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bbc.com
Heathrow not crowded but people walk in 'wrong place', says boss
Chief executive Thomas Woldbye says Europeans and Brits keep "crashing into each other" because they walk on different sides.
cnbc.com
Roku stock surges on earnings beat, record quarter for premium subscriptions
Roku executives said in a shareholder letter that it marked "our biggest quarter ever" for net adds to premium subscriptions.
bbc.com
Amazon's Ring ends deal with surveillance firm after backlash
A Super Bowl advert had sparked new scrutiny of the smart doorbell company's privacy practices.
cnbc.com
Pinterest stock sinks nearly 17% as tariffs hit earnings. Here's what's happening
"Many of the largest retailers have been disproportionately impacted by tariffs and have been pulling back on advertising spend," Pinterest's CEO said.
cnbc.com
Op-ed: With world in 'rupture', too many economic roads lead away from Trump and back to China
The world is moving back closer to China, and unlike during its ascension to the World Trade Organization, this time it is a move away from the United States.
bbc.com
Andrew facing claim he shared Treasury document with banking contact
Reports suggest the former prince shared a Treasury document when he was serving as trade envoy.
cnbc.com
Enterprise AI startup Cohere tops revenue target as momentum builds to IPO: Investor memo
Cohere's competitors OpenAI and Anthropic are also weighing potential IPOs and competition for enterprise customers is heating up.
bbc.com
Inflation eases in US as prices for used cars fall
Prices rose by 2.4% in the year to January, the latest official figures show, the slowest pace since May.
cnbc.com
AI disruption could spark a ‘shock to the system’ in credit markets, UBS analyst says
UBS analyst Matthew Mish told CNBC that the artificial intelligence transformation is happening faster than he and his colleagues had previously anticipated.
bbc.com
Head of Dubai-based ports giant quits after Epstein links revealed
Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem’s exit comes after files showed he appears to have exchanged hundreds of emails with Epstein.
cnbc.com
Trump tariffs leave importers with record-breaking $3.5 billion U.S. Customs bond funding shortfall
U.S. Customs identified close to $3.6 billion in surety bond insufficiencies in fiscal 2025, a financial guarantee trade experts say has soared due to tariffs.
cnbc.com
Venezuela oil sales top $1 billion, funds won’t go to Qatar account anymore, Energy secretary says
Democrats in Congress have questioned the transparency and legality of depositing Venezuela oil revenue in Qatar.
theguardian.com
There’s a cost to going cashless | Letters
Readers respond to Sammy Gecsoyler’s article about his week without bank and contactless cardsI welcome Sammy Gecsoyler’s article (My week of only using cash: could a return to notes and coins change my life?, 10 February) while noting that he is young, employed and living in a city, and that he commented about the older cash-payers seen in charity shops.I am one of the many who live rurally. We rely on access to cash. Our lives still include paying small sums – £2.50 for entry and a coffee at our many village societies (open to all), or £5 for lunch provided fortnightly by volunteers – and varying sums to sponsor fundraising or village facilities, or small amounts to travel on our community bus. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Anthropic taps ex-Microsoft CFO, Trump aide Liddell for board
Anthropic has appointed longtime executive and political operative Chris Liddell to its board of directors.
cnbc.com
Why Canada hopes China will boost its auto manufacturing industry
Tariffs have hastened the decline of Canadian auto manufacturing. Deals with China and Korea are a play to revive it. But they may endanger US trade talks.
cnbc.com
Europe Stoxx 600 closes lower after latest AI-driven sell-off
The Stoxx 600 closed lower on Friday as investors monitored AI concerns that hit stocks on Wall Street Thursday.
theguardian.com
UK ad agencies undergo their biggest exodus of staff as AI threatens industry
Number of employees declined by more than 14% to 24,963 last year, with fall greatest among younger workersAI is indeed coming – but there is also evidence to allay investor fearsUK advertising agencies had their biggest annual exodus of staff last year, led by younger workers, as artificial intelligence tools threaten to replace workers and force the industry to cut jobs and costs.Staff numbers at creative agencies, which are facing acute pressure from the rollout of AI tools that reduce or even replace the need for agency staff, fell more than 14% in 2025. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
AI is indeed coming – but there is also evidence to allay investor fears
Opinions are divided about the potential impact of artificial intelligence as the response to a recent viral essay showsUK ad agencies undergo biggest exodus of staff as AI threatens industryThe message from investors to the software, wealth management, legal services and logistics industries this month has been clear: AI is coming for your business.The release of new, ever more powerful AI tools has coincided with a stock market slide, which has swept up sectors as diverse as drug distribution, commercial property and price comparison sites. Advances in the technology are giving increasing credulity to predictions that it could render millions of white-collar jobs obsolete – or, at least, eat into the profits of established companies. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Consumer prices rose 2.4% annually in January, less than expected
The consumer price index was expected to increase 2.5% from a year ago in January, according to the Dow Jones consensus.
bbc.com
Why you should consider switching bank accounts
Martin Lewis explains why now might be a good time to think about changing your bank account.
cnbc.com
Dubai's DP World replaces CEO after Epstein links emerge
Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem had been the CEO of Dubai's largest port operator since 2016 and chairman since 2007.
theguardian.com
Reeves appoints higher pay advocate to fight skills shortages as chief economic adviser
Labour market expert Prof Brian Bell has called for better pay and conditions in key sectors, particularly social careRachel Reeves has appointed a labour market expert who has repeatedly called for better pay and conditions in key sectors, such as social care, to reduce the UK’s reliance on migrant workers as her new chief economic adviser.Prof Brian Bell, who chairs the independent Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), which advises the government, has been announced as the new chief economic adviser in the Treasury – a senior civil service role. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Safe-haven currencies might not be so safe after a volatile year. Here's how the market is rethinking the Swiss franc, dollar and yen
One strategist said the currencies have "undoubtedly lost some of their sheen," while others warned of more volatility ahead.
cnbc.com
How China's 'unruly' speculators might be fueling the frenzy in gold market
Gold has rarely been this volatile, and the bullion's sharp price swings are increasingly being linked to China's speculative traders, some analysts believe.
cnbc.com
Epstein files: Goldman Sachs top lawyer Kathryn Ruemmler to step down after email fallout
Kathryn Ruemmler joins a growing list of people whose professional lives have been rocked by their past associations with Jeffrey Epstein.
cnbc.com
Europe has 'failed' in the face of Trump and Putin's ‘wrecking ball’ politics, top security official says
The head of Europe’s biggest security forum said regional powers were “totally on the sidelines” of major discussions — but that it was their “own fault.”
theguardian.com
Beijing pastry shop overrun by shoppers after Xi Jinping’s visit
Customers flock to Daoxiangcun to pick up cakes selected by the president during lunar new year tour around cityA Beijing pastry shop visited by the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, on a lunar new year tour this week has been swarmed by customers hoping to get their hands on Xi-approved sweet treats.Traffic was brought to a standstill in Beijing’s capital as the president took a tour around the city on Monday and Tuesday. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Trucking and real estate stocks struggle to gain momentum on Friday after becoming latest victims of AI fears
AI fears gripped equity markets once more to trigger a fresh sell-off on Thursday.
bbc.com
Hello Kitty designer steps down after 46 years
Yuko Yamaguchi oversaw the feline character's rise to global icon status.
theguardian.com
Heathrow isn’t crowded, it’s travellers walking on the wrong side, boss says
Thomas Woldbye says part of airport’s problem is UK passengers walk on the left while others walk on the rightHeathrow airport has revealed a crowding problem that a third runway cannot solve: British and foreign travellers walk on different sides, and keep colliding, according to its chief executive.Thomas Woldbye said that while Heathrow serviced more passengers in a smaller overall area than comparable European hubs, part of the London airport’s trouble was the differing continental sense of direction. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Penalty notice: Euro Car Parks fined £473,000 for ignoring regulator
High court refuses injunction to stop CMA naming company penalised for failing to hand over informationEuro Car Parks is infamous for dishing out fines but the private parking company has been hit with an almost £475,000 penalty of its own after it failed to hand over information to a regulator.The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it had imposed a £473,000 fine after the company did not respond for three months to seven requests for information, including by registered post, email and hand-delivered letter. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
US inflation falls to 2.4% in January after Trump’s tariffs led to price fluctuations
Economists predicted a slight easing of inflation, although it’s unclear whether Fed will again cut interest ratesUS inflation moderated in January to 2.4%, an easing after Donald Trump’s tariffs triggered price fluctuations last year.Prices rose 0.2% from December to January, according to data released by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics on Friday measuring the consumer price index (CPI), which measures the price of a basket of goods and services. Core CPI, which strips out the volatile food and energy industries, went up 0.3% over the month. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Bank bosses get huge pay rises in sign top City salaries back to pre-crash highs
Nat West CEO’s £6.6m pay package for 2025 is largest for group since disgraced Fred Goodwin’s £7.7m in 2006Business live – latest updatesA trio of bank bosses have been given huge pay packets in the latest sign that the vast salaries and bonuses handed to Wall Street and City of London executives in the run-up to the 2008 financial crisis have started to return.NatWest on Friday revealed a £6.6m pay package for its boss Paul Thwaite, marking the largest payout for a chief executive of the banking group since his disgraced predecessor Fred Goodwin took home £7.7m in 2006. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
French police arrest nine people over suspected €10m Louvre ticket fraud
Prosecutors’ office says two museum workers, several tour guides and suspected mastermind among those detainedFrench police investigating a suspected €10m (£8.7m) ticket fraud scheme at the Louvre museum in Paris have detained nine people, including two members of staff.“Based on the information available to the museum, we suspect the existence of a network organising large-scale fraud,” a museum spokesperson told Agence France-Presse. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Boss of P&O Ferries owner DP World leaves over Jeffrey Epstein links
Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem’s exit as group chair and CEO follows pressure after publication of emailsThe boss of the P&O Ferries owner, DP World, has left the company after revelations over his ties with the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein forced the ports and logistics company to take action.Dubai-based DP World, which is ultimately owned by the emirate’s royal family, announced the immediate resignation of Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem as the group’s chair and chief executive on Friday. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
The Tech Download: Can hyperscalers justify their huge AI capex?
Hyperscalers announced capex plans could hit $700 billion this year amid the AI boom.
theguardian.com
Tell us: are you expecting to give or receive an inheritance?
We want to hear from people about how inheritance plays a role in their lives, whether they are giving, receiving or expecting nothing at allLast November, ahead of G20 meetings in Johannesburg, South Africa, economists warned in a report that more than $70tn (£53tn) of inherited wealth will pass down the generations across the world over the next decade, significantly widening inequality.Meanwhile, changes to UK inheritance tax rules, including reforms to business and agricultural tax breaks, have prompted some families to reconsider how and when they pass on assets. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Prices, pipelines and patent cliffs: Inside pharma's big reset
The new year is shaping up to be a defining year following a dramatic 2025, and one where the impact from last year's developments will crystallize.
theguardian.com
Will the Epstein files tarnish the reputation of Jamie Dimon, America’s banker?
The final stretch of the JP Morgan Chase chief’s career is a bumpy one, as Trump himself demands prosecutors investigate Epstein’s ties to Dimon’s bank Continue reading...
bbc.com
Trump revokes key climate ruling which he says has made cars pricier
The White House calls it the largest deregulation in US history, but environmentalists say it will prove costly for Americans.
theguardian.com
Shares in trucking and logistics firms plunge after AI freight tool launch
SemiCab platform by Algorhythm, previously considered a ‘penny stock’, sparks ‘category 5 paranoia’ across sectorShares in trucking and logistics companies have plunged as the sector became the latest to be targeted by investors fearful that new artificial intelligence tools could slash demand.A new tool launched by Algorhythm Holdings, a former maker of in-car karaoke systems turned AI company with a market capitalisation of just $6m (£4.4m), sparked a sell-off on Thursday that made the logistics industry the latest victim of AI jitters that have already rocked listed companies operating in the software and real estate sectors. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘A great wee place’: the small Scottish factory crafting Olympic curling stones
All stones in Cortina are made from granite found on tiny island in Firth of Clyde and crafted in East Ayrshire“It takes 60m years and about six hours to make a curling stone,” shouts Ricky English above the whine of the lathes. The operations manager at Kays Scotland is surrounded by wheels of ancient granite in varying states of refinement.It is a small business with a big responsibility: the only factory in the world to supply the Winter Olympics with curling stones. Competitors don’t travel with their own stones, which weigh about 18kg each, and with 16 required for a game. Instead, this year, 132 stones were crafted in the East Ayrshire town of Mauchline and shipped to northern Italy. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
These four charts show how reliant Europe is on U.S. digital infrastructure
U.S. companies hold 85% of the European cloud market, per data from Synergy Research Group, a market analytics company.
cnbc.com
Asia stock markets track losses on Wall Street as AI fears hit sentiment
Shares of office real estate and logistics firms sank after the release of AI tools that could replicate their businesses — or eat into their profit margins.
cnbc.com
China's Baidu adds OpenClaw AI into search app for 700 million users ahead of Lunar New Year
Chinese search engine operator Baidu plans Friday to start letting smartphone app users to directly tell OpenClaw AI to perform tasks.
cnbc.com
CNBC Daily Open: The AI fear spreads — real estate, trucking and logistics are its latest victims
The latest victims of artificial intelligence are real estate, trucking and logistics stocks, joining financial and software stocks in plunging on AI fears.
bbc.com
AirAsia accused by artist for allegedly using his work without consent
A Penang-based street artist says his work has been "reproduced" as part of a livery on an aircraft
theguardian.com
Homes for sale in England for £300,000 or less – in pictures
From a picturesque cottage in a country village to a listed building in the heart of bustling Manchester Continue reading...
theguardian.com
First-time buyers enjoy biggest choice of low-deposit mortgages in UK since 2008
More than 500 deals now offer 95% loans as banks and building societies loosen their borrowing rulesWould-be first-time buyers have the biggest choice of low-deposit mortgages for at least 18 years, new data shows, suggesting that 2026 is looking positive for those trying to get a foot on the property ladder.In recent months many banks and building societies have been loosening their affordability rules or launching deals that let people borrow 95% of the property’s value, and in some cases more than that. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Experience: I’m a professional chef in Antarctica
You have to be careful managing supplies – there is one delivery a yearThe first time anyone goes to the Antarctic is truly special. Just getting there is an adventure: it takes several planes, and about three to five days. Travelling there was a childhood dream of mine. I saw it as a way to test myself against something so much bigger. I nearly applied for a role at the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) 30 years ago, but then my wife and I were expecting our first child. Instead, I’ve worked as a chef in Michelin-star restaurants in Paris and London, hotels in Kuala Lumpur and St Moritz, and even at a school in Oxfordshire.In 2016, I took a sabbatical and finally joined BAS as a chef for a summer. Five years later, I went back for the winter, and last year, I became the organisation’s full-time catering manager. I felt ready for an adventure. Now I oversee the catering across BAS’s five Antarctic stations: bases for the organisation’s research and also where the staff live. Each year, I spend three months there; for the rest of the time I work at BAS’s HQ in Cambridge. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
U.S.–China proxy battle over Panama Canal ports set to intensify as CK Hutchison warns of legal action
The simmering dispute has become a geopolitical flashpoint between Washington and Beijing, with Panama caught in the crossfires.
bbc.com
AI safety leader says 'world is in peril' and quits to study poetry
It comes in the same week an OpenAI researcher resigned amid concerns about its decision to start testing ChatGPT ads.
cnbc.com
India approves Rafale jet purchase in $40 billion defense package ahead of Macron visit
This is part of New Delhi's 3.6 trillion rupee defence spending plans announced on Thursday,
theguardian.com
Gold thief flees scene of the crime on donkey in central Turkey – video
A suspect who broke into a jewellery store using a forklift, allegedly stole 150 grams of gold, and fled the scene on a donkey was arrested in Kayseri, central Turkey. Police teams from the provincial police department identified the suspect after reviewing security camera footage following the incident. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Xiaomi's electric SUV tops China sales in January, sells twice as many as Tesla's Model Y
Chinese smartphone company Xiaomi has priced its vehicles below Tesla's and marketed features it claims are comparable or superior.
bbc.com
Taylor Swift asks US government to block 'Swift Home' trademark
Her team argued that a bedding firm's designs showed similarities to her trademarked signature.
cnbc.com
U.S. signs trade deal with Taiwan, lowering tariffs to 15%, while Taipei to boost American goods purchases
Taiwan has also committed to purchase over $84 billion of U.S. goods, including energy and aviation products
cnbc.com
CNBC Daily Open: AI is coming after more sectors, and its pace isn't slowing
The latest victims of artificial intelligence are real estate, trucking and logistics stocks, joining financial and software stocks in plunging on AI fears.
bbc.com
Costs from Trump's tariffs paid mainly by US firms and consumers, NY Fed says
Last year, collective import tariff rates on various goods coming into the US more than tripled.
cnbc.com
A year into Trump tariffs, Chinese factories and ports are buzzing with activity
A year after Trump's tariffs spooked manufacturers and customers, Chinese factories and ports were humming unfethered ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday.
bbc.com
AI coding platform's flaws allow BBC reporter to be hacked
Vibe-coding tools - which let people without coding skills create apps using AI - are exploding in popularity.
bbc.com
Rain and politics driving up half-term holiday bookings, travel agents say
The Advantage Travel Partnerships says rain plus the political environment is creating a "powerful psychological need for escape".
bbc.com
The US economy is growing - so where are all the jobs?
As hiring rates and job openings drop, some worry a tough job market could be here to stay.
bbc.com
Get a grip: Robotics firms struggle to develop hands
Developing a durable and affordable hand is one of the biggest challenges in robotics.
theguardian.com
Tony Blair’s thinktank accuses Ed Miliband of driving up energy prices
Report by Tony Blair Institute urges government to drop some green policies amid criticism of decarbonisation goalAnalysis: Blair’s oil lobbying is a misleading rehash of fossil fuel industry spinTony Blair’s thinktank has accused Ed Miliband of driving up energy prices in his push to make Britain’s energy supply more environmentally friendly.The Tony Blair Institute (TBI) published a report on Friday criticising the government’s green policies and urging the energy secretary to drop some of them altogether, including almost completely decarbonising the electricity system by 2030. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Attempt to modernise NS&I has been a ‘full-spectrum disaster’, MPs find
Spending watchdog says state-owned bank exposed taxpayers to ‘unacceptable risk’ as cost spiral to £3bnAn attempt to modernise the state-owned savings bank NS&I has been a “full-spectrum disaster”, parliament’s spending watchdog has concluded in a damning report.NS&I (National Savings & Investments), which runs a popular monthly cash-prize draw for premium bond holders, has been criticised by a committee of MPs for exposing the taxpayer to “unacceptable risk” owing to the spiralling costs of its £3bn modernisation programme. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Food firms urge Europe not to ban calling non-meat products ‘sausages’
Exclusive: Manufacturers tell European Commission proposed ban would cause unnecessary confusionMore than a dozen food companies have urged the European Commission not to ban the use of words such as “sausage” and “burger” for non-meat products.Companies including Linda McCarney Foods, Quorn and THIS have signed a joint letter calling on commissioners to “let common sense prevail” ahead of a debate on the proposed ban, which they say would cause “unnecessary confusion” for customers “without helping anyone”. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Tony Blair’s oil lobbying is a misleading rehash of fossil fuel industry spin
Ex-PM’s thinktank urges more drilling and fewer renewables, ignoring evidence that clean energy is cheaper and better for billsA thinktank with close ties to Saudi Arabia and substantial funding from a Donald Trump ally needs to present a particularly robust analysis to earn the right to be listened to on the climate crisis. On that measure, Tony Blair’s latest report fails on almost every point.The Tony Blair Institute for Global Change (TBI) received money from the Saudi government, has advised the United Arab Emirates petrostate, and counts as a main donor Larry Ellison, the founder of Oracle, friend of Trump and advocate of AI. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
NHS deal with AI firm Palantir called into question after officials’ concerns revealed
Exclusive: in 2025 briefing to Wes Streeting, officials warned reputation of tech firm behind US ICE operations would hinder rollout of data system in UK Health officials fear Palantir’s reputation will hinder the delivery of a “vital” £330m NHS contract, according to briefings seen by the Guardian, sparking fresh calls for the deal to be scrapped.In 2023, ministers selected Palantir, a US surveillance technology company that also works for the Israeli military and Donald Trump’s ICE operation, to build an AI-enabled data platform to connect disparate health information across the NHS. Continue reading...
bbc.com
US antitrust chief resigns amid tensions with Trump officials
The departure of Gail Slater has raised questions about the White House's approach to policing big mergers and monopolies.
bbc.com
FTC warns Apple over alleged lack of conservative news
The tech giant is facing pressure over claims that its news app does not feature articles from conservative outlets.
bbc.com
Salmon exports remain high but Scotch whisky falls
Scottish salmon exports increased in tonnage by 9%, while the volume of Scotch whisky exports dropped by 4.3%.
bbc.com
Tesco plans to give under-18s Clubcard access this year
Consumer outlet Which? has been campaigning on access to loyalty schemes, calling it a "huge win for shoppers".
theguardian.com
Guardian view on Sir Jim Ratcliffe: Britain does not need political lectures from a billionaire tax exile | Editorial
Comments on the ‘colonisation of the UK’ by the co-owner of Manchester United were erroneous, crass and a gift to divisive forces in British societyIn 2020, the year Sir Jim Ratcliffe moved his huge fortune to Monaco, migrants in the United Kingdom made tax contributions estimated to be worth around £20bn. Sir Jim, by jetting off to a tax haven on the French Riviera, saved himself an estimated £4bn. It took some brass neck for the expat owner of Ineos and co-owner of Manchester United football club to lecture the country, using inflammatory and offensive language, on the perils of immigration.Where to begin? The statistics used by Sir Jim to back his claim that Britain was being “colonised” by migrants, in an interview with Sky News, were flatly wrong. They were also astonishingly crass, coming from a man who presides over a sporting institution famous for and proud of its global fanbase and international connections.Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
How to deal with the “Claude crash”: Relx should keep buying back shares, then buy more | Nils Pratley
The firm remains confident even as the market flips from seeing it as an AI winner to fearing its profit margin will implodeAs the FTSE 100 index bobs along close to all-time highs, it is easy to miss the quiet share price crash in one corner of the market. It’s got a name – the “Claude crash”, referencing the plug-in legal products added by the AI firm Anthropic to its Claude Cowork office assistant.This launch, or so you would think from the panicked stock market reaction in the past few weeks, marks the moment when the AI revolution rips chunks out of some of the UK’s biggest public companies – those in the dull but successful “data” game, including Relx, the London Stock Exchange Group, Experian, Sage and Informa. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Ben Jennings on Jim Ratcliffe’s ‘colonisation’ comments – cartoon
Discover and buy more of Ben’s cartoons hereOrder your own print of this cartoon from the Guardian Print Shop Continue reading...
bbc.com
Probe ordered into Daily Mail owner's £500m takeover of Telegraph
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy orders a review of the deal on public interest and competition grounds.
bbc.com
Thousands queue as beauty store arrives on island of Ireland
Almost 2,000 people joined the queue for the opening of a new store in Belfast this morning.
theguardian.com
Ratcliffe backlash: outrage over Manchester United boss comments | The Latest
The Monaco-based billionaire Jim Ratcliffe has said he is sorry that his ‘choice of language has offended some people’, after growing outrage over his comments that the UK was being ‘colonised by immigrants’.The Manchester United co-owner has faced a mounting backlash since making the remarks, which have been labelled hypocritical and reminiscent of ‘far-right narratives’.Lucy Hough speaks to the sports writer and columnist Jonathan Liew. Continue reading...
bbc.com
'Tens of thousands' affected by law firm collapse
The Solicitors Regulation Authority say an investigation into PM Law's collapse is ongoing.
theguardian.com
Ratcliffe says immigrants cost too much, while Ineos lobbies for state funding
Billionaire’s business has in recent years claimed UK and EU support for refineries and chemicals plants worth about €800mJim Ratcliffe apologises for ‘choice of language’ after saying immigrants were ‘colonising’ UKThe backlash against Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s comments about immigrants to the UK “costing too much” for the state comes at an awkward time for his loss-making Ineos business.The billionaire industrialist’s sprawling empire, which ranges from chemicals to car making, has sought government financial support worth hundreds of millions of pounds and is lobbying for further state aid from the UK and EU to stay afloat. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘People like cheap energy’: the bagel shop saving money and emissions with plug-in batteries
A pilot scheme in Brooklyn is giving businesses batteries to form an electricity storage network – part of a growing number of innovative DIY energy ideas around the worldIn the back of Black Seed Bagels in northern Brooklyn is a giant catering kitchen filled with industrial-size containers of condiments and freezers full of dough. A tall, silver electric oven named the Baconator stands in a far corner, cooking thousands of pounds of meat every week to accompany Black Seed’s hand-rolled, wood-fired bagels. The Baconator is connected to a battery the size of a carry-on suitcase, which is plugged into the wall.While the morning rush is under way, the 2.8-kilowatt-hour battery can directly power the commercial oven to reduce the company’s reliance on the electric grid, Noah Bernamoff, Black Seed’s co-owner, explained recently at the company’s Bushwick shop. Two more batteries are paired with energy-intensive refrigerators in the front. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Who is billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe and how did he make his money?
The industrialist and Manchester United co-owner has apologised over comments he made about immigration.
bbc.com
Reeves says 'more to do' after sluggish GDP growth
The chancellor's comments came after figures showed the UK economy saw a lacklustre end to 2025.
bbc.com
Civil service pension backlog 'overwhelmed' Capita, boss says
Thousands of retiring civil servants have been left without pension payments causing hardship for some.
theguardian.com
‘Another way to gamble money’: booming prediction markets prompt confusion and concern
Polymarket and Kalshi are less regulated than betting sites, but users can win or lose large sums on the platformsYadin Eldar, 21, has been betting on prediction markets since 2019. His friends think he’s “crazy”, he said. But the craze surrounding these platforms is rapidly gathering steam.Users can bet on virtually anything, from the outcome of Sunday’s Super Bowl to whether the US will invade Greenland, every second of every day. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Families falling apart because of UK’s ‘broken’ paternity leave, study suggests
About 39% of separated parents say not sharing caring responsibilities contributed to breakdown of relationshipUK politics live – latest updatesMore than one in three separated parents believe the UK’s “pitiful” paternity leave played a part in their breakup, research has suggested.The campaign groups, The Dad Shift and Movember, said hundreds of thousands of families were falling apart as a result of a parental leave system described by MPs as “one of the worst in the developed world”. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Inside Will Lewis’s tumultuous two years as publisher of the Washington Post
Before the Post’s sweeping layoffs and Lewis’s abrupt resignation, his tenure was marked by controversy and clashes with staffStanding on the seventh floor in the center of the Washington Post’s open newsroom on the morning of 3 June 2024, publisher Will Lewis decided to deliver some tough love to a news organization he had taken charge of five months earlier.Lewis, a veteran of Rupert Murdoch’s media empire, had replaced Fred Ryan, a former Ronald Reagan aide who had presided over some of the Post’s profitable years – during the first Trump administration – but lost the confidence of some staffers after clashing with employees during a late 2022 town hall. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
UK economy limps along at 0.1% growth – but there are reasons for optimism in 2026
Consumers and businesses are not yet taking the hint despite six interest rate cutsUK economy grows by only 0.1% amid falling business investmentBusiness live – latest updatesRachel Reeves has suggested 2026 is the year Labour can start to deliver on its economic promises; but 0.1% GDP growth in the final quarter of last year is hardly the springboard she was hoping for.In the supportive message on X she sent on Monday as Keir Starmer’s future appeared under threat, the chancellor claimed “the conditions for the economy to grow are there”. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Economics has failed on the climate crisis. This complexity scientist has a mind-blowing plan to fix that
Doyne Farmer says a super-simulator of the global economy would accelerate the transition to a green, clean worldIt’s a mind-blowing idea: an economic model of the world in which every company is individually represented, making realistic decisions that change as the economy changes. From this astonishing complexity would emerge forecasts of unprecedented clarity. These would be transformative: no more flying blind into global financial crashes, no more climate policies that fail to shift the dial.This super simulator could be built for what Prof Doyne Farmer calls the bargain price of $100m, thanks to advances in complexity science and computing power. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
BTS comeback tour turbocharges concert tourism, with hotel searches jumping as much as 6,700%
The announcement of South Korean boyband BTS' comeback global tour is expected to boost tourism in host cities.
theguardian.com
What bots talk about when they think humans aren’t listening – podcast
In late January a new social media site took a certain corner of the internet by storm. Moltbook was conceived as a space where AI assistants could let off steam, chat and compare notes on their bosses, but it quickly became the focus of breathless claims that the singularity had arrived as the bots started badmouthing their humans and plotting an uprising. So what’s the truth about Moltbook? Madeleine Finlay hears from Aisha Down about what it tells us about AI, and about us.What is Moltbook? The strange new social media site for AI botsSupport the Guardian: theguardian.com/sciencepod Continue reading...
bbc.com
The Dutch love four-day working weeks, but are they sustainable?
The Netherlands has the lowest working hours in Europe, but some say it is harming its economy.
theguardian.com
Chaos and confusion in El Paso after airspace closed and quickly reopened
Officials in US border city say FAA decisions caused major disruption – and residents are still scrambling for answersOfficials in Texas were left scrambling for answers on Wednesday after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a surprise order to shut down the airspace over El Paso for 10 days and then, as turmoil ensued in the city on the US-Mexico border, abruptly lifted it within hours.Local leaders in the west Texas city said that they received no prior warning or explanation and the stunning announcement had put lives at risk. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Lloyds Banking Group to close another 95 branches
The closures have been announced days after Santander said it would shut branches.
bbc.com
Would you pay £7.50 for a pint of Guinness?
A Market Rasen pub asks customers about the cost of Guinness ahead of a price increase in April.
theguardian.com
Empathy engineer: is this the £110k job of your dreams?
British applicants are missing out on lucrative contracts in the tech sector because they haven’t got a clue what the job actually isName: Empathy engineer.Age: New. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘I am never off the clock’: inside the booming world of gen Z side hustles
More young Americans are taking on side gigs to explore their passions and make extra cash while navigating an unstable job marketAashna Doshi, a software engineer at Google, is constantly monitoring her headspace. “This way I don’t burn myself out,” she said. “And I stay a lot more consistent with my podcast and content creation work.”On top of her day job in the tech giant’s security and artificial intelligence department, Doshi also publishes social media content about working in tech and her life in New York City, and records podcasts – sometimes all three in a day. Continue reading...
bbc.com
What's driving Northern Ireland's falling fuel prices?
As petrol prices fall to their lowest levels in five years, BBC News NI takes a look at what's behind the drop.
bbc.com
Netflix and Paramount are battling for Warner Bros. Who is likely to win?
What to know about the two firms' blockbuster battle to control Warner Bros Discovery.
bbc.com
How £50m 'fish disco' could save farmland
Innovative tech scares fish away from nuclear cooling pipes.
bbc.com
Why food fraud persists, even with improving tech
Even with sophisticated technology it is still difficult to detect fake foods.
bbc.com
Plane makers chase Asia's super-rich with luxe new private jets
Parts of the aviation industry are shifting towards wealthy customers and selling a more luxurious type of international travel.
bbc.com
Kids can be the harshest critics…
The candidates test their story on a group of kids.
bbc.com
Should you overpay your mortgage or save?
Martin Lewis explains.
bbc.com
Bank of England chief 'shocked' at Mandelson emails
The Bank governor criticised emails between Peter Mandelson and Jeffrey Epstein during the financial crisis.
bbc.com
The real impact of roadworks on the country - and why they're set to get worse
There is a fine balance between the benefits of improved infrastructure, versus the cost of disruption. Does the country have it right?
bbc.com
Why the railways often seem to be in such chaos over Christmas
Parts of Britain’s rail network will close for engineering work over the festive period - but is that the right time to do it?
bbc.com
Budget 2025: What's the best and worst that could happen for Labour?
Three days in, after a tax U-turn and partial climbdown on workers' rights, Laura Kuenssberg looks at what impact Budget week might have.
bbc.com
Has Britain's budget watchdog become too all-powerful?
Ahead of this week's Budget, some have accused the Office for Budget Responsibility of being a "straitjacket on growth"
bbc.com
The curious case of why Poundland is struggling during a cost-of-living crisis
Why - in an age where so many of us are feeling the financial pinch - are some budget shops on UK high streets having such a tough time?
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