Geoff and Delwyn Ballantyne went out for an evening coffee. When they returned they found Hex admiring himself in the mirror Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast A peacock that seemingly fell hopelessly in love with himself in a bathroom mirror after breaking into a Brisbane house remains on the run after being evicted. Geoff and Delwyn Ballantyne left their Alexandra Hills home last week for an evening coffee and returned to find a fully grown peacock gazing adoringly at himself in their bathroom mirror. Continue reading...
Peacock found in couple’s Brisbane bathroom leads to creative bid to reunite bird with tattoo artist

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Australia's social media ban 'ill thought out', High Court told in legal challenge
Reddit challenges ban on grounds it impinges implied freedom of political communications for teens Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast The Australian government’s rush to pass the under-16s social media ban legislation in 2024 led to “ill-thought-out, over-broad legislation” that has since been narrowed after Reddit sued the government, lawyers for the social media company told the high court on Tuesday. Reddit, one of the top 10 websites visited in the world, has challenged the teen social media ban on the grounds it impinges the implied freedom of political communication for under-16s. Continue reading...

RBA interest rates: Bullock says ‘pain now’ will prevent worse later as Reserve Bank hikes rates for fifth time
Reserve Bank of Australia increases official cash rate to 4.85%, bringing it to highest level since 2008 RBA interest rates live updates: Reserve Bank cash rate decision Get our daily political email , free app or daily news podcast The Reserve Bank governor Michele Bullock has said that “some pain now will prevent even worse pain down the track”, after lifting official interest rates to an 18-year high of 4.85% in a bid to combat persistent inflation. The RBA’s decision to hit mortgage holders for a fifth time in 2026 will intensify pressure on indebted households, but there were signs that the central bank will at least now wait through summer to gauge the impact of higher interest rates on the economy. Sign up for Guardian Australia’s Politics, really newsletter here Continue reading...
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Two helicopters have collided while preparing to land in Nepal’s Mount Everest region, killing an Indian tourist.
When will we know the US midterm election results?
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Russian bombing kills 29 people at Ukraine aid centre, Kyiv says
Ukrainian president Zelenskyy says attack on aid hub was ‘vile’ and shows Russia does not want to de-escalate Russia on Monday bombed an aid distribution centre and neighbouring shelter in southern Ukraine, killing at least 26 people, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the country’s emergency services said. Emergency services said two members of a rescue crew and four police officers were among the dead in the village of Komyshuvakha, in south-eastern Zaporizhzhia region. Five people were being treated in hospital, including two rescue workers. Continue reading...
A response to Andy Burnham: We need an apology and reparations
It is good news the British PM is open to calls for an apology. But debt restructuring instead of reparations won’t do.