13 h. ago Ouyen may have hit the highest recorded temperature in Victoria’s history – and some fear it could get even hotter

As the temperature nears 49C in the Mallee region, residents take refuge in air-conditioned rooms Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastIn the slanting, late-afternoon summer sun, the fields around the small Australian town of Ouyen – almost 450km north-west of Melbourne – turn the colour of honey. The edges shimmer with silver, that old cruel trick of feigning water where it hasn’t rained for weeks.Summer is always hot out here in the sparse, flat Mallee, but this year is shaping up to be particularly harsh. Just two weeks ago, on Thursday 8 January, Ouyen got to 47.5C. On Monday it reached 44.3C. Continue reading...

Events

18 h. ago What happens to the human body in 49C heat? Australians are finding out

Doctors warn there are biological limits to temperatures we can survive, and exposure to extreme heat can provoke a heart attackFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAustralia’s southern states are scorching in extreme heat that could break temperature records in Victoria and South Australia on Tuesday.January and all-time records were forecast to be set in both states, with temperatures approaching 50C across inland areas, according to the Bureau of Meteorology. Continue reading...

Politics

21 h. ago Australia cancels visa of Jewish influencer who previously called for Islam to be banned

Sammy Yahood accuses Labor of ‘tyranny’ after the government cancelled his visa hours before his flight was due to departFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe government has cancelled the visa of a Jewish influencer who has previously called for the ban of Islam and was booked to speak at several events in Australia.The right-leaning Australian Jewish Association (AJA) said Sammy Yahood’s visa was cancelled three hours before his flight was due to depart. Continue reading...

Events

23 h. ago Extreme heatwave may break records in Victoria as firefighters warn of bushfire risk in ‘very dry’ state

Ouyen and Mildura in northern Victoria forecast to break state’s all-time maximum on Tuesday, as weather warnings issuedFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA day of record-breaking heat looms for Victoria, with temperatures forecast to hit 49C in the Mallee and Melbourne facing its hottest day since Black Saturday 2009.It was 26.1C as the sun rose on Tuesday over the small Victorian town of Ouyen, the Mallee town of 1,170 people whose forecast high of 49C would break the state’s temperature record of 48.8C set in Hopetoun on Black Saturday in 2009. Continue reading...

Events

37 h. ago National Lottery LIVE: Lotto app offline as major upgrade planned

The National Lottery app and website are currently offline, with hundreds of Lotto players reporting issues - however, the outage has been planned for a while

Politics

66 h. ago Worst heatwave since Black Saturday forecast for Victoria as WA faces Tropical Cyclone Luana

‘This is a very serious set of weather conditions’ Emergency Management Commissioner Tim Wiebusch saysFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastOut of control bushfires threatened towns in Victoria on Sunday as the worst heatwave since 2009 began sweeping through the state, while residents of Western Australia prepared to face Tropical Cyclone Luana as the extreme weather system moved inland.“This is a very serious set of weather conditions,” said Emergency Management Commissioner Tim Wiebusch on Sunday. Continue reading...

Politics

69 h. ago Defence department chief Greg Moriarty to succeed Kevin Rudd as Australian ambassador to US

Career public servant and former chief of staff to Malcolm Turnbull to represent Australia’s interests with Trump administration from April, including progression of Aukus agreementFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe head of the department of defence, Greg Moriarty, will succeed Kevin Rudd as Australia’s ambassador to the United States.The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, and foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, announced Moriarty’s appointment to the role on Sunday. A former chief of staff to Malcolm Turnbull and former Australian envoy to Iran and Indonesia, he has led the defence department since 2017. He will take up the posting in Washington from April. Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago Lloyds Bank explains fastest way to save money and 'what you should calculate'

Making small but important lifestyle changes may help grow your savings pot - here's what you should know

Economics

3 d. ago HSBC, Lloyds and TSB offering up to £730 combined for bank switching

Here's what you need to know about the current switch deals

Economics

4 d. ago Lloyds Bank down LIVE: App and online banking outage as apology issued

Lloyds Bank said it is 'aware' of an issue and is currently working on a fix after thousands of its customers reported problems with accessing the app and online banking

Politics

5 d. ago Children cook meals for needy and mourners lay wreaths for Bondi attack victims on national day of mourning

Australians urged to do a good deed – or mitzvah – as Anthony Albanese says day is ‘opportunity for us as a nation to wrap our arms around the Jewish community’Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastFresh wreaths of flowers have been laid at Bondi beach, children have cooked meals for those in need and Anthony Albanese has welcomed the opportunity to “wrap our arms around” the Jewish community as Australia holds a national day of mourning for the victims of last month’s terror attack.Under the banner of the New South Wales government’s One Mitzvah for Bondi initiative, all Australians were urged to do a good deed – or mitzvah – on Thursday to mark the day of mourning. Continue reading...

Events

5 d. ago Jim Chalmers says Canadian PM’s ‘stunning’ denunciation of Trump is being widely discussed in Australian government

Treasurer joins former PM Malcom Turnbull in praising Mark Carney’s comments at the World Economic Forum gathering in DavosFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastJim Chalmers has described the Canadian prime minister’s passionate denunciation of Donald Trump’s assault on the global rules-based order as a “stunning speech” that was being “widely shared and discussed” inside the government.At this week’s annual gathering at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Mark Carney said “we are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition”. Continue reading...

Politics

7 d. ago Campsites closed as police investigate possible dingo link to death of Canadian on Australian tourist island K’gari

While violent dingo and human interactions have been increasing, police refuse to speculate whether 19-year-old woman drowned or was killed by the wild canidsFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastTwo campsites have been closed and park rangers are increasing patrols after a 19-year-old Canadian woman was found dead on a beach surrounded by a pack of dingoes on a popular Queensland tourist island.Two men made the grisly discovery while driving down the eastern beaches of K’gari (formerly known as Fraser Island) at about 6:15am on Monday. The discovery came up to 75 minutes after the woman left the backpacker hostel at which she had been working for six weeks, where she told colleagues and friends she was heading to the beach that morning. Continue reading...

Events

7 d. ago Australia’s largest coal power plant to operate for an additional two years which green groups say is a ‘disaster’

Life of Eraring power station in Lake Macquarie extended to April 2029, Origin Energy saysFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAustralia’s largest coal-fired power plant, Eraring in New South Wales, will stay open for an additional two years until 2029, amid concerns about the national energy grid’s ability to satisfy demand.The operator of the plant in Lake Macquarie, Origin Energy, had previously agreed a deal with the state government to delay Eraring’s closure from 2025 to August 2027. While the state environment minister said the new extension would contribute to NSW’s emissions reductions, climate advocates described it as a “disaster”. Continue reading...

Events

7 d. ago After four shark attacks in 48 hours, NSW authorities urge beachgoers ‘just go to a pool’

Surfer taken to hospital with minor injuries after latest shark attack at Point Plomer beach on mid-north coastFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA surfer has been taken to hospital after being bitten by a shark off the coast of a New South Wales national park campground, the state’s fourth incident in 48 hours.The local health district said the man, 39, was in hospital in a stable condition with minor injuries. The attack took place near the Point Plomer campground, less than 20km up the coast from Port Macquarie, on Tuesday morning. Continue reading...

Events

7 d. ago Australia’s largest coal power plant to operate an extra two years to support national grid

Life of Eraring power station in Lake Macquarie extended to April 2029, Origin Energy saysFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAustralia’s largest coal-fired power plant, Eraring, will stay open for an extra two years until 2029, amid concerns about the national energy grid’s ability to support demand ahead of the station’s planned retirement.The operator of the plant in Lake Macquarie, Origin Energy, had previously agreed a deal with the New South Wales government to extend Eraring’s closure from 2025 to August 2027. While the state environment minister said the new extension would contribute to NSW’s emissions reductions, climate advocates described it as a “disaster” for emissions targets. Continue reading...

Politics

7 d. ago Reddit down LIVE: Website and app suffer major worldwide outage

Reddit is down as thousands say they can't access the website or app - reports from across the world including the US and UK have flooded DownDetector

Politics

8 d. ago Why does Sydney pump sewage into the ocean putting its famous beaches at risk of poo balls?

Experts say Sydney Water should better treat wastewater before sending it offshore at Malabar, Bondi and North Head. The corporation disagreesFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastIn the first half of the 1900s, the mantra “the solution to pollution is dilution” ruled. The idea was that harmful chemicals and pollutants could be dealt with by spreading them out in the environment.Now, that approach is derided as outdated and, often, dangerous. Continue reading...

Events

8 d. ago Sydney Harbour shark attack: second incident in two days as police warn against swimming

Police praise fast actions and bravery of boy’s friends on Sunday as he faces ‘fight for his life’ in hospitalFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA 12-year-old boy is in for the “fight of his life” after being attacked by a large shark in Sydney Harbour on Sunday afternoon, with police warning against people entering the water at nearby swimming spots.In a separate incident on Monday, a shark attacked an 11-year-old boy at Dee Why, in the city’s north. The shark left multiple bite marks on his board but the boy was unharmed. Continue reading...

Events

8 d. ago Sydney harbour shark attack: second incident in two days as police police warn against swimming

Police praise fast actions and bravery of boy’s friends as he faces ‘fight for his life’ in hospitalFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA 12-year-old boy is in for the “fight of his life” after being attacked by a large shark in Sydney harbour on Sunday afternoon, with police warning against people entering the water at nearby swimming spots.In a separate incident on Monday, a shark attacked an 11-year-old boy at Dee Why, in the city’s north. The shark left multiple bite marks on his board but the boy was unharmed. Continue reading...

Events