Global Pulse

标签： Oceania

大洋洲

  • NSW government promises 2300 more surgeries by mid-2027 amid winter hospital surge

    NSW government promises 2300 more surgeries by mid-2027 amid winter hospital surge

    As New South Wales (NSW) braces for what state leaders call the most challenging three weeks of the winter respiratory season, the Australian state government is moving aggressively to clear a years-long backlog of delayed elective procedures by expanding a specialized, high-efficiency surgical model across public hospitals.

    Launched in late 2025 with a AUD 30 million state investment, High Volume Short Stay (HVSS) units are dedicated hospital wings designed exclusively to handle low-complexity, same or short-day surgeries. Under the new expansion plan, these specialized units will deliver an additional 2,300 routine procedures over the coming 12 months, with the full capacity target expected to be met by July 1, 2027, according to projections from NSW Health.

    State Health Minister Ryan Park explained that the HVSS model is a core pillar of the current government’s pledge to eliminate the state’s long-delayed surgery waitlist, which swelled to a peak of more than 18,000 under the previous state administration. As of March 2026, government data shows the backlog has already been cut to roughly 4,000 cases, marking significant progress in clearing the backlog left by the prior government.

    “We are investing in surgery services across the state, expanding access to care, cutting wait times, and improving patient outcomes,” Park said in a press statement. “These high volume surgical programs are exactly the kind of innovative care we want to see, and I’m looking forward to seeing this model expanded across NSW.”

    The procedures handled by HVSS units cover 80 percent of all routine surgeries performed across NSW’s public health system, spanning common, low-risk procedures across ear, nose and throat care, general surgery, gynecology, urology, ophthalmology, and orthopedics. Currently, the units operate at five strategic locations: Campbelltown in outer western Sydney, Shellharbour, Wagga Wagga, Western NSW, and the Mid North Coast, bringing expanded care access to both metropolitan and regional communities.

    The expansion comes as NSW’s public hospital system grapples with an unprecedented winter surge in patient demand. Last week, Premier Chris Minns issued a public warning that emergency departments across the state were preparing for the “worst three weeks of the year”, urging patients with non-life-threatening conditions to seek care from alternative providers to ease pressure on overstretched emergency teams.

    “To the extent that you can go to an urgent care clinic or see your GP … if it’s not life-threatening, we genuinely suggest that you do that so the doctors can focus and nurses can focus their efforts and attention on people that are about to die,” Minns said.

    The scale of the surge already being felt was underscored by new data: Park confirmed that just under 10,000 patients presented to Sydney emergency departments on Monday, breaking the record for the busiest winter day on record. The state also recorded roughly 4,100 ambulance call-outs on the same day, pushing emergency response systems close to capacity.

    Beyond the seasonal surge, Park has repeated calls for the federal government to intervene to resolve the ongoing “bed block” crisis, which sees hundreds of aged care patients stranded in public hospital beds while waiting for commonwealth-funded aged care support packages. In June, state data showed the number of these so-called stranded patients had jumped to nearly 1,300, further reducing available capacity for acute and emergency care across the state.

  • Ukraine says Russia fired N. Korean missiles in deadly attack

    Ukraine says Russia fired N. Korean missiles in deadly attack

    A new wave of Russian overnight bombardments targeting multiple cities across Ukraine has left at least nine civilians dead and dozens more injured, with Ukrainian authorities leveling fresh accusations Tuesday that Moscow used North Korean-supplied ballistic missiles in the deadly assault. The claims come amid escalating warnings from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that North Korea is expanding its military support to Russia, even as Kyiv has yet to release public evidence to back its most recent assertions of growing Pyongyang-Moscow military cooperation.

    Over more than four years of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, North Korea has emerged as a key military backer for Moscow. Western, South Korean and Ukrainian intelligence have long documented Pyongyang’s weapons shipments to Russia, and earlier in the conflict, North Korea deployed thousands of troops to support Russian operations pushing back a Ukrainian counteroffensive into Russia’s western Kursk region, according to Kyiv’s accounts. The two countries formalized their deepening alliance with a mutual defense pact in 2024, just ahead of that troop deployment.

    In the latest barrage, the southeastern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia suffered the heaviest damage, recording six fatalities and 19 injuries, according to Zelensky. In a public address following the strikes, Zelensky stated the city was hit by a combination of North Korean ballistic missiles, Russian Zircon hypersonic missiles, and guided aerial bombs. He called the attack deliberately vicious, noting it was designed to inflict maximum harm on civilian infrastructure.

    Three additional civilians were killed in Russian missile and drone strikes in neighboring Dnipropetrovsk region, local military officials confirmed. In Ukraine’s capital Kyiv, strikes damaged an infectious disease hospital and a separate children’s healthcare facility, according to Ukraine’s health ministry, which released photographs of shattered windows and debris scattered across the children’s hospital courtyard. The ministry added that no children or medical staff were harmed, as all personnel and patients had taken shelter in secure facilities before the strike hit. Frontline cities Kharkiv and Kherson also suffered strikes that knocked out power to large parts of the urban areas.

    Russia’s defense ministry responded to the accusations with its own statement confirming the strikes, framing the operation as a targeted group attack using high-precision ground-based weapons against Ukrainian military-industrial sites and transport logistics hubs in Kyiv and Zaporizhzhia.

    Zelensky has ramped up public warnings of the deepening military partnership between Moscow and Pyongyang in recent days, as he steps up appeals to Western allies for additional air defense supplies to counter the growing threat. On Monday, he claimed Russia had already taken delivery of a new shipment of ballistic missiles from North Korea. Over the preceding weekend, he alleged Pyongyang had made a decision to deploy between 30,000 and 50,000 additional troops to Russian territory to support the invasion effort. To date, Kyiv has not disclosed how it obtained these deployment figures, nor has it provided a specific timeline for when the troop buildup would occur. Zelensky has now expanded his appeal for air defense support to Asia-Pacific allies, asking them to contribute systems to counter capabilities supplied by North Korea.

    In recent weeks, Russia has dramatically increased its use of ballistic missiles in strikes across Ukraine — fast, highly destructive projectiles that are extremely difficult for Ukrainian air defense systems to intercept. Only advanced Western systems such as the U.S.-made Patriot air defense system are capable of reliably shooting down incoming ballistic missiles. Ukraine has faced a critical shortage of Patriot interceptors since the outbreak of the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran in February, which has redirected large volumes of interceptor stockpiles to the Middle East.

    In response to the intensified Russian strikes, Ukraine has stepped up its own long-range drone attacks targeting Russian territory, hitting key oil infrastructure and e-commerce warehouses. Ukrainian officials frame these counterstrikes as a legitimate effort to disrupt Russian military logistics and cut into revenue streams that fund Moscow’s war effort.

    The United Nations has confirmed that this latest cycle of escalation has driven the monthly civilian death toll in Ukraine to its highest level since the opening months of the full-scale invasion in 2022, marking a dangerous new turn in the long-running conflict.

  • Australian shares climb despite hawkish Reserve Bank interest rate warning

    Australian shares climb despite hawkish Reserve Bank interest rate warning

    Australia’s domestic share market defied mixed market pressures to close in positive territory on Tuesday, even after the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) held its official cash rate steady at 4.35 per cent while retaining a clear hawkish bias that opens the door to future rate increases. Geopolitical instability in the Middle East, which has driven up global commodity prices, also failed to derail the day’s modest gains for Australian equities.

    The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index advanced 18 points, or 0.19 per cent, to settle at 9250.60, while the broader All Ordinaries index climbed 19.60 points, or 0.21 per cent, to end the session at 9443.70. Against the U.S. dollar, the Australian dollar traded largely flat, holding at 70.55 US cents by market close.

    Despite the overall market uptick, sector performance was deeply split: only five of the 11 tracked industry sectors finished the day in positive territory, while six closed lower. Energy stocks emerged as the clear top performer, surging 3.91 per cent overall amid a global rally in crude oil prices. Major Australian energy producers posted strong single-day gains: Woodside Energy rose 3.84 per cent to close at $33.01, Santos jumped 5.36 per cent to $8.06, and fuel retailer Ampol gained 3.38 per cent to finish at $39.80.

    The rally in energy and commodity prices stemmed from growing geopolitical uncertainty surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping chokepoint through which nearly 20 per cent of the world’s oil supplies pass. Rising tensions driven by Iranian demands for a swift reopening have clouded the outlook for regional stability, pushing global commodity prices higher. Brent Crude added 0.7 per cent to settle at $US87.72 per barrel, while gold extended a recent winning streak to climb 0.4 per cent to $US4404 per ounce, following a 3.6 per cent gain across the prior two trading sessions.

    Gold mining stocks reflected the split market sentiment, with mixed results despite the rising precious metal price. Evolution Mining gained 0.73 per cent to $13.82 and Newmont jumped 2.83 per cent to $163.99, while Northern Star Resources slipped 0.87 per cent to close at $22.81. Healthcare stocks were another standout gainer on the day, led by major biotech and medical firms: vaccines giant CSL rose 2.87 per cent to $138.33, sleep apnea device maker ResMed surged 3.79 per cent to $31.23, and medical imaging firm Pro Medicus gained 3.24 per cent to end at $182.33.

    The RBA’s decision to leave the cash rate on hold provided modest support to equities, but the central bank’s accompanying policy statement and press conference from Governor Michele Bullock made clear that further rate hikes remain on the table if inflation fails to continue cooling. AMP chief economist Shane Oliver noted that the RBA board retains the same hawkish stance it held in June, with Bullock confirming that policymakers considered both a hold and a rate hike at this month’s meeting, compared to only considering a hold at the June gathering. “RBA remains hawkish, noting that the Board ‘will raise rates further if required’ which is as hawkish as back in June,” Oliver explained. “And she said something to the effect that ‘personally, we might need to hike further.’”

    Following the release of the monetary policy update, market expectations for a rate hike as soon as September jumped sharply, rising from just 15 per cent to nearly 50 per cent.

    Individual stocks posted dramatic one-day moves on Tuesday, driven by company-specific news. Safety technology firm Life360 plunged 19.44 per cent to $23.75, even after the company reported record second-quarter results that included $22 million in advertising revenue and monthly active users surpassing 100 million for the first time, hitting 102.4 million. Mortgage insurer Helia defied weak earnings to rally 10.16 per cent to $5.64, despite reporting a 25 per cent year-on-year drop in statutory net after-tax profit to $100 million.

    Defence shipbuilder Austal was one of the day’s biggest winners, rocketing 17.45 per cent higher to $4.51 after announcing it had received a takeover offer from Hanwha Defence USA valuing the business at between $US1.05 billion and $US1.2 billion ($A1.49 billion to $A1.70 billion). On the downside, diversified industrials, energy and media group SGH slumped 10.27 per cent to $41.58 after reporting flat underlying net profit of $920 million and issuing a weak near-term outlook for the next 12 months. The company did note that its medium-term prospects remain supported by strong long-duration demand from Australia’s $1.7 trillion five-year national infrastructure pipeline.

  • Australia PM under fire for remarks on Japanese counterpart’s melon gifts

    Australia PM under fire for remarks on Japanese counterpart’s melon gifts

    A seemingly lighthearted podcast exchange has sparked a major diplomatic row between Australia and Japan, leaving Prime Minister Anthony Albanese mired in controversy and facing widespread demands for an official apology. The dispute centers on comments made during an episode of the comedy podcast *Bush Deep*, which was first broadcast in July, and has reignited tensions just months after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s official visit to Canberra in May.

    During the podcast recording, host and comedian Nikki Osborne — who bills her show as a space for “wildly inappropriate” questions no other journalist would dare ask — steered the conversation toward the two premium crown melons Takaichi had gifted to Albanese during her visit. Osborne drew a crude parallel to 1990s celebrity Pamela Anderson, quipping that the two large melons evoked the entertainer’s famous figure. In response, Albanese simply commented: “She brought two, and they are beautiful.”

    When the episode first aired, the exchange received little public attention. That changed this week, however, when Shingo Yamagami, Japan’s former ambassador to Australia, published a scathing opinion piece in *The Australian* that labeled the exchange a demeaning, sexist joke that constitutes a direct insult to Takaichi and undermines the longstanding close strategic partnership between the two nations.

    Yamagami emphasized that crown melons hold profound cultural significance in Japan, where the specially cultivated fruit is considered the country’s most prized agricultural product. A single high-grade crown melon regularly retails for more than 30,000 yen, equal to roughly $188, making it a luxury gift reserved for important diplomatic and personal occasions. “The last thing [Takaichi] expected was to be so casually mocked by the trusted leader of Japan’s special strategic partner,” Yamagami wrote. He closed his op-ed with a direct rebuke: “So, prime minister, please enjoy Japan’s sweet and juicy melons without thinking about a woman’s anatomy, and instead focus on what our two countries must do together.”

    Notably, Yamagami’s tenure as ambassador in Canberra was marked by public friction with members of Albanese’s center-left Labor Party over stark disagreements on policy toward China, a point that has been highlighted by allies of the prime minister pushing back against the criticism.

    In the days following the op-ed’s publication, Australia’s conservative opposition has seized on the controversy to attack the government. Opposition Leader Angus Taylor labeled the comments an outright insult, while an opposition Member of Parliament confronted Albanese on the floor of parliament on Tuesday, demanding he apologize for what the MP called “foul-mouthed, classless comments about women.” Albanese rejected the criticism outright, telling lawmakers he “rejected the assertion of the question.” He went on to reaffirm that the Australia-Japan strategic partnership is stronger than ever under his administration, stating “Australia and Japan have never been closer. My government has taken our special strategic partnership to new heights.”

    Albanese has pushed back against claims he made the inappropriate joke, telling the BBC that the crude quip originated with the podcast host, not him. Senior members of his cabinet have rallied to his defense, arguing that critics and media outlets have deliberately misinterpreted his words. Finance Minister Katy Gallagher noted that “the remarks were not intended to be interpreted the way that our political opponents and some media outlets are reporting.” Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek echoed that sentiment, calling the negative framing “a completely unnecessary interpretation of what the prime minister said,” and adding that “people watching it for themselves can make their own minds up.”

    This is not the first controversy to stem from Albanese’s appearance on the *Bush Deep* podcast. Last month, the prime minister already faced widespread public condemnation for another comment he made during the same July episode. When Osborne asked him to play a game of “shag, marry, date” with three Australian female celebrities — Kylie Minogue, Nicole Kidman, and Rhonda Burchmore — Albanese responded “Kylie, clearly… all of the above.” The comment drew sharp public backlash, prompting Albanese to issue an immediate, unreserved public apology. Plibersek previously defended that incident as nothing more than the prime minister showing he was a fan of the pop star.

    As the debate continues, the row has put bilateral diplomatic sensitivities on public display, with both sides standing firm in their positions and no immediate sign of a resolution.

  • Aged care times fall as Labor nixes debate on anti-algorithm reforms

    Aged care times fall as Labor nixes debate on anti-algorithm reforms

    Australia’s federal aged care system has recorded continuing improvements in wait times for home-based care funding, but those gains have been overshadowed by a bitter parliamentary standoff over how to assess senior care needs. The center-left Labor administration has shut down debate on a cross-party proposal that would restore formal human oversight to the country’s algorithm-driven assessment framework, drawing fierce criticism from the conservative opposition.

    New quarterly data for the government’s Support at Home program, published Tuesday, shows measurable progress in reducing wait times across all priority brackets as of June 30, 2026. All seniors classified as urgent care applicants now receive their funding approval within 30 days, a sharp reduction from previous wait periods. For medium-priority applicants, average wait times have dropped from 8–9 months to just 5–6 months, while standard-priority candidates now wait 7–8 months, down from a peak of 11 months prior to the government’s reform push.

    Aged Care Minister Sam Rae framed the results as proof the government’s targeted investments are delivering tangible results for older Australians. This financial year alone, the administration has added 32,000 new Support at Home places, building on the 83,000 extra slots rolled out in the 2025–26 period. When all announced places are fully deployed, the total number of seniors accessing support under the program, which launched in November 2025, will be nearly three times the original baseline.

    “Demand for aged care continues to grow as Australia’s population ages, but what matters most to older people is how quickly they can access the support they need,” Rae said in a statement following the data release. “We’re making significant progress in driving these times down, and we’ll continue to invest so every older Australian can access the care they need sooner. These numbers are encouraging signs our methodical work to secure more care for more older Australians than ever is making a material impact.”

    Despite the positive wait time data, the government is facing intense backlash over its rejection of a bipartisan amendment bill that would allow qualified aged care assessors to override the federal Integrated Assessment Tool (IAT)—an algorithm-driven system that assigns care priorities to applicants. The Coalition’s 2026 Aged Care Amendment (Restoring Human Override for Aged Care Needs Assessments) Bill, which already passed the upper house Senate earlier this year, was blocked in the House of Representatives, where Labor holds a majority, when the government moved to end debate on the proposal.

    Opposition health spokesperson Anne Ruston condemned the move, arguing the IAT algorithm is fundamentally “broken” and fails to capture the full scope of many seniors’ care needs. “It is consistently under-assessing older Australians and failing to identify frailty, vulnerability and complex care needs,” Ruston said. “Labor has built an aged care system focused on algorithms and bureaucracy instead of the needs of older Australians. Labor had the opportunity to fix this urgent issue today on the floor of parliament, but after months of defending this system, they would rather gag debate than fix it.”

    Labor officials have pushed back against the criticism, arguing that the opposition’s proposal would create unintended disruptions to the care system. Labor Senator Anita Green noted last month that while the government acknowledges the IAT is not perfect, the opposition’s broad grant of override power to assessors risks undermining systemic fairness and could actually slow access to care for vulnerable seniors. Instead of the opposition’s amendment, the Albanese government has already announced its own targeted reform: a new legislated escalation pathway that allows IAT assessment outcomes to be reviewed and adjusted by an independent System Governor in “extenuating circumstances” where an applicant’s unique needs are not captured by the algorithm.

    Rae framed the government’s alternative plan as a practical, measured response to concerns about the assessment system. “We’ve listened to older Australians, and their experience with the aged care system,” he said when the escalation pathway was announced earlier this year. “We’ll deliver a practical, responsible safety net for the older people whose circumstances don’t fit neatly into a tool. We’ve always said that we would continue to review and refine the assessment tool. This announcement marks another step in our work to improve assessment outcomes in the service of older Australians and their families. This will not be the end of our work to improve the fairness, efficiency and equity of aged care assessments, but it is an important step forward.”

    The standoff comes as Australia’s aged care sector continues to grapple with growing demand from an aging population, and ongoing calls for systemic reform to improve both access and quality of care for seniors across the country.

  • One Nation’s second-ever MP David Farley calls for removal of those who ‘want to bring harm’, says Aussie ‘generosity’ should be guarded

    One Nation’s second-ever MP David Farley calls for removal of those who ‘want to bring harm’, says Aussie ‘generosity’ should be guarded

    David Farley, the second lower-house Member of Parliament in Australia’s One Nation party, has used his first address to federal parliament to lay out his policy priorities, anchored by a hardline call for the rapid removal of individuals seeking to harm Australian communities and protect the nation’s longstanding culture of welcoming new migrants. Farley won a surprise victory in the May by-election for the regional seat of Farrer, replacing former opposition leader Sussan Ley to claim the seat.

    In his 20-minute inaugural speech, Farley opened by acknowledging Australia as a uniquely fortunate nation built on a diverse tapestry of racial and religious backgrounds, noting his own early schooling experience brought him together with First Nations Australians and new migrants from across the globe. He recognized that Australia’s history of inviting skilled migrants from every corner of the world who go on to become contributing citizens is a core part of the national identity, but argued that this privilege of entry must be actively protected.

    “Our national generosity, kindness, and humanity has offered the opportunity of new life to those who have been discriminated and persecuted against,” Farley told parliament. “That same generosity and kindness must be guarded and respected. As we open our welcoming doors, there are those who arrive onto our shores who want to change, and expect that change must be on us and not them. We must, with expediency and with minimal cost, remove those who want to bring harm and disrespect to this great nation of ours.”

    Farley, a long-time resident of regional New South Wales with deep roots in agriculture, centered much of his speech on the specific concerns of his rural electorate. He launched sharp criticism of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, labeling it a “failing, expensive ideology” that has failed to deliver on its core promises and cannot sustain functioning regional communities. He also hit out at the decision to end live cattle exports to Indonesia, arguing policymakers pushed the change through without fully examining the cascading harm the policy would cause across regional Australia. Farley claimed the damage extended far beyond farm gates, rippling through local transport businesses, Indigenous enterprises, regional communities, worker families, and even tourism links to Bali.

    A third-generation Australian with a lifelong background in farming, Farley drew heavily on his personal and professional experiences to frame his political philosophy. Raised in Narrandera, NSW, he recalled learning core values of accountability and collective responsibility from his local community, and keeps two formative texts — a framed copy of Rudyard Kipling’s poem *If* and a transcript of Theodore Roosevelt’s famous “Man in the Ring” speech — as reminders of those values. He left home at 17 to work in agriculture, where he said he learned that success is earned through hard work, reliability, and commitment to team goals, rather than granted by entitlement. That career also taught him what “productive capital” can achieve, and that societal progress is not created by government mandate alone.

    Looking to broader national and global challenges, Farley noted that for decades, most Australians have enjoyed relative security and prosperity under the U.S.-led post-war global order, but argued that long-held assumptions about steady access to critical goods like medicine and technology can no longer be taken for granted. He described the current global order as shifting toward a more fragmented, transactional, and multipolar system, where key resources and sectors — from artificial intelligence and semiconductors to energy, critical minerals, food, shipping lanes and supply chains — have become tools of strategic geopolitical power.

    “Australia cannot be blind, deaf, arrogant or naive about that change,” he said. “A sovereign nation must possess the productive capacity to withstand shocks and to survive on its own.” Farley stressed that this requires urgent action to shore up national energy and food security.

    Farley closed his speech by thanking One Nation leader Pauline Hanson, who first entered Australian politics in 1995, for her ongoing support. He framed his political career as a generational obligation: Australians inherit the nation built by previous generations, and hold a temporary responsibility as custodians to leave the country stronger for future generations. “That obligation between generations is at the heart of why I’m here,” he said. His 98-year-old mother, two daughters, and grandchildren were in attendance for the speech, which he closed by saying “They are not incidental to what I say today. They are the reason for it.”

    Following the speech, Hanson embraced Farley, and One Nation’s only other sitting lower house MP, Barnaby Joyce, praised the address, telling Farley “Great speech, Nailed it.” Hanson and other One Nation party representatives were in the chamber for the inaugural address. Farley also said he is willing to work across the aisle with any political party that shares the goal of leaving Australia stronger than it was inherited, noting that the challenges facing the nation are larger than any single party.

  • Young driver narrowly escapes with minor injuries after car wraps around tree in South Adelaide

    Young driver narrowly escapes with minor injuries after car wraps around tree in South Adelaide

    A 21-year-old motorist has walked away from a near-fatal road incident in south Adelaide with only minor injuries, in what emergency responders are calling a remarkable escape. The shocking collision, which left the driver’s four-door Mitsubishi sedan completely destroyed after it wrapped around a large tree on Education Road in Chandlers Hill, unfolded shortly after 7 a.m. local time on Tuesday.

    South Australia Police were the first emergency authorities dispatched to the scene after multiple witnesses called to report the single-vehicle crash. Investigative photos released by SA Police lay bare the full extent of the wreckage: the tree left a deep indent in the vehicle’s frame after impact, shattered the entire front windscreen, and crumpled the passenger-side compartment beyond repair. The vehicle had veered off the paved road before striking the tree, according to initial police statements.

    First responders worked quickly to extract the Seaford Heights resident from the mangled wreckage. Despite the severity of the crash, the young driver only sustained minor injuries and was transported to a local hospital for observation and treatment. No other passengers were in the vehicle at the time of the incident, and no other motorists were involved.

    To clear the blocked road and remove the fallen tree and destroyed vehicle, Education Road was closed to through traffic for several hours following the crash. The thoroughfare has since been reopened to regular vehicle movement. Local law enforcement is still conducting an investigation into the circumstances that led to the crash, including potential factors like speed, road conditions, and driver distraction. Authorities are asking any members of the public who were in the area at the time of the incident and may have dashcam footage or additional information about the crash to contact the South Australia Police to assist with the ongoing inquiry.

  • Reality TV personality Tamika Chesser pleads not guilty to partner’s murder

    Reality TV personality Tamika Chesser pleads not guilty to partner’s murder

    A former Australian reality television competitor has made her first official court plea in a high-profile case that has shocked local communities, entering a not guilty plea to charges of murdering and beheading her former partner.

    Thirty-four-year-old Tamika Chesser, who previously appeared on the matchmaking series *Beauty and the Geek*, is accused of killing 39-year-old Julian Story in Port Lincoln, South Australia, back in June 2025. Prosecutors claim that following the alleged killing, Chesser beheaded Story and burned the rest of his remains. The gruesome discovery of Story’s severed head was made just one month later, in July 2025, when a dog walker and their beagle named Benji stumbled across the remains in a public area.

    Chesser appeared before Adelaide Magistrates Court on Tuesday via a video link from James Nash House, a secure mental health facility in South Australia where she has been held since her arrest. Court observers noted she wore full makeup and a standard issue prison shirt when responding to the charges of murder and destroying human remains to pervert the course of justice, clearly stating “Not guilty” to both counts.

    What makes the case even more unusual is that Chesser was pregnant at the time of her arrest last year. She gave birth to her child while in custody at the Oakden mental health facility, located roughly 10 kilometers north of central Adelaide, in March 2025.

    With not guilty pleas now on the record, Chesser is scheduled to stand trial on the two serious charges, but proceedings will not move forward until a formal assessment of her mental state is completed. Her legal team confirmed to the court they are requesting a Part 8A investigation, a process outlined in South Australian law that is designed to determine whether an accused person is mentally fit to stand trial.

    Magistrate John Cover ordered that Chesser remain in custody at the secure mental health facility, scheduling the next hearing for November at the South Australian Supreme Court. The investigation into the killing and the assessment of Chesser’s mental fitness are expected to be completed in advance of that court date.

  • NRL team lists: Ricky Stuart swings the axe after star forward’s ‘brain explosion’, mixed news on superstar fullbacks for key matches

    NRL team lists: Ricky Stuart swings the axe after star forward’s ‘brain explosion’, mixed news on superstar fullbacks for key matches

    The future of star Canberra Raiders prop Corey Horsburgh at the club has been thrown deeper into uncertainty after coach Ricky Stuart made his dissatisfaction clear by dropping the forward from the team’s latest squad. The axing comes directly after a high-stakes clash against the Newcastle Knights, where a rash “brain explosion” from Horsburgh cost the Raiders any chance of qualifying for this season’s finals.

    During the match, the fiery forward was sin-binned for slapping Knights winger Dane Gagai. The penalty that followed gifted Newcastle two easy points directly in front of the posts, ending Canberra’s slim hopes of sneaking into the semi-finals. Stuart did not hold back his criticism in his post-match press conference, and this week he followed through with disciplinary action by leaving Horsburgh out of the matchday squad. With Simi Sasagi sidelined by injury, Savelio Tamale has been recalled to the centres to fill the gap in the Raiders lineup.

    The sudden demotion has fueled widespread speculation that Horsburgh will leave the Canberra club at the end of the current season. Following the Knights defeat, Stuart pulled no punches when addressing the incident. “It should have been 26-all, and there’s a brain explosion when we got a penalty,” Stuart told reporters. “It was a fucking brain explosion and (we) lost the opportunity. We lost the start of the season because we were self-entitled and undisciplined and we lost the opportunity to still then continue and try to make the semis. It wasn’t everybody’s fault. There are 16 other blokes there that made a massive effort. There’s one shit bloody decision that has cost us.”

    Beyond the Raiders drama, the latest NRL team selections brought mixed injury and availability updates for some of the league’s biggest stars across the competition. For the Sydney Roosters, star fullback James Tedesco is set to return to the field this week after missing last round’s victory over the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, a major boost for the club’s push up the ladder.

    Penrith Panthers, currently fighting for the top spot on the ladder, have listed Dylan Edwards, who replaced Tedesco in the NSW State of Origin side this year, on their extended reserves bench. Edwards has missed the last two matches with a shoulder injury, and his potential return comes as Panthers lose starting lock Isaah Yeo to injury, forcing Lindsay Smith into the starting lineup. Liam Henry has been promoted to the front row, with Edwards set to replace Jaxen Edgar if he passes his final fitness clearance.

    Manly Warringah Sea Eagles faced a major setback despite widespread speculation that star fullback Tom Trbojevic would make his return from a hamstring injury for Friday’s must-win clash against the Dolphins. Trbojevic has remained sidelined with the ongoing hamstring issue, though the Sea Eagles did receive one positive injury update, with winger Clayton Faulalo set to make his return from his own hamstring problem.

    South Sydney Rabbitohs have landed a huge boost ahead of their blockbuster clash against the Bulldogs, with star winger Campbell Graham returning to the matchday squad after recovering from a calf strain. The Rabbitohs will be without starting halfback Ashton Ward, however, who is out with a hamstring injury, opening the door for a rare starting spot for Jayden Sullivan. For the Bulldogs, the same injury has ruled out enforcer Sitili Tupouniua for an extended period on the sidelines.

    Elsewhere, Cronulla Sharks will be without both Jesse Ramien (injury) and suspended prop Addin Fonua-Blake for their clash against Canberra, with Mawene Hiroti tapped to replace Ramien in the starting lineup. Brisbane Broncos will again be without halfback Adam Reynolds, who continues his recovery from a concussion, while the Dolphins have lost bench utility Kurt Donoghoe to a thumb injury. The Knights have received a major boost with key players Bradman Best and Phoenix Crossland named as inclusions for their upcoming clash. For the Parramatta Eels, starting fullback Isaiah Iongi will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury, replaced in the lineup by Apa Twidle.

  • Car of missing Belgrave man Evan Sinclair found hundreds of kilometres from Melbourne home as police search expands

    Car of missing Belgrave man Evan Sinclair found hundreds of kilometres from Melbourne home as police search expands

    Almost two weeks after 24-year-old Evan Sinclair disappeared from his suburban Melbourne home, Victorian Police have uncovered a critical new lead in the search operation: the Belgrave resident’s distinctive yellow Holden Commodore has been located in remote bushland hundreds of kilometers from his residence.

    Sinclair was last seen leaving his home on McNicol Road just after midnight on July 31, 2025. Tracking data and witness reports later confirmed his vehicle was traveling through the regional towns of Bairnsdale and Cann River in the early hours of August 1. On Monday, investigators confirmed the car had been discovered in Wingan State Forest, a remote, heavily wooded region of East Gippsland in Victoria’s far east.

    Despite an extensive, multi-agency search of the area over the weekend, Sinclair has not yet been located. Search teams included Victoria Police search and rescue units, the police Airwing division, K9 search dogs, State Emergency Service (SES) volunteers, and specialist representatives from Fisheries Victoria. Following the completion of the initial search, authorities announced they will resume operations on Tuesday and expand the search perimeter to include the adjacent Croajingolong National Park, one of Australia’s largest coastal wilderness areas.

    Investigators have confirmed there has been no activity on any of Sinclair’s bank accounts or social media profiles since he vanished, a development that has deepened concerns for his safety. A Victorian Police spokesperson emphasized that Sinclair’s disappearance is entirely out of character for the 24-year-old, adding that both law enforcement and his family are growing increasingly worried for his welfare.

    Sinclair is described as a Caucasian male standing approximately 183 centimeters tall, with brown hair, blue eyes, and a distinctive tattoo on his wrist that can be used for formal identification. Authorities are continuing to appeal for any members of the public who may have traveled through the East Gippsland region in the past two weeks, or who have information about Sinclair’s movements, to contact local police immediately to assist with the investigation.