Live Well newsletter
Make the most of your health, relationships, fitness and nutrition.
Daily Sudoku
Challenge yourself with today’s four difficulty levels.
Interactive: Search for uni courses
Search for courses across Australia with Campus, your essential education guide.
Victoria’s parliamentary hall of shame: The state’s worst-behaved MPs, named
Rowdy MPs have squandered almost 100 hours after being booted from question time this year. See the full list of who made the naughty corner – and how the worst of the first-termers has gone from arguing with umpires to other MPs.
How the driving habits formed during COVID have delivered the worst road toll since 2008
The greatest loss of life on Victoria’s roads in 15 years has prompted a government commitment to review speed limits on country roads, and calls for stronger police enforcement.
Medical industry braces for vape addiction as first stage of ban begins
From New Year’s Day, all imported disposable vapes – with or without nicotine – will be banned as the first stage of the government’s crackdown to eventually limit vaping to people with a prescription.
‘What a bloody flight!’ Passenger pinned down by Qantas staff
A witness said the man had “gone crazy” on board the flight to Melbourne and had to be restrained for several hours.
An Israeli hostage describes her time in captivity in harrowing detail
Schem, a 21-year-old Israeli French citizen, was kidnapped by Hamas after fleeing the Nova music festival during the October 7 terrorist attack.
Opinion
Culture wars
I’m done with outrage, anger and fury but in 2024 I plan to chat… hard
So here’s my suggestion for a communal new year’s resolution: let’s make 2024 a year for forthright discussion – without all the vitriol.
Parnell Palme McGuinness
Columnist and communications adviser
Where to go and what to do on New Year’s Eve in Melbourne
Thousands of revellers are expected to head to the CBD to celebrate the end of 2023. Here’s where to go for fireworks, fun and frivolity.
Paula Abdul accuses Nigel Lythgoe of sexual assault during her time on American Idol
Paula Abdul has filed a lawsuit against the former longtime producer of American Idol, accusing him of sexually assaulting her when she was a judge.
Recipe collection
Recipes
70+ canapes guaranteed to get the party started
From simple spiced nuts to indulgent seafood, mix and match dishes to make you the host with the most.
‘Really dangerous’: Deadly snake holds up play during Thiem’s match in Brisbane
Former US Open champion Dominic Thiem was taking on Australian youngster James McCabe when an eastern brown snake slithered onto the court.
Breaking
Australian cricket
Marauding Aussie quicks soldier on for Sydney Test
Fitness concerns around Australia’s star fast bowling trio have been allayed with Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood named for the New Year’s Test.
Explainer
Real life
There are many ways to make a decision. Richard used them all when his plane’s engine failed
Marriage, career, kids – the big decisions in life can often be the hardest. Is there an optimal method for making a choice? And how do you factor in loss and regret?
Ukraine launches deadliest attack on a Russian city since war began
The attack seemed to be Ukraine’s response to a deadly air assault a day earlier, and another sign of Kyiv’s determination to bring the war to Moscow’s doorstep.
Israel seeks full control of Gaza-Egypt border, reversal of 2005 withdrawal
If successful, it would place Gaza under exclusive Israeli control after years being run by the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
Special series
Behind the Headlines
We gave a celeb a ‘halo’ on this magazine cover. Then came a social media pile-on
As journalists, we dish it out and we take it. We can’t – and shouldn’t – complain. But I’d be lying if I said this story didn’t shake me.
Aussie expats reveal why you should visit their adopted homes in 2024
Five adventure-loving Aussie expatriates living in Bali, Tokyo, Monaco and more reveal big plans they have in store in their adopted countries – and why you should add it to your list, too.
Special report
City life
Migrant hub to cashed-up ‘pram central’: A tense tug of war will shape the future of Footscray
Footscray has long been a place of transition but now, the confluence of gentrification, a windfall of government investment, anti-social behaviour, crime and entrenched disadvantage are coming to a head.
Behind the headlines
Special series
I went for a walk in the footsteps of a killer – then cried at my desk
Days after the Bourke Street massacre, my editors gave me a simple, but important assignment. Among the flowers and candles, the story of a tragedy revealed itself in unexpected ways.
Special series
A war raged outside and IS militants lurked in the darkness. Then our fellow Aussies turned on us
Heavy artillery was firing when two nervous American soldiers came to the tent with bad news. It’s a war zone story I’ve always itched to tell, and still infuriates me six years on.
Victoria
Special series
City life
As headlights burned Kerryn’s eyes, she thought she was going to die. She wants drivers to slow down
Four months after surviving a major car crash on the Gold Coast, Melbourne woman Kerryn Grafton still has nightmares. Her SUV was crushed like an accordion.
‘Fuel to the fire’: WorkCover hikes put heat on health service budgets
Health services face having to cut staff or services amid a budget squeeze they say has been worsened by the recent surge in workers’ compensation premiums – and the threat of more.
‘Slice of resistance’: Thousands attend Melbourne pro-Palestinian rally
An estimated 6000 people marched through the city for the 12th consecutive Free Palestine rally, vowing to keep coming back until the violence in Gaza ends.
Why Harry Connick Jnr thinks Australia’s New Year’s Eve is the ‘best celebration’ in the world
The jazz superstar will be performing at the Sydney Opera House before the clock strikes midnight.
Coastal communities salute the sun for their first public transport
Sandy Point and Venus Bay will trial electric minibuses to see if public transport can be brought to small Victorian towns.
See & Do
Why Asher Keddie is the queen of barely contained chaos
Drawing from Mia Freedman’s book Work Strife Balance, Keddie’s character in the series Strife, Eve, is imbued with humanity and humour.
The best films of 2023, a critic’s choice
From Barbenheimer to Australian horror, veteran directors are joined by rising young talents in this year’s highlights.
Politics
It is one of the worst years for road fatalities but governments are yet to release data on why
The road toll has spiked dramatically in 2023. Experts say information that could help prevent future tragedies remains under wraps.
Business
Topless massages to private flights: CEO mishaps around the world in 2023
While some chief executives seemed to relish the spotlight, Elon Musk chief among them, others were inadvertently thrust into social media’s harsh glare.
World
Graphic content
Israeli-Palestinian conflict
How Hamas weaponised sexual violence
A New York Times investigation shows a pattern of extreme brutality against women in the October 7 attacks in Israel.
Opinion
Why Australia is less ready to face a more dangerous world in 2024
Mick Ryan
Military leader and strategist
The one thing missing from Dutton’s plan to win back power
Paul Sakkal
Federal politics reporter
Explore
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Property
The coastal spots near Melbourne where property is picking up
Holiday home buyers and sea-changers who were priced out during the boom a couple of years ago are taking another look.
The Melbourne suburbs where house prices fell the most this year
From blue chip locales to deep in the mortgage belt, a wide range of suburbs recorded house price declines over the past 12 months.
Good Food
Recipe collection
Recipes
70+ canapes guaranteed to get the party started
Lifestyle
‘What kind of parent does this?’: How (and why) to stop yelling at your kids
Even the most gentle, positive or responsive of parents aren’t immune to yelling at their kids. But it can often make everyone feel worse.
Opinion
New Year
I’m no longer a COVID virgin, but I’m trying to stay positive
Jo Stubbings
Writer and reviewer
![Mackenzie Arnold: “After losing those two games [at the end of the FIFA World Cup], I’ve never seen so much support from a country for its team.”](http://web.archive.org./web/20231231002951im_/https://static.ffx.io/images/$zoom_0.1262314242778427%2C$multiply_0.7063%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$x_0%2C$y_0/t_crop_custom/q_62%2Cf_auto/5e3aa151aa689aab0e92275046b70cb0e3f131e9)
Culture
Beautiful beginnings: the first books that made their marks in 2023
First books can sometimes slip under the radar, but here are 10 that really caught the eye.
Traveller
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Sport
Breaking
Australian cricket
Marauding Aussie quicks soldier on for Sydney Test
Fitness concerns around Australia’s star fast bowling trio have been allayed with Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood named for the New Year’s Test.
Analysis
Australian cricket
Australia’s all-conquering skipper, and the player of her generation: The stars of our top XIs for 2023
The importance of skipper Pat Cummins and Usman Khawaja to Australia’s Test side has been reflected by the pair being the only players to retain their places in our team of the year.
Sutherland stars in nail-biting win over India as Australia seals ODI series
Annabel Sutherland’s death bowling helped the tourists keep up their record of having never lost an ODI series to India
Green credentials: Why all-rounder is being seriously considered for open position
There’s a strong push for Cameron Green to open the batting for Australia once David Warner retires after the Sydney Test against Pakistan.
‘Really dangerous’: Deadly snake holds up play during Thiem’s match in Brisbane
Former US Open champion Dominic Thiem was taking on Australian youngster James McCabe when an eastern brown snake slithered onto the court.
Sport quiz: The question about swimming great Phelps that might surprise you
Challenge yourself with our sports quiz, a mix of questions about the latest in world and local sport, and the big events in sporting history.
Pakistan anger over ‘inconsistent’ calls and technology ‘curse’
In a fiery postscript to Australia’s series-sealing 79-run victory at the MCG, Pakistan coach Mohammad Hafeez said the tourists had been the better side and would have won if not for several line-ball calls that had fallen in Australia’s favour.
Have Your Say
Cometh the hour, Cummins the man
Two modernising captains have set the tone for this series, but when the crunch came, it was a good cricketer succumbing to an all-time great.
