7NEWS Spotlight

Fifteen years ago, 7NEWS Spotlight reporter Liam Bartlett met former special commando Damien Mander when he had just returned from the Iraq War with a dream of fighting a different battle: combating endemic poachers.

This Sunday at 9.00pm on Channel 7 and 7plus, Liam goes deep into the African wilderness to reunite with the Aussie veteran who is saving the continent's critically endangered wildlife with an all-female army of rangers.

Damien sold up everything he owned to establish the International Anti-Poaching Foundation, and his unconventional journey has led him to recruit a ground-breaking all-female unit of rangers known as Akashinga, meaning "The Brave Ones" in Zimbabwe's Shona dialect.

The heavily armed local women, often mothers, patrol areas the size of small countries to catch the poachers and stop illegal operations. Not only do these women protect wildlife, they also change the trajectory of their communities by passing on 90% of their earnings to their families.

Damien, who is eliminating the community's reliance on money from trophy hunting and illegal poaching with the support of his rangers, said: "When we started [the Foundation], we thought if it actually works, let's create opportunities for those who need it the most. Many of them were survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, single mothers and abandoned wives.

"What we didn't realise is that we were getting the toughest in society. Anything we threw at them was nothing compared to what they came from or most importantly stood to go back to."

Also, this week, 7NEWS Spotlight reveals why parts of San Francisco have become a no-go zone. The iconic city is overrun by homeless people and violent crime, fuelled by a deadly drug addiction.

On assignment for 7NEWS Spotlight, 7NEWS US Bureau Chief David Woiwod meets the unlikely Australians in the middle of the turmoil who say what they are witnessing should serve as a dire warning for us all back home.

In a 7NEWS Spotlight exclusive this Sunday at 8.50pm on Channel 7 and 7plus, the father-of-three opens up to 7NEWS Political Editor Mark Riley in a very candid interview.

The Treasurer reveals his personal struggles, admitting to a past of excessive drinking and sharing a major health battle that changed his life forever. "I remembered Laura saying to me, you look really unwell. My face was kind of white... I was really unwell."

Mr Chalmers also offers some much-needed good news about cost-of-living crisis, saying the worst days are behind us. "We are confident that having been through a very difficult time together, better days are ahead."

Also, this week on 7NEWS Spotlight, Michael Usher explores the investigation into the disappearance of William Tyrrell.

Ten years since the three-year-old went missing and we are still no closer to knowing what happened to the little boy.

Ahead of the long-stalled coronial inquest reopening, Usher speaks with former NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Mick Willing, former Homicide Detective Gary Jubelin and News Corp journalist Dan Box, asking why there are still no answers.

Jubelin, who oversaw the initial investigation, says he rigorously examined William's foster mother, who has been a person of interest to NSW Police for the past four years.

"There was no evidence that was suggestive of the foster mother having knowledge or involvement in William's disappearance. At the time I was taken off the investigation, there were other legitimate persons of interest that required further exploration."

With no forensic evidence or clear leads, what went wrong with the investigation?

And don't miss a special exclusive interview with iconic singer-songwriter Cyndi Lauper. Cyndi sits down with 7NEWS US Bureau Chief David Woiwod for her only Australian TV interview ahead of her "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" Farewell World Tour.  

The 1974 disappearance of teenagers Raelene Eaton and Yvonne Waters remains one of Australia's most perplexing mysteries.

This Sunday at 9.00pm on Channel Seven and 7plus, a special episode of 7NEWS Spotlight presents The West Australian's Vanishing Cousins, uncovering shocking new clues and fresh witnesses in the case of the vanishing cousins.

Raelene, 16, and Yvonne, 17, were last seen enjoying a Sunday session at Scarborough's White Sands Tavern, and their fate has puzzled investigators for decades.

In this special investigation, a "person of interest" speaks out for the first time in nearly 50 years, while friends share unsettling accounts of a family tragedy shortly after the cousins vanished.

New witnesses express concerns about a house Raelene and Yvonne visited before heading to the hotel where they were last seen.

The last known witness to see the cousins alive comes forward, revealing a critical moment that has remained undisclosed for decades.

Additionally, social commentator Jane Caro examines the 1970s Australian beach culture and the dark underbelly behind the blue skies – an era when young women had to be vigilant against predatory behaviour and prevailing attitudes. This culture led police to assume the missing teenagers had intentionally taken off for a "good time".

Former President Donald Trump vs. Vice President Kamala Harris - who will win? Join Michael Usher & an all-star lineup for unrivalled analysis in this special edition of Spotlight.