UK urged to help free British-Egyptian ‘arrested in Cairo over sister’s activism’ 27. August 2026 (10:00) Lawyers claim Eman el-Shazly, from Birmingham, was detained in effort to silence her sister, a critic of Sisi regimeThe UK Foreign Office has been asked to intervene to secure the release of a British-Egyptian woman who it is claimed has been arrested in Cairo because of her sister’s political activism.Eman el-Shazly, a 45-year-old based in Birmingham, was arrested on 16 August while visiting Egypt. Her lawyers say she has been detained in an attempt to silence her sister Mona, a relentless and harsh critic of the Egyptian government on her UK-based YouTube channel. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Ukraine’s drone attacks have left Russia desperately scrambling for oil imports 27. August 2026 (10:00) The once world-leading producer of crude oil has plunged into an energy crisis as Kyiv targets its refineriesA sanctioned shadow fleet tanker carries oil from Nato member Turkey to a Russian Baltic port. A deal is signed for Russian oil to be processed in Kazakhstan. Fuel cargoes arrive from India via Egypt. The Kremlin pressures allies to sell it badly needed fuel.The data points may be diverse, but they point to a single inescapable conclusion. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘If you harm my project, I’ll harm you’: former NSW official tells Icac about fugitive developer’s call 27. August 2026 (09:50) Former building commissioner David Chandler told inquiry of clashes with ‘loud and overbearing’ developer Jean NassifGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA fugitive Sydney developer allegedly warned the then-New South Wales building commissioner that he would “harm” him if he got in the way of his projects which were being inspected for defects, the corruption watchdog has heard.Giving evidence to the Independent Commission against Corruption on Thursday, David Chandler described an interaction he had with Toplace developments’ Jean Nassif. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Qantas may hike fares and expand Jetstar add-on fees as profits dip to four-year low 27. August 2026 (07:03) Airline declines to predict impact of new carry-on luggage charge on Jetstar revenue or ticket sales, saying it is offering customers ‘choice’Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastQantas could increase ticket prices and plans to expand add-on fees at its low-budget carrier Jetstar, after the company said fuel costs contributed to its lowest pre-tax profits in four years.After delivering the airline’s annual results on Thursday, the Qantas chief executive, Vanessa Hudson, said the company could push for more revenue because passenger demand remained strong despite cost-of-living pressures. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘Sad moments ahead’: Kew Gardens to fell rare trees in race to save Victorian greenhouse 27. August 2026 (07:00) Horticulturalists begin moving and propagating plants before the rusty and warped Palm House begins renovation – but some are too tall to saveIt will be a gut-wrenching moment for the horticulturalists at Kew Gardens when some of the magnificent trees in the Palm House have to be felled.“There are some sad moments ahead,” said Palm House manager, Will Spoelstra, who knows all the plants inside the cathedral-like greenhouse. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘Forever chemicals’ surge during pilot of Thames Water plan to combat drought 27. August 2026 (07:00) Exclusive: utility company wants to draw off tens of millions of litres of water a day from Thames and replace it with treated effluentLevels of a toxic “forever chemical” rose to 13 times the legal limit during Thames Water pilots for a controversial multimillion pound water recycling scheme that will pump millions of litres of treated sewage into the River Thames during drought.The data from the pilots is in stark contrast to public comments from Thames Water that their water recycling project in south-west London will not harm the riverine environment. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Ghent professors challenged expertise of Jason Arday’s plagiarism accuser 27. August 2026 (07:00) Allegations Nathan Cofnas was unqualified for Ghent role and would cause ‘negative impact’ made to senior leaders months agoNathan Cofnas, the academic who accused Jason Arday of plagiarism, has been accused of having “very limited expertise” for his academic role by professors also working at Ghent University, who say he has a “far-right agenda”.Cofnas secured a postdoctoral research role “on the future of liberalism” at Belgium’s Ghent University in March. Weeks later, Ghent’s department of philosophy and moral sciences handed a 19-page statement to university officials, setting out why it believed it was “improbable” that Cofnas was the best candidate. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Wild swimming linked to higher risk of stomach bugs and skin rashes 27. August 2026 (07:00) Findings from research into illnesses associated with bathing in lakes and rivers come amid boom in hobbyWild swimming has been linked to a higher risk of stomach bugs and skin rashes, according to the largest ever controlled study of illnesses associated with bathing in rivers and lakes.The research found that swimmers at locations in Hungary were more than twice as likely to develop skin problems, while the risk of contracting a stomach bug rose significantly in water with higher concentrations of E coli and other bacteria linked to faecal pollution. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Forty children reported missing from UK asylum hotels still not found 27. August 2026 (06:00) Parliamentary committee welcomes fact most of 472 missing have been found but ‘extremely concerned’ for restForty children who went missing from hotels housing asylum seekers in the UK have still not been found, according to a parliamentary report.Ministers are facing calls from MPs and peers to explain what they are doing to locate the group, two of whom are believed to still be under 18. The figure emerged in a report on Thursday by the joint committee on human rights on how the social care system is failing young adults. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Hot ticket: UK’s first sauna theatre draws swimwear-clad audiences 27. August 2026 (06:00) The 80-seat venue at Edinburgh fringe combines sauna rituals with theatre, music, storytelling … and sweatTucked away behind the Summerhall arts centre is the hottest new venue at the Edinburgh fringe … quite literally. The Sauna theatre has proved popular among theatregoers at the world’s largest performing arts festival, with shows inside its purpose-built, 80-seat sauna drawing sweaty, swimwear-clad crowds.Visitors may be forgiven for thinking the sauna is a gimmick, especially at the fringe where absurd, experimental and ludicrous performances are not uncommon. This year they include a man drinking his own urine, someone singing the same song over and over, physical feats of exertion and several fully naked shows. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
