Author: James Harden

CIA director John Ratcliffe is preparing to take a bigger role in US negotiations with Russia and Ukraine, US officials have told their European counterparts, in a bid to jump-start moribund diplomatic efforts to end the four-and-a-half-year-long war. The move comes as the White House is considering paring back the involvement of US special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, who have been leading the talks with Moscow and Kyiv, according to five people familiar with the plans. Officials close to Ratcliffe have told European peers that he will play a larger role in shuttle diplomacy between Russia…

In the Commons session, Burnham repeated that the government would meet the Nato target of spending 3.5% of GDP on defence by 2035, with a target date for hitting the 3% figure set out in the spending review in the spring.The PM said he had appointed John Healey, who resigned as Sir Keir Starmer’s defence secretary over the government’s failure to commit to a 3% increase by 2030, “because of his strong commitment to the defence of this nation”.However, Badenoch hit back that 2035 was “a decade away” and “the threats are now”.She questioned whether Burnham was “unable” or “just…

Private equity fund Silver Lake plans to merge two of its software firms, as the sector grapples with AI disruption.French firms Cegid, which sells business management software, and Silae, a payroll and HR platform, would combine in a deal that would bring together payroll, accounting, e-invoicing, digital finance and payments data, and create a 1,400-person developer team to invest in AI.The deal has an enterprise value of more than 10 billion euros ($11.6 billion), per a statement announcing it.AI pressure reshapes software sectorSoftware stocks have tumbled amid fears AI would drive a “SaaSpocalypse.” Some have since recovered, with May marking…

The Metropolitan Police is carrying out a criminal investigation into allegations Reform UK broke the law in relation to foreign funding, following a broadcast by Channel 4 News last week.An undercover reporter recorded two senior Reform aides apparently suggesting a way around electoral law to secure foreign party donations, one of which would have totalled £500,000.The police investigation by the Met’s Special Enquiry Team is being folded into an inquiry that has been under way into other donations to the party.A Reform UK spokesman said the party “denies any wrongdoing and will fully cooperate with the investigation”. “We won’t be…

Stay informed with free updatesSimply sign up to the Hedge funds myFT Digest — delivered directly to your inbox.Millennium Management, one of the world’s largest hedge funds, is planning to open an office in Athens, according to people familiar with the situation, as the Greek government launches a charm offensive to woo global investors. Rahul Chopra, senior portfolio manager at Millennium, is expecting to move to Athens from London, the people said. Millennium and the Greek finance ministry declined to comment.The move comes in the wake of a new tax scheme unveiled by the Greek government this summer that specifically targeted…

The British consulate in east Jerusalem on September 8, 2026.Ahmad Gharabli | Afp | Getty ImagesThe U.K. has defended its decision to impose new sanctions on certain Israeli goods, following backlash that saw London told to close its consulate in Jerusalem within a month. Britain’s foreign secretary Ed Miliband announced on Tuesday that Britain would ban imports from Israeli settlements built on the West Bank, adding that the U.K. government’s official view is that the “occupation [of the West Bank] is unlawful.”The move prompted an accusation from Israel that the British government was “systematically working against” the country, and a…

Oil Higher, Yen Consolidates, U.S. To Reveal Bond Buyback Plans Source link

Unlock the White House Watch newsletter for freeYour guide to what Trump’s second term means for Washington, business and the worldThere is a reason why Marco Rubio runs from the sound of gunfire. Though he is America’s secretary of state and national security adviser — the first to combine those roles since Henry Kissinger — Rubio can sense a losing bet or three. Whether that is trying to broker a deal between Russia and Ukraine, nuclear talks with Iran or fixing Gaza, he lacks the real estate background that President Donald Trump wants in his negotiators. Politicians typically crave the…

President Donald Trump speaks to reporters outside the White House, in Washington, Aug. 19, 2026.Kylie Cooper | ReutersAs President Donald Trump’s wartime directives in Iran repeatedly jolted global markets, his personal energy portfolio surged. Throughout the first six months of fighting, Trump’s investment accounts continued aggressively trading energy stocks. Between the eve of the war, on Feb. 27, and Aug. 31, his nine largest oil and gas holdings gained approximately $1.5 million to $4.4 million, according to a CNBC analysis of his annual financial disclosure, quarterly corporate reports and FactSet market data. CNBC identified the nine holdings by aggregating Trump’s…

Prediction markets are everywhere ahead of November’s midterm election, and manipulating their election contracts can be achieved with be a small investment. New research from the Anti-Corruption Data Collective, shared exclusively with CNBC, found that a $3,500 bet — the maximum personal campaign donation — can move 97% of midterm-related prediction markets by five cents or more. The report by the coalition, which says its mission is to expose corruption, raises questions about whether individuals can easily manipulate election-related markets in an attempt to create a real-world outcome. “A manipulated price can ripple through the information ecosystem as if it…