- 15 minutes 30 secondsErin Brockovich and the US data centre backlash
As the US hurtles towards the November midterms, data centres have become a major election issue, with politicians across the political divide joining voters in demanding a moratorium on new construction.
Even Erin Brockovich is getting involved in a campaign sweeping the country.
Today, Nicol Turner Lee, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, on the backlash against data centres and what it says about Australia’s approach as the debate heats up.
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Nicol Turner Lee, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution
30 August 2026, 4:00 pm - 15 minutes 30 secondsTucker Carlson for president in 2028?
Since Donald Trump launched his war in Iran, the MAGA movement has been dramatically split over the military action.
Once a key Trump supporter, high profile media personality Tucker Carlson has turned on the US president, fuelling speculation he could make his own presidential bid in 2028.
Today, New Yorker magazine staff writer Jason Zengerle on whether the podcaster could become the president.
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Jason Zengerle, New Yorker magazine staff writer
27 August 2026, 4:00 pm - 15 minutes 24 secondsWhy can't Albo stick it to Trump like Canada?
Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney has come out swinging, outlining a major retaliation against US President Donald Trump's latest wave of tariffs.
The two neighbours have been spiralling towards an escalating trade war since negotiations collapsed last week.
But could Canada’s response inspire other countries like Australia to push back against Trump's tariffs too?
Today, David Smith from the United States Studies Centre on Mark Carney's defiance against the US and whether we should follow suit.
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David Smith, Associate Professor of US Studies at the United States Studies Centre
26 August 2026, 4:00 pm - 15 minutes 30 secondsIs this Mark Zuckerberg's 'big tobacco' moment?
In a landmark US court case, attorneys general representing 29 states are suing Meta, the company behind Facebook and Instagram, accusing it of knowingly harming children and designing its platforms to keep young users hooked on scrolling.
It's being likened to the wave of lawsuits filed against big tobacco companies in the 1990s.
If the states are successful, the ruling could have far-reaching consequences for Meta's business model, and for the way all of us use social media.
Today, Dara Kerr, tech reporter with The Guardian US on what could be Meta's big tobacco moment
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Dara Kerr, tech reporter for The Guardian US
25 August 2026, 4:00 pm - 15 minutes 28 secondsIs the Swans' Brownlow ban really enough?
It took a week, but the head of the AFL has now fronted the press over the Swans scandal.
CEO Andrew Dillon has distanced the sport from the Sydney club, saying the actions of a few do not define an entire code.
Today, investigative sports reporter Jessica Halloran on the AFL's response and why it's not enough.
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Jess Halloran, ABC investigative sports reporter
24 August 2026, 4:00 pm - 16 minutes 5 secondsNetanyahu's impunity in the West Bank
In October, Israelis will head to the polls, with Benjamin Netanyahu fighting to remain in power.
Looming over the election are the war with Iran, the aftermath of the October 7th Hamas attack, and the ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon.
And then there’s the West Bank, where settler violence has surged again.
Today, Sari Bashi, an Israeli-American human rights lawyer, joins us from the West Bank to explain what’s driving the latest tensions.
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Sari Bashi, human rights lawyer and Executive Director of the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel
23 August 2026, 4:00 pm - 16 minutes 12 secondsWhy Trump's courting dictators (again)
This week, US President Donald Trump has threatened to bomb Oman, scaled back military drills with South Korea and continued his tariff fight with Canada.
Meanwhile, he’s been speaking warmly about North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and says he plans to meet with him later this year.
Today, Michael Green from the US Studies Centre at the University of Sydney on what’s behind Trump’s latest moves and why he keeps rattling America’s long-standing alliances.
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Michael Green, Sydney University's United States Studies Centre CEO and former special assistant to US president George Bush
20 August 2026, 4:00 pm - 15 minutes 18 secondsHow Pauline Hanson's winning the migration debate
Two months since Pauline Hanson's Press Club address calling for monoculturalism in Australia, new polling shows more Australians prefer her stance on immigration than that of either of the major parties.
Today, Tony Barry, a former Liberal party strategist and director at Redbridge Group on One Nation's appeal.
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Tony Barry, former Liberal party strategist and Redbridge Group director
19 August 2026, 4:00 pm - 14 minutes 6 secondsThe Sydney Swans and AFL culture
It's the sort of allegation that over the decades has rocked sporting codes and the AFL.
Allegations of sexual assault have embroiled four Sydney Swans players.
Today, AFL player agent Peter Jess, about how the sports protocols need to change, and Victoria University sports expert Matthew Klugman on AFL culture.
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Matthew Klugman, Victoria University sports expert
Peter Jess, AFL player agent
18 August 2026, 6:30 am - 15 minutes 14 secondsWhy the mushroom killer is back in court
It was one of the most watched criminal court cases in history, and now it's back.
Mushroom killer Erin Patterson's appeal against her conviction for murdering three lunch guests and attempting to murder a fourth begins this week.
Today, RMIT criminologist and lawyer Brianna Chesser, on why Patterson's lawyers argue she's been the victim of a miscarriage of justice.
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Brianna Chesser, RMIT criminologist and lawyer
17 August 2026, 4:00 pm - 15 minutes 12 secondsThe Russian drones stalking civilians
Footage of a Russian drone stalking and attacking a Ukrainian vegetable seller has offered a glimpse into the dystopian way Russia is fighting its war in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s rapid drone innovation is transforming what these cheap devices can do on the battlefield.
Today, staff writer at The Atlantic, Anne Applebaum, on the new age of drone warfare and why the rest of the world needs to be ready for what comes next.
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Anne Applebaum, staff writer for The Atlantic
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