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Well wishes for Helen Haines as health condition improves | Evening News Bulletin 24 October 2026

SBS News Australia •
October 24, 2026 • 04:45 AM
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Well wishes from overseas for Independent MP Helen Haines' as her health condition improves; Donald Trump says the US may start another military operation against Iran; and in sport, Australia's Molly Picklum takes the top spot in the World Surf League standings.

Well wishes for Helen Haines as health condition improves | Evening News Bulletin 24 October 2026

Listen to Australian and world news, and follow trending topics with SBS News Podcasts .

Politicians in the UK have conveyed their well wishes and prayers for a speedy recovery for MP Helen Haines.

Hospital staff say the health condition of the federal independent for the regional Victorian seat of Indi has improved.

She is now in a serious but stable condition [[instead of critical]], after she was hit by a four-wheel drive outside her electorate office on Monday.

43-year-old Brendan Nugent has been charged with dangerous driving causing serious injury, intentionally causing serious injury and causing harm to a Commonwealth public official.

Australia's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Jay Weatherill says many MPs in the UK have approached him to speak about Helen Haines.

"There are just so many members of the House of Commons that have reached out to me, wanting me to personally pass on their best wishes and we know that you embody everything so many of us in public life want to emulate. Quiet calm reason. Seeing a question from all sides. And just being the very thing that our democracy needs. And an attack on you just feels like an attack on all of us."

The New South Wales Premier Chris Minns has apologised to commuters over proposed timetable changes for the train service between Sydney and the Illawarra.

More frequent services were proposed along the T4, T8 and South Coast lines, but some trips were expected to take longer.

The changes were announced last week - and were due to come into effect on the 15th of November.

Premier Minns says the plan will now be scrapped.

"We've listened to the commuting public. We understand their concerns about reliability on the public transport network. And I want to make it clear that we will not be pursuing timetabled changes unless and until reliability returns, particularly to the T4 transport line. There are still too many signal failures, breaks in the rail, and major disruptions. And we need to make sure that is a reliable public transport option."

US President Donald Trump says the US may carry out another military operation against Iran at a time when the war is nearing its eight month mark and as the rise in fuel prices weighs on the US midterm elections.

Mr Trump has offered shifting goals and timelines for the war.

Earlier this month, he said the US would not launch an attack on Iran before the midterm elections next month, in which control of Congress is up for grabs.

Speaking at a rally in Florida, he is keeping his options open.

"We obliterated Iran's nuclear enrichment capacity with Operation Midnight Hammer. You remember that late at night, one in the morning. And then did the rest with Operation Epic Fury, which it was. We may do another little Epic Fury or they'll agree. If they're smart, they'll just say, 'Let's get down to business'.

Almost 159 million Brazilians are eligible to vote in this weekend's closely contested presidential runoff between President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro.

The winner will lead Latin America’s largest economy, a country of 214 million people, for the next four years.

The election also carries implications for relations with the United States, where President Donald Trump is an ally of the Bolsonaro family.

Thiago Nascimento da Silva is a senior lecturer of international relations at the Australian National University.

He has told SBS Portuguese, recent polls indicate tomorrow's vote will be a tight race.

"This year, the first round gap between Flavio Bolsonaro and Lula was under two points. That's definitely a record. Second, how tight will Sunday's runoff be? The latest opinion polls from Brazil's main pollsters show Flavio one or two points ahead of Lula, but that's within the margin of error, so statistically, it is a tie. If the result looks like the polls, this will be the closest election in Brazilian history."

To sport, Australian surfer Molly Picklum now has the world No. 1 ranking in the World Surf League standings, after winning the Portugal Pro.

She defeated American Caitlin Simmers to claim her first Championship Tour victory this year.

The Australian waited for her moment, finding a wave that delivered a 7.83-point score.

The 23-year-old says she has long wanted to win in Portugal.

"Right now, I am on top of the world. Like I said, I wanted to do well. It was a dream of mine. Me, Portugal and Supertubos. It's like the cross between the Brazil energy and then pipeline now. And those two together are my favourite things. Oh my god, i am just so so grateful to win here. It was literally a dream of mine. And dreams come true. It is so baffling."

The tour heads next to a new stop in the Philippines before the last event of the year at Pipeline, where 1.5 times points will be on offer.

Thanks for listening, I'm Essam Al-Ghalib for SBS News Podcasts, and if you haven't done so already, please checkout out our longer form podcast page caled 'SBS News in Depth'.

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