Author: BBC

Tom EspinerBusiness reporter, BBC NewsGetty ImagesShares in electric car maker Tesla have slumped more than 9% after EU and UK sales fell by almost half in January.The drop in Tesla shares took the company’s valuation back below $1trn for the first time since November 2024.Tesla has been facing stiff competition in the European market from Chinese and other manufacturers.In addition, Tesla owner Elon Musk has been making controversial political waves on both sides of the Atlantic, an analyst said.Tesla sales in January bucked European electric car sale trends, which grew by more than a third in the month, according to…

Tom RichardsonBBC NewsbeatUbisoftAssassin’s Creed Shadows is seen as a pivotal release for UbisoftThe makers of Assassin’s Creed Shadows – the forthcoming entry in one of video gaming’s biggest franchises – have confirmed footage leaked online is real.Some players managed to get their hands on the game – due to be released on 20 March – ahead of its official release.Developer Ubisoft said gameplay videos shared online “did not represent the final quality of the game”.In a statement posted online, the company said it was “still working on patches” and urged fans not to share spoilers.Shadows will be the first Assassin’s…

Elen Wyn says she suffered with pain before her diagnosis which she was told were “just period pains”The Traitors contestant Elen Wyn has said she was laughed at by a GP and told she had a low pain threshold during her 10-year wait for an endometriosis diagnosis. Elen, from Anglesey, said she suffered with pain that felt like “barbed wire around her stomach” before her diagnosis, which she was told was “just period pains”.She added GPs needed to treat women’s health with greater sensitivity and called for better funding from the Welsh government. The Welsh government said it was spending…

Kevin PeacheyCost of living correspondentGetty ImagesEnergy bills for a typical household will rise by more than £100 a year in April under regulator Ofgem’s new cap – a higher than expected increase adding pressure on people’s finances.The 6.4% increase means a household using a typical amount of gas and electricity will see their annual bill rise by £111 a year, or £9.25 a month, taking the total bill to £1,849 a year.The cap, which is set every three months and puts a limit on the amount suppliers can charge for each unit of energy, affects the bills of 22 million…

Singapore’s biggest bank says it expects to cut 4,000 roles over the next three years as artificial intelligence (AI) takes on more work currently done by humans.”The reduction in workforce will come from natural attrition as temporary and contract roles roll off over the next few years,” a DBS spokesperson told the BBC.Permanent staff are not expected to be affected by the cuts. The bank’s outgoing chief executive Piyush Gupta also said it expects to create around 1,000 new AI-related jobs.It makes DBS one of the first major banks to offer details on how AI will affect its operations.The company…

Steven McIntoshEntertainment reporterWatch: SAG Awards 2025 best momentsConclave was the big winner at the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards on Sunday, leaving the Oscars race too close to call with one week to go. The Pope selection drama won the ceremony’s top prize, best ensemble cast, continuing its late-season momentum after taking best film at last week’s Baftas. Other winners included Demi Moore and Timothée Chalamet, both of whom head into Sunday’s Academy Awards with their chances of winning boosted.British actor Ralph Fiennes accepted Conclave’s prize, thanking director Edward Berger for his “perception, insight and care”. Earlier in the ceremony,…

There are a record number of patients in hospital with Norovirus in England.Data from NHS England showed 1,160 patients a day on average were in hospital with the vomiting bug last week – double the level at the same period last year.It comes after a 22% rise on the week before, pushing it to the highest level since records began in 2012. It means more than 1% of beds are occupied by patients ill with the bug.But Norovirus puts added pressure on hospitals because of the need to isolate and clean infected wards – nearly 300 empty beds a day…

India and the UK will restart free trade talks on Monday, nearly a year after negotiations were paused ahead of general elections in both countries.Jonathan Reynolds, the UK’s business and trade secretary, is in Delhi, where he will meet his Indian counterpart Piyush Goyal to kick off the two-day discussions.Ahead of the meeting, Reynolds said it was a “no-brainer” to seek a trade deal with India, which was forecast to become the world’s third-largest economy in a few years.The countries have held more than a dozen rounds of negotiations since 2022, but an agreement has remained out of reach.Sticking points…

An aeronautical company in the US has released footage showing a concept version of its flying car performing a vertical take-off before flying over an SUV.Jim Dukhovny, the CEO of Alef Aeronautics, told the BBC’s senior technology reporter Chris Vallance, that he had thousands of pre-orders and hoped to start production within 12 months.For around $300,000 (£237,000) the company says buyers will get an electric flying car with a predicted airborne range of 110km (68 miles). But taking a friend for a spin may prove tricky – the cockpit only has enough room for one and a half people.As Vallance…

Aimee DexterBBC News, NorfolkRobby West/BBCClub owner Mike Baxter said he wanted to give a “big thanks” to the Norwich community for its support The owner of an “underdog” nightclub said he was “lost for words” after it scooped an international award.Gonzo’s Two Room, a small club in Norwich city centre, won the Best Venue (UK and Europe) category at the BBC Radio 1 Dance Awards.Rivals for the coveted title, chosen by a public vote, included “mega clubs” in Ibiza, London and Manchester.”To win it is weird, surreal, humbling, and amazing. I am a little bit lost for words,” said owner…