Latest News Stories
Sorted by number of sources covering the story
Today
YouTubers trespass at Dezi Freeman’s hideout sparks police investigation
Multiple news outlets report that Victoria Police are investigating YouTubers for trespassing at the Thologolong property, where Dezi Freeman was killed on March 30, 2026, after a seven-month manhunt ...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- Victoria Police are investigating a trespass report at the Thologolong property on April 16, 2026, linked to a YouTube video posted online.
- Dezi Freeman, 56, was shot and killed by police at the Thologolong property on March 30, 2026, after a stand-off.
- Freeman was a self-described sovereign citizen who killed Victoria Police officers Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson and Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart in Porepunkah on August 26, 2025.
Apple CEO Tim Cook steps down, naming John Ternus as successor
Apple announced on April 20, 2026, that CEO Tim Cook will step down in September after 15 years, handing leadership to John Ternus, the current Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering. Ternus, w...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- Tim Cook will step down as Apple CEO in September 2026, becoming executive chairman
- John Ternus (51) will succeed Cook as Apple CEO on September 1, 2026, after serving as Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering
- Cook has led Apple since 2011, succeeding Steve Jobs
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 used fake discounts on 266 products between September 2021 and Ma...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- The ACCC alleges Woolworths used 'Prices Dropped' promotions on 266 products between September 2021 and May 2023 to mislead customers with illusory discounts
- 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 Oreo Family Pack was sold at $3.50 for 696 days (or 180+ days in other sources), then increased to $5.00 for 22 days before being placed on 'Prices Dropped' at $4.50
Rebel Wilson defamation trial over sexual harassment claims and smear websites
The Federal Court of Australia is hearing a defamation case where actor Charlotte MacInnes sues Rebel Wilson for allegedly defaming her through social media posts and smear websites. The dispute cente...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- Charlotte MacInnes is suing Rebel Wilson for defamation over social media posts claiming MacInnes withdrew a sexual harassment complaint against producer Amanda Ghost in exchange for career benefits
- The defamation trial is taking place in the Federal Court of Australia in Sydney, with testimony from Katie Case, a former employee of The Agency Group (TAG) PR firm hired by Wilson
- The Agency Group created websites (amandaghost.com and amandaghostsucks.com) accusing Amanda Ghost of being a 'madam' and 'Indian Ghislaine Maxwell' with claims of sex trafficking and procuring young women for wealthy clients
Federal government plans major NDIS cuts and reforms amid state pushback
The federal government is preparing to announce major reforms to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) on Wednesday, aiming to curb its rapid growth from over 10.3% annually to 5-6% to save ...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- Mark Butler will address the National Press Club in Canberra on Wednesday (2026-04-23) to detail NDIS reforms, including changes to the scheme’s growth rate.
- Treasurer Jim Chalmers stated that NDIS cuts will be 'easily the most important part of the savings package' in the upcoming May federal budget.
- The NDIS grew by over 10.3% last year and is projected to cost $63 billion by 2028-29, with the government aiming to reduce annual growth to 5-6%.
King Charles honors Queen Elizabeth II on her 100th birthday with tributes and memorial plans
King Charles paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth II on April 21, 2026, marking her 100th birthday with a video message filmed at Balmoral Castle. He reflected on her 70-year reign, her steadfast devotion ...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- Queen Elizabeth II would have turned 100 on April 21, 2026, marking the centenary of her birth
- King Charles delivered a video tribute to Queen Elizabeth II on her 100th birthday, filmed at Balmoral Castle in early April 2026
- Queen Elizabeth II died peacefully at Balmoral on September 8, 2022, at age 96 after a 70-year reign
Rebel Wilson defamation trial over sexual harassment claims and PR smear campaign
The Federal Court of Australia is hearing a defamation case where actor Charlotte MacInnes sues Rebel Wilson for allegedly defaming her through social media posts claiming MacInnes withdrew a sexual h...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- Charlotte MacInnes is suing Rebel Wilson for defamation over social media posts claiming MacInnes withdrew a sexual harassment complaint against producer Amanda Ghost in exchange for career benefits
- The central incident involves a September 5, 2023, event at Bondi Beach where Amanda Ghost had a medical episode (cold urticaria) and MacInnes helped her back to an apartment, where they shared a bath together while both still in swimsuits
- Rebel Wilson hired The Agency Group (TAG) PR firm in July 2024 to create websites attacking Amanda Ghost, including amandaghost.com and amandaghostsucks.com, which called her the 'Indian Ghislaine Maxwell' and accused her of sex trafficking
Federal government plans major NDIS cuts and reforms amid state resistance
The federal government is preparing to announce major cuts to the NDIS in the upcoming May budget, with Treasurer Jim Chalmers emphasizing that NDIS savings will be the largest part of the budget pack...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- Mark Butler will address the National Press Club in Canberra on Wednesday (2026-04-23) to detail NDIS reforms, including changes to the scheme’s growth rate.
- Treasurer Jim Chalmers stated that NDIS cuts will be 'easily the most important part of the savings package' in the upcoming May federal budget.
- The NDIS grew by over 10.3% last year and is projected to cost $63 billion by 2028-29, with the government aiming to reduce annual growth to 5-6%.
King Charles honors Queen Elizabeth II on her 100th birthday with tributes and memorial plans
King Charles paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth II on April 21, 2026, the 100th anniversary of her birth, marking a week of royal events honoring her legacy. Both ABC and the Guardian report that Charles...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- Queen Elizabeth II would have turned 100 on April 21, 2026, marking the centenary of her birth
- King Charles delivered a video tribute to Queen Elizabeth II on her 100th birthday, filmed at Balmoral Castle in early April 2026
- Queen Elizabeth II died peacefully at Balmoral on September 8, 2022, at age 96 after a 70-year reign
Trump labor secretary resigns amid misconduct allegations and cabinet instability
Lori Chavez-DeRemer resigned as U.S. Labor Secretary on April 21, 2026, amid a swirl of misconduct allegations, including an affair with a subordinate, drinking on the job, and misuse of government re...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- Lori Chavez-DeRemer resigned as U.S. Labor Secretary on April 21, 2026, amid misconduct allegations
- Chavez-DeRemer is the third Trump cabinet member to depart during his second term, following Kristi Noem (Homeland Security) and Pam Bondi (Attorney General)
- Allegations against Chavez-DeRemer include an affair with a subordinate (member of her security detail), drinking alcohol on the job, and using government resources for personal travel
Man jailed for mimicking Bondi terror attack and making antisemitic slurs
A 23-year-old man, Zayne Jason William McMillan, was sentenced to 12 months in jail with a nine-month non-parole period on 21 April 2026 for mimicking the Bondi Beach terror attack and making antisemi...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- Zayne Jason William McMillan, 23 (or 22), was sentenced to 12 months jail with a non-parole period of nine months on 21 April 2026.
- McMillan pleaded guilty to three counts of offensive behaviour in a public place and two counts of intimidation.
- The incident occurred on 31 January 2026, where McMillan posed as if holding a long-arm firearm on the Bondi footbridge, yelling 'fuck the Jews' and 'I’m a Koori I can do what I like'.
Ku-ring-gai Council's Norman Griffiths Oval synthetic field cost blowout and delays
Ku-ring-gai Council’s Norman Griffiths Oval synthetic field project in West Pymble, Sydney, has seen its budget balloon from an initial $3.3 million estimate in 2023 to $20.2 million by April 2026, wi...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- The Norman Griffiths Oval project in West Pymble, Sydney, had its budget increase from $3.3 million in 2023 to $20.2 million by April 2026.
- The project was initially approved in 2020 to include a synthetic turf surface, lighting, pathways, an electronic scoreboard, and a stormwater detention basin.
- Turf One (contractor) was terminated by Ku-ring-gai Council in May 2025 due to environmental risk exposure and performance deficiencies.
GetUp’s $600k anti-Hanson campaign targets Trump links in Farrer byelection
GetUp is running a $600,000 anti-Pauline Hanson campaign in the Farrer byelection, targeting her links to Donald Trump and billionaire Gina Rinehart to sway rural voters concerned about rising fuel an...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- GetUp raised over $400,000 for an anti-Pauline Hanson campaign in the Farrer byelection
- GetUp aims to spend at least $600,000 on the anti-Hanson campaign by May 9, 2026
- The Farrer byelection is scheduled for May 9, 2026, triggered by Sussan Ley’s resignation
AFL Tribunal rules on Zak Butters umpire abuse case, later overturned due to procedural error
The story centers on AFL player Zak Butters, who was fined $1,500 by the AFL Tribunal for allegedly abusing umpire Nick Foot during a match between Port Adelaide and St Kilda on April 13, 2026. Butter...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- Zak Butters was fined $1,500 by the AFL Tribunal for allegedly saying 'How much are they paying you?' to umpire Nick Foot during the Port Adelaide vs St Kilda match on 2026-04-13 at Adelaide Oval
- Butters denied saying the words, claiming he said 'Surely that's not a free kick' or 'Why did you pay that free kick?'
- Nick Foot, the umpire, works as a racing analyst for Sportsbet while also officiating AFL games, a role approved by the AFL in 2025
New Zealand PM Christopher Luxon survives confidence vote amid polling slump
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon survived a confidence vote on April 21, 2026, after calling the motion amid media speculation and declining poll numbers. Both ABC and the Guardian report ...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- Christopher Luxon called and won a formal motion of confidence in his leadership at a National Party caucus meeting on 2026-04-21, stating 'I have the support of my caucus as their leader.'
- The confidence vote was held during a routine National Party meeting in Wellington, New Zealand, and lasted over two hours.
- Luxon accused the media of creating a 'soap opera' and said he would not engage with speculation, stating 'I won’t be commenting further on it.'
Middle East conflict disrupts flights, affecting Australian travelers and airline crews
The Middle East conflict has severely disrupted air travel, particularly for Australian passengers with flights to Europe via Middle Eastern hubs. Over 52,000 flights in the region were cancelled in t...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- More than 52,000 flights to and from the Middle East (over half of all scheduled flights in the region) were cancelled in the two weeks after hostilities began on February 28, 2026, according to Cirium Aviation Analytics.
- The author’s flight on Qatar Airways to Italy in June 2026 was cancelled, and the airline offered a less direct replacement route.
- Flight attendants working for Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad, Oman Air, and other Middle Eastern airlines are facing job insecurity due to cancellations and financial strain from disrupted oil supplies and fuel price hikes.
US-Iran ceasefire talks, Strait of Hormuz tensions, and escalating threats in 2026 Middle East conflict
The US and Iran are engaged in high-stakes ceasefire talks in Islamabad, Pakistan, led by US Vice President JD Vance, Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner, with Iran’s delegation potentially headed by Moh...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- JD Vance will lead the US delegation to Pakistan for talks with Iran, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
- The US-Iran ceasefire is set to expire on Wednesday (April 23, 2026), with Trump extending it by 24 hours to allow talks.
- Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz to shipping on Saturday (April 20, 2026), after briefly reopening it on Friday.
Artists' secret mall apartment protest and documentary about displacement by developers
In 2003, artist Michael Townsend and seven collaborators discovered and occupied a hidden, undeveloped space in the newly built Providence Place Mall in Rhode Island, turning it into a secret apartmen...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- Michael Townsend and seven artist friends occupied a hidden space in the Providence Place Mall in Providence, Rhode Island, starting in 2003
- The artists furnished the space, built a cinder block wall with a locking door, and lived there intermittently for four years before being caught in 2007
- Townsend was arrested in 2007, fined $60, given six months’ probation, and banned from the mall for life
Yesterday
Singer D4vd charged with murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez
Singer David Burke, known professionally as D4vd, was charged with the first-degree murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, whose dismembered body was found in his Tesla in September 2025. Burk...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- David Burke (aka D4vd), a 21-year-old alt-pop singer, pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder of Celeste Rivas Hernandez, a 14-year-old girl whose dismembered body was found in his Tesla on September 8, 2025.
- Celeste Rivas Hernandez was reported missing in 2024 when she was 13, and authorities say she was 14 when she died.
- The Tesla Model Y, registered in Burke’s name, was towed from an upscale Hollywood Hills neighborhood on September 8, 2025, where it appeared abandoned.
NSW wetlands ecological disaster after water flows halted, killing wildlife
In early March 2026, WaterNSW halted environmental water flows to the Gwydir wetlands near Moree after a landholder complained about inundation of private land. This decision led to the drying of the ...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- WaterNSW abruptly stopped environmental flows to the Gwydir wetlands region near Moree in early March 2026, following a landholder complaint about inundation of private land.
- Over 300 turtles (including broad-shelled, Murray River, and eastern long-necked turtles) were trapped in drying mud at the Gingham watercourse, with at least 15 confirmed dead and 39 rescued and relocated to Taronga Western Plains Zoo in Dubbo.
- The Gingham watercourse supports four Ramsar-listed wetlands, and the affected area includes nationally threatened species like the Murray River turtle, which conservationists fear may disappear from the region.