Latest News Stories
Sorted by number of sources covering the story
Today
Trump posts AI Jesus image, feuds with Pope Leo XIV over Iran war and policies
Donald Trump posted an AI-generated image of himself as a Jesus-like figure on Truth Social on April 13, 2026, depicting him healing a patient with divine light, which he later deleted after facing wi...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- Donald Trump posted an AI-generated image of himself as a Jesus Christ-like figure healing a patient on Truth Social on April 13, 2026, which he later deleted after backlash.
- Trump called Pope Leo XIV 'WEAK on Crime' and 'terrible for Foreign Policy' in a Truth Social post on April 13, 2026, criticizing his stance on the Iran war and immigration.
- Pope Leo XIV responded to Trump’s threats against Iran by calling them 'truly unacceptable' and urged peace during a prayer service in St. Peter’s Basilica on April 12, 2026.
Gout Gout breaks Australian 200m record with 19.67s at Nationals
Gout Gout, an 18-year-old Australian sprinter, made history at the Australian Athletics Championships in Sydney on April 14, 2026, by running 19.67 seconds in the 200m, breaking his own national recor...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- Gout Gout ran 19.67 seconds in the men’s 200m at the Australian Athletics Championships in Sydney on April 14, 2026, breaking his own Australian record of 20.02s.
- This was the first legal sub-20-second time by an Australian in the 200m, and Gout’s time was also a new under-20 world record (excluding unratified times).
- Gout’s 19.67s is faster than Usain Bolt’s time of 19.93s at age 18 in 2004, which was a world record at the time.
Qantas raises fares, cuts flights due to Middle East fuel crisis and war
Qantas has raised fares and cut domestic flights by about 5% due to soaring fuel costs linked to the Middle East conflict, with its fuel bill for the second half of 2026 now estimated at $3.1 billion ...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- Qantas increased its fuel cost estimate for the second half of the 2026 financial year to between $3.1 billion and $3.3 billion, up from a previous estimate of $2.5 billion (ABC) or $2.2 billion (Guardian).
- Qantas reduced domestic flight capacity by about 5% in the current quarter due to fuel market volatility and economic conditions.
- Qantas raised fares and redeployed capacity from its US and domestic network to increase flights to Paris and Rome, citing strong demand for Europe-bound travel as passengers avoid Middle East routes.
Angus Taylor’s hardline immigration policy targets migrants, values, and Gaza refugees
Angus Taylor, Opposition Leader, unveiled a hardline immigration policy on April 14, 2026, proposing discrimination based on 'Australian values' and targeting Palestinian refugees from Gaza as a natio...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- Angus Taylor proposed discriminating against migrants based on 'Australian values' in a speech to the Menzies Research Centre on April 14, 2026.
- Taylor singled out approximately 1,300–1,500 Palestinian refugees from Gaza (arrived Oct 2023–Aug 2024) as a 'clear risk to national security' and called for their reassessment.
- Taylor’s policy includes making compliance with the Australian Values Statement a binding visa condition, with visas cancellable for non-compliance.
Prince Harry and Meghan’s first visit to Australia since 2018 as private citizens
Prince Harry and Meghan arrived in Melbourne on April 14, 2026, for their first visit to Australia in nearly eight years, flying commercially on a Qantas flight and arriving under heavy security. Thei...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- Prince Harry and Meghan arrived in Melbourne on April 14, 2026, at 6:00 AM after flying on a commercial Qantas flight from the US
- Their first public appearance was at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne on April 14, where they met patients, parents, and staff for about 10–15 minutes
- Meghan greeted a reporter with the words 'happy to be here' during the hospital visit
13-year-old girl denied bail after alleged hate crimes, car attacks, and premeditated offenses
A 13-year-old girl was denied bail in a Victorian children’s court after allegedly committing 109 offences, including reckless conduct endangering serious injury, theft, and motor vehicle theft. On Ma...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- A 13-year-old girl appeared in Victorian children’s court on 2026-04-10 seeking bail for 109 charges, including reckless conduct endangering serious injury, theft, motor vehicle theft, and burglary
- On 2026-03-30, the girl allegedly drove a stolen car in Brighton (Melbourne’s south-east), attempted to hit a cyclist with the passenger door, then allegedly drove into a 45-year-old man, knocking him to the ground
- Within three minutes of the March 30 incident, the girl allegedly Googled ‘how long the sentence is for running someone over’
Metro Trains Melbourne investigating pantograph defects in High-Capacity Metro Trains (HCMT) causing disruptions
Metro Trains Melbourne is investigating a potential defect in the pantographs of its High-Capacity Metro Trains (HCMT), which operate through the $15 billion Metro Tunnel. The issue was highlighted af...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- Metro Trains is investigating a potential defect in pantographs on its High-Capacity Metro Trains (HCMT) fleet, which operates exclusively through the $15 billion Metro Tunnel.
- On February 3, an HCMT pulled down an overhead wire near Armadale, leaving around 600 passengers stranded on two trains for up to two hours without air-conditioning on a 30-degree day.
- Metro identified the Armadale incident was caused by a pantograph fault, and a February 11 alert to drivers warned of 'abnormal pantograph behaviour,' including pantographs 'bobbing up and down' and 'excessively arching.'
Texas man charged for Molotov attack on Sam Altman’s home and OpenAI HQ
A 20-year-old Texas man, Daniel Moreno-Gama, was arrested after allegedly throwing a Molotov cocktail at Sam Altman’s San Francisco home and later attempting to burn down OpenAI’s headquarters on Apri...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- Daniel Moreno-Gama, 20, is accused of throwing a Molotov cocktail at Sam Altman’s San Francisco home on April 14, 2026, around 04:00 local time.
- Moreno-Gama traveled from Spring, Texas, to San Francisco to carry out the attacks.
- He was arrested after attempting to burn down OpenAI’s headquarters and threatening to harm people inside, according to court records.
RBA warns of stagflation risks from Middle East war and energy shock in Australia
The Reserve Bank of Australia’s deputy governor Andrew Hauser warned on April 14, 2026, that the Middle East war and resulting global energy shock could trigger stagflation—a dangerous mix of high inf...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- RBA deputy governor Andrew Hauser called stagflation a 'central banker’s nightmare' during a 'fireside chat' at the Money Marketeers of New York University on April 14, 2026
- The Westpac-Melbourne Institute Consumer Sentiment index fell 12.5% in April 2026 (from 91.6 to 80.1 points), the largest monthly drop since COVID-19
- Australia’s headline inflation is currently 3.7%, above the RBA’s 2–3% target range
Queensland activist charged under hate speech laws for 'From the River to the Sea' protest banner
Jim Dowling, a 70-year-old anti-war activist, was charged under Queensland’s new hate speech laws for displaying a banner reading 'From the River to the Sea, Brisbane will be free of Boeing' during a ...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- James 'Jim' Joseph Dowling, 70, was charged with recital, distribution, publication, or display of prohibited expressions ('From the River to the Sea') under Queensland’s new hate speech laws.
- Dowling appeared in Brisbane Magistrates Court on April 14, 2026, for the charge.
- The protest where Dowling was charged took place outside Boeing’s Brisbane headquarters on March 18, 2026.
Organised crime stash found in Melbourne rental property with explosives, drugs, cash
Victoria Police discovered a significant stash of drugs, explosives, over $1 million in cash, and firearms at a short-term rental property in Keilor East on January 24, 2026. The discovery was made by...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- A cleaner found drugs, explosives, more than $1 million in cash, and firearms at a rental property in Keilor East on January 24, 2026.
- Incendiary devices were detonated in controlled explosions by the Bomb Response Unit and the Australian Defence Force (ADF) at the property.
- A white Toyota Camry was linked to the property, with CCTV capturing a man fuelling it at a service station on the Western Ring Road in Ardeer on Christmas Day (December 25, 2025).
UK inquiry finds systemic failures allowed Southport child murders by Axel Rudakubana
A UK public inquiry into the July 29, 2024, Southport attack found that the murders of three young girls—Bebe King (6), Elsie Dot Stancombe (7), and Alice da Silva Aguiar (9)—by 17-year-old Axel Rudak...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- Axel Rudakubana, 17 at the time, killed Bebe King (6), Elsie Dot Stancombe (7), and Alice da Silva Aguiar (9) in Southport, England, on July 29, 2024, during a Taylor Swift-themed dance event.
- Rudakubana was sentenced to a minimum of 52 years in prison for the murders and wounding 10 others (8 children, 2 adults).
- The inquiry, led by retired judge Sir Adrian Fulford, found the attack 'could and should have been prevented' due to systemic failures by police, social services, and educators.
Roblox introduces age-restricted accounts amid Australian child safety concerns and social media bans
Roblox is introducing age-restricted accounts in June 2026—Roblox Kids for ages 5–8 and Roblox Select for ages 9–15—following Australian government pressure over child grooming risks and graphic conte...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- Roblox will launch two age-restricted accounts in June 2026: Roblox Kids (ages 5–8) and Roblox Select (ages 9–15)
- The Australian government put Roblox on notice in February 2026 over child grooming reports, prompting safety changes
- Roblox Kids will have chat disabled by default and only allow 'minimal' or 'mild' maturity-rated games, with an electric blue background
Yesterday
Australia boosts military drone spending amid global conflicts
Australia’s federal government is allocating billions to expand its military drone and autonomous systems fleet, driven by lessons from the Ukraine and Middle East conflicts. Defence Minister Richard ...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- Australia plans to spend between $12bn and $15bn on uncrewed and autonomous defence capabilities over the next decade, including $2bn–$5bn in new or redirected funding.
- Defence Minister Richard Marles will release the 2026 National Defence Strategy and Integrated Investment Program on Thursday, April 14, 2026.
- The Ghost Bat (stealth fighter drone) and Ghost Shark (stealth submarine) are key Australian-designed autonomous systems, with the Ghost Bat already tested and attracting foreign interest (e.g., Germany).
US imposes naval blockade on Iranian ports in Strait of Hormuz after failed peace talks
The US has imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz following the collapse of peace talks in Islamabad, Pakistan, on April 12–13, 2026. The blockade, announced by President Do...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- US President Donald Trump announced a naval blockade of Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz effective April 13, 2026, at 10:00 AM US Eastern Time (midnight April 14 AEST).
- The blockade applies to all vessels entering or exiting Iranian ports and coastal areas in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, but not to ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz to/from non-Iranian ports.
- The US-Iran peace talks in Islamabad, Pakistan, ended without agreement on April 12-13, 2026, after over 20 hours of negotiations.
Death of Bollywood legend Asha Bhosle at age 92
Legendary Bollywood playback singer Asha Bhosle died on April 12, 2026, at age 92 after being hospitalized in Mumbai for exhaustion and a chest infection. Her last rites were held the following day at...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- Asha Bhosle died aged 92 on April 12, 2026, after being admitted to Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai with 'extreme exhaustion' and chest infection
- Her last rites were held on April 13, 2026, at Shivaji Park in Mumbai
- Asha Bhosle recorded over 12,000 songs in multiple Indian languages over a seven-decade career
World Aquatics lifts restrictions on Russian/Belarusian athletes, sparking controversy
World Aquatics became the first major Olympic sport to lift restrictions on Russian and Belarusian athletes on April 13, 2026, allowing them to compete under their national flag and anthem at events l...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- World Aquatics announced on April 13, 2026, that Russian and Belarusian athletes can compete under their national flag and anthem without restrictions, reversing the neutral status imposed since 2022.
- The decision applies to swimming, diving, and water polo events under World Aquatics’ jurisdiction, including world championships.
- Ukrainian water polo players boycotted a World Cup match against a Russian team (competing as 'Neutral Athletes B') on April 13, 2026, in Malta, resulting in a 5-0 default win for Russia.
Eric Swalwell resigns from Congress and drops CA governor race amid sexual assault allegations
Eric Swalwell, a Democratic U.S. Representative and frontrunner in California’s gubernatorial race, suspended his campaign and resigned from Congress on April 13, 2026, following multiple sexual assau...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- Eric Swalwell suspended his California governor campaign on April 13, 2026, amid sexual assault and misconduct allegations
- A former Swalwell staffer alleged he sexually assaulted her twice while she was too intoxicated to consent, as reported by the San Francisco Chronicle (April 11, 2026) and CNN
- Three other women accused Swalwell of sending unsolicited nude photographs or explicit messages, per CNN and the Guardian
JD Vance faces foreign policy failures in Hungary and Iran negotiations
JD Vance endured a disastrous week in early April 2026, marked by two high-profile foreign policy failures. First, he traveled to Hungary to endorse Viktor Orbán’s re-election campaign, only to see Or...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- JD Vance traveled to Hungary on April 6, 2026, to support Viktor Orbán’s campaign before his electoral defeat.
- Viktor Orbán lost Hungary’s election in a landslide, with Péter Magyar’s Tisza party winning 138 seats in the 199-seat parliament.
- Vance held 21-hour Iran negotiations in Islamabad (April 10–11, 2026) with envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, resulting in no agreement.
Australia’s opposition proposes strict visa vetting, including social media checks and values tests
Australia’s opposition leader Angus Taylor is set to unveil a hardline immigration policy on April 13, 2026, requiring all visa applicants—including tourists—to submit their social media accounts for ...
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
- Angus Taylor will unveil the Coalition’s immigration policy on April 13, 2026, at the Menzies Institute, including mandatory social media vetting for all visa applicants (tourists, migrants, asylum seekers).
- The policy would require visa applicants to submit their social media accounts for screening, similar to a rule implemented by U.S. President Donald Trump in December 2017.
- A new ‘Enhanced Screening Coordination Centre’ would be established within Home Affairs to integrate intelligence from ASIO, federal police, and Border Force to identify ‘terrorist sympathisers and security risks’ before visa approval.