Global Roaming with Geraldine Doogue and Hamish Macdonald

The world is getting more dangerous. The closure of the Straight of Hormuz has sent shock waves around the world. The price of oil has skyrocketed and with fuel shortages now reaching Asia, Australia faces 'crunch time' on its energy security.So how vulnerable are we right now? And how do our perceptions shape our foreign policy? Rory Medcalf from the ANU's National Security College has been studying how our security expectations match up our reality. He joins Hamish Macdonald and Kylie Morris to talk about why public opinion matters. Guest: Professor Rory Medcalf, Director of the ANU's National Security College. Further reading: Report - No worries? Australian attitudes to national security, risk and resilienceGet 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.

To celebrate Hamish Macdonald's new television series The Matter of Facts, we'll be taking a deep dive into the global ramifications of mis- and disinformation. First up is the world of AI deepfakes. Generative artificial intelligence has us questioning our own eyes and ears, and the rapid pace at which we're consuming information is quite literally changing our brains. How do we navigate this world without falling prey to manipulation?In this episode, “deep reading” expert Maryanne Wolf joins Hamish Macdonald and Geraldine Doogue to unpack what it means to engage critically with information.-----------Guest: Maryanne Wolf -- Director of the Center for Dyslexia, Diverse Learners, and Social Justice at the UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies. And author of Proust and the Squid: The Story and Science of the Reading Brain.This is the first of Global Roaming's mini series on misinformation and disinformation. Hamish's documentary is called The Matter of Facts, and will be released on iView on Tuesday 24th March 2026.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. 

With Ali Larijani killed, and the whereabouts of the new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei unknown, who is calling the shots in Iran? Iranian-American historian Arash Azizi joins Geraldine Doogue and Hamish Macdonald to talk through the emerging power players, like Mohammad Bagher Ghabliaf and Saeed Jalili, and how much would genuinely change under their potential leadership. Guest: Arash Azizi, author of What Iranians WantGet 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. 

With thousands dead and millions displaced in Iran, the humanitarian price of the US-Israel war will be steep. But there's another priceless casualty of war: art. With multiple UNESCO World Heritage sites in Iran sustaining damage, how do you protect a nation's cultural heritage during war time? Latika Bourke and Kylie Morris are joined by Basia Solokowska, who served as Defence and Crisis Management Officer at the Centre for Contemporary Art in Warsaw, Poland. She lifts the lid on how museums and art galleries prepare their collections for war, and the surprising role drones play in preserving our heritage.Guest: Basia Sokolowska, Polish-Australian artistGet 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 so-called Operation Epic Fury isn't working according to Trump's plan, if he has one at all. Now, as Iran's blockade Strait of Hormuz threatens the global economy, will Trump's allies in NATO and Asia answer his calls for military assistance? Latika Bourke and Geraldine Doogue speak to Richard Haass, a foreign policy stalwart who has sat in US negotiations with Northern Ireland and Iran. They talk about why the US gave up on diplomacy, if Netanyahu would agree to a US brokered ceasefire, and why so many foreign policy experts in the States are deeply concerned about what happens next. Guest: Richard Haass, president emeritus of the Council on Foreign Relations.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. 

There's no way Australia could possibly be supporting Russia's invasion of Ukraine, right? According to Ukrainian MP Anastasia Radina, think again. During a visit to Australia to rally support for her besieged country, this episode the Ukranian MP sits down with Hamish Macdonald and Kylie Morris to argue the case for Australia to stop buying refined oil from India because of its links to Russia.Guest: Anastasia Radina MP, Chair of the Ukrainian Committee on Anti-Corruption PolicyGet 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. 

Our inbox at Global Roaming is chockers with requests to take a closer look at China's history. So this episode, we're sharing a Sydney Writer's Festival panel recorded at the State Library of NSW with Frank Dikötter, pre-eminent China historian. Hear Hamish Macdonald and Geraldine Doogue speak to Dikötter about rummaging through smuggled archives to challenge CCP narratives of China's modern history, and what it tells us about Xi Jinping's power today.Guest: Frank Dikötter, author of Red Dawn Over ChinaFurther listening: The underground historians of China trying to preserve truth - Saturday ExtraGet 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 Baltic nation of Estonia knows a little about what Russia is like. One of Russia's closest neighbours, they were part of the Soviet Union until gaining independence in 1991. But is its independence being threatened? Geraldine Doogue and Hamish Macdonald speak to the Minister about Putin's "master plan" and his message for Australia's leaders.Guest: Estonia's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Margus TsahknaGet 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. 

Last year's Gen Z protests in Nepal saw the Parliament building set ablaze, and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli step down. In the first election since, it looks like the 35-year-old rapping former Mayor of Kathmandu could be next leader of the Himalayan nation. But with impacts of the war reverberating through Nepal's massive migrant diaspora, can Balendra Shah fulfil his promise of economic stability? Latika Bourke and Kylie Morris are joined by South Asia bureau chief Meghna Bali to look at "Balen" Shah's promise to the people, and how Nepal's closest neighbours, India and Pakistan, are having their allegiances tested by the fallout of war in Iran. Guest: Meghna Bali, South Asia bureau chief for the ABC based in New DelhiGet 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. 

Could the war in the Middle East be over in a little over a week, or is that wishful thinking? With global oil markets in unprecedented territory as they react to Trump's ever-changing timeline on the US-Israel war on Iran, the prospect of peace seems a distant reality. The New York Times chief diplomatic correspondent, Steven Erlanger, however, offers a more hopeful view. He speaks to Geraldine Doogue and Latika Bourke about the far-reaching ramifications of the war, why Albanese was quicker to support Trump than Europe, and why the upcoming mid-terms may prompt Trump to walk away from the conflict sooner than we think.Guest: Steven Erlanger, the chief diplomatic correspondent for the New York Times based in BerlinGet 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 Iran football team's decision not to sing the national anthem during the AFC Women's Asian Cup was an act of silent protest. Now, after days of rallies, and a phone call from US President Donald Trump, five of the players have been granted humanitarian visas by Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke. What could happen to the remaining players?Hamish Macdonald and Kylie Morris are joined by former Socceroos captain Craig Foster to unpack the human rights obligations of Australia towards the players, as well as allegations players are under watch by the Revolutionary Guard (IRGC), and whether football's governing bodies are doing enough to protect female athletes. Guest: Craig Foster, former Socceroo captain and human rights advocateGet 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. 

Geraldine Doogue and Kylie Morris are joined by regional expert and former army officer Rodger Shanahn to answer your questions about the situation unfolding in the Middle East. Is the bombing of Shajareh Tayyebeh girl's school a war crime? What does Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu want from Iran? Guest: Rodger ShanahanGet 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. 

In just twenty four hours, a US submarine has torpedoed an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean. Turkey, a NATO member state, has shot down an Iranian ballistic missile. And while Israel hammered Tehran and southern Lebanon with fresh rounds of strikes, Trump is considering arming Kurdish forces. The death toll is climbing into the thousands.In less than a week, has the US and Israel's military campaign against Iran spiralled into a war beyond anyone's control? Hamish Macdonald and Geraldine Doogue return to Beirut to speak with Kim Ghattas about the rapidly escalating war in the Middle East, and whether Iran has already been caught in a self-perpetuating 'escalation trap'.Guest: Kim Ghattas, Lebanese-born journalist and Middle East expert based in Beirut, and author of Black Wave: Saudi Arabia, Iran, and the Forty-Year Rivalry That Unraveled Culture, Religion, and Collective Memory in the Middle EastGet 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. 

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

From Barbie to Casablanca, Warner Bros studios have fundamentally shaped western popular culture. So will its $110 billion dollar takeover by Paramount re-write the script for American cinema as we know it? And with Trump's least favourite cable news channel, CNN, also changing hands in the deal, who is the 'nepo baby' now in charge, what is his connection to MAGA?Geraldine Doogue and Latika Bourke are joined by legendary entertainment reporter Kim Masters, who first broke the news of a potential deal last year, to talk about David Ellison's journey from aspiring actor to media mogul; his controversial instalment of Bari Weiss at CBS; and what his political connections say about the shrinking free press. Guest: Kim Masters, co-founder and writer for PuckGet 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. 

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

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

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

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum is stuck in a political trap. On the one hand, Trump has threatened to intervene if she doesn't tackle the country's cartels. On the other, her strike against notorious 'El Mencho' this week sparked violence and unrest, with some cities like Guadalajara shutting down for days. But is killing El Mencho the end of America's fentanyl woes, or the start of a new chapter in the 'War on Drugs'?David Mora from the International Crisis Group joins Hamish Macdonald and Geraldine Doogue from Guadalajara to talk about the Jalisco cartel's global drug networks, and why ordinary Mexicans are bearing the brunt of Sheinbaum's diplomatic tightrope-walking.Guest: David Mora, senior Mexican analyst with the International Crisis GroupGet 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. 

Four years ago, Vladimir Putin rolled Russian tanks into Ukraine at the start of a full-scale invasion. Now, as peace talks lead by Trump and the USA fail to make progress, there is no easy end in sight for the most deadly conflict in Europe since World War Two. With host Latika Bourke (The Nightly) in Kyiv for the anniversary of the war, she joins Kylie Morris in speaking to official Yuiry Sak about why Ukraine is emerging from Winter 'stronger and more united'. Guest: Yuriy Sak, former advisor to Ukraine's Ministry of Strategic IndustriesGet 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. 

With the possibility of charges against Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, being removed from the line of succession could be the last of the former Prince's worries. But with the House of Windsor in freefall following the latest Epstein revelations, have King Charles and Buckingham Palace been transparent about what they knew, and when? Andrew's unauthorised biographer, Andrew Lownie, knows what its like to navigate the British Royal Family's web of power. He joins Geraldine Doogue and Latika Bourke to talk about the financial corruption at the centre of the Royal power, whether Albanese has jumped the gun on removal calls, and why he's still a monarchist.Guest: Andrew Lownie, historian and author of Entitled: The rise and fall of the House of YorkGet 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. 

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

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

It's not often we get the opportunity to ask a senior US official about AUKUS: Will the nuclear powered submarines be delivered? Can we trust Washington? Will America expect us to join them in any future conflict with China? Geraldine Doogue and Hamish Macdonald are joined by serving Democrat Senator Tim Kaine to talk all things AUKUS. Kaine represents the state of Virginia, where our nuclear submarines will be built. Back in 2016, Kaine was the Vice Presidential candidate in Hilary Clinton's Presidential bid. Now, he's the lead Democrat on the armed services and foreign relations committee, and a passionate advocate of the Australia-US alliance. Guest: Senator Tim KaineGet 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. 

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

As the four-year anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine looms, finding a diplomatic end to the conflict is more unlikely than ever. With Trump's back turned and Europe grappling with the prospect of war further west, where has Zelenskyy's support gone? Kylie Morris and Latika Bourke are joined by Ukrainian-born Yaroslav Trofimov, the chief foreign-affairs correspondent at The Wall Street Journal, who has reported on the conflict since its inception.Guest: Yaroslav Trofimov, chief foreign-affairs correspondent at The Wall Street JournalGet 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. 

At last year's Munich Security Conference, Vice President JD Vance shocked the world with his fiery attack on Europe. This year, when Secretary of State Marco Rubio fronted the world's biggest security conference, attended by more than 60 heads of state, he got a standing ovation. But was his speech really that different? Fresh from the conference, co-host Latika Bourke (The Nightly) and fellow attendee Ravi Agrawal join Geraldine Doogue to talk all things Munich; the highs and lows; Elbridge Colby and the future of AUKUS; and how Ukraine was left in the cold. Guest: Ravi Agrawal, editor-in-chief of Foreign PolicyGet 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 Artemis II prepares for launch, our first trip near the moon since the 1970s, a successful voyage could bring a lunar colony closer to reality. But as tech billionaires compete for NASA contracts, from Elon Musk's SpaceX to Jeff Bezos' Blue Origins, can we trust corporations to act on humanity's behalf?Hamish Macdonald and Jonathan Webb (Lab Notes) speak to rockstar physicist Professor Brian Cox, about who owns space, and why tech billionaires are not the bad guys, but not the good guys either. Guest: Professor Brian Cox, UN Champion for SpaceGet 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.

With Indonesia becoming the first nation to commit soldiers to Trump's "Board of Peace", Hamish Macdonald and Geraldine Doogue put the spotlight on some of our closest neighbours; from President Prabowo Subianto's motivations in Gaza; to the conservative election wins in Thailand and Japan.Joining the conversation is Amanda Hodge, The Australian's Asia-Pacific correspondent, to talk about whether Sanae Takaichi's will rewrite Japan's pacifist constitution, and the surprise win of "Cannabis King" Anutin Charnvirakul in Thailand. And as our region grapples with the impacts of climate change, why has the environment fallen off the global agenda? Guest: Amanda Hodge, Asia-Pacific correspondent for The AustralianGet 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 Trump continues nuclear talks with Iran, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rushed to Washington to influence any potential deal. But amid uprisings, sanctions, and conflict with Israel, the Islamic regime is in its "end chapter". Will either side get what they want? Geraldine Doogue and Hamish Macdonald are joined in studio by Vali Nasr, who advised the US State Department on Iran during the Obama era. They talk about why Trump fell for his own saviour narrative, and how October 7 is still reshaping the region.Guest: Vali Nasr, Professor of Middle East Studies and International Affairs at Johns Hopkins University and former US State Department adviser on Iran. Get in touch:We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

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

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

Martin Luther King III was ten years old when his father, the hero of the modern US civil rights movement, was assassinated for his advocacy against racism. King III has picked up his father's fight for a free and equal America, but is his father's dream still possible in 2026? King joins Hamish Macdonald and Kylie Morris to talk about whether the spirit of non-violent resistance can help push back against ICE, whether there'll be mid-term elections under Trump, and what he would ask the Reverend if his father were alive today. Guest: Martin Luther King IIIGet 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. 

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

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

It's the biggest humanitarian disaster in the world right now, yet few outside the conflict are aware of it. But Sudan's brutal civil war, which has displaced millions and turned cities like El Fasher into a mass grave, has found unlikely backers in the region. So why are Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates lining up to pick sides? Latika Bourke and Kylie Morris speak to journalist Mat Nashed about who stands to gain from drawing out the conflict, and his warning against middle power imperialism. Guest: Mat Nashed, freelance journalist covering SudanGet 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 nuclear talks begin between the Islamic Republic of Iran and US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump's armada of ships off Iran's coast are proving an effective negotiating tool. But for the people of Iran calling for intervention and regime change, the results of these talks may offer little relief. And as the staggering death toll of January's protests is starting to come into focus, how many of its own citizens is the regime is willing to shoot in order to crush an uprising?Geraldine Doogue and Latika Bourke speak to Iranian-American expert Holly Dagres about why the Iranian regime has reached a point of no return, even if the US chooses not to act. Guest: Holly Dagres, senior fellow at the Washington Institute's Programme on Iran and US Policy.Get in touch:We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.auFind all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts. 

With the Winter Olympics about to kick off in Milano-Cortina, the news that Team USA will be joined by officers from the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has caused a stir. It sends a mixed message to the world, especially given that in July, the notoriously anti-immigration Trump administration will host millions of international visitors for the biggest sporting event on the planet, the FIFA World Cup. Hamish Macdonald and Kylie Morris speak to journalist Nahal Toosi about the collision of MAGA and sports, and why an "America First" World Cup is riddled with contradictions.Guest: Nahal Toosi, senior foreign affairs correspondent for POLITICOGet 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 and Geraldine dig into the questions you actually want answered.From how to break out of our political and cultural echo chambers, to making sense of Donald Trump's behaviour, to the lessons history offers about what middle powers can achieve - inspired, no doubt, by Canada PM Mark Carney.Plus, we look ahead to a very particular VIP visit from the Middle East to Australia.Suggested reading/watching mentioned in this episode:The Kaiser At Mar A LagoLowy Interpreter Middle Powers Can't Run The WorldUnHoly - Two Jews On The News 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. 

With the purging of another top general, China's President Xi Jinping has ripped a hole in the People's Liberation Army leadership. Only two of his nine top generals remain in office.It's been explained as an anti-corruption move, but what's really going on? And how will it impact Beijing's behaviour towards Taiwan? Guest: Neil Thomas, Asia Society Policy Institute's Center for China AnalysisMentions:"China's top general accused of giving nuclear secrets to US" - Wall Street Journal "The demise of Zhang Youxia hits different" - Drew Thomson, Substack article.Recommendations:Geraldine: It was just an accident - film, dir. Jafar PanahiHamish: But also John Clarke - documentary, ABC iViewGet 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 former UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, has spent his working life on the frontline of humanitarian crises - from the "catastrophic" situation in Sudan, to Syria in the Middle East. But with the international rules-based order facing an existential crisis of its own, is the UN still up to scratch?As he steps down from his role, Filippo talks to Kylie Morris and Latika Bourke about why the world shouldn't turn away from Sudan, and why Trump's Gaza 'Board of Peace' will never replace the UN - for all its flaws.Guest: Filippo Grandi, former United Nations High Commissioner for RefugeesGet 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. 

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. 

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

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

When UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer came to power in 2024, he was seen as a safe, if slightly boring, pair of hands. Now, UK Labour is threatened by the return of an unlikely figure - the man known as the 'father of Brexit': Nigel Farage. Geraldine Doogue and Hamish Macdonald sit down with Channel 4 News anchor Krishnan Guru-Murthy to chat about why Keir Starmer is failing to cut through, whether Reform UK could win the next election and what England's loss at the Boxing Day test reveals about the state of the country.Recommendations:Krishnan - Younger - TV series on Netflix Geraldine - My Brother's Band - FilmHamish - Tehran - TV series on Apple TV 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.

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

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

Myanmar's election ends this weekend, but there'll be no prizes for guessing the outcome. It's the first time the junta has held elections since the 2021 coup and Hamish Macdonald and Kylie Morris speak to democracy activist Mon Zin about what it means for the people of Myanmar, and the surprising connection between the Hunger Games and Myanmar's youth-led Spring Revolution. Plus, they explore why China's leader Xi Jinping is watching the outcome more closely than most... Guest: Mon Zin, Myanmar democracy activist based in AustraliaGet 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. 

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

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

In this Global Roaming limited series, Hamish Macdonald and Geraldine Doogue are inviting big thinkers from different fields to consider how Australia can not just survive - but thrive - in a more challenging world. In this episode the Lowy Institute's Lydia Khalil shatters the perception that our geography alone is enough to protect us from the insidious new security threats that are already making their way to our shores, and she outlines how we can protect ourselves going forward. Lydia's recommendations:The Man in the High Castle - TV series on Amazon PrimeFor All Mankind - TV series on Apple TVGet 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.