In a desert camp in northeast Syria, behind razor wire, with thousands of other people, live 12 Australian women and 25 Australian children. They are the wives and children of men who went to Syria to join ISIS.

With Australia unwilling to help bring them home, they’re living in danger – and in limbo.

The recent arrival of two women and four children who smuggled themselves out of a Syrian camp and found their way back to Australia has sparked fresh debate over the Australian government’s obligations – to Syria, to Australians worried about a security threat, and to these women and children, who are Australian citizens.

Today – Greens senator David Shoebridge on the Australian children trapped in Syrian camps – and the politics of the so-called ‘ISIS brides’.

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Guest: Greens senator David Shoebridge

Photo: EPA/AHMED MARDNLI

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When the Taliban retook Afghanistan in August 2021, the country’s embassy in Canberra stayed open.

It’s an embassy in exile – staffed by diplomats from the former administration – and advocating on behalf of Afghans here in Australia.

Until now, there have been 17 embassies of its kind around the world – in countries that don’t formally recognise the Taliban.

But recently, Germany decided to expel its embassy’s exiled staff and instead invite representatives of the Taliban regime.

Today, press gallery journalist Karen Middleton on diplomacy in exile – and life under the Taliban for the people of Afghanistan.

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Guest: Press gallery journalist Karen Middleton

Photo: AAP Image/Mick Tsikas

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Melbourne photojournalist Alex Zucco was cleaning her camera lens when a police officer hit her directly in the face with a stream of capsicum spray at a protest outside the Melbourne Land Forces International Land Defence Exposition last year.

In July this year, a police officer allegedly punched former Greens candidate Hannah Thomas in the face at a pro-Palestine rally, seriously injuring her eye.

Lawyers and activists say these incidents fit a pattern of increased police force against protesters – including so-called ‘less-lethal’ tools such as baton rounds, flash-bang devices and capsicum spray.

Today, journalist and author Ariel Bogle on how decades of restricting the right to protest have created a permissive environment for the use of force by police.

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Guest: Journalist and author, Ariel Bogle

Photo: Alex Zucco / SOPA Images/Sipa USA

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In the 1970s, eight children in Perth were sent to a psychiatric hospital to be ‘treated’ for being transgender. Their experiences became the basis of a medical study that claimed kids could be cured of their identity.

Now, nearly forty years after it was released, that same study is being cited in arguments against trans healthcare and being used to shape policy and law.

Today, Walkley Award-winning journalist and founding editor of ABC Queer, Mon Schafter, on how a forgotten experiment from another era is still influencing the culture war over trans healthcare.

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Guest: Walkley Award-winning journalist and founding editor of ABC Queer, Mon Schafter

Photo: Supplied: Jayne McFadyen

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Recently, Spotify’s founder, Daniel Ek, announced he’s stepping back from running the company.

He leaves as one of the richest men in his home country of Sweden – with Forbes estimating his wealth at $9.6 billion.

In a departure note to staff, Ek said he wants to focus on creating more European “supercompanies” – companies he described as “developing new technologies to tackle some of the biggest challenges of our time”.

The move comes months after Ek’s involvement in the global defence industry was revealed, prompting an artist backlash, with some pulling their music from the platform.

Today, we’re bringing you an episode we recorded in July with author and journalist Liz Pelly, which exposes Ek’s investments in AI-based military technology and Spotify’s embrace of AI in music.

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Guest: Author and journalist Liz Pelly

Photo: Janerik Henriksson, TT News Agency, File

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Labor is trying to land one of its toughest reforms – an overhaul of Australia’s environmental laws.

Environment Minister Murray Watt says he wants to speed up housing and energy project developments, make it clear where construction can and can’t go ahead, and create a federal environment watchdog.

After a failed deal with the Greens in the last parliament, Labor is now dealing with the Coalition.

So what will that mean for the environment?

Today, contributing editor at The New Daily, Amy Remeikis – on Labor’s wheeling and dealing – and the Coalition’s continued identity crisis.

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Guest: Contributing editor at The New Daily, Amy Remeikis

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Almost two years to the day since October 7, Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of Donald Trump’s peace plan for Gaza.

The agreement involves the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, with Israel pulling back its troops to an agreed-upon line and allowing aid into Gaza.

The first hostages are expected to be released as soon as this weekend.

Today, Middle East correspondent for The Economist, Gregg Carlstrom, on the negotiations that got us here – and what the future of Gaza looks like.

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Guest: Middle East correspondent for The Economist, Gregg Carlstrom

Photo: Lenin Nolly/Sipa USA

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Anthony Albanese was first elected on a pledge to fix the climate wars.

The most recent test of that promise was the emissions targets he announced on the world stage.

But if the targets themselves don’t meet the standards set by scientists – and the policy underpinning them hasn’t dramatically altered – what’s really going to change?

Today, journalist Nick Feik on the inadequacies in the government’s climate policy – and how the media has allowed a political narrative to overshadow the reality of the climate crisis.

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Guest: Journalist, Nick Feik.

Photo: AAP Image/Lukas Coch

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