Mounting flight delays and cancellations plague air travel, while President Trump threatens absent air-traffic controllers and attempts to withhold full SNAP funding are blocked by an appeals court, amidst growing public economic worries. Senators are taking the first steps to end the US government shutdown, causing global markets to rise in a relief rally, even as Democrats face party backlash over the deal and Trump faces political risks from a Supreme Court ruling and media controversies.

• Flight Delays Mount as FAA Restrictions Stretch On. Here’s What to Know. — Wall Street Journal -
• More Flight Troubles Expected Before the Shutdown Ends — The New York Times Business -
• Trump Threatens to Dock Pay of Absent Air-Traffic Controllers — Wall Street Journal -

• With SNAP on Hold, Low-Income Shoppers Cut Back and Businesses Worry — The New York Times Business -
• Appeals Court Blocks Trump’s Attempt to Withhold Full SNAP Funding — The New York Times Business -
• Democrats face party backlash over US government shutdown deal — Financial Times -
• Senators take first step to end US government shutdown — Financial Times -
• BBC in Crisis as Trump Threatens $1 Billion Lawsuit — Wall Street Journal -
• Global markets rise as US senators move to end shutdown — Financial Times -
• Opinion | Vance, Heritage and the Case for Conservative ‘Infighting’ — Wall Street Journal -
• Trump Tries to Seize ‘Affordability’ as Americans’ Economic Worries Grow — The New York Times Business -
• What Travelers Need to Know About the Shutdown, Flight Cancellations and Delays — The New York Times Business -
• The political risk to Trump from the Supreme Court ruling — Financial Times -
• FirstFT: Hopes for end to US government shutdown boost equities — Financial Times -
• Italian Pasta Is Poised to Disappear From American Grocery Shelves — Wall Street Journal -
• BBC boss Tim Davie resigns over Trump documentary edit — Financial Times -
• Trump Officials Push States to ‘Undo’ Work to Send Full SNAP Benefits — The New York Times Business -
• Trump Officials Push States to ‘Undo’ Work to Send Full SNAP Benefits — The New York Times Business -
• FAA Limits Private Aircraft Flights at Major Airports — Wall Street Journal -
• Sean Duffy Juggles Shutdown Roles on Flight Safety and Trump Support — The New York Times Business -

Warren Buffett outlines Berkshire's succession plans, while Visa and Mastercard settle a long-standing dispute over swipe fees, and Apollo acquires a majority stake in Atlético de Madrid, showcasing active M&A. Instacart reports rising revenue from grocery delivery, Hannover Re lifts its profit view, and the Bank of Japan signals a growing consensus for a rate rise, alongside various other corporate earnings and market talks.

• Berkshire’s Buffett Plans to Keep Class A Shares Until Successor Wins Over Investors — Wall Street Journal -
• Cap on UK salary sacrifice benefits is ‘short-term’ choice, warn experts — Financial Times -
• Higher UK dividend taxes risk hurting small business, wealth managers warn — Financial Times -

• The Credit-Card Rule That Powers Rewards Cards Just Got Broken — Wall Street Journal -
• Barrick Looks to Get Handle on North American Operations, Find Growth — Wall Street Journal -
• BoE dilutes planned rules for UK stablecoins — Financial Times -
• Auto & Transport Roundup: Market Talk — Wall Street Journal -
• Visa and Mastercard forge deal to end long-term dispute with merchants — Financial Times -
• Apollo Buys Majority Stake in Soccer Club Atlético de Madrid — Wall Street Journal -
• Pfizer shows hardball mettle needed to win in 2025 M&A — Financial Times -
• Bank of Japan’s summary of opinions indicates growing consensus for rate rise — Financial Times -
• Senegal’s foreign bonds plunge as government rules out restructuring — Financial Times -
• DealBook Summit 2025: David Ellison, Scott Bessent, Erika Kirk and More — The New York Times Business -
• Instacart Revenue Rises as Grocery Delivery Orders Continue to Grow — Wall Street Journal -
• Private-Label Food Maker TreeHouse to Go Private in $1.17B Deal — Wall Street Journal -
• Diageo Taps Consumer-Industry Veteran as New CEO — Wall Street Journal -
• Burger King Strikes Joint Venture to Double Presence in China — Wall Street Journal -
• Lenskart makes rocky trading debut after debate over valuation — Financial Times -
• China’s Auto Sales Resume Downtrend as Demand Slows — Wall Street Journal -
• Hannover Re Lifts Profit View — Wall Street Journal -
• Permira to Buy JTC in $3 Billion Deal — Wall Street Journal -
• Credit cockroaches revisited — Financial Times -
• Farmers and regions win carve-outs as Brussels blinks in budget stand-off — Financial Times -
• A lesson for UK boardrooms: you get what you pay for — Financial Times -
• ECB to kick off race for top roles as Lagarde era enters final stretch — Financial Times -
• Swiss finance shrinks as regulators tighten grip on prized sector — Financial Times -
• ANZ slashes $19mn of executive bonuses after bond scandal — Financial Times -

**Syria’s President Sharaa makes a historic visit to the White House, as the US strengthens sanctions enforcement on Russia, and the nuclear arms race intensifies globally. Developments include Ukraine's energy sector scandal and China tightening controls on fentanyl precursors, while UK defense manufacturing faces contract risks and the US aims to break China's rare earths grip**.

• Syria’s President Sharaa visits White House for historic Trump meeting — Financial Times -
• Ukraine raids top officials as energy sector scandal unfolds — Financial Times -
• US sanctions on Russia will not work unless Trump steps up enforcement — Financial Times -

• Leonardo warns future of UK helicopter plant at risk without £1bn contract — Financial Times -
• The 20-Somethings Who Raised $121 Million to Build Military Drones — The New York Times Business -
• The U.S.’s Most Ambitious Shipyard Project Just Got Tougher — Wall Street Journal -
• The nuclear arms race is back — Financial Times -
• China Tightens Controls on Fentanyl Precursors After Summit — The New York Times Business -
• Chemring Mulls Sale of U.S. Subsidiary Alloy Surfaces — Wall Street Journal -
• Indonesia names former dictator Suharto a ‘national hero’ — Financial Times -
• Reasons to be bearish about China’s rise — Financial Times -
• Can the US break China’s grip on rare earths? — Financial Times -
• Iran-backed militias seek to tighten grip on last bastion of Tehran’s axis — Financial Times -
• Italy’s Nato defence spending pledge clashes with mounting debt — Financial Times -
• How an idea to zap mosquitoes led to Australia’s most valuable defence stock — Financial Times -

The COP30 climate summit faces a subdued business turnout amid geopolitical tensions, where Brazil plans to make the Amazon profitable and South Africa advocates for equitable energy transition funding. Discussions include electrification's role in energy efficiency, India's grid deadlock hindering green power rollout, and the UAE's cloud seeding efforts to secure water, as Shell abandons North Sea wind farm projects.

• Energy & Utilities Roundup: Market Talk — Wall Street Journal -
• The Political Left Is Dialing Up Scrutiny of Data Centers — Wall Street Journal -
• U.S. Natural Gas Futures Start Week Higher — Wall Street Journal -

• Shell abandons floating North Sea wind farm projects — Financial Times -
• Managing Climate Change — Financial Times -
• Muted global business turnout at COP30 reflects subdued mood — Financial Times -
• The world is struggling to halt climate change. But can it adapt? — Financial Times -
• How Brazil plans to make the Amazon pay — Financial Times -
• Electrification is the key to energy efficiency — Financial Times -
• South Africa pushes for fairer funding of the energy transition — Financial Times -
• Show me the money: $1.3tn climate finance ‘road map’ faces COP30 test — Financial Times -
• India’s grid deadlock threatens green power rollout — Financial Times -
• Can China decarbonise the world’s factory floor? — Financial Times -
• UAE turns to cloud seeding in bid to secure its water future — Financial Times -

Chancellor Reeves signals potential Budget tax rises, likely breaking a manifesto pledge, as **Tory donor Anthony Bamford’s company makes donations to Reform UK. Concerns also emerge over rising UK cyber insurance claims, the impact of AI on staffing levels in large businesses, and a housing shortage in Scotland**.

• Reeves signals she will break manifesto pledge with Budget tax rises — Financial Times -
• Tory donor Anthony Bamford’s company donates £200,000 to Reform UK — Financial Times -
• To fix the BBC, focus on competence and cash — Financial Times -

• Von der Leyen dodged Starmer request for meeting on EU money demands — Financial Times -
• UK cyber insurance claims tripled in 2024, says trade body — Financial Times -
• The disturbing victory of Old Labour over New Labour — Financial Times -
• ‘We cannot survive — there is no new land.’ Why Scotland is not building enough homes — Financial Times -
• AI will lead one in four big UK businesses to cut staffing, research shows — Financial Times -

**Gamma, a PowerPoint for the A.I. era, raises $68 million, underscoring the rapid growth in AI startups, with Robinhood planning to allow amateur traders to invest in such ventures. Positive evidence linking AI implementation to revenue increases is emerging, even as Blue Origin scrubs a NASA mission to Mars**.

• Gamma, a PowerPoint for the A.I. Era, Raises $68 Million — The New York Times Business -
• From AI to ROI: some positive evidence — Financial Times -
• Blue Origin Scrubs Launch of NASA’s ESCAPADE Mission to Mars — The New York Times Business -

Tyson Foods faces pressure from surging beef costs, leading more consumers to chicken, while South Korea's K-beauty products gain global power. London sees new culinary trends with Crisp Pizza's expansion to Mayfair and an increasing obsession with beans.

• Tyson Foods Squeezed by Surging Beef Costs — Wall Street Journal -
• Glass Skin and Snail Mucin: South Korea’s Journey to Global Beauty Power — The New York Times Business -
• Crisp Pizza, London’s social media sensation, heads to Mayfair — Financial Times -

• From humble to haute: London’s bean obsession — Financial Times -

Britain's aviation regulator warns of organized drone attacks disrupting airports, while New Delhi experiences a car blast with at least eight fatalities. Former French president Sarkozy is freed from prison awaiting appeal, and a German leftwing disrupter steps back from her namesake party.

• Britain’s airports will be disrupted by ‘organised’ drone attacks, warns aviation regulator — Financial Times -
• At least 8 killed in New Delhi car blast — Financial Times -
• German leftwing disrupter Sahra Wagenknecht steps back from namesake party — Financial Times -

• France’s Sarkozy freed from prison after 3 weeks as he awaits appeal — Financial Times -