Trump’s pick for US attorney general Todd Blanche in jeopardy as vote postponed

Republican John Cornyn says he will not back nomination without written confirmation $1.8bn slush fund is deadTodd Blanche’s hopes of becoming US attorney general seemed to be in jeopardy on Wednesday after the Department of Justice did not provide written assurances to a key Republican senator that a $1.8bn slush fund was dead.The US Senate judiciary committee postponed a vote scheduled for Thursday on whether to advance Blanche’s nomination. Continue reading...

Bank of England holds interest rates despite Iran war inflation threat - as it happened

Live, rolling coverage of business, economics and financial markets as three members of monetary policy committee vote to raise ratesThat German GDP reading has indeed contributed to the wider eurozone hitting expectations – and then some.The eurozone economy grew by 0.4% in the second quarter of 2026, according to the preliminary reading from Eurostat – defying the gloom caused by the US-Israeli war on Iran. Continue reading...

Trump Silent as Iran War Delivers Brutal News on Economy

U.S. economic growth dropped to 1.5 percent in the second quarter, down from a 2.1 percent annual rate in the first three months of the year, the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Economic Analysis reported Thursday. Economists were expecting a GDP growth rate of 1.8 percent, but thanks to President Trump’s Iran war, disastrous tariffs (including new tariffs levied on more than 50 countries last week), and cuts to government spending, we are, once again, not doing as well as Trump claims.“Americans are feeling gloomy: consumer confidence remains in the doldrums as households worry about rising costs,” The Economist reports. “Although annual inflation slowed to 3.5 percent in June from 4.2 percent in May, thanks largely to a temporary fall in petrol prices, renewed fighting has since pushed oil prices higher again.”Regular gasoline came in at an average of $4.22 a gallon in the second quarter, a dramatic increase from less than $3 a gallon before the U.S. and Israel began the war on Iran in February. Now that the shaky U.S.-Iran ceasefire is dead, Americans are bracing, once again, for painful prices at the gas pump. These latest figures reaffirm that the main concern right now for Americans is cost—of just about everything. Even Fox News recognizes that voters are unhappy with Trump’s economy and want “major change.” And by “major change,” we do not mean more tariffs. Plus, the Federal Reserve opted to hold interest rates steady for a fifth consecutive meeting on Wednesday. New Fed chairman Kevin Warsh acknowledged that there’s no quick fix to ease the cost of living, telling reporters there is no “magic wand” to bring prices down. In other words, Americans are getting the worst of both worlds: an economy that’s slowing down while prices keep climbing.But of course, in Trump’s own words, he “doesn’t think about Americans’ financial situation” when making decisions about the war in Iran.

Stocks rebound from steep Fed sell-off as investors doubt whether Warsh will raise interest rates

Meanwhile, key oil benchmarks fell Thursday despite rising tensions in the Middle East.

US economic growth sees surprise slowdown in second quarter

The economy grew at an annual rate of 1.5% in the three months to June, down from 2.1% seen in the previous quarter.

Obama endorses Democratic Iowa state rep running for US Senate against Trump-backed House Republican

Former President Barack Obama endorsed Democratic Iowa state Rep. Josh Turek for U.S. Senate as the candidate runs against Trump-backed Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson.

Illegal Alien Has Her Bond Reduced After Killed Connecticut Cop and His Girlfriend

US Strikes Iran in Wake of Surprise Attack on American Forces

The United States launched major strikes against Iran Thursday morning after President Donald Trump vowed to hit the regime “very hard” as retaliation for a surprise attack on American forces in the region earlier in the week. It comes as a new poll shows 72% of Americans disapprove of the president's handling of Iran. NBC’s Gabe Gutierrez reports for TODAY.