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An ICE officer has been charged after striking a man with a car in Houston

The Harris County District Attorney's office says Mario Alberto Morales was behind the wheel of an unmarked black vehicle on Oct. 10 when it struck Miguel Parra Hernandez, 48, who was running away.

Andreas Malm condemns UK travel ban as ‘drift into authoritarianism’

30 October 2026 at 17:58

Swedish climate academic says he has been ‘kept in the dark’ over Home Office decision to revoke his travel authorisation

The Swedish climate academic Andreas Malm has condemned a travel ban imposed on him by the UK government as a “drift into authoritarianism” amid criticism of the move.

Malm, the author of How to Blow Up a Pipeline, said he had been “kept in the dark” by the UK’s immigration authorities over the reasons for his electronic travel authorisation (ETA) being revoked.

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© Photograph: Album/Alamy

© Photograph: Album/Alamy

© Photograph: Album/Alamy

Police watchdog to investigate Met’s handling of Meghan warning letter

IOPC launches independent investigation after referral by Scotland Yard over 2019 letter about Thomas Markle

Scotland Yard faces an independent investigation into its failure in 2019 to pass claims alleging wrongdoing by Thomas Markle, the father of the Duchess of Sussex, to law enforcement agencies overseas.

The force had referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) over its handling of a letter written by Markle’s former wife, Roslyn Loveless. Markle, 82, is now facing claims of child sexual abuse in the Philippines, which he denies, and is under investigation by authorities there.

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© Photograph: Cyril Zingaro/KEYSTONE/AP

© Photograph: Cyril Zingaro/KEYSTONE/AP

© Photograph: Cyril Zingaro/KEYSTONE/AP

Andreas Malm condemns UK travel ban as ‘drift into authoritarianism’

30 October 2026 at 17:06

Swedish climate academic says he has been ‘kept in the dark’ over Home Office decision to revoke his travel authorisation

The Swedish climate academic Andreas Malm has condemned a travel ban imposed on him by the UK government as a “drift into authoritarianism” amid criticism of the move.

Malm, the author of How to Blow Up a Pipeline, said he had been “kept in the dark” by the UK’s immigration authorities over the reasons for his electronic travel authorisation (ETA) being revoked.

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© Photograph: Album/Alamy

© Photograph: Album/Alamy

© Photograph: Album/Alamy

Forget water features – a tiny pond will bring wildlife to your garden

30 October 2026 at 14:00

You might think ponds are complicated things with liners, but you can make one from a washing-up bowl

Do you remember the 90s, when everyone was obsessed with “water features”, mostly thanks to Charlie Dimmock? A simpler time. Perhaps I’m hanging out with the wrong garden designers, but I rarely hear much talk of water features now. For years, Chelsea flower show gardens have featured subtle Cor-Ten steel-clad trickles or elegant mirrored ponds. There have been a fair few naturalistic streams (such as A Rewilding Britain Landscape by Lulu Urquhart and Adam Hunt, with beaver-gnawed twigs, which controversially won best in show in 2022), but scant fountains or burbling rocks. Water features are out, I guess. Ponds are in.

My mum built one the other day. Hers is smaller than a piece of A3, lined with rocks and terracotta seedling pots, with two metal ducks stuck around the edge in a boggy bit of her compact urban garden. You might hear “pond” and think complicated things involving liner and algae, but you could make one from a washing-up bowl – and there are plenty of benefits to doing so.

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© Photograph: nigel FRANCIS/Alamy

© Photograph: nigel FRANCIS/Alamy

© Photograph: nigel FRANCIS/Alamy

The Best Handheld Translators for Work and Travel (2026)

30 October 2026 at 13:30
Your cell phone can handle basic language translation, but dedicated translator devices can offer a much more immersive, versatile experience.

Mahmood infuriates fellow ministers by failing to reveal impact of UK migration shake-up

Home secretary’s colleagues fear homelessness will rise as a result of changes to the asylum system

Shabana Mahmood has infuriated ministerial colleagues by failing to share what they see as crucial information about the impact of her migration changes.

Sources say the home secretary has repeatedly refused to reveal how much she expects homelessness to rise as a result of changes to the asylum system.

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© Photograph: Wiktor Szymanowicz/Shutterstock

© Photograph: Wiktor Szymanowicz/Shutterstock

© Photograph: Wiktor Szymanowicz/Shutterstock

Mahmood infuriates fellow ministers by failing to reveal impact of UK migration shake-up

30 October 2026 at 10:00

Home secretary’s colleagues fear homelessness will rise as a result of changes to the asylum system

Shabana Mahmood has infuriated ministerial colleagues by failing to share what they see as crucial information about the impact of her migration changes.

Sources say the home secretary has repeatedly refused to reveal how much she expects homelessness to rise as a result of changes to the asylum system.

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© Photograph: Wiktor Szymanowicz/Shutterstock

© Photograph: Wiktor Szymanowicz/Shutterstock

© Photograph: Wiktor Szymanowicz/Shutterstock

The White House Farm massacre phone calls: could a single disputed digit set Jeremy Bamber free?

30 October 2026 at 08:00

He has been in prison for 41 years for killing five members of his family. But if a phone call was made to the police by Bamber’s father on the night of the murders – as his team believes – one of the UK’s most notorious criminals could be exonerated

On 7 August 1985, five people were found dead at White House Farm in Essex, England: 28-year-old Sheila Caffell (known to her family as Bambi); her six-year-old twin sons, Daniel and Nicholas; and her 61-year-old adoptive parents, June and Nevill Bamber. All five had been shot with a rifle. Caffell’s 24-year-old brother, Jeremy Bamber, who was also adopted, had called to alert Essex police to a disturbance inside the farmhouse – he said his father had called to tell him – and had been outside with the police for four hours before the bodies were discovered. Caffell, who had recently been hospitalised with schizoaffective disorder and is said to have feared her children were going to be taken into foster care, was found with the rifle lying on her chest, pointing towards her neck. There were two gunshot wounds to her neck and chin and a bloodied Bible by her side.

The case was initially thought to be open and shut, a tragic murder-suicide committed by Caffell. But a month later, Bamber was arrested after relatives went to the police to voice their suspicions about him; his former girlfriend Julie Mugford then told police he had made a confession to her. The relatives went on to inherit from Nevill and June Bamber’s considerable estate after Bamber’s convictions. It was later discovered that Mugford had agreed to sell the story of their relationship to the News of the World for £25,000 if Bamber was convicted. Essex police and crown prosecutors had also agreed to drop charges against her for burglary, chequebook fraud and selling cannabis, because “prosecuting her could jeopardise her availability or credibility as a key witness” against Bamber.

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© Composite: Guardian Design; Sinenkiy/Getty

© Composite: Guardian Design; Sinenkiy/Getty

© Composite: Guardian Design; Sinenkiy/Getty

British Council’s £197m debt should mostly be written off, MPs say

30 October 2026 at 08:00

Commons report calls on Foreign Office to bail out soft-power flagship reeling from job cuts and asset sales

Ministers should explore writing off a crippling £197m loan to the British Council by converting as much of it as possible into “a grant or similar”, MPs have said.

The Commons public accounts committee said the government lacked a “positive vision” for the council, whose soft power value to the UK is put at £1bn a year. The MPs called on the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) to set out what more it could do to support the council and its work.

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© Photograph: UCG/Universal Images Group/Getty Images

© Photograph: UCG/Universal Images Group/Getty Images

© Photograph: UCG/Universal Images Group/Getty Images

British Council’s £197m debt should mostly be written off, MPs say

30 October 2026 at 08:00

Commons report calls on Foreign Office to bail out soft-power flagship reeling from job cuts and asset sales

Ministers should explore writing off a crippling £197m loan to the British Council by converting as much of it as possible into “a grant or similar”, MPs have said.

The Commons public accounts committee said the government lacked a “positive vision” for the council, whose soft power value to the UK is put at £1bn a year. The MPs called on the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) to set out what more it could do to support the council and its work.

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© Photograph: UCG/Universal Images Group/Getty Images

© Photograph: UCG/Universal Images Group/Getty Images

© Photograph: UCG/Universal Images Group/Getty Images

Climate academic Andreas Malm barred from entering UK

30 October 2026 at 08:00

Swedish author was due to speak alongside Palestine Action co-founder at event discussing ban on the group

Andreas Malm, the climate academic and author of How to Blow Up a Pipeline, has been blocked from entering the UK before he was due to speak alongside a co-founder of the banned group Palestine Action.

Malm was told by immigration officials his presence in the UK “may not be considered to be conducive to the public good”. He said the decision was “scandalous” and urged the government to reconsider.

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© Photograph: Jeremy Chan/Getty Images

© Photograph: Jeremy Chan/Getty Images

© Photograph: Jeremy Chan/Getty Images

Climate academic Andreas Malm barred from entering UK

30 October 2026 at 08:00

Swedish author was due to speak alongside Palestine Action co-founder at event discussing ban on the group

Andreas Malm, the climate academic and author of How to Blow Up a Pipeline, has been blocked from entering the UK before he was due to speak alongside a co-founder of the banned group Palestine Action.

Malm was told by immigration officials his presence in the UK “may not be considered to be conducive to the public good”. He said the decision was “scandalous” and urged the government to reconsider.

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© Photograph: Abdullah Firas/ABACA/Shutterstock

© Photograph: Abdullah Firas/ABACA/Shutterstock

© Photograph: Abdullah Firas/ABACA/Shutterstock

5 expert takeaways on 2026 midterm election security

With Election Day around the corner, states have been working hard to prepare, with some adopting new congressional maps and voting rules on top of normal election security measures. PBS News' Liz Landers and Votebeat editorial director Jessica Huseman hosted a Reddit "Ask Me Anything" Q&A on Wednesday to address people's questions.

More prisoners recalled to jail than released in England and Wales

Ministry of Justice figures show recalls rose 27% in year to June despite emergency measures to ease overcrowding

More people were recalled to jails in England and Wales in the first half of this year than were released, despite government efforts to reduce the prison population, according to figures released on Thursday.

Ministry of Justice (MoJ) data shows that 12,338 people were recalled to custody between the beginning of April and the end of June, while 12,278 people were released. It continues a trend set between January and March, when 13,193 people were returned to prison and 12,977 released.

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© Photograph: Tolga Akmen/EPA

© Photograph: Tolga Akmen/EPA

© Photograph: Tolga Akmen/EPA

Met refers itself to police watchdog over Meghan warning letter

Move comes as Philippines police investigate alleged child sexual abuse images reportedly found at Thomas Markle Sr’s former home

The Metropolitan police has referred itself to the police watchdog over potential errors in its handling of a 2019 letter warning of dangers to the security of the Duchess of Sussex posed by her father.

The letter made allegations about Thomas Markle, the father of Meghan, who is facing claims of child sexual abuse images offending linked to the Philippines, which he denies.

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© Photograph: Jonathan Brady/PA/AP

© Photograph: Jonathan Brady/PA/AP

© Photograph: Jonathan Brady/PA/AP

Met refers itself to police watchdog over Meghan warning letter

Move comes as Philippines police investigate alleged child sexual abuse images reportedly found at Thomas Markle Sr’s former home

The Metropolitan police has referred itself to the police watchdog over potential errors in its handling of a 2019 letter warning of dangers to the security of the Duchess of Sussex posed by her father.

The letter made allegations about Thomas Markle, the father of Meghan, who is facing claims of child sexual abuse images offending linked to the Philippines, which he denies.

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© Photograph: Jonathan Brady/PA/AP

© Photograph: Jonathan Brady/PA/AP

© Photograph: Jonathan Brady/PA/AP

‘It’s a theatre and we’re pawns’: taking the stand as an expert witness

As one of the world’s leading forensic anthropologists, Dame Sue Black has acted as an expert witness in a myriad of high-profile criminal cases. Her work has taken her from the lab to active war zones and the aftermath of natural disasters to identify victims’ bodies. Speaking to Ian Sample, the professor explains why standing up in front of a judge and jury has been one of the more terrifying parts of her career, the reputational risk of presenting evidence in court and what the future of forensic science could look like

Order An Expert Witness from the Guardian bookshop

Support the Guardian: theguardian.com/sciencepod

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© Photograph: Simone Padovani/Awakening/Getty Images

© Photograph: Simone Padovani/Awakening/Getty Images

© Photograph: Simone Padovani/Awakening/Getty Images

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