Day: May 14, 2025

French capital overtakes Amsterdam, where there are concerns about rising road speeds under rightwing government

Paris was once notorious for speeding traffic and a parking technique involving gently nudging cars to squeeze into a spot – but now it has topped a European ranking of cycling-friendly cities for children, leaving Amsterdam in second place and Copenhagen in the dust.

Analysing 36 European cities in terms of their cycling infrastructure’s suitability for children, the report found that the French capital had raced to the top thanks to investments for the 2024 Olympics and a €250m (£210m) initiative to build 112 miles (180km) of cycling lanes under Socialist mayor Anne Hidalgo.

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Donald Trump meets Syrian president Ahmed al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia after agreeing to lift sanctions on Syria

Donald Trump has met Syrian president Ahmed al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia after agreeing to lift sanctions on Syria.

Despite concerns within sectors of his administration over the Syria’s leaders’ former ties to Al Qaeda, Trump said on Tuesday during a speech in Riyadh he would lift sanctions on Syria. The onetime insurgent leader spent years imprisoned by US forces after being captured in Iraq.

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Struggling fashion brand to remove night shift at raincoat factory in Yorkshire, affecting about 150 posts

Burberry has said it could cut 1,700 jobs worldwide by 2027 – including removing the entire night shift at its Yorkshire raincoat factory – as the struggling fashion house ramps up its efforts to slash costs after a tumble in profit.

The British luxury brand announced the job cuts on Wednesday after reporting a 117% fall in its annual pre-tax profits in the last financial year. It recorded a £66m loss, down from a profit of £383m, as the company has struggled against a broader malaise in the global luxury goods industry.

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The 1% climb in real pay was the fastest in five years, and twice the five-year average leading into the pandemic

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Australian workers are clawing back the hit to their living standards from the high cost of living, as wages handily outpaced inflation in the year to March.

Hourly rates of pay climbed by 3.4% through the 12-month period, versus a 2.4% rise in prices, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

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