Cost

• Domino’s Pizza、KFCの運営会社であるCollins Foods、およびマルチブランドのフードフランチャイズを所有するRetail Food Groupの株価は、いずれも2桁の下落を落を記録した • 最新ニュースのメール、無料アプリ、または毎日のニュースポッドキャストをチェック • かつては安価な食事の象徴であったファストフードが、生活費の再燃により、多くの人々にとって手の届かない贅沢品へと変わりつつある

• 国防長官は昨日のHouse（下院）での荒れたセッションを受け、Senate armed services committee（上院軍事委員会）で議員らからの質問を受ける予定。 • Pete HegsethがCapitol HillでDemocrats（民主党）から2日目の厳しい追及を受ける中、Senators（上院議員）らはIran戦争への対応を巡りPentagon（国防総省）トップを詰問、あるいは称賛する初めての機会を得る。Breaking News USのメール登録はこちら。 • 国防長官は昨日、約6時間にわたるHouse armed services committeeの公聴会でDemocratsや一部のRepublicans（共和党）と激しく対立した。そこで同氏は、戦争にかかる費用（ドル）、人命、そして重要兵器の減少する備蓄について追及を受けた。

消費動向トラッカーによると、85%が食品価格に不安を感じており、大多数が経済は悪化すると考えている。 木曜日に発表されたWhich?の報告書によれば、コスト上昇に対処するために消費者が極端な手段を講じるなか、英国の300万世帯が食事を抜くことを余儀なくされている。 中東での紛争とそれに続く原油や原材料価格の急騰により、企業が値上げの準備を進めており、家計への圧迫が強まり、消費者信頼感に打撃を与えている。 続きを読む...

• US-IsraelとIranの戦争の中、Strait of Hormuzの封鎖がエネルギー市場に影響を及ぼし、ガソリン価格が1ガロン当たり4ドルを超え航空運賃も暴騰したことで、Trumpの主要な政治的優位性が損なわれている。 • Republicansの半数以上およびindependentsの82%を含む、登録有権者の4分の3以上が、現在、燃料、食料品、住宅、医療に影響を及ぼしている生活費危機の責任はTrumpにあるとしている。 • 政府閉鎖、関税、およびUS-IsraelによるIranへの共同攻撃を経て、Trumpの2期目の支持率は歴代の大統領よりも遥かに速いペースで下落しており、Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powellは、戦争がインフレを助長していると警告している。

• 米国の成人の3分の2近く（64％）が医療費の支払いに不安を感じており、そのうち30％は「非常に不安」と回答している。これはガソリン代への懸念を上回る結果となった。 • 他の経済的圧力がある中で、医療費の負担能力は引き続き国民の最大の懸念事項となっている。 • この世論調査は、医療費の上昇に伴う家計への継続的な経済的負担を浮き彫りにしている。

• 国防長官がHouseの委員会で証言する中、Trumpは武器を手にした自身のAI生成画像に「NO MORE MR. NICE GUY」というキャプションを添えて投稿した。 • Pete HegsethはUS-IsraelによるIranとの戦争が「泥沼」であることを否定し、同紛争に対するWashingtonの戦略を提示するよう圧力を受ける中で、作戦の批判者たちはIran自身よりもUSにとって大きな脅威であると主張した。 • 統合参謀本部議長のGen Dan Caineと共にHouseの軍事委員会に出席したUS国防長官は、1.5兆ドルの軍事支出予算の承認を議員らに求め、その後、一部の議員を戦争遂行における「最大の課題」と表現した。続きを読む...

Brown は、2008年に同僚に問題を提起させた際、警察に対し元王子の公的資金の使用を調査するよう求めている。Gordon Brown は、警察に公的資金の使用が含まれるよう捜査の拡大を求めるとともに、2008年に貿易特使として「容認できない費用」を発生させた件について Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor への聞き取りを命じたことを明らかにした。元首相は、ビジネス部門の同僚に Mountbatten-Windsor の出張経費について質問するよう依頼したと述べた。続きを読む...

倒産処理専門業者は、件数が62,193件に増加した背景に、増税、人件費の上昇、そして消費者信頼感の低下があることを指摘しています。再建専門会社Begbies Traynorの調査によると、「相次ぐ増税」や中東紛争の影響に企業が直面する中、英国で「深刻な財務的苦境」にある企業の数は、過去1年間で3分の1以上増加しました。特にホスピタリティおよびレジャー産業の企業は、消費者信頼感の不透明感に加え、増税や人件費の上昇により、極めて厳しい状況に置かれています。

• 漁業会社も最大70%の補助金を利用可能に。「最も影響を受けているセクター」に対する国家援助規則が緩和された。 • EUは水曜日に発表した緊急措置の一環として、イラン戦争によって上昇した燃料費および肥料費の追加費用の最大70%を、農家、漁業業者、道路運送業者に補助する。 • 個別の企業は、年末までに最小限の手続きで最大5万ユーロを請求できる。EUはこの措置により、運送業者や農家にとっての「存亡の危機」とされる脅威が取り除かれることを期待している。

Climate group calls for urgent windfall tax on excess fossil fuel profits, as delegates tell Colombia conference their nations are sufferingThe Middle East oil and gas crunch will impose as much as a trillion dollars of additional costs on the global economy while petroleum companies rake in spectacular profits from elevated fuel prices, analysis has revealed.The uneven distribution of risk and reward comes amid rising concern that the US-Israeli attack on Iran is worsening inequality, poverty and hunger across a world that has become dangerously dependent on fossil fuels. Continue reading...

• East Bay man in Contra Costa County died after consuming toxic wild mushrooms amid statewide spike. • California recorded 35 mushroom poisoning cases from Nov. 18 to Jan. 4, far above average of under five yearly. • Surge prompts health warnings on foraging risks during wet weather conditions.

Exclusive: Report shows cost of first appointment rose $20 in one year, with steeper rises in Western Australia, South Australia and TasmaniaGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastPatients are increasingly going without medically necessary dermatological care, the head of the Consumers Health Forum said, as new report reveals the rising cost of the specialty in Australia.Dermatology is expensive and getting pricier, with an average first visit now costing an adult patient without concessions $230 out-of-pocket, while follow-up appointments cost almost $190, the report from health directory Cleanbill found. Continue reading...

• The Department of Justice dropped its criminal investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Powell regarding the agency's building expenditures, marking a significant development in federal oversight. • The decision came amid broader discussions on Capitol Hill about federal accountability, with both Republican and Democratic representatives weighing in on the implications. • The outcome reflects shifting priorities in federal investigations and debates over Fed governance and spending practices.

Officials hope more casual attire for public servants will save electricity during Iran war as summer approachesPublic servants working for the Tokyo metropolitan government are being encouraged to swap their suits for shorts this summer to combat sweltering heat and rising energy costs caused by the US-Israel war on Iran.Inspired by the country’s Cool Biz energy-saving initiative, Tokyo officials hope the measure will cut dependence on air conditioning. Continue reading...

Donald Trump’s conflict with Iran could speed the EU’s green revolution – if panicking governments can hold their nerve on clean energy• Don’t get This Is Europe delivered to your inbox? Sign up hereA surge in demand for electric vehicles across Europe may be evidence of what George Monbiot greeted as the silver lining of the Iran war. Sales of electric cars in continental Europe rose by 51% in March.The International Energy Agency has called the disruption in the strait of Hormuz the “biggest energy crisis in history”, but it appears, on one level, to be accelerating Europe’s green revolution. Yet, even if car-owners are rushing to the EV showrooms, some European governments, facing a groundswell of anger over soaring petrol and gas prices, are at risk of sending the clean energy transition into reverse. Continue reading...

Firm had to repatriate almost 12,000 guests and staff, including from two cruise ships in Abu Dhabi and DohaThe Iran war has cost the travel company Tui €40m (£34.7m) so far, including repatriating almost 12,000 holidaymakers and staff, and forced it to cut its profit forecast for this year.Europe’s biggest holiday operator said that it had taken the hit in March owing to the impact of the conflict in the Middle East, as it was forced to bring home 5,000 guests from two cruise ships anchored in ports in Abu Dhabi and Doha. Continue reading...

Farmers have been calling for higher prices for weeks, amid soaring diesel and fertiliser costs and limited supplyGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastColes has increased home-brand milk prices by up to 20c a litre, with Woolworths set to follow as war in the Middle East starts to hit Australian grocery costs.The price rise will support the company’s bottom line against pressure from higher fuel and operating costs, while some of the revenue will be temporarily passed on to dairy farmers. Continue reading...

The trend has been accelerated by the US-Israel war on Iran, leaving households – and cafe owners – glum, surveys suggestFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastFor many coffee drinkers, takeaway orders are changing from a habitual purchase to an occasional treat, as elevated petrol prices and other living costs leave households feeling glum.This rapid shift in behaviour has disappointed cafe owners and surprised economists, raising an uneasy question: if takeaway coffee sales are falling, is the economy next? Continue reading...

• Oil prices dropped significantly, providing tailwinds for technology companies as lower energy costs reduce operational expenses and improve profit margins across the sector. • Constellation Research founder R 'Ray' Wang discussed the direct relationship between Big Tech performance and oil and gas pricing, highlighting how the energy market collapse supports tech stock rebounds. • The decline in energy costs removes a key headwind for capital-intensive tech operations and data centers, contributing to the broader market rally.

A Trace analysis found that revenue from fining white-collar criminals is drying up – due to presidential pardonsThis story was originally published by the Trace, a non-profit newsroom covering gun violence in America. Sign up for its newsletters here.Since his return to office last year, Donald Trump has pardoned dozens of white-collar criminals. He’s also forgiven their fines, penalties and restitution, to the tune of billions. Some of that revenue was supposed to go to a fund to help victims of violent crime – and the organizations that serve them are feeling the pinch. Continue reading...

Health secretary and chef Robert Irvine claim Americans could eat healthier and more cheaply if they shopped betterSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxThe first episode of the new Secretary Kennedy Podcast, produced by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), opens with this quote from guest Robert Irvine, who creates meal plans for the US military: “We talk about food being expensive. If you’re buying expensive food, it’s expensive. But if you’re buying food and you know what to do with it, it’s not expensive.”The episode is titled Fixing America’s Food System – Robert Irvine, and features a 45-minute conversation with the HHS secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr, the host of the show, and guest Irvine. Best known as a celebrity chef, Irvine has collaborated with the US military to launch Victory Fresh, a program that offers healthy grab-and-go meals on military bases, during the Biden administration. The program’s Biden-era origins are never acknowledged during the show. Continue reading...

Scheme cutting bills by up to 25% expanded to cover 10,000 firms, but they will not be paid until next yearRachel Reeves has announced an expansion of support for the most energy-intensive UK businesses, as they face soaring bills as a result of the Middle East conflict.The chancellor said the long-promised British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme (BICS) would be expanded to cover 10,000 companies, up from the 7,000 originally announced. Continue reading...

Consumer spending on travel is down for the first time in five years while card spending edges up in MarchUK consumers have cut back on travel spending for the first time in five years, as they worry about the rising cost of living amid the Iran war.Overall consumer card spending increased 0.9% year on year in March, down from February’s 1%, according to data from Barclays. Continue reading...

Governments spending $2.13bn annually on low quality food in public settings, report saysGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastReptile remains, believed to be from a crocodile, have been found dumped on the side of the road in Adelaide.A spokesperson for the state’s environment and water department confirmed in a statement that department staff had “collected the remains of a reptile at Waterloo Corner.” They said:The remains, which were dumped on the side of the road at Coleman Road, will be analysed in an effort to confirm the species and any other information.“It is not currently known how the remains came to be located at the site.A different approach can increase the use of fresh, local produce, redirect spending to Australian farmers and producers, support the people working in public food service kitchens, and generate real benefits for Australia.Better public food procurement is not about spending more, it’s about spending smarter. The evidence is clear, public support is strong, and the solutions exist. Given the threat to our food system caused by the global fuel and fertiliser crisis, now is the moment for leadership. Continue reading...

NSW government urged to investigate if transport department refused to share cost of sensors that would detect a person entering coupling areaFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe potentially life-saving safety upgrades to Sydney’s light rail, which a former Transdev employee has alleged were cancelled in order to save money, would have only cost about $2.2m, according to the whistleblower.The New South Wales government has been urged to investigate whether its transport department declined to share the cost of installing sensors that would detect a person entering the coupling area between two joined trams after a fatal incident in 2023. Continue reading...

• Truckload markets are tightening faster than anticipated, with freight costs now projected to increase 16–17% year over year in 2026, according to C.H. Robinson's April freight market update. • Capacity constraints and carrier attrition are driving the acceleration in transportation costs across North America. • The tighter capacity environment signals sustained pressure on logistics expenses for shippers as supply chain challenges persist into the second quarter.

PM appears to draw comparison between Russian and US leaders and calls for plan to restore shipping through strait of HormuzKeir Starmer has said he is “fed up” with the effect that Donald Trump’s actions in the Middle East are having on the British public, while appearing to draw a comparison between the US president to Vladimir Putin.Speaking to ITV’s Robert Peston on Thursday, the prime minister said: “I’m fed up with the fact that families across the country see their bills go up and down on energy, businesses’ bills go up and down on energy because of the actions of Putin or Trump across the world.” Continue reading...

Charity says it dealt with 75 incidents last year involving 100 or more animals living in one propertyThe cost of living crisis and an increase in people experiencing mental health difficulties have led to a rising number of multi-animal rescue incidents in England and Wales, an RSPCA superintendent has said.The animal charity this week had to confirm that a shocking photograph of more than 250 poodle-cross dogs found at a property in the UK was not faked with artificial intelligence. The RSPCA took in 87 of the dogs and the remainder went to the Dogs Trust, another charity. Continue reading...