Business & Economy

Published: 17 September 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online The intensifying economic pressure imposed by the United States on Cuba is producing an unexpected contest over what could become some of the island's most valuable commercial assets, with investors, political figures, lobbyists and Cuban-American business groups positioning themselves for possible opportunities if Cuba undergoes a major political and economic transition. The developments come as the administration of...

Published: 17 September 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online The US House of Representatives has passed a sweeping Russia and Iran sanctions bill that would expand the president’s authority to impose tariffs on countries buying Russian energy, while Democratic House leader Hakeem Jeffries has raised concerns about provisions he says could leave significant loopholes in the legislation. The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of...

Published: 17 September 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online An Australia Post worker has been sentenced to prison after using his position to steal dozens of bank cards from secure mail and taking part in a fraud scheme that caused more than $130,000 in losses to customers and financial institutions. Mauro Paul Coluzzi, 57, was sentenced at Sutherland Local Court in Sydney after admitting his role in...

Published: 17 September 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online Thousands of Barclays employees are pushing back against the bank’s plans to increase the amount of time staff spend working from its offices, with the Unite union calling for financial support for additional commuting costs and exemptions for workers facing longer journeys. The dispute centres on changes due to take effect in October, when most affected Barclays employees...

Published: 17 September 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online US President Donald Trump has threatened the European Union with potentially heavy tariffs and restrictions on trade after Brussels proposed opening the way for Canada to become the bloc’s first associate member, sharply escalating tensions over the future direction of transatlantic economic and strategic relations. Trump described the European proposal as “laughable” and said Washington could respond if...

Published: 17 September 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online Britain’s economic picture has become more complicated ahead of the Bank of England’s latest interest-rate decision, with new analysis suggesting that the UK economy may have been more productive than previously estimated even as inflationary pressures and a weakening labour market create difficult choices for policymakers. The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee was due to announce its...

Published: 17 September 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online OpenAI has disclosed six cases of unexpected or concerning behaviour observed in its artificial intelligence models as the company introduces a new framework for tracking, investigating and publicly reporting incidents involving what it calls “model misalignment”. The framework, announced on 16 September, is intended to make disclosures more systematic and more frequent. OpenAI said it had previously published...

Published: 17 September 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online The European Union and the United States have entered a fresh diplomatic dispute after US President Donald Trump warned that Europe could face “very serious tariffs” or restrictions on trade if the bloc proceeds with a proposal to deepen its relationship with Canada. The warning came less than a day after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen...

Published: 17 September 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online The Conservatives are stepping up pressure on Chancellor John Healey to rule out tax increases ahead of the UK government's autumn Budget, as economic policy moves higher up the political agenda in Westminster. The Conservative challenge comes less than six weeks before the Budget, which the government has confirmed will take place on 28 October 2026. Healey, who...

Published: 17 September 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online British fashion and homeware retailer Next has raised its full-year profit forecast for the fourth time this year after stronger-than-expected sales during the first half, with unusually warm weather helping drive demand for summer clothing. The FTSE 100-listed retailer increased its forecast for full-year pre-tax profit by £12m to £1.26bn after reporting a stronger first-half performance than it...