Welcome to SBS News in Easy English, I'm Kerrin Thomas
In the United States, voters have cast ballots in midterm elections widely seen as a referendum on President Donald Trump's second term.
Democrats are hoping to regain control of the House of Representatives, while control of the Senate remains uncertain.
More than 57 million Americans voted before election day, with reports of voter turnout on pace to beat the numbers in the last midterms in 2022.
Georgia's Republican secretary of state, Brad Raffensperger, says based on the numbers he's seeing, the state is on track to have a total turnout of 1.4 million votes on election day alone.
He says the day has been relatively smooth, but there have been screen errors.
"With Fulton (county) approximately 1,000 ballots from advance voting will be rescanned, as the equipment was taken out of service as a precaution due to screen errors. This will not delay the results at the end of the day. It is one of those things that can happen - and we have procedures in place."
Problems with voting equipment were also reported in other parts of the country - including counties in Georgia, Iowa, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Wisconsin - potentially causing local delays in voting and ballot-counting.
Ballot scanners failed to accept ballots at polling sites across New York’s Westchester County, prompting right-wing influencers to voice unfounded allegations of fraud, with local election officials insisting all ballots would be counted.
Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins says the New York State Board of Elections have things well in hand.
"Let's think about this as the old days in the school when you go to the Board of Elections or you go to your polling place, you still get your ballot and you fill that ballot out, when you go to the machine and you would put it into the scanner, that part is not working the same right now. So they're going to work as hard as they can to continue that. There's been questions about extending the time. There's not a need at this point in time."
More than 1200 jobs will be impacted by a major restructure at software design firm Canva, with some roles to be cut and others relocated.
Founder and chief executive of the Sydney-based company Melanie Perkins broke the news in a company-wide note on Wednesday.
As much as 22 per cent of the firm's headcount will be impacted by layoffs, role changes or relocations as it confronts a year of slowed growth.
It comes amid concerns design firms may lose business to an increasingly competitive artificial intelligence industry.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says he's had a successful meeting with UK PM Andy Burnham, where they discussed the progress of the AUKUS trilateral defence and security partnership.
Speaking from Antigua and Barbuda where he's attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, Mr Albanese says AUKUS is essential for Australian jobs as well as the country's national security.
"Prime Minister Burnham is very supportive of it, and we were able to talk about the progress that has been made at Barrow in the UK, and the progress that has been made - particularly in Adelaide, Osborne, but also at Henderson. Osbourne South Australia of course it is critical because the * SSN- AUKUS (class submarines) will be built - in Barrow and in Adelaide."
Mr Albanese also met with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney , where he says they discussed defence, critical minerals and trade.
Consumer advocacy group Choice has revealed its annual Shonky Award winners for its picks of the nation's dodgiest products and services.
Major ticket merchants are accused of allowing dynamic pricing schemes, through which ticket costs can rise during sale periods.
And a washer-dryer with an eight-star energy rating for drying also collected an award for so-called "eco" wash and dry cycles lasting a total of 25 hours.
A company selling protein chips received an award for the 886 per cent price mark-up compared to competitors offering similar products.
Choice has run its Shonky Awards for Australian products and services for just over two decades.
I'm Kerrin Thomas, this is SBS News in Easy English.
