President Donald Trump has again made unfounded accusations that celebrities like Beyonce and Oprah were illegally paid to endorse Kamala Harris.

The Australian is pragmatic about his chances of winning a major in the Alcaraz-Sinner era but knows he plays his best tennis when he doesn’t put pressure on himself It’s hard to think of anyone in tennis who works harder than Alex de Minaur, the Australian who next month will once again carry the hopes of a nation as he tries to become the first home winner of the men’s title at the Australian Open for 50 years. No one is faster around the court, no one more diligent off it than the 26-year-old. It’s a work ethic that has helped him to 10 titles so far in his career and he ends 2025 as the world No 7, his highest year-end ranking, and having won the prestigious Newcombe medal for a fourth time. But in a sport where success at the very top level is ultimately judged by performances at grand slams, De Minaur has so far fallen short. He has made the quarter-finals of a major six times – including five of the past eight – but with Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner having split the last eight majors, opportunities are scarce. Continue reading...

Using store-bought deli goods, Alice Zaslavsky builds a vegetarian showstopper for the Christmas table – with minimal cooking * Check out more Alice Zaslavsky recipes So you’re hosting a festive shindig in December and there are vegetarians in the crowd – or maybe the vego is you? You want to put on a good centrepiece but you’re not feeling the nut loaf vibes. What to do? Festive catering for vegetarians is far easier in the northern hemisphere, where you can whack on a big chunk of pumpkin or stuff some peppers, and let them bake away while you roast the chestnuts and mull the wine. Continue reading...

Taika Waititi’s quirky family caper has no explicit mention of Christmas – but that doesn’t stop it from being the best Christmas viewing Picking a Christmas movie is hard work. It needs to be suitable for the entire family, which rules out Die Hard, and entertaining for the whole family, which rules out It’s a Wonderful Life. It has to be good, which rules out Love Actually, and it has to suit distracted viewing, which rules out Muppet Christmas Carol, of which it’s a sin to miss a single second. There is, however, no rule that says Christmas movies must include Christmas. Which is why Taika Waititi’s Hunt for the Wilderpeople is the perfect Christmas movie. Continue reading...

Minor party reaches primary vote of 17% as majority of respondents remain pessimistic about housing affordability and the rising cost of living * Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast One Nation has surged to its highest-ever support in the latest Guardian Essential Poll, after weeks of furore over Pauline Hanson’s burqa stunt and Barnaby Joyce’s defection. Hanson’s party recorded a 17% primary vote, half that of Labor’s primary at 34%, with the Coalition’s primary vote at 26%. Continue reading...

The prime minister claimed $2,800 in family travel entitlements coinciding with three major sporting events between 2023 and 2025 * Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Federal politicians are calling for public spending rules to be tightened as it is revealed Anthony Albanese also used the family reunion travel allowance after being invited to major sporting events around Australia. The prime minister charged taxpayers about $2,800 for three instances of family travel costs on weekends when he also declared being given tickets to the AFL grand final, the rugby league State of Origin and the Australian Open tennis, Guardian Australia can reveal. Continue reading...

Rajwinder Singh was set a non-parole period of 25 years for the ‘shocking, sickening and depraved’ crime * Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast It takes a certain “breed of person” to care for the rescue dogs of tropical Queensland, Gabrielle Gleeson says. They must be committed, says the dog foster care charity co-founder, as the animals they take on will have suffered neglect, mistreatment and abuse. But the rewards can be profound. Continue reading...

Rajwinder Singh was set a non-parole period of 25 years for the ‘shocking, sickening and depraved’ crime * Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast It takes a certain “breed of person” to care for the rescue dogs of tropical Queensland, Gabrielle Gleeson says. They must be committed, says the dog foster care charity co-founder, as the animals they take on will have suffered neglect, mistreatment and abuse. But the rewards can be profound. Continue reading...

Much of the enthusiasm for these ‘anti-ageing’ products is based on animal studies, mostly involving rodents There are many acronyms you might find on the packaging of so-called longevity supplements, promoted by influencers for their ability to “repair DNA” and assist in “anti-ageing”. NRC (nicotinamide riboside chloride) and NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide) are two of them – both precursors or “building blocks” for NAD (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide), a naturally occurring molecule in the body. Trimethylglycine (TMG) is another and is sometimes added to “support” other ingredients. Continue reading...

Executives tell Pride in Diversity report Donald Trump’s election ‘opened the floodgates’ to challenge DEI initiatives, including in Australia * Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Major Australian employers are toning down their diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs and a handful have scrapped initiatives altogether amid a US-led “anti-woke” backlash, new research shows. Some businesses have also cancelled their membership to Australia’s major workplace inclusion organisation, Pride in Diversity (PID). Continue reading...

The 71-year-old performer’s son Micah has been arrested on suspicion of murder, Santa Monica police said Jubilant Sykes, the Grammy-nominated opera and gospel singer, has died aged 71 after being stabbed to death at his home in California. His 31-year-old son, Micah Sykes, was arrested on suspicion of murder, authorities said on Tuesday. Continue reading...

The decline of the coal export industry could come even faster than expected, and we need to do more to manage the economic risks The year is winding down and for some Australians that means thinking about Christmas or the beach. For others, it will mean considering how they will cope with the next heatwave or bushfire. Already, two states have been burning. The least bold prediction for the summer is that temperature records will tumble. It’s what happens when temperatures are on average 1.5C hotter than a little over a century ago. Continue reading...

* Captain back at the helm in Adelaide after missing first two Tests * Usman Khawaja remains in frame despite back injury concerns Australian veteran Usman Khawaja remains in the frame for selection for the third Ashes Test after being included in the squad for Adelaide headlined by the return of captain Pat Cummins. Khawaja was left out of the second Test XI after struggling with a back injury during the series opener in Perth, and new opener Jake Weatherald broke through with his first half century at the Gabba. Continue reading...

Much of the enthusiasm for these ‘anti-ageing’ products is based on animal studies, mostly involving rodents There are many acronyms you might find on the packaging of so-called longevity supplements, promoted by influencers for their ability to “repair DNA” and assist in “anti-ageing”. NRC (nicotinamide riboside chloride) and NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide) are two of them – both precursors or “building blocks” for NAD (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide), a naturally occurring molecule in the body. Trimethylglycine (TMG) is another and is sometimes added to “support” other ingredients. Continue reading...

The host nation’s newspapers could barely contain their delight after Ben Stokes and his team were spotted relaxing before the crucial third Test A mid-tour jaunt by the England cricket team to a Queensland beach town was covered gleefully by Australia’s tabloid newspapers, which splashed a shirtless Ben Stokes across their pages amid taunting headlines. “On back foot, England bails to the beach”, one read. “Life’s a beach, even for the sinking Poms,” added another. “Sun’s out, runs out”, offered a third, alongside a photo of Stokes’s tattooed biceps. Continue reading...

The PM won big by convincing us we could avoid the madness of Donald Trump’s new world order but Labor’s feeble AI plan embeds Australia deeply in its orbit * Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast I’m blaming Santa. As 2025 reaches its inevitable endgame, I can’t help thinking we have all become gullible children enthralled by the promise of tech cornucopia, refusing to see the folds in our logic because deep down we don’t want to break the magic. While the federal government prepares to take the toys off the children with its world-first social media ban, it is hanging out the stockings for the self-same tech overlords to fill with new goodies via its light-touch National AI Plan. Continue reading...

Albanese says commencement of ban a ‘proud day’ for him as prime minister, while eSafety commissioner unconcerned by reports of children bypassing restrictions * Reader callout: How is Australia’s social media ban affecting you and your family? * Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates * Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast As Australia’s under-16s social media ban got under way on Wednesday, some platforms were still allowing accounts registered for 14-year-olds, while Anthony Albanese described it as a “proud day” to be prime minister. Of the 10 platforms identified by the eSafety commissioner as needing to comply with the ban, Kick, Threads, Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, TikTok, and X would not allow accounts registered with a birth date of 11 January 2011. Continue reading...

The official justification of the allowance is to facilitate ‘the family life of the parliamentarian’. Yes, they are supported by the taxpayer to have one * Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast There’s nothing quite like the feeding frenzy in Canberra when there’s blood in the water. Political journalists and every opposition staffer are currently scouring the records of the independent parliamentary expenses authority looking for a fresh angle to try to claim the scalp of the communications minister, Anika Wells. Continue reading...

Overseeing the world’s first social media ban has been bruising for Julie Inman Grant, but she says ‘there’s no playbook for this’ * Australia’s world-first social media ban begins * Australian social media ban explained: everything you need to know In Julie Inman Grant’s address to Australia’s National Press Club in June, her opening words – an off-the-cuff response to the club’s social media presence on X – were among her most telling. With her ability to perform on a podium, her poise and shining smartwatch, she told the audience as she took to the mic: “As you can imagine, my biggest fanbase is on X.” Under the joshing was the truth: the platform’s owner, Elon Musk, has made life hard for Australia’s eSafety commissioner over the past 18 months or so. But while she might not have his power or his budget or his global megaphone, she does have an audacious goal – and it’s a goal Musk has inadvertently helped spotlight. Continue reading...

* Egypt’s football body says Pride event would clash with values * Iran raises objections to plans organised by local Seattle group Egypt and Iran are calling on football’s governing body to intervene in the LGBTQ+ Pride celebration planned to coincide with their group stage match in Seattle at the 2026 World Cup. Egypt’s Football Association (EFA) said on Tuesday it had sent a letter to Fifa urging them to prevent any LGBTQ+ Pride-related activities during the national team’s match against Iran next June. Continue reading...