• Australia news live: Greens call for 25% gas export tax; house price surge wipes out benefits of three interest rate cuts

    Greens senator Steph Hodgins-May says gas corporations have created a “crisis” that Australian households have had to pay for. Follow today’s news live

    Final stage of early childhood educator pay rise kicks in

    Early childhood educators will receive a 5% pay rise today, the last instalment of a promised 15% wage increase by Labor.

    Our early educators deserve to be paid fairly for that work. That’s why we’re delivering this 15 per cent pay rise, with the final 5 per cent hitting the pay packets of early educators from tomorrow.

    We know the pay rise is working to bring more people into sector and help to keep the great educators we’ve already got.

    Continue reading…


    Source: World news | The Guardian.

  • 30 Best Cyber Monday Tech Deals (2025)

    guide to the best Cyber Monday tech deals, where we can promise you two things: these devices are worth buying (we’ve tested and recommended every one of them), and these are actual discounts (not the year-round price). So, whether you need an upgrade, want to treat yourself, or are seeking a great gift, we have you covered.

    Want a wider range of deals? Check out the Absolute Best Black Friday Deals roundup to find more bargains this sale weekend.

    Updated November 30: We’ve added deals on Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 and Galaxy Z Flip7, Galaxy S25, S25+, S25 Ultra, Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus, Apple AirPods Pro 2, and Apple Watch SE 3.

    • Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
    • Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
    • Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
    • Photograph: Julian Chokkattu

    The Google Pixel 10 is one of the best Android phones you can buy. Easy to recommend at full price, the Pixel 10 is an absolute bargain with this discount. You get an excellent triple-camera system with a 5X optical zoom sensor, support for Qi2 wireless charging, so you can magnetically attach to wireless chargers and docks, and Google’s super smart software features (Call Screen to filter out spam calls is our favorite). Learn more in the Best Pixel Phones guide.

    • Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
    • Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
    • Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
    • Photograph: Julian Chokkattu

    The Pixel 9a is our top smartphone choice for most people, and it’s now $50 cheaper than it was on Black Friday itself. At $349, you’re getting a smooth-performing smartphone with a reliable dual-camera system that’s unmatched at this price, not to mention day-long battery life and a completely flat camera lens system for anyone who hates giant camera bumps. Oh, and it’ll get 7 years of software updates.

    Sony’s A7 IV is the best mirrorless camera on the market (for most people). It’s a 33-megapixel, full-frame camera with a brilliant autofocus system, impressive dynamic range, and crisp images. There’s an expansive range of 4K video options as well, along with customizable buttons to set up your preferences, so you don’t have to always rummage through the menus. Reviewer Scott Gilbertson found the grip to be super comfortable and the camera to be light enough to endure for long periods without any back strain. —Boutayna Chokrane

    Image may contain: Electronics, Mobile Phone, and Phone
    Photograph: Ryan Waniata

    If you’re shopping for open earbuds so that you can enjoy your music but still be aware of your surroundings, the Soundcore Aeroclip is the best we’ve tested so far. Reviewer Ryan Waniata praises the comfort, sound quality, usability, and value. The sound is wide and balanced, and the built-in controls are ideal for runs. Waniata likes to use them during outdoor activities, like hiking or biking, but he finds them especially helpful when he’s cooking dinner and needs to stay alert for his newborn’s cries. —Boutayna Chokrane

    Child's wrist with a digital wristwatch and the screen showing the time and game points earned
    Photograph: Adrienne So

    Editor Adrienne So says the Fitbit Ace LTE is the first fitness tracker she’s gotten her kids to use. It’s a fitness tracker (designed with Fitbit’s health sensors), gaming device, and location tracker. The $10/monthly subscription includes both LTE connectivity and Fitbit Arcade, which has a variety of movement-based games that get children on their feet and incentivize them to keep their watches on. They can call and text their guardians (and other approved contacts) through the Fitbit Ace app, and their location is trackable via Google Find My. —Boutayna Chokrane

    Philips Hue Festavia lights
    Photograph: Philips

    This is a rare and tasty deal on my favorite Xmas lights. They work indoors or out, can be scheduled, and support a bunch of lovely animated effects. While I’m mentioning Philips Hue and its excellent but horribly expensive wares, you might want to check out some of its other Cyber Monday deals. My picks would be the wall washers ($316), TV lightstrip ($129), and HDMI sync box ($270).

    The Asus RT-BE58U is perhaps the ideal Wi-Fi 7 upgrade for modest homes and apartments still struggling with the crappy router their internet service provider sent, and that’s why it tops our Best Wi-Fi Routers guide. It’s easy to set up and use, can cover up to 2,000 square feet, and boasts plenty of ports. As a dual-band router, it lacks the 6-GHz band, but has all the other advantages of Wi-Fi 7. There’s also support for VPN service, separate IoT or guest networks, and Ai Mesh.

    Don’t ask me why they keep taking our ports away. God forbid you should want to plug something into your laptop. Well, you can stick it to those minimalist designers with the best laptop docking station. This one doubles as a wedge to prop your laptop up and has a storage slot.

    These wireless noise-canceling headphones may not be the latest release from Sony, but they are still an excellent pair of cans with a far deeper discount. The Sony WH-1000XM5 are relatively light and comfortable, producing accomplished sound in every scenario, and have great control options.

    You can spend a lot on a TV, but you can also get a great screen without breaking the bank, and the TCL QM6K proves it. This is the best TV for most people right now as it offers excellent color and processing, all the apps you want, and great performance, even in bright rooms. There are discounts across the range of screen sizes.

    Image may contain: Electronics, Remote Control, Adapter, and Smoke Pipe
    Photograph: Parker Hall

    Roku

    Streaming Stick Plus (2025)

    If you want to get the latest streaming apps on an older TV, the Roku Streaming Stick Plus is for you. It’s easy to set up, works reliably, and has a handy voice remote that makes finding content easier than ever. It slots neatly behind most TVs, and Roku’s interface is nice and clear.

    • Photograph: Brenda Stolyar
    • Photograph: Brenda Stolyar

    Apple doesn’t really do sales, but other retailers do. This is the lowest price we’ve seen on a solid iPad the whole family can enjoy. The Apple iPad (A16, 2025) performs great for most tasks, looks pretty nice, and has a 12-megapixel camera. It is honestly all the iPad most folks need for surfing the web and streaming shows in bed. With iPadOS 26 and the new windowing apps feature, you can even comfortably do some work if you pair it with a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse.

    Handy as they are for keeping you connected when your phone dies unexpectedly, portable chargers can be very same-y. The reason the Nimble Champ tops our Best Power Banks guide is Nimble’s focus on the environment. It’s made from 90 percent certified recycled plastic and comes in fully biodegradable packaging. It also works well, with capacities starting from 5,200 mAh, with USB-A and USB-C ports, and up to 15-watt charging.

    • Photograph: Nena Farrell
    • Photograph: Nena Farrell
    • Courtesy of Amazon

    Amazon

    Kindle Paperwhite (2024, 12th Generation)

    Yes, you should read more, and Amazon’s Kindle e-readers make it easier to do exactly that. Our current favorite is the Kindle Paperwhite (12th generation). It has a sharp 7-inch display, auto-adjusting warm light, three-month battery life, snappy performance, and it’s slim and light, making it comfortable to hold. It even has integration with Overdrive for your library books and support for several languages.

    The reMarkable 2 is one of the best digital notebooks, offering a paperlike writing experience, intuitive software, and several weeks of battery life. This is a budget model, so it lacks front light and color, but it’s still a decent device. Bundles where you choose both a marker and folio are heavily discounted right now, and they’re not often on sale, so it’s a good time to snap one up.

    Image may contain: Computer, Computer Hardware, Computer Keyboard, Electronics, and Hardware
    Photograph: Julian Chokkattu

    Keychron boards are popular here at WIRED, and the Q6 HE is our current pick of the best mechanical keyboards. Sturdy, satisfying to type on, with a lovely retro aesthetic, what more do you need? Well, the Q6 HE also boasts hot-swappable Hall Effect switches, four macro keys, and is relatively easy to customize or repair.

    Slender black charger with two metal prongs protruding
    Photograph: Julian Chokkattu

    The great thing about Nomad’s 65-watt charger is that it’s incredibly slim, with flip-out prongs, so it can slip easily into small pockets in your bag or purse. You get dual USB-C ports, and can pull 45 watts out of the left port and 20 out of the right. Or, if you’re just charging one device, the full 65 watts is enough for any phone, most tablets, and even some MacBooks or Windows laptops (though they may not charge at top speed).

    • Photograph: Simon Hill
    • Photograph: Simon Hill
    • Photograph: Simon Hill
    • Photograph: Simon Hill

    You know what I don’t miss in the slightest? Mowing the lawn. A good robot mower, like this relatively affordable one from newcomer Anthbot, will do it for you, quietly. No wire required; it recharges itself, you just set a schedule and relax. OK, it sometimes leaves a verge, but the only model I’ve tried that doesn’t is more than twice the price.

    • Photograph: Simon Hill
    • Photograph: Simon Hill

    Sharp 2K video, color night vision, a wide 160-degree field of view, and clear two-way audio make the Arlo Pro 5S easy to recommend for folks seeking a security camera. You also get AI recognition for people and pets, a siren to scare intruders, and the quick-loading Arlo app. But you need Arlo Secure ($8 per month for one camera or $13 per month for unlimited cameras) for subject recognition, smart alerts, and cloud storage. The Arlo Pro 5S is our pick of the best outdoor security cameras.

    • Photograph: Simon Hill
    • Photograph: Simon Hill

    I love my Oura Ring 4. It accurately tracks my sleep, activity, and stress levels and offers insights that I find genuinely useful. It’s also very comfortable, the app is super slick, with new features being added all the time, and it’s far less obtrusive than any other kind of tracker you could wear. The catch is a subscription, but this is still the best of the best smart rings.

    It’s the thoughtful design that elevates the Backbone One above the rest of the best mobile controllers. Slot your phone into the compact cradle, with a USB-C jack for speedy connectivity, and you get satisfyingly clicky and responsive controls plus a 3.5-mm headphone port. You can also customize it for different games, or even use Backbone’s software as a one-stop gaming hub, if you’re willing to pay a subscription.

    Yes, there is a new version of the Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarers, but the good news is that the old pair is now on sale. If you can stomach Meta AI’s privacy policies, there’s a strong argument that it has won the smart glasses race already (at least, so far). The best smart glasses must be easy to wear, and these look great and help offload things from your phone, so you don’t have to dip into that pocket quite as much.

    • Photograph: Ryan Waniata
    • Photograph: Ryan Waniata
    • Photograph: Ryan Waniata

    The JBL Flip 7 is the Bluetooth speaker that has it all. It’s durable, it has stamina, it produces a punchy sound, and it comes in fun colors. As the best Bluetooth speaker you can buy, this deal is for real.

    Tonies Toniebox speaker
    Courtesy of Tonies

    Toniebox is our favorite speaker for young kids, particularly ages three through seven. It’s essentially a squishy cube that plays stories and songs tied to different characters (aka Tonies). It’s activated when your child places the figurine on top of the speaker. There are so many Tonies to choose from. Peppa Pig, Moana, Winnie the Pooh, the list goes on. You can also buy Creative Tonies to record your own audio. Super easy to use, and the cutesy ears double as volume controls. —Boutayna Chokrane

    Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup book cover
    Courtesy of Vintage

    Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup

    The best tech books unpack the rise and fall of the characters that invented the stuff that runs our lives. The New York Times and former Wall Street Journal reporter John Carreyrou writes about Elizabeth Holmes, as she miserably fails to build a blood testing machine that would allegedly eliminate the need for hypodermic needles. Her company raised hundreds of millions of dollars, but its technology was inaccurate. Rather than admit defeat, she pressed on, which is why Holmes was put on trial for fraud and sentenced to 11 years in prison. —Boutayna Chokrane

    Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S25 has been heavily discounted all Cyber Weekend, probably because its successors are right around the corner (the Galaxy S26 series is expected to be announced in January). But we still love these excellent smartphones. The S25 is the smallest, the S25+ gets a few extra perks, plus a bigger screen and better battery life, and the Galaxy S25 Ultra has a dual telephoto camera system, integrated S Pen stylus, and a beefy battery. Be sure to check out the Best Samsung Phones guide for the full scoop. —Molly Higgins

    • Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
    • Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
    • Photograph: Julian Chokkattu

    You’re not like other girls; you have a folding phone. In all seriousness, folding phones are not as fragile as they used to be, with durability improving while remaining slim. We love the Galaxy Z Fold7 because it’s amazingly slim and versatile. You can use the front screen like normal, and when you need extra real estate, open the device up. You can view apps on a much larger scale or easily split-screen two apps. If you’re not feeling a folding phone, the updated Galaxy Z Flip7 has a more usable front screen. Read our Best Folding Phones guide to decide which is best for you at the discounted price this Cyber Weekend. —Molly Higgins

    Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus
    Courtesy of Lenovo

    Lenovo

    Flex 5i Chromebook Plus

    The Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus is super cheap and compact, with a small touchscreen for more versatility. Especially with the Cyber Monday discount, it’s one of the most affordable Chromebook Plus models you can find, plus WIRED reviewer Luke Larsen thinks it’s in a whole different league over standard Chromebooks at this price because of its improved screen with a 360-degree hinge and touchscreen, fast performance, more storage, and crisp webcam. —Molly Higgins

    Apple AirPods Pro 2, two white earbuds, in an open oval shaped case sitting on a wooden surface
    Photograph: Christopher Null

    Even though they’re an older model, we like these AirPods because of their hearing aid feature, comfort, and outstanding streaming experience. If you’re an iPhone user, you should have some AirPods, and we still think these are a good choice for most people because of their active noise cancellation, sound quality, and easy pairing within the Apple ecosystem. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that they’re nearly 25 percent off for Cyber Monday. —Molly Higgins

    We on the WIRED Reviews team still think this is the best Apple Watch for most people. With its newest upgrade, it now has the latest S10 chip, a Liquid Glass display, Workout Buddy, and wrist-flick gestures. If you have an iPhone, this accessory is a no-brainer. It makes a great gift for yourself or others, and is seriously discounted at only $200 right now. —Molly Higgins


    Power up with unlimited access to WIRED. Get best-in-class reporting and exclusive subscriber content that’s too important to ignore. Subscribe Today.


    Source: Wired.

  • LSU‘s courtship of Lane Kiffin has come to an end, as he’s leaving the school to take the job in Baton Rouge and will not coach Ole Miss in the College Football Playoff.

    He announced both things Sunday afternoon, the culmination of a weeks-long saga that hung over the sport, prompted viscous debate and puts Kiffin in the unprecedented position of a head coach leaving his team and not coaching them in the College Football Playoff.

    “After a lot of prayer and time spent with family, I made the difficult decision to accept the head coaching position at LSU,” Kiffin said in a statement Sunday.

    His deal with LSU is for seven years and is worth approximately $12 million annually, with the potential for bonuses, a source told ESPN’s Pete Thamel. That would make him one of the highest-paid coaches in the sport.

    Ole Miss responded quickly, promoting defensive coordinator Pete Golding to the school’s full-time coach soon after Kiffin left the football building for LSU.

    Kiffin, 50, and the Rebels just wrapped up an 11-1 regular season with a 38-19 win over rival Mississippi State, all but assuring them a berth in the 12-team College Football Playoff.

    After saying he would decide Saturday whether he’ll coach at Ole Miss or LSU in 2026, Kiffin met with Rebels athletics director Keith Carter and chancellor Glenn Boyce for a couple of hours Saturday at the chancellor’s home in Oxford.

    He also sought the advice of former Alabama coach Nick Saban and Las Vegas Raiders coach Pete Carroll, his former boss at USC, over the past few weeks.

    “I was hoping to complete a historic six season run with this year’s team by leading Ole Miss through the playoffs, capitalizing on the team’s incredible success and their commitment to finish strong, and investing everything into a playoff run with guardrails in place to protect the program in any areas of concern,” Kiffin said in his statement.

    “My request to do so was denied by Keith Carter despite the team also asking him to allow me to keep coaching them so they could better maintain their high level of performance. Unfortunately, that means Friday’s Egg Bowl was my last game coaching the Rebels.”

    The naming of Golding as the head coach will lead to continuity at Ole Miss in 2026 and beyond, especially on the defensive side of the ball.

    “[Golding’s] tenure will begin immediately as he leads our program in the pursuit of a national title,” Carter said in a statement. “Today’s team meeting was a clear indicator of his ability to galvanize our squad. All of our players and coaches are ecstatic and ready to lock arms for a playoff run.

    “From the moment he arrived in Oxford, we quickly realized Pete is a coach who could not only lead a program but elevate it to championship status. He has demonstrated an exceptional football mind, but more than that, he has shown a deep understanding of our culture, values and what it means to be part of the Ole Miss family. Simply put, Pete is one of us.”

    Kiffin’s decision was supposed to come Saturday, and there was a delay in part because the result of the Iron Bowl late Saturday impacted whether or not Ole Miss would have played this week. Kiffin also met with some players in the football building on Sunday, and he pointed out in his statement that the players wanted him to coach in the CFP.

    Part of the drama unfolding Saturday revolved around Ole Miss staff members and who would end up going with Kiffin. The Rebels’ brass wanted to protect their staff to keep things as normal as possible for the postseason. Kiffin would obviously take some of his staff with him, and the timing of those departures came into focus as discussions went on during the day.

    Ole Miss officials are being aggressive with staff salaries, as there’s a high focus on retention, sources told ESPN.

    On the offensive side for Ole Miss, quarterback coach Joe Judge, a longtime NFL coordinator and head coach, has agreed to stay on staff, sources told ESPN. Judge’s role hasn’t been formalized yet, but Ole Miss officials and Golding made clear early on he was a priority staff member to stay in Oxford. He coached Trinidad Chambliss and Jaxson Dart while in Oxford.

    A former Ole Miss player himself, Golding is in his third season on the Rebels’ staff after serving five years as a top defensive assistant at Alabama under Saban.

    “Ole Miss Football is special,” Golding said in a statement. “Since the day I arrived, I’ve felt the passion, pride and unwavering support of Rebel Nation. This is a place where expectations are high, and football is woven into the fabric of the community. Our mission moving forward is clear: we will play with toughness, discipline and relentless effort in everything we do.”

    Kiffin’s decision included an only-in-the-SEC drama that ensnared three prominent schools, as Florida had expressed interest in Kiffin earlier in their search. When that wasn’t reciprocated, they hired Tulane coach Jon Sumrall.

    Kiffin has guided the Rebels to a 55-19 record in his six seasons — only Alabama (67-12) and Georgia (71-8) have more wins in the SEC since the start of the 2020 season. The Rebels have the eighth-most wins among power-conference teams during that stretch.

    LSU has a championship brand in multiple sports; state-of-the-art facilities; a rabid, regional fan following; and a legendary, historic home football venue in Tiger Stadium (nicknamed Death Valley), which towers over the banks of the Mississippi River and holds 102,000 spectators — 38,000 more than Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

    The lone football coach of LSU’s past four who did not win a national championship was Kelly. He was fired in late October during his fourth season — a seismic development that also led then-athletic director Scott Woodward to resign under pressure from Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry.

    The Associated Press contributed to this report.


    Source: www.espn.com – TOP.