Tuesday, 3 November 2026today, still filling

David Jones, Australia's 188-year-old department store chain, is expected to announce widespread closures of 12 to 20 stores unless it secures favourable rental terms from landlords. The company failed to lodge financial accounts with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission on 30 October and requires substantial rental assistance to survive, including zero rent over the Christmas period. Unprofitable stores including Perth, Parramatta, Hornsby, Woden and Southland are expected to close. The company posted a $95.5 million loss in 2025 following a $74.1 million loss in 2024. Major brands are also departing: Country Road Group will close nearly 100 of its 283 concession pads inside David Jones stores in February, whilst luxury brands Christian Dior, Gucci and Chanel have already withdrawn.

Apple posted stronger-than-expected fourth quarter revenue of $114.5bn, beating analyst expectations of $113.4bn. The result represents a 12 per cent increase from the previous year and gives new CEO John Ternus an upbeat start following his appointment in September. The performance bucks a downward trend for other tech giants this quarter.

West Midlands Police was highlighted as one of the forces with the highest number of officers added to a barred list, which prevents them from serving in policing roles.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), part of GCHQ, has warned that AI-powered malware is 'highly likely' to be used in ransomware attacks against UK critical infrastructure such as power stations, airports and hospitals by 2028. Richard Horne, head of the NCSC, said Russia and China will probably increase their use of AI to carry out such attacks. He warned that the UK's resilience to cyber attacks is 'not where it should be' and that organisations must take urgent action to address vulnerabilities.

Joe Swash, 44, says his ADHD diagnosis has 'helped me understand myself a little bit better' but he is 'struggling more' as he gets older and busier. The TV presenter, who rose to fame in EastEnders and now presents shows including I'm a Celebrity… Extra Camp, revealed the diagnosis during the first series of his reality show Stacey And Joe, which documents his family life with his wife Stacey Solomon at their Essex home. He said fishing helps him cope.

Stacey Solomon has criticised media intrusion into her family's privacy as 'outrageous' and said it 'should be illegal'. The 37-year-old television presenter, who stars in BBC One's Stacey And Joe alongside her husband Joe Swash, says photographers have sat outside her Essex home and followed her to family events.

John Lewis has released its 20th annual Christmas advertisement, starring Kristin Scott Thomas as a grandmother searching for gifts with a talking toy dog called Pickles, voiced by Paul Whitehouse. The advert sees Gloria, Scott Thomas's character, rejecting a cash gift for her grandchildren Freddie and Maggie in favour of creating a 'gran cave' with disco balls and fairy lights discovered during a magical tuk-tuk ride through London to John Lewis. Marketing director Rosie Hanley said the company had increased spending on the advertisement because production costs had risen and it wanted to 'push the boat out' for the milestone year.