Latest News Stories
Sorted by number of sources covering the story
Today
Death of ABC radio presenter James Valentine at 64 after cancer battle
James Valentine, the beloved ABC Sydney radio presenter and musician, died on April 23, 2026, at the age of 64 after a two-year battle with cancer. Known for his warm, witty, and interactive talkback ...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- James Valentine died aged 64 on April 23, 2026, after a battle with cancer
- Valentine hosted ABC Sydney’s Afternoons program for 25 years, retiring in February 2026
- He was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer in March 2024 and announced it live on air
Billionaire Judith Neilson’s ex-staffer Annalouise Spence charged with $1.6m fraud
Annalouise Spence, a former private secretary to billionaire philanthropist Judith Neilson, was arrested on April 23, 2026, and charged with 68 counts of fraud after allegedly spending between $1.5 mi...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- Annalouise Spence, 50, was charged with 68 counts of dishonestly obtaining property by deception from Judith Neilson
- Spence allegedly spent over $1.6 million (ABC) or $1.5 million (The Age/SMH) on luxury items, including clothing, artwork, and jewellery, using Neilson’s credit cards and accounts between March 2023 and September 2025
- Spence was arrested on Wednesday, April 23, 2026, at her home in Sydney’s inner west (Erskineville) after a police raid
ACCC sues Woolworths over alleged fake 'Prices Dropped' discounts
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is suing Woolworths in the Federal Court in Sydney, alleging the supermarket misled customers with fake discounts on 266 products between Sept...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- The ACCC alleges Woolworths misled customers by offering illusory discounts on at least 266 products between September 2021 and May 2023 via the 'Prices Dropped' program
- Woolworths temporarily increased prices of products by at least 15% for 45 days or less before placing them on 'Prices Dropped' promotions at prices higher than or equal to their original long-term prices
- The ACCC claims Woolworths contravened its own internal 'guardrails' for the 'Prices Dropped' program, reducing the required price establishment period from 8–12 weeks to 3–6 weeks
Fourth suspect charged in mistaken-identity kidnapping-murder of Chris Baghsarian in Sydney
Four men have been charged in the kidnapping and murder of 85-year-old Chris Baghsarian, who was abducted from his North Ryde home on February 13, 2026, in a case of mistaken identity. The intended ta...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- Chris Baghsarian, 85, was abducted from his North Ryde home in Sydney’s north-west on February 13, 2026, around 5:00 AM in a case of mistaken identity
- Baghsarian’s remains were found near a golf course in Pitt Town on February 24, 2026, at 8:00 AM
- A 19-year-old man was arrested and charged on April 21, 2026, with murder and kidnapping with intent to ransom or occasion bodily harm
Shooting at Mexico’s Teotihuacán pyramids leaves one dead, six injured
A shooting at Mexico’s Teotihuacán pyramids on April 21, 2026, left one Canadian tourist dead and six others injured, including tourists from Colombia and Russia. The gunman, armed with a firearm and ...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- One Canadian tourist (a 32-year-old woman) was killed and six others injured in a shooting at the Pyramid of the Moon in Teotihuacán, Mexico, on April 21, 2026, around 11:30 AM local time.
- The shooter, who was armed with a gun and a knife, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
- Four people were wounded by gunshots, and two were injured from falling during the incident.
Queensland Police recall all Glock handguns for safety testing after malfunction risk
Queensland Police Service (QPS) has initiated a statewide recall and testing of all service-issued Glock handguns after identifying a malfunction that could cause multiple shots to fire. The fault was...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- Queensland Police Service (QPS) is testing every service-issued Glock handgun after identifying a fault that could cause multiple shots to fire
- No operational incidents involving service-issued Glock handguns have been reported
- Testing is being conducted across all regions, commands, and divisions in Queensland for officer and community safety
Carlton coach Michael Voss defends club over Elijah Hollands mental health incident
Carlton coach Michael Voss held a combative press conference on April 23, 2026, defending the club’s handling of Elijah Hollands’ mental health episode during Carlton’s match against Collingwood on Ap...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- Elijah Hollands is a 23-year-old Carlton midfielder who was hospitalised after a mental health episode during Carlton’s match against Collingwood on 2026-04-18 (last Thursday night)
- Michael Voss held a combative press conference on 2026-04-23 at Princes Park (Carlton’s training ground) to defend the club’s handling of Hollands’ situation
- Voss accused the media of ‘bordering on bullying’ and stated ‘our people have been bullied’ during the press conference
Australia’s debate over taxing gas export profits and PRRT reform
Australia is debating whether to impose a new tax on gas export profits, with a Senate inquiry examining the current Petroleum Resource Rent Tax (PRRT) and calls for higher royalties. Konrad Benjamin,...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- Konrad Benjamin, a former school teacher and creator of the social media account 'Punters Politics', testified before the Senate inquiry into gas taxation on April 21, 2026, criticizing Australia for 'giving away' liquefied natural gas (LNG) for free.
- The current Petroleum Resource Rent Tax (PRRT) generated approximately $1.5 billion in revenue for the Australian government in 2025, which is less than the $2.7 billion raised from beer excise.
- Richard Denniss, executive director of the Australia Institute, stated that Japan collects about $8 billion annually from taxes on imported Australian gas and coal, more than Australia’s $1.4 billion PRRT revenue.
Anzac Day 2026 public holiday rules and double demerits across Australia
Anzac Day 2026 falls on a Saturday, leading to varied public holiday arrangements across Australia. NSW, Western Australia, and the ACT granted a public holiday on Monday, April 27, while other states...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- Anzac Day falls on a Saturday in 2026 (April 25)
- NSW, Western Australia, and the ACT grant a public holiday on Monday, April 27, 2026, following Anzac Day
- Northern Territory, Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania, and South Australia do not have a public holiday on Monday, April 27, 2026
Australia invests $30m in counter-drone tech amid global conflicts
The Australian government announced a $30 million investment in two counter-drone technologies—Sypaq’s Corvo Strike drone and AIM Defence’s Fractl laser—as part of a $7 billion, 10-year plan to combat...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- The Australian government allocated $30 million to two companies for counter-drone technology: $10.4 million to Sypaq for the Corvo Strike drone and $21.3 million to AIM Defence for the Fractl laser system.
- The $30 million investment is part of a $7 billion total funding commitment for counter-drone measures over the next 10 years under the Integrated Investment Program (IIP).
- The Fractl laser system by AIM Defence can track objects as small as a 10 cent piece traveling at over 100 km/h and burn through steel.
French probe into Elon Musk and X over child abuse, deepfakes, Holocaust denial
French prosecutors are investigating Elon Musk and his social media platform X over allegations of spreading child sexual abuse material, sexually explicit deepfakes, and Holocaust denial through its ...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- Elon Musk and Linda Yaccarino were summoned for voluntary interviews in Paris on April 20, 2026, as part of a French investigation into X (formerly Twitter)
- The investigation was opened in January 2025 by the Paris prosecutor’s cybercrime unit and expanded after X’s AI system Grok generated Holocaust denial content and sexually explicit deepfakes
- Grok generated an estimated 3 million sexualised images, including 23,000 depicting children, in 11 days, according to the Centre for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH)
Man charged over alleged threats to blow up Perth Airport terminal, causing evacuation and flight delays
A Victorian man, Keiron Beau James Hedges, 57, was charged on April 23, 2026, after allegedly threatening to 'blow up' Perth Airport’s Terminal 1 on April 22, 2026. The incident led to the evacuation ...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- Keiron Beau James Hedges, 57, a Victorian man, was charged in relation to an incident at Perth Airport on April 22, 2026.
- Hedges allegedly threatened to 'blow this place up' at Perth Airport's Terminal 1, leading to its evacuation and flight delays.
- A suspicious unattended backpack was found outside Terminal 1, prompting an exclusion zone and bomb squad investigation.
Australian billionaire's waste-to-energy incinerator plan in Fiji sparks backlash
Australian billionaire Ian Malouf and his business partner Rob Cromb are proposing a $630–900 million waste-to-energy incinerator in Fiji, near the tourist hub of Nadi, to burn 900,000 tonnes of waste...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- The proposed waste-to-energy incinerator in Fiji is backed by Australian billionaire Ian Malouf and his business partner Rob Cromb (Kookai fashion label).
- The project is estimated to cost $630 million (Guardian) or $900 million (ABC), with a capacity to burn 900,000 tonnes of non-recyclable waste annually.
- The incinerator is proposed to be built within 15 km (9 miles) of Fiji’s tourism gateway Nadi, near the Vuda coast.
Death of Australian author David Malouf at age 92
Australian author David Malouf, a celebrated poet, novelist, and essayist, died on 22 April 2026 at age 92. Born in Brisbane to a Lebanese-Catholic father and an English-Jewish mother, Malouf began pu...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- David Malouf died on 22 April 2026 at age 92
- Malouf was born on 20 March 1934 in Brisbane, Queensland
- His father, George Malouf, was a Lebanese-Catholic champion boxer; his mother, Welcome Wilhelmina (née Mendoza), was of English-Jewish descent
Chelsea sack Liam Rosenior after five straight Premier League losses without scoring
Chelsea sacked head coach Liam Rosenior on April 22, 2026, after a disastrous five-game Premier League losing streak without scoring, ending their hopes of Champions League qualification. Rosenior, wh...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- Liam Rosenior was sacked as Chelsea head coach after Tuesday’s 3-0 defeat to Brighton on April 22, 2026, ending a five-game Premier League losing streak without scoring.
- Rosenior had been in charge for 23 games since replacing Enzo Maresca in January 2026, with a contract running until 2032.
- Chelsea have not scored in five consecutive Premier League matches, a streak not seen since 1912.
Defamation trial: Rebel Wilson vs. Charlotte MacInnes over sexual harassment claims and social media posts
The defamation trial between Rebel Wilson and Charlotte MacInnes centers on Wilson’s social media posts accusing MacInnes of retracting a sexual harassment complaint against producer Amanda Ghost duri...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- Charlotte MacInnes is suing Rebel Wilson for defamation over social media posts claiming MacInnes lied about a sexual harassment allegation involving producer Amanda Ghost during production of *The Deb* in 2023.
- The incident in question occurred on September 5, 2023, at Bondi Beach, where Amanda Ghost had a medical reaction to cold water and was assisted by MacInnes back to an apartment where a bath was run for her.
- Rebel Wilson’s social media posts in 2024 accused MacInnes of retracting a sexual harassment complaint in exchange for career opportunities, including a lead role in *Gatsby* and a record deal with Atlantic Records.
Albanese government announces sweeping NDIS cuts affecting 160,000 participants
The Albanese government announced sweeping reforms to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) on April 22, 2026, aiming to reduce the number of participants from 760,000 to 600,000 by 2030, cu...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- Mark Butler announced NDIS reforms on April 22, 2026, at the National Press Club, aiming to reduce participants from 760,000 to 600,000 by 2030, cutting 160,000 people from the scheme.
- The NDIS cost is projected to be reduced from $70 billion to $55 billion by 2030 under the reforms.
- The annual growth rate of the NDIS will be reduced to 2% until 2030, down from a forecast 10.3% growth in 2025-26.
NSW coroner refers Jackson Stacker's 2021 death to homicide squad after inquest raises unanswered questions
The death of 25-year-old Jackson Stacker in August 2021 near Byron Bay, NSW, has been referred to the state’s Unsolved Homicide Squad after a coronial inquest raised serious questions about the circum...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- Jackson Stacker, a 25-year-old Melbourne man, died in 2021 near Byron Bay, NSW, with his remains found on August 25, 2021, under a tree in a paddock near Sleepy Hollow, Pottsville (40km north of Byron Bay).
- Stacker’s abandoned Toyota Hiace van was found on August 23, 2021, at a rest stop in Sleepy Hollow, with keys in the ignition and ransacked contents.
- A large hunting-style knife was found in Stacker’s left chest area, with the handle resting on his right hand; no DNA evidence was extracted from the knife.
New Zealand PM Christopher Luxon survives leadership vote amid poll slump
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon survived a leadership confidence vote on April 21, 2026, after a caucus meeting in Wellington that lasted over two hours. The vote came amid declining poll...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- Christopher Luxon survived a National Party caucus leadership confidence vote on 2026-04-21 in Wellington, declaring the matter 'now closed' and refusing further comment
- Luxon called the media speculation about his leadership a 'media soap opera' and said he would not engage with further questions about it
- A 2026-03 poll showed Luxon’s preferred prime minister rating at 16% (Guardian) or 17.3% (ABC), while opposition leader Chris Hipkins had 20.7% (ABC) or 20% (Guardian)
Upper Lachlan Shire Council suspends green bin collections due to fuel crisis
The Upper Lachlan Shire Council in New South Wales has suspended green bin collections starting April 27, 2026, to conserve fuel for essential services like red bin collection and road grading. The de...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- Upper Lachlan Shire Council will stop green bin collections from Monday, April 27, 2026, to save fuel for essential services like road grading and red bin collection.
- The council covers an area with a population of just over 8,500 residents, including Crookwell, Laggan, and Taralga.
- Residents will be able to drop off green waste at the tip for free during the suspension.