London desk

Filed from the London desk — including multi-city pieces that also ran elsewhere.

Technology · 21 October 2026

US bans DeepSeek AI tools over data‑smuggling fears in AI rivalry

Tom Wick, London desk

The Department of Defense ordered most U.S. government agencies to stop using AI tools from Chinese startup DeepSeek, warning that the software could funnel sensitive data to China. The move underscores the growing tech…

Business · 21 October 2026

Google Cloud Outage Sends London Banks Offline, Sparks Retro Banking Nostalgia

Iris Quay, London desk

A service disruption at Google’s London data centre knocked out cloud services across Europe, causing major banks to lose online functionality and prompting a brief return to analog banking methods.

Politics · 20 October 2026

Britain’s Typhoons Take a Desert Detour, Guarding Saudi Sunsets from Houthi Shadows

Celia Marsh, London desk

The UK has announced the deployment of RAF Typhoon fighters to conduct defensive missions over Saudi Arabian cities and infrastructure in response to rising Houthi attacks.

Health · 20 October 2026

Inquiry finds UK government treated care homes as after‑thoughts, letting Covid spread like a wildfire

Celia Marsh, London desk

A parliamentary inquiry concluded that the government’s failure to tell care homes to isolate discharged patients, along with PPE shortages and visitor bans, turned the sector into a Covid tinderbox.

Finance · 20 October 2026

Jio IPO Targets £81bn Valuation – A New Buzz for the City

Iris Quay, London desk

Mukesh Ambani’s low‑cost broadband arm Jio Platforms is set to float on Wednesday, aiming for an £81bn valuation – the biggest IPO in India’s history and a fresh talking‑point for City investors.

Business · 20 October 2026

Small firms trim hiring as labour costs bite, ONS says

Iris Quay, London desk

The Office for National Statistics reports a sharp fall in job vacancies as small businesses scale back recruitment because of rising labour costs.

Sports · 20 October 2026

England’s 5‑over, 22‑run spell turns Pakistan’s promising start into a 51‑2 nightmare in Rawalpindi

Iris Quay, London desk

England’s opening spell of 5‑0‑22‑1 left Pakistan reeling at 51‑2 in the 12th over, with Babar Azam’s 29 and Saad Baig’s 11 the only bright spots so far.

Finance · 20 October 2026

Unemployment Slips to 4.7%, Fueling Talk of BoE Rate Hike

Iris Quay, London desk

The UK's jobless rate fell to 4.7%, bolstering expectations that the Bank of England will raise interest rates at its meeting next month.

Finance · 20 October 2026

Robots on the Rise: AI‑Powered Export Surge Lifts China’s Q3 GDP 4.5%

Iris Quay, London desk

China’s third‑quarter GDP grew 4.5% year‑on‑year, driven by a surge in AI‑boosted electronics exports that outpaced domestic consumer spending, according to the latest data.