Guardian AU
Australia news live: Penny Wong rebukes Israel over ‘shocking and unacceptable’ treatment of flotilla activists
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong has publicly rebuked Israel after its far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir posted video footage taunting bound activists detained from a Gaza-bound aid flotilla. Wong called the treatment "shocking and unacceptable," adding Australia's voice to a wave of international condemnation. The incident raises fresh diplomatic pressure on Israel over its handling of humanitarian aid efforts and the treatment of foreign nationals in its custody.
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Breaking: Musk's X admits noncompliance with Australian child protection request
X Corp has formally admitted to defying an order from Australia's eSafety Commissioner requiring the company to disclose its child exploitation safeguards. The admission marks a direct confrontation between Musk's platform and one of the world's more aggressive online safety regulators. The standoff adds to a growing list of regulatory battles X has faced since Musk's takeover, raising fresh questions about the platform's commitment to child protection compliance.
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Australia news live: rogue AI poses ‘extinction’ risk to humanity, federal minister warns; $7m vaccine push to counter diphtheria outbreak
Australia is launching a $7 million vaccination campaign to combat a diphtheria outbreak concentrated largely in the Northern Territory, which accounts for roughly 60% of cases, with further infections reported across South Australia, Queensland, and northern Western Australia. Meanwhile, a federal minister has raised alarms over artificial intelligence posing an existential threat to humanity, signaling growing governmental concern over unchecked AI development. Adding to the day's disruptions, Melbourne's Avalon Airport domestic terminal was evacuated after a suspicious item was flagged during security screening, with one person detained by police.
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Eleven Australian Gaza flotilla activists detained by Israel expected to be deported to Turkey
Eleven Australian activists detained by Israeli forces after attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza by sea are set to be deported to Turkey within hours after three days in Israeli custody. The participants, part of the Global Sumud flotilla, are being transferred to Ramon Airport in southern Israel where Australian consular officials are expected to meet them. The incident marks another flashpoint in ongoing international efforts to breach Israel's blockade of Gaza.
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Police arrest man after alleged threats to carry out Bourke St attack
A Melbourne man has been arrested after allegedly threatening to carry out an attack on Bourke Street, one of the city's busiest thoroughfares. Police moved swiftly to detain the suspect before any incident could unfold. The arrest will draw inevitable comparisons to the 2017 Bourke Street tragedy, underscoring why authorities treat such threats with the utmost urgency.
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