19 h. ago Trump envoy meets Putin hours after Moscow killing of Russian general

Russian official calls talks with Steve Witkoff ‘quite useful’ as investigation launched into suspected Ukrainian bombingDonald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff has met Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin for high-stakes peace talks, hours after a senior Russian military official was killed in a car explosion near Moscow.Trump has played up Witkoff’s visit – his fourth to Russia in recent months – claiming a deal on ending the war in Ukraine was within reach. “The next few days are going to be very important. Meetings are taking place right now,” Trump told reporters on Thursday. “I think we’re going to make a deal I think we’re getting very close.” Continue reading...

Politics

26 h. ago Swiss leader says Trump administration foresees ‘privileged’ talks with 15 countries on US tariffs – US politics live

Karin Keller-Sutter, Swiss president, says Switzerland is among 15 countries with which US plans to hold negotiations to reach deals over tariffsThe Swiss president says Switzerland is among 15 countries with which the United States plans to conduct “privileged” negotiations to help reach a deal after sweeping US tariffs on dozens of countries that have shaken global markets, reports the Associated Press (AP).Karin Keller-Sutter, in an interview with broadcaster SRF published Friday, said she was “satisfied” with talks in Washington this week that included an International Monetary Fund conference and her one-on-one meeting with US treasury secretary Scott Bessent. Keller-Sutter also serves as Switzerland’s finance minister. “The United States has defined a group of 15 countries with which it wants to find a quick solution in this tariff question. Switzerland is part of this group of these 15 countries,” she told reporters separately late on Thursday in Washington, according to the ...

Politics

27 h. ago Swiss leader says Trump administration foresees 'privileged' talks with 15 countries on US tariffs

The Swiss president says Switzerland is among 15 countries with which the United States plans to conduct “privileged” negotiations to help reach a deal in the wake of sweeping U.S. tariffs on dozens of countries that have shaken global markets

Politics

46 h. ago Ukraine fails to reach deal with investors to restructure $2.6bn of debt

Kyiv due to make estimated $600mn payment on GDP warrants next month

Economics

47 h. ago Trump says he is 'not happy' with Russia's overnight missile attack on Kyiv and urges: 'Vladimir, STOP! Let's get the peace deal done!'

Donald Trump says he is 'not happy' that Vladimir Putin launched an overnight missile strike on Kyiv after Ukraine and Russia failed to reach a peace deal yesterday.

Events

68 h. ago Stock markets rise as Trump backtracks on high China tariffs and firing Fed chair

Weeks of tough talk from the US president, who now says he will be ‘very nice’ to China, had rattled investors Stock markets have risen around the world after Donald Trump said his tariffs on China would come down “substantially” and he had “no intention” of firing the chair of the US central bank, Jay Powell.Weeks of tough talk on trade from White House officials have rattled investors and Trump now appears to be softening his tone. The president told reporters in Washington on Tuesday he planned to be “very nice” to China in trade talks and that tariffs could drop in both countries if they could reach a deal, adding: “It will come down substantially, but it won’t be zero.” Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago US markets rally as Treasury secretary says China trade war is ‘unsustainable’

Scott Bessent tells investors he expects two countries to reach a deal that would end restrictions on flow of goods

Events

6 d. ago Trump on course for failure on Ukraine peace deal, Ben Wallace warns

Former defence secretary Wallace said Donald Trump is ‘not actually very good at doing deals’

Events

1 week ago Nato chief in surprise Ukraine visit as US fails to condemn Sumy attack – Europe live

Mark Rutte makes unannounced visit to Odesa and tells Zelenskyy that ‘Nato support is unwavering’The EU has said that “significant joint efforts will be needed” for a successful outcome to trade talks at the end of Donald Trump’s 90-day pause on tariffs.The European Commission, which handles trade policy for the 27 EU member states, was reporting back on a meeting between its lead trade official Maroš Šefčovič and US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick and US trade representative Jamieson Greer in Washington on Monday.The EU will continue to approach these talks in a constructive manner, with a view to identify areas of common interest. It is clear that significant joint efforts will be needed to achieve a successful outcome within the 90-day window.The EU is doing its part. Now it is necessary for the US to define its position. As with every negotiation this must be a two-way street... With both sides bringing something to the table.” Continue reading...

Events

1 week ago What is happening with the bin strike in Birmingham and could there be one in London?

Government calls on Unite union to reach a deal with city council after army called in to help with logistics

Events

1 week ago Republican supporters of Ukraine put pressure on Trump after missile strikes

Lawmakers use Kremlin’s deadly attacks as latest evidence to convince president he must increase pressure on PutinRepublican supporters of Ukraine are using the Kremlin’s deadly missile strikes as their latest evidence to convince Donald Trump that he must increase pressure on Vladimir Putin if he wants to reach a ceasefire deal.Pro-Ukraine lawmakers and aides in the Republican party have carefully navigated Trump’s apparent affinity for Putin and avoided direct intervention in their efforts to shift his support toward Kyiv. But following the Russian strikes during Palm Sunday celebrations in the city of Sumy, advisers and allies have been highly vocal in condemning the attack using language meant to resonate with the US president’s conservative, religious base. Continue reading...

Events

1 week ago Chicago teachers reach contract deal for the first time in more than a decade without a strike

For the first time in over a decade, Chicago’ s public school teachers have a new contract without a strike or threat of a walkout

Economics

1 week ago Germany's Leopard 2 tanks have been a failure on Ukraine's battlefields according to classified document that details where they have gone wrong

Ukrainian soldiers also named a string of other high-end German military equipment, including howizters and air defence systems, that they said could not function properly on the battlefield

Events

1 week ago Russia and Ukraine accuse each other of failing to pause strikes after US envoy leaves Moscow

Russia and Ukraine’s top diplomats have used a high-level conference in Turkey to once again trade accusations of violating a tentative U.S.-brokered deal to pause strikes on energy infrastructure

Events

2 w. ago Salah signs new Liverpool deal and is challenged by Slot to ‘reach perfection’

No pay cut for Egyptian forward on deal to 2027Salah cites trophies, family and Slot as reasons to stayMohamed Salah should keep “trying to reach perfection” according to Arne Slot after ending uncertainty over his Liverpool future by signing a new two-year contract.Salah agreed to extend his illustrious Anfield career to a decade after months of negotiations between his agent, Ramy Abbas Issa, and Liverpool’s sporting director, Richard Hughes. Financial details of the deal, which was confirmed by the player and club on Friday, have not been disclosed but the 32-year-old has not taken a pay cut. His previous three-year contract was worth a basic £350,000 a week, although his overall earnings were about £1m a week. Continue reading...

Economics

2 w. ago Trump to sign executive orders aimed at boosting the coal industry – US politics live

President speaks in White House framed by coal minersThe European Union still wants to avoid a trade war with the United States despite Donald Trump’s administration’s rejection of the “zero for zero” offer on all industrial goods put forward by Brussels, an EU spokesperson told reporters on Tuesday.White House trade adviser Peter Navarro said on Monday that the European Union needed to lower its non-tariff barriers, including those created by value-added taxes and food safety regulations, if it wanted to reach a deal. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Trump ‘waiting for China to call’ as deadline to avoid 50% extra tariff passes – US politics live

US president had threatened to impose extra levies unless China withdrew its 34% retaliatory tariffs todayThe European Union still wants to avoid a trade war with the United States despite Donald Trump’s administration’s rejection of the “zero for zero” offer on all industrial goods put forward by Brussels, an EU spokesperson told reporters on Tuesday.White House trade adviser Peter Navarro said on Monday that the European Union needed to lower its non-tariff barriers, including those created by value-added taxes and food safety regulations, if it wanted to reach a deal. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago EU sanctions policy ‘failed’ to make impact on Russia, says Hungarian minister – Europe live

Péter Szijjártó, Hungary’s foreign minister, claims sanctions ‘hit European economy more than Russian economy’Péter Szijjártó, a frequent visitor to Moscow despite the continuing Russian aggression against Ukraine, also told Bloomberg that the EU’s sanctions policy “has failed” as he claimed it “hit European economy more than the Russian economy”.He said that Hungary’s view on rolling over the existing sanctions will “depend a lot on the geopolitical circumstances”, with Budapest closely following the progress of Trump-led talks with Russia. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago UK responds to Donald Trump's 'Liberation Day' tariff threat

Home Secretary Yvette Coope rdid not rule out the UK government hitting back with tit-for-tat measures but said talks were ongoing to reach a deal with the White House

Politics