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Iranian rial hits record low before fresh US sanctions
Iran’s rial has slumped to a record low against the US dollar, coinciding with a warning from US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent of an approaching “economic D-day” for Tehran ahead of fresh US sanctions. The currency collapse formed part of a broader bout of global market turbulence, which also took in a flare-up in US-Canada…
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Prince Harry and Meghan Plan UK Return After Six Years, Prompting Royal Realignment and Security Debate
Prince Harry and Meghan have been preparing to move back to the UK after six years based in Montecito, California, a shift that reignited a political row over whether taxpayers should fund their security, potentially costing around £5 million a year. Former home secretary David Blunkett proposed a “middle-ground” compromise: limited, temporary protection involving one…
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UK permits Ukraine to manufacture Scalp missiles domestically
Andy Burnham has visited Kyiv on his first foreign trip as prime minister, announcing that the UK will let defence firm MBDA declassify information on UK components used in the long-range Scalp missile, enabling Ukraine to produce them domestically. The move, made alongside a meeting of the “coalition of the willing” he now chairs, marks…
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Burnham in Kyiv as Russia tensions escalate, government targets pub tax rates
Ministers promise to overhaul business-rate valuations for pubs and hotels as Burnham travels to Kyiv amid escalating Russia tensions and Reform UK unveils a social housing pledge. Also: Iran’s sanctions warning, a Nevada wildfire and Maradona’s ball sells for £2.5m.
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Burnham ‘poised to bow to demands for EU students to get cut-price tuition fees’ as he cosies up to Brussels
Andy Burnham has indicated the UK could be preparing to accept EU demands that European students pay the same discounted tuition fees as domestic students, as part of a broader push to reset relations with Brussels. Speaking during talks with European Council president António Costa and Luxembourg’s prime minister Luc Frieden, Burnham said the UK…
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A royal show of unity: Smiling Kate attends church service with William, children and rest of family near Balmoral ahead of Harry and Meghan’s shock return to Britain
Members of the Royal Family attended Sunday service at Crathie Kirk near Balmoral, presenting a united front days after the surprise announcement that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are returning to live in the UK. The Prince and Princess of Wales, joined by their son Prince George, were among those seen at the small Aberdeenshire…
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New Fed chair faces critical test at Jackson Hole as inflation fears mount
The new US Federal Reserve chair, Kevin Warsh, faces a pivotal moment this week as he prepares to address the central bank’s annual Jackson Hole symposium amid heightened anxiety in global bond markets. Investors and analysts are looking for reassurance on the Fed’s commitment to controlling inflation, but Warsh has signalled he may avoid the…
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Divorce, smartphones and control – BBC sees how Taliban run Afghanistan
The BBC gained rare access to senior Taliban figures in Afghanistan, including a provincial governor, revealing how the movement governs five years after retaking power in 2021. Footage shows an 18-year-old woman calmly pleading for a divorce from an allegedly abusive husband before Governor Abdullah Sarhadi, who dismisses women as “mindless” to laughter from male…
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Aussies could be slugged with new tourist tax in Fiji as soon as next week: ‘Zero consultation’
Fiji’s government is introducing a new five per cent tourism services tax from 1 September, which could push up costs for Australian holidaymakers, including those with existing bookings. The levy, aimed at tourism operators such as hotels and cruise companies with an annual turnover above FJ$2 million, has drawn strong criticism from tourism bodies who…
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Police Scotland chief under fire as Kushner meets Jeffries and Sydney shark survivor speaks out
Jo Farrell reportedly told she’s lost her force’s confidence, while Trump aide Jared Kushner and Democrat Hakeem Jeffries talk ahead of the US midterms. Also: an Australian activist pulls out of a rally over a death threat, and Newcastle draw with Liverpool in Kevin Keegan tribute.