Anger over plans to abolish New Zealand’s dedicated environment ministry pred 1 dnevom, 17 urami in 4 minutami Critics say proposal to fold department into a new ‘mega ministry’ will dilute accountability and put nature protections at risk New Zealand’s government is seeking to abolish its dedicated environment ministry to cut down on bureaucracy, a move critics say could dilute environmental protections.Under the plan, the department would be folded into a new “mega-ministry” that will cover housing, urban development, transport, local government and the environment. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Signs of psychosis seen in Australian users’ interactions with AI chatbots, expert warns pred 1 dnevom, 17 urami in 46 minutami Toby Walsh says he despairs at Australian government’s lack of regulation of artificial intelligenceFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA leading AI expert has warned some Australians are showing signs of psychosis or mania in their interactions with chatbots, arguing Silicon Valley is being “careless” with the technology amid a pursuit of profit.During an address at the National Press Club on Wednesday, Toby Walsh, scientia professor of artificial intelligence at the University of New South Wales, said he believed the AI race will be both “boom and doom”, with some benefits. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Democrats to investigate whether DoJ withheld Epstein files on Trump abuse claim pred 1 dnevom, 17 urami in 58 minutami Lawmaker says DoJ appears to have withheld interviews with survivor who accused Trump of ‘heinous crimes’Democrats on the House oversight and government reform committee announced on Tuesday the launch of an investigation to determine whether the US Department of Justice (DoJ) purposely withheld materials that pertain to allegations against Donald Trump in the government’s release of the Epstein files.The lawmakers pledged to look into a report that Trump had been accused by a woman of sexually abusing her decades ago when she was a minor, and that material relating to the allegation in the Epstein files has not been released to the public. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Woolworths reports 16% jump in profits as ACCC prepares legal action over ‘illusory’ discounts pred 1 dnevom in 18 urami Earnings report released on Wednesday shows supermarket made $859m net profit in past six months as higher prices hit shoppersFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastWoolworths has reported a significant 16.4% rise in profit, helped by expanding its margins in its key supermarket business.In its half-year earnings report released on Wednesday, Woolworths recorded an increase in underlying net profit to $859m over the six months to 4 January, up from $739m in the prior corresponding period. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Man convicted of killing 70-year-old grocery store owner executed in Florida pred 1 dnevom, 18 urami in 17 minutami Melvin Trotter, 65, gets lethal injection for 1986 stabbing death, becoming second person executed by state this yearA man convicted of killing a 70-year-old grocery store owner was put to death Tuesday in Florida, becoming the second person executed by the state this year after a record 19 executions in 2025.Melvin Trotter, 65, was pronounced dead at 6.15pm following a lethal injection at Florida state prison near Starke for the 1986 stabbing death of Virgie Langford, according to authorities. Alex Lanfranconi, a spokesperson for Republican governor Ron DeSantis, said there were no complications. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Half of Britons avoid calling GP when they are ill, survey finds pred 1 dnevom, 18 urami in 45 minutami Most believe they will struggle to get an appointment, with over a quarter choosing to manage ailment themselvesAlmost half the public delay or avoid contacting their GP surgery when they are ill, mainly because they think they will struggle to get an appointment.Overall 48% of people across the UK did not bother to ask their family doctor for help – either initially or at all – when they got sick over the past year, a survey found.Faster access to GPs and A&E are the public’s top priorities for the NHS.Only 32% believe the NHS provides a good service nationally.42% think the standard of NHS care has worsened over the past year and only 12% think that it has improved.47% fear NHS care will decline further over the next year and just 15% expect it to get better Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Floods and landslides in Brazil kill at least 30 after record rainfall pred 1 dnevom, 19 urami in 18 minutami Firefighters search for 39 people missing in debris after river burst and houses were swept awayThree firefighters pulled a man’s body from the mud amid the rubble of houses swept away in a landslide in south-eastern Brazil, where 30 people died and 39 were still missing on Tuesday after torrential rains.A river in the state of Minas Gerais burst its banks and streets became raging currents of brown water after an overnight downpour in a region that has seen record rain this month. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
News live: tennis heavyweight Craig Tiley leaving roles for US; news site Politico to launch in Australia pred 1 dnevom, 19 urami in 43 minutami Follow updates liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastPolitico, a major US news company, is set to launch in Australia later this year.The company announced a move into the Australian market and the launch of a new product called Canberra Playbook when parliament returns in the third quarter of 2026, after the winter recess.POLITICO’s expansion to Australia will bring its signature ahead-of-the-curve, insider political and policy journalism to help the country’s most influential audiences cut through the noise in a vibrant democracy.The expansion will further POLITICO’s mission of linking global power centers and help readers in North America and Europe understand the decisions made in Australia that affect them and vice versa. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Senedd votes in favour of implementing Westminster’s assisted dying bill pred 1 dnevom, 20 urami in 23 minutami Should legislation pass House of Lords, the matter will require another vote after May’s Welsh electionsWales’s Senedd has voted in favour of implementing Westminster’s assisted dying bill, overcoming a constitutionally awkward situation that could have forced terminally ill people who wish to end their lives to travel to England or seek private provision.In a debate stretching into Tuesday night in the Senedd’s newly expanded chamber, members voted 28 for and 23 against, with two abstentions. Should the legislation pass the House of Lords, the matter will require another Senedd vote after May’s Welsh elections. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Citizen scientists discover a Great Barrier Reef coral giant ‘like a rolling meadow’ pred 1 dnevom, 20 urami in 45 minutami Volunteer group Citizens of the Reef made the find as part of the Great Reef CensusFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastCitizen scientists have discovered what they believe is one of the largest coral colonies ever documented on the Great Barrier Reef.The coral spans approximately 111 metres in maximum length and covers an estimated area of 3,973 sq m – about half the size of a soccer field. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
