For five decades, Top Of The Pops defined the music industry.
Before streaming, YouTube, and TikTok, the hit BBC show was the go-to place for both fledgling singers looking for a big break and superstars alike.
Now the show’s assistant floor manager Gareth Davies, 51, has lifted the lid on what really went on behind the scenes — branding Jennifer Lopez and Shania Twain the biggest divas.
He also recalls how Madonna was left twiddling her thumbs after her clothes went missing.
Gareth, who worked on the show from the mid-to-late Nineties through to the early Noughties, said: “My job was to get artists from backstage and guide them to the stage for their performance.
“Jennifer Lopez had the most demands, for sure.
“The dressing rooms were all along this narrow corridor — so nothing special, really, quite old-fashioned. But for that small stretch of space, she made it completely her own.
“The best way to describe it is that she turned her dressing room entirely white.
“I’m not sure where the fascination with white came from, but she wanted everything transformed.
“The whole room was covered from top to bottom, which was quite unusual.
“She didn’t paint it. She had plastic sheeting put up everywhere instead, so it created this striking, all-white environment.”
It’s a far cry from the image of the Bronx girl done good portrayed in the lyrics of her 2002 hit Jenny From The Block.
But J.Lo’s antics pale into insignificance compared to country legend Shania Twain.
Recalling how the superstar was flanked by her team at all times, Gareth said: “Shania Twain had a really large entourage with her, and my lasting memory was watching her walk from the dressing rooms to the studio.
“There was this long line of people moving ahead of her, like a relay.
“Apparently she didn’t open doors, so someone would always be one step ahead holding it open for her. It was this perfectly choreographed system so she could just keep walking.”
Shania appeared on the show four times during Gareth’s time on the series, making her debut in June 1999 with That Don’t Impress Me Much before returning in December that same year. She also performed in 2000 and 2002.
But for every diva, there was also an unlikely down-to-earth performer.
Perhaps the most surprising was Janet Jackson, sister of the late King of Pop, Michael Jackson.
Gareth said: “I remember everyone on the studio floor waiting quite a long time for Janet to arrive.
“We were all being very casual about it, thinking, well, she’s a major A-lister, of course she’s going to be late. So we just waited around.
“But it turned out Janet and all her dancers had been there the whole time, quietly waiting on stage themselves while we were all waiting for her.
“She was just there in her tracksuit bottoms and hoodie, completely relaxed in that effortlessly cool way.
“What really stayed with me was how kind, gentle, and soft she was. Everyone was genuinely taken aback.
“She felt like one of the dancers, really, just keen to be part of the group rather than setting herself apart as the star.”
Kylie Minogue was also reportedly a total sweetheart.
Speaking about the I Should Be So Lucky singer, Gareth said: “I was quite obsessed with Kylie.
“I remember knocking on her dressing room door with my little script in hand.
“I’d already managed to get Gina G’s autograph — it was around the time she was doing the Eurovision Song Contest (in 1996) — so I thought, right, I’m going to get Kylie Minogue’s on here too.
“I knocked on the door, told her I was a big fan, and she was so lovely.
“She invited me in and chatted with me for a bit, just as a person rather than as a BBC employee. That really stayed with me.”
As well as performing on the show, Kylie went on to make a number of presenting cameos.
Music legend Madonna made her Top Of The Pops debut in January 1984, belting out her single Holiday. She went on to perform a further 13 times, all of which were lapped up by fans. But Gareth recalls how one performance almost didn’t happen after she lost her costume.
He told online gambling platform Zingo Bingo: “I do remember that one time when Madonna came over, everything felt much tighter and more rushed than usual.
“Sometimes an artist would record several songs from an album in one go, so they wouldn’t have to keep coming back again and again.
“From the moment she arrived, it was straight into the studio, rehearsing, back to get ready, then out on stage.
“But she and her team had all rushed in from a hotel in central London, and somehow her stylist had left all the outfits behind.
“We actually had to delay because Madonna had nothing to wear.
“It really felt like she had someone responsible for every tiny detail, so you can imagine whoever was in charge of the wardrobe that day was probably in serious trouble.”
First broadcast on the BBC on New Year’s Day in 1964, Top Of The Pops ran for over four decades.
But despite the huge names and viewing figures, the show was actually as humble as it gets, with greasy-spoon breakfasts being served metres away from where LA-based megastars were doing their pre-show yoga.
Gareth said: “It was filmed at Elstree Studios, where EastEnders was shot, and Grange Hill was filmed there too.
“It was a very traditional, slightly old-fashioned BBC studio that hadn’t really been updated for years. You had this classic canteen staffed by people who’d been there forever, serving no-frills British fry-ups, along with old-school dressing rooms.
“Elstree felt quite remote, almost in the middle of nowhere. So when artists came over, especially from America, they were expecting to appear on the BBC’s biggest music show.
“They probably imagined being right in the heart of London where everything’s happening.
“Instead, they were on the quiet outskirts with very little going on.
“It did make for some surreal moments. You’d spot a big star sitting near a soap star legend, tucking into a breakfast.”
The show was so big that from 2001 to 2005, the BBC hosted the Top Of The Pops Awards at the Manchester Arena.
Explaining how the show felt more like a family at times, Gareth said: “What was so nice was that there really wasn’t much for anyone to do.
“An artist might rehearse at ten in the morning, and then we wouldn’t record until seven in the evening, so they’d just be hanging around.
“It created a real sense of community. You got to see people as much backstage and offstage as you did onstage, which was quite unique.
“Normally, artists come in, rehearse, and then disappear until they’re needed.
“But there, everyone stayed, mingled, and just spent time together, which gave it a very different, much more relaxed atmosphere.
“I remember the first time the Spice Girls got on stage for their rehearsals, they were all jumping around and hugging each other. That was a moment where they felt they had made it.
“The five of them just had this amazing chemistry together. Their personalities worked so well and it wasn’t faked for cameras.
“You’d go into the dressing room and the energy was electric. They were so fun.”
After five decades of being “still number one”, the final Top Of The Pops aired on July 30, 2006.
The BBC said in a statement: “The decision to bring the show to an end after 42 years has not been taken lightly and over the past few years every effort has been made to maintain the quality and distinctiveness of the show.
“However, the BBC’s Creative Future Music Strategy has concluded that in a rapidly changing musical landscape, Top Of The Pops no longer occupies the central role it once did.”
Scottish rock band Snow Patrol were the final ever act to play on the show — belting out their single Chasing Cars.
BALTIMORE — Zach Neto hit a three-run home run to lift the Angels over the Baltimore Orioles 4-1 in the final game of the series on Thursday afternoon.
Wade Meckler singled on a ground ball in the third inning that was overthrown by Orioles starting pitcher Brandon Young at first, advancing him to second. Nolan Schanuel was then walked to set up Neto’s 411-foot homer that went over the center-field wall.
Schanuel hit a sacrifice fly in the seventh for Meckler to score the fourth run of the game.
Angels pitcher Mitch Farris (1-3) entered the game in the fifth inning in relief of starter Ryan Johnson. Farris pitched one inning, struck out two and walked one. Johnson pitched the first 4 2/3, where he walked five and struck out one. He gave up three hits and one earned run. Samy Natera Jr. earned his second save after striking out two in the final 1 1/3 innings.
Yohel Pozo hit a solo home run in the third for the only run for the Orioles. It was his first in an Oriole uniform since coming to Baltimore after getting claimed off waivers from the St. Louis Cardinals in July.
Young (8-3) pitched 4 1/3 innings in the loss, giving up six hits. He struck out four and walked two.
The Angels have not yet named a starter for Friday as they kick off a three-game series at Miami. The Marlins will start RHP Tyler Phillips (3-5, 3.53 ERA).
IT’S been more than two years since Samie Elishi last walked out of the Love Island villa – and as this year’s finalists prepare for tonight’s live final, she knows better than most what comes next.
Speaking exclusively to The Sun, the former Islander has backed this year’s cast to “smash it” after the villa and lifted the lid on life with boyfriend Tyrique Hyde – amid her latest career ventures.
The Essex beauty finished third alongside Tom Clare in 2023, winning over viewers with her no-nonsense approach to villa drama. Like many Islanders, she left Majorca with a world of opportunities suddenly opening up in front of her.
These days, her time is split between building businesses and enjoying a relationship with fellow Love Island star Tyrique Hyde that blossomed after both of them left the villa.
After working with W7 since leaving Love Island, Samie officially became one of its ambassadors earlier this year and is now preparing to launch her collaboration with the beauty giant.
And with this year’s Love Island final airing tonight, Samie admits she’ll be watching just like millions of other viewers – knowing exactly what’s about to hit the finalists when they leave the villa.
READ MORE ON SAMIE ELISHI
She said, “I have been watching it. I watch it every year.”
Unlike some former contestants who distance themselves from the programme once it’s ends, Samie has “never missed a series”. And as tonight’s finalists prepare to discover whether they’ve won the public vote, she believes a few couples have the potential to make a success of life beyond the villa.
While millions of viewers have watched this year’s Islanders navigate recouplings, Casa Amor and Movie Night, Samie knows the real challenge only begins once the cameras stop rolling.
Asked what advice she would give the finalists before they step back into the real world, she doesn’t hesitate: “Soak up every moment before your phone comes back. As soon as you switch that phone on… wow.”
Rather than getting caught up in public opinion, she hopes this year’s cast focuses on making the most of the opportunities waiting for them.
“I feel like all of them are really strong this year,” she said.
“They’ve all got such good heads on them. I honestly think they’re all going to smash it, whatever they decide to do.”
Despite following every episode, Samie refuses to be drawn into choosing one favourite contestant.
The star admitted, “I feel like everyone has been really entertaining this year. You know what? I actually don’t have a favourite – I actually like everyone for different reasons.”
Though she has connected with one person: “I spoke to Ellie on the phone because she was on Tyrique’s stream and she was lovely.”
She’s also been impressed by Finn and Ellie’s relationship, admitting she hopes they continue to go from strength to strength outside the villa.
When it comes to predicting the winners, though, Samie knows better than most that Love Island rarely follows the script.
She believes Jasmine and Kavan have every chance after winning viewers over with their journey, while Simba and Angie have also caught her eye.
“I feel like Jasmine and Kav have a good chance. They’re very much loved up. I really like Simba and Angie.”
But she suspects the biggest surprise could come elsewhere.
Samie explained: “I think Tommy and Yasmin could be the underdogs. It’s always the winners that nobody expects.”
Although, with the recent revelation that Tommy was in a relationship 2 weeks prior to entering the villa – this may have thrown a spanner in the works for their place in the final.
Having experienced the unpredictable public votes herself, she knows contestants inside the villa often have little idea how they’re being perceived.
“When you’re in there, you genuinely don’t know what’s being shown,” she explained.
“So when the public vote comes in, you’re just like, ‘Okay… that’s fine.’”
Watching this year’s romances unfold has also reminded Samie just how much life has changed since her own villa experience. Although she and Tyrique Hyde both found fame on Love Island, their relationship didn’t begin in the villa.
Asked how life together compares to the whirlwind romances viewers usually see on screen, which can often crash and burn off camera, she laughed: “Me and Ty were never actually on the cameras together. So we’ve just met properly in real life. It’s just been us from the start, which has been really nice.”
The pair now spend virtually every day together, with Samie admitting moving in together feels less like an “if” and more like a “when.”
She said: “In the future we’ll definitely live together. We’re inseparable anyway, so it won’t really change much.”
Friends and fans have watched the relationship flourish over the past year, and Samie says she’s happier than ever.
“We’re just really happy. I feel like everyone who knows me can see that.”
That happiness has spilled over into every other part of her life too.
Now she’s preparing to unveil what she describes as her “biggest beauty venture” yet, after spending months working behind the scenes on a collaboration with W7.
Unlike many celebrity collections that simply involve putting a famous face on an existing product, Samie insists this project has been far more hands-on.
Opening up on the project, she said: “We’ve been working on the products really closely. I’ve been using little testers for months because I wanted to make sure everything was perfect.”
Although she’s sworn to secrecy over exactly what fans can expect, she promises the finished collection is unmistakably her.
She laughed: “It’s really annoying because I can’t actually tell you what it is. But what I can say is it’s very me.”
Rather than simply lending her name to a range, Samie wanted the products to reflect the make-up look she’s become known for since first appearing on ITV2.
“I wanted products that people can use every day. That was what I based everything around,” she explained.
The collaboration is the culmination of a relationship that began shortly after she left Love Island.
“It’s been such a huge pinch-me moment,” she admitted.
One of the biggest milestones came when she spotted herself in Superdrug stores across the country.
She laughed: “Walking into Superdrug and seeing my face there is just mad. My friends keep sending me photos every time they see it. It’s one of those shops we all grew up going into, so it feels surreal.”
Alongside the W7 collaboration, Samie continues to develop her perfume brand while juggling a house move and several other ventures she’s not yet ready to reveal.
“This has definitely been my busiest year,” she said.
“There are so many exciting things coming later this year and into next year. I just feel like I keep ticking things off my bucket list.”
Rather than relying on the fleeting fame that comes with reality TV, Samie has spent the past two years building a career away from the villa.
“I feel like we’re conquering all aspects this year,” she said.
“There are so many exciting things coming towards the end of this year and the start of next year.”
Just_Super
Shares of China’s leading memory chipmaker, CXMT, formerly ChangXin Memory Technologies, surged more than 500% in their Shanghai market debut on Monday, highlighting strong investor demand for China’s semiconductor sector.
CXMT raised 57.92B yuan ($8.6B) by selling shares at 8.66 yuan apiece
All cattle imports from Mexico were halted by the Biden administration in November 2024, when the first cases of the flesh-eating New World screwworm were detected in the south of the country. File Photo by Matias Martin Campaya/EPA
July 25 (UPI) — The Department of Agriculture on Friday lifted a ban on cattle imports from Mexico that had been in place to contain the spread of a parasite threatening U.S. livestock.
USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins said Douglas, Ariz., would be the first port of entry to be open on Aug. 24.
All cattle imports from Mexico were halted by the Biden administration in November 2024, when the first cases of the flesh-eating New World screwworm were detected in the south of the country.
“The closure of the Southern ports of entry for the last year has been a tough but necessary action to control the spread of NWS in Mexico and protect the American livestock industry,” Rollins said in a statement.
But closing the border came at a cost, Rollins said, causing “a significant economic challenge to various sectors of our industries in Texas.”
“There is no doubt that closing the ports last May caused higher prices in beef,” the agriculture secretary told reporters last month. “We’re obviously very focused on affordability, but the president agreed when we briefed him that we had to keep our livestock producers as safe as possible with this outbreak moving through Mexico.”
Despite border closures, there have been multiple cases of New World screwworm detected in the United States.
KATIE Price has shared a sweet snap from a day out with her boys after Princess broke her silence on the former glamour model’s truce with their dad Peter Andre.
Katie, 48, Junior and Harvey looked as though they were having the best time as they soaked up the sun.
The trio appeared to be spending some quality time together at the stables amid Katie’s rocky relationship with conman Lee Andrews.
Podcast host Katie posed resting her arm affectionately on Harvey’s shoulder as they smiled at the camera.
Junior, who is following in his dad’s footsteps as a musician, was seen grinning ear-to-ear in the background of the pic posted on Instagram.
Harvey, 24, recently moved back in with Katie after “hating” living in his own flat.
She confessed her son was “happiest” living at home and that certainly rang true as he enjoyed the fresh air with his family.
Katie captioned the sweet post: “Summer,” followed by a horse emoji, sun emoji and a yellow love heart.
This comes as it was revealed that both Katie and Peter are set to appear on their daughter’s reality show The Princess Diaries.
The formerly warring pair – who were married between 2005 and 2009 – called a truce earlier this year for the sake of their kids.
They announced the new chapter in a bombshell joint statement on Instagram back in February.
It said they’d reached an “understanding” and they wanted to focus on “creating a calm and supportive environment” for Junior and Princess.
Katie will appear in the first episode of Princess’ show, taking a glamping trip with her children to celebrate her birthday.
But, we are some way off ever seeing the former glamour model and her singer ex on screen together.
Princess said: “To be honest, I don’t think that would happen anyway. I don’t think divorced parents would sit in a room and have a conversation, but it’s not to say it would never happen.”
Junior, 21, went on: “The main thing is, it’s amicable. They’ve got a truce, but they’re not best friends and they don’t need to be.
“The fact that they’re both in it is great because it’s our parents. We love them, and want everyone to be involved. But yeah, they don’t need to cross paths.”
Princess told how she values having her loved ones on the show, adding: “It is way more fun for me . . . because I like having my family there.
“I guess it shows people they are calm — that yes, they’re not best friends but they don’t need to be.”
BUSTED’s Matt Willis has penned an emotional book about his life on and off the stage.
The musician says he hopes the project will help others who are currently battling addiction issues.
Speaking about Mending: Busted, Breaking and Getting Better, out on October 8, Matt said: “For a long time, I wasn’t sure I’d ever be able to tell this story, or even if I should.
“But over the last few years, I’ve realised that talking honestly about addiction, recovery, family and everything I’ve learned along the way might help someone else.
“This isn’t a book about having all the answers. I definitely don’t.
“It’s about learning that recovery isn’t a finish line, life doesn’t suddenly become perfect, and that we’re all still figuring things out as we go.
“Writing it has been one of the hardest and most rewarding things I’ve ever done, and I honestly can’t wait for you to read it.”
Just four weeks before his marriage to Emma Willis in 2008, Matt checked into rehab, and despite a relapse in 2016, he’s now been sober for almost nine years.
He’s a brave man, and I’m looking forward to reading his book.
HARRY STYLES said it was one of his proudest achievements when he was given a Gold Blue Peter Badge to mark his record-breaking run of 12 shows at Wembley .
But I can reveal that the Beeb has now resorted to giving the famous accolade away on freebie websites in a desperate bid to keep the younger generation tuning in.
Once a prized possession, Blue Peter badges used to be given out strictly on merit.
However, an online listing reads: “The BBC are giving away free Blue Peter badges to anyone aged between five and 15.
“The badge allows you to gain free entry to over 200 attractions. Just send Blue Peter a letter explaining why you’d like one. That’s all.”
I understand it’s a sign of the times, but it seems a bit bleak to give it away for next to nothing.
BRITAIN’S Got Talent winner Sydnie Christmas joined American legend Gloria Gaynor for an unlikely collaboration on her 1979 hit I Will Survive at Boogie- town Festival in Surrey at the weekend.
Sydnie said: “I didn’t want it to end. Her love and passion consumes you.
“In that moment, nothing else mattered but the love of music.”
SIR MICK JAGGER has revealed how he ended up singing in a pub in Oxford last month.
The global rock icon, whose band The Rolling Stones are on course for their 15th No1 album on Friday with Foreign Tongues, joined an Irish folk group at The Half Moon pub where he sang Handsome Molly with them.
Explaining how it happened, he told the Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend podcast: “I had dinner at an Oxford college and then one of the students who I was talking with said, ‘I play mandolin. I’m going down the road to play with an Irish band. Do you want to come?’.
“I said, ‘Sure’, and I took a couple of people I was with and the provost of the college, who took his gown off.
“The band was doing fiddle pieces and the guy joined in with his mandolin, but no one was singing so I thought, ‘Well, here’s an opening. This is my chance for pub crawl singing’.”
I don’t think you’ll ever have to revert to that, Mick.
KERRY WASHINGTON was going for gold as she hit the red carpet.
The actress wore this quirky metallic gown at the opening of stage production The Whoopi Monologues in New York.
Things really are going swimmingly for US star Kerry, who appears in the show penned by Sister Act’s Whoopi Goldberg.
The one-woman comedy turn debuted on Broadway in 1984, starring Whoopi herself, pictured with Kerry at the opening.
Speaking on US TV’s The View about the original hit, Kerry said: “Whoopi has been such a groundbreaker – a trailblazer and an inspiration for so many of us.
“Throughout my career, this show became a bonding place with other actresses. I would meet them and we would talk about how it impacted us and our idea of what was possible.”
IRON MAIDEN have sold a stake in their publishing and master music rights, name and image to the Pophouse Entertainment company run by Abba’s Bjorn Ulvaeus, with massive plans to expand their legacy.
The big-money deal with Bruce Dickinson and the group was announced yesterday and comes after the firm partnered with other acts including Tina Turner and Kiss.
It will mean the band can pursue new creative ventures, including the filming of their Run For Your Lives tour for a “major cinematic project” as well as “developing a digital universe centered around” their mascot Eddie.
It’s exciting news for fans of the band, given Pophouse is the founding investor in Abba Voyage.
Perhaps Iron Maiden will be returning to a stage, in digital form, soon.
KIM KARDASHIAN and Lewis Hamilton’s romance is motoring.
She shared this cute selfie with the F1 legend and her daughter Chicago, taken on a family getaway to Idaho.
Kim captioned the post on Instagram: “Summers at the lake with my favourite people.”
I first revealed in February that Lewis and Kim were dating, before they were pictured at the Super Bowl.
Since then, they’ve jetted all over the world on a series of dates, with Kim recently supporting her man at the Monaco Grand Prix.
Judging by the smile on her daughter’s face, Kim isn’t the only one who’s been won over by Lewis.
07:06, 13 Jul 2026Updated 07:11, 13 Jul 2026
Bosch legend Titus Welliver and Ozark star Jessica Frances Dukes have spoken candidly about portraying a detective partnership in a gritty new period drama.
The Westies, a fresh gangster series which arrived on MGM+ (available through Amazon Prime Video) yesterday, features Netflix actress Dukes as Birdie Polk, who is resolute in her mission to shield New York from a sinister criminal underworld.
Meanwhile, Welliver portrays her hesitant police partner Glenn Keenan, whose complex ties with Eamonn Sweeney (J. K. Simmons), head of Irish American gang The Westies, compels him to navigate a precarious balance between opposing forces.
The Westies, co-created by Narcos’ Chris Brancato and Michael Panes, draws from a genuine Irish American gang which operated from Hell’s Kitchen throughout the 1960s until the late 1980s.
Dukes, who portrays Special Agent Maya Miller in Netflix’s Ozark, shared her thoughts on taking on a markedly different kind of FBI agent.
She said: “I’ve been a fan of Chris Brancato and Michael Panes for a while and being able to dive into one of their worlds was something that was a goal of mine, so to be a part of this was really exciting.
“To jump into FBI world again, at first I was like ‘Do I want to do FBI again?’ and then I read it and I was like, ‘Oh, this chick is not Maya Miller’. And so I was so excited to dive into this ballsy woman. It was so much fun – I loved playing her.”
Considering the broader importance of the role, she added: “She’s given this opportunity to bring these guys down and she’s put in this place of power in [the early 1980s].”
She continued: “There is one woman in a sea of men running this show. I feel like Birdie starts the show with the reward and now it’s all about, ‘Is she going to succeed and prove all the naysayers waiting for her failure wrong?’ And I truly believe she’s got the golden ticket with Keenan.”
Get MGM+ free for a week
Telly fans can get seven days of free access to binge top series like Outlander with a free trial of Amazon Prime’s MGM+ channel.
Welliver, who portrays the titular Harry Bosch in Bosch on Prime Video, commented on the new series: “For me, it’s very personal because I’m a New Yorker and I was in and around that time.
“All characters are different and Glenn Keenan is the polar opposite of Harry Bosch if you look at these two guys.”
Discussing his character further and how he engages with Simmons’ Sweeney and Dukes’ Polk, he observed: “The scenes with J.K. were great because those worlds are very markedly different.
“Sweeney and Keenan have a long history together, whereas the relationship with Polk and Keenan is new, but there’s an interesting similarity.
“So they’re both trying to puppeteer Keenan and he is basically saying, ‘Nobody has strings on me.’
“And that’s what I think is the interesting aspect of that character and he emerges with a sense of independence, but at a serious cost.”
The official synopsis for The Westies from MGM+ states: “The Westies is a gritty and kinetic crime drama centering on New York City’s infamously violent Irish gang of the same name.
“The series is set in the early 1980s when the construction of the Jacob Javits Convention Center on the Westies’ home turf in Hell’s Kitchen promises a financial windfall.
“Despite being outnumbered fifty-to-one by the Five Families of the Italian Mafia, the Westies’ legendary brutality and cunning have given them the leverage necessary to share the spoils through a fragile détente.
“But internal conflict between the brash younger generation and the old-school leadership threatens to set a match to this powder keg, which will sweep the Westies into the FBI’s ever-deepening investigation into the Italian mafia.”
The Westies premiered on 12th July 2026 exclusively on MGM+ in the UK.
In an alternate universe, the Sparks’ win over Chicago on Friday could have been a barometer to indicate whether general manager Raegan Pebley’s gamble to trade Rickea Jackson to the Sky paid off.
Jackson didn’t get a chance for revenge after tearing an anterior cruciate ligament in May, making the Sparks’ 102-87 win at Crypto.com Arena not a true litmus test. Veteran guard Ariel Atkins, who was shipped out of Chicago in the Jackson deal, had her best game with the Sparks, finishing with a season-high 17 points.
The Sparks showcased their potential en route to their second straight win, even with All-Star Kelsey Plum (lower left leg) and Cameron Brink (left ankle) out. Nneka Ogwumike, the Sparks’ other All-Star, posted 25 points and 12 rebounds, Dearica Hamby and Rae Burrell both scored 17, and Erica Wheeler had 15 points and eight assists.
“The ball’s got to move,” Sparks coach Lynne Roberts said. “It can’t be a lot of one on one. And that’s what happens when you have 32 assists, the ball’s moving. So it’s just the continued emphasis of ball movement, player movement, getting those high-quality shots, and we’ve got players that are going to make them for percentage.”
Still a game under .500, the Sparks (10-11) have a long way to go to be considered serious postseason contenders. Chicago also has struggled mightily outside of a win against Phoenix this week and has been engulfed in drama around veteran guard Skylar Diggins, who sat out because of a knee injury.
The Sparks easily could have spiraled following Monday’s disaster in Seattle. Instead, their season has life.
“After the game on Monday, I think there was just kind of like an ‘enough’ mentality, and we all felt it,” Roberts said. “We all kind of just said, ‘enough.’ That doesn’t mean that we’re going to go undefeated the rest of the way, but we play like that. We give ourselves a chance in every game.”
For the second straight game, all five starters scored in double digits. Hamby had a late backhanded layup over 6-foot-7 Kamilla Cardoso to help close out the win.
Brought in to be Plum’s partner in the backcourt, Atkins has had an inconsistent offensive season, with career-low scoring and shooting numbers. Against her former squad, she showed why the Sparks wanted her, and why they need her to produce with Plum out of the lineup for the foreseeable future.
“It feels good to see shots go in,” Atkins said. “My biggest thing is that it feels good when we all feel good too. When they lead to wins, it makes it even better.”
After the Sparks opened up a 16-8 lead, Chicago (7-15) stormed back to keep it tight throughout the second quarter. The Sparks led 73-70 after three quarters before pulling away late.
Ogwumike made three three-pointers in the fourth to carry the Sparks across the finish line.
“Just to have that poise, like we haven’t shown that in a very long time,” Wheeler said. “So for us to display that tonight, like that should be the standard, and it felt good to have that poise.”
The Sparks scored 25 points off 15 Sky turnovers. They shot 51% from the field.
Ball movement has been emphasized all season, “so it’s good that we’re starting to figure it out,” Roberts said. “When you look at the assists, it wasn’t like one person had 16 or something, right? So it’s balanced. The ball’s moving. There’s [the thought of] ‘we need to get the win,’ not ‘I need to get the bucket.’ And I think that’s the mentality of great teams.”
Veteran forward Emma Cannon played 12 minutes and scored nine points as a key post presence late when Cardoso was in foul trouble.
Ogwumike moved into fifth on the Sparks’ all-time assists list with her third helper in the first quarter, passing Mwadi Mabika.
The Sparks are half a game outside the final playoff spot, not bad given how poor some of their performances have been. They head to Atlanta (13-9) to face a slumping Dream squad on Monday as they try to win three consecutive games for the third time this season.
“It took us a bit with KP out to figure out kind of how we can still flow,” Roberts said. “I think we’ve figured it out.”
South Korean technology giant Samsung Electronics says it expects to post a 19-fold jump in its profits, driven by global demand for artificial intelligence (AI) memory chips.
The company forecast that it made 89tn won (£44bn; $58bn) between the start of April and the end of June, marking its third record quarterly operating profits in a row.
Major South Korean firms like Samsung release forecasts of their earnings ahead of official detailed reports to help guide investors.
Samsung’s latest forecast, released on Tuesday ahead of its full results due later in July, comes as demand for semiconductors continues to outstrip supplies – which has pushed up prices.
Samsung said in its preview, known as earnings guidance, that it brought in around 171tn won of sales during the quarter, more than double the amount for the same period last year.
The company’s projected earnings mark one of “the best quarterly performances ever”, which was close to the tech sector record set by Nvidia earlier this year, said industry analyst Marc Einstein from Counterpoint Research.
“This has everything to do with the AI boom as memory companies continue to ride a tidal wave driven by limited supply and unprecedented demand,” he added.
Samsung is one of the world’s biggest semiconductor manufacturers, making chips for firms like Nvidia and Google. The shares major tech firms have soared in recent months due to surging demand for chips.
Shares in Samsung have more than doubled in price since the start of this year, while South Korean rival SK Hynix has jumped by more than 200%.
The strong performance of both firms has helped lift the value of South Korea’s benchmark share index, the Kospi, by more than 80% this year.
DEVELOPING STORYDEVELOPING STORY,
AI firm says it will begin restoring access to Claude Fable 5 and Mythos 5 after removal of export controls.
Published On 1 Jul 20261 Jul 2026
The United States government has lifted its restrictions on foreign access to Anthropic’s most powerful AI models, the company has announced.
Anthropic said late on Tuesday that it would begin restoring access to Claude Fable 5 and Mythos 5 from tomorrow after the US Department of Commerce notified the company that it had removed its export controls.
list of 4 itemsend of list
“We’re grateful to our users for their patience, and to everyone who worked with us on redeploying the models,” Anthropic said in a statement posted on X.
Anthropic’s announcement came shortly after US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said that his department had been coordinating with the company on the approval of its frontier models.
“Over the past two weeks, we have worked closely with Anthropic to analyze and approve Fable 5 to ensure alignment across the US Government and strengthen America’s leadership in AI,” Lutnick said in a post on X.
Anthropic abruptly shut off Claude Fable 5 and Mythos 5 last month after US President Donald Trump’s administration ordered the company to restrict all foreign nationals, including company employees, from accessing the models.
On Friday, the San Francisco-based company said that it had been granted approval to provide the models to US organisations that “operate and defend critical infrastructure”, and that it was working with the government to restore general access for the public.
More to follow…
June 30 (UPI) — The Trump administration has lifted export restrictions on artificia lintelligence company Anthropic’s Fable 5 and Mythos 5 models, the company said Tuesday evening.
“We’ve received notice that the Department of Commerce has lifted export controls on Claude Fable 5 and Mythos 5,” Anthropic said in a statement, CNN reported. “We’ll begin restoring access tomorrow, and will share an update soon.”
The statement came not long after Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick posted on social media about Anthropic, saying “we have worked closely with Anthropic to analyze and approve Fable 5 to ensure alignment across the U.S. government and strengthen America’s leadership in AI.”
Anthropic disabled customer access to Fable, a consumer version of its Mythos AI model with more safeguards, and Mythos itself several weeks ago after the export ban June 12. The ban required the company to suspend all use by foreign nationals inside or outside the United States, including Anthropic employees.
In a statement then, Anthropic said its understanding was that “the government it has become aware of a method of bypassing, or ‘jailbreaking,’ Fable 5.”
“We reviewed a demonstration of this specific technique being used to identify a small number of previously known, minor vulnerabilities,” the company said. “These vulnerabilities all appear relatively simple, and we have found that other publicly available models are able to discover them as well without requiring a bypass.”
The government loosened some of the restrictions on Mythos on Friday, Politico reported.
Anthropic and the U.S. government have had a rocky relationship. Anthropic leaders’ concerns about military and intelligence usage of its products caused issues with the Department of Defense.
President Donald Trump called it a “radical left, woke company” and ordered federal agencies to stop using Anthropic products, while Pete Hegseth, the secretary of defense, called the company a supply chain risk to national security.
Anthropic has sued the Trump administration to reverse the blacklisting, and that lawsuit is ongoing.
Josh Lowe‘s first career grand slam was all the offense the Angels needed Sunday in a 4-1 victory over the Athletics at Anaheim Stadium.
Lowe was 10 for 33 with 27 RBIs with the bases loaded during his six-year career, but had managed only two extra-base hits in those situations prior to going deep off starter Aaron Civale in the second inning.
The center fielder fouled off a pair of 1-2 pitches before sending a high cutter 403 feet to the right-field corner for his first homer since May 20.
Angels starter Sam Aldegheri (3-3) allowed one run and five hits in five innings, striking out four. José Fermin threw two scoreless innings and Samy Natera Jr. got four outs for his first major league save.
Joey Meneses drove in Jeff McNeil with a sacrifice fly in the fifth for the A’s, who finished with six hits. They went 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position and left eight on base overall.
The A’s threatened to cut into the lead after two straight walks to open the eighth, but Ryan Zeferjahn struck out the next two batters before giving way to Natera, who retired Nick Kurtz on a fly ball.
Civale (5-5) permitted seven hits in five innings, striking out two. José Suarez tossed two scoreless innings in relief.
Up next: Angels RHP Ryan Johnson (1-2, 8.84 ERA) starts Monday night in Seattle against RHP George Kirby (6-7, 3.94) to begin a three-game set.
OHB shares drop after re-IPO lifts satellite maker’s free float
Source link
Earnings Call Insights: Micron Technology (MU) Q3 fiscal 2026
Seeking Alpha’s Disclaimer: This article was automatically generated by an AI tool based on content available on the Seeking Alpha website, and has not been curated or reviewed by humans. Due to inherent limitations in using AI-based tools, the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of such articles cannot be guaranteed. This article is intended for informational purposes only. Seeking Alpha does not take account of your objectives or your financial situation and does not offer any personalized investment advice. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank.
Vice President JD Vance, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani speak ahead of talks between the United States and Iran at the Buergenstock resort in Obbuergen, near Lucerne, Switzerland, Sunday. The U.S. has waived Iran sanctions Tuesday. Photo by Urs Flueeler/EPA
June 23 (UPI) — President Donald Trump lifted sanctions on Iran releasing millions into the Iranian economy Monday,
allowing American dollar trade for the first time since 1979.
The U.S. Treasury on Monday issued a 60-day exemption allowing Iran to produce and sell crude oil, petrochemical and petroleum products in U.S. dollars through Aug. 21.
Under this general license, boats and entities that were sanctioned are also cleared to operate. The waiver could also open up allowing U.S. imports of Iranian oil, which hasn’t happened since the 1990s.
Trump defended the move on Truth Social Tuesday morning, saying that the money to Iran is to be used for food and supplies purchased from the United States.
“Despite their protestations and false statements to the contrary, coupled with the drumbeat of the Fake News, which is doing everything possible to make the U.S. Victory as small and insignificant as possible, Iran has fully and completely agreed to highest level Nuclear inspections long into the future (Infinity!!!). This will insure ‘Nuclear Honesty.’ If they did not agree to this, there would be no further negotiations!” the president posted.
“Based on this and other major concessions being made by Iran, I have agreed to allow the Hormuz Strait to remain OPEN, with no further Naval Blockade. However, all ships are remaining in place should it be necessary to reinstitute the Blockade, which seems, at this point, highly unlikely. The Money and/or Sanctions that the U.S. Treasury is releasing goes into escrow, controlled by the U.S.A., and will be used for the purchase of food and medical supplies, exclusively from the United States, including Corn, Wheat, and Soybeans from our great American Farmers. These are things that are desperately needed by Iran. This is a humanitarian crisis, and I feel it is necessary to help, NOW, before it is too late. Talks are going well!” he said.
Vice President JD Vance said Monday that during peace talks on Sunday, Iran agreed to invite the International Atomic Energy Agency back into the country for inspections.
But Iran denied that concession Tuesday morning.
The move, expected under the MoU, comes as Vice President JD Vance says there’s a ‘good foundation’ for a final deal.
Published On 22 Jun 202622 Jun 2026
The United States has partially lifted sanctions on Iranian oil exports following “encouraging” talks over ending their conflict.
The US Treasury issued a 60-day sanctions waiver on Monday, paving the way for the production, delivery and sale of Iranian oil to the US. The move came amid positive reports from mediators and the US vice president regarding talks in Switzerland between Washington and Tehran aimed at establishing a full peace deal.
list of 4 itemsend of list
The waiver is a condition included in the 60-day memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by Tehran and Washington on June 17.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that the US-Iran talks have been “productive” and that several of the MoU’s stipulations are moving ahead.
“Iran has committed to free and open transit in the Strait of Hormuz and to permit International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors into their country,” he wrote on social media. “As part of the framework, Treasury has issued a temporary 60-day general licence authorising the production, delivery and sale of Iranian oil.”
The licence lasts through August 21 and covers crude oil, petrochemical products, or petroleum products of Iranian origin. It permits Iranian oil to be imported into the US but does not authorise transactions involving US-sanctioned North Korea or Cuba, or Russian-occupied Ukraine.
There was no immediate response from Iranian government officials.
Oil prices continued their recent decline upon news of the waiver, with Brent crude dropping over 3.5 percent to $77.7 per barrel.
Bessent’s announcement came as US Vice President JD Vance voiced optimism over the Tehran-Washington discussions in the Swiss resort of Burgenstock.
“We laid a very good foundation for a successful final deal,” he told reporters and shrugged off yesterday’s online tit-for-tat between President Donald Trump and top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.
“Social media threats that they would walk out” did not come to fruition,” Vance noted. “There was a little bit of threatening, there was a little bit of whining, but at the end of the day the talks continued and we made great progress.”
Mediators at the talks said that Washington and Tehran had made “encouraging progress” at the first round, according to Reuters.
The vice president did not give a firm timeline for when nuclear inspections may start, but said conversations with the IAEA could happen as soon as Monday.
The US has said that the need to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon was a key driver of its attacks, and demands that Tehran reopen its nuclear facilities to international oversight.
Iran has persistently rejected accusations that it seeks to develop a nuclear arsenal, insisting that its nuclear programme is purely for civilian purposes.
Shortly before the waiver announcement, the Strait of Hormuz was reported to be seeing an increase in oil and gas tanker traffic, just two days after Iran said it would close the waterway again because of Israeli attacks on Lebanon.
Four Qatari-operated LNG tankers headed into the Gulf and through the strait on Monday, while two supertankers – which can carry up to four million barrels of crude oil – entered. One indicated its destination as the Iraqi port of Basra, according to ship tracking data.
Two smaller crude oil tankers, laden with just under two million barrels, sailed out of the waterway and into the Gulf of Oman on Monday, according to MarineTraffic.
“While daily transits remain below the 125 crossings prior to the Iran hostilities, the trend is positive,” said the shipping firm Clarksons.
The US has maintained that the strait was never closed for the second time and tracked 55 merchant ships loaded with more than 17 million barrels of oil on Saturday.
June 18 (UPI) — The U.S. military on Thursday lifted naval blockades in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, with reports showing that shipping vessels have departed the region through the Strait of Hormuz.
U.S. Central Command said in a series of posts on X that, following direction from President Donald Trump, blockades on maritime traffic along the coasts of Iran have ended.
Centcom noted, however, that the U.S. Navy will stay in the “general area” to be sure that “all aspects” of the peace agreement signed by the United States and Iran “are adhered to, obeyed and in full force and effect.”
Trump signed the agreement Wednesday at the Palace of Versailles in France after the G7 Summit wrapped up, which included among its 14 points reopening the Strait of Hormuz, which is a vital shipping route for the region and much of the world.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian had signed the deal earlier in the day.
“American forces are not impeding the transit of vessels to or from Iranian ports,” Centcom said in one of the posts on X on Thursday.
“All U.S. military blockade efforts have ceased,” it said.
At least 12 energy tankers transited the Strait on Thursday, reopening a sailing route through which roughly 20% of the world’s oil supply is shipped around the globe, CNBC and the New York Post reported.
Among the vessels that transited the Strait were three Saudi Arabian supertankers, which together are carrying six million barrels of crude oil and are the kingdom’s first tankers to sail the shipping route since before the three-month-long U.S.-Iran war launched in February.
Vice President JD Vance also told reporters that more than 12 million barrels of oil had shipped through the Strait overnight Wednesday after the deal had been signed.
14:16, 18 Jun 2026Updated 14:55, 18 Jun 2026
(Image: Getty Images/arabianEye)
The Foreign Office has lifted its travel ban to the United Arab Emirates.
The FCDO has had a warning against all but essential travel to the UAE in place since March, due to the Middle East war, but today (Thursday 18th June), it updated its advice and no longer warns against travel to the region. It has also issued updates for 14 countries including Cyprus and Turkey.
However, the government body still has a stark warning in place for Brits. As part of an update on ‘regional tensions’ it warns:
“The US and Iran have announced a memorandum of understanding in relation to the conflict in the Middle East. The situation remains unpredictable and attacks could resume at short notice.
“Should hostilities resume, British nationals should:
“Before the 8 April ceasefire, the Iranian regime had stated its intention to target locations in the Gulf associated with the US and Israel. This included US or Israeli-linked organisations, businesses, facilities and institutions. Iran has previously targeted civilian infrastructure across the region such as ports, hotels, roads, bridges, energy facilities, oil production sites, water systems, and airports.”
DUBAI holidays can now go ahead as the UK Foreign Office has lifted the travel ban.
All non-essential travel to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was banned back in March.
This was due to the Iran conflict which saw Dubai caught up in the attacks, which included a drone strike on Dubai International Airport.
However, the US and Iran have since signed a peace plan that ends the ongoing war.
In response, the UK Foreign Office has updated their travel advice earlier today.
It now says: “FCDO no longer advises against all but essential travel to UAE.”
It still warns that the situation is “unpredictable and attacks could resume at short notice”.
However, the lifting of the ban means holidays can resume to the region.
Last year, 1.4million Brits visited Dubai alone, which have since massively dropped due to the travel ban.
British Airways and Virgin Atlantic have already suspended flights to Dubai until October 2026 and winter 2027, respectively.
However, Emirates continues to operate flights between the UK and the UAE.
The travel ban being lifted also affects Abu Dhabi, where holidays can also resume.
The UK Foreign Office has lifted the travel ban for Qatar as well, which includes flights going through Doha.
In response, Qatar Airways has increased the number of flights operating between the UK and Doha, including 49 flights a week from London Heathrow and 14 a week from Edinburgh.
The Sun’s Head of Travel Lisa Minot explains more:
It’s back!
Travel to the Middle East plummeted in the wake of the Iran war and our Foreign Office advising against all but essential travel to the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait.
For decades, British sun-seekers have been used to flying via the Middle Eastern hubs. Airlines like Emirates, Etihad and Qatar aggressively took on the legacy carriers like British Airways and Singapore Airlines with value flights and unbeatable service.
All that came shuddering to a halt when the war in Iran saw missiles fired at the glitzy skyscrapers of Dubai and drones were shot down over Qatar’s major hub airport in Doha.
Overnight, hotels emptied and travellers scrabbled for direct flights to destinations in the Far East and Australia, or switched to the traditional hub airports in Singapore and Hong Kong.
With the peace plan now agreed, there is light at the end of the tunnel.
It is fantastic news that the Foreign Office has moved swiftly to lift the blanket ban that threw the holiday plans of millions into chaos.
Demand to Dubai and its neighbouring emirates including Abu Dhabi will no doubt bounce back quickly.
Those tourism-dependent countries are desperate to tempt us back. Expect a wave of great holiday deals and rock bottom fares in the coming weeks to encourage us to pack our bags.
But there is still a sting in the tail – the shocking rise in oil prices due to the closure of the Hormuz Straits hit the industry hard. Airfares will have to rise as airlines attempt to balance their books after such a sustained period of unrest.
But for now, for those who loved the Dubai beach clubs or appreciated the chance to travel seamlessly across the globe via the Middle East, there’s cause for celebration.
The gateway to these sun-drenched spots is open once more.
This affects long-haul holidays to places like Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Australia, who often use these Middle East hubs as stopover destinations.
Many destinations have seen a drop in tourism because of the war – Thailand predicted as many as 11million long-haul arrivals this year, but has since dropped this to 10million.
PERRIE Edwards has spoken out on ex-bandmate Jesy Nelson and shared her heartbreak over her twins’ diagnosis.
Jesy, 34, previously shared the devastating news that her baby girls Story and Ocean had been diagnosed with SMA1.
Now Perrie, 32, has shared her support for her former friend, after Jesy quit Little Mix in 2020 and sparked a bitter fall-out among the girls.
Appearing on Jamie Laing’s Great Company podcast, she said: “I mean, when I think everything we’ve been through as a group, and even though it ended in ways that I wouldn’t have wanted it to, and we’re not that close anymore and we’re not in each other’s lives, I still feel everything that the girls feel and I think they’re the same.
“We’ll always have that weird connection. And seeing Jesy go through that, it broke me.
“Because you wouldn’t wish that on anyone. It’s literally wild. And as much as we’ve got our issues and, you know, I think I don’t want to see her go through that.
“I don’t want to see her hurt and I don’t want to see any of that. It’s heartbreaking.”
In her recent documentary Life After Little Mix, Jesy made some bold claims about Perrie, Jade Thirlwall and Leigh-Anne Pinnock.
Recalling how she attempted to take her own life before quitting the group, she said: “I sat everyone down to explain how I was feeling and I remember one of the responses being, ‘Are you done now? Is that it?’
“She [one of the girls] was like, ‘Can I go now?’”
Fighting back tears, Jesy added: “That made me feel really alone. I felt like there was no point. That no one cared.”
And in her chat with Jamie, Perrie had her say. When he asked if she envisioned repairing her friendship with Jesy, she said: “If I’m being completely transparent, part of me wanted to until the documentary. And then part of me withdrew again.
“I’m not a horrible person. I haven’t got a bad one in my body, but I can cut you off.
“There’s personal things, there’s public things, there’s everything. I don’t have the capacity for somebody like that in my life anymore. And that might make me sound like a bitch, but I just don’t have the energy for it.
“And as much as I will always love her, I don’t think I can hack that energy in my space.”
Global markets are navigating two powerful and competing forces: escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and continued investor enthusiasm for artificial intelligence-related stocks. While concerns over renewed conflict between the United States and Iran have boosted oil prices and supported demand for safe-haven assets, the AI-driven technology rally has continued to push stock markets higher, particularly in Asia.
Oil prices rose for a third consecutive session on Wednesday after fresh hostilities emerged in the Gulf region. Brent crude climbed 1% to $94.74 per barrel as hopes for a quick resolution to tensions between Washington and Tehran faded.
The U.S. military reported that Iranian missile attacks targeting Bahrain, Kuwait and other regional locations were either intercepted or failed. The developments came after negotiations aimed at ending the conflict between the United States and Iran stalled despite both sides announcing a tentative agreement last week.
Meanwhile, financial markets showed mixed reactions. U.S. stock futures were largely unchanged, while European futures edged lower. In Asia, however, technology shares continued their strong advance, helping stock indexes in Japan and Taiwan reach record highs.
Investors had previously expected the United States and Iran to formalize an agreement that would reduce regional tensions and ease concerns about energy supplies. The lack of progress in negotiations has instead revived fears of a prolonged conflict that could disrupt oil shipments from the Gulf, a critical region for global energy markets.
Higher oil prices typically reflect concerns about potential supply disruptions. The latest military developments prompted traders to unwind some of their earlier bets on a diplomatic breakthrough, contributing to the rise in crude prices.
Currency markets also reflected growing caution. The U.S. dollar strengthened against the Japanese yen, briefly touching the closely watched 160 level before retreating amid concerns that Japanese authorities could intervene to support their currency.
Despite geopolitical concerns, enthusiasm surrounding artificial intelligence remained a major driver of equity markets. Wall Street indexes posted modest gains on Tuesday, supported by technology shares.
Chipmaker Marvell Technology surged more than 32% after Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang described the company as a potential trillion-dollar business. Investor optimism surrounding AI also helped propel SoftBank Group above Toyota Motor Corporation as Japan’s most valuable listed company.
The AI boom has continued to attract investment even as broader markets grapple with geopolitical uncertainty and concerns about interest rates.
Investors are now closely watching upcoming U.S. economic data, including services sector activity, private payroll figures and Friday’s employment report. Strong labor market data could reinforce expectations that the Federal Reserve will keep interest rates higher for longer or even consider further increases.
Bond markets remained relatively stable, while traders adjusted expectations from potential rate cuts earlier in the year to the possibility of additional rate hikes. Markets have also priced in the likelihood of monetary tightening in Europe and Japan.
At the same time, developments in the Middle East remain a key risk factor. Any further escalation between the United States and Iran could push oil prices higher and increase volatility across global financial markets, while continued strength in AI-related stocks may help support broader equity markets despite geopolitical headwinds.
With information from Reuters.
