Wednesday, 21 October 2026

Chery plans to establish an Australian research and development centre to adapt vehicles across its brand range to local driving conditions, roads and weather. The Chinese automaker's Stockman diesel plug-in hybrid ute, set to be Australia's first diesel PHEV ute, remains on track for deliveries from February 2027. Chery is already working with Australian engineering firm Premcar on testing the Stockman's ride and handling. The company has not disclosed a location, opening date or investment amount for the R&D centre.

Week 9 of the 2026 Western Pennsylvania high school football season is underway, marking the second week of the 'stretch run'. Several teams have already qualified for the WPIAL playoffs across multiple classifications. One game, Yough's Class 3A Three Rivers Conference home match against Propel Braddock Hills, has been postponed, bringing the total to five games expected to be rescheduled before 31 October. Top matchups include unbeaten Central Catholic visiting Canon-McMillan on Friday.

Babydog, the English bulldog belonging to US Senator Jim Justice, was officially sworn in as a B.A.R.K. Ranger at New River Gorge National Park and Preserve in West Virginia. The B.A.R.K. Ranger program is a National Park Service initiative that teaches dog owners how to safely explore and protect national parks with their pets. Justice used the ceremony to highlight the Hearts of Gold Playground legislation, which recently passed the Senate and would rename the park's playground in honour of West Virginia children and families affected by childhood cancer.

Nancy Pelosi's office received a suspicious letter on Wednesday, the latest in a series of mailings sent to congressional offices. More than three dozen members of Congress across both parties have received envelopes containing white powder in recent days. One office said preliminary tests showed the powder was not hazardous. The FBI, Capitol Police and US Postal Inspection Service are investigating the mailings.

Gotion, a Chinese-owned electric vehicle battery manufacturer, has settled its legal dispute with Green Charter Township in Michigan. Gotion sued the township in March 2024 for nearly $24 million in damages, but under the settlement agreement announced this week, the company will drop the lawsuit and abandon the project entirely. The township will repay $160,000 related to a fire contract and $1 in damages, while the state of Michigan will drop its demand for Gotion to repay over $24 million in grant funding.

Firefighters tackled a large fire at an industrial unit containing tyres on Kemp Road in Dagenham. Ten fire engines and around 70 firefighters were called at 9.57pm on Wednesday, 21 October. A significant area of the unit was damaged. Local residents were advised to keep their doors and windows shut due to heavy smoke. The fire was under control by shortly after 11.30pm, with firefighters remaining at the scene for several hours to dampen down the area. The cause is under investigation.

North Dakota's Class B cross country season concludes on Friday in Jamestown with the state finals. New Town's Kade Lambert, a sophomore, is a top contender on the boys side after winning his regional with a personal best time of 16:08. Des Lacs-Burlington are also heading to the state meet, with team chemistry and mentorship driving their preparation.

Meta has struck a deal with chief executive Mark Zuckerberg to keep him in California after he threatened to leave the state over a proposed billionaire wealth tax. Proposition 40, which voters will decide on 3 November, would impose a one-time 5 per cent tax on the state's billionaires. Zuckerberg, worth approximately $239 billion, told Meta's board in September that the measure could force him to sell voting shares to pay a potential tax bill of around $12.5 billion, reducing his control of the company. Meta's board approved a new class of non-voting shares that Zuckerberg can sell to cover the tax without diluting his voting power. In return, Zuckerberg has committed to remain a California resident for eight years.

Shady Side Academy successfully defended its Class 3A WPIAL girls team tennis title, defeating Bethel Park 4-1 on Wednesday at Washington & Jefferson College. North Catholic won the Class 2A crown by beating defending champion Quaker Valley 3-2, claiming their second title in three years. North Catholic coach Dorothy Dohanics said the team had improved since losing the championship last year, whilst Shady Side Academy coach David Hasley noted the repeat victory marked their seventh WPIAL team championship.

An Amazon employee named Laura Danbom has sued the company, alleging she was raped by Michelangelo Simonte, a senior advertising executive, during a business trip to New York City on 27 October 2023. According to the lawsuit, the two attended an Amazon-hosted event and karaoke bars with colleagues before Simonte persuaded her to return to her hotel room, where the alleged assault occurred. Danbom claims Amazon failed to conduct a full investigation and told her to keep quiet about the allegations, violating Washington State's Silenced No More Act, which protects workplace assault victims from retaliation.

General Motors has revealed its fourth-generation EV platform will run exclusively on lithium manganese-rich (LMR) battery cells, which offer lower costs and improved performance for mainstream buyers. GM president Mark Reuss announced the platform at the GM Forward event in New York, saying it will underpin vehicles in the automaker's highest-volume segments. The first LMR-equipped vehicles are due in 2028.

New Zealand's annual consumer price index reached 3.7 per cent, below most forecasts but remaining outside the Reserve Bank's target band. The figure, driven largely by fuel costs which rose 19 per cent, comes a week before the country's election on 7 November and ahead of a Reserve Bank meeting on 28 October. A rate rise of 25 basis points is considered 75 per cent likely at that meeting.

Channel 4 aired The Experiment, a controversial documentary exploring how susceptible the British public are to Nazi ideology about disabled people. Presenters Mat Fraser and Sophie Morgan created a fake residential care home called SegriLife and invited members of the public to tour it, with disabled actors posing as residents. The experiment examined whether visitors would question policies inspired by Nazi segregation and eugenics. The programme has sparked fierce debate on social media, with some viewers praising its urgency and others criticising Channel 4 for broadcasting it.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's campaign has spent nearly $50,000 on luxury hotel stays across the country since April, according to Federal Election Commission filings. The New York Democrat's re-election campaign made 45 hotel charges during this period, including $5,044 at The Memphian in Memphis and $2,694 at The Candler Hotel in Atlanta. Critics have contrasted the spending with AOC's public messaging against wealth inequality.

A police officer was shot in the foot at a bus stop on Angel Row in Nottingham city centre at around 4.50am on Sunday, 18 October, after approaching two people acting suspiciously. Aisha Zaman, 27, of Collison Street, Hyson Green, has been charged with possession of a prohibited firearm and possession of a firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence. The BBC reports the firearm was an adapted shotgun. She appeared at Nottingham Magistrates' Court on Friday and was remanded in custody. The officer, named in court as PC Lee Lane, remains in hospital receiving treatment. The BBC reports he has had several surgeries following the shooting. Seven other people have been arrested in connection with the incident.

Mandan Middle School in North Dakota held its fourth Unity Day event, a nationwide initiative recognised in October as part of National Bullying Prevention Month. Students and first responders participated in activities including lesson plans, guest speakers and a dodgeball competition, with the school decorated in orange to symbolise unity. The event held particular meaning this year following recent losses in the community, with students saying it helped them reflect on kindness and inclusion.

Missouri voters will choose a new state auditor on November 3 from three candidates: Republican incumbent Scott Fitzpatrick, Democrat Quentin Wilson and Libertarian Dustin Coffell. Fitzpatrick, who took office in 2023 after serving as state lawmaker and treasurer, has completed over 300 audits since his appointment. Coffell, chair of Missouri's Libertarian Party with a background in accounting, argues the auditor role should not be partisan and calls for auditing every state government department.

Two U.S. Customs and Border Protection vehicles were seen at an early voting site in Tallahassee on Monday. Leon County Supervisor of Elections Mark Earley initially filed a complaint with the FBI. However, the FBI later clarified that the agents mistakenly thought they could vote there, and immediately left when they realised they were not Leon County voters. Federal agents were also reportedly spotted at a polling location in Key Largo, where a Florida attorney was arrested for allegedly threatening to kill immigration officials.

A 16-year-old boy was stabbed and struck over the head in Everton on Wednesday afternoon and remains in hospital in serious condition. Two teenagers — aged 16 and 15 — have been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. A 37-year-old man and a 41-year-old woman were also arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender. Merseyside Police attended the incident near the Lutine Bell on Breck Road at approximately 2.15pm. All four remain in custody.

The US Supreme Court has agreed to review an 1868 federal law that prohibits home distilling of spirits, whilst home brewing of beer and wine remains legal. The case will examine whether Congress's constitutional taxing authority justifies the restriction. Lower courts have reached conflicting conclusions, with one finding the ban unconstitutional and another upholding it. A ruling is expected in summer 2027.

Nearly 100 children and staff at Bentwood Elementary School in Overland Park, Kansas have contracted norovirus. The outbreak began on 5 October, and within seven days enough similar illnesses had been reported for county health officials to be contacted. A parent told local news she was surprised by how quickly the virus spread, saying it was more concerning than typical seasonal illnesses. The Johnson County Department of Health and Environment said 95 people at the school and two family members contracted the virus, though the true number may be higher given norovirus's contagiousness. The school conducted additional daily disinfections throughout the outbreak.

Missouri Senator Eric Schmitt has warned that the unrest engulfing France is a preview of what Democrats want for America. Riots, fires and looting have swept France after protests over rising living costs and strained public services turned violent, prompting curfews in parts of Paris and other cities. Schmitt told Fox News Digital that Republicans need to show voters what they have delivered, pointing to Boeing's selection to build military aircraft in Missouri as an example of cooperation with the Trump administration yielding manufacturing jobs.

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes is demanding Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap immediately restore the voting status of 24 people he had marked as ineligible. Mayes' office has threatened to sue Heap, arguing he violated Arizona law. An investigation into 207 registered voters suspected of not being U.S. citizens found that 52 of the 60 who had cast ballots were actually citizens, yet 24 remain marked as ineligible.

Meta's third-quarter profit jumped more than threefold to $9.86 billion, or $3.83 per share, while revenue grew 26 per cent to $64.60 billion, exceeding Wall Street expectations of $63.34 billion. The company reached an $18 billion settlement with 48 U.S. states over social media's effects on teen mental health, which included a $9.89 billion charge in the quarter. CEO Mark Zuckerberg said Meta had hit 'major milestones' with the launch of Muse, its personal artificial intelligence agent, which has attracted over 10 million accounts in the U.S. and Canada since August.

Michael Polanco, 32, attempted to kidnap a 13-year-old girl in broad daylight on Monday outside a Shell gas station in Miramar, about 20 miles outside Miami, according to police. He grabbed her by the neck and walked her towards another area of the parking lot, but she realised something was wrong and broke free. Surveillance footage captured the incident. A witness working at a nearby auto shop saw Polanco grab the child and yelled at him, causing the girl to run into the gas station and call 911. Witnesses told police that Polanco made disturbing comments to the girl.

Linkt, the major toll provider for Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane's arterial roadways, has shut down all online services until 7am on Monday for a system upgrade. Commuters cannot pay instantly through their accounts, but roads remain open and trips will be charged later. Those with auto top-up enabled are warned they may face larger-than-usual fees when services resume.

Sioux Falls Mayor Christine Erickson is holding a series of listening sessions called 'Sioux Falls Listens' to gather resident ideas on improving the city during her first 100 days. Led by the mayor's 10-member transition team, sessions are taking place at the Dakota State University Community Room at Levitt at the Falls, with the first focusing on arts and resident experience, followed by meetings on business and economic development.

Vice President JD Vance headlined a midterm rally at the D&N Event Center in North Platte on Thursday, announcing a $1.3 billion investment in domestic fertilizer manufacturing across Nebraska. Talos Ag will open two new facilities in the state as part of the initiative, which Vance said will supply American-made, lower-cost fertilizer to 32,000 farmers nationwide and reduce reliance on foreign supply chains. Several Nebraska Republicans seeking re-election spoke at the event, including Sen. Pete Ricketts, Rep. Adrian Smith, Gov. Jim Pillen, and Attorney General Mike Hilgers.

Judge William Sullivan has denied a motion by Lindsay Clancy's defence attorney to question the lone holdout juror in her triple-murder case. The juror's refusal to convict led to a mistrial being declared in September. Clancy's lawyer had sought an evidentiary hearing to investigate whether the juror lied during jury selection or misused a cellphone during deliberations, but Sullivan ruled that post-trial evidence cannot be used to challenge the mistrial declaration.

Vice President JD Vance has condemned WNBA Finals players for leaving the court during the national anthem, calling the protest 'disgraceful'. Players from the Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries walked out before games in the Finals despite a league rule requiring players to stand during the performance.

Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old retired American teacher from Michigan, was freed from a Russian prison on Wednesday after spending more than four years there. President Donald Trump said he had asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to secure Hubbard's release during a phone call earlier this month. Hubbard did not realise he was being released until he saw an American flag on the plane carrying him to safety.

A violent overnight storm swept through the Phoenix area on Wednesday, uprooting trees and causing widespread damage. More than 2,400 APS customers and nearly 2,000 SRP customers lost power, though numbers dropped to a few hundred within hours. The storm damaged apartment complexes, vehicles and knocked down stadium lights at a park.

Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum has removed Egyptian mummies from display as a mark of respect, citing lack of 'informed consent' from the deceased. Glasgow Life, which runs the museum, said the decision reflects contemporary museum practice and aligns with the International Council of Museums' revised Code of Ethics published in June 2026. The removed items include a coffin containing the remains of priest Nekht, a mummified hand from the Valley of the Kings, and a mummified head and foot. Glasgow Life plans to remove further human remains from other galleries and from St Mungo Museum.

The Welsh government will hold an independent review of the previous Labour administration's handling of Covid-19, to be overseen by effectiveness and constitution minister Dafydd Trystan Davies. Campaigners representing bereaved families have long called for a Wales-specific inquiry, something the former Labour government refused. However, first minister Rhun ap Iorwerth has confirmed the review will not have statutory powers to compel witnesses to give evidence under oath, despite Plaid Cymru's pre-election promises. Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice Cymru warned they will not participate unless the review has such powers.

Real Madrid secured their third consecutive Champions League victory by thrashing RB Leipzig 4-1 on Wednesday. Bernardo Silva, Arda Guler, Kylian Mbappe and Yan Diomande scored for Jose Mourinho's side, with Tidiam Gomis replying for the German club.

Victoria's Liberal Party has launched digital advertisement campaigns at service stations in Premier Ben Carroll's electorate mocking his accidental petrol drive-off. The AI-generated ads show Mr Carroll grinning with car keys as a service station worker chases him, with the message 'Hey Ben, don't forget to pay because we're sick of paying for Labor'. Mr Carroll drove off without paying a $90 petrol bill on Monday whilst returning a pencil case to his daughter's friend's house, which he described as an error after a long day of work. Some social media commenters criticised the Liberal Party campaign as 'childish', noting serious issues facing Victoria including road safety and upcoming interest rate rises.

Warrenpoint Town achieved a major upset by beating Crusaders 5–2 after extra-time in the BetMcLean Cup, booking their place in the next round. Rory Powell scored a hat-trick in the victory. Warrenpoint manager Gary Boyle praised Powell's 'excellent' performance and suggested the second-tier side's win will attract attention to the player.

The Trump administration is asking a federal judge to reconsider a permit for the New England Wind project off Massachusetts, approved in 2024 during the Biden administration. This is the fourth offshore wind project the Republican administration has targeted in recent months. The Justice Department argues the permit should be sent back to the Interior Department because it was approved despite major adverse impacts.

Allegheny County has become the first county in the nation to mandate 12 weeks of paid parental leave for employers with 15 or more employees. County Executive Sara Innamorato proposed the policy in May, and the county council approved it with an 11-4 vote. The mandate applies to businesses based elsewhere that have employees working in the county. PennLive reports that a third of nearly 400 surveyed businesses said the policy would force them to move operations out of the county, raising concerns about competitive disadvantage since neighbouring counties have no such requirement.

Becky Drury, a 54-year-old teacher at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, has described how she survived the school shooting on 15 October by pretending to be dead. Shot at close range by the gunman as she tried to shut her classroom door, Drury said her left hand was almost completely severed and her other arm severely injured. Unable to move or defend herself, she remained motionless on the floor, hoping the shooter would believe her dead and not fire again. The attack killed three children and a 25-year-old teacher. A 16-year-old former student, Griffin J. John II, opened fire before being fatally shot by an armed bystander.

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua left Thursday's practice with a calf injury, compounding a difficult week for the 2-4 team. Nacua had 37 catches and 417 yards this season. NFL insider Ian Rapoport said Friday that tests showed the injury was not serious, though Nacua's availability for Sunday's game against Las Vegas remains uncertain. The Rams are already without wide receiver Davante Adams, who was placed on injured reserve after Sunday's loss to Arizona.

Party in the Paddock has announced its headline artists for 2027 at Quercus Park in Tasmania. The festival organisers have described the line-up as their 'boldest' yet. No further details about the artists were provided in the available reports.

Juan Carlos Flores pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree manslaughter, dropping other charges including first-degree murder. In December 2024, Flores stabbed 39-year-old Alonzo Little in a home in northwestern Sioux Falls after the two got into a fight whilst using drugs. Police arrested Flores after he stole Little's car and crashed it. He now faces up to life imprisonment, with sentencing to be announced.

Manuel Otto, a 30-year-old German influencer and video game creator, died after setting himself on fire during a livestream on Twitch on Tuesday evening. Otto created Stick Run when he was 14 years old; the free-to-play game has been played by more than 43 million people globally. His body was found following a fire at a property in Bavaria after a neighbour noticed the blaze and attempted to extinguish it. Stick Run stated that Otto 'appeared to have taken his own life' during the broadcast. Twitch removed his channel and the video, saying the incident was 'horrible' and encouraging anyone struggling to seek support.

Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella has removed dozens of exhibits from the National Museum, describing the action as a cultural 'counterrevolution' to prevent cultural institutions being taken over by what he calls 'atheist social communism'. The removed exhibits addressed social movements, feminist and LGBTQ+ activism, and Colombia's political violence. The removals have sparked protests from civil rights groups, artists and students who accuse the government of censorship.

Cornell Green, a five-time Pro Bowl and Super Bowl-winning Dallas Cowboys defensive back, died on Wednesday. Green spent his entire 13-year career with the Cowboys from 1962 to 1974, winning a Super Bowl in 1972 as part of the famed 'Doomsday Defense'. Remarkably, he never missed a game in 13 seasons, starting 167 of 168 contests and recording 34 career interceptions.

Two people have been killed by debris from a drone intercepted near Saudi Aramco's Shaybah oil field by Saudi air defences, according to the energy ministry. The victims were a Filipino and a Nepali; two others, from Pakistan and India, were injured. The incident comes amid escalating Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia from Yemen.

Two critical vulnerabilities were discovered in PHP, a programming language that powers roughly 70% of websites globally. The FBI's cyber division and the PHP Foundation warned Wednesday that the flaws could allow attackers to remotely execute code and gain unauthorised access to systems without passwords. Governments and organisations across Europe and the United States took websites offline to apply security updates. The vulnerabilities were detected with help from artificial intelligence.

Ten new Sydney Metro stations will open on 30 October, serving Bankstown, Punchbowl, Wiley Park, Lakemba, Belmore, Campsie, Canterbury, Hurlstone Park, Dulwich Hill and Marrickville. The driverless underground network will slash journey times from Bankstown to Central station from over an hour to about 28 minutes. NSW Premier Chris Minns called the opening a 'huge moment for southwest Sydney', saying it would give the region access to the same fast, reliable transport as other parts of the city.

A viral clip from Monday's 49ers game showed quarterback Brock Purdy yelling 'Hey Kyle!' at coach Kyle Shanahan on the sideline, sparking speculation about friction between them. Shanahan explained on Wednesday that the outburst was due to a helmet communication issue: Purdy was asking for a play call to be repeated because it had been cut off at the 15-second mark, not because Shanahan was slow to call plays.

Declan Rice salvaged a point for Arsenal with a late equaliser in a 2-2 draw against Bayern Munich in the Champions League at the Allianz Arena. Eberechi Eze gave Arsenal the lead early in the second half after coming on for injured Bukayo Saka, but Harry Kane inspired Bayern's comeback with a sublime assist for Alphonso Davies and a penalty conversion. Rice's clinical finish in the 82nd minute earned the draw and maintained Arsenal's unbeaten start to the competition after wins over Napoli and Lille. Kane's penalty was his 16th goal in matches against Arsenal and extended his scoring streak to ten consecutive Champions League games, one short of Cristiano Ronaldo's record.

Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, told the Police Federation that government indecision over the early release of PC Andrew Harper's killers made his colleagues' jobs harder. Prime Minister Andy Burnham initially resisted further restrictions on early release after Albert Bowers and Jessie Cole, convicted of Harper's manslaughter in 2020, became eligible next year, but later announced anyone convicted of unlawful killing would be excluded.

More than 750 miles of roads in Yorkshire and The Humber will be repaired this year as part of a major government investment. The region is receiving £220 million, £75 million more than before the current government came to power. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said potholes have been a 'national embarrassment' but that new funding and accountability measures mean drivers will see safer, smoother journeys.

The US State Department has ordered non-essential diplomats and their families to leave Saudi Arabia following an escalation in attacks by Iran-backed Houthi militants on the kingdom. The decision comes after recent deadly strikes, including an attack on Riyadh's international airport earlier this month that killed at least twelve people and injured over 300 others. On Wednesday, three people were killed in further attacks on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam and Saudi Aramco's Shaybah oil field. State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said the Houthis have 'increasingly engaged in hostilities against Saudi Arabia, including attacks on civilian airports and other critical infrastructure resulting in civilian casualties and severe travel disruptions'. Reports suggest similar withdrawal orders may apply to other Gulf states, though the State Department denied this, saying the order covers Saudi Arabia only.

Polls ahead of the US midterms on 3 November show Democratic congressional candidates gaining ground. Voters are more motivated to vote against President Trump than Republicans are to vote for him, according to a Politico poll cited by Independent World. A poll reported by NPR found record support for Democratic candidates, with voters believing the party better handles their top issues. The Daily Mail reports that 19 House races have shifted toward Democrats, with six competitive seats moving out of toss-up territory.

Tesla reported third-quarter net income of $787 million, down 44 per cent from the same period last year. During a SpaceX conference call on Tuesday, Musk said a long-rumoured merger between the companies might proceed, with special committees set up at each to discuss the possibility, though he cautioned many hurdles remain.

Republican Sen. Roger Marshall and Democratic challenger Adam Hamilton faced off in a contentious debate on Wednesday in Kansas's increasingly competitive Senate race. Both candidates were questioned about personal controversies: Marshall defended his former medical practice against allegations it sued more than 700 patients over unpaid bills, saying it also provided millions in free care; Hamilton acknowledged he should have done more to prevent a volunteer accused of sexual abuse from returning to his church's summer camp. The candidates sparred over Trump, tariffs, immigration and war, with Marshall warning that electing Hamilton would hand Senate control to Democrats, while Hamilton portrayed himself as independent-minded.

Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins distanced herself from a radio ad attacking Democratic opponent Troy Jackson as a 'freak' and 'creep', saying it should be taken down. The spot, airing as a country song on Maine radio, is from the Senate Leadership Fund, a super PAC aligned with Senate Republicans. Collins told reporters she had nothing to do with the ad, though federal law bars her from coordinating with the super PAC. Jackson's partner, Lana Pelletier, published an op-ed criticising the ad and other attacks on her family, saying she never expected them to 'stoop this low'.

Thousands of supporters of Serbia's student-led opposition movement gathered in Belgrade on Thursday for their final rally ahead of Sunday's parliamentary election, seeking to oust Aleksandar Vučić's Serbian Progressive Party after nearly two years of protests. The Student List, a leaderless coalition of student-backed candidates including academics and political outsiders, emerged from demonstrations triggered by the November 2024 collapse of a canopy at Novi Sad railway station that killed 16 people. Multiple outlets report the two main contenders are polling closely, with one independent poll putting the Student List narrowly ahead. Vučić, who resigned as president in September to lead his party's campaign for prime minister, held a rival rally and accused students of working under foreign instructions. Concerns about electoral fairness, voter intimidation and potential post-election instability have been raised by civil society groups, though Vučić said any unrest would be swiftly quashed.

Tropical Storm Vance formed in the Pacific Ocean on Wednesday about 520 miles south of Acapulco, Mexico, with maximum sustained winds of around 40 mph. By early Friday, the National Hurricane Center reported that Vance had strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane with winds of 85 mph, located 440 miles south-southwest of Acapulco. The hurricane is expected to strengthen rapidly and could reach major Category 3 status before the end of Friday.

Subtropical Storm Josephine formed off the northeastern United States and is moving away from the coast toward the North Atlantic. The storm had maximum sustained winds of 65 mph as it moved north-northeast, centred about 265 miles south of Nantucket, Massachusetts. The National Hurricane Center forecast that Josephine would strengthen and potentially become a powerful extratropical cyclone with hurricane-force winds by early Friday before moving into cooler Atlantic waters. Gale-force winds above 39 mph are expected through midmorning Friday along parts of the Northeast and mid-Atlantic coasts, and minor to moderate coastal flooding is anticipated to continue through the week.

The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court on Wednesday to lift a federal judge's injunction halting construction of a border wall and related infrastructure in the Big Bend Sector of West Texas. The project includes wall sections, vehicle barriers, patrol roads and surveillance technology across more than 500 miles of the Texas-Mexico border. The Justice Department argued the region has high rates of illegal crossings and drug smuggling. However, opponents including environmental groups, ranchers and local businesses argue Big Bend accounts for only about 1 per cent of migrant arrests and that the project would harm the region's landscape.

Shohei Ohtani will not need offseason surgery and is expected to be at full health for the start of next season, Dodgers president Andrew Friedman said on Wednesday. Ohtani struggled with left knee inflammation and right arm discomfort throughout his 2026 campaign, which Friedman described as 'a little bit of an unfortunate game of whack-a-mole' as various issues became re-irritated. The issues began in mid-June with knee inflammation following a start in Pittsburgh.

Bob Huggins, the former West Virginia University and University of Cincinnati basketball coach, is living with a progressive cognitive condition that has begun to affect his memory and daily life, his family and the University of Cincinnati Athletics Department announced on Wednesday. The family kept the matter private for several months but decided to share the news as Huggins prepares for induction into the University of Cincinnati's James P. Kelly Athletics Hall of Fame this weekend. Huggins, who also coached at Kansas State, Akron and Walsh, left coaching in June 2023.

David Horne, managing director of London North Eastern Railway (LNER), has been appointed to the new position of Integrated Chief Customer and Commercial Officer (ICCCO) of Great British Railways (GBR), taking up the role in November. He will lead the development of a single customer and commercial strategy for the rail industry, working with government, operators and freight partners.

An 18-year-old man has been arrested over a fatal hit-and-run in Alice Springs that killed a 57-year-old man five months ago. The incident occurred on Len Kittle Drive at about 9.30pm on 20 May. The teenager was charged with dangerous driving causing death, hit-and-run and multiple other offences, refused bail and will appear in court on Thursday.

Forthing Australia is recalling 263 examples of its Forthing Electric SUV due to a manufacturing defect in the drive motor's high-voltage power cable. The cable may rub against its mounting bracket during normal operation and become damaged, potentially causing loss of motive power while driving. Owners will be contacted to arrange free inspection and repair at authorised dealers.

Tesla has started early production of its Optimus humanoid robot at its Fremont, California factory. The announcement came as the company reported a 43 per cent drop in third-quarter profits, with flat revenue and soaring expenses as it invests in Optimus, AI and autonomous driving. CEO Elon Musk acknowledged substantial work remains on the robot's hands, safety, reliability, durability and artificial intelligence before it can perform open-ended tasks reliably. He expects volume production to begin around the end of 2027.

The US State Department has ordered non-essential diplomats and their families to leave Saudi Arabia following deadly attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels. The department cited concerns that hostilities could escalate rapidly. The US embassy in Riyadh and its satellite consulates have been operating with skeleton staff since being badly damaged at the start of the Iran war, though some diplomats had returned in recent months.

Modern Times Café in Minneapolis will close by the end of the year, owner Dylan Alverson announced on social media. The 16-year-old restaurant had operated without prices for about six months as a protest against Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations, before briefly closing in July. It reopened in August with prices restored but continued serving 25 free meals daily. Alverson said he had exhausted options while maintaining the restaurant's core principles.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has signed off testing of the Active Denial System, a non-lethal military heat ray, for potential use at the US-Mexico border. The Pentagon gave the Department of Homeland Security permission for a seven-month loan of the weapon starting in September. Other American officials have previously declined to deploy it.

César Jáuregui Moreno, former attorney general of the northern border state of Chihuahua, has been charged with treason for allegedly allowing US agents to join a raid on a suspected drugs laboratory in April without proper authorisation. Two US agents said to have worked for the CIA and two Mexican law enforcement officers died in a car crash in Chihuahua while returning from the operation. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who has made defending national sovereignty central to her administration, was angered by the incident. Jáuregui has denied the allegations and faces both state and federal charges; a federal judge is scheduled to decide Saturday whether to proceed with the treason indictment.

Alexander Sanders, former president of the College of Charleston and a former South Carolina judge, has died at 88. Sanders served as the college's 19th president from 1992 to 2001, during which undergraduate enrollment grew by 16% and international student numbers rose by 99%. He also expanded the graduate school and created study abroad programmes.

Sam LaPorta, the Detroit Lions' tight end, expressed frustration over stalled contract extension talks. In the final year of his rookie deal, LaPorta said on Barstool Sports' 'Pardon My Take' podcast that he would be willing to leave the team and 'go get paid somewhere else' if not extended within three months. He cited the physical demands of the sport and his strong performance this season, which includes 27 receptions for 316 yards and three touchdowns through five games.

Essex Police seized three dogs and a car after reports of a deer being chased by dogs in a field in Panfield on 11 October. Four men were stopped and searched at the scene. A 28-year-old man was issued a community protection warning lasting three years and reported for consideration of prosecution under the Hunting Act 2004 on suspicion of knowingly permitting a dog to hunt a wild mammal.

Bose has acquired Skullcandy and plans to keep it operating as a separate brand within its consumer audio business. The acquisition will allow Bose to expand access to its audio technologies, including active noise cancellation and spatial audio, to a broader audience through Skullcandy's established presence in sports, gaming, music and fitness. Skullcandy will remain based in Park City, Utah.

The Trump administration filed an emergency appeal to the Supreme Court on Wednesday to resume border wall construction in Texas's Big Bend region after a lower court halted the project. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott defended the $46 billion project, saying border fortification was 'non-negotiable'. The region faces opposition from ranchers, residents, business owners and environmentalists who argue it wastes money in an area of historically low illegal immigration and could harm the landscape.

The Justice Department is attempting to disqualify two Minnesota federal judges, Patrick Schiltz and John Tunheim, from immigration cases after they publicly commented on the Trump administration's immigration enforcement operations to the New York Times. The motions were filed by Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward, the third-highest official at the Justice Department. The Justice Department claims their participation in the New York Times article calling into question the impartiality needed to fairly preside over the cases.

Two-year-old cat Rolo was critically ill with severe anaemia caused by a flea infestation when she was brought to Vets Now in Sutton, south London. With no feline blood available, emergency vet Paige Walker used blood from her own four-year-old cocker spaniel Gin. Rolo's red blood cell count had fallen to seven per cent, far below the normal level of around 30 per cent. The transfusion proved successful and her count began to rise.

A fire broke out at Roman Court in Leverington, near Wisbech, on Wednesday evening, severely damaging a single-storey building that was unoccupied. Police are treating the fire as arson. The site was earmarked by the Home Office to accommodate 26 asylum-seeking mothers and babies, prompting local opposition.

Meta announced it will create non-voting shares to finance its AI investments, acquisitions and employee compensation, with the new stock beginning to trade in 2027. The move allows the company to raise capital while preserving Mark Zuckerberg's control through existing voting shares. Chief financial officer Susan Li said the new shares would 'expand our funding tools' as the company pursues AI initiatives across its business.

A 33-year-old man from Pioneer, Louisiana, has been arrested on more than 500 counts of sex crimes against children, including first-degree rape. The Louisiana Bureau of Investigation's Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force assisted the West Carroll Parish Sheriff's Office in the investigation. Investigators determined that Shayne Stewart photographed and recorded himself raping at least two children under the age of 8. Stewart was arrested on 30 September at a hotel in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, with assistance from the Hattiesburg Police Department, and was later extradited to the West Carroll Parish Correctional Center. No bond has been set.

Mohinder Singh, operator of Romario's convenience store in Lansing, Michigan, has been charged by a grand jury with theft or conversion of public money and nine counts of SNAP benefits fraud. Authorities allege he unlawfully exchanged cash for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits with customers, typically providing $0.50 in cash per $1 of SNAP benefits transferred, and allowed customers to use SNAP to pay debts owed to him. Singh is among more than 40 defendants charged in a nationwide federal enforcement surge involving nearly $45 million in intended losses to the government, of which approximately $42 million involved SNAP fraud.

Australian politicians are facing pressure to improve their conduct following an alleged violent attack on MP Helen Haines, who lost both legs in the incident. Speaker of the House of Representatives Milton Dick has called for MPs to engage in respectful debate whilst maintaining robust discussion of ideas. He rejected suggestions that Question Time should be scrapped, saying respect and strong views could coexist.

Ryan Bertrand, the former Chelsea and England defender, is fronting an investment consortium seeking to inject £87m into AFC Wimbledon. The group, Sloane Street Capital, would acquire a 34 per cent stake in the club for an initial £16m, with a further £71m committed over five seasons to 2031. Bertrand would serve as senior football adviser, but the fan-owned Dons Trust would retain controlling voting power and veto rights over key club matters.

Dan Gilbert, co-founder of Rocket Mortgage, has pledged $1 billion to redevelop Detroit's Renaissance Center, a set of skyscrapers that formerly housed General Motors headquarters. The total project cost may reach $2.2 billion and includes investments from General Motors. Gilbert says he will create a nonprofit organisation to manage the commitment, signalling to residents that he is not motivated by profit.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have released safety Rayshawn Jenkins on Wednesday after the veteran's playing time decreased greatly over the past six weeks. The 32-year-old, a ten-year professional, began the season as a regular contributor but was limited to special teams in recent games as coaches relied more on rookie Robert Spears-Jennings. The Steelers may activate safety DeShon Elliott from injured reserve to fill the roster spot.

John Lewis is scrapping its Place To Eat cafe brand and replacing it with Platter, a new hospitality concept, across 32 stores from Exeter to Edinburgh by the end of 2027. The flagship Platter at Oxford Street in London features an open kitchen, cocktail bar, open coffee roastery and deli. The upgrade forms part of an £800m multi-year investment in John Lewis, as hospitality now accounts for more than 20 per cent of in-store transactions with sales growing by nearly 10 per cent in the past year.

Kit Malthouse, MP for North West Hampshire, has joined cross-party calls for military compensation to be excluded from benefit means tests. About 144,000 veterans and their families receive compensation for injuries or illnesses suffered during service, but these payments currently count as income in benefit assessments, reducing the financial support recipients receive. Mr Malthouse argues that excluding military compensation would be fairer, as civil awards such as personal injury are typically exempt from means tests.

Elon Musk announced that SpaceX and Tesla have each formed special committees to discuss a possible merger. The deal would combine the world's biggest provider of rocket launches and satellite internet with the second-largest electric vehicle maker, creating a $3.5 trillion entity. Musk said the combination made sense given both companies' reliance on artificial intelligence, and that stocks of both companies rose sharply following the announcement.

Pope Leo will not need further treatment after undergoing lung cancer surgery on 13 October, his doctors have said. Tests show the tumour did not spread. The 71-year-old pontiff was diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma and had the lower lobe of his right lung removed. He was discharged from hospital on Saturday and returned to his weekly audience at St Peter's Square on Wednesday. It remains unclear whether he will proceed with a planned trip to South America scheduled for November.

Airbnb has updated its house rules policy to prohibit hosts from requiring guests to complete tasks that 'require significant effort or time, or would typically be performed by a cleaner'. The ban applies to all reservations booked from November 20 onwards and specifically covers washing and putting away dishes, stripping bed linen, starting laundry and removing rubbish from the property. Hosts can still ask guests to put dirty dishes in the sink, gather used towels and separate recycling. The change follows years of guest complaints about paying cleaning fees whilst being asked to perform lengthy checkout checklists. Hosts can set seven standard house rules and add other 'reasonable' requests, which must be displayed prominently on listings. Some hosts have expressed opposition on Airbnb's forums and social media, with more than 5,000 signing a Change.org petition claiming the policy is unreasonable, whilst guests have welcomed the update.

Jessie James Decker, 38, and her husband Eric Decker, a former NFL player, shared family beach photos from a Florida fall break getaway with their four children. The images, posted on Instagram, prompted numerous comments from followers about the family's visible abdominal muscles across all ages. The family also visited Disney World during the trip.

Anthropic has announced Claude Duet, a proactive AI agent designed for professionals and small business owners, launching as a research preview to compete with Meta's Muse and OpenAI's Dots. Built on the Claude Opus 5.5 model, Claude Duet sends daily briefs on important items from connected apps and alerts users when attention is needed. The agent can complete tasks ranging from scheduling meetings to building dashboards, financial forecasts and web apps, while requesting approval before taking sensitive actions like sending payments. Currently available via waitlist to US Pro and Max subscribers through web and standalone iOS and Android apps, Claude Duet includes safety features designed to prevent sharing of sensitive information like credit card numbers.

Police are seeking two men in connection with burglaries at The Black Buoy Inn and The Rose & Crown in Wivenhoe on the same night. At The Black Buoy Inn on Black Buoy Hill, an attempted burglary occurred shortly after 1.15am on Monday, October 5. At The Rose & Crown on The Quay, two people entered the premises, conducted a search, and left with an empty till drawer. Essex Police is appealing for information from the public, with a £1,000 reward offered.

Kristaps Porzingis is absent from the Golden State Warriors indefinitely whilst dealing with recurring symptoms from Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), an autoimmune condition diagnosed last year. The 31-year-old Latvian centre has said he is considering his future in basketball. The Warriors are reportedly exploring trade options for Porzingis, who signed a two-year, $40 million contract with the team in June with trade-friendly terms.

Walmart is embracing AI agents as shopping assistants, launching an Agent Gateway next month to let AI agents make purchases on its website with customer controls including spending limits and purchase approval requirements. The move contrasts sharply with Amazon, which has blocked AI agents from shopping on its site. Walmart's technology will also support Sam's Club.

Seven people have been charged following a Glasgow police operation that recovered over £20,000 in drugs and cash. Six men were charged with involvement in the supply of Class A and Class B drugs, while one woman was charged with possession with intent to supply Class A drugs. The Local Problem-Solving Teams based at London Road carried out proactive stop searches and warrant executions over ten days.

Wyndham Clark, who won the US Open in 2026, has moved in with his girlfriend Emily Tanner after hard-launching their relationship before The Masters. Tanner posted a video on social media outlining bathroom 'green flags' for men, including good-smelling candles, grooming tools, clean white towels, quality hand soap, lotion and mouthwash, plus general cleanliness. According to the New York Post, Clark appears to have met her standards.

South-east Queensland was hit by heavy rainfall on Thursday, with some areas receiving up to 270 millimetres in just a few hours. The Bureau of Meteorology had predicted only 15 to 50 millimetres for parts of Brisbane and Caboolture. Police responded to 418 emergency calls between Thursday morning and Friday morning, with swift-water rescue crews attending 16 stranded vehicles. Morayfield Shopping Centre and nine schools closed, and thousands of homes lost power. More rainfall is expected from Monday, with forecasts of 40 to 60 millimetres possible from further thunderstorms before heavier storms clear the region next week.

Colombian authorities have seized 7.6 tonnes of cocaine at the port of Cartagena destined for the Netherlands, marking the country's largest drug seizure in ten years. President Abelardo de la Espriella announced the operation on Tuesday, saying it was carried out in cooperation with the US Drug Enforcement Administration. Two Dutch nationals wanted by prosecutors in the Netherlands have also been arrested in Colombia.

Bukayo Saka was forced off with a quadriceps injury just ten minutes into Arsenal's 2-2 Champions League draw at Bayern Munich on Wednesday. Manager Mikel Arteta said the injury 'doesn't look good at all' and medical staff were 'concerned'. Saka underwent an MRI scan on Friday, with fluid around the muscle making initial assessment difficult. Arsenal fear he will miss six to eight weeks, ruling him out of key fixtures including England's Nations League matches. Eberechi Eze replaced Saka and scored the opening goal, with Declan Rice securing a late equaliser for Arsenal.

Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, leaders of India's Cockroach Janta Party, have been released from Tihar Jail after a week in custody. They were jailed for protesting alleged irregularities in voter lists and demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Both leaders pledged not to call for protests at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, furnished bonds of Rs 50,000 each, and were released after a Special Executive Magistrate declined a police request to extend their detention.

Government websites in Europe have gone offline after developers of PHP, a widely used programming language, disclosed critical vulnerabilities that had been undetected for years until uncovered using AI. PHP underpins WordPress, Drupal, Joomla and Magento sites, meaning the flaw potentially affects the majority of the internet. Cybersecurity agencies worldwide have urged users to update immediately or take sites offline as hackers are already exploiting the vulnerabilities.

Lacie Nemchick, a junior quarterback for Arizona's top-ranked Highland Hawks flag football team, is receiving national attention for her throwing ability. She leads the state in passing yards, averaging 332.8 through 11 games, with 54 touchdown passes, eight rushing touchdowns and five interceptions. Nemchick has received a full scholarship offer from Nebraska, making her the first flag football player in Arizona to receive an offer from a Power Four school.

Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow has removed Egyptian mummified remains from display as part of a policy change on human remains. The items removed include a painted coffin containing the remains of a priest, a mummified male head, a mummified right hand from the Valley of the Kings in Luxor, and a mummified right foot. Glasgow Life, the charity that runs the museum and is funded by Glasgow City Council, said the move reflects contemporary museum practice and the International Council of Museums' revised Code of Ethics published in June 2026. The Hunterian Museum, also in Glasgow, has covered a mummy known as Lady Shep-En-Hor, displayed for over 200 years, with textile-like material. The British Museum in London said it will continue to display its mummies, citing their educational, historical and scientific value.

Tyreek Gray, a 14-year-old reported as a runaway from Williston, North Dakota on 19 October, has been found safe, the Williston Police Department confirmed on 23 October. Gray was described as five feet five inches tall, weighing 120 pounds, and was last seen wearing a black North Face hoodie and either black slides or grey Nike shoes.

Tom Cruise is being honoured with the American Film Institute's life achievement award, to be presented at a gala tribute at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on 24 April. Cruise, 64, has worked in film for more than four decades, starring in films including 'Risky Business', 'A Few Good Men', 'Jerry Maguire', 'Minority Report' and the 'Mission: Impossible' series. He has received three Academy Award nominations for acting and was nominated as a producer when 'Top Gun: Maverick' received a best picture nomination. Last year he received an honorary Oscar.

Jack McGarry, the Belfast-born co-founder of The Dead Rabbit in New York, is actively exploring the possibility of opening a bar in Belfast. McGarry told Belfast Live he is 'looking to scratch the itch', though he acknowledged that a previous opportunity 'is not as close now'. He is in Belfast working with Ulster University students on hospitality training.

The Los Angeles Angels have fired manager Kurt Suzuki after one season with a record-setting 100 losses, the worst in the franchise's 66-year history. The team declined his 2027 contract option on Wednesday. Baseball operations consultant John Mozeliak said Suzuki has earned respect in the clubhouse and that the record did not reflect his true abilities as a manager. Suzuki has been offered a role as special assistant with the new ownership, which is taking over from longtime owner Arte Moreno.

The Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Miami Heat 131-106 in a season opener on Wednesday night. Anthony Edwards scored 45 points for Minnesota, while LaMelo Ball added 21 in his debut with the Timberwolves. Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 35 points in his Heat debut but acknowledged his new team's defensive lapses. Minnesota shot 42 per cent from three-point range on 50 attempts, and Antetokounmpo said the Heat were discouraged by Edwards' shooting performance.

Designer Wilson Jedd Adams presented garments made from polyester, cellophane, tape, plastic bags and tablecloths at Melbourne Fashion Week's Cult Status Runway on Wednesday night. The collection, titled Fantastic Plastic, is the third instalment in a four-part series that sits between concept art and fashion. Adams said the work reflects litter across the city and announced plans to pivot towards ready-to-wear designs with layers and repeatable elements. Melbourne Fashion Week continues until Sunday and includes fashion capsules around the city, among them a bridal showcase featuring Vera Wang Bride and Vivienne Westwood.

An Australian-first study has found mothers with postnatal psychosis contacted health services an average of seven times before getting the care they needed. An estimated 300 to 600 Australian women experience the condition each year, with symptoms including hallucinations, delusions, mania, depression, paranoia and severe sleep disturbance. One mother, Elise Howie, believed her breast milk was poisoning her baby after the birth of her first child and later experienced psychosis after her second pregnancy, eventually being treated with medication after electro-convulsive therapy caused cognitive side effects.

Greg Lynn, 60, a former airline pilot, is seeking bail ahead of a retrial over the death of Carol Clay, 73, who vanished during a camping trip to the Wonnangatta Valley in March 2020. Lynn's earlier conviction for her murder was overturned by appeal judges last year, who found a substantial miscarriage of justice due to unfair prosecution actions. He denies the charge and maintains both deaths were accidental. During bail hearings on Thursday, Lynn testified that he has been attacked twice in prison and fears he is surrounded by police informants.

Australia collapsed to 99 all out at St George's Park in a day-four disaster, their fourth-lowest ever score against South Africa. Steve Smith was briefly hampered by a neck injury during the innings but made 28 before being bowled by Wiaan Mulder. The team was asked to follow on, only the third time since 1988.

Clayface is a body-horror origin story that marks a creative gamble for James Gunn's DC Universe. The film stars Welsh actor Tom Rhys Harries as Matt Hagen, a Gotham City actor whose career is destroyed after he is brutally attacked and disfigured by a mobster's henchmen in retaliation for a romantic indiscretion. Harries delivers a standout performance in what represents his breakthrough role, though the film does not fully exploit its body-horror potential.

Aldi has lodged a planning application with Chichester District Council for a new store on Terminus Road. The proposal includes electric vehicle charging points and free parking, with an estimated 40 new jobs to be created. A public consultation drew strong support, with approximately 84 per cent of respondents saying the store would benefit the area.

Henley has been crowned Best Town in the UK at the national Britain in Bloom awards, winning a Gold prize and a Judges' Highlight Award for Henley Adventure Golf. The South Oxfordshire town previously won the top prize in the regional awards. Town clerk Sheridan Jacklin-Edward said the achievement was Henley's best ever result in Bloom and reflected work by council staff, the parks team, community organisations and sponsors.

Worthing Borough Council officers have formally recommended the authority contest an appeal by landowner Christopher Dixon over his proposed commercial scheme at Goring Gap, a designated green space separating Worthing from Ferring. The retrospective application seeks approval for recreational use including children's sandpits, Shetland pony rides, food and drink provision, and overnight campervan parking. Officers have stated they would have refused the application, describing the proposal as 'intrusive' to the rural landscape and saying it harms the green gap's integrity. The community has lodged 360 letters of objection, against five in support.

Alison Hume, the MP for Scarborough and Whitby, has warned that unpaid carers are being forced to give up work because of caring responsibilities and a lack of support. A mother on the Yorkshire coast left her job to care for her eight-year-old autistic son because existing educational provision could not meet his needs. Ms Hume said around 1,500 people are forced to leave the workforce daily because of caring responsibilities, and that many families face impossible choices between paid work and providing care.

Street drinking and antisocial behaviour in York is intimidating and damaging the city's reputation, according to a City of York Council survey of over 500 respondents who overwhelmingly supported cracking down on the issues. The council proposes strengthening a public space protection order to restrict people persistently asking for money, following or blocking people's paths, and other intimidating conduct. Some respondents warned that new measures could criminalise homelessness or move problems elsewhere rather than solving them.

The Offspring guitarist Kevin 'Noodles' Wasserman, 63, has announced he is stepping away from live performances to deal with a sudden serious health issue. He did not disclose details of the illness but said his bandmates are supportive and will continue touring in his absence. Wasserman said he hopes to return to the stage soon.

Elon Musk's America Super Pac has spent over $500,000 to support Mike Lawler, the Republican incumbent in New York's 17th congressional district, as he faces a challenge from Democrat Cait Conley. The spending covers voter outreach and digital media. The race is among the most-watched that could determine whether Republicans retain their congressional majority.

A 16-year-old boy was seriously assaulted near The Lutine Bell pub on Breck Road in Everton on Wednesday afternoon and taken to hospital with head and chest injuries, where he remains in serious condition. Two teenagers aged 15 and 16 have been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. A 37-year-old man and a 41-year-old woman have also been arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.

Around 60 beds remain closed at Southampton General Hospital nine months after a fire in February damaged the west wing and destroyed the endoscopy unit. An electrical fault caused the blaze, which saw 502 patients moved to safety and more than 100 firefighters deployed. The endoscopy unit remains entirely closed, along with two outpatient departments.

The Los Angeles Angels have fired manager Kurt Suzuki after losing 100 games in his only season, the first 100-loss season in franchise history. The Angels finished 62-100 and last in the AL West. Baseball operations consultant John Mozeliak announced the decision and said Suzuki had been offered a role as special assistant. Mozeliak stated that Suzuki 'earned tremendous respect in our clubhouse' and that the record 'was not a true reflection of his true abilities as a manager'.

Prince Harry told GQ that repairing his relationship with his brother Prince William was the 'most important thing'. On Wednesday, The View co-host Ana Navarro criticised this public appeal, saying Harry should pick up the phone and speak to William privately rather than continuing to discuss the rift in interviews and documentaries. Navarro argued that years of public revelations have damaged trust between the brothers and that any meaningful reconciliation needs to happen behind closed doors. Co-host Sunny Hostin suggested Harry may have already tried private approaches, while Whoopi Goldberg, who knows Harry personally, expressed belief that the siblings will eventually make peace.

Southampton General Hospital is appointing a new parking provider later this year to tackle persistent parking problems. University Hospital Southampton's chief operating officer Andy Hyett said the specialist provider will introduce new technology to manage parking spaces more effectively and address issues such as faulty barriers and machines. He acknowledged that parking is a significant challenge for the hospital, particularly given its city-centre location.

A Washington man has been charged with multiple gun crimes after wounding a Georgia National Guard member who was trying to break up a fight. Jarrell Lamont Jackson, 41, shot Karon Jones, 20, in the leg when guard members intervened in the incident in southeast Washington on Sunday. Three guard members returned fire, wounding Jackson. Neither sustained life-threatening injuries.

Oxford University scientists have identified 12 proteins in blood samples that are linked to prostate cancer diagnosed more than 15 years later, potentially allowing doctors to predict which men may develop the disease a decade or more in advance. The proteins include GZMK, produced by immune cells, suggesting the immune system may keep cancer in check before diagnosis. The researchers also found seven proteins linked to aggressive forms of the disease, including ANKRD1, which appears in cancers that spread or cause early death.

An overseas-trained doctor is poised to secure a compensation payout from the state government after he was unlawfully sacked behind his back. The dismissal is described as a hospital blunder that backfired on management.

Steve Smith is expected to bat on day five of the second Test against South Africa, though he was troubled by neck stiffness during Australia's first innings. Smith made 28 in the first innings before being bowled by Wiaan Mulder, then sat out the follow-on. Australia's coach Andrew McDonald said the physio would continue working on him overnight and he should be better placed to bat in the second innings.

Former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom was ejected from Game 3 of the WNBA Finals between the Golden State Valkyries and Atlanta Dream on Wednesday after declining a private luxury suite that State Farm Arena had arranged for him. Freedom had expressed safety concerns and said he had contacted the FBI and Georgia Governor Brian Kemp's office after receiving death threats over his planned attendance. Arena officials said the suite was offered for his safety, but Freedom insisted on sitting in the courtside seats he had purchased. He was removed from the arena at the entry gate after refusing the arrangement.

Authorities in western Minnesota are investigating after a body was found in a cornfield near Ortonville on Monday evening. The Big Stone County Sheriff's Office said deputies were called to the area around 8 p.m. Authorities believe there is no danger to the public. The body has been taken to the Midwest Medical Examiners Office for identification and to determine the cause of death.

Jack Ross, a former Conservative election candidate and chief executive of Turning Point UK, has been suspended from the party after appearing in an Al Jazeera documentary discussing the costs of hiring contract killers. He was filmed apparently telling an undercover reporter about violent services available, including face-cutting, stabbing, shooting and killing, with different prices for each. Police in Scotland are reviewing the footage for potential criminality.

Jennifer Gonzalez, 43, of Massachusetts, has been accused by federal prosecutors of arranging sham marriages between US citizens and migrants seeking green cards, netting her $6 million over a decade. She charged up to $40,000 per marriage and arranged as many as 20 per year, according to the US attorney for the Massachusetts District. Five other women were also charged as accomplices.

Vice President JD Vance will visit North Platte, Nebraska tomorrow, making history as the first sitting vice president to visit the city. Local chamber leader Gary Person said the visit could boost the city's long-term profile, though direct economic spending may be limited to one day. Hotels in the area have been filling up ahead of the visit, and police have moved the opening time to 7:30 a.m. to accommodate large expected crowds.

Only one in five affordable housing rentals goes to a low-income household that can actually afford it, according to a report by the Committee for Economic Development of Australia. The figure falls to one in ten in Perth. Without a national definition of affordable housing, rents are often set as a proportion of market rate rather than based on household income, pricing them out of reach for those most in need.

General Motors announced plans to cut vehicle development time in half to roughly two years by expanding its use of artificial intelligence and software, CEO Mary Barra said at a company event in New York on Wednesday. The move aims to help GM compete with Chinese automakers, who develop new models more quickly. GM will introduce a proprietary AI agent through its OnStar brand and aims to have 'eyes-off highway driving' available by 2028, beginning with the Cadillac Escalade IQ EV.

Australian hospitalisations related to falls from e-scooters and mobility scooters have tripled from 1291 in 2019/20 to 4089 in 2024/25, according to new national data published by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Males accounted for two-thirds of cases, with boys aged 12 to 15 four times more likely than girls to be hospitalised. The rate jumped from 3.6 to 54 per 100,000 over the period. Most injuries involved fractures. Institute spokeswoman Jacqueline Rek said as e-scooters become more common, understanding associated safety risks is increasingly important. More than 150 pedestrian injuries were recorded in 2024/25.

The Semiconductor Sector Service Bureau will release a roadmap on Thursday with recommendations to support Australia's computing sector to 2040. Chair David Skellern said several Australian companies are already doing 'world-competitive stuff' with minimal support. Deloitte modelling suggests that supporting the industry in line with comparable economies could see the domestic semiconductor sector triple output by 2040, delivering a $5.3 billion boost to the economy.

A study by researchers at the University of Graz in Austria challenges the assumption that children are more creative than adults. Testing 92 preschoolers aged four to seven and 70 adults mostly in their 20s on creative tasks, judges rated the adults' work as more original, useful and creative. However, the adults reported feeling less confident and more anxious than the children.

Contemporary painter Cher van Schouwen and artist and fashion designer Kaye Guthrie Adonis are showcasing their work together in Convergence at AKA.ARTWEAR Studio on Murray Street from 22 October to 5 November. Van Schouwen will exhibit about a dozen original paintings featuring butterflies as symbols of transformation and femininity, whilst Adonis will present 15 to 20 artworks alongside pieces from her Spring/Summer 2027 collection. Both artists said their collections shared a common thread of celebrating women and embracing individuality, with van Schouwen noting that their different approaches 'have come together in such a powerful, playful celebration of the female spirit'.

A community petition launched by Bethany Taylor is calling on the City of Stirling to create designated smoke and vape-free areas at Scarborough Beach to protect families and beachgoers from second-hand smoke and vape emissions. The petition points to similar initiatives already introduced by the City of Vincent in several areas including Leederville and North Perth. At the time of reporting, the petition had reached 70 signatures of its 100-signature goal.

Microsoft is launching a pay-as-you-go model for Xbox Cloud Gaming that does not require a Game Pass subscription. Starting prices are $3.99 for 10 hours, $7.99 for 25 hours, and $11.99 for 50 hours. Xbox Insiders can access these 'introductory launch prices' now, with a broader rollout in November. The playtime bundles offer ad-free streaming, shorter wait times and high-quality streaming, and hours do not expire once purchased.

Country star Zach Bryan has revealed he drank as many as 15 beers a day and was intoxicated when writing nearly every hit song. He quit drinking after suffering severe panic attacks that left him fearing he would die, as he told Matthew McConaughey in a conversation released with his latest EP. A doctor diagnosed him with panic disorder and suggested quitting alcohol might help.

A New Mexico judge ordered Meta to pay $25 billion on Wednesday after a jury found the company had misled consumers about data privacy and content moderation. The case stemmed from revelations that Cambridge Analytica, a British political consulting firm involved in Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, had harvested personal data from as many as 87 million Facebook users through a third-party app. A jury found Meta liable for over 43 million violations of New Mexico's consumer protection laws, each carrying a penalty of up to $5,000. Judge Francis Mathew reduced the total penalty from $219 billion to $25 billion, finding the 'extraordinary number of willful violations' and involvement of senior leadership, including Mark Zuckerberg, justified the highest penalty allowed. Meta said it would appeal, calling the ruling 'a tax on speech'.

Amber Beverage Group UK, a London-based alcohol wholesaler founded in 1999, has entered administration after nearly 27 years in business. The company, which supplied wine, beer and spirit brands to Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's, Waitrose and Co-op, reported losses of more than £21.1 million for the year ended 31 December 2024. Administrators from BDO were appointed on 19 October after unsuccessful attempts to sell the business. The majority of staff have been made redundant with immediate effect, though a small number have been retained to help with the administration process.

Mario and Ann Marie Govic are named in a lawsuit accusing them of hosting a gambling party for minors at their $30 million Brentwood mansion in August 2024. Their son Jack allegedly stabbed 17-year-old guest Noah Setareh with a butterfly knife during a dispute over a valuable watch Setareh had handed over as collateral for a gambling debt.

Hearts lost 2-0 to Trabzonspor in Turkey in a Conference League fixture. Manager Wouter Vrancken's side faced further injury problems during the match. Edinburgh Evening News reports that a possible penalty was denied to Hearts, with former player Michael Stewart critical of the decision.

First Minister Michelle O'Neill walked out of a Stormont Scrutiny Committee hearing on Wednesday after heated exchanges with unionist members. Ms O'Neill had indicated she needed to leave at 3pm for a police interview in central Belfast regarding her participation in an allegedly unlawful protest on the Garvaghy Road last month. During the session, she became involved in robust exchanges with committee members and threatened legal action against DUP MLA Phillip Brett over claims about Sinn Féin's handling of past sex abuse cases, telling him such statements outside the committee room would result in court action. TUV MLA Timothy Gaston raised the Garvaghy Road protest, telling her she should no longer be First Minister because of her 'lawlessness'.

Canadian publisher Boréal has ended its relationship with Haitian-Canadian writer Thélyson Orélien after confirming he used artificial intelligence to help write his debut novel C'était ça ou mourir (It Was Either That or Die). Orélien had repeatedly denied the allegations. The novel, about migration, was scheduled for translation in more than 20 countries before being withdrawn from France's Prix Goncourt prize list last month after an AI detector indicated a 100 per cent probability it contained computer-generated text.

Technology companies including Google and Meta are promising host communities increased financial incentives, greater transparency and environmental commitments in response to growing opposition to data centre projects. Anti-data centre sentiment has become a significant political issue in upcoming midterm elections, with community opposition blocking municipal permits. Google's global head of community development said the company is prioritising early public consultation to address community concerns.

A family in Chandler, Arizona is organising a memorial motorcycle ride on 25 October to honour their 22-year-old son Christian Lyle Sage, who was killed by a suspected drunk driver. The benefit ride, organised by Michael Maduro, will raise money for a foundation in Sage's name and push for stricter DUI laws. Organisers say the driver accused of killing Sage was also driving on a suspended license. The ride is open to everyone, with or without a motorcycle, as a celebration of Sage's life.

Calderdale Council's Planning Committee has approved in principle seven to nine homes in Bradshaw, west of Queensbury, on grazing land between The Golden Fleece pub and Bradshaw Primary School. The Council received 39 letters of objection citing flooding risks. The Council's flood risk assessment found no historical flooding records on the site, but residents presented an undated photograph of flooding outside the pub taken two years ago. The developer has proposed installing an underground water storage tank to alleviate drainage concerns, which the Committee said could address the flooding risks.

Bingley Park Care Home in Bradford has opened a dedicated dementia floor with 27 specialist beds, designed to help residents reconnect with the past through familiar sights, sounds and experiences. The facility was officially opened by the Lord Mayor of Bradford, Councillor Chris Herd. The floor includes a nursery, laundry area, lounge furnished with items from the 1950s to 1980s, music therapy space, cinema room, sensory room and indoor garden. Home manager Vicky Thompson said genuine vintage objects serve as 'powerful triggers for memories, conversations and emotions'.

A hundred calves have been evacuated to safety after a fire broke out in a barn in Blubberhouses, North Yorkshire on Wednesday. North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Services from Harrogate and Summerbridge attended at 12.27pm. The fire involved straw in the barn and measured two metres by three metres. No calves were injured during the evacuation.

Lincoln and Omaha are offering free transportation to voters on Election Day, Tuesday 3 November. In Lincoln, StarTran will waive fares for bus and paratransit services, and BikeLNK will provide free bike rides through the BCycle App using promo code VOTE26. In Omaha, Lime is offering two free 30-minute rides on scooters and bikes using code VOTE26 in the Lime app, with the offer running from Saturday through Election Day.

Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner blamed the players for New York's failure to win the World Series, defending manager Aaron Boone and general manager Brian Cashman at a news conference. Steinbrenner said the players 'didn't live up to their end of the bargain in the playoffs'. The team has not won a World Series title in 17 seasons.

Electronic Arts has announced the closure of BioWare, the Canadian studio founded in 1995 that created role-playing games including Mass Effect, Dragon Age, and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. The shutdown includes cancellation of the next Mass Effect game, which was in early development. EA is laying off 400 staff across the company, including around 50 at BioWare. The decision follows EA's $55 billion acquisition by private investors including Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund and Silver Lake in August. EA executives said the company is 'making deliberate choices to align talent and investments where we see the greatest opportunities'. BioWare's recent releases, including the live-service game Anthem and Dragon Age: The Veilguard, did not meet sales expectations.

Jorge Ortiz, 57, a man previously sentenced to 30 years in prison for a 1992 felony murder conviction, has been arrested and charged with murder in connection with a road rage shooting in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Nelson Batista, 48, a grandfather who had recently buried his 25-year-old Air Force son, was killed in the incident on 12 October at 9 a.m. Police chief Roderick Porter described it as 'a random act'. Surveillance video showed Ortiz following a woman down Park Avenue before Batista's vehicle turned down a side street. Ortiz allegedly slapped the car, prompting Batista to exit. After Ortiz allegedly punched Batista first, the two struggled over a handgun before shots were fired, with one striking Batista in the chest. Ortiz was arrested on Monday following a week-long manhunt and brief foot chase.

The Orionid meteor shower will peak in Essex skies in the early hours of Thursday morning, offering a chance to see up to 20 meteors an hour. The shower is caused by Earth moving through dust left by Halley's comet. Clear skies will be needed to view the display, which requires no specialist equipment.

Wedgewood Polls admitted on Tuesday to fabricating data in surveys picked up by major US media outlets including Newsweek, the Hill and Breitbart. The firm said the project was a 'social experiment' designed to highlight the lack of oversight and low barriers to entry in the polling industry. The fabricated results were also included in polling databases by the New York Times, Nate Silver and FiftyPlusOne. A Michigan state senator, Mallory McMorrow, said one of Wedgewood's fake polls devastated her campaign, causing donations to dry up before she suspended her Senate bid in July.

Ron Duguay, a 12-year NHL veteran who played for the New York Rangers, has died aged 69 following a battle with colon cancer. His girlfriend, former Alaska governor Sarah Palin, announced his death on social media on Thursday. Duguay was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer in December 2024, with the disease later spreading to his liver.

Dilshaw Kawani, 53, who ran Parkstone Mini Market in Poole, was convicted of seven offences including sexual assault and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. He provided teenage girls with free e-cigarettes, some containing the Class B drug THC, to facilitate the abuse. The girls referred to him as 'Boss man'. An investigation began in January 2025 after one victim reported being touched sexually beneath her clothing. Kawani was also handed a 12-year sexual harm prevention order. The shop was closed following a joint operation with Trading Standards but has since reopened under new management.

Andrea Curlo has turned her backyard into Aunt Annie's Flower Farm and Mercantile, a destination on the Nebraska Bloom Trail in Pauline. Curlo founded the farm during the pandemic to provide visitors with a peaceful escape among flower beds. A former agriculture teacher whose family has farmed the area for over 150 years, she grows flowers from seeds she saves and operates a renovated barn as a mercantile selling farm goods, local products and artwork. Her husband Brian, a construction specialist, helped convert the structure.

North Yorkshire Police launched an appeal on Wednesday evening for a man last seen in the Malton area on Monday. The force later issued a statement at 9.25pm confirming the man had been found safe and well.

Joe Manchin, a former Democrat turned independent, campaigned with Republican Sen. Susan Collins in Lewiston, Maine on Wednesday. Manchin called Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer 'crazy' for working to oust Collins, who is running for a sixth term in a closely contested race against Democrat Troy Jackson. Manchin praised Collins as 'the soul of the Senate' and 'the soul of America', arguing that Washington needs more lawmakers willing to work across party lines.

A motorcyclist who filmed himself riding at speeds up to 189mph and attempted to provoke police into high-speed chases has been jailed for four years. Amin Belechguer, 29, was convicted on 21 counts of dangerous driving after an incident on the A20 Ashford Road near Maidstone on 27 June 2025, when he slowed down and waved at police officers to goad them into pursuing him. He reached speeds exceeding 130mph on a single-carriageway road with 40-60mph speed limits, crossing solid white lines into oncoming traffic. Police abandoned the pursuit as too dangerous and deployed a stinger device further ahead, which punctured his tyres and forced him to stop.

An Edinburgh duo were arrested after a motorbike theft and police chase on Wednesday morning. A van involved in the incident was reported as stolen. The vehicle failed to stop for officers and a pursuit followed before being called off. The van then collided with a cyclist, who was taken to hospital. A 20-year-old was arrested and a 15-year-old will be reported to authorities.

Just Eat has apologised after its AI tool created inaccurate pictures of food items for restaurants lacking images on the platform. The system produced unusual combinations such as bacon and eggs in a glass of cola, chips inside muffins, and a block of cheese with whole jalapeño slices. The company said it was removing the incorrect images and pausing the rollout of the technology until further development.

Andy Nunez Vasquez, a Philadelphia rideshare driver, has been charged with multiple offences after a fatal collision in East Norriton, Montgomery County on 6 September. Police say Vasquez struck Ricardo Baptiste, 29, with his car; Baptiste was then run over by a tractor-trailer and died. Vasquez allegedly left the scene without rendering aid or reporting the incident. Investigators used surveillance video, licence plate readers and ride-share records to place Vasquez at the scene. He faces misdemeanour charges of failing to render aid and report an accident, and a felony count of accidents involving injury or death.

Samsung's 55-inch Frame TV has reached its lowest price at $897.99, down $402 from its usual retail price. The Frame Pro, a higher-brightness variant, is also discounted to around $1,098. Both models are designed to display artwork on a matte screen when not in use, with motion sensors that activate the display when people enter the room.

Windmill Taverns, a family-run Irish pub group, has announced plans to open Crystal Palace's first Irish pub next year. Mc & Sons Crystal Palace will occupy the former Royal Albert pub on Westow Hill, with doors expected to open in spring 2027, targeting a St Patrick's Day launch. The venue will feature live music, a 22-foot refurbished bar and an outdoor area for up to 100 guests.

Cumberland Council's planning committee has rejected a housing development proposed for land at the former Cumbria Fire and Rescue Headquarters in Workington, citing insufficient information about the impact on red squirrels at the site. The application, first submitted in May 2023 by businessman Bill Dobie, had been recommended for approval by officers but was voted down by the majority of committee members. The development received 319 objections.

Michigan State's Jeremy Fears Jr and Florida's Thomas Haugh have been named to the preseason All-America team by the Associated Press. Both players withdrew from the NBA draft to pursue college basketball glory: Fears to help Michigan State win its first national championship in 27 years, and Haugh to help Florida secure a second title. Fears received 57 votes from a 58-person media panel, while Haugh earned 56.

Hull East MP Karl Turner has had the Labour whip restored on a probationary basis following his suspension in March. Turner was suspended after publicly criticising government policy on restricting jury trials in England and Wales, and had also criticised Sir Keir Starmer's leadership. In an agreed statement, Turner apologised for any offence caused, acknowledging that his approach was sometimes overly robust, though he maintained his concerns over jury trial restrictions were sincerely held.

New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez filed a federal civil lawsuit Wednesday against Darren Indyke, Epstein's longtime personal lawyer, and Richard Kahn, his accountant, alleging they 'knowingly participated' in his sex trafficking operation. The suit claims they helped finance and conceal abuse of young women and girls at Epstein's Zorro Ranch near Santa Fe. Indyke and Kahn are co-executors of Epstein's estate, valued at over $107 million, and stand to receive $50 million and $25 million respectively. The lawsuit seeks to block them from receiving estate payments whilst litigation continues. Both men have denied the allegations, saying they were unaware of Epstein's crimes.

Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed faces criticism from Senate Republicans over his past association with Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood. He signed a 2012 letter urging then-president Mohamed Morsi to 'purge' the media and police. El-Sayed now disavows the Muslim Brotherhood, but Republican senators say his views are too radical for a potential Foreign Relations Committee seat.

The New York Giants are benching Jameis Winston and starting J.J. McCarthy against the Houston Texans on Sunday. McCarthy impressed in extended fourth-quarter action during Sunday's 34-27 loss to New Orleans, completing 11 of 21 passes for 243 yards and one touchdown while leading three scoring drives in a comeback attempt that fell short. The 23-year-old, acquired from the Minnesota Vikings less than three weeks ago, will be the Giants' third starting quarterback in seven games this season.

Erin Bennett, 22, a criminology and psychology graduate, was killed in a three-vehicle crash on the A1 near Felton in Northumbria on Sunday. She had recently secured a job with Northumbria Police and was due to start her training to become a detective. Emergency services were called shortly after 12.15pm, and Northumbria Police have launched an investigation and appealed for witnesses.

The Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries left the court before the national anthem for the third straight game of the WNBA Finals on Wednesday night at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. The WNBA's rulebook requires players to stand and line up during the anthem, but neither team nor the WNBA has answered questions about the absences. Vice President JD Vance criticised the action, calling it 'disgraceful'.

A Fareham town centre playground has sparked concern since opening without a perimeter fence. Councillor Gemma Furnivall says parents and carers have complained that autistic and disabled children cannot use it safely, and that grandparents cannot supervise properly. She is putting a motion to the council to assess options and release safety assessments. Concerns have also been raised about smoking and vaping in the play area, and an incident in which a child was injured falling on loose gravel.

Police raided a shop on Huddersfield Road in Ravensthorpe, Dewsbury, on Wednesday morning and seized 59 nitrous oxide canisters, six boxes of suspected steroids, and illegal cigarettes and vapes worth an estimated £2,000. The operation was part of an investigation into illegal drug supply in the area. Inspector Amanda Holroyd of Kirklees Police said the force knew that nitrous oxide abuse carried 'serious and potentially fatal health risks' and that tackling the illegal supply was 'a real priority'.

Kevin Robinson, a former civil servant who moved to Darlington nine years ago, has opened Chapter & Filter, an independent bookshop and café at West Row in Darlington Market. The 38-year-old, who previously worked as a barista trainer in Manchester, combines his passion for speciality coffee and books. He plans to hold an official launch at the end of October and wants to champion independent authors through the business.

Amin Belechguer, 29, of Clapham, was jailed for four years at Maidstone Crown Court on 21 October 2026 after pleading guilty to 21 counts of dangerous driving. He had filmed himself riding at speeds of up to 189mph across Kent, London and Essex, and was also handed a 10-year driving ban and had his Kawasaki Ninja H2r motorcycle permanently confiscated.

Amin Belechguer, 29, from Clapham, was sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court on 21 October after being convicted of 21 counts of dangerous driving. He filmed himself riding a Kawasaki Ninja H2R at speeds up to 189mph across Kent, London and Essex, and deliberately attempted to provoke police pursuits. On 27 June, he pulled in front of a police vehicle and waved at officers to goad them into a chase, reaching speeds over 130mph on roads with 40-60mph limits. After running over a police stinger device, he attempted to escape on foot but was arrested. He will also face a 10-year driving ban upon release.

Eleanor Barnfield, 47, a housing officer for Valleys to Coast housing association, died on Monday after being attacked at Ger-y-Nant, a sheltered accommodation complex in Bridgend, South Wales. Police discovered she had sustained puncture wounds unrelated to a car crash. After being told there would be a long wait for an ambulance, she attempted to drive herself to hospital but collapsed at the wheel after driving approximately 300 yards, crashing into a wall on Coity Road at around 12.43pm. She was taken to hospital where she later died. Clifford Foster, 61, has been charged with her murder. Foster appeared in Newport Crown Court and was remanded in custody to Cardiff Crown Court. The case is not being investigated as a domestic incident.

HM Coastguard landed at the Cygnus Alpha offshore gas platform at around 1.30pm on Wednesday 21 October after reports of a man experiencing a medical episode. Scarborough Coastguard teams secured the site before he was admitted to Scarborough Hospital. The Cygnus Alpha installation, based in the southern North Sea, has been in operation since December 2016.

Meta reported third-quarter revenue of $64.6 billion, up 26% year-on-year, with advertising sales climbing 26% to $63.1 billion. The company unveiled plans for a new class of stock to help finance its massive artificial intelligence spending. Shares surged more than 4% in after-hours trading. Mark Zuckerberg said the company's investments were paying off and signalled plans to continue aggressive artificial intelligence spending next year. Meta's Muse AI agent has attracted 10 million users since launching six weeks ago.

A man in his 30s was arrested in Westcliff on Friday after a video appeared to show him spitting on a bronze statue of murdered MP Sir David Amess in Southend. The incident occurred days after the fifth anniversary of Sir David's death in October 2021. Essex Police said the man was questioned on suspicion of a public order offence and criminal damage and remains in custody.

The UK government is introducing new measures to punish criminals who refuse to attend their sentencing hearings, due to come into effect next year. Judges will be able to confine offenders to cells for up to three weeks, revoke prison privileges for up to twelve weeks and ban social visits for up to 27 days, with visits restricted to once every four weeks for further periods. Younger offenders aged 18 to 20 will face shorter punishments. The changes build on existing law that allows judges to fine or impose two additional years in prison for contempt of court. The measures follow cases where killers including Thomas Cashman, who murdered nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel, and Kyle Clifford refused to face their victims' families in court.

Critical security flaws discovered in PHP, the programming language used by nearly 70 per cent of websites, have forced organisations worldwide to take sites offline. NHS Scotland, multiple NHS boards, several councils and 32 UK government services are among those affected. The vulnerabilities were discovered by researchers using AI on Wednesday. A fix was issued the same day, but organisations unable to apply it in time were urged to take their sites down as a precautionary measure. Cloudflare reported attempts to exploit the flaw increased from thousands before the announcement to millions within two hours.

Nathan Owens, 34, from Hartlepool, has been found guilty of murdering his stepdaughter Carla Georgescu at her university accommodation in Preston on her 20th birthday in February. The jury took just over three hours to unanimously convict him of all counts after a three-week trial. Owens harboured a sexual obsession with Carla, having superimposed her head onto pornographic images, secretly photographed her and filmed himself performing sexual acts with her belongings and effigies. He travelled to Preston in the early hours of 4 February, entered Carla's halls under false pretences, sexually assaulted and murdered her, then staged the scene to appear as suicide. He was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 35 years before parole eligibility.

Elia, a Mediterranean restaurant operated by husband-and-wife team Paulo and Angela, opened in early May at 52 High Street Littlehampton and announced its closure on 21 October. The restaurant thanked customers for their support in a social media post. Customers expressed sadness at the closure, with one noting that many restaurants and businesses have closed in the town.

A child has been taken to hospital with a serious head injury after being hit by a car in Birmingham on Wednesday afternoon. The crash happened on Monyhull Hall Road, Kings Norton, shortly before 15:30 BST. West Midlands Police arrested the driver on suspicion of drug driving. The force has appealed for witnesses and anyone with dash-cam footage to come forward.

Maine Republican Susan Collins is campaigning with former West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin, who has endorsed her, to emphasise her reputation for independence in her tight reelection bid against Democrat Troy Jackson. Collins, 73, is seeking her sixth term and facing what may be her toughest reelection fight. Manchin said losing Collins would be 'to lose the soul of the Senate' and praised her willingness to buck Republican President Donald Trump.

Aston Villa beat Viking FK 3-1 to maintain their unbeaten Champions League record and move joint top of the table under manager Unai Emery. Several young players impressed in the victory. Emery will assess striker Johan Manzambi's fitness before Villa's Premier League match against Manchester City this weekend, after the 21-year-old missed the Viking game with a muscle injury sustained against Newcastle United.

The Tyne and Wear Metro has completed its rollout of 46 new trains from Swiss manufacturer Stadler, replacing ageing carriages that had served for over four decades. On-time punctuality has improved to 89.2% so far in 2026/27, up from 75.9% in 2023/24. Mayor Kim McGuinness has demanded the system become 'world class' by 2028 and ordered train frequency to increase to at least one every 10 minutes from December.

Australia's netball team lost 62-50 to New Zealand in the second Constellation Cup match in Christchurch, conceding 84 penalties to New Zealand's 53. Coach Stacey Marinkovich initially questioned the refereeing, saying the penalty count seemed harsh, but later said she had gained a clearer understanding after discussing the decisions with umpires. Australia must win both remaining matches to level the series, with game three at Afterpay Arena in Sydney on Sunday.

The Friends of the Field community garden at Botanic Meadow in South Belfast has suffered poisoning and criminal damage in two separate incidents over two weeks. Plants, including food crops, and earth beds were poisoned with herbicide, and garden water infrastructure was broken. Belfast City Council, which owns the land, has estimated damage at £6,000 to £8,000. Police are investigating.

Federal member for Indi Helen Haines was struck by a four-wheel-drive vehicle outside her office in Wangaratta on Monday afternoon. Police allege Brendan Nugent, 43, deliberately drove the LandCruiser into Dr Haines, who remained in critical condition with both legs amputated. Premier Ben Carroll said additional security resources would be put in place for the Victorian state election on 28 November, describing co-operation between Victoria Police and the electoral commission as 'unprecedented'.

Simon Richardson, 35, is on trial at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court accused of murder, manslaughter and dangerous driving in the death of head teacher Michael Mullins, 56. CCTV footage released by the Crown Prosecution Service shows Richardson refuelling at a petrol station in Lymm after the crash, then later swapping his Volvo for a transit van at a pub. A passenger in Richardson's vehicle testified that he dragged Mullins 2.2km from the crash scene and was 'laughing and joking' that evening. Richardson denies all charges and the trial continues.

House prices have fallen across every Australian capital city for the first time in 15 years, driven by weakened buyer confidence and reduced borrowing capacity. Melbourne house prices slumped 3.3 per cent in the September quarter, with Perth recording the sharpest drop at 4.7 per cent. Domain chief residential economist Nicola Powell said homes are taking longer to sell and sellers must be more realistic about prices.

Small and medium-sized businesses could save approximately $136,000 annually by adopting artificial intelligence to reduce administrative tasks such as payroll and rostering, a Tech Council of Australia report finds. The report estimates this could inject $93 billion into the national economy. However, only one in four Australian small and medium-sized businesses currently use AI, and just five per cent use it broadly, despite these businesses employing nearly two-thirds of the country's workforce.

The Orchard Café in Scarborough's town centre has applied to North Yorkshire Council for a licence to sell alcohol alongside its traditional offer of pastries, cakes and lunches. The licence would permit alcohol sales from 9am to 4.30pm Monday to Saturday, and 9.30am to 3pm on Sundays, for consumption on and off the premises. The deadline for public comment on the application is Tuesday, 17 November.

BHP will hold its annual general meeting at Sydney Showgrounds on Thursday, the first under new chief executive Brandon Craig. The mining company disclosed a 19 per cent drop in copper production to 400,000 tonnes in the September quarter, below analyst expectations, citing severe weather and a fatality at its Escondida mine in Chile. Shareholders will scrutinise how BHP manages these headwinds whilst maintaining shareholder returns across its copper, potash and iron ore investments.

Wharfeside Care Home in Otley will open its doors to local emergency services and healthcare professionals from November, offering complimentary hot and cold drinks, snacks and light refreshments. The initiative, introduced by residents and colleagues, runs Monday to Friday from 10am to 3pm. Staff can take a break at the home or collect grab-and-go snack bags if time is limited.

London's stock markets ended modestly higher on Wednesday despite accelerating inflation and higher public borrowing. The FTSE 100 rose 19.88 points to 10,752.88, with strong results from SpaceX helping sentiment. However, consumer price inflation picked up to 3.5% in September from 3.1%, exceeding forecasts and increasing pressure on the Bank of England to raise interest rates in November.

Royal Engineered Composites in Minden has been named the 2026 Nebraska Manufacturer of the Year by the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The aerospace parts manufacturer, founded over 75 years ago, supplies Boeing, Northrop Grumman and Bell Helicopter. The company announced a $5 million investment in its Minden facility in April 2026, including a 23,500-square-foot expansion and $2 million in advanced manufacturing equipment that will create 70 new positions.

Zachary Haile, 27, a former West Yorkshire Police officer based in Leeds, has pleaded guilty to possessing indecent images of a child and engaging in sexual communication with a child. He was arrested on 25 July 2022 after being linked to a social media account that received an indecent image; officers seized mobile phones and found more indecent images and sexually explicit conversations with a child. Haile had joined West Yorkshire Police only two months before his arrest and was suspended immediately; he resigned during the investigation and was added to the College of Policing's Barred List after a misconduct hearing found he would have been dismissed had he not resigned. He will be sentenced at Leeds Crown Court on 10 November.

Heck, a family-run food firm based in Kirklington near Bedale, is creating new jobs as demand grows for its sausages, burgers, meatballs and rashers. The company produces around one million sausages every day and will hold its fifth recruitment event on Saturday, October 24, offering tours, staff meetings and interviews. Vacancies include Mixing Room Supervisors, Picking Team Members, Packing Team Members and Day and Night Hygiene Team Members, with the open day running from 10am to noon at its Lime Lane headquarters.

More than 20 people living on an unauthorised traveller site at Hillam, west of Selby in North Yorkshire, are planning to appeal to the Planning Inspectorate to remain on the land. A High Court judge at Leeds Combined Court Centre has extended an interim injunction preventing further work at the site while the appeal process takes place. The judge warned that breaches of the injunction could result in prosecution under contempt laws and imprisonment.

Michael Smith has scored twice in Mansfield Town's 3-0 away victory at AFC Wimbledon and says he is enjoying his role as the club aims to better last season's 10th-placed finish. The 35-year-old striker, who arrived in the summer on a free transfer from Preston, is Mansfield's leading scorer this season with five goals. Smith told BBC Radio Nottingham the squad are confident and focused on backing up the win with another victory at Blackpool on Saturday.

Kevin O'Neill, a two-time All-Ireland winner with Down in the 1960s, has passed away. He was a key defender as Down became the first Ulster county to win the All-Ireland in 1960, defeating Kerry, and retained the title the following year against Offaly. He was also a four-time Down Senior Football Championship winner with Newry Mitchels.

A nearly 600-pound elk died after being struck by a car in southwest Lancaster County, Nebraska on Tuesday night near SW 84th Street. The driver, who was not injured, initially thought she had hit a large deer. The vehicle was a total loss. Lancaster County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Ben Houchin said elk are uncommon in the area, noting that 'once in a while a bull will get off track and come into the area'. Nebraska Game and Parks took the elk away.

Vinicius Junior seriously considered a move to Arsenal in the summer, his agents have revealed, with the Gunners offering him £18.5 million per season. However, the Brazilian opted to stay at Real Madrid, where he signed a new contract worth £480,000 per week until 2032. His agent Michael Yormark said that whilst Arsenal 'rolled out the red carpet' and made him feel wanted, Vinicius's heart remained with Madrid, where he joined at 18 and hopes to finish his career.

Oliver Dines, a former police officer convicted of corrupt exercise of police powers in February 2025, is set to face a police misconduct hearing. He was sentenced to 15 months in prison and given a two-year restraining order preventing contact with his victims. Dines will appear before the misconduct panel on 29 October at West Mercia Police headquarters near Worcester.

A man was found seriously injured in a bin in a service lane off Grand Parade in West Hoe, Plymouth, on Wednesday morning and later died at the scene. Emergency services were called at around 6.30am following concerns for a man's welfare. Devon and Cornwall Police have launched a murder investigation and the man remains unidentified. Roads including Grand Parade and Garden Crescent have been cordoned off while forensic examinations continue.

Police attended Currys at Tower Retail Park in Crayford on 20 October after staff triggered the panic alarm when youths caused a nuisance and refused to leave the store. Officers carried out an area search. A Metropolitan Police safer neighbourhood team spokesperson said officers obtained descriptions of the youths and that the team would patrol the area to identify individuals involved in anti-social behaviour and theft at the retail park.

Israeli forces detained Democratic congressional candidate Brad Lander on Wednesday while he helped Palestinian farmers harvest olives in the occupied West Bank, releasing him hours later. Dozens of other volunteers, including American rabbis, remained in custody. The Israeli military said those detained had failed to seek prior approval and posed a security risk near an Israeli community.

A car crashed into the front window of Andrews and Gregg Estate Agents in Dundonald, Belfast, at the junction of Upper Newtownards Road and Church Road shortly after 4.30pm. Emergency services attended the scene. It is not known if anyone was injured in the collision.

Four people were hospitalised after a crash on the B181 Epping Road at Woodside, close to North Weald Airfield, on Wednesday, October 21. The collision involved two cars. Emergency services responded to the incident at 10.15 am, and the road was closed for a short time whilst they dealt with the scene.

Eleanor Barnfield, 47, a housing worker for Valleys to Coast, died after being found with puncture wounds unrelated to a car crash on Coity Road in Bridgend on Monday at around 12:40pm. Her family described her as 'the kindest, most loving, bravest person in the world' and 'our rock'. A 61-year-old man from Bridgend has been arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in custody.

Preston North End manager Graham Alexander is looking at signing free agents to address the club's ongoing injury problems this season. Free agents can be signed outside the transfer window, allowing Alexander to strengthen the squad despite injuries affecting the team.

Cumberland Council has extended its Call for Sites deadline to November 30, inviting residents, landowners and developers to propose land for development or protection as part of creating a new Local Plan. The council said the extension gives people more time to put forward sites for various uses to help shape how Cumberland grows in the years ahead.

Derwent Practice in Norton, North Yorkshire, will close from 12 noon on Thursday, October 22, for staff training. The practice has asked patients to arrange any urgent requests or prescriptions before the closure.

Michael Locksley is out as Maryland football coach following the Terrapins' 37–30 home loss to Rutgers on Saturday, their fifth straight defeat. The university announced the departure on Wednesday, saying the school and Locksley 'mutually agreed to part ways'. Locksley had led Maryland to three consecutive bowl victories from 2021–23, but the programme has since gone 10–21 in two-plus seasons.

Sir James Anderson, the legendary Burnley cricketer, is set to depart Lancashire with his career potentially coming to an end. The 44-year-old has taken 50 wickets in 11 County Championship matches this season, a performance that has led many to question Lancashire's decision not to renew his contract. Anderson's remarkable longevity has drawn comparisons to the late Sir Stanley Matthews. His departure marks the end of an era for both the player and the county.

A clothing donation bin for a fire-fighters charity was destroyed in an arson attack in Skegness. Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue criticised the 'mindless action' that led to the incident.

Edinburgh Council's website was taken offline after two critical security vulnerabilities were found in PHP on Wednesday, October 21. The council is among organisations worldwide, including the BBC, Finnish government and Netherlands cyber-security agency, that have disabled sites as a precaution. Security updates were released on Wednesday, prompting public bodies to take action. At least seven of Scotland's 32 councils and six health boards initially went offline, though some have since been restored. An Edinburgh councillor said the disruption would frustrate residents but acknowledged that security issues require urgent action.

The Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition will open at The Beacon Museum in Whitehaven from October 24. The internationally acclaimed show features 100 photographs selected from more than 65,000 entries submitted by photographers from 121 countries. The exhibition is in its 62nd year and is developed by the Natural History Museum in London.

Safeer Khan has applied to Leeds City Council to build a single-storey rear extension at Westbourne Spice, an award-winning Indian and Kashmiri restaurant on Bradford Road, Otley. The extension would increase the restaurant's internal floorspace from 325 to 370 square metres, adding 45 square metres of accommodation and creating a new open-plan dining area. The restaurant, housed in the former Westbourne Hotel dating to around 1940, was named Best Family Friendly Restaurant of the Year at the Nation's Curry Awards earlier this year.

Nottinghamshire County Council has launched a judicial review against the government's plans to reorganise local government in the county. The reorganisation would replace existing county and district councils with two new unitary authorities. Local Government Secretary Angela Rayner announced in September that the plans would be paused pending legal advice.

eBay will lay off approximately 1,000 employees, representing 9% of its workforce, as it streamlines operations and focuses on fastest-growing areas. This is the company's second round of cuts this year, following a 6% reduction affecting about 800 employees in February. CEO Jamie Iannone said the company's strategy is working and the move will help it continue to capture opportunities ahead.

Ash Dykes, an adventurer from North Wales, and his support team have been safely located after concerns were raised when contact was lost during their expedition down the Sangha River in the Congo Basin. The lack of communication was caused by a failed Starlink signal and dead power bank. The team can now only send short messages via satellite phone and Garmin when they get signal.

A reported crash has closed Fulford Road on the A19 near York Designer Outlet in North Yorkshire. Drivers are warned to expect delays of nine minutes, with average speeds of 10mph on the affected stretch. Motorists are advised to avoid the area.

Crawley MP Peter Lamb has welcomed Government action on several consumer issues. The outlets report him supporting a review of Gatwick Airport drop-off charges, action on parking charges and second-hand car scams, and plans to scrap gas standing charges.

Two teenagers are on trial for murdering 15-year-old Luis Guembes in Stoke Park, Guildford in January. One defendant told a school friend days before the attack he was 'going to stain this yout', a term meaning to kill someone, though the friend thought he was joking. He claims he tried to break up a fight before fleeing the scene. A knife containing DNA matching one of the accused was found near his home alongside bloodstained clothing. The defendants also face charges of conspiracy to rob and possession of a bladed article.

Saracens director Brendan Venter, whose job title was changed to 'head of rugby culture and wine consultant', held a wine tasting event at StoneX Stadium in north London. The club invited media and players including Owen Farrell, Ben Earl and George Martin to the event. Venter used wine analogies to explain rugby strategy, comparing Cabernet Sauvignon to set-piece and defence, Merlot to attack, and Cabernet Franc to kicking.

Australia will face France in a Billie Jean King Cup play-off on 21-22 November, led by top-50 players Talia Gibson and Kimberly Birrell. The match in Le Portel will be the first time the nations meet on French soil in the competition's 63-year history. The winners will progress to next year's Cup qualifiers and move closer to the 2027 finals.

Aston Villa host Viking in a Champions League fixture at Villa Park on Wednesday at 8pm. The match will be broadcast on TNT Sports in the UK, with streaming available on HBO Max. Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has confirmed that midfielder Johan Manzambi will miss the game through injury, while full-backs Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Matteo Ruggeri are also sidelined.

Metropolitan Police figures show south-east London's five boroughs recorded 12,142 offences in September, up 1.5 per cent from August. Southwark had the highest number with 3,725 crimes, where theft (1,606 incidents) and violence against the person (837 reports) made up more than half of all offences. Lewisham recorded 2,669 offences, Greenwich 2,465 and Bromley 1,958.

Recursive, a startup founded last year, has released Flint, a free coding model that runs on laptops and was built largely by its own AI research system, the Eureka Machine. The company used the system to automate most elements of the model's development, enabling a small team to build it in under four months. This represents an early public test of recursive self-improvement, the idea that AI can build better AI. Some researchers worry that AI improving itself could slip out of human control, though Recursive's version remains limited and overseen by people.

Norfolk families can enjoy affordable October half-term entertainment including a new river festival in Norwich featuring live music, wildlife walks and storytelling, fireworks displays in Great Yarmouth and a drone light show in Hemsby, and pumpkin-picking at local farms.

Kick & Play, a special educational needs-friendly football club, has launched in Overton and Basingstoke, offering pressure-free football sessions for children aged four to 12. Founded by Grant Powell, 35, a former player for Reading and Basingstoke Under-18s, the club aims to help children of all abilities learn skills and build confidence without competitive pressure. The club is already attracting high demand, with early sessions almost sold out and enquiries from towns as far away as Middlesbrough.

A hearing in the murder case against Joshua Alexander Hite, 21, has been continued to 19 November after his defense sought additional time for an outside expert to review evidence. The judge denied the defense's request for a January delay, saying the case needed to keep moving. Hite is charged with felony murder, tampering with physical evidence and providing false information in connection with the disappearance and suspected death of Isadora Wengel, 25, who was last seen on 3 January at a Fargo Walmart; her body has not been recovered.

South Dakota's Division of Criminal Investigation determined that a Wagner Police Officer was justified in using force during an incident on 20 September. The officer shot at Travis Six Toes Jr., 30, who was holding a pointed metal spike and rushed at police after refusing orders to drop it. Attorney General Marty Jackley said the suspect 'presented a clear and present danger to law enforcement'. Six Toes Jr. was treated for minor injuries; the officer's shot missed.

England play France in Perth on Saturday in their second Rugby League World Cup group match. After losing 30-12 to Tonga, England's semi-final hopes depend on both a win over France and Tonga beating Samoa in the final round, then England overcoming a significant points difference deficit against Samoa. Coach Brian McDermott has named an unchanged squad despite the pressure.

A Supermarine Spitfire F Mk 22 fuselage has sold for £18,000 at auction following the death of Peter Arnold, the aviation enthusiast known as 'Mr Spitfire', who kept and restored it in his garage in Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire for more than two decades. Arnold died aged 83 in 2025. The aircraft was expected to fetch between £20,000 and £30,000.

Fitzwilliam Malton Estate has begun refurbishing the interior of 35–37 Market Place in Malton, a late 18th-century Grade II-listed building previously occupied by G Woodall & Sons Ltd for 134 years. The company has relocated to premises better suited to its expanding production of traditional canvas bags, goods and tarpaulins. External improvements have already been completed, and the interior renovation will be carried out in partnership with Native Architects, B-Surv Chartered Surveyors and Architectural Designers, with York Property Solutions Ltd as principal contractor.

The University of Maryland has fired head coach Mike Locksley after five straight losses left the Terrapins with a 2-5 record. Locksley, who was brought in during the 2015 season and had compiled a 39-54 record with the programme, will receive a $4.9 million buyout. Defensive coordinator Aazaar Abdul-Rahim will serve as interim head coach whilst Maryland conducts a 'comprehensive national search' for a permanent replacement.

Robert Smith, 48, of no fixed address, appeared at Norwich Magistrates' Court on 14 October 2026 and pleaded guilty to 12 counts of shop theft and 12 counts of breaching a Criminal Behaviour Order. He stole fish, confectionery, cleaning and laundry products from shops on Dereham Road, Woodgrove Parade and Heyford Road between 31 August and 9 October 2026. The CBO, issued in December 2025, had banned him from Co-op and Tesco stores among others. He was sentenced to 26 weeks in prison and ordered to pay a £154 victim surcharge.

French President Emmanuel Macron made a surprise stop in Riyadh on Wednesday to meet Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The visit aimed to demonstrate 'France's solidarity' with the kingdom amid escalating Houthi attacks. Macron also secured extra diesel supplies for France to help ease energy prices and domestic tensions over living costs.

Simon Richardson, 35, is on trial at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court accused of murder after hitting cyclist Michael Mullins, a 56-year-old head teacher, on 20 April at the junction of Dunham Road and Paddock Lane. Richardson told his passenger, his cousin Gabrielle Debotte, 27, 'he's under the car' after the collision. Debotte told the court she shouted 'bike' three times as the vehicle approached the junction, and that Richardson, who claimed to be 'a professional driver', did not slow down before hitting the cyclist who became trapped beneath the Volvo. She said Richardson stopped briefly but drove off without either of them getting out.

Alexander Lewis-Ranwell killed Anthony Payne, 80, and brothers Dick and Dick Carter, 84, in their homes in Exeter on 10 February 2019. Lewis-Ranwell, now 35, was arrested and released twice in the two days before the attacks. A jury at an inquest into the deaths is deciding whether any failings by police or healthcare workers contributed to the killings. Lewis-Ranwell's mother warned officers he was suffering a psychotic episode and had a history of violence. Officers noted his unusual behaviour, and a medical examiner assessed him in custody but concluded he did not require mental health assessment.

Apple has officially launched a rebrand of Apple Music featuring a new logo, wordmark and app icon. The new design was created by filming a musical note submerged in water that ripples in response to sound waves. British producer Fred Again and NEST Acoustics collaborated on the project. The logo moves from the previous red colour scheme to black and white, and will roll out across iOS 27.2, macOS 27.2 and other platforms next week.

Storm Austen struck Cornwall on Friday 23 October with severe wind and rain, causing significant disruption across the region. Wind gusts exceeded 90mph in some areas, with CornwallLive reporting gusts of 111mph in Padstow. Thousands of properties lost power, with Cornwall Council reporting 29 power cut incidents affecting 10,672 properties. Around 90 schools and colleges were affected, with 26 closed entirely and 62 opening late.

Hassan Assi was arrested in Barboursville, West Virginia, after breaking into vehicles in the Huntington Mall parking lot on Tuesday afternoon. Police pursued him in a stolen orange Mitsubishi Outlander onto U.S. 60 but called off the chase due to safety concerns. Less than an hour later, officers received a report that a man had stolen car keys from a sports store; CCTV footage showed him leaving in a vehicle matching the stolen Mitsubishi's description. Officers located Assi at a business on U.S. 60. He was charged with receiving or transferring stolen property, larceny, and being a fugitive from justice, with extradition warrants outstanding from Kentucky. The stolen vehicle was recovered and Assi was held at Western Regional Jail.

Amazon's latest Fire TV Stick 4K has reached its lowest-ever price of $29.99, a 50% discount, just weeks after launch. Both Amazon and Best Buy are offering the deal. The updated model no longer requires a separate power adapter and supports 4K streaming at up to 60fps with HDR10 Plus.

South Norfolk Council has backed plans to clamp down on dangerous parking outside schools in Costessey, Diss, Wymondham and Hethersett at pick-up times. Councillors say parents regularly flout double yellow lines and near misses with children are frequent. The authority agreed to explore whether a six-month pilot targeted enforcement project could be possible.

Ripon Grammar School has been ranked 42nd in a Daily Telegraph league table of England's 163 grammar schools, scoring 38 out of 40 points. It is the only grammar school in the North and Yorkshire to reach the top 50. The school earned The Telegraph's highest rating of 'very good' for its academic results and broad range of opportunities. Headmaster Jonathan Webb said the result reflected the hard work of pupils and staff, and praised the school's commitment to combining academic achievement with wider personal development.

Four businesses on Felixstowe seafront in the Manning's Amusement Park area on Sea Road were broken into overnight on 21 October, with thieves stealing cash from tills and causing damage. Offenders also attempted to break into two further businesses. Among those targeted were AllShapes and La Casa Latina, both at the Beach Street venue. La Casa Latina said the break-in 'really affected us' ahead of the difficult winter months and hoped to reopen for lunch on Thursday after repairs.

Michael Graf, 55, the brother of 22-time Grand Slam winner Steffi Graf, is on the run and apparently living in the tunnels under Las Vegas. A warrant is out for his arrest in Nevada on a misdemeanor trespass charge following a March arrest for drink-driving in Boulder City. Graf has been posting rambling videos on Facebook from what appear to be the tunnels, where he sits before graffitied walls with his belongings in a shopping cart. In some videos, he alleges a physical altercation with his brother-in-law Andre Agassi, Steffi's husband, also a tennis legend. There is no evidence to support his claims about the alleged incident.

Police in Calne are identifying locations for speed checks and enforcement following more than 90 responses to a speeding survey conducted by the local policing team. The force is also continuing patrols near local schools to monitor safety and parking concerns.

Care professionals have been celebrated at a Black Swan Care Group awards ceremony held at Carrow Road Stadium in Norwich. The event recognised outstanding contributions across 16 categories, including care, activities, catering and leadership. Tom Lyons, managing director of Black Swan Care Group, said the company was 'truly humbled and grateful' to its staff, and that having 300 people from all homes in one room to hear stories of their work was 'wonderful'. The care group, which began in Hunstanton in 1994, now operates 24 care homes across East Anglia, supports nearly 800 residents and employs almost 1,000 staff. Jo Taylor from Kings Lynn Residential care home received the award for Family & Community Engagement for her work with the local Royal British Legion.

A 19-year-old from Portsmouth has been charged and two others arrested following a series of burglaries and attempted burglaries across Hampshire and West Sussex. The investigation began after two men broke into a home on Mill Road in Fareham around 3am on 14 September, stealing car keys and a vehicle that was later recovered in Portsmouth. Police linked the incident to eight other burglaries and attempted burglaries at various locations between 28 August and 19 September, including shops and business premises.

Dilshaw Omar Kawani, 53, manager of Parkstone Mini Market in Poole, was sentenced to eight years at Bournemouth Crown Court on 15 October after being found guilty of seven offences of sexual assault and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. A Dorset Police investigation launched in January 2025 revealed that Kawani had given illegal vapes to teenage girls to facilitate his offending. One girl reported he sexually touched her under her clothing after giving her free vapes; another reported being sexually assaulted multiple times and receiving vapes containing THC. Following the reports, Kawani was arrested and the shop closed in a joint operation with Trading Standards, which recovered illegal vapes from the premises. The store has since reopened under new management. A sexual harm prevention order has also been secured against Kawani for 12 years.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to allow the Trump administration to immediately enforce restrictions on gender-affirming care for transgender inmates in federal prisons. President Trump had issued an executive order directing that no federal funds be spent on medical procedures to alter inmates' appearance, prompting the Bureau of Prisons to draft a policy that would end surgeries, hormone therapy and social accommodations for those diagnosed with gender dysphoria. A lower court blocked the policy, and the Justice Department appealed to the Supreme Court seeking to revive it, but the high court rejected the emergency petition in an unsigned order. Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas dissented. The inmates challenging the restrictions, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, argued that the Bureau of Prisons has provided hormone treatment since 1992 and that the new policy would affect nearly 1,000 inmates.

Erin Bennett, 22, died in a three-vehicle collision on the A1 near Felton in Northumberland on Sunday shortly after 12.15pm. Her family paid tribute to their 'caring, thoughtful and wonderful' daughter, saying she had recently secured her 'dream job' with Northumbria Police and was preparing to train as a detective after graduating in criminology and psychology. Northumbria Police's Serious Collision Investigation Unit is investigating and appealing for witnesses or dashcam footage.

A 46-year-old man was shot and killed while driving on the New Jersey-bound side of the George Washington Bridge just after 7 p.m. on Tuesday during the evening rush. The victim, identified as Koran Irvine of Valley Cottage, New York, was found unconscious with a gunshot wound in his vehicle and pronounced dead at a nearby hospital. No arrests have been made and authorities have not disclosed a possible motive. Irvine worked for Con Edison, which called the shooting a 'senseless act of violence'. Closed lanes reopened about five hours after the incident.

Missouri's Department of Transportation has announced plans to raise the maximum speed limit to 75 mph on multiple rural interstate segments, following a new law and detailed review of each location. Crews will implement the changes this autumn, updating signage along the affected highways. MoDOT will monitor crash data at these locations and may reduce speeds back to 70 mph if necessary.

New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis asked owner Gayle Benson for patience with what he called a 'young, developing team'. Benson had criticised the team's performance when it was 1-4, saying she would not accept that level of play and holding Loomis responsible for building a roster capable of sustained success. The Saints have not reached the playoffs since 2020.

A Fargo man is facing 21 felony and misdemeanor charges after prosecutors allege he drugged and sexually assaulted two women in 2022, then secretly recorded the assaults and shared at least one of the recordings. Jacob Steven Metcalf, 33, is charged with two counts of gross sexual imposition involving serious bodily injury, two additional counts of gross sexual imposition, two counts of sexual assault, two counts of possession with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance, 13 counts of creation or possession of a surreptitiously created sexually expressive image, and one count of dissemination of a sexually expressive image. A warrant has been issued for his arrest.

Laidlaw Auctioneers and Valuers in Carlisle will host a three-day sale from 29 October featuring 1,800 lots of Cumbrian heritage. More than 150 items relate to Alfred Wainwright, the author of the seven-volume Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells, including books, prints and original sketches, many signed and first editions. The sale also includes 250 pieces of jewellery, militaria from the First and Second World Wars, rare books and musical instruments.

Honduras is using cloud seeding, in which aircraft spray silver iodide particles into clouds to try to induce rain, to combat a severe drought devastating the Central American Dry Corridor. The El Niño weather pattern, strengthened by global warming, has devastated communities across the region from southern Mexico through Panama, destroying corn and bean crops and forcing subsistence farmers to go hungry.

A senior councillor at Wakefield Council has publicly opposed his own cabinet's proposal to scrap a council tax discount on empty homes. He said the planned policy change would target bereaved residents.

Nearly 96,000 motorhome and caravan enthusiasts attended the annual show at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham.

Actress Joanna Page is encouraging Brits to use the extra hour gained when the clocks go back this weekend for practical tasks. A survey of 2,000 adults found the average person has five permanent tasks on their to-do list, with some remaining unfinished for up to seven months. Nearly half of respondents said they would need an extra 60 minutes daily to complete their tasks. Smart Energy GB has partnered with Page to promote using the 'Power Hour' to tackle home admin and arrange smart meter installations.

Thames Valley Police's West Oxfordshire neighbourhood team and West Oxfordshire District Council conducted a joint operation in Chipping Norton to tackle fly-tipping and illegal waste transport through vehicle checks. All vehicles checked were found compliant, with no waste carriage offences identified, though police did discover a Toyota Aygo being driven without valid insurance. Thames Valley Police said fly-tipping remains a priority in rural West Oxfordshire communities due to its impact on residents, farmers, landowners and the environment.

Early voting for West Virginia's 2026 general election began on Wednesday and will continue until 31 October. This is the first general election in which West Virginia voters are required to show photo identification such as a driver's license or student ID. County officials report good turnout so far, with voters encouraged to cast ballots early rather than wait for Election Day. The ballot will include an amendment on citizenship requirements to vote.

A circular walk starting near Ilkley offers an unusual approach to Beamsley Beacon and takes in Round Hill on grassy ridges with wide-ranging views. The route begins north of the River Wharfe near Myddleton Grange, with the steepest climb up Hardings Lane. The walk passes March Ghyll Reservoir and includes shooting butts and a small hut in a stream bed before reaching Round Hill, where the highest point lies just beyond a barbed wire fence.

Club Curl will transform Roundwood in Taverham into an après ski village this winter, featuring 10 no-ice curling lanes, Alpine-inspired food by chef Justin Unsworth, and drinks served throughout December. The venue will seat up to 240 guests and operate seven days a week. Tom Trivedi of Roundwood said the pop-up matches growing interest in curling locally and aims to capture the atmosphere of alpine ski resorts.

A Halloween-themed pumpkin patch in Barton Mills, Suffolk, has faced backlash from visitors since opening earlier this month. Attendee Alex Dodman described it as 'the UK's most depressing pumpkin patch', saying organisers had 'chucked a load of Tesco pumpkins in a field'. He paid £19.52 for his family of five and reported sparsely scattered pumpkins, some smashed, alongside questionable decorations and fairground rides. The attraction has been compared to Glasgow's 2024 Willy Wonka event.

The search for Daniel Craig's successor as James Bond is approaching its conclusion, with final screen tests scheduled to take place in London this weekend. According to multiple reports, Callum Turner, Jack Lowden and Josh O'Connor are among between three and five actors in contention for the role. The auditions will assess stunts, camera presence and dialogue. Jacob Elordi and Jack O'Connell, previously rumoured as contenders, are not among those testing. Producer Amy Pascal told Deadline that an announcement by the end of the year is likely. Denis Villeneuve will direct the film for Amazon MGM Studios.

The Fitzwilliam Malton Estate has applied to North Yorkshire Council to cut down a sycamore tree at Old Maltongate in Malton after it was identified as suffering from Sooty Bark Disease, a fungal infection affecting sycamore trees. The estate said the removal is necessary to protect public safety and prevent the disease's spread. The disease has been present in the UK for years but hot, dry weather can trigger its development in stressed trees, causing wilting, crown dieback and peeling bark that exposes black fungal spores, which pose a respiratory health risk to humans.

Skipsea Sands Holiday Park in East Yorkshire, owned by Parkdean Resorts, is to receive a £5 million investment. The upgrades, due to open by Easter 2027, will include an indoor adventure climbing experience, indoor adventure golf, off-road driving for children aged four and above, a Bear Grylls-themed escape room, and a new sports bar called Hat-Tricks. Steve Richards, CEO of Parkdean Resorts, said the investment reflects the company's commitment to supporting local jobs, tourism and economic growth in the area.

The UN Environment Programme has concluded that the 1.5-degree Celsius warming target from the Paris Climate Agreement will inevitably be exceeded. Current national policies would lead to 2.8 degrees of warming by century's end, whilst meeting all Paris pledges would limit it to 2.6 degrees. The UN now focuses on minimising how much and how long temperatures overshoot 1.5 degrees, with the best case involving peak warming of 1.7 to 1.8 degrees and a return to 1.5 degrees by 2100, requiring greenhouse gas emissions cuts of 18 per cent by 2030 and 45 per cent by 2035.

Fly-tipping reports in Runnymede borough have surged by more than a third over three years, rising from 1,363 in 2023/24 to 1,871 in 2025/26, with 487 reports so far this year putting it on track to reach 1,948. The council is coordinating a multiagency response involving the Surrey Environmental Partnership, Surrey Police and the Environment Agency, but enforcement remains limited. At a recent scrutiny committee meeting, officials cited challenges including witness reluctance to provide statements, vehicles registered under false details, and the high cost of removing hazardous waste such as asbestos, which costs about £1,500 per flytip before disposal charges.

Acting sergeant Ben Sutcliffe, who featured in Police Interceptors in 2017 and 2018, has been found guilty of gross misconduct by Cleveland Police. Sutcliffe exchanged thousands of messages with a probationary constable between July 2024 and November 2025, and had sex with her whilst on duty, including taking his police dog to her home. He lied about the relationship when challenged and encouraged her to cover it up. Chief Constable Victoria Fuller ruled that if Sutcliffe were still serving, he would have been dismissed and barred him from the College of Policing register, meaning he can never serve with any police force again. Sutcliffe resigned in February.

A man was rushed to hospital after a Pizza Hut shopfront sign collapsed on him in Southall, west London, on Wednesday morning. The incident occurred at around 11am as he walked past the takeaway on South Road. Paramedics treated him at the scene and took him to hospital as a priority.

Over 500 people in South Africa have fallen ill from a gastrointestinal illness causing stomach cramps and diarrhea, linked to poor water quality in communities east of Pretoria. Authorities issued a warning to residents to stop drinking tap water after 408 people, mostly children under 4, were treated at health facilities. The water treatment plant had not been chlorinated for about three weeks due to supply difficulties with the municipality's usual chlorine supplier.

Ten men from Birmingham and Walsall are scheduled to appear in court today facing drug charges.

Emergency personnel responded to a wind turbine fire 10 miles south of Highmore, South Dakota on Monday morning. No workers were inside the tower and all were accounted for. The fire department contained the blaze, with cool temperatures and high humidity helping limit the field fire to less than an acre.

Mike Palin has been appointed interim chief executive of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, taking over from Ben Still from November 2. The appointment follows a competitive process led by the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives. Tracy Brabin, mayor of West Yorkshire, said Palin's experience in economic development, public service reform and housing would be 'pivotal' as the authority embarks on 'an exciting new chapter in devolution'.

Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald and First Minister Michelle O'Neill attended Musgrave Police Station in Belfast for police interviews on their roles in an allegedly unlawful protest on the Garvaghy Road on 27 September. The demonstration blocked an Orange Order parade from proceeding down the predominantly nationalist road for the first time in nearly 30 years. The two leaders defended their participation, saying it was the right thing to do. O'Neill said she would not resign if prosecuted. Other Sinn Féin politicians, including MLAs Gerry Kelly and Deirdre Hargey, and Conor Murphy, also attended interviews.

Residents and businesses in Devon, Torbay and Plymouth have until Wednesday, October 28 to comment on plans for a directly elected mayor for the area. The six-week consultation began on September 16. A new mayor would oversee strategic policy areas such as transport and would have devolved spending powers from central government, though councils would continue to handle bin collections, schools, social care, housing and planning.

Jed York, owner of the San Francisco 49ers, has returned from a six-game suspension and $500,000 fine following his arrest for attempting to pay for sex at an Ohio trailer park in August. He attended NFL owners meetings this week. Commissioner Roger Goodell said the case demonstrates the league's responsibility to enforce its personal conduct policy against owners and others in leadership, not just players.

Luka Doncic made his Los Angeles Lakers debut with 28 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in a 127-105 victory over the Golden State Warriors. Ahead of the game, Doncic bought out an entire parking lot to offer fans free parking and partnered with Metro Bike Share to provide free rides across Los Angeles. During the match, Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg engaged in an on-court confrontation with Doncic, criticising his appeals for fouls and saying he had 'lost all respect' for the star after seeing him 'whine and complain'. Doncic made a half-court shot before halftime that impressed Lakers head coach JJ Redick, who recounted losing money to Doncic in shooting competitions when they were teammates with the Dallas Mavericks.

Louis Oosthuizen, the 2010 Open Championship winner, has announced he is leaving LIV Golf to return to the DP World Tour in 2027. The 44-year-old, who joined LIV Golf in 2022 as captain of the South African team Southern Guards, said he wanted a more flexible playing schedule to remain competitive. He cited concerns that the LIV 2.0 schedule would be difficult to manage.

Fashion brand Bershka will open its first Oxfordshire store at Westgate Oxford on 29 October. The 11,000 sq ft store on the upper ground floor, next to H&M and Urban Outfitters, will be the brand's first location outside London or Birmingham. The store will feature Bershka women, the teen-focused BSK section, and Bershka for men, with two payment areas and a large fitting room.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq rose after SpaceX and Super Micro Computer posted quarterly results that improved appetite for AI-linked stocks, though Netflix fell short with a weaker-than-expected forecast. SpaceX gained 10.7 per cent after Elon Musk said a merger with Tesla would be 'a good idea', and posted its first profit as a public company. Super Micro jumped 12 per cent after forecasting quarterly revenue and profit margin above Wall Street estimates, signalling resilient AI demand.

Neil Bush, brother of former President George W. Bush and son of George H.W. Bush, announced Tuesday that he voted early for Democrat James Talarico in Texas's Senate race rather than Republican Ken Paxton, the state's attorney general. Bush said his decision was motivated by deep concern about Paxton's record and admiration for Talarico's character. Bush cited Paxton's decision to challenge the 2020 presidential election results in other states to help Donald Trump remain in power, which he called 'an affront to our democratic institutions and the peaceful transfer of power'. He also noted that Paxton was impeached by the Texas House in 2023, though acquitted by the Texas Senate. Bush stated that Trump and those who enabled him have caused 'enormous damage to the Republican Party', though he said he remains a Republican who believes in traditional conservative principles. 'Character matters more than party affiliation,' he wrote.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde warned on Wednesday that its accident and emergency departments are extremely busy. The health board urged the public to attend A&E only for life or limb-threatening injuries and illnesses, and to call 999 in medical emergencies. For minor conditions, the board said people should consider alternatives such as self-care at home using NHS resources, community pharmacies, NHS 24, or other local healthcare services. Dr Claire Harrow, deputy medical director for acute services, said patients with non-life-threatening conditions may face longer waits as clinical teams prioritise the most seriously unwell.

Woking Borough Council has agreed a series of measures to complete the stalled Sheerwater estate regeneration project. Work on the estate, which began when 984 homes were demolished almost a decade ago, stopped when the council went bankrupt in 2023, leaving a half-built construction site and derelict properties. The council will now commit to finishing a permanent access road, transfer vacant land to developers for the final phase of housing, and use £4.4m to take over remaining leaseholds held by its company Thameswey Housing to enable its sale.

A masked philanthropist who calls himself 'London's Batman' has begun handing out cash to Londoners in random acts of kindness. The anonymous figure, who first appeared on Instagram on 22 September in front of the London Eye, has attracted almost 100,000 followers. He has paid for motorists' fuel, parking penalty charges and other expenses, reportedly contributing as much as £3,500 towards petrol bills alone at one service station visit.

Comedian Harry Enfield is set to perform at Ipswich Regent Theatre on November 5 as part of a national tour. The show, titled Harry Enfield and No Chums, offers an intimate retrospective into his career, blending autobiographical exploration with character comedy and reflecting on four decades of British culture.

Plans have been submitted to expand an existing Gypsy and Traveller site in Oxfordshire to 15 mobile homes. Applicant S. McGinley has asked Cherwell District Council for permission at The Stable Block, off Farnborough Road in Mollington, in a retrospective application that would increase the number of caravans from 13 to 15. The site has operated since 2009, when permission was first granted for two Gypsy families with six caravans, and has expanded through a series of approvals recognised as meeting traveller accommodation need in Cherwell.

Robert Sidley, a team leader at Hereford and Worcester Scouts, has been sentenced to 32 months in prison, suspended for two years, after admitting to fraud. The 47-year-old stole £191,000 intended for young people's expeditions, including a trip to Canada. He must also complete 220 hours of unpaid work. Hereford and Worcester Scouts said it took immediate action when concerns emerged, reported the matter to police and the Charity Commission, and has refunded all affected families.

The Pannett Art Gallery in Whitby has been awarded £11,130 through the Museum Learning and Education Grant Programme run by Museum Development North to create a new education programme. The project will develop curriculum-linked resources based on artworks in the gallery's permanent collection to support secondary school art education. The resources will be made available free to schools, home educators and community organisations both at the gallery and online.

An independent safety audit commissioned by Wokingham Borough Council concluded that a controversial redesign of California Crossroads in Finchampstead was 'very unlikely' to have caused the only recorded injury collision near the site since it opened. One crash involving a car hitting a pedestrian occurred between October 2024 and September 2025, about 30 metres west of the junction on Nine Mile Ride, with contributory factors related to the driver including alcohol and dangerous driving. The audit identified some safety concerns, recommending bollards be installed to prevent vehicles mounting kerbs at two corners of the junction.

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service is tackling menopause awareness among its workforce. Women and Equalities Minister Bridget Phillipson visited Huntingdon Fire and Rescue Station on 15 October to mark Menopause Awareness Month, saying there remained 'quite a lot of ignorance' about the condition and its workplace effects. The service has introduced measures including providing period products for firefighters on shifts, and appointed a menopause champion at Huntingdon station.

Multiple animal activist groups protested on Saturday against allegations that St John's College, Oxford University, permitted an illegal hunt to cross onto its Warwickshire land on 1 September. The college denies the accusation and says it has found no evidence of any offence under the Hunting Act 2004. The protest, organised by Locals against the Warwickshire Hunt and joined by the Oxfordshire Coalition of Animal Advocates and Oxfordshire Hunt Saboteurs, was described by organisers as 'peaceful, lawful, civil, but not necessarily quiet'.

The Lounge at Barmston, an East Yorkshire pub near Bridlington on the A165, is for sale for £250,000 freehold, a £50,000 reduction since it went to market earlier this year. The property has a commercial kitchen, seating for 36 diners, five motorhome sites, and a large car park. Estate agents Harris Shields say there is scope for further commercial development, including a café or car wash. The owner is also open to leasing the premises to interested parties.

Christian Horner has revealed in his autobiography that one of his final acts as Red Bull team principal was to approach George Russell's management about a potential move. The approach happened during the 2025 British Grand Prix weekend at Silverstone, Horner's last race before his dismissal. Horner said he decided to 'fight fire with fire' in response to Mercedes' attempts to lure Max Verstappen away from Red Bull.

TG Jones closed its store on Coney Street in York on Monday, following the closure of a Post Office in the same building five days earlier. The vacant space at 39-41 Coney Street has prompted suggestions from shoppers and local residents for potential replacements, with an indoor market and live music venue among the most popular ideas. Other suggestions include a golf shop, home interiors store, and Forbidden Planet, a pop-culture retailer. Local councillors said finding a replacement for the post office was important, particularly for those who rely on its services.