Beth Kozder became pregnant and gave birth to her baby while waiting for British Gas to provide an accurate final bill
A woman says it is “absurd” that British Gas took 15 months to prepare a final bill and refund more than £1,500 in credits, despite the Energy Ombudsman asking the firm to do so almost a year ago.
Beth Kozder moved out of her one-bed flat in south-east London in October 2024 but complained to the ombudsman a few months later when the company did not send her a final bill or refund her credit.
In February 2025, the ombudsman ruled in Beth’s favour and asked British Gas to comply with her request. However, the ombudsman has no legal authority to enforce compliance.
Beth got the offer for her money just this week, just days before her case was scheduled to be heard in small claims court.
British Gas stated that they were “implementing the ombudsman’s remedy.”.
” For Beith, expressing deep regret over the lengthy process.
Beth told the BBC that the process was “relentless and exhausting and completely draining.”.
When she left her flat, she asked for the final bill from British Gas using the meter reading. He also asked her to return £1,700, a few hundred pounds less than expected for his final bill.
“It’s a huge amount of money. Maybe not for British Gas, but it’s for me,” said Beth, who gave birth to her first child in December. “That’s about £2,000 I could have worked with. Then there’s all the admin.”
not legally enforceable
When she did not receive her final bill or refund, she complained to British Gas.
But Beth said she “got nowhere” so she brought her complaint. energy ombudsman.
This is an independent, impartial dispute resolution scheme under which energy customers can make a complaint to their supplier up to eight weeks after first making a complaint.
Energy suppliers are legally obliged to become a member of an independent customer dispute scheme under their licence conditions.
But the Energy Ombudsman is not a statutory body and cannot legally force suppliers to take action.
In 2024, 93,000 complaints were accepted by the Energy Ombudsman, of which about 70% were ruled in favour of consumers, with suppliers being required to take action within 28 days.
Most suppliers met the deadline, but in thousands of cases, they either missed it or took no action.
This has prompted the Department of Energy to consider ways to Strengthen the Energy Ombudsman Having said that, the number of decisions that are not implemented promptly is very high.
Beth Kozder
Beth’s energy bill was for her small, one-bed flat in south-east London
The Ombudsman issued four resolutions in February 2025 in Beth’s case.
British Gas took three minor actions, including a written apology for the shortfall in service and a goodwill credit of £100.
But based on the decision, British Gas was also required to “complete the final billing of the account” [meter]. Beth has already provided the required reading. However, 11 months later, British Gas had still not completed the final billing.
Beth said her only option was to take the legal route through a small claims court.
Beth said it was disappointing how much intervention she had to do as a consumer to resolve the matter.
BBC Radio 4’s Money Box first contacted British Gas about the case in early December and by late Thursday night, Beth was resigned to going to small claims court to settle what she strongly felt she was owed.
British Gas then returned with an offer that included everything Beth had requested, which she gladly accepted.
Beth said she was pleased to have the case resolved but was disappointed it took so many months to do so and felt British Gas had “completely failed” to engage in the ombudsman process.
“I still believe it took an excessive amount of time to reach a resolution.” This is absurd. And the level of intervention it requires on my part as a consumer is unbelievable.”
British Gas said, “We are implementing the ombudsman’s remedy and working with Ms. Cozder to finalise the resolution of her claim.” “We appreciate that this has been difficult for her, and we are very sorry for the time it has taken to put things right.”
Jackie Gehrman, Ofgem’s deputy director of retail compliance, told the BBC that suppliers paid £27m in fines and voluntary payment agreements over consumer issues last year.
“The message to suppliers is obvious. When the ombudsman makes a decision, they should implement it as quickly as possible,” he said.
DESNZ told the BBC: “We are strengthening the Energy Ombudsman so that consumers can be confident that when it has ruled in their favour, action will be taken.”
It may feel as if we’re back in familiar territory – the Duke of Sussex is about to take a case to a London court claiming newspapers use illegal methods to gather information.
But in many ways, Prince Harry appears to be in a different place in his life. It appears that he is now thinking more about reconciliation with his family rather than allegations and counter-allegations.
When the case against the publisher of the Daily Mail begins on Monday, Prince Harry will be energetically fighting the press, yet he no longer seems to be fighting the rest of the world either.
It is the third major court battle for Prince Harry, who has accused newspaper groups of unlawful behaviour and has appeared as a witness in the civil case against Associated Newspapers, along with other claimants, including Sir Elton John, Liz Hurley and Baroness Lawrence, the campaigning mother of murdered Stephen Lawrence.
The Daily Mail’s publishers have dismissed the allegations as “nonsense” and are prepared to mount a robust defence of their journalism.
But the backdrop for Prince Harry feels different from when he gave evidence against the Mirror Group in 2023. That was the year when his no-holds-barred memoir Spare and, after a year, the Harry and Meghan Netflix documentary were released. Both are full of controversial views on the royal family.
His successful court battle against the Mirror was huge news in itself, marking the largest royal appearance in the witness box in modern times.
He had no problem with the questions, but he presented an isolated figure, with no one present in the courtroom except his legal team and security.
But, ahead of his latest court case, the mood music sounds different: he’s now building bridges instead of blowing them up.
Prince Harry talks about his desire to end his differences with his family.
In his BBC interview last May, Prince Harry talks about his desire to end differences with his family Saying, “There is no point in fighting anymore; life is precious.”
And in September, he met his father, King Charles, face to face for the first time in 19 months. This was a sign of improvement in relations.
His UK security review may also ease Harry’s travel. Next year’s Invictus Games will come to Birmingham, his biggest event in the UK since his bitter departure in 2020.
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Prince Harry (pictured with then-Prince Charles in London in 2019) is not expected to meet the king on this tour
Along with this sense of growing rapprochement with his family is the unspoken expectation that Harry will be keeping his head down for the time being, avoiding bombastic interviews, and not rocking the royal boat.
So he will not meet his father during this court case, as the king wants to maintain distance from such high-profile legal proceedings. And his brother Prince William has an engagement in Scotland.
Royal commentator Richard Palmer described it as “Harry’s final tirade at the national newspapers, whom he blames for ruining his life.”.
“His father and the royal family would clearly have preferred not to pursue this trial and are recusing themselves from it. They hope Harry won’t involve the king or family in the evidence.
“If he says the wrong thing, it could affect his hopes of a reconciliation, so I’m sure it will have an impact on his mind.”
But he adds, “It’s interesting that, as far as we know, he is not planning to give any interviews to publicise this case. He is in a different place now, calmer and less eager to mend differences with his family.
Royal commentator Professor Pauline MacLaren also thinks Harry is likely to keep a low profile “given his desire to rebuild bridges, certainly with his father and reports he is expected to join him at the opening of the Invictus Games”.
“They might have learnt that as far as the royals are concerned, less is more.
She adds, “So as long as he continues his pursuit against Associated Newspapers, I think he will stay out of the spotlight.”
Monday’s hearing may be his last court campaign against the papers, but Prince Harry should know it won’t be the easiest one for him.
Unlike other newspaper groups, The Mail and Mail on Sunday were never caught up in an investigation into a phone-hacking scandal or illegal payments to public officials more than a decade ago.
The editor of the Mail, Paul Dacre, told the Leveson inquiry into press standards in 2012 that he had conducted a “major internal investigation” and was “confident” that there was no case of phone hacking by his newspapers.
Yes, their reporters used private investigators with databases to legally obtain phone numbers, so they didn’t have to go through phone books. He described the inquiry as ending when one of the investigators admitted a data security breach.
Reuters/Getty
Liz Hurley, Baroness Doreen Lawrence and Sir Elton John are among the contenders.
Fast forward to October 2022; suddenly, six very famous people accused Associated Newspapers of not only accessing their voicemail messages and using private investigators to “blag” their personal information but also bugging phones and using invasive surveillance techniques.
To top it all, one of them was Baroness Doreen Lawrence. The Mail strongly supported her campaign to bring her son Stephen’s killers to justice in the 1990s.
Now, he claims that a senior reporter had tasked investigators with phone tapping and bugging to get information for stories.
It was a bombshell in a long history of allegations against the press.
In the suit, the claimants – Baroness Lawrence, Prince Harry, actresses Elizabeth Hurley and Sadie Frost Law, Sir Elton John, her husband David Furnish and former Liberal Democrat minister Sir Simon Hughes, who joined the action at a later stage – must prove that journalists working for Associated Newspapers had their privacy violated.
The first challenge: there is a six-year statute of limitations to claim a privacy violation, starting from when it happened, and some allegations are decades old. To avoid this rule, they must show that they did not know they had a possible case until recently.
Associated alleges that to achieve this, privacy friendly journalists published articles on fringe news websites to create an artificial “watershed moment” when it could be claimed that the victims had “discovered” the truth about what the newspapers had done. The other side vehemently denies this. The judge will decide.
Some of the evidence they were hoping to deploy came from private investigators themselves. Some payment has been made for the information. While this may not be a significant issue in civil courts, the judge must weigh whether it compromises the credibility of their evidence.
There have also been dramatic disputes behind the scenes between researchers working for the claimants and private investigators who were expected to become star witnesses.
One, Gavin Burrows, appears to have signed a lengthy statement detailing what he knew about the use of illegal methods but later claimed that his signature had been forged. They are expected to give evidence.
Prince Harry’s legal team also hoped to prove the general claim that illegal practices were “widespread or habitual” at Associated Newspapers, partly because the journalists joined from other publications where it was also routine and were using the same private investigators.
After all, what was the possibility that the competitors Mail and Mail on Sunday did not use illegal techniques to obtain information that was widely disseminated by the Sun, News of the World, The Mirror and the Sunday Mirror?
But the no-nonsense judges presiding over these often ill-tempered proceedings are desperate to prevent them from turning into “public enquiries”. Last year, he ruled that he would not accept these “normal” claims.
In short, the Big Seven will have to present their case, allegation after allegation. Team Harry begins the test with one hand tied behind his back.
Unless an agreement is reached, as happened in the Case against the newsgroup newspapers Prince Harry will present his claim against the unfair and dishonest excesses of press intrusion in the High Court. He holds this cause in high regard.
Once the case is over, sources close to Harry suggest his priority will be to support his charitable work, and there are no further court cases against the media currently in the pipeline.
Israel is objecting to the White House announcement.
In a rare criticism of the US, the government of its close ally, Israel, is objecting to the White House announcement of leaders who will play a role in monitoring the next steps in Gaza.
Netanyahu’s office issued a statement on Saturday, a day after the announcement. The Executive Committee in Gaza stated that its actions “were not coordinated with Israel and are contrary to its policy.” The statement said that Netanyahu has asked the Foreign Minister to contact US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Minutes after the statement from Netanyahu’s office, Israel’s far-right National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, supported the prime minister in a statement and urged him to order the army to prepare to return to combat.
The White House released the names of some leaders who will play roles on the committee. The list does not include any Israeli officials but does include one Israeli businessman.
Other members announced so far include Rubio, President Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, US special envoy Steve Witkoff, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Ali Shaath, an engineer from Gaza and former Palestinian Authority official, Apollo Global Management CEO Mark Rowan, World Bank President Ajay Banga, and Mr. Trump’s deputy national security adviser, Robert Gabriel.
The White House has said the executive committee will advance the vision of a Trump-led “peace board”, whose members have not yet been named.
A US official confirmed this to CBS News on Saturday. A report from Bloomberg stated that Mr. Trump wants countries seeking a permanent seat on the Peace Board to contribute $1 billion. Bloomberg reports that countries that choose not to contribute $1 billion will only be eligible for three-year terms.
The U.S. An official told CBS News that, although there is no requirement to join the board, if countries want to become permanent members, they can contribute $1 billion instead of just a three-year membership.
The US official informed CBS News that the board would use any contributions to rebuild Gaza. The official stated that the board would direct the expenditure of “almost every dollar” raised, promising no “excessive salaries” or “administrative burdens.”.
The White House also announced members of a new Palestinian committee to run the day-to-day affairs of Gaza under the oversight of the executive committee.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney was invited by Mr Trump to join the board, an offer he intends to accept, a senior aide told Agence France-Presse on Saturday. A senior Canadian government official declined to provide additional details.
Meanwhile, Egypt and Türkiye are said to be reviewing Mr Trump’s invitation to join the group. Egypt’s foreign minister told a news conference that President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi had been invited to attend, while Turkey’s president said President Tayyip Erdogan had received a letter from the US president.
Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Gaza’s second-largest militant group after Hamas, also expressed dissatisfaction with the formation of the executive committee in a statement, claiming it reflected Israeli “idiosyncracies.”.
Earlier this week, Witkoff announced the US was moving forward with what the White House called phase two of the Gaza peace plan. This would include the formation of a new Palestinian committee in Gaza, the deployment of international security forces, the disarmament of Hamas; and the reconstruction of the war-torn region.
In a post, as for X, Witkoff said that the agreement also includes Hamas returning the remains of the last deceased hostage still in Gaza.
“Failure to do so would have serious consequences,” Witkoff wrote.
The ceasefire took effect on 10 October, with the first phase focusing on the return of all remaining hostages in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian detainees, as well as an increase in humanitarian aid and a partial withdrawal of Israeli forces in Gaza.
Australian overlander Dan Grek has revealed how a two-year, 40,000-mile drive on the Pan-American Highway pushed him to his physical limits.
Dan opens up about his adventures on the road (Image: The Road Chose Me/Youtube)
‘The Road Chose Me’ travelled 40,000 miles from Alaska to Argentina and encountered some of the most extreme and unforgettable landscapes on the planet.
The Pan-American Highway stretches from Prudhoe Bay in Alaska, the northernmost point of the United States, to Ushuaia at the southern tip of Argentina.
It’s officially the longest road in the world and, for Australian overlander Dan Greck, it was the scene of an epic two-year adventure. Dan, who documents his journey on his YouTube page, ‘
The Pan-American Highway is not a single, continuous strip of tarmac but a network of roads stretching about 30,000 kilometres (19,000 miles) from Prudhoe Bay in Alaska to Ushuaia in Argentina, passing through about 14 countries in North, Central, and South America. It crosses deserts, rainforests, mountain ranges and some of the most remote areas on the planet, earning a reputation as one of the best long-distance drives.
Greeley’s own travels, from Alaska to Argentina, took him across that vast landscape (Image: Dan Greeley)
However, for motorists, the route is famously incomplete. The Darien Gap – a dense, jagged expanse of jungle and swampland between Panama and Colombia – remains closed to roads, forcing travellers to send their vehicles by sea or air to get south. The gap, approximately 100 kilometres wide, has long resisted construction due to environmental concerns, geography and security issues, making it one of the defining challenges of the Pan-American journey.
Greeley’s own travels, from Alaska to Argentina, took him across vast landscapes and some of the most extreme environments on Earth. Reflecting on the experience, he said, “My name is Dan Greck, and this is a special episode designed to have you—and me—excited to get back out there for a ground trip. As I prepare for my next expedition, I’ve been digging through old notes and photos and reliving some of the incredible moments I’ve had on the road.”
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From glaciers and active volcanoes to high-altitude mountain treks and vast salt flats, Greck says one moment in particular tested him like no other. While the Pan-American Highway is often talked about in terms of scale and distance, Grek says its true impact lies in the experiences along the way.
Dan said, “People often ask me what the best part of driving from Alaska to Argentina was. That trip took two years and covered nearly 40,000 miles, and it’s impossible to narrow it down to just one place. So instead, I want to share five defining experiences from that trip – the moments that really stayed with me.”
Alaska: Kayaking among icebergs
The first of them came in Alaska, where the highway begins its long journey southward. Greck headed to the coastal city of Valdez, best known as the southern terminus of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline and the site of the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill, one of the worst environmental disasters in U.S. history. There, he encountered an opportunity that would set the tone for the journey.
“When I was in Alaska, I was looking for an activity that was really epic and really unforgettable. I was walking around town, and I saw an organisation that guides kayak trips into the Columbia Glacier and Ice Field,” he said.
“All the ice coming out of the mouth of the glacier breaks off and falls into the ocean. And then you can kayak across these icebergs, and it was a lot of money at the time, I think a few hundred dollars, but I decided to do it, and it was one of the most amazing experiences of my entire life.”
dan in alaska (Image: Dan Greeley)
Floating among icebergs fresh from the glacier, Greeley described a surreal landscape where pieces of ice ranged from tiny pieces to towering blocks the size of buses. “You could reach out and touch them,” he recalled. “Icebergs would roll away. There were little sea otters in the middle of all this ice. It was the most surreal, beautiful thing I’ve ever seen in my life, and it was so incredible.”
guaTemala: Lava and Marshmallows
From the snowy north, the Pan-American Highway takes travellers into Central America, where the terrain – and dangers – change dramatically. In Guatemala, the Greeks faced another defining moment at Volcán Pacaya, one of the country’s most active volcanoes.
“When I was in Guatemala, there was a volcano called Vulcan Pacaya,” he said. “It’s quite active and has lava visible often, and so I paid again to go on the tour; it’s a lot easier than driving myself. I think the tour cost $15, and after we parked at the base of the volcano, we all climbed up in a large group, despite the heat.
Volcán Pacaya is one of the most active volcanoes in the country. (Image: Dan Greeley)
A close encounter with flowing lava ensued, highlighting the delicate balance between adventure and danger on the Pan-American route. He added, “Then, right in front of me, I could see flowing lava, literally liquid rock sliding down the mountain.
“And because I was in Guatemala, I mean, there’s no security there. There are no fences. It was easy to walk very close to the point where some people’s shoes were melting on the rocks.
“I had marshmallows, and I roasted them on the lava. A few times, I pushed the roasting stick into the lava, and it would vaporise almost instantly as I pushed it in.
Ecuador: Climbing Cotopaxi
South America brought even greater physical challenges. In Ecuador, a country divided by the Pan-American Highway that runs along the spine of the Andes, Greeley spent several months living at altitude near Cotopaxi, one of the world’s highest active volcanoes. At an altitude of 5,897 metres, Cotopaxi dominates the surrounding landscape and tests even experienced climbers.
After months of acclimatisation, Greeley decided to attempt the climb. “Finally, I decided to go and climb to the top of it,” he said. “So we geared up and we walked up there. In the afternoon, we practiced walking the glacier.
“Then we slept in the shelter at an altitude of about 4,800 metres, which is very high. And then we started hiking to the summit in pitch darkness.”
The Greeks spent several months living at altitude near Cotopaxi. (Image: Dan Greeley)
It was here, well above sea level, that the journey presented its toughest test. “It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life,” he said.
“At that altitude, the air is so thin that it was really difficult to breathe, and I’ll never forget it. I’d take two steps, and then I’d breathe as hard as I could for five seconds before taking two more steps.
“Cotopaxi is an active volcano, and so it’s possible to climb that mountain in those kinds of difficult conditions. It’s the hardest physical thing I’ve ever done in my entire life and also one of the most rewarding.”
Peru: Trekking on the Cordillera Huahuash
Peru presented a different kind of challenge. While the Pan-American Highway largely skirts the coast there, Greeley detoured deep into the Andes to climb the Cordillera Huahuasca, a remote mountain range made famous by the survival story it tells. touching the void.
“I walked up to a viewpoint one morning and was looking up at the mountain on which this accident with Joe Simpson happened, and the whole scene plays out into this valley. I was standing there looking over the valley from above. It was one of those moments in my life when I just couldn’t believe where I was and couldn’t believe that I had made it real.
“From a small town in Australia. No chance to leave this small farming town, all the way to standing at the scene of one of the most epic mountaineering stories ever told.”
charity in peru (Image: Dan Greeley)
Lyrics: Evia – foreign landscape of salt flats
The final decisive chapter of the trip came in Bolivia, where the Pan-American Highway connects some of the continent’s most isolated regions. The Greek joins other overlanders to cross the Salar de Uyuni, the world’s largest salt flat.
Dan said, “We drove over the salt flats and then spent three or four days driving over the most alien landscape I’ve ever seen in my life. Salt is incredibly flat and uniform, and because there’s nothing to scale, you get these really weird perspective effects.
The group then headed towards the Atacama Desert. “This is a very remote area, where it was scorching hot during the day for several days; I would get badly sunburnt and then stay well below freezing overnight.”
“So we were in these extremely harsh conditions and stunning landscapes that looked like nothing I’d ever been in before on the planet,” he said. “There’s nothing to compare it to; nowhere else on earth looks like Bolivia.” Hot summer days were followed by cool nights with no signs of civilisation for long periods of time – a reminder of how unforgiving some parts of the Pan-American route can be.
dan in Bolivia (Image: The Road Chose Me/Youtube)
For the Greeks, the journey was more than just reaching the end point. Crossing into Chile and descending toward San Pedro de Atacama marks the conclusion of the most remote section of the drive, but it also cements that the Pan-American Highway continues to attract travellers.
That mix of scale, danger and discovery is what keeps the road famous. From Arctic ice fields to volcanic slopes, dense forests to high-altitude deserts, the Pan-American Highway is less a single road than a collection of extremes – and for those who attempt it from start to finish, it is as much a test of curiosity as it is patience.
As the Greeks’ journey shows, the world’s longest road is defined not by how far it stretches, but by what it demands – and gives back – to those willing to follow it all the way.
You can follow Dan’s travel adventures on YouTube and Instagram.
After a long trip to Saudi Arabia for the Spanish Super Cup, Barcelona return to action away from home at Santander. The Copa Del Rey Round of 16 takes place midweek.
But their calendar doesn’t send them home just yet, as they now have to travel to the Basque Country to take on Real Sociedad at the Anoeta, or as it’s now called, the Real Arena.
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Pellegrino Matarazzo’s team has seen good results since taking charge earlier this month. They have two wins and a draw in their first three games under the new coach and will be looking to build on the momentum tonight.
Barcelona’s win over Racing Santander in midweek marked a special landmark for the team in terms of their winning streak.
the result of Copa Del Rey The round of 16 saw the team win 11 consecutive games without dropping a point, equalling some of the best runs of form in team history.
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Hansi Flick achieved a feat by reaching 11 consecutive victories There are very few coaches in the history of the club. For starters, Pep Guardiola’s unstoppable Barcelona won 11 in a row in the 2009 season that saw them win the treble.
Hansi Flick has reached new heights with this Barcelona team. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)
Luis Enrique repeated the feat in 2015 as his side won 11 in a row in that campaign. Amazingly, the Catalans won the UEFA Champions League on that occasion as well.
Flick, who reached that special figure in the previous match, shows that the team is destined to do something special this season – but tonight he has the chance to do something special and even surpass the records of Guardiola and Enrique.
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Frank Rijkaard holds the record for the longest winning streak in Barcelona history, having led the team to 18 consecutive victories across all competitions. While it’s still a long way to go, Flick’s side edges closer to the impossible with each win from this point.
A awaited debut
D Copa Del Rey The midweek fixture was much closer than many expected and it forced Hansi Flick to bring big names into the team late to see results.
Although the team successfully completed the match and managed to rest some key players, Flick was unable to achieve his objectives for the night, which allowed Joao Cancelo to make his debut.
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The Portuguese international returned to the club earlier this month and will remain with the Blaugrana until the end of the season. The manager has spoken of his attacking potential and it will be interesting to see where he fits in Flick’s dynamic.
In all likelihood, Cancelo’s debut will be against La Real And it remains to be seen whether the manager uses him as a backup right-back or left-back.
Furthermore, Cancelo’s official integration into Flick’s plans would also free up some of the manager’s centre-back options who are currently stuck in the full-back role at the same time, such as the likes of Gerard Martin, Erik Garcia and possibly Jules Kounde.
All eyes will be on Cancelo’s performance in his few minutes off the bench and the manager’s plans for him.
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Memories of turning around
Barcelona’s first season under Hansi Flick was close to a dream season, as the club was seemingly unstoppable on all fronts.
Can Barcelona continue their momentum against Real Sociedad? (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images )
In all, they won just six in La Liga, two in the UEFA Champions League, and were unbeaten in the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup.
Real Sociedad at Anoeta, however, was a match they failed to win last season and was one of six league games in which the team dropped three points last season.
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Furthermore, it served as the start of Barcelona’s end-of-year slump in Flick’s first season, which saw them fall behind in the title race and lose steam until the Christmas break.
On the night, it was Sheraldo Becker who scored in the 33rd minute to give the hosts the lead and Barcelona were well and truly beaten on the night, as they produced an xG of just 0.64 to La Real’s 2.02.
Anoeta, thus, was one of two away stadiums where Flick’s side lost last season and they will be looking to overturn those results and memories tomorrow as they reach high on confidence.
US President Donald Trump has imposed tariffs on goods arriving here from countries around the world.
Trump argues the move will boost American manufacturing and create jobs, but critics warn of higher prices and damage to the global economy.
But he has also used the taxes to make other demands and has threatened tariffs on eight countries, including Britain, over opposition to his proposed annexation of Greenland.
Typically, the fee is a percentage of an item’s value.
For example, a 10% tariff on a $10 product would mean a $1 tax on top – bringing the total cost to $11 (£8.17).
Companies that import foreign products pay taxes to the government.
These companies may pass on some or all of the extra costs to their customers, which means regular Americans and other American businesses.
They may also decide to import fewer goods.
Why is Trump using tariffs?
Trump says the tariffs increase the amount of taxes the government raises, encourage consumers to buy more American-made goods and promote investment in the US.
He wants to reduce America’s trade deficit – the difference between the value of goods it buys from other countries and the value of goods it sells to them.
Trump has also utilised taxes to impose additional demands.
For example, when he announced tariffs against China, Mexico, and Canada, he said countries should do more to stop immigrants and illegal drugs.Fentanyl is reaching America.
Trump has now threatened to impose new tariffs beginning in February on eight countries that oppose his proposed annexation of Greenland.
Several tariffs have been amended or delayed following the announcement.
Why is the Supreme Court considering the legality of Trump’s tariffs?
Trump’s tariffs have faced several legal challenges because of the way they were introduced.
Instead of obtaining congressional approval for tariffs, the Trump administration used the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act. Declaring an emergency under the law means Trump can issue immediate orders and bypass established procedure.
In August 2025, a US appeals court ruled that most of Trump’s tariffs were illegal but left them in place.
The White House asked the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn that decision, and it began hearing arguments in the case in November 2025.
A decision is expected in the coming weeks.
On January 12, Trump posted on social media that it would be “totally messed up” if the Supreme Court struck down his tariffs and warned of difficulties if businesses were told they could claim refunds.
Trump said, “It’ll take years to figure out the numbers and who gets paid, when and where.”
Talks are ongoing with several countries, including America’s top three trading partners.
China, Canada and Mexico were warned they would face particularly high tariffs:
Mexico faces a 30% tariff on its goods, as well as sector-specific levies and a 25% fentanyl tariff. However, like Canada, most of its goods are exempt under the USMCA. The tariffs were put on hold until the end of October to allow time to strike a deal. On October 27, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced that she and Trump had agreed to extend the deadline by “a few more weeks.” speaking terms
A patchwork of different rates applies for other countries.
Many of these stem from Trump’s announcement in April 2025 that a “baseline” of 10% would apply to imports from all countries. The nations agreed that the “worst offenders” would face higher rates in retaliation for unfair trade policies.
After delays to allow trade talks, new tariff rates for dozens of countries were introduced in August.
These include:
On January 13, Trump announced that the US will impose 25% tariffs on countries that continue to trade with Iran, following Tehran’s crackdown on anti-government protests, which has resulted in thousands of people feared dead.
The US President announced on January 17 that he would impose 10% tariffs on eight countries opposing their proposed annexation of Greenland.
Additional tariffs on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands and Finland will come into effect on February 1 but could later rise to 25%—and remain in place until a deal is reached.
What is the UK tariff deal?
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In June 2025, the UK negotiated a 10% US tariff rate, the lowest ever of any country that has made a deal with Trump.
It exported goods worth approximately £58 billion to America in 2024 – mainly cars, machinery and pharmaceuticals.
The 10% rate applies to the first 100,000 UK vehicles exported each year – approximately the number of cars sold in 2024. Additional vehicles face the standard 25% tariff.
The agreement also allows both countries to sell beef to each other. Some US ethanol would face 0% tariffs instead of 19%.
Trump announced in June that “the deal is done” but did not confirm his expectation that all tariffs on steel imports from Britain would be removed.
The UK is the only country that does not face 50% tariffs on steel and aluminium. Instead, the UK pays a tariff of 25%.
The BBC understands UK plans to scrap tariffs on steel exports are altogether now banned.
However, speaking to reporters ahead of his second state visit to Britain in September, Trump said he was “helping” Britain improve the deal.
Which goods will be affected by Trump’s tariffs?
Trump’s announced taxes target specific products, irrespective of their manufacturing location.
These include:
reuters
The US is the world’s largest importer of steel, after the EU, with most of it coming from Canada, Brazil, Mexico, and South Korea.
Additionally, Trump ended rebates on imports valued at $800 (£592) or less.
This means low-cost goods are no longer duty-free – a move that will affect millions of packages sent every day, including those from online retailers like Shein and Temu.
Companies sending parcels will now have to pay a fee based on the tariff rate that applies to the country from which the item was sent. Otherwise, for six months, they can choose to pay a fixed fee between $80 and $200 per package.
The White House confirmed on January 2 it had cut proposed tariffs on some imported pasta by about 92%.
The government alleged that some Italian-made goods were being sold in the US at “below the normal price,” undercutting local producers, but it reduced tariffs after constructive engagement with the companies concerned.
In November, Trump signs an executive order exempting several other food products from tariffs, which include avocados, bananas, beef, and coffee. The administration said it took this action because the specified goods could not be produced domestically in sufficient quantities.
Are prices rising for American consumers?
Shoppers have seen prices rise on some products, including toys, appliances and furniture, as well as some food items.
American inflation was 3% in 12 months until September, increasing from April, when it was 2.4%.
It fell to 2.7% in November. It remained at the same level in December, which was lower than many analysts had expected.
Several companies have said they will pass the tariff cost on to the U.S. Customers include Target, Walmart, and Adidas.
The cost of goods manufactured in the US using imported components is also expected to increase.
For instance, car parts often traverse multiple borders in the US, Mexico, and Canada before completing a vehicle’s assembly.
How are tariffs affecting the US and global economies?
Trump was accused of throwing the global economy into turmoil by announcing tariffs ahead of his second presidential term.
However, in October 2025, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) stated that while financial markets had largely recovered, the overall economic picture remained volatile and that US tariffs were negatively impacting the economy.
It forecasts global growth of 3.2% for 2025 and 3.1% in 2026. That was a modest increase from its July predictions but below the 3.3% projected for both years before Trump announced the measures.
He believes the US economy will grow 2% in 2025 and 2.1% in 2026. This is lower than the 2.8% growth recorded in 2024 but still the fastest among the world’s most advanced economies.
Recent US data shows the economy gaining momentum in the three months to September 2025 as consumer spending rebounded and exports increased.
The economy grew at an annual rate of 4.3%, up from 3.8% in the previous quarter. This was better than expected and marked the strongest growth in two years.
Alexander Zverev of Germany (AP Photo/Dita Alonkara)
Aryna Sabalenka began her pursuit of a third Australian Open crown in four years on Sunday, but not without an early stumble.
On a record-breaking opening day in Melbourne, Alexander Zverev also had to maintain his composure to advance to the second round.
As day one unfolded, attention then shifted to Carlos Alcaraz, who was set to kick off her campaign.
while 45-year-old Venus Williams is set to make history as the oldest woman to compete in a Grand Slam. Sabalenka,
The world number one and tournament favourite was pushed early before asserting her dominance against French wildcard Tiansoa Rakotomanga Rajaona.
Still smarting from her loss to Madison Keys in the 2025 final, the Belarusian needed time to find her rhythm, committing a number of unforced errors before closing out a 6-4, 6-1 win at Rod Laver Arena.
“It’s always difficult to play someone pathetic, someone you don’t know and a lefty,” Sabalenka said after the match. The 20-year-old Rajaonah played with freedom and energy.
But Sabalenka’s strength, experience and shot selection proved decisive in the end. Roger Federer and Rod Laver sitting courtside admitting the top seeds added another layer of pressure to the occasion.
I hope you enjoyed watching my game; I hope you enjoyed it a little bit,” Sabalenka said during her on-court interview, addressing the two legends.
Her next opponent will be Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova or Chinese qualifier Bai Zhuoxuan. Co-title contenders Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff are scheduled to begin their campaign on Monday.
Earlier in the day, Alexander Zverev survived a scare in turbulent conditions. The third seed dropped the opening set to 41st-ranked Gabriel Diallo of Canada and briefly fell short before regrouping to win 6-7 (1/7), 6-1, 6-4, 6-2.
Asked how she managed to turn things around, last year’s runner-up was blunt. “I thought it couldn’t get any worse,” Zverev said.
Germany will next face Australia’s Alexey Poperin or France’s Alexandre Muller. Women’s seeds had smooth passage for some.
Seventh-seeded Italian Jasmine Paolini defeated Aleksandra Sasnovich 6-1, 6-2, while 12th-seeded Elina Svitolina of Ukraine beat Christina Buksa of Spain 6-4, 6-1.
However, the draw was not an upset. British qualifier Arthur Ferry beat Italy’s 20th seed Flavio Cobolli 7-6 (7/1), 6-4, 6-1.
Dayana Yastremska, the 26th seed from Ukraine, also crashed out after losing 6-4, 7-5 to Romania’s Elena-Gabrila Rus. Another Ukrainian, Marta Kostyuk, went down at the first hurdle, losing in three sets to France’s Elsa Jacquemot.
The attendance was the highest in the history of the Australian Open.
Tournament organisers confirmed a day attendance of 73,235, the highest in Australian Open history, although the surge led to complaints of long queues at the gate.
The severity of the conditions was highlighted when a ball girl fainted during a match between Jenep Sonmaj and Ekaterina Alexandrov, prompting both players to rush to her aid as temperatures neared 30 degrees Celsius.
Later on Sunday, all eyes will be on Carlos Alcaraz. The 22-year-old Spaniard will face world number 79 Adam Walton in the final match of the day at the Rod Laver Arena.
Alcaraz has already won titles at the US Open, Wimbledon and the French Open, leaving the Australian Open as the only missing piece in her Grand Slam collection.
His best result to date in Melbourne is a quarter-final appearance, and he has made no secret of his ambitions to dethrone reigning champion Jannik Sinner in 2026.
If successful, Alcaraz would overtake Rafael Nadal to complete the youngest career Grand Slam.
Meanwhile, Venus Williams returns to Melbourne for the first time since 2021 after receiving a wildcard.
Now ranked 576, the former world No. 1 faces a tough opening test against 69th-ranked Olga Danilovic of Serbia.
Williams was knocked out in the first round of both of her prep tournaments and has rarely competed in recent seasons.
UAE raises minimum wage: What is Dubai’s new wage for workers in different sectors?
Dubai and the wider UAE are pushing a major shift in private sector compensation norms with a new minimum wage policy for Emirati workers as part of broader efforts to strengthen labour standards and promote Emiratisation.
Although the UAE historically did not have a universal minimum wage, recent regulatory changes have introduced a formal basis for Emirati citizens employed in the private sector.
Employers, economists, and migrant workers are closely monitoring this move.
As of January 01, 2026, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) has mandated that Emirati employees in the private sector must receive a salary of at least AED 6,000 per month, up from the previous requirement of AED 5,000.
This salary limit applies to all new, renewed and amended work permits for Emirati citizens and companies must adjust the salaries of currently employed Emiratis to meet this limit by June 30.
2026. Companies failing to comply will face potential penalties from July 01, 2026, including exclusion from emirate quotas and suspension of new work permits.
underscoring the government’s commitment to implementing the policy. Although this new minimum wage only applies to UAE nationals, not expatriate workers,
It marks an important policy development in a labour market that has long been characterised by the absence of a legally binding wage level for foreign workers.
Traditionally, pay levels for non-citizens vary widely across sectors, ranging from skilled professionals earning above the market average to low-paid labor roles with no statutory minimums.
reflecting the UAE’s free-market approach to compensation. Federal law requires that wages be sufficient to meet basic living needs, but until now there has been no minimum wage enforced nationwide.
Minimum Wage Guidelines in Dubai/UAE
There is no universal statutory minimum wage in all sectors in the UAE. However, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) has issued salary guidelines for specific categories of employees, which many employers use as benchmarks.
University graduates are recommended to earn a minimum monthly salary of AED 12,000.
skilled technician The recommended minimum salary for, for example, diploma holders with professional training is AED 7,000 per month.
For skilled labourers, it is advisable to earn at least AED 5,000 per month if they hold a secondary school certificate.
Emirati Citizens (Private Sector): From 1 January 2026, the UAE government has set the minimum wage for Emirati citizens working in the private sector at AED 6,000 per month, up from AED 5,000 previously. This applies to all Emiratis with a new, renewed or amended work permit – employers cannot process work permit applications with salaries below AED 6,000. Employers will have to adjust the salaries of existing Emirati employees to AED 6,000 by 30 June 2026. After that date, penalties include excluding the employee from the emirate quota and suspending new work permits for non-compliant firms.
Migrant Workers: There is no formal minimum wage for migrant workers in Dubai or the UAE; compensation levels vary widely by industry, skill level, and contract terms, even though pay should generally be enough to meet basic employee needs according to labour law.
Previous guideline-style minimum wage recommendations (e.g., AED 5,000–12,000 for graduates or technicians) mentioned in some 2025 reports were only recommendations and not a legal minimum.
The new AED 6,000 minimum wage for Emiratis is part of the UAE’s broader Emiratisation strategy to promote citizen participation in the private workforce and ensure competitive, fair compensation.
These figures do not represent legally enforceable minimum wages but are widely used as industry standards and visa/salary benchmarks for certain roles in Dubai/UAE.
The UAE’s current labour framework (until 2025) does not include any binding minimum wage law, although MoHRE has the authority to set one in the future.
Average Monthly Salary in Dubai, UAE, by Industry (2025-26) (Typical Monthly Range)
Sector/Industry
Average Monthly Salary (AED)
About: Monthly Salary (USD)
notes
Information Technology (IT)
12,000-45,000
$3,270-$12,260
Cloud, AI and data roles command a premium
Banking & Finance
15,000-65,000
$4,090-$17,710
Top-level senior finance roles
Healthcare
8,000-60,000
$2,180-$16,350
specialist and surgeon highest
oil and energy
18,000-70,000
$4,900-$19,070
Technical and engineering roles get paid more
construction engineering
10,000-50,000
$2,725-$13,620
project manager at upper band
Retail & Hospitality
4,000-15,000
$1,090-$4,090
Wide variation according to brand/role
marketing Advertising
5,500-25,000
$1,500-$6,810
creative vs leadership difference
Logistics and Transportation
9,000-30,000
$2,450-$8,170
demand-driven sector
Career Stage/Experience Level Salary in Dubai, UAE
experience level
Typical Monthly Salary (AED)
About: Monthly Salary (USD)
Entry Level / Freshers
8,000-12,000
$2,180-$3,270
mid-level professional
15,000-25,000
$4,090-$6,810
senior roles
28,000-45,000
$7,630-$12,260
executive director
50,000-120,000
$13,620-$32,700
Average monthly salary in UAE cities
City/Emirate
Average Monthly Salary (AED)
About: Monthly Salary (USD)
Abu Dhabi
~21,000
~$5,720
Dubai
15,700-21,500
$4,280-$5,860
Sharjah/Ajman
19,000–20,400
$5,180-$5,560
Typical entry-level roles Salaries often start around AED 8,000-12,000/month (typically $2,180-$3,270/month), although some lower-skilled roles can be AED 3,000-6,000+, especially in retail, service, or construction (about $820-$1,635).
experienced professional Those in high-growth sectors like tech, finance, and healthcare typically earn AED 20,000-50,000+ per month (typically $5,450-$13,620+ per month).
Top officials and experts Those in leadership or specialised fields can earn upwards of AED 60,000-100,000+ (earning $16,350-$27,250+, with some leadership roles exceeding $32,700/month).
Economists and human resources experts say the policy supports the UAE’s Emiratisation strategy.
which aims to increase citizen participation in private sector employment while ensuring competitive, fair compensation.
Employers are now facing both administrative and cultural changes as they adjust payroll systems, modify contracts and align hiring policies with updated labour standards.
As the UAE modernises its labour laws, other reforms—including a potentially broader minimum wage framework—remain part of the ongoing discussion among policymakers, workers, and business leaders.
Scattered pieces of debris have been found after an Indonesian plane carrying 11 people crashed.
Rescue workers confirmed on Sunday that pieces of plane debris had been found in South Sulawesi, a day after it disappeared mid-flight.
Wreckage of an aircraft found during search and rescue operations in Maros, South Sulawesi. Credit: EPA.Debris was left scattered on a hill. Credit: X
Rescue workers confirmed Sunday that debris had been found a day after the plane went missing. Credit: EPA.
New footage shows debris strewn across the steep mountainside, reinforcing suspicions that the crash was unsurvivable and no passengers have yet been located.
The ATR 42-500 aircraft were operated by Indonesia Air Transport for the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries.
There were eight crew members and three ministry employees on board; their fate has still not been officially confirmed.
Contact with the plane was lost around 1:30 p.m. local time on Saturday, as it was flying near the Maros region while travelling from Yogyakarta to Makassar.
At 7:46 a.m. Sunday, helicopter crews spotted the first signs of debris in the rugged terrain of Mount Bulusarang.
Rescuers found several debris sites, including broken windows and parts of the fuselage scattered on the mountain slopes.
The tail of the aircraft was later identified at the foot of the mountain range, confirming the scale of the impact.
Flightradar24 data showed that the plane’s last signal was transmitted while flying at a low altitude over the sea, about 20 kilometres from Makassar’s Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport.
Authorities believe the plane crashed while on approach to the airport, with terrain and weather likely causing difficulty in the final moments of the flight.
Indonesia’s National Transportation Safety Committee has launched an investigation to determine the cause of the accident.
Officials said the plane was just 12 miles from its destination when it disappeared from radar.
Local residents reported that a sound “like burning material” was heard, followed by a loud explosion shortly before the debris was discovered.
Hikers on Mount Bulusarang said they saw scattered debris, including a logo believed to be that of Indonesia Air.
Small fires have also been reported in the area where the debris was found.
Rescue workers are now searching the wreckage amid growing concerns that “all 11 people on board died” in the crash.
Rescue efforts on the ground have been slow due to dense fog and steep mountainous terrain.
Major General Bangun Nawoko, Hasanuddin military commander for South Sulawesi, said the sighting had been reported to authorities and was being confirmed by rescue teams attempting to reach the scene.
Andy Sultan, the head of the Makassar Basarnas operations section, reported that AirNav’s coordinates led to the deployment of 60 search and rescue personnel.
Rescue workers found dozens of scattered remains of the plane. Credit: ViralPressThe flight lost contact with air traffic control just 12 miles from its final destination (stock). Credit: Indonesia Air Transport
“We have moved towards the location of the coordinates around the Liang-Liang area,” Sultan said.
Air Transport Director General Luqman F. Laisa said air traffic control had attempted to redirect the plane after it deviated from its approach path.
“It was discovered that the aircraft was not on the approach path where it was supposed to be, so air traffic control redirected the crew to correct the situation,” Laisa said.
He said further instructions were issued before communication broke down and the emergency phase was declared.
Officials said the plane’s low altitude near the coast limited radar coverage at the last minute.
The aircraft, registered as PK-THT, is owned by Indonesia Air Transport, a charter company that operates long-term government contracts for maritime and fisheries surveillance.
60 rescue workers have been deployed to search the hilly area. Credit: ViralPress
Pakistan has been invited to join the Gaza “peace board” being set up by US President Donald Trump, the Foreign Office said on Sunday. Responding to media queries, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said that the invitation has been formally sent by the US President.
US lawmakers call India a strategic partner, reject Pakistan as an ally and name China as the top threat
“The Prime Minister of Pakistan has received an invitation from the President of the United States to join the peace board on Gaza.”
Andrabi said, according to ANI. He said Pakistan will continue to engage in international initiatives aimed at restoring stability in Gaza and work towards a long-term solution to the Palestine issue in line with UN resolutions.
He said, “Pakistan will remain engaged in international efforts for peace and security in Gaza, leading to a permanent solution to the Palestine issue in accordance with UN resolutions.
“The invitation comes as the US administration moves to formalise the composition of a “peace board”, a key element of Trump’s broader Gaza roadmap.
On Friday the White House announced appointments to the board that will oversee the second phase of Trump’s 20-point peace plan to end the Gaza conflict.
According to a White House statement, the appointees include US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair,
Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff; World Bank President Ajay Banga; and Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner.
The panel also included Mark Rowan, CEO of Apollo Global Management, and Robert Gabriel, US Deputy National Security Advisor.”
Executive Board members will oversee a defined portfolio critical to Gaza’s stabilization and long-term success, including, but not limited to, governance capacity building, regional engagement, reconstruction, investment attraction, large-scale funding, and capital mobilisation.”
the White House said. Trump will serve as chair of the peace board and has appointed Aryeh Lightstone and Josh Gruenbaum as senior advisers to oversee daily strategy and operations.
Executive Board member Nikolay Mladenov will serve as High Representative for Gaza and liaison with the National Committee for Gaza Administration (NCAG).
The White House said the NCAG is a central element of the second phase of the plan and will be led by Ali Shaath, who will oversee the restoration of public services, the reconstruction of civilian institutions, and the stabilisation of daily life in Gaza.
The statement also outlined security arrangements under the plan, announcing the appointment of Major General Jasper Jeffers as commander of the International Stabilization Force to oversee security operations.
demilitarisation efforts and the delivery of humanitarian assistance. The White House said the Gaza Executive Board will include Blair,
Kushner and Witkoff, as well as Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Qatari diplomat Ali Al Thawadi and other international representatives.
Beth Kozder
Beth Kozder
Beth Kozder
