The UK government is launching a consultation with businesses on how taking retaliatory tariff measures against the US would impact them.
It comes after US President Donald Trump announced new tariffs of 10% on all UK imports.
The government has previously said it would not be rushed into a knee-jerk response to Trump's imposition of tariffs on its trading partners around the world while insisting all options were on the table.
But in a toughening of this stance, Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds told MPs he would "seek the views of UK stakeholders over four weeks until 1 May 2025 on products that could be potentially included in any UK tariff response".
He said talks were ongoing with the US government to secure an economic deal aimed at avoiding or reducing tariffs but warned that the UK "reserves the right to take any action we deem necessary if a deal is not secured".
In the event of reaching a deal with the US, the consultation with businesses would be paused, he added.
Speaking in the House of Commons, he said the fact the US had put lower tariffs on the UK compared to other countries "vindicated the pragmatic approach the government has taken". However, he said he was "disappointed" by the increase.
Conservative shadow business secretary Andrew Griffith questioned Reynolds' claim that the government's approach had been "vindicated".
"The government got no special favours," he said noting that the UK was facing the same tariffs as more than 125 other countries and territories including the Congo and the Christmas Islands.
He said the EU was being hit by 20% tariffs and the UK's lower rate of 10% was actually a vindication of those who "were pilloried and abused" for backing Brexit.
"They [Labour] should regret the 48 times they voted to stay in Europe and thank us for getting Brexit done."
Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper said Trump was telling the UK he would only lower tariffs "if you lower your standards".
"If the government gives in to Trump's threats it will only encourage him to use the same bullying tactics again and again."
She reiterated her party's call for an "economic coalition of the willing" against the tariffs.
In addition to the 10% tariffs, a 25% tariff has been put on UK car exports, as well as steel and aluminium products.
The UK exported almost £60bn worth of goods to the US last year, mainly machinery, cars and pharmaceuticals.
The government's official forecaster estimates a worst-case scenario trade war could reduce UK economic growth by 1% and wipe out the £9.9bn of economic headroom Chancellor Rachel Reeves gave herself at last week's Spring Statement.
It could mean that in order to meet her own fiscal rules, she would have to raise taxes or make cuts to government spending.
From Saturday, all goods imported to the US from anywhere in the world will face a 10% "baseline" tariff.
Donald Trump announced higher rates for some countries he singled out as the "worst offenders" for trade.
Our correspondents have been answering your questions about what this means and the impact it could have.
What happens to US products that are made in China?
Mike Heafield, 60, in Preston, asks Senior Technology reporter, Graham Fraser, What happens to products - like the iPhone - that are made in China by US companies?
One eye-catching consequence of the tariffs announcement has been the impact on Apple, with its share price falling 7%.
The US tech giant has large manufacturing bases in some of the countries hit hardest by President Trump's policy - notably China, which faces tariffs of 54%, and Vietnam (46%).
In 2019, when Trump was first in the White House, Apple was given Chinese tariff exemptions. Apple bosses will be hoping to work out a similar deal this time.
The global investment bank Citi said: "If Apple cannot get exempted this time and assuming Apple gets hit by the accumulative 54% China tariffs and does not pass it through, we estimate about 9% negative impact to the company's total gross margin."
In February, Apple committed to invest more than $500bn (£396bn) in the US over the next four years. At the time, Trump claimed Apple's support for US manufacturing was partially a response to his trade policies, including tariffs.
How will the tariffs impact US consumers?
Paul Miller, in Devon, asks Dharshini David, Deputy Economics editor, about the impact of tariffs on US consumers, and whether the UK could gain from them.
US shoppers could very much be the frontline casualties in this trade war, blighted by higher prices and less choice, regardless of the president's rhetoric.
And that does mean that producers will seek out and take advantage of new markets.
We saw that in the president's first term, when the likes of Vietnam and Malaysia took advantage of the tariffs he imposed on China to increase the amount they sold to America.
Ironically, they consequently are in the firing line now - and so will likely be vying to sell more to the UK – good for consumers, less so for competing businesses
Already, many producers are turning their sights beyond established customers – think whisky makers looking towards Asia. That is likely to intensify.
Trump's announcement may mean a redraft of the global trade map – and our own shopping lists.
Will this have an effect on the UK's cost of living?
Jock Scott, from Nuneaton, asks Business reporter Nick Edser if the US tariffs have an effect on the UK's cost of living.
As ever when looking at the implications of the tariffs, there's a lot of uncertainty over this. In some circumstances UK prices could go up, in others they could fall.
The tariffs announced by Trump on Wednesday will be paid for by the businesses which import goods into the US. This means the initial impact of price rises is likely to be on US consumers, if American firms pass on the extra costs.
However, some economists think the tariffs could strengthen the value of the dollar against other currencies. If the pound weakens against the dollar, then UK firms importing goods from the US will face higher costs. This could then lead to higher prices of these goods in UK shops if companies cannot absorb the increased costs themselves.
Also, if the UK government decides to retaliate with tariffs of its own on US goods entering the UK, there is a risk UK prices could rise if British businesses pass on the extra costs to customers.
However, some economists have suggested prices could also fall as a result of the tariffs.
Swati Dhingra, an economist and member of the Bank of England's monetary policy committee, which sets interest rates, has suggested that firms which normally send their goods to the US may instead send them to countries which don't have such steep tariffs, like the UK, potentially leading to a flood of cheaper goods.
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What does this mean for my pension?
Robert Jones, from Cardiff, asks Kevin Peachy, Cost of living correspondent, about the impact of tariffs on our pension investments.
There is little doubt Trump's announcement on tariffs has led to immediate moves in share prices and are also likely to have a longer-term economic impact.
Robert and Stephen have mentioned the drop in the value of their pension investments, and the situation will be unsettling for millions of people with any kind of investments.
Experts say that investors have always had to ride economic shocks. Investments, by definition, require a long-term outlook and strategy. So, they are urging people not to panic or make knee-jerk decisions.
That said, for those about to draw on investments, it may be more worrying, albeit that most pension savings are moved into safer holdings like cash or bonds as people approach retirement age. The state pension is unaffected.
Does the UK have a 'Brexit benefit' over the EU?
Paul Naldrett from Windsor asks Business correspondent Marc Ashdown if the UK's position outside of the European Union is actually an opportunity as the EU is given 20% tariffs.
Some are referring to a "Brexit benefit" because the UK is only subject to 10% tariffs rather than the 20% being slapped on the EU.
Not only will that limit the pain felt by British businesses compared to their European neighbours, but it could present trading opportunities.
UK exporters to America could have a competitive edge, with US importers only facing half the tax by dealing with UK businesses instead of EU businesses.
British firms - and consumers - could also benefit from cheaper goods finding their way here instead of America if the extra costs prove insurmountable.
But, there are concerns about the impact that could have on homegrown industries if cheap products, possibly with lower standards, flood the UK market.
Local media say Moscow's absence is "to the disappointment of many in the West"
One country that did not feature on Donald Trump's list of tariffs on US trade partners was Russia.
US outlet Axios quoted White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt as saying this was because existing US sanctions on Russia "preclude any meaningful trade" and noting that Cuba, Belarus and North Korea were also not included.
However, nations with even less trade with the US - such as Syria, which exported $11m of products last year according to UN data quoted by Trading Economics - were on the list.
The US imposed large-scale sanctions on Russia after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Trump has generally taken a friendlier approach to Russia since his return to the White House.
Last month, Trump threatened to impose a 50% tariff on countries buying Russian oil if Russian President Vladimir Putin did not agree to a ceasefire.
On Thursday, Russian media also argued that their country was not on the sweeping tariffs list because of existing sanctions.
"No tariffs have been imposed on Russia, but that's not because of some special treatment. It's simply because Western sanctions are already in place against our country," says state-run Rossiya 24 TV.
According to its sister channel Rossiya 1, Russia is missing from the list "to the disappointment of many in the West".
Many Kremlin-controlled media outlets have specifically referred to US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who told Fox News: "Russia and Belarus, we don't trade with. They're sanctioned."
According to the Office of the US Trade Representative, the US imported goods from Russia worth $3.5bn (£2.7bn) in 2024. It mainly consisted of fertilisers, nuclear fuel and some metals, according to Trading Economics and Russian media.
Some of the Russian coverage has taken a mocking tone, with pro-Kremlin NTV saying Trump treated America's allies in Europe as "serfs" who only respond with "moaning".
Many, such as Zvezda TV which is run by Russia's defence ministry, note the inclusion of uninhabited Heard Island and McDonald Islands on the tariffs list.
"Looks like it's some penguins who will have to pay the 10% tariff," Zvezda said.
Ukraine, meanwhile, is facing a 10% tariff on its exports to the US.
The country's first deputy prime minister, Yulia Svyrydenko, said the new US tariff would mostly hit small producers.
She also said Ukraine was "working to secure better terms".
In 2024, Ukraine exported $874m (£642m) worth of goods to the US and imported $3.4bn from the US, according to the deputy prime minister.
"Ukraine has much to offer the United States as a reliable ally and partner," she added. "Fair tariffs benefit both countries."
Despite the small scale of trade, the US has provided significant material support for the war against Russia. Trump has argued that the US has spent $300-$350bn on such aid, while the US Department of Defense said $182.8bn had been "appropriated" - a figure that covers US military training in Europe and replenishment of US defence stocks - for Operation Atlantic Resolve.
The US has also been attempting to reach a deal for access to Ukrainian minerals as part of negotiations to end the war.
London Luton Airport's owners believe the expansion scheme will generate 11,000 new jobs
The government has approved plans to expand London Luton Airport.
Luton Rising, the airport's owners, wanted to increase airport capacity from 18 million annual passengers to 32 million by 2043.
This would involve building a new terminal, new taxiways and increasing the capacity in the existing terminal.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander approved the proposals despite the Planning Inspectorate recommending she reject them over environmental concerns.
Luton Rising
The expansion plans include a new terminal building
Due to the scale of the project, the airport had to submit a Development Consent Order to the Secretary of State for Transport for a final decision.
The decision had been delayed three times - most recently so newly appointed Alexander could have more time to consider the application.
Paul Kehoe, the independent chair of Luton Rising which is owned by Luton Borough Council, welcomed the approval which could bring "significant economic, employment and social benefits for our town".
He said: "At a new capacity of 32 million passengers per year, our scheme will deliver up to 11,000 new jobs, additional annual economic activity of up to £1.5bn, and up to an additional £13m every year for communities and good causes."
BBC/Janine Machin
The airport wants to increase passenger capacity to 32 million a year
Andrew Lambourne of campaign group LADACAN, which has opposed the airport's expansion, said the government had ignored local people.
He said: "The government has said it believes in local decision making, yet has ignored the 90% of residents, groups and councils which strongly opposed this application because they know it is out-of-keeping with the area.
"People living under the flight path are already at risk of health damage from being awoken by night flights, so adding 70% more is inhumane.
"And with climate change worsening, the last thing any of us need is 70,000 more aircraft a year creating greenhouse gases and contrails."
David Joyce, 38, was from the city and was killed on Tuesday after police responded to reports of a man with a gun at the station. It later emerged he was carrying a knife.
Thames Valley Police said a single shot was fired by one officer and Mr Joyce was given first aid, but died at the scene.
The force referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), which named Mr Joyce and is carrying out an investigation into the case.
The IOPC said Mr Joyce was formally identified at a post-mortem examination on Thursday morning. The provisional cause of his death was a single gunshot wound to the abdomen.
The watchdog added that it had already viewed a "substantial amount" of CCTV and police body-worn camera footage of the incident.
The investigation team said all officers who attended the scene were being treated as witnesses.
Statements were being taken from members of the public who were at the station at the time and more CCTV footage is being obtained from nearby buildings.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has urged the public to "vote for change in your community", as he launched Labour's local election campaign for England.
The elections on 1 May are the party's first major test at the ballot box since winning power in last July's landslide victory.
But Labour is now facing a more challenging backdrop, after slumping in the polls in recent months.
At an event in Derbyshire, a key target council which is currently run by the Conservatives, Sir Keir said Labour councils would "work hand-in-hand" with the government on its plan for change, including bringing back community policing, supporting High Streets and fixing potholes.
He acknowledged people were "still struggling with the cost of living" but said the government was "turning things around".
The PM pointed to increases in the minimum wage, falling NHS waiting lists and cuts to fuel duty as examples of the difference the government was making.
But he accused "tired" Tory councils of "putting on the blockers" and "holding Britain back".
"Last year, the general election was that opportunity to vote for change for the country," Sir Keir said.
"This year, the local elections are the chance to vote for change in your community."
Speaking to a crowd of activists at the same event, Deputy Leader Angela Rayner said Conservative councils had "let public services crumble".
She added: "That is why we need great Labour mayors, leaders and councillors delivering the change across our great towns, cities and counties, so that we can transform the lives of people at a local level."
Elections will be held for 23 councils, while there will also be mayoral elections in the West of England, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough and - for the first time - in Hull and East Yorkshire and Greater Lincolnshire.
Meanwhile, the party is facing a by-election in Runcorn and Helsby, after former Labour MP Mike Amesbury resigned following his conviction for assaulting a constituent.
Elections to all 21 county councils in England were due to place.
But last month the government announced local elections would be postponed in nine areas, where councils are being reorganised.
The Conservatives are defending the most seats in the upcoming elections, which were last contested in 2021 when then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson was enjoying a surge in support following the rollout of the Covid vaccine.
Other areas where Labour is hoping to make gains include Durham and Nottinghamshire, parts of the country where the party won seats at last year's general election.
However, it is facing a difficult economic backdrop, with Chancellor Rachel Reeves setting out sweeping benefit cuts last month amid pressures on public spending.
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Joan Mitchell was one of the most celebrated artists of the abstract expressionist movement
Tate Modern has announced it has received a major gift from a couple of art dealers in the form of a painting by the US modern artist Joan Mitchell.
It was unveiled on Thursday as one of a group of works being donated by the Miami-based philanthropists, Jorge M and Darleen Pérez.
The six-metre-long triptych, entitled Iva 1973, can now be viewed for free at the London gallery next to Mark Rothko's Seagram Murals.
Tate director Maria Balshaw said the gift was "one of the most important" it has received, describing the donation as "transformational".
'Accessible to all'
"To place such a significant and valuable work in public hands is an act of incredible generosity," said Balshaw.
"It is also an endorsement of Tate's ability to share our collection with the broadest possible audience," she added. "And to care for that collection for future generations."
Mitchell, who would've been 100 this year, was one of the most celebrated artists of the abstract expressionist movement.
Arts Minister, Sir Chris Bryant said the "spectacular donation" of Mitchell's "masterpiece", which was originally dedicated to her dog, shows "the amazing difference one person's generosity can make".
"I'm very grateful for this donation and for the work that went into making it possible," he said.
"We are committed to ensuring art is for everyone, everywhere and the generosity of the Pérez family ensures that great art remains accessible to all, whilst also enriching our national collection."
'Female artists play significant role'
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Jorge M and Darlene Pérez pictured in 2017 at the NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale in Florida
Argentine-American businessman Mr Pérez is best known as the chairman and CEO of The Related Group, a Miami-based real estate company.
He has given or pledged over $100m (£76m) to Miami's public art museum, which was renamed the Pérez Art Museum Miami in his honour in 2013.
He also founded a not-for-profit contemporary art space in Miami called El Espacio 23.
Mr Perez told BBC News: "We've been talking to the Tate for a long time, we're great admirers of the Tate.
"Our hope is always that our art is seen by the highest number of people. The Tate has huge viewership, millions and millions of people coming in."
He added the work suited being displayed next to other famous artists. "This painting, when you see it next to the Rothko's, really resounds," he said, "and it'll be there forever.
"So when you talk about legacy, we like to think that our names will not be forgotten, and that they will live, not only with the British audience, but also with the international audience that comes to the Tate.
"We hope it fills a gap in the collection that is very important and maybe the most important art movement in America. It's found its home, we're very pleased with it here."
Mrs Pérez noted female artists "play a significant role in shaping the cultural landscape" and that is was therefore "pivotal that we support and celebrate their contributions."
"We've long admired Joan Mitchell's work and are thrilled to share Iva with the world through Tate Modern."
Their gift also includes a multimillion-dollar endowment to support Tate's curatorial research.
Also, a range of works and photographs by artists from across Africa and the African diaspora - including by Yinka Shonibare, El Anatsui and Malick Sidibé - will make their way from the Pérezes to Tate's collection over the coming years.
US President Donald Trump has imposed a 10% tariff on goods from most countries being imported into the US, with even higher rates for what he calls the "worst offenders".
But how exactly were these tariffs - essentially taxes on imports - worked out? BBC Verify has been looking at the calculations behind the numbers.
What were the calculations?
When Trump presented a giant cardboard chart detailing the tariffs in the White House Rose Garden it was initially assumed that the charges were based on a combination of existing tariffs and other trade barriers (like regulations).
But later, the White House published what might look like a complicated mathematical formula.
White House
The formula shared by the White House
But the actual exercise boiled down to simple maths: take the trade deficit for the US in goods with a particular country, divide that by the total goods imports from that country and then divide that number by two.
A trade deficit occurs when a country buys (imports) more physical products from other countries than it sells (exports) to them.
For example, the US buys more goods from China than it sells to them - there is a goods deficit of $295bn. The total amount of goods it buys from China is $440bn.
Dividing 295 by 440 gets you to 67% and you divide that by two and round up. Therefore the tariff imposed on China is 34%.
Similarly, when it applied to the EU, the White House's formula resulted in a 20% tariff.
Are the Trump tariffs 'reciprocal'?
Many commentators have pointed out that these tariffs are not reciprocal.
Reciprocal would mean they were based on what countries already charge the US in the form of existing tariffs, plus non-tariff barriers (things like regulations that drive up costs).
But the White House's official methodology document makes clear that they have not calculated this for all the countries on which they have imposed tariffs.
Instead the tariff rate was calculated on the basis that it would eliminate the US's goods trade deficit with each country.
Trump has broken away from the formula in imposing tariffs on countries that buy more goods from the US than they sell to it.
For example the US does not currently run goods trade deficit with the UK. Yet the UK has been hit with a 10% tariff.
In total, more than 100 countries are covered by the new tariff regime.
'Lots of broader impacts'
Trump believes the US is getting a bad deal in global trade. In his view, other countries flood US markets with cheap goods - which hurts US companies and costs jobs. At the same time, these countries are putting up barriers that make US products less competitive abroad.
So by using tariffs to eliminate trade deficits, Trump hopes to revive US manufacturing and protect jobs.
Reuters
The US car industry is one of the manufacturing sectors Trump is keen to revive
But will this new tariff regime achieve the desired outcome?
BBC Verify has spoken to a number of economists. The overwhelming view is that while the tariffs might reduce the goods deficit between the US and individual countries, they will not reduce the overall deficit between the US and rest of the world.
"Yes, it will reduce bilateral trade deficits between the US and these countries. But there will obviously be lots of broader impacts that are not captured in the calculation", says Professor Jonathan Portes of King's College, London.
That's because the US' existing overall deficit is not driven solely by trade barriers, but by how the US economy works.
For one, Americans spend and invest more than they earn and that gap means the US buys more from the world than it sells. So as long as that continues, the US may continue to keep running a deficit despite increasing tariffs with it global trading partners.
Some trade deficits can also exist for a number of legitimate reasons - not just down to tariffs. For example, buying food that is easier or cheaper to produce in other countries' climates.
Thomas Sampson of the London School of Economics said: "The formula is reverse engineered to rationalise charging tariffs on countries with which the US has a trade deficit. There is no economic rationale for doing this and it will cost the global economy dearly."
The UK government is launching a consultation with businesses on how taking retaliatory tariff measures against the US would impact them.
It comes after US President Donald Trump announced new tariffs of 10% on all UK imports.
The government has previously said it would not be rushed into a knee-jerk response to Trump's imposition of tariffs on its trading partners around the world while insisting all options were on the table.
But in a toughening of this stance, Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds told MPs he would "seek the views of UK stakeholders over four weeks until 1 May 2025 on products that could be potentially included in any UK tariff response".
He said talks were ongoing with the US government to secure an economic deal aimed at avoiding or reducing tariffs but warned that the UK "reserves the right to take any action we deem necessary if a deal is not secured".
In the event of reaching a deal with the US, the consultation with businesses would be paused, he added.
Speaking in the House of Commons, he said the fact the US had put lower tariffs on the UK compared to other countries "vindicated the pragmatic approach the government has taken". However, he said he was "disappointed" by the increase.
Conservative shadow business secretary Andrew Griffith questioned Reynolds' claim that the government's approach had been "vindicated".
"The government got no special favours," he said noting that the UK was facing the same tariffs as more than 125 other countries and territories including the Congo and the Christmas Islands.
He said the EU was being hit by 20% tariffs and the UK's lower rate of 10% was actually a vindication of those who "were pilloried and abused" for backing Brexit.
"They [Labour] should regret the 48 times they voted to stay in Europe and thank us for getting Brexit done."
Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper said Trump was telling the UK he would only lower tariffs "if you lower your standards".
"If the government gives in to Trump's threats it will only encourage him to use the same bullying tactics again and again."
She reiterated her party's call for an "economic coalition of the willing" against the tariffs.
In addition to the 10% tariffs, a 25% tariff has been put on UK car exports, as well as steel and aluminium products.
The UK exported almost £60bn worth of goods to the US last year, mainly machinery, cars and pharmaceuticals.
The government's official forecaster estimates a worst-case scenario trade war could reduce UK economic growth by 1% and wipe out the £9.9bn of economic headroom Chancellor Rachel Reeves gave herself at last week's Spring Statement.
It could mean that in order to meet her own fiscal rules, she would have to raise taxes or make cuts to government spending.
Watch: Three things to know about Trump's tariffs announcement
US President Donald Trump announced sweeping tariffs on goods from countries across the world, on what he called "Liberation Day".
He says the move will make America wealthy again, but economists warn that prices could rise for Americans and fears of a global trade war have grown.
What are tariffs and which countries is Trump targeting?
Tariffs are taxes charged on goods imported from other countries. Companies bringing the goods into the country pay the amount, typically a percentage of the goods' value, to the government.
Trump has announced a 10% "baseline" tariff on all imports to the US – this is what the UK will face.
But 60 countries will be hit with higher rates of up to 50%, including Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia and Bangladesh. Countries in the European Union are facing a 20% tariff. The tariffs are set to take effect in days.
Trump also confirmed previously announced tariffs on specific goods, including 25% on steel, aluminium and foreign-made cars.
Trump says "tariff" is his favourite word, and since the 1980s he has held a strong belief that the taxes can boost the US economy.
He believes they will encourage US consumers to buy more American-made goods, and increase the amount of tax raised. Trump also wants to reduce the gap between the value of US goods imported and exported.
The White House said the measures were necessary because countries were taking advantage of the US by imposing their own high tariffs and other trade barriers.
"For decades, our country has been looted, pillaged, raped and plundered by nations near and far, both friend and foe alike," Trump said as he announced the tariffs.
However, Trump is taking an enormous risk upon which he is staking his presidency, our North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher writes.
If successful, the move could fundamentally reshape the global economic order. Trump promises that it will rebuild American manufacturing and make the country more self-reliant.
But it risks alienating allies, while economists warn it could raise prices and threaten a global recession.
A messy global trade war looks inevitable, suggests the BBC's economics editor Faisal Islam.
Trump's decision to take tariff revenues to a level beyond those seen during the 1930s will mean huge changes to world trade patterns, he says.
Watch: Key moments in Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs announcement
Will prices go up for US consumers?
Economists warn this is likely because companies are likely to pass the increased cost of imported goods onto their customers. They could also reduce imports, meaning fewer products are available - putting further pressure on prices.
To raise the revenue Trump is hoping for, US consumers are going to have to swallow rises and keep on buying items made in other countries in similar quantities as now, says the BBC's deputy economics editor Dharshini David.
And as she points out, history shows the frontline casualties tend to be consumers, due to reduced choice and higher prices, and exporters.
"Growth, jobs and price stability are in the firing line," she writes.
Cars, lumber used to build houses, beer, whisky and tequila, and avocados are among the goods that could become more expensive.
Global stockmarkets fell after tariffs were announced and a series of world leaders condemned the measures.
European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said "the global economy will massively suffer" and that "the consequences will be dire for millions of people around the globe".
EU countries are finalising a response to 25% steel and aluminium tariffs, which have already been introduced, and could announce further measures.
It has promised to protect European businesses, including Germany's car industry, Italy's luxury goods and France's wine and champagne producers.
China has promised "resolute countermeasures", which are likely to hurt US companies trying to sell into the huge Chinese market.
However, Trump's tariffs may also benefit China by allowing President Xi Jinping to portray his country as a champion of free trade, the BBC's China correspondent Stephen McDonell says. Countries could be encouraged to build or strengthen their trade relationships with China.
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer acknowledged the economy will be hurt by the latest tariffs but promised to react with "cool and calm heads".
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds told MPs the government would launch a consultation to explore how retaliatory tariff measures against US products could affect British firms.
Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney said the tariffs will "fundamentally change the international trading system".
He said Canada would retaliate against US tariffs soon, "with purpose and with force", to protect workers and strength the economy.
How tariffs could affect UK households - and their money
The UK is now facing a 10% tariff on all goods heading to the US but there's a lot of uncertainty about what it could mean for the UK itself:
Prices could rise – or fall
Once tariffs are in place, the value of the dollar could strengthen. That might push up import costs for UK firms buying goods, which could then be passed on to consumers through higher prices.
But some economists say prices might actually drop at first. That's because firms that usually sell to the US might start sending their goods to countries like the UK instead – possibly leading to a surge of cheaper goods here.
Your job could be affected
Higher prices might lead workers to ask for bigger pay rises. If UK companies see their profits squeezed, job cuts could follow. More than 25,000 jobs in the car manufacturing sector could be at risk.
Interest rates could stay high
Rates are currently at 4.5%, and economists had expected two cuts this year. But if inflation rises because of higher prices, rates might stay higher for longer.
The Sentebale charity co-founded by Prince Harry has been caught up in a dispute
The Charity Commission is to examine the bitter dispute that led to the Duke of Sussex and several others resigning from the charity he co-founded.
The watchdog announced it had begun a "regulatory compliance case" involving Sentebale, following concerns raised by its head Sophie Chandauka.
Ms Chandauka told the BBC she welcomed the move by the commission, which comes after she said she had "blown the whistle" on issues including bullying and harassment, and warned of the prince's "toxicity" for the charity.
Sources close to the founders and former trustees of Sentebale have previously rejected the allegations and said they "look forward to the adjudication of the truth".
The Charity Commission's announcement is the first step in assessing the complaints and allegations over what has happened at Sentebale, which was founded in 2006 to help children in southern Africa affected by HIV and Aids.
It will then decide whether inquiries need to be escalated.
Ms Chandauka previously said she had reported the trustees to the Charity Commission, and made a whistleblower complaint about issues including what she described as an abuse of power, bullying, sexism and racism.
On Thursday, Ms Chandauka said in a statement that the concerns brought to the commission included "governance, administration and management matters".
The Sentebale head said she hoped the public and donors would now see there was a new board of trustees "acting appropriately to demonstrate and ensure good governance and a healthy culture".
Insiders have claimed personality clashes and tensions around leadership had added to Sentebale's challenges - and the watchdog is likely to hear financial concerns from some of those formerly involved with running the charity.
"It is devastating that the relationship between the charity's trustees and the chair of the board broke down beyond repair, creating an untenable situation," those trustees leaving the charity said a statement.
Among the likely claims are that £500,000 of Sentebale's money was spent on consultants in a strategy to get donations from wealthy individuals and foundations in the US, but which sources close to the former trustees say had not delivered adequate results.
The financial fears come despite the charity receiving an extra £1.2m from Prince Harry's earnings from his best-selling memoir Spare.
A Sentebale spokeswoman rejected the claim that £500,000 had been spent on US consultants - and defended its approach to seeking new funds for the charity. Sources also claim Ms Chandauka had raised funding to cover the cost of the consultants and that her own family had become significant donors to the charity.
Sentebale told the BBC it had hired a US firm called Lebec to help build a new fundraising strategy, and that by October 2024 a team of six consultants had set up 65 key relationships with potential donors, who might help Sentebale in the future.
It said the 12-month deal with Lebec, a women-led strategy firm, had successfully delivered links to "high-net-worth individuals, family offices, corporations, foundations and partner non-profits".
"Lebec provided the positioning strategy, the tools, and the insights to enter the US market successfully and with credibility," a spokeswoman for Sentebale said.
The one-off donation from Prince Harry from his Spare book was "incredibly useful" but did not represent a long-term "funding pipeline", said Sentebale.
The dispute has become increasingly personal.
Ms Chandauka argued the controversy around Prince Harry leaving the UK had become a barrier to potential donors.
She said the "toxicity" of Prince Harry's brand was the "number one risk for this organisation".
Ms Chandauka also spoke about a dispute over a video at a fundraising polo match, where it had been claimed Meghan was manoeuvring her out of the way during a prize-giving ceremony.
"Prince Harry asked me to issue some sort of a statement in support of the duchess and I said I wouldn't," said Ms Chandauka.
Sources close to Prince Harry and Meghan have rejected suggestions there was any conflict or anything negative about how the prize line-up was organised, saying it had been misrepresented.
They say the full video with sound shows Meghan politely helping the group get ready for the photo by asking: "Do you want to come over here?".
Ms Chandauka says she and her leadership team are focusing on the day-to-day operations of the charity, and looking forward to working with their supporters as "we recalibrate for an ambitious future".
London Luton Airport's owners believe the expansion scheme will generate 11,000 new jobs
The government has approved plans to expand London Luton Airport.
Luton Rising, the airport's owners, wanted to increase airport capacity from 18 million annual passengers to 32 million by 2043.
This would involve building a new terminal, new taxiways and increasing the capacity in the existing terminal.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander approved the proposals despite the Planning Inspectorate recommending she reject them over environmental concerns.
Luton Rising
The expansion plans include a new terminal building
Due to the scale of the project, the airport had to submit a Development Consent Order to the Secretary of State for Transport for a final decision.
The decision had been delayed three times - most recently so newly appointed Alexander could have more time to consider the application.
Paul Kehoe, the independent chair of Luton Rising which is owned by Luton Borough Council, welcomed the approval which could bring "significant economic, employment and social benefits for our town".
He said: "At a new capacity of 32 million passengers per year, our scheme will deliver up to 11,000 new jobs, additional annual economic activity of up to £1.5bn, and up to an additional £13m every year for communities and good causes."
BBC/Janine Machin
The airport wants to increase passenger capacity to 32 million a year
Andrew Lambourne of campaign group LADACAN, which has opposed the airport's expansion, said the government had ignored local people.
He said: "The government has said it believes in local decision making, yet has ignored the 90% of residents, groups and councils which strongly opposed this application because they know it is out-of-keeping with the area.
"People living under the flight path are already at risk of health damage from being awoken by night flights, so adding 70% more is inhumane.
"And with climate change worsening, the last thing any of us need is 70,000 more aircraft a year creating greenhouse gases and contrails."
The list of would-be buyers for TikTok in the US - both rumoured and confirmed - has grown longer as the deadline for deciding its future looms.
The social media giant faces being shut down in the US unless it sells to an American company by 5 April.
The runners and riders range from US tech giants to the British entrepreneur dubbed "the king of homemade porn".
However, TikTok and its Chinese owner, ByteDance have still not confirmed they are willing to do a deal.
They also continue to reject the reason for the sale - that the US considers their ties to the Chinese government a national security threat.
It is also not clear what exactly would be sold, in particular what would happen to TikTok's algorithim, which decides what content to expose users to, and is considered a big reason for its success.
"TikTok without its algorithm is like Harry Potter without his wand - it's simply not as powerful," said Kelsey Chickering, principal analyst at Forrester Research.
Despite all this uncertainty, Ms Chickering said it was unlikely the app would go offline in the US as it briefly did in January.
"It is highly unlikely that TikTok will go dark again. All signs point to a deal or another extension."
As with everything else to do with the app's future, who exactly is attempting to buy it is cloaked in uncertainty.
According to the New York Times, Amazon recently sent a letter to the US Vice President JD Vance and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick expressing interest.
Amazon declined to comment when approached by BBC News.
Another late-stage bid reportedly came from an app marketing and analytics company called AppLovin.
They have remained similarly tight-lipped on the speculation, though - at least in public.
A third last-minute bidder includes the man once called "the king of homemade porn" by the Sunday Times - British OnlyFans founder Tim Stokely.
His proposed bid - and all the media attention which comes with it - happens to coincide with the relaunch of a company he co-founded in 2022.
How the proposed and then shelved TikTok ban affected US influencers
One confirmed bidder is Perplexity, an AI search startup which counts Amazon's Jeff Bezos among its backers.
The company recently published its "vision" for what its version of TikTok would look like for America.
Another potential investor is Frank McCourt, who founded the Project Liberty organisation in 2021, which aims to give more power to internet users.
He says he would scrap the current algorithm in favour of a far more open version where users have more control over what they see on the platform.
Also part of this bid are Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian and Canadian businessman Kevin O'Leary.
A bid from MrBeast?
According to the Financial Times, a consortium of American businesses is close to getting US government endorsement for a bid - though of course it is up to ByteDance, not the White House, whether they sell or not.
The group includes Trump loyalist Marc Andreessen and Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison.
Oracle already handles the data for TikTok in the US.There are a number of other potential bids which have been mentioned by Donald Trump when he has been asked.
He has said, in responses to questions from reporters, that Elon Musk may be interested in getting hold of TikTok, and has also mentioned Microsoft in the past.
Microsoft had a bid rejected in 2020 when the previous Tump administration explored a TikTok ban which never happened.
YouTuber Jimmy Donaldson, or MrBeast to his millions of fans, has also said he's been contacted by a number of different groups trying to get him to be the face of a new bid.
But whoever ends up being picked by the White House to go forward with a bid will still have to get over the same huge hurdle: how do you buy a company that's not for sale?
Decisions taken within the next few days will determine whether British Steel's Scunthorpe plant stays open, the BBC understands.
The plant's Chinese owner, Jingye, has cancelled two cargo shipments of coking coal for the site's two blast furnaces and it has not yet paid for iron pellets that are scheduled to arrive next week.
Without coal and iron ore, the blast furnaces will shut down within weeks.
Last week British Steel launched a consultation on the proposed closure of its two blast furnaces at Scunthorpe, putting up to 2,700 jobs at risk.
It has been meeting with the trade unions Community, GMB and Unite.
The GMB's national officer, Charlotte Brumpton-Childs, said that a union meeting with workers on Wednesday had shown that ''Jingye has no intention of running the plant responsibly. Nationalisation is now the only option to save UK steel-making."
Sources close to the consultation accuse Jingye of deliberately undermining talks to save the plant by closing down the supply of raw materials.
A British Steel spokesperson said: "We are not able to comment at this time".
Reuters
British Steel has been owned by Jingye since 2020. The Chinese firm says it has invested more than £1.2bn into British Steel to maintain operations and claims it has suffered financial losses of about £700,000 a day.
Zengwei An, the company's chief executive, said the launch of the consultation process had been "a necessary decision given the hugely challenging circumstances the business faces", including the imposition of US tariffs and higher environmental costs.
The BBC reported last week that the company had drawn up a £2bn investment plan and that it had expected the government to contribute half.
The BBC understands that British Steel recently rejected a government offer of £500m.
There are growing calls for the government to nationalise the company.
On Tuesday, North Lincolnshire Council voted unanimously in favour of the company being brought back into public ownership, while last week in Parliament, Conservative MPs and the deputy leader of Reform UK, Richard Tice, also called for nationalisation.
Questioned on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme this morning, business secretary, Jonathan Reynolds MP, said he was ''strongly committed to the UK having a steel industry'' and that he was making sure ''we are closely engaged on this issue''.
However declined to comment on reports that public ownership was being actively considered by ministers, saying to BBC Radio 4: "We are talking to the company. It's in private ownership, that is the situation that we have inherited, we are trying to find a way through that."
"I know for the workforce in particular this is a really difficult time,'' he added.
Watch: Three things to know about Trump's tariffs announcement
New trade tariffs unveiled by US President Donald Trump on Wednesday are expected to have a major global impact, and have been condemned by the European Union and other key US allies.
But Trump's latest import taxes may get a different response in China, whose leader could see them as a gift.
Here, BBC reporters in five major economies look at the nuances of how the announcements are being received where they are.
Europe could hurt US, but doesn't want to escalate
By Katya Adler, Europe editor in Brussels
European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen spoke on behalf of all European Union (EU) countries when she said the new tax imports would cause "dire" consequences for millions of people around the globe.
She said there was "no clear path through the complexity and chaos" that the new tariffs would unleash worldwide.
But the Commission has promised to protect EU businesses, some of which will be more hard hit than others - like Germany's car industry, Italy's luxury goods and France's wine and champagne producers.
French President Emmanuel Macron has called an emergency meeting of French business leaders later on Thursday.
As the biggest single market in the world, the EU can hurt the US - targeting goods and services, including 'big tech' like Apple and Meta with counter-measures.
But it says its aim is not to up the ante here – it's to persuade Trump to negotiate.
On Wednesday night, Italian PM Georgia Meloni said that while she considered the tariffs wrong, everything would be done to try and reach an agreement with the US.
Tariffs a gift for Chinese leader
By Stephen McDonell, China correspondent in Beijing
A 54% tariff hit on Chinese goods entering the US is certainly huge and will no doubt hurt Chinese companies trying to sell into that market.
Beijing's countermeasures will also hurt US companies trying to reach the massive Chinese market.
But, in one way, these moves from Trump are also a gift to Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Xi is portraying his country as a champion of free trade, a backer of multilateral institutions, and making comparisons with the world's other superpower which is seen as trashing both of these.
Just last week, China's leader was sitting down with chief executives from big international corporations – including many from Europe – and the imagery was clear. The US under Donald Trump = chaos, trade destruction, national self-interest. China under Xi Jinping = stability, free trade, global cooperation.
The Chinese government has already mobilised its state media sector to attack this latest round of tariffs from the Trump Administration.
People may quibble with the Chinese Communist Party's reading of where the world sits, but every time Trump takes measures like these, it makes Xi's sales pitch easier to deliver.
And economic necessity may draw many countries closer to China and further from the US.
Folks in government here had picked up a sense of the mood music – a sense that the UK was "in the good camp rather than the bad camp" as one figure put it to me – but they had no idea in advance what that would mean exactly.
But now we do know - a 10% tariff on the UK's exports to the US.
I detect a sense of relief among ministers, but make no mistake - they are not delighted. The tariffs imposed on the UK will have significant effects, and the tariffs on the UK's trading partners will have a profound impact on jobs, industries and global trading flows in the weeks, months and years to come.
It will be "hugely disruptive," as one government source put it.
There is an acute awareness in particular about the impact on the car industry.
Negotiations with the US over a trade deal continue. I am told a team of four UK negotiators are in "pretty intensive" conversation with their US counterparts – talking remotely, but willing to head to Washington if signing a deal appears imminent.
By Nikhil Inamdar, India business correspondent in Delhi
Asian economies are among the hardest hit by Trump's new tariffs. Americans will have to pay a 46% tax on imported goods from Vietnam, and 49% for goods from Cambodia.
Relatively speaking, India has fared better.
But a 26% across-the-board tariff rate is still steep, and will severely affect major "labour-intensive exports", says Priyanka Kishore of the Asia Decoded consultancy.
"That will likely have a knock-on impact on domestic demand and headline gross domestic product(GDP)" at a time when growth is already stuttering, according to Kishore.
But India's electronics exports may potentially benefit as higher tariffs on rivals such as Vietnam could leads to the re-routing of trade.
That is unlikely to mitigate the overall negative growth impact of Trump's salvo though.
Unlike Canada, Mexico or the European Union, India has so far adopted a conciliatory approach to Trump and is negotiating a bilateral deal with the US. Whether this triggers a retaliation in Delhi, will be very closely watched.
The pharmaceutical industry - which accounts for India's largest industrial exports at some $13bn (£9.9bn) annually - will be breathing a sigh of relief, however, as medicines are exempt from these "reciprocal" tariffs.
South Africa hits out, as continent reels from aid cuts
By Wycliffe Muia in Nairobi
Trump's "reciprocal tariffs" are targeting dozens of African countries, including 30% for South Africa and 50% for Lesotho.
Many of these nations are already grappling with the effects of US foreign aid cuts, which provided health and humanitarian assistance to vulnerable countries.
South Africa - like some of the continent's other biggest economies including Nigeria and Kenya - has long had open trade agreements with the US, and the new tariffs could significantly affect existing economic ties.
It is included in the long list of countries dubbed the "worst offenders" that now face higher US rates - payback for unfair trade policies, Trump says.
"They have got some bad things going on in South Africa. You know, we are paying them billions of dollars, and we cut the funding because a lot of bad things are happening in South Africa," he said, before going on to name other countries.
In a statement, the South African presidency condemned the new tariffs as "punitive", saying they could "serve as a barrier to trade and shared prosperity".
This is the last picture of Wayne with his wife Stella (right) and children Emily and Ashley (left), taken on the day of his death
It's 10am, and in a little over two hours, Wayne Hawkins will be dead.
The sun is shining on the bungalow where the 80-year-old lives in San Diego, California with his wife of more than five decades, Stella.
I knock on the door and meet his children - Emily, 48, and Ashley, 44 - who have spent the last two weeks at their father's side.
Wayne sits in a reclining chair where he spends most of his days. Terminally ill, he is too weak to leave the house.
He has invited BBC News to witness his death under California's assisted dying laws - because if MPs in London vote to legalise the practice in England and Wales, it will allow some terminally ill people here to die in a similar way.
Half an hour after arriving at Wayne's house, I watch him swallow three anti-nausea tablets, designed to minimise the risk of him vomiting the lethal medication he plans to take shortly.
Are you sure this day is your last, I ask him? "I'm all in," he replies. "I was determined and decided weeks ago - I've had no trepidation since then."
His family ask for one last photo, which I take. As usual, Stella and Wayne are holding hands.
Shortly after, Dr Donnie Moore arrives. He has got to know the family over the past few weeks, visiting them on several occasions alongside running his own end-of-life clinic. Under California law, he is what is known as the attending physician who must confirm, in addition to a second doctor, that Wayne is eligible for aid in dying.
Dr Moore's role is part physician, part counsellor in this situation, one he has been in for 150 assisted deaths before.
On a top shelf in Wayne's bedroom sits a brown glass bottle containing a fine white powder - a mixture of five drugs, sedatives and painkillers, delivered to the house the previous day. The dosage of drugs inside is hundreds of times higher than those used in regular healthcare and is "guaranteed" to be fatal, Dr Moore explains. Unlike California, the proposed law at Westminster would require a doctor to bring any such medication with them.
Dr Donnie Moore has been involved in dozens of assisted deaths
When Wayne signals he is ready, the doctor mixes the meds with cherry and pineapple juice to soften the bitter taste - and he hands this pink liquid to Wayne.
No one, not even the doctor, knows how long it will take him to die after taking the lethal drugs. Dr Moore explains to me that, in his experience, death usually occurs between 30 minutes and two hours of ingestion, but on one occasion it took 17 hours.
This is the story of how and why Wayne chose to die. And why others have decided not to follow the same course.
We first met the couple a few weeks earlier, when Wayne explained why he was going ahead with the decision to have an assisted death - a controversial measure in other parts of the world.
"Some days the pain is almost more than I can handle," he said. "I just don't see any merit to dying slow and painfully, hooked up with stuff - intubation, feeding tubes," he told me. "I want none of it."
Wayne said he had watched two relatives die "miserable", "heinous" deaths from heart failure.
"I hate hospitals, they are miserable. I will die in the street first."
Wayne met Stella in 1969; the couple married four years later. He told us it was something of an arranged marriage, as his mother kept inviting Stella for dinner until eventually the penny dropped that he should take her out.
They lived for many years in Arcata, northern California, surrounded by sweeping forests of redwood trees, where Wayne worked as a landscape architect, while Stella was a primary school teacher. They spent their holidays hiking and camping with their children.
Now Wayne is terminally ill with heart failure, which has already brought him close to death. He has myriad other health issues including prostate cancer, liver failure and sepsis which brings him serious spinal pain.
He has less than six months to live, qualifying him for an assisted death in California. His request to die has been approved by two doctors and the lethal medication is self-administered.
It was during our first meeting that he asked the BBC to return to observe his final day, saying he wanted terminally ill adults in the UK to have the same right to an assisted death as him.
Wayne sits surrounded by his family on the day of his death
"Britain is pretty good with freedoms and this is just another one," he said. "People should be able to choose the time of their death as long as they meet the rules like six months to live or less."
Stella, 78, supports his decision. "I've known him for over 50 years. He's a very independent man. He's always known what he wants to do and he's always fixed things. That's how he's operating now. If this is his choice, I definitely agree, and I've seen him really suffer with the illness he's got. I don't want that for him."
Wayne would also qualify under the proposed new assisted dying law in England and Wales. The measures return to the House of Commons later this month, when all MPs will have a chance to debate and vote on changes to the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill.
The proposed legislation, tabled by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, says that anyone who wants to end their life must have the mental capacity to make the choice, that they must be expected to die within six months, and must make two separate declarations - witnessed and signed - about their wish to die. They must satisfy two independent doctors that they are eligible.
MPs in Westminster voted in favour of assisted dying in principle last November but remain bitterly divided on the issue. If they ultimately decide to approve the bill, it could become law within the next year and come into practice within the next four years.
There are also divisions here in California, where assisted dying was introduced in 2016. Michelle and Mike Carter, both 72 and married for 43 years, are each being treated for cancer - Mike has prostate cancer that has spread to his lymph nodes, and Michelle's advanced terminal ovarian cancer has spread throughout much of her body.
"I held my mother's hand when she passed; I held my father's hand when he passed," Michelle told me. "I believe there's freedom of choice however for me, I choose palliative care… I have God and I have good medicine."
Michelle Carter is placing her trust in medicine
Michelle's physician, palliative care specialist Dr Vincent Nguyen, argued that assisted dying laws in the US state lead to "silent coercion" whereby vulnerable people think their only option is to die. "Instead of ending people's lives, let's put programmes together to care for people," he said. "Let them know that they're loved, they're wanted and they're worthy."
He said the law meant that doctors have gone from being seen as healers to killers, while the message from the healthcare system was that "you are better off dead, because you're expensive and your death is cheaper for us".
Some disability campaigners say assisted dying makes them feel unsafe. Ingrid Tischer, who has muscular dystrophy and chronic respiratory failure, told me: "The message that it sends to people with disabilities in California is that you deserve suicide assistance rather than suicide prevention when you voice a desire to end your life.
"What does that say about who we are as a culture?"
Critics often say that once assisted dying is legalised, over time the safeguards around such laws get eroded as part of a "slippery slope" towards more relaxed criteria. In California, there was initially a mandatory 15-day cooling off period between patients making a first and second request for aid in dying. That has been reduced to 48 hours because many patients were dying during the waiting period. It's thought the approval process envisaged in Westminster would take around a month.
'Goodbye,' Wayne tells his family
Outside Wayne's house on the morning of his death, a solitary bird begins its loud and elaborate song. "There's that mockingbird out there," Wayne tells Stella, as smiles flicker across their faces.
Wayne hates the bird because it keeps him awake at night, Stella jokes, hand in hand with him to one side of his chair. Emily and Ashley are next to Stella.
Dr Moore, seated on Wayne's other side, hands him the pink liquid which he swallows without hesitation. "Goodnight," he says to his family - a typical touch of humour from a man who told us he was determined to die on his terms. It's 11.47am.
After two minutes, Wayne says he is getting sleepy. Dr Moore asks him to imagine he is walking in a vast sea of flowers with a soft breeze on his skin, which seems appropriate for a patient who has spent much of his life among nature.
After three minutes Wayne enters a deep sleep from which he will never wake. On a few occasions he lifts his head to take a deep breath without opening his eyes, at one point beginning to snore softly.
Dr Moore tells the family this is "the deepest sleep imaginable" and reassures Emily there is no chance her dad will wake up and ask, "did it work?"
"Oh that would be just like him," Stella says with a laugh.
Wayne and his family shortly before his death
The family start to reminisce about hiking holidays and driving around in a large van they converted to become a camper. "Me and dad insulated it and put a bed in the back," says Ashley.
On the walls are photos of Emily and Ashley as small children next to huge carved Halloween pumpkins.
Dr Moore is still stroking Wayne's hand and occasionally checking his pulse. For a man who Emily says was "always walking, always outdoors, always active", these are the final moments of life's journey, spent surrounded by those who mean most to him.
At 12.22pm Dr Moore says, "I think he's passed… He's at peace now."
Outside, the mockingbird has fallen silent. "No more pain," says Stella, embracing her children in her arms.
I step outside to give the family some space, and reflect on what we have just seen and filmed.
I have been covering medical ethics for the BBC for more than 20 years. In 2006, I was present just outside an apartment in Zurich where Dr Anne Turner, a retired doctor, died with the help of the group Dignitas - but California was the first time I had been an eyewitness to an assisted death.
This isn't just a story about one man's death in California - it's about what could become a reality here in England and Wales for those who qualify for an assisted death and choose to die this way.
Whether you're for or against the proposed new Westminster law, the death of a loved one is a deeply personal and emotional time for a family. Each death leaves an imprint, as will Wayne's.
The move was announced hours after Israel's leader Benjamin Netanyahu, who is sought under an ICC arrest warrant, arrived in Hungary for a state visit
Hungary's government has announced it is withdrawing from the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The move was announced by a senior official in Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government hours after Israel's leader Benjamin Netanyahu, who is sought under an ICC arrest warrant, arrived in Hungary for a state visit.
Orban had invited Netanyahu as soon as the warrant was issued last November, saying the ruling would have "no effect" in his country.
In November, ICC judges said there were "reasonable grounds" that Netanyahu bore "criminal responsibility" for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity during the war between Israel and Hamas. Netanyahu has condemned the ICC's decision as "antisemitic".
The ICC, a global court, has the authority to prosecute those accused of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
Hungary is a founding member of the ICC, which counts 125 member states, and will be the first European Union nation to pull out of it.
The US, Russia, China and North Korea are among the nations that are not part of the ICC, and therefore do not recognise its jurisdiction.
Israel is also not part of the treaty, but the ICC ruled in 2021 that it did have jurisdiction over the occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza, because the UN's Secretary General had accepted that Palestinians were a member.
Hungary now needs to send written notification to the UN Secretary General to leave the treaty, with the withdrawal taking effect one year later, according to article 127 of the Rome Statute.
Since the warrant was issued, Hungarian authorities should technically arrest Netanyahu and hand him over to the court in the Hague, although member states do not always choose to enforce ICC warrants.
In Europe, some ICC member states said they would arrest the Israeli leader if he set foot in their country, while others, such as Germany, announced that he would not be detained if he visited.
The White House had said the US rejected the ICC decision and Netanyahu has visited the country since the warrant was issued in November. His visit to Hungary marks Netanyahu's first trip to Europe since then.
Hungarian Defence Minister Kristof Szalay-Bobrovniczky, greeted Netanyahu on the tarmac of Budapest airport on Wednesday night, welcoming him to the country.
Soldiers lined a red carpet laid out for the Israeli leader as he exited his plane. After military honours at the presidential palace, he will meet Orban on Thursday.
In the same ruling, ICC judges also issued a warrant against Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif, whom Israel says is dead.
The visit comes as Israel announced it was expanding its Gaza offensive and establishing a new military corridor to put pressure on Hamas, as deadly Israeli strikes were reported across the Palestinian territory.
The war in Gaza was triggered by the deadly Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, which killed some 1,200 people and led to 251 hostages being taken to Gaza. Since then, more than 50,000 Palestinians have been killed, Palestinian health authorities say.
The Solong, pictured, and the Stena Immaculate burned for days after crashing in the North Sea
An oil tanker and cargo ship that crashed in the North Sea did not have "dedicated lookouts" in what were "patchy conditions", maritime investigators have found.
The Stena Immaculate, a US-registered tanker, was anchored 16 miles off the East Yorkshire coast when it was hit by the Portuguese-flagged Solong on 10 March.
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch has released an interim report into the incident, which resulted in fires and a rescue operation which saved 36 crew from both vessels.
One crewman, Mark Pernia, is missing and presumed dead. The Solong's Russian captain, Vladimir Motin, 59, has been charged with gross negligence manslaughter, and is due to stand trial in January 2026.
Joan Mitchell was one of the most celebrated artists of the abstract expressionist movement
Tate Modern has announced it has received a major gift from a couple of art dealers in the form of a painting by the US modern artist Joan Mitchell.
It was unveiled on Thursday as one of a group of works being donated by the Miami-based philanthropists, Jorge M and Darleen Pérez.
The six-metre-long triptych, entitled Iva 1973, can now be viewed for free at the London gallery next to Mark Rothko's Seagram Murals.
Tate director Maria Balshaw said the gift was "one of the most important" it has received, describing the donation as "transformational".
'Accessible to all'
"To place such a significant and valuable work in public hands is an act of incredible generosity," said Balshaw.
"It is also an endorsement of Tate's ability to share our collection with the broadest possible audience," she added. "And to care for that collection for future generations."
Mitchell, who would've been 100 this year, was one of the most celebrated artists of the abstract expressionist movement.
Arts Minister, Sir Chris Bryant said the "spectacular donation" of Mitchell's "masterpiece", which was originally dedicated to her dog, shows "the amazing difference one person's generosity can make".
"I'm very grateful for this donation and for the work that went into making it possible," he said.
"We are committed to ensuring art is for everyone, everywhere and the generosity of the Pérez family ensures that great art remains accessible to all, whilst also enriching our national collection."
'Female artists play significant role'
Getty Images
Jorge M and Darlene Pérez pictured in 2017 at the NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale in Florida
Argentine-American businessman Mr Pérez is best known as the chairman and CEO of The Related Group, a Miami-based real estate company.
He has given or pledged over $100m (£76m) to Miami's public art museum, which was renamed the Pérez Art Museum Miami in his honour in 2013.
He also founded a not-for-profit contemporary art space in Miami called El Espacio 23.
Mr Perez told BBC News: "We've been talking to the Tate for a long time, we're great admirers of the Tate.
"Our hope is always that our art is seen by the highest number of people. The Tate has huge viewership, millions and millions of people coming in."
He added the work suited being displayed next to other famous artists. "This painting, when you see it next to the Rothko's, really resounds," he said, "and it'll be there forever.
"So when you talk about legacy, we like to think that our names will not be forgotten, and that they will live, not only with the British audience, but also with the international audience that comes to the Tate.
"We hope it fills a gap in the collection that is very important and maybe the most important art movement in America. It's found its home, we're very pleased with it here."
Mrs Pérez noted female artists "play a significant role in shaping the cultural landscape" and that is was therefore "pivotal that we support and celebrate their contributions."
"We've long admired Joan Mitchell's work and are thrilled to share Iva with the world through Tate Modern."
Their gift also includes a multimillion-dollar endowment to support Tate's curatorial research.
Also, a range of works and photographs by artists from across Africa and the African diaspora - including by Yinka Shonibare, El Anatsui and Malick Sidibé - will make their way from the Pérezes to Tate's collection over the coming years.
Daffodils were in full bloom in Ryhill, Wakefield this morning
This picture, from Midhurst in West Sussex, was two deer to show you
Temperatures could reach 22C in parts of the UK on Friday, as mostly clear skies bring a bright, sunny start to April.
Parts of southern England have highs in the low 20s forecast for Friday afternoon. The Algarve, in Portugal, is set to see highs of 18C, accompanied by some showers.
Temperatures are expected to remain in the mid to high teens for England, Wales and parts of Scotland over the weekend and into Monday. Skies will be mostly clear, with some cloud expected for eastern Scotland and England on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the Met Office has issued an amber wildfires warning for parts of England, southern Scotland and Northern Ireland until Monday, as conditions are dry with strong winds.
Last month was the sunniest March since records began in 1910, according to the Met Office. It was also very dry, with the UK's rainfall total just 43% of the usual amount.
There is a good chance that the highest temperature recorded so far this year - 21.3C in Chertsey, Surrey and Northolt, London on 20 March - will be beaten.
London, Reading, Oxford and Cambridge are among places expected to experience the 22C warmth on Friday afternoon, while Cardiff and Carmarthen in Wales could see 21C around the same time.
Scotland and Northern Ireland are set to be relatively cooler, with highs of 11C for Edinburgh and 16C for Belfast.
While it is expected to be slightly cooler at the weekend - topping out at 19C in southern England - the public is being urged to avoid lighting fires outdoors, over concerns they could spread.
Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) said on Wednesday that there was a "very high to extreme risk" of fires spreading.
This is because the warm, dry conditions are ideal for wildfires to start and spread.
There were 185.8 hours of sunshine in March, the Met Office says, while England recorded its sixth driest March and Wales its fourth driest since records began in 1836.
This means vegetation will be dryer than usual, making it easier to become fuel for a developing fire. Comparatively wet conditions in 2024 allowed more vegetation to grow.
At the same time, winds are anticipated to remain strong over the coming days, which are capable of spreading fires faster.
Wind gusts are expected to reach up to 34mph in England and southern Scotland on Friday and Saturday, and will be in the 20s across the UK into Sunday.
The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) advises against using disposable barbecues in the countryside and parks, and discarding things like cigarettes and glass bottles that can cause a fire to start.
Parts of south-west England and Wales could see some rain on Friday morning, but this is expected to dissipate by mid-morning.
Saturday and Sunday are set to be mostly dry, before some rain reaches northern Scotland on Monday afternoon. Some parts of eastern England and Scotland could also see some low cloud and mist.
Into next week, high pressure will shift on top of the UK again, bringing lighter winds and more dry, sunny weather that will see temperatures warm up above the seasonal norm again.
Younger children should not be given any drinks containing artificial sweeteners, UK experts are now advising.
The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) recommendations apply to beverages such as sugar-free 'toothkind' squash that has ingredients such as aspartame, stevia, saccharin and sucralose.
It says preschool children should become accustomed to drinking water instead.
Sweeteners may help older children cut down on sugar though.
What are artificial sweeteners?
Eating too much sugar increases the risk of tooth decay and some long-term health conditions such as type 2 diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease.
Artificial sweeteners were developed as a substitute, providing a sweet taste with few or no calories.
All of the ones used in the UK are approved and have undergone rigorous safety tests.
But some are concerned that they enhance preferences for sweet tastes in children which can be hard to overcome.
After reviewing the available evidence, SACN says proof that sweeteners are cutting tooth decay is "poor", although a reduction in free sugars, alongside "other positive changes to diet", is likely to be beneficial to health overall.
It says there may be some value in using sweeteners to help reduce weight gain in the short to medium term, but "it is not essential and is not the only option."
And the SACN committee experts are concerned about "the gap in data" on UK population exposure to sweeteners.
They say there is currently "insufficient evidence" to carry out a full risk assessment and are asking goverment to gather more.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said government was committed to turning the tide on obesity, taking bold action to crack down on child-targeted junk food advertising on TV and online.
Prof Robin May, Chief Scientific Adviser at the Food Standards Agency, said: "We strongly support SACN's call for industry to make data on the quantity of these sweeteners in their ingredients publicly available to provide better information on how much people are consuming and to help inform our assessments of these ingredients."
Prof Graham Finlayson, Chair in Psychobiology, University of Leeds, said it was reasonable to be cautious, especially in children, but the evidence wasn't strong enough to dismiss non-sugar sweeteners as a tool for reducing sugar intake.
"With obesity and diabetes rates rising, knee-jerk policy changes could do more harm than good," he warned.
Under Fifa rotation rules, the tournament must be in Europe or Africa.
Spain's federation president Rafael Louzan said last week that they were "working on" a joint bid alongside Portugal and Morocco.
However, the deadline for expressions of interest passed on Monday and Infantino says the UK's bid is the only one received for 2035, while the United States are set to host the 2031 edition.
"Today I can confirm as part of the bidding process that we received one bid for 2031 and one valid bid for 2035," Infantino said at a Uefa congress in Belgrade.
"The 2031 bid is the United States of America and potentially some other Concacaf members and the 2035 bid is from Europe and the home nations.
"So the path is there for the Women's World Cup in 2031 and 2035 to take place in some great nations and further boost the women's football movement."
FA chief executive Mark Bullingham said: "We are honoured to be the sole bidder for the Fifa Women's World Cup 2035.
"The hard work starts now to put together the best possible bid by the end of the year."
Formal bids for the 2035 World Cup must be submitted this winter, with a vote taking place to confirm the hosts in a Fifa congress in 2026.
Infantino also confirmed that the 2031 Women's World Cup will be a 48-team tournament, up from 32 in 2027.
Should the UK's bid be confirmed, the 2035 Women's World Cup will be the second time a World Cup has been held in the home nations after the 1966 men's tournament in England.
Stock markets in London, Paris and Berlin fell as trading began on Thursday after US President Donald Trump's sweeping announcements on tariffs.
The UK's FTSE 100 share index was down 1% while France's Cac 40 fell 1.7%.
Earlier Asian markets had slid, while the price of gold, which is seen as a safer assest in times of turbulance, climbed to a record high.
Traders are concerned about the global economic impact of Trump's tariffs, which they fear could stoke inflation and stall growth.
Markets across Asia had fallen sharply after Trump's announcement, with the Nikkei in Japan closing down nearly 3% and Hong Kong's Hang Seng index 1.5% lower.
The price of gold hit a record high of $3,167.57 an ounce at one point on Thursday, before falling back.
A combination of a 10% baseline levy and higher duties on a number of other trading partners reverses decades of liberalisation that shaped the global trade order.
"This is the worst-case scenario," said Jay Hatfield, chief executive at Infrastructure Capital Advisors.
"Enough to potentially send the US into a recession," he added, echoing nervous market sentiment.
George Saravelos, head of FX at Deutsche Bank Research, said the new US trade tariffs were a "highly mechanical" reaction to trade deficits, rather than the "sophisticated assessment" the White House had promised.
He warned the move "risks lowering the policy credibility of the [Trump] administration".
"The market may question the extent to which a sufficiently structured planning process for major economic decisions is taking place. After all, this is the biggest trade policy shift from the US in a century," he said.
Watch: Key moments in Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs announcement
Donald Trump announced a sweeping new set of reciprocal tariffs on Wednesday, arguing that they would allow the United States to succeed.
Trump's tariffs, which he will impose via executive order, are expected to send economic shockwaves around the world. The White House released a list of roughly 100 countries and the tariff rates that the US would impose in kind.
Here are the basic elements of the plan.
10% baseline tariff
In a background call before Trump's speech, a senior White House official told reporters that the president would impose "baseline tariffs" on all countries.
That rate is set at 10% and will go into effect on 5 April.
Trump argued that Americans were being "ripped off," and that raising tariffs on foreign imports would help restore US manufacturing, reduce taxes, and pay down the national debt.
Trump and White House staffers portrayed the current tariff rates as lenient, compared to the maximum the administration could impose.
Some countries will only face the base rate. These include:
United Kingdom
Singapore
Brazil
Australia
New Zealand
Turkey
Colombia
Argentina
El Salvador
United Arab Emirates
Saudi Arabia
Custom tariffs for 'worst offenders'
White House officials also said that they would impose specific reciprocal tariffs on roughly 60 "worst offenders", to go into effect on 9 April.
These countries impose higher tariffs on US goods, impose "non-tariff" barriers to US trade or have otherwise acted in ways the government feels undermine American economic goals.
The White House official said each tariff would be tailored to the specific targeted country.
"We're being very kind," Trump said at his White House event. The tariffs were not fully reciprocal he said, because he would impose a "discounted" reciprocal rate less than what his staff had determined to fully match the trade impact of a given country's trade policies.
The key trading partners subject to these customised tariff rates include:
European Union:20%
China: 34%
Vietnam: 46%
Thailand: 36%
Japan: 24%
Cambodia: 49%
South Africa: 30%
Taiwan: 32%
No additional tariffs on Canada and Mexico
Canada and Mexico are not mentioned in these new tariff announcements.
The White House says that they would deal with both countries using a framework set out in previous executive orders, which imposed tariffs on Canda and Mexico as part of the administration's efforts to address fentanyl and border issues.
He previously set those tariffs at 25%, before announcing some exemptions and delays to their implementation.
US President Donald Trump has announced fresh import taxes on goods being imported to America in the latest escalation of the global trade war.
The UK has been hit with a 10% tariff on all of its goods being brought into the US, which Trump says is a retaliation to UK tariffs on American goods, but uncertainty remains over the potential impact on British consumers.
Here's how you and your money could be affected.
1. Prices could go up, but could also go down
The tariffs Trump has just announced will be paid for by the businesses which import goods into the US.
Clarissa Hahn, economist at Oxford Economics, says this means that the initial impact of price rises will be on US consumers, as American firms are likely to pass on the extra costs to their customers.
However, she adds people in the UK could subsequently be affected by the measures, which come into effect on 5 April.
One way is via the value of the pound and exchange rates, which dictate the cost to UK businesses importing goods and raw materials from abroad. If import costs go up, these extra costs could be passed on to consumers through higher prices.
Following Trump's speech on Wednesday, exchange rates between the dollar and pound fluctuated. If the value of the dollar strengthens as some economists have predicted, import costs could rise for UK firms importing goods.
Higher prices in the UK could also "prompt workers to demand higher wages", which would further raise costs for businesses, according to Ahmet Ihsan Kaya, principal economist, at the National Institute of Economic and Social Research.
Ms Hahn adds if the UK government decides to retaliate with tariffs of its own on US goods entering the UK, there is a risk UK prices could rise if British businesses pass on extra costs to customers.
However, some economists have suggested prices could also initially fall as a result of Trump's decision to impose tariffs.
Swati Dhingra, economist and member of the Bank of England's monetary policy committee, which sets interest rates, has suggested that firms which normally send their goods to the US, may instead send them to counties such as the UK which don't have such steep tariffs, potentially leading to a flood of cheaper goods in the UK.
"Tariffs of the proposed magnitude are likely to prompt firms that export to the US to lower their prices to retain demand for their products," she suggests.
British companies which export goods to the US are set be the hardest hit from the latest measures.
The UK exported almost £60bn worth of goods to the US last year, mainly machinery, cars and pharmaceuticals. Other industries, which are big exporters to the US, include fishing and electronics.
If US demand for UK products dwindles due to the extra charges importers face, this could hit profit margins and ultimately lead to UK job cuts unless British firms find new customers outside the US.
According to the Institute for Public Policy Research think tank, Jaguar Land Rover and the Mini factory in Cowley, Oxford, appear to be the most exposed to US tariffs on cars.
It says more than 25,000 jobs in the UK car manufacturing industry "could be at risk" with a 25% tariff coming into effect on Thursday, with one in eight UK-built cars exported to the US.
The pharmaceutical industry is also heavily reliant on trade with the US, says Ms Hahn, of Oxford Economics.
The US makes up 40% of AstraZeneca's sales and 50% of GSK's. Although both British-headquartered firms have manufacturing facilities in America, raw ingredients for life-saving medicines and vaccines travel between the UK, EU and US. Under tariffs the firms could be hit with multiple tax charges as they cross borders to be developed.
There is also the issue of how tariffs work when they collide with pricing caps that both the NHS and other health organisations set for buying drugs in bulk.
3. Interest rates may stay higher for longer
UK interest rates dictate the costs households have to pay to borrow money for things such as mortgages, credit cards and loans. Higher rates also boost returns for savers.
They are currently at 4.5%, but economists are predicting two more rate cuts by the end of the year.
However, the Bank of England highlighted US tariffs as a reason why it avoided cutting rates further last month, saying economic and global trade uncertainty had "intensified".
If prices are pushed up for long enough to affect the rate of inflation - this could mean interest rates stay higher for longer.
Andrew Bailey, the Bank of England governor, said it was Bank's job "to make sure that inflation stays low and stable" and that would be "looking very closely" at the impact of tariffs.
The move was announced hours after Israel's leader Benjamin Netanyahu, who is sought under an ICC arrest warrant, arrived in Hungary for a state visit
Hungary's government has announced it is withdrawing from the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The move was announced by a senior official in Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government hours after Israel's leader Benjamin Netanyahu, who is sought under an ICC arrest warrant, arrived in Hungary for a state visit.
Orban had invited Netanyahu as soon as the warrant was issued last November, saying the ruling would have "no effect" in his country.
In November, ICC judges said there were "reasonable grounds" that Netanyahu bore "criminal responsibility" for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity during the war between Israel and Hamas. Netanyahu has condemned the ICC's decision as "antisemitic".
The ICC, a global court, has the authority to prosecute those accused of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
Hungary is a founding member of the ICC, which counts 125 member states, and will be the first European Union nation to pull out of it.
The US, Russia, China and North Korea are among the nations that are not part of the ICC, and therefore do not recognise its jurisdiction.
Israel is also not part of the treaty, but the ICC ruled in 2021 that it did have jurisdiction over the occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza, because the UN's Secretary General had accepted that Palestinians were a member.
Hungary now needs to send written notification to the UN Secretary General to leave the treaty, with the withdrawal taking effect one year later, according to article 127 of the Rome Statute.
Since the warrant was issued, Hungarian authorities should technically arrest Netanyahu and hand him over to the court in the Hague, although member states do not always choose to enforce ICC warrants.
In Europe, some ICC member states said they would arrest the Israeli leader if he set foot in their country, while others, such as Germany, announced that he would not be detained if he visited.
The White House had said the US rejected the ICC decision and Netanyahu has visited the country since the warrant was issued in November. His visit to Hungary marks Netanyahu's first trip to Europe since then.
Hungarian Defence Minister Kristof Szalay-Bobrovniczky, greeted Netanyahu on the tarmac of Budapest airport on Wednesday night, welcoming him to the country.
Soldiers lined a red carpet laid out for the Israeli leader as he exited his plane. After military honours at the presidential palace, he will meet Orban on Thursday.
In the same ruling, ICC judges also issued a warrant against Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif, whom Israel says is dead.
The visit comes as Israel announced it was expanding its Gaza offensive and establishing a new military corridor to put pressure on Hamas, as deadly Israeli strikes were reported across the Palestinian territory.
The war in Gaza was triggered by the deadly Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, which killed some 1,200 people and led to 251 hostages being taken to Gaza. Since then, more than 50,000 Palestinians have been killed, Palestinian health authorities say.
Andrew and Dawn Steele moved to France from Musselburgh
French officials investigating the deaths of a British couple in their home in south-west France have said it was murder followed by suicide.
The bodies of Andrew and Dawn Searle, who previously lived in East Lothian, were found on 6 February at their home in Les Pequies, about a hour north of Toulouse.
Mrs Searle's body was found in the garden with severe wounds to her head, while her husband's body was found hanging inside.
The prosecutor in charge of the case has told the BBC there is no evidence that another person was involved in their deaths.
Mrs Searle grew up in Eyemouth in the Scottish Borders, and Mr Searle was originally from England.
They previously lived in Musselburgh and married in France in 2023.
Prosecutors said they had lived in the Aveyron region for five years.
According to his LinkedIn page, Mr Searle previously worked in financial crime prevention at companies including Standard Life and Barclays Bank.
Instagram
Callum Kerr walked his mother Dawn Searle down the aisle in 2023
Dawn Searle's son, the Hollyoaks actor Callum Kerr, issued a statement on social media at the time of the deaths
He said: "At this time, Callum Kerr and Amanda Kerr are grieving the loss of their mother, Dawn Searle (née Smith, Kerr) while Tom Searle and Ella Searle are mourning the loss of their father, Andrew Searle."
He requested that the family's privacy be respected during this "difficult period".
Mr Kerr, 30, walked his mother down the aisle when she married Mr Searle at a ceremony in France in 2023.
Unite's general secretary has told government leaders they “can no longer pretend” the bin strike, which has lasted for more than three months, is nothing to do with them
The government is sitting on its hands over the Birmingham bin strike as negotiations in the dispute descend into farce, a union boss says.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham has told Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner the government can no longer say it is "nothing to do with us. We can't get involved".
In a letter to Rayner, leaked to the BBC, Graham also claims "false narratives" have been used in government statements on the dispute that has left more than 17,000 tonnes of waste on city streets.
Birmingham City Council said it was "grateful for the government's support", while the government said the dispute should remain "locally led" while calling for "an immediate agreement".
"Every attempt being made to solve the dispute by Unite negotiators in the room, is being met with 'a computer says no' answer," Graham told Rayner in her letter.
Unite has claimed a planned restructuring of Birmingham's refuse service would see 50 workers lose £8,000 a year and about 20 lose £2,000 per annum.
Reuters
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has been urged by Unite to reconsider the city council's repayment plan and high interest rate it is under, as a means of reducing its debt
However, the local authority rejects that and says under its pay restructuring plan a total of only 17 workers would face up to a £6,000 loss per year. Councillors have added that under other deals offered, "no worker needed to lose a penny".
"Let me be very clear that the pay of these workers is being cut by a Labour council under your watch. That is a fact that can't be avoided," Graham wrote to Rayner.
"The current escalation increasingly looks like a declaration of war on these workers."
In a statement to the House of Commons on Tuesday, local government minister Jim McMahon relied on "false narratives" around the proposals and demonstrated a lack of understanding about the dispute, Graham wrote.
Unite's general secretary Sharon Graham has been "notably absent" so far during the bin strike, says BBC West Midlands Political Editor Elizabeth Glinka
She goes on to argue councillors involved in negotiations have no power to make decisions.
"This predetermined charade is played out after 'consultation' with those outside the room - namely the government-appointed commissioner Max Caller, who is directly under your department and your authority," she said.
"Mr Caller is supposed to be acting in an advisory capacity. However, he has been acting as the principal decision maker."
Caller was brought in by the previous Conservative government in 2023, when the council declared itself essentially bankrupt, having paid out more than £1bn in equal pay claims.
"I am of course acutely aware of the financial position of the council," wrote Graham.
"But it is clear to me that my members' pockets are being picked to make savings due to historic debts.
"Indeed, Birmingham council are currently making repayments (including interest) of £250m per year, almost all of it to the Treasury, on a £3.9bn debt."
PA Media
More than 17,000 tonnes of rubbish has built up on the streets of Birmingham leaving residents facing an expanding health hazard
While accepting the government has no "appetite for debt cancellation", she said reducing the repayment period and the rate of interest the council is paying the government over its debts could be reviewed.
'Full-blown crisis'
”We need to have an emergency meeting with the leader of the council, regarding debt restructuring and immediately investigate the role of the commissioner in the dispute," she said.
"We can then remove the threat of cutting £8,000 per year from our members‘ pay packets and discuss sensible solutions."
Without addressing these problems with councils more widely, Graham said "we are looking at a full-blown crisis in local government".
A government spokesperson said: "It is right that this continues to be a locally led response, as is usual in the case of council-run services.
"But we are monitoring the situation closely and will not hesitate to act should the council require additional support."
The city council said the need to "modernise the waste service and eliminate any future equal pay risk" was unrelated to its debt issues.
"A fair and reasonable offer remains on the table which would bring this dispute to an end," a spokesperson added.
PA Media
Unite and the city council are in disagreement over how much money refuse workers face under pay restructuring proposals and how many of them would be affected
Analysis
By Elizabeth Glinka, West Midlands Political Editor
The Unite general secretary has been notable largely by her absence during this strike.
Sharon Graham seldom pulls her punches, but apart from giving a few quotes, she has not been on picket lines, and failed to give interviews bashing the council or the government.
As her letter indicates, senior figures have conversations behind the scenes, but so far this dispute appears intractable and as the weather forecast predicts highs of 20C, the mood in the city continues to sour.
With some union members under threat of redundancy and the declaration of a major incident just this week, the council position appears to be hardening. This letter to the deputy prime minister seems to be an attempt to shift the dial.
The council says the changes it is making to pay grades within the refuse service, are inextricably linked to equal pay. It must change or face more equal pay claims.
Those claims running into three quarters of a billion pounds were one of the driving factors that pushed the council into effective bankruptcy in 2023.
Ms Graham appears to be saying to the government – help the council with its debt, and my members might have more of a chance of a deal.
Watch: Three things to know about Trump's tariffs announcement
Donald Trump's politics have shifted considerably over his decades in the public sphere. But one thing he has been consistent on, since the 1980s, is his belief that tariffs are an effective means of boosting the US economy.
Now, he's staking his presidency on his being right.
At his Rose Garden event at the White House, surrounded by friends, conservative politicians and cabinet secretaries, Trump announced sweeping new tariffs on a broad range of countries – allies, competitors and adversaries alike.
In a speech that was equal parts celebration and self-congratulation, regularly punctuated by applause from the crowd, the president recalled his longtime support of tariffs, as well as his early criticism of free trade agreements like Nafta and the World Trade Organization.
The president acknowledged that he will face pushback in the coming days from "globalists" and "special interests", but he urged Americans to trust his instincts.
"Never forget, every prediction our opponents made about trade for the last 30 years has been proven totally wrong," he said.
Now, in a second term in which he is surrounded by like-minded advisers and is the dominant force in a Republican Party that controls both chambers of Congress, Trump is in a position to turn his vision of a new America-focused trade policy into reality. These policies, he said, had made the United States into a wealthy nation more than a century ago and would again.
"For years, hard working American citizens were forced to sit on the sidelines as other nations got rich and powerful, much of it at our expense," he said. "With today's action, we are finally going to be able to make America great again - greater than ever before."
It is still an enormous risk for this president to take.
Economists of all stripes warn that these massive tariffs – 53% on China, 20% on the European Union and South Korea, with a 10% baseline on all nations – will be passed along to American consumers, raising prices and threatening a global recession.
Ken Roggoff, the former chief economist at the International Monetary Fund, predicted that the chances of the US, the world's largest economy, falling into recession had risen to 50% on the back of this announcement.
"He just dropped a nuclear bomb on the global trading system," Mr Roggoff told the BBC World Service, adding that the consequences for this level of taxes on imports into the US "is just mind-boggling".
Shutterstock
Trump's move also risks escalating a trade war with other countries and alienating allies that America has otherwise tried to strengthen ties with. The US, for instance, sees Japan and South Korea as a bulwark against Chinese expansionist ambitions. But those three countries recently announced that they would work together to respond to America's trade policies.
If Trump is successful, however, he would fundamentally reshape a global economic order that America had originally helped to construct from the ashes of World War 2. He promises that this will rebuild American manufacturing, create new sources of revenue, and make America more self-reliant and insulated from the kind of global supply chain shocks that wreaked havoc on the US during the Covid pandemic.
It's a tall order – and one that many believe to be highly unrealistic. But for a president who seems fixated on cementing his legacy, whether through ending wars, renaming geographic locations, acquiring new territory or dismantling federal programmes and its workforce, this is the biggest, most consequential prize to be won.
It would be, he styled, America's "liberation day".
What appears clear, however, is that Wednesday's announcement, if he follows through, is almost certain to mark a historic change. The question is whether it will be a legacy of achievement or one of notoriety.
Trump's speech was triumphant - one that belied the potentially high costs his moves would impose on the American economy and on his own political standing.
But, he said, it was worth it - even if, at the very end of his remarks, a small shadow of presidential doubt may have peaked through the bravado.
"It's going to be a day that - hopefully - you're going to look back in years to come and you're going to say, you know, he was right."
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