Dennis Hastert, former House speaker disgraced by molestation allegations, dies aged 84 05. October 2026 (16:26) The Republican, who was sent to prison in 2016 in a hush-money case tied to the allegations, died over the weekendDennis Hastert, the longest-serving Republican US House speaker, died over the weekend, a coroner said on Monday. He was 84.Hastert, who was speaker from 1999 until 2007, died of natural causes at his home, according to Jacquie Purcell, the Kendall county coroner. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
US book bans in public schools reach record annual high of 12,000 05. October 2026 (16:18) Texas tops list with 8,100 bans while Stephen King is again most banned author, PEN America findsThe US saw almost 12,000 book bans in public schools during the 2025-2026 school year, the highest number in a single year, according to the free-expression non-profit PEN America.In a report released on Monday, PEN America said that there had been 34,000 instances of book bans since the organization started tallying the increasing “book censorship crisis” across US schools in 2021. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Iran’s oil minister resigns as country’s economic crisis worsens 05. October 2026 (16:16) Departure comes amid large drop in oil receipts, rampant inflation and shrinking economyIran’s oil minister has resigned days after allegations that an intermediary trust selling Iranian oil abroad owed millions of dollars’ worth of export receipts to the state.Mohsen Paknejad’s departure comes as Iran grapples with a dire economic situation, including inflation running at 85%. An overall drop in oil receipts has led to a massive shortfall in foreign exchange earnings and one of the biggest drops in the value of the rial since the Iranian revolution in 1979. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
The shocking court admission from a Tusla social worker assigned to a case of a separated breastfed newborn and its mother reveals just how badly the State has let them down
Breast cancer patient, 34, who has just weeks to live reveals bitter regret at dismissing lump she found as 'just a boil' and assuming it would clear up itself