☕️ America and Australia have beef

Yesterday, U.S. President Donald Trump revealed his administration’s plan to win the AI ‘global race’. But another AI story caught my eye - Amazon quietly announced it was acquiring the business behind the ‘Bee Bracelet’, a wearable device that listens to everything you say throughout the day and gives you personalised summaries of your conversations and interactions.

The first issue to iron out? The device captures conversations from social media videos and TV shows, assuming they are part of the user’s day. For chronic TikTokers, that would be a very chaotic recount of a day filled with three-second interactions. Weird times, folks.

“When bigoted graffiti tells people to ‘go home’ our response is clear: they already are.”
Federal Minister for Home Affairs Tony Burke and Minister for Small Business Anne Aly, in an official statement following racist attacks on Asian restaurants and a Hindu temple in Melbourne.

$US200 million ($AU302 million)
The amount that Columbia University has agreed to pay the Trump administration to restore its federal funding. The administration investigated the university on claims of antisemitism following pro-Palestine protests by students on campus.

If you’ve spent any time online recently, you will have seen videos set to an ad for UK airline Jet2, set to the Jess Glynne song ‘Hold My Hand’. Now, Glynne and the voice actor for the ad have met and recreated it on the radio.

Australia has dropped restrictions on U.S. beef imports, following a 10-year review.

Under biosecurity laws, Australia has not allowed America to import beef due to concerns about viral diseases in cows.

Agriculture industry groups say they expect “minimal” impact, as almost all beef sold in Australia is produced domestically.

U.S. President Donald Trump cited Australia’s beef trade as a sticking point when he announced his ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs.

The American beef trade is unique because cattle can be raised in Mexico and Canada, but then slaughtered and sold in the U.S.

Australia has previously flagged concerns about the ability to track cattle diseases, such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, or “mad cow disease”). This is a deadly brain disease in cows and can be fatal in humans.

While beef raised and processed in the U.S. has been allowed since 2019, officials have required assurances that cattle haven’t moved across the Mexican or Canadian borders.

As a result, Australia has had a de facto ban on American beef imports.

Australia’s beef exports were worth $14 billion in 2024. China and the U.S. rank as the top two destinations for Australian beef.

Australia’s rules have caused trade tensions with the U.S. During his ‘Liberation Day’ address, where he announced tariffs on almost every country, Trump made specific reference to Australia’s beef restrictions.

The Government has now lifted its restrictions on U.S. beef imports.

New controls have rolled out in the U.S. since late 2024, meaning beef can be tracked through the supply chain from Mexico and Canada.

Agriculture Minister Julie Collins said the quality of U.S. imports have been through a “rigorous” assessment.

“ We are assured that the supply chain and the traceability and the safety of any food coming into Australia is safe,” Collins told reporters on Thursday.

Nationals leader David Littleproud has urged the Government to release details about the additional protocols introduced in the U.S to improve cow traceability.

“We should not be taking risks that cannot be substantiated,” Littleproud said, referring to bovine diseases.

Littleproud has called for an independent review into Labor’s decision to ensure it was “predicated on science”. The Government has insisted the decision was science-based.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins hailed Australia’s removal of restrictions as a “major trade breakthrough”.

Reporting by Harry Sekulich.

The United Nations’ top court, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), has ruled that countries have an “obligation” to protect their environments from climate change and increasing greenhouse gas emissions.

If nations fail to uphold their “duty” to combat climate change, they will be in violation of international law.

The court also found nations can be required to compensate other countries for climate-related damages caused by their pollution.

The ICJ – also known as the World Court – is the United Nations' highest judicial body. Its role is to settle legal disputes between states. The ICJ’s rulings are typically binding, but the enforcement of orders has proven difficult.

This case was initiated in 2019 by a group of law students in the Pacific Islands. Vanuatu, a country in the Pacific Islands directly impacted by climate change, lobbied the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to request the ICJ’s advisory opinion on the case in 2023.

On Thursday morning (AEST), the court ruled that nations must work to stop to prevent “significant harm to the environment”

This means individual countries must “adapt” their policies to mitigate the global impacts of climate change.

Judge Yuji Iwasawa led the group of 15 judges who delivered the verdict.

Iwasawa said: “The human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment is essential for the enjoyment of other human rights.”

The ruling also said countries must regulate the emissions produced by privately owned companies.

While the court’s advisory opinion is not legally binding, countries who violate this ruling will be breaching international law.

If nations are proven to have failed to uphold their obligations, they could be forced to provide reparation to countries they have harmed.

For example, if Australia is found to have failed to take action on climate change, it may need to provide “restitution, compensation and satisfaction” to a country it harmed.

Following the ruling, Vanuatu’s Climate Change Minister Ralph Regenvanu told CNN: “Action on climate change by [countries] is a legal obligation. That removes a lot of the excuses we’re hearing from high-emitting states … about whether they need to take action or whether it is a voluntary commitment.”

One of the law students involved, Vishal Prasad, told Reuters: “This advisory opinion is a tool for climate justice. And boy, has the ICJ given us a strong tool to carry on the fight for climate justice.”

UN Secretary-General António Guterres said: “This is a victory for our planet, for climate justice and for the power of young people to make a difference.”

Climate Council CEO Amanda McKenzie said: “The Court’s ruling makes it clear that Australia has international legal obligations to take responsibility for its fossil fuel production.”

Reporting by Annabel Whitehouse.

Did you know over 40% of Australians struggle to swallow pills?

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🍊 The women’s Euro finals are set. Who’s playing?
🍊 A major Canadian assault trial involving hockey players is drawing to a close.
🍊 The GWS Giants’ netball co-captain is moving to Melbourne.
🗞️ Also in today’s Sport Newsletter: rugby union, gridiron, and more…

The 134-metre destroyer, known as the ‘Teruzuki’, sank off the Solomon Islands during WWII. The exact site of the wreckage was unknown. However, a joint research collaboration between several institutions, including the University of New Hampshire and Kyoto University, has now located it. Teruzuki (which translates to ‘shining moon’) is resting nearly 800 metres below the surface, according to the findings from a recent research exploration trip. Officials say the ship is in “excellent condition” considering its age. Marine archeologist Phil Hartmeyer was involved in the discovery, and said: "Only by exploring our planet's unknown waters can these significant stories of sacrifice and human connection to our ocean be brought to light."

Want more good news? Sign up to our weekly Good Newsletter here - we promise it’ll make your week better!

Reporting by Emma Gillespie.

A man has been arrested in India after he falsely claimed to be an ambassador to a pretend country, including operating a counterfeit embassy.

Police in Uttar Pradesh said “flags of various countries” were displayed in the home as well as false “diplomatic number plates on vehicles.”*

In a post to X, police said the man made “money through brokerage and fraud in the name of providing jobs to citizens/companies.”

International media reports he pretended to be an ambassador to places including “Seborga” or “Westarctica.”

I guess it turns out that he was only a sham-bassador!

*The quotes have been translated into English.

Reporting by Annabel Whitehouse.

The World Court has handed down a landmark decision finding countries could be required to pay compensation to other nations affected by their climate harms.

It’s the result of a historic case initiated by a group of law students from Pacific Island nations which face risks from rising seas.

In today’s episode, we’ll explain the lead-up to this decision, what the World Court is, and what it might mean for countries around the world.