SBS News In Depth

Myer is discounting stock as weak consumer spending continues to weigh on retail.

Myer has warned consumer spending remains weak as it discounts stock, but what does that tell us about the health of Australian households and retailers? Ricardo Gonçalves hosts SBS On the Money and speaks with Nick Schoenmaker from Portfolio Construction Partners about the retail outlook, the Australian sharemarket and the latest investor enthusiasm around AI.

Health Experts say dangerous, yet highly preventable diseases are persistently present in many remote communities in Australia. Rheumatic Heart Disease is one such disease that's largely eradicated in the developed world, but Australia still has some of the highest rates globally, and it's disproportionately impacting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander doctors and health workers say it's continued prevalence is a sign of a failing system.

Australia’s birth rate has fallen to a record low, as the nation faces an ageing population and growing pressure on government spending. The latest Intergenerational Report projects Australia’s population will continue to grow - but increasingly through migration, as fertility rates decline. Now, family advocates are calling for greater investment in childcare and more support for parents, warning the cost of raising children is becoming a broader economic issue.

US President Donald Trump's administration is preparing sanctions against the International Criminal Court as part of a campaign to dismantle the institution created to prosecute people accused of the world's most heinous crimes. So what are the implications?

The Trump administration is preparing new sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC), intensifying a long-running US campaign against the world's only permanent court for prosecuting genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and aggression. In this interview, Zoe Paris, Advocacy Coordinator for the Coalition for the International Criminal Court, explains the ICC's role as a court of last resort, stepping in when national governments are unwilling or unable to prosecute the gravest international crimes.

Paris argues that Washington's opposition stems from the ICC's willingness to investigate alleged crimes involving US nationals and key allies, particularly Israel. She outlines how proposed sanctions could restrict the provision of services to the court, potentially exposing individuals and companies to severe penalties and creating a chilling effect on organisations that support the ICC's work.

The discussion places the current dispute in historical context, noting that US hostility towards the court predates Donald Trump and can be traced through previous administrations, including measures designed to shield US citizens from ICC jurisdiction. However, Paris describes the current efforts to undermine the court as unprecedented in scale and ambition.

The interview also examines the broader consequences of sanctions, arguing they would affect not only investigations in Palestine and Afghanistan but also ICC work in Ukraine, Darfur, Libya and the Philippines. Despite these challenges, Paris maintains that the court, human rights organisations and civil society groups remain committed to pursuing justice, accountability and reparations for victims of mass atrocities, and will continue their work regardless of political pressure.

World leaders have gathered in New York for the United Nations General Assembly, with wars in the Middle East and Ukraine dominating the annual meeting. Last year, Donald Trump caused a stir with a combative speech, saying that countries were "going to hell" for, among other things, climate policy and mass migration. This year, U-S President Donald Trump has used his address to the gathering to warn he could "annihilate" Iran if Tehran refuses to reach a peace deal with him. SBS reporter Deborah Groake has the story.