The New South Wales (NSW) government in Australia will limit screen time for public school students and encourage daily use of pen and paper for learning. These rules will start as recommendations next year and will be required in schools by 2028 to help reduce excessive screen use among children.
Key Facts
Kindergarten to Year 2 students will have a screen time limit of 15 minutes per day on personal devices like tablets or laptops.
Students in Years 3–4 can use screens for up to 30 minutes a day, and Years 5–6 up to 45 minutes.
High school students in Years 7–10 can use devices for no more than one-quarter of lesson time, and senior students for up to half of their learning time.
The new guidelines recommend no screen-based homework for children below Year 5.
Schools should spend at least one hour daily on pen and paper learning.
These rules will be mandatory in NSW public schools starting in 2028.
The education minister said research shows too much screen time harms students’ health and learning, especially their reading and writing skills.
Digital skills will remain part of the curriculum, but the goal is to reduce overall screen use’s negative effects.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Andrew Hastie, a Liberal MP, said he will keep fighting Pauline Hanson and her One Nation party over a cartoon that called him a “traitor.” He also suggested that One Nation MPs Barnaby Joyce and David Farley might regret joining the party. Joyce denied feeling regret and said he joined One Nation because he worries the current political system is weak.
Key Facts
Andrew Hastie called Pauline Hanson a “lying coward” for not removing a cartoon insulting him.
The cartoon showed Hastie as a “traitor” and was posted by One Nation.
Hastie was involved in Ben Roberts-Smith’s defamation trial as a witness.
Hastie said he will continue to fight Hanson and One Nation as they started the conflict.
Hastie thinks Barnaby Joyce and David Farley regret joining One Nation because the party is centered around Hanson.
Joyce said his reason for joining One Nation is concern over weak political leadership, not regret.
One Nation recently won the state seat of Secret Harbour, which overlaps Hastie’s federal seat of Canning.
Hastie denied claims that his fight against Hanson is to boost his own political leadership chances.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Senator Dan Sullivan and former Representative Mary Peltola, both running for U.S. Senate from Alaska, had their first debate focused mainly on fishing issues. The debate included a quick question round about how well each candidate would handle these issues.
Key Facts
Dan Sullivan is the current U.S. Senator from Alaska and a Republican.
Mary Peltola is a former Alaska Representative and a Democrat challenging Sullivan.
Their first debate mostly focused on Alaska’s fishing industry.
The debate included a speed round where candidates answered questions quickly.
Peltola’s campaign highlighted a specific moment from the debate on social media.
Fishing is an important topic in Alaska’s economy and politics.
Both candidates are competing for a Senate seat representing Alaska.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
After the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in September 2025, many people who posted critical comments about him online lost their jobs. Gerald Bourguet, a writer who criticized Kirk soon after his death, was fired and faced threats, leading him to move his family for safety.
Key Facts
Charlie Kirk was fatally shot on 10 September 2025 while speaking at Utah Valley University.
Kirk was a founder of Turning Point USA, a group focused on Christian youth with conservative political ideas.
Gerald Bourguet wrote negative posts about Kirk hours after his death, calling him "evil" and criticizing his supporters.
Bourguet was fired from his job covering professional basketball, received threats, and had to relocate with his family.
Many others who criticized Kirk faced job loss or discipline after the posts went viral.
Some critics of Kirk were warned by right-wing figures, including Vice-President JD Vance, to expect professional consequences.
The White House condemned political violence and "assassination culture."
Supporters of Kirk and some politicians urged people to report critics to their employers.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
President Donald Trump’s childhood home in Queens, New York, sold for nearly $2 million after a major renovation improved the property. The house was in poor condition before being fixed up with modern features by a developer who bought it last year.
Key Facts
The house is a Tudor-style home in the Jamaica Estates neighborhood of Queens.
President Trump lived there until he was 4 years old.
The home was originally built by Trump’s father in 1940.
The property sold for $1.93 million after being renovated.
The previous owner bought it for $835,000 and spent $500,000 on updates.
Renovations included a new kitchen, wood floors, and spa-style bathrooms.
Before renovation, the house had water damage, mold, and feral cats inside.
The home has been sold multiple times and was briefly rented on Airbnb with Trump-themed items inside.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Alaska prosecutors dropped voter misconduct charges against people born in American Samoa after a court ruled that there must be proof they knew they were breaking the law. The case began after a woman from American Samoa, who is a US national but not a citizen, checked “US citizen” on a voter form based on incorrect information from election officials.
Key Facts
Alaska’s appeals court said the law requires proof that someone knowingly broke the voting rules.
The court found mistakes in how a state trooper questioned Tupe Smith and in the grand jury process.
Prosecutors said they could not prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt and dropped charges against Smith and others.
Eleven people from Whittier, Alaska, were charged with falsely claiming US citizenship on voter forms.
People born in American Samoa are US nationals, not US citizens, but can vote in local American Samoa elections.
There is no option to mark “US national” on Alaska voter registration forms, causing confusion.
Smith was elected to a school board in 2023 and acted on wrong advice when she marked herself as a US citizen.
Prosecutors argued that Smith knowingly lied, but the court ruled there was no clear evidence she intentionally did so.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
A trespasser was stopped by security on the property of Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff. The person did not reach the home before law enforcement intervened.
Key Facts
A person entered the Vice President’s property without permission.
Security stopped the individual before they reached the house.
The incident happened recently, during the night.
The location was the private property of Vice President Harris and Second Gentleman Emhoff.
Law enforcement was involved in stopping the trespasser.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
A person tried to enter the home of Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff but was stopped by security before reaching the house. Law enforcement responded quickly after reports of the trespasser on their property.
Key Facts
A trespasser was caught on the property of Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff.
Security personnel stopped the individual before they reached the home.
Law enforcement was alerted and responded to the incident.
The event happened recently, described as occurring "last night."
No further details on the trespasser’s identity or motives have been shared.
The home belongs to the Vice President and her spouse, the Second Gentleman.
The incident was handled quickly to protect the safety of the Vice President’s household.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Reform UK received a record £72 million donation from two cryptocurrency billionaires to prepare for the next UK general election. This large gift is much bigger than recent political donations to other parties and has raised questions about democracy and legal rules on political donations.
Key Facts
Reform UK got two donations of £36 million each, totaling £72 million.
The donors are cryptocurrency billionaires Christopher Harborne and Ben Delo.
This is the biggest single political donation in the UK, beating the previous highest of £10 million.
The money will be used to improve the party and compete against Labour and Conservatives.
Reform UK’s total donations this year amount to £86 million.
Conservatives raised £10.2 million and Labour £7.7 million this year.
Nigel Farage, Reform UK's leader, faces investigations over a separate £5 million personal gift.
Some groups worry this donation could harm democracy and may violate anti-corruption laws.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The UK government will provide clearer information to university applicants in England about student loans and how repayments may change depending on career choices and rule changes. They agreed to some recommendations from a recent inquiry but did not commit to reversing a freeze on the repayment threshold, which affects how soon and how much graduates start repaying.
Key Facts
England’s student loan system will offer better explanations about repayments and the possibility that repayment rules can change.
The inquiry found that previous loan information was misleading, comparing repayments to cheap phone contracts.
Plan 2 loans (issued 2012–2023) charge interest based on inflation plus up to 3%, with repayments at 9% of earnings above a threshold.
The repayment threshold was frozen at £29,385 for three years, meaning some graduates have to repay sooner and more than if it rose with inflation.
The government rejected key recommendations such as lowering interest rates, changing repayment rates, or splitting university costs evenly between students and the government.
Ministers agreed to better highlight that repayment rules can change and to show how career choices influence loan repayments.
Long-term repayment predictions will not be provided due to uncertainty but information on different career paths will be included.
Some experts and campaigners say the government's response does not fully address graduates’ concerns, urging further action in the upcoming budget.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Senator Roger Marshall of Kansas changed his position on President Donald Trump’s plan to give people $5,000 each as a dividend. During a debate with his Democratic opponent, Adam Hamilton, Marshall was asked about the plan, which would cost $1.2 trillion and add to the national debt.
Key Facts
President Donald Trump announced a $5,000 dividend proposal earlier this week.
The proposed plan would spend about $1.2 trillion.
Senator Roger Marshall initially supported the idea.
During a Kansas Senate debate, Marshall appeared to change his support.
The change was discussed while debating Democrat Adam Hamilton.
The dividend plan raises concerns about increasing the national debt.
The debate took place at the Kansas State Fair.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The 9/11 Memorial in New York honors people who died in the terror attacks by placing flowers on some names. This happens every year to mark birthdays and remember those lost.
Key Facts
The 9/11 Memorial is in New York City.
Flowers are placed on certain names at the memorial every year.
The flower placement honors the birthdays of people who died in the 9/11 attacks.
This tradition helps keep the memory of the victims alive throughout the year.
The memorial recognizes the lives and stories of those who lost their lives.
The program is part of the nationwide remembrance of the 9/11 attacks.
The 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks was recently marked.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
A federal judge ruled that the Trump administration broke the law by trying to reduce the number of workers at FEMA, the agency that helps with emergencies like hurricanes. The judge said the Department of Homeland Security took away FEMA’s power to manage its staff without proper authority.
Key Facts
A federal judge made the ruling on a Friday during hurricane season in the U.S.
The judge’s name is Susan Illston and she is a U.S. District Judge.
The Trump administration wanted to cut FEMA’s workforce by half.
FEMA is the agency responsible for responding to emergencies and disasters.
The Department of Homeland Security tried to take control over FEMA’s hiring decisions.
The judge said DHS acted unlawfully by taking authority from FEMA.
The ruling stops the planned staffing cuts at FEMA.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Republican groups are spending over $81 million in Texas to support Attorney General Ken Paxton’s run for U.S. Senate. The race is competitive, with Democrat James Talarico also spending millions. Texas is normally a Republican stronghold, but Democrats see an opportunity in 2026 to challenge that.
Key Facts
Texas PAC, connected to the Senate Leadership Fund, has spent more than $51 million on ads for Ken Paxton.
Other Republican groups like MAGA Inc. and America PAC have spent millions more to support Paxton.
Democratic groups and Talarico’s campaign have spent about $43.7 million on advertising.
The Texas Senate race is closely watched because Democrats hope to narrow the Republican majority in the Senate.
Texas hasn’t elected a Democrat statewide since 1994 but demographic changes give Democrats hope.
Paxton, endorsed by President Donald Trump, defeated Senator John Cornyn in the Republican primary.
The race includes heavy advertising in major Texas cities like Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and Austin.
Republicans held a large convention in Dallas to boost voter turnout for the midterm elections.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Churches in the Twin Cities of Minnesota are involved in legal disputes related to immigration enforcement and protests. One church is challenging government spying during protests on its property, while another faces charges after protesters disrupted a service led by an ICE official. These cases highlight tensions between faith communities and federal immigration efforts under President Donald Trump's administration.
Key Facts
A Minneapolis Baptist church and others have asked the government to stop surveillance related to protests on church grounds.
Over 30 protesters are seeking to dismiss charges after interrupting a worship service at a St. Paul church led by an ICE official.
Last winter, immigration enforcement actions in Minnesota led to daily protests and two deaths, causing worldwide attention.
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Minneapolis still displays signs welcoming everyone except ICE agents.
The church provided whistles to protesters to warn about law enforcement nearby.
President Trump's administration allowed more arrests at houses of worship as part of immigration crackdowns.
Many religious groups sued in response, opposing government actions at places of worship.
Court cases focus on protecting sacred spaces and worship rights against government intrusion and protests.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Millions of people in the U.S. have lost access to SNAP food assistance due to new federal rules and funding changes. Starting October 1, states must pay most of the costs to run the program, leading to worries about future funding and more cuts.
Key Facts
Starting October 1, states must cover 75% of SNAP program administrative costs.
About 5 million Americans, including over 1.5 million children, have lost SNAP benefits since new rules were passed.
Work requirements for SNAP were tightened, raising the age limit for able-bodied adults without dependents from 54 to 64.
The rules also changed exemptions for parents and family members, lowering the age for work requirements from 18 to 14.
The federal government will shift more program costs to states, based on the state's error rate in payments.
States may pay 5% to 15% more in benefits costs starting as early as 2027.
Food banks have increased help as SNAP assistance has been cut back.
Some states, like Arizona, started working to reduce errors that increase their costs.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
An Afghan woman living legally in Texas was deported after the first-ever case in the secret Alien Terrorist Removal Court. She agreed to leave the U.S. rather than continue legal battles over terrorism-related accusations linked to her family.
Key Facts
The woman, Nazira Haji Zada, has legal permanent residency in the U.S. and lived in Fort Worth, Texas.
The Alien Terrorist Removal Court was created in 1996 but had never been used until this case started in July 2024.
This court handles cases where evidence is secret and related to national security, usually involving non-U.S. citizens accused of terrorism.
Haji Zada was never charged with a crime, but her son and son-in-law were convicted for planning a mass shooting on Election Day 2024, inspired by the Islamic State group.
Prosecutors accused Haji Zada of being the leader who helped radicalize her family.
She agreed to be deported and waived her right to appeal the decision.
Her court-appointed lawyers said they were not allowed to see the evidence against her and argued this violated her constitutional right to fair legal process.
The U.S. Department of Justice called her removal a victory for national security.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Missouri election officials and candidates are worried about confusion for voters in the November election because of issues with the state's redistricting. The Supreme Court allowed Missouri to use its older voting map, which gave the Republican Party six seats compared to two for the Democrats, instead of the newer map that gave Republicans seven seats.
Key Facts
Missouri's redistricting has caused uncertainty for the state's House races.
The Supreme Court decision lets Missouri use the older voting map.
The older map favored Republicans with six seats and Democrats with two.
The newer map gave Republicans seven seats and Democrats one.
Voters may face confusion because of these changes on their ballots.
Election officials are preparing for possible problems in the November vote.
Redistricting means redrawing voting district boundaries, which affects elections.
The debate centers on which map better represents voters fairly.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
President Donald Trump’s childhood home in New York City has sold for $1.93 million after renovations fixed damage to the house. The Tudor-style home was sold to a buyer who has not been revealed and was under contract since July.
Key Facts
The house was President Trump’s childhood home in New York City.
It sold for $1.93 million.
The home underwent renovations to repair previous damage.
The style of the house is Tudor, which is an old European architectural design.
The buyer’s identity has not been made public.
The home was under contract in July.
The property has changed owners several times since President Trump lived there.
The previous owner, Tommy Lin, bought the house last year.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Republican leaders met in Dallas to plan their strategy for the upcoming midterm elections in November. The event included speeches from President Donald Trump and Vice President Vance, focusing on maintaining Republican control of Congress.
Key Facts
The Republican Party held a two-day midterm convention in Dallas.
President Donald Trump and Vice President Vance delivered key speeches.
The party aims to keep control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
The convention included a tribute to Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist who recently passed away.
The meeting is part of the GOP’s effort to rally support ahead of the midterm elections.
The midterms will be held in November 2024.
The discussions also touched on ongoing issues like the economy affected by conflicts and trade tensions.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
