It's Friday! Here are this week's big stories and some that you might have missed
The big headlines:
- US president Donald Trump has imposed a 15 per cent baseline tariff on imports from all countries. This follows a Supreme Court ruling that Trump’s initial tariffs, which were imposed in January 2025 under an emergency powers act, were unconstitutional.
- On Tuesday night, Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese was evacuated from The Lodge, his official Canberra residence, following a security incident . He was relocated for several hours while police conducted a search, although nothing suspicious was found. The threat was linked to performances by Chinese dance group Shen Yun.
- The Bafta awards and the BBC have been criticised for failing to censor a racial slur in the television broadcast of the ceremony. Tourette's activist John Davidson, who inspired the Bafta-winning film I Swear, shouted the slur while Sinners actors Delroy Lindo and Michael B. Jordan presented an award. Davidson said he was "deeply mortified" following the incident.
What else happened this week?
The national royal commission into anti-semitism has begun
The Royal Commission will look at the rise in anti-semitism in the wake of the Bondi attacks on the Jewish community last year.
Wikimedia Commons
Royal commissioner and former High Court judge Virginia Bell stated her commitment to resolving the inquiry before the December 14 deadline, despite the tight timeframe.
Two new polls have One Nation gaining on Labor
One Nation's Pauline Hanson has polled ahead of new Liberal leader Angus Taylor as preferred Prime Minister
Polls by DemosAU and Fox & Hedgehog have Labor and the Greens both declining in the primary vote, while One Nation continues to rise.
Australia supports removing former prince from line of succession
Mountbatten-Windsor was stripped of his royal titles over his connections to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Wikimedia Commons
In a letter to British prime minister Keir Starmer, Anthony Albanese said Australia supports the removal of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor from the line of succession. This followed the arrest of Peter Mandelson, the former UK ambassador to the US, in London on Monday.
Trump Tower to be constructed on the Gold Coast
The Gold Coast chamber of commerce has insisted the proposed Trump Tower will be good for tourism.
Shutterstock
The proposed tower will be 91 stories and cost $1.5 billion. It is to be designed and constructed by Altus Property Group and the Trump Organisation.
Study finds vehicle pollution costs Australians $6.2bn in health impacts each year
Proximity to busy roads increases risk of respiratory and heart issues caused by vehicle exhaust.
Shutterstock
University of Melbourne researchers also found children at a childcare centre near a major intersection were exposed to the daily equivalent of eight cigarettes in pollution.
High-speed railway between Sydney and Newcastle on track
The journey from Sydney to Newcastle could take as little as one hour on the proposed high-speed railway.
Shutterstock
The federal government has declared that proposed plans for the rail link could be "shovel ready" within two years and pledged another $230m toward its development.
Melbourne surgeon conducted endometriosis surgery on women without the disease
The surgeon performed surgery for severe endometriosis on women whose pathology showed mild to no endometriosis.
Pexels
Simon Gordon unnecessarily removed tissue and organs from several women, leaving them with pain and compromised fertility. Victorian premier Jacinta Allan has called for changes to endometriosis diagnoses following the misconduct.
Cartel leader killed by Mexican army, prompting violence
The man known as El Mencho founded the Jalisco New Generation Cartel in 2000, which became prominent fentanyl traffickers.
Wikimedia Commons
Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes was shot in a military operation on Sunday and died en route to Mexico City. In response, the Jalisco New Generation cartel has blockaded roads, firebombed buildings and killed soldiers in Mexico.
AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 set to begin on the weekend
Matildas captain Sam Kerr and star Mary Fowler will both make their returns from ACL injuries at the tournament.
Shutterstock
The Matildas will begin their Asian Cup campaign against the Philippines on Sunday. This is the first time Australia has hosted the tournament since 2006 when they finished runners-up to China. Games will be played in Sydney, Perth and on the Gold Coast.
And now for some good news
The return of giant tortoises to the Galápagos Islands
The local giant tortoise population was driven to extinction in the 1840s, but has been revitalised by conservation efforts.
Wikimedia Commons
Giant tortoises have returned to the Galápagos island of Floreana for the first time in almost 200 years. Conservationists from the Galápagos Conservation Trust released 158 captive-bred tortoises onto the island in what was described as a truly "spine-tingling" moment.
