Australian politics live: Greens say AI companies’ ‘audacity is gobsmacking’; growing risk of selling Sydney or Melbourne units at a loss
The Guardian •

Australian politics live: Greens say AI companies’ ‘audacity is gobsmacking’; growing risk of selling Sydney or Melbourne units at a loss

Follow the day’s news liveGet our new political email, free app or daily news podcastSports precinct funding report reveals a ‘pattern of behaviour’, Wilson saysTim Wilson says there are questions for Labor to answer over an ABC report which says health minister Mark Butler’s office asked an Adelaide council to put forward a $6m sports precinct upgrade for federal funding before any detailed costi...

Middle East live: Arab League chief condemns alleged Houthi attack on Mecca
France 24 •

Middle East live: Arab League chief condemns alleged Houthi attack on Mecca

The Secretary General of the Arab League, Nabil Fahmy, condemned on Wednesday the alleged Houthi attack on Mecca.He spoke after the Saudi-led coalition battling Yemen's Houthis accused rebels of targeting Islam's holy city Mecca, sparking outrage across the Muslim world and deepening the conflict roiling the region. Follow our liveblog for the latest updates.

Middle East live: Arab League Secretary-General condemns alleged attack on Mecca
France 24 •

Middle East live: Arab League Secretary-General condemns alleged attack on Mecca

The Secretary General of the Arab League, Nabil Fahmy, condemned on Wednesday the alleged Houthi attack on Mecca.He spoke after the Saudi-led coalition battling Yemen's Houthis accused rebels of targeting Islam's holy city Mecca, sparking outrage across the Muslim world and deepening the conflict roiling the region. Follow our liveblog for the latest updates.

Middle East live: Houthi rebels deny Saudi claim of drone attack on Mecca

Middle East live: Houthi rebels deny Saudi claim of drone attack on Mecca

France 24 •

 A Houthi official on Wednesday rejected the Saudi-led coalition's report that it had shot down a drone from the rebels heading towards Mecca, the holiest city in Islam. "The claims about targeting Mecca are a worn-out lie that has been used before and no longer fools anyone," Hazem al-Assad from the Houthis' politburo wrote on X. Follow our liveblog for the latest updates.

Fragility and cooperation: takeaways from Dong Jun’s Xiangshan Forum speech

Fragility and cooperation: takeaways from Dong Jun’s Xiangshan Forum speech

SCMP •

Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun gave a keynote speech to the Xiangshan Forum in Beijing on Wednesday, with just over a week until a summit in the United States between the presidents of the two countries. In his 20-minute address, Dong outlined China’s goals for global governance, multilateralism, conflict prevention and the development of emerging technology. Global security at a ‘moment of fra...

Fragility and cooperation: the takeaways from Dong Jun’s Xiangshan Forum speech

Fragility and cooperation: the takeaways from Dong Jun’s Xiangshan Forum speech

SCMP •

Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun gave a keynote speech to the Xiangshan Forum in Beijing on Wednesday, with just over a week until a summit in the United States between the presidents of the two countries. In his 20-minute address, Dong outlined China’s goals for global governance, multilateralism, conflict prevention and the development of emerging technology. Global security at a ‘moment of fra...

Six green card holders in Texas charged in federal crackdown on illegal voting – as it happened

Six green card holders in Texas charged in federal crackdown on illegal voting – as it happened

The Guardian •

This live blog is now closed.Sign up for US Breaking News emailsKash Patel, the FBI director, is now testifying before lawmakers on the Senate judiciary committee. A reminder that the last time he appeared before Congress was in May, when he sparred with senators on the appropriations committee and denied – under oath – allegations of excessive drinking and unexplained absences on the jo...

The Palestinian school under siege – podcast

The Palestinian school under siege – podcast

The Guardian •

At least five pupils at a village school in the West Bank have been killed in the last year by settlers and soldiers. Emma Graham-Harrison reports on how the school found itself on the frontline, while a teacher explains what life is like for staff and students.Waheed Abu Naim is an English teacher at the Al Mughayyir boys’ school in a village in the West Bank. He loves his job, he says. “I am hap...

GSK licenses Chinese firm’s cancer drug in US$750 million deal

GSK licenses Chinese firm’s cancer drug in US$750 million deal

SCMP •

British pharmaceutical giant GSK has agreed to acquire a cancer drug from Chinese firm Chimagen Biosciences in a deal worth up to US$750 million, underscoring China’s emergence as a global player in biotechnology. GSK announced plans on Tuesday to buy full global rights to a “potential best-in-class” T-cell engager (TCE) from Chengdu-based Chimagen, targeting treatment for multiple myeloma, a type...

Rodrigo Duterte appears in ICC courtroom for pretrial proceedings

Rodrigo Duterte appears in ICC courtroom for pretrial proceedings

SCMP •

Former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte appeared in person at the International Criminal Court for the first time on Wednesday as he faces charges over his “war on drugs” that killed thousands. The 81-year-old had appeared by video link when he was first brought to the court in The Hague, but had since skipped hearings, with his defence team claiming he was too ill. Dressed in a dark suit and ...

Malingering or memory loss? Duterte appears in ICC courtroom for assessment

Malingering or memory loss? Duterte appears in ICC courtroom for assessment

SCMP •

Former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte appeared in public for the first time on Wednesday since being transferred to the International Criminal Court 18 months ago to face murder charges related to his war on drugs. Duterte, 81, served as president from 2016 to 2022, before being charged with crimes against humanity for creating, funding and arming death squads that targeted narcotics peddler...

Malingering or memory loss? Duterte to appear in ICC courtroom for assessment

Malingering or memory loss? Duterte to appear in ICC courtroom for assessment

SCMP •

Former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte is expected to appear in public for the first time on Wednesday since being transferred to the International Criminal Court 18 months ago to face murder charges related to his war on drugs. Duterte, 81, served as president from 2016 to 2022, before being charged with crimes against humanity for creating, funding and arming death squads that targeted narc...

Saudi Arabia warns of ‘red line’ after Houthi drone intercepted close to holy city of Mecca

Saudi Arabia warns of ‘red line’ after Houthi drone intercepted close to holy city of Mecca

The Guardian •

The Iran-aligned militant group rejected the suggestion it had targeted Mecca, while the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation condemned the attackSaudi Arabia’s air defences intercepted and destroyed a ⁠Houthi drone south of Mecca on Tuesday before it entered prohibited airspace over the holy city, according to a ⁠spokesperson for the ⁠Saudi-led ​military coalition which is fighting the Iran-aligne...

Human remains found in Arizona after deadly Grand Canyon flash floods

Human remains found in Arizona after deadly Grand Canyon flash floods

The Guardian •

Hiker Timothy Smith, 53, missing after late-August floods but officials decline to identify remainsHuman remains have been discovered near Arizona’s Crystal Rapids, over two weeks after a flash flood tore through the Grand Canyon, leaving two people dead and one person missing.National Park Service personnel recovered the remains, before transferring them to the Coconino county medical examiner’s ...

Why more export controls won’t stop China’s industrial engine

Why more export controls won’t stop China’s industrial engine

SCMP •

The first “China shock” was fairly easy to understand. Beginning in the 1990s, cheap Chinese goods poured into global markets, displacing large parts of lower-end manufacturing across the world. Now, China shock 2.0 seems to be under way, with China taking the lead in electric vehicles (EVs), batteries, solar panels, semiconductors and other more technologically sophisticated industries. This is o...