business

Rejecting claims from Hamas and Israeli protesters that his government is not engaged in serious negotiations aimed at securing the release of those held captive in Gaza, Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday he was committed to reaching an agreement to free the hostages and military pressure had been effective. “We are willing,” Israel’s prime minister … Read more

Several elections on Tuesday will be a crucial test of the popularity of the chaotic and extremist first two months of Donald Trump’s second term and the clout of his close ally, Elon Musk, the world’s richest man who has been tasked with radically reforming the US federal government. They could also offer a glimmer … Read more

An unnamed superannuation fund took more than 500 days to approve a death benefit payment to an Indigenous woman grieving the loss of her husband and ignored her concerns about financial hardship and a confusing claims process. The “distressing” case has been highlighted by the financial regulator as one of many “poor industry practices” by … Read more

More than a year after his abduction by Israeli soldiers, the first thing Alaa Abu Zeid wanted to do on his return to Gaza was hold his wife and children. He didn’t know that Ali, his brother, would be the only person waiting when he arrived in Khan Younis earlier this month: Alaa’s wife, Hala, … Read more

Donald Trump said on Saturday he did not warn car industry executives against raising prices as tariffs on foreign-made autos come into force, telling NBC News he “couldn’t care less” if they do. The president’s comments came as the White House prepared to impose new tariffs on a range of consumer goods on 2 April, … Read more

Ministers are planning to introduce a last-minute rule change this week to overturn sentencing guidelines which could have led to criminals getting different sentences depending on their age, sex and ethnicity. Shabana Mahmood, the justice secretary, is planning to bring a bill to the Commons this week to overrule the guidelines, which are due to … Read more

A West Virginia law signed this week bans synthetic dyes and preservatives in food – a first-in-the-nation consumer protection led by Republicans in the face of vociferous industry opposition. West Virginia’s law is one of dozens of bills introduced across the country, as Republican state lawmakers get on board with one of the most powerful … Read more

Anti-scam campaign groups are calling for police forces to be much tougher on fraudsters, who they claim are scamming millions from victims in “a penalty-free crime”. The pleas are being made just days after the UK government announced it is working on an “expanded” fraud strategy as part of a “robust response” to surging reported … Read more

Ministers will ask the Commons authorities to consider changing rules which allowed a Labour whip to claim £900 in expenses to rent a pet-friendly flat in London. The government will lobby the independent expenses regulator to look at allowance rules after Taiwo Owatemi claimed for a pet surcharge demanded by her landlord to allow her … Read more

Donors abandoned the charity Prince Harry founded in memory of his late mother when he left the UK, the chair of Sentebale has said amid a bitter media row. There was a “significant correlation” between a drop in funders and the Duke of Sussex’s departure to the US following controversy caused by his rift with … Read more