AOC-backed $25 minimum wage plan sounds great — but at what cost?

Democrats’ push to more than triple the federal minimum wage to $25 an hour is reigniting debate over whether a one-size-fits-all policy can work across the U.S. economy. Critics warn the new proposal would do more harm than good, pointing to risks such as inflation, job losses and added strain on small businesses. Lawmakers and … Read more

Trump-backed crypto firm accuses billionaire investor of smear campaign, vows to ‘correct the record’ in court

World Liberty Financial, a group started by the Trump and Witkoff families, is accusing Justin Sun, a crypto billionaire and one of their investors, of waging a deliberate smear campaign to tank a crypto product he was allegedly betting against. “Justin Sun chose to defame World Liberty — repeatedly, publicly and to millions of followers. … Read more

Oil prices ease and markets rally as Trump works towards deal with Iran

US president briefly pauses ‘Project Freedom’ operation escorting ships through strait of Hormuz Business live – latest updates Oil prices have eased and stock markets rallied as Donald Trump touted “great progress” towards a “final agreement” with Iran, while momentum in AI-driven trading accelerated. The US president said he would briefly pause his “Project Freedom” … Read more

Trump and his oil-and-coal oligarchy should face sanctions for its war on the environment | Alexander Hurst

Europe punished Russian billionaires over the war in Ukraine. It should do the same to those abetting an ecocidal regime The ecological disasters of the US-Israel war with Iran are already bad enough. The noxious smoke from bombed oil facilities, spills in the Gulf’s waters, the contamination of farmland and groundwater with toxic chemicals unleashed … Read more

California gubernatorial frontrunners clash in high-stakes debate as early voting gets under way

Republican and Democratic candidates met again in race shaped by Eric Swalwell’s exit and Xavier Becerra’s rise Seven of the leading contenders in California’s unexpectedly dramatic race for governor faced off on Tuesday night, in a feisty, high-stakes showdown that arrived as voters begin casting ballots in the state’s nonpartisan primary. The heightened tenor of … Read more