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Europe
The Guardian

George Santos reportedly investigated by DoJ over suspicious Kalshi bets

George Santos outside court in Suffolk county, New York in 2024. Santos was sentenced to seven years for fraud. Photograph: Stefan Jeremiah/APView image in fullscreenGeorge Santos outside court in Suffolk county, New York in 2024. Santos was sentenced to seven years for fraud. Photograph: Stefan Jeremiah/APRepublicansGeorge Santos reportedly investigated by DoJ over suspicious Kalshi betsDisgraced former congressman said to have put bet on whether he would be at Trump’s State of the Union speech Federal authorities are investigating whether George Santos, the disgraced former Republican congressman from New York, engaged in insider trading by betting on a prediction market on his own attendance to the State of the Union address, multiple news outlets reported on Tuesday. Santos allegedly placed a bet on Kalshi, a popular online prediction market, over whether he would be in attendance at Trump’s State of the Union address in February, according to NPR, which first reported on the investigation citing anonymous sources. Santos had shared his intention to be at the event on social media, before telling his followers that travel woes had nixed the plan. Kalshi, whose representatives also did not reply to a request for comment, flagged the trade to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), according to the Associated Press. Anonymous sources confirmed to several other news outlets that the Department of Justice was investigating the matter. The justice department and the CFTC did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Reports of the federal investigation comes as Kalshi and Polymarket have faced scrutiny from lawmakers over concerns about insider trading. Questions have swirled about well-timed, profitable online bets on the Iran war. In April, Kalshi fined three congressional candidates for betting on their own races. That same month, a US soldier involved in the capture of the Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, was taken into custody over bets he made about the deposed head of state on Polymarket. Asked by NPR whether he had a Kalshi account, Santos said: “I’m not saying yes. I’m not saying no.” “I hate to disappoint but I don’t engage with rag reporting anymore…” Santos wrote on X, appearing to reference the reports. “Business as usual on my end haters!” he said. Santos had a short stint in Congress, representing New York’s third district. He was expelled in December 2023 after a House ethics committee report detailed how he used campaign funds for purchases including travel, cosmetic treatment and luxury goods. In April 2025, Santos was sentenced to seven years in prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud and identity theft. Months later, Trump commuted his sentence.

George Santos reportedly investigated by DoJ over suspicious Kalshi bets
Asia-Pacific
Channel NewsAsia

AirAsia reviewing policy after family with cerebral palsy child removed from flight due to 'safety requirements'

The woman said that her daughter had flown with AirAsia before, and questioned if that meant the policy was breached during those earlier flights. Malaysian carrier AirAsia has said that it is reviewing its policy after a family with a child with cerebral palsy was removed from its flight. (Photos: Facebook/Syarifah Ella Wan Wahab) SINGAPORE: Malaysian carrier AirAsia has said that it is reviewing its policy after a family with a child with cerebral palsy was offloaded from its flight.The decision made at the time was based on "applicable safety requirements relating to the suitability of the child restraint device presented for use on board", the airline said on Wednesday (Jun 3) in response to CNA's queries. The airline is currently "reviewing its policies and procedures relating to specialised child restraint devices to ensure greater clarity and consistency", said Captain Saravanan Subramaniam, AirAsia X's chief safety and quality officer. A woman posted a complaint on Facebook on May 28, claiming her family was removed from a Singapore to Kuching flight on May 26 due to the use of a "special aircraft/car seat" for her daughter, who has quadriplegic cerebral palsy. In her Facebook post, Syarifah Ella Wan Wahab said she and her family, consisting of herself, her husband, three children and a helper were already seated inside the plane when they were informed by a ground staff and crew member that the pilot in command had decided to deny the use of her daughter’s FAA-approved seat and requested that the entire family disembark from the flight. CNA Games Guess Word Crack the word, one row at a time Buzzword Create words using the given letters Mini Sudoku Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser Mini Crossword Small grid, big challenge Word Search Spot as many words as you can Show More Show Less She said in her post that the seat had been declared upon check-in at Changi Airport and the ground staff were fully aware of her daughter's condition, with staff even asking about the seat's weight and her child's medical condition. "I fully acknowledge and respect that the pilot in command holds final authority concerning onboard safety decisions. "However, what deeply affected us was the manner in which the situation was communicated and handled," she said in her post. The woman also said in her post that no clear explanation was provided at the time regarding the specific safety concern or operational factor that led to the decision and was repeatedly told that it was AirAsia's policy."Only after repeated requests for clarification did crew members state that the child must be between six months and 3 years old and must not exceed 18kg," she said. In her post, Ms Syarifah also questioned the policy, and said that her child needed the seat due to medical reasons and not because she was a "small child".She also said that her daughter had flown with AirAsia before, and questioned if it meant that the policy was breached during those earlier flights. According to her, after her family disembarked, they were informed that arrangements could be made for the next available flight to Kuching. However, they were also told they could again be offloaded if the next Pilot in Command rejected them as well.

AirAsia reviewing policy after family with cerebral palsy child removed from flight due to 'safety requirements'
Asia-Pacific
Channel NewsAsia

Thai PM calls for urgent talks with Malaysia after shrimp import ban sparks concerns for farmers’ livelihoods

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has instructed his ministers to seek a bilateral trade solution with Malaysia. Thailand's Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul delivers his government's policy statement to parliament in Bangkok, Thailand, on Apr 9, 2026. (Photo: Reuters/Athit Perawongmetha) KUALA LUMPUR: Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has called for immediate talks with Malaysia following its temporary import ban of five Thai shrimp species as part of tighter controls on Thai fishery products. Anutin issued the directive in a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday (Jun 2) and warned that prolonged restrictions could hurt the livelihoods of shrimp farmers, exporters and the wider seafood supply chain, said Thai government spokesperson Ratchada Thanadirek. "If the issue is allowed to persist, it could affect farm-gate shrimp prices and the incomes of small-scale farmers," she said in a statement after the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, quoted by Malaysian national news platform Bernama. Ratchada added that Anutin had told various ministers in his Cabinet, including the commerce minister and agriculture and cooperatives minister, to hold urgent discussions with Malaysian authorities to seek a bilateral trade solution while protecting Thai farmers. Thailand's commerce minister is Suphajee Suthumpun, who is also serving as deputy prime minister, while the agriculture and cooperatives minister is Suriya Jungrungreangkit. "The prime minister emphasised that this issue must not become a burden borne solely by farmers, as the shrimp industry supports an entire supply chain, including farms, collectors, processing plants, exporters and a large workforce," Ratchada was quoted as saying by local news outlets. Ratchada said that relevant agencies had been directed to cushion restriction impacts, including by stabilising farm-gate prices, managing any surplus domestic supply and accelerating efforts to secure alternative export markets. The farm-gate price is the price that covers the producer's costs and profit before exporting. Thailand exports about 6,000 tonnes to 8,000 tonnes of shrimp to Malaysia each year, accounting for about 5 per cent of total Thai shrimp exports. The ban could cost Thailand over 4 billion baht (US$122.1 million) a year, reported Thai news outlet Bangkok Post. CNA Games Guess Word Crack the word, one row at a time Buzzword Create words using the given letters Mini Sudoku Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser Mini Crossword Small grid, big challenge Word Search Spot as many words as you can Show More Show Less Malaysia’s temporary ban sparked concerns among Thailand’s shrimp production sector. (File photo: iStock) Malaysia is a convenient export market as Thai producers do not need to transport goods to its Central region - where trade is primarily handled and distributed - and Malaysia is able to absorb output from aquaculture and coastal fisheries, which are located in the south of Thailand.

Thai PM calls for urgent talks with Malaysia after shrimp import ban sparks concerns for farmers’ livelihoods
Europe
BBC Business

Three quarters of workers not on track for 'moderate' pension income, report suggests

Too many people face a "cliff-edge drop in income" when they retire, with more than three quarters not on course to save enough for a "moderate" lifestyle, a pensions trade body has warned. A new report by Pensions UK suggested what it termed a moderate lifestyle cost £32,700 for one person and £45,400 for two - but estimated just 23% of the working population were on course to reach such a level. Rising bills have pushed up the cost of retirement, it said, adding to calls for action to boost retirement savings. According to the report, a minimum retirement lifestyle costs around £13,900 annually for a one-person household and £22,500 for two people. Meanwhile, a comfortable lifestyle in retirement is estimated to cost £45,400 for a single person and £62,700 for a couple. Pensions UK said only 9% of workers were in line to get to that level. The trade body estimates the level of income needed to have a minimum, moderate or comfortable standard of living as a pensioner each year. The calculations are developed and maintained independently by the Centre for Research in Social Policy at Loughborough University. They are intended as a guide for those planning their retirement savings. The minimum standard is calculated to include money for a couple's weekly groceries, a week's holiday in the UK, eating out about once a month and some affordable leisure activities about twice a week. Some 82% of the working population would reach the minimum standard, the report said. "Far fewer will go beyond that. That is out of step with what people expect for their future. Without action, too many risk facing a cliff-edge drop in income when they stop work," said Zoe Alexander, from Pensions UK. The incomes needed had increased compared with a year ago, primarily as a result of the rising cost of food and socialising, the report said. The increases were broadly in line with rising prices, as measured by inflation, though housing costs are excluded.

Three quarters of workers not on track for 'moderate' pension income, report suggests
Europe
BBC Business

Puffin and bumblebee among 18 creatures shortlisted to feature on banknotes

Eighteen animals, birds and insects have been shortlisted to appear on future banknotes - and the public can have their say on which creatures feature. The wildlife beauty contest gives the colourful kingfisher and common frog an equal chance of a place on the next series of Bank of England notes. The replacement of historical characters, particularly Sir Winston Churchill, with British wildlife sent political leaders into a frenzy of condemnation earlier this year. But now people have a month to offer their views about which species of wildlife should be honoured on the £5, £10, £20 and £50 notes. The shortlist, chosen by a panel of wildlife experts, excluded household pets. People will be able to vote for up to six of their favourites from the shortlist. In a bid to prevent the otherwise inevitable Stoaty McStoatface jokes, those voting will not be able to nominate any alternatives. "I very much hope the public will enjoy engaging in our consultation to choose the animals to feature on our next series of banknotes," said Victoria Cleland, the Bank's chief cashier, whose signature appears on banknotes. "The shortlisted animals demonstrate the rich variety of wildlife we have to celebrate in the UK." The new banknotes will each feature one animal or bird, but the public will be able to select up to two of their favourites from each of three categories on the shortlist before the deadline of the end of 3 July. The mammals are: the bottlenose dolphin, the brown hare, the European hedgehog, the grey seal, the pine martin and the red fox. The second category of birds feature: the Atlantic puffin, the barn owl, the common kingfisher, the Eurasian curlew, the great spotted woodpecker, and the white-tailed eagle. The final section of amphibians, insects and fish, has: the Atlantic salmon, the basking shark, the buff-tailed bumblebee, the common frog, the Emperor dragonfly, and the marsh fritillary butterfly.

Puffin and bumblebee among 18 creatures shortlisted to feature on banknotes
Europe
The Guardian

Anthropic confidentially files for initial public offering on US stock market

Dario Amodei, chief executive officer of Anthropic, at the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, India, on 19 February 2026. Photograph: Ruhani Kaur/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesView image in fullscreenDario Amodei, chief executive officer of Anthropic, at the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, India, on 19 February 2026. Photograph: Ruhani Kaur/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesTechnologyAnthropic confidentially files for initial public offering on US stock marketFinancial stakes of AI race rise as Elon Musk’s SpaceX, OpenAI and Anthropic are slated to go public this year Anthropic has filed confidentially for an initial public offering on the US stock market, the company announced on Monday. The AI firm makes the Claude chatbot, popular with software engineers and other business clients, and has seen a meteoric rise this year. The company did not disclose the valuation it will target on the stock market, nor did it make public other terms of the offering. The startup announced on Thursday that it had raised $65bn in funding to value the company at $965bn post-money. Anthropic was valued at $380bn in February. Anthropic’s filing continues the company’s banner year, as well as pre-empts its rival OpenAI, which is expected to imminently file for its own IPO. Anthropic’s latest valuation also meant that the company leapfrogged OpenAI to become the world’s most valuable startup. The filing underscores the rising financial stakes of AI race as Elon Musk’s SpaceX, OpenAI and Anthropic are all slated to go public this year. SpaceX has filed for a stock market float at a valuation of about $1.75tn as it seeks $75bn in investment. Anthropic’s confidential filing will give regulators a period to look over the company’s financial disclosures before the AI firm’s investor prospectus becomes public. Filing confidentially has become common for major firms, with SpaceX approaching its IPO in the same manner. Anthropic announced the filing in a short, two-paragraph blogpost that did not give an exact timeline for the company to go public and did not reveal the number of shares that it would offer. “This gives us the option to go public after the SEC completes its review. The proposed initial public offering will depend on market conditions and other factors,” Anthropic said. Formerly considered a lesser player in the AI race, Anthropic’s rapid ascent over the previous year has placed the company neck-and-neck with OpenAI in terms of dominance over the industry. Much of its growth has taken place after the company’s release of its Claude chatbot’s advanced coding assistant products late last year. As Anthropic seeks to establish its market presence, it is also growing in cultural and political prominence as it pours money into political spending and advocacy programs. The firm spent $1.6m on lobbying efforts in the first quarter of 2026 alone, up from $360,000 during the same period the previous year. It is engaged in a high-profile lawsuit against Donald Trump’s administration over the use of its Claude AI by the Pentagon, which has designated the company a “supply chain risk”, blacklisting it from military work.

Anthropic confidentially files for initial public offering on US stock market
Europe
BBC Business

Microsoft testing wearable AI gadget aimed at office workers

Microsoft is developing new wearable technology with an artificial intelligence (AI) enabled gadget. During its yearly conference for technology developers, Microsoft executive Steven Bathiche showed off two "concepts" that the company has developed for hardware products intended for people who often use AI tools in their work. One device was a small portable cube with a touch and voice-activated screen, meant for a desk. The other was "a wearable access badge," Bathiche said, to hang around the neck or on a belt loop, giving quick access to AI-driven work Satya Nadella, Microsoft chief executive, said such gadgets represented a "new form factor" for technology devices. While Microsoft did not say it would bring either of these products to market, it said current pilots with the devices "will inform how these form factors can be built" in the future. The company developed a wearable headset, called the Hololens, akin to the Meta Quest or Apple's Vision Pro headsets. The Hololens was even set to be sold to the US Army in a contract worth billions of dollars. But after almost a decade of development, and ongoing issues during testing by the military, Microsoft said in 2024 it would stop producing Hololens. Google is also having a second go at wearables, as that company recently said it would try again with "smart glasses" more than a decade after its notorious Google Glass flop. In a video demonstrating Microsoft's AI-driven access badge and desktop device, part of what Nadella called Project Solara, people doing mainly office work were shown tapping the screens on both devices in order to see and connect to work being done by AI agents. Agents are essentially AI bots doing tasks somewhat autonomously. Such agents are widely used by technology workers, assisting in their writing of software code, for instance. The advancement of this kind of AI assistance has been cited widely by major tech executives in a recent wave of layoffs that have impacted many thousands of workers.

Microsoft testing wearable AI gadget aimed at office workers
Europe
BBC Business

Water firm fined £1.8m over parasite outbreak

South West Water has been fined almost £2m after the supply in and around Brixham, Devon, was contaminated with the parasite cryptosporidium. The utility firm was sentenced to the record fine for a drinking water offence at Exeter Magistrates' Court following a prosecution brought by the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI). The company pleaded guilty to supplying water unfit for human consumption at an earlier hearing, offering a "full and unreserved apology". Four people were hospitalised and there were more than 140 confirmed cases of sickness and diarrhoea during the 54-day incident in May 2024. Judge Stuart Smith told the court it had been "a major public health incident" in which "disruption to daily life was extensive". He said the harm had been "wide-ranging and profound" and the system of monitoring air valves had been "inadequate". He said the "unvarnished reality" was there had been no visual inspection scheme of air valves which showed a "systemic failure of governance" of South West Water. Smith said there had been mitigating factors and he had reduced the £1.853m fine by a third as the company had entered an early guilty plea. The largest fine to be handed to a water firm to date is the £122.7m penalty water industry regulator Ofwat handed to Thames Water for breaching rules over sewage spills and shareholder payouts in May 2025. South West Water offered those affected an "unreserved apology" and said it wanted to publicly record its "genuine remorse" for the incident. Smith said the company had responded rapidly once the contamination had been discovered, had deployed "substantial personnel" and provided "substantial financial remediation" to those affected. Keith Haslett, chief executive of the Pennon Group which owns South West Water, said: "It is very clear we must learn lessons from this incident and work hard to rebuild trust with the customers and communities we serve, both in Brixham and beyond."

Water firm fined £1.8m over parasite outbreak
Europe
The Guardian

Short seller Andrew Left convicted of securities fraud in California

Andrew Left, founder of Citron Research, arrives at federal court in Los Angeles, California, on 7 July 2025. Photograph: Eric Thayer/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesView image in fullscreenAndrew Left, founder of Citron Research, arrives at federal court in Los Angeles, California, on 7 July 2025. Photograph: Eric Thayer/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesCaliforniaShort seller Andrew Left convicted of securities fraud in CaliforniaFederal jury convicts the securities analyst and trader, who could face a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison A federal jury in California has convicted short seller Andrew Left of securities fraud. Left, who was a securities analyst, trader and guest commentator on television channels including CNBC and Fox Business, was charged in July 2024 with one count of engaging in a securities fraud scheme, 17 counts of securities fraud and one count of making false statements to federal investigators. As a short seller, Left would make money betting that stocks would fall. The justice department said on Tuesday that Left was convicted of one count of participating in a securities fraud scheme and 12 counts of securities fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on 31 August. He faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison. “Andrew Left used his expertise to profit at the expense of retail investors, ordinary people who owned the stocks he targeted. He callously boasted that it was like ‘taking candy from a baby’,” A Tysen Duva, assistant attorney general of the justice department’s criminal division, said in a statement. “Egregious schemes like this strike at the heart of free, fair and open markets, and warrant prosecution when they involve criminal manipulation. Investors should have confidence that US markets are safe and free from the type of deliberate manipulation that Left engaged in to enrich himself at the expense of American investors.” The justice department previously said that Left conducted business under the name of Citron Research, which had a website that published investment recommendations. He published research on companies ranging from Tesla and GameStop to Grand Canyon Education and Peloton. According to the indictment, Left would comment on publicly traded companies and make recommendations on the shares. The commentary often included sensationalized headlines (“Investors Peddling Themselves into Frenzy”) and exaggerated language to maximize the reaction it would get from the stock market. As alleged, Left knowingly exploited his ability to move stock prices by targeting stocks popular with retail investors and posting recommendations on social media to manipulate the market and make fast, easy money. The indictment further alleged that before Citron would publish its commentary, Left would create long or short positions in a public company on which he was commenting in his trading accounts and prepared to quickly close those positions after Citron’s publication and take profits on the short-term price movement caused by his commentary. In a post on X under the Citron Research handle, Left expressed his opposition to the conviction. “We disagree with the jury and this does not stop here,” the post said. “We will keep fighting for free, honest speech and opportunity, the backbone of this country. This is not over.”

Short seller Andrew Left convicted of securities fraud in California