Consumer shopping habits are changing the high street, research in "The Times" confirms today. On the slide are fashion stores and shoes shops and in their place beauty parlours, coffee shops and tobacconists are taking their place.

Richard Desmond is reported by the "Financial Times" to be lining up a bid for the National Lottery through his Northern & Shell media business, which owns The Express newspapers. The franchise to run the official lottery for the UK is up for renewal in 2019.

"The Telegraph" is reporting that the EU is likely to level another huge fine at Google, this time for abusing its dominant position in advertising through AdSense -- which, Brussels claims, is used to prioritise Google's advertising network over rivals. An investigation in to alleged abuses of its Android mobile operating system has been pushed into next year.

The Advertising Association is predicting a record festive ad spend of GBP6bn, according to "The Drum." The main reason for the likely new record is believed to be "cutthroat" competition between the country's leading retailers.

Store closures have declined to their lowest level in seven years, according to PwC research reported on by "Sky News." Nevertheless, that is still 14 closures per day -- more than the rate of new retail outlets opening.

The John Lewis Christmas ad has been unveiled. It features a young boy who has Moz the Monster under his bed. With Elbow singing the Beatles song "Golden Slumbers," it appears set to be another festive winner. More details and the video itself via "The Drum."

The Times is reporting that retailers have just had their worst October for more than a decade, meaning that Christmas cannot come early enough for a "beleaguered high street."

In a seemingly bizarre move for a former politician who wants to become the next Chairman of Johnston Press, "The Guardian" reveals that Alex Salmond has been named as the host of a new talk show on Russia's RT station.

The Government is coming under pressure to help bridge the nation's digital skills gap. The Royal Society is reporting that only around half of schools offer a GCSE course in computing. The body is calling for the Government to increase computer education spending tenfold to improve the UK's IT skills base and empower the country to get the most out of new technologies, BBC reports.

"The Drum" reveals that ITV has big addressable tv advertising plans for next year. A deal with Sorenson Media will allow the national broadcaster to send more relevant ads to smart tv owners through anonymised targeting data.