The first semifinal of the Eurovision Song Contest included a comedic musical interlude about the differences between Austria and Australia, and sent 10 countries through to the grand final on Saturday.
Telstra customers are still experiencing issues calling triple zero due to a secondary problem from Wednesday's outage. Regional train services in Victoria and NSW remain suspended as Telstra's 4G network interferes with backup satellite phones. Investigations and potential penalties are being considered.
Backrowers Liam Martin and Hudson Young were instrumental in NSW's State of Origin decider win, embodying the team's relentless 'mad' mentality. Young's try and high work rate, coupled with Martin's defensive dominance, epitomized the Blues' desperate effort to reward coach Laurie Daley's faith and overcome external noise.
A midtown Manhattan high-rise evacuation due to buckled columns and sagging floors has led to street reopenings and resident returns. Mayor Zohran Mamdani vowed a full investigation into the office-to-apartment conversion project's safety breakdown.
A trainee surgeon, Ryan Cho, has pleaded guilty to 13 charges including stalking and installing hidden cameras to film hundreds of people in hospital bathrooms in Melbourne. The crimes involved thousands of intimate images and videos, with victims able to provide statements at his pre-sentence hearing in November.
Violence prevention organisation Our Watch has condemned boxer Benjamin Hussain for a now-deleted video joking about domestic violence increasing during the State of Origin decider. CEO Patty Kinnersly stated such comments are unacceptable, especially after 36 Australian women have been killed by men this year.
Jillian Segal, Australia's antisemitism envoy, proposed a new external committee to oversee ABC and SBS coverage of Israel. She cited a "common and pervasive perception" within the Jewish community of unbalanced reporting, overemphasis on Gaza, and disproportionate voice to anti-Israel perspectives. Both broadcasters have independent ombudsmen, but Segal suggested a UK-style regulator like Ofcom could provide "tick" or "guidance."
