Victoria to become first state to make abortions free as Coalition matches Labor election promise 15. October 2026 (08:35) Exclusive: Out-of-pocket costs for abortion care to be covered regardless of who wins November election as Jess Wilson says Liberals and Nationals ‘will not allow Labor to play politics on this issue’Follow our Australian politics live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastVictoria will become the first state in Australia to make access to abortion care free, no matter who wins the November election, with the Coalition matching Labor’s promise just hours after it was announced as it attempts to neutralise the issue.The opposition leader, Jess Wilson, on Thursday afternoon told Guardian Australia a Liberal National Coalition government would match Labor’s commitment to cover out-of-pocket costs for abortion care up to 16 weeks’ gestation. This would include GP and specialist consultations, scans, tests or medication, which can quickly add up to more than $1,000. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Doctors treating Elizabeth Struhs recommended involuntary mental health assessment of her mother, coroner hears 15. October 2026 (08:32) Inquest into death of Queensland girl denied insulin by her religious parents is told Kerrie Struhs believed God would heal her daughterGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastDoctors were so concerned about the religious beliefs of Elizabeth Struhs’ mother they recommended she be subjected to an involuntary mental health assessment because she delusionally believed her daughter would be healed from type 1 diabetes, a coroner has heard.Child safety officers, nonetheless, decided to return the eight-year-old home to live with her mother, Kerrie Struhs, over the objections of Brisbane-based doctors, in 2019. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
UK economy unexpectedly grows in August despite fall in consumer spending 15. October 2026 (08:05) Latest data showing surprise 0.1% growth is boost to John Healey a fortnight before his first budgetBusiness news – live updatesThe UK economy unexpectedly continued to grow in August despite a fall in consumer spending before John Healey’s first budget as chancellor.Figures from the Office for National Statistics showed gross domestic product (GDP) rose by 0.1% last month, compared with 0.4% growth in July. That confounded a forecast by City economists of a 0.1% contraction. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
No timeline for lifting Land Registry paywall as ownership remains opaque 15. October 2026 (08:00) Defra promised in March to work towards free access to data on large plots in England and Wales The government has refused to say when the public will be able to freely access information about who owns large plots of land across England and Wales.Emma Reynolds, the previous secretary of state for the environment, announced in March that the paywall protecting large amounts of the Land Registry would be partly lifted. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Burnham v Swinney: will the UK PM overshadow the SNP’s conference? 15. October 2026 (08:00) Prime minister presents new kind of challenge for SNP, and his Scottish visit will loom large over its big eventThis year, even Andy Burnham is invited to the Scottish National party conference. But by the time John Swinney stands up to address members on Saturday afternoon in Aberdeen to reinvigorate the case for a second independence referendum, his party may regret giving the UK prime minister so much prominence in the conference buildup.Burnham is expected to visit Scotland on Friday – the middle of the event – in a thinly veiled attempt to overshadow the SNP gathering. While he will be in a different venue, the former Manchester mayor’s presence in Scotland will loom large over the event. Since taking over at No 10 in July, Burnham has largely avoided direct confrontations with his political rivals, rarely attacking Nigel Farage or Kemi Badenoch. But he has taken a different approach with the Scottish first minister. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Poland looks to economic heights in a country transformed since Soviet days 15. October 2026 (07:56) In the final part of our series on the country, Poles tell how wages have soared – along with the cost of livingWill military spending help or hinder Poland’s growth story?Poland’s push for EU energy resilience amid Russian aggressionAbove the rain-soaked streets of Warsaw, the observation deck of the Varso tower overlooks Joseph Stalin’s gift to Poland that has divided opinion for decades.For some, the Soviet-era Palace of Culture and Science is a drunk confectioner’s nightmare; standing as a relic of oppression that should have been demolished. For others, it is an icon on the skyline and a monumental warning from history. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
