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Note on Emerging Science: Spring-Loaded Spider Trap
Late summer into early fall is spider season, when you seem to find spiders everywhere, spinning their silk masterpieces or lurking in a dark corner. In this week’s note on emerging science, Living on Earth’s Don Lyman reports on a particularly impressive Australian spider that builds a spring-loaded trap to catapult unwitting ants into its web for dinner.
Australian actor and martial artist Richard Norton’s 2025 death linked to peptide usage
The 75-year-old died in March 2025, less than two weeks after a doctor prescribed the trendy anti-aging medication.
The Longest Eclipse Left This Century Now Has Its Own Science Tour in Spain
New Scientist Discovery Tours has five new trips for 2027, from fossil digs in the Australian outback to jaguar tracking in Brazil.
Bally’s Corporation Comments on The Star Entertainment Group AUSTRAC Decision and Continued Turnaround
PROVIDENCE, R.I., October 29, 2026--Bally’s Corporation (NYSE: BALY) today commented on the Federal Court of Australia’s decision in the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre ("AUSTRAC") proceedings against subsidiaries of The Star Entertainment Group Limited ("The Star") related to historical violations of the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006.
Australia's Star Entertainment accepts $183.6 million anti-money laundering penalty
Oct 29 (Reuters) - Australia's Star Entertainment said on Thursday it would accept a court-imposed penalty of A$260 million ($183.6 million) for breaching anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism
Australia's Star Entertainment accepts $183.6 million anti-money laundering penalty
Oct 29 (Reuters) - Australia's Star Entertainment said on Thursday it would accept a court-imposed penalty of A$260 million ($183.6 million) for breaching anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism
Scientists count more than 2 million eels on one underwater mountain
Patience Seamount is an underwater mountain in Australia's Huon Marine Park off the coast of Tasmania. Every year, it is the site of an enormous gathering of basketwork eels (Diastobranchus capensis) ...
Star Entertainment hit with £137 million anti-money laundering fine
A federal judge has slapped one of Australia’s largest casino operator with a hefty penalty over ‘egregious’ anti-money laundering violations while warning other industry players non-compliance is ‘not worth the risk’.
LATEST: Casino operator Star Entertainment fined AUS$260m for major AML breaches
AUSTRALIA'S Federal Court has ordered casino operator Star Entertainment Group to pay a AUS$260 million penalty for a series of AML breaches.
Australia must ‘re-win the argument for democratic politics’ in wake of Haines incident, Alastair Campbell says
Tony Blair’s former spokesperson says attacks on UK MPs did not bring about lasting cultural change and overheated rhetoric quickly returned to politics
New York and London Retain Top Spots for Business Travel in Hickory Report
Research shows cities in the Middle East, Australia and India breaking into the top 10
Meghan Markle to co-host ‘Junior MasterChef Australia’
Meghan Markle is joining an Australian cooking show. “Junior MasterChef Australia is back on the menu in 2027! Poh Ling Yeow will be joined by special guest Meghan, Duchess of
Meghan Markle to make TV return with 'Junior MasterChef Australia' role
The Duchess of Sussex has scored another "MasterChef" gig after a ratings success.
Meghan to join Australia's Junior MasterChef next year
LONDON, Oct 27 (Reuters) - Meghan, the wife of Britain's Prince Harry, will star in the next series of Australia's Junior MasterChef in 2027, returning to a franchise where she
Australia's Star Entertainment surges 13% as cost cuts, casino strength drive profit
By Keshav SinghChundawat and Sneha Kumar Oct 27 (Reuters) - Star Entertainment closed 13% higher on Tuesday after the casino operator swung to profit for the first time in nearly
Australian Stocks Rise; Star Entertainment Shares Surge After Swinging to Earnings
Australian shares ended higher on Tuesday following overnight gains on Wall Street after Anthropic f
New Australian Platform Aims to Simplify Celebrity and Entertainment Bookings
Booking Australian musicians, comedians, celebrities and other entertainers could be about to get easier, with the launch of an expanded talent directory
Scientists video REM-like sleep in Australian jumping spider species
The most comprehensive study of its kind confirms that jumping spiders go through two phases of sleep, including a REM-like state that is associated with human dreaming.
Do spiders dream? Scientists just found a surprising clue
Scientists have discovered that spiders may sleep in ways surprisingly similar to humans, complete with distinct sleep stages and a dream-like REM state. Researchers at the University of Bonn studied the Australian jumping spider Portia fimbriata, a remarkably clever hunter known for its sophisticated strategies. By recording the spiders over several days and nights, they found clear evidence of regulated sleep, including a REM-like stage marked by eye movements and muscle twitches.
Duchess Meghan is returning to TV with a surprising new role
Duchess Meghan's next career move has been revealed. The Duchess of Sussex will be cohost "Junior MasterChef Australia" alongside "Masterchef Australia" alumna-turned-judge Poh Ling Yeow next year.
TNT Sports close to securing live UK rights for England white-ball cricket tour of Australia
TNT Sports is close to securing live UK rights for England’s white-ball tour of Australia next month in a deal that could see one of the matches broadcast free-to-air
Australian politicians pay tribute to wounded lawmaker
Australia's prime minister and fellow parliamentarians led sombre tributes Monday to "beacon of decency" and colleague Helen Haines, who remains in hospital after being struck by a car outside her off...
‘There's a risk we do have a disconnect’: Business on Australian Labor
Chamber of Commerce CEO Andrew McKellar appears to suddenly be everywhere, all at once.
Scientists Studied 865 Humpback Whales and Found They Grow Faster Than Expected
Despite decades of environmental change and population recovery, eastern Australian humpback whales appear to have maintained their historical adult size. Eastern Australian humpback whales grow at an extraordinary pace, reaching approximately 10.9 meters (35.8 feet) in length by age five. By six or seven years old, they have already attained about 90 percent of their
The Violent Cost of Being a Woman in Politics Spans Continents
Weekend Reading on Women’s Representation is a compilation of stories about women’s representation in politics, on boards, in sports and entertainment, in judicial offices and in the private sector in the U.S. and around the world ... with a little gardening and goodwill mixed in for refreshment. This week: —There is not (yet) the political will in the U.S. to talk about gender quotas ... but 35 nations in Europe have either been mandated or volunteered to implement them. —Weeks after the brutal rape of Arizona congressional candidate Bernadette Greene-Placentia, Australian independent member of Parliament Helen Haines is in hospital in a critical condition after she was struck by a car outside her office in what Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said appears to have been "a deliberate act." —"Politicians are no longer treated like we’re human,” says Arizona state legislator Alma Hernandez, who is facing rising harassment and threats. —Federal agents searched the Washington-area home of Rep. Ilhan Omar, a frequent critic of Republican President Donald Trump. —If elected governor of Georgia, Keisha Lance Bottoms would become the first Black woman governor in U.S. history. ... and more.
Apple Store Pickup for iPhone Duo Starting to Resume But Very Limited
The option to reserve an iPhone Duo for Apple Store pickup is starting to return on Apple's online store, with the system live again in countries such as Australia, China, Japan, and South Korea. Unfortunately, our spot check revealed extremely limited availability right now, with few to no time slots available for all configurations.
Crackgate? iPhone Duo Owners Report Screens Breaking Along the Hinge
Some iPhone Duos are already experiencing hinge issues that cause display cracks, based on photos shared on Reddit and the MacRumors forums. Almost all of the display faults are right along the hinge, and most result in a line of bright pixels across one side of the screen. An iPhone Duo owner in Australia said his device cracked after being opened fewer than 20 times, and there was no visible damage beforehand. Had my iPhone Duo for about six hours and had probably opened it fewer than 20 times.
Australia’s wish for a kinder, gentler politics seems doomed to disappointment
The attack on independent MP Helen Haines united Australia in grief, but on solutions it remains divided
What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas for England
England face Australia at the Women's Rugby League World Cup on Saturday determined to show they have moved on from the nightmare of their last meeting in Las Vegas 19 months ago.
Australian treasurer says opponents want higher inflation for political gain
In a Canberra Playbook Podcast interview Jim Chalmers accused Liberals of wanting Australians to suffer, as their path back to power.
Fortnite returns to iOS in Australia after court rules Apple violated competition law
Federal Court of Australia found Apple to have restricted alternative app stores and payment methods to limit competition
Apple must open iPhone to alternative app stores in Australia
An Australian federal judge has ordered Apple to make sweeping changes to its App Store rules following a years-long antitrust battle with Epic Games.
Australia urged to put biodiversity at the heart of planning as global targets slip out of reach
The world is falling short of its biodiversity commitments because nature is still treated as an afterthought in decisions about housing, infrastructure, agriculture, energy, mining and conservation, ...
Australian politician who was intentionally hit by car loses both her legs
Australian lawmaker Helen Haines, who was intentionally hit by a car in an apparent political attack, has lost both of her legs, her husband said.
Australian Politician Who Was Hit by Car Has Lost Both Legs
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Doctors have amputated both of Australian federal lawmaker Helen Haines ' legs as she remains in critical condition after being repeatedly hit by a car in an apparent act of political violence, her husband said Wednesday. The 65-year-old independent politician is ...
Australia’s Live Industry Feels The Pinch From Escalating Costs
Australia’s concerts industry posted small single-digit declines in 2025, due to rising costs, changing ticket-buying behavior and more.
Australian democracy is usually peaceful. But there’s a homegrown history of political violence
Like other features of our public landscape, both good and bad, political violence has a history in Australia – one from which we may learn
Would subsidizing weight-loss drugs make health care fairer?
GLP-1 medicines such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro have transformed the treatment of obesity, but access to them in Australia increasingly depends on something much less medical: whether you can afford ...
Gravity & Other Myths Bringing Acrobatics Show to Eisenhower Auditorium
An Australian physical theater troupe will bring a performance built around acrobatics, repetition and the pursuit of mastery to Penn State next
U2 to headline NFL’s first Thanksgiving Eve gameday
U2 performs at Suncorp Stadium on November 12, 2019 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
Bridging the gap: Western student earns Fulbright to study wildfire science in Australia
“The goal is to identify the drivers behind intense wildfire activity and the ecosystems and communities they could impact” When Dalton Robberson finally got to the point of choosing …
Too Lost to acquire Australian indie distributor Xelon Entertainment, three months after GYRO.Group deal
Xelon founder Ashley Gay will continue to lead the business as President of Xelon, and will join Too Lost’s leadership team.
Too Lost’s latest expansion is a deal with Xelon Entertainment
Distributor and tech firm Too Lost's ambitions in the APAC region continue. It acquired Australian distributor and artist-services company Gyro·Group in July, and now it has announced a partnership with another distributor, Xelon Entertainment.
Australian Visitor Grateful to Holy Cross Health for Saving Her Life During Fort Lauderdale Visit - Florida Hospital News and Healthcare Report
Nearly 10 months after receiving emergency treatment at Holy Cross Health for a ruptured brain aneurysm, Australian resident Sarah Frost is reflecting on her recovery and the care that helped […]
Threats of political violence soar in Australia’s ‘online echo chamber’
Independent lawmaker Helen Haines was in critical condition after being struck deliberately by a car.
REMSA Health recruits Australian paramedics to address Reno-area shortage
REMSA health partners with International Medic Solutions as nearly 60% of U.S. EMS agencies report staffing shortages
Fruit and sugary drinks stood out in a three-year study of teenage mental health
A three-year study of 6,537 Australian adolescents found that higher fruit consumption was associated with a lower risk of elevated depression and anxiety symptoms, while greater sugar-sweetened beverage intake was associated with increased risk. Vegetable consumption showed no significant association with either outcome, and the observational findings cannot establish cause and effect.
Sahara Ray, model once linked to Justin Bieber, dies at 34
NEW YORK — Model Sahara Ray is dead at 34. The family of the Australian fashionista once linked to Justin Bieber told TMZ that Ray died Sunday night “surrounded by
Helen Haines: Australian MP critically injured after apparent car attack
The independent politician is in hospital after what the prime minister says may have been a deliberate attack.
Australian lawmaker critically injured by car is 'no accident,' prime minister says
Helen Haines, 65, was struck by a Toyota Land Cruiser SUV outside her electoral district office mid afternoon in the city of Wangaratta in Victoria state, a police said.
Whitlam would push Australian PM Albanese to go ‘bigger and bolder,’ biographer says
Albanese read the biography in office, calling its author to discuss Whitlam’s political mistakes as he encountered them.
Australian lawmaker Helen Haines in critical condition after vehicle attack
Australian lawmaker Helen Haines was in a critical condition on Monday after being deliberately struck by a car outside her office.
Jordon Steele-John: Australian senator denies claims of misconduct against women
Jordon Steele-John says the timing of the claims motivated by "nasty political games" within the Greens.
St Vincent's Australia convenes first national AI Clinical Council
The council will guide the evaluation and adoption of AI technologies across its hospitals, aged care facilities and home-based services.
AI Breach of Australian Healthcare Website Sparks Regulation Debate
Nearly three months after a June attack involving OpenAI on the Australian Medicare website, the Australian government received a five-paragraph email from the company informing officials of the breach. Although the Australian government has promised to take further action, such as establishing task
‘The Field Is Atrocious,’ ‘Risking Players’ Health’ — Super Bowl Champion, NFL Fans Rip Playing Surface in London for Jaguars-Texans Game
The NFL’s 2026 international series has gotten off to a solid start, with games in Australia and Brazil followed by two matchups in London. Now, the fifth international game of the season, and third in London, features the Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans at Wembley Stadium in Week 6.
The 20 best “Bluey” episodes of all time
Even adults love the hit Australian animated series.
‘Keep away from the doctor’: a visit to an influencer’s wellness event, where the advice could kill
Barbara O’Neill, identified as a risk to public safety in Australia, dismisses antibiotics, vaccines and scientifically proven cancer treatment at UK conference
Scientists Found Dozens of Hammerhead Sharks Hanging Out Near Swimmers. Here’s Why.
Drone surveys spotted groups of up to 100 young hammerheads near Australian swimming beaches, where shark control measures pose a threat.
Castill Health Announces Plans for Philippines Digital Healthcare Launch, Supported by Craig Astill and Caason Group
Singapore, Singapore--(Newsfile Corp. - October 17, 2026) - Singapore-based digital healthcare venture Castill Health has announced plans for its first market rollout in the Philippines, targeted for later in 2026.The company is developing a digital healthcare platform intended to connect wearable health monitoring devices, personal health information and access to participating medical professionals.Australian entrepreneur Craig Astill alongside Caason Group and Castill Family Office, is...
Germany win over 80 World Cup
Germany's over 80 team has won the inaugural World Cup title in Australia and said that this success goes beyond football. "We need to ensure that more older people take part in sport," player Michael Rätsch from Hertha Berlin told dpa.
What Does Hims & Hers Health (HIMS) Expansion Into The UK And Australia Mean?
Hims & Hers Health (NYSE:HIMS) announced the launch of Hers personalised hair loss and wellness care in the UK in October 2026. The Hers UK rollout introduces tailored treatment plans for women's hair loss alongside broader wellness services through the company's telehealth platform. The business is also expanding its Hers care platform into Australia, adding another English speaking market to its international footprint. The Hers UK hair loss launch and Australia expansion open new chapters...
Official NVIDIA Marketplace Seemingly Removes GeForce RTX 5090
NVIDIA's official marketplace, where gamers across the United States, Europe, Australia, and Asia could purchase GeForce RTX cards through NVIDIA's official channels, is showing more signs that the GeForce RTX 5090 might indeed be nearing its end of life. There are officially no more GeForce RTX...
From Mumbai To Singapore To Australia: How An International Business Education Shaped My Career Journey
An SP Jain alum traces how marketing studies and constant relocation led to employment services – and now teaching.
Exclusive Brethren church denies claims of coordinated political campaign in Australia
Parliamentary inquiry demanded the global leader of the sect and his son attend to answer questions.
Two High Courts Grapple With Climate Accountability
Last week marked a watershed moment for climate accountability in two country’s highest courtrooms. In a landmark decision, the High Court of Australia ruled in favor of climate action in MACH Energy Australia v. Denman. Simultaneously, across the Pacific, the United States Supreme Court convened to
Australia: NSW Health warns against handling bats due to lyssavirus
NSW Health is advising the public not to handle, or otherwise handle bats, following a recent increase in people being bitten or scratched across the state. In the two weeks from 28 September to 10 October, 43 people were assessed by NSW Health after being bitten or scratched by bats. This includes in coastal areas in Hunter New England, the Mid North Coast, Northern NSW, and the Central Coast. This is a significant increase when compared with 10 reported cases of bat bites or scratches for the same two-week period in 2025. Keira Glasgow, Director in Health Protection at NSW Health, said, “We want people to assume that any bat could carry Australian bat lyssavirus, which is a close relative to the rabies virus and very dangerous to humans.” “If you see a bat that is injured or in distress, call your local wildlife rescue service and do not touch it. Only trained, protected and vaccinated wildlife handlers should interact with bats. “It is incredibly rare for Australian bat lyssavirus to transmit to humans, but once symptoms of lyssavirus start in people who are scratched or bitten by an infected bat, sadly there is no effective treatment. “If you are bitten or scratched by a bat, urgent medical assessment is crucial.” Rabies virus and Australian bat lyssavirus (ABLV) belong to a group of viruses called lyssaviruses. These viruses transmit via a bite from an infected ("rabid") animal. They all cause a similar illness known as rabies, which affects the central nervous system and is usually fatal. Rabies and ABLV infection cause similar symptoms. The early symptoms are flu-like, including headache, fever and fatigue. The illness progresses rapidly to paralysis, delirium, convulsions and death, usually within a week or two. Rabies cases and the three known human cases of ABLV infection have shown a wide variability in the time it takes for symptoms to appear following exposure to an infected animal (from several days to several years). The best way to protect yourself from infection is to not touch bats. If you see a bat in distress, injured or trapped on the ground, do not try to rescue it. Instead, contact trained experts. Outbreak News Today is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe
WAMSI Westport Marine Science Program Reshapes Coastal Port Planning in Western Australia
The WAMSI Westport Marine Science Program united more than 150 researchers across 32 projects to shape the design of Western Australia's Kwinana container port, resulting in key changes including relocating the port footprint to protect critical seagrass beds in Cockburn Sound.
An Impact Structure With Legs
If the thought of extraterrestrial objects crashing into Earth weren’t creepy enough, behold Australia’s Spider Crater.
Vanilla Could Hold the Key to New Wound Treatments, Scientists Say
Vanilla is best known for its place in kitchens, desserts, and fragrances. But scientists at Australia’s Flinders University are exploring whether vanillin, the compound responsible for vanilla’s fami...
Nickelback to Return to Australia for the First Time Since 2019
The Canadian rock band will play seven Australian dates in October 2027 with Don Broco.
NASA captures a stunning transformation in Australia's red outback
Australia's normally dry, rust-colored outback has erupted into a spectacular carpet of wildflowers after unusually heavy rains, potentially producing its most impressive bloom in nearly 20 years. NASA satellite images capture the stunning transformation, which has even brought rare flowers to the grounds of a remote deep-space observatory.
Australia veterans shine against South Africa
The fearsome pace quartet and Steve Smith's brilliance serves as a reminder of Australia's quality as the tourists take charge against South Africa.
Wolfsburg’s Cora Zicai grateful for first Germany starting opportunity
Germany international Cora Zicai has expressed her relief at returning to the German national team following Friday evening’s 4-2 friendly victory over Australia in Karlsruhe. The 21-year-old Wolfsb...
Adidas sues White Fox fashion label over four stripes design
Sportswear giant Adidas has filed a lawsuit against popular Australian online fashion brand White Fox Boutique for selling and promoting clothes featuring a four-stripe design that Adidas claims is deceptively similar to its own three-stripe trademark, CNN affiliate 7News reported.
Insurance Australia Group, RAC challenge $942M merger rejection
Insurance Australia Group Ltd. and RAC Insurance Pty Ltd. have lodged applications for a tribunal review of their blocked 1.3 billion Australian dollar ($942 million) takeover deal…
Business travel is turning short trips into tax and visa traps
Work from anywhere arrangements are exposing Australian employers to visa, tax and payroll obligations HR teams often miss
Women’s Friendly Preview: Germany vs. Australia
Germany entertain Australia in Karlsruhe on Friday as women's football takes the first international break of the season. Both sides are already qualified for the 2027 Women’s World Cup.Christian W�...
Today’s Papers: Esposito obsession, Malago replaces himself
La Gazzetta dello SportCome back like this! Sinner return: ‘I’ll see you in 2027’The knee, the choice of tournaments, the therapy: The plan for his return. Target Australian Open in January but...
Eagles flying to London for game vs. Jaguars on Friday, leaving little time to adjust after Rams' issues in Australia
Fear is bigger than ever… and Zero Latency VR has the science to prove it
MELBOURNE, Australia — Zero Latency VR, the world’s largest and most innovative immersive VR network, is celebrating a double Halloween anniversary: three years since the launch of Outbreak, …
Japan’s Nippon To Buy Akzo’s Southeast Asia Decorative Paints Business For $1.35 Billion
The deal gives Nippon Paint—controlled by the family of late Singaporean billionaire Goh Cheng Liang—access to Akzo’s operations across Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Papua New Guinea and Australia.
A forgotten 30-year forest experiment just delivered a huge surprise
A 30-year forestry experiment in Australia found that heavily thinned mountain ash forests grew unusually large trees while recovering enough carbon to match or exceed untouched areas. The results suggest carefully managed thinning could support timber production, wildlife habitat, and carbon storage at the same time.
Shaping the Future of Global Health: 'Go Healthy with Taiwan 2026' Unveils Top 20 Innovators from 62 Nations
TAIPEI, Taiwan, October 02, 2026--The "Go Healthy with Taiwan 2026" global proposal campaign has selected 20 semifinalists from 832 proposals across 62 countries, with two more rounds of selection still to come. The 20 shortlisted teams hail from 16 countries worldwide, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Ethiopia, France, India, Israel, Japan, Malawi, New Zealand, Philippines, Poland, Spain, Tunisia, Ukraine, and U.S.A., fully demonstrating strong international diversity and innovative energy.
‘Self-healing’ coach who was banned from working in Australia to speak in UK
Barbara O’Neill has previously claimed that cancer is a fungus that can be treated with bicarbonate soda
Never played in Prem - and now face World Cup hosts
Jack Combes and Alex Post tell BBC Sport about a "dream come true" as they look ahead to the 2027 Rugby World Cup opener against hosts Australia.
This giant stick insect fooled scientists for decades
Scientists have identified two new species of large Australian stick insects, including one that lays extraordinary “lidded” eggs never before recorded in the group. The discovery also revealed that a familiar stick insect had been misidentified for decades, showing how much biodiversity may still be hiding in plain sight.
Australian businesses raise prices as card surcharge ban takes effect
SYDNEY, Oct 1 (Reuters) - Australian businesses said a ban on card surcharges that took effect on Thursday would force them to raise prices, casting doubt on government claims the change would lower living costs by eliminating more than $1 billion in annual card fees.
In 2021, Australian scientists sprayed wheat scent across farm plots to confuse hungry mice; the treatment reduced seed loss by up to 74% in a field experiment without poisoning the rodents
Australian scientists have tested a non-toxic way to protect wheat seeds from hungry mice by making it harder for the rodents to locate them. In an experiment carried out in 2021, instead of poisoning the mice or using bait, the researchers sprayed diluted wheat germ oil across farm plots to camouflage the smell of wheat seeds.
Emma Navarro out for rest of year to focus on health issues
Emma Navarro says she's taking the rest of the tennis season off to address two health issues and plans to return ahead of the Australian Open in January.
Former Wallabies hooker Nathan Charles diagnosed with MND after health decline
Former Australia rugby international Nathan Charles, who overcame cystic fibrosis to play a contact sport professionally, has been diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND). The 37-year-old Charles, who made his test debut in 2014 and earned four caps for the Wallabies, including a 12-12 draw against New Zealand, revealed he has been diagnosed with the same illness as recently retired National Rugby League star Jai Arrow. MND is an umbrella term for a group of progressive neurological conditions where the motor neurones degenerate.
Why Lightning Never Strikes Straight: The Surprising Science Behind Each Bolt - Futura-Sciences
The Great Lightning Paradox If you think science has most things figured out, think again. As physicist John Lowke of the University of South Australia observes, we can predict lunar and solar eclipses down to the fractional second, yet large mysteries remain around something as everyday as lightning. Lowke’s research—published...
Debt service and the Pentagon. Private equity and the politics of the US housing market. The return of black lung disease & the Franco-Prussian War in color.
Thank you for opening your Chartbook email. RALPH BALSON. 1890—1964. Oil and enamel, signed. Source: Gavekal This going to hurt - the two 7s in the US: diesel and mortgage rates Source: Gavekal In the US housing market, costs are soaring and the role of corporate, private equity-backed buyers is high on the mid-term election agenda. HEY READERS, THANK YOU for opening the Chartbook email. I hope it brightens your day. I enjoy putting out the newsletter, but tbh, what keeps this flow going is the generosity of those readers who clicked the subscription button. If you are persuaded to click, please consider the annual subscription of $60. It is both better value for you and a much better deal for me, as it involves only one credit card charge. Why feed the payments companies if we don’t have to. Subscribe It is striking how, since 2020, big banks have dropped out of the political spotlight in the US. For contributing subscribers only. Subscribe Rates of the lung disease pneumoconiosis among working US coal miners have risen to levels not seen in nearly 40 years Source: Bloomberg Chinese Clean Technology Exports For contributing subscribers only. Subscribe Ralph Balson (1939) Portrait of Grace Crowley Cole, G. O. & Haseman, S. M., (2023) “‘The Substance of Paint’: Class and Materiality in the Work of Ralph Balson”, Open Library of Humanities 9(2). Ralph Balson (1890–1964) was an English plumber and house painter who emigrated to Australia in 1913 and subsequently became a key member of Sydney’s artistic avant-garde. He is credited with having the first solo exhibition of purely abstract painting in Australia in 1941. Despite his role in developing Australian non-objective painting, Balson remained principally a house painter, working on his art practice at weekends. In 1955 he retired on a state pension and became a full-time artist. Balson’s artistic education and methods were critically shaped by his working-class background. He did not travel abroad until 1960 and was an avid auto-didact. His materials, palette, techniques and compositional strategies were likewise informed by his trade. Balson’s profession as a painter-decorator made him conspicuous within the predominantly middle-class Sydney art scene, though his painting partner Grace Crowley considered it an advantage in their pursuit of constructive painting. This paper explores the impact of Balson’s trade on his trajectory towards pure abstraction. While his art was at odds with the predominantly figurative mode of class-conscious art in Australian Modernism, we argue that it is embedded in the experience of class through its creative adaptation of labour into aesthetics. Source: OLH Svetlana Alexievich, The Art of Oral History No. 1 Paris Review Issue 257, Fall 2026 Interviewed by Elena Kostyuchenko INTERVIEWER How were you able to go to Chernobyl? Did you need special papers? ALEXIEVICH It was a time of chaos. They let me right into the zone. … More than anything, there was confusion. Adamovich [Ales Adamovich, the Soviet Belarusian writer], I remember, persuaded Gorbachev to send in the scientists, who showed up without even bringing their shaving kits. They were told that there had been an explosion at a nuclear power plant, but for some reason they thought that they’d be there for only a day or two. The first time I went was several months later, and people kept telling me about things they didn’t understand—how the fishermen couldn’t find worms, because they’d burrowed deep into the earth, how the milk wouldn’t curdle at the cheese factories. The honeybees wouldn’t come out of their hives. The evacuations started, I think, in the first month. The old women hid, they wouldn’t leave. I mentioned radiation to one of them and she said, “I’ve seen that radiation, all right! It’s yellow with green in it. I saw puddles of it in my garden, and I told the other women, and we ran and looked, and she had it in her garden, and the other one, too!” God, it was wild, the way the mind made sense of it. There was a story going around about Gorbachev telling the scientists to show him the radiation. “We can’t, it’s invisible.” “But I want to see it!” I also ran into the soldiers who’d been flown in on helicopters from Afghanistan. I asked them, “What are you doing here with your machine guns?” They said, “We’re collecting the radiation, that’s what.” So you had some of them running around with their guns, others out in the village washing off firewood or burying soil in the soil. These were the kinds of things that exploded our worldview. They made you realize that culture was just a chest filled with old manuscripts. There were no books in there that could help me. Our philosophers turned out to be useless when faced with the unprecedented. Derrida, Baudrillard—philosophy fell silent. What was happening? How would we live with it? That’s when I decided it simply needed to be witnessed. Which is what I did. INTERVIEWER I wanted to ask about how you talk to people. … ALEXIEVICH Yes, we sit and we talk—about what interests me and about life in general. About love, about everything in the world. That way, what comes out is three-dimensional. If you cut straight to the part you need, which is what journalists do, it won’t be interesting, and it won’t be the truth, either. Not the whole truth. INTERVIEWER Do people always open up when you ask questions, or can questions get in the way? ALEXIEVICH You have to ask questions, of course. Your job is to scour away the banality and return people to their true selves, to make them face what they rarely tap into. With every new person, you have to find a new way to do it. When you ask an interesting question or you share what happened to you, you help people really think about what they’re saying and not just repeat whatever they’ve picked up from the newspaper. But not everybody is capable of it, not everyone wants to put themselves through that. Either the chemistry starts to kick in or it doesn’t. A person might be wonderful, but you can tell that the conversation just isn’t going to happen. You can try to push it, but it will be a product of your own intellect, rather than of that mysterious connection. Life doesn’t come from the mind. Some people I can call two years after our last conversation, and they’ll say, “Oh, Svetochka! I think of you all the time,” and we’ll start talking again. With others, that won’t happen. That doesn’t mean they’re not extraordinary people, just that you can’t connect with them. They might have some insight, but you don’t have the right antenna to pick up their signal. Source: The Paris Review Colorized Franco-Prussian war … the ruins of Strasbourg with a French photographer and his mobile dark room. Ralph Balson (1961) Matter Painting If you’ve scrolled this far, you know you want to click: Subscribe
Web reacts to Otávio's display in Brazil win; see reactions
Brazil had to dig deep to beat Australia 4-2 this Tuesday (29) in a friendly in Brisbane. On social media, goalkeeper Otávio’s performance, as he played in place of Hugo Souza, sparked a debate ove...
Arsenal star scores in Brazil win over Australia
Arsenal’s Bruno Guimaraes helped Brazil to get back to winning ways with a goal in Tuesday’s victory over Australia, with Gabriel Magalhaes also featuring.Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty ImagesBrazil’...
Dietitian wins top science communicator award
A dietitian and researcher investigating the impact of plastics in our diet on health outcomes has won FameLab Australia 2026
Brazil XI vs Australia – Predicted lineup and team news
Brazil will face Australia again on Tuesday as part of this international window, continuing their squad overhaul under Carlo Ancelotti.Brazil are in a clear rebuilding spell following a poor World Cu...
A secret Stonehenge under Lake Michigan is baffling archaeologists
Stonehenge is one of many ancient stone circles dotted around the world, in Japan, Australia and even the US.
TKO Group Holdings (TKO) Benefit from Strong Demand for Sports and Entertainment
Cooper Investors, an investment management firm, released its second-quarter 2026 investor letter for “Cooper Investors Global Equities Fund (Unhedged)”. The letter can be downloaded here. The Fund returned 6.6% for the quarter, bringing its financial-year return to -6.4%. On a local currency basis, performance was approximately flat for the year, as the strengthening Australian Dollar […]