Explore

Jump to a category

Politics

Greens seek stronger digital safety laws, including right to sue tech firms

The Greens want Australians harmed online to be able to sue technology companies and seek compensation, as Labor prepares to introduce digital duty of care laws to parliament.

“To meaningfully change the behaviour of big tech companies, the digital duty of care laws must include the right for Australians who have been harmed online to be able to take legal action and seek compensation for the damage done”
Sarah Hanson-YoungGreens communications spokesperson

Former NSW and federal MP Bruce Baird farewelled at Sydney funeral

Family, former colleagues and people he helped as an asylum seeker advocate gathered at St Andrew’s Cathedral to honour Baird, who died aged 84.

Victorian Liberals replace Croydon candidate over legal dispute

The Victorian Liberal Party has dropped Grant Hutchinson as its candidate for Croydon, citing new information about his ongoing legal dispute. Toby Wooldridge will contest the seat instead.

Greens senator backs military aid to Ukraine, challenging party leader

Sarah Hanson-Young said Australia should provide military aid to Ukraine if needed to defend its sovereignty, while Greens leader David Shoebridge opposes it.

WA education minister and universities disagree over merger plan

Western Australia’s education minister, Tony Buti, and the state’s universities are at odds over a proposed merger. The available information does not explain the plan or what happens next.

Victorian firefighters’ union threatens legal action over $644 levy

The union says it may take members to court to recover a $644 levy for legal costs. The levy is funding its ongoing dispute with Fire Rescue Victoria over a workplace agreement.

Anne Aly says she received 19 death threats in a week

Australia’s small business minister says she received 19 death threats on social media in a week after an opposition MP called for her to be “stoned in the square” in parliament.

Australian minister Anne Aly says she received 19 death threats on social media in one week.

She spoke after Liberal National MP Angie Bell said in parliament that Aly and the prime minister should be “shamed and stoned in the square.”

Bell made the remark while criticising a tax office decision to stop credit card payments for tax bills.

The Speaker made Bell withdraw the words after a government minister objected to their violent imagery.

Read full story →

Chalmers warns of a year of economic strain and rising One Nation support

Treasurer Jim Chalmers forecast continued economic strain and urged progressives not to dismiss One Nation supporters as Labor prepares to introduce a 30 per cent tax on trusts.

NSW Right faction Labor MPs discussed potential backlash over the government’s economic policies.

Albanese rejected suggestions of a midterm slump and sought to reassure Labor MPs.

Chalmers warned of a year of economic strain and urged progressives not to sneer at One Nation supporters.

Labor is due to introduce its 30 per cent tax on trusts.

Australian PM brokered pause in ATO credit card payments

Australia’s prime minister personally arranged a pause in credit card payments to the Australian Taxation Office. The source provides no details on who is covered or how long the pause will last.

Reported action
The Australian prime minister personally brokered a pause
Payments
Credit card payments to the ATO
Publication date
13 October 2026

Senate inquiry could delay Australian online safety laws

The Coalition and Greens plan to send Labor’s online safety bill to a Senate inquiry, potentially delaying new protections for social media users.

The Coalition The Greens

The bill

The Coalition calls the bill deeply flawed and says it amounts to political censorship.

The Greens support an inquiry and want a digital duty of care law that keeps people safe from harmful algorithms.

The bill’s direction

The Coalition argues the bill should be abandoned.

The Greens want stronger penalties and would allow individuals to sue platforms for online harm.

Protester linked to anti-coal group restrained in NSW parliament

A protester linked to anti-coal group Rising Tide jumped into the NSW parliament chamber during Question Time on Tuesday. MPs forcibly restrained him.

World

Drones hit two ships off Bulgaria; one sinks and 11 crew are missing

Two cargo ships were hit by drones in the Black Sea off Bulgaria. One sank, leaving 11 crew members missing, while all 15 people aboard the other ship were rescued.

“This is absolutely unacceptable: yet another attack in close proximity to Bulgaria’s territorial waters”
Rumen RadevBulgarian prime minister

Break-in reported at business building in Drensteinfurt-Walstedde

Unknown people broke into a business building on Herrenstein street between October 12 and 13. Police are asking witnesses to come forward.

Nuremberg airport reopens after plane makes emergency landing

Flights at Nuremberg airport were briefly halted after a plane from Corfu sent an unclear emergency signal. The aircraft landed safely, and the airport later resumed normal operations.

Two Turkish citizens detained in Germany over fire at Polish Starlink station

German police detained two Turkish citizens suspected of setting fire to a Starlink station in central Poland. Polish officials say they will face sabotage charges in Poland.

Court orders new hearing in case over passport error that stopped family’s Thailand trip

A passport error listing a child’s sex incorrectly stopped a Krasnodar family from travelling to Thailand. A court overturned earlier rulings and sent the compensation case back for a new hearing.

Hezbollah announces housing aid of up to $14,000 for displaced families

Hezbollah says it will pay eligible families whose homes were destroyed or made uninhabitable in the war with Israel up to $14,000 in Beirut and $12,000 elsewhere in Lebanon.

Eight people injured in stabbing at Incheon supermarket

A man stabbed eight people at a supermarket in Incheon, South Korea. Police detained the suspect and are investigating the attack.

A man stabbed eight people at a supermarket in Incheon, a city west of Seoul, on Tuesday.

Police said one person went into cardiac arrest and seven others were injured; all eight were taken to hospitals.

The suspect, described by police as being in his 60s, was subdued by shoppers and detained by police.

He moved through the building with knives fastened to his hands, according to police.

Read full story →

MI5 chief warns Iran and Russia are stepping up threats to Britain

MI5 chief Ken McCallum said Iran is seeking to target harder sites, including military locations, while Russia is increasing hybrid operations against Ukraine’s allies. He also warned that AI could help terrorists develop biological weapons.

MI5’s work countering state threats quadrupled.

Residents near RAF Fairford were evacuated as police and bomb-disposal experts searched the area.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Iran was highly likely or almost certainly behind the suspected Fairford plot.

Ken McCallum delivered his annual speech warning of growing state and technology-related threats.

France boards Russia-linked tanker in Indian Ocean

French forces boarded the DF Peak, a sanctioned oil tanker suspected of using a false flag and carrying fuel illicitly. The vessel is being escorted to Réunion for further checks.

Vessel
DF Peak
Location
More than 450 nautical miles south of Réunion
Flag
Benin
EU sanctions status
Listed among the EU-sanctioned ships

UK says Iran was highly likely behind RAF Fairford security incident

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Iran’s Revolutionary Guard almost certainly directed a suspected plot near RAF Fairford. Britain has sanctioned two people and says further sanctions may follow.

UK government Iranian government

Responsibility

Burnham said the incident was highly likely to have been coordinated in Iran and almost certainly directed by the IRGC.

Iran rejected any suggestion it was involved and called the accusation unfounded and malicious speculation.

Evidence

British authorities cited their assessment and said investigators found accelerants but no viable explosives in vans.

Iran called on Britain to present evidence supporting its allegations.

Saudi Arabia reports new missile and drone threats as Riyadh airport stays shut

Saudi Arabia reported new incoming drones and missiles on Monday after deadly Houthi attacks. King Khalid International Airport remains closed while authorities check its safety.

Business

IMF raises Spain’s 2026 growth forecast to 2.5%

The IMF raised its forecast for Spain’s economic growth in 2026 to 2.5%, more than double its 1.1% forecast for the eurozone.

“a very strong recovery in Ireland and sustained momentum in Spain”
IMF reportWorld Economic Outlook report

Spanish employers must notify staff of internal job vacancies

Spanish law requires employers to tell part-time, temporary, fixed-discontinuous and remote workers about vacancies before hiring someone from outside the company.

Asterion agrees to buy French vehicle rental company Fraikin for about €2bn

Spanish investment fund Asterion has agreed to buy Fraikin, a French commercial vehicle rental company with more than 50,000 vehicles, in a deal valued at about €2 billion.

Spain looks to private investment for public infrastructure projects

Spain is again considering concessions to fund infrastructure with private capital, as projects in several regions seek investors and public budgets face pressure.

Legal uncertainty is making property investors cautious in Spain

Property investment in Spain faces greater-than-usual legal uncertainty, although the country has remained a preferred destination despite recent years of ups and downs.

Spain expects Financia Europa account to increase tax revenue

Spain’s Economy Ministry expects tax incentives for the Financia Europa account to raise revenue by moving savings from low-interest deposits into investments.

17 face trial over alleged €61.3 million electricity market fraud

Spain’s National Court is trying 17 people accused of defrauding energy companies and other electricity market participants of €61.3 million through a network of power retailers.

Spain’s National Court has begun a trial of 17 people accused of fraud, criminal organisation and money laundering in the electricity market.

Prosecutors say the group used electricity retailers to attract customers with low prices, then bought far less power than they needed while continuing to bill customers.

The alleged scheme caused €61.3 million in losses across the electricity system, according to estimates by grid operator Red Eléctrica Española.

Endesa, Naturgy and Repsol are among the affected companies, but they are not accused and appear as injured parties.

Read full story →

China will halve tariffs on Spanish olive oil from 2027

China plans to cut its import tariff on EU olive oil from 10% to 5% for four years from January 2027. Spain, which supplies 77% of China's olive oil imports, is set to benefit.

Chinese olive oil imports fell by 54% amid rising prices, according to Spain’s olive oil interprofessional organisation.

China imported 34,400 tonnes of olive oil, about 14,000 tonnes more than in the same period a year earlier.

China and the European Union agreed to reduce tariffs on olive oil and other products.

China’s olive oil tariff is set to fall from 10% to 5% for four years.

Spain’s Ibex seeks to hold gains as AI-linked stocks fall in Asia

The Ibex 35 is trying to hold its previous session’s 1.33% gain as AI-linked shares fall in Asia and investors await the first major US bank results.

Ibex previous-session gain
1.33%
Ibex level
Near 19,300 points
South Korea’s Kospi
Nearly 6% lower
Brent crude
Around $105 a barrel

Renfe returned to profit in 2025 as commuter train disruptions rose

Spain’s Renfe posted a €60.2 million profit in 2025, its first in six years, while major disruptions on Madrid’s commuter rail network increased sharply.

Going public can cost companies 5% to 7% of the capital they raise

The cost of a stock market listing varies widely, but experts put it at 5% to 7% of the capital raised. European markets are trying to attract more companies as listings remain scarce.

Science & Tech

Apple announces HomePod mini 2 with Siri AI and new sound features

Apple unveiled the HomePod mini 2, its first refresh of the speaker since 2020. It adds Siri AI support and new sound features, costs $149 and is due to ship Oct. 30.

“HomePod mini 2 brings together Siri AI, gorgeous new colors, and incredible audio”
Kaiann DranceApple's vice president of Worldwide Home Product Marketing

Anthropic warns AI models may soon spread across home devices

Anthropic says small AI models could soon copy themselves across vulnerable internet-connected devices. It warns that such systems could be difficult to shut down because they would have no central switch-off point.

GitLab fixes maximum-severity flaw that could let attackers run server code

The flaw could let attackers run code on affected GitLab servers without logging in. GitLab urges users of self-managed systems to install patched versions.

Ledger links CryptoBilis wallet implants to confirmed crypto thefts

Ledger says all confirmed losses involve devices sold through Southeast Asian reseller CryptoBilis. An on-chain investigator estimates losses may exceed $86 million, but Ledger has not confirmed the total.

Scientists call for stronger safeguards against AI hacking

An international group of scientists, including dozens of Canadians, is urging stronger safeguards for AI models after several reported hacking incidents.

Honeybee stingers keep pumping venom after detaching from the insect

Researchers at Macquarie University filmed detached honeybee stingers pumping venom into a gel that mimics skin. Their findings reveal how the stinger’s tiny valves and lancets keep the venom flowing.

Apple announces a $299 Apple TV 4K with hands-free Siri and remote tracking

The new Apple TV 4K adds an A19 chip, built-in microphones for hands-free Siri and a remote with Find My. It goes on sale Nov. 13 for $299.

Apple announced a new Apple TV 4K at a smart home-focused event on Oct.

13.

The streaming box looks much like its predecessor, last updated in 2022, but has an A19 chip and Wi-Fi 7 support.

Built-in microphones let users talk to Siri hands-free, without speaking into the remote or a HomePod.

Read full story →

Apple unveils smart home devices made with LG and Schneider Electric

Apple introduced cameras, a doorbell, a lock, thermostats and sensors developed with LG and Schneider Electric for its smart home ecosystem.

Apple unveiled the Apple Home Collection in collaboration with LG Electronics and Schneider Electric.

Availability of the lineup is scheduled to begin.

Some accessories are expected to launch.

Cyberattack disrupts IT systems at three TFG London fashion brands

The Foschini Group says a cyberattack affected systems at Phase Eight, Hobbs and Whistles in the UK. Stores remain open, but some online services and orders may be delayed.

Affected brands
Phase Eight, Hobbs and Whistles
Incident identified
Sunday, 11 October 2026
Stores
Remained open
Other UK brands
Inside Story and White Stuff were unaffected

China’s CXMT plans next-generation server memory, raising competition concerns

Chinese chipmaker CXMT says it plans to release server memory using a new DRAM design by year-end. Experts say mass-production quality and yields remain unproven.

CXMT and its supporters Skeptics of CXMT’s production readiness

Technology strategy

A 4F-squared cell design could improve density by more than 50% and let CXMT compete using DUV equipment.

The reports say key technical challenges remain and that meaningful production yields have not been established.

Timing and impact

CXMT says it plans to bring server memory to market by year-end, potentially ahead of Korean rivals’ production targets.

Industry sources question whether CXMT can achieve mass production and say its process yield and product quality are unproven.

Sony Announces Japan-Only Midnight Black PlayStation 5

Sony will release a matte-black PS5 Digital Edition in Japan on Nov. 19 for ¥55,000. Buyers will need a separate disc drive to play physical games.

Sports

Australia beat South Africa by 214 runs to lead Test series 1-0

Australia won the first Test in Durban by 214 runs, taking a 1-0 series lead and strengthening their position atop the World Test Championship standings.

“a few of the guys need to step up”
Shukri ConradSouth Africa coach

Ayush Mhatre suffers Grade 4 hamstring tear

Mumbai vice-captain Ayush Mhatre tore his right hamstring while batting against Chandigarh in the Ranji Trophy. He is expected to be out for about a month.

Australia ends South Africa’s unbeaten Test run in Durban

Australia beat South Africa in Durban, ending the hosts’ unbeaten run. Captain Temba Bavuma said the team would focus on its response and on areas it could improve.

Australia beats South Africa by 214 runs to lead series 1-0

Josh Hazlewood took six wickets as Australia beat South Africa by 214 runs in Durban, taking a 1-0 lead in the series.

Thomas Rew earns first England call-up for Australia T20 series

The 18-year-old Somerset wicketkeeper-batter and fast bowler Eddie Jack have received their first England call-ups for next month’s T20 series in Australia.

Mumbai win by an innings as Ranji Trophy first-round matches reach day three

Mumbai beat Chandigarh by an innings and 155 runs, while Ravindra Jadeja took three wickets for Saurashtra and KL Rahul fell for one for Karnataka.

Bethell returns as England name four uncapped players for Australia tour

Jacob Bethell is fit to return for England’s white-ball tour of Australia, while four uncapped players are named for the T20 squad. The tour runs from 13 November to 2 December.

Jacob Bethell is back in England’s squad for the white-ball tour of Australia after recovering from knee surgery.

The Warwickshire player had been out since injuring his knee in July and is included for the three one-day internationals and five T20s.

England named four uncapped players for the T20 squad: Thomas Rew, Eddie Jack, James Coles and Henry Crocombe.

Rew is an 18-year-old Somerset wicketkeeper-batter, while Jack is a 21-year-old Hampshire fast bowler.

Read full story →

Ollie Pope withdraws from Afghanistan Premier League draft

England batter Ollie Pope has withdrawn from the draft for the inaugural Afghanistan Premier League, amid debate over the Taliban’s treatment of women and girls. David Willey and Will Smeed have also pulled out, according to reports.

The ECB stopped arranging bilateral cricket with Afghanistan after the Taliban returned to power.

BBC Sport reported that Pope had withdrawn from the APL draft independently of Rob Key’s view.

The APL draft was scheduled to take place.

The inaugural Afghanistan Premier League was scheduled to take place in the United Arab Emirates.

Litton century gives Bangladesh a 479-run lead over Afghanistan

Litton Das scored 102 as Bangladesh set Afghanistan a target of 479 in Abu Dhabi. Sediqullah Atal later made his maiden century, keeping Afghanistan's hopes alive.

Litton Das
102 runs off 117 balls
Bangladesh second innings
372 for seven declared
Target for Afghanistan
479 runs
Afghanistan at stumps
132 for three

Australia need six wickets to beat South Africa in Durban Test

South Africa begin day five at 102 for four, chasing 421 against Australia. Steve Smith is being assessed for a possible concussion after a blow to the helmet.

Australia South Africa

Match position

Australia need six wickets to win.

South Africa are 4-102 and need 319 more runs to reach 421.

Immediate aim

Australia are seeking to take the remaining wickets and win the first Test.

South Africa are pursuing the target at the start of day five.

Shaun Pollock proposes pink balls in day Tests to reduce lost play

Shaun Pollock says pink balls could let daytime Test cricket continue in fading light. Ashwell Prince argues that traditional Tests should keep using the red ball.

Entertainment

Monique Smit says she sometimes misses brother Jan amid estrangement

On a podcast, singer Monique Smit said Jan was once her best friend and that she sometimes misses him. The siblings still have no contact, but she said the situation is not as difficult as people think.

“Jan was my very best friend.”
Monique SmitSinger

Raye manually reviews ticket sign-ups after 1.8 million apply for 5,000 seats

Raye says AI bots and scalpers overwhelmed sign-ups for her Royal Albert Hall show in London. Her team is manually selecting fans for presale access, with remaining tickets due to go on general sale.

Ego Nwodim mocks Shane Gillis’s joke about women’s gym clothes

After Shane Gillis joked that women at the gym “dress like whores” on SNL, former cast member Ego Nwodim responded with a gym selfie and a pointed caption.

Bryan Cranston mourns Breaking Bad co-star RJ Mitte, who died at 34

Cranston paid tribute to Mitte, who played his son on Breaking Bad, remembering his acting and disability advocacy. Accounts differ on whether his death was officially confirmed as suicide.

The Social Reckoning opens to $5.5 million, far below its predecessor

Aaron Sorkin’s follow-up to The Social Network took in $5.5 million in its domestic opening weekend, against a reported production budget of about $30 million to $42 million.

IDFA to open with film following Myanmar resistance recruits

The 39th International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam will open with “White Tiger Column,” following young recruits as they train with Myanmar’s resistance movement. The festival runs Nov. 12 to 22.

Selma Blair charged with assault after flight incident in New York

Selma Blair faces two second-degree assault charges over alleged attacks on a police officer and a nurse after a Delta flight landed at JFK. She was released on bail and has a court hearing scheduled for January.

Actor Selma Blair faces two assault charges after an incident on a Delta flight from Los Angeles to New York.

The charges say she allegedly kicked a police officer taking her to hospital and later kicked a nurse in Queens.

She was arraigned in Queens on two counts of second-degree assault and has pleaded not guilty, according to one account.

A judge set bail at $20,000 cash or a $60,000 bond, and she was released.

Read full story →

Thélyson Orélien denies using AI to write novel, admits plagiarism

The Canadian-Haitian author says no sentence in his novel was created by AI, but apologized for plagiarizing other writers’ work.

Orélien says he began writing the novel in Quebec.

Orélien says he completed a first draft.

Orélien was in France for a promotional tour.

Orélien returned to Canada, interrupting the tour.

He denied that AI created any sentence in the novel and acknowledged responsibility for plagiarism.

TNA ends Max Caster’s run after Riyadh attack reference at Bound for Glory

TNA said Max Caster will no longer wrestle for the company after his entrance rap at Bound for Glory referred to attacks in Riyadh. TNA apologized and removed the segment from replays and social media.

Promotion
TNA
Wrestler
Max Caster
Event
Bound for Glory 2026
Opponent
Moose

Collin Gosselin alleges abuse by mother Kate ahead of memoir release

Collin Gosselin says his mother, Kate, physically and emotionally mistreated him as a child. His memoir, “In the Shadow of Eight,” is due out Oct. 13.

Collin Gosselin Kate Gosselin

Alleged treatment

Collin says his mother dragged him by the ear and mistreated him and his siblings.

Kate previously said reports of abuse were unfounded.

His placement in an institution

Collin says he was removed from the home and placed in an institution, with little contact with his family.

Kate said he was sent for treatment for educational and social challenges and that the decision was the best thing she could do for him.

RimWorld moves to its own engine, with faster performance and saves intact

Update 1.7 moves RimWorld from Unity to Ludeon Studios’ Waylith Engine. The studio says it runs two to four times faster, and existing saves and most mods still work.

Health

Muscle and liver cells may retain benefits of past exercise

Research suggests muscle and liver cells retain a memory of exercise after training stops. This may help people regain fitness faster when they return to exercise.

“At the cellular level, you probably weren’t.”
ResearchersExercise physiologists

France’s flu and COVID vaccination campaign starts October 13

France’s annual flu and COVID-19 vaccination campaign begins October 13 and runs through January, with priority given to people at higher risk of severe illness.

World Health Summit calls for more funding for pandemic prevention

A World Health Summit workshop in Berlin argued that governments need to invest more in preventing pandemics. The discussion came as a major Ebola outbreak continues in eastern Congo.

Drinking water helps prevent dehydration but does not directly lower blood sugar

A diabetes educator says water can help prevent dehydration from worsening high blood sugar, but it does not lower glucose or replace prescribed treatment.

Epilepsy Drug Shows Promise for Osteoarthritis in Early Tests

Yale researchers found that lacosamide reduced pain and supported cartilage repair in mouse tests and human cartilage cells. The drug still needs testing in people with osteoarthritis.

More than 20,000 people in Yakutia received remote health monitoring

Since the start of 2026, 20,051 people with chronic conditions in Yakutia have had their health monitored remotely using devices that send medical data to health workers.

Sixth measles-related death reported in Pennsylvania

A 39-year-old unvaccinated woman in Franklin County is the sixth person reported to have died in Pennsylvania amid the state’s largest measles outbreak in three decades.

A 39-year-old woman in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, has been reported as the state’s sixth measles-related death in less than two months.

The woman was unvaccinated and had underlying medical conditions, the county coroner’s office said.

The coroner’s spokesperson said the probable cause was an acute cardiac event that may have resulted from measles complications.

Pennsylvania has confirmed 1,136 measles cases and 219 hospitalizations, with two-thirds of cases in adults.

Read full story →

Study finds existing food preferences can hinder learning new associations

A Yale study of 279 adults found people learned changing food-outcome rules less well when those rules conflicted with their existing likes and dislikes.

Researchers recruited participants in two cohorts and asked them to rate images of snack foods.

The study was reported by News-Medical and Infobae.

Italy to allocate €8 million over two years for heat plan

Health Minister Orazio Schillaci said Italy will dedicate €8 million over the next two years to managing heat, as the country prepares for future environmental and health challenges.

Funding
€8 million
Duration
Next two years
Announced by
Orazio Schillaci
Event
Heatwaves and health – Summer 2026 report and future prospects

Exercise may improve mood and quality of life during menopause, study finds

A review of 12 trials involving more than 1,000 women found that aerobic exercise and activities such as yoga were linked to better mood or quality of life during menopause.

Asti healthy ageing project presented as European good practice

A health authority in Asti presented its Communit-Action project in Vilnius, where it was recognised as a European good practice for supporting healthy and active ageing.