Avanti West Coast paid out £20m in ‘delay repay’ passenger refunds this summer
Posted on Saturday October 31, 2026

Intercity train operator’s compensation bill likely to top £70m this financial year amid rise in claims across network

Avanti West Coast paid out more than £20m to passengers in just three months this summer in refunds for disrupted journeys on Britain’s main intercity rail network.

The intercity operator paid out almost as much in a four-week period to 25 July – £9.3m – as its annual profits for each of the past two years. It repaid a further £12.2m in the subsequent eight weeks.

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Eight in 10 homes in London’s poshest postcodes now sell below asking price, Coutts finds
Posted on Saturday October 31, 2026

Sellers in areas such as Belgravia and Mayfair face hundreds of thousands of pounds in losses as property prices fall

Eight out of 10 properties in London’s most exclusive neighbourhoods – such as Mayfair, Belgravia and Knightsbridge – now sell below asking price, according to research by Coutts, which provides private banking services to wealthy clients.

Property prices in “prime central London”, which covers the city’s most expensive postcodes, have dropped 5% in the third quarter of 2026, as the slowdown in the UK’s property market hits its wealthiest residents.

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North Korea is likely culprit behind $6.3bn crypto hack, ‘largest heist in history’
Posted on Friday October 30, 2026

Binance exchange says it will cover customer losses as it scrambles to freeze affected assets, with about $3bn located so far

• Q&A: How big a deal is the $6.3bn crypto heist?

• Tell us: have you been affected by the Binance hack?

The world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange has been hit by a record $6.3bn (£4.7bn) hack described as the biggest heist in history, with experts identifying North Korea as the likely culprit.

Binance said it would cover all customer losses as it froze $3bn of the affected assets.

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The cursed cruise: how the dream of never-ending luxury at sea became a nightmare
Posted on Saturday October 31, 2026

The MV Odyssey was billed as the ultimate escape from Donald Trump. Instead, the oil shock caused by his war has left passengers unceremoniously dumped in Cambodia

The idea was a never-ending retirement at sea, a continuous voyage around the globe. The promise to the passengers of the MV Odyssey cruise ship – many approaching the autumn of their lives – was that on the open seas they could cut loose from the troubles of the world. But the world had other ideas.

The end came in an announcement as stark as it was brief: they had seven hours to get off. They were going no further than Cambodia.

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North Korea is likely culprit behind $6.3bn crypto hack, ‘largest heist in history’
Posted on Friday October 30, 2026

Binance exchange says it will cover customer losses as it scrambles to freeze affected assets, with about $3bn located so far

• Q&A: How big a deal is the $6.3bn crypto heist?

• Tell us: have you been affected by the Binance hack?

The world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange has been hit by a record $6.3bn (£4.7bn) hack described as the biggest heist in history, with experts identifying North Korea as the likely culprit.

Binance said it would cover all customer losses as it froze $3bn of the affected assets.

Read more...

I read Anthropic's 92-page risk factor document, so you don't have to – video explainer
Posted on Friday October 30, 2026

Anthropic, the creator of Claude, filed to go public on the US stock market on 26 October. The company's filing statement contains a 92-page risk factor document in which it acknowledges the dangers that AI poses to society and human beings, and factors that could negatively affect Anthropic's business. Johana Bhuiyan, senior tech reporter for the Guardian, breaks down the document and explains why Anthropic's IPO could be a real test to the AI boom

• Anthropic files for potentially record-breaking stock market valuation in key test for AI industry

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South Africa v Australia: third men’s cricket Test, day five – live
Posted on Saturday October 31, 2026

• Updates from the final day of the series at Newlands

• Any thoughts? Get in touch with an email

3rd over: Australia 14-2 (Head 9, Green 1) Brave of Green to leave the ball outside off. Similar spot to the one that got Marnus, a touch fuller perhaps. He gets moving from the fifth ball, knocks a single into the off side.

2nd over: Australia 13-2 (Head 9, Green 0) Well, I said that Australia needed Head to take a bite out of the chase first, but wasn’t anticipating that he would lose two partners in the first over. He decides to do his part anyway. Defends three balls from Jansen, then lets loose as he sees width. Misses his first flail, connects cleanly with his second one along the ground, and connects dirty with his third, in the air through the cordon but safe. Two boundaries, but if I were South Africa, I’d happily feed that shot a few times looking for the mistake.

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Chelsea v Manchester United buildup, Premier League, WSL and more – matchday live
Posted on Saturday October 31, 2026

⚽ All the latest as we build up to Saturday’s games
⚽ Ten things to look out for | Fixtures | Mail Billy

It is not all rosy at Chelsea either. A home defeat to Spurs can bring any season to a grinding halt and the manner of the performance last weekend has brought Xabi Alonso under scrutiny. Wednesday’s defeat to Liverpool in the Carabao Cup has not helped, with the domestic cups surely taking higher priority this season without European football.

But perhaps the most concerning thing for Alonso is his growing injury list. In recent days and weeks he has lost Reece James, João Pedro and Maxence Lacroix – with none of them expected back for a few weeks at least. Emi Martínez could soon make a return from his broken jaw, but it will be Mike Penders in goal again today.

It’s pretty clear, it’s not always rosy and nice conversations between anyone, whether that’s between me and the players, whether that’s between me, Jason, Omar or the owners.

It’s the truth, it’s the hard truth at times and it’s what we need to move forward. Whatever we need to move forward, we will do.

I’ll be totally honest, it was mixed feelings for me. To have the appreciation from the supporters and that connection and that respect is something I feel strongly about.

It wasn’t a nice situation but to feel that was important, of course, but it didn’t make me feel better in the fact that I’m with the players 100% and we’re all in it together. I’ve told the players that, I’m happy to say that.

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