Business

Monzo will offer a free, HMRC-recognised tax tool powered by Sage to its business customers ahead of Making Tax Digital for Income Tax starting in April; Monzo’s research estimates UK small businesses spend about £4.8bn a year on tax and accounting software.

Rescuers recovered 23 bodies after a fire at the Gul Plaza shopping centre in Karachi, and authorities say they are still searching for dozens more people while an inquiry and investigation are under way.

Vendors at Suzhou's Huqiu Bridal City are hopeful after marriage rates rose 8.5% in the first nine months of 2025, amid a record low birth rate and a fourth straight annual population decline.

Britain's Public Offers and Admissions to Trading Regime came into force, replacing the EU‑inherited prospectus regime; it raises the prospectus threshold from 20% to 75% of existing capital and aims to reduce costs and paperwork for fundraising.

Local farming representatives say an oversupply of milk has pushed farm-gate prices down to roughly the mid-30p per litre range from about 46p a year earlier, and UK production is expected to exceed 13 billion litres this year.

Yemeni politicians held their first public meeting in Riyadh since the Southern Transitional Council was dissolved; they discussed the future of southern Yemen ahead of a Saudi-sponsored conference with dates not yet announced.

Emma Joyce tried to avoid ultra-processed foods for a week, consulted experts who flagged long ingredient lists as a clue to UPFs, and found the effort time-consuming, costly and socially awkward, so she moved toward limiting rather than fully excluding them.

A year after the Eaton fire, Altadena residents report pressure to sell land to investors while many homes remain unrebuilt; experts and a UCLA analysis link the pattern to what they call 'climate gentrification'.

Jen Carr, who runs The Travel Mum and is a former NHS doctor, says she has booked more than 50 budget family holidays and recommends DIY bookings and flight flexibility to keep costs down.

Syria's army seized several northern towns and dams, including Tabqa, displacing Kurdish forces after a stalled March 2025 integration deal; the Kurdish-led SDF said Damascus violated agreements and clashes followed.

A fire at a shopping centre in Karachi killed at least six people and injured others. Officials say the blaze began in ground-floor shops and that a police investigation will be opened once the fire is extinguished.

Ten fish and chip shops around Britain have been shortlisted for the National Fish and Chip Awards, where the Restaurant of the Year will be announced; last year's winner was Bells Fish and Chips in Framwellgate Moor.

A tube driver who performed as a Will Smith lookalike met the actor on set during filming, and the two shared a private conversation on the last day of shooting in Papua New Guinea.

A Port Talbot pub owner asked his children to work because he could not afford staff; trade groups have urged the Welsh government to review business rates while ministers say they have provided targeted relief.

Maleeka 'Mollie' Boone, 8, was found dead on the Navajo Nation in Arizona a day after her family reported her missing; Navajo police, the FBI and the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigation have opened a joint investigation.

President Donald Trump told the credit card industry it had until Jan. 20 to comply with his demand for a 10% interest-rate cap; the White House has not detailed enforcement or consequences.

Prime Minister Mark Carney met President Xi Jinping in Beijing and announced preliminary trade measures, including reduced tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles in exchange for lower Chinese duties on Canadian farm products.

HMRC will expand Making Tax Digital from April 2026 to require many sole traders and landlords to keep digital records and submit quarterly updates, with new penalty-point rules announced and a temporary easing for 2026/27.

Plymouth City Council has confirmed it will bid for the UK City of Culture 2029 title. The winning city will receive £10m to fund a year-long arts and culture programme.

Martin Lewis warned that about 5.65 million people had yet to file Self Assessment returns as of 5 January 2026, and the online filing deadline is 11:59pm on 31 January; missing it carries an initial £100 penalty.

The National Living Wage is due to rise in April 2026 and the State Pension age will increase to 67 from April for people born after April 1981.

Saba Capital has mounted campaigns to change boards at UK investment trusts including Herald and Edinburgh Worldwide (EWIT). Key shareholder meetings and voting deadlines are imminent and will determine who controls those funds.

Experts say the first step in building credit is to obtain and review credit reports from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion to find errors; the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau recommends checking these reports annually. FICO notes that payment history is the largest factor in scores, accounting for 35% of the calculation.

Kevin Hassett, a long-time Trump economic adviser who now leads the National Economic Council, is seen as a top contender to replace Jerome Powell; his ties to the president have prompted questions about whether he would act independently at the Federal Reserve.

Sommeliers, wine consultants and influencers have highlighted standout supermarket wines, and say social media and supermarket investment in wine buying have expanded variety and quality on shelves.

A DDN report finds 65% of enterprises say their AI environments are too complex and 54% cancelled AI projects over two years because of infrastructure issues, while energy and sustainability concerns are rising.

Forecast maps from WXCharts indicate a wintry front could bring snow and sub-zero temperatures to parts of southern England around Monday 26 January, with accumulations up to 30mm in some areas.

Outline planning applications for 5,500 homes and a town centre near Worcestershire Parkway have been submitted and will be considered by Wychavon District Council.

Some major drugmakers are using the FDA Commissioner's National Priority Voucher Program while other leading companies are hesitating over potential legal and safety risks; the program allows the FDA commissioner to issue approval decisions in one to two months for a limited set of drugs.

South East Water says supplies are restored for most properties after outages that affected about 30,000 homes; regulators have opened multiple investigations and statutory compensation rules apply.