Hundreds gather in Mississippi to protest Republican redistricting: ‘This fight is familiar territory’ 02. October 2026 (22:22) Dozens of residents testify to legislature’s redistricting committee in heated hearing, the last of eight Hundreds of people gathered across from the Mississippi state capitol building on Thursday evening to rally against the aggressive Republican efforts to draw maps that favor their own party.Shortly after the US supreme court’s decision in Louisiana v Callais, which severely weakened section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, Tate Reeves, the Mississippi governor, moved in lockstep with other Republican governors and lawmakers to call for a special session to redraw maps. However, before that special session could occur, Reeves canceled it and wrote on X that he expected “lawmakers to redraw congressional lines BETWEEN NOW and 2027 elections!” Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Hawaii’s centuries-old sea arch collapses into Pacific after series of rough storms 02. October 2026 (22:16) Hōlei sea arch, formed 550 years ago by erosion from ocean waves, no longer standing, National Park Service confirmsA famed centuries-old sea arch on Hawaii’s remote and rugged coastline has collapsed into the Pacific Ocean, the National Park Service confirmed on Friday, following a stretch of rough storms in the region in recent weeks.The beloved landmark, Hōlei sea arch, stood at around 90ft high for over half a millennium in Hawaii’s Volcanoes national park, located on the dramatic southern coast of the Big Island. It was naturally formed around 550 years ago due to differential erosion by ocean waves. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Magnitude 4.8 earthquake hits Victoria with tremors felt across Melbourne 02. October 2026 (21:57) The epicentre was at Leongatha, 130km south-east of Melbourne, with residents reporting houses shaking just after 2amGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA magnitude 4.8 earthquake struck Victoria in the early hours of Saturday morning, shaking Melbourne and waking people across the whole region.Geoscience Australia said it detected an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 4.8 at 2.01am near Leongatha, 130km south-east of Melbourne, with the tremors felt across the city’s eastern suburbs. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Two Iranian men charged over alleged terror plot targeting Manchester’s Jewish community 02. October 2026 (21:46) The men were arrested on 20 September, on the eve of Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendarTwo Iranian men have been charged in relation to an alleged terror plot targeting Manchester’s Jewish community.Rahman Salehi, 35, and Salam Ahmadyan, 36, have been charged with preparing to commit an act of terrorism or assisting another to commit an act of terrorism. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Ann Widdecombe murder suspect charged with planning terror act against Nigel Farage 02. October 2026 (21:15) Joshua Kerry, 28, of Rotherham in South Yorkshire, charged with one count of preparation of terrorist acts, say policeThe man accused of murdering Ann Widdecombe has been charged with engaging in conduct in preparation of acts of terrorism including against Nigel Farage.Joshua Kerry, 28, of Rotherham in South Yorkshire, was charged by the Crown Prosecution Service on Friday with one count of preparation of terrorist acts. The charge relates to activity alleged to have taken place between 31 May 2024 and 8 July this year, counter-terrorism police said. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
King Charles III to acknowledge ‘darkest days’ of Britain’s colonial rule during Caribbean tour 02. October 2026 (21:02) Buckingham Palace say the king will not ‘shy away’ from Britain’s role in slavery when he visits Commonwealth nations later this monthKing Charles III will acknowledge the “darkest days” of colonial rule and slavery while touring Caribbean countries on a visit beginning this month, a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said on Friday.The king will first visit the Bahamas and Guyana alone, followed by a trip with Queen Camilla to Antigua and Barbuda, where Charles will give a speech at a meeting of Commonwealth heads of government, the palace said. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
G7 to release up to 100m barrels of emergency oil and diesel reserves 02. October 2026 (20:52) Leaders agree a coordinated drawdown after surge in prices and Donald Trump’s threat to cut off US suppliesLeaders of G7 nations are to release up to 100m barrels of their emergency diesel and crude oil stockpiles after Donald Trump threatened to cut off supplies of US diesel.The French President, Emmanuel Macron, said ministers from some of world’s largest economies had agreed to release stocks from their strategic oil reserves after crisis talks on Friday. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
AI could expose how Georgia voters cast their ballot, researchers warn 02. October 2026 (20:32) A Princeton researcher found that publicly available election records could be combined with AI to link voters to their ballotsWhen voters cast their ballots, their votes are supposed to remain secret: from their family, their neighbors, and the government.But what if artificial intelligence could make secret votes visible? Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Boston mass transit authorities flap around for solution to pigeon menace 02. October 2026 (20:12) Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority are now pondering on setting trained falcons on the urban birdsThe mass transit authorities in the greater Boston region are clawing around for ways to mitigate the excessive local pigeon population – or more graphically, pigeon poo all over stations – and have swooped on the possibility of setting trained falcons on them.The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), the public system commonly known as ‘the T’, issued a “request for information” (RFI) last month from falconry experts on the potential use of birds of prey, such as falcons, to control the crowds of urban birds widely considered a public nuisance. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Olivia Dean accused of plagiarism on her I’ve Seen It track 02. October 2026 (19:25) Mattie Music Group, owners of Bill Withers’ back catalogue, contend the Grammy winner infringed on Just the Two of UsOlivia Dean has been accused of plagiarizing the Bill Withers classic Just the Two of Us.The owners of Withers’ back catalogue aimed that allegation at his fellow Grammy winner in a copyright infringement lawsuit filed on Thursday in US federal court in Los Angeles. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
