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How an unlikely friendship helped a young Aussie overcome loneliness amid national

Grace Martin, 24, formed a transformative friendship with 75-year-old Pam through Melbourne's Aged Care Volunteer Visitors Scheme during a national loneliness crisis. One in five Australians aged 18 to 25 report experiencing loneliness, prompting experts to emphasize the importance of social connections in reducing isolation. Research shows regular volunteering can significantly lower loneliness risk by 62 percent.

7 News · 3 days ago

Josh Fraser guides Carlton to crushing win over Brisbane as interim role

Josh Fraser's interim Carlton coaching tenure is looking permanent after the Blues demolished reigning premiers Brisbane 154-78, with young talent flourishing under his direction. Six players aged 21 or under starred, including Jagga Smith, who won the Robert Walls medal.

The Guardian Australia – Sport · 8 days ago

Study cafe O3 Space opens Sydney site, charges students hourly workspace fees

A study cafe called O3 Space opened in Sydney this week on the site of the former Gould's Book Arcade, charging students $7.50 per hour or $10-$50 weekly for access to laptop-friendly workspaces with matcha drinks and lo-fi music. Founder Luca Yang operates similar venues across Asia and Australia.

The Guardian Australia – News · 8 days ago

Queensland bill lets government bypass conservation laws for major projects

Queensland's new bill would let the government bypass conservation laws to fast-track major projects and compulsory acquire private land, critics warn. Farmers Matt and Caitlin Wood fear it could seize their 120-hectare Gold Coast hinterland property for a decades-old cableway proposal. Experts say the broad powers could effectively override environmental regulations for any project deemed strategically important by the state.

The Guardian Australia – News · 8 days ago

Coalition leader misrepresents renewable energy land needs by 24 times

Australia's Coalition leader Matt Canavan claimed renewable energy would require "two Tasmanias" of land, citing research from Net Zero Australia. However, experts say the figure misrepresents the data. The actual direct footprint is about 500,000 hectares—24 times smaller than Canavan's claim, which conflated total project area with actual.

The Guardian Australia – News · 8 days ago

Alan Jones faces 22 indecent assault charges as Sydney trial begins Monday

Alan Jones, 85, faces 22 charges of indecent assault and sexual touching from six complainants in a four-month Sydney trial beginning Monday. The former broadcaster allegedly targeted significantly younger men between 2003 and 2020, with one complainant accounting for nine charges. Jones denies all allegations, stating they are baseless or distort the truth.

The Guardian Australia – News · 8 days ago

Big carrot, more stick under news bargaining plan

Australia's government finalized its News Bargaining Incentive plan Monday, requiring tech giants including Meta, Google and TikTok to fund journalism through commercial deals or face charges. The revised scheme narrows the levy to digital advertising revenue at 2.5 percent, up from 2.25 percent on total revenue, and requires deals with at least six publishers instead.

SMH · 8 days ago

Sliding housing prices gave the Reserve Bank a surprise helping hand

Australia's Reserve Bank is benefiting from falling housing prices as it fights inflation, an effect amplified by the May budget's tax changes on negative gearing and capital gains. Property price declines reduce consumer spending on furniture, appliances and other goods, lowering inflation pressures.

SMH · 8 days ago

House price fall accelerates as rate rises and budget policies hit

Australia's property market deepened its downturn in July as dwelling values in major capitals fell 0.9 percent, led by Sydney's 1.7 percent drop and Melbourne's 1.4 percent decline. Rising interest rates, cost-of-living pressures and May budget tax changes on property combined to accelerate the market's weakness since February.

SMH · 8 days ago

Housing market seeing 'rapid deterioration' as property downturn deepens

Australia's housing downturn spread beyond Sydney and Melbourne in July, with Brisbane and Adelaide recording price declines as national values fell 0.7 percent. Three consecutive Reserve Bank interest rate hikes and government tax changes triggered the weakness across previously resilient markets. Analysts expect further deterioration as sellers withdraw, awaiting better conditions to list properties.

ABC News – Top stories · 8 days ago

Superquiz, Monday, August 3

The Superquiz redesigned for mobile offers a faster, smoother experience with 15 daily questions testing general knowledge. New features include real-time scoring comparisons with other players and sharing options on Facebook, X and WhatsApp. The quiz maintains its familiar format while introducing interactive elements and percentage breakdowns showing how answers compare across the player.

The Age · 8 days ago

Moscow mayor calls deadly bomb attack on a restaurant a 'terrorist act'

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin called a bomb attack on the Balzi Rossi restaurant a "brutal terrorist act" Saturday evening, killing three people including the female bomber and wounding 21 others. A security guard prevented the woman from entering before the device detonated on Kudrinskaya Square. No group has claimed responsibility as Russian authorities investigate.

ABC News – Australia · 9 days ago

Hot Hynes enters record books as Sharks thump Rabbitohs

Cronulla defeated South Sydney 32-16 on Sunday to keep pace with NRL title contenders and remain in top-four contention. Halves Nicho Hynes and Braydon Trindall were influential, with Hynes setting a club record with his 29th consecutive goal conversion. The victory marked Cronulla's ninth win in ten matches, positioning them for a potential top-two finish.

7 News – Sport · 9 days ago

Trump repeats Afghanistan failures with escalating Iran conflict strategy

The U.S. retreat from Afghanistan in 2019 cost over 2,400 American lives and produced no lasting counterterrorism gains, yet President Trump is repeating the same mistakes with an escalating Iran conflict now in its sixth month. The pattern mirrors the costly 2003 Iraq invasion, driven by exaggerated threat assessments and political dishonesty.

The Guardian Australia · 9 days ago

‘I loved the Police from the get-go’: Elaine Paige’s honest playlist

Singer and actor Elaine Paige revealed her musical influences in a candid playlist interview, naming Don't Cry for Me Argentina as the song that changed her life and career. The West End star, who performed in Hair and The King and I, counts Mozart and Cole Porter among her favorites. Paige recently released her album Miscellaneous Paige.

The Guardian Australia · 9 days ago

Motorists opt to avoid the fuel spike by buying an EV

Australian motorists are purchasing record numbers of electric vehicles and hybrids to avoid surging petrol prices, with EVs and hybrids comprising half of new car sales in the June quarter. Battery electric vehicle purchases more than doubled to 69,414 units as the government's fuel excise cut ended, pushing unleaded prices above $2 per litre.

SMH · 9 days ago

Lorena Wiebes leads 2026 Tour de France Femmes after stage one victory

Lorena Wiebes leads the 2026 Tour de France Femmes after stage one, finishing in 3 hours 29 minutes 1 second. Kim Le Court trails by 4 seconds, with Demi Vollering 6 seconds back. The margins remain razor-thin; Vollering lost last year's Tour by just four seconds, making every second critical.

The Guardian Australia – Sport · 9 days ago

Top commander warns Australia's army is being prepared for war

Australia's top military commander warned troops at a Townsville parade that the army is being prepared for war amid unprecedented global threats. Major General Ash Collingburn's statement comes as defence experts question the nation's readiness, noting Australia ranks 71st globally in military personnel despite the world's 15th largest defence budget.

7 News · 9 days ago

Trump administration announces new tariffs as small businesses show resilience from prior

The Trump administration announced new tariffs ranging from 10% to 12.5%, but U.S. small businesses are largely unmoved compared to previous rounds that reached 145%. Lower rates, $122 billion in refunds from prior tariffs, and confidence in court challenges have made the latest levies less disruptive. Business owners say they have adapted through supply chain innovations and alternative sourcing strategies.

The Guardian Australia – Business · 9 days ago

Trump invokes Smoot-Hawley Act to impose fifty percent Canadian tariffs

Trump invoked the 1930 Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act's Section 338 to impose a 50% tariff on Canadian imports, establishing a precedent that may prove difficult to challenge legally. The statute grants the president broad authority to impose duties whenever he determines the U.S. faces trade disadvantages. Legal experts warn this interpretation could enable sweeping tariffs on any country.

The Guardian Australia – Business · 9 days ago