North America Correspondent for ABC Australia. Previously South-East Asia Corro. Views are my own, not ABC's. DMs open or laurendayabc@protonmail.com
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Articles by Lauren Day
Push in Alberta to break away from Canada and form a new country
As he walks around his cafe refilling coffee and delivering baskets of gravy-laden poutine, Christopher Scott wears his politics on his T-shirt. "Free Alberta!" the shirt declares. The Whistle Stop Cafe's signature dish is the "heart attack burger", which boasts eight beef patties and various other meats. A MAGA baseball cap rests on the cafe's jukebox, but on this side of the US–Canada border, the acronym stands for Make Alberta Great Again.
Inside Próspera, the libertarian utopia on a Caribbean island off the coast of Honduras
Lauren Day and Matt Henry in Honduras Alice Chen opens a glass door and leads the way past a wall of stickers bearing slogans such as "Make Death Optional" and "Live on Bitcoin". The room we've entered is part messy science lab, part share-house kitchen. "Welcome to the Maker Space," Chen says. Sunlight peeks through palms swaying in the afternoon breeze outside, but what we've come to see lives in the windowless black tent sitting in the corner.
Program: Albertans to vote whether to secede
The Canadian province of Alberta will decide later this year whether to hold a referendum on secceding from the rest of Canada. Many in the resources-rich province want more independence but the debate is exposing deep fractures inside one of the world's most stable countries. In October, Albertans will vote on whether to stay in Canada or hold a binding vote later on whether to leave .
Program: Social media giant Meta on trial
A trial that could reshape how Facebook and Instagram operate is underway in California. Several US states are suing social media giant Meta over claims it deliberately designs Facebook and Instagram to be addictive to young people.
Program: Biohackers flock to Libertarian paradise
Tucked away on a Caribbean island is a libertarian paradise, where billionaires can go to avoid taxes, and bio-hackers try to cheat death with experimental medical treatments. It's called Prospera and it's a radical experiment backed by allies close to Donald Trump. Former Honduras' President Juan Orlando Hernandez.
Program: Trump's extraordinary plane switch
UN media outlets are reporting that the country's president, Donald Trump, secretly swapped planes when he left the NATO summit in Türkiye last month because of a possible security threat. His normal plane acted as an apparent decoy, unknown to those left on board.
Program: Rescuers search for survivors of Colombia quake
A powerful earthquake has hit Colombia, killing more than 100 people and causing extensive damage to buildings. A national emergency has been declared as families and rescue workers search for survivors. Local officials from multiple provinces were reporting damage and collapsed buildings following the quake. Melissa Clarke: Good morning, welcome to AM. It's Tuesday the 11th of August. I'm Melissa Clark in Canberra, coming to you from Ngunnawal country and acknowledging other custodians.
Could the Tupac Shakur murder trial reveal the answers to hip-hop's longest-running murder mystery?
New details about the 1996 killing of Tupac Shakur could be revealed in a murder trial set to begin in Las Vegas today. Duane "Keffe D" Davis, who police accuse of orchestrating the rap icon's murder, has pleaded not guilty. The case is one of hip-hop's most enduring mysteries and Davis is the only person to have faced charges over Shakur's death.
Program: High stakes White House meeting
The leaders of Israel and Ukraine have both visited Washington to hold high-stakes meetings with US President Donald Trump. Their closed-door meetings come on the sidelines of the memorial for Republican senator Lindsay Graham, who was one of the strongest supporter of both Israel and Ukraine in US politics. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump pictured inside the Oval Office of the White House on July 28, 2026, in an image shared online by Mr Netanyahu.
As Europe and Canada follow Australia's social media ban for young people, the US moves another way
At less than a foot tall and looking more like a plush toy than a pet, Alexis Spence's dog Draco has a big responsibility. If he senses his 24-year-old owner could harm herself, he will intervene. "If I go to the bathroom by myself, he'll either scratch at the door or bark at the doors to try to get attention," Alexis told the ABC. "He will also alert before a panic attack and will interrupt self-harm behaviours. "I love my little guy.
Donald Trump's failure to let go of 2020 an 'ominous sign' ahead of upcoming midterm elections
Despite winning two presidential elections, Donald Trump is still obsessed with the one he lost. Using a prime-time address to the nation to repeat long-debunked claims about his 2020 election defeat is a desperate and unusual move. Usually these kinds of addresses are reserved for big moments of urgent national consequence, like war or emergencies. But for Trump, "It doesn't get bigger [than this] because without free and fair elections, you don't have a country".
Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce and the 'royal wedding' the world needs right now
Pop superstar Taylor Swift and her partner Travis Kelce have married at Madison Square Garden (MSG) surrounded by 1,000 of their most famous friends. As an open-oven-door style heatwave in New York gripped the city, Swift's famously enthusiastic fans showed up at the MSG for what's been dubbed America's royal wedding. The ceremony inside kicked off with a special cocktail hour, followed by "a wedding and reception in the arena". It is expected to end about 2am on Friday (4pm Saturday AEST).
Program: Taylor Swift's mystery wedding
An American version of a royal wedding is about to take place in New York City. Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, the most famous pop star in the world and the footballer she love, are expected to tie the knot at Madison Square Garden this weekend. It'll be one of the most high-profile celebrity weddings in years.
Program: Trump makes fortune from crypto
Donald Trump's personal wealth grew enormously during his first year back in the White House, according to new financial disclosure papers. His family's cryptocurrency ventures alone raked in more than a billion US dollars for Mr Trump.
Program: US Supreme Court rejects Trump's bid to restrict birthright citizenship
It's been a signature policy of the Trump administration - ending the right to US citizenship for babies who are born in the US. But today the Supreme Court has delivered the President a blow - striking down the executive order he made on the day he was sworn in for a second term.
Program: Tens of thousands still missing after Venezuela earthquakes
A massive international search and rescue effort is continuing in earthquake-hit Venezuela but hopes of finding survivors are fading by the hour. The death toll has now risen above 1,400 but is expected to climb even further, with tens of thousands of people still unaccounted-for.
Olympian arrested at Washington's reflecting pool is Trump 'scapegoat', lawyer says
A lawyer for the Olympian arrested at Washington's reflecting pool says his client is a scapegoat who is being targeted to distract Americans from the Trump administration's failures. David 'Davey' Hearn, who represented the US in canoeing at three Olympic Games, was arrested near the recently repainted pool on Friday, local time. Afterwards, he told media he had briefly reached into the pool to touch a piece of broken lining when he was handcuffed by police and taken into custody.
Program: Oil shipments begin to transit Strait of Hormuz
A ceasefire agreement reached between the United States and Iran is now officially in effect, with US Central Command confirming its naval blockade over the Strait of Hormuz has now been lifted. Iran's supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei has said in a statement the U-S agreed to the terms out of desperation. Vessels in the Strait of Hormuz near the beach of Bandar Abbas, following the signing of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding between the United States and Iran, Iran, June 18, 2026.
Program: Details of US-Iran ceasefire released
The United States has released the official text of the agreement reached with Iran following mounting pressure for it to be made public. The preliminary agreement - aimed at ending the war and opening the Strait of Hormuz - is set to be signed on Friday. The United States has released the official text of the agreement reached with Iran following mounting pressure for it to be made public.
Program: Possible, yet tentative ceasefire between Iran and US
Negotiating teams for the US and Iran have reportedly agreeed to a proposal to extend a ceasefire for 60 days and start talks on Iran's nuclear program. But President Donald Trump has yet to sign off on it and Tehran hasn't confirmed a deal yet, either.
Curtis Mead, a once-promising AFL player, is hitting home runs in Major League Baseball
When Curtis Mead tried to introduce Vegemite to his American teammates in Florida during spring training last year, the reaction was as strong as the condiment. "There wasn't a whole lot of fans of it in the clubhouse," he told the ABC. So when he signed with the Washington Nationals Major League Baseball team earlier this year, club manager Blake Butera had a rule. "I told him Vegemite is not good, so he's not allowed to [give any to the other players]," he said.
Donald Trump's latest trophy proves his power over his party — despite the polls
When Donald Trump was campaigning for his second term in office, he promised vengeance. "I am your justice… I am your retribution," he declared at a campaign rally. Now, his revenge tour is in full swing, and his latest victim and biggest trophy yet is a Republican who has voted with his party more than 90 per cent of the time. Seven-term Kentucky congressman Thomas Massie was defeated in the Republican Party's primary election this week by Trump's pick, Ed Gallrein.
Program: Trump's hold on Republicans tested in primaries
Voters in six US states head to the polls to select candidates ahead of the November midterm elections. The most closely watched primary will be in Kentucky where President Donald Trump will face a major test of his hold on the Republican party.
Program: Trump on high stakes visit to China
US President Donald Trump is on his way to Beijing to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping for a high stakes visit but it is set to be overshadowed by the continuing stalemate between the US and Iran. Featured: Anja Manuel, Executive Director of the Aspen Strategy Group Donald Trump, US President The leaders of the world's two largest economies will hold their first face-to-face talks in more than six months.
Program: Trump on high stakes visit to China
US President Donald Trump is on his way to Beijing to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping for a high stakes visit but it is set to be overshadowed by the continuing stalemate between the US and Iran.
Program: US-Iran truce on 'life support': Trump
Donald Trump has declared the tenuous truce between the United States and Iran is on 'life support'. The US President says the ceasefire is still in place, but is at its weakest point, after he rejected Iran's latest peace proposal. Iran insists its demands are not excessive or unreasonable. Featured: Donald Trump, President of the United States The UN has warned tens of millions could face hunger and famine if fertiliser is not allowed through the Strait of Hormuz soon.
Program: White House pursues better relations with Pontiff
The US Secretary of State has met with Pope Leo at the Vatican in attempt to smooth over relations following President Donald Trump's attacks online. At the same time Donald Trump has met with Brazil's President another outspoken critic of the war in Iran.
Program: Trump pitches Iran peace plan
Iran is reviewing a new peace-deal proposal from the Unites States, which President Donald Trump says could end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. It comes amid fresh threats from the US President that bombing will resume if Iran doesn't agree to its terms.
King's speech live: King Charles to call for 'reconciliation and renewal' in address to US Congress
Epstein survivor Dani Bensky and Virginia Roberts Giuffre's sister-in-law, Amanda Roberts, and brother, Sky Roberts, attended a roundtable before the speech. (Reuters: Kylie Cooper) One thing the king won't be doing while visiting Washington is meeting with survivors of Jeffrey Epstein. There had been calls for the royals to meet with Epstein's victims and address the friendship between the late sex offender and the king's brother, the former Prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
Hazardous material from WA's biggest lithium-ion battery fire in Maddington to be removed by tomorrow
Schools in Perth's south-east have been deemed safe for students to attend tomorrow after WA's biggest lithium-ion battery fire sparked a HAZMAT warning in Maddington, which is still in place. The huge blaze broke out at Li-ion Energy, a lithium battery recycling facility, on Burwash Place on April 12, prompting concern about the health impacts of exposure to toxic chemicals.
Donald Trump's comments about Greenland were once seen as a joke. Greenlanders are no longer laughing
"It's cold as shit here, nobody told me!" When US Vice-President JD Vance travelled to Greenland in March last year, his first impressions showed just how underdressed and underprepared he was for the icy island. But the chill he felt through his jeans was nothing compared to the reception the Trump administration will receive from its latest threats to take over the semi-autonomous territory.
The takeover of Rafah last year could hint at what's next in Gaza City
Israel's military has begun the next phase of the war — Operation Gideon's Chariots II. Military analysts said it could be the most dangerous phase yet, as a depleted and exhausted army battles guerilla fighters in a dense urban environment. But there are clues about how it could unfold, based on the ground invasion of another Gazan city, Rafah, in May last year. Eli Cohen, a member of Israel's security cabinet, said the goal is to transform the strip's de facto capital into a wasteland.
As the IDF begins its invasion of Gaza City, tensions with the Netanyahu government are at an all-time high
In the days after October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched its deadly attacks on Israel, hundreds of thousands of Israeli reservists up-ended their lives to answer the call. People abandoned holidays and honeymoons, left their jobs and studies abroad and scrambled to get flights back to Israel. In some units, the turnout rate reached up to 150 per cent, with many reservists showing up for duty despite not receiving formal orders to do so.
Journalists in Gaza are writing their own obituaries, after Israel brands them 'terrorists'
By Chantelle Al-Khouri and Lauren Day, ABC Palestinian journalist Anas al-Sharif knew his days were numbered. The 28-year-old had become one of the most prominent reporters in Gaza and had amassed a large social media following, posting regular updates from the ground. But as his work attracted a growing international audience, he also drew attention from the Israeli military.
Journalists in Gaza are writing their own obituaries, after Israel brands them 'terrorists'
Palestinian journalist Anas al-Sharif knew his days were numbered. The 28-year-old had become one of the most prominent reporters in Gaza and had amassed a large social media following, posting regular updates from the ground. But as his work attracted a growing international audience, he also drew attention from the Israeli military.
Why Donald Trump, Elon Musk and JD Vance want to 'Make America procreate again' through pronatalism
Simone Collins is making pizza, sourdough and banana bread while juggling a toddler on her back when a fight breaks out between two of her three older children that inevitably ends in tears. "Every night is the Hunger Games," she jokes. "Every night is chaos, battle royale, flat-out disaster zone." With four kids under six and a fifth on the way, you'd think her and husband Malcolm Collins just love children but Malcolm says it's not really about that at all.
Shooter targeting NFL officials
Authorities in New York believe a gunman who killed four people before taking his own life had been targeting the National Football League - which he blamed for a brain injury. The 27-year-old former high school football player was carrying a suicide note, in which he claimed he had the brain disease CTE, a condition caused by repeated blows to the head which can only be diagnosed after death.
Trump's new get-tough approach towards Russia
The United States President has given Russia 50 days to agree to a peace deal with Ukraine, saying additional stiff sanctions will be imposed if there's no agreement. Donald Trump made the threat while announcing a major weapons package for Ukraine. America will supply the arms, and members the Northern Atlantic Treaty Organisation will pay for them.
Bad Boy Inc, White Parties and sex trafficking charges. The Diddy story
The streets of Harlem have changed a lot in the half century since Janice Combs brought home her baby son Sean. What was once an area known for violence, crime and poor living conditions has become a Black mecca of arts, music and culture. Meanwhile, over that five decades, one of Harlem's most famous sons Sean Combs rose from nothing to become the king of New York.
Diddy acquitted of most serious charges
A New York jury has returned a split verdict in the high-profile criminal trial against Sean "Diddy" Combs with the music mogul being found guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution, but acquitted of the more serious charges. The verdict marks the end of a lengthy and at times confronting trial, which exposed and examined sordid details of the drug-fuelled party lifestyle of one of hip-hop's biggest names.
Sean 'Diddy' Combs found not guilty of sex trafficking and racketeering but guilty of transport for prostitution
A New York jury has returned a split verdict in the high-profile criminal trial against Sean "Diddy" Combs, finding him guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution, but not guilty of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy. The 12-member jury, made up of eight men and four women, returned the verdict after two days of deliberations. The 55-year-old rapper put his hands together in prayer before pumping his right fist after the verdicts were read in the Manhattan courtroom.
Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial jurors reach partial verdict
The jury at Sean "Diddy" Combs's sex trafficking trial has reached verdicts on four of the five counts the music mogul faces .. but is deadlocked on the most serious charge of racketeering conspiracy. The verdicts have not been revealed.
Sean 'Diddy' Combs and Harvey Weinstein cases test the limits and legacy of #MeToo movement
It started with a viral tweet that swept the globe — but now, some are wondering if the #MeToo movement is in its dying days. For the last two months, two separate trials in New York have offered a pulse check on the phenomenon, which exposed rife harassment and abuse in the entertainment industry and beyond. Earlier this month, a jury convicted the man who catalysed the movement, filmmaker Harvey Weinstein, of one of the top charges in his sex crimes retrial.
Donald Trump sets deadline for attacking Iran
The US President says he'll decide whether to attack Iran 'within the next two weeks'. After musing publicly in recent days about what he might do, Donald Trump seems to have set a deadline to negotiate a deal. Featured: Karoline Claire Leavitt, American political spokesperson Rachel Mealey: The US President says he'll decide whether to attack Iran within the next two weeks. After musing publicly in recent days about what he might do, Donald Trump seems to have set a deadline to negotiate a deal.
Will the US strike against Iran?
Speculation is continuing to mount that the United States could be poised to authorise strikes on Iran. Israel has asked President Trump to use its more advanced military capability to help attack Iranian nuclear facilities but the President has refused to say whether he's planning to.
The United States was built by migrants. In Los Angeles the American Dream of many is being shattered
There's a long-held belief in the United States that it's a place where everyone has the freedom to succeed. It's what motivated people like Maria Miranda's parents to leave their home in Mexico with their small baby in the hope of a better life for her. "They came here hoping that I would get the education I needed to be a professional, that I could be someone who could contribute to the community," Ms Miranda told 7.30.
Marines arrive as LA braces for more riots
Los Angeles is braced for a fifth night of protests, with hundreds of U-S Marines arriving in the city as part of the Trump Administration's extraordinary response to immigration protests. The California Governor has filed an emergency court motion to try and block the deployment of the Marines and thousands of National Guard troops.
Tensions high in Los Angeles as protests continue
Los Angeles is cleaning up after a third night of fiery protests against immigration raids, with more rallies planned for later today. Now the state of California is preparing to launch legal action against Donald Trump's administration for deploying National Guard troops. Featured: Donald Trump, US President Isabella Higgins: More chaos on the streets of Los Angeles. The city is cleaning up after a third night of fiery protest against immigration raids with more rallies planned for later today.
US appeals court reinstates Donald Trump's tariffs
A US appeals court has paused a trade court decision that found some of Trump administration's tariffs were illegal. It follows a ruling by the Court of International Trade that Donald Trump overstepped his authority when he imposed his liberation day tariffs in April. Featured: Karoline Leavitt, White House press secretary Andy Park: A US appeals court has paused yesterday's trade court decision that found many of the Trump administration's tariffs were illegal.
Aussies caught in Trump versus Harvard battle
The Trump administration's battle with Harvard University continues to escalate, with the President warning the Ivy League school to "behave themselves". The State Department has stopped scheduling interviews for prospective international students as it prepares to ramp up social media screening of applicants having already slashed billions in funding.
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