SBS News In Depth

The Victorian Government is debating a historic Statewide Treaty Bill, establishing Australia's first ever Treaty agreement between a state government and First Peoples in Victoria. If signed into law, the Treaty Bill will forge a path forward for First Peoples in Victoria to negotiate and influence the policy that affects community.

In Australia, Jewish and Palestinian communities have been celebrating the release of hostages and detainees as the fragile path to peace in Gaza continues. In Melbourne, Israeli hostage supporters took to the streets while there's also been celebration among families of Palestinians set free.

SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves speaks with Kai Chen from MPC Markets about the rise on rare earths along with the rest of the day's sharemarket action.

World leaders have signed a historic Middle East deal at a summit in Egypt. It comes hours after Israel and Hamas exchanged detainees and hostages. Israel released nearly 2,000 Palestinians from Israeli prisons, and Gaza released the surviving Israeli hostages after two years in captivity.

A large white coral reef containing important species and fossil traces has been discovered at a depth of more than 500 metres in the Gulf of Naples, in a rare discovery for the Mediterranean. But a new report suggests reefs like this might already be in danger, with global warming crossing dangerous thresholds sooner than expected and the world's coral reefs now in an almost irreversible die-off. It marks what scientists are describing as the first tipping point in climate-driven ecosystem collapse.

Of all Australian states, Tasmania is the biggest producer of potatoes, and a lot of what's grown here goes into potato products you would know well – hot chips, hash browns and wedges among them. But a new virus detected in recent months is causing concern. Growers are optimistic it can be managed, stressing it doesn't pose a risk to human health.

All 20 surviving Israeli hostages have been released from Hamas captivity in Gaza in a historic exchange as part of the first phase of a Gaza peace plan. And nearly 2000 Palestinians have also been freed from Israeli prisons, with the majority headed back to the war-ravaged Palestinian enclave. United States President Donald Trump has claimed the Israel-Hamas war is over, but negotiations are set to continue in Egypt with long-term peace still far from secure.

Human right law experts are calling the federal government to take what they call a significant opportunity to establish a federal Human Rights Act. It comes as a new report analyses how attempts to create such an act in Australia over five decades has been met with political opposition and misinformation.

SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Goncalves speaks with Daniel Martin from Alvia Asset Partners about the day's market news including the impact of geopolitics including the holding ceasefire in Gaza; plus hear from Treasurer Jim Chalmers as he addresses changes to superannuation.

With the ceasefire in Gaza holding for a third day, tens of thousands of Palestinians are returning to rubble as Israel prepares for the release of hostages. United States President Donald Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi are to co-host a Gaza peace summit in Egypt, where more than 20 world leaders are expected to back plans to achieve a lasting peace.

Dozens of fighters have been killed in overnight border clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan in the most serious fighting between the neighbours since the Taliban came to power in Kabul. Tensions have risen after Pakistan demanded the Taliban take action against militants who have stepped up attacks in Pakistan, saying they operate from bases in Afghanistan. The Taliban denies that Pakistani militants are present on its soil.

A new report is calling for a national database on miscarriage to address ongoing invisibility around miscarriage and early pregnancy loss in Australia, particularly for First Nations women and in rural and regional communities. This comes as the government announced a $9.5 million funding package in May last year to improve awareness and support for early pregnancy loss.

California is to phase out certain ultraprocessed foods from school meals over the next decade under a first-in-the-nation law signed by Governor Gavin Newsom. Schools will have to start removing those foods from their menus by July 2029, and districts will be barred from selling them for breakfast or lunch by July 2035.

Earlier this year, US President Donald Trump ordered steep cuts to the US foreign aid budget, a move that sparked concerns it would cause widespread harm and even deaths for the millions that relied on the programs delivered or funded by the USAid office. Now, refugees and advocates say the cuts are starting to bite, with 85 per cent of residents in refugee camps along the Myanmar-Thai border living without USAid food rations.

SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves speaks with Zoran Kresovic from Blueberry Markets about the day's market action, including how investors are feeling following the potential Gaza peace deal, the future for gold and the outlook for silver, which hit a near 45 year high.

After two years of devastating conflict, there are scenes of cautious celebration across the Middle East. A historic ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, brokered by US President Donald Trump, has been reached, in effect, marking what some are calling a new chapter of peace.

Syria's first parliamentary elections since the fall of Bashar al-Assad have sparked criticism for how they were run. The election was seen as a key step in the shift away from the al-Assad regime, but one that has sparked concerns about inclusivity and fairness under the country's new leaders. Syrians here in Australia say their relatives at home do not feel represented by the new Government.

The first senate estimates of the 48th Parliament have arrived – where the Albanese Labor Government and representatives from the Australian Public Service and government agencies are quizzed for up to 14 hours a day about pretty much anything. It’s tedious, it’s long, but it’s all about accountability, and Independent Senator for the ACT David Pocock takes us behind the scenes. Plus Bob Katter has a suggestion for the footy off-season, and Andrew Hastie has left the Coalition front bench.

Hamas and Israel sign up for Phase One of Trump's new 20-point plan for peace in Gaza. France's revolving door on its prime ministerial office takes another spin. Plus Australia and PNG sign on to an expanded alliance for regional cooperation. And how desperate for $5,000 are you? Take a job at a haunted hotel desperate?

Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of United States President Donald Trump's plan for Gaza. The ceasefire and hostage deal could be a first step toward ending a bloody two-year-old war that has roiled across the Middle East.

SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves speaks with Robert Talevski to see how the Gaza peace deal has impacted markets; and Ricardo takes a look at Australia's crypto regulatory space with Gemini's Saad Ahmed.

Laws have been introduced into federal parliament to stop employers from scrapping leave entitlements when families face the tragedy of a stillbirth or death of their baby.

US President Donald Trump says Israel and Hamas have agreed on the first phase of a peace framework that will allow for the release of all hostages. In a post on social media, he said the release of hostages is imminent, adding that "All Parties will be treated fairly!". The exchange of the remaining hostages held by Hamas for Palestinian prisoners could happen within 72 hours of the deal's implementation. Dr Eyal Mayroz is a lecturer in Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Sydney, and he gave SBS's Cameron Carr his reaction to the agreement

The International Criminal Court has convicted Sudanese militia commander Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman of war crimes and crimes against humanity for leading attacks in Darfur over 20 years ago. The conviction marks the ICC's first conviction for atrocities in the Darfur conflict which killed an estimated 300,000 people and forcibly displaced around 2.7 million.

The federal opposition has accused Communications Minister Anika Wells of misleading parliament over when her office was notified of the Optus Triple-Zero outage that has been linked to four deaths. It comes as emails that Optus sent to notify the government and the regulator of the outages, which ultimately affected more than 600 people last month, are scrutinised in Senate estimates. Meanwhile, legislation creating a triple-zero custodian has passed the lower house.

SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves speaks with Armina Rosenberg from Minotaur Capital about the day's market action, including gold's new milestone and how her firm is using AI to invest; plus Nick Tuffley from ASB Bank goes through why the RBNZ cut interest rates more than expected and what it means for Australian travellers going to New Zealand.

More ships are sailing towards Gaza as part of an international aid flotilla. It comes as Israel deports Australians who were part of the Global Sumud Flotilla.

The new Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police says her leadership will be characterised by a focus on social cohesion. Krissy Barrett, the first woman to lead the A-F-P, has amended the agency's mission statement to include "defend" and protect Australia from domestic and global security threats. In a wide ranging interview with SBS's Sara Tomevska, Commissioner Barrett says the agency will have a laser focus on disrupting crimes that impact Australia's sovereignty, democracy and social cohesion.

The government has fast-tracked legislation into parliament aimed at strengthening the 000 call system after failures by Optus to ensure access to emergency calls. As parliament resumed, the nation's leaders made time to commemorate the second anniversary of the October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas.

SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves speaks with Todd Hoare from LGT Wealth Management Australia Management about the day's sharemarket action, including ASIC's approval of Cboe Australia's listing market.

A snapshot of Australian general practice has revealed that GPs are having to see patients for longer appointments to treat more complex medical needs. The Health of the Nation industry survey of almost 2,500 GPs also shows a growing number of general practitioners are managing patient conditions typically handled by specialists.

French politics has been in disarray since President Emmanuel Macron called an early legislative election last year, producing a deeply fragmented National Assembly. Now, with Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu resigning after less than a month in the job, there are fears the French parliament has plunged into political deadlock.

Israeli and Hamas officials are meeting in Egypt this week in hopes of progressing a deal for a potential ceasefire in Gaza. It comes as the world marks two years of intense war in the enclave.

There are fears that many children with autism or learning difficulties will fall between the cracks of a new support system that aims to limit access to the National Disability Insurance Scheme. The Thriving Kids initiative will be rolled out from the middle of next year, with a focus on providing support to children with so-called mild to moderate autism within community and mainstream settings. But disability advocates have told a parliamentary inquiry it is these children that are most often overlooked or misunderstood.

The ASX-200 has started the week in the red, as a tech sell-off offset strong gains by gold and copper miners. Plus, Japanese stocks have hit a record high just a day after the country’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party named Sanae Takaichi as its leader. For more, Rena Sarumpaet spoke with George Boubouras from K2 Asset Management. As annual superannuation statements start to arrive in the mail, Australians are being urged to not ignore them with research from Canstar showing about a fifth of respondents only check their super once every few years - or never. For more on how a financial health check could benefit your nest egg, Stephanie Youssef spoke with Canstar Data Insights Director Sally Tindall.

Thousands of Australians are joining vigils across the nation to mark the second anniversary of the deadly Hamas attack on Israel. Around 1200 people were killed and 250 taken hostage during the designated terror group's attack on October 7, 2023, which triggered a brutal military response from Israel.

Talks aimed at implementing US President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan for Gaza are set to begin in Cairo, marking what could be the most significant diplomatic push since the conflict began two years ago.

It sounds like the plot of a science fiction movie from the 1950s - a giant rogue planet, moving through the galaxy at a record-breaking speed, consuming vast quantities of dust and gas . But this isn't the product of the fevered imagination of a Hollywood writer. This lone planet is very real.

Snakes may be ten a penny here in Australia but in the UK it's a different story. Britain's rarest reptile, known as the Smooth Snake, is thriving again after conservation efforts were introduced to save it in 2009. But monitoring exactly how many Smooth Snakes there are can be a challenge due to the reptile's reclusive nature.

The Queensland city of Toowoomba has become home to thousands of Yazidi refugees. A local hockey program is aiming to develop confidence and language skills for this community, with the help of retired locals on the field.

Scary movies, haunted houses and trick or treating, October is the unofficial start to “spooky season” - at least, that's what you would think judging by what's on the shelves in our local shops. Sarah Kollat, teaching professor of psychology at Penn State University in the US, says there are lots of reasons people like to be scared. At a chemical level, our brains and bodies are reacting to the jump scares in a movie and “surviving” a haunted house. But psychologists also say getting scared in a safe environment prepares us for real danger.

Nearly two years after the failed referendum saw a First Nations voice to parliament shot down, some NGOs and state governments have been taking the initiative to follow the wishes of the majority of Indigenous communities in Australia who voted for this special representation. Australia's principal non-government organisation for public health, the Public Health Association of Australia, has announced they will be instituting an Aboriginal and Torres-Strait Islander voice to help guide their work after a near unanimous vote by their members. SBS spoke to Dr Summer May Finlay, a Yorta Yorta woman, an Associate Professor at the University of Wollongong and the Vice President (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) of the Public Health Association about the importance of a First Nations voice in helping to Close the Gap on healthcare outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians

SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves speaks with Dianne Colledge from Morgans Financial Limited about the days sharemarket action including the opportunites for investors.

This weekend will see the largest annual gathering of Indigenous people in the country at the New South Wales Koori knockout rugby league tournament. It's a sporting competition... but also, so much more.

Israeli naval forces have intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla, seizing more than 40 civilian boats and hundreds of activists - including Australians. The action has sparked global protests and condemnation, with Israel saying it is necessary for its own security.

A WARNING THAT THE FOLLOWING STORY CONTAINS CONTENT THAT MAY BE DISTRESSING FOR SOME LISTENERS Two people have been killed and three others seriously hurt after an assailant drove a car into pedestrians and stabbed a security guard near a synagogue in Manchester in northern England. Greater Manchester Police say officers shot and killed the suspect, who investigators say attacked just as Jewish communities around the world mark Yom Kippur, the holiest holiday in the Jewish calendar.

SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves speaks with Callam Pickering about the latest household spending data and what it means for interest rates, plus Henry Jennings from Marcus Today on the days market action.

The coalition are revamping their proposal for nuclear energy, despite suffering an election loss with this policy. The details are yet to be confirmed, but the Opposition Energy Minister says they will adapt their plan to meet developments in the space.

Israeli military personnel have intercepted an international flotilla trying to deliver medicine and food to Gaza and boarded its boats as it approached the area. The Global Sumud Flotilla consists of more than 40 civilian boats carrying about 500 parliamentarians, lawyers and activists including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg. The organisers say they are trying to break Israel's blockade of Gaza, despite repeated warnings from Israel to turn back. The United Nations last month ruled that Israel had committed genocide in Gaza, a claim Israel denies. Israel has imposed a naval blockade on Gaza since Hamas took control of the coastal enclave in 2007 and they claim it is a legal part of the action they are taking against Hamas. They've accused the flotilla of having connections to Hamas - which the organisers strongly deny, while other critics accuse them of grandstanding. Judy Patterson's son, Hamish, is the captain of the Wahoo, one of the ships taking part in the action, and she spoke to SBS's Tee Mitchell.

A new 20-point plan for peace in Gaza gains support among the international community. Trump warns the US military of the enemy from within as Hegseth tells Generals to slim down for the war on woke. Plus, Democrats and Republicans point the finger at each other as the US government shuts down. Also, Moscow warns of a new red line in the war in Ukraine. And, China launches a campaign to stamp out online negativity.