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News from the ABC Australia

Defence spending to climb by $53 billion as 'international norms' erode
Posted on Wednesday April 15, 2026

Australia's defence spending will climb by $53 billion over the next decade amid what the federal government says are "intensifying" global risks.

Jury hears 'no bad blood' before sistergirl's alleged fatal stabbing
Posted on Wednesday April 15, 2026

Jurors in the murder trial of a man accused of fatally stabbing a 37-year-old sistergirl from the Tiwi Islands have heard there was "no bad blood" between them in the lead-up to the "family tragedy".

Food minister warns of challenging times for WA consumers at checkout
Posted on Wednesday April 15, 2026

WA Agriculture and Food Minister Jackie Jarvis says natural disasters as well as fuel and fertiliser availability and cost increases are contributing to real concerns around food supply in WA.

Coronial inquest finds death of sex offender at Corella Place was preventable
Posted on Wednesday April 15, 2026

A coronial inquest has found that a supervised facility for sex offenders allowed a resident to have control over prescribed medications, which contributed to his death.

Cage fighter was 'mucking around' when spar turned deadly, jury hears
Posted on Wednesday April 15, 2026

Jurors have heard that the accused's girlfriend suggested he call an ambulance after the sparring session, but he told her to "hurry up and just get here".

School teacher who broke student's teeth found guilty of causing serious harm
Posted on Wednesday April 15, 2026

A former Darwin Middle School teacher who struck a female student in the face, breaking her teeth, after she demanded her confiscated phone back has been found guilty by a jury of unlawfully causing serious harm.

Taylor's migration plan doesn't make much sense. It doesn't have to
Posted on Wednesday April 15, 2026

More than a day after Angus Taylor unveiled the first plank of the Coalition's long-awaited migration policy and many media interviews later, it's still unclear what the opposition is actually proposing to change.

CFMEU had 'hit list' of site workplace inspectors, inquiry hears
Posted on Wednesday April 15, 2026

The commission of inquiry into Queensland's CFMEU branch has heard inspectors lost the freedom and ability to do jobs as they saw fit after Annastacia Palaszczuk came to power in 2015.

Workers at embattled smelter face last payday amid calls for certainty
Posted on Wednesday April 15, 2026

As what could be their last payday looms, an alliance of unions says more should be done to ensure stability for 200 workers at Australia's only manganese smelter.

Brunei's fertiliser could feed to Australia following meeting of leaders
Posted on Wednesday April 15, 2026

Brunei may be able to help Australia weather the economic chaos caused by the Iran war by sending additional supplies of fertiliser, the prime minister says.

Strait of Hormuz blockade could turn into global agrifood crisis
Posted on Wednesday April 15, 2026

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations says ships in the Strait of Hormuz need to start moving again to avoid a global agrifood crisis. Here's why.

Drought fuels biggest cattle sell-off in 20 years, as El Niño looms
Posted on Wednesday April 15, 2026

More than 500,000 head of cattle have already been sold across New South Wales this year, with Scone seeing its biggest sale in 20 years.

Tougher bail laws creating 'perverse incentive' for children to plead guilty
Posted on Wednesday April 15, 2026

Several lawyers have told a state parliament inquiry into the youth justice system that bail laws are encouraging children to plead guilty to crimes they may not have committed.

Most truckies fear they won't last 12 months, industry survey says
Posted on Wednesday April 15, 2026

Trucking industry peak group NatRoad calls on the federal government to urgently implement the $1 billion Economic Resilience Program it promised two weeks ago.

Chinese-backed coal mine purchase a 'vote of confidence', Qld government says
Posted on Wednesday April 15, 2026

Yancoal Australia will acquire a majority stake in what it says is the "largest producing" underground coal mine in the country. The announcement has been met with a mixed reaction.

Here's what you need to know about today's Gina Rinehart court ruling
Posted on Wednesday April 15, 2026

Today's blockbuster court ruling over mining tenements worth billions of dollars in WA's iron ore rich Pilbara is the culmination of a complicated legal battle spanning more than a decade that has pitted family against family and siblings against each other. 

Power confirms appeal after reasons released for Butters AFL Tribunal decision
Posted on Wednesday April 15, 2026

The AFL Tribunal releases its reasons for finding Zak Butters guilty of abusive and insulting language to umpire Nick Foot, saying it was "satisfied to the requisite standard" that he had made the remarks and that it was "implausible" that the umpire would have made it up.

Man cleared of stalking Israeli President Herzog during Sydney trip
Posted on Wednesday April 15, 2026

Rajab Ali was arrested in February while President Isaac Herzog was in Sydney to pay tribute to the 15 people killed in the Bondi Beach terror attack.

Police investigating claim Katy Perry sexually assaulted Ruby Rose
Posted on Wednesday April 15, 2026

Melbourne-born actress Ruby Rose claims US pop star Katy Perry assaulted her at a nightclub in 2010.

Hotel owner looks to sue Australia for $11m over unpaid refugee bills
Posted on Wednesday April 15, 2026

A hotel in Papua New Guinea is attempting to sue the Australian government over accommodation costs for refugees previously detained on Manus Island.



News from the BBC World Service

Starmer 'not going to yield' to pressure from Trump on Iran war
Posted on Wednesday April 15, 2026

It follows a warning from the US president that America's trade deal with the UK "can always be changed".

Legal advisers help migrants pose as gay to get asylum, undercover BBC investigation finds
Posted on Wednesday April 15, 2026

The BBC exposes a shadow industry charging migrants thousands of pounds to help them cheat the asylum system.

Bogus websites, staged protests and pretend atheists: Inside the fake asylum industry
Posted on Wednesday April 15, 2026

In the second part of an undercover investigation, the BBC exposes elaborate deceptions being used to bolster fake asylum claims.

Two Met PCs charged over death of pregnant woman
Posted on Wednesday April 15, 2026

The woman and her unborn child died in a crash with a police car in Kidbrooke, south-east London.

AA and BSM ordered to refund learner drivers for hidden fees
Posted on Wednesday April 15, 2026

The owner of the driving schools has been fined for failing to disclose fees upfront online.

Manhunt after attempted arson attack on synagogue
Posted on Wednesday April 15, 2026

Police say two suspects threw petrol-filled bottles at Finchley Reform Synagogue but they did not ignite.

Watch: Moment gunman tackled by school principal in Oklahoma
Posted on Wednesday April 15, 2026

CCTV footage shows a high school principal charging towards a former student who was armed in Oklahoma.

Booking.com customers warned of 'reservation hijacking' after hack
Posted on Wednesday April 15, 2026

The travel platform said it had changed Pins to protect customers but would not say how many were affected.

New women's health plan launched to tackle culture of 'sexism in the NHS'
Posted on Wednesday April 15, 2026

New plans to improve healthcare for women and girls have been set out, but will they change anything?

Four killed in second Turkish school shooting in two days
Posted on Wednesday April 15, 2026

Three students and one teacher died in the attack, according to the local governor.

Ultra-marathon champion dies while running Cape Wrath trail
Posted on Wednesday April 15, 2026

David Parrish was trying to beat the record for the fastest man to complete the 234 mile trail.

Sri Lanka repatriates 238 Iranian sailors stranded after US torpedo attack
Posted on Wednesday April 15, 2026

The survivors of the US attack on Iranian vessel Iris Dena, which claimed the lives of 104 people, were among those sent home.

Chris Mason: Iran war has trapped Labour in a vicious circle
Posted on Wednesday April 15, 2026

A subdued economy makes trade-offs and choices over public spending more difficult, Chris Mason writes.

How many ships are crossing the Strait of Hormuz?
Posted on Wednesday April 15, 2026

Since the start of the US blockade on Monday, 15 vessels have crossed the Strait of Hormuz, nine of which have links to Iran, BBC Verify analysis of ship-tracking data suggests.

Israel and Lebanon hold first direct talks since 1993
Posted on Tuesday April 14, 2026

A US statement said the two sides had agreed to launch direct negotiations, at a time and place to be determined.

Trump's rift with Pope is playing out in public - it's costing him valuable support
Posted on Wednesday April 15, 2026

Leading conservative Catholics tell the BBC why they back the American pontiff in his spat with Trump.

Watch: Reporter told to pose as gay for asylum claim
Posted on Wednesday April 15, 2026

A BBC reporter goes undercover and speaks to an adviser encouraging migrants to cheat the asylum system.

'I'm not the same person': Victim of secret home filming speaks out about impact of voyeurism
Posted on Wednesday April 15, 2026

Lucy Domaille was filmed by Kirk Bishop through a gap in the curtains of her home.

Oldest known meteor shower to light up UK skies this week
Posted on Wednesday April 15, 2026

Resulting from the Earth passing through dust left behind by Comet Thatcher centuries ago, the Lyrid meteor shower starts this week.

My brother's killer brags on TikTok about partying in jail
Posted on Wednesday April 15, 2026

Ben McCulloch, who stabbed his victim and left him to die, recently posted videos of a party inside a Scottish jail.



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