Latest News Stories
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Today
Victoria’s 2026-27 state budget: cost-of-living relief, debt, and election-year spending
Victoria’s 2026-27 state budget, delivered by Treasurer Jaclyn Symes ahead of the November election, focuses on cost-of-living relief, health, education, and infrastructure while grappling with record...
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- Victoria’s 2026-27 budget includes $432.5 million for free public transport until May 31 and half-price fares until January 1, 2027.
- The budget allocates $758.5 million for a 20% discount on car registrations, saving up to $186 per vehicle.
- Victoria’s net debt is projected to reach $199.3 billion by 2029-30, with interest payments forecast at $11.8 billion annually by 2029-30.
Newborn death and infant hospitalization at Wagga Wagga homeless camp sparks housing crisis debate
A tragic incident in Wagga Wagga on May 4, 2026, saw a newborn baby die and another infant hospitalized after being born in a riverside homeless encampment near Wagga Beach. Emergency services found a...
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- A 37-year-old woman and two infants (one dead, one critically ill) were found at a riverside homeless encampment near Wagga Beach, Wagga Wagga, NSW, on Saturday, May 4, 2026.
- The deceased infant was found inside a tent along the Murrumbidgee River near Cadell Place/Wagga Beach.
- Police confirmed no suspicious circumstances and a report will be prepared for the coroner.
Deadly hantavirus outbreak suspected on cruise ship MV Hondius in Atlantic Ocean
A suspected hantavirus outbreak on the cruise ship MV Hondius has killed three people, including a Dutch couple and a German national, and left at least three others seriously ill. The ship, operated ...
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- Three people have died from a suspected hantavirus outbreak on the cruise ship MV Hondius, including a Dutch couple (70-year-old man and 69-year-old woman) and a German national.
- The cruise ship MV Hondius is operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, a Netherlands-based company.
- The ship departed from Argentina and was traveling toward Cape Verde when the outbreak occurred.
RBA raises interest rates to 4.35% amid inflation and Middle East war impact
The Reserve Bank of Australia raised interest rates for the third time in 2026, lifting the cash rate to 4.35% to combat inflation exacerbated by the Middle East war. The decision, supported by eight ...
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- The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) raised the official cash rate by 0.25 percentage points to 4.35% on May 5, 2026, marking the third consecutive hike in 2026.
- Eight of the nine RBA board members voted to increase the cash rate, while one member voted to leave it unchanged at 4.1%.
- Headline inflation in Australia reached 4.6% in the 12 months to March 2026, with fuel prices surging 32.8% in March due to the Middle East war.
Sydney Lord Mayor cancels 'Globalise the Intifada' forum over safety concerns
Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore cancelled a 'Globalise the Intifada' forum scheduled for May 6, 2026, at a council-owned venue, citing concerns over public safety and social cohesion amid heightened te...
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- Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore cancelled an event titled 'Why it is right to say Globalise the Intifada?' scheduled for Tuesday night in a council-owned building (East Sydney Community Arts Centre).
- The NSW Jewish Board of Deputies welcomed the cancellation, stating it had been 'engaging intensively with the council' about the event's risks to public safety and social cohesion.
- The event was organised by the Stop The War On Palestine group.
Australian author Craig Silvey pleads guilty to child exploitation charges
Award-winning Australian author Craig Silvey, best known for books like *Jasper Jones* and *Rhubarb*, pleaded guilty on May 5, 2026, to possessing and distributing child exploitation material in Frema...
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- Craig Silvey pleaded guilty to possessing and distributing child exploitation material
- Silvey was first charged in January 2026 after police raided his Fremantle home and seized electronic devices
- Two additional charges (including producing child exploitation material between February and June 2022) were discontinued
Three dead in NSW boating tragedy after rescue boat capsizes in heavy conditions
Three people died and four survived after a Marine Rescue NSW boat capsized in heavy conditions while responding to a distressed yacht off the South Ballina break wall on Monday night. The incident oc...
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- Three people died in the incident off the NSW coast near Ballina.
- Four people made it to shore after the incident.
- The incident occurred on Monday night (May 5, 2026, or May 4, 2026, depending on timezone) around 6:15 PM local time.
AFL fines Carlton $75,000 for mishandling Elijah Hollands' mental health episode during Collingwood match
The AFL fined Carlton $75,000 for failing to remove Elijah Hollands from the field during a mental health episode in their round six match against Collingwood at the MCG on April 16, 2026. Hollands, a...
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- Carlton was fined $75,000 by the AFL for not removing Elijah Hollands from the field during his mental health episode in round six against Collingwood
- The incident occurred during Carlton's match against Collingwood at the MCG on April 16, 2026
- Elijah Hollands was hospitalized five days after the match (April 21, 2026)
Australian parliament inquiry secretly allows tobacco lobbyists private testimony despite health concerns
Two Australian news outlets report that Philip Morris, a major tobacco company, gave private testimony during a Senate inquiry into illegal tobacco trade on May 4, 2026, despite objections from health...
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- Philip Morris representatives gave evidence in a closed (in-camera) session during a Senate inquiry into illegal tobacco trade on 2026-05-04
- The inquiry is chaired by Liberal senator Leah Blyth and is examining the illegal tobacco market in Australia
- Health Minister Mark Butler wrote to Senator Blyth on 2026-04-27 (Friday last week) advising against inviting tobacco industry representatives due to obligations under the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) Article 5.3
Convicted child sex offender banned from healthcare after posing as a doctor and counselling children
Frankie Allan Bailey, a 60-year-old former headmaster at St Andrew’s Christian College in Grafton, was convicted in 2009 and 2010 of multiple child sex offences involving students aged 14 and 16. Afte...
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- Frankie Allan Bailey was convicted in 2009 of five counts of sexual intercourse with a 16-year-old student at St Andrew’s Christian College, Grafton, where he was headmaster.
- Bailey was convicted in 2010 of aggravated sexual assault of a 14-year-old student at the same school, where he drugged her and molested her.
- Bailey was sentenced to a total of 10 years in prison (2009–2019) for his crimes, with a non-parole period of six years.
Rising antisemitism in Australia and its impact on Jewish children post-Bondi massacre
A royal commission in Australia is examining the rise of antisemitism, particularly its impact on Jewish children, following the December 2025 Bondi massacre where 15 people were killed during a Hanuk...
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- The Bondi massacre occurred on December 2025, where two alleged Islamic State-inspired gunmen shot and killed 15 people and injured 40 others at a beachside Hanukah event for the Jewish community.
- A royal commission into antisemitism and social cohesion was established after the Bondi massacre, with hearings focused on defining antisemitism, its historical and contemporary manifestations, and its current impact on Jewish Australians.
- Jewish children in Australia are experiencing antisemitic abuse at school, including swastikas daubed on walls and Nazi salutes performed by classmates.
Western Australia bans no-grounds evictions in housing policy shift
Western Australia’s government announced on May 4, 2026, that it will ban no-grounds evictions, requiring landlords to provide a valid reason to terminate a tenancy. The move, led by Commerce Minister...
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- Western Australia will ban no-grounds evictions, requiring landlords to provide a valid reason to terminate a tenancy.
- WA Commerce Minister and Attorney-General Tony Buti announced the ban on May 4, 2026, calling it a 'commonsense approach' to easing housing pressures.
- WA and the Northern Territory are the only jurisdictions in Australia that previously allowed no-grounds evictions.
Australian couple and Colombian surrogate allege exploitation by surrogacy broker Paul Norris-Ongso
The articles detail a surrogacy scandal involving Australian couple Melinda and Gail McCann, Colombian surrogate Danna Martinez, and Melbourne lawyer Paul Norris-Ongso, who ran Global Surrogacy (now K...
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- Melinda McCann and her wife Gail paid approximately $100,000 to Paul Norris-Ongso’s company Global Surrogacy (now KinPath Surrogacy) for surrogacy services in 2023.
- Surrogate Danna Martinez from Colombia’s north was matched with the McCanns and gave birth to a baby girl named Alexis Bella Danna in October 2024.
- Martinez alleged she was paid only $20,500 (10 monthly payments of $900, insurance, social security, and a $10,500 post-birth bonus) instead of the $40,000 the McCanns were told she would receive.
One Nation infighting and Farrer byelection candidate David Farley’s shifting party loyalties
The Farrer NSW byelection on May 9, 2026, pits One Nation’s David Farley against independent Michelle Milthorpe, both seen as frontrunners in the former Liberal seat. Farley’s candidacy has been scrut...
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- David Farley is the One Nation candidate running in the Farrer NSW byelection scheduled for May 9, 2026
- Farley previously attempted to join Labor as a branch member in 2021 and donated to the party’s election fund as late as 2023
- Farley was also a one-time NSW Nationals member and considered running for the Nationals in 2018
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni settle lawsuit over *It Ends With Us* production disputes
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni settled their high-profile lawsuit in May 2026, just weeks before a trial was set to begin in New York. The dispute stemmed from allegations by Lively that Baldoni sexu...
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- Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni settled their lawsuit over the 2024 film *It Ends With Us* in May 2026, weeks before trial.
- Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and fostering a hostile work environment during production, alleging retaliation by his company, Wayfarer Studios.
- Baldoni filed a $400m counter-defamation lawsuit against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, and a $250m lawsuit against the *New York Times* in 2024.
Top tennis players criticize French Open prize money and governance
Top tennis players, including Aryna Sabalenka, Jannik Sinner, and others, have criticized the French Open for offering insufficient prize money increases despite record revenues. The 2026 prize pool o...
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- Aryna Sabalenka and Jannik Sinner are among top players expressing 'deep disappointment' over French Open prize money increases.
- French Open prize money for 2026 is €61.7 million ($100.7 million), a 9.5% (ABC) or 10% (Guardian) increase from 2025.
- Players claim their share of Roland Garros revenue fell from 15.5% in 2024 to 14.9% projected in 2026 (ABC) or 14.3% in 2025 (Guardian).
Sydney man charged with murdering family members in alleged home attack
A 32-year-old Sydney man, Jacky Amazing Feng, is accused of murdering his parents and younger brother and attempting to kill another brother in a violent home attack on May 4, 2026, at their Rosemeado...
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- Jacky Amazing Feng, 32, is accused of murdering his mother (65), father (64), and younger brother (25), and attempted murder of another brother (30)
- The attack occurred at the family home on Juliet Close, Rosemeadow, Sydney, on Sunday morning (May 4, 2026)
- Police were called to the scene at approximately 1:30 AM on Sunday, May 4, 2026, after reports of an assault
Steph Gilmore wins WSL event at Gold Coast after two-year hiatus, reigniting title race
Stephanie Gilmore, the 38-year-old eight-time WSL champion, staged a dramatic comeback at her hometown Snapper Rocks on May 4, 2026, defeating Brazilian prodigy Luana Silva in a thrilling final to cla...
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- Stephanie Gilmore won the Gold Coast Pro event (Snapper Rocks) on 2026-05-04, defeating Luana Silva in the final with a 9.50 score in the final heat.
- Gilmore’s victory was her 34th WSL event win (most for a woman in surfing history) and her 7th win at Snapper Rocks.
- Gilmore, 38, returned to competition after a two-year hiatus, having been eliminated in the first round at Bells Beach and Margaret River earlier in 2026.
Yesterday
Car ramming incident in Leipzig kills two, injures others; driver arrested
On May 4, 2026, a car ramming incident in Leipzig’s city centre killed two people and injured at least two seriously, with varying reports on lighter injuries ranging from 8 to 25. A Volkswagen SUV pl...
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- Two people were killed in the incident on Grimmaische Street in Leipzig's city centre.
- At least two people were seriously injured in the incident.
- A damaged Volkswagen SUV was involved in the attack, with a person (later identified as a young woman or girl) on top of the vehicle.
Europe seeks to rebuild global order amid US-Nato tensions and geopolitical shifts
World leaders gathered at the European Political Community summit in Yerevan, Armenia, on May 4, 2026, to discuss Europe's role in rebuilding a rules-based international order amid growing tensions wi...
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- Mark Carney (Canadian Prime Minister) stated at the European Political Community (EPC) summit in Yerevan, Armenia, that 'the international order will be rebuilt, but it will be rebuilt out of Europe'
- The EPC summit took place in Yerevan, Armenia, on May 4, 2026, amid tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and concerns over US commitment to NATO
- Donald Trump announced the withdrawal of more than 5,000 US troops from Germany, raising concerns about NATO reliability