‘Robust little’ vessel begins treacherous 22,000km journey around Antarctica in the name of climate science 25. September 2026 (17:00) Powered by sun and wind, the uncrewed vehicle will collect data to help Australian scientists better understand how oceans absorb emissionsA small uncrewed vessel has embarked on a lap around Antarctica and may not return for months.The seven-metre craft, which looks like a large kayak in hi-vis orange, is expected to travel about 22,000km through inhospitable waters, propelled by powerful westerly winds and energy from the sun. The journey is seven times the distance between Sydney and Perth. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
NSW crackdown on ‘AI-doctored’ real estate listings hits mural-covered wall 25. September 2026 (17:00) Apartment with strange view singled out in government’s fight against deceptive ads – but real estate agent says photo is no fakeGet our new political email, free app or daily news podcastThe New South Wales government’s crackdown on “AI-doctored” rental listings has hit a wall, after it made an example of a supposedly manipulated ad that turned out to be a genuine photograph of a $5,000 courtyard mural of Bondi beach.In a media release on Friday announcing protections against misleading rental ads, the state government provided a link to a property in Leichhardt, claiming it was an “AI-doctored rental listing in Sydney’s Inner West”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
US math and reading test scores are at a 25-year low. Trump cut the agency that can provide answers 25. September 2026 (17:00) National Center for Education Statistics, which collects critical data to guide policy on learning, was decimated after Doge canceled crucial contractsAs reading and math scores fall to their lowest point in the past quarter-century, the US now has fewer tools to understand and develop interventions for this troubling trend.When the Trump administration took a wrecking ball to the Department of Education last year, firing nearly half of its workers and allowing the so-called “department of government efficiency” (Doge) to cancel nearly $900m in contracts, a little-known agency called the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) was among the hardest hit. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘We will get stuff done’: Burnham seeks to banish ghosts of Starmerism at Labour conference 25. September 2026 (16:25) The PM returns to Liverpool, where he was mocked last year, with a promise that no one will be left wondering what he’s trying to doUK politics live – latest updatesAndy Burnham was not even in the audience for the prime minister’s speech at the Labour party conference this time last year. As Keir Starmer made the case for continuity to his restive party, Burnham was spotted slipping out over the bridge towards Liverpool’s Albert Dock.The then Greater Manchester mayor had been vying for the spotlight throughout the party’s annual gathering, presenting the argument for change. But even he could not have envisaged the schism that would take place in the ensuing 12 months and would put him on the main stage as prime minister at this year’s conference, beginning in Merseyside on Sunday. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Pakistan locks down Islamabad as Imran Khan’s party vows to march on capital 25. September 2026 (15:44) Tens of thousands of police deployed and roads barricaded as PTI party demands release of jailed former PMLeaders from Imran Khan’s party have vowed to go ahead with a nationwide demonstration in Pakistan to demand the former prime minister’s release, even as the government deployed tens of thousands of police to Islamabad, barricaded highways and issued arrest warrants to try to stop the march.The state has taken extreme measures to prevent Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party from proceeding with the march, due to take place over the weekend. It was announced after mounting concerns of the treatment of Khan, who has been in jail since 2023 on corruption charges. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘Significant’ nor’easter brings high winds and heavy rain to US east coast 25. September 2026 (15:36) Forecasters say up to 40 million people in multiple US states could be affected by the early season northeasterly stormHigh winds and heavy rain were beginning to batter New England on Friday as a “significant” nor’easter, the first such storm of the fall, threatened to disrupt weekend plans for millions.In the Pacific Ocean, meanwhile, three separate hurricanes, one threatening “catastrophic flooding”, including life-threatening flash floods, in Hawaii, were churning as a record-setting El Niño continued to amplify severe weather events on a global scale. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Pomp over progress as Trump rolls out red carpet for China’s president Xi Jinping 25. September 2026 (14:41) While the US president hailed the visit as ‘great’, almost nothing of substance was achieved, which was a win for XiKey takeaways from the Trump-Xi summit in WashingtonIf the Beijing meeting between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping in May was the “stalemate summit”, the second round of talks between the presidents of the US and China this week seemed to give up entirely on the idea of breakthroughs.Instead, it was dubbed a celebration of “diplotainment” rather than diplomacy, where pomp prevailed over progress, and where one of the main outcomes was the news that two giant pandas would soon be sent from China to the Atlanta Zoo. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Trump’s executive order on recreational fishing is a ‘giveaway of fish and ocean ecosystem’, advocates warn 25. September 2026 (14:00) Federal agencies told to prioritize recreational fishing and to reconsider scientific standards as well as regulationsDonald Trump’s latest fishing order is raising new concerns about US marine protections, as it directs federal agencies to prioritize recreational fishing while reconsidering the scientific standards and environmental regulations that govern American fisheries.The National Marine Fisheries Service hailed last Thursday’s order, Restoring American Saltwater Angling and Recreation, telling the Guardian: “By addressing long-standing flaws in federal data collection, streamlining permitting, and expanding marine habitats, this action delivers long-overdue stability to America’s $1.2tn outdoor recreation economy.” Continue reading...(The Guardian)
DNA database of UK dogs could help police collar criminals 25. September 2026 (14:00) Experts working on database that could identify particular breeds involved in crimes, or rule out canine suspectsFrom tracking criminals to sniffing out drugs, dogs have long helped police crack cases. Now experts are hoping a database of canine DNA could offer vital leads.While hair, saliva and other canine material may be found at crime scenes, or on individuals connected to incidents, scientists say they are often not fully investigated. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘Gamechanging’ brain tumour test reduces diagnosis from eight weeks to two hours 25. September 2026 (13:53) NHS England says test can be done while patient is on operating table and is being piloted in five centres around the countryA rapid new test for brain tumours can diagnose patients while they are still on the operating table.Scientists have called the development “gamechanging” and said it could secure early treatment for those who “do not have time on their side”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
