Midday News Bulletin 1 May 2025
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TRANSCRIPT:
South Australia's parliament to debate the use of artificial intelligence and explicit deepfakes;
Ukraine agrees to a crucial minerals deal with the US;
Game one tonight of this year's women's State of Origin series. South Australia's Parliament is debating laws that would ban the use of artificial intelligence to generate explicit deepfake content. The bill is a collaboration between Upper House MLC Connie Bonaros and the state government that seeks to outlaw violent or sexually explicit deepfake images, audio or video. State attorney-general Kyam Maher says the state's criminal code already covers the distrubution of deepfakes - but this legislation would ensure content is captured that is wholly created by AI. He says authorities have estimated as much as 95 percent of deepfakes are non-consensual porn, and that 99 per cent of the victims are women. Ukraine and the US have announced an economic deal after Donald Trump called for Kyiv to compensate Washington for billions of dollars in assistance to help repel Russia's invasion. The US President had earlier announced he wanted access to Ukraine's rare earth materials as a condition for continuing US support in the war, but talks had stalled after a tense Oval Office meeting between US and Ukrainian leaders. Ukraine's economy minister Yulia Svyrydenko has confirmed an agreement has been signed in Washington. U-S Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has also confirmed the agreement, saying on X it will be good for both countries. "This partnership allows the United States to invest alongside Ukraine to unlock Ukraine's growth assets, mobilise American talent, capital, and governance standards that will improve Ukraine's investment climate and accelerate Ukraine's economic recovery." A 16 year old has been arrested over the fatal shooting of three people in a town in Sweden. Police say the teen is one of several people being interrogated as part of the investigation into the deaths of three people at a hair salon in Uppsala, a day before the city was to celebrate a spring festival that traditionally draws some 100,000 visitors. Sweden has suffered from a wave of gang-related violence for more than a decade that has included an epidemic of gun violence, but Uppsala Police chief Erik Akerlund says police believe these shootings are not part of any gang activity. 'Our assessment is that this is an incident that is not connected to a risk to the public but an isolated incident. But that in itself does not mean that we are only investigating this crime, but we are working forward and sideways so that, in the end, many of the crimes that we are investigating also turn out to be connected." New research shows that working from home is paying off for those who avoid the commute regularly. Analysis from the Committee for Economic Development says people who work from home are saving an estimated $5300 a year, and that productivity is also greater for home based employees, with those workers able to complete nearly 20 per cent more hours than those in the office. CEDA Economist James Brooks says they have found flexible working arrangements have increased workplace participation by more than four per cent post COVID. He says that is especially true for primary carers, people with disability, and single parents. "The likelihood that they're in a job at all has actually increased so this is a function of a tight labour market and demand for workers. But it's hard to ignore that working from home has given more people opportunities. So they're able to find more jobs which are suited to them." New data shows that India is set to overtake Britain as the leading country of origin for overseas-born Australians as soon as this year. The leading country of origin in Australia has traditionally been the U-K, but new data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows migration from there is trending downwards. Its annual data on migration confirms that more Australians were born overseas [[8.58 million, or 31.5 per cent of the total population measured at June 2024]] than at any point since federation. Behind the rise is a huge uptick of Indians calling Australia home, with 916,330 Indian-born migrants recorded by June 2024. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has laughed off a surprise endorsement from jailed U-S reality star Joe Exotic during a morning round of commercial radio interviews. Exotic had taken to his Instagram page to urge Australians to vote for Mr Albanese, in hopes that would lead to the PM lobbying for his early release from prison. But the P-M has told Nova Perth he hadn't thought about Exotic. "I think what I'll be concentrating on with President Trump will be more about tariffs and jobs and the economy ... I was wondering whether he thought, you know, because we got Julian Assange released, basically, which was a good thing." Game one of this year's women's State of Origin series gets underway tonight with the Maroons hosting the Blues at Lang Park. Indigenous backrower and Deadly Choices Ambassador Shaylee Bent will line up as the 18th player for New South Wales after recovering from off-season surgery. She has told NITV she's worked hard to come back from injury.
"I struggled with an AC dislocation last year. It's the very first injury I've ever had. So for me it was a bit of a struggle but I have had so much support around. And the girls have been really great. Yeah, just excited to back here and be back in the squad."
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The regional administration said the attack had injured 10 people and recommended that residents temporarily stay inside due to a high concentration of toxic substances in the air after a fire. Fifteen people were injured in the northwestern city of Lutsk where an attack damaged private homes, educational institutions and a government building, prosecutors said. In one of the most audacious attacks of the war between Ukraine and Russia, Ukrainian spies last weekend destroyed some of Russia's strategic bomber aircraft on the ground using quadrocopter drones hidden in wooden sheds. Russia has launched an intense missile and drone barrage on Kyiv, killing three people as powerful explosions reverberated across the Ukrainian capital. The overnight attacks followed a warning from Russian President Vladimir Putin, conveyed via US President Donald Trump, that the Kremlin would hit back after Ukrainian drones destroyed several strategic bomber aircraft in attacks deep inside Russia. 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The city's metro transport system was disrupted by a Russian strike that hit and damaged tracks between stations, Kyiv's military administration said. Ukraine's state rail company Ukrzaliznytsia said it was also detouring some trains due to railway damage in the region. In the Solomianskyi district, a Russian drone slammed into the side of apartment building, leaving a gaping hole and burn marks, a Reuters photographer at the scene said. Falling concrete blocks from the building crushed cars parked below. Two police investigators were examining what appeared to be the drone's engine. Earlier in the night, Reuters reporters heard the sound of Russian kamikaze drones buzzing in the sky, accompanied by the sounds of outgoing fire from Ukrainian anti-aircraft fire. Witnesses reported a series of booming explosions powerful enough to rattle windows far from the impact sites. Some Kyiv residents sought shelter in metro stations, or in underground car parks. 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The agency runs enforcement against illegal fishing for a group of 18 Pacific Island countries, with assistance from navy and air force patrols by Australia, the United States, France and New Zealand. The biggest fishing fleets in the Pacific, attracting the most infringement notices by inspectors, are Chinese and Taiwanese. But China is also the largest fisheries partner to some Pacific Island countries, and Rahari said agreements for Chinese coast guard patrols in coastal waters could be struck under security deals with these countries. China registered 26 coast guard vessels with the Western & Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) in 2024 for high seas boarding and inspections in a vast region where the US and Australia have the biggest inspection fleets. The commission has not received a notification from China that it has conducted any inspection, but Chinese officials have become active in debate over the rules on boardings, WCPFC executive director Rhea Moss-Christian told Reuters. China last year called for a review of the guidelines, and in March, Chinese officials attended a video meeting about an Australian-led effort to strengthen voluntary rules, she said. WCPFC inspectors in international waters need to gain permission for each inspection from the suspected vessel's flag state before boarding. Rahari said it could be "very complicated" diplomatically if a Chinese coast guard vessel sought to board a Taiwanese fishing boat. Beijing does not recognise Taiwan as a separate country. Chinese officials and the Chinese Coast Guard did not respond to Reuters requests for comment. Australia declined to comment, while Taiwan and the US Coast Guard did not respond to requests for comment. Papua New Guinea (PNG) foreign minister Justin Tkatchenko said 10 Pacific Island ministers saw the Chinese coast guard demonstrate a maritime emergency drill, but told Reuters they did not discuss Pacific patrols. PNG is negotiating a new defence treaty with Australia, and struck a 2023 security deal with the United States allowing the US Coast Guard to patrol PNG's 2.7 million square kilometre exclusive economic zone. Fiji said it had approved a new maritime security agreement with Australia this week. Under a security treaty struck in December, Nauru must notify Australia before the Chinese navy comes to port. The US Coast Guard has maritime law enforcement agreements with a dozen Pacific Island nations allowing it to enter nations' exclusive economic zones, and increased its patrols last year. "The key considerations for China is stepping into that space without stepping on other partners toes, because that will then create conflicts within the region and that is something we don't want," Rahari said. China is taking further steps towards high seas boarding of fishing boats in the Pacific for the first time, risking tensions with Taiwanese fleets and US Coast Guard vessels that ply the region, Pacific Islands officials say. The Chinese Coast Guard demonstrated the capabilities of one of its largest ships, used to enforce maritime law in the Taiwan Strait, to Pacific Island ministers last week. It is also actively involved in debates on the rules of high seas boarding, according to documents and interviews with Pacific fisheries officials. The fisheries officials said it was anticipated China will soon begin patrols in a "crowded" fisheries surveillance space. "Hosting the leaders, demonstrating their capabilities in terms of maritime operations, those kind of things are indications they want to step into that space," said Allan Rahari, director of fisheries operations for the Forum Fisheries Agency, told Reuters. The agency runs enforcement against illegal fishing for a group of 18 Pacific Island countries, with assistance from navy and air force patrols by Australia, the United States, France and New Zealand. The biggest fishing fleets in the Pacific, attracting the most infringement notices by inspectors, are Chinese and Taiwanese. But China is also the largest fisheries partner to some Pacific Island countries, and Rahari said agreements for Chinese coast guard patrols in coastal waters could be struck under security deals with these countries. China registered 26 coast guard vessels with the Western & Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) in 2024 for high seas boarding and inspections in a vast region where the US and Australia have the biggest inspection fleets. The commission has not received a notification from China that it has conducted any inspection, but Chinese officials have become active in debate over the rules on boardings, WCPFC executive director Rhea Moss-Christian told Reuters. China last year called for a review of the guidelines, and in March, Chinese officials attended a video meeting about an Australian-led effort to strengthen voluntary rules, she said. WCPFC inspectors in international waters need to gain permission for each inspection from the suspected vessel's flag state before boarding. Rahari said it could be "very complicated" diplomatically if a Chinese coast guard vessel sought to board a Taiwanese fishing boat. Beijing does not recognise Taiwan as a separate country. Chinese officials and the Chinese Coast Guard did not respond to Reuters requests for comment. Australia declined to comment, while Taiwan and the US Coast Guard did not respond to requests for comment. Papua New Guinea (PNG) foreign minister Justin Tkatchenko said 10 Pacific Island ministers saw the Chinese coast guard demonstrate a maritime emergency drill, but told Reuters they did not discuss Pacific patrols. PNG is negotiating a new defence treaty with Australia, and struck a 2023 security deal with the United States allowing the US Coast Guard to patrol PNG's 2.7 million square kilometre exclusive economic zone. Fiji said it had approved a new maritime security agreement with Australia this week. Under a security treaty struck in December, Nauru must notify Australia before the Chinese navy comes to port. The US Coast Guard has maritime law enforcement agreements with a dozen Pacific Island nations allowing it to enter nations' exclusive economic zones, and increased its patrols last year. "The key considerations for China is stepping into that space without stepping on other partners toes, because that will then create conflicts within the region and that is something we don't want," Rahari said. China is taking further steps towards high seas boarding of fishing boats in the Pacific for the first time, risking tensions with Taiwanese fleets and US Coast Guard vessels that ply the region, Pacific Islands officials say. The Chinese Coast Guard demonstrated the capabilities of one of its largest ships, used to enforce maritime law in the Taiwan Strait, to Pacific Island ministers last week. It is also actively involved in debates on the rules of high seas boarding, according to documents and interviews with Pacific fisheries officials. The fisheries officials said it was anticipated China will soon begin patrols in a "crowded" fisheries surveillance space. "Hosting the leaders, demonstrating their capabilities in terms of maritime operations, those kind of things are indications they want to step into that space," said Allan Rahari, director of fisheries operations for the Forum Fisheries Agency, told Reuters. The agency runs enforcement against illegal fishing for a group of 18 Pacific Island countries, with assistance from navy and air force patrols by Australia, the United States, France and New Zealand. The biggest fishing fleets in the Pacific, attracting the most infringement notices by inspectors, are Chinese and Taiwanese. But China is also the largest fisheries partner to some Pacific Island countries, and Rahari said agreements for Chinese coast guard patrols in coastal waters could be struck under security deals with these countries. China registered 26 coast guard vessels with the Western & Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) in 2024 for high seas boarding and inspections in a vast region where the US and Australia have the biggest inspection fleets. The commission has not received a notification from China that it has conducted any inspection, but Chinese officials have become active in debate over the rules on boardings, WCPFC executive director Rhea Moss-Christian told Reuters. China last year called for a review of the guidelines, and in March, Chinese officials attended a video meeting about an Australian-led effort to strengthen voluntary rules, she said. WCPFC inspectors in international waters need to gain permission for each inspection from the suspected vessel's flag state before boarding. Rahari said it could be "very complicated" diplomatically if a Chinese coast guard vessel sought to board a Taiwanese fishing boat. Beijing does not recognise Taiwan as a separate country. Chinese officials and the Chinese Coast Guard did not respond to Reuters requests for comment. Australia declined to comment, while Taiwan and the US Coast Guard did not respond to requests for comment. Papua New Guinea (PNG) foreign minister Justin Tkatchenko said 10 Pacific Island ministers saw the Chinese coast guard demonstrate a maritime emergency drill, but told Reuters they did not discuss Pacific patrols. PNG is negotiating a new defence treaty with Australia, and struck a 2023 security deal with the United States allowing the US Coast Guard to patrol PNG's 2.7 million square kilometre exclusive economic zone. Fiji said it had approved a new maritime security agreement with Australia this week. Under a security treaty struck in December, Nauru must notify Australia before the Chinese navy comes to port. The US Coast Guard has maritime law enforcement agreements with a dozen Pacific Island nations allowing it to enter nations' exclusive economic zones, and increased its patrols last year. "The key considerations for China is stepping into that space without stepping on other partners toes, because that will then create conflicts within the region and that is something we don't want," Rahari said. China is taking further steps towards high seas boarding of fishing boats in the Pacific for the first time, risking tensions with Taiwanese fleets and US Coast Guard vessels that ply the region, Pacific Islands officials say. The Chinese Coast Guard demonstrated the capabilities of one of its largest ships, used to enforce maritime law in the Taiwan Strait, to Pacific Island ministers last week. It is also actively involved in debates on the rules of high seas boarding, according to documents and interviews with Pacific fisheries officials. The fisheries officials said it was anticipated China will soon begin patrols in a "crowded" fisheries surveillance space. "Hosting the leaders, demonstrating their capabilities in terms of maritime operations, those kind of things are indications they want to step into that space," said Allan Rahari, director of fisheries operations for the Forum Fisheries Agency, told Reuters. The agency runs enforcement against illegal fishing for a group of 18 Pacific Island countries, with assistance from navy and air force patrols by Australia, the United States, France and New Zealand. The biggest fishing fleets in the Pacific, attracting the most infringement notices by inspectors, are Chinese and Taiwanese. But China is also the largest fisheries partner to some Pacific Island countries, and Rahari said agreements for Chinese coast guard patrols in coastal waters could be struck under security deals with these countries. China registered 26 coast guard vessels with the Western & Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) in 2024 for high seas boarding and inspections in a vast region where the US and Australia have the biggest inspection fleets. The commission has not received a notification from China that it has conducted any inspection, but Chinese officials have become active in debate over the rules on boardings, WCPFC executive director Rhea Moss-Christian told Reuters. China last year called for a review of the guidelines, and in March, Chinese officials attended a video meeting about an Australian-led effort to strengthen voluntary rules, she said. WCPFC inspectors in international waters need to gain permission for each inspection from the suspected vessel's flag state before boarding. Rahari said it could be "very complicated" diplomatically if a Chinese coast guard vessel sought to board a Taiwanese fishing boat. Beijing does not recognise Taiwan as a separate country. Chinese officials and the Chinese Coast Guard did not respond to Reuters requests for comment. Australia declined to comment, while Taiwan and the US Coast Guard did not respond to requests for comment. Papua New Guinea (PNG) foreign minister Justin Tkatchenko said 10 Pacific Island ministers saw the Chinese coast guard demonstrate a maritime emergency drill, but told Reuters they did not discuss Pacific patrols. PNG is negotiating a new defence treaty with Australia, and struck a 2023 security deal with the United States allowing the US Coast Guard to patrol PNG's 2.7 million square kilometre exclusive economic zone. Fiji said it had approved a new maritime security agreement with Australia this week. Under a security treaty struck in December, Nauru must notify Australia before the Chinese navy comes to port. The US Coast Guard has maritime law enforcement agreements with a dozen Pacific Island nations allowing it to enter nations' exclusive economic zones, and increased its patrols last year. "The key considerations for China is stepping into that space without stepping on other partners toes, because that will then create conflicts within the region and that is something we don't want," Rahari said.
Sky News AU
6 hours ago
- Sky News AU
‘When there's smoke there's fire': US beef imports from external countries must be ‘ruled out'
Nationals Leader David Littleproud says the potential of US imports of beef from places like Mexico and Canada needs to be ruled out 'immediately' by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. 'He needs to make sure that he is very clear with Australian producers that our biosecurity standards will not be reduced,' Mr Littleproud told Sky News Australia. 'I don't think Australian producers are asking for anything unfair here.'
