17 h. ago New pope will face ‘complex moment in history’, senior cardinal says, before conclave to select Pope Francis’ successor – live

Cardinals set to meet behind closed doors of Sistine Chapel to decide who will become new popeCardinals to begin choosing new popePapal in-tray: new pontiff will have to hit ground runningHow does the conclave work?In his homily – seen as a guiding message for the 133 cardinals set to take part in the conclave – Battista Re called for the help of the Holy Spirit to guide cardinals in choosing the pope “that the church and humanity need at this difficult and complex turning point in history.”He urged them to “put aside all personal considerations” and demonstrate love, “the only force capable of changing the world.” Continue reading...

Culture

20 h. ago Conclave latest LIVE: Cardinals gather at the Vatican to elect successor to Pope Francis

The conclave begins at the Vatican with mass attended by all voting cardinals in St Peter’s Basilica at 9am BST

Politics

6 d. ago Trump tariffs cause fastest slump in British factory export orders in five years – business live

Live, rolling coverage of business, economics and financial markets as UK manufacturers report falling export orders and China signals openness to US trade talks Fhaheen Khan, senior economist at Make UK, a lobby group for British manufacturing, said:UK manufacturers are caught in the eye of a perfect storm, with rising costs and international trade uncertainty undermining growth prospects. While actual changes in trade have been limited, the unpredictability, particularly around US tariff policy, is doing significant damage and paralysing decision makers. Many firms are delaying major investment decisions until greater clarity emerges, while being forced in the meantime to cut costs through redundancies while pushing through price increases.This has left manufacturing experiencing its most severe slowdown in years, with the UK at a competitive disadvantage compared to our European peers who are weathering current challenges relatively better. As a result, it is now vital that gover...

Politics

6 d. ago China hints at openness to trade talks with US; Tesla denies board search for Musk successor – business live

Live, rolling coverage of business, economics and financial markets as Chinese state-controlled social media says US has approached China for trade talksLloyds Banking Group has reported a 7% drop in pre-tax profit to £1.5bn in its first quarter, and is bracing for the ripple effect from Trump’s tariffs on its balance sheet.The high street bank said that it has set aside £309m to account for possible bad debts, compared with previous guidance of £274m, as it added a £35m net charge to prepare for the possible impact on the economic outlook from President Trump’s tariffs.The US has proactively reached out to China through multiple channels, hoping to hold discussions on the tariff issue.Yuyuan Tantian is not among China’s most authoritative state media outlets. The Global Times, which is owned by the newspaper of the governing Communist Party, People’s Daily, has often been first to report China’s next steps in trade disagreements over the past few years.Guo Jiakun, a spokesperson fo...

Politics

6 d. ago Tesla denies board search for Elon Musk’s successor; Trump tariffs to slash growth, says Bank of Japan – business live

Live, rolling coverage of business, economics and financial markets as US electric carmaker says report board is looking for next Tesla boss is ‘absolutely false’National Grid, the FTSE 100 company that owns the UK’s electricity network, has appointed Shell oil executive Zoë Yujnovich as chief executive after the retirement of John Pettigrew.Yujnovich was until recently working at FTSE 100 oil company Shell, where she was director of integrated gas and upstream (oil production) and a member of the executive committee. She previously led the Iron Ore company of Canada, part of Rio Tinto.I firmly believe in the vital function energy companies play in driving change and creating value. On both sides of the Atlantic National Grid has an essential role to play in making energy secure, affordable and reliable for our customers and communities. I’m excited about leading National Grid as it delivers on the growth opportunities ahead. Continue reading...

Economics

1 week ago What happens after Pope Francis funeral – how the Conclave to select his successor will work

The late pope broke from tradition with a burial at the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome

Politics

1 week ago Timeline: How Pope Francis’ funeral and the Conclave to select his successor will work

The late pope will break from tradition with a burial at the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome

Politics

2 w. ago What is a Conclave? Process to select a Pope explained after Francis death

The method the Catholic Church uses to select their leader has remained virtually unchanged for the last 800 years

Events