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Oct 2, 2026 - World

US says ship thought to be using common ‘dark fleet’ tactics was boarded and taken to Mexico as embargo continuesThe US Coast ⁠Guard has announced that it intercepted a large cargo ship carrying fuel bound for Cuba, as the ⁠Trump administration’s crippling ⁠oil embargo against ​the island nation continued.The vessel named Grace was stopped on 5 September in the Caribbean Sea between Cuba ⁠and Mexico while using tactics to evade authorities, the Coast Guard said. The New York Times reported that the ship ⁠was 91 metres (300ft) long. Continue reading...

Oct 2, 2026 - World

Home affairs department orders all federal government agencies to conduct review of ‘legacy technology’ amid fallout from AI agent hacks Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe Australian government faces significant “tech debt” that could bring a big bill for taxpayers after the OpenAI Medicare breach, as government agencies will need to fortify their defences against future attacks by AI agents.This week, the home affairs department ordered all federal government agencies to conduct a “legacy technology stocktake” that requires a plan for each agency to “reduce legacy technology systems” to a level within the agency’s risk tolerance and appetite, the direction stated. Continue reading...

Oct 2, 2026 - World

Thousands gather in Mumbai with heavy police presence as concerns mount that millions will be denied voting rightsIndia’s youth-led Cockroach movement kicked off more nationwide protests on Friday as thousands of people gathered in Mumbai, amid mounting concerns that millions of citizens are being unfairly stripped of their vote.The movement, which calls itself the Cockroach Janta party (CJP) and has massive support among the country’s gen Zs, returned to the streets to demand the resignation of the chief election commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar. Continue reading...

Oct 2, 2026 - World

President Donald Trump's hands-off approach to artificial intelligence (AI) and the tech billionaires behind it are running into unexpected resistance from one of his own staunch allies in the Senate, according to Politico.Sen. Josh Hawley's (R-MO) "populist push" against AI is exposing a schism in the GOP as lawmakers try to balance backing Trump's preference for voluntary industry standards against mounting voter anxiety over the technology's risks. Hawley's "call for AI safety legislation this week" — including imposing corporate liability when AI causes harm — stands in direct contrast to Trump's approach of letting the industry police itself."I think everyone kind of feels like the impact that this is going to have — not just on our economy but on how we live our lives — is reason to be concerned," GOP strategist Jason Roe told Politico. "I think the politicians that seize on it are going to probably reach beyond their base, to voters outside of their respective parties that care about where we're going on this."Republicans remain divided on how to respond. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) has said at least "light touch" regulation will eventually be needed, even while broadly praising Trump's approach, while House Speaker Mike Johnson prefers a voluntary framework that matches Trump's own instincts.Hawley's skepticism of Big Tech isn't new — he's gone after social media companies over alleged censorship of conservatives, battled Flock's traffic-camera surveillance network, and raised alarms about chatbots endangering children."Hawley used a hearing this week on rogue AI to call for companies to be liable for the harm their AI models cause. His comments drew praise from Democrats, highlighting the bipartisan role Hawley could play in crafting legislation next year regardless of who wins the midterms," Politico reported, adding, "That collegial atmosphere was the latest sign that Hawley has rekindled tech-minded alliances across the aisle, which had frayed in the aftermath of the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol given his vote against certifying the 2020 election."

Oct 2, 2026 - World

Baird, father of former NSW premier Mike Baird and journalist Julia Baird, helped win the Olympics for SydneyGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastBruce Baird, a former federal Liberal MP and deputy leader of the party’s New South Wales branch, has died aged 84.Baird, who also served as the NSW transport minister from 1988 to 1995, is the father of former state premier Mike Baird, the ABC journalist Julia Baird, and the marketing executive Steve Baird.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s Politics, really newsletter here Continue reading...