FBI investigates letters with ‘unknown substance’ sent to US election officials 15. October 2026 (20:36) Election officers in Louisiana and Oklahoma receive a powdery substance, prompting evacuationsThe FBI and the US Postal Inspection Service are investigating letters sent to state officials and election offices across the country containing an “unknown substance”.Just weeks before November’s US midterm elections, election officers in Louisiana and Oklahoma received envelopes containing a powdery substance, leading to evacuations. A similar package containing white powder was also sent to the Ohio secretary of state, but the US Postal Service intercepted the package. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Wes Streeting urges US to back Ukraine on Washington visit after Starlink row 15. October 2026 (20:09) UK defence secretary trying to cool tensions and is arguing it is in America’s economic interests to support KyivWes Streeting urged the US to stand by Ukraine on his visit to the American capital and sought to cool tensions between the two countries in the wake of the Starlink row that is threatening to set back Kyiv’s war effort.The British defence secretary, giving a speech before a meeting with his US counterpart, Pete Hegseth, argued that supporting Ukraine was in the long-term interests of Washington, and a business opportunity. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Russell Brand forced alleged rape victim to take photos of him half naked, trial told 15. October 2026 (20:01) Woman claims comedian ‘pranced around like an ostrich’ before forcing himself on her in hotel room attackRussell Brand transformed into a “monster” when he allegedly forced a woman to take half-naked photographs of him before raping her in a hotel room at the Labour party conference, a court has heard.The 51-year-old comedian has denied attacking the woman, who broke down in tears in the witness box at Southwark crown court as she told how she could not fight him off. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
UK HRT shortages: which products are affected and what to do about it 15. October 2026 (19:58) Experts say seeking alternatives that deliver the same dose of oestrogen by the same method is keyWomen in the UK are again facing shortages of some HRT products, with warnings they could persist for weeks. We take a look at the situation. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Texas sued after glitch delays almost 600,000 voter registrations 15. October 2026 (19:49) Voting registration organizations accuse Texas officials of failing to ensure eligible voters can register properlyTexas election officials are struggling to process a massive backlog of nearly 600,000 voter registration applications after a major state computer system failure, just days before early voting is set to open on Monday and amid concerns about widespread voter suppression.The disruption has raised serious concerns about the state’s voter registration system, with voting rights organizations accusing Texas officials of failing to ensure that eligible voters could properly register. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
