Top World News
News live: developer claims planned Trump Tower on Gold Coast will be ‘Australia’s tallest’; modest pullback on ASX after US tariff hiked to 15%
Feb 23, 2026 - World 
Trump Organization announces 91-storey tower to be built in Surfers Paradise. Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAnthony Albanese says former opposition leader, Sussan Ley was “undermined” by conservative colleagues, Angus Taylor and Andrew Hastie, during her 276-day tenure in the seat.Speaking to Hit 104.9, which covers Ley’s southern NSW electorate of Farrer, the prime minister criticised the Coalition’s recent internal turmoil while praising his own side of politics. Albanese said:From day one, she was undermined by Angus Taylor and Andrew Hastie and a range of them who weren’t really working to try to get her success in the party. …It’s, I think, unfortunate that politics can be a pretty rough game, and that [Ley] was elected by the Liberal party caucus, fair and square, she was the leader, but never even got to give a budget reply. I don’t know if that’s happened before. I’m not sure, but certainly she didn’t even get one year in the office, which is pretty rough.We want to ensure that people who leave our country and go to terrorist hotspots, people who go there to support terrorist organisations or to support Islamic State or organisations or other terror listed organisations, and then who actually commit crimes over there … they can’t come back to Australia.I’ve got a newsflash for the government. They are the government. They can change the law. If the law is not strong enough to keep Australians safe and to keep people out who actually hate Australian values and hate the Australian way of life, and who have left our country to fight for an alternate way of life, then we should change those laws. Continue reading...
Chris Baghsarian: evidence linked to Sydney kidnap victim, 85, discovered in burnt-out car as search continues
Feb 23, 2026 - World 
NSW police say they found links between the car and abandoned Dural property 11 days after man abducted in case of mistaken identityFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastForensic evidence linked to Sydney grandfather Chris Baghsarian has been found in a burnt-out car, with police searching bushland for any further clues 11 days after he was kidnapped in a suspected case of mistaken identity.Acting Det Supt Andrew Marks on Monday urged the public to share any footage they may have of the grey Toyota Corolla, which was found burnt out in Westmead last Tuesday. Continue reading...
Grindr tests AI match-making in Australia amid dating app fatigue and safety concerns
Feb 23, 2026 - World 
New subscription features on app for gay and bisexual men come with a price tag – from $109.99 a month in Australia to $349 in the USFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAmid dating app fatigue and concerns over the safety of its users, Grindr is testing out highly priced subscriptions that will incorporate AI into finding people matches.The app for gay and bisexual men shows users’ profiles in a grid for those in the immediate vicinity, with photos, stats and bios aimed at letting users find people to meet who are a match, ranging from hook-ups to dating. Grindr says it has 15 million monthly active users worldwide. Continue reading...
Who was El Mencho, the former police officer who co-founded an ultraviolent cartel in Mexico?
Feb 23, 2026 - World 
Drug lord who was killed by Mexican special forces on Sunday led a cartel known for aggression and military-style arsenalViolence erupts after Mexican security forces kill drug cartel boss ‘El Mencho’ The drug lord “El Mencho”, who was killed on Sunday by Mexican special forces, was the co-founder and leader of a gang that in recent years had become the country’s most powerful criminal organisation: the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).While less internationally famous than the Sinaloa cartel of the now imprisoned Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, the CJNG is a household name in Mexico, where it is known for its displays of ultraviolence and its big, military-style arsenal. Continue reading...
Zohran Mamdani orders travel ban in New York as US north-east braces for heavy snow amid blizzard warnings
Feb 23, 2026 - World 
East coast scrambles to prepare for storm forecast to bring major disruption to more than 35 million peopleNew York mayor Zohran Mamdani has ordered a citywide travel ban for all but emergency travel, as the north-eastern United States was preparing for an intense winter storm that is forecast to reach blizzard strength and bring major disruption.Residents along the east coast scrambled to prepare for the late-winter storm that spurred weather warnings from Maryland to Massachusetts, affecting more than 35 million people. More than a foot of snow was expected, with wind gusts of up to 70mph and warnings of potential coastal flooding from Cape Cod to Delaware. Continue reading...
