‘Kick in the guts’: Shepparton Council has voted to put on celebrations for January 26

Wests Tigers confirmed that England international John Bateman will leave the club to join North Queensland on a two-year deal, with Bateman having two years remaining on his Wests Tigers contract. The Cowboys expressed delight in securing Bateman for the 2025 and 2026 seasons, citing his defensive prowess and mentoring potential for younger forwards as key reasons for the signing. Bateman, who played 32 NRL matches for Wests Tigers across two seasons and previously had...

The Bureau of Meteorology is predicting a hot Christmas Day across Australia, with rain and storms in some areas. Sydney will be humid and sunny, reaching a maximum of 26 degrees with a slight chance of rain and thunderstorms by night. Adelaide will experience scorching heat at 33 degrees, dropping to 22 degrees at night, while Darwin will be hot and wet with a top of 35 degrees. Thunderstorms are expected in various parts of...

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy suggests the deployment of foreign peacekeeping troops in Ukraine may be discussed at a meeting of European leaders in Brussels, including Germany, France, Poland, and NATO, to address support for Ukraine amid ongoing conflict with Russia. Zelenskiy emphasizes the urgent need for strengthening Ukraine's defense capabilities and NATO membership aspirations, while Russian Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov is killed in Moscow by a bomb, following criminal charges from Ukraine's Security Service for...

In a crucial moment during the fourth morning of the Test match between Australia and India, Steve Smith dropped a catch from KL Rahul, setting the tone for a challenging day for the hosts. Adding to Australia's woes, Josh Hazlewood suffered a calf injury early on, further straining the team's bowling resources. Despite valiant efforts from Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc, India's resilient batting and the weather's interference have left Australia facing an uphill battle...

A US-based Syrian advocacy organization claims a mass grave near Damascus holds over 100,000 bodies of people killed by the former Assad government. The head of the group, Mouaz Moustafa, identified five mass graves and stated that more are likely to exist, including victims from the US and UK. Concerns were raised over the need to secure and preserve the sites for future investigations. Full Article

Australian officials are urgently seeking to confirm any impact on Aussies from the 7.3 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Vanuatu, with no tsunami threat to Australia reported. Damage to the US Embassy in Vanuatu has been observed, and DFAT is working to assess the situation while offering support. Widespread damage, collapsed buildings, and potential trapped individuals have been reported in Port Vila, with a significant aftershock following the initial quake. Full Article