An updated US National Security Strategy pledges “lethal force” against drug cartels as the US continues a massive military presence off Venezuela - Phil Gunson from the International Crisis Group analyses the situation from Caracas; a candid conversation with Governor-General Sam Mostyn about her role and the "goodness" in Australia that can be masked by media and polarising voices; a guide to the under 16 social media ban with Professor Susan Sawyer, an expert in adolescent health and medicine...
Dec 05, 2025•1 hr 16 min
A chat with Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook from chart-topping The Rest is History podcast; the year of Donald Trump with the author and journalist David Frum from The Atlantic magazine; a deep dive into the 2025 Australian Election study, and after European leaders were blindsided by President Trump’s 28-point-plan to end the Ukraine war - where do peace talks now stand?
Nov 28, 2025•1 hr 15 min
Constanze Stelzenmüller on Ukraine's ‘difficult choice’ over a US peace plan that's backed by Russia; the G20 in South Africa - Sherwin Bryce-Peace from SABC News takes us through the key issues in Johannesberg; how China is run as an engineering state that excels at construction while the US has become a lawyerly society that favours obstruction with author Dan Wang; Hanan Elatr Khashoggi, the widow of murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi on President Trump's defence of Saudi Crown Prince Mohamm...
Nov 21, 2025•1 hr 15 min
On the show: The BBC apology to Trump over Panorama edit with former head of BBC executive Roger Mosey; Tara Setmayer, former GOP communications director on calls to release all Epstein files as President Trump faces rare pressure from the MAGA base; at 90 years of age, the UK architect Lord Norman Foster reflects on his childhood and designs that have led him to world acclaim;, the history of grandparenting in Australia with demographer DR Liz Allen and how to make unis more relevant for studen...
Nov 14, 2025•1 hr 20 min
After another year of record heat and extreme weather, Nicholas Rowley unpacks what the UN climate talks might achieve. Annabel Crabb on her new ABC TV series Civic Duty; Michelle Grattan takes us back 50 years to the drama of the political crisis of the dismissal. An update on Australia's high speed rail plans between Newcastle and Sydney with rail expert Buddhima Indraratna; the politics of New York City and the victory of Zohran Mamdani with NYMag columnist Ross Barkan and Sophia Rosenfeld di...
Nov 07, 2025•1 hr 17 min
On the show: Journalist Emily Maitlis on Andrew Mountbatten Windsor's ties to the convicted sexual predator Jeffrey Epstein. Zohran Mamdani's blistering campaign to become the next mayor New York with Katy Honan, from The City newsroom The trade truce between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping. The US president described it as amazing. The story of Australia, as told by one of the country's most eminent historians, Mark McKenna Laetitia Bader from Human Rights Watch on evidence of systematic killings i...
Oct 31, 2025•1 hr 15 min
Donald Trump is about to embark on a week-long trip through Asia to attend ASEAN and APEC. He'll meet the new Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, and there's also an anticipated meeting between the US President and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in South Korea. Unpack what's ahead with Demetri Sevastopulo, the US-China Correspondent for The Financial Times and Susannah Patton from the Lowy Institute. History’s most audacious art heists with art historian Pamela James. Arctic expert Elizabeth Buch...
Oct 24, 2025•1 hr 15 min
One the show: The significant week in Middle East politics with the BBC's Tom Bateman who was part White House press corps travelling on Air Force One to Israel. Foreign affairs journalist, Elise Labott also unpacks the week including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to discuss whether the US will arm Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles capable of striking deep into Russia. As Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also heads to Washington, what gift should he take along? Paul Brummel, the aut...
Oct 17, 2025•1 hr 15 min
On the show: Palestinian aid worker in Gaza City, Hanya Al Jamal, and Israeli journalist, Amir Tibon, on public reactions to the ceasefire. Ghaith Al-Omari, a senior fellow at The Washington Institute, analyses what the future of Palestine will look like now the war has ended. We also look at the Gen Z protests sweeping the globe from Indonesia to Morocco, calling out inequality and corruption. Plus, who are Australia’s Gen Z political influencers, and what are they saying about the movements th...
Oct 10, 2025•1 hr 15 min
On the show: Palestinian analyst Khalil Sayegh on Hamas announcement that it has accepted some elements of US President Donald Trump's plan to end the war in Gaza, but that it will seek negotiations over other terms. Hope for the families of Israeli hostages and for peace in the region with Efrat Machikawa, whose uncle was held hostage in Gaza. A new documentary celebrates the much loved restaurant M on the Bund in Shanghai, run by Australian restaurateur Michelle Garnaut. Might President Trump ...
Oct 03, 2025•1 hr 15 min
James Lindsay from the Council on Foreign Relations and the ABC's Laura Tingle wrap up the 80th session of the UN General Assembly. Virginia Hausegger's history of feminist activism in Australia. Accounting academics dispute the extent of financial crisis at the University of Technology Sydney, Jennifer Byrne shares some of her favourite books for the Top 100 Books of the 21st Century and budgie smugglers are back in fashion in Europe.
Sep 26, 2025•1 hr 15 min
Anthony Albanese is about to embark on a trip to the United States, United Kingdom and United Arab Emirates. After a series of diplomatic disappointments in the Pacific, Arthur Sinodinos discusses how important a meeting with Donald Trump will be. Jon Sopel from the News Agents podcast catches up with Nick to talk UK and US politics. Amanda Cahill explores how regional Australia is working to meet climate targets. Richard Gowan previews the UN leaders week and we have a sing-along with Tricia Pa...
Sep 19, 2025•1 hr 15 min
Over the past year, the US has seen political assassination attempts and murders - the latest being Charlie Kirk, a leading, young conservative activist. Nick Bryant delves into the history of American political violence with historian Jeremi Suri from University of Texas at Austin. Also, filmmaker Max Uechtritz's new documentary PNG The Road to Independence screens on ABC TV this week, he joins PNG lawyer Serena Sasingian to discuss independence. And 25 years on from the Sydney Olympics, we tak...
Sep 12, 2025•1 hr 16 min
Harvard historian Rana Mitter, on China’s war experience and the parade in Beijing this week. One of America’s most seasoned diplomats, Nicholas Burns gives his perspective on the parade and President Trump's order to rebrand the Department of Defense to the Department of War. Big picture thinking to tackle the problem of invasive species in Australia with Jack Gough, from the Invasive Species Council. And Transylvania in a tutu - Joel Burke the director and choreographer of Dracula the ballet....
Sep 05, 2025•1 hr 15 min
Understand Australia and the world with Nick Bryant.
Aug 29, 2025•1 hr 18 min
Hostage negotiator Gershon Baskin gives a fascinating insight into his conversations with Hamas negotiators as a UN-backed group declares famine in part of Gaza, and Israel prepares to send troops to occupy Gaza City. Plus, Allegra Spender and Innes Willox on what we should take away from this week's Economic Reform roundtable, former Deputy Secretary General of NATO Rose Gottemoeller helps us make sense of what's happening with a Russia-Ukraine peace deal after a series of high-level talks, and...
Aug 22, 2025•1 hr 15 min
Understand Australia and the world with Nick Bryant.
Aug 15, 2025•1 hr 15 min
Understand Australia and the world with Nick Bryant.
Aug 08, 2025•1 hr 17 min
Analysis of President Trump’s move impose worldwide tariffs; calls for the Federal Government to to scrap the "Job ready" university fee system, with the barrister and former broadcaster Steve Vizard; and the BBC's International Editor Jeremy Bowen on the latest in the Middle East.
Aug 01, 2025•1 hr 15 min
Two of America's top journalists break down one of the most fateful decisions in American political history: Joe Biden’s run for re-election despite evidence of his serious decline. Plus, week one of the 48th parliament and a former French spy who turned his secret life into bestselling spy thrillers.
Jul 25, 2025•1 hr 15 min
Michael Fullilove joins Saturday Extra from the Aspen Security Forum which for decades has been a bipartisan event. Also on the show: Profound shifts in migration polices as Germany and EU allies meet to discuss migration crackdowns and repatriations of asylum seekers; Donald Trump is due back in Scotland later this month for a private visit to his golf course on the east coast, but while the US President appears fond of his ancestral home, the feeling is not always reciprocated; New research pr...
Jul 18, 2025•1 hr 15 min
Plus, we get an update on the Texas flood recovery, find out what we can expect from the Prime Minister's visit to China and ask whether the future of Australian philanthropy lies with our tech entrepreneurs.
Jul 11, 2025•1 hr 14 min
President Trump has signed his big beautiful bill into law at a White House 4th of July celebration. Plus, analysis from the ABC's John Lyons on Hamas' response to ceasefire negotiations. Also on the show, after 148 years, Wimbledon replaces line judges with AI.
Jul 04, 2025•1 hr 14 min
Plus, a mid-year review of global events; the ethics and pitfalls of addictive true crime podcasts, and Winnie Dunn, the 29 year old Tongan-Australian author shortlisted for the prestigious Miles Franklin Literary Award for her novel, Dirt Poor Islanders.
Jun 27, 2025•1 hr 15 min
BBC Chief International Correspondent Lyse Doucet with an update from Geneva on talks between the Iranian Foreign Minister and European officials. Plus, in the week that Anthony Albanese didn't get his meeting with Donald Trump in Canada, historian James Curran explores the history of relationships between Aussie prime ministers and American presidents.
Jun 20, 2025•1 hr 15 min
After US Marines were mobilised against protesters on the streets of LA, President Trump is preparing for military fanfare in Washington. Is the new administration tapping into a tradition of authoritarianism? Iran retaliates against Israel; and one of India's best chefs meets Tassie's finest produce for Dark MOFO's Winter Feast.
Jun 13, 2025•1 hr 15 min
Will Elon Musk and Donald Trump kiss and make up after the billionaire bromance blew up so spectacularly this week? Plus, the future of warfare in the wake of those Ukrainian attacks on Russia, and why Australia marks the King's Birthday with a holiday (something that doesn't even happen in Britain).
Jun 06, 2025•1 hr 15 min
The consequences of attacks on Harvard for Australia with Professor Brian Schmidt; the latest from Asia's annual security summit, the Shangri-la La Dialogue, and artist Leila Jeffreys, on The Last Thing.
May 30, 2025•1 hr 15 min
Understand Australia and the world with Nick Bryant.
May 23, 2025•1 hr 14 min
Nick Bryant and prominent New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman try to make sense of President Trump's motivations when it comes to foreign policy. Plus, historians Judith Brett and Frank Bongiorno discuss the trajectory of Australian politics now that the Liberal Party has its first female leader and the Albanese government has a female-majority cabinet. And, we get an update on the infamous mushroom trial in Victoria and the Eurovision Song Contest.
May 16, 2025•1 hr 15 min
