Business

Thousands of importers have filed lawsuits seeking refunds of tariffs imposed under a 1977 emergency law, and the U.S. Supreme Court may release rulings on related cases on Friday.

Two homeless men were refused a Holiday Inn room in Manchester despite paid bookings, and a nearby Travelodge later accommodated them.

US forces, including Marines and sailors working with the Department of Homeland Security, apprehended the Olina in the Caribbean Sea; officials said the vessel is suspected of carrying embargoed Venezuelan oil and had departed Venezuela while trying to evade US forces.

US officials said the tanker Olina is being seized in the Caribbean near Trinidad; shipping records and an industry source say the vessel had sailed from Venezuela and was falsely flying Timor Leste's flag.

World No 1 Luke Littler has signed a reported £20million, 10‑year agreement with Target Darts, announced days after he bought a five‑bedroom house near Warrington for his parents.

Bloomberg reports Saks Global Enterprises is seeking about $1 billion in financing as it prepares for a possible Chapter 11 filing, and retail analyst Mary Epner said the company needs a CEO with strong merchant experience.

The article says UBS's Global Research note finds earnings growth for European exchange operators intact and mentions Euronext and London Stock Exchange Group as preferred while rating Deutsche Boerse and Flow Traders neutral.

Statistics Canada reported a net gain of 8,200 jobs in December while the unemployment rate increased to 6.8% as more people searched for work.

A family shared a video of cramped UltraBasic seats on a WestJet flight, prompting social media concerns and questions about seat legality.

Oceania Cruises will accept bookings only for guests aged 18 and over for reservations made on or after January 7, while existing bookings for children made before that date will be honoured. The company says the change follows research into guest preferences and aims to enhance the onboard ambience.

The UK will introduce an Electronic Travel Authorisation on 25 February 2026, and airlines are increasingly using AI tools to rebook passengers and manage disruption.

Lebanon's government signed an agreement with a consortium including TotalEnergies, ENI and Qatar Energy to explore Block 8 off its southern coast; the companies plan a 1,200-square-kilometre 3D seismic survey to assess the area.

Modella Capital has placed Claire's Accessories UK & Ireland and The Original Factory Shop into administration, citing adverse fiscal policy, high inflation and weak consumer demand; the announcement puts around 2,500 UK jobs at risk.

General Motors said it will record a one-time $7.1bn charge in its quarterly results, with about $6bn tied to reversals of electric-vehicle investments and $1.1bn linked to China restructuring and legal accruals; the company cited reduced tax incentives and looser emissions rules that slowed North American EV demand in 2025.

Pandora revised its 2025 organic sales growth to 6% from a prior 7–8% guidance, citing weak consumer sentiment in North America late in the year; it expects about 7.8 billion Danish crowns in operating profit and will publish full fourth-quarter results on February 5, 2026.

Defense contractors are seeking legal advice after President Trump signed an executive order tying share buybacks, dividends and executive pay to weapons delivery schedules; the order requires the Secretary of War to identify non-compliant contractors within 30 days, with identified firms given 15 days to submit remediation plans.

Meta announced 20-year deals to buy power from three Vistra nuclear plants and to help develop small modular reactors with Oklo and TerraPower, and said the agreements could provide up to 6.6 gigawatts of nuclear power by 2035.

U.S. oil executives are meeting at the White House to discuss potential investments in Venezuela, while some investors expressed caution over political stability, unpaid claims and the condition of the country's oil infrastructure.

An investigation reports that Prince Andrew sold Sunninghill Park in 2007 to Timur Kulibayev for £15 million and that part of the purchase was funded via a company prosecutors say was linked to bribe payments. Kulibayev denies wrongdoing, has not been charged, and his lawyers say the funds were legitimate.

Russell Crowe stars as Hermann Göring in Nuremberg (2025), a dramatized account of the post-war trials that also features Rami Malek and Michael Shannon.

Kenya's High Court moved to Jan. 20 the hearing that seeks to stop Diageo's $2.3 billion sale of its 65% stake in East African Breweries to Asahi, and the judge allowed parties to take preliminary steps such as seeking regulatory approvals so long as the transaction is not finalised by that date.

Reliance Jio Platforms is considering a 2026 initial public offering that would float about 2.5% of the company and, at recent valuation estimates, could raise several billion dollars; the plan awaits regulatory approval of a proposed rule to allow a 2.5% minimum public float and Reliance has not confirmed details.

Shanghai-based AI startup MiniMax raised US$619 million in its Hong Kong IPO and its shares rose 109 percent on debut; the company says it will use proceeds for research on foundation models and AI-native products, and it faces a US$75 million copyright lawsuit.

Portugal has stationed 24 National Republican Guard soldiers at Humberto Delgado Airport to assist arrivals after a European Commission assessment found 'serious deficiencies' in border controls and the government suspended the new Entry/Exit System for non-EU citizens.

Aer Lingus will stop selling transatlantic tickets from Manchester for travel from 31 March 2026; the airline says it is consulting on the future of its Manchester base and is contacting affected customers.

India's central bank has raised objections to Bain Capital's planned controlling stake in Manappuram Finance, and Bain is exploring a phased divestment in Tyger Capital to address the regulator's concerns.

Storm Goretti has brought heavy snow, very strong winds and widespread disruption across Britain, leaving thousands without power and causing airport, rail and school closures.

EUR/USD is trading below its short-term moving averages and faces downward pressure as markets expect the ECB to ease policy before the Federal Reserve, keeping yield differentials in favour of the dollar.

Claire's and The Original Factory Shop have entered administration, putting about 2,500 jobs at risk; their owner Modella Capital said 'highly adverse government fiscal policies', including recent tax rises, were among the factors reported as affecting trading.

Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang met with Disney CEO Bob Iger in Beijing and reportedly encouraged further investment. The meeting was reported as taking place against limits on foreign film imports and broader U.S.-China trade tensions.