UK News
View All 9Man to face trial for attempted murder of British girl in Alps knife attack
A man who allegedly stabbed a British toddler at a playground in the French Alps will go on trial charged with attempted murder, prosecutors have said.Abdalmasih Hanoun is also charged with the attempted murder of 12 other people after the knife attack at a lakeside park in Le Paquier, Annecy, south-east France, in June 2023.Mr Hanoun is also charged with armed resistance after the attack on the British girl, who was three at the time and was named locally as Ettie.She had been visiting the area with her parents, officials said, and was one of four children, aged between 22 months and three years, who were wounded, with two elderly adults also injured. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say At the time, French prosecutors said the girl suffered a single stab wound, but her condition was never "vital".In an update provided this week, the French public prosecutor’s office said Hanoun would face trial at Haute-Savoie Assize Court in Annecy within the next year.The announcement came after the defendant’s mental state was assessed by a panel of experts.The panel found he was not "suffering from a psychological or neuropsychological disorder" at the time of the attack.The translated statement read: "By a decision dated October 6 2026, the Indictment Chamber of the Chambery Court of Appeal ordered that Abdalmasih Hanoun be back before the Haute-Savoie Assize Court in the case known as the ‘paquier’ case."The defendant will have to answer charges of attempted murder in respect of 13 victims, violence with a weapon without total work incapacity in respect of two victims, and armed resistance."The Indictment Chamber considered that since the person under investigation was manifestly not, at the time of the events and according to the second panel of experts, suffering from a psychological or neuropsychological disorder abolishing his discernment or ability to control his actions, there could be no grounds justifying the decision not to indict Mr Abdalmasih Hanoun."LATEST DEVELOPMENTSDonald Trump blames French protests on 'out of control migration' and 'Islam taking over country'French police forced to stop using stun grenades on rioters as President admits response 'too harsh'France to 'make parents pay' for repairs to rioting youths' €30million trail of destructionThe statement added that the decision to proceed with a trial can be appealed to the French Court of Cassation.Shortly after the attack, French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte visited the British child and other victims in hospital before travelling to the lakeside town where the attack took place. Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter
Texas carries out first execution in US since Christa Pike’s botched lethal injection
A death row inmate in Texas has been put to death by lethal injection, despite objections after the failed execution of Christa Pike.Jamaal Howard, who was convicted of fatally shooting a convenience store clerk during a robbery in 2000, has become the 30th person executed in the US this year.The 46-year-old was administered pentobarbital, the same drug used in Pike's attempted execution in Tennessee.Asked by the warden if he had a final statement before the execution, Howard apologised profusely to some members of his victim’s family, who watched through a window just feet from the death chamber. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say Lawyers representing Howard filed two requests to stop the execution, arguing to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals that the drug posed similar risks to Pike's botched execution.Representatives for Howard raised concerns about the quality of the drugs, claiming they were "degraded" and "far past the original beyond-use dates".However, the court denied the stay requests without elaboration.His legal team also sought to block the execution by arguing to the US Supreme Court that Howard was intellectually disabled.However, the state told the court that Howard's lawyers did not present sufficient evidence to show he meets the requirements for such a claim.Texas has executed six people so far this year, with two more lethal injections scheduled later this year.Florida has carried out 16 executions so far this year, the most of any state. The majority of states that allow executions use lethal injection as their primary method.LATEST DEVELOPMENTSChrista Pike ‘angry and confused’ as she wakes up with ‘extraordinary swelling’ from failed lethal injectionChrista Pike ‘conscious and speaking’ nearly a week on from botched executionTennessee prison chief resigns after overseeing 'botched' lethal injection of killer Christa PikePike, sentenced to death for a 1995 murder, awoke "angry and confused" in a hospital this week with a long recuperation ahead after surviving Tennessee's attempt to execute her.In a case which has ignited a global debate about capital punishment, the 50-year-old was taken from the execution chamber to a Nashville hospital, unconscious, critically ill and with severe arm injuries.As late as Monday, her lawyers believed Pike was brain dead and that life support would be removed the next day.However, much to their shock, Pike woke up and began talking, with Randall Spivey, one of her lawyers, telling reporters: "She is very aware that the state tried to execute her."Pike remains very sick and shackled to her hospital bed, facing a long road to recovery, her lawyers said. She cannot swallow or eat, has pneumonia, cannot move her "tremendously swollen" hands or arms, and it is unclear if she will regain her lost mobility, they said.Pike is the first person known to have survived a "completed execution attempt" in the US, her lawyers say, calling it a violation of the Constitution's prohibition on cruel and unusual punishments.Her lawyers are unexpectedly continuing their litigation against state officials, seeking to pierce the secrecy that normally surrounds execution procedures in Tennessee and other states.Pike is the second case of a failed execution in Tennessee this year and has ultimately led to the resignation of Tennessee’s prison chief, Frank Strada.Republican Governor of Tennessee Bill Lee has suspended all further executions in Tennessee for the remainder of the year and ordered an independent review into what happened.Pike was sentenced to death in 1996 following the gruesome murder of Ms Slemmer, whom she met at a job training facility.Along with the aide of her boyfriend Tadaryl Shipp, she stabbed and beat the 19-year-old to death on the University of Tennessee's Agricultural campus.Shipp, who was 17 at the time, received a life sentence with the possibility of parole owing to his age.Investigators said the pair carved a satanic pentagram into Slemmer's chest, and Pike kept a piece of her victim's skull as a trophy.She was anticipated to be the first woman executed in Tennessee in more than two centuries. Whether there will be another execution attempt is unknown, but no order is currently in process.Her attorneys are continuing their efforts to prevent a second execution attempt. Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter
Met Police make over 700 arrests in 'biggest-ever crackdown' on London phone thieves
News | Crime Met Police make over 700 arrests in 'biggest-ever crackdown' on London phone thieves Officers made 711 arrests during operations in September targeting phone snatching, robbery and the handling of stolen goods Allow Exco Player content This content is provided . Please click 'Allow and Continue' below to load the content. Allow and Continue Stewart Carr, News Editor|Michael Howie, Senior News Editor2 minutes ago More than 700 people were arrested and hundreds of suspected stolen mobile phones recovered during a month-long crackdown on robbery and theft across London, the Metropolitan Police has revealed. It follows figures published earlier this year, which showed London is Europe’s phone snatch capital with about 80,000 devices stolen annually – one every six minutes. In what the Met calls its biggest-ever crackdown on phone theft, officers made 711 arrests throughout September while targeting phone snatching, robbery and the handling of stolen goods. The Standard accompanied the Met on one of its operations in central London. The month-long crackdown also led to the seizure of drugs, weapons, cash and more than 110 illegally modified e-bikes, which are frequently used 's streets. The Met Police carried out its biggest-ever crackdown on London phone thieves Met Police Among those arrested was a 21-year-old suspect who allegedly tried to evade police e-bike before jumping into a pond, where he was eventually detained by officers. Phantom Of The Opera to be filmed live for 40th anniversary of West End musical Glenn Close to appear as King Herod in West End’s Jesus Christ Superstar Second man dies after horror London crash as police continue probe The figures emerge as the Met faces continuing pressure to curb phone thefts and street robberies, particularly in central London boroughs, where organised gangs on e-bikes and scooters have been blamed for a surge in incidents in recent years. Police said hundreds of suspected stolen phones were recovered during the month of action, allowing investigators to return devices to victims and pursue criminal networks involved in the theft and resale of mobile phones. The operation targeting thieves and other street criminals lasted throughout September Met Police The force said officers carried out targeted operations across the capital, focusing on robbery hotspots and areas where theft from the person remains a persistent problem. Detectives are also continuing to target handlers and organised criminals who profit from the trade in stolen devices, alongside frontline efforts to catch offenders responsible for snatch thefts.
London schools face strike closures as 1,000 support staff to walk out
News | London London schools face strike closures as 1,000 support staff to walk out Members of the GMB union employed are holding a rally in Westminster on Friday in a dispute over London weighting payments Allow Exco Player content This content is provided . Please click 'Allow and Continue' below to load the content. Allow and Continue Tom Place, News Reporter2 minutes ago COMMENTS Dozens of schools in south London will be impacted , with more than 1,000 school support staff to stage a protest over pay. Members of the GMB union employed in Merton and Greenwich are holding a rally and march in Westminster on October 9, having previously walked out in May. The dispute centres around London weighting payments, with the staff arguing that teachers in their schools receive the inner London rate but they are paid the lower outer London rate, a difference of up to £1,400 a year. Teaching assistants and other support staff will stage a rally in Old Palace Yard before marching to the Department for Education to take their message to senior politicians. Schools in the two boroughs will contact parents and carers directly to confirm whether they will be fully open, partially open or closed. Merton Council has confirmed that 28 schools in the borough will be affected . A statement on the council website reads: “We are disappointed that this further strike action is planned and are urging the GMB to call off the action to minimise disruption to children and families while work continues to find a lasting resolution. “In the meantime, the council is working closely with affected schools to minimise disruption to children and families.” The council says that it recognises the “enormously important contribution” that school support staff make to children’s education. While it supports the case for fair pay, Merton Council says it cannot legally fund the increase at local level, nor endorse a one-off payment which would create knock-on consequences for other council services and residents. Greenwich Council have reported that three schools in the area have alerted them to closures or partial closures on Friday. Lime spends £900k on London e-bike parking amid 'Wild West' concerns Westminster council leader hints at cutting street cleaning at Downing Street Choose the right education path for your child Thomas Tallis School in Kidbrooke will be open to years 11 and 13 only, while Christ Church C of E Primary School in Shooters Hill will only be open to Years 1, 2, 3 and 6.
World News
View All 105 Takeaways From the First Iowa Senate Debate
In a top Senate battleground, Representative Ashley Hinson, the Republican nominee, sparred with Josh Turek, her Democratic rival, on policy issues ranging from Medicaid to term limits.
Arizona Congressional Candidate Says She Was Raped While Fixing Sign
Bernadette Greene-Placentia, a Democrat, said the attack in August occurred while she was repairing a damaged campaign sign.
Trump dominates the Iowa Senate debate from afar
Iowa Senate candidates Ashley Hinson and Josh Turek take questions during a debate Wednesday night in Johnston. Cody Scanlan / Des Moines Register via Reuters Add NBC News to Google Oct. 7, 2026, PM EDT a televised Iowa Senate debate Wednesday night between Democrat Josh Turek, a state representative, and Republican Rep. Hinson fired back, accusing Turek of skipping out on votes in the Legislature, being “too liberal” for the state and lying when he accused her of using her position to enrich her family. “It’s one thing to vote like an East Coast liberal; it’s another to lie like them,” she said. At another point, she jabbed Turek for flip-flopping on his willingness to legislate with Trump. “You trashed the president during the primary, and now you’re doing ads saying you’re going to work with him,” she said. “It’s a tale of two Tureks.” But , the debate over a Senate seat that is one of a handful that will determine party control of the chamber was unusually civil. Hinson expressed her sympathy over Turek’s sister’s being diagnosed with cancer, and Turek nodded to the pain negative ads caused both candidates. And both of them pledged to work with Trump or a future Democratic president. “You work with the person who’s going to sign the bills, no matter who that person is, on things that are important to your state, and that’s exactly what I’ve done,” Hinson said. In particular, she pointed to laws President Joe Biden signed on preventing stillbirths and providing mental health services to rural veterans for which she was the lead Republican sponsor in the House. Recent polls have found the race is more or less a dead heat, with several surveys showing each candidate with a lead within the margin of error. Iowa has been a reliably Republican state in recent years, with Trump having won it in all three of his bids for the presidency and the GOP controlling both Senate seats and all four U. But Trump’s low approval ratings have been an anchor on Republican candidates in Iowa, as they have been across the country. Trump was about 1,000 miles south Wednesday night, campaigning in Texas as Hinson and Turek debated in Iowa, but he looms over virtually every contest approaching in the midterm election. The last time Democrats won statewide federal races in Iowa was more than a decade ago, when Barack Obama carried the state in two presidential elections and when then-Sen.
WHO seeks answers and clarity over plague lab death in Russia
Oct. 8, 202604:45 Now Playing WHO seeks answers and clarity over plague lab death in Russia UP NEXT Report finds discounts on Trump's drug website are hit or miss Ron Bennington Talks Hosting Comedy Podcast During Chemo Meet the Woman Bringing 4th Trimester Care to American Moms Exclusive: Promising Brain Cancer Vaccine Gives Hope to Patients Trump to talk with Putin ‘very soon’ about death at anti-plague lab US Calls for Transparency on Reported Russian Plague Death Why You Should Be Wary of Cholesterol Advice on Social Media NY Declares Measles Emergency; Pennsylvania Cases Surge Mystery death in Russian lab Why Esther Perel Says Americans Are in a Sex Recession Are Flu and Cold Symptoms Worse for Men or Women? Brooke Eby, Who Chronicled Life With ALS on TikTok, Dies at 37 Researcher at Russian Lab Dies After Potential Plague Exposure Could breakthrough new treatment cure Type 1 diabetes? This Doctor Soothes Patients With more deaths than births in Ukraine, having babies becomes an act of national pride Research shows colorectal cancer is on the rise for younger people and more severe Why Sharing Your Family's Health History With Doctor is Important Doctor Puts Spotlight on Overlooked Women’s Health Topics Stay Tuned NOW The World Health Organization is pushing for more answers and clarity in the plague death that happened in a lab in Russia. NBC News' Dr. Akshay Syal has more on what we know about the illness and what WHO is seeking from Russia. Oct.
Politics
View All 10Voting opens in high stakes Holborn and St Pancras byelection
Sagal Abdi-Wali, the Labour candidate, is standing for Labour in the seat Keir Starmer won with a 11,500 majority in 2024. Photograph: Carl Court/Getty View image in fullscreen Sagal Abdi-Wali, the Labour candidate, is standing for Labour in the seat Keir Starmer won with a 11,500 majority in 2024. Photograph: Carl Court/Getty Voting opens in high stakes Holborn and St Pancras byelection Zack Polanski has led energetic campaign for the Greens, while Labour will hope to hold on to Starmer’s old seat Voting has opened in the Holborn and St Pancras byelection, a contest seen as a key gauge of Andy Burnham’s ability to energise voters and whether Zack Polanski’s Greens can still peel off support from Labour’s left. Polanski, who leads the Greens in England and Wales, is standing for his party in the north London constituency, previously held . The seat is, under normal circumstances, a Labour stronghold. Starmer won it with a majority of 11,500 at the 2024 general election despite strong challenges from the Greens and a leftwing independent candidate, who is not standing again and has endorsed Polanski. In 2019, Starmer won by nearly 28,000 votes. Loss of green space could be issue that decides Holborn and St Pancras byelection Polanski has run a highly energetic campaign. He has mobilised a large numbers of supporters to knock on doors, mimicking February’s Gorton and Denton byelection where the Greens overcame an even bigger Labour majority to take the seat. However, the political landscape has changed. Shortly after Gorton and Denton, YouGov polling put the Greens briefly above Labour, on a peak of 21%. The most recent equivalent had Polanksi’s party on 11%, 16 points behind Labour. Burnham, who succeeded Starmer as prime minister in July, is seen as having revitalised Labour, and used his speech at the party’s annual conference last month to set out a more ambitious and left-leaning collection of policies. Polanski’s fortunes in contrast appear to have declined, especially since last weekend’s Green party conference where a vote a policy equating Zionism with racism and calling for Israel to be replaced by a single Palestinian state prompted condemnation and splits in the party. View image in fullscreen Zack Polanski has mobilised a large number of supporters to knock on doors, mimicking February’s Gorton and Denton byelection. Photograph: Andy Hall/The GuardianFour out of the five Green MPs have condemned the policy, while councillors and others have distanced themselves from it or in some cases left the party.
Trump reups beef with ‘ungrateful’ Cuellar for staying Democrat after pardon
President Trump ripped into Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) Wednesday evening for not switching parties after receiving a presidential pardon in 2025, the latest development in a feud that has intensified since the Democrat announced his reelection bid. In a Truth Social post ahead of a campaign rally in San Antonio, the president said he did…
Shapiro, Garrity clash on data centers, measles response in Pennsylvania governor debate: 4 takeaways
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) and state Treasurer Stacy Garrity (R), their parties’ nominees to lead the commonwealth, sparred over an ongoing measles outbreak, voter ID reform and data centers during their first and only scheduled debate on Wednesday evening. The debate was hosted by ABC27, a local affiliate of The Hill’s parent company, Nexstar…
Tory inheritance tax pledge: do the sums add up?
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch says if her party wins the next election she will cut the number of families paying the levy
Business
View All 10Tencent Mulls $5 Billion Bond Offering as AI Push Ramps Up
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Šefčovič goes to Beijing with a final plea to avoid an EU-China trade war
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EU envoy lands in China for last-ditch talks over car exports
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Kirkland’s money machine goes dark
The world’s highest-grossing law firm will stop sharing its financial figures with the legal industry’s flagship ranking of law firm profits and revenues
Technology
View All 103 Fired OpenAI Employees Write Plea for Chain of Thought Monitoring to Be Preserved
Artificial Intelligence 3 Fired OpenAI Employees Write Plea for Chain of Thought Monitoring to Be Preserved OpenAI fired them, but says it agrees with their recommendations. 7, 2026, pm ET Reading time 2 minutes © Chip Somodevilla/ Read Later Read Later Comments (2) A new letter from insiders about the potential dangers of AI is refreshingly specific. The writers are concerned, according to the Wall Street Journal, about preserving the ability to monitor models’ chains of thought. But the authors aren’t technically insiders now, because they were recently fired. Last week, OpenAI announced that it had “parted ways with three individuals for violating our policies on accessing and handling sensitive company information.” They had allegedly conveyed said information to an AI safety organization. Those employees were Tomek Korbak, Mikita Balesni, and Jasmine Wang, and they’re clearly of the school of thought that AI poses an existential risk. Before their firings, Balesni had already posted on X that he thinks AI is “10% likely to kill all humans.” Wang had posted, “It’s hard to overstate how dangerous speeding towards RSI is.” (RSI, or recursive self-improvement, means AI models improving themselves). Korbak, Balesni, and Wang’s new letter is addressed to OpenAI’s board and the company’s “safety committees,” the WSJ writes. It hasn’t been published publicly, and the WSJ has only published excerpts. “As an industry, we do not yet know how to safely develop and deploy models that we cannot monitor[…] OpenAI and other frontier companies should not move forward with developments that further decrease” monitoring, the letter says. OpenAI’s latest flagship model, GPT-6 Astra, has triggered two types of worry vis-a-vis chain of thought (CoT), and here I will describe them using metaphorical language at the risk of anthropomorphizing models: A) they may be learning to outwit the monitoring system, and B) OpenAI supposedly might be steering things in a direction that could make CoT monitoring less useful anyway. More specifically, according to the model’s system card, “Astra class models could evade our CoT monitors under adversarial conditions.” And meanwhile, reasoning with Astra also involves a more opaque form of “thinking” (and look: none of this is actual thinking, but that’s the term we currently have) called “recurrent depth.” Recurrent depth at first cycles a query through the model multiple times to process it rather than generating anything—an event that happens inside the unknowable black box of the model, so there’s nothing to monitor.
The Best Prime Day Apple Deals (2026) Are About to Expire
CommentSave StorySave this story CommentSave StorySave this story For more savings, be sure to check out all the Absolute Best Prime Day Deals we've found so far. pm ET October 7: We've added a new deal and double-checked the existing discounts. Prime here to unlock exclusive deals. They fall to this price quite frequently, but WIRED readers continually purchase them, and this deal is still better than paying full price. They have detailed sound, great noise cancellation and transparency modes, a built-in heart rate sensor, and live translation. Photograph: Adrienne So Photograph: Adrienne So Photograph: Adrienne So Photograph: Adrienne So Chevron Chevron Save to wishlistSave to wishlist Apple AirPods Max 2 The AirPods Max 2 are sleek, stylish, and on sale for a match of the second-best deal we've seen. They've dropped to $399 a couple of times, but this deal is still worth considering if these are the headphones you want. The battery life could be better, and we wish there were custom EQ options, but we like them overall. Photograph: Harry Rabinowitz Save to wishlistSave to wishlist Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 Photograph: Luke Larsen Photograph: Luke Larsen Photograph: Luke Larsen Photograph: Luke Larsen Chevron Chevron Save to wishlistSave to wishlist Apple MacBook Air (M5, 2026) The MacBook Air remains the best laptop we’d recommend for most people. It strikes a great balance of features, power, and price, offering enough performance for both work and play. The portable, sleek design and excellent battery life make it an easy recommendation for just about anybody. And in terms of price, this is the best deal we’ve seen on the M5 MacBook Air since June. Photograph: Brenda Stolyar Photograph: Brenda Stolyar Chevron Chevron Save to wishlistSave to wishlist Apple iPad (2025, A16) The standard 11-inch iPad avoided a price hike this year and remains a great tablet for families. It’s perfect for kicking back with a movie, game, or book, and it can be relied upon to keep the kids amused. Photograph: Luke Larsen Photograph: Luke Larsen Photograph: Luke Larsen Chevron Chevron Save to wishlistSave to wishlist Apple Mac Mini (M6) Photograph: Alamy Photograph: James D. Morgan/ Chevron Chevron Save to wishlistSave to wishlist Apple AirTag (2nd Generation) These are the best trackers for folks with an iPhone, and you can use them to keep tabs on your keys, travel luggage, bike, or whatever else you worry might go missing. The location of each AirTag is marked clearly in the Find My app.
Best October Prime Day Deals to Shop Before the Sale Ends (2026)
Amazon Prime Big Deal Days are here, and we’ve tracked down the best discounts on all the gear our team recommends.
Science
View All 10Wonky wych elm in County Down crowned Tree of the Year
The 150-year-old wych elm on the central promenade in Newcastle, County Down, took more than 30% of the national public vote in the UK Tree of the Year 2026 Newcastle's 'Bendy Tree' has been crowned UK Tree of the Year 2026 - the first time a tree in Northern Ireland has won the national title since it was launched in 2014. The 150-year-old wych elm on the central promenade took more than 30% of the national public vote. The theme of the Woodland Trust's annual competition was Against All Odds, with trees across the UK shortlisted for being impressive, beautiful and sometimes baffling examples of how nature can survive adversity. Northern Ireland director John Martin said he was rooting for the "whimsical" tree to win and said tens of thousands across the UK had clearly felt the same. "It's a great testament to the resilience of nature." The Bendy Tree in County Down saw off competition from a small yew that has been growing from the masonry of a Devon church tower for 200 years, a Scottish ash that survived a lightning strike, and a Surrey yew, in which early 19th Century villagers found an embedded English Civil War cannonball. The wych elm is the last remaining tree of a row that was planted along the original promenade in the 19th century, to shelter it from the sea breeze. The rest of the trees were felled in the 1980s during redevelopment. The wind it protected people from has made its trunk grow almost horizontal. But its leafy rainbow over the path means it is still protecting people - just slightly differently. "The council have put a bench underneath it where people can come and sit in the shade and enjoy views of the Mournes and of the sea," Martin said. "I think the whimsical nature of it and the fact that it's showed a lot of resilience over 150 years has proven it the winner this year." Northern Ireland director of the Woodland Trust John Martin was rooting for the tree to win But it has survived more than the weather. As a native elm tree, it also resisted Dutch Elm disease, which destroyed most of the 30 million elms around the UK in the 1960s. Martin said it had shown "remarkable resilience" to live as long as it has and added that it was "great" to see a tree of this age acknowledged. The Ancient Tree inventory lead at the Trust said it was an "astonishing and bizarre" tree Northern Ireland has one of the lowest rates of woodland cover in Europe (8.7%).
UK bluefin tuna comeback shows nature can recover, says WWF
Bluefin tuna have returned in significant numbers to the waters off Cornwall Bluefin tuna have returned in huge numbers off the British coast after almost disappearing from UK waters. The return of the giant predatory fish is one of several wildlife recoveries highlighted in a major new report from WWF, which it says shows conservation can work. However, the Living Planet Report 2026 also found that monitored wildlife populations around the world have fallen 73% since 1970. The wildlife conservation charity said nature remains in "freefall" but it called the report one of hope. "It's not too late," Mike Barrett, chief scientific adviser at WWF-UK, told the BBC. Restored wetland becomes haven for rare birds Five endangered African birds hatch at Chester Zoo The UK was once home to large tuna fisheries, but overfishing of both the tuna and the smaller fish it preys on meant that by the 1960s it had largely disappeared. The report credits its recent recovery to a concerted international effort that included reducing catch quotas, size limits and protection of spawning grounds, which was backed , chefs and retailers. Hannah Rudd, head of marine at the Angling Trust, said the result of this effort was close to an "explosion" in the population of the species. "I think bluefin tuna is a golden case study that fisheries management works," she said. This video can not be played Climate editor Justin Rowlatt visits the UK Bluefin Tuna Championships The WWF report highlighted other species recoveries around the world, including an increase of more than 70% in the number of wild tigers - from around 3,200 in 2010 to about 5,700 in 2025. Last year, the green sea turtle became the first marine turtle to have its protection status downgraded from "endangered" to "least concern", after 50 years of conservation work in about 80 countries. Elephant numbers are stable or growing in parts of southern Africa, thanks in part to new laws that give local people a share of the income elephants bring, including tourism. Khata Biological Corridor in Nepal has been restored, helping local tiger numbers to recover Barrett said these successes resulted from a clear goal with a credible plan and people who believed they could make a difference. The report calls it "the science of hope". "Hope is not the same thing as wishful thinking," he said. "Hope is not passive. Hope's about action." Elephant population numbers have also stabilised or are growing in parts of southern Africa But despite the individual successes, the overall picture for nature remains stark.
Scientists warn a popular vitamin D supplement may have a hidden downside
Date: October 8, 2026 Source: University of Surrey Summary: Not all vitamin D supplements are created equal, and new research suggests that one popular form may have an unexpected downside. Scientists found that taking vitamin D2 can actually lower the body's levels of vitamin D3, the form naturally produced D. Previous studies also suggest that vitamin D3 may provide stronger immune protection against viruses and bacteria. Share: Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIN Email FULL STORY New research reveals that vitamin D2 supplements may unexpectedly lower vitamin D3 levels, suggesting that not all vitamin D supplements are equally beneficial. Credit: Shutterstock A common vitamin D supplement may have an unexpected effect inside the body. Research published in 2025 found that taking vitamin D2 can reduce levels of vitamin D3, the form humans naturally make when skin is exposed to sunlight. That distinction matters because vitamin D2 and vitamin D3 are often treated as interchangeable sources of the same nutrient. Both can increase overall vitamin D status, but a growing body of evidence indicates that D3 is generally more effective at raising and maintaining the main form of vitamin D measured in the blood. Current guidance from the U. National Institutes of Health reflects that evidence, noting that D3 tends to raise vitamin D levels more and keep them elevated for longer than D2. Vitamin D is essential for helping the body absorb calcium and maintain healthy bones. It also plays roles in muscle, nerve, and immune function. In the UK, people are advised to consider taking 10 micrograms (µg) of vitamin D each day during the darker months, when sunlight is generally too weak for the skin to make enough of the vitamin. Vitamin D2 and D3 Are Not Quite the Same Vitamin D supplements generally contain one of two forms. Vitamin D2, also called ergocalciferol, is commonly produced from fungi or yeast exposed to ultraviolet light. Vitamin D3, or cholecalciferol, is the same form produced in human skin after exposure to ultraviolet B radiation from sunlight. Traditionally, vitamin D3 in supplements has often come from lanolin obtained from sheep's wool. However, animal-free D3 made from sources such as lichen is also available, an important consideration for people following vegan or plant-based diets. Once vitamin D enters the body, it goes through several processing steps. The liver converts it into 25-hydroxyvitamin D, the form doctors commonly measure in blood tests to estimate a person's vitamin D status.
Neanderthal Europe was as much a wooden age as a stone age
A wooden object from the Abric Romaní site interpreted as a wooden club Gerard Campeny/IPHES-CERCA Wooden tools, weapons, building materials and domestic items discovered in a Spanish cave challenge the assumption that Neanderthals’ technological life was based primarily on stone. The finds have given an unprecedented glimpse into everyday Neanderthal life and are a rare opportunity to recover part of their missing world, says Josep Vallverdú at the Catalan Institute of Human Paleoecology and Social Evolution in Spain. “Neanderthal technology was not only made of stone; it was also made of wood,” he says. “The archaeological record gives us a very biased picture of prehistoric technology. We stone because it survives, while a huge part of their material culture has simply disappeared.” Vallverdú and his colleagues have now completed the first systematic review of nearly 600 wooden objects, all between 40,000 and 62,000 years old. The finds have been collected 1980s, excavated at a rock shelter site called Abric Romaní near Barcelona. They include timber imprints in travertine – a rock rich in calcium carbonate that precipitates out of water in certain environments. The rock preserves the patterns of the wood grain even though the timber long ago rotted away. Charred artefacts and actual preserved timber have also been found at the site. The researchers’ first job was to determine exactly which pieces were used or made by Neanderthals. Most of the remainder consist of trunks, branches, twigs, roots and firewood accumulations. Maria Gema Chacón, also at the Catalan Institute, says the researchers have been surprised at how “complex Neanderthal woodworking could be, and how well they understood the properties of wood”, with the two spears being especially striking to her. “Producing long, straight shafts and shaping them deliberately into pointed weapons required planning, skill and careful selection of the raw material,” says Chacón. The technological behaviours preserved at Abric Romaní are comparable to those documented for Homo sapiens, she says. Other finds included a mysterious wooden tripod, as well as timber trays reminiscent, in terms of likely utility, of the coolamons traditionally used . Some of the wooden objects appear to be structural poles. But perhaps the item that has most surprised the team is a “club-like” object that has no precedent from any other palaeolithic site. Chris Stringer at the Natural History Museum in London says the archaeological record of wooden artefacts has been “severely constrained” .
Environment
View All 10Compounding Climate Impacts Drive Tropical Forest Decline
Ozone pollution from fires, along with extreme heat and drought, is further weakening the Amazon rainforest’s ability to absorb carbon dioxide, new research shows. The Amazon and other forests absorb more than a quarter of human-caused CO2 emissions each year, more than 11 billion metric tons. But in recent decades, increasingly larger areas of forests […]
Q&A: ‘Are the warnings all hype?’ – our environment writers answered your El Niño questions
Guardian reporters Jonathan Watts and Gabrielle Canon answered your question climate and extreme weather, from what to expect this winter in the UK to the increasing risk of natural disastersfunkymentalist asks: Unrelated to El Niño, what is the likelihood of the AMOC (Atlantic meridional overturning circulation) shutting down?Jon says: I don’t think these two things are unrelated. Everything is affected by climate breakdown. And both El Niño and the slowdown of AMOC are related to the staggeringly huge amounts (see this article on zettajoules which I also referred to above) of extra energy that the oceans are being forced to absorb as a result of greenhouse gas burning. Quick refresher for any readers who are unfamiliar with this topic: “Amoc, or the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation, is a system of ocean currents that brings heat into the northern Atlantic. Warm surface water from the tropics flows north and releases its heat in the subpolar Atlantic, south of Greenland and west of Britain and Ireland. Then it cools and sinks to a depth of between 2,000m to 3,000 metres before returning south as a cold current. Amoc is one of our planet’s largest heat transport systems, moving the equivalent of 50 times the human energy use, and it has a particularly strong impact on the climate in Europe, affects the ocean’s CO2 uptake and oxygen supply, as well as rainfall patterns in the tropics.”Gaby says: The name “El Niño” actually harkens back to long before forecasters used the phenomenon to track global weather patterns. Fishermen off the coast of South America began to track unusually warm water that would show up every few years right around Christmas - thus “The Little Boy” referring to the Christ child in Spanish. Scientists adopted the name, and added “La Niña” as its counterpart (when sea surface temperatures cool), and together they became ENSO - the El Niño Southern Oscillation. This year, though, feel free to call it “El Monstruo Gordo!” It’s going to be a big one. Continue reading...
Tropical Storm Isaias forecast to become first Atlantic hurricane of 2026
Satellite imagery shows thunderstorms clumping together to form Tropical Storm Isaias. Tropical Storm Isaias has formed in the Gulf of Mexico and looks likely to strengthen into the first Atlantic hurricane of this year. It is expected to reach hurricane strength a category two storm. It has the potential to bring damaging winds, torrential rain and a storm surge to parts of the US Gulf Coast with landfall expected on Friday or Saturday. Hurricane and Storm Surge Watches have been issued. Isaias will bring an end to the lack of hurricanes that has led to a record-breakingly quiet Atlantic season so far with development suppressed ño pattern. Developing El Niño becomes strongest on record weeks before expected peak Hurricanes: Inside the deadly storms In its latest update, the US National Hurricane Center estimates that Tropical Storm Isaias is likely to reach hurricane strength . It will intensify further, reaching category 2 . Parts of Mexico will feel the first impacts as the storm swirls out at sea, with 4in (100mm) of rain possible around the Bay of Campeche and the Yucatan Peninsula, accompanied . Isaias will then make landfall on the Gulf Coast - probably in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama or Florida - late on Friday or early on Saturday. Damaging winds, torrential rain and coastal flooding are the major risks from the developing hurricane Between 3 and 6in (75-150mm) of rain could fall across the Gulf Coast, from south-east Louisiana to north-west Florida. A few places could see up to 10in (250mm) with possible flash flooding, especially in urban areas, and the risk of isolated river flooding. Dangerous winds are anticipated and a storm surge could inundate low-lying coastal areas. The US National Weather Service has issued Hurricane and Storm Surge Watches along the Gulf Coast. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency across 25 counties over concerns about potential impacts. As the storm moves further inland and loses contact with its warm water fuel source it will weaken but it is still expected to bring some potentially disruptive wet weather for large swathes of the south-east USA as far north as the Tennessee Valley and the Carolinas. Forecasters in the US had predicted the 2026 hurricane season would be quieter than average - and so far this has come to pass. Isaias is the ninth tropical storm of the Atlantic season, but will be the first to become a hurricane. The developing strong El Niño in the Pacific Ocean is responsible.
Maine’s Next Governor Will Walk a Tightrope Between Energy Affordability and Climate Action
As Mainers prepare to choose a new governor in November, climate and energy issues may not be top of mind for every voter—but they are having big effects on residents’ lives. The average cost of heating oil recently soared to a record high of more than $6 per gallon, promising an expensive winter ahead for […]
Weather
View All 5Today: Sunny Intervals, Minimum Temperature: 10°C (50°F) Maximum Temperature: 14°C (58°F)
This video can not be played This morning will begin dry with plenty of sunshine. In the afternoon it will become overcast, and it will turn wet and windy . Staying unsettled overnight as outbreaks of heavy rain push in from the west, these blustery and persistent at times. Another unsettled day tomorrow with rain clearing to blustery showers and sunny spells . Showers persisting through to the nighttime. Outlook for Saturday to Monday Saturday will be fairly windy with plenty of sunshine, though the odd shower may edge in from the north-west at times. Staying generally cooler than of late. Dry and calmer on Sunday with plenty of sunshine and a few areas of cloud around. Cloudier and windier on Monday with a few blustery showers in the second half of the day. Average wind speed 3 Miles per hour, North North Westerly3Average wind speed 5 Kilometres per hour, North North Westerly5 Humidity: Humidity: 81%,81% Visibility: Visibility, not available,-- Pressure: Pressure: 1020 millibars, Rising,1020mb, Rising Observation station: Manchester Airport (53.350° North, 2.283° West)Observation station: Manchester Airport (53.350° N, 2.283° W) Our favourite Weather Watchers photos nearby Report for Mossley, Tameside Report for Rochdale, Rochdale jol1yReported by jol1y Report for Rochdale, Rochdale stevenReported , Bolton Cheryl DoranReported
Friday: Heavy Rain, Minimum Temperature: 10°C (49°F) Maximum Temperature: 16°C (61°F)
This video can not be played This morning will begin dry with plenty of sunshine. In the afternoon it will become overcast, and it will turn wet and windy . Staying unsettled overnight as outbreaks of heavy rain push in from the west, these blustery and persistent at times. Another unsettled day tomorrow with rain clearing to blustery showers and sunny spells . Showers persisting through to the nighttime. Outlook for Saturday to Monday Saturday will be fairly windy with plenty of sunshine, though the odd shower may edge in from the north-west at times. Staying generally cooler than of late. Dry and calmer on Sunday with plenty of sunshine and a few areas of cloud around. Cloudier and windier on Monday with a few blustery showers in the second half of the day. Average wind speed 3 Miles per hour, North North Westerly3Average wind speed 5 Kilometres per hour, North North Westerly5 Humidity: Humidity: 81%,81% Visibility: Visibility, not available,-- Pressure: Pressure: 1020 millibars, Rising,1020mb, Rising Observation station: Manchester Airport (53.350° North, 2.283° West)Observation station: Manchester Airport (53.350° N, 2.283° W) Our favourite Weather Watchers photos nearby Report for Mossley, Tameside Report for Rochdale, Rochdale jol1yReported by jol1y Report for Rochdale, Rochdale stevenReported , Bolton Cheryl DoranReported
Hurricane and storm surge watches issued for northern Gulf Coast as Isaias strengthens, U.S.
Satellite image of Tropical Storm Isaias at UTC October 7, 2026. Credit: NOAA/GOES-19, Zoom Earth The Watchers A Hurricane Watch is in effect from Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, to Indian Pass, Florida. Hurricane conditions are possible within this area beginning late Friday. A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect from the Jefferson/Plaquemines Parish line, Louisiana, to west of Bay St. Louis, and from east of Indian Pass to the Aucilla River, Florida. Tropical storm conditions could begin in the watch areas around midday Friday. A Storm Surge Watch is in effect from the mouth of the Mississippi River to Yankeetown. NHC said life-threatening inundation from rising water moving inland is possible within 48 hours. /NWS If the peak surge occurs at the time of high tide, water could reach 1.5 to 2.1 m (5 to 7 feet) above ground from Ocean Springs, Mississippi to Indian Pass, Florida, and within Mobile Bay. Surge heights of 0.9 to 1.5 m (3 to 5 feet) are possible from the mouth of the Mississippi River to Ocean Springs and from Indian Pass to the Aucilla River. Amounts of 0.6 to 1.2 m (2 to 4 feet) are possible from the Aucilla River to Yankeetown, and 0.3 to 0.9 m (1 to 3 feet) along Lake Pontchartrain. No hurricane or tropical storm warning was in effect for any land area as of Wednesday morning. NHC said additional watches and warnings could be required for a portion of the northern Gulf Coast later Wednesday. CDT), the center of Isaias was located near 22.4°N 93.6°W , about 420 km (260 miles) west-northwest of Progreso, Mexico, and 870 km (540 miles) south-southwest of the mouth of the Mississippi River. Maximum sustained winds were near 75 km/h (45 mph), and the minimum central pressure was 1 000 hPa based on dropsonde data. The storm was moving east-northeast at 13 km/h (8 mph), with tropical-storm-force winds extending up to 75 km (45 miles) from the center. NWS Mobile said peak winds of 120 to 155 km/h (75 to 95 mph), with gusts to 185 km/h (115 mph), are possible in the Pensacola, Florida area. Winds of 89 to 113 km/h (55 to 70 mph) with gusts to 160 km/h (100 mph) are possible along the Baldwin County, Alabama coast. A Hurricane Watch is also in effect for coastal marine waters from Pensacola to Pascagoula, where winds of 95 to 130 km/h (50 to 70 knots) and seas up to 10 m (33 feet) are possible. NHC issued a Hurricane Warning for offshore waters of the central Gulf of America, where hurricane conditions are expected Thursday night. Winds of 120 to 155 km/h (65 to 85 knots) and seas of 5.8 to 8.8 m (19 to 29 feet) are forecast there.
Tropical Storm Isaias forms in the Gulf of America, forecast to rapidly strengthen before U.S. landfall
Satellite image of Tropical Storm Isaias at UTC on October 7, 2026. Credit: NOAA/GOES-19, RAMMB/CIRA, The Watchers There is an increasing risk of dangerous wind and storm surge impacts along portions of the northern Gulf Coast, NHC warns. Residents from Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle should closely monitor the latest forecast updates and ensure they have their hurricane plan in place. Hurricane and Storm Surge Watches will likely be required for a portion of the northern Gulf Coast later today. Tropical Storm Isaias will bring areas of heavy rainfall to the central U. Gulf Coast and much of the Southeast Friday into the weekend. Flash and urban flooding, along with isolated river flooding, will be possible. Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico: Tropical Storm Isaias is expected to strengthen and could bring gusty winds and areas of heavy rain to the western portion of the Yucatan Peninsula over the next day or two. As of UTC Wednesday ( a. m. CDT), the center of Isaias was located about 460 km (285 miles) west of Progreso, Mexico, and 935 km (580 miles) southwest of the mouth of the Mississippi River. Maximum sustained winds were near 65 km/h (40 mph) with higher gusts, and the estimated minimum central pressure was 1 004 hPa. Tropical-storm-force winds extended up to 75 km (45 miles) from the center. The system was moving east-northeast at 13 km/h (8 mph). NHC upgraded the depression based on satellite imagery, a nearby buoy observation, and a Dvorak classification of T2.5, with Air Force Reserve and NOAA Hurricane Hunter aircraft scheduled to sample the storm later Wednesday. /NHCImage credit: NOAA/NHCAn east-northeast motion is expected Wednesday, taking the storm north of the Yucatan Peninsula on Thursday, followed by a turn toward the northeast and north on Thursday and Friday. Isaias is forecast to approach the U. S. northern Gulf Coast on Friday. NHC said confidence in the track forecast remains below average because of significant spread among models, with AI-based guidance on the eastern side of the envelope and physics-based models on the western side. The latest track is an eastward shift from the previous advisory. Rapid strengthening is forecast over the next day or two. Isaias is expected to become a hurricane on Thursday, with winds near 120 km/h (75 mph), and to peak near 175 km/h (110 mph), Category 2 strength, over the central Gulf on Thursday night. Strong wind shear is expected to increase before the storm reaches the coast. NHC said it is “looking more likely” that Isaias “will be a significant hurricane when it reaches the coast,” with an expanding wind field and impacts extending far from the center on the eastern side of the storm.
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