Bottle shops awash with illicit booze as police probe arson attacks
The National Drug Research Institute found 30 per cent of bottle shops it audited across different areas of Melbourne and regional Victoria were stocking illicit alcohol.

The National Drug Research Institute found 30 per cent of bottle shops it audited across different areas of Melbourne and regional Victoria were stocking illicit alcohol.

Major musical productions like Beetlejuice, Waitress, Back to the Future, and Dear Evan Hansen have been cancelled or had tours cut short in Australia due to rising costs and insufficient ticket sales. The live performance sector is urging the government for a tax offset to stimulate investment and competitiveness.

A major Telstra network failure has led to widespread disruption and renewed calls for stronger regulation of Australian telecommunication companies. Experts and consumer advocates are demanding greater accountability and reliability standards, citing risks to public safety and the economy.

Despite being major coffee consumers, Australians drink very little locally grown coffee. Researchers and growers are optimistic about expanding the domestic industry through new varieties, improved methods, and diversification by avocado and macadamia farmers.

President Trump stated the US could strike Iran 'hard' in the coming hours, believing the ceasefire is 'over.' He mentioned targeting infrastructure and Kharg Island, rejecting the idea of a full-scale war return. Earlier, Trump expressed fury over attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

The NATO summit in Ankara saw reaffirmation of US commitment, Ukraine gaining rights to manufacture Patriot missiles, and heightened tensions with Iran. European nations pledged increased defense spending, while discussions also touched upon Greenland's status and Syria's diplomatic re-engagement.

Ruth Ellis, the last woman executed in the UK in 1955, will receive a posthumous conditional pardon due to profound injustice. Her family argued she was a victim of abuse, and her execution helped sway public opinion against the death penalty.