Apparently you don’t need to be able to speak French to be a French Scrabble champ

New Zealander wins French Scrabble champ after learning enough words from a dictionary. Read more here.

Bill Shorten announces policy backflip on asylum seeker boat turnbacks

Labor leader Bill Shorten has guaranteed a showdown at the party’s national conference with a proposal to allow asylum seeker boat turnbacks. Read more here.

Walks like Earth, talks like Earth: NASA discovers ‘Earth 2.0’

The planet is not too hot, not too cold. Perhaps just right for aliens. Read more here.

Joe Hockey hit with huge legal bill

Treasurer’s legal costs in case against Fairfax could dwarf his damages cheque. Read more here.

Reports finds almost six million Aussies illegally pirate content

Research finds government measures no deterrent, identifies optimum price for streaming content. Read more here.

Hackers threaten to expose 37 million clients of dating website for cheaters, Ashley Madison

Online dating site, which specialises in adultery and has the tagline “Life is short. Have an affair”, has been the victim of a cyber attack. Read more here.

Aussie champion completes Rubik’s Cube in under six seconds

Feliks Zemdegs completed the traditional 3x3x3 Rubik’s Cube in 5.69 seconds at the World Rubik’s Cube Championships.

Aussie rock legend Jimmy Barnes tells anti-immigration group ‘Reclaim Australia’ to stop using his music in promotions

Rock and roll icon Jimmy Barnes has politely asked pro-nationalist, anti-Islam groups to stop using his songs in its protests. Read more here.

Bronwyn Bishop won’t apologise for $5000 helicopter trip paid for by taxpayers

Speaker Bronwyn Bishop refuses to apologise for her “error of judgment” in charging taxpayers more than $5000 for a chartered helicopter from Melbourne to Geelong. Read more here.

Someone threw dollar bills at ex-FIFA president Sepp Blatter. Sepp was not impressed

A furious FIFA president Sepp Blatter has been trolled by a serial prankster trying to “buy” the 2026 World Cup for North Korea. Read more here.

Aussie surfer Mick Fanning fought a shark, and won

Mick Fanning says surviving a shark attack in South Africa without any form of injury was a “miracle”. Read more here.

Bill Shorten’s popularity hit a whole new low

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has received his worst ever approval rating, despite support for the ALP hitting a four-month high. Read more here.

Australia demolished England in the second Ashes Test

Australia have squared the Ashes series in emphatic fashion, crushing England by 405 runs on day four of the second Test. Read more here.