Latest Developments

Europe
The Guardian

Trump bans CNN, MS Now and Politico from White House

Trump speaks to the press onboard Air Force One in August. Photograph: Aaron Schwartz/AFP/Getty ImagesView image in fullscreenTrump speaks to the press onboard Air Force One in August. Photograph: Aaron Schwartz/AFP/Getty ImagesDonald TrumpTrump bans CNN, MS Now and Politico from White HousePresident has overseen an unprecedented restriction of access for major news media since start of second term In his latest attack on the US constitution’s first amendment and the press, Donald Trump abruptly announced that he is banning outlets CNN, MS Now and Politico from the White House over their coverage. In a post on his Truth Social platform on Friday, the US president said he was expelling the news outlets “effective immediately” over what he called their “constant ‘reporting’ FAKE NEWS!” and threatened that bans for others outlets could follow. He went on: “Media Outlets shouldn’t be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES when they’re covering the President of the United States, the Trump Administration, or the United States of America. Other Fake News Media Outlets to follow.” Trump defended the ban at an Oval Office event to promote his administration’s healthcare policies. “I don’t get fair press. I get it from Breitbart. I get it from a little bit from Fox,” Trump told reporters, referring to friendly media outlets. “But what I do ask is just a semblance of truth.” Reminded by one reporter that every president takes an oath to uphold the constitution, including the first amendment right to free speech, Trump said: “You get so tired of reading and seeing fake news.” He added: “I don’t think that a court should allow fake news to be written day after day after day. I think that somebody has a right to keep them away if they’re going to write false stories all the time.” Towards the end of a chaotic news conference, when a reporter asked Trump to explain how his ban on the three outlets would work, the president expressed confusion. “When you say ‘the ban’, which ban? Do you know how many bans I’m involved in?” Trump asked, seeming confused. After another correspondent rephrased the question, asking, “What do you envision the bans would look like on the media outlets?” On Friday, the Washington Post reported that more American service members have died in the war on Iran than the Pentagon has publicly disclosed; CNN revealed that an “entirely false” intelligence report about a Chinese ship in the Middle East generated with the help of artificial intelligence (AI) had “almost started a war”; while a Politico report uncovered a Hill investigation after sensitive F-35 fighter jet technology unexpectedly made its way to Hong Kong, possibly giving China access to them. Trump said his decision to ban the three outlets was unrelated to the stories. “It’s really just cumulative stories over the last few years,” he said, before threatening more media prohibitions could follow.

Trump bans CNN, MS Now and Politico from White House
Europe
The Guardian

Plan for editorial oversight board at CNN and CBS News draws skepticism: ‘Utter garbage’

An editorial oversight board must be set up within 180 days after the closing of the merger deal between Paramount and Warner Bros Discovery. Photograph: Kevin Carter/Getty ImagesView image in fullscreenAn editorial oversight board must be set up within 180 days after the closing of the merger deal between Paramount and Warner Bros Discovery. Photograph: Kevin Carter/Getty ImagesCNNPlan for editorial oversight board at CNN and CBS News draws skepticism: ‘Utter garbage’Some network employees and media-watchers have questions and concerns about how arrangement will work Leading media figures and insiders dismissed plans to create an editorial oversight board to protect CNN’s independence as “utter garbage” – in one staffer’s words – after a settlement was reached to resolve a lawsuit filed by a coalition of 12 states to block Paramount’s $110bn acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery. California’s attorney general, Rob Bonta, during a press conference to announce the settlement, said that Paramount “must establish a news editorial independence board to support CBS News and CNN’s continued editorial independence to ensure independent, objective, fact-based reporting at CBS News and at CNN”. In a legal motion to formally end the case, the companies said the news editorial independence board would “establish guiding editorial and journalism principles for the combined entity’s news channels”. According to the terms of the settlement, the board must be established within 180 days of the closing of the deal. It will be composed of five current or former journalists with at least 10 years of experience each and will be appointed by the board of the company for three-year terms. The board will be tasked with “resolving any disputes between CBS News employees, CNN employees and management of the combined entity regarding alleged violations of the news editorial principles”; “resolving any disputes between CBS News employees, CNN employees and management of the combined entity regarding alleged reporting bias or failure to meet agreed reporting fairness standards”; and “establishing and monitoring adherence to ethical journalism as defined by journalism industry best practices and to editorial independence, including from the combined entity’s ownership and shareholders”. Critics of the mega-merger had expressed concerns about CNN being taken over by the Ellison family, which has well-documented connections to the Trump administration. David Ellison and his father, Larry Ellison, have reportedly spoken with the White House about potential changes they might make at CNN, which could ultimately generate more positive coverage of the Trump administration, a prospect that has worried journalists at the cable news network. On Monday afternoon, there was already some skepticism within the media industry – including from current and former employees at the companies involved in the deal – about whether the editorial oversight board would actually protect CNN’s editorial integrity. “There is no way that is going to work,” former CNN anchor Jim Acosta said. “They will start to fire anchors and certain folks to send a message, and the rest will either have to fall in line or leave. This was a colossal mistake.” “I’m happy to hear more about this, but how a board works day to day is tough to wrap my head around,” said a CNN producer who was not authorized to comment. Jessica J González, the co-chief executive of the advocacy organization Free Press, expressed doubts about the effectiveness of an oversight board. “As we learned from the failed and widely panned Facebook oversight board, a fake bipartisan oversight committee won’t save CNN,” she said in a statement on Monday. “We have all the evidence we need from the Ellisons’ destruction of CBS about what they do to warp journalism at Donald Trump’s request.”

Plan for editorial oversight board at CNN and CBS News draws skepticism: ‘Utter garbage’
Europe
BBC Business

Spain battles climate change on several fronts

In a small green meadow in the Gredos mountains, west of Madrid, a couple of dozen cows belonging to Juan Ángel Izquierdo and his family are grazing. The only noise is the gentle clang of the bells around the animals' necks. This would be an idyllic scene were it not for the blackened pine and oak trees all around, the legacy of a devastating recent wildfire. "It was immense, I've never seen anything like it," says Izquierdo, whose family have been farming here for 200 years. The fire, in late July, merged with two others, burning a total of around 80,000 hectares (200,000 acres), making it the biggest blaze Spain has ever registered. It consumed more than two-thirds of Izquierdo's land and killed 12 of his 85 cows. Another eight animals had to be put down because of their injuries. All the hay he had gathered to feed his cows in the winter was also burned. "For us farmers, the summers are becoming more and more worrying, because they are getting hotter," he says. "It rains less, the wet season ends earlier and the autumn starts much later." "If you don't think about the wildfires too much, you feel okay," Izquierdo says. "But when a fire starts in a nearby village you start wondering – 'and what if we're next?'." Wildfires are one of several symptoms of climate change which in recent years have had a substantial impact on Spain's economy, as well as contributing to shocking human tragedies. World Weather Attribution, an international research organisation, found that the extreme conditions that drove record-breaking fires in Spain and Portugal in 2025 were 40 times more likely, external to happen due to the warming climate. "The ultimate reason for the greater frequency and intensity of these kinds of fires has to be attributed to the increase in greenhouse gases caused mainly by the generalised use of fossil fuels," said Ernesto Rodríguez Camino, president of the Spanish Meteorology Association. The Socialist Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, has described the fires in dramatic terms, placing Spain in the front line of an environmental crisis. "The climate emergency kills," he said in July, during a visit to the southern province of Almería where a wildfire claimed 15 lives.

Spain battles climate change on several fronts
North America
CNBC Finance

Nike parts ways with Kylian Mbappé; soccer superstar signs with On

French soccer phenom Kylian Mbappé signed his new endorsement deal with On after Nike chose not to renew its deal with the international superstar, a person familiar with the matter told CNBC. Earlier Friday, the Swiss sportswear company On said it reached an agreement with Mbappé, marking the brand's first signing in football. The company also announced it named retired French star Thierry Henry as director of football. As Mbappé's contract ended in July, Nike felt it had benefitted from the prime years of his career and decided to use its endorsement money elsewhere, said the person, who asked not to be named because the discussions were private. The 27-year-old will be 31 when the 2030 World Cup kicks off. The move is another major change for Nike, which is trying to rebuild brand loyalty and product innovation under CEO Elliott Hill. The company's sluggish sales, particularly its struggles in China, have contributed to its stock falling about 50% in the past year. Meanwhile, it's a coup for On, which has branched more outside of its core running segment. Mbappé joined the swoosh in 2006, when he was still a child, and has since emerged as one of the sport's highest-profile stars. The Real Madrid star is the all-time leading scorer for Paris Saint-Germain, the French national team and the FIFA World Cup, and he won the tournament with France in 2018. In a statement, Mbappé said he was drawn to On by the opportunity to build something entirely new. "I want to bring my experience and perspective into what we create, push what's possible through innovation, and always stay true to the joy of football. We have a shared dream, and this is only the beginning," he said. "Football doesn't need another sportswear brand to do more of the same," said David Allemann, founder and co-CEO of On, in a statement. "Football needs new ideas and a challenge to what is possible. For years, Nike has represented many of the top soccer stars in the world, including Erling Haaland, Vinicius Junior, Alexia Putellas and Sam Kerr. "Over nearly two decades, we've shared moments that shaped the game and he has been an important part of Nike Football," the company said. "We are proud of what we achieved together on and off the pitch. As he moves into the next phase of his career, we wish him continued success for what comes next." In an analyst note assessing On's ambitions in the sport, Jefferies warned that football is one of the most expensive categories to enter and that "performance credibility cannot simply be bought."

Nike parts ways with Kylian Mbappé; soccer superstar signs with On
Europe
BBC Business

Repeated air traffic control failures leave us in worrying territory

Image source, PA MediaByTheo LeggettBusiness correspondentPublished21 September 2026To have one air traffic control failure in a fortnight may be regarded as a misfortune, to have two looks like carelessness. The UK's air traffic services provider is coming in for a wave of criticism at the moment, so where is it all leading? The incident at the Nats main control centre in Swanwick earlier this month was extremely serious. It caused more than 2,000 flight cancellations over two days, affecting hundreds of thousands of passengers. Some were left sleeping on airport floors, others were stranded in foreign airports. Monday's failure at the Prestwick centre, which looks after air traffic in Scotland, northern England and northern Ireland was not as dramatic. But according to the aviation analytics company Cirium, it still led to about 150 flights being cancelled and many other delays affecting tens of thousands of travellers. The first failure this month was attributed to a previously undetected software flaw, which had an impact due to a very specific set of circumstances combining in a millisecond. Today's issue was blamed on a "connectivity issue" specific to the system used in Scotland. The two, Nats says, were unrelated. In August 2023, on a bank holiday weekend, a problem with a single aircraft's flight plan caused a key system at Swanwick to break down, leading to cancellations and delays that affected 700,000 passengers. Two years later, a smaller "radar-related issue" disrupted air traffic for four hours, and led to the cancellation of 150 flights. The question is whether all of these incidents were isolated and unavoidable, or whether they point to something more systemic. There is no question that the job Nats has to do is fiendishly complicated, looking after some of the busiest airspace in Europe - including the approaches to Heathrow and Gatwick - which means handling up to 8,000 flights a day. Visiting the Swanwick centre, it's hard not to be impressed by the sheer scale of the place, where hundreds of staff sit behind an array of large radar screens, calmly making sense of what looks to the untrained eye like utter chaos. But these controllers need reliable equipment, and the concern is that they aren't getting it. Steve Heapy, chief executive of Jet2 made the point: "It is simply not good enough for this critical national infrastructure to keep letting customers down." Easyjet said the latest incident "calls into question the resilience of Nats' systems and demonstrates the need for firm actions to prevent these repeated failures." A Nats spokesperson, apologising for the latest issue, said technology "can and sometimes does fail. Our job is minimising disruption where possible."

Repeated air traffic control failures leave us in worrying territory
Asia
The Hindu BusinessLine

Trans ACNR Solutions, 8 others file IPO papers with SEBI

Nine companies, including Trans ACNR Solutions and Maharashtra Oil Extractions have filed preliminary papers with markets regulator SEBI for IPOs, joining a growing list of firms tapping the primary market to raise capital for expansion, debt repayment and other corporate requirements. Trans ACNR Solutions has filed its preliminary papers through the confidential pre-filing route, while the other eight firms -- Maharashtra Oil Extractions, Jagatjit Agri Engineering, Jai Parvati Forge, Koolking Industries India, Sai Infinium, SG Encon, Mount Everest Breweries and Ultravibrant Integrated Energy -- have filed standard public draft documents with SEBI. The proposed initial public offerings (IPOs) are aimed at raising funds for a range of purposes, including business expansion, working capital requirements, repayment of debt and general corporate purposes. Under the confidential pre-filing mechanism, companies can submit draft offer documents to SEBI and stock exchanges without immediately making them available in the public domain. The documents are disclosed at a later stage after regulatory review. Consequently, details of Trans ACNR Solutions' proposed IPO, including the offer size, structure, financial performance, valuation and timeline for the share sale, are not available at this stage. In a public notice, the company said it has filed the "pre-filed draft red herring prospectus with SEBI and the stock exchanges" in connection with its proposed IPO of equity shares on the main board of the stock exchanges. Among the companies that have made their IPO details public, Maharashtra Oil Extractions has proposed a fresh issue of up to ₹370 crore and an an offer for sale (OFS) of up to 2.14 crore equity shares by promoters, according to the draft red herring prospectus (DRHP). The company, incorporated in 1995, is engaged in processing, manufacturing, marketing and sale of products across the soybean value chain, including crude and refined edible oil, plant-based protein supplements, soya meal, soya flour and textured soya protein, besides lecithin and other speciality and industrial chemicals. Jagatjit Agri Engineering's proposed share sale comprises a fresh issue of equity shares worth up to ₹300 crore and an OFS of up to 31 lakh equity shares by promoter Jagatjit Singh, according to its DRHP. Ludhiana-based Jagatjit Agri Engineering, incorporated in 2020, manufactures agricultural implements and provides end-to-end crop solutions. Mohali-based Jai Parvati Forge has proposed an IPO comprising a fresh issue of up to ₹300 crore and an OFS of up to 90 lakh equity shares by promoter Suman Chauhan. Incorporated in 2004, the company manufactures forged and machined components, including bull gears, transmission gears and shafts and precision-machined parts.

Trans ACNR Solutions, 8 others file IPO papers with SEBI
Europe
BBC Business

'We simply don't know' - JP Morgan struggling to forecast oil prices due to Trump's war with Iran

Image source, Getty ImagesByMichael RaceBusiness reporter, Reporting fromNew YorkPublished9 hours agoInvestment banking giant JP Morgan has said it is struggling to predict how oil prices will be impacted by the US-Iran war, telling investors in a rare note that "we simply don't know how to model the endgame". The bank said it assumed at the start of the conflict that there would be "economic red lines" that the Trump administration would be unwilling to cross, and therefore it believed a deal would have been struck to open up the Strait of Hormuz shipping lane back in June. It said such red lines included oil prices rising above $100 a barrel, inflation reaching 4%, gasoline topping $5 a gallon and rates on 10-year government borrowing hitting 5%. JP Morgan is a huge name in the financial world, so for the investment bank to admit its experts are grappling with working out the economic impact of the US-Iran conflict reflects the tricky nature of trying to predict President Donald Trump's next moves. An oil and gas industry source told the BBC it was "unusual" for such a high-profile investment firm to issue such a note, but added it was a "reflection on the state of play", given the uncertainties around the conflict. Investors often make investment decisions on inflation expectations and the price of oil is a major factor in prices rising across the world, given the commodity's widespread use and humanity's dependence on it. While gasoline remains below $5 and inflation has also not reached 4%, oil prices have surged back above $100 in recent weeks and the interest rate - known as a yield - on government bonds, which are issued in order for the US to borrow money from financial markets, has ticked over 5%. "Six months later [since the war began], many of those lines have been crossed, yet the exit strategy is less clear, not more," said the commodities research team at JP Morgan in note. "For the first time since the start of the Iran conflict, we don't have a baseline view. We simply don't know how to model the endgame." US President Donald Trump said last week he did not think the Iran war would end until after November's midterm elections in the US. "Right after the election, oil prices are going to be tumbling downward," Trump told reporters last week. "I think it's going to take a little bit longer than the midterm." High oil prices have been behind the rising cost of living in the US and around the world, with fuel and energy prices surging ahead of the colder months.

'We simply don't know' - JP Morgan struggling to forecast oil prices due to Trump's war with Iran
Asia
The Hindu BusinessLine

Shanti Gold International Invests INR 8.83 Crore in Ratnaveer Precision Engineering; Corporate Investment Brings Fresh Investor Attention

Ratnaveer Precision Engineering Limited is witnessing heightened corporate and market attention following an INR 8.83 crore capital deployment by Shanti Gold International Limited, which has acquired 2,65,000 equity shares at a weighted average acquisition price of INR 333.33 per share through the secondary market. The transaction marks the induction of a new listed corporate shareholder into Ratnaveer’s equity structure and introduces an additional dimension to the company’s evolving investment narrative. Following the transaction, Shanti Gold International will hold approximately 0.37% of Ratnaveer’s paid-up equity share capital. The development assumes significance against the backdrop of Ratnaveer’s expanding operating scale, diversified industrial footprint and ongoing manufacturing-led expansion, potentially broadening the company’s visibility among corporate investors and market participants tracking the stainless steel, metals, engineering and industrial manufacturing ecosystem. The investment comes at a time when Ratnaveer has demonstrated a significant expansion in its reported business scale. The sharp progression in revenue provides important context to the latest investment, with Ratnaveer having substantially increased its operating scale over the past two financial years. The presence of a new corporate shareholder can also bring the company to the attention of a wider pool of corporate investors, HNIs, family offices and sector-focused market participants, particularly those evaluating listed opportunities across India’s manufacturing value chain. Ratnaveer’s core business is centred on the manufacturing and export of stainless steel products, with applications spanning multiple industrial segments. Its diversified end-market presence positions the company across a broad spectrum of India’s manufacturing ecosystem, giving market participants exposure to a business serving varied industrial requirements. This sectoral breadth is particularly relevant as investor interest increasingly encompasses companies positioned across metals, engineering, industrial manufacturing and infrastructure-linked supply chains. Beyond its established stainless steel operations, Ratnaveer is advancing its Copper Clad Laminates (CCL) project in Gujarat, marking an expansion into the electronics and advanced manufacturing ecosystem. The initiative adds a new dimension to the company’s business portfolio and represents an effort to participate in an adjacent, technology-oriented manufacturing segment alongside its core operations. Together, the company’s established manufacturing platform and newer initiatives provide multiple vectors through which its business trajectory can evolve.

Shanti Gold International Invests INR 8.83 Crore in Ratnaveer Precision Engineering; Corporate Investment Brings Fresh Investor Attention
Asia
The Hindu BusinessLine

Truecaller launches scam checker tool for links, numbers, and messages

Truecaller on Wednesday launched Scam Checker, a new tool available on its website and Android app that allows users to verify suspicious phone numbers, web links, and messages in one place. The feature draws on signals from Truecaller’s 500 million-strong user base to flag potential fraud. Users can paste a suspicious link to check for phishing, look up a phone number for community-reported warnings, search a database of scam reports called Scamfeed, or describe a suspicious message in plain text to get relevant results. The company said the tool is designed to address the three elements typically found in a scam message — a number, a link, and a narrative — allowing users to investigate all three simultaneously rather than across separate platforms. Truecaller CEO Rishit Jhunjhunwala said the product was built around the moment when a person suspects something is wrong but needs a fast way to confirm it before responding. Scam Checker is currently available in India on Android and globally through the Truecaller website. iOS support and expansion to additional markets are planned for a later date. The company also said it intends to add screenshot upload capability, user authentication, and broader scam technique coverage in future updates. Truecaller, headquartered in Stockholm and listed on Nasdaq Stockholm since 2021, reported identifying 68 billion spam and fraud calls in 2025. Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments. We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of TheHindu Businessline and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.

Truecaller launches scam checker tool for links, numbers, and messages