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AI boom will produce winners and ‘carnage,’ says tech boss; dollar sinks to four-year lows after Trump comments – business live
Cisco chief executive says technology ‘will be bigger than the internet’ but current market is probably a bubble; dollar selling intensifies, gold climbs through $5,200 an ounce to new record highIpek Ozkardeskaya, senior analyst at Swissquote, said it is likely that the dollar will continue to weaken.There were plenty of...
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EasyJet warned over 'misleading' £5.99 cabin bag fee
The airline said the fact there were no bags available for less than £5.99 meant the claim was not misleading.
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Don’t panic and stay invested: top tips to protect your pension in turbulent times
Try to focus on the long term, be clear about your priorities, and resist withdrawing money earlyAll employers must automatically enrol their employees in a workplace pension scheme if they meet the eligibility criteria: the employee must be a UK resident, aged between 22 and state pension age, and earning...
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Sanctions are economic warfare with civilians as collateral damage | Kenneth Mohammed
In the Caribbean and Latin America, the lived reality of these measures – presented in the language of diplomacy – is starkAcross borders, cultures and faiths, most ordinary people want the same things: the ability to earn a living, put a roof over their heads, feed their families and watch...
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Royal Mail delivered Christmas letters and parcels late to about 16m people
‘No light at the end of the tunnel for consumers’ as 2025 figure is 50% higher than previous year, says Citizens AdviceRoyal Mail has been criticised for offering an “unacceptable” performance over the crucial Christmas period after it failed to deliver letters and cards on time to about 16 million...
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‘My Tesla has become ordinary’: Turkey catches up with EU in electric car sales
Popularity of EVs in country is part of global trend of emerging markets spurning fossil fuel cars at surprising speedsWhen Berke Astarcıoğlu bought a BMW i3 in 2016, he was one of just 44 people in a country of 80 million to buy a battery electric vehicle (BEV) that year....
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Amazon accidentally sends email confirming layoffs
The message was apparently sent in error hours before workers were expecting thousands of job cuts to be announced.
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UPS to cut 30,000 jobs as it moves away from Amazon
The parcel delivery giant says it is cutting back on low-profit deliveries for the online retailer.
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Vulnerable missing out on benefits due to online tool
Benefits calculators can leave some people confused and in a dire financial state, say campaigners.
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Vulnerable missing out on benefits due to online tool
Benefits calculators can leave some people confused and in a dire financial state, say campaigners.
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Coinbase adverts banned in UK for suggesting crypto could ease cost of living crisis
Advertising Standards Authority says firm advised by George Osborne ‘trivialised risks of cryptocurrency’A cryptocurrency company advised by George Osborne has been banned from showing a set of adverts that suggested using its services could be a solution to the cost of living crisis.Coinbase, which appointed the former Conservative chancellor to...
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AI boom will produce victors and carnage, tech boss warns
Cisco chief executive Chuck Robbins compares AI to the dotcom bubble of the early 2000s.
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Watch: Why Trump is hitting the road to rally Americans
The BBC's White House correspondent Bernd Debusmann explains why the president is refocusing his attention on the US economy.
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Meta allowed minors access to sex-talking chatbots despite staff concerns, lawsuit alleges
Filing by New Mexico’s attorney general includes Meta staff emails objecting to AI companion policyMark Zuckerberg, Meta’s chief executive, approved allowing minors to access artificial intelligence chatbot companions that safety staffers warned were capable of sexual interactions, according to internal Meta documents filed in a New Mexico state court case...
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UK veterinary sector reforms planned to tackle high costs of pet care
Proposals would require clearer pricing and transparency as CMA finds fees have risen at nearly twice rate of inflationThe biggest shake-up of the UK veterinary sector for 60 years should push down costs for pet owners by requiring practices to make their pricing clearer, the government has said.Ministers have announced...
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‘Very low bar’: analysts say Starmer faces slim pickings in China
Experts say business with China is always a double-edged sword let alone when its overheated economy can offer only marginal gainsStarmer vows to remain ‘clear-eyed’ over national security as he flies to ChinaKeir Starmer’s trip to China is billed as an attempt to revitalise diplomatic relations but eight years after...
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Vets may have to publish prices of common pet treatments
The government sets out proposals as data finds vet prices rose at nearly twice the inflation rate.
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Madeleine the boring machine poised for new HS2 tunnel
The high speed rail line from Birmingham will be extended from west London to Euston station.
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TikTok US pushes back on claims it is censoring content
Thousands of people claim political content is being suppressed after the US operation was spun off.
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Pressure grows on ministers to end secrecy over UK medicines deal with Trump
Critics say government hiding true cost of agreement ‘despite being forced to admit financial burden will grow year on year’Ministers are under growing pressure to end the “secrecy” around the UK’s deal with the US over the cost of medicines, which critics claim is “a Trump shakedown of the NHS”.MPs...
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Pubs given support package after business rates backlash
Treasury Minister Dan Tomlinson says the three-year aid is worth £1,650 for the average pub.
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The Guardian view on deepening poverty in the UK: a catastrophic Tory legacy has cut millions adrift | Editorial
A new Joseph Rowntree report underlines the corrosive impact of years of anti-welfare rhetoric. A reframing of the debate is urgently neededThe Joseph Rowntree Foundation’s latest report on poverty in the UK, published this week, should be read first and foremost as an indictment of all Conservative governments between 2010...
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Euston HS2 back on track, say ministers as final tunnelling begins
First of two 1,600-tonne boring machines drilling the 4.5 miles from Old Oak Common station switched on in LondonMinisters have pledged that a redeveloped Euston HS2 station will be big enough to “serve the nation” as tunnelling began for the last miles of high-speed railway into central London.Excavating the 4.5-mile...
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U-turn on pubs has not solved the government’s mess on business rates | Nils Pratley
The package being offered is not insignificant but the hospitality sector is still in troubleWill the chancellor’s inevitable U-turn on business rates for pubs be enough to quieten the developing riot behind the taps? Possibly, a bit. After two months of damaging headlines, Rachel Reeves has granted pubs a 15%...
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Hobbycraft issues full recall of asbestos-tainted children’s play sand
Craft retailer says there is ‘risk to health’ after some vials in Giant Box of Craft set contained fibrous tremolite asbestosHobbycraft has issued a full recall of children’s coloured play sand after confirming some bottles contained asbestos, presenting “a risk to health”.The Guardian revealed at the weekend that the craft...
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TikTok settles just before social media addiction trial to begin
Defendants include Meta, which owns Instagram and Facebook, and YouTube parent Google.
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Rayner urges government to stand firm over £250 ground rents cap
Former deputy PM warns against ‘vested interests’ trying to block measures for leaseholders in England and WalesFreeholders may “resort to lawfare” to block the government’s £250 cap on ground rents, Angela Rayner has warned, as leasehold experts urged ministers to speed up the “glacial” pace of reform.Keir Starmer announced a...
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Pubs and live music venues to get support after business rates backlash
Package worth at least £80m a year for England and extra to come for Wales and Scotland receives mixed reactionPubs voice fury at Reeves’s business rates changesThe Treasury has announced a support package worth more than £80m a year for pubs and live music venues in England, in a climbdown...
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Guernsey inflation continues to slow, figures show
Annual inflation in Guernsey sees a drop of 1.2% on the year before, according to latest figures.
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Revolution bars owner shuts 21 venues and cuts 591 jobs
Despite the closures, administrators for The Revel Collective have secured 41 sites and 1,582 jobs.
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NI to become first in the UK to introduce graduated driving licences
The new rules will be introduced in October and are described as the most significant reform of driver licensing for 70 years.
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‘Delays, lowballs, outright denials’: how the LA wildfires have exposed the US’s broken insurance industry
Insurance practices in an age of climate volatility raise troubling questions about home ownership and housing affordability – the bedrock of the American middle classFor a few frenetic days last January, after losing their midcentury ranch home to the wildfires that ravaged Los Angeles, Jessica and Matt Conkle thought they...
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UK ministers accept $1m from Meta amid social media ban consultation
Campaigners decry ties with ‘Trump-supporting’ tech firms after funding is accepted to develop state AI systemsUK politics live – latest updatesMinisters have accepted $1m (£728,000) from Meta, the US tech and social media company, to build AI systems for defence, national security and transport, sparking warnings about the UK government’s...
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At Davos, tech CEOs laid out their vision for AI’s world domination
Tech chiefs waxed poetic about AI to delegates at Davos. Plus, the ‘human’ drama of AI startups and why Tesla is thriving in TexasHello, and welcome to TechScape. This week’s edition is a team effort: my colleague Heather Stewart reports on the plans for AI’s world domination at Davos; I...
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‘Wake up to the risks of AI, they are almost here,’ Anthropic boss warns
Dario Amodei questions if human systems are ready to handle the ‘almost unimaginable power’ that is ‘potentially imminent’Quarter of Britons fear losing jobs to AI in next five yearsHumanity is entering a phase of artificial intelligence development that will “test who we are as a species”, the boss of the...
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Can’t decide on a food delivery? Just Eat launches AI chatbot to help you choose
Delivery firm aims to overcome ‘choice overload’ using voice assistant in its UK app, with global rollout plannedBusiness live – latest updatesIn the beginning, collecting a takeaway was the epitome of a lazy night in. Then delivery apps saved some more energy. Now, consumers can skip even bothering to read...
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India and EU announce 'mother of all trade deals'
The long-awaited deal comes as both Delhi and Brussels contend with economic and geopolitical pressure from the US.
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‘Mother of all deals’: EU and India sign free trade agreement
Tariffs cut to zero for many industrial products, including iron and steel, plastics, chemicals and pharmaceuticalsEurope live – latest updatesBusiness live – latest updatesIndia and the EU have finalised a landmark free trade agreement, which the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, hailed as the “mother of all deals”.The...
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Parental leave system 'not equal for all families'
Families should have parental leave access and single parents should have more help, a report says.
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Ground rents to be capped at £250 a year for leaseholders
The reforms for England and Wales also include proposals to ban the sale of new leasehold flats.
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Labour MPs call for halt to business rate rise for music venues
Nearly 50 MPs have written to the chancellor calling for music venues to be exempted from a hike in business rates.
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Trump raises US tariffs on South Korea imports to 25%
Trump has accused Seoul of "not living up" to a trade deal that was reached last year.
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Eurostar sent a £120 voucher instead of the £1,744 it owes me
I was stranded in Brussels after a power failure, but the promised refund for hotels, food and transport failed to arriveEurostar is refusing to honour expenses claims after a power failure in the tunnel stranded thousands of passengers last month.Our party of four was stuck at Brussels station when all...
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Winter shelter sees highest demand in years
Northampton Hope Centre staff say people who need the shelter could be turned away by next week.
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Change aims to make credit card access 'simpler'
A legal loophole stopping islanders apply for credit cards has been removed by the States.
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Starmer's fraught visit to China will tell us what he really thinks of the UK's place in the world | Peter Frankopan
Does Britain have any leverage over human rights or security concerns or is it a decaying nation that cannot risk trade relations?This week, Keir Starmer will reportedly visit China. This will be the first trip of this kind by a British prime minister since Theresa May’s three-day visit to Beijing...
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Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp to trial premium subscriptions
Under the plan, access to the Meta platforms' core services would remain free.
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Has the world entered an era of ‘water bankruptcy’? – podcast
Last week, a UN report declared that the world has entered an era of ‘global water bankruptcy’ with many human water systems past the point at which they can be restored to former levels. To find out what this could look like, Madeleine Finlay speaks to the Guardian’s diplomatic editor,...
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Access denied: why Muslims worldwide are being ‘debanked’ | Oliver Bullough
Innocent people are being frozen out of basic banking services – and it all traces back to reforms rushed through after 9/11Hamish Wilson lives a few miles away from me, in a cosy farmhouse in the damp hills of mid Wales. He makes good coffee, tells great stories and is...
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Can India be a player in the computer chip industry?
India is investing hundreds of millions of dollars in building up a computer chip industry.
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Airlines pay out millions after initially rejecting claims
Passengers accuse carriers of "confusing" them into dropping compensation claims for cancelled flights.
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US government invests $1.6bn for stake in rare earths firm
The deal is the Trump administration's latest attempt to reduce its reliance on China.
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Tanker crash captain denies falling asleep
Vladimir Motin denies gross negligence manslaughter after a crew member died in the North Sea crash.
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Aerial footage shows aftermath of fire at Greek biscuit factory that left four dead – video
Aerial footage shows thick smoke billowing from a massive fire that broke out at a biscuit factory near the city of Trikala in Greece. The blaze left four people dead, according to the fire brigade Continue reading...
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Over 700,000 graduates out of work and claiming benefits, analysis suggests
The government says it has commissioned a review into "what's holding the younger generation back".
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Ryanair fares to rise as passenger numbers forecast to surge
The airline says it expects fares to increase by up to 9% as passenger numbers grow this year.
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EU investigates Elon Musk's X over Grok AI sexual deepfakes
The Commission will assess whether "manipulated sexually explicit images" have been shown to users in the EU.
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Gold tops $5,000 for first time ever, adding to historic rally
Gold is seen as a so-called safe-haven asset that investors buy in times of uncertainty and low interest rates.
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DVLA revoked my licence, so I couldn’t drive to my dying daughter
She had entered end-of-life care and I relied on my car to get to her, but it hadn’t returned the licence Our daughter, who has cancer, entered end-of-life care on Christmas Eve. I am a carer for her and her two young children.We both live in rural villages with no...
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Caribbean cannabis growers eye budding domestic sales and exports
Producers in Jamaica and Antigua hope that increasing liberalisation will lead to higher revenues.
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'Low pay and boredom led me to get a secret second job'
Imtiaz had a public sector job but said the pay was low, he took another job in the private sector.
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Amsterdam prepares to ‘ban the fatbikes’ amid rise in serious accidents
Experts say souped-up e-bikes pose big risk for children aged from 12 to 15, who account for many A&E casesOn a busy lunchtime, thick-tyred electric bikes zoom through the leafy lanes of the Vondelpark in Amsterdam. But after a marked rise in accidents – particularly involving children – these vehicles...
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US small businesses are doing fine. Don’t believe me? Look at the numbers
Multiple small-business indexes show an uptick in optimism as well as an easing of cost pressures and uncertaintyRegardless of all the challenges they face, small businesses have been doing pretty well in this country across the board. Don’t believe me? Take a look at some of the latest numbers.For more...
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‘They’re trying to milk us’: leaseholders tell of soaring charges amid Labour reform delays
Some residents say they are facing financial ruin as government’s long-awaited law changes stall“I don’t say this lightly, but I feel traumatised by this,” said Sarah*, a leaseholder who owns a one-bedroom flat in Moseley, south Birmingham. “Every time I open the front door to my house I’m expecting some...
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How botched Tory insulation scheme looms over Labour’s warm homes plan
Eco programme turned into a national scandal – but experts worry £15bn plan will prioritise green energy over insulatingNo homeowner wants to be faced with a hefty bill for household repairs – and when those charges are the result of botched insulation under a UK government-run scheme, individual misfortune turns...
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Fitness fraud: gym goers warned over fake deals on memberships and personal trainers
January is a prime time for people looking to get fit, so fraudsters create fake websites and appsA new year means a new start – it’s time to get fit and there are quite a few deals out there. On Facebook you see a local gym advertising a discount on...
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Five ways weight-loss jabs are changing spending habits
With GLP-1 drugs rising in popularity, how are businesses adapting to a new type of consumer?
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‘We need Target to stand up’: activists in Minneapolis press retailer amid ICE arrests at its stores
Activists say the retailer has met with clergy but not spoken out against ICE or safeguarded employees and customersWhile thousands of protesters marched through downtown Minneapolis on Friday to demand that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents leave the city, a smaller group of activists set their sights on a...
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Here’s how Europe can file for divorce from Donald Trump | Phillip Inman
Amid the tumult of the WEF in Davos this week, some investors are leading the way by ditching US government bondsThere is a way to file for divorce from Donald Trump and Europe needs to grab the opportunity.To the public it will look as if nothing has changed. But behind...
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Why it has not been so easy being green for the white van in the UK
Electric van sales are behind government targets, but those fleets that have switched are seeing a real differenceSwinging a fully laden electric van around a training centre in Bishop’s Stortford feels easy, with instant acceleration that belies the racks of heavy equipment in the back. Perhaps too easy, as the...
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Is the supreme court ready to stand up to Trump over Federal Reserve attack?
Conservative majority appears eager to hand president greater power – with one exception: the US central bankDonald Trump has tried his usual tactics when it comes to getting the US Federal Reserve to lower interest rates: bully when persuasion doesn’t work, and then fire when bullying doesn’t work.In an unprecedented...
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High on ... mustard? Cannabis industry teams up with chefs in push to stand out
US legal cannabis industry seeks new ways to incorporate weed into meals after a tough year for business in 2025Food and stoner culture have always gone together, but these days chefs and cannabis professionals are working together to find thoughtful, new ways to incorporate weed into meals.For National Hot Pastrami...
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Is this the week Trump went too far? | The Latest
Donald Trump’s maximalist approach to foreign policy reached a crescendo this week, with the US president dominating proceedings at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Trump rescinded his threat to seize the Danish territory of Greenland, and launched his so-called board of peace for Gaza. It’s been a chaotic week...
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1975: Could you do your food shop just once a year?
Grocery shopping with a couple who bought all their supplies yearly rather than weekly.
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Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford
Tony's quest to build connection soon spirals into isolation, addiction and mistrust...
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Trump covets mineral-rich Greenland, but what natural resources does it actually have?
Greenland's natural resources include large reserves of rare earth deposits.
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Does TikTok's US deal threaten the company's global ambitions?
TikTok has finalised a deal to allow its American business to continue, by creating a new US entity separate from its global operations. The BBC's Asia Business Correspondent Suranjana Tewari breaks down what this could mean.
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AI ready: The advantages of being a young entrepreneur
The latest generation of entrepreneurs have a head-start with AI but also face familiar challenges.
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How Slovakia became the world's number one carmaker
The European country is the biggest autos manufacturer relative to the size of its population.
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Trump says tiny cars are amazing but will Americans actually buy them?
The president wants to bring to the US tiny vehicles, like those commonly seen on the streets of Japan.
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Macron tells Davos of shift towards 'a world without rules' – video
The French president, Emmanuel Macron, told the World Economic Forum, in Davos, that the world was sliding away from democracy and international law towards autocracy and violence.'It's a shift to a world without rules, where international law is trampled underfoot and where the only law that seems to matter is...
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Are 'tech dense' farms the future of farming?
A host of technology is on offer to farmers, promising to raise farming yields and lower food prices.
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Are we getting more savvy about our credit scores?
With lenders using credit scores to decide everything from phone contracts to car finance, experts say understanding how it works could make a meaningful difference.
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'The finest in the world': Why the US is buying icebreakers from Finland
The Nordic nation leads the way when it comes to both the design and construction of the vessels.
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How realistic is India's quest for magnets made of rare earths
India has a $800m plan to make rare earth magnets, aiming to reduce dependence on Chinese imports - but can it work?
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'They are essential': How smoke detectors are evolving
AI trained to recognise fire is among the latest developments in fire alarm tech.
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Honey, I shrunk the data centres: Is small the new big?
Huge data centres are being built to handle AI computing but some experts say they aren't necessary.
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Why are more bosses sharing the top job?
More bosses are sharing the top job giving them more time for family and breaks.
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Why luxury carmakers are now building glitzy skyscrapers
Bugatti is the latest auto firm to construct an opulent apartment building for the super rich.
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'I had no electricity for six months': US families struggle with soaring energy prices
Rising electricity costs have emerged as a key cost-of-living concern, pushing families further into debt.
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The real impact of roadworks on the country - and why they're set to get worse
There is a fine balance between the benefits of improved infrastructure, versus the cost of disruption. Does the country have it right?
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Excel: The software that's hard to quit
Companies are trying to wean staff off Excel spreadsheets to centralise control of their data.
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How tariff disruption will continue reshaping the global economy in 2026
Trump's import levies are still changing the patterns of international trade.
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How the new road safety measures could affect you
The government is proposing lowering alcohol limits for drivers and regular eye tests for older motorists.
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How the defence sector is battling a skills crisis
Attracting younger workers into the defence industry can be challenging.
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Swedish workers trial 'friendship hour' to combat loneliness
The pilot project is even giving staff free money to help pay to do activities with their friends.
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Budget 2025: What's the best and worst that could happen for Labour?
Three days in, after a tax U-turn and partial climbdown on workers' rights, Laura Kuenssberg looks at what impact Budget week might have.
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Has Britain's budget watchdog become too all-powerful?
Ahead of this week's Budget, some have accused the Office for Budget Responsibility of being a "straitjacket on growth"
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The curious case of why Poundland is struggling during a cost-of-living crisis
Why - in an age where so many of us are feeling the financial pinch - are some budget shops on UK high streets having such a tough time?
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The £5.30 orange juice that tells the story of why supermarket prices are sky high
Butter, chocolate, coffee and milk have all seen prices rocket. Tracing back through the story of one particular supermarket staple begins to explain why