France shielding €18bn Russian asset pot from EU ‘reparations loan’ push
Paris guarded names of private banks holding world’s second biggest accumulation of immobilised Russian state funds
UK
Sweden’s mining industry is threatening the Indigenous Sami people’s way of life
“There is so much intrusion from all sides and corners,” a Sami reindeer herder tells me, reacting to a government decision to grant a mining permit in Gállok in the Sápmi region in Sweden’s far north.
Sápmi is the communal land of the Indigenous Sami people. Their land ranges through northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia.
Low-tax or high-welfare? The UK must decide what type of country it wants to be
Perceptions of a high-tax UK are wide of the mark. Steve Travelguide/ShutterstockHeadlines about tax in the UK being at an all-time high abounded after the autumn budget. The current overall tax take, at 35% of GDP, is indeed a historic high for the country. And the measures announced in the budget will take it to 38% by the end of the parliament.
Is the dominance of the US dollar unravelling under Trump?
The dominant global financial position of the US and its currency, the dollar, is wobbling under the second Trump administration. AURA88 / ShutterstockThe US has long sat at the centre of the global financial system, with the US dollar serving as the backbone of the world economy. Private investors rely on the dollar as a store of value in times of uncertainty.
More detail on what clothes feel like could make life easier for shoppers – and save retailers money
New Africa/ShutterstockClothing is one of the top categories in online sales worldwide, with expected revenues of more than US$920 billion (£702 billion) this year. And for clothing businesses, like many others, online retail opens the door to a wider customer base.
How the UK’s dependency on cars slows down the economy
Jarek Kilian/ShutterstockThe UK government makes a lot of money from cars. It taxes car ownership, it taxes the fuel, and it is about to charge drivers of electric vehicles by the distance they travel.
Why the future of psychedelic medicine might not be psychedelic at all
Blackday/Shutterstock.comPsychedelic medicine has regained momentum in 2025. Investors are coming back, regulatory attitudes are softening, trial results are improving and major pharmaceutical firms that kept their distance are starting to pay attention.
Is anyone really misled by the term ‘veggie burger’? Our research suggests consumers are savvy
Avelina/ShutterstockThe European parliament recently backed changes to the rules around the labelling and marketing of plant-based meat
The UK’s latest compromise on workers’ rights will not fix its labour market problems
koldo_studio/ShutterstockThe UK’s autumn budget tried to appeal to both workers and employers. But the decision the very next day to soften a key plan to improve workers’ rights shows how difficult that balance has become.
Gaza’s once-growing economy is nearing total collapse
Palestinians near the ruins of Gaza's international airport, which was shut down in 2001. Anas-Mohammed / ShutterstockGaza is going through one of the most severe economic collapses the world has seen in modern times. According to a UN report published in late November, the average income per person there is now just US$161 (£122) a year.
Pages
