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Finance

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Finance

M&S takes on John Lewis in Christmas ad battle with topless ‘shredded Santa’

James Norton and Lucy Punch star as a youthful Mr and Mrs Claus in lively ad about shared moments as well as shopping For years the “Christmas advert moment” has belonged to one brand. John Lewis’s syrupy commercials featuring piano ballads and tearjerker storylines have given the 160-year-old department store a cultural head start in the dash for festive profits. This year, however, there’s one high-street rival with a sackful of tricks to make up the ground. Marks & Spencer has brought out the big guns – in the form of a topless Santa, played by the small-screen heart-throb James Norton. Con

The Guardian
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Finance

Salon, internet’s oldest general interest publication, shuts down after 31 years

Website known for politics, arts and culture coverage announces closure just weeks before anniversary Salon, one of the early internet’s pioneering publications, is closing after more than three decades, the outlet announced on Thursday. “It’s difficult to find the right words for the end of something that has meant so much to so many people. Salon was never just a website,” Salon said in a statement. “It was an idea about what journalism could be, born at a moment when the internet was still a largely unexplored frontier.” Continue reading...

The Guardian
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Finance

Nasdaq sees worst day in 19 months as investors bet on AI slowdown after Democrats’ election triumph

Nearly $2tn shaved off Nasdaq value as worries of curbs to AI datacenters ripple across bourses The Nasdaq share index had its worst day in 19 months after slumping 5.5% on Thursday amid growing signs that the artificial intelligence industry will face tougher regulation because of the midterm election results. As Wall Street sustained widespread losses, the Nasdaq composite tumbled into “correction territory” – more than 10% below its recent record high – with more than $2tn shaved off its value by the end of trading Thursday. The tech-heavy index had its biggest one-day fall since Donald Tru

The Guardian
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Finance

Google, Meta and TikTok sue California to block law protecting children from addiction risk

Law bans social media platforms from providing minors features such as autoplay that lead to compulsive use Google, Meta and TikTok have sued California to block enforcement of ⁠a new state law intended ⁠to limit the risk ​of addicting children under 16 to social media platforms. The law, known as Assembly Bill 1709, prohibits such platforms from offering underage children “psychologically exploitative features” that could lead to compulsive use, such as providing ⁠personal recommendations and sending videos through autoplay features. It also requires the deletion of children’s accounts with t

The Guardian
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Finance

Deep-red Kansas votes for change as patience wears thin with Trump: ‘The economy is really taking a beating’

Bills have soared in rural state buffeted by tariffs and war in Iran – and Democrat Adam Hamilton’s stunning upset shows how deep economic frustrations run Linda Olson always does her homework before voting – a trait she inherited from a family invested, and interested, in politics. Her father was a photographer who took portraits of political leaders in Washington, while her grandparents were farmers who cared deeply about their industry. In 2024, Olson’s research led her to Donald Trump. She trusted that the then-former president would improve their economic realities in Junction City, Kansa

The Guardian
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Finance

Bomb threats disrupt dozens of flights across Europe, raising hybrid war fears

Planes forced into emergency landings or diversions two days after hoax alerts affected air travel Why have more than 30 European flights been hit by bomb threats this week? Hoax bomb threats have disrupted at least 34 flights across Europe this week, with some forced to make emergency landings, as questions mount over an apparently coordinated effort to cause chaos for travellers. At least 25 bomb threats affected flights on Thursday between Italy, Ireland, the UK, Spain, Bulgaria, Romania, Poland, Finland, Austria, Denmark, Belgium, Portugal, France, Greece, Serbia and Czechia. Continue read

The Guardian
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Finance

Bank of England raises interest rates to 4%, the first increase for more than three years

Base rate increases from 3.75% and Bank governor signals another rise in near future to combat rising inflation Analysis: Interest rate rise in midst of cost of living crisis will leave many incredulous The Bank of England has raised interest rates for the first time in three years and warned of another increase to combat inflationary pressure unleashed by the Iran war. Eight members of the Bank’s monetary policy committee (MPC) voted for the rise, which takes the base rate from 3.75% to 4%. The ninth member, Catherine Mann, preferred a more dramatic half-point increase. Continue reading...

The Guardian
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Finance

Why have more than 30 European flights been hit by bomb threats this week?

With flights disrupted, how concerned should you be about your travel plans? More than 30 planes have been subjected to security alerts or diversions this week, with at least 25 more bomb threats on Thursday disrupting civil aviation across Europe. What do we know so far, and how concerned should you be about your travel plans? Continue reading...

The Guardian
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