Hegseth wrong to say most non-US Nato forces in Afghanistan did not fight, says No 10 19. October 2026 (16:13) Downing Street emphasises sacrifices of UK troops and reasserts ‘unwavering’ support for Ukraine amid softening US policy towards RussiaUK politics live – latest updatesDowning Street has criticised Pete Hegseth for downplaying the role of Nato allies in helping the US with combat operations in Afghanistan, saying Donald Trump’s defence secretary had been wrong to do so.The direct condemnation came as No 10 more carefully distanced itself from Trump’s increasing willingness to engage with Russia, saying the UK’s backing for Ukraine was “unwavering”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Tricky time for lunchboxes: banana shortage hits supermarket shelves after cool weather in Queensland 19. October 2026 (16:00) Dearth of bananas coincides with poor apple harvest and lack of summer stone fruitGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA shortage of Australia’s most popular fruit, bananas, has hit supermarket shelves at a tricky time for lunchboxes, right as apple season winds down after tough growing conditions and summer stone fruit is yet to arrive en masse.Cool weather in key Queensland growing regions has severely slowed banana production, leaving major supermarkets Coles, Woolworths and Aldi with sparse displays or very green stock. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Calls to strengthen workplace privacy in Australia as employers turn to AI to track staff 19. October 2026 (16:00) Monitoring tools common in a range of workplaces, including factories, office jobs, delivery work and in retail – often without employees being informedGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastEmployers are increasingly using technology, from CCTV to keystroke monitoring, to track workers’ moves and it is being accelerated by the use of AI, the Human Technology Institute has warned.Examples provided to Guardian Australia by the institute include a fast-food restaurant using surveillance cameras to stop workers using their phones, and AI tracking leading to a cashier warned over making a mistake once every 533 scans. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
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