In this bulletin;
- Venezuela's opposition leader meets Donald Trump in the White House;
- The government confident new figures show social media ban reforms are working;
- And in sport, Australian para skiier Josh Hanlon claims a podium finish.
TRANSCRIPT
United States President Donald Trump has had a meeting with Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado.
The encounter could affect the way the U-S president seeks to shape the South American country's political future.
Ms Machado fled Venezuela in a daring seaborne escape in December, and is competing for Mr Trump's attention with members of Venezuela's government.
She wants to have a role in governing the nation, but White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt says President Trump stands by his original belief that she does not have the support to do so.
"I think the president's assessment that you just pointed out was based on realities on the ground. It was a realistic assessment based on what the president was reading and hearing from his advisers and national security team. And at this moment in time, his opinion on that matter has not changed.”
—
The United Nations Security Council has held another emergency meeting to discuss Iran, as the US backs away from military action.
The US President has reportedly been persuaded by Israel and several Persian Gulf nations not to order military strikes, after days of threats he would do so.
Tehran has also appeared to make conciliatory statements, saying they had no plans to execute anyone involved in demonstrations.
UN Assistant Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee, says Iran must keep that promise.
"Human rights monitors report mass arrests in Iran, in connection with the current wave of protests, with estimates exceeding 18,000 detainees as of mid-January 2026 - although the UN (United Nations) cannot verify these figures. We call on the authorities to respect due process and fair trial rights for all detainees."
—
The government says new figures showing the number of accounts deleted to comply with their social media ban is evidence that the reforms are working as intended.
Communications Minister Anika Wells says the takedown of over 4.7 million under-16 accounts has freed young teenagers to discover who they are offline.
"They can spend a summer making real world connections with each other, with their siblings, with their parents. Skateboarding, writing, reading, art, music. I don't care what it is - but it's offthe screen. Discovering who they are and forging connections in the real world."
ESafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant says her office estimated 84 percent of 8 to 12 year olds had accounts before the ban was introduced in December.
She says the figures suggest social media companies are making meaningful efforts to comply with the legislation.
"We said please focus on the deactivations first, but we expect continued improvement. We expect you to prevent recidivism, so the creation of additional accounts. There are a range of signals they can take to prevent that from happening."
—
Coalition members will meet virtually this afternoon to discuss their concerns over Labor's hate reforms.
The talks will be led by Liberal senator Jonno Duniam, a member of the parliamentary committee that held a parliamentary inquiry into the bill earlier this week.
But the task of supporting the bill may ultimately fall to the Greens, after Sussan Ley came out in opposition and has appeared to walk away from it entirely.
The Opposition Leader has told Channel Nine the Coalition has real concerns about the legislation.
"The government cannot answer the questions that are being asked. How can the parliament possibly vote for it, and how can the country - the Australian people - have confidence in it?"
—
To sport,
Australian para skier Josh Hanlon has claimed a podium finish in the sitting downhill at the Para World Cup.
The Australian para alpine skier was just 2.26 seconds off first-placed Jesper Pederson of Norway to clinch third on the second day of competition at Saalbach.
His victory has come eight years after winning bronze at the World Cup in Austria.
