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Poundland Administration Fears Put 12,000 Jobs at Risk
Poundland administration fears grow as bosses file a notice of intention, putting around 600 stores and about 12,000 jobs at risk. A notice of intention gives a company a short period of protection from creditor action while it explores its options. It does not, by itself, mean stores will close immediately, but it signals serious financial pressure and that administration…
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John Healey Welfare Bill Row: What the Chancellor Actually Promised Before the Next Election
Chancellor John Healey told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that “there will be a reduction in the benefits bill” before the next general election, setting off a row on Thursday 29 October 2026 over whether he had promised a cut. The interview was broadcast on Thursday morning, after Healey delivered his first Budget on Wednesday 28 October 2026. Within hours,…
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Tech
Microsoft and Alphabet Earnings Split the AI Trade: Cloud Growth Meets a Cash Test
Microsoft and Alphabet earnings split the AI trade on 29 October 2026. Microsoft beat forecasts as Azure grew 48%, while Alphabet fell after negative free cash flow despite Google Cloud doubling. The contrast put cloud growth and cash generation on opposite sides of the same investment debate. Quick Reference CompanyHeadline resultCloud signalInvestor focusMicrosoftBeat forecastsAzure grew 48%Cloud growthAlphabetShares fellGoogle Cloud doublingNegative…
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U.K News / US News
Ofcom Sets Out Four Age Checks for UK Under-16 Social Media Ban
Ofcom has set out how age checks for the UK’s planned under-16 social media ban could work, after publishing a rapid assessment on Thursday, 29 October 2026. The regulator says four methods could be highly effective at showing whether a user is aged 16 or over, while warning that no system will stop every child from getting around the rules.…
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U.K News / US News
UK Defence Spending to Reach 3% of GDP by 2030 as Healey Sets Out NATO Funding Path
The UK will aim to spend 3% of GDP on defence by 2030, Chancellor John Healey confirmed in his first Budget on Wednesday 28 October 2026, setting a target date for a pledge that had previously been promised without a firm timetable. The announcement, made in the House of Commons, also restated Britain’s NATO commitment to spend 3.5% of GDP…
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Federal Reserve Holds Interest Rates at 3.75–4% in 10–2 Vote as December Hike Odds Climb
The Federal Reserve holds interest rates at 3.75% to 4% after its meeting on Wednesday 28 October 2026 in Washington, pausing one month after its first rate rise in three years. The decision keeps borrowing costs unchanged while inflation stays above the central bank’s 2% target, and it sets up a closely watched meeting on 8–9 December 2026 as the…
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U.K News / US News
UK Budget 2026 Energy Payment: £100 for 20 Million Households as Bank Surcharge Rises
Chancellor John Healey announced a £100 Household Energy Payment for about 20 million households in his first Budget on Wednesday 28 October 2026, funded in part by a temporary rise in the bank surcharge. The payment, worth £2.6 billion in total, will go to households in council tax bands A to D and will be paid directly into bank accounts.…
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Trump’s £7.5 Billion BBC Lawsuit at Risk as Judge Sets November 23 Documents Deadline
Donald Trump’s £7.5 billion ($10 billion) defamation lawsuit against the BBC is at risk of dismissal after a Miami judge warned that his legal team must produce the documents requested in the case by 23 November. The warning puts the Trump BBC lawsuit on a tight timetable, with a privilege log also due by 5 November. The case, brought in…
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UK Graduate Visa Stays at Two Years for High-Compliance Universities After Budget 2026
Chancellor John Healey used his first Budget on Wednesday, 28 October 2026, to soften one of the most closely watched changes facing international students in Britain. The UK Graduate visa will be set at two years for graduates of high-compliance universities where there are strong labour market outcomes, rather than falling to 18 months for everyone. The announcement lands just…
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RAJAR Q3 2026: UK Radio Listening Hits All-Time High at 51 Million
UK radio listening has reached a new record in RAJAR Q3 2026, with 51 million people listening each week, up 2% year on year, according to RadioToday. Global puts the all-time high at 51.2 million adults a week, or 87% of the population, with listeners tuning in for more than 20 hours a week on average. Digital listening continued to…
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