New UK rules for buy now, pay later (BNPL) took effect from Wednesday, requiring providers to be authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority and to run an affordability check on every transaction. Consumers also gain access to the Financial Ombudsman Service for unresolved complaints and Section 75-style refund rights on faulty goods costing more than £100. Major providers including Klarna and Clearpay are directly affected. Kate Pender of Fair4All Finance estimated 10% to 30% of users could be turned down and may move to more expensive or unregulated credit options.

The Jackdaw gas field has been completed and is awaiting approval, with production expected to begin on 1 October and supply around 6% of the UK’s winter gas demand. With only about eight days of gas storage, the country faces tighter options if renewables output falls short or supply risks escalate. Regulators are reviewing a revised environmental impact assessment, while the final decision rests with Energy Secretary Ed Miliband.

Channel Islands fuel suppliers Rubis and ATF Fuels said retail petrol and diesel prices in Guernsey and Jersey have been falling for weeks as wholesale costs decline. Diesel recorded its fastest monthly drop since 2000 in June, down 17p a litre, while petrol prices fell more modestly. Although damage to refining infrastructure linked to the Iran war has slowed the fall in refined-product costs, the companies said lower wholesale prices are now feeding through to forecourts.

The UK and the European Union will introduce new steel import controls from 1 July 2026, cutting tariff-free quotas by 51% in the UK and 47% in the EU, with a 50% tariff on imports above the limits. Manufacturers in Northern Ireland, including steel-reliant firms in the Mid Ulster industrial hub, say the measures will sharply raise costs and erode export competitiveness. Industry representatives warn the policy could threaten jobs and divert millions of pounds of turnover abroad, while Stormont’s economy minister has criticised the approach for overlooking downstream businesses.

A BBC investigation found Instagram served paid ads in India promoting child sexual abuse material, using keywords such as “rape video” and directing users to Telegram channels. Meta said it had disabled several adverts and suspended accounts, and later removed additional ads, disabled more accounts and blocked URLs after the BBC shared its findings. The BBC said Instagram’s systems declined to remove one ad within 24 hours, saying it did not violate the platform’s rules. The BBC said it reported the ads and Telegram channels to Indian law enforcement and to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), and noted Meta was ordered to pay $375m in a similar case in the US state of New Mexico.

Singapore police have seized a S$55 million luxury home, alleging part of the purchase was funded by proceeds from smuggling NVIDIA AI chips. The case involves Aperia Group and other local tech companies accused of using false end-use claims to obtain server orders and skirt U.S. export controls on advanced AI chips. The U.S. Department of Justice has previously identified Singapore as a key transit hub. Authorities said the action is Singapore’s first such enforcement move in 2025 targeting corporate entities, underscoring tighter scrutiny.

Britain’s energy regulator Ofgem has raised its price cap, lifting household gas bills by 24% and electricity bills by 5%, largely due to higher gas costs. Cornwall Insight said the fallout from the USIsraeli war with Iran continues to push up energy prices into the winter even after a temporary USIran truce. The new cap covers 33 million households, and the push to submit meter readings has grown more urgent as smart meter take-up remains limited.

Australia’s consumer watchdog has sued Amazon, alleging it used unfair contract terms affecting more than a million annual Prime subscribers between November 2023 and August 2025. The regulator says Amazon inserted ads into Prime Video and required users to pay extra to keep the service ad-free, despite many having prepaid for a year. The case is at an early stage and there has been no ruling or penalty.