Keir Starmer’s elusive ex-chief of staff Morgan McSweeney finally spoke at length in public — along with a former Foreign Office mandarin. POLITICO whips through what we learned.
In 2025, nearly one million people worldwide joined the ranks of US dollar millionaires, with the US leading in absolute numbers. Eastern European countries, particularly Lithuania, saw the fastest percentage growth in new millionaires.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, was buried in Mashhad after six days of funeral ceremonies. His burial coincided with escalating tit-for-tat attacks between the US and Iran, raising fears of all-out war. The successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, remained absent from public view.
France advanced to the World Cup semifinals after a 2-0 victory over Morocco in the quarterfinals. Kylian Mbappé scored the opener in the 60th minute, and Ousmane Dembélé doubled the lead six minutes later. Despite a missed penalty by Mbappé earlier, France dominated possession and chances.
The UK's proposed deforestation rules, modeled on the EU's, are causing friction with the US. Washington fears the regulations will create trade barriers and lacks flexibility for low-risk exporters, potentially impacting US-UK trade relations.
Andy Burnham is poised to become the next Labour leader and PM, facing the challenge of uniting over 400 MPs. Tips from MPs include listening to backbenchers, accepting disagreement while maintaining discipline, respecting Keir Starmer, and considering a snap election.
The European Commission is considering EU-wide age restrictions for social media, with plans potentially unveiled in September. A new report aims to provide an evidence base for such measures, despite some experts and national governments favoring more nuanced approaches over blanket bans.
