Trump’s senseless tariffs will extend the economic malaise felt by so many in Australia – and around the world | Nicki Hutley

Earlier this month, outgoing Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau called US president Donald Trump’s tariffs “very dumb”. Given the large hit to share markets this week in response to the escalating prospect of all-out trade wars and recession, some might say Trudeau’s comment was an understatement.Because the truth is, while much of the early economic analysis of the potential impact of tariffs has focused on country-level inflation and growth, the story is much more complicated, and the ripple effects are already travelling far and wide.In its latest Statement on Monetary Policy, the Reserve Bank of Australia had a fairly optimistic view of the likely economic impact on Australia of Trump’s tariffs, expecting growth to be shaved by only the narrowest of margins over the next two years, although admitting there were downside risks. We don’t yet know just how many more exports may be in the firing line

UK drops down list of affluent nations after decade of stagnation, NIESR finds

The UK has tumbled down the league of affluent nations after almost a decade of welfare cuts and stagnant incomes, according to a report that found the poorest districts in Britain now rank below the lowest-income areas of Malta and Slovenia.In a warning for ministers to protect welfare spending before Rachel Reeves’s spring statement later this month, the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) said the UK’s reputation for high living standards was under threat.Districts in Birmingham were ranked as the poorest in the UK, according to the study, and below the poorest areas of Finland, France, Malta and Slovenia, it found.Between 2020 and 2023, a combination of welfare cuts and near-zero real income growth meant the bottom 10% of earners in the West Midlands saw their living standards fall below the level in parts of Slovenia, researchers said.“UK regional income growth has been among the slowest in Europe, whilst real incomes in the majority of European regions have grown at a faster rate than those in UK,” the report said

AI should replace some work of civil servants, Starmer to announce

AI should replace the work of government officials where it can be done to the same standard, under new rules that have prompted unions to warn Keir Starmer to stop blaming problems on civil servants.As part of his plans for reshaping the state, the prime minister will on Thursday outline how a digital revolution will bring billions of pounds in savings to the government.Officials will be told to abide by a mantra that says: “No person’s substantive time should be spent on a task where digital or AI can do it better, quicker and to the same high quality and standard.”In his speech, Starmer will claim that more than £45bn can be saved by greater use of digital methods in Whitehall, even before AI is deployed, with 2,000 new tech apprentices to be recruited to the civil service.However, with bruising cuts on the way at this spring’s spending review, Dave Penman, the general secretary of the FDA union for senior civil servants, said: “Mantras that look like they’ve been written by ChatGPT are fine for setting out a mission, but spending rounds are about reality

Apple to appeal against UK government data demand at secret high court hearing

Apple’s appeal against a UK government demand to access its customers’ highly encrypted data will be the subject of a secret high court hearing, the Guardian understands.The appeal on Friday will be considered by the investigatory powers tribunal, an independent court that has the power to investigate claims that the UK intelligence services have acted unlawfully.It is against an order served by the Home Office in February under the Investigatory Powers Act, which compels companies to provide information to law enforcement agencies.The Home Office asked for the right to see users’ encrypted data in the event of a national security risk. Currently, not even Apple can access data and documents protected by its advanced data protection (ADP) programme

‘I enjoy being the hunted’: Oscar Piastri takes his place among Formula One title contenders | Jack Snape

He has the face of a child and the nutritional preferences to match, but nobody doubts Oscar Piastri deserves his place at the Formula One grown-ups’ table. The 23-year-old helped McLaren to the constructors’ championship with two race victories last year, and has emerged as a genuine contender for the driver’s crown in 2025.Days before this week’s first race of the season in Melbourne, the chocolate milk-loving, chicken parmigiana-ordering Victorian isn’t tempering expectations. “It’s hard to not be confident when you’ve got the championship-winning team around you,” Piastri said at his latest sponsor’s engagement on Wednesday evening, for McLaren partner Airwallex.“This year, I think we’re as confident as we have been since I’ve joined the team, that we can start the year off on a good note

Warner joins London Spirit in men’s Hundred but Anderson unsold in draft

David Warner will call Lord’s home this summer. The former Australia batter is in line to make his Hundred debut after he was recruited by London Spirit in the competition’s latest draft, with Jimmy Anderson – another recent retiree from the international game – left unsold.Warner will be reunited with his former Australia head coach Justin Langer, though the 38-year-old will not sit in the highest salary bracket for the men’s tournament. Jamie Overton (Spirit), Afghanistan’s Noor Ahmad (Manchester Originals), David Willey (Trent Rockets) and New Zealand’s Michael Bracewell (Southern Brave) all secured £200,000 deals, with Warner a rung below at £120,000.Anderson, who has signed a one‑year deal to play for Lancashire in the County Championship and T20 Blast this year, found no takers as the men’s draft filled up 37 gaps across the rosters of the eight franchises