Boy, 17, accidentally shot dead with air rifle at Hampshire house party, inquest told 14. October 2026 (16:51) Connor Bell died of his injuries after his friend Jack Beechey, 18, pulled the trigger, mistaking it for the safety catchA 17-year-old boy died after he was accidentally shot in the head with an air rifle by his friend at a house party, an inquest has been told.Connor Bell had been drinking at a friend’s house in Basingstoke, Hampshire, on 8 November last year when Jack Beechey fired the fatal shot by mistaking the trigger for the safety catch, the inquest heard. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
France’s students are angry about more than crumbling classrooms and missing teachers 14. October 2026 (16:29) Beneath a wave of school protests in France lies a more existential worry: the future prospects of an entire generation• Don’t get This Is Europe delivered to your inbox? Sign up hereSay what you will about France’s high schools, they still produce world-class slogan writers. Here’s a brief selection spotted during three weeks of blockades and marches over chronic teacher shortages, overcrowded classes and crumbling buildings:“Pas d’avenir, pas de calme” (No future, no calm). “Diplômés aujourd’hui, précaires demain” (Graduates today, insecure tomorrow). “Vous détruisez notre futur, on bloque votre présent” (You destroy our future, we block your present). Continue reading...(The Guardian)
New York City moves to ban horse-drawn carriages 14. October 2026 (16:14) Mamdani and city council leader agree on ban that would make it illegal to operate horse-drawn carriages in the cityMayor Zohran Mamdani and the leader of the New York City council have agreed to ban horse-drawn carriages from the city, a popular tourist attraction that has faced widespread scrutiny.Mamdani has agreed to back a bill supported by Julie Menin, the speaker of the New York city council, that would make it illegal to operate horse-drawn carriages beginning in June 2028, Politico reported on Tuesday. The city council is expected to vote on the legislation next week. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Texas prosecutor considering felony charges for ICE agent who ran over man 14. October 2026 (15:40) A conviction on the possible charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon could mean up to 20 years in prisonA Texas prosecutor said he was considering felony assault charges for an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer who ran over a man following an attempted traffic stop and broke his leg in multiple places.Sean Teare, district attorney for Harris county, said video of the incident in west Houston on Saturday morning, in which the officer’s unmarked SUV is seen veering into the man as he runs away across an empty parking lot, could support a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Family of man killed by tiger criticise online content after Trump reposts video 14. October 2026 (14:48) Relatives of William Chapman say footage of attack shared online ‘deeply offensive’ and causing them ‘severe distress’The family of a man killed by a tiger at a wildlife park in the UK have spoken about their “severe distress” at the circulation of online media after Donald Trump reposted a video of the incident.William Chapman, 23, was mauled to death after entering an enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park, near Doncaster, on Saturday. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Trump heads to rallies in Arizona and Montana after campaign stop-off in Alaska – US politics live 14. October 2026 (14:48) Trump has taken to campaigning in conservative-leaning parts of competitive states, rather than in more politically diverse areasSign up for the Breaking News US emailLater, Trump will continue his midterm campaigning blitz in Kalispell, Montana, where he’ll hold another rally.The Senate race in the state has, increasingly, become one to watch. Here, Kurt Alme, a Republican and the former US attorney for Montana, is facing Alani Bankhead, the Democrat and a retired air force officer, as well as Seth Bodnar, an independent and US army veteran former president of the University of Montana. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘A big responsibility’: Clifton Suspension Bridge master hails £7.6m renovation 14. October 2026 (14:44) Engineer Tristan Ralph describes task of maintaining and running Bristol structure without public moneyThe job does not give the holder age-old perks such as the right to drive sheep across the great structure, but the title “bridge master” does have a certain ring to it.“I don’t tend to say I’m the bridge master when I’m at a party,” said Tristan Ralph, the current holder of the title. “But people do seem to know and bring it up. It’s a job less ordinary, isn’t it? It’s a Victorian sounding title and people are really, really interested.” Continue reading...(The Guardian)
French minister accuses Elon Musk of ‘online harassment campaigns’ against European leaders 14. October 2026 (14:39) Jean-Noël Barrot criticises X owner in speech attacking foreign efforts to destabilise country before 2027 electionFrance’s foreign minister has accused Elon Musk of using his social media platform to orchestrate “massive online harassment campaigns” against European leaders as he took aim at foreign efforts to destabilise the country before next year’s presidential election.Speaking at an Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development conference on Tuesday, Jean-Noël Barrot pointed to the role that social media had come to play in the global battle over democracy. “The forces seeking to undermine democracy now dominate the information landscape, where they employ tactics designed to polarise public debate,” he said. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
US inflation rose to 3.7% in September, figures show 14. October 2026 (14:36) Final inflation report before midterms comes as polls show widespread anger over cost of living under TrumpRepublicans are entering the midterm elections with the highest rate of inflation since the spring, according to a government report released on Wednesday.US price increases reached an annual rate of 3.7% in September, according to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This final inflation report before the pivotal midterm elections comes amid polls showing widespread dissatisfaction with the Trump administration over the cost of living. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Guinea-Bissau denies it has approved controversial vaccine trial in newborns 14. October 2026 (14:21) Health minister says government ‘did not authorize’ Danish-led hepatitis B trial in babies backed by RFK JrGuinea-Bissau has not approved the controversial hepatitis B study in newborns that would be funded by the US government and private partners, the African country’s minister of health said on Tuesday.The study, which would not investigate the safety or effectiveness of vaccines but would instead track “nonspecific” health outcomes like overall mortality or neurodevelopmental conditions, has been championed by Robert F Kennedy Jr, secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and a longtime anti-vaccine activist. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
