Author: Trainee Reporter

North Carolina: Tempers have flared at Quail Hollow as Shane Lowry and Tyrrell Hatton delivered emotional outbursts during a tense second round at the US PGA Championship. Lowry, the 2019 Open champion, erupted after a ruling on the eighth hole denied him relief for what he believed to be an embedded ball. Visibly furious, the Irishman slammed his club into the ground and swore loudly about this place, before flipping his middle finger at the hole following a bogey. He went on to card a 71, missing the cut by just one shot at two over par. Adding to the…

United States: Moody’s Ratings has downgraded the United States government’s credit rating from Aaa to Aa1, stripping the country of its last remaining top-tier score among the three major credit agencies. The agency cited the failure of successive administrations to rein in ballooning fiscal deficits as the key reason for the move, a development that could rattle global financial markets and further complicate President Donald Trump’s economic agenda. The downgrade marks the end of the U.S. government’s clean sweep of triple-A ratings. Standard & Poor’s cut the U.S. rating in 2011, and Fitch followed in 2023. Moody’s stated that, “Successive…

United States: Donald Trump has unveiled business agreements totalling more than $200 billion between the United States and the United Arab Emirates during his ongoing tour of the Middle East. The package includes a $14.5 billion commitment involving Boeing, GE Aerospace, and Etihad Airways, aimed at strengthening commercial aviation and economic ties between the two nations. According to the White House, Etihad Airways has committed to purchasing 28 US-made Boeing 787 and 777X aircraft powered by GE engines. Etihad’s fleet expansion comes amid broader growth plans announced by its CEO, Antonoaldo Neves. The airline aims to extend its fleet from…

Los Angeles: Olympic spectators may soon escape LA’s infamous gridlock by taking to the skies, thanks to a new partnership between LA28 and Archer Aviation. The committee organising the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games has announced plans to launch an air taxi service that would ferry fans between key venues. The electric aircraft, known as ‘eVTOLs’ (electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles), are being developed by Archer Aviation, a startup backed by United Airlines and Boeing. If approved by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in time, the piloted Midnight aircraft could offer short, 10–20 minute flights across the Los…

United Kingdom: UK-based carmaker Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has confirmed it has no intention of setting up manufacturing operations in the United States, with ongoing disruption caused by President Donald Trump’s tariff policies. JLR, which does not operate any production facilities in the US, had previously paused shipments to the country in April following Trump’s initial round of tariff announcements. Exports resumed earlier this month, but uncertainty continues to loom over the firm’s US strategy. This week, Jaguar joined a growing number of major companies opting not to issue profit forecasts, citing economic unpredictability driven by shifting US trade policies.…

India: India has blocked access to several Chinese state media accounts on X (formerly Twitter), including Xinhua News Agency and the Global Times, in a move reportedly linked to allegations of spreading Pakistani propaganda and misinformation during recent cross-border clashes. Turkish broadcaster TRT World was also blocked. The action follows India’s protest over China’s decision to rename several locations in the contested border state of Arunachal Pradesh, referred to by Beijing as Zangnan. The Indian government described the move as vain and preposterous, reaffirming that the territory remains an integral and inalienable part of India. While the Global Times’ X…

United Kingdom: British fashion house Burberry has announced plans to cut approximately 1,700 jobs worldwide as part of a sweeping cost-saving initiative, following a reported $88.06 million (£66 million) loss for the last financial year. The iconic brand, known for its signature camel, red, and black check pattern, said the job cuts would help it reach a target of $133.4 million (£100 million) in annualised savings by spring 2027. This includes a previously announced $53.3 million (£40 million) cost-saving programme in November. The proposed redundancies, which amount to nearly 20 percent of Burberry’s global workforce, are expected to hit the…

Brazil: Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has pledged to personally urge Russian President Vladimir Putin to attend peace negotiations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in what could mark the first face-to-face meeting between the two leaders since 2022. Speaking at a press conference in Beijing, Lula said he would attempt to speak with Putin during a scheduled stop in Moscow following a regional forum in China. Lula stated that, “I’ll try to talk to Putin. It costs me nothing to say, ‘hey, comrade Putin, go to Istanbul and negotiate, dammit.’” The potential summit, set to take place in…

Japan: Japanese carmaker Nissan has announced it will cut an additional 11,000 jobs globally and close seven factories as part of a sweeping restructuring effort to offset plunging sales and mounting losses. This move brings the total number of layoffs announced by the company in the past year to around 20,000, roughly 15 percent of its global workforce. Two-thirds of the latest cuts will come from manufacturing, while the rest will affect sales, administrative roles, research, and contract positions, according to Nissan’s new chief executive Ivan Espinosa. The company, which employs about 133,500 people worldwide, including 6,000 at its Sunderland…

United States: The United States has lowered tariffs on small parcels from mainland China and Hong Kong, following a temporary trade truce between the two economic giants. According to a White House statement, President Donald Trump has cut tariffs on small packages valued at up to $800 from 120 percent to 54 percent. The decision came just hours after the U.S. and China agreed to a 90-day mutual reduction in levies and to reopen trade negotiations. The flat $100 fee per item will continue to apply for shipments sent after 2 May. A planned increase to $200, originally set for…