#australia

#australia

Growing up in Australia, December 25 meant swimming in the backyard pool, playing cricket on the beach, and eating cold prawns for lunch. Whenever I watched American holiday movies, I felt like I was witnessing a completely different, surreal celebration unfold, complete with snow, fireplaces, and people bundled up in heavy coats. Those movies might as well have been depicting the holiday on another planet - I didn't even see snow in real life until I visited Europe as an adult.

Sydney, New South Wales An terrorist attack on a Hanukah celebration at Australia's most famous beach has left at least 12 people dead, including one attacker, after gunmen opened fire from a nearby footbridge. Prime minister Anthony Albanese said the targeted attack on Jewish Australians on the first day of Hanukah, which should be a day of joy [was] an act of evil antisemitism. A further 29 people, including two police officers responding to the attack, were taken to hospital with injuries.

Alex Ryvchin, co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, told Sky News the attack occurred during what he described as a joyful community gathering and said his media adviser was wounded. "This is the Jewish community at its best coming together to mark a happy occasion. If we were targeted deliberately in this way, it's something of a scale that none of us could have ever fathomed. It's a horrific thing," he said.

Sadmir and his board game companions are just some of the 300 patients at the gaming disorder clinic, Australia's only publicly-run institution of its type, helping patients wean themselves off excessive online gaming habits. The room where they meet is a simple space in a faceless hospital but in the corner, there's a pile of boardgames on a chair. Jenga, Uno and Sushi Go are also popular choices at the informal group which is attended by both patients and clinicians.

Reddit is suing the Australian government over its newly enacted social media ban, which prevents children aged 16 and younger from accessing most social media platforms. Reddit argued that the ban impinges on the right to free political discourse implied by the country's constitution, according to a Reuters report. In essence, blocking the youths from Reddit would block their freedom of speech, the company said. Reddit also argued that it was not, primarily speaking, a social media site, but rather a place for exchanging information and ideas.

Experts are divided on whether an outright ban would be beneficial. A social media "ban" for under-16s will be watched closely when it comes into effect in Australia this week, but there are concerns it is merely a solution "that gives comfort to adults" - and one that could come with plenty of holes if replicated here.

"Social media was a big social experiment,"

If you're unfamiliar with the acronym and its rigorous but rewarding demands, FIFO has been around for hundreds of years. Essentially, it refers to temporary employment in a remote location, with Australia long regarded as a key destination. The task is simple yet challenging - work long hours in an intense job in short bursts, earn big and hopefully return home the happier for it. But there are notable concerns surrounding physical and mental health. To put it plainly, FIFO is not for everyone.

"After more than 40 years as a touring singer I've finally taken a sabbatical," Daniel told the Irish Independent.

From December 4, Meta will begin blocking access to established Instagram, Threads and Facebook accounts for teens aged under 16, and stop the creation of new ones. "We'll begin sending notifications today to give those affected a heads-up that they will soon lose access, and will have 14 days to download their memories or delete their account," Meta said on Thursday. "They can also update their contact information so we can get in touch and help them regain access once they turn 16."

A killer has been jailed for 28 years for murdering his ex-girlfriend, Hannah McGuire and burning her body in a brutal attack in regional Victoria. Lachlan Young, 23, looked straight ahead as justice James Elliott handed down the sentence in the supreme court in Ballarat on Tuesday. Young will be eligible for parole after 22 years and four months. He had initially denied murdering McGuire, claiming the 23-year-old's death was a spontaneous incident as he took the case to trial.

BlackRock, the world's largest asset manager, is reportedly planning to launch the iShares Bitcoin ETF (ASX: IBIT) on the Australian Securities Exchange, extending its global Bitcoin investment strategy to the Asia-Pacific region. Expected to debut in mid-November 2025, IBIT will give Australian investors regulated exposure to Bitcoin through a traditional stock exchange structure, removing the need for offshore accounts or direct crypto custody.

Indie trio Valley Onda is set to release their debut album, Middle Way, spotlighting the track 'Seraph' on October 31, 2025, via Valley Onda Records. The album features previously released singles 'Minacious' and 'Reebok Fantasy,' which premiered on CLASH Magazine and EARMILK, respectively, with the latter gaining radio support from NPR Music-hinting at the album's promise. Since their debut in 2019, the trio has amassed over 350,000 streams, earning acclaim from publications like triple j and touring nationally with acts such as The Money War.

Australia host a five-match T20 series against World Cup holders India as the teams prep for the 2026 edition. India's white-ball tour of Australia turns to the T20s as the sides play a five-game series in the format. The matches, which follow the one-day internationals (ODIs) between the sides, mark a crucial contest as the nations prepare for the 2026 T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.

Bernie Bolger and his brother didn't really know much about Finska when they spotted an advertisement four years ago for the national championships in Sydney. We told some friends and all decided it would be funny if we signed up, he recalls. We didn't know how serious or legit or what the structure would be of the tournament. The miniature-log-tossing sport, which hails from Finland, is mostly played among friends and family in parks and beaches during summer holidays in Australia.

News from the ground is that the weather is looking perfect. It's hot out there around 32 degrees at the moment. It looks unlikely that the rain that crushed Pakistan's hopes in Colombo yesterday will travel up north to Visakhapatnam to put a dampener on this game. Share 1. Rubya Haider 2. Farzana Hoque 3. Sharmin Akhter 4. Nigar Sultana Joty (c) (wk) 5. Sobhana Mostary 6. Shorna Akter 7. Fahima Khatun 8. Rabeya Khan 9. Ritu Moni 10. Nishita Akter Nishi 11. Fariha Islam Trisna Share 1. Alyssa Healy (c) (wk) 2. Phoebe Litchfield 3. Ellyse Perry 4. Beth Mooney 5. Annabel Sutherland 6. Ash Gardner 7. Tahlia McGrath 8. Georgia Wareham 9. Alana King 10. Megan Schutt 11. Darcie Brown Share Nigar Sultana wins the toss for Bangladesh and decides that pitch looks perfect for batting. She's confident that her team can put on a good total and defend it.