Independent Australian news and analysis across politics, business, technology, world affairs and culture
Features, explainers and long-form stories from across Australia.
There aren’t many people who can say they changed the sound of Australian football. Kelli Underwood did exactly that when she became the first woman to call an AFL match on television in 2008. Profession: Radio and television sports journalist and sportscaster · Known for: First woman to commentate an AFL match · AFL seasons … Read more
There’s something magnetic about watching a young performer who carries two cultures in her voice and her movement. For Daniela Avanzini, the 20-year-old singer and dancer rising with KATSEYE, that blend is at the core of her public identity. Full name: Daniela Andrea Avanzini Llorente · Date of birth: July 1, 2004 · Known as: … Read more
Fans who grew up watching Brad Taylor on Home Improvement might recognize the name Zachery Ty Bryan, but the headlines he’s made in recent years have little to do with his acting. Bryan, who played the eldest Taylor son from 1991 to 1999, has been repeatedly arrested since 2020, culminating in a 19‑month prison sentence … Read more
There’s a reason why Middle-earth feels more like a rediscovered history than a made‑up world: J.R.R. Tolkien spent decades weaving languages, legends, and a deeply held Catholic faith into everything he wrote. Born in South Africa in 1892, he turned a scholar’s obsession with words into the foundation of modern fantasy. Born: 3 January 1892 … Read more
There’s a simple joy in sketching a tiny bunny with oversized ears or a cupcake with a wink. With more than 963,000 monthly searches on Pinterest for “cute drawing,” it’s clear that people of all ages are turning to these easy, feel-good illustrations. Pinterest searches for ‘cute drawing’: 963,000 · Pinterest searches for ‘cute sketches’: … Read more
There’s a reason Mount Everest has held the human imagination for over a century — it’s the highest point on Earth, a place where the air is thin and the stakes are life-and-death. This guide pulls together the official 2020 height measurement, real-world costs, fatality data, and the practical realities of standing on the summit. … Read more
A familiar face in a wimple and veil, Sister Frances became a quiet fan-favourite on Call the Midwife, but when Ella Bruccoleri stepped away from Nonnatus House in 2022, many wondered what the young actress would do next — the answer arrived in 2026: she is leading a BBC adaptation of Jane Austen’s forgotten sister, … Read more
Few NRL players have experienced a State of Origin whiplash quite like Kotoni Staggs. One moment he was in the sin bin for a high shot on Kalyn Ponga; the next he was fighting to win back his NSW Blues jumper, and this article walks through his Origin drama, his reported $1.1 million salary, his … Read more
For decades, Satish Shah made India laugh with his impeccable comic timing on screen. But behind the laughter was a story of quiet devotion — a man who gave his kidney to his wife and cared for her through Alzheimer’s, all while facing his own mortality. On 25 October 2025, the Sarabhai vs Sarabhai star … Read more
When you think of The Sound of Music, a few images come to mind: the hills, the nun, the captain’s whistle. But for many, the first face that truly shines is Liesl, the eldest von Trapp daughter, who sang “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” in that glass gazebo. That actress, Charmian Carr, lived a life far … Read more