Washington desk

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

Business · 3 October 2026

Skydance Takes Flight: Paramount and Warner Bros. Merge Under One Sky‑High Brand

Helen Pell, Washington desk

Paramount and Warner Bros. have joined forces, naming the new company Skydance and appointing tech heir David Ellison as its chief pilot, promising a robust future for cinema and streaming.

Business · 3 October 2026

Flock of AI Cameras Slashes San Francisco Car Crime, Raises Questions About Personal Freedom

Helen Pell, Washington desk

San Francisco’s latest deployment of AI‑driven traffic cameras has reportedly cut vehicle burglaries by a staggering margin, yet the city’s citizens are left wondering whether the surveillance net is catching thiev…

Business · 3 October 2026

Black Unemployment Bounces Back in September, Analysts Scrabble for Answers

Helen Pell, Washington desk

September’s labour data shows a sharp rise in Black unemployment, sending economists into a frenzy and raising questions about whether the market is playing a cruel game of musical chairs.

Business · 3 October 2026

Robust Revenue, Robust Rhetoric: The Fed’s Latest Briefing Leaves Investors Guessing

Helen Pell, Washington desk

In a dry, wordy briefing, the Fed’s officials used the word ‘robust’ four times while delivering a mixed message on rates, leaving market participants both bewildered and mildly entertained.

Business · 3 October 2026

G7 to Empty 100 Million Barrels, The Oil‑Capped Coffin of Trump‑Era Diesel Diplomacy

Iris Quay, London desk

In a move that would make even the most seasoned commodity traders gasp, the G7 nations agreed to release 100 million barrels of emergency oil and diesel reserves over four months to thwart a potential US export ban. T…

Entertainment · 3 October 2026

Kennedy Center Honors Crash Into Capital One Arena: From Highbrow to Hoops in One Night

Candy Voss, Washington desk

The 49th Kennedy Center Honors will be staged at Capital One Arena after a two‑year renovation forces the historic venue shut, sparking a clash of cultured glitter and sports‑arena flash.

Sports · 3 October 2026

Tony Romo's Road to Retirement: CBS Cuts Ties After DWI, Promises New 'Smooth Play' for Viewers

Rita Knox, Washington desk

CBS Sports has severed ties with former Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo following his DWI plea, sparking speculation about the network's future NFL commentary lineup.

Entertainment · 3 October 2026

Verity Surges Past Digger: Hollywood's Book‑to‑Film Boom Hits $4.5M Previews

Candy Voss, Washington desk

Colleen Hoover’s ‘Verity’ eclipses the new ‘Digger’ adaptation in preview sales, with $4.5M against $1.2M, signalling Hollywood’s appetite for tear‑jerker thrillers.

World · 3 October 2026

Trump Appoints Ex‑SEC Chairman Jay Clayton as Nation’s First AI Czar

June Harrow, Washington desk

President Trump announced that former SEC chief Jay Clayton will serve as the White House’s inaugural AI czar, tasked with steering policy on the fast‑growing artificial‑intelligence sector.