Property auction clearance rates collapse nationwide

Randwick woman dies in unit fire

A woman in her 70s died in a unit fire in Randwick after being trapped inside with the couple's dog Bobby. Her husband who shared 34 years of marriage with her in the home, has paid tribute to his wife following the tragedy. The fire, believed to have started in the kitchen, is under investigation but not being treated as suspicious. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Youth gang busted with military rifles in Sydney's west

Nine people, including several teenagers, have been arrested following a major police raid in Punchbowl, Sydney's West. Officers seized three automatic rifles that may have been modified, loose ammunition, measuring scales, latex gloves, and a small amount of illicit drugs from the property. The group, believed to be part of a youth gang with ages ranging from teenagers to 23 years old, appeared in court facing charges including possession of unregistered firearms and participation in a criminal group. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Mother allegedly stabbed in Melbourne's east

A 39-year-old mother of two has been fatally allegedly stabbed in her Vermont home in Melbourne's east. Her 39-year-old husband was arrested at the scene and is currently in hospital under police guard. The couple, understood to be from India, leaves behind a 13-year-old daughter and a 7-year-old son, while police forensics investigate the circumstances of the alleged stabbing. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Massive Telstra outage cripples services nationwide

A major Telstra outage crippled mobile and data services across Australia, affecting payment systems, train networks, and triple zero emergency calls. The telecommunications failure originated from a timing issue in data centres in Sydney and Melbourne, leaving businesses without EFTPOS and commuters stranded. Telstra faces potential fines of up to $30 million while investigations continue into the cause of the widespread network failure. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Tradie shortage, work-from-home battles and calorie shaming

The construction industry demands Australia's skilled migration program be overhauled to prioritise tradies amid the housing crisis, as they currently rank alongside animal trainers and dancers. The Fair Work Commission has rejected a 55-year-old council worker's request to work from home four days a week because he found office work tiring, despite already having three days approved. A restaurant's online ordering system sparked controversy by warning customers about calorie intake and potential health concerns when ordering three lamb skewers containing 2,000 calories. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.