13 h. ago Trump claims trade negotiations are happening every day with China. No one in Beijing or Washington seems to know who is doing the talking

President says U.S. and China are talking, China denies it, and no one in the administration seems to know about it

Politics

20 h. ago China lowers minimum amount for tax refunds for tourists to boost spending

China has lowered the minimum amount tourists spend to get tax refunds as part of measures to boost consumption as its economy comes under pressure during a trade war between Beijing and Washington

Economics

3 d. ago Billionaire Republican megadonor claims Trump is ‘eroding’ America’s brand with trade war

Ken Griffin donated more than $100m to the GOP during the 2024 election cycle

Politics

4 d. ago Kenyan president vows closer ties to China during visit amid Trump's trade war

Kenyan President William Ruto pledged to build closer ties with China on Thursday, a day after saying a global trade war triggered by Washington could deal a “death blow” to the current world order

Politics

1 week ago Meta faces antitrust claims at trial over Instagram and WhatsApp ownership

Facebook parent faces threats of illegal social media monopoly after spending billions to acquire two platformsFacebook parent Meta Platforms faces a high-stakes trial in Washington starting on Monday on claims it built an illegal social media monopoly by spending billions of dollars to acquire Instagram and WhatsApp, in a case where US antitrust enforcers seek to unwind the deals.The acquisitions more than a decade ago aimed to eliminate nascent competitors who could threaten Facebook’s status as the go-to social media platform for users to connect with friends and family, the US Federal Trade Commission claims. It filed the case in 2020 during Donald Trump’s first term. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Donald Trump claims he could clinch global trade deals 'all in one day' as world holds its breath

President Donald Trump leaves everyone guessing as he backtracks over 'reciprocal' tariffs on most of the world, but insists 'more great days coming', while the world holds its breath

Politics

2 w. ago ‘Explosive' trade war tariffs spark falls in global markets but Trump claims: 'I know what the hell I'm doing'

FTSE 100 in London and Asian stock markets take another pounding with Japan’s Nikkei 225 dropping 5% as Trump’s tariffs against 60 ‘worst offender’ nations come into effect

Events

2 w. ago Global markets fall as ‘explosive' trade tariffs kick in, but Trump claims: 'I know what the hell I'm doing'

FTSE 100 in London and Asian stock markets take another pounding with Japan’s Nikkei 225 dropping 5% as Trump’s tariffs against 60 ‘worst offender’ nations come into effect

Politics

2 w. ago Trump live updates: President claims tariffs ‘great’ for Republicans as trade war roils Asian markets

Beijing says it will ‘fight to the end’ as president’s 104% China tariffs take effect

Politics

2 w. ago Trump tariffs live updates: President claims tariffs ‘great’ for Republicans as trade war roils Asian markets

Beijing says it will ‘fight to the end’ as president’s 104% China tariffs take effect

Politics

3 w. ago Trump officials claim 50 nations want to start US trade talks as Starmer vows to protect UK businesses

Back in Britain, the Prime Minister has pledged to ‘turbocharge plans that will improve our domestic competitiveness’ in the wake of Trump’s tariffs and fears of a global trade war

Politics

3 w. ago Starmer to hold talks with other global leaders to discuss response to Trump tariffs, says No 10 – UK politics live

UK prime minister to speak to international leaders this weekend to ‘maintain stability and strengthen our partnerships abroad’Trump claims Starmer ‘very happy’ about tariffsDowning Street has refused to confirm President Trump’s claim that Keir Starmer was “very happy” about the treatment the UK is getting under the new US global tariff regime. (See 9.32am.) Asked about the president’s words at the morning lobby briefing, the PM’s spokesperson said that the government had already set out its position yesterday and that it was “disappointed” by the US tariff policy.Livia Tossici-Bolt has been sentenced at Poole magistrates’ court to a conditional discharge for two years for two charges of breaching a “buffer zone” outside an abortion clinic in Bournemouth, PA Media reports. See 11.22am. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago David Lammy says he regrets Trump has embraced protectionism, something not seen in US ‘for nearly a century’ – UK politics live

David Lammy, foreign secretary, says UK is ‘a nation that believes in open trade’ and says government is negotiating with US over economic agreementAn anti-abortion campaigner at the centre of a free speech controversy involving the US government has been found guilty of breaching a “buffer zone” outside a Bournemouth abortion clinic, PA Media reports. PA says:Livia Tossici-Bolt was convicted at Poole magistrates’ court of two charges of breaching the Public Spaces Protection Order on two days in March 2023.The case involved the 64-year-old from Bournemouth holding a sign saying “Here to talk, if you want”.But I think our approach should be to slightly stand back and think, what does Britain want, and can it get from the rest of the world, and what can we contribute?And in that regard, it’s important to realise that the rest of the G7, except the US, collectively are the same size as the United States. And I would have thought a very sensible thing to be doing is having a serious co...

Politics

3 w. ago David Lammy says Trump has taken US economic policy back 100 years with ‘return to protectionism’ – UK politics live

David Lammy, foreign secretary, says UK is ‘a nation that believes in open trade’ and says government is negotiating with US over economic agreementThe official plan to increase access to NHS dental services in England has been a “complete failure”, and some of the government’s initiatives have worsened the crisis, a damning report warns, Andrew Gregory reports.David Lammy, the foreign secretary, is at the Nato HQ in Brussels this morning, where Nato foreign ministers are meeting. Speaking to the media, he said President Trump was taking US economic policy back almost a century by embracing protectionism. He said:The United Kingdom, like France, is a great maritime nation.We are a nation that believes in open trade, and I regret the return to protectionism in the United States, something that we’ve not seen for nearly a century. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago US bans government personnel in China from romantic or sexual relations with Chinese citizens

The U.S. government has banned American government personnel in China, as well as family members and contractors with security clearances, from any romantic or sexual relationships with Chinese citizens

Politics