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Autotrader says average EV cost is £785 cheaper, in an important milestone in the move away from fossil fuelsBusiness live – latest updatesThe price of new battery electric cars has fallen below petrol cars in the UK for the first time ever, according to the car sales website Autotrader, in a significant milestone in Britain’s transition away from fossil fuels.The average price of a new electric car listed on the website was £42,620, compared with £43,405 for a new petrol model – making the former £785 cheaper based on advertised prices after discounts. 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...

Record temperatures led to colourful displays of tulips, hyacinths, wisteria and daffodils as gardeners prepare for showsColourful tulips, hyacinths, wisteria and daffodils have made a remarkable display across England after a heatwave followed by a cold snap caused excellent conditions for spring blooms.There were record temperatures last week in many parts of the UK as the country recorded one of the hottest April days in the last 80 years. Continue reading...

Formerly unloved vegetable casts off lowly roots to feature in Great Pavilion after online craze among young gardenersThey are an unloved root vegetable traditionally grown for cattle feed, and when pulled from the ground they look like an ingredient destined for a witch’s cauldron.But the humble mangelwurzel will be in pride of place in the Great Pavilion at this year’s Chelsea flower show (19-23 May), after becoming the subject of an online craze among young gardeners. Continue reading...

Human rights lawyers say NDIS workers and their clients remain at risk despite newly bolstered whistleblower protectionsGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastWhen Susan* came across wrongdoing at her disability support provider, she faced a choice.Say nothing, and allow her highly vulnerable clients to be put at serious risk. Continue reading...

Ex-footballer to decorate gnome for annual event after organisers lift ban on the ornaments dating back to 1927 Rare roses and stunning irises are usually among the most coveted items at the Chelsea flower show. But this year, the star attraction might be pink, sequined – and decorated by David Beckham.The former England football captain is co-designing a garden at the May event with King Charles and as part of that effort he has been given a garden gnome to paint. It will be auctioned off for charity. Continue reading...

• The 10-year U.S. Treasury yield declined following the latest inflation report on April 10, 2026, easing from recent levels. • Equity futures pointed higher as markets opened, buoyed by the Treasury movement and broader optimism. • This reaction comes amid mixed Wall Street close and anticipation of U.S.-Iran diplomatic talks, influencing bond and stock positioning.

• Wall Street stocks closed mixed on Friday, April 10, 2026, with S&P 500 down 0.1% at 6,816.89, Dow dropping 0.6% to 47,916.47, and Nasdaq up 0.4% to 22,902.90 amid anticipation of U.S.-Iran talks post-ceasefire. • Healthcare stocks led declines with Eli Lilly falling 1.8% and Johnson & Johnson down 1.3%, offset by tech gains including Nvidia up 3% and Broadcom rising 5.3%. • Oil prices slipped while major indexes recovered most March losses from Iran conflict, now just 2.3% below S&P 500's January all-time high, though volatility persists on war news.

Exclusive: Transdev undertook ‘coupling project’ after teen trapped between carriages in 2023. Trial restarted after second fatality, ex-employee claims, while Transdev denies ‘assessment’ ever shelvedThe company that operates Sydney’s light rail investigated safety upgrades following a fatal incident in 2023, but cancelled the project due to its cost before a second person died, a whistleblower alleges.After the first death, Transdev successfully trialled sensors that would detect a person entering the coupling area between two joined trams, according to the former employee who requested anonymity. But the project was stopped before another death in 2025, they said. Continue reading...

New tax will hit branded drugs and active ingredients while exempting generics for at least one yearSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxDonald Trump is threatening 100% tariffs on pharmaceutical companies that have not struck deals to lower US drug prices.The new tariff will only apply to branded drugs and their active ingredients. Generic drugs, which make up more than 90% of medicines sold in the US, will be exempted from tariffs for at least one year. Orphan, veterinary and other specialty drugs are exempt if they are from trade deal countries or meet urgent public health needs. Continue reading...

Washington-based fund says rising energy and food costs will hit economies worldwide and could leave lasting scarsThe International Monetary Fund has warned that “all roads lead to higher prices and slower growth worldwide” should the conflict in the Middle East continue to throttle the amount of oil, gas and fertiliser making its way out of the Gulf.In a stark message that countries on all continents will be affected, the Washington-based organisation said a rise in energy and food costs would harm economic growth this year and could leave lasting scars on the global economy. Continue reading...

Forthcoming rules mean debilitating conditions may not meet strict ‘severe and lifelong’ eligibility criteria, say disabled people’s organisationsHundreds of thousands of severely ill and disabled people making new claims will have their benefits cut if the government assesses that their condition might improve, charities have said.In April, the health element of universal credit – an extra payment for people assessed as too unwell to work or prepare for work – will be reduced to £50 a week and frozen for new claimants unless their condition is found to be terminal or severe and lifelong with no prospect of improvement. Continue reading...

• Major US indices declined Thursday amid caution over Trump's Iran pause and U.S.-Iran talks: Nasdaq fell 2.4% to 21,408.08, S&P 500 lost 1.7% or 114.74 points to 6,477.16, Dow dropped 1% or 469.38 points to 45,960.11. • Eight of 11 S&P sectors ended negative, led by Communication Services (XLC) -3.5%, Tech (XLK) -2.7%, Industrials (XLI) -2.3%; Energy (XLE) gained 1.6%. • NVIDIA (NVDA) led Dow losers down 4.2% despite Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy); trading volume at 16.50 billion shares below 20-session average of 20.54 billion.

Higher blend has been prohibited in warm weather because of concerns it could worsen smogThe US Environmental Protection Agency said Wednesday that it would temporarily allow widespread sales of a higher ethanol gas blend in a move that they hope will tamp down consumer prices that have soared since the Iran war began.The higher blend has been prohibited in warm weather because of concerns it could worsen smog. Continue reading...

Chris Bowen says move aimed at accessing fuel imports from markets with lower burning temperatures, including the US, Canada and EuropeGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAustralia’s diesel standards have been temporarily lowered as the federal government rushes to shore up fuel supply, with hundreds of service stations running empty and warnings deliveries from key Asian suppliers could slow as soon as early April.The energy minister, Chris Bowen, said on Tuesday the government had lowered the technical threshold for diesel, known as the flashpoint, in order to access supply from imports from markets with marginally lower burning temperatures, including the US, Canada and Europe. Continue reading...

Company will assess whether drop to 186mph from 224mph will save money and help bring forward launchMinisters have told High Speed Two to consider running its trains at lower speeds, in an attempt to rein in the spiralling budget and begin operations as soon as possible.HS2 Ltd will assess whether limiting the speed to 186mph (300km/h) instead of 224mph could save money – potentially billions of pounds – and bring the railway into being earlier in the 2030s. Continue reading...

• US equities poised to open lower on March 23, 2026, following declines in overseas markets after a rough prior week. • Russell 2000 index up over 3% in early indications amid broader market volatility. • New comments from Trump stirring some optimism for potential conflict resolution, though sentiment remains cautious.

Democratic Senate hopeful says experience of being key witness in Trump’s first impeachment makes him right choice for FloridaAlex Vindman is not a man to hold a grudge. Ask him about the bullying, intimidation and retribution meted out by Donald Trump and Maga acolytes following his appearance as a key witness in the first of the president’s two first-term impeachments, and he almost shrugs it off.“For people that know anything about me, I basically smile all the time,” he says. Continue reading...

• The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.4% or 203.72 points to 46,021.43 on Thursday, marking its lowest close of 2026 and closing below its 200-day moving average, with 22 of 30 components ending in negative territory. • The S&P 500 declined 0.3% to 6,606.49, reflecting its lowest close in four months, while the Nasdaq Composite slipped 0.3% to 22,090.69; all 11 sectors ended in negative territory. • Market weakness was driven by the ongoing Iran conflict and rising Treasury yields, which have climbed amid concerns about energy supply disruptions and inflation, causing traders to abandon bets on interest-rate cuts this year.

International Energy Agency recommends emergency measures, including working from home, as Iran war hits fuel supplyLowering speed limits to minimise fuel consumption is among potential contingency plans being drawn up by the UK government as the crisis in the Middle East threatens global oil supplies.Sources stressed that there is no shortage of fuel in the UK, but said that officials in the Department for Transport are working with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) on an analysis of how what measures could be taken to curb oil demand. Continue reading...

• The New York State Senate passed a bill sponsored by Senator John Liu and Assemblymember Ron Kim requiring health insurers to cover diabetes screening for Asian American and Pacific Islander individuals with BMI of 23 or higher, aligning with clinical guidelines for higher metabolic risk. • Physician Charles Lopresto, DO, from Queens advocated for the bill, noting Type 2 diabetes often goes undiagnosed for years, leading to complications like kidney disease and vision loss in diverse communities where 11% of Queens adults have diabetes. • The legislation addresses gaps in traditional BMI thresholds of 25+, aiming to enable earlier detection and prevention in at-risk populations per New York Department of Health data.

Lovehoney sponsors Aphrodite-themed ‘pleasure garden’ full of flowers associated with love and sexIt is one of the most prestigious events of the UK social calendar, but the great and good attending Chelsea flower show may be in for a shock this year as the Royal Horticultural Society unveils a sex-themed garden sponsored by a company that sells vibrators.Lovehoney, a sex toy company, is sponsoring an Aphrodite-themed “pleasure garden” full of flowers and plants associated with love and sex.Chelsea flower show will be held at the Royal Hospital Gardens from 19-23 May. Continue reading...

• Americans give the Trump administration credit for reducing drug costs, according to recent polling highlighted in pharma updates. • A new study shows Eliquis (apixaban) safer than Xarelto (rivaroxaban) for patients with deep vein blood clots. • Abivax denies takeover rumors from AstraZeneca amid industry consolidation talks.