SBS News In Depth Folgen

Hurricane Melissa, a rare and powerful Category Five storm, is bearing down on Jamaica, threatening to be the island’s worst hurricane in more than a century. With winds near 280 kilometres an hour and up to a metre of rain forecast, the storm could cause catastrophic flooding. Authorities warn that the entire island is at risk, with Cuba and the Bahamas also in Melissa’s path later this week.

The long-awaited overhaul of Australia’s national environmental law is set to ignite Parliament this week, as the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC) faces its first major reform in twenty-six years. This second attempt at a package, featuring an independent EPA and a new National Interest power, has already generated a political firestorm. The Opposition is demanding the bill be split, while the Greens warn the entire package is "riddled with loopholes."

A man and a young woman have been killed in a mine explosion near the outback town of Cobar in far western New South Wales. An investigation is underway into the cause of the underground blast, which has devastated the local community. Political leaders and mining unions say the tragedy highlights the urgent need to strengthen workplace safety in Australia’s mining industry.