Author threatens to sue South Australia's premier for defamation | SBS News in Easy English 14 January 2026

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A protester in Iran has reportedly been sentenced to death for taking part in widespread anti-regime demonstrations.



The protester has been identified in media reports and by some human rights groups as 26 year old Erfan Soltani, who was arrested just days ago on 8 January, amid protests in his city of Karaj.



The Norway-based Hengaw Organisation for Human Rights says the man's case has been rushed and non-transparent.



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The New South Wales government has responded to concerns that members of the Bondi community have been re-traumatised trying to access support after the terror attack on December 14.



Services have been made available through the state's Victims Support Scheme and Bondi Beach Victim Recovery Payment for the families of those who have lost their lives and those who survived the shooting.



The state government has now announced two Coordinators General, Multicultural NSW CEO Joseph La Posta and NSW Jewish Board of Deputies CEO Michele Goldman, to assist the state government with service provision and community engagement.



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Palestinian-Australian writer Randa Abdel-Fattah is threatening defamation proceedings against South Australia's premier.



In a statement posted to Instagram, the author claims Peter Malinauskas has made many public statements about her and her character and suggested that she is an extremist terrorist sympathiser.



Ms Abdel-Fattah has said that her lawyers have now issued a concerns notice to the state leader in response.



The premier had been commenting in the midst of a mass boycott, which was in response to the author’s removal from the Adelaide Festival Writers Week program an event that was ultimately completely cancelled.



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A man has been charged for allegedly making threats to a federal politician's office.



The 43-year-old is accused of making multiple phone calls to the politician's office before he was reported on December 16 to a police team focused on individuals causing harm to Australia's social cohesion.



The allegations are the latest in a string of threats made against federal and state politicians.



The AFP says it received 951 referrals or threats against parliamentarians in the 2025 financial year, an increase of 63 per cent over the past four years.



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Books written by award-winning author Craig Silvey have been pulled from public schools in Western Australia following his arrest on child abuse charges.



The West Australian says the action has been taken on the orders of WA Education Minister Sabine Winton.



Mr Silvey's books are widely used in school English classes, but the minister says that should stop while the matter is before the courts.



Mr Silvey appeared in Fremantle Magistrates Court on Tuesday charged with possessing and distributing child exploitation material between January 7 and 9.



No pleas have been entered and Mr Silvey was granted bail with conditions.



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Far-right leader Marine Le Pen has appeared in court on the opening day of her appeal against a five year ban from holding public office in France.



The ban was put in place last March after she and eight other former National Rally (RN) lawmakers were found guilty of misusing over four million euros ($A7 million) of EU funds.



Le Pen had staunchly denied doing anything wrong during her first trial, accusing judges of being politically biased.



But she has struck a different tone during her appeal that will determine her eligibility for the 2027 presidential elections, telling the court if she potentially did something wrong, it was unintentional.



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To sport and in football news,



Michael Carrick has been appointed as the new coach of Manchester United for the remainder of this season.



The former Manchester United midfielder will fill the seat previously occupied by Ruben Amorim, who was sacked last week after 14 months in charge.



His first game as coach will be the Manchester derby against Manchester City this weekend.



Carrick previously filled in as coach in the 2021/2022 season after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was sacked.

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