Radio National Breakfast

What next for Venezuela after the US carried out a series of night-time raids targeting military bases and key infrastructure.

As news of the explosions in and around Caracas filtered out a team of elite counter terrorism operatives from the US army's Delta Force entered the President's compound and extracted him and his wife, whisking them to the US where they now face drug and weapons charges.

The raid followed weeks of heightening tensions between the US and the Latin American leader – but it still took many by surprise.

• Guest: Brian Naranjo, Former Deputy Chief of Mission, U.S Embassy in Caracas
• Producer: Tyler Hall

Agenda-setting news coverage, breaking news and stories impacting the lives of all Australians.

The little urn containing those famous cricketing ashes might already be secured for Australia, but there is still plenty to play for in the final Test in Sydney starting this weekend.

In the last half hour we've learned Aussie batsman Usman Khawaja will retire from Test cricket, making the SCG match his final appearance in the baggy green.

• Guest: Warwick Hadfield, Radio National Breakfast Sport Correspondent

New housing figures show the value of Australia's median dwelling rose by $71,400 in 2025.

The figures — from property research firm Cotality — show home prices have risen by 25 per cent over the past year. First-home buyers are unlikely to get much relief in 2026.

• Guest: Tim Lawless, Research Director at Cotality
• Producer: Kate Uebergang

Catherine Liddle, First Nations rights advocate and CEO of the peak body for Aboriginal children SNAICC, shares her summer reading list with Barbara Miller.

Summer list: 

• Ghost Story, Elisa Lodato 
• Where He Can't Find You, Darcy Coates
• Just the Nicest Family, Alison James

Australia's privacy regulator will begin its first-ever compliance sweep this week, checking whether selected businesses' privacy policies adhere to the law.

The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner's will review the privacy policies of about 60 businesses that collect information in person — like real estate agents asking for phone numbers at open houses.

• Guest: Elizabeth Tydd, Australian Information Commissioner
• Producer: Isadora Bogle

2026 will see two key state elections, with broader ramifications for the Liberal Party nationally.

In March, South Australians will go to the polls as newly installed Liberal leader Ashton Hurn takes on popular Labor Premier Peter Malinauskas.

Victorians will vote in November — with Jess Wilson looking to prevent Jacinta Allan and Labor winning a fourth consecutive term.

• Guest: Tony Barry, a Director at the RedBridge Group and a former deputy state director of the Victorian Liberal Party
• Producer: Joe Sullivan

Around 40 people have been killed in a fire at a crowded bar during a New Year's eve party in the Swiss ski resort town of Crans-Montana.

Around 115 are reported to be injured, including at least one Australian.

The fire started at around 1.30am local time at Le Constellation bar in the canton of Valais in south-western Switzerland.

Officials say they are still investigating the cause of the fire and an explosion that followed — but it appears to be an accident rather than an attack.

• Guest: Imogen Foulkes, BBC correspondent in Bern
• Producer: Pip Cook

The federal government says the energy transition has "gathered pace" with a record number of renewable energy projects approved last year.

But 2026 presents a much bigger challenge, with interim emissions reduction targets off track — and many Australians still struggling with record-high power bills.

• Guest: Chris Bowen, Minister for Climate Change and Energy
• Producer: Isadora Bogle, Jason Whitaker

Queensland's first public child sex offender register is now live.

The system has been introduced under Daniel's Law, named in honour of Daniel Morcombe, who at 13 was abducted and murdered on the Sunshine Coast in 2003.

The scheme allows members of the public to access limited information about certain child sex offenders through a tiered system — but stops short of publishing a full public list.

Bruce Morcombe is the founder of the Daniel Morcombe Foundation — a long-time child safety advocacy group — and Daniel's father.

• Guest: Bruce Morcombe
• Producer: Jessica Lukjanow