England's local government shake-up promises to be a massive tech headache

Surrey to be divided into two new councils in first phase of countrywide reorg

The UK government will replace Surrey County Council and its 11 borough and district councils with two new unitary councils, which will provide most local services to the area's 1.2 million residents.…

Moved house? You may have unclaimed energy credit
People who've moved house in the last five years are being encouraged to contact their old energy suppliers in case they have outstanding credit.
O2 cranks prices mid-contract, essentially telling customers to like it or lump it

Ofcom 'disappointed' by decision that 'goes against the spirit of our rules'

Britian's comms regulator has criticized O2 for hiking prices beyond what customers agreed to, exploiting a loophole in rules designed to end unpredictable mid-contract increases.…

American Mayer becomes three-weight world champion
Mikaela Mayer outpointed Mary Spencer in Canada to become a unified light-middleweight and a three-division world champion.
The La Liga innovator out to prove his old club wrong
As Eder Sarabia heads back to Barcelona, the Elche boss tells Guillem Balague about his indifferent playing career, his famous father and his return to La Liga.
NHS left with sick PCs as suppliers resist Windows 11 treatment

Hospitals told to upgrade, but some medical device makers haven't prescribed compatibility yet

NHS hospitals are being blocked from fully upgrading to Windows 11 by a small number of suppliers that have yet to make their medical devices compatible with Microsoft's latest operating system.…

Has England's Euros triumph given women's club football a boost?
One of the constant refrains throughout England's triumphant run at Euro 2025 – and indeed most women's football matches in recent years – has been how important the success of the Lionesses has been for the growth of the game.
Is this finally rock bottom for Mr Andrew Mountbatten Windsor?
Stripping Andrew of the title 'prince' is colossal, says the BBC's royal correspondent Sean Coughlan.
Watch Wilshere and Savage's FA Cup goals
Watch the three FA Cup goals scored by Jack Wilshere and Robbie Savage, who meet as managers in the first round on Friday evening.
Actor couldn’t understand why computer didn’t work when the curtain came down

When tech support collides with Halloween, the results are scary

On Call  Happy Halloween, dear reader! The Register wishes you a wonderfully scary day. To kick things off, we’ve twisted On Call, our weekly reader-contributed column about keeping computers alive despite the best efforts of zombie coworkers and demonic bosses, to bring tales of times tech support turned spooky.…

Nasa hits back at Kim Kardashian's moon landing conspiracy
In a recent episode of her TV series, the reality star said she believed the moon landing was fake.
Boy's body was mummified and turned green by a copper coffin
The green mummified remains of a teenager buried in Italy 200 to 400 years ago have given us new insights into the preservative properties of copper
The Papers: 'The Andrew formerly known as Prince' and 'meet Mr Windsor'
The Royal announcement that Andrew will be stripped of the title of "prince" dominates Friday's papers.
Europe preps Digital Euro to enter circulation in 2029

Because fewer people like banknotes, and payment sovereignty is a problem

The Governing Council of the European Central Bank (ECB) has decided the bloc needs a digital version of the Euro, and ordered work that could see it enter circulation in 2029.…

'Send help': The desperate pleas from Hurricane Melissa survivors
Driving through western Jamaica, it's staggering how wide Hurricane Melissa's field of destruction is.
'He's just Andrew. She'd be so proud,' say Giuffre's family
The relatives of the late Virginia Giuffre, who accused the royal of sexual abuse, say she would be "proud".
Australian influencer family move to UK to avoid social media ban
Beck and Bec Lea say the move will allow their teenage daughter to keep making content.
Letting agent apologises for 'oversight' on Reeves rental licence
The company says its property manager offered to apply for the required licence but this never happened.
Barcelona's Sagrada Família becomes world's tallest church
The Gaudí-designed architectural marvel now stands at an impressive 162.91 metres.
Trump caps US refugee admissions at 7,500 - mostly white South Africans
The president sets the limit at 7,500 for the coming year, a dramatic cut from 125,000.
Holiday hotspot airport close to cancelling all landings due to US government shutdown
Orlando airport, one of America's most popular travel hubs, came close to cancelling all landings after the government's shutdown caused a last-minute scramble for air traffic controllers.
Japan’s new space truck is also a temporary space lab, just worked first time

HTV-X capsule is designed to hang around in space after delivering cargo to ISS

Japan’s Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is celebrating after its new cargo carrier docked at the International Space Station.…

Heartbreak, headless dummies and 'eggy' Shakespeare: Celebrity Traitors fight to the death
A gruesome challenge follows yet another celebrity murder on the reality TV show, which nears its finale.
Stop avoiding your bank balance and other ways to manage your money better
If you're struggling to get on top of your money, here are four ways to help you manage it better.
Pornhub says UK visitors down 77% since age checks came in
The site tells BBC News it believes people are viewing riskier sites - but they may just be using VPNs.
Martha Kearney: I'm worried about Britain's wildflowers - so my husband and I planted a meadow
The decline in UK wildflower meadows not only threatens wildlife, say experts, but could drive up certain food prices
Long A&E waits causing heartbreaking suffering, charity says
Patients are dying in corridors and others left for hours in soiled clothes, says Age UK.
Five charged in overdose death of Robert De Niro's grandson
The men are accused of running a drug ring in New York City that sold counterfeit prescription opioid pills through social media.
Bats are seeking sanctuary in churches - but they're making an unholy mess
A new study estimates that about half of all churches in England have bats living in them.
'Huge moment in world history' as Andrew loses titles - and will be kicked out of royal home
The family of Prince Andrew's accuser have hailed the King's decision to remove his royal titles and have him leave his Windsor home after weeks of renewed scrutiny over his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.
The American adoptees who fear deportation to a country they can't remember
Thousands of US adoptees do not have citizenship despite being brought to the country as babies decades ago. Now many fear deportation.
Cat Burns' new album shows a softer side to the Traitors star
How To Be Human finds the star grappling with grief and heartbreak, instead of murdering celebrities.
Microsoft’s agent platform play
This is an excerpt of Sources by Alex Heath, a newsletter about AI and the tech industry, syndicated just for The Verge subscribers once a week. To understand how Microsoft sees its role in the AI race, look at what was announced at the company's GitHub Universe developer conference on Tuesday in San Francisco. The […]
How teenager gave a street concert and was caught up in Russia's repressive past
Diana Loginova sang songs critical of the Kremlin. The 18-year-old and her bandmate are now in court.
Hundreds of energy-intensive businesses to see bills cut by £420m from next year
UK Steel said while the increased support was welcomed, the government could have gone further.
Amazon juggernaut continues hauling in more cash despite recent bad news

The spending will continue until AI revenue improves

Despite a trickle of bad news from Amazon in recent weeks, the company's business is thrumming along, with AWS leading the way.…

Is Donald Trump building a ballroom or a bunker at the White House?
The former East Wing of the White House has been demolished.
Jamaica's 'ground zero' - Assessing Hurricane Melissa damage in Black River
The southwest of the island bore the full force Hurricane Melissa's 185 mph (295km/h) winds on Tuesday.
Apple and Amazon defy expectations with latest results
Tech giants Apple and Amazon have defied industry predictions with better-than-expected financial results.
Andrew stripped of 'prince' title and will move out of Royal Lodge
The dramatic move follows weeks of intense scrutiny over his links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Fenerbahce games against Israeli sides moved to Munich
Fenerbahce's home EuroLeague fixtures against Israeli sides Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Aviv are relocated to Munich over security concerns.
Damning report eviscerates UK's 'complacent' fast jets programme
Repeated delays to the UK's multibillion-pound F-35 fast jet programme, because of a lack of cash, has increased costs and harmed the plane's ability to fight, a report by MPs has said.
'We saw people murdered in front of us' - Sudan siege survivors speak to the BBC
Harrowing accounts from people who have escaped an RSF assault on the besieged city of el-Fasher.
Moment Question Time audience claps as they react to the news
A recording of the programme was interrupted on Thursday as the news broke.
Hacking LED Halloween masks is frighteningly easy

No costume idea? We've got you covered

Hacking makes the holidays so much more enjoyable, and nothing says trick or treat quite like pwning LED Halloween masks belonging to every neighborhood kid during candy-collection hours.…

England's most deprived areas named - see how yours is affected
Jaywick, a seaside town in Essex, has been named the most deprived area for a fourth time in a row.
Trump announces dramatic drop in US refugee intake, with most coming from one country
The US is drastically cutting the number of refugees it will allow into the country to 7,500, and giving priority to white South Africans.
Tim Cook says more AIs are coming to Apple Intelligence
Tim Cook says Apple has plans to embed more third-party AI tools into the company’s operating systems. “Our intention is to integrate with more people over time,” Cook said in an interview with CNBC. Apple has already embedded ChatGPT into Siri, with a Google Gemini integration said to be in the works, along with rumors […]
Sky News team threatened with arrest by Israeli soldiers
For generations, Keith Asad's family has owned olive trees in the land near the West Bank town of Turmosayya, but now they are out of his reach.
England pick 'Bazball' brains before Australia Test
England's coaching staff turn to their cricket counterparts for inspiration before their opening autumn Test against Australia at Allianz Stadium.
'Birthright could not withstand withering public disdain': Andrew finally pays the price
Andrew always denied the allegations - but the repeated accusations would not go away.
Everything we know as Andrew loses his titles
Andrew has been stripped of his royal titles, Buckingham Palace has said.
Claude code will send your data to crims ... if they ask it nicely

Company tells users concerned about exfiltration to 'stop it if you see it'

A researcher has found a way to trick Claude into uploading private data to an attacker's account using indirect prompt injection. Anthropic says it has already documented the risk, and its foolproof solution is: keep an eye on your screen.…

Reeves gets apology as letting agent admits it didn't apply for rental licence for chancellor
Rachel Reeves has received an apology from a lettings agency after the company confirmed it offered to apply for a rental licence and then failed to do so.
Starmer tells Reeves she faces no further action over 'inadvertent failure' to get rental licence
Sir Keir Starmer has said Rachel Reeves will face no further action over her "inadvertent failure" to obtain a rental licence for her south London home.
Does Trump's nuclear testing raise the stakes - or are we already in an arms race?
Experts tell the BBC a US resumption of nuclear weapons testing would be a radical shift and spark a nuclear arms race.
Humphries qualifies as Littler criticises officials
World number one Luke Humphries scrapes into the Players Championship Finals as reigning world champion Luke Littler criticises tournament officials.
Samsung’s AirPods Pro look-alikes have fallen to their best price in months
Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 3 Pro received a decent price drop during Amazon’s October Prime Day sale, but if you held off on picking them up, your patience has been rewarded. Right now, the noise-canceling earbuds are available for around $165 ($85 off) at Amazon and Best Buy, which is the lowest price we’ve seen in […]
Buckingham Palace statement in full
The King's brother loses his title of prince and will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor.
What the Reeves emails tell us in rental licence row
In several emails, the letting agent suggests they will apply for the licence on Reeves's behalf.
Sutton's predictions v Football Manager, the game
BBC Sport football expert Chris Sutton takes on the computer game Football Manager 26 with his predictions for this weekend's Premier League fixtures.
How to shop like a pro during Black Friday and Cyber Monday
Despite Amazon and other retailers having filled the summer and fall months with more sales than ever before, Black Friday and Cyber Monday remain the biggest shopping days of the year. Thankfully, like in previous years, we’ll be working to highlight the best prices on phones, TVs, noise-canceling headphones, gaming gear, and other tech throughout […]
Before and after: Satellite images reveal hurricane devastation in Jamaica
The images reveal how the Category 5 hurricane caused devastation in some of Jamaica's communities.
Suspected Chinese snoops weaponize unpatched Windows flaw to spy on European diplomats

Expired security cert, real Brussels agenda, plus PlugX malware finish the job

Cyber spies linked to the Chinese government exploited a Windows shortcut vulnerability disclosed in March – but that Microsoft hasn't fixed yet – to target European diplomats in an effort to steal defense and national security details.…

Microsoft 365 business customers are running out of places to hide from Copilot

People, Files, and Calendar companion apps gain an auto-installed dose of AI

Just when you thought Microsoft had run out of Windows apps to stuff with Copilot, it's cramming the AI into your taskbar companions - People, Files, and Calendar are next.…

Weekly quiz: How many years since Lily Allen last released an album?
How much attention did you pay to what happened in the world over the past seven days?
Google parent company spending like a drunken sailor as capex triples over 2 years

Microsoft also ramping up spending, but investors concerned about overshooting demand

Alphabet, Google's parent company, expects capital expenditures to hit $93 billion in 2025, largely to meet demand from cloud customers, according to its recent financial report.…

Could India's win for the ages redefine women's cricket?
Jemimah Rodrigues' epic 127 leads India to one of the greatest World Cup wins - and provides them with a chance to change the women's game as we know it.
Sorry, but interstellar visitor 3I/ATLAS really is a comet, not aliens
Interstellar objects like 3I/ATLAS are exciting, but there is no reason to claim that they are evidence of alien spacecraft – sometimes a comet is just comet, says Robin George Andrews
I’ve tested the latest Switch 2 controllers, and this one is the best
If you choose to get an extra controller for your Nintendo Switch 2, you can spend a lot — and get a lot in return. Buying Nintendo’s own $89.99 Switch 2 Pro Controller, for instance, will net you the console’s only wireless controller with a 3.5mm headphone jack, not to mention great rumble, OS-level rear […]
iOS 26 leak co-defendant says Jon Prosser paid him $650
Earlier this year, Apple sued leaker Jon Prosser alongside Michael Ramacciotti, alleging the two had a “coordinated scheme to break into an Apple development iPhone, steal Apple’s trade secrets, and profit from the theft.” However, in a new filing, Ramacciotti “denies that he planned or participated in any conspiracy or coordinated scheme” with Prosser” and […]
Andrew to relocate to Sandringham - as Buckingham Palace releases statement
The King has initiated the "formal process" to remove Prince Andrew's titles and honours – and notice has been served for Andrew to surrender his lease at the Royal Lodge, Buckingham Palace said in a statement.
Man jailed after burgling Damien Hirst's studio while wearing GPS tag
A man who burgled one of Damien Hirst's studios and was caught by police who traced the movements of his GPS-enabled ankle tag has been jailed.
Proton trains new service to expose corporate infosec cover-ups

Service will tell on compromised organizations, even if they didn't plan on doing so themselves

Some orgs would rather you not know when they've suffered a cyberattack, but a new platform from privacy-focused tech firm Proton will shine a light on the big breaches that might otherwise stay buried.…

'Everything's gone' - BBC finally able to access one of Jamaica's worst-hit areas
Buildings, power lines, and a church once visited by King Charles are down in the tourism hub of Falmouth.
Colorado launches lawyers at Trump admin over space base relocation

State cries foul over "crooked elections" claim in Alabama move

The State of Colorado has thrown a sueball at the Trump administration over the president's decision to relocate the headquarters of the US Space Command from Colorado Springs to Alabama.…

YouTube now rewards your likes with fun animations
YouTube has introduced a new like button on select videos that rewards your engagement with a brief animation. The feature was first announced in mid-October as part of a slate of updates that included UI changes to make the platform easier to navigate, There are currently 20 different animations that are customized to the genre […]
No McKenna Celtic talks as Bellamy commits to Wales
Ipswich Town's Kieran McKenna says he has had "no conversations" with Celtic about their managerial vacancy, while Wales head coach Craig Bellamy is committed to seeing out his team's World Cup campaign.
Vivo X300 launch finally brings OriginOS to the rest of the world
Vivo’s flagship X300 and X300 Pro only launched in China two weeks ago, but they’re getting an international release faster than we’re used to from Vivo. Today, the company announced that both phones are going on sale outside China, including a handful of European countries, and bringing with them OriginOS — Vivo’s previously China-only Android-based operating […]
Sycamore Gap tree stump 'at risk' from tributes
The National Trust says it has added netting to protect the stump's "fragile regrowth".
Teenager inches from being hit by train as they 'risk everything' for 'game'
A teenager has been filmed "risking everything" for a "game" after coming within inches of being hit by an oncoming train.
Windows 11’s Vision Pro-like remote desktop is now widely available on Quest 3
Microsoft has officially released its Windows 11 remote desktop feature across Meta’s Quest 3 and Quest 3S headsets. The feature can beam multiple high-resolution monitors to your Quest headset, while also allowing you to try an immersive ultrawide mode, similar to what you can do on Apple’s Vision Pro. Microsoft first launched its virtual desktop […]
Three men charged with child sexual offences in Rochdale
Three men have been charged with child sexual offences, including rape and sexual assault, in Rochdale, police have said.
India complete record run chase to reach World Cup final
Jemimah Rodrigues' unbeaten century helps India complete a record run chase to claim a stunning five-wicket win over Australia and reach the Women's World Cup final where they will face South Africa.
Government warned against 'deplorable' budget strategy
The government hinting at a rise in income tax at the budget only to not go through with it in a bid to win over voters would be "deplorable", according to Labour peer Harriet Harman.
Trump's Asia tour sees deals, knee-bending and a revealing final meeting
His five-day tour displayed the power of his presidency - but also, at times, that power's limitations.
Magnetic gel could remove kidney stones more effectively
Standard techniques for removing kidney stones often require repeated surgery, but a magnetic gel seems to make the process more efficient
Canva’s new ‘Creative Operating System’ is actually a marketing workspace
Canva is introducing new digital marketing and video-editing tools, built around what the company is calling a “world-first” design-focused AI model. These launches are part of an overhaul to the design platforms Visual Suite workplace products, which Canva describes as a “Creative Operating System” for marketing teams. To be clear, this isn’t an operating system […]
Barrett and Clarke return for All Blacks v Ireland
New Zealand head coach Scott Robertson recalls Beauden Barrett and Caleb Clarke for Saturday's Test against Ireland in Chicago.
India stun Australia with record chase to reach World Cup final
Jemimah Rodrigues hits a remarkable unbeaten century as India complete a record chase to beat Australia and reach the Women's World Cup final.
The discounted SwitchBot Bot can add smarts to your monitor and coffee maker for just $24 
You don’t necessarily have to buy a bunch of pricey new smart devices to enjoy the convenience of a smart home. The SwitchBot Bot offers an easy, affordable way to bring smart control to many of the regular gadgets you already own, and right now it’s available for just $23.99 ($6 off) from SwitchBot with […]
Five teenagers arrested as murder probe under way after house fire
Five teenagers have been arrested after a house fire in Devon left one person dead.
Amazon has reportedly canceled its LOTR MMO
This week, as part of its big layoffs, an Amazon exec said that the company is halting a “significant” amount of its work on MMOs, and the changes appear to have led to the Lord of the Rings MMO the company was working on with Embracer being canceled. “This morning I was part of the […]
Britons urged to book jabs as flu season hits UK weeks earlier than usual
The UK's flu season has begun more than a month earlier than usual – with cases three times higher than this time last year.
Alleged Madeleine McCann family stalker cries as she tells jury 'I do believe I'm her'
A woman who allegedly stalked Madeleine McCann's family broke down in tears as she told a jury she believes she is the missing girl.
Man dies and three injured in helicopter crash
Emergency services were called to Ings Lane in Bentley at about 10:15 GMT, police say.
These are my favorite Switch 2 accessories
The Switch 2 can be enjoyed right out of the box, but it’s even better with the right accessories. Some of these add-ons are more crucial than others, especially if you’re deciding what to buy early on. For example, a case and a screen protector can keep your console safe from scuffs, scratches, and drops, […]
'The bodies just kept coming' - photographer at deadly Rio police raid
A witness says residents brought down body after body - some mutilated - after the massive police raid which has left at least 120 dead.
Affinity’s new design platform combines everything into one app
After acquiring Serif last year, Canva is now relaunching its Adobe-rivalling Affinity creative suite as a new all-in-one app for photo editing, vector illustration, and page layouts. Unlike Affinity’s previous Designer, Photo, and Publisher software, which were a one-time $70 purchase, Canva’s announcement stresses that the new Affinity app is “free forever” and won’t require […]
Australia name Edmed at fly-half to face England
Tane Edmed will start at fly-half for Australia when they face England on Saturday, while Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Max Jorgensen and Taniela Tupou are all recalled.
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