Key Points
- 100 percent tariffs to be imposed on pharmaceuticals imported into the United States
- Anthony Albanese lands in the UK to discuss military cooperation
- AFL rivals battle to claim title as best team of the century
TRANSCRIPT
The United States will impose 100 percent tariffs on pharmaceuticals entering the country from the first of October.
The move has been announced by US President Donald Trump on his Truth Social site, where he has said while all any branded or patented pharmaceutical products will be subject to the tariff, an exemption will be made for companies building drug manufacturing plants in the US.
Opposition leader Sussan Ley has issued a statement following the news, saying her party is ready to protect the local pharmaceutical sector, with Australian drug imports to the US valued over $2 billion.
The announcement is likely to largely impact medicine developer and supplier CSL, which mostly exports blood and plasma products to the United States.
Their stocks have lowered slightly on the opening of trade today [[26 Sept]], as the market reacts to the news.
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Anthony Albanese has arrived in the United Kingdom for formal talks on military cooperation.
The prime minister arrived in London early this morning, ahead of a meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer that is expected to be dominated by talk of AUKUS.
The UK has already commissioned the sixth of its seven SSN-AUKUS submarines for the UK Royal Navy under the multibillion-dollar security pact with the United States and Australia.
But the Trump administration has been reviewing the deal, which was agreed under Joe Biden's presidency.
This week, the Prime Minister appealed for Australia's place on the UN security council, which Defence Minister Richard Marles told Channel 9 is another important way for Australia to manage its defence.
"It's important in terms of having our voice heard over that two-year period. In the work that we do to get elected in the time we serve on the Security Council, we really do get a deep understanding of the issues right around the world."
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Donald Trump has signed an executive order to facilitate the sale of TikTok from China to a group of US investors - including Rupert Murdoch.
The order says that current owner - ByteDance - and its affiliates, will control less than 20 percent of the new joint venture.
The venture will be run by a new board of directors and subject to rules that the President argues will "appropriately protect" Americans' data and national security.
The deal is understood to meet the requirements of a 2024 law, which says the short video app will be banned unless its Chinese owners sell it.
The US President says the Chinese leadership has agreed to the proposal.
"I had a very good talk with President Xi. I have a lot of respect for him - I hope he has a lot of respect for me too. We talked about Tiktok - a lot of other things, but we talked about Tiktok and he gave us the go ahead."
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Australia's Foreign Minister says the rise of artificial intelligence could potentially endanger the world, if the technology is used to control nuclear weapons.
Senator Penny Wong has offered the warning in a speech to the United Nations Security Council.
She says that while AI has extraordinary potential, it also presents significant dangers if it isn't kept in check.
The Minister says the use of AI in wartime settings is of particular concern because of the potential lack of human oversight.
"Nuclear warfare has so far been constrained by human judgment, by leaders who bear responsibility and by human conscience. AI has no such concern, nor can it be held accountable. These weapons threaten to change war itself, and they risk escalation without warning."
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Four global news services have released a film, urging Israel to allow foreign journalists into Gaza.
The film - produced by the BBC, together with AP, Reuters and Agence France-Presse - has premiered in New York at an event hosted by the Committee to Protect Journalists.
It shows images from various conflicts that the narrator - BBC Journalist David Dimbleby - says reporters had access to cover.
"But when it comes to Gaza, the job of reporting falls solely to Palestinian journalists who are paying a terrible cost, leaving fewer to bear witness."
The CPJ says nearly 200 journalists and media workers have been killed in the region since the attacks by Hamas on Israel on October 7, 2023.
Foreign journalists have been barred from Gaza since that time.
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To sport, thousands of AFL fans are expected to turn out in Melbourne today to watch the Brisbane Lions and Geelong Cats parade through the CBD on the eve of their grand final clash.
The traditional annual parade has been part of the game since 1977.
The parade will pay homage to the broader football community with AFLW players also joining the motorcade.
Premiership cup ambassador and former player, Jack Riewoldt told channel 9 he is expecting an exciting game tomorrow.
"We're due for a really good grand final and I think these are the best two teams from the season that have finally made their way to the Grand Final day tomorrow here in Melbourne. And these two teams both sit this century on four premierships. So whoever wins tomorrow can lay claim to being the best team of the century, with five premierships and leading the rest of the pack."
