Trade tensions between the United States and Europe have repeatedly centred on a familiar set of industries: cars, alcohol, and high-value manufactured goods. Under Donald Trump’s trade policy approach both during his first presidency and again in his more recent return to office—tariffs have been used as a strategic tool to pressure trading partners, protect domestic industries, and renegotiate trade terms.
When Donald Trump threatened to pull 5,000 U.S. troops out of Germany, many commentators treated it as another diplomatic flare‑up between Washington and Berlin.
The recent wave of headlines about fuel shortages, grounded fishing fleets, and rising costs can feel like disconnected problems. In reality, they are all symptoms of the same underlying issue: a fragile and tightly interconnected energy system under strain.
Ultra Electronics Holdings Ltd (previously PLC) accepts responsibility for failure to prevent bribery and will pay millions to the taxpayer as a penalty. The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has secured a £10 million payment from a British manufacturer of electronic systems for the international defence and aerospace market after it acknowledged accountability for failure to prevent bribery.
Two months into the Iran war and the Strait of Hormuz is still mostly shut. Vessel traffic is running at a fraction of pre-war levels, with the patchwork of ceasefires, blockades and re-closures since February 28 not restoring confidence on the bridge of any tanker.
There has been a recent increase in cold calls from companies offering solar panel servicing or wrongly telling people that they need to repair or upgrade their solar inverters or renew their warranty. One man was advised by a cold caller that he needed a new inverter box, costing almost £4,000, for his solar panels, as they were over ten years old.
For generations, home baking was the great leveller. A bag of flour, a knob of butter, a warm oven, and you could turn out bread, scones, or a tray of biscuits for pennies.
In parts of Germany and Australia, a surprising thing is happening more and more often: households are being offered free electricity. This is happening at times of day when there are high levels of energy being generated from solar or wind.
Police Scotland continue to see a rise in fuel thefts across all areas of the country. This can largely be attributed to recent fuel prices and speculation about fuel shortages. All types of fuel are being targeted from domestic heating oil to commercial fuels stored on farms and construction sites.
The world economy is at a crossroads. International trade is slowing, economic uncertainty is rising, and trade between the US and China – the world’s two largest economies – risks pulling apart.
Across the UK, the high street is entering a period of quiet but significant change. Rising energy costs, strained supply chains, and shifting consumer habits are combining to reshape the economics of everyday food businesses.
Oil prices are notoriously volatile, and recent movements are a clear example of how quickly global markets can shift from panic to partial calm. After surging during periods of geopolitical tension, prices have recently eased back toward the $108 per barrel range.
The recent announcement by former U.S. President Donald Trump to abolish tariffs on Scotch whisky marks a notable shift in transatlantic trade relations, with implications that extend well beyond the distilleries of Scotland.
What the changes coming in from today, Friday 1st May mean for you – including the ban on Section 21 no fault evictions, and new rules on pets and rent increases. On 1 May 2026, new laws kicked in to give 11 million renters stronger rights, better protections and more security in their homes. These changes are the most significant in nearly 40 years and will transform renters’ experiences.
Report assesses impact of the conflict in the Middle East on fuel prices and margins until the end of March 2026. Analysis finds that, on average, retailer fuel margins were broadly unchanged in March.
It was, as all great national crises are, first noticed at the petrol pump. There I stood, nozzle trembling, digits spinning upward with the enthusiasm of a fruit machine that had finally found religion.
In the public imagination, the National Health Service is a vast, steady institution free at the point of use, resilient in crisis, and quietly dependable. But behind the scenes, a more complicated story is unfolding.
As the World Cup approaches, there have been reports of scam websites advertising international football strips at a reduced price. Several consumers who have paid for strips but not received them tried to get in touch with the companies, but found that the contact details listed on the websites were fake.
Rising fertiliser costs rarely make headlines in the way oil prices or interest rates do, yet they sit at the very foundation of the global food system. In 2026, this largely invisible input has become one of the most important economic pressure points facing farmers in the United Kingdom and around the world—and its effects are beginning to ripple outward toward consumers.
The political parties are saying a lot about many thing in the run up to 7 May. Tes magazine has brought together what they say about education.