Tag Archives: oceania

Cult Australian designer clothing brand to close down within weeks

2026-01-16 FreeNews

Cult Australian designer clothing brand Sass & Bide has announced it will shut down all its physical and online stores within weeks as it tries to become relevant to younger generations.

The Myer-owned label said it was reinventing the brand and the closure was not goodbye, but a "see you soon".

"From the end of January 2026, our stores and MYER concessions will be closed. From the end of February 2026, our online store will close, too," a statement on the brand's website said.

sass & bide is an Australian womens fashion company.

"While we're offline, we'll be re-imagining what Sass & Bide can and should look like.

"The direction may be new, but a free-spirited and distinctly Australian attitude is at the heart of who we are, and that will never change.

"We know this change may come as a surprise.

"But at Sass & Bide, we've never been ones for following the rules."

Myer Group said the rebrand would keep the label relevant for a new generation as the wider department store goes through a refresh of its own later this year.

"We have spent considerable time listening to our customers hearing from them about the brands they like and those they don't," a spokesperson said.

"This feedback is helping shape our strategy to provide customers with a more elevated product offering across our apparel range."

Myer said Sass & Bide will be relaunched in the coming months.

Customers are unable to return or exchange sale items unless faulty, but are still able to refund full-price items within 14 days.

They are still able to use gift cards until the company stops trading. After that, the gift cards can be traded in for a Myer gift card of the same value.

sass & bide stores will shut within weeks.

Sass & Bide was founded by Sarah-Jane Clarke and Heidi Middleton in 1999 and sells women's clothing and accessories across Australia.

The brand has physical stores in all states except Tasmania, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory.

Its items are also found in Myer after the department store purchased a 65 per cent share from under David Jones in 2011.

Myer went on to purchase the remaining 35 per cent of the brand, and Clarke and Middleton left the company in 2014.

The department store will launch 20 new local and international brands by the end of July as part of a broader rebrand keep up with changing demand and trends.

"The launches are just the start, with a strong pipeline of new and renowned brands set to join Myer throughout the year," a Myer Group spokesperson said.

"Each new addition has been carefully selected to complement our existing portfolio and to meet the growing demand for contemporary, high‑quality, and trend‑driven fashion."

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Legacy Aussie retailer lashed over this image: ‘Garbage’

2026-01-16 FreeNews

Less than three months ago, industry experts told 9news.com.au the use of generative AI in advertising will be much more common in the future.

Jeanswest has proven them right far sooner than expected.

The fashion retailer, which has gone into administration twice in the last six years, has been called out by consumers for using generative AI extensively in advertising online.

Many promotional images on the Jeanswest website appear to be AI generated.

Instagram videos show AI models posing in digital versions of Jeanswest styles, and the brand's website is stacked with AI-generated photos and videos.

9news.com.au has contacted Jeanswest for comment.

A Jeanswest customer support representative confirmed the content was AI-generated in a statement to the Sydney Morning Herald.

The representative told the SMH that AI is one of many tools in the brand's creative workflow and said it is dedicated to maintaining authenticity and relatability.

Product photos on the Jeanswest website do not appear to be AI-generated or altered.

Consumers have voiced frustration and disappointment with the brand's heavy use of generative AI on social media, calling it "garbage".

A screenshot from an AI generated video posted to the official Jeanswest Instagram account.

One comment on an AI video on the Jeanswest Instagram page called for the people responsible for approving the clip to be fired.

On TikTok, an Australian user called content on the brand's website "AI slop".

"At the moment, there are a lot of brands trying to use AI and using it in a really clumsy way that's getting a lot of ridicule," consumer psychologist, creative strategist, and Thinkerbell founder Adam Ferrier previously told 9news.com.au.

But AI can be a powerful marketing tool when used well and Ferrier said it will become more common in advertising as brands become better at using it.

University of Sydney Business School lecturer and consumer psychologist Dr Christina Anthony said it's likely that consumers will not react as strongly to AI ad campaigns as they become more normalised.

"And most brands won't abandon generative AI as the efficiencies are too valuable," she previously told 9news.com.au.

Time Magazine names AI architects as Person of the Year

Instead, they'll work towards making AI content that feels more authentic and human-centred – so much so that it may become undetectable.

New data has shown that more than half of Australians are unable to tell the difference between a real image and a deepfake.

Though consumers seem to have spotted Jeanswest's clunky AI content without any issue, future generative AI ad campaigns made with rapidly improving technology will likely be harder to identify.

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Alarm bells over scale of unreported sexual harassment at work

2026-01-16 FreeNews

Alarming new findings have shown that despite recent legal reforms and efforts to change toxic workplace cultures, most people who are sexually harassed at work still do not report it.

Two new studies from Flinders University suggest that it is not just the fear of retaliation that stops people from speaking, but also feeling unsupported by systems that will not protect them.

The lead author of both studies, Dr Annabelle Neall, a senior lecturer in mental health and wellbeing, and director of the Flinders Workplace Wellbeing Lab, says that only about one in five people who experienced harassment went on to report it.

"The decision not to report wasn't just about external risks like losing a job, it was also deeply tied to internal struggles," Neall said.

"People weigh up whether reporting will make things better or worse and they often concluded it wasn't worth the emotional toll, the risk to their reputation, or the likelihood that nothing would change."

The research identified three key psychological needs that influence reporting: autonomy (feeling in control), competence (feeling capable), and relatedness (feeling respected and supported).

Sydney CBD

When these needs are undermined – by unclear processes, fear of backlash, or a lack of trust in the system – people are far less likely to speak up.

"Victims and witnesses feel that they're having to choose between protecting themselves and speaking up, and that pressure makes the decision emotionally charged and very difficult," co-author Professor Lydia Woodyatt said.

"If people believe the system won't provide them justice or protect them, they stay silent. That silence isn't about indifference, it's about survival."

Participants described feeling unsure whether their experience "counted" as harassment, fearing career damage, and doubting that reporting would lead to meaningful action.

Many worried about being labelled as troublemakers or weak. Others said the process itself felt punishing, with burdensome steps and little reassurance.

One of the studies, a historical review of workplace sexual harassment reporting and investigation, found these challenges were not new.

While laws and policies have evolved since the 1980s, the research revealed that reporting systems remained largely ineffective.

"For decades, organisations have focused on legal compliance and punitive measures, but these approaches often fail to address the cultural and psychological barriers that keep people silent," Neall said.

Both studies call for a shift towards trauma-informed and transformative justice approaches, which move beyond punishment to address the root causes of harassment and create cultures of respect.

"People told us they didn't want revenge, but rather that they wanted assurance that it wouldn't happen again," Neall said.

"Reporting should feel like a step towards positive change, not a risk to your wellbeing."

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Trump family eyeing Gold Coast property as latest investment

2026-01-16 FreeNews

Donald Trump's family is eyeing their first Trump-branded property on Australian soil, with the Gold Coast the likely destination.

Conversations are underway to build a Trump Tower on the beach at Surfers Paradise.

The property is located on 3 Trickett Street, and has been a vacant block of land since 2013.

The prime piece of real estate is on the Esplanade, the main drag running alongside the beach.

The site has been in development hell since the Iluka Resort was demolished.

The Trump Organisation is now being run by the president's sons Donald Jr and Eric.

They have been prolific in expanding their portfolio globally.

They have upcoming projects in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Dubai, India, Vietnam, Romania, Qatar and Indonesia.

Donald Jr and Eric Trump now run the Trump Organisation.

It currently has multiple properties in the US as well as Dubai, Indonesia, India, Oman, the Philippines, Qatar, Romania, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Turkey, Uruguay and Vietnam.

The previous plan for a skyscraper on the property.

But most of their projects are not owned by the organisation but are simply branding deals – that is, developers pay the Trumps to put their name on the building.

The details of the prospective deal have not been made public.

No development application has been made to Gold Coast Council.

In 2016, a proposal was made to build the third-tallest building in Australia on the site.

The building would have had 479 luxury apartments, a rooftop pool and a series of restaurants.

The residential skyscraper was given approval by council but the $1.2 billion project never eventuated.

Now all that remains is the basement construction work.

The property was sold for a loss in 2019.

When Donald Trump himself was in Australia in 2008 he said he wouldn't invest in the country without a partner.

"If I do something in Australia, I'd want to have a partner in Australia," he told the Australian Financial Review.

But his wealth has exploded since then, especially in his past year as president.

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‘Left-wing hack’: White House official’s vicious tirade against journalist

2026-01-16 FreeNews

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has launched a tirade at a journalist who asked about recent US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conduct.

The journalist asked Leavitt about comments made by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem after an ICE agent shot and killed Renee Good last week.

Niall Stanage, a White House columnist for The Hill, questioned assertions from Noem and other members of the Trump administration that ICE is doing "everything correctly".

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt lashed out at a journalist on Thursday (US time).

"32 people died in ICE custody last year, 170 US citizens were detained by ICE, and Renee Good was shot in the head and killed by an ICE agent," Stanage said.

"How is that doing everything correctly?"

Leavitt responded by asking Stanage why Good was killed, to which he replied that an ICE agent acted recklessly and killed her unjustifiably.

The White House press secretary then launched a minute-long tirade against Stanage.

"Oh, OK, so you're a biased reporter with a left-wing opinion," she said.

"You're a left-wing hack, you're not a reporter, you're posing in this room as a journalist, and it's so clear by the premise of your question.

"And you, and the people in the media — who have such biases, but fake like you're a journalist — you shouldn't even be sitting in that seat."

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks with reporters in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington.

Leavitt claimed Stanage was a left-wing activist pretending to be a journalist.

She said ICE agents work to make the nation safer and suggested Stanage focus on innocent Americans killed by 'illegal aliens' in the US.

"Shame on you people in the media who have a crooked view, a biased view, and pretend you're an honest journalist," Leavitt concluded.

In the same press conference, she dodged a question from The Independent about a recent joke from President Donald Trump about cancelling elections.

This week, he told Reuters the US shouldn't even bother with mid-term elections in 2026, although the White House insisted he was joking.

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How much video gaming is too much? Study pinpoints health limit

2026-01-16 FreeNews

Video games might not rot your brain – but new evidence suggests they can have a marked effect on your health.

A new study led by Curtin University surveyed 317 students from at Australian universities, with a median age of 20.

The participants were split into three groups classes as "low gamers" (zero to five hours playing video games per week), "moderate gamers" (five to 10 hours), and "high gamers" (over 10 hours).

The research team found while low and moderate gamers reported similar health outcomes, results worsened dramatically once gaming exceeded 10 hours a week.

Professor Mario Siervo, from the Curtin School of Population Health, said the findings suggested excessive gaming was the key issue, rather than gaming itself.

"What stood out was students gaming up to 10 hours a week all looked very similar in terms of diet, sleep and body weight," Siervo said.

"The real differences emerged in those gaming more than 10 hours a week, who showed clear divergence from the rest of the sample."

The study found a decline in diet quality once gaming exceeded 10 hours per week, with a greater prevalence of obesity in the high gamers group, compared to the low and moderate gamers.

"Each additional hour of gaming per week was linked to a decline in diet quality, even after accounting for stress, physical activity and other lifestyle factors," Professor Siervo said.

Sleeping man disturbed by alarm clock early in the morning

All groups reported generally poor sleep quality, but moderate and high gamers scored worse than low gamers, with gaming hours showing a significant link to sleep disruption.

"This study doesn't prove gaming causes these issues, but it shows a clear pattern that excessive gaming may be linked to an increase in health risk factors," Professor Siervo said.

"Our data suggests low and moderate gaming is generally fine, but excessive gaming may crowd out healthy habits such as eating a balanced diet, sleeping properly and staying active.

"Because university habits often follow people into adulthood, healthier routines such as taking breaks from gaming, avoiding playing games late at night and choosing healthier snacks may help improve their overall wellbeing."

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Venezuelan opposition leader gives Trump her Nobel Peace Prize

2026-01-16 FreeNews

Venezuela's opposition leader in exile has told reporters she presented US President Donald Trump with her Nobel Peace Prize in their meeting at the White House.

Maria Corina Machado, whose party many observers deem to have won the 2024 election victory claimed by ousted ex-president Nicolas Maduro, met with Donald Trump behind closed doors this morning (AEDT time).

She arrived from an unknown location, having left Venezuela last year after she was briefly detained by authorities in Caracas.

After meeting Trump, she mingled with supporters near the White House gates.

"We can count on President Trump," she said, according to media on-site, but otherwise did not open up on the content of their conversation.

She next spoke with several senators on Capitol Hill, before speaking to reporters, when she told them of the Nobel presentation, saying it was in recognition of "his unique commitment with our freedom".

Associated Press reported there was no immediate word from the White House as to whether the gift had been accepted.

Trump has previously been dismissive about the idea of Machado, who won the Nobel Peace Prize coveted by the US president in 2025, leading Venezuela in the wake of US forces kidnapping Maduro to stand trial in New York.

Prior to their meeting, he said she did not have the respect or support inside the country to do so, despite the broad international assessment of her electoral success.

Since Machado left the White House, press secretary Karoline Leavitt, while hailing her as "a remarkable and brave voice", said Trump's opinion had not changed.

It was, Leavitt said, "a realistic assessment".

Trump has also signalled a willingness to engage with interim president Delcy Rodriguez, a Maduro loyalist and his former vice president.

The pair have talked on the phone, with Trump characterising it as a "great conversation" on a wide range of topics.

Rodriguez, for her part, has varied her tone on the US and Trump.

Originally condemning the kidnapping of Maduro and demanding his return, she has since said she is open to diplomacy with the US and may even be willing to open up Venezuela's nationalised oil industry to foreign investment.

The US, meanwhile, has continued targeting Venezuelan oil tankers, seizing a sixth one this morning.

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Holidaygoers trapped in flash floods open up on moment ‘tsunami’ hit

2026-01-16 FreeNews

Two holidaygoers caught in yesterday's "tsunami" flash flood in Victoria have spoken of the "chaos" that erupted as surging waters rose.

At least one person had to be rescued from a roof yesterday and multiple cars were swept away in Wye River, Kennett River, Cumberland River and Lorne.

Several waterways burst their banks at the popular Victorian holiday spot following a deluge of 180mm of rain in less than five hours.

"It was a pretty crazy sight," holidaygoer Darren Schonewille told Today this morning.

"Just to see how, like, quick the water rose, and the chaos."

He said the flood had come up suddenly.

Cars underwater in Wye River flooding

"We were a little bit trapped, I guess, in terms of we were at the front of the and so it was quite hard to get in and help anyone out," fellow holidaygoer Matthew Clark said.

"Seeing those cars float out and then trying to get around those people who lost belongings pretty quickly, it was pretty traumatic for the people."

The Great Ocean Road remains closed in both directions between Lorne and Skenes Creek due to the flooding and the fear of possible landslides.

Cars were swept out to sea at Wye River as a result of flash flooding.

Coach services are taking detours, while drivers are urged to detour using the Princes Highway via Colac.

"Transport Victoria reminds the community of the extreme danger of travelling in the current conditions," Transport Victoria said in a notice.

"Roads may be closed and public transport routes may be cancelled at short notice."

Vic Emergency's latest update, posted at midnight, said the threat of immediate flash flooding had passed.

Cars collect in floodwaters at Wye River.

"Dangerous hazards including floodwater, mud, debris, damaged roads and fallen trees are still be present," the update read.

Emergency relief centres have opened at Lorne Stribling Reserve, 45 Otway Street, Lorne; and at Apollo Bay P12 College, Pengilley Avenue, Apollo Bay.

The Bureau of Meteorology has cancelled two severe weather warnings for Victoria, and no new ones are in place.

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What the Greenland dispute means for NATO – and the future of Europe

2026-01-16 FreeNews

It's winter in the northern hemisphere, and the weather is reflecting the frosty mood between Donald Trump and some of his key allies.

The US president has made it clear he wants the Arctic island of Greenland to come under his control, but he is being rebuffed by both the autonomous territory and Denmark, a NATO ally that still administers it.

NATO nations, including the UK, France and Spain, have stood behind Greenland, with fears the disagreement could lead to the US leaving the crucial alliance.

Greenland is home to just over 56,000 residents.

So will Trump make a decisive move to take over Greenland and what would that look like for the NATO alliance, Europe and beyond?

Why does the US want Greenland?

It's easy to wonder why an icy European island with a population of just 56,000 people is so coveted by the mightiest country on earth, but it holds great strategic importance.

Its location between the US and Europe is key, as it sits in a corridor called the GIUK gap, a maritime passage between Greenland, Iceland and the UK.

Greenland's importance is underlined by its abundance of natural resources.

It links the Arctic to the Atlantic Ocean, making it a vital shipping route when considering Greenland's natural resources.

The island holds large deposits of oil, gas and rare earth minerals, which are hugely important in a geopolitical context as the US faces a battle to stay on top of China.

They are also critical to the world economy, used in the manufacture of electric cars, wind turbines and military equipment.

Will the US leave NATO over the Greenland dispute?

Trump has threatened to pull out of the NATO alliance before, including at the end of 2024, when he cited low defence spending numbers of several allies.

He has not specifically threatened to leave the 77-year alliance during the latest Greenland dispute, dodging the question when asked by reporters in recent days.

"You don't know what I'm going to do," he said in response to questions of whether he would leave NATO.

"I wouldn't be telling you what I'm willing to do – certainly I'm not going to give up options – but it's very important."

US President Donald Trump has made strong demands of Denmark surrounding the fate of Greenland.

Laws drafted in before Trump's second term prohibit him from removing the US from the alliance without approval of a two-thirds Senate super-majority or an act of Congress.

But you also aren't supposed to capture a sitting head of state of another country in the dead of night, and Trump seemed comfortable breaking those rules in Venezuela.

Can NATO survive without the US?

Ask many key European leaders and officials, and they will tell you the US is the bedrock of the NATO alliance.

A key issue is Article 5 in the treaty, which says an attack on one is an attack on all.

With Greenland part of Denmark, and Denmark being a NATO member, this creates a clear problem.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen was frank in her view on the matter.

"If the United States chooses to attack another NATO country militarily, then everything stops," Frederiksen told Danish broadcaster TV2 last week.

"That is, including our NATO and thus the security that has been provided since the end of the Second World War."

Trump also seems to think NATO wouldn't last should the US pull out, judging by his comments yesterday.

"I'm the one that saved NATO," he said on Air Force One.

How have Russia and China reacted to the Greenland dispute?

Russia and China are clearly a motivator for Trump's hawkish instincts on Greenland, as he claims matters of national security.

"NATO should be leading the way for us to get it [Greenland]. IF WE DON'T, RUSSIA OR CHINA WILL, AND THAT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!" he wrote on Truth Social this week.

China has an Arctic policy called the Polar Silk Road, launched in 2018, but a spokesperson for the government insisted their goals weren't military.

Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting on key parameters of draft state armament for 2027-2036, in Moscow, Russia, Friday, Dec. 26, 2025. (Mikhail Metzel, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

"China's activities in the Arctic are aimed at promoting peace, stability, and sustainable development in the region and are in accordance with international law," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said earlier this week.

On the Russian side, top officials have made cryptic remarks regarding their views on Greenland.

"Trump needs to hurry. According to unverified information, in a few days there could be a sudden referendum, at which the entire 55,000-strong Greenland could vote to join Russia," former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said earlier this week, according to Interfax.

Any turbulence with NATO would no doubt help Russian President Vladimir Putin in his war in Ukraine, with the alliance being a key supporter of the country Putin has been at war with since 2022.

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Iran slams airspace shut as death toll climbs

2026-01-15 FreeNews

Iran has closed its airspace amid the mounting death toll from anti-government protests, triggering flight chaos across the Middle East and neighbouring regions.

Images from Flightradar24 show no aircraft flying over Iran, with the closure advisory valid for a little over two hours.

Exceptions may be made for select international flights into or out of Iran that have been granted permission from Iran's Civil Aviation Organisation.

Flights appear to be skirting Iran's borders after it closed its airspace today.

Live tracking data from the Flightradar24 website show flights hugging Iran's borders to avoid the nation's airspace.

Some international airlines have also reported plans to avoid Iranian airspace for the time being.

Air India is rerouting flights over the region to keep passengers safe.

It said in a post on X that "alternative routes" may cause delays and, where rerouting wasn't possible, cancellations.

Lufthansa, a German Airline, announced plans to avoid Iranian and Iraqi airspace "due to the current situation in the Middle East" shortly before Iran closed its airspace today.

Agence France-Presse reported Lufthansa would bypass the airspace "until further notice".

President Donald Trump speaks as he meets Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the Oval Office of the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington.

Some US military personnel have also been evacuated from a base in nearby Qatar as concerns grow that President Donald Trump's administration could launch military action against Iran.

Smartraveller.gov.au, the Australian Government's official travel resource, urged Australians to leave Iran on Monday while it was still possible.

Those who choose to remain against government advice have been told they are responsible for their own safety.

The death toll from ongoing protests is estimated to be in the thousands.

"Security forces' response to protests has been severe, and many protesters and bystanders have been injured, killed or detained," the latest advice read.

"Australians, including dual nationals, are at a high risk of being detained."

The Australian embassy's operations in Iran have been are suspended and its ability to provide consular assistance is extremely limited.

US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency has reported that more than 2600 people have been killed in the ongoing protests.

However, information coming out of Iran is difficult to independently verify due to government media censorship and telecommunications blackouts.