Business

Alphabet has become one of the world’s most valuable companies after its market capitalisation briefly passed $4 trillion, following confirmation that Apple will integrate Google’s artificial intelligence technology into its products this year. The boost came after Apple said it would introduce the technology underpinning Google’s Gemini chatbot into its ecosystem, including Siri, marking a major strategic endorsement of Alphabet’s AI capabilities. Alphabet’s class A shares rose 1.7 per cent on the announcement, briefly touching...

Karavel, an AI-powered compliance platform built for highly regulated sectors, has secured £1.25 million in pre-seed funding in a round led by Fuel Ventures. The investment will support product development and accelerate Karavel’s commercial expansion across the UK and Europe, as the company looks to modernise compliance workflows for organisations facing increasingly complex regulatory scrutiny. Karavel is designed for legal, compliance and marketing teams operating in sectors such as financial services, fintech, insurance, healthcare and...

What football fans expect from sports sites has shifted completely. Dry match reports about yesterday’s game don’t cut it anymore. People want real-time numbers, instant updates, and analytics they can actually dig into. Site owners who want to keep visitors around have no choice — static pages need to become living information hubs, and data visualization tools make that happen. High-quality infographics are becoming just as important an element as original articles. Tools for Data...

Jonathan Charrier is a Montreal-based entrepreneur and the founder of Charrier Global Imports, a company that connects Quebec and North American consumers with specialty foods, artisanal goods, handcrafted clothing, and wellness products from around the world. He launched the business in 2012 after years of hands-on travel and study in international trade. Charrier grew up in Montreal’s Rosemont neighbourhood, surrounded by a mix of cultures, languages, and cuisines. Both of his parents worked in hospitality,...

Meta has appointed former Trump administration adviser Dina Powell McCormick to a newly created senior leadership role, underlining the tech giant’s determination to accelerate its push into artificial intelligence infrastructure. The owner of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp said Powell McCormick will join the company as president and vice chairman, with a remit spanning global strategy, government engagement and capital partnerships, with a particular focus on funding and scaling Meta’s vast AI ambitions. The appointment comes...

Rising costs are pushing UK manufacturers dangerously close to an investment tipping point, with businesses warning that planned spending could be cancelled or moved overseas unless pressures ease. A new survey by Make UK, the manufacturing trade body, found that almost nine in ten industry leaders expect employment costs to rise this year, while two thirds anticipate higher energy bills. The findings underline mounting concern that the cost base for British manufacturing is becoming unsustainable....

Jeremy Clarkson has sparked a fresh debate about the pressures facing British agriculture after delivering a blunt response to a social media user who blamed Brexit for the struggles of UK farmers. The exchange followed a video Clarkson recorded in support of the farming advocacy campaign No Farmers, No Food, in which he called on the next government to put farming higher up the political agenda. In the video, filmed on his phone, Clarkson said...

Former chancellor Nadhim Zahawi has defected to Reform UK, becoming the most senior ex-Conservative figure to join Nigel Farage’s party. Zahawi, 58, was unveiled alongside Farage at a press conference in London, where he warned that Britain was “drinking in the last chance saloon” and said the country “really does need Nigel Farage as prime minister”. In a video message announcing his move, the former vaccines minister and chancellor said: “Nothing works, there is no...

Gold and silver prices have surged to fresh all-time highs, prompting experts to urge ordinary Britons to take a closer look at what they already own, including forgotten jewellery tucked away in drawers and boxes at home. Gold climbed to $4,603.87 while silver reached $84.69, as investors piled into traditional safe-haven assets amid rising geopolitical tension involving Iran, fears of potential US military action, and fresh instability in Washington following the launch of a criminal...

Russell & Bromley, the 150-year-old luxury footwear and accessories brand, could vanish from the UK high street after a proposed takeover by Next that is expected to lead to the closure of all 37 of its stores. Around 450 jobs are understood to be at risk under a deal that would see Next acquire only the Russell & Bromley brand and intellectual property, while the retailer’s physical estate is wound down. Next is working alongside...