SBS News In Depth

An Afghan refugee in Australia helps women under Taliban rule earn an income through embroidery.

An Afghan refugee in Australia is helping women living under Taliban rule earn income through traditional embroidery. As the initiative grows, participants say it is helping families stay together. But behind every piece is a carefully managed operation working amid restrictions, risk and uncertainty.

In this episode
How a Sydney-based social enterprise grew from helping one widow to supporting more than 80 people in Afghanistan.

The powerful story of a family facing an impossible choice, and how embroidery changed their path.

Why earning an income can be both essential and risky for women living under Taliban rule.

The secretive network that delivers supplies, payments and finished works while protecting those involved.

What visitors to a Sydney exhibition discovered behind the intricate embroidery and the women who created it.

SBS News in Depth is a news analysis podcast from SBS, going behind the headlines with reporting and interviews on the stories shaping Australia and the world.

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As Halloween approaches, haunted houses, horror movies and jump scares are taking centre stage, but why do so many people enjoy being scared? In this edition of Weekend One on One, Clemson University psychology researcher Cynthia Pury explains why fear can feel fun, and why some people seek it out more than others.

Why do haunted houses, horror movies and jump scares appeal to so many people? A psychology researcher explores the science behind enjoying fear, the role of feeling safe, why some people crave adrenaline, and what separates thrill-seekers from those who avoid scary experiences.

In this episode:
Why fear can be enjoyable when people know they're safe.
The surprising connection between jump scares, humour and the childhood game peekaboo.
How anxiety sensitivity influences whether someone enjoys scary movies and haunted attractions.
Why some horror fans seek out spoilers before watching frightening stories.
What real-life fear, thrill-seeking and exposure therapy can reveal about our relationship with being scared.

In a first for Cuba, the Havana baseball team displays sponsor advertisements on jerseys. The country’s dire economic situation has forced it to seek income from sources that, until recently, were considered unacceptable.

For the first time, sponsorship appears on the jerseys and stadium of one of Cuba’s most iconic baseball teams. As economic pressures mount and reforms reshape the country, the national sport is adapting in unexpected ways. What do these changes reveal about Cuba’s future?

In this episode:
Why a private sponsor’s logo has appeared on a Cuban baseball team’s kit and stadium for the first time.
How economic challenges and resource shortages are forcing changes to the national baseball competition.
What team officials say about adopting an idea long associated with professional sports.
How broader free-market reforms are influencing life beyond the baseball field.
Why some athletes are leaving Cuba to pursue opportunities and higher salaries overseas.

Israel's election is drawing global attention, with diaspora communities closely watching the outcome.

Israel heads to a pivotal election three years after the October 7 attacks, with deep divisions over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s future. As voters weigh competing visions for the country, Australians with ties to Israel, Palestine, Lebanon and Iran reveal what is at stake for them.

In this episode:
Why some Israelis living in Australia are travelling thousands of kilometres to vote in what they see as a critical election.
The key political divide shaping the contest and what it could mean for Israel’s future direction.
How Palestinian, Lebanese and Iranian Australians view the election and the conflicts affecting their families and communities.
What Netanyahu’s challengers are promising, and why expectations for change differ sharply among observers.
The message diaspora communities share despite their differing perspectives on security, peace and coexistence

The senior leader of the ultra-conservative religious group, the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church, has appeared before a parliamentary inquiry to respond to allegations of interference in the last federal election in 2025.

Senior leaders of the the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church have given evidence at a parliamentary inquiry on allegations of interference with the 2025 federal election. Bruce Hales and his son, Gareth Hales, appeared before the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters in the latest hearing.

In this episode:
What are the allegations against the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church?
Why have the leaders of the Brethren group been asked to appear at a parliamentary inquiry?
How are election interference concerns being addressed?