Questions remain over Iran’s link to alleged RAF Fairford bomb plot 28. September 2026 (19:52) Tehran has been trying to step up attacks on targets in the west but its track record has been mixedInvestigators may be some way from determining exactly what led five men with three vans to a village just outside RAF Fairford in the small hours of Sunday – but the fact they have all been released on bail without immediate charge suggests they are not deemed to pose a serious and violent threat.In a moment where wider geopolitical tensions mean external threats are perceived to be close, the question of whether Iran had a hand in the alleged plot remains open. Nonetheless, the bailing of the men is a mercifully lower-key development in an investigation that appeared of the utmost gravity. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Arizona frat suspended after allegedly making new recruits swallow live goldfish 28. September 2026 (19:32) Case of alleged hazing at the University of Arizona is latest in series of controversial incidents involving US fraternities A college fraternity at the University of Arizona has been suspended after new members were allegedly plied with alcohol and forced to swallow live goldfish.College officials informed the university’s Sigma Tau Gamma chapter by letter earlier in September that it was under investigation for multiple alleged violations of the student code of conduct, including “endangering, threatening, or causing physical harm” to members of the campus community. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Century-old silent film made in New Hampshire found in Japan antique shop 28. September 2026 (19:25) Billy B Van’s 1919 comedy Van-ar-chy found by student in Sendai will be shown in early November in New HampshireA silent comedy filmed in New Hampshire more than a century ago was recently found in Japan, and plans have been set to show the film in early November in the state where it was created.Van-ar-chy, a 1919 film starring the US entertainer and film-maker Billy B Van, was rediscovered by Kohei Okita, a film student in Sendai, Japan. While researching early cinema related to the word “anarchy”, Okita bought several old film reels at an antique store in Japan and found the comedy starring Van, whom he did not recognize, according to a Van-ar-chy news release. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Nandy labels Farage ‘master of conspiracy theory’ over Fairford claims 28. September 2026 (19:16) Culture secretary criticises Reform leader after he tried to link suspected bomb plot to small boat crossingsNigel Farage has been described as a “master of the conspiracy theory” by the culture secretary, Lisa Nandy, , after he tried to link events at RAF Fairford to small boat crossings.The Reform UK leader was criticised over his reaction to the arrests of the men on Sunday, when he said he had been warning for months about “Iranian agents” coming into the UK across the Channel in small boats. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Merseyside blaze that killed mother and three children caused by lithium-ion battery 28. September 2026 (19:09) Local fire and rescue service says last week’s tragic incident highlights risks the batteries can poseA fire that left a mother and her three children dead was caused by a lithium-ion battery, firefighters in Merseyside have said.An electrical event caused the battery, of a type commonly used in vapes, ebikes and e-scooters, to go into “thermal runaway”, Merseyside fire and rescue service said. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Trump appointee overseeing election investigations steps down from FBI role 28. September 2026 (19:07) Andrew Bailey will resign as FBI co-deputy director about a year after assuming the positionAndrew Bailey, a deputy director of the FBI who has been overseeing some of Trump’s election-related investigations, will step down from his position approximately one year after assuming his role.“I am announcing that I am stepping down to return to my family in Missouri,” Bailey wrote in an X post on Monday amid an ongoing shake-up at the bureau. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Gisèle Pelicot’s daughter launches awareness campaign for potential victims of drugging and sexual assault 28. September 2026 (19:00) Campaign broadcast across France encourages people to come forward even if they have little to no memory of attackGisèle Pelicot is the figurehead of a new campaign run by her daughter to encourage people who suspect they have been drugged and sexually assaulted to come forward, even if they have little to no memory of the attack.Caroline Darian, 47, who believes she was also drugged and assaulted by her father, Dominique Pelicot – her mother’s ex-husband – launched a primetime public information push on Monday across France’s television network, on social media, in the press and on posters. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
DRC politician beaten to death after radio appearance about Ebola outbreak 28. September 2026 (17:54) Marie-Celestin Karondwa was attacked on Sunday after promoting measures to prevent spread of disease, his party saysA senior member of the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s ruling party was beaten to death on Sunday after appearing on a radio programme to raise awareness about the Ebola outbreak, a party representative has said.Marie-Celestin Karondwa, the acting president of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS) party’s federal executive committee in Butembo, a new hotspot for the outbreak, was attacked after taking part in a radio show during which he promoted prevention measures for the disease, the UDPS federation in the city said in a statement, Reuters reported. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Shabana Mahmood hints she could water down controversial care worker visa plans 28. September 2026 (17:49) Home secretary under pressure over changes to indefinite leave to remain that would penalise foreign care workersUK politics live – latest updatesShabana Mahmood has signalled she is considering watering down her plans to make it harder for foreign workers to claim permanent residence in the UK amid growing demands for a U-turn from cabinet colleagues and unions.In a speech to Labour conference, the home secretary said the government would “come to a position that balances fairness for those who came here legally” after acknowledging that “some have said elements of these reforms are not fair”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Staff killed and wounded in Russian strike on Kyiv’s science academy 28. September 2026 (17:16) Moscow’s jet-powered drones pummel Ukraine’s capital in switch to daytime attacksEurope live – latest updatesRussia has hit the National Academy of Sciences in central Kyiv with a drone, killing at least one person in the latest daytime attack on Ukraine’s capital.Flames tore through the historic building on Monday as people clambered out of first- and second-floor windows to escape, in dramatic scenes increasingly familiar in the heavily bombarded city. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
