Fears for ‘gregarious’ local celebrity Sammy the elephant seal in Victorian bird flu hotspot pred 5 urami in 35 minutami Seals and sea lions often communicate by touch and share spaces with wild birds, placing them at risk of infection from H5N1 virusFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastSince H5 bird flu arrived in Portland, Victoria, the situation has been “pretty grim” with many dead and suffering birds on the beach, and the dilemma of how to dispose of the carcasses, according to local resident Lynn Murrell.But since the first confirmed case in a fur seal on Sunday at Beachport, South Australia – a two-hour trip over the border – people have been worried for their local “pet seal”, known as Sammy. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Nine CEO confident new AI laws will deliver a ‘world of growth in publishing’ as network slashes costs pred 5 urami in 37 minutami Matt Stanton says company has ‘good pipeline’ of AI deals ahead even as it aims to cut $160m in costsFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe head of Nine Entertainment sees a “world of growth in publishing” on the horizon backed by laws designed to force tech platforms into commercial deals, even as the network cuts costs across its newsrooms.Parliament passed revamped media bargaining laws last week, clearing the way for levies on global tech platforms that fail to strike deals with Australian news outlets for the use of their journalism. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Typhoon Narra: record flood waters submerge homes and force mass evacuations in China pred 7 urami in 20 minutami Heavy rain expected in parts of Vietnam and southern China, as another storm system, Typhoon Saudel, heads for Japan and TaiwanWidespread flooding triggered by Typhoon Narra has submerged homes and forced mass evacuations in southern China, as another storm system tracked towards Japan and Taiwan.Authorities in Chongzuo, in China’s Guangxi region – famous for its giant waterfalls and karst limestone mountains – on Tuesday evacuated more than 15,000 people after water levels surpassed a record high set in 2008. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
US halts all immigrant visa applications amid tightening restrictions pred 7 urami in 51 minutami Move by state department to limit access is part of Trump’s crackdown on both lawful and undocumented immigrationAll US immigrant visa applications have been paused by the Trump administration as the state department moves to tighten restrictions and limit access to applicants who they deem could end up relying on US assistance, a state department official confirmed Tuesday.The agency launched the initiative at all embassies and consulates in early August, according to the official and visa appointments had to be adjusted to accommodate “in-depth training”, according to the official. The state department has been working on updated guidance and training since early this year, “to ensure all consular officers are fully equipped to evaluate every visa applicant comprehensively and consistently”, they added. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
From Hasan Piker to Jesse Watters, El-Sayed seeks to focus on affordability amid scrutiny from both sides pred 8 urami in 25 minutami Democratic Senate candidate for Michigan distances himself from Twitch streamer and debates Fox News hostThe Democratic candidate for Senate in the swing state of Michigan has spent the week trying to keep his affordability message front and center as scrutiny mounts from both ends of the political spectrum.In the span of two days, Abdul El-Sayed distanced himself from leftwing streamer Hasan Piker, spoke out against rightwing hate directed at the Muslim community, and debated Fox News host Jesse Watters on taxing billionaires. The clip circulating most from the Fox interview, though, focused on circumcision - specifically, El-Sayed asking Watters whether he circumcised, in a retort to Watters’ question about gender-affirming care. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Suburban Rail Loop: Victorian government secretly increased public transport fares to help pay for controversial SRL pred 8 urami in 25 minutami Labor put ‘levy on all public transport fares in metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria’ since January 2025, auditor-general saysThe Victorian government secretly increased public transport fares to raise money to help pay for the Suburban Rail Loop and other Big Build projects, the state’s auditor-general has revealed.The auditor-general’s report, tabled in parliament on Wednesday, also questioned whether the first stage of the multibillion-dollar project – a 26km stretch of twin tunnels from Cheltenham to Box Hill dubbed SRL East – can be delivered on time or within budget. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Billionaire investor says he used AI to write critique of former mentee Scott Bessent pred 8 urami in 28 minutami Stanley Druckenmiller said he was ‘proud of using it’ as wider media grapples with parameters around AI useStanley Druckenmiller, a billionaire investor, said he used artificial intelligence to pen his viral Wall Street Journal op-ed in which he sharply criticized the interference of Scott Bessent, the US treasury secretary, in the US bond market.Many news outlets, including the Guardian, covered the editorial, highlighting Druckenmiller’s rebuke of his former mentee, Bessent. As the story circulated online, some readers questioned rhetorical choices that resembled AI-generated text. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
