Morning everyone. The huge expansion in the use of peptides such as Ozempic has spawned an online market where customers can buy experimental, injectable versions of the drugs that have not been approved for use by regulators, provided they get a prescription.
We have a report on how slashing tax on cigarettes might not be enough to entice smokers back into the legal market, the scourge of luxury developments in Sydney, US Democrats expressing alarm at Donald Trump’s brinkmanship in Venezuela, and the Christmas miracle of lead roles for “cranky lesbians” in two hit TV dramas.
Australia
Knock-down price | The trend of knocking down older blocks of flats to replace them with a smaller number of luxury apartments in parts of Sydney could see community support for development dive, federal independent MP Allegra Spender has warned.
Exclusive | Slashing the tobacco excise might not be enough to lure smokers back to legal cigarettes, and could even widen the multibillion-dollar hole blown in the budget by the booming illicit trade, new research shows.
Clinic concern | A senior pharmacology academic has expressed concern about the apparent ability of potential customers to browse experimental peptides, which claim to be able to help with muscle repair and ageing, before having a GP consultation.
Health standoff | Anthony Albanese is pressing state and territory leaders to accept more than $20bn in extra spending for public hospitals or the federal government will pursue “other options” to end a protracted standoff over health funding.
Expenses ‘value’ | As the Albanese government rejected calls to tighten the rules around public servants expensing short-haul business-class flights, the prime minister tried to get ahead of more criticism around expenses by saying that bureaucrats should look for “value for money at all times”.
World
‘Sleepwalking’ into war | Senior Democratic lawmakers and at least one Republican have condemned the seizure of a Venezuelan oil tanker off the nation’s coast, with one saying Donald Trump is “sleepwalking us into a war with Venezuela”. Here’s what we know about the incident. Free speech advocates have continued to attack a plan to check the social media posts of visitors to the US. Follow developments in Washington live.
‘1930s’ warning | The US is engaging in “extreme rightwing tropes” with echoes of the 1930s and threatening “chilling” interference in European democracies, British MPs have warned.
Iran | A child bride who was due to be executed this month in Iran over the death of her husband has had her life spared by his parents, who were paid the equivalent of £70,000, or around A$140,000, in exchange for their forgiveness.
‘Fed up’ | The Bulgarian government has collapsed after less than a year in office amid a series of anti-corruption protests and concerns about rising prices before joining the eurozone next month.
Headscarf ban | Lawmakers in Austria have voted overwhelmingly to ban headscarves in schools for girls under the age of 14, despite concerns the legislation will deepen societal divisions and marginalise Muslims.
Full Story
Newsroom edition: Labor’s ambition and the Coalition’s existential crisis in 2025
Bridie Jabour talks to the editor, Lenore Taylor, and deputy editors Patrick Keneally and Gabrielle Jackson about Labor’s ambitions, the Coalition’s existential crisis and the stories that will define the year to come.
In-depth
NSW Health resisted government advice to strengthen protections for children exposed to lead in Broken Hill, despite internal documents acknowledging that far lower blood lead levels than those recognised in current guidelines can harm developing brains.
Newly released documents reveal the Department of Premier and Cabinet urged a whole-of-government response to consider lowering the blood lead investigation threshold – the level at which a child’s blood test result should trigger a health response – from 5 micrograms of lead per decilitre (5μg/dL) to 3.5μg/dL.
Not the news
Rebecca Shaw celebrates the “Christmas miracle” of two “cranky lesbians” as the leads in two current hit TV streaming shows. One is Pluribus, starring Rhea Seehorn from Better Call Saul, while Claire Danes plays a writer who has to figure out whether her new neighbour is a killer in The Beast In Me.
Sport
World Cup | Fifa has been urged to halt World Cup ticket sales after it emerged countries’ most loyal fans faced paying “extortionate” prices for tickets, with the cheapest for the final coming in at more than $US4,000.
Football | Garang Kuol’s cameo against Argentina at the 2022 World Cup suggested a bright future. But what happened to the wonder kid after he joined Newcastle United?
Football | Xabi Alonso is on increasingly thin ice after his Real Madrid team lost at home to Manchester City, while we have a full Champions League review here.
Media roundup
A Bendigo council review of the city’s 2025 writers’ festival has recommended a one-year hiatus, the ABC reports. The Telegraph reckons a splurge by Australians on AC/DC, Oasis and cricket tickets pushed inflation higher and blocked off an RBA rate cut. The Courier Mail hopes waiting times at Brisbane airport will be slashed thanks to “game-changing” security changes. And an angler is doing his bit to help revive the blue nose cod after years of devastating droughts, the Central Western Daily reports.
What’s happening today
Resources | Mining firm Regis challenges Tanya Plibersek’s decision preventing part of the McPhillamys gold project.
Sydney | Juliana Nkrumah gives the Australian Human Rights awards and Human Rights Day oration at UTS at 5.30pm.
Melbourne | Special ceremony and public concert at 6.30pm to mark Victoria’s Indigenous treaty.
Sign up
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Brain teaser
And finally, here are the Guardian’s crosswords to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow.
