White House defends new press aide who posed with rifle in ‘Fuck Joe Biden’ shirt 05. October 2026 (01:38) Beni Rae Harmony, 24, has been ‘a trusted voice for the MAGA movement as a White House correspondent’, White House saysThe White House has defended a newly hired press aide who posed for a holiday photograph in 2021 wearing a “Fuck Joe Biden” T-shirt and holding a rifle.Beni Rae Harmony, the new assistant White House press secretary, revealed on Friday that she was going to work for Donald Trump just days after covering him as a correspondent for Real America’s Voice, a partisan rightwing outlet originally created as a video podcast platform for the president’s former adviser Steve Bannon. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Children’s books with Black main characters down 8% in a year, study shows 05. October 2026 (01:01) Only 150 of 2,189 titles published in UK for young children last year focused on minority ethnic, disabled or neurodivergent charactersThe number of children’s books featuring Black main characters fell by almost 8% last year, according to research into diversity in UK publishing.Just 47 – or 2.1% – of the 2,189 books published for under-10s in 2025 featured a Black main character, a 7.8% fall from the previous year, according to Inclusive Books for Children. Black children make up about 8.5% of that age bracket in England and Wales. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Money stolen by scammers hijacking UK social media accounts rises 400% 05. October 2026 (01:01) Many cases involve criminals using other people’s identities to sell fake event tickets to friends and familyThe total amount stolen by criminals who hack into people’s emails and social media accounts and then pretend to be them has risen by more than 400% in a year, official UK data shows.In many cases, the scammers are hijacking people’s accounts in order to use their identity to sell fake event tickets – such as to sold-out gigs – to unsuspecting friends and family. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Strikes by North Sea oil workers could ‘severely disrupt’ UK fuel supplies 05. October 2026 (01:01) Union says staff left with no choice but industrial action after breakdown in pay talks with Texas oil firm ApacheA looming strike by oil workers in the North Sea could “severely disrupt” UK fuel supplies, the Unite union has said, adding that staff were left with no choice after a breakdown in pay talks with the Texas oil company Apache.The union said Apache workers had “emphatically” backed strike action after being given what it said was an unacceptable pay offer that amounted to a real-terms pay cut for many employees, at a time when the company was “raking in eye-watering profits”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
US bombers sent home from RAF Fairford base after suspected terror plot 04. October 2026 (23:25) Aircraft seen leaving Gloucestershire base following arrest of dual British-Iranian national in central LondonThe US Air Force has pulled its bombers from RAF Fairford following an investigation into an alleged planned terror attack at the base.The bombers were redeployed back to their home bases in the US, according to a Pentagon official who was not authorised to discuss sensitive military movements and spoke on Sunday on condition of anonymity. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Tories to pledge to scrap Environment Agency and Natural England 04. October 2026 (23:00) Shadow chancellor will also promise to scrap affordable homes regulations as part of strategy to refocus on growthThe Conservatives will announce a bonfire of regulations including abolishing affordable homes and community funding rules as well as scrapping Natural England and the Environment Agency.The shadow chancellor, Andrew Griffith, will say the party intends to “streamline regulations” that protect nature and oblige developers to include affordable homes and community services such as GP surgeries, to speed up infrastructure and housebuilding. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Bosnian Serb nationalist Dodik declares party victory in Bosnia election 04. October 2026 (22:42) Staunchly pro-Russia politician has dominated campaign and inflamed divisions despite not appearing on ballotBosnian Serb nationalist politician Milorad Dodik has declared victory for his party in an election in Bosnia shaped by economic pressures, the prospect of the Balkan nation joining the European Union and ethnic tensions that have divided the country since its brutal 1992-95 war.Dodik is a staunchly pro-Russia politician who, despite not appearing on the ballot, has dominated the campaign and inflamed divisions with separatist rhetoric that has sparked fears of renewed instability in Bosnia. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Brazil presidential election 2026: first-round live results 04. October 2026 (21:01) Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is standing against Flávio Bolsonaro in the first round of the presidential raceThe incumbent, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, is up against Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of the former president Jair Bolsonaro, who is in prison for plotting a military coup. The president in Brazil is directly elected, and candidates need more than 50% of the vote to avoid a second round. Polls closed at 17.00 BRT / 21.00 BST. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Nearly all women arriving on small boats have been raped, says Shabana Mahmood 04. October 2026 (20:00) Home secretary warns people traffickers will exploit asylum seekers because they decide who comes to the UKNearly all women who try to reach the UK in small boats from northern France have been raped on their journey, Shabana Mahmood has claimed.In an interview with The Rest Is Politics podcast, the home secretary said far-right, balaclava-wearing activists would “kill” or “kick me out of my own country” if they took power. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Green party votes to adopt policy that equates Zionism with racism 04. October 2026 (17:43) Motion calling for single Palestinian state, which is opposed by most Green MPs and expected to be challenged, passes by 1,022 votes to 813UK politics live – latest updatesThe Greens in England and Wales have formally adopted a policy that equates Zionism with racism and calls for Israel to be replaced by a single Palestinian state.The move is expected to be challenged by some party members under equality laws, with one leading KC saying such a case would have a good chance of succeeding. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
