2 April 2026, in sixty words

Custom orders for new Tesla Model S or Model X electric cars are no longer being taken.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and French President Emmanuel Macron held talks in Tokyo, focusing on the Middle East conflict and global security.

China’s central bank has withdrawn liquidity from the financial system for the first time in a year, signaling caution as rising oil prices impact the economy.

Max Verstappen has come under fire from former driver Juan Pablo Montoya, who urged him to either accept Formula 1’s 2026 changes or consider stepping away.

Red Bull team boss Laurent Mekies says Formula 1 should aim to bring back “flat-out” qualifying by 2027, amid criticism of the 2026 rules that force drivers to manage energy rather than push fully.

Six Ukrainian children will be returned from Russia and reunited with their families, with a seventh expected later this month, US officials said.

This dismissal may shift Justice Department direction and result in a fresh effort to deploy the US legal system towards individuals Trump opposes.

Hamas has told mediators it will not discuss disarmament unless Israel commits to a full military withdrawal from Gaza.

Apple is celebrating its 50th anniversary, highlighting a legacy built on constant innovation and resilience.

British factories built fewer vehicles in February even before the Middle East crisis began adding pressure to supply chains.

Half a century ago, Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne founded a computer company in California that would reshape how the world communicates.

Investors across the continent bought heavily on hopes that the Iran conflict could wind down within weeks.

Frozen income thresholds have pushed more workers into higher tax bands, driving a big jump in government revenue.

Asian markets delivered their strongest session in months on Wednesday as investors bet on a quick end to the Iran conflict.

Corporate dealmaking has picked up sharply by value despite the war in the Middle East rattling global sentiment.

Despite rising energy prices and growing uncertainty, the UK's biggest banks remain in a strong position to support households and businesses.

Homebuyers face tougher borrowing costs as fixed-rate deals start moving higher again.

Britain could be among the hardest hit economies in the G7 this year, according to the latest global outlook.

Pension pots and ISAs got a boost as London's blue-chip index posted its longest winning streak since the Iran conflict started in late February.

The war of words between Washington and London grew sharper after the president singled out Britain in his attacks on NATO.

New claimants with health conditions will receive a sharply reduced extra disability payment, even as the main benefit rises.

Energy-intensive sectors from farming to pharmaceuticals face growing disruption while the Strait of Hormuz stays shut.

It is one of several cost changes hitting households at the start of April.

Casualties continue to climb with no ceasefire in sight.

No sitting president has ever attended oral arguments at the nation's highest court until Wednesday.

No former World Cup winner has ever failed to qualify for three consecutive tournaments.

Pensioners across the UK are seeing higher weekly payments from this month.

Millions of workers in retail, hospitality and care got a pay bump from 1 April.

The military alliance that has held the West together since 1949 is under direct threat from its largest member.

Households hit by climbing fuel and energy costs will get targeted support as the government tries to cushion the impact of the Iran conflict.

Crown prosecutors have entered two of Britain's highest-profile criminal inquiries for the first time.

Households on standard variable tariffs are now paying lower unit rates, though analysts warn the relief may not last beyond June.

Drivers haven't faced pump prices this high since December 2022, with costs climbing steadily since the Iran conflict began.

Roughly a fifth of the world's oil normally passes through the waterway, and its closure has driven fuel costs to multi-year highs across Europe.

Oil prices jumped back above $100 a barrel and Asian stock markets fell sharply after the speech offered few new details.

For the first time since 1972, humans are travelling beyond low Earth orbit - a test run for future lunar landings and eventually Mars.

Borrowing costs may rise less sharply than previously anticipated, as a major U.S.

Reform UK's housing chief is facing widespread calls for his dismissal after making controversial comments regarding the Grenfell Tower fire.

Britain's tallest bird, the crane, went extinct around 400 years ago due to hunting and wetland loss.

Life expectancy in the UK has largely recovered to pre-pandemic levels, but healthy life expectancy is declining, meaning people are living longer with illness.

Donald Trump has threatened to withdraw the US from NATO, but legal barriers make unilateral action uncertain.

Motorists across the UK face significant congestion, with this Easter expected to be the busiest on roads in four years.

Iran's cultural heritage minister Reza Salehi Amiri says the US-Israel war has deliberately targeted the country's historical identity, damaging at least 56 museums and monuments since the conflict began on February 28.

The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz due to the Iran war has pushed Europe to rely more heavily on Russian pipeline gas.

Many currency strategists expect the US dollar's modest rebound since the Iran war began to soon fade.

US President Donald Trump has directed fresh criticism at Sir Keir Starmer, the latest in a series of attacks on the UK Prime Minister.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has signalled that the UK could align more closely with the EU single market on a sector-by-sector basis, saying closer European ties are in the country's long-term national interest.

The US President's decision to go to war with Iran is causing real hardship for people, potentially leading to higher inflation, weaker economic growth and lower tax receipts.

European countries are expanding their security plans amid a serious crisis for NATO, now 77 years old.

A 1974 cold case murder of Utah teenager Laura Ann Aime has been definitively linked to serial killer Ted Bundy through new DNA testing.

Public investors may soon be able to buy shares in Elon Musk's SpaceX after the company confidentially filed for an initial public offering with the US Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday.

The government has cancelled 1,000 extra specialty training posts for resident doctors after the British Medical Association refused to call off a six-day strike planned for next week.

A 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck Indonesia's Molucca Sea at 06:48 local time on Thursday, prompting tsunami alerts for several coastal areas.