Business & Economy

Published: 23 September 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are preparing for a closely watched meeting in Washington, with artificial intelligence, trade and Taiwan expected to feature prominently as the two countries attempt to manage a relationship marked by deep strategic distrust. Xi’s visit is his first state visit to the United States since 2015 and represents the...

Published: 22 September 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. Prime Minister Andy Burnham has declined to rule out the possibility that reversing Brexit could feature in Labour’s manifesto at the next general election, while making clear that his immediate focus remains on strengthening the United Kingdom’s relationship with the European Union. Burnham made the comments as he travelled to New York for the United Nations General Assembly,...

Published: 22 September 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. The UK government borrowed £18.3bn in August, significantly more than economists and the government’s independent fiscal watchdog had expected, adding to the financial pressure facing Chancellor John Healey ahead of next month’s budget. Official figures released by the Office for National Statistics showed that public sector net borrowing in August was £2.9bn higher than during the same month...

Published: 22 September 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. US President Donald Trump has said Washington is working on what he described as a “massive” deal to purchase potash fertiliser from Belarus, potentially marking a significant shift in the United States’ traditional supply arrangements as the Trump administration intensifies its trade dispute with Canada. Trump announced the proposed deal on Monday, saying that Belarusian potash could be...

Published: 22 September 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. US President Donald Trump and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani appeared notably cordial on Monday after holding a wide-ranging meeting at Gracie Mansion, where the two leaders discussed housing, affordability, immigration and other issues affecting the city. The meeting was significant because Trump and Mamdani have frequently been on opposite sides of the political spectrum. Trump is...

Published: 22 September 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. Solar and wind power supplied a record 80.4% of electricity demand on Australia's main national power grid over the weekend, marking another significant milestone in the country's transition towards renewable energy. The record was driven by strong solar generation, favourable winds, clear weather and relatively low electricity demand across much of the grid. For a period of about...

Published: 21 September 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. Australia’s debate over migration is increasingly being shaped by concerns about population growth, housing, infrastructure and pressure on public services. But the country’s long-term demographic outlook presents another side of the discussion. Australia is getting older, fertility rates are falling and the number of people entering the workforce relative to those reaching retirement age is expected to decline...

Published: 21 September 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. Air passengers across parts of Scotland, northern England and Northern Ireland faced disruption on Monday after a technical fault affected air traffic control operations at Prestwick in Scotland. Airlines including British Airways and easyJet cancelled or delayed services as engineers investigated the problem. The disruption is the second significant technical issue to affect National Air Traffic Services, known...

Published: 21 September 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. Labour’s flagship foundation apprenticeship programme has come under renewed scrutiny after official figures showed that only 160 young people had started the scheme during its first eight months. The figures have prompted warnings that the government’s wider ambition to tackle youth unemployment and expand access to skilled work could face significant challenges unless the route into apprenticeships is...

Published: 21 September 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. Unions, thinktanks, environmental organisations and charities are calling on the UK government to significantly strengthen the financial capacity of the National Wealth Fund, arguing that a larger public investment institution could help unlock private capital, support industry and reshape the country's economic prospects. The coalition wants ministers to transform the National Wealth Fund into what it describes as...