New UK agency to fight ‘information warfare’ from likes of Russia, Burnham tells UN 23. September 2026 (07:00) PM aims to ‘stem poisonous tide’ of disinformation and deepfakes with National Centre for Information DefenceSecurity chiefs will set up a new national centre to tackle disinformation and deepfakes from hostile states such as Russia, Andy Burnham has announced, saying the government had a duty to “stem the poisonous tide” from damaging British interests.The National Centre for Information Defence will “detect, attribute and disrupt” information attacks by foreign powers, many of which are enabled by AI, bringing together the intelligence agencies, law enforcement and social media companies. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Critics of UK government’s economic forecaster are ‘shooting the messenger’, say MPs 23. September 2026 (07:00) Treasury committee rejects calls for fundamental reform of independent watchdog the Office for Budget ResponsibilityAttacks on the government’s independent economic forecaster from left and right of the political spectrum are akin to “shooting the messenger”, according to an influential group of MPs.The Treasury committee rejected “siren calls to fundamentally reform” the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) and said it should not be blamed when policymakers had to make tough decisions because of tight public finances. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Thinktank linked to Reform UK calls for abolition of state pension 23. September 2026 (06:00) ‘Radical’ report likely to influence party’s platform also proposes abolishing inheritance and capital gains taxesA thinktank linked to Reform UK has called for the abolition of the state pension and £75bn worth of sweeping tax cuts in a “radical” report likely to influence the party’s platform for the next election.The Centre for a Better Britain’s (CFABB) report – which also calls for weaker rules for UK banks and Trump-style investment accounts offering £1,000 to newborns – will be formally launched at a private event with City executives on Wednesday. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Liberal operative was offered $1,000 to get media to cover ‘grubby rumour’ minister was having affair, Icac hears 23. September 2026 (05:47) Sharangan Maheswaran says his bid for story on unsubstantiated rumour about then-Liberal minister David Elliott was ‘not a serious offer’Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA lawyer for fugitive property developer Jean Nassif offered a Liberal operative $1,000 if he could get media to write about an unsubstantiated extramarital affair and breach of Covid-19 restrictions by a New South Wales minister, the anti-corruption watchdog has heard.Sharangan Maheswaran told the Independent Commission Against Corruption a message to lobbyist Jeremy Greenwood about placing a story about former Liberal minister David Elliott, was “not a serious offer”. He was shown a message to Greenwood in which he wrote he was “not joking”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Senior Liberals rubbish Barnaby Joyce’s claim of talks over deal with One Nation as ‘figment of his imagination’ 23. September 2026 (05:18) Joyce would not say which Liberals he had spoken to, while Angus Taylor denied any conversations had taken placeSenior Liberals have rubbished claims by Barnaby Joyce that he has discussed One Nation offering the Coalition a pathway to minority government after the next election, accusing him of buyers remorse after defecting from the Nationals.Joyce, who defected to join Pauline Hanson’s party in December, claimed on Tuesday night he had held talks with senior Liberals about a potential deal for supply and confidence to oust Anthony Albanese from power. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Jesse Baird ‘petrified’ of Beau Lamarre-Condon and kept repeating ‘he has a gun’, court hears 23. September 2026 (04:21) Friend sobs in witness box and tells Sydney murder trial Baird was scared to go to the policeFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastJesse Baird was “petrified” of Beau Lamarre-Condon because he was an armed police officer who could make a false allegation that would ruin his career, a court has heard.Lamarre-Condon has been accused of fatally shooting Sydney couple Jesse Baird, 26, and Luke Davies, 29, with a police service weapon at Baird’s Paddington home on 19 February 2024. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Jamaica hails King’s decision to refer slavery reparations petition to privy council as ‘really big deal’ 23. September 2026 (03:15) The move comes after Jamaica’s culture minister Olivia Grange travelled to the UK earlier this month to lodge the historic petitionKing Charles has referred a landmark slavery reparations petition from Jamaica to a high-level UK appeals court for legal advice, Jamaica’s culture minister announced in parliament on Tuesday.Referring to the move as a “really big deal”, Olivia Grange told Jamaica’s MPs the monarch had confirmed that their legal questions have been passed on to the London-based privy council – the final court of appeal for UK overseas territories and some Commonwealth countries. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Qantas announces 18-hour direct flights from Sydney to New York with onboard ‘wellbeing zones’ 23. September 2026 (03:02) Flying from 2028, it is set to be the national carrier’s second ultra long-haul route after Sydney to London, due to take off in 2027Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastQantas says travellers will be able to fly between Sydney and New York in just 18 hours from mid-2028 when the airline launches its second ultra long-haul route, cutting at least three hours from the travel time.The route will be the second in Qantas’ Project Sunrise expansion plans, with new Sydney to London direct flights planned for October 2027, after some delays. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Sri Lanka Easter bombings: 15 sentenced to hundreds of years in prison each over deadly terror attacks 23. September 2026 (02:43) Islamic State-inspired bombings of churches and hotels in 2019 was one of the country’s worst ever attacksA court in Sri Lanka has convicted 15 men over their involvement in the 2019 Easter bombings that killed 267 people, and sentenced them each to at least 200 years in prison, meaning they will spend the rest of their lives behind bars.Nearly 600 people were wounded in the suicide bomb attacks on 21 April that targeted three churches and three hotels across the country during Easter services and celebrations. The bombings, which were inspired by the Islamic State (IS) group, were among the deadliest attacks in Sri Lanka’s history. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Far-right activist Daniel Thomas slashes dinghy in Channel with blade while rescue worker onboard 23. September 2026 (02:42) Thomas called followers to disrupt arrival of asylum seekers in Gosport, but Border Force instead transported them to DoverCharities have condemned footage of far-right activist Daniel Thomas using a blade to slash an inflatable dinghy in the Channel while a rescue worker was onboard, in a further escalation of organised anti-immigration protest.Hundreds of protesters gathered early on Tuesday evening at Gosport in Hampshire, aiming to disrupt the planned disembarkation of asylum seekers, but the Border Force vessels carrying them landed instead in Dover early on Wednesday. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
