☕️ France’s First Lady wins cyberbullying case

New year, new Wednesday tradition!

I’m just still yet to figure out what that tradition is…

Over the next month I’m going to test out some options, and then I’ll poll you on which is your favourite!

Option one is a ‘Who Am I’ riddle. Here are three facts about someone, and you need to guess who the person is:

So, who am I? Answer is at the bottom of the titbit!

“As far as I can tell, a crazy person tried to break in by hammering the windows.”
U.S. Vice President JD Vance in a post on X, after his home in the U.S. state of Ohio was broken into. The suspect has been taken into custody.

510.3 million yen (around $AU4.85 million)
The record amount of money paid for a giant bluefin tuna earlier this week at an auction in Tokyo, Japan. Bought by the sushi company Kiyomura Corp, it weighed 243kg.

Beano (bean-o)
Definition: a noisy, festive party or celebration
Sentence: every year, my family throws a huge end-of-year beano

Ten people have been found guilty of cyberbullying France’s First Lady, Brigitte Macron, over repeated false online claims about her gender identity and relationship with President Emmanuel Macron.

The group suggested that Mrs Macron was born a man, and linked the 24-year age gap in her marriage to paedophilia.

A Paris court described the comments as “particularly degrading, insulting and malicious”.

The defendants, aged between 41 and 65, received varying sentences.

In 2024, Brigitte Macron filed a legal complaint against a group whose posts on X, formerly Twitter, gained widespread attention.

The posts spread an online conspiracy theory that alleged Mrs Macron was born male under the name Jean-Michel – the name of her older brother.

The group also accused Mrs Macron of paedophilia over her relationship with President Emmanuel Macron, who she met when he was 15, and she was his 39-year-old drama teacher. The pair formed a relationship after Mr Macron left school.

The trial, held in a Paris court in October 2025, involved eight men and two women. Three defendants were tried in absentia, meaning the case proceeded without them present.

Most of the defendants denied wrongdoing, arguing the posts were either jokes or were cause for legitimate public debate.

One defendant offered an apology to Mrs Macron.

The group received a range of sentences, from mandatory online harassment awareness training to a six-month prison term.

Another defendant received a suspended eight-month prison sentence.

Each defendant was fined around $AU1,000. They were also ordered to collectively pay about $AU17,500 in compensation to Brigitte Macron.

Half were also banned from using X for six months.

This is one of several ongoing legal actions brought by Mrs Macron.

One of the most high-profile cases involves American right-wing commentator Candace Owens, over an eight-part YouTube series promoting the false claim that Mrs Macron is transgender.

Reporting by Achol Arok.

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Protests against the Iranian regime have entered their ninth day, with reports that at least 29 people have been killed.

Iranians are protesting economic hardship and government measures.

U.S. President Donald Trump has said his country will become involved in the disputes if the regime uses violence against protesters.

Iranian UN ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani has labelled Trump’s threat an “intervention in internal affairs”.

Here’s what you need to know.

Demonstrations began on 28 December, when shopkeepers in Tehran began protesting after the rial (Iran’s currency) hit an all-time low against the U.S. dollar.

A day later, the head of the Central Bank of Iran resigned.

On Monday, the Guardian reported that inflation reached 52.6% in December.

The Center for Human Rights in Iran has confirmed protesters are concerned by the country’s economic situation and government regime.

Over the past week, protests have expanded across Iran, now covering 88 cities and multiple university campuses, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA).

Aside from economic concerns, university students are also protesting against the regime’s mandatory hijab rule.

It’s reported that protesters have been chanting “Woman, Life, Freedom” which was popularised in 2022 protests. These protests erupted after 22-year-old woman Mahsa (Zhina) Amini died following her arrest by the regime’s ‘morality police’.

HRANA reported on Monday that the number of protesters arrested over the nine-day period of demonstrations is approximately 1,200.

The organisation estimates that “the actual number” is “significantly higher.”

Iranian news outlet Fars News Agency reported injuries of 314 military and law enforcement personnel, while HRANA recorded 64 protester injuries.

On 3 January, the Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said on X that “the shopkeepers’ protest about the excessive surge in foreign exchange is valid.”

Khamenei said: “Protesting is different from rioting... the officials must talk with the protesters.”

“Rioters must be put in their place,” he added.

Iran International reported this week the government’s plan to provide monthly vouchers for basic goods in an effort to curb protesters’ concerns.

In a post to X on 3 January, Trump said that if Iran “violently kills peaceful protesters” the U.S. “will come to their rescue.”

“We are locked and loaded and ready to go,” Trump added.

A photo of Trump holding a ‘Make Iran Great Again’ hat was shared to X by U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham on 5 January.

In a letter to the UN Security Council, Iranian UN ambassador Iravani said that Trump had “openly threatened” Iran.

Iravani said the U.S. has shown a “consistent pattern of intervention and coercion pursued under the pretext of ‘supporting the Iranian people’.”

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said the country’s military “knows exactly where to aim in the event of any infringement of Iranian sovereignty.”

Reporting by Emily Donohoe.

A Women’s International Cricket series is coming — and it’s happening on home soil. Australia will take on India in the NRMA Insurance Women’s International Series, and it’s set to be huge.

This is the rivalry that once packed 80,000+ fans into the MCG, and after India’s recent World Cup triumph, the stakes are sky high. Across three T20Is, three ODIs and a four-day Test match, expect big-hitting moments mixed with the pure drama of international cricket.

It all gets underway at the SCG on Sunday 15 February. This series is where the next chapter of the rivalry unfolds. Tickets are on sale now – don’t miss out!

The minimum amount a player will receive if they reach the first round will be $150,000. The men's and women's singles champions will each take home a cheque of $4.15 million, which is up from $3.5 million last year. Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley said: "From boosting qualifying prize money by 55 per cent since 2023 to enhancing player benefits, we're ensuring professional tennis is sustainable for all competitors." 

Want more good news? Sign up to our weekly Good Newsletter here - we promise it’ll make your week better!

Lego fans, listen up!

The company has unveiled new ‘smart bricks’, in what is being described as its most significant innovation in 50 years.

The new small bricks will have tiny chips in them that will allow the bricks to have light and sound sensors, among other things. Lego says these developments will “bring play to life”. It also says this will encourage kids to have more playtime without screens.

The first SMART Play system (a Star Wars themed set) is expected to launch in March.

Cue the ‘back in my day’…

Reporting by Anju Dhanushkodi.

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‘Who Am I’ answer: Margot Robbie.

In the aftermath of the Bondi terrorist attack, pressure is mounting for a federal Royal Commission into antisemitism in Australia. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has rejected the calls, but families of victims, business and sport leaders, some Labor MPs and the Opposition say it's essential after the country’s worst-ever terrorist attack. In today’s podcast, we’ll unpack the calls for a royal commission, what it actually is, and why the Prime Minister is suggesting it might delay action.