‘Massive surveillance failure’: Fire ant infestation sparks fear of undetected spread
More than 100 nests of potentially deadly fire ants have been discovered on Defence land in the Murray Darling river system.
- by Mike Foley
Exclusive
Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Roads, trains, ports: Major disruption warning ahead of planned pro-Palestine protests
The groups behind Monday’s global A15 Action protests have threatened to blockade “major choke points in the economy”, aiming to cause maximum economic impact.
- by Chris Vedelago and Clay Lucas
Mud, sweat and birthday cake for prime ministers on Kokoda’s hell climb to Isurava
Anthony Albanese said the thing that had most struck him along the walk was the formidable conditions Australian and PNG soldiers encountered during World War II.
- by Matthew Knott
Updated
Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Iran warns Israel of larger attack if it retaliates against missile strike
Iran has made its first direct attack on Israeli territory, sending 300 drones and missiles in a retaliatory strike that raised the threat of a wider regional conflict.
- by Dan Williams and Parisa Hafezi
All women go through menopause. So why is treatment so expensive?
Women are relying on menopause treatments that can cost $50 a month because many hormonal therapies aren’t subsidised in Australia.
- by Natassia Chrysanthos
The farmers who want to look their livestock in the eye before slaughter
Driven by decreasing access to major slaughterhouses, this small pork and beef farmer will build its own abattoir after fending off a VCAT challenge by neighbours.
- by Benjamin Preiss
More than 150 cattle died on a ship from Darwin. It could result in a diplomatic debacle
Was the true death figure kept secret from the Indonesians? Neither the Australian government nor shipping company will say.
- by Zach Hope
Security concerns for cruises are spreading beyond the Red Sea
As Red Sea security deteriorates, cruise ships are abandoning the Suez Canal – with big implications for cruise itineraries.
- by Brian Johnston
Updated
Media & marketing
Rupert Murdoch is engaged again
Rupert Murdoch’s office told the New York Times he planned to marry his girlfriend, Elena Zhukova, 67, a retired molecular biologist that he started dating last year.
- by Calum Jaspan
A missed chance to eradicate fire ants could cost Australia $38 billion
A national outbreak of the pest from its Queensland stronghold would sting the economy – and that’s without even considering the health costs.
- by Mike Foley
Opinion
Five Minutes with Fitz
How Charlie Pickering would sell Peter Dutton
Given his understanding of politics, how would The Weekly host sell the opposition leader to the Australian people?
- by Peter FitzSimons
Boxing has a blind spot when it comes to concussions
The recent Tim Tszyu-Sebastian Fundora fight, much hyped by the media, developed into a bloodbath, serving only to prove that professional boxing on which so many promoters, agents and other hangers-on sponge livings, is a decadent activity.
‘Who cares, I can do it’: How this 30-year-old Perth entrepreneur built a pretzel empire
The entrepreneur believes part of her success was the naivety of youth.
- by Tracy Vo
Fire ant threat requires whole-of-government response, inquiry hears
Helen Scott-Orr, a former federal inspector-general of biosecurity, warns the threat posed by the invasive pest goes far beyond agriculture.
- by Mike Foley
There are consequences for taking on more than we can manage
Current research seems to settle on a limit for our population of “less than 30 million”. We are heading for a train wreck at the present rate of growth.
Fears Chinese-made cranes, cars vulnerable to exploitation
The government is being urged to reduce Australia’s reliance on Chinese-made cranes and electric vehicles because of fears they could be used for spying.
- by Matthew Knott
Branson’s Virgin Voyages scraps next summer’s Australian cruises
Sir Richard’s Branson’s ship Resilient Lady isn’t so resilient after all, with the cruise line revealing it will not return to Australian waters for its planned second season.
- by Katherine Scott
ACCC break-up powers would be a ‘big stick’ to corporate Australia: Fels
The former watchdog supports giving the ACCC more powers to deal with anticompetitive behaviour, but is unconvinced there’s a case for breaking up Coles or Woolworths.
- by Jessica Yun
Australia backs latest US strikes against Iran-backed militants
British and US-led strikes targeted 36 Houthi targets in Yemen overnight. The militant group says it has no intention of scaling back their own attacks in the Red Sea.
- by Lolita Baldor and Tara Copp
Updated
Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Houthi rebels fire at US warship, set oil tanker alight as Red Sea attacks escalate
The attack was the first time the Houthis directly targeted a US warship since the rebels began their Red Sea assaults on shipping in October
- by Jon Gambrell and Tara Corp