Safe

ACCC updates some recall notices to say products ‘may cause risk to health’, contrary to previous claimsGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastSchools, retailers and government agencies assured parents that asbestos-contaminated play sand posed a low risk to their children’s health based on a supplier’s own assessment which was not independently verified, the Guardian can reveal.The now-contested public messaging spread quickly after a range of Educational Colours children’s sand products were pulled from shelves in November 2025 after samples were found to contain asbestos, which was followed by more than 20 similar recalls across different brands and retailers. Continue reading...

• China is deploying AI-driven solutions across the Global South to enhance economic development and public safety, as highlighted in a Xinhua report from Shanghai on July 18. • In Cambodia's Takeo Province, AI technology is being utilized in the aquaculture sector, where drones are used to automate feeding rounds for shrimp ponds. • These initiatives demonstrate China's strategy to export technological infrastructure to developing nations to improve agricultural efficiency and industrial productivity.

• The Asia Times argues that current development strategies in Asia are too cautious, prioritizing institutional comfort and proven methods over urgent needs. • The author contends that this "responsible" approach results in minimal progress and fails to address the scale of regional challenges. • This shift in perspective is critical because safe bets are insufficient to drive the transformative growth required for Asia's current development moment.

• Asian equities experienced a severe sell-off, highlighted by South Korea's KOSPI index plummeting as much as 7% intraday and triggering circuit breaker concerns. • Memory-related stocks were the hardest hit, though ChipMOS surged nearly 8% as investors sought a safe haven amidst the volatility. • Despite bullish AI-driven outlooks from Barclays and Nanya Technology President Lee Pei-Ing, analysts warn that low trading volume makes a V-shaped recovery unlikely for the Taiwan market.

• The European Parliament’s Committee on Culture is calling for social media platforms to implement stricter safety measures to better protect children. • Lawmakers argue that digital platforms must "adapt to the real world" to mitigate the risks associated with youth usage of social media. • This initiative matters as it seeks to hold tech companies accountable for the mental health and safety of minors across the EU.

• Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett informed lawmakers on Tuesday that there has been a sharp increase in threats targeting her and other justices. • Barrett emphasized that these security risks are increasingly encroaching upon the personal and family lives of the court members. • The testimony serves as a formal request for Congress to allocate more funding to enhance the security measures protecting the justices.

• China has launched a state-led initiative to develop an AI safety benchmark aimed at mitigating risks associated with large language models (LLMs). • The system will utilize automated fuzzing, stress testing, and human oversight to reduce data leaks, control hallucination rates, and prevent "jailbreak" attacks. • This move signals Beijing's commitment to joining global efforts to enhance the oversight and security of generative AI technologies.

After Ann Widdecombe’s murder, Reform UK has criticised the Commons speaker Lindsay Hoyle and suggested its MPs are not given enough security. Pippa Crerar tells Kiran Stacey what Hoyle’s team have been telling herPlease keep sending your comments and questions to Pippa and Kiran at [email protected] follow and subscribe to the Politics Weekly YouTube channel here Continue reading...

In six months last year, more than 2,000 such complaints were made to eSafetyGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA new report by Australia’s online safety regulator has found “significant gaps” in how major tech platforms tackle online sexual extortion and child sexual exploitation, as “reports of this abuse continue to rise”.The findings come from eSafety’s latest transparency report, examining how tech companies – including Apple, Meta, Google, Microsoft, Snap, Discord and WhatsApp – are addressing child sexual exploitation and abuse. Continue reading...

Public health advocates warn of conflicts of interests and say panel likely to provide justification for key rollbacksThe Trump administration has stacked a top chemical safety board with industry-aligned scientists who have a range of financial conflicts of interest and stand to profit from deregulation, public health advocates say.The Environmental Protection Agency’s science advisory committee on chemicals (SACC) is slated to review research for dozens of toxic chemicals during the new members’ terms. At least 13 proposed Trump appointees are probably conflicted on the chemicals that will be reviewed, comments filed with the EPA by a coalition of public health advocacy groups alleges. Continue reading...

• Investors are shifting capital surpluses toward Japan and South Korea, prioritizing these markets over larger, domestic-focused economies in Asia. • This trend highlights a growing preference for "safe-haven" assets and established financial stability amidst regional economic volatility. • The shift matters as it alters capital flow patterns, potentially starving emerging domestic markets of necessary investment while boosting the valuation of Japanese and South Korean assets.

• Public health officials have issued an alert regarding a multistate rise in cyclosporiasis, a parasitic gastrointestinal illness, with over 450 reported cases across 18 states. • Michigan is the most heavily impacted region, accounting for more than 300 of the total cases, though officials warn the actual number is likely higher due to underreporting. • The report also highlights critical medical developments, including safety monitoring for psychedelic therapies by a Yale psychiatrist and new FDA approvals for gene, cell, and nephrology therapies.

Another 20 people were rescued from a campground after a building collapsed due to heavy rain and floodingHeavy rainfall and widespread flooding battered parts of Missouri on Friday, forcing the helicopter evacuations of more than 200 children and staff from a summer camp and the rescues of about 20 people who had moved to safety on a campground building that then collapsed.With nearby roads washed away and more rain in the forecast, the children were trapped at Camp Taum Sauk in the small south-eastern community of Lesterville, according Sgt Eddie Young of the state’s highway patrol. The army national guard used Black Hawk helicopters to fly them to a nearby elementary school and reunite them with their families, he said. Continue reading...

Increase in sightings may not reflect increase in sharks with little evidence that threat to swimmers has risenExperts say that despite recent increased investment in drones to monitor for sharks in states like New York, the machines have limited usefulness as a public safety tool and there does not appear to be evidence that the threat to swimmers from sharks has increased.There have, however, been more reports of sharks around local beaches. Continue reading...

• OpenAI is launching three new tiered models—Sol, Terra, and Luna—this coming Thursday. • The Terra model is generating significant developer interest by offering performance comparable to GPT-5.5 at roughly half the cost, priced at $2.50 per million input tokens and $15 per million output tokens. • In contrast, the high-end Sol model is priced higher at $5 and $30 per million tokens, respectively.

Exclusive: victims commissioner and domestic abuse commissioner call for pause on planned releasesA failure to put in place safeguards ahead of a change to the law that will result in offenders being released early will leave abuse victims at risk, ministers have been warned.In a rare coordinated intervention, the victims commissioner and the domestic abuse commissioner have written separately to ministers urging them to immediately pause planned early releases of offenders convicted of crimes against women and girls in England and Wales. Continue reading...

Concrete-based cricket pitches, like that on which Nathan Fitzgerald received fatal blows to the head, are ‘totally unsafe’, concussion advocate saysGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAustralia must finally deal with a deadly risk that has plagued its native football code for more than 120 years, sports safety advocates say, after the death of a suburban Aussie rules footballer.Nathan Fitzgerald, a 27-year-old school teacher, died in a Melbourne hospital on Monday after a horror accident on Saturday in which it is believed the Epping reserves grade footballer clashed heads with another player while tackling an opponent and received a second blow to the head as he fell, before striking his head a third time on a concrete-based cricket pitch in the middle of the ground. Continue reading...

• Over 100 international organizations are calling for stricter AI safety measures to protect children, arguing that AI companies—rather than parents—should bear the primary responsibility for safety. • The demand comes ahead of an upcoming United Nations summit, where the groups aim to influence global policy and regulatory frameworks regarding artificial intelligence. • This initiative highlights a growing concern over the potential risks AI poses to minors, including exposure to harmful content and data privacy violations.

• Investors are increasingly prioritizing political stability and capital protection over high-growth returns due to global geopolitical tensions and persistent inflation. • Singapore has emerged as the only non-European nation to rank in the top 10 safest countries for investors heading into 2026. • This shift highlights Singapore's enduring reputation as one of Asia's most stable and secure financial hubs during periods of economic uncertainty.

• The European Stability Mechanism (ESM), established in 2012 during the eurozone debt crisis, continues to operate as a financial safety net despite not disbursing a bailout since 2018. • The institution previously provided low-interest loans to Greece, Portugal, Spain, Ireland, and Cyprus, requiring these nations to implement strict political and fiscal reforms. • Managing Director Pierre Gramegna asserts that the ESM remains relevant as it is mandated to safeguard eurozone stability and assist banks facing financial distress.

• A comprehensive review published in The Lancet reaffirms that approved mRNA vaccines are safe and highly effective across diverse populations, including children and immunocompromised patients. • Led by researchers from the University of British Columbia and Imperial College London, the study analyzed data from billions of doses, combining clinical trials with real-world surveillance. • The findings confirm that these vaccines significantly reduce documented SARS-CoV-2 infections, hospitalizations, and mortality within 14 to 42 days post-vaccination.

• A new UN report warns that the rapid development of AI technology is currently outpacing the ability of experts to fully understand its associated risks and benefits. • The report specifically highlights critical concerns regarding child safety and the proliferation of disinformation resulting from these advancements. • Major U.S.-based corporations, including Microsoft, Google, and Amazon, are spending hundreds of billions of dollars annually to develop AI, often prioritizing growth over societal policy concerns.

Pennsylvania families note promised investment has yet to deliver safer mills or cleaner air in the Mon ValleyIt was two days before Father’s Day, and Trisha Quinn was wondering how her six, 12 and 17-year-old nieces and nephews would handle the first of many without their dad.Timothy Quinn, 39, worked at the Clairton Coke Works plant south of Pittsburgh, one of US Steel’s biggest production sites and the largest of its kind in the western hemisphere, for 18 years. Last August, he and colleague, Steven Menefee, were killed there in an explosion. Continue reading...

Julie Inman Grant singles out X when giving evidence to royal commission on antisemitism and social cohesionGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastMainstream platforms are fighting to distribute and monetise “gore” and “fringe” content, the eSafety watchdog has told the antisemitism royal commission.Australia’s eSafety commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, on Thursday singled out X, telling the inquiry her office has to fight its billionaire owner, Elon Musk, to try to keep footage – including some posted of the Bondi terror attack – restricted or off the platform. Continue reading...

• The United Nations has issued a preliminary report warning that the development of safety regulations is failing to keep pace with the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence capabilities. • The report highlights a critical gap between the technical progress of AI systems and the frameworks designed to mitigate their potential risks. • This disparity matters because lagging safety rules could lead to unpredictable AI behavior, ethical breaches, or systemic instabilities as the technology integrates further into society.

• Rep. Jamie Raskin, Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, delivered opening remarks at a subcommittee hearing on June 30, 2026, in Washington, D.C. • The hearing focused on allegations that Donald Trump is attempting to coerce states into executing a federal mass-deportation agenda. • Raskin argued that redirecting local law enforcement resources toward immigration crackdowns undermines public safety and diverts essential community services.