A required part of this site couldn’t load. This may be due to a browser
extension, network issues, or browser settings. Please check your
connection, disable any ad blockers, or try using a different browser.
Two people have been killed in an underground explosion at a mine in the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW), the first such incident of its kind since 2015.
Emergency services were called to the Endeavor mine at Cobar, about 700km (435 miles) northwest of Sydney, in the early hours of Tuesday after reports two people had been critically injured.
Police said a man, in his 60s, was confirmed dead at the scene and two women, both in their 20s, were brought to the surface, but one later died. The second woman was airlifted to hospital for minor injuries and shock.
Polymetals Resources, which bought the Endeavour mine in 2023, said all operations at the site had been temporarily suspended.
It did not say what caused the explosion. The company’s executive chairman Dave Sproule said it was “shocked and saddened by the tragic incident” and “our deepest thoughts and condolences go out to the employee’s families, friends and colleagues”.
Fatalities from mine explosions are rare in Australia, with the most recent death happening in 2015 at a mine in Queensland according to Safe Work Australia.
Cobar Mayor Jarrod Marsden said it was an “absolutely tragic” situation.
“The most valuable thing to come out of a mine are the miners, and two families don’t get to see their loved ones anymore,” he told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).
“Cobar is a small mining community, it’s very tight-knit, and I’m sure everyone’s going to be thinking of their families today.”
A report will be prepared for the coroner and an investigation into the incident will be carried out by the state’s workplace safety authority.
According to the Endeavour mine’s website, it had been operating continuously from 1982 to 2020 and the new owners were in the process of restarting mining activities for silver, zinc and lead metal production this year.
The mine includes a 7km (4.3 miles) decline and 300m shaft, the site said.
NSW Premier Chris Minns extended his condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of the workers who died.
“This is a heartbreaking day for the Cobar community and will be felt across the entire mining industry,” he said.
Safety protocols and procedures have “greatly improved in mining”, Minns said, but the two deaths were a “sobering reminder of why we need to always remain vigilant to protect workers”.
new video loaded: Forecasters Abort Flight Into the Eye of Hurricane Melissa
A hurricane hunter aircraft, tasked with collecting weather data for NOAA, aborted its mission into the eye of Hurricane Melissa after encountering extreme turbulence.
More than half of the grades handed out at Harvard College are A’s, an increase from decades past even as school officials have sounded the alarm for years about rampant grade inflation.
About 60% of the grades handed out in classes for the university’s undergraduate program are A’s, up from 40% a decade ago and less than a quarter 20 years ago, according to a report released Monday by Harvard’s Office of Undergraduate Education. Other elite universities, including competing Ivy League schools, have also been struggling to rein in grade inflation.
The report’s author, Harvard undergraduate dean Amanda Claybaugh, urged faculty to curtail the practice of awarding top scores to the majority of students, saying it undermines academic culture.
“Current practices are not only failing to perform the key functions of grading; they are also damaging the academic culture of the college more generally,” she said in the report.
Harvard’s academic programs are under additional scrutiny because of the Trump administration’s investigations into the university and broader efforts to remake higher education in the US. Federal officials have asked universities to sign a compact that includes commitments to “grade integrity” and the use of “defensible standards” when evaluating students.
One reason why grade inflation has increased at Harvard is concern among faculty about being tougher than their peers and thereby discouraging enrollment in their courses, Claybaugh said in the study, which was reported earlier by the Harvard Crimson.
Administrators have contributed to the issue by telling professors they should be mindful that some students struggle with “imposter syndrome” or have difficult family situations, she said. In addition, Harvard students, while not the “snowflake” stereotypes they’re sometimes made out to be, pressure their professors for better grades, according to the report.
The cutoff for earning summa cum laude honors at Harvard is now 3.989, higher than previous years. However, the number of first-year students with a 4.0 grade point average decreased by about 12% in the most recently completed academic year compared with the prior period. That’s a sign of progress and a reminder that the university isn’t “at the mercy of inexorable trends, that the grades we give don’t always have to rise,” Claybaugh said.
The Harvard report recommended that faculty share the median grades for courses and review the distribution of grades over time. A separate university committee is considering allowing faculty to give out a limited number of A+ grades, a break from Harvard’s current top grade of A. Such a move “would increase the information our grades provide by distinguishing the very best students,” Claybaugh said.
Administrators can also help mitigate grade inflation by better valuing rigorous teaching processes in faculty reviews, she said.
US president heaps praise on Japan’s first female prime minister as the leaders sign deals on the supply of rare earth minerals.
United States President Donald Trump has met Japan’s first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, in Tokyo, welcoming her pledge to accelerate a military buildup and signing deals on trade and critical minerals.
Trump on Tuesday lavished praise on Takaichi, saying she would be a “great” leader, while the prime minister said she planned to nominate the US president for a Nobel Peace Prize, according to the White House.
Recommended Stories
list of 4 itemsend of list
Takaichi – a close ally of Trump’s friend and golfing partner, late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe – is also expected to offer a package of US investments under a $550bn deal agreed on this year, the Reuters news agency reported.
This included shipbuilding and increased purchases of US soya beans, natural gas and pick-up trucks, the agency reported, citing sources familiar with the talks.
Those gestures may temper any Trump demands for Tokyo to spend more on defending islands from an increasingly assertive China, which Takaichi sought to head off by pledging last week to fast-track plans to increase defence spending to 2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP).
“It’s a very strong handshake,” Trump said, as the pair posed for photos at the Akasaka Palace in downtown Tokyo.
“Everything I know from Shinzo and others, you will be one of the great prime ministers. I’d also like to congratulate you on being the first woman prime minister. It’s a big deal,” Trump told Takaichi as the pair sat down for discussions with their delegations.
Takaichi gifted Trump Abe’s putter, a golf bag signed by Japanese major winner Hideki Matsuyama, and a gold-leaf golf ball, according to photos posted on X by Trump’s assistant, Margo Martin.
The US president was last at the palace, an ornate residence built in a European style, in 2019 for talks with Abe, who was assassinated in 2022.
Deal on critical minerals
Trump also praised Japan’s efforts to buy more US defence equipment, while Takaichi said that Trump’s role in securing ceasefires between Cambodia and Thailand, and Israel and Palestinian armed groups were “unprecedented” achievements.
“In such a short period of time, the world started to enjoy more peace,” Takaichi told reporters through an interpreter.
“I, myself, was so impressed and inspired by you, Mr President,” Takaichi added.
The leaders then signed an agreement to support the supply of critical minerals and rare earths, as the countries seek to wean reliance off China’s chokehold on the materials, which are crucial for a wide range of products, from smartphones to fighter jets.
The White House, in a statement, said the objective of the deal was “to assist both countries in achieving resilience and security of critical minerals and rare earths supply chains”.
It added that the US and Japan “jointly identify projects of interest to address gaps in supply chains for critical minerals and rare earths, including derivative products such as permanent magnets, batteries, catalysts, and optical materials”.
Trump and Takaichi will later visit the US naval base in Yokosuka near Tokyo, which is home to the aircraft carrier USS George Washington, part of the US military’s powerful presence in the region.
Trump will then meet business leaders in Tokyo, before travelling on Wednesday to South Korea. In talks there with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump said he hopes to seal a trade war truce between the world’s two biggest economies.
MBW Explains is a series of analytical features in which we explore the context behind major music industry talking points – and suggest what might happen next. Only MBW+ subscribers have unlimited access to these articles. MBW Explains is supported by Reservoir.
The Mechanical Licensing Collective’s legal battle with Spotify over audiobook bundling and royalty payments has entered a new phase following a series of October court filings.
The dispute traces back to March 2024, when Spotify reclassified its Premium subscription tiers as “bundles” after adding 15 hours of monthly audiobook access to these plans.
Under the 2022 Phonorecords IV settlement, an agreement between music publishers and streaming services that governs mechanical royalty rates through 2027, bundled multimedia services are permitted to pay lower mechanical royalty rates than standalone music subscriptions.
The MLC, designated by the US Copyright Office to administer the blanket compulsory mechanical license, filed suit in May 2024, alleging the platform was illegally underpaying royalties to songwriters and publishers.
In January 2025, Judge Analisa Torres dismissed the lawsuit with prejudice. Torres ruled that “audiobook streaming is a product or service that is distinct from music streaming and has more than token value” and that “Premium is, therefore, properly categorized as a Bundle.”
Last month, Judge Torres granted the MLC permission to file an amended complaint.
Here are three recent developments you might have missed:
1. THE MLC FILED AN AMENDED COMPLAINT ON OCTOBER 1, FOCUSING ON SPOTIFY’S MARKETING AND PRICING OF AUDIOBOOKS ACCESS
Following the September 25 court order that allowed the case to proceed with modified claims, The MLC filed its amended complaint on October 1, meeting the October 2 deadline set by Judge Torres.
The 48-page filing, which you can read in full here, presents arguments that Spotify’s bundling strategy violated regulatory requirements. The complaint makes two key amendments to the MLC’s original case.
First, the MLC challenges how Spotify valued and marketed Audiobooks Access, the $9.99 standalone subscription that serves as the basis for Spotify’s bundling calculation.
In the filing, the MLC contrasts how Spotify marketed Audiobooks Access versus how it announced the addition of audiobooks to Premium.
“Spotify, a sophisticated marketer that had grown Premium into the largest music streaming service in the world, launched Audiobooks Access with effectively no marketing,” the complaint states. The filing notes that Spotify’s announcement of audiobooks in Premium was a “highly publicized announcement” that featured comments from senior executives, including founder Daniel Ek.
According to the filing, “upon information and belief, the principal marketing for Audiobooks Access at launch consisted of a single 150-word press release that Spotify issued on March 1, 2024.” The MLC alleges that for months after launch, Spotify’s homepage listing subscription plans didn’t even mention Audiobooks Access, and the plan “could [only] be found by searching for words such as ‘Spotify’ and ‘Audiobooks Access’ on Google or a similar search engine.”
The MLC alleges that “Spotify has improperly used the price of Audiobooks Access as the value of the audiobooks component when calculating Service Provider Revenue for Spotify’s Premium tiers, which artificially inflated the value of the audiobooks component and, in turn, improperly reduced the amount of royalties paid for the music component of Premium.”
The complaint states that Audiobooks Access was “launched only in the United States,” despite Spotify providing audiobooks in nine other countries, but only to Premium subscribers, never as a standalone offering.
Second, the MLC argues that Audiobooks Access itself should be classified as a bundle. “Further, if Premium is properly characterized as a Bundle of music and audiobooks components, as the Court has previously concluded, then so too is Audiobooks Access, meaning that Spotify must report and pay royalties for Audiobooks Access as a Bundled Subscription Offering,” the filing states.
The complaint emphasizes: “There can be no dispute that Audiobooks Access is not a ‘standalone’ audiobooks offering. Spotify has repeatedly acknowledged throughout this litigation that Audiobooks Access provides its subscribers with music.”
The MLC contends that Spotify improperly combines reporting and payment of royalties for Audiobooks Access with Spotify Free, which “contravenes the plain language of the applicable regulations,” allowing Spotify to pay lower free-service rates instead of higher bundled subscription rates, thereby “sidestepping important royalty-calculation provisions under the Copyright Act.”
Tingey Law Firm via Unsplash
2. THE MLC DEMANDED A JURY TRIAL ON OCTOBER 8
Just over a week after filing its amended complaint, The MLC formally demanded a jury trial in the case on October 8, via a filing that can be read here.
The decision to request a jury trial marks a strategic shift for the MLC.
The jury demand puts factual questions before a jury rather than leaving them to a judge’s legal interpretation; specifically, how Spotify designed and priced Audiobooks Access, and whether it properly reported royalties for the service.
According to court filings, a case management conference is scheduled for November 3, with attorneys expected to file a proposed discovery schedule in advance of that proceeding.
The MLC’s path to a jury trial represents a significant pivot from its original legal strategy. When Judge Torres dismissed the initial complaint in January, she ruled that “audiobook streaming is a product or service that is distinct from music streaming and has more than token value” and that “Premium is, therefore, properly categorized as a Bundle.”
Rather than appeal that ruling directly, the MLC obtained permission to file an amended complaint focusing on different arguments: that Spotify artificially manipulated Audiobooks Access pricing and improperly classified the tier for royalty reporting purposes. These claims center on Spotify’s business decisions and practices, questions the MLC appears to believe are better suited for jury evaluation than legal interpretation alone.
Credit: miss.cabul / Shutterstock.com
3. SPOTIFY FILED its response ON OCTOBER 24, CHALLENGING THE MLC’S NEW CLAIMS
On Friday (October 24), Spotify filed its 35-page response to the MLC’s amended complaint through its legal team at Latham & Watkins, led by partner Allison L. Stillman. The document addresses both of the MLC’s theories while arguing that the claims lack factual support. You can read the filing in full here.
Spotify’s response notes the procedural history, admitting that “in October 2023, it announced that Premium subscribers would gain access to 15 hours of monthly audiobook streaming” and that “Premium subscribers began receiving this benefit in November 2023.” The filing characterizes the new claims as “two peripheral issues…both of which are unsupportable by the facts.”
Spotify’s response defends its $9.99 audiobook valuation with a comparative market analysis. The response also states that competing audiobook services “offering similar access to bestsellers cost at least $9.99 monthly, with most priced higher.”
Spotify provides specific pricing comparisons:
Audible Premium Plus: $14.95 per month
Barnes & Noble audiobook subscription: $14.99 per month
Kobo Plus (Read & Listen): $9.99 per month
Regarding the cheapest service the MLC cited, Spotify’s filing states: “The least expensive of the audiobook services cited by MLC in its Amended Complaint, Amazon‘s Audible Plus, is $7.95, and it gives access to virtually no bestsellers.”
The filing continues: “Furthermore, no other subscription audiobook service in the U.S. of which Spotify is aware costs less than $7.95 per month. What this means is that the least that the audiobook component of Spotify Premium could conceivably be valued at, consistent with the law, is $7.95 per month.”
Spotify then addresses even this lower price point: “even if Spotify were to use $7.95 as the standalone price in the Bundle calculation (which it should not), the result would be an extremely small percentage increase in royalties paid to the MLC.”
On the Audiobooks Access classification. Spotify argues the MLC’s second claim fails on a technical basis. “The music component of Audiobooks Access is Spotify Free, which is a nonsubscription music offering that is given free to any consumer,” the filing states. “Therefore, there is no plausible argument that ‘Audiobook[s] Access’ could in fact be a ‘Bundle’ under the existing regulations.”
The filing emphasizes that even if the MLC’s theory had merit, “the royalties at stake with respect to this issue, even if they could be properly calculated, would be miniscule—a drop in comparison to the ocean of royalties Spotify pays to the MLC.”
Spotify’s response addresses the financial implications of the MLC’s claims. “Ultimately, despite public statements by MLC and publisher representatives to the contrary, MLC’s remaining claims would not result in any dramatic increase in royalty payments to songwriters and publishers,” the filing continues.
The filing adds: “All of this raises serious questions about MLC’s motivations in continuing to spend resources on this litigation.”
Spotify requested dismissal of all claims with prejudice and reimbursement of legal fees.
The company noted in a regulatory filing in August that if the MLC were “entirely successful in its case, the additional royalties that would be due in relation to the period March 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025, would be approximately €256 million” (roughly $290 million), plus potentially penalties and interest.
All three majors have now inked direct publishing agreements with Spotify that move beyond the traditional CRB model in the US.
Spotify signed an agreement with Sony Music Publishing earlier this month that includes a new direct licensing arrangement in the US, which the streaming company said will, “ensur[e] songwriters share more directly in the growth of streaming”.
Spotify also signed a direct licensing deal with Kobalt covering the US last month.
MBW Explains is a series of analytical features in which we explore the context behind major music industry talking points – and suggest what might happen next. Only MBW+ subscribers have unlimited access to these articles. MBW Explains is supported by Reservoir.Music Business Worldwide
US President Donald Trump has not ruled out the possibility of seeking a third term for the White House, saying he would “love to do it”.
But Trump rejected the possibility of running for vice-president in 2028 – an idea floated by some supporters as a way for him to circumvent the US constitution that bars the president from running for a third term.
Speaking to reporters during his trip to Asia, Trump described the idea as “too cute” and said it “wouldn’t be right”.
It is unclear what method he would use to run again. Last week, former Trump strategist Steve Bannon said that a “plan” was in place to secure the 79-year-old president another term.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on his way to Japan from Malaysia, Trump said that while he would “be allowed” to run again as vice-president, he had no plans to do so.
“I think people wouldn’t like that,” he said. “It’s too cute. It wouldn’t be right.”
Talking about the possibility of a third term, Trump said: “I haven’t really thought about it. But I have the best poll numbers that I’ve ever had.”
Additionally, Trump also suggested vice-president JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as potential successors, calling them “unstoppable”.
“All I can tell you is that we have a great group of people, which they don’t,” he added, referring to Democrats.
The 22nd amendment of the US constitution bars presidents from seeking a third term.
Repealing the amendment would require approval from two-thirds of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, or a constitutional convention called by two-thirds of state legislatures – a process viewed as highly unlikely.
The amendment would also need to have the backing of 38 states to ratify it, or making it officially valid.
Last week, former Trump adviser Steve Bannon – who remains a vocal supporter – claimed there was a “plan” to secure a third term for Trump.
“Trump is going to be president in ’28, and people ought to just get accommodated with that,” Bannon told The Economist. “At the appropriate time, we’ll lay out what the plan is.”
In March, Trump told CNBC he would “probably not” run again, though he later said he was “not joking” about the possibility.
It is still unclear which Democrats intend to run for the White House in 2028, although several have already expressed an interest.
On Sunday, California Governor Gavin Newsom told CBS, the BBC’s US partner, that he would “be lying” if he said he was not giving serious thought to a presidential bid.
Former vice-president Kamala Harris also told the BBC she may run again and that she could “possibly” be president in the future.
A required part of this site couldn’t load. This may be due to a browser
extension, network issues, or browser settings. Please check your
connection, disable any ad blockers, or try using a different browser.
Fitter and Faster Swim Camps is the proud sponsor of SwimSwam’s College Recruiting Channel and all commitment news. For many, swimming in college is a lifelong dream that is pursued with dedication and determination. Fitter and Faster is proud to honor these athletes and those who supported them on their journey.
Dublin, Ohio’s Jake Lloyd, who originally committed to Texas A&M six months ago, has flipped his verbal pledge to Arizona State University for the 2026-27 school year and beyond. He confirmed in writing to SwimSwam:
“After much thoughtful consideration, I am extremely excited to announce I will be continuing my academic and athletic careers at Arizona State University. I’m beyond grateful for the support and encouragement I’ve received from my family, friends, and coaches along the way — especially Coach Kyle, Coach McKinley, and Coach Lopresti, who’ve played a huge role in my development. A special thank you to Coach Herbie, Coach Daniel, and the entire Sun Devil staff for believing in me and offering this incredible opportunity. I can’t wait to be a part of something special in Tempe. Forks up!”
Lloyd won the Ohio High School Division I State Championship title in the 50 free as a sophomore at St. Charles Preparatory School, clocking in at a then-PB of 20.28. He also placed 5th in the 100 free in 2024, notching a best time of 45.90 in prelims. This past season, he was runner-up in both the 50 free (19.96) and 100 free (44.83) at high school States. Both times were new lifetime bests, and his 50 free marked the first time he had broken 20 seconds. He has also won 3 state relay titles: once in the 4×50 free and twice in the 4×50 medley.
Earlier in the season, he had thrown down PBs in the 100 free (45.11), 200 free (1:41.41), 100 breast (55.52), 50 fly (21.81), and 100 fly (49.31) while swimming with his club team, Central Ohio Aquatics, at the BGSC November Senior Invitational. At 2024 Winter Juniors East, he competed in the 50/100 free, 100 breast, and 100 fly and lowered his 100 free time to 44.85.
In LCM season, Lloyd clocked PBs in the 50 free (22.72), 100 free (52.18), 50 breast (27.79), 100 breast (1:02.99), 50 fly (24.37), and 100 fly (55.96) over the course of the summer. At Junior Nationals in Irvine, he was runner-up in the 50 breast and placed 3rd in the 50 free, 11th in the 50 fly, and 12th in the 100 breast. He closed out the summer ranked #1 among 17-year-olds (and #3 for 18-and-unders) in the 50m breast, and #4 among 17-year-olds (#8 for 18-and-unders) in the 50m free.
Lloyd is a member of the NAG record-holding quartets in the 15-16 boys’ 200-yard free relay and 200-meter free relay and the 15-16 mixed 200-yard medley relay. He holds the SwimStrong Dryland record in the broad jump with 10’.
Best SCY times:
50 free – 19.82
100 free – 44.83
50 breast – 25.26
100 breast – 55.52
50 fly – 21.81
100 fly – 49.31
If you have a commitment to report, please send an email with a photo (landscape, or horizontal, looks best) and a quote to Recruits@swimswam.com.
About the Fitter and Faster Swim Tour
Fitter & Faster Swim Camps feature the most innovative teaching platforms for competitive swimmers of all levels. Camps are produced year-round throughout the USA and Canada. All camps are led by elite swimmers and coaches. Visit fitterandfaster.com to find or request a swim camp near you.
