Polls close in Holborn and St Pancras byelection as Labour hopes to retain seat 08. October 2026 (23:22) Contest seen as test of Andy Burnham’s ability to unite Labour voters amid threat from Green party’s Zack PolanskiPolls have closed in the Holborn and St Pancras byelection, a contest seen as a test of whether Andy Burnham can unite Labour’s voters or whether Zack Polanski can peel off support from the party’s progressive flank.Labour is seeking to retain Keir Starmer’s former north London seat, where he won a majority of more than 11,000 votes in the 2024 general election. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Men accused of shooting Australian surfer brothers and US friend dead in Mexico to learn fate as trial concludes 08. October 2026 (22:40) Martin and Debra Robinson, the brothers’ parents, will address the court before a Mexican judge hands down the verdictA Mexican judge is expected to hand down his verdict on Thursday in the high-profile murder trial of three men accused of killing two Australian surfers and their American friend in 2024.Australian brothers Jake and Callum Robinson, aged 30 and 33 respectively, and their friend Carter Rhoad, 30, were on a surfing trip to Mexico’s Pacific coast when they were shot dead in Baja California state in an alleged robbery. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Thousands turn out to welcome weary USS Lincoln sailors after record-breaking deployment 08. October 2026 (22:18) Military families admit ‘mixed emotions’ as aircraft carrier finally returns to San Diego after grueling stretch at sea that took severe tollUSS Lincoln arrives at San Diego base – live updatesBy 4am on Thursday, the sky still pitch black, 19-year-old Pvt Grayden Monroe and his mom had arrived to the naval base in San Diego, California, the very first military family members huddled on a set of metal bleachers overlooking the dark water. They were waiting for Monroe’s 21-year-old sister to step off the USS Abraham Lincoln, the embattled aircraft carrier that has been at sea for the better part of a year.Monroe, a soldier stationed at Fort Campbell, was wearing his army uniform for the occasion. “I hope she’s proud of me,” he said of his sister, “and I hope she knows damn well that I’m just as proud of her.” Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Trump donor accuses ‘grifter’ Kimberly Guilfoyle of $100,000 quid pro quo 08. October 2026 (22:10) Eric Deters says US ambassador to Greece asked him to pay off American Express credit card bill in return for accessA Trump donor accused Kimberly Guilfoyle, the US ambassador to Greece and Trump family ally, of engaging in a “quid pro quo” by asking him to pay off her $100,000 debt in exchange for access to administration officials.Eric Deters, a former congressional candidate and lawyer, told MS Now on Thursday that Guilfoyle had “ambushed” him last year with an offer to provide access to government officials if he paid her American Express credit card bill, before her US Senate confirmation hearing as ambassador to Greece. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Microsoft suspended from applying for green cards for H-1B workers, JD Vance says 08. October 2026 (20:23) Vice-president also says Adobe is barred from visa program that allows high-skilled workers to apply for US residencyMicrosoft is suspended from applying for permanent residency for workers employed through a US visa program for high-skilled workers, JD Vance announced on Thursday.The US vice-president accused the tech company of abusing the H-1B system, which allows those on the visa to work while they apply and are in process for a green card. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Top bosses at Goldman Sachs to share bonus pot worth up to $500m 08. October 2026 (20:09) Eye-watering sum, to be split between 20 bankers, is one of the biggest payouts in the bank’s historyTop bosses at Goldman Sachs are in line to share a bonus pot worth up to $500m (£378m) this year, marking one of the biggest payouts in the Wall Street bank’s history.The eye-watering sum will be shared between 20 bankers, with its chief executive, David Solomon, due to take about $100m (£75.6m) of the reward, which is made up of Goldman Sachs stock. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Nicolás Maduro and his wife indicted for alleged torture of US citizens 08. October 2026 (20:04) Ousted Venezuelan president and Cilia Flores have been in jail in New York since early JanuaryThe deposed Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have been indicted for alleged conspiracy to commit torture, according to Manhattan federal court papers unsealed on Thursday.The superseding indictment was unsealed shortly before Flores appeared at court in her ongoing push for pre-trial release – which was denied by Judge Alvin Hellerstein. Maduro and Flores have jailed in New York City since early January. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Astronomers detect mysterious burst of energy from a galaxy far, far away 08. October 2026 (20:00) Intense flash of radio waves is more than 10bn years old and has travelled through ‘approximately 80% of cosmic history’A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, a mysterious flash of energy was released into the universe.Astronomers have now detected that flash, a burst of radio waves which travelled for more than 10bn years before reaching Earth – what they believe to be the most distant fast radio burst (FRB) ever recorded. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Trump made ‘clear’ that media ban was due to critical coverage, court told 08. October 2026 (19:56) Lawyer for CNN, MS Now and Politico says Trump admitted he banned networks from White House over their coverageDonald Trump continues to be the strongest witness for the media companies arguing that they were unfairly barred from the White House at his direction, a lawyer representing CNN, MS Now and Politico told a federal judge on Thursday afternoon.The media coalition was in court asking the judge to extend the temporary restraining order (TRO) he issued on 24 September requiring the White House to lift the ban for 14 days. That temporary reprieve was scheduled to expire on Thursday, but district court judge Timothy Kelly, a Trump appointee, said he would extend it until Tuesday and that he would probably rule on a motion for a preliminary injunction by that day. That means the White House will be forced to allow journalists from CNN, MS Now and Politico to continue accessing the building until at least Tuesday. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Israel promotes film that mimics NAZA documentary 08. October 2026 (19:52) Embassies post links to hastily produced online film echoing style of real Guardian documentary about mass killings of Gaza civiliansThe Israeli government is promoting an online film project that mimics the style of NAZA, the award-winning documentary that details Israel’s mass killings of civilians in Gaza, in an attempt to counter the real film’s findings.The real documentary, directed by the Oscar-winning film-makers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, and produced by the Guardian, is in cinemas and will be shown in more than 50 countries. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
