Linus Torvalds Defends Windows’ Blue Screen of Death
Linus Torvalds recently defended Windows’ infamous Blue Screen of Death during a video with Linus Sebastian of Linus Tech Tips, where the two built a PC together. It’s FOSS reports: In that video, Sebastian discussed Torvalds’ fondness for ECC (Error Correction Code). I am using their last name because Linus will be confused with Linus. This is where Torvalds says this: … ⌘ Read more

India caps airfares as IndiGo crisis leaves hundreds stranded for fifth day
Thousands of IndiGo flights were cancelled this week due to a pilot shortage, which prompted government relief and extra trains to help stranded passengers. ⌘ Read more

Five quick hits: The first ‘English’ wicket and Archer’s ‘shocking look’
A sleepy Jofra Archer cops a rinsing from Matthew Hayden, as the English finally make it through the first over of an innings. Here are the quick hits from day three of the Gabba Ashes Test. ⌘ Read more

Overnight fire exchange at Afghan-Pakistan border kills five civilians and wounds eight
Each side has blamed the other for triggering the clash in violation of a tenuous two-month ceasefire, with the clashes lasting until dawn Saturday. ⌘ Read more

Not all babies need a hepatitis B shot at birth, US vaccine advisers say
President Donald Trump is calling the vote a “very good decision” after US vaccine advisers recommended ending the universal hepatitis B shots at birth. ⌘ Read more

‘Rage Bait’ Named Oxford Word of the Year 2025
Longtime Slashdot reader sinij shares a report from the BBC: Do you find yourself getting increasingly irate while scrolling through your social media feed? If so, you may be falling victim to rage bait, which Oxford University Press has named its word or phrase of the year. It is a term that describes manipulative tactics used to drive engagement online, with usage of it increasing t … ⌘ Read more

Teen seriously injured in e-bike crash in Perth’s western suburbs
A 14-year-old boy suffers serious injuries in an e-bike crash in Perth’s western suburbs, just two days after a parliamentary inquiry into WA’s e-rideable laws made 33 recommendations in a bid to make the devices safer. ⌘ Read more

Day 6 of AoC, and I’m all caught up. 12 puzzles down, 12 more to go!

Meta Confirms ‘Shifting Some’ Funding ‘From Metaverse Toward AI Glasses’
Meta has officially confirmed it is shifting investment away from the metaverse and VR toward AI-powered smart glasses, following a Bloomberg report of an up to 30% budget cut for Reality Labs. “Within our overall Reality Labs portfolio we are shifting some of our investment from Metaverse toward AI glasses and Wearables given the mom … ⌘ Read more

Smith leaps into Australian Open contention, Lee and Scott in the mix
Cameron Smith is only two shots off the lead heading into the final round of the Australian Open, while Min Woo Lee and Adam Scott remain in the hunt at Royal Melbourne. ⌘ Read more

Live: Opetaia aims for more cruiserweight dominance
Jai Opetaia defends his IBF and The Ring cruiserweight world titles against Hüseyin Cinkara in a stacked card of boxing on the Gold Coast. Follow live. ⌘ Read more

Community raises funds after two children charged over Geraldton fire
While police say the investigation is over, the local community is still trying to move forward from the devastation. ⌘ Read more

Alleged Adelaide hospital escapee re-arrested after manhunt, police say
A 36-year-old who prompted a manhunt after allegedly escaping custody at Adelaide’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital on Thursday night has been re-arrested and will face court on Monday, police say. ⌘ Read more

Government reveals future plan for Queensland racing industry two months late
The Next Lap plan will establish a $200 million infrastructure fund, streamline governance, and maintain taxation levels, and comes about two months after an independent review into the sector. ⌘ Read more

Critics choice nominations 2026: Sinner, One Battle After Another
The gothic vampire period drama Sinners has topped the Critic Choice Awards, securing 17 nods, followed by One Battle After Another with 14. ⌘ Read more

Man dies after being trapped under machinery at Victorian gold mine
An investigation is underway following the death of a 53-year-old man who was trapped under machinery at a gold mine in Central Victoria on Friday. ⌘ Read more

How a gold toilet became a symbol of Ukraine’s endemic corruption
Ukraine has a history of corruption issues, but the latest allegations include close confidants of the president and many people want answers from Volodymyr Zelenskyy. ⌘ Read more

McIlroy’s Australian Open tilt hindered by discarded banana skin
Inclement weather is not the only challenge Rory McIlroy faced on his way to shooting a three-under-par 68 in the third round of the Australian Open at Royal Melbourne. ⌘ Read more

Live: Australia looks to drive home advantage on day three at the Gabba
Australia can build a decisive first-innings lead over England with a strong batting effort by the tail as it starts day three of the second Test at the Gabba. Follow live. ⌘ Read more

OpenAI Has Trained Its LLM To Confess To Bad Behavior
An anonymous reader quotes a report from MIT Technology Review: OpenAI is testing another new way to expose the complicated processes at work inside large language models. Researchers at the company can make an LLM produce what they call a confession, in which the model explains how it carried out a task and (most of the time) owns up to any bad behavior. Figuring out why … ⌘ Read more

Trump’s new security strategy warns Europe faces ‘civilisational erasure’
The Trump administration releases a document saying its goal is to “help Europe correct its current trajectory”, adding that it faces “civilisational erasure” due in part to “mass migration”. ⌘ Read more

No perfect draw but nothing to fear for Socceroos in World Cup grouping
Nothing can be guaranteed in a World Cup, but the Socceroos’ draw alongside the United States, Paraguay and a European qualifier gives a solid shot at advancing, with the Australians avoiding most of the big names. ⌘ Read more

‘Cheating’ Malaysia slammed by FIFA over passports for footballers
A soccer players’ union says seven South American and European members of the Malaysian national team suspended over allegedly forged documents are “victims”. ⌘ Read more

Blackest Fabric Ever Made Absorbs 99.87% of All Light That Hits It
alternative_right shares a report from ScienceAlert: Engineers at Cornell University have created the blackest fabric on record, finding it absorbs 99.87 percent of all light that dares to illuminate its surface. […] In this case, the Cornell researchers dyed a white merino wool knit fabric with a synthetic melanin polymer called polydo … ⌘ Read more

Company pauses plan to release controversial genetically modified mosquitoes
An organisation that planned to sell “friendly” mosquitoes to reduce the spread of diseases like dengue withdraws its licence application after backlash from scientists and health experts. ⌘ Read more

Woman’s body went undiscovered outside police station for three days
A critical incident has been declared after a 48-year-old woman’s body was found inside a car at a police station car park. ⌘ Read more

Princess Kate celebrates community work at annual Christmas service
Heir to the throne, Prince William, was due to deliver a reading before 1,600 guests along with actors Kate Winslet, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Joe Locke, as well as actor and comedian Babatunde Aléshé. ⌘ Read more

Residents still unable to return home as extent of bushfire damage uncertain
North-east Victorian residents are still unable to return home as firefighters assess bushfire damage. ⌘ Read more

Bunbury elders write children’s book in Noongar preserve culture
Once forbidden from speaking their local language, a group of Indigenous elders in WA use it in a children’s book, hoping to breathe life into a dying dialect. ⌘ Read more

AI Led To an Increase In Radiologists, Not a Decrease
Despite predictions that AI would replace radiologists, healthcare systems worldwide are hiring more of them because AI tools enhance their work, create new oversight tasks, and increase imaging volumes rather than reducing workloads. “Put all that together with the context of an aging population and growing demand for imaging of all kinds, and you can see why Offia … ⌘ Read more

Strong winds, intense heat and potential thunderstorms a concern for NSW
Authorities are urging people to stay bushfire ready as a “perfect combination” of weather conditions stretch crews across the state. ⌘ Read more

Adelaide residents ‘in the dark’ over Gilbert Street development proposal
Residents of Gilbert Street who originally opposed a development proposal say a deal was struck behind closed doors to proceed with planning. ⌘ Read more

After the Rain reflects on Indigenous art’s legacy while looking to future
Indigenous artists from across Australia, including Alair Pambegan and Grace Kemarre Robinya, feature as part of the National Indigenous Art Triennial in Canberra: After the Rain. ⌘ Read more

Asbestos found in new ECU city campus, but won’t be removed before it opens
WA’s parliament is told asbestos has been discovered in fire doors at Edith Cowan University’s flagship new campus in Perth’s CBD, and it won’t be removed until after the first semester next year. ⌘ Read more

Victorian hobby club opens ‘Australia’s biggest’ miniature railway
A group of dedicated volunteers say they have built “Australia’s biggest” miniature railway in regional Victoria and after a decade of hard work it’s finally open to the public. ⌘ Read more

Trump Wants Asia’s ‘Cute’ Kei Cars To Be Made and Sold In US
sinij shares news of the Trump administration surprising the auto industry by granting approval for “tiny cars” to be built in the United States. Bloomberg reports: President Donald Trump, apparently enamored by the pint-sized Kei cars he saw during his recent trip to Japan, has paved the way for them to be made and sold in the U.S., despite concerns that th … ⌘ Read more

Live: Extreme fire danger remains in parts of New South Wales as a heatwave spreads across the country
Temperatures are expected to soar as a heatwave spreads across the country. Follow live. ⌘ Read more

Chinese-Linked Hackers Use Backdoor For Potential ‘Sabotage,’ US and Canada Say
U.S. and Canadian cybersecurity agencies say Chinese-linked actors deployed “Brickstorm” malware to infiltrate critical infrastructure and maintain long-term access for potential sabotage. Reuters reports: The Chinese-linked hacking operations are the latest example of Chinese hackers targeting critical infrastructure, in … ⌘ Read more

Baby blue whale numbers peak at just the right time off WA coast
Researchers are relieved as baby blue whale numbers increase after a slow start to the migration season. ⌘ Read more

Frank Gehry, world-renowned architect behind Guggenheim Bilbao, dies aged 96
Gehry’s most memorable creations were either celebrated as works of genius or reviled as self-indulgent messes — but either way, people were looking, as he liked to say. ⌘ Read more

Piastri struggles as Norris leads Abu Dhabi F1 practice
Lando Norris makes the best start of the title contenders in practice at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as Oscar Piastri endures a disappointing day. ⌘ Read more

Paralympian returns to sport after 25 years to help next generation of athletes
When Mellissa Dunn was starting her wheelchair basketball career in Darwin in the 1990s, she felt she had to do everything on her own. Three decades later, the silver-medallist Paralympian says the support now being offered to the next generation of para-athletes is “life-changing”. ⌘ Read more

Breaking: Notorious murderer Bevan von Einem dies while serving life sentence
Convicted killer Bevan Spencer von Einem — who police have linked to “The Family” — has died while serving a life sentence for the sexually motivated abduction and murder of Richard Kelvin in 1983. ⌘ Read more

Meta Acquires AI Wearable Company Limitless
Meta is acquiring AI wearable startup Limitless, maker of a pendant that records conversations and generates summaries. “We’re excited that Limitless will be joining Meta to help accelerate our work to build AI-enabled wearables,” a Meta spokesperson said in a statement. CNBC reports: Limitless CEO Dan Siroker revealed the deal on Friday via a corporate blog post but did not disclose … ⌘ Read more

Rare look at family, country and culture on the remote APY Lands
The stark beauty of Australia’s protected APY Lands is alive with ancient songlines and culture. But Elders see a need for change to secure the future of today’s children. ⌘ Read more

Death prompts major hospital protocol overhaul as inquest scrutinises ‘chaotic day’
A Queensland hospital has increased staffing and revamped its radiology protocols and systems following an 87-year-old’s death from organ failure after routine surgery. ⌘ Read more

The simple approach Cam Smith is adopting as he chases Australian Open win
Cameron Smith did not beat around the bush when explaining how he plans to be among the contenders to claim the Australian Open at Royal Melbourne. ⌘ Read more

It was hot, dry and gusty, so why wasn’t a Tasmania fire weather warning issued?
The Bureau of Meteorology says the initial forecasts did not meet the threshold to trigger fire weather warnings ahead of Thursday when 30 blazes burnt across Tasmania. ⌘ Read more

When will construction begin on the Hobart stadium?
That and other questions answered now that the $1.13 billion stadium project has passed Tasmania’s parliament. ⌘ Read more

Man, 33, charged with murder of woman in southern Tasmania
Police found the woman’s body on Friday afternoon on Hobart’s eastern shore. ⌘ Read more