Essential

Survey shows two-point fall in vote amid concern about Pauline Hanson’s links to Gina Rinehart and ability to run countryFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAustralians have emphatically rejected some of One Nation’s key policies, including shutting down SBS and ending multiculturalism, with voters raising concerns about Pauline Hanson’s closeness to the billionaire mining magnate Gina Rinehart and whether the party has the skills needed to run the country, according to a new poll.But even as the latest Guardian Essential poll finds voters have major reservations about Hanson and her party, more than half of respondents said they were either definitely or at least considering voting for One Nation at the next election. Continue reading...

• Major AI breakthroughs occurred in June 2026, highlighted by the release of Microsoft's MAI models, a revamped Siri from Apple, and Google's updated AI Search. • The period saw significant advancements in open-source AI, though these were countered by the emergence of "Agentjacking" security attacks targeting AI agents. • These developments matter as they signal a shift toward more autonomous AI agents and deeper integration of generative AI into core operating systems and search engines.

Network Rail expected impose speed restrictions, with people told to check if train services are runningRail passengers have been told to only attempt to travel if essential and check trains are running, with extreme heat expected to disrupt services around Britain.Temperatures are forecast to rise to 37C across most of southern England and Wales over the next three days, and potentially to 40C in the most affected areas. Continue reading...

• The current tech landscape is characterized by a stark contrast between rapid innovation and severe infrastructure limitations. • ByteDance users are experiencing significant delays, waiting hours for AI-generated videos, while tools like Cursor are successfully automating coding tasks instantly. • This disparity highlights a critical industry struggle where scaling challenges and physical resource shortages hinder the potential of AI advancements.

Consumer group makes ‘super’ complaint to ACCC after investigation found dangerous items on platforms such as eBay, Amazon and AliExpressGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastCigarette lighters that look like toys, gel blasters, flick knives and fake tongue studs are among the “frightening” number of unsafe and potentially banned products being sold to Australians on online marketplaces, a Choice investigation has found.After identifying the products, Choice on Wednesday formally asked the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to take action against the retailers and begin a review of the country’s product safety laws more generally. Continue reading...

Josh Richards joins international mission to extract five found alive and search for missing twoGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAn Australian cave diver is part of an international team that has been flown into Laos from around the world to rescue seven people stuck in a remote, flooded cave.The group entered the cave in Xaysomboun province, central Laos, to hunt wildlife and search for gold more than a week ago, but heavy rain blocked the cave entrance. Five of them were found alive this week, but two remain unaccounted for – and the rescuers, some of whom were involved in the rescue of a young Thai football team in 2018, still need to extract the survivors from the inundated passageways. Continue reading...

South East Water says demand has jumped owing to extreme heat but stops short of compulsory measuresSouth East Water has asked members of the public to use water only for essential purposes after demand surged on Monday to 100m litres more than average.After water outages for hundreds of homes across Kent and Sussex over the last three days during record temperatures, the company has asked customers to use water only for drinking, washing and cooking. Continue reading...

Judge rules initiative to force binding vote on secession invalid as Alberta premier calls for referendum on matterThe Canadian prime minister, Mark Carney, has said that Alberta is “essential” to the country’s future, hours after the province’s leader moved the oil-rich region closer toward a referendum on independence.Separatists in the western province spent months collecting signatures seeking to trigger a binding October vote on seceding from the nation. Continue reading...

Retail sources rebuff government proposal as ‘unjustified’ and likely to push costs up across boardUK supermarkets have been asked by the government to consider putting a price freeze on some essential foodstuffs to protect the public from inflation fuelled by the Middle East conflict.Retailers rejected the plan, criticising its potential costs amid rising taxes, fuel and energy costs and arguing it could push up prices for shoppers overall. Continue reading...

• Singapore and New Zealand signed the world's first legally binding bilateral agreement to maintain flows of essential supplies including food, fuel, healthcare products, and construction materials during crises, witnessed by both prime ministers at the Singapore-New Zealand Annual Leaders' Meeting. • The Agreement on Trade in Essential Supplies commits both governments not to impose unnecessary export restrictions on agreed essential goods and establishes a framework for facilitating goods movement and information sharing during supply chain disruptions. • The agreement will be incorporated into the existing free trade agreement between the two countries after domestic procedures are completed, providing businesses and consumers with greater confidence and supply chain stability in the region.

The fuel crisis is seeing more voters keen to shift to renewable energy rather than stick with fossil fuelsGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA majority of Australians support taxing profits from gas exports and extending the cut to the fuel excise, according to the latest Guardian Essential poll, despite Anthony Albanese on Wednesday ruling out a new tax on existing gas export contracts.The poll also found the fuel crisis is seeing more voters keen to shift to renewable energy rather than stick with fossil fuels. Australians also say they’re already cutting back on travel, switching to public transport and reducing their use of aircon and heating amid the global fuel uncertainty. Continue reading...

One Nation outperforms the Coalition for the first time, while the rightwing populist party’s leader has a positive rating among all age groupsGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA majority of surveyed Australians approve of Pauline Hanson’s leadership of One Nation, giving her a higher job approval rating than Anthony Albanese and Angus Taylor, as the Guardian Essential poll finds the rightwing populist party is outperforming the Coalition for the first time.The results come as Australians are becoming more pessimistic about the country and the economy, with the majority of respondents saying they expected things to get worse in coming months. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Survey of 2,000 people by Barnardo’s also finds almost half feel their child has missed opportunities due to costUK politics live – latest updatesFour in 10 parents across the UK are struggling to afford essential items for the care of their newborn babies, according to research.The survey of 2,000 parents with children aged under five by the charity Barnardo’s found that almost half (49%) felt their child had missed out on opportunities to learn or play because of the cost of living. Continue reading...

Millions are dipping into savings or borrowing to get by as the Iran war drives up prices, survey showsThe Iran war has led to a surge in pessimism in the UK as half of households are already struggling to afford everyday essentials.The escalating conflict in the Middle East, which has driven the price of oil, gas, crop fertiliser and other raw materials sharply higher, threatens to cause another cost of living shock. Continue reading...

Poll also finds Australians keener for government to forge closer ties with ‘middle powers’ such as Canada and JapanGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastOnly one in four Australians approve of the US-Israel war on Iran, and just a third have backed the federal government’s actions in sending a military plane and troops to the region, according to a new poll.The latest Guardian Essential poll found Australians are keener for the government to forge closer ties with so-called “middle powers” such as Canada and Japan, with about a third wanting to distance from the US. Continue reading...

• A new KFF survey from February-March 2026 shows 23 million ACA marketplace enrollees facing higher premiums after failed bipartisan subsidy extensions, forcing cuts to necessities. • Orlando resident Priscilla Brown, 48, rations Type 2 diabetes insulin to half or third doses or skips it entirely to manage costs despite insurance. • 75% worry about affording emergency care or hospitalization; 70% blame insurers 'a lot,' over half fault Republicans, Trump, and pharma companies.

Average arrears for housing, utilities and council tax for low-income households all rose last yearHigh levels of debt on essential bills have become the “new normal” for many low-income households, the charity StepChange said on Monday, with average arrears for housing, utilities and council tax all going up last year.People’s budgets have been stretched in recent years as they have faced higher prices for many goods and services, and the crisis in the Middle East has led to concerns over a new wave of increases. Continue reading...