Trump administration actions on forced labor bicycle imports, Middle East policy, and energy regulations dominate, alongside China's climate goals, Russia's wartime tax hikes, and US-Argentina financial support shaping the international economic and political landscape.

• Trump Administration Bars Some Giant Brand Bicycles, Citing Forced Labor — The New York Times Business -
• Trump pledges to prevent Israeli annexation of the occupied West Bank — Financial Times -
• Xi sets out conservative climate goal for China over next decade — Financial Times -

• US shale bosses decry ‘chaos’ in Trump administration’s energy policy — Financial Times -
• Opinion | When the Left Censored Speech — Wall Street Journal -
• Opinion | ‘Energy Dominance’ Needn’t Be Dirty — Wall Street Journal -
• US government in talks to take stake in Lithium Americas — Financial Times -
• Germany Woos Indian Workers Spooked by Trump’s H-1B Visa Fee — The New York Times Business -
• Opinion | The Green-Energy Bill Is Finally Coming Due — Wall Street Journal -
• Russia to raise value added tax rate to 22% as war weighs on economy — Financial Times -
• A Federal Shutdown May Be Imminent. How Would It Affect the Economy? — The New York Times Business -
• US support is only a temporary fix for Argentina — Financial Times -
• South Korean investment in the US is now in peril — Financial Times -
• How to exorcise Argentina’s economic demons — Financial Times -
• US in talks with Argentina over $20bn swap line — Financial Times -
• Global Ports Leader Sees Trade Shifting, Not Slowing — Wall Street Journal -
• China opens way to WTO reform by ceding future ‘developing country’ benefits — Financial Times -
• Europe’s necessary appeasement of Donald Trump — Financial Times -
• Ukrainians take little hope from Trump’s warm words — Financial Times -
• Iranian Diplomats Are Barred From Shopping at Costco While Visiting U.S. — The New York Times Business -
• How Germany wants to kick-start the EU’s rearmament — Financial Times -
• Trump’s H-1B visa caper will backfire — Financial Times -
• Central African Republic leader defends Russian mercenary presence — Financial Times -

Jimmy Kimmel's return to ABC draws millions of viewers amidst free speech debates and a boycott by affiliates, while Disney raises streaming prices and Apple postpones a show on hate groups.

• Kimmel Draws More Than Six Million Viewers for His ABC Return — Wall Street Journal -
• Jimmy Kimmel’s Return Draws 6.2 Million Viewers, Ratings Show — The New York Times Business -
• Disney Raises Prices for Streaming Plans in the U.S. — The New York Times Business -

• The battle for US media freedom — Financial Times -
• Jessica Chastain Criticizes Apple’s Decision to Postpone ‘The Savant’ — The New York Times Business -
• Apple Postpones ‘Savant’ Show About Online Hate Groups — The New York Times Business -
• MSNBC to show Sky News reporting after Comcast cable spin-off — Financial Times -
• Karen Attiah Says Firing by Washington Post Violated Labor Agreement — The New York Times Business -
• Jimmy Kimmel, Back on Air, Defends Free Speech in Emotional Monologue — The New York Times Business -
• Everyman defies cinema blues with velvet sofas and table service — Financial Times -
• FirstFT: Jimmy Kimmel hits out at ‘anti-American’ threats to free speech — Financial Times -
• Kimmel hits out at ‘anti-American’ threats to free speech as show returns — Financial Times -
• Kimmel Makes Emotional Return to ABC With Trump Barbs, Comments on Kirk Controversy — Wall Street Journal -
• ABC Affiliate Owners Boycott Jimmy Kimmel’s Return to Late Night — The New York Times Business -

The UK faces a workforce health crisis, high-speed rail delays, and political maneuvering by Andy Burnham and Ed Davey, as BT expresses concerns over government-inflicted costs and London seeks investment.

• Business cannot ‘carry cost’ of fixing UK workforce health crisis, warns BCC head — Financial Times -
• Andy Burnham launches thinly veiled bid to replace Keir Starmer — Financial Times -
• UK wants to end pricing feud with drugs companies, says science minister — Financial Times -

• Plans for high-speed rail line in northern England suffer fresh delay — Financial Times -
• Tories double down on claim Starmer failed to declare support from McSweeney think-tank — Financial Times -
• Reeves must ‘invest in London’ in Budget, says Khan — Financial Times -
• Nigel Farage declines to rule out link between autism and paracetamol use — Financial Times -
• BT chief raises concerns over ‘government-inflicted costs’ ahead of Budget — Financial Times -
• Ed Davey’s triple-front Lib Dem fightback — Financial Times -
• Pimco bets on fall in UK inflation to open door to deeper rate cuts — Financial Times -
• ‘A terrible traitor’: Starmer faces discontent from the left in UK cities — Financial Times -
• Scotland’s electric trains spark optimism for a greener railway — Financial Times -

Central banks debate interest rate cuts as Citigroup sells its Banamex stake and big banks resume hiring in Hong Kong, while US debt investors and auto lenders signal strains in financial health and Tether targets a massive valuation.

• Citigroup to sell stake in Mexico’s Banamex for $2.3bn — Financial Times -
• FirstFT: Big banks resume hiring in Hong Kong as dealmaking booms — Financial Times -
• The Rates Debate Dividing the Fed — The New York Times Business -

• Top Federal Reserve official warns against quick series of rate cuts — Financial Times -
• Five Pearls of Financial Wisdom from Jonathan Clements — The New York Times Business -
• European tech hopefuls get a transatlantic boost — Financial Times -
• US debt investors raise alarm over lending standards — Financial Times -
• Households should keep emergency cash, ECB study suggests — Financial Times -
• Activist Engine Capital builds stake in mental health group under federal investigation — Financial Times -
• Auto lender’s bust signals strain in financial health of US households — Financial Times -
• The grimdark future of credit risk models — Financial Times -
• First Brands and the private credit model — Financial Times -
• New Zealand picks new central bank governor from other side of the world — Financial Times -
• RIP to safe havens — Financial Times -
• Big banks unwind Hong Kong retreat as dealmaking booms — Financial Times -
• Tether targets $500bn valuation with $20bn private funding round — Financial Times -

Nvidia invests heavily in AI factories while start-up Modular challenges its software dominance, autonomous truck company Kodiak plans an IPO, and Jaguar faces a prolonged shutdown due to a cyberattack.

• Autonomous Truck Startup Kodiak Set to Go Public After $2.5 Billion Deal — Wall Street Journal -
• Start-up Modular raises $250mn to challenge Nvidia’s software dominance — Financial Times -
• Jaguar Faces Prolonged Shutdown After a Cyberattack — The New York Times Business -

• Sany’s electric trucks drive latest Chinese assault on global auto market — Financial Times -
• Nvidia’s $100bn bet on ‘gigantic AI factories’ to power ChatGPT — Financial Times -

Concerns arise over Obamacare premium increases, Social Security staffing cuts, and the employability of Gen Z, with new initiatives for African carbon-credit markets and corporate emissions reporting highlighting environmental and public health efforts.

• Social Security Workers Struggle to Meet Demand After DOGE Cuts — The New York Times Business -
• Opinion | Is Gen Z Unemployable? — Wall Street Journal -
• 15 Years Into the Boom, Iceland Asks if It’s Had Enough of Mass Tourism — The New York Times Business -

• Why Obamacare Bills May Double Next Year — The New York Times Business -
• Typhoon Ragasa races towards Chinese coast as death toll climbs — Financial Times -
• Philanthropies Strike a Promising Deal to Turn Back H.I.V. — The New York Times Business -
• Could ‘Ecopreneurs’ be the Key to Reviving the African Carbon-Credit Market? — Wall Street Journal -
• Screwworm Case Detected Less Than 70 Miles from U.S.-Mexico Border — The New York Times Business -
• Why Obamacare Bills May Double Next Year — The New York Times Business -
• New Reporting Program Gives Companies a Platform to Highlight Emissions-Cutting Efforts — Wall Street Journal -
• EU hired advisers on ‘forever chemicals’ who worked for manufacturers — Financial Times -
• Why a hotter Mediterranean is a problem for sailors — Financial Times -

Lawyers are leaving big firms, Italy considers freezing its retirement age, and FBI investigates a Dallas ICE shooting, alongside cultural notes on Guinness in Dublin and the legacy of Ron Jon Surf Shop founder Ron DiMenna.

• FBI investigating deadly Dallas ICE shooting as targeted violence — Financial Times -
• German far-right cellist in hot water over trips to Moscow — Financial Times -
• Dublin’s real-life houses of Guinness — Financial Times -

• Trial Separation: Courtroom Lawyers Are Breaking Up With Big Law — Wall Street Journal -
• How should we pass our family business to our children? — Financial Times -
• Italy weighs freezing its retirement age at 67 — Financial Times -
• Nett Hier! What Baden-Württemberg has to teach us about viral marketing — Financial Times -
• The lingering wealth gap in Saudi Arabia — Financial Times -
• Ron DiMenna, Ron Jon Surf Shop Founder, Dies at 88 — The New York Times Business -