British Jewish groups hold London vigil for victims of 7 October attacks 07. October 2026 (19:41) Organisations honour those who died three years ago as Andy Burnham says government stands with British JewsBritish Jewish organisations gathered in central London on Wednesday for a vigil honouring victims of the 7 October attacks in Israel, after a day of tributes from politicians and community leaders.The vigil took place at Richmond Terrace, opposite Downing Street. The Board of Deputies of British Jews said: “Three years ago, Hamas terrorists infiltrated Israel, murdering 1,200 men, women and children, injuring thousands and taking 251 people captive. May their memories for ever remain a blessing.” Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Badenoch’s inheritance tax gambit makes no economic sense | Heather Stewart 07. October 2026 (19:16) The Tory leader’s proposal to slash the tax would shovel £6bn of taxpayer money to the already-wealthyKemi Badenoch’s inheritance tax gambit is a Conservative classic. After all, it was George Osborne’s high-profile pledge to “take the family home out of inheritance tax” in 2007 that put Gordon Brown off calling a snap general election.In practice, Osborne’s plan involved a £1m threshold for inheritance tax – and given the global financial crisis had blown a hole in the public finances by the time the Conservative-Lib Dem coalition came to power in 2010, it never came to pass. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
The most shocking part of Trump’s comments is what our reaction says about us 07. October 2026 (19:12) Listening to the president at a rally these days is a mix of deja vu and word salad, but his decade-long project of division remains abnormal and dangerousThis was originally published in This Week in Trumpland. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every WednesdayDonald Trump’s campaign rallies can be repetitive. Very repetitive. He calls himself the “greatest” president leading the “greatest” movement inside the “greatest” economy. He rails against “Dumocrats” for the “transgender mutilization” of children. He lambasts the “fake news” and reheats election lies. He describes illegal immigration as an “invasion” and recites the poem The Snake.If we were all frogs being slowly boiled alive, we’ve now reached the stage of blackened toad. After a decade of this, presidential utterances that would once have caused outrage are met with a shrug. We are no longer shockable. Or so we thought. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
German court orders detention of former intelligence chief after spying arrest 07. October 2026 (19:03) August Hanning, 80, appears before judge after being accused of treason and espionage on behalf of foreign stateA formal arrest warrant has been issued against Germany’s former top spy, with a judge ordering him to be held in pre-trial detention, a day after he was arrested on suspicion of treason and spying on behalf of an overseas intelligence agency.August Hanning, 80, is accused of buying secret documents from a former colleague and using them to advise a foreign intelligence service, according to the office of the federal prosecutor. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘I reside in Monaco’: billionaire said to have quit UK over potential wealth tax had already left 07. October 2026 (19:00) TaxWatch contradicts claims about David Reuben’s departure and questions stories of super-rich exodusApparent exodus of super-rich suggests UK is no longer billionaires’ playgroundWhen the Sunday Times broke the news that David Reuben, one of the richest men in the UK, had apparently fled to the tax haven of Monaco, there was much pearl clutching. Reuben had moved from his Holland Park house in London to live full-time in the principality.Labour’s tax regime was blamed and there were said to be fears there would be a cascading effect across the economy, with wealth draining from the UK. It was reported that he had probably left because of potential taxes on wealth in the upcoming budget. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Paxton admits Trump’s Iran war and US gas prices are plaguing Republicans in leaked audio 07. October 2026 (18:36) Texas attorney general acknowledged affordability was his party’s ‘biggest problem’ heading into the midtermsUS politics live – latest updatesKen Paxton, the Texas attorney general running as the Republican candidate in a competitive Senate race, admitted privately that rising fuel prices as a result of Donald Trump’s Iran war were hurting his party before the midterms in the latest leaked audio recording.Asked what issues were “dragging” his campaign at a closed-door fundraising event, Paxton replied, “It’s not tariffs … it’s the war, it’s gas prices, it’s diesel,” according to an audio recording shared with Axios. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
LA officials document first case of a rabid raccoon in more than 50 years 07. October 2026 (18:16) Four people and a dog may have been exposed to rabies from the animal, Los Angeles public health officials sayLos Angeles county recently documented its first rabid raccoon in more than 50 years, and health officials are urging residents to never touch wild animals.The county’s department of public health announced in a statement this week that four people and a dog may have been exposed to the animal at a backyard work site in the city of Westlake Village. The raccoon appeared in ill health but was not aggressive. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Christa Pike’s lawyers hold press conference after she regains consciousness in hospital – latest updates 07. October 2026 (17:59) Tennessee prisoner awake and speaking after surviving state’s attempt to execute her last WednesdayChrista Pike is conscious and speaking after botched execution attempt, lawyers sayIn the modern era of the US death penalty, Tennessee has never executed a person who was 18 at the time of their offence – the youngest was 23. Over the past 50 years, the state sent seven men who were 18 when they committed murder to death row, but in each case the sentence was vacated.Tadryl Shipp, Christa Pike’s accomplice, held a fascination with satanic imagery. It was he who carved a pentagram in the victim’s chest, sending the local media into a frenzy. Yet because he was 17 at the time, he was barred from execution under Tennessee law; today he is serving a life sentence and had his first, unsuccessful, parole hearing in October 2025. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Man pleads guilty to sexually assaulting woman drugged by her husband 07. October 2026 (17:48) Sean Peers admits offence against woman who was drugged and attacked for more than two decadesA man has pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting an unconscious woman, whose husband had drugged her and invited other men to abuse her.Sean Peers, 38, had been due to stand trial alongside 11 other men, but admitted one count of assault by penetration on 15 September 2024 when he appeared at Manchester Minshull Street crown court. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Ex-Barclays traders jailed for rigging interest rates have convictions quashed 07. October 2026 (17:19) Acquittals of five former bankers come year after supreme court overturned ruling against City trader Tom HayesFive more former traders who were jailed for rigging interest rates have had their convictions quashed by the court of appeal in London, after a long battle to clear their names.The court overturned the convictions of Jay Vijay Merchant, Jonathan Mathew, Philippe Moryoussef, Alex Pabon and Colin Bermingham – all of whom worked at Barclays. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
