This week, delegates from around the world gathered in Geneva to try to hammer out a global treaty on plastic pollution.

Without a binding treaty, plastic waste is projected to triple by 2060. Right now just 96 countries are united behind strategies such as improving design, effective financing and phasing out toxic chemicals in the production phase of plastic production.  

The esteemed British medical journal The Lancet has warned that plastic — like climate change — has become a "danger" to humanity that was causing disease and death from infancy to old age.

A highly anticipated meeting between US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin will take place next week. 

The aim for the Americans is to end the war in Ukraine, and in recent weeks the White House has exerted more pressure on the Kremlin.

While information about the meeting remains scarce, there are concerns that Ukraine could be side-lined in a peace deal.

In just one week, France, Britain and Canada have all said they will recognise a Palestinian state, marking a major policy shift.

The Albanese government says it is a matter of not if, but when, Australia will do the same.

The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu has slammed the planned move, calling it a reward for "Hamas's monstrous terrorism."

Some of Australia's leading writers, academics and thinkers have signed an open letter by the Australian Historical Society asking the Albanese government to repeal Scott Morrison's Job-Ready Graduates package, calling instead for a more equitable university fee system that does not penalise arts and social sciences graduates.

Writers Helen Garner, Tim Winton, Charlotte Wood - and over 100 other influential voices spanning business, arts and politics have all signed the letter. 

Guest: Steve Vizard, comedian and author of Nation, Memory, Myth, Gallipoli and the Australian Imaginary (2025) 

Australia has lagged behind other developed nations when it comes to EVs — but we may just be catching up.

One month ago, penalties were introduced for car makers that fail to comply with new vehicle emissions standards — bringing Australia into line with rules that have been in place for over a decade in the US and Europe.

And the knock-on effects are starting to be felt, with more EVs hitting the market and prices dropping.

It is five years since a fire ignited a storage warehouse in the port of Beirut, causing a massive explosion in the Lebanese capital.

With shock-waves equivalent to a 3.3 magnitude earthquake, the port was pulverised and the death toll is believed to be at least 221.

The political and personal shock-waves continue to this day, but there is renewed hope for justice after the resumption of a judicial investigation into the blast. 

President Trump's August 1 deadline for tariff deals has passed with a flurry of agreements as countries rush to avoid punitive levies.

The European Union and Japan agreed to 15 per cent tariffs. India has accepted a 25 per cent tariff. Tariffs on Australia will remain at the baseline of 10 per cent.

So has the self-styled 'tariff man' delivered on his promise to up-end the terms of global trade?

This week, one of the country's most unique fashion events kicks off in Darwin: The 10th Country to Couture, which brings together First Nations designers, stylists and models.

It's Australia's largest showcase of Indigenous fashion, and it's a runway that has launched models and designers from remote Australia onto the international stage.

ack Beaumont is a former French intelligence operative who has used his real life experience to write two spy thrillers with a third, Liar’s Game coming out next week. 

• Guest: Jack Beaumont, (pen name) author Liar's Game

AI Boot camps are a growing trend in big business. Staff are being asked to down tools to experiment and learn new AI systems in one short week rather than across multiple workshops in a bid to fast-track AI skills. 

Canva is one of several Australian companies aiming to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to the challenges and opportunities of AI.