The pole is now leaning against a building on Portage Rd.

BTS are coming to Australia, but you'd be forgiven for not knowing what those letters mean or why it's such a big deal.

The mega-popular South Korean boy band last performed on Australian soil back in 2017 and haven't performed publicly since 2022, when mandatory military service forced them to disband.

Now BTS are back together and they just announced a massive world tour for 2026 and 2027, including four Australian dates.

Here's what you need to know about BTS before they kick off their Australian shows next February.

Who are BTS?

BTS are a South Korean boy band that have found major international success, especially with the spike in global interest in K-pop in recent years.

The name BTS stands for "Bangtan Sonyeondan" or Bangtan Boys and the band consists of seven members, many of whom go by stage names.

BTS' members are:

• Jin: Kim Seok-jin, 33
• Suga: Min Yoon-gi, 32
• J-Hope: Jung Ho-seok, 31
• RM: Kim Nam-joon, 31
• Jimin: Park Ji-min, 30
• V: Kim Tae-hyung, 30
• Jung Kook: Jeon Jung-kook, 28

Formed in 2010 as a hip-hop group, they debuted (a common K-pop term referring to an idol or group's launch after years of training) in 2013.

At the time of their debut, the members were aged between 15 and 20.

They quickly achieved mainstream and commercial success, which grew until they were the most successful boy band in South Korea, then Asia, and the world.

Why are BTS a big deal?

BTS's popularity has grown exponentially over the last decade, especially on social media, where they have a dedicated fanbase that goes by the name "ARMY".

It stands for "Adorable Representative M.C. for Youth".

By the late 2010s, they'd built a strong international fanbase, including a significant Western audience.

They were the first K-pop group to ever win a Billboard Music Award in 2017 and the first to perform on Saturday Night Live in 2019.

It should come as no surprise then that BTS are credited as one of the most influential groups to help bring K-pop into the global spotlight.

As well as making award-winning music, they have secured brand deals with giants like Samsung, Dior, and Louis Vuitton, and backed a number of charitable and social causes.

Why is the BTS World Tour a big deal?

This will be BTS's first major tour since all members completed their mandatory military service, making it a landmark moment for the band.

All able-bodied South Korean men are expected to complete up to 21 months of military service, usually by the age of 28.

When Jin, the band's oldest member, turned 29 in 2021, it sparked concerns that the band would have to take a step back from the spotlight for an extended period.

Though the members had been allowed to postpone their service until they turned 30, they couldn't put it off forever.

In late 2022, BTS announced they'd be taking a break for all members to complete their mandatory service.

Jin enlisted in December that year, followed by his six bandmates, who staggered their enlistment.

Jin was officially discharged in June 2024 and Suga became the final member to be discharged 12 months later.

BTS publicly reunited on a livestream in July last year to promise fans new music and a world tour; a promise they made good on in January 2026.

When are BTS coming to Australia?

The band announced their 2026-27 BTS World tour on January 13, with the Australian leg set to kick off in Melbourne on February 12, 2027.

They will perform four shows in Australia; two in Melbourne and two in Sydney.

Concert dates are as follows:

• Melbourne – Friday, February 12, 2027
• Melbourne – Saturday, February 13, 2027
• Sydney – Friday, February 20, 2027
• Sydney – Saturday, February 21, 2027

The last confirmed concert date before they fly to Australia is slated for Jakarta, Indonesia, on December 27, 2026.

Fans have speculated that could allow the band to announce additional Australian dates for January or early February 2027.

After their second Sydney show, BTS are slated to perform in Hong Kong on March 4, 2027.

When do tickets go on sale for the BTS Australia tour?

There will be a presale on January 22 and 23 for select fans.

It will only be open to ARMY Membership holders who sign up on the online fan platform Weverse, which is owned by HYBE, the management company behind BTS.

ARMY Membership starts at $US22 ($32) and is currently listed as sold out on Weverse.

General sale will take place on January 24.

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Police seized a motorcycle, a vehicle, and airguns with ammunition.

A week of heavy rain, damaging winds and potentially severe thunderstorms is on the way for residents in south-eastern New South Wales, prompting authorities to issue a warning about the risk of flash flooding.

Thunderstorms are expected from today across parts of Sydney, the Illawarra region, the Hunter region and the NSW South Coast.

The NSW SES has warned some storms could bring 30mm to 60mm of rain an hour, gusty winds exceeding 90km/h and large hail.

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From tomorrow and across the weekend, the rain could become more widespread across the Illawarra, Shoalhaven and South Coast, as a low pressure system develops off the coast.

This could cause rivers and creeks to rise quickly, which could cover roads in water in some areas.

NSW SES state duty commander Dallas Burnes said while rainfall totals may build gradually, conditions could change quickly.

"Even moderate rain over several days can cause problems, especially when it falls on already wet ground," Burnes said.

"We are working closely with the Bureau of Meteorology to monitor this system and our members across south eastern NSW have been briefed and are ready to respond."

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Burnes urged people to prepare early and be mindful of the increased risks

"We ask people to be vigilant if camping near creeks and rivers and to make sure you have appropriate equipment as it might be raining for up to a week in some areas," he said.

"If water levels begin to rise, move to higher ground immediately."

The rain comes after ex-Tropical Cyclone Koji lashed Queensland, where the town of Clermont near Rockhampton had its wettest day in more than 110 years earlier this week.

"The broad low pressure trough is extending from ex-TC Koji in the north all the way down to central Victoria,"

Weatherzone meteorologist Joel Pippard said the broad low pressure trough had extended from the ex-tropical cyclone in the north all the way down to central Victoria.

"The trough will meet up with an upper trough and cold pool from today," Pippard said.

"As the system tracks west, bringing scattered to widespread thunderstorms on Thursday, it will spawn a coastal trough off the NSW coast.

"The moisture feed from the tropics and the Tasman Sea will deliver heavy rainfall along the NSW coast, heaviest in the far south, with a growing powerful swell to impact the coast from Friday to next Tuesday."

Residents in parts of Victoria can also expect potential storms and showers tomorrow as the low pressure trough moves over the country's south-east, drawing moisture from the Coral Sea in Queensland.

"That moisture will wrap into NSW and south-eastern Victoria, with potentially some rain for Melbourne," Weatherzone meteorologist Felix Levesque predicted yesterday.

"The most likely total is in the 1-5 mm range with heavier stuff further east and south into Bass Strait.

"But potentially, Melbourne could see 10-20 mm depending on the depth of the moisture feed."

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Residents along the Mackenzie River in Queensland are being told to leave immediately due to the imminent threat of major flooding.

An emergency warning has been issued for people in the low-lying areas of the river in the Central Highlands Regional Council area, including Duaringa.

Residents are being told to find higher ground, with current floods expected to exceed previous flood events.

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It comes after Premier David Crisafulli warned residents in the state's north and western regions to remain on high alert for the danger of floods despite rain easing.

He said some parts of the state had received a year's worth of rain in just a week, meaning some catchments were on the brink of bursting.

Several major flood warnings remain in place, including for the Flinders River and Connors-Isaac River, with Crisafulli saying concerns remain even though drenched parts of the state are receiving less rainfall.

"Parts of north and north-west Queensland, they had a year's rainfall in a week, they're just so swollen already," he said on Today.

"In some places, we've got cattle perched on high ground being fed fodder and emergency veterinary supplies to try and keep them alive. 

"That's the great fear, is if there is extra rain in catchments that are already high and not going down as quickly as we'd like."

Cloncurry in the state's north-west could see 45 millimetres of rain today, whilst Mount Isa could also cop a drenching of 35 millimetres.

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Some coastal areas will be less impacted, including around Cairns and Townsville, though the Whitsundays are still receiving rain.

The Bureau of Meteorology has warned the flood danger may increase at the end of this week as several rivers and catchments struggle to contain the huge amounts of rain over the last fortnight.

Crisafulli said there was light at the end of the tunnel, but insisted the state needed to remain on alert.

"We are on an easing trend, but that doesn't mean there isn't the prospect of those heavy, isolated falls and in already swollen catchments," he said.

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Renowned arts, technology and culture festival SXSW Sydney has been cancelled after a three-year run.

Organisers confirmed in a statement today the popular festival, once billed as the "Olympics of events" for creatives, would not return to the NSW capital city this year due to a "changing global environment" impacting major events worldwide.

The organisation said it had worked with the NSW government and SXSW owners Penske Media Corporation to "explore potential pathways forward" but ultimately "prevailing marketing conditions" had stopped the event from going ahead.

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Over the past few years, the festival boasted a range of high-profile international guests including Nicole Kidman and The Kid Laroi.

More than 345,000 people attended last year's festival, which represented a 15 per cent increase on the previous year's attendance.

Event organisers said the festival generated $276 million in cumulative economic impact over its three-year run.

The announcement was met with sadness from fans on social media this morning who praised the event as "fantastic" and a "highlight" of the Sydney events calendar.

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"Every great story has a final page," event organisers said on social media.

"It's bittersweet to be saying goodbye while the momentum is so high.

"We're walking away knowing that something special happened here.

"We couldn't have asked for a better community to share this journey with, or a better city to call home."

Event organisers said they would work closely with staff members to provide appropriate support following the cancellation.

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An Iranian man is at risk of being executed less than a week after being detained by the country's authorities, according to a human rights organisation.

Erfan Soltani, 26, could be killed as early as tomorrow, just six days after he was detained at one of Iran's most infamous prisons, Hengaw Organisation for Human Rights says.

He was arrested at his home in Fardis, a city west of the capital Tehran on January 8 after taking part in deadly anti-government protests that have spread across the country.

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Hengaw, which is based in Norway, estimates more than 2500 people have been killed in the protests, which began just over two weeks ago.

Internet access was cut off in the country by the government, making confirmation of events or the number of people detained or killed difficult.

After his arrest, Soltani was taken to Ghezel Hesar Prison, where the Centre for Human Rights in Iran alleges extreme violence, torture, and executions have taken place.

A source close to the family said he has been sentenced to death, and that they only found out about his execution four days after he was detained.

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"Authorities informed them the death sentence is final and will be carried out on Wednesday [Thursday AEDT]," Hengaw said.

"The family has reportedly been granted only a brief opportunity for a final visit prior to the execution."

His sister, who is a licensed lawyer, was prevented from assisting her brother legally, being denied the case file, according to the source.

"Erfan Soltani has been deprived of his most basic rights, including access to legal counsel, the right to defense, and other fundamental due process guarantees," Hengaw said.

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Trump says 'help is on the way!'

US President Donald Trump has called on the Iranian people to keep protesting against the current regime.

"Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING – TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!!" he wrote on Truth Social.

"Save the names of the killers and abusers. They will pay a big price. I have cancelled all meetings with Iranian Officials until the senseless killing of protesters STOPS.

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"HELP IS ON ITS WAY."

It is unclear what help Trump is proposing to give to protesters in Iran.

Speaking at Andrews Air Force Base, he said the Iranian government needed to show humanity.

"They've got a big problem. And I hope they're not going to be killing people," he said.

"It would seem to me that they have been badly misbehaving, but that is not confirmed."

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A neo-Nazi leader claims he was employing a "philosophical term of art" when he allegedly directed supporters to "rhetorically rape" a federal politician.

Joel Davis, 30, was arrested in November after he allegedly sent a menacing message which encouraged hate and abuse towards independent Wentworth MP Allegra Spender.

The National Socialist Network mouthpiece is accused of calling on his supporters to "rhetorically rape" the parliamentarian in a post on an encrypted online platform.

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Police allege the threat came after Spender condemned the group for holding a police-authorised rally outside the NSW parliament on November 8.

But Davis' barrister Sebastian De Brennan argued there is an innocent explanation behind Davis' social media post.

He faced the Downing Centre Local Court today to apply for his client to be released on bail and tendered supporting documents, including a sworn statement.

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"The affidavit annexes some literature that goes some way, in my submission, to explaining that what he said on social media was in fact a philosophical term of art," De Brennan said.

Davis has been in custody for nearly two months and his lawyer argued there is potential urgency to the bail application because of a change in his circumstances, "not least of which is delay".

While the crown prosecutor acknowledged there had been delays, she said a substantial brief of evidence was due to be served on De Brennan today.

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The magistrate noted the court was overloaded with 680 matters and would not be able to deal with Davis' bail application, instead adjourning it to be heard tomorrow.

Davis' bid for conditional liberty comes as the National Socialist Network announced plans to disband this Sunday as a result of new hate speech laws triggered by the Bondi massacre.

Legislation set to be debated in parliament next week would give the government powers to prescribe hate groups that currently fall below terrorist listing thresholds.

The neo-Nazi organisation announced it would dissolve to avoid past and present members being prosecuted for recruiting people to spread racial hatred.

Organisers, supporters and recruiters of listed groups face a maximum of 15 years in prison under the proposed laws while members face seven.

Support is available by calling Lifeline on 13 11 14 or beyondblue on 1300 22 4636.

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A Queensland couple's sneaky parking hack has gone viral online, but a lawyer has warned others that it could actually land them in jail.

Bonnie-Rae and Kodi shared on TikTok a video of them covering a yellow line with sand near the beach and claimed the trick helped them avoid a fine.

"It actually worked," the caption read.

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The video has racked up more than 1.6 million views, with users saying "I see a tutorial", "Thank you" and "This is genius".

"I literally got a $330 parking ticket for this the other day. This would've been great," one said. 

But Astor Legal principal criminal lawyer Avinash Singh said tampering with road markings could obstruct the course of justice and even lead to imprisonment.

"It can be seen as attempting to pervert the course of justice if it is done with the intention of avoiding a parking fine being issued," he said.

Doing so could lead to a maximum penalty of 25 years imprisonment in Victoria, 14 years imprisonment in NSW, and seven years imprisonment in Queensland and Western Australia.

Singh said filming yourself covering a parking line could also increase the likelihood of a penalty.

"This is because the courts would consider that there is a greater need to send a message to the wider community denouncing this conduct," he said.

"This is known as the concept of general deterrence."

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The yellow line on the kerbside indicates parking restrictions.

A complete yellow line means no cars can stop there, while a broken yellow line is a clearway, meaning cars cannot stop there between the hours shown on the sign.

Singh said these areas are usually restricted as they are near corners and could lead to accidents.

"The purpose of yellow parking lines is to make it clear that vehicles should not be parked there," he said.

"Usually, these yellow lines are near corners.

"Parking vehicles in these areas can lead to accidents as turning vehicles may not see the parked vehicles."

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Working conditions are linked to dangerous drinking habits and employers should do more to mitigate it, a new study has found.

Flinders University researchers found that while personal and social factors play central roles in heavy drinking, work-related influences such as stress and shift work also drive bad habits.

Lead author Dr Gianluca Di Censo from Flinders' College of Medicine and Public Health and the National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction (NCETA) said the findings challenged some common assumptions.

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"We often think of workplace stress as one of the main drivers of excessive drinking, but our research shows that sociodemographic and health factors are even more important," Di Censo said.

"That said, certain work conditions do increase risk, and understanding these patterns is vital for designing effective ways in which to help those who are indulging in high-risk drinking."

The study analysed responses from over 26,000 employed Australians and found that working more than 40 hours a week was linked to higher odds of drinking at harmful levels across the week.

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Shift workers were more likely to engage in one-off high-risk drinking occasions, while those who wanted to work more hours also showed elevated risk.

"We believe that wanting more work hours may reflect underlying factors such as financial stress, workaholism, or other traits that predispose individuals to high-risk drinking patterns, which is consistent with previous research," Di Censo said.

Job satisfaction was not a major factor, which researchers suggested the interesting probability that structural factors mattered more than enjoying your work.

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Beyond workplace factors, the research revealed differences based on age, gender and lifestyle.

Young workers aged 18 to 29 were almost eight times more likely to binge drink compared to older colleagues, and men were far more likely than women to drink to excess.

Smoking emerged as the strongest modifiable risk factor, with smokers nearly three times more likely to drink at high-risk levels.

"This tells us that prevention and intervention programs shouldn't just focus on alcohol in isolation," Di Censo said.

"Programs that address multiple health behaviours, like smoking and drinking together, are likely to be more effective."

Co-author Dr Kirrilly Thompson from the College of Medicine and Public Health and NCETA says the findings have clear implications for employers.

"Workplaces can't ignore this issue. Long hours and shift work are linked to harmful drinking patterns, and myths like 'alcohol helps you sleep' persist among shift workers," she said.

"Employers need to provide education about the real effects of alcohol, promote work-life balance and offer support for stress management. These steps can make a real difference."

Di Censo said tailored approaches were key.

"Younger male workers and those in physically demanding jobs like labouring are among the highest-risk groups. Targeting these populations with relevant messaging and support could make a real difference," he said.

"By recognising how work conditions intersect with drinking habits, employers and policymakers can help create healthier environments for everyone."

The study, published in Drug and Alcohol Review, can be found online here.

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