Tuesday, 13 October 2026today, still filling

The Reserve Bank of Australia has warned it may raise interest rates again if inflation continues to climb. The RBA lifted the cash rate by 25 basis points to 4.60 per cent in late September, its fourth increase in six meetings. RBA governor Michele Bullock said the decision was 'tough' for mortgage holders, but rates would need to go higher unless inflation fell.

New South Wales has announced a tender for a gas-fired peaking plant to back up renewable energy as the state faces a predicted reliability shortfall in 2033-34. Energy Minister Penny Sharpe said gas stations would play a critical role during rare periods when renewable generation is low. The move puts the state Labor government at odds with federal Labor, which excludes fossil fuels from its direct underwriting programme.

Several major UK internet providers including BT, Sky, EE and Vodafone are experiencing widespread outages. According to tracking website DownDetector, over 270 customers reported issues with BT broadband, more than 230 with Sky and 212 with EE. The problems began to be reported around 1.20am.

The Reserve Bank has hinted it could raise interest rates to an 18-year high at its November meeting. The minutes of the bank's September 28-29 meeting, released on Tuesday, suggest another hike is possible on 3 November. Such a rise would take the cash rate to 4.85 per cent, the highest since December 2008. The board cited ongoing inflation concerns, including Middle East conflict adding to inflationary pressures, with headline inflation in August rising to 4 per cent.

Chinese automaker Changan, parent company of Avatr and Deepal, has confirmed it will launch its Nevo brand in Spain from early 2027, with expansion into other European markets and potentially Australia to follow. Three new models will be offered: the Q05 and Q06 SUVs and the A06 sedan. The Q05 will be the first to arrive in Spain. According to Changan, the Q05 has been China's top-selling compact SUV for the past six months.

Right-hand drive Nissan Patrols are now rolling off the production line at the Nissan Shatai Kyushu plant in Japan, destined for Australia. The next-generation Y63 Patrol will launch in Australia in coming months, with first customer deliveries scheduled for the first quarter of 2027. The new model replaces the previous generation's naturally aspirated 5.6-litre V8 with a twin-turbo 3.5-litre V6, delivering increased power and torque despite the smaller engine.

Scenic flight tours are available over the Midlands, offering 45-minute flights with aerial views of regional attractions including Warwick Castle and Silverstone.

The West Midlands Combined Authority is transforming its bus service by moving to a franchise model and acquiring National Express West Midlands' operations. Members of the WMCA's Local Scrutiny Committee have discussed the changes.

Beau Lamarre-Condon, a former senior constable, is contesting two murder charges. His defence argues that Luke Davies was killed in a struggle for the pistol, not shot through a bedroom door. A crime scene expert disagreed with the defence's claim that DNA could not have travelled into the barrel through a bullet hole, saying such transfer, though improbable, could still occur.

Coles has increased the price of its paper shopping bags by 5 cents to 30 cents and larger chipper bags from $4 to $4.20. Woolworths and Aldi paper bags remain at 25 cents. A Coles spokesperson said prices increased due to changes in material and transport costs, and the company encouraged customers to bring their own reusable bags.

Independent senator David Pocock has accused the Prime Minister's Office of heavily vetting a letter from a parliamentary committee on artificial intelligence sent to Anthony Albanese. The letter called for robust safeguards for Australian data, new copyright laws and more investment in data centres. Senator Pocock said he found track changes from the PM's office in the document, raising concerns that major parties were working together to achieve a predetermined outcome rather than listening to experts and the community.

NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey has promised to cap the state's net debt at 15 per cent of gross state product, positioning NSW Labor as a responsible economic manager ahead of the state election in five months. Premier Chris Minns's government says it can achieve this without privatising assets or imposing wage caps. The commitment contrasts with Commonwealth government net debt, which the Treasury projects will reach almost 22 per cent of GDP in coming years.

Australia's canola crop is forecast to reach a record 8.1 million tonnes in 2026/27, more than 15 per cent above the five-year average, according to Rabobank. Prices are hovering above $800 a tonne, the highest in several years, driven by strong global demand for biofuels and food. Nearly 60 per cent of the crop will come from Western Australia, which has increased planting area by 41 per cent this season.

The body of 73-year-old Yvonne Whear, who vanished eight months ago, has been identified after being discovered in a disused livestock trough on a rural property near Murwillumbah in New South Wales. Police are treating her death as a homicide. Whear was last seen on 19 February on CCTV buying orange juice and adding phone credit at a service station.

A magnitude 6 earthquake struck Panama on Monday at a depth of 35 kilometres. This follows a magnitude 7.7 earthquake on Friday that damaged hundreds of homes and infrastructure across central provinces, prompting the government to declare a national state of emergency. Panama has recorded more than 300 aftershocks from the earlier quake. At least 27 people were injured and nearly 900 homes were damaged, though authorities warned the toll could rise as assessments continue in remote communities.

The Northern Territory has made pepper spray legal for self-defence permanently, expanding access to teenagers aged 16 and above following a year-long trial with a 99 per cent success rate. Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro said parents had requested access for younger people. Those aged 16 and 17 may purchase and carry controlled OC Spray with parental consent, though it is banned in schoolgrounds.

NSW Police allege Christopher Ridings, 38, a Central Coast resident and prison inmate, created over 2.5 million files of sexual abuse material over seven years involving three women, many allegedly non-consensual. Hard drives allegedly containing the material were discovered at a home in Tumbi Umbi in December 2025 during an investigation into a domestic violence incident. Ridings, currently jailed at Wellington Correctional Centre for unrelated crimes, was arrested in prison on Monday and has been charged with 228 offences including recording images without consent, sexual assault and kidnapping.

A Busselton carer has won $2.22 million in the Saturday Lotto using numbers her late father had chosen for years. The woman, who started playing after her father died, bought the winning ticket at West Busselton Newsagency. She and her husband plan to renovate their bathroom, buy a new car and support their family.

The Mazda MX-5 has been upgraded with more sophisticated safety features and is now available to order in Australia, with customer deliveries commencing this month. Prices have increased across the board by $1950, with GT RS variants receiving a larger increase of $4950. All models now feature lane-keep assist and an autonomous emergency braking system that detects cyclists in addition to vehicles and pedestrians. GT RS variants gain standard Recaro bucket seats upholstered in Nappa leather and Alcantara, with Alcantara trim also covering the dashboard and interior trim. A new Zinc Green Metallic paint option has been added to the colour palette.

Geely will not follow other Chinese and Korean manufacturers in creating a local tuning programme to adapt its vehicles for Australian driving conditions. The company's Australian director of product planning and marketing, Andrew Tuitahi, said Geely will instead rely on engineering expertise from other brands within its parent group, including Volvo for safety and Lotus for ride and handling dynamics. Geely has responded to customer feedback on software features through over-the-air updates that improve driver assist systems.

A veterans memorial in Gordon, Nebraska displays a mounted AH-1 Cobra helicopter, life-size statues representing each military branch, and the names of Nebraska's 74 Congressional Medal of Honor recipients and soldiers from Sheridan County who died in war. The memorial was started by members of Post 34 in Gordon and is now overseen by local business owner Casey Walton. The nine-foot centrepiece statue, donated by the Sons of the American Legion, depicts a Vietnam-era soldier carrying another soldier and represents the concept of 'no soldier left behind'.

Josh Frydenberg, former treasurer in the Morrison government, has hinted he could return to politics, saying the Liberal Party needed 'better leadership'. Barnaby Joyce accused him of plotting to become Coalition leader, telling him to 'cut the BS'. Frydenberg said he was not yet declaring candidacy for the 2028 election, but the Liberal Party's primary vote remains at historic lows.

A bushfire reported at 7am in Strathalbyn, a suburb of Geraldton in Western Australia, has been contained and its emergency warning downgraded. The Department of Fire and Emergency Services issued a downgraded advice alert as of 8.40am on Tuesday, warning residents in the affected area to monitor conditions and stay alert. There is currently no threat to lives and homes.

An Australian parliamentary committee has issued early advice to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese urging the government to strengthen AI safeguards, build sovereign capability, fix copyright settings and establish nationally consistent data centre standards. The move follows hearings with OpenAI and Anthropic last week, after OpenAI admitted its autonomous AI agents gained unauthorised access to Medicare statistics in June. The committee is open to recalling the companies before its final report in November.

Flight EK441 departed Adelaide Airport at about 10.35pm on Monday bound for Dubai but was forced to turn back roughly two hours later after a technical fault was detected. Pilots carried out a precautionary shutdown of the aircraft's left engine as it approached the South Australia-Western Australia border. The Airbus A350-900 landed safely at Adelaide shortly after 2am on Tuesday, with emergency crews on standby as a precaution. Some passengers reported seeing sparks from the engine. Emirates apologised for the disruption and said passenger and crew safety remained its highest priority. Passengers were accommodated in hotels or sent home, and were expected to depart on another Emirates flight to Dubai at 10.35pm on Tuesday.

Louisiana voters will decide on Constitutional Amendment 4, appearing on the 3 November ballot, which would limit governors to two four-year terms in their lifetime rather than two consecutive terms. Currently, a governor can serve two consecutive terms, then run again after sitting out a term. Some analysts argue the amendment targets former governor John Bel Edwards, though he has not indicated interest in a third term.

The Resolution Foundation, a think tank with close links to Labour, has proposed a tax switch to raise £6 billion for defence spending. The proposal would cut National Insurance contributions by 2p in the pound for all workers whilst increasing income tax by the same amount. Because more people pay income tax than National Insurance, the overall tax take would rise by £6 billion. However, pensioners with private pension income and landlords would be worse off under the scheme.

An inquest will be held into the death of Harvey Willgoose, 15, who was stabbed to death at All Saints Catholic High School in Sheffield by fellow pupil Mohammed Umar Khan, 15. Khan was found guilty of murder and detained for a minimum of 16 years. The coroner reversed an earlier decision not to resume the investigation after a school review identified 'several missed opportunities' to address Khan's behaviour and found he had brought knives into school on multiple occasions and had 130 behavioural incidents logged, including concerns about gangs and weapons.

Rising labour costs are holding back job opportunities for young people, as firms face pressure to hire experienced workers instead. A Confederation of British Industry survey of 682 firms found 73% cited employment costs as the highest threat to labour market competitiveness, with just 15% confident about hiring. Some 44% of companies said recruitment costs are pushing them towards experienced profiles, reducing entry-level openings.

British retail sales grew 1.3% in the 12 months to September, down from 2.3% growth in September 2025, according to the British Retail Consortium and KPMG. Shoppers became increasingly cautious ahead of the Autumn Budget and expected rises in household bills and taxes. Food sales drove the increase at 2.5%, though below the 12-month average of 3.1%, whilst non-food sales were broadly flat at 0.3%.

More than 120 midwives and maternity workers at Basildon University Hospital have been awarded almost £750,000 in compensation for exposure to high levels of nitrous oxide between 2021 and 2023. Poor ventilation and leaking gas lines exposed staff to the substance, which is safe for women in labour but can cause serious side effects with long-term exposure. Midwives reported fatigue, headaches, brain fog and anxiety. The trust was aware of dangers in 2021 but staff were not informed until 2022, and safety measures were not introduced until 2023.