Signal

Private equity firms and the companies they own employ over 13 million, from startups to rural hospitals and large retailers, but experts’ concerns of collapse are growing Retail stalwarts Saks and Eddie Bauer filed for bankruptcy. Kmart and JoAnn Fabrics are gone for good, a trail of layoffs and disappointed customers in their wake. Hospital giant Steward Health Care collapsed, costing thousands of jobs and leaving several communities without a local hospital. These once-trusted US companies have one thing in common: they were owned by private equity investors, who load companies with debt when they buy them and squeeze out profits as they restructure. Continue reading...

President cites Trump’s suggestion that he might reconsider US stance on British sovereignty and threatens swifter sanctions on UK oil interests President Javier Milei has said “winds of change” favourable to Argentina’s claim to the Falkland Islands are blowing around the world in a televised address, citing signs that Donald Trump may reconsider the US position on the islands’ sovereignty. “Recently, President Trump declared that the US is re-evaluating its historic position in relation to the Malvinas,” he said, using the Argentinian name for the islands. Continue reading...

As polls point to victory in Saxony-Anhalt for AfD party promising deportations, people face agonising choice: stay or go As the Bible study session wrapped up, leaving worshippers to mingle over cake and coffee, Fatemeh, 44, fought back tears as the conversation turned to Sunday’s state election in Saxony-Anhalt. “I worry about it every day,” she said. “I can’t stop thinking about my son and what might happen to us.” Fatemeh worries about what might happen after the elections. Photograph: Christian Jungeblodt/The Guardian Continue reading...

Togo-sponsored resolution calls to phase out traditional map that depicts continent as similar size to Greenland The UN general assembly will vote on Friday on a resolution for the world to formally phase out the traditional Mercator map of the globe in favour of one that more accurately displays Africa’s size. Robert Dussey, Togo’s foreign affairs minister, said the resolution was sponsored by Togo and backed by countries including the African Union’s 54 other member states. He did not specify the total number. Continue reading...

Ten research teams were honored Thursday at a satirical science awards ceremony that was hosted outside the U.S. for the first time due to travel concerns.

U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani is deciding whether to extend her prohibition on the proposed regulation of mail ballots, an effort undertaken as part of an executive order by President Donald Trump.

Pedro Sánchez continues to defend Rabat after police report claiming border forces helped 70,000 cross border Europe live – latest updates Spain has seen no evidence “whatsoever” that Morocco planned or facilitated a mass border breach into its north African territory of Ceuta, the Spanish prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, has told parliament. The address on Thursday followed the emergence of a police report, commissioned by a judge and widely quoted in the media, claiming Moroccan border forces had actively aided about 70,000 people to cross the border in late July. Continue reading...

Xbox said the limits were due to the rising cost of cloud gaming, and would allow it to invest more in its performance

Diesel hit a record of $5.85 a gallon Friday, eclipsing its prior mark of $5.81, set in June 2022.

Trump has asked the Supreme Court to lift the block on his plan for the USPS to restrict mail voting ahead of the midterm elections. And, diesel prices have reached a record high.

Vance says gas prices could have been "much higher were it not for our efforts," as the Iran war pushes pump prices to expected Labor Day weekend records.

Chris Mason speaks from the Reform UK conference as two of its senior officials step down following a Channel 4 investigation.

Rising prices and opposition to war may pressure Trump to de-escalate until after the midterms, analysts say.

The Homeland Security and Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act set aside​ $140 million to give controllers a 3.8% pay raise, but they have so far only received the 1% raise given to all government employees.

Fuel prices have soared since the Iran conflict began at the end of February, mirroring the surge in wholesale oil prices.

Dame Angela Eagle warns the weather event could lead to extreme storms this winter.

Revelations are further blow to Nigel Farage before conference speech, with Labour reporting party to police Reform UK has suspended two senior officials after they were filmed in an undercover investigation appearing to plot to get around electoral laws on foreign donations. In a blow to Nigel Farage hours before his conference speech, the party said it had launched an investigation into the actions of James Orr, the party’s head of policy, and Dan Jukes, a senior aide to Farage, after the broadcast by Channel 4 News. Continue reading...

Resignations come after documentary alleges party arranged for overseas company to fund polling.

Argentina's president accused of political machinations as he eyes shifting US stance on Las Malvinas.

Germany has blamed Russia for an attack on Leipzig airport but there has been a series of suspicious incidents elsewhere.

Research published in the journal Science illuminates a "missing piece" in the biological understanding of profound autism and offers new targets for drug development.

As supporters celebrate the milestone, analysts warn longevity is not tantamount to stability.

Under-pressure carmaker will shed 15% of workforce and halve its product line in sector’s biggest ever restructure The car company Volkswagen has approved controversial plans to shed 100,000 jobs in a battle for survival as it faces fierce competition from Chinese rivals. After the latest round of talks this week, the company announced a further 50,000 job cuts and agreed a staggered end to current production at four German plants: Emden, Zwickau, Hanover and the Audi site in Neckarsulm between 2031 to 2034. There are no specific plans beyond that. Continue reading...

The Hanover affair exposes a new front in Israel’s long-running effort to shape how Palestinians are understood.

Valuation above $11bn expected for firm whose fans include Prince Harry, Jennifer Aniston and Kim Kardashian Fans of Oura are accustomed to using its trendy smart rings to fastidiously monitor their health but now investors are preparing to track a new metric: its share price. The company’s filing to list imminently on the Nasdaq stock exchange in New York was made public on Thursday. Continue reading...

It is too hard for medical researchers to launch clinical trials.

A clue emerged. Questions remain. ScienceAlert stories are written, fact-checked, and edited by humans, never generated by AI. Don't miss a story, subscribe here.

This could be a breakthrough. ScienceAlert stories are written, fact-checked, and edited by humans, never generated by AI. Don't miss a story, subscribe here.

Genetic testing can reveal mutations in BRCA genes and others associated with increased cancer risk, but it isn’t recommended for everyone.

One of the 20th century’s biggest media formats was often thrown out in the rush to embrace VHS. But preservationists say visual history is being lost.

A new book about an infamous trial asks how the stories we tell can define our relationships.

It’s all about the practice of freedom.

In the 1970s, Ms. Steinem confronted the newspaper’s executive editor about the honorific in an exchange of letters, pressing it to use the alternative to Miss or Mrs.