Author: DispatchTimes News Desk

Manchester United are reportedly in talks with Eddie Howe’s representatives in London as uncertainty grows over Michael Carrick’s position at Old Trafford. The discussions are said to have included the structure of any potential contract, with Howe’s camp preferring an agreement without performance-related clauses while United want provisions linked to Champions League qualification. The claim was made by transfer insider account Indy Kaila, which reported that Howe’s representatives were meeting club officials. The precise terms under discussion have not been disclosed, and it is unclear whether the contact is at an early stage or represents more advanced negotiations. Eddie Howe…

A magnitude 2.6 earthquake struck near Winthrop in Washington state on Sunday morning, with shaking reported in the Stehekin area at the northern end of Lake Chelan. The United States Geological Survey recorded the earthquake at 7.15am local time on October 25, approximately 41km west-south-west of Winthrop in Chelan County. It occurred at a depth of about 2.8km. ([earthquake.usgs.gov](https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/uw714127632/dyfi/intensity?utm_source=openai)) A small number of people in Stehekin reportedly felt the tremor. The USGS is asking anyone who experienced the shaking to submit a report describing what they felt. Earthquakes of this size are generally not expected to cause structural damage. No…

US stocks opened higher as investors assessed figures from artificial intelligence firm Anthropic ahead of its preparation of an IPO filing. The company’s planned filing has renewed focus on the artificial intelligence sector, with markets weighing the latest information on Anthropic as trading began on Wall Street.

Halloween spending in the US is expected to reach a record $13.5 billion this year, as consumers face higher prices for sweets, costumes and delivery. The National Retail Federation forecasts spending will rise by $400 million from 2025 and by $1.9 billion from 2024. Candy is expected to account for $4.1 billion of the total. A survey by PwC found that the average person plans to spend about $263, with parents often paying more because they are buying for several Halloween events. However, two-thirds of Americans believe Halloween has become too expensive, according to a WalletHub survey. Why Halloween costs…

Households and businesses are bracing for John Healey’s Budget, with expectations that the Chancellor will offer some relief from rising living costs while leaving many of the tax pressures already announced firmly in place. The Budget is expected to be more measured than Rachel Reeves’s 2024 and 2025 statements, which together increased taxes by £75 billion. Treasury briefings have suggested that Healey is presenting the measures as a period of “breathing space” for families and companies. Possible announcements include additional help with energy bills, the protection of some low-income pensioners from income tax and the cancellation of planned fuel duty…

House Democrats are turning to a group of late-added candidates in increasingly Republican territory, despite a record showing that such efforts rarely result in victories. Since 2018, no Republican-held seat added to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s “Red to Blue” programme in September or October before election day has been won by a Democrat, according to an analysis of the committee’s results. Of the 28 candidates added during the final two months of campaigns between 2018 and 2024, only three won. All three were running in Democratic-held open seats. That compares with 73 victories among 203 candidates added to the…

New York-based startup Nevis has raised $70 million to develop software that uses AI to handle routine administrative work for financial advisers, as the industry faces a growing shortage of professionals. The company, founded by three former Revolut executives, is now valued at $500 million, according to a person familiar with the matter. The Series B funding will support the 70-person firm’s efforts to expand its platform, which is designed to give advisers more time to work with clients and develop their businesses. “There was an opportunity to give financial advisors access to AI agents that can actually do that…

The Seattle Seahawks have faced backlash from Taylor Swift fans after appearing to reference the singer in a social media post celebrating their victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. Seattle won 20-3 on Sunday night, and afterwards shared an image of white, blue and green friendship bracelets bearing charms that read “Seahawks Win”. The post was captioned “End Game”, seemingly referring to Swift’s 2017 track of the same name. The apparent dig quickly drew criticism online, with some fans describing the Seahawks as “classless” and saying the reigning Super Bowl champions needed to “do better”. Swift’s husband, Chiefs tight end…

An explosion and fire at the Quaker Oats plant in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, sent thick black smoke over the city on Saturday, with all workers accounted for and no injuries reported. The Cedar Rapids Fire Department said crews were called to the factory at about 4.44pm local time on 24 October after reports of an apparent explosion. Firefighters found heavy smoke and flames coming from the northern side of the building. Teams from Marion, Hiawatha and Linn County joined the response. The blaze was brought under control at about 6.25pm, officials said. Cedar Rapids Mayor Tiffany O’Donnell said the workers…

Australian billionaire James Packer has agreed to give evidence remotely in Benjamin Netanyahu’s corruption trial, but has refused to return to Israel to testify in person. Packer, along with his former associates Ben Tilley and Guy Jalland, has said the three men would appear by audiovisual link if ordered to give evidence under oath. They have cited concerns about the conduct of Israeli authorities and the protection of their legal rights. The decision follows a formal request from Netanyahu’s defence team for Packer to travel to Israel and testify. The defence believes evidence from the businessman and the two Australians…