The Sensemaker

New witness statements for collapsed spy case shift focus to the CPS

The Tories and Labour have blamed each other. But there will now be questions about the strength of the allegations

With pubs closing at a fast rate, Labour is reviewing licensing

Ministers are drawing up plans to solve the crisis facing British pubs

Trump stole the show – but Middle East leaders will shape Gaza’s future

The US may have initiated negotiations, but Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey have been instrumental in securing the deal

Today’s ‘peace summit’ is a real estate convention in disguise

Trump and his guests see opportunity in Gaza’s rubble

The Gaza ceasefire is an important first step towards lasting peace

The deal should halt Israel’s offensive and send the hostages home, but there are still obstacles to a lasting peace

Trump sends the National Guard to Chicago

The president’s military deployments to US cities are unprecedented. They are also on shaky legal ground

A sense of decay prevails at the Conservative party conference

Kemi Badenoch is shifting her party further to the right to fend off Reform. It might not work

France’s prime minister resigns… again

Sébastien Lecornu lasted just 27 days in office. His departure suggests France may be ungovernable

A record buyout of Electronic Arts deepens Saudi Arabia’s soft power push into gaming

The $55 billion deal is part of an attempt to diversify the kingdom’s economy and improve its international image

Fossil fuel companies are slashing their renewable investments

The trend could hinder the transition to net zero

Trump’s peace proposal piles pressure on Hamas

Even if the group accepts its terms, the deal could easily unravel

Leadership whispers and Reform dominate Labour conference

Keir Starmer has seen off questions about his position, but his government risks being defined by its opponent.

The US federal government is heading towards a shutdown

Democrats see a short-term spending deal as an opportunity to finally stand up to Trump

Nicolas Sarkozy’s ‘corruption pact’ and France’s fractious politics

Public trust in politicians was already at rock-bottom in a country on its seventh prime minister in eight years

Tech moguls close to Trump take ownership of TikTok in US

The agreement could deepen conservative control over the US media landscape

Nasa wants to return to the moon. It is way behind schedule

With its lunar landing programme beset by technical difficulties, the US risks losing space race 2.0 to China

Egypt releases its best-known political prisoner

The British-Egyptian activist, who spent most of the last 12 years behind bars, and his mother went on hunger strike to protest his imprisonment

The UN is in trouble, but it is still breathing

Trump and Netanyahu are outliers in wanting the organisation gone