The ‘Ossoff angle’: media-savvy senator borrows from Obama as 2028 chatter builds 16. September 2026 (14:00) Pictures of Georgia Democrat looking into middle distance proliferate – and social media skills have boosted his profileDelivering a speech in Atlanta last month, Jon Ossoff accused Donald Trump of corruption, incompetence and fecklessness, and peppered his remarks with substantive observations of dates and times and places. But the comment that ricocheted across the internet – a clip of just a few seconds – was an almost-throwaway reference about how the US president wants to “travel with Natalie” onboard Air Force One.The crowd cheered the US senator, who is running for re-election in battleground Georgia and is increasingly seen as a potential Democratic candidate for president in 2028. But his target audience that day – and this year – spanned far beyond the concert hall. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Microplastics in soil pose global threat by acting like ‘Trojan horse’ to deliver toxins 16. September 2026 (14:00) Exclusive: Plastic surfaces form hotspots with an increase of antibiotic-resistant genes, study findsMicroplastics act like a “Trojan horse” delivering pollutants, pesticides and bacteria through the soil, a five-year multinational research project has found.The EU-funded project, which has so far resulted in 22 peer-reviewed studies, found microplastics in the soil of all 227 agricultural fields it tested across 11 European countries. The researchers said this poses a global threat, with healthy soils essential for life on Earth. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Scotland imposes mandatory environmental assessments on new datacentres 16. September 2026 (13:55) Government announces before vote on moratorium that any projects above 50MW must submit assessments in planning processLarge-scale datacentres will face mandatory environmental assessments before they can go ahead, the Scottish government has announced, amid growing public concern about the impact of the AI boom.Ahead of a vote on a moratorium on new hyperscale datacentres in Holyrood on Wednesday, the Scottish government has tightened rules for new projects by requiring any above 50MW to submit environmental impact assessments, but stopped short of agreeing to an outright halt. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
At least 20 killed after Israeli-hit building in Gaza City collapses 16. September 2026 (13:34) Rescue workers say search for dozens of people hampered by lack of heavy machineryA building housing about 100 displaced Palestinian families has collapsed in Gaza City, killing at least 20 people, as rescuers search the rubble for dozens of people believed to be trapped, including children.A rescue team from Gaza’s civil defence said they had recovered the bodies of five children among the victims, while 25 injured people were taken to hospital. Medical sources said rescuers could hear the voices of people trapped beneath the rubble as they tried to reach them. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Burnham and Trump expected to meet for first time next week as PM steps up presence on world stage 16. September 2026 (13:09) Andy Burnham will attend UN general assembly, where he is expected to try to drum up more support for UkraineUK politics live – latest updatesAndy Burnham is expected to meet Donald Trump for the first time in person at the UN general assembly next week in New York.Last month the Guardian reported British officials had stepped up their preparations for a face-to-face meeting between Burnham and Trump after the prime minister said he hoped to attend the assembly of world leaders. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Ladbrokes owner prepares to cut 400 jobs weeks after profit boost 16. September 2026 (11:44) Entain, which also owns Coral and BetMGM, starts consultation process over customer care rolesThe Ladbrokes owner, Entain, has said it is preparing to cut 400 jobs, only weeks after the FTSE 100 business reported better than expected profit in its first half of the year.The gambling group, which also owns Coral and BetMGM, has started a consultation process that could remove one in five of its 2,000 customer care jobs. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Michelin-starred Seoul restaurant fined for serving dessert topped with ants 16. September 2026 (11:09) Prosecutors sought jail term for chief executive of Evett after insects not approved for consumption were on menuA South Korean court has fined the operator of one of Seoul’s most celebrated restaurants and its chief executive for serving a dessert topped with ants, an insect not approved for consumption under local food safety law.The operator of Evett, a two-Michelin-star restaurant in the affluent Gangnam district, was fined 10m won (£5,400) and its chief executive 15m won, Newsis reported. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Iranian security forces coordinated killing, torture and sexual abuse of protesters, says Amnesty 16. September 2026 (11:00) Leaked documents and testimony reveal extent of regime’s crackdown in 2022 and how it paved the way for more brutal killings of protesters this yearIranian security forces “coordinated” the killing, torture and sexual abuse of hundreds of people who took part in the women-led nationwide protests in September 2022, according to leaked state documents and interviews.Tens of thousands of people, including children, took to the streets of towns and cities across Iran after the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman, after her arrest by the “morality” police for allegedly not complying with the country’s hijab regulations. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
New report reveals prevalence of physical and sexual violence in US 16. September 2026 (11:00) Study finds more than half of US adults have experienced physical violence and nearly half sexual violenceIn their lifetime, more than half of US adults have experienced physical violence – and nearly half have experienced sexual violence, according to a startling new national study.The study, led by researchers from Tulane University’s Newcomb Institute and the University of California, San Diego, examined experiences of physical, sexual and intimate partner violence, along with how they intersect with behavioral health, economic hardship, neighborhood safety and substance use, among other factors. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Company behind failed Surrey oilfield project sells site at massive loss 16. September 2026 (11:00) New owners apply for permission to extract oil in Horse Hill despite landmark ruling from supreme court in 2024After years of trying to dig for oil in Surrey, the company behind the drilling project that was turned down in a landmark supreme court ruling has sold off the site for a fraction of the money it spent on it, and rebranded as a clean energy company.Meanwhile, the new owners, who picked up the site for £1m, are applying, once again, for permission to dig. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
