-
Beach rescue in Bahamas raises safety fears over construction fence
A 60-year-old visitor from New York was swept into rough surf at Cabbage Beach in the Bahamas and became trapped by a temporary construction fence that blocked her way out. Lifeguards and beachgoers pulled her to shore, where emergency responders assessed her; the incident has intensified concerns about the fence’s effect on public safety and…
-
South Korea demands apology from Pyongyang for landmine blasts that injured three
Three South Korean soldiers were injured by landmine explosions on the South Korean side of the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) on 21 September. Seoul says North Korean mines were “highly likely”, calls the blasts a breach of the 1953 armistice and has demanded an apology and an end to border fortification work, warning it will take…
-
Burnham proposes ending pension triple lock to fund national care service
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced radical reforms including scrapping the pension triple lock to fund a new National Care Service, framed as breaking with 40 years of Thatcherite policy. The move represents a significant political gamble, as Burnham acknowledged he may “pay a political price” for the unpopular reforms, dedicating the care policy to…
-
32kg of cocaine evidence replaced with flour at Fiji High Court
A cocaine haul worth up to $15 million has disappeared from a Fiji court whilst being held as evidence in a high-profile drug trafficking case. The extraordinary disappearance was discovered when authorities moved to destroy the exhibits following the conclusion of the appeal process; forensic tests subsequently revealed that the remaining cocaine had been tampered…
-
Prosecutors consider retrial after deadlock in Lindsay Clancy case
Prosecutors in Massachusetts are reviewing whether to retry Lindsay Clancy after a judge declared a mistrial in her murder case earlier this month. District Attorney Tim Cruz said no decision has been made and that prosecutors are waiting for pending motions, while continuing to prepare as if another trial may take place. At a court…
-
Four Australian universities rise in global rankings, led by Melbourne at 34th
Australian universities have defied a global trend of decline in the Times Higher Education world rankings. Four of the six Australian institutions in the top 100 have improved their positions, with the University of Melbourne rising three places to 34th globally. This positive performance is particularly noteworthy as many universities in other English-speaking countries have…
-
‘Final Payment,’ ‘Zoom In, Zoom Out’ Win Big at Pingyao; ‘Congo Boy’ Takes Rossellini Prize
Niu Niu’s “Final Payment” and Dong Jie’s “Zoom In, Zoom Out” each won two awards at the 10th Pingyao Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon International Film Festival. “Final Payment” took the best film prize and best actor for Niu Jianrong, the director’s father, while “Zoom In, Zoom Out” received the jury award and the critics’ prize.…
-
Perth woman, 88, charged with attempting to kill her husband, 90
Gay Bernadette Branchi, 88, has been charged with attempting to kill her husband, former Automotive Holdings Group chair Robert Branchi, 90, at their aged care home in Perth. Police say the alleged incident took place on 24 September, shortly after his birthday; the case matters because the charge concerns a serious alleged crime involving an…
-
Trump gathers tech executives to discuss AI safety and expansion
President Trump hosted a high-profile meeting at the White House with leaders from major technology companies including OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Meta, SpaceX and Nvidia to discuss artificial intelligence safety. The gathering resulted in the signing of what Trump described as a “morally binding” agreement on AI safety, which he compared to a constitution. This meeting…
-
Aces’ A’ja Wilson gets tech for confrontation with Fever fan, who was determined to have broken no rules
During Game Two of the Las Vegas Aces’ first-round playoff series against the Indiana Fever, star player A’ja Wilson received a technical foul after confronting a spectator in the fourth quarter. Following a physical exchange on court, Wilson spotted a fan pointing and shouting at her and marched towards the spectator until teammates and officials…