easterneye
Elections 2026Business / easterneye
Ikea is putting 1.2bn into lowering prices across European markets as shoppers face rising living costs. More than 1,500 products have been reduced in Germany, while popular ranges including Kallax and Billy are cheaper in the UK. The strategy comes after two consecutive years of falling revenue as Ikea tries to bring cost-conscious shoppers back. Ikea is cutting prices across Europe but the move is about much more than giving shoppers a cheaper Billy bookcase or Kallax shelf. The Swedish furni
Highlights JioHotstar has launched in the UK, Canada and Singapore, replacing the international Hotstar service UK viewers will get live Bigg Boss voting and a 24/7 feed, alongside a large Indian-language catalogue Selected shows will be available to international viewers at the same time as television, while some markets get episodes before their TV broadcast Indian entertainment is getting a new streaming home in the UK, and Bigg Boss is one of the biggest reasons the launch stands out. JioHot
Bodycote, Gamma Communications and Capricorn are the latest companies to agree deals that will remove them from the London market. The value of takeover deals taking companies off the LSE has reached almost $110bn this year, according to Bloomberg data. Investors may welcome takeover premiums, but analysts warn that the exodus could leave London with a weaker stock market. Londons stock market is losing another three companies and this time the numbers are getting harder to ignore. Bodycote, Ga
The FCA is facing a legal challenge over its 9.1bn compensation scheme. Consumer Voice alleges its chief executive was warned of consequences if it challenged the plan. The regulator says it does not recognise that account and says it will defend the scheme. The UKs 9.1 billion car finance compensation scheme has run into another legal dispute, this time over an alleged attempt by the financial regulator to discourage a consumer group from challenging the payout plan. Consumer Voice claims Finan
Apple grew from a roughly $350 billion company to around $4.6 trillion under Cook. Ternus inherits an AI strategy that has struggled to keep pace with rivals. China, tariffs and regulatory battles could complicate Apples next phase. John Ternus has taken charge of Apple as chief executive, ending Tim Cook s 15-year tenure at the company. The handover comes with Apple valued at around $4.6 trillion, but also facing some of its biggest strategic questions in years. Cook became CEO in August 2011,
UK shop price inflation rose to 1.5 per cent in August, its highest level in two years. Tinned and packaged food prices rose 2.5 per cent year on year. Fresh produce inflation remained at 3 per cent as growers faced a difficult summer. The cost of shopping in the UK is starting to climb again, with shop price inflation reaching 1.5 per cent in August, its highest level in two years. The latest figures from NIQ for the British Retail Consortium (BRC) show that the increase was driven largely by f
Free Soul recorded 42 million in sales in the year to April 2026. The mother-and-son founders struggled to convince investors that womens wellness was a viable market. The business is now targeting 100 million in sales by 2028. When Rohini Sofat went looking for supplements to support her energy and wellbeing, she found plenty of products aimed at men and plenty of women's products focused on weight loss and appearance. What she could not find was something designed around how women actually fel
$14.99: New monthly price of Apple TV in the US $119: New annual subscription price Nearly 3x : How much the monthly price has risen since Apple TV launched in 2019 Apple TV has raised its subscription price for the fourth time in four years, taking the monthly cost in the US to $14.99, up from $12.99. The latest $2 increase took effect on Friday (28) for new subscribers, while existing customers will receive about a month's notice before the higher price applies to their next billing cycle. The
Highlights Toxic s BookMyShow rating was reportedly no longer visible after the film received negative audience reactions. Social media users have alleged that the move was part of a PR strategy to suppress poor ratings. There is currently no confirmation that Yash, his PR team or the films makers were behind the alleged removal. Yashs Toxic may have opened strongly at the box office, but its audience reception has become a growing talking point online. The Geetu Mohandas-directed action thrille
INDIA's hopes of reaching the Women's Hockey World Cup semifinals were dashed on Sunday after they were held to a goalless draw by Australia in their final second-round match here. With the Netherlands beating China 4-1 earlier in the day, the semifinal spot came down to India and Australia. India needed a win, while Australia only had to avoid defeat because they had scored more goals than their opponents. India survived an early scare when Australia appeared to take the lead through a close-ra
Highlights Jeremy Vine will no longer host the 2026 Carers UK Awards Campaigners criticised his appointment over his coverage of disability and welfare issues Carers UK said it wanted the ceremony to remain focused on celebrating carers Jeremy Vine has been dropped as host of the 2026 Carers UK Awards following a furious backlash over his appointment. The Channel 5 presenter had been announced as host of the ceremony earlier this week, with the event set to celebrate the contribution of unpaid c
Highlights Arjun Rampal and Gabriella Demetriades registered their marriage in Mapusa, Goa Goa's civil registration process normally includes a 15-day waiting period The couple obtained special permission to waive the waiting period Arjun Rampal and Gabriella Demetriades may have kept their wedding private, but the legal process behind their Goa marriage has revealed a little-known provision in the state's marriage registration system. The Dhurandhar actor and his longtime partner registered the
Highlights Sowcar Janaki built a career spanning more than seven decades and 400 films. She successfully moved from leading roles to character-driven performances. Her work across cinema, theater, and television kept her connected with audiences across generations. Sowcar Janaki 's career was extraordinary not simply because of its length, but because of how often she reinvented herself. After making her debut in the early 1950s, she remained part of Indian cinema through several generations of
Highlights Bruce Willis has several critically acclaimed thrillers beyond the Die Hard franchise Looper currently holds the highest Rotten Tomatoes score among these picks at 93% 12 Monkeys and The Sixth Sense also rank among his strongest-reviewed films The list spans sci-fi thrillers, supernatural mysteries, neo-noir and action films Bruce Willis will always be associated with John McClane, but Die Hard is hardly the only place where the actor made his mark on the thriller genre. Across the 19
Electric car sales have risen 29 per cent this year. The 2030 target could fall from 80 per cent to 50 per cent. The consultation will run until October 23. Britain is considering weakening its electric vehicle sales targets just as demand for electric cars is rising, putting the government's approach to the transition under fresh scrutiny. The government has launched a consultation on whether to reduce the 2030 zero-emission vehicle mandate from its current 80 per cent target for new cars to 70
Highlights Five investors are suing Selena Gomez and Wondermind Global over their alleged losses The lawsuit claims Gomez agreed to take an active role in building the mental health company Investors allege promised advertising deals, celebrity features and an app never materialised The claim seeks around 890,000, plus costs and damages Selena Gomez is facing a lawsuit from five investors who backed Wondermind Global, the mental health company she founded with her mother Mandy Teefey and busines
Key Highlights: The Hundred crowns its 2026 men's and women's champions at Lord's this Sunday, 16 August, with the women's final at 2.15pm and the men's at 6pm. This is the first season where IPL-linked owners have taken operational control of English teams: Mumbai Indians now own MI London, Sunrisers Hyderabad own Sunrisers Leeds, and Manchester Super Giants are Adani-backed. Trent Rockets topped both the men's and women's group tables outright, meaning they're already through to both finals wi
Randall Lane had been Forbes top editor since 2017. The payment came from Shook Research founder RJ Shook, whose company works with Forbes on wealth adviser rankings. Forbes editorial standards prohibit staff from accepting compensation or favours from people and companies featured in its coverage. Forbes has lost one of its most senior editorial figures after discovering that its former top editor Randall Lane received $6m from the founder of a company that has a business relationship with the
Key Highlights: SKIMS has opened its first European flagship store, a 12,000 square foot site on London's Regent Street, its biggest single move into the UK market to date. The store was designed by Rafael de Crdenas, the same architect behind SKIMS' New York flagship, and features a nude sculpture by longtime collaborator Vanessa Beecroft. The opening lands in the same summer Kardashian's relationship with Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton has been playing out publicly across Britain, from the Co
Highlights: Arsenal are in talks with Bayer Leverkusen over a possible deal for England defender Jarell Quansah. Quansah made Thomas Tuchel's World Cup squad as a right-back option this summer, chosen ahead of Trent Alexander-Arnold. Leverkusen paid Liverpool 30m for Quansah last July and are reportedly reluctant to sell, with four years left on his contract and a Liverpool buy-back clause still attached. Jarell Quansah at a glance Age 23 (born 29 January 2003) Position Centre-back, right of a b
Highlights Taylor Swift stepped out in London for a girls night at Annabels The appearance comes after her honeymoon with Travis Kelce Swift debuted a noticeably shorter hairstyle She wore a lilac floral mini dress with her signature red lip Taylor Swift has resurfaced in London following her honeymoon with Travis Kelce, stepping out for a girls night at private members club Annabels. The singer caught attention with a noticeably shorter hairstyle, wearing her hair sleek and straight for the nig
Highlights Nicole Kidman has reflected on her marriage to Tom Cruise in a new Vogue interview The actor said their relationship felt completely natural when they fell in love Kidman recalled being 22 or 23 when she married the Hollywood star She also opened up about the media scrutiny surrounding her two divorces Nicole Kidman has looked back on her marriage to Tom Cruise, recalling how quickly their relationship became serious and how natural it felt to her at the time. In a new interview with
UK FIREFIGHTERS were under significant pressure as they battled multiple wildfires amid soaring temperatures and drought conditions, the head of the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) said on Friday. Images showed scorched fields and burnt-out homes in Stourbridge in central England, where residents were evacuated and people were treated for smoke inhalation after a fire spread on Thursday, the UKs hottest day of the year so far. Three firefighters were hospitalised while fighting the blaze sou
Highlights Suriya and Mamitha Baiju bring an easy charm to an unconventional romance The film avoids turning its age gap and surrogacy into predictable sources of conflict The first half balances comedy, romance and family drama effectively The second half becomes more emotional, stretched and predictable There is something refreshing about a family film that does not turn every difference between its central characters into a problem. Vishwanath And Sons finds much of its charm in the unusual p
Highlights Netflixs six-part series adapts Miles Franklins 1901 feminist novel Phillipa Northeast stars as Sybylla Melvyn, a young writer determined to avoid the life chosen for her The adaptation combines period drama with modern music, frank sexuality and stories of racism and social inequality An erotic poem, a scandalised grandmother and a young woman with little interest in marriage make for an unexpectedly lively opening to My Brilliant Career . Netflixs six-part adaptation of Miles Frankl
Highlights Gunil is leaving Xdinary Heroes after JYP Entertainment agreed to terminate his exclusive contract His departure follows an online post alleging that he repeatedly insulted fans The band will continue as a five-member group following the exit Xdinary Heroes have been hit by a major line-up change after drummer Gunil announced his departure from the band amid controversy over allegations that he insulted fans. JYP Entertainment confirmed on Thursday that Gunil would leave the group and
INDIA, without several key players, will face Sri Lanka in Galle from Saturday in the first of a two-Test series, with coach Gautam Gambhir under pressure. Jasprit Bumrah, Washington Sundar and Sai Sudharsan are out injured for India, who have recorded eight wins and 10 defeats in 20 Tests under Gambhir. India lost 2-0 at home to South Africa in November and are fifth in the World Test Championship (WTC) standings. Sri Lanka are sixth. Shubman Gill's side have handed maiden call-ups to spinner S
Frasers Group has bought Harvey Nichols out of administration for an undisclosed sum. Four UK stores could be rebranded as House of Fraser or Flannels. The Knightsbridge and Edinburgh stores are expected to remain under the Harvey Nichols name. Harvey Nichols has been rescued from administration by Mike Ashley's Frasers Group, but the deal could mark the beginning of a very different future for one of Britain's best-known luxury department stores. Frasers bought the chain on August 13, the same
Highlights Awarapan 2 has generated around 270,000 in gross advance bookings Batwara 1947 has recorded around 67,500 in day-one pre-sales Emraan Hashmis sequel has sold more than 100,000 tickets ahead of the Independence Day clash Emraan Hashmis Awarapan 2 is pulling away from Sunny Deols Batwara 1947 before the two films face off at the box office, with the sequel currently holding a fourfold lead in advance bookings. The latest figures show Awarapan 2 at around 270,000 in gross pre-sales, comp
Bumble is ending its women-first messaging rule for heterosexual matches The window to start or respond to a conversation is increasing from 24 hours to 72 hours. The change comes after Bumble began easing its original model with Opening Moves in 2024. For more than a decade, Bumble had one rule that made it instantly recognisable: in a heterosexual match, the woman had to send the first message. That changes from August 11, as Bumble removes the women-first rule and allows either person to star
The government estimates the reforms could cost employers between 350m and 2.9bn a year. Officials say the changes could generate up to 10bn in wider economic benefits. The number of people on zero-hours contracts reached 1.23 million last December. Labour's planned zero-hours contract reforms could leave businesses facing as much as 2.9bn in additional costs each year, according to the government's own analysis, but officials also estimate the changes could deliver up to 10bn in wider economic
Highlights Five contestants have exited The Traitors Season 2 across its first three episodes Munawar Faruqui was voted out at the first Circle of Shaq, while Karan Singh Magic and Soundous Moufakir were murdered The Innocents successfully identified Harman Singha as a Traitor, but another secret move has kept the Traitors in a strong position Spoilers ahead The first three episodes of The Traitors Season 2 have wasted little time shaking up the game. Five contestants are already out, including

28 C