How trying to stay cool could make the world even hotter Air conditioning systems that keep homes, offices and shops cool on hot days are rapidly gaining in popularity in a warming world. But is all the extra electricity they use going to exacerbate climate change or can design efficiencies prevent this? The world...

General Electric drops out of Dow index General Electric is losing its place on the Dow Jones Industrial Average after more than 100 years in a move that reflects a fall in the firm's fortunes and changes to the US economy. Walgreens Boots Alliance is to take its spot on the financial index, which tracks shares...

Canada legalises recreational cannabis use Canada's parliament has passed a law legalising the recreational use of marijuana nationwide. The Cannabis Act passed its final hurdle on Tuesday in a 52-29 vote in the Senate. The bill controls and regulates how the drug can be grown, distributed, and sold. Canadians...

Stock markets fall amid trade fears Stock markets have fallen amid fears of a further deterioration in US-Chinese trade relations. Tensions in Germany's coalition government over migration policy added to investors' uncertainty. Wall Street's Dow Jones and S&P 500 were 0.4% and 0.2% down, although shares...

Trump threatens additional $200bn in tariffs on China US President Donald Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on an additional $200bn (£151bn) of Chinese goods in a growing trade row. Mr Trump said the 10% tariffs would come into effect if China "refuses to change its practices". The move would be a major escalation...

McDonald's to ditch plastic straws McDonald's will replace plastic straws with paper ones in all its UK and Ireland restaurants, starting from September. The fast food giant is the latest company to opt out of the single-use plastic, which can take hundreds of years to decompose if not recycled. The...

Job cuts 'beneficial for Rolls Royce' Yesterday Rolls Royce said it would lay off 4,600 workers, many in its home town of Derby. Andrew Mair of the Midlands Aerospace Alliance says many of the jobs to go are in middle management and removing some "layers of bureaucracy" will be beneficial. "These cuts are...

Rising fuel prices spur inflation in May Inflation remained at 2.4% in May, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), after its fall was halted by a sharp rise in fuel costs. The ONS said that fuel prices increased by the biggest monthly amount since January 2011, rising by 3.8%. Mike Hardie,...