Australia adds YouTube to teen social media ban after watchdog warning
The Australian government has reversed its earlier decision to exempt YouTube from a landmark social media ban targeting under-16s, following concerns...
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has urged Elon Musk to steer clear of politics and prioritise his companies, after the Tesla CEO announced the formation of a new political party in defiance of President Donald Trump.
Speaking on CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday, Bessent said the boards of Tesla and SpaceX were likely concerned about Musk’s decision to launch the 'America Party,' which he unveiled a day earlier in response to Trump’s newly signed tax-and-spending bill.
“I imagine that those boards of directors did not like this announcement… and will be encouraging him to focus on his business activities, not his political activities,” Bessent said.
Musk, who was once a prominent Trump supporter and served briefly as a government adviser, broke with the president over the so-called 'big, beautiful bill,' which cuts taxes and increases defence and border spending. He warned that the bill could bankrupt the country and vowed to challenge Republican incumbents who supported it in next year’s midterm elections.
Trump has dismissed Musk’s criticism, suggesting his opposition stems from the bill’s removal of green-energy tax credits that benefit Tesla. The president has also threatened to cut government contracts and subsidies to Tesla and SpaceX in retaliation.
The feud marks a dramatic turn in the relationship between Trump and Musk, who previously contributed millions to Trump’s 2024 re-election campaign and was a frequent visitor to The White House.
Musk’s political ambitions have already drawn investor backlash. Azoria Partners, which was set to launch a Tesla-focused exchange-traded fund this week, announced it would postpone the launch, citing conflict with Musk’s “full-time responsibilities” as Tesla CEO. Azoria CEO James Fishback publicly urged the Tesla board to review Musk’s political involvement.
“Elon left us with no other choice,” Fishback wrote on X, the social media platform owned by Musk.
White House spokesperson Harrison Fields praised the tax bill’s passage and played down Musk’s opposition.
“President Trump has unified and grown the party in a way we’ve never seen,” he said.
Stephen Miran, chair of Trump’s Council of Economic Advisers, defended the legislation on ABC’s This Week, calling it a growth driver: “The one, big, beautiful bill is going to create growth on turbo charge.”
Democrats, meanwhile, welcomed the Republican rift. Abhi Rahman of the Democratic National Committee said the conflict revealed fractures in the Trump coalition. “Republicans are waking up and facing the reality that they just signed their own pink slips,” he said.
The world’s biggest dance music festival faces an unexpected setback as a fire destroys its main stage, prompting a last-minute response from organisers determined to keep the party alive in Boom, Belgium.
Australian researchers have created a groundbreaking “biological AI” platform that could revolutionise drug discovery by rapidly evolving molecules within mammalian cells.
Australian researchers have pioneered a low-cost and scalable plasma-based method to produce ammonia gas directly from air, offering a green alternative to the traditional fossil fuel-dependent Haber-Bosch process.
A series of earthquakes have struck Guatemala on Tuesday afternoon, leading authorities to advise residents to evacuate from buildings as a precaution against possible aftershocks.
'Superman' continued to dominate the summer box office, pulling in another $57.25 million in its second weekend, as theatres welcome a wave of blockbuster competition following a challenging few years for the film industry.
The Australian government has reversed its earlier decision to exempt YouTube from a landmark social media ban targeting under-16s, following concerns raised by the country’s internet watchdog.
Natural disasters including wildfires, storms, and earthquakes led to an estimated $131 billion in economic losses globally during the first half of 2025, according to a report released Tuesday by German reinsurer Munich Re.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday warned Russia to halt its war in Ukraine within 10 days, or face sweeping penalties including tariffs and sanctions.
Russia on Tuesday announced a major expansion of its entry ban list targeting EU officials, law enforcement, and academics in response to fresh sanctions packages over Ukraine.
China and the US have agreed to extend the pause on 24% reciprocal tariffs after two days of trade talks in Sweden, Chinese trade official Li Chenggang announced Tuesday.
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