Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., on Tuesday dashed a push from President Donald Trump and his allies to amend the Senate filibuster rule to speed passing controversial voter-identification legislation.

The SAVE America Act, which was introduced in January, would require voters to prove their citizenship to register to vote in federal elections and would require certain forms of photo ID to cast a ballot. The measure is slated for a vote in the House this week but faces an uphill climb in the Senate where Democrats have vowed to use the filibuster to block the legislation, which they say could disenfranchise millions of Americans. Because of the filibuster rule, bills require 60 votes to advance in the Senate.

Proponents of the voter-ID legislation are calling for changes to the chamber’s rules.

“There aren’t anywhere close to the votes, not even close, to nuking the filibuster,” Thune said at a press conference following a meeting of Senate Republicans on Tuesday. “So that idea is something, although it continues to be put out there. … That doesn’t have a future.”

Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, who is leading the push for the bill in the Senate, has called to abolish the so-called “zombie filibuster” and bring back an older form of the rule that requires objecting members to be physically on the floor and talking to delay legislation.

“Remember, the talking filibuster is best understood as the filibuster. Historically, senators have been required to speak in order to filibuster. You shouldn’t be able to have the benefits of the filibuster without doing the work of the filibuster, and that means speaking,” Lee said in a video posted to X on Tuesday.

The “talking” filibuster — made famous by the movie “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” — has not been regularly practiced since a Senate rule change in the 1970s, and even some supporters of the legislation have reservations about a reversion back to the old ways.

“I think getting rid of the filibuster would lead to more acrimony, more rapid shifts from right to left, and I think wouldn’t be good for the country,” Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who said he supports the voter-ID bill, told reporters on Tuesday. “I think the default position is liberty and that most legislation takes your liberty. And so I’m not a big fan of making it easier to pass legislation.”

Filibuster reform aside, the voter-ID proposal is controversial and faces an uncertain fate in both chambers as Trump last week called for the federal government to take control of elections from states.

Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a GOP centrist, announced on X on Tuesday that she does not support the legislation.

“Not only does the U.S. Constitution clearly provide states the authority to regulate the ‘times, places, and manner’ of holding federal elections, but one-size-fits-all mandates from Washington, D.C., seldom work in places like Alaska,” Murkowski said.

A similar version of the bill — which was introduced by Lee…

Water is a finite resource — and increasingly a national security issue, analysts told CNBC. 

Water demand is expected to outpace supply by as much as 40% in 2030, according to a 2023 landmark report on the economics of water. At the same time, climate change is affecting weather patterns and once water-abundant areas are running dry. As a result, more water needs to be moved around to ensure access.

Freshwater is used in everything from manufacturing to agriculture, and demand is set to increase as the population grows and thirsty AI data centers are built.

As water is increasingly seen as a strategic asset, market watchers are looking to Greenland’s freshwater reserves as a potential resource. The Danish territory has itself recognized the strategic potential and has long looked to capitalize on the asset.

“The potential for water is manifold, since clean, fresh water can be used as drinking water and water for food production, for example, but also as bulk water for factories, farms or a contribution to bulk water supply,” according to a statement from the government of Greenland on its website. “There are many possibilities.” CNBC reached out to Greenland officials for further comment.

Resource nationalism has become a “defining” geopolitical play, he said — and that includes water. “So water has inherently become a strategic asset.”

“In my view, right now, the nations that don’t have it as a strategic asset are better positioned in the long run” because it forces them to innovate, Ramos added. He pointed to the Middle East and its investment in technologies like desalination, which converts seawater into drinking water, and Israel, which recycles most of its water. 

The United States, South America, and Canada have historically had abundant water but are facing new levels of water stress, putting them in a sticky position, Ramos said. 

To be sure, half of the world’s population experiences water scarcity for at least one month a year, throwing public health and food security into question. Notably, China is bolstering its water infrastructure. Investment hit around $182 billion alone in 2025 as part of the country’s National Water Network strategy, per a government release. The eastern power has uneven distribution of water, as does the U.S. The U.S. has its own water strategy, while the European Commission has instigated a “water resilience” plan. 

The European Union on Tuesday is expected to water down its effective ban on sales of new combustion-engine cars from 2035, after lobbying efforts from Germany, Italy, and some automotive industry groups.

Various media outlets have reported on the proposed softening of the policy in recent days, with Manfred Weber, a senior member of the European Parliament (MEP), telling Germany’s Bild newspaper late last week that the ban would be weakened.

Europe’s ban on the sale of new diesel and gasoline cars and vans from 2035 was regarded as a landmark policy in the EU’s flagship green deal when it was adopted in 2023. It aims to eradicate CO2 emissions from cars and vans by that year.

Scaling it back could give greater flexibility to the region’s original equipment manufacturers, which are already dealing with U.S. tariffs, supply chain disruptions, intense competition from China and a bumpy transition to EVs.

Analysts have questioned whether the move will do much to shore up the region’s competitiveness in the long run, while campaigners have criticized another potential rollback on the bloc’s climate ambitions.

A spokesperson for the European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, declined to comment when contacted by CNBC. A press conference is due to take place on Tuesday afternoon.

The policy has been thrust back in the spotlight in recent months, with some auto industry groups calling for a recalibration of the ban to bolster Europe’s industrial competitiveness and protect the strategic resilience of its supply chains, while safeguarding climate goals.

“Flexibility is urgent,” said Sigrid de Vries, director general of the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), a car lobby group.

“2030 is around the corner, and market demand is too low to avoid the risk of multi-billion-euro penalties for manufacturers,” de Vries said Monday in a LinkedIn post, describing the widely expected announcement from the EU as “high noon for the automotive package.”

She added that it would take time to build the necessary charging infrastructure and introduce fiscal and purchase incentives to get the market on track.

ACEA represents 16 major Europe-based automakers, including the likes of Volkswagen, BMW, Ferrari, and Renault.

In an open letter published in mid-September, more than 150 leaders of the region’s electric car industry said the introduction of the target had already triggered hundreds of billions of euros in new…

Starbucks will expand its test of coconut water beverages to hundreds of more stores, as it leans further into health and wellness.

Starting Thursday, the coffee giant will test its Coco Matcha and Coco Cold Brew drinks in more than 400 stores across major cities including New York, Los Angeles and the greater Chicago area. The drinks layer matcha foam or cold brew foam over coconut water.

Starbucks first tested the coconut beverages in New York City as a part of its “Starting Five” innovation program, in which it tests out new ideas in five coffeehouses and seeks feedback from its baristas and customers before pushing those ideas into additional stores. Starbucks did not share plans for further expansion beyond the regional test this month.

“Health and wellness at Starbucks isn’t a trend — it’s a long-standing commitment.  Expanding the test of our Coco Matcha and Coco Cold Brew beverages is the next step to accelerate our health and wellness beverage innovation plan,” Dana Pellicano, senior vice president of Starbucks global product experience, said in a statement to CNBC. “We are incorporating real-time feedback with a focus on transparency, functionality, and evolving consumer needs.”

Cold foam has become one of the chain’s most popular modifiers, as it grew 23% year over year, CEO Brian Niccol told analysts on its most recent earnings call. Starbucks will launch protein cold foam late in the fourth quarter, part of its push to kick-start sales after a stretch of financial results that has disappointed Wall Street.

“Protein cold foam with no added sugar is an easy way to add 15 grams of protein to virtually any cold beverage. And customers can also add the flavor of their choice,” Niccol told analysts.

The expanded Starbucks test is part of a larger trend of top restaurant chains increasing beverage options, driven in part by younger consumers who crave customized cold drinks and healthier options.

The number of beverages offered by the top 500 chains has increased more than 9% over the past year, according to Technomic’s 2025 Away-From-Home Beverage Navigator Report released in July. Companies have leaned even more into cold drinks. Offerings such as specialty coffees and energy drinks have seen the most growth on menus over the past two years, as hot coffee and tea beverages on menus decline, the market researcher reported.

Starbucks is in the middle of its “Back to Starbucks” turnaround plans under Niccol, featuring more cafe renovations and menu changes. As the strategy takes shape, Starbucks executives have said the company has seen increases in satisfaction among younger consumers. Niccol told analysts customer value perceptions were near two-year highs in its most recent quarter, driven by gains among Gen Z and millennials, who make up over half its customer base.

Starbucks is betting that innovation, coupled with better experiences under its new “Green Apron Service”…

If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck and quacks like a duck — then it could be one of the rubber specimens lining the shelves of Duck World, a string of colorful stores that are staying afloat  as hundreds of other London retailers close their doors. 

Duck World’s 700-strong rubber flock comprises every size, dress and profession, with a store employee telling CNBC that popular models include the superhero-inspired “Spidy Duck” and the tourist favorite “Telephone Booth” duck. Some are fluffy, ceramic or change color, though not all are designed to get wet.

The company has four brick-and-mortar stores in London — all in prime real estate locations — and one in Miami. But with price tags ranging from £5 to triple digits, and data still singing the decline of the U.K.’s retail sector, there are questions over how Duck World is getting by.