Business

President Donald Trump addressed the nation about the U.S. capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife. Starlink said Sunday it is offering free broadband internet service in Venezuela through Feb. 3, citing efforts to maintain connectivity after U.S. forces arrested President Nicolás Maduro during a military operation. The satellite internet provider announced the move in a post on X that was also shared by company owner Elon Musk, who has increasingly positioned Starlink as a communications lifeline during crises."In support of the people of Venezuela," Elon Musk wrote. The announcement came one day after U.S. forces carried out a military operation in Venezuela that resulted in the arrest of Maduro, according to U.S. officials, marking a dramatic escalation in te...

Households are being urged to check if they could earn as much as £18,570 tax-free with a Personal Allowance loophole via HMRC. Normally, anyone who works can only earn £12,570 without paying Income Tax on it - this is known as the Personal Allowance, and it's been frozen since 2021 and recently, it was extended for an additional three years, until 2031.But if you earned under £18,570 in a year, you could boost your tax-free allowance all the way to that number using a HMRC loophole known as the Starting Rate for Savings. Starting Rate for Savings allows people to add another £5,000 to their tax-free allowance for savings interest income. If you earn less than £12,570 from work or your pension, you can get the full £5,000 allowance, which means you’re allowed to earn up to £5,000 in int...

Taxpayers are encouraged to check they are on the right tax code. HMRC recently shared some guidance about when you may see a change in your tax code.It is worth checking you are on the correct tax code, as this is used by your employer or your pension provider to calculate how much income tax to deduct from your payments. If you are on the wrong tax code, you could either pay too much tax or not enough.You can find your tax code in several ways, including using a tool on the Government website. You can also view your tax code through the HMRC app, on a recent payslip or on a 'Tax Code Notice' letter from HMRC, if you have received one.A taxpayer asked HMRC about their tax code as it had recently changed. Messaging the group on social media, the person said: "Today I noticed a differenc...

President Donald Trump addressed the nation about the U.S. capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife. American energy firms have yet to say whether they plan to return to Venezuela to resurrect an oil industry hollowed out by years of neglect. Chevron, the only U.S. energy titan operating in Venezuela, said in a statement to Fox News Digital that it was following "relevant laws and regulations.""Chevron remains focused on the safety and well-being of our employees, as well as the integrity of our assets," a Chevron spokesperson added. ‘WE BUILT VENEZUELA’S OIL INDUSTRY:’ TRUMP VOWS US ENERGY RETURN AFTER MADURO CAPTURE ConocoPhillips wrote in a statement to Fox News Digital that it is monitoring the developments in Venezuela as well as the "potential implications ...

British Gas is offering £2,000 to state pensioners in need this winter. It’s freezing cold, energy bills have gone up again on January 1 - a whopping 5.1% for electricity-only users - and the cost of living continues to bite, even years after the crisis first began.For many, despite the reintroduction of the universal Winter Fuel Payment, the increase in the national living wage set to kick in from April and boosts to Universal Credit, it’s still tough to make ends meet. That’s one of the reasons British Gas offers its British Gas Energy Support Fund, which offers up to £2,000 to households, including state pension households, to claim if they are struggling with energy debts. The firm's Energy Support Fund is open to applications from British Gas customers with credit or pre-payment me...

President Donald Trump addressed the nation about the U.S. capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife. Over the weekend, U.S. special forces executed a daring raid on Caracas, capturing the now-former dictator of the country, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife, subsequently taking them to New York, where both were indicted on multiple charges, including narco-terrorism conspiracy and cocaine importation conspiracy. What next? After Maduro was captured, President Donald Trump said the U.S. would initially take over the administration of Venezuela. "We will run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition," he told reporters at Mar-a-Lago in Florida. "We can't take a chance that someone else takes over Venezuela who doesn't have the inte...

HMRC has clarified the tax rules that apply when selling items online. You may have some items to sell, such as unwanted Christmas presents, or if you are starting a side hustle where you will be sending out items to your customers.The tax rules can be confusing, as different taxes may apply depending on your specific circumstances. Asked for guidance on the issue, a HMRC spokesperson said: "As has always been the case, if you’re not trading and just occasionally sell unwanted items online, there is no tax due."Some people who are trading via websites, or selling services online, may need to be paying tax and register for self assessment. Our Help for Hustles campaign helps those with income from side hustles understand their tax obligations and avoid any surprises."The group said that ...

State pensioners across the UK are urged to make a phone call for a £150 boost in January. The boost comes as part of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s (DESNZ) Warm Home Discount Scheme, which provides eligible households a one-off £150 discount off their electricity bills this winter.Those who qualify will see the discount applied to their bill automatically by their energy supplier, rather than the money being paid into their bank account. There are different ways to qualify for the scheme depending on where you live, but it is available to households in England, Wales and Scotland. State pensioners will qualify for the £150 discount if they are the named bill payer on their energy bill and receive Pension Credit. Other households can also qualify for the discount if t...

Households in one part of the UK are being handed vouchers of up to £300 to spend in nine supermarkets from January. The supermarket vouchers are being awarded to eligible homes in Surrey as part of the Department for Work and Pensions’ (DWP) Household Support Fund, with other local councils giving out cost of living support in other areas of the UK too.The DWP scheme gives local councils across England a share of a funding pot worth £742 million to help vulnerable households afford everyday living costs over the winter months, including energy bills, food and other essentials. The funding is allocated from now until March 31, 2026, and local councils independently decide how to share the cash, so depending on where you live, there may be different criteria to qualify for the support.In...

Nationwide Building Society has issued a message to its customers about the future of its branches. The mutual currently has 605 Nationwide branches, as well as 91 Virgin Money branches, following its acquisition of Virgin Money in 2024.The group recently stated that there are 133 local areas where Nationwide is the only savings provider with a branch remaining. As many banks and building societies reduce their in-person presence, customers may wonder if Nationwide will soon follow suit.But the building society has assured its members that there is no danger of branch closures for the next few years. In a three-word message seen in several branch windows, the group assures: "We're staying put."Nationwide announced recently that it will continue to keep open every one of its 696 Nationwi...