61 m. ago France avoids recession as economy returns to growth; UK house prices drop – business live

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial newsChina manufacturing activity plummets amid Trump tariff warAverage UK house prices fell this month, lender Nationwide reports, after the rush to avoid an increase in stamp duty faded.According to Nationwide, house prices fell by 0.6% in April, with the average price dropping to £270,752 from £271,316 in March.Early indications suggest there was a significant jump in transactions in March, with buyers bringing forward their purchases to avoid additional tax obligations.“The market is likely to remain a little soft in the coming months, following the pattern typically observed following the end of stamp duty holidays. Nevertheless, activity is likely to pick up steadily as summer progresses, despite wider economic uncertainties in the global economy, since underlying conditions for potential home buyers in the UK remain supportive. Continue reading...

Economics

65 m. ago From M*A*S*H to The Sympathizer: 12 TV shows shaped by the Vietnam War (cloned)

If you wanted to find the Vietnam War in American television shows, you mostly had to wait until it was long over

Events

85 m. ago 10 fiction and nonfiction books to understand the Vietnam War

The Vietnam War inspired enduring literature, from both sides of the world

Events

1 hour ago A divisive Will Smith action film with a unique twist is airing on TV tonight

The film is one of the biggest box office bombs of its time

Culture

2 h. ago Sudanese return to their homeland, hoping for stability but finding it still wrecked by war

Sudanese are cautiously starting to return to their homes, hoping for some stability after the military retook the capital, Khartoum, and other areas from its rival, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces

Events

2 h. ago A young couple in Ukraine delighted in first love. Then the war came for them

A young couple in Kyiv surprised their parents with the intensity of their first love

Events

2 h. ago PHOTO ESSAY: For the Vietnamese diaspora, Saigon's fall 50 years ago evokes mixed emotions

When the South Vietnamese capital of Saigon fell to the North Vietnamese forces 50 years ago this week, it prompted a mass exodus of some 2 million people — hundreds of thousands fleeing perilously on small boats across open water to escape the communist regime.

Culture

2 h. ago Carême review – a sexy French romp about a chef who’s too spicy to handle

It’s hard to resist this moreish story about Napoleon’s renegade pastry chef (who is also a spy). Orgies, opium and tantalising fun with whipped cream are all on the menuMuch like the desserts whipped up by its titular cook, Carême is a rich, moreish and knowingly indulgent treat. This swashbuckling French period drama follows the “world’s first celebrity chef” Antonin Carême as he cavorts around Paris in the early 1800s under the watchful eye of first consul Napoleon Bonaparte, whom he has sworn to hate as he holds him responsible for the death of his adopted sister. It is about as understated as a 12-course tasting menu. But as it scoffs and seduces its way through the Napoleonic era, it’s hard not to fall for the extravagant charms of the Bake Off: extra spice.Carême (a twinkly-eyed Benjamin Voisin, in full rock-star mode) is a principled young renegade and preternaturally talented pastry chef who makes his disdain for Napoleon clear from the beginning. Despite being midway throu...

Politics

3 h. ago Despite a slew of broken car mirrors, Massachusetts residents take woodpecker invasion in stride

During the War of 1812, residents of Rockport, Massachusetts, hurled rocks at British soldiers using their stockings as slings

Events

3 h. ago Trump's tariffs loom over the economy as shipments from China fall

American businesses are cancelling orders from China, postponing expansion plans and hunkering down to see what trade policy surprises President Donald Trump plans to spring on them next

Politics

3 h. ago Tariffs hit home for small US businesses that rely on Chinese imports

Growing worries that a trade war could suffocate a crucial driver of employment and economic growth

Economics

3 h. ago Russia has offered a short ceasefire in Ukraine – but here’s what Putin really wants | Andriy Yermak

As part of the price for peace, Moscow would like sanctions on Russian airlines lifted. That’s no surprise: they’re vital to the Kremlin’s war machineOn Monday, the Kremlin offered a three-day pause in hostilities against Ukraine in May, to coincide with Moscow’s celebrations of the end of the second world war. In a context where Ukraine is calling for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire, and the US a permanent one, Russia wants concessions before a lasting pause or permanent peace can even be discussed. Central to the Kremlin’s demands is the removal of sanctions – especially those restricting its aviation sector.We must be cautious not to make concessions prematurely, under the guise of quick progress. The short pause offered would not make a meaningful difference to the war, and accepting it would enable a regime that has repeatedly shown intent to prolong its war of aggression and undermine this chance for a just, fair and lasting peace.Andriy Yermak is head of the Ukrainian presi...

Politics

3 h. ago Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes review – the horror is still breathtaking

This dreadfully suspenseful four-parter about the killing of the innocent Brazilian man reveals the staggering number of blunders that led up to itIn Britain, we are not short of stories of police incompetence, malfeasance or deception, but the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes stands out because the manner of his death is so shocking. De Menezes, a 27-year-old Brazilian working as an electrician in London, boarded the tube at Stockwell station on the morning of 22 July 2005. Moments later, before the carriage doors could close, armed police sprinted on to the train and shot him seven times, point blank, in the head. De Menezes had been mistaken for a suicide bomber; he was entirely innocent of any crime.Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes, a four-part drama by Jeff Pope, portrays the horror of that moment with breathtaking clarity. The sheer power and speed of the killing are viscerally startling: De Menezes (Edison Alcaide) is tackled, pinned and shot before he can ...

Events

3 h. ago Celebrations in Ho Chi Minh City mark 50 years since end of Vietnam war

Thousands gather to see parade featuring marching troops and an air show of Russian-made fighter jets and helicoptersThousands of Vietnamese people have celebrated the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam war, in what the country’s communist leader said was a “victory of justice over tyranny”.Celebrations culminated in a grand parade in Ho Chi Minh City with thousands of marching troops and an airshow featuring Russian-made fighter jets and helicopters, as Vietnamese waved red flags and sang patriotic songs. Continue reading...

Events

5 h. ago Ukraine war briefing: UN slashes humanitarian aid after ‘sharp’ fall in funding

Official says UN and its partners have ‘reprioritised’ operations in Ukraine, amid wider drop in aid funding from the US. What we know on day 1,162Faced with a drastic drop in funding, the United Nations will scale back its humanitarian aid efforts in Ukraine, an official from its humanitarian affairs office said on Tuesday. In January, the UN appealed for $2.63bn in funding to assist 6 million people who need aid in Ukraine. But due to a “sharp contraction” in humanitarian funding, “the UN and its partners have further reprioritised” operations in Ukraine to reach 4.8 million people with $1.75bn, Joyce Msuya of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) told the UN security council.“The objective is to reach those most at risk and most in need, centring on four core response priorities: people near the frontline, evacuations, emergency response after strikes, and aid to the most vulnerable among the internally displaced people,” she said. “Without increased supp...

Events

6 h. ago Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds put on a brave face as they step out amid ANOTHER Justin Baldoni bombshell

Blake Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds put on a brave face as they stepped out together in NYC on Tuesday following yet another bombshell amid their lawsuit with Justin Baldoni.

Events

6 h. ago Trump doubles down on trade war with China and insists Americans ‘signed up for this’

The president also denied that there would be tough economic periods for Americans, saying instead that he believed ‘great times’ were ahead

Politics

6 h. ago Canada election result: Mark Carney's defiant vow aimed at Donald Trump after poll victory

Donald Trump's trade war dominated the Canada election campaigns - but the US President saw Mark Carney and his Liberal Party claim a remarkable triumph on Tuesday

Politics

7 h. ago Thousands left without power in London after windy afternoon rain storm

Thousands left without power in London after windy afternoon rain storm  CBC

Events

8 h. ago Trump reveals what he really thinks about Jeff Bezos after declaring WAR on billionaire over Amazon tariffs

Donald Trump said he was able to settle things with Jeff Bezos Tuesday afternoon after Amazon caved and said it would remove a line for the cost of tariffs on the price tag for products.

Politics