Top World News

Jan 17, 2026 - World

Chocolate treats reduced in size or weight as higher price of cocoa drives new wave of ‘shrinkflation’Chocolate eggs are looking smaller than ever this year and it is not just because Easter is still so far away.Many of the Easter eggs already out on supermarket shelves this month not only cost more, but have been reduced in size or weight as the price of cocoa has driven a new wave of shrinkflation. Continue reading...

Jan 17, 2026 - World

Betting exchange appeared to miss multiple opportunities to stop ‘VIP’ customer betting with stolen money Betfair is under pressure to hand tens of thousands of pounds to the victim of a fraudster and gambling addict, after appearing to miss multiple opportunities to stop the “VIP” customer betting with stolen money.Andrew Morford, a former finance manager, was given a two-year suspended sentence on Wednesday, after admitting a £340,000 fraud against his former employer, carried out between May 2019 and February 2024. Continue reading...

Jan 17, 2026 - World

Taxpayers talk of having to borrow cash and wait for months amid ‘significant backlogs’ in processing of claimsSome people are waiting a year or more for HM Revenue and Customs to refund overpaid tax and national insurance contributions (NICs).In some cases, refunds that were previously processed within a few weeks are taking 10 months or more, an investigation by Guardian Money has found. Continue reading...

Jan 17, 2026 - World

In historic speech to mark UN’s 80th anniversary, secretary general makes impassioned plea for multilateralism and international law amid drastic US funding cutsThe United Nations secretary general, António Guterres, will warn on Saturday of the peril posed by “powerful forces lining up to undermine global cooperation” in an address to mark the 80th anniversary of the UN’s first major meeting.Speaking in London’s Methodist Central Hall – the site where eight decades earlier delegates from 51 countries came together for the inaugural session of the general assembly – the UN head will make an impassioned plea for the virtues of multilateralism and international law to prevail during a period of deepening global uncertainty. Continue reading...

Jan 17, 2026 - World

As international treaty comes into force, bill to make it law in Britain is moving at ‘glacial pace’ through parliamentThe UK risks being shut out of a historic oceans summit because parliament has failed to ratify the UN’s high seas treaty, environmental charities and campaigners have warned.The high seas treaty, formally known as the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction, comes into force on Saturday, after two decades of talks. Continue reading...