Burnham urges officials to come up with more radical options for Thames Water
Posted on Monday October 19, 2026

Exclusive: Utility seen as ‘litmus test’ of PM’s promise to bring ‘essentials of life’ under public control

Andy Burnham has told officials to rip up their plans for how to fix Thames Water and present him with more radical options for what to do with the stricken company.

In an early test of his promise to bring “the essentials of life” under public control, the prime minister is urging his advisers to go back to the drawing board and create a new list of policies for the utility.

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France hit by debt sell-off as violent protests unnerve investors
Posted on Monday October 19, 2026

Difference between French and German borrowing costs widens after public buildings burned and shops looted

France has been hit by a fresh wave of selling in its bond and stock markets after violent protests over the weekend led to thousands of arrests and left public buildings burned and hundreds of shops looted across the country.

The chaos has spooked investors as analysts worried that it would undermine Paris’s efforts to cut spending and reduce its debt.

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North Sea strikes could severely disrupt UK fuel supplies, union warns
Posted on Monday October 19, 2026

More than ⁠160 ​offshore rig workers plan walkout amid rising tensions between unions and oil companies

North Sea workers are preparing to strike at oil rigs across the ageing basin over the coming weeks in a sign of growing tensions between trade unions and oil companies.

The Unite union said on ⁠Monday that more than ⁠160 ​offshore rig workers would take part ⁠in a 24-hour ​strike from Wednesday that could “severely disrupt” UK fuel supplies.

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Masts removed from bomb-laden WWII ship in Thames in bid to avoid explosion
Posted on Monday October 19, 2026

American warship sank in 1944 with approximately 1,400 tonnes of munitions onboard

A sunken US wartime ship in the Thames estuary holding enough unexploded bombs to devastate a Kent coastal town and send a tidal wave through London has been made slightly safer, ministers have announced.

Engineers have removed the masts of the SS Richard Montgomery – a second world war cargo ship that sank in 1944 with approximately 1,400 tonnes of munitions onboard – without triggering the kind of feared explosion that has kept the wreck under constant guard for decades.

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AI firm Anthropic to commit 5% of shares to fund for ‘public good’
Posted on Monday October 19, 2026

The $48bn giveaway comes amid concerns about the tech and as the company prepares for a stock market listing

Anthropic has said it will commit 5% of its shares to a fund for the “public good”, as the AI developer behind the Claude chatbot seeks to bolster its appeal before its stock market listing.

The company announced it would commit the shares, worth around $48bn (£36bn) at its latest valuation in May, subject to shareholder approval. It will add a further 2% of its stock to the fund for every 50% increase in its value above an undisclosed baseline.

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World Bank says ‘small AI’ could transform developing countries
Posted on Sunday October 18, 2026

Bank’s chief knowledge officer says the tech could speed up economic development from centuries to decades

The World Bank is urging developing countries to kickstart the creation of “small AI” models, which can run on a mobile phone with low connectivity, to reap the full benefits of artificial intelligence.

While Silicon Valley big tech firms are focused on ever more sophisticated consumer products, Paschal Donohoe, the World Bank’s chief knowledge officer, said AI could also accelerate development for emerging economies – but only if it was adapted to local needs.

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Tottenham v Coventry: Premier League – live
Posted on Monday October 19, 2026

⚽ Live updates from the 8pm BST kick-off
⚽ Get in touch! Share your thoughts with Daniel

Where is the game? Spurs will look to dominate possession, with Gray and Tonali dictating play, so Maddison, Kudus and Marmoush can buzz about behind Solanke. The absence of a proper winger means they’ll probably look to create centrally, Solanke attacking space for little balls in behind, before going wide to put crosses into a well-populated box.

“None of this is De Zerbi’s fault,” reckons Dave Estherby, “yet lose tonight and surely, he’s toast.”

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‘Money and medals over safety’: Nassar judge warns gymnasts are still being failed
Posted on Monday October 19, 2026

• Larry Nassar’s sexual abuse crimes came to light 10 years ago

• Survivors gather at world championships to call for reform

The judge who sentenced the former USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar to up to 175 years in jail in 2018 for the sexual abuse of more than 250 women and girls has condemned the lack of meaningful change in the decade since Nassar’s crimes were exposed.

With the World Gymnastics Championships taking place here this week, Judge Rosemarie Aquilina said human rights must be prioritised over the desire for sporting success.

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