The incident comes just over a week after a widely reported security issue near RAF Fairford, and will raise concerns about security of UK airbases.<\/p>\n
Head of Counter Terrorism Policing London team, Helen Flanagan, said:<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re very aware of the recent heightened interest and concern around military sites, but at this stage there is nothing to suggest this incident is connected to the events at RAF Fairford last week.<\/p>\n
Our investigation into this incident is at its very early stages. A big part of this is looking at any potential motivation as to why the men were present at the site, but I must stress we are keeping an open mind at this stage and enquiries are very much ongoing.<\/p>\n
As ever, I would ask the public to remain vigilant and if you see anything of concern, then to contact police.\u201d<\/p>\n
Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a010.53 EDT<\/p>\n Key events<\/p>\n The police reference to section 4 of the National Security Act 2023 can give us a bit more idea as to what happened.<\/p>\n The section<\/a> covers anyone who:<\/p>\n (i) accesses, enters, inspects, passes over or under, approaches or is in the vicinity of a prohibited place, or In the context of the act, \u201cinspecting\u201d includes \u201ctaking, or procuring the taking of, photographs, videos or other recordings of the prohibited place.\u201d<\/p>\n The act goes on to say that:<\/p>\n \u201cA person who commits an offence under this section is liable on conviction on indictment to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 14 years or a fine (or both).\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a011.45 EDT<\/p>\n The police statement<\/a> is also likely to prompt some questions about the response to the incident.<\/p>\n The abandoned vehicle found at 10pm, and the two men only arrested at 2am. What happened in the meantime? And where were they found?<\/p>\n The statement points out that \u201ca small breach of the perimeter fence was subsequently identified.\u201d<\/p>\n The police said the vehicle was \u201crecovered by police,\u201d with further precautionary checks for a potential explosives \u2013 but \u201cnothing of concern was found.\u201d<\/p>\n On the two suspects \u2013 aged 32 and 36 \u2013 it said:<\/p>\n \u201cThey were initially arrested on suspicion of trespass on a prohibited site and criminal damage and taken to a Cambridgeshire police station.<\/p>\n The pair have since been further arrested on suspicion of an offence under section 4 of the National Security Act 2023 \u2013 namely entering a prohibited place for a purpose prejudicial to the UK.<\/p>\n Both men currently remain in police custody at this time.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a011.46 EDT<\/p>\n RAF Molesworth is located some 30 miles northwest of Cambridge and 70 miles from London.<\/p>\n Unlike RAF Fairford, it\u2019s a non-flying base, but it hosts a number of other functions, including the previously mentioned intelligence centre.<\/p>\n Share<\/a> There\u2019s no point in speculating about the nature of this incident until we know more.<\/p>\n But it will undoubtedly raise further concerns about and scrutiny of the security of UK airbases after last week\u2019s Fairford incident.<\/p>\n RAF Molesworth hosts some US troops and the Joint Intelligence Operations Center Europe<\/a> Analytic Center (JAC), as well as Nato\u2019s 24\/7 intelligence fusion centre.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a011.13 EDT<\/p>\n Two Latvian men arrested for trespass offences near RAF airbase<\/p>\n Meanwhile, we are getting a line from the UK that two Latvian nationals resident in the UK have been arrested on suspicion of trespass offences at an RAF airbase in Cambridgeshire.<\/p>\n The two men where found last night as security patrols near RAF Molesworth found an abandoned vehicle and a small breach in the perimeter fence. The two men were located and arrested at 2am.<\/p>\n In a statement, the police said<\/a> the matter is being investigated by officers from Counter Terrorism Policing.<\/p>\n The incident comes just over a week after a widely reported security issue near RAF Fairford, and will raise concerns about security of UK airbases.<\/p>\n Head of Counter Terrorism Policing London team, Helen Flanagan, said:<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re very aware of the recent heightened interest and concern around military sites, but at this stage there is nothing to suggest this incident is connected to the events at RAF Fairford last week.<\/p>\n Our investigation into this incident is at its very early stages. A big part of this is looking at any potential motivation as to why the men were present at the site, but I must stress we are keeping an open mind at this stage and enquiries are very much ongoing.<\/p>\n As ever, I would ask the public to remain vigilant and if you see anything of concern, then to contact police.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a010.53 EDT<\/p>\n French student protests in Place de la Bastille – in picturesProtesters gather at Place de la Bastille during a demonstration by French high school and university students in Paris. Photograph: Abdul Saboor\/ReutersDemonstrators climb the July Column in Place de la Bastille during nationwide protests in Paris, France. Photograph: Pedro Nunes\/ReutersA person records images of demonstrators during nationwide protests in Paris, France. Photograph: Pedro Nunes\/ReutersThe mayor of Saint-Denis and leftist party La France Insoumise (LFI) member Bally Bagayoko is welcomed as he arrives on Bastille square in Paris at the start of a demonstration called by high-school students. Photograph: Simon Wohlfahrt\/AFP\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a>EU, Canada to announce plans to work on ‘an alliance for the future’ in Brussels<\/p>\n Elsewhere, UK\u2019s prime minister Andy Burnham, who pledged to rebuild the country\u2019s post-Brexit relationship with its European neighbours<\/a>, has a little bit of friendly competition to be the EU\u2019s best friend (13:35<\/a>).<\/p>\n Prime minister Mark Carney waves as he is applauded as he arrives for the State of the European Union in the European Parliament, Strasbourg, Paris. Photograph: Canadian Press\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n At a summit in Montreal later this month (29-30 October), the EU and Canada will pledge to launch \u201can alliance for the future\u201d, with a host of agreements on digital trade and the economy, and plans to intensify ties on raw materials, the Arctic and people-to-people contacts.<\/p>\n The nine-page draft summit text seen by the Guardian does not mention the phrase \u201cassociate membership\u201d, reflecting scepticism about the term<\/a> European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen surprised EU diplomats with last month. Canada\u2019s government also appeared to distance themselves from the term, which has no legal basis in EU treaties.<\/p>\n Semantics aside, the two sides will pledge to deepen ties on a long list of areas to build \u201ca deeper and more integrated relationship\u201d. The text, likely to be closely read by the UK and others, states:<\/p>\n \u201cOur partnership may become a model for other countries seeking friendship in a challenging world.\u201d<\/p>\n According to the draft, the EU and Canada will:<\/p>\n sign an agreement on the joint purchase of 50 waterbombers made by Canada\u2019s DeHavilland to be ready by 2030 to fight wildfires in Canada and the EU.<\/p>\n negotiate Canada\u2019s entry into flagship EU programmes, such as Horizon (research) and Erasmus+ (student exchanges and education) and the Galileo satellite programme.<\/p>\n assess options to export Canadian liquefied natural gas and critical minerals to the EU<\/p>\n deepen cooperation on AI safety and carry out feasibility studies on new subsea infrastructure to connect Europe<\/a>, Canada and Asia<\/p>\n increase labour mobility to reduce barriers to young people and skilled professionals working on both jurisdictions<\/p>\n Not in the text\u2026 any mention of the 10 EU member states yet to ratify the EU-Canada trade agreement that was signed <\/a>ten years ago.<\/a><\/p>\n Share<\/a>Ukraine war stalemate could ‘quickly turn … into a much broader … regional conflict,’ Rubio warns<\/p>\n Meanwhile, let\u2019s bring you comments from the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, who was in Lisbon this afternoon and warned that the continuing stalemate between Russia and Ukraine was \u201cvery dangerous.\u201d<\/p>\n US secretary of state Marco Rubio speaks at a lectern during a joint press conference with Portuguese minister Paulo Rangel in Lisbon, Portugal. Photograph: Ricardo Rocha\/ZUMA Press Wire\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n Speaking alongside the Portuguese foreign minister Paulo Rangel, Rubio warned that any escalation \u201ccould quickly turn what is a war between two countries into a much broader and far more dangerous regional conflict.\u201d<\/p>\n Rubio said there have been attempts to reach a negotiated settlement, and \u201cwe will keep trying\u201d.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Here are a few more images showing the scale of the demonstration currently gathered at Place de la Bastille in Paris\u2026<\/p>\n Left-wing presidential candidate Jean-Luc M\u00e9lenchon \u2013 whose party, France<\/a> Unbowed (LFI), has long been supportive of the protests \u2013 is set to address the crowds shortly.<\/p>\n A protester holds a placard reading “The revolution begins with our courage” in front of the July Column during a demonstration of high-school students at Place de la Bastille, in Paris. Photograph: Kenzo Tribouillard\/AFP\/Getty ImagesProtesters gather at Place de la Bastille during a demonstration by French high school and university students in Paris. Photograph: Abdul Saboor\/ReutersHigh-school students take part in a demonstration at Place de la Bastille, in Paris. Photograph: Kenzo Tribouillard\/AFP\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a>Main Paris protest gets under way amid anger at ’empty promises’ on education<\/p>\n Today\u2019s main student demonstration in Paris is just getting under way, and there are lots of people attending.<\/p>\n Protest leaders are criticising \u201cempty promises\u201d from the government, calling for \u201cconcrete measures\u201d and saying their protest action will continue until their demands are met.<\/p>\n Protesters gather at Place de la Bastille during a demonstration by French high school and university students in Paris. Photograph: Abdul Saboor\/ReutersProtesters gather for a student demonstration at Place de la Bastille with a view of the Colonne de Juillet monument in Paris. Photograph: Simon Wohlfahrt\/AFP\/Getty ImagesFrench CRS riot police stand in position at Place de la Bastille amid clashes with protesters during a demonstration by French high school and university students in Paris. Photograph: Abdul Saboor\/ReutersShare<\/a>Number of school blockades gradually decreasing, French government data show<\/p>\n Back in France<\/a>, there are initial signs that the student protests may be starting to subside a bit \u2013 despite sometimes dramatic images continuing to emerge from across the country.<\/p>\n Thousands still turned out to support the movement \u2013 including a new march in Marseille this afternoon \u2013 but the education ministry\u2019s figures showed the number of school blockades was gradually \u200cdecreasing.<\/p>\n People take part in a demonstration in Marseille. Photograph: Miguel Medina\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/p>\n It said 224 were closed in the morning, \u200cdown to 157 by lunchtime, meaning that 96% of schools were open, Reuters reported.<\/p>\n However, the student groups are calling for another day of mobilisation on Tuesday, 13 October, so we are likely to see the protests continue for some time, even if in a slightly different form.<\/p>\n Students march with placards, banners and flags during a demonstration over school conditions in Montpellier, southern France. Photograph: Guillaume Horcajuelo\/EPAShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a009.23 EDT<\/p>\n AFP has a quick snap that the EU is confident it is capable of meeting demand for gas this winter but its reserves are at a \u201chistorically low\u201d level.<\/p>\n The European Network of Transmission System Operators for Gas association said \u201cEurope is entering the winter with historically low storage levels while observing higher and more volatile global gas prices,\u201d while adding \u201cgas infrastructure remains sufficiently flexible to meet demand.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a009.07 EDT<\/p>\n UK announces further sanctions on Russia<\/p>\n While the British prime minister Andy Burnham has been in Berlin meeting chancellor Friedrich Merz, his foreign secretary, Ed Miliband, has been in Ukraine, where he has announced further sanctions on Russia.<\/p>\n AFP reports that, visiting the site of a Russian missile strike which hit a residential area in Pryluky with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Miliband said:<\/p>\n There can be no clearer sign of Putin\u2019s evil, evil intent and strategy in this conflict. Putin once said that he was going to win on the battlefield. He is trying to win by terrorising civilians.<\/p>\n Miliband said the UK government was announcing fresh sanctions on Russia, which he said would apply \u201con the shadow fleet, on the oil companies, on the crypto, on the financing of the war\u201d.<\/p>\n More on the details of the sanctions are here.<\/a><\/p>\n Foreign secretary Ed Miliband and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Photograph: Stefan Rousseau\/PAShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a009.08 EDT<\/p>\n Strike on Kramatorsk buses ‘will not go unanswered,’ Zelenskyy says<\/p>\n In a post to social media, Ukraine\u2019s president, who included graphic footage from the scene, has said that a Russian strike on public transport in Kramatorsk which has left at least 30 dead \u201cwill not go unanswered\u201d.<\/p>\n Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted to say<\/a>:<\/p>\n Doctors are now fighting to save the lives of people injured in the Russian strike on Kramatorsk. As of now, 30 people have been confirmed killed, and sadly, that number may rise. The Russian bomb effectively hit two city minibuses. Some of those killed have still not been identified because of the severity of their injuries. My condolences to all their families and loved ones. Another 18 people were injured in the strike. Residential buildings and cars were also damaged.<\/p>\n This strike will not go unanswered. Russia is trying to destroy all life in Donbas, and a response from the world is a must. A forceful response \u2013 exactly as the Russians deserve for all the deaths they have brought. May all those killed rest in peace.<\/p>\n Handout photograph released by the Ukrainian State Emergency Service. Photograph: Ukrainian State Emergency Service\/AFP\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a009.05 EDT<\/p>\n French education minister to draft proposals on teachers’ absences in response to protests<\/p>\n Back to France, education minister \u00c9douard Geffray said his ministry would prepare a plan to address on of the key demands of the students\u2019 movement on providing cover for absent teachers \u201cin a few hours or a few days,\u201d Le Figaro reported.<\/a><\/p>\n He is expected to meet with the three main student groups later today to discuss details (10:10<\/a>).<\/p>\n In the meantime, protests continue across the country, and AFP notes that while they have been largely peaceful, some demonstrators resort to acts of violence or clash with police officers.<\/p>\n Students take to the streets to protest education conditions in Nancy, France. Photograph: Muhammed Said Tako\/Anadolu\/Getty ImagesProtesters hold placard as they march during a demonstration of high-school students in Bordeaux. Photograph: Christophe Archambault\/AFP\/Getty ImagesHigh school students gathered in the Laennec district of Bron, France. Photograph: PITTORE\/NEIRDAPROD\/SIPA\/ShutterstockProtesters clash with French gendarmes, as French high school and university students attend a demonstration in Nantes. Photograph: St\u00e9phane Mah\u00e9\/ReutersStudents gather outside Paris-Panth\u00e9on-Assas University during a demonstration in support of high school students. Photograph: Rapha\u00ebl Lafargue\/ABACA\/ShutterstockShare<\/a>Burnham ‘committed to securing deeper cooperation’ with EU at looming summit<\/p>\n Burnham also talks about rebuilding the UK\u2019s relationship with the EU after Brexit.<\/p>\n British prime minister Andy Burnham arrives to address a briefing with the German chancellor at the Chancellery in Berlin. Photograph: Tobias Schwarz\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/p>\n He says their meeting in Berlin comes ahead of the UK-EU summit later this year \u2013 expected in late November \u2013 as he says he is \u201cvery committed to securing deeper cooperation\u201d with the EU at the summit.<\/p>\n He wants to see \u201cif we can bring the UK closer to Europe<\/a>, particularly in the interest of economic growth and collaboration on irregular migration,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n In terms of more symbolic gestures, he says he will take part in talks with German business leaders later today, and hopes to host them in the UK next year \u2013 alongside the full German cabinet to show that \u201cthis treaty is not just words on a page, left on a shelf,\u201d but a meaningful document.<\/p>\n He then turns to students standing somewhat awkwardly behind the pair throughout their exchange, and they briefly chat about their experiences with the UK, with someone mentioning their visited Scotland.<\/p>\n Aaaaaand that\u2019s it.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Burnham hails Germany as a partner for ‘challenging times’<\/p>\n In his response, Burnham focuses on broader cooperation with Germany.<\/p>\n He says that in these \u201cchallenging times, we need the highest quality collaboration with our closest partners.\u201d<\/p>\n He says their talks also looked at defence and security issues, including their preparedness and ability to counter hybrid threats.<\/p>\n He also says the UK is open to Germany joining GCap programme of work on the next generation fighter jet, together with Italy and Japan.<\/p>\n He also flags cooperation on quantum, AI, and tech more broadly.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Merz welcomes new treaty as new opening after UK’s ‘regrettable’ decision to leave EU<\/p>\n Merz is speaking now.<\/p>\n His remark focus exclusively on the bilateral British-German Kensington Treaty, as the pair exchange the documents and formally complete its implementation.<\/p>\n He says the treaty \u201copens up new opportunities\u201d between the two countries, following Britain\u2019s \u201cregrettable\u201d exit from the European Union.<\/p>\n He focuses on a particular element of the treaty<\/a> that gives better access to both countries, with no visas required \u2013 even for extended stays by school pupils and university students \u2013 and for student exchanges between the two countries.<\/p>\n \u201cThat is precisely why we are doing this: so that the younger generation, within the context of bilateral relations between Germany and Great Britain, can simply see just how well we Europeans work together and how closely we belong together,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
(ii) causes an unmanned vehicle or device to access, enter, inspect, pass over or under, approach or be in the vicinity of a prohibited place, and<\/p>\n![\"Jakub](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Jakub_Krupa.png\")
Jakub Krupa<\/p>\nJakub Krupa<\/p>\n![\"Jennifer](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Jennifer_Rankin,_L.png\")
Jennifer Rankin<\/p>\n
![\"Merz](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/3357.jpg\")
Merz and Burnham deliver joint remarks after Berlin meeting \u2013 watch live