Seven men have been charged over an alleged $8 million international car theft operation in Brisbane that targeted Toyota vehicles. The syndicate allegedly stole approximately 60 Toyota Land Cruisers, Prados and RAV4s over six weeks using a hacking device that drills into vehicles to disable security systems. Police allege the stolen cars were shipped to the United Arab Emirates hidden in shipping containers, with the men facing almost 400 charges.

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Australia faces extreme weather conditions with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees across Victoria and South Australia, bringing the most dangerous fire conditions since the 2019 Black Summer bushfires. Simultaneously, a tropical low in the Coral Sea has a 35% chance of developing into a cyclone, threatening far north Queensland which has already received over a metre of rain. The flooding has killed more than 16,000 head of livestock, prompting a $38 million federal and state government rescue package.

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CES, the world's largest consumer electronics show in Las Vegas, showcases emerging technology including Samsung's Galaxy Z Trifold smartphone with the biggest screen ever on a mobile device, the Freestyle Plus AI-powered projector with auto-focus and obstacle detection, and LEGO's smart bricks that react to children's play without screens. The exhibition features design-focused speakers, concept devices like a vinyl record player with a touchscreen display, and a heavy emphasis on robotics and AI integration across consumer products.

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A 243-kilogram bluefin tuna sold for a record $4.8 million at a Tokyo fish market. Kyoshi Kimura, operator of a popular sushi chain known as the 'tuna king', purchased the fish at the new year's auction, where the year's first tuna is believed to bring good luck. The multi-million dollar fish was sliced up and served to customers at his restaurants shortly after the auction.

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Australian actors Jacob Elordi and Sarah Snook won at the 2026 Critics' Choice Awards in Los Angeles. Brisbane-born Elordi, 28, received Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Frankenstein, marking his first major acting award. Snook won Best Actress in a Limited Series for her role in All Her Fault.

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Donald Trump has warned multiple countries including Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, Iran and Greenland could face US military intervention similar to Venezuela. The United Nations has condemned the Venezuelan operation as a breach of international law, while questions arise about the UN's power to constrain Trump's actions. Additional topics include a proposed compulsory third-party insurance scheme for e-bike owners in New South Wales following approximately 40 national deaths, and a viral incident where a theatre patron demanded security remove audience members singing during a Broadway performance of Mamma Mia!

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Cake Picnic is launching in Sydney's Royal Botanic Gardens in March, following successful events in the United States. The social gathering requires attendees to bring their own cake for entry, operating as a baker's version of a clothes swap where participants share and eat different cakes together.

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A resurfaced clip of Larry David sparks debate about how long it's socially acceptable to wish someone a Happy New Year. David argues three days is the maximum, while others suggest the first week or even the entire month of January is appropriate, particularly when seeing someone for the first time.

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Nicolas Maduro, Venezuela's former president, is in custody at a New York detention centre following a CIA-led military operation that extracted him from Venezuela in the dead of night. The Trump administration has announced it will run Venezuela until a stable government is installed, whilst China and Russia have condemned the intervention and demanded Maduro's immediate release. The operation involved months of intelligence gathering, including a double agent within Maduro's inner circle, and has sparked debate about the precedent it sets for international military intervention.

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New childcare reforms guarantee all eligible Australian families three days of subsidised childcare per week, removing activity requirements for the first 72 hours of fortnightly care. Households earning up to a combined $530,000 can now access the subsidy without meeting work or study requirements for these initial three days, with activity tests only applying to additional days of care. The changes aim to help parents return to the workforce while providing children access to regulated early childhood education.

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