Rules

New national plan accompanied by Labor push for digital duty of care legislationGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe use of AI in automated decision-making by government departments and agencies will be subject to tough rules under a new national plan, expected to extend to consumer protections, workplace safety and privacy.As the Albanese government grapples with the rapid growth in the use of artificial intelligence and a boom in datacentre construction, senior ministers have begun work to draw up new rules to ensure safety is built into AI processes inside government, prioritising fairness, accuracy and transparency. Continue reading...

• Engineer-turned-activist Sonam Wangchuk has led a hunger strike for 21 days to protest in Ladakh, supported by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). • The movement has gained significant traction among Gen-Z protesters, evolving into a massive social media trend on Instagram despite lacking a traditional political structure. • While some political commentators dismiss the protesters as naive rookies, the movement represents a shift in how grassroots activism is organized and amplified.

• *Avatar: Fire And Ash* emerged as the most-watched international film on Indian OTT platforms between January and June 2026, securing over 7 million views. • The rankings were dominated by JioHotstar, which held the top spots, though Netflix also maintained a strong presence with multiple entries in the top 10 list. • This data highlights the massive scale of the *Avatar* franchise's appeal and the competitive landscape between major streaming services in the Indian market.

• Food-tech platform Wonder, owned by Lore, has raised over $650 million in a Series D funding round. • The investment brings the company's valuation to $9 billion, with participation from returning investors Accel, GV, and NEA. • New investors joining the round include AllianceBernstein, Kayne Anderson, and Cathie Wood’s ARK Invest.

• Former Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta is urging the EU to shift from a "defensive" banking strategy to one focused on scale and growth to better compete with U.S. giants. • The push for deregulation follows a stark disparity in market power, noting that JP Morgan's market capitalization exceeds that of the 10 largest EU banks combined. • Letta proposes facilitating cross-border mergers to overcome fragmented national markets and expanding the mandate of financial watchdogs to prioritize growth alongside stability.

The dual national, who missed six weeks of school, is latest of several children affected by recent Home Office policyA British girl was prevented from returning to her school in the UK for six weeks after a trip to see her grandmother in Italy because of the Home Office’s new rule requiring dual British nationals to have a British passport to get back into the country.The 15-year-old, who was stranded in Rome in April, is just the latest of a number of children and young adults hit by a new Labour government rule that came into force in February. Continue reading...

England World Cup winner died in 2020 but his death was never reported by authorities to the coroner’s officeEngland World Cup winner Nobby Stiles died with a brain condition caused by repeatedly heading a football, a coroner has ruled.Stiles, a tenacious, tough-tackling midfielder described by Geoff Hurst as the “heart and soul” of the 1966 World Cup-winning team, died in 2020 but his death was not reported by authorities to the coroner’s office. Continue reading...