Anthony Albanese says OpenAI agent hacked Medicare and he expressed ‘extreme concern’ to Sam Altman 23. September 2026 (23:38) Prime minister says he expressed ‘disappointment’ to chief executive it had taken the company ‘way too long’ to inform his government about the breachFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAnthony Albanese says an artificial intelligence agent developed by OpenAI hacked Medicare in June.Australia’s prime minister made the comments at the UN summit in New York, saying it appeared no personal information had been accessed. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Tories target universal credit claimants in plan condemned as ‘fast track to poverty’ 23. September 2026 (23:30) Proposals aim to push people into work, but charities say families are still paying price of austerity cuts and rise in cost of livingPeople claiming universal credit (UC) would have their payments cut by a third if they have not paid enough national insurance, under a Conservative plan condemned by one charity as “a fast track to increased poverty”.Under the proposals, those who receive this “subsistence allowance” would have it paid into a dedicated debit card that would prevent from them buying alcohol or tobacco, based on an Australian system that was scrapped after trials found limited evidence it changed behaviour. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Pupils to be offered vocational GCSEs in radical shake-up of system in England 23. September 2026 (23:30) Courses such as finance and construction form part of PM’s push for education ‘that offers a path for everybody’Teenagers are to be offered a range of new vocational GCSEs under a radical shake-up of the school system in England designed to tackle a crisis that has left nearly a million young people out of work or training.From 2029, pupils will be able to supplement compulsory GCSE subjects such as English, maths and sciences with courses such as construction, creative media production and child development, marking the biggest changes to the qualification for more than a decade. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Democrats accuse Susan Collins of corruption after bombshell ‘pay-to-play’ report 23. September 2026 (23:12) Republican senator calls bribery allegation ‘categorically false’ as ProPublica reports Trump derailed FBI inquiryDemocrats in Maine on Wednesday accused Republican senator Susan Collins of corruption after a major media outlet reported that the FBI had proposed investigating her for allegedly accepting bribes – before Donald Trump derailed the inquiry.The article from the investigative newsroom ProPublica rocked the race for Collins’s Senate seat, which is crucial to Democrats’ hopes of winning control of the chamber in the 3 November midterm election. The outlet reported that in the run-up to Collins’s successful bid for a fifth term in 2020, the head of her Super Pac had solicited a campaign donation from contracting firm Navatek, which demanded assurances of business from the government in return. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Three charged with assault after anti-migration protests in Hampshire 23. September 2026 (23:07) Hundreds gathered on Tuesday night in anticipation of a small boat arriving in GosportThree people have been charged in connection with anti-migrant protests which drew hundreds of demonstrators to a marina in Hampshire on Tuesday night.Six people were arrested by police, as anti-migrant activists who mistakenly believed a small boat was due to arrive at Gosport gathered in an attempt to disrupt the arrival of any asylum seekers. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
In a first, olive ridley turtles spotted nesting on California’s beaches 23. September 2026 (23:05) Scientists are questioning whether the nestings on Seal and Huntington Beach were freak occurrences or start of a trendA sea turtle crawled out of the surf in southern California last weekend around sunset and started laying eggs in the sand.People on Huntington Beach who saw the female olive ridley sea turtle were shocked and excited. And they weren’t the only ones freaking out, said Justin Viezbicke, the California stranding coordinator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (Noaa). Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Andy Burnham signals he may lift ban on alcohol in football stands 23. September 2026 (23:00) Prime minister says measure is discriminatory when fans of other sports are not similarly restrictedAndy Burnham has signalled he may lift the ban on drinking alcohol in the stands at football matches, suggesting it is “unfair” for fans to be singled out when it is permitted for other sports.The prime minister, a committed Everton fan who still attends matches, said there was a case for trialling an end to the ban to bring football in line with rugby and cricket. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘My friend’: Anthony Albanese announces $60m more for Ukraine at Zelenskyy meeting 23. September 2026 (21:40) An emotional prime minister says that Kyiv’s cause is ‘an issue for the world’ as he also sets out the need for a new global orderAnthony Albanese has announced Australia will provide $60m more in support for Ukraine’s fight against Russia’s invasion during an emotional meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the UN meeting in New York.With the prime minister planning to use a key speech in New York to warn that the international world order was “no longer fit for purpose”, he hugged the Ukrainian president as the latter thanked Australia for its support. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
How the ‘poisonous tide’ of disinformation spreads division and despair 23. September 2026 (21:24) Whether produced by Russia, China or far-right influencers, deepfakes and disinfo are pushing multiple false narrativesRussian disinformation campaigns are varied in their falsehoods and strategies.The narratives range from a deepfake Tom Cruise criticising the Paris Olympics to portraying a recent Russian attack on a train near the Ukraine-Poland border as a false-flag operation. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Save the Children officially warned by regulator over staff put at risk in Yemen 23. September 2026 (20:55) Warning from Charity Commission for England and Wales concludes two-year investigation after death of Hisham al-Hakimi in October 2023The international aid charity Save the Children has been issued with an official regulatory warning over management failures and misconduct that put staff at its Yemen office at serious risk.The warning concluded a two-year investigation by the Charity Commission for England and Wales into the running of the office after the death of its safety and security director, Hisham al-Hakimi, in October 2023 after he was detained by the Yemeni authorities. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
