Aussie aid activists bound for home after prison ordeal
Seven Australian activists detained by Israel for trying to break a blockade to deliver aid are headed home as the government defends its quiet diplomacy.
national news
Australian police expecting more ‘ISIS bride’ arrivals
More Australians linked to the Islamic State are expected return home as the federal police monitor two women and six children who recently arrived.
Defence, trade hot topics for Australia-Singapore talks
Top-level talks marking 60 years of ties are likely to include Australia seeking stronger trade and defence ties with an important Asian neighbour.
No Opera House ‘free-for-all’ after court’s protest ban
Police have vowed to crack down on anyone defying a court order that banned a planned pro-Palestine rally at the iconic Sydney Opera House.
Soaring rents push people further from jobs, community
Australian renters are paying on average an extra $204 per week to keep a roof over their heads compared to five years ago, a nearly 44 per cent increase.
Hands out for handouts: bailouts loom for more smelters
More taxpayer bailouts could be on the horizon for ailing facilities after a $600 million lifeline to one mining giant.
Next-generation solar technology inches closer to roofs
More efficient solar cells are getting closer to commercial launch thanks to a breakthrough involving a new design and more durable chemicals.
Renters surprise winners from cheaper mortgage deposits
Despite predictions a five per cent deposit scheme will drive up house prices, analysts say the government policy could be good news for the nation's renters.
‘Back them’: PM’s blunt message after smelter bailout
Mining giant Glencore has been urged to invest in a struggling community after a $600 million taxpayer-funded bailout to secure hundreds of jobs at a smelter.
Humble Aussie Nobel winner gets straight back to work
Australia's modest Nobel Prize winner has gone back to work where he was treated to a vanilla slice by university colleagues and gave a first-year lecture.
Why Google wants you to ask long, complicated questions
More web queries will be answered by artificial intelligence when Google expands technology tested in the US to its Australian users.
How Aussie universities fared in latest global rankings
A dozen Australian universities have improved their positions in the latest global rankings, led by the University of Melbourne.
Hearings reveal Optus bungled triple-zero outage email
Federal authorities only found out about a catastrophic Optus triple-zero outage a day after it was resolved because the telco notified the wrong email address.
Why prosecutors are appealing Erin Patterson’s sentence
Prosecutors have called for mushroom cook Erin Patterson to remain behind bars for longer than her "manifestly inadequate" 33-year non-parole period.
Stadium pitch ramped up as do-or-die vote nears
A state faces "severe reputational damage" if a proposed $1.1 billion stadium isn't built as part of a deal for AFL and AFLW teams.
Anxious wait as hopes rise Gaza ceasefire plan holds
Australians connected with the war between Israel and Hamas say they face a nervous pause to see if a delicate ceasefire can hold in the Middle East.
Cops foil alleged daycare murder plot in gangland feud
Police have intercepted alleged hitmen they say were on their way to kill a man picking up a child from a daycare centre, as a city's gangland war escalates.
Courts ‘will not see’ humiliated rapist ex-MP again
A disgraced ex-politician who sexually abused two intoxicated men while in office would help the community if spared jail, a judge has heard.
Day of pain: Jewish anguish still raw on attack date
The Jewish community continues to experience horrors in Australia and abroad two years after the events of October 7, leaders say.
Toll road giant exploring $10b pipeline of new projects
With new roads in western Sydney and western Melbourne set to open soon, a major toll road group is exploring other opportunities, including in Brisbane.
Sculpture worker says he was sacked after safety alarm
A Sculpture by the Sea installer, who needed facial surgery after a workplace accident, claims he was dismissed after complaining about workplace safety.
‘Lower the aggro’: lawyers clash over accused shooter
As a man faced court on a raft of charges, including shooting with intent to murder, a battle broke out between two lawyers trying to represent him.
No future made in Australia without gas: Bluescope boss
Australian industrial gas users are subsidising the cost of gas going to competitors overseas dues to a broken pricing system, Bluescope Steel's boss says
A-League captain’s sly code in betting corruption scam
An award-winning A-League Men's captain used an unusual symbol when coordinating with a shadowy overseas figure to enact a lucrative soccer betting scam.
Heat dialled up on minister over triple-zero outages
Communications Minister Anika Wells has been questioned about her handling of a triple-zero outage, as reforms to the emergency network are introduced.
Head monk allegedly abused children as young as four
Multiple young children were allegedly sexually abused by a head monk at a Buddhist temple, including at Sunday school and in prayer rooms.
Digital passports could give old solar panels new life
Australia faces a serious electronic waste problem from ageing solar panels but could avoid it by testing and certifying old technology for reuse.
Fugitive’s no-frills hideout during kickbacks probe
A former bureaucrat and key suspect in an $11 million fraud says he was planning on turning himself in before police came knocking.
Accused body-in-fridge killer pushes for dropped charge
A man accused of murdering 19-year-old Isla Bell and stowing her body in a fridge is fighting to have his murder charge thrown out.
Matriarchs key to unlocking Aboriginal community change
Aboriginal women have the answers for their communities, and urge deep listening and genuine partnership from those in power to implement change.
Climate trigger ruled out of nature law reforms
The government won't consider the impacts of projects on climate change via a trigger mechanism under nature law reforms overseen by the environment minister.