The World Today

Controversy over a federal minister's taxpayer-funded trip to the Gold Coast is threatening to dilute the Government's 'tough-love' message for welfare recipients. The need for financial prudence has been used to justify an aggressive debt recovery program for Centrelink over-payments. But now the Health Minister, Sussan Ley, is being asked to explain why taxpayers footed the bill for a trip to the Gold Coast for her and her husband in May 2016, during which they bought an investment property. The Opposition has called for the Auditor-General to investigate Centrelink's debt recovery letters sent to around 170,000 people.

US President-elect Donald Trump has been issued a stern and very public warning about the perils of ignoring the advice of his intelligence chiefs. In a fiery congressional hearing, top officials have detailed a list of ways Russia tried to influence the outcome of the US election. The hearing sits in stark contrast to comments from the President-elect himself, in which he has cast doubt on the claims about Russia's intervention.

An Adelaide woman who supplies cannabis oil to the sick and terminally ill for free has spoken publicly for the first time since being reported to police. Jenny Hallam says she's worried about her own health, as well as the wellbeing of those she supplies with the drug, after her products were seized by authorities this week. It comes as one South Australian politician calls for an amnesty on the use of medicinal cannabis in the state.

Studies show that cash transactions in Australia are on the decline, as people turn to cards and smart phone apps even for transactions as little as $5. But how will this affect informal economies?

Uncertainty continues to dominate relations between Australia and Indonesia today after the severing of military ties between the two nations. The Indonesian military cut relations after its top brass took offence at printed material used in an Australian training facility used by Indonesian defence personnel. Now it's also emerged Indonesia is also concerned about Australian spies attempting to 'recruit' its defence personnel. As a consequence, Indonesia's military chief has put a stop to programs under which young soldiers are sent for training in Australia.

The Defence Minister Marise Payne is today defending her decision to leave it to this week to address with her Indonesian counterpart allegations of offensive behaviour by Australian defence personnel toward visiting Indonesian soldiers. She admits she only wrote to the Indonesian Defence Minister this week, despite the offensive behaviour being reported in November. Yesterday Indonesia announced a suspension of its military relationship with Australia.

An expert has called the Indonesian army's suspension of military relations with Australia 'surprising' as the decision was made outside of the President and his cabinet. Indonesia has stopped sending its best young soldiers for training in Australia because of fears they'll be 'recruited' by the Australian military.

There are concerns Australia is unprepared for a future of extreme weather events, after a year of record high ocean temperatures in 2016. The Bureau of Meteorology has released its annual report on Australia's climate. It warns that trend is linked to damaging storms and floods, and shows no sign of abating.

The world's astronomical community has been mystified by strange radio signals coming to Earth from deep space. Now for the first time an international research effort has identified where one of the bursts has originated and it confirms the signal is coming from a dwarf galaxy billions of light years away. The findings are being presented today at a meeting of the American Astronomical Society in the United States.

It is hoped a plan to relocate hundreds of kangaroos from one of Australia's most iconic race tracks will serve as a test case for tackling the high number of vehicle collisions with native animals. Mount Panorama in central west NSW has been the site of growing friction between cars and the local kangaroo population.