Latest News
Cross-Channel train services to be cheaper to run as operator cuts charges
1743721296 from GUARDIAN
LSPH chief executive announces ‘groundbreaking proposal’ intended to grow international rail travel from the UK Cross-Channel train services serving new destinations will be cheaper to run under a scheme to grow international rail travel from the UK. London St Pancras Highspeed (LSPH), which owns and operates the railway and stations from the capital to the Channel tunnel, said it would slash charges for operators planning new routes. Continue reading...
Global markets in turmoil as Trump tariffs wipe $2tn off Wall Street
1743704181 from GUARDIAN
Economists say levies of 10-50% have dramatically added to the risk of a worldwide downturn Global financial markets have been plunged into turmoil as Donald Trump’s escalating trade war knocked trillions of dollars off the value of the world’s biggest companies and heightened fears of a US recession. As world leaders reacted to the US president’s “liberation day” tariff policies demolishing the international trading order, about $2tn (£1.5tn) was wiped off Wall Street and share prices in other financial centres across the globe. Continue reading...
Meta faces £1.8bn lawsuit over claims it inflamed violence in Ethiopia
1743703299 from GUARDIAN
Son of murdered academic calls on Facebook owner to ‘radically change how it moderates dangerous content’ Meta faces a $2.4bn (£1.8bn) lawsuit accusing the Facebook owner of inflaming violence in Ethiopia after the Kenyan high court said a legal case against the US tech group could go ahead. The case brought by two Ethiopian nationals calls on Facebook to alter its algorithm to stop promoting hateful material and incitement to violence, as well as hiring more content moderators in Africa. It is also seeking a $2.4bn “restitution fund” for victims of hate and violence incited on Facebook. Continue reading...
UK politics: Starmer warns Trump’s US tariffs not just ‘short-term tactical exercise’ – as it happened
1743699639 from GUARDIAN
PM says measures mark ‘the beginning of a new era’ for trade and the global economy Internet safety campaigners have expressed alarm about reports that the Online Safety Act could be reviewed as part of the economic deal the UK is negotiating with the US. According to a Politico report, quoting unnamed sources who have been briefed on what is in the potential deal, it will include a commitment to a review of the Digital Markets and Competition Act and the Online Safety Act. We are dismayed and appalled by reports that the Online Safety Act could be watered down to facilitate a US trade deal. We have written to Jonathan Reynolds [business secretary] urging him not to continue with an appalling sell out of children’s safety and to meet with lived experience campaigners to understand the dire consequences. The Online Safety Act offers a foundation that we believe will vastly improve children’s experiences online. For too long, too many children and young people have been exposed to harmful content, groomed, harassed and bullied online. The Government must not roll back on their commitment to making the online world safer for them, now and in the future. Continue reading...
US stock markets tumble as investors shaken by Trump tariffs
1743697865 from GUARDIAN
Dollar hits six-month low after president announces sweeping tariffs on US’s largest trade partners Trump tariffs – live updates US stock markets tumbled on Thursday as investors parsed the sweeping change in global trading following Donald Trump’s announcement of a barrage of tariffs on the country’s trading partners. All three major US index funds were down as trading started on Thursday morning. The tech-heavy Nasdaq fund was down 4.5%, while the S&P 500 and the Dow dropped 3.4% and 2.7% at opening, respectively. Apple and Nvidia, two of the US’s largest companies by market value, had lost a combined $470bn in value by midday. Continue reading...
UK takes first step towards possible retaliation against US tariffs
1743695472 from GUARDIAN
Jonathan Reynolds tells MPs he is keeping ‘all options on the table’ after Trump’s announcement of import taxes on British goods Business live – latest updates The UK has launched a formal process to retaliate against Donald Trump’s tariffs if it does not secure a trade deal with the US, the business secretary has said. Jonathan Reynolds told the Commons he was taking the first step towards retaliatory action against the US so as “to keep all options on the table”. Continue reading...
Macron calls Trump’s tariffs ‘brutal and unfounded’ and warns France could suspend US investments – Europe live
1743694106 from GUARDIAN
President says ‘nothing can be ruled out’ in response to US measures What are tariffs and why do they matter? French prime minister François Bayrou told reporters that Donald Trump’s tariffs marked “a catastrophe” for the global economy, and posed “an immense difficulty” for Europe. Speaking on the margins of a meeting in the French Senate, he also said the move will be “a catastrophe for the US and for US citizens.” Continue reading...
Tata redundancy scheme targeted older, non-Indian nationals in UK, tribunal hears
1743693379 from GUARDIAN
Three claimants allege Mumbai-based consultancy firm discriminated against them during restructuring A UK division of the Indian conglomerate Tata “deliberately orchestrated” a redundancy programme in a way that unfairly targeted older, non-Indian nationals, an employment tribunal has heard. Three claimants allege the Mumbai-based Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), which is valued at almost £110bn on the BSE stock exchange in Mumbai, discriminated against them on grounds of age and nationality during a restructuring that began in mid-2023. Continue reading...
‘Generational shift’: UK gyms busier than ever as gen Zers ditch pub for pilates
1743693012 from GUARDIAN
More health-conscious young people take total to 11.5m memberships, report finds, as experts cite social aspect alongside fitness Record numbers of Britons are going to the gym, as the desire of many gen Zers to socialise while getting fit instead of drinking in the pub drives an unprecedented surge in membership, a report shows. In all, 11.5 million people aged 16 and over– a new high – now belong to a gym in the UK, a rise of 1.6 million from 2022. It means one in six people have taken out a membership. Continue reading...
Percy Pig’s US adventure may be short-lived as M&S responds to Trump tariffs
1743689251 from GUARDIAN
Retailer’s ‘gift to America’ could be hit by new taxes as it also adjusts to new rules on advertising high fat, sugar and salt foods Business live – latest updates Global stock markets plunge and US dollar tumbles Percy Pig’s US invasion could be called to a halt amid fears that Donald Trump’s tariffs could affect sales of Marks & Spencer’s popular confectionery brand which has just launched in Target stores across the Atlantic. Archie Norman, the chair of M&S, has described Percy as the retailer’s “gift to America” but he told the Retail Technology Show in London that “we might have to change our minds” as Trump imposes additional taxes on imported goods. While M&S is not considering withdrawing the sweets, tariffs could push up prices and make them less popular. Continue reading...
Trump’s ‘idiotic’ and flawed tariff calculations stun economists
1743687535 from GUARDIAN
‘Willing sycophants’ came up with simplistic formula that has thrown global economy into disarray US politics live – latest updates UK politics live –latest updates Europe live – latest updates Waving a big chart as a prop in the White House Rose Garden, Donald Trump suggested his new tariff plan was simple: “Reciprocal – that means they do it to us, and we do it to them. Very simple. Can’t get simpler than that.” Perhaps a bit too simple. The method used to calculate the most important numbers in international trade, politics and economics has left some of the world’s leading experts shocked. Goods trade deficit: $291.9bn Total goods imports: $438.9bn Those figures divided = 0.67, or 67% And halved = 34% Reciprocal tariffs are calculated as the tariff rate necessary to balance bilateral trade deficits between the US and each of our trading partners. This calculation assumes that persistent trade deficits are due to a combination of tariff and non-tariff factors that prevent trade from balancing. Continue reading...
‘Creating chaos and crisis’: Democrats slam Trump’s sweeping tariffs as global markets tumble – live
1743687210 from GUARDIAN
Democrats accuse Trump of ruining US economy on purpose and note the lack of tariffs for Russia Global markets react to Trump tariffs – follow live Analysis: Trump promised lower prices – his tariffs risk the opposite In the aftermath of the disastrous debate against Donald Trump that ultimately ended his political career, Joe Biden skipped a White House meeting with the congressional Progressive caucus in favor of a Camp David photoshoot with the fashion photographer Annie Leibovitz, a new book says. “You need to cancel that,” Ron Klain, Biden’s former chief of staff and debate prep leader, told the president, as he advocated securing the endorsement of the group of powerful progressive politicians perhaps key to his remaining the Democratic nominee. Continue reading...
Co-op to open at least 120 more grocery shops after profits rise five-fold
1743686325 from GUARDIAN
Mutual reports increase from £28m to £161m, but says ministers ‘layering costs’ on retailers could hit high streets The Co-operative Group plans to open at least a further 120 grocery shops this year after profits rose more than fivefold, but told the government that “layering costs” on retailers could hit high streets and communities. The mutual, which owns more than 800 funeral parlours and an insurance and legal advisory business as well as operating more than 2,000 convenience shops, said changes to employers’ national insurance contributions (NICs) and packaging regulations were expected to add £80m to its costs this year. It also lost £80m to shoplifters last year despite spending millions on new security measures. Continue reading...
Luton airport allowed to double capacity after UK government overrules planners
1743685743 from GUARDIAN
Transport secretary Heidi Alexander grants consent to London’s fourth-biggest airport to allow potential 32m passengers a year Luton airport will be allowed to almost double in capacity after the government overruled planning inspectors who recommended blocking the scheme on environmental grounds. The transport secretary, Heidi Alexander, granted a development consent order for the airport’s plans to expand its perimeter and add a new terminal, allowing for a potential 32 million passengers a year. Continue reading...
Trapped with a Tesla: my dream car has become a living nightmare | The secret Tesla driver
1743685245 from GUARDIAN
I bought it to be part of a greener future, but that was before Musk proved so awful. I’d sell it now, but prices have dropped After our children left home, my wife and I decided to treat ourselves and buy a new car for a driving holiday in Europe. We’d been driving a family estate car for years, loading it up with kids and making trips to and from universities, but we wanted something for ourselves. As a surprise, she booked a test drive for the Tesla Model S for my birthday. It was unlike any car I’d been in before. I thought “Wow, this is amazing.” It felt like the future: a computer on wheels that was constantly updating with new features. I can’t say I feel that way now – and many people seem to share that view. Tesla sales figures declined by 13% in the first few months of this year. Others feel even more uneasy: more than 200 demonstrations happened last weekend outside company facilities around the world to protest against Elon Musk and the wrecking ball he has taken to the federal government. Continue reading...
Plan for Norfolk megafarm rejected by councillors over environmental concerns
1743685201 from GUARDIAN
Application, submitted by Cranswick, would have created one of the largest industrial poultry and pig units in Europe A megafarm that would have reared almost 900,000 chickens and pigs at any one time has been blocked by councillors in Norfolk over climate change and environmental concerns. Councillors on King’s Lynn and West Norfolk borough council unanimously rejected an application to build what would have been one of the largest industrial poultry and pig units in Europe. Continue reading...
World Bank announces multimillion-dollar redress fund after killings and abuse claims at Tanzanian project
1743682310 from GUARDIAN
Communities in Ruaha national park reject response to alleged assault and evictions of herders during tourism scheme funded by the bank The World Bank is embarking on a multimillion-dollar programme in response to alleged human rights abuses against Tanzanian herders during a flagship tourism project it funded for seven years. Allegations made by pastoralist communities living in and around Ruaha national park include violent evictions, sexual assaults, killings, forced disappearances and large-scale cattle seizures from herders committed by rangers working for the Tanzanian national park authority (Tanapa). Continue reading...
Revealed: Trump’s fossil-fuel donors to profit from data-center boom and green rollbacks
1743681647 from GUARDIAN
Energy Transfer, a top backer of US president, has received requests to power even more energy-guzzling data centers Oil and gas barons who donated millions of dollars to the Trump campaign are on the cusp of cashing in on the administration’s support for energy-guzzling data centers – and a slew of unprecedented environmental rollbacks. Energy Transfer, the oil and gas transport company behind the Dakota Access pipeline, has received requests to power 70 new data centers – a 75% rise since Trump took office, according to a new investigation by the advocacy non-profit Oil Change International (OCI) and the Guardian. Continue reading...
Our lives depend on seeds. Trump’s cuts put our vast reserves at risk | Thor Hanson
1743681643 from GUARDIAN
Maintaining seed diversity and abundance is essential – and requires constant work. It’s time for Congress to return to the seed business From 1862 until 1923, US senators and members of Congress provided vast numbers of seeds to constituents. At its peak, the congressional seed distribution program delivered over 60m seed packets directly to farmers and market gardeners every year, helping introduce new varieties of everything from wheat and corn to oats, soybeans, flowers and vegetables. A century later, far fewer Americans till the soil for a living, but seeds remain central to our lives. To understand the importance of seeds, try to imagine a morning without them. It would begin naked on a bare mattress, with no cozy sheets or pajamas, and there would be no fluffy towel to wrap up in after your shower. All of those things come from the seeds of the cotton plant. Stumbling wet into the kitchen, you would find no coffee, and no toast or bagel to go with it. There would be no eggs, no bacon, no cereal, no milk. All of those staples come from seeds or from livestock raised on seed crops. And if you thought you might console yourself with a chocolate bar, you can forget it. Cocoa powder, and the cocoa butter that makes it melt in your mouth, are both derived from seeds. Continue reading...
Top genome scientists to map DNA sequence of invertebrate winner 2025
1743678300 from GUARDIAN
Sanger Institute’s Tree of Life team say genomes offer invaluable insight into how species will fare under climate crisis Voting is now open! Vote for your favourite here “We are following the ‘invertebrate of the year’ series with bated breath,” began the email that arrived in the Guardian’s inbox last week. Mark Blaxter leads the Sanger Institute’s Tree of Life programme, a project that sequences species’ DNA to understand the diversity and origins of life on Earth. But far more importantly, Blaxter and his team are superfans of our invertebrate of the year competition and have offered to map the genome sequence of whoever wins this year. Continue reading...
Trump tariffs could undermine Brexit deal in Northern Ireland
1743677629 from GUARDIAN
US president imposes two-tier rate on island of Ireland, raising concerns over impact on 1998 peace pact Trump’s tariffs: the full list Business live – latest updates Donald Trump’s tariff plan could undermine the Brexit deal between the EU and the UK for trading arrangements in Northern Ireland, a highly sensitive agreement designed to maintain the 1998 peace pact. As part of the president’s attempt to spur on a “rebirth” of the US, Trump has imposed a two-tier tariff rate on the island of Ireland – with a 20% tax on exports from the republic but a 10% rate on the UK including Northern Ireland. Continue reading...
Trump’s tariffs: the full list
1743673726 from GUARDIAN
US president Donald Trump yesterday produced a chart of all the new tariffs he was announcing, affecting trade with countries across the world. Here is the list as he displayed it The president displayed the top of his list from a podium in the White House Rose Garden, and later published a longer version. Note that the “tariffs charged to the USA” in Trump’s formulation include “trade barriers” so don’t necessarily align with the tariffs published by countries concerned. Continue reading...
Climate crisis on track to destroy capitalism, warns top insurer
1743673270 from GUARDIAN
Action urgently needed to save the conditions under which markets – and civilisation itself – can operate, says senior Allianz figure The climate crisis is on track to destroy capitalism, a top insurer has warned, with the vast cost of extreme weather impacts leaving the financial sector unable to operate. The world is fast approaching temperature levels where insurers will no longer be able to offer cover for many climate risks, said Günther Thallinger, on the board of Allianz SE, one of the world’s biggest insurance companies. He said that without insurance, which is already being pulled in some places, many other financial services become unviable, from mortgages to investments. Continue reading...
What Trump’s tariffs could mean for UK consumers
1743672346 from GUARDIAN
A global trade war could affect everything from prices to pensions, and inflation to interest rates Donald Trump’s announcement that the US will put tariffs on goods from around the world, including a 10% charge on UK imports, has signalled the start of a global trade war. Although the UK is threatened with a lower tariff than many other countries, for UK consumers there could still be some fallout. How it all plays out remains unclear. Continue reading...
Asian countries riven by war and disaster face some of steepest Trump tariffs
1743671612 from GUARDIAN
Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos hit with rates over 40% as experts say the real target is China Business live – latest updates Developing nations in south-east Asia, including war-torn and earthquake-hit Myanmar, and several African nations are among the trading partners facing the highest tariffs set by Donald Trump. Upending decades of US trade policy and threatening to unleash a global trade war, the US president announced a raft of tariffs on Wednesday that he said were designed to stop the US economy from being “cheated”. Continue reading...
‘We introduced avocado to the high street!’ How Pret conquered London – and began eyeing the rest of the world
1743670849 from GUARDIAN
The sandwich chain now has 274 branches in the capital. How did it grow so huge – and can anything stop it getting even bigger? At 93-95 Victoria Street, Westminster, a blue plaque marks a piece of London history: the first ever branch of Pret a Manger opened on this spot on 22 July 1986. Nearly 40 years later, it is still going strong. It’s a nice story – but it’s not the whole story. Look closer and the plaque states that the first Pret sandwich shop opened “near here”. In fact, it was down the road, at 75b, now a branch of Toni & Guy. Except … that wasn’t the first shop, either. The original Pret opened two years earlier and five miles to the north, in Hampstead. It went bust after a year and the founder, Jeffrey Hyman, sold the name, branding and logo to Julian Metcalfe and Sinclair Beecham, who reopened in Westminster. Continue reading...
'Trump called it liberation day, I call it inflation day': EU parliament's trade chief – video
1743669772 from GUARDIAN
The president of the European parliament's international trade committee has said Trump's declaration that the introduction of tariffs was 'liberation day' for the US would in reality be 'inflation day'. Speaking at a press conference in Brussels, Bernd Lange said the US tariffs were unfair and warned that consumers and businesses would bear the cost. 'It's totally clear that these tariffs will increase prices in the United States and I guess also ... in the European Union' UK ministers will respond to US tariffs with ‘calm heads’, Starmer tells business chiefs Trump’s tariffs – five key takeaways Continue reading...
Global stock markets fall and dollar dives as Trump tariffs push investors to safe assets
1743668273 from GUARDIAN
Asian and European markets plummet after falls on Wall street, with Nasdaq down 3.3% and US dollar at six-month low Business live – latest updates Global stocks have fallen sharply and the US dollar hit a six-month low after Donald Trump unveiled sweeping tariffs against America’s global trade partners in a move that is expected to upend supply chains and cause economic turmoil. European markets opened lower on Thursday after a sharp selloff across Asia and US futures signalled similar falls when Wall Street opens. Continue reading...
Asian markets plunge and US dollar slides after Trump tariff announcement – business live
1743661844 from GUARDIAN
Ursula von der Leyen says tariffs a ‘major blow’ to world economy after US President Trump targets allies on what he dubbed ‘liberation day’ Full report: Trump announces sweeping new tariffs, upending decades of US trade policy Analysis: Trump’s wall of tariffs is likely to raise prices and cause chaos for business The new US tariffs “will only create losers” with US consumers particularly hard hit, the German Automotive Industry Association (VDA), has said in a statement, calling on the EU “to act together and with the necessary force, while continuing to signal its willingness to negotiate.” The body, which represents the powerful German auto industry, said the tariffs marked the United States’ departure from the rules-based global trade order – and thus a departure from the foundation for global value creation and corresponding growth and prosperity in many regions of the world. This is not America first; this is America alone. Continue reading...
Weatherwatch: Mixed woodlands can help temper weather extremes, study shows
1743656423 from GUARDIAN
Species-rich plot can produce cooling effect 4C greater than single-species plot Woodland with lots of different kinds of trees can do a good job of buffering heatwaves and extreme cold. Now a new study demonstrates that increasing the mix of species can help to mitigate climate extremes. Florian Schnabel, from the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research in Leipzig, and colleagues measured forest temperatures over a six-year period at the world’s largest tree diversity experiment in Xingangshan, in subtropical China. Their results, published in Ecology Letters, show that species-rich plots provided the greatest cooling effect during summer, with cooling more than 4C greater in an experimental plot with 24 species compared with a single-species plot. Diverse plots also maintained more warmth under the tree canopy on cold nights and during winter. Continue reading...
Trump tariff global reaction – country by country
1743655779 from GUARDIAN
The US president’s new tariff regime on every country threatens to unleash a global trade war. Here we explore how the world is responding Trump tariff reaction – live updates Global markets and businesses were reeling on Thursday, as US president Donald Trump announced sweeping tariffs on major trade partners and struggling countries alike. Trump’s new policies set a baseline tariff of 10% on all goods coming into the US, taking the a maximum rate to more than 50% on imports from some countries. It marks the biggest upheaval of global trade norms since the second world war. The US president said that these levies were aimed at targeting decades of unfair trade practices which had disadvantaged the US. Continue reading...
Country diary: They look like tiny green toenails. So why the name ‘maidenhair’ spleenwort? Sara Hudston
1743654622 from GUARDIAN
Bridport, Dorset: The common fern’s name was inspired by another phase of its life cycle, when fronds die off and spindly threads of stem remain in luxuriant, wiry tufts The modest clumps of fern clustering on the wall have a strangely reptilian appearance. Their short, slightly wavy green fronds with blackish central stems seem frozen in mid-writhe, as if they are the tails of lizards disappearing into cracks. Maidenhair spleenwort is one of the commonest small ferns. It grows in stony places almost worldwide, with many subspecies and hybrids. The type found most often in the UK thrives on limestone (Asplenium trichomanes subspecies quadrivalens). It’s widespread in towns, where the damp, gritty, lime-based mortar of old buildings provides an ideal habitat similar to mountain scree. Shopping in Bridport, I notice it growing on the boundary of a public car park. Continue reading...
Big, biodiverse and beautiful: can Romania’s centuries-old giant haystacks survive modern farming?
1743652822 from GUARDIAN
Traditional methods benefit hundreds of species but as new agricultural techniques take over, the distinctive haystacks mark a vanishing way of life Golden haystacks shaped like teardrops have been a symbol of rural life in Romania for hundreds of years. The 3-metre-high (10ft) ricks are the culmination of days of hard work by families, from children up to grandparents, in the height of summer. Together they cut waist-high grass, leave it to dry in the hot sun and stack it up to be stored over the winter, combing the hay downwards to protect it from harsh winds, heavy rain and snow. Throughout winter, clumps of it are removed from the haystacks and fed to livestock. Continue reading...
Liberation from what? Trump promised lower prices – his tariffs risk the opposite
1743635268 from GUARDIAN
Trump pledged to liberate the nation from higher prices, and is betting tariffs won’t raise them too high, for too long For weeks, Donald Trump and his aides sought to brand Wednesday as “liberation day” in America. Many in the US could be forgiven for wondering what exactly they’ve just been liberated from. After much hype, the president unveiled his plan for a new era in global trade: a blanket 10% tariff on goods imported into the US starting Saturday, and higher “reciprocal” tariffs (of up to 49%) on countries taxing US exports starting next Wednesday. Continue reading...
Why Starmer’s trade diplomacy may still bear fruit despite 10% tariffs on UK
1743627737 from GUARDIAN
Retaliation may not be needed as Britain likely to be ‘front of the queue’ in agreeing deal to redraw trade relationship What is the best way to respond to Donald Trump and his sweeping tariffs? Keir Starmer thinks the answer is to tread softly, softly – while engaging in intensive negotiations behind the scenes. There are signs that this strategy is bearing fruit. On Wednesday night, the president announced “reciprocal tariffs on countries throughout the world” including a 10% import tax on UK exports to the US – crucially, lower than the 20% imposed on the EU. The 10% rate was the lowest rate Trump announced and applied to several other countries including Australia, Singapore and Brazil. 100 days of Trump’s presidency, with Jonathan Freedland and guests Continue reading...
Trump hits UK with 10% tariffs as he ignites global trade war
1743627549 from GUARDIAN
Britain wins relatively favourable treatment as president accuses trading partners of looting and pillaging US US politics – latest updates Donald Trump hit the UK with tariffs of 10% on exports to the US as he ignited a global trade war that could wipe billions off economic growth. The US president accused other nations, including allies, of “looting, pillaging, raping and plundering” the US, as he announced tariffs on economic rivals including 20% on the EU and 34% on China. Continue reading...
Trump hours away from unveiling global tariffs in possible shake-up of US economic strategy – live
1743619070 from GUARDIAN
US president claims tariffs part of a ‘liberation day’ that could include levies for China, Brazil, India and the European Union Donald Trump’s planned tariffs will be negative across the world, with the damage depending on how far they go, how long they last and whether they lead to successful negotiations, the European Central Bank head, Christine Lagarde, said on Wednesday. The Trump administration on Wednesday is set to announce “reciprocal tariffs” targeting nations that have duties on US goods. That move would come after it slapped new import levies on products from Mexico, China and Canada – the top US trading partners – as well as on goods including steel and autos. Wisconsin beat the billionaire. Wisconsin cannot be bought. Our democracy is not for sale. And when we fight, we win. Congratulations, @CrawfordForWI Continue reading...
US banks predict climate goals will fail – but air conditioning firms will thrive
1743615592 from GUARDIAN
Reports predict global heating will bring catastrophes and that air conditioning market could grow by 41% The world is on track for disastrous global heating – but this will create profits for some air conditioning companies, according to forecasts by leading Wall Street financial institutions. Recent reports by Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan Chase and the Institute of International Finance all make clear the finance sector considers the Paris climate agreement limiting global temperatures, signed a decade ago by nearly 200 nations, is effectively dead and investors should plan accordingly. Continue reading...
The Guardian view on dignity at the workplace: good for the economy as well as society | Editorial
1743615092 from GUARDIAN
Labour must ignore the business lobbies and forge ahead with Angela Rayner’s landmark employment rights bill A few years ago, the Harvard professor Michael Sandel used an episode in his Radio 4 series The Public Philosopher to discuss perspectives on the value of work. Canvassing the views of a Dagenham audience ranging from low-paid retail employees to white‑collar professionals, Prof Sandel drew two principal conclusions: work was widely viewed as a potential source of self-esteem and communal purpose; but for too many its oppressive reality was one of stress, precarity and a sense of disempowerment. Some of the bleak consequences of that divide are outlined in the impact assessments accompanying Angela Rayner’s employment rights bill, which is now passing through the House of Lords. In 2022/23, for example, 17.1m working days were lost due to stress, depression or anxiety – equivalent to an estimated £5bn in lost output. Around 2 million employees reported anxiety due to a lack of clarity over the number of hours they will work, or shifts suddenly being changed. A lack of adequate employment protection means that some 4,000 pregnant women and mothers returning from maternity leave lose their jobs each year. Continue reading...
Heathrow should not mark its own homework on energy resilience | Nils Pratley
1743614789 from GUARDIAN
External review of choice to close after fire would have more credibility than one by a board director. It is not too late “We purchase and pay for a resilient setup from our suppliers,” Thomas Woldbye, Heathrow’s under-pressure chief executive, told the transport select committee, adding that the airport racked up energy costs of £135m a year. “Are we then also supposed to have a setup next to it? And then we would have to have a whole power station at the cost of billions to the airlines.” So runs Heathrow’s case that there was no alternative to closing the airport for a full day last month after a fire knocked out a nearby National Grid substation, one of three serving the airport. Continue reading...
Reeves defends Labour’s £40bn tax rise as businesses prepare for NICs hike
1743613717 from GUARDIAN
Chancellor says autumn budget enabled £25bn of extra investment into NHS and shorter waiting lists Rachel Reeves has defended the £40bn in tax increases in autumn’s budget as businesses brace for their impact, saying NHS waiting lists would now be higher if she had not taken action. Employers are set for a £25bn increase in national insurance contributions (NICs), which comes into force on 6 April, at the same time as consumers are being hit by a slew of increases in bills for everything from utilities to car tax. Continue reading...
Trump’s tariff war – a timeline of key announcements and events
1743611085 from GUARDIAN
US president’s erratic approach has fuelled a dizzying array of tariff measures, before pausing or changing them, prompting a chaotic series of responses Donald Trump is sending shock waves through the global economy by waging trade wars with the US’s traditional allies and enemies alike. The president is using tariffs – border taxes levied on imports – to tackle what he sees as “unfair” trading practices by US trading partners. The aim is to promote US manufacturing by making foreign imports more expensive; to raise revenue, and to use tariffs as a bargaining chip with trading partners. Continue reading...
I don’t want to die with a freezer full of seeds. It’s time to rethink biodiversity and preservation | Chris Smith
1743609607 from GUARDIAN
Hurricane Helene proved a hard truth: a freezer of seeds is the literal version of putting all your eggs in one basket About a month after Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina last fall, Roger Wynn and I met in an Asheville, North Carolina, supermarket parking lot. He’d driven two hours from Little Mountain, South Carolina, where the passing storm had also left its destructive mark. “When the power finally came back on,” Wynn said, “two of my freezers didn’t work.” Wynn was worried not about spoiled food inside, but his seed collection. On that autumn day, in an act of forced downsizing and seed philanthropy, Wynn handed over two boxes filled with seeds. He wanted me, as founder of the non-profit Utopian Seed Project, to share the seeds with farmers across the region. The boxes contained a trove of Appalachian varieties: speckled field peas, white mountain half-runner beans, purple-podded bush beans and lots of butterbeans. Continue reading...
Environment secretary’s appeal against Yorkshire river pollution ruling fails
1743609054 from GUARDIAN
Appeal court finds in favour of anglers who said plans to clean up river were so vague as to be totally ineffectual UK politics live – latest updates A group of anglers trying to restore the ecosystem of a river have seen off a challenge by the environment secretary, Steve Reed, who claimed that cleaning up the waterway was administratively unworkable. Reed pursued an appeal against a group of anglers from North Yorkshire, who had won a legal case arguing that the government and the Environment Agency’s plans to clean up the Upper Costa Beck, a former trout stream devastated by sewage pollution and runoff, were so vague they were ineffectual. Continue reading...
Ex-Barclays boss ‘took a chance’ in lying about his links to Jeffrey Epstein, court hears
1743603157 from GUARDIAN
UK financial regulator claims Jes Staley feared telling the truth could end his career and fuel potential lawsuits by victims The former chief executive of Barclays Jes Staley took a “chance” in lying to the UK regulator about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, amid fears that being truthful could end his career and fuel potential lawsuits by victims of the jailed paedophile, a court has heard. The allegations were made by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) during closing statements for the high-profile case at the upper tribunal in London on Wednesday. Continue reading...
In the event of a hung parliament, one wildcard has been largely overlooked – the Nationals
1743602406 from GUARDIAN
If Peter Dutton needs to court the crossbench to form minority government after the election, he would risk putting his Coalition partner offside on climate and environment policy Interactive guide to electorates in the Australian election Listen to the first episode of our new narrative podcast series: Gina See all our Australian election 2025 coverage Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast If the Coalition wins the election, it will face a concerted push from its junior partner, the Nationals, to weaken and even abandon climate initiatives and promote coal as an interim measure in the Coalition’s nuclear power plan. That would put Peter Dutton and the Liberals between a rock and a hard place should he seek to form a minority government, given that might require the support of environmentally minded crossbenchers. Continue reading...
Turtle doves to be shot for sport again across Europe as EU lifts hunting ban
1743601187 from GUARDIAN
Ban in place since 2021 has increased numbers of globally vulnerable pigeon species that is close to extinction in UK Turtle doves will be allowed to be shot for sport again across Europe, as the EU lifts a ban on hunting that was credited with the species’ tentative recovery. The EU will allow hunters to shoot 132,000 birds across Spain, France and Italy after the threatened bird enjoyed a population boom in western Europe because of a hunting ban that came into effect in 2021. Continue reading...
Tesla quarterly sales slump 13% amid backlash against Elon Musk
1743600943 from GUARDIAN
Drop is likely combination of ageing lineup, increased competition and backlash to Musk’s politics Tesla sales declined in the first three months of the year, another sign that Elon Musk’s once high-flying electric car company is struggling to attract buyers. The drop of 13% is likely due to combination of factors, including its ageing lineup, competition from rivals and a backlash from Musk’s embrace of rightwing politics. It also is a warning that the company’s first-quarter earnings report later this month could disappoint investors. Continue reading...
The price of flip-flops: can they ever be worth £670?
1743600810 from GUARDIAN
If you’ve just bought a pair of these rubber sandals, you may want to think twice before wearing them down to the beach Name: Flip-flops. Age: They date from 1500BC, although the modern version is adapted from Japanese thonged sandals called zori, brought back by US soldiers returning from the second world war. Continue reading...