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    • Sep 18, 2026 LATEST EPISODE
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    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 18, 2026 1:41


    Listen to the latest updates from ABC News

    Labor's immigration crackdown explained

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 18, 2026 4:18


    Plans to detain and deport visa overstayers, and cut down backpacker and student visa numbers are among the key pillars of Labor's new plan to reduce net migration.How will it work and what will it mean for hopeful migrants and the industries that rely on them? 

    How China could hack our power and telco networks 'today'

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 18, 2026 2:24


    The nation's spy boss has warned China is actively preparing to switch off power and telecommunications networks in Australia, if a conflict breaks out.  The director general of ASIO, Mike Burgess, says Beijing is working to understand how those systems operate and it would probably target specific areas, like defence communications.Cyber security experts say he's right and Australia needs to make sure it's ready for the possibility of hackers trying to shut down our networks. 

    Did Charles really sound 'giddily elated' after Diana died?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 18, 2026 3:24


    Almost thirty years after her death, there's new commentary about Princess Diana and the reaction of her former husband.Charles Spencer, the brother of the late Princess of Wales, is releasing a memoir called Swan Song: Diana, My Sister. It includes some bombshell claims about King Charles, including that he sounded 'giddily elated, like a lottery winner' in a phone call to Earl Spencer. It's forced an unusual rebuke from the Palace. 

    Why the Radiohead tour has caused such a fuss

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 18, 2026 4:06


    In a world of issues to care and angst about, for a lot of people this past week, there's only been one that's been front of mind: whether you could get tickets to Radiohead.The legendary UK band announced 16 Australian shows in 2027 last week, their first in 15 years, which naturally sent fans into a big old frenzy.A unique process to secure tickets followed which resulted in online queues of tens of thousands of people.So why all the fuss about this band, and this tour? 

    Unpacking the HYROX faecal incontinence saga

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 17, 2026 3:35


    Australian athlete Joanna Wietrzyk has apologised after continuing a HYROX competition in China after soiling herself mid-race.The incident has gone viral and sparked disgusted, furious or even respectful reaction online.

    Can artists like Ed Sheeran be apolitical?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 17, 2026 3:44


    Ed Sheeran is yet to announce new support acts, following the walk out of his booked bands on the US leg of his Loop tour.It follows Sheeran's promoter dropping rapper Macklemore over pro-Palestinian comments made during an earlier show.Sheeran says he's trying to keep his gigs politics free, but can artists ever really be apolitical?

    Why has the US Federal Reserve raised interest rates?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 17, 2026 3:01


    It looks like Donald Trump's pick to head the US federal reserve isn't following orders.The man hand-selected by the US President has decided to do the exact opposite of what Mr Trump has been asking.Chairman Kevin Warsh has announced an interest rate hike for the world's largest economy.The President is not happy and has reiterated his calls for interest rates to be lowered.So why has the Fed made a very different decision?

    What are the COVID vaccine changes in Australia?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 16, 2026 2:31


    Your COVID vaccine may not be free anymore.After more than five years of free COVID vaccinations for all Australians, the rules are changing.So what does this mean, and who will be affected?

    Anthropic's plan for Australia's largest data centre

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 16, 2026 2:58


    As debate rages over Australian copyright and AI investment, Anthropic has inked a deal to run Australia's largest data centre, proposed for rural southern Queensland.The company has signed a long-term lease for the 32-billion-dollar Western Downs Digital Park, and if approved, what's now a cattle feedlot  would be transformed.

    How is Labor planning to slash net migration

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 16, 2026 3:15


    After weeks of cabinet disagreement and delay the government has finally landed its much-anticipated migration policy, with plans to ban international students from bringing their families to the country. 

    Why are Ed Sheeran's support acts quitting?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 16, 2026 3:40


    The US leg of Ed Sheeran's Loop tour is in tatters - after Macklemore was removed as a support artist over his comments supporting Palestinians.Now, four more support acts have pulled out.What's going on?

    Why is one of the Snowtown serial killers about to be freed

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 15, 2026 3:56


    Despite efforts from the South Australian Government, one of the country's most notorious serial killers is set to be released from prison.

    Creatives face opt-out model for AI training

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 15, 2026 3:21


    The government has rejected criticism it's selling artists out to big tech, as leaked policy documents reveal the government is considering making inclusion in AI model training opt-out by default.

    Should councils ban smart glasses from playgrounds?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 15, 2026 3:21


    The AI boom is raising all sorts of fears around privacy, particularly when it comes to the growing popularity of smart glasses.They are the wearable computers that look like ordinary spectacles, but can film and record handsfree, often facilitated by AI.Now, a number of local councils are looking to ban the eye-wear from places like gyms and childcare centres, in response to concerns from local residents they may be filmed without their knowledge.

    Can Australia stop the AI apocalypse?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 15, 2026 3:38


    The heads of the leading artificial intelligence companies have agreed that a slow down in the development is needed before the technology becomes dangerous.What can Australia do to regulate AI and protect its citizens?

    Why is fuel so expensive again?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 14, 2026 5:10


    You've probably noticed, fuel prices are on the rise again.This week they hit a four-month high.So what's behind this latest spike, and what lies ahead? 

    Why is NSW cutting screentime in classrooms?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 14, 2026 3:23


    Classrooms in NSW will be a little different for kids next year - they 're going old school, returning to pen and paper for learningThe state government there has announced new guidelines that will limit the use of screens for coursework in public schools from Term 1 next year.

    What went wrong at Whyalla steelworks

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 14, 2026 4:19


    Hundreds of jobs are lost and the future of the Whyalla steelworks is in question after administrators confirmed the blast furnace used to make steel is shut down for good. State and federal governments have spent billions of dollars on the ailing facility, but it's going to take a new owner at last another $500 million to build a new electric furnace. What happens next?  

    How is One Nation proposing to slash migration?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 14, 2026 3:00


    One Nation has unveiled its migration policy.The plan would see 750,000 places cut over the next three years.,the focus would be foreign students and migrant worker families.

    Why are tech executives calling for an AI slowdown?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 13, 2026 3:53


    It looks like the leaders of AI technology are willing to put competition aside to band together.A number of the them say they agree that the development of artificial intelligence should be slowed down to protect the future of humans.That's right on cue, because recently there have been serious alarms raised about AI, and the possibility of an AI Armageddon. 

    Are jurors prepared for the mental health risks of serving on trials?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 12, 2026 3:30


    Some of the most important people in our legal system enter the court with no specific training and are legally prevented from talking about the sometimes gruesome evidence they are forced to see and hear.The fate of those accused of the most serious crimes usually rests in the hands of a jury, but absorbing weeks or even months of evidence can take a toll.So what's being done to support them?

    Acts of humanity that emerged after September 11 attacks

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 12, 2026 4:29


    Twenty-five years on from the terror attacks on September 11, 2001, many are also reflecting on the extraordinary acts of courage and humanity that emerged.

    Why is Australia the safest country in a global disaster?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 11, 2026 4:00


    Australia could be one of the safest places on Earth if a global catastrophe strikes.New research has found Australia's isolation, self-sufficiency, and political stability mean it can withstand most crises.The catastrophe could be anything from nuclear winter to asteroid strikes, or even a technological doomsday.But researchers warn no country would escape unscathed.

    Why are Pauline Hanson and Andrew Hastie feuding?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 10, 2026 4:05


    One Nation leader Pauline Hanson and Liberal frontbencher Andrew Hastie are in the midst of a very public spat.It's escalated recently over an animated cartoon video created by One Nation which labels Mr Hastie a traitor.

    Is AI about to 'kill us all'?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 10, 2026 3:33


    AI could kill us by the end of the decade.That is the alarming claim being made by an AI expert in the US who has quit his job over fears that the tech could wipe out humans.

    Is Trump becoming toxic for Republicans ahead of midterms?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 10, 2026 4:05


    The midterm election in the US are fast approaching, less then a couple of months to go.And at the moment things are not looking good for the Republican party.So US President Donald Trump is throwing a two-day convention in Texas in a bid to boost the fortunes of his Party - before the November poll.

    How failed SPF tests led to a multi-million dollar court case

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 9, 2026 3:18


    Twenty sunscreens were pulled from the shelves recently after failing to meet their SPF claims.Behind them all is one manufacturer - Wild Child Laboratories - that supplies the brands with their base formula.it's now being sued in the federal court by one of the sunscreen brands caught out: Ultra Violette.

    Can LIV Golf survive without Saudi backing?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 9, 2026 3:30


    LIV Golf promised to revolutionise professional golf when it launched with billions of dollars in Saudi backing. Now, just four years later, the competition has filed for bankruptcy protection in the United States. So what went wrong, what happens next, and what does it mean for the future of its Adelaide tournament?

    What's behind American football's push into Australia?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 9, 2026 4:00


    What is pork-barrelling?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 8, 2026 4:19


    Labor's use of grants is raising eyebrows.A Centre for Public Integrity investigation found the $560 million so called 'Major and Local Community Infrastructure' grants program was overwhelmingly directed into safe Labor seats and marginal seats the party wanted to win at the 2025 federal election. Chair Anthony Whealy called it as he saw it: pork-barrelling. So what exactly is it?

    The crackdown on social media algorithms revealed

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 8, 2026 4:02


    Will you boot the social media algorithms if you get the chance? The government has revealed a draft of the Digital Duty of Care in Australia law that would force digital platforms to block certain content from children, take proactive measure to prevent harm and give everyone the option to opt-out of the algorithm that picks what comes up next on your feeds. The federal government insists a global reckoning is coming for big tech. How will it work?

    The degenerative brain disease CTE and rugby league explained

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 8, 2026 3:21


    New research on the degenerative brain disease CTE, has revealed its prevalence in former rugby league players.The Australian Sports Brain Bank can now confirm that 31 players both professional and amateur had the condition when they died.That result came from studying the 51 brains that have been donated so far.The wife of one late rugby league footballer is calling for more players to agree to donate their brains to research. 

    What do we know about the murders of Jake and Callum Robinson?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 7, 2026 3:08


    A trial is underway in Mexico over the murders of two young Australians two years ago.Jake and Callum Robinson and their American friend Carter Rhoad were murdered while on a surfing holiday in Baja in April 2024.So what do we know about what happened to them?

    How One Nation would change your superannuation

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 7, 2026 2:57


    One Nation is selling a superannuation policy that some economists think is a bad idea, but would see workers able to get access to more of their retirement savings, sooner. The minor party wants to allow Australians to divert a quarter of their super payments to their bank account for up to three years.It's being pitched as a solution to the cost of living crisis.While it may appeal to some voters, there are warnings about what it would mean for people's savings in retirement and what it could do to inflation and the federal budget.

    How to avoid becoming a magpie swooping victim this spring

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 7, 2026 3:37


    It's magpie swooping season.But how can you avoid becoming the target of a cranky magpie that's just trying to protect its young?Magpie experts have a few tried and tested methods to make sustaining a pecking injury less likely. One hot tip, it doesn't involve running or waving your hands around. 

    The 'feminisation' of schools claim explained

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 7, 2026 3:12


    A political debate's emerged over a school program that teaches students about consent and relationships.The discussion started when Nationals Leader Matt Canavan said the Respectful Relationships curriculum is contributing to a culture that's alienating young boys.So, what's it all about?

    How a far-right party won in Germany for the first time since WWII

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 6, 2026 3:30


    The Alternative for Germany party has won more than 44 per cent of the vote in the state of Saxony-Anhalt, led by 35-year-old former fragrance salesman Ulrich Siegmund.It's the first time a far-right party has won a major election in Germany since World War II, when the Nazi Party was in power.So, how did they win over voters? And what does it mean for the rest of Germany?

    Will Australia make opt-in social media algorithms the law?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 6, 2026 3:15


    Australians could soon have more control over what they see on social media under proposed digital duty of care laws. The reforms would force major platforms to reduce harm and could expose companies to significant fines, while debate continues over algorithms, online safety, and freedom of speech.

    Hope remains in Nepal as two more rescued after floods

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 6, 2026 3:23


    Aid agencies are warning that health services in Nepal are stretched, more than 10 days after devastating floods in the region.

    What happens now after the Lindsay Clancy mistrial?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 5, 2026 4:22


    The six-week criminal trial of Lindsay Clancy has collapsed without a verdict, with the judge declaring a mistrial.

    How Trump got Apple and Google Maps to eliminate Lake Ontario

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 4, 2026 3:57


    US President Donald Trump has struck out at long time ally Canada after trade talks collapsed, renaming one of the Great Lakes of North America.It's Lake Ontario, which borders the two countries. Or, as Trump would have you now call it, Lake America.Can he just do that and why did Apple and Google Maps fall into line so quickly? 

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