UK regulator FCA to investigate how it handled Epstein whistleblower who took his own life

British banker Simon Andriesz helped to expose alleged ties between late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick

London to Chicago BA flight declares emergency after dropping 28,000 feet

British Airways Boeing abruptly lost altitude over Ireland due to ‘technical issue’ and returned to Heathrow

Tories unite behind Badenoch, but road to recovery remains long

Farage’s woes have given some a reason to hope, but insiders say focus on economy over culture wars is needed to win back centrist voters

The Guardian view on Tory economics: Britain’s future needs more than Thatcher’s past

Editorial: The Conservatives blame their failures on abandoning their 1976 principles. But the country needs investment and resilience rather than another round of spending cuts

Tory plan to cut energy efficiency rule for builders will cost new home owners £1,000 a year, says thinktank – as it happened

A researcher at a climate change think tank says the Conservative policy would be a ‘disaster for first time buyers’

BT’s purchase of TalkTalk is cosy – but probably politically sensible

For all the howls of a ‘stitch-up’, it’s hard to see what ministers were supposed to do, as the alternatives risked worse outcomes

Sainsbury’s and Morrisons ‘held talks this year’ on multibillion-pound merger

Deal would have created a supermarket with a market share of 23.6%, still well behind Tesco’s 27.8%

Sainsbury’s and Morrisons held talks over potential multi-billion-pound merger, reports say – as it happened

A deal would test regulators’ appetite for dealmaking in competitive supermarket industry

Average five-year fixed mortgage rate hits 6% for first time in three years

Banks and building societies raise prices as turmoil in bond markets increases expectations of base rate rise

UK reviewing whether to impose tariffs on Chinese car imports to align with EU

Move would strengthen Britain’s case to be included in new legislation to protect European manufacturing

Euro falls to 17-month low against dollar amid French debt fears

France’s Cac 40 index slides as announcement of snap election in Spain also helps fuel eurozone uncertainty

Lidl GB’s sales soar by over 10%, helped by price cuts and Deluxe range

German-owned supermarket beats Morrisons to become fifth largest grocer in Great Britain

BT to buy broadband supplier TalkTalk in £400m rescue deal, saving 900 jobs

Virgin Media O2 complains of ‘stitch-up’ over rival provider, which has 1.5m customers

Trump’s recent statements on the economy are even more bonkers than usual

Our ‘genius’ president is revealing his ignorance of economics, fueling concerns about the threat he poses to the world

Coach services could be cut due to record diesel prices, UK operators warn

Rising fuel costs are pushing hundreds of firms out of business, threatening school transport, firms say