The World Today

As COVID cases rise, the pressure is being felt by frontline health workers.

And chaos at PCR testing sites across the country, as centres struggle to keep up with demand.

The spread of positive COVID cases affecting the lives of more and more Australians.

Calls for vigilance around waterways this summer, with fears many children missed out on critical swimming lessons during lockdowns this year.

And as school leavers decide what to do with their lives amid global uncertainty, more are turning their sights to jobs that tackle major problems in the world.

Millions more Australians eligible to get their COVID booster shot sooner, with the timeline brought forward.

And charities prepare for a busy Christmas, with demand for food soaring. We hear from those working to make sure no one misses out.

Early data from South Africa and the United Kingdom suggests omicron is milder, with fewer people needing hospital treatment compared with other variants.

And New South Wales prepares to open its first bilingual school of Aboriginal language. Indigenous education leaders say it'll drive a new generation of learning for First Nations kids.

The Prime Minster joins calls to rethink COVID testing requirements for holidaymakers, as lengthy queues and demand put pressure on testing centres.

And domestic violence centres brace for the weeks ahead with incidents of violence expected to rise.

Testing sites under pressure as COVID cases continue to surge. How are health services coping?

What does the rise in cases mean for the hospitality and retail industries that rely on Christmas trade.

And a new mentoring program supporting women with disability as they navigate parenthood.

As restrictions come into force around the world due to soaring COVID numbers, there are calls for more to be done locally, with experts warning caution is needed until more is known about the Omicron variant.

And a new leadership program supporting people who are vision impaired to develop skills to climb the corporate ladder.

The people of Devonport try to come to terms with the tragic jumping castle accident, which took five young lives.

COVID cases climb as New South Wales overtakes Victoria. Many residents are scrambling for booster shots.

Modelling suggests New South Wales could have up to 25,000 COVID cases a day by the end of January, as the state records more than 1,300 new infections today - the highest daily case number in more than 3 months.