麻豆约拍

We look at the new era of cheap oil worldwide - could it be threatened by rising tensions in the Middle East? To what extent are conflicts in that region being influenced by global oil prices? We hear from two experts - Richard Mallinson of Energy Aspects in London, and from Geneva, international geo-political expert, Torek Farhadi.

Also, we hear from Australian entrepreneur Stuart Smith, CEO of Redflow, who reckons he has developed the perfect battery for Africa. He says it will leapfrog the grid and help people in poor, hot countries to extend their solar power supply through the night.

And finally, we look at the likely El Nino effect on California. The 麻豆约拍's Regan Morris says forecasters anticipate heavy rains in the coming months, but that it won't be enough to reverse years of drought.

(Photo: An oil tanker cruises towards the Strait of Hormuz. Credit: Marwan Naamani/AFP/Getty Images)