The world in a glance.

Houthi missile attack signals ‘serious’ escalation in Iran war

Rebels’ participation puts vital maritime routes at greater risk

Iranian strike wounds US troops at air base in Saudi Arabia

Israel says missile fired from Yemen after Houthis warn other countries ‘fingers are on the trigger’

Iranian strike wounds US troops at Saudi air base

Yemen’s Houthi rebels carry out their first attack on Israel since the war began

How Pakistan put itself in the middle of US-Iran peace talks

Islamabad seeks to capitalise on warming ties with both Trump and Tehran but has much to lose if efforts fail

A ‘victim’ and a ‘dinosaur’: three days of Crispin Odey testimony

Financier’s cross-examination this week has been culmination of his legal challenge against regulatory ban and fine

No BS: using corporate jargon is really giving you away

A new study suggests that buying into the blather reveals a credulous worker

Social media is populist and polarising; AI may be the opposite

Large language models elevate expert consensus and moderate views, in sharp contrast to social platforms

The decapitation dilemma

Long regarded as dishonourable or counterproductive, the idea of targeting enemy leaders is becoming normalised. What do we lose along with the taboo?

‘I want safe returns’: I’m 73 with $300,000 saved. I’m not interested in the stock market. What should I do?

“I’m not concerned about leaving money to the next generation.”

Global markets recoil as Rubio warns war in Iran could stretch for weeks

Comments from US secretary of state come as oil jumps to $114 and Wall Street stocks slide

‘He didn’t seem very alert’: Our CPA said we owe the IRS $443, but we’re actually due a refund of $637. Do we fire him?

“We’re both concerned about the accuracy of our returns.”

KPMG to cut almost 600 UK jobs as slowdown persists

Big Four firm and rivals are struggling to regain footing even after reductions in headcount and costs

My PayPal account received money from the Philippines with two phone numbers listed. I called them. Big mistake.

“I know my information is on the dark web, and I have taken steps to be cautious.”

More than half of the S&P 500 industry sectors are in correction territory. How much longer until the index itself succumbs?

The S&P 500’s slide in March has the widely followed U.S. equities benchmark approaching correction territory, after more than half of the index’s industries already landed…

Gulf officials seek to calm investors as war rattles confidence

Delegates at a Miami conference urged to continue investing in the region

These 16 stocks are a short seller’s dream — likely losers no matter what the market does

Borrowing costs eat into trading profits. These stocks are less expensive to short.

Social media is now a massive liability for Meta, Google and the rest of Big Tech

Landmark verdicts shatter the Section 230 shield, turning ‘addictive’ product design into a legal thicket for Meta, Alphabet and others.

The $200,000 down-payment dilemma: Gift the cash now — or make your kids wait for the will

Giving your adult children their inheritance early might be the only way they ever own a home — but be careful not to be overgenerous at your own future expense.

Microsoft’s stock hasn’t been this oversold in a decade, with the tech giant ‘really losing the AI narrative’

Selling intensity has picked up as the company faces new questions about its AI approach.

My brother says lawyers can get him a Medicaid nursing home in Florida for a ‘hefty fee,’ despite his assets. Is this a scam?

“I do not believe there is a way to preserve assets and still qualify for Medicaid.”

Memory chip stocks shed $100bn as AI-driven shortage trade unwinds

New research suggests AI data centres will need much less memory than investors had bargained for

Trump promises TSA paychecks even as House rejects Senate bill, threatening to prolong government shutdown

A partial U.S. government shutdown that has caused chaos at airports was looking like it could persist on Friday, after the Republican-run House of Representatives voiced…

UK diesel stockpiles at risk, warn traders

Commercial inventories could be used up by mid-May if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed

U.S. endures weakest Treasury auctions in over 3 years as anxiety around Iran war grows

The Iran conflict has investors second-guessing one of the world’s crucial safe-haven assets.

Is Trump losing his grip on the stock market? Sustained declines suggest the president’s influence has waned.

President Trump’s willingness to de-escalate the Iran conflict has kept stocks from even larger losses in March — but is he losing his grip on markets?

These 3 growth sectors are helping people flourish — and long-term investors are buying in

Market leaders such as Amazon and Humana are betting on the high-margin business of unlocking people’s potential as the ultimate investment

U.S. oil prices turn higher for the week as Trump’s 10-day pause fails to calm Iran war concerns

Oil prices strengthened Friday, leading U.S. benchmark crude to turn higher for the week, as President Trump’s latest pause on striking Iran’s energy infrastructure did little to…

Google nears deal to help finance multibillion-dollar data centre leased to Anthropic

Texas site for Nexus Data Centers aims to avoid grid connection delays with direct gas supplies

What the Iran war teaches America’s adversaries

The third Gulf war augurs a more anarchic world — and more dependence on a less credible US

Even higher-income Americans are turning pessimistic as Iran war ratchets up financial anxiety

Sentiment is now comparable to some of its lowest readings, such as in the wake of the government shutdown last fall, the “liberation day” tariffs last April and when Russia…

Here’s how the average Wall Street bonus compares to the typical household’s income

After a strong year on Wall Street fueled by market turmoil from President Donald Trump’s tariff changes, the average bonus last year was three times the typical American…

UK police end investigation into alleged voter fraud in Manchester by-election

Probe was launched after monitoring group said it witnessed ‘high levels of family voting’ at Gorton and Denton poll

Time to tackle the rank absurdities in UK energy policy

The debate over North Sea oil and gas resembles a bar brawl between opponents who can’t see straight

‘The bank told me I could be liable’: I found out why my brother, who has a reverse mortgage, ran out of money

“I’m angry, but also sad.”

Lloyds faces £66mn car-finance lawsuit from 30,000 consumers

‘Omnibus’ claim comes days before regulator unveils details of mis-selling redress scheme

Iran war wipes out $100 billion from luxury stocks

Dubai in the UAE has been the biggest driver of growth in recent years, and the Middle East tensions come at a critical time in the luxury industry.

China retaliates against US trade probes ahead of Xi-Trump talks

Move marks escalation in tensions in run-up to much-anticipated May summit in Beijing

Infiniti hopes new SUV can turn around fortunes in the U.S.

Infiniti is releasing a new midsize SUV, the QX65, in an effort to turn around sales in the U.S. market.

American is 'seriously considering' bringing back seat-back screens to narrow-body fleet, in in-flight revamp

American Airlines is considering a big upgrade to its in-flight entertainment and internet providers, including potentially bringing back seatback screens.

Big Tech deserves its ‘Big Tobacco’ moment — social media is now a massive liability for Meta and Google

Landmark verdicts shatter the Section 230 shield, turning ‘addictive’ product design into a legal thicket for Meta, Alphabet and others.

Unlike Donald, I don’t know when to press the button

I’m buying back in, but who knows if I can pick the right day?

The two reasons higher oil prices may not trigger the inflationary spike that investors fear

The economy is better suited to absorb higher energy costs, says Jim Paulsen.

‘He didn’t seem very alert’: Our new CPA said we owe a $443 tax refund, but we’re actually due $637. Do we fire him?

“We’re both concerned about the accuracy of our returns.”

Italy probes Sephora over fears marketing is driving ‘cosmeticorexia’ in girls

Competition regulator claims retailer and Benefit Cosmetics encourage purchases through ‘covert’ social media marketing

Brown-Forman’s stock soared on deal talks. Its valuation had tumbled to financial-crisis levels.

Shares of Brown-Forman surged, after Bloomberg reported that Pernod Ricard was looking into a potential acquisition of the Jack Daniel’s whiskey parent.

Reform UK figures braced for electoral damage from Trump links

Populist party’s election campaign already hit by scandals around candidate selection

The global food crisis unleashed by the war

From Minnesota to Punjab, fertiliser costs are up and harvests are set to be hit

How MI5 gets into the minds of young terrorists

Behavioural scientists see an increasing caseload of children at risk of being radicalised online

Iran seeks to cash in on Strait of Hormuz

Tehran suggests system of charging fees and limiting passage to ‘non-hostile’ ships could endure beyond current war

Keir Starmer set to make Sadiq Khan a lord

Move would allow London mayor to take cabinet role, as prime minister tries to shore up position