SBS News In Depth

SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves speaks with BHP CFO Vandita Pant following the miner's US$5.6bn half-year profit to find out more about its growing copper business and future dividend policy; plus Jonathan Shead from State Street Investment Management on the investment environment.

Australia’s unique wildlife is facing an escalating extinction crisis, driven primarily by climate change and compounded by habitat loss. 34 new species of plants and animals have been added to the government's threatened species list this February, including the lemuroid ringtail possum - native to north Queensland's Wet Tropics region. Researchers say urgent climate action and stronger environmental protections are critical to prevent further irreversible loss of Australia's signature biodiversity.

The Lunar New Year has begun with vibrant celebrations welcoming the Year of the Horse, from fireworks in Vietnam and bustling Hong Kong markets to festive streets in Malaysia and Peru. Families gather for symbolic meals, travellers embrace cultural traditions, and global leaders send messages of unity, marking a holiday that connects communities across Asia and around the world.

Australia's competition watchdog is suing supermarket chain Coles in the Federal Court. The ACCC alleges Coles deceived shoppers about discounts on a range of goods. It's a case that could have wide-ranging implications for consumer law.

SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves speaks with Alex Pikoulas from Munjarra Capital about the day's market action including the latest profit results and the turn around in the tech sector; plus Anthony Walker from SP Global Ratings after the IMF warned Australian states to reign in spending.

.The Gaza Strip is home to some extraordinary remnants of human history, dating from the Bronze Age through to the Ottoman and British empires.Many historic sites suffered from neglect before the war - but the United Nations cultural agency, UNESCO, says it has verified damage to at least 150 historic heritage sites since the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict. Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are reckoning with how to save their historical monuments.

From Munich to Melbourne, hundreds of thousands have turned out to oppose Iran's clerical leadership in the wake of a brutal crackdown on protesters inside the country. While opinions differ over who should take over the current regime, protesters all voiced their desire for an Iran free from oppression.

The Murray Darling Basin management plan is currently under review. Public submissions on a discussion paper [[see it here: https://www.mdba.gov.au/publications-and-data/publications/2026-basin-plan-review-discussion-paper]] are being accepted until 1 May 2026, as authorities determine their next steps in managing Australia's biggest river ecosystem. SBS has spoken with the national director of the Murray Darling Conservation Alliance, Craig Wilkins, about what those next steps should be.

Women and girls are bearing the brunt of Sudan’s nearly three-year-old civil war, facing widespread gender-based violence, displacement and deepening hunger as the conflict intensifies. 18-year-old Mariam, a survivor of sexual violence has had to flee escalating violence to an under-resourced displacement camp where food and medicine is in limited supply. With famine spreading and humanitarian access shrinking, organisations like Plan International warn the needs of survivors far exceed the support available.

Today marks a major milestone in Australia’s financial history – the 60th anniversary of decimal currency. It’s been decades since Australians ditched pounds, shillings and pence for dollars and cents – in one of the largest transitions in the nation’s history. And while the way we pay for things continues to change, the legacy of that moment endures.

Millions of people around the world will soon welcome in the Year of the Horse. A key part of Lunar New Year celebrations for many communities is lion dancing, which is said to bring good luck and prosperity into the new year. But it takes discipline to master the skill, as one group of dancers in Brisbane hopes to continue the traditional performance

Dumplings are popular dish for families celebrating Lunar New Year. In Melbourne, one restaurant is challenging tradition, with a make-your-own approach and a range of exotic flavours.

13 February is celebrated as World Radio Day. The day is designed to honour radio as a trusted and powerful form of communication. Today is also the 18th anniversary of the National Apology to the Stolen Generations. SBS NITV Radio's Kerri-Lee Barry has spoken to Charles Pakana from Victorian Aboriginal News, who says radio is a way to connect with each other as we share our histories and truth.

SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves speaks with Cochlear CEO Dig Howett about the hearing implant maker's latest results, the link between hearing loss and dementia and the impact the higher Australian dollar will have on its earnings. Plus Mahjabeen Zaman from ANZ looks at the drivers of the surging currency and market implications.

Angus Taylor has seized the Liberal Party leadership in a decisive party room vote - 34 to 17 - ending Sussan Ley’s nine-month tenure as the party’s first female leader. Backed by new deputy Jane Hume, the Rhodes scholar and former Shadow Treasurer now faces the challenge of rebuilding a fractured base while navigating a political history marked by significant past controversies.

While the whiskers on a cat might be known to help them balance and detect their surroundings, scientists have discovered elephants have super whiskers too. Around 1,000 whiskers cover their trunks, giving them a sense of touch that compensates for their thick skin and poor eyesight. Researchers in Germany are now working to translate the elephant's sensitive touch to robotic science.

The United States' border chief has announced ICE agents will withdraw from Minnesota. This ends a two-month surge operation which resulted in two US citizens being killed by federal agents, and thousands of arrests. It follows mass protests in the state and across the country, as well as condemnation by Democratic Senators over the violent immigration crackdown.

A massive win for Japan’s hawkish first female PM worries China, conservatives reclaim Thailand and Jimmy Lai, Hong Kong’s most high-profile casualty of draconian security laws gets a ‘death sentence’. Plus, trouble growing at the winter Olympics.

SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves speaks with AMP CEO Alexis George following the financial services company's full-year results as she prepares to step down, including her advice to aspiring female leaders; plus Stephanie Youssef discusses the day's market action with market analyst Evan Lucas.

The federal government has released its latest report card on its Closing the Gap targets, which are meant to improve the lives of Indigenous Australians. The data shows just four of the 19 targets are on track. Anthony Albanese has used his annual closing the gap speech on Thursday to announce a $144 million boost to Indigenous health to upgrade more than 100 services in cities and regional areas. But some - like the incarceration rates of First Nations people - continue to worsen.