Questions remain over Iran’s link to alleged RAF Fairford bomb plot 28. September 2026 (19:52) Tehran has been trying to step up attacks on targets in the west but its track record has been mixedInvestigators may be some way from determining exactly what led five men with three vans to a village just outside RAF Fairford in the small hours of Sunday – but the fact they have all been released on bail without immediate charge suggests they are not deemed to pose a serious and violent threat.In a moment where wider geopolitical tensions mean external threats are perceived to be close, the question of whether Iran had a hand in the alleged plot remains open. Nonetheless, the bailing of the men is a mercifully lower-key development in an investigation that appeared of the utmost gravity. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Arizona frat suspended after allegedly making new recruits swallow live goldfish 28. September 2026 (19:32) Case of alleged hazing at the University of Arizona is latest in series of controversial incidents involving US fraternities A college fraternity at the University of Arizona has been suspended after new members were allegedly plied with alcohol and forced to swallow live goldfish.College officials informed the university’s Sigma Tau Gamma chapter by letter earlier in September that it was under investigation for multiple alleged violations of the student code of conduct, including “endangering, threatening, or causing physical harm” to members of the campus community. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Century-old silent film made in New Hampshire found in Japan antique shop 28. September 2026 (19:25) Billy B Van’s 1919 comedy Van-ar-chy found by student in Sendai will be shown in early November in New HampshireA silent comedy filmed in New Hampshire more than a century ago was recently found in Japan, and plans have been set to show the film in early November in the state where it was created.Van-ar-chy, a 1919 film starring the US entertainer and film-maker Billy B Van, was rediscovered by Kohei Okita, a film student in Sendai, Japan. While researching early cinema related to the word “anarchy”, Okita bought several old film reels at an antique store in Japan and found the comedy starring Van, whom he did not recognize, according to a Van-ar-chy news release. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Nandy labels Farage ‘master of conspiracy theory’ over Fairford claims 28. September 2026 (19:16) Culture secretary criticises Reform leader after he tried to link suspected bomb plot to small boat crossingsNigel Farage has been described as a “master of the conspiracy theory” by the culture secretary, Lisa Nandy, , after he tried to link events at RAF Fairford to small boat crossings.The Reform UK leader was criticised over his reaction to the arrests of the men on Sunday, when he said he had been warning for months about “Iranian agents” coming into the UK across the Channel in small boats. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Merseyside blaze that killed mother and three children caused by lithium-ion battery 28. September 2026 (19:09) Local fire and rescue service says last week’s tragic incident highlights risks the batteries can poseA fire that left a mother and her three children dead was caused by a lithium-ion battery, firefighters in Merseyside have said.An electrical event caused the battery, of a type commonly used in vapes, ebikes and e-scooters, to go into “thermal runaway”, Merseyside fire and rescue service said. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
