A 70-year-old woman in Seattle drove her SUV onto light rail tracks and travelled nearly 400 metres before becoming stuck near a station. The incident forced authorities to shut down power to the line while crews worked to remove the vehicle, bringing the city's light rail network to a standstill and leaving commuters stunned.

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A two-year-old Tasmanian devil named Mary has escaped from her quarantine enclosure at a Gold Coast wildlife park after making an extraordinarily high leap. CCTV footage has captured her daring escape on Tuesday morning, prompting an expanded search operation. Authorities are using thermal imaging equipment and food traps to locate and recapture the endangered animal.

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The United States has proposed a 12.5% tariff on Australia, the European Union, and 58 other countries, alleging they are allowing goods made with forced labour into their supply chains. Australian Trade Minister Don Farrell has rejected the claims as unjustified and inconsistent with the free trade agreement, stating Australia already has robust legislation addressing forced labour and modern slavery. The proposed tariffs come as Donald Trump's existing temporary 10% tariffs are set to expire next month.

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A lolly shop in the United States has replaced inflatable tube advertising with real employees performing wacky, waving movements outside the store to attract customers. The unconventional marketing tactic features staff members mimicking the bendable, attention-grabbing motions typically associated with inflatable advertising tubes, creating a humorous and memorable shopping experience.

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Nurses and midwives at Lyell McEwin Hospital in Adelaide's north are conducting a 24-hour strike commencing at 7am, demanding a 20% pay rise after a year-long dispute. Simultaneously, around 100 Parks Victoria staff are preparing to walk off the job over a pay dispute with the state government, resulting in the closure of numerous popular camping grounds and national parks over the King's birthday long weekend. The union claims rangers' pay is lagging behind other workers, with the deadline for resolution expiring at midnight.

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Brisbane leads Australia and outperforms global cities like London, Dubai and Los Angeles in early morning trading, with a third of cafes and restaurants opening between 6-7am. The city has a nightlife ambassador in Powderfinger bassist John J.C. Collins and is now considering appointing a dawn commissioner to capitalise on its pre-dawn economy. This push towards round-the-clock trading aims to establish Brisbane as a global city ahead of the 2032 Olympics.

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New South Wales Premier Chris Minns has proposed legislation allowing medicinal cannabis users with valid medical certificates to drive with limited THC levels in their system. The proposal would affect approximately 300,000 drivers and includes a three-strike policy, though the specific THC threshold has not yet been determined. Road safety advocates, anti-drug groups and victims have expressed opposition to the controversial measure.

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Waymo, the world's first fully autonomous ride-hailing service, now operates in 11 American cities with over half a million trips per week since launching in 2020. The driverless taxi company is exploring expansion to Sydney, with the NSW Premier expressing support for bringing the technology to Australia. The vehicles use advanced cameras, sensors and artificial intelligence to navigate roads, though safety incidents have occurred including cars driving into floodwaters and blocking emergency vehicles.

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A severe weather system is moving across Australia from west to east, causing widespread destruction. After battering Western Australia and South Australia, the dangerous system is now targeting Victoria, where some areas are expected to receive a month's worth of rainfall in just 12 hours. Melbourne has been confirmed as one of the worst affected areas.

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A man presented to a Melbourne Emergency Department with suspected Ebola symptoms after travelling near the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, where an outbreak is occurring. He was isolated and tested as per protocol, with results clearing him of the virus. Australia has never recorded a case of Ebola, and health experts maintain the global risk remains low despite the US closing borders to non-citizens from affected African nations.

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