The Morning Edition (formerly Please Explain) brings you the story behind the story with the best journalists in Australia. Join host Samantha Selinger-Morris from the newsrooms of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, weekdays from 5am.

Episode List

Albanese basks in Modi limelight. And, his weird podcast interview

Jul 9th, 2026 7:00 PM

This week, we’re talking about a visit from Narendra Modi to Australia and why Anthony Albanese wants to bask in the Indian prime minister’s limelight, despite questions around Modi’s human rights record. And in an environment where One Nation and the Coalition want to go hard on migration, Albanese’s friendship with Modi looks like it stands in stark contrast. But that’s not what piqued everyone’s interest in Canberra this week. We’re still talking about Albanese’s perplexing podcast interview in which he said he’d "shag" popstar Kylie Minogue and joked about melons and the Japanese PM. And, we cover the new data that shows how bad Australia’s inflation is compared to other nations.This week’s episode is hosted by Jacqueline Maley and features chief political correspondent Paul Sakkal.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

‘The world has changed’: Peter Hartcher on China’s extraordinary missile test

Jul 8th, 2026 7:00 PM

China launched a rare ballistic missile from a nuclear-powered submarine into the Pacific on Monday.It wasn’t just putting nearby countries, like Australia, on notice. It was making a statement that has changed the world, says international and political editor Peter Hartcher. He joins Samantha Selinger-Morris to discuss why this missile launch differs greatly from the one China launched two years ago, and why we have yet to hear a response from US President Donald Trump.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trump’s red card intervention in the World Cup

Jul 7th, 2026 6:57 AM

Allegations of cheating and sporting corruption have followed the revelation that Donald Trump intervened in the FIFA World Cup to overturn the suspension of an American player. But the ramifications of this unprecedented event might far outlast the tournament. Today, Sydney Morning Herald deputy editor Nick Ralston and North America correspondent Michael Koziol on the politics of Trump's intervention before the United States' knockout loss to Belgium.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why this bird flu is a lot more dangerous than the last one

Jul 6th, 2026 7:00 PM

Over the weekend, a particularly deadly strain of bird flu was confirmed in NSW for the first time.This takes the total of confirmed cases nationwide to six.Today, science reporter Angus Dalton on how much of a risk we’re dealing with.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A thousand girls, neon lights: Human toll of Thailand’s sex tourism industry

Jul 5th, 2026 7:00 PM

The death of 17-year-old Thai girl, Thanchanok Donhomla, has shocked Australia, and sparked fear among sex workers in Pattaya. Thanchanok's body was found in a suitcase and dumped in long grass by a railway.The man accused of murdering her is 45-year-old Australian, Simon Peter Carman. He is being held in the Pattaya Remand Prison.Today, guest host Benjamin Price talks to Southeast Asia correspondent Zach Hope who says, in the world’s sex capital, a rampant industry funded by anonymous male tourists has come into sharp focus.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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