UK borrows more than forecast in April as inflation adds to benefits bill
Posted on Friday May 22, 2026

The £24.3bn figure comes amid rising cost of pensions as bond market jitters take monthly debt interest to £10.3bn

• Business live – latest updates

The UK borrowed more than expected in April as high inflation drove up the cost of pensions and benefits, with concern over the Iran war and political uncertainty adding to debt costs.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said public sector net borrowing – the difference between government spending and income – was £24.3bn in April 2026, £4.9bn higher than in April 2025.

Read more...

Chinese fast-fashion company Shein to buy eco-friendly retailer Everlane
Posted on Friday May 22, 2026

Everlane CEO confirms sale in letter to employees and says it will stay true to ‘sustainability’ commitments

Everlane, the retailer that bucked the fast-fashion industry by promising affordable ethically sourced and sustainable clothing, is being acquired by the king of fast fashion, China’s Shein.

A letter to Everlane employees from CEO Alfred Chang confirming the deal was obtained by the Associated Press on Friday.

Read more...

‘Everyone is proud of it’: dismay in Halifax at Lloyds’ threat to historic brand
Posted on Friday May 22, 2026

The bank, formerly a building society, has carried the name of the Yorkshire town since 1853 and most locals think it should be preserved

On a moody afternoon, near the sandstone terraces of Halifax’s Gibbet street, David Glover, a local historian, is opening the gates to Lister Lane cemetery.

Usually closed to the public, the burial ground is being opened today as an exception. Because here, among towering spires and the tombs of wealthy industrialists, lie the founders of one of West Yorkshire’s most famous exports: Halifax building society.

Read more...

Britain braces for long, hot traffic queues amid extra border checks
Posted on Friday May 22, 2026

Almost 19m drivers expected on roads over bank holiday weekend, with heaviest traffic on Friday and Saturday

• Health alerts issued for bank holiday weekend

An especially hot late May bank holiday weekend is expected to bring more traffic to the roads than usual at the start of the half-term break taking place in parts of the UK, motoring organisations have warned.

With temperatures forecast to pass 30C in places by Monday, coastal roads are predicted to be among the busiest, with long queues expected towards seaside resorts and the Port of Dover, where delays in border checks are compounding the holiday rush.

Read more...

Mars colony and Grok warnings: five strange details in SpaceX’s pitch to investors
Posted on Friday May 22, 2026

IPO filing from Elon Musk’s company reveals closer look at finances, cosmic ambitions and tech empire’s quirks

SpaceX publicly released an investor prospectus on Wednesday as part of its plan for a $1.75tn debut on the US stock market next month, revealing unseen details about the finances and future plans of Elon Musk’s flagship company. In addition to new information on operating costs and revenue, the filing also included trademark Muskian sweeping proclamations about the universe and insights into some of the quirks of his tech empire.

Scattered throughout the 300-plus-page prospectus are several disclosures and risk warnings that show the eccentricities of Musk’s company and its cosmic ambitions. Other financial details in the document highlight how interdependent Musk’s various businesses have become and the risks that they carry.

Read more...

Meta and Snapchat blocking Saudi dissidents’ accounts
Posted on Friday May 22, 2026

US social media firms acting on orders from Middle East kingdom accused of being ‘instruments of repression’

Major US social media companies including Meta’s Facebook and Instagram platforms have blocked the accounts of Saudi Arabian dissidents so they are no longer visible inside the kingdom, following orders by Saudi authorities.

Those affected include Abdullah Alaoudh, a US-based activist and vocal critic of Saudi human rights violations, and Omar Abdulaziz, a Canada and UK-based activist who worked closely with Jamal Khashoggi before the journalist’s murder by Saudi agents in 2018.

Read more...

Tuchel had to ‘clear the air’ with Ivan Toney before World Cup wildcard choice
Posted on Friday May 22, 2026

• Tuchel unhappy at Toney’s commitment in 2025

• Head coach justifies not including Phil Foden

Thomas Tuchel made Ivan Toney the wildcard selection of his World Cup squad after holding clear-the-air talks with him over his attitude. The England head coach also considered how Harry Kane likes to play alongside Toney before making the Al-Ahli striker the most eye-catching inclusion of his 26-man party for the tournament.

Tuchel’s squad announcement at Wembley was dominated as ever by the players he overlooked – chiefly Cole Palmer, Phil Foden and Harry Maguire. Tuchel said Palmer had “just failed” to produce consistently this season, while he admitted he no longer knew Foden’s best position.

Read more...

Pep Guardiola: ‘I like to think my vibe and energy will be there for ever’
Posted on Friday May 22, 2026

Manchester City manager turned on the charm as he met the media for his final pre-match press conference

Pep Guardiola cracked a joke about fielding questions on facing Aston Villa as he entered the room. But after more than 1,100 press conferences in 10 years at Manchester City he knew this one was never going to be normal, requiring him to run through the past decade in half an hour. He has been building up to this for a while, the end nigh for weeks, the energy levels depleted and a break needed, especially from journalists.

Guardiola recently revealed that John Stones experienced great relief after announcing he would be leaving City and the manager was embracing the same feelings. There was plenty of emotion initially, Guardiola admitting his leaving speech to the players earlier in the day was “a disaster”. Finding the right words in these situations was never going to be easy. It does feel at times as if City is the club Guardiola built. “I like to think my vibe and energy will be there for ever,” he said.

Read more...