ABC News Daily

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

If you’ve been to a home auction you know how stressful it can be and how hard it is to be the successful bidder.

Unlike elsewhere in the world, Australia has a lot of auctions, particularly in the most populous cities, so it’s hard to avoid the process. 

Add to that the vicious cycle of interest rate hikes and the possibility of another rate increase next week and it’s hard to get into the market.

Today, the head of the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute, Michael Fotheringham on why we’re so addicted to auctions and who they’re really benefiting? 

Featured: 

Michael Fotheringham, Managing Director of Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute

As you try to understand the conflict between Israel and Hamas, you would be forgiven for being confused.

There have been claims, counterclaims, misleading and false information.

So how do you know what is real and what isn’t at a time when social media messaging can be so overpowering? 

Today, senior researcher at the investigative journalists group Bellingcat, Kolina Koltai, on how misinformation spreads in the fog of war and what to do to avoid it. 

Featured: 

Kolina Koltai, senior researcher, Bellingcat

If you’re looking for some light relief at the cinema, what about watching a concert on the big screen? 

Well, lots of people who missed out on tickets to the Taylor Swift tour are doing just that, with her new movie becoming the biggest concert film of all time.

So how did one pop star become so influential she can change the GDP of a city she visits? 

Today director of the Music Industry Program at the University of Miami, Serona Elton on what’s fuelling Swift-mania.

Featured: 

Serona Elton, Director of the Music Industry Program at the University of Miami

We already know we’ve been paying a lot more for petrol, rent and electricity, but the rising prices could lead the Reserve Bank to raise interest rates again. 

The latest measure of inflation shows a rebound from the previous quarter, leaving the annual rate at 5.4 percent.

Today, business editor Ian Verrender on what the RBA board is likely to do when it meets on Melbourne Cup Day and why it needs to tread very carefully.

Featured: 

Ian Verrender, ABC business editor

When Hamas attacked Israel just over two weeks ago, it took more than 200 hostages back to Gaza.

As Israel continues to plan for a ground invasion of the Palestinian territory, the Islamist militant group has released a mother and daughter and two elderly women. 

Today, Dani Gilbert, expert in hostage taking and recovery from Northwestern University in Illinois, on how their freedom was negotiated and whether more hostages can be saved.    

Featured: 

Danielle Gilbert, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Northwestern University

Snowy Hydro 2.0 was meant to be a nation building project, supposed to begin delivering green power to the grid by next year. 

But the pumped hydro project in the Snowy Mountains of NSW has been up-ended by a single tunnelling machine called Florence that got bogged underground.

The mega project was once estimated to cost $2 billion, but is now four years behind schedule and forecast to cost much more.

Today, Four Corners reporter Angus Grigg on the mistakes that were made and the billions of taxpayer dollars they’ve cost. 

Featured: 

Angus Grigg, Four Corners reporter

He didn’t cause the war and he isn’t directly involved in it, but Vladimir Putin has a lot to gain from the unrest in the Middle East. 

While the world looks to Israel and Gaza, Russia has ramped up its offensive in Ukraine. 

President Putin has even sought to insert himself as a negotiator in the Middle East.

Today, Matthew Sussex from the ANU’s Strategic and Defence Studies Centre on what Vladimir Putin has to gain from the latest war. 

Featured: 

Associate Professor Matthew Sussex, Fellow, Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University, Canberra