The Radio National Hour
A daily current affairs program from ABC Australia, hosted by one of the country's leading interviewers. The show takes a thoughtful approach to important and challenging issues, with in-depth conversations spanning politics, culture, arts, and sport. It features big names from these fields and offers a deep dive into the topics shaping the national conversation.
Episodes
Bill Bailey on reviving the lost art of vaudeville
Tracey Holmes brings you compelling conversations on issues that challenge,entertain and inspire us.
Will AI destroy us?
At first blush, it was more naughty than scary: a few AI agents escaped their sandbox and hacked into a real world company. but we now know that there were hundreds of them, conniving and cheating to escape and then covering it up prompting fresh warnings that AI development is moving so fast it could soon pose an existential threat to humans. And as the US president makes his mi
Two weeks on from catastrophe, hope remains for trapped workers in Nepal
Recent headlines have painted a horrific picture of the levels of domestic and sexual violence afflicting Australia. Today the Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commissioner Micaela Cronin confirmed that despite committing billions to the fight against this scourge, we're going backwards as a nation. Two weeks on from the catastrophic flash flood in Nepal, rescuers remain hope
The Radio National Hour
A chance to prevent atrocities, that’s how one grieving father who lost a son to suicide has described the government’s proposed digital duty of care legislation, which - they say - will make Big Tech accountable for harmful content on its platforms and empower us to turn it off. The EU has had its own version for years now; Natali Helberger, Distinguished Professor of Law and Di
Germany's AfD edges closer to breaking the fabled 'firewall'
A once unthinkable result the far-right party, Alternative for Germany has had a resounding victory in a state election, coming within a hair’s breath of being the first ultra right party to govern since the Nazi era. Historian and journalist Katja Hoyer, says the party may have come very, very close to breaking Germany's fabled firewall. Australia's home construction system is b
Three summits, three very different visions of the future
Three summits, three very different visions of the future. From the Pacific Islands Forum to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and the G20, we'll examine what this charged week of diplomacy reveals about the rapidly changing balance of global power.From North Korea to the Indo-Pacific, from Washington to ASEAN, Jane Hardy spent decades working on some of Australia's most impo
Israeli leaders sound alarm over 'ethnic cleansing' in the West Bank
A week on from the deadly floods in Nepal and Tibet the search continues for more than four thousand missing people including 38 Australians. The focus has shifted to retrieving and identifying the hundreds of bodies and body parts that have been washed downstream, but hope remains with officials today saying there’s a good chance that 46 people could be alive, in a chamber in a
Disasters don't respect borders, and China's strict control of Tibet could make them worse
Last week's disaster in the Himalayas did not respect borders, but information flows at a trickle between Nepal and China controlled Tibet and, critics like Dibyesh Anand, a professor of international relations at Westminster University, say has exposed a deeper problem when disaster strikes.More than seventy thousand hopeful African migrants swam to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta
First it was our data, now author Gil Duran says the Tech Bros are coming for democracy
It’s D-Day for the collapsed New South Wales developer Bathla, which needs $20 million in cash to get to the end of the week, if not, the major property developer will be liquidated and with it, the dreams of hundreds of buyers who paid deposits for new apartments. AFR associate editor Primrose Riordan says the next few days will be critical. The 2026 northern summer has driven
Sanjeev Gupta's Whyalla wipeout
The number of missing people in Nepal has risen sharply to more than 4,000, with least 900 confirmed dead. We speak to John Torpey who's leading the emergency response for World Central Kitchen. Computers powered by human brain organoids, grown from skin, blood or hair. That's the vision of a Dr Brett Kagan, chief scientist and CEO at Cortical Labs a Melbourne based company which
Why hostage negotiations just aren't like they used to be
The Chair of Universities Australia, Professor Carolyn Evans has spoken out this week about her concerns over creeping government regulation and how populist backlash over issues like migration is already harming higher education. For this week's edition of 'The Diplomats' Tracey spoke to one of the world's foremost most experienced and respected hostage negotiators, Suzanne Will
Devastation in Nepal as 'glacial tsunami' sweeps through pilgrim valley
Fran Kelly brings you compelling conversations on issues that challenge,entertain and inspire us.
The Radio National Hour
A quarter of a century ago, hundreds of refugees were rescued from a small fishing boat adrift in the Indian Ocean and taken aboard the Norwegian freighter the MV Tampa. The stand-off that followed up-ended decades of refugee policy and crystallised a political mantra embraced by governments across the world: ‘stop the boats’. Abbas Nazari was a small child on that ill-fated voya
Jon Ronson on the algorithms sucking the life force out of disillusioned men
One Nation voters say Australia is on the wrong track and immigration is to blame. The Labor government would rather we look the other way, but fresh polling says both major parties are bleeding votes over the issue. It’s been ten years since Myanmar’s military launched a murderous campaign to expel the country’s Rohingya minority forcing more than seven-hundred thousand people
Do some young men and boys feel 'entitled' to women's bodies?
When teenage boys are accused of sexually assaulting their peers we’re horrified and wonder why and how? But in Australia now, boys are more likely to commit these crimes against their peers than adult men. Global consent advocate Chanel Contos says their sense of entitlement is part of the problem. Israel is accused of feeding Large Language Models propaganda in a bid to influen
Dame Imelda Staunton on her secret to success on stage and screen
Tracey Holmes brings you compelling conversations with some of the most interesting people from around the world, on the issues that challenge, entertain and inspire us.
Zomi Frankcom and the limits of justice
Fran Kelly brings you compelling conversations on issues that challenge,entertain and inspire us.
Pussy Riot's Maria Alyokhina on Prison, Exile and Defying Putin
Fran Kelly brings you compelling conversations on issues that challenge,entertain and inspire us.
Why America's allies in Asia are starting to sweat
At a time when China is testing America's allies across the region, is Donald Trump easing back one of Washington's most important military partnerships? Senior Lecturer in Asian Studies at the University of Melbourne, Dr Pradeep Taneja explores whether Asia is entering a new era of uncertainty about US power and commitment.Smart glasses can read signs, identify objects and help
The Afghan women refusing to disappear
Five years since the Taliban swept back into Kabul Afghan women have been erased from public life. One of Afghanistan’s first professional cricketers, Firooza Amiri, shares her story of exile, resilience and what she fears lies ahead for the country she still calls home.What’s it like to be Australia's representative when a crisis erupts? Former ambassador Amanda Gorley has had t
Porn without people: what happens when AI takes over fantasy?
Fran Kelly brings you compelling conversations on issues that challenge,entertain and inspire us.
Lost, found or still searching? The Democrats after Biden
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has survived a second attempt to topple him in less than a year, but questions about his authority inside the National Party haven't gone away. Political commentator Trish Sherson examines whether this is a turning point for the Kiwi leader, or just a stay of execution?Donald Trump is branding Democratic candidates "jihadists" and "co
AI is already breaking the rules, how will a royal commission help?
South Australia has announced a royal commission into Artificial Intelligence at a critical moment for the technology, with leaders of Big Tech calling on the US government to support an international effort to try and slow the pace of AI development, or risk it careening out of control.Victoria has been labelled the suppression order capital of the nation, but after the identiti
Across Australia signs of ecological collapse are piling up
Every year thousands of giant cuttlefish put on a dazzling show in the freezing waters of South Australia’s Spencer Gulf. But this year the cuttlefish are missing in action and scientists and divers like Manny Katz say it will be very hard for the population to recover. Giant cuttlefish numbers collapsing in South Australia’s algal soaked waters, fur seals with alopecia on a remo
Introducing 'The Diplomats' — telling stories of the people power behind the scenes
We have a brand new segment called 'The Diplomats', turning the spotlight on the peacemakers in our world: the people working, mostly out of sight and under real pressure, to ease the globe's sharpest tensions. Our first guest is Lachlan Strahan, who’s 30 year career in the foreign service took him to North Korea at the height of its nuclear enrichment stand-off. The mea culpa an
How do conspiracy theories like the '15-minute city' take hold?
The Iran war is now in its sixth month and yet again, the US President is doing his best to suggest everything is hunky-dory and the two sides are getting along. But Iran has labelled reports of negotiations with the US as ‘false’ and is instead trumpeting an imminent agreement with its neighbour Oman. Nada Al Taher a senior foreign reporter with The National, an English languag
'I'm definitely more cautious' — Coogee shark hero Charlie Verco on returning to the water
When a shark viciously attacked Coogee mum Leah Stewart back in June, Charlie Verco didn’t flinch, he paddled straight towards danger. He joined Fran in the studio fresh from his victory in the Paddleboard World Championships in Hawaii.It’s been a record breaking summer across Europe with deadly heat waves, raging bushfires, droughts and major rivers at all time lows, so low that
Howzat? Merv Hughes biography among books suspected to have been fed to AI
A folksy Congresswoman is taking on a progressive Muslim dubbed the Mamdani of the Midwest in the high stakes Democratic primary in the US state of Michigan — which is being seen as a referendum on the future direction of the party still licking its wounds from the brutal 2024 presidential election defeat. Emily Lawler, the State Government and Politics Editor for the Detroit Fre
Why is AstraZeneca giving away a life saving cancer drug for free?
Australia’s Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme has provided access to affordable medicines for nearly 80 years, but recently our tough talking government has met with some fierce resistance. That's partly because US President Donald Trump is insisting that American's pay the same for their drugs as other countries, like Australia which subsidises medicines. Dr Elizabeth Deveny, CEO o
The growing power of psychedelics in mental health
Psychedelics were used to treat mental health disorders like depression long before peace, love and rock n roll. Now decades on, scientists are reclaiming them as therapies to treat conditions like PTSD with remarkable results. Dr Paul Liknaitzky is head of Monash University's Clinical Psychedelic Lab and 'Andrea' is one of his patients. For 14 years Louise Herron has been in ch
'A love story to Qantas' — Alan Joyce makes his defence in a new memoir
Alan Joyce is the man Australia came to hate; notorious for firing baggage handlers and and, in the eyes of many, trashing a beloved national icon. When he quit as CEO of Qantas, much of the country cheered. Three years on he’s back with a memoir to sell and a reputation to restore.They’re the happy snaps that parents love to see but now the e-Safety commissioner warning teachers
Edmund Rice Education Australia does 'the right thing' by abuse survivors
With pressure mounting over their billion dollar property holdings, Edmund Rice Education Australia has caved to public pressure, announcing it will pay all outstanding financial claims for victims of sexual abuse by Christian Brothers and sparing survivors another legal battle. Dean Paatsch, director of Ownership Matters says its a stunning victory for abuse survivors. Another s
Is AI forcing women into early retirement?
Stacey Duguid spent two decades building a career as a fashion editor which took her to the couture houses of Prada and Paul Smith, but 16 months ago that career stalled. Since then the 52-year old has submitted hundreds of job applications, and almost all were met with silence. After posting online about here suspicions that her resume is being screened by and AI and filtered ou
The Tate brothers' manosphere could be about to shrink dramatically
The Tate brothers are blamed for promoting and monetising a culture of often violent misogyny and now Britain is seeking their extradition from the US to face multiple charges of rape and human trafficking. The New Yorker’s Heidi Blake has interviewed them both - her account of their exploits will shock you. The countdown is on to Australia’s national Census and this year there’s
Helen Clark says 'Palestine will disappear before our eyes' if Israeli settlements continue
Britain's new Prime Minister, Andy Burnham wants to bring back hope to Britain. He arrived at Number 10 Downing Street promising to end rough sleeping and offering immediate cost of living relief. Anne McElvoy, host of Politics at Sam & Anne’s podcast says his cabinet appointments show he's determined to tread a middle path. Former UN head of the UN Development Program and m
WA police nab dozens of wanted people with new facial recognition technology
Police in Western Australia are claiming success following the rollout of controversial facial recognition technology that's already identified dozens of wanted people, by scanning them in real time. Professor Ed Santow, Co-Director of the Human Technology Institute at University of Technology Sydney says this technology will be rolled out across Australia very quickly and now is
Jennifer Westacott: Australian Jews have been let down by all our leaders
This week it was the turn of University leaders to front up at the Antisemitism Royal Commission.They were challenged and chastened over their failure to protect Jewish students and academics in the protests that followed October 7. Jennifer Westacott, Chancellor of Western Sydney University says too many institutions hid behind the defence of free speech.Do you struggle with the
US mandates testosterone tests to keep troops on the 'leading edge of lethality'
First he came for the beards, now he wants their bloods. US defence secretary Pete Hegseth has unleashed a brave new policy for restoring the American defence forces: mandatory testosterone checks. Professor Bu Yeap is an endocrinologist in the school of medicine at the University of Western Australia, he’s also the author of one of the world’s largest ever studies on the factor
AI the Australian way - Albanese announces plan to regulate tech future
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has opened the Office of Artificial Intelligence, tasked with creating new standards governing the technology. Johanna Weaver, executive director of the Tech Policy Design Institute, says its an important step towards determining what our AI future looks like and who gets to build it.The words discounts and diamonds don’t usually go together but th
Are we now in a post-literacy world?
The US has vowed to dismantle the International Criminal Court, declaring it a rogue force that threatens every aspect of America’s political and legal systems. Former ICC special advisor and UTas Professor of law Tim McCormack says the Trump administration is completely misrepresenting the way the court operates. Australia sends more than 27 million tonnes of construction and de
'Honoury Aussie' Sam Neill dies aged 78
He was the New Zealand actor we claimed with pride; Sam Neill, star of film and television, has died at the age of 78 in Sydney. In a career spanning six decades he starred in the blockbuster Jurassic Park franchise, the Oscar winning film The Piano and played opposite Hollywood luminaries like Meryl Streep and Robert Redford. His good friend and fellow actor Heather Mitchell say
This timing and navigation expert warned Telstra about the glitch that shutdown the network
Telstra prides itself on connecting Australians but this week a software glitch caused the nation’s largest telecommunications network to crash - bringing trains and cabbies to a halt, shutting down businesses, and preventing hundreds of people from calling Triple Zero. Turns out it was all about the timing and Swinburne University Professor Allison Kealy warned the telco of this
Sam Altman says Australia could be the data centre capital of the world, but do we want to be?
A dedicated show to the debate that’s raging here and across the world over data centres, the vast digital warehouses that process, store and manage the information required to run our websites, apps, our google searches our cloud services and crucially Artificial Intelligence.The backlash to these digital factories in the US has prompted AI companies to look elsewhere, like Aust
Gabriel Zucman's radical plan to tax billionaires
Hamas has announced the dissolution of its governing body in Gaza, in an effort, it says, to advance Donald Trump's peace plan. But Israel insists it's all a ruse to avoid giving us its weapons.The billionaire class is booming and most of them are paying less tax than you or I, sometimes close to zero. In his new book We Need To Tax Billionaires acclaimed French economist Gabriel
It's one of the deadliest terror attacks in modern history, but chances are you've never heard of it
When the Taliban took back control of Afghanistan in 2021 Hamida Samar thought her life was over. But now with the support of Rural Australians for Refugees and volunteer Marie Sellstrom she’s not only been given protection here, she's dedicated herself to helping other Afghan women.In 2021 Islamic Jihadists went on a rampage at a French gas project in Northern Mozambique, slaugh
Why decriminalisation of sex work is the unlikely response to Thai teen murder
A Thai family is grieving the loss of a teenage daughter, allegedly murdered by an Australian man in the tourist city of Pattaya - one of Southeast Asia’s most notorious sex tourism hubs. Should this trade, which supports millions of impoverished families, be decriminalised in Thailand? Sociologist and author of Sex Tourism in Thailand: Inside Asia’s Premier Erotic Playground, pr
How far can the Socceroos go this World Cup?
We're now half-way through the men's football World Cup, David Basheer, SBS Sports' lead commentator discusses the winners, the surprise losers and how far the Socceroos can go.Is Kim Ju Ae being groomed to become North Korea's first female Supreme Leader with Rachel Minyoung Lee, a senior fellow with the Korea Program and 38 North at the Stimson CentreAnd musician Xavier Rudd on
Parliament rises after a turbulent six months
The Parliament has risen for its winter recess, leaving much unfinished business and a trail of broken promises. Press gallery journalists Clare Armstrong and Ashleigh Raper wrap up a long 6 months in federal politics. Former Attorney General Mark Dreyfus is among those who’ve made deeply personal submissions to the Royal Commission into Antisemitism and Social Cohesion. He says
Are your meds doing you more harm than good?
Healthcare workers are embarking on a world first project to help people reduce their reliance on prescription drugs like sleeping pills and opioids amid growing evidence of dangerous side-effects. The project called SUPPORT-Meds is lead by Associate Professor Emily Reeve, at the Centre for Medicine Use and Safety at the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences.As the Christia
Is Vladimir Putin a drowning man?
As Russian soldiers continue to die in appalling numbers and Ukrainian drones terrorise civilians in Moscow, fears are growing that a paranoid Russian president could escalate the war both at grave cost at home and abroad. On the eve of the Dalai Lama’s 91st birthday his special representative is in Australia to sound an alarm about China’s new ethnic unity laws, which, they say
In quake stricken Venezuela, people wonder who is actually in charge
In quake stricken Venezuela once bustling streets are silent but for the sound of crying, as citizens scrape through the rubble with their bare hands searching desperately for the missing. Freelance Venezuelan journalist Camilla Rodriguez Montilla says hopes are fading but anger at the slow official response is growing. If it takes you by surprise chances are you’re more likely
'Like trying to play hieroglyphics' — how did The Shaggs achieve cult status with so little talent?
There was a lot of hustle and plenty of chances and in the end Australia got the job done in San Francisco with a scoreless draw against Paraguay delivering them a berth in the knockout round of 32. Freelance football writer and ESPN Australia contributor Joey Lynch says whilst many people were hoping for an outright win, the team is playing with more confidence every time they s
Seeing is no longer believing in the age of AI
The Christian Brothers Catholic order has announced plans to liquidate its remaining assets, admitting there’s not enough left in the coffers to pay the compensation claims of potentially hundreds of victims of clerical sexual abuse. Lawyer and longtime advocate for hundreds of survivors Dr Judy Courtin says the announcement has blindsided her clients. Remember when seeing w
First ever privacy ruling to stop intimate internet searches being shared
It’s becoming a running joke; you have a conversation or you Google something and suddenly your feeds are flooded with ads and offers on the very same subject..what are the chances? . But what if the information being tracked and shared online is about your fertility, choice of contraception or mental health? It’s a practice the Privacy Commissioner Carly Kind is taking on in a
'Once established, we can't control it' — the race is on to halt H5
There’s growing fears a black swan event is unfolding in Western Australia - quite literally - with the arrival of the H5N1 strain of bird flu on our shores. Scientists are warning that creatures like the iconic black swan, which has no natural immunity to the virus, could be wiped out completely. Australia’s threatened species commissioner says Victoria has ended native forest l
Sir Keir Starmer puts an end to leadership speculation
The crowds of reporters outside No.10 Downing Street this morning could only mean one thing. Sir Keir Starmer has resigned as Prime Minister - the sixth to bow out in ten years. His most likely successor? The so-called King from the North, Andy Burnham. Sir Keir’s biographer Tom Baldwin says the revolving door is a sign of a political system in crisis.Negotiations between the US
How soon will the 'King of the north' make a move on No.10?
Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has won the Makerfield by-election paving the way for him to challenge UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer for leadership of the Labour party and the nation. After a week of trash talk the countdown is on to tomorrow’s game between the Socceroos’ and team USA. The American mid-west is about as far from North Africa as you can get, but the community of
Will One Nation's abortion gamble pay off?
Fran Kelly brings you compelling conversations on issues that challenge,entertain and inspire us.
Pauline Hanson makes a combative debut at the National Press Club
Three decades after she first arrived in the federal Parliament, Pauline Hanson has finally fronted the national press club, with a clear message for the media, it’s time to take One Nation seriously. And how do you tax a robot? As AI comes for our jobs and threatens to rob governments of their tax revenue, we look at some of the options being contemplated to ensure we all get a
UN report: Palestinians caught in violations vice, with Israel on one side and Hamas on the other
A new report paints a picture of despair for Palestinians across the occupied territory. Under siege and constant attack by Israeli settlers in the West Bank and threatened with execution and torture by Hamas in Gaza. Australian human rights lawyer and UN commissioner Chris Sidoti says the Australian government should be doing more to hold Israel to account. AI promises to tra
Domestic politics in Israel could sink the Iran deal before the ships even start their engines
President Donald Trump has celebrated his 80th birthday in style with a UFC fight on the White House lawns and a peace deal with Iran. But that’s already in peril as Israel continues its attacks in on Hezbollah. Will Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu finally yield to the USA? Former Israeli diplomat and Prime Ministerial advisor Alon Pinkas says a lot could happen between now and
Blast off — are SpaceX investors just buying a moonshot?
SpaceX, Elon Musk’s rocket and satellite business has come to market selling 86 billion dollars' worth of shares and overnight shattering previous IPO records. But not everyone is convinced of its value, so are investors buying a moonshot? Tim Fernholz, senior reporter at TechCrunch & author of Rocket Billionaires: Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and the New Space Race says - at least
US launches 'self-defence strikes' against Iran for a second day
President Trump has said repeatedly that a ceasefire was just days away, now he’s learning the hard way, it’s much easier to start a war than to end one. After weeks of stalled negotiations the US is now resorting to military force but Iran says it will continue to hit back, targeting American bases across the region. The government is being accused of rushing it proposed reform
A tax on your data centre, how do we share the spoils of AI?
With AI tech companies looking to invest billions in data centres on Australian soil, and predictions that hundreds of thousands of jobs will be lost to the technology, independent senator David Pocock is sounding the alarm and urging us not to let the profits escape offshore.Japanese authorities are on the hunt for a ‘very intelligent’ bear blamed for an attack on four people an
Trump branded island invasion sparks fury on the streets of Albania
Ivanka Trump and Jared’s Kushner’s plans to turn the nation’s only island & a pristine wilderness into a billionaire's playground has triggered a wave of protests. Politico Europe editor Alice Taylor explains why this particular development has stuck such a nerve. First Nation’s people have been dining out on bush tucker for millennia, but foods like warrigal greens, wattle s
Great Australians honoured & remembered
He’s known as the world’s greatest living mathematician, but not so long ago he was just Tiny Terence, a whizz kid from Adelaide. Professor Terence Tao has today been made a Companion of the Order of Australia.What happens when three capable, intelligent young women, disillusioned with life and relationships in contemporary China turn to AI for comfort, support and romance? A new
Is the Donald Trump finally coming up against the limits of his powers?
This week in the US the Trump administration was forced to dump plans for a slush fund to compensate MAGA loyalists, and not even an f-bomb directed at Israel’s Prime Minister could shift the dial on peace negotiations in the middle-east. Republican strategist John Feehery says Trump supporters have a high tolerance for the President's adventurism but that there's growing anxiety
Why are African governments evacuating their citizens from South Africa?
African migrants are being evacuated from South Africa following a spate of deadly assaults and growing protests supposedly targeting undocumented foreigners. They’re being blamed for taking jobs, squeezing public services and driving crime. Is this xenophobic scapegoating really a protest against a failing government? In some European nations cooperatives account for as much as
Ebola cases revised down but extent of outbreak still unkown
The director general of the World Health Organisation says controlling the spread of Ebola in central Africa is everybody’s business, but governments are slashing their aid budgets. Medicins Sans Frontier is funded almost entirely by private individuals and philanthropic organizations. The group's Humanitarian Affairs coordinator for the Democratic Republic of Congo, Anastassia
Is there rift growing between Donald Trump and Bejamin Netanyahu?
A heated phone call between Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu raises fresh questions about just how strained that relationship has become, and about prospects for a peace deal with Iran. The government’s just put 40 million dollars into pre-fab housing, so can it deliver better houses, built faster and in greater numbers as well as it has overseas? Australians are now discardi
It's time to get creative with housing; what about the Community Land Trust Model?
How is National Reconciliation Week been acknowledged where you live and work? Has it been acknowledged? In the wake of the Voice Referendum some businesses and organisations have scaled back their commitments to reconciliation and reports of racism in the workplace are growing. Co-directors of Evolve Communities Aunty Munya Andrews & Carla Rogers, say that change won't come
The Baader-Meinhof operative hidden in plain sight
She lived for decades under a fake identity in a Berlin apartment, but in 2024 Daniela Klette - an alleged left-wing terrorist - was captured, and this week she was convicted in a German court - we'll delve into the history and legacy of the murderous Baader-Meinhof gang Sydney says goodbye to beloved ABC broadcaster James Valentine with an all-star cast of tributes, including Ja
The Commonwealth versus 3M
Fran Kelly brings you compelling conversations on issues that challenge,entertain and inspire us.
Foreigners defy Kremlin orders to leave Kyiv amid threat of attacks
The Kremlin has urged foreigners in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, to leave the city now, with threats of a systematic attacks targeting ‘decision-making centres and command posts’. But diplomats in Kyiv are staying put, saying they won’t be intimidated by Russia’s threats. As he Pope calls for a go slow on AI, environmental and community groups are also for a pause on data centre
'Our position in Australian society is uncertain' — Mick Dodson reflects on 'Sorry' failure
Sorry doesn’t cut it, that’s the overwhelming message from Indigenous leaders today as the nation marks the anniversary of the apology to the stolen generations. Twenty Nine years ago Professor Mick Dodson delivered the landmark Bringing Them Home report on the plight of Stolen Generations; today he describes the government’s response to its recommendations as a ‘woeful failure’.
How much money is Big Tech really making from your data?
As the world waits for an agreement between Iran and the US, another middle east peace deal is hanging by a thread. Six months on from the ceasefire in Gaza, with hundreds more civilians dead, US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace is failing in its mission to disarm Hamas and begin the reconstruction of the bombed out territory, leaving two million Palestinians stuck in limb
Democracy after Donald Trump
He’s been exporting chaos and testing democratic norms across the world but journalist, author and podcaster Jon Sopel reckons we’re about ready to switch off from the Donald J Trump presidential psychodrama. And where do the wild horses roam? In Western Sydney apparently. DNA analysis shows that animals descended from the Przewalski horse dating back to the time of Genghis Khan
Global Samud Flotilla activists detained by Israel and taunted by minister
Australian activists from the Global Samud Flotilla detained by Israel are en route to the airport tonight after they were detained for several days for attempting to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza to deliver humanitarian aid to the devastated territory. Also New Zealand's Finance Minister calls on Australian start ups to move across the ditch to escape the Albanese governmen
Zoomer investors cry foul over the budget, but are they really missing out?
For many young people, the great Australian dream is now a share portfolio, and if you believe social media these zoomers and millennials are outraged at the government’s proposed changes to capital gains tax. With home ownership out of reach for so many, are they right to feel aggrieved? And should we be cutting them some tax slack? In just over three weeks time America will bec
Ambiguity or indifference? Concern grows over Trump's posture on the Taiwan question
It's a country wracked by violence, poverty and corruption and now a deadly strain of Ebola. Authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo are scrambling to contain the virus which has already killed at least one-hundred and thirty people. Australian health company, Aspen Medical has been on the front-lines of the fight against previous Ebola outbreaks in Africa and experts Dr
