ABC News Daily

He’s on trial for falsifying business records to cover up a sex scandal, but Donald Trump’s woes haven’t harmed him in the polls yet. Instead, it’s abortion that’s become one of his most problematic issues as the former president works to get back to the White House.  Some voters are turned off by his pro-life record and so he’s been trying to massage his message. But will it win him votes? Featured:  Prudence Flowers, senior lecturer in US history at Flinders University

As the events unfolded at Bondi Junction last Saturday afternoon, an unsuspecting university student was falsely accused on social media of being the killer.  It spread on the X platform and by the morning Channel 7 was also wrongly telling its large audience that Benjamin Cohen was to blame. How did the lie take off, who was originally behind it and how can we hold social media giants to account for misinformed and dangerous content? Featured:  Cam Wilson, Crikey associate editor

It’s hard to understand how a man could walk into a shopping centre on a Saturday afternoon and start stabbing people.  It’s left so many people demanding answers.  Today, we look at the offender Joel Cauchi’s mental health history and ask whether anything could have been done to stop the attack and save lives.    Featured:  Professor Kimberlie Dean, Chair of Forensic Mental Health at UNSW

It’s been an unsettling few days with two major knife crimes in Sydney.  The Bondi Junction attack left six dead and just days later there was an alleged act of terrorism at a church in the city’s west.  The circumstances are very different, but leaders are calling for calm and for the community to come together.  Today, extremism expert Josh Roose on what we know about the latest attack and the threat of terrorism.  Correction: This episode included a misleading quote of NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb discussing the Bondi attacker, when we were discussing the alleged church offender. We have removed this audio.  Featured:  Josh Roose, associate professor of politics at Deakin University

A defamation case brought by Bruce Lehrmann has ended with a dramatic finding against the former Liberal party staffer.  Justice Michael Lee is satisfied that on the balance of probabilities Mr Lehrmann did rape Brittany Higgins inside Parliament House in Canberra in March 2019.  Court reporter Patrick Bell steps through the judgement that was watched on a live stream by tens of thousands of people.  Featured:  Patrick Bell, ABC court reporter

How did the attacker at a busy Westfield shopping centre select his victims?  Police are searching for answers after the Saturday afternoon rampage at Bondi Junction in Sydney’s east.  A 40-year-old Queensland man, armed with a knife, made his way through the centre stabbing innocent shoppers, killing six people.  Today, criminologist Xanthe Mallett reflects on the acts of heroism we saw and what may have driven the killer. Featured:  Dr Xanthe Mallett, criminologist and associate professor at the University of Newcastle

The appeal of music festivals seems to be dying away with a string of cancellations this year.  Is it all about rising costs and fears of bad weather? Or is there more to it? Today, Double Js National Music Correspondent Zan Rowe on whether the big music festival can be saved.  Featured:  Zan Rowe, Double J National Music Correspondent and host of Take 5 and Bang On podcasts

Australian Zomi Frankcom and six others died when their convoy of aid vehicles was struck by Israeli missiles in Gaza.  Israel says it was a mistake and a tragedy. But is its explanation good enough? Today, host of ABC’s 7.30 program, Sarah Ferguson, on what we learnt from her interview with an Israeli military spokesman and whether what unfolded was a war crime. Featured:  Sarah Ferguson, presenter of ABC 7.30

Drugs, sex and lavish dinners out.  It’s not new that news organisations sometimes pay for interviews, but the allegations about what Channel 7’s Spotlight program gave to Bruce Lehrmann for a sit-down interview are surprising.  Today, Media Watch presenter Paul Barry unpacks what’s unfolded in court and discusses whether the public can trust the press when the chequebook is out.  Featured:  Paul Barry, Media Watch presenter

We’re meant to be transitioning to a greener future and getting rid of gas for good. But now we’re talking about drilling for more of it, or importing supplies, because soon we might not have enough to keep the lights and heaters on.  How can that be when Australia is one of the world’s biggest gas exporters? Today, energy reporter Dan Mercer explains how we’ve ended up here.  Featured:  Daniel Mercer, ABC energy reporter

Tesla has dominated the electric vehicle market for years, but watch out Elon Musk, because a Chinese car maker is giving it a run for its money.  The good news is - it’s a lot cheaper. But is there a problem with a Chinese firm dominating the market? Today, EV expert Gail Broadbent on whether your next car might be a Chinese EV.  Featured:  Dr Gail Broadbent, adjunct fellow at the University of Technology Sydney

Ozempic, the wildly popular drug for weight loss, is in short supply.  It’s prompting some chemists to make replica products that are now under increased scrutiny from the drugs regulator.  It is legal to dispense the Ozempic copycat, but investigative reporter Elise Worthington reveals the risks and rogue chemists. Featured:  Elise Worthington, Four Corners reporter

Israel says it was a mistake and a misidentification.  But how does a powerful military manage to bomb a clearly marked aid convoy in Gaza, killing international aid workers including Australian woman Zomi Frankom?  Today, a long-time aid worker and former World Vision Australia CEO Tim Costello tells us why no one trying to distribute aid in Gaza is safe and what the world should do about it.  Featured:  Tim Costello, executive director of Micah Australia

In Alice Springs, it’s one week since a curfew was imposed on the town’s young residents following a riot and escalating violence.  But it’s a stop-gap measure, with the troubles in town much bigger and the solutions to rampant crime and intergenerational disadvantage far from clear.  Today, reporter Lee Robinson in the ABC’s Alice Springs bureau on the cycles of violence in the Northern Territory. Featured:  Lee Robinson, ABC Alice Springs reporter

What does the current state of the economy mean for the unemployment rate and your job? For decades we’ve turned to well-read textbooks to help us understand how our economy will behave. But right now something strange is happening and for some economists it’s a bit of a miracle.  They’re calling it ‘immaculate disinflation’, because when interest rates rise dramatically, as they have in Australia, you’d expect lots of people to lose their jobs.  But this time, the inflation rate is coming down and the unemployment rate remains relatively low.  Today, business editor Ian Verrender explains the current economic weirdness.  Featured: Ian Verrender, ABC business editor

Today, we bring you the first episode of the ABC’s Looking for Modi podcast. Hosted by the ABC’s South Asia correspondent Avani Dias, it’s all about the myths and secrets of one of the most powerful world leaders - India’s Narendra Modi.

Who’s to blame for harassing a princess when she’s seriously ill?  The frenzied search for information about the welfare of the Princess of Wales came to a sudden halt last weekend, when Kate revealed she is receiving treatment for cancer.  Leading up to the revelation, the conspiracy theories about her absence from public view were running wild on social media, between friends and family, and in the mainstream press.  ABC broadcaster and royal historian Julia Baird explores how we forgot a princess was human.  Featured:  Julia Baird, ABC journalist and royal historian

Supporters of WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange have always warned he could be locked up for the rest of his life if he ends up in the United States to face charges which include espionage. But now judges in London, where the Australian is in jail, have asked for assurances that if they agree to extradite him, the death penalty is off the table. But could Assange actually face that fate in the US?  Today, international law expert Don Rothwell explains the latest court ruling.  Featured:  Don Rothwell, Professor of International Law at the Australian National University

Should your taxpayer dollars be used to construct sports stadiums? Some politicians think bringing big sporting events to their voters is a core part of their job, with little regard for the cost.  But building the venues demanded by event organisers is becoming increasingly costly and controversial. A Tasmanian government plan to put hundreds of millions of dollars into a big ritzy new stadium in Hobart was one of the most contested issues of last weekend’s election.  Today, Kos Samaras the director of polling company RedBridge Group on why some voters have had enough of paying to construct sports stadiums.  Featured:  Kos Samaras, director of RedBridge Group

Russians are mourning after the worst terrorist attack in the country in two decades.  More than 130 people died when gunmen opened fire at a concert hall on Moscow’s outskirts on Friday night.  It’s a major security lapse, but will it cause more Russians to doubt Vladimir Putin’s leadership? We’ll also explain why the Islamic State group that’s claimed responsibility for the attack would want to strike Russia.  Featured:  Rajan Menon, director of the grand strategy program at Defense Priorities

When the tax office comes knocking, it’s not usually good news.  And right now the Australian Taxation Office is pursuing thousands of people over historical debts that it had previously put on hold.  Today, business reporter Nassim Khadem, on why the ATO is trying to recover the funds now and why some people are comparing it to Robodebt.  Featured: Nassim Khadem, ABC Business reporter

When one of China’s most senior figures came to Australia this week, it was one unofficial meeting that really stuck out.  Foreign Minister Wang Yi was very keen to meet former prime minister Paul Keating. It’s a move that would have frustrated Australian officials. Today, foreign affairs reporter Stephen Dziedzic on what China’s playing at.  Featured:  Stephen Dziedzic, ABC foreign affairs reporter

When former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd declared Donald Trump the most destructive US president in history, a lot of people agreed.  But his scathing assessments of the former president don’t sit so well now he’s working as Australia’s ambassador in Washington.  Donald Trump could be elected president again in November and he isn’t happy.  So, what happens to Kevin Rudd and our alliance with America if Trump returns? Featured:  Dr Emma Shortis, senior researcher in international and security affairs at the Australia institute

Last week, hundreds of US politicians got behind a bill that would ban TikTok unless its Chinese parent company sells it.  They’re worried the app could be used by the Chinese Communist Party to steal data and influence Americans.  But is there really any evidence of that?  Featured:  Alex Barinka, tech reporter at Bloomberg

We can’t avoid getting old, but when we do need care, after paying taxes and saving all our lives, should we really have to fork out more to pay for it?  The government is looking to shake-up the aged care sector to make it much more user pays. Today, investigative journalist Anne Connolly on what that means for the family inheritance. Featured:  Anne Connolly, ABC investigative reporter

You can barely buy anything with it, but the price of Bitcoin has hit an all time high. So how has the cryptocurrency that many people wrote off just a few years ago, surged once more? Today, Andrew Chow, technology correspondent at Time Magazine, on the Bitcoin boom.

The Russian president is about to tighten his grip on power in a farcical, so-called election.  It means he’ll have another six years at the helm, at least.  Today, Russia expert Matthew Sussex from the Griffith Asia Institute on how Vladimir Putin has transformed Russia into a dictatorship and how much further he’s willing to go.  Featured:  Matthew Sussex, adjunct associate professor at the Griffith Asia Institute

While other countries were embracing nuclear power decades ago, Australia put a ban on it.  Now the federal opposition wants to lift that ban and build nuclear power plants on the sites of ageing coal-fired power stations.  Today, we investigate the feasibility of the idea with Dylan McConnell, an energy systems analyst at the University of New South Wales.  We ask why would we go down that path when renewable energy is surging ahead? Featured:  Dylan McConnell, renewable energy and energy systems analyst at UNSW Sydney

The big news publishers in Australia are in an almighty stand-off with Mark Zuckerberg and the tech giant he heads.  Meta runs Facebook and has decided its users don’t care for news content anymore and it doesn’t want to pay for it.  The Australian government now faces a choice; pursue Facebook and risk all news being blocked from the site, or let the funding deals currently in place with media companies come to an end, putting journalists’ jobs in jeopardy. Today, is it game over for journalism when social media dumps news?  Featured:  Monica Attard, co-director of the centre for media transition at the University of Technology Sydney

A beaming photo of the Princess of Wales and her children, taken by Prince William, was supposed to kill off wild conspiracy theories about Catherine’s health.  But after sending it around the world, the Associated Press news agency removed the photo from circulation over concerns that it may have been manipulated and did not meet its standards. Today, royal commentator Juliet Rieden reveals the royal family’s tactics to control the images that get out into the wild.  Featured:  Juliet Rieden, royal commentator

Five months since the Hamas-led attack in southern Israel and the subsequent war in Gaza began, the death toll has climbed above 30,000, according to Gaza health authorities.  About a third of the victims are children and global leaders have been increasing pressure on Israel to pause the fighting and let more humanitarian aid into the territory.  Today, Global Affairs Editor John Lyons takes us to the Middle East as part of a special Four Corners' investigation into Israel’s approach to the war and the role its ally the United States is playing.  Featured:  John Lyons, ABC Global Affairs Editor

A rematch for the US presidency pitting Donald Trump against Joe Biden has been all-but locked-in after the Super Tuesday votes.  But many Americans are dreading the contest, with high disapproval ratings for the two presidents.  Today, Trump’s possible return to the White House. Featured:  Geoffrey Kabaservice, vice president of political studies at the Niskanen Center in Washington DC

For years, there have been financial incentives to encourage households to install rooftop solar and feed excess power back to the grid.  It’s helping the green energy transition and driving down power bills for those able to afford the upfront costs.  But the so-called “feed-in” tariffs are being cut as there’s a massive oversupply of energy on sunny days.  Today, energy reporter Dan Mercer on whether rooftop solar is still worth it.  Featured:  Daniel Mercer, ABC energy reporter

For more than 20 years, Australians have turned to botox when unwanted wrinkles begin to emerge. It’s widely seen as a harmless way to look younger without surgery.  Until recently botox and other cosmetic fillers have gone largely unchecked, so why have regulators decided to crackdown now? Today, we speak to a long-time botox user and a health law expert about why we need to rethink what we’re injecting.  Featured:  Alison Rice, former botox user Dr Christopher Rudge, law lecturer at the University of Sydney

Have you ever struggled to get a response from an insurer, or have they fought you on the details of a claim?  The profitable insurance companies are facing increasing scrutiny and customers are calling them out for not paying out.  Today, investigative reporter Adele Ferguson reveals the firms’ ‘delay and deny’ tactics that make them so hard to deal with.  Featured:  Adele Ferguson, ABC investigative reporter

Every so often a product comes along that takes us by storm and in the process, shifts spending and changes economies.  The iPhone, Netflix and ChatGPT spring to mind. But less obvious is something like Ozempic, the drug that’s now helping millions of people around the world lose weight. Today, the ABC’s business editor Ian Verrender on how it’s breaking down business models of fast-food giants and health companies.  Featured:  Ian Verrender, ABC business editor

She had a grand ambition to knock off Donald Trump and become the Republican Party’s choice to run in November’s US election. But Nikki Haley couldn’t do it and it’s almost certain now that Trump will run against Joe Biden for president again even as he faces more than 90 criminal charges. So why has she held on? Why doesn’t she just give up before almost certain defeat at so-called Super Tuesday next week, the biggest contest in the primary process.  Featured:  Kim Hoggard, a former staffer during Reagan and George H. W. Bush administrations

On a Sunday morning more than three weeks ago, Ballarat woman Samantha Murphy set out for a run in dense bushland not far from her home. She was expected back mid-morning for a family gathering, but she never arrived.  Police have now wound back their search for the missing mother, while locals have rallied to try and find answers.  Today, what happened to Samantha Murphy? Featured:  Norman Hermant, 7.30 reporter

For more than 20 years New South Wales Police have marched in the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.  But not this year, with the board of the event telling them to stay away.  It comes on a difficult week for the force after a senior constable was charged with the alleged murder of Sydney couple Jesse Baird and Luke Davies.  But police participation in the event has long caused controversy. Today we unpack why.  Featured:  Nicole Asquith, the professor of policing at the University of Tasmania and the convenor of the Australian Hate Crime network

We’ve probably all experienced a less than desirable trip on public transport or ride-hailing services, but for people with a disability every day is an absolute horror show. From buses missing stops to Uber drivers refusing to take guide dogs.  Today, we bring you an ABC investigation into how millions of Australians are being let down by our public transport networks. We’ll hear how laws against discrimination are continually broken.  Featured:  Nas Campanella, national disability affairs reporter  Evan Young, Specialist Reporting Team producer

You would have thought with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, China wouldn’t be too worried about the number of people living there declining a bit. But as it faces the challenges of an economic slowdown and an ageing society, Beijing is urging families to have more babies to stop a population decline that’s been recorded for a second year in a row.  But is a falling birth rate necessarily a bad thing?  Featured:  Stuart Gietel-Basten, Professor of Social Science and Public Policy at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

For more than a decade Julian Assange has tried everything to avoid the position he finds himself in, on the cusp of being bundled onto a plane to the US to face espionage charges that carry a jail sentence of up to 175 years.   His fate now rests with a couple of judges in London who’ll decide whether he can appeal against his extradition.  Today, media freedom advocate and journalism academic Peter Greste unpacks the case for us. Featured:  Peter Greste, media freedom advocate and professor of journalism at Macquarie University

As the second anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine approaches, Vladimir Putin has had his first major victory on the battlefield in months, with Russian soldiers capturing the city of Avdiivka. As the war enters its third year is there really a chance Ukraine could still win, as the United States Congress holds up a multi billion dollar aid package? Today, we speak to a Ukrainian woman in Kyiv about what life looks like now and a military analyst on what to expect next. Featured:  Oleksandra Povoroznyk, Kyiv resident and journalist Eugene Rumer, director of the Russia and Eurasia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington

On Friday, a group of men managed to do what so many asylum seekers have tried before; arrive on Australian shores after what would have been a perilous journey from Indonesia.   While it’s just one boat, it’s become a political headache for the government that’s been accused of reducing surveillance of our borders.   Today, the ABC’s national political lead and Insiders host David Speers on why it remains such a heated issue. Featured:  David Speers, ABC national political lead and Insiders host

Alexei Navalny had a vision of a democratic Russia and he was a constant thorn in the side of the Russian president.   So, now the leading Russian opposition figure has died in prison, who will take on Vladimir Putin?  We’ll hear why it could be Navalny’s wife who steps into the fray.  Featured:  Rajan Menon, Director of the Grand Strategy program at Defense Priorities think tank

Imagine what could happen to the cost of your groceries if the big supermarkets were in a price war to win your business.   It’s not going to happen, because Coles and Woolworths dominate the grocery market and want to keep their profits as high as possible.  Four Corners’ reporter Angus Grigg reveals the tactics of the big two players and why their stronghold on the market has suppliers and farmers so reluctant to speak out. Featured:  Angus Grigg, Four Corners’ reporter

Pop superstar Taylor Swift is in Melbourne on her wildly popular tour and for some her appearance at the American Super Bowl was more exciting than the football game itself.  But perhaps more intriguing is her role in the upcoming US election.  Today, we look at whether a Swift endorsement of Joe Biden would help him win and why Trump supporters are so willing to believe conspiracy theories that she’s in cahoots with the White House. Featured:  Dr Matt Harris, Associate Professor of Political Science at Park University in Missouri

Four months into the war, a large portion of Gaza has been levelled, with civilians fleeing to the south of the strip to seek shelter. For a while Israel declared the city of Rafah a “safe zone” and more than one million people flocked there.  But it’s now under attack and there are fears a ground offensive could soon begin. Today, reporter Nicole Johnston on the growing international calls for Israel to pull back and what she saw during a rare trip inside Gaza.  Featured:  Nicole Johnston, ABC reporter and Sky News correspondent

Since footage emerged of Barnaby Joyce lying flat on his back, swearing into his phone on a Canberra street, there’s been fierce debate over whether it matters or not that an elected politician could be caught out in such a manner.  Questions over whether there’s a bigger problem at play or whether it’s simply just a matter of Barnaby, the larrikin, being in the spotlight once again.  Today, Radio National Breakfast and the Party Room podcast host, Patricia Karvelas, unpacks the culture of booze at Parliament House and the double standards that come with it.  Featured:  Patricia Karvelas, host of RN Breakfast and the Party Room podcast

Since the government broke an election promise and changed the stage three tax cuts, the Coalition has been warning there could be many more broken promises to come.   Specifically, it says the tax incentive known as negative gearing is the next thing on the chopping block, although the government denies that.  Today, Peter Martin, economics editor at The Conversation, explains what it is, whether we really need it and what a change could mean for the housing market.  Featured:  Peter Martin, The Conversation economics editor

What happens when Vladimir Putin gives an incredibly rare interview to a conservative American media commentator at the height of a war and it lasts for more than two hours?  Well, the answer is: Putin wins.  So, what was the real reason behind Tucker Carlson’s interview with the Russian leader?  Today, how it all plays into Donald Trump’s push for the White House.  Featured:  Professor Gordon Flake, CEO of the Perth USAsia Centre at the University of Western Australia

When three American soldiers were killed in a drone attack on a US base in Jordan there was a flurry of talk of World War Three. It may have been over the top, but the stakes in the conflict in the Middle East have risen dramatically, with the US blaming Iran and its proxies for the strike.  It’s since retaliated by bombing dozens of targets in Iraq and Syria.  Today, host of The Iran Podcast, Negar Mortazavi explores what could come next.  Featured:  Negar Mortazavi, host of The Iran Podcast

We know there’s a lack of competition in the Australian marketplace. Two big supermarkets, two big airlines and just a few more banks and electricity generators.  It’s leading to prices that are “too high”, according to the former head of the competition watchdog Alan Fels.  He’s finished a report into price gouging, and he has some ideas on how we can stop Australians from being ripped off.  Today, investigative journalist Adele Ferguson explains how big companies trick us into paying more.  Featured:  Adele Ferguson, investigative journalist

For hundreds of years, the health of members of the British royal family have been tightly guarded secrets. From the secret euthanasia of a King, to a hidden case of lung cancer.  But under King Charles things are changing. He’s announced to the world he has cancer.  So now he’s gone public, does it change how we perceive the monarchy?  Featured:  Cindy McCreery, royal historian at the University of Sydney

When the Reserve Bank board members meet for the first time this year, they might be patting each other on the back. Inflation has come down to a two year low, meaning they won’t need to raise interest rates again. The ABC’s finance expert Alan Kohler explains what needs to change before rates start falling and he gives us his prediction on when that might happen.  Featured:  Alan Kohler, ABC finance presenter

By the end of this year, Donald Trump could be elected President of the United States again. Despite being implicated in the January 6th attack on the US Capitol and vowing to be a dictator for “one day”, he’s the frontrunner to be the Republican nominee for the 2024 poll.  What’s unfolding in the US will get a lot of attention, but 2024 is the year of elections globally.  From Indonesia, to the UK, Russia and India, around half of the global population will be eligible to vote.  So democracy must be thriving, right? It’s not that simple.  Featured:  Yana Gorokhovskaia, research director for strategy and design at Freedom House

She’s one of the most famous women in the world so when sexually explicit images of Taylor Swift began appearing on social media - they went viral. The images were AI-generated and were viewed by tens of millions of people around the world.  In this episode we meet the US journalist who uncovered how a Microsoft tool was manipulated to produce the images. He explains why everyone is vulnerable as the technology becomes ever-more sophisticated.  Featured:  Emanuel Maiberg, journalist and co-founder of 404 Media

We’re all set to pay a little less tax starting in July.  While lower and middle income earners will be getting a bit more back after the government’s rejig of the Stage 3 cuts, does that make our tax system any fairer?  Some experts say it still favours the rich and much bigger changes are needed.  Featured:  Kristen Sobeck, Research Fellow at the Tax and Transfer Policy Institute at the Australian National University’s Crawford School of Public Policy

When masked men clad in black tried to demonstrate in Sydney on Australia Day, police were quick to use their powers to get rid of them.  They were neo-Nazis from across the country and they gathered for three days straight.  So apart from making a scene, what do these men want and what are they capable of? Featured:  Kaz Ross, far-right extremism researcher

Just before Christmas, journalist Antoinette Lattouf was filling in on ABC radio in Sydney when three days into a five-day contract she was told - don’t come back.  The presenter had posted a Human Rights Watch report on Instagram alleging Israel was using starvation as a method of war in Gaza. The ABC says she failed to comply with directions not to post about controversial matters.  She’s now accusing the ABC of unlawful dismissal. So what happens when social media collides with the workplace? Featured:  Adrienne Stone, professor of law at Melbourne University

Will you be better off this year when it comes to the tax you pay, your wage, grocery shopping and other bills?  The Labor government’s changes to the Stage Three tax cuts mean more lower and middle income taxpayers will receive a bigger than expected tax return.  For our first episode of 2024, the ABC’s business editor Ian Verrender joins Sam Hawley to explain why it’s a ‘distinct possibility’ that the cost of living will get a little bit easier this year.  Featured:  Ian Verrender, ABC business editor

This episode features some of the best conversations of 2023, we’ll be back daily from January 29, 2024.  Over the past year we took a break from the top news stories to look at moments in pop culture that have had a big impact.  In this episode we interrogate the cultural juggernaut that was the Barbie movie, and then allegations against Russell Brand.  Featured: Wenlei Ma, TV and film critic Dani de Placido, senior contributor at Forbes magazine

This episode features some of the best conversations of 2023, ABC News Daily will be back on Monday 29th January, 2024.  The world’s second biggest economy has a huge influence on Australia. Whether it’s about trade or regional security, Australia maintains a delicate relationship with China.  In this episode we dive into how China’s housing crash shook its economy and the story behind that alleged spy balloon.   Featured:  Ian Verrender, ABC business editor Iain Boyd, professor of aerospace engineering and the director for the Centre of National Security Initiatives at the University of Colorado in Boulder

This episode features some of the best conversations of 2023, ABC News Daily will be back on Monday 29th January, 2024.  We’re in a cost of living crisis and in 2023 we saw multiple interest rate hikes by the RBA, ballooning mortgage repayments for borrowers. In this episode we explore whether rate hikes are the only way to fight inflation, and ask when our wages will finally catch up. Featured:  Michael Janda, ABC senior digital business reporter Gareth Hutchens, ABC business and economics reporter

This episode features some of the best conversations of 2023, we’ll be back daily from January 29, 2024.  Since the October 7 terrorist attacks by Hamas on Israel we’ve brought you in depth analysis and explainers about the conflict. In this episode we learn how to spot misinformation about the war, ask whether Benjamin Netanyahu will survive it, and consider how the conflict is playing out on our streets.  Featured:  Kolina Koltai, senior researcher at the investigative journalists group Bellingcat Guy Ziv, associate professor in the School of International Services at the American University and associate director of the university's Center for Israel Studies Greg Barton, chair of global Islamic politics at Deakin University.

This episode features some of the best conversations of 2023, ABC News Daily will be back on Monday 29th January, 2024.  Whether you’re a renter or paying off a mortgage, millions of Australians are feeling the pinch of the housing crisis.  In this episode we look to solutions overseas, but also interrogate who is buying up all the properties.  Featured: Nassim Khadem, ABC Business reporter

One year ago ChatGPT was just taking off, the artificial intelligence bot amazed people with its ability to do anything from writing job applications, to travel itineraries and essays. Since then, AI technology has been evolving.  So, are you an AI ‘boomer’ or ‘doomer’? Do you think artificial intelligence will make the world a better place or are you worried it could destroy our way of life?  Today, Professor Toby Walsh, the chief scientist at UNSW’s AI institute explains the recent fight over AI in Silicon Valley and the latest innovations we need to know about.  Featured:  Toby Walsh, chief scientist at the AI institute at the University of New South Wales

At the start of the Israel-Gaza war, the Israeli Prime Minister had firm backing from many nations, including Australia.  But with the Gaza health ministry now putting the death toll at more than 18-thousand, US President Joe Biden has warned Israel is losing that support. Australia has now backed a United Nations vote calling for a ceasefire.  Today, Ghaith al-Omari, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, discusses how the world’s view is shifting and what that means for the war.    Featured:  Ghaith al-Omari, senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy

Electric vehicles, electric bikes and electric scooters are more prevalent and part of our lives. But as we make the green transition, the dangers of the lithium-ion batteries that power these devices and many others are becoming more apparent.  They’re causing explosions and fires at homes across the country.  Today, Dr Matthew Priestley from the University of New South Wales discusses what causes the battery fires and how to reduce the risk.   Featured:  Dr Matthew Priestley, Lead Technology Translator in the Energy Systems Research Group, University of New South Wales.

Did you know there’s a cyber-attack reported in Australia every six minutes?  In the past 18 months, we’ve seen some of the biggest hacks in our history, including against Optus and Medibank.  There are criminal groups trying to disrupt our lives and steal our data, but it’s countries like China and Russia that are also becoming more aggressive in targeting Australian businesses and government secrets.   Today, executive director of cyber intelligence at CyberCX Katherine Mansted explains why the threat is increasing and how we can protect ourselves.  Featured:  Katherine Mansted, executive director of cyber intelligence at CyberCX

As you head to the supermarket to stock up for your Christmas lunch you can try and shop around for a deal, but it’s not easy with Coles and Woolies dominating the market.  According to the Greens you’ll be paying too much, because they accuse the big players of price gouging.  It’s an allegation the supermarkets deny.  Today, ABC investigative reporter Adele Ferguson discusses why an inquiry into the duopoly is needed and how regulation could help consumers. Featured:  Adele Ferguson, ABC investigative reporter

When the World Health Organisation demanded China pass over detailed information on an outbreak of respiratory illness last month there was an uncomfortable sense of deja vu.  Local media had been reporting hospitals being overwhelmed with sick children with undiagnosed pneumonia and the WHO wanted to know what was going on. It’s clear now it’s a winter surge in illness rather than a new pathogen.  But are we really prepared for the next pandemic?   Today, epidemiologist Raina MacIntyre explores what the next pandemic might look like.   Featured:  Raina MacIntyre, Professor of Global Biosecurity at the Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales

The world’s attention may have shifted to the war in the Middle East, but in Ukraine the battle drags on as a second winter sets in.  It comes after a brutal counter-offensive in which Ukrainian soldiers tried but failed to take back significant territory from the Russians.    Today, Dr Samir Puri, a visiting lecturer at King’s College London and former ceasefire observer in Ukraine, discusses who’s winning the war and how long Ukraine can rely on Western support.  Featured:  Dr Samir Puri, visiting lecturer in War Studies at King’s College London

It’s part of the biggest road project ever built in Australia, but when a complex maze of tunnels and roads opened in Sydney last month it became apparent there was a major design flaw causing traffic chaos.  So, how did planners get it so wrong and why do we rely so heavily on motorways? Today, transport planner from the University of Technology Sydney, Michelle Zeibots, explains how political decisions are keeping us off public transport and in traffic jams.  Featured:  Dr Michelle Zeibots, senior lecturer at the school of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Technology Sydney

By the end of 2023, the number of immigrants who’ve arrived in Australia during the year may be approaching 600 thousand. They’re filling jobs and bringing cultural diversity to communities, but there is a downside for the economy.  Today, the ABC’s business editor Ian Verrender explores the impact the surge is having on inflation, interest rates and rental prices and what the government should be doing about it.  Featured:  Ian Verrender, ABC business editor

When one of the oldest all boys schools in the country declared it would be enrolling girls, it irked some old boys and parents so much that legal action has been threatened to try and stop the move.  So, why is there so much controversy when single sex schools decide to go co-ed?  Today, an expert in girls' and boys' schooling, Judith Gill, on the widely held misconceptions in the debate and what the research shows about which system works best.  Featured:  Dr Judith Gill, adjunct associate professor of education at the University of South Australia

It’s one of the most watched defamation cases, with both Brittany Higgins and Bruce Lehrmann taking the stand in the Federal Court this week. Mr Lehrmann is suing Network Ten and journalist Lisa Wilkinson for defamation over an interview where Ms Higgins alleged she had been raped by a Liberal staffer at Parliament House in 2019.  He has denied the allegation and has never been found guilty of any wrongdoing.  Today, reporter Partick Bell on the key evidence heard by the court.  Featured:  Patrick Bell, ABC reporter

It was the Australian dream to own a home and a block of land. But while that was once very achievable, it’s not anymore. So why did that change and can it be reversed? Today, the ABC’s Alan Kohler explains why anyone born after 1980 is in a tricky position.  He’s written a Quarterly Essay about the housing market and says it’d take an 18 year freeze in house prices to return to an income to house price ratio that he and his parents enjoyed. Featured:  Alan Kohler, ABC finance presenter

The High Court delivered a ruling earlier this month that’s led to the release of more than 140 people from indefinite immigration detention.  Some have serious criminal backgrounds in Australia or overseas.  It’s become a political nightmare for the government as it’s scrambled to have those released monitored by authorities.  Today, chief political correspondent for the ABC’s 7.30 program, Laura Tingle, on why the political chaos that’s unfolded since the court ruling has been an ‘unedifying debacle’. Featured:  Laura Tingle, 7.30's chief political correspondent

Being a renter can be stressful with a shortage of properties on the market, rising rents and a lack of security for tenants.  But what you might not know is there’s evidence that renting is accelerating the biological ageing process.  That’s according to a peer reviewed study from the University of Essex in the UK and Adelaide University.  Today, one of the report’s authors, Emma Baker, on how DNA testing has shown renting can be bad for your health.  Featured:  Emma Baker, Professor of Housing Research at the University of Adelaide

With just under a year until a presidential election in the United States, Donald Trump  is shifting his language in a disturbing way.  During a rally this month, the former US leader used rhetoric reminiscent of the Nazis, calling his domestic opponents and critics ‘vermin’.  Today, a historian of American political language Dr Jennifer Mercieca discusses how Trump uses language to whip up support.  Featured:  Dr Jennifer Mercieca, historian of American political rhetoric and professor of communication at Texas A&M University

After almost 50 days of war, Israel and Hamas have done a deal to pause the fighting and release hostages and prisoners. So what went on behind the scenes to reach the agreement and could it be a turning point in the war?  Today, an expert on ceasefires Doctor Marika Sosnowski from Melbourne University on the complexities of the negotiations and what to expect next. Featured:  Dr Marika Sosnowski, University of Melbourne research fellow Please tell us what you think about ABC News Daily in our 2023 listener survey: https://forms.office.com/r/2NbJXgW6sQ

The Americans may have come up with the Black Friday retail sales, but Australians are embracing it and it’s now bigger than the Boxing Day sales.  There are bargains to be had, but retailers are really trying to push people to make unplanned purchases.  Today, business reporter Nassim Khadem on how much we’re really going to spend during a cost-of-living crisis and what that might mean for our inflation problem.  Featured:  Nassim Khadem, ABC business reporter Please tell us what you think about ABC News Daily in our 2023 listener survey: https://forms.office.com/r/2NbJXgW6sQ

In recent weeks, the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been rubbing shoulders with China’s President Xi Jinping on the world stage.  The message was that the relationship between the two countries had been stabilised. But how quickly things can change.  Australia is now in dispute with China over a maritime altercation which saw Australian Navy divers injured when a nearby warship emitted sonar pulses.   Today, foreign affairs reporter Stephen Dziedzic on how the incident unfolded and how China’s response threatens to open a new rift.  Featured:  Stephen Dziedzic, ABC foreign affairs reporter Please tell us what you think about ABC News Daily in our 2023 listener survey: https://forms.office.com/r/2NbJXgW6sQ

If you feel like your standard of living has been getting worse over the past year or so, you’re not alone and you’re not wrong.  High inflation, rising interest rates and rent prices mean your relative income is likely to have fallen dramatically. Unless of course you’re a baby boomer - many in that generation are still living it up.  Today, the ABC’s national political lead and Insiders’ host, David Speers, on what the government is doing on the cost-of-living and what it could do to close the generational gap.  Featured:  David Speers, ABC national political lead and Insiders’ host  Please tell us what you think about ABC News Daily in our 2023 listener survey: https://forms.office.com/r/2NbJXgW6sQ

For many of us, COVID-19 has drifted from our thoughts, but infections are surging again around Australia.  Experts say it is the beginning of a new wave of infections, but the lack of testing makes it difficult to predict the size and timing of the peak.  So what should we be doing as this next wave takes hold?  Today, infectious disease expert and director of the Burnet Institute, Brendan Crabb, on the new variants, the latest vaccine and why COVID is still a force to be reckoned with.  Featured:  Brendan Crabb, Director and CEO of the Burnet Institute

Israel’s military has raided Gaza’s main hospital, claiming Hamas was using the facility for military purposes. Given hospitals are supposed to be protected by international humanitarian law, can Israel’s action be justified? Today, former Middle East correspondent Ben Knight unpacks a week where the Al-Shifa hospital became a flashpoint in the Israel-Gaza war.  Featured:   Ben Knight, former ABC Middle East correspondent

After three years of heavy rainfall, huge tracts of Australia are primed to burn this summer.  We’re being told to prepare for a hot and dry summer and the worst bushfire season since the Black Summer fires of 2019 and 2020.  So, how are communities in the line of fire preparing and who will come to help them in the height of a bushfire emergency?  Today, we speak to two home owners who have lived through catastrophic bushfires and are taking matters into their own hands.  Featured:  Steve Pascoe, Strathewen resident Simon Geraghty, Wollombi Valley resident

As the war in Gaza intensifies, protests across the world are growing larger and in some cases turning violent.  Reports of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia are also increasing here in Australia.  Today, expert on terrorism and violent extremism at Deakin University, Greg Barton, on why the war is fuelling a divide the Hamas terrorists would have hoped for.  Featured:  Greg Barton, Professor of Global Islamic Politics at Deakin University

When the Commonwealth Bank was hauled before a Royal Commission back in 2018 it had already tried every trick in the book to try and discredit its critics.  From collecting dirt files to harassing journalists, it did everything it could to try and stop the truth about how it was treating its customers from getting out.  But thanks to a few dogged former employees, the bank’s practices were exposed.  Whistleblowers back then and today face risks with little protection from the law.  Today, the reporter behind the story, investigative journalist Adele Ferguson, on how the Commonwealth Bank was caught out and why there are mounting calls for whistleblower laws to be strengthened.  Featured:  Adele Ferguson, ABC investigative reporter

As the civilian death toll in Gaza continues to rise, there are growing calls for a ceasefire, but Israel and the United States are rejecting that.  But is Israel operating within the rules of war and is its response a month after the Hamas attack proportionate?  Today, president of the US / Middle East Project and former Israeli peace negotiator,  Daniel Levy on why Western nations need to reassess their approach to Israel’s bombing and invasion of Gaza.  Featured:  Daniel Levy, president of the US / Middle East Project

Donald Trump has been in court for a civil fraud trial in New York this week, where the judge had to order lawyers to control the former US president.  But while Trump might be in trouble legally, politically he’s on track to become president for a second time.  The latest opinion polling has Trump out in front of President Joe Biden in key states one year out from the US election.  Today, senior political correspondent for the Wall Street Journal Molly Ball on why voters are turning away from Biden and the implications of a second term Trump presidency.  Featured:  Molly Ball, senior political correspondent for the Wall Street Journal

We all expect network failures sometimes, patchy internet and drop outs in phone calls, but Optus has taken it to a whole new level.  Not only were 10 million customers left without service for half a day, but for hours the telecommunications giant said it had absolutely no idea what was wrong.  Today, technology expert from the University of Melbourne Suelette Dreyfus on how an outage like this can leave us all vulnerable.  Featured:  Dr Suelette Dreyfus, University of Melbourne School of Computing and Information Systems

Australia’s inflation problem has little to do with the spending habits of home owners, because the major drivers right now are things like petrol, rent and the cost of building houses.     So why are borrowers being punished with another hike in rates?  Today, the ABC’s senior digital business reporter Michael Janda on the limits of the RBA’s "blunt tool".  Featured:  Michael Janda, ABC senior digital business reporter

The world was captivated when three people died and one was left seriously ill from suspected mushroom poisoning after a lunch in a regional Victorian home. Now that the meal host Erin Patterson has been charged with murder and attempted murder, the intrigue has only intensified. Today, criminologist Xanthe Mallett explains the investigation into the 49-year-old and whether she can receive a fair trial.  Featured:  Dr Xanthe Mallet, criminologist and associate professor at the University of Newcastle

While Benjamin Netanyahu oversees the war in Gaza, he’s governing a traumatised nation that’s questioning why the terrorist attack by Hamas came without warning on October the 7th.  Before the attack, the Israeli leader was under huge political pressure over domestic issues, but were there decisions he made that may have increased the risk?  Today, Guy Ziv from the American University’s Center for Israel Studies on how long Netanyahu will be able to hold on to power.  Featured:  Guy Ziv, associate professor in the School of International Services at the American University

While the world came out strongly in support of Israel after the Hamas terrorist attack on the 7th of October, there is now growing concern over the images emerging from Gaza and the rising civilian death toll there. So as the war progresses, will the position of leaders like Prime Minister Anthony Albanese shift?  Today, the ABC’s Patricia Karvelas on the ‘schism’ in the Labor party and the ‘tightrope’ politicians are walking.  Featured:  Patricia Karvelas, Radio National Breakfast presenter and co-host of the Party Room podcast

The news can often be bleak, and most Australians say they avoid it sometimes or always.  But if you listen to this episode, you’re probably not a news avoider.  Though you probably know someone who finds the news hard to handle, particularly with the Israel-Gaza war.  Today, an expert on why Australians are switching off the news, and what it means for our democracy. Featured:  Caroline Fisher, Associate Professor of Communications at the University of Canberra and the co-author of the annual Digital News Report.

Egypt sits along the south of the Gaza strip but since the Israel-Gaza war began it has kept its border shut to civilians.  It means Palestinians cannot leave the territory as Israeli ground troops move in.  Today, we speak to an aid worker in the region and a former Palestinian peace negotiator on the human cost of the war.   Featured:  Abeer Etefa, World Food Programme spokeswoman Ghaith al-Omari, former advisor to the Palestinian Authority and senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy