3 h. ago Price hike on Shein? How Trump tariffs could shift the US’s love of fast fashion

Trump ended the ‘de-minimis’ rule while launching a trade war with China – which will make retail giants such as Temu more expensive, experts sayAfter a chaotic week of flip-flopping tariff policies, cheap clothes from China are nearly certain to face a steep price hike soon – prompting concern among fast fashion retailers and potentially pushing consumers to look for other alternatives.As part of a package of global tariff policies announced on “liberation day” last week, Donald Trump signed an executive order that ended a duty-free exemption for low-priced goods to enter the US from China and Hong Kong. Known as the “de-minimis” rule, packages under $800 do not qualify for any taxes or tariffs on the goods and are inspected minimally at the border. Continue reading...

Politics

20 h. ago Chris Riddell on Donald ‘Captain America’ Trump wielding his tariff shield – cartoon

Is the president really ready to do battle with China after causing global chaos and undermining the US economy?You can buy a copy of this cartoon Continue reading...

Politics

26 h. ago Hundreds of flights cancelled and millions told to stay indoors as gales lash China

Beijing advises nearly 22 million residents to avoid non-essential travel as meteorologists warn wind speeds could exceed record set in 1950s

Politics

32 h. ago Chaos in China as cold vortex from Mongolia brings strongest April winds in decades

Flights cancelled, train services suspended and tourist attractions closed as weather service says wind speeds could surpass records set in 1951Strong winds caused havoc in Beijing and parts of northern China on Saturday, forcing hundreds of flights to be cancelled, attractions to close and rail lines to be suspended, state media said.The powerful winds stemmed mainly from a cold vortex system formed over Mongolia that was moving east and south, sweeping across northern China from Friday and through the weekend, the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) said. Continue reading...

Events

2 d. ago Will Trump’s tariff chaos be China’s gain in global trade wars?

As China retaliates against tariffs, it is also making strategic manoeuvres on EU and Asia to maximise opportunitiesBusiness live – latest updatesOn the basis of Napoleon’s dictum “never interrupt your enemy while they are making a mistake”, there was a large incentive for China to do precisely nothing as Donald Trump displayed his determination to lose friends and induce market panic. Indeed, the Chinese advocates of passivity cited a social media meme attributed to President Xi Jinping: “Do nothing. Win.”Initially it was tempting for China to sit back and watch the US’s former allies recoil at Trump’s disruptive war on globalisation and let them realise that, by comparison, China represented an oasis of stability, modernity and predictability. Continue reading...

Events

3 d. ago Trump’s tariffs may be reduced but their impact will be felt in the UK and beyond

We examine potential consequences of US president’s market chaos, which could reach every corner of global finance and economyDonald Trump may have stepped back from his huge tariff rises on every country, except China, which now faces 125%, but the impact of the market chaos is likely to continue in the UK and beyond. The rest of the world still faces a blanket 10% tariff on all US exports.While much of the focus has been the direct impact of the tariffs on physical goods, Trump’s actions threaten to reach every corner of global finance and the economy. Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago Trump imposes new tariffs on dozens of partners, sparking fresh market turmoil

Rates on imports to US from dozens of economies rise further, with China hit by 104% tariffsBusiness live – latest updatesThe US and China are heading towards an all-out trade war, after Donald Trump unleashed a fresh wave of tariffs against dozens of partners that triggered a fresh day of stock market turmoil on Wednesday.Despite the market chaos, China’s government was unbowed, reiterating threats of further countermeasures and saying it was unwilling to fight a trade war but “will never sit idly by and watch the legitimate rights and interests of the Chinese people be damaged and deprived”. Continue reading...

Politics

9 d. ago Deadly HMPV virus soars across UK again as one age group issued urgent warning

The virus known as Human Metapneumovirus caused chaos in China earlier this year and also saw a huge rise in cases across the United Kingdom but after weeks of low case levels, it's on the rise again

Events

2 w. ago Major hospital was 'left without power for 70 minutes after backup generators failed during Storm Eowyn'

Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Larbert near Falkirk, Scotland, suffered a blackout during Storm Eowyn, which was the UK's most powerful windstorm for more than a decade.

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