‘Essential for water safety’: Fears Canberra won’t have enough pools
As temperatures soar, advocates of public pools in Canberra say they want to see greater support and investment for facilities in the national capital. ⌘ Read more

The Anxieties of Full-Body MRI Scans (Not Covered by Insurance)
Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank calls himself “a highly creative hypochondriac” — who just paid for an expensive MRI scan to locate abnormal spots as tiny as 2 millimeters.

He discusses the pros and cons of its “diffusion-weighted imaging” technology combined with the pattern recognition of AI, which theoretically “has the potential to save … ⌘ Read more

Four arrested in London after apple crumble thrown at Crown Jewels display
An organisation called Take Back Power, which describes itself as a civil resistance group, posted footage of the incident on social media and said two of its members had smothered the Imperial State Crown display case with apple crumble and custard. ⌘ Read more

‘I’m somebody now’: After 88 years Maisie finally has a birth certificate
Maisie Harkin was born on country in Western Australia’s Great Victoria Desert. It has taken 88 years for her birth to be officially recognised. ⌘ Read more

Train derailment closes Townsville-Mount Isa rail line
A train locomotive is on its side and two others are off the track after a derailment on the Townsville to Mount Isa rail line. ⌘ Read more

At least 11 killed in South Africa hostel shooting
Gunmen stormed a hostel in the early hours of the morning, shooting 25 people at the scene and killing at least 11 people, including three children. ⌘ Read more

@itsericwoodward@itsericwoodward.com Aren’t yhere onlu 12 puzzles this year? 🧐

Scorchers book finals spot with Renegades WBBL defence over
Beth Mooney’s flawless 94 not out leads Perth to victory in its must-win game against Brisbane, ensuring the Scorchers will play finals again in the WBBL. ⌘ Read more

Could America’s Paper Checks Be On the Way Out, Like the Penny?
“First the penny. Next, paper checks?” asks CNN:

When the U.S. Mint stopped making pennies last month for the first time in 238 years, it drew a lot of attention. But there have been quiet moves to stop using paper checks as well. The government stopped sending out most paper checks to recipients as of the end of September, part of an effort to fully … ⌘ Read more

Findings set to reveal dysfunction that led to WA’s first youth detention death
The coroner investigating WA’s first recorded death in youth detention is expected to hand down wide-ranging findings and recommendations following the death of 16-year-old Cleveland Dodd in 2022. Here’s everything you need to know. ⌘ Read more

All-abilities nippers surf lifesaving program extended to regional WA
Catering to children with autism spectrum disorders, it is the first of its kind in regional Western Australia. ⌘ Read more

Illegal seafood and ALP fundraisers etched into iconic restaurant’s fame
For four decades Lagoon Restaurant has been one of Wollongong’s most iconic and controversial establishments, enjoying a prime seaside location and a close relationship with the city’s political class. ⌘ Read more

Prime minister’s office approved Wells’s almost-$100,000 flights
The furore over Communications Minister Anika Wells’s expenses continues, with just three days until the government’s much-anticipated social media ban for under 16s comes into force. ⌘ Read more

Google Must Limit Its ‘Default Search’ Contracts to One Year, Judge Rules
Bloomberg reports that Google “must renegotiate any contract to make its search engine or artificial intelligence app the default for smartphones and other devices every year, a federal judge ruled.”

Judge Amit Mehta in Washington sided with the US Justice Department on the one year limitation in his final ruling on what changes th … ⌘ Read more

Farmers feeling ‘forgotten’ as environment, land clearing laws tightened
Queensland producers say a blanket approach to environmental laws will restrict their ability to manage land sustainably and responsibly. ⌘ Read more

Socceroos set for wild west North American adventure at World Cup 2026
Australia’s North American west coast adventure at the World Cup is confirmed, with matches in Vancouver, Seattle and Santa Clara in California. ⌘ Read more

Questions raised about Alice Springs principal’s suitability after conviction
Former Yipirinya School principal Gavin Morris has been found guilty of aggravated assault against students, but questions have been raised about Morris’s hiring and his suitability for the role. ⌘ Read more

Live: Natural disaster declarations across NSW as premier thanks 1,500 firefighters
NSW Premier Chris Minns thanks emergency services, including more than 1,500 firefighters, who have been fighting fires across the state. Follow live. ⌘ Read more

Cyclone Joan’s fury remembered 50 years on
Cyclone Joan made landfall near the WA mining town of Port Hedland a year after Cyclone Tracy flattened Darwin, and it was almost as powerful. ⌘ Read more

Woman Hailed As a Hero For Smashing Man’s Meta Smart Glasses On Subway
“Woman Hailed as Hero for Smashing Man’s Meta Smart Glasses on Subway,” reads the headline at Futurism:

As Daily Dot reports, a New York subway rider has accused a woman of breaking his Meta smart glasses. “She just broke my Meta glasses,” said the TikTok user, who goes by eth8n, in a video that has since garnered millions of views.

” … ⌘ Read more

The documentary exposing the realities of aged care with humour and heart
Filmmaker Sue Thomson recently lost her mum. But before that, they made the beautiful documentary Careless together, which explores Australia’s aged care system mess. ⌘ Read more

‘Treasured’ gallery that costs ratepayers millions faces a problem
More than three years after a Tasmanian council green-lit a plan to ease the financial burden of the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery, stakeholders worry momentum has stalled. ⌘ Read more

Caught-and-bowled king Neser feared his Test career was over
Bowling all-rounder Michael Neser is back and taking vital wickets after beginning to think he had played his last Test match for Australia. ⌘ Read more

First responders struggling to find homes in tourism hotspot
First responders say they are having to live well outside their operating regions due to lack of available housing. ⌘ Read more

Parents urged to learn rules about e-bikes as Christmas approaches
An e-bike will be top of their Christmas wish list this year, prompting a warning for parents to know the rules. ⌘ Read more

Officer’s mental health questioned by insurance doctor he’d never met
A former NSW Police officer with post-traumatic stress disorder had his mental health incorrectly challenged by a doctor who never consulted or examined him during a year-long battle with the force’s insurer. ⌘ Read more

Union ‘turf war’ dominates second week of Queensland CFMEU inquiry
This week’s public hearings centred on how a long-running bitter turf war escalated to the point a rival union boss sought help from the state’s top cop. ⌘ Read more

Aging breast screening bus only retired after staff get electric shocks
Tasmania’s health department was aware a 32-year-old breast cancer screening bus was unsafe for years, but continued operating it up until two staff suffered electric shocks. ⌘ Read more

‘Motherships’, corpses and ‘comical’ failures as drug smugglers try it all
The alleged use of an international livestock ship to smuggle drugs into Western Australia last month prompted a media storm, but one expert says it is just one among a “dizzying variety” of methods criminals are trying. ⌘ Read more

A 1950s Material Just Set a Modern Record For Lightning-fast Chips
“Researchers engineered a strained germanium layer on silicon that allows charge to move faster than in any silicon-compatible material to date,” reports Science Daily. “This record mobility could lead to chips that run cooler, faster, and with dramatically lower energy consumption.

“The discovery also enhances the prospects for silicon- … ⌘ Read more

As Christmas lights return to Bethlehem, Palestinians look for hope
As the ceasefire in Gaza enters its second month, the Palestinian city revered by Christians as the birthplace of Jesus holds a ceremony to light up a 20-metre tree at the edge of Manger Square. ⌘ Read more

Piastri’s task gets tougher as Verstappen takes pole for F1 finale
Aussie Oscar Piastri’s hopes of the world F1 crown slump after title rivals Max Verstappen and Lando Norris finish ahead of him in Abu Dhabi GP qualifying. ⌘ Read more

Fears number of homes lost in NSW fires could rise
Authorities say there is a risk severe storms could hit the already-fire damaged north-east as part of a cold front, as more than 70 fires continue to burn across NSW. ⌘ Read more

Fish returning to some parts of SA’s coast, divers say
Open water divers say underwater visibility has improved and marine life is returning to some areas off South Australia’s coast. Experts say it’s a positive sign, but warn it’s “way too early” to say the environment is recovering from the state’s algal bloom. ⌘ Read more

Snatched sushi and scoffed sandwiches — seagulls swoop at Federation Square
Pesky seagulls snatching food from unsuspecting members of the public has spurred a Melbourne council to start canine patrols of Federation Square. ⌘ Read more

Beloved by Instagrammers, walk closed to preserve paperbark forest
Bush Heritage Australia says it is still considering how to safely reopen the walk, which prior to closure was being visited by 100,000 people a year. ⌘ Read more

Chernobyl’s Protective Shield Can No Longer Confine Radiation, UN Nuclear Watchdog Says
“A structure designed to prevent radioactive leakage at the defunct Chernobyl nuclear plant in Ukraine is no longer operational,” reports Politico, “after Russian drones targeted it earlier this year, the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog has found.”

[T]he large steel structure “lost its primary safety fun … ⌘ Read more

Judgement day arrives for Bazball as Australia moves in for the kill
Australia was patient, mature and ruthless on day three at the Gabba, widening the chasm between it and an England side now set for its day of reckoning. ⌘ Read more

When Bugurra was 11, her life changed forever. A photo captured the moment
In the 1960s, the last of the desert families were coming into contact with white people. For one woman, the moment was captured on camera. ⌘ Read more

What life’s like when you’re Deaf and blind
Living with vision impairment throws up many challenges. Being Deaf on top of that requires you to go to even greater lengths just to fit in with the modern world. This is how one Deafblind woman does it. ⌘ Read more

Aptera’s Solar-Powered EVs Take Another Step Toward Production
To build three-wheeled, solar electric vehicles, Aptera has now launched its “validation” vehicle assembly line, reports the San Diego Business Journal.

“The validation line will set a technical foundation for the company’s eventual low-volume assembly line, ensuring that manufacturing processes are optimized and refined, particularly for the company … ⌘ Read more

Gearing up for the school holidays? Here’s how to survive them without social media
These school holidays, children under 16 will find themselves with less social media access as a ban comes into place. We asked the experts how parents can best support their kids with the transition. ⌘ Read more

How one man’s method became the death penalty standard
On this day in history, the US carried out its first execution by lethal injection — a method thought up by one doctor. ⌘ Read more

So, you think you’re good at quizzes? It’s time to play HARD!
Alright, show us what you’ve got. I’ll keep my expectations low. ⌘ Read more

‘This was a wanted pregnancy’: The mothers facing prosecution in Trump’s America
Denied pregnancy care and threatened with prosecution: in the wake of widespread abortion bans, across the United States prosecutors have launched more than 400 cases charging people with crimes related to their pregnancy, miscarriage, stillbirth or birth. ⌘ Read more

Parents could grant Labor the grace the opposition won’t on social media ban
Australia’s social media age ban is one of the most significant attempts to rebalance the asymmetric power relationship between government and tech. ⌘ Read more

As natural disasters tear through Asia, politicians ignore climate at their own peril
Accused of incompetence and apathy in the aftermath of natural disasters, governments across Asia are facing increasing backlash as the impact of global warming intensifies. ⌘ Read more

Why These Parents Want Schools to Stop Issuing iPads to the Their Children
What happened when a school in Los Angeles gave a sixth grader an iPad for use throughout the school day? “He used the iPad during school to watch YouTube and participate in Fortnite video game battles,” reports NBC News.

His mother has now launched a coalition of parents called Schools Beyond Screens “organizing in WhatsAp … ⌘ Read more

Could Netflix’s Deal for Warner Bros. Fall Apart?
While Netflix hopes to buy Warner Bros. Discovery for $72 billion, CNBC reports a senior official in America’s federal government said the administration was viewing the deal with “heavy skepticism. And that’s not the only hurdle:

On Thursday, The Wall Street Journal reported that Paramount, in a letter to lawyers for Warner Bros. Discovery [WBD], had warned that a s … ⌘ Read more

The AI Boom Could Increase Prices for Phones and Tablets Next Year
CNN’s prediction for 2026? “Any device that uses memory, from phones to tablets and smartwatches, could get pricier.” But will it be a little or a lot?

The article cites an analysis from multinational strategy/management consulting firm McKinsey & Company which found America’s data center demand could continue growing by 20 to 25 percent … ⌘ Read more