Ratings agency Fitch on Tuesday downgraded the U.S. government's top credit rating by a notch to 'AA+' sending

Red Bull design chief Adrian Newey admits he has an “emotional” regret about not working for Ferrari during his career – as well as teaming up with Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso. Newey, the man chiefly responsible for this year’s RB19 car which secured the 2023 constructors’ championship on Sunday in Japan, has worked for Red Bull since 2006 but has been approached by Ferrari three times throughout his career. The 64-year-old engineer worked for Williams and McLaren prior to his time at Red Bull and revealed to the Beyond the Grid podcast that Ferrari offered him a role three times, with a move in 1993 the most tempting. “[Ferrari approached] me in my IndyCar days, which probably doesn’t count, then ’93 and famously in 2014,” he said. “The ’93 one was very tempting.” However, Newey detailed that the breakdown of his first marriage – impacted by his time in the United States with IndyCar – meant he opted against making a move to Maranello, Ferrari’s HQ in Italy, due to his second marriage. Another advance in 2014, Newey admits, was due to Red Bull’s engine issues at the start of Mercedes’ hybrid-era dominance. “My discussions in 2013 with Ferrari were purely out of frustration,” Newey said. “I really didn’t want to leave but we were in this position where Renault hadn’t produced a competitive turbo hybrid engine. “We went to see Carlos Ghosn [ex-Renault CEO] to try and put pressure on him to up the budget. Ghosn’s reply was ‘Well I have no interest in Formula 1. I’m only in it because my marketing people say I should be.’ That was such a depressing place to be.” Asked if he regretted turning down Ferrari, Newey responded: “Emotionally, I guess, to a point. Yes. “But just as, for instance, working with Fernando and Lewis would have been fabulous. But it never happened. It’s just circumstance sometimes, that’s the way it is.” Newey has been involved in six F1 drivers’ victories at Red Bull and is on the cusp of a seventh with Max Verstappen able to secure his third championship next week in Qatar. The Brit has won a total of 12 constructors’ championships with three different teams during his long and successful career in Formula 1. Read More Christian Horner admits ‘keeping an eye’ on Lando Norris amid Red Bull link The rise of Oscar Piastri: A genuine rival for Lando Norris at last George Russell ‘can’t argue’ with Lewis Hamilton’s status at Mercedes Christian Horner gives Lando Norris update amid Red Bull link George Russell ‘can’t argue’ with Lewis Hamilton’s status at Mercedes Nyck de Vries makes racing return after F1 exit

Since Elon Musk acquired Twitter, the company has rarely made its executives available for media

A look at the day ahead in European and global markets from Kevin Buckland There's no escaping that it's all

British ex-Treasury chief Alistair Darling has died at age 70

Mookie Betts hit a two-run single in Los Angeles’ three-run eighth inning, and the Dodgers beat the Miami Marlins 3-1 in the opener of a split-doubleheader

Adolis Garcia smashed a solo home run in the 11th inning to give the Texas Rangers a dramatic 6-5 victory over Arizona on Friday in...

It’s been a big weekend for Barbenheimer fans, as cinema goers poured into screenings of the two most anticipated movies of the year, Greta Gerwig’s Barbie and Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer. But for one aptly named woman, it couldn’t get any better. Barb Heimer’s social media profile has gone viral in recent days after it was unearthed late last week at the peak of the Barbenheimer hysteria. People shared screenshots of the profile, with one person saying: “Huge weekend for her”. Another person said: “Please tell me her middle name starts with an N”. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter The two films have already sparked a cultural moment that nobody could have seen coming, as their same-day release date and polar opposite subject matter drove social media into a frenzy. People clad in all-pink queued around the block for Barbie across the UK on Friday night, while others have shared pictures of themselves next to Oppenheimer posters. Some even went for back-to-back screenings of the two films. One person shared a photoshopped image of a fictional Barbenheimer poster, showing the all star casts of both films with the now infamous Barb Heimer added in. One person wrote: “I bet she’s having a fun week”. Others described the coincidence as “absolutely incredible”, and said it was the mysterious Barb’s “moment”. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Teresa Giudice and her three daughters - Gia, 22, Milania, 17, and Audriana, 14 - are being ridiculed for partnering with the controversial fast fashion brand, Shein. In an advertisement posted on Instagram, the Real Housewives of New Jersey star was filmed walking in on a holiday-themed party decorated with gold confetti, sweet treats, and bedazzled formal wear. The 51-year-old mother of four joined her daughters’ celebration in a skin-tight black dress, sipping champagne and reveling in the excitement. The collection - titled “Giudice Girls x Shein” - includes two-piece sets, lavish dresses, and frilly pajamas. According to the brand, the collaboration will consist of 100 pieces offered in sizes up to 5XL. “We are SO excited to finally announce our partnership with @sheinofficial to curate the ultimate pre-holiday collection, #SHEINxGiudiceGirls,” Giudice captioned her post. “All of the pieces are a reflection of us, lots of glamorous, fun, and chic styles that are perfect for everyone! We even made sure to include comfy and luxe sleepwear for your next Girls Night In,” she continued. Fans flocked to Giudice’s Instagram, where they commented their opinion of the family’s partnership. While some were pleased by the ad, others were upset that the girls decided to work with Shein after the brand had been slammed for its alleged poor treatment of workers and independent designers. “A SHEIN ad? How embarrassing! I guess we have confirmation that your bags and designer clothes are fakes as well as those Cartier bracelets from Christmas,” one individual wrote. Another said: “Why Shein tho? One of if not the most problematic line of clothes there is. I guess the shoe fits.” “Well this fits. Teresa partnering with one of the most unethical brands in the world. You know what they say, birds of a feather. But, love, love, love,” someone else proclaimed. “Terrible partnership as they steal other designers creations on a daily basis. Do check numerous lawsuits for stealing (intellectual property). Cheap disposable fashions,” another critic noted. One Instagram user agreed: “Ew partnering with Shein is gross and fast fashion is passé. Wealth hoarding at the expensive of the planet is not a good look and will not age well.” The clothing giant faced backlash earlier this summer when a group of influencers were invited on a “brand trip” to Shein’s factory in Guangzhou, China. The intention was to convince the tastemakers of their ethical business practices by encouraging them to view their manufacturing facilities. However, the influencer trip faced backlash as many pointed out the fast fashion company’s accusations of labour abuse and its negative impact on the environment. In July, Shein was accused by independent designers of infringement-related racketeering activities in a lawsuit. The designers, who accused the website of allegedly reproducing their designs, filed the lawsuit under a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) claim - a federal law designed to combat organised crime and racketeering activities. The lawsuit also alleged that Shein created a “secretive algorithm” to identify growing fashion trends and “produce very small quantities of [its] item for sale” – as 100-200 units per SKU – in the case that an artist claims “the design was stolen”. In a statement to The Independent, a spokesperson for Shein said: “SHEIN takes all claims of infringement seriously, and we take swift action when complaints are raised by valid IP rights holders. We will vigorously defend ourselves against this lawsuit and any claims that are without merit.” The Independent has contacted Teresa Giudice’s representatives for comment. Read More Real Housewives star Teresa Giudice calls Sofia Vergara the ‘rudest woman’ she has ever met Bethenny Frankel defends Teresa Giudice’s viral wedding hair after extravagant updo sparked memes Shannon Beador, Real Housewives star, ‘is prepared to accept full responsibility’ after DUI, hit and run Crocs announces ‘foul’ new shoe Ballet flats are back - but apparently you’re still wearing them wrong How Naomi Campbell proved all her haters wrong – including me

Declan Rice made his Arsenal debut and Kai Havertz scored his first goal for the Gunners as Mikel Arteta's side hammered the Major League Soccer All Star team 5-0 in...

Australia coach Graham Arnold said it has been "quite stressful" preparing to play Palestine next week against the backdrop of the Israel-Hamas conflict, but hopes...

IShowSpeed tried to attack his father for singing the 'IShowMeat' song during a stream