Business & Economy

Published: 13 August 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online The crisis surrounding FIFA president Gianni Infantino has deepened after the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) formally withdrew its support for his re-election, while the Irish Football Association (IFA) has aligned itself with UEFA's position amid an increasingly public dispute over football governance, transparency and the commercial future of the World Cup. The FAI confirmed that it had...

Published: 13 August 2026 | The English Chronicle Desk | The English Chronicle Online Britain's unusually hot and dry growing season is beginning to leave its mark on the nation's vegetables, with farmers reporting cauliflower turning yellow, cucumbers curling into unusual shapes, pak choi covered in pest damage and potatoes developing strange, knobbly growths. The appearance of the produce may be changing, but growers and food businesses say much of...

Published: 13 August 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online A Surrey charity has been awarded £100,000 to help families facing financial hardship meet the cost of essential school items ahead of the new academic year. The funding, provided by Surrey County Council, will allow Stripey Stork to expand its School Days scheme, which supports families struggling to afford necessities such as school uniforms and other items children...

Published: 13 August 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online US inflation slowed slightly in July as food and energy costs provided some relief to consumers, although housing expenses continued to put upward pressure on prices and the overall cost of living remained significantly higher than a year ago. Consumer prices rose 3.4% in the year to July, down from 3.5% in the 12 months to June, according...

Published: 13 August 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online The UK economy expanded by 0.4% between April and June, official figures show, offering evidence of continued resilience but also reinforcing concerns that economic momentum could weaken during the second half of the year. The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that gross domestic product increased during the second quarter, although the pace of...

Published: 13 August 2026 | The English Chronicle Desk | The English Chronicle Online Spotify is preparing to introduce a new system that will identify some artists whose public identities appear to have been generated by artificial intelligence, in a move designed to give listeners greater transparency over the music appearing on the streaming platform. The company says an "AI Persona" badge will begin appearing on some artist profiles from...

Published: 13 August 2026 | The English Chronicle Desk | The English Chronicle Online Japan faces some of the strongest arguments in the developed world for embracing artificial intelligence. The country has an ageing population, persistent labour shortages and a long-standing struggle to improve workplace productivity. In theory, AI could help businesses automate routine work, compensate for a shrinking workforce and modernise industries still dependent on outdated systems. Yet the...

Published: 13 August 2026 | The English Chronicle Desk | The English Chronicle Online Twitch is facing growing criticism after users discovered that content generated by creators and audiences on the streaming platform could be used to train Amazon’s artificial intelligence models without users having to actively opt in. The controversy has placed renewed attention on the increasingly contentious relationship between AI developers and the creators whose work provides much...

Published: 05 August 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online South Korea's Incheon International Airport has overtaken London's Heathrow to become the world's busiest airport for international passenger traffic during the first half of 2026, according to preliminary figures from Airports Council International. The milestone represents a dramatic change in the global aviation rankings. Incheon, which has spent much of the past two years outside the leading group...

Published: 13 August 2026 | The English Chronicle Desk | The English Chronicle Online In Kingsport, Tennessee, religion and politics are deeply woven into everyday life. The Appalachian city of about 58,000 people is home to hundreds of churches, a strong conservative political culture and an industrial complex that has become increasingly important to America's military supply chain. At the Holston Army Ammunition Plant, explosives and other components used in...