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Massive fire sparked by a balloon destroys popular Bali restaurant as tourists run for their lives
A fire tore through the popular beachside restaurant Chez Gado Gado in Seminyak, Bali, on Sunday night after a waitress lighting a birthday candle accidentally ignited a nearby helium balloon. The venue was packed with diners, including several birthday parties, when the balloon exploded and set the thatched roof ablaze, forcing tourists and locals to…
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They were once the most unthinkable Pauline Hanson voters of all. Now, young people and migrants explain to PETER VAN ONSELEN why they have shifted their vote – to One Nation
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson drew a notably young and ethnically diverse crowd at a campaign event in Pakenham, Victoria, in a sign that the party’s support base is broadening ahead of the state election due in November. The visit came a day after One Nation’s win in the Secret Harbour state by-election in Western…
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New York governor to 3D printed gun leader: ‘tell Cody I will get ahead of him’
New York Governor Kathy Hochul has publicly hit back at Cody Wilson, creator of the first 3D-printed gun, after he unveiled a tool designed to bypass a New York law banning 3D-printed firearms. Speaking on the Decoder podcast, Hochul vowed to stay ahead of Wilson’s efforts, defending the state’s ban as necessary to prevent unregulated,…
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New York Governor Kathy Hochul thinks AI should be ‘less evil’
New York Governor Kathy Hochul discussed a wide range of technology policy issues in an interview on The Verge’s Decoder podcast, touching on artificial intelligence regulation, data centre construction, gun control and online surveillance. The conversation comes during an election year in which tech policy has taken on outsized importance, with Hochul having taken firm…
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Putin meets his ally Chinese President Xi Jinping as they discuss Ukraine amid growing fears Russia is about to escalate war
Vladimir Putin met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on Monday as part of a two-day Shanghai Co-operation Organisation (SCO) summit, with the two leaders touching on Ukraine amid mounting concern that Russia could be preparing to escalate the war. The Kremlin said Ukraine was not the central focus of the talks, but the…
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JUDAS PRIEST’s ROB HALFORD And IAN HILL Support New Fundraiser For Ukraine
JUDAS PRIEST frontman Rob Halford and bassist Ian Hill have teamed up with the Steel Wings Foundation, a Ukraine-based heavy metal charity, to launch a new fundraising campaign supporting its work on the ground in Ukraine. Halford has donated a range of personal items as prizes, including bracelets, a cross and tour picks he has…
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John Galliano Cancels Met Gala and Exhibit for 2027 Amid Backlash Over Past Racism: ‘I Remain Deeply Sorry’ to the ‘Jewish and Asian Communities’
John Galliano has abandoned plans for a Metropolitan Museum of Art retrospective that would have formed the theme of the 2027 Met Gala, following criticism over his past racist and antisemitic conduct. The designer announced the decision on Instagram, days after The New York Times reported growing objections to the Met honouring him, saying he…
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After 30 Years of Spoofing Country’s Biggest Stars, One Ella Langley Parody Lands Singer in Hot Water With Sony
Country parody singer Cledus T. Judd has found himself at odds with Sony Music after releasing a spoof of Ella Langley’s hit song “Be Her,” titled “Meet Her.” Judd, who has spent roughly 30 years affectionately parodying country stars such as Shania Twain, Garth Brooks and Toby Keith, said he intended the video as a…
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Iran’s economy in crisis as US launches new sanctions campaign
Iran’s economy is in deep crisis as the United States launches a new sanctions campaign, “Operation Economic Outcast”, against a backdrop of runaway inflation, a collapsing currency and fuel shortages that many Iranians already find overwhelming. The situation matters because it threatens to push millions further into poverty while raising the risk of social unrest,…