The federal budget delivers a $300 power bill rebate to every household in the country, along with the previously announced tax cuts.

The treasurer says it’s responsible cost of living relief that’ll force the inflation rate down faster than expected.

So, could that lead to earlier cuts to interest rates?

Today, the ABC’s Ian Verrender speaks with Sam Hawley from within the budget 'lock up' where reporters and experts get early access to the government’s economic plan.

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Ian Verrender, ABC Chief Business Correspondent

A former Chinese spy has revealed the lengths taken by its security services to track down dissidents overseas, including in Australia, and get them back home.

Some expat Chinese who are critical of the communist party and leader Xi Jinping fear for their lives, despite being Australian residents. 

Today, Echo Hui on her exclusive interview for Four Corners with the spy who’s now in Australia and the national security questions raised by her investigation. 

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Echo Hui, Four Corners reporter

He shares one of the most famous names in US political history, but can he change the course of the next US election?

Robert F Kennedy Jr, a nephew of the former president John F Kennedy is running as an independent and while he won’t win, he could steal votes from both Joe Biden and Donald Trump.

Today, Eliza Collins from the Wall Street Journal on Kennedy’s campaign, his extreme views and how he could become a problem for both camps.

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Eliza Collins, Wall Street Journal national political reporter

Don’t you get sick of the constant text messages warning that you haven’t paid a toll, or that you’ve missed a package delivery or have a refund owing?

In many cases they’re clearly fake but there are scams that aren’t so obvious, and Australians have lost billions of dollars to them. 

Today, consumer affairs reporter Michael Atkin on why more of us are falling for the traps set by criminals and what the big banks should be doing to protect us. 

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Michael Atkin, ABC consumer affairs reporter

When a porn star took the stand in a New York courtroom, her account of sex with Donald Trump was so detailed and at times graphic, the former US president’s lawyers called for a mistrial.

Trump often kept his eyes closed as Stormy Daniels spoke about an alleged sexual encounter in 2006. He denies they had sex at all. 

The criminal trial is all about a hush money payment she says she received before the 2016 election. 

Today, Josh Gerstein, the senior legal affairs reporter for Politico, takes us through the evidence.

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Josh Gerstein, Politico senior legal affairs reporter

There have been two knife attacks within just weeks of each other that are being linked to terrorism. 

One was a church in Sydney and the other outside a Bunnings in Perth on the weekend.

Both involved teenage boys. So, what’s going on? 

Today, investigative reporter Sean Rubinsztein-Dunlop on the radicalisation of vulnerable young people and whether programs to stop it are working. 

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Sean Rubinsztein-Dunlop, ABC investigative reporter

Editor’s note: The WA Education Department has confirmed the incident involving an explosive device in a school toilet happened in 2022, before the boy was put on the countering violent extremism program.

You have to be aged at least 13 to access social media like TikTok, Twitter and Instagram in Australia. 

But is that an appropriate age, given the disturbing content available and harm heavy social media use can cause? 

Could we just ban smartphones and social media for Australian kids altogether?

Today, we meet a father who has limited his daughter’s phone use and a psychiatrist who’ll explain the problems that smartphones can cause. 

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Danny Elachi, The Heads Up Alliance founder

Dr Yann Poncin, child psychiatrist at the Yale Child Studies Center 

Two deadly crashes and a mid-air door blowout have rocked the reputation of Boeing, with questions intensifying about the quality of its planes.

Concerns about the 737 MAX aircraft peaked when a hole opened up on the side of an Alaska Airlines flight in January this year. 

Today, Jerry Useem, who’s been investigating Boeing for more than two decades, charts the firm’s departure from in-house manufacturing. 

He’s been writing for the Atlantic magazine about how Boeing switched its focus to its stock price and what that meant for the safety of its aircraft.

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Jerry Useem, contributing writer at The Atlantic

At Columbia University in the heart of New York City late one evening this week riot police stormed a university hall. 

They entered via a window to arrest students who’d for weeks been camping out at the campus to protest against the war in Gaza. 

Now, the pro-Palestinian movement that’s seen more than a thousand students arrested across the US has landed here. 

Today, we look at the encampments popping up on campuses across the country and ask how will university leaders allow freedom of speech while ensuring Jewish students and staff feel safe? 

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Dr Tim Dean, senior philosopher at the Ethics Centre

Most Australians had never flown it and now they may never get a chance. 

Bonza has followed so many other airlines and gone into administration, meaning yet again less competition in our aviation market. 

Today, the rise and rapid fall of the budget carrier and whether we will one day get a third major airline to drive down airfares across the country. 

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Justin Wastnage, adjunct professor in aviation at Griffith University