SBS News In Depth

Markets held relatively steady to close the week, with the ASX200 dipping just 0.1 per cent but still breaking a three-week losing streak, as Adam Dawes from Shaw and Partners unpacks the key movers including sharp losses in tech and gains in energy stocks. At the same time, fresh warnings from the OECD point to rising global food prices if conflict in the Middle East continues to disrupt fertiliser shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. Stefan Vogel from Rabobank Research explains what that could mean for Australian farmers, supply chains and grocery bills in the month's ahead.

The US has maintained for days that negotiations between US and Iran are underway, a claim Tehran denies. From escalating military attacks to high stake warnings, the situation is shifting rapidly - with global implications at stake. As tensions mount in the Middle East, the US President says he's extending a pause on Iran's energy site strikes, for ten days.

Australia's government insists it still has not received any direct requests from the United States for military aid in its war with Iran, after a public attack from President Donald Trump. The US president has criticised allied countries for not providing assistance in the conflict, as the closure of the Strait of Hormuz continues to put pressure on global oil prices. Meanwhile, the government maintains it's imperative for the war to be resolved as soon as possible, as the economic and social consequences unfold locally.

Experts say the lawsuit against Meta and YouTube is a first crack in the dam that could eventually lead to tighter regulation of social media platforms. On Wednesday, a California jury awarded millions of dollars in damages to a 20-year-old woman after deciding that Meta and YouTube designed their platforms to hook young users without concern for their well being. Snapchat parent company Snap Inc. and TikTok were also included in the lawsuit but settled for undisclosed sums before the trial. A day earlier, a New Mexico jury handed a $375 million penalty to Meta after determining the company knowingly harmed children’s mental health and concealed what it knew about child sexual exploitation on its platforms. In this episode of Weekend One on One we hear from Mark Stephens who's a specialist in international, appellate and complex litigation, and who works at the Howard Kennedy law firm.

Australia’s minimum wage is back in focus, with the government signalling support for a real wage increase ahead of the Fair Work Commission’s June decision, as unions and business groups put forward competing claims. Independent economist Chris Richardson unpacks what a potential rise above inflation could mean for the economy. Meanwhile, the sharemarket dipped after a strong rally, with Darren Thompson from Equity Trustees breaking down the latest moves across sectors and what is driving investor sentiment.

Donald Trump inflames confusion over war in the Middle East and where are Mojtaba Khamenei’s hidden millions? Plus, Israel raises annexation of southern Lebanon, Australia signs a massive trade deal with the EU, and some father-daughter time dictator style as North Korea’s Kim Jong Un rolls out the tanks.

Iranians holding visitor visas will be banned from entering Australia for six months starting from Thursday. The federal government has paved the way for the restriction by passing a new law that allows the government to impose temporary restrictions on the arrival of certain categories of temporary visa holders in Australia, especially if they are from war-torn countries. Migration law experts warn the ban could set a precedent for conflicts in the future, including if a potential war between China and Taiwan breaks out.

With peace talks stalled, Russia has launched one of its largest aerial attacks on Ukraine, killing civilians and damaging critical infrastructure-and bringing about Ukrainian retaliation.

Missiles over Jerusalem, fires at a major Gulf airport, and warnings that one strike on a key Iranian island could trigger a wider war. As the US signals the conflict with Iran may end within weeks, the fighting itself is telling a different story.

A US jury has found Meta and YouTube liable in a first-of-its-kind lawsuit that aimed to hold social media platforms responsible for harm to children using their services. The verdict could mark a turning point in the global backlash against their platforms' perceived mental health harms to kids and teens, more than two decades after the emergence of social media.

Australia and the European Union have signed a landmark $10 billion trade and security pact to eliminate industrial tariffs and strengthen co-operation on cyber and maritime defence. The Prime Minister has hailed it as an economic win, but the deal has faced criticism from the National Party regarding agricultural access. SBS Chief Political Correspondent Anna Henderson has been talking to National Party leader Matt Canavan about their objections to the deal and also about the Government's actions over the fuel crisis.]]

Australia’s inflation shows signs of stabilising but remains stubbornly above target, just as global tensions threaten to push prices higher for longer. In this episode of SBS On the Money, Ricardo Gonçalves breaks down the latest data from the Bureau of Statistics and what it means for interest rates with Westpac Senior Economist Pat Bustamante. Plus, the ASX200 delivers its strongest gain in nearly a year, driven by a surge in materials and retail stocks, while energy slips on shifting oil price expectations. Betashares’ Cameron Gleeson joins the podcast to unpack what’s moving markets and what investors are watching next.

Trade Minister Don Farrell speaks to Chief Political Correspondent Anna Henderson. He is defending a new trade deal with the EU which will see beef exports to Europe increase eight-fold, despite the National Farmers' Federation calling for far higher quota. The government says the agreement is also a win for wine, seafood and other Australian producers.

A landmark conference about refugees in Australia is underway in Adelaide, aiming to bring refugees and multicultural communities together.

The world has just experienced the hottest 11 years on record. A new climate report warns that the planet is not only warming, but storing more energy than it releases - accelerating climate change. But what is that likely to mean for us here in Australia?

Israel says it will push up to 30 kilometres into southern Lebanon to establish a defensive buffer zone along the Litani River. Hezbollah is vowing to resist any advance and the United Nations warns the escalating conflict is deepening an already severe humanitarian crisis.

The latest report on Closing the Gap Targets, released last month, found just four of the nineteen targets are on track. Among those targets Australia is failing to meet, the country is moving backward when it comes to reducing suicide rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people , which are now more than three times higher than for non-Indigenous Australians. First Nations health advocates and practitioners are urgently calling for investment in new approaches to preventative mental health led by First Nations wisdom and experience.

Australia’s new free trade deal with the European Union could unlock a $10 billion boost to trade, cut prices on European goods and expand access for local exports, though it comes with compromises for some producers. University of Technology Sydney Chief Economist Tim Harcourt explains what it means, before a look at the markets with Stuart Roberts from Stocks Down Under, as the ASX200 edges higher and mining stocks lift.

Tens of thousands of education workers have walked off the job and marched on the Victorian parliament over a pay dispute. It's the first time in 13 years the state's teachers, principals and support staff have staged a 24-hour stoppage, severely disrupting lessons in hundreds of schools.

Tens of thousands of education workers have walked off the job and marched on the Victorian parliament over a pay dispute. It's the first time in 13 years the state's teachers, principals and support staff have staged a 24-hour stoppage, severely disrupting lessons in hundreds of schools.