Sydney Morning Herald Digest
Daily News • Tuesday, 27 January 2026
What it feels like in the hottest place on the planet
The Mallee has broken Victoria’s heat record. But for the locals who have to live with extremely hot weather, it’s all part of life in the region.
Australian Open 2026 LIVE updates: ‘One of the worst sets of her life’: Coco’s catastrophic start against Svitolina before Demon’s date with destiny
Alex De Minaur plays world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz as the quarter-finals begin. Follow live.
Confused Gauff seeks team’s help
Coco Gauff frustratingly addresses her team as she struggles in the quarter final.
Victoria heatwave LIVE: State swelters under worst conditions since Black Saturday; fire threatens Great Ocean Road
Stay up to date with Victoria’s unfolding heatwave and bushfire threats with our live blog.
Police search for two people after alleged assault
Police are hunting for two people after an alleged assault at Elizabeth Downs in Adelaide’s northern suburbs.
Ball kid assists Gauff in racquet ‘shenanigans’
A ball kid relays messages back and forth between Coco Gauff and her team.
South Australia endures record-breaking heat
South Australia’s severe heatwave is continuing to break records.
‘That fire will run’: Dozens of towns evacuated as Otways fire grows
As the state nears Black Saturday levels of burnt land, Victorians brace for the worst.
Aussies find ‘extra gear’ to move into semis
Marc Polmans and Jason Kubler advance to the men’s doubles semi finals.
Keeping women alive is everybody’s business. Here’s what we must do next
Five women killed this month alone. All knew their accused attackers. Systemic failures are costing women’s lives.
The genetically modified food experiment about to hit Australia
Purple tomatoes are due to hit shelves this year, packing possible health benefits. Here’s what you need to know.
Revealed: The ‘surgery factory’ planned to ease pressure on Sydney hospitals
Up to 5000 more surgeries will be performed at Northern Beaches hospital to help clear the state’s waitlists, but locals are still in the dark about the future of key services.
Kevin Rudd tried before for the UN’s top job. Two obstacles stand in the way of another go
When asked about Rudd potentially putting his hand up, Anthony Albanese said: “I look forward to the Australian media backing Australians for any position that they run for now and in the future”.
Man charged over bomb scare at Invasion Day rally
A 31-year-old man has been charged over a bomb scare at an Invasion Day rally in Perth.
Police release new images of alleged triple murderer leaving town
The CCTV images capture Julian Ingram driving through Lake Cargelligo in the state’s Central West after the alleged gun rampage.
Otways communities endure nervous wait as fire conditions peak
Anxious families have poured into evacuation centres near the Otways as a bushfire emergency escalates.
Tiny Victorian towns break heat records
The tiny Mallee towns of Hopetoun and Walpeup have recorded Victoria’s hottest-ever temperatures, reaching almost 50 degrees.
Boy missing from Victorian beach presumed dead
The search for a 12-year-old boy who vanished at Venus Bay has become a recovery mission.
Victoria bakes in record-breaking heat
Victoria has been one of the hottest places on Earth as towns in the north-west baked in record-breaking temperatures.
Auric times WA Munda gold run with red-hot bullion market
Auric Mining has timed its second WA gold toll run from its Munda project exquisitely, with the gold price getting all stratospheric. First gold sales are now just weeks away.