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Explainers

Here's everything you need to know about today's AACTA Awards

It's been billed as Australia's answer to the Golden Globes — or even the Oscars, depending on who you ask — and the stars are gathering for the ceremony on the Gold Coast.
A composite image of Margot Robbie, Rebel Wilson and Cate Blanchett

Here is why not every wind from the ocean is a sea breeze

More than 85 per cent of Australians live within 50 kilometres of the ocean, but the variation in weather across any slice of this narrow coastal band is substantial.
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Sea breeze illustration shows uneven heating of the earth's surface near a coastline leads to a sea breeze circulation.

These major car companies are accused of harvesting and exploiting customer data

As experts push to strengthen Australia's privacy laws, many car makers are gathering data and potentially selling it to third parties.
A photo taken inside a Toyota, showing a man's arm on the steering wheel as it drives down a road between snow-capped hills

Sunscreen prevents skin cancer and premature ageing — but are you doing it right?

For decades, we've known sunscreen dramatically lowers a person's risk of developing skin cancer, with some of the first evidence coming from (aptly) the Sunshine State. This is how it works.
Illustration of a man sunbathing on the beach under an umbrella

Why Jennifer Crumbley was held responsible for her teenage son's mass school shooting

The guilty conviction of the Michigan school shooter's mother sets a "contentious" precedent for holding parents accountable for their child's wrongdoings, a US legal expert says.
A jail booking photo of Ethan Crumbley beside his mother Jennifer Crumbley and dad James Crumbley.

Former Mandalorian star Gina Carano sues Disney with financial backing from Elon Musk

Carano was fired from the Star Wars spin-off series in 2021 for comments she made on social media that compared the Holocaust to US politics.
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A woman in an armoured outfit leans on a pole.

What is passive vaping, and what risk does it pose to your health?

A doctor and public health expert weigh in on how to limit passive vaping exposure and what you can do to protect yourself in social situations.
A man vaping tilts his head upwards as a plume of smoke rises from his mouth and nose.

King Charles went public about having cancer, but he's keeping many details private

Buckingham Palace hasn't said what kind of cancer the King has, only that it's not prostate cancer and he "looks forward to returning to full public duty as soon as possible".
King Charles waves as he walks alongside Queen Camilla

Four money tasks to do each year

Attending to your superannuation, insurances and will is a bit like going to the dentist. Doing it regularly and consistently helps to avoid a painful outcome. 
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A woman with curly hair sits on a couch with a laptop on her legs and headphones on.

Will the government's fuel efficiency standard drive up car prices? It depends what road it goes down

The federal government has detailed its proposal to impose a CO2 standard on new cars. It will have a narrow road to travel to ensure it cuts emissions without driving up car prices.
car exhaust

Queensland has announced major changes to address the state's housing crisis. Here's what's changing

The Queensland government has made several announcements in a bid to address growing concerns around housing affordability and supply. Here's a breakdown of some of the key changes in the works.
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Rent sign of real estate agency outside an apartment building in Brisbane

This year the RBA won't meet as often as it used to so what will that mean for interest rates and your mortgage?

Households will now only have to grapple with a maximum of eight cash rate changes flowing through to their mortgages. Here's what that could mean for you.
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A person in a long sleeved white collared shirt and black pants walks into the Reserve Bank of Australia as its doors slide open

See what the property market is doing in your capital city

A more stable interest rate environment, coupled with ongoing population growth and improved consumer confidence will support house price growth in 2024. Here's how your capital city fared in January.
Modern houses along a street going up a hill in Brisbane

He ruled professional wrestling for decades. Now Vince McMahon grapples with fresh sexual abuse allegations

Recent allegations of sexual abuse by the former owner of the WWE are just the latest in a decades-long history of misconduct claims.
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Vince McMahon in a suit and tie holding a microphone inside a wrestling ring with the WWE logo behind him

Winners come forward in record $200 million lottery

Two Australians have struck gold, winning $100 million each in Powerball's largest ever jackpot in history.
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Numbered lottery balls mid-air.

Clive Palmer and Anthony Pratt lead the way in political donations as corporations play both sides

Details of the companies and individuals pouring money into the coffers of the nation's political parties last financial year have been published, with some of the country's wealthiest individuals topping the list.
Two men in a suit at a press conference

Do religious ministers have to report historical child sex abuse?

Kezia Whitton was abused by her brother when she was five years old. Years later, her former church declined to report him to West Australian police — but in a different state, they may have had to.
A statue of Jesus.

Dying thief who stole Wizard of Oz ruby slippers avoids jail time

A US man who has confessed to stealing a pair of ruby slippers that Judy Garland wore while filming The Wizard of Oz receives no jail time but will pay a $US23,000 fine.
A pair of sparkly red slippers worn by actress Judy Garland in the "Wizard of Oz" sitting on a display.

If you're walking out of the house drenched in sweat — it's not the humidity

The dew point in some parts of the south-east of Queensland has tipped to 26C, exceeding that of equatorial countries like Singapore.
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A woman and a man whose singlet is drenched with sweat walk along the Brisbane River.

Russia is set to be stripped of its 2022 Olympic gold medal for figure-skating — so what happens next?

Kamila Valieva's ban for doping has led to the Court for Arbitration for Sport stripping Russia of its 2022 Winter Olympics gold for team figure-skating. So who gets the medal now?
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A man and a woman compete in an ice skating competition

US considers next move after promising response to drone attack that killed sleeping troops

The world is waiting to see what the US will do next after vowing to respond to an Iran-backed drone attack that killed three American troops and injured dozens more in Jordan.
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A man wears a brown jumper, and two young women wear military uniforms, in three separate photographs.

NSW Police has been praised for its 'textbook' approach in shutting down a 'neo-Nazi demonstration'. This is why

Some of group members were from NSW, but at least 20 were from Victoria, with others from Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania.
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Dozens of men dressed in black leaving the train station in North Sydney.

Weighing up home contents insurance? Here's what to consider (including if you rent)

If you're considering taking out insurance for your belongings for the first time, or you're reviewing existing cover, here are some important things to keep in mind.
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Flooded house in Norman Park in Brisbane

Mark Ray Haydon was beaten by his mother, bullied at school and went on to cover up one of the country's worst serial killings

Moving and hiding bodies and helping cover up some of Australia's most horrific and notorious crimes, earned Mark Ray Haydon what is believed to be the longest custodial sentence for assisting an offender in SA history.
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Snowtown accomplice Mark Ray Haydon in a car being escorted from court.

There's no 'silver bullet' for the housing crisis — but one fix with broad support remains stuck in the mud

One solution to the housing crisis has been raised over and over again for years: building more social and affordable housing. But it doesn't seem to have happened yet.
an outside view of a row of houses