Iran state media confirmed on Monday that president Ebrahim Raisi died in a helicopter crash on a foggy mountain side in a hard-to-reach corner of north-west Iran.

Was his death an accident, or not? And might it escalate the ever-growing tensions between Iran, and Israel, its sworn enemy, which some have speculated is behind the accident?

Today, digital foreign editor Chris Zappone on the hard-line cleric who oversaw a morality crackdown in Iran that led to nationwide protests. And what impact his death could have on stability, or instability, in the wider region.

• For more, see the BBC's 'Mahsa Amini: How one woman's death sparked Iran protests'.

Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Defence force whistleblower David McBride was jailed last week for more than five years for leaking documents to the ABC.
His information formed the basis of what became known as the Afghan Files, which aired allegations war crimes were committed by Australian soldiers in Afghanistan.
McBride has been lauded as a poster boy in the fight for greater protection for whistleblowers in Australia, but, like many of our whistleblowers, it’s not so simple.
So, who is David McBride? Heroic whistleblower, or, something else?
Today, Good Weekend senior writer Jane Cadzow on the dichotomy of the whistleblower.

• Cadzow’s profile of David McBride: https://www.smh.com.au/national/david-mcbride-on-whistleblowing-his-famous-dad-and-a-possible-jail-sentence-20240129-p5f0vq.html?collection=p5f0ve&gb=1
• ABC’s The Afghan Files: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-11/killings-of-unarmed-afghans-by-australian-special-forces/8466642

Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The government handed down its third federal budget this week, and it was the usual blizzard of figures.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers gave us hand-outs, grand plans for the future and some heroic predictions on inflation figures.

Today, chief political correspondent David Crowe and national affairs editor James Massola join Jacqueline Maley to unpack the budget as a political document - will it help the government win the next election, and will the voting public believe all the promises made about the future of the economy?

Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis from Jacqueline Maley. Subscribers can sign up to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter here.

Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.