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Critics say Maryland’s new law banning rapidly change product costs based on consumer data is full of carveoutsMaryland has become the first state in the US to ban surveillance pricing in grocery stores.Maryland’s law bans grocers and third-party delivery services from using a person’s personal data to set higher prices. Wes Moore, the governor, signed the measure into law on Tuesday. “At a time when technology can predict what we need, when we need it, when we’ll pay for it and also – when we’ll pay more for it, and at a time when we’re watching how big companies are then using these analytics against us to make record profits, Maryland is not just pushing back. Maryland is pushing forward because we are going to protect our people,” Moore said at the bill signing ceremony. Continue reading...

Tech giant accused of ‘cynical attempt to bust the union’ in decision to shutter location in Towson, MarylandWorkers at the first Apple store to unionize in the US are pushing back against the company’s decision to shut down the store by June, alleging the company’s decision is rooted in “a cynical attempt to bust the union”.On Monday, the union filed an unfair labor practice charge against Apple, alleging unionized employees at the store in Towson, Maryland, are being denied transfer rights and other rights compared with workers at non-unionized stores. The union is also alleging retaliation for being unionized. Continue reading...

Sources say staff have been asked to pack up final stock and equipment after waves of closuresJewellery chain Claire’s is closing its final UK stores on Tuesday, cutting about 1,000 jobs months after falling into administration.Sources said staff at Claire’s, which collapsed in January, had been asked to pack up the final stock and equipment with the final outlets to formally close on Tuesday after successive waves of closures in recent weeks. Continue reading...

National Gallery, the Box in Plymouth and the Fitzwilliam in Cambridge also shortlisted for £120,000 Art Fund prizeThe V&A East Storehouse, the National Gallery and an accessible castle in Norwich are among the contenders for this year’s Art Fund museum of the year award, the most prestigious UK prize in the sector.The annual prize offers the winner £120,000, with £20,000 going to each of the other finalists, who the Art Fund’s director, Jenny Waldman, said had all “innovated in different ways”. Continue reading...

Take Back Power, which targets the super-rich, says seven members were arrested at a training sessionSeven people from an activist group calling for higher taxes on the super-rich have been arrested by police on suspicion of conspiracy to steal.Police confirmed that six women and one man were detained in Salford, Greater Manchester, on Sunday over what they said was a coordinated plan to steal from high-end stores. Continue reading...

About 422 indie bookshops opened in 2025, up 31%, defying predictions of retail consolidationFor years now, we have heard that Amazon and the big chains are crushing small businesses, but independent bookstores are suddenly making a comeback.About 422 new indie bookshops opened in 2025, according to the American Booksellers Association, a 31% rise from 2024. Countless independent restaurants, coffee shops, fitness centers, movie theaters, clothing stores and other small businesses also continue to thrive even in this era of ever-bigger retailers, fast-casual restaurants and massive e-commerce platforms. Continue reading...

Disgraced financier’s links to politicians and civil servants as far back as 30 years ago to be examined The Epstein files have shaken Norway’s faith in democracy, the head of the Norwegian parliament’s oversight committee has said, as a sprawling investigation into the connections between its foreign office and the late sex offender gets under way.An independent commission to look into information brought to light by the Jeffrey Epstein documents released by the US Department of Justice was launched on Wednesday after the Norwegian parliament voted unanimously last month for it to be set up. Continue reading...

Need something brilliant to read this weekend? Here are six of our favourite pieces from the last seven days Continue reading...

Store opened in 1971 in Seattle’s Pike Place Market joins growing unionization campaign across the coffee chainWorkers at the historic first Starbucks store are seeking to unionize as the coffee retail giant and its union appear stalemated over their first contract.The first Starbucks store opened in 1971 in Seattle’s Pike Place Market, and the store serves as a tourist site in Seattle. Continue reading...

Investigation of Family Dollar and Dollar General prompts lawmakers to double penalties for retailers that repeatedly charge more at checkout than prices listed on shelvesUtah lawmakers have voted to stiffen penalties on retailers who chronically overcharge customers.The new state law, which takes effect on 6 May, was introduced in direct response to a Guardian investigation of pricing practices at two national chains, Dollar General and Family Dollar, according to an official who oversees the state’s price-accuracy inspections. Continue reading...

Almost 2,000 jobs will be created, with retailer vying to overtake Morrisons as Britain’s fifth largest supermarket Lidl is to open 50 new UK stores in the year ahead as it aims to overtake Morrisons as the country’s fifth largest supermarket chain.The German-owned retailer, which now has more than 1,000 British stores, said it planned to invest more than £600m in UK growth, creating almost 2,000 jobs as it expands its warehouse and logistic network to supply its new outlets. Continue reading...

Budget proposal released on Friday outlines president’s desire to revive former federal prison in San Francisco BayDonald Trump is asking for $152m to restore Alcatraz, a former federal prison off the coast of San Francisco, according to a budget proposal released on Friday for the 2027 fiscal year.Last May, Trump first called upon the Department of Justice, the FBI and Homeland Security to rebuild the prison. He heaped praise on Alcatraz’s reputation in a Truth Social post. Continue reading...

The actor and comedian, posting on X, said that ‘unlike in today’s universities’ the military would teach young people ‘how truly great their country is’The actor and comedian Rob Schneider has urged the US to “restore the military draft for our nation’s young people” amid the ongoing war with Iran.Posting on X, Schneider, 62, who has not served in the military, wrote: Continue reading...

Authorities in Independence say store security contacted them about a ‘suspicious powder substance’ in the packagesFentanyl has been discovered inside the packaging of five Barbie dolls sold at a Missouri discount store, local authorities said.Police in Independence, Missouri, said in a statement on Saturday that store security at Cargo Largo, a local discount store, contacted authorities “regarding a suspicious powder substance located in the packaging of a Barbie Doll”. Continue reading...

• A federal judge on Friday ruled against the Pentagon's press access overhaul that had withdrawn accreditations from prominent media outlets, ordering the restoration of media access. • The decision represents a significant legal victory for press freedom advocates challenging the Defense Department's restrictions on journalist credentials and Pentagon facility access. • The ruling underscores ongoing tensions between the Trump administration's approach to media access and constitutional protections for a free press.

Alexandre Dumas was wowed by it and Burt Lancaster starred there. Now the Cirque d’Hiver has a new spectacleFor more than 170 years the Cirque d’Hiver, the world’s oldest circus, has been the scene of many a breathtaking act.In 1859, gymnast Jules Léotard – whose name would become synonymous with the one-piece – captivated audiences by launching himself from one swinging trapeze to another without a safety net for the first time in public. Continue reading...

The move, which lowers fees to 25%, is a breakthrough for Chinese developers Tencent and ByteDanceSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxApple announced late on Thursday it would lower the commission fees collected in its App Store in mainland China. The move follows pressure from regulators in the tech company’s second-largest market, as well as global scrutiny of its payment requirements.Fees for in-app purchases and paid transactions will be lowered to 25% from 30% starting on Sunday, Apple said in a statement on its blog for developers. Continue reading...