Trump insists ‘China wants to make a deal’ as 90-day tariff pause for most countries sparks market surge – business live

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday about his tariffs policy, Donald Trump acknowledged people were getting “a little bit afraid” and said: “I thought that people were jumping a little out line” and getting “yippy.”He added that his announcement on the 90-day pause and 125% raise on China could be “temporary.”Trump added that “China wants to make a deal … they just don’t know quite how to go about it.”He also went on to say that “many more than 75” other countries want to make trade deals with him.In response to whether he would consider exempting some larger companies that have been hit hard in the markets, Trump said: “We’re going to take a look at it, there are some that have been hard, there are some that by the nature of the company get hit a little bit harder

British Steel races against time as crisis talks end without deal

Crisis talks between the government and the Chinese owner of British Steel have ended with no deal in place, as the Scunthorpe plant races against time to secure the raw materials needed to keep its blast furnaces running.Jingye, which promised a “new chapter” in UK steelmaking when it rescued British Steel in 2020, said last month the site’s two blast furnaces were no longer financially sustainable, raising fears for the future of 2,700 workers.The government said it was prepared to nationalise the company if necessary, although a cabinet minister said on Wednesday morning that a commercial solution, thought to include taxpayer-funded support, was “within sight”.Negotiations are expected to continue after the series of meetings in Scunthorpe on Wednesday afternoon involving government officials, Jingye and trades unions ended without a deal.One source familiar with the talks described them as “strained” and said the clock was ticking to reach a deal because of a raw material supply crunch

Why you can’t just repair your phone in the US to avoid Trump tariffs

Business owners warn taxes may increase parts prices, making electronics repairs more costly than beforeTariffs that took effect in the US at midnight on Wednesday are expected to make buying new smartphones more expensive. But opting to fix an old or damaged device as a way to save money may not avoid a higher bill.“We do expect that we’ll have to increase our own parts prices some, too, unfortunately,” said Elizabeth Chamberlain, the director of sustainability at the device repair company iFixit. “We’re actively looking for sources of harvested parts from within the US. Even with higher prices on parts, however, repairs will still be much more economical than buying new

Record number of UK drivers pass test first time with zero faults, figures show

A record number of British drivers are passing their driving test first time while committing zero faults.Official figures released by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) show more than 20,000 drivers received a perfect score when taking their practical test last year – the highest number since figures were first published in 2007-08.At that time, one in 200 people left their driving instructor surprised by their parallel parking and blind spot awareness. But last year, one in 43 passed with flying colours.The figures come as the DVSA tries to reduce a record backlog in driving tests caused by the pandemic, which means learner drivers are currently waiting an average of five months to take a test

McIlroy’s Augusta quest more about psychology as Scheffler lies in wait | Ewan Murray

World No 2 makes 11th attempt at career grand slam but others in his way include Ludvig Åberg and Shane LowryThe hardest walk at Augusta National is the one to the 1st tee. A venue and tournament that takes itself so seriously applies a heavy weight of expectation to competitors. This is totally phoney in a way, ridiculous in fact, but the Masters “thing” exists. Nobody feels that burden more acutely than Rory McIlroy, who on Thursday afternoon will begin his 11th attempt to march into the pantheon of golfing greats. Psychology matters in McIlroy’s quest to complete a career grand slam, not technical ability

LA 2028 Olympics adds swimming sprints and mixed-gender gymnastics

Sprint-distance swimming races and mixed-gender events in artistic gymnastics and golf are among the additions to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, after the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) approval of a record 351 medal events on Wednesday.The LA28 schedule includes the Olympic debuts of the 50m backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly for both men and women, and a mixed 4x100m relay on the track.The additions are part of a broader push by the IOC to modernize the Olympics and attract new audiences. LA28 will feature 22 more medal events than Paris 2024, while maintaining a total athlete quota of 10,500 across 31 sports.“These additions reflect our commitment to innovation and gender equality,” an IOC spokesperson said