Author: Udenna Orji

China will begin easing an export ban on automotive computer chips vital to production of cars across the world as part of a trade deal struck between the US and China, the White House has said. The White House confirmed details of the deal in a new fact sheet after Xi Jinping and Donald Trump met in South Korea this week. The nations also reached agreements on US soybean exports, the supply of rare earth minerals, and the materials used in production of the drug fentanyl. The deal de-escalates a trade war between the world’s two largest economies after Trump…

Financial Conduct Authority defends interest rate of 2.09% as critics describe proposals as ‘hypocritical’ Victims of the car loans scandal could miss out on more than £4bn in compensation if the City regulator ploughs ahead with plans for an “insulting” interest rate in its redress scheme, consumer groups and claims firms say. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has been accused of offering a reduced rate of interest which will be added to compensation from banks for borrowers caught up in the car loan commissions scandal. Claims law firms and consumer groups say borrowers should be offered the same terms as Marcus Johnson: the sole…

Your kidneys work hard for you and they don’t ask for much in return. While you can’t always prevent chronic kidney disease (CKD), making just a few tweaks to your lifestyle can go a long way towards helping to protect your kidneys. It’s not always easy to make lifestyle changes. Lots of things can get in the way, such as the cost of some healthy foods, and finding the time and energy to cook from scratch and take exercise. But do what you can – even small changes can make a difference to your kidney health. And the good news is…

Football pays crazy money to footballers, but musicians who pair their art with business ingenuity can take wealth to an entirely different level. These artists prove that the stage can be just as lucrative—if not more so—than the pitch. When you think of big money, it’s easy to picture Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, or Neymar signing jaw-dropping contracts and endorsement deals. But here’s the twist: some musicians have actually out-earned football’s biggest names, and not just by a little, but by hundreds of millions. Jay-Z $2.6 billion Jay-Z is living proof that music is just the beginning. From champagne to tech investments,…

Anna Wise Executive pay at Britain’s largest listed companies has soared to a new record high, with analysis revealing more FTSE 100 firms paid top bosses at least £10 million. Median chief executive officer pay reached £4.58 million in 2024-2025, a 6.8% increase on the previous year. This unprecedented level of remuneration was highlighted in the High Pay Centre’s latest report. It marks the fourth year in a row that chief executives have taken home a record amount. It also means that the average FTSE 100 chief executive is now paid 122 times the median UK full-time worker, according to…

Sean Coughlan Valentine Low’s eminently readable, behind-the-scenes book about the royals has been making headlines, including how Queen Camilla fended off a sexual assault when she was a teenager. Power and the Palace, published next week and written by the former royal correspondent for The Times, explores the tangled relationship between the royals and the world of politics. From nightcaps on the royal train to discussions over the Coronation budget, here are some of the most eye-catching anecdotes in the book: Queen fought off sex attack Queen Camilla fought off a sexual assault and got the perpetrator arrested, in an incident…

Tom Gerken European banks have seen widespread unauthorised direct debits from PayPal accounts, the German Savings Banks Association (DSGV) says. The German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung (SZ) says payments worth in the region of 10 billion euros (£8.6bn) have had to be blocked, after PayPal’s fraud-checking system failed. It said payments were paused on Monday when lenders reported millions of suspicious direct debits from the payment firm. The DSGV confirmed to the BBC there had been “incidents involving unauthorized direct debits initiated by PayPal against various credit institutions”. The BBC has approached PayPal for comment. It told Reuters “certain transactions from our…

Written by Stephanie Booth Medically Reviewed by Jabeen Begum, MD  Did you know that half of all eyesight issues and vision loss can be prevented? Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial, as is maintaining a healthy lifestyle. What does that mean exactly? Here are some of the simple choices you can make every day to protect your eyes. If you’re 65 or older, it’s a good idea to have your eyes checked every year. That way, any common age-related issues like cataracts can be found and treated early 1. Eat Well for Better Eye Health Good eye health starts with the food on…

Live footage of private conversation between Russian president and Chinese leader aired at Beijing military parade Oliver Holmes and Pjotr Sauer The authoritarian strongmen Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping have mused on how organ transplants might lead to immortality, during a brief exchange of small talk caught on a hot mic at a military parade. The Russian president was in Beijing on Wednesday with the Chinese leader, who hosted allies for a ceremony to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the second world war. As Putin and Xi walked at the head of a delegation of foreign leaders, state media aired live footage that…

Andrew Bailey’s remarks to MPs about the rise in the 30-year bond yield will bring some relief to the chancellorPhillip Inman and Graeme WeardenThe governor of the Bank of England has cautioned against “exaggerating” the impact of a steep rise in the UK’s long-term borrowing costs, which he said was part of a global trend. Andrew Bailey told MPs the Treasury had continued to borrow at the same interest rate for most of the year despite a rise in the rate on 30-year bonds to a 27-year high. Bailey’s intervention will bring some relief to Rachel Reeves, who is under pressure from rising debt…