Syaban Shadikillah, who has been living and working in Mareeba in the state's far north after moving to Australia in late 2024, insists his licence is valid and says he does not want to retake the photo. He said it was a matter of principle and freedom of expression, and that it was a violation of his right to wear religious headgear: the colander.
Australia's Twenty20 World Cup campaign is threatening to implode after suffering a shock 23-run loss to Zimbabwe in Colombo. Set 170 runs for victory after winning the toss, Australia slumped to a dismal 4-29 inside the powerplay and gave Zimbabwe, 11th on the ICC rankings, reason to dream. Glenn Maxwell (31 off 32 balls) and top-scorer Matthew Renshaw (65 off 43 balls) spearheaded the rescue mission with a 77-run stand for the fifth wicket in pursuit of Zimbabwe's 2-169.
Nearly 7,000 Irish medical professionals are now registered to work in Australia, sparking concerns about the impact on the Irish health service as the number seeking a better working life down under has risen by 86pc in six years.
Human-caused global heating made the intense heatwave that affected much of Australia in early January five times more likely, new analysis suggests. The heatwave earlier this month was the most severe since the 2019-20 black summer, with temperatures over 40C in Melbourne and Sydney, even hotter conditions in regional Victoria and New South Wales, and extreme heat also affecting Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania.
Memorial services will be held at the Sydney Opera House and Bondi's Chabad House, a Jewish community centre. Most of the 15 victims of the attack were Jewish, including a 10-year-old child. The theme of the memorials is Light will win, and the government will stage light installations in the capital of Canberra and other cities featuring pillars of light for each of the 15 victims.
He stood his ground in a place where freedom is paid for in blood, and he gave his life so others could keep theirs, said the man, who has been contacted for comment. Ukraine is freer today because of him but the world is quieter without his laugh, his stubborn courage, his presence beside us. We shared cold nights, exhaustion, fear we never spoke out loud, and a bond forged where words stop working.
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.
The England supporters on the hill in front of the heritage-listed scoreboard never gave up and, to their credit, neither did their team. But in the end, despite losing Nathan Lyon to a hamstring injury, it was Australia who prevailed by 82 runs to win this Ashes series with two Tests to spare. Needing just 11 days of play to claim an unassailable 3-0 lead, Pat Cummins and his men equalled Steve Waugh's sides in 2001 and 2002/03 for the fastest Ashes wins.
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.
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.
The AFC Women's Asian Cup heads to Australia next year, as Australia get set to host their second major women's football competition in three years after the 2023 World Cup. From March 1-21 2026, 12 nations will take part in the competition, with a total of 27 matches taking place across Perth, Sydney and the Gold Coast. With nine titles under their belt, reigning champions China are the most successful team in the competition.
From one perspective, Australia's long running bid to host the Cop31 UN climate conference next year has ended in clear failure. It campaigned for more than three years for the rights to put on the world's biggest climate summit and green trade fair, which would have brought tens of thousands of people to the South Australian capital of Adelaide next November.
