Business

Nationwide says customers have lost money to impersonation phone scams and has launched a Call Checker phone service to verify callers; further developments are undetermined at this time.

Nationwide has added a Call Checker feature to its banking app after reporting that impersonation scams have led to customers losing money, with older people disproportionately affected.

A minister told parliament that returns by GIC and Temasek are reasonable and aligned with their mandates, stressing a long-term investment focus; the article reports Temasek's 10-year total shareholder return was 5% and its 20-year return was 7%.

U.S. equity futures and the dollar slipped after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said the Trump administration threatened him with a criminal indictment and served grand jury subpoenas over his Congressional testimony, prompting investor concern about central bank independence.

Plus500 said 2025 revenues were $792 million and earnings were $348 million, an 8% year-on-year increase, and that it returned about $380 million to shareholders.

Gold reached a record $4,600.33 per ounce after reports said the Department of Justice served grand jury subpoenas in a criminal investigation involving the head of the Federal Reserve.

Uniper has signed a binding agreement to buy up to 500,000 tons of green ammonia per year from India's AM Green, with first shipments possible as early as 2028; Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the deal.

Many Venezuelans in the U.S. report both relief and worry after U.S. forces removed President Nicolás Maduro; concerns are heightened by the pending end of Temporary Protected Status for many migrants.

A ruling party partner said he met Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and 'wouldn't be surprised' if she called a snap Lower House election for Feb. 8 or Feb. 15; the yen weakened after the reports.

Spot gold briefly rose above $4,600 per ounce and silver hit an all-time high as geopolitical tensions and growing bets on U.S. interest-rate cuts supported precious metals.

President Trump said he is inclined to keep ExxonMobil from operating in Venezuela after the company's CEO described the country as uninvestable; the president also signed an executive order intended to protect Venezuelan oil revenue held in U.S. accounts.

Police in Ecuador reported that human remains were found hanging on a beach in Puerto López, and authorities said the episode is linked to clashes between criminal groups amid a wider surge in drug-related violence. Officials have increased control and surveillance operations as part of a state of emergency covering the province.

A Mirror reporter tested five common indoor drying methods in winter and found that only a tumble dryer fully removed musty odours; a dehumidifier performed well but did not always prevent smells.

Analysis by Hamptons finds 14.8% of London sellers in 2025 sold for less than they paid, the highest share in the study, while the average seller across England and Wales made a cash gain of £91,260 (41.0%) over about nine years of ownership.

ITV has paused Love Island: All Stars production in South Africa after evacuating the site because of nearby wildfires, and the broadcast has been postponed until a date to be confirmed.

William Ackman is listed as a top donor of $10,000 to a GoFundMe supporting ICE agent Jonathan Ross; officials have defended the agent as acting in self-defense and a federal investigation into the death of Renee Nicole Good is underway.

President Trump is scheduled to be briefed this week by senior aides on possible responses to widespread anti-government protests in Iran; reporting says a final decision is not expected from the meeting.

PUREPOWER Nutrition has recalled two ready meals after a mispack left milk unlisted in a Chicken & Chorizo Paella, and the Chicken Chow Mein is also recalled as a precaution.

Officials say a wild elephant in West Singhbhum, Jharkhand, has been linked to 17 deaths across about a dozen attacks; search teams are conducting field operations and have issued public notices while planning to tranquilize and relocate the animal if found.

Nine Newspapers apologised after a cartoon published on January 7 drew widespread criticism for alleged antisemitic themes; the apology was posted as a royal commission into the December 14 Bondi attack, led by Virginia Bell, gets under way.

The article reports that recent government measures — including a rise in Employer National Insurance and business rates changes — have increased costs for pubs, and that the government is preparing to reverse the planned business rates change after industry backlash; details are still awaited.

Brendan Banfield is going to trial on aggravated murder charges in the February 2023 deaths of his wife and another man; prosecutors say he and the family's au pair staged the scene, and the trial begins Monday.

Officers executed a warrant at Leigh Tenement Farm in Blackrod, Bolton, and recovered an estimated two tonnes of cannabis with an estimated street value of about £24 million; two men were arrested and remain in custody for questioning.

Police say a 14-year-old was found unaccompanied and taken to hospital; two adults have been arrested and charged with child abuse and animal cruelty.

Claire's has collapsed after ownership by Modella, which is also planning to close The Original Factory Shop; Modella has acquired several distressed retailers and used company voluntary arrangements and other restructuring measures.

Reports say X's Grok chatbot produced sexually explicit and illegal images, prompting alarm from advertisers and ministers. Ofcom is considering an investigation and ministers have asked for an update within days.

Egypt has signed renewable energy contracts reported at $1.8 billion, including a Scatec solar project with battery storage and a Sungrow battery factory in the Suez Canal zone.

Supporters of Nepal's former royal family held a peaceful rally in Kathmandu on Jan. 11 calling for restoration of the monarchy; the interim government has set parliamentary elections for March.

Terry Smith warned that a large shift into passive index funds could lay the foundations for a major investment disaster, after his Fundsmith Equity returned 0.8% in 2025 versus the MSCI World's 12.8%.

River Island said it will close 32 UK stores in January as part of a restructuring after a £32.3 million pre-tax loss and a 19% fall in sales. The company says it has about 200 shops and more than 5,000 staff and that jobs are not at risk while relocations are being sought; further plans are undetermined at this time.