Business — 3,476 insights
Trump Media pitched US$100,000 fee for fastest feed of US president’s posts, sources say
Business

Trump Media pitched US$100,000 fee for fastest feed of US president’s posts, sources say

The US president’s posts often move markets, and even a tiny speed advantage can lead to big gains on trades for investors Donald Trump’s social media company has discussed charging Wall Street traders and investment firms as much as US$100,000 a month for faster access to the US president’s posts on his Truth Social platform, according to people familiar with the matter. Trump Media & Technology Group, which owns Truth Social, has in recent weeks also pitched a discounted plan of US$60,000 per month if the firms sign up for a three-year plan, the sources said, requesting anonymity as the ‌discussions are confidential. TMTG on Thursday unveiled a paid-for, licensed data feed called “Truth API” to provide banks and trading firms the fastest access to posts from the 10 most influential Truth Social accounts, but did not give any pricing details. The move would be the company’s first step into data licensing, opening up a new revenue stream, although it drew immediate criticism from Democrats. US Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon, the highest-ranking Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, said it would financially benefit the Trump family and “make Wall Street traders rich”.

July 17, 2026
‘Made in EU’: How Europe plans to use China’s tech to pull level with its EV rival by 2028
Business

‘Made in EU’: How Europe plans to use China’s tech to pull level with its EV rival by 2028

New regulations will help EU produce electric vehicles at a price point to match China, but European job losses would be among trade-offs A crown jewel of Europe’s industrial output, the automotive sector represents directly and indirectly a total of more than 13 million jobs in the EU. But the obituaries may have been written too soon. A growing number of industry insiders said European brands could pull level with their Chinese rivals in cost, some predicting parity could come as soon as 2028 or 2029. Their careful optimism came hedged with caveats, but the gap that once looked fatal might finally be beginning to close. For Harald Hendrikse, European head of autos research at Citi, who proposed the 2028 to 2029 time frame in a May note, reaching it rested on two pillars: the correct implementation of the “Made in EU” requirements in the proposed Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA), and continued European access to Chinese technology and know-how. “The most important thing is the fact that the Chinese are completely open, the Chinese industry is completely open to working with Western manufacturers, which means that basically, even relatively new Chinese technology is coming very quickly to Europe,” Hendrikse said.

July 17, 2026
China’s missile test from a submarine is no guarantee of regional stability
Business

China’s missile test from a submarine is no guarantee of regional stability

Beijing’s ICBM test from a nuclear-powered submarine is a win from a defence perspective but comes with greater responsibilities The July 6 test, in which the missile travelled about 7,300km, was the first publicly disclosed long-range submarine-based test conducted by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy since 1982. This points to both the credibility of China’s nascent second-strike capability and the resolve with which Beijing has pursued this goal. Underwater nuclear propulsion altered the template of nuclear deterrence. Technological advances and the 1962 Cuban missile crisis shaped deterrence strategy, and Cold War stability was eventually predicated on the doctrine of “mutually assured destruction” and the presence of SSBNs.

July 17, 2026
Trump envoy met with protests in Venice as he arrives on superyacht
Business

Trump envoy met with protests in Venice as he arrives on superyacht

US Ambassador Tilman Fertitta, a billionaire businessman, arrived amid strained ties between the president and Italy’s PM Giorgia Meloni A ⁠few hundred people in Venice protested ⁠on Friday against US Ambassador to ⁠Italy Tilman Fertitta as he arrived in the lagoon city aboard his superyacht, drawing criticism of President Donald Trump’s policies. Activists also objected to the heightened security measures put in place by local authorities as Venice prepares for one of its most important festivals. Fertitta, a billionaire businessman appointed by ‌Trump, is touring the Italian peninsula aboard his 117-metre (384-foot) yacht, Boardwalk, on a “Freedom 250 Coastal Diplomacy Tour” marking the 250th anniversary of US independence. Around 300 people gathered to protest and took part in a march holding up posters with slogans such as “Fertitta must go”, “Make America go away”, “Venice must not be used” or “No space for billionaires”. They approached the part of the historic centre of Venice where the yacht had anchored, Riva dei Sette Martiri, ⁠but were stopped from going any further by police, with whom a few minor scuffles broke out.

July 17, 2026
US and Iran attack infrastructure, raising fears of escalation
Business

US and Iran attack infrastructure, raising fears of escalation

Two oil tankers exploded and caught fire after passing through a mined route south of Hormuz, Iranian media reported The US struck bridges in Iran, and Tehran responded by hitting a power and desalination plant in Kuwait on Friday, as the two sides risked further escalation by expanding their targets to include infrastructure. At sea, where the renewed conflict has again cut off energy supplies from the Gulf, US Marines boarded a tanker near the Strait of ‌Hormuz. Two oil tankers exploded and caught fire after passing through a mined route south of the strait, Iranian media reported, citing Iran’s Revolutionary Guards. Armed men seized another vessel off Yemen, raising concern over security in the Middle East’s other big choke point for oil shipments at the mouth of the Red Sea. Iran’s state television quoted the Revolutionary Guards as saying that until US “aggression” comes to an end, it will not be possible to export chemical fertilisers or even a “single drop of oil and gas” from the region. Washington and Tehran have been testing the limits of escalation since their ceasefire agreement collapsed last week, raising the prospect of a return to all-out war.

July 17, 2026
Tai Po fire inquiry panel calls for bamboo scaffolding to be phased out
Business

Tai Po fire inquiry panel calls for bamboo scaffolding to be phased out

Other recommendations outlined in 627 pages of closing submissions include legislative reform and measures to curb bid-rigging An independent committee examining the cause of Hong Kong’s deadly Tai Po fire has recommended that authorities gradually phase out bamboo scaffolding in favour of metal replacements, among other proposals ranging from legislative reform to measures to curb bid-rigging. The suggestions were outlined in 627 pages of closing submissions from the committee’s lawyers on Friday, concluding hearings that started in March to examine the Wang Fuk Court fire. The blaze last November killed 168 people and displaced about 5,000 residents. One recommendation urged authorities to consider moving away from bamboo and combustible plastic wraps to avoid accelerating the spread of fire once material was burning. “We therefore recommend exploring (and possibly funding and subsidising) a potential transition away from traditional bamboo scaffolding and combustible plastic wraps,” the committee’s counsel wrote.

July 17, 2026
J.K. Rowling condemns Amnesty for branding her women’s crisis centre anti-rights
Business

J.K. Rowling condemns Amnesty for branding her women’s crisis centre anti-rights

The ‘Harry Potter’ author, who has spoken in the past of being a survivor of domestic violence, set up Beira’s Place in 2022 “I’m often tickled by press articles asserting that I’m furious about things that actually gave me a proper belly laugh,” Rowling, 60, wrote on social media. “This time, though … Amnesty’s attack on Beira’s Place has left me burning with the kind of fury that mounts with every passing hour.” According to British media, the report, entitled “A Growing Threat: The Anti-Rights Movement in the UK”, has since been taken down. Beira’s Place offers free support and advocacy services for women who have been victims of abuse. Rowling, who set up the centre in 2022, has spoken in the past of being a survivor of domestic violence. The Charity Commission on Thursday said concerns had been raised with the watchdog over the document. “We are assessing the matters raised to determine what, if any, role there might be for us as charity law regulator,” it added.

July 17, 2026
Negeri Sembilan snap poll threatens to chip away at Malaysian state’s tech hub goals
Business

Negeri Sembilan snap poll threatens to chip away at Malaysian state’s tech hub goals

Last year, the state recorded US$4.7 billion in approved investments across 295 projects, almost three times the amount logged in 2024 The vote matters not because existing semiconductor and aerospace projects are expected to flee but because it could slow future commitments, reshape the state’s policy environment and sharpen wider uncertainty over the prospect of a snap national poll, analysts say. Long regarded as an affordable base for Klang Valley commuters, Negeri Sembilan has recently sought to capitalise on its proximity to Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and major transport links to attract higher-value semiconductor and aerospace industries. Last year, it recorded 19.1 billion ringgit (US$4.7 billion) in approved investments across 295 projects, almost three times the US$1.77 billion logged in 2024. The investments were expected to create more than 3,800 jobs, according to Chief Minister Aminuddin Harun. While capital-intensive projects were unlikely to be derailed, given the cost and complexity of moving them, analysts warned political uncertainty could still test the momentum behind the state’s industrial push.

July 17, 2026
China blasts ‘unfounded smears’ as Trump’s election claims threaten diplomatic thaw
Business

China blasts ‘unfounded smears’ as Trump’s election claims threaten diplomatic thaw

Donald Trump alleges Beijing stole 220 million voter files, in a prime-time speech potentially clouding Xi Jinping’s planned US visit He claimed Beijing stole 220 million US voter files, including names, addresses, phone numbers, political party preferences and other sensitive data. He also accused intelligence agencies of downplaying the scale of China’s “sinister” meddling. Ministry spokesman Lin Jian urged Washington to reflect on its actions, stop its “unfounded smears” against China and “do more to benefit China-US relations”.

July 17, 2026
UK’s next prime minister Andy Burnham vows to ‘give hope back’ to Britons
Business

UK’s next prime minister Andy Burnham vows to ‘give hope back’ to Britons

Andy Burnham vowed Friday to “give hope” back to the British people as he was confirmed as the ruling Labour Party’s new leader, set to be the next UK prime minister. “People and places … have been waiting too long for politics to let them hope again … We’re going to give them hope back,” he vowed at a special party conference. “I am for us, for all of us,” he told cheering delegates. Burnham takes over from Keir Starmer, who resigned last month after months of political turmoil, scandal and...

July 17, 2026
China hints at retaliation after US tightens visa rules for students and journalists
Business

China hints at retaliation after US tightens visa rules for students and journalists

The changes have heightened concerns among Chinese citizens already studying in the US and those planning to do so The changes, announced by the Department of Homeland Security on Thursday, have also fuelled concerns among Chinese students already in the United States and those planning to study there. Under the new regulations, part of a White House crackdown on both legal and illegal immigration, student and cultural exchange visas will be limited to a maximum of four years. “The US restrictions on people-to-people exchanges do not serve any party’s interest,” foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on Friday. “China firmly rejects the US discriminatory move targeting certain countries,” he said, adding that China reserved the right to respond. Stephen, a Chinese student who was planning to study for a PhD in computer science in the US, said the new rules left him facing a dilemma.

July 17, 2026
To tackle the climate crisis, start small, think big and act at scale
Business

To tackle the climate crisis, start small, think big and act at scale

Coordinated action on three vulnerable frontline regions can provide a template for how policymakers can serve the people and the planet Sitting by the Tanjung Aru beach in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, watching one of the most stunning sunsets in the world, I reflected on what it would take to prioritise the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. I had just finished an intense three days with 170 local and global organisations, such as the conservation organisation WWF, businesses, investors and policymakers on how the world should expand the scale of impact investing in the Sustainable Development Goals in Sabah and beyond. The UN agreed on its 17 Sustainable Development Goals in 2015, and over 10 years later, only 18 per cent of the goals seem to be achievable by 2030. So far, progress has been weak – insufficient impact, nowhere near enough money and a lack of political will. If delivering environmental and social justice is the task at hand, we need to prioritise problems, fix them and then show everyone the results. Complaining gets you nowhere. People believe results. But we must start small, think big and act at scale. Where should the focus be if we want to deliver impact on biodiversity, water, food and energy?

July 17, 2026