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Van driver jailed for 3.5 years for deliberately hitting cyclist

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What we know · Mark Okotie, 44, was sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court after being convicted of causing grievous bodily harm with intent. The cyclist, a man in his 20s, suffered multiple fractures to his pelvis and a fractured femur in the New Cross Road attack.

How it's being seen · The judge called it "a moment of extreme road rage" and said Okotie used the van as "a highly dangerous weapon", while his barrister described "a momentary relapse in retaliation". The cyclist said he still panics when a van comes up behind him, and police said they hope the sentence shows deliberate violence on London's roads will be robustly prosecuted.

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England out of tri-series after Sri Lanka beat Pakistan

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What we know · Sri Lanka bowled Pakistan out for 110 in Lahore and won by eight wickets in 18.1 overs, which means England, who lost all three games, cannot reach Saturday's final. England still play Sri Lanka on Thursday, but that game no longer matters.

How it's being seen · Pakistan captain Shaheen Shah Afridi admitted his side keep collapsing at the top of the order, and Sri Lanka's Kusal Mendis said his team bowled well but still have areas to improve. The article calls three more defeats for England unwelcome, though it says conditions at next year's World Cup will be very different.

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Drone halts Fleetwood v Arsenal for eight minutes

Photo: Home fans entrance at Fleetwood Town FC – geograph.org.uk – 3139837.jpg by Steve Daniels, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

What we know · Referee Michael Salisbury took the players off in the eighth minute of the Carabao Cup tie after an unauthorised drone appeared over the pitch. Fleetwood confirmed it was not theirs, and play resumed once the drone left the stadium's airspace.

How it's being seen · The reporting shows no disagreement over the decision. Who flew the drone and why is not known, and the sources stop at half-time, with Fleetwood leading 1-0, so the final result is not covered.

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Meghan to co-host Junior MasterChef Australia in 2027

Photo: Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.jpg by Office of the Governor-General, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

What we know · Network 10 confirmed Meghan will be a "special guest" co-host alongside Poh Ling Yeow when the children's show returns after six years off air. Production will be at Melbourne Showgrounds, with no date set.

How it's being seen · Meghan called returning to the MasterChef team "an easy yes", and Yeow promised "plenty of delicious surprises". It is not stated whether she will be paid or whether filming means a move to Australia, and accounts of her Netflix show differ: the BBC says it did not perform well, while the Guardian notes Netflix said it was viewed 5.3 million times in early 2025.

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Susan Saint James, Emmy-winning star of Kate & Allie, dies at 80

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What we know · Her family said she died on Monday of pancreatic cancer. She won an Emmy in 1969 for The Name of the Game and, by the Hollywood Reporter's count, received eight nominations, including for McMillan & Wife and Kate & Allie.

How it's being seen · Tributes have focused on her decision to largely stop acting after Kate & Allie ended in 1989 while she was still in demand. Her family remembered her as "generous with her time and energy" and noted her long volunteer work for the Special Olympics.

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Reckitt cuts sales outlook as Lysol supply problems bite

Photo: Deutsche Niederlassung von Reckitt Benckiser – panoramio.jpg by Immanuel Giel, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

What we know · Reckitt now expects like-for-like core growth of 3.5% to 4.5% this year, down from 4% to 5%, and its shares fell 6% on Tuesday morning. North American sales fell 1.3% in the third quarter after disruption to Lysol production.

How it's being seen · The chief executive put the problem down to supply, not demand, and expects a fourth-quarter rebound; IG's Chris Beauchamp said there are "still reasons to be optimistic". The company also said European shoppers are buying fewer products, with volumes down 3.2% as prices rose 4%, so it remains to be seen whether Lysol recovers and how long they accept higher prices.

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Shoe Zone warns of £1m loss as shares plunge

Photo: Former Shoe Zone, Boothferry Road, Goole (19th November 2023).jpg by Mtaylor848, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

What we know · The retailer expects an underlying loss of about £1 million for the year, against a £2.4 million profit last year. Revenue fell 4.5% to £142.4 million, and shares dropped by as much as 22% on Tuesday.

How it's being seen · Chairman Charles Smith blamed weak consumer confidence, inflation and squeezed incomes, though sales held up when there was a clear reason to buy. The company also warns that the Iran conflict, higher shipping costs and a weaker pound could hurt trading, and it is waiting on the Government's Budget.

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Kingdom Come studio Warhorse confirms cyberattack

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What we know · The Czech developer said on 27 October that intruders gained unauthorised access to its systems and company data. It is working with outside cybersecurity experts and the relevant authorities.

How it's being seen · No one has said who the attackers are, how they got in or how much was taken. Polygon pointed out that the studio has not said whether any user data was involved, and Warhorse has promised more information "as soon as we responsibly can".

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Microsoft offers voluntary exit to up to 60,000 staff

Photo: Aerial Microsoft West Campus August 2009.jpg by Jelson25, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

What we know · A memo from chief people officer Amy Coleman describes a time-limited Voluntary Exit Offer in the US, UK, Canada and India for staff at level 70 and below in participating teams. The Verge, as cited by GamesIndustry.biz, reports up to 60,000 people could be eligible.

How it's being seen · Coleman said the company would "learn from it", while Tom's Hardware links the move to the cost of the AI buildout, though the memo does not name AI spending as the reason. How many will accept, what it pays and whether more layoffs follow are not yet known.

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Anthropic's IPO filing shows rapid growth and an $80.7bn loss

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What we know · Anthropic publicly filed its prospectus on Monday, showing $16.286bn of revenue in the first half of 2026 and a net loss of about $80.7bn. City AM reports about $72bn of that loss came from non-cash accounting adjustments, and no listing date or price has been set.

How it's being seen · Early investor Jared Carmel argued a $2tn valuation is not unreasonable, saying the market is pricing "an infrastructure layer" for business. The article also notes that recent market volatility has raised doubts about appetite for richly priced AI stocks, and that the company has faced scrutiny over its safety practices.

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Tech & AI →

Apple's iPad mini OLED, which has an 8.5-inch screen and is the first iPad rated IP67 for water resistance, starts at $699 and goes on sale on 6 November, with orders opening on 28 October. More → · The University of Copenhagen says a breach through a test environment exposed personal details of about 525,000 people and campus PIN codes for about 20,000 more, and its investigation is still under way. More → · More than 300 Boston Dynamics employees have signed a petition against the sale of modified Spot robot dogs to ICE under a $1.3 million contract, while the company says it is standing by the deal. More →

Business & Hustles →

The FTC and 20 states have sued Dollar General, alleging it charged more at the till than shelf prices, while the company says it aims for 100 percent accuracy and will defend the case vigorously. More →

Gaming →

Ubisoft's Black Flag Resynced patch 1.0.8 adds New Game Plus and a Nightmare Mode and is described as the remake's last major content update. More →

Entertainment →

In a Guardian interview, Zombies members Rod Argent and Colin Blunstone recall making Time of the Season on a £1,000 album budget in tight studio sessions at EMI's studios. More →

Fashion →

Vogue found explicit art references across spring 2027 runway reviews, from Zurbarán at Loewe to Calder at Givenchy and Mark Rothko-style gradients at Prada. More → · Lyst says demand for Tabi shoes has risen fourfold since 2022 as unusual footwear, from split-toe styles to "Frankenshoes", moves into everyday wear. More →

Crime →

Two men, both 24, have been charged under the National Security Act 2023 over the alleged RAF Fairford plot and are due at the Old Bailey on 20 November, and the case is active, so we report only what has been said in court. More →