WORLD

• The UN Security Council met on Wednesday to evaluate the ongoing threat posed by ISIL (Dae’sh) to global peace and security. • Briefings highlighted that ISIL, Al Qaeda, and their affiliates remain "adaptive and resilient" despite international counter-terrorism efforts. • A key concern is the groups' adoption of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies to enhance recruitment, mobilize resources, and expand their operational reach.

• The Israeli military has ordered residents in southern Lebanon to evacuate for the first time in weeks, alleging that the Iranian-backed Hezbollah has committed a "blatant violation" of the current ceasefire. • Diplomatic efforts to resolve the situation were disrupted, with a State Department official reporting that the second day of talks ended prematurely due to escalating events on the ground. • This development signals a fragile security environment in the region and threatens to derail recent attempts to maintain a cessation of hostilities.

• President Donald Trump has initiated a high-pressure diplomatic strategy combining military threats and negotiations to resolve tensions with Tehran. • The confrontation centers on the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime corridor that serves as a defining symbol of global energy security. • This shift marks the closest level of diplomatic engagement between Washington and Iran since the current geopolitical crisis began.

• International diplomatic talks have intensified to resolve the ongoing conflict involving Iran and secure safe maritime passage through the Strait of Hormuz. • The situation is critical because the strait serves as a primary global artery for energy supplies, making any disruption a threat to international oil markets. • These negotiations aim to prevent military escalation and ensure the stability of global trade routes.

• The United States reports that a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz is nearing completion following "positive" diplomatic talks between Iran and Oman. • Negotiators are currently focused on expanding safe shipping lanes through the strait, although several key differences between the parties remain unresolved. • This diplomatic push is critical as it attempts to secure global maritime trade routes amidst escalating military tensions between Israel, the US, and Iran.

• Professor Rodrigue Tremblay published an analysis on August 4, 2026, arguing that U.S. President Donald Trump is more corrupt and dangerous than corporate media portrayals suggest. • The piece focuses on Trump's conduct since his second inauguration on January 20, 2025, claiming his actions demonstrate a significant risk to governance. • This critique highlights a perceived gap between mainstream media narratives and the reality of the administration's impact on the United States.

• The 75-year-old global refugee system, established by the Refugee Convention and Protocol, is facing a crisis of effectiveness as it struggles to adapt to modern geopolitical realities. • While 149 state parties officially maintain their commitment to the treaties, the author argues that these obligations are being "hollowed out" in practice. • This systemic failure means that millions of displaced people now rely more on chance and luck than on guaranteed legal protections to find safety.

Chief executive Robert Thomson says ‘crass kleptomaniac’ AI companies are ‘in possession of stolen goods’Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastNews Corp has reported a slight slide in digital subscriptions at its Australian mastheads, erasing recent gains, among otherwise robust financials at the Rupert Murdoch-backed global conglomerate.Digital subscribers at News Corp Australia – a division that includes the Australian, the Daily Telegraph and the Herald Sun, among others – fell from 1,166,000 to 1,162,000 during the financial year, according to the company’s internal data published in its full year results on Thursday morning. Continue reading...

Husic to take ‘short’ period of leave after collision on Sydney motorway on TuesdayFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastLabor MP Ed Husic was hospitalised this week after his car was involved in an accident with a truck travelling on Sydney’s M7 motorway.The incident happened when the Chifley MP was travelling home from his electorate office, around 6.20pm on Tuesday, according to a spokesperson. Continue reading...

A 45-year-old man and 23-year-old woman were found dead in the Charleville home after a near eight-hour siege by policeAn hours-long siege has ended in tragedy after a man and woman were found dead in an outback home.Several streets in Charleville, 600km west of Toowoomba in Queensland, were thrust into lockdown after police were called to investigate reports of a serious assault at the home around 6pm on Wednesday. Continue reading...

The 20-year-old’s third calf is being monitored by officials as survival rates for the species are challenging, the zoo saidThe Toronto Zoo has announced the birth of a female pygmy hippo calf.Kindia, the zoo’s 20-year-old pygmy hippo, started showing signs of labor at around 8.15am last Sunday, it said. Around four hours later, the calf’s feet emerged and after 1.5 hours of active labor, Kindia successfully gave birth to the baby pygmy hippo. Continue reading...

Jeanine John Taele detained for ‘suspicious’ behavior after he allegedly took photos and videos ahead of Trump visitA California man who was arrested at Donald Trump’s Los Angeles-area golf course ahead of a presidential visit is facing more charges, as authorities released more details about the investigation.Authorities say federal agents first observed 38-year-old Jeanine John Taele near the the golf grounds in Rancho Palos Verdes on 31 July, wearing an ear piece and capturing photographs and videos of security agents assessing the property. Continue reading...

Changes come after report says Trump unhappy with helipad’s appearance and lawn’s slopeThe White House has confirmed that contractors are redoing a new helipad built on the South Lawn to accommodate a new supersized Marine One chopper recently added to the presidential transport fleet.A White House official said the changes to the circular concrete landing pad were ordered as “we continue to make improvements as part of the ongoing project to best match the needs of the White House”. Continue reading...

Police allege man issued threats on social media to find woman and hurt her. Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastStates and territories shut down hundreds of sub-standard childcare servicesAlmost 600 childcare services were shut down in the latest quarter, a 20 fold increase on the same quarter last year, as federal, state and territory governments crack down on dodgy and underperforming providers.Enforcement action is at record highs. The percentage of services meeting the national quality and safety standards is at the highest level ever as well.We have also introduced legislation to cut funding to centres that aren’t up to scratch … This is a good sign. But there is more to do. Continue reading...

President has sued the broadcaster for $10bn, claiming a documentary on 2021 Capitol attack led to financial harmDonald Trump’s legal team is making an 11th-hour attempt to block a court order that would grant the BBC access to the president’s financial records, as part of his multibillion-dollar lawsuit against the British broadcaster.Trump claims that the BBC’s 2024 documentary on the January 6 attacks have damaged the president’s business interests. In July, a Miami-based judge ruled that the president would have to start handing over detailed financial records to the BBC by 6 August. The records would reveal details into the hundreds of businesses owned by the US president’s family trust. Continue reading...

Murdaugh, whose murder convictions were overturned due to clerk’s misconduct, will face trial againSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter email A US federal judge has thrown out a lawsuit by Alex Murdaugh seeking $600,000 in legal fees from the former court clerk whose misconduct led to his murder convictions being overturned on appeal.Murdaugh sued Becky Hill in May, saying she violated his right to a fair trial over the deaths of his wife and son. Continue reading...

Many online questioned how long the blogger’s broadcast remained up on the app and shared mental health resourcesSocial media users have criticized TikTok after celebrity blogger Perez Hilton livestreamed himself self-harming on the platform, prompting many to question how long the broadcast remained live and others to share mental health resources and encourage those in need to seek help.On Tuesday night, Hilton, 48, livestreamed himself engaging in self-harm as viewers pleaded for him to stop. Shortly after, local authorities responded to his home in Miami, Florida, where he was transported to a nearby hospital for medical treatment. Continue reading...

Health secretary says global heating means UK hospitals and GPs will have to prepare for summer as well as winter peaks of demandAdapting to global heating: which UK public services are struggling in hot weather?The NHS has been warned to prepare for potential annual summer crises caused by extreme heat with the same pressures as winter, as heatwaves caused by the climate crisis become routine in the UK.The health secretary, Yvette Cooper, said NHS staff were feeling A&E pressures that would normally be expected only during flu season – and said the government would use major investment in NHS infrastructure to tackle the health service’s resilience to high summer temperatures. Continue reading...