Global Roaming with Geraldine Doogue and Hamish Macdonald

Iran, Venezuela, Iraq, and Afghanistan all have something in common: They've been subject to foreign-imposed regime change by the United States. So as regional war spreads across the Middle East following another stunning Trump intervention, can 'regime change' ever work?  Alex Downes, Professor of Political Science and International Affairs at The George Washington University, studies what happens when leaders are violently deposed by foreign nations. He speaks to Kylie Morris and Latika Bourke why peace and democracy are the least likely outcomes in Iran.  Guest: Alexander B Downes, author of Catastrophic Success: Why Foreign-Imposed Regime Change Goes Wrong  Get in touch:  We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au  Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

From Barbie to Casablanca, Warner Bros studios have fundamentally shaped western popular culture. So will its $110 billion dollar takeover by Paramount re-write the script for American cinema as we know it? And with Trump's least favourite cable news channel, CNN, also changing hands in the deal, who is the 'nepo baby' now in charge, what is his connection to MAGA? Geraldine Doogue and Latika Bourke are joined by legendary entertainment reporter Kim Masters, who first broke the news of a potential deal last year, to talk about David Ellison's journey from aspiring actor to media mogul; his controversial instalment of Bari Weiss at CBS; and what his political connections say about the shrinking free press.  Guest: Kim Masters, co-founder and writer for Puck Get in touch:  We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au  Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

It's been just three days since Israel and the US launched their war on Iran and Trump is already floating the possibility of deploying US troops on the ground, as so-called precision strikes on Iran spiral into far more dangerous regional conflict.   So, as casualties rise into the thousands and violence rips across the Middle East, what's driving the full-scale attack on Iran?   Today, as Israel launches flurries of missiles into Lebanon, hosts Hamish Mcdonald and Kylie Morris head to the streets of Beirut to speak with Al Jazeera's Heidi Pett as the situation unfolds. Guests: Heidi Pett, Al Jazeera correspondent reporting from Beirut Recommendations: Hamish -  Dictators & Demagogues 05: Iran's Ali Khamenei, Take Me To Your Leader! Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

With Ayatollah Ali Khamenei dead, and Trump promising military operations will continue until "all objectives" are achieved, it's unclear what American and Israeli calls for regime change will lead to.  Hamish Macdonald, Geraldine Doogue and Latika Bourke (The Nightly) are joined by two guests to unpack the extraordinary attacks against Iran. From Abu Dhabi, Mohamad Ali Harisi shares his concerns from a shaken region. And from Washington DC, Barbara Slavin talks about who the Assembly of Experts could chose as the next Supreme Leader.  Guests: Mohamad Ali Harisi, foreign editor of The National; and Barbara Slavin, distinguished fellow at the Stimson Centre in Washington

With the Supreme Leader of Iran killed by military strikes, what happens next in Iran? Announcing his death, President Trump called Ayatollah Ali Khomeini "one of the most evil people in history." But does regime change follow the audacious attack by Israel and the US, or do they become mired again in a Middle Eastern war with no guaranteed outcome? And what about the Iranian people? What do they want, and how do they get it? After this episode was recorded, Iran confirmed the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum is stuck in a political trap. On the one hand, Trump has threatened to intervene if she doesn't tackle the country's cartels. On the other, her strike against notorious 'El Mencho' this week sparked violence and unrest, with some cities like Guadalajara shutting down for days. But is killing El Mencho the end of America's fentanyl woes, or the start of a new chapter in the 'War on Drugs'? David Mora from the International Crisis Group joins Hamish Macdonald and Geraldine Doogue from Guadalajara to talk about the Jalisco cartel's global drug networks, and why ordinary Mexicans are bearing the brunt of Sheinbaum's diplomatic tightrope-walking. Guest: David Mora, senior Mexican analyst with the International Crisis Group Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

Four years ago, Vladimir Putin rolled Russian tanks into Ukraine at the start of a full-scale invasion. Now, as peace talks lead by Trump and the USA fail to make progress, there is no easy end in sight for the most deadly conflict in Europe since World War Two.  With host Latika Bourke (The Nightly) in Kyiv for the anniversary of the war, she joins Kylie Morris in speaking to official Yuiry Sak about why Ukraine is emerging from Winter 'stronger and more united'.  Guest: Yuriy Sak, former advisor to Ukraine's Ministry of Strategic Industries Get in touch:  We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au  Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

With the possibility of charges against Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, being removed from the line of succession could be the last of the former Prince's worries. But with the House of Windsor in freefall following the latest Epstein revelations, have King Charles and Buckingham Palace been transparent about what they knew, and when?  Andrew's unauthorised biographer, Andrew Lownie, knows what its like to navigate the British Royal Family's web of power. He joins Geraldine Doogue and Latika Bourke to talk about the financial corruption at the centre of the Royal power, whether Albanese has jumped the gun on removal calls, and why he's still a monarchist. Guest: Andrew Lownie, historian and author of Entitled: The rise and fall of the House of York Get in touch:  We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au  Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

Should Australia turn its back on the United States? And what's at stake if it did?  This episode hosts Kylie Morris and Hamish Macdonald turn their attention to the Indo-Pacific as the US scrambles to project power in the increasingly volatile region. To find out more they speak with former high-ranking US official Dr Ely Ratner, who argues America's traditional allies should show some resolve and strengthen their military pacts even as Trump tears up the international rules based order.   Guest: Dr Ely Ratner, former US Assistant Secretary of Defence for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs  Get in touch:  We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au  Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

There's a growing trend on TikTok of being in a "very Chinese era of life". It's associated with changing shoes indoors, drinking hot water, and preparing traditional Chinese meals. It's being called 'Chinamaxxing'. But what exactly is this indicating more broadly? China has been growing in 'soft power' -- the kind of power that comes from cultural influence and intrigue rather than more forceful geopolitical approaches. Kaiser Kuo, heavy metal rocker and host of the Chinese current affairs podcast, Sinica Podcast, will join Hamish Macdonald and Geraldine Doogue to talk about the internal cultural shifts of China, including how much creative expression exists under Xi Jinping's regime. Guest: Kaiser Kuo, host of Sinica Podcast. Recommendations:  Geraldine – The Infrastructure of Jeffrey Epstein's Power, The Ezra Klein Show  Hamish – L-FRESH The Lion, 2006, The Year that Made Me -------------  Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

It's not often we get the opportunity to ask a senior US official about AUKUS: Will the nuclear powered submarines be delivered? Can we trust Washington? Will America expect us to join them in any future conflict with China?  Geraldine Doogue and Hamish Macdonald are joined by serving Democrat Senator Tim Kaine to talk all things AUKUS. Kaine represents the state of Virginia, where our nuclear submarines will be built. Back in 2016, Kaine was the Vice Presidential candidate in Hilary Clinton's Presidential bid. Now, he's the lead Democrat on the armed services and foreign relations committee, and a passionate advocate of the Australia-US alliance.  Guest: Senator Tim Kaine Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office, with King Charles making clear “the law must take its course.”  Hamish, Latika and Kylie have jumped into a studio to discuss the shocking arrest of Prince Andrew and the allegations behind it. They examine the royal family’s response, the media scrutiny surrounding the case, and what it means for accountability. And they ask the bigger question: what could this moment mean for the future of the monarchy?

As the four-year anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine looms, finding a diplomatic end to the conflict is more unlikely than ever. With Trump's back turned and Europe grappling with the prospect of war further west, where has Zelenskyy's support gone?  Kylie Morris and Latika Bourke are joined by Ukrainian-born Yaroslav Trofimov, the chief foreign-affairs correspondent at The Wall Street Journal, who has reported on the conflict since its inception. Guest: Yaroslav Trofimov, chief foreign-affairs correspondent at The Wall Street Journal Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

At last year's Munich Security Conference, Vice President JD Vance shocked the world with his fiery attack on Europe. This year, when Secretary of State Marco Rubio fronted the world's biggest security conference, attended by more than 60 heads of state, he got a standing ovation. But was his speech really that different?  Fresh from the conference, co-host Latika Bourke (The Nightly) and fellow attendee Ravi Agrawal join Geraldine Doogue to talk all things Munich; the highs and lows; Elbridge Colby and the future of AUKUS; and how Ukraine was left in the cold.  Guest: Ravi Agrawal, editor-in-chief of Foreign Policy Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

As Artemis II prepares for launch, our first trip near the moon since the 1970s, a successful voyage could bring a lunar colony closer to reality. But as tech billionaires compete for NASA contracts, from Elon Musk's SpaceX to Jeff Bezos' Blue Origins, can we trust corporations to act on humanity's behalf? Hamish Macdonald and Jonathan Webb (Lab Notes) speak to rockstar physicist Professor Brian Cox, about who owns space, and why tech billionaires are not the bad guys, but not the good guys either.  Guest: Professor Brian Cox, UN Champion for Space Get in touch:  We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au  Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

With Indonesia becoming the first nation to commit soldiers to Trump's "Board of Peace", Hamish Macdonald and Geraldine Doogue put the spotlight on some of our closest neighbours; from President Prabowo Subianto's motivations in Gaza; to the conservative election wins in Thailand and Japan. Joining the conversation is Amanda Hodge, The Australian's Asia-Pacific correspondent, to talk about whether Sanae Takaichi's will rewrite Japan's pacifist constitution, and the surprise win of "Cannabis King" Anutin Charnvirakul in Thailand. And as our region grapples with the impacts of climate change, why has the environment fallen off the global agenda?  Guest: Amanda Hodge, Asia-Pacific correspondent for The Australian Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

As Trump continues nuclear talks with Iran, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rushed to Washington to influence any potential deal. But amid uprisings, sanctions, and conflict with Israel, the Islamic regime is in its "end chapter". Will either side get what they want?  Geraldine Doogue and Hamish Macdonald are joined in studio by Vali Nasr, who advised the US State Department on Iran during the Obama era. They talk about why Trump fell for his own saviour narrative, and how October 7 is still reshaping the region. Guest: Vali Nasr, Professor of Middle East Studies and International Affairs at Johns Hopkins University and former US State Department adviser on Iran.  Get in touch:  We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

The nuclear umbrella has a few holes in it now a key treaty between Russia and the USA has expired. Some fear the end New START might trigger a nuclear weapons arms race between Trump and Putin. Could it also inspire the middle powers in Europe and Asia to follow suit?  Kylie Morris and Latika Bourke (The Nightly) speak to former US State Department Official Joel Wit, who sat at the table for nuclear talks with North Korea and the Soviet Union, about why we shouldn't give up on non-proliferation, and where the US went wrong in their nuclear diplomacy. Guest: Joel Wit, distinguished fellow at the Stimson Centre and author of Fallout: The Inside Story of America's Failure to Disarm North Korea. Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

Ice is melting. Seas are rising. Even anthrax is emerging out of the permafrost. But the climate crisis is changing more than the environment. The Arctic is fast becoming a pressure point for NATO, Russia and China as they wrestle for control of the thawing north. But what do they want it for?  Geraldine Doogue and Latika Bourke (The Nightly) are joined by Klaus Dodds to talk about the transformation of the Arctic from a "zone of peace", as former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev called it, to the major powers' hottest property.    Guest: Klaus Dodds, Professor of Geopolitics at Middlesex University London.  Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

Martin Luther King III was ten years old when his father, the hero of the modern US civil rights movement, was assassinated for his advocacy against racism. King III has picked up his father's fight for a free and equal America, but is his father's dream still possible in 2026?  King joins Hamish Macdonald and Kylie Morris to talk about whether the spirit of non-violent resistance can help push back against ICE, whether there'll be mid-term elections under Trump, and what he would ask the Reverend if his father were alive today.  Guest: Martin Luther King III Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

With the Munich Security Conference looming and Washington firmly in focus, Hamish Macdonald and Geraldine Doogue put your questions to the big issues shaping the global outlook; elections, defence, and Australia’s place in a shifting strategic landscape. Joining the conversation is Carrington Clarke, freshly returned from Washington as the ABC’s North America Correspondent, offering insight into the state of US politics and institutions, including questions being raised about the resilience of American democracy and the conduct of future elections. As the Prime Minister visits Jakarta and signs a new security agreement with Indonesia, Hamish and Geraldine also examine Australia’s relationship with its closest neighbour: is the partnership strong enough? Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

A Russian spy? Secret kompromat? The latest Epstein file drop, the most comprehensive since the notorious sex offender's death, has us questioning everything. But one thing is clear. New files alleging shared information between the former UK ambassador to the US Peter Mandelson and Jeffrey Epstein could be a scandal big enough to sink Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Geraldine Doogue and Hamish Macdonald speak to The News Agents' Jon Sopel about spiralling headfirst into the Epstein conspiracy, the new allegations against Bill Gates, and what the Kremlin has to do with Epstein island. Guest: Jon Sopel, former BBC News North America editor. Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

It's the biggest humanitarian disaster in the world right now, yet few outside the conflict are aware of it. But Sudan's brutal civil war, which has displaced millions and turned cities like El Fasher into a mass grave, has found unlikely backers in the region. So why are Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates lining up to pick sides?  Latika Bourke and Kylie Morris speak to journalist Mat Nashed about who stands to gain from drawing out the conflict, and his warning against middle power imperialism.  Guest: Mat Nashed, freelance journalist covering Sudan Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

As nuclear talks begin between the Islamic Republic of Iran and US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump's armada of ships off Iran's coast are proving an effective negotiating tool. But for the people of Iran calling for intervention and regime change, the results of these talks may offer little relief. And as the staggering death toll of January's protests is starting to come into focus, how many of its own citizens is the regime is willing to shoot in order to crush an uprising? Geraldine Doogue and Latika Bourke speak to Iranian-American expert Holly Dagres about why the Iranian regime has reached a point of no return, even if the US chooses not to act.  Guest: Holly Dagres, senior fellow at the Washington Institute's Programme on Iran and US Policy. Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

With the Winter Olympics about to kick off in Milano-Cortina, the news that Team USA will be joined by officers from the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has caused a stir.  It sends a mixed message to the world, especially given that in July, the notoriously anti-immigration Trump administration will host millions of international visitors for the biggest sporting event on the planet, the FIFA World Cup.  Hamish Macdonald and Kylie Morris speak to journalist Nahal Toosi about the collision of MAGA and sports, and why an "America First" World Cup is riddled with contradictions. Guest: Nahal Toosi, senior foreign affairs correspondent for POLITICO Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

Hamish and Geraldine dig into the questions you actually want answered. From how to break out of our political and cultural echo chambers, to making sense of Donald Trump’s behaviour, to the lessons history offers about what middle powers can achieve - inspired, no doubt, by Canada PM Mark Carney. Plus, we look ahead to a very particular VIP visit from the Middle East to Australia.   Suggested reading/watching mentioned in this episode: The Kaiser At Mar A Lago Lowy Interpreter Middle Powers Can’t Run The World UnHoly - Two Jews On The News  Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

With the purging of another top general, China's President Xi Jinping has ripped a hole in the People's Liberation Army leadership. Only two of his nine top generals remain in office. It's been explained as an anti-corruption move, but what's really going on? And how will it impact Beijing's behaviour towards Taiwan?  Guest: Neil Thomas, Asia Society Policy Institute’s Center for China Analysis Mentions: "China's top general accused of giving nuclear secrets to US" - Wall Street Journal  "The demise of Zhang Youxia hits different" - Drew Thomson, Substack article. Recommendations: Geraldine: It was just an accident - film, dir. Jafar Panahi Hamish: But also John Clarke - documentary, ABC iView Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

The former UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, has spent his working life on the frontline of humanitarian crises - from the "catastrophic" situation in Sudan, to Syria in the Middle East. But with the international rules-based order facing an existential crisis of its own, is the UN still up to scratch? As he steps down from his role, Filippo talks to Kylie Morris and Latika Bourke about why the world shouldn't turn away from Sudan, and why Trump's Gaza 'Board of Peace' will never replace the UN - for all its flaws. Guest: Filippo Grandi, former United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

Standing ovations are rare at Davos, the annual World Economic Forum conference. But Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney tore the roof down with a speech calling on the world's middle powers to forge a united path away from the hegemony of American power. And Trump isn't happy about it.  Geraldine Doogue and Latika Bourke speak to former Canadian Liberal Party leader Michael Ignatieff about how much Australia and Canada have in common, and why Europe and Great Britain are the middle powers to watch.  Guest: Michael Ignatieff, Professor at the Central European University in Vienna and former leader of the Liberal Party of Canada Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is a China hawk, and if she wins February's snap election, she'll use that mandate to prepare for conflict over Taiwan. So says the former Japanese ambassador to Australia, who's a foreign policy whisperer, well connected to the Prime Minister. But is President Trump on board? And what about Canberra? Guest: Shingo Yamagami, former Japanese ambassador to Australia  Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

The 24 hour international news cycle often leaves us with more questions than answers, so in this episode of Global Roaming Hamish and Geraldine will be exploring the things YOU actually want to know. Like whether we should be following the money when it comes to Venezuela - does President Trump have a personal financial stake which helps explain his actions there? And if Australia's international fuel supplies were to be cut off by an act of sabotage or war, how many days could we continue to function? Turns out the answer is more surprising than you think...  Plus Hamish and Geraldine discuss what they've been thinking deeply about - from the inner workings of the US Republican Party, to the history of the international radical Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir, which is now caught up in the Australian government's moves to target to hate groups.  Suggested reading/watching mentioned in this episode: Middle East Forum: Hizb ut-Tahrir: Political Doctrine, Global Reach, and Challenge to the International Order The Australian - Amanda Hodge: Why banning radical Islamist Hizb ut-Tahrir is only half the battle Forbes: How Trump’s Attack On Venezuela May Have Made Him Money ABC 7:30: Concerns over how long Australia’s fuel supplies would last in an emergency  Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

When UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer came to power in 2024, he was seen as a safe, if slightly boring, pair of hands. Now, UK Labour is threatened by the return of an unlikely figure - the man known as the 'father of Brexit': Nigel Farage.  Geraldine Doogue and Hamish Macdonald sit down with Channel 4 News anchor Krishnan Guru-Murthy to chat about why Keir Starmer is failing to cut through, whether Reform UK could win the next election and what England's loss at the Boxing Day test reveals about the state of the country. Recommendations: Krishnan - Younger - TV series on Netflix  Geraldine - My Brother's Band - Film Hamish - Tehran - TV series on Apple TV  Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

Since the Cuban Missile Crisis of the 1960s brought the world to the brink of nuclear war, the Caribbean island has been a geopolitical plaything of the major global powers. Now, after US President Donald Trump's stunning Venezuela intervention, could Cuba be back in America's sights?  Kylie Morris and Latika Burke (The Nightly) speak to Latin American correspondent Jon Bonfiglio about the mood in Cuba, and why US secretary of state Marco Rubio says Havana should be "worried". Guest: Jon Bonfiglio, Latin American correspondent based in Mexico

The cornerstone of NATO is that an attack on "one of us" is an attack on "all of us". But what happens when the alliance is threatened by one of it's own? As tensions over Greenland reach a breaking point, and Trump remains bitter about not winning a Nobel Prize, the US-Europe relationship is being tested to it's limit.  Geraldine Doogue and Latika Burke (The Nightly) speak to former NATO spokesperson Oana Lungescu about the cards Europe has yet to play when it comes to salvaging the broken relationship.  Guest: Oana Lungescu, former spokesperson for NATO and distinguished fellow at RUSI, the Royal United Services Institute in London. Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

Myanmar's election ends this weekend, but there'll be no prizes for guessing the outcome. It's the first time the junta has held elections since the 2021 coup and Hamish Macdonald and Kylie Morris speak to democracy activist Mon Zin about what it means for the people of Myanmar, and the surprising connection between the Hunger Games and Myanmar's youth-led Spring Revolution.  Plus, they explore why China's leader Xi Jinping is watching the outcome more closely than most...  Guest: Mon Zin, Myanmar democracy activist based in Australia Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

Even after weeks of protests, the Iranian regime looks like it has a firm grip on power and its unclear whether Trump will follow through on threats of American intervention. What is it that Iranians themselves want to happen next? And just how realistic is change?  Plus, Global Roaming has changed in 2026. We give you a taste of what we have in store.  Guest: Barbara Slavin - distinguished fellow at the Stimson Center in Washington and a lecturer in international affairs at George Washington University.   Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

In this Global Roaming limited series, Hamish Macdonald and Geraldine Doogue are inviting big thinkers from different fields to consider how Australia can not just survive - but thrive - in a more challenging world.  In this final instalment, Michael Stutchbury - Former editor-in-chief of the Australian Financial Review and Executive director of the Centre for Independent Studies, says that Australia's economic luck is about to run out. He argues we need break the cycle of high spending and low growth if we want to retain anything like the prosperity we're accustomed to.  Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

In this Global Roaming limited series, Hamish Macdonald and Geraldine Doogue are inviting big thinkers from different fields to consider how Australia can not just survive - but thrive - in a more challenging world.  In this episode the Lowy Institute's Lydia Khalil shatters the perception that our geography alone is enough to protect us from the insidious new security threats that are already making their way to our shores, and she outlines how we can protect ourselves going forward.  Lydia's recommendations: The Man in the High Castle - TV series on Amazon Prime For All Mankind - TV series on Apple TV Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

In this Global Roaming limited series, Hamish Macdonald and Geraldine Doogue are inviting big thinkers from different fields to consider how Australia can not just survive - but thrive - in a more challenging world.  In this episode Australia's former Chief Scientist Dr Alan Finkel shares his thoughts on how Australia can feasibly get to net zero, and harness our potential as a clean energy superpower. Plus, he has a radical new idea to safeguard art against AI... Alan's recommendations: The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain Seascraper by Benjamin Wood Prove It: A Scientific Guide for the Post-Truth Era by Elizabeth Finkel   Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

In this Global Roaming limited series, Hamish Macdonald and Geraldine Doogue are inviting big thinkers from different fields to consider how Australia can not just survive - but thrive - in a more challenging world.  In this episode former Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Varghese attempts to shake Australia out of our complacency and excite us about the potential of new foreign policy possibilities.  Peter's recommendations: The Golden Road by William Dalrymple - you can find our conversation with William the link to his new book HERE Why Great Powers Sleepwalk to War — A Masterclass with Hugh White - Joe Walker podcast   Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

In this Global Roaming limited series, Hamish Macdonald and Geraldine Doogue are inviting big thinkers from different fields to consider how Australia can not just survive - but thrive - in a more challenging world.  First up is Hannah Ferguson, the CEO of Cheek Media, who has disrupted Australia's traditional media landscape. She shares her ideas for re-connecting Australians to news and politics and to 'make caring cool again'.  Hannah's recommendations: The Good Fight: What Does Labor Stand For? Quarterly Essay by Sean Kelly Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism by Sarah Wynn-Williams  Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

After Sunday's horrific terror shooting at Bondi Beach, Geraldine Doogue joined Hamish Macdonald at Bondi Pavilion to reflect on what this moment means for Australia.  Together, they speak to Holocaust survivor Eddie Jaku's granddaughter Danielle Jaku and hear from members of the Bondi community, Chief Executive Officer at Surf Life Saving NSW Steve Pearce and NSW's new Opposition leader Kellie Sloane who found herself in the thick of the traumatic events as they unfolded.

From huge diplomatic fallouts, to political assassinations, to historic jewellery heists, 2025 has been a HUGE year for international news. Hamish and Geraldine reflect on the most shocking moments and are joined by Foreign Policy's Editor-in-Chief and host of FP Live Ravi Agrawal to discuss the trendlines that have defined the year.  Plus, we announce some big news about Global Roaming in 2026...  Recommendations:  Geraldine Doogue:  Ken Burns' The American Revolution on SBS on Demand Robert Manne - Substack Hamish Macdonald: Global Roaming's Summer Series: Getting Lucky... Again Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

In this bonus episode of Global Roaming with Hamish Macdonald and Geraldine Doogue, one of Australia's most beloved actors Russell Crowe speaks about his new film Nuremberg and he gets philosophical about the need to speak to those we disagree with, in order to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past.  Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

In a broad-ranging conversation, Hamish Macdonald speaks to historian and host of the hit podcast Empire William Dalrymple about the pitfalls of trying to understand the contemporary world without a firm grasp of the past, whether India can replicate its success as an ancient superpower and how countries like Australia and Britain deal with uncomfortable truths from their past.  Recommendations: Geraldine: Murder House: Zhong Na on the Silicon Valley Tragedy That Exposed the Cracks in China's Meritocracy - Sinica Podcast. Hamish: The Golden Road: How Ancient India Transformed the World by William Dalrymple. Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

What began as targeted strikes against alleged drug smuggling boats has now turned into the largest military build-up in the Caribbean since the 1989 invasion of Panama. It's all part of a campaign to place pressure on Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro, but to what end?  Geraldine Doogue and Hamish Macdonald speak to Latin American correspondent Jon Bonfiglio about the deeper, darker motivations that could be driving the Trump administration's gunboat diplomacy in their own 'backyard'. Recommendations: Geraldine: Hurricaines From Above, SBS on Demand  Hamish: ABC news clip about Helene Chung - ABC Facebook  Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

Australia does elections pretty well - in fact, we might be the world's hottest ambassador for democracy. But according to former Australian Electoral Commissioner Tom Rogers we need to be wary of 'the curse of the sausage'; the idea that our own success makes us vulnerable. In this discussion with Hamish Macdonald and Geraldine Doogue he offers a simple idea to protect our elections against growing threats, both at home and abroad.  Recommendations: Hamish and Geraldine: Annabel Crabb's Civic Duty : ABC iview Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

If you thought Netflix's hit series The Diplomat was pure fiction, think again… According to creator Deborah Cahn the show was inspired by a real-life diplomat that she has described as "a superhero in a pant suit" — Ambassador Beth Jones. We tracked down Ambassador Jones and her husband Don to ask what it's really like to work in places like Kabul, Cairo, Baghdad and Kazakhstan and it turns out the truth is sometimes stranger than fiction. Recommendations: Hamish: "Anchored in the region" — What the new Australia–Indonesia security treaty really means, article by Natalie Sambhi Geraldine: Saturday Extra's Diplomacy mini-series from 2021, featuring interview with former diplomats: John McCarthy Sue Boyd Geoff Raby US Consul General Sharon Hudson Dean (Kylie Morris hosted) The late Martin Indyk Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

Geraldine has returned from London where she had a front row seat as the BBC was engulfed in it's biggest crisis in decades. She joins Hamish for a conversation about how the BBC got here, what the various forces are at play and why the BBC might need to get "down and dirty" to combat Donald Trump's threats.  Plus, we unpack some fascinating listener feedback on our recent China episodes, which has sparked quite a debate in the Global Roaming planning room...  Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

This week democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani became New York City’s first Muslim and South Asian Mayor, beating former New York governor Andrew Cuomo. At a time when faith in the Democratic Party is at an all-time low, Mamdani found a way to reach – and win over – disaffected voters, becoming a household name not just in New York, but all over the world.   Hamish Macdonald and special guest host Amelia Lester (Foreign Policy) ask whether there is more to Mamdani than just 'rizz'? Are there lessons in his campaign for a flailing Democratic Party? Or is it simply a distraction from the real work required to win back voters? Then they speak to Timothy Shenk, a historian of modern American politics at George Washington University to discuss some of the ideas he's put forward in a thought-provoking essay for The New York Times entitled Democrats Are in Crisis. Eat-the-Rich Populism Is the Only Answer.  Recommendations: Amelia: Equator magazine and article ‘He’s an African Leader’: Why my Ethiopian relatives voted for Trump by Adom Getachew. Hamish: Amelia Lester's Boyer Lecture: AI on Australia's terms Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

It may have been the most significant hour and forty minutes in global geopolitics this year... If the highly anticipated summit between Presidents Xi and Trump in South Korea was about putting out the fires of a great power trade war, the flames seem to be under control... for now. But was it a win-win for everyone?  Geraldine Doogue and Hamish Macdonald discuss which cans made it onto the negotiating table and were kicked down the road. Then they have a frank conversation with the former Singaporean diplomat Bilahari Kausikan about how South-east Asian countries responded to Trump's whirlwind tour through Asia and why they might be uniquely positioned to deal with a character like Donald Trump.  Recommendations: Geraldine: The Myth of the Asian Century | A Lowy Institute Paper: Penguin Special by Bilahari Kausikan Hamish: Aiming Higher: Universities and Australia's Future by George Williams Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

If you thought we'd never see a repeat of the GFC or even the dotcom bubble, think again...  So far financial markets have proved remarkably resilient to the geopolitical shocks and uncertainty brought about by Trump 2.0, but economists are warning that this could be largely thanks to an AI bubble that is artificially propping up the US economy.  Geraldine Doogue and Hamish Macdonald discuss the growing fears of what happens if and when this bubble bursts and how Australia is particularly exposed to a downturn through our superannuation system.  Then Geraldine sits down with the acclaimed Irish economist and author David McWilliams to put this moment in historical perspective and get his frank assessment of what comes next.    Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

While we were all preoccupied with Prime Minister Albanese's meeting with Donald Trump, another hugely important meeting was taking place behind closed doors in Beijing. At the highly anticipated Fourth Plenum there were political purges, hints at succession, and clues about what one of the world's great superpowers is planning to achieve over the next five years. Geraldine Doogue and Hamish Macdonald are joined by China analyst Neil Thomas to unpack everything you need to know about the Fourth Plenum and how it might affect President Xi jinping's thinking as he heads into his own highly anticipated meeting with President Trump next week in South Korea. Recommendations: Geraldine: Adam Tooze -  Chartbook + A House of Dynamite now on Netflix Hamish: Season 3 of The Diplomat on Netflix Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

One week on from the ceasefire deal and the commencement of the first phase of Trump’s peace plan, things look fragile. At this point, peace seems to be very much in the hands of one man: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He has a reputation as a wily political player, and the personal and political stakes for him are sky high. So, what are the calculations he’s making? Can he, and will he, deliver peace? Former speaker of the Israeli Parliament Avraham 'Avrum" Burg shares his thoughts.  Plus, to find out what 'peace' actually looks like at the moment on the ground in Gaza, Hamish Macdonald and Geraldine Doogue spoke to Ahmed Kamal Junina – Linguistics professor at Al-Aqsa University, in Gaza City. Recommendations: Geraldine: Nepalese hostage's final poem to mum before Hamas death revealed, Wall Street Journal via The Australian. Hamish: Nexus, by Yuval Noah Harari. Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

Japan has entered a new political era after the election of Sanae Takaichi who is poised to become the country’s first female prime minister. A protege of the late Shinzo Abe and a fan of Margaret Thatcher, she styles herself as Japan's 'Iron Lady' and she could be one of its most right-wing and nationalistic leaders since the Second World War.  Asia editor of The Times and The Sunday Times Richard Lloyd Parry has lived in Japan and covered it for 30 years. He joins Hamish Macdonald and Geraldine Doogue to discuss what Takaichi's leadership might mean for Japan, and for Australia.  Recommendations: China's middle class rides migration wave to Tokyo - AFR In The Time Of Madness - Richard Lloyd Parry Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

Geraldine and Hamish were live on air on ABC Sydney when Donald Trump broke the news this morning that a deal had been reached on the 'first phase' of a Gaza ceasefire deal. They raced into another studio to record a bonus episode of Global Roaming about this enormous development in the Middle East.  Here's everything you need to know about what's just happened, what's still to come and whether peace might really be within reach.  Recommended reading and listening: Northern Ireland, Gaza and the Road to Peace - The New York Times  ABC Rear Vision  Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

Hamas has responded to Donald Trump's 20-point peace plan for Gaza saying it is prepared to release all Israeli hostages - dead or alive. However it did not signal that it was completely prepared to lay down its arms or step away from negotiations... So is this the crucial turning point in the conflict that we've all been waiting for? What happens next from here?  From the streets of Vietnam and an airport in Melbourne, Hamish and Geraldine got in touch to unpack the latest breaking developments.  Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

Fears that the United States might be headed towards civil war feel slightly less overblown than they did just weeks ago... With the US government shutdown, Republicans and Democrats in deadlock, and Deputy White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth 'unleashing' federal troops into cities like Memphis, America increasingly looks like a dangerous and divided nation.  In a rare face-to-face conversation in Sydney, Geraldine Doogue sat down with veteran journalists Peter Baker (chief White House correspondent for The New York Times) and Susan Glasser (New Yorker correspondent and Lowy Institute board member) to discuss the psychology behind Donald Trump's war on 'the enemy within' and why a country like Australia should see this as a cautionary tale.  Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

The anti-science crusade in the United States extends beyond President Trump's flourishing statements about climate change being a 'con job' and a 'hoax' and claiming links between Tylenol (or paracetamol) and autism. Under the second Trump administration and Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, long-standing medical and scientific institutions are being hollowed out and misinformation and disinformation is rife. There are a number of actors who stand to capitalise on this trend, from foreign states like Russia, to big pharma companies and 'wellness' influencers. And experts say it poses an existential threat not just for America, but for the world.  In this episode Geraldine Doogue and Hamish Macdonald speak to Radio National's Science Editor Jonathan Webb and prominent vaccine scientist Dr Peter Hotez (co-author with Michael Mann of Science Under Siege) about the forces at play in the global war on science and Dr. Hotez also reveals what it's like to be personally targeted by RFK Jr, Joe Rogan and Elon Musk.  Recommendations: Geraldine: Good Night, and Good Luck - 2005 film  Hamish: Australian Story - The River (Part 1 and 2) - ABC iView Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

The 80th UN General Assembly is heating up in New York, just as a major UN report finds that Israel is committing genocide. Countries like Australia have pledged to recognise a Palestinian State at next week's UNGA, but there are doubts about whether that will have anything more than symbolic significance. In fact, there are serious questions about the United Nations' ability to resolve today's conflicts and concerns that, in the age of Trump, this once lauded institution has become damaged beyond repair.  So can the UN be fixed, and what exactly will that take? According to former UN Humanitarian Chief Martin Griffiths it comes down to one thing: courage.   Recommendations: Geraldine: PNG’s half-century report card - Hamish Macdonald, Inside Story  Hamish: A Dirty Little War by John Martinkus Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

As celebrations get underway marking the 50th anniversary of Papua New Guinea's independence from Australia, the two nations are about to enter a deal that will see our defence forces become 'totally integrated'.  Geraldine Doogue, Hamish Macdonald and special guest Oliver Nobetau (Project Director of the Australia-Papua New Guinea Network at the Lowy Institute) discuss why this particular Pacific neighbour continues to hold so much significance to Australia and what this historic new defence treaty might actually mean for PNG and us.  Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

Geraldine is back and feeling uncharacteristically pessimistic about the state of the world. So as the Australian government works hard to cement stronger ties in the Indo-Pacific region following China's display of military and political might, Hamish and Geraldine are joined by the Chief of the Australian Army Lieutenant General Simon Stuart for a frank conversation about whether Australians need to come to terms with the possibility of a war in our region.   Recommendations: Geraldine Doogue: Address by Former senior Chinese diplomat Madame Fu Ying to the AFR Asia Summit 2025. Once available, it can be found HERE.  Hamish Macdonald: ABC 7:30 Monday 8 September - interview with Julie Inman Grant (commences about 9:00 minutes in) + The News Agents podcast - Nick Clegg: What really happened at Facebook? Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

All eyes have been on China this week, as dozens of world leaders arrived to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit and China's 'Victory Day' military parade, marking the 80th anniversary of Japan's surrender in WW2.  Not only was it a chance for leaders like Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong-Un and - perhaps most surprisingly - Narendra Modi, to mingle, it sent a striking image to the Western world that while the US-led global order under Donald Trump seems to be decaying, a powerful new alignment of countries is taking place, with China at the forefront. Guests: Einar Tangen - Senior Fellow, Taihe Institute and the founder and chairman of Asia Narratives. Bob Carr - Former Australian Foreign Minister and former Premier of NSW. Recommendations: Hamish: Trump says he’s determined to weaken China. He’s doing the opposite - Peter Hartcher, SMH Kylie: The Emperor of Gladness - Ocean Vuong Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

Following the confirmation of famine in part of Gaza by the UN-backed IPC, Hamish Macdonald and guest host Kylie Morris speak to Anera's Gaza Branch Director Yazdan El-Amawi about what the situation is actually like for those living in Gaza.  They also speak to Jodie Clark, who has decades of experience distributing humanitarian aid and worked most recently as Senior Logistics Coordinator for UNRWA, running the border crossing at Rafah. She explains how Israel's policies have made getting aid into Gaza increasingly difficult and she gives a shocking assessment of what is needed to break the famine.  Recommendations: Kylie: Hostage - Mini series on Netflix Hamish: Dust - Book by Michael Brissenden Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

The Australian government has accused Iran of directing two antisemitic attacks in Australia and, for the first time since World War Two, has expelled an ambassador. They've also announced that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) will be designated as a terrorist organisation.  Who are the IRGC and what motivated them to target Australia? Hamish Mcdonald and Kylie Morris react to the breaking news and discuss the significance of the day's developments.  Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

He's young, he's slick, he's social media savvy and he rules with an iron first. Meet Nayib Bukele, the President of El Salvador who has quickly become an icon of the global right.  He might style himself as the 'world's coolest dictator' and a 'philosopher king', but this leader is not like other authoritarian rulers. For a start, he's incredibly popular both at home and abroad - befriending the likes of Elon Musk and President Donald Trump. His rapid crackdown on gang-related crime has been labelled the 'Bukele miracle' and is being seen everywhere from Ecuador to America as a model to emulate. But it hasn't come without a steep cost...  Journalist Vera Bergengruen is one of the only foreign journalists to have met and interviewed President Nayib Bukele. She wrote a profile of him for TIME Magazine. She speaks to Geraldine Doogue (2025 Andrew Olle lecture) and Hamish Macdonald (ABC Sydney Mornings, The Project) about what Nayib Bukele is really like.  Recommendations: Geraldine: How are drones changing the landscape of modern warfare?   | BBC, The Inquiry podcast. Hamish: The 'evil drug' and court case that almost broke Alex Lloyd | Australian Story Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

It’s not every day a foreign leader calls the Australian Prime Minister “weak” and accuses him of betraying the country’s Jewish community. But that’s exactly what Benjamin Netanyahu did this week, after the Albanese government announced its intention to recognise a Palestinian state and cancelled a visa for far-right Israeli politician Simcha Rothman.    Meanwhile, over in Washington, Donald Trump hosted Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy, this time flanked by a chorus of European leaders including Macron, Starmer and Meloni.   In this bonus episode, Geraldine and Hamish analyse the two big foreign policy dramas that have been lighting up headlines this week.  Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

It's all eyes on Alaska as the summit between President Trump, President Putin and possibly President Zelensky looms. The stakes of these peace talks - for Ukraine, for Russia and for the West - are incredibly high.  Given his cool and confident exterior, we wondered about the cards Putin currently holds in his hand. How strong is his position not only in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, but at home? Has his grip on power ever been tighter?  To find out, Geraldine Doogue (2025 Andrew Olle lecture) and Hamish Macdonald (ABC Sydney Mornings, The Project) spoke to Anna Nemtsova - an award-winning Russian-born journalist who grew up in the Soviet Union and now writes for publications like The Daily Beast and The Atlantic. The picture that Anna painted of life inside Russia today was... surprising, to say the least!  Recommendations: Hamish: Hamas built an underground war machine to ensure its own survival - Washington Post Geraldine: The cold war guru whose warnings on Russia still stand - The Rachman Review podcast Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

In a historic move, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese this afternoon announced that Australia will move to recognise a state of Palestine at the United Nations General Assembly next month, with a condition that terror group Hamas play no role in its future governance. Geraldine Doogue and Hamish Macdonald react to the news and discuss the significance of Australia's decision to follow other Western governments in taking this step. They also question what comes next, how Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might react to the news and whether this can actually make any difference on the ground in Gaza.  Want to share your thoughts with us about today's news? We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

Where do the arms involved in conflicts worldwide come from and who bears responsibility for how they are used in war? The US is by far the world's largest weapons manufacturer and exporter, accounting for around 40% of global exports.  Many of these arms go to Israel and transfers have been supercharged since the start of the military assault on Gaza.  Australia is also a player in the global arms trade, with a particular manufacturing role in the F-35 joint strike fighter program.  With the Australian government taking a strong line on the humanitarian situation, why are we simultaneously transferring component parts for military jets that are striking Gaza? Guest: Josh Paul, former Director of Congressional and Public Affairs, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, in the US Department of State who resigned in protest at US arms shipments to Israel  Statement from the Australian Department of Defence: "Australia has not supplied weapons or ammunition to Israel since the Israel-Gaza conflict began and not for at least the past five years. The F-35 relies on a global supply chain – one that is centrally coordinated by Lockheed Martin and the US Government. As a part of the global F-35 supply chain, Australian industry contributes components and parts, but the Australian Government does not have a direct bilateral arrangement with the Government of Israel in relation to the F-35 program." Recommendations: Geraldine: VJ Day in Australia newsreel, British Movietone Hamish: 'The World Since October 7', Adam Shatz in the London Review of Books Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

This week, the prospect of Palestinian statehood suddenly became tangible, with the UK, France and Canada promising to recognise Palestine at the UN general assembly in September.  Whether Australia will follow suit remains to be seen.   What can history tell us about the formation of new states out of violent conflict?  Guest: Sir Christopher Clark, professor of history at the University of Cambridge  Recommendations: Geraldine: 'The wrong way to respond to antisemitism', Inside Story Hamish: Andrew Olle Media Lecture 2025, presented by Geraldine Doogue, ABC iView Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

A weekly examination of world affairs with Geraldine Doogue and Hamish Macdonald.

Despite living through continued death, displacement and destruction, Palestinians still dream of a better future. What does that look like for Gazans and people in the West Bank, is a two-state solution still a viable option? And who will lead them after the war? Guest: Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, Gazan-American and nonresident senior fellow with the Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative at the Atlantic Council. Recommendations: Geraldine: Emily: I Am Kam, SBS on Demand Hamish: I ran DFAT. I hope Elbridge Colby sinks AUKUS for Australia, AFR Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

Anthony Albanese has finally got a meeting with a president, but it's not the one some are so desperate to see. The Prime Minister sets off on a six-day official visit to China while there is still no date set for a face-to-face with Donald Trump. But does that actually matter, and what does President Xi want from Australia? Guest: Dr Joseph Torigian, research fellow at Stanford University Hoover History Lab, associate professor at American University. Author of The Party’s Interests Come First: The Life of Xi Zhongxun, Father of Xi Jinping Recommendations: Geraldine: John Curtin remains our greatest PM, 80 years after his death, with a living legacy, The Australian Hamish: Louis Theroux: The Settlers, ABC iView Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

It's sometimes described as a 'dance with the devil', but can populism also deliver for citizens? As some democracies stall, how are populist leaders like Giorgia Meloni and Javier Millei managing to solve decades-long problems? Is there such a thing as 'good' populism? Guest: Professor Larry Diamond, Senior Fellow at Stanford University, author of Ill Winds: Saving Democracy from Russian Rage, Chinese Ambition, and American Complacency Recommendations: Geraldine: 'The Zelenskyy Story', SBS On Demand Hamish: 'When Does Populism Become a Threat to Democracy?', speech by Larry Diamond Larry: Chip War, by Chris Miller Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

After promising his MAGA base that he wouldn't get the US into any further foreign entanglements, Donald Trump had a big week on the international stage. He's claiming the strikes on Iran, and the defence spending pledges at NATO as big successes, but can he square them with his promise of 'America First'? Guest: Carl Bildt, Prime Minister of Sweden 1991-1994, foreign minister 2006-2014, co-chair of the European Council on Foreign Relations Recommendations: Geraldine: 'This is the ‘beginning of the end’ for Iran’s supreme leader. But what comes next?', Roland Oliphant in AFR 'If This Mideast War Is Over, Get Ready for Some Interesting Politics', Tom Friedman in the New York Times Hamish: James, by Percival Everett Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

After decades of enjoying peacetime dividends and American protection, Germany is now re-arming in a hurry.  Troop numbers in the Bundeswehr had withered since the 1990s and spending dipped well below 2%.  But with bellicose Russia on Europe’s borders and US support no longer a guarantee, that's all changing.  The real question is: are Germans ready to be a military power once again? Guest: Dr Benedikt Franke, CEO of the Munich Security Conference Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

From the volatile fault lines of the Middle East, a dangerous new chapter has unfolded as the confrontation between Israel and Iran up-ends the region's delicate balance.  The big question is whether the US will enter the fray to assist their ally Israel.  Donald Trump has set a two-week deadline on that crucial decision, will he risk dividing his MAGA base? And will he heed the history of US foreign entanglements?  The world waits with baited breath to find out.  Guest: Farnaz Fassihi, New York Times United Nations bureau chief and Iran specialist Recommendations: Geraldine: 'Will the U.S join Israel's war with Iran', The Daily podcast from the New York Times  Nick: The Friday Afternoon Club: A Family Memoir by Griffin Dunne Plus: Our bonus interview with Dr Afshon Ostovar on the question of regime change in Iran Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

Israel's assassination of high-ranking military and political figures in Iran is raising questions about the regime's ability to survive this war, especially if the US enters the fight.  But the regime won't be easy to topple, despite its isolation, because of the enduring grip on power of military ideologists and the lack of a domestic opposition. So how might this war end? Guest: Dr. Afshon Ostovar, author of Wars of Ambition: The United States, Iran, and the Struggle for the Middle East, associate professor at the US Naval Postgraduate School.   Get in touch: We’d love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

Leaders of the world's great industrial nations will gather in Canada at the G7 over the weekend.  As the tectonic plates of international relationships continue to shift under the pressure of the Trump presidency, the summit is an opportunity to observe new diplomatic relationships. With the world sliding closer to chaos this week, could this be the moment for leaders to restore stability? Guest: Ian Bremmer, founder and President of the Eurasia Group Recommendations: Geraldine: 'Sub Text' by Sam Roggeveen, The Monthly Nick: When the Going Was Good by Graydon Carter Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

If the West really is in decline, are we watching the creation of a new world order?  This question is being asked with fresh urgency in capitals around the world as Donald Trump shakes the global system to its roots.  How can Australia prepare to meet the challenge head on?  Guests: Philippe Sands, professor of law at University College London, barrister and author of 38 Londres Street: On Impunity, Pinochet in England and a Nazi in Patagonia Edward Wong, diplomatic correspondent and former Beijing Bureau chief, New York Times, author of At the Edge of Empire: A family's reckoning with China Bec Strating, Director of La Trobe Asia, co-author of Girt by Sea: re-imagining Australia’s Security Recommendations: All our guests' books! Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

Who is a conservative and who is a radical in American politics right now? It’s not entirely clear when the Republican party has dramatically shifted its policies on tax, industry and trade. Oren Cass has an important part in this identity shift, he is influential in the New Right, a movement that also counts JD Vance and Marco Rubio as important figures.  Guest: Oren Cass, founder and chief economist of American Compass, author of The New Conservatives: Restoring America's Commitment to Family, Community, and Industry Recommendations: Geraldine: Why Empires Fall: Rome, America and the Future of the West, Peter Heather and John Rapley Hamish: 'This Instability May Be Worth It. Here’s Why.' New York Times Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

Some news stories shake the world, others barely make the front page.  In the era of Donald Trump, many important stories are being forgotten. Lindsey Hilsum is one of the journalism's most experienced and fearless foreign correspondents. She shares reflections on a career spent running towards atrocities and how to balance covering Trump and the stories we're missing. Guest: Lindsey Hilsum, Channel 4 News International Editor, author of I Brought The War with Me; Stories and Poems from the Front Line Recommendations: Hamish: Lindsey Hilsum on Desert Island Discs, BBC Kylie: You Don’t Belong Here: How Three Women Rewrote the Story of War, Elizabeth Becker Get in touch:   We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

Donald Trump's tour of the Middle East was three days of glitz, gold and billion-dollar deals.  The big surprise was a meeting with Syria's interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa. Does this signal an intent to reshape the region and some of its enduring conflicts?  And does the decision not to visit Israel signal a cooling relationship with Benjamin Netanyahu? Recommendations: Kylie: Jerusalem the biography by Simon Sebag Montefiori  Hamish: Donald Trump seeks bromance and billions as he heads to Gulf, FT GET IN TOUCH:  We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

The Australian Signals Directorate is one of Australia's most secretive agencies, responsible for decoding enemy messages, protecting us from cyber threats and collaborating with allied intelligence services.  Rachel Noble knows how the machine works, as the former head of ASD she helped shape Australia's role in the Five Eyes alliance.  Now, with Trump's return and Signal-gate leaks, can Australia still trust its closest ally? Guest: Rachel Noble, former Director-General of Australia Signals Directorate  Recommendations: Geraldine:  The Crisis of our Time by Christopher Clark Hamish: East West Street by Philippe Sands GET IN TOUCH:  We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

As the world awaits the sitting of the conclave and the appointment of a new Pope, Geraldine sits down with the Vatican's Secretary for Relations with States, Archbishop Paul Gallagher in the Apostolic Palace. Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

The Australian election campaign was rocked by allegations that Moscow had requested access to an Indonesian air base for use by long-range Russian military planes. Russia and Indonesia have a long and deep history of cooperation and trade going back to Indonesian independence, which appears to be strengthening under President Prabowo Subianto. Does Australia have reason to be concerned? Guest: Dr Marty Natalegawa, former Foreign Minister of Indonesia Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

There are two states that have the most to gain, and the most to lose, when it comes to AUKUS: South Australia and Western Australia. In the final episode of AUKUS Investigated Hamish and Geraldine speak to South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas about why he thinks the rest of the country needs to come to the AUKUS party.  NOTE: This podcast was first released on 20 December 2024. GET IN TOUCH:  We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

A great re-balancing is underway from the Western world to a much more diverse future. As developing nations rise up with greater wealth, military power, demographic heft and cultural influence, will Western nations give up their privileged positions willingly? Guest: Dr Samir Puri, author of Westlessness: The great global rebalancing; Director, Global Governance and Security Centre at Chatham House; former UK diplomat  Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

AUKUS doesn't only affect us. From the time that it was announced there were mixed reactions from our neighbours - some who wanted in, and some who thought it unwise and provocative. A big part of the fear - both regionally and within Australia - concerns the nuclear question. As the first non-nuclear country to ever acquire a conventionally armed nuclear-powered submarine, can we be confident of our own safety? And what happens to the waste that will remain dangerous for generations of Australians to come?  NOTE: This podcast was first released on 20 December 2024. GUESTS: Gareth Evans - former Australian Foreign Minister (1988 –1996). Maria Rost Rublee - Associate Professor of International Relations at Monash University, with expertise in international security and nuclear politics. Dr Evan Laksmana - Senior Fellow for Southeast Asia Military Modernisation at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). GET IN TOUCH:  We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

The death of Pope Francis closes the door on a papacy that was focused on the plight of migrants and other vulnerable groups.  In this emergency episode, what was the Pontiff's contribution to global politics and who might come after him? Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

Election day is looming at a time when events beyond our borders are shaping the debate as much as the politicians are.  The major parties have avoided discussion of foreign policy, despite the need for new policies and partnerships for this uncertain time.  With no scheduled debate on foreign policy, we discuss some of the key questions confronting the nation with: Tim Watts, the Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs Senator Dave Sharma  Independent MP Zoe Daniel Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

Palau is a tiny Pacific nation located in one of the hottest geo-strategic areas on Earth.  They are highly dependent on the US for finance and defence but subject to Chinese pressure to revoke their formal recognition of Taiwan.  Despite these challenges, Palau's greatest concern is actually the threat of climate change making parts of their country uninhabitable. Guest: President of Palau Surangel Whipps Jr.  Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

Donald Trump's 'Liberation Day' tariffs are laser-focused on Southeast Asia, with manufacturing countries singled out for the highest tax rates. Australia has got off lightly, but can we avoid the blow back when our region is under pressure? Where do Australia's best interests really lie? Guest: Dr Joseph Liow, author of Navigating Uncertainty: Our Region in an Age of Flux; Tan Kah Kee Chair in international politics, Nanyang Technological University; Singapore representative to ASEAN advisory board.  Recommendations: Geraldine: 'I should have seen this coming', The Atlantic Hamish: 'Trump’s tariffs will push Southeast Asia uncomfortably close to China', Chatham House Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

What is Beijing thinking as it watches Western governments grapple with the chaos created by the US? Does China view the fracturing of long-standing US alliances and trading relationships as an opportunity, or do they share the concerns about what is coming? Guest: Zhou Bo, Senior Colonel (Retired) in the People’s Liberation Army, author of Should the World Fear China? Senior fellow at Tsinghua University’s Center for International Security and Strategy Recommendations: Geraldine: 'China rethinking its role', Engelsberg Ideas Hamish: 'Why a weight-loss drug could become a geopolitical bargaining chip', FT Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

Donald Trump's strategy on tariffs is inspired by the 'Gilded Age' of US history, when the federal government drew most of its income from taxes on foreign imports.  Now some of America's closest allies have been slapped with tariffs and there are growing risks of a trade war. Guest: Justin Wolfers, professor of public policy and economics at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, University of Michigan Recommendations: Geraldine: 'The Wonders of Europe', SBS on Demand Hamish: Sir Gareth Southgate - Boys need role models not gaming and porn, BBC  Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

The Irish rockstar is fired up as he claims his life's work is being ripped apart by the new US administration.  In this passionate and surprising conversation Sir Bob discusses cuts to aid budgets in the US and UK, what Australia should be doing to stand up to Donald Trump and why he no longer listens to music.   Guest: Bob Geldof, musician and co-founder of the Band Aid Charitable Trust Recommendations:  Geraldine: Repeat: A Warning from History, Dennis Glover Hamish: Queen performs at Live Aid, 1985 Get in touch:  We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

Former Prime Minister Paul Keating has said of AUKUS that "we don't need to be a pair of shoes hanging out of America's backside". Is that a fair characterisation of Australia's position vis a vis AUKUS? Are we getting the short end of the stick with this deal, and sacrificing our sovereignty to boot?  NOTE: This podcast was first released on 20 December 2024. GUESTS: Sam Roggeveen - Director of the Lowy Institute’s International Security Program. He is the author of The Echidna Strategy: Australia’s Search for Power and Peace Malcolm Turnbull - 29th Prime Minister of Australia 2015-2018. Richard Marles - the Deputy Prime Minister of Australia, Minister for Defence and the Federal Member for Corio. GET IN TOUCH:  We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

There was jubilation in Syria last year when Bashar Al-Assad fled the country after 14 years of civil war. But peace won't come easy and the country's new rulers face a host of hurdles as they try to bring order to a country riven by years of conflict. GUEST: Heidi Pett - Freelance producer, journalist and videographer. Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au