Breaking: RBA keeps rates on hold in December at 3.6pc
The Reserve Bank of Australia keeps rates on hold in December at 3.6pc ⌘ Read more

Cold Case Inquiries Stall After Ancestry.com Revisits Policy For Users
An anonymous reader quotes a report from the New York Times: Since online genealogy services began operating, millions of people have sent them saliva samples in hopes of learning about their family roots and discovering far-flung relatives. These services also appeal to law enforcement authorities, who have used them to solve cold c … ⌘ Read more

Tasmanian public schools to close amid ongoing industrial action — here’s what you should know
Most public schools in Burnie, Launceston and Hobart will close for half a day this Friday, as union members demand action on rising school violence and unfair wages. ⌘ Read more

Paramedic, ex-Scouts volunteer admits child abuse material possession
A New South Wales paramedic and former Scouts volunteer admits possessing and transmitting child abuse material. ⌘ Read more

Five questions police watchdog will weigh up about Lindy Lucena’s death
NSW Police has been probed about “proper practice” and what could be done differently after first being alerted to Lindy Lucena’s fatal bashing on the NSW north coast, with multiple delays in the force’s response. ⌘ Read more

Yallop faces nervous wait ahead of Asian Cup
Matildas stalwart Tameka Yallop’s Asian Cup campaign hangs the balance as she awaits news on the hamstring she suffered over the weekend. ⌘ Read more

Fracked gas to enter NT energy market by 2026 to ‘keep the lights on’
The gas-rich Beetaloo Basin in the Northern Territory has been in development for years — now, the NT government says the gas will finally flow from 2026. ⌘ Read more

China’s trade surplus tops $US1 trillion for first time as exports surge
China’s record trade surplus comes as manufacturers seeking to avoid US President Donald Trump’s tariffs ship more to Europe, Australia and South-East Asia. ⌘ Read more

Fire scorches almost 100ha at one of Australia’s biggest solar farms
The cause of a grass fire that started on one of Australia’s largest solar farms remains a mystery. ⌘ Read more

193 Cybercrims Arrested, Accused of Plotting ‘Violence-As-a-Service’
Europol’s GRIMM taskforce has arrested nearly 200 people accused of running or participating in “violence-as-a-service” schemes where cybercrime groups recruit youth online for real-world attacks. “These individuals are groomed or coerced into committing a range of violent crimes, from acts of intimidation and torture to murder,” the European … ⌘ Read more

Toyah Cordingley’s parents address court before murderer sentenced
Rajwinder Singh, 41, was found guilty of the Far North Queensland woman’s 2018 murder on a secluded beach north of Cairns. He then fled to India, hiding out for about four years before his arrest and extradition. ⌘ Read more

‘Time to go’: Calls for UTS VC to resign after staff no confidence vote
The union-run vote comes as controversial, consultant-designed redundancies continue and politicians call for resignations. ⌘ Read more

Nvidia Can Sell H200 Chips To China For 25% US Cut
The Trump administration will allow Nvidia to resume selling H200 chips to China, but only if the U.S. government takes a 25% cut. Axios reports: Trump said on Truth Social that he’ll allow Nvidia to sell H200 chips – the generation of chips before its current, more-advanced Blackwell lineup – to China, with the U.S. government pocketing a quarter of the revenue. He sa … ⌘ Read more

Regional kids say social media ban will make isolation worse
Kids in regional Victoria say the social media ban will ‘cut off’ contact with friends and family leading to further isolation. ⌘ Read more

Four dead, one missing after wave drags swimmers out to sea in Tenerife
Local media reported that a weather advisory for rough seas was in effect when the swimmers were swept out to sea. ⌘ Read more

More Than 200 Environmental Groups Demand Halt To New US Datacenters
An anonymous reader quotes a report from the Guardian: A coalition of more than 230 environmental groups has demanded a national moratorium on new datacenters in the U.S., the latest salvo in a growing backlash to a booming artificial intelligence industry that has been blamed for escalating electricity bills and worsening the climate cri … ⌘ Read more

Travelling teacher brings instrumental music to regional schools
Tina Greenfield drives 350 kilometres each week to teach music to students at five schools in regional Queensland. ⌘ Read more

Aussie quick ruled out for remainder of Ashes in blow to bowling attack
Coach Andrew McDonald confirms Josh Hazelwood will not play in the Ashes due to ongoing injuries. ⌘ Read more

Inquest into death of tasered 95yo to focus on dementia training
Court hears training of aged-care staff and first responders in dealing with people experiencing dementia will be the primary focus of an upcoming inquest. ⌘ Read more

Taiwan Cries Censorship As Government Bans Rednote
Longtime Slashdot reader hackingbear writes: Taiwan’s government has ordered a one-year block of a popular, mainland Chinese-owned social media app Xiaohongshu, also known as The Little RedNote, citing its failure to cooperate with authorities over fraud-related concerns. Taiwan’s Ministry of the Interior on Thursday cited Xiaohongshu’s, which does not have business presence … ⌘ Read more

Canadian traditional owners fear Australian-style LNG development
Canadian hereditary chief Na’Moks wanted to find out what a gas pipeline on his land would look like, so he flew to northern Western Australia. ⌘ Read more

Residents wait for only access road to bushfire-ravaged town to reopen
Residents and shack owners are waiting to assess the damage to properties at Dolphin Sands on Tasmania’s east coast, were police say 19 homes have been destroyed. ⌘ Read more

‘I love my chest’: Why Kate chose to ‘stay flat’ after breast cancer
After a cancer diagnosis, Kate Miller’s doctor recommended a mastectomy on one side only. But Kate wanted both breasts gone. ⌘ Read more

Revitalised Mackay waterfront at centre of drug and homelessness problems
The banks of the Pioneer River near Mackay’s CBD are home to makeshift camps nestled among the trees, while others reside in picnic shelters by the wharves. ⌘ Read more

IBM To Buy Confluent For $11 Billion To Expand AI Services
IBM is buying Confluent for $11 billion in a major push to own real-time data streaming infrastructure essential for enterprise AI workloads. It marks Big Blue’s biggest acquisition since Red Hat in 2019. Bloomberg reports: The AI boom has touched off billions of dollars in deals for businesses that build, train or leverage the technology, propelling the valu … ⌘ Read more

Firefox 146 Now Available With Native Fractional Scaling On Wayland
Firefox 146 has been released with native fractional scaling support on Wayland – finally giving Linux users crisp UI rendering. Other new additions include GPU process improvements on macOS, developer-focused CSS features, and broader access to Firefox Labs. Phoronix reports: Firefox 146 also now makes Firefox Labs available to all users, … ⌘ Read more

Latest move in colourful MP’s career gets mixed reviews from voters
There are mixed feelings amongst voters in the New England electorate as they digest the news that local MP Barnaby Joyce has defected from the Nationals to One Nation. ⌘ Read more

FIFA confirms all 2026 World Cup games will include two water breaks
FIFA announces three-minute water breaks in both halves of all games will be included in the 2026 World Cup. ⌘ Read more

Meta Pledge To Use Less Personal Data For Ads Gets EU Nod, Avoids Daily Fines
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Reuters: Meta’s proposal to use less personal data for targeted advertising in its pay-or-consent model that will be rolled out next month won the approval of EU antitrust regulators on Monday, signaling the company will not face daily fines after all. […] The U.S. tech giant ha … ⌘ Read more

‘Finally rocked up’: Weatherald and Stokes caught up in Ashes sledging
Sledging between Jake Weatherald and Ben Stokes emerges after Jofra Archer and Steve Smith’s fiery clash at the Gabba. ⌘ Read more

Victims of childcare paedophile Ashley Paul Griffith still dealing with ongoing trauma
A parent of one victim of childcare paedophile Ashley Paul Griffith say they’re still dealing with ongoing trauma, as a Queensland review finds his offending could have been stopped. ⌘ Read more

What is being done about WA’s ‘19th century’ youth justice conditions?
The inquest findings into WA’s first recorded death in youth detention, that of 16-year-old Cleveland Dodd, are a stark warning for the government — and vulnerable lives remain at stake. WARNING: This story contains the name and image of an Indigenous person who has died. ⌘ Read more

Lenovo’s Next Gaming Laptop May Have a Rollable OLED Screen That Stretches Ultrawide
Lenovo may be preparing to unveil a gaming laptop that uses rollable OLED technology to expand horizontally into an ultrawide 21:9 display, according to a Windows Latest report suggesting the device could appear at CES 2026 in January. The Lenovo Legion Pro Rollable would differ from the company’s existing T … ⌘ Read more

Search underway for man who reportedly fell off jetty in regional SA waters
Emergency services are searching for a man in Coffin Bay on the state’s Eyre Peninsula after the alarm was raised about 1am on Tuesday. ⌘ Read more

Man and woman charged over fatal Logan shooting
Police charge a 28-year-old woman with murder over the shooting death of a 41-year-old in Slacks Creek last week. A 42-year-old man is also facing charges over the incident. ⌘ Read more

Alter Boy’s NRG is up for vocalist of the year — yet he doesn’t sing
Luke Eastman’s interpretation work using Auslan in the band Alter Boy is recognised in this year’s WA Music Awards, with a nomination for vocalist of the year. ⌘ Read more

Social Media’s Relentless Shopping Machine Has Created an Army of Debt-Laden Buyers
The influencer economy that Goldman Sachs projects will reach nearly half a trillion dollars by 2027 depends on a less-examined population: the influenced, millions of people who find themselves accumulating debt and clutter after years of exposure to what amounts to a 24/7 digital infomercial.

Antoinette Hocb … ⌘ Read more

NT police restarts investigation into mysterious disappearance of Yolŋu leader
The announcement from NT police follows a months-long ABC investigation into the Northern Territory cold case. ⌘ Read more

Farmsafe Australia issues warning after two serious hay bale incidents
A woman has died and a man has been hospitalised in two separate incidents involving falling hay bales in southern Queensland. Farm safety advocates are calling for increased caution while manoeuvring hay bales. ⌘ Read more

China’s Growth Is Coming at the Rest of the World’s Expense
China has contributed less to global growth this year than the U.S. despite Beijing’s frequent criticism of protectionism, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis citing new research from Goldman Sachs economists. U.S. imports are up 10% so far this year compared to a year earlier, while China’s imports have fallen 3% in dollar terms. Goldman’s economists fou … ⌘ Read more

Farmers say Australia needs government will to unlock biofuel potential
Fuels produced from waste and agricultural feedstock are tipped to play a role in cutting emissions, but a leading Victorian farmer says political will is required to seize the opportunity. ⌘ Read more

Live: AUKUS is ‘full steam ahead’, Marles says
Defence Minister Richard Marles says AUKUS is “full steam ahead” following a meeting with his US counterpart in Washington. Follow live. ⌘ Read more

Gutted families live in limbo after Zone RV collapse
The sensational shutdown of the luxury caravan manufacturer has had a gut-wrenching impact on families from Australia and abroad. ⌘ Read more

Live: RBA tipped to keep rates on hold as market awaits clues to next move
The cash rate is expected to be left steady at 3.6 per cent as the central bank board wraps up its final meeting of 2025. Follow the day’s events and insights from our business reporters on the ABC News live markets blog. ⌘ Read more

Marsh open to Test recall despite announcing Sheffield Shield retirement
Mitch Marsh tells his Western Australia teammates he is retiring, but keeps the door ajar for a Test recall. ⌘ Read more

Denmark Posts Its Last Letters as Hallowed National Mail Ends
Denmark’s postal service, established by King Christian IV four centuries ago as one of Europe’s first modern mail systems, will stop delivering letters on December 30, ending a tradition that once saw riders given a maximum of 45 minutes to cover each 10-kilometer stretch of routes running from Hamburg to Norway.

PostNord, the postal service Denmark h … ⌘ Read more

Government deal sending non-citizens to Nauru faces High Court challenge
An Iranian man facing removal to Nauru under a controversial agreement will ask the High Court to find the government’s plans to deport him lack procedural fairness. ⌘ Read more

Council announces crackdown on short-stay accommodation
Hundreds of properties in low and low-to-medium residential-zoned areas of Brisbane will have to seek development approval or be banned from acting as short-stay accommodation. ⌘ Read more

Bulahdelah farmers count cost of devastating bushfire
Farmers and business on the Mid North Coast are reeling after a fire tore through the area last week, destroying homes and forcing families to evacuate properties. ⌘ Read more

Paramount counters Netflix with hostile bid for Warner Bros
The offer paves the way for a battle between Paramount — whose owner, Larry Ellison, is an ally of Donald Trump — and streaming behemoth Netflix to buy one of Hollywood’s most storied studios. ⌘ Read more