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Delta Goodrem qualifies for Eurovision 2026 grand final with record-breaking performance
Delta Goodrem made history as Australia’s first act to qualify for the Eurovision 2026 grand final since 2023, delivering a visually stunning performance of 'Eclipse' in Vienna on May 14. Her stage sh...
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- Delta Goodrem performed 'Eclipse' in Eurovision 2026's second semi-final on 2026-05-14 (AEST) in Vienna, Austria, and qualified for the grand final.
- Goodrem's performance featured a stage design with a piano that rose to lift her into the air, adorned in a gown with 7,000+ Swarovski crystals.
- Australia has competed in Eurovision since 2015, with Goodrem's qualification marking the first time since 2023 that an Australian act advanced to the grand final.
Coalition's tax, migration and housing policies in response to 2026 federal budget
The Coalition’s response to Labor’s 2026 federal budget, led by Opposition Leader Angus Taylor, centers on three major policy areas: tax reform, migration cuts, and housing. Taylor announced a plan to...
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- Angus Taylor announced a plan to index the bottom two tax brackets to inflation starting in 2028-29, costing $22.5 billion over four years (later revised to $35.3 billion by ABC using PBO's SMART model).
- Taylor proposed tying net overseas migration (NOM) to housing completions, with a ratio of one migrant per new home built, aiming for a cap below 200,000 in early years.
- The Coalition pledged to repeal Labor’s proposed changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax (CGT) discounts, which would restrict negative gearing for new properties and reduce the CGT discount from 50% to 30% (with inflation adjustments).
Trump-Xi summit in Beijing focuses on Iran war, trade, Taiwan, and tech
Donald Trump is in Beijing for a high-stakes summit with Xi Jinping, the first US presidential visit to China in nearly a decade, amid a backdrop of geopolitical tensions. The meeting, originally dela...
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- Donald Trump is meeting Xi Jinping in Beijing from 13-15 May 2026 for a two-day summit, the first US presidential visit to China in nearly a decade.
- The summit was originally scheduled for February 2026 but postponed due to the US-Israel war against Iran.
- The Strait of Hormuz, through which half of China’s crude oil passes, has been effectively closed due to the Iran war, causing economic strain for China.
Australian government bans neo-Nazi group under hate laws post-Bondi terror attack
The Australian government banned the neo-Nazi group White Australia (formerly the National Socialist Network and European Australian Movement) as a prohibited hate group under laws enacted after the B...
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- The National Socialist Network (NSN), also known as White Australia, was banned as a prohibited hate group under legislation passed after the Bondi terror attack on 14 December 2025.
- The ban makes supporting, funding, training, recruiting, joining, or directing the group a criminal offence with a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.
- The listing takes effect at midnight on Friday, 16 May 2026.
Federal court upholds discrimination ruling against transgender woman excluded from female-only app
The Federal Court of Australia upheld a landmark ruling on May 15, 2026, confirming that transgender woman Roxanne Tickle faced direct discrimination when she was excluded from the female-only Giggle ...
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- Roxanne Tickle was awarded $20,000 in damages after the Federal Court upheld a ruling that she faced gender identity discrimination when excluded from the Giggle for Girls app.
- The Full Court of the Federal Court (Justices Melissa Perry, Wendy Abraham, and Geoffrey Kennett) ruled on May 15, 2026, that Sall Grover and Giggle for Girls directly discriminated against Tickle twice: once when she was excluded and again when her readmission was refused.
- Tickle was initially granted access to the Giggle for Girls app in 2021 after an AI facial recognition test approved her, but her account was later restricted following a manual review by Sall Grover.
Pauline Hanson and Angus Taylor clash over budget policies and migration in 2026 Australian federal budget reply speeches
The articles cover the 2026 Australian federal budget reply speeches, where Pauline Hanson’s One Nation and Opposition Leader Angus Taylor clashed over policies. Hanson’s speech was cut off mid-senten...
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- Pauline Hanson’s budget reply speech was cut off mid-sentence after exhausting her allocated speaking time in the Senate on 2026-05-14 (Thursday evening).
- Angus Taylor proposed the Coalition’s budget reply speech, which included plans to cap net overseas migration at housing completion levels and ban non-citizens (including permanent residents) from the NDIS.
- Pauline Hanson accused the Coalition of borrowing One Nation policies, stating the budget reply was 'replete with One Nation policies'.
Sam Kerr's departure from Chelsea FC after six-and-a-half years
Sam Kerr will leave Chelsea Football Club at the end of the 2025/26 season after six-and-a-half years, marking the conclusion of a trophy-laden career where she scored 115 goals and won five Women’s S...
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- Sam Kerr will leave Chelsea Football Club at the end of the 2025/26 season when her contract expires
- Kerr has scored 115 goals for Chelsea in all competitions during her six-and-a-half-year tenure
- She has won five Women's Super League titles, three FA Cups, and three League Cups with Chelsea
Angus Taylor’s Coalition plan to restrict welfare for non-citizens sparks controversy
Angus Taylor’s Coalition unveiled a controversial plan on May 15, 2026, to restrict 17 welfare programs—including the NDIS, paid parental leave, and JobSeeker—to Australian citizens only, excluding pe...
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- Angus Taylor announced in his budget reply speech (May 15, 2026) that a Coalition government would restrict 17 welfare programs—including the NDIS, paid parental leave, and JobSeeker—to Australian citizens only, excluding permanent residents.
- Taylor stated that non-citizens would be excluded from welfare benefits, saying, 'If you are not an Australian citizen, then you do not get the privileges of an Australian citizen.'
- The Coalition’s policy would grandfather existing recipients, meaning only future migrants would be affected, with exemptions for humanitarian cases, domestic violence, and law enforcement.
UK Labour Party's electoral crisis and Keir Starmer's leadership under threat after local election defeats
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces mounting pressure to resign after Labour suffered catastrophic losses in the May 8, 2026, local elections, losing over 1,000 councillors and control of councils ac...
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- Labour lost over 1,000 councillors in England's local elections (exact figures vary between 1,200 and 1,400+ across sources)
- Reform UK gained over 600 councillors (ranging from 641 to 1,300+ across sources) and took control of multiple councils, including Suffolk, Essex, and Newcastle-under-Lyme
- Labour lost control of the Welsh Senedd for the first time since its establishment in 1999, with Reform UK and Plaid Cymru gaining seats
Five Italian divers die in Maldives cave diving accident
Five Italian divers, including a mother and daughter from the University of Genoa, died in a scuba diving accident in Vaavu Atoll, Maldives, after exploring underwater caves at around 50 meters depth....
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- Five Italian divers died in a scuba diving accident in Vaavu Atoll, Maldives, on May 15, 2026 (local time).
- The victims were Monica Montefalcone (55, associate professor of ecology at the University of Genoa), her daughter Giorgia Sommacal (20, biomedical engineering student), Muriel Oddenino (research assistant at DISTAV), Federico Gualtieri (recent marine ecology graduate), and Gianluca Benedetti (dive operator).
- The divers were exploring underwater caves at a depth of around 50 meters when the accident occurred.
Victorian teachers' pay deal and strike resolution
The Victorian branch of the Australian Education Union (AEU) has endorsed a pay deal with the state government, offering teachers up to 32.4% pay rises over four years, with the highest increases for ...
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- The Victorian branch of the Australian Education Union (AEU) endorsed a pay deal offering teachers up to 32.4% pay rise over four years, with the highest increase (32.4%) for entry-level teachers and sliding to 28.3% for senior roles.
- The deal includes an increase in student-free days from five to eight per year (three additional days).
- The AEU previously rejected the state government's initial offer of a 17% pay rise, and teachers had demanded a 35% increase over three years.
Victorian Liberal Party mistakenly declares member dead; member considers joining One Nation
John Ternel, a former Victorian Liberal Party member, became the center of controversy after the party mistakenly sent a mass email declaring him deceased following his resignation. The email, sent on...
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- John Ternel resigned from the Victorian Liberal Party after twice applying for preselection (Bruce federal seat in 2025 and Narre Warren North state seat in 2026) and not being selected.
- The Victorian Liberal Party sent a mass email on 2026-05-14 with the subject line 'Deceased Member,' falsely stating John Ternel had died and was no longer a member of the Narre Warren / Endeavour Hills Branch.
- The email included the text: 'We have been informed that Mr John Ternel has sadly passed away and is no longer a member of the Narre Warren / Endeavour Hills Branch, Narre Warren North SEC, Bruce FEC. Our deepest condolences go out to John's family.'
Xi Jinping references Thucydides Trap in meeting with Donald Trump, warning of US-China tensions
On May 15, 2026, Chinese President Xi Jinping invoked the Thucydides Trap—a historical concept describing conflicts between rising and established powers—during a meeting with US President Donald Trum...
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- Xi Jinping referenced the 'Thucydides Trap' during his meeting with Donald Trump on May 15, 2026, in Beijing, asking if the US and China could 'transcend' it.
- The Thucydides Trap refers to the historical dynamic where a rising power (like China) challenges an established power (like the US), often leading to conflict, as described in Thucydides' account of the Peloponnesian War (431–404 BC).
- Xi Jinping warned that mishandling the Taiwan issue could lead to 'clashes and even conflicts,' putting the entire US-China relationship in 'great jeopardy.'
Australia's first diphtheria death in nearly a decade and ongoing outbreak in Northern Territory
Australia is experiencing its first diphtheria-related death in nearly a decade, with the fatal case occurring in the Northern Territory (NT) in a remote area. The NT has declared an outbreak of the d...
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- A person died from diphtheria in Australia for the first time since 2018, confirmed by John Boffa (Central Australian Aboriginal Congress) and ABC News.
- The deceased was from the Northern Territory (NT) and died in a remote area within the past few weeks (exact date not specified).
- The NT reported over 100 cases of respiratory and cutaneous diphtheria, with some patients requiring intensive care admission.
Inquest into tasering death of 95-year-old Clare Nowland with dementia in aged care
The inquest into the death of Clare Nowland, a 95-year-old woman with dementia who was tasered by former NSW Police officer Kristian White in May 2023, is examining systemic failures in dementia care ...
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- Clare Nowland, 95, was tasered by former NSW Police Senior Constable Kristian White on May 17, 2023, at Yallambee Lodge aged care facility in Cooma
- Nowland died one week later in Cooma Hospital from a brain bleed caused by injuries from the taser deployment
- White was found guilty of manslaughter in a NSW Supreme Court jury trial in November 2024 and sentenced to a two-year community correction order with 425 hours of community service
Solomon Islands elects Matthew Wale as new prime minister amid geopolitical shifts
Solomon Islands elected opposition leader Matthew Wale as prime minister on May 15, 2026, following a no-confidence vote that ousted incumbent Jeremiah Manele. Wale defeated Peter Shanel Agovaka 26-22...
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- Matthew Wale was elected prime minister of Solomon Islands on 2026-05-15 with 26 votes to 22 against Peter Shanel Agovaka in a parliamentary ballot.
- Jeremiah Manele was ousted from power in a no-confidence vote last week (2026-05-08) before Wale’s election.
- Wale visited Beijing in 2025 as opposition leader and praised China’s economic development while supporting the one-China principle, according to a CCP readout.
Israeli nationalists mark Jerusalem Day with violent chants, clashes, and political provocations in East Jerusalem
On May 15, 2026, Israeli nationalists marked Jerusalem Day with a provocative march through East Jerusalem’s Old City, chanting racist slogans such as 'death to Arabs' and 'may your villages burn.' Th...
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- The event is Jerusalem Day (anniversary of the 1967 Six Day War and Israeli capture of East Jerusalem), marked by the 'Dance of the Flags' march through the Old City.
- Chants heard during the march included 'death to Arabs', 'Palestinians will be erased', 'may your villages burn', and 'the Jews have a soul, the Arab is a son of a b****'.
- National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir entered the Al-Aqsa compound (Temple Mount) and unfurled an Israeli flag, declaring 'The Temple Mount is in our hands'.
UK MP Nigel Farage faces inquiries over undeclared £5m crypto gift and its use
Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, is under investigation by the UK’s parliamentary standards watchdog over a £5m gift from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne, which he failed to declare before t...
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- Nigel Farage received a £5m gift from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne weeks before announcing his 2024 general election candidacy
- The parliamentary commissioner for standards is investigating whether Farage breached rules by not declaring the £5m gift under rule 5 of the MPs' code of conduct, which requires declaration of financial interests within one month of election
- Farage initially claimed the £5m was for personal security costs and not a political donation, but later said it was a 'reward for campaigning for Brexit for 27 years'
Canberra stabbing incident leaves woman dead, man charged with murder
On 2026-05-14, a violent stabbing incident occurred at a home on Dryandra St, O’Connor, in Canberra’s inner north. A woman in her 70s (later confirmed as 79) was fatally stabbed and died en route to h...
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- A 51-year-old man was arrested at the scene of a stabbing at a Dryandra St, O’Connor home on 2026-05-14
- A woman in her 70s (later confirmed as 79) was stabbed and died en route to hospital
- The incident occurred at a home on Dryandra St, O’Connor, Canberra’s inner north
ACT police raid uncovers 3D-printed guns, drugs, and illegal weapons in Belconnen
Police in Canberra conducted raids on May 13, 2026, on two properties in Belconnen, seizing a large cache of illegal weapons, including 128 3D-printed firearm parts, multiple 3D-printed guns, two fold...
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- A 39-year-old Belconnen man was charged with unauthorised manufacture and possession of firearms and ammunition after raids on two Canberra properties on May 13, 2026.
- Police seized 128 3D-printed firearm parts, multiple 3D-printed guns, two 'foldable' pistols, a taser, gel blasters, an extendable baton, and a 3D-printed knuckleduster during the raids.
- The raids were conducted by ACT Policing's Criminal Investigations, Drugs and Organised Crime Team, with support from an Australian Federal Police Tactical Response team.