Two Latvian men have been arrested on suspicion of trespass offences at RAF Molesworth in Cambridgeshire, which is used by US armed forces and Nato intelligence.
Counter-terror police (CTP) said it did not think the incident “is connected to the events at RAF Fairford last week”, but it is “keeping an open mind”.
The two men, aged 32 and 36, were arrested within the base after patrols found an abandoned vehicle near the site on Wednesday night.
Four things to do with your money before the Budget
With the Budget just around the corner, here’s what you need to consider about your finances before the Chancellor makes his speech.
What will be in the Budget?
Chancellor John Healey’s first Budget is weeks away, sparking speculation as to what Labour might do in terms of tax rises and spending cuts to balance the books.
But rather than trying to anticipate Healey’s announcements, experts say any financial moves beforehand – from maxing out allowances to investing – should make sense on their own merits.
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Where you could adjust your finances
Tax-free allowances
Allowance shifts are not expected, but make the most of the current £20k tax-free limit on ISAs and £60k for pensions.
A stocks and shares ISA might be worthy of consideration, as a long-term alternative to cash holdings.
Capital gains tax
The CGT exemption – currently up to £3k on asset profits – could be cut or reshaped. Make the most of it.
Review your financial plan
As the Chancellor puts his fiscal house in order, now is always a good time to check that your own finances are where you want them to be. Check whether your money could be moved into a higher-interest savings account or invested in stocks.
Financial advisor David Stirling said: “Ensuring life insurance, critical illness cover and income protection remain fit for purpose can be just as valuable as chasing the latest tax-saving opportunity.”
Spanish pensioner whose eviction sparked protests dies
An 87-year-old woman whose eviction from her Madrid home sparked protests over Spain’s housing crisis has died.
A ‘turning point’ in Spain
Images of Maricarmen Abascal being taken from her home of 70 years on a stretcher on 23 September led to nationwide protests as her case became emblematic of Spain’s lack of affordable housing.
Announcing her death, Madrid Tenants’ Union said Ms Abascal’s situation marked “a turning point in the history of this country”.
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What you need to know
- Ms Abascal was forced to leave her home after the company which owns her flat increased the rent to €2,650 (£2,280) – way above her monthly pension of €1,350.
- After her eviction, she was offered a lower rental rate but by then had been moved to hospital. Her death was announced on Wednesday.
- Protesters in central Madrid greeted news of the death with shock and anger. Banners read: “It’s not a death, it’s a killing.”
Housing crisis sparks election
Ms Abascal’s case has been a lightning rod for wider discontent in Spain at the country’s shortage of affordable housing amid rising eviction rates. Corruption scandals and immigration have also dogged prime minister Pedro Sánchez.
After Sánchez failed to pass emergency legislation aimed at alleviating some of the housing problems, he called an early election on Monday for 29 November. Opinion polls suggest Spanish conservatives will emerge as the largest party in the poll.
Why prostate cancer survival rates are improving
Prostate cancer cases in England have risen by 7 per cent in a year – but survival rates for men diagnosed with the advanced form of the disease have “steadily improved”, according to a study.
Risk from death falls
Researchers found that the risk of death from prostate cancer fell by almost a quarter (24 per cent) in just seven years between 2015 and 2022.
What you need to know
- The new National Prostate Cancer Audit found that 60,827 men were diagnosed with the disease in England in 2025 – up 7 per cent from 57,029 in 2024.
- Cases where the cancer had already spread to other parts of the body also rose from 5,696 in 2024 to 6,312 – an 11 per cent rise.
- But an audit of 45,000 advanced cases found the proportion of men who died within three years of diagnosis fell from 56 per cent in 2015 to 47 per cent in 2022.
Treatments and research improving survival rates
However, experts said further investment is needed. Natalia Norori, head of data at the charity, said: “Right now, far too many men get a diagnosis at a later stage when treatment options are more limited, and the fact that nearly half of men still die within three years remains a tragedy.”
Polls have opened in the race to replace Sir Keir Starmer as MP for Holborn and St Pancras.
What you need to know
- The Holborn and St Pancras seat, a long-standing Labour stronghold, became vacant after Sir Keir Starmer announced he was leaving Parliament to focus on a role in international affairs.
- Some 15 candidates are standing, but the contest is widely seen as a two-horse race between Green Party leader Zack Polanski and his Labour opponent Sagal Abdi-Wali.
- The Green leader does not currently have a seat in the House of Commons and has insisted the by-election is “looking close”.
Who are the candidates?
Polanski has faced scrutiny after his party passed a controversial motion asserting that “Zionism is racism”.
Camden Council leader Sagal Abdi-Wali is standing for the Labour Party.
Galloway is standing for the Workers Party of Britain, and is currently living overseas in what he describes as “self-exile”.
Greens challenge Labour’s seat
Polanski seeks to wrest the seat from Labour’s hands for the first time in 43 years.
The Greens have enjoyed a surge in popularity under Polanski, but Labour candidate Sagal Abdi-Wali is the bookies’ favourite to win.
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It comes after a major incident was declared and dozens of homes were evacuated near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire after three suspicious vans were spotted by the base on 27 September. Police have said they believe today’s arrests at the Cambridge base are unconnected.
RAF Molesworth is used as an intelligence hub for the US’s operations in Europe and Africa. Three US major command branches are based there: the United States European Command, the Joint Intelligence Operations Center Europe Analytic Centre and the United States Africa Command.
It is also home to Nato’s Intelligence Fusion Centre, which provides “timely, relevant, and accurate intelligence in order to support planning and execution of Nato operations; and enable deterrence and defence of the Euro-Atlantic area”.
The timeline of events
At 10pm on Wednesday night, a security patrol discovered an abandoned vehicle near the perimeter of the Cambridgeshire base.
Ministry of Defence (MOD) police and Cambridge Police carried out further searches, discovering a “small breach of the perimeter fence” in the early hours of the morning.
Around 2am, the two Latvian nationals were discovered and arrested “inside the base perimeter”. They were initially arrested on suspicion of trespass on a prohibited site and criminal damage and taken to a Cambridgeshire police station.
The pair have since been further arrested on suspicion of an offence under section 4 of the National Security Act 2023 – namely entering a prohibited place for a purpose prejudicial to the UK.
Officers are carrying out two searches at addresses in the Peterborough area in connection with the investigation.
They both remain in police custody and counter terrorism police are investigating the matter.
What has the police said so far?
Commander Helen Flanagan, Head of CTP London, which is leading the investigation, urged the public to “remain vigilant” in the wake of the arrests.
She said: “We’re 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.
“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.
“As ever, I would ask the public to remain vigilant and if you see anything of concern, then to contact police.”
The abandoned vehicle was taken to a nearby police station, with bomb disposal officers called in to complete further checks after “concerns over the vehicle”.
As a precaution, a cordon was in place, which impacted local roads in the Glatton area, including part of the A1, but all road closures have since been lifted.
CTP said it is working closely with MOD police and Cambridgeshire Constabulary as the investigation continues.
Escalating hybrid threats from Russia
The incident overnight comes amid rising concerns about Russian hybrid threats to European targets.
Over the summer, Moscow was accused of stepping up its “grey zone” warfare against Nato countries in Europe, including a failed drone attack on Leipzig Airport in Germany.
Security experts have suggested this was likely a proxy Russian attack, with one of the suspects identified by German authorities being Oleg Levushkin, a dual Latvian-Russian national.
Levushkin and other suspects have allegedly been linked to the GRU, Russia’s military intelligence service, according to reports in German media.
A report today in German newspaper suggested that the GRU likes to use operatives with Latvian citizenship as this allows them free entry into the European Union.
Police have not linked the incident at RAF Molesworth with any foreign power, including Russia.