The US has announced a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah, just days after the US-Iran peace deal was signed. The fragile truce comes as Lebanon reported 47 killed in Israeli strikes and Israel confirmed four soldiers killed by Hezbollah fire. The ceasefire is seen as a necessary precursor to advancing the broader US-Iran deal, but questions remain about whether either side can hold to the terms. Trump said he told Israel to agree to the ceasefire, warning them to "just calm down."
Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has publicly slammed Donald Trump after he claimed she "begged" him for a photo at the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains. "Neither I nor Italy ever beg," Meloni said, calling the anecdote "unfounded." Italy's top diplomat subsequently cancelled a planned trip to Washington. The diplomatic rift between two allied leaders marks an unusually public fracture at a time when European leaders are already wary of Trump's transactional approach to alliances.
Tim Cook confirmed Apple will raise prices because memory chip costs have become "unsustainable." RAM prices have more than doubled since October 2025, driven by AI demand and helium supply disruptions from the Iran war. Average smartphone prices are expected to rise ~20% in 2026 to an all-time high. Trump said Apple agreed to work with Intel to make chips in the US; Intel shares rose 10%. The price hikes will likely affect the iPhone 18 expected in September.
The Trump administration has moved to cut US funding for South Africa's HIV programmes, citing claims of Afrikaner persecution under the country's new land reform policies. The decision threatens millions of dollars in PEPFAR funding that has been critical to South Africa's HIV/AIDS response, one of the largest such programmes in the world. Public health experts warn the cuts could reverse decades of progress.
Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries has announced what could become India's largest-ever share sale, as the conglomerate seeks to raise capital for its expansion into retail, telecoms, and green energy. The scale of the offering signals Ambani's ambition to position Reliance as a global player across multiple sectors. The market's response will be closely watched as an indicator of investor confidence in India's growth story.
The Obama Presidential Center opened in Chicago's Jackson Park, with Barack and Michelle Obama greeting the first visitors. Barack was moved to tears by Michelle's speech, where she said the centre is "proof that change is possible." Obama used the occasion to argue the US is "worse off" than before the war with Iran and warned of democratic backsliding. The $850m centre features a museum, public library, and athletic facilities designed to be a community hub rather than a traditional presidential library.
A UK actress has been charged with attempting to import methamphetamine with an estimated street value of almost A$300 million into Australia. The case highlights the ongoing role of drug trafficking through Australian borders and the lengths criminal networks go to for concealment. The actress faces serious charges under Australian drug importation laws.
Sir Keir Starmer has vowed to fight for his job after Andy Burnham's stunning by-election win in the West Midlands mayoral race, which has triggered a Labour leadership crisis. Burnham's victory — described by the BBC as a "circus" — has emboldened Labour MPs who want Starmer to set a timetable for his exit. Starmer under pressure from ministers and Labour MPs to accelerate his departure timeline.
Australia faces the USA in a blockbuster World Cup clash today, with Christian Pulisic ruled out through injury for the co-hosts. The Socceroos are riding a wave of belief after their stunning win against Turkey, with Patrick Beach becoming an overnight hero in goal. Australia's belief has been "a long time coming," and pundits say the US should be wary. Socceroos captain Awer Mabil says multiculturalism makes Australia "the best country in the world." Australia has made two major changes to the starting XI.
Mainland Australia is investigating its first suspected case of the deadly H5N1 bird flu strain after a seabird tested positive. The detection comes as authorities monitor a global outbreak of the highly pathogenic avian influenza that has killed millions of birds worldwide and more than 75% of baby seals on a remote Australian island, according to a new study. Biosecurity measures are being ramped up as authorities work to contain any potential spread.
ABC News investigates how a small Australian country town was overtaken by One Nation, as Pauline Hanson's brand of monocultural nationalism resonates in communities feeling left behind. The deep dive explores the grassroots mechanics of One Nation's rise — how local grievances about immigration, cost of living, and cultural change translate into electoral support. The report comes as Hanson continues her campaign following her National Press Club speech, with the AFP investigating the banner stunt from her appearance.
A parliamentary inquiry has heard that KPMG leaked confidential Optus information and surveilled a whistleblower's laptop. Former KPMG CEO said the firm is "not full of bad apples" during a tense parliamentary grilling. The revelations add to a growing scandal around the consulting giant's practices in Australia, with questions about data privacy, whistleblower protections, and the adequacy of corporate governance frameworks for major consultancies handling sensitive government and corporate data.
A leading thinktank has warned the government's planned NDIS overhaul is "blunt and inequitable," as families report funding cuts that leave them fearing how their loved ones with disabilities will "do life." The government's own committee has also warned the overhaul will harm Australians with disabilities. The NDIS has given many participants vital social skills and independence, and advocates say the cuts risk undoing those gains.
One of Sydney's most notoriously difficult infrastructure projects — dubbed the "unbuildable motorway" — is finally set for completion after a two-year delay caused by sinkholes and geological challenges. The project has become emblematic of the difficulties facing major transport infrastructure in Sydney's challenging geology, where underground construction regularly encounters unexpected conditions that blow out timelines and budgets.
St Kilda pier has won Victoria's top architecture award, with judges praising the revitalised structure as playful, "deeply civic" design that serves the community. The award recognises the sensitive restoration and upgrade of one of Melbourne's most iconic public spaces, blending heritage preservation with contemporary design elements that enhance public access and enjoyment.
Ca Phe Mai has opened in Double Bay, bringing Vietnamese-Australian flavours from day to night in a format Sydney hasn't seen before. Start the day with salted cream coffee and bacon-and-egg banh mi, then return for family-recipe pho, Hanoi-style fish burgers, and sparkling yellow-rice wine in the evening. It's the latest sign of Sydney's deepening Vietnamese food culture moving beyond traditional pho and banh mi shops into more experimental, wine-focused formats.
A heritage-listed terrace in Glebe is becoming Bar Kisa, a new bar focused on wine, snacks, and a fun take on shandy — from a team influenced by Eastern European flavours. The venue promises a romantically-lit space with proper attention to cake and desserts alongside the drinks list. Opening soon, it adds to Glebe's growing appeal as a dining and drinking destination.
More than 300 bakeries from around the country competed in the 2026 Australian Pie Awards, with thousands of pies and pastries judged over three days across 10 categories. Country Cob Bakery took home the gold for Australia's Best Pie. The awards are a serious business in Australia, where the humble pie is a cultural institution and competition is fierce among regional bakeries.
Broadsheet asked 32 of Sydney's top chefs where they order takeaway. The list includes six adored Thai restaurants, a quick Greek joint, a Newtown pizzeria with three votes, and the charcoal chicken joint Junda Khoo visits almost weekly. A definitive guide for anyone wanting to eat like a chef without leaving the couch.
Broadsheet's weekly Snack Bar roundup covers ramen specials popping up across Sydney, half-price El Jannah deals, a new Greek wine club, Tony Tan in conversation with Jennifer Wong, Tarts Anon's Sydney appearance, and six new venues opening across the city. Also covered: a new wine-focused venue Bar Kisa in Glebe.
The Real Review is bringing its "Taste the Top Wineries 2026" events to Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, featuring Australia's top-rated wineries. Also on The Real Review this week: Hunter Valley semillon as the "secret" wine for sushi lovers, Gold Ribbon Top Value riesling reviews, new school shiraz under $30, and shifting chardonnay styles at value prices. Sebastian Iannuzzi won the WSET global award.
Creative Australia's latest research has found that more Australians are attending arts events than ever before, with participation rates hitting an all-time high. However, the same research reveals that cost is becoming a significant barrier, particularly for lower-income households. The findings have implications for arts funding policy — suggesting demand is strong but affordability is a growing constraint. The research comes as Creative Australia continues its investment programs through the Creative Futures Fund and multi-year investment frameworks.
Creative Australia has announced the 2026 First Nations Arts and Culture Awards, recognising excellence, leadership, and innovation in Indigenous arts and cultural practice. The awards are a key part of Creative Australia's First Nations Arts portfolio, which supports Indigenous artists and communities through dedicated funding streams, protocols, and investment programs.
Creative Australia has awarded acclaimed Australian artist Stanislava Pinchuk a prestigious Rome residency, providing the artist with dedicated time and space to develop new work in one of the world's great art capitals. The residency is part of Creative Australia's international engagement program, which supports Australian artists to develop their practice and build connections overseas.
New research commissioned by Creative Australia's Music Australia division has found that music education is a major economic driver of the nation's $10.76 billion music industry. The finding underscores the economic case for investing in music education, beyond the well-documented cultural and social benefits. The research will inform Music Australia's investment strategy and advocacy efforts.
The Guardian's critic reviews Anish Kapoor's latest exhibition, describing it as a gutsy, gore-splattered "divine bloodbath" that pushes the boundaries of what art audiences expect. Kapoor, one of the world's most famous living sculptors, reveals his latest epic creations in a show that mingles beauty with visceral provocation. "I have a naughty schoolboy attitude," Kapoor says of his approach.
A fascinating cultural transfer story: the art dealer who brought impressionism to America in the 19th century has a descendant who is now bringing a major impressionist collection to Geelong, Victoria. The story connects Australian regional art museums with the broader global art market narrative, highlighting how philanthropic art circles continue to shape cultural access outside capital cities.
SpaceX is reportedly acquiring Cursor, the AI-powered coding platform, for $60 billion in what would be one of the largest AI acquisitions ever. The deal — if it goes through — signals Elon Musk's strategy of vertically integrating AI coding tools with SpaceX's engineering operations and potentially Tesla's autonomy efforts. The valuation reflects the frothy market for AI developer tools and the strategic importance of AI-assisted software development. SpaceX recently went public, valued heavily for its AI potential.
Bernie Sanders has proposed a sovereign wealth fund financed through a one-time 50% tax on the stock of the largest AI companies (those doing $200M+ in annual AI sales). The fund — potentially worth $7 trillion — would generate hundreds of billions annually for direct payments to Americans ($1,000+/year per person) plus healthcare, education, and housing. Seven-member bipartisan commission would have voting shares to block corporate decisions harmful to the public. Sam Altman "far apart" from Sanders on public stake. Unlikely to pass Republican-controlled Congress without Trump's buy-in, but signals growing political pressure for public benefits from AI wealth.
Nvidia is seeking to raise over $25 billion in its first bond deal since 2021, as the chipmaker looks to finance its continued expansion in AI hardware. The move comes as Nvidia faces massive demand for its GPUs from AI companies and data centres, while simultaneously dealing with geopolitical complexities around chip exports. The bond deal is one of the largest in the tech sector and reflects the enormous capital requirements of the AI infrastructure buildout.
Anthropic has paused token-based billing for its Claude Agent SDK, signalling a potential shift in pricing strategy for agentic AI workflows. The move could indicate that Anthropic is rethinking how to price AI agents — where costs can be unpredictable and token consumption varies significantly by task complexity. This is relevant for anyone building on Claude's agent SDK for production use.
Google DeepMind has released DiffusionGemma, a new model architecture that runs local AI inference up to 4x faster than previous approaches. The model is designed for on-device deployment, potentially making advanced AI capabilities feasible on consumer hardware. The release is part of Google's broader push into efficient, deployable AI models that can run without cloud connectivity.
Leaked financial documents reveal OpenAI is still losing billions of dollars annually, despite massive revenue growth and the commercial success of ChatGPT. The losses are driven by enormous compute costs, talent expenses, and the capital-intensive nature of frontier AI research. The revelations raise questions about the sustainability of the current AI business model, where even the most commercially successful AI company struggles to turn a profit.
A Nature study published this week finds early evidence that AI reliance is degrading human skills, particularly in knowledge work. The study, discussed heavily on Hacker News, adds empirical weight to the growing concern that AI tools — while boosting productivity — may be eroding critical thinking, problem-solving, and domain expertise. The discussion has 69+ comments on HN, reflecting the community's anxiety about the cognitive trade-offs of AI adoption.
🔧 Hermes Agent — no new releases
No new Hermes Agent release since v0.16.0 "The Surface Release" on June 5 (15 days ago). Still quiet on the Nous Research front. The v0.16.0 release introduced the Hermes Desktop App and install & lifecycle improvements. No new releases, patches, or announcements since. The agent is running normally on this profile.
🔧 Hermes
⏸️ Quiet