London desk

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

Business · 4 October 2026

Costa flips £13.5m loss into £20m profit on iced drinks and matcha

Iris Quay, London desk

After a £13.5m loss in 2024, Costa Ltd reported a £20m operating profit for the year to 31 December 2025, crediting a high‑street revamp and a menu boost of iced drinks, matcha and fresher pastries.

Sports · 4 October 2026

Verstappen’s Rain‑Soaked Bahrain Win Leaves Timetables in Turmoil

Reginald Penny, London desk

Max Verstappen claimed his first 2026 victory at a twice‑delayed, rain‑hit Bahrain Grand Prix, with Kimi Antonelli second and George Russell retiring late, leaving the championship standings as tangled as a city’s…

Business · 4 October 2026

TikTok‑Fried Frenzy Turns Amsterdam Canal Street Into a Courtroom Battlefield

Iris Quay, London desk

A viral chip shop, Fabel Friet, has drawn crowds that litter the historic canal street and attract gulls and rats, leading local residents to take the city to court over the shop’s licence.

Business · 4 October 2026

Whitehall eyes safeguards as it hands new spending powers to England’s mayors

Iris Quay, London desk

Ministers are looking at ways to keep mayors and council chiefs in England accountable for any extra revenues devolved to them, proposing oversight measures before the new powers are handed over.

Politics · 4 October 2026

Burnham pulls the plug on jury‑trial curbs – jurors stay on board

Reginald Penny, London desk

Andy Burnham has announced that the controversial proposal to reduce the number of jury trials – originally put forward by former justice secretary David Lammy – will not go ahead.

Business · 4 October 2026

OpenAI Safety Leader Quits, Calls Company Culture ‘Broken’

Iris Quay, London desk

OpenAI’s senior safety lead has resigned, warning that the company’s culture is broken and that the firm isn’t being nearly careful enough as it races to roll out new AI models.

Sports · 4 October 2026

Wakefield Trinity’s First‑Time Triumph: 23‑10 Old Trafford Victory Leaves Warrington Wolves in the Dust

Iris Quay, London desk

Wakefield Trinity became Super League champions for the first time, beating Warrington Wolves 23‑10 at Old Trafford and ending a 58‑year wait.

Business · 4 October 2026

Britons Bite Back: Nitrite‑Free Bacon Outpaces Classic Cuts, Even Though Science Is Still Sizzling

Iris Quay, London desk

UK shoppers flock to nitrite‑free bacon, spurred by health‑hyped headlines, but experts say the safety benefits are unproven.

Sports · 4 October 2026

UAE Threatens to Pull London Skyscrapers After Manchester City Verdict

Tom Wick, London desk

After a court declared Manchester City guilty of financial irregularities, Emirati officials warned the UK could lose billions in property investment, sparking a diplomatic scramble over future tower projects.