SBS News In Depth

A massive winter storm has swept across large parts of the United States, bringing heavy snow, ice and dangerously cold temperatures to states from Texas to New England. The storm has so far caused more than a million people to lose power, and thousands of flights have been grounded. Nearly 20 states have now declared weather emergencies, as the National Weather Service warns of continued hazardous conditions in coming days.

The 2026 Australian of the Year winners have been announced at the National Arboretum in Canberra. Thirty-three finalists from astronauts to doctors have been recognised for their contributions to Australian society.

Nearly one-thousand people have been recognised for a lifetime of dedication and service in their fields. Among them, quiet achievers giving back to their communities to foster a sense of belonging and acceptance, recognised after being nominated by friends and colleagues.

.After weeks of political pressure, the Prime Minister this month announced a Royal Commission into the rise in antisemitism and factors behind the second-deadliest mass shooting in Australian history. It is the latest of a series of Royal Commissions into wide-ranging issues, but what is a Royal Commission and what does it do?

Clad in armour and guided by a strict code of honour, Japan’s samurai were more than elite warriors; they were the architects of a society shaped by loyalty, discipline and power. For centuries, these sword-bearing nobles dominated Japan’s battlefields and politics, leaving a legacy that still influences the nation’s culture, values and global image today. The history and culture of Japan's Samurai warriors are being celebrated in a new museum in Tokyo. Visitors can try on armour, hold swords and even have a go at throwing special weapons.

Millions of people globally fall ill each year, from unsafe or contaminated foods. Some is due to food fraud, the act of purposely selling fake, mis-labelled or substituted food products for financial gain. Australian scientists have developed new ways to combat this multi-billion dollar problem.

It’s been more than four years since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan - and according to human rights organisations, the situation for women and girls is only getting progressively worse - with a near-total exclusion from most public employment and education. The United Nations has warned the country is expected to remain one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises for the year ahead.

The world’s first supersonic passenger plane, Concorde, made its maiden commercial flight 50 years ago this month on 21 January 1976. Its delta-wing design and drooping nose made it instantly recognisable, and although it went out of service in 2003, it is still remembered to this day.

SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves speaks with Tony Sycamore from IG Markets about the day's sharemarket action as the Australian dollar and gold price charge towards new milestones.

The Coalition’s unity has reached a new low following what's being described as a 'terminal' breakdown between key frontbenchers, marking their third significant split since the 2025 election. While leadership maintains that the door remains open for future cooperation, analysts suggest the in-fighting is further alienating a public that is increasingly turning toward minor parties and independent alternatives.

Australian summers are undergoing what scientists call a "total transformation," with a new study from World Weather Attribution revealing the country can now expect heatwaves every five years on average. The study's researchers say climate change made Australia's blistering heatwave in early January five times more likely, and there's an urgent need for the country to adapt to changed conditions. The warning comes as the country's south-eastern states prepare for what's forecast to be a prolonged, severe heatwave starting this weekend.

The Australian of the Year will be named in four categories on Sunday night. Among them is Emily Briffa, Tasmania's nomination for Local Hero. She's been recognised for her work at social enterprise cafe Hamlet, which trains and employs people with disability, neuro divergence and mental health concerns.

.US President Donald Trump has used the World Economic Forum in Davos to push a new security framework for the Arctic, and signal what he says is momentum towards ending the war in Ukraine. The week has also exposed deep divisions among allies over Greenland and Europe’s role in global security.

SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves speaks with Johnathan McMenamin from Barrenjoey and Adam Dawes from Shaw and Parnters as Australia's unemployment rate falls from 4.3% to 4.1% in December increasing the chance of an interest rate rise in a fortnight.

Is Donald Trump’s retreat from tariffs and military threats over Greenland - a NATO reset or a tactical pause? Syria edges toward reunification but at a major cost to the Kurds – and IS group fighters escape. Plus how a farm girl’s plea from rural China went hog-wild online.

The Coalition has reached a breaking point as the National Party officially splits from the Liberals, following a mass frontbench walkout over controversial hate speech legislation. While Opposition Leader Sussan Ley attempted to block some of the resignations to maintain unity, former colleagues and political rivals alike are labeling the fallout a "smoking ruin" that threatens the future of the alternative government.

Australians are paying their respects to the 15 victims of a Bondi terror attack on December 14 during a National Day of Mourning. The Prime Minister and Opposition leader are calling on all Australians to reflect upon the tragic events and stand in solidarity with the Jewish Community.

Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan and Qatar have accepted US President Donald Trump's invitation to join the so-called 'Board of Peace.' Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also publicly confirmed Israel's participation, while Vladimir Putin says he's considering Trump's invitation to join. Amid concerns the board of peace will pose a threat to the United Nations, the UN Secretary General has urged continued commitment to international law.

The US President has attacked his European allies at the World Economic Forum in Davos for their ongoing refusal to let the United States takeover Greenland. His 70-minute speech also took broad aim at the continent for other things Donald Trump believes Europe is doing ‘wrong’. His remarks had been widely anticipated amid ongoing tensions over the Arctic Island.

A new study reveals that communities with multi-racial backgrounds are exposed to warrantless searches up to three-and-a-half times more than communities in white-majority areas. According to the analysis of Victoria Police's use of extraordinary search power, this happens even when areas of white-majority communities have higher crime rates.

SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves speaks with Scott Phillips from The Motley Fool about the day's market action including why investors are concerned about Trump's latest threats, gold's new record and why BHP is edging closer to becoming Australia's largest listed company.

New South Wales' first female governor, Dame Marie Bashir, has died aged 95. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and New South Wales Premier Chris Minns are among those to have paid tribute to Dame Marie's life and legacy as a respected public servant, and committed advocate across mental health, education, Indigenous rights, and social inclusion.

.The government has suggested further measures to combat hate speech are unlikely to be pursued, even if a royal commission into antisemitism calls for stronger laws. It follows the passage of two separate bills - on gun reform and hate speech - becoming law after final approval by the Senate on Tuesday night.

United States President Donald Trump has invited world leaders to join his so-called 'Board of Peace'. Conceived with a mandate to oversee the administration and reconstruction of Gaza, the plan has quickly ballooned in its planned remit.

Japan's Prime Minister has announced plans to dissolve the parliament and trigger a snap election in less than three weeks. Sanae Takaichi is hoping to capitalise on her surging public opinion ratings. But facing mounting challenges at home and abroad, analysts say it is a risky strategy.

Following a period of heavy rain, a spate of suspected Bull shark attacks in New South Wales has left beach goers on edge. On Tuesday, a man was attacked by shark at Point Plomer beach near Port Macquarie on the state's Mid North Coast, escaping with only minor injuries. This is the fourth shark attacks in New South Wales over just two days.

New gun control and anti-hate laws have passed the lower house of parliament in response to the Bondi terror attack at a Jewish festival, which killed 15 people last month. They are expected to pass into law, but the process has been far from harmonious.

SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves speaks with Julie Lee from FTSE Russell about the day's market action including how the market is dealing with Donald Trump's latest tariff threats and why investors didn't like BHP's record copper and iron ore production report.

United States President Donald Trump has again refused to rule out using military force to take over Greenland as European leaders discuss a possible NATO mission in the Arctic territory. The escalating threats come after Mr Trump vowed to impose increasing tariffs on European countries until an agreement is reached on the "sale of Greenland."

A man is in a critical condition after the third shark attack at a Sydney beach in less than 48 hours. It follows attacks on Monday and Sunday, in which an 11 -year-old boy's surfboard was bitten by a shark and a 12-year-old boy was critically injured and remains in hospital.

SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves speaks with David Bassanese from Betashares about Donald Trump's latest threats to try and purchase Greenland and finds out why it could backfire; plus the day on the sharemarket including a look at China's economy as its birthrate falls to a record low with David Walsh from Sarto Advisory Pty Ltd.

.The government's world-first social media ban has been in place for just over a month, coinciding with Australia's school holidays. There are conflicting perspectives between the government, social media experts and young people on how effectively the ban has been implemented so far. But with less or no access to social media, how are young people spending their spare time?

Parliament has convened two weeks early, to officially honour the 15 innocent civilians gunned down at Bondi Beach last month. As commitments were made to learn from the past, the nation's leaders also looked to a future where hate and division based on faith or multi-culturalism does not exist.

European leaders have condemned threats levelled by the United States to impose new tariffs on countries who don't cooperate with US ambitions to take over Greenland. US President Donald Trump has continued with his plans to acquire control of the Arctic island, prompting warnings about the future of NATO and transatlantic ties.

In the middle of a housing and cost-of-living crisis, the Victorian government is in the process of demolishing all 44 of Melbourne's public housing towers. Despite significant pushback and a parliamentary inquiry calling for an immediate halt to works, the Victorian government is pushing ahead with the plans.

The housing crisis has seen people finding it increasingly hard to rent or buy a house in Australia's capital cities. But while most of the country has seen prices going up there's one place where prices have gone down - and that's Melbourne, where rental prices have gone down almost two percent year on year. SBS's Cameron Carr spoke to Dr Nicola Powell from Domain, to find out what's driving down prices.

The Albanese government has amended its proposed response to the Bondi Beach shootings, splitting its wide-ranging hate speech and gun reform package in two in a bid to secure passage through Parliament. Facing resistance from both the Coalition and the Greens over the breadth and rushed nature of the laws, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has made changes in hopes of receiving support from both political groups to pass each set of reforms.

A lot of people already identify or know the problems from smoking and what it can do for your health, but not a lot of people understand that loneliness or social isolation carries around the same health risks of smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day. Tyler Prochnow is an assistant professor at Texas A&M at their School of Public Health and an expert in social connectedness, physical activity and mental health.

Australia is known worldwide for its strong coffee culture. But across major cities, new styles blending Asian flavours with more familiar brews are quietly reshaping café menus.

SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves speaks with Isaac Poole from Oreana Private Wealth as the Australian sharemarket hits a record high, despite a growing divergence of opnion on the direction of US interest rates.

It's been just over a month since the government enacted its world-first social media ban for those aged under 16 years old. The government says they have deactivated, removed or restricted 4.7 million accounts so far. But what does this figure mean, and is an outright ban the most effective method for mitigating young people's exposure to harmful content online? In this episode of Weekend One on One Catriona Stirrat speaks to Nicholas Carah - Director of the Center for Digital Cultures and Societies at the University of Queensland.

New figures reveal more than 4.7 million social media accounts were deactivated, removed or restricted, when Australia's world-first age restrictions took effect in December. The reforms are the subject of much scrutiny around the world, as a number of nations move to address a new threat to social media users in the past week.

There's a stark gender divide in retirement confidence, with new research from AMP revealing only two in five Australian women feel secure about their financial future, compared to three in five men. The gap is widest among single and divorced women in their 40s, who are often juggling work, children and ageing parents. For more, Stephanie Youssef spoke with AMP’s Director of Growth and Customer Solutions, Julie Slapp.

US President Donald Trump has threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act and deploy troops to quell protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in Minneapolis. Tensions have flared in the city after a federal officer shot and wounded a Venezuelan man during an attempted arrest.

Greenland is rapidly becoming a geopolitical flashpoint. European troops are arriving on the island, Denmark is pushing for a stronger NATO presence, and the Trump administration insisting it still wants the United States to acquire Greenland.

SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves speaks with Chris Weston from Pepperstone as BHP edges closer to becoming Australia's largest listed company and finds out why he thinks US interest rates may not fall this year.

Can the economy-driven protests in Iran bring down the regime? Plus, the Venezuelan oil games continue as President Trump declares his global power answers to just one thing (hint: it’s not the UN or God), and why illegal importers are dicing with danger in Indonesia.

Since the start of summer, 33 people have lost their lives to drowning in Australia. With drowning trending upwards since the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Australian Water Safety Council has released a new Australian Water Safety Strategy 2030, strengthening national efforts to reduce drowning deaths by 50 per cent by the end of the decade.

The European Union's latest annual climate report reveals last year was the world's third-hottest on record. The report also finds the global three-year average has warmed by more than 1.5 degrees Celsius for the first time, a threshold scientists warn dramatically increases the risk of extreme weather events. Climate experts say while the findings are troubling, China and India have made notable improvements in reducing emissions.

It's being heralded as one of the biggest trade deals in history, with the EU and some Latin American nations poised to sign the Mercosur Agreement this weekend. Designed in part to reduce reliance on the United States and China and find new growth markets, the deal has attracted strong opposition from some European countries and industries.