-->
> >
 
 
News from the ABC Australia

With blackouts expected to intensify as storms do, could a smart grid be the answer?
Posted on Wednesday January 21, 2026

Tens of thousands of homes across Queensland have lost power during storms this season – an uncomfortable, expensive experience, which could become more common.

What measures are in place to protect swimmers from sharks at NSW beaches?
Posted on Wednesday January 21, 2026

Shark mitigation measures have come a long way since the first nets were rolled out in Sydney almost 90 years ago.

Debt is America's Achilles heel in a fracturing world order
Posted on Wednesday January 21, 2026

For decades, global investors have bought US government debt as a safe haven when things turn pear-shaped. But investor attitudes are changing, and America's financial domination is at stake.

Australia earns global praise for economic 'soft landing'
Posted on Wednesday January 21, 2026

A new report from the OECD says Australia's economy is returning to normal but remains vulnerable and lacks dynamism.

Nationals walkout leaves Coalition on life support, again
Posted on Wednesday January 21, 2026

The departure of every single member of the Nationals from the frontbench is bizarrely both a failure of the Coalition agreement and a result of it functioning as intended. 

'I've been so stressed': Adelaide Uni merger causing stress for some students
Posted on Wednesday January 21, 2026

The Adelaide University merger has been labelled a "shambles" by some students who say they have been unable to enrol in courses or receive timely communication from the new university.

Tobacco companies targeting gen Z through social media
Posted on Wednesday January 21, 2026

Experts say Australia risks becoming complacent in the war against tobacco, with big companies pivoting to social media to "greenwash" their products to generation Z.

Fetal heart monitors still available online despite being banned
Posted on Wednesday January 21, 2026

Home fetal doppler devices were banned from sale in Australia last year but they are still readily available for purchase online, prompting experts to issue warnings. 

Bondi lifeguard who ran towards terror attack remembers 'fear in victims' eyes'
Posted on Wednesday January 21, 2026

Much of Jackson 'Jacko' Doolan's memory from December 14 is a blur, but there is one moment that remains crystal clear.

The power of one small mitzvah as Jewish community heals after Bondi
Posted on Wednesday January 21, 2026

Amid the National Day of Mourning for the victims of the Bondi Beach terrorist attack, Rabbi Jacqueline Ninio shares what mourning looks like in Jewish culture, from the resonance of stones at gravesites to the 30-day period of grieving.

Republicans push to hold Clintons in contempt of Congress over Epstein probe
Posted on Wednesday January 21, 2026

The Clintons are refusing to testify before a committee in the US House of Representatives, accusing Republicans of leading a weaponised process against them.

Quiz: How closely have you been following the 2026 awards season?
Posted on Wednesday January 21, 2026

Fancy yourself an awards season whiz? Test your knowledge as we rocket towards the 2026 Academy awards.

The program giving students a seat at the bushfire planning table
Posted on Wednesday January 21, 2026

In a bushfire-prone area in outer Melbourne, a group of students is taking part in a two-way learning exchange to improve bushfire safety.

Late diagnosis for patient as hospital faces backlog of medical scans
Posted on Wednesday January 21, 2026

The Royal Hobart Hospital is facing a significant backlog of medical scans, with at least one patient experiencing a late diagnosis. The AMA and a union say it's a sign of a system facing a range of pressures.

Children and journalists among 11 people killed by Israel in Gaza
Posted on Wednesday January 21, 2026

According to Palestinian medics, two boys aged 10 and 13 were among those killed on Wednesday in the latest violence which threatens to undermine a fragile ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.

'Constant worry': Ukraine endures bitterest winter as Russia targets energy sites
Posted on Wednesday January 21, 2026

The war-ravaged country has been plunged into an energy crisis as temperatures plummet below freezing, leaving millions unable to heat their homes.

Hand stencils discovered in Indonesia are world's oldest-known rock art
Posted on Wednesday January 21, 2026

Faint ochre outlines of hands thought to be at least 67,800 years old are the oldest rock art yet discovered. Archaeologists say the discovery of the Indonesian cave art backs up estimates of when humans first reached Australia.

Prince Harry says tabloids made wife Meghan's life 'absolute misery' in Daily Mail trial
Posted on Wednesday January 21, 2026

An emotional Prince Harry held back tears as he described the impact of media coverage on his wife Meghan Markle. 

World's biggest nuclear power plant restarts almost 15 years after Fukushima disaster
Posted on Wednesday January 21, 2026

The world's biggest nuclear power plant has been rebooted by the same company that operated the Fukushima facility, despite concerns about safety from some locals.

Trump 'won't use force' to take Greenland, but says he wants 'immediate' deal
Posted on Wednesday January 21, 2026

Donald Trump says he wants "immediate" negotiations to begin on selling Greenland to the United States, as tensions between his administration and European allies continue to rise.



News from the BBC World Service

Faisal Islam: What it was like inside the room with Donald Trump at Davos
Posted on Wednesday January 21, 2026

Faisal Islam said there was mixed reaction in the room during Trump's Davos speech.

Tetchy and emotional exchanges as Harry in court for what could be last time
Posted on Wednesday January 21, 2026

The Duke of Sussex's manner showed how personal this was to him, delivering terse and sometimes tense answers.

Photos leaked to BBC show faces of hundreds killed in Iran's brutal protest crackdown
Posted on Wednesday January 21, 2026

The images from one mortuary in Tehran were shown to families who went to identify their loved ones.

Mother-of-10 guilty of keeping vulnerable woman as slave for 25 years
Posted on Wednesday January 21, 2026

The victim had bleach splashed on her and her head shaved against her will by Mandy Wixon.

Oldest cave painting of red claw hand could rewrite human creativity timeline
Posted on Wednesday January 21, 2026

A stencilled outline of a hand found on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi is the world's oldest known cave painting, researchers say.

Olivia Dean and Lola Young dominate Brit Award nominations
Posted on Wednesday January 21, 2026

A new wave of pop stars lead the shortlist, while Pulp pick up their first nomination in 30 years.

I will not yield to Trump's pressure on Greenland, says PM
Posted on Wednesday January 21, 2026

Sir Keir says President Trump criticised the UK's Chagos Islands deal in order to exert pressure on the PM.

How the NHS became the battleground in the trans debate facing workplaces
Posted on Wednesday January 21, 2026

What's next for employers and their staff in the aftermath of the Darlington nurses ruling?

Israel postpones demolition of Palestinian children's football pitch
Posted on Wednesday January 21, 2026

An international campaign to save the pitch in the occupied West Bank city of Bethlehem appears to have forced the authorities to reconsider.

Prue Leith leaves The Great British Bake Off
Posted on Wednesday January 21, 2026

She has been a judge on Channel 4's baking competition alongside Paul Hollywood since 2017.

US to transfer Islamic State prisoners from Syria to Iraq
Posted on Wednesday January 21, 2026

The move comes as Syrian government forces take control of north-eastern areas where Kurdish-led forces have long controlled.

Fact-checking Trump's Davos speech
Posted on Wednesday January 21, 2026

The US president made a series of contested claims, ranging from the status of Greenland to Nato spending.

Trump's jibes are wearing thin for many of Europe's leaders
Posted on Wednesday January 21, 2026

The ball is in the court of European leaders ahead of Thursday's emergency EU meeting in Brussels, writes Nick Beake.

EU suspends approval of US trade deal over Greenland threats
Posted on Wednesday January 21, 2026

The move follows renewed tensions between the US and EU, as Donald Trump pushes to acquire Greenland.

Watch: Faisal Islam considers how Trump's Davos speech was received
Posted on Wednesday January 21, 2026

The BBC's Faisal Islam was in the room when President Trump told his audience that he would not use force in Greenland, but also launched a long argument for why the US should own it.

Beckham v Peltz Beckham: Could Brooklyn torpedo the family brand?
Posted on Tuesday January 20, 2026

Brooklyn's explosive post about Brand Beckham "has ruptured it from within", one commentator says.

Is Starmer's tougher stance on Trump enough to shore up support from his MPs?
Posted on Wednesday January 21, 2026

Behind the scenes, Sir Keir had been coming under greater pressure to change his approach to the president.

Why doing a mix of exercise could be the key to longer life
Posted on Wednesday January 21, 2026

Don't just focus on one activity - doing a variety every week gives you more health benefits, a study suggests.

Loved ones of victims reeling after high-speed rail crash in southern Spain
Posted on Wednesday January 21, 2026

Two deadly crashes in almost as many days have inflicted grief, anger and disruption. Two deadly crashes in almost as many days inflict grief, anger and disruption in Spain.

Should Scotland fans boycott the World Cup over Greenland row?
Posted on Wednesday January 21, 2026

A former SNP MP, Hannah Kennedy-Bardell said she would "potentially" suggest boycotting the football tournament.



Warnings ::
No Current Warnings




   

 



   

 




  

 
 
We Media logo