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Charity says calls to its Childline service about online sexual abuse and exploitation have risen 36% in a yearChildren reported a rise in online blackmail attempts involving sexual images in the UK last year, according to a leading charity.The NSPCC said contacts with its Childline service relating to online sexual abuse and exploitation rose by 36% last year, driven by an increase in cases related to online blackmail. Continue reading...

Tepid cabinet support and a blunted No 10 operation are making it harder for the prime minister to face down criticsUK politics: live updatesThe last time Keir Starmer faced a threat to his leadership, his core team assembled in the cabinet room and persuaded ministers to fire off a succession of supportive tweets in an attempt to keep him in office. This time has been different.As the number of MPs calling for the prime minister to resign has grown over the last 48 hours, much of the cabinet has remained quiet. Continue reading...

Levels of Pfas in northern gannet eggs in Canada fell up to 74% over 55-year period of studyLevels of some of the most dangerous Pfas compounds have dramatically fallen in Canadian seabird eggs, which the authors of a new peer-reviewed study say illustrates how regulations are effective.Researchers looked at Pfas levels in the eggs of northern gannets in the St Lawrence Seaway basin over a 55-year period. Pfas levels shot up from the 1960s through the peak of the chemicals’ use in the late 1990s and early aughts, then fell. Continue reading...

Judges have been fired or taken buyouts, and those remaining say they toe the government lineDavid Koelsch, a former immigration judge based in Maryland, was in Minneapolis visiting his mother and sister the day Alex Pretti was shot and killed by federal agents. He drove to Nicollet Avenue, parked a few blocks away, and walked toward the scene.“I didn’t go there to protest. I didn’t bring a sign. I didn’t bring anything. I just went to stand and bear witness,” Koelsch said. Continue reading...

Iran war is driving up prices for fuel and raw materials, says survey Business live – latest updatesConstruction companies in the UK are experiencing some of the sharpest cost rises in nearly 30 years as the war in Iran drives up prices for fuel and raw materials, according to a closely watched survey.The poll of UK construction companies found that input cost inflation – which accounts for expenses such as raw materials, energy and labour – rose last month to the highest level since June 2022 when there was a spike in commodity prices caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Continue reading...

• Spyware detections against Singapore organisations more than doubled in 2025, marking the sharpest increase in the region amid escalating cyber threats. • Southeast Asia recorded an 18% rise in spyware attacks during the same period, indicating a broader regional vulnerability trend. • The surge underscores growing cybersecurity risks for businesses across the region and highlights the need for enhanced defensive measures and threat intelligence.

Price of typical UK home increased by 0.9% in March, but surging mortgage rates amid conflict in Middle East is expected to put break on activityBusiness live – latest updatesUK house prices increased at the fastest rate in almost 18 months in March, although surging mortgage rates amid the Iran war is likely to lead to a slowdown in the market, according to Nationwide.The UK’s biggest building society said the price of a typical UK home increased by 0.9% month-on-month in March, the largest increase since December 2024. Continue reading...

Firm’s sales up 54% this month and Good Energy reports doubling of interest in solar after latest oil price shockSolar panel sales have risen sharply since the start of the Iran war, according to Octopus Energy, and households are opting for bigger arrays of roof panels.Sales were up 54% so far this month compared with the same period last month, the company said on Thursday. Continue reading...

• S&P 500 dropped 0.80%, Dow Jones fell 0.83%, and Nasdaq 100 declined 0.98% in early trading on March 24, 2026, amid Middle East tensions. • Crude oil surged over 4% to $91.80, up $3.67, as Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf denied US negotiations, contradicting President Trump's claims of productive talks. • Citi analysts warn prolonged conflict could push oil to $200 per barrel, heightening inflation fears and pressuring equities.

PMI figure reveals impact on economy of rise in oil prices driven by Iran warBusiness live – latest updatesThe UK’s manufacturers have suffered the sharpest one-month acceleration in costs since the aftermath of Black Wednesday in 1992, as conflict in the Middle East has driven up oil prices, new survey evidence shows.The closely watched purchasing managers’ index (PMI) lays bare the impact of the conflict on the UK economy, with growth slowing sharply across manufacturing and services and costs rising. Continue reading...

The hot, dry summer and an increase in vineyard planting resulted in the third-largest UK grape harvestEnglish and Welsh winemakers have reported a sharp rise in production, after the hot, dry summer in 2025 and an increase in vineyard planting resulted in the third-largest UK harvest.The equivalent of 16.5m bottles were produced across the UK last year – or 124,377 hectolitres – according to figures from the wine regulator, the Food Standards Agency (FSA). Continue reading...

ONS data for three months to January is unlikely to convince Bank of England to cut interest ratesBusiness live – latest updatesWage growth slowed sharply in the three months to January according to the latest snapshot of the jobs market from the Office for National Statistics.Average earnings fell to 3.8% in the three months to January, from 4.2%, which was a larger fall than forecast by City economists. It was the slowest rate of wage growth in more than five years. Continue reading...

Nigeria had largest increase in terrorism-related deaths, ranking fourth in global index behind Pakistan, Burkina Faso and NigerJihadist violence rose sharply in Nigeria and Democratic Republic of Congo last year, even as global deaths from terrorism dropped to their lowest level in a decade, according to a new report.Nigeria recorded the largest increase in terrorism deaths globally in 2025, with fatalities rising by 46% from 513 in 2024 to 750, placing it fourth in the Global Terrorism Index, behind Pakistan, Burkina Faso and Niger. Continue reading...

• Research firm IDC significantly lowered its 2026 PC shipment forecast to an 11.3% decline, compared to the previous projection of a 2.4% drop, driven by ongoing memory shortages, rising component costs, and supply chain disruptions expected to persist into 2027. • Tablet shipments are also expected to fall 7.6% in 2026, though the overall market value is projected to increase slightly as higher component costs drive up per-unit prices for computers and devices. • IDC predicts that truly inexpensive computers will become rarer as the industry adapts to a new normal with elevated component pricing, fundamentally changing the affordable computing landscape.

Share of 16- to 24-year-old Neets who report a work-limiting condition up 70% in a decade, says thinktankThere has been a sharp rise in the number of jobless young people in the UK citing health problems as the reason they are not working, according to analysis.The share of 16- to 24-year-olds not in education, employment or training – known as Neets – who reported a work-limiting condition has surged by 70% in a decade, a charity thinktank found. Continue reading...

Tesla held steady near $395 on March 13, 2026, showing stability amid Nasdaq's 100-point drop to 22,211 driven by geopolitical tensions. The performance reflects relative EV sector resilience, alongside NIO's 4% gain on improving global sentiment. This contrasts with broader profit-taking, positioning Tesla as a volatility outlier. Watch for EV policy shifts in upcoming sessions.

Biotech firm Immutep Ltd. crashed more than 80% on March 13, 2026, becoming one of the biggest decliners amid a mixed US market session pressured by geopolitical fears. The plunge contrasted with gains in AI leaders like Intel (+1.7%), Tesla (steady at $395), and Nokia (+1.4%), highlighting sector rotation. This extreme volatility amplifies risks in biotech amid elevated VIX at 26.49 and weekly index losses. Investors may monitor clinical trial updates or funding news for rebound potential.