L’Oreal sales slightly miss in fourth quarter as China weakness persists

The UK faces significant limitations in retaliating against Donald Trump's tariffs due to its economic dependence on the US, which constitutes a major market for American exports. While Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer seeks a trade deal with the US, economists urge caution against imposing reciprocal tariffs, as this could exacerbate the cost of living crisis and would unlikely compel Trump to relent. The UK must consider strategic alternatives, including coordinating with the EU, as...

SummaryFriedrich Merz, Germany's conservative leader, fell short of a parliamentary majority in his bid to become chancellor, securing only 310 votes in the 630-seat Bundestag, while 316 were needed. This setback came two and a half months after the federal elections, with 18 expected supporters dissenting from his coalition with the centre-left. Despite the defeat, Bundestag member Johann Wadephul, anticipated to be the new foreign minister, expressed confidence that another vote would occur and that...

A British tourist, Ryan Jones, is missing in Amsterdam after telling friends he forgot his passport on May 4. The 34-year-old left his group at Schiphol Airport around 2:17 PM and has since made only brief contact with them. Police describe him as 6ft 4in tall, potentially wearing a white baseball cap, and he has a distinctive tattoo on his right forearm; local authorities and the UK’s Foreign Office are involved in the search. Full...

Summary Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney met with President Trump at the White House for the first time since taking office, addressing strained U.S.-Canada relations due to tariffs and comments about Canadian statehood. Carney emphasized that Canada would engage in trade talks on its terms and dismissed the notion of Canada becoming the 51st state, stating it is a "want" that does not align with Canadian reality. The meeting comes amid ongoing tensions over a...

SummaryQuebec's top diplomat, Mario Lavoie, recently retired amid significant changes in Ottawa, including the election of a new prime minister and an incoming delegation of Quebec Liberal MPs. As Quebec seeks to enhance its role in Canada-U.S. relations, Lavoie had been addressing concerns over the Roxham Road asylum seeker situation, highlighting the province's welcoming stance towards migrants despite calls for tighter border controls. With immigration issues likely to create friction between Quebec and Ottawa, Premier...

Leader of Israel’s National Unity Party, Benny Gantz, criticized the Israeli government for focusing on internal divisions instead of winning the war against Gaza, as reported by Yedioth Ahronoth. He acknowledged military successes against Hamas and the Iranian axis but expressed concern over the lack of progress in replacing Hamas leadership after a year and a half of conflict. Gantz emphasized that despite military operations, there are no concrete future plans or results, and the...