Radio National Breakfast

The conflict in the Middle East has deepened, with Yemen's Iran-backed militia group -the Houthis - launching attacks on Israel over the weekend.
The entry of this powerful Iranian proxy has raised fears of further disruption to the global economy.
Then, the federal government says it is trying to avoid COVID-style restrictions amid the fuel crisis.
Commonwealth, state and territory leaders are gathering for a national cabinet meeting to map out a co-ordinated response to fuel security.
Recap the morning's news, politics and global affairs with the Breakfast Wrap.

Grey-headed flying foxes have long been viewed as pests in Australia — but have we been overlooking the good they do for the environment, and even the economy?
A new research paper published this month suggests that the bats are responsible for creating more than 91 million trees in Australia — which in turn generates hundreds of millions of dollars for the country's timber industry.
Guest: Dr Alexander Braczkowski, conservation biologist and senior author of the study
Producer: Pip Cook

Keeping students engaged at school is an age-old problem. Not everyone learns the same way and some don't respond to traditional school programs.
When Russell Kerr was a teacher in Victoria in the '90s, he saw many students like this struggle, with some dropping out altogether.
But one day he took a group of students into the bush to build stick furniture with a skilled artisan — and he saw things change.
Guest: Russell Kerr, founder of Hands On Learning

Iranian authorities are warning against any foreign ground attacks, after the US dispatched thousands ⁠of its Marines to the Middle East.
It's a conflict with no end in sight, prompting questions about what is the Trump administration's end game. 
Guest: Stephen E. Biegun, Rothschild & Co Distinguished International Fellow at the Lowy Institute and former Deputy Secretary of State of the United States
Producer: Grace Stranger, Eleni Psaltis

The Federal Opposition says aged care organisations like Meals on Wheels are struggling to get their services to their clients, particularly in rural and regional areas, amid the ongoing fuel crisis. The Shadow Aged Care Minister Anne Ruston says its potentially leaving some older Australians isolated.  
GUEST: Anne Ruston, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care
PRODUCER: Isadora Bogle