Apple is nearing the completion of a critical new software tool for app developers that would step up competition with Microsoft. The company has been working on the tool for the last year as part of the next major version of Xcode.

Cupertino

Apple developing AI tool to rival Microsoft

Mark, is this a case of Apple joining the party a little bit later than others, but of course with its own Apple twist? They're joining the party a little bit later than others, but like you said, with their own twist. The way Apple looks at AI, they're not going to release a chatbot. They're not gonna release a chat GPT competitor despite having one internally. They're gonna apply artificial intelligence to their applications where it makes sense. And one place it makes sense is for development of software, right? We've seen from Microsoft's GitHub co-pilot that AI could be extremely beneficial for speeding up the time it takes to write code. That could obviously be a tedious process. So Apple's developing a new version of Xcode. That's their flagship programming software for third-party developers to be able to use AI to do code completion, to write test cases for their own apps, all using generative AI and large language models. Apple's built their own large language model internally, their own competitor to what OpenAI and Microsoft and Amazon have been doing. And I expect Xcode to be one of the first places this appears. They've been testing this software. They've been dogfooding it with their own employees. And I anticipate an introduction as early as June at Apple's annual developer conference.

Australian and Chinese relations are strained following an incident involving military forces from both countries. During a routine operation in the Yellow Sea, within international waters, an Australian helicopter faced an aggressive manoeuver by a Chinese military jet.

Council of the City of Sydney

Australia hits out at China over helicopter incident

Interest rates will remain unchanged after the Reserve Bank of Australia decided to keep the cash rate at 4.35%, a figure that has held steady since November. It comes amidst the ongoing struggle with rising costs of living pressures.

RBA keeps interest rates on hold

Israel has launched new airstrikes in Rafah, warning 100,000 people there to flee to a designated safe area ahead of an expected ground operation. The strikes came after Hamas agreed to a mediated ceasefire proposal but Israel did not.

Rafah

Israel-Gaza War

Hamas accepts mediated ceasefire deal; Israel doesn't

The bodies of Perth brothers Callum and Jake Robinson have been formally identified after their grieving family arrived in Mexico. Authorities have arrested four people in connection with the alleged murders.

Baja California

Grieving family arrives in Mexico to identify brothers' remains

The Defence Minister has condemned the conduct of a Chinese fighter jet, which launched flares near an Australian Seahawk helicopter. The incident occurred over international waters in the Yellow Sea off the coast of South Korea.

Seoul

Chinese fighter jet detonates flares near Australian helicopter

Israel's military has carried out airstrikes in Rafah, residents said, hours after Israel told Palestinians to evacuate parts of the southern Gaza city where more than a million people uprooted by the war have been sheltering.

Jerusalem

Israel strikes Rafah after evacuation order, residents say

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered tactical nuclear weapon drills as part of a military exercise to "deter" the West. It comes as Russian forces continue to make incremental gains on the ground, capturing two villages in Kharkiv and the Donetsk region, as well as the village of Soloviove in eastern Ukraine.

Soloviove

Ukraine Invasion

Russia advances in Ukraine's east, announces nuclear drills

Chinese President Xi Jinping awoke in Paris on Monday on his first visit to the region in five years, with trade and Russia's war with Ukraine on the agenda in talks with France's Emmanuel Macron and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen.

Paris

China's Xi Jinping pays state visit to France

Israel has ordered civilians in Rafah to move towards Khan Younis, in the clearest sign yet that a military operation is imminent. A ceasefire in Gaza looks as distant as ever with Hamas refusing to lay down arms unless there is a complete cessation of the war. Meanwhile, Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would go it alone if necessary, even in the face of criticism from its Western allies.

Israeli army orders Palestinians to evacuate parts of Rafah

The bodies Australian brothers, Jake and Callum Robinson have been identified by authorities in Baja California, Mexico. It comes as their grieving parents arrive in the country.

Brothers identified as victims of Mexico robbery

Qantas has been ordered to compensate passengers following revelations that it sold tickets on thousands of flights that had already been cancelled. The airline has agreed to pay a $100 million fine and $20 million in compensation to affected passengers.

Mascot

Qantas ordered to pay compensation over 'ghost flight' scandal

A former detective is facing allegations of sexually assaulting a 19-year-old woman whose case he was initially assigned to investigate. Accused of exploiting his authority, Glenn Coleman, 55, has been charged with 10 offences,

Penrith

Police officer accused of assaulting rape victim

The death toll from heavy rains that have caused flooding in Brazil's southern state of Rio Grande do Sul has risen to at least 78, local authorities said, with more than 115,000 people displaced.

State of Rio Grande do Sul

Climate Crisis

Death toll rises in record-breaking Brazil floods

China's President Xi Jinping has arrived in France for a rare visit with President Emmanuel Macron. They are set to discuss trade, amid growing tension between Europe and China over an imbalance between China's exports and European imports.

China's Xi Jinping visits Europe amid global tensions

While several pro-Palestinian campus protests in the U.S. were dismantled over the weekend, others became more disruptive and interrupted at least one graduation ceremony.

Chicago

Protests disrupt graduation ceremonies at U.S. universities

Prospects for a Gaza ceasefire appeared slim as Hamas reiterated its demand for an end to the war in exchange for the freeing of hostages, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu flatly ruled that out.

Tel Aviv-Yafo

Gaza truce hopes fade as Israel, Hamas trade blame

The Israeli cabinet has voted to unanimously shut down Al Jazeera's operations in the country. That's according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a statement on X. 
It is not clear when this decision will take effect.

Israel announces ban of Al Jazeera channel, website

Australian police said they have shot dead a boy after he stabbed a man in Western Australia's capital Perth, in an attack authorities said indicated terrorism.

Perth

Australian police shoot boy dead after stabbing

Sadiq Khan has been elected mayor of London, winning a historic third term after a dramatic contest. Khan was declared the winner over the Conservative candidate, Susan Hall with 43.8% of the vote.

London

Sadiq Khan elected London mayor for third term

Floods have killed at least 58 people in southern Brazil. Nearly 70,000 have been forced from their homes. Tens of thousands of people have been left without drinking water or electricity. It's the worst flooding the region has seen in more than 80 years.

'It's going to get worse': Brazil braces for flood peaks

Students at the University of California in Irvine say they will remain on campus until all their demands are met. School officials say they'll continue to negotiate with the protesters -- and are hoping to reach a deal soon.

Irvine

Police, protesters in stand-off at California university

The Federal Government will cut $3 billion in student debts, in measures to be announced in next week's budget. The reforms will see the student loans of three million graduates by an average of $1200 and changes to loan indexation.

Camperdown

Labor to wipe $3 billion of student debts

Mexican authorities have charged three suspects over the disappearance of Australian brothers Callum and Jake Robinson and their American friend Jack Carter Rhoad. It's believed the tourists became embroiled in a bungled robbery. Four bodies were found near the trio's abandoned campsite, but are yet to be formally identified.

Mexican authorities lay charges over Australian brothers' disappearance

A knife-wielding teenage boy has been shot dead by police in Bunnings carpark in Willetton, Perth. The 16-year-old boy had phoned Triple Zero saying he planned ‘acts of violence’ and stabbed a male member of the public. The WA Police Commissioner says the teenager had ‘mental health and radicalisation issues’.

Willetton

Police shoot dead ‘radicalised’ teenage boy in Perth

The death toll from rains in Brazil's southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul rose to 57, local authorities said on Saturday (May 4) afternoon, while dozens still have not been accounted for.

Dozens missing amid record-breaking Brazil flooding

There are renewed hopes for a ceasefire in Gaza after a Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo to continue talks amid reports of a proposal agreed to by Israel to halt fighting for an initial 40 days in exchange for the release of hostages.

Hopes rise for Gaza ceasefire amid Hamas talks

Students showing support for Palestinians have set up camp outside the University College London. They say they'll continue their protest until the university divests from Israeli institutions that 'profit from the war in Gaza'.

Pro-Palestine university protests spread to London

Dozens of Palestinians have held a demonstration in the West Bank, to condemn the killing of five Palestinian fighters. Crowds rallied hours after Israeli troops attacked the fighters in the village of Deir al Ghoson.

Five Palestinian fighters killed during West Bank raid

Dozens of people in two rubber dinghies have reached the southern coast of England, the latest among thousands of asylum-seeking migrants to make the risky sea crossing from France this year.

Dover

Asylum seekers arrive in England despite Rwanda threat

A former immigration detainee has been bailed after allegedly threatening police with a knife in Melbourne. It follows the recent violent home invasion allegedly committed by another released detainee in Western Australia Pressure is mounting on Federal Immigration Minister Andrew Giles to be held to account.