Illicit tobacco crackdown: The federal government is backing Queensland’s tougher enforcement model after legal cigarette sales jumped 55% in the first month, with sales staying 40–45% above baseline for months—Canberra says the approach could disrupt black-market gangs and fund itself through extra excise and GST. Politics in sync: After election shake-ups, both the Liberals and Greens are signalling a pivot toward the “centre”, with Sussan Ley pushing a “sensible centre” and Greens leader Larissa Waters promising to be “firm but constructive” to “get shit done”. AI regulation debate: Lina Khan warns AI firms that self-regulation will fail, urging tougher rules as governments grapple with fast-moving frontier systems. Flydubai terror probe: Australian counter-terror teams are investigating links to the flydubai co-pilot accused of attacking a captain and attempting to hijack a Tel Aviv-bound flight, including alleged study in Melbourne. Energy homes boom: Rooftop solar and home batteries are surging—more than 180,000 solar installs and 276,000 battery installs in the first half of 2026—accelerating the shift away from fossil generation. Climate pressure at COP31: Australia’s coal expansion plans are set to face renewed scrutiny at a pre-COP31 summit in Fiji, with Pacific leaders challenging Canberra’s fossil-fuel stance. NRL grand final fallout: Roosters captain James Tedesco capped a “burning desire” premiership as Newcastle fans packed local screens despite a 19–18 loss.