Royal Mail investigated again as almost a quarter of first-class post arrives late
Posted on Monday June 01, 2026

Latest figures show the company’s delivery performance has worsened compared with the previous year

• Business live – latest updates

The postal regulator has launched an investigation into Royal Mail for once again missing its annual delivery targets, with almost a quarter of first-class mail arriving late.

The company, which has been fined £37m since 2023 for routinely failing to meet delivery targets set by Ofcom, revealed on Friday that 24.3% of first-class mail failed to arrive on time in the year to the end of March.

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Wise investigated in Belgium over money-laundering control concerns
Posted on Monday June 01, 2026

International money transfer service’s shares tumble as it confirms discussions with prosecutor’s office

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Wise, the UK-based international money transfer service and darling of the London fintech scene, has confirmed it is answering questions from Belgian prosecutors investigating money laundering, sending its shares tumbling.

In a statement to the stock market, Wise said it was “currently working with the Brussels prosecutor to respond to queries about our business, as we routinely do with regulators and law-enforcement authorities.

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Reeves examines using private sector funds to speed building of new towns
Posted on Monday June 01, 2026

Chancellor in talks with banks and investment funds about public-private partnerships to build infrastructure

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Rachel Reeves is examining how to attract funds from private investors to accelerate the government’s development of new towns in England.

The chancellor has begun talks with some of the UK’s biggest banks and investment funds about building infrastructure for new towns based on public-private partnerships (PPP) – a successor to the much-criticised Tony Blair-era private finance initiative (PFI).

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‘Catastrophic for creative industries’: Brexit barriers shut UK actors out of EU jobs
Posted on Monday June 01, 2026

Casting shifts to EU talent as paperwork delays and visa limits make hiring British crews less viable

From blacklists for UK passport holders to being asked to work illegally while on holiday, the plethora of extra costs and red tape thrown up post-Brexit are restricting opportunities for British actors seeking work in the EU.

Mainland Europe has always been a springboard for those in the creative industries, from gaining crucial first credits on a TV, film or theatre production to building a marketable resume and paying the bills while attempting to make it big in the UK or US.

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Nvidia launches ‘superchip’ putting AI power into laptops and PCs
Posted on Monday June 01, 2026

Firm says its RTX Spark PC chip for Microsoft Windows will let AI agents replace the mouse and keyboard

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A new front has opened up in the battle for dominance in AI chips, as Nvidia said its latest development could replace the mouse and keyboard in how people use computers.

The $5tn (£3.7tn) US semiconductor company has launched a “superchip” that puts AI capabilities into laptops and desktop computers, a move that will pit it against Intel, Apple, Qualcomm and AMD.

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Charities decry UK plan to use AI to assess age of young asylum seekers
Posted on Monday June 01, 2026

Coalition of more than 100 organisations says move could lead to more children ending up in adult detention facilities

A coalition of more than a hundred refugee children’s organisations has said controversial plans to use AI to assess the age of young asylum seekers could lead to more children wrongly ending up in adult prisons or detention centres.

The warning follows a Home Office announcement on Friday of a contract to roll out AI facial age estimation technology on young asylum seekers whose age is disputed.

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Serena Williams confirms her tennis comeback at Queen’s next week aged 44
Posted on Monday June 01, 2026

• Calls the event ‘perfect place’ for her return to court

• Williams will play doubles with Victoria Mboko

Serena Williams, one of the greatest athletes of all time, has announced her return to professional tennis next week at the Queen’s Club aged 44.

Williams will return to competition with a wildcard into the women’s doubles draw in the WTA 500 event in west London. She has not competed in the last four years since the US Open in 2022, where she described her departure from the sport as “evolving away” from tennis rather than retirement. However, Williams remained on the retired players’ list until last year.

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French Open 2026: Auger-Aliassime in action, Shnaider sinks Keys on day nine – live
Posted on Monday June 01, 2026

Updates from Monday’s fourth-round matches
Email Daniel | Serena Williams confirms comeback

Potapova, having lost five games in a row, makes advantage on the Kalinskaya serve, a pair of backhands, one cross then another down the line, seizing the break to trail 4-6 1-0. Neither player is really at it here, meaning the match is there for whichever of them can stay composed.

On Chatrier, Svajda is improving, surviving to break points for lead 2-1 in set two, having lost the first 6-2. If he can attack Cobolli’s second serve and backhand, he might yet make an impression in this match.

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