Capital Group

Brazilian education companies Afya and Yduqs have agreed to a merger valuing the combined business at around US$1.8 billion. Afya, a medical education specialist backed by Nuggets Capital, and Yduqs, which operates higher education brands including Estácio, would create one of the country's largest private education groups. The deal is drawing attention from investors watching further consolidation in Brazil's education sector.

Blackstone and a group of banks have assembled roughly $60 billion in financing to back Broadcom's artificial intelligence chip business, according to Bloomberg. The scale of the package makes it one of the largest private credit deals ever arranged and underscores how much capital lenders are pouring into AI-related infrastructure. It highlights Broadcom's growing role as a key supplier of custom AI chips alongside Nvidia, and signals strong Wall Street appetite for exposure to the AI boom.

The Berlin SPD parliamentary group has new leadership, with Krach and Caglar elected as its chairs. The decision follows internal upheaval in the Berlin branch of the Social Democrats, and the change is being closely watched as the party seeks to stabilise its position in the capital's politics.

A man accused of injuring a Digos political police executive in Rome in April has been arrested. According to RAI's Tg1, investigators found instructions for preparing sabotage on his mobile phone, and the case is being framed as part of an anarchist threat. The arrest is drawing attention to security concerns around radical groups in the Italian capital.

Activists have staged "Red Walk of Complicity" protests in recent days outside branches of major companies including Sephora, Google, McDonald's, Nestlé, JPMorgan, Capital One, Deloitte and Wells Fargo. The demonstrations, framed around Palestine and calls for a ceasefire, target firms protesters accuse of complicity, and have drawn attention amid ongoing debate over corporate ties to the conflict.

JLL and GA Group have arranged a $74.7 million sale-leaseback covering a portfolio of Family Dollar retail properties. Under the deal structure, the retailer's real estate assets are sold to an investor while Family Dollar continues occupying the stores as a tenant, freeing up capital for the operator. The transaction was reported by Shopping Center Business, highlighting continued investor appetite for single-tenant net lease retail portfolios backed by established national tenants.

A protest took place in Washington, DC under the banner 'In Defense of Indian Democracy', organized around concerns over the state of democratic institutions and human rights in India. The demonstration reflects ongoing activism among diaspora and rights groups in the United States who are speaking out about political and civil liberties issues in India.

Yemen's internationally recognised army says its forces have inflicted more than 1,500 casualties on the Houthis and carried out attacks on Sanaa, the capital held by the rebel group since 2014. The claim comes amid renewed fighting in Yemen, with casualty figures impossible to independently verify and the Houthis yet to respond in detail.

Iran has executed a man convicted of firing a military-grade weapon at police during protests in January, state officials said. The announcement underscores the Islamic Republic's harsh response to unrest, with authorities carrying out death sentences against demonstrators and others involved in the protest movement. Rights groups have repeatedly criticized Iran's use of capital punishment against protesters, calling the trials flawed and the sentences politically motivated.

Algeria's lower house of parliament has approved a bill allowing the death penalty for people convicted of deliberately setting forest fires. The move comes as the country faces recurring summer wildfires that have destroyed forests and killed residents. Supporters frame the measure as deterrence, while rights groups oppose capital punishment.

Iranian security forces have broken up what officials describe as a terrorist cell in Zahedan, the capital of Sistan-Baluchestan province near the Pakistan border, with clashes reported in the city. The operation reportedly involved exchanges of fire and the dismantling of an armed group operating in the area. Authorities in Iran frequently announce such counterterrorism actions in the restive southeastern province, where armed groups have long been active, and the news is drawing attention across the region.

Circle Internet Group, the issuer of the USDC stablecoin, has launched Arc, its new blockchain platform, while also adding to its capital reserves. The news has prompted investors to debate whether CRCL shares now trade at a reasonable valuation given the company's expansion push and growth prospects in the stablecoin and digital payments market.

The US Federal Reserve has finalized changes to its annual bank 'stress test' program, which measures whether large lenders can withstand severe economic downturns. The overhaul would alter how capital requirements are calculated and could reduce the buffers banks must hold. Industry groups have long argued the tests were too opaque and volatile, while some critics worry the changes may weaken oversight. Reaction is coming mainly through banking and policy circles.

Iraqi national Ayoub Mohammad Nabil has been sentenced to death on charges of spying for Saudi Arabia. The case was reported by the rights group Iran Human Rights, which tracks death penalty cases in the region. Details about the court, the evidence, and the date of the verdict have not been made available, and human rights organisations routinely raise concerns over espionage convictions and capital sentences.

The European Central Bank is holding its 9th Macroprudential Policy Group Workshop, bringing together policymakers and researchers to discuss tools for safeguarding financial stability. The workshops typically cover topics such as systemic risk, bank capital requirements and borrower-based measures. The event underscores the ECB's continued focus on monitoring and mitigating risks building up in the banking system.

Kinsale Capital Group's stock has fallen about 13% over the past month, prompting questions among investors about whether the specialty insurer is now undervalued. Analysts and market watchers are weighing whether the sell-off reflects a broader repricing of insurance stocks or an opportunity to buy a company that has historically traded at a premium to its peers.

The United Nations has extended the mandate of the Gang Suppression Force in Haiti through March 2027, as gang violence continues to intensify across the country. The decision reflects international concern over Haiti's worsening security crisis, where armed groups have expanded control and destabilised large parts of the capital and beyond, raising questions about the mission's long-term effectiveness.

The Defense Credit Union Council is pressing Congress to advance the Veterans Member Business Loan Act, legislation aimed at expanding credit unions' ability to lend to veteran-owned businesses. The group is calling on lawmakers to move the bill forward, arguing it would improve access to capital for veterans starting or growing businesses. Support from credit union advocates is building around the measure.