Author: Eka Gerona

Michael RaceBusiness reporter, BBC NewsGetty ImagesConcerns are growing the UK could be hit with higher US trade taxes after President Donald Trump announced he would target VAT in his latest move.Trump has instructed his staff to develop custom “reciprocal tariffs” – charging the same amount as levies imposed on American exports – for each country.The UK’s trading relationship with US had suggested it would be less exposed to tariffs than others, but the surprise inclusion of VAT to calculate potential tariffs has prompted questions over the impact on British businesses.Analysts have suggested tariffs of 20% or more could be placed…

United Voices of the WorldJulia Quecano Casimiro campaigns for better protections for migrant workers on UK farmsThe number of foreign workers seeking help over claims of exploitation, bullying, underpayment and poor living conditions on UK farms significantly increased last year, the BBC has learned.Nearly 700 foreign seasonal agricultural labourers complained to the Worker Support Centre (WSC) national charity in 2024 they were being treated unfairly by farmers who had brought them over to work, compared to just over 400 in 2023.One former fruit picker told the BBC more must be done to protect migrants from being treated like slaves.The UK…

Getty ImagesUS President Donald Trump is sharpening plans to hit exports from countries that he says have trade policies that are unfair to the US.On Thursday, Trump signed a memo that instructed staff to develop custom tariffs for each country, taking into account features such as their existing tariffs, exchange rates, trade balances and other rules.In outlining its concerns, the White House said that tariffs imposed by other countries were not necessarily the biggest issue, singling out the European Union for other policies the Trump administration said put US exporters at a disadvantage.While big questions remain about the plans, the…

TikTok’s uncertain future in the US has caused a surge in people putting the app on their phones through unofficial means, the BBC has been told.An executive order from President Donald Trump means the social media platform can be used in the US despite the Supreme Court upholding a law which will see it sold or banned.Even so, Apple and Google are preventing new downloads of the app meaning people are increasingly turning to a technique called “sideloading” if they want to get it for the first time or reload it to a new device.It involves users turning to third-party…

Merger talks between Honda and Nissan have collapsed after the firms failed to agree on a multi-billion-dollar tie-up.The Japanese carmakers, along with junior partner Mitsubishi, had aimed to combine their businesses to fight back against competition from rival firms, especially in China.The merger would have created an auto group worth $60bn (£48bn), and the world’s fourth-largest by vehicle sales after Toyota, Volkswagen and Hyundai.The companies said they would continue their partnership on electric vehicles.The planned tie-up was seen as providing Nissan, which for a while was Japan’s second-largest car company, with crucial relief following years of slowing sales and turmoil…

A programme designed to shrink the number of US government employees by incentivising resignations has closed to new volunteers. The announcement was made on Wednesday evening shortly after a judge ruled the programme, which offered workers eight months of pay if they resign – essentially a buyout – could move ahead. US District Judge George O’Toole in Boston reversed an earlier ruling, in which he had paused the Trump administration’s plan. He said on Wednesday that unions who sued to stop the programme did not have legal standing to sue.About 75,000 federal employees opted into the buyout programme before it…

Getty ImagesChevron plans to slash its workforce by as much as 20% by the end of 2026, as it embarks on a wider cost-cutting effort. The company said the reductions would simplify its structure and enable it to act faster, better positioning the firm for long-term growth.The oil giant employed more than 45,000 people at the end of 2023, roughly half of them in the US. Chevron did not provide further detail about where the cuts would fall. The company said last month it was looking to sell some of its assets and expand the use of robots in its…

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has appointed a new fentanyl tsar as his country seeks to address border concerns from US President Donald Trump that have prompted trade tariff threats. Kevin Brosseau, a former member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and intelligence adviser to Trudeau, will begin the role immediately.Trump’s threat to impose import taxes of 25% on all goods from Canada was paused for 30 days in February, after he struck a deal with Trudeau that included new US-Canada border measures.On Monday, Trump added another threat, saying he planned to add a 25% tax on global steel and…

Coca-Cola may have to sell more drinks in plastic bottles in the US if President Donald Trump’s tariffs end up making aluminium cans more expensive, the company’s chief executive, James Quincey, said in a call with investors.It comes after Trump ordered a 25% import tax on all steel and aluminium entering the US, which could end up driving up the price of canned food and drink items in the country.In December, the beverage giant scaled down its sustainability target of using 50% recycled materials in its packaging by 2030, to using 35% to 40% by 2035.Environmental groups have labelled Coca-Cola…

Jim WhebleBBC InvestigationsGetty ImagesIt is illegal for UK companies to supply number plates without checking someone’s legal entitlement to the plateOnline retailer Amazon is banning the sale of car number plates on its platform after a BBC London investigation exposed they were being illegally supplied.The BBC found seven companies on the platform were selling plates without checking customers’ documents and establishing their legal entitlement to the plate.It is illegal for UK companies to supply number plates without physically seeing documents such as a driver’s license or V5 document.Amazon said all seven products from the companies the BBC investigated had been…