Good news
The last week’s stories that are good to read: a Happiness score of 65 or more. Scored on the events and the writing, so hype does not get a story in.
- Lachie Neale’s new girlfriend Emma Field all smiles as she supports from the stands at 2026 AFL Grand Final Lachie’s new flame was seen cheering the Lions star on as his team addressed to take home the Premiership, just as his estranged wife Jules Neale, did the year before.
- Brisbane roar back to seal three-peat and break Fremantle hearts in AFL grand final classic Wharfie Time backfires as Lions kick four goals in final four minutes. The Brisbane Lions secured a third-straight AFL premiership, defeating Fremantle 14.12 to 12.17 at the MCG.
- AFL grand final 2026 The big moments, the celebrations, the heartbreak and all the news and analysis from the MCG.
- Honoured, but surprised: Why Shai Bolton took off his medal right after winning the Norm Smith Shai Bolton has won the Norm Smith Medal, taking the individual honour despite his Dockers losing a thrilling grand final to the Brisbane Lions by seven points.
- Lamine Yamal: ‘Football is mechanised but players like me have that special spark’ Spain and Barcelona wonderkid has won World Cup and European Championship but says there are no limits for his career.
- Adam Scott, Min Woo Lee lead sweep of US at Presidents Cup The Internationals lead 7-3 after day two of the Presidents Cup, having swept the foursomes in Chicago.
- How Angry Anderson embodied the appeal and limitations of Oz Rock As frontman of Rose Tattoo, he was central to the hard-edged Oz Rock tradition that grew from Australia’s pub circuit.
- Dockers fans to wed outside MCG Die-hard Dockers fans Matt Abbott and Danny Bloomfield have travelled from Karratha to get married outside the MCG ahead of the grand final.
- Can Trump ever be wrong? His pick to lead FDA refused to say. Heidi Overton, President Trump’s nominee to lead the Food and Drug Administration, went before the Senate health committee Thursday, facing questions about her stances on vaccines, flavored vapes, birth control.
- Heartbreak in the heart of Fremantle as thousands watch Dockers fall short In the heart and home of the Dockers it's hard to escape the colour purple.
- Cricut's new DIY machines let you print and cut your own stickers The Cricut StickerPix Print and Print + Cut could birth a generation of sticker moguls.
- The Aeropod automates soil aeration without robotics — see it at TechCrunch Disrupt Farmers around the world face a pressing problem: the equipment they use to till, plant, and harvest their fields is killing their margins.
- Meadow lets you leave your smartphone at home without sacrificing the essentials Some of these devices, like the Light Phone, need users to give up their smartphone and switch to a simpler device.
- ‘I haven’t come back for a jolly’: Dan Robson on Dupont, Pau and rebuilding Gloucester M ost players returning home from the French Top 14 have had a life-enhancing experience and Dan Robson is the latest example.
- 55,000 fans and nowhere to hide: what it’s like to play in basketball’s biggest arena The sprawling Philippine Arena hosts games in a country of fanatical basketball fans. Jamie Malonzo was lucky enough to play there in a Game 7.
- Late Brazil goal denies Socceroos famous win after Irankunda free kick Choose what information you see below by using filters. Brazil will start 26-year-old fullback Matheuzinho of Corinthians, a player who has never played outside of his nation in club football.
- Multiple Golden Guitar winner Tom Curtain to return to Port Hedland as part of tour A multiple Golden Guitar winner and horseman extraordinaire is bringing his national award winning Katherine Outback Experience to the Pilbara once again.
- Chess: Uzbekistan and Germany share Samarkand lead; 11-year-old Sivanandan shines England have lost twice, first to the No 2 seeds India, then in a shock against Uzbekistan’s second team, while England women have performed well.
- Italy bans burqas in schools, caps numbers of foreign students per class Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's cabinet has adopted a decree law banning burqas and niqabs in schools and capping the number of students with a poor command of Italian per.
- Mind Ed to host coastal walk and talk for Mental Health Week In celebration of mental health week, Mind Ed is hosting a coastal walk and talk in Margaret River.
- Lucky to have him: Wallabies shift Suaalii to the wing The Wallabies' unbeaten start under new coach Les Kiss will be put to the test on Sunday when they take on world champions South Africa in Perth.
- Dockers fans to marry outside MCG during AFL grand final Fremantle fans Danni Bloomfield and Matt Abbott have flown to Melbourne from Karratha to get married outside the MCG on Saturday morning before they head in to watch their Dockers.
- Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii given nod to start on wing for Wallabies against South Africa The Wallabies will start rugby league recruit Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii on the wing for the first time in a new-look backfield for Sunday’s Test against the Springboks in Perth.
- I went looking for the poo at Coogee beach but all I found was a beautiful day for a swim In 1989, a Turn Back the Tide concert at Bondi beach drew more than 200,000 people protesting severe ocean sewage pollution on Sydney’s coastline.
- Israeli footballer Saied Abu Farchi sent off after gun gesture goal celebration Israel forward Saied Abu Farchi was sent off for celebrating his goal against Austria in their 3-1 UEFA Nations League defeat on Friday by using the corner flag to simulate.
- New Malayalee body celebrates official inauguration alongside joyful program of Onamaholsavam festivities Albany now has two bodies representing the Malayalee community after Organisation of Resident Malayalees Albany combined its official inauguration with new year celebrations.
- New generation of students carries Tongan culture forward Twenty-four students from Robinvale Secondary College's Tongan dance group Si'i Kae Hā have travelled to Melbourne to perform in a cultural showcase.
- Brazil’s big-name squad meets mega hype from soccer fanatics Fans of the Socceroos and the Brazilian national team have turned out in Townsville to welcome the players ahead of Friday night's friendly match.
- CDC opens state ordering for COVID-19 vaccines after unexplained delay On Wednesday, Ars Technica reported that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had still not opened ordering for 2026–2027 COVID-19 vaccines through the Vaccines for Children program.
- Pumpkin mosaic of David Attenborough breaks world record A British farm has unveiled a giant pumpkin mosaic of Sir David Attenborough to celebrate the naturalist's 100th birthday.
- Israel’s Saied Abu Farchi sent off for corner flag celebration in defeat by Austria Israel’s forward Saied Abu Farchi was sent off for celebrating his goal against Austria in his side’s 3-1 Nations League defeat on Thursday by using the corner flag to simulate.
- NASA Shares SpaceX Crew-14 Assignments for Space Station Mission Four crew members from three space agencies will launch to the International Space Station no earlier than spring 2027 for a long-duration science expedition as part of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-14.
- What keeps Fremantle's purple army going? In the cold, hard light of day, supporting your favourite footy team is an illogical exercise.
- Why Evonne Goolagong Cawley is choosing joy even in the face of illness She taught herself to hit a ball against a water tank at home, But for this international tennis phenom, perhaps her most enduring lesson came from her mother.
- Belarus leader Lukashenko frees 15 after US talks Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko has released 15 prisoners in a move that comes just weeks after 25 people were freed in earlier pardons.
- Monochrome magic to the allure of aluminium: The art of portraiture From early Roman-Egyptian portraits to the modern-day selfie, people seem to have an enduring fascination with the human face.
- Geraldton’s Eric Kyanga downs former Australian champion to be crowned WA Golden Gloves champion Geraldton boxer Eric Kyanga overcame the class and experience of a former Australian champion to walk away as Boxing WA’s 2026 85kg Golden Gloves champion.
- Raphinha: ‘In my head I was leaving Barça but a few small words can change you’ Two years ago the Brazilian thought his time at Barcelona was ending but, two La Liga titles later, he is now captain and the most potent No 9 in Europe.
- Kylie Minogue ready for Melbourne homecoming in blockbuster AFL grand final show Kylie Minogue ready for Melbourne homecoming in blockbuster AFL grand final show.
- Sydney Archbishop calls on government to withdraw funding as Divine Playhouse resurrects The Museum of Contemporary Art announced that the Divine Playhouse would return and reunite more than 50 artists for a three-night celebration in October.