Author: DispatchTimes News Desk

One Nation’s public service cuts plan would reduce the number of federal workers through attrition and remove departments whose responsibilities duplicate those of state governments, Barnaby Joyce has said. Joyce, the party’s treasury spokesman, said the Climate Change Department would be abolished. He also indicated that the federal Education and Health Departments could either be scrapped or folded into other departments. However, One Nation has not released figures or costings for the proposal. “There has to be a streamlining of bureaucracy,” Joyce said on Tuesday morning. “We can’t have a duplication. You must chose if you want a state department…

Israelis have begun voting in a tightly contested election that could determine whether Benjamin Netanyahu remains prime minister, but the result may not produce a clear winner. Polls suggest neither the right-wing and religious bloc led by Mr Netanyahu nor the rival “change bloc” is likely to secure the 61 seats needed to form a government alone. The vote is the first since the Hamas attacks of 7 October 2023, which authorities have described as Israel’s most catastrophic security failure since its foundation. Israelis are voting while the country remains engaged in conflicts in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria, after two…

An ex-RAAF pilot accused of murdering his wife exchanged affectionate Signal messages with her the day before she was found dead, a Brisbane court has heard. Robert John Crawford, 49, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Frances Elizabeth Crawford, who was found beside a ride-on lawnmower at the bottom of a retaining wall at the couple’s Upper Lockyer property, west of Toowoomba, in the early hours of July 30, 2024. Prosecutors allege Crawford strangled his wife and staged the scene to make it appear that she had been killed when the mower toppled over the wall. They claim she was…

The morning briefing is focused on artificial intelligence, with all eyes on AI.

Taylor Swift has been inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, where she used her speech to recall a long-running prank involving country singer Brad Paisley and thousands of live crickets. The 36-year-old attended the 56th Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala at Music City Center in Nashville, Tennessee, on Monday night. It was her second hall of fame induction this year. Paisley introduced Swift at the ceremony, while Lainey Wilson performed her song “Love Story”. Swift also posed for photographs with both country stars. Addressing Paisley during her speech, Swift said: “I’m really surprised to see you here…

Parents at Webb Middle School in Austin, Texas, say they were misled into signing a petition calling for the campus to close as the district attempts to avoid a state takeover. The controversy has emerged after petitions were submitted on 15 October by families at Webb and Burnet middle schools, both of which have received five consecutive failing ratings from the Texas Education Agency. Under the state’s parent petition process, a majority of parents at each school can ask the education commissioner to order a campus closure or appoint a board of managers. The petitions are intended to give families…

Falling house prices could offer a rare opportunity for younger Australians struggling to buy their first home, comedian Simon Taylor has argued, as he welcomed a modest downturn in the property market. Taylor, writing from Melbourne, said the recent decline had given him hope that he might eventually raise his children in a house of his own, rather than continue worrying about rental restrictions and recovering a bond. He acknowledged that homeowners who bought property as an investment might be concerned about seeing its value fall. However, he questioned how much damage a drop of 5 per cent would cause…

Donald Trump has attacked Barack Obama over the former president’s comparison of the refurbished White House to a Cheesecake Factory, accusing him of failing to maintain the historic building properly. Speaking to reporters at Joint Base Andrews before leaving for a campaign event in Mississippi, Mr Trump said: “For you to say it’s a Cheesecake Factory, that just shows why you were a lousy president.” He also questioned Mr Obama’s intelligence, saying: “He’s not smart at all because of the way he ran the country. Only a stupid person would run the country like that.” Mr Trump claimed that dirt…

Zendaya was among those watching the Golden State Valkyries face the Atlanta Dream in game five of the 2026 WNBA Finals in San Francisco. The 30-year-old actor attended the match at Chase Center on Monday night, 26 October, and was seen supporting the Valkyries from the stands. She joined in with the home crowd by holding one of the inflatable thundersticks handed out at the arena. Zendaya was also shown on the venue’s big screen during the game, prompting excitement among spectators. Other notable attendees included rapper E-40, former footballer Megan Rapinoe and basketball player Chris Paul. The appearance came…

Two teenagers have been arrested over the fatal shooting of 40-year-old Andez Manning in Irving, Texas, after an alleged dispute over a stolen gun. Police say Manning and his stepson went to the Devon on Northgate apartment complex last Thursday to confront two friends of the stepson about the weapon, according to an arrest warrant. A second confrontation later took place near Esters Road. The two teenagers allegedly opened fire on Manning and his stepson as they sat in a vehicle, prompting Manning to return fire. Manning was shot in the head. His stepson drove him to a nearby Family…