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Hugh Bonneville among stars backing campaign against AI voice cloning
Actors including Hugh Bonneville, Nicola Coughlan and Matt Lucas have joined the Save Our Voices Now campaign, calling for legal protection against AI voice cloning. The campaign argues that copying voices without consent threatens personal identity and performers’ rights, while also making impersonation fraud easier, and says legislation has not kept pace with the technology.…
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Federal judge again blocks Trump’s mail ballot order just before midterms
A federal judge has temporarily blocked a Trump administration rule that would impose new Postal Service requirements on states sending mail ballots, with the midterm elections approaching. The ruling pauses the measure for 14 days, giving states and voting-rights groups relief from immediate changes they argue would disrupt election preparations and exceed federal authority. Judge…
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Carney rejects Trump bid to rename Lake Ontario
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney rejected President Donald Trump’s order to refer to Lake Ontario as “Lake America” for US federal purposes, saying Canadians would continue to use its longstanding name. The dispute matters because the lake straddles the US–Canada border and the move adds a symbolic argument over national identity and geography to wider…
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No special carve-out for states using fossil fuel to power datacentres, Chris Bowen insists, despite new conditions
Australia’s energy minister, Chris Bowen, says planned national rules will require datacentres in every state and territory to use 100% renewable electricity backed by firming, rejecting claims that Queensland and the Northern Territory secured broad exemptions. States may seek permission to use existing coal or gas supplies, but must convince the federal regulator that this…
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Australia maintains 20,000 annual refugee intake after reversal
Australia’s Albanese government will keep its annual refugee intake at 20,000 after reports suggested it might be cut to 13,750. The decision matters because it preserves the higher humanitarian intake while migration, housing and border policy remain politically contentious ahead of the next federal election. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the 20,000-place target would continue…
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Peter van Onselen: Albo’s desperate plan to save Labor’s seats exposed – and it’s the rest of Australia that could pay
The article argues that Anthony Albanese’s commitment to retain Western Australia’s favourable GST distribution could ultimately shift costs to other states or Commonwealth taxpayers. It focuses on remarks suggesting that future federal funding arrangements with states may be considered alongside the GST deal, a prospect criticised by NSW Premier Chris Minns. The columnist says the…
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Judge pauses mail voting rules before midterm ballots are sent
A federal judge has temporarily halted the Trump administration’s proposed restrictions on postal voting, giving states a 14-day reprieve before midterm ballots are due to be sent. The ruling matters because election officials said the new requirements could not be introduced in time and might disrupt voting for the roughly one-third of Americans who cast…
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Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass orders cops to stop cracking down on illegal street vendors
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has instructed the LAPD to stop issuing criminal citations to street vendors who breach city rules, and her administration is seeking to dismiss past citations it says were wrongly issued. The move is significant because it affects a large informal sector in the city and has become an issue in…
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Burnham unveils safeguards against rogue builders exploiting homeowners
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has condemned rogue builders as “crooks” who exploit vulnerable homeowners and can cause severe personal and financial harm. He announced Government-backed measures intended to make home-improvement work safer and reduce losses from unfinished, poor-quality or fraudulent projects. A new Trusted Partners app, due next week, will hold customers’ payments until agreed…
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‘Big Brother’ Season 28, Week 7 Eviction: A Celebration Of 1,000 Episodes & Another Houseguest Is Voted Out
Big Brother marked its 1,000th episode with a retrospective celebration before its Week 7 eviction, highlighting fan-favourite moments, players and alliances from the reality competition’s history. The milestone episode also saw Mallory Aurichio become the seventh houseguest evicted from Season 28, continuing the contest’s shifting strategic landscape. Week 7 Head of Household Dee Valladares initially…