USAC Midget champion Cannon McIntosh headlines the Easysteel Midget Car field.

The 29-year-old was arrested on an active warrant after a nearly two-week search.

North Korea has displayed apparent progress in the construction of a nuclear-powered submarine, with state media photos showing a largely completed hull, as leader Kim Jong Un condemned rival South Korea’s push to acquire the technology.

North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency said Kim visited a shipyard to inspect the construction of what the North describes as an 8000-tonne-class nuclear-propelled submarine, which the leader has called a crucial step in the modernisation and nuclear armament of North Korea’s navy.

The North has indicated it plans to arm the submarine with nuclear weapons, calling it a “strategic guided missile submarine” or a “strategic nuclear attack submarine.”

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During the visit, Kim described South Korea’s efforts to acquire its own nuclear-powered submarine, which have been backed by US President Donald Trump, as an “offensive act” that severely violates the North’s security and maritime sovereignty.

He said that the South Korean plan further underscores the need to advance and nuclear-arm North Korea’s navy, and claimed that the completion of his nuclear-powered submarine would be an “epoch-making” change in strengthening its nuclear war deterrent against what he called enemy threats.

The agency did not specify when Kim visited the shipyard but released photos showing him inspecting a huge, burgundy-colored vessel, coated with what appears to be anti-corrosion paint, under construction inside an assembly hall with senior officials and his daughter.

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It was the first time North Korean state media had released images of the submarine since March, when they mostly showed the lower sections of the vessel.

It was not immediately clear how close North Korea is to completing the vessel.

But because submarines are typically built from the inside out, the release of what appears to be a largely completed hull suggests that many core components, including the engine and possibly the reactor, are already in place, said Moon Keun-sik, a submarine expert at Seoul’s Hanyang University.

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“Showing the entire vessel now seems to indicate that most of the equipment has already been installed and it is just about ready to be launched into the water,” said Moon, a former submarine officer in the South Korean navy, who believes the North Korean submarine could possibly be tested at sea within months.

A nuclear-powered submarine is Kim’s next major military goal

A nuclear-powered submarine was one item on a long wish list of sophisticated weaponry that Kim announced during a major political conference in 2021 to cope with what he called growing US-led military threats.

Other weapons were solid-fueled intercontinental ballistic missiles, hypersonic weapons, spy satellites and multi-warhead missiles.

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North Korea has conducted a series of tests to develop some of those systems and recently unveiled a new naval destroyer, which Kim hailed as a major step toward expanding the operational range and preemptive strike capabilities of the country’s nuclear forces.

If North Korea obtains a submarine capable of operating stealthily for extended periods and launching missiles from underwater, it would be a worrying development for its neighbours, as such launches would be difficult to detect in advance.

But there have been questions about whether North Korea, a heavily sanctioned and impoverished country, could get resources and technology to build nuclear-powered submarines.

Some experts say North Korea’s recent alignment with Russia — including sending thousands of troops and military equipment to support President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine — may have helped it to receive crucial technologies in return.

While some analysts suspect North Korea may have sought a reactor from Russia, possibly from a retired Russian submarine, Moon said it's more likely that North Korea designed its own reactor, while possibly receiving some technological assistance from Russia.

South Korea seeks its own nuclear-powered submarine

During a summit with Trump in November, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung called for US support for South Korea’s efforts to acquire nuclear-powered submarines, while reaffirming a commitment to increase defense spending to ease the burden on the United States.

Trump later said that the United States is open to sharing closely held technology to allow South Korea to build a nuclear-powered submarine, but it’s not immediately clear where and when the vessel would be built and how Seoul would get the nuclear fuel and reactor technology required.

In a separate report, KCNA said Kim on Wednesday supervised a test of a new, long-range anti-air missile that was fired toward its eastern sea.

South Korea’s Defence Ministry didn’t immediately comment on the launch.

Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have worsened in recent years as Kim accelerated his military nuclear program and deepened alignment with Moscow following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

His government has repeatedly dismissed calls by Washington and Seoul to revive negotiations aimed at winding down his nuclear and missile programs, which derailed in 2019 following a collapsed summit with Trump during the American president’s first term.

Melville Primary School said 30 windows were smashed with hammers.

Person taken into custody after reports of threatening behaviour.

Chances are you've been to a third place at least once in your life and didn't even realise.

Essentially public lounge rooms, they are social environments separate from home (first place) and work (second place).

And while many believe they're essential, some experts say they're becoming a lot more scarce. So what are they, and are they going anywhere? 

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The term "third place" was coined in the 1990s by sociologist Ray Oldenburg as work hours began to increase.

He argued that as life became busier and more secluded, these places became vital for democracy, engagement and a sense of place amongst the broader community.

The main criteria for a spot to be a third place are pretty simple: it needs to be a neutral area that is easily accessible to and comfortable for the public.

Its main purpose is for people to gather and socialise, fostering a sense of community and conversation. 

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In a traditional sense, a third space can be anywhere from a coffee shop to a park to a library.

"Shopping centres are considered third spaces," creative producer at youth arts organisation OutLoud Nicole Issa said.

"Even though some people might not like it to be, it's the truth."

She says third places are important for social connections, particularly amongst young adults.

She also thinks they're dying out.

"One thing that I'm hearing a lot from young people is that there is a need for third spaces and there's a need for safe places for young people to go," she said.

"I think it's been a gradual thing. The biggest, major event that has changed the way young people use third space was definitely COVID…

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"There was like strict legislation that came in that prevented people from going to social events or even meeting up with other people, which then, in turn, just changed people's patterns."

However, unlike Issa, University of Melbourne Chair of Architecture and Urban Design Kim Dovey does not believe that third spaces are dying, but rather that they never existed in Australia to begin with.

"The concept of the third place is an American thing," he said.

"It sort of came out of that kind of social capital literature.

"These places are important because they're where we establish what are often known as weak ties.

"You make new friends and acquaintances, and you get to know your neighbourhood and your neighbours a bit more and people you wouldn't normally run into.

"In so many parts of the world, it's just normal everyday life. It didn't really need a name."

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In his literature, Ray Oldenburg argued that a place outside of work and home is crucial for public wellbeing.

"What suburbia cries for are the means for people to gather easily, inexpensively, regularly, and pleasurably – a 'place on the corner'," he said.

While brick-and-mortar shopping centres filled that need for decades, the rise of online shopping has meant people are spending less time at physical stores.

The internet – particularly social media – is a double-edged sword here. While it's given rise to digital third places, it's limited the way that people interact in public.

"I hate having to get out of the way of people who are reading their phone as they walk down the street, they're not actually present in the street," Professor Kim Dovey said.

"Cities work by putting lots of people you don't know into the same space that you share, and you weave in and out of each other and on busy pedestrian sidewalks."

"And that's how cities work, so I think social media is a threat to that."

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Thousands of people flocked to Bethlehem's Manger Square on Christmas Eve as families there and at other sites across the Holy Land heralded a much-needed boost of holiday spirit, after two years of subdued celebrations because of the war in Gaza.

At the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV presided over his first Midnight Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica. In his homily, he marveled at the “wisdom” of the Christmas story — an infant Jesus born to save mankind.

“In the face of the suffering of the poor, (God) sends one who is defenseless to be the strength to rise again,” the first U.S. pope told a packed basilica.

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Bethlehem, where Christians believe Jesus was born, had cancelled Christmas celebrations during the war. But on Wednesday, the giant Christmas tree returned to Manger Square, temporarily replacing the wartime nativity scene of baby Jesus surrounded by rubble and barbed wire in a homage to Gaza's suffering.

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the top Catholic leader in the Holy Land, kicked off this year's celebrations during the traditional procession from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, calling for “a Christmas full of light.”

Pizzaballa said he came bearing greetings from Gaza's tiny Christian community, where he held a pre-Christmas Mass on Sunday. In the devastation, he saw a desire to rebuild.

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“We, all together, we decide to be the light, and the light of Bethlehem is the light of the world,” he told thousands of people, Christian and Muslim.

Despite the holiday cheer, the impact of the war in the Israeli-occupied West Bank is acute, especially in Bethlehem, where around 80 per cent of the Muslim-majority city’s residents depend upon tourism-related businesses, according to the local government.

There were only a handful of foreigners but some residents said they are starting to see signs of change as tourism slowly returns.

‘Hope in very dark situations’

“Today is a day of joy, a day of hope, the beginning of the return of normal life here,” said Bethlehem resident Georgette Jackaman, a tour guide. She and her husband, Michael Jackaman, another guide, are from Christian Bethlehem families that stretch back generations.

This is the first real Christmas celebration for their two children, aged 2 and a half and 10 months.

During the war, the Jackamans pivoted to create a website selling Palestinian handicrafts to support others who lost their livelihoods. The unemployment rate in the city jumped from 14 per cent to 65 per cent, Bethlehem Mayor Maher Nicola Canawati said earlier this month.

A visitor from France, Mona Riewer, said being in Bethlehem helped her appreciate the meaning of the holiday.

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“Christmas is like hope in very dark situations,” she said.

Despite the Gaza ceasefire that began in October, tensions remain high in the West Bank, with Israeli military raids in what it describes as a crackdown on militants. Attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians have reached their highest level since the United Nations humanitarian office started collecting data in 2006.

Israel captured the West Bank in the 1967 Mideast war. The internationally recognized Palestinian Authority has limited autonomy in parts of the territory, including Bethlehem.

As poverty and unemployment have soared, about 4000 people have left Bethlehem in search of work, the mayor said — part of a worrying trend for Christians, who are leaving the region in droves. Christians account for less than two per cent of the West Bank’s roughly 3 million residents.

The beginning of a return to normal life

Fadi Zoughbi, who previously worked overseeing logistics for tour groups, said his children were ecstatic to see marching bands streaming through Bethlehem's streets, Palestinian flags and tartan draped on their bagpipes. For the past two years, the scouts marched silently as a protest against the war.

Irene Kirmiz, who grew up in Bethlehem and lives in Ramallah, said the scout parade is among her favorite Christmas traditions. Her 15-year-old daughter plays the tenor drum with the Ramallah scouts.

But her family had to wake up at 5am to arrive for the parade, after waiting about three hours at Israeli checkpoints. The drive previously took 40 minutes without the checkpoints that have increasingly made travel difficult for Palestinians, she said.

In the past two years, the heads of churches in Jerusalem urged congregations to forgo “any unnecessarily festive activities.” They encouraged priests and the faithful to focus on Christmas’ spiritual meaning and called for “fervent prayers for a just and lasting peace for our beloved Holy Land.”

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Other Middle East events mark the faithful’s resilience

Santas were everywhere as the traditional parade returned to Nazareth in northern Israel, revered by Christians as the place where the archangel Gabriel announced to Mary she would give birth to Jesus.

The hilltop town filled with children. Some starred in live Nativity scenes, and others lined the route waiting for floats and candy under a bright, warm sun.

Incense wafted over pews packed for Christmas Eve Mass at Gaza's only Catholic church, where festive children's programs had also taken place. The Holy Family compound was hit by fragments from an Israeli shell in July, killing three people. Israel called it an accident and expressed regret.

On the outskirts of Damascus, Syria, hundreds of congregants planned to return for Christmas Masses at a Greek Orthodox church where, in June, 25 people were killed in a suicide attack blamed on Islamic State militants. On Tuesday, they gathered to light a neon image of a Christmas tree in its courtyard.

Festivities around the world

At St. Peter's, an estimated 6000 people worshipped inside the vast basilica decorated with poinsettias, while another 5000 watched the Mass on giant screens in the rain-soaked piazza outside.

The celebration, with readings and the homily in a variety of languages, including Latin, started with children from different continents putting flowers by the figure of the baby Jesus.

Leo will return to the basilica for Mass on Christmas Day followed by his traditional blessing from the loggia.

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People around the world enjoyed Christmas traditions on Wednesday beyond houses of worship, too, from ice-skating in New York City to charity swimming in cold sea waters off Northern Ireland.

Along Florida’s Space Coast, Santas hopped on surfboards, not sleighs. Hundreds of surfers dressed as Santa took to the waves off Cocoa Beach in what has become an annual tradition for the past 17 years.

The Santa-surfing brought to the beach thousands of spectators dressed in Christmas costumes who danced to live music and took part in a holiday costume contest.

The event raises money for the Florida Surf Museum and a nonprofit that helps people with cancer.

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Australia has raised the threat level for travellers to Cambodia as the country's conflict with Thailand intensifies.

The Smart Traveller website now urges a high degree of caution throughout the South-East Asian country, and warns Australians to reconsider the need to travel within several provinces, including the tourist hotspot Siem Reap.

Cambodia has been embroiled in an armed conflict with its neighbour since late July over border disputes that have their roots back to the early 1900s.

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A ceasefire was brokered in October, but fighting resumed earlier this month, with US President Donald Trump trying to broker a peace between the two countries.

With no end in sight, Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs has now issued new warnings to travellers ahead of the peak travel season over the Christmas and New Year period.

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"We now advise exercise a high degree of caution overall due to ongoing conflict and its security risks," the update on Smart Traveller said.

"The security situation remains unpredictable."

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Travel should be avoided completely in areas within 50 kilometres of the Cambodia-Thailand border in the provinces of Banteay Meanchey, Oddar Meanchey, Preah Vihear, Battambang, Pailin, Pursat and Koh Kong.

It also said Australians should reconsider their need to travel within 50-80 kilometres of the border, including in the larger cities of Battambang and the province of Siem Reap, where the world-famous Angkor Wat temple site is located.

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Siem Reap is also the second-largest city in the country.

"Military strikes and violence, and the presence of landmines and unexploded ordinance," are threats facing travellers in these locations, according to Smart Traveller.

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New South Wales' top policeman has triggered controversial restrictions on protests in the state that could last for up to three months.

Under the new laws passed yesterday in a marathon sitting in State Parliament, Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon was given powers to "restrict" protests in public areas following a terrorist attack for at least 14 days, though this can be extended on a fortnightly basis to up to three months.

Late on Wednesday, Lanyon declared a restriction on protests throughout Sydney for two weeks following the Bondi terror attack that killed 15 people.

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During this time, no public protests can be approved by police, and Form 1 applications for the authorisation of protests will not be accepted.

Gatherings are still permitted, but police will have greater powers to move on people who are deemed to be obstructing the public or behaving in an intimidating or harassing manner.

Lanyon said stronger safeguards were needed in the wake of the events at Bondi, and that the measures were designed to avoid further division within the community.

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"The NSW Police is committed to exercising these new powers responsibly and transparently," he claimed.

"This is a time for community to come together and to show respect and courtesy; it's not a time for large public assemblies and division. "

"Further protest activity would aggravate fear and divisiveness in the community at a time when we need to build safety and confidence."

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The new laws have already been met with pushback by several groups, with court action underway to try and prevent them.

It has already received a constitutional challenge in the High Court over the potential impact it will have on civil liberties.

It was launched by The Palestine Action Group, Jews Against the Occupation and the First Nations-led Blak Caucus, who condemned the reforms as undemocratic.

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More than three-quarters of Aussies admit to arguing with their partner, family or friends while driving.

And with the summer holiday season well under way, we can expect the heat to be rising both outside and inside the car.

Research from iSelect has revealed the most common arguments had in the car and unsurprisingly, it's driver speed that emerged on top, closely followed by personal arguments.

Here's the top 10 'carguments'

1. Driving speed (50.6 per cent)
2. Personal argument unrelated to driving (48.7 per cent)
3. Directions and navigation (48.6 per cent)
4. Backseat driving and unsolicited advice (42.9 per cent)
5. Mobile phone use while driving (40.8 per cent)
6. Unexpected traffic or road closures (39.5 per cent)
7. Parking or manoeuvres (39.4 per cent)
8. Talking when the driver wants quiet (38.9 per cent)
9. Managing kids or pets (37.6 per cent)
10. Music choice and volume (33.8 per cent)

While the list is amusing and highly relatable, it also comes with a warning.

Adrian Bennett, the general manager of general insurance at iSelect, said distraction was putting our safety at risk on the road.

"Even a momentary lapse in attention can have serious consequences.

"In fact, research shows that in crashes where inattention could be measured, about 31 per cent involved driver inattention, and distraction alone was responsible for nearly 14 per cent of all crashes," Bennett said.

"Even more eye-opening, taking your eyes off the road for just two seconds, whether to check your phone, argue with a passenger, or deal with any other distraction, can double your risk of an accident."

He said the holiday season was a particularly dangerous time to be on the road.

"Roads are noticeably busier over the festive season, and with many of us juggling hectic travel plans and late nights, carguments are likely to increase, and so is the risk of accidents.

"If you're getting behind the wheel, the message is simple: stay focused.

"Keep your eyes on the road, your hands on the wheel, and your attention on the drive so you can get where you're going safely."

The research surveyed 1000 Australians.

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