Washington desk

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

Business · 23 October 2026

Meta Turns Hyperlinks into a Premium Feature, Limiting Free Pages to Two per Month

Helen Pell, Washington desk

Meta now requires a subscription for Facebook Pages that want to share more than two external links in a month, turning outbound traffic into a paid feature and highlighting the platform’s focus on keeping users inside…

Sports · 23 October 2026

LeBron’s Pre‑Anthem Antics Spark Nationwide Debate

Candy Voss, Washington desk

LeBron James performed an unconventional gesture during the U.S. national anthem before an NBA game, prompting a flood of commentary from across the political spectrum.

Finance · 23 October 2026

Mortgage Rates Hover at 7.32% as Home Prices Slip in Select Areas

Helen Pell, Washington desk

The 30‑year fixed mortgage rate sits at 7.32%, keeping affordability tight, while some markets are beginning to see modest price declines.

Business · 23 October 2026

Barclays to Cut 5,000 Jobs in AI‑Driven Push to Lower Costs

Helen Pell, Washington desk

Barclays announced a plan to eliminate 5,000 positions as part of an artificial‑intelligence‑driven effort to reduce operating costs and create a leaner organisation.

Sports · 23 October 2026

Former Sack Machine JJ Watt Trades Tackles for Talking Points on CBS

Candy Voss, Washington desk

JJ Watt has signed a multi‑year deal to become CBS Sports’ lead NFL analyst, joining Jim Nantz and other pundits after the announcement by Skydance’s David Berson.

Entertainment · 23 October 2026

Six‑Episode Queer Hockey Romance ‘Heated Rivalry’ Hits 650+ Theaters for a One‑Night Marathon

Candy Voss, Washington desk

The queer hockey romance series ‘Heated Rivalry’ will be screened in a marathon of all six episodes across more than 650 U.S. theaters, including Regal, AMC and Cinemark, from November 6 through November 3.

Entertainment · 22 October 2026

Poison Ivy Gets a New Home: HBO’s Latest Green Take on Gotham

Candy Voss, Washington desk

HBO is developing a Poison Ivy TV series with “The Penguin” showrunner Lauren LeFranc producing, and the project is confirmed to be separate from Matt Reeves’ Batman universe.

Technology · 22 October 2026

Meta Ordered to Pay $25 B Penalty in New Mexico Over Cambridge Analytica Violations

Rita Knox, Washington desk

A New Mexico judge ordered Meta to pay a $25 billion penalty for more than 43 million violations tied to the Cambridge Analytica scandal. The ruling is one of the largest ever levied against the tech giant and stems…

Politics · 22 October 2026

Trump Turns Up the Heat: Administration Releases 315,000 Barrels of Oil in Unprecedented Power Play Ahead of Midterms

June Harrow, Washington desk

Less than two weeks before the midterms, the Trump administration tapped 315,000 barrels of heating oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve in a move that critics say is an unprecedented exercise of executive power, but…