Burnham’s Your First Home scheme ‘could boost Bellway’s house output by 10%’ 13. October 2026 (13:59) Help-to-buy initiative for England could slow market while first-time buyers wait for launch, builder admitsBusiness live – latest updatesThe new Your First Home programme for first-time buyers could increase the number of houses British builder Bellway produces each year by 10%, its boss has said.Faced with a chronic shortage of homes, the government has made housing one of its top priorities and Andy Burnham’s surprise announcement of the YFH scheme a fortnight ago sent housebuilders’ shares soaring by more than 10%. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Pope Leo admitted to hospital for operation to remove growth on lung 13. October 2026 (13:27) Leo arrived at hospital on Tuesday for the surgery, which is deemed low risk and could take place this afternoonPope Leo has been admitted to hospital in Rome for an operation to remove a small growth from his lung, a discovery a top Vatican cardinal said had come “like a bolt out of the blue”.In a rare moment of Vatican transparency, Leo, 71, said during his angelus prayer on Sunday that doctors had found a small nodule on his lung during a check-up, adding that it was “well-contained” and detected early. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
UK asks Interpol to reject Argentina’s ‘politically motivated’ requests for Falklands oil arrests 13. October 2026 (13:00) Exclusive: Caution urged over Javier Milei government’s ‘red notice’ requests for arrest of individuals linked to oil projectBritain has appealed to Interpol to reject Argentina’s requests for the arrest of individuals involved in a large oil project off the Falkland Islands.With tensions over the sovereignty of the British overseas territory reaching levels not seen since the war with Argentina in 1982, UK officials have sought urgent assurances from the international organisation. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
