G

Guardian

October 2026

IFS: budget will be ‘work of fiction’ without clear plan to cover UK spending pressures

Her comment echoes a criticism levelled at Jeremy Hunt, the former Conservative chancellor, who before the 2024 general election was accused by the then head of the Office for Budget Responsibility of setting unrealistic spending plans

Helen Millerdirector of the IFS
Choosing to stay the course with the inherited tax and spending plans would mean allowing inflation to blow departments’ spending plans off course,
The chancellor is fully focused on his priorities to boost business, help with the cost of living and support people in every postcode, underpinned by fiscal discipline and a commitment to meet the fiscal rules with a buffer against uncertainty.... The Office for Budget Responsibility will publish its updated forecast alongside the budget in October and we will not comment on rumour, speculation or proposals about its contents ahead of then.”
If John Healey sets out spending envelopes for public services that he would not be willing to live within, his plan for meeting the fiscal rules will not be credible,
Andrew Bailey needs to focus on doing his job.”

Australian Greens call for ‘barbaric’ US execution live stream to be blocked

Barnaby Joycenation MP
I certainly don’t want any children, or anybody to be honest, to witness another human being, being shot by a firing squad.”
If it’s going to be livestreamed, how are you going to do that without creating the artifice to be able to block content on the internet and create an online portal of censorship?”
I think this is incredibly shocking and barbaric, and Australians don’t want this on our screens.”
Inaction on this will jeopardise millions of Australians’ online safety,
It would be expected they exercise strong editorial control over their coverage and act responsibly in reporting on this matter,

The Beach Boys’ Mike Love returns to the stage despite ‘facing serious health challenges’

The 85-year-old musician — who was wearing a cap, hoodie and scarf — remained seated for the performance, with a microphone positioned on a stand before him

Mike is a fighter. Despite doctors, family and friends urging him to focus on his health, he insists on being on stage. He says he needs his band, the audience, his friends and drummer surrounding him to lift him up.”
John Stamosactor
It’s what he loves the most,
My beloved friend, father figure, musical hero and mentor, Mike Love, is facing serious health challenges,

Total fire ban for Sydney, with 37C temperatures and risk of bushfires from ‘dry lightning’

Outdoor fires, solid fuel barbecues and activities like grinding and welding were all prohibited

Trent Curtinrural Fire Service Commissioner
Fire danger is going to be right up today, and so people need to take care right through the day to make sure that they’re not doing anything with flames out in the open,
Kristy McBainaustralian politician
That will get much better protection for communities who are experiencing disaster,
Linden Ashcroftclimate scientist Dr
There’s only one clear driver of this and that’s climate change,
We’ve been able to do a lot more this year than we have in prior years, because the conditions have been a little bit better and we’ve made sure we’ve taken every opportunity,

Pennsylvania shooter who killed eight was a grandfather, says slain child’s dad

Windham’s one-year-old daughter, Amarianna; her pregnant mother; and the woman’s five-year-old son and unborn baby were among the victims

Rick Loraherie Police Chief
They knew something was going on at that house,
Words can’t even explain what I’m going through right now,
They were a lovely family. Who would have thought this would ever happen?”
Out of respect for the victims and the families, I will not discuss the details of what our officers encountered inside that home,
I think that was a front for him,
Josh Shapiropennsylvania Governor
My heart breaks for this family. Lori and I are praying for their loved ones and the entire Erie community,
We don’t want that dark memory to be what defines their lives in this world,
But I want our community to understand the gravity of what happened and the profound impact this tragedy has had on those involved and on our community as a whole,

Sacha Baron Cohen to star in Quentin Tarantino’s West End play The Popinjay Cavalier

Set in 1830s Europe, The Popinjay Cavalier has been billed as a “rambunctious comedy of deception and disguise inspired by the grand swashbuckling epics of stage and screen”

Cohenbaron
Quentin called, I said yes before he even got to say his first ‘motherfucker’. When the best director in the world calls, you don’t ask questions. I am beyond delighted that we will be losing our West End virginity together. I have made him promise not to be gentle.”
I’m preparing for it to be a success. If it’s a flop, I’ll be done very quickly,

UK to strengthen cyber defences as minister calls for AI firms to increase safety efforts

The AI companies do not have security that would prevent an adversarial country from stealing the models.”
We can’t treat Super Intelligence as a set of nested black boxes and simply accept or reject its recommendations, answers, and actions,
I may have information regarding this case. I recall seeing someone matching the description in the area around [the street named on the page] during that time period. Please contact me if this information is relevant.”
It is possible we [will] get superintelligence in less than 12 months, on the current path,

NFL roundup: Daniels’ overtime blunder costs Commanders as Giants salvage wild 27-27 tie

Jayden Daniels took off on an ill-advised scramble in the closing seconds of overtime with the Commanders in field-goal range, and Washington were unable to stop the clock before time expired, settling for a 27-27 tie with the New York Giants on Sunday after both teams made critical mistakes in the extra period

Time review — David Tennant’s furious drama is as important as Adolescence

It is crammed with under-18-year-old males, locked up often for 23 hours a day, all subject to the relatively new “keep apart” system whereby prisoners deemed likely to be violent towards each other are not allowed out of their cells at the same time

‘We make our own noise’: Maresca hails Manchester City after Liverpool triumph

We were all together. For the importance of the game, Liverpool away, Anfield away, it was a good idea from the club to be all together. That togetherness is what we need.”
Andoni Iraolaliverpool boss
We played two different games: one until the red card, and one from the red card until the end. I think we were the better team until the red card and they were better than us, obviously, after the red card. But I think the players deserve credit today because they’ve given everything.”
My message to the players since we were together three days ago, when they all came back from their national teams, has been quite clear: guys, the noise will always be there so it’s about how we learn to deal with the noise and it’s our duty to make our noise. Our noise is to win games in the way we did today and to be happy. It was our fans making the noise at the end of the game today.”
I think the first foul of Ryan is never a yellow card, never,

Premier League returns in shadow of Manchester City’s judgment day | Jonathan Wilson

The White Walkers are approaching the Wall, but the squabbles between the great houses go on

Abdul El-Sayed: Democrats must ‘win by massive numbers’ to fend off Trump election denial

Donald Trump has already threatened to do what he did in 2020, which is deny the outcomes of an election,
The guy I’m running against, he insinuates that he didn’t actually lose in 2020,
Donald Trumppresident
Let me just say, stranger things have happened, OK?”

Volkswagen boss backs EU plan to bolster domestic European industry

The proposals for the Made in Europe rules, formally known as the Industrial Accelerator Act, would limit subsidies and public procurement to products with a large proportion of their materials and manufacturing coming from within the EU

Oliver Blumechief executive
Europe is under enormous competitive pressure.”
Oliver Blumechief executive
Those who sell here should compete under comparable conditions and create jobs and value here in Europe, too... We believe in open markets, but openness also means standing up for our own interests in Europe. Because a strong industrial base means more than economic success. It protects technological independence.”
Companies that invest and develop in Europe must see a clear benefit,