Friday, 30 October 2026today, still filling

Chery's Lepas brand has unveiled the Aura Concept, a three-door shooting brake concept car showing a second-generation design language for the fledgling brand. The concept features a new front face with integrated grille and air intakes in a large black surface area, along with personalisation features including a 'digital canvas' in the front fascia and an elliptical rear display for custom tail-light signatures. The brand is positioning itself as a more premium alternative to Chery's other marques, with an upcoming L2 hatchback due in 2028.

Gilkisons Dance Studio in Perth has closed after 95 years in operation. The studio was established by Sam Gilkison in 1931 and became a creative home for his grandson Jason Gilkison and dance partner Peta Roby, who danced together there for 53 years. In an emotional social media post, Jason Gilkison described the farewell as marking the end of a family legacy that served generations of West Australians seeking dance lessons, confidence or community.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has called for his country to seize 'absolute superiority' in drone technology, saying AI in unmanned weapons systems is 'an indispensable option' for modern warfare. He made the call while speaking at an unmanned aeronautical technology exhibition and weapons demonstration. South Korea's military said North Korea had fired around 10 projectiles, including short-range ballistic missiles, during a firepower demonstration involving tactical suicide attack drones, tactical cruise missiles, multipurpose drones and rocket launchers.

Australia's share market is on track for its best weekly performance since July, rising over 1 per cent as investors moved away from US technology stocks following steep declines on Wall Street. The S&P/ASX200 rose to 8986.4, driven by buying in bank stocks and blue-chip companies including Wesfarmers and Woolworths. However, Coles fell almost 7 per cent after its first-quarter sales of $11.2 billion disappointed investors.

Hilary Duff wrapped up her global Lucky Me tour at RAC Arena in Perth on Thursday night, marking her first visit to the city. The former Disney Channel star, who rose to fame as Lizzie McGuire in the early 2000s, performed the 46th and final show of the tour to thousands of fans. Duff released her sixth album Luck...Or Something in February following a two-decade break from music and touring.

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has urged his side to move quickly past their Carabao Cup exit. Villa return to action on Saturday night.

Star jockey Mark Zahra has recovered from severe bruising to his lung and ribs after a fall at Caulfield and is ready to ride on Victoria Derby day. The two-time Melbourne Cup winner was sent to hospital two weeks ago when he fell from Half Yours; another horse, Ohope Wins, was brought down and euthanised. Zahra said he is mentally unaffected and looking forward to racing. He rides three horses on Saturday: Vallice and The Next Episode in Maher-trained races, and Idle Flyer for Matthew Smith.

Endeavour Group, which owns Dan Murphy's, BWS and numerous pubs and hotels, grew sales by 2.8 per cent in the 14 weeks from 1 July to $3.18 billion, but the result missed forecasts. The company's share price has fallen more than 60 per cent since August 2022. Chief executive Jayne Hrdlicka announced a $300 million cost-saving plan in May, including offloading wineries and streamlining hotel operations, before the company cut its shareholder dividend. Chair Duncan Makeig told the annual meeting that the board shared shareholders' frustration that the company had not met expectations since listing on the ASX five years ago.

Erin Patterson, a mushroom cook, will spend the rest of her life behind bars after an 11-week trial that attracted global attention. She was convicted of poisoning four people—her former in-laws Don and Gail, and Ian and Heather Wilkinson—with beef Wellington laced with death cap mushrooms at her home in Leongatha on 29 July 2023. Her appeal bid has failed.

Jackie O Henderson and her company are suing Australian Radio Network and subsidiary Commonwealth Broadcasting Corporation for unlawful dismissal and breach of contract, seeking at least $82 million. The court heard that ARN directors argued Ms Henderson was not worth her $10 million annual salary without Mr Sandilands after an on-air dispute on 20 February. Ms Henderson claims she was sacked when exercising a workplace right relating to Mr Sandilands' alleged bullying.

Christian Watson was hospitalised for precautionary tests on a suspected chest injury after being hit hard by two Panthers defenders whilst making a catch during Thursday night's game. Watson walked off the field and into an ambulance under his own power. He had recorded six catches for 100 yards in the first half before the incident. The New York Post reports that Watson was cleared by hospital tests and returned from the hospital during the second half.

Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry called Daylight Saving Time 'stupid' in a post on X on Thursday, as President Donald Trump pushes the Senate to pass the Sunshine Protection Act. The bill, which has passed the House, would make daylight saving time permanent. Landry's post joked about moving forward four hours so that an upcoming LSU versus Alabama American football match would kick off at the correct time on Saturday.

Bo Tyler Hounshell, son of the former Apache County sheriff, has been arrested and accused of impersonating a deputy and misconduct involving weapons. He is being held on a 100,000 dollar cash bond. The Coconino County Attorney's Office will handle the case.

Sir Patrick Stewart, famed for playing Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek, died on Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles from Alzheimer's disease. Sir Ian McKellen, his longtime friend and fellow actor, paid tribute, calling him 'the most respected and beloved actor of his generation'. McKellen recalled their friendship spanning half a century, from their time with the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Two new Spirit of Tasmania ferries are making their first Bass Strait sailings on Saturday after years of delays and a $717 million project budget blowout. The vessels are 40 per cent bigger than their predecessors and can carry almost three times as many caravans and motorhomes. The ferries faced setbacks in 2024 when a new berth in Tasmania was not ready for their completion; the berth's final cost reached $493 million, up from an original estimate of $90 million.

Kerry Lee Whiting, who is serving a nearly 40-year prison sentence for murder, has had old child exploitation material charges committed to the Supreme Court. The charges were relisted at the prosecution's request after another outburst in court.

Australia's Special Envoy to Combat anti-Semitism, Jillian Segal, released a report on Friday identifying progressive anti-Semitism as the most pervasive form facing the country. Ms Segal said this form has 'taken root in influential institutions' where Jewish Australians face discrimination for the actions of the Israeli government, though she stressed that criticism of Israel similar to that levelled at other countries is not anti-Semitic. Bart Shteinman, executive officer of the Jewish Council of Australia, called the report 'Orwellian' and said it does not represent all Jewish views, arguing it promotes a right-wing ideology to silence discussion of Israel's actions in Gaza.

Binance, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, has frozen $US2.54 billion ($A3.61 billion) in crypto assets whilst investigating a potential security breach that co-founder Changpeng Zhao said 'looked like a hack'. The exchange said the frozen amount could increase as it works with law enforcement and other partners to trace additional assets. Stablecoin providers Tether and Circle froze $US1.5 billion and $US800 million respectively in response to the incident.

Karl Vilips, a 25-year-old Australian, carded a nine-under 62 to hold the first-round lead at the Mexico Open in Vallarta. Vilips, who has endured a difficult season with nine cuts in 20 tournaments, shot 10 birdies and one bogey to lead by one stroke from Japan's Kensei Hirata.

Sydney's M1 driverless metro line, Australia's first, opened its final section early in the morning. The 66-kilometre extension runs through the CBD to Tallawong in northwest Sydney, with the first train departing Bankstown at 4.30am. The route takes 80 minutes end-to-end and features accessible facilities for disabled passengers.

Australia's WNBL is exploring a rule change to allow clubs to sign a restricted player from Asia in addition to international imports. The move follows the success of players including Han Xu and Yang Shuyu, whose arrivals have boosted crowd and viewership numbers. WNBL chief operating officer Justin Nelson said the league has an 'unfair advantage' over rival codes and wants to capitalise on basketball's popularity in Asia.

Australia's special envoy on anti-Semitism, Jillian Segal, has recommended a raft of tough new measures to combat discrimination against Jewish people, including protest exclusion zones, bans on face coverings and stricter visa checks. The recommendations come weeks before the first anniversary of a December 14 terror attack at a Jewish festival on Bondi Beach in Sydney that killed 15 people. Ms Segal said anti-Semitism 'does not begin with violence' but 'starts with words', and called for proportionate restrictions on protests nationwide.

Armenia's parliament descended into fisticuffs after a ruling-party MP mocked the opposition leader's family, with one opposition member reportedly suffering a bloody nose. This was the third brawl inside parliament this month. The Daily Mail reports the confrontation began when Taron Chakhoyan from the ruling Civil Contract party criticised the Strong Armenia party leader Narek Karapetyan over corruption, including comments about Karapetyan's relatives in politics and a reference to his cousin's previous remarks about a 'Ministry of Sex'. The two MPs exchanged verbal abuse before scuffling, and violence spread across the parliamentary floor as other members from both parties joined the fighting.

Fly-in, fly-out mining work in Western Australia, where workers typically spend two weeks on site followed by one week off, has become a significant part of Australian employment. An estimated 80,000 FIFO workers live in mining camps at any given time, separated from their families for extended periods. Workers report that despite camps appearing well-equipped, the lifestyle resembles a military base more than a resort, with monotony, boredom and loss of privacy being common complaints that workers bring home with them.

Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, the former No.1 draft pick, has been delisted by Gold Coast but the club has committed to re-drafting him in next month's Telstra AFL draft. The 24-year-old played just three games for the Suns in 2026 after being traded from the Western Bulldogs, who cut ties with him following a year of off-field challenges. Gold Coast has made the same commitment to re-draft former Adelaide forward Elliott Himmelberg, who has been hampered by serious injury setbacks at the club.

The Wing Mountain tornado hit forest northwest of Flagstaff last Wednesday with winds of 110 mph, the National Weather Service confirmed. It was rated EF1 and tore through more than 2 miles of forest, uprooting or snapping trees 80 feet tall and blocking roads with fallen timber. The tornado touched down around 5 a.m. and its path ended about a mile from Highway 180.

President Trump is set to be a special guest at a tele-rally in Nebraska hosted by MAGA Inc., with the exact date yet to be announced. The telephone-based rally comes as Trump has cancelled in-person rallies in Iowa and Kansas but plans an in-person event in Florida on Friday. Both Nebraska's U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts and Governor Jim Pillen are running in tight races in the traditionally Republican state.

Irene Thompson travelled nearly 2,000 miles from Kentucky to Imperial County, California, for a court hearing in the case of James Hill, who is accused of killing her 34-year-old daughter, September Weisinger. The hearing was postponed upon Thompson's arrival. Weisinger was found dead on 30 June 2025 outside her trailer near Senator Wash in Imperial County, burned alive, with smoke inhalation as her official cause of death. Hill was arrested at his Yuma residence on 3 September 2025. Thompson said she would continue to attend hearings despite the financial strain and frustration. Hill is scheduled to return to court next month.

Wisconsin voters will choose a new lieutenant governor on Tuesday. Democratic candidate Sarah Godlewski participated in an on-camera interview, while Republican candidate David Varnam declined 14 interview requests made over nearly two months without explanation. The candidates also differ on abortion policy, with Godlewski criticising Varnam's position on a complete ban.

At-home vitamin D tests may be giving unreliable results and preventing people from seeking help for genuine deficiency, Which? has warned. The watchdog tested five widely available rapid kits costing around £8 and compared results from the same person with a Care Quality Commission registered laboratory test taken the same day. The results showed marked variation: only two suggested insufficient levels, two indicated deficient levels markedly lower than the laboratory reading, and one showed sufficient levels.

Counterfeit beauty products seized by Trading Standards have been found to contain harmful chemicals including mercury, lead, methanol and nicotine. One skincare product contained 13,200 parts per million of mercury, while lipstick, eyeshadow and contour products contained significant levels of lead. A counterfeit fragrance was found to be around 80 per cent methanol. According to the Intellectual Property Office, 20 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds who bought beauty products last year knowingly purchased counterfeits, up from 6 per cent in 2023.

A woman accused of attempting to murder a child has pleaded and will likely seek bail at her next court appearance. Police say the child arrived at hospital in serious condition.