Morning everyone. Our top story this morning explains growing concerns among doctors about the lack of Australian regulation around AI health tools as more people seek self-diagnosis online. We’re also reporting on the AI creation of an Aboriginal social media sensation, and why the tension is building at Melbourne Park.
Overseas, Donald Trump is threatening to invoke the Insurrection Act to quell anti-ICE demonstrations in Minneapolis, and the British Tory party has been plunged into crisis by the defection of a senior shadow minister to Reform UK.
Australia
Pulp play | The British indie band Pulp will play at the Adelaide festival in February after initially pulling out of the event in protest at the cancellation of Palestinian writer Randa Abdel-Fattah. The band said last night they had been asked to delay making an announcement while the crisis “was resolved” but were happy to play on 27 February after organisers apologised to Abdel-Fattah.
‘Not regulated’ | The launch of ChatGPT Health in Australia is causing concern among experts, who want clearer guardrails and consumer education ahead of a wider rollout.
Ban success | More than 4.7m social media accounts held by Australians who platforms have judged to be under 16 years of age were deactivated, removed or restricted in the first days after the ban came into effect in December, the prime minister has said.
Footbridge on hold | The future of the Bondi footbridge has been placed on hold after a meeting of Waverley council heard it was “really upsetting” that the matter had ignited such fierce public debate.
Sanitiser scare | A person has been hospitalised with acute methanol poisoning after ingesting a now-recalled hand sanitiser while staying at Australia’s largest privately owned hotel chain.
World
Tory defector | Britain’s Conservative opposition has been thrown into turmoil after one of its most senior shadow cabinet members, Robert Jenrick, defected to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.
Trump threat | Donald Trump has threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act in Minnesota in response to protests in Minneapolis against federal immigration enforcement operations, as Minnesota’s governor, Tim Walz, overnight urged demonstrators in Minneapolis to be peaceful amid escalating tensions.
‘Common concern’ | The Danish prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, has said Greenland’s defence is a “common concern” for the whole of Nato, as troops started arriving from across Europe as a result of Donald Trump’s threats to take the Arctic island by force. We profile Ronald Lauder, the billionaire friend of Donald Trump who is credited with first suggesting US expansion to the island.
Greensill ‘failure’ | A company linked to Australian financier Lex Greensill “failed to act in good faith” by lending £250m more than it should have to businesses owned by steel magnate Sanjeev Gupta during the pandemic, a court in London has been told.
Ageing bull | The Bull by Paulus Potter, one of the star paintings at the Mauritshuis in The Hague, originally had much larger testicles, conservators believe, and appeared to have been halved in size by the artist to respect 17th-century sensibilities.
Full Story
Randa Abdel-Fattah speaks to Nour Haydar about the Adelaide festival
A week after being disinvited from the Adelaide festival, Palestinian Australian writer Randa Abdel-Fattah spoke to Nour Haydar about why she is considering defamation action against the South Australian premier and what this moment represents.
In-depth
At the last count the Bush Legend has 90,000 followers on Instagram and 96,000 on Facebook lapping up his commentary and videos on outback Australia. The problem is that the “Black Steve Irwin” is a creation of AI. Sarah Collard examines how the Indigenous avatar has caused deep offence, and the risks of “cultural flattening”.
Not the news
Three months into his rookie era as a boulderer, Mike Hohnen is hooked on the rock climbing offshoot. He’s even bought the shoes. “I haven’t quite pinned down the lingo, or a position on whether liquid or powder chalk is better, but I’m in. Bouldering has a grip on me.”
Sport
Australian Open | The racket stringers who will keep things very tense (or not, depending on how you like it) at Melbourne Park tell Jo Khan about their vital craft, their great “sense of pride” and how it feels to see players smashing rackets. And our correspondent wonders at how the Open has turned into a three-week event.
Tennis | Australia’s Taylah Preston, the world No 204, has claimed a huge scalp by beating former US Open champion Emma Raducanu 6-2, 6-4 in the Hobart International.
Football | With hullaballoo over Antonio Arena’s goal for Roma only just subsiding, David Squires takes a typically wry look at the love of Aussies doing well overseas.
Media roundup
The Allan government in Victoria has announced a review of its handling of the January bushfires, the Age reports. In the Sydney Morning Herald, Anthropic, the company behind AI chatbot Claude, is setting up in Australia. And according to the Gold Coast Bulletin, Australia’s first Trump Tower is being planned for a Gold Coast beachfront site.
What’s happening today
Policing | Human Rights Law Centre challenge at the federal court against a Victoria police decision to allow stop and search in Melbourne CBD.
Brisbane | State funeral for former federal Nationals senator Ron Boswell.
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Brain teaser
And finally, here are the Guardian’s crosswords to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow.
