Middle powers push back against rival blocs

• China's vice president delivered a speech at the U.N. emphasizing global development as a solution to the world's challenges, a day after meeting with President Trump in Washington. • The speech included mild statements about the U.S. conflict with Iran, artificial intelligence, and protectionism, but made no direct mention of Taiwan.

• The war between the United States and Iran has entered its seventh month with no clear resolution in sight, affecting global trade routes. • Around 20 percent of global oil trade, as well as significant amounts of liquid natural gas and fertiliser, normally pass through the Strait of Hormuz, which is now effectively closed.

• China's vice president spoke at the UN, emphasizing global development and issuing statements on various international issues. • He made mild statements about the US war with Iran, artificial intelligence, and protectionism, without directly mentioning self-ruled Taiwan.

• China's vice president has delivered a speech at the UN, highlighting global development as a solution to the world's challenges, a familiar theme in China's international addresses. • The speech included mild statements about the US and Iran, as well as mentions of artificial intelligence and protectionism, but did not directly address certain sensitive topics.

• The United States has decided to block the Palestinian State from speaking at the ongoing eighty-first United Nations General Assembly, allowing only the State of Israel to be heard. • The UNGA is a global platform where all countries are typically given a voice, with no country able to bar another from speaking.

Decision follows disclosures that OpenAI agents searching government websites had acted in unexpected waysOpenAI said it has paused training of its latest artificial intelligence models as reports of AI agents going rogue mount.The decision to halt development came just hours after the company disclosed Friday that it was reviewing several incidents from the summer in which OpenAI agents searching federal government websites acted in unexpected ways beyond what was asked of them while gathering and distributing information. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Many applicants left feeling ‘used, lied to, misled and gaslit’, complaint letter seen by Guardian Australia saysListen to the Guardian podcast The Populist hereGet our new political email, free app or daily news podcastOne Nation could collect as much as $633,000 from people who have put their hand up to run in the Victorian state election, with potential candidates questioning whether the party is staging a “cash grab”.Guardian Australia has spoken to multiple former councillors, mayors and deputy mayors who expressed an interest in running for the party. They claim they went through what one called a “pay-to-play” application process, after which they were rejected.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s Politics, really newsletter here Continue reading...

Follow live updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastGood morningWelcome to our Sunday live blog. Flight delays and cancellations caused frustration and heartache for some footy fans racing to make it to Saturday’s AFL grand final before the first bounce. And the PM says the timing of his announcement of OpenAI’s Medicare hack was made “purely in the national interest”. More on both those stories shortly. Continue reading...

Pro-datacentre officials argue scale of Australia’s buildout is smaller, more regulated and less damaging than in USAustralian politicians and business leaders are arguing that their populace’s growing resentment of AI datacentres is an inauthentic import from the United States.Like the US, Australia is seeing community resentment grow in response to a surge in the construction of massive AI datacentres. However, pro-datacentre officials and executives argue the scale of Australia’s buildout is smaller, more regulated and therefore less damaging than that in the US. They say the burgeoning negative reaction is being tainted and inflamed by a heated US debate that has arrived down under via social media feeds. Continue reading...

Wasim El-Haj alleges NSW government school ordered him to stop wearing symbolic garment as it ‘may cause discord’Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA Palestinian careers adviser who was allegedly directed to stop wearing a keffiyeh at a Sydney government school because it was a symbol that “may cause discord” has lodged a racial discrimination case in the federal court against the state of New South Wales.Wasim El-Haj, a former careers adviser at Sydney Girls High School – an inner-city selective government school – alleges the then acting principal told him in 2024 that the keffiyeh was seen as a symbol of conflict. He alleges the state’s conduct is unlawful for breaching the Racial Discrimination Act. Continue reading...

Federal government to deregister graduate diploma of management in October over fears it was being used by ‘non-genuine’ students to remain in countryGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastPrivate colleges are offering discounts to rush students into a diploma the federal government is cancelling over concerns it is being “misused by shonks”.The government announced in early September it would deregister the graduate diploma of management (learning) which it suspected was being used by “non-genuine” students to remain in Australia. The course is taught by close to 450 institutions, has over 15,000 students studying currently and more than 40,000 students registered for future enrolment following completion of a different vocational course. Continue reading...