Author: DispatchTimes News Desk

Queensland’s cyber security department was targeted in a cyber attack that resulted in the loss of $809,000 in public money, its annual report has revealed. The incident took place in July 2025 and was motivated by financial gain, according to the report. The department said no government data or sensitive information was compromised and that the attack was blocked. The Queensland Department of Customer Services, Open Data and Small and Family Business leads the state’s cyber security strategy, despite the attack involving systems linked to its operations. A spokesman said the systems of a third-party telecommunications provider had been accessed…

Backpack has been crowned the 2026 Fat Bear Week champion after narrowly defeating bear 910 in the final of the annual Katmai National Park and Preserve contest. Backpack received 103,334 votes, compared with 98,253 for 910, as voters chose the chunkiest bear at the Alaskan park. The competition began with 16 bears, but Backpack emerged as an early favourite, winning his first two rounds by margins of more than 100,000 votes. He then edged past 164 Bucky in the semi-finals, while 910 comfortably defeated 132. Backpack’s victory continues a family tradition. His mother, Holly, won Fat Bear Week in 2019,…

Andy Burnham’s speech at the Labour conference in Liverpool has come under fire for setting out an ambitious programme of reindustrialisation, public ownership and expanded public services without explaining how it would be funded. Addressing party supporters, the Labour leader said: “Hope comes from honesty.” He also spoke of his ambition to repair what he described as a “broken” country, drawing on his family’s values and his own Northern working-class background. The speech was warmly received in the conference hall and presented a more polished performance than that of his predecessor. Mr Burnham combined an everyman style with personal references,…

Hayden Panettiere’s family is supporting Wladimir Klitschko’s bid for legal guardianship of their 11-year-old daughter, Kaya, saying they believe he is a devoted father with her best interests at heart. Klitschko, Panettiere’s former fiancé, has applied for greater authority to make decisions on Kaya’s behalf and to oversee matters connected with the actress’s estate, which the family says Kaya is due to inherit. People close to the family regard the court application as a legal formality. They said: “Wlad is a great father and we are grateful.” Panettiere and Klitschko continued to co-parent after ending their relationship. Klitschko obtained full…

A man from south-east Michigan has been named in a civil lawsuit accusing seven Cornell University fraternity members of sexually assaulting a woman at a house in New York in October 2024. Scott Kretzschmar, from Casco Township in St Clair County, is one of seven men accused in the case, which was filed by a former Cornell student identified only as Jane Doe. The allegations have not been tested in court and no criminal charges have been brought against the men. The lawsuit names Cornell University, the Chi Phi fraternity, Tri Delta organisations, an Ithaca nightclub and several individual students.…

Former American Idol contestant and pastor Caleb Flynn has been found guilty of murdering his wife, Ashley, during an affair with a young woman from his church in Ohio. Flynn, 40, was convicted of murder, felonious assault and tampering with evidence after prosecutors said he shot 37-year-old Ashley Flynn twice in the back of the head at their home. He had claimed that his wife, a schoolteacher and volleyball coach, was killed by a robber during a home invasion in February. Investigators told the trial that the crime scene did not support his account. Flynn closed his eyes and shook…

The alleged RAF Fairford bomb plot was brought to police attention after one of the five suspects called 999 himself, it has emerged. Armed officers were sent to the Gloucestershire airbase in the early hours of Sunday, where they detained the men and removed their clothing amid fears they could be wearing suicide vests. Police later confirmed that no improvised explosive devices had been found in the three vans involved. However, a quantity of petrol was recovered from the vehicles. Laurence Taylor, head of Counter Terrorism Policing, said the five men had been released on police bail and remained under…

A judge has ordered New York City to restart its rollout of a tax on secondary homes. The ruling requires the city to resume implementing the secondary-home tax programme.

Reality star Althea Heart has launched an OnlyFans account after moving to the West Coast, beginning a new venture that allows her to share exclusive content directly with subscribers. Heart, known for appearing on Love & Hip Hop, is understood to be the latest reality television personality to join the platform, where creators can charge monthly fees for access to their content. She is said to have chosen the service to connect with fans on her own terms, without networks or producers determining what she can and cannot show. Other personalities reported to have recently joined OnlyFans include Pumpkin, the…

Four candidates seeking to represent Illinois’ 4th Congressional District faced questions on immigration, living costs and political accountability during a televised debate in Chicago on Tuesday night. The contest is to succeed Democratic US Representative Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, who is retiring at the end of his term. The candidates taking part were Democrat Patty Garcia, Republican Lupe Castillo, independent Chris Getty and Working Class Party nominee Ed Hershey. The debate unfolded against a backdrop of controversy over how the Democratic nomination was secured. Patty Garcia, who is not related to the outgoing congressman, was his chief of staff and became…