Latest News Stories
Sorted by number of sources covering the story
Today
Mass shooting in Shreveport, Louisiana, kills eight children in domestic violence incident
On April 19, 2026, a mass shooting in Shreveport, Louisiana, left eight children aged 1 to 12 dead after a gunman, later identified as 31-year-old army veteran Shamar Elkins, targeted multiple homes i...
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- Eight children aged between 1 and 12 (corrected from 14 in some sources) were killed in the shootings.
- The shootings occurred in Shreveport, Louisiana, at locations south of downtown, involving at least three homes.
- The gunman, identified as Shamar Elkins (31-year-old army veteran), was killed by police after a chase following a carjacking.
Australia lifts blood donation restrictions for gay, bisexual, trans people from April 20, 2026
Australia’s Lifeblood service will begin allowing gay, bisexual, and transgender people to donate blood from April 20, 2026, marking a significant shift away from outdated HIV-era restrictions. The ch...
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- Starting April 20, 2026, Australia’s Lifeblood will allow gay and bisexual men and transgender people in monogamous relationships to donate blood for the first time, removing gender-specific sexual activity questions.
- The change is expected to add up to 20,000 additional blood donations annually across Australia.
- Previously, gay and bisexual men and transgender people were barred from donating blood if they had sex with men in the past three months, a rule introduced in the 1980s due to HIV concerns.
Chinese humanoid robots outperform humans in Beijing half-marathon race
Chinese humanoid robots made a dramatic leap in performance at the Beijing half-marathon race on April 19, 2026, with the top robot from Honor finishing in 50 minutes and 26 seconds—faster than the hu...
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- A humanoid robot from Honor finished the Beijing half-marathon in 50 minutes and 26 seconds on April 19, 2026.
- The winning robot's time (50:26) was faster than the human world record holder Jacob Kiplimo's 57-minute time set in Lisbon in March 2026.
- Last year’s inaugural robot race had a winning time of 2 hours 40 minutes 42 seconds, compared to this year’s 50 minutes 26 seconds.
Former AFL legend Barry Cable acquitted in historical child sex abuse trial
Former Australian Rules football legend Barry Cable, 82, was acquitted of all historical child sexual abuse charges in the Perth District Court on April 20, 2026. The trial, presided over by Judge Mic...
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- Barry Cable, 82, was found not guilty of all charges in the Perth District Court on April 20, 2026.
- The charges included five counts of indecently dealing with a girl under 13 and two counts of unlawful carnal knowledge of a girl under 13, all relating to alleged abuse in the 1960s.
- The trial was held without a jury, with Judge Michael Bowden presiding.
Police intercept 200kg cocaine haul on catamaran near Queensland-NSW border; suspect charged
Police in New South Wales intercepted a catamaran carrying 200 kilograms of cocaine, valued at around $80 million, near the Queensland-NSW border on April 16, 2026. A 41-year-old Tweed Heads man was c...
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- A 41-year-old Tweed Heads man was charged with importing a commercial quantity of cocaine (200kg) on April 17, 2026, and refused bail
- The cocaine haul was valued at approximately $80 million and found hidden in black duffel bags aboard a catamaran in the Tweed River, near the Queensland-NSW border
- The catamaran was intercepted by NSW Police Marine Area Command on April 16, 2026, after allegedly traveling north, turning off its transponder, and returning to the Tweed River
St George Illawarra Dragons sack coach Shane Flanagan amid worst start to season
The St George Illawarra Dragons sacked head coach Shane Flanagan and general manager of football Ben Haran on April 20, 2026, after an abysmal start to the season, including seven straight losses and ...
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- Shane Flanagan was sacked as St George Illawarra Dragons head coach on April 20, 2026, after losing the first seven games of the season and 11 in a row overall.
- Ben Haran, the Dragons' general manager of football, also departed the club on April 20, 2026, with both Flanagan and Haran leaving by mutual agreement.
- The Dragons are last on the NRL ladder and have not won a game in the 2026 season.
Australia’s 2026 budget may scrap 50% CGT discount, return to 1999-era tax rules
Australia’s Treasurer Jim Chalmers is finalizing plans to scrap the 50% capital gains tax (CGT) discount on property sales, potentially returning to the 1999-era system where gains are taxed after inf...
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- Treasurer Jim Chalmers is leaning toward scrapping the 50% capital gains tax (CGT) discount on property and returning to the pre-1999 system (Keating-era inflation-adjusted CGT) as a budget measure
- The current 50% CGT discount was introduced by Peter Costello in 1999, replacing the original system where tax was applied only to the 'real' gain after inflation adjustments
- Under the current system, a $750,000 capital gain (e.g., property bought for $1M in 2015, sold for $1.75M in 2025) would incur tax on $375,000; under the Keating-era system, tax would apply to ~$420,000 of the gain
Fire destroys 1,000 stilt homes in Malaysia’s Sabah, displacing thousands
A massive fire destroyed approximately 1,000 wooden stilt homes in a water village near Sandakan district, Sabah, Malaysia, on April 20, 2026, displacing 9,007 residents, primarily from indigenous and...
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- A fire destroyed about 1,000 makeshift wooden stilt homes in a water village in Sandakan district, Sabah, Malaysia, on April 20, 2026.
- The fire broke out at approximately 1:30 AM local time (5:30 PM GMT on April 19, 2026) and affected 9,007 residents.
- The fire department deployed 37 personnel to battle the blaze, which covered an estimated 10-acre area and was 100% destructive.
Two divers rescued after 20+ hours lost at sea off Queensland’s Gold Coast
Two divers—a 45-year-old man from Victoria Point and a 43-year-old man from Robina—were reported missing on April 19, 2026, after failing to return to their boat near Point Lookout on North Stradbroke...
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- Two divers—a 45-year-old man from Victoria Point and a 43-year-old man from Robina—were reported missing near Point Lookout on North Stradbroke Island at 9:15am on April 19, 2026.
- A search and rescue operation began at 10:30am on April 19, 2026, involving water police, rescue vessels, and aerial crews.
- The divers were found alive at approximately 6:50am on April 20, 2026, about 2.2 nautical miles east of Main Beach, Gold Coast, after drifting ~14 nautical miles (~25 km) south of their last known location.
Yesterday
Fatal car crash at Melbourne Supanova Comic Con kills one, injures two
A fatal car crash occurred on April 18, 2026, outside the Supanova Comic Con & Gaming event at Melbourne Showgrounds in Ascot Vale, when a driver mounted the kerb on Langs Road and struck three pedest...
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- A pedestrian died and another was critically injured after a car mounted the kerb on Langs Road, Ascot Vale, outside Melbourne Showgrounds on April 18, 2026, around 5:00 PM.
- The driver, Awer Dau (33, Werribee), was arrested at the scene and charged with dangerous driving causing death and culpable driving while unlicensed (only held a learner permit).
- The car was a grey/blue Toyota Echo (or sedan), described as a rental vehicle, and traveled 120 meters along the footpath after the collision.
Iran reopens Strait of Hormuz amid US-Iran ceasefire and shifting oil markets
The core story revolves around Iran's announcement on April 17, 2026, that the Strait of Hormuz would be 'completely open' for commercial shipping during the ceasefire with Lebanon, leading to a sharp...
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- Iran declared the Strait of Hormuz 'completely open' for commercial vessels on April 17, 2026, for the duration of the ceasefire with Lebanon.
- Oil prices dropped over 10% after Iran's announcement, with Brent crude falling from around $98 to $86.52 per barrel.
- The Strait of Hormuz closure had removed over 500 million barrels of crude and condensate from the global market, per Kpler data.
Victoria’s free/cheap public transport policy amid fuel crisis and its limited impact on driving habits
Victoria introduced free public transport from April 1 to May 31, 2026, followed by half-price fares until December 2026, costing approximately $432 million, as a response to soaring fuel prices trigg...
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- Victoria’s public transport was free from April 1 to May 31, 2026, with half-price fares from June 1 to December 31, 2026, costing about $432 million total.
- Public transport patronage in Victoria increased by 10% in the first two weeks of April 2026 compared to the previous fortnight.
- The conflict in the Middle East (US-Israel war on Iran) led to fuel price spikes, prompting Victoria’s free public transport policy as a cost-of-living measure.
Australian political polling shows One Nation support dip amid cost-of-living pressures
Australian polling in April 2026 shows Pauline Hanson’s One Nation party experiencing a dip in support, with the Resolve Political Monitor recording a 2-point drop to 22% and Newspoll at 24%. Both pol...
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- One Nation’s primary support dropped by 2 points in April, falling to 22% (Resolve Poll) and 24% (Newspoll)
- The Resolve Political Monitor poll (April 13–18) surveyed 1807 people, showing One Nation’s lowest support since January (22%)
- Coalition support rose 1 point to 23% (Resolve Poll), matching its level after Angus Taylor replaced Sussan Ley as Liberal leader in February
Australia’s illicit tobacco crisis and state/territory enforcement rankings
Two news articles analyze a new Australian Council on Smoking and Health (ACOSH) report ranking states and territories on their response to illicit tobacco, with the Northern Territory (NT) consistent...
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- The Northern Territory was ranked last (8th) in Australia for tackling illicit tobacco in the ACOSH report published April 19, 2026.
- Queensland ranked first, followed by South Australia (2nd) and New South Wales (3rd) in the ACOSH Illicit Tobacco Ladder.
- ACOSH CEO Laura Hunter stated the NT has made 'no legislative changes' to address illicit tobacco.
Australia’s EV fringe benefit tax disproportionately benefits high earners amid fuel crisis
Two identical articles from SMH and The Age highlight how Australia’s fringe benefit tax (FBT) exemption for electric vehicles (EVs) under $91,387 has disproportionately benefited high-income earners,...
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- EV sales in Australia made up 14.6% of all car sales in March 2026, a 42% rise from February 2026.
- Sales of the MG4 model grew by 329.8% (from 114 to 490 units) between February and March 2026.
- The fringe benefit tax (FBT) exemption for EVs under $91,387 was introduced in 2022 to incentivize EV uptake.
Chinese firm shortlisted for Hobart’s $1.13B Macquarie Point Stadium tender
Two firms—Constructure Joint Venture (led by China Construction Oceania, a subsidiary of China’s state-owned China State Construction Engineering Corporation) and BESIX Watpac—have been shortlisted to...
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- Two firms—Constructure Joint Venture (including China Construction Oceania) and BESIX Watpac—are shortlisted for the $1.13 billion Macquarie Point Stadium tender.
- China Construction Oceania, an Australian subsidiary of China State Construction Engineering Corporation (a Chinese government-owned firm), is part of the Constructure Joint Venture bid.
- The stadium is expected to be completed by the end of 2030 but will not host AFL fixtures until the 2031 season.
Tate brothers sue Australian YouTuber Nathan Pope and others for defamation in Florida court
The Tate brothers, Andrew and Tristan, have renewed their defamation lawsuit in Florida, this time naming Australian YouTuber Nathan Pope (known online as 'Gadget') alongside five other defendants. Th...
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- Andrew and Tristan Tate filed an amended defamation complaint in Florida on April 11, 2026, naming Adelaide YouTuber Nathan Pope (known online as 'Gadget') as a defendant.
- The Tate brothers previously lost a motion to dismiss their defamation case in December 2025 due to lack of jurisdiction over anonymous defendants, many of whom were not Florida residents.
- Nathan Pope and other defendants are crowdfunding legal fees to fight the Tate brothers' defamation claims, which they describe as an attempt to financially drain them.
Meghan Markle’s talk at Sydney’s $3000 Her Best Life retreat gala
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, delivered a two-hour talk at the Her Best Life retreat gala dinner in Sydney on April 19, 2026, at the Coogee Beach InterContinental hotel, as part of her Australian tour wi...
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- Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, spoke at the Her Best Life retreat gala dinner in Sydney on April 19, 2026, at the Coogee Beach InterContinental hotel.
- The event was the penultimate stop on Meghan and Prince Harry’s Australian tour.
- Meghan wore a cream two-piece from Australian label Scanlan Theodore during her appearance.
Travis Lovett’s 500km Walk for Truth to Canberra demands national truth-telling commission
Travis Lovett, a Gunditjmara man and former Yoorrook Justice Commissioner, is leading a 500km Walk for Truth from Melbourne to Canberra to pressure Prime Minister Anthony Albanese into establishing a ...
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- Travis Lovett, a Kerrupmara Gunditjmara man, is leading a 500km walk from Melbourne to Canberra (departing April 20, 2026) to advocate for a national truth-telling commission.
- Lovett previously walked 486km from Portland to Melbourne in May 2025 as part of the Yoorrook Justice Commission’s work.
- The walk is scheduled to arrive in Canberra by May 27, 2026, with a 38-day duration.