9 d. ago UK retail sales slump in March; Lower Thames Crossing approval welcomed (and criticised) – business live

UK retailers gloomy, while tunnel to connect A2 and M2 in Kent to the A13 and M25 in Essex has been approved.Lower Thames Crossing plan for Essex and Kent approved by governmentEuropean stock markets are higher this morning, as investors cling to hopes that Donald Trump’s plan to impose reciprocal tariffs on trading partners could be more targetted than feared.The pan-European Stoxx 600 index has gained 0.57% this morning, with gains on the German DAX (+0.5%), French CAC (+0.9%) and Italian FTSE MIB (+0.7%).US markets are beginning to show some belief that President Trump’s strong arm negotiating tactics on tariffs might not be quite as punitive for the US economy as feared.There are growing hopes that if they are more targeted, as rumoured, they might helpshore up domestic industry, while securing better terms for the US on the global trading stage.Tesla currently faces a number of challenges in Europe, ahead of the launch of its new Model Y mid-size SUV this month. The EV maker ha...

Economics

9 d. ago UK retail sales slump in March amid weak confidence, CBI says – business live

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial newsEuropean stock markets are higher this morning, as investors cling to hopes that Donald Trump’s plan to impose reciprocal tariffs on trading partners could be more targetted than feared.The pan-European Stoxx 600 index has gained 0.57% this morning, with gains on the German DAX (+0.5%), French CAC (+0.9%) and Italian FTSE MIB (+0.7%).US markets are beginning to show some belief that President Trump’s strong arm negotiating tactics on tariffs might not be quite as punitive for the US economy as feared.There are growing hopes that if they are more targeted, as rumoured, they might helpshore up domestic industry, while securing better terms for the US on the global trading stage.Tesla currently faces a number of challenges in Europe, ahead of the launch of its new Model Y mid-size SUV this month. The EV maker has a smaller, ageing lineup while traditional automaker rivals and new Chinese entrants alike continue to launch new, of...

Economics

1 week ago Trump is abandoning democracy and freedom. That creates an opening for Europe – and Britain | Jonathan Freedland

Whether it’s sweeping up disgruntled US scientists or rejoining the EU, a bold Starmer must capitalise on Trump’s extremismThanks to Donald Trump, a vacancy is opening up in the international jobs market. For decades, if not centuries, and always imperfectly, the US offered itself to the world as the guarantor of democracy and the land of the free. Now that it’s pivoting away from that job description, there’s an opportunity for someone else to step in.The evidence that the US is moving, even galloping, away from basic notions of democracy and freedom is piling up. Just because the changes have happened so fast doesn’t make them any less fundamental. We now have a US administration that blithely ignores court rulings, whose officials say out loud “I don’t care what the judges think”. In a matter of weeks, it has become an open question whether the US remains a society governed by the rule of law.On 30 April, join Jonathan Freedland, Kim Darroch, Devika Bhat and Leslie Vinjamuri as t...

Politics

2 w. ago Professional home organisers share 3 decluttering tips for busy parents

Professional home organisers Hayley Harrison and Gemma Abraham have revealed the simple ways that families can make their homes that bit more organised - and involve the children too

Society

2 w. ago Family of missing woman last seen running barefoot from hotel say 'we need answers'

Layla Santanello, 20, was last seen running barefoot from a hotel in June 2023. Her family fear the worst but are still holding out hope for a miracle

Society

2 w. ago ‘It’s happening fast’ – creative workers and professionals share their fears and hopes about the rise of AI

Photographers, translators, academics and GPs are among those whose jobs are either threatened or aided by the techOliver Fiegel, a 47-year-old photographer based in Munich, was reading a German national Sunday newspaper recently when he saw a front-page image that looked strangely off. The image showed a boy chasing a football on a pitch. But some of the wildflowers on the grass floated without stems. Half the goal net was missing. The boy’s hands were misshapen.In previous years, many of Fiegel’s photography clients had been newspapers and magazines. But that work has dried up recently. This image, he felt, showed one reason why: “generative illustration”, the supplied caption said. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Wilson Odobert double takes Tottenham past AZ to keep season alive

Ange Postecoglou can breathe again. The Spurs manager had been hoping that someone would step up to save their season and his salvation arrived in the shape of Wilson Odobert, with a little bit of help from James Maddison.When the England midfielder made it 2-0 early in the second half to add to Odobert’s well-taken first goal for the club, it looked like Postecoglou’s side were cruising to a last-eight showdown with Eintracht Frankfurt. This being Tottenham, however, things are never that simple and a mistake from Odobert allowed Peer Koopmeiners to level the scores on aggregate with 20 minute to play to leave the home crowd fearing the worst. But Odobert kept Postecoglou’s hopes of ending the season with some silverware alive – and perhaps even saved his job – when the Frenchman swept home at the end of a flowing move instigated by Maddison to send Spurs into the quarter-finals of the Europa League for the first time since 2013. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago 'We just took him out for fresh air, it all happened so fast'

Ten-month-old Tobi had to be put down after being run over

Politics

3 w. ago Your dentist can instantly tell if you've given oral sex in the past seven days... here's how

Dental professionals have taken to social media to share the 'fun fact' in several clips, to the general horror and embarrassment of patients.

Politics