BA to reduce Middle East flights when services resume in July

British Airways will offer a reduced flight schedule to the Middle East when it resumes services in July, and use the aircraft to operate more direct flights to India and Kenya.The airline has currently suspended services to the region because of the Iran war, and plans to resume flights to Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh, in mid-May, as well as services to Dubai, Doha and Tel Aviv on 1 July. It is cutting its Dubai flights from three – a day to one daily flight, and reducing services to Doha, Tel Aviv and Riyadh from two to one a day.It will drop Jeddah in Saudi Arabia permanently as a destination from 24 April. Flights to Bahrain and Amman are paused until 25 October

Give all UK households a set amount of subsidised energy, says thinktank

In order to cut rising bills all UK households should receive a minimum amount of energy at rates subsidised by the government through North Sea taxes, a thinktank has suggested.Providing all homes with enough energy to heat two rooms, provide hot water and run key appliances such as a fridge and washing machine, at rates frozen at current levels, would require a subsidy of about £4.5bn, according to the New Economics Foundation.That is roughly equal to the expected windfall in tax revenues from the North Sea, generated by the bonanza oil and gas companies are enjoying from the high price of oil.Although oil prices, sent soaring by the Iran war, have abated on the announcement of a ceasefire by the US president, Donald Trump, they are still higher than before the conflict and could remain volatile as supplies through the strait of Hormuz may take some time to get back to normal

Oil prices plunge and stocks jump after Trump announces conditional ceasefire with Iran

Oil prices tumbled on Wednesday and global stock markets rallied after the US and Iran agreed a two-week conditional ceasefire.Investors welcomed the news that Donald Trump had held off on his threat to bomb Iran into “the stone ages”, while Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said passage through the strait of Hormuz would be allowed for the next two weeks under the management of Iran’s military. Wall Street recorded its biggest single-day rally in a year.Oil fell below the $100-a-barrel mark, even though it was not certain that the US would accept a 10-point proposal drawn up by Iran. How the strait will be reopened and managed beyond the two-week grace period is yet to be determined

John Lewis boss’s pay rises to £1.2m as retailer cuts 3,300 jobs

The boss of the group that owns John Lewis and Waitrose had his basic pay rate increased by 21% last year while the retailer cut 3,300 jobs.The annual salary of Jason Tarry, who became chair of the John Lewis Partnership (JLP) in September 2024, was increased to £1.2m for the year to January, from £990,000.He also received a £22,700 annual bonus – equivalent to 2% of his pay – and other benefits, taking his total package to almost £1.26m

Retail workers call for more security after Waitrose sacking for tackling shoplifter

Retail workers have called for more security guards in stores after a Waitrose worker was sacked for confronting a shoplifter.Waitrose has been criticised over its treatment of Walker Smith after the Guardian reported he was fired two days after he stopped a shoplifter taking items from an Easter egg display, including Lindt chocolate bunnies.Joanne Thomas, the general secretary of Usdaw, the shop workers’ union, said: “Usdaw supports a physical security presence in stores and we have ongoing conversations with employers about protection for retail workers on the frontline of the rise in retail crime.“The results of our 2025 annual survey show that 59% of members would welcome more security in stores because security guards provide reassurance, act as a deterrent and have specialist experience to deal with incidents.“While not as popular as a physical security presence, members also value other security measures such as improved CCTV, facial recognition technology, body-worn cameras and headsets that help to identify perpetrators, record incidents and link workers to a central control for support

Delta CEO braces flyers for higher fares amid surge in oil prices tied to Iran war

The CEO of Delta Air Lines, Ed Bastian, braced customers for higher fares following the surge in oil prices sparked by the US-Israel war on Iran, amid strong demand from passengers.Though rising oil prices have cost the company an extra $330m in fuel expenses, and it projected a $2bn increase in fuel costs in the current quarter, Delta forecast that revenue would grow 10% as flyers continue to book flights.It was a “healthy” time to travel, Bastian said on Wednesday.But as several carriers raise baggage fees, blaming volatility in the oil markets, Bastian hinted such moves could be permanent – increasing the cost of air travel. “At this level of fuel [pricing], it’s hard to call anything temporary,” he said

Is Australia headed for a recession? I hope not - but the RBA should be more worried | Greg Jericho

As I write this, I sigh and realise that despite the president of the United States dropping his threats to commit war crimes and destroy Iranian civilisation, he is always a chance to set the world on fire because it’s been more than 20 minutes since he had a Diet Coke.This, of course, is hyperbolic. I think.Economies are tough enough to predict without having to deal with the erratic actions of one man.So take all of that into consideration

Shell oil trading profits soar amid Iran war but Qatar strikes hit gas output

Shell is expected to report “significantly higher” profits from its trading desks in the first quarter of this year after weeks of market volatility triggered by the Iran crisis.The surge in energy commodity markets over recent weeks is expected to drive up trading results at Shell’s chemicals and products unit, which includes its main oil trading desk.The global oil price has climbed from about $61 a barrel in January to highs of $119 at the end of March, including some of the biggest daily price moves on record, owing to major disruptions to flows of oil and gas through the strait of Hormuz.The market volatility provides an opportunity for traders to make large profits, but also presents a risk of heavy losses.In addition to Shell’s oil trading windfall, it is also expected to report higher trading profits from its renewable energy division

Oil prices plunge 15% to below $100, stocks surge and dollar slumps after Trump announces US-Iran ceasefire – as it happened

Markets have been cheered by news of the two-week ceasefire between the US, Israel and Iran. However, this excludes Lebanon, where Israel has carried out its biggest wave of air strikes today since the war there began on 2 March.Iran has agreed to reopen the strait of Hormuz, where around 1,000 ships have been trapped. A senior Iranian official told Reuters Tehran could open the key shipping route on Thursday or Friday ahead of peace talks in Islamabad.Brent crude, the international oil benchmark, has tumbled 15

Close Brothers shares surge after UK bank says it can ‘comfortably absorb’ cost of car finance compensation

Close Brothers shares surged on Wednesday after the UK bank declared it could “comfortably absorb” its slice of a £9.1bn compensation bill over the motor finance scandal, hours after one of its rivals announced it was selling its UK operations over looming costs.The specialist lender said it expected the final terms of the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) compensation scheme to cost roughly £320m, a sum that was “broadly similar” to previous estimates and the £294m put aside to date.Close Brothers said the extra £26m could be “comfortably absorbed by existing capital resources, leaving the group well positioned to continue delivering its strategy”. The news sent its shares up by 17% by early afternoon on Wednesday

Maritime and port workers: how is the Middle East conflict affecting you?

The conflict in the Middle East continues to disrupt shipping across the region, including in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s busiest maritime routes.The US and Iran have agreed to a provisional two-week ceasefire, which includes a temporary reopening of the strait. But maritime traffic through the narrow channel linking the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman remains affected, with vessels still facing delays, diversions and heightened security risks as the situation evolves.Ports and shipping companies are continuing to operate amid uncertainty, while cruise ships carrying thousands of tourists have faced disruption across the region.We would like to hear from maritime workers, port staff and shipping crews about how the situation is affecting your work

‘We can’t increase prices any more’: UK hospitality firms hit by cost triple blow

Nick Evans is staring in vain at columns of numbers, trying to make them add up to a profit. He is a co-owner of the Old Crown Coaching Inn in Faringdon, Oxfordshire, a pub and hotel whose rich history is etched into its crooked wooden beams and cosy snugs.Oliver Cromwell stayed here in 1645. A room believed to have been used by the notoriously severe “hanging judge” Lord Jeffreys to condemn rebels now stages happier encounters: it is the honeymoon suite.As a former City trader, Evans is no stranger to profit

How to make cauliflower cheese using the whole plant – recipe | Waste not

This recipe, adapted from one in my cookbook, is a very elaborate way to serve humble cauliflower cheese. The whole plant, including the leaves and core, is seasoned with nutmeg and roasted, and it’s then dressed with a satisfying layer of rich cheese sauce and grilled until charred and bubbling. Choose a cauliflower with plenty of leaves, because they go deliciously crisp when roasted.This is perhaps the most decadent cauliflower cheese I’ve ever made. Inspired by an orange-coloured cauliflower I found sitting proudly in a box at my local Brockley Market in south London, I decided to make a vibrant and very orange cauliflower cheese using red leicester cheese and turmeric

A marmalade-dropper for Paddington Bear? | Letters

As a Portuguese-British citizen, I feel it is my duty to add to your explainer article (Keir Starmalade, anyone? Will marmalade really have to be rebranded in UK?, 4 April) and explain where the word marmalade originated from. Marmalade comes from the fruit marmelo (quince). And marmalade was and is quince jam in Portugal. This jam began to be exported to England at the end of the 15th century. Only in the 17th century did the English start to apply the word marmalade to orange jam

How to save limp herbs | Kitchen aide

What can I do with herbs that are past their best?Joe, by email Happily, Joe and his on-the-turn herbs aren’t short of options. “The obvious choice for hard herbs is to chuck them in a sandwich bag and freeze them for future stock-making,” says Alice Norman, founder of regenerative bakery Pinch in Suffolk. Alternatively, Sami Tamimi, author of Boustany, would be inclined to dry his excess herbs. In summer, he’d simply pop them on a tray and put them outside in the sun, but right now he “dries them in a 60-70C oven, then packs in containers, ready for the next time you’re short of fresh herbs”.Norman’s current MO is to blitz languishing herbs (“rosemary and/or thyme work best”) with a 3:4 ratio of fine salt

‘Before I can stop her, my daughter is licking crumbs from the table’: my search for the perfect kids’ menu

Chips, fish fingers, pizza … restaurant food for children is depressingly predictable. Are there more adventurous options? I took my four-year-old daughter on a month-long mission to find outWe’re heading out for dinner. Before I tell my four-year-old where we’re going, she has already announced that she’s going to have fish, chips and lots of ketchup. It sounds delicious; a classic. But there’s the irksome feeling that the intrepid impulses of childhood should be met with food that expands palates rather than feeding into the well-trodden path to a beige meal

Can’t face another mouthful of chicken? You’re probably coming down with the ick

Name: The chicken ick.Age: Chickens have been around since, well, eggs …Unless it’s the other way round. Whatever. The chicken ick, on the other hand, is new.And what is it, please? You know when you suddenly feel disgusted by the chicken you’re eating, possibly mid-bite, despite previously enjoying it?Er, not really, to be honest

Georgina Hayden’s quick and easy recipe for gochujang butter salmon | Quick and easy

The classic combination of soy sauce and honey salmon is a staple in our house, and works for kids and adults alike. However, sometimes I want to change things up, so here I’ve elevated it slightly with a gochujang dressing – similar principle, but with a bit of heat and depth, as well as richness from the butter. Using butter might seem unusual, but it is often paired with soy sauce in Japan (shoyu butter) with an indulgent result. Serve the fish over sticky rice, to soak up all those spicy, buttery juices, with steamed greens on the side.Prep 10 min Cook 25 min Serves 41 tbsp sesame oil 4 tbsp soy sauce 2 tsp gochujang paste 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely grated4cm piece of ginger, peeled and finely grated½ tsp caster sugar 4 sustainably caught skin-on salmon fillets Sea salt and white pepper70g unsalted butter 150g bean sprouts Sticky rice, to serveA handful of roasted peanuts, roughly chopped10g coriander, leaves pickedHeat the oven to 220C (200C fan)/425F/gas 7

How to make the perfect Portuguese feijoada – recipe | Felicity Cloake's How to make the perfect

If you are trying to incorporate more beans and pulses into your diet, as I am, then this robust, one-pot feast, which food writer Edite Vieira describes as “a marvellous standby of the Portuguese kitchen”, is one to bear in mind. Though each region has its own variations, “basically”, she explains, “feijoada is a rich bean stew with pork and sausages”. The Brazilian version, often cited as that country’s national dish, is the product of the West African “love of beans”, according to the Oxford Companion to Food, with some suggesting that it’s a South American creation that travelled to Europe along with returning colonisers. Others insist with equal fervour that the dish was “born in the north of Portugal, and imported and adapted to what was available in Brazil”. Like so many such homely favourites, its precise history will probably ever remain a mystery; what’s important is that it’s simple to prepare, easy to adapt according to taste and budget, and very satisfying

Burro, WC2: ‘Big but the opposite of brash – restaurant review | Grace Dent on restaurants

Brings old-school charm to a touristy part of townBurro, a new Italian restaurant in Covent Garden, London, had been on my horizons even before the napkins were on order, because Conor Gadd, the chef-owner, has form. His first restaurant Trullo, up in Islington, has sat unshakably around the top of my recommendations list for about 15 years and is namechecked by me at least twice weekly when complete strangers want a tip for a birthday, proposal or a client they need to impress. Or simply, “somewhere to take a foodie” who “really likes food”. Yes, the brief given to restaurant critics is often that vague, but to all these things I say: “Have you been to Trullo? Order the beef shin ragu and some good red wine. It’s been there for ages and they know what they’re doing

Sunday best: Thomasina Miers’ recipes for aromatic chicken one-pot and salted caramel banana cake

I love Mexican chillies for the subtle flavour they give to cooking. Take the ancho, with its sweet, earthy notes of chocolate and plum. That adds immense depth to dishes traditional and avant garde alike, and is now readily available online and in shops. In today’s one-pot, which is a near-perfect way to cook a whole chicken, the ancho adds character to a classic sofrito, while in the pudding the savoury notes and touch of heat complement the dark caramel, helping to create a banana cake that is anything but bland. If you can’t find ancho, try any other medium-heat chilli flake in its place (nora, aleppo), or simply leave it out

Oats, sardines and crisps: emergency foods to stockpile – and why you should share them

People should have an emergency stockpile of food in their homes in case conflicts, extreme weather or cyber-attacks shut down supplies, leading UK experts have told the Guardian.In an ever more turbulent world, they say it is essential to choose long-life items that can be eaten without cooking – think tinned beans, vegetables and fish, rice crackers, and oats that can be soaked. But it is also important to choose items you actually like to eat, and some treats such as chocolate or crisps to keep your spirits up. You will also need water – lots of it – not just to drink but for washing too.Perhaps the most surprising advice is to be prepared to share your stockpile with neighbours

Put away the Aperol and raise a glass to Hugo spritz, the drink of the summer

Pub gardens and bar terraces have been awash with a sea of orange in recent years as Italy’s love of Aperol spritz spread to the UK. But this year the cocktail’s cousin, a Hugo spritz, will be the drink of the summer, according to supermarkets and bars.It is already being served across the country, including at Sea Containers on the banks of the Thames and Mayfair’s swanky Claridge’s hotel in London, 20 Stories bar in Manchester and the Bridge Tavern in Newcastle. Wetherspoons has the cocktail on its menu nationwide.“In the past year, we have noted that there has been a wider shift among our guests towards drinks with lower alcohol percentages, particularly during the day – a Hugo spritz fits rather neatly into this space,” said George Raju, director of bars at Claridge’s

Helen Goh’s recipe for ricotta, rum and raisin cake | The sweet spot

This is a cake for the long, ambling tail-end of an Easter lunch. It’s gently scented with orange and vanilla, lightened by ricotta, and studded with rum-soaked raisins that bring bursts of sweetness to each slice. Ideally, they’d be soaked overnight to plump them into something luscious, but if time gets away from you, take a shortcut: put the raisins and rum in a microwave-safe bowl, zap for 20–30 seconds, then leave to cool and absorb. The chocolate glaze is optional; on days when you want something simpler (or lighter), a generous sifting of icing sugar is all this cake needs. Serve with a small glass of grappa or something similarly warming for a quietly perfect way to bring a feast to a close