More or Less

The Guardian reports that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement is arresting more people than ever after changing tactics. Following public backlash against highly visible 'siege'-style operations, the Trump administration adopted what is described as 'soft feet' operations, making agents less conspicuous. The report says ICE is now, in effect, everywhere, and that immigrants are being detained within roughly 90 seconds of being stopped.

A new Carbon Brief analysis finds that running an electric vehicle in the UK costs about nine times less per mile than driving a petrol or diesel car, largely due to lower charging costs compared with fuel prices. The finding is drawing attention as drivers face high fuel costs and consider switching to electric vehicles ahead of the UK's phase-out of new petrol and diesel car sales.

Experts, including former NASA administrator Sean O'Keefe, say the odds of someone being hit by falling space debris are increasing as more objects re-enter the atmosphere. While being struck by space junk remains far less likely than a lightning strike, they argue governments and companies should be required to use materials that fully burn up on re-entry.

The US Federal Reserve has raised interest rates again, and financial commentators, including Forbes, are breaking down what the increase means for women's personal finances. Analysts point to higher borrowing costs on credit cards, student loans and mortgages, alongside better returns on savings, and note that women, who on average carry more student debt and hold less in savings, may feel the effects differently from men.

Gold prices fell more than 2% as investors bet the US Federal Reserve will raise interest rates. Higher rates boost bond yields and the dollar, making non-yielding bullion less attractive to buyers. The drop marked one of the sharper daily declines for the metal, with traders watching upcoming Fed signals for direction.

The Trump administration has finalized its reversal of US fuel economy standards, undoing stricter efficiency requirements for cars and light trucks introduced under the previous administration. The move, reported by France 24, is expected to allow automakers to sell less efficient vehicles, drawing criticism from environmental groups and praise from industry, and could reshape the US auto market and emissions trajectory.

Le Monde examines how climate change is pushing people, planners and governments to reconsider where and how they live. As heatwaves, floods and rising seas make some areas less habitable, questions about relocating, adapting cities and rebuilding our relationship with the surrounding environment are moving from the margins to the centre of public debate.

Commentary is questioning whether Donald Trump's summit with Xi Jinping left the United States with less than it conceded to China. Analysts are weighing tariff relief, trade terms and diplomatic concessions from the meeting to judge which side benefited more from the leaders' talks.

A Japan Times commentary argues that China's leadership has less to fear from international pressure than from a growing political awareness among its own population. The piece, published under the headline 'Rethinking what Beijing fears', suggests internal scrutiny of the government poses a greater challenge to the Communist Party than external criticism, prompting discussion about the strength of the party's grip on public opinion.

Major technology companies are rapidly expanding the use of guarantees to back debt financing for AI datacentres and chips, issuing up to $300 billion in commitments in less than a year, according to analysis shared by economist Adam Tooze. The commitments largely stay off the companies' balance sheets, raising questions about hidden leverage in the AI buildout and how much risk the industry is actually carrying.

The United States has finalized new fuel economy standards that are lower than previously planned, according to Reuters. The rollback of the Corporate Average Fuel Economy requirements means automakers will face less stringent efficiency targets for new vehicles. The move is expected to draw criticism from climate advocates while being welcomed by auto manufacturers concerned about compliance costs.

China is considering measures to make open-weight artificial intelligence models less dangerous as risks from the technology grow, according to the South China Morning Post. The discussion focuses on how freely available model weights could be misused, and what safeguards Beijing might apply. The report comes amid intensifying global debate over regulating powerful AI systems.

Commentary from The Conversation argues that China's rapidly changing economy is no longer the reliable, easy export market Australia once depended on. As China pivots its growth model, Australian exporters face a less predictable trading relationship, raising questions about the future of one of the world's most consequential bilateral trade partnerships.

Police arrested five men near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire on suspicion of explosives and terrorism offences. Residents of a village less than a mile from the base were ordered to evacuate on Sunday while officers questioned the suspects. The arrests prompted a major security operation around the airbase, with residents reporting a heavy police presence.

A new poll finds that fewer than 40 percent of South Koreans consider unification with North Korea necessary, underscoring declining public support for the long-standing national goal. Attitudes toward the divided peninsula's future have shifted amid ongoing tensions, generational change and deepening public skepticism about the costs and benefits of merging with the North.

The United States has finalized new, less stringent fuel economy standards, a move that eases efficiency requirements and is seen as a boost for gas-powered vehicles. The rollback of stricter mileage rules is expected to draw debate between automakers, environmental groups and regulators over its impact on emissions and fuel costs.

A new study reports that women presenting with symptoms similar to men's often receive less intensive medical care. The findings point to possible disparities in how treatment decisions are made in hospitals, echoing long-running concerns about gender bias in medicine. Researchers and commentators say the results underline the need for clinicians to reassess how urgently women's symptoms are evaluated and treated.

Researchers have unveiled what is being described as the world's most accurate clock, a milestone in precision timekeeping. Details of the instrument's design and performance remain sparse in early coverage, but such clocks typically rely on optical atomic transitions to keep time with errors of less than a second over the age of the universe.

A New York Times opinion piece argues that attention on Treasury yields may be misplaced, pointing to another corner of the bond market that could pose a bigger risk to investors and the broader economy. The column, flagged in personal finance circles, urges readers to watch credit conditions and less-watched debt markets rather than headline government borrowing costs.

Guardian columnist Moira Donegan argues that abortion has dropped out of America's national political conversation despite the ongoing harm caused by post-Roe abortion bans. She writes that the US has grown accustomed to the horror of these bans, while Republicans have worked to suppress the stories of women affected. The piece raises questions about public attention drifting from a major civil rights issue.

Environmental experts are warning that plastic pollution in the deep ocean may be interfering with the bioluminescent organisms that live there. Pollution particles could block or mimic the light signals deep sea species rely on for feeding, mating and defence, potentially disrupting entire ecosystems in one of the planet's least explored environments.

A wildlife documentary focusing on the Philippines' most dangerous predators is drawing heavy attention from nature audiences worldwide. Viewers are engaging with the film's look at the country's fierce animals and unique ecosystems, and the piece is currently topping wildlife viewing charts globally, reflecting strong interest in the Philippines' less-known predatory species.

A Denver realtor says the local housing market is shifting in buyers' favor, with more inventory and less frenzied competition giving purchasers greater leverage. However, she cautions that interest rates are unlikely to come down anytime soon, meaning affordability challenges will persist even as negotiating conditions improve for buyers in the Colorado market.