News
Local News
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Labour confirm Angeliki Stogia as their candidate for Gorton and Denton by-election.
Labour have today announced that Angeliki Stogia will be their candidate in the upcoming Gorton and Denton by-election.
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Rape suspect arrested in Manchester after Live Facial Recognition alert
A 26-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of rape and coercive control following a Live Facial Recognition deployment in Manchester city centre.
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Green Party announce Hannah Spencer as their candidate for the Gorton and Denton by-election.
The Green Party have announced Hannah Spencer as their candidate for the Gorton and Denton by-election.
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Nigel Farage visits Gorton and Denton following the announcement of Reform’s Candidate
Nigel Farage, the Leader of Reform UK, has visited Gorton and Denton following the announcement of Matt Goodwin of their candidate for the upcoming by-election.
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Rochdale streets lit up by powerful stories in immersive after-dark experience
Rochdale’s town centre has been transformed into a night-time audio-visual journey, inviting residents and visitors to see the borough through the eyes and voices of its people.
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GMP chief constable knighted for transformative policing leadership
Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson has been formally knighted at St James’ Palace following recognition in the King’s Birthday Honours list for his long-standing dedication to British policing.
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Works completed at Pilsworth McDonald’s
A Bury fast food branch has reopened after a makeover promising to deliver ‘better customer service’.
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Early bird tickets are being released for 2026 Rochdale Feel Good Festival
Rochdale’s Feel Good Festival will return on Saturday 8 August, with early bird tickets for the main stage set to go on sale at 10am on Friday 6 February.
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Record-breaking toy appeal brings festive cheer to over 2,700 Rochdale children
More than 2,700 children across Rochdale received Christmas presents last month thanks to the borough’s biggest-ever toy appeal.
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Rochdale AFC kicks off football project to support people experiencing homelessness
A new initiative aimed at tackling homelessness and boosting wellbeing has been launched by Rochdale AFC Community Trust.
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Bury Blind Society hosts Love at First Serve to showcase sport for the visually impaired
An inclusive sporting event aimed at raising funds and awareness for the visually impaired community is set to take place in Bury next month.
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The major project for homes, roads and tram extension
A masterplan to effectively build a new town on farmland just next to a key M60 motorway junction is set to be approved next week. A total of 1,550 new homes are earmarked for a large chunk of land between Simister and Bowlee.
Greater Manchester
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Advance UK names Nick Buckley MBE as Gorton and Denton by election candidate
Advance UK has confirmed that Nick Buckley MBE will stand for the party at the forthcoming Gorton and Denton by election.
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SDP names Sebastian Moore as candidate for Gorton and Denton by election
The Social Democratic Party has announced Sebastian Moore as its candidate for the forthcoming parliamentary by election in Gorton and Denton.
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Green Party announce Hannah Spencer as their candidate for the Gorton and Denton by-election.
The Green Party have announced Hannah Spencer as their candidate for the Gorton and Denton by-election.
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Nigel Farage visits Gorton and Denton following the announcement of Reform’s Candidate
Nigel Farage, the Leader of Reform UK, has visited Gorton and Denton following the announcement of Matt Goodwin of their candidate for the upcoming by-election.
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Jackie Pearcey selected as Liberal Democrat candidate for Gorton and Denton
A local campaigner with decades of service in the area has been chosen to stand for the Liberal Democrats in the upcoming Gorton and Denton by-election.
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Man sentenced for antisemitic social media post hours after deadly Manchester synagogue terror attack
A 20-year-old man who posted a hateful antisemitic message online hours after a terror attack on a Manchester synagogue has been sentenced.
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Social care worker honoured after saving life of injured police officer
A deputy team manager from a Rochdale-based care organisation has been commended for saving the life of a police officer who was seriously injured while on duty.
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Lack of cash prompts Greater Manchester policing fears as Andy Burnham hits out at Government
Residents may see the quality of local policing drop amid financial difficulties, bosses have warned.
Elections
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Advance UK names Nick Buckley MBE as Gorton and Denton by election candidate
Advance UK has confirmed that Nick Buckley MBE will stand for the party at the forthcoming Gorton and Denton by election.
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SDP names Sebastian Moore as candidate for Gorton and Denton by election
The Social Democratic Party has announced Sebastian Moore as its candidate for the forthcoming parliamentary by election in Gorton and Denton.
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Green Party announce Hannah Spencer as their candidate for the Gorton and Denton by-election.
The Green Party have announced Hannah Spencer as their candidate for the Gorton and Denton by-election.
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Nigel Farage visits Gorton and Denton following the announcement of Reform’s Candidate
Nigel Farage, the Leader of Reform UK, has visited Gorton and Denton following the announcement of Matt Goodwin of their candidate for the upcoming by-election.
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Jackie Pearcey selected as Liberal Democrat candidate for Gorton and Denton
A local campaigner with decades of service in the area has been chosen to stand for the Liberal Democrats in the upcoming Gorton and Denton by-election.
Local Entertainment
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Feature: Catherine O'Hara: Her wigs are in mourning and honestly so are we
Catherine Anne O’Hara, a woman of devastating wit, transfixing facial elasticity, and wardrobe choices bold enough to end minor conflicts, has departed this mortal coil at the age of seventy-one.
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Rochdale streets lit up by powerful stories in immersive after-dark experience
Rochdale’s town centre has been transformed into a night-time audio-visual journey, inviting residents and visitors to see the borough through the eyes and voices of its people.
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Early bird tickets are being released for 2026 Rochdale Feel Good Festival
Rochdale’s Feel Good Festival will return on Saturday 8 August, with early bird tickets for the main stage set to go on sale at 10am on Friday 6 February.
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Circus Spectacular brings thrills and laughter to Middleton Arena this February
Families in Middleton are in for a treat this half term when a dazzling new circus show rolls into town for one day only.
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Cancer choir calls for new members as rehearsals resume in Bolton
A Bolton choir for people affected by cancer is inviting new singers to join as it begins rehearsals for the new year.
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Rochdale’s soundtrack reborn as new album and concert celebrate town’s music legacy
A new album and live concert are set to honour Rochdale’s iconic place in British music history, with the borough’s past and present artists uniting to revive classic tracks recorded on Kenion Street.
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Photography exhibition opens in Rochdale to mark 25 years since KFOR peacekeeping mission in Kosovo
A powerful new photography exhibition commemorating the 25th anniversary of NATO’s KFOR mission in Kosovo has opened at Number One Riverside in Rochdale town centre.
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Review: The Bodyguard brings Whitney’s biggest hits to life in Manchester
Based on the 1992 film, the stage version follows global music star Rachel Marron, who is assigned a personal bodyguard after receiving threats from a mysterious stalker.
Local Sports
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Bury edge past Chasetown to stay unbeaten in the league
A first half strike by Leo Graham was all Bury needed to triumph away at Chasetown. The 1-0 victory sees the Shakers back to winning ways and maintains their unbeaten league record so far this year.
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Rochdale AFC kicks off football project to support people experiencing homelessness
A new initiative aimed at tackling homelessness and boosting wellbeing has been launched by Rochdale AFC Community Trust.
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Dale Women hit Mossley Hill for six in final league home match
Clinical braces from Coates, Chlodek and Mason seal dominant 6-0 win
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SportsTown project update
Andy Burnham plans to invoke special powers to ‘turbocharge’ schemes for a major revamp in Oldham.
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Divine Aikbekean’s transformation from troubled teen to Muay Thai champion
A former student of Newhouse Academy in Heywood has become a national martial arts champion just two years after struggling with challenges in and out of school.
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Last-gasp Gilmour goal fires Dale to top of the table
Rochdale have returned to the summit of the Enterprise National League following a dramatic 2–1 home victory over Southend United, sealed by a 90th-minute strike from Harvey Gilmour.
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Hornets storm into third round with 60-6 win at Waterhead
Rochdale Hornets booked their place in the third round of the Betfred Challenge Cup with a dominant 60-6 away victory against Waterhead Warriors.
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Dudley’s acrobatic opener and Rose’s miracle save seal Ramsbottom win
City of Liverpool visited the Harry Williams Riverside Stadium in Ramsbottom in bright sunshine on Saturday. For the home side to remain in the running it was something of a must win encounter.
UK
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Major incident declared after fire at University Hospital Southampton
A major incident has been declared after a fire broke out at a hospital.
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Woman stabbed to death in 'busy' area of London
A woman has been stabbed to death in a "busy" area of London, police have said.
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Yellow weather warning for parts of England already hit by severe rain
Parts of England already saturated by days of heavy rain are facing more downpours next week.
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UK's top 100 taxpayers revealed - and who has contributed the most to a record £5.7bn?
Anthony Joshua, JK Rowling and Mo Salah have been named among the UK's 100 biggest taxpayers.
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Riz Ahmed hopes his modern-day 'visceral' Hamlet will be shown in schools
"He's powerless, he's being gaslit… a lot of people feel that way" - Riz Ahmed on why his "fresh" adaptation of Hamlet speaks to our "unfair" times.
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Northern Ireland should hold unity referendum by 2030, first minister says
Northern Ireland should hold a referendum on whether it should become part of a united Ireland by 2030, the country's first minister has said.
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'I bombed particularly badly': Star of John Bishop-inspired film Is This Thing On? recalls 'scary' stand-up show
John Bishop was going through a divorce from his wife Melanie. It was October 2000 and he had moved out of his family home and would see his children on the weekend.
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Search operation for seven-year-old girl missing in Morocco hindered by storm, MP says
The search operation for a seven-year-old girl who was swept out to sea in Morocco has been "hindered" by a storm, an MP has said.
Entertainment
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'I bombed particularly badly': Star of John Bishop-inspired film Is This Thing On? recalls 'scary' stand-up show
John Bishop was going through a divorce from his wife Melanie. It was October 2000 and he had moved out of his family home and would see his children on the weekend.
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Riz Ahmed hopes his modern-day 'visceral' Hamlet will be shown in schools
"He's powerless, he's being gaslit… a lot of people feel that way" - Riz Ahmed on why his "fresh" adaptation of Hamlet speaks to our "unfair" times.
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Catherine O'Hara, who starred in Home Alone and Schitt's Creek, has died
Catherine O'Hara, the Emmy-winning actress who starred as Kevin's mother in Home Alone and the eccentric Moira Rose in Schitt's Creek, has died.
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Melania's non-documentary might end up a box office flop - but she won't mind
"Purposeful storytelling" is how Melania Trump herself describes what audiences will find in her cinematic debut.
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UK's top 100 taxpayers revealed - and who has contributed the most to a record £5.7bn?
Anthony Joshua, JK Rowling and Mo Salah have been named among the UK's 100 biggest taxpayers.
Sport
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Winmau World Masters darts: Luke Humphries delivers nine-dart magic in win over Luke Woodhouse as Luke Littler eases through
Luke Humphries fired a stunning nine-darter during a dramatic victory over Luke Woodhouse at the Winmau World Masters, as Luke Littler stormed into the quarter-finals.
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Leeds 0-4 Arsenal: 'Dominant' Elland Road win has won Gunners the Premier League title, says Paul Merson
Paul Merson says Arsenal's dominant victory at Leeds will go down as the game that won them the Premier League title.
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F1 testing: Lewis Hamilton sets Barcelona shakedown week pace as Ferrari, Red Bull, McLaren run long
Lewis Hamilton set the fastest time of the Barcelona shakedown as Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull all topped 100 laps on a final productive day of long-running for F1 teams in Spain.
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Winmau World Masters darts: Luke Littler survives huge scare against Mike De Decker as Luke Humphries makes strong start
Luke Littler narrowly avoided a first-round exit at the Winmau World Masters after surviving a match dart in a dramatic victory over Mike De Decker in Milton Keynes.
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Josh Kelly becomes IBF light-middleweight champion after recovering from knockdown to beat Bakhram Murtazaliev in Newcastle
Britain's Josh Kelly outpointed Bakhram Murtazaliev to win the IBF light-middleweight title in Newcastle.
Videos
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Iran warns of regional war risk as Trump sends 'very big, powerful ships'
Iran's Supreme Leader has warned Donald Trump that the entire region will be engulfed in conflict if the US starts a war.
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'Robots listening to robots': How AI music fraudsters are spamming sites and taking cash from real musicians
The moment you make your first AI music track can feel quite magical, especially if you are as profoundly unmusical as me.
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Starmer hails China reset a success - but not everyone is convinced
Keir Starmer describes himself as a "British pragmatist" who takes a "common sense" approach. When it comes to global affairs, and domestic ones too, he isn't one to grandstand, he'd rather try to get things done.
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Climber Alex Honnold scales Taipei 101 skyscraper without ropes
American climber Alex Honnold ascended one of the world's tallest buildings on Sunday without a rope or protective equipment.
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Two explosions reported in Iran - as Israel denies involvement
Two explosions have been reported in Iran as the regime denied a military leader was targeted, amid heightened tension in the region.
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Yvette Cooper warns of 'deepening crisis' in Myanmar, five years on from military coup
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has said the people of Myanmar "face a deepening crisis", five years after the country's democratically-elected government was overthrown by the military.
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Everything to know about Artemis II - the NASA mission to send astronauts around the moon
NASA is poised to send astronauts around the moon and back for the first time in more than 50 years.
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UK's top 100 taxpayers revealed - and who has contributed the most to a record £5.7bn?
Anthony Joshua, JK Rowling and Mo Salah have been named among the UK's 100 biggest taxpayers.
Politics
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Northern Ireland should hold unity referendum by 2030, first minister says
Northern Ireland should hold a referendum on whether it should become part of a united Ireland by 2030, the country's first minister has said.
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Lord Triesman, ex-Labour minister and FA chairman, dies
Former Labour minister Lord Triesman, who was "vital" to New Labour, according to Sir Tony Blair, has died at the age of 82, the party has said.
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Epstein sent thousands of pounds to Mandelson's husband for osteopathy fees, files show
Jeffrey Epstein wired thousands of pounds after Lord Peter Mandelson's husband asked him to pay for his osteopathy course fees, according to emails included in newly released Epstein files.
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Starmer hails China reset a success - but not everyone is convinced
Keir Starmer describes himself as a "British pragmatist" who takes a "common sense" approach. When it comes to global affairs, and domestic ones too, he isn't one to grandstand, he'd rather try to get things done.
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China lifts sanctions on MPs and peers, Starmer says
China has lifted restrictions on some British MPs and peers and will now allow all parliamentarians to visit the country, Sir Keir Starmer has said.
Technology
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'Robots listening to robots': How AI music fraudsters are spamming sites and taking cash from real musicians
The moment you make your first AI music track can feel quite magical, especially if you are as profoundly unmusical as me.
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When can you spot this year's Snow Moon, and where did it gets its name?
You could catch a glimpse of the so-called Snow Moon tomorrow as it lights the night sky.
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Everything to know about Artemis II - the NASA mission to send astronauts around the moon
NASA is poised to send astronauts around the moon and back for the first time in more than 50 years.
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Postcode lottery means groundbreaking MND drug is a lifeline for some - but 'mental torture' for others
Eleanor Dalley didn't think she'd live to see 50 after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND) in 2019.
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Genes play a big part in driving lifespan, scientists find
The genes you inherit play a bigger role in determining your lifespan than previously thought, according to a new study.
World
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Iran warns of regional war risk as Trump sends 'very big, powerful ships'
Iran's Supreme Leader has warned Donald Trump that the entire region will be engulfed in conflict if the US starts a war.
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Alcaraz beats Djokovic in Australian Open final to complete record-breaking career Grand Slam
Carlos Alcaraz has become the youngest ever man to complete a career Grand Slam after defeating Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open final.
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Two explosions reported in Iran - as Israel denies involvement
Two explosions have been reported in Iran as the regime denied a military leader was targeted, amid heightened tension in the region.
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Yvette Cooper warns of 'deepening crisis' in Myanmar, five years on from military coup
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has said the people of Myanmar "face a deepening crisis", five years after the country's democratically-elected government was overthrown by the military.
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Catherine O'Hara, who starred in Home Alone and Schitt's Creek, has died
Catherine O'Hara, the Emmy-winning actress who starred as Kevin's mother in Home Alone and the eccentric Moira Rose in Schitt's Creek, has died.
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Hundreds protest against ICE role in Winter Olympics in Milan
Hundreds of protesters have gathered in Milan, Italy, to protest against the deployment of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) staff at the upcoming Winter Olympics.
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Northern Ireland should hold unity referendum by 2030, first minister says
Northern Ireland should hold a referendum on whether it should become part of a united Ireland by 2030, the country's first minister has said.
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Search operation for seven-year-old girl missing in Morocco hindered by storm, MP says
The search operation for a seven-year-old girl who was swept out to sea in Morocco has been "hindered" by a storm, an MP has said.
Business
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Ex-RFU chair Ilube provides missing LINK for ATM network
The operator of Britain's biggest cash machines network has recruited a former head of the Rugby Football Union (RFU) as its next chairman.
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Thames Water closes in on £16bn rescue deal with lenders
Thames Water is edging closer to a multibillion pound rescue deal with its lenders that would keep the ailing utility out of temporary public ownership.
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Mandelson told Epstein he was 'trying hard' to change bonus policy after payment to husband, files show
Peter Mandelson told Jeffrey Epstein he was "trying hard" to change government policy on bankers' bonuses at his request, months after the convicted sex trafficker had paid thousands of pounds to the then UK business secretary's husband.
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UK's top 100 taxpayers revealed - and who has contributed the most to a record £5.7bn?
Anthony Joshua, JK Rowling and Mo Salah have been named among the UK's 100 biggest taxpayers.
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Mumsnet founder Roberts plots delivery of new owner
The founder of Mumsnet is in talks with private equity investors about selling a stake in the online community for parents she set up more than a quarter of a century ago.
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Trump reveals his 'great' pick for US central bank boss
Donald Trump has revealed his pick to become the world's most powerful central banker, declaring Kevin Warsh "may be the best" ever.
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Trump endorses deal struck with Democrats to avert government shutdown
Donald Trump has endorsed a spending deal negotiated by US Senate Republicans and Democrats that would stave off a government shutdown and temporarily fund the Department of Homeland Security.
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Gupta steel empire dismantling continues with Hartlepool pipes sale
The dismantling of Sanjeev Gupta's British business empire is accelerating after advisers were hired to find a buyer for a steel production business which supplies oil giants including BP and Shell.
Rochdale Council Mayors Column
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Mayor praises Rochdale firms and community spirit in New Year column
This is my first column of 2026, so I would like to start by wishing everyone a happy and prosperous New Year.
