13 m. ago US trade deficit surges ahead of tariffs; China vows not to ‘kneel down’ – business live

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial newsUK grocery inflation has edged up this month, as consumers are hit by rising food prices.Data provider Kantar has reported that supermarket prices rose by 3.8% per year in the four weeks to April 20, up from 3.5% a month earlier.“Chocolate confectionery prices rose by 17.4% this period, the fastest of any category, but that didn’t stop the British public treating themselves this Easter. The volume of chocolate eggs sold through supermarket tills still grew by 0.4% on last year, while at the dinner table lamb was the most popular fresh meat joint, followed by beef and pork.Some households chose to indulge in less seasonal fare as the sun came out and they dusted off the barbecue, with burger sales shooting up by 31% over the last month.”The way in which regulations are being applied to bioethanol is undermining the commercial viability of our business. We are having constructive discussions with the UK Government to explore re...

Economics

26 m. ago Wedding kiss restrictions branded ‘bizarre’ by humanist leader at inquiry

The Scottish Covid-19 Inquiry’s worship and life events impact hearings began on Tuesday.

Politics

28 m. ago Champion jockey Oisin Murphy is all smiles as he returns to racing just hours after mysterious car crash riddle

It's believed that the crash occurred shortly after Murphy, 29, raced at Leicester on Saturday afternoon - where he won three times in the seven-race event.

Events

35 m. ago Inside 12 hours of chaos in Spain during an unprecedented power blackout

From people being unable to withdraw money or fill up with petrol, to those hit by train and flight cancellations, Alicia Fabregas reports from Barcelona on the impact of Spain’s mass power cut

Events

37 m. ago Norovirus horror as 'dominant' strain sparks mass outbreaks on cruise ships

Norovirus cases on cruise ships are well on track to exceed last year's number just four months into 2024 - and experts say a dominant new strain of the vomiting bug might be to blame

Events

39 m. ago Chief Scout, Dwayne Fields Congratulates Scouts from Edinburgh on achieving King’s Scout Award

On the 27th of April, Chief Scout Dwayne Fields had the honour of celebrating two from Edinburgh at a special event held at Windsor Castle. The Duke of Kent, Joint President of The Scouts, joined Dwayne in congratulating the young awardees for achieving the King’s Scout Award – the highest recognition in Scouting for adventure and skill development. This year marked Dwayne’s first time attending the annual event in his role as Chief Scout, and also commemorated The Duke of Kent’s 50th anniversary of involvement with the organisation.

Events

42 m. ago The Scottish city 'fire festival' this week that celebrates the start of summer

The one-of-a-kind event features an array of colourful characters.

Events

55 m. ago Wild conspiracy theories flood the internet after Spanish power blackout as sleuths blame alien attack, chem trails and US EMP strikes

The massive outage left thousands of people stranded in trains and elevators, while millions saw phone and internet coverage die.

Events

58 m. ago Lily Allen apologises to Katy Perry over 'misogynistic' comments after space trip backlash

Allen, 39, was among a wave of critics who slammed the mission, which saw Perry, 40, launch into space

Politics

77 m. ago British passengers scramble to get home after mass blackouts plunge Spain and Portugal into darkness

Airports in both countries were plunged into darkness on Monday after a massive blackout hit the Iberian peninsula, leaving holidaymakers in limbo as dozens of flights were delayed and cancelled.

Politics

93 m. ago Why effects of Michigan’s ice storm will linger for months, perhaps years

Climate experts say warming atmosphere from climate change could fuel severe freezing rain and ice storms like the one that hit the upper midwest last month Winter has been slow to release its icy grip from the upper midwest this year, and in northern Michigan, its effects will be keenly felt for months, perhaps years.A devastating ice storm that hit late last month has left an estimated 3m acres of trees snapped in half or damaged from the weight of up to an inch-and-a-half of ice across the northern part of lower Michigan. Continue reading...

Events

1 hour ago Spain over the worst, investigating the causes and determined to prevent repeat of massive power blackout, PM says – Europe live

Spain and Portugal electricity services returning to normal after being hit by biggest power cut in recent European history Portuguese power network operator REN denied on Tuesday it was behind a message circulated on social media attributing the massive blackout across the Iberian peninsula to a rare atmospheric event, AFP reported.“REN confirms we did not put out this statement,” spokesperson Bruno Silva told AFP, without giving further details. Continue reading...

Events

2 h. ago Student, 21, died after going for a swim off Brighton Beach at 3am following night out with friend

Betty Griffiths had been out on the town with a friend on April 15 on the East Sussex coast when she left a club and entered the water.

Society

2 h. ago Quiet rise of rookies shows benefit of NWSL’s bold decision to ditch draft

Young players are impressing across the country following the American league’s very un-American moveFor the first time in its history, the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) commenced a regular season this spring with no draft. A quintessentially American event, defined by hopes and dreams being on public display while teams trade players into the professional leagues without their explicit input, was scrapped by a collective bargaining agreement negotiated between the NWSL and the NWSL Players Association in August.In so doing, a league unafraid of reinvention became the first major professional sports league in the United States to forgo the draft. That’s a seismic shift by any measure, and while the move puts the NWSL in line with global football standards the long-term implications will take much longer to assess. After all, the draft was not simply an entertaining way to distribute talent while introducing them to the public on a celebratory stage; it was also a useful mean...

Politics

2 h. ago Bonnie Blue sponsors football club which is 'thrilled' to have her name plastered all over their kit

The controversial adult star, 25, became the official kit sponsor of Calstock FC, located near Plymouth.

Politics

2 h. ago Late Queen's bridesmaid Lady Pamela Hicks makes bizarre request on her 96th birthday

The King's goddaughter, socialite India Hicks, shared footage of her mother Lady Pamela enjoying an interactive exotic species encounter at her Oxfordshire home to mark turning 96.

Politics

3 h. ago What's going on in Spain and Portugal and has it affected flights?

The Spanish king chairs a security meeting as a state of emergency continues after the mass blackouts

Politics

3 h. ago Revealed: The warmest European beach destination to visit in May boasts 29C highs and a huge waterpark

A gorgeous coastal destination is one of Europe's warmest destinations for a beach holiday in May.

Events

3 h. ago Now Spain's socialist leaders are accused of a blackout COVER UP as Net Zero is blamed for 'third world' outage and chaos paralyses country

Power supply was gradually restored from late Monday afternoon and early evening though some operations were still not able to resume on Tuesday morning

Politics

3 h. ago Former WWE stars among draws at wrestling event returning to Stirling area

World Wide Wrestling League (W3L) is back at the Dunblane Centre on Saturday May 17 with Joe E Legend and Nina Samuels on the bill.

Politics