London’s investment bankers and lawyers make more than £1bn in takeover frenzy
Posted on Sunday September 27, 2026

Bumper fees paid in the year’s mergers and acquisitions spark anger over high City pay during cost of living crisis

London’s investment bankers and lawyers have made more than £1bn from a frenzy of takeover deals this year, sparking anger over high City pay during the cost of living crisis.

The value of mergers and acquisitions of UK stock market listed companies has surged 175% in 2026 to $132.9bn (£100bn), according to the London Stock Exchange, as overseas buyers snap up British companies at record pace.

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Bill Gates says unchecked AI could ‘cause a billion deaths’ in call for regulation
Posted on Sunday September 27, 2026

Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist speaks with NBC’s Kristen Welker in interview airing on Sunday

Bill Gates has called on the US’s federal legislators and law enforcers to regulate the development of artificial intelligence (AI), saying in an interview airing on Sunday that the technology left unchecked could cause “a billion deaths” and “no one thinks self-regulation is enough”.

“You need law enforcement and the politicians to get into the discussion about what safeguards and monitoring look like,” the Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist said to Kristen Welker, the NBC Meet the Press host. “And that has to be a required thing.”

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‘People are standing up and fighting back’: the north Devon revolt against a vast AI datacentre
Posted on Sunday September 27, 2026

Plans for one of Europe’s largest AI campuses in a Unesco-designated reserve have sparked a fierce local backlash

The datacentre revolt spreading across the US has reached the rolling hills of north Devon in an uprising against a planned hyperscale AI data campus in the middle of a globally protected landscape.

Perched on an inland cliff, the town of Great Torrington has views that stretch for miles over the landscape of the Unesco biosphere reserve in which it sits, taking in the winding River Torridge and rolling acres of wooded valley and wildflower meadows. Pastoral and peaceful, its history was notably punctured by violence in 1646 when the royalists’ resistance in the first English civil war was brought to an end by the parliamentarian New Model Army in a battle fought out in the narrow streets in heavy rain and darkness.

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Burnham’s plan for a radical reset collides with economic reality | Heather Stewart
Posted on Sunday September 27, 2026

Surging energy bills, higher borrowing costs and rising inflation have left the PM and his chancellor in a fiscal bind

As Labour heads to Liverpool this week, Andy Burnham has promised to deliver “stability” in the public finances; but the economic backdrop is anything but stable.

The longer the US-Israeli war on Iran persists, the more likely it is that UK consumers will have to swallow higher mortgage rates and energy bills – just as the government is wrestling with its own surging borrowing costs.

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OpenAI halts training of latest models as reports mount of AI agents going rogue
Posted on Sunday September 27, 2026

Decision follows disclosures that OpenAI agents searching government websites had acted in unexpected ways

OpenAI said it has paused training of its latest artificial intelligence models as reports of AI agents going rogue mount.

The decision to halt development came just hours after the company disclosed Friday that it was reviewing several incidents from the summer in which OpenAI agents searching federal government websites acted in unexpected ways beyond what was asked of them while gathering and distributing information.

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‘Charming and disarming’ … how Meta’s technology-packed Muse harnesses the power of cuteness
Posted on Saturday September 26, 2026

The tech giant has launched a cute ‘little guy’ that can answer emails, book travel or do your weekly food shop

After the recent backlash against Meta’s so-called “pervert” smart glasses, this week Mark Zuckerberg launched a much cuter alternative: the Muse “charm” device.

With a screen that shows a cutesy little avatar, it has drawn comparisons with Tamagotchis. “We’ve packed a lot of technology into this little guy,” the Meta founder told the San Francisco audience.

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England v Sri Lanka: third and deciding men’s one-day cricket international – live
Posted on Sunday September 27, 2026

• Over-by-over updates, third ODI from 10.30am BST

• South Africa v Australia: follow the second ODI live

• County cricket live: it’s the final day of the season

1st over: England 6-0 (Banton 5, Duckett 0) Asitha Fernando has an early LBW appeal against Ben Duckett turned down. It pitched fractionally outside leg stump and would probably have swung past leg. That aside, it was plumb.

Tom Banton gets the first boundary with a cracking cover drive. “Classic cover drive to an outswing bowler,” purrs Nasser Hussain on commentary. “Perfection.”

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Australia v South Africa: international men’s rugby union Test – live
Posted on Sunday September 27, 2026

• Updates from the Wallabies v Springboks match in Perth

• Any thoughts? Get in touch with an email

“The focus for us is physicality,” puffs Rob Valetini as he makes his way down the tunnel after the warm-up. He also suggested new winger Suaalii would be used as an aerial target.

The individual under the most scrutiny today will be Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii. The 23 year old rugby league recruit has been Australia’s poster boy since his high profile code switch in 2024, performing solidly in the centres in 22 internationals without setting the world alight. He lines up on the wing today, with Hunter Paisami partnering John Eales Medal winner Len Ikitau in the midfield.

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