A Guardian investigation reveals CT Group, a lobbying firm co-founded by Lynton Crosby, allegedly secretly pays journalists to publish stories favorable to its clients in British newspapers, raising concerns about influencing public opinion.
Kalshi, Polymarket, and the casino/gaming sectors are engaged in a lobbying arms race in Washington, spending millions to influence lawmakers amid increasing scrutiny of prediction markets from Congress and regulators over their classification as financial products or sports betting.
OpenAI and Anthropic significantly increased their federal lobbying spending in the second quarter, reaching record levels. Together, they spent $3.17 million, with Anthropic spending $1.97 million and OpenAI $1.2 million, focusing on issues like cybersecurity and copyright. This surge narrows the gap with established tech and defense contractors.
Andy Burnham, the incoming Prime Minister, surprised many by appointing John Healey as Chancellor, despite intense lobbying for other candidates like Ed Miliband, Shabana Mahmood, and Rachel Reeves. Healey's selection signals a focus on borrowing rules, re-industrialisation, devolution, and increased defence spending, potentially through "defence bonds."
Uganda has begun lobbying countries to lift Ebola-related travel restrictions after discharging its last confirmed patient, a Congolese national, from a Kampala hospital. The move starts a 42-day countdown for WHO to declare Uganda Ebola-free, despite 15 countries maintaining restrictions impacting tourism and trade.
Belgium coach Rudi Garcia believes his team has gained millions of new supporters after Donald Trump's intervention to overturn Folarin Balogun's red card. Despite facing Spain in the quarter-finals, Garcia is confident, highlighting Romelu Lukaku as a key weapon.
A senior White House official compared Sir Keir Starmer's lobbying on World Cup kick-off times to Donald Trump's FIFA intervention, deeming Starmer's actions "far more egregious" due to safety concerns.
The UK's ethics watchdog has recommended a radical overhaul of transparency laws, proposing a new register to publicly declare all government lobbying, including informal communications like WhatsApp chats and party conference meetings. The review, led by Doug Chalmers, aims to restore public trust by highlighting who is lobbying, what policies they seek to influence, and who they meet in government.
A major review prompted by the Peter Mandelson scandal has called for sweeping redesigns of UK lobbying rules. The Ethics and Integrity Commission (EIC) recommends new laws to fix inadequacies in Westminster's transparency systems, with potential implementation before the next general election.
Andrew Giuliani defended Donald Trump's lobbying of FIFA to overturn Folarin Balogun's red card, citing referee irregularities and VAR misapplication. The referee, Raphael Claus, had been investigated in Brazil for match-fixing.
The FCA is seeking to dismiss Consumer Voice's legal challenges over motor finance payouts, alleging the group and its solicitors, Courmacs Legal, have not been transparent about their funding and potential conflicts of interest.
Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey stated he resisted Nigel Farage's lobbying to drop a crypto policy potentially costly to Reform UK's backer, Christopher Harborne. This comes as Farage faces a parliamentary probe over undeclared payments and support, triggering a political crisis.
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India's networking guidelines, which imposed compliance and penalties on local audit firms, have been put on hold. Influential Big 4 firms lobbied the government against these rules, and the Ministry of Corporate Affairs also raised concerns, leading to the deferral or withdrawal of the guidelines.
Investigators questioned Kim Pyung-hwa, a close aide to Shincheonji Church founder Lee Man-hee, over allegations of political lobbying and embezzlement of church funds. Lee is already under arrest for allegedly pressuring members to join a political party.
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India's networking guidelines, which imposed strict compliance and penalties on local audit firms, have been put on hold. Influential Big 4 firms successfully lobbied the government against these rules, which also raised concerns with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.
Belgian fans celebrated a World Cup win over the USA with jubilation, despite a 2 am kick-off. The victory was overshadowed by controversy over Donald Trump's alleged lobbying to overturn a striker's suspension. Celebrations included mocking Trump's dancing.
Donald Trump admitted lobbying FIFA over a red card ban, Australia faces extreme heatwave risks for young people's mental health, and scientists captured bee facial expressions. Meanwhile, wildfires rage in Europe, and a footballer died after a clash in Melbourne.
A California judge has temporarily blocked the Department of Defense from enforcing a lobbying ban on Alibaba, allowing the company to communicate with the Pentagon while its constitutional challenge to the restriction is considered.
Prediction markets show the US narrowly favored over Belgium in the World Cup round-of-16 after FIFA cleared striker Folarin Balogun to play despite a red card. The decision, influenced by US President Trump's lobbying, has drawn significant criticism from European soccer officials, who cite concerns about disciplinary precedent and political intervention.
The USA faces Belgium in the 2026 World Cup Round of 16, overshadowed by controversy over Folarin Balogun's suspended red card ban, allegedly influenced by US President Donald Trump. The match takes place in Seattle.
The USA faces Belgium in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 amidst controversy over Folarin Balogun's suspended red card ban, allegedly influenced by President Trump. The match is set for July 6 in Seattle.
A US judge has ruled that the Pentagon cannot classify Alibaba as a Chinese military company for lobbying restrictions, following a lawsuit by the retailer. The decision temporarily prevents the DoD from barring companies from hiring lobbyists representing Alibaba.
Nigel Farage est accusé de lobbying pour l'industrie des cryptomonnaies après que son parti a reçu 15 millions de livres d'un donateur lié à Tether. Des élus travaillistes demandent une enquête sur ses pressions auprès de la Banque d'Angleterre concernant le "Britcoin" et les stablecoins.
UK Justice Secretary David Lammy has pledged to increase sentences for murderers of current or ex-partners by 10 years. This change follows campaigning by mothers of victims, who highlighted the disparity in sentencing for domestic murders compared to street murders. The new measure aims to address a "fundamental unfairness" in the justice system.
