What we know about the smuggling balloons disrupting air traffic in Lithuania
The balloons have been causing disruptions with air traffic since October. Here’s what we know. ⌘ Read more

Crucial koala corridors dwindling in Sydney, conservationists warn
Key wildlife links between two of Sydney’s major rivers are under threat from land clearing for housing, according to a koala conservation group. ⌘ Read more

Beekeepers pay for imported honey testing to uncover hidden additives
Australian beekeepers are funding their own investigation into the authenticity of imported honey, with tests showing other products are being added. ⌘ Read more

Liverpool boss says ‘everyone makes mistakes’ after win amid Salah spat
Liverpool coach Arne Slot picks up a crucial win against Inter Milan with his tenure on shaky ground amid a public fallout with his star winger Mohamed Salah. ⌘ Read more

Wooden toy stallholder retires after 53 years at Salamanca Market
Loretta Olsen, 86, is saying goodbye to Salamanca Market after more than half a century of selling goods at the Hobart attraction. ⌘ Read more

Wells says ‘gut reaction’ to travel claims fair but she has ‘upheld’ rules
Communications Minister Anika Wells accepts her taxpayer-funded travel claims have prompted a “gut reaction” in people, after a week of scrutiny over her expenses. ⌘ Read more

Cummins’s return made official as Aussies name squad for Adelaide
Australia’s captain is poised to make his return for the Ashes as Australia names its squad ahead of the third Test at the Adelaide Oval. ⌘ Read more

Dancing gorilla wins funniest wildlife photo of the year
The winning images pair talented nature photography with humour that often relies on capturing a moment at just the right time. ⌘ Read more

More People Crowdfunded Basic Needs In 2025, GoFundMe Report Shows
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Fast Company: More and more people are turning to GoFundMe for help covering the cost of housing, food, and other basic needs. The for-profit crowdfunding platform’s annual “Year in Help” report, released Tuesday, underscored ongoing concerns around affordability. The number of fundraisers started to he … ⌘ Read more

SA prisons remain locked down indefinitely, as home detention officers step off job
The union representing correctional officers has voted to strike indefinitely, while officers who monitor 1,500 people on home detention will stop work for 24 hours ⌘ Read more

A Kim Kardashian deepfake appears in new exhibition exploring art and AI
Can you tell what’s real and what’s fake online? Data Dreams: Art and AI at the MCA looks at truth, art and history in the AI age. ⌘ Read more

AerynOS 2025.12 Brings Many Package Updates
AerynOS 2025.12 is available today as the latest installment of this from-scratch Linux distribution originally known as Serpent OS… ⌘ Read more

Houses destroyed as bushfire near St Helens upgraded to emergency level
At least two properties have been destroyed in an emergency-level bushfire burning near St Helens, on Tasmania’s upper east coast. ⌘ Read more

A rare brain illness couldn’t stop Milly from making country netball history
A rare brain illness left Milly Brock unable to walk or speak, but eight months later, she was back leading her regional netball club on grand final day. ⌘ Read more

Spurs under fire after moving rainbow flag for Champions League clash
Tottenham moves a rainbow flag inside its stadium following a request from Czech side Sparta Prague ahead of the two teams’ Champions League meeting. ⌘ Read more

NFL team turns to retired grandfather to play quarterback due to injury crisis
The Indianapolis Colts reportedly sign Philip Rivers to play at quarterback, four years after he retired from the NFL. ⌘ Read more

Complaint filed over FIFA’S ‘egregious abuse of power’ with Trump award
A human rights organisation files an official complaint to FIFA over its peace prize awarded to US president Donald Trump. ⌘ Read more

Firefighter rocked by cancer battles ‘outdated’ scheme for compensation
Matthew Petch says firefighters like him are being left behind by an outdated compensation scheme and a lack of health screening. ⌘ Read more

Pet camera captures bull and horse sneaking into NT politician’s home
An NT resident tells of discovering he had unexpected guests in his home, after his dogs were filmed nudging open a door and letting inside a pet bull and horse. ⌘ Read more

2025 Will Be World’s Second or Third-Hottest Year on Record, EU Scientists Say
This year is set to be the world’s second or third-warmest on record, potentially surpassed only by 2024’S record-breaking heat, the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) said on Tuesday. From a report: The data is the latest from C3S following last month’s COP30 climate summit, where governments faile … ⌘ Read more

Homicide detectives investigate suspicious death of man in unit block
Police launch a homicide investigation after the death of a man in a home at Newcastle early this morning. ⌘ Read more

Why opposition to faster approvals is about more than just the environment
As WA’s state development laws make their way through parliament, critics are concerned about environmental approvals and concentration of power, but the government insists the new laws mean more transparency. ⌘ Read more

Alpine resort’s only childcare service set to shut its doors next year
Families living at Falls Creek in Victoria’s Alpine region want Alpine Resorts Victoria to reconsider its decision to close the mountain’s only childcare facility. ⌘ Read more

Spending on child removal protection ‘shockingly low’, report finds
Only 15.6 per cent of national child protection funding goes towards family support services aimed at keeping families intact, a report has found. Advocates are urging the government to ‘invest in families, not crisis”. ⌘ Read more

Proteas crash to record low as India flexes muscles ahead of World Cup
The rematch of last year’s T20 World Cup final is dominated by India as South Africa is dismissed for just 74 runs. ⌘ Read more

Fans report waiting hours to get into Brisbane Lady Gaga concert
Suncorp Stadium says “technical issues” identified during a sound check meant the gates did not open until 50 minutes later than scheduled, which caused long queues. ⌘ Read more

UN blocked from inspecting crammed NT prisons
The number of people in custody has surged dramatically in the Northern Territory since the government passed sweeping bail and justice reforms in 2024. ⌘ Read more

Why is Elon Musk in a war of words with the European Union?
The latest target of Elon Musk’s ire is the European Union, which he has called a “bureaucratic monster” that “should be abolished”. So, what’s going on? ⌘ Read more

US judge clears release of grand jury documents against Ghislaine Maxwell
The judge granted the Justice Department’s request under a new law requiring the release of files related to Jeffery Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. ⌘ Read more

Live: ASX to rise as US Federal Reserve holds two-day meeting, likely to result in rate cuts
The Australian market is likely to open slightly higher, following a cautious and relatively flat performance on Wall Street as the US Federal Reserve decides on whether to cut interest rates. Follow live. ⌘ Read more

Live: PM says Australian families ‘taking back power’ from social media companies
The prime minister says Australian families are “taking back power” from social media companies as the under-16s ban kicks off today. Follow live. ⌘ Read more

Child who survived deadly snake bite sells cows to raise money for helicopter
This 10-year-old is selling her family’s cows to help raise funds for those who rescued her when she suffered a potentially deadly snake bite. ⌘ Read more

‘Forever grateful’ Verstappen pays tribute to retiring Red Bull icon
Max Verstappen reacts as Helmut Marko’s retirement leaves Red Bull without its two main guiding personalities since its entry into F1. ⌘ Read more

Call for Australia to adopt federal human rights act
Legal experts say Australia is lagging in its human rights approach and should adopt a federal human rights act. ⌘ Read more

Taronga Zoo to ‘rewild’ cleared farmland with native Australian animals
Taronga Zoo has successfully bred native Australian animals for years — but it now has a vision on how to re-establish their populations. ⌘ Read more

Scorchers take aim at Sixers as young gun out duels Lanning in WBBL
The Perth Scorchers keep their WBBL title hopes alive with a win over the Stars in a knockout final, as youngster Chloe Ainsworth shows her credentials on the big stage. ⌘ Read more

Man charged over alleged gunfire, grenade attack in Sydney’s north-west
A 19-year-old is expected to front court on Wednesday after been charged over the alleged shooting at a Tallawong home. ⌘ Read more

Abuse survivors say Centrelink’s ‘couple rule’ puts women in danger
Financial and domestic abuse survivors say the way Centrelink assesses benefit payments for people in a relationship makes it harder for women to leave dangerous relationships. ⌘ Read more

Changes are coming for short-term rentals in Brisbane’s suburban areas
Up to 500 short-term rental operators will be told to return to the long-term rental market under major reforms announced by Brisbane City Council. ⌘ Read more

Rain across NSW to provide bushfire relief for next few days
The most widespread rain in three months will develop across New South Wales during the coming days, reducing the threat of bushfires in the lead-up to Christmas. ⌘ Read more

Planned power outage impacted ability to defend homes from bushfires
A planned power outage went ahead in the Bulahdelah area in northern NSW on Friday despite an active bushfire in the region, which later destroyed four homes. ⌘ Read more

Gaza named deadliest place for journalists in 2025
Gaza has been named the deadliest place in the world to work as a journalist by French-based press freedom advocates Reporters Without Borders. ⌘ Read more

Christmas cards remind prisoners they are ‘not forgotten’ over the holidays
Two Adelaide women have made it their mission to collect 2,000 Christmas cards for prisoners who’ll spend this year’s festive season behind bars. ⌘ Read more

Demand for water cannot be an ‘afterthought’ in AI push
Australia has more than 250 data centres and more in the pipeline, prompting experts to warn against using drinking water to cool servers. ⌘ Read more

Calls to protect victims of financial abuse caught in $11 billion debt trap
Perpetrators of financial abuse commit fraud by impersonating their partners, making them company directors in secret and putting business and tax debts in their names. The government wants to fix the problem, but will its proposed reforms go far enough? ⌘ Read more

The social media ban for under-16s starts today — here’s what to know
After months of build-up, the time has finally come. From today, Australians under the age of 16 are now banned from having a social media account. ⌘ Read more

‘Additional cuts are not needed’ with rate hikes now on the agenda
The Reserve Bank governor has opened the door to interest rate hikes in 2026, but how soon will she walk through it? ⌘ Read more

Quiz: Test you knowledge of Australian geography
Which state has the longest land border? Test your knowledge in today’s quiz. ⌘ Read more

How Peter Jackson fought for his Middle-earth dream, armed with a VHS tape
Peter Jackson’s life wouldn’t be the same after that red carpet event on December 10, 2001, but it’s fair to say cinema, and New Zealand, wouldn’t be the same either. ⌘ Read more

Microsoft To Invest $17.5 Billion in India
Microsoft announced on Tuesday its largest-ever investment in Asia – $17.5 billion over four years starting in 2026 – to expand cloud and AI infrastructure across India, fund skilling programs, and support ongoing operations in the country. The commitment adds to a $3 billion investment the company announced in January 2025 that is on track to be spent by the end of 2026. A new hyperscale cloud … ⌘ Read more