TRANSCRIPT
Welcome to SBS News In Easy English. I'm Ciara Hain.
Australians in South Korea are being urged to avoid crowds, after martial law was imposed and then lifted.
For the first time in nearly 50 years, South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law in the Asian democracy, citing what he called "anti-state forces" and the threat from North Korea.
Hours later the order was lifted, after the South Korean parliament voted the decision down.
The crisis in the country, that has been a democracy since the 1980s and is a major Asian economy, has caused international alarm.
Speaking on the ABC, Finance Minister Katy Gallagher urged Australians in South Korea to act with caution and monitor the advice of authorities in South Korea.
"We've been briefed by our agencies. I think the best message we can give on this unfolding situation is for any Australians in South Korea to really listen to official advice and stay away from the mass gatherings, as we continue to get across and understand the full implications of what has happened overnight."
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New South Wales Premier Chris Minns says the goal of a drug summit being held is to reduce the number of people whose lives have been destroyed.
The state's drug summit is in its third day in Sydney and is the second in the state after one was held in 1999 by then Premier Bob Carr.
Mr Minns says that summit helped the state recognise drug abuse as a health issue and redirect people away from the justice system towards rehabilitation.
Experts have come together from various fields which intersect with the issue, including medical experts, police and drug user organisations.
Mr Minns says it's important to hear the personal stories of those affected by drug use.
"It doesn't matter where you live or who you vote for. Drugs have scarred every Australian community in some way. A lot of these issues are amplified in the bush and the regions where services are harder to access and come by. The point of a summit like this is to bring people together. Nothing worthwhile ever comes out of an echo chamber. We want different perspectives. We want to hear people openly and honestly tell us their perspective, their lived experiences."
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The Commonwealth Bank has defended its decision to charge customers $3 to withdraw their own money, saying about 90 per cent of customers will be better off - or no worse off.
From January 6, customers with a Complete Access account will be automatically moved to Smart Access accounts.
The change will be accompanied with a $3 fee every time a customer withdraws cash from bank branches, post offices or over the phone.
The federal opposition spokesperson for finance, Jane Hume, says the decision is "greedy" and "out of touch" - and she will be closing her account with the bank that she has had since university.
but bank spokesperson Angus Sullivan says customers can still access free cash withdrawals from ATMs.
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And in sport,
Novak Djokovic will start his 2025 season at the Brisbane International.
The 24-time major champion will play the tournament as his primary preparation for the Australian Open, which starts on the 12th of January.
The Brisbane tournament, which starts on the 29th of December, features a host of prominent men's players, including defending champion Grigor Dimitrov, and Australians Nick Kyrgios and Alexi Popyrin.
Djokovic is currently ranked number seven in the world, having not won a major tournament in 2024.
It's the first year since 2017 he hasn't taken at least one major title.
That was SBS News In Easy English. I'm Ciara Hain.
