72 m. ago Fears grow that Signal leaks make Pete Hegseth top espionage target

Experts say Pentagon chief has endangered secrets of US defense department and given assistance to foreign spiesAs more develops about the US defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, and his repeated disclosures of sensitive military intelligence in unsecured Signal group chats, there are growing concerns his behavior has weakened the Pentagon in the eyes of its foreign adversaries and made him and his entourage a top espionage target.Allies, already concerned by Donald Trump’s aggressive tariffs, have also begun to see the US as an intelligence-sharing liability. There are fears that the mounting firings and leak inquiries in Hegseth’s orbit, along with his inability to manage these internal crises, exposes the entire global US war footing – especially, if a geopolitical and external crisis comes across his desk. Continue reading...

Events

1 hour ago Rachel Reeves is besieged on all sides and needs a dramatic intervention to save UK economy

As Rachel Reeves prepares for a career defining speech in Washington DC, political editor David Maddox looks at the competing forces turning her dreams of economic growth into a nightmare

Events

2 h. ago Trump live updates: Just 37% of Americans approve of president’s handling of economy, poll shows

The majority of Americans now fear a recession, even as Donald Trump conceded ultra-high tariffs on China would fall but warned they would not hit zero

Politics

3 h. ago Rachel Reeves live: ‘Collapse in confidence’ warning from UK businesses ahead of Trump trade talks

Activity across the UK’s private sector falls to more than two-year low amid Trump tariffs

Events

3 h. ago JD Vance poses in front of the Taj Mahal with wife Usha and their three children after red carpet tour of India is rocked by tourist massacre

Vance has been trying to shore up relations with India after Donald Trump criticised India's tariffs on cars, farm goods and other products.

Society

3 h. ago UK business output slumps in first sign of impact of Trump tariff chaos

Closely watched PMI Index points to falling output amid plummeting confidence

Politics

3 h. ago New tax rises warning as UK borrowing jumps in UK hit by Donald Trump tariff wars

Public sector net borrowing rose to £151.9 billion in the year to the end of March - equal to £95,300 per household

Events

4 h. ago Trump latest updates: Elon Musk to ‘significantly’ step back from DOGE role after Tesla profits plunge

Musk told investors that he would likely cut back his work for Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency to one or two days a week

Politics

5 h. ago New tax rises warning as borrowing jumps in UK hit by Donald Trump tariff wars

Public sector net borrowing rose to £151.9 billion in the year to the end of March, says the ONS

Events

5 h. ago Chinese PM writes to Japan stressing need to jointly fight Trump’s tariffs

China has reportedly urged Japan for a coordinated response to tariffs imposed on both nations by US president Donald Trump.

Politics

5 h. ago UK government borrowing spikes as Rachel Reeves scrambles to strike US trade deal to dodge Trump tariffs and revive economy in Washington TODAY

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has vowed to 'defend Britain's interests' as she prepares for talks with American counterpart Scott Bessant during the three-day IMF summit.

Economics

6 h. ago UK government borrowing exceeds expectations in last fiscal year

Figures deal blow to chancellor as Trump tariffs hit economy

Politics

10 h. ago Asian shares jump on hopes tariff war may subside and Trump won't fire Federal Reserve chief

Asian shares are mostly higher, with markets showing relief after President Donald Trump indicated he won’t dismiss the head of the U.S. Federal Reserve

Events

10 h. ago Trump’s tariffs driving thousands of layoffs at US manufacturing plants

Trump said the plan was to increase manufacturing jobs

Economics

14 h. ago Rachel Reeves warned she can't just blame Donald Trump's tariffs for faltering economy as IMF slashes its growth forecast for Britain

In a brutal verdict on Labour's economic record, it said domestic factors had played the 'biggest role' in its decision to downgrade its UK growth forecast.

Events

14 h. ago Trump says China tariffs will drop ‘substantially – but it won’t be zero’

US president says tariffs on imported goods will come down from 145% rate but insists ‘we’re doing fine with China’Donald Trump said during a White House news conference that high tariffs on goods from China will “come down substantially, but it won’t be zero”.Trump’s remarks were in response to earlier comments on Tuesday by treasury secretary Scott Bessent, who said that the high tariffs were unsustainable and that he expects a “de-escalation” in the trade war between the world’s two largest economies. Continue reading...

Politics

14 h. ago Trump admits China’s tariffs will drop ‘but it won’t be zero’

Trump’s massive import taxes have roiled stock markets since he announced them on April 1

Politics

17 h. ago Trump’s tariffs spark global recession fears as White House hints at trade deal with China: Live updates

The International Monetary Fund downgraded growth in nearly all countries amid ongoing uncertainty from the Trump administration’s trade policy

Economics

18 h. ago White House insists it can still seal 75 trade deals in 90 days – but says it’s currently only in talks with 34 countries

Trump administration isn’t backing down from raising import taxes despite warnings of an impending recession as a result of higher tariffs

Society

18 h. ago IMF forecasts three more Bank of England rate cuts this year

The International Monetary Fund has slashed its forecasts for the UK economy on the back of Donald Trump's trade tariff uncertainty warning the UK is likely to see an inflation spike

Politics