Wednesday, 21 October 2026today, still filling

A technical issue has disrupted Perth's Yanchep and Mandurah train lines during Wednesday morning's peak commute. Services continue to run but trains are not following regular timetables. Passengers have been warned to allow extra travelling time as delayed trains may miss connections with scheduled bus and train services.

Nigeria has confirmed its first Ebola case, a woman who arrived by plane from Uganda and was treated at a private hospital in Abuja before being isolated. The Bundibugyo variant, which has no vaccine or targeted treatment, is spreading across Africa. The outbreak, which began in May in the Democratic Republic of Congo, has become 'the most geographically extensive in history', according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control, affecting multiple countries with a fatality rate of nearly 50 per cent.

AFL star Lachie Neale and his estranged ex-wife Jules revealed new tattoos on the same day in what appears to be a coincidence almost a year after their marriage breakdown. Jules, a Perth influencer, posted a video showing her getting a matching rose tattoo with her brother, which she said symbolises 'growing through life together'. Neale, the 33-year-old who recently moved to Collingwood, was spotted getting fresh ink at a Brisbane studio, with stencils showing he was adding the years 2025 and 2026 beneath his existing Lions emblem to commemorate the club's three consecutive premierships.

Anthropic has reported a net loss of more than $US80 billion in the first half of the year, up from $US13 billion a year earlier, according to the Wall Street Journal. The loss was driven by $US72 billion in accounting charges tied to changes in the value of financial instruments the company issued to raise money. Despite the loss, Anthropic's revenue jumped to $US16.3 billion from $US1.1 billion a year ago, while AI infrastructure spending nearly quadrupled to almost $US9 billion. The company has signalled it could spend as much as $US750 billion in coming years to secure more computing capacity.

The United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research is launching a new initiative Thursday to establish the first international forum tackling military applications of artificial intelligence. Robin Geiss, head of the Geneva-based institute, warned that human judgment is increasingly marginalised in military decision-making, including in the nuclear domain. He said the uncertainty about how close the world is to losing control of AI systems is precisely what the initiative aims to resolve.

Polestar, which sells only electric vehicles, is working with the Australian Government to design a road-user charge that would apply to all drivers alongside the existing fuel excise. The electric car maker argues the charge should be levied fairly across all road users rather than only on electric vehicles. Managing director Scott Maynard said this would help compensate for the taxation shortfall as fuel excise revenues decline with rising EV sales.

South Carolina lawmakers are prioritising school safety as they prepare to return to the legislature. The focus will include additional security personnel, panic alert systems, classroom discipline and student behaviour. The state Department of Education plans to propose a School Support Officer pilot programme, which would place trained support officers in schools alongside existing school resource officers, according to State Superintendent Ellen Weaver.

The University of Wolverhampton is to host a new cluster programme designed to connect entrepreneurs with support and investors. The programme aims to provide business backing to entrepreneurs in the region.

The KMP Batumandi caught fire near the Port of Merak in Banten province on Tuesday afternoon as it approached port. Smoke was spotted near the stern, triggering emergency evacuation by rescue teams and local fishing boats. All 420 passengers and 40 crew members were safely evacuated, though 11 people were taken to hospital in nearby Cilegon for medical treatment. The fire's cause remains under investigation.

Freeman Regional Health Services held a groundbreaking for a new hospital and clinic campus in Freeman, South Dakota, to replace its ageing current facility. The facility will include inpatient services, an emergency department, laboratory, radiology, therapy services and a helipad. CEO Courtney Unruh said the timing was 'pivotal' for providing rural healthcare to Freeman and surrounding communities including Marion, Menno and Bridgewater, which the organisation has served since 1952. All phases are expected to be completed by spring 2028.

A wildfire in Stourbridge destroyed 19 homes during a record-breaking summer of blazes. Ministers have been warned that wildfires are now part of a 'new reality', with calls made for a ban on disposable barbecues and the introduction of fire-fighting planes.

A study by University College London of over 6,000 people found that men and women who lost at least 5% of their body weight in their 50s had similar heart health by age 62 as those who had never been overweight, with comparable cholesterol levels, blood pressure and inflammation markers. The lead researcher said the findings show that meaningful health improvements are possible even in middle age.

The Tampa Bay Rays have reached the World Series after beating the Cleveland Guardians 7-3 in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series on Monday night. The team was built through savvy trades, budget-friendly signings and strong talent development by president of baseball operations Erik Neander and manager Kevin Cash. With a seasonal payroll of $90.5 million—26th in Major League Baseball—the Rays proved that success does not require high spending. The Rays will face the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 1 of the World Series on Friday night.

An independent commission found Manchester City guilty of circumventing Premier League rules through 'sham' commercial arrangements that inflated revenues or reduced costs by over £900 million across nine seasons. The club has appealed against the verdict. David Kogan, chair of the Independent Football Regulator, said his organisation would have 'absolute power' to force owner Sheikh Mansour to sell the club if the guilty verdict is ultimately upheld, though he said it was premature to discuss action while the appeal was ongoing.

Microsoft has pulled out of a deal to lease computing capacity from Nscale's proposed AI data centre in Loughton, Essex, citing concerns that the site will not have power grid access until after 2030. The technology company's UK chief executive, Darren Hardman, said the firm remains committed to its £22 billion investment plan for 2025–2028 and that the data centre project is 'a small component' of that broader investment. Microsoft said it will continue working with Nscale on sites outside the UK.

The Department for Transport has removed the requirement for planning permission to install home chargers that cross public pavements. The change, effective immediately, is intended to help EV owners without off-street parking and will save drivers up to £300 on installation costs. Industry figures welcomed the move, with EVA England's chief executive noting that 60% of petrol and diesel drivers without off-street parking would not consider an EV, but cheaper home electricity could change that.

More than nine million UK households are entering winter either in debt to their energy supplier or with no credit, according to a Uswitch survey. Around 3.4 million households are in debt, owing an average of £220 each. Just 55% of billpayers are in credit this year, down from 64% in 2022.