph but 48-hour drama should be a caution against launching ground operationMiddle East crisis – live updatesDonald Trump will inevitably claim the rescue of the second crew member of the downed F-15 fighter as a propaganda triumph, though the 48-hour drama is a reminder that an undefeated Iran is able to fight back and inflict costs on the US.It also ought to be a caution for a White House still contemplating a ground operation in Iran whether to seize an island in the Persian Gulf – particularly if there a serious ambition to extract Iran’s highly enriched uranium from deep underground. Continue reading...
• U.S. equity markets closed for Good Friday, but S&P 500 futures fell 0.3%, Dow futures dropped 0.2%, and Nasdaq futures declined 0.4% early Friday after a robust March jobs report showing 178,000 additions and unemployment at 4.3%.
• WTI crude surged 11.4% to $111.54 per barrel on Thursday amid fears of prolonged Iran conflict, while Brent crude jumped 7.8% to $109.03, with President Trump vowing continued U.S. attacks without an end timetable.
• A BMI report warns extended Middle East conflict threatens infrastructure, disrupts Strait of Hormuz oil flows, and delays postwar recovery, spilling price impacts into later 2026.
