The Guardian · 3 Jul, 05:43
Iran is preparing for a six-day funeral ceremony for its late Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a US-Israeli attack in February. The ceremony, expected to draw millions of attendees, begins on Saturday in Tehran and will end with Khamenei's burial on Thursday in Mashhad.
The funeral ceremony for Ali Khamenei, Iran's Supreme Leader for 36 years, is set to begin on Saturday in Tehran and will last for six days. The ceremony will feature a procession through central Tehran, visits to holy cities in Iran and Iraq, and will culminate in Khamenei's burial on Thursday in Mashhad. The event is expected to draw millions of attendees and will be a display of national power, resilience, and social cohesion.
Why it matters: The funeral is significant because it will showcase Iran's unity and strength in the face of adversity, as well as demonstrate Khamenei's role as a spiritual leader of Shia Muslims. The event also comes at a critical time, with Iran seeking to extract concessions from US negotiators during a 60-day ceasefire.
20 million: estimated attendees at Monday's procession in Tehran, 90 million: Iran's population, 60%: proportion of Iran's population that has known no other Supreme Leader, 30: number of countries with representatives attending the ceremony, 250: anniversary of the US declaration of independence, 1979: year of the Iranian Revolution, 1989: year of Khamenei's predecessor Ruhollah Khomeini's death, 2020: year of Qassem Suleimani's burial
We must rise up and convey the nation's call for bloodshed to the world so that the world knows that the honourable and noble nation of Iran will not remain silent in the face of oppression and arrogance and will not spare the blood of its imam. - Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran's chief negotiator and speaker of parliament
The Guardian · 3 Jul, 05:33
Victoria's Premier Jacinta Allan has acknowledged that criminals infiltrated the state's large construction projects, known as the Big Build, but has rejected calls for a royal commission into alleged corruption.
Premier Jacinta Allan admitted that criminals operated on some of Victoria's construction sites during the Big Build projects, resulting in violence, intimidation, and organised criminal behaviour. She acknowledged that this is 'shocking and unacceptable' and apologized for it happening on projects funded by the Victorian people. Allan rejected calls for a royal commission, citing the example of a previous royal commission into trade unions that cost $46 million and achieved only one criminal conviction. Instead, she emphasized the need to change the culture on construction sites.
Why it matters: This is significant because it highlights the issue of corruption and criminality in Victoria's construction industry, which has been a major concern for the government and the public. The rejection of a royal commission may indicate that the government is looking for alternative solutions to address the issue, but it may also be seen as a way to avoid scrutiny and accountability. The allegations of corruption and wrongdoing have already led to significant actions, including the administration of the CFMEU and the laying of over 90 criminal charges.
$46 million (cost of previous royal commission into trade unions), 90 (number of criminal charges laid by Victoria Police), 164 (number of construction licences cancelled by the Labour Hire Authority), $15 billion (amount of Victorians' money allegedly 'rorted' according to the state opposition leader)
'If the goal is another report, another royal commission will deliver one. If the goal is changing behaviour on worksites, changing the culture is the answer.' - Jacinta Allan
The Guardian · 3 Jul, 05:20
The Australian government has confirmed the country's first suspected case of bird flu on the east coast, in a migratory bird found in New South Wales, while Western Australia has reported a fifth suspected case. The agriculture minister has assured that there is no evidence of transmission to wildlife or the poultry industry and that it is safe to 'keep buying eggs, keep buying chicken'.
The Australian government has reported the first suspected case of bird flu on the east coast, found in a migratory bird in New South Wales. This comes after Western Australia reported a fifth suspected case of the deadly bird flu in a migratory seabird found on a Perth beach. The government has increased its surveillance at metropolitan beaches and is working with the egg and poultry industries to mitigate any potential impacts. The cases so far have been in migratory subantarctic species, primarily giant petrels.
Why it matters: The detection of bird flu in Australia is significant as it poses a risk to the country's poultry industry and wildlife. However, the government has emphasized that there is currently no evidence of transmission to wildlife or the poultry industry, and the public does not need to panic. The government is taking precautions to prevent the spread of the disease and ensure the continued safety of egg and poultry products.
5 (suspected cases of bird flu in Western Australia), 1 (suspected case of bird flu in New South Wales), 2027 (end of term for University of Wollongong chancellor Michael Still), $23.5m (penalties and costs ordered to be paid by ASX operator)
Keep buying eggs, keep buying chicken. There is no spreading to our poultry in New South Wales. - Tara Moriarty, NSW agriculture minister
Ars Technica · 2 Jul, 17:29
The FAA has proposed a new rule that would allow commercial supersonic flights over the US if the aircraft can reduce sonic booms to a certain noise level. This could pave the way for the return of commercial supersonic airliners.
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed a new rule that would overturn a long-standing ban on commercial supersonic flights over the United States. The ban, which was put in place in 1973, prohibited supersonic flights by civil aircraft over land due to the disruptive sonic booms they produced. The new rule would allow supersonic flights if the aircraft can reduce the ground-level impacts of their sonic booms. The proposed standard would require any sonic boom overpressure at the surface to be kept below 0.11 pounds per square foot.
Why it matters: This proposal is significant because it could enable the development of commercial supersonic airliners that can operate over land without causing disruptions. The rule change is championed by the Trump administration and follows an executive order issued by President Trump in 2025. If adopted, this rule could lead to the return of commercial supersonic airliners.
0.11 pounds per square foot (proposed sonic boom overpressure limit), 1973 (year ban on commercial supersonic flights was put in place), June 6, 2025 (date of executive order), June 30, 2026 (date of proposed rulemaking action)
Ars Technica · 2 Jul, 19:38
Researchers have discovered a new piece of macOS malware called PamStealer that uses clever tradecraft to infect Macs with stealthy, custom-developed credential-stealing code. The malware is delivered in two stages and uses the Pluggable Authentication Modules interface to validate the target's login password.
A new piece of macOS malware, named PamStealer, has been discovered by researchers. It is delivered in two stages, with the first stage distributed in a disk image that masquerades as Maccy, a clipboard manager for Macs. The malware uses AppleScript and Rust-written infostealer to steal credentials. The second stage is notable for its use of the Pluggable Authentication Modules interface built into macOS to validate the target's login password.
Why it matters: This malware is significant because it uses clever tradecraft to remain stealthy and infect Macs with custom-developed credential-stealing code. The use of the Pluggable Authentication Modules interface and AppleScript makes it harder to detect.
Ars Technica · 2 Jul, 16:46
NASA's plans to land humans on the Moon for the Artemis IV mission may be impacted by the recent failure of Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket and uncertainty around its successor, the 9x4 rocket. The rocket's development is crucial, but a target date for its debut has not been set.
A catastrophic explosion occurred during a static fire test of Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket in late May. The rocket is being developed to support NASA's Artemis program, which aims to land humans on the Moon. Blue Origin and SpaceX are building landers and rockets to deliver them to the Moon. The New Glenn rocket's failure has raised concerns about the timeline for the Artemis IV mission.
Why it matters: The success of the New Glenn rocket and its variant, the 9x4 rocket, is crucial for NASA's Artemis program. The 9x4 rocket is expected to play a key role in the program, with a current architecture requiring four launches of the rocket for a human mission. The uncertainty around the 9x4 rocket's debut date may impact NASA's plans to land humans on the Moon.
4: number of launches of the 9x4 rocket required for a human mission, 9: number of first stage engines on the 9x4 rocket, 4: number of upper stage engines on the 9x4 rocket, late 2027 or early 2028: potential target date for the 9x4 rocket's debut
NPR News · 3 Jul, 04:25
Summary not available.
NPR News · 2 Jul, 21:47
Summary not available.
NPR News · 2 Jul, 19:59
Summary not available.