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An independent daily news show that features the country's best reporters, covering the news as it affects Australia. This is news with narrative, every weekday.
Episodes
The collapse of David Jones: Is this the death of department stores?
For generations of Australians, David Jones was somewhere people would dress up to go shopping: the Christmas windows, the fashion parades, and the excitement of taking home something special in those black and white houndstooth bags. Now, after 188 years, the department store has entered voluntary administration. Its stores are still trading, but thousands of workers face an uncertain future. And
Bluenami: Trump’s midterm wipeout
It’s the election result Democrats almost didn’t dare to dream of. But with anger mounting over the cost of living amid Trump’s war with Iran, traditionally conservative states across America flipped blue. Democrats have now taken control of both the US House and Senate in a stunning win that’s being seen as a direct rejection of President Trump. Today, ed
Is the RBA fighting the wrong inflation problem?
It’s been nearly two decades since Australians have felt the sting of interest rates this high. Reserve Bank governor Michele Bullock says persistent inflation has forced the RBA to hike the official cash rate for the fifth time this year. But some experts fear the bank may have gone too far – risking tipping Australia into a recession. Today, Australia Institute chief economist Greg J
“It’s dissent that will save us”: Amy Goodman’s mission to fight the power
Democracy Now! founder Amy Goodman has spent decades trying to hold power to account. From wars to humanitarian crises – she’s covered the biggest events of our time. Now, she’s sharing her insights on the future of media and politics, and the Australian stories that have stayed with her. Today, Amy Goodman on the new documentary detailing her life's work, how she ref
Trump’s midterm reckoning
When Donald Trump returned to the White House, he promised Americans a new era of prosperity. Now, as Americans prepare to vote in midterm elections, that promise is being tested, and the voters who put Trump in power could determine how much of that power he has left. With polls showing Democrats well placed to retake the House, and the Senate also within reach, Republican candidates are wrestlin
The surge in financial abuse against women
Shenane Hogg spent nine months in a coma after suffering abuse at the hands of her partner. During her recovery, she discovered her abuser had amassed $56,000 of debt in her name. Shenane’s story is just one of many that was heard at a parliamentary inquiry into how the financial system can be used to abuse women. The inquiry heard chilling evidence of a sharp rise in financial abuse that ca
On the verge of a “death spiral”: Is it time for Albo to change tack?
Right now, war and economic uncertainty abroad are colliding with the daily struggle at home to keep a roof over our heads and put food on the table. The cost of living is stretching more than household budgets. It’s wearing people down. The worry follows them to work, comes home with them, and keeps them awake at night. For the Albanese government, those pressures are making an
The aged care algorithm replacing human judgement
There can come a point in growing older when staying in the home you love depends on someone helping you out of bed, making a meal, or making sure you’ve taken your medication. That care can mean holding on to your independence, to familiar surroundings, and to a life that still feels like your own. But now, the government is using an algorithm to determine home care funding &nda
How wheelie bins, parked cars and people power beat an AI giant
As data centres appear in suburbs across Australia, tech companies and governments have been touting the economic benefits of the boom. But for those who live near new and planned centres, the sell hasn’t worked. And now, the community backlash is starting to have big results. Today, ABC business reporter Daniel Ziffer on the fragility of the AI data centre boom. If
Emily Maitlis on the three elections shaking up global politics
This wasn’t the story global political analysts had been expecting to tell this week: In Brazil and Serbia, the youth are celebrating. Their hope for a democratic future has been restored after two shock election wins for the left that young voters helped deliver. But as the polling booths close today in what’s been described as one of Israel’s most consequential elections, it&rs
The $100 million mission to send an Australian into space
She was the first person ever to become an astronaut wearing the Australian flag – and now Australian of the year Katherine Bennell-Pegg could finally be taking that flag into space. The federal government has sent an offer to the European Space Agency to send Bennell-Pegg on a 2028 space mission. If accepted, it will be the first time an astronaut has travelled to space under the Australian
Could a GST hike actually help poorer Australians?
When John Howard introduced the GST in the year 2000, Australians were largely unimpressed. More than 25 years later, some experts – including a former treasurer – say it’s time for an update. A new report from the independent think tank the Grattan Institute proposes broadening the Goods and Services Tax and raising its rate to 15 per cent – to avoid what it says is a loom
The spy base we’re not supposed to know about is getting bigger
Once upon a time, Australians were told Pine Gap was a space research facility. Today, we know it's one of America's most important overseas intelligence bases – although much of what happens there remains secret. Now, Pine Gap is facing renewed scrutiny as defence experts say intelligence gathered at the base is likely being used to support US strikes on Iran, and an Alice Springs court rec
Raf Epstein on a week that’s left him ‘punch drunk’
It’s been a week of shock and grief. The attack on Helen Haines has left her family and the community she represents confronting a trauma that has reverberated across the country and whose consequences will endure long after the headlines have moved on. In Canberra, there have been calls for restraint, for care with words and for an end to the cruelty that has become so familiar
The forgotten health crisis
In an Ebola treatment centre in eastern Congo, young children are being cared for by people in protective suits – isolated from the love and comfort of their families, who can only watch on from a window. For paediatrician Rupa Narra, it was unlike anything she’d experienced in 16 years working in global health. Some of her patients were too young to understand why their parents
‘A heap of hypocrisy’: Why Allegra Spender says the Helen Haines attack must change politics
You can see it in the drawn faces of the politicians lining up to speak about Helen Haines this week – Canberra has been shaken to its core. ASIO and the Australian Federal Police have been liaising with parliamentarians – some of whom say they no longer feel safe after the alleged attack, which left the beloved Victorian independent fighting for her life. But some of the same politici
Arrests and curfews: The French protest crackdown
In France, thousands of arrests have been made and partial curfews imposed across the country, after a weekend of protests that spiralled into violence and looting. The protest movement, which began four weeks ago with students demanding better conditions at high schools, culminated in half a million people protesting the rising cost of living on the weekend. In some areas,
The Helen Haines attack: Why ‘we have no right to be surprised’
Yesterday afternoon Independent MP Helen Haines was returning to her electorate office in the regional Victorian town of Wangaratta, when she was struck by a white Toyota LandCruiser. Witnesses described seeing the car make a u-turn, and then ram Haines against a vehicle, before reversing and hitting her a second time. A local barbershop owner ran to the driver’s side of the vehicle, r
Lying, misconduct and coverup claims: The Greens in crisis
The Greens are in crisis mode after one of their senators was accused of inappropriate conduct towards women. On Monday the party held an emergency meeting after an explosive statement from Jordon Steele-John, denying the allegations and accusing the new party leader of lying. An internal Greens investigation is underway. But what could be more politically damaging than the claims agai
The Herzog protest inquiry police wanted kept private
On February 9, thousands of people gathered at Sydney Town Hall to protest the visit of Israeli president Isaac Herzog.They wanted to march to state parliament, but police were blocking their way. The scenes that followed were shocking: 10 officers and dozens of protesters – some in their 70s and 80s – were injured in the violent clashes that unfolded.Now, after hundreds of complaints
The fake orphans trafficked to Australia
For decades, thousands of South Korean children were adopted into families overseas, including here in Australia. Many grew up believing they were orphans, only to discover years later that their identities had been falsified, their biological families were still alive and, in some cases, they were victims of human trafficking. An investigation in South Korea last year exposed widespread fraud and
Is Josh Frydenberg coming for Angus Taylor?
In politics, there’s nothing quite like a book launch to remind everyone you’re here if they need. Josh Frydenberg is back, with a new book, some pointed criticism of his party, and perhaps an eye on a return to Canberra. Meanwhile, Angus Taylor is steering the Liberals firmly to the right, although even that hasn’t spared him a heckling from the conservative faithful. For
Could Trump wage another war in the Middle East?
After a decade of fighting and billions spent on American weapons, Saudi Arabia still hasn’t defeated the Houthis. Instead, the Iranian-backed armed movement from Yemen, one of the Middle East’s poorest countries, is breaching Saudi defences with cheap drones and missiles, striking airports and oil infrastructure. This week, an attack on the passenger terminal at Riya
The productivity problem driving up interest rates
For generations, Australians could reasonably expect that their lives would be more prosperous than their parents. But over recent years, that bargain has started to break down. Productivity growth has barely moved for a decade. We’re working more hours, without producing much more for each hour we work, and that stagnation is showing up in incomes, living standards and rising in
Execution TV: Is this a turning point for Trump’s America?
In 2009, US Army psychiatrist Nidal Hasan opened fire on fellow soldiers and civilians at the Fort Hood military base in Texas, killing 13 people and wounding 32. He was sentenced to death in 2013 for the attack, which he described as an act of jihad. Now the Trump administration has scheduled his execution by firing squad for December 3. And Secretary of War Pete Hegseth says he wants the public
Will the ‘Albo-rithm’ censor the internet?
The Coalition is saying that soon, you won’t be able to criticise the Prime Minister on the internet. It’s part of its campaign against Labor’s proposed Digital Duty of Care – which the opposition has branded the “Albo-rithm”, arguing it would give the government the power to decide what Australians can see and say online. So what’s actually in the governm
Robodebt took Kath’s only son; now she’s been denied compensation
Kath Madgwick has been to hell and back. One of the most recognisable faces of the Royal Commission into Robodebt, her only son Jarrad took his own life after being told he owed Services Australia nearly two thousand dollars. Kath has been fighting ever since. The royal commission report dedicated more than a page to her story. But now, Kath says she’s experiencing injustice of another
The Holy Warrior leading Trump's war
Last week, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth gathered hundreds of service members at a base in Virginia to lay out his vision for the American military. Alongside sweeping changes to the way it fights and trains, Hegseth announced a new Office of Religious Affairs – reporting directly to him – aimed at putting what he calls “spiritual health” on the same level as physical h
As the Coalition veers right, should Albo hold the centre?
The Coalition is under pressure from One Nation, and its response is becoming increasingly clear. Angus Taylor is pushing a much harder line on immigration, borrowing language that echoes populist movements overseas. At the same time, One Nation is escalating its own rhetoric as it tries to capitalise on the anger and discontent spreading across the electorate. It’s part of a broader f
The $25 billion plan to take on Coles and Woolworths
The Greens’ official think-tank has a new proposition — a national chain of 624 publicly owned supermarkets. To make that a reality would cost more than $25 billion, and involve the forced sale of 200 Coles and Woolworths supermarkets. But the Institute, which took its inspiration from New York mayor Zohran Mamdani, says it would cut grocery bills by 22 per cent. Today, for
Could the Flydubai attack keep Netanyahu in power?
Big events have always had the power to shape elections: from John Howard and the Tampa affair, to the attempted assassination of Donald Trump. And it doesn’t get much bigger than a foiled attempt to bring down a plane mid-flight. One week on from the Flydubai incident, details are continuing to filter out about the co-pilot accused of stabbing his colleague in an effort to crash the T
'Biggest cut in history': What Angus Taylor’s migration cuts would do to Australia
Angus Taylor has promised “the biggest cut to immigration in the history of this country” – vowing to cut net overseas migration to one hundred thousand for two years if he wins office, slashing Australia’s temporary migration intake by 650 thousand over four years. Temporary graduate visas would be scrapped and new international students capped at 240 thousand. Australia&r
Undercover inside Cuba: The world’s longest-running blockade
The United States is once again tightening its grip on Cuba. New travel and economic restrictions are adding to a brutal oil blockade that has already pushed the country deeper into crisis, leaving Cuba increasingly isolated both politically and economically. But behind the decades of hostility between Washington and Havana, there’s a human cost that can be easy to lose sight of.
Alastair Campbell on Pauline, Trump and the shifting world order
Last week, Britain’s new Prime Minister Andy Burnham stood in front of the Labour Party conference and promised to break politics as usual. In an emotional speech, he took aim at privatisation, austerity and Brexit, arguing that Britain’s departure from the European Union had done more harm than good. Alastair Campbell was in the room and he sees Burnham’s speech as p
‘It’s not 1800-phone-a-friend’: the failed promise of therapy apps
If you listen to podcasts, and let’s be honest, there’s a fair chance that you do, it’s likely that you’ve heard ads for a thing called Better Help. It’s an app offering flexible, affordable therapy whenever you need it. Kind of an “Uber for therapy”. Since we first brought you this story two years ago, app-based therapy has continued to grow – and n
New leader, new Greens?
David Shoebridge has taken over the Greens leadership with a big ambition: to replace Labor. He’s doing it at a time when Australians are becoming less attached to the major parties, and less trusting of the people who run them. But so far, it’s Pauline Hanson’s One Nation that has made the most of that anger, while the Greens, after losing seats at the last election, have stagna
What the ‘Cornell 7’ tells us about male silence, violence and misogyny
News of an alleged rape involving seven men at an elite university – a case being called the ‘Cornell 7’ – is reverberating across the US. For many people, the case – and the way the men and the institutions involved responded at the time – echoes high profile incidents here in Australia. So what responsibilities are our institutions failing to live
Ben Roberts-Smith and the One Nation law change that could impact his trial
In April this year, Ben Roberts-Smith was arrested and charged with five counts of the war crime of murder. He’s now out on bail and maintains his innocence – and One Nation has swung its support behind him. Now, the minor party says it’s also seeking to make a change to the criminal code — a change that could make a big difference to Roberts-Smith’s upcoming tr
Why interest rate pain is now worse than the bad old days of 17.5%
For years we’ve heard from older generations that the current interest rate pain is nothing compared to the horror of 17.5 per cent rates in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. But now, as the Reserve Bank delivers its fourth hike this year, analysis shows the pain being inflicted on homeowners is comparatively worse. So, as the official cash rate hits a 15 year high of 4.6 percent &nd
The Medicare hack and the rise of rogue AI agents
In June, an OpenAI agent was looking for public information about medicines spending when it broke into a Medicare statistics website and accessed files it wasn’t authorised to see. No personal Medicare information was accessed, and the breach itself was relatively minor. But the behaviour is more concerning: the agent hit a barrier – and instead of stopping, found a way around it. And
AI is eating the world’s books
A rare old book can now be worth more dead than alive. Books are being bought, cut apart and scanned to train artificial intelligence. Nobody knows how many books have been destroyed this way, but second-hand booksellers around the world have reported anonymous orders ranging from thousands to as many as a million books at a time. And internal documents from AI giant Anthropic revealed plans to &l
The Korean doomsday church targeting Australians
When starting out at university, it’s normal to want to meet new friends and establish a community. But for some young Australians, that formative time has led them down the path of a secretive and extreme religious group accused of using deceptive tactics to draw in young people: Shincheonji. According to one former member, the group took over his life – leaving him sleep d
Is liberal democracy running out of answers?
For decades, liberal democracy came with a promise: that with each generation we would become freer, wealthier, and have more control over our lives. But after years of economic shocks, war and political upheaval, more and more people seem to have stopped believing that promise. And in its place, we’re seeing political movements emerge that don’t just want different policies – th
Could Australia’s media survive Trump-style attacks?
For years, Donald Trump’s attacks on the media were treated as part of the spectacle of his politics. Now, three major news organisations have had their White House passes revoked – and Trump says others could follow. Here in Australia, we’re seeing Pauline Hanson follow the same playbook – with One Nation repeatedly deciding which news organisations can attend its press co
The absurd lengths Australia goes to keep Nauru Airlines flying
It’s an uncomfortable fact our government doesn’t like to face: 25 years on from the Tampa affair, we’re still paying a tiny island micro-nation hundreds of millions of dollars to keep immigration detention alive. One of the ways we’re doing that is by helping to prop up Nauru Airlines – a company riven with financial, governance and safety issues. Today, independent
Trump and Murdoch: The enemies who need each other
One of the defining themes of Donald Trump's presidencies has been his war against the media. Last week, he banned journalists from three media outlets from the White House, saying he’s had enough of the negative stories about him. This week, those outlets sued him over the ban. And just last year he proved no one’s off limits, taking media mogul Rupert Murdoch to court in a ten-
A richer Australia in 2066 – but for who?
Australia in 2066 will be older, richer, and – according to the treasurer – transformed by artificial intelligence. The latest intergenerational report says, despite an aging population, our real incomes will be 55 percent higher by 2066. And Jim Chalmers says AI will get us there. But the same report says younger Australians aren’t seeing the same gains in income, wealth and hom
The race to put weapons in space
A whole new galactic battleground has just opened up. The United States has declared it has weapons in space, and it’s ready to use them. So, are we entering a new era where the opening moves of a war could happen hundreds of kilometres above us? Today, Senior analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, Dr Malcolm Davis on the space weapons now at the ready, and the likelihood of a
Serco’s ugly legacy in Australia’s immigration detention system
Last year, the company that ran Australia’s immigration detention network for over a decade, British conglomerate Serco, lost its contract, but not before helping build what’s been called one of the world’s ‘most extreme and secretive’ detention regimes. The question at the time was whether its replacement – American private prison operator MTC – would be
Albo’s mum and “primitive” first Australians: has Pauline finally gone too far?
Migration is shaping up to be the next big battleground in federal politics as Labor desperately tries to wrestle back control of the narrative from One Nation. But does this week’s long-awaited plan leave the government stronger or weaker politically? And could going harder on Pauline Hanson hold the key to tackling One Nation? This week, the major parties gave it a try as some of Hanson&rs
Is Labor’s migration plan tackling a real problem or a political one?
After one false start and a hell of a lot of political pressure from the right, Labor has finally unveiled its long-awaited immigration plans. Backpackers, students and visa overstayers will all be targeted by the measures – designed to bring net overseas migration down from around 300 thousand, to 225 thousand by 2028. So what impact will the overhaul have on our economy, our communities, a
Why is Australia going soft on settler sanctions?
Last week, countries including the UK, Canada and France announced plans to restrict trade with Israeli settlements in the West Bank. In the past, Australia has joined its overseas allies in actions on Israel. This time it’s different – with Foreign Affairs Minister, Penny Wong, saying Australia isn’t considering joining the ban. So – why not? Today, Commissione
A big-tech defector’s AI warning for the world
In the last week, AI bosses around the world have suddenly grown a conscience – urging a global slowdown amid fears the race to develop artificial intelligence could outstrip humanity’s ability to control it. For Dex Hunter-Torricke, that realisation came a little sooner. The big-tech insider walked away last year, disillusioned, after spending 15 years inside the belly of the beast. H
Is another GFC brewing?
The numbers are almost incomprehensible – last month US debt hit 40 trillion dollars. With an interest bill of more than three billion dollars a day. And that’s before Donald Trump’s trillion dollar promise to hand every adult in America a cheque for five thousand bucks! Now, as global debt levels rise to record highs, and the cost of paying that debt rises too – experts ar
Something is seriously wrong in the Northern Territory
One by one, the Aboriginal leaders, organisations and watchdogs the Northern Territory government is supposed to work with are walking away. The Children’s Commissioner has resigned. An Indigenous MP has left parliament after more than a decade. And now almost the entire Aboriginal side of the Territory’s Justice Policy Partnership has suspended its involvement. They’re all makin
This is Alice Springs: Children of the Intervention
From afar, Alice Springs is a whirlpool of myth and truth. A town with competing interests and few solutions, marked by chaos and decades of government overreach. In cities and towns across Australia, we read about a “crisis” about “rampages”. One newspaper described the children of Alice Springs as “tiny menaces stuck on a turnstile of trouble”. In this first e
Did the PM dabble in pork barrelling?
In 2020 Anthony Albanese called for the sacking of then-sports minister Bridget McKenzie over her involvement in the infamous sports rorts – which he labelled a farce. Not long after, she resigned. But now that similar pork barrelling claims have been levelled at the Prime Minister, he’s come out swinging – refusing to admit any wrong-doing over his failure to declare membership
“Nerd Reich”: Are big tech billionaires at war with democracy?
When Donald Trump was sworn in for a second time, some of the most powerful men in the tech world had the best seats in the room. Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg – a display of just how close silicon valley had aligned itself to the administration. But within that world, journalist Gil Durán says, is a smaller, more radical group with a much bigger ambition: get rid of democrac
Why Jacqui Lambie’s not done fighting veteran health caps
Last month, an emotional Jacqui Lambie revealed a private health battle connected to her time in the army – a debilitating prolapse that required surgery. The Tasmanian senator called out gaps in health care services for female veterans, and raged against the government’s plans to introduce a $5,000 cap on allied health services for veterans. This week fellow veterans joined her calls,
Why are the conservative parties suddenly obsessed with super?
One Nation is copping heat for a proposal that would let Australians take some of the money going into their super as extra pay instead. For up to three years, renters and mortgage holders could choose to take home a quarter of the money that would normally be put into their retirement – worth about $44 a week for someone on the average full-time wage. At the same time, the Coalition has bee
The far right is winning. Could Australia’s neo-Nazis be next?
In imposing scenes in the UK over the weekend, hundreds of masked men belonging to the hard-right group Patriot Platform stopped traffic. Around the same time, political party AfD was making history in Germany – becoming the first far-right party to win in the country since World War two. And on the other side of the world, Australia’s high court will today hear from our most high prof
Have the Greens lost their appetite for a fight?
On the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Labor has promised a vast new national park to protect more than 12,000 koalas. But there’s a catch. The New South Wales government wants carbon credits to help pay for it. By ending planned logging, it could generate credits that are then sold to companies to offset their emissions. For the Greens, that creates a dilemma at a moment when both major
Firebombs and gang wars: The bloody fallout of Australia’s tobacco crackdown
For years, Australia has made cigarettes increasingly expensive in an effort to drive down smoking. Now, the Coalition wants to dramatically reverse course. It's promised to slash the tobacco excise by 80 per cent, arguing that soaring cigarette prices have fuelled a violent black market. It also wants to legalise and regulate vapes and nicotine pouches. Labor says there’s no evidence the ta
Paul Keating's unfinished argument for an independent Australia
Paul Keating has been out of office for thirty years. But he’s never really left the national conversation. Keating wanted Australia to find its security in Asia, not from it, and to stop defining itself through bigger powers in the Anglosphere. That vision now sits uneasily alongside AUKUS, a more powerful China, and an Australia tied ever more closely to the United States. Today, historian
Chanel Contos on the fight to turn off your algorithms
Speaking at the Press Club this week, consent education advocate Chanel Contos outlined how social media companies are feeding misogynistic content to young men online. Now, she wants the government to compel social media companies to give people the option to restrict their algorithm. So can, and should, the algorithm be contained? And would social media companies even comply? T
Should Meta’s “pervert glasses” be banned?
They’ve been dubbed pervert glasses. And with good reason – women around the world are reporting being sexually harassed, filmed without their consent, often without their knowledge. But this week, the federal government ruled out an import ban on smart glasses – as concerns about the technology rise and examples of their misuse flood the internet.Today, Associate Dean of I
Labor’s One Nation problem
One Nation has declared that “politics has changed” after snatching a formerly safe Labor seat in a surprise by-election victory in WA over the weekend. Until now, it had been the Coalition feeling the effects of the orange wave, but now Labor officially has a Pauline problem of its own. So what does this mean for the government, and the country? Today, WA political reporter for Busine
“Accident waiting to happen”: Why Nepal’s floods could happen again
A wall of grey, silted water tears through a Himalayan Valley. People look on in shock, disbelief and fear as buildings are swallowed. Cars are swept away and people run as the flood surges down below. In its aftermath, more than 800 people are dead and thousands are missing, including 43 Australians. In the search for answers, scientists now believe the disaster began high in the moun
Anthony ‘the Mooch’ Scaramucci: The man who turned on Trump
On day one of his role as communications director for the White House, Anthony Scaramucci sung Donald Trump’s praises. He would serve in that role for just another ten days, a span of time that has become known as a “mooch”. Since leaving the White House, Scaramucci has become one of the president’s most vocal and scathing critics. Now, he says Trump’s return to
Is Australia failing to teach kids to read?
The latest NAPLAN results show around a third of Australian students are still falling short in literacy and numeracy – results that have barely budged since 2023. At the same time, Australia is settling a decades-long fight over how children should be taught to read. For years, many schools relied on outdated methods that encouraged children to work out words using context, pictures and oth
The “three shocks” reshaping Australian politics
Australia has changed in ways our politics is still struggling to understand. We are now a majority migrant nation. Professional women have overtaken blue-collar men as the largest group in the workforce. And the two countries Australia has relied on most, China and the United States, have become less predictable. Labor has adapted to parts of this new reality. The Coalition, so far, h
“I feel sick about it”: Tanya Plibersek on the Swans, Scots College and rising misogyny
Over the past two weeks, allegations of sexual assault involving some of the country’s most powerful institutions – the Swans and Sydney’s Scots College – have forced an uncomfortable question about how Australia responds when women say they have been harmed. But behind those cases is an even more troubling shift. New research suggests some young men are becoming more hosti
Operation Economic Outcast: Can Trump really isolate Iran?
As Trump’s war with Iran reaches the six-month mark, the US is increasing its economic pressure – threatening harsher sanctions not just against Iran, but against anyone else who does business with it. That puts China, the country’s most important trading partner, directly in Washington’s sights. But how much of this is just bluster? And has Trump lost the ability to turn t
The manmade origins of bird flu and the mutations dangerous to humans
Bird flu has reached a new milestone, crossing over to infect and kill a seal in South Australia. It marks a new phase of the outbreak, and has sparked fears for many endangered wildlife species, which face the possibility of extinction. So how does the way we farm, eat, and live make us vulnerable to viruses like this? And could humans be at risk with the next mutation? Today, j
The “cult” church accused of paying far-right activists for election stunts
Last year, the Prime Minister was ambushed in his hotel lobby by far-right figures boasting of being fed “private intel” during the last election campaign. The incident was one of about a dozen stunts targeting Labor, the Greens and some Independents. It turns out, this wasn’t just about influencers trying to generate content. It was actually a co-ordinated campaign a
The $100,000-a-month market for Trump’s posts
Donald Trump has found a new way to make money. Trump Media and Technology Group is monetising the president’s social media posts, selling Wall Street firms early access to them for as much as $100,000 a month. And in the world of traders, a few milliseconds can mean millions of dollars. Now, Trump is being sued over the arrangement, amid claims it gives paying customers preferential access
‘You inflicted untold suffering’: the Erin Patterson sentence being appealed
Almost one year ago, the Supreme Court of Victoria allowed a television camera to broadcast a sentencing for the first time ever – the hearing for convicted triple murderer Erin Patterson. Justice Christopher Beale imposed life imprisonment with a non-parole period of 33 years for murdering three in-laws – and attempting to murder a fourth – by lacing their beef Wellingtons with
“National shame”: Andrew Wilkie on the government’s gambling reforms
For more than a decade, Independent MP Andrew Wilkie has been talking about gambling addiction. His advocacy means he’s become a lightning rod for people to share their stories. Now, as the government this week passed legislation aimed at reducing gambling harms, Wilkie is among an angry group of dissenters who say the bill is a “national shame”. If you enjoy 7am, the best
Pussy Riot’s Masha on Putin, democracy, and escaping Russia
In 2022, Masha Alyokhina escaped Russia disguised as a food delivery courier. She had spent years being arrested, imprisoned and watched by the state for her work with punk rock protest group Pussy Riot and for speaking out against Vladimir Putin. But Alyokhina says the Russia she fled wasn’t transformed by one dramatic moment. Repression came piece by piece, until fear, censorship and
The Sydney Swans scandal: How should the club, the AFL and the media respond?
When news broke this week of an alleged sexual assault involving the Sydney Swans AFL team in Melbourne, old faultlines in the way the sport handles accusations against its players re-ignited. Everything from the players involved, to the language used by the club, and the way the media reported the allegations, came under the microscope. So how much has changed when it comes to footy p
