Smelter jobs at stake as government assistance runs dry
South Australia's premier says there is a "national imperative" to keep smelters at Port Pirie and Hobart running, after a $135 million assistance package expired.

South Australia's premier says there is a "national imperative" to keep smelters at Port Pirie and Hobart running, after a $135 million assistance package expired.

Iran launched new attacks on US military sites in Gulf states and Jordan, escalating tensions and straining a three-week-old ceasefire agreement. The strikes followed US retaliatory actions and occurred on the day Iran buried its Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Turkish President Erdogan gifted vintage revolvers with live ammunition to NATO leaders at a summit in Ankara. The move highlights Turkey's growing defense industry, a significant export and foreign policy tool.

Former BHP chief economist Huw McKay argues for robust government climate policies, like a carbon price, to drive decarbonisation at major resource companies. Leaked documents revealed BHP's delays in renewables projects and electrification, raising concerns about Australia's climate targets.

A new study analyzing over 250 spider species has identified the brown huntsman (Heteropoda jugulans) as potentially the fastest spider on the planet, reaching peak speeds of 3.59 m/s. Researchers collected spiders globally and measured their running speeds, finding that body mass, not just size, influences speed.

The NSW government has spent over $305,500 on legal fees defending controversial protest laws that were ultimately struck down by courts. These laws, enacted after the Bondi terror attack, were found to unconstitutionally burden political communication rights, leading to significant taxpayer expense.

Telstra's recent network failure, mirroring Optus's 2025 incident, has reignited debate over Australia's telecommunications policy. The article argues that prioritizing competition over essential service reliability, a legacy of 1990s reforms, has led to patchy networks and service failures, including for triple zero calls. A call for a national essential services network (ESN) is made.