That’s all for todayBy Isabel McMillanThanks for reading the national news blog for today, Wednesday, July 15. This is where we will end the rolling coverage.Here’s a brief look at some of the today’s biggest stories.Prime Minister Anthony Albanese vowed to “make AI work in Australia’s national interests” during his most extensive speech on AI today. The speech follows revelations of a new office for his department to oversee the technology – which had people talking.Opposition Leader Angus Taylor has ruled out forming a coalition with Pauline Hanson’s One Nation party, after he was repeatedly asked if he would go further than saying there was no plan for a deal.University vice-chancellors spoke at the antisemitic royal commission, with many testy exchanges throughout the day. In particular, lawyer for seven Jewish communal organisations, Gabi Crafti, accused University of Sydney Vice-Chancellor Mark Scott of failing to keep Jewish students safe.The AFP is seeking help from the public after more than 500 kilograms of cocaine was found in a shipping container bound for Melbourne this week. Officers from the Australian Border Force searching a shipping container in Sydney bound for Victoria identified a “significant number of suspicious packages”, which contained more than $400 million worth of the drug.Looking overseas, and the Iranian government says more than 30 people have been killed in US air strikes on the country in “recent days” as both nations attempt to assert control of the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranian Health Ministry also said that more than 260 people had been wounded in the latest round of attacks by the US, highlighting an intensification in the bombing.And two more people have died after the deadly Thai bar fire. Survivors and family members of victims of the fire in Bangkok have visited a nearby police station to seek compensation, gather belongings and share statements from the blaze.Thanks again for tuning in. We’ll be back with rolling live coverage again tomorrow morning.Latest Posts5.48pm on Jul 15, 2026Death toll from Bangkok bar fire rises to 32 as two more die in hospitalBy Bangkok: Survivors and family members of victims of a deadly bar fire in Bangkok have visited a nearby police station to seek compensation, gather belongings and share statements from the blaze.The fire, which broke out on Sunday night, killed at least 32 people and left more than 70 injured – 15 of whom are still in critical condition, according to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration. The cause of the fire at the Rong Beer Na Ladprao bar is still under investigation.Most of the people who died had been found trapped in windowless bathrooms, where they might have sought to escape the flames, police said.Wiroon Supasingsiripreecha, chief of the Institute of Forensic Medicine, told reporters on Wednesday that most of the victims had died from smoke inhalation, while a few died from burn injuries.5.40pm on Jul 15, 2026Qantas A380 cleared of wing cracks, returns to serviceBy Chris ZapponeThe Qantas A380 checked out for - and cleared of - cracks in an internal part of the plane’s wing has returned to Australia after four months in deep maintenance.The plane had been at an aircraft maintenance centre, Elbe Flugzeugwerke, in Dresden for a new cabin refit and livery for four months, according to Flightradar24.The 16-year-old Airbus landed half an hour later than scheduled in Sydney at 5.24pm.It was among 16 A380s subject to a June 23 emergency European Aviation Safety Agency inspection directive following the discovery of potentially structural wing cracks.5.30pm on Jul 15, 2026Iran says 30 killed in latest US strikes as Strait of Hormuz struggle intensifiesBy The Iranian government says more than 30 people have been killed in US air strikes on the country in “recent days” as both nations attempt to assert control of the Strait of Hormuz.The Iranian Health Ministry also said that more than 260 people had been wounded in the latest round of attacks by the US, highlighting an intensification in the bombing.The US military on Wednesday reimposed a blockade on Iranian ports over Tehran’s attacks on ships trying to pass through the strait.There are at least 19 US warships in the Arabian Sea, including two aircraft carriers and an amphibious assault ship with more than 1000 Marines aboard. US Central Command also said in a social media post that there are “hundreds of military aircraft operating across the Middle East”.5.18pm on Jul 15, 2026Zionist Federation condemns Sydney Uni VC over ‘failure of leadership’By Michael BachelardThe Zionist Federation of Australia has issued a blistering response to University of Sydney vice chancellor Mark Scott over his evidence at at the antisemitism royal commission today.“The Vice-Chancellor of Sydney University was told Hizb ut-Tahrir was on his campus,” federation president Jeremy Leibler said in a statement. “He did nothing. He was told an extremist sheikh who celebrated the October attacks was on his campus and called for the Zionists to be made to tremble. He did nothing.“He had the power to act, and on his own evidence he eventually used it. The encampment came down when the university’s lawns needed repair. He found the power to protect the lawns. He never found it to protect Jewish students.“He presided over a campus where Jewish students and staff were scared to go. Not offended or shocked, but scared. The Royal Commission has laid bare this failure of leadership.“Mark Scott demonstrated that he was not fit to lead one of our most prestigious universities when he failed to protect Jewish students. It is clear to Australian Jews that nothing has changed.“My hope is that no student or teacher is ever again threatened or harassed because of who they are.”4.42pm on Jul 15, 2026Industry minister touts AI data laws but leaves copyright, worker protections for laterBy James CostaMinister for Industry and Innovation Tim Ayres says the government’s new artificial intelligence laws will be a “world-leading approach” to AI and large data centres.Ayres’ comments on ABC News’ Afternoon Briefing come after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s speech earlier today which outlined proposed legislation for national standards on AI ensuring companies are transparent in their operations, manage the risks of technology and ensure data centres do not suck power or water away from the community.“We don’t want to be just customers at the end of a long supply chain of other people’s technology,” Ayres said.“We want to see Australia be part of the construction of this new technology, so it’s done here on our terms.” However, when asked about changes to copyright laws and protections for workers, Ayres said that today’s announcement focused on data centres and that Attorney General Michelle Rowland and Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations Amanda Rishworth would separately work on those issues.In relation to the locations of large new data centres, Ayres said that “everybody’s going to have to live here together to deliver the right approach for the country” but that the prime minister wanted to “make sure they are in the right place”.4.24pm on Jul 15, 2026Sydney airport shake-up may open doors for Avalon, says CEOBy Chris ZapponeThe opening of a second airport in Sydney is forcing a rethink about networks which Melbourne’s second airport, Avalon, is hoping to benefit from.Avalon Airport CEO Ari Suss said network reviews by airlines which may start to relocate some operations from Sydney Airport to Western Sydney Airport “enable us to have a conversation about maybe other parts of the national map, such as entry and exit into Victoria for freight potentially being serviced out of Avalon as an alternative [to Tullamarine].”Avalon Airport.Luis Enrique Ascui“We see ourselves as complementary in the Victorian market,” Suss said, speaking on the sidelines of a ceremony to mark Dubai-based ground handling and cargo company Dnata’s plan to explore operating from Avalon.Western Sydney International had its first cargo flight on Monday, when a Qantas A321 freighter landed ahead of the cargo precinct opening on July 26.4.08pm on Jul 15, 2026New Zealand detects first H5N1 bird flu caseBy Wellington: New Zealand has reported its first case of the deadly H5N1 bird flu after a migratory seabird found on a beach near the capital, Wellington, tested positive, Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard said on Wednesday.The case, in a brown skua, comes after the virus was detected last month in Australia. The virulent H5 strain has spread through wild bird and mammal populations since 2021, killing millions and infecting poultry and dairy farms as well as some farmworkers.“There is no evidence of any mass mortality in wildlife or transmission between wild birds in New Zealand. There has been no detection in poultry,” Hoggard said in a statement.Hoggard said New Zealand may see a similar pattern to cases reported in Australia, where there have been 14 confirmed or presumed positive detections of H5 bird flu as of Wednesday.3.33pm on Jul 15, 2026Uni VC accused of failing to keep Jewish students safeBy Michael BachelardAntisemitism royal commission witness Mark Scott has just faced a testy exchange with the lawyer for seven Jewish communal organisations, Gabi Crafti, who accused him of failing to keep Jewish students safe.So testy was it that commissioner Virginia Bell ruled twice that he did not have to answer.The first rebuttal was a question about the evidence earlier this week from young Jewish, pro-Palestinian, Sydney University activist Yasmine Johnson.University of Sydney vice chancellor Mark Scott.Alex EllinghausenJohnson told the royal commission on Monday that she believed violence was sometimes necessary to overcome tyranny and, in a speech last year on Scott’s campus, called for an end to the Israeli state.3.19pm on Jul 15, 2026$400 million cocaine shipment busted in Sydney, was bound for MelbourneBy Isabel McMillanThe AFP is seeking help from the public after more than 500 kilograms of cocaine was found in a shipping container bound for Melbourne this week.Officers from the Australian Border Force searching a shipping container in Sydney bound for Victoria identified a “significant number of suspicious packages”.They found 14 duffel bags concealed under a tarp, and in each bag were 30 to 40 blocks of cocaine, each weighing 1kg.More than 500 kilos of cocaine seized in Sydney on July 13.AFPThe AFP said the estimated street value of the drugs found was $400,500,000, equating to about 267,000 street-level deals.1 of 5