Business

First Brands has about $190 million in cash and its attorneys say that may only fund operations through the end of January; the company is seeking additional financing and will seek court approval for near-term asset sales while an independent examiner investigates alleged pre-bankruptcy fraud.

Chevron is in talks with the U.S. government to expand a licence allowing it to operate in Venezuela, four sources told Reuters; the move is linked to U.S.-Venezuela discussions over supplying up to 50 million barrels of Venezuelan oil.

The Financial Conduct Authority fined former Carillion finance directors Richard Adam (£232,800) and Zafar Khan (£138,900) for publishing misleading information and failing to disclose serious problems ahead of the group's 2018 collapse.

Ted Koerner and his golden retriever Daisy Mae have returned to their rebuilt Altadena home after fleeing the 2025 Eaton and Palisades wildfires that destroyed his previous house.

President Trump said on Truth Social he will ask Congress to ban large institutional investors from buying single-family homes, and the US median sale price last year was $410,800 according to the Census Bureau.

Two office buildings near Union Square that were bought for $74.4m in 2019 were sold at a December foreclosure auction for about $5m; reported occupancies and appraisals have fallen sharply as downtown vacancy rose.

Sanara MedTech said Vizient awarded its BIASURGE Advanced Surgical Solution an Innovative Technology contract that provides Vizient members access under contracted pricing and pre-negotiated terms effective January 1, 2026; the article is based on a company press release.

President Trump posted that he will bar dividends and stock buybacks and cap executive pay at $5m for defense contractors until deliveries speed up; he did not set out a legislative plan.

The U.S. Treasury is moving to implement President Trump's "No Tax on American Car Loan Interest" program, allowing eligible taxpayers to deduct up to $10,000 a year in auto loan interest for new vehicles assembled in the United States and purchased between 2025 and 2028. Treasury and the IRS are developing guidelines to clarify eligibility and how the deduction will work.

The Trump administration is requiring states to provide extra documentation to access federal child care subsidies, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has frozen some funds for five states pending further information.

The Congressional Budget Office projects the U.S. population will reach about 364 million in 30 years — roughly 15 million more than today and 2.2% below last year’s estimate — and cites stricter immigration measures and an aging population as influences on the revision.

A US official said Washington will control Venezuela's oil sales indefinitely; Venezuela currently produces about 1 million barrels per day after years of disinvestment and sanctions.

A man's body was found in Cookstown during searches for a 21-year-old missing since New Year's Day; police say formal identification has not taken place and the family of Taylor Stewart has been informed.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are negotiating converting about $2 billion of Saudi loans into a deal for JF-17 fighter jets, two Pakistani sources said; talks are ongoing and neither government has commented.

South Korean prosecutors requested arrest warrants for MBK Partners chairman Kim Byung-ju and three others over the sale of supermarket chain Homeplus, and MBK has denied the allegations.

The U.S. Department of Energy said it has begun marketing Venezuelan oil and that proceeds from those sales will initially settle in U.S.-controlled accounts at globally recognized banks; officials also reported seizures and sanctions enforcement as part of broader measures, and President Trump said the U.S. would refine and sell up to 50 million barrels.

EU agriculture ministers were convened for last-minute talks to persuade Italy and other hesitant members to back the Mercosur trade deal; commissioners are expected to outline funding reassurances and a vote was reported as expected this week, possibly as early as January 12.

The US Coast Guard boarded two 'ghost fleet' tanker ships in a coordinated operation; officials said one was in the North Atlantic and the other in international waters near the Caribbean, and the vessels were linked to Venezuela.

Marks & Spencer plans to close its Wakefield high-street store in The Ridings and open an 18,000 sq ft market-style food store at the City Fields development about two miles away; the relocation date is not yet confirmed.

Heavy snow and icy conditions have led to hundreds of flight cancellations across Europe and six reported deaths; thousands of passengers were stranded at airports including Paris and Amsterdam.

The article reports that packing bulky winter items like coats and thick jumpers in luggage can push bags over airline size or weight limits, which has led to extra charges, gate checks or confiscations; Ski Vertigo and passenger accounts on Reddit are cited.

U.S. job openings fell to about 7.1 million in November from 7.4 million in October, and layoffs also declined, the Labor Department said.

Captain Brandon Fisher has filed a lawsuit in Oregon, saying Boeing wrongly sought to blame him and the crew after a door plug panel blew out in January 2024; the NTSB reported that four bolts securing the panel were removed and not replaced during assembly.

Hilton instructed the Lakeville Hampton Inn in Minnesota to remove all Hilton branding after an online video showed staff refusing bookings for Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, and the company said it was removing the property from its systems.

Tata Steel India posted its highest-ever quarterly crude steel output, rising 12% year-on-year to 6.34 million tonnes in the three months to Dec. 31, while deliveries climbed 14% to a record 6.04 million tonnes.

A year after twin fires ignited on Jan. 6, 2024, the Palisades and Eaton blazes killed 31 people and burned about 155 square kilometers, and rebuilding across affected areas has been slow.

South Africa has relaxed anti-trust rules to let firms jointly build energy infrastructure and negotiate supply contracts, the trade minister said; the change is intended to help industries hit by sharply higher electricity costs.

Holyhead ferry port has been temporarily closed after a berthing incident as a Stena Line vessel arrived; officials say all on board disembarked normally and an investigation is under way.

Edmunds names five affordable 2026 models — Honda Civic, Toyota Camry, Hyundai Kona, Kia Sportage Hybrid and Hyundai Palisade — selected using base price, fuel economy and safety as key factors.

Waitrose plans to hire about 550 people for a new distribution centre in Avonmouth, Bristol, due to open in early 2027, and logistics firm DHL will run the site and begin recruiting in spring.