UK chancellor Rachel Reeves faces her biggest test with the government’s departmental spending plans for the three years from next April until the general election. With nearly £600 billion a year to spend, her decisions will impact on every aspect of public life and shape the political weather for years to come.
Buying and selling of stakes in private companies could begin later this year under delayed plan
DELBO ANDREA/ShutterstockFor many, the Clarks brand is a byword for sturdy school shoes and functional footwear for those of more mature years. The manufacturing and retailing company was set up two centuries ago in Somerset, England, in the shadows of Glastonbury Tor, by brothers Cyrus and James Clark. In 2025, it is celebrating its 200th anniversary and remains a formidable force both on the high street and online.
Since returning to office, Donald Trump has often called the US legal system into question. He has criticised judges as activists, challenged the role of the courts and insisted some firms do free legal work in support of his administration’s causes to make up for working for some of his political opponents.
People in Germany have taken the idea of a work-life balance too far. To get their economy back on track, they must work more.
Well, that’s what the country’s new chancellor, Friedrich Merz, thinks. And this controversial claim has triggered a debate in Germany over laziness.
1000 Words/ShutterstockThe UK government has outlined plans to reduce low-skilled migration to the country. A central aspect is linking skills and training to the immigration system. This, so the thinking goes, will mean that no industry is able to rely on immigration to fill skills gaps.
In the run-up to Eid al-Adha – a major Muslim festival that celebrates the prophet Ibrahim’s devotion and coincides with the end of the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca – UK retailers are joining the celebrations.
Donald Trump’s controversial announcement of a travel ban on people from 12 countries visiting the US, immediately sparked questions about the implications for the upcoming Fifa Club World Cup and next year’s men’s football World Cup, both hosted in the US, as well as the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
For decades, multinational corporations have used sophisticated strategies to shift profits away from where they do business. As a result, countries around the world lose an estimated US$500 billion annually in unpaid taxes, with developing nations hit particularly hard.
APChanel/ShutterstockAccording to a recent report, the UK rail industry is a relatively safe environment for both passengers and workers. The findings, from the Rail Accident Investigation Branch, came from data on railway accidents for 2024.
