News Hub Central — breaking world, business, tech and sports news, summarised in minutes

'I live with a ghost' - inside the haunted homes attracting bargain hunters

Properties where someone has died in tragic circumstances can have big reductions in price.

Argentina farmers evacuate cattle by boat as El Nino escalates

Argentina’s farmers are evacuating their cattle by boat to higher ground as El Nino raises water levels.

Infantino criticism lands Jordan FA chief judicial review with AFC

AFC orders judicial reviews for allegation FIFA President Gianni Infantino used AFC Congress for political purposes.

Brazilians split over Flavio Bolsonaro’s exit to US

Brazilians are split over Flavio Bolsonaro fleeing to the US after refusing to concede the election to President Lula.

UK government borrowing costs fall as City welcomes ‘no harm’ budget – business live

Pound steady and gilt yields drop as chancellor ‘navigates first budget without spooking gilt markets’, experts say John Healey said on Wednesday that higher inflation and interest rates had hit the government’s finances, ratcheting up the government’s interest bill by £14bn this year alone, but promised to stick to Labour’s fiscal rules. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) said the chancellor would meet the most important rule – to balance day-to-day spending with tax revenues – with a diminished headroom of £15bn by the target date of 2029-30, against the £24bn his predecessor Rachel Reeves had built up in the spring. A ’continuity budget’ with fiscal headroom upside potential pushes the pound ’s perceived fiscal risks to the background. The new chancellor has successfully navigated his first budget without spooking gilt markets. Albeit, that is partially thanks to helpful chang

French Senate backs ‘Rioters Pay’ bill that could make protesters pay $11,000 fines

More unrest is expected this weekend, following weeks of violent protests across the country – but the bill has drawn criticism.

Putin praises Elon Musk as a ‘real genius’ as Russia develops Starlink alternative

Russia is trying to develop is own version of the satellite constellation Starlink: Rassvet.

Shell nearly doubles quarterly profit year-on-year as refining margins soar to record high

The oil major hiked its share buyback program as global volatility in energy markets saw profits soar.

Ofcom outlines age check methods ahead of social media ban for under-16s

Ofcom says photo and digital ID, banking checks or facial age estimation can help prove someone is 16 or over.

Anduril now says its BlueChip laptop will meet Buy American standards at launch

On Tuesday, defense contractor Anduril and chipmaker Qualcomm announced a partnership to build laptops entirely in the United States, starting with a single model in 2027. They also announced a "long-term goal" of pushing the computer industry to create "a fully domestic supply chain." Even a single Made-in-USA laptop would be a surprise, because no […]

Banton, Duckett make 50s as England start strongly vs Sri Lanka LIVE!

Dev's Digest: Markanday '100 per cent interested' in playing for India

Welcome to Dev's Digest, a regular Sky Sports column in which Dev Trehan delivers exclusive news and reflects on the major developments for British South Asians in football.

Why did the Seahawks trade for Quenton Nelson? And are the Colts just getting started?

The Seahawks acquired an All-Pro guard two weeks before the deadline. What does this mean for them and the Colts?

After trading for DeForest Buckner, will the 49ers continue to be aggressive at the deadline?

The 49ers addressed their defensive line by adding Buckner, but will they make more big moves to help the WR room before the Nov. 10 deadline?

More Chinese success as Phantom Blade Zero enjoys a big launch and becomes one of Steam's most played games

Phantom Blade Zero has been officially released, and just as everyone expected, it's popular. The wuxia action game from S-Game debuted to a massive 431,541 concurrent players on Steam (via SteamDB ) at its peak just hours ago. Read more

‘Godzilla Minus One’ U.S. Success ‘Wasn’t a Strategy; We Just Tried,’ Says Toho CEO at Tokyo Festival

Japanese studio giant Toho’s North American release of “Godzilla Minus One” was a turning point in the company’s approach to the global market, CEO Matsuoka Hiro said at the Tokyo International Film Festival on Thursday. Matsuoka was speaking at an “Academy in Tokyo” session with Bill Kramer, CEO of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts […]

AI Can Critique Shakespeare but Can’t Write It, Russo Brothers’ AGBO Execs Tell Tokyo Market

Top AGBO execs Chris Brearton and Dominic Hughes delivered a keynote discussion at TIFFCOM, the content market of the Tokyo International Film Festival, on Thursday, about how AI is impacting filmmaking, how it can be used to assist rather than replace human creators and how it will shape the future of visual content creation. Brearton […]

Japan IP Market to Return to Cannes in 2027 as Tokyo Partnership Continues

The Japan IP Market will be back in Cannes next May for a second straight year. The Cannes Film Market and TIFFCOM, the content market of the Tokyo International Film Festival, are again teaming up on the event, and the 2027 edition will run May 14-15. The return was revealed at TIFFCOM in Tokyo, during […]

Ahead of midterms, Missourians defend transgender healthcare

The campaign to defend access to transgender healthcare for young people in Missouri is taking an unhurried approach to talking with voters about the proposed ban.

New blood test can detect changes associated with Alzheimer's disease

Brain changes associated with Alzheimer's disease can be detected by a new type of blood test -- and a growing number of patients are asking their doctors about it.

RAF base chemical contamination worst in UK, report says

Testing at RAF Upper Heyford finds "unacceptable" levels of polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

Your blood pressure could be dangerous even when your numbers look normal

Researchers have discovered a small group of brain cells that prevents dangerous blood pressure swings, even when average readings appear normal. The finding reveals a hidden source of cardiovascular risk and could open the door to new treatments that protect the heart and brain.

Treasury denies Healey plan to cut welfare bill before election, claiming his comments were misinterpreted – UK politics live

Asked earlier if there would be a cut to the welfare bill before the next election, the chancellor said: ‘There will be a reduction in the benefits bill’ John Healey is rowing back from his answer in an interview in the Today programme implying he wanted welfare spending to go down before the next general election. According to Chris Mason , the BBC’s political editor, Treasury sources are saying his words have been over-interpreted. This relates to what Healey said in an interview with Nick Robinson for the Today programme. It was broadcast this morning, but recorded yesterday, and the BBC has written it up in a story on its website headlined: “Healey promises reduction in welfare bill before next election”. Robinson: Let’s take welfare if we could. £19bn up in the year ahead. That’s the entire police budget for England and Wales. That’s the entire annual defence equipment budget. And y

‘Scattergun’ budget will still leave Britons facing higher energy bills, says thinktank

Healey’s attempt to provide ‘breathing space’ gives rich almost as much as poor, says Resolution Foundation Business live – latest updates Budget 2026: what it means for your wallet, your mortgage and your pay John Healey delivered a “scattergun” budget that did little to boost living standards and left Britain facing “a painful second half” of the parliament, a leading economic thinktank has warned. The Resolution Foundation said on Thursday that measures to ease household gas and electricity costs would still leave energy bills higher this year than during the last energy shock. Continue reading...

These are the House races to watch in the 2026 midterm election on Nov. 3

An NPR analysis finds 70 House districts where Democrats and Republicans are each investing more than six figures in advertising during the final few days of the election, including in deep red areas.

State ballots let voters decide on abortion, taxes, transgender restrictions

Missouri voters could ban abortion - after they just removed a ban two years ago. California voters could tax billionaires 5% of their wealth.