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The Albanese government has scrapped plans to sell off Sydney's historic Victoria Barracks and three other historic defence sites.

The 166-year-old Sydney barracks was among a host of defence sites around the country marked for sale under a plan to carve off no-longer needed property and bank up to 1.8 billion dollars.

But today it's been revealed the Sydney barracks and three historic sites in and around Melbourne will be protected from the sale.

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A police officer remains in a critical condition following a mass shooting in the main square of the...

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The United States is offering a reward of up to $30 million for information about the relocation of Iran's nuclear programme.

In a post on social media, the U-S military Central Command or Centcom says the reward is for information including about Iran's nuclear programme's facilities, equipment, and personnel such as scientists.

It comes as the US says stopping Tehran acquiring a nuclear weapon is its top priority in its war on Iran.

Ukrainian officials say two people have been injured in the latest Russian missile attack on the capital Kyiv.

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Former police officer Beau Lamarre-Condon has told his double murder trial he felt like he was having a moral dilemma after the deaths of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies. The 31-year-old has pleaded not guilty to killing Mr Baird and Mr Davies in 2024, claiming he acted in self-defence and that the men died in separate struggles involving his police pistol.

The rabbi of an elderly Sydney woman who was shot during the Bondi Beach terror attack says her death is a massive loss for the community. The 90-year-old, Eva Geller from Sydney's east, was among dozens injured...

Beau Lamarre-Condon has told his double murder trial he is responsible for the death of his former partner Jesse Baird, but that he did not intentionally kill him.

The former police officer is accused of using his police pistol to shoot dead Mr Baird and his new boyfriend Luke Davies in Mr Baird's Paddington share house in February 2024.

He has pleaded not guilty to both murder charges and has given evidence over two days in the New South Wales Supreme Court, so what has the court heard from him?

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The Prime Minister says he is saddened to hear of the death of 90-year-old Eva Geller, who was shot during the Bondi Beach terror attack in December 2025. The Sydney woman was hospitalised with serious injuries at the time, while 15 other people were killed in the attack on a Jewish festival.

Former police officer Beau Lamarre-Condon has told his Supreme Court murder trial his first gunshot at ex-partner Jesse Baird was intentional, but the second was not. The 31-year-old has pleaded not guilty to intentionally killing Mr Baird and his new boyfriend Luke Davies with his police pistol...

The Nasdaq lost about $2.5 trillion in 24 hours as investors weighed what Democratic control of Congress could mean for data centres and AI.

Elon Musk's companies fell too, and Ken Paxton, the Texas Senate candidate he poured hundreds of millions of dollars into, failed to beat James Talarico.

With the 2028 race already under way, JD Vance has blamed the Iran war for the result while Marco Rubio is reportedly weighing whether to leave the administration to run.

Americas editor John Lyons explains.

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Bob Katter's 'thousand blossoms bloom' crocodile rant has taken on a new life, almost a decade on, thanks to a song written from the perspective of a saltwater crocodile.

The Cherabins' track "Katter" has the croc calling for no more culling, and the MP says he loves crocodiles and thinks it is 'a bloody good song'.

He has written his own rap-style reply and offered to sing backup, so will the two sides end up making music together?

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Cristiano Ronaldo has announced his retirement from international football after more than two decades, saying it is time to hand back the number seven shirt of the Portugal national team.

The 41-year-old is Portugal's record appearance maker and leading scorer with 234 games and 146 goals, but the news comes after a fallout with coach Jorge Jesus that led to a 30-day suspension.

Ronaldo will keep playing at club level, so what does his exit mean for Portugal and the next generation now asked to fill his shoes?

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New Zealand heads to the polls this weekend in one of the tightest elections the country has seen in years.

Neither of the two major parties is polling much above 30 per cent, and analysts say voters don't believe either side can fix the country's problems.

A centrist wildcard party could win parliamentary seats for the first time, and if the result is as close as expected, it might end up holding the balance of power.

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Democrats are celebrating their stunning midterms win as the data centre industry takes a big hit on stock market, and Australia's leaders are taking notice. 

US President Donald Trump says he'll hold discussions about whether to expand the war in Iran, which has proved toxic with voters.  

New Zealanders will head to the polls tomorrow after a tense campaign, that leaves the main contenders neck and neck with no clear route to victory. 

For more news at any time you can follow the ABC News Top Stories podcast. 

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The British comedian and actor Russell Brand has been found guilty of rape and sexual assault, with significant jail time on the cards.

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Australia's data centre building boom is adding to inflation, and the RBA governor called it out directly when the central bank moved on interest rates.

The sector's pushing back, arguing the short-term pain is worth it for the productivity gains AI will eventually deliver.

But with investment up 36% in a year and the economy already stretched, the question of when that payoff arrives is one even economists can't answer.

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Cyberattacks on fridges and freezers across Europe have spoiled food and put blood supplies at risk.

The head of the UK's National Cyber Security Centre says the French fridges were using default passwords, and supermarkets from Sweden to Belgium and Estonia have also been hit.

So should your own fridge be connected to the internet?

What about lights, air con and baby monitors?

Cyber security expert Troy Hunt explains why supermarket fridges should never have been  on the open internet and how to choose safer connected devices.

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The High Court has agreed to hear One Nation Leader Pauline Hanson's appeal against a finding she racially vilified Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi by telling her to "piss off back to Pakistan".

The Queensland Senator applied for special leave to appeal to the High Court in August after the Federal Court upheld a decision that she breached racial discrimination laws during a 20-22 interaction on Twitter.

Her comment was in response to Senator Faruqi posting that she could not mourn the death of Queen Elizabeth the second.

Senator Hanson is challenging the findings...

A new report on Australia's social cohesion paints a complicated picture, with many Australians feeling things are getting worse even as the data tells a different story.

The cost of living is playing a big role, with researchers warning financial stress is making people more insular and eroding trust in each other and in institutions.

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Anglicare Australia's annual rental affordability snapshot has found that essential workers like nurses, teachers and paramedics can afford only a tiny fraction of rental listings across the country.

The report looked at more than 48,000 listings and the picture is even bleaker for people on lower incomes, with no affordable options at all for those on JobSeeker or a disability support pension.

So what's driving the crisis, and what would actually fix it?

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The Democrats have taken control of Congress after a sweep of the US midterm elections.

Some battleground seats changed hands for the first time in decades, including in places once seen as safe for Republicans.

Sarah Morice spoke to Tom Moxley, a former Republican politician and rural rancher in Kansas, about why he switched sides at the midterms.

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Peanut allergy affects around one in 30 Australian children, but new research suggests a significant number of those diagnoses might not be right.

Researchers are already looking at what this could mean for how peanut allergies are diagnosed nationally, and what it might mean for other allergens down the track.

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The Democrats have won control of Congress in the US midterm elections, claiming a string of Senate seats and charting a course for a comfortable majority in the House of Representatives. Democrats have now claimed the key battleground Senate seat in Michigan, where Abdul El-Sayed has become the first Muslim senator in US history.

The Australian Federal Police says social harmony is fraying after a Northern Territory teenage girl was charged with terrorism-related offences. The girl is the third young person in the NT to be charged with similar offences this year and the second in less...

Donald Trump's Republican Party has lost control of both houses of Congress at the US midterms, with Democrats flipping Senate seats in Texas, Ohio, Kansas, Iowa, Maine and the Carolinas.

A US politics expert from the University of Sydney says widespread disapproval of Donald Trump and concern about the cost of living drove the result.

With Democrats now holding both houses it will be very hard for Trump to advance his legislative agenda, but the president still has veto power, so what happens next?

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Canva's one of Australia's most celebrated tech success stories.

But it's announced it's cutting more than 1,200 jobs, or about 22 per cent of its global workforce.

Experts say it's not an isolated case as AI reshapes the tech industry.

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Choice has handed out its annual Shonky Awards, and this year Ticketek, Ticketmaster, and Virgin Australia are among the businesses in the firing line.

The consumer group is accusing the ticketing giants of fleecing fans through dynamic pricing and poor experiences.

Meanwhile, Virgin Australia's handling of COVID-era flight credits has also caught their attention.

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The first polls have now closed in the US midterm elections and results are coming in, as Donald Trump's Republicans face the potential of losing Congress. 

The prominent Australian software company Canva has announced a major corporate restructure impacting more than 1000 jobs. 

New South Wales authorities are investigating a cybersecurity data breach at the state's health department. 

For more news at any time you can follow the ABC News Top Stories podcast. 

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A parliamentary inquiry is looking at why so many Australians are struggling to access specialist medical care.

Long public waiting lists, high out-of-pocket costs, and workforce shortages all on the agenda.

The committee is exploring potential fixes, including formalising a system where GPs can consult specialists directly, which experts say could free up appointments and save patients money.

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The Reserve Bank's raised the cash rate for the fifth time this year, and with Christmas approaching, millions of Australians with mortgages are feeling the pressure.

So who's hurting, who might actually be better off, and when could relief finally arrive?

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US voters head to the polls this week for high-stakes midterm elections that could hand Democrats control of Congress and deliver a major blow to Donald Trump's administration.

Polling suggests a significant swing toward the Democrats, driven by deep unpopularity over the Iran war, cost of living pressures, tariffs, and a sharp backlash among Latino voters over immigration enforcement.

There are also serious questions about how the administration might respond to unfavourable results, with moves to challenge voter rolls, potential deployment of federal agents at polling stations, and early legal skirmishes already underway.

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The Reserve Bank has signalled it may pause further interest rate rises after lifting the cash rate to its highest level since 2008. The RBA raised rates by a quarter of a percentage point to 4.85 per cent on Melbourne Cup Day.

Department store David Jones is being forced to defend its viability as the Australian retailer faces speculation about store closures. The department store's key lender has already provided extra cash to allow David Jones to stock up before the busy festive season.

The United States has launched fresh attacks on Iran just hours before polls...

The Reserve Bank has lifted the cash rate to 4.85 per cent, the highest since late 2008, adding about $90 a month to minimum repayments on a $600,000 mortgage.

The RBA says excess demand and the risk of people accepting fast-rising prices as the new normal drove the fifth rate rise, alongside fuel costs.

The board was split six votes to three and economists are divided on whether rates will rise again, so is this the last increase?

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The New South Wales government is leading the push for the NAPLAN writing test for Years 5, 7 and 9 moved from computers back to pen and paper.

Online NAPLAN testing began in 2018 and writing scores have been about the same over the past few years. 

One researcher says handwriting is important for learning and memory.

But would a switch make sense in a digital world?

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Australians are expressing anger, and concern for their household budgeting, just hours away from what's expected to be another interest rate rise.

US President Donald Trump has ended his midterm election campaign by falsely claiming the US has taken Greenland, and fuel is the cheapest it has ever been in America.

Ukraine says Russian forces have bombed a school that's being used as an aid distribution point, killing at least 26 people. 

For more news at any time you can follow the ABC News Top Stories podcast. 

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Supermarkets in several European countries have been the target of massive cyber-attacks, affecting fridges and freezers.

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The Reserve Bank is highly tipped to raise interest rates today for the fifth time this year. 

Voting will begin in the US midterm elections later today Australian time and US President Donald Trump says he'll veto everything if his party loses control of Congress. 

Cyber attacks have again hit supermarket fridges across Europe causing massive food spoilage. 

For more news at any time you can follow the ABC News Top Stories podcast. 

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Australia's social media ban for under 16s is heading to the High Court, with challengers arguing the law voids the right to communicate on political matters.

The federal government says it'll stand firm on the law, but with many teenagers still getting around it, the debate over how the ban should work is far from settled.

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