Kenyan creator That Girl Boina says diverted customer payments and suspected employee theft contributed to falling revenue at her Nairobi waxing studio, which closed in October 2025. Her account drew responses from other Kenyan business owners, while a 2022 PwC survey found that 63% of East African respondents said their organisations had experienced economic crime.
Key Facts
Boina opened Waxaholic Studio in Nairobi on 1 September 2024.
She hired a receptionist and two specialists and took a two-week trip to Europe.
A customer told Boina that someone at the studio had asked them to send payment to a number different from the one displayed at the business.
Boina said the studio's revenue began falling in early 2025, and she later decided to close it rather than confront the employees.
Waxaholic Studio closed in October 2025 after Boina failed to find a buyer and sold some of its equipment.
Boina shared a video about the experience on TikTok in September, nearly a year after the studio closed; the video was widely reposted and viewed.
A 2022 PwC survey found that 63% of East African respondents said their organisations had experienced economic crime, compared with 46% globally.
The article says employee theft was among the problems partly attributed to the collapse of Kenyan supermarket chains Tuskys and Nakumatt, alongside wider financial and operational issues.
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A study of more than 1,700 company administrations in England and Wales found that businesses bought back by former owners or directors were more likely to fail again than those bought by unconnected buyers. Connected-party deals also led to lower repayments to unsecured creditors, including HM Revenue and Customs.
Key Facts
The study examined official documents from more than 1,700 administrations that began in 2019.
By July 2026, 44% of pre-pack deals involving connected buyers had led to another insolvency, compared with 26% of deals involving unconnected buyers.
Connected buyers deferred payments in 65% of the administrations studied; unconnected buyers did so in 28%.
Unsecured creditors received repayments in 23% of connected-party deals with deferred payments, averaging 1.58 pence per pound owed.
For unconnected buyers, unsecured creditors received repayments in 36% of pre-pack administrations, averaging 7.86 pence per pound owed.
The study’s findings broadly align with a 2014 government review and a 2018 European Union-funded study.
Turnstone Intelligence conducted the research for the Guardian using AI agents to review company filings.
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Thousands of Protestant Orange Order members marched through Portadown, Northern Ireland, ahead of a court ruling on a ban affecting a separate parade. That parade would pass through a mainly Catholic area, where Catholic protesters blocked an earlier march in September.
Key Facts
The march took place in Portadown, Northern Ireland.
The marchers were members of the Protestant Orange Order.
The march took place before a court ruling on a ban affecting a separate parade.
The separate parade would pass through a mainly Catholic area.
Catholic protesters blocked a previous parade in September.
The marches have long contributed to sectarian tensions.
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Indigenous communities in Brazil’s Amazon say they are concerned that the election outcome could affect environmental protections. Al Jazeera’s Monica Yanakiew reports on their concerns.
Key Facts
Indigenous communities in Brazil’s Amazon expressed concern about the election’s potential impact on environmental protections.
The article focuses on Brazil’s election and environmental protections.
Monica Yanakiew reported the story for Al Jazeera.
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An October New York Times/Siena poll found that President Donald Trump had 38 percent approval and 57 percent disapproval among Midwest respondents. The article says the result could pose a challenge for Republicans in competitive Midwestern races, but cautions that the regional sample is less precise and does not predict election outcomes.
Key Facts
Trump’s Midwest approval rating was 38 percent, while 57 percent disapproved, a 19-point gap.
The poll surveyed 3,494 voters nationwide from October 12 to 19 and had an overall sampling error of plus or minus 1.9 percentage points.
The poll did not report the Midwest subgroup’s sample size or a separate margin of error.
Midwestern respondents gave Democrats a nine-point advantage on the generic House ballot.
Republicans are defending congressional majorities in the November 3 midterm elections.
Democrats need a net gain of four Senate seats to take control of the chamber.
Experts cited in the article pointed to economic pressures, including fuel costs and policies affecting farmers, as possible factors in Trump’s regional standing.
Republican strategists said strong local candidates might outperform Trump by attracting voters who split their tickets.
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The article argues that delays in breast cancer screening and follow-up can increase treatment costs and hinder diagnosis. It says Melania Trump’s women’s health initiative could address barriers such as referral rules, scheduling delays, and insurer approval requirements.
Key Facts
A study of Medicare beneficiaries found first-year oral prescription drug costs averaged about $700 for localized breast cancer and about $25,000 after cancer spread.
The same study found other cancer-related medical spending averaged about $34,000 for localized disease and more than $73,000 after it spread.
The American Cancer Society attributes a 44 percent drop in the breast cancer death rate since its 1989 peak to earlier diagnosis and better treatment.
The article reports five-year breast cancer survival rates of about 90 percent in the United States, 88 percent in Canada, 87 percent in France, and 86 percent in the United Kingdom.
Breast cancer diagnoses have risen about 1 percent per year overall and 1.4 percent per year among women under 50, according to the article.
In 2023, 79.8 percent of U.S. women aged 50 to 74 reported having a mammogram in the previous two years; the article says the rate has changed little since 2019.
About 10 percent of women screened in the United States are called back for further evaluation, which may involve more imaging or a biopsy.
The article says some facilities do not accept patients who book mammograms without a physician referral, and it describes delays from scheduling, referrals, and insurer authorization for advanced imaging.
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Elon Musk said SpaceX restricted Ukraine’s Starlink service last week because, he alleged, Ukraine used the civilian network for offensive drone strikes. Ukrainian officials said the connection had stabilized, but Kyiv had not officially responded to Musk’s claim; a Ukrainian presidential adviser disputed it. The article links the service disruption to a broader dispute between Washington and Kyiv over Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil infrastructure.
Key Facts
Musk said SpaceX closed what he described as a loophole that let Ukraine use Starlink for offensive drone strikes.
Musk denied responsibility for a simultaneous issue with Starshield, which he said is controlled by the U.S. government.
Ukrainian presidential adviser Serhiy Beskrestnov said Ukraine could not use commercial Starlink for long- and medium-range drone strikes.
Ukraine’s defense minister said the military was recording a stable connection, and President Volodymyr Zelensky said service speeds had returned to the needed level.
Ukraine uses Starlink for battlefield coordination and Starshield for some military communications and drone operations.
Ukraine previously said the connection cut out when drones exceeded 161 km/h; officials said speeds were now above 400 km/h.
The connectivity problems began amid a dispute between Washington and Kyiv over Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil infrastructure.
Trump said he had told Musk to restore the service, while also denying that he had instructed Musk to restrict it.
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Brazilian voters are choosing between President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro in a closely contested presidential runoff. Lula has gained ground since the first round, while the candidates’ supporters remain largely settled and undecided voters may determine the result.
Key Facts
Flávio Bolsonaro won the first-round vote by less than two percentage points.
Lula focused his runoff campaign on voter turnout after abstention reached a record high in the first round.
Flávio Bolsonaro is the eldest son of former president Jair Bolsonaro.
Jair Bolsonaro is under house arrest and serving a 27-year sentence for attempting to overturn his 2022 election defeat, according to the article.
Flávio Bolsonaro has said he would pardon his father if elected.
Flávio Bolsonaro has proposed building five large prisons and has called for constitutional changes.
The article says Flávio Bolsonaro is under investigation in two federal police inquiries over alleged corruption and money laundering.
Both candidates held large closing campaign rallies on Saturday.
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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited China on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, and inaugurated a new bridge linking the two countries. He met Chinese officials and said North Korea would strengthen cooperation and ties with Beijing.
Key Facts
Kim crossed the new bridge into the Chinese border city of Dandong, according to South Korean and Chinese sources.
Kim visited a memorial to China's support for North Korea during the 1950–53 Korean War.
Kim met Wang Huning, a member of the Chinese Communist Party's Standing Committee.
Wang conveyed Chinese President Xi Jinping's greetings, according to North Korea's state news agency.
Kim and Wang toured a car factory before Wang accompanied Kim to the bridge.
North Korea has sent troops and conventional weapons to support Russia's war in Ukraine, the article says.
Kim last visited Beijing in September 2025, when he met Xi Jinping and attended a military parade.
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Serbia is holding a parliamentary election on October 25, 2026, in a close contest between the ruling Serbian Progressive Party and the student-backed Students’ List. The vote follows nearly two years of protests after a train-station canopy collapse killed 16 people, and election monitors have raised concerns about campaign fairness and safety.
Key Facts
Serbia’s 6.4 million voters are choosing among 18 parties for seats in the 250-member Parliament.
The Students’ List is challenging the party of populist leader Aleksandar Vucic.
The movement grew out of student-led protests that began after the 2024 canopy collapse in Novi Sad.
Protesters have demanded accountability and justice for the 16 people killed in the collapse.
The article says the main contenders are polling neck-and-neck, making the election unusually uncertain.
Parties need at least 3 percent of the vote to enter Parliament.
International and local election monitors have raised concerns about detentions, media control, surveillance and cyberattacks against activists.
Vucic resigned as president last month to lead his party’s campaign; he could become prime minister if his party wins the most votes.
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Channel 4 is bringing back One Born Every Minute for a 12th series, filmed at St Mary’s Hospital in Manchester. The new series focuses more on parents’ experiences and includes stories about caesarean births, pregnancy loss, health anxiety and complicated pregnancies.
Key Facts
The first episode airs on Sunday night.
The series is made by Dragonfly for Channel 4.
Executive producer Will Rowson said the show reflects greater willingness among parents to share personal experiences.
The series shifts its focus toward parents and their stories, rather than medical staff.
The programme features caesarean births and other surgical procedures.
Faye discusses multiple miscarriages and the anxiety she experienced during a later pregnancy.
Peace shares her experience of having twins and concerns about their growth.
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Former President Barack Obama campaigned for Democrats in Ohio and Michigan ahead of the November 3 midterm elections. He criticized President Donald Trump’s Iran war, tariffs and trade policies, and urged voters to reject Republicans.
Key Facts
Obama spoke at rallies in Cleveland, Ohio, and Michigan on Saturday, 10 days before the elections.
In Cleveland, Obama backed former Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown.
Obama said Trump’s decision to withdraw from the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement and start a war had raised oil and diesel prices.
Obama cited attacks on U.S. bases, American casualties and disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz as consequences of the war.
Obama argued that tariffs raise costs for consumers and for U.S. manufacturers that use imported parts.
Trump has threatened 50 percent tariffs on Canadian vehicles and auto parts starting in January 2027, according to the article.
Obama said the federal debt had reached $40 trillion; the article notes that this is accumulated debt, not the annual budget deficit.
Senate and gubernatorial races are taking place in both Ohio and Michigan.
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Egypt is considering whether to send forces to help defend Saudi Arabia from Houthi attacks, but officials say any role would be defensive and not target the Houthis. Cairo is wary of becoming drawn into Yemen’s conflict, partly because Egypt suffered heavy losses in its 1960s intervention and wants to avoid broader regional entanglements.
Key Facts
Egypt sent thousands of troops to Yemen in 1962 to support republican forces against royalists.
Egyptian forces withdrew after heavy losses and Egypt’s defeat in the 1967 war with Israel.
President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi said a possible deployment would focus on defending Saudi Arabia, not attacking Yemen’s Houthis.
Egypt’s foreign minister called for a political solution to the Yemen conflict.
Saudi Arabia has faced Houthi missile and drone attacks, including a strike on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport that killed 13 people, one of them Egyptian.
Egypt’s National Defence Council said on October 18 that Egypt was ready to provide necessary and possible support to Saudi Arabia.
An Egyptian combat deployment abroad requires parliamentary approval, and a vote was scheduled for Monday after a one-week delay.
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The article examines Matthew McConaughey’s video urging Americans not to dismiss independent votes as wasted. It checks his claims about party primaries, independent voters and Congress, and notes both support for some claims and limits to his argument.
Key Facts
McConaughey said he was not endorsing a candidate or party, but was speaking in favor of “fairness and reality.”
San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones criticized the video and urged voters to support Democrats; Hillary Clinton called it “really unfortunate” on her podcast.
The article cites Unite America’s estimate that 87 percent of U.S. House seats in 2024 were effectively decided in party primaries by 7 percent of eligible voters.
The article reports that Gallup found 45 percent of Americans identified as independents, including 20 percent who leaned Democratic, 15 percent who leaned Republican and 10 percent who leaned neither way.
Independent senators Bernie Sanders and Angus King caucus with Democrats, which helps them obtain committee assignments, according to the article.
Independent candidate Ross Perot received nearly 20 million votes, about 19 percent of the total, in the 1992 presidential election but won no electoral votes.
The article says McConaughey’s claim that no one has offered voters an independent candidate is contradicted by Perot’s campaign.
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Alyce Collins recounts that her 18-month-old son, Deacon, was taken to a hospital after an emergency at his daycare on October 5, 2016. She says responders had cut off his Baltic amber teething necklace and that doctors saw a strangulation mark on his neck; the article title says he died.
Key Facts
Collins says she was a single mother and had researched natural parenting practices.
She put a Baltic amber teething necklace on Deacon, believing it could ease teething pain.
Collins says Deacon was 18 months old in October 2016.
She dropped him off at daycare on the morning of October 5, 2016, then went to work.
After hearing sirens, Collins drove to the daycare and found emergency vehicles there.
The daycare owner told Collins that firefighters had cut off Deacon’s necklace.
At the hospital, Collins says she saw doctors trying to resuscitate Deacon and saw a strangulation mark on his neck.
The article title states that Deacon died.
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Households in Upper Teesdale are facing sharply higher heating oil costs ahead of winter. A local buying group combines orders to seek lower prices, but some residents say oil is too expensive and use other ways to heat their homes.
Key Facts
A 500-litre heating oil delivery in rural areas including Teesdale, Weardale, Northumberland and parts of North Yorkshire costs about £600, or around £1.19 per litre.
Domestic heating oil cost about 52p per litre in October 2025.
Many homes in Middleton-in-Teesdale rely on heating oil because they do not have access to mains gas.
UTASS runs a buying group that combines household orders into monthly bulk purchases and can lower prices by about 3p per litre.
The UTASS scheme allows orders from 500 litres, while discounts typically require purchases of more than 1,000 litres.
Kim Richardson, a local resident, said she needs 1,000 litres and described the price as double last year's cost.
Pauline Thompson said she avoids heating oil because she cannot afford it and uses electric oil-filled radiators instead.
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Families in the UK are reducing Halloween costs by swapping or buying second-hand costumes and making outfits from materials they already have. Charity shops and community workshops are helping families reuse clothing and other household items as Halloween costumes and decorations.
Key Facts
A survey found that 36% of shoppers planned to celebrate Halloween in 2026, up from 27% in 2025.
Some parents use Facebook groups to swap or sell costumes and search resale sites for cheaper outfits.
Birmingham mother Mandy Thomas said she often finds character costumes on eBay or Vinted for about a quarter of their original price.
A charity shop in Coundon, Coventry, sets aside donated costumes for Halloween sales.
The shop sells some costumes for as little as £1.50; items in original packaging are often priced at about a quarter of their retail value.
Coventry-based organisation Cov Cloth runs workshops where families make costumes, decorations and accessories from unwanted textiles and household items.
Workshop founder Adele Harrison encourages families to use materials such as old tights, cereal boxes and unwanted clothing before buying new items.
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Wastewater estimates indicate that cocaine consumption in England rose 26% from 2021 to 2025, reaching an estimated 123,000kg in 2024-25. Survey data suggests the number of users has not grown in step, while treatment figures point to more people seeking help and a shift toward older age groups.
Key Facts
Home Office scientists estimated that people in England consumed 123,000kg of cocaine in 2024-25, with an estimated street value of £9.8bn.
Wastewater samples indicated a 26% rise in cocaine consumption between 2021 and 2025.
Crime survey data shows reported past-year use has remained flat or fallen slightly since the pandemic, though surveys may miss some users.
The National Crime Agency said wholesale prices reached historically low levels in 2025 and showed signs of rising in 2026.
An expert tracking advertised prices found that an ounce fell from about £1,300 in March 2022 to about £700 in September 2025, then rose to about £1,000 in July 2026.
In England, 33,612 people started treatment for cocaine problems in 2024-25, 57% more than in 2019-20.
People in their 30s were the largest age group seeking treatment; a decade earlier, people in their 20s were the largest group.
Guardian-collected figures from 39 police forces showed a 10% rise in recorded crime rates mentioning cocaine since 2019.
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Cookie theft occurs when malware steals active session cookies from a device, letting fraudsters access accounts without entering a password or triggering some login checks. Logging out, limiting downloads, clearing cookies, and using a password manager can help reduce the risk; suspected victims should scan devices, end active sessions, and change passwords.
Key Facts
A session cookie keeps a person logged into a website as they move between pages.
An active stolen cookie can let a fraudster use an account and may bypass multifactor authentication.
The article says malware, often hidden in downloaded software or browser extensions, can steal cookies from a browser’s database.
Fraudsters may use hijacked sessions to access bank accounts, redirect purchases, or scam a victim’s contacts.
Signs of possible malware include unusual slowdowns, fast battery drain, crashes, browser redirects, pop-ups, or a changed homepage.
Closing a browser tab does not necessarily end a session; manually logging out invalidates the session cookie.
The article recommends careful downloading, using a dedicated password manager, and clearing cookies regularly.
If an account may be compromised, run an antivirus scan, log out of accounts on all devices, and change passwords.
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Novelist Zadie Smith told Dua Lipa that rising inequality and the decline of public services have made cultural differences feel more threatening. At a London literature festival, Smith also reflected on multiculturalism, her novel “White Teeth” and the value of public education, health care and literary criticism.
Key Facts
Smith linked sharper divisions in Britain to inequality, unemployment and problems with housing, schools and hospitals.
She said that when people have secure housing and access to health care, differences can feel interesting rather than existential.
Smith said her state education helped her communicate with people from different backgrounds.
She argued that people could look back to the social democracy of earlier decades while rejecting the era’s racial prejudice and LGBTQ+ discrimination.
Smith began writing “White Teeth” at 21 and published it at 24 in 2000.
She said she finished the novel on Valentine’s Day after a breakup and then went out clubbing.
Smith called literary criticism essential because it helps develop taste.
The Southbank Centre’s London literature festival runs through 1 November.
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