Latest News Stories
US-Israel airstrikes on Iran trigger prolonged economic fallout and geopolitical tensions
The US and Israel’s airstrikes on Iran triggered a prolonged economic crisis with far-reaching consequences. Oil prices surged above $100 per barrel, LNG costs doubled, and fertiliser shortages threat...
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- Oil prices surged above $100 per barrel after the US and Israel bombed Iran, with European gas prices doubling and volatility rising in financial markets
- Iran threatened to target the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s critical oil chokepoint, and attacked Qatari LNG facilities (Ras Laffan) with missiles, risking prolonged supply disruptions
- The International Energy Agency (IEA) reported that over 40 energy assets in nine Middle Eastern countries were severely or very severely damaged by the conflict
Missing child case: Gus Lamont’s six-month disappearance from South Australian outback station
Six months after four-year-old Gus Lamont vanished from his family’s remote South Australian outback station, authorities remain baffled by his disappearance. Last seen playing outside Oak Park Statio...
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- Gus Lamont, a four-year-old with golden curls, was last seen on September 27 2025, at Oak Park Station near Yunta, South Australia
- Gus was reported missing at approximately 8:30pm (three hours after last seen) by his grandmother, Josie Murray
- The search involved multiple agencies including aerial, water, trail bike and mounted police, SES, defence personnel, community volunteers, and a tracker
Bill Cosby civil sexual assault trial verdict and damages award
A California civil jury found Bill Cosby liable for drugging and sexually assaulting Donna Motsinger in 1972, awarding her $19.25 million in damages for past and future suffering. Motsinger alleged Co...
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- Bill Cosby was found liable in a California civil trial for drugging and sexually assaulting Donna Motsinger in 1972
- Jurors awarded Donna Motsinger $19.25 million in damages ($17.5 million for past damages, $1.75 million for future damages)
- Motsinger alleged Cosby drugged her with wine and pills (believed to be aspirin) before she woke up in her home wearing only underwear
Australian TGA proposes sunscreen regulation reforms after SPF testing controversies
Australian regulators are proposing major reforms to sunscreen regulations after consumer tests revealed widespread discrepancies between advertised SPF values and actual protection. The Therapeutic G...
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- The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) is proposing reforms to Australian sunscreen regulations following reports that some brands underdeliver on SPF claims, with 16 out of 20 popular SPF50/SPF50+ products tested by CHOICE falling short of advertised protection.
- CHOICE tested 20 SPF50/SPF50+ sunscreens in 2023 and found 16 delivered lower SPF than labelled, including Banana Boat Baby Zinc Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50+ (tested at SPF 28) and Coles SPF 50+ Sunscreen Ultra Tube (tested at SPF 43).
- Australia has the highest rates of skin cancer and melanoma globally, with around 2000 people dying annually from these conditions, according to the TGA.
US Senate passes DHS funding bill excluding ICE amid shutdown and political disputes
The US Senate passed a funding package for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that excludes Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and part of Customs and Border Protection (CBP), ending a f...
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- The US Senate passed a funding package for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on [date implied: late Feb 2025] that excludes Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and part of Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
- The Senate approved the funding package by a voice vote in a rare overnight session, with the House of Representatives still needing to act for agencies to reopen.
- TSA personnel have worked without pay for five weeks due to the funding lapse, leading to increased absenteeism and airport delays.
Meta ordered to pay $375m in New Mexico child exploitation case
A New Mexico jury found Meta liable for $375 million in civil penalties after determining the company misled consumers and enabled child exploitation on its platforms. The lawsuit, brought by Attorney...
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- A New Mexico jury ordered Meta to pay $375 million in civil penalties for violating New Mexico’s consumer protection laws in a child exploitation case (Guardian, ABC).
- The lawsuit was brought by New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez’s office in December 2023 (Guardian, ABC).
- The trial lasted nearly seven weeks (Guardian) and the jury deliberated for less than one day (Guardian, ABC).
Queensland government appoints former police officer Darren Robinson to Legal Aid board amid Palm Island controversy
The Queensland government appointed former police officer Darren Robinson to the Legal Aid Queensland board despite his controversial history tied to the 2004 death in custody of Mulrunji Doomadgee on...
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- Darren Robinson was a former Queensland Police Service officer (senior sergeant) who investigated a complaint against Christopher Hurley in 2004, ruling it 'fictitious'
- A 2005 coronial inquest described Robinson’s investigation as 'superficial, biased and misleading' and found his conclusion was 'dishonest and flew in the face of objective evidence'
- The Crime and Misconduct Commission recommended Robinson be disciplined alongside three other officers in 2015, but no disciplinary action was taken
Police shooting incident involving a man in Logan Central, Brisbane, Queensland
A man in his 30s was shot by police in Logan Central, Brisbane, on Saturday evening after allegedly approaching officers with a knife at Carmondy Centre. According to both sources, the incident occurr...
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- A man in his 30s was shot by police in Logan Central, Queensland, on Saturday around 6pm
- The incident occurred at Carmondy Centre on Ewing Road, near Carmody Street, Logan Central
- Police allege the man was armed with a knife and approached officers with the weapon
Arrest and charges in Sydney grandfather’s mistaken-identity kidnapping and murder case
Police have arrested Deklin Jake Donnelly, 23, as a key figure in the mistaken-identity kidnapping and murder of Chris Baghsarian, an 85-year-old Sydney grandfather. Donnelly was charged with murder a...
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- Deklin Jake Donnelly, 23, was arrested at a Seven Hills property on March 13 (Wednesday) and charged with murder and take/detain in company with intent to ransom occasioning bodily harm in relation to Chris Baghsarian’s death
- Chris Baghsarian, 85, was abducted from his North Ryde home on February 13 and his remains were found near a Pitt Town golf course on February 24
- Gerard Andrews, 29, and Daniel Stevens, 24, were arrested and charged with the kidnapping and murder of Chris Baghsarian on February 14
Former AFL player Leigh Ryswyk becomes first openly gay male AFL player past or present
Leigh Ryswyk, a former Brisbane Lions player, made history as the first openly gay male AFL player past or present after coming out on Joy 94.9’s GayFL radio program. Ryswyk played just one AFL match ...
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- Leigh Ryswyk is the first past or present male AFL player to come out as gay, confirmed by Guardian, ABC, and SBS
- Ryswyk played one AFL match for the Brisbane Lions in 2005 against Fremantle at Subiaco Oval, winning by 39 points
- He was delisted by the Brisbane Lions at the end of the 2005 season after suffering a quad injury in his debut match
Nicolás Maduro’s US court appearance for narco-terrorism charges and legal funding disputes
Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores are appearing in a New York federal court for a narco-terrorism case following their January 2021 capture by US special forces in Caracas, where 100 people rep...
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- Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores are scheduled to appear in a Manhattan federal court on Thursday (14 March 2019) for a ‘narco-terrorism’ case after their capture by US special forces on 3 January 2021 in Caracas, Venezuela.
- Maduro and Flores pleaded not guilty during their 5 January arraignment in New York.
- US special forces captured Maduro and Flores during a pre-dawn raid in Caracas that reportedly killed 100 people.
Arrests and investigation into alleged mistaken-identity kidnapping and murder of 85-year-old Chris Baghsarian in Sydney
Police in New South Wales have arrested two more people—both aged 23—in connection with the alleged mistaken-identity kidnapping and murder of 85-year-old Chris Baghsarian, whose body was found near P...
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- Chris Baghsarian, 85, was allegedly kidnapped from his North Ryde home on February 13 in a case of mistaken identity
- His remains were found near a golf club in Pitt Town, northwest Sydney, on February 24 (discovered after 11 days)
- Gerard Andrews (29) and Daniel Stevens (24) were charged with murder and kidnapping with intent to ransom on February 2024
Australian government introduces $100m fines for petrol price gouging amid Middle East war
The Australian government is enforcing stricter penalties for petrol price gouging linked to the Middle East conflict with a new law doubling fines to $100 million. Both sources confirm the ACCC has r...
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- The Treasury Laws Amendment (Doubling Penalties for ACCC Enforcement) Bill 2026 doubles maximum penalties for petrol price misconduct from $50m to $100m
- The ACCC has received over 500 reports of possible price gouging at petrol stations since the outbreak of the Middle East conflict
- The ACCC is conducting a formal probe into allegations against Ampol, BP Australia, Mobil Oil Australia, and Viva Energy Australia
Crane collapse in Dubbo CBD during severe storm causes evacuations and street closures
A crane in Dubbo’s CBD collapsed during a severe storm on Church Street near Macquarie Street, forcing evacuations of surrounding buildings and closures of Bligh, Wingewarra, Church, Macquarie, and Ta...
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- A crane toppled in Dubbo’s CBD due to strong winds during a storm on Church Street near Macquarie Street
- Buildings and streets were evacuated including Bligh, Wingewarra, Church, Macquarie, and Talbragar Streets
- The crane operator was on site but suffered no injuries
Former NRL star Wendell Sailor’s court case after two drunken altercations dismissed on mental health grounds
Former NRL star Wendell Sailor faced legal consequences after two drunken altercations in Sydney and Wollongong in late 2024 and early 2025. During the Wollongong incident on December 5 2025, it took ...
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- Wendell Sailor was arrested on December 5 2025, after resisting arrest at the Illawarra Master Builders Club in Wollongong following a night of drinking
- It took nine police officers to arrest Sailor in Wollongong due to his aggressive and hostile behavior, including resisting handcuffs and refusing to exit the police car
- Sailor was charged with remaining in the vicinity of a licensed premises after being asked to leave (Pappy’s Bar, Sydney CBD) and stalking/intimidation charges from November 6 2024
ABC staff 24-hour strike over pay and conditions, BBC content replaces programs
Over 2,000 ABC staff staged a 24-hour strike on Wednesday, the first in two decades, protesting a 10% pay offer over three years (3.5% in year one) that unions called inadequate given 3.8% inflation. ...
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- Over 2,000 ABC staff walked off the job for a 24-hour strike on Wednesday, the first in 20 years
- ABC radio stations switched to classical music and pop hits (e.g., Boy Meets Girl’s *Waiting for a Star to Fall*) and BBC content after 11am on strike day
- Triple J played NWA’s *Express Yourself* 82 times in a row during the strike, referencing a 1990 industrial action
Boating accident in Tasmania’s northwest coast kills one, three rescued after capsizing
A boating accident off Tasmania’s northwest coast on Saturday evening resulted in the death of a 35-year-old man and the rescue of three others—including a 27-year-old woman, a 33-year-old man, and a ...
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- Four people—three adults (ages 27, 33) and a six-year-old child—left the Montagu boat ramp west of Smithton at 5:30pm on Saturday for a fishing trip.
- The boat capsized around 9pm on Saturday, throwing all four into the water off Tasmania’s far northwest coast near Robbins Island and Stony Point.
- Three survivors (27yo woman, 33yo man, and the six-year-old child) were rescued about 1pm on Sunday near Big Stony Island, 16 hours after the incident.
Australian property market profitability trends in late 2025 with regional and dwelling-type variations
The Australian property market in late 2025 saw the highest profitability since 2005, with 95.9% of sales generating a profit and a record median gain of $365,000. Longer hold periods—particularly ove...
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- 95.9% of Australian properties sold in the December 2025 quarter made a profit, up from 95.6% in September 2025, the highest since March 2005 (Cotality Pain and Gain Report)
- The median profit gain for December 2025 was a record $365,000
- Properties sold at a profit had a median hold time of 9.2 years, while those sold at a loss had a median hold time of 8.2 years
Netflix horror series Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen review analysis by The Guardian
Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen is a horror series created by Haley Z Boston and directed by the Duffer brothers, following Rachel and Nicky’s wedding at a remote, eerie cabin in the woods. Both...
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- The series is created by Haley Z Boston and directed by the Duffer brothers (Stranger Things creators)
- The central event is a wedding between Nicky (Adam DiMarco) and Rachel (Camila Morrone) at a remote cabin in the woods
- Rachel finds a baby locked in a car at a bar before arriving at the cabin
Australian government urges Fair Work Commission for minimum wage increase above inflation
The Australian government has urged the Fair Work Commission to approve a real wage increase for 2.7 million minimum wage and award-reliant workers, citing rising cost-of-living pressures and financia...
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- The Albanese government submitted to the Fair Work Commission’s Annual Wage Review asking for an ‘economically sustainable real wage increase’ for 2.7 million minimum wage and award-reliant workers in Australia
- About 2.7 million Australians—roughly a quarter of the nation’s workforce—are on the national minimum wage or award-reliant jobs
- The current minimum wage is $175.40 per week higher than when the Albanese government took office in 2022