Independent Australian news and analysis across politics, business, technology, world affairs and culture
Alex Chen There’s something about Oliver Platt that keeps people asking questions. The veteran character actor, known for his roles on Chicago Med and The West Wing, has a handful of personal mysteries that fans love to dig into: his weight loss, a missing fingertip, and even a rumored connection to Princess Diana. This article sorts fact … Read more
The afternoon of April 13, 2024, at Westfield Bondi Junction was supposed to be an ordinary Saturday of shopping. Within minutes, it turned into one of Australia’s most shocking mass attacks. Joel Cauchi, a 40-year-old man with a long history of schizophrenia, stabbed 16 people in less than three minutes, killing six. People stabbed by … Read more
Few Australian prime ministers have had a career as paradoxical as Kevin Rudd’s — a Mandarin-speaking diplomat who led the Labor Party to a landslide victory, only to be ousted by his own colleagues three years later. He delivered the historic apology to the Stolen Generations, helped steer Australia through the Global Financial Crisis, and … Read more
There’s a reason Joel Edgerton keeps popping up in your feed — whether as Owen Lars in a galaxy far, far away or as Tom Buchanan in The Great Gatsby, the Australian actor has built a career that spans blockbusters and intimate dramas. But behind the screen, there’s a personal story that’s just as compelling: … Read more
Few athletes successfully trade a racket for a seat in parliament. Sam Groth is one of them — and his path has been anything but quiet. A serve that once clocked 263 km/h made him a tennis headline, but his move into Victorian politics brought a different kind of spotlight. This profile lays out what’s … Read more
Every Sesame Street fan has met that green grouch who lives in a trash can and seems to hate everything. Oscar the Grouch might look like a simple monster, but his character is a carefully crafted piece of children’s television history. According to Sesame Workshop (the nonprofit behind Sesame Street), Oscar despises nice things like … Read more
Few cartoon roosters have commanded a barnyard with as much bluster as Foghorn Leghorn. Since his first squawk in 1946, the towering white rooster has become a Looney Tunes mainstay—known as much for his booming voice as for his endlessly quotable lines. This article unpacks the character’s origins, his most famous sayings, and the supporting … Read more
There’s a reason climbers rank Mount Cook among the world’s most technically demanding peaks — and it’s not just the height. At 3,724 meters (12,218 ft), it’s New Zealand’s tallest mountain, but the steep ice and mixed climbing routes make it a different beast from Everest. Height: 3,724 m (12,218 ft) · Location: Aoraki Mount … Read more
You’ve probably typed a question into a chat window and gotten a surprisingly human-sounding answer back. That’s AI chat — software that uses large language models to generate text, answer questions, and assist with tasks. With the global AI chatbot market valued at $6.8 billion in 2023 (IBM Think), this guide breaks down how these … Read more
Few figures in Christian teaching are as frequently mentioned yet as misunderstood as the Holy Spirit. Is it an impersonal force, or a divine person? The Bible and historic creeds give a clear answer: the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, fully God, with distinct roles in creation, redemption, and the believer’s … Read more