Independent Australian news and analysis across politics, business, technology, world affairs and culture
Catherine Roy Ninety years after a small boy survived wartime Budapest, that same name still moves markets and bankrolls idealists. George Soros, a Hungarian-American immigrant, has been called many things — financial genius, philanthropist, political bogeyman — and his foundations have given away more than $32 billion since 1984, according to the Open Society Foundations. Net worth: … Read more
When news broke in early March 2026 that Ian Huntley had died after an attack in prison, it forced a reckoning with a case that had already etched itself into Britain’s collective memory. The Soham murderer, who killed two 10-year-old girls in 2002, was 52 when he succumbed to injuries sustained at HMP Frankland, leaving … Read more
Ask anyone who has lived with a Mini Dachshund and they’ll mention the same contradiction: a dog built low to the ground with an outsized personality. At 13–18 cm tall, the Mini packs a lot of character into a small frame, and the real question for an Australian family is how those dimensions translate into … Read more
Anyone who watched fitness YouTube in the mid-2010s probably remembers the 5% mantra, the sleeves of tattoos, and the unmistakable voice of Rich Piana. When Piana died in August 2017 at 46, the public story became more complicated—and less complete than many online tributes admitted. Claim to fame: Bodybuilding and 5% Nutrition · Competition weight: … Read more
Few television characters begin as a fire-setting ten-year-old and end up wearing a police badge. Carl Gallagher’s trajectory across eleven seasons of Shameless is one of the most dramatic transformations on the show — a chaotic arc that mirrors the grit of the Gallagher household. Portrayed by: Ethan Cutkosky · First appearance: Season 1, Episode … Read more
A former reality-TV contestant appears before a magistrate with a shaved head and a single word: “Hello.” That reported moment is one of the few personal details to emerge in the case of Tamika Chesser, the Beauty and the Geek alum who on 11 August 2026 pleaded not guilty to murdering her boyfriend Julian Story … Read more
There’s something quietly magnetic about Sarah Blasko’s music — a blend of introspection and melody that feels both personal and universal, often touching on faith, doubt, and the search for meaning from a religious upbringing she’s spent years untangling. Whether you know her from her solo work or the supergroup Seeker Lover Keeper, this article … Read more
Formula 1’s 2025 grid features a rookie who skipped the traditional slow burn. Isack Hadjar, 20, joins Red Bull Racing straight from the junior program, carrying dual citizenship and a family story far from the typical racing dynasty. Full Name: Isack Alexandre Hadjar · Date of Birth: 28 September 2004 · Nationality (Racing): French · … Read more
For an actor who towers at 6’5″ (196 cm) — a fact confirmed by Wikipedia — Tom Hopper’s career is a study in leveraging physicality. But there’s more to the British actor than his imposing frame: from his early days in local theater to landing one of the most physically demanding roles on Netflix, Hopper’s … Read more
Jack Silvagni’s 2024 season ended before it began, but the versatile forward has turned a career-threatening ACL injury into a fresh start at St Kilda. Between a move across the AFL landscape and welcoming his first child with wife Grace, the 27-year-old is navigating the most eventful period of his life. Age: 27 (born 17 … Read more