Calls grow in UK for windfall bank tax to fund cost-of-living support after HSBC posts £7.5bn profit

Over 40,000 ships transited Turkey's Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits in H1 2026, a slight decline year-on-year, amid Black Sea security risks and a recent drone attack on a Turkish vessel off Novorossiysk.

Over 40,218 ships transited Türkiye's Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits in H1 2026 amid Black Sea security risks, official data showed; a Turkish cargo vessel was recently attacked by drones off Russia's Novorossiysk, injuring four crew.

China's State Post Bureau launches investigation into STO Express over workplace safety failures, citing multiple accidents this year and repeated hazards at business sites.

China's State Post Bureau has launched an investigation into STO Express Co., Ltd. over workplace safety issues, citing multiple accidents at enterprises operating under STO Express trademarks since the beginning of 2026 and repeated safety hazards found during inspections.

China's central bank to conduct 500 billion yuan outright reverse repo operation Wednesday, an increased rollover as 300 billion yuan of three-month repos mature in August.

The People's Bank of China announced on Tuesday that it will carry out a 500-billion-yuan (about 73.6 billion U.S. dollars) outright reverse repo operation on Wednesday to maintain ample liquidity in the banking system, representing an increased rollover as 300 billion yuan of three-month outright reverse repos mature in August.

Most G7 countries now spend more on debt servicing than on defense, Bloomberg reports citing Scope Ratings. Italy's debt costs nearly 3x its defense budget; US over 2x. US, Japan, France face record-high debt-service costs in the next five years.

Most G7 countries spend more on servicing government debt than on defense, Bloomberg reports, citing Scope Ratings calculations. Italy's debt servicing costs exceed its defense budget by nearly three times, and the US by more than two times; Scope Ratings projects historically high debt-service costs for the US, Japan, and France over the next five years.