A national push to combat AI facilitated child abuse
Calls for calm as Israeli strikes on the Syrian capital overnight
The 153rd British Golf tournament tees off today, with potential upsets in the mix Experts and government stakeholders are meeting in Canberra today, at a roundtable discussing the growing threat of Artificial Intelligence in driving child exploitation. The issue is on the rise globally, with the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children reporting a mammoth ten-fold surge in exploitation material being produced with generative A-I since 2023. The technology is accelerating the abuse of children online, via deep fake photos of real people, automated grooming, and child-like AI personas. The forum will address technologies that pose risks, drive policy reform and investment in the space and explain how A-I can be used to protect children. Colm Gannon is the CEO of the International Centre for Exploited Children in Australia. "So the thing we want to do is help law enforcement use A-I as a tool to help identify victims. There is technology out there that can assist in rapid and easy access to victim id, but what is happening at the moment is law enforcement are not able to use that technology. " A 15 and 17 year-old will face a Sunshine Coast children's court today, charged with the murder of a Queensland businessman. Police have charged the pair with the murder of Zdravko Bilic - a skincare entrepreneur who was stabbed to death outside his home. A neighbour found the 57 year-old's body on Monday, with police alleging a disturbance led to his being stabbed twice. His wife, Gry Tomte, is the co-founder of their business, HUD Skin and Body. She has told media her husband was the kindest, gentlest person she had ever known.Australia's unemployment rate has risen from 4.1 to 4.2 per cent. The participation rate remained the same at 67 per cent, while overall employment increased with 14.6 million people employed. It's an important indicator for the Reserve Bank, which is eyeing the employment data ahead of its next decision on interest rates. Analysts say the figure will be a deciding factor on whether the central bank moves to make a rate cut. Friends and neighbours of Mr Bilic - who is known as 'Zed' - have also voiced their grief at losing him. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the White House is working behind the scenes to restore calm, after Israeli strikes on the Syrian capital overnight. Israel said its attack on Damascus, including a strike on government buildings, was done to protect the minority Druze group which is being persecuted in Syria. The Syrian Health Ministry has told U-S media outlets at least three people were killed and 34 injured. Mr Rubio has described the situation as a misunderstanding between the nations. "We're going to be working on that issue as we speak. I just got off the phone with the relevant parties. They're very concerned about it. And hopefully we'll have some update s later today for you. But we're very concerned about it, we want it to stop. ... I'm sorry, we want the fighting to stop, because we had a ceasefire, overnight it broke down again. So we're talking to both sides, all the relevant sides on this and hopefully we can bring it to a conclusion. But we are very concerned." China has ruled out imposing any sanctions on Russia, as the international community comes under pressure to penalise the Kremlin for refusing to negotiate a peace deal with Ukraine. China's foreign ministry spokesperson, Lin Jian, says Beijing will only use dialogue and negotiation in any dealings with Russia. Mr Lin condemned what he calls 'long-arm jurisdiction' - a pointed remark likely directed toward the United States, as President Donald Trump threatens heavy sanctions on Russia if it fails to meet a September 2 deadline to broker peace with Ukraine. Mr Lin's comments come after NATO's chief said he hoped China, India and Brazil will exert pressure on Russia over possible secondary tariffs that may be imposed by the U-S. An Indigenous-owned business in Western Australia is drawing on traditional knowledge to bring back Australia's first ever export - the sea cucumber. Tidal Moon exports the coveted delicacy to South East Asia, creating employment in a region where jobs are limited. MalganaTraditional Owner Michael Wear leads the business, which draws on traditional knowledge to harvest sea cucumbers sustainably. "The lack of indigenous people in the commercial fishing industry is so, so unfortunate. If you can create a business that's sustainable, that's culturally directed, you can create jobs and a middle class within small coastal towns." The 153rd British Open tees off at Royal Portrush in Ireland today, with England's Justin Rose making a 23rd bid to win. Lifting the Claret Jug is a longheld dream for the 44 year-old golfer, who has been joint runner-up twice after his Portrush debut as a teenager in 1998. Also in the mix is American JJ Spaun, who has leapt to number 8 in Official World Golf Rankings. Sitting at world number one and two, respectively are Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy.
Australian Woo Min Lee will tee off tonight at 11:30 pm
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