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Former Burnham adviser says PM is on ‘downslope’ and social care plan may be unfundable

A former adviser to Andy Burnham says the Prime Minister is already on the “downslope”, less than three months into office, and calls the social care plan honourable but probably unfundable.

“downslope”
Former adviser to Andy BurnhamFormer adviser

Evesham Council to Vote on No-Confidence Motion Against Emma Nishigaki

Evesham Town Council is due to consider a no-confidence motion against councillor Emma Nishigaki after a petition with 736 signatures called for her resignation.

Two Crypto Billionaires Give $100 Million to Reform U.K

Two low-profile crypto entrepreneurs gave $100 million to Nigel Farage’s Reform U.K. Party, a move that could change British politics.

UK Cabinet Office scraps hiring platform, records £7.8m loss

The Cabinet Office closed a central government recruitment platform at a recorded loss of £7.8 million. It also disclosed a possible HMRC penalty of up to £8.9 million over contractor tax compliance.

Farage rejects claim Reform would allow troops to use lethal force on migrant boats

Nigel Farage says a Reform UK government would not routinely use lethal force against migrant boats, after MP Robert Jenrick said Royal Marines could fire if needed.

Ministers plan cuts to heat pump grants to help fund defence spending

Ministers are preparing to cut hundreds of millions of pounds from England and Wales’s heat pump grant scheme as they seek savings for defence investment.

MI5 chief warns of rising risk of rightwing terrorist attacks in UK

MI5 chief Ken McCallum says anti-immigration and anti-Muslim extremism is increasingly leading people to consider attacks, contributing to a rise in the UK’s terror threat level.

MI5 chief Ken McCallum warned that rightwing extremism is increasingly linked to plans for terrorist attacks in the UK.

He said people driven by anti-immigration and anti-Muslim views were considering attacks on immigration centres, asylum hotels, migrants and Muslims.

The shift from extremist views to violent intent was the clearest trend in MI5’s work over the past year, and it contributed to a rise in the overall UK terror threat level.

McCallum said young people were particularly likely to be drawn into extreme rightwing terrorism, and MI5 investigated a radicalised 13-year-old this year.

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Think tank urges £8bn in tax rises to rebuild UK fiscal buffer

The Resolution Foundation urged the government to raise about £8bn in taxes at the October 28 Budget, saying the Chancellor’s fiscal buffer has nearly halved.

The Independent published a report on the Resolution Foundation's call for tax rises ahead of the Budget.

The Budget is scheduled to take place.

UK to review security for public figures after Ann Widdecombe’s killing

The UK will review protection for prominent public figures after Ann Widdecombe was killed. Police support will also be extended to former lawmakers and some party figures.

Review lead
Sir Stephen Lovegrove, former UK national security adviser
Police support
Access to a named police officer and help with wider security measures
Widdecombe
Found dead on 9 July at her home in Haytor, Devon
Accused
Joshua Kerry, 28, charged with Widdecombe’s murder

Welsh government and Labour agree £60m for additional learning needs

The Welsh government and Labour have agreed a budget deal that includes £60m for additional learning needs in schools. The supplementary budget will be debated in the Senedd on 3 November.

Welsh government and Labour Reform Wales

Value of the deal

Labour called the funding a significant cash injection for schools and a welcome first step.

Reform Wales said the deal does not deliver for Wales, though it welcomed extra support for additional learning needs.

Public spending

Labour said more should be set aside for additional learning needs in schools.

Reform Wales said the government was sending millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money overseas while public services suffered at home.

Neil Kinnock says Andy Burnham wants Britain to rejoin the EU

Former Labour leader Neil Kinnock says Prime Minister Andy Burnham intends to take the UK back into the EU. Burnham has said he wants to renegotiate Britain’s relationship with the bloc.

World

Drones hit two ships off Bulgaria; one sinks and 11 crew are missing

Two cargo ships were hit by drones in the Black Sea off Bulgaria. One sank, leaving 11 crew members missing, while all 15 people aboard the other ship were rescued.

“This is absolutely unacceptable: yet another attack in close proximity to Bulgaria’s territorial waters”
Rumen RadevBulgarian prime minister

Nuremberg airport suspends flights after aviation emergency alert

Nuremberg airport in Germany suspended flights after an unclear aviation emergency was reported. Police said an aircraft landed safely, and the cause is under investigation.

Two Turkish citizens detained in Germany over fire at Polish Starlink station

German police detained two Turkish citizens suspected of setting fire to a Starlink station in central Poland. Polish officials say they will face sabotage charges in Poland.

Court orders new hearing in case over passport error that stopped family’s Thailand trip

A passport error listing a child’s sex incorrectly stopped a Krasnodar family from travelling to Thailand. A court overturned earlier rulings and sent the compensation case back for a new hearing.

Hezbollah to offer up to $14,000 to Lebanese families with destroyed homes

Hezbollah says it will pay eligible Lebanese families whose primary homes were destroyed or made uninhabitable in the war with Israel, with payments spread over a year.

Polish foreign minister says a European army could form by 2030

Radosław Sikorski said a joint European force could be formed by 2030, possibly limited to the Baltic states and the eastern flank.

MI5 chief warns Iran and Russia are stepping up threats to Britain

MI5 chief Ken McCallum said Iran is seeking to target harder sites, including military locations, while Russia is increasing hybrid operations against Ukraine’s allies. He also warned that AI could help terrorists develop biological weapons.

MI5 chief Ken McCallum warned of growing state threats to Britain in a speech in London on Tuesday.

He said Iran had shifted towards targeting harder sites, including military locations, although he could not discuss an investigation into a suspected plot involving RAF Fairford.

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Tehran was highly likely to be behind that suspected plot, but Iran has denied involvement.

McCallum said Iran-linked operations had led to more than 50 arrests over the past year.

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Eight people injured in stabbing at Incheon supermarket

A man stabbed eight people at a supermarket in Incheon, South Korea. Police detained the suspect and are investigating the attack.

A man attacked people with knives while moving on an escalator in the supermarket building.

Shoppers subdued the suspect, and police arrested him.

France boards Russia-linked tanker in Indian Ocean

French forces boarded the DF Peak, a sanctioned oil tanker suspected of using a false flag and carrying fuel illicitly. The vessel is being escorted to Réunion for further checks.

Vessel
DF Peak
Location
More than 450 nautical miles south of Réunion
Flag
Benin
EU sanctions status
Listed among the EU-sanctioned ships

UK says Iran was highly likely behind RAF Fairford security incident

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Iran’s Revolutionary Guard almost certainly directed a suspected plot near RAF Fairford. Britain has sanctioned two people and says further sanctions may follow.

UK government Iranian government

Responsibility

Burnham said the incident was highly likely to have been coordinated in Iran and almost certainly directed by the IRGC.

Iran rejected any suggestion it was involved and called the accusation unfounded and malicious speculation.

Evidence

British authorities cited their assessment and said investigators found accelerants but no viable explosives in vans.

Iran called on Britain to present evidence supporting its allegations.

Zelensky says Russian strikes violated Trump’s proposed energy ceasefire

Zelensky says Russian attacks hit Ukrainian energy facilities after Trump announced a mutual pause in such strikes. Russia has not confirmed agreeing to the ceasefire.

Business

Investigation alleges Deloitte helped conceal Abramovich assets and avoid tax

Investigations based on leaked records allege that advisers to Roman Abramovich backdated documents to hide assets in Cyprus companies and reduce tax liabilities. Deloitte Cyprus signed off on some accounts.

“straightforward”
Andrew Mitchell KCBarrister and financial services law expert

Yandex waives fees after drone attacks disrupt its data centers

Yandex is waiving some cloud and software fees after drone attacks took three of its six data centers offline. Its services have been partly restored.

Sberbank files to declare Russian fuel company EuroTrans bankrupt

Sberbank filed a bankruptcy petition against EuroTrans in a Moscow region court on Oct. 12. A fuel trader filed a similar petition the same day.

Russian court awards apartment owners 15 million rubles over defects

After the Supreme Court reviewed a case involving serious defects in a 2013 apartment purchase, a regional court awarded two owners 15,094,479 rubles.

Alfa-Bank buys 4.85% stake in Medsi clinic network from AFK Sistema

Alfa-Bank bought a 4.85% stake in the Medsi clinic network from AFK Sistema.

Tax debt collection can block or divert credit card payments in Russia

People in Russia say attempts to pay credit cards are being blocked or redirected to tax debts. The tax service says banks must follow the legal payment order.

Alfa-Bank buys 4.85% stake in Russian clinic group Medsi

Alfa-Bank bought 4.85% of Medsi from AFK Sistema as part of a pre-IPO investment round. Sistema retains control, and Medsi is preparing for a possible stock-market listing.

Alfa-Bank bought a 4.85% stake in Medsi, a major private clinic group in Russia.

It purchased the shares from AFK Sistema, which still owns 90.64% and remains in control.

The two parties did not disclose the price, though estimates in the story vary.

The investment is part of a pre-IPO round intended to bring in major investors and help establish Medsi’s value before a public listing.

Read full story →

Russia suspends sales of several Chinese truck models over safety violations

Russia’s Rosstandart halted sales of several truck and special-equipment models from JAC, Dongfeng, Foton and XCMG after finding they failed safety and environmental requirements.

BFM.ru reported that Rosstandart had suspended sales of several truck models.

Manufacturers notified Rosstandart that sales had been suspended and began developing recall plans for the agency’s approval.

Russia says it supplied $320.7 billion in energy to EU since 2022

Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak says Russia supplied the EU with $320.7 billion in energy resources since 2022, including $21.3 billion in the first nine months of 2026.

Total since 2022
$320.7 billion in energy supplies to EU countries
US estimate cited by Novak
$250 billion
First nine months of 2026
$21.3 billion in energy supplies to Europe
Potential monthly diesel exports by year-end
3.5 million tonnes

Tax debts can divert payments meant for Russian credit cards

Some Russian credit-card holders find payments applied to tax debts first, potentially leaving their loans unpaid and their card operations restricted.

Russian borrowers struggle to repay credit cards as labor shortage eases

A Banki.ru headline says Russians are struggling to repay credit cards, while a labor shortage is easing as more older people work.

Science & Tech

Apple announces HomePod mini 2 with Siri AI and new sound features

Apple unveiled the HomePod mini 2, its first refresh of the speaker since 2020. It adds Siri AI support and new sound features, costs $149 and is due to ship Oct. 30.

“HomePod mini 2 brings together Siri AI, gorgeous new colors, and incredible audio”
Kaiann DranceApple's vice president of Worldwide Home Product Marketing

Apple reportedly plans HomeView smart home hub for November

Apple is expected to unveil its Siri-focused HomeView display on October 13 and begin shipping it around mid-November. A new Apple TV and HomePod mini are also expected.

GitLab fixes maximum-severity flaw that could let attackers run server code

The flaw could let attackers run code on affected GitLab servers without logging in. GitLab urges users of self-managed systems to install patched versions.

Ledger links CryptoBilis wallet implants to confirmed crypto thefts

Ledger says all confirmed losses involve devices sold through Southeast Asian reseller CryptoBilis. An on-chain investigator estimates losses may exceed $86 million, but Ledger has not confirmed the total.

NASA’s Perseverance rover sets record with 45.2km driven on Mars

Perseverance has driven 45.2km on Mars, surpassing the previous record held by NASA’s Opportunity rover. NASA says the rover’s autonomous navigation system handles more than 90% of its driving.

Scientists call for stronger safeguards against AI hacking

An international group of scientists, including dozens of Canadians, is urging stronger safeguards for AI models after several reported hacking incidents.

Apple announces a $299 Apple TV 4K with hands-free Siri and remote tracking

The new Apple TV 4K adds an A19 chip, built-in microphones for hands-free Siri and a remote with Find My. It goes on sale Nov. 13 for $299.

Apple announced a new Apple TV 4K at a smart home-focused event on Oct.

13.

The streaming box looks much like its predecessor, last updated in 2022, but has an A19 chip and Wi-Fi 7 support.

Built-in microphones let users talk to Siri hands-free, without speaking into the remote or a HomePod.

Read full story →

Apple unveils smart home devices made with LG and Schneider Electric

Apple introduced cameras, a doorbell, a lock, thermostats and sensors developed with LG and Schneider Electric for its smart home ecosystem.

Apple unveiled the Apple Home Collection in collaboration with LG Electronics and Schneider Electric.

Availability of the lineup is scheduled to begin.

Some accessories are expected to launch.

Cyberattack disrupts IT systems at three TFG London fashion brands

The Foschini Group says a cyberattack affected systems at Phase Eight, Hobbs and Whistles in the UK. Stores remain open, but some online services and orders may be delayed.

Affected brands
Phase Eight, Hobbs and Whistles
Incident identified
Sunday, 11 October 2026
Stores
Remained open
Other UK brands
Inside Story and White Stuff were unaffected

Honeybee stingers keep pumping venom after detaching from the insect

Researchers at Macquarie University filmed detached honeybee stingers pumping venom into a gel that mimics skin. Their findings reveal how the stinger’s tiny valves and lancets keep the venom flowing.

Sony Announces Japan-Only Midnight Black PlayStation 5

Sony will release a matte-black PS5 Digital Edition in Japan on Nov. 19 for ¥55,000. Buyers will need a separate disc drive to play physical games.

Sports

Bills beat Rams 37-34 in overtime for Josh Allen’s first OT win

Buffalo beat Los Angeles 37-34 in overtime after Josh Allen led a late drive and Tyler Bass kicked the winning field goal. It was Allen’s first career overtime victory.

“Guys kept chipping away, defense kept going out there making plays, special teams was big tonight”
Josh AllenBills quarterback

Dolphins and Browns lead NFL teams relying on rookies

After five weeks, Miami had 14 first-year contributors, while Cleveland rookies had played 1,401 snaps. The Ravens, Giants and Chargers also ranked among the top five teams in rookie playing time.

Titans stick with Cam Ward as they face a 2027 quarterback decision

Tennessee coach Robert Saleh says Cam Ward will not be benched after the Titans fell to 0-5. His early numbers raise questions about whether the team may draft another quarterback in 2027.

Marvin Harrison Jr. trade to Houston becomes official after physical

Harrison passed his physical and is now a Houston Texan. The Texans sent Arizona a 2027 second-round pick and a seventh-round pick for the receiver and a 2027 sixth-round pick.

Rams lose to Bills and look to reset before facing Cardinals

The Rams lost 37-34 to the Bills, leaving them 2-3 despite gaining 454 yards. Puka Nacua said the team must regroup and define its identity before hosting Arizona.

Penix says he hopes to play next week after rib injury

Atlanta quarterback Michael Penix Jr. left the Falcons’ overtime loss to Baltimore with a rib injury. He said he hopes to return next week, but further tests are planned.

49ers lead Week 6 NFL power rankings as several 0-5 teams struggle

The 49ers remain No. 1 in one Week 6 ranking, while the Vikings rise and the 0-5 Chargers, Titans and Dolphins sit near the bottom.

Two Week 6 rankings assess the NFL after five weeks of the 2026 season.

One list keeps the San Francisco 49ers at No.

1, with the Kansas City Chiefs second and the Jacksonville Jaguars third.

The other ranking also puts the 49ers at the top and highlights the strength of the NFC West.

Read full story →

Jaguars left tackle Anton Harrison to have knee surgery

Anton Harrison will have arthroscopic surgery on his right knee after an injury against Philadelphia. His absence could last three to five weeks or the rest of the regular season.

Harrison injured his knee during Jacksonville’s 19-17 win over Philadelphia in London.

Reports said Harrison was set to have arthroscopic knee surgery, with his recovery timeline still uncertain.

Harrison is expected to have surgery when the Jaguars return from London.

The Jaguars are scheduled to play Houston at Wembley Stadium, with Walker Little expected to start at left tackle.

49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw ejected after headbutting Seahawks player

Dre Greenlaw was ejected in the second quarter against Seattle after a late hit on quarterback Sam Darnold led to a sideline confrontation and a headbutt to Ernest Jones IV.

Suspension
One game without pay
Teams
San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks
Players involved
Dre Greenlaw and Ernest Jones IV
Game result
San Francisco won 32-29

Rams' limited investment in special teams faces renewed scrutiny

After another overtime loss, coach Sean McVay again criticized the Rams' special teams. The team has ranked near the bottom in several measures of investment in that unit.

Two players ejected after opening-kickoff fight in London

Jacksonville’s Bryan Thomas Jr. and Philadelphia’s Jeremiah Trotter Jr. were ejected after fighting during the opening kickoff. A 90-yard Jaguars return for a touchdown was called back because of penalties.

Entertainment

Ego Nwodim mocks Shane Gillis’s joke about women’s gym clothes

After Shane Gillis joked that women at the gym “dress like whores” on SNL, former cast member Ego Nwodim responded with a gym selfie and a pointed caption.

“Whore reporting for duty”
Ego NwodimFormer SNL cast member

Delta Goodrem to miss Strictly Icons Week with rib injury

Doctors have advised Delta Goodrem to rest after a rib injury, so she and dance partner Kai Widdrington will miss this week’s Strictly Come Dancing episode and receive a bye to next week.

Shane Gillis accidentally swears during live SNL sketch

Shane Gillis accidentally used an expletive during a Dr. Seuss-inspired sketch while hosting Saturday Night Live on Oct. 10. The show later worked the slip into the sketch.

Big Brother Season 8 contestant Amber Siyavus dies at 46

Amber Siyavus, who competed on Big Brother in 2007, died in Las Vegas on October 9. The cause and manner of death are pending.

BBC says Strictly edits out slogans under its standard editorial policy

The BBC says it edited the “Protect the Dolls” slogan from rehearsal footage of Strictly contestant Bethany Antonia under its standard policy on slogans and branding. Viewers criticized the edit as censorship.

Roman Reigns and Joe Hendry vs. JD McDonagh set for WWE Raw

Roman Reigns is scheduled to appear on WWE Raw on Oct. 19, and Joe Hendry will face JD McDonagh in a singles match.

Bryan Cranston mourns Breaking Bad co-star RJ Mitte, who died at 34

Cranston paid tribute to Mitte, who played his son on Breaking Bad, remembering his acting and disability advocacy. Accounts differ on whether his death was officially confirmed as suicide.

RJ Mitte, who played Walter White Jr. on the TV drama Breaking Bad, has died at age 34.

His co-star Bryan Cranston shared a tribute, recalling that Mitte joined the show at 14 and grew into a skilled actor.

Mitte had cerebral palsy and was an advocate for greater inclusion and representation of disabled people.

He also worked with disability-focused organizations and led the Mitte Foundation, a nonprofit supporting awareness and inclusion.

Read full story →

RTL removes Unter Uns morning reruns ahead of planned end

RTL has replaced morning repeats of Unter Uns with Verklag mich doch!, but new episodes will continue in the afternoon until the soap’s planned end in March 2027.

RTL announced it would end production of “Unter uns” after more than 32 years.

RTL removed the morning reruns and scheduled “Verklag mich doch!” at 9:30 a.m.

The final episode of “Unter uns” is planned to air.

Hugh Grant backed out of replacing Charlie Sheen on Two and a Half Men

Chuck Lorre says Hugh Grant withdrew from talks to replace Charlie Sheen on the sitcom. Ashton Kutcher took the role instead, and the show ran for four more seasons.

Proposed role
Replacement for Charlie Sheen on Two and a Half Men
Reported offer
$750,000 per episode
Work week offered
Four days
Writing partner
Lee Aronsohn

Myha’la says bias may affect suspicion on The Celebrity Traitors

Myha’la says unconscious racial and cultural bias can shape suspicion on The Celebrity Traitors, but says her banishment was not a complete case of racism by her fellow contestants.

A fan alleging racism Myha’la

Reason for banishment

The fan said Myha’la was banished because she is Black and called the show racist.

Myha’la said she had given the others reasons to suspect her, including winking at Richard E Grant.

Bias on the show

The fan said unconscious bias affected Myha’la’s banishment.

Myha’la agreed that unconscious racial and cultural bias exists in the game, but said her case was not fully explained by that claim.

Actor Yuji Mochizuki appears in VIVANT episode after his death

Yuji Mochizuki, who died aged 41 last November, appeared as a guard in episode 20 of VIVANT. Fellow actor Yuichiro Arai paid tribute to him after the episode aired.

Health

Muscle and liver cells may retain benefits of past exercise

Research suggests muscle and liver cells retain a memory of exercise after training stops. This may help people regain fitness faster when they return to exercise.

“At the cellular level, you probably weren’t.”
ResearchersExercise physiologists

France’s flu and COVID vaccination campaign starts October 13

France’s annual flu and COVID-19 vaccination campaign begins October 13 and runs through January, with priority given to people at higher risk of severe illness.

World Health Summit calls for more funding for pandemic prevention

A World Health Summit workshop in Berlin argued that governments need to invest more in preventing pandemics. The discussion came as a major Ebola outbreak continues in eastern Congo.

Drinking water helps prevent dehydration but does not directly lower blood sugar

A diabetes educator says water can help prevent dehydration from worsening high blood sugar, but it does not lower glucose or replace prescribed treatment.

Epilepsy Drug Shows Promise for Osteoarthritis in Early Tests

Yale researchers found that lacosamide reduced pain and supported cartilage repair in mouse tests and human cartilage cells. The drug still needs testing in people with osteoarthritis.

More than 20,000 people in Yakutia received remote health monitoring

Since the start of 2026, 20,051 people with chronic conditions in Yakutia have had their health monitored remotely using devices that send medical data to health workers.

Sixth measles-related death reported in Pennsylvania

A 39-year-old unvaccinated woman in Franklin County is the sixth person reported to have died in Pennsylvania amid the state’s largest measles outbreak in three decades.

A 39-year-old woman in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, has been reported as the state’s sixth measles-related death in less than two months.

The woman was unvaccinated and had underlying medical conditions, the county coroner’s office said.

The coroner’s spokesperson said the probable cause was an acute cardiac event that may have resulted from measles complications.

Pennsylvania has confirmed 1,136 measles cases and 219 hospitalizations, with two-thirds of cases in adults.

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Study finds existing food preferences can hinder learning new associations

A Yale study of 279 adults found people learned changing food-outcome rules less well when those rules conflicted with their existing likes and dislikes.

Researchers recruited participants in two cohorts and asked them to rate images of snack foods.

The study was reported by News-Medical and Infobae.

Italy to allocate €8 million over two years for heat plan

Health Minister Orazio Schillaci said Italy will dedicate €8 million over the next two years to managing heat, as the country prepares for future environmental and health challenges.

Funding
€8 million
Duration
Next two years
Announced by
Orazio Schillaci
Event
Heatwaves and health – Summer 2026 report and future prospects

Exercise may improve mood and quality of life during menopause, study finds

A review of 12 trials involving more than 1,000 women found that aerobic exercise and activities such as yoga were linked to better mood or quality of life during menopause.

Asti healthy ageing project presented as European good practice

A health authority in Asti presented its Communit-Action project in Vilnius, where it was recognised as a European good practice for supporting healthy and active ageing.