Channel 4 poaches Paramount’s £300m-plus TV ad sales business from Sky
The Guardian •

Channel 4 poaches Paramount’s £300m-plus TV ad sales business from Sky

Exclusive: Move is a big boost for Channel 4, days after it announced it is to cut 340 jobsBusiness live – latest updatesChannel 4 has poached the Channel 5 owner Paramount’s £300m-plus TV advertising sales business from Sky, in a huge boost days after the broadcaster announced it is to cut 340 jobs.The win is a big win for Channel 4, which relies on advertising for about 90% of its £1bn in revenu...

UK state pension set to top £13,000 a year as wage growth slows to 3.9%

UK state pension set to top £13,000 a year as wage growth slows to 3.9%

The Guardian •

Workers face inflation squeeze fuelled by Iran war, as Bank of England prepares for interest rates decisionBusiness live – latest updatesWage growth in the UK has slowed as workers come under pressure from a renewed cost of living squeeze fuelled by the Iran war, highlighting the challenge for the Bank of England as it prepares to set interest rates.Data from the Office for National Statistics (ON...

85% of Wang Fuk Court owners sign sale deals as flat selection moves ahead

85% of Wang Fuk Court owners sign sale deals as flat selection moves ahead

SCMP •

More than 85 per cent of owners at the blaze-hit Wang Fuk Court have signed agreements to sell their flats to the Hong Kong government as authorities move ahead with flat selection under a special rehousing scheme. Authorities said on Tuesday that 1,702 households – 85.8 per cent of flat owners across blocks A to H at the estate – had signed sale and purchase agreements as of Monday. On the same d...

Lucy Letby public inquiry report findings to be published after repeated delays – latest updates

Lucy Letby public inquiry report findings to be published after repeated delays – latest updates

The Guardian •

Long-awaited Thrilwall inquiry has examined how the former nurse was able to murder babies at a Chester neonatal unity over a two-year periodMy colleagues Jamie Grierson and Josh Halliday have summarised the crimes Lucy Letby has been convicted of in a useful explainer I have linked to at the bottom of this post.What crimes was Lucy Letby convicted of?What was the outcome of the second trial? Cont...

Venice best actress winner says she signed on at Danish job centre days before her victory

Venice best actress winner says she signed on at Danish job centre days before her victory

The Guardian •

Mathilde Arcel, who won the Volpi Cup on Saturday for her role in Golden Lion winner Woman Unknown, said job offers have now begun to arriveThe winner of this year’s best actress prize at the Venice film festival has revealed that she is on unemployment benefits and had to fly to back to Copenhagen to report to the job centre before receiving her award.On Saturday night, Danish actor Mathilde Arce...

TUC warns of danger of ‘out of control political spending’ but stops short of backing caps on donations –  UK politics live

TUC warns of danger of ‘out of control political spending’ but stops short of backing caps on donations – UK politics live

The Guardian •

Union statement comes after Nigel Farage says a Reform UK government would stop unions funding Labour if they block £72m donations to his partyThe Liberal Democrats have said that they will try to introduce a cap on the amount people donate to political parties by amending the representation of the people bill as it goes through the Lords.Lisa Smart, the Lib Dem Cabinet Office spokesperson, said:W...

How Josh Duhamel turned a rustic cabin into a 52-acre retreat

How Josh Duhamel turned a rustic cabin into a 52-acre retreat

Times of India •

Actor Josh Duhamel has acquired a tranquil property in Minnesota, initially featuring just an old cabin. Over the years, he expanded the land to fifty-two acres, modernizing it with essential utilities like electricity and running water. This transformation has provided a beloved retreat for his family, where they can enjoy a range of outdoor activities, including leisure time by the lakeside with...

Malaysia’s ex-PM Muhyiddin acquitted of 4 charges in US$49 million corruption case

Malaysia’s ex-PM Muhyiddin acquitted of 4 charges in US$49 million corruption case

SCMP •

Malaysia’s former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin won a significant court victory on Tuesday after he was acquitted of four charges linked to a government programme set up to help contractors during the Covid-19 pandemic. The Kuala Lumpur High Court cleared Muhyiddin of three money-laundering charges and one of abuse of power involving 200 million ringgit (US$49.1 million), after prosecutors said ...

Democrats say supreme court rejection of Trump mail ballot restrictions will ensure ‘safe, secure and accurate elections’ – US politics live

Democrats say supreme court rejection of Trump mail ballot restrictions will ensure ‘safe, secure and accurate elections’ – US politics live

The Guardian •

Comments come after court on Monday rejected the president’s mail ballot restrictions ahead of the November midterm electionsSupreme court rejects Trump’s mail ballot restrictions for midterm electionsHello and welcome to the US politics live blog.Lawmakers have given their support to the supreme court’s rejection of Donald Trump’s bid to restrict mail ballots for the midterm elections.Mitch McCo...

‘Lazy economy’: US$15 monthly rubbish services in China gain popularity, benefitting elderly

‘Lazy economy’: US$15 monthly rubbish services in China gain popularity, benefitting elderly

SCMP •

A new business trend has emerged in China where young people get paid to throw out rubbish for others at a small fee – and it is proving to be a surprising success. While many people consider taking out the rubbish merely an incidental chore, it has evolved into a paid service in China. On social media platforms, some entrepreneurs promote their rubbish disposal services. Their fees range from thr...

‘Doing a North Korea’? Why the Middle East could be entering a new nuclear age

‘Doing a North Korea’? Why the Middle East could be entering a new nuclear age

SCMP •

The Middle East stands on the precipice of a new nuclear age, with Saudi Arabia set to acquire American uranium enrichment technology and Turkey eager to follow suit, as Iran weighs withdrawal from the treaty that bars it from making atomic bombs. Momentum is building: last week, the United States and Israel both threatened further air strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities, claiming it was att...

Has a Chinese DF missile been used for the first time in the Middle East?

Has a Chinese DF missile been used for the first time in the Middle East?

SCMP •

Debris from a Chinese-made short-range ballistic missile has been found in Yemen for the first time, suggesting Chinese weapons systems may have been used during the heated conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis. Video clips circulating on social media in the past week showed debris from the booster stage of a short-range ballistic missile with “DF-15A” written on its side found in the Ragh...

Ohio seeks 118 acres around rare wetland; preserve could reach 450 acres with family’s house, 3 acres

Ohio seeks 118 acres around rare wetland; preserve could reach 450 acres with family’s house, 3 acres

Times of India •

Ross County officials support a proposed 118-acre land acquisition for wetland protection. This acquisition would significantly expand the buffer around Kinnikinnick Fen and Herron Downs. Funding through Ohio’s Clean Ohio program is crucial for this conservation effort. The property owners have also offered to donate their house and surrounding land. This project aims to create a larger, conne...

Jacksonville donates 20 acres for $300M university campus and semiconductor research

Jacksonville donates 20 acres for $300M university campus and semiconductor research

Times of India •

Jacksonville is donating over twenty acres for a new University of Florida campus. This significant investment will support graduate programs and semiconductor research initiatives. The city's contribution totals one hundred million dollars towards the project. The wider UF Jacksonville project has attracted three hundred million dollars in investment. This new campus aims to develop talent an...

Sagrada Familia got 24-tonne ‘glue job’ ahead of Gaudí’s centenary as world’s tallest church

Sagrada Familia got 24-tonne ‘glue job’ ahead of Gaudí’s centenary as world’s tallest church

Times of India •

The Sagrada Familia continues to rise with the aid of cutting-edge technology and unique adhesive solutions that bond stone with steel, reinforcing its many panels. This modern construction effort employs digital modeling and off-site prefabrication to expedite the building process, all while contending with environmental factors like salinity and underground vibrations. The ongoing project remain...