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Showing posts from January, 2025

Ex-Trafigura boss convicted of bribery in landmark case

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The commodities giant went on trial in Switzerland over attempts to gain access to Angola's oil market.

How much will I have to pay for my water?

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Average annual water bills in England and Wales will rise by £123 in April but some will pay more.

Apple iPhone sales dip despite AI rollout

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The company's signature phone has been updated with artificial intelligence, but sales are down.

Water bills to rise by £10 a month in April

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Figures reveal a jump for billpayers in England and Wales despite questions over firms' performance.

How will the UK's growth plans affect me?

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Rachel Reeves wants to push ahead with building and reform planning, but what does that mean for you?

At a glance: What was in Rachel Reeves's speech?

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The chancellor announces measures she says will kickstart growth: what are they?

Pension shake-up plan aims to boost growth

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Restrictions on surplus cash in pension schemes could be eased to get more money into the economy.

Nvidia shares sink as Chinese AI app spooks markets

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Share prices in US and European firms fall as the Chinese technology threatens to disrupt the AI industry.

Will young developers take on key open source software?

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The founders of important open source software are getting older, who will take over?

Inside the race for Greenland's mineral wealth

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The territory's untapped mineral wealth has caught the eye of both mining firms and Donald Trump.

The French winemaker whose wines are illegal in his home country

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Maxime Chapoutier makes wines that combine French and Australian grapes, a strict no-no in the EU.

Clampdown on fake Google reviews announced

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Businesses which boost their star ratings will have warnings attached to them - fake reviewers will be banned.

'I don't want to buy a £4 coffee just so I can use the loo'

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Should cafés let people who don't buy anything use their toilets?

Trump urges Opec countries to slash oil prices

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The president says he wants Opec and Saudi Arabia to bring down the price of oil which he says is fuelling the Russia-Ukraine war.

The French winemaker whose wines are illegal in his home country

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Maxime Chapoutier makes wines that combine French and Australian grapes, a strict no-no in the EU.

Sainsbury's to cut 3,000 jobs and shut cafés

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The changes are part of a cost-cutting plan, but recent tax rises for businesses have also been a factor.

EU 'could consider' UK joining pan-Europe customs scheme

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The UK joining the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Convention is up for discussion in reset talks, says Maros Sefcovic.

Customers say Three mobile outage preventing 999 calls

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There have also been several thousand reports of problems from users of Smarty and ID Mobile.

Trump considers 10% tariff on China from February

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The new president accused Beijing of sending fentanyl to Mexico and Canada which ends up in the US.

US markets rise as Trump holds off on tariffs

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The US president stopped short of widespread import taxes but threatened Canada and Mexico with tariffs.

Nearly half of toys sold under £15 as parents cut back

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An "unsettled economy" is blamed for falling sales of toys for the third consecutive year.

Fears empty restaurant TikTok trend could last

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There are fears that tax and wage rises mean restaurants and bars will be quieter than usual all year.

Panama rejects Trump vow to 'take back' Panama Canal

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Donald Trump claims China is operating the key US trade route but Panama says it belongs to them.

Melania Trump launches her own cryptocurrency

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$Melania is announced after President-elect Donald Trump launched his own cryptocurrency, $Trump.

TikTok stops working as US ban comes into force

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A message appearing for US users says they "can't use TikTok for now".

Trump says he will 'most likely' give TikTok 90-day reprieve from ban

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Trump says an announcement will probably come once he takes office on Monday about the app's future in the US.

Shock drop in shop sales adds to worries over UK economy

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Sales unexpectedly fell last month, due to a poor December for food sales in supermarkets.

Trump says he will 'most likely' give TikTok 90-day reprieve from ban

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Trump says an announcement will probably come once he takes office on Monday about the app's future in the US.

US Supreme Court upholds TikTok ban law

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A law passed last year requires TikTok's Chinese parent company to sell the video platform or face a ban.

The farm workers heading to US without breaking the law

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Agricultural workers from Central American countries can currently work legally on US farms.

What's the secret to Denmark's happy work-life balance?

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The Nordic nation doesn't require staff to work long hours and has a generous welfare system.

BT scraps EV charging point scheme having only installed one

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It hoped to turn 60,000 roadside green cabinets into chargers - but now says it will focus on wifi instead.

High Court approves Carlsberg's J20 maker takeover

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Carlsberg's £3.3bn deal to buy Britvic has been approved by a High Court judge.

Meta cuts 5% of jobs to lose 'lowest performers'

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The company will shed roughly 3,600 roles but plans to backfill the roles later in the year.

Buy something or leave, Starbucks says

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The policy being rolled out in the firm's North American cafes comes as it tries to boost flagging sales.

Google faces UK investigation over search dominance

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The tech giant accounts for 90% of web searches in the UK - the regulator will probe whether that harms consumers and rivals.

Heathrow sees record-breaking passenger numbers

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Nearly 84 million passengers travelled through the west London airport's terminals last year.

Meta and Amazon axe diversity initiatives joining US corporate rollback

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The companies are among the latest major corporations to alter their diversity programmes since Trump's re-election.

UK has enough gas, says network after storage warning

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Experts say the UK has enough gas after Centrica said storage levels were "concerningly low".

Online safety laws unsatisfactory, minister says

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Peter Kyle responds as internet safety campaigner Ian Russell says laws to protect children need fixing.

Landlords ripping off LA fire victims, says Selling Sunset star

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Real estate mogul Jason Oppenheim says renters are being asked for thousands over previous prices.

How AI uncovers new ways to tackle difficult diseases

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Pharmaceutical firms are turning to AI to find new molecules that might be able to tackle disease.

Reeves pledges to 'make UK better off' on China visit

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It follows criticism of the chancellor's trip which comes at a time of economic unease as UK borrowing costs rise.

US top court leans towards TikTok ban over security concerns

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The platform with nearly 170 million American users is challenging a law that would see it banned in the US in a matter of days.

Mick Lynch announces retirement as head of RMT

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Mr Lynch steered the union through fierce pay strikes in 2022 and 2023 before securing a new deal.

'Trump 2.0' looms large over the global economy

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Donald Trump's planned tariffs are expected to greatly impact international trade in 2025.

ChatGPT creator denies sister's childhood rape claim

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Ann Altman filed a lawsuit alleging her brother sexually abused her between 1997 and 2006.

Faisal Islam: Soaring UK borrowing costs are a problem for Rachel Reeves

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The Chancellor may face the prospect of breaking her own Budget rules

Apple urged to withdraw 'out of control' AI news alerts

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Apple has pledged improvements to its news summarising tool, but critics say it is dangerous and needs to be withdrawn.

Why does Britain face flight chaos during bad weather?

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Delays and cancellations related to British weather may become more common.