Puzzled with David Astle newsletter
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Trial by Water podcast
A new investigative podcast about one of Australia’s most controversial cases.
Daily Sudoku
Challenge yourself with today’s four difficulty levels.
The popular acne drugs causing life-threatening birth defects
One in 35 women of reproductive age use oral retinoids. There are fears too few are warned of the dangers if they become pregnant.
Analysis
Nuclear energy
Dutton didn’t put a price on nuclear reactors. The world reveals the real cost
Peter Dutton admits the cost of his nuclear policy will be “big”. So big that it could cause enormous problems to the federal budget.
‘The state will need to pay more’: Metro Tunnel costs blow out once again
The cost of the $14b project will increase further as construction of the tunnel pushes past its contract date, but the government says it is still on track to open in 2025.
This is the view from the apartment block where train announcements have become an ‘intrusive force’
A train station has moved and now sits less than five metres from balconies. Residents have been offered noise-cancelling headphones to deal with it.
Guzman y Gomez soars on ASX debut
Mexican fast-food chain Guzman y Gomez has clinched its place as the hottest float in years.
In first major speech, new ABC chair puts staff on notice
Speaking in Melbourne, Kim Williams outlined an extensive list of areas for improvement and renewal, a bid to restore the ABC after what he calls decades of fragmentation and dislocation.
Opinion
AFL 2024
He’s a villain after just seven games. But this young Hawk will be a star
Nick Watson is only 19 and has kicked 5.15, but I’ve seen enough to be convinced he will, in time, become one of the most marketable sports stars in the country.
Kane Cornes
AFL columnist
Why Australia’s No.1-ranked male swimmer isn’t flying with the team to Olympics
Cam McEvoy’s quest to make history in Paris is so important to Swimming Australia that the veteran athlete has been granted a special request.
10 of Melbourne’s best bakery pies (including one of the city’s essential handheld snacks)
Thaw out with a hot, hearty pie – from old-school classics to fun and flavourful fillings – by one of Melbourne’s best bakers.
The Bear has made the kitchen TV’s most dramatic setting. But it wasn’t the first
Mouthwatering food, pressure cooker suspense, and Jeremy Allen White’s biceps are only part of the genre’s appeal.
Opinion
Air travel
‘No frills’ an understatement: The world’s worst airline ticket has arrived
This airline’s new ultra-basic ticket is the most rudimentary plane ticket ever sold. And it could well indicate the beginning of a wider trend.
Greg Dickinson
Dutton was a lion to media, but a pussycat to Chinese premier: Albanese
Albanese has returned fire at Dutton, as the two trade insults over the handling of an incident with reporter Cheng Lei during the visit of Chinese premier.
Opinion
Government debt
Finances of US, Europe and China are deteriorating
Widening government debt in the US, European economies and China and the spectres of Trump and Marine Le Pen are increasing the threats to global financial stability.
Stephen Bartholomeusz
Senior business columnist
Time to say vale: St Patrick’s says goodbye to centuries-old tradition
On a cold winter’s night, the pews of the dimly lit St Patrick’s Cathedral were filled with hundreds of worshippers gathered for the final traditional Latin Mass.
Boeing faults leave two NASA astronauts stuck in space
Two astronauts will be left on the International Space Station for longer than planned because of faults with spacecraft designed to return them to Earth.
Farmers accuse supermarket giants of using ‘manipulative’ tactic
Two major Australian fruit and vegetable industry bodies have urged the competition watchdog to probe whether the supermarket giants are engaging in “deliberate market manipulation.”
Democrats consider boycotting Netanyahu’s speech to Congress
Some Democrats say they don’t want to be part of a “one-way lecture” when the Israeli prime minister addresses Congress next month.
See and Do
★★½
Despicably predictable fourth outing for Gru and his Minions
There are few surprises in this new instalment of the Despicable Me franchise.
You should watch all six seasons of this hugely underrated show now
We need a word for the specific pleasure of finding a TV show you love, and discovering that six beautiful seasons await you.
Victoria
Exclusive
Hospitals
A $1b rebuild was promised for this hospital. It might end up at Eastland
Labor had pledged rebuilding the Maroondah Hospital on its existing site. But the costs involved mean it could be rebuilt near a shopping centre or on land once used as a drive-in.
The underground issue that Victoria’s proposed nuclear plant would need to confront
Maps reveal a number of significant fault lines in the Latrobe Valley, including one that runs directly past the Loy Yang A power station.
Numeracy in schools doesn’t add up. Experts are calling for mandatory testing
All children would be tested for numeracy knowledge in the first two years of school under a plan to tackle underachievement in maths.
Footscray is full of empty, derelict sites. Locals blame ‘land banking’
Critics say land banking has become a problem with large commercial buildings in prime locations standing empty for years.
A ‘proud Wemba Wemba’ girl wrote a letter asking for help. The state didn’t listen
The 17-year-old took her own life in 2021, and a coroner found her human rights were breached when a Victorian department did not listen to her desire for culturally competent care.
Politics
Exclusive
Nuclear energy
Cracks in Dutton’s nuclear plans as details emerge about cheap power offer
State premiers have rejected the idea and some Nationals MPs opposed nuclear power in their seats, while major industry players have flagged concerns.
Business
Ice-cream with tomato sauce? McDonald’s is ending its test run of AI drive-thrus
The experiment behind the fast-food giant’s automated order taker will soon be coming to a close.
World
Stonehenge doused in orange paint before solstice celebrations
A fog of orange was unleashed at one of the world’s most famous monuments, a day before thousands were due to gather for summer solstice celebrations.
Opinion
The public has voted on the next Media Watch host, and you’re in for a shock
Antoinette Lattouf
Broadcaster, columnist and author
Explore
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Property
How house prices will buck the trend in Melbourne next year
Despite higher interest rates, property prices are tipped to grow to new highs, but not all capitals will keep up.
Six of the best luxury homes for sale across the country
We’ve rounded up our pick of the bunch from across the New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and South Australia’s most luxurious properties.
Good Food
Lifestyle
Daggy to cool: How the humble cardi returned from fashion purgatory
Thick cardigans and strategic layering make up the trend that everyone from Queen Camilla to Kim Kardashian can get behind.
Opinion
Motherhood
Is my biological clock faulty, or is motherhood just not for me?
Genevieve Novak
Spectrum columnist
Opinion
Death
Please do this before you die. I just did and it nearly killed me
Jenna Price
Columnist and academic
Culture
You should watch all six seasons of this hugely underrated show now
We need a word for the specific pleasure of finding a TV show you love, and discovering that six beautiful seasons await you.
Traveller
Drivedrive
From Our Partners
Sport
Alive and kicking: Former Hawk’s proof-of-life call to David Parkin
A Hawthorn premiership player, named as deceased, called his former skipper to report signs of life.
Burnout fears for Head ahead of massive Test summer
World Cup strike force Travis Head is yet to receive Cricket Australia’s nod of approval to play in the US-based Major League Twenty20 tournament next month.
Barty returns to Wimbledon grass for first time since 2021 triumph
The former Wimbledon champion will be stepping back onto the grass for the first time since announcing her shock retirement in 2022.
Opinion
AFL 2024
He’s a villain after just seven games. But this young Hawk will be a star
Nick Watson is only 19 and has kicked 5.15, but I’ve seen enough to be convinced he will, in time, become one of the most marketable sports stars in the country.
Kane Cornes
AFL columnist
The Scoop
AFL 2024
Read the fine print, Swanny: Hall of fame man of the moment’s accommodation snafu
Collingwood icon Dane Swan’s induction to the Australian Football Hall of Fame couldn’t have gone more to script. We’re just glad he made it to the event in the first place.
Why the Demon needs Novak to pull out of Wimbledon
The 25-year-old Sydneysider was runner-up to Carlos Alcaraz at Queen’s last year, but tumbled out in the first round this year.
Exclusive
Sports betting
McLachlan brokered extension of Sportsbet deal before he left the AFL
There was no public announcement of the extension, which prevents other wagering businesses, including McLachlan’s new employer, Tabcorp, from advertising or promoting their odds on AFL platforms until 2028.
Have Your Say
Crunch time: Why the next three months are crucial for these players at your AFL club
For a range of reasons, these 18 players across the AFL need a bumper second half of the season when it comes to their careers beyond 2024.
