Author: staff
By Alessio Dell’Anna & video by Loredana Dumitru Published on 14/05/2026 – 11:20 GMT+2 European businesses are pulling back on their investments. The EU’s business investment rate fell to its lowest level in more than a decade, reaching 21.8% in Q4 2025, according to new Eurostat data. The rate basically measures how much money companies are investing in things such as machinery and buildings, relative to the total value they create. The index doesn’t take into account banks and financial corporations but rather “regular businesses”, such as hotels, factories, supermarkets, airlines and so on. Interestingly, the EU business rate peaked right before COVID-19,…
LONDON — Angela Rayner has been cleared of wrongdoing in a tax investigation, removing a potential hurdle to any bid to become the next leader of the ruling Labour Party. The former deputy prime minister told the Guardian newspaper and ITV News that the U.K. tax authority HMRC concluded she “didn’t try to avoid paying tax” or “wasn’t careless in the way in which I conducted myself” following an investigation into unpaid property tax, which was launched last fall. It comes at a crucial time, with Keir Starmer’s leadership under threat. Health Secretary Wes Streeting is widely expected to launch a…
Published on 14/05/2026 – 10:44 GMT+2 First, Elon Musk is there to protect Tesla’s massive Chinese footprint and his interests as head of xAI. Tim Cook is managing his final lap as Apple’s CEO, balancing billions in sales with a shift of production away from China. There is also the “king of chips,” Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, who joined at the last minute to lobby for the sale of powerful H200 AI chips currently stalled by US and Chinese regulations. Joining them are the giants of the supply chain. Micron is there to fight Beijing’s ban on American memory chips, while…
London has just been named the world’s best city for culture by Time Out. Based on insights from more than 24,000 city dwellers who were polled across the globe, the British capital scored well thanks to its theatre scene as well as its museums and galleries. Of the top 20, nine of the cities are in Europe, including six in the top 10. “From London to Lisbon, every city that made the ranking this year boasts legendary museums and a thriving performing arts scene, alongside a cultural calendar absolutely jam-packed with exhibitions, festivals and events,” Grace Beard, travel editor at…
By Theo Farrant & AP Published on 14/05/2026 – 9:04 GMT+2•Updated 9:28 A licensed drug addiction counsellor who delivered the ketamine doses that killed Matthew Perry was sentenced Wednesday to two years in prison. Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett handed down the sentence to Erik Fleming, 56, at a federal court in Los Angeles for his role in the “Friends” star’s tragic 2023 death. “It’s truly a nightmare I can’t wake up from,” Fleming said in a deep, somber voice from the podium before his sentencing. “I’m haunted by the mistakes I made.” Fleming connected Perry to Jasveen Sangha – dubbed “The Ketamine Queen”…
Listen on Spotify Apple Music Amazon Music Sky News Is the Labour leadership contest about to get messy and plunge the party into chaos? Sam and Anne start the day expecting Wes Streeting to resign as health secretary to spark a contest, but a new intervention may have changed everyone’s calculations. Angela Rayner has said that an HMRC investigation into her tax affairs is over, paving a way for a challenge. But will she join the contest and can Andy Burnham find a way to enter the fray? The duo analyse the developing situation and ask whether it will be…
The EU’s equality chief Hadja Lahbib told Euronews’ Europe Today programme that conversion therapy is “torture” that can lead to depression and suicide – “and that’s why we need really to react and to combat these practices.” The comments came following a presentation by the European Commission regarding a citizens initiative signed by more than one million signatures calling for a bloc-wide ban on the practice. Instead of meeting the demands, the Commission will next year will put forth the non-binding recommendation that cover actions to increase societal awareness, help victims seek legal action and strengthen medical and psychological support.…
The price of paraffin continues to rise. Tension in the Strait of Hormuz, through which 40% of the fuel used by commercial aircraft worldwide passes, has sent airlines’ energy bills soaring. This has brought back to the table a question that many travellers thought they had forgotten: can you get to Spain without taking a plane? The short answer is yes. The long answer is that it depends a lot on where you come from, how much time you have and how much you care about the journey itself. Iberia holds its own, but the industry trembles Iberia’s president, Marco…
U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer is braced for an imminent challenge to his position with Health Secretary Wes Streeting expected to launch a bid for the leadership of the ruling Labour Party Thursday. It comes as former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, another potential rival, said she has been cleared of wrongdoing in a tax probe — overcoming a major hurdle to her own potential challenge for the top job. Starmer is still reeling from dire election results in England, Wales and Scotland last week. More than 90 of his MPs have called for him to go — either now…
From the glacial lakes of Banff to the tablelands of Gros Morne, Canada’s national parks offer spectacular vistas that need to be seen to be believed. If you’re visiting this summer, you won’t have to pay a penny to see them either, as Parks Canada is waiving entry fees for all visitors from 19 June to 7 September. Covering all national historic sites, national parks and national marine conservation areas operated by Parks Canada, the offer amounts to some serious savings if you’re planning on visiting a few in one trip. During the same period, you’ll also get a 25%…