Sound

• Prolight + Sound is launching its first Bangkok edition, Prolight + Sound Bangkok (PLSB), as announced on August 21, 2026. • The event serves as a new regional trade fair and meeting point focusing on professional AV, lighting, music, and entertainment technology. • This debut aims to energize the Southeast Asian market by connecting international brands with regional industry professionals.

Firefighters describe being pushed to limit by a brutal wildfire season, with key leadership roles going unfilledThe US has faced a critical shortage of firefighters at the US Forest Service (USFS) this summer as thousands of fires erupted across the country.Despite officials’ claims that the firefighting workforce was stronger than ever, the agency has failed to keep pace with escalating conditions and the catastrophic fires fueled by them, according to nine firefighters who spoke to the Guardian anonymously, because they are barred from disclosing the information to the public. Continue reading...

Effects of global heating in NT worsened by ‘dangerous and fire-promoting buffel grass’, expert saysGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastFire authorities have warned large parts of the Northern Territory are facing heightened fire danger throughout spring, with above average fuel loads leaving much of the territory vulnerable.Low soil moisture has also led to elevated fire risk for parts of New South Wales, including some areas that were badly burned during the black summer fires, and south-east Queensland as an El Niño system continues to strengthen in the country’s south-east. Continue reading...

British driver Andy Green will try to beat his own record, set 20 years ago, with a hydrogen-powered carThe first – and only – person to break the sound barrier in a car hits the track in Utah this week with new wheels and his eye on another record.Twenty years ago, British driver Andy Green set the land speed record for a diesel-powered car, reaching 350.092 mph (563.4 km/h) at Utah’s famous Bonneville Salt Flats. Green will return to the lunarlike landscape Tuesday and try to beat that mark, this time with a hydrogen-powered car. Continue reading...

• European regulators from the securities, banking, insurance, and pension sectors have issued a joint warning regarding the escalation of cyber threats driven by advanced AI models. • The statement emphasizes that AI is significantly accelerating the speed and sophistication of cyberattacks, necessitating more robust security measures and faster incident response capabilities. • This alert is critical as the financial industry faces increased vulnerability to automated threats that could compromise systemic stability and sensitive data.

Petrol now costs more than $1.90 a litre in every capital city, with diesel expected to exceed $2.40 a litrePetrol prices could surpass $2 a litre and diesel $2.40 in coming days, after the government’s 16-cent discount ends on Sunday.The 32-cent per litre reduction in fuel excise, introduced in March at the peak of the fuel price spike, was halved to 16 cents in July. Continue reading...

• The KOSPI index plummeted 16% over two days and approximately 33% within a single month, leaving South Korean retail investors in a state of "despair." • The market crash was directly triggered by the earnings announcement from SK hynix (000660.KS), which sparked a broader sell-off. • In response to the volatility, South Korean authorities have implemented restrictions on access to leveraged ETFs to mitigate further risk.

French authorities investigate death of musician who performed at Paris Olympics, but say ‘no suspicious elements’ at playThe French electronic musician Kavinsky, known for the song Nightcall which achieved iconic status after its inclusion in the Ryan Gosling film Drive, has died aged 50.A police source speaking to French newspaper Le Figaro indicated that the suspected cause of death was a stroke. Kavinsky, real name Vincent Belorgey, had reportedly been complaining of headaches in recent days, and he was discovered at home after a concerned neighbour alerted emergency services. Continue reading...

National emergency test alert will be sent to all compatible mobile devices on 27 July, with domestic violence advocates advising how to turn off safe phonesFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastVirtually every phone in the country will blare an emergency siren at 2pm AEST on Monday 27 July as part of the first Australia-wide test of a new national warning system called AusAlert.Most phones, and some smartwatches and tablets, will receive a pop-up notification and an alert sound that cannot be silenced – even if your device is on “do not disturb” or silent mode. Continue reading...

Researchers listening off the Caribbean island of Dominica found variations in the mammals’ audible clicks when marine traffic was closeSperm whales produce a specific pattern of clicking noises when they hear the noise of boats, researchers have found. The pattern is so distinct that the scientists who identified it said they can now use it to predict when ships are nearby.Researchers from Project Ceti (the Cetacean Translation Initiative), a non-profit research organisation working to decode sperm whale communication, spent four years tuning in on the calls of 15 sperm whales off the coast of Dominica. Continue reading...

• Top American AI executives, including Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, are warning that open-source AI models pose significant security risks. • Amodei specifically highlighted the danger of advanced cybersecurity capabilities being freely downloadable, which could be exploited by malicious actors. • These concerns coincide with a divided White House as officials weigh potential crackdown measures in response to rapid AI advancements in China.

• American television coverage of the World Cup has been characterized by a prevalence of European accents among its broadcasters. • This approach mirrors international standards, such as the BBC's use of global figures like Olivier Giroud and Thomas Frank to provide diverse perspectives. • The strategy reflects the global nature of the tournament, ensuring that coverage remains inclusive of international viewpoints rather than strictly domestic.

• The Bank of England has issued a warning that rapid advancements in artificial intelligence are increasing cyber risks and exposing critical vulnerabilities within the financial system. • The central bank emphasizes that AI tools are enabling more sophisticated attacks, making financial markets more susceptible to systemic disruptions. • This alert underscores the urgent need for financial firms to strengthen their operational resilience to counter evolving, AI-driven threats.

• Sudan is currently experiencing a catastrophic humanitarian crisis, which some observers describe as the gravest of recent times. • The crisis is characterized by widespread mass starvation, with 825,000 children specifically facing severe acute starvation. • The situation is exacerbated by a lack of significant intervention from global governments, who have done little to alleviate the suffering.

• UN relief chief Martin Griffiths has sounded an alarm regarding the escalation of violence in Sudan's North Kordofan region. • He emphasized that humanitarian workers must be granted safe, unimpeded access to reach vulnerable populations affected by the conflict. • The warning highlights the critical need for all warring parties to uphold international humanitarian law by protecting civilians and relief personnel.

Proposal has been put to cabinet to allow AI companies to mine content, in exchange for investment and $350m fund to compensate artists, sources say Creatives are demanding fresh assurances from the Albanese government that it won’t water down copyright laws under a potential deal with tech giants to attract more than $50bn worth of datacentre investment in exchange for a $350m-a-year fund for artists.Guardian Australia has been told an industry proposal has been presented to cabinet that would grant AI companies special exemptions to mine creative content. Continue reading...

• The United States launched a new round of military strikes against Iranian targets following an attack on a commercial tanker in the Strait of Hormuz. • Regional tensions escalated rapidly, leading Kuwait to intercept missiles and Bahrain to sound emergency sirens. • These exchanges highlight the volatile security situation in the Persian Gulf and the risk of wider conflict between the two nations.

‘It’s all just rendered useless’ Something For Kate’s Paul Dempsey says as AI scrapes millions of songs to learn how to make musicPaul Dempsey and Bernard Fanning are among big-name Australian musicians upset that their original songs have been found in datasets used to train artificial intelligence.A dataset search tool recently created by US publication The Atlantic reveals millions of creative works have been scraped from the internet to train the disruptive technology. Continue reading...

• India's music industry is experiencing overall revenue growth, yet film producers are facing significant difficulties in selling movie soundtracks. • Music labels have adopted a more cautious approach, prioritizing soundtracks with long-term "durability" and high replay value on streaming platforms. • This shift reflects a change in consumption patterns where streaming longevity is now more valuable than the traditional one-time sale of a film's music.

‘Historian’ claims ‘overwhelming difference’ between him and rogues’ gallery of autocrats is that Trump is more powerfulDonald Trump has enthusiastically agreed with a public assessment by a man he met while golfing that the “overwhelming difference” between the current US president and historical figures who incited fear – such as Attila the Hun, Genghis Khan, Napoleon, Stalin, Mao and Hitler – is that Trump is more powerful.The US president reposted a short text in the early hours of Friday morning, in which the author writes: Continue reading...

• Yoshimitsu Kobayashi, a top Japanese executive, has raised concerns regarding the scale of Japanese investment in the United States, specifically citing $550 billion directed toward American infrastructure. • Kobayashi argues that these "endless" capital outflows are occurring while Japan's own domestic productivity continues to lag behind international competitors. • The situation highlights a critical tension between Japan's strategic global investments and the urgent need to revitalize its internal economy and industrial efficiency.

The actor starts chant after president said he doesn’t ‘think about Americans’ financial situation, not even a little bit’Robert De Niro has renewed his attack on Donald Trump at an event in New York on Sunday. Speaking at Rise Up, Sing Out: A Concert for the first amendment, the actor led the crowd in a repeated cry of “shut the fuck up!” in response to assorted remarks and policies of the current president.“I’m pretty close to being a free speech absolutist,” said De Niro, “even speech I don’t like, and there’s plenty of that around. So when I hear something I don’t like, I use my own free speech to respond. Continue reading...

• Senators Alex Padilla, Dick Durbin, and Sheldon Whitehouse have issued a warning regarding the Trump administration's potential use of election crimes prosecutions to interfere in the 2026 midterm elections. • The lawmakers are specifically criticizing the Department of Justice (DOJ) for the "quiet removal" of a long-standing manual that provides guidelines for election-related prosecutions. • This action is viewed as a significant risk to democratic integrity, as removing established protocols could allow for the selective or politically motivated prosecution of election officials and voters.

• Investors are facing a grim economic outlook as inflation accelerates and economic growth slows under President Trump's administration. • This trend is concerning for the stock market because corporate earnings serve as the primary long-term determinant of stock prices. • To analyze these risks, the text references the cyclically adjusted price-to-earnings (CAPE) ratio, a valuation tool introduced in 1988 by Nobel laureate Robert Shiller and John Campbell.

I Knew It, I Knew You is written with longtime collaborator Jack Antonoff and marks a return to Swift’s country rootsAfter days of speculation online, Taylor Swift has announced the release of a new original song for Toy Story 5.Titled I Knew It, I Knew You, the single will be released on 5 June, with CD singles available for preorder on Swift’s website. Three variants will be available, each containing different versions of the song: a piano version, an acoustic version and the original. Continue reading...

Powell says central bank has been facing ‘stress test’ under Trump, as supreme court weighs decision on Fed governor that president tried to fireSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter emailJerome Powell, the former chair of the Federal Reserve, has warned that a single act of political interference in monetary policy could permanently destroy public trust in the central bank.As Donald Trump’s administration continues to test the Fed’s longstanding independence, Powell said in a speech on Sunday night that the institution was in the midst of a “stress test”. Continue reading...

Chancellor’s measure to help families save money during summer holidays ‘won’t make any difference’Cutting tax on children’s meals is a political “soundbite” that will make little difference to families or businesses, restaurateurs have said.This week, Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, announced a temporary reduction in VAT on the children’s menu in restaurants from 20% to 5% between June and September, in order to help families with the cost of living crisis and offer a boost to the hospitality sector. Continue reading...

• Bulgaria achieved its first-ever Eurovision victory with the song “Bangaranga” by artist DARA, which has since become a dominant hit across the continent. • The competition's landscape was notably shaped by the absence of five nations: Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and Spain. • Beyond the music, the event serves as a critical "European public square" where songs reflect ongoing societal debates regarding war, identity, and cultural representation.