The Morning Edition

How are we to make sense of the swirling chaos around us? The multiple wars, accusations of wrongdoing, and human carnage? And how can we possibly have civilised conversations about it all? British barrister and author Philippe Sands, is uniquely placed to guide us through this moment. It’s not just that he’s an expert on crimes against humanity, who has won cases against former Chilean dictator, Augusto Pinochet. But he understands the personal toil of it all; he’s written about the Nazi SS officer who might have been responsible for the death of one of his family members.   Today, Philippe Sands, who recently visited Australia for the Sydney Writers Festival, on helping to defend Palestine at the International Court of Justice. And the breakups he’s experienced with friends, over their comments about Israel. Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/ [https://subscribe.smh.com.au/] See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Well, they fight, they break up, they kiss, they make up.  Never before have the lyrics of a Katy Perry song been more relevant to federal politics. After last week’s shock split, this week the Coalition got back together again. But at what cost? What compromises have been made on both sides? And will the Nats and the Libs be able to work constructively together after all the drama?  Meanwhile, Labor is moving ahead with plans to hike taxes on super accounts of more than $3 million, and Anthony Albanese hardens his rhetoric on Israel and its killing of civilians in Gaza.  Here to discuss all this with host Jacqueline Maley is new chief political correspondent Paul Sakkal, and foreign affairs and national security correspondent Matthew Knott. Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/ [https://subscribe.smh.com.au/] See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

American debt is growing, fast. As we record this, the United States federal government has borrowed about 36.2 TRILLION American dollars in order to cover its expenses. But, by the time you hear this - that is, less than 24 hours since recording - it will have shot past this.  OK, I can hear you asking: So what? Why should we care? What does it matter to us if Donald Trump has a bill passed that will add another three trillion dollars to that debt, as he’s hoping?  Because these figures point to an empire in decline, according to international and political editor Peter Hartcher.  Today, he joins me to discuss what it would take to pull the American empire back from the brink. And what it all means for the rest of us if the United States ceased to be a great power. Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/ [https://subscribe.smh.com.au/] See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

A few years ago, Australia earned the unenviable title of allergy capital of the world.  This could well have been true, with a World Allergy Organisation review finding Australia had the highest rate of food allergies for children under five. But since then, something happened to turn allergy advice on its head, and parents have been introducing allergens to children at a far younger age than they used to. So, where are we at now?  Explainer reporter Jackson Graham is here with us today to discuss whether the new strategy has worked. To read Jackson's piece in The Age and Sydney Morning Herald, follow this link [https://www.theage.com.au/national/it-triggers-an-explosion-what-causes-allergies-and-can-they-be-prevented-20250515-p5lzfb.html] to our websites. Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/ [https://subscribe.smh.com.au/] See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Shootings in a warring criminal underworld is not a particularly new thing for cities such as Sydney. This type of violence exploded almost two decades ago with the advent of the gang, Brothers For Life, whose method of choice claimed the lives of multiple gang members  and seriously injured innocent people in the crossfire.   But the violence did slow down once major gang figures had either been killed or placed behind bars.  That is until recently, when, as crime reporter Perry Duffin writes, once again, there’s been a spate of gangland hits killing innocent people or minor criminals by an “honourless” underworld. For Perry Duffin's latest story, read 'Blood on the streets: gangland shooting sparks fears of tit-for-tat war' [https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/two-men-shot-on-busy-sydney-street-identified-as-alleged-underworld-associate-and-lawyer-20250526-p5m23o.html]. Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/ [https://subscribe.smh.com.au/] See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.