Business

Advance Auto Parts announced ARGOS, a private-label oil and fluids brand to be sold exclusively at Advance and Carquest stores in the U.S., with rollout beginning in February and the full portfolio expected by May 2026.

The U.S. said Israel and Syria agreed in Paris to create a communication mechanism to coordinate on security, intelligence and commercial matters; a Syrian official said progress on strategic issues requires a binding timeline for Israeli troop withdrawal.

A former Georgia lawmaker is accused of claiming about $13,940 in pandemic unemployment assistance she was not eligible for, and federal prosecutors point to a separate Minnesota scheme that led to convictions over roughly $250 million in stolen aid.

AT&T announced it will move its Downtown Dallas campus to a Plano complex by 2028, a shift reported to affect about 6,000 employees; a Dallas Morning News editorial and local voices linked the decision to downtown safety and quality-of-life concerns.

The U.S. Center for SafeSport has appointed Olympic gold medalist Benita Fitzgerald Mosley as its new CEO; she will begin the role on Feb. 1 after a search that lasted more than six months.

Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canadian crude is low risk and will remain competitive even if Venezuelan output rises after the U.S. capture of President Nicolás Maduro. He noted projects to lower emissions and government moves on pipelines as factors supporting Canada’s position.

Ontario premier Doug Ford urged residents to stock up and renewed his vow to remove Crown Royal from provincial liquor stores after Diageo announced plans to close a Crown Royal plant in Ontario and shift operations to the United States; Diageo has said it will continue core production tasks in Canada and that some bottling for non-US markets will remain in Canada.

A six‑metre roll of self‑adhesive draught‑proofing tape can cost about £3, and the article notes the average variable‑tariff household bill rose to £1,758 on January 1.

Around 600 tourists are stranded on Socotra after the UAE withdrew its troops and the island's main airport closed amid a public rift with Saudi Arabia; Yemeni airlines said a flight to Jeddah is scheduled for Jan. 7.

Rescuers recovered a third body after a tour boat sank near Komodo National Park during a Dec. 26 family holiday; two sons of a Spanish coach remain missing.

Ireland's media watchdog says AI on X was used to create sexualised images, including reports involving minors, and is working with the EU and Irish police; the regulator says parts of the service could be withdrawn while risks are assessed.

Federal Reserve Governor Stephen Miran said he expects well over 100 basis points of rate cuts this year and that underlying inflation is near the Fed's 2% target; his term at the Fed ends January 31.

Amazon Web Services will be Aumovio's preferred cloud provider to support AI-driven autonomous driving development. The tools will be used first for Aurora's planned large-scale deployment of driverless trucks from 2027.

A U.S. military operation removed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and brought him to New York to face criminal charges; legal experts and officials have raised questions about the operation's lawfulness and who will govern Venezuela.

More than 1.3 million people received HMRC 'simple assessment' year-end tax demands in 2023/24, and figures obtained via a Freedom of Information request by Steve Webb indicate the total could approach two million as state pension increases push some incomes above the frozen £12,570 personal allowance.

Heavy snow, ice and freezing temperatures hit parts of Europe, causing multiple reported fatalities and widespread travel disruption, including hundreds of flight cancellations and suspended rail services.

After US intervention in Venezuela, prices of Venezuelan and PDVSA bonds rose sharply, and some investors who bought those bonds when they traded at deep discounts have reported gains. Analysts say any debt restructuring will be complex and could take years.

Many garden herbs can be moved indoors for winter, but they require brighter light, good drainage and careful watering to avoid problems like root rot.

National Savings & Investments has reduced rates on its one-, two-, three- and five-year Income Bonds and British Savings Bonds; the one-year Income Bond now pays 4.00% and the one-year British Savings Bond 4.07%.

Richmond Fed president Tom Barkin said future interest-rate moves must be finely tuned because risks affect both unemployment and inflation; he added that rates are within estimates of neutral after a December quarter-point cut.

SUI Group appointed Brian Quintenz as an independent director effective January 5, 2026, and he will serve on the audit committee. The article also reports the company holds about 105.4 million SUI tokens and has completed several corporate and governance changes.

Lloyds is offering a £250 switching bonus for customers who move to a Club Lloyds current account using the official Current Account Switching service; the promotion runs until early February and payments are made within 30 days.

A lobby group for European steel-using industries says the European Commission's proposed safeguards — cutting tariff-free import quotas and raising duties — would push up costs for manufacturers, while the Commission estimates a smaller average price rise.

Officials said a curfew was imposed in Birgunj after a mosque was vandalized and rival Hindu and Muslim protests began; the Parsa District Administration banned public gatherings and security forces are patrolling the streets.

Bond prices rose after the U.S. removal of Nicolás Maduro, yet analysts say restructuring faces major hurdles from sanctions, political uncertainty and a tangled $150–170 billion creditor network.

Quilter's FOI and HMRC forecasts indicate about 35,000 more families will enter the high income child benefit charge over the next three years, with liable households rising from 324,000 in 2025–26 to 359,000 in 2028–29.

The article reports that 16 sanctioned oil tankers left Venezuelan waters using deceptive navigation and ‘dark mode’ to evade a US blockade, and US officials are drawing up plans to try to intercept a Venezuela-linked tanker that Russia says is on its register.

A Teaching Regulation Agency found Patrick Lawler guilty of professional misconduct and has banned him from teaching; the panel cited concerns for pupils' safeguarding and wellbeing.

Two Edinburgh founders have opened the UK's first vertical distillery in Leith, combining traditional Scotch techniques with research-led innovation; the Port of Leith Distillery says its first single malt will mature in 2028.

U.S. regulators appointed under President Trump are proposing to relax capital requirements and overhaul stress tests, while European and UK authorities have delayed parts of the Basel III Endgame and say they will largely maintain capital levels.