Erin Handley

1 month ago | abc.net.au | Erin Handley |Gina McKeon

Duong hails from a long line of farmers, but he knew from an early age that he wanted to be a hairdresser. Money was always going to be the issue. Like many others, Duong — who asked to use a pseudonym — struggled to find a job after the COVID pandemic, so he was intrigued when he heard about a job through an acquaintance from his province in northern Vietnam. The job promised a decent salary — money he could put towards studying and bringing him one step closer to his goal.

1 month ago | abc.net.au | Erin Handley |Supattra Vimonsuknopparat

Bannawat Saethao was one of dozens of Thai workers kidnapped by Hamas. For the first time, he shares the story of his terrifying capture — and the emotional moment he first met his baby daughter. Bannawat Saethao points to the fine white line on the palm of his right hand. The scar is so faint it's barely visible, but it's a constant reminder of the recent horrors he's endured. The 28-year-old was one of 31 Thai nationals taken hostage by Hamas on October 7.

1 month ago | abc.net.au | Erin Handley |Supattra Vimonsuknopparat

For the first time, a young Thai man has opened up about the terrifying moment he was kidnapped by Hamas. Bannawat Saetheo was among 30,000 Thai nationals, working on Israeli farms at the time of the October 7 attacks. After 15 months in captivity, he was finally released and returned home to Thailand in February.

2 months ago | abc.net.au | Doug Dingwall |Erin Handley |Jason Fang |Sally Brooks

By the end of the year, Zoya Fong and Saajid Khan hope to call themselves home owners. But for now the young married couple are living with Zoya's parents and her younger brother in their Googong home just outside of Canberra. Despite both working full-time, the fluctuating housing market and the rising cost of living means their dream of owning a home feels constantly out of reach. "It feels like the closer that we get [to achieving it], the further away the goal gets," Zoya said.

2 months ago | abc.net.au | Erin Handley

As forewarned, US tariffs against China have come into force, and now the global trade landscape is bracing for a reshuffle. "Think of it as a big game of global trade musical chairs," Justin Wolfers, from the University of Michigan, said this week. "If there was any country that was really going to face the ire of the president, it was China."US President Donald Trump this week slapped 10 per cent tariffs on China — significant, but much lower than the 60 per cent he had threatened.