Global Roaming with Geraldine Doogue and Hamish Macdonald

The former President of Myanmar seems to have disappeared inside the country's prison system. Now her son has an impassioned plea, demanding 'proof' of life. Kim Aris, the son of detained Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, has not heard from his mother since 2023. Kim contests the international media's narrative that his mother betrayed the Rohingya so she could keep the military junta on side.Recently in Australia, he has launched a global fitness and solidarity campaign called the 81 for 81 challenge. It's part of the growing international demand for Myanmar to provide 'proof of life' that the Nobel Peace Prize laureate is still alive.Guest Kim Aris, son of Aung San Suu KyiGet in touch:We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.auFind all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts. 

As the world's attention shifts to the Strait of Hormuz, a group of Palestinian human rights organisations have filed an application against Australia's Minister for Defence, Richard Marles. They say the government isn't being transparent about Australia's arms exports to Israel, and are asking for the release of documents related to potential sales. Defence denies the supply of Australian weapons or ammunition to Israel. Palestinian human rights lawyer, Ahmed Abofoul, was born and raised in Gaza. He spoke to Kylie Morris and Latika Bourke while he was in Australia with human rights organisation, Al-Haq, about leaving Gaza for The Hague; and what the legal application could achieve. Guest: Ahmed Abofoul, human rights lawyer and researcher with Al-HaqGet in touch:We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.auFind all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has to call an election before October 27. But as war with Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon drags on, his popularity is tanking. Even US President Donald Trump has reportedly called him "effing crazy" over his aggressive military stance.Israeli journalist and commentator Nadav Eyal joins Geraldine Doogue and Latika Bourke to talk about the domestic storm leading up to the "Fifty Shades of Right Wing" election; whether Netanyahu's two challengers, Naftali Bennett and Gadi Eisenkot, can dethrone him; and what it means for the future of the US relationship. Guests: Nadav Eyal, journalist and senior scholar at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs.Get in touch:We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.auFind all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts. 

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? This episode originally broadcast on December 20, 2024 as part of our 6-part AUKUS Investigated series 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 PeaceMalcolm 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

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 CanadaGet in touch:We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.auFind all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode originally aired on January 28, 2026

In the 'deal of the century', Australia was supposed to acquire a brand new, top of the range nuclear submarine. In the navy, they are known as  the APEX predators of the sea, the 'optimal' defence machine. But this week the AUKUS submarine deal was downgraded or ‘streamlined'. Now, instead of receiving a brand new, top of the range nuclear submarine, we are getting  three second-hand Virginia class submarines.But will these  submarines be fit for purpose in a decade? In this episode, Geraldine and Hamish talk to two of Australia's most prominent submarine experts to find out more about the Virginia class submarines and whether we've been sold a dud deal.Guests: Retired Rear Admiral Peter Briggs AO and Jennifer Parker, Principal and Founder of Barrier Strategic AdvisoryProducers: Kylie Grey and Cheyne Anderson

Changes to the AUKUS deal that mean Australia only gets second hand submarines from the Americans have prompted some wobbles this side of the Pacific. But the architect of the $370 billion deal told Global Roaming the deal is a dynamic one, and he has no regrets.

Moves by President Erdogan to arrest and imprison two of his key political rivals have prompted warnings that Türkiye is sliding into authoritarianism.  There are fears he may change the constitution next to stay in power.

President Donald Trump is throwing himself an 80th birthday to remember. Cage fighting on the White House lawns, organised by his best mate, and UFC CEO, Dana White. It's a spectacle the President's backers hope will resonate with young men, once his biggest fans, but whose support for him is cratering.

To mark the end of our popular 'Indonesia Rising' series, a special episode sharing your feedback and questions.Hamish Macdonald and Geraldine Doogue reflect on your thoughts about economic opportunity, big ideas for the future, and concerns over diplomatic blind spots. Oh, and there are some beautiful personal stories along the way.

What actually is foreign news in 2026, when stories of the world's pain and joy are accessible in the click of a button? And who can we trust to tell it? Recorded live at the Sydney Writers' Festival, Hamish and Geraldine talk to two veteran foreign reporters, about their careers and how to tell honest human stories in a world jam-packed with information. 

Getting a journalist visa for Iran is not an easy feat at the best of times, and this is not the best of times.ABC Asia editor Karishma Vyas talks to Kylie and Latika from Tehran, where she's had a glimpse of how the capital is operating in wartime, the control still exercised by the authorities, and the level of need felt by everyday citizens.

At a leading European security and policy conference in Prague, Latika buttonholes one of Australia's top political scientists to interrogate an unusually upbeat, even optimistic, mood.Is it that Europe's leaders are getting used to dealing with Donald Trump?  Or could it be Ukraine fending off the Russians, with increasing success?  The answer is worth a listen.

On the frontline with Russia, Poland is now spending a massive $90 billion on defence, bolstered by a loan from the EU and multinational forces from Europe and the US stationed in the country. In Warsaw, the view is that the only way to stop Russia is deterrence.Meanwhile, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has condemned what he calls the disintegration of NATO from within, declaring the greatest threat is not its external enemies. 

On this episode of Global Roaming's 'Indonesia Rising' series, Hamish Macdonald is granted a rare glimpse into how diplomacy is done in 2026 by Australia's Ambassador to Indonesia, Rod Brazier.Gone are the days of formal emails and deals done behind gated walls. Ambassador Brazier uses social media and a 'street style' diplomacy that is winning Indonesian hearts,  minds and crucially access.  Beyond Bali and beaches, Ambassador Brazier puts the case that now is the time for Australians to embrace our neighbour, and pursue a true partnership. 

AUKUS has a confidence problem. In a bid to reassure industry over the slow pace of AUKUS, the Australian and US governments are set to announce future collaborations under Pillar Two of the deal, with unmanned underwater vehicles top of the list.  But industry aside, what about the heavy lifting to be done in building public confidence? 

Is the unthinkable becoming possible? For the first time in two years, Ukrainian forces have regained more territory than was lost to Russia. Armed with locally made drones, and missiles, Ukraine has hit targets in Moscow, and is damaging Russian morale. Its campaign against military manufacturing has proven effective. Russia's spring campaign has failed to meet its objectives, and suddenly after five years of war, victory no longer feels inevitable.

The latest outbreak of Ebola in the Congo is the kind of crisis we most hear about when Africa rates a mention on our televisions, or in our feeds. But there is a lot of change, and an immense complexity across that great continent, that escapes attention. Prompted by a listener's feedback, this episode Geraldine and Latika ask how Africa will power the massive growth required by a population set to double in the next 30 years... 

High stakes political chaos is unfolding in the Philippines with a missing Senator, an ex-President in the Hague, and bitter, duelling family dynasties.The drama is happening as a trial gets underway in the Philippines to impeach Philippine Vice President, Sara Duterte, the daughter of Rodrigo Duterte who is currently in the Hague being tried for crimes against humanity.With one camp pro-China and the other US and whispers of secession in the South growing louder there is a much at stake in Philippines Game of Thrones.

Indonesia's 'WHOOSH' train does exactly that.  The high speed link from Jakarta to Bandung used to take three to four hours, now it's a 35 minute journey, peaking at speeds of 350 km/hour.It's a remarkable piece of high tech infrastructure, but it's also been the subject of corruption investigations and questions over debt to China.

Challenging, thoughtful and fun — a user's guide to what the world is talking about.

Going into the summit in Beijing between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, the narrative from China is that President Trump is weak and distracted. Beijing sees the Iran war, and mid term elections on the horizon as weaknesses for President Trump, who last month postponed his planned meeting with President Xi on account of the war. President Trump arrives with his own agenda, with trade, tech and Taiwan high on the list.

In this over-stimulated moment in international affairs, observers have set a low bar for success for the summit this week scheduled between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping.A lack of fireworks would be nice, they say.  In the Asia Pacific, there's hope for a summit where President Trump doesn't rile Beijing's emotions, and that instead ushers in a period of stability. What are the chances?Guest: Kirsty Needham, Australia and Pacific correspondent, AFP and former SMH Beijing correspondent

The UK's local council elections last week saw Labor lose Wales for the first time in 100 years. Reform UK and the Greens also made big strides in traditional Tory and Labor heartland. Old loyalties are breaking down, and with it Britain's traditional political system.What does this mean for the UK's first-past-the-post electoral system? What foundation does this lay for Scottish and Welsh independence? And if the UK isn't safe from populism, is Australia?Guest: Krishnan Guru-Murthy, British journalist and Channel 4 News presenter.-------Get in touch:We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.auFind all the episodes of Global Roaming on ABC Listen or wherever you get your podcasts.

Indonesia is one of Australia's nearest neighbours but the nature of its people, art and culture remain a mystery to many.In the fourth instalment of Global Roaming's Indonesia Rising, hosts Hamish Macdonald and Geraldine Doogue leave the politics behind for a deeply personal insight into Indonesian identity and the country's rich history of literature, poetry and art.Guest: Laksmi Pamuntiak, Indonesian poet and novelist.Reading recommendations:Hamish: The Question of Red by Laksmi Pamuntiak.Geraldine: The Year of Living Dangerously by Christopher KochLaksmi: Indonesia, Etc. by Elizabeth Pisani, Race, Islam and Power by Andreas Harsono, Saman by Ayu Utami, the essays of Goenawan Mohamad in Tempo,  Beauty Is a Wound by Eka Kurniawan, and the Buru Tetralogy and The Mute's Soliloquy Pramoedya Ananta Toer.Mentions: Global Roaming with David Van Reybrouck - Indonesia Rising: The struggle to reclaim historyGet in touch:We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.auFind all the episodes of Global Roaming on ABC Listen or wherever you get your podcasts.*Hamish is in Indonesia as the winner of the 2024 Elizabeth O'Neill Journalism Award.

From Ukraine to Iran, the rapid advancement of cheap and mass-produced drones is reshaping battlefields around the world.Before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, only four militaries around the world were using small drones. Now, according to today's guest on Global Roaming, there are more than 40.Host Hamish Macdonald visits a counter-drone technology factory in an undisclosed location in Sydney to find out more.Guest: Terry Van Haren, vice president of DroneShield, an Australian military technology companyMentions: Global Roaming with Peter Pomerantsev: Is Russia's time as a dominant power coming to an end?Get in touch:We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.auFind all the episodes of Global Roaming on ABC Listen or wherever you get your podcasts.

The war with Iran and closure of the Strait of Hormuz has sent oil and gas prices through the roof.As countries scramble to secure energy supplies, sales of rooftop solar and electric vehicle sales are soaring. Is the war forcing the world to break its fossil fuel addiction? And how viable are alternative low-emissions fuels?   Guest: Dani Alexander, the chief executive of the University of New South Wales Energy InstituteGet in touch:We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.auFind all the episodes of Global Roaming on ABC Listen or wherever you get your podcasts.

On the frontline with Russia, Poland is now spending a massive $90 billion on defence, bolstered by a loan from the EU and multinational forces from Europe and the US stationed in the country. In Warsaw, the view is that the only way to stop Russia is deterrence.Meanwhile, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has condemned what he calls the disintegration of NATO from within, declaring the greatest threat is not its external enemies. And asked whether Poland can rely on US President Donald Trump to intervene if Russia attacks, Poland's deputy foreign minister suggests the answer lies closer to home.Guest: Władysław Teofil Bartoszewski, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of PolandGet in touch:We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.auFind all the episodes of Global Roaming on ABC Listen or wherever you get your podcasts.

Russia has crossed the threshold of losing more soldiers than it's able to mobilise. Some troops are paying their commanders to get a spot at the back of the Russian forces. Others are deserting entirely. And when soldiers do return home, they often bring the violence with them.President Putin controls a powerful pro-war narrative, which helped rationalise this war of choice to his people. But are the effects of this propaganda beginning to wane? And after a harsh winter, what has changed within Ukraine?As Russia fails to bring this war to a close, and the world moves to phase out fossil fuels, Russia's main export, how much longer can Russia hold on to the pretence of global superpower status?Guest: Peter Pomerantsev -- Kiev-born writer; political analyst; senior fellow at the SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University; co-director of the Arena Initiative; co-founder of The Reckoning Project; author of Nothing is True and Everything is Possible and This Is Not Propaganda.Geraldine's further reading recommendations:The Closing of the Russian Mind: How Putin's Ideology Took the Nation Hostage, by Andrei Kolesnikov.Inside the belly of the beast, by Noonie Minogue.Russia Starts Here: Real Lives in the Ruins of Empire, by Howard Amos.Get in touch:We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.auFind all the episodes of Global Roaming on ABC Listen or wherever you get your podcasts.

Indonesia declared independence from Dutch rule in 1945, sparking a violent revolution. It was the first country to do so in the wake of World War II and a move that quietly shaped the Global South into what it is today. How did the revolution start? What effect did it have internationally? And why is it not marked as a significant moment of global history?Guest: David Van Reybrouck, Belgian historian and author of Revolusi.Mentioned: Geraldine and Hamish spoke about the Indonesia Calling (1946) documentary, at the end of the episode. It's a part of Australia's and Indonesia's shared history: Trade union seamen and waterside workers refused to service Dutch ships that contained weapons destined for use against Indonesia's independence movement.Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.auFind all episodes of Global Roaming on ABC Listen or wherever you get your podcasts.*Hamish is in Indonesia as the winner of the 2024 Elizabeth O'Neill Journalism Award.

There's an important meeting in Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's diary.On Monday, Japan's first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, will touch down in Australia for high‑level talks with the Albanese government, following Foreign Minister Penny Wong's trip to Tokyo to shore up fuel and fertiliser supplies.So, are friends in need friends indeed? Australia wants fuel from our friends in the north, but what will Japan's new prime minister want in return?Takaichi has been called the world's most powerful woman. So, how will Anthony Albanese approach the meeting? And as Japan bolsters its defences against China, does Tokyo expect Australia to do the same?Guest: Professor Shiro Armstrong, Director of the Australia‑Japan Research Centre and the East Asian Bureau of Economic Research, and Editor of the East Asia Forum at the Australian National University's Crawford School of Public Policy.Recommendations:Geraldine - Drops of God (TV series)Hamish - What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki MurakamiGet in touch:We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.auFind all the episodes of Global Roaming on ABC Listen or wherever you get your podcasts.

US defence secretary Pete Hegseth denies Trump's war on Iran has hit a "quagmire", but the reality on the ground tells a different story. With an ongoing stand-off in the Strait of Hormuz and diplomatic efforts yielding little progress, the war appears to have hit a stalemate. So what or who decides how this ends? And what does the United Arab Emirates' split from the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) say about fracturing relations in the Middle East?Guest: Esfandyar Batmanghelidj, founder and chief executive of the Bourse & Bazaar Foundation think tankGet in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.auFind all episodes of Global Roaming on ABC Listen or wherever you get your podcasts.

On Saturday evening a gunman attempted to storm the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner in Washington DC. The act of political violence -  the third assassination attempt of US President Donald Trump - occurred just three days before the 30th anniversary of Australia's deadliest mass shooting, the Port Arthur massacre, which prompted sweeping gun reform.So why has one country been able to respond to gun violence decisively while another hasn't? And what comes next, an increasingly violent and polarised United States?On this episode of Global Roaming, hosts Geraldine Doogue and Latika Bourke turn their focus to Washington DC to find out.Guest: David Smith, Washington bureau chief for The GuardianGet in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.auFind all episodes of Global Roaming now via ABC Listen or wherever you get your podcasts.

Artificial intelligence is reshaping power, cyber security and geopolitics, but can anyone really control it? From the US-China AI arms race to Taiwan's chip power, hosts Kylie Morris and Waleed Aly dive into the rapidly changing world of AI and the limits of democratic powers to regulate it. What can we make of Anthropic's decision not to release its powerful Mythos model? And do we truly understand what we're building and who will control it?Guest: Rohit Krishnan, AI investor and operator and Substack essayist, The Strange Loop Canon.Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.auFind all episodes of Global Roaming now via ABC Listen or wherever you get your podcasts.

On this episode of Global Roaming's mini-series, Indonesia Rising, Hamish returns to Jakarta to speak to Indonesian communications minister Meutya Hafid.How effective has Indonesia's social media ban for children under 16 been? What can Australia learn from its approach? And does the minister support President Prabowo's plan for "bottom-up" economic growth?Meutya has a strong connection to Australia. She spent her university years in Sydney, working in a takeaway chicken shop while studying engineering. Guest: Meutya Hafid, Indonesia's Minister of Communications and Digital Affairs.Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.auFind all episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.*Hamish is in Indonesia as the winner of the 2024 Elizabeth O'Neill Journalism Award.Indonesia Rising sound design by Samuel Phelps.

On the eve of Anzac Day, the Global Roaming team comes together to discuss war, peace and what Australia's national day of remembrance means as conflict rages around the globe.  What's missing from daily coverage of conflicts in Africa, the Middle East and Europe? Does the way we talk about war need to change? And where are the peacemakers? Hosts: Latika Bourke, Kylie Morris, Hamish Macdonald, Geraldine DoogueRecommendations: Geraldine - Why Great Powers Sleepwalk to War — A Masterclass with Hugh WhiteGet in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.auFind all Global Roaming episodes via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

In November 2024, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu for alleged crimes against humanity and war crimes. But since then, he's visited the US and Hungary and news of the ICC case has grown quiet. So what's happened to the proceedings? What plays are being made behind the scenes? And is the "breakdown" of multilateral organisations like the United Nations having a impact?Guest: Kenneth Roth, former federal prosecutor for New York and the Iran-Contra investigation; former executive director of Human Rights Watch; author of Righting Wrongs.Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.auFind all Global Roaming episodes via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz is sending shock waves through the global economy. Supply chains are in disarray, inflation is surging and oil prices remain high. With no end in sight to the US-Iran war, is a global recession inevitable? And does that metric even matter?  On this episode of Global Roaming, Latika and Geraldine examine how the US economy is holding up and what it could mean for Australia.  Guest: Justin Wolfers, professor of public policy and economics at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, University of Michigan. Get in touch:We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

Trump's AI-generated image of himself as the Pope has drawn harsh criticism. He also called the Pope “WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy,” in a Truth Social post. What does Trump gain from these bizarre allusions to Christianity?Are MAGA's Christian nationalists tearing open long held wounds between the Catholic and Protestant faith in the United States?Hamish Macdonald and guest presenter Waleed Aly dive into whether Trump's antics are driving away Catholics as the the mid-term elections approach.Guest: Elizabeth Bruenig, staff writer at The Atlantic.------------Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.auFind all episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

Australia's close neighbour is changing before our eyes. By mid-century, Indonesia is forecast to become the world's fourth largest economy – imagine that!So how is Indonesia's economy really performing? Is democracy making a difference? And how will President Prabowo Subianto tackle the challenge of building infrastructure across an archipelago?In the first episode of Global Roaming's Indonesia Rising series, Hamish speaks with economist Dr Mari Pangestu to learn how the country is weathering global economic shocks and what's at stake in its partnership with Australia.Guest: Dr Mari Pangestu, economist, Indonesia's former Minister of Trade (2004-2011) and Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy (2011-2014), and the former World Bank managing director (2020-2023). ------------Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.auFind all episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.--------------Indonesia Rising sound design by Samuel Phelps.*Hamish is in Indonesia as the winner of the 2024 Elizabeth O'Neill Journalism Award.

Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic, shifting global headwinds and now the war in the Middle East have hit the British hard. So with some of the world's highest energy costs and a stretched defence force,  what does the future hold? Can Britain's deeply unpopular prime minister, Keir Starmer, survive the upcoming elections? And will this fallen empire ever rise again? On this episode of Global Roaming, Geraldine Doogue and Latika Bourke (The Nightly) go the London. Guest: James Crabtree, geopolitical analyst and author.Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.auFind all episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

Péter Magyar has beaten Viktor Orbán in Hungary's election, ending 16 years of autocratic rule. Hundreds of thousands of Hungarians celebrated in the streets of Budapest as the results were announced.Maygar won in a landslide, meaning his government has the power to enact significant reform, including bringing Hungary back into the EU fold.Hungarians voted for change of government and they got it. Does this signal the end of strongman politics? And what will America and Russia do now they've lost their man in Europe?Guest: Gergő Papp, Hungarian political campaigns consultant and author of 'The Fall of Orbán: How a Political Outsider Toppled Europe's Trump'. The book will be available in English in a few months.------------Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.auFind all episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

The war in the Middle East is sending shock waves through global supply chains, so where does this leave economic superpower China? Will it emerge as a genuine global leader or merely make a profit from global disorder?Does Beijing see the US and the President Trump's instability as a threat or opportunity?In this episode, Geraldine and Latika go roaming to find out if China wants the global power but not the global responsibility.The article Geraldine references from Foreign Affairs, written by Zongyuan Zoe Liu is here.Guest: Rana Mitter, ST Lee Chair in US Asia Relations at the Harvard Kennedy School and author of 'Forgotten Ally, China's World War II'.Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.auFind all episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

The ink hadn't even dried on the initial US-Iran ceasefire last week when Israel launched an unprecedented bombardment on Lebanon's capital, Beirut. Latika Bourke and Laura Tingle speak to a seasoned analyst from the International Crisis Group in Lebanon, who gives a unique insight into the fissures in Lebanese society. Is Hezbollah putting Iran's interests over Lebanon's? Will their most recent support of Iran continue a cycle of perpetual warfare? And is fermenting internal division a tactic employed by Israel to weaken the country?Guest: Heiko Wimmen, overseer of the International Crisis Group's Iraq, Syria and Lebanon project.--------------Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.auFind all episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

Is Wikipedia a relic of a more utopian version of the internet? Or is it the citizen-led antidote that we need?In the final episode of Global Roaming's Matter of Facts mini-series, Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales joins Hamish and Geraldine to discuss how much we should value freedom of speech over stifling active disinformation.This episode is part of a companion series to Hamish's three-part TV documentary, The Matter of Facts.Guest: Jimmy Wales, co-founder of Wikipedia and author of The Seven Rules of Trust.Get in touch:We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.auFind all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

The Middle East conflict has triggered a reckoning in global energy supplies. So as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese touches down in Singapore for talks to shore up fuel supplies, are there opportunities amidst the disruption? Could Australia work with South East Asia to develop more resilient energy supply chains? In this episode, Hamish and Geraldine travel to Jakarta, Indonesia's capital and now the most populous city in the world, to find out. Guest: Dr Kao Kim Hourn,  Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.auFind all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.*Hamish is in Indonesia as the winner of the 2024 Elizabeth O'Neill Journalism Award. The award provides for a visit to Indonesia supported by the Australia-Indonesia Institute (All) within the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).

The war in Iran has aroused worldwide fears: what happens if a country runs out of oil? Because of severe US restrictions, Cuba has faced that reality, having been without oil for three months.Latika and Kylie speak to correspondent Ruaridh Nicoll who has been travelling across the country to find out how the Cubans are surviving.Guest: Ruaridh Nicoll, journalist, freelancer, and author. He has worked with The Guardian, The Telegraph UK, and Al Jazeera, among others.-------------Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.auFind all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

A ceasefire is declared after Donald Trump agrees to a two-week pause in attacks on Iran, contingent on the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. But is this a genuine de-escalation or a strategic pause? A reprieve that the world has been desperate to see or statecraft in action? In this episode of Global Roaming Geraldine and Latika speak to one of the UK's leading war and military specialists to better understand where the Middle East conflict is headed. Guest: Dr Jack Watling, Senior Research Fellow for Land Warfare at the Royal United Services Institute in London.Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.auFind all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

Australia's education system is one of our most successful export industries, worth an estimated 54 billion dollars. But as perceptions that our universities are "mediocre and overpriced" rise, is the opportunity to use education as a way to build stronger relationships with south east Asia passing Australia by? This episode Hamish Macdonald and Kylie Morris go to Ho Chi Minh City to speak with Damien Cave from the New York Times, who argues Australian universities are failing as a frontline of Australian foreign policy.Guest: New York Times' Vietnam bureau chief, Damien Cave. Read his story for ABC's Long Read here: Is Australia's university empire losing global appeal?Get in touch:We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.auFind all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.*Hamish is in Indonesia as the winner of the 2024 Elizabeth O'Neill Journalism Award. The award provides for a visit to Indonesia supported by the Australia-Indonesia Institute (All) within the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).

In our previous Matter of Facts mini-series episodes, we covered why our brains are vulnerable to misinformation, and how disinformation is affecting democracies. Today, we examine the public's trust (or lack thereof) in mainstream media.For decades, news outlets functioned to bridge the gap between the public and those in power. So, how did faith in traditional journalism erode, and what needs to change in how the media operates to start fixing the mess?Guest: Ulrik Haagerup, founder and CEO of Constructive Institute.-----------------Get in touch:We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.auFind all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

Today, a special episode recorded at the Manly Writer's Festival 2026 where Geraldine speaks to three highly experienced diplomats -- Ian Kemish AM, Dr Robert Bowker, Dr Lachlan Straun. They talk about the challenges they faced in foreign negotiating rooms, how accurate the media representations of diplomats are, and whether there is a distinctly Australian style of diplomacy.Guests:Ian Kemish AM -- former Australian ambassador to Germany, former Australian high commissioner to Papua New Guinea and former international adviser to the prime minister. Author of The Consul: an insider account from Australia's diplomatic frontline and Two Islands.Dr Robert Bowker -- Australian ambassador to Jordan (1989-1992), Australian ambassador to Egypt (2005-2008) and former non-resident Australian ambassador to Syria, Libya, Tunisia and Sudan. Author of Tomorrow There Will Be Apricots: An Australian Diplomat in the Arab World.Dr Lachlan Strahan -- former High Commissioner to the Solomon Islands, First Assistant Secretary of the DFAT Multilateral Policy Division, and Australia's former Acting United Nations Ambassador in Geneva. Author of The Curious Diplomat: A memoir from the frontlines of diplomacy. Get in touch:We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.auFind all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.