World News Hub

China reveals plan to map the entire surface of Mars by 2028 amid race with US

SCMP • 1 month ago

China plans to complete a geological map of Mars by the end of 2028, as the red planet increasingly features in its space rivalry with the United States. Hou Zengqian, chief scientist of China’s next Mars mission known as Tianwen-3, on Monday said the map would cover the entire surface of the planet and it aimed to be the global standard for the Martian geological ages. State news agency Xinhua re...

Argentina’s Milei threatens to sue UK over Falkland Islands oil project

France 24 • 1 month ago

Argentine President Javier Milei threatened on Monday to sue Britain over the Sea Lion oil project near the disputed Falkland Islands. Argentina claims sovereignty over the British-administered territory, where a 1982 war killed 255 British and 649 Argentine troops. Developers Navitas and Rockhopper say they hold valid British-issued exploration licences.

OpenAI ‘sorry and working to do better’ after hack of Medicare and other Australian government websites

The Guardian • 1 month ago

Artificial intelligence firm to front parliament as it apologises to Australians for agent attack OpenAI has apologised to Australians for its agent attack on Medicare, and will front parliament next week, as the tech company revealed more details about its June hack of Australian government websites.In a blog post released on Tuesday, OpenAI said it should have handled its response better. Contin...

China wife donates kidney to husband, defying sub 10% match rate for non-blood relatives

SCMP • 1 month ago

A young Chinese wife selflessly donated her kidney to her husband suffering from uraemia because she “did not want to lose him,” despite the success rate being less than 10 per cent. In September, Liang, 25, donated her left kidney to her husband, Chung, at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University. Chung, 33, has congenital megaureter, a condition present from birth that invol...

Australia news live:Albanese calls OpenAI talks after Medicare hack ‘very constructive’; 18-year-old charged with alleged drone plot

The Guardian • 1 month ago

Follow the day’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastNew South Wales police say they are investigating the suspicious deaths of two men in the state’s north.Police said they found the first man – who has since been identified as a 79-year-old – dead at a property on Summerland Way at Gurranang, near Grafton, on 13 September.And that’s equally important in the Reserv...

Trump doubles down on claims US will win war with Iran ‘one way or another’ as talks are in doubt – as it happened

The Guardian • 1 month ago

This live blog is now closed.Sign up for the Breaking News US emailWhile the lawmakers in the US House have already left Washington to get a head start on midterm campaigning, the Senate is hoping to wrap up its legislative agenda this week. Today, we can expect a vote at 5.30pm ET on the Protect College Sports act, which attempts to provide greater protections for university athletes in the US.Th...

US military to guard midterms after Trump gutted agency that protects elections

Times of India • 1 month ago

The National Security Agency and other military cyber units have long assisted with monitoring election infrastructure and defending it against possible hacking attempts. Election systems were designated as “critical infrastructure” in 2017, paving the way for greater federal cybersecurity support. Hegseth's announcement comes weeks before Election Day on November 3, with early voting already unde...

Lost songs from iconic Australian rockstar found in garage

BBC • 1 month ago

Divinyls frontwoman Chrissy Amphlett recorded the songs with Split Enz's Tim Finn in 1998.

Japan enlists royal visit, subsidies to revive tourism in quake-hit Kyushu

SCMP • 1 month ago

Travel companies in southern Japan are pinning their hopes on a business revival following a planned visit by Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako to the areas hardest hit by a major earthquake this summer. The imperial couple is scheduled to meet communities in Kumamoto prefecture on Tuesday, speaking with families who lost their homes and businesses and are currently living in temporary accommoda...

Hong Kong mustn’t miss the boat on the Pinglu Canal and Asean trade

SCMP • 1 month ago

The official opening of the Pinglu Canal on September 16 is a milestone in modern Chinese history. More than an infrastructural feat, it signals a strategic recalibration of how China’s inland economies connect with the sea and Southeast Asia, and augurs the next phase of regional growth. Designed for vessels of up to 5,000 tonnes, the 134.2km (83.4 mile) waterway stretches from the Xijin reservoi...

‘Looked like dried blood’: worker tells Beau Lamarre-Condon trial about finding suspicious belongings in skip

The Guardian • 1 month ago

Former Sydney police officer, 31, has pleaded not guilty to murdering AFL umpire Jesse Baird and flight attendant Luke DaviesFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastBrand new AFL shorts, a Qantas card and other bloodied belongings were found in a dumpster two days after football umpire Jesse Baird and flight attendant Luke Da...

‘Something suspicious’: greenkeeper tells Beau Lamarre-Condon double murder trial about finding bloody belongings

The Guardian • 1 month ago

Former Sydney police officer, 31, has pleaded not guilty to murdering AFL umpire Jesse Baird and flight attendant Luke DaviesFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastBrand new AFL shorts, a Qantas card and other bloodied belongings were found in a dumpster two days after football umpire Jesse Baird and flight attendant Luke Da...

Evicted Spanish pensioner can move back home, lawyer says

BBC • 1 month ago

The eviction of Maricarmen Abascal, 87, prompted large-scale protests across Spain.

Australian firm drops US$842 million Sydney data centre plan after public fury

SCMP • 1 month ago

Australian industrial property developer Goodman Group has withdrawn an application to develop a 24-hour data centre on Sydney’s north shore following public push back. Goodman said it would not proceed with its Project Mars development application after considering evolving federal and state policy and community feedback. Policy and regulation around large artificial intelligence data centres had...

Australia news live: OpenAI apologises for Medicare hack, calling it a ‘new kind of cyber incident’

The Guardian • 1 month ago

Follow the day’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastNew South Wales police say they are investigating the suspicious deaths of two men in the state’s north.Police said they found the first man – who has since been identified as a 79-year-old – dead at a property on Summerland Way at Gurranang, near Grafton, on 13 September.And that’s equally important in the Reserv...

OpenAI scraps rollout of new model over safety concerns

BBC • 1 month ago

The AI giant's safety chief said the model 'didn't quite meet the bar' of the firm's security standards.

Vietnamese government accused of abducting human rights activists

The Guardian • 1 month ago

Detained anti-human trafficking campaigners include Tran Hiep, a Vietnamese Australian, not heard from since 18 September Vietnamese authorities have detained three activists, including an Australian, on what have been described as “fabricated” charges.The Vietnamese government said the three confessed to being members of Viet Tan – a pro-democracy organisation – which it describes as a terrorist ...

Vietnamese government accused of abducting Australian human rights activist

The Guardian • 1 month ago

Tran Hiep, a 50-year-old Vietnamese Australian anti-human trafficking campaigner, not heard from since 18 SeptemberVietnamese authorities have detained three activists, including an Australian, on what have been described as “fabricated” charges.The Vietnamese government said the three confessed to being members of Viet Tan – a pro-democracy organisation – which it describes as a terrorist organis...

Are Trump's US government funded ads illegal?

BBC • 1 month ago

President Trump has faced criticism after fronting adverts which were paid for by the US government.

Hungary lifts immunity of Prime Minister Magyar, two Orban-era ministers

Al Jazeera • 1 month ago

Hungary's Parliament lifts immunity of incumbent leader and two former ministers, clearing the way for criminal probes.

Chinese team sets world record with swarm of 116 underwater drones

SCMP • 1 month ago

A Chinese team has set a world record for the most autonomous underwater drones operating at the same time, deploying more than a hundred of the small robots in a swimming pool test. The Guinness World Record for “most autonomous underwater vehicles operating simultaneously” was set by a team from Northwestern Polytechnical University in collaboration with Xian Tianhe Maritime Technologies. The tr...

Australia news live: Greens to choose new leader next week; footage shows massive great white shark at Perth beach

The Guardian • 1 month ago

Follow the day’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastNew South Wales police say they are investigating the suspicious deaths of two men in the state’s north.Police said they found the first man – who has since been identified as a 79-year-old – dead at a property on Summerland Way at Gurranang, near Grafton, on 13 September.And that’s equally important in the Reserv...

Sign before praying: A new conversion law is affecting churchgoers in Indian state

BBC • 1 month ago

A new anti-conversion law in Maharashtra is raising questions about faith, choice and freedom.

OpenAI cancels release of AI model GPT-6.1 Astra, citing safety concerns

Al Jazeera • 1 month ago

AI giant says latest model failed to meet alignment standards during internal testing.

OpenAI cancels release of latest AI model over safety concerns

Al Jazeera • 1 month ago

AI giant says GPT-6.1 Astra failed to meet alignment standards during internal testing.