Global Roaming with Geraldine Doogue and Hamish Macdonald

Türkiye is quickly becoming the Middle East’s indispensable diplomatic hub.   Laura Tingle, reporting from Istanbul, and Eric Tlozek are joined by Sinan Ülgen of the Istanbul-based EDAM think tank to unpack Türkiye's rising regional weight, anchored by the Mecca Pact, its new NATO-style defence alliance with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, already once activated in response to Houthi strikes on Saudi Arabia. Ülgen argues the US midterm result may do little to prevent an escalation with Iran. With Netanyahu’s path to government uncertain and Trump newly constrained at home, both leaders may be drawn toward confrontation. Ülgen also argues Israel’s campaign against Iran has exposed the limits of its regional power, and says Türkiye's and Israel’s starkly different visions for Syria’s future as the next flashpoint to watch. Guest: Sinan Ülgen, director of Istanbul-based EDAM think tank 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 Netanyahu’s bloc losing its majority in Israel’s 27 October election, President Isaac Herzog has given opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot the first chance to form government. Eric Tlozek and Laura Tingle, reporting from Turkey, are joined by Amjad Iraqi from the International Crisis Group to ask what, if anything, changes for Palestinians under a different Israeli government. A UN Human Rights Council commission found in October that Israel continues to commit “genocidal acts” in Gaza despite the ceasefire, a finding Israel rejects. Meanwhile, funding cuts have forced the World Food Programme to halve food assistance to hundreds of thousands of Gazans just as flooding from heavy rains has displaced tens of thousands more. Guest: Amjad Iraqi, International Crisis Group’s senior analyst for Israel/Palestine 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.

Can Bougainville build a viable future without repeating the mistakes of its past? In 2027 Bougainville is seeking independence from Papua New Guinea. To fund it, they’re planning to reopen a mine that triggered a brutal civil war. The Panguna mine is an enormous copper and gold deposit that bankrolled Papua New Guinea’s independence movement just over 50 years ago. It also irreparably transformed the local environment and extracted wealth from the local Bougainville people with crumbs in return. Now, as Bougainville approaches its deadline for independence, Ishmael Toroama, the President of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville says it’s time to reopen the mine. Geraldine Doogue and Latika Bourke speak with Theonila Roka Matbob, a environmental and human rights advocate who grew up in the shadow of the conflict, and Oliver Nobetau from the Lowy Institute. They discuss the legacy of the mine, the fraught transition towards possible independence and competing visions for Bougainville's future. Will economic necessity force Bougainville back towards the very project that helped trigger war in the first place, or is there another way?  Guest: Theonila Roka Matbob, Bougainvillean environmental and human rights advocate, and Oliver Nobetau, Lowy Institute Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

North Korea's $6 billion heist, Poland's court crisis, and troops in the streets of Jakarta. Hamish Macdonald and Geraldine Doogue are joined by Jeremy Dicker, managing editor of International Intrigue and former diplomat, to survey a week of global upheaval. The FBI says North Korea's Lazarus Group pulled off the largest crypto theft in history — draining more than $6 billion from Binance in roughly 20 minutes. In Poland, a long-simmering stand off between President Karol Nawrocki and PM Donald Tusk's government erupted when government-aligned judges moved to seize control of the constitutional tribunal while the president was mid-flight to Senegal, a move some opposition figures are calling a coup. And in Jakarta, more than 20,000 troops have been deployed after the president's own chief of staff was arrested over an alleged wiretapping operation targeting President Prabowo Subianto himself. Plus, Dicker argues a chastened Trump will turn to foreign policy for his final two years. Guest: Jeremy Dicker, former diplomat and Managing Editor International Intrigue Recommendations: Geraldine –  Empires of AI: The Rise and Fall of a New Global Order Jeremy – The Diplomat, season four Hamish – Indonesia deploys 20,000 soldiers as wiretapping scandal erupts 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.

Lula wasn't supposed to win. Just three weeks before Brazil's presidential runoff, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was trailing Flavio Bolsonaro by 2.2 million votes and staring down defeat. Then something extraordinary happened. Lula became the first candidate in Brazil's democratic history to lose the first round of a presidential election and still win the presidency. How did he pull it off? And what does the comeback tell us about the future of populism, social media and democracy? Brazilian-born Associate Professor Deborah Barros Leal Farias joins Laura Tingle and Latika Bourke to explain how a vast grassroots movement helped turn the race around, why an 11-million-person WhatsApp network became a decisive campaign tool, and how Lula's supporters learned to fight online political battles on terrain long dominated by the far right. The conversation also looks at what comes next. Lula inherits a deeply polarised country, a powerful conservative movement, strong evangelical voting blocs and a Congress that may resist much of his agenda. Donald Trump, Marco Rubio, Meta and the Bolsonaro political machine all loom over the story. Guest: Associate Professor Deborah Barros Leal Farias, UNSW School of Social Sciences 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 US has been hit by a blue wave, maybe even a tsunami. But what can the Democrats achieve with their control of the congress? Hamish Macdonald and Geraldine Doogue speak with Dane Waters, a Republican political strategist who crossed the aisle to lead a SuperPAC campaign in support of the Democratic senate candidate for Texas, James Talarico.  They discuss whether this result represents a massive repudiation of Donald Trump’s war in Iran, or if it simply exposes a Republican administration that has lost touch with the median voter. Plus, with billionaires like Elon Musk spending hundreds of millions of dollars on failed Republican campaigns, are we seeing a limit of what money can buy in politics? Will we see a new type of political candidate fielded when the 2028 US election begins? And what does this result mean for President Trump, who already seems to be getting his big red VETO stamp ready for action? Guest: Dane Waters, Republican political strategist, treasurer and advisor to the ‘Moment of Truth’ PAC Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

In February this year, the New START treaty governing nuclear weapon stockpiles in USA and Russia expired. Is there anything to replace it? Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jane Perlez, host of the podcast Face Off: Nuclear Anarchy, joins Hamish Macdonald and Waleed Aly to explain why experts are increasingly worried about a new era of nuclear competition. They also discuss China's rapidly growing arsenal, Russia's increasing brinkmanship over nuclear weapons, and why Iran's calculations could change after years of confrontation. Plus, can Trump continue the trend of US presidents negotiating increasingly smaller nuclear stockpiling with Russia? Does he even want to? And with artificial intelligence beginning to reshape military decision-making, are the risks becoming even harder to manage? If the old nuclear order is breaking down, who will build the next one? Guest: Jane Perlez, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, host of Face Off: Nuclear Anarchy   Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

South Africa's politics are changing fast, and it may signal something much bigger. The African National Congress, the party of Nelson Mandela and President Cyril Ramaphosa, is losing its grip on the country's biggest cities.  In Johannesburg, years of failing services, power outages and frustration with government competence are reshaping how South Africans vote. For the first time, many voters are judging parties on delivery rather than liberation-era loyalties. But that's only part of the story. The Economist's chief Africa correspondent John McDermott examines the new scramble for influence across Africa. China, Russia, the United States, Europe, India, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates are all competing for resources, markets and political support.  And then there's Aliko Dangote. Africa's richest businessman is betting billions on giant industrial projects that could reshape the continent's economic future.  Is Africa becoming one of the century's most important geopolitical players? Or is the continent's future being shaped by two very different realities at once? Geraldine Doogue and Latika Bourke speak with John McDermott about the elections, wars, power struggles and economic shifts transforming Africa. Guest: John McDermott, chief Africa correspondent for The Economist 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.

Trump’s diesel deal with Russia, a Senate race turns ugly, and a midterm election that could reshape his presidency. On the eve of the US midterm elections, Hamish Macdonald and Geraldine Doogue are joined by Jeremy Shapiro from the European Council on Foreign Relations to unpack a frantic fortnight in US politics.  Trump’s diesel deal with Putin has drawn accusations that Washington is now aligned with Moscow’s interests in the Ukraine war, even as First Lady Melania Trump brokers a surprise humanitarian ceasefire in the besieged city of Oleshky. Shapiro also addresses Trump’s attacks on Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, who Trump has called a “jihadist” and Muslim Brotherhood member. There is no evidence for this claim. Guest: Jeremy Shapiro, European Council on Foreign Relations Recommendations:  Geraldine – From airport queue to sudden diagnosis: Jennifer Hewett on facing brain cancer Jeremy – A World For All: New Visions for US Foreign Policy, edited by Matthew Duss Hamish – Empires of AI: The Rise and Fall of a New Global Order Mentions:  Obama has never mocked Trump so personally. That comes with a big risk by Bruce Wolpe 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.

Populists are rising. Traditional parties are struggling. Trust in institutions is falling. So what if these aren't separate crises at all? In this special live edition of Global Roaming, taken from Hamish Macdonald and Waleed Aly's conversation for Roaring Stories at Balmain's Red Mill Distillery, the two sit down to discuss Waleed's Quarterly Essay entitled Time of Monsters: What Future for Liberalism? Waleed argues that many of the political movements reshaping the world, from Trumpism and nationalist conservatism to parts of the progressive left, are reacting against the same underlying system: the liberal order that has dominated Western democracies for generations. Drawing on thinkers from Hobbes and John Stuart Mill to contemporary debates about social media, artificial intelligence and identity politics, he explores why so many people feel dislocated, dissatisfied and unconvinced that the promises of modern politics still hold. The conversation ranges across democracy, meaning, technology, community and the surprising ways seemingly opposing political movements can end up challenging the same assumptions. If liberalism shaped the modern world, what happens if people decide they no longer want it? Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

Israel has voted in one of the most consequential elections in its history, but the result has produced no clear winner. Benjamin Netanyahu remains a major force in Israeli politics, yet neither his bloc nor the opposition led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot appears capable of forming a government on its own. Joining Geraldine Doogue and Latika Bourke are ABC Global Affairs Editor Laura Tingle and former ABC Middle East correspondent Eric Tlozek to unpack a result that has left Israel deeply divided and politically deadlocked. They discuss Netanyahu's resilience, the failure of the opposition to deliver a decisive defeat, the record turnout among Arab voters, and why the Arab parties may hold more influence than at any point in recent years. Plus, President Isaac Herzog will now play a pivotal role in determining the ruling coalition of Israel, what political bloc will he decide has the best chance of providing a stable rule? And what does this election result mean for Palestinians facing violence and worsening conditions in Gaza and the West Bank? Guest: ABC Global Affairs Editor Laura Tingle and former ABC Middle East correspondent Eric Tlozek Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

Europe is looking for new partners and Australia is high on the list. As the European Union seeks to reduce its dependence on China for critical minerals, strengthen its industrial base and take greater responsibility for its own security, Brussels is turning increasingly toward countries it sees as trusted democratic partners. Geraldine Doogue speaks with Stéphane Séjourné, the European Commission's Executive Vice President for Industrial Strategy, during his visit to Australia. They discuss the newly completed Australia-EU free trade agreement, Europe's growing appetite for Australian critical minerals, and the push for what Europeans call "strategic autonomy" in a world shaped by China's economic power, Russia's war in Ukraine and uncertainty about America's long-term role. Plus, Geraldine Doogue and Latika Bourke discuss Europe's political pressures at home, the rise of populist movements, migration, economic reform and what to make of the EU VP's candid statements.  Can Europe become more self-reliant without turning inward? And what role could Australia play in that effort? Guest: Stéphane Séjourné, the European Commission's Executive Vice President for Industrial Strategy Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

Alberta has voted overwhelmingly against opening the door to separation from Canada, dealing a significant blow to one of the country's most persistent independence movements. But while the referendum result looks decisive, does it really put the issue to rest? Political scientist Andrea Lawlor joins Geraldine Doogue and Latika Bourke to explain why Alberta's grievances run far deeper than this vote, why comparisons with Western Australia aren't entirely misguided, and how decades of tensions over energy, identity and federal power shaped the campaign. They also discuss the role Donald Trump may have played in the debate and whether Prime Minister Mark Carney's unusually low-key approach helped secure the result. And as tariffs loom and US-Canada relations remain strained, has Canada emerged from this referendum more united, or merely postponed a deeper reckoning? Guest: Andrea Lawlor, Associate Professor in political science, McMaster University, Ontario Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

Will Israeli voters renew Benjamin Netanyahu's mandate, or is the country heading for a political turning point? ABC Middle East correspondent Matthew Doran joins Geraldine Doogue and Hamish Macdonald from Jerusalem to explain why this campaign has become a referendum on Netanyahu's leadership, who is best placed to challenge him, and why the result may be far from clear even after votes are counted. They discuss the lingering political fallout from October 7, Donald Trump's extraordinary endorsement of Netanyahu, the role of Israel's Arab parties, and why coalition negotiations could prove just as important as election day itself. Matthew also reflects on the challenges of reporting from Gaza, the restrictions facing international journalists, and the growing scrutiny of violence in the occupied West Bank. Guest: Matthew Doran, ABC's Middle East Correspondent Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

Has Russia’s war with Ukraine spread beyond both countries borders? From cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns to attacks on critical infrastructure, one of Poland's leading Russia analysts Marek Menkiszak argues that Moscow sees itself in a broader confrontation with what it calls the "collective West". Speaking with Geraldine Doogue, Menkiszak explains why Poland considers itself on the frontline, how Russia seeks to influence elections across Europe, and why countries like France, Germany and the UK matter so much to the Kremlin's strategy. He also discusses whether NATO's response has been strong enough, how Russia is using nuclear threats as psychological warfare, and why some European leaders believe Moscow will continue testing Western resolve until it faces much higher costs. If Russia already believes it's at war with the West, how should democracies respond without triggering a wider conflict? Guest: Marek Menkiszak, head of the Russian department at the Centre for Eastern Studies (OSW) in Warsaw. Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

In the wake of the attack on Independent MP Helen Haines, Geraldine Doogue and Latika Bourke revisit their interview on the violence aimed towards women in politics.  NOTE: This episode was initially broadcast on Thursday 13th of August A growing body of research suggests women in public life are facing a wave of online harassment that has been amplified by artificial intelligence, deepfakes and coordinated misinformation campaigns. In this episode of Global Roaming, Geraldine Doogue and Latika Bourke examine the implications for democracy.  If women are increasingly targeted with sexualised abuse, fake images and threats of violence, will fewer choose to enter public life? Australian journalist and academic Dr Julie Posetti, who led a landmark UN study on online violence against women in public life, explains how AI is changing the threat landscape and why research is drawing links between online abuse and real-world harm. Former NSW minister Bronnie Taylor reflects on her own experience of abuse in politics and why she fears the problem could deter women from putting their hands up for elected office. Could online misogyny be reshaping democracy itself? And what can governments, regulators and technology companies do about it? Guests: Dr Julie Posetti, journalist, academic and UN researcher Bronnie Taylor, former NSW Nationals minister and Women for Election advisory board member Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

Former Israeli PM Ehud Olmert weighs in on the upcoming election, and the killing of Australian aid worker Zomi Francom. With Israel heading to the polls on 27 October in what many say is the country's most consequential election in decades, Hamish Macdonald and Geraldine Doogue are joined by former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert – a longstanding and vocal critic of Benjamin Netanyahu – to unpack what’s at stake. Olmert argues the election will determine the character of Israeli democracy itself, and explores the possibility that a higher turnout among Arab-Israeli voters could deny Netanyahu the numbers to govern. He also addresses the killing of Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom in Gaza, saying those responsible should face court martial. Guest: Ehud Olmert, former Prime Minister of Israel  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.

Political tradition usually dictates that the midterm elections are bad news for the incumbent president. But when has Donald Trump ever been traditional? Despite returning to the White House promising lower prices, a stronger economy and fewer overseas conflicts, voters remain frustrated by inflation, rising fuel costs and an ongoing war with Iran. Will Democrats capitalise on the dissatisfaction? Former White House correspondent Josh Lederman joins Hamish Macdonald and Waleed Aly to explain why Democrats are suddenly competitive in deeply Republican states like Texas, Alaska and Kansas, why some Republican candidates are distancing themselves from Trump, and whether the polls can be trusted at all. They also examine the growing influence of the Democratic Party's progressive wing, the future of MAGA after Trump, and what happens if Republicans lose control of Congress. Guest: Josh Lederman, journalist, former White House correspondent Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

ABC Asia editor Karishma Vyas joins Geraldine Doogue and Hamish Macdonald to unpack a week of fast-moving stories across Asia.  In India, a youth protest movement – born after the the chief justice of India offhandedly called unemployed graduates “cockroaches and parasites” – has taken to the streets of New Delhi following the government's decision to strike 130 million names from the electoral roll, triggering a police crackdown, mass arrests and detention of the movement's leaders.    Meanwhile, in Laos, China has opened its first foreign air base, a former Vietnam War-era facility now repurposed with Beijing’s backing. Vietnam is watching the development closely given its own territorial disputes with China. Plus: the trial date is set for Simon Carman, the Australian man accused of murdering 17-year-old Tunchanok Donhomla in Pattaya, and what the case reveals about Pattaya’s sex tourism economy. Guest: Karishma Vyas, the ABC's Asia editor Recommendations: Karishma – NAZA documentary by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor Hamish – 2026 ABC Boyer Lecture Series Geraldine – David Brooks, author 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 2019, 19-year-old Zac Brettler fell from a riverside apartment balcony into the Thames. His death would reveal a massive dirty-money empire. Brettler's parents went looking for answers and learned their son had been living a lie, posing as the son of a Russian oligarch. Patrick Radden Keefe, Author of blockbuster books London Falling and Say Nothing, traces how one boy’s death opens onto a far bigger story: how London remade itself as a safe harbour for Russian and Gulf money. Keefe calls himself the skunk at the garden party, the outsider who names what locals keep hidden in plain sight Hamish Macdonald sits down with Keefe for a long, warm talk about money, grief, Instagram and why the truest stories hide where everyone can see them. Waleed Aly sets it up. Guest: Patrick Radden Keefe, Investigative journalist and author of London Falling & Say Nothing 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.

Gold is the ultimate rainy-day investment. So why are countries around the world shoring up their stockpiles? And what does it mean when the price of gold drops after reaching record highs? Geraldine Doogue and Latika Bourke are joined by Adrian Ash, the director of research at leading gold market BullionVault, to explain how China and Russia use gold to avoid sanctions, build wealth, and collect cultural capital. Plus, why are countries like France and the Netherlands moving their gold out of U.S. vaults back to their territory? And how did the world change when we moved away from the gold standard? Guest: Adrian Ash, director of research at BullionVault 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.

Wedged between Israel, Syria, Iraq and Saudi Arabia, Jordan has spent decades surviving crises that would have broken many states. It hosts millions of refugees, depends heavily on US support and now sits at the centre of the widening confrontation involving Iran, Israel and Washington. This year alone, Jordan is due to receive almost US$2 billion in American aid while also finding itself increasingly exposed to regional conflict. But according to political scientist Sean Yom, Jordan's greatest fear isn't Iran. It's the possibility that Israel moves to annex the West Bank, triggering a new wave of Palestinian displacement across the Jordan River. For a country where an estimated 50 to 65 per cent of citizens are of Palestinian origin, the consequences could be profound. Could the kingdom absorb another refugee influx? What happens if Donald Trump backs away from opposition to annexation? And why does King Abdullah believe Jordan's crisis could become the Middle East's crisis? Laura Tingle and Latika Bourke speak with Jordan specialist Sean Yom, Author of Jordan: Politics in an Accidental Crucible about the strategic pressure bearing down on one of Washington's most important Arab allies, and why Australia's visitors from Amman may have more urgent messages than ever before. Guest: Sean Yom, Author of Jordan: Politics in an Accidental Crucible and Professor of Political Science at Temple 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.

His father’s in jail for attempting a coup, but Flavio Bolsonaro currently stands as the likeliest candidate for president of Brazil after the first round of voting. But as Brazil’s continues to rely heavily on Chinese trade, could the Trump-aligned leader find himself caught between his ideological goals and Brazil’s economic needs? This week, Laura Tingle and Latika Bourke speak with Brazilian political analyst Thiago de Aragão about the shock result in Brazil’s first-round election, the deep polarisation of Brazil’s electorate, and why president Lula’s pitch did not resonate with voters as much as he had hoped. Plus, as the EU-Mercosur trade agreement builds steam, could Brazil’s future lie with Europe? Guest: Thiago de Aragão, Brazilian political analyst, director of Arko Advice consultancy Get in touch: If you'd like to attend the 2026 ABC Boyer Lectures in Sydney on October 14th, please email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Please note tickets are limited.

Paramount’s takeover of Warner Bros is done, handing David Ellison, son of Oracle billionaire Larry Ellison, control of CBS, CNN, HBO Max, Paramount Plus and more. Geraldine Doogue and Hamish Macdonald are joined by international correspondent Anna Fifield to unpack what it means that CBS is now run by Bari Weiss, a former New York Times writer with no television experience, and why insiders are already asking whether the network’s rightward tilt is coming for CNN next. Plus: New Zealand’s election campaign heads into its final weeks with both major parties polling at historic lows, and Anthony Albanese’s awkward moment at the Pacific pre-COP meeting in Tuvalu. Guest: Anna Fifield, Independent journalist and foreign affairs commentator. Author of the Between Giants Substack. Get in touch: If you'd like to attend the 2026 ABC Boyer Lectures in Sydney on October 14th, please email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Please note tickets are limited. Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

As long-held relationships between the US and traditional allies like Canada and the UK unravel, does Australia need to start eyeing the emergency exit?  Does Australia need a plan B? That was the topic at a major United States Studies Centre debate in Sydney held earlier this month between former department of Foreign Affairs secretary Peter Varghese and former Home Affairs secretary Mike Pezullo, hosted by Global Roaming's Geraldine Doogue. On today's episode of Global Roaming, Geraldine Doogue and Nick Bryant discuss the major arguments of the debate, the assumptions and myths underpinning the relationship between Australia and the US, and whether Australia might be more independent in its foreign policy than some detractors might have thought. Plus, what countries are the best candidates for Australia to forge closer relationships with? And how has the Australian-US relationship changed from Menzies and JFK to Trump and Albanese? Guests: Peter Varghese, former Secretary of the department of Foreign Affairs and Trade & Mike Pezullo, former secretary of the Department of Home Affairs. Get in touch: If you'd like to attend the 2026 ABC Boyer Lectures in Sydney on October 14th, please email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au Please note tickets are limited. Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

It's been called the largest mass abduction of children since World War II. Tens of thousands of Ukrainian children have been taken by Russia since the full-scale invasion began, and many have never returned. ABC Europe correspondent Kathryn Diss joins Geraldine Doogue and Latika Bourke to explain what investigators, lawyers and Ukrainian officials say is a systematic effort to separate children from their families, erase their Ukrainian identity and absorb them into Russia. Kathryn describes the underground network trying to bring children home, the obstacles facing rescue missions, and the obfuscation strategy employed by the Russian government. Guest: Kathryn Diss, ABC's Europe Correspondent Get in touch: If you'd like to attend the 2026 ABC Boyer Lectures in Sydney on October 14th, please email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

Three years after October 7, the Middle East that emerged from the attacks looks very different from the one that existed before them. In this special Global Roaming roundtable, Geraldine Doogue, Laura Tingle, Latika Bourke and Hamish Macdonald examine how the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023, and the war that followed have reshaped Israel, Palestine and the wider region. They discuss the trauma that still defines Israeli society, the unresolved questions around security failures on the day, and why many Israelis remain focused on accountability for what happened. The conversation also explores Gaza's future, the decline of Hamas's leadership, and whether new governance plans backed by regional and international actors could eventually create a path forward. Plus, the role of Iran, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey in a region whose balance of power is still shifting. 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.

Eight months into the war between Iran, Israel and the US, the Middle East's old order is being redrawn, while opportunities and pitfalls abound.  Geraldine Doogue and Nick Bryant ask Middle East scholar James Dorsey how Gulf states like Saudi Arabia and the UAE are navigating a world where the US is no longer a guaranteed protector, why the Houthis remain a potent force in Yemen, and why Dorsey believes a two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians may now be genuinely unworkable.  Plus: new sectarian unrest in Bahrain, the shrinking autonomy of Kurdish forces in Syria and Iraq, and what the UK's decision to send air refuelling support to Saudi Arabia signals about where the region is headed next. Guest: James Dorsey, scholar and author of the newsletter The Turbulent World 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.

China's ultra-rich have started quietly selling down stakes in their own companies ahead of a looming October 22 deadline that will close a decades-old tax loophole on offshore family trusts.  Geraldine Doogue and Nick Bryant ask International Intrigue's Jeremy Dicker what's driving Xi Jinping's push to tax China's wealthy under the banner of "common prosperity," and what a historic property crash and hundreds of billions in capital flight reveal about the health of the world's second-largest economy.  Plus: what this year's aviation awards reveal about the soft-power battle being waged in business class, and a cold war turns up the heat in South Korea after a landmine blast on the DMZ. Is North Korea to blame? Guest: Jeremy Dicker, managing editor, International Intrigue Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz looks weaker than ever, and the nation's far-right AfD is stronger than ever.  Europe's most important country looks to be heading into a period of deep political instability. The AfD has just won two state elections in eastern Germany, while the hard-left Die Linke has taken Berlin.  That leaves coalition talks in turmoil and raises fresh questions about whether Germany's long-standing political "firewall" against the far right can hold.  At the same time, Berlin is trying to lead Europe's rearmament, support Ukraine against Russia, and fill the gap left by a more reluctant United States. Tom Nuttall, The Economist's chief Germany correspondent and head of its Berlin bureau, joins Laura Tingle and Latika Bourke to explain how Germany reached this point.  We unpack the AfD's rise, its links to Russia, why Friedrich Merz has become so unpopular, and why growing numbers of voters are backing what Nuttall calls a "policy of rupture". Guest: Tom Nuttall, Chief Germany correspondent & head of the Berlin bureau - The Economist. 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.

Richard Walsh has spent decades publishing books. He thinks the physical book is surviving for a reason. As Radio National prepares to reveal Australia's Top 100 Books, Walsh joins Geraldine Doogue and Waleed Aly to explain why print continues to endure, even as reading habits decline and digital platforms dominate almost every other form of media. He argues that books offer a deeper reading experience than screens, helping readers remember, reason and engage with ideas in ways technology struggles to match. The conversation ranges from the changing economics of publishing to the rise of Amazon, book influencers, writers' festivals and book clubs. Walsh explains why individual book sales have fallen, why launching new authors has become harder, and why Australia remains one of the strongest book-reading nations in the world. Along the way, he reflects on some of the most influential books and authors he has worked with across a long career in Australian publishing. It's also a conversation about what books represent in a digital age. Are readers looking for authenticity? Why do physical books continue to matter? And what do we lose if reading moves entirely onto screens? Geraldine Doogue and Waleed Aly speak with veteran publisher Richard Walsh about the future of reading, publishing and the strange resilience of books. Guest: Richard Walsh, Australian publisher Mentioned: Radio National's Top 100 Australian books 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 world's leaders are heading home from UN General Assembly week, and Donald Trump gave them plenty to talk about: a threat to annihilate Iran, and a line about "the spoils" of victory that Foreign Policy editor-in-chief Ravi Agrawal says shocked him more. Agrawal argues Trump's coercive power may have peaked, with US munitions depleted by the Iran war, an unpopular presidency and midterms looming. So who fills the gap? He tells Geraldine Doogue and Latika Bourke he sees no clear successor, but he does see countries de-risking from Washington through new defence pacts and trade deals. He also warns that Ukraine faces a brutal winter as Russia scales up jet-powered drones. Plus: Israel's isolation ahead of its October election, and a surprising reason for hope. 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.

Four years after Kabul fell, hundreds of Afghans who worked for the Australian Defence Force, diplomats and NGOs are still waiting on promised visas, while facing lethal risk.  Waleed Aly and Hamish Macdonald speak to security consultant Dr Tony Murney and Azadi-e Zan's Susan Hutchinson, both of whom have spent years trying to get Australia's locally engaged employees to safety, about the human cost of a promise made by several successive governments and, they argue, broken by all of them. Plus, how Canada is leading the world in sponsoring refugees, and how Australia's current political climate is making it harder than ever to bring Australian allies home GUEST: Dr Tony Murney, security consultant & Susan Hutchinson, executive director of women's rights organisation Azadi-e Zan Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

A month after catastrophic floods and glacial collapse swept through Nepal, thousands are still missing and entire mountain communities have been wiped off the map. The Australian's Asia Pacific correspondent Amanda Hodge, just back from the disaster zone, tells Geraldine Doogue and Hamish Macdonald what she saw on the ground — including a shelter where 70 children have lost every member of their family — and unpacks the stark contrast between Nepal's response and Beijing's heavily censored silence. Plus: a story that's had almost no coverage in Australia — how Sri Lanka's High Court has just convicted 14 men over the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings, and why a former president now faces imminent arrest over explosive allegations regarding the attack.  Guest: Amanda Hodge, Asia Pacific correspondent, The Australian Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

Australian author Richard Flanagan joins Global Roaming to talk about his new essay collection Heresies.  He tells Hamish Macdonald and Waleed Aly why he thinks Elon Musk's takeover of Twitter echoes the public punishment of heretics in the Spanish Inquisition, why he believes Australia is a uniquely conformist nation unable to reckon with its colonial history, and the extraordinary story of a plan to build a Jewish homeland in the wilderness of southwest Tasmania. Plus: why Flanagan says hope, not despair, is the truly heretical position in 2026. Guest: Richard Flanagan, author of Heresies Vote in Radio National's Top 100 Australian books here 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.

China controls as much as 95–99% of the world's heavy rare earth processing. Your phone, your car, the wind turbines on the horizon, the F-35 fighter jet; all of them run on permanent magnets made from a handful of obscure elements, and nearly every gram of it passes through Chinese hands before it reaches the rest of the world.  Beijing didn't seize this position overnight. It's the result of three decades of Western capital and regulation walking away from an industry China chose to dominate.  Now, with export freezes already hitting Japan and rattling European car makers, analyst and author Tomasz Nadrowski explains how deep the West's dependency really runs and whether Australia's own rare earth deposits can help close the gap before it's too late. Guest: Tomasz Nadrowski, author of Mineral War: China's Quest for Weapons of Mineral Destruction.  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.

Argentina's President Javier Milei is suffering in the polls. The Falkland Islands may help with that. Javier Milei's radical style of leadership has earned him more than just the nickname 'El Loco', it's engendered a serious turnaround in Argentina's economy, slashing inflation down from triple digits.  However, with his approval rating dropping and an election approaching, Milei has returned to a long-standing issue to drum up some support - Argentina's claim to the Falkland Islands. Hamish Macdonald and Waleed Aly are joined by Constanza Sanhueza, a senior lecturer in comparative politics at ANU, on why exactly the issue of the Falklands (or Malvinas) resonates so strongly with the Argentinian people, and whether there's any bite behind the president's bark. Plus, will Trump back Argentina's claim in order to punish the UK over the Iran conflict? and why is Argentina struggling with such a persistent poverty rate despite their economic turnaround? Guest: Constanza Sanhueza, senior lecturer in comparative politics, ANU 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?  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

In this episode Hamish and Geraldine examine the strategic thinking behind AUKUS. If China has undertaken the most rapid military expansion of any country since WWII, how does the AUKUS pact factor into Beijing's thinking? And does a plan that ties us more closely to the United States make us more or less safe? GUESTS: Zhou Bo – Senior Colonel (Ret.) of China's People's Liberation Army, is Senior Fellow at the Center for International Security and Strategy, Tsinghua University.  Vice Admiral Mark Hammond - Chief of the Royal Australian Navy. Hugh Jeffrey - Deputy Secretary Strategy, Policy, and Industry, Department of Defence GET IN TOUCH:  We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

The plan for us to acquire nuclear submarines has been dubbed the 'Optimal Pathway', but achieving it will be no mean feat. In this episode we explore what the scheme involves, what the key challenges are to making it work, and we get some cold hard facts about what it is really going to cost us.  GUESTS: Jennifer Parker - expert associate at the national security college ANU, an adjunct fellow at UNSW, and associate fellow at the Council on Geostrategy. Vice Admiral Peter Jones - a retired senior officer in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), who served as the Chief Capability Development Group (CCDG) from 2011 until his retirement in October 2014. Vice Admiral Jonathan Mead - the inaugural Director-General of the Australian Submarine Agency. GET IN TOUCH:  We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

In a special mini-series, Geraldine Doogue and Hamish Macdonald get the answers to all your burning questions about AUKUS.  In this first episode, we investigate how AUKUS came about - who spoke to who, what the true motivation was for going nuclear and whether the total secrecy around the deal was justified.  GUESTS: Andrew Fowler - investigative journalist and author of Nuked: The Submarine Fiasco that Sank Australia’s Sovereignty (MUP), which won the 2024 Walkley Book Award. Scott Morrison - 30th Prime Minister of Australia, now Non-Executive Vice Chairman of the US-headquartered advisory and consulting firm American Global Strategies LLC and member of several advisory boards, including the DYNE Strategic Advisory Board. GET IN TOUCH:  We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

2024 has been an extraordinary year in terms of global affairs. And as we try to wind down, events internationally have been ramping up. Global Roaming's inaugural year has been packed, and we thank our audience for being so engaged. This episode we highlight some of those moments and look back at what an incredible year it's been around the world. GET IN TOUCH:  We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

A short bonus episode where Geraldine and Hamish discuss the shock fall of Damascus, and the rest of Syria, to opposition group Hayat Tahir al-Sham. The hardline Sunni Islamic group has its roots in Al Qaeda but has refined its image to be more moderate. With Syrian president Bashar al-Assad and family getting asylum in Russia, Syrians around the world are celebrating. But what happens next? RECOMMENDATIONS: Hamish: New Yorker: How Syria became the Middle East's drug dealer Geraldine:  Firas Maksad with the Middle East Institute GET IN TOUCH:  We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

When Hamish visited Finland he met up with Finland's Minister of Education Anders Adlercreutz - although unfortunately not in a sauna. But they do discuss the importance of saunas in keeping Finnish society egalitarian. And of course its focus on public education. Finland takes a holistic approach that gives teachers freedom and flexibility to teach multiple subjects together - a lesson might include maths, geography and art. Schools also focus on creativity, play and practical skills but don't test until the final years. And now the curriculum includes lessons on decoding fake news and assessing online sources for reliability. RECOMMENDATIONS: When Anders Adlercreutz’s cello performance of a patriotic Ukrainian song was widely shared it attracted backlash from Russian officials. GET IN TOUCH:  We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

Why is Germany in a bit of a funk? How did the superstar of Europe go so far off the rails - even the German trains aren't running on time. Germany is governed by a three party centre-left coalition that's in disarray, a snap election has been called for February, and polls show the main ruling SPD party is set to suffer a big loss. Meanwhile, the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) is the second most popular party. Tobias Cremer is a German member of the European Parliament and he’s with the SPD party. But he was only elected a few months back so still has several years in parliament, at least. Tobias also has an interesting background researching the relationship between religion, secularisation and the rise of right-wing identity politics throughout western societies. RECOMMENDATIONS: Geraldine:  The Granddaughter By Bernhard Schlink Hamish:  The Quiet German feature in The New Yorker  GET IN TOUCH:  We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

Last week New Zealand parliament went viral when MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke performed a haka and tore up a controversial bill. And this week tens of thousands of New Zealanders marched in protest, opposing the bill.  At the heart of the debate is the Treaty of Waitangi and a bill that seeks to reinterpret it, with some fearing it will dilute Maori rights.    Guest: Taiha Molyneux, Māori News Editor Radio New Zealand      RECOMMENDATIONS:  Hamish - Rear Vision episode on the Treaty of Waitangi and the podcast The Last Voyage of the Rainbow Warrior Geraldine - Fateful mix: Great powers, strongman leaders and manifest destinies, essay by Michael Wesley in Australian Foreign Affairs   GET IN TOUCH:  We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

Much has been going on around the world this year so climate and environment have taken a back seat. Now with the US electing a president who calls climate change a hoax, how will conversations and actions change globally? Perhaps there are opportunities for Australia as China increases its dominance.  Martijn Wilder joins us to discuss - and it's not all bad. Martijn founded Pollination, a climate change advisory and investment firm that's working to speed up the transition to net zero. But he's worked in climate law and policy for many years, advising governments and organisations.  RECOMMENDATIONS: Geraldine: Documentary film Martha on Netflix  Hamish:  The Jury: Death on the Staircase  directed by Tosca Looby on SBS on Demand GET IN TOUCH:  We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

Donald Trump has a mandate to do what he promised after winning easily. But how far will he actually go and how fast? And will he try to unite the country a little, as hinted at in his victory speech?  Jonathan Swan, who’s been covering Trump for close to a decade, warns that Trump's been emboldened to take more risk, and little stands in his way this time. Swan is a reporter for The New York Times covering national politics and the US government but known for his Emmy-award winning interview with Trump when he was president. RECOMMENDATIONS: Hamish:  The Great Global Rebalancing with Dr Samir Puri  - episode of War Studies podcast Geraldine: Noble Fragments: The maverick who broke up the world’s greatest book, by Michael Visontay GET IN TOUCH:  We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

An election on a knife-edge, and a nation seemingly on the brink. How do we make sense of this fever-pitched moment?  First a snapshot from USA Today political reporter Deborah Berry, who's been in Georgia a lot lately. Then we hear how strategist Rachel Bitecofer has advised the Democrats to beat the Republicans at their own game, with less focus on policies and more on  negative attacks. And we discuss the deluge of listener feedback to our Niall Ferguson episode.  RECOMMENDATIONS: Geraldine:  Don Waton's Quarterly Essay - High Noon Stopping the Steal documentary on SBS  Hamish: Elon Musk's Secret Conversation with Vladimir Putin GET IN TOUCH:  We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

Our friends at If You're Listening have a new series about the US presidential election that we want to tell you about.  Donald Trump still refuses to accept the result of the 2020 election. Now he’s on the ballot again, and in his campaign against Kamala Harris he’s calling on his supporters to make the race ‘too big to rig’. In America's Last Election, Matt Bevan leaves his basement and heads to the US, examining the chaotic aftermath of the 2020 election and what it means for the vote this November.  Find the latest episodes by searching for If You're Listening in the ABC listen app.

In this extended conversation with Geraldine and Hamish, renowned historian Sir Niall Ferguson warns that Donald Trump is not the biggest threat to American democracy. A bigger threat, he says, lies much closer to Australia... RECOMMENDATIONS: Geraldine: Niall Ferguson: The Treason of the Intellectuals article in The Free Press Hamish: The tragedy of a 50-50 America article in the Financial Times by Janan Ganesh GET IN TOUCH:  We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

Like it or not, we all have a stake when Americans head to the polls in November. So what would a Harris or Trump presidency mean for the global economy, conflicts in the Middle East and Europe, and an increasingly powerful China? Guest: Edward Luce - US national editor, Financial Times. RECOMMENDATIONS: Geraldine: Secret Documents Show Hamas Tried to Persuade Iran to Join Its Oct. 7 Attack by Ronen Bergman in The New York Times Hamish: The World from Down Under by George Negus. GET IN TOUCH:  We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

In the final instalment of our New Frontlines mini-series, we look at the ideological fault-lines that are dividing countries from within. Identity, values and fears are being weaponised by those on the political extremes, and it's working.  Guest: Margaritis Schinas - the European Commission vice president for Promoting our European Way of Life. RECOMMENDATIONS: Geraldine: Europe Takes a Trumpian Turn by Hans Kundnani in Foreign Affairs Magazine Hamish: Kosciuszko: The incredible life of the man behind the mountain by Anthony Sharwood GET IN TOUCH:  We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

Iran talks a big game, but in the last two weeks Israel has dealt some serious blows to the ‘axis of resistance’, while Tehran has done little to deter Netanyahu from going even further. Is the balance of power in the Middle East swinging away from Iran and towards Israel? Or is there more going on inside Iran than meets the eye? Guests:  Ali Ansari - Professor of Iranian History & Founding Director of the Institute for Iranian Studies at the University of St Andrews  David Hale - Global Fellow, Wilson Center; Former Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs; Former Ambassador to Pakistan, Lebanon, and Jordan. RECOMMENDATIONS: Geraldine: Kaos, series on Netflix Raf:  English teacher, series on Disney + VOTE FOR US: Love the pod? Vote for us in the Australian Podcast Awards here: Voting - Australian Podcast Awards GET IN TOUCH:  We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

Exploding pagers, attacks on underwater gas pipelines and deepfake videos - we’ve entered a terrifying new realm of hybrid warfare, where the aim is to sow discord deep within our democracies. But how do you fight a war that isn’t really a war, against an invisible enemy? We visit a centre in Finland where they are urgently trying to find the answers to that question.   Teija Tiilikainen - Director of the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats.  Elina Valtonen - Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland  RECOMMENDATIONS: Geraldine: Ezra Klein podcast with David Remnick: Israel vs. Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran — and Itself Hamish: We have changed, says Indonesia’s Jemaah Islamiah leader Para Wijayanto by Amanda Hodge in The Australian VOTE FOR US: Love the pod? Vote for us in the Australian Podcast Awards here: Voting - Australian Podcast Awards GET IN TOUCH:  We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

As the war in Ukraine spills into Poland, Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski makes an impassioned call to countries around the world to wake up to what he sees as Putin's true imperialist intentions.  RECOMMENDATIONS: Geraldine: America’s Role in the World Is Hard. It Just Got Much Harder. Thomas Friedman in The New York Times. Hamish: Take Me To Your Leader Season 3: Dictators & Demagogues on ABC Listen App. VOTE FOR US: Love the pod? Vote for us in the Australian Podcast Awards here: Voting - Australian Podcast Awards GET IN TOUCH:  We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

We kick off this Global Roaming mini-series by looking at the ways wars will be fought in the future. From drones to electronic warfare and even social media, war today looks completely different to what it did even a decade ago. Russia’s war on Ukraine is providing a breeding ground for testing and innovation of new weapons, but are we in Australia prepared for any of this? Do we need to be?    Guest: Dr Jack Watling - Senior Research Fellow for Land Warfare at the Royal United Services Institute. His 2023 book is The Arms of the Future: Technology and Close Combat in the Twenty-First Century  RECOMMENDATIONS: Geraldine: A Trump loss could stabilise US politics for a generation by Janan Ganesh, Financial Times Hamish: ‘Whatever Happens in the Sauna Stays in the Sauna’: Diplomacy, Conducted in the Nude By Alison Krueger, The New York Times VOTE FOR US: Love the pod? Vote for us in the Australian Podcast Awards here: Voting - Australian Podcast Awards GET IN TOUCH:  We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

Sure, we have great beaches, but when it comes to forging strong economic and security ties, does Australia leave something to be desired? Guest: Dr Kyung-wha Kang – President and CEO of the Asia Society; South Korea’s 38th Minister of Foreign Affairs (2017 to 2021) under President Moon Jae-in  RECOMMENDATIONS: Geraldine: Kiss the Future documentary - SBS On Demand Hamish: Zhou Enlai: A Life - review in London Review of Books VOTE FOR US: Love the pod? Vote for us in the Australian Podcast Awards here: Voting - Australian Podcast Awards GET IN TOUCH:  We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

With 40 million eligible Gen Z voters, the tight US presidential race has become a battle for followers, likes and shares on social media. But will this actually translate to votes in November?  GUEST: Katie Harbath - founder and CEO of technology policy firm Anchor Change; Former Facebook Public Policy Director for global elections  RECOMMENDATIONS: Geraldine: The Born in the USA fallacy - The New Statesman  Hamish: This wasn't 't the social media election everyone expected - BBC VOTE FOR US: Love the pod? Vote for us in the Australian Podcast Awards here: Voting - Australian Podcast Awards GET IN TOUCH:  We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

With the rest of the world swinging left and right, how do we make the progressive centre of politics more attractive, and its proponents sound less like 'pious schoolteachers'? Rory Stewart thinks Australia may hold the key... GUEST: Rory Stewart is the co-presenter of the hit podcast The Rest is Politics. He served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Penrith and The Border between 2010 and 2019, representing the Conservative Party.  Rory is coming out to Australia at the end of October to discuss his political memoir Politics on the Edge. RECOMMENDATIONS: Geraldine: BBC podcast The Long History Of... Ignorance Hamish: ABC Rear Vision The Kamala Harris Story GET IN TOUCH:  We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

At the eleventh hour, journalist Masha Gessen has been granted a visa to enter Australia, but why are they considered so dangerous?  Guest: Masha Gessen - Russian-American journalist and author. Masha is due to appear at The Edge, Fed Square in Melbourne for the Wheeler Centre (21 August) and at Carriageworks in Sydney, as part of the Festival of Dangerous Ideas (24-25 August). KEEP AN EYE OUT: Our main episode will drop Friday, with special guest Rory Stewart, co-host of The Rest Is Politics podcast.

In a sign of our deepening strategic ties, Australia will play host to more frequent US military deployments across air, land, and maritime domains. At the same time, an updated AUKUS agreement provides a 'get-out' clause for the US and the UK. Former prime minister Paul Keating has raised his concerns, but he's not alone is asking: Is Australia getting the short end of the stick?  Guest: David E. Sanger is chief Washington correspondent for The New York Times and the author, most recently of New Cold Wars: China's Rise, Russia's Invasion, and America's Struggle to Defend the West. Recommendations: Geraldine - When Keating went to war with the White House  Australian Financial Review article by James Curran.  Hamish - The Places in Between by Rory Stewart. Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

The sudden departure of Sheikh Hasina after weeks of student protests sparked jubilant celebrations, which stretched all the way to Australia. It’s paved the way for a new interim government led by Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus, who is heralding this as a 'second liberation' for Bangladesh. Guests:  Dr Mubashar Hasan - Bangladesh born academic and social justice activist. Post Doctoral Researcher at the University of Oslo, Norway and an adjunct research fellow at Humanitarian and Development Research Initiatives, Western Sydney University.      Associate Professor C. Christine Fair - Professor in the Security Studies Program within Georgetown University’s Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service.  Recommendations: Geraldine: Lies, Politics and Democracy on SBS on Demand Hamish: Bangladesh has achieved its second liberation, says Muhammad Yunus, The Economist Bonus episode: Hamish speaks to Gov. Tim Walz Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

Kamala Harris has chosen Minnesota governor Tim Walz as her running mate, but who is he? It turns out he was actually in Australia last November for a trade mission and he spoke remarkably openly with Hamish Macdonald.  GET IN TOUCH: Love this bonus discussion? Have your own thoughts on Gov. Tim Walz that you need to share? We're listening! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

In the wake of two major assassinations of a Hezbollah commander in Beirut and a Hamas leader in Tehran, both at least ostensibly by Israel, former Mossad director Efraim Halevy issues a surprisingly critical assessment of Israel’s strategy for the broader Middle East. Plus, former US Ambassador to Lebanon David Hale gives some much-needed context on Hezbollah’s engagement in the conflict, and what diplomacy might achieve, should cooler heads prevail. Recommendations: Hamish: Caledonian Road by Andrew O'Hagan Geraldine: The Lammy Doctrine by Jason Cowley in The New Statesman VOTE FOR US: We've been announced as a finalist in the Radio Today Australia/NZ podcast awards! You can vote for us here. Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

There's been a whole lotta love for Kamala, particularly on social media this week. But is she really a better candidate than Biden? What are her economic; her foreign policy credentials? Does she have what it takes to beat Trump? Geraldine and Hamish have thoughts...  GET IN TOUCH: Love this bonus discussion? Have your own thoughts on Kamala that you need to share? We're listening! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

Turn on the news and you are confronted with the fact that the United States, and US-led systems, are not what they once were. Kishore Mahbubani argues that the West has lost its shine and that Australia should be looking to its Asian neighbours for a stronger future. But is this really the Asian century?  Guest: Kishore Mahbubani, Singaporean Diplomat and former president of the UN Security Council.  Recommendations:  Geraldine: Biden, Trump, and Washington's Wishful Thinking - A conversation with Ben Rhodes, Foreign Affairs  Hamish: Measuring the power of the Global South - Kishore Mahbubani, Chatham House  Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

What could another Trump Presidency mean for the world order?

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

Where have all the centrists gone? And how have the far-right taken hold of politics in the west?

Do you ever want to hide from the headlines? With 1 in 4 people now saying they are worn out by the news and many turning to a fragmented social media news landscape for their information we explore what's gone wrong in recent years, and what we might do about it.  Guests: Marty Baron: American Journalist, Editor of The Washington Post 2012 to 2021 and author of a new memoir called Collision of Power.  Recommendations: Geraldine: The Bright Side with Sabra Lane on ABC Listen Hamish:  All the Presidents Men, book by Woodward and Bernstein  Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

You know things aren't good when Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un sign a mutual defence pact... could it be that a powerful new anti-western axis is emerging between Russia, China, North Korea and Iran? Plus, we get an insight into how Ukrainians feel about being caught in this geopolitical quagmire.  Guests: Alisa Sopova - Ukrainian journalist and anthropologist. Sir Lawrence Freedman - Emeritus Professor of War Studies at King's College London. Recommendations: Geraldine: We’re in 1938 now: Putin’s war in Ukraine and lessons from history - Patrick Wintour in the Guardian. Hamish: Premier Li Qiang’s visit has Malaysia wanting more from China pivot - Financial Times. Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

​The high-profile visit by Chinese Premier Li Qiang signals warming relations between Canberra and Beijing, but could it be indicative of deeper economic and political anxieties in China? What is it, really, that China wants from us?  Guest: Richard McGregor - former Beijing bureau chief for the Financial Times, author of Xi Jinping: The Backlash and Senior Fellow for East Asia at the Lowy Institute. Recommendations: Geraldine - reading: We’re in 1938 now’: Putin’s war in Ukraine and lessons from history article by Patrick Wintour Hamish - reading: The Hollow Crown: Shakespeare on How Leaders Rise, Rule, and Fall book by Eliot Cohen You can also listen to Hamish's interview with Eliot Cohen and Fintan O'Toole on the Big Weekend of Books on the ABC Listen App  Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

In India, Mexico and South Africa, frustrations and hopes have been borne out at polling booths, with extraordinary results. Geraldine and Hamish take an in depth look at South Africa, which is about to enter an exciting new phase both at home and abroad. Guests: Lynsey Chutel - reporter for The New York Times based in Johannesburg.  Melanie Verwoerd - former Member of Parliament for the ANC, the former Ambassador to Ireland, and the former Director of UNICEF- Ireland.  Recommendations: Geraldine - watching: A Life in Ten Pictures Season 2 - Nelson Mandela on ABC iView Reading: Winnie and Nelson: Portrait of a Marriage book by Jonny Steinberg Hamish - watching: Ladysmith Black Mambazo - Nkosi Sikelela (Live At Montreux 1989) on Youtube Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

One week into the UK election campaign and to say things have been unexpected is an understatement. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has come out firing, announcing a controversial national service scheme that caused Gen Z to have a meltdown. But is it enough to close the gap between the Tories and Labour, led by Sir Keir Starmer?  Guest: Krishnan Guru-Murthy - one of the main anchors of Channel 4 News. He also fronts the podcast Ways to Change the World and reports for the foreign affairs series Unreported World.  Recommendations: Hamish - reading: The Forever War: America’s Unending Conflict with Itself book by Nick Bryant Geraldine - reading: In death as in life, Yael Dayan is an inconvenient Israeli by Noah Efron Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

Well, it's happened. Donald Trump is a convicted felon. In this bonus episode, former Republican speechwriter David Frum reacts to the historic verdict and discusses whether Trump has any hope now of being re-elected. Guest: David Frum - staff writer at The Atlantic and the author of 10 books, most recently Trumpocracy (2018) and Trumpocalypse (2020). In 2001 and 2002, David was a speechwriter for President George W. Bush.  You can read his latest on the Trump verdict here.

The International Criminal Court is considering whether to issue an arrest warrant against Benjamin Netanyahu - the first time in history such a move has been made against a pro-Western leader. It's sparked a mixed reaction, internationally, but it's unclear whether Israeli or Hamas leaders will ever be held accountable for potential war crimes. It's also unclear what impact, if any, this development will have on the ongoing conflict and humanitarian crisis in Gaza.  Guest: Julian Borger - World Affairs Editor at The Guardian; author of The Butcher's Trail and I Seek A Kind Person. Recommendations: Geraldine: Reading - Friendly Fire: How Israel Became Its Own Worst Enemy and the Hope for Its Future book by Ami Ayalon Hamish: Reading - Netanyahu and Khamenei find themselves in a tightening vice article in the Financial Times by Kim Ghattas  Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

Treasurer Jim Chalmers touched a nerve when he suggested Australians should start having more kids, but does he actually have a point? Fertility rates are falling dramatically across the world and it's stoking all sorts of fears.   Guest: Dr Jennifer Sciubba - one of the foremost experts in the field of political demography & the author of 8 Billion and Counting: How Sex, Death, and Migration Shape Our World Recommendations: Geraldine: Reading - You can’t even pay people to have more kids by Anna North, Vox. Hamish: Reading - China's high stakes struggle to avoid demographics disaster by The Economist.  Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

Some Europeans certainly think so, with polls predicting a swing to the hard-right in upcoming EU elections. So, what would a more conservative Europe mean for us?  Geraldine and Hamish travelled to Canberra to ask the EU Ambassador to Australia in person, and to find out whether a free trade deal between the EU and Australia really is dead.  Guest: His Excellency Mr. Gabriele Visentin, the EU Ambassador to Australia.  Recommendations: Hamish: Watching - The 2022 Schuman Lecture: Strengthening Relationships in Challenging Times Geraldine: Watching - Freud's Last Session (2023 drama film) Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

Australia is buddying up to India and Modi as a counter-weight to China, but what kind of country - and leader - are we really befriending? Guests: Avani Dias - ABC's South Asia Bureau Chief. Ravi Agrawal - editor in chief of Foreign Policy and host of the podcast and video channel FP Live. Recommendations: Hamish: Listening - Looking For Modi ABC News podcast Geraldine: Listening - India is transforming. But into what? episode of the Ezra Klein podcast. Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

Not only has the war of words between Prime Minister Albanese and Elon Musk grabbed global headlines, its prompted debates about whether the unelected leaders of multinational tech companies have more power than democratically elected leaders. Tech governance expert Dr Alexis Wichowski says other world leaders will be watching how this plays out, closely. Guest: Dr Alexis Wichowski – Professor at Columbia University and author of The Information Trade: How Tech Companies Act Like Countries Recommendations: Geraldine - reading/watching: Salman Rushdie’s memoir is horrific, upsetting – and a masterpiece by Erica Wagner / Salman Rushdie interview ABC 7:30 Hamish - reading/listening: What I Saw Working at The National Enquirer During Donald Trump’s Rise by Lachlan Cartwright in the New York Times and on 'The Daily' podcast.  Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

As the first ever criminal trial of a former US president gets underway in New York, we speak to ‘The Mooch’ - Anthony Scaramucci – who famously served as White House Communications Director in the Trump Administration for 11 days. He now warns that Donald Trump is a ‘lunatic’ and that a second Trump term would be disastrous for America, and the world.   Guest: Anthony Scaramucci - American financier who served as the White House Director of Communications from July 21 to July 31, 2017. He has a new book coming out: “From Wall Street to the White House and Back: The Scaramucci Guide to Unbreakable Resilience”.  Recommendations: Geraldine - reading: Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs Tim Watts' response to The Economist calling the flat white "Australia's greatest culinary export"  Hamish - watching: The Rise and Fall of Boris Johnson on ABC iview Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

Foreign Minister Penny Wong has hinted that Australia might recognise Palestinian statehood. It's a significant move, politically, but will it have any impact on what's happening on the ground in Gaza? Hamish and Geraldine sit down with Tirana Hassan, the Australian who has just become head of Human Rights Watch, to discuss this, and whether we'll ever see Nuremberg-style justice for the war crimes being perpetrated around the world today. Guest: Tirana Hassan - Executive Director, Human Rights Watch Note: The Israeli Embassy has been contacted for comment. Recommendations: Geraldine - watching: The Cold War of Spies, docuseries on SBS on Demand Hamish - reading: Tonnes of food is stuck on Gaza’s border while the enclave nears famine FT Visual Story Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

It's worrying when one of Europe's most influential leaders says that the world is in a 'pre-war state', similar to 1939. But just how worried should we be, here in Australia? Ian Bremmer gives us his frank assessment of where things stand and reveals why Australia might just be a geopolitical haven.  Guest: Ian Bremmer - president of political risk consultancy Eurasia Group and author of 11 books on global affairs.  Recommendations: Geraldine - watching: The American Führer documentary on SBS on Demand Hamish - listening: Dark Shining Moment podcast by Ranieri & Co Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

In the absence of decisive US leadership, it could fall to Middle Eastern leaders to push for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and create sustainable pathways to peace. A stable, post-American regional order is in the interests of most Middle Eastern powers, but does anyone have the political will to take the lead? Guest: Dr Sanam Vakil - director of the Middle East and North Africa programme, Chatham House. Recommendations: Geraldine - Reading: 10 books to help you understand Israel and Palestine, recommended by experts (The Conversation) Hamish - Reading: Royal Bodies, essay by Hilary Mantel (London Review of Books) Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

When it comes to Chinese politics, reading the tea leaves is never easy. In this episode Hamish and Geraldine are joined by Rana Mitter, the man dubbed the 'rockstar' of China studies by former PM Kevin Rudd, to break open the black box of the Politburo and reveal just how stable (or unstable) Xi Jinping's leadership is, given the economic and demographic headwinds that China is facing. Guest: Rana Mitter - ST Lee Chair in US-Asia Relations at the Harvard Kennedy School. Recommendations: Rana - Listening: Face-Off: US vs China podcast, dropping on April 9. Hamish - Reading: Restless Empire: China and the World Since 1750 by Odd Arne Westad Geraldine - Watching: Turning Point: The Bomb and the Cold War docuseries on Netflix Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

A new global arms race is on, to develop and control AI. But with so much power and profit tied up in this transformative new technology, is it in anyone's interest to ask where this new age of empire might lead? AI expert Anu Bradford says if we don't put proper guardrails in place soon, the consequences could be dire.  Guest: Anu Bradford - Professor at Columbia Law School and author of Digital Empires: The Global Battle to Regulate Technology. Recommendations: Hamish: The Age of AI Has Begun by Bill Gates and 'Way too much news': US conservatives face a fragmented media map - Financial Times Geraldine: Israel Must Decide Where It’s Going—and Who Should Lead It There - Ehud Barak in Foreign Affairs Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

As a resistance fighter turned statesman, Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão has devoted his life to the struggle for Timorese independence. On the sidelines of the ASEAN-Australia summit, he opened up to Geraldine and Hamish about why he is such a staunch advocate for processing the gas from the Greater Sunrise project onshore in Timor-Leste and what his dreams are for his country.

Sitting down with Geraldine and Hamish on the sidelines of the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim revealed his desire for Australia to adopt a more 'mature' approach on China, his frustration at Western 'hypocrisy' concerning Gaza, achieving 'spiritual enlightenment' through Shakespeare and why being Prime Minister is no 'bed of roses'.  Recommendations: Past episodes of Global Roaming

Big decisions are being made about the future of Australian defence, with very little public debate. Highly esteemed defence strategist Hugh White is trying to inspire this national conversation. He joins Geraldine and Hamish to discuss why he thinks AUKUS is a mistake and what he thinks Australia needs to do instead, if we really want to secure ourselves in a rapidly contested region. Recommendations: Geraldine: Navalny - documentary. Available on SBS On Demand until 20 April 2024 Hamish: Essay by Hervé Lemahieu in Australian Foreign Affairs journal (AFA20 - February 2024), proposing that Australia pursue a common travel area and an integrated digital market with the Pacific.

Financial Times journalist Gideon Rachman says the world order is fundamentally shifting, and not in a good way. Recommendations:  Hamish: In the Time of Madness – Richard Lloyd Parry (Book)  Geraldine: Lunch with Prabowo, by Ben Bland at the Financial Times  Nemesis, Series 1 Episode 3 The Morrison Years, ABC

What might this upcoming election mean for the Indonesia - Australia relationship?  Recommendations: Hamish: Sarah Snook on The Today Programme – BBC Radio 4 Geraldine: A Year Of Living Dangerously – Book by Christopher Koch

Following the death of three Americans, pressure is growing on President Biden to take a stronger stance against Iran. Few, however, are asking what the mood is inside Iran, and who is pulling the strings? Iran scholar Ali Ansari argues that understanding this is imperative in determining what should come next.  Recommendations:  Hamish: Tom Friedman - A Titanic Geopolitical Struggle is Underway - New York Times. Geraldine: A Separation - Film available Apple TV Reading Lolita in Tehran - Book by Azar Nafisi

With the Israel-Gaza war spilling into the broader Middle East and a US election looming that could see the re-election of Donald Trump as president, the start of 2024 feels incredibly volatile. Geraldine and Hamish ask former US national security advisor John Bolton where he sees the situation heading, and how the US and its allies should respond.  Recommendations: Hamish: Ghost of Beirut - television series Geraldine: Anthony Blinken playing the guitar - YouTube

A war breaks out, a leader emerges, a revolution unfolds. How did it happen, and what are the implications for you? Two award-winning journalists with decades of experience reporting on major world events, Geraldine Doogue and Hamish Macdonald join forces for a fresh conversation about global news and how to make sense of it.

Historian Lord Andrew Roberts, biographer of Churchill and Napoleon, sits down with Geraldine Doogue fresh from visiting the site of the Bondi Beach massacre, a visit he links directly to his work chairing the 7 October Parliamentary Commission Report, produced by the UK-Israel All-Party Parliamentary Group.  He argues antisemitism's fastest growth is coming from elite universities, traces a "bridgehead" from fringe to mainstream politics in the UK and Europe, and gives his read on Trump's Iran gamble, Taiwan, and whether the postwar order can hold.  Guest: Lord Andrew Roberts 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. Editor's note: In this episode Lord Andrew Roberts incorrectly refers to the Rape of Nanjing taking place in 1934 and 1935. The correct dates are 1937 and 1938.

Tech giants from OpenAI, Anthropic, and X have all warned in the same week that AI could threaten humanity itself, as former employees go public with their concerns.   Geraldine Doogue and Hamish Macdonald ask foreign correspondent Anna Fifield if calls for regulation are credible, and if Donald Trump is even listening.   Plus, how does China feel about AI? Models like DeepSeek have grabbed media attention, but internal voices have been raising concerns that widespread AI use could undermine the party line.   Meanwhile, China and the U.S. vie for allies in the Pacific islands. Can America be taken seriously as a diplomatic force when they haven't had a resident ambassador in a Pacific island nation for over a decade?   And Russians have gone to the polls for the first parliamentary elections since the beginning of the Ukraine invasion. It doesn't take a fortune teller to predict that Putin's Russia United party would be successful, but is his political grip beginning to slip?   Guest: Anna Fifield, Independent journalist and foreign affairs commentator. Author of the Between Giants Substack. 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 The Alliance mini-series drew a flood of listener mail, Hamish McDonald and Geraldine Doogue open the mailbag and bring in Guardian Australia's Ben Doherty to answer the hardest question listeners asked: how much control does Australia actually have over the US military presence on its own soil? Doherty's investigation found the US has access to roughly 110 of Australia's 150 defence installations, including Pine Gap, permanently commanded by a US soldier, and bases used by nuclear-capable bombers. From 2032, we could also see nuclear-armed submarines through HMAS Stirling in Perth. Doherty reveals that, under the US policy of "strategic ambiguity," Washington won't say whether nuclear weapons are on board, and Canberra wont ask. Plus, what are the "shared values" our alliance is based upon and what are the alternatives? Guest: Ben Doherty, senior reporter with Guardian Australia. You can read Ben's full investigation here.   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.

Nine years after Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia was killed by a car bomb, the businessman accused of arranging her assassination has walked free.  A jury acquitted Yorgen Fenech of complicity and criminal association by an 8–1 vote, despite his own admission that he paid €50,000 to the middleman who recruited her killers and passed him confidential police information.  Geraldine Doogue and Latika Bourke speak to Daphne's sister, Corinne Vella, about the verdict she calls "shocking," the political web the case exposed, reaching Malta's former prime ministerial chief of staff and energy minister, and why she believes prosecutors' promised appeal is the family's last real shot at justice. Guest: Corinne Vella, sister of Daphne Caruana Galizia 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.