London desk

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

Sports · 2 days ago

Chelsea's 2-0 win sees Martínez shown the door and Carrick sweating at Stamford Bridge

Celia Marsh, London desk

Chelsea beat Manchester United 2-0 at Stamford Bridge, with Morgan Rogers and Cole Palmer scoring and Lisandro Martínez sent off, adding fresh pressure on Carrick.

Business · 2 days ago

Paddington and New Street Shut for Five Days Each Over Christmas

Iris Quay, London desk

London Paddington and Birmingham New Street will each close for five days over the Christmas period as part of a 10‑day engineering programme, while most other routes stay open. Travellers are urged to plan ahead for t…

Finance · 3 days ago

Tech Stocks Go on a Diet, Markets Lose Nearly $1tn, AI Dreams Crumble

Iris Quay, London desk

Big‑tech earnings disappoint and investors start a sell‑off, wiping almost a trillion dollars off the US market as the hype around AI turns from promise to punchline.

Finance · 3 days ago

Poundland’s £1 Dream Crumbles as Inflation Turns the Price Tag Into a Mirage

Iris Quay, London desk

Inflation and price wars have pushed Poundland to the brink of administration, sparking scrutiny of its low‑profile US owners. A former boss lamented the chain’s once‑successful £1 proposition, while rising living…

Finance · 3 days ago

BP crowns war‑fuelled banner quarter as profits hit 18‑year high

Iris Quay, London desk

BP announced a record 18‑year profit of $8.46 bn, lifted by higher trading margins amid the Iran‑Middle East conflict, earning cheers from the City and protests from climate activists.

Finance · 3 days ago

Whitbread locks out Corvex with top‑25 shareholder support

Iris Quay, London desk

Whitbread, the FTSE‑100 owner of Premier Inn, has won backing from a top‑25 shareholder, helping it fend off activist investor Corvex’s bid for a board seat.

Sports · 3 days ago

England’s 98‑18 drubbing of Wales turns wheelchair rugby into controlled chaos

Tom Wick, London desk

England beat Wales 98‑18 in the opening match of the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup in Australia, showcasing the sport’s signature controlled chaos. Captain Bayley McKenna warned spectators about the spectacle,…

Business · 4 days ago

Binance $6.3bn Heist: North Korea’s TraderTraitor Unit Strikes

Iris Quay, London desk

Blockchain intelligence firm TRM attributes a $6.3 billion theft from Binance to North Korea’s TraderTraitor hacking unit, the largest crypto heist on record, sending major cryptocurrencies – Bitcoin down 2.35% –…

Finance · 4 days ago

Amazon’s Cloud Sales Surge, but Q4 Outlook Leaves City Traders Scratching Their Heads

Iris Quay, London desk

Amazon reported a strong rise in AWS revenue but warned that fourth‑quarter sales would be modest, prompting a mixed reaction from City investors.