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Trump attacks Pope Leo XIV over Iran war and immigration policies
Donald Trump launched an unprecedented attack on Pope Leo XIV on April 13, 2026, accusing him of being 'weak' on crime and 'terrible for foreign policy' after the pope criticized the US-Israel war in ...
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- Donald Trump called Pope Leo XIV 'weak' and 'terrible for foreign policy' in a Truth Social post on April 13, 2026, criticizing his stance on Iran's nuclear ambitions and the US-Israel war.
- Pope Leo XIV described Trump’s threat to destroy Iranian civilization as 'truly unacceptable' during a prayer service at St. Peter’s Basilica on April 12, 2026.
- Trump accused Pope Leo of 'catering to the Radical Left' and claimed Leo was appointed pope because he is American, saying 'If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican.'
Australian sprinter Gout Gout breaks 200m national record under 20 seconds
Australian sprinter Gout Gout made history at the 2026 Australian Athletics Championships in Sydney on April 13 by running 19.67 seconds in the 200m final, becoming the first Australian to legally bre...
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- Gout Gout ran 19.67 seconds in the 200m final at the 2026 Australian Athletics Championships in Sydney on April 13, 2026, setting a new Australian national record and becoming the first Australian to legally break the 20-second barrier.
- Gout Gout's previous Australian record was 20.02 seconds, set in 2025.
- Gout Gout is 18 years old and his 19.67-second time is faster than Usain Bolt's time of 19.93 seconds at the same age (18) in 2004.
US announces naval blockade of Strait of Hormuz after failed Iran peace talks
The core story is that US President Donald Trump announced a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz on April 13, 2026, following failed peace talks with Iran in Islamabad, Pakistan. The blockade aims ...
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- US President Donald Trump announced a US Navy blockade of the Strait of Hormuz effective April 13, 2026, at 10:00 AM US Eastern Time (midnight AEST April 14)
- The blockade targets all vessels entering or exiting Iranian ports and coastal areas in the Strait of Hormuz, Persian Gulf, and Gulf of Oman
- The US-Iran peace talks in Islamabad, Pakistan, failed to reach an agreement over the weekend (April 12-13, 2026)
Death of Bollywood legend Asha Bhosle at age 92
Legendary Bollywood playback singer Asha Bhosle died on April 12, 2026, at age 92 after being hospitalized in Mumbai for exhaustion and a chest infection. Her last rites were held the following day at...
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- Asha Bhosle died aged 92 on April 12, 2026, after being admitted to Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai with 'extreme exhaustion' and chest infection
- Her last rites were held on April 13, 2026, at Shivaji Park in Mumbai
- Asha Bhosle recorded over 12,000 songs in multiple Indian languages over a seven-decade career
Three Victorian Labor ministers resign ahead of state election
Three senior Victorian Labor ministers—Finance Minister Danny Pearson, Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas, and Skills and TAFE Minister Gayle Tierney—resigned on April 13, 2026, seven months before the ...
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- Finance Minister Danny Pearson, Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas, and Skills and TAFE Minister Gayle Tierney resigned on April 13, 2026, seven months before the November 2026 state election.
- The three ministers will resign their ministries immediately and serve as backbench MPs until the election.
- Mary-Anne Thomas, leader of Labor in the lower house, cited spending time with family and her 91-year-old mother as reasons for her resignation.
Australia appoints new defence force chief and first female army chief
Australia’s government announced two major appointments in the Australian Defence Force (ADF) on April 13, 2026, marking historic and strategic shifts. Vice Admiral Mark Hammond, a 40-year navy vetera...
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- Vice Admiral Mark Hammond was appointed as the new Chief of the Australian Defence Force, replacing Admiral David Johnston, who will retire in July 2026.
- Lieutenant General Susan Coyle was appointed as the first female Chief of Army, replacing Lieutenant General Simon Stuart, who will also retire in July 2026.
- Defence Minister Richard Marles described Susan Coyle as a 'standout candidate' and called her appointment a 'deeply historic moment' for women in the ADF.
Australia’s $20m fuel-saving ad campaign amid Middle East oil crisis
Australia’s government launched a $20 million advertising campaign on April 13, 2026, titled ‘Every Little Bit Helps,’ encouraging citizens to conserve fuel amid a global crisis triggered by the closu...
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- The Australian government launched a $20 million ‘Every Little Bit Helps’ ad campaign on April 13, 2026, urging fuel conservation (tyre checks, removing roof racks, fewer trips).
- Australia’s fuel reserves as of April 2026: 38 days of petrol, 31 days of diesel, 28 days of jet fuel (with diesel reserves increasing by 2 days).
- Australia imports 90% of its fuel, with key suppliers including Singapore, South Korea, Japan, Brunei (9% diesel, 11% urea), and Malaysia (10% urea, 3rd-largest refined fuel source).
Australia’s opposition proposes strict visa vetting, including social media checks and values tests
Australia’s opposition leader Angus Taylor is set to unveil a hardline immigration policy on April 13, 2026, requiring all visa applicants—including tourists—to submit their social media accounts for ...
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- Angus Taylor will unveil the Coalition’s immigration policy on April 13, 2026, at the Menzies Institute, including mandatory social media vetting for all visa applicants (tourists, migrants, asylum seekers).
- The policy would require visa applicants to submit their social media accounts for screening, similar to a rule implemented by U.S. President Donald Trump in December 2017.
- A new ‘Enhanced Screening Coordination Centre’ would be established within Home Affairs to integrate intelligence from ASIO, federal police, and Border Force to identify ‘terrorist sympathisers and security risks’ before visa approval.
Booking.com data breach and phishing scams affecting Australian customers
Booking.com has alerted customers that a data breach may have exposed personal information, including names, emails, phone numbers, and booking details, accessed by unauthorized parties. Both sources ...
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- Booking.com issued a warning to customers about a data breach where names, email addresses, phone numbers, and booking details may have been accessed by unauthorized third parties.
- Customers were advised not to share credit card details via email, phone, text, or WhatsApp due to the breach.
- Booking.com sent emails to affected customers with new reservation PIN numbers to enhance security.
Activist pressure targets Kyle Sandilands on Australian Idol; Ben Roberts-Smith series announced
Activist group Mad F---ing Witches (MFW) is escalating pressure on Seven Network to remove Kyle Sandilands as a judge on *Australian Idol* for 2027, using advertiser boycotts similar to tactics that f...
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- Mad F---ing Witches (MFW) is lobbying Seven Network advertisers to drop Australian Idol over Kyle Sandilands' continued role as a judge, aiming to remove him for 2027.
- Kyle Sandilands is suing ARN (Southern Cross Austereo) in the Federal Court for $85 million over his terminated KIIS breakfast show contract.
- Sandilands has been on *Australian Idol* for nine seasons: five on Network Ten and four on Seven Network.
Harry and Meghan’s 2026 Australia tour criticized as profit-driven amid financial struggles
Harry and Meghan’s 2026 Australia tour has sparked criticism as a cash-grab amid their financial struggles, despite their 2018 visit being widely popular. Both outlets highlight their plummeting publi...
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- Harry and Meghan visited Australia in 2018 for a seven-day tour covering Sydney, Melbourne, Dubbo, and Kʼgari (formerly Fraser Island)
- Meghan’s unfavorability in Britain reached 66% in January 2026, per YouGov, making her the second-most disliked royal after Prince Harry (60% unfavorability)
- Harry and Meghan purchased a $US14.65 million ($21 million AUD) 16-bedroom Montecito house in 2024, putting down a $US5 million deposit and taking a $US10 million mortgage
A 25-year-old woman drowns at Ellery Creek Big Hole near Alice Springs, NT
A 25-year-old woman drowned at Ellery Creek Big Hole, a popular swimming spot near Alice Springs, Northern Territory, on April 12, 2026, around 12:50 PM. Witnesses performed CPR before paramedics arri...
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- A 25-year-old woman drowned at Ellery Creek Big Hole near Alice Springs on April 12, 2026, around 12:50 PM local time
- CPR was performed on the woman by witnesses before St John Ambulance/paramedics took over resuscitation efforts, but she could not be revived
- The area was closed to the public while police investigated the incident
Sabrina Carpenter headlines Coachella 2026 with a high-budget spectacle; festival highlights
Coachella 2026’s opening night was dominated by Sabrina Carpenter’s highly anticipated headline set, fulfilling her 2024 promise to return as a headliner. Both the Guardian and ABC described her produ...
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- Sabrina Carpenter headlined Coachella 2026 on opening night (April 11–13, 2026) after teasing it in her 2024 set with the line 'Coachella, see you back here when I headline.'
- Carpenter’s set featured a Hollywood-themed production called 'SABRINAWOOD' with elaborate set design, costume changes, and pre-filmed interludes (including cameos by Sam Elliott, Susan Sarandon, Will Ferrell, and Samuel L. Jackson).
- The set included tracks from Carpenter’s albums *Short n’ Sweet* and *Man’s Best Friend*, with a 90-minute runtime and a closing moment where she emerged from a vintage car elevated on a fountain.
13-year-old girl denied bail after allegedly weaponizing stolen cars in hate crimes targeting Jewish community
A 13-year-old girl was denied bail in a Victorian children’s court on 2026-04-13 after allegedly weaponizing stolen cars in a series of hate crimes targeting Jewish community members. She faces 109 ch...
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- A 13-year-old girl appeared in Victorian children’s court on 2026-04-13 seeking bail for 109 charges, including reckless conduct endangering serious injury, theft, motor vehicle theft, and burglary
- On 2026-03-30, the girl allegedly drove a stolen car in Brighton (Melbourne’s south-east), attempted to hit a cyclist with the passenger door, then drove into the 45-year-old cyclist, knocking him to the ground
- Within three minutes of the 2026-03-30 incident, the girl Googled ‘how long the sentence is for running someone over’
Australia’s stance on US-Iran Strait of Hormuz blockade and regional tensions
The core story revolves around the US announcement of a blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route, starting Tuesday morning. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Def...
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- US President Donald Trump announced a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz starting Tuesday morning (AEST), targeting Iranian ports and coastal areas while allowing transit to/from non-Iranian ports.
- Australia’s Chief of Navy Mark Hammond stated that Australian warships are 'ready as they ever have been' and 'absolutely capable' of performing missions in the Strait of Hormuz, with 8 of 10 major combatant ships currently deployed.
- US Vice President JD Vance led negotiations in Pakistan over the weekend, which failed to resolve the crisis, with Vance stating the US delegation made a 'final and best offer' but no agreement was reached.
Uber introduces temporary fuel surcharge in Australia amid rising petrol prices
Uber Australia introduced a temporary 5-cent-per-kilometre fuel surcharge for petrol, diesel, and hybrid rides from 15 April to 8 June 2026, aiming to offset rising fuel costs for drivers amid a crisi...
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- Uber Australia will charge a temporary fuel surcharge of 5 cents per kilometre for petrol, diesel, and hybrid rides from 15 April to 8 June 2026.
- The surcharge is intended to help drivers cover higher fuel costs, with drivers estimated to spend an extra $40–$50 per fill-up due to soaring fuel prices.
- Michael Kaine, national secretary of the Transport Workers’ Union of Australia (TWU), supported the surcharge, stating it would provide meaningful relief for drivers.
Brisbane rail disruptions cause commuter chaos with long bus waits and track closures
Brisbane commuters faced significant disruptions on April 13, 2026, as planned track closures between Northgate and Bowen Hills, and Varsity Lakes and Boggo Road led to long queues and delays for repl...
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- Track closures between Northgate and Bowen Hills, and Varsity Lakes and Boggo Road were in effect on April 13, 2026, with buses replacing trains.
- Commuters reported waiting 45 minutes or more for replacement buses at Northgate and Eagle Junction stations on April 13, 2026.
- Joanne McCarthy, a commuter from Caboolture, said her usual 1-hour trip to Roma Street took 2.5 hours due to delays and lack of communication.
Nigerian military airstrike kills civilians in northeast market
A Nigerian Air Force airstrike on April 13, 2026, reportedly killed at least 100 civilians, including children, at Jilli market near the Yobe-Borno border. The military claimed it targeted Boko Haram ...
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- A Nigerian Air Force strike on Jilli market (Yobe/Borno border) killed at least 100 civilians, including children, on April 13, 2026
- The strike occurred in the village of Jilli, near the border of Nigeria’s Yobe and Borno states
- Amnesty International confirmed the death toll via survivor accounts and hospital sources, calling for an independent investigation
Analysis of Euphoria Season 3 release, production delays, and critical reception
Euphoria Season 3, released in April 2026 after a four-year delay, marks the show’s transition from high school drama to adult consequences for its core characters. Both articles agree on key producti...
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- Euphoria Season 3 premiered in April 2026 after a four-year hiatus since Season 2 (2022).
- Zendaya, Sydney Sweeney, Jacob Elordi, Alexa Demie, and Hunter Schafer are main cast members of Euphoria.
- Sam Levinson is the showrunner and creator of Euphoria, son of director Barry Levinson.
House fire in Queensland leaves two elderly residents missing; crime scene investigation ongoing
A house fire in the remote rural area of Good Night near Bundaberg, Queensland, left two elderly residents unaccounted for after their single-storey home was destroyed on April 12, 2026. Emergency ser...
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- Two people in their 70s are missing after a house fire near Bundaberg, Queensland
- The fire occurred at a property on Booyal Crossing Road in Good Night, a remote rural area near Bundaberg
- Emergency services were called to the fire at approximately 9:15 PM on Saturday, April 12, 2026