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Jersey's inflation climbs to 3% as food and alcohol costs surge

Jersey's annual inflation rate has risen to 3% in September, driven by increases in food, alcohol and household service costs. Energy prices have surged sharply, with heating oil up 47.7% and petrol up 22.7% annually.

2 min read

Memorial service celebrates Sir Ian Wood, oil industry titan

A memorial service in Aberdeen has celebrated Sir Ian Wood, the businessman who built the Wood Group into a £5bn global engineering firm. More than 300 people attended the ceremony honouring the philanthropist, who died on 26 July aged 84.

3 min read

Government sets £110K earnings cap for first-time buyer loan scheme, £140K in London

The government will allow households earning up to £110,000 to apply for its Your First Home scheme, with a higher £140,000 limit in London. The equity loan scheme offers 20% of new-build property costs with deposits as low as 2.5%.

3 min read

Bradford launches £2m green vehicle fund for small businesses

Bradford Council has launched a £2 million fund to help small businesses and charities switch to zero-emission vehicles, offering up to £16,000 per heavy-duty vehicle and £4,500 for light-duty models as part of its Clean Air programme.

3 min read

Retail sales in Great Britain plunge as household finances tighten ahead of budget

Retail sales in Great Britain fell 0.4% in September, far steeper than the 0.1% decline economists expected, as household confidence plummets ahead of the chancellor's budget announcement. Core sales excluding fuel dropped 0.7%, with online retailers hit hardest.

5 min read

Britain's Grid Will Stay Secure This Winter, Operator Confirms Despite Staff Concerns

Britain's grid operator NESO says the electricity system will remain secure this winter despite engineers' concerns about managing renewable energy. The operator forecasts a 5.9 GW surplus and warns of potential "tight days" requiring additional generation notices.

6 min read

Historic Wartime Radio Station Linked to German Battleship Sinking Now for Sale

Criggion Radio Station's Shortwave A building, which relayed orders to sink German warships during World War Two and transmitted to submarines during the Cold War, is now for sale for £495,000. The historic facility operated from 1942 until 1972.

6 min read

Inverurie crowned Scotland's Town of the Year for community spirit and local enterprise

Inverurie has been named Scotland's Town of the Year for its community spirit and economic resilience. The Aberdeenshire town has bucked the trend of town centre decline through resident support for local businesses, strategic events and strong commercial performance.

6 min read

Barclays chief accepts bank tax rise as 'bearable' ahead of Healey budget

Barclays chief CS Venkatakrishnan has accepted higher bank taxes expected in next week's budget as "bearable," backing Chancellor John Healey's fiscal priorities. The bank surcharge increase could raise £2 billion annually, reducing Barclays' profit by 2-3%.

11 min read

Retired Decorator's £1.56m Pokémon Card Collection Sets UK Auction Record

A retired decorator from Woking has become a millionaire after his Pokémon trading card collection sold for £1.56m at Ewbank's auction house in Surrey on 21 October, setting a UK record for trading card auctions.

4 min read

BioWare, Studio Behind Mass Effect, Shuts Down After 31 Years

BioWare, the legendary developer behind Mass Effect and Dragon Age, has closed after 31 years. The Canadian studio's final releases underperformed, prompting parent company EA to shut it down as part of a 400-job restructuring following a $55 billion Saudi-led buyout.

4 min read

Meta Shields Zuckerberg From California Billionaire Tax With Stock Deal

Meta has agreed a deal with Mark Zuckerberg allowing him to sell shares without losing control of the company if he needs to pay a tax bill under California's proposed billionaire wealth tax. The arrangement centres on a two-for-one stock split creating non-voting shares.

5 min read