The Independent
October 2026
Robert Pether: Australian held in Iraq for five years over contract dispute is finally released
I spoke to Mr Pether shortly before his departure from Baghdad and am pleased he is now free to move forward with his life,
He is actually still in transit. We weren't going to say anything until he was safe at the end of his journey,
I know this has taken a real toll on him and his family,
It's been an absolute nightmare, especially these last few months. So many obstacles and plot twists right up to the last minute,
Prestwick aircraft repair facility to benefit from £57m investment
This investment reflects GE Aerospace’s commitment to our customers and to the future of our Prestwick site.
With more than £18 million of UK Government funding we are unlocking private sector investment, boosting skilled jobs and helping drive good growth in every Scottish postcode.... This will
The investment will retain high value skilled jobs, attract talent to the sector and reinforce Prestwick’s position as a leading UK aerospace location, while creating attractive career opportunities for future generations in local STEM industries,
Nato’s top military commander to tell Putin: We are ready to fight you and win if you attack
The speech is expected to outline Nato’s response to a Russian attack in detail to deter Moscow
Windows of opportunity come and go. We have to look for those windows of opportunity and seize them when they're available,
I'm certainly not afraid to attribute it [to Russia]. If a nation wants me to, I'm happy to talk about it."
I think it will become very obvious to them very quickly what the right thing to do is, and why it’s necessary for their own national security,
Irish Olympic swimming coach George Gibney jailed over indecent assaults
Nobel prize awarded to US economists for work in shock management
The US economists awarded the prize for their research into how central banks and governments can better handle economic shocks
The laureates have helped us smooth out the economy’s peaks and troughs,
Virgil van Dijk’s says views on ‘great rivalry’ with Man City have not changed despite guilty verdict
The Liverpool captain refused to comment on City’s off-field situation with the rival club appealing against the guilty verdict handed to them by an independent commission over breaching financial rules
It’s still a little bit ongoing so I don’t think it’s smart for me to comment on it right now,
No, because I really enjoyed our rivalry and it was a great rivalry on the pitch,
Bill Maher Calls for abolition of frats amid Cornell 7 saga
No one was there… knows what happened, but I do know what a gentleman is — a gentleman, gentleman, is someone who in that situation doesn’t exploit the woman; he saves her.”
Any place that’s all male, no girls allowed, just doesn’t function without depravity. Just ask the Catholic Church. Ask the Taliban.”
Everything that’s inherently bad about men gets worse if you put them in a fraternity,
A young woman made a bad decision, as 20-year-olds do, when she went to a frat house drunk and did ketamine,
We take sexual violence extremely seriously,
Human nature is bad, and the best we can do is create institutions that don’t make it easy to be worse,
IFS warns against ‘steady-as-you-go’ Budget as inflation not headroom is key
Higher borrowing costs and Andy Burnham’s unfunded spending commitments have swallowed up his headroom and created upward inflationary pressure.... Labour
If John Healey sets out spending envelopes for public services that he would not be willing to live within, his plan for meeting the fiscal rules will not be credible,
A choice to leave spending totals unchanged would implicitly be a choice to cut some budgets and allow the quality and/or quantity of some public services to fall.”
Indigenous People’s Day: Why some Americans don’t celebrate Columbus Day
Indigenous People’s Day was created in reaction to atrocities carried out by Columbus and European settlers against Native American people in the Americas
Columbus Day is not just a holiday; it represents the violent history of colonization in the Western Hemisphere,
Dubois vs Wardley 2: Start time, undercard and how to watch fight this weekend
Hays sees weakening permanent jobs market keep trading under pressure
Premier League urged to back football on prescription to tackle depression and mental health
Mental health is such an issue. I see it in school; I see it everyday in the news and social media.
With male mental health and suicide still a major health concern, schemes like these should be rolled out through the lower league league clubs that tend to be at the heart of their community.”
Why can’t we roll this out across all the top leagues of English football? Football was created out of community, football clubs sprang up as community ventures. It wouldn’t cost a lot for every club to offer a few tickets.”
It was just enough of a lift to really make a difference, and it did make me feel that actually I can still do some things while I’m effectively still looking after mum.... It was
As a GP for 30 years, I have witnessed first-hand the impact that effective social prescribing can have on improving mental health and overall wellbeing.... I’m really pleased that participant testimonials from last season were so positive, and I’m confident we can take the learning from the pilot forward into this new season and continue to deliver meaningful outcomes for participants.”
I was feeling rather overwhelmed, lonely and at the end of my tether. I love my mum dearly, but it can be really, really taxing. “... I wasn’t really aware of a lot to help people who were in my position in the area, and I went to my doctor in desperation and said: ‘... I can’t cope, I don’t know what to do, I don’t know how I’m going to keep looking after my Mum.’
EU imposes sanctions on almost 1,600 Russians and companies linked to Russian arms industry
People are rejoicing about the removal of Russian bots from social media — but the truth is far more complicated
People are rejoicing about the removal of Russian bots from social media — but the truth is far more complicated
Russell Brand trial: Everything you need to know as TV presenter faces rape and sexual assault allegations
Zelenskyy says Russia strikes energy facilities despite Trump claim of an energy ceasefire
We support it, but I have not heard approval of this proposal from the Russian side,
Do not break it!”
Why are Yemen’s Houthis attacking Saudi Arabia and how are they breaching its air defences?
Smoke rises from Riyadh's King Khalid Airport as Houthis claim attack
They think the Saudis have lost the stomach for the fight. They think that they showed themselves to be weak and frightened in the face of the Iranians,
They’re not going to fall on their sword because every so often these provocations will cross a threshold where they have no choice but to respond,
It changes the balance of power and gives them far greater geopolitical and geoeconomic leverage over Saudi Arabia, the Gulf, the United States and global trade,
It can be done, but it requires a level of diplomatic patience,
For the Americans to ignore the Red Sea, to ignore this threat to Saudi Arabia from the Houthis, is just completely self-defeating,
Did Russia interfere with Brexit? Here’s what we know after Andy Burnham’s bombshell claim
We have suspected for years that the 2016 referendum could have been subjected to interference because of how its result helped destabilise a united Europe,
What is now more vital than ever is that pro-Europeans make it unmistakably clear: there is only one option on the table that could begin to repair that damage, and it’s restoring our EU membership and putting the UK back at the heart of Europe, as soon as possible.”
The result is the result, and I think the prime minister has been very clear that he’s talking about attempts to interfere.... The security minister has spoken about this before. I’m confident that both the British people and the British state are able to respond to and defend against these types of threats, but we need to be very honest that those threats exist.”
We know what the result was. I don’t think they’ve succeeded in their efforts.“... I don’t think they’ve succeeded in their efforts to undermine our elections,
Business as usual at the Vatican as Pope Leo prepares to have surgery to remove a lung nodule
Children among at least 139 dead after migrant boat capsizes
Saudi chief gives major Canelo Alvarez fight update after Riyadh airport attacks
Myha’la defends Celebrity Traitors co-stars from racism claims: ‘I sealed my own fate’
I totally agree! It is exhausting, and we have every right to be tired of it. Sending love to you.”
That early in the game there is VERY little to grasp on to, and I gave them… a lot,
More than 20,000 police deployed to schools across Poland after series of stabbings
Poland: 19-year-old allegedly stabs several people at Polish vocational school
A clear message is required: there will be no tolerance for any attacks on Polish children, nor for the descent of public life into anarchy,
We have observed a rise in the fascination with violence, both in Poland and worldwide... we are witnessing a grim trend of violence,
Maduro-linked fugitive with $10M bounty captured after years on the run
Trump under fire from his own party over deal giving Putin a ‘financial lifeline’
I do believe there’s a legitimate case for saying the president’s not following the law,
The United States should not provide Putin with a financial lifeline while Russia continues to kill Ukrainian civilians. The Administration must immediately reverse course,
The high diesel prices that are impacting everyone. The president is balancing and has to make tough decisions,
Congress explicitly banned Russian energy imports in 2022 to prevent American dollars from financing (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s brutal war against Ukraine,
Ukraine supports the ceasefire, and it is important that Russia support it as well,
We're going to do it with all the legal authorities we have. So, you know, anyone in Congress who says whether it's an old bill or the current Lindsey Graham bill (that) prohibits us from doing it is wrong,