International crime syndicate allegedly stole dozens of Toyotas from Brisbane and planned to ship to UAE 07. January 2026 (05:53) Seven men have been charged with more than 300 offences, after police found allegedly stolen vehicles in shipping containers in Brisbane and Melbourne Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAn international-based crime syndicate allegedly stole dozens of Toyotas – including LandCruisers and Prados – from Brisbane with the intention of sending them to the United Arab Emirates in shipping containers.Queensland police announced on Wednesday that seven men had been charged with more than 300 offences. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Grok’s deepfake images which ‘digitally undress’ women investigated by Australia’s online safety watchdog 07. January 2026 (05:48) eSafety Australia says it ‘has received several reports relating to the use of Grok to generate sexualised images without consent’ since late 2025Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAustralia’s online safety watchdog is investigating sexualised deepfake images posted on X by its AI chatbot Grok.Elon Musk’s X has faced a global backlash since Grok began generating sexualised images of women and girls without their consent in response to requests for it to undress them. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Trump administration halts more than $10bn for childcare and family assistance 07. January 2026 (03:57) Democrats condemn move in California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota and New York, calling it ‘vindictive’ and ‘cruel’Donald Trump’s administration is freezing more than $10bn in federal childcare and family assistance funds to California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota and New York, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said, citing what it called concerns about fraud and misuse.“For too long, Democrat-led states and Governors have been complicit in allowing massive amounts of fraud to occur under their watch,” Andrew Nixon, HHS spokesperson, said in a statement. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Michael Reagan, eldest son of Ronald Reagan, dies aged 80 07. January 2026 (02:52) Conservative commentator contributed to Newsmax and was known for eponymous talk radio showMichael Reagan, the eldest son of Ronald Reagan and a conservative commentator, has died. He was 80.The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute announced his death in a post on the social platform X on Tuesday, calling him “a steadfast guardian of his father’s legacy”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Aldrich Ames, CIA agent who spied for Soviet Union and Russia, dies aged 84 07. January 2026 (02:20) In damaging intelligence breach, Ames admitted to passing information to Moscow for nearly a decadeAldrich Ames, the CIA agent who spied for the Soviet Union and Russia in one of the most damaging intelligence breaches in US history, has died in a Maryland prison. He was 84.His death on Monday was confirmed by the Bureau of Prisons. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Accused Brown University shooter planned attack for years, video transcripts show 07. January 2026 (02:14) Justice department translated recordings made in Portuguese by man believed to be behind killingsThe man accused of killing an MIT professor and two students at Brown University left behind video recordings in which he says he had planned the attack for years, the US Department of Justice said on Tuesday.The shooter in the 13 and 15 December attacks was a former Brown student and Portuguese national, whom law enforcement found dead in a New Hampshire storage facility days after the shootings. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Venezuela ‘turning over’ up to 50m barrels of oil to the US, Trump says 07. January 2026 (01:16) The president’s announcement comes as Venezuela seeks to avoid deep cuts in output amid an ongoing blockade on exports imposed by the USDonald Trump has said Venezuela will be “turning over” 30 to 50m barrels of sanctioned oil to the US, as the South American country seeks to avoid deep cuts in output amid an ongoing blockade on exports imposed by Washington since mid-December.“This Oil will be sold at its Market Price, and that money will be controlled by me, as President of the United States of America, to ensure it is used to benefit the people of Venezuela and the United States!” Trump said in a post online. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Severe heatwave hits southern Australian states with firefighters warning many areas ‘ready to burn’ 07. January 2026 (01:02) Melbourne and Adelaide swelter through extreme heat with temperatures above 40C in the South Australian capital Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastLarge parts of South Australia and Victoria are expecting extreme fire conditions today as a dangerous heatwave moves east, pushing temperatures well into the 40s.By midday on Wednesday the mercury had hit 37C in Melbourne and 41C in Adelaide. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Professor who claimed ‘Blak’ activists were leading University of Melbourne law school to ‘destruction’ settles discrimination case 07. January 2026 (00:54) Exclusive: Dr Eric Descheemaeker sued the university over his attempted sacking after an email he sent was leaked and posted around campusFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA professor facing attempted termination after claiming in a publicly leaked email that “‘Blak’ activists” were aiming to lead the University of Melbourne’s prestigious law school to “destruction” has reached a settlement with the institution.
The university tried to sack Dr Eric Descheemaeker after a 2023 email to the then-dean of Melbourne law school (MLS), in which he claimed it was turning into an “ideological re-education camp”, was leaked and posted around the Parkville campus last year.Descheemaeker then sued the university for discrimination, alleging the attempt to expel him in July was because of his political opinion. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Republicans silent and Democrats incensed on fifth anniversary of US Capitol attack 07. January 2026 (00:12) Democrats hold hearing to examine impact of January 6, while protesters commemorate attack on Capitol groundsCongressional Republicans were largely silent on the fifth anniversary of the January 6 insurrection on Tuesday, even as Democrats sought to use the occasion to condemn Donald Trump and a small group of protesters convened on the grounds of the US Capitol in solidarity with those who carried out the attack.Democrats, who are in the minority in Congress after fruitlessly hoping that the well-documented violence would cause voters to reject Trump for good, seized on the anniversary to decry the president as a threat to democracy, and accuse Republicans of acting as his accomplices. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
