Democrats rekindling Trump's Epstein problem and Trump's auto tariffs starting to bite highlight a day where concerns over immigration laws surface following a raid on a Georgia EV battery plant, while **Trump's $83mn defamation judgment is upheld and the US ends its international fake news combat efforts**.

• Democrats rekindle Trump’s Epstein problem with birthday note — Financial Times -
• Opinion | Trump’s Auto Tariffs Starts to Bite — Wall Street Journal -
• Opinion | The Art of a Bad Government Spectrum Deal — Wall Street Journal -

• Opinion | Florida’s Citrus Growers vs. H-2A Red Tape — Wall Street Journal -
• China’s Exports to Africa Are Soaring as Trade to U.S. Plunges — The New York Times Business -
• Raid on Georgia E.V. Battery Plant Raises New Risks for a Shaken Industry — The New York Times Business -
• Trump loses attempt to have $83mn defamation judgment tossed out — Financial Times -
• DJI’s Chinese Drones Face U.S. Ban — The New York Times Business -
• Opinion | From ‘Fat City’ to the War Department — Wall Street Journal -
• US ends international push to combat fake news from hostile states — Financial Times -
• Korean companies admit cutting corners on US visas but say they have little choice — Financial Times -
• Brendan Carr Channeling Trump’s Showman Instincts to Overhaul FCC — Wall Street Journal -
• Donald Trump, Lisa Cook and the perils of politicising the Fed — Financial Times -
• Ken Griffin Speaks Out Against Trump’s Attacks on the Fed — The New York Times Business -
• The upside of Trump’s destructive victories on trade — Financial Times -
• US demands EU stops buying Russian gas if it wants new sanctions on Putin — Financial Times -
• Chinese exports grow at slowest rate in 6 months — Financial Times -
• Protecting Big Tech, not free speech — Financial Times -
• Immigration Raid Exposes Tensions From Seoul to Washington to Rural Georgia — The New York Times Business -
• Trump warns multinationals to respect immigration laws after Hyundai crackdown — Financial Times -

The corporate world sees **Anglo American nearing a $20bn takeover of Teck Resources, Aquarian in final fundraising for a Brighthouse acquisition, and Microsoft tapping Nebius for $20bn in AI computing power**; additionally, **SpaceX makes a $17 billion deal to acquire spectrum licenses and PNC moves to buy FirstBank for $4.1bn**.

• Anglo American nears $20bn takeover of Teck Resources — Financial Times -
• Aquarian in final fundraising stage for deal to acquire Brighthouse — Financial Times -
• Microsoft taps Nebius to supply up to $20bn of AI computing power — Financial Times -

• Mediobanca chief poised to step down as Monte dei Paschi gains control — Financial Times -
• SpaceX finds a peculiar route into investors’ orbit — Financial Times -
• SpaceX’s $17 Billion Deal Plunges Musk Deeper Into Wireless Market — Wall Street Journal -
• PNC to buy Colorado’s FirstBank for $4.1bn — Financial Times -
• Musk’s SpaceX to buy spectrum licences from EchoStar for $17bn — Financial Times -
• Blackstone triumphs in takeover battle for Warehouse REIT — Financial Times -

Norway's centre-left parties retaining power and the French government collapsing after a confidence vote mark significant European political events, while Argentina's markets slump after President Milei's electoral setbacks and escalating violence in Jerusalem draws international attention.

• Norway’s centre-left parties retain power after parliamentary elections — Financial Times -
• Argentine markets slump after Milei loses badly in Buenos Aires — Financial Times -
• French government collapses as PM François Bayrou loses confidence vote — Financial Times -

• The ‘lanyard class’ of Brussels — Financial Times -
• EU weighs sanctions on China for Russian energy imports — Financial Times -
• Prabowo fires finance minister in wake of Indonesia protests — Financial Times -
• Beijing deals with a gathering of strongmen — Financial Times -
• India’s north-south divide is fraying the political compact — Financial Times -
• Japan is always losing prime ministers. This one is different — Financial Times -
• Ukraine and the coalition of the unwilling — Financial Times -
• Netanyahu vows harsh response after six killed in Jerusalem shooting — Financial Times -
• FirstFT: Javier Milei suffers electoral setback in local elections — Financial Times -
• The trial that’s split Brazil — Financial Times -
• Japan stocks hit all-time high after prime minister steps down — Financial Times -
• French PM on the brink in crucial confidence vote — Financial Times -
• Why France’s Financial Woes Are Pushing Its Government to the Brink — The New York Times Business -
• Why the toppling of Bayrou is just the start of Macron’s woes — Financial Times -
• Milei suffers setback in Buenos Aires polls — Financial Times -
• Africa’s largest dam triggers alarm down the Nile — Financial Times -
• EU has ‘turned the page’ with Trump, says bloc’s president — Financial Times -
• Political instability jolts Japan — Financial Times -

WhatsApp facing a whistleblower lawsuit over security flaws and the AI boom driving data center investments, particularly in the Gulf, as AI-powered fraud detection tackles fake receipts; discussions around competition law's ability to regulate Big Tech and startups leveraging private equity for crypto adoption also gain traction.

• Whistle-Blower Sues Meta Over Claims of WhatsApp Security Flaws — The New York Times Business -
• The ‘invisible kingpin of data centres’ riding the Gulf’s AI boom — Financial Times -
• When It Comes to Spotting Fake Receipts, It’s A.I. vs. A.I. — The New York Times Business -

• Competition law won’t break up Big Tech — Financial Times -
• Databricks Increases Revenue Forecast to $4 Billion a Year — Wall Street Journal -
• This Startup Thinks Private Equity-Style Deals Will Kick-Start Crypto Adoption — Wall Street Journal -
• Europe’s defence tech start-ups attract investment surge — Financial Times -

**Gold hitting $3,600 amid US rate cut expectations and oil prices rising after producers increase output signal commodity market movements, while Ireland's government faces warnings over busting spending targets and India's banks seek to lift M&A loan bans amid a slowly worsening US job market**.

• Ireland’s government is busting spending targets, warns budget watchdog — Financial Times -
• India’s banks want to break into the M&A game — Financial Times -
• Gold hits $3,600 as US rate cut expectations rise — Financial Times -

• Russia’s Rosatom says planning to sell renminbi bonds in China — Financial Times -
• Franklin Templeton shakes up leadership as it pushes into private assets — Financial Times -
• Oil Prices Rise After Producers Announce New Increase in Output — The New York Times Business -
• The US job market is getting (slowly) worse — Financial Times -
• India’s Investors, Defying Tariffs, Keep Pouring Money Into Stocks — The New York Times Business -
• Why the Fed should not cut rates now — Financial Times -

The Murdoch family settling its trust battle and Lachlan Murdoch securing control of Fox and News Corp dominates media news, as CBS taps a conservative policy veteran for an ombudsman role and WeightWatchers attempts a comeback with new strategies.

• Murdoch Family Settles Battle Over Trust — Wall Street Journal -
• Lachlan Murdoch Secures Control of Fox and News Corp, Ending Succession Fight — The New York Times Business -
• CBS Taps Conservative Policy Veteran for New Ombudsman Role — The New York Times Business -

• The Murdoch Succession Fight Is Over. So What Does Lachlan Control? — The New York Times Business -
• My Employer Changed Hate Speech Policy That Protected Trans People. What Can I Do? — The New York Times Business -
• WeightWatchers Attempts Comeback With Menopause Treatments and Steamy Ads — Wall Street Journal -
• PepsiCo CEO’s Tall Order: Win Over Investor Calling for Strategy Reset — Wall Street Journal -
• How’s Work? No, Really, What’s Bothering You at the Office? — The New York Times Business -

Labour launching a deputy leadership contest and Reform UK proposing to cancel northern rail plans reflects UK political dynamics, while discussions around workers' rights legislation and new migrant return policies continue alongside a review highlighting a 'culture of impunity' among bullying judges.

• Labour launches deputy leadership contest after Rayner’s departure — Financial Times -
• Reform UK would cancel Labour’s northern rail plans — Financial Times -
• Heathrow terminal reopens after police say no ‘adverse substance’ found — Financial Times -

• Labour pledges to push on with UK workers’ rights bill — Financial Times -
• Countries that fail to ‘play ball’ on migrant returns could lose UK visas, warns home secretary — Financial Times -
• Reeves’ horseracing tax faces tough odds — Financial Times -
• The logic behind Starmer’s cabinet reshuffle — Financial Times -
• Bullying judges and barristers enjoy ‘culture of impunity’, review finds — Financial Times -
• UK MPs raise alarm on delays to corporate oversight reform — Financial Times -
• Health department sounds out private investors to fund NHS centres in England — Financial Times -
• George Osborne to miss out on Robey Warshaw windfall after Evercore sale — Financial Times -
• London’s IPO drought: Fund managers turn to private assets to ease pressure — Financial Times -
• UK infrastructure financing on track to reach record high — Financial Times -