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Academics – and a former director of Australia’s Classification Board – say Halloween: The Game’s ban due to ‘incentivised drug use’ highlights an incoherent set of standardsGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastHalloween’s Michael Myers is one of film’s most feared boogeymen, responsible for some of the most brutal on-screen deaths in horror cinema. US video game developer Illfonic looked to reproduce those terrors in its upcoming title Halloween: The Game, with gruesome killings a major focus of the gameplay: for instance, you can stomp another player’s head through a toilet seat, or fry their brain by throwing them through a television screen.But Australians will not be able to play Halloween: The Game, because it has been refused classification by the Classification Board, which means it is banned from sale within the country. And it’s not because of the violence or murders. Continue reading...

Sydney court hears complainant was more than 40 years younger and far less powerful than the shock jock when he started working as his driverAlan Jones’s defence team has suggested his alleged victim was never groomed because “grooming is something that happens to young children”.Complainant C was on Thursday cross-examined in a Sydney court over allegations the former 2GB star broadcaster touched him on the penis and kissed him when he worked for Jones as a young man. Continue reading...

• Anthropic is transitioning "Auto Mode" to be the default setting in Claude Code, moving away from requiring manual human approval for most actions. • The decision follows research indicating that the tool's internal classifier is more effective at identifying and blocking dangerous commands than human developers. • To prevent security breaches, the classifier is programmed to automatically block data exfiltration, such as sending secrets or code to external destinations.

• ADWEEK has announced its 2026 Tech Stack Awards, focusing on marketing technology that delivers proven revenue impact within the advertising and media sectors. • The awards highlight the critical need for marketers to effectively act on data, rather than simply collecting it, to drive business growth. • A primary focus of this year's recognition is the fundamental structural shift in search being powered by AI-driven discovery.

• European citizens are facing increased financial burdens as the annual cost of supporting Ukraine has risen to $618 per person. • According to the Kiel Institute of the World Economy, European allies have provided over $237 billion in total aid, with nearly $96 billion delivered in the last year alone. • Denmark has reached a record expenditure of $2,500 per inhabitant, while Norway is experiencing the fastest growth rate in spending.

Leading thinktank says higher oil prices and inflation will give Andy Burnham a ‘challenging inheritance’Andy Burnham has been warned by a leading thinktank of “very difficult trade-offs in the next autumn budget” if the Iran war keeps oil prices and inflation high.The National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) said the new prime minister faced a “challenging inheritance” and his plans to revamp public services would meet severe pressure from persistently higher prices. Continue reading...

President flew to Ankara onboard Qatari-gifted jet, without advanced defenses, and flew home on old Air Force OneDonald Trump switched aircraft before departing Turkey earlier this month after US officials determined there was a credible threat from Iranian proxy forces targeting him and Air Force One, according to a new report from the New York Times.The threat surfaced while the US president was attending the Nato summit. He had arrived in Ankara onboard the new Qatari-donated Boeing 747-8, an aircraft that Trump acknowledged does not have the same advanced defensive systems as the older Air Force One. Continue reading...

• Supporters of the self-named Cockroach Janta Party clashed with police in India while demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. • The confrontation resulted in nearly 60 protesters being injured, leading the group to announce they will not march again to prevent further harm to youth. • ACLED analyst Pearl Pandya warned that government crackdowns against peaceful protesters on this widespread issue may only serve to fuel public anger.

Jake Richards announces measures to prevent abuse like that at Medomsley detention centre in County DurhamOne of the UK’s most horrific and shocking child custody scandals was collectively ignored for decades because the victims were working-class boys from the north of England, a government minister has said.The sentencing and youth justice minister, Jake Richards, has announced he is implementing a number of recommendations to prevent abuse such as that which took place between 1961 and 1987 at Medomsley detention centre in County Durham from ever happening again. Continue reading...

• Lauryn Hill was honored with the Living Legend Icon Award at the 2026 BET Awards on Sunday, June 28. • The ceremony featured a star-studded tribute to Hill, who expressed her gratitude to her fans by stating, "I do this because I love y'all." • During her acceptance speech, Hill emphasized the importance of individuality and uniqueness, highlighting her roles as both an artist and a mother.

Airport has also been ‘engaging closely’ with regulator to discuss cost of plan to build third runwayBusiness live – latest updatesHeathrow has said that passenger numbers and profits will fall this year because of the conflict in the Middle East.Europe’s busiest airport said it expects a 1.1% decline in the total number of passengers to 83.6 million, as the impact of the Iran war affects global air travel. Continue reading...

• Bill Gates stated that while AI is expected to replace many jobs, athletes are among the few professionals safe from this revolution. • Gates identified athletes, biologists, energy workers, and coders as four specific careers unlikely to be fully replaced by artificial intelligence. • The reasoning for athletes' security is based on human psychology, as Gates argues that audiences have no interest in watching computers compete in sports.

• NASA's exoplanet-hunting spacecraft has discovered a highly unusual planetary system featuring an "improbable" and "wonky" orbital configuration. • The system's instability is driven by a massive, eccentric object within the system that disrupts the typical planetary alignment. • This discovery is significant because it provides crucial insights into how planets can form and survive around massive objects with extreme orbits.

Veteran broadcaster makes ‘one of hardest decisions of my entire life’ weeks after revealing spread of cancer to spineThe veteran broadcaster Bob Harris has announced he is stepping down from BBC Radio 2 after 30 years so he can focus on “getting well again”, six weeks after revealing his prostate cancer had spread into his upper spine.The 80-year-old host of The Country Show and Sounds of the 70s, known as “Whispering” Bob Harris, said his health problems were forcing him to step down and that it had been “one of the hardest decisions of my entire life”. Continue reading...

At least six new pubs and taphouses have opened in recent months, including the Pig & Swill in Cardiff On a hot Thursday evening in Canton, a buzzy Cardiff neighbourhood, a steady stream of people in sunglasses, shorts and dresses went back and forth between bar and garden at the city’s newest pub, the Pig & Swill.Next door, in Victoria Park, the splash pad was still heaving with families making the most of the tail-end of the May heatwave. Many parents and carers stopped by for takeaway pints and small plates. Continue reading...

• The Supreme Court, in a bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi, upheld the Election Commission of India's (ECI) Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise for voter rolls. • The court ruled that the SIR is constitutional and cannot be termed "ultra vires" or illegal simply because it employs a process distinct from routine statutory voter revisions. • This decision validates the ECI's authority to implement a more rigorous rehaul of electoral rolls to ensure accuracy and legitimacy in the voting process.

• The BBC's upcoming Doctor Who Christmas special is reportedly "hanging in the balance" and may not air as scheduled. • The production crisis follows the sudden exit of lead actor Ncuti Gatwa, leaving the network without a primary star for the festive episode. • This development is significant as the Christmas special is a cornerstone of the series' annual tradition and a major viewership driver for the BBC.

• Indian companies increased their outbound acquisitions in 2025, completing 162 deals worth over $18 billion, representing a 34% year-on-year rise. • The BBC reported on this trend with a headline suggesting these purchases are driven by slowing economic growth within India rather than financial strength. • OpIndia criticizes the BBC's framing, arguing that the broadcaster is pushing a narrative of "domestic failure" to overshadow the success of Indian balance sheets.

Exclusive: Young inmate took own life in Long Bay prison five months after independent inspector warned of ‘ligature points in cells across all areas’Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA 19-year-old man has died in a Sydney prison unit that an independent watchdog previously recommended be closed because it “simply cannot provide a safe environment”.The man was on remand, awaiting a hearing or sentencing, when he hung himself on Sunday in Long Bay correctional centre’s Metropolitan Special Programs Centre (MSPC). Continue reading...

In sobering comments, the RBA governor forecasts economic malaise due to the global fuel shock. Not recession but higher prices, lower growth and wages that don’t keep pace with inflationGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAs far as rallying cries go, Michele Bullock’s “we are poorer, and there is no way out of that” leaves a lot to be desired.It’s not going to win you any applause, particularly when you’re the governor of a central bank that has just announced a third rate hike. Continue reading...

Ukraine’s president tells podcast he has tried to draw White House’s attention to collaboration between Moscow and Tehran over strikes on US basesHow the Ukraine and Iran wars are starting to overlapThe US has ignored compelling evidence that Russia has been helping Iran to target US bases in the Middle East because it “trusts” Vladimir Putin, according to the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.Speaking in an interview with Alastair Campbell on The Rest is Politics podcast, Zelenskyy said he had tried to draw the White House’s attention to the close collaboration between Moscow and Tehran. Continue reading...

Analysis shows they are reliant on market investors such as hedge funds, which contributed $4tn last yearBusiness live – latest updatesEmerging economies are at greater risk of higher interest rates and currency shocks as a result of the Iran war because of increased reliance on market investors such as hedge funds, the International Monetary Fund has warned.The IMF’s analysis shows that a cumulative $4tn flowed into emerging markets last year from outside the formal banking sector – including from hedge funds and investment funds. Continue reading...

While Pete Hegseth has mocked the ‘big bad Royal Navy’ the First Sea Lord has sounded the alarm about its readinessMiddle East crisis – live updatesThe US defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, had his tongue firmly in his cheek when he singled out the “big bad Royal Navy” in a recent press update on the US-Israeli attacks on Iran.Hegseth’s sarcastic comment was only the latest in a long line of jibes against the capabilities and readiness of the British Royal Navy. Continue reading...

Airline has hedged much of fuel into 2027, avoiding soaring prices, but costs likely to hit passengers by end of summerBusiness live – latest updatesThe boss of easyJet has said the war in the Middle East has started to hit flight bookings, while the soaring price of oil would probably mean a rise in air fares by the end of the summer.The chief executive, Kenton Jarvis, said that while the airline had hedged much of its fuel into next year, avoiding soaring kerosene prices, it was “unavoidable” that some of the costs would be passed on in fares. Continue reading...

Bahrain circuit only 20 miles from targeted US baseRaces unlikely to be replaced because of logisticsFormula One has cancelled the Bahrain and Saudi Arabia grands prix because of the war in the Middle East.The races were due to take place on 12 April in Bahrain and 19 April in Saudi Arabia but the sport was approaching the point at which a decision on cancellation needed to be made to prevent more freight being sent to Bahrain. Continue reading...

Motaz Malhees is an actor in The Voice of Hind Rajab, a film about a Palestinian girl killed by the IDF in Gaza in 2024Palestinian actor Motaz Malhees said a travel ban imposed by Donald Trump is preventing him from attending Sunday’s Academy Awards, whose nominees include a movie in which he has a starring role.The Voice of Hind Rajab, a film about a five-year-old Palestinian girl killed by Israeli forces in Gaza in 2024, has been nominated for best international feature film. Continue reading...

SETI has spent decades listening for a sharp, well-defined radio signal that could indicate it was sent by distant intelligent life. Now researchers believe that space weather could distort and blur such signals – meaning SETI has been scanning for the wrong thing