World business, finance, and political news from the Financial Times

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The ways Matisse and Picasso turned old age into art

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Highlights

SLIDESHOW

George W Bush paints a rosier legacy

1:03pm WORLD

Ukraine raises fears of gas war with Russia

Kiev accuses Moscow of economic warfare as Gazprom demands $11.4bn

4:11pm

Altice to buy French telecom operator SFR

Vivendi turns down government backed rival offer from Bouygues

5:37pm

France must cut deficit by 2015

Monetary Affairs Commissioner says no grounds to extend deadline

3:40pm

Chinese ship detects black box “ping”

Possible signal from missing airliner picked up in Indian Ocean

Apr 4, 2014

ECB ‘must spend big to lift prices’

Central bank would have to buy €1tn in bonds to raise inflation

epa04155452 An Afghan woman casts her ballot at a polling station during the presidential elections in Kabul, Afghanistan, 05 April 2014. Afghanistan voted 05 April for a new president amid fears of violence and insecurity. About 12 million voters were eligible to cast ballots at some 6,400 polling centers across the country, according to IEC. Around 400,000 security forces were deployed. EPA/S. SABAWOON

©EPA

5:36pm WORLD

Afghans brave fear of violence to cast their votes

Safety fears keep one in ten polling stations closed in historic presidential election

©David Parry

Apr 4, 2014 UK

Osborne in row over plans to seize tax

MPs, banks and charities want robust safeguards

Manchester United's Scottish manager Alex Ferguson

©AFP

Apr 4, 2014 MANAGEMENT

Sir Alex Ferguson signs for Harvard

Former Manchester United manager joins Ivy League in teaching role

The Diary Lionel Barber
Simon Kuper My Autobiography, by Alex Ferguson
Ferguson spreads his management gospel

FT Weekend: food glorious food

Spring food special: cool for cuts

Leading a revival of the trade after years of decline, butchers will not only cut your meat, they’ll practically cook it for you
Jonathan Meades: kitchen-sink dreamer

Recollecting the far-from-impoverished food of his 1950s childhood
Hip hops

High-tech equipment allows you to clone your favourite beer – and even set up a mini-brewery in your house

©Getty

Apr 4, 2014 UK

Expenses furore deals a blow to Cameron

Miller inquiry results in sense of establishment closing ranks

©Bloomberg

Apr 4, 2014 COMPANIES

Chinese group set to buy House of Fraser

Sanpower poised to pay more than £450m for venerable UK retailer

©Bloomberg

Apr 5, 2014 COMPANIES

Weibo reins in its US IPO ambitions

Sina unit now looking for half the $8bn valuation it first targeted

©AFP

Apr 4, 2014

Matthew Engel from UK

Cricket season arrives with whimper

Cricket has become two different sports with little in common

Comment and Analysis

©Corbis

Apr 4, 2014 PERSONAL FINANCE

The challenge set by Nigel Farage

Britain’s political parties must improve their tactics against Ukip leader

Apr 3, 2014

John Gapper from LIFE & ARTS

Best comments from our readers

"As a pensioner, it is not just my income that is taxed; I also pay tax (VAT) on many purchases. Will my annual tax statement also include my VAT contribution? Without it, the statement would be dishonest."
By SapperK232 on Chancellor publishes draft copies of new tax statements

"I'm a working mum, the breadwinner, and my husband is a domestic engineer (love that phrase). He's wonderful and we know this is the right thing for us. What worked for us though is I don't have rules on how things should run and just let him take charge."
By Em Joud on Stay-at-home dads who help mothers fly high at work

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