Rachel Reeves’s fiscal headroom ’all but exhausted’ as borrowing rises over forecast; Amazon Web Services outage ‘resolved’ – business live

Newsflash: UK government borrowing has hit its highest level since the Covid-19 pandemic in the first half of this tax year, eating into chancellor Rachel Reeves’s headroom.The Office for National Statistics has reported that the government has borrowed £99.8bn so far this finanical year – which is £11.5bn more than in April-September 2024.That’s the second-highest April to September borrowing since monthly records began in 1993, after that of 2020

UK borrowing reaches five-year high for September at £20.2bn

Government borrowing was the highest for five years in September after rising debt interest costs and higher welfare payments pushed the public finances deeper into the red.Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed public sector net borrowing – the difference between public spending and income – hit £20.2bn last month, up £1.6bn from the same month last year and the highest September borrowing since 2020.The ONS said a rise in tax receipts was unable to offset the jump in debt interest costs this year and a rise in welfare costs, which have mostly increased in response to rising inflation

Money, muscles and anxiety: why the manosphere clicked with young men – a visual deep dive

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Garmin Fenix 8 Pro review: built-in LTE and satellite for phone-free messaging

The latest update to Garmin’s class-leading Fenix adventure watch adds something that could save your life: phone-free communications and emergency messaging on 4G or via satellite.The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more.The Fenix 8 Pro takes the already fantastic Fenix 8 and adds in the new cellular tech, plus the option of a cutting-edge microLED screen in a special edition of the watch

NBA 2025-26 predictions: Wemby for MVP? And will Thunder strike twice?

Our writers give their verdicts on the new season, which tips off Tuesday. Can New York or Houston thwart an OKC repeat? And which youngster will make the superstar leap?If we’re lucky, a fully healthy campaign from Victor Wembanyama. He’s already shown flashes of his insane ceiling in his previous two seasons. He’s such a difficult matchup with the ball in his hands, and on defense, he changes the entire calculus of opposing teams’ schemes with his length. Jakub FrankowiczFrom Wembanyama’s looming superstardom (he’s 7ft 5in now?!) to 18-year-old Cooper Flagg’s rookie spark, this season feels like a generational crossroads

Australians in the NBA: from the $150m dollar men to a human highlight reel | Jack Snape

The NBA tips off this week with Australia’s two biggest basketball names – Ben Simmons and Patty Mills – without a roster spot for the first time in a decade.Their absence signals a changing of the guard, as Boomers’ backcourt duo Josh Giddey and Dyson Daniels emerge as key starters for playoff aspirants, with recently signed nine-figure contracts making them some of Australia’s highest sporting earners.But they are not alone. Fourteen Australians are set to compete for minutes around the league, ranging from veteran centres Jock Landale and Duop Reath, emerging wings in Johnny Furphy and Josh Green, to intriguing draftees like Tyrese Proctor and Rocco Zikarsky.After protracted negotiations with the Chicago Bulls, Giddey finally signed his rookie extension worth $US100m ($153m) over four years last month