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Russia’s upcoming election is expected to cement United Russia’s dominance, but voter turnout and its margin of victory could offer clues to public discontent.

The major averages rose in Thursday's regular trading session following Wednesday's first Federal Reserve interest rate hike in three years.

The yen weakened past 157 against the dollar, the yield on the 10-year Japanese Government Bond slipped, while the Nikkei 225 gained 1.5%.

The deal comes as Iran-backed Houthis escalate attacks on Saudi Arabia and seek control of the strategically important Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

Sigel said that conversations with institutional clients, from advisors to sovereign wealth funds indicate that they are all buying bitoin.

A trio of major central bank decisions dominates trading this week, but focus turns to geopolitical stains ahead of President Trump's meeting with Xi Jingping.

The latest lawsuit, first reported by NPR, argues the Trump administration's repeated suggestions that federal officers could be at polling sites is a form of illegal voter intimidation.

An SUV driver was under the influence of drugs when she swerved into the wrong lane, blew a red light and slammed into a Los Angeles city bus, killing two riders, prosecutors said as they charged her with murder.

Mahan Air, a major airline, said it would stop flying to Turkey and Oman just over a week after new restrictions were announced, adding to U.S. pressure on the economy.

Russian elections like the parliamentary vote that begins today are hardly free. But they are critical to the government as a source of legitimacy.

The Russian elite’s room for maneuver has disappeared.

President Lee Jae Myung’s comments followed President Trump’s repeated demand for “a little hand” from South Korea, a decades-old American ally.

Mahan Air, a major airline, said it would stop flying to Turkey and Oman just over a week after new restrictions were announced, adding to U.S. pressure on the economy.

Russian elections like the parliamentary vote that begins today are hardly free. But they are critical to the government as a source of legitimacy.

Nicholas Brandram, 44, was arrested in June in connection with the attack. His family said there was “no credible evidence” linking him to the incident.

President Lee Jae Myung’s comments followed President Trump’s repeated demand for “a little hand” from South Korea, a decades-old American ally.

Australian Greens senator compares government’s policy to ICE as Tony Burke calls it a ‘ridiculous claim’Get our new political email, free app or daily news podcastThe federal government’s move to reopen detention centres for visa overstayers, overseen by compliance officers, has drawn comparison from the Greens and advocates to Donald Trump’s sweeping immigration crackdown in the United States.The home affairs minister, Tony Burke, was careful to downplay any similarities when he announced the federal government’s immigration plan on Thursday, which includes reducing the roughly 77,000 unlawful non-citizens in Australia. Continue reading...

This blog is now closedGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAustralia needs to slow down its artificial intelligence use and create better security laws, the companies creating the technology have told the federal government.In a submission to an ongoing inquiry, OpenAI said national leaders had a responsibility to work with other countries to stop global security threats:Many of the most consequential risks will not stop at national borders, making international co-ordination increasingly important. Continue reading...

Latest data to defy economic gloom shows 0.5% rise boosted by purchases of sports items, aircon units and fans amid heatwavesBusiness live – latest updatesRetail sales across Great Britain unexpectedly rose last month, the latest economic indicator to defy gloomy forecasts as chancellor John Healey prepares to present next month’s budget.The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said that the volume of goods sold rose 0.5% month-on-month in August, defying analyst expectations of a 0.2% fall. Continue reading...

Warwick Levy, who runs Lonely Kids Club, says AI may have been used to scrape his entire website and replicate designsGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAfter 15 years running a small business making T-shirts, Warwick Levy says it was “brutal” when he first discovered an identical design for sale on Temu.It turned out there was an overwhelming amount of T-shirts identical to his own for sale on the Chinese e-commerce marketplace. Between 2025 and earlier this year, Levy, 37, found thousands of rip-offs. Continue reading...

Authorities called to Sorrento Beach on Friday morning following reports of shark-related incidentFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA man has died after being bitten by a shark off Sorrento Beach in Perth’s north.Emergency services were called to the popular Sorrento Beach about 10.30am on Friday after reports of a shark-related incident. Continue reading...

Detective senior constable is due to face court in Ballarat next month on common assault chargeGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA Victorian detective allegedly punched and kicked a teenager multiple times while they were handcuffed and compliant during an arrest last year, the state’s corruption watchdog says.The Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (Ibac) said on Friday that it had charged the detective senior constable with common assault in relation to the October 2025 incident in Ballarat. Continue reading...

Increase from 1% to 1.25% follows US Federal Reserve and European Central Bank tightening monetary policyBusiness live – latest updatesJapan’s central bank has increased interest rates to a fresh 31-year high as it attempts to combat high global inflation linked to the war in Iran.The Bank of Japan voted to raise its target interest rate from 1% to 1.25%, the highest level since 1995. Continue reading...

Shabana Mahmood says she wants to distinguish between far-right extremism and legitimate local concerns over asylum sitesShabana Mahmood has described the anti-asylum activist Daniel Thomas as “a far-right and outright racist” who will feel “the full force of the law” if his organisation commits crimes near contested asylum sites such as Piddington.In an interview with the Guardian, the home secretary also “wanted to reassure” concerned villagers that asylum seekers due to move in to a neighbouring former defence site would not “put pressure” on local resources because they would be given “self-contained facilities”. Continue reading...

Research shows tens of millions of people are being forced to use platform that amounts to ‘backdoor’ on their deviceOver the past 18 months, tens of millions of Russians have been forced to install a new app on their phones – a violet-blue button designed for messaging and payments, called Max.Authorities have touted it as a patriotic alternative to Telegram and WhatsApp; Russian glitterati have promoted it in rap videos and comic routines. This summer, it became the country’s most-used messaging app. Continue reading...

Peer takes full-time position at the controversial company as it fends off pressure from both Andy Burnham’s government and Sadiq KhanAnother former government minister has been hired by a controversial US AI company, this time Palantir, which has appointed Andy Burnham’s former ministerial colleague Tom Watson.The Labour peer and former deputy leader will operate alongside Palantir’s UK and Europe chief executive, Louis Mosley, as the company attempts to fend off pressure on Burnham’s government to axe its £330m NHS contract. It is also fighting Sadiq Khan in court over the Labour London mayor’s block on a £50m contract to use its AI in Metropolitan police investigations. Palantir also wants to win more public sector work in the UK, where it already has an annual turnover of £427m. Continue reading...

Seoul resolves recent speculation over sending military to strait of Hormuz, saying ‘there won’t be deployment that would involve or enter war’South Korea’s president, Lee Jae Myung, has said he will ⁠not deploy the military to the ⁠Middle East in a way ​that could draw the country into conflict, resisting calls from Donald Trump to support his war in Iran.“There won’t be deployment that would involve or enter war. I can tell you that very clearly,” Lee said at a ⁠news conference on Friday. “We won’t deploy military assets in any form to that end.” Continue reading...

Efra committee calls for emergency legislation enabling government to take public control of the company Andy Burnham is under further pressure to take control of ailing Thames Water from a cross-party group of MPs who are calling for ministers to break off talks with the US hedge funds who are effectively running the company.Adding their voices to demands that the prime minister takes public control of the company, which has debts of £20bn and is being controlled by a group of 100 hedge funds and distressed-debt investors, the MPs said in a report that ministers should consider emergency legislation to take control of its financial affairs to stabilise the company. Continue reading...

Switch to ‘business attire’ is a sign of the times, but formal neckwear still has its place, say some of Savile Row’s finest-dressedThe House of Lords has long been derided as a stuffy relic of the past. But now its benches, usually filled with haughtily dressed men, could soon resemble something more akin to “dress-down Friday”.One of the nation’s most storied chambers of power has enacted a rule change: men are no longer required to wear a tie in the House of Lords. Instead, they should opt for “business attire”. Continue reading...

Nicholas Brandram's family say he was innocent and "took his own life after months of immense pressure".

Th Sikh activist from Dumbarton was arrested in 2017 in India in connection with alleged terror offences.

Central banks around the world have hiked rates as high energy prices are pushing up inflation.

A row is growing over Wandsworth Council's rise, which the local authority is blaming on government funding cuts.

Buckingham Palace has strongly pushed back against claims in a new book by the late Princess of Wales's brother.

After making its debut at the 1928 Olympics, the women's 800m was cut from the programme. Now, it's often billed as the must-see event of major athletics championships. So, how did we get here?

Striker Alexander Isak says Liverpool's ambition and determination to sign him was a big part of why he joined the club.

One learner says social media clips saved her money, but there was also misinformation online.

Shadow foreign secretary Tom Tugendhat says the US president's recent comments were aimed at US voters, in a BBC interview.

The women were among hundreds who were harmed by their treatment at County Durham health trust.

Iran War Updates: U.N. panel cites possible U.S. war crimes as Trump again says Iran wants a deal  CBS NewsUN experts say grounds to believe US committed war crimes in Iran strikes  BBCDeadly US strike on Iran school may have been a war crime, UN report finds  CNNUN-backed experts cite possible US war crimes in Iran strikes  AP NewsUN mission: US strike that hit Iran school was ‘indiscriminate,’ likely a war crime  The Times of Israel

Bank of Japan raises rates to highest since 1995  Financial TimesWhy Japanese stocks rose as government bond yields and the yen fell after rate hike  CNBCJapan raises interest rates to 31-year high to curb impact of rising prices  The GuardianBOJ Governor Ueda's comments at news conference  reuters.comBank of Japan Raises Rates, Making U.S. Less Alluring for Tokyo Investors  WSJ

New sanctions highlight Israel's isolation, yet analysts say they won't sway voters before October's elections.

Families in Sanaa brace for higher food and transport costs after first fuel price increase in four years.

Officials blame disease outbreak for deaths as survivor suggests they suffocated.

Oman’s Sohar port is becoming a popular spot for ship-to-ship oil transfers amid continued Hormuz blockade.

United Russia won more than two-thirds of the Duma's seats in the 2021 election and is poised to dominate the body again

A UN fact-finding mission has concluded Iranian forces committed crimes against humanity.

South Korean president will facilitate US-North Korea talks but will not deploy troops in US war on Iran.

A Russian strike hit a shopping centre in Zaporizhzhia, southeastern Ukraine, sparking a major fire.

More than 77,000 visa overstayers face detention or departure as Australia cracks down on immigration violations.