Business

A 200m section of the A379 Slapton Line was washed away by the recent storm, leaving Torcross largely cut off and many residents unable to return to seafront homes. Repairs are reported to cost up to £18 million and could take until 2027, while a government decision on funding and work has not yet been confirmed.

A 33-year-old said he moved from London to Sicily, bought a run-down one-euro (about 85p) house, renovated it and cleared roughly £10,000 of debt while earning income from social media and property work.

Millions of U.S. adults are enrolling in credit and non-credit college courses to earn certificates, learn new skills or pursue personal interests, and institutions such as UCLA Extension and Northern Arizona University offer a wide range of flexible programs including more than 90 certificate and specialization options.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said she will "look at" Plan B student loans but did not promise concrete reforms; the repayment threshold will remain frozen at £29,385 for three years.

A man bought a dilapidated house in Mussomeli, Sicily under Italy's one euro scheme in December 2022 and says income from social media and lower living costs allowed him to clear about £10,000 in debt within two years.

Estimates of how much water AI chatbots use differ widely, while data centres do rely on water for cooling and related processes.

Authorities say Justin Rey photographed his children with their mother's body and was found living with the children in a storage unit; he was arrested in 2017 and has been sentenced to nine years in prison and must register as a sex offender.

Ofgem has posted simple steps households can use to lower gas and electricity costs. Forecasts indicate the energy price cap could fall by about £117 in April under government plans to remove green levies from bills.

Spain's Ana Alonso Rodriguez won two bronze medals in Ski Mountaineering at Bormio, including the mixed relay with teammate Oriol Cardona Coll, after being hit by a car in October and tearing her ACL.

Venezuelan authorities said 379 people who applied under a newly signed amnesty law are expected to be released this weekend; the law excludes convictions for homicide, drug trafficking, serious human rights violations and military rebellion.

A Utah mother who self-published a children's book is standing trial accused of killing her husband; the trial begins on Monday and is expected to last about a month.

Ramadan in Libya has proceeded with family gatherings and fireworks, but many households are facing soaring prices, a recent devaluation of the dinar and shortages of goods including fuel.

The article notes that Farage is a strong communicator but is not presented as having deep economic expertise, and that the former Conservative minister Jenrick, now the party's Treasury spokesman, made a first attempt to outline an economic programme.

Hong Kong proposes about HK$4 billion to buy out owners of homes at the Wang Fuk Court complex, damaged in a November fire that killed more than 160, and has offered an apartment exchange programme for affected tenants.

Ofgem will require suppliers including British Gas, Octopus, EDF and Ovo to pay customers an automatic £40 if they wait more than six weeks for a smart meter appointment, if an installation fails due to a supplier fault, or if a reported smart meter problem is not met with a resolution plan within five working days.

From March 20, more than five million Australians — including over 2.5 million pensioners — will receive a provisional indexation increase to several social security payments, and new deeming rates will take effect pending formal confirmation in the coming weeks.

Nearly seven million households are expected to save about £200 on energy bills from April after a government energy bill discount and an anticipated fall in the Ofgem price cap; analysts warn the relief could be reduced over time as costs rise and support ends in April 2029.

Ofgem is expected to lower the energy price cap by about £120 for April–June following a government discount; the Resolution Foundation says the support is due to end in April 2029 and could reduce long-term savings.

UK midcap stocks gained on Tuesday, led by travel shares after reports of easing tensions in the Middle East and an upbeat forecast from Carnival.

The US Supreme Court struck down tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, and business owners expressed cautious relief while noting uncertainty about refunds and other tariff powers the administration may use.

In January the UK posted a record £30.4bn government borrowing surplus—about £6bn above forecasts—and official data showed retail sales rose 1.8% month‑on‑month; commentators note monthly receipts are volatile and may include one‑off timing effects.

EDF reported a 19% drop in 2025 core profit to €29.3 billion as lower power prices reduced income, and the group took a €2.5 billion impairment on the Hinkley Point C project.

An anonymous donor gave Osaka 21kg of gold bars, estimated at about ¥560 million ($3.6m), which city officials said will be used to address ageing water pipes. The donor had previously given a smaller cash gift for municipal waterworks.

AT&T plans to return to One Powell Street and the RealReal will reopen a flagship at 253 Post Street on February 26; both locations had been vacant since they closed in 2023.

Prince Andrew was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office over allegations he sent confidential UK government documents to Jeffrey Epstein; he was released the same day and has not been charged.

Nippon Steel's CFO said the company does not plan capacity cuts at U.S. Steel and expects the U.S. business to contribute to earnings in fiscal 2026, helped by stronger steel prices and technology transfers.

A UN-mandated fact-finding mission reports the RSF seizure of El Fasher last October showed characteristics the mission described as 'hallmarks of genocide' and calls for thorough investigations; the US has imposed sanctions on three RSF commanders.

A 77-year-old widow who won a £4.5 million Cornish mansion in an Omaze draw spent a family summer at the property and then sold it, using the proceeds to help her three children and six grandchildren with mortgages, property and business starts.

The State Pension will rise by 4.8% for 2026/27 under the government's triple lock, and that increase could push some pensioners above the frozen Personal Allowance so they start paying income tax.

eBay is buying second-hand fashion app Depop for $1.2bn, five years after Etsy purchased the UK-founded business for $1.62bn.