34+ min ago (979+ words) From season seven onwards, Khary Payton took on the role of 'King' Ezekiel Sutton, the charismatic, theatre-loving leader of the Kingdom whose steady optimism helped unite Alexandria's allied communities. Outside The Walking Dead, Payton had a stint on General Hospital, but his award-winning voice work is what really defines his career. He has voiced fan-favourite characters like Cyborg in the Teen Titans franchise and Aqualad in Young Justice, and featured in everything from video games to ads for brands like General Mills and Verizon. Sonequa Martin-Green appeared as Sasha Williams, a quick-witted and compassionate survivor and sharpshooter for Rick's group. She was a series regular from season four, with her character arc ending in the season seven finale when she sacrificed herself in an attempt to kill Negan Smith. Prior to the apocalypse, Martin-Green starred in several indie films, followed…...

36+ min ago (745+ words) Ahead of the autumn budget, we asked readers what questions they wanted answered by finance experts, as a number of policy changes are rumoured to be on the table. After months of speculation, chancellor Rachel Reeves will reveal the government's fiscal plans when she delivers the budget statement in the House of Commons at around 12:30pm on Wednesday. A further freeze on income tax thresholds, as well as changes to property taxes and salary sacrifice rules are among the areas the Treasury has reportedly considered targeting in the budget to help raise funds to bolster the UK's public finances. "The government is expected to need to find between "25 and "30bn in order to keep within its fiscal rules, presenting challenging tax and spending decisions, and it may seek to go even further to create additional fiscal headroom," said Peter Arnold, UK chief…...

1+ hour, 7+ min ago (727+ words) Working up the courage to ask isn't the only hurdle when it comes to getting a pay rise. Even if you know you deserve one and you state your case confidently, there is no guarantee that your boss will increase your salary. According to a survey of 2,000 people by Kickresume, while 52% of people ask for a raise, only 24% actually get one. Additionally, although 66% of workers negotiate their starting salary, only half are successful. It's difficult to know what to do if you're denied a raise. It can be demoralising to feel like you aren't being fairly remunerated, but quitting and finding a new job isn't an easy option. So what can you do if your request for a pay rise is rejected?" "If your manager declines your request for a pay rise, you should politely ask for feedback on your…...

3+ hour, 3+ min ago (1165+ words) Eight in 10 products on offer over the Black Friday period are not on sale at their best price, according to Which?, with the consumer group finding that shoppers could get the same or even better deal at other time of the year. Which? compared prices on 175 home, tech and health appliances across eight major retailers " Amazon (AMZN), AO (AO.L), Argos, Boots, Currys (CURY.L), John Lewis, Richer Sounds and Very. Which? tracked prices for a full year around the 2024 Black Friday sales period, from May 2024 to May 2025. Its research found that 83% of products were equal in price or cheaper on at least one occasion outside of the four-week Black Friday sales period in the analysis. In fact, Which? said its research showed some retailers consistently offer prices during Black Friday that are not as good as they seem. Reena Sewraz, retail…...

3+ hour, 4+ min ago (1214+ words) As the budget approaches, weighing up almost 30 different tax rumours for the likely options has been something of a juggling act " especially given the twists and turns we've had in recent weeks. However, given the announcement is just a day away, there's not much room left for U-turns, so while we can't know what lies in store until Rachel Reeves' speech itself, some options are emerging as contenders. Here's how they could impact your personal finances. There has been an entire wing of the rumour mill devoted to theories about income tax, from speculation that the rate could rise, to a push-me-pull-you trade-off between tax and national insurance. The latest rumour is that instead of all of this, there might be a longer freeze on income tax thresholds. The chancellor could add another couple of years to the freeze, which…...

3+ hour, 4+ min ago (550+ words) The budget is a day away and we will finally get some clarity on what changes the chancellor Rachel Reeves has in store. We've heard some big rumours around retirement, though recent reports suggest that one of the longest running ones " restrictions to tax-free pension cash " seems to be off the table. However, there's still the prospect of tax tweaks to come that could have an impact on your retirement planning. It's important to say that all of these are just rumours and may not happen but there are some key steps you can take to safeguard your savings. If you are worried about restrictions to salary sacrifice or the introduction of a flat rate of tax relief it can make sense to make the most of the system as it currently stands by making a contribution to your pension....

4+ hour, 44+ min ago (1004+ words) Alphabet shares gained 3% in pre-market trading as investors welcomed Google's launch of Gemini 3, the latest iteration of its AI system and a model the company claims can deliver more accurate responses to complex queries with less guidance from users. Google said Gemini 3 will be embedded across its core search products, the standalone Gemini app and its enterprise services. The release marks Google's most significant upgrade since the rollout of Gemini 2.5 about eight months ago, as the company steps up efforts to accelerate progress in generative AI. Analysts at Bank of America Securities described Gemini 3 as "another positive step" for Google in closing any "perceived LLM performance gap" with rivals. The analysts added that "healthy adoption metrics for AI overviews and Gemini indicate Google is successfully funnelling users into its AI surfaces, despite growing competition, and should help ease concerns around…...

8+ hour, 4+ min ago (547+ words) With the budget just a day away, speculation abounds that Rachel Reeves could unveil tax changes that impact pension saving. We've heard some big rumours around retirement, though recent reports suggest that one of the longest running ones " restrictions to tax-free pension cash " seems to be off the table. However, there's still the prospect of tax tweaks to come that could have an impact on your retirement planning. It's important to say that all of these are just speculation and may not happen but there are some key steps you can take to safeguard your savings. If you are worried about restrictions to salary sacrifice or the introduction of a flat rate of tax relief it can make sense to make the most of the system as it currently stands by making a contribution to your pension. Whether the change…...

14+ hour, 3+ min ago (1098+ words) Eight in 10 products advertised as Black Friday deals are the same price or cheaper at the other times of the year, an annual study by Which? suggests. The watchdog compared prices on 175 home, technology and health appliances from eight major retailers " Amazon, AO, Argos, Boots, Currys, John Lewis, Richer Sounds, and Very " for six months either side of Black Friday last year to find that 83% were cheaper or the same on at least one other date outside of the four-week sales period. On the day of Black Friday itself, Which? found there were no deals at all that were at their cheapest of the year. At John Lewis, Which? found that 94% of the products it analysed were the same price or cheaper at other times of the year. One of these deals involved a Samsung Jet Bot Robot Vacuum Cleaner,…...

14+ hour, 27+ min ago (418+ words) Overcoming Barriers in Traditional Trade Finance Cross-border trade has historically been encumbered by paper-heavy processes, particularly in the exchange of title documents which are essential for financing and goods collection. The traditional "Documents against Payment" (D/P) process often involves the physical movement of critical documents via courier services, leading to delays, increased costs, and the risk of fraud or document loss. Accelerated Payment Settlement: Shipment-to-payment settlement time was notably reduced by 75% (from 20 days to five days). Enhanced Productivity: Documentation handling time was cut by 60%, significantly reducing the administrative burden on logistics and finance teams. Cost Optimisation: Bank document circulation costs were reduced by 30%, creating direct savings for financial institutions and corporate clients. A Blueprint for a Digital Trade Ecosystem This initiative serves as a powerful proof of concept for the wider adoption of electronic transferable records. It validates the use…...