It has been one of the few political constants in a turbulent period for British politics: an agreement that defence spending really should increase. But in the second era of Donald Trump, what was a consensual background hum has suddenly become an ear-splitting alarm. European Nato members, the UK among them, have long been used…
The greatly increased difficulty for young adults of either buying a home or finding a long-term, affordable tenancy is both a generational and socioeconomic injustice, and a serious political problem. Sir Keir Starmer’s government knows this and hopes its commitment to build 1.5m new homes will shore up support among voters. Making people more secure, so that disappointment and…
Labour’s plan for siting small nuclear reactor plants around the country (Keir Starmer unveils plan for large nuclear expansion across England and Wales, 6 February) feels almost like something Donald Trump would come up with. The reality is that they would not be small – for example, the system being developed by Rolls-Royce is 470…
Index investing pioneer Charley Ellis says what gave rise to the success of the index fund remains true today: “It’s virtually impossible to beat the market,” he told CNBC’s Bob Pisani on last Monday’s “ETF Edge.” But Ellis warns of another hurdle just as high as active management’s long-term underperformance that holds back many investors:…
Amazon has been accused of targeting 60 trade union members with disciplinary action after narrowly defeating a recognition vote at its Coventry warehouse last summer. The GMB trade union said all 60 workers were involved in action at the warehouse – where it has about 700 members out of a workforce of at least 1,500…
U.S. President Donald Trump signs an executive order establishing the Energy Dominance Council led by Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum in the Oval Office at the White House on February 14, 2025 in Washington, DC. President Trump signed a second executive order withholding federal funding from schools and universities that impose a COVID-19 vaccine…
OpenAI on Friday rejected a $97.4bn bid from a consortium led by billionaire Elon Musk for the ChatGPT maker, saying the startup is not for sale. The unsolicited approach is Musk’s latest attempt to block the startup he co-founded with CEO Sam Altman – but later left – from becoming a for-profit firm, as it…
Childcare is one of the biggest expenses for families – often surpassing what they pay for rent. In Washington DC, for example, the average annual cost of infant care tops $24,000, according to the Economic Policy Institute, more than a quarter of the median family income and more than three-quarters of a full-time minimum wage…
Donald Trump has spoken to Keir Starmer again after what appears to have been a spur-of-the-moment phone call from the US president that was not expected by the British prime minister and his team. News of the call, which took place on Thursday evening, emerged in a Downing Street statement about Starmer’s meeting with Mark…
As a street market trader at Portobello market, London, I thought the trader’s perspective might be of interest regarding your article (Barter, bid and bag a bargain! Vintage experts on 21 ways to buy secondhand treasures, 13 February). Your guide is spot-on with the tip that, if you are a buyer, being polite and friendly…
