Trump approval falls to record low as high costs bite, poll finds

The Canadian province of British Columbia has declared a provincewide state of emergency following a rapidly expanding wildfire that forced nearly 22,000 residents to evacuate their homes, with another 9,700 under active evacuation alerts. Over 100 wildfires are currently burning across the region, nearly half of which remain classified as out of control. The entire community of Summerland, comprising approximately 12,000 residents, received overnight mandatory evacuation orders alongside roughly 8,000 people in and around the neighbouring district of Peachland. Originating on Friday evening, the Bald Range wildfire expanded rapidly to cover roughly 50 square kilometres. The blaze swept through the rural settlement of Faulder before advancing approximately 15 kilometres towards Summerland at high speed. British Columbia Premier David Eby noted that an operational official characterised the rapid growth of the fire as being “like a bomb going off”. “I know many families are facing an unimaginable day today,” Eby stated. “People have lost their homes. And many people have been displaced. Others are waiting for news about loved ones.” Cliff Chapman, director of wildfire operations at the BC Wildfire Service, described conditions throughout the province as “explosive”. Due to fast-moving flames cutting off ground evacuation routes, officials dispatched firefighting helicopters to conduct aerial rescues for trapped residents. The declaration of a emergency grants provincial authorities extraordinary legal powers to enforce travel restrictions, secure emergency temporary housing for evacuees, and coordinate response efforts across affected sectors.

Saudi Arabia’s airstrikes on the Houthi-controlled Yemeni city of Hodeidah have triggered a strong response from the group, with the Houthis warning that the attacks could have serious consequences and further escalate tensions in the region. According to Arab media reports, Houthi officials said Saudi-led forces targeted telecommunications facilities in Hodeidah as well as Kamaran Island. A woman was reportedly injured in the strike on Kamaran Island. Witnesses also reported hearing explosions near Hodeidah port. However, the Saudi-led military coalition denied targeting the port itself. The coalition said its operations were aimed at Houthi military positions in Hodeidah. Hodeidah port is a major commercial and humanitarian gateway for northern Yemen. The port plays an important role in bringing essential goods and humanitarian supplies into areas controlled by the Houthis. The latest strikes followed growing tensions in the Red Sea. Saudi-led coalition spokesman Turki al-Malki had described recent Houthi activities in the area as irresponsible and provocative. He warned that the coalition would take further military action if Houthi attacks continued. The Houthis recently claimed responsibility for attacks on Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea. The group said the vessels had violated a naval blockade it had announced against Saudi Arabia. The Houthis declared the blockade on July 20. They described it as a response to an attack on Sanaa International Airport a week earlier. The internationally recognised Yemeni government, which is backed by Saudi Arabia, claimed responsibility for the airport attack. It said the strike was carried out after an Iranian aircraft allegedly arrived at the airport without authorisation. Following the latest escalation, concerns are growing over the impact on commercial shipping and global trade. Two Chinese oil tankers carrying Saudi crude reportedly crossed the Bab el-Mandeb Strait safely despite the heightened tensions. The Red Sea is a crucial international shipping route. It handles a significant share of global container trade and connects major markets between Asia, Europe and the Middle East. Any prolonged disruption to shipping in the Red Sea could increase transportation costs and put further pressure on global supply chains. The situation is particularly sensitive because the Strait of Hormuz is also facing serious disruption amid the wider regional conflict. Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdulsalam said the group’s naval blockade does not amount to a complete closure of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. He said the measure is specifically focused on maritime activity linked to Saudi Arabia. According to the Houthi position, the blockade is intended as a response to what the group describes as the continued blockade of Yemen. The latest exchange of airstrikes, threats and attacks on shipping has increased fears that the conflict could spread further across the region.

Shares of major semiconductor companies dropped sharply on Monday after a report suggested that a Chinese firm has made significant progress in developing advanced chipmaking equipment. The news raised concerns among investors that China could reduce its reliance on foreign technology and strengthen its position in the global semiconductor industry. The market reaction followed a report by The Information, which said Shanghai Yuliangsheng is producing immersion deep ultraviolet lithography machines. These machines use ultraviolet light to carve extremely small circuits onto silicon wafers, a key step in manufacturing modern computer chips. Neither Shanghai Yuliangsheng nor related companies SiCarrier and Huawei responded immediately to requests for comment. However, the report was enough to unsettle investors, who fear that China’s progress in chip manufacturing could reshape competition in the technology sector. If the reported breakthrough proves successful, China could reduce its dependence on Dutch company ASML, the world’s leading supplier of advanced lithography equipment. ASML’s exports are subject to strict restrictions, limiting China’s access to some of the most advanced chipmaking technology. Developing its own DUV lithography machines would allow China to expand domestic chip production and accelerate the development of more powerful processors. Industry analysts believe this could help Chinese technology companies narrow the gap with leading American semiconductor manufacturers. The development is also seen as important for China’s artificial intelligence industry. Improved access to advanced chips would strengthen the country’s AI capabilities and help Chinese companies compete more closely with leading US firms developing cutting edge AI models. The report triggered heavy selling across the US technology sector. Shares of AMD fell by as much as eight percent during trading, while Nvidia dropped nearly five percent. Micron Technology also lost around five percent, and Intel declined about 3.7 percent as investors reassessed the competitive outlook for the semiconductor industry. The decline spread quickly to Asian markets on Tuesday. South Korea’s stock market suffered steep losses as concerns over the future of the AI industry combined with the reported Chinese breakthrough. The Kospi index plunged more than 10 percent to its lowest level since April. Major South Korean chipmakers were among the hardest hit. Shares of SK hynix and Samsung Electronics each fell by around 12 percent as investors worried that stronger competition from China could affect future earnings and market share. Japan’s technology sector also came under pressure. The Nikkei 225 index dropped more than four percent, while leading technology companies including Advantest, Kioxia and Tokyo Electron each lost more than 10 percent during trading. The sharp decline across global markets highlights how closely investors are watching developments in the semiconductor industry. As countries compete to secure leadership in chip production and artificial intelligence, even reports of technological advances can have an immediate impact on stock markets and reshape expectations for the future of the global technology sector.