ABC News Daily

Donald Trump says Iran is negotiating with the US to end the war, but Iran says that’s ‘fake news’. So, are there efforts underway to bring the conflict to a close or not? And who’s winning the war? Today, Jonathan Panikoff from the Atlantic Council’s Middle East program on Iran’s stronghold on the Strait of Hormuz and why it will only stop the fighting on its terms.  Featured:  Jonathan Panikoff,...

When South Australians went to the polls on the weekend one in five voters put One Nation first.  That’s the party’s best showing in that state ever and federal party leader Pauline Hanson says a movement is under way.  Referring to the party’s colour branding, One Nation’s SA leader Cory Bernardi insists an ‘orange wave’ is here to stay.  Today, the ABC’s Melissa Clarke on how the party is transl...

For years, Australians heading to Europe have relied on flights that have stopovers in the Gulf. But as war in the Middle East disrupts travel plans for thousands, should we reconsider the region as a transit hub?  And if you’ve already booked flights via the Gulf, what should you do now? Featured:  Ian Douglas, aviation management lecturer at Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Are the petrol stations price gouging and cashing in on the Iran war?  If they are, is there anything that can stop them?  Today, David Byrne, professor of economics at the University of Melbourne on how fuel companies justify the rapid price rises and what motorists can do to fight back. Featured:  David Byrne, professor of economics at the University of Melbourne

Donald Trump’s top counterterrorism official has quit over the war in Iran.  He says pressure from Israel, not an imminent threat from Iran, led the US president to start the conflict. Today, Hussein Ibish from the Arab Gulf States Institute on Benjamin Netanyahu’s goals in Iran and how long he wants the fight to last.   He explains why, if regime change isn’t possible, Israel might keep going unt...

The RBA has lifted interest rates for a second consecutive month. Are we now in a long rate hiking cycle, accelerated by the war in Iran, or could this be the rise that finally brings inflation under control?  Today, chief business correspondent Ian Verrender on the uncertainty for the economy and the outlook for rates.  Featured:  Ian Verrender, ABC chief business correspondent 

As the Iran war enters its third week, the ripple effect is growing around the world as the global oil supply through the Strait of Hormuz is disrupted.  In Australia, petrol and diesel prices are soaring and in some regional areas the bowsers have run dry. Today, David Leaney, an international supply chain expert from the ANU on how panic buying is driving prices higher and why the government sho...

It was one of the worst environmental disasters to strike Australia’s oceans.  When a massive algal bloom arrived in South Australia, devastating the coastline and killing marine life, the public was initially told it wasn’t toxic, when it later became apparent it was. Today, Four Corners reporter Angus Grigg on his investigation into what the South Australian government knew and whether it acted...

Almost two weeks into the war in Iran, Donald Trump's endgame remains elusive. He insists the US has won already, even as the bombs fall and Iran's drones cause havoc in the region. Did the US president misjudge how a war with Iran would play out and how significant the ripple effects would be across the world? Today, staff writer at the Atlantic magazine Tom Nichols on why the Trump administratio...

Artificial intelligence is playing a key role in the war in Iran, with AI tools suspected of being used to gather intelligence, pick targets and plan bombings. At the same time, a battle has broken out between the Trump administration and one of the leading AI firms, Anthropic, over what limits should be placed on the use of AI by the military.  Today, Toby Walsh, the chief scientist at the AI Ins...

They stood on a field in the Gold Coast and bravely refused to sing their national anthem and they were condemned as traitors on Iranian state TV.  A week later, members of the Iranian women’s soccer team who competed in the Women’s Asian Cup have been offered asylum in Australia. Today, lawyer and sport integrity expert Catherine Ordway on how it all unfolded.  Featured:  Catherine Ordway, sport...

Donald Trump wanted regime change in Iran and to personally choose who the next leader would be.  Instead, Iran’s top clerics chose Mojtaba Khamenei to succeed his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, after he was killed in US-Israeli strikes. Today, Barbara Slavin, a distinguished fellow at the Stimson Centre on what this appointment means for the war. Featured:  Barbara Slavin, distinguished fellow a...

Can you believe the construction of a high speed rail network could start in just two years?  Scepticism is not unwarranted because we’ve been talking about fast train travel for decades, but it’s never happened because it basically costs too much.   Today, Joe Langley, an urban planner who worked on the Gillard government’s study of high speed rail and who is a member of the advocacy body the Aus...

One of Donald Trump’s stated reasons for going to war with Iran is to destroy the nuclear threat he says it poses.   But by starting the conflict has he made the world less safe?  There are concerns around what happens to Iran’s enriched nuclear material and the lessons other countries will take from Iran’s being hit while remaining at the threshold short of getting a bomb. Today, Kelsey Davenport...

It’s been less than a week since the war in Iran began but it’s already having an economic impact here. Oil and gas prices are rising and that has the Reserve Bank worried about inflation and analysts warn that could mean more interest rate hikes.  Today, chief business correspondent Ian Verrender on why we’re so economically vulnerable to a conflict so far away and what we can expect in the weeks...

The Iran war is expanding and already having ripple effects across the globe. How long will it last? US President Donald Trump says a month or longer, “whatever it takes”. Today, we speak to Rana Dadpour who fled the brutal Iranian regime in 2012 and founded the group Australian United Solidarity for Iran. We also speak with international relations expert Rajan Menon about why this could be a long...

Donald Trump says the war with Iran will continue until all his goals are achieved and he’s warned more US troops are likely to die. But if one of the aims is regime change in Iran, can the US president achieve that without troops on the ground?  The war is escalating in the region with Israel beginning strikes on the Iran-linked militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon’s capital Beirut, after it launc...

For weeks Donald Trump threatened Iran with military strikes and on Saturday morning in Iran the bombing by US and Israeli forces began. He says Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been killed. In a social media video, the US president urged the Iranian people to rise up and topple the regime. Iran has responded by targeting Israel and US military bases across the region with drones a...

They tried to stop it happening, but Bill and Hillary Clinton had no choice in the end but to testify or face jail time.   The political power couple is being hauled before a US congressional investigation into late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Today, David Smith from the United States Studies Centre at Sydney University on what we can expect from their depositions.    Featured:  David Smith, ass...

US President Donald Trump spent almost two hours outlining what he believes to be a myriad of achievements on the economy and immigration.  It’s the longest State of the Union address ever recorded.   But has the US president convinced voters that his first year in office has been a raging success and can he turn his tanking popularity around before the mid-term elections in November.   Today, Emm...

The possible return home of a group of so-called ‘ISIS brides’ from Syria has caused a political storm. But why? Given similar groups of women and children have been returned in the past by both the Albanese and Morrison governments?  Today, Adam Harvey, reporter for the ABC’s 7.30 program, joins us to discuss his 2019 reporting as a foreign correspondent on the ground in the Syrian camp where the...

The US Supreme Court has ruled that most of Donald Trump’s tariffs are illegal.  So, will President Trump give back to Australian companies the millions of dollars they’ve already lost? What does the new 15 percent global tariff mean for the global economy?  Today, chief business correspondent Ian Verrender on the latest tariff chaos. Featured:  Ian Verrender, ABC chief business correspondent

They used to be known as personal assistants, now you can just get an AI agent to plan your day, answer your emails and organise your life.  But what are the risks around handing over control of your data, messages and payment methods to the latest wave of artificial intelligence tools? Today, computer security expert at Melbourne University Shaanan Cohney on how AI agents work and how close we ar...

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has spent about 10 hours of his 66th birthday in police custody as they investigate whether the former prince shared government secrets with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.  King Charles has tried to distance himself from the man who remains eighth in line to the throne. But can the royal family survive this scandal? Today, the ABC’s Annabel Crabb on what happens...

It’s a case that’s captivated America and grabbed headlines around the world. The disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of Australian-born US Today show host Savannah Guthrie. The 84-year-old has been missing for more than three weeks and the mystery only deepened with the release of eerie doorbell footage showing a masked person at her door. Today, we speak to former FBI profiler, Mary Ellen...