Thursday 24 September 2026 · Edition of the day

The Skeptic's Daily

The day's biggest stories, taken apart. For each one: what is actually established, what is only asserted, the questions worth asking — and a plausibility score for the central claim, given everything currently known.

Stories: 2
Average plausibility: 73%
How to read the score: It rates how well the core claim is evidenced — not how important the story is, nor whether it is good or bad news.

RegionAll Global Africa North America South America Asia-Pacific Europe Middle East

TopicAll Politics Conflict & Security Business Science Health

01Conflict & SecurityAfrica

Fighting reignites in Tigray as Ethiopia edges toward a second civil war

Tigrayan forces reportedly seize Mekelle's airport; both sides accuse the other of starting it, and no one can report from inside.

Clashes between Ethiopia's federal government and the TPLF have escalated sharply, with Tigrayan forces reported to have taken Mekelle's airport and other airfields, prompting Ethiopian Airlines to suspend flights. Fighting has spread into Afar and Amhara, and a strike in Alamata reportedly killed at least 14 civilians. The TPLF recently announced an alliance with six other armed groups seeking to remove the federal government.

What holds up

✓Escalation is reported by both BBC and Al Jazeera through multiple local channels.
✓Ethiopian Airlines suspended flights to the region.

What doesn't yet

?The BBC states plainly it cannot independently verify either side's claims and cannot report from the region.
?Who initiated the offensive, territorial control and casualty counts all come from partisan sources.

Ask before you share

→Which side gains more international sympathy by being cast as the defender?
→Is 'control' of an airfield a military fact or a claim made for negotiating position?
→What would independent verification even look like while journalist access stays blocked?

Sources & original reporting

[1]BBC · Accessed 24 Sept 2026 · bbc.com
[2]Al Jazeera · Published 24 Sept 2026 · aljazeera.com

02Conflict & SecurityAfrica

Eleven killed in mass shooting near Durban, South Africa

Gunmen opened fire on a gathering in KwaMakhutha, killing eleven people including a pregnant woman.

Police said eleven people were killed and three wounded after three gunmen opened fire at a gathering in KwaMakhutha, south of Durban, on the night of 22 September 2026. Ten died at the scene and one later in hospital. A police spokesperson said several victims were known to crime intelligence over alleged illegal activity. A manhunt was under way.