🗞 IN our final edition for 2024, ON SALE NOW, you’ll read about:

• WHILE Mr and Mrs Claus are believed to be making Christmas preparations in the North Pole, Palawa man Lewan Lehman and his Antarctic ‘family’ are definitely preparing in the South Pole. The 31-year-old carpenter is part of the summer crew at the Australian Antarctic Program’s Casey Research Station. Full story, page 7.

• AS the country prepares to celebrate Christmas and the holiday season, spare a thought for our First Nations warriors who are out there fighting for change. From Tasmania to the Torres Strait, and across to the ‘wild’ west, battles are being fought to protect Country, and to preserve history and culture. See pages 18-19.

PLUS: NRL / AFL Indigenous All-Stars latest news – page 50, 51.

In SPORT:

• FIRST Nations para-athletes will have two staunch advocates in their corner with Tracy Barrell and Ben Austin joining the Paralympics Australia Athletes Commission. Barrell and Austin were invited to join the commission prior to the Paris Games; the twin appointments was made official late last month.

• TEST cricket specialist and fan-favourite Scott Boland slotted back into the international arena in the manner he first left it – confounding batsmen with his precision bowling. Boland played his role in the Second Test against India with aplomb, where he claimed an aggregate 5-105 off 20.5 overs. More, page 54.