As ex-police officer Beaumont Lamarre-Condon's months-long double murder trial draws closer, prosecutors could call hundreds of witnesses to give evidence.

The 30-year-old has pleaded not guilty to murdering TV presenter Jesse Baird and his flight attendant partner Luke Davies at their inner-city Sydney home in February 2024.

Lamarre-Condon briefly dated Baird.

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With a three-month trial due to begin in September, the former officer appeared by audio-visual link from Long Bay prison for a short court hearing today.

Wearing a prison-issued green top, he spoke only to confirm that he could hear NSW Supreme Court Justice Natalie Adams.

The judge heard the prosecution witness list spanned 200 to 300 people.

With discussions still to take place between prosecution and defence lawyers, the number of people actually testifying in person could be cut down to about 100, prosecutor Brett Hatfield SC said.

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Lamarre-Condon's defence team is still waiting to receive evidence from telecommunications experts, crime scene reconstructions and jail call transcripts.

The 30-year-old became the first serving NSW police officer charged with murder in several decades after he was accused of shooting the couple at Baird's Paddington home in Sydney's inner-east.

Police allege the bodies were then dumped at a rural property.

The senior constable later handed himself in, was charged with murder and eventually sacked by NSW Police.

Lamarre-Condon joined the force in 2019.

His case will return to court on May 29.

A judge has halted Donald Trump's construction of a ballroom at the White House.

The president demolished the East Wing of the property in order to build a much bigger space, including a massive ballroom.

But a federal judge in Washington DC ordered a halt to the immense project with a temporary injunction."

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"The President of the United States is the steward of the White House for future generations of First Families," Judge Richard J Leon wrote in his decision.

"He is not, however, the owner!"

In a scathing judgement, Leon declared the president could not carry out extensive renovations without congressional approval.

"No statute comes close to giving the President the authority he claims to have," the judge wrote.

Leon said while presidents were able to carry out "care, maintenance and repair", the existing laws "bring to mind things like replacing the lightbulbs, fixing broken furniture, and changing the wallpaper".

Trump hit back at the judge in a Truth Social post.

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"In the Ballroom case, the Judge said we have to get Congressional approval. He is WRONG!" the president wrote.

"Congressional approval has never been given on anything, in these circumstances, big or small, having to do with construction at the White House. 

"In this case, even less so, because the Ballroom is being built with Private Donations, no Federal Taxpayer Money!"

It appears Trump did not read the injunction, because the judge had detailed how previously renovations were authorised and funded by Congress.

Leon is an experienced judge who was appointed to the bench by President George W Bush.

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"Unless and until Congress blesses this project through statutory authorisation, construction has to stop!" Leon wrote.

The ballroom as it is currently designed has drawn the consternation of architects across the United States.

When Washington DC was planned by Pierre L'Enfant under the instructions of President George Washington, the Capitol was intended to be visible down Pennsylvania Avenue.

Trump's ballroom would impede that line-of-sight.

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Calls are growing for the federal government to change the rules around Australia's natural gas exports, though energy bosses warn a new tax could trigger a crisis of its own.

New modelling by The Australia Institute suggested a 25 per cent tax on gas exports could fill the national coffers with almost $350 million a week.

"The longer we delay implementing a gas export tax, and the longer the government defends the failed PRRT (Petroleum Resource Rent Tax), the more it is costing the Australian people," The Australia Institute co-chief executive Dr Richard Denniss said.

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"Australia Institute research shows voters across the political spectrum, from One Nation to the Greens, overwhelmingly support a 25 per cent tax on gas exports.

"Properly taxing our gas exports could raise $17 billion every year to help pay for Australian schools and hospitals."

The report estimated that if the Albanese government had implemented an export tax in July 2022, shortly after taking power, it would by now have brought in $68 billion.

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Amid the ongoing fuel crisis brought on by the US attacks on Iran and Iran's subsequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz, other experts say creating a larger gas reserve could keep Australia more resilient to the global shock.

"The move toward renewable sources of electricity, such as solar and wind, which do not depend on global energy markets, is the most important part of this transition," economics lecturer Dr Scott French from the University of New South Wales said.

"But even powering electric vehicles with energy generated from fossil fuels that are abundant domestically, like coal and natural gas, also increases Australia's resilience."

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However, energy companies have warned against the idea, saying it will squeeze smaller operators out of the market, reduce investment, and damage regional trade.

The Australian Financial Review reported Chevron executive Danny Woodall told a gas industry conference in Sydney the prospect of investors jumping ship was not a case of "crying wolf".

"If the ground continues to shift between your feet you move your feet to a different spot," he said.

And speaking to the same masthead, Beach Energy chief executive Brett Woods said the government's other proposal to create a larger strategic gas reserve domestically was flawed, though he supported the idea in principle.

Under the proposal, Queensland gas exporters would have to put 25 per cent of their harvest into the domestic market.

"Forcing the domestic producers to have to compete against subsidised LNG volumes materially distorts the market and puts the 66-75 per cent of gas supply at significant risk," Woods told the AFR.

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When Donald Trump lands in Florida for his almost weekly trips to his country club Mar-a-Lago, he'll be seeing his name even more than usual.

Because Palm Beach International Airport will soon be renamed after the sitting president.

Legislation to rename the airport was signed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

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The change will kick in on July 1.

When the president arrives in Florida to spend time at Mar-a-Lago, he lands at Palm Beach International Airport.

From there it is a short drive down President Donald J Trump Boulevard to his club.

Trump and the airport have an ignominious history. In 2015 he filed a $US100 million lawsuit to limit planes flying over his club.

When he became president he dropped the lawsuit and instituted a no-fly zone over the area.

Palm Beach is at the northern end of the long narrow metropolitan area that runs down to Miami. 

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The Federal Aviation Administration will also need to sign off on the name change, but there is nothing to suggest it will stand in the way.

While it is not uncommon for airports to be named after US presidents, it usually happens long after they have left office.

Wichita named its airport after hometown hero Dwight Eisenhower four years after his death. 

Gerald Ford and George HW Bush both had airports named after them long after they left office.

Had Hillary Clinton had won in 2016, she would enter office with an airport already named after her.

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Four years earlier, the airport in Little Rock, Arkansas, was renamed Bill and Hillary Clinton Airport.

It is typical for presidents to resist things being named after them while they are in office.

In 1974, Congress passed a bill to rename a federal courthouse in Ford's home town after the sitting president.

Ford vetoed the bill.

"I know of no Federal office buildings that have been named for a President while still in office," Ford wrote in a memo.

"This legislation might begin a precedent I believe it best not to establish."

READ MORE: It takes two to TACO: Why Trump can't end war with Iran by himself

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April the first might be thought of for its practical jokes, but the creation of a now $3.5 trillion company 50 years ago in a Californian garage is no joke.

It was on this day that Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak incorporated Apple Computer Inc.

While it's going strong today, that success was never a sure thing.

READ MORE: Apple almost went broke – now it's celebrating 50 years

1976 – the Apple I

Created as a hand-assembled circuit board computer, the first Apple Computer was a favourite with hobbyists with its simple design and ability to be expanded as the user wanted.

1977 – The Apple II – The company's bread and butter

Vastly more professional, the Apple II was the first fully assembled computer to bring colour graphics and easy-to-use software into the home, as well as becoming a staple in schools and smaller businesses.

Until the Apple II computers were entirely niche or seen only in large businesses.

This was effectively the start of the personal computer revolution, sparking a competitive race for the personal computer from IBM and a software war with Microsoft.

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1984 – The Macintosh

The Apple II, then follow-ups through the IIe and more, became the base for the business of Apple, making Steve Jobs one of the richest men in the world.

But Jobs had other things on his mind.

The Macintosh would bring a revolution once again, the simple idea of "point and click" with a mouse and a graphical user interface.

No complex coding, no type to play; this was a whole new way of operating a computer – something that lives long today and inspired the Microsoft "Windows" operating system.

Behind the Macintosh was a fundamental belief in using computers to inspire creativity and connection.

The company's famous "1984" Super Bowl ad teased the product before its launch.

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1985 – Apple without Steve Jobs

Despite being a revolution, the Macintosh was hard to sell due to its price tag, add to that a battle between Jobs and then CEO John Sculley and the board; Jobs eventually resigned and created his own new computer brand, NeXT.

1990 – Low Cost Demand

Revenue came when the company introduced lower-cost Macintosh versions, as well as the intrusion of the PowerBook laptop.

Despite their increase in sales, the company faced far more market competition and attempted to experiment with a range of new products from digital cameras, audio products, and even an early tablet called the Newton.

The demise of the company continued until a return to its origins.

1997 – Steve Jobs is back

Jobs had a vision; he used that to rekindle innovation, and the business turnaround from this point is nothing short of remarkable.

1998 – The iMac

What looked like a computer monitor was something very different.

An all-in-one computer with translucent backing made in a range of colours, including the original "Bondi Blue", said to have been named for the colour of the water at Sydney's Bondi Beach.

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Vastly different to the beige computers from every other company, the iMac was easy to use and "quick to get online."

It also ditched the floppy drive and relied on USB connections.

The iMac evolved over many generations and still exists today as a thin, all-in-one computer in a range of colours, a clear nod to the original.

2001 – More than Computers – the iPod

Portable music players existed already.

We called them MP3 players.

But the iPod changed how it was done, both in design and user interface.

Advertised to the masses as a way to carry "1000 songs in your pocket," the iPod did to music players what the Macintosh did to computers, making them easy to use and accessible.

2003 – Changing the Music Industry with iTunes

For the first two years of the iPod, customers used iTunes to "rip" their own CD collection into digital form and play it on the go.

But then, the iTunes Music Store made it possible to buy songs and albums online, legally.

In a time of Napster and illegal music downloads, this helped the music industry find a new path forward in the digital age.

Of course, over time, that also led to streaming music on Spotify, which Apple countered with Apple Music.

READ MORE: Apple offers up one of its cheapest products in years

2007 – Crushing BlackBerry with the iPhone

Anyone close to tech will never forget the phrase "An iPod, a Phone, an Internet Communicator" as Steve Jobs introduced the first iPhone.

Things we take for granted today, like pinching the screen to zoom in and out, swiping up and down, or just having the whole world at our fingertips, began this.

This began the demise of the then-popular BlackBerry, which was the first true smartphone, but they were unable to compete with Apple's full-screen display.

2008 – The App Store

The true power of the Apple iPhone and subsequent new products is the software, and much of that is not the brainchild of Apple, but instead, independent developers all around the world.

Apps have been created that no one would have ever dreamt of, even Steve Jobs.

We now order food and cars to pick us up on our phone, people meet the love of their lives on apps, and apps are used to create wonderful images and content too.

The multi-billion-dollar economy that was created as a result of the App Store simply didn't exist beforehand.

READ MORE: Australian technology companies making it big on the world stage

2010 – The iPad

Taking that touch-screen to a new level, the iPad brought computing to a new level of portability.

Empowered by that same App Store which drove the iPhone, the iPad replaced laptops for some, and became a new way to consume content across millions of homes.

It's even used by pilots replacing thick and heavy books in the cockpit.

2011 – The end of a legacy

Steve Jobs battled a rare form of pancreatic cancer for some time, before losing that battle in 2011.

He chose Tim Cook to take over as CEO, and Cook continues in that role today.

At the heart of almost every decision that's made at Apple has Steve Job's legacy at its core, something the company and its leadership is never ashamed to admit.

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2014 – Tap your phone to pay

Apple Pay was a slow launch for the company, battling banks here in Australia and stubborn retailers in the US.

But today, it's inspired a simple new generation of payments.

Now available on iPhone and Apple Watch wherever you go, and even on Macs and iPads for online payments, it's a secure new way to process payments.

It was also 2014 when the Apple Watch was introduced, bringing a new level of fitness tracking and notification access to users.

That device today does so much more, from SOS emergency alerts to high-level health monitoring, including a medically certified ECG.

2016 – Cutting the cord

Bluetooth headphones are the norm today, but 10 years ago, Apple's first version drew attention for its design and ease of connectivity.

Today, they have some of the best noise cancellation on the market and can be used to perform live translations and even act as Hearing-Aids.

2020 – Apple Silicon?

Many wouldn't know what Apple Silicon is – but most of us know what Intel is.

In 2020, Apple began to phase out the use of Intel processors in their computers in favour of chips they designed and manufactured themselves.

Today, that gives them some of the most efficient and high-performance computers on the market, desktop and portable.

2024 – Apple Vision Pro

A device you wear on your head, blocking out the world around you to see a whole new world of computing.

Apple calls it spatial computing.

I've described it to Apple's CEO as the most remarkable new technology I've ever seen, but I don't know what we need it for.

Still in search of a use, it's likely this is a precursor to Apple's likely move into wearable computing, such as sunglasses, as several other companies have done, but only time will tell.

READ MORE: Plan to power every Australian's Apple device with green energy

2026 and Beyond

Imagine earning $100 billion annually without selling a product? That's the revenue Apple makes from Services.

Services refer to subscriptions to Apple Music, Apple TV, and sales on the App Store.

This is also the year Apple went low cost with their Mac computers for the first time – the MacBook Neo is a remarkable product at a low $899 price that is already proving successful for Apple.

At the same time, Apple appears to be lagging behind in the "AI Revolution".

Their Apple Intelligence offers a secure way to perform basic tasks but does not compete with the Google, OpenAI, or Microsoft offerings.

Whether that's a good or bad thing for their long-term business, we'll not know for a while.

What we do know is that as a $3.5 trillion dollar business, they are here for the long term and maintain a strong, even enviable level of desirability in the market across all their products.

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