UNSW academic subjected to Nazi salutes in class, antisemitism commission hears 13. July 2026 (06:59) Royal commission on antisemitism and social cohesion hears lived experiences of Jewish students and academicsFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAn academic at UNSW was subjected to Nazi salutes by students in his business class, the royal commission into antisemitism and social cohesion has heard.The fourth block of hearings, taking place in Melbourne this week, is examining the lived experiences of Jewish students and academics, including the response of universities to combat hate. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Is the most popular song played on Australian radio stations the product of generative AI? 13. July 2026 (06:03) Josh Fawaz’s song, a cover of Like a Prayer, has raised questions about how generative AI is being used in music and whether it should be declaredAn Australian producer has gone from little-known artist to viral sensation in a matter of months, with his hit song catapulting on to global charts and receiving thousands of radio spins.There’s just one problem: music experts and other musicians are questioning whether he produced it. They claim Josh Fawaz’s most popular song, a cover of Madonna’s Like a Prayer which reached the No 1 spot on the National Radio Airplay chart, could have been made using AI. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Britons give classic round tomato the red card as coloured and vine varieties score 13. July 2026 (06:01) Premium cherry-on-the-vine are poised to take top spot in Britain’s £1bn-a-year tomato marketFor a long time the classic round, red tomato has dominated British salads and sandwiches, but its supremacy is coming under threat as sales of rainbow colours and the upmarket rival “cherry on the vine” take off.“Non-red tomatoes” sales are up 21% this year, a growth rate that far exceeds the overall market, according to Paul Faulkner, of Evesham Vale Growers. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Mastermind of €88m Louvre heist thought they ‘could have taken more’ 13. July 2026 (06:00) Alleged thieves in October 2025 robbery damaged a gem-encrusted crown worn in the 19th century by Empress EugénieTwo men suspected of making off with €88m (£75m) worth of crown jewels from the Louvre museum in Paris last October have reportedly told investigators that the alleged mastermind behind the heist was disappointed by the haul and thought “they could have taken more”.The French newspaper Le Monde cited transcripts of the alleged thieves’ questioning last month by two investigating judges in charge of the inquiry, offering detailed insights into the burglary that made global headlines and led the museum’s director to resign. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Swedish MEP files police complaint accusing Danish colleague of racist hate speech 13. July 2026 (06:00) Abir Al-Sahlani targeted on social media after condemning anti-immigration chants in European parliamentA Swedish MEP has filed a police complaint accusing a fellow MEP of racist hate speech after she was targeted on social media over her condemnation of far-right, anti-immigration chants in the European parliament.The complaint, which was filed last week with police in Sweden, relates to the aftermath last month of the decision by some rightwing MEPs to erupt in chants of “send them back” following a vote aimed at increasing deportations across the EU. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Jana Armstrong’s former partner appears in court charged with murder after body found near Toowoomba 13. July 2026 (05:26) Dharminder Singh ‘asserts his innocence’, lawyer tells reporters, amid outpouring of grief for young mother in Queensland cityFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe former partner of a woman whose body was found near Toowoomba at the weekend has appeared in court for the first time after being charged with her murder.Dharminder Singh covered his face and appeared to sob as he appeared in Toowoomba magistrates court via video link, charged with the murder of 30-year-old Jana Armstrong. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Fire bomber planes battle Fontainebleau forest blaze near Paris 13. July 2026 (04:57) Wildfire quickly burnt more than 800 hectares, with villages evacuated, highway partly closed and high-speed rail disruptedFrench officials rushed two firefighting planes to the Paris region on Sunday after a “very virulent” fire of “exceptional scale” erupted in the sprawling Fontainebleau forest about 60km (40 miles) south-east of the capital.The fire began late afternoon in the one-time royal hunting preserve that today is dotted with quiet villages. It raced across 800 hectares (2,000 acres) and was still spreading early on Monday, officials said, causing the partial closure of the A6 highway, the country’s main north-south artery, and disrupting traffic during a busy, heatwave-stricken summer travel weekend. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
US launches new wave of strikes against Iran as Tehran says diplomacy has proven ‘futile’ 13. July 2026 (04:39) American and Iranian forces exchange heavy missile and drone attacks over control of strait of Hormuz, increasing pressure on truceThe US military has launched a new wave of attacks against Iran amid the escalating standoff over the strait of Hormuz, with Tehran saying the latest strikes had “rendered futile” all the diplomatic efforts of the past few months.The US military began launching more strikes against Iran at 9pm GMT on Sunday, US Central Command (Centcom) said on X, “to continue degrading their ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial ships freely transiting the Strait of Hormuz”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Middle East crisis live: US launches new wave of strikes on Iran; Tehran says attacks render diplomacy ‘futile’ 13. July 2026 (02:47) Iran has sought to establish a permanent system for collecting fees in the strait of Hormuz and warned vessels not to sail without its authorisationOne person has been killed and four wounded in a US strike on a water pumping station in Iran’s mahshahr, Iranian state media Irna news is reporting.Oil prices opened sharply higher on Monday after the United States launched a wave of attacks on Iran and as Tehran announced it would close the strait of Hormuz. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Disney’s live-action Moana fails to make a splash at box office with underwhelming opening 13. July 2026 (01:23) Latest film in franchise takes just $43m in North America and $95m globally, against a $250m budgetThe Walt Disney Company’s live-action remake of Moana may be the No 1 movie at the North American box office but it did not make a big splash in its first weekend in theaters.The movie, which cost a reported $250m (£187m, A$360m) to produce, earned just $43m from ticket sales in the US and Canada, according to studio estimates on Sunday. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
