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Asos is investigating unauthorised activity involving third-party platforms after hackers hijacked its app notification system and sent alerts directly to customers, claiming to have compromised the retailer’s Snowflake data storage environment. Asos said basic personal information, including names and contact details, may have been accessed, although it does not believe payment-card details or passwords were affected. Snowflake said it had found no evidence that its platform was compromised. Customers were warned to disregard the notification and avoid its external link. Shares in Asos fell by as much as 14% following the incident. Cybersecurity experts described the tactic as highly unusual because the attackers used the retailer’s own communication system to publicise their claims and apply pressure. Marijus Briedis of NordVPN called it “an unusually brazen and threatening message”. The incident comes as Asos continues a wider business turnaround amid strong competition, debt pressures and constrained consumer demand.

 

Sky News

The Independent

The Times

The Daily Telegraph

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Financial Times

The Daily Telegraph

The Sun

The Times

Office attendance in English market towns is increasing significantly, according to International Workplace Group (IWG). St Albans saw a 49% rise in office visits over six months, followed by Windsor at 47% and St Neots at 40%. IWG noted that while city-centre attendance is also up, market towns are experiencing greater growth. Chief executive Christian Schmitz said: "For businesses, this provides greater flexibility and reduces the need for unnecessary fixed real estate." Despite this trend, hybrid working remains prevalent, with average office occupancy rising to over 45% this summer.

 

The Times

Equinor chief executive Anders Opedal has warned that Britain’s investment appeal could be damaged if the government refuses approval for the Jackdaw gas field and Rosebank oil field. Equinor and Shell co-own both projects through Adura, which says they would involve £10.8bn of investment over their lifetimes and support hundreds of jobs. Opedal said rejecting Rosebank would be “contradictory to energy security, to job creation” and could prompt companies to question whether the UK remained investable. Jackdaw is 99.9% complete and could supply up to 6% of UK gas production at peak, while Rosebank could produce about 69,000 barrels of oil a day. Both projects were previously approved, but their consents were quashed after a court ruled that emissions from burning the resulting oil and gas had not been properly considered. The government is now weighing fresh applications following public consultations.

 

The Times

The Financial Conduct Authority is investigating its handling of whistleblower Simon Andriesz, who died by suicide last month aged 57. The former BGC Group managing director raised accounting concerns and alleged undeclared business ties between former chief executive Howard Lutnick, now US commerce secretary, and Jeffrey Epstein. Andriesz accused British and American authorities of failing to investigate wrongdoing or protect him from retaliation. The FCA was forced to apologise after wrongly telling him his known identity disqualified him from whistleblower protection, and promised additional staff guidance and further training. However, MPs are calling on the FCA to bring in an independent party to evaluate its handling of whistleblowers arguing that it should not be allowed to "mark its own homework."

 

The Guardian

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has reported that fraudulent insurance claims reached £1.34bn in 2025, marking a 14% increase from £1.18bn in 2024. Motor insurance accounted for 55% of these claims, totalling £625m. Although the number of detected claims fell by 2.7% to 93,900, the average value of a fraudulent claim rose to £14,300. The ABI also prevented £1.8bn in fraudulent applications last year.

 

London Evening Standard

August Hanning, the former head of Germany’s BND intelligence service, has been arrested on suspicion of espionage and treason. He reportedly paid a BND staff member for information which Hanning then went on to pass to a foreign agent. German security sources said some of the high-level information the pair handled came from partner intelligence agencies abroad, raising the prospect that British and US intelligence had been compromised.

 

Financial Times

The Daily Telegraph

Jane MacLeod, the former general counsel of the Post Office, is facing scrutiny for requesting to attend a tribunal hearing remotely from Australia regarding alleged misconduct in the Horizon IT Scandal. SRA barrister Paul Ozin KC argued that her application prioritises her convenience over the needs of others involved. The tribunal has granted her request, but concerns remain about the impact on open justice. The final inquiry report is expected by the end of the year.

 

City AM

Ofcom is investigating Meta over a potential Online Safety Act breach following the launch of Instagram Instants. The UK watchdog is examining whether Meta adequately assessed risks that the Snapchat-style feature could display illegal content or be accessed by children. The investigation is the first into Meta since the Online Safety Act came fully into force last year and comes as lawyers for the company seek to curb the scope of the legislation, arguing that information requests are over-burdensome.

 

The Daily Telegraph

The Guardian

UK businesses are reducing their spending on public relations (PR) and consultancy services, with only 4.2% investing in these areas in September, according to City AM's Business Spend Pulse. This contrasts with a 3.1% year-on-year increase in overall spending. The consulting sector experienced a nearly 4% cut, the largest among sectors, due to financial pressures. Meanwhile, spending on AI services surged, with one in seven firms investing in AI tools, and Anthropic emerged as a leading beneficiary. Damian Brychcy, CEO of Capital on Tap, noted: "AI adoption is still the biggest trend we are seeing."

 

City AM

CityFibre is preparing to request a multibillion-pound refinancing to strengthen its position in the broadband sector. The company, backed by Goldman Sachs and the Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund, plans to propose new "preferred" equity and debt, with shareholders contributing £900m.

 

The Times

Informa has completed a £2.2bn takeover of Clarion, enhancing its position as the world's largest events company. Lord Carter of Barnes, Informa's chief executive, noted that the acquisition solidifies their market presence, hosting over 1,000 trade shows globally. Since Carter's leadership began in 2014, Informa's revenue from business-to-business events has surged to £1.6bn, accounting for 77% of total revenue. The company aims to simplify its structure and expand internationally, with a focus on North America, the Middle East, and Asia. "They've always delivered against numbers," said Roddy Davidson, an analyst.

 

The Times

Dame Dianne Thompson, chair of Sanderson Design Group, faces potential removal after LBV Asset Management, a major shareholder with a 14% stake, claimed the board suffers from "inaction and inertia." LBV is advocating for a new chair to lead necessary changes. Thompson, who joined the board in 2019, has overseen a turnaround from a £13.9m loss to a £3.1m profit, but the company’s shares have dropped 62% over five years. A general meeting requisitioned by LBV is set for this month, with Sanderson's board opposing the proposed changes, citing ongoing progress and profitability.

 

The Times

Hamam Al-Hammami, a 29-year-old Omani pilot accused of attempting to hijack a Flydubai flight, trained at L3 Airline Academy in the UK from 2018 to 2019. He is currently detained in Abu Dhabi after allegedly attacking the aircraft's pilot. Reports suggest he intended to crash the plane in Tel Aviv, mirroring the September 11 attacks. Al-Hammami's social media history reveals extremist views, including advocating violence against women. L3 Airline Academy has stated it will cooperate with authorities regarding the incident, and there is no indication of wrongdoing on their part.

 

The Daily Telegraph