Tells

Former rugby league player turned TikTok influencer tells parliamentary inquiry his spiralling addiction to gambling cost him about $1mFormer rugby league star Luke Bateman has alleged gambling company promoters supplied him with cocaine and alcohol, telling a parliamentary inquiry the betting industry exercised no duty of care.Bateman, who is now a TikTok star and influential in the “BookTok” community, told the inquiry on Monday morning he attended a private Gold Coast event hosted by a gambling company at which senior figures took illicit drugs with clients. Continue reading...

Health secretary, longtime vaccination skeptic, spent years boosting misinformation about vaccines including MMRRobert F Kennedy Jr, the US health secretary, on Sunday told American parents that they should get their children vaccinated against measles, as the surge in infections has reached numbers not seen in the past 35 years.Kennedy, a leading vaccination skeptic who has spent years amplifying misinformation about vaccines, including the shot that protects against measles, mumps and rubella (MMR), made his call in the course of a contentious interview with CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday morning. Continue reading...

• The European Union is implementing sweeping artificial intelligence transparency rules requiring firms to label deepfakes and other AI-generated content. • These regulations officially kick in this Sunday, forcing companies to clearly identify synthetic media to prevent misinformation. • The move matters as it aims to protect citizens from deceptive content and ensure transparency regarding the origin of digital media.

• Starting this Sunday, the European Union is implementing sweeping transparency rules requiring firms to label deepfakes and other AI-generated content. • The mandate aims to ensure that European citizens can immediately distinguish between authentic online content and synthetic media. • This measure is part of the EU's comprehensive AI law, designed to combat misinformation and increase accountability for AI developers.

• Iran's foreign ministry rejected claims that the U.S. can dictate the "timing of war and peace," countering assertions by Donald Trump that Tehran had requested negotiations. • The statement follows efforts by mediators to revive a collapsed interim deal and restore diplomatic relations between the two nations. • While Iran indicated a positive response to mediators' requests for diplomacy, it emphasized that it will not allow talks to be dragged on indefinitely.

• Starting this Sunday, new European Union transparency rules will require companies to clearly label deepfakes and other AI-generated content. • The mandate aims to combat misinformation by ensuring users can easily distinguish between human-created and synthetic media. • This phased introduction targets the growing prevalence of AI tools that can create highly realistic but deceptive images, audio, and video.

Inquiry’s focus is this week on security for the Jewish community, with the MP telling the commissioner his son is afraid to attend synagogues and eventsThe shadow education minister, Julian Leeser, has called for universities to undertake an audit of any classes that teach about the Jewish community, Israel or Palestine.Appearing before the royal commission into antisemitism and social cohesion on Friday, Leeser said he had been “very concerned” about antisemitism on university campuses and was not satisfied with how vice-chancellors had addressed the issue after the 7 October 2023 Hamas terrorist attack. Continue reading...

• Pete Hegseth informed the Senate that the conflict with Iran has cost the United States $37.5 billion to date, while requesting additional funding. • President Trump stated that while Iran is "desperately" seeking a meeting, the U.S. will not engage until Tehran is prepared for "meaningful" talks. • Israel expressed caution regarding re-entering the fight against Iran to avoid being ordered to stop mid-conflict.

• Chinese regulators are reportedly tightening controls on the export of artificial intelligence technology following the cancellation of Meta's $2 billion acquisition of AI firm Manus. • Domestic AI startups and semiconductor companies have been warned to prevent cutting-edge technologies, critical training data, and top technical talent from being acquired by Western entities. • This move signals a strategic shift by Beijing to protect national security and maintain a competitive edge in the global AI race by restricting the outflow of intellectual property.

Government urges visitors not to approach or feed wolves as it manages safety amid growing populationDanish authorities have advised tourists to stand still, make eye contact and put up “maximum resistance” in the event of attack if they encounter a wolf while on holiday.After a 200-year absence, wolves started returning to Denmark in 2012. There are now estimated to be 49 wolves on the Danish peninsular of Jutland. Continue reading...

Former attorney general also describes receiving antisemitic abuse, saying he was labelled a ‘genocidal Zionist’Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastFormer attorney general Mark Dreyfus has called on governments to consider banning protests outside synagogues and Jewish schools, invoking a high court decision allowing restrictions outside abortion clinics.The federal Labor backbencher has told the royal commission on antisemitism and social cohesion the laws should be considered in the light of a 2019 high court decision which upheld safe access zone laws in Victoria and Tasmania which prohibit protests within 150 metres of clinics. Continue reading...

Nationals senator echoes comments by Pauline Hanson as Labor criticises One Nation leader’s divisive stanceFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe National party’s Senate leader, Bridget McKenzie, has used an appearance at a conference of the populist right in London to declare that conservatives are “in a war” against mass immigration, “leftwing globalists” and “woke” institutions, and to urge rightwing movements across the English-speaking world to unite and fight back.McKenzie was speaking at the inaugural CPAC GB in London, a British spinoff of the influential US Conservative Political Action Conference, organised by the former British prime minister Liz Truss. She gave a speech on Saturday morning before appearing on a panel chaired by Truss, alongside other rightwing figures. Continue reading...

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage compares One Nation leader’s polling rise to Donald Trump’s victory in the USFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastPauline Hanson has told a political conference in London that Australia is following Britain down a path of cultural decline, blaming mass immigration, multiculturalism, Islam, net zero policies and “woke” ideology such as support for trans rights.The One Nation leader has been in the UK to speak at the inaugural British spin-off from America’s influential Conservative Political Action Conference, alongside Nigel Farage and Liz Truss, the former British prime minister. Continue reading...

The incoming prime minister showed his oratorical skill and that he is prepared to borrow from populismUK politics live – latest updatesNearing the end of his speech accepting the Labour leadership, Andy Burnham paused. “I know what to do,” he said. “I have a plan.” Perhaps he does. But even after half an hour of dense rhetoric, it is still not especially clear what this is.Burnham, who will become prime minister on Monday after this formal party coronation, is a politician who runs largely on vibes, and that was the driving force of his address to the Labour faithful in central London. Continue reading...

Anna Liedtke files criminal complaint in Israel over alleged attack by female guards and says abuse was intended to silence campaignersThe third time Anna Liedtke was subjected to an illegal strip-search in Israeli detention, female prison guards forced her on to her knees, covered her mouth to stop her screaming and raped her, according to interviews and a criminal complaint filed in Israel.She described hearing male guards laughing during the attack, which she believes they watched and may have filmed. It took place in an area separated from the prison hallway by a partially drawn curtain that her attackers had left open. Continue reading...

Labor MP also says watering down copyright rules is ‘going against the ethos’ of his partyThe Labor MP Ed Husic says any moves to water down copyright law to benefit AI companies would be “going against the ethos” of the party, urging his colleagues to place stricter rules on the big tech firms or be “doomed to failure”.Ahead of Anthony Albanese’s major speech on artificial intelligence on Wednesday, the Media Entertainment & Arts Alliance – the union for journalists, artists and creatives – called on the government to enact tougher new copyright rules to prevent creative works being taken to train AI models. Continue reading...

• President Trump informed Congress that conflict with Iran has resumed, specifically regarding the control of the strategic Strait of Hormuz. • Trump vowed that the U.S. would "probably run" the waterway and intends to charge fees for its use to maintain American control. • The situation remains volatile as dueling attacks continue between the two nations over the critical shipping lane.

• ASEAN foreign ministers met with their Myanmar counterpart on July 12 in Bangkok, marking the first in-person gathering since the 2021 military coup. • Myanmar officials informed the group that detained former leader Aung San Suu Kyi, 81, remains in good health and will be properly cared for. • The meeting is part of an effort to revitalize a five-year-old peace initiative aimed at ending the ongoing civil war gripping the nation.

Chancellor says PM-in-waiting needs ‘worked through plan’, in what could be one of her final interviews in No 11Rachel Reeves has urged Andy Burnham to arrive in Downing Street with a “worked through plan”, saying the incoming prime minister will be tested quickly by a range of incoming “shocks and challenges”.In what could be one of the first female chancellor’s final major interviews while in No 11, Reeves said Burnham should remain focused on the priorities that first brought him into politics. Continue reading...

Business secretary Peter Kyle says asset managers should feel a patriotic duty to make the UK a successBusiness live – latest updatesThe business secretary, Peter Kyle, has warned UK pension funds to “get off their high horses” and invest in Britain or be forced to do so by law.Expressing frustration at the level of investment in British companies after years of government initiatives, Kyle said the UK’s biggest asset managers “should feel a patriotic duty in making Britain a success”. Continue reading...

• A new €3 customs charge has been introduced for online shoppers, signaling a broader shift in the regulatory framework of global commerce. • The charge is viewed by consumers as a minor irritation, but industry participants see it as a symptom of increasing geopolitical volatility. • This change reflects a transition where businesses must now continuously monitor political developments rather than reacting to them occasionally.

Antisemitism envoy says public broadcasters, which currently have ombudsman to handle complaints, need independent oversight committeeAntisemitism envoy Jillian Segal wants a new ‘oversight’ committee to vet the ABC and SBS’s Israel coverage, she told the royal commission on Thursday morning.Both the ABC and SBS have independent ombudsman to handle complaints. Continue reading...

• The European Central Bank (ECB) has ordered banks to address cybersecurity gaps related to artificial intelligence by October 31. • The directive specifically targets the European operations of major financial institutions, including JPMorganChase, Goldman Sachs, Citi, and Morgan Stanley. • This move is significant as it may serve as a blueprint for future cybersecurity demands from U.S. regulators.

• The European Central Bank (ECB) has mandated that banks develop comprehensive cyber threat plans to defend against advanced AI-driven attacks. • Financial institutions must submit these detailed strategies by October 31 to mitigate risks such as state-backed espionage and coordinated strikes on payment and settlement systems. • The European Systemic Risk Board (ESRB) warns that AI-amplified disruptions and misinformation campaigns could erode trust in the financial system and create systemic instability.

• The European Central Bank (ECB) has ordered the eurozone's largest lenders to submit plans by the end of October detailing how they will strengthen cyber defenses against AI-powered threats. • The European Systemic Risk Board (ESRB) warned that AI could accelerate the speed at which software vulnerabilities are exploited, potentially leading to simultaneous cyber incidents across the financial sector. • The ESRB highlighted a strategic dependency on frontier AI developers located outside the European Union, which exposes the bloc to significant geopolitical risks.

The Australian government says there was ‘insufficient notice’ as details of missile path are released by Taiwan government China’s missile test in the Pacific did not comply with international law and was conducted with “insufficient notice” to nearby countries, according to the US and Australia as international condemnation grows.But a Chinese government spokesperson claimed the test was “safe” and part of “routine” military training, telling critics to “not over-interpret it.” Continue reading...

Nicholas Stern joins growing number backing Miliband, saying he has vision and experience to revive economyA former chief economic adviser to the Treasury has called on Andy Burnham to appoint Ed Miliband as chancellor, arguing the energy secretary has a “bold” vision to revive the economy.Nicholas Stern, a professor at the London School of Economics who was a senior figure in the Treasury during Gordon Brown’s tenure, said only Miliband had the experience and the strategic vision to accelerate investment and rebuild public trust in the state’s ability to “get things done”. Continue reading...

• Pakistan urged the UN Security Council to prioritize diplomacy and de-escalation to prevent a wider conflict in the Middle East following Iranian attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait. • Islamabad officially condemned the strikes and expressed its firm support for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states. • The Pakistani government warned that continued fighting would exacerbate the existing humanitarian crisis in the region.