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Union celebrates ‘landmark decision’ that will mean adults aged 20 or younger are no longer paid lessFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastHalf a million young Australians working in the retail, fast food and pharmacy sectors are set for a wage increase after the Fair Work Commission abolished junior pay rates for those aged 18 and over.The wage rises will be phased in over four years in a landmark change that unions compared to the introduction of equal pay for women in the 1970s. Continue reading...

• The Guttmacher Institute released a report showing U.S. abortion rates have remained largely steady despite strict bans in 13 states. • Travel for abortions has declined as telehealth access increases, with data scientist Isaac Maddow-Zimet noting, 'It makes sense that we'd see a decline in travel for abortion.' • The findings highlight shifts in care delivery amid policy changes, impacting access in states like Illinois, Maryland, and New York.

• Perplexity announced b.well as the infrastructure partner behind its health data integration, enabling citation-backed AI search capabilities for actual patient records and medical information retrieval. • The partnership aligns with broader industry trends toward integrating large language models with electronic health record systems, following OpenAI's ChatGPT Health launch and other healthcare AI initiatives. • b.well has emerged as a significant health AI infrastructure company, having also launched bailey (a white-label health assistant) and expanded partnerships with Samsung to transform Galaxy phones into portable health records with point-of-care data sharing.

• New York City logged 743 tuberculosis cases in 2025, down 11% from 2024, though numbers stay high compared to prior years, per Health Department data released March 24, 2026. • The department offers a new 1-month short-course regimen for latent TB, reducing visits from 3-9 months; 337 patients started it in 2025, with 75% completing by mid-February 2026. • On World TB Day March 27, NYC co-hosts a conference with updates; Commissioner Dr. Alister Martin notes TB killed more globally last year than COVID-19 or HIV.

• Elton John turns 79 on March 25, 2026, while actress Sarah Jessica Parker celebrates her 61st birthday on the same day. • Other notable celebrities sharing March 25 birthdays include Marcia Cross (64), Big Sean (38), Jenny Slate (44), and comedian Nate Bargatze (47). • The musical icon was recently featured at the 2026 Elton John AIDS Foundation's 34th Annual Academy Awards Viewing Party charity event.

• NASA announced an accelerated timeline for America's return to the lunar surface, with Artemis 4 lunar landing attempts beginning in 2028. • The National Space Policy implementation includes preparations for establishing a moon base and increased mission cadence under NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman's leadership. • This ambitious plan reflects commitment to sustained lunar exploration and positions the United States to never relinquish moon dominance while advancing toward Mars missions.

Growing numbers of young voters are signing up to the Māori electoral roll as debate flares over the need for dedicated seats ahead of November’s electionMore young people have signed up to vote in Māori electorates, new figures from the electoral commission show, as New Zealand prepares for an election this year.The rise comes after years of tense relations between Indigenous New Zealanders and the centre-right coalition government. The latest figures show 58% of eligible 18- to 24-year-olds have registered for the Māori roll, up from 50% in 2023. Continue reading...