Exclusive Brethren head denies knowing church members were volunteering for Liberal party during 2025 election 16. October 2026 (08:58) Bruce Hales also denies church was a cult while son tells parliamentary committee it was ‘a bit rough’ being labelled as suchGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe most senior member of the Exclusive Brethren has denied any knowledge of or involvement in thousands of members from his church volunteering for the Liberal party at the 2025 election.The Plymouth Brethren christian church has rejected claims it coordinated volunteers and a campaign for the Coalition, and that it secretly paid far-right figures to stage stunts against the prime minister and other Labor MPs. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Pornography showing strangulation and incest to be banned in UK from early November 16. October 2026 (08:52) Campaigners welcome new legislation which follows 2025 review into pornography regulationPornography that depicts strangulation and incestuous relationships will be banned from early November, the UK government has announced.The content will be outlawed from 6 November after cross-party pressure prompted ministers to announce new legislation earlier this year. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Trump calls Ukraine’s resumption of strikes on Russian oil refineries a ‘disgrace’ 16. October 2026 (08:02) US president says Zelenskyy ‘more difficult to deal with than Putin’ after so-called energy ceasefire collapsesDonald Trump has called Ukraine’s renewed strikes on Russian oil refineries a “disgrace”, while renewing his criticism of Volodymyr Zelenskyy after an energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine collapsed.Ukraine resumed strikes on Russian oil refineries after Zelenskyy said that Kyiv was abandoning a ceasefire abruptly declared by Trump last week, one that neither Russia nor Ukraine said they had agreed to. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Tories call for 5-year freeze on minimum wage to tackle youth unemployment 16. October 2026 (08:00) Labour says idea is ‘tin-eared’ as report says fixing rate will cost low-paid workers almost £9,000 over five yearsA shadow minister has called for the government to freeze the minimum wage for five years, a move that could cost low-paid workers almost £9,000.The call came in a report from the Prosperity Institute thinktank, which carries an endorsement from Andrew Sharpe, the shadow business minister. Sharpe said in his endorsement that it was time to take action to address the low rate of young people in work. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Saudi Arabia to execute man for being at protests and funerals when he was 15 16. October 2026 (07:00) Rights group says Youssef al-Manasif was tortured and first met his lawyer five years after arrest for non-violent crimesA young man faces imminent execution in Saudi Arabia for attending protests and funerals when he was aged 15 to 17, say human rights groups, in the latest example of the kingdom’s surging use of the death penalty for non-violent crimes.Youssef al-Manasif was arrested in 2017 and accused of crimes including joining demonstrations for religious freedom by the Shia minority and attending funerals that the Saudi authorities deem to be protests. He was convicted and sentenced to death by the specialised criminal court, a secretive tribunal set up for terrorism-related cases. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
