Australian writer Lech Blaine shares the stranger-than-fiction story of his childhood, growing up in a loving foster family in rural Queensland, haunted by two fanatical Christian kidnappers. 

What does successful public policy look like in Australia in 2024? Can parliaments overcome petty partisanship, narrow self-interest and the populism of our times to serve Australians into the future? John Brumby AO and Cheryl Kernot discuss the pursuit of better government. 

In 1962, Sidney Nolan made two journeys that had a huge impact on his life and work - to Auschwitz and Africa. The paintings from his trip to Africa invoke both his fears for humanity and the extinction of Africa's wildlife. The works were exhibited back in 1963, but a new book brings them all back together again. Guest: Andrew Turley, author of Nolan's Africa (Miegunyah Press)

Plans around the country for public truth-telling forums are falling away.  Professor Marcia Langton analyses what's going on.

In the recent US election, Donald Trump made significant gains amongst young male voters aged 18-29. Some 56% of this cohort voted for Trump, compared with 41% in 2020. Journalist Jamie Tahsin, who has spent years investigating a part of the Internet known as the "manosphere", believes Mr Trump's media appearances with various young male online influencers boosted his campaign. And his 18 year old son Barron may have been a useful advisor. 

Ian Dunt fears for the security of Europe and the future of NATO as Donald Trump prepares to return to White House. 

Scientists have been fascinated by the lifespan of the Greenland shark which can live for centuries. Now new research may have found the key to why it's the longest living vertebrate on Earth.  Guest: Dr. Brynn Devine, Arctic Fisheries Scientist at Oceans North

Journalist, writer and podcaster Jon Ronson has spent years doing stories about psychopaths, conspiracy theorists and the behaviour of the mob, who love to indulge in a social media pile-on. He's a cultural critic of both the left and the right who questions the culture wars on both sides. He reflects on how conspiracy theorists have found their way into such positions of power, and why people love to follow them. Guest: Jon Ronson, writer, film-maker podcaster. He is touring Australia and...

The Greens have dropped their demand for a climate trigger to be incorporated into the Federal Government's stalled environmental protection reforms, in the interests of getting the legislation through the Senate this year. And the Government has reached agreement with the Opposition on political donations. Guest: Laura Tingle, Chief Political Correspondent, 7.30   

From requesting cross bows to fight invaders in Norfolk, to a southern Italian cosmetic recipe for removing hair dye: a British Library exhibition reveals the worlds of women in the Middle Ages. Guest: Professor Diane Watt

Over a thousand books have been written about Australian involvement in foreign and domestic wars. Military historian Peter Stanley delves into Australia's complicated relationship with conflict and memorialisation. Guest: Peter Stanley,  historian and author. His latest book is 'Beyond the Broken Years, Australian Military History in one thousand books'

In 1910 Virginia Woolf and her friends pulled off the 'hoax of the century' when they donned wigs, costumes and black face to successfully convince the British Navy to give them a guided tour of the pride of the fleet - HMS Dreadnought. They were decked out as Abyssinian Princes. But what were race relations like in Britain at the time and could the prank be seen as racist? Guest: Danell Jones, author of The Girl Prince: Virginia Woolf, race and the Dreadnought hoax (Hurst)

While the US is embroiled in wars in Ukraine and Gaza, China has been quietly getting on with the business of becoming the dominant global super-power. It’s belt and road initiative now has more than 150 sign-ups, and the BRICS-plus group is positioning itself to abandon any connection to the US dollar. China expert Geoff Raby says the US's withdrawal from Afghanistan was a pivotal moment for China, allowing it to establish its power in Central Asia and leaving it free to turn its attention...

100 wordThe last woman executed for witchcraft in England in 1685 may have survived. New research shows Alice Molland, sentenced to death for bewitching her neighbours, could have misnamed in history due to a spelling mistake in a court ledger.  Guest: Professor Mark Stoyle, Department of History, University of Southamptons plus Guests name & book 

Al Jazeera investigative reporter Drew Ambrose says Australia is missing out on key major news stories happening across Asia because our newsrooms are disproportionately focused on the stories from the UK and the US. Studies of the Australian media landscape have found that awareness of issues in Asia seems to be almost non-existent in the minds of news executives, yet over a quarter of Australians were born overseas, predominantly in Asian countries. So why are we ignoring our nearest...

Bruce Shapiro on the Democrats' struggle to drive turnout across the nation in last week's US presidential election. Plus, Trump begins appointing his White House staff. 

The UN's Special Rapporteur for Palestinian Human Rights, Francesca Albanese, has released her latest report on the situation in Gaza, which she describes as "unfit for human life."  She has called on the international community to consider  suspending Israel as a member state of the United Nations and to ensure that Israel adheres to its obligations under the Genocide Convention, including immediately halting arms transfers to Israel.  Guest: Francesca Albanese, Special Rapporteur on the...

Geoffrey Watson SC is concerned about public faith in the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), following a recent review of the NACC's decision not to investigate robodebt corruption referrals. The NACC is now reconsidering this decision. 

Laura Tingle discusses the ways that the political discourse in Australia will likely change now that Donald Trump will be the 47th President of America.  Guest: Laura Tingle, Chief Political Correspondent, 7.30

Madrid, the Spanish capital in the centre of the country, has long lived under the shadow of coastal Barcelona, with its spectacular Gaudi architecture. But Australian author Luke Stegemann, who has lived in Madrid on and off for many years,  is passionate about the place and its significance.

Palestinian archaeologist Ayman Warasnah says Israeli strikes in Gaza have damaged or destroyed hundreds of heritage sites and monuments dating back millennia - as far back as Roman, Byzantine and Bronze Age times. Plans are in place to restore and protect the sites that remain.  Guest:  Ayman Warasnah -  Head of Department of Tourism and Antiquities Security, Al-Istiqlal University, Jericho

Late Night Live's team of experts bring you their analysis of the US election 2024. What went right for Donald Trump? What went wrong for Kamala Harris? And will Trump Make America Great Again? Guests:  Bruce Shapiro - Contribution Editor with The Nation, Executive Director with the Dart Centre for Journalism and Trauma at Columbia Chas Licciardello - Co-host of Planet America on ABC TV Clare Corbould - Associate Head of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Deakin University Jacob...

When journalist Michael Visontay was going through his parents papers during COVID, he found a document that sent him on a journey back to his parents homeland of Hungary and to the heady world of rare book selling in 1920s New York looking for the Noble Fragments - pages from the highly valuable Gutenberg bibles. Guest: Michael Visontay, journalist and author of Noble Fragments (Scribe)

After Japan's recent election, there are now 73 women in the lower house of parliament. While this is the highest number yet, it still is only 15%. Japan ranks 118 out of 146 countries when it comes to gender equality. Why do women in such a wealthy and highly educated country still struggle to get into positions of power in Japan? Guest: Freelance journalist and activist, Chie Matsumoto