ABC

Australia’s unemployment rate drops by 0.2 per cent as the economic recovery from coronavirus continues.

In an Australian first, dating app Tinder grants the SA Government free advertising space to run a campaign featuring a series of images designed to combat sexual violence.

NSW Health records no new locally acquired cases of coronavirus for the fourth day in a row, but testing numbers drop to 12,213.

With a touch of religious revivalism, heavy on repair and restoration, each word of Joe Biden’s speech was carefully crafted to point to the possibilities of the future and to draw on pride, patriotism and the decency of people, writes Greg Jennett.

Real Madrid suffers a shock 2-1 defeat to lowly Alcoyano to exit the Copa del Rey, as the third-division side scores an unlikely winner late in extra time after being reduced to 10 men.

China says it wants to cooperate with President Joe Biden’s new US administration, while announcing sanctions against “lying and cheating” outgoing secretary of state Mike Pompeo and 27 other top officials under Donald Trump.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk confirms the Greater Brisbane region will have coronavirus restrictions lifted from 1:00am tomorrow. It comes as the state records one coronavirus case in hotel quarantine.

Documents shed new light on secret but failed negotiations to merge South Australia’s two largest universities, revealing top officials were at odds over leadership and the name of the institution — including where to place the word “Adelaide”.

National Crime Authority bombing victim Detective Sergeant Geoffrey Bowen was so suspicious of a large package addressed to him that he checked it for wires before opening it, court documents reveal.

US President Joe Biden issues his first executive orders, ending emergency funds to build a wall on the Mexican border, and requiring face masks to be worn on federal land.

Three Big Bash clubs will wear Indigenous jerseys as Cricket Australia drops the term ‘Australia Day’ from promotions in a bid to normalise conversations over the date’s history.

Amanda Gorman has become the youngest poet in US history to mark the transition of presidential power as she recited her poem The Hill We Climb at the swearing-in of President Joe Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris.

Many of the long-forgotten pitches Les Everett finds are overgrown, and it’s been decades since they last heard the echo of willow striking leather, but he says they all have a story to tell.

Jennifer Lopez and Lady Gaga get loud as Joe Biden’s inauguration provides something Donald Trump could not get — real star power — and the big name performances are set to continue into the evening.

Newly obtained images taken by Defence personnel show the start of the firestorm accidentally started by a Defence helicopter, raising questions about why the crew had time to take a picture, but did not report the fire’s location to emergency services for 45 minutes.

The former husband of a Fox News presenter is granted a pardon by Donald Trump, with less than an hour left in his presidency.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says COVID-19 restrictions will be lifted in Greater Brisbane from 1:00am tomorrow after the state recorded no further cases of community transmission in the past 24 hours. Follow live.

Men’s world number one Novak Djokovic hits back at criticism of his letter to Australian Open chief Craig Tiley in which he suggested easing of quarantine restrictions, saying his good intentions were “misconstrued”.

Queenslanders wait for a decision on whether coronavirus restrictions will be relaxed across Greater Brisbane. Follow live.

A construction company has subjected residents to months of sleepless nights, noisily working well into the early hours of the morning without a permit from the Brisbane City Council.

Netflix adaptation The White Tiger, about a social-climbing servant, casts a satirical eye over class, colonialism, and the darker sides of globalisation and Silicon Valley aspiration.

Kamala Harris makes history when she is sworn in as Joe Biden’s Vice-President, becoming the first woman, the first Black American and the first Asian American to hold the second highest US office.

MORNING BRIEFING: The body of a boy who dived into a much-loved waterhole near Campbelltown yesterday is recovered as authorities warn of the dangers of cliff diving.

US markets are hitting record highs in their afternoon trade as Joe Biden is inaugurated as the 46th US President.

In delivering his inaugural address as President, Joe Biden touches on racial justice, domestic terrorism and the pandemic while calling for healing and unity. Here’s the full transcript of his speech.

Federal Government backbencher Warren Entsch says many businesses will need financial assistance beyond March when JobKeeper ends and is confident more support measures will be announced.

When Victorian school students head back to the classroom next week, among the new faces will be thousands of tutors hired to help kids who fell behind while doing remote learning during the peak of the coronavirus outbreak last year.

The Lebanese government is enforcing its toughest lockdown yet — a 24-hour curfew for 11 days. But hospitals are still buckling under the weight of patients.

Solomon Islands has not recorded a case of community transmission, but its road out of the pandemic may be slow due to the rollout of COVID vaccines.

Where do Australia’s current cricketers compare with the all-time greats, and who are the next most likely?

From segmented booths and ’70s minimalism to outdoor marquees and part-time work spaces, architects say COVID-19 is rapidly changing how buildings are designed as function influences form.

Hobart’s Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) opened its doors 10 years ago today, kicking off a dramatic change in Tasmania’s tourism and cultural landscape.

While the Australian Government says the coronavirus vaccine won’t be mandatory, experts say some industries may insist their works get the jab, or face penalties.

When it comes to how states decide who to let in, things get complicated. Here’s why some have decided to shut their borders to NSW despite the state recording three consecutive days with no locally acquired COVID-19 infections.

Joe Biden has been sworn in as the 46th President of the United States.

China’s Foreign Ministry calls outgoing US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo a “doomsday clown” and says his designation of China as a perpetrator of genocide and crimes against humanity is merely “a piece of wastepaper”.

Madrid’s emergency services say rescue teams, firefighters and police are working in a central area of the Spanish capital following an explosion that partially destroys a multi-story building.

Donald Trump has left the White House and boarded Marine One for the last time as the 45th President of the United States.

Donald Trump has granted 73 pardons and a further 70 people have had their sentences commuted just hours before Joe Biden is inaugurated as the new President of the United States. Here’s who made the list.

The ex-husband of Fox News presenter and Trump ally Jeanine Pirro is added to the list of now 144 people to be granted a pardon by Donald Trump. Here’s who made the list.

Outgoing President Donald Trump will fly to Florida as his term comes to an end with Joe Biden’s inauguration as the 46th President of the United States.

Residents of a tiny Indian village surrounded by rice paddies are beaming with joy hours before a famous descendant, Kamala Harris, takes her oath of office and becomes the US vice-president.

Shocked relatives flock to an aged care facility in the wealthy Perth suburb of Nedlands, demanding more information from management about multiple allegations of physical abuse against residents.

Thailand’s ministry of digital economy and society is filing a criminal complaint of defaming the country’s monarchy against banned opposition politician Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, the ministry says.

Queensland deputy coroner Jane Bentley criticises police and social workers for mishandling the case of Fabiana Palhares, a pregnant Brazilian expatriate who was bludgeoned to death by her ex-boyfriend Brock Wall on the Gold Coast.

After surviving the 2018 attack that claimed the life of her mother, Claudia Combarngo says manslaughter sentences handed down for three of the attackers leave her feeling justice has not been served.

With a busy 2021 international season on the horizon for the Socceroos, their coach Graham Arnold says it’s crucial stars such as Mat Ryan and Daniel Arzani are playing regularly at the club level overseas.

Residents in Western Australia’s north-west are urged to prepare for heavy rain and destructive winds from Friday, as the state’s first cyclone of the season approaches.

A third woman who says she was sexually assaulted by DJ and former martial arts instructor Remzi Bektasovski tells jurors she was crying and in pain during the alleged rape.

Research suggests there are some differences between what drives women and men to kill their children. This will help us make sense of such unfathomable crimes, writes Denise Buiten.

Prized cattle and breeding buffalo have been found shot with arrows – and in one case beheaded and partially butchered – along the Arnhem Highway, sparking calls for a dedicated investigation unit.

The @POTUS, @FLOTUS, @VP and @WhiteHouse Twitter accounts have tens of millions of followers. Here’s what happens to them when there’s a change of administration.

The construction of 12 new submarines in Adelaide will be the largest and most complex defence acquisition project in Australia’s history — but there are already concerns about the project’s cost, management and delivery schedule.

A Staffordshire bull terrier cross that fatally mauled a popular puppy that was recruited to welcome guests to the new Adelaide Oval hotel has been put down by the local council.

At least 45 refugees and asylum seekers have been freed from immigration detention in Melbourne, where some have spent more than a year detained in inner-city hotels, advocacy groups say.

Community service providers back the WA Government’s concerns about a tent city for homeless people in Fremantle, labelling it “dangerous”, but Premier Mark McGowan says there are no plans in place to forcibly remove residents.

What time does Joe Biden officially become president? Where will Donald Trump be while it happens? Here’s a rundown of what you need to know.

Alibaba founder Jack Ma reportedly chats with 100 rural teachers in China via a video meeting, making his first public appearance since the businessman mysteriously went to ground in October.

The law firm leading a major class action involving more than 47,000 people is looking for more people to register for reimbursement as it alleges two of the state’s biggest power players artificially created a lack of supply to drive up prices.

Meet “Duck”. He’s a beach-loving Gold Coast bird with a penchant for catching waves with his boardriding family and bringing onlookers “simple joy” everywhere he goes.

The ACT Government is ordered to fork out tens-of-thousands-of-dollars to a would-be car salesman for discriminating against him.

As a pause on home loan repayments begins to lift, banks are asking customers to make large lump sums or add $1,000 a month to their repayments to clear up what they owe in arrears.

International student Weijie He is charged with the murder of his girlfriend Liqun Pan, almost seven months after he fell from the fourth floor balcony of his apartment in Sydney’s south.

Outgoing US President Donald Trump grants clemency to former White House aide Steve Bannon as part of a wave of last-minute pardons, but sources say he is not expected to pardon himself.

Outgoing US President Donald Trump grants clemency to former White House aide Steve Bannon as part of a wave of last-minute pardons, but sources say he is not expected to pardon himself.

A system upgrade is being blamed for leaving about 375,000 Australians without access to their online bank accounts.

SA will become the first state to build and send its own satellite into low-Earth orbit, the SA Government says, when an object “the size of a cereal box” launches early next year.

Richmond AFL player Sidney Stack admits breaching WA’s strict COVID quarantine laws, after police find him in Northbridge instead of on the Northam property where he is supposed to be serving out his 14-day quarantine.

Richmond AFL player Sydney Stack admits breaching WA’s strict COVID quarantine laws, after police find him in Northbridge instead of on the Northam property where he is supposed to be serving out his 14-day quarantine.

Not since the West Indies won the hearts of Australia in 1960-61 has a touring team left Australia having won as much respect as this India team, writes David Mark.

Shark fishers are rejecting a campaign that encourages Australians to stop eating flake, saying there are “thousands” of sharks in their fisheries, and they are already heavily regulated.

Uyghurs in Australia say they are elated and relieved after the United States released an official statement accusing China of committing genocide against the Muslim group and other ethnic minorities in Xinjiang.

South Australia’s “circular economy” of recycled waste is set to receive a $45 million infrastructure injection following a joint announcement by the Federal and State governments today.

After Haja Timbo and two friends visited Melbourne while it was a known COVID-19 hotspot last July, she was accused of providing false and misleading border documents upon returning to Queensland, and still faces one remaining charge.

China’s capital Beijing says it will investigate all individuals who entered the city from abroad from December 10 and shut down a subway station after reporting the biggest daily jump in new COVID-19 cases in more than three weeks.

A court finds 43-year-old Jarrod Frank not guilty of murdering Scott Bury following a dispute over the type of ammunition used in German military pistols in World War II.

A former childcare worker is acquitted of a charge of manslaughter over the death of a toddler who was allegedly left behind on a minibus, after a court found she did not have a duty of care to the child.

Despite the trade tensions with China and the massive tariff imposed on barley exports there, there are some good signs for grain growers on international markets.

A collection of seesaws that briefly allowed children on both sides of the US-Mexico border wall to play together wins the 2020 Beazley Design of the Year prize from London’s Design Museum.

Accused of “a shocking disregard for both the health and welfare of their animals”, the new owners of a zoo featured in Netflix’s Tiger King documentary are ordered to turn over all the lion and tiger cubs in their possession, along with the animals’ mothers.

Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson does not yet know when his squad will be able to convene for the first time, but says he is prepared to “think outside the box” as the team begins to prepare for the Tokyo Olympics.

US officials speaking on condition of anonymity say all 12 removed members were found to have ties to right-wing militia groups or to have posted extremist views online.

The RSPCA is urging people to “snip the straps” on disposable face masks after an ibis was found entangled in Brisbane.

Authorities arrest US Army member Cole James Bridges on terrorism charges, after he spoke online about plots to blow up New York City’s 9/11 Memorial and attack US soldiers in the Middle East.

US Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell explicitly blames Donald Trump for the deadly violence at the Capitol, saying the President “provoked” those intent on overturning Joe Biden’s election.

NSW health authorities say there have been no locally acquired cases of COVID-19 found across the state in the 24 hours to 8:00pm yesterday.

There are six active cases among people who flew to Melbourne for the tennis. Some players are still criticising conditions in hotel quarantine.

Health authorities are assessing whether the players are active cases, or are shedding the virus.

Scott Morrison’s first agenda item after his summer holiday was not a return to dealing with the coronavirus crisis from the confines of Parliament House, but a tour of outback communities.

Adelaide Crows AFLW player Ebony Marinoff will miss a third of the season after receiving a three-match ban for an on-field collision that left GWS recruit Brid Stack with a fractured vertebra.

Two returned travellers from the United States test positive for coronavirus in hotel quarantine on the Gold Coast, taking Queensland’s total number of active cases to 25.

A school teacher and tour company are charged with workplace health and safety offences almost two years after two Japanese teenagers drowned at a lake on Fraser Island (K’gari).

Australian exporters are calling on the Federal Government to extend the IFAM freight subsidy they say is vital in keeping international supply chains open.

A “hurting” Justin Langer says he would have picked the same bowlers for the Gabba Test “every single day” despite India’s remarkable run chase on day five to secure a memorable 2-1 series win.

Residents along Pilbara’s coast are being warned to prepare for heavy rain and destructive winds from Friday, as Western Australia’s first cyclone of the season bears down.

An artwork believed to have been painted by Leonardo da Vinci’s student Giacomo Alibrandi is found in a Naples apartment, with staff at the mueum where it had been housed unaware it was even missing.

Victoria reaches 14 days without recording any locally acquired cases of coronavirus, as state health authorities report another three cases in hotel quarantine.

Western Australia spent much of 2020 separated from the rest of the country as part of its COVID strategy — now a newly-formed political party is behind a fresh push to make that separation permanent.

An “angry and pissed off” Perth man who fatally stabbed a sleeping squatter after sending a text message saying he was carrying out his “own bit of justice” is found guilty of murder.

MP Bob Katter says turning a derelict “resort in paradise” into a facility for international arrivals is a better idea than mining camps or COVID “breeding ground” hotels.