Good morning, Canberra. We're heading for a maximum of 29 degrees on a partly cloudy day with a UV rating considered extreme. Here’s what’s making news in the capital.
Education: Some of the capital's most elite schools have increased fees to keep up with mounting costs. Here's what private school costs across Canberra will cost.
Explainer: Federal, state and territory governments agreed an outright ban was better than tougher safety regulations for processing the material, which is commonly used to make kitchen and bathroom benchtops.
Public Eye: We will guide you through the year that was, while weaving in some of the fluffier moments - because that's what we're here for, write Miriam Webber and Justine Landis-Hanley.
Court: A Queensland state MP is expected to give evidence as Bruce Lehrmann's defamation action against Network Ten and journalist Lisa Wilkinson continues beyond its original slated end.
Coming to Canberra: Intrepid Canberrans will be able to tackle obstacles as high as 18 metres off the ground when the ACT's first Treetops Adventure Park opens next year.
Weather: Heavy rain had left most popular spots with warnings to keep out of the water in early December. By the weekend, the warning had lifted and Canberrans dived in.
Opinion: Next year about 4000 students will enrol in Kindergarten in ACT government schools. The ACT does not have the tools to ensure these children will thrive at school, writes Jessica Del Rio.
National: Recommendations to strengthen Australian laws forcing tech giants to pay news publishers for content have been accepted by the Albanese government.
World: Israel has opened a direct crossing for aid into Gaza for the first time in its more than two-month-old war on Hamas while also stepping up attacks on the Palestinian enclave.
