Here are a few of the pressing offseason questions facing the Yankees.

ICONIC venues that have hosted top acts such as Lady Gaga and The Rolling Stones are at risk of closing causing huge job losses from a tax shake-up.  

Bosses of London’s O2 and Manchester Co-op Live arenas have written to the Treasury saying they don’t have the ability to absorb extra business rate costs.

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From next year, the government will bring in higher levies for retail, hospitality and leisure properties with rateable values of £500,000 and above.

Angry venue bosses say the policy fails to distinguish between “Amazon-style warehouses” it is intended for and live music venues.

Affected smaller venues will also have a knock-on impact on the High Street as people stay in hotels and enjoy pubs and restaurants nearby.

Lady Gaga has just completed a UK tour playing dates at both the 02 in London and the Manchester Co-op Live.

The Rolling Stones played a string of dates at the venue in the capital in 2007 and 2012.

It comes as Rachel Reeves has admitted facing hard choices at the Budget where she could have to find £30 billion to fill the financial black hole.

But Treasury Minister Dan Tomlinson has been urged to make an exemption on the rules from next April which could also see the closure of grassroots venues.

In the letter, venue chiefs tell him:  “Arenas are already operating on very tight margins and many simply do not have the ability to absorb additional tax pressures.

“This tax rise could lead to arenas closing, resulting in significant job losses and lost economic activity in towns and cities across the UK.”

Figures show 27 million people attended arena shows last year with an average of 10,000 people attending each event.

Each event brings in between £1 million to £2.3 million which would be an insufferable blow to jobs.

Twenty-three arenas say they are at risk and venues such as Camden Underworld in Sir Keir Starmer’s constituency could be financially damaged.

The venue bosses add:  “Without an exemption for arenas and live music venues,  this tax rise will unfairly penalise the 23 arenas all over the UK, force closures of grassroots venues already on the edge – iconic spaces like Camden’s Underworld.

They added that the move “will deter further investment in arenas at a time when government wants to be encouraging new infrastructure development to drive growth, not hold it back”.

A string of business bosses have called on the Chancellor not to punish them with more taxes following last year’s £25 billion national insurance tax raid.

A Treasury spokesperson insisted the new system would “level the playing field” to protect the High Street and help investment.

They said:  “We are creating a fairer business rates system to protect the high street, support investment, and level the playing field by introducing permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure properties from April that will be sustainably funded by a new, higher rate on less than 1% of the most valuable business properties.

“Unlike the current relief for these properties, there will be no cash cap on the new lower tax rates, and we have set out our long-term plans to address ‘cliff edges’ in the system to support small businesses to expand.”

Shire of Augusta-Margaret River president Julia Jean-Rice has claimed the Six Point Plan developed by an alliance of local groups was a “success” despite little buy-in from the State Government so far.

A State Government-backed fund to help the private sector innovate has attracted just one project in the Capes region.

Ryder Cup aces Jon Rahm and Shane Lowry had a tough day on their return to action at the Spanish Open.

The Ithuba National Lottery held its latest Daily Lotto draw on Thursday, 9 October 2025. Daily Lotto results Daily Lotto: Pending… Daily Lotto Plus: Pending… The next Daily Lotto draw will be tomorrow at 21:00. More on Daily Lotto: Predictions Results Insights

The post Daily Lotto and Daily Lotto Plus Results for today: Thursday, 9 October 2025 appeared first on Political Analysis South Africa.

The latest SA Daily Lotto results are out, following the draw that took place today, Thursday, 9 October 2025. SA Daily Lotto Results for today The winning numbers for the today’s draw, were: Daily Lotto: Pending… Daily Lotto Plus: Pending… The next SA Daily Lotto Draw and Jackpot The next Daily Lotto draw will be […]

The post SA Daily Lotto and Daily Lotto Plus Results: Thursday, 9 October 2025 appeared first on Political Analysis South Africa.

The three-bedroom pad known as the Smith Point Lighthouse —  which sits roughly three miles from the Virginia shoreline — has breathtaking ocean views in an ultra-private location for the right adventurous spirit, the owner told The Post.

BONKBUSTER author Jilly Cooper’s lusty ­legacy looks secure — with more telly adaptations being planned.

Bosses behind the hit show Rivals are set to dramatise more books.

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Former EastEnders producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins has the rights to adapt Jilly’s ­Rutshire Chronicles series — which includes the best-selling novels Riders, Polo and The Man Who Made Husbands Jealous.

Dominic and Disney+, which screened the first series of Rivals last year, were spurred on by her family’s response after Jilly’s death this week aged 88, following a fall at her Gloucestershire home.

They rejected any suggestion filming on series two should stop out of respect, despite the devastation of cast and crew.

In Jilly’s characteristic no-nonsense style her family said: “The show must go on.”

They felt the best tribute would be to carry on after she spent two years helping to adapt Rivals for the screen.

If show bosses turn to some of the other Rutshire novels there would be enough material to keep going for years.

The number of Rivals episodes is already up from eight in the first series to 12.

And Danny Dyer, who plays Freddie Jones, has hinted they could be split into two six-episode runs.

He told his Live and Let Dyers podcast: “There’s been a lot of excitement about a potential third series.

“We don’t know yet, we’re just getting it done, getting our nut down.

“We’re now on the next six.

“Very grateful and can’t wait to do the second half of this project.”

Disney+ was asked for a comment.

PRINCE William and the king have made a rare joint appearance to host “Countdown to COP30” at the Natural History Museum.

Both The Prince of Wales, 43, and King Charles, 76, have appeared shoulder-to-shoulder at the London museum tonight.

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The pair attended the “Countdown to COP30” at the Natural History Museum this evening[/caption]

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King Charles has previously spoken at COP events as both King and Prince of Wales[/caption]

Prince William will be jetting off to the Amazon rainforest – to attend the global eco-summit, on behalf of the King later this year.

The COP30 World Leaders Summit will be held in Belem, Brazil, on November 10.

It falls in the same week William is in Brazil for the fifth instalment of his £50 million Earthshot Prize.

Every year this decade the Prince of Wales awards £1 million to each of five winners working to save the planet.

The Prince’s prize has so far been held in the UK, the USA, Singapore and Cape Town.

William has previously spoken about bringing the prize to every corner of the planet, including South America.

This year the eco event is being hosted in Rio de Janeiro and 24 hours after the prize-giving the prince will fly 1,500 miles north to the Amazon rainforest.

He will join leaders from around the globe to attend COP 30.

William last appeared at a COP when he joined other royals at the event in Glasgow in November 2021.

The King last attended a COP when it was in Dubai two years ago.

Wills has previously said he hopes his presence at the event will promote “urgent optimism” for tackling environment issues.

His father is also a strong advocate for environmental issues and has attended COP events as the Prince of Wales and as the reigning monarch.

When Charles was Prince of Wales he delivered the opening speech at COP 21 in Paris.

During his opening remarks he called for a “vast military-style campaign” to fight climate change.

The climate conference this year will see William rub shoulders with activists, NGOs, policymakers and government representatives.

He is expected to follow in his father’s footsteps and speak at the climate event.

When it was announced William would be attending the event a royal source said: “His commitment to restoring the future of the planet is unwavering and the prince is determined to do all he can to use his platform to spread urgent optimism.

“Next year, the climate COP will take place in Brazil, and it’s set to be hugely consequential.

“The Prince of Wales is looking forward to playing a role there.”

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The King last attended a COP when it was in Dubai two years ago[/caption]