Top World News

Aug 18, 2026 - World

Lily Hooper has not been seen since leaving for a hike in Nattai national park, south-west of Sydney, on 12 AugustGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe family of missing 18-year-old bushwalker Lily Hooper say they are “absolutely devastated” that she has not been found after a multi-agency search.On Tuesday, search efforts for the teenager continued through the dense tree canopy and rugged terrain of Nattai national park, about 90km south-west of Sydney, for a seventh day. Continue reading...

Aug 18, 2026 - World

Burnham has announced a range of policies aimed at relieving pressure on financially squeezed households and businessesAfter Labour came into power in July 2024, legislation was passed to renationalise all passenger trains when contractually allowed, a process that is due to conclude by the end of 2027.However, the major “rolling stock” companies (Eversholt, Porterbrook and Angel Trains) – who own and lease carriages and engines – remain privately run. They typically lease rolling stock to the train operating companies who then deploy it on their services.Huge sums of money are being taken out of our railway in profits and dividends by private rolling stock companies. A lot of it ends up in offshore tax havens. We need to keep that money on the track, not send it offshore. Continue reading...

Aug 18, 2026 - World

David Pocock says legislation still includes ‘indiscriminate cut’ impacting hundreds of thousands of participants The government’s controversial NDIS bill will undergo “substantial” amendments after Labor and the Coalition struck a deal, with some of the changes attracting heavy criticism from the Greens, the ACT senator David Pocock and the disability community.Sixty-three government amendments across both houses will be introduced as part of backroom deals to pass the bill on Tuesday night, the NDIS ministers, Mark Butler and Jenny McAllister, revealed. Continue reading...

Aug 18, 2026 - World

Chris Wormald received unprecedented payment after serving as cabinet secretary for just 14 monthsThe former head of the civil service Chris Wormald received a record payout, in the region of £500,000, when he was forced out of the top job in Whitehall by Keir Starmer, it has emerged.The unprecedented payment was made after Wormald served just 14 months in the role of cabinet secretary before being replaced by Antonia Romeo. Continue reading...

Aug 18, 2026 - World

Iran war prompts cost of living squeeze for workers as ONS reports unemployment rate stays at 4.9%Business live – latest updatesWage growth in the UK slowed in June, official figures show, and vacancies hit a five-year low as workers come under pressure from a renewed cost of living squeeze amid the economic impact from the Iran war.Figures from the Office for National Statistics show average growth in total earnings, including bonuses, fell to 4.1% in the three months to June, down from 4.4% in the three months to May. City economists had forecast a larger fall to 4%. Continue reading...