Australia commits $283M to green hydrogen project by Orica
Australia has pledged $283 million to support a green hydrogen project led by explosives manufacturer Orica, aiming to boost renewable energy producti...
Australia's online safety regulator on Monday fined messaging platform Telegram about A$1 million ($640,000) for its delay in answering questions about measures the app took to prevent the spread of child abuse and violent extremist material.
The e-Safety Commission in March 2024 sought responses from social media platforms YouTube, X and Facebook to Telegram and Reddit, and blamed them for not doing enough to stop extremists from using live-streaming features, algorithms and recommendation systems to recruit users.
Telegram and Reddit were asked about the steps they were taking to combat child sexual abuse material on their services. They had to respond by May but Telegram submitted its response in October.
"Timely transparency is not a voluntary requirement in Australia and this action reinforces the importance of all companies complying with Australian law," eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said in a statement.
Telegram's delay in providing information obstructed eSafety from implementing its online safety measures, Grant said.
Australia's spy agency in December said one in five priority counter-terrorism cases investigated involved youths.
The messaging platform has been under growing scrutiny around the world since its founder Pavel Durov was placed under formal investigation in France in August in connection with alleged use of the app for illegal activities.
Durov, who is out on bail, has denied the allegations.
Grant said Big Tech must be transparent and put in place measures to prevent their services from being misused as the threat posed by online extremist materials poses a growing risk.
"If we want accountability from the tech industry we need much greater transparency. These powers give us a look under the hood at just how these platforms are dealing, or not dealing, with a range of serious and egregious online harms which affect Australians," Grant said.
If Telegram choose to ignore the penalty notice, eSafety would seek a civil penalty in the court, Grant said.
($1 = 1.5625 Australian dollars)
The European Commission is set to propose allowing carbon credits from other countries to count towards the EU’s 2040 climate target, according to a leaked internal document.
A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck off Japan’s Tokara Islands on Wednesday, with no tsunami warning issued but residents advised to remain vigilant.
The United States has rescinded licensing restrictions on ethane exports to China, allowing shipments to resume after a temporary halt and signalling progress in efforts to ease recent trade tensions.
Italy plans to grant approximately 500,000 work visas to non-EU nationals between 2026 and 2028, as announced in a cabinet statement. The initiative aims to address labor shortages by expanding legal immigration pathways
China has ramped up efforts to protect communities impacted by flood control measures, introducing stronger compensation policies and direct aid from the central government.
Brazilian authorities have arrested a suspect linked to a cyberattack that diverted more than 540 million reais (about $100 million) from the country’s banking network.
An unidentified North Korean man crossed the heavily guarded land border into South Korea and is currently in custody, according to the South’s Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Egypt on denounced Ethiopia’s completion of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), warning that the move lacks any legally binding agreement and undermines the water rights of downstream countries.
Turkish defence company Repkon will set up a 155-millimeter artillery ammunition filling facility in cooperation with Norwegian firm Nammo, aiming to boost Denmark’s national ammunition production.
Equatorial Guinea has filed a case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to stop France from selling a disputed mansion in Paris and to regain full access to the property, the UN court said Friday.
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