Here are the top 6 headlines since yesterday morning:

1. UK business red‑tape blitz
   • Rachel Reeves launched a major plan at the Regional Investment Summit in Birmingham to cut regulation and bureaucracy, aiming to save UK businesses around £6 billion per year. Financial Times
   • Proposed reforms include changing the merger review system at the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) from independent panels to internal committees, among other structural tweaks. Financial Times
   • The summit also revealed about £10 billion of private investment lined up, including a US firm’s £6.5 billion commitment to UK care homes and a £4.5 billion development in Oxfordshire. Financial Times
2. UK borrowing climbs as fiscal headroom shrinks
   • The UK government’s borrowing for April–Sept 2025 reached £99.8 billion, exceeding forecasts by £7.2 billion and marking the highest half‑year borrowing since the COVID‑19 period. The Guardian+1
   • Debt interest payments (£9.7 billion in Sept alone) and inflation‑linked benefits drove much of the overspend. The Guardian
   • Analysts indicate Chancellor Reeves now has very little “fiscal headroom,” making tax rises or spending cuts almost unavoidable ahead of the Autumn Budget. The Times
3. UK launches ‘Sterling 20’ pension‑fund investment club
   • The government formed the “Sterling 20”: a coalition of 20 large UK pension funds (eg Legal & General, Aviva, M&G, and the Universities Superannuation Scheme) to channel capital into infrastructure and high‑growth sectors including AI. Reuters
   • Legal & General pledged £2 billion over five years; Nest plans £100 million. Pension funds will raise their private‑venture exposure from ~0.6 % of assets to ~5 %. Reuters
   • The move is part of a broader push to revive UK growth via domestic investment rather than relying solely on foreign capital. Reuters
4. YouTube partners with creator‑economy event #paid
   • The creator‑marketing platform #paid announced YouTube as the title partner for its 2025 Creator Marketing Summit — signalling increasing convergence of creators, brands and platforms. Barchart.com+1
   • The event will bring together creators, agencies, and brands to explore the evolving creator economy, highlighting how YouTube is building deeper brand‑collaboration tools. Barchart.com
   • This underscores the shift of creator platforms from side‑channels into full‑blown marketing platforms and business ecosystems.
5. Creator economy revenue models shift beyond ads
   • A recent analysis shows many YouTubers are no longer relying just on ad revenue, instead turning their channels into broader businesses (product lines, live events, consumer brands) to buffer algorithmic risk. TechCrunch
   • This reflects a broader maturation: creators are increasingly vertically integrated media businesses rather than lone‑channel operators.
   • It suggests content creators and publishers alike should view the “channel” as a platform asset rather than just media output.
6. UK children’s literature & creativity: Year of Reading 2026 announced
   • The UK has declared 2026 the official “Year of Reading”, marking a push to encourage storytelling, literacy and children’s engagement with books across regions. NE Bylines
   • The announcement coincides with the 21st anniversary of Seven Stories (the National Centre for Children’s Books) in Newcastle, amplifying regional cultural and educational ambitions. NE Bylines
   • This aligns with broader efforts to place creativity, culture and community at the heart of children’s education and enrichment. Centre for Young Lives+1

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