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Profits ahead of expectations but almost half of £283m impairment charge follows forecast reassessmentBusiness live – latest updatesNatWest said the economic fallout from the conflict in the Middle East could cost it £140m amid slowing growth and rising inflation even as it reported profits ahead of expectations.Overall, the FTSE 100 lender booked a £283m impairment charge and said that almost half of that was because of a reassessment of its economic forecast to “reflect increased geopolitical risk and weaker equity markets”. Continue reading...

Bill clears 50–48 vote to boost ICE and CBP funding as Democrats oppose and shutdown continuesUS politics live – latest updatesSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter emailSenate Republicans on Thursday approved a plan to fund Donald Trump’s crackdown on undocumented immigrants for the remainder of his term and pave the way for an end to the ongoing shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).The budget resolution adopted along a near party line vote in the early morning hours sets the stage for Congress to craft legislation allocating as much as $140b to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), two agencies at the forefront of Trump’s mass deportation agenda that have been without funding since mid-February, when the DHS shutdown began. Continue reading...

• A $140 million super PAC war chest is poised to challenge Ohio Democrat Sherrod Brown's 2026 Senate return. • Funded by Republican donors, the group aims to exploit Brown's vulnerabilities in a key battleground. • This escalation underscores high stakes for Senate control amid Trump's midterm focus.

• The U.S. Senate agreed to H.J.Res. 140 on April 15 by a 51-49 vote in roll call 83, following a prior 51-48 approval in roll call 82. • The resolution advances key budgetary or joint measures amid ongoing congressional proceedings. • This partisan passage reflects Republican control and sets stage for House reconciliation on fiscal policy.

Bitcoin climbed 1.3% to around $71,140 on March 13, 2026, boosting crypto-related equities like Coinbase Global, up 1.5%, and MicroStrategy, gaining 1.4%. The uptick provides a counterweight to equity declines driven by oil pressures. Crypto's decorrelation from traditional markets gains relevance in volatile times. Regulatory updates could amplify future moves.

A vehicle crashed into a synagogue housing an Early Childhood Learning Center with 140 students on March 13, 2026, bursting into flames but causing no injuries to those inside. The FBI confirmed it is leading the probe as a targeted act of violence, stating, "I can confirm that we are leading the investigation right now as a targeted act of violence." No group has claimed responsibility, heightening concerns over domestic terror amid rising antisemitic incidents. Authorities are examining security footage and vehicle origins to identify the perpetrator.

An armed driver rammed his vehicle into Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan, one of the largest US synagogues with over 140 preschool children inside, on Thursday; officials link the attack to the driver's family members killed in recent Israeli strikes in Lebanon. One person was killed and two injured in the incident. The FBI is probing it as a potential terror act amid rising threats. Law enforcement nationwide is on high alert following this and other attacks.