Second company confirms asbestos in imported wind turbine lift brake pads
A second renewable energy provider says it is taking “immediate action” after the discovery of asbestos in imported brake pads used on access lifts at its wind farms around the country. ⌘ Read more

Waits on housing and renewables may have just gone from years to months
Major housing, renewables and mining projects often get bogged down by Australia’s aging environment laws for years. Now a deal to rewrite them could change that. ⌘ Read more

Victorian grower finds success in relatively unknown sweet crop
Jujubes are a relatively unknown fruit for most Australians, but the sweet fruit has strong domestic demand for those looking for a taste of home. ⌘ Read more

Greek Cybercrime Unit Shuts Down IPTV Pirates, 68 End Users Face Fines
Greek authorities shut down an IPTV piracy operation on Santorini, arresting a reseller and referring 68 end users for prosecution. TorrentFreak reports: A new legal framework to tackle online infringement in Greece went live just a couple of months ago, and reports of prosecutions are already coming in. Early September, it was reported … ⌘ Read more

Inquest finds murder of Lilie James ‘was a premeditated killing’
A NSW coroner has urged young people to consider their use of location-sharing technology after the “senseless” murder of Lilie James at the hands of her ex-boyfriend. ⌘ Read more

Breaking: Government projected to badly miss 2035 climate target, fall shy of 2030
The Climate Change Authority projects Australia is expected to fall well short of its commitment to cut emissions by 62 to 70 per cent by 2035 — though the minister notes that is before accounting for a number of recent commitments. ⌘ Read more

White wine grape growers already in crisis suffer ‘another kick in the guts’
The wine grape industry has written to the SA government pleading for help as it reaches breaking point after indicative pricing for the next vintage is released showing growers could face losses of up to $270 per tonne. ⌘ Read more

Swimming skills gap from lack of facilities in regional WA
Parents are reporting year-long waitlists for swimming lessons at public pools as drowning deaths continue to rise. ⌘ Read more

Google’s AirDrop Support For Pixel 10 Likely Exists Because of EU’s Apple Ruling
Last week, Google surprised the tech world when it announced AirDrop support on Pixel 10 devices – all without Apple’s involvement. “While it initially seemed like this was a rogue move made by Google to coerce Apple into another boundary-breaking decision, it might actually be part of the repercussions that also l … ⌘ Read more

Newborn baby found abandoned outside Canberra fire station
The baby — estimated to be less than 24 hours old — was found this morning outside a fire station. ⌘ Read more

Labor and Greens agree on extra ABC funding for kids’ programs
A deal between the federal government and the minor party will see an extra $50 million go to the public broadcaster to facilitate passage of a bill to impose local content requirements on streaming platforms. ⌘ Read more

First permanent psychiatrist appointed in south-west Queensland
Farzin Rezaei has made the move from the Tehran University of Medical Sciences to the vast plains of south-west Queensland. ⌘ Read more

The rule change that could stop ‘overpowered’ e-bikes being brought into Australia
Bicycle industry figures welcome planned changes by the federal government, but hope state governments will update road rules to help enforcement. ⌘ Read more

Boy stabbed at Melbourne school
A boy has been treated for non-life-threatening injuries after a stabbing at a school in Melbourne’s south-east on Thursday morning. ⌘ Read more

OpenAI Says Dead Teen Violated TOS When He Used ChatGPT To Plan Suicide
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: Facing five lawsuits alleging wrongful deaths, OpenAI lobbed its first defense Tuesday, denying in a court filing that ChatGPT caused a teen’s suicide and instead arguing the teen violated terms that prohibit discussing suicide or self-harm with the chatbot. The earliest look at … ⌘ Read more

Summer fire outlook puts Victoria at high bushfire risk
Dry conditions dogging Victoria put the state at a high risk of bushfires this summer, according to the latest summer fire outlook. ⌘ Read more

What the social media ban means for rural boarding school students
Regional and remote students are being encouraged to learn old-school ways to stay in contact as social media bans for those under 16 come into effect over the summer holidays. ⌘ Read more

Banking regulator APRA to impose home loan caps amid housing boom
The banking regulator will impose restrictions on home loans from early next year to limit the number of “high-risk” large loans being issued to customers, which could have major implications for home prices. ⌘ Read more

Floods leave at least 50 dead across Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia
The Thai city of Hat Yai received its heaviest rainfall in 300 years, while mudslides killed dozens on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. ⌘ Read more

Newegg Sparks Debate With New PayPal-Integrated AI Shopping Push
BrianFagioli writes: Newegg’s new partnership with PayPal is another sign that mainstream e-commerce is shifting control from users to AI-driven intermediaries. Instead of shoppers visiting Newegg directly, PayPal’s agentic commerce system pushes product discovery through AI platforms like Perplexity where recommendations, checkout, and fraud che … ⌘ Read more

Ballarat mine operators charged over fatal rockfall
The operators of Ballarat Gold Mine have been charged over a rockfall that killed 37-year-old miner Kurt Hourigan and seriously injured a 21-year-old workmate in March 2024. ⌘ Read more

Liverpool crashes to 72-year first after shocking Champions League loss
Liverpool’s nightmare run of form continues after being humbled at home once again as Arsenal flexes its muscles in a heavyweight clash to go top of the Champions League. ⌘ Read more

Chinese Pharma is On the Cusp of Going Global
China’s pharmaceutical industry has quietly evolved from a hub for generics and clinical trials into something more ambitious – a genuine competitor in drug discovery that Western giants are now courting to fill gaps left by looming patent expirations worth over $300 billion by 2030. In the first half of 2025, nearly a third of global licensing agreements signed by big pharma inv … ⌘ Read more

Contender for Khawaja’s Test spot calls him one of Australia’s best ever
Matt Renshaw is gunning for a spot in Australia’s Test side, but does not want it to come at the expense of Australia’s veteran opener Usman Khawaja just yet. ⌘ Read more

How ‘Stranger Things’ Defined the Era of the Algorithm
As Stranger Things releases the first four episodes of its final season today, nearly a decade after its July 2016 premiere, the Netflix series has come to represent something broader than its own popularity – the embodiment of streaming television’s algorithmic philosophy. When the show first appeared, streaming was still finding its footing. Netflix had be … ⌘ Read more

Mother horrified to see needle thrown into backyard on CCTV
A mother is in disbelief after a needle she believes was used to inject drugs was thrown into her Karratha backyard. ⌘ Read more

Varroa mite detected in bee hives in two more SA locations
Beekeepers are being urged to monitor their hives more frequently after further detections of the deadly bee parasite varroa mite in South Australia. ⌘ Read more

Labor strikes deal with Greens to end environmental reform stalemate
The years-long stalemate over reforms to environmental laws is set to clear in the final week of the parliamentary year. ⌘ Read more

Government threatens to shut down ‘illegal’ street charity
Queensland’s transport department has threatened to penalise residents who set up street-side charity cupboards without filling in the requisite paperwork. ⌘ Read more

The ‘concerning’ link between childhood maltreatment and suicide risk
Suicide Prevention Australia says there’s an “urgent” need for action to stop the “significant and lasting” impact of childhood trauma. ⌘ Read more

European Lawmakers Seek EU-Wide Minimum Age To Access AI Chatbots, Social Media
The European Parliament has passed a non-binding resolution urging an EU-wide minimum age of 16 to access social media, video-sharing platforms, and AI chatbots, with parental consent allowed for ages 13-16 and a hard ban for anyone under 13. “It also proposes additional measures, including a ban on addictive design f … ⌘ Read more

Thousands still without power, schools closed after freak storm
Thousands of residents in Western Sydney are waking up without power and some schools across NSW will be closed after a freak storm on Wednesday. ⌘ Read more

More Than Half of New Articles On the Internet Are Being Written By AI
An anonymous reader quotes a report from the Conversation: The line between human and machine authorship is blurring, particularly as it’s become increasingly difficult to tell whether something was written by a person or AI. Now, in what may seem like a tipping point, the digital marketing firm Graphite recently published a study sho … ⌘ Read more

Live: ASX to rise as Wall St extends rally on growing bets of Fed rate cut
A rally on Wall Street is likely to send Australian stocks higher as revived tech strength and the growing probability of a December interest rate cut from the US Federal Reserve put investors in a buying mood the day before the Thanksgiving holiday. Follow the latest updates in our live blog. ⌘ Read more

Drought down south sends potato prices soaring up north
Potato growers in Queensland’s far north are suddenly in hot demand as drought-stricken paddocks in the country’s south fail to deliver. ⌘ Read more

Concerns SA’s ‘best agricultural land’ being taken up by battery projects
One of Australia’s largest battery energy storage systems would be built on farmland in South Australia’s south-east in a proposal that the developer says will lower electricity costs. ⌘ Read more

Staggs reveals one condition to ensure he continues playing for Australia
Kotoni Staggs must decide between representing Australia or Tonga at the international level, and says there is one key factor that will tip his decision either way. ⌘ Read more

Heatwave sweeps south-east Queensland as temperatures climb into high 30s
South-east Queensland is set to swelter through the next few days, with forecast temperatures way above average and more storms on the way. ⌘ Read more

SEC Must Not Let Crypto Companies ‘Bypass’ Rules, Stock Exchanges Say
The Securities and Exchange Commission’s possible plan to grant crypto companies relief from regulation to sell “tokenised” stocks risks harming investors, a group of stock exchanges said in a letter to the U.S. regulator this week. From a report: Several crypto companies plan to sell crypto tokens linked to listed equities to retail investors … ⌘ Read more

Breaking: Two National Guard members shot in Washington DC
Two National Guard soldiers have been shot near the White House. Their conditions were not immediately known, according to a law enforcement official who spoke to AP on condition of anonymity. ⌘ Read more

Her 8yo son was killed in an e-motorbike crash. Now she wants new rules to protect kids
Kloe Weedon’s son Zeke William Hondow, a schoolboy with a sharp wit and even sharper haircuts, was farewelled at a funeral last week. ⌘ Read more

Anglican Diocese of Ballarat under financial strain from abuse payouts
An Anglican bishop says regional dioceses around Australia are facing financial pressure and potential closure due to having to pay millions of dollars to abuse victim-survivors. ⌘ Read more

Bamboo scaffolding, flames and wind. Here’s what we know about the Hong Kong fire
The blaze in Tai Po that engulfed multiple high-rise apartment blocks is still burning, and authorities say it likely began in bamboo scaffolding that encased the buildings. ⌘ Read more

Optus customers trapped in complaint ‘merry-go-round’ over network issues
Optus has been under intense scrutiny after a network outage in September left hundreds of people unable to call Triple Zero and was linked to three deaths. ⌘ Read more

Pentagon Cited Alibaba on China Military Aid in Oct. 7 Letter
An anonymous reader shares a report: The Pentagon concluded that Alibaba Group, Baidu and BYD should be added to a list of companies that aid the Chinese military, according to a letter to Congress sent roughly three weeks before Donald Trump and Xi Jinping agreed to a broad trade truce.

Deputy Defense Secretary Stephen Feinberg informed lawmakers of t … ⌘ Read more

The way Rockliff will be remembered inextricably tied to Hobart stadium’s future
With the vote to decide the fate of the Hobart stadium a week away, Premier Jeremy Rockliff’s political legacy is in the balance. ⌘ Read more

Military seizes control and arrests president in Guinea-Bissau
Guinea-Bissau’s military says it has seized control of the country and arrested its president following the discovery of a plan to destabilise the coup-prone west African nation. ⌘ Read more

SA woman suffered permanent brain injury after hospital failed to diagnose stroke, court hears
An Adelaide woman is suing a southern suburbs hospital for $1.5 million in damages alleging she suffered a “permanent neurological injury” when doctors failed to diagnose her with a stroke, court documents reveal. ⌘ Read more

Black Friday sales ‘pressure’ pushing some Australians into debt binge
With millions of Australians tipped to spend record amounts this Black Friday, the value of personal credit and charge-card balances accruing interest has hit its highest level since 2021. ⌘ Read more

Peace plan or ‘dead cat’? Inside Trump’s Epstein files distractions
What does a dead cat have to do with Donald Trump and the Epstein files? Everything, according to some experts. ⌘ Read more