Los Angeles once used 96 million plastic balls to fight drought, creating a hidden cost

Wall Street gyrates after Fed hikes interest rate to battle inflation

NEW YORK — Wall Street whipsawed on Wednesday after the U.S. Federal Reserve raised its key interest rate for the first time in over three years to fight stubbornly high inflation stemming from soaring crude oil prices during the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran. In its accompanying statement, the Fed said its decision was unanimous and more tightening is likely in the near future to effect a timelier drop in inflation. "As widely expected, the Fed hiked interest rates for the first time in more than three years," said Ryan Detrick, chief market strategist at Carson Group in Omaha. "After the hawkish comments from (Fed Chair Kevin) Warsh a couple of weeks ago in Jackson Hole, he kind of backed himself into the corner a little bit." "The fact that it was unanimous is a tad surprising," Detrick added. "At the same time, it really shows that the Fed is serious about combating the broadening inflation backdrop that we're seeing." Investors will parse Warsh's comments at the press conference which is currently underway, for detail regarding the central bank's rationale behind today's decision and c

US Fed chair says inflation has been 'too high' for 'too long'

WASHINGTON — Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh said Wednesday that the U.S. central bank's main focus now is on inflation, in remarks shortly after its first rate hike since 2023. "Our predominant focus is on the price stability side of our mandate. The plain fact is that inflation is too high, and has been for too long," he told a press conference.

Fed rate hike will likely push borrowing costs on credit cards, mortgages

WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve just raised the cost of money — bad news for borrowers, good news for savers. The Fed increased its benchmark interest rate Wednesday by a quarter-point, the first rate hike since the summer of 2023. The hike will likely make it even costlier to borrow for homes, autos and other purchases. But if you've been socking money away, you’ll probably earn a bit more interest on your savings. The increase boosts the Fed's target rate to a range of 3.75 percent to 4.00 percent. Here’s what to know: Why is the Fed raising rates? The short answer: inflation. Inflation has remained above the Fed's 2 percent target for more than five years. The Labor Department reported Friday that consumer prices rose 3.4 percent in August compared to a year earlier, while the monthly increase quadrupled from July to hit 0.4 percent. The Fed’s goal is to slow consumer and business spending by raising the cost of borrowing, thereby reducing demand for homes, cars and other goods and services, eventually cooling the economy and reducing upward pressure on prices. Kevin Warsh, Fed

Trump threatens EU over 'hostile' Canada association plan

WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump threatened on Wednesday to cut trade with the European Union after the bloc proposed to make Canada its first ever associate member. EU chief Ursula von der Leyen raised the prospect a day before Canadian leader Mark Carney was due to address the European Parliament. Her pitch comes as both Canada and the European Union seek to pivot away from an aggressive United States under Trump's leadership. "I think it's laughable," Trump told reporters when asked about the plan. "If they do that, if I think it's at all a hostile act, I will put very serious tariffs or stop trading with Europe, on many things." He added: "If it's a good intention, that's fine. If it's a bad intention, we'll put very heavy tariffs on Europe, which is a possibility." Von der Leyen pitched closer cooperation on tech, defense and energy to Carney, who became the first non-European head of government to attend the annual "State of the European Union" speech. The German told the European Parliament in Strasbourg that, as democracies face a "fracture in the international rules-base

OpenAI plans regular reports on unexpected AI behavior

OpenAI said on Wednesday it would begin regularly publishing reports on unexpected or unauthorized AI behavior, while warning that the industry has yet to solve key alignment challenges as systems grow more powerful. The company released a new framework for tracking, investigating and disclosing cases of AI model misalignment, along with six reports on unexpected or concerning model behavior observed over the past six months. The announcement comes as concern grows that AI safety efforts are lagging behind the breakneck development of increasingly powerful systems. Researchers have warned that as AI agents become more autonomous, they may develop behaviors that diverge from their creators' intentions and become harder to monitor or control. OpenAI has faced increased scrutiny since its own AI agent breached systems at open-source platform Hugging Face during a test and attempted to hide its actions. Over the weekend, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei proposed a three-step framework aimed at slowing the pace of AI development and allowing more time to manage its risks. The proposal was backed by s

Trump hopes Iran war nearing end as Houthi-Saudi fighting escalates

WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump said he hoped an end to the war against Iran was near, as the conflict, in its seventh month, escalated with Saudi aircraft pounding Yemen and Houthi fighters launching drones and missiles at Saudi cities. The Iran-backed Houthis' lightning advance in Yemen along the Red Sea and their attacks on Saudi Arabia, along with attacks that damaged Saudi Arabia's East-West oil pipeline, have extended Tehran's reach in the war and heightened global oil-supply risks. As the war expands into a new theatre, the United States tightened its travel warning for Saudi Arabia, banning government employees from travelling within 20 miles (30 km) of the Yemen border. Still, just hours after reports of the Houthis and Saudi Arabia fighting, Trump told reporters on Wednesday evening: "Well, hopefully we are towards the end of the war." Trump says Iran wants a deal, oil price still elevated "They want to make a deal. We'll see how that works out," he said, referring to Iran, reiterating past comments. Trump also said he had heard from Iran "directly," without elaborati

From Korean to Chinese: Vietnam's language learners follow the jobs

HANOI — “Chinese is definitely the trend now.” At a Chinese Proficiency Test (HSK) testing center at Hanoi University in Vietnam on Sunday, 23-year-old Vu Thi Thao had just completed the Level 6 exam, the highest level of the test. “I quit my job at a Chinese railway company and am now preparing to become a Chinese-language instructor,” she said. “As Chinese companies expand into Vietnam at a rapid pace, the market for Chinese speakers has opened up significantly.” A Chinese language boom is sweeping Vietnam and other Southeast Asian countries. Unlike the Korean language learning boom that accompanied the Korean wave in the past, Chinese is increasingly becoming a key foreign language for employment. The trend has been driven by Chinese companies hiring large numbers of Chinese speakers as they move production bases to Southeast Asia to avoid U.S. trade restrictions. The growing popularity of Chinese in Southeast Asia is reflected in the numbers. According to data from the Chinese Testing International, Vietnam recorded 146,000 HSK test takers last year, the highest in the

Japan's Takaichi keeps key ministers in cabinet reshuffle

TOKYO — Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi retained her key ministers on Thursday in a cabinet reshuffle aimed at solidifying the ruling coalition and advancing a food tax cut despite concerns over how it will be financed. Prime ministers in Japan routinely shuffle their cabinets to refresh the government's public image and to distribute ministerial posts to loyal supporters and experienced lawmakers from the same party. But Takaichi — who has unusually high approval ratings nearly a year into office — kept core members of her team, according to a cabinet list announced by her righthand man and top government spokesman Minoru Kihara. They include Kihara, finance minister Satsuki Katayama, foreign minister Toshimitsu Motegi and defence minister Shinjiro Koizumi. The prime minister also retained key economic ministers, including trade and industry minister Ryosei Akazawa, who has led Japan's tariff negotiations with the United States, and economic growth strategy minister Minoru Kiuchi, who favours active fiscal spending. Under finance minister Katayama, Japan has repeatedly inter

Three African wild dog brothers travelled 4,126 km; the longest recorded African mammal dispersal

A trio of African wild dog brothers undertook a remarkable odyssey covering 4,126 kilometers across Zambia. This unprecedented trek marks the longest documented dispersal by a mammal in Africa. Their journey through various terrains, including natural reserves and areas impacted by humans, highlights the crucial need for habitat connectivity beyond national park borders, revealing pressing conservation issues faced by species that require large ranges.

Hiker Found After Weeklong Search: 70-year-old located alive by backpackers; Coast Guard airlifts him

After being missing for a week, 70-year-old hiker Craig Berg was miraculously found alive on Isle Royale on September 12. The search efforts proved critical, with fellow backpackers aiding in his discovery despite his injuries and hypothermia. Following his rescue, he was airlifted for urgent medical care, bringing an end to a challenging multi-agency search and rescue operation.

Nicolas Cage bought Rhode Island estate for $15.7 million, sold it at a $9.5 million loss

Actor Nicolas Cage bought Rhode Island’s Gray Craig estate for $15.7 million in 2007 and listed it for $15.9 million a year later. The 27-acre property has a 24,000-square-foot stone mansion with 12 bedrooms, 10 bathrooms, ocean views, a tennis court, gym and pool. Cage eventually sold the estate for $6.2 million in 2011 to Massachusetts couple Andrew and Pamela Constantine.

NASA finds 728-foot Moon crater from 2024 impact no one saw happen

Mother whale’s heartbreaking moment with stillborn calf

MELBOURNE — A never-before scientifically documented moment between a humpback whale and her stillborn calf has scientists rethinking the depth of the creatures’ inner lives. Following the death of the calf, the mother remained with it for hours and potentially days, touching it with her head and pectoral fin, swimming close beside it, and staring

Connecticut homeowner built bridge to stop erosion; judge ordered brook restoration

EU announces plan to restrict social media access for under-15s

Under the plans, only children over 15 would be able to set up their own social media accounts.

How Russian dissidents are pressing for action on Putin in DC

Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Moscow-based journalist Dmitry Muratov is careful about what he says and for good reason. He was assaulted in 2022 with red paint laced with acetone, and he’s seen colleagues murdered or forced into exile and his newspaper shut down.  In a rare appearance in Washington, D.C. on Monday, he spoke...

King Charles meets AI leaders in Scotland to press human-first safeguards

King Charles meets AI leaders in Scotland to press human-first safeguards

‘War without battle’: Europe struggles to tackle mounting Russian hybrid attacks

Over the course of the summer, Russian attacks have been pushing ever deeper into European territory. On August 11, military divers destroyed two drones floating off the coast of Romania near a €4 billion (US$4.7 billion) energy project. Nine days later, Bucharest scrambled two F-16s to take out a maritime drone near the same Black Sea gas platform with hundreds of workers on board. Earlier that month, German police detected an armed UAV at Leipzig airport, while this week Nato jets downed...

Crystal Ski discount codes for September 2026

Save on your 2026/27 ski holiday with 10 hand-tested Crystal Ski discount codes and deals, including up to £200 off selected trips, £75 off solo holidays, free child places and discounted lift passes

Ninth woman’s body found in South Africa amid serial killer fears

South African police have discovered the bodies of nine women in the east of Johannesburg over the past two months

Cybersecurity incident affected 48 mosques, four madrasahs; no ransom paid: MUIS

The incident, which was first reported earlier in the week, involved a human resource and payroll system.

India proposes mandatory CCTVs at medical stores to regulate prescription drug sales

The installation of CCTV systems is intended to enhance transparency and accountability across the pharmaceutical supply chain while protecting public health.

Philippines' Duterte seen in person at International Criminal Court for first time

He is due to be tried for crimes against humanity over thousands of deaths linked to his war on drugs.

Carney to address EU as Canada seeks closer ties amid Trump tariff threat

Carney to address EU as Canada seeks closer ties amid Trump tariff threat

British Airways has suspended flights to this Middle East destination until next year

British Airways usually operates flights to Abu Dhabi in the winter, but will not do so this year

I unboxed Selfridges’s beauty advent calendar 2026 – and it’s worth more than £1,200

Plus what to expect in the luxury retailer’s first fragrance calendar Read more: Best beauty advent calendars 2026

Win the perfect grown-up escape with Parkdean Resorts

For grown-ups, designed by grown-ups

Three dead, including two Brits, after plane crash in Switzerland

Eddie Hearn gives brutally honest reaction to Conor Benn’s defeat by Ryan Garcia

What Piddington’s revolt says about the UK in 2026

The independence vote in the Oxfordshire village has echoes of a 1949 Ealing comedy, political editor David Maddox notes – but Labour needs to understand that this is not a laughing matter

Northern Vietnam floods inundate 2,000 homes as rivers cross danger levels

Northern Vietnam floods inundate 2,000 homes as rivers cross danger levels

Michelin-starred restaurant in South Korea fined £8,000 after serving dessert topped with ants

Three to five ants were added as garnish ‘to add a sour taste’ on a sorbet made with a traditional Korean sweet rice drink

What voting to leave the UK actually means after one tiny village’s revolt

Under the proposal, MoD Bicester could be converted to house more than 1,000 male asylum seekers

RNLI closes Portsmouth lifeboat station after huge anti-migrant protests

RNLI volunteers were branded ‘traitors’ after bringing migrants ashore

UFC 331: Van vs Pantoja start time, undercard and how to watch fights this weekend

Alexandre Pantoja aims to regain the flyweight title from Joshua Van, having suffered an injury in their first meeting

Royal family news live: War of words breaks out over Earl Spencer’s claims about Charles and Diana in new book

The King is to appear in public today after the bombshell claims emerged

Ferry disaster revives legend around ‘Indonesia’s Bermuda Triangle’

The Masalembu Islands in the Java Sea have long been associated with deadly maritime disasters

Xi Jinping health rumours: Unverified stroke post after BRICS Summit gets ‘Community Note’ on X

Wanjun's post on social media claimed that Xi was flown back to Beijing for emergency treatment at the People's Liberation Army General Hospital, commonly known as 301 Hospital. Wanjun is the chairman of the China Democracy Party (CDP), which has been banned in China. 

Henry Golding to narrate new Thomas the Tank Engine animated series

The Crazy Rich Asians actor takes over the position previously held by Sir Ringo Starr

How tea, coffee and alcohol can affect iron absorption

Researchers say having too much iron in the body can also cause serious health problems